The week had gone by in a blur. Before Rarity knew it, she was off to see Tender Soul again. She wasn't sure what Tender Soul had in store for her this week, but she hoped that it would help. Her friends had noticed that she lost even more weight.

   When Rarity had weighed herself that morning, she had weighed only '105.4' pounds. Rarity could see the outline of her ribcage against her skin. She knew that she'd need to do something to help her develop a better mindset- before it was too late.

   After checking in with the receptionist and being called back to Tender Soul's office, she sat in the familiar seat across from her.

   "How was your week, Rarity?" Tender Soul asked with a warm smile.

   "It was fine in terms of friends and family," Rarity replied. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

   "I see," Tender Soul stated. "And how was your week in other terms- whatever those may be?"

   Rarity frowned. "I lost five pounds."

   "Oh." Tender Soul sat in silence for a moment before grabbing a dry erase marker and writing a large 'R' on the board. "Let's start your recovery path this week. Do you remember what the first 'R' meant?"

   "Yes," Rarity said. "Reclaim your life."

   "Right. That's the step we'll be working on passing off first. Reclaiming your life. How do you think you can show your mind that you're the one in control of those thoughts?" 

   Rarity thought in silence for a moment before sighing in defeat. "I'm afraid I don't have any ideas."

   "That's okay," Tender Soul reassured her. "That's what I'm here for. I can help spark some ideas." She thought for a moment. "Has your relationship with your parents changed at all?"

   "No, it's remained pretty much the same," Rarity replied.

   "Well... do you feel like you can talk to your parents about this issue?" Tender Soul wondered.

   Rarity shook her head. "I'm too frightened of what my parents will think."

   Tender Soul nodded. "I see. Do you feel as if this needs to change? Maybe... we need to develop a better relationship with one of your parents, so you have somebody to vent to? It might help you feel you can regain a sense of control."

   Rarity sat in silence. She wasn't sure if she wanted to depend upon her parents to talk about her problems. She always felt more comfortable telling her friends about issues she was struggling with. However, when her friends weren't around, Rarity knew she'd want somebody to talk to and Sweetie Belle was simply too young to fully comprehend the complexity of Rarity's disorder. 

   Finally, taking a deep breath, Rarity answered, "Yes. I think that would be a good first step."

   "Then here's what we'll need to do," Tender Soul told her, tearing a page of paper out of her notebook. She began to write down the steps Rarity needed to accomplish. "This week, I want you to do something with your father. Something that'll bring the two of you closer together. Something you can bond over. The best way to do this find something you have in common with him. Then after you have that bonding experience, try to reclaim control over thoughts that might push you to do something you'll regret. Got it?"

   "Yes."

   Tender Soul handed the paper to Rarity and Rarity took it with a smile.

   "Now is there anything else you feel you need to talk with me about today?" Tender Soul inquired.

   Rarity rubbed her chin in thought. "No, I think this is it."

   "Alright!" Tender Soul exclaimed. "I'll see you next week, Rarity!"

    Rarity rose from the seat and left her appointment. Glancing down at the paper Tender Soul gave her, she took a deep breath. She hadn't done something with her father in years. She wasn't sure if they had anything in common anymore.

                                                                                           ***

   Magnum was driving excitedly with Rarity in the passenger seat beside him. He had been stoked when Rarity had asked him if he wanted to do something together that weekend. Right away, he had bought them tickets to a football game at the downtown stadium. Rarity was slightly annoyed since she didn't enjoy anything related to sports, but she didn't want to disappoint her father- especially after he had generously spent all of that money.

   Now he was rambling on about something related to football and the rules of the game, but Rarity tuned it out. She didn't want to listen to football pointers, especially since she didn't plan on ever taking up the sport. 

   Finally, after what seemed like hours of non-stop football talk, they arrived at the game. Magnum had offered to buy them refreshments, but Rarity respectfully refused. Now they were trying to find their seats. 

   "Oh, I'm so glad you asked to do something with me, honey!" Magnum exclaimed, eagerly. "You're the one who's going to be keeping me young."

   Magnum gave a hearty chuckle at that. Rarity responded with a half-hearted laugh.

