The Reunion at the Castle

Canterlot Castle had been closed for the day. 

This was, as far as Rarity understood, a very rare occurrence. Canterlot Castle was seldom closed, its doors open to any and all at any time of the day, a safe haven for anypony who might need it. In fact, until that very day, the last time it had closed was during the still-talked-about time when a dragon visited Princess Denza. 

“Must be serious,” they had all thought then and thought the same on this occasion. “Must be bad?” they added afterward, though not with too much concern. Princess Denza had thus far proven herself to be a reasonable and wise ruler, as had all the princesses before her, so any issue would be quickly resolved if there was one. 

No one suspected, then or now, that the castle had been closed to allow a celebration. 

“Be honest,” said Cadance, standing in the castle atrium, her tail swishing behind her ever so lightly, “is it too much?” 

“I think it’s wonderful,” Rarity said, and she meant it. “There is never a thing as too much when it comes to something like this.” 

“I’m kind of hurt, actually,” Twilight replied, frowning lightly as she put down the suitcases she’d been levitating. “There weren’t nearly one-quarter this many banners for my visit.” 

Cadance giggled. “Well… I was more nervous that time?” she offered, dozens and dozens of colorful ‘WELCOME HOME, AUNTIE LUNA’ banners plastered everywhere the eye could see, changeling guards rushing to and fro as they prepared for the alicorn’s arrival. She looked back at their handiwork and smiled. “Maybe it is too much. Anyway!” She turned back to them, eyeing their luggage as she flagged down a changeling. “Corsynth, would you mind, please? And then have some tea and snacks brought to my library.” 

“Of course, your highness!” the guard replied, and he and three others immediately picked them up. 

“All in Twilight’s room.” Cadance threw the couple a teasing look. “Right?” 

“If you would!” Rarity replied brightly, contrasting with Twilight’s soft “Yes, please.” The alicorn’s light blush deepened considerably when Cadance gleefully remarked, “There’s no reason to be embarrassed, Twilight!” 

“I’m not embarrassed!” Twilight protested, ignoring Rarity’s delighted look. “We stayed in the same room last time, too.”

“I knoooooow,” Cadance replied, still delighted as she led them away from the main hall and up the stairs. “But it’s exciting, and last time you were here, I was too busy crying to tease you about it.” She looked back towards Rarity. “I always thought she’d marry a book, you know.”

“Cadance!” 

“Oh, I understand,” Rarity replied lightly. “I’m sure she would if she could. I suppose she still can. You could make it legal, Princess.”

“Rarity!” 

“None of that ‘Princess’ stuff, please,” Cadance replied, jumping past the last step and then turning to the couple. “Cadance is just fine. We’re going to be sisters-in-law!” She looked at Twilight, and Twilight was horrified to detect the hint of a threat. “Right?” 

“I—! Well—!” Twilight sputtered. 

“Well,” Rarity said, because she had a malicious streak Twilight was just now finding out about, “I did ask her to move in with me recently, and as I’ve been led to understand, that was akin to a marriage proposal in olden times, so—” She grinned. Maliciously. “It has been discussed.” 

Twilight didn’t know what was more mortifying: Rarity knowing she’d technically proposed, Rarity telling Cadance she’d technically proposed, Cadance’s absolutely delighted squeal, or Twilight’s now-incandescent blushing.

Thankfully, Cadance and Rarity made the wise choice of picking up their speed and—while giggling like schoolfillies—rushing off towards the library while poor Twilight resigned herself to the monster she—Rarity? They?– had just awakened. 

A monster that, all things considered, she was willing to endure if it meant seeing Cadance happy for a bit, forgetting for a minute the situation they were all still in. 

When she joined the other two a few minutes later, they had already made themselves comfortable. Rarity was lounging on a large floor cushion, and Cadance was sitting—or rather going through—another nearby. 

“It’s the principle of the matter,” Cadance explained at Twilight’s questioning look.

“Right.” Twilight didn’t say much after that. Or, she didn’t until she settled herself next to Rarity, wrapped her tail around her, and then looked up to find Cadance again looking giddy. “You’re making it weird, Cadance!” 

“Soooo-rry! I’m just happy for you!” she insisted, and her giddy smile turned genuine. “Shining would be happy, too. About everything. First you, now Princess Luna, and then… Then Princess Celestia, and—” She laughed gently. “It’s never been this close to being over.” 

