I do not own any games, shows, or movies in this fanfic.

Chapter Thirty Seven: Home Again

Rarity sighed as she sat back staring at the dresses she had made. It had been over a year since she arrived in this new world and a lot had happened. Iron Bull was now a Tal-Vashoth, Dorian had come out with his sexual preference, Cole was a Spirit from the Fade, the Wardens stayed, Rarity had to make new outfits for a ball, a lot. There was also that thing with Lethoras and the Fade but she didn't pay attention that much. One thing she did notice was that there were relationships forming. Iron Bull and Dorian were a couple and the Inquisitor with Solas. That was something she saw coming from a mile away but had a feeling it wouldn't work out. She herself had gotten more powerful with her magic actually learning from the mages she works with.

All that had happened led up to the show down with Corypheus. The young mare didn't have the chance to take part in the battle as she was busy helping with taking care of the civilians. She did, however get a glimpse of him and felt sick to her stomach. It was a familiar feeling but she couldn't place where she had felt it. In the end, the Inquisition won and all was at an uneasy peace. Rarity didn't attend to the party, instead she was helping those who were injured. She was too irritated to attend, she knew that Solas would break the Inquisitor's heart but she didn't expect him to leave the way he did. Her teeth clenched together before she felt something behind her.

"I thought you left" she spoke not turning around to face the elven mage. "What do you want?"

"I want to give you something to apologize for the way I treated you." Solas spoke knowing how angry the unicorn mare is.

"I am not the one you should apologize to Solas. I can brush off irritating attitudes. Look how long I've dealt with Sera without blowing a hole in her room." the purple maned mare told him turning around and fixing him with a glare. "So unless that is what you are giving me I suggest you leave."

Solas was quiet for a moment before he raised his hand a portal opening up behind the mare. She turned her head quickly before a blast of energy pushed her through.

"I truly am sorry." was the last thing he said to her as a bright light overtook the portal sweeping her back to the future.

Rarity was not pleased to see the streets of Ponyville. She had wanted answers from the male elf and she never got them. It irritated her to no end, but the familiar voice of the newest princess caused her to turn around.

"Rarity is everything alright?" she asked and the fashionista sighed before saying. "I'm fine Twilight. Now if you will excuse me, I have a shop to upkeep."

An unusual laugh caught the unicorn's attention as she turned to leave. Her head whipped around but Twilight just blinked wondering what was wrong. Shaking her head the Barrier Master headed back to her shop opening the door saying. "Dorian, we need to speak."

"You're back." the spirit of Dorian spoke appearing in his original form and not of a ghostly stallion. "Now you know."

"Not everything." she replied shaking her head before using her magic to lift up her sketch back. "Yet those questions are for Solas."

"He never returned to the Inquisition." Pavus told her placing a hand on her head. "After that…."

"You don't have to tell me Dorian, not until you are ready." Rarity said flinging the shop doors open. "And I can be very patient."

Comet sat in his room staring out the window his eyes blank. Inkwell let out a sigh as he watched the small colt. The barrier had been removed a long time ago but he made no move to leave. The writer had come to check up on the Changeling only to find him unmoving with little bits of food strewn around the house.

"Hey." he said carrying a bag of groceries with his magic. The former shapeshifter didn't react as he continued to watch the dwindling protesters. The tan author began making food not seeing any reaction.

"Do you want to go to the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange with me?" was the question from the author as he continued to cook. "It's a chance for you to get out of Ponyville. Where ponies don't know you."

"Wouldn't you just be following Fluttershy?" was the first word that the former changeling spoke in a while. Inkwell let out a sigh before responding. "Not this time, she's… different now. I don't know what happened to her, she's changed."

"What are you talking about?" asked Comet looking confused. "What's been going on that I don't know about?"

"Nothing a colt like you should worry about." Inkwell told him with a smile on his face. "You should focus on regaining your strength."

