“Um, really? Twilight, did Rarity really just say no to a spa trip?” Fluttershy asked, tilting her head to the side. Both Fluttershy and Twilight were shocked. They had seen the mare wandering through town and waved her over, whereupon they were surprised to find the mare planning a party for her friends. They had no real misgivings on the matter, but seeking to spend a little time together, Twilight had suggested they have themselves a relaxing afternoon at the spa, and thought that Rarity might like to join. It was true, Rarity could entrench herself in work, but given that she was out at that hour, and not carrying fabrics, it meant work wasn’t the issue. While the idea of Rarity planning a party rather than Pinkie struck them as odd, having her turn down the spa was even more confounding.

“I really would love to join you two, but I must inform everypony else. I’ve just finished telling Rainbow Dash and Storm, and now thit takes care of you two... There’s still Applejack, Silver, Crimson, and Big Mac. Oh, and Sweetie Belle, of course.”

“You know, it’d be great if she could sing. I’ll bet I could even get Spike to play the piano.” Rarity grew a faint smile, one that Twilight found strangely vexing.

“My dear Twilight, Sweetie is a little young to be paired up so soon, don’t you think? They do get along well, though...”

“What? Rarity, I wasn’t even talking about that!”

“Oh, so Spike hasn’t said anything about Sweetie Belle to you?”

“Nothing along those lines, no.”

“That’s a mite disappointing...” Rarity muttered under her breath. “No matter, I think having Spike accompany Sweetie Belle with his musical talents is a lovely idea. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have invitations to give out. Seven thirty at the barn. Do not worry about a thing. Pinkie Pie and I will take care of the preparations. Well, likely just Pinkie Pie. She was terribly excited about the idea of a party, more so than usual, I’d say.”

“A party? Oh, this is exciting! I hope I can go... I mean, I don’t want to leave Whisper by himself, if he’s not comfortable with it, and I don’t think he’d want to go. He’s not quite ready to be near so many ponies just yet.”

“I don’t know, he might be,” Twilight countered. “He dealt with meeting Storm and Rainbow Dash alright, and he seemed fine with me today. Maybe tell him that Bright Hope and Dawn will be there?”

“Maybe, we’ll see,” Fluttershy replied, unsure of the odds but secretly hoping Whisper could make it.

“Well, he is invited too, of course, should he choose to attend. Now, I must be off. Enjoy your time at the spa!” Rarity said as she departed at a dignified trot. As the clamor of town died out and she neared the outskirts of the orchard, she found her thoughts again disturbed by a nagging within, one that pointed her towards a house she wanted nothing to do with. Reassuring herself that Carrot Top had crossed a line, and she had responded accordingly, she accepted her justification and made her way through the trees. However, she had forgotten just who it was she was inviting, and the Element of Honesty immediately picked up her half-truth the moment she had said “I’m fine, thank you.”

“Sugarcube, ah think you better come inside fer a bit. Somethin’ is goin’ on with you, an’ now that you’ve gone an’ lied ‘bout it, ah’ve a right t’ know.”

“I’m not sure I quite agree with you, but I wouldn’t mind coming inside for a bit,” Rarity conceded, following Applejack back inside and taking in the quaint little love pad. Clearly planning ahead, there were two spare rooms, and the interior was as drab as she would expect of a farm pony, though Applejack defended it as being “functional an’ well made with none o’ that fancy stuff.” What it lacked in flair, it made up for in booze, and Rarity gratefully accepted a mug of cider, relishing the cool fluid as it soothed her parched throat. “Ah, that’s quite nice, I must say. Oh, good afternoon, Silver.”

“Afternoon, Rarity. What brings ya t’ our humble abode?”

“Well, the main reason is that I was planning a party for this evening, and I’d like you both to attend. Oh, and I was hoping we could use the barn, if possible. I’ve already invited over half the guests, and it would be dreadfully tiresome to track them all down again...”

“Subtle as always, Rarity,” Applejack murmured, choosing to chuckle rather than sigh. “Sure, we’ll come along. Been awhile since ah had a good hoedown. Is that alright with you, sugarcube?”

“Of course, Sweetheart. Ah’m sure Berry and Freefall can handle the tavern fer a night.”