   "You're welcome, father," Rarity said. "I... I didn't know football stadiums were this loud."

   The cheering was grating against Rarity's ears and she didn't know how much more she could take. The game had merely begun and Rarity already wanted to go home.

   After they found their seats, they sat down. Magnum began to watch the game with the excitement of a young child in a candy store. Rarity was already lost.

   Rarity tapped her father on the shoulder. "Um... Dad? Which team are we rooting for?"

   "The Canterlot Cowboys, of course!" Magnum answered. "Who else?!"

   "And... which color shirt do the Cowboys have?" Rarity asked.

   "The navy jerseys," Magnum told her. "Watch Sporty Star! He's the best player on the team!"

   Rarity continued to try watching the game, but she couldn't follow. She didn't know anything about the sport and hearing the announcers talk was like trying to watch a documentary in Chinese.

   Magnum cheered and pumped his fist in the air, so Rarity clapped her hands awkwardly. She assumed that if her father was excited, something good must've happened for the Canterlot Cowboys.

   Finally, at the halfway point, Rarity just gave up. She was bored of the game and didn't know anything that was happening. Instead, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through her notifications. There was nothing exciting. Just a few designing apps giving her news and a text from her Mom asking how the game was going.

   Rarity felt guilty that she wasn't enjoying the game like her father had hoped, but she was almost bored to the point of tears. So she texted Applejack hoping to talk to her friend in an effort to create entertainment for herself:

   Hello, AJ! What are you up to :)

   Closing her phone and placing it back into between her legs, she slid down in the chair, sighed, and placed her hand upon her chin. She could only hope Applejack would respond. Her heart started to beat fast when she felt her phone vibrate. She opened the message to read it:

   not much, just watching football with my family, it's our family reunion and my uncle is forcing us to watch it, im ok with football tho

   Rarity giggled as she realized Applejack was also watching the game. She texted back:

   I'm watching the game in the crowd! I'm out with my dad. see if you can see me onscreen

    Rarity began waving her arms and cheering, pretending like she was enjoying the game. She didn't want Applejack to watch her practically asleep in the crowd.

   "Hey, you're getting into this, sweetheart!" Magnum said. "I'm glad you're enjoying the game!"

   Rarity gave her father a nervous laugh. "Yeah, definitely!"

   Finally, Rarity felt her phone vibrate again and checked her messages:

   hey i see u! my little sister actually pointed u out, are u bored?

   Rarity felt herself suppress a laugh. She didn't want her father to know that she wasn't actually paying attention to what he had paid for. She texted back:

   Awh, how did you know? <3 I was putting on a show for you

   Moments later, the reply came through:

   ha i know u rarity, u hate sports, did ur dad drag u into it?

   Just as Rarity was about to reply, Magnum looked over and saw her texting. "Is that your Mom checking in?"

   Rarity swallowed nervously. "Um... yes."

   Magnum narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Finally, he sighed, "Rarity, if you didn't want to go to the game, why didn't you just tell me? I wouldn't have bought tickets."

   Rarity felt her stomach twist into knots and her throat became dry. "I didn't want to let you down! I know how much you enjoy football and... I just wanted to spend the day with you is all."

   Magnum sighed and looked out into the arena. "Well we can leave whenever you're ready. I won't enjoy it knowing you're not enjoying it anyway."

   Rarity saw that her father looked sad that Rarity didn't enjoy herself. Rarity felt tears fill her eyes and she texted Applejack back:

    I'm afraid he did, Applejack, I have to go. My father and i are about to leave the arena

   Applejack texted her back:

   huh? the game ain't over yet

   Rarity sighed and gave her the reply:

   I know, but my dad found out that i wasn't enjoying the game, now he's upset

   Rarity closed her phone and put it in her pocket. "Dad, let's go now. I'm ready to leave."

   Magnum nodded. "Alright, let's go."

   As Magnum and Rarity made their way out of the arena, Rarity tried to suppress tears. She'd ruined everything.

                                                                                                         ***

   In the car, Rarity turned to Magnum in desperation, "Dad, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you. I just hoped that we could do something we both enjoy!"

