Chapter XXIII

Rarity spent the night in “jail”. The mustached officer informed her that she would not receive any visitors until Mayor Mare decided what to charge her with. Rarity didn’t care, she was pretty sure she wasn’t going to get any visitors anyway. The cramped supply closet smelled of lye solvent now and she struggled to make a comfortable bed. By the time morning came, she had arranged the wet napkin packets into five neat piles based on their year of expiry and cleaned the linoleum floor. The door swung open suddenly and the bright fall sun blinded her for a moment.

“Get up. Somepony posted bail for you.” The police officer growled. She blinked for a few moments, who would post bail for her? As she walked tiredly out of the back office, she caught sight of a large crowd of ponies outside of the door. “Yeah, everypony wants to see who blew up the Parisol Boutique.” The guard said as he cast her outside.

The crowd shouted and yelled questions to her, then she heard Mr. Salukas’ bellowing voice.

“Out of my way!” He shouted as he cut through the crowd. The crowd became silent as he waded through them. The workhorse walked up the steps to the town hall. Sonny stopped a few steps short of her. “Are you ready to go?” He asked. She simply stared at him. He had posted her bail. She hadn’t even thought about what Mr. Salukas might do when he found out what she had done. The crowd began to murmur and he smiled. “Have you had anything to eat?” He asked. She shook her head stiffly. “Well come on then, we have some underdone muffins at the Lone Star.” He said with a chuckle. She followed him down the steps. The ponies parted as she walked by them; they were terrified by the pyromaniac unicorn.

The two walked to the Lone Star in silence. Rarity couldn’t fathom why Sonny would post her bail. Why would he waste money on her? She didn’t even work for him anymore. They reached the bakery, it was empty and Rarity took a seat at one of the tables.

Mr. Salukas brought her a cup of water and a plate with a few underdone chocolate muffins. She ate them quietly. Sonny sat with her, he looked out the front window and crossed his legs.

“Are you alright?” He asked presently. She nodded. “I was worried when I heard that you were involved in a fire. But then I was told that they had found broken bottles at the scene.” He grinned. “Did you have help, or did I let slip the recipe to the most famous cocktail in my country?”

“I was alone.” She said softly. Sonny nodded.

“You are angry?” Rarity thought for a moment.

“Just tired.”

“What did you hope to do last night?” She took a sip of water.

“I destroyed my whole future last night, because I thought I was lying to myself about what I wanted to do.” She stated. “I get angry sometimes and I do stupid and dangerous things. Guess that makes me crazy.”

Sonny said nothing for a minute.

“I have not shown you Karina.” He said, standing and walking to the register. He opened the drawer and looked through the bills. He returned to her in a moment, carrying a folded paper. The horse held it out to her. Rarity took the small page, the paper felt velvety with wear and she carefully opened it. It was a portrait of smiling filly, about Sweetie Belle’s age, flanked by a much younger looking Mr. and Mrs. Salukas. They stood in what looked like a field of tilled mud and the blurry outline of a brick town stood in the background. The filly was a chestnut brown, the same as Ana and Sonny, she had no Cutie Mark. “Karina was my daughter.” Sonny said. “She was seven years old, and did not have a Cutie Mark. She came to me one day, she said ‘poppa, the other girls tease me because I do not have a Cutie Mark. I want to have a Cutie Mark like yours and theirs, please let me go to the unions.’” He sighed. “In my country, there are many ponies with this Cutie Mark.” He motioned to the pair of tools on his flank. “My country cherishes work and we have founded labor unions to produce uniform Cutie Marks. It was our pride to stand together and this Cutie Mark showed our love for fraternity.” He looked out the window. “But I told Karina no, her Cutie Mark was something that she had to discover. I told her that she could not go to the unions and look how I did. She hated me for it, because her friends had a union Cutie Mark, and I had a union Cutie Mark.” He sighed. The brown horse ran a hoof through his mane and gazed out the window. “I was a mistaken man, I was young and full of pride for my home and the things I was told made sense to me.” He shook his head. “But I knew enough to stop Karina from earning the same Cutie Mark as I and the others.” Sonny looked back to her. “You are not so different from Karina. You had everypony, even I, telling you to take the path that made the most sense. Rarity, I am proud of you for burning that building to the ground, for realizing that was not who you were anymore. I am glad you did not settle for what you knew you did not want. You are not a baker and you are not whatever that Hoity fellow thought you to be, and you showed that you know that. For this I am proud of you.”

