The Curse of Life

“So as you can see, I have everything set up,” Rarity said sitting across from Filthy Rich in his office. Needless to say, looking at the paper Rarity placed in front of him, he did not look happy.

“Now, let me get this straight,” Mr. Rich said, “You commissioned the royal court just to get ownership of Sweet Apple Acres?”

Rarity closed her eyes and smiled, “No Mr. Rich, I commissioned the royal court to get ownership for Applejack. It's going to be a joint partnership.”

Mr. Rich narrowed his eyes, “Did Abigail put you up to-”

“Don't. Use. That. Name,” Rarity said venomously, “The only one who currently has the right to use her true name is me. From now on, you're going to refer to her as Applejack, understand?”

“Ms. Belle, what goes on between me and the Ambrosia family is our business,” Mr. Rich said, “Based on the contract her father and I wrote, ownership of the land went to me.”

“Funny how that didn't go to Applejack or Macintosh, his children,” Rarity said, “But I'm not here to negotiate. I'm here to tell you what's going to happen. Either you turn ownership of Sweet Apple Acres to Applejack and I, or I make this official and take it to the royal court. Oh, two things concerning that; one, I happen to be dating Princess Celestia's son, and I've already talked to her about this, and two, this isn't the only copy I have, so if you were to try and shred that paper, I'd just take the original right to court. You don't want that, now do you?”

Mr. Rich grimaced, “Why are you going so far with this?”

“Simple. One, I know that if I just take this to the town's court, you'll weasel your way out of it somehow. And two,” Rarity leaned in close to Mr. Rich, “Abigail is somepony I deeply care about, and I know about what you've been doing to her. I don't have to tell you how illegal that is, now do it? Hm, I wonder what your reputation would be like if that were made public.”

“You wouldn't dare,” Mr. Rich seethed.

“Oh I would,” Rarity said with a dangerous smile, “And believe me, I'd enjoy every bit of it. Watching as your empire crumbles under your hooves, and everyone finds out what a disgusting stallion you really are. Ooh, can you imagine what your wife and daughter would think knowing that you've been essentially raping my beloved Applejack all this time?” she pulled out another piece of paper, “You have the power to prevent all of that though. Will you do the right thing, or is this going to get ugly?”

The look on his face made this whole thing worth it. She was happy that she didn't kill him now. If she did, she'd miss out on this wonderful moment. Getting to see the richest, most powerful stallion in Ponyville under her hoof.

She was having too much fun with this.

After she was done, she called Applejack using the magic of harmony telling her that she had a surprise for her. Applejack was still a little out of it, with the recent death of her grandmother and all. She needed some good news.

Thankfully Rarity had just what she needed.

“Sorry for how long it took ta get here,” Applejack said once she arrived.

“No harm done,” Rarity said waving it off, “Your house is a bit of ways from here, so I expected you to take a bit of time.”

“So… what's so important that ya had ta meet me so suddenly?” Applejack asked sitting down in front of Rarity, “Not that Ah mind seein ya, but it's kinda outta the blue.”

Rarity smiled knowingly, “I'm about to make your day,” Rarity said reaching into her bag, and pulling out an official looking document. Rarity placed it in front of Applejack, who's eyes went wide as she read it over.

“This is… the deeds to Sweet Apple Acres…” Applejack said, “But how did you…?”

“Remember when I went to talk to the Princess yesterday?” Rarity asked, “This was what I needed to talk to her about. If you look at the bottom, you'll see that the land is now in my name.”

“Rarity…” Applejack said, looking at her surprised. Rarity pulled out a pen and handed it to Applejack with her magic.

“Now, if you'll just sign your name on the bottom, this deed will forever be in our names,” Rarity stated.

“Wait… ya mean, you wanted ta make this…”

“What, did you really think I was going to take the land for myself?” Rarity asked, “Now Applejack, what sort of mare do you take me for?” she reached over the table and held Applejack's hoof lovingly, “I told you that I'd save you from Filthy Rich. You never have to go back to him again.”