“My, my, it seems your Manehatten accent won’t be around much longer. And you sounded so sophisticated, too...” Silver couldn’t help but grin, all too aware that he had been adopting his wife’s dialect more and more, though it came out when they were alone more than in public. “Well, thank you both. Now, I really should...”

“Sit yerself back down, Rarity. I ain’t lettin’ you off the hook that easily. Silver, could you give us some privacy?”

“Certainly. Ah ain’t about t’ go treadin’ on nopony’s hooves,” he replied, adding extra emphasis on his drawl before giving her a short kiss and trotting away.

“Thank ya kindly, sugarcube.” The door closed quietly and Rarity found herself transfixed by a stare that meant business but held no malignancy. “Ah’ll right, Rarity, what’s goin’ on? Is it the usual thing? Ah heard from Applebloom that you had a rather rough night yesterday...”

“Gabby Gums strikes again, I suppose...” Rarity remarked, glancing away. “Yes, it is true, I very nearly gave in.”

“If you don’t mind me askin’, why do you believe what you do, Rarity? Ah mean, ah wanted the same thing, t’ stay pure until marriage, an’ it was ‘cause I wanted t’ make mah pa proud.”

“Why I... I’m sorry, Applejack. I can’t answer that,” Rarity said, glancing away.

“Why not?”

“Because you’d think me dreadfully silly.”

“Rarity, trust me, ah already think you’re right silly.”

“My, well isn’t that comforting... Fine, if you must know, it’s because I want to live my life like a fairytale.” Applejack stared back, nonplussed, waiting for Rarity to state her real reason and wondering why her internal lie detector wasn’t working.

“Ah... you’re tellin’ the truth?”

“No, I’m lying to you.”

“Well, now you are. Care t’ explain a little bit more?”

“Exactly what I said. Haven’t you ever read any of the stories about a knight rescuing the princess and other such nonsense? I want that for myself, but in every one of those stories, the mare is always pure, never touched or tainted by another. If I expect to have the best, then it’s only right I present myself as such, is it not? I... know it’s silly, but I’ve held that dream for so long that I... I can’t simply just give it up now. And besides...” she paused, dropping her gaze to the tabletop. “After getting this purity band from Sweetie Belle, I couldn’t possibly let her down. I don’t know what I’d do if I hurt her like that.”

“So you don’t care a lick about morality, huh?” Rarity blinked once before adopting a half-lidded stare.

“I believed it was implied, Applejack. I am a lady, after all. My parents didn’t raise me to be a mare of ill repute, and in that sense, you and I are both old-fashioned.”

“Ah suppose so, though ah think... that love should dictate the how and when. Ah was right devastated that ah hadn’t kept mahself clean fer mah pa like ah wanted, but lookin’ back, ah can’t say ah’m sorry fer showin’ mah love fer Silver that night. Rarity, ah’m not tellin’ you to ease yer standards by any means. Just be true t’ yerself, an’ you’ll be fine. It ain’t always easy, ah can tell ya.”

“Thank you, Applejack. I really do appreciate your words, and your wisdom. Well, I have one more thing I yet need to do, so I’m afraid I must be about my business. Oh, and be a dear and tell Big Mac, would you please? And make sure the barn is as clean as a barn can be. I’d still like to maintain at least some standards of civility.”

“All right, ah’ll try t’ make sure it meets the highest standards o’ the prissiest mare in Equestria,” Applejack replied with a grin, waving Rarity off as she left with her head held high. Prissy? No doubt in mah mind, but there’s more t’ you than all that flash, ain’t there, Rarity... Don’t settle fer anypony but the one who digs deep enough t’ see it.

Just because a pony does not typically concern herself with fashion, or grooming in general past that which is necessary for functioning within society, does not mean that said pony cannot enjoy a full treatment with all that the spa had to offer. Fluttershy found it greatly amusing how much Twilight was enjoying herself, chattering nearly nonstop about this, that, and the other magical whatsit in a chain of stories and explanations the simple pegasus couldn’t possibly hope to keep up with, though if Twilight’s focus was making her forget her troubles, it was working. As they started off with the sauna, Twilight fell silent for a moment as her curious intellect formulated a question that simply had to be answered.