“Why did you bail me out?” She asked softly. “I’m just a drunken, angry pony with no purpose.”

“Nyet Rarity, you are much more than that. You are strong.” Rarity saw tears shining in his eyes. “Like Karina was strong.” He sobbed, a wracking shuddering sob. Tears ran down the face of the burly baker and he looked down at the folded photo in Rarity’s hooves. “When we came to this country I did not believe there were any good ponies. We had been lied to so many times.” He said, his voice growing hoarse. Sonny swallowed. “But you Rarity, you are good. You try to help your friends and you follow your instinct. You are like Karina and I want you to be happy, so very much. And every time you do something like this, I see you getting closer to what will make you that way.”

“Why do you care about me?” She asked. Sonny wiped the tears from his eyes and sat for a moment.

“Because I can no longer care for Karina.” He said in a voice so quiet Rarity wondered if he had meant for her to hear him. He looked up at her.

“Rarity, I do not know what your future holds, but as I have said before, your strength will take you where you need to go. No matter what happens.” He swallowed again and a tear rolled down his brown face. “I am proud of you.”

“Thank you Sonny. For everything.” She whispered.

The two sat for a time. The sun slowly rose farther toward its azimuth and the warm rays of sunlight slanted through the window. Somepony knocked at the door, it was a police officer. Sonny let him in. The police officer, a young sergeant, almost a colt, approached Rarity.

“Ma’am, I’m here to, to place you in custody.” He said tentatively. “Your trial starts in fifteen minutes, and I’ve been asked to collect you.”

“Of course, I’ll follow you.” She said complacently.

The officer, apparently misinformed about her violent nature, hesitated then started for the door.

“Rarity, I will come with you.” Sonny said starting after her. She shook her head.

“No, open the bakery.”

“Rarity-”

“Applecrisp and Pinkie will be here soon.”

The burly workhorse bowed his head. He understood her.

“We will wait for you.” He said gently.

Rarity followed the nervous officer down the street toward the town hall. Ponies formed small clumps and whispered to one another as they passed. Rarity wondered how many years she might get for blowing up the Carisol Boutique. They didn’t have any other crimes to charge her with so she might get relatively lucky. She turned to her captor.

“So, what am I officially charged with?” She inquired.

“Uh, I’m not sure of the full list. But, destruction of property, endangerment of others, and possibly treason.”

“Treason?!!” She asked in shock. He nodded anxiously, fearing a violent attack.

“Y-yes, Mayor Mare treats any explosions near the queen as possible assassination attempts.” He fearfully explained.

Rarity closed her eyes. Things were not going to go well for her.

The courtroom held exactly five ponies. Her, Mayor Mare (who also happened to be the presiding judge), that mustached asshole of a cop that had arrested her the night before, a reporter for the newspaper, and the town’s only attorney, Mr. Brief.

The trial was more of a statement of facts than anything else. Rarity simply sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair and nodded as Mr. Brief laid out all of the evidence against her. When he was finished, the balding stallion shrugged and said.

“That’s all I got.” Mayor Mare smiled formally.

“Thank you prosecution. Does the defense have anything to say for herself?”

“Um, well, I was sort of having a midlife crisis last night and I had been drinking a little. I guess, I really just wanted to get rid of the Boutique because, well, I was sick of the thought of working there again I guess.”

Mayor Mare was unimpressed.

“Ms. Rarity, exactly what necessitated the destruction of the building? You were under no obligation to work there as I see it.”

“Um, see, this was more of a symbolic gesture.”