Applejack's eyes watered, and after a second she turned away and closed her eyes, crying. Rarity smiled, adjusted her seat to be next to Applejack, and held her lovingly.

“From now on, I'll take care of you, alright?” Rarity said.

“Thank you,” Applejack sobbed, “Thank you so much.”

They stayed like that for a while, and then decided to get something to eat. Pinkamena seemed to be in bright spirits herself for some reason, and told them that their lunch was on the house. That was odd, but Rarity wasn't complaining.

“So, how's Apple Bloom holding up?” Rarity asked once their food came.

“Surprisingly well,” Applejack said, “She's divin head first inta potion makin, an' naturally she's askin a lot of questions 'bout bein an alicorn. It feels nice ta not have ta hide anymore.”

“Mm, I bet,” Rarity said, “You always did prefer your alicorn form.”

“Not like you though,” Applejack said, “You sometimes act like you hate yer alicorn form.”

“Who says I don't?” Rarity asked looking at Applejack seriously, “It's nothing though. Our “fate” is to fight the nightmares now.”

Applejack looked a little uncomfortable before changing the subject, “So, uh… how's Sweetie Belle?”

“Oh she's wonderful,” Rarity said, “I am a little concerned, what with her now being the only one of her trio who doesn't know about the alicorns.”

“Yeah, it don't seem right tellin Apple Bloom an' Scootaloo ta not tell her anythin,” Applejack said, “Are ya sure ya don't wanna tell her?”

“Applejack, it's not a matter of wanting to tell her,” Rarity said, “She's so fragile, I don't think she could handle knowing. She still doesn't remember the first labyrinth, when I ascended.”

“That's strange,” Applejack stated, “Think she's blockin the memory?”

“Probably,” Rarity sighed, “She panicked when we ended up in the labyrinth. If she knew about me, she'd have to remember that day.”

“Rarity, Ah'm sorry,” Applejack said somberly, “Ah didn't know ya had it so hard on yer end. If Ah had known, Ah'd have been nicer to ya before.”

“Water under the bridge,” Rarity said, “I was being a bitch to you, after all. What's important now is that you and I are making up for lost time.”

Applejack smiled, “Yer right. None of that matters,” Applejack wrapped her forelegs around Rarity, “If ya ever wanna talk 'bout things, Ah'll listen, alright?”

“Thank you Applejack,” Rarity said, returning the embrace, “I love you, Applejack.”

“Ah love you too, Rarity.”

Spike's head was not into his tasks for the day. He was supposed to be helping Twilight and Celestia with their research on Nightmare Night and the nightmares, but he couldn't focus. The only thing on his mind was Rarity.

She always looked so sad when she was in her alicorn form, and she had hinted many times that she didn't view being the Element of Generosity as a blessing. Yesterday though, he had seen a level of resentment within her that he had never seen before.

“Argh! I can't concentrate like this!” he groaned holding his head in frustration, “I shouldn't be here now!”

“You want to be with her, right?”

Spike jumped in shock at the sound of his mother's voice. He turned to the door of the main study and saw her leaning against the side of the door with a knowing smile.

“Um… sorry Mom,” Spike said looking down, “I know this is important, but-”

“Do you love her?” Celestia asked.

“I… don't really know honestly,” Spike said leaning back and looking up, “I remember when I first ever saw her, I was struck by her beauty. That was enough for me to be attracted to her, and I was. But then she showed me the magic of harmony, and what it did to her. She looked so beautiful, but at the same time…”

“You could see the sadness in her eyes,” Celestia said walking into the room, “I saw it myself. There's something deep inside of her that she's holding back.”

“I… think I saw a bit of it once,” Spike said.

“Oh?”

“It was the day after we fought the red nightmare in the Everfree Forest. She called me to her place, and she confessed that she wanted me to fight by her side. When I asked her why though, she broke down completely screaming that she was alone. Even now, I think she's isolating herself.”

“Hm… just like Twilight?” Celestia asked. Spike was shocked, and at first wanted to refute it, but then had to think about it. In a way, Rarity was a lot like Twilight. Was that the reason he was so attracted to her?

Honestly, he didn't know how he felt about that.