“And you, as well,” Rarity added delicately but pointedly. “It will be over for you, too.” 

“Oh, I hope so.” She smiled wryly. “But that’s going to be a whole other problem, won’t it?” 

The couple stiffened almost immediately. 

“…Oh?” Rarity asked.

“What do you mean?” 

“I think you know what I mean,” Cadance replied, amused. “I know, girls. About the concerns over my situation. About Princess Cadenza Armor the Tenth.” She elaborated when the couple said nothing: “Brazened Awe wrote to me.” 

“Oh, for goodness’ sake,” Rarity exclaimed, aggravated. “Of course he would! Stars.” 

“It’s all right, Rarity. Really,” the princess insisted, and Twilight knew by her tone that she meant it. “His concerns didn’t make me think of anything I hadn’t thought of before.” 

“…And what do you think?” Twilight asked. 

“That I’m going to abdicate,” she said simply. “Once this is over.” 

“What?!” Rarity gasped, and she’d have stood up if Twilight hadn’t held her back. “But you can’t! You’re an excellent ruler! You have been for centuries!” 

“An excellent ruler that has been deceiving her kingdom for centuries,” Cadance replied and continued just as Rarity opened her mouth to protest, “but thank you. I appreciate that! I think I’ve done a good job. But. I also want it. I don’t want to keep ruling.” 

Rarity said nothing, even though it was clear she wanted to. 

“How long have you been thinking about this?” Twilight asked. 

“Since Rarity came to see me at the castle almost three years ago,” Cadance replied. “When she broke the curse.” 

“Since then?” Rarity gasped. “Even with Twilight—” She faltered. “Ah… You know.” 

Twilight felt a lump in her throat when Cadance replied, “Oh, I was never worried about her not getting out.” 

“You weren’t?” they asked in unison. 

“But—! But you never said that to me when we met,” Rarity exclaimed.  There was the slightest hint of—not resentment, no—but hurt. “I could have used hearing you say that.” 

Cadance’s ears lowered. “I know, and I’m sorry, but… I didn’t want you to blame yourself if she didn’t. I would know what that’s like.” 

“What…” Twilight swallowed. “What made you so confident I would?” 

She was surprised, and Rarity as well, when Cadance laughed. “Rarity, actually,” she said. 

“Me? But! But I feel like I barely ever spoke to you,” Rarity said. “In fact,” she added, her gaze lowering, “I avoided coming here if I could.” 

Now it was Twilight who was surprised, and especially so when Rarity avoided her gaze. “What? Why?” 

“Mmm,” Cadance said gently when Rarity failed to reply. “Maybe this isn’t the right time for—” 

“No, it’s all right,” Rarity replied, and she tucked her hoof under Twilight’s, not so much seeking comfort, but as an act of solidarity. No secrets anymore. “I didn’t want to talk about you because you were gone and… It was too hard.” 

“That’s why,” Cadance replied, firm, preventing Twilight’s guilt from setting in. She smiled earnestly at the both of them. “I saw how much she cared about you, and I knew that if you cared even an eighth as much, you’d get yourself out.” 

It was there for a moment. The guilt. Pawing at her, demanding to be acknowledged, but instead of doing that, Twilight allowed herself a painfully affectionate smile and nuzzled her partner, relishing in her embarrassed laughter. 

“I do,” she replied. “And not just an eighth.” 

“I would hope not,” Rarity replied with a theatrical huff. “I’m deserving of a full portion of caring! Maybe even two full portions. Or five!”

“Five? That’s a lot.” 

“It’s too little, I think.”.

“Oh my gosh, please,” Cadance interjected. “When’s the wedding?” 

“Cadance!” Twilight stammered, pointedly ignoring Rarity fluttering her eyelashes at her. “At this rate, you won’t be invited to it!” 

“Ah, but there will be one? Good.” Cadance said, her audacity clearly bolstered by Rarity’s delighted giggling. “Anyway.” She cleared her throat, clearly trying to weasel her way back into being a guest at the hypothetical wedding. “The point is I’ve been thinking about resigning for a long time now, once we’re all free. I want it, I promise.” 

Twilight licked her lips. 

“Have you—Are you going to—” Her eyes drifted towards Cadance’s body, phasing through the pillow. “Are you going to say who you are? Actually are?” 

At that, Cadance stiffened a little. 

“For the record,” Rarity interjected, “I don’t think it’s necessary.” 