“One involving alcoholic grenades.” The judge surmised flatly. The old mayor sighed and removed her glasses. “Ms. Rarity, this is not the first incident you’ve had in the past few year.” Rarity nodded in embarrassment. “And while I am more than happy to overlook a drunken brawl, blowing up a building near the Queen of Equestria for no discernable purpose is simply criminal. Your past actions indicate no sort of remorse and given the increasing severity in your actions, you leave me no choice bu-” The door to the courtroom opened and four white guards filed into the room and with them Twilight. Rarity shrank down in her seat. “Your majesty!” Mayor Mare said in total surprise. “I was not expecting you!”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your honor.” Twilight said formally. “I had some business to attend to last night. I’m here to collect Rarity, I’m going to waive the charges against her, invoking section 822(r) paragraph 3 of page three hundred and six of the Ponyville Charter, specifying rights to the acting Queen.”

“Oh yes yes!” Mayor Mare said hastily. “By all means! She is yours!” Rarity shot a glance at Twilight. The purple Alicorn was focused on the mayor.

“Thank you. Rarity, please come with me.” She said, not taking her eyes off of the mayor. Rarity escaped her chair and walked over to Twilight. The guards formed a box around them and Rarity walked out of the courtroom alongside Twilight.

“To the westward side of the building please.” Twilight said to her guards. They walked around the side of the building and stopped in the shade. Rarity felt trapped inside the circle of guards and waited in apprehension for Twilight to speak. The Alicorn waited for a moment, then turned to face Rarity.

“Rarity, you burned down the Carisol Boutique.” Twilight began in a low voice.

“Yes, I, was a bit angry and wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“No no no.” Twilight interrupted in the same low voice. “You were thinking very clearly.” Rarity wondered if she could ram through the wall of muscular stallions surrounding them. “Rarity, you burned the Carisol Boutique down, not because you were angry, not because you were in a drunken rage, but because you wanted to.”

“Twilight-” The Alicorn turned on her.

“I don’t care what you do with your damn life!” She shouted. “I don’t care!” Rarity pressed against the flank of the guard as the Alicorn bore down on her. “I don’t care how many fights you get into or how many insults you don’t let go!” Twilight glowered down at Rarity. “I care about Spike. I care about him being happy. When he said he was engaged to you, I was so happy for him, for you.” She turned away. “I was going to pay for your whole wedding, get you two a house if you needed one.” She said quietly.

“Twilight, please-” The Alicorn turned again.

“But you don’t care!” She shouted. “You don’t care about a damn thing! What you showed me last night was that nothing in the whole world matters anything to you anymore.” She brushed back some tears. “Spike, he loves you, more than you can ever understand. He is obsessed with you, when he finally talked with me about marrying you, he was happier than I’d ever seen him. I thought you had finally decided to be a fashionista housemare or whatever, and I was happy for you. I thought you’d moved on from the Blast and you were trying to live a better life.” She shook her head. “You’re heartless Rarity, you would have gone to jail without once thinking of the person you’re engaged to.”

“Twilight-” Rarity pleaded.

“NO, Rarity!” Twilight shouted. “Spike devoted so much of himself to you, and through all of your spurning, he kept after you. Now you-”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have raised such a fucked up little dragon then, Twilight!” Rarity shouted back. “Maybe you should have taken it upon yourself to teach him how to move on, instead of nagging after ponies to marry him! Maybe in all of those years of studying spells for yourself and having him fetch books, you could have maybe set him up, or helped him find friends! I might not love him, but I care about him, a lot fuckin’ more than you do, and that’s why I wanted to help him by marrying him.”

Twilight stared at her for a second.

“You don’t even love him.” The young queen repeated. Rarity realized what she had just said.

Twilight shook her head.

“You’re dead to me Rarity. I’m going back to Cantorlot now, I don’t ever want to see you again.” She said, her voice quivering with anger. The group of guards began to follow Twilight as she started for the front of the building.

“Where’s Spike?” Rarity demanded, stepping in front of the Alicorn.

“I sent him off last night, he’s working at the Magic Academy. He doesn’t know what you did, I’m going to tell him later that he’s not engaged anymore.” Twilight said, pushing past her.

Rarity ran after her.

“No! I need to talk to him!” Twilight whirled around. Her eyes narrowed and she glared at Rarity.