The black colt wrinkled his muzzle as he watched food get set on the table. He didn't want to eat the food but knew that his body now required it. He slowly got up from the chair he was in and headed over to the table. He was going to find out what happened, perhaps they had found out about Sombra all on their own. 'Maybe they know where Aqua Star is.' he thought taking a bite out of the food his mind now focusing on the task at hoof. He wouldn't find out much information from Inkwell, what he needed to do was go right to the source. He only hoped that the information he needed was something obtainable. He looked forward at his temporary caretaker who was talking about the Exchange. He wasn't fully paying attention to the conversation but he was always storing away the information like a good Changeling. From what he gathered it was in two weeks and it was an exchange of valuables. Comet just rolled his eyes, of course ponies would place value into material objects. It was at this moment did he realize how different the ponies of the present and the ponies of the past were.

A week passed and Rainbow Dash flew around in the sky feeling a little better about being back home. With Tank by her side she was on the lookout for others. A worry of hers was slipping back into her old ways which she did once in awhile. When Twilight approached her about it she found herself brushing it off like she would have. Though she did feel a nudge from Tank who was flying with her. Before she was given a chance to change her mind she was taken into the library to study. She had gotten bored pretty quickly in school and she didn't understand why the newest princess thought this could work. Rainbow tried to use her friend's study method, even Tank tried to help her but they both knew this wasn't working. She was getting bored too quickly and couldn't focus on the words in front of her.

This only made her more upset when she couldn't pass a pop quiz that her friend gave her and they ended up fighting. Thankfully before it could get wildly out of hoof Fluttershy intervened and got them both to calm down. So they decided to try her study method, visual learning, but it wasn't helping. The yellow pegasus admitted she was going to use their animal friends in the play but decided not to because they had been known to cause havoc when they were together. Pinkie learned through song and other methods that she wouldn't tell. The song kind of confused the fast flier who was getting more and more irritated with her friends. She felt like they were the ones who weren't taking this as seriously as her and Twilight. Though a look from Fluttershy told her that she was serious. Rarity's method was a living museum of the Wonderbolt fashion. The Justicar knew how Applejack learned, through experience. Soon they all wanted to try all their methods over and over again.

"Stop it!" she yelled a blast of rainbow colored energy nearly sent them flying, instead they were pushed backwards. Her eyes went wide before she took off, her hopes were dashed. 'I'm never going to make it.' she thought to herself as she flew away to mope. Tank gave Fluttershy a little glare before flying off to comfort his friend. Twilight took off after them finding her friend sitting on a cloud with the tortoise beside her. She decided to listen to her friend as they flew around Ponyville and found out how her friend was really feeling. Also nearly getting hit by the newest contraption to come out of Ponyville and the Pegasus known as Thundercracker. That is also how she figured out how the blue pegasus learned, through observation and flight. An idea popped into her mind, causing the alicorn to grin. 'I think I know of a way to get Rainbow to learn.'

Rainbow did not expect to see Twilight again so soon or to take another fly. She had to admit that she was impressed that the alicorn wanted to get used to flying. And later, finding out that she had used the way she observed to learn the history of the Wonderbolts. She knew that she wasn't going to learn everything in a day so she spent the night studying in the books to keep the facts in her head and writing a book in a way that would help her keep that knowledge in her head. A fiction book but with the events of the history still there. Something she would read and enjoy but still learn from. She wondered if her aunt would look it over and give her some advice on it. Tank was the only reason that she was able to get any sleep at all.

She didn't get a perfect score on her test the next morning but she didn't barely make it. She got a good middle score. The rainbow pony knew it was do to the fact that she had studied until she was tired and didn't review in the morning like Twilight suggested. That didn't matter because she knew that she had more to strive towards and to prove herself.

"Hey Rainbow!" called Soarin running up a grin on his face. "I heard you passed!"

"Yeah, not the best score but not the worst either." she replied with a grin on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were taking the Reserve test today and thought I could cheer you on." was his response before patting her on the shoulder. "Do you want to get something to eat? I think a congratulations are in order."

"Sure." Rainbow said a smile on her face. "I would love to."

The Wonderbolt grinned as they headed off to find a place that served some pie.