The Lorax and all references and characters contained within are copyright of Dr. Seuss. My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic is copyright of Lauren Faust and Hasbro. I own nothing and am earning no money from this fan project.

Chapter 20 – The Final Day

Peace could not last forever and it was broken on Sunday with a phone call, which Onceler answered. Rarity tried not to eavesdrop, but she was in the same room and…well…she wanted to know what was going on.

"Uh-huh…thank you…no, I will not…that's pers…shut up, Brett."

Upon realizing it was his brother, she tuned out and the conversation didn't last long anyway. He returned the phone to its resting place and sighed. "My family…well, some of them aren't happy. Uncle Ubb sends his congrats, my brothers wanted to know about my wedding night…"

"And I thank you for keeping that private."

"Of course. Aunt Grizelda thinks I must've gotten you pregnant and Mom…um…Mom's on her way here."

"Oh, geez…"

"My thoughts exactly. She's apparently pretty ticked."

"When isn't she?"

It didn't take long, minutes actually before the doorbell rang and both of them just took a collective breath before Onceler opened it.

Isabella stormed right in, pointing a finger at Rarity. "You little tramp! You unbelievable gold digger! How dare you!"

Onceler shut the door. His eyes flashed with anger even though he kept his tone level. "You will not speak that way to my wife."

His mother whirled around to face him. "You were engaged to someone else! The Decklers are furious – they were counting on Stephanie marrying you…"

"Because I'm rich – well, I'm not going to marry someone just to help keep her parents in the lifestyle they were once accustomed to."

"And you think that's not what this…this…bitch is after?!"

Rarity pushed her way past her husband. "Like it or not, Isabella, I'm married to him now! And for your information, I don't care about his money! I would love him if he were still working on a farm! I don't understand this need you have to shred every bit of happiness he might have in his life, but you, nor any force in this world, will tear us apart!"

"You can accept that I love Rarity and she's a part of this family now, or I could cut you off without a penny. You seem to forget that I'm the reason you have everything you do and I can decide what kind of lifestyle you should get accustomed to, so choose wisely."

Isabella looked between them for several moments as if wondering whether there was a way she could possibly win this. In the end she must've decided she couldn't, though her face and tone reflected she still wasn't happy. "Then, welcome to the family, Rarity." She huffed, turned on her heel and left with a slam of the door.

Rarity sort of missed work. When she was home on Monday, after Onceler had gone to the office, she wasn't sure what to do. She thought about cleaning, but to be honest, the place was clean and picked up. Eventually, she went into town, back to her house and put what she could of her possessions into a bag to take home – including some clothes! That way, by the time her husband came home for dinner – at six-thirty like he promised – she was wearing a cute purple top and jeans.

"How was work?" Rarity asked.

"It's going well, though we're still trying to get some last minute shipments out before Christmas. We have almost more orders than we can fill. Honestly, when I invented the thneed, I knew it would be popular, but this is crazy."

"How is your new assistant working out?"

"She seems to finally be getting the hang of things, but she's not you."

"I can always work for you again."

"I think that would be too distracting. What did you do today?"

She filled him in on her pretty boring day. "I should buy some fabric tomorrow and try working on fashion design, but I don't have that much in my bank account and since I'm not working…I should find a job."

"Rarity, you're married to me and what's mine is yours. I'll give you money to go shopping tomorrow, don't worry."

"I didn't marry you for your money."

He gave her one of those genuine smiles. "I know and, trust me, I'm grateful because a lot of women would. You go and buy your fabric and whatever else your heart desires tomorrow."

The next day, she hadn't expected him to leave her so much, but a small pile of bills amounting to more than she usually earned in a paycheck was waiting for her on the nightstand with a note saying he didn't have the heart to wake her, he'd be home in time for dinner and that he loved her.

She felt nervous carrying that cash in her purse so the first place she went was the bank to deposit it so she could write checks if necessary. Why did he think she'd need so much? Upon arriving at the fabric store, she sorted through bolts to see what might inspire her. As she ran a hand along a red satin, a small voice rang in her head: That's not red, that's cherry!