“No, you won’t, this is goodbye Rarity. If I ever see you in Cantorlot, I’m going to prosecute you for every crime you’ve ever committed and make sure you never get out of jail. You’re going to stay here in Ponyville, or run off to somewhere, I don’t care. But no matter what, you are never going to have anything to do with me or Spike again. Goodbye Rarity.” She and the rest of her guards took flight. Rarity watched them as they flew into the blue sky.

She sat down in the dust of the road. She began to cry, then stopped. Rarity got to her hooves. Twilight was done with her and she was done with Twilight. Rarity shook her head, she was done lying to herself; if Twilight only wanted a Rarity that she liked, then fuck her. Rarity started back toward the Lone Star, she was going to be who she was.

Pinkie and Applecrisp were in the kitchen, Rarity entered and picked up a measuring cup. It was back to baking for her.

“Oh hi Rarity!” Pinkie cried. “Are you coming back to work with us?!” Rarity nodded.

“Yeah.” She picked up a bag of flour and began to measure out the white powder. Pinkie leaped into the air.

“YAY!!! It’ll be a real party! Say, what were you doing last night? I heard this biiiiiiig rumble like an explosion! And I thought-”

“Pinkie, wai don’t ya’ll shut yer’ mouth so ah don’t hawg-stick ya?” Applecrisp asked. Pinkie returned to the ground.

“Oh ok!” She said cheerfully. She whispered to Rarity. “That’s code for please be quiet.”

The trio worked for most of the morning, then Sonny informed Rarity that she had a visitor. Angora was out front.

“Hey, uh, I heard some stories about you.” The younger unicorn said with an unsure smile.

“They were probably true. Nopony got hurt in the explosion.” Rarity explained. “I’m sorry about-”

“That’s not why I came over.” Angora said. She looked to her hooves. “I got your note and I saw your bags.” Angora looked up at her in uncertainty. “You, want me to succeed?”

“I was a bit drunk, sorry it was corny.” Rarity said with a shrug. Angora shook her head.

“Your patterns, your designs. There’s probably a few thousand hours of work in there.”

“Yeah, it’s yours now, you’ve got real talent and I want you to kick ass in the fashion world.”

“What about you?” Rarity shook her head.

“Well, I just blew up my workshop and Hoity-Toity is going to burst a vein when he hears about it, so I’m pretty much finished as a designer.”

“I thought, I thought you liked designing.” Angora said softly.

Rarity shrugged.

“So did I.” She smiled. “Angora, you’ve got talent, and I’m going help you with anything you need me to help you with. But last night I realized that I really don’t want to do fashion any more. I guess I only thought I did since it made so much sense to go back. I used to love fashion, and well, maybe I still do, but not like before. I realized that I don’t want to spend the rest of my life doing what I did before the Blast.” She let out a long breath. “I have no idea what I want now, but it’s not fashion.” Rarity looked back at the mare before her. “I want you to have the best chance you can.” The younger designer stared at her and Rarity saw tears behind her glasses. She embraced Rarity.

Rarity clutched Angora. They were going to be friends. She was still going to advise the next Ponyville designer, even if she herself wasn’t going to stitch another seam.

“Oh, what about that black dress? The one made out of darkweave.” Asked the younger pony. Rarity laughed.

“Your first commission. Make it good, it’s going to Queen Twilight Sparkle.” Angora looked as if she might faint, but Rarity knew Twilight would like what the young designer would come up with.

Rarity watched the pink and white unicorn that would take her place leave the shop. Rarity actually felt a small swell of pride to know the next designer for the little town. Maybe this was what it felt like to be at peace.

After they finished for the day, Applecrisp and Rarity waited for Pinkie to leave, then Applecrisp turned to Rarity.

“So whut happened? Whut didja get charged with?” She asked anxiously. Rarity sighed.

“Nothing, my friend Twilight bailed me out.” Applecrisp whistled.

“W’alraght, tha’s the way t’do it!”

Rarity shook her head.

“She’s done with me and I’m pretty sure this broke my engagement. Just like it destroyed my future in design.” She frowned and kicked at a pile of flour dust on the floor. “Did I make a huge fucking mistake last night Applecrisp?” The Apple pony thought for a moment.

