A short story.
This is a happy story.
It was a rainy autumn day when I told Twilight Sparkle I loved her. I believe it happened about a year before she became an alicorn. We’d been having dinner at a restaurant in Canterlot, and after a wonderfully expensive dessert, I told her and she refused to believe me.
“Really?” she’d asked me, stunned, flustered, delighted.
She was so stunned, this silly little scholar who’d assumed I’d never be romantically interested in a bookworm who knew about many things but not of love, or romance, or the social intricacies I was so fond of.
“Yes, Twilight,” I’d told her with an affectionate laugh, my heart swelling when she giggled like a filly. “I do in fact love you.”
This is a happy story.
A happy story about a happy seamstress desperately in love with the beautiful alicorn who loved her just as much.
Well… on second thought, that’s not exactly right.
Loving Twilight Sparkle is not what one might think it would be like. She is not one for grand gestures, not one for romance like the ones in the stories she read me (and then protested they were “cliché and overdone, Rarity!”).
To love Twilight Sparkle is to know she doesn’t love you back so much as she feels completely comfortable around you. At least, that’s how it was for us. Her neuroses and anxieties, perfectionism and intensity, these things that defined her for better or worse always came before you, and it was a fact you had to accept.
Only then would you have the privilege not of Twilight Sparkle loving you back, but of something entirely more unique.
You see, when I was a filly, a drunken uncle once told me: “In every relationship, there’s someone who loves, and someone who lets themself be loved.”
I loved Twilight Sparkle.
She let me love her.
Let me dote on her, and be with her, and see her how she deserved to be.
Happy.
This is a happy story.
“Daaaaaarling!” I whined on our bed, wrapped in her wings, as she pressed her lips against my neck, my cheeks, laughing as she did so, and ignoring my distress! The fiend! “How will I survive?! How will I live with you gone?!”
“Rarity. It’s just for six months,” she reassured, snuggling up against me.
“Six months?! Six months?!” I screeched, and I wanted to cry, because I loved her too much. “Six months of you being away in Canterlot, and only coming back during the weekends?! I will die!”
“No, you won’t,” she promised, and kissed me again, because she loved me. Stars, she loved me. I really thought she did. She bit down on her lips when I pouted at her. “It’ll make our weekends more special! More romantic!”
I met her gaze, and unintentionally, my voice fell to a whisper.
“Twilight…”
Her expression softened in the way it only did when she saw through the veil of my theatrics and detected something real and tangible. Twilight Sparkle was the only one who could do that. She saw right through me, like I was a book effortless to read.
She could see that I was sad. That I loved her. That I would miss her.
“Hey,” she whispered, and I tried to look away until her magic gently turned my head. She looked into my eyes and a silly, affectionate grin shone my way. “What was that saying about distance?”
“I don’t recall,” I said, half-heartedly. “Something about distance being a cruel thing to inflict on your beloved, I think.”
She laughed, and it made me smile, and I hated that it did.
“Noooooo.” She nuzzled me as I tried and failed to look mad. “Come on. I’m sure you know it.”
“I suppose I may have heard something or other about distance making the heart grow fonder in some occasions.”
“Right! And maybe this is one of those occasions, don’t you think?”
“Maybe,” I conceded, if only because I knew there were very few things Twilight could do that wouldn’t make me love her more, regardless of that little saying about distance and love.
Which isn’t true, by the way. It’s a lie. Distance doesn’t make the heart grow fonder.
But that story is sad and this?
This is a happy story.
Not a sad story like the one where I left Ponyville on an extended year-long sabbatical after she broke up with me, having fallen in love with a noble she saw five days a week for six months. I left promising that it was simply because I needed worldly inspiration, not because I didn’t want to be in the town where Princess Twilight Sparkle lived with the stallion she’d chosen over me.
“I understand,” I said when she broke up with me, and I did not cry, which surprised us both. You’d think I’d be the one sobbing as she somberly said it was over, not that the opposite would be true.
But there we were! Rarity the unicorn, drama queen extraordinaire, smiling as kindly as ever, giving back a heart that was on loan as Twilight cried before me, almost as if I was the one who’d broken up with her.
She promised me that she’d tried to stop it, really; that she had loved me, but it wasn’t the same anymore, and she’d met him, and her feelings changed, and she was so sorry.
She was so miserably sorry.
