Rarity walked through the doors of her boutique determined not to think about how her day had gone. She had a great deal of work to do so she flipped on her radio-classical of course, they were doing a stirring rendition of [i[/]Hymn to the Celestial Dynasty that made even her normally apolitical heart swell with patriotic pride. It was a national holiday wasn't it? The seven-hundredth anniversary of the victory over the Diamond Dog Empire. It was why she, Sweetie Belle and their parents had gone to Canterlot earlier to see the parade.

No. No, she simply was not thinking about that. Her cheeks were not blushing with shame. The tears in her eyes were not from a mixture of anger and guilt.

She had work to do. There was no time for regret. No time to wallow and declare this day 'The Worst! Possible! Thing!'

Even though it was. For once, Rarity was going to reign in her melodramatic tendencies.

See Mother, I can TOO be mature.

She listened for a few minutes to the patriotic anthem then sat down at her sewing table.  Her horn lit as she levitated all her blue fabrics. She had decided to do a Summer line in shades of blue and green. First she would work on a design that imitated the flow of water.

She laid the design upon the table and lost herself in the creative tide. There was magic in design, primal magic. It was the magic of creation. She could feel it flowing through her as she shaped the fabric according to her will. Soon the once shapeless fabric began to take the form of a dress. She held it up for inspection. How long had it taken? Minutes? Hours? Time had no meaning when she got inspired. She levitated several emeralds over and liberally sewed them into the blue.

After setting aside that garment she levitated two other fabrics over. Two different shades of blue, one light, one dark. She could work with this. Finally she decided to make the top half light, the bottom half dark. Smiling, she set about her work. All thoughts, all worries subsided as she stitched the fabrics together.

They were still playing patriotic songs on the radio. It went into "Valleys of my Motherland" and Rarity experienced a magic surge for the first time since she was a foal. The magic surge resulted in a blast that split the radio in two.

She did not need to hear the word "mother" right now. In fact, some of the songs were reminding her too much of the disaster. She sighed, levitated the pieces and put them in the trash. Mentally, she reviewed what she knew about adult magic surges. Rarity was fairly certain her horn wasn't cracked. That meant she was repressing her emotions and it was causing her magic to act up.

"I shall simply have to channel all my magic into my work."

Of course, channeling all of one's magic into a single task was not easy. Still, she closed her eyes and reached deep into her soul essence. Her body electrified, filled with cosmic energies. The fabrics were a blur as they blazed over her table and were quickly transformed into dresses. The needle stitched rapidly, held in a suddenly enhanced magical field.  She had done ten dresses in various shades of blues and greens before her magic suddenly stopped. Jolts of pain radiated from her horn as she suddenly gave out.

Rarity winced, licked her hoof and placed it on her horn which was smoking.

"Very well. Enough sewing for today."

Tiredness overwhelmed her suddenly. Laying her head on the table, she decided to rest her head for a few minutes.

Now that her conscious guards were down she couldn't help but think about the disastrous trip to Canterlot. It had started out so well. They had all met that morning and gone to take the train. She had sat between her parents and Sweetie Belle had sat in her lap. They had spoken of recent events, gotten breakfast, ate in companionable silence. Then they had gone to see the parade. Sweetie Belle had climbed upon their father's back.

The parade was magnificent. The most cold-hearted anti-Nationalist Celestia-hating Mooist could not fail to feel a sense of love of country when watching those gallant stallions. The sun glinted off their armor, glowing golden in the noon light. Many a colt's heart had been turned to dreams of joining the Guard from seeing it. At the head one guard held up the national Sun-and-Moon flag. Three behind held up the tribal flags of the Unicorns, Pegasii and Earth Ponies. Coming behind them was the marching band pounding their drums, the sounds of their pipes whirring in the air and their voices lifted in songs of praise for their nation including 'Valleys of My Motherland." Each guard had their spear lifted up as if they were marching to war.

All those handsome stallions,their muscles rippling beneath their armor, was an enjoyable sight for less-than-pure reasons. It had been a long time since she'd been with a stallion. She had even started wondering what dating a guard would be like. The fact that she was almost in heat didn't help. At some point, the parade started looking like a buffet.

Still, she normally had some self-discipline.

  After the parade was over they had walked around the city. They had been having a friendly debate about going to an ice cream store or going window shopping when they had ran into Fancy Pants. Of course, her parents had no idea who Fancy Pants was. He had greeted Rarity and he and Rarity had begun to talk. Rarity's mom had joked that they would go on leaving Rarity to spend time with her boyfriend. It was a nice joke. They had all chuckled along with her. They had began to speak. Rarity tried to chart the place where it had all gone wrong.