“Ah know mosta yer problems come from ponies tellin’ y’whut yer doin’ is wrong er raght.” She grinned. “But ah could tell that was all Rarity last naght.”

Rarity believed that. As she walked home, she felt a calmness cover her. The sickness had washed away and she felt almost invigorated. Maybe her life was fucked up, but she wasn’t lying any more. She took a deep breath of the crisp fall air, it was time to find out who she was.

“Rarity?” Rainbow Dash’s voice was nearly lost in the wind. The unicorn looked back. Rainbow Dash stood in the middle of the road, she looked shyer than ever. Rarity hadn’t expected her to be done with surgery so soon. Her stomach tightened as she looked to the Pegasus’ back. A ghostly white bandage, with a cherry red bloodstain was wrapped around her midsection. She had done it. Rainbow Dash saw her summating the bandage and blushed.

“They were just making the first incision when the explosion hit.” She seemed on the verge of tears. “Rarity, what happened?” She asked desperately. Rarity’s mouth went dry. Those Goddamn eyes had their way and there wasn’t a damned thing she could think to say.

“Dash, I’m so sorry. I just realized that I don’t want a workshop. I don’t know, maybe I’m crazy, but I’m not a fashion designer, not anymore. I don’t know what I am, but I’m not a fashion designer.”

“I thought, I thought you were where you needed to be, I thought…” Dash stopped. Rarity approached her.

“Dash listen-”

Rainbow Dash backed away.

“I, I need some time alone.” She said, her voice beginning to break. Rarity watched the Pegasus; the Pegasus she had helped ground forever. Rarity watched Rainbow Dash run to her secluded home in the prairie. What happened?

Of all of the things Applejack could have said, Rarity did not expect “hell yeah” to be a possibility. Rarity wasn’t sure if it was her triumph of personal honesty…or the notion of a massive fiery explosion sending flaming shards of debris rocketing into the sky that prompted Applejack’s approval.

“Gawd, ah was in bed! But as soon’s ah heard it ah knew it had something t’do with Rarity!” Applejack said with a grin. Rarity blushed and took a sip of cider.

“I’m not sure that’s a good thing.” She said self-consciously. Applejack laughed.

“So whut made ya’ll decide t’blow up the place anyway?” Rarity shook her head.

“I just, realized that I didn’t want to actually be a fashion designer. I guess I thought that with all of the moving on I’ve been doing over the summer, doing what I used to do again was what I wanted.”

“Hell, if ya’ll say y’aren’t a fashion designer, then y’arent one. Ah ain’t gunna hold y’to it. Y’shure as hell know how t’make a statement, tha’s fer shure! An’ y’got nuthin’ but support from me.” Applejack said proudly.

“I fucked up my relationship with Twilight. She never wants to see me again.” Rarity said quietly.

Applejack nodded and sighed.

“Yeah.” She leaned back in her chair. “Twah wouldn’t take kahndly t’that sorta thing ah imagine.”

“She was angry because she thought I broke my engagement with Spike, she sent him away and won’t let me see him.” Rarity explained unhappily.

“Aw hell no, she ain’t got no raght t’do that. Nao no matter whut, she ain’t got the raght t’send away yer’ fiancé cause she don’t see yew as lovin’ him.” Applejack said indignantly.

The unicorn frowned and played with her hooves.

“Yeah, I don’t though.”

“Oh.” Applejack said softly. “Ah see.”

It was true. Rarity had realized that as she lay in bed the night after burning down the Boutique. Somehow the idea of a perfect life as a fashion designer had come to encompass a marriage to Spike. She realized that after wanting to love him for so long, she had finally decided to become attracted to him. Like everthing else in her life, it had been a nice sounding lie to convince herself that she was where she wanted to be.

“So, whut kahnda man are y’lookin’ for?” Applejack asked after a second.

Rarity hadn’t expected this.

“Uh, I have no idea. I…kissed Audacity, he was in the bar when I went after Snips. But that was really just ‘cause I was angry that Octavia is dating him.” Applejack nodded knowingly.