“Darling,” I’d told her, placing a hoof over hers, because I loved her, and she didn’t love me, and that was that. I lifted my hoof and brushed back her bangs, saying words I’d repeat a month later at the train station, my life packed in my bags. “My darling dearest, there’s nothing to forgive.”
This is a happy story.
Which is why I told myself she’d change her mind, drowning my sorrows away with some expensive wine at some absolutely atrociously sketchy bar in Saddle Arabia’s capital.
This would be a happy story. Maybe not for that wretched noble who could fall off the face of the earth, but for me and for Twilight.
She would come back to me when I returned from my trip. Rush into my forelegs, tell me she’d found nothing but heartbreak and misery, nothing like what we’d had when she loved me and I loved her and everything was fine. She’d see she couldn’t be happy without me.
She would come back, I said, I thought, I hoped.
This is a happy story.
I admit I avoided her when I came back. Came back to find Twilight Sparkle was not how I had left her, not a blubbering guilty mess, but a deliriously happy mare.
It was too harrowing. Too hard because she was happy, and it made me unhappy, and I loathed that it did. I avoided being alone with her at all costs, too afraid that I’d fail to keep my true feelings at bay, and she’d find out I was a bitter jealous scorned lover.
Just the idea of doing that to her abhorred me beyond measure.
But I couldn’t avoid it forever, no matter how tactful and careful I was, and it was on an autumn day that it finally happened. We’d all been invited to lunch at Fluttershy’s cottage, and I made the mistake of staying there until Twilight and I were the only ones left.
Until I announced to them both that I had to go, and almost immediately Twilight declared she’d be leaving too.
“We can walk back together? Carousel Boutique is on the way to the castle, after all,” she said with such care and measure, it was obvious she was reciting something practiced.
Actually, I just remembered I need to stay to speak with Fluttershy, I intended on saying.
“All right, dear,” I said instead, because I’m a masochist, apparently.
She spoke eagerly as we walked, asking me questions that I replied only superficially. My trip had been fine, my clients too, and Saddle Arabia was lovely, and the weather there, too.
I could tell she expected more of me with every pause after I finished speaking, every stammered question she quickly shoved to fill the silence, every little teasing remark that was met with a polite laugh.
She was trying so hard, the poor thing, I’d almost felt bad. Maybe I did.
The heavens must have found the entire thing a sorry sight, however, and demonstrated as much when from out of nowhere, it began to pour rain, and I do mean pour. A great storm fell upon us and, soaking wet, we rushed for cover under the safety of a nearby storefront.
“For goodness’ sake, Rainbow Dash,” I muttered, even though she hadn’t been in charge of Ponyville’s weather for years. Old habits died hard.
I glared at the rain through plastered strands of soaking hair, irritated by it all. This wasn’t funny. It wasn’t dramatic or theatric or anything but annoying. If there was ever a time I’d wished to be caught with Twilight Sparkle in the rain, that time had long since died.
“Rarity.”
I turned to her, not so much because she’d said my name, but rather more because of how she’d said it. She sounded pained. Truly pained, and when I looked to her, I could see she was pained. How… Well, sad, she looked, her ears pressed against her head, her bangs plastered onto her forehead, and her eyes wet with tears that intermingled and danced with the rain.
She was absolutely soaking, my darling beloved, and I couldn’t help but fixate on the raindrops traveling down her coat and caressing her cheeks in a way I would never be able to do again.
That loathsome, sunforsaken rain that was closer to her that I’d ever be.
When I said nothing, she continued:
“Rarity, are you avoiding me?”
I needn’t say anything in reply. She knew, you see.
Her expression softened in the way it only did when she saw through the cracks of my mask and exposed something real and tangible. Twilight Sparkle was the only one who could do that. She saw right through me, like she’d done since we met and like no one would ever do again.
She could see that I loved her still.
I said nothing as she stepped back, suddenly overwhelmed with shame.
“I-I’m sorry. I thought that maybe.. I… I’m sorry. This was a mistake,” she blurted out, so stressed and contrite, it took all I had to maintain my position and not rush to console her. But she continued despite her contriteness. “I miss you.” The words pushed out, burning me with a sincerity the rain could not hope to extinguish. “I miss my best friend, Rarity… I… I know I’m in no position to ask anything of you—”
“You aren’t,” I interrupted, and as I saw her sink with shamed devastation, I made a choice. I looked away and sighed theatrically, placing a hoof over my forehead. “But I am a benevolent, magnanimous and generous mare, so I suppose I shall make an allowance for my best friend, mm? I do hope you feel lucky, Twilight.”