It really wasn't, actually it was more like…

No, that's not red, that's cinnamon…for Pete's sake, it's all red!

She knew that voice, but couldn't pinpoint who it was. She shook it out of her head and put the red satin back. It didn't inspire her. She picked out some white, pink and purple cotton. She wasn't sure why but she had the urge to make something for a little girl. Maybe they should have a baby sooner than they'd originally planned. No, they shouldn't – she wanted him all to herself for a while. But still, that voice belonged to a young girl. Was it her when she was younger? She wished she could remember more.

On the way through town, she stopped to look in the window of a knick-knack shop and gazed at a small musical carousel. The six brightly colored horses seemed to call to her and she smiled as though she were remembering a time from long ago. Perhaps she had ridden on a carousel as a child. Maybe she took riding lessons.

Carousel Boutique…where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique!

Why did her mind conjure up that name? Why was it so familiar? She had to have the carousel. Perhaps she'd put it in the spare room for the 'little people' who might come later.

"Children will break that," Onceler said when he saw it. "It's very pretty, though. I'll put some shelves up this weekend so we can keep it out of their reach."

"They're magnificent."

"What is it with women and horses?"

"I don't know." Rarity gently spun the carousel with her finger causing a few notes to ring out. "But I have a feeling horses played a very important part in my life."

Rarity opened her eyes to darkness even though the alarm was going off. She heard her husband stop it with an annoyed smack and sigh. "I can't wait until summer. Going to the office in the dark and coming home in the dark is kind of depressing."

She reached over and hugged his arm. "I'm not letting you go. Stay in bed with me where it's warm and we can do things."

"That is incredibly tempting, Rarity, but…ahhh…" She had moved her hand. "Well...we have a little time…."

It was seven thirty by the time she let him get out of bed after he left her panting and whimpering on the sheets. He'd been holding back – perhaps afraid to be too rough for fear of hurting her – but this had to have been the most passionate time in their five days of marriage. It could only get better, she thought smiling contently as she heard him turn on the shower. He'd probably be a few minutes late to work for the first time in five years, but he'd have to admit it was for a pretty good reason.

She got up, wrapping a robe around her and made sure there was toast and fruit waiting for him when he came downstairs. "Sorry it isn't much, but I don't want you to be too late."

"This is fine, Rarity, thank you." He looked out the window at the sky which was just starting to show the first signs of lightening, though it rarely got very light in the valley anymore. "Shortest day of the year."

"Is it?"

"Yes, the winter solstice."

Rarity…

There was something about that date.

Rarity…

Something so important.

Rarity…

She struggled to remember.

Rarity…

That voice….that little voice of a child.

"Rarity, are you okay?"

She felt like maybe she could remember if he hadn't interrupted, but she smiled at him. "I think there's something important about today. Am I forgetting an anniversary or something?"

He chuckled softly. "You're too much. Two years ago today, you started working for me…Ra-ri-ty."

She laughed. Of course, that's what it was. How could she have forgotten? She'd hated him so much back then, but now she was his wife and deeply loved him. Two years certainly made a lot of difference. When he'd finished eating, she kissed him goodbye and started to make breakfast for herself. As she got the eggs out, she felt a little guilty she hadn't been able to make him a proper breakfast. Oh well, she'd think of something great for dinner.

Rarity…

There it was again. That voice was calling to her…no, that voice was annoyed with her and impatient. She cracked an egg and let it drop into the pan with a sizzle.

Rarity! You ruined the surprise!

"What surprise?" she asked no one as she added a second egg.

I was gonna serve you breakfast in bed!

The translucency of the egg whites was being cooked away. Two eggs, a plate, a sprig of parsley.

You mean this parsley?

"Oh, that Sweetie Belle, she'd picked up the parsley in her mouth because the little filly couldn't use magic yet…" and Rarity stopped. She stood completely still in the almost quiet of the kitchen as the eggs sizzled on almost angrily now needing to be turned.