“Justa sample, ah feel ya. Well, tha’s fahn, y’don’t gotta know jus’ yet.”

“I feel horrible about doing this to Spike.” Rarity confessed. “He’s going to be beyond crushed, I hope he doesn’t do anything unsafe.”

“Nao hold on! Whut he does is strictly his doin’. Y’ain’t been datin’ long, an’ he bettera seen the relationship warnt no good or he really is blahnd. Ah always’s kahnda saw ya’ll as bein’ the stallion anyway. Y’better not go beatin’ yerself up. When y’do see him agin, y’kin properly apol’gize an’ make it raght. Meantahm y’kin move on an’ see whut y’do lahk.”

“You’re a lot like your cousin you know that?” Rarity said with a chuckle. “Telling me what I did was the right thing.”

Applejack rolled her eyes.

“Ah maght wanna re-think mah advahce then.”

“Seems like the summer was a huge fucking waste. I’m no closer to finding my place than when I lived out in the fields.” Rarity said miserably.

Applejack was starting to say something when Paco entered the office. He bowed his head when he saw the two conversing.

“Sorry to interrupt.” He said politely.

“Hey hey! Paco! Ya’ll know Rarity!” Applejack said, pointing to the unicorn. “Whut did ya think about her? Lahk, whut do y’think she’d be good at?”

The brown stallion rubbed his chin.

“Weren’t you that mare that beat up those two guys?” She nodded in embarrassment. “Well, you sound tough, like a street fighter. Any mare that can beat up two Pegasi can most definitely take on another mare in the ring. You sound like a good street fighter!” He said excitedly. Rarity shrank down in her seat at this grim prophesy. She did not like being reminded of how well she fought.

Applejack grinned.

“Y’all heard ‘em, an’ Paco here’s got an uncle who’s a big street fahghter. Maybe you oughta look into that!”

“That sounds a little too gruesome for me.” Rarity said nervously.

“Well, I’m just here to drop off these reports for this month.” Paco said, laying a short stack of papers on AJ’s desk. “Profits are up fifty two percent this month.” He related.

The orange pony clapped her hooves.

“Whew! Tha’s whut ah lahk hearin’! Good job Paco, take an extra smoke break on me t’morrow.”

“Thank you Applejack! I’ll let you know if anything changes!” He said, starting back up the stairs. The Apple pony smiled to herself.

“Sorry ‘bout the interruption, things’ve been goin’ great. Fritter got back home with her fam’ly, ah got Paco doin’ the administrative shit. An’ Big Macintosh’s havin’ the tahm of his lahf directin’ the distill’ry. Apple fam’ly ain’t been richer or happier.”

“Glad to hear somepony is doing well.” Rarity said gloomily.

“Y’er a lot farther then y’were Rarity. Y’know whut not t’do.” Applejack pointed out.

Rarity shrugged and stood.

“Well we’ll see where that gets me.” She said, starting for the stairs.

“Hey hey! Keep Paco’s idea in mahnd!” AJ said with a grin.

“Yeah, and you keep your cousin in mind too.” Rarity replied.

“Haw, good one!” AJ called as Rarity climbed the steps out of the basement.

Hoity-Toity’s reaction was concerning. As Rarity read the floral-scented letter, she began to hope the little fashionista hadn’t had a stroke while composing the message. The calligraphic words morphed into a scrawling and deranged pattern that dribbled off of the edge of the elegant stationary.

She set the letter down on her desk; she couldn’t blame him for being angry. Being entitled to everything, he had of course made many arrangements for a contract that wasn’t even finalized. Of course Hoity-Toity was richer than devil’s food cake, so his feelings weren’t particularly relevant.

She looked at the ring beside the paper. Even with a royal salary, it must have cost Spike several months of paychecks to purchase the beautiful gift. Rarity reread the inscription and felt the sadness creeping back up. She laid it carefully back down before she became seriously depressed.

Rarity had made the decision to speak with her dragon logically and sincerely. If nothing else she could at least end their relationship with some sort of civility.

“Ready to go to work Rarity?” Pinkie asked.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Rarity said, shutting the ring into a drawer.

The two bakers departed for the Lone Star.