Oh, right. Her mother's assertion that Rarity needed to give her grandchildren. Then the significant wink at Fancy Pants. What had given her mother the idea that was appropriate Rarity couldn't fathom. Fancy Pants had laughed, but Rarity had been able to tell he was embarrassed. Fancy Pants spoke with them a few minutes longer before leaving. Rarity had lapsed into sullen silence that even Sweetie Belle considered immature. Her mother asked her what was wrong. Rarity had exploded into a rage. Things had escalated and the next thing Rarity knew she was taking the train home alone.

Rarity suddenly felt very tired. More tired than she ever had before. Exhaustion overwhelmed her and she fell into sleep.

                                                                                                                                           ...

She felt another unicorn's magic wrap around her, cradle and caress her. The presence was warm. Familiar. The magical aura felt like a soft blanket. It lifted her up gently like she was something that was very precious. She was being carried, but she felt safe. Loved. The feeling of security lulled her sleeping mind as she was pulled gently through the air. The next thing she felt was the softness of blankets and a pillow for her head.

She knew this aura. She had known it all her life.

"...Mama?" The word slipped out in her actual accent, which was closer to Applejack's than she would like to admit.

Her mother looked apologetically down at her. "You looked like a little filly when you were asleep at your table. Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"Why did you come here?" Rarity asked.

"I wanted to apologize. I know I upset you in front of that stallion you liked. It's just, it's been so long since you've had anypony. I worry that you're lonely. And I really do want grandchildren."

Rarity sighed. "Don't waste your mothering on me.  I don't deserve it. And I should be apologizing to you. I'm the worst possible daughter."

"No, you aren't." Her mother said wrapping her up in a hug that made her feel worse than she already did.

"No I am. I really, really am. I let my stupid emotions get to me AGAIN!" She flailed back on the bed waving a hoof in the air. "It was supposed to be a nice outing and I ruined it with my SELFISH complaining! You should FLOG me, DISINHERIT me! I have brought you nothing but DISGRACE!"

Her mother stared at her before she burst out laughing. "Are you actually serious right now?"

Rarity wiped away a tear. "Yes."

"Rarity. I'm not going to flog you. Or disinherit you. Do you honestly believe you're the first mare to get in an argument with her mother?"

"Well, no of course not."

Cookie settled in closer to her daughter. "You really do need to get laid y'know that?"

"MOTHER!" Rarity whined.

"You'd be much less tense if you did. By the way, Grandchildren, I want lots of them."

Rarity sniffled. "You do forgive me, don't you?" Her eyes got wide and pleading.

"Of course, Honey." Cookie said, hugging her close. Rarity smiled and laid her head on her shoulder.

"So, I missed out on getting ice cream didn't I?"

"Um-hmm. Want to go get some ice cream together tomorrow? Just the two of us?"

"Sure. Sounds nice."

They laid their side-by-side for a while. Nopony was around so Rarity didn't feel embarrassed by how nice her mother's fur felt when she rested against her.

"Rarity? Why do you care so much about what other ponies think about you?"

"Doesn't everypony? We're herd animals, Mother. It's in our nature."

"I know. But are you sure you're not rejecting stallions based on social status?"

Rarity bit her lip. That might be a fair point.

"I remember how upset you were when that thing with Blueblood didn't work out."

"Please never mention him again. And it's not like I'd never date a poor or middle-class stallion. I just prefer ones that are nobles."

"You know you're father and I are lower middle class don't you?"

"Sure I do. But I want to be rich. I want money, power, influence."

"What about love? Happiness?"

"If you have money you'll have happiness."

"Oh Dear Celestia where did I go wrong?" Cookie asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rarity asked, lifting up so she could glare at her mother properly.

"Money doesn't mean happiness. Aren't you the Element of Generosity?"

"I'm generous!"

"I know you are. What I'm trying to say is have you considered opening the field a bit more? Maybe judging ponies based on their personality rather than their bank accounts. Blueblood wasn't a gem and nor have many of your other vapid, self-absorbed stuck-up coltfriends been."

"Alright. You have a point there." Rarity admitted. "But I want a stallion who will help me advance in the world."

"You have a good business already. You know how me and your father met? He was working as a waiter. He'd played hoof-ball in college, but was down on his luck. He owns that restaurant now and maybe it's not a big store and maybe we're not as rich as Filthy Rich or Ruby Red, but we're happy. That's what matters."

"Did you secretly come here to scold me for my dating choices?"

"Maybe."

"You are simply infuriating."

"You know I'm right."

"I love you Mother so I won't strangle you."

Cookie kissed her forehead. "I love you too so I won't strangle you either."