When I turned to her with a smile, the relieved smile she gave me shone in the rain.
“I do,” she said, and she meant it. “Thank you, Rarity. For still being my best friend.”
I cleared my throat. “And for being benevolent, magnanimous and generous, too, darling.”
“Those too,” she said, and her affectionate, friendly laughter scorched me like a thousand burning suns.
But it was perfectly alright.
This is a happy story.
Their engagement party happened about two months after I’d come back from my trip.
A grand party attended by ponies from all trots of life, laughing and celebrating the future wedding of Princess Twilight Sparkle and Duke Silver Blade. Despite it all, it was endearing to see the poor duke looking terribly flustered as he entertained Ponyville’s citizens, all of them insisting on making sure he was the perfect fit for their lovely princess.
And how Twilight watched him, utterly enamored, and how it hurt to know.
Know she loved this stallion who was letting himself be loved.
I remember how ravishing she looked.
How painfully lovely with a dress I’d designed and a heart I’d once had. I loved her so much, and she looked more content than I’d ever seen her. Truth be told, I wouldn’t have it any other way. My darling, dearest beloved deserved the world and then more, to have everything she ever wanted in a silver platter made of love and affection and all sorts of wonderful things.
So.
As I said, and will say ‘till death do us part...
This is a happy story.
Just not for me.
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>it's a happy story
>Is tagged sad
You're giving me mixed messages here, Mono!
10400639
corejo, i'll have you know that sad is happy for deep people!!!! ok!!!!
Wow, very well done. You never fail to make me feel things Mono, and for that, I thank you.
Me: oh! story before bed!
Me, after reading: oh dear, crying before bed!!!!
Loved and hated it
10400651
Thanks! Glad you liked it c:
10400654
your crying nourishes me!!!
10400661
it's okay, it was too hot anyway
Damn. I figured that's how the happy part was gonna go. This was good.
This is going to haunt me for a while. Reading it at 4 am doesn’t help, I’m sure. Moving stuff, though!
10400668
Thank youuuu! I'm glad you liked it c:
10400670
I'm not sure if that's good or not, but I HOPE IT IS AND I'M GLAD YOU LIKED IT?
God, I remembered this absolutely devastating me back when I first read it, and I still decided it was a good idea to read this new and improved version right now. I mean, it was, it's a great story, but still! It's even more devastating than it was in the contest, and that last line still hits like a truck.
im going to cryyyyyyy, RIP Raritwi
this was not a happy story
It's not 100% RariTwi. It needs a Tragedy tag I think...
Well done, Mono. I saw this ending coming but...I didn't want to.
*sees sad tag* hmmm happy story...
This was a most heartbreaking story, Mono! You always write Rarity so well and knows her emotions so perfectly. And you always make me cry.
It was great!
The ship sunk like the Titanic.
my heart...
My heart. Celestia, my heart.
I think I've placed myself in Rarity's shoes a lot here. And it hurts.
She left her for some two-bit schmuck from the capital? A'ight folks, gitcher torches n' pitchforks, it's time to topple a monarch!
I had a good time reading this, heart-wrenching though it was :'3
Rarity's final line was just heart-wrenching. This was beautifully tragic Mono.
I remember when you published this as a snippet. And it's still just as cruel as back then
Oh, huh. When I first read the speedwrite entry I thought it was very, very good, and could be slighted fleshed-out to make it to 1k words for publishing.
I was not expecting this.
This isn't just a minor revision and fleshing-out, this is actually bringing to life in full what I already thought was a great story. This whole story is incredible and heartwrenching and the romantic dynamic you've laid out is such a wonderful foundation to work with that I think would be wonderful to explore more.
I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad, Twilight is happy, this is good. But Rarity is sad, this is horrible..
Man that’s pretty sad...
Funnily enough though, isn’t it funny that you could easily swap Twilight for Rarity and put Spike in rarity’s position and it would work just as well. Just food for thought
Edit: damn this got a lot of downvote (for me anyway) people don’t seem to like Spike in these comments lol
Double edit: seems in might have actually upset people with this, which I will say is my bad, didn’t mean for it to come off as a detriment to this fic. I commented about the spike thing not because I it’s better or whatever, but simple cod in this specific fic it reminded more of spike and rarity’s dynamic in that sense.
This fic was still a good read and I probably should have stated that a bit more in my original comment. Sorry everyone
10401020
i.imgur.com/7eGX6vy.png
Forward Observation Post to Fire Station Mono.