“So, Fluttershy...”

“Um, yes? What is it, Twilight?”

“How far have you and Whisper gone?” Wait a second... that squee... there’s no way!

“Um... well... after Whisper found out about, you know, how to roll in the hay, we came home that night and...”

“Yes?” Twilight pressed, disregarding the blushing mare’s obvious discomfort.

“He was... curious, that night, and... we um...” she trailed off, not so any longer out of embarrassment but joyful remembrance. Twilight looked at the whimsical, satisfied look on the mares face and lost it.

“No, don’t tell me you didn’t... already? Fluttershy, really?” Twilight all but shouted, gawking at the mare. “I mean, I know me and Cerulean kind of took things fast, but I would never have thought...” Twilight stopped mid sentence, gasping as Fluttershy started giggling, of all things. What happened in the last few days that changed Fluttershy into... I don’t even know!

“Oh, Twilight, you’re funny when you get start going crazy. Whisper and I haven’t done that yet.” Twilight heaved a sigh of relief, reassured that all was still right in the world.

“So, what did happen last night, then?”

“Oh, right. Um... we kissed. We kissed a lot.”

That’s it? All this build up over kissing? Yep, still the same Fluttershy. Since they were on the subject of Whisper, Fluttershy decided to do a bit of talking herself, and she didn’t slow down until they had finished their time in the spa and returned to the market place, at which point Fluttershy realized she had spent nearly an entire hour yammering non-stop about Whisper and apologized for talking so much. “Fluttershy, that’s what happens when you’re in love. You’re catching onto it a lot faster than I did, though. It took me far too long to realize that your focus has to be on the other pony, and theirs on you. I’m glad to see you won’t have the same problem.”

“Nope, I’m always thinking about Whisper.” She fell silent, but it wasn’t allowed to last for long as she was yanked from her inner questions and back to reality.

“Come on, don’t start that again. Remember when you told me about the picture he drew of you? Or when he tried to make you popcorn? He thinks about you plenty, Fluttershy, so don’t let your mind tell you what your heart knows is a lie.”

“I’ll try. I’d still like to hear him say it, though.”

“Don’t worry, between me and Cerulean, we’ll have him babbling a storm in no time! In fact, what say we check on the boys, shall we?”

“Yes, I’d like to get back to Whisper. I’m a...” she started before a blinding flash of light landed the two of them back at the library. “Oh, that’s, um... convenient.” Twilight’s glee drained away like moonshine in front of Berry as she opened the door to find her library in utter disarray, with books knocked from the shelves and small puddles of melted snow still trying unsuccessfully to soak into the finished wood floor. The three conscious ponies within stared back at Twilight, knowing they were busted.

“Cerulean... what happened?”

“Daddy did it!” Dawn squealed, pointing an accusing hoof leaden with justice.

“Why, you cheeky little traitor. See if you get any sweets tonight,” Cerulean murmured, glancing sidelong at his filly who experienced a sudden change of heart.

“Crimson did it!” Dawn instantly covered, the threat of not being allowed to indulge her cravings being a punishment too painful to fathom, but unfortunately, the deed was done. “Bye bye, daddy. Love you!” And with that, she fled the scene, barely managing not to score another bruise in her haste to hide from the motherly one. Fluttershy stepped in before Twilight could dole out any justice, much to Crimson’s disappointment.

“Excuse me, I know Twilight is about to undo her massage, but where is Whisper? Isn’t he here?”

“Yeah, he’s here. He’s upstairs sleeping. He practiced magic for an hour or two straight, but it was too much for him and he exhausted himself. He hasn’t been asleep very long, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind waking to you, Fluttershy.” Nodding her thanks, the mare greeted Crimson and made her way upstairs, while Cerulean’s sister made her escape. Twilight’s features no longer conveyed anger, but she was rather difficult to read sometimes, so Cerulean was still a touch nervous as she sat down in front of him.

“Was this afternoon worth the time it’s gonna take putting all these back?”

“It was worth reorganizing the whole library. Twice.”

“I see. Well, no reason for me to fret, then. Spike’s not here, and you made a mess, so you know what that means?”