“If she is in pain like you said,” Celestia said, “and you feel like you need to be with her, go to her.”

“A-are you sure Mom?” Spike asked, “What about Twilight?”

“I'll take care of her,” Celestia said, “She and I need to catch up on old times anyway. Go on, honey.”

Spike nodded and hugged Celestia, “Thanks Mom. I'll be back later tonight.”

“If you want to stay out for a bit, then that's fine,” Celestia said using a wing to return the hug, “Remember, Twilight has me right now, and I wanted to talk to her about a few things anyway.”

“Alright then,” Spike said, a little unsure. It was always hard leaving Twilight alone, which was the reason he never spent the night with Rarity. But it would be okay this time, since the Princess was here. She was probably the only other person Twilight trusted one hundred percent other than Spike.

He walked out of the library into town, trying to figure out where Rarity would be at around this time. He looked up at the town clock and saw that it was close to the time school let out.

“Bet she's heading to the school,” Spike said. Hey, even if she wasn't heading there, Sweetie Belle would probably know where she was.

“Well, Ah should probably head on back home,” Applejack said, “Now that Granny Smith is gone, Ah've been helpin out around the house more.”

“Very well,” Rarity sighed, “I'll see you tomorrow then.”

“Or tonight if another nightmare attacks,” Applejack said with a smile. Rarity forced one herself.

“Yes, or tonight. Take care Abigail,” Rarity said.

“You too Ruth,” Applejack said. The two of them nuzzled and went their separate ways. It was nice that she could relax somewhat around Applejack now. Yet even still, there was one thing she couldn't share with Applejack, not if she truly valued the friendship that they now had.

As devoted as she was to the cause of defending Equestria, she would have given this power up in a heartbeat to whoever else wanted it. It wasn't necessarily that she hated fighting for others as much as the nature of her power.

And the fact that she was never given a choice in the matter.

“Hey!” she heard from her left. A familiar male voice that always brought a smile to her face. She turned to Spike and sauntered over to her.

“So, Twilight released you from your cell so you could get some fresh air?” she asked airily.

“Ha ha, very funny,” Spike said with a sarcastic smile. As Spike was currently on all fours, Rarity simply pulled Spike into a passionate kiss.

“It's great to see you Spike,” she said, “I… didn't exactly want to be alone right now.”

“Then it's a good thing I sought you out,” Spike said, “Were you heading to the school?”

“Yes. I try not to let Sweetie Belle come home alone.”

“Sounds like how I am with Twilight,” Spike said as they walked to the school, “You're very protective of her.”

“Well, I have to be,” Rarity said, “She's… um… I'm certain that you can tell by now that she's different.”

“I could tell,” Spike said, “Is she sick or something?”

“Well, some ponies would say that she is,” Rarity said, “Sweetie Belle has what doctors call PDD-NOS.”

“Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified?” Spike asked, “I read about that. It's more common in unicorns than other ponies. I… didn't know she had that.”

“That's because she's been living here for two years,” Rarity said, “She's opened up quite a bit over the years, and actually has begun socializing like a normal child her age. The only signs are how childish and sensitive she is, and her obsession with music. She can only concentrate on her homework when she has music playing.”

“Is it hard taking care of her?” Spike asked.

“Oh no, not at all,” Rarity said, “She and I have always had a close bond with each other, and I opened my shop here especially for her. But if you must know, that's the reason I don't let her know about two months ago.”

“I see…” Spike said, looking down in a manner that told Rarity he was wondering just that, “How bad was it, when the two of you fell into the labyrinth?”

“The poor thing was traumatized,” Rarity said, remembering the look of terror on Sweetie Belle's face, “She wouldn't stop crying, and she was begging me to take her home. The only reason she's okay right now is because she doesn't remember it.”

“And… you didn't use your magic to…” Spike asked slowly.

“Heaven's no,” Rarity said, “I wouldn't-” she stopped herself, and sighed, “No, I would use my magic to erase her memories. If she ever were to remember that day, I probably wouldn't hesitate either.”

