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// Act II: The Dollmaker 
// Story: Like Clockwork 
// by Fabricia Gearhart 
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	The moment the black beast loomed over them, breathing down upon them a foul air, Twilight prayed to Celestia that this wouldn't be the end. At least, not yet. There were so many things that she had yet to do and that if she didn't finish her current task that Equestria might find itself in quite the predicament. Just as these thoughts raced across her mind-- a shadow flashed by in the distance. Perhaps it was just her hopeful imagination as death's drool dripped down and formed a black puddle on the ground in front of her hooves.
The shadow appeared, vanished one and then twice before it seemed to be coming towards them from behind the black dragon. Twilight's heart had been pounding like a drum earlier, but now it was beating so hard and fast that her chest ached. The beast above her was lowering its head and blocking her view before she could make out what the shadow actually was. All she knew was that it didn't seem dangerous. But she had been wrong many a time before. Little did she know that this time would be an exception.
The dragon roared victoriously before it plunged its head towards its first victim-- Rarity --bearing fangs that were longer and sharper than anything they had ever encountered before. The white unicorn watched as her life flashed before her eyes and her heart nearly burst from fear. 
Alas, the dragon's maw never reached their destination.
Both of the magical ponies felt themselves be released from the spell that the dragon had cast upon them. Although Rarity blacked out, Twilight watched as the shadow took the form of a slim mare. There was a glimmer of dark green magic as the dragon began to roar angrily and freeze in place as if the spell had been reversed. 
With violet eyes she watched as the slim mare came nearer and stood behind the creature, muttering something about it's personality being corrupted. Just then there was a grinding noise and the black dragon slumped forward, the red glow dying as if a candle had been suddenly blown out, but Twilight didn't see much more than that before her eyes rolled into the back of her skull and darkness held her in its embrace.



Clanking noises woke Twilight from her unconscious state and as her violet eyes fluttered open, she noted that she was surrounded by what seemed to be giant clock gears. The gears lined the walls and rotated slowly, but surely. The room was warm, but pleasantly so, and it seemed too dull for even her plain tastes. There was nothing but a red blanket on the ground and a grey one nearby that protected Rarity from the old wooden floor. With a twitch of her ears, the purple alicorn slowly stood up and noted that there were wrenches and other oddities laying around.
It's like a mechanic lives here... Twilight Sparkle thought to herself as she walked quietly over to Rarity and nudged the dirