What do you call this?

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Once RedRobin had been gone for a while I was finally able to be with my thoughts. What had just happened? Did I really agree to go on tour with him in exchange for a scholarship to the best vet school in Equestria?

The Canterlot Academy of Veterinary care.

Dash was the only pony who knew I wanted to go there. I'm sure everypony else in our group knew as well, but I didn't go blathering on about my dreams. Not that it's a bad thing..but I was much more conservative about that kind of stuff...

My mind drifted back to the countless talks I'd have with Rainbow Dash about it. About my dream of being one of the best vets around.

"You can do it, Shy!"

"Listen, don't hold back for ANYPONY, got it?! Not for all of our friends, or your pets here, or even me! If you see something..just go for it!"

Nopony encouraged me like she did before. Sure RedRobin was offering to let me go to that school for free. But the cost was to travel with him and be on tour. You'd think this would be every mare's dream, right? Travelling alongside a popstar.

Well not if you're as shy as I am.

I sighed and closed my suitcase. What little clothing I owned was jammed in there. I'm sure I would get more along the way. I wanted so desperately to say goodbye to my animals but I knew that would be a bad idea. Same with my friends. I decided maybe I'd talk to Rarity about it. Surely she'd talk me out of this decision.

~~~~

"Darling you are the luckiest pony in Equestria right now! You must go, you simply MUST!" squealed Rarity, hopping aroud her boutique like an excited school girl. I groaned. This was not the answer I expected from her.

I rubbed my foreleg with my hoof, glancing over at her. "Oh..you don't think it's a bad idea?"

Rarity paused from her hopping and looked back at me, tilting her head. She looked at me like I just asked her what the meaning of life was: utterly confused. She let out a giggle like snort and cantered over to me, throwing her foreleg around me in an embrace.

"Well it certainly isn't going to happen again! You get a chance to go to the best Vet school in the land and the only price you have to pay is travel alongside one of the hippest pop stars around right now? Sounds like a sweet deal to me!" she said, pulling away. A confident smile on her face.

I opened my mouth to speak, but was cut out immediately by more Rarity ramblings.

"True I will miss you, but if he told you he'd take care of your animals for you then there isn't really much else to do except be whisked away by your prince charming!" she let out a whine now, flipping her gorgeous purple curls out of her eyes. "You are soooo lucky! You know I'd give up my entire boutique to be in your place! Well no, not really..maybe my secret stash of diamonds sure..." she walked back over to her sewing machine and continued working on another fantastic project of hers.

My eyes trailed down to my hooves. I knew Twilight would disagree, as would Applejack. Pinkie would probably have the same reaction as Rarity I'm sure. I should have gone to Twilight or Applejack...so why didn't I?

Was it because deep down I really did want this?

And accepting this offer in exchange for keeping him..company. This made me no better than a...a...

I was shaken from my thoughts when Rarity walked over to me, playing with my pink mane. "Would you like me to doll you up a bit before you go?" she asked, trying to fluff it up or something. She was obviously displeased with it.

I stepped back, shaking my head. "No no...if RedRobin wants me so bad, he will get the real me." I said, extending my wings.

Rarity smiled at me genuinely and I could see a few tears forming in her eyes. She trotted over to me, throwing me in a tight hug.

"You best get going soon then, right, Hon?" she asked, rubbing the back of my head.

I felt tears form in my eyes too as I shut them tightly, trying to fight them back. I had to be strong...this was my dream I was following now. "Of course, Rarity..." it was silent for a moment before I spoke again. "What about the others? I can't break the news to them-"

"I'll handle it." whispered Rarity before pulling away, however, her smile faded when she looked at my face.

My eyes were soaked by this point and I couldn't keep in the crying any longer. Rarity ran back over to me, throwing me in another tight hug. "I know, I know...I miss her too." she said. "We all do."

"It's my fault!" I cried into Rarity's shoulder. "She's gone and it's all my fault and you all hate me now!"

Rarity hugged me tighter, shaking her head. "No don't you dare blame yourself! None of us blame you, Darling..." she said, pulling away from me, keeping her hooves on my shoulders.

"Now now..you don't want him to see you crying like this. You have got to put on your best face." chimed Rarity, wiping her eyes as if trying to erase the fact that she had been crying with me. Her eyeliner running down her cheeks.

I smiled at Rarity's futile attempt to wipe away her tears. "Okay, Rarity...thank you. For everything."

Rarity shook her head, smiling. "I mean, the rest of us in Ponyville found our little niche but you and Rainbow Dash. Applejack has her apple farm, Pinkie and Sugarcube corner, Twilight and her library and studies and me with..well.." she threw her forelegs in the air a bit at the boutique. "But you two had different places to be." her smile turned a bit sad now. "It's bittersweet that you both found love in each other, though. All it did was hold you both back.." she said in a sad voice.

I sighed. In a way, she was right. Her and I together. The familiarity of it all. I knew ending it was right. Maybe not now, maybe not in a few weeks. But in the long run it was the right thing to do.

I picked up my suitcase in my mouth and gave Rarity one last smile. She waved and lowered her head, keeping her blue eyes on me. "Remember! Write!"

I giggled between the suitcase handle and nodded before opening the door.

I only walked a few meters before I was blinded by multiple flashing lights.


Cameras shoved in my face and voices I couldn't even recognize shouting questions I couldn't understand at me. I tried to shield my face with my forelegs, but it was no good. The bright, almost cruel flashes broke through and blinded me instantly. I could see nothing but spots everywhere I turned until I felt RedRobin drop down next to me.

I thought he was going to take me away but instead he threw his arm around me, giving a big smile to the cameras. "Aha, yeah we will have to get you a pair of sunglasses to block these flashes." he seemed to say, almost laughing.

I couldn't believe it. He was having the time of his life while I was having the worst anxiety attack of MY life. I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to say something but each word was cut off by my throat closing up. I just wanted this nightmare to be over.

"So is this your new girlfriend?" called one of the reporters.

RedRobin let out a cocky chuckle and flashed a big smile.

"I'm not saying she isn't but uh..." he threw his wing around me and pulled me into his uncomfortable heavy half arm'd hug tighter. "What do you call this?"

Can these reporters register normal pony emotions like the rest of us can? I doubted it. Because there was no way they were able to ignore the sheer horror on my face so easily like this unless they were unfeeling vultures.