Twilight looked at her. “Rarity…” 

“I don’t!” 

“I don’t know. I have to think of the changelings because they’d be involved in that, too, and…” Cadance hesitated. “And that’s a bridge we don’t have to cross just yet.” She smiled wryly. “Honestly, I wish Auntie Tia was here to talk about it. Or Auntie Luna, actually. I think she would know best. Something to discuss later, I guess. But there’s more important things to discuss right now.”

“Like what?” Twilight asked. 

She would soon regret this. 

“Like, for example.” Cadance leaned in, delighted. “How did you two meet?” 

“Oh, no.” 

“Was it love at first sight?” she continued, inching forward, centuries of not being able to gossip on romantic affairs rearing its squee-ing head. She looked at Rarity, her tail all but wagging. “What was the first thing that happened when you found Twilight?”  

“Oh, well, I wouldn’t call it love at first sight, per se, but I was certainly knocked out,” Rarity said, and nothing more. 

“Really?” Cadance asked, giddy. “How so?” 

“Oh… I shan’t say,” Rarity replied, demurely looking away. “But rest assured, I was out of breath. Stunned, really. Like I’d been struck by her beauty!” 

“Ohhhhh…” Cadance sighed wistfully. And then looked at Twilight, eager. “And you? What did you think?” 

“Well, I thought she was Discord,” Twilight replied, “so I grabbed her and slammed her against a bookcase.” 

“You what?”

“Twilight!” Rarity exclaimed, and she had the gall to sound aghast. “I wasn’t going to say!” 

Twilight playfully rolled her eyes. “Right.” 

“I wasn’t!” 

“Wait, but, then what happened?” Cadance asked, and as Rarity launched into her grand romantic story, Twilight settled in for what would be a very embarrassing several hours. 

“So, then,” Rarity was saying, “the chaos monster roared to life and lunged at Twilight, throwing magic things at her!” 

Rarity didn’t consider storytelling her passion in life, but as she sat there in front of her riveted audience, she couldn’t help but think she might consider taking it up as a hobby. Cadance certainly looked like she would agree, and though Twilight tried to look annoyed, Rarity kept catching her smiling here and there. 

“Magic things?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow, only to giggle when Cadance immediately shushed her. “Magic spheres.”

“Clearly, I had to do something, of course,” Rarity continued, ignoring the nitpick. “So, intelligent as I am, I remembered the spell on the books—the one that protects them, remember?–and I valiantly jumped in front of Twilight!” 

Cadance gasped and gasped again when Rarity jumped up to a standing position, levitating her six teacups into a makeshift shield. 

“And then, I created a makeshift shield out of books, the magic things bouncing right off!” Rarity declared. “‘Like hell, you will!’ I said!” 

“Stop!” Cadance swooned. “That’s so romantic…” 

“And dangerous,” Twilight immediately added. “Especially dangerous. Exclusively dangerous.” 

“Heroic!” Rarity exclaimed, and the makeshift shield lowered. “So heroic, in fact, that the beast realized I was not to be reckoned with and slithered back down into the maze.” She then sat down again, glowing with pride. Because she was! Romance novel protagonists wished they were her! “Just like that.” 

“And then what?” Cadance urged, as she should. 

“Then Twilight had the audacity of getting angry at me for rescuing her,” Rarity playfully huffed. “Tsk!” 

“Rescue me?” Twilight half-snorted, half-exclaimed. “Rescue me from what? Being cursed even more? It could have hurt you! Of course, I was upset. You could have died!” 

“I could have,” Rarity conceded, “but I didn’t!”  

“But you could have!” 

“But she didn’t,” Cadance added gravely. 

“But she will now!” shrieked a new voice.

Startled, the three mares turned around to find none other than a huffing-and-puffing Pinkie Pie standing in the doorway, looking as infuriated as Pinkie could look, which wasn’t a lot, but still. 

“You left early!” Pinkie thundered, marching right up to Rarity and Twilight with great, big stomps. “You—!” She stopped herself, her face brightening immediately, and turned to Cadance. “Hi Princess Cadance!” 

Cadance smiled warily. “Hi, Pinkie.” 

Pinkie looked back at her friends, and the anger returned in full force.

“You were supposed to stay! I had a big goodbye party planned!” She stomped her hooves like an irate filly. “It was going to be amazing!”

“We didn’t know!” Twilight replied. 