   Magnum chuckled sadly. "Oh, sweetheart. I'm not mad at you. I'm just sad that I took you to something and you didn't have a good time. I wish I'd known earlier."

   Magnum and Rarity sat in silence for a moment before Rarity spoke again. "Maybe... maybe there's still time?"

   Magnum chuckled. "I'm afraid there's not a lot we can do at this time. It's already 8 o'clock. We have to get home and get Sweetie Belle to bed. She's got voice lessons in the morning. Unless..." He looked out to the district nearby where there were a lot of buildings such as restaurants, movie theaters, and family entertainment. "You want to get some shakes from The Ice Shoppe?"

   Rarity felt her heart begin to beat faster. How much calories is a shake from The Ice Shoppe?, she thought. Probably quite a lot.

   Rarity was about to decline the offer, but then she remembered what her therapist had told her to do that week. She needed to show her mind who was the one in charge. Rarity hadn't eaten a bite all day and she needed something in her system- whether that was ice cream or not.

   "That sounds delightful," Rarity told him.

   It warmed her heart to see a relieved smile cross Magnum's face. Now that he knew what she was struggling with, he was also concerned and it made him glad to see his daughter eating and letting herself go a little.

   "Then what are we waiting for?" Magnum asked.

   The two exchanged a laugh as Magnum pulled into the parking lot of The Ice Shoppe.

                                                                                               ***

   Magnum had ordered himself a Pumpkin Cream shake while Rarity just stuck to French Vanilla. Rarity liked to stick to the familiar taste of her favorite foods instead of branching out to different flavors.

   After they got their shakes and sat down, Magnum dove right into his while Rarity fiddled with the spoon in her hands nervously.

   "You should really eat that, honey," Magnum told her. "I know it's hard, but I haven't seen you have a bite to eat all day. The extra calories won't count towards much, I promise."

   Rarity took a deep breath. "I will, Dad. I just need a few minutes."

   Magnum nodded. "I understand."

   Silence passed between the pair before Magnum decided to speak again.

   "I'm sorry, Rarity," Magnum said. "I know you wanted us to bond over this and I---"

   "Father, I should be the one apologizing!" Rarity interrupted. "I didn't tell you that I was going to be bored at the game and I let you spend all that money. I should've just spoke up when I had the chance, so we could find something we'd both like to do. We can try again another time. I really want to get closer to you."

   "You do?"

   Rarity nodded. "Of course I do. All of these recent events have made me realize that... I need you. And I love you. That's why I want to feel like I can talk to you about what I'm going through... just in case my friends can't always be there."

   Magnum smiled. "I love you too and I'm glad that you want to take the steps to get better. And I'm so glad you came to me for it. In fact, I feel closer to you than I was before already."

   Rarity smiled as she felt a flicker of hope from inside of her. Maybe the night wasn't a total failure after all. Maybe this was the chance she needed to bond with her Dad. Talking over shakes was perfect. After all, they both enjoyed ice cream.

   Finally, Rarity felt relief wash over her as she picked up the spoon. She scooped a heap of ice cream into her spoon and felt the taste of the shake fill her mouth. Ice cream had never tasted so sweet. 

(A/N: Okay, so who relates to Rarity during this chapter? *raises hand* Yeah, I hate football. But soccer though! Soccer for the win! Soccer is the best! 

But yeah. I felt compelled to write this really sweet chapter about Rarity and her Dad. When I brought up the fact that Rarity wasn't very close to her parents in the previous chapter, it gave me an idea that her therapist could also help her bond with her parents. That way, I have an excuse to write feel-good scenes and not just hit you with heartbreak every single chapter! 

So while Rarity is recovering, she'll also be spending time with her family and her friends. Just growing new bonds... and of course, relationships. ;) 

So yeah! Next up is Rarity and her Mom. Hope you stick around for that chapter too! <3

PS... Yeah, what's my excuse for Applejack and Rarity texting during the game? Does it add to the plot? No. Does it give me good filler? No. Was I running out of inspiration? No. I literally just wanted my RariJack fix in this chapter.)