“Rarity…”

They reached the school in only a few short minutes, and Sweetie Belle had just run out of the school building. When she saw Rarity and Spike, she beamed and ran over to them.

“Rarity! Spikey! You're both here!” Sweetie Belle cheered.

“I ran into Spike on the way here,” Rarity said nuzzling her little sister, “How was school darling?”

“It was great! We were learning about astrology today, and how ponies used to use the sun and moon to tell time.”

“Do you like those sort of things?” Spike asked Sweetie Belle.

“Uh huh. That's my favorite kind of science,” Sweetie Belle said happily, “Really though, I just like learning in general.”

“Well, if you're ever interested, Twilight and I have a lot of books on it at the library. Maybe you'd want to stop by?”

“Can I Rarity? Can I go to the library and visit Spike and Twilight sometime?” Sweetie Belle asked Rarity, who couldn't help but laugh.

“Of course,” Rarity said, “We can go together. As for right now though,” she looked at Spike, “It would be a shame for us to part ways so soon, especially when we were in the middle of such a nice conversation.”

“Oh, y-yeah, that's a real shame,” Spike said, looking a little awkward. Oh, how she enjoyed teasing him.

“Hm, what to do about this… Sweetie Belle, would you mind it if Spike ate dinner with us and spent the night?” Rarity asked Sweetie Belle. Spike was shell shocked by how bold that question was.

“Um… excuse me?” Spike asked.

“I was hoping he would,” Sweetie Belle said, “I haven't gotten to see Spikey in a while.”

“Still getting used to that name,” Spike said rubbing the back of his neck.

“Then it's settled,” Rarity said, “I shall not take not for an answer either.”

“Well… Mom did say she'd take care of Twilight today, so… you know what? Sure. I'd love to.”

Sweetie Belle cheered loudly and skipped around Spike and Rarity happily, looking at Sweetie Belle like this always made Rarity happy. This was how she wanted her sister to be at all times. That wasn't the only thing that was putting a smile on her face though. Tonight, she got a major victory against Twilight.

How do you like that, Twilight?

He's coming home with me tonight.

As they walked back to Carousel Boutique, Rarity couldn't help but smirk to herself. Yes, she knew she was being a true bitch to Twilight, but she wasn't going to make this game easy for her. If Twilight wanted to win, she'd have to make Spike actually want her.

So far, Rarity was winning in that department.

Dinner was great, made even better with Spike being there. Rarity had to admit, things felt complete with him there. He got along with Sweetie Belle, as always he kept everyone laughing with his funny stories, and overall his presence just filled a void in the house/shop.

It gave Rarity the illusion of having a family of her own.

When it was time for Sweetie Belle to go to bed, she asked if Spike would tell her a bedtime story. He ended up telling her a fantastic story about a princess who was rescued by a dragon knight. Sweetie Belle absolutely loved it, but Rarity couldn't help but wonder where his inspiration came from.

Once she was soundly asleep, Spike returned to the living room, where Rarity was waiting for him with two glasses of wine.

“Um… well this is awkward,” Spike said when he noticed the wine glass meant for him.

“Oh? Is something wrong Spike?” Rarity asked.

“Well, I uh… I've never had alcohol before… and I'm still only twenty, so…”

Rarity giggled, “It's fine, Spike. You'll be legally able to drink in a year, and I won't tell anyone. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine.”

Spike nervously sat down next to Rarity and took the fancy glass, examining it closely. After a second, he brought the glass to his mouth about to chug it, but Rarity lightly stopped him with her hoof.

“Ah ah ah, no Spike. You have to drink it slowly,” Rarity said.

“That… matters?” Spike asked.

“Oh absolutely,” Rarity said, “By drinking it slowly, you allow your body to get accustomed to the alcohol. Here, watch me,” Rarity took her wine glass and drank the red liquid slowly, just a sip, “See? Just like that.”

“Huh,” Spike nodded and followed her lead, “Hey, that's pretty good!”

“Right?” Rarity asked, “This is my favorite type, called a Pinot Noir.”

“That's… a name,” Spike said smiling. Rarity laughed out loud from his reaction.