She was a unicorn.

A unicorn from Equestria.

She had a mission.

Two years ago on the winter solstice she was sent here.

The portal was open again.

As if having something to do with the opening of that mirror portal, memories flooded back to her mind from the time she first met Twilight Sparkle and had to give her a makeover because her mane was simply a mess! Her hair…she'd cut her tail to complete a sea serpent's mustache…that's how she became the element of generosity. And because of this she was sent here to…oh, Celestia…the trees. She was supposed to try and dispel the greed from Onceler's heart. Instead, she'd gone and married the guy!

The scent of something burning caught her attention and she shut the stove off, dumping the burnt eggs into the trash. "Well, Sweetie Belle, I'm not getting my cutie mark in fancy cooking either."

The portal was open…she could see her family and friends and update Princess Celestia on her progress, or lack thereof…then be back in time to make dinner – after all, the sun would set around 4:30. How would she explain to her husband though why she was even in his office? What would he think if he just saw her disappear through the mirror?

Either way, she had to try. She wasted no time with the dishes – those could be done later. She got dressed in a black skirt and plum colored top, then wrapped a thneed around her neck. It wasn't just any thneed – it was the one he'd given her for her birthday…the one he'd knitted by hand. She absolutely must show the other ponies what a fabulous invention her husband had come up with. They would think it was amazing. As she closed the door and turned toward the factory though, a few sickly-looking Truffula trees caught her attention. She thought about that…a few. There were hardly any left! And a Super Axe Hacker was out chopping five a time. Oh no…

She ran into the building, not even stopping at the reception desk. She went to her old office where Cindy was sitting at what used to be her desk. "Mrs. Onceler – your husband just went into his office, but he has another meeting scheduled in about thirty minutes."

"That's fine, but can you look in the second drawer and hand me the cigarette case I left, please?"

The assistant did and Rarity opened it letting the Truffula seed roll into her hand. She shoved it into her pocket and then entered her husband's office. At first she didn't see him, but then she heard his voice coming from over near the glass doors and it rose.

"You know what; you can just shut your mustache!"

That's when she noticed the Lorax before he disappeared down a step.

"My conscience is clear…I have done nothing illegal; I have my rights!"

Now her husband had descended the steps leading toward the ground. She ran over to the window and her breath caught in her throat as she saw one lone Truffula Tree standing in the distance…and a Super Axe Hacker chugging up toward it. Oh no…

"And I intend to keep on biggering and BIGGERING – and turning more Truffula Trees into thneeds…"

Rarity banged on the window, but it was no use, neither Onceler nor the Lorax could hear her. Her heart thudded as she saw one of the axes on the machine draw back. "Oh no…please no…"

"AND NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP ME!"

This was the path greed had lead to…this was the price, she realized as the axe quickly cut through the trunk and the tuft stirred up dust as it fell to the ground. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass, her breath fogging it up as if maybe she stared hard enough the tree would reattach itself back to the stump and live again.

"Well, that's it," the Lorax said sadly. "The very last one. That may stop you."

She had failed.

The Lorax had failed.

All the environmentalists and everyone else who had cried out to Onceler trying to make him hear had failed.

No one would remember them though. She knew time would come when people would want to point fingers and there would be one person they'd come after…the one they'd blame everything on when weeks, even days, earlier those same people were falling all over themselves trying to please him…Onceler. Now, his last name…their last name…would forever be tied with industry, corruption, greed…greed had won; generosity had failed.

She made her way over to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She couldn't leave him…despite what others might think or say…she knew him and loved him. She couldn't just go and let him deal with the downfall of his actions alone. In joy and in sorrow, she remembered, in wealth and in poverty. She would stick by her husband. Perhaps time would pass and she'd completely forget Equestria so she wouldn't have to deal with this gnawing hurt at not seeing her friends, her family, her sister ever again…

Rarity!

"Rarity, what are you doing here?" she heard her husband ask sadly.