All in all, nothing really major had happened after the explosion. Twilight hated her, Spike would hate her soon; and Rarity had no idea what life held for her. It was back to normal for Rarity the unicorn. Regardless of how many lies she had culled from her life, she was still stuck in a job she did not want.

The icy cold wind whipped around the pair, sending a few broken leaves whirling into the air.

“Brrr! It’s cold!” Pinkie said, pulling her pink cloak around her. “I hope Sonny makes us hot chocolate.” Sonny had gotten soft. He checked up on the girls more, and after an explanation from Rarity, agreed to keep Applecrisp with the Lone Star despite her overage of sick days. With an extra pair of hooves, the work became light, and the three mares ran an efficient kitchen. Ana appeared every few days, but she found nothing to complain about, and merely gave the four a gaze of general apathy. All in all, things were becoming pretty boring at the Lone Star.

As Rarity and Pinkie left work that night, Rarity caught sight of a grey stallion out for a walk. Rarity told Pinkie to go on without her and walked over to the stallion.

“Hey, how’s it going?”

Pish looked up.

“Oh hello Rarity! How have you been?”

“I take it you’ve read the papers.” She said sheepishly.

He smiled.

“The papers didn’t say how you were doing. How are you?”

She sighed.

“Pretty certain that I blew every bit of grace you taught me about, I’m sorry.” The stallion laughed.

“Don’t think you can blow grace. Seems like that’s the point of it.”

“Well you’re probably pretty ashamed that I trashed my future.”

The grey stallion looked at her in puzzlement.

“Why?”

“Because I messed up! I did what I was supposed to do, things turned out, then I messed it all up right?”

“No.” Pish replied bluntly.

“But your God can’t possibly like what I did!” The unicorn protested.

Pish thought for a moment.

“As much as I hate speaking for my God, I don’t think He’s said anything about blowing things up.”

“But, the grace, you and Posh told me that I did what I was supposed to do and now it was all working out. You said it was all working out!”

The grey stallion put a hoof on her shoulder.

“Rarity, my son is a wonderful stallion, but he’s wrong.” Pish chuckled. “It’s not so much theology so much as it is life experience. Now listening to God is the most important aspect of our relationship with Him and He alone makes our paths straight.” The old stallion shrugged. “But Rarity, in the end, you’ll still have to figure out yourself, prayer alone won’t tell you who you are or what you’re supposed to do. Just because things all seem to work out doesn’t mean that it’s God’s will for you.”

“But, what about all of that stuff that you told me?” She asked in confusion. He shrugged.

“All of it was true, at least to my knowledge. Although grace has nothing to do with a perception of self. If there’s one problem I see with my son’s ideas, it’s the notion that we can simply pray and assume that whatever happens is what’s supposed to happen. Sometimes you need to take matters into your own hooves, and that’s exactly what you did.”

“But-”

“You did good Rarity, you decided against something you felt was not your calling, even though everypony seemed to be telling you the opposite.” He chuckled. “I don’t know how necessary burning down a building was, but God doesn’t love buildings, He loves you.” Rarity was silent a moment.

“Your God sounds different than how I imagined Him.” Rarity said in puzzlement.

Pish smiled.

“I have a Book by Him if you’d like to know more.”

“Now I didn’t say I was buying into it or anything.” She said with a chuckle.

“Well, at any rate. I think both He and I are happy that you aren’t going to be lukewarm.” The stallion said proudly. Rarity smiled, for a preachy and oftentimes idiosyncratic old stallion, Pish made her feel pretty good about herself.

“Thanks Pish. I don’t know about God, but you’re awesome.” She said as she gave him a hug. He laughed and held her back.

“Fight the good fight Rarity.”

As she started for home, she remembered something.

“What did you mean that one night?” She asked suddenly. He turned. “About my friend, you said to follow my heart.”

“Oh, yes, well, it sounded like you and she are close. I don’t know anything about what was going on, but if you ever get stuck on what to do, just go with your gut feeling. That’s usually the most insightful of intuitions.”

“It’s too late for that.” She said sadly.

Pish smiled.

“There is no too late with God.”