"I just can't thank you enough, Princess Celestia." A mare's voice echoed in a huge room. She stood next to the regal princess, who giggled at the mare's grateful words. The room these two ponies stood in glowed a dark light. The sun cut in half as it slowly sunk below the horizon.

"Of course. But… let us just leave it at a normal 'thank you', Miss Rarity." Princess Celestia giggled, and the mare before her chuckled a little and blushed.

Rarity could not help but show her gratitude to the princess. Her friend, Twilight Sparkle, had asked her teacher if she could have a place to stay. Of course it was easy for her, since Twilight had decided to stay at her home in Canterlot. But even with this change, she could only be glad that their friendship had not diminished after the distance that was added between them. "Umm…" The two mares turned to see the stallion behind them, his legs buckling underneath all the luggage he had carried up the stairs. "Y-your luggage, ma'am?"

"I'll leave you to unpack, then." Princess Celestia nodded to Rarity.

She took her leave and walked past the stallion, who nodded to her. "Your Highness." Rarity returned her gaze to the room and smiled brightly. This was simply divine, as she would put it. The space she had been given so graciously was such a blessing; another thank you would need to be added to her longer list of thank you's to both Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. "Um… where do you want your luggage?"

Without looking back, she said, "Oh, just right there is fine, darling." Her luggage collapsed over the stallion, but she paid no attention to it. The room was just too perfect to not steal her attention away from the other, possibly more important mess of her items behind her. She swiveled her ears and finally turned around to see the stallion underneath brush himself off as a few of her cases slid off one another. "Thank you so much for the help. You may leave now." As he left, she let out a little gasp. "Oh, wait." She walked up to him and levitated a few bits to his hoof. "Here you go. For the trouble of bringing my luggage up here for me."

The stallion nodded and trotted back down the stairs. Rarity looked to the pile of luggage and giggled. "Now then… let me get started." One by one, she lifted each of the cases in a light blue aura. Rarity never looked away from her items, following them as they flew into the closet. As another set of them flew in, hoofsteps resonated from behind her.

'Huh… could it be that the poor stallion again?' Rarity turned around, only to smile at a friend. "Twilight! It is good to see you again."

"Hello there, Rarity," said Twilight, who was standing in the doorway of the room. "After I finished up with my studies, I thought I might as well see how you were adjusting to the new room."

"But it is so good to see you, still." Rarity put away another briefcase before she trotted over to her friend, wrapping her forelegs around her. She pulled away and said, "I must simply thank you, darling. The new abode you and Princess Celestia have given me is just simply divine."

"You're very wel—"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Rarity interrupted, almost nose to nose with her friend as she leaned forward. She quickly pulled away with chuckle. "My apologies, but I do not believe that a simple 'thank you' would suffice for the accommodations you have graciously acquired for me."

Twilight only giggled and shook her head at her friend's thankfulness. "It's no problem, Rarity. Besides, I thought it was best to make sure you had the closest place to the shopping district."

"But really, I cannot—"

"Okay, okay. I get it." Twilight interrupted her friend, who blushed again. "But still, I appreciate your gratefulness and all, but once is simply enough."

"Of course." Rarity nodded. "Alright, I'm fine now." She began to giggle again. "Yet I am a mare of my word, so I shall find some way to repay you."

"It's alright, really. I'm just thankful I won't be alone here in Canterlot for a while." Twilight brought her in for another hug. They stayed like that for a moment or two, until she separated. "Well, I'd better get back to my own house. There's a spell I've been meaning to look into, and it's just so exciting, I just have to get back and learn it."

"Of course, darling. I shall let you get to it. See you later, Twilight."

"Bye, Rarity." Twilight turned around and walked out, glancing over her shoulder while she waved. The door shut in a light blue aura, only after which did Rarity exhale.

This was a momentous occasion, but it certainly had not been the only one. Rarity enjoyed her time with all her very important friends. She had a great little sister who, although she had her moments of being a small nuisance, was still dear to her heart. Her parents were also great, if not a bit random at times. And her boutique business was growing, and that was an achievement she loved.

Yet, something about this was off. She frowned and looked at the empty space around her. Maybe it was just the hesitant jitters she was feeling, but she felt like she did not need to feel this sad. So what was causing this? 'Oh, Rarity, you do love to overdramatize everything, don't you?' She shook her head, clearing away those thoughts, and continued to trot along.

This wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Although Twilight did have to move back to Canterlot once they had defeated Nightmare Moon, the idea of that did not diminish their spirits. Sure, it may have taken a little while longer to get together, but it was all worthwhile in the end.

Her smile brightened when she turned her gaze to the window. 'And to think it all started with my magic dragging me out into the middle of nowhere.' When she had found that rock filled with gems, then brought them into her dress designs, she had gained her cutie mark, one she so deeply cherished. And it had led to this moment in her life. She had to thank her horn for forcing her against her will to a rock in the middle of nowhere.

She let out another sigh. 'Why are you sighing, Rarity? This has not happened since the play in Ponyville when we were just a filly.'Then she thought about when she first began to experience these emotions, only to find that these feelings had started when Twilight had left. She felt like she was lonely, like some little filly who was just beginning to experience what it felt like to be without friends. It was odd, but maybe it was just because her friend was in a different place? 'That must be it. No need to fret; Twilight is not too far away at all. In fact, we could almost be next-door neighbors.' Assured by this, she walked over to the front of her bed, scanning the room to see what else might be here.

Yet why did these feelings of Twilight appear? Of course, they were friends and they did rely on each other, although Rarity did have to admit that Twilight was beautiful and—

She shook her head, a frown replacing the smile. 'Absolutely not. A friend should not think about another friend in that way.' It certainly was a bit odd, not to say maybe even bordering the line of creepy. Yet why could she not shake this strange blend of loneliness and fondness? It was odd, feeling her heart slightly beat at the thought of Twilight. She grimaced and pushed these odd thoughts to the back of her mind.

Those thoughts from before began to reappear once again. She watched as images flashed in her mind: Twilight standing on the train as she looked at her friends, her smile softening as her friend's eyes met her own. She shook her head, feeling those same emotions from before. 'What is going on? Surely these pesky daydreams would have left me long ago...' Even trying to think about her current fashion line she was working on did not seem to distract her from those thoughts.

"Honestly, why am I so confined to these specific thoughts? It doesn't make any sense," Rarity murmured under her breath. She shut the blinds of her windows and walked into her bathroom. She turned on the faucet, lifted a rag over to the water, wet the cloth and wiped her muzzle. 'Maybe I am just wishing her the best. That could be possible.'

But Rarity was not so certain. This could possibly be something much more than just a simple "I miss my friend"-type feeling. No. What she felt was completely different. Lifting the rag off, she quickly cleaned her face before throwing it on a hook to dry out, made her way to her bed and shut off the lights. She sighed, lifted the sheets off and slipped under her covers. Rarity closed her eyes but felt those emotions continue to swell.

"Alright…" she wearily murmured. "I shall investigate these feelings that seem to encompass my friend, Twilight, but priorities must be attended to first. After all, I do have my fashion line that needs to be completed before I set upon this… oh, what would Rainbow Dash say, 'adventure'? If that is the case, then I shall start this adventure after I have completed my own task." And she had decided to move in earlier than her scheduled time, so she had a few days to explore Canterlot and see what this city had to offer. After all, in this city, she felt like she could belong.