She said nothing; she simply ran over and hugged him tightly. He was about to lose everything, but not her…she would be here for him.

He wrapped his arms around her. "It's over, Rarity…it's done. I'm going to have to tell everyone…the factory has to close…"

The Lorax's bossy voice interrupted. "A lot of help you were! Princess Celestia should have sent the honest one. At least if she couldn't talk some sense into him, she could have given him a swift kick in the rear!"

"I'm so sorry. I tried…"

"You didn't try – not at all. You forgot and you fell in love with him, and he with you – so much that in his greed, he wanted to have you all to himself."

She recalled Discord saying something similar, but how could love possibly be bad? It was powerful – even more powerful than friendship sometimes.

Onceler broke the silence. "Who is Princess Celestia?"

"She's the ruler where I'm from," Rarity explained. "It's a long way away from here and…"

"Why don't you tell him the truth?" the Lorax asked.

"I am! It's hard to explain is all and I don't want him to think I'm crazy."

"She's from another world – the portal to which is open through that mirror once every two years," the Lorax told him. "Why do you think you can't remember interviewing her? Because she popped through your mirror and I altered your memories so you'd think she was just another employee, but the fact is, she was sent here to stop you and a lot of good it did."

Onceler paused for several moments taking in this information. "So, you aren't of this world. I thought so. Are you an angel?"

Rarity!

"It's sweet you think so, but no," Rarity answered. "I'm a unicorn…from Equestria and we have magic there…I know this sounds crazy and a little unbelievable…"

"No, I've seen some things."

"But there, I harness magic that has to do with generosity…charity…giving to others. That's why Princess Celestia thought I'd be the best person…no, pony…for the job, which was to bring generosity to your heart, to change it. I failed."

Rarity!

That voice was louder now.

He cupped her face in his gloved hands. "No, Rarity, you didn't. Remember back two years ago to how I was? How can you say you didn't change my heart?"

Rarity!

It was clear and she heard it distinctly as though it were coming from somewhere behind her.

Rarity!

"What was that?" Onceler asked.

He could hear it too. She wasn't going crazy. Whirling around she saw a pair of pale hands coming through the portal slowly followed by a mop of curly purple and pink hair that could only belong to… "Sweetie Belle!"

Her sister crawled the rest of the way out wearing a plain white dress and stood on wobbly legs before rushing over and embracing her. "Rarity! I came to bring you back. We missed you so much."

Rarity planted a kiss in those soft curls. Even as a human, she could tell Sweetie Belle was older. Why, she might even have her cutie mark. This made staying so much harder. "Sweetie Belle, this is my husband. Once, my sister, Sweetie Belle."

He gave his diplomatic smile, probably all he was up to at the moment. "Hello, Sweetie Belle. Rarity's told me about you."

"You got married?!" Her sister's tone was accusatory. "And I wasn't your flower filly?!"

"We didn't have flower fillies. We had a very small wedding," Rarity explained.

"But you always said you'd have a grand wedding in Canterlot with all your friends as bridesmaids and flower fillies and a dress you designed yourself with a long train and cake – at least tell me you had cake!"

"I'm afraid we didn't have any of those things. Sometimes, your ideal wedding changes when you fall in love, Sweetie Belle"

"Pinkie Pie got married. They had it at Sugarcube Corner. She was so sad you missed it, but said she loved him so much she couldn't wait. It was fun and now she's going to have a foal."

Pinkie Pie…married and soon to be a mother? "I'm not…"

"And Rainbow Dash is in the Wonderbolts. You should see her, big sis, she's amazing!"

So Dashie's dream came true…this made it even harder, but she was determined to keep her resolve. "Sweetie Belle, I'm not returning to Equestria."

Her sister's voice squeaked with surprise. "What?!"

"I need to stay here." She looped her arm with Onceler's. "I'd never leave him to face this on his own."

"Oh, Rarity…I can't let you do that," he told her. "You have a life back there – family and friends and everyone waiting for you to return. What is there for you here? A life lived in this wasteland I created never seeing your loved ones again?"