“Well, DUH!” Pinkie fell onto her haunches, crossing her forelegs. “It was a secret goodbye party!” 

Rarity blinked, flabbergasted. “A… A secret goodbye party? Then why are you angry? How in Equestria were we supposed to know if it was secret?”

“That’s just what Princess Luna said,” Pinkie muttered.  

“Wait, wait, hold on.” Twilight frowned. “You’re not supposed to even be here yet. Your train left—leaves—in the afternoon.” 

“We flew so I could try and have the party here!” Pinkie explained, her anger vanishing briefly and then returning when, “Oh, but it can’t be a goodbye party now. Oh! And I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Inky because she wasn’t even home when we saw you’d left, and there was no time to find her, and—! Ugh! You—! Youuuuuu—!” She stared the couple down. “You sillies!” 

“Pinkie.” 

The three of them looked to Cadance, who was now standing up. 

“So… Auntie Luna is here now?” 

Her anger forgotten, Pinkie nodded effusively. “Yep! But I asked her to wait outside in case you had a big party ready for her. Oh, but now it won’t be a surprise!” Again, Rarity and Twilight were the target of a fiery stare. 

Before either mare could defend themselves, or Pinkie could throw another reprimand their way, Cadance bolted towards the room’s exit, leaving the three other mares scrambling to follow her. An act that was, admittedly, somewhat hard to do when Cadance was rushing through closed doors and vaulting over third-floor railings rather than taking the stairs down like civilized and ground-bound unicorns and earth ponies. Not that said unicorns and earth ponies cared, the two of them jumping after Cadance herself, so secure in their trust that a startled Twilight would safely catch them in her magic. 

Which she would, and she did, but still, what was their problem?

By the time they reached the atrium, Twilight was allowed a slight reprieve in the shape of Cadance hovering by the closed front doors, her wings nervously rustling at her sides. 

“This is it!” she exclaimed, to herself more than anyone else. Her voice fell to a whisper. “This is it, isn’t it?”  

“Princess,” Rarity said gently, trotting over to her. “It’ll go wonderfully.” 

“I know,” replied Cadance. 

In a motion that reminded Rarity of Twilight, she took one, two, three deep breaths, then opened the grand castle doors with a sweeping gesture of magic. 

As Pinkie said, the doors revealed Princess Luna herself, blinking at Cadance with wide, hesitant eyes, her wings fluttering at her sides. The two stared at each other across the gap that separated Cadance’s prison from the rest of the world, neither daring to step forward. 

“Our stars,” Princess Luna eventually whispered. “There you are.”

Cadance broke into a grin. “And here you are.” She stepped back, gesturing towards the inviting atrium. “Welcome home, Auntie Luna.” 

Princess Luna’s eyes fell upon the dozens of welcoming signs pasted all over the atrium and then fell on Cadance and the rest of her family, each as giddy as the last. “Ah.” She lifted a hoof and dabbed it against her eyes. “I see. Well.” 

“Auntie Luna!” Cadance exclaimed. “Are you crying?” 

“Don’t mock me, child,” the Princess chided, only to let out a choked laugh at the tears welling up in Cadance’s eyes. “You’re crying as well!” 

“I’ve never seen you cry before!” Cadance exclaimed, rubbing at her eyes. 

“A thousand years of imprisonment have unfortunately softened me,” Princess Luna lamented, cracking a grin when her niece giggled with delight. She gave Cadance a once-over. “Our stars, here you are. Alive and… Ah, I suppose ‘well’ isn’t correct, but…” 

“I’m here,” Cadance replied, “and so are you, Auntie. Alive and well,” She again gestured to the inside of the castle. “Now, come in! Please, you must be hungry.” 

“I am,” Princess Luna replied, stepping into the castle and looking around briefly until her eyes landed on Rarity and Twilight. She raised her eyebrow. “Thanks to these two, in fact. Might curious minds inquire why you left at dawn without telling a soul?” 

“I hate goodbyes,” Rarity replied. “I’ve done enough crying these past two weeks to last me a lifetime, and I rather felt like sparing myself another cry.” 

“Ah.” Luna nodded. “Fair enough.” 

“What!” Pinkie gasped, stomping her hoof on the ground. “But my party! What about my party?” 

Princess Luna regarded her momentarily and then said, “Little one, I love you dearly, but I am old and weary, and you’ve hosted twelve parties in the—” She turned to Twilight. “Is it eight? Seven days?”