Confirmed direct hit on feeling.
Lock firing solution and repeat.
Fire for effect.
oof, right in the feels, how could you... is good though, I enjoyed.
Damn, this one is good. It's been awhile since I had a minute to just sit and read and this is definitely one I want to come back to with some mood music and just live in between the paragraphs for a while.
10401137
Lol, good decision. I think that drink was Spiked... get it
10400673
It’s a very good story indeed... but not an easy one to simply roll over and go to sleep after reading, is all, after it stirs up sadness and regrets. But it does make me love Rarity all the more.
Oh....oh....I'm not going to cry.....
This is a beautifully sad story, almost ethereal in its telling; I use that word because I'm not sure what the proper one would be, but it echoes like a masterpiece painted with silver and framed with gold leaf. I really love how Rarity sets the scene here, and her inlay of scenes like the bit of advice about one who loves and one who lets love, or the characterization in that she drinks to forget in a shoddy bar, but only the most expensive and exquisite wine, because, well, she's Rarity. (I will also mention that when I first heard that Twilight left her marefriend for another stallion, I thought it was a bit OOC, but somehow not in the content but in the delivery of her confession, it felt, tragically, like something that might happen.)
Ah! And this! This is the line that absolutely killed me, but, well, I didn't need my heart anyway. *sobs* Cheers!
I liked the speedwrite version well enough, but you made it even more fantastic. That scene in the rain, in particular, was a lot of pain.
I'm a sucker for Rarity and Twilight romances - even more so for the failed ones.
Incidentally, the title reminded me of Labrinth's song, "Jealous," which has a line with the exact same words.
HASBRO MANDATED SHIPS
I was really hoping Rarity was gone to Saddle Arabia to hire an assassin. Then it would be a happy ending.
10401020
Respectfully, the reason you’re getting downvoted isn’t because no one likes Spike (Spike is a wonderful character; I personally love him), but because you deliberately came into a RariTwi fic only to say, essentially, “this was good but it could have been a sparity fic, just sayin’” which brings absolutely nothing productive to the conversation, is a back-handed compliment, and is rather invalidating towards the work.
My heart.
I don't even like your ship why would you set it on fire just to hurt me like this
Mono on Friday: Don’t worry, TEK is coming back with all the Raritwi love you could ask for!
Mono on Monday: here’s 2k words of HEARTACHE.
Great story though! I’m here for it.
Dang! This feels like a B_25 Spike story but instead it's with Rarity.
(I promise this is a compliment.)
Very well done wrtiting here. Really felt the subtle melancholy.
10401586
Yeah I thought it was more that, I mainly did that edit as a joke. Though I didn’t mean for the original comment to come off as bluntly or backhanded as it did
I still really liked the fic, which I should have probably mentioned more.
It just made me think of they’re dynamic Considering the fics subject matter, which I should have made clearer. I don’t have anything against TwiXrarity, i tho k it’s pretty cute pair
Once again sorry if I came of as an ass wasn’t my intention
The lack of description about the stallion makes it less sad and more just, well, ponies fall down the stairs all the time. "The baron is a fine man, but one baron more, or one baron less, does it really matter?"
EDIT: By which I mean, with no positive attributes, the stallion is just a sort of inert object in the world. As if Twilight were infatuated with a stick or some old chewing gum stuck on the bottom of a table.
I had insomnia so I came here and read this and now I'm going to cry until I fall asleep. Thanks Mono, I guess.
I love Rarity and it hurts so hard to see her suffer. Also, I kinda dislike Twilight in this one... Idk why; it feels like she acted a little selfish towards Rarity, pressuring her to remain as her best friend. Or maybe I'm just taking it too personal.
Great job as always, Mono. Thank you for delight us with this melancholic piece of art.
How heartbreakingly magnificent, this story is.
Aw, Rarity...
Yes, tragedy and heartbreak. This is why I'm on this site.
Very good story. Normally I'm not one for happy endings, but in this case I'll make an exception.
Unrequited love sucks.
10402308
Twilight is ABSOLUTELY being selfish here. She's putting her desire for Rarity's friendship over Rarity's well being. Honestly, if there's no change in the emotional dynamic, then this pair of decisions, Twilight asking even when she knew she shouldn't, and Rarity agreeing even though she also knew she shouldn't, could well lead Rarity into some kind of major breakdown a few months to a couple of yerars down the road.
Looking for some cute Rarytwi to start my day... finds this.