"I love you and I'll be there regardless…"

"Why should you pay for what I've done? You mentioned you worked at a dress shop, but that was your business, wasn't it?"

"I designed dresses…beautiful ones for celebrities and regular ponies alike…I always hoped maybe royalty would seek my talent."

"They will." He turned her so he could look in her eyes. "If you go back, all your dreams can still come true."

"But what about you?" Her eyes were filling with tears. "What if I can't come back? What if I forget you?"

"The Lorax said I'd be cursed if I continued…perhaps that's part of my curse…to be alone and forgotten."

The orange creature near their feet gave a huff. "That was part of it, the other part is: you'll live a very long, healthy life. But, there is a way to right the wrongs you've done. Rarity, what's in your pocket?"

Rarity reached in and pulled out the smooth brown orb with its swirls. Greed had destroyed the valley – sucked it dry of any life until only a husk of its former glory remained. This was her act of generosity…this seed with life contained in it. One seed could grow a mighty forest. "This is what you were after the day of the accident." She grabbed his left hand and gently placed the seed into it. "Plant it…"

"I'm afraid it doesn't work that way," the Lorax said. "It won't grow if he plants it. In a selfless act, he needs to give it to someone and he'll know when the right person comes along." His gaze shifted to Onceler. "And if she's changed your heart like you say, you'll be generous with that seed when the time is right."

Onceler's green fingers closed around the seed and he nodded, accepting that this was his fate.

"As for you, Rarity, you won't forget," the Lorax told her. "Unicorns become forgetful as humans, but when you return to Equestria, you'll remember all this. The portal will open again, but it may be a long time before you have an opportunity to cross."

Then, she had an idea – it was brilliant and she grabbed her husband's hands. "You can come with me! We can live together in Equestria as unicorns…or well, I'm not sure what magic would be worked on you – you might be a different kind of pony, but that doesn't matter; we can be together."

He sighed and moved his right hand to cup her cheek again. "Then what will people say when I've abandoned all this. I already know what they'll say now, but if I left without a trace or killed myself…"

Rarity gasped, but the Lorax interjected before she could completely go off on him. "With the curse, that's not possible. You'll live many more years despite anyone's efforts to kill you – that includes yourself."

"Well, anyway, leaving would be cowardly and I'm not a coward, Rarity."

She knew this about him. He would stay and face whatever backlash resulted from his poor decisions. She would return to Equestria…for how long she didn't know. "Don't let anything happen to the mirror."

"I'll put it in the house." A single tear fell from his eye. "I love you, Rarity."

"I love you." She hugged him tightly…never wanting to let go…if she stalled until sunset she'd be stuck here at least another two years, but so would Sweetie Belle and besides, it didn't sound like the Lorax would let that happen.

He walked with her the few steps to the mirror. He held her hand, squeezing it as they watched Sweetie Belle disappear through the glass. She turned and kissed him deeply, passionately, savoring this bitter moment that was their last kiss for she didn't know how long…maybe forever. She inhaled that scent that had become so familiar to her. Her eyes lingered on him for a few moments taking in the blue of his eyes, his pale skin spattered with only a few light freckles on his cheeks, that ebony hair she loved to run her fingers through. She kissed him again as tears invaded her eyes. It was ripping her heart in two just thinking about leaving him. She didn't know what she'd feel when she got to Equestria. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I'll wait for you…however long it takes."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"Most."

"You win."

He watched as she stepped into the glass and even though it pained him, even though part of him wanted to keep her forever, he pushed those thoughts away. Her happiness…her future…took priority. It no longer seemed to matter that very soon the factory workers would realize no more Truffula tuft was coming in. He didn't care that he'd have to shut down the machines and send out memos to all his employees – one hundred thousand people – right before Christmas of all times, saying that they were now out of jobs. He lost everything that day…that remained true…except one…the one he valued above anything else in the world. He hadn't lost her…he'd given her up…he'd let her go.