What Happens in Mexicolt - Epilogue

Rarity had a dream on her last night in Canterlot.  She dreamed she was walking through the promenades dressed in a gorgeous frock.  Vida was by her side, in full formal attire and looking proud enough to pop the buttons off of his tuxedo.  In the detached realm of dream logic, it was a moment before she realized there was a foal carriage before them.

It was draped in lace and tulle, upholstered with satin, and cradling the most gorgeous mule foal Equestria had ever seen.  The tiny baby was silver with a light blue mane.  A tiny pink bow around her forelock let Rarity know she'd had a filly – er, a molly.

"Mi Tesoro," Vida cooed.  "My treasures."

"Treasures?"  Rarity echoed.

Before she could ask why he'd pluralized his endearments, the white unicorn became aware of laughter; mocking, derisive laughter.  The denizens of Canterlot -- horrible unicorns dressed in expensive garments to hide their black hearts – were laughing at her daughter.  

"Mama?"

Rarity looked down to see a little mule colt about Sweetie Belle's age standing next to the foal carriage.  He was pure white with a smoke gray mane and tail that cascaded in little ringlets.  He had Vida's enormous brown eyes and in a few years he was guaranteed to break all the fillies' hearts.  He even wore a little jacket and half-sized top hat to match his father.

"Mama, why are they laughing?" he asked, looking around at the Canterlot unicorns.

"Because they're fools," Rarity said firmly.  "And horrible racists to laugh at other equines for their species!  Only an idiot would ignore how wonderful Vida is because he's a donkey!"

"Oh."

Rarity woke up in the Martingale's honeymoon suite, Vida lightly snoring beside her.  It was still dark out.  The dressmaker rolled over and laid her head on his withers.  The donkey jack murmured something in Andalusian and sighed.  Rarity gazed off into the darkness for a long while.  Presently, she rubbed a hoof over her belly.

"Very well, Vida; you win," she whispered.  "If Zecora says I'm with foal, I'll go back to Mexicolt with you."

Vida grunted.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Rarity, my old friend
Your waiting has come to an end!
The test results have come back—
Who is this handsome jack?"

Not for the first time did Twilight wonder how Zecora managed to make everything rhyme.  The zebra hadn't even turned around until 'come back'.

"Zecora, this is my dear friend, Vida de Fortuna," Rarity said. "He has a. . . great interest in the test result as well."

Vida dipped his head in a bow.

"Dear lady."

"A pleasure to meet you it is indeed,
To come all this way – what a noble steed!"

"Not to rush the conversation into rudeness, but what did the test say?!" Rarity asked, prancing nervously.

"Ah, Rarity, I have made a special brew,
To ensure good health
And get rid of the worms in you."

All of the ponies assembled blinked a few times in confusion.

"Worms?" Applejack echoed.  "Y'mean . . . Rarity's just sick?"

"I'm . . . . not pregnant?" The white unicorn said.

"Yay! Now you don't have to leave Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie yelped, bouncing in place.

"Pinkie!" Twilight snapped.  The purple unicorn gestured towards Vida with her head.

The donkey don's ears were falling as if someone had tied lead weights to the tips.  He didn't say anything, but his gaze slowly dropped to the floor.  Everything about the jack expressed deep and crippling disappointment.

For all that Rarity didn't feel that she was ready to be a mother and was focusing on her career, her first instinct was to assure Vida that they could try again.

"Um . . . would you . . . would you excuse us for just a moment, please?" Rarity asked, bumping Vida with her shoulder.  The dressmaker herded her lover out of Zecora's hut and into the surrounding Everfree Forest.

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Applejack rushed to window, followed by at a more leisurely pace by Zecora.

"Um . . . . we shouldn't spy," Fluttershy reminded them.  "It's rude."

"Ooooh," the four ponies by the window breathed in unison.  Fluttershy flew to the window, plastering her face against the glass.

Outside, Rarity nuzzled her paramour, who continued to look at the ground and sigh.

"Vida, please . . . don't be so disappointed."

"No . . . . no, it is better this way," the donkey said.  "You have your career and a little one would ruin it . . ."

"Don't say it like that!  Vida, please . . . I – I . . . you know how I said you picked a mare with artistic temperament?  I just need more time.  Ask me again in a year."

One long ear finally picked up to lean in Rarity's direction.

"Ask you what again in a year?"

" . . . ask me to be Rarity de Fortuna."

A look of hope stole over Vida's face.

"I am . . . seriously unprepared to be swept off my hooves, darling," Rarity said.  "Give me time to get my affairs in order."

"Truly?!  Oh Rarity, amorcito!"

The pair nuzzled and they kept nuzzling right up until Vida's train left for Canterlot.  Rarity waved desperately until her donkey don disappeared into the distance.

"Well. . . . that was . . . um . . ." Twilight began uncertainly.  "He seemed nice."

"I'm going to marry that jack someday," Rarity announced.

Her five friends exchanged startled looks.  To the surprise of absolutely everyone, it was Rainbow Dash who broke the awkward silence.

"Someday, I'm going to be captain of the Wonderbolts!"  the tomboy announced.

"Someday I'm gonna have two hundred thousand acres in trees!" Applejack offered.

"Someday I'm going to be the most famous party planner in all of Equestria!" Pinkie said, bouncing in place.

"Someday I'm going to teach magic at the University of Canterlot!" Twilight offered.

"Um . . . s-someday I'm going to have an entire animal sanctuary!"

Rarity turned back towards her friends, smiling at each of their predictions.

"But you know what the best thing about someday is?" Twilight asked.  "It's not today!"