“Meh, I don’t like playing the maid as much as other things, but I suppose I can suffer the indignity for you, Twi,” Cerulean quipped, closing the distance and kissing the end of her nose before a distressed Fluttershy came rushing down.

“Cerulean, what happened? Whisper’s words are very hard to read, and it’s really scaring me...”

“Fluttershy, it’s ok, calm down,” Cerulean reassured, trotting over to her and motioning Twilight to be in charge of physical comfort. “Whisper communicates with his magic, and since he spent a ton of it, it’s not surprising that it would be hard for you to understand him now. Give him another hour or two, and then try again.” Fluttershy accepted Twilight’s embrace, holding it for a few seconds before returning upstairs to sit with Whisper while he fell back asleep. After about an hour she descended to the main floor and leant her hoof returning the library to order.

After a short discussion regarding the possibility of moving Whisper, Fluttershy was again impressed with Twilight’s magical prowess as she teleported Whisper, Fluttershy, and herself back to the cottage, the stallion still remaining asleep as she held him aloft with her levitation spell. Placing him gently in the bed, she accepted Fluttershy’s praise and left the two alone, returning to the library on hoof so as to not needlessly spend her magic. The party was still several hours off, and Fluttershy felt like doting on Whisper, though it wasn't long after she joined him in bed that her quiet snores were mingling with his own.

With the venue being taken care of and the host alerted to the guests in attendance, Rarity stepped out of Sugarcube corner and let slip a long, drawn out sigh. Viable distractions had run dry, and there was no longer any way to avoid what she’d been dreading most of the day. Driven by a necessity reinforced by the abandoned stall still bearing a foreboding “closed” sign, Rarity made her way to Carrot Top’s house, unsure of what she would find or how her apology for possibly taking things a little over the top may go over. While she hoped things would go smoothly, such hopes felt hollow and unfounded as she neared a house with the shutters drawn.

Either she’s suffering from one nasty hangover, or she’s not home, or... more than likely, she is home, but isn’t particularly receptive to dealing with other ponies. I suppose I would feel much the same, had I received such treatment. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to leave in good conscience until she had said her peace, she gave the door a few good knocks and waited. Not receiving a response, she repeated a second, and a third time. “Oh well, she must not be home. Come on, time to go get... ready...” she told herself aloud, the transparency of her own ruse causing her words to trail off. Staring at the door didn’t change her path, and casting aside her will to fight it any longer, she quietly let herself in.

It came as a surprise that the door was unlocked, as if Carrot Top was home, she clearly wasn’t expecting any visitors given the messy living room and lack of a single light being on in the house. Even with the shutters closed, there was still enough illumination from the shafts of sunlight filtering in to light her way, and while the rational side of Rarity’s mind gave her a Twilight-esque list on all the reasons why she shouldn’t be there, she not only stayed, but moved deeper into the small house, just big enough for one pony. Kitchen, livingroom, and bathroom were fruitless in her search, and as she came upon a single closed door, Rarity steeled herself to face whatever lay on the other side. Nothing could have prepared her for what she found.

Rarity opened the door as quietly as possible, revealing what may have once been a tidy room, but had now been torn apart. Carrot Top lay on her side in the center of a bed much too large for a single pony, staring at the wall through red rimmed eyes, and as Rarity drew closer, she could see visibly the sheets and pillow casings that had been soaked with tears that had only recently run dry. A single large carrot, broken and unused, lay against the opposite wall, an orange juice stain splatter proving that the vegetable was hurled with great force. Seeing the mare in such a condition, too distraught to even notice her walk into view, made Rarity question everything she thought she knew about the mare, filling her with a gut-churning guilt that would not easily be satisfied.

Rarity opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. What could she have said? There was simply no way a simple “I’m sorry” could come close to healing the crushing blow Rarity had dealt the mare in her self-righteous fervor. Excuses fell flat, and regardless of her personal misgivings about physical conduct, the mare’s brokenness was Rarity’s fault alone, and she knew it. Remembering back to how Twilight had held Applejack when she had nearly drank herself to death winning what was to be an impossible challenge, Rarity teetered back and forth before finally caving to the only solution that would even begin to show just how sorry she was. Carrot Top stirred as Rarity laid down beside her, wrapping her hooves around the mare and drawing her close.