“Don't worry about it. Once you've shopped for wine enough, you'll pick up on the names easily,” Rarity said, “I'm impressed with how easily you handled Sweetie Belle.”

“I like kids,” Spike said, “I sort of figured one day I'd have kids of my own.”

“O-oh, I see…” Rarity said looking away somberly, “I bet you'd be a great father.”

“With how you are with Sweetie Belle, you'd be a great mother,” Spike said. Rarity closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fighting an incoming sob.

“So, how's the Princess?” Rarity said, quickly trying to change the subject.

“She's… fine I guess,” Spike said looking at Rarity suspiciously, “She was a little weak this morning for some reason, but she said she'd be fine.”

“That's good,” Rarity said taking another sip from her glass, “If she wasn't feeling well, she probably shouldn't have traveled.”

“Rarity, are you okay?” Spike asked.

“I'm fine Spike,” Rarity lied. Please, don't press it.

“Rarity, look at me,” Spike requested.

“Spike-”

Spike took her hoof, “Rarity, please. I want to understand you.”

“M-maybe I don't want to be understood,” Rarity said, trembling as her tears built up, “Maybe I'm fine just being the enigmatic older woman who sweeps you off your feet.”

“But you're more than just that to me,” Spike said, “You're my friend, Rarity, and I want to help you. Please look at me.”

Rarity tried to keep it together, but hearing how much he genuinely cared about her broke something inside of her. She immediately broke down, falling into Spike's embrace and crying harder than she had in a while. Ironically, the last time she ever cried this hard was near Spike.

“Rarity…” Spike said, holding her tightly, “What did you lose?”

“Everything!” Rarity sobbed, “My dreams, my future, practically my life even!”

“What do you mean?” Spike asked, “You can still live a normal life through the magic of harmony, right?”

“Oh sure I can!” Rarity cried looking into Spike's eyes intensely, “As long as no one can see the longer horn or the wings I can keep the illusion of being a normal pony! Except I can't! I wanted to have my own family one day, and give birth to my own child, but that will never happen now! All because I was picked out of a thousand unicorns by destiny to fight some secret battle that no one will even thank me for!”

As she broke down again, Spike's eyes went wide with a realization.

“Rarity… alicorns… can't have children, can they?” Spike asked.

“No, we can't,” Rarity said, “We look like ponies, but in reality, we're nothing more than magical constructs created for a specific purpose. This magic, this “honor” as everyone calls it, stole my humanity, and turned me into nothing more than a weapon! Honestly, if I knew who this “Aurora” was, I'd curse her for taking away my life!”

“I… I had no idea,” Spike said, “You weren't given a choice, were you?”

Rarity shook her head, “I was just told what my destiny was, and that when the time came, I'd have to answer the call to action. If I had known what the price would have been.”

“You'd still do it though, right?” Spike asked, “Remember, Sweetie Belle was with you. If you hadn't ascended that day, she would have died.”

Rarity groaned, “I know. That only makes it harder. I feel terrible saying that, because I was able to save her with this power. That doesn't take away from how much I hate it. Only made worse with the nature of my magic.”

“The nature of your magic?” Spike asked, “Rarity, is your magic different than the others?”

“Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy's magics are all based on their mindsets. My magic comes from my own soul. Spike, do you ever wonder why I have healing magic, but I never use it?”

“I… have wondered that,” Spike said, “Why is that?”

“Because my healing magic comes at a price,” Rarity closed her eyes and held Spike tightly as she revealed the secret about her magic she never told anyone, “In order to give life to others… I have to give mine.”

“Hold on,” Spike said looking shocked, “You don't mean…?”

Rarity nodded, “My magic… is killing me.”

Author's Notes:

So yeah, that's the reason why Rarity is the way she is. Not only can she not have children (nor can any of them for that matter) but the Element of Generosity has to use her very life force to heal others. While some might think she's overreacting, I ask you all this question. If this were to happen to you, and you were given the power to heal, but only at the cost of your life and future, and you weren't given a choice, how would you take it?

Like I said, Rarity isn't meant to be likable in this story, but she's meant to be empathized with.

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