“Ten days!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Ah, yes.” She turned back to Pinkie. “You have hosted twelve parties in the ten days since I’ve been freed, and I have loved and appreciated them. However, though distance and time made my heart fonder of many things, partying wildly is not one of them.” She smiled gently. “It would do your princess well to have a day of boring conversation with her beloved niece.” She glanced at Cadance. “Would that be agreeable?” 

“Oh, yes,” Cadance said immediately. “Please.” 

Pinkie deflated. “Awwww. Okay. I understand,” she said. “I hope Inky won’t be mad everypony left without saying goodbye…” 

“If it helps,” Twilight chimed in, “she wasn’t home when we left either. I peeked into her room to check, and it was empty.” 

“What?!” Rarity gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me this? We should have gone looking for her!” 

Twilight giggled. “Or, maybe we should have given her the privacy she clearly wanted.” She elbowed Rarity playfully. “Maybe you’re not the only one who hates goodbyes.”

“I don’t mean to be rude,” Princess Luna said, “but I will be regardless.” She turned to Cadance. “Dearest niece, is the kitchen still where I remember it to be?” 

“I should hope so unless some major renovations happened without me reali—And there she goes!” She watched Princess Luna disappear into a hallway, followed in short order by Pinkie Pie. She turned to Rarity and Twilight, delighted. “I missed this. So much.” She allowed herself a teary smile. “Now it’s just Auntie Tia left, and then me, and then… Who knows!” 

“What will you do when you’re free?” Rarity asked. 

“Who knows. Really!” Cadance giggled. She winked at them. “Have a vacation. Explore. Sleep. Oh, maybe I’ll go on a date!” 

“What?” Twilight gasped, only to wince at Rarity’s stern expression. “A date?” 

“Twilight Sparkle, it’s been a thousand years! She’s allowed to move on, my stars.” She turned back to Cadance and nodded approvingly. “A date sounds fabulous, Princess.” 

“Cadance,” she gently corrected. “Cadance is fine, please. And thank you, Rarity. Maybe you can help me figure out how dating works nowadays! I hear it’s all about flings now.” She turned to Twilight, helpful. “That means when you find someone not for love but for the other thing. You know, the—” 

“Okay,” Twilight interrupted, turning around and beelining for the kitchen. “Right. Okay.” 

“And there she goes, too!” Cadance exclaimed. “I also missed that. I thought having you would make her less embarrassed about those things, but I guess not. Anyway.” She gestured towards where everyone disappeared off to. “Shall we?” 

Rarity faltered. “Oh, go on without me. I left my saddlebag back in the library. It has Twilight’s crown, and I rather think none of us want that lying around unguarded, do we? Not that the castle isn’t safe, of course!”

Cadance waved her off. “I understand completely. Ask one of the guards to take you to Twilight’s room after and you can put it in the magic safe there. Twilight knows the code.” 

“Thaaaank you!” Rarity said in sing-song, trotting towards the stairs. 

She momentarily found herself in an empty hallway and was pleasantly surprised to find a stallion guard standing by. Rather than standing to attention, he was peering out a nearby window towards the outside. 

“Excuse me!” she called out, trotting towards him. “So sorry, but are you busy?” 

“Oh!” the guard exclaimed, turning to her and quickly saluting. “No, I am not! How can I help you? Do you need anything? Are you okay? Is Princess Cadance okay? Is—”

“Everything’s fine,” Rarity interrupted, amused. “I was simply wondering if you could escort me to Princess Twilight’s room in a few minutes? I need to fetch something from the library, but once I have that, I could use directions, please.” 

“O-Oh! Of course!” 

“Excellent!” Rarity bowed her head and then trotted off. “Thank you! I’ll be right back.” 

“You got it, Bossy-o!”

Rarity stopped dead in her tracks. Then turned around to the guard staring straight at the wall. 

“Excuse me,” Rarity said. “What did you just say?” 

“You got it, ma’am!” repeated the guard. 

“No, no,” Rarity replied, quickly trotting towards him. “That’s not what you said.” 

“Yes, it is,” quickly replied the guard.  

“No,” Rarity insisted slowly. “That is not what you said. You said ‘bossy-o’.” 

“No, I didn’t,” replied the guard. “I definitely didn’t. Nope.” 

“Oh, my stars,” Rarity whispered, placing a hoof against her eyes, “I am about to have a conniption.”

“Wait.”

“Incantation, what are—” 

“You left without saying goodbye!” the stallion exclaimed, distraught and quickly revealing his—or, rather, her—true form as the one and only Hollow Shade’s changeling. “I heard you and Princess Twilight leaving at, like, five in the morning! So I waited outside, and then I followed you to the train and snuck on, and now this!” She stomped a hoof on the ground. “What else was I supposed to do?”

“Darling. Darling. What else? For starters, you could have just said goodbye to us like a sane individual!” 

Ink winced but then quickly offered a tentative smile. “I’m sorry, Boss… I just…” She looked down, pawing at the floor. “I wasn’t ready for it to end, I guess.” 

Rarity softened at that. How could she not? It still felt alien to think Hollow Shades was no longer, well, home. 

“…I understand,” she said, eventually mirroring the changeling’s smile. Her smile vanished as she remembered. “Wait, but what about the Dreamland?” 

Ink waved her off. “Oh, I took care of that. I left Elder Moonshine in charge of the Dreamland until the chief, and I came back.” 

Rarity went pale. “You what.”

“What!” Ink exclaimed, distraught. “It’s fine! She agreed to it.” She paused. “Though I think it’s because she wants to use your massive bathtub every night, so our water bill might be insane when we come back, but we’ll figure it out.” She cleared her throat and offered a winning smile. “Anyway!” 

“…Anyway,” Rarity said, throwing her friend one last chastising look before allowing it to melt away. “Well! Pinkie will be happy. She was upset she didn’t get to say goodbye, and I imagine Twilight will be happy, too.” 

“Oh, speaking of Princess Twilight…” The changeling’s frow furrowed. “Is she okay?” 

“Is she okay? Yes, of course,” Rarity replied. “Why wouldn’t she be?” 

Ink gestured to the window she’d been looking through earlier.  “Oh, it’s just she’s been staring at that bush for like ten solid minutes.” 

Rarity frowned. “What?” 

She walked to the window and was surprised to see Twilight standing outside, focusing on a bush in the garden. Twilight turned around as if she’d sensed her partner, and as soon as her eyes fell on Rarity, she urgently waved her over. 

“What are you doing?” Rarity tried mouthing, only for Twilight to wave her over more insistently. 

Ink pressed her face against the window. “What’s wrong?” 

“I don’t know…” 

Rarity looked around, torn. She didn’t know the castle’s layout very well, and it seemed like whatever Twilight needed was urgent, so… Her eyes flittered towards Incantation, taking her in. After a quick hesitation, she made her choice. 

Her horn lit up with magic. 

“Er, Ink,” she said. “Be still a moment, will you? And I apologize in advance if this doesn’t work.” 

Ink blinked. “If what doesn’t—” 

CRACK!

“–work? Oh!” Incantation looked around the garden, delighted, before turning her attention to the slightly-winded unicorn. “You teleported both of us?!” 

“I did!” Rarity exclaimed between huffs and puffs, privately relieved she’d pulled it off. She turned to Twilight with a grin. “Aren’t I impressive!” 

Twilight smiled gently. “Oh, yes. I was only expecting one of you, but both of you is even better.” 

“Hi, Princess Twilight!” Ink greeted at once. “Surprise!” 

Twilight’s eyes flitted towards her. “Surprise!” she repeated. “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” And then her eyes went back to Rarity, and her smile widened considerably. “Sur-prise, dar-ling.”

Rarity frowned, disconcerted. “Twilight, I—Are you alright?” 

Twilight cocked her head to the side. “Am I alright? You know, honestly, I don’t know. But I think I’m going to feel much better soon enou—” She cut herself off, her eyes fixed on something on Rarity’s chest. “Oh. Oh, so that’s how it works. But not hers, only yours, interestingly enough.” 

“Darling,” Rarity said, looking down at her chest, “what are you—” 

Her sentence died a quick and strangled death at the sight of her necklace glowing not its lovely, usual pink, but a deep, deep green. 

Greener, perhaps, than she’d ever seen it. 

“Ah,” she whispered, and nothing else.

“What’s wrong with your necklace?” Ink asked, bless her, genuinely curious, unaware that Rarity was quietly wondering if she’d just sentenced the poor changeling to death or worse. 

“It’s been a while since we last saw each other, hasn’t it, Ra-ri-ty? So tell me.” 

Rarity looked up to find a predatory smile on the alicorn’s lips. 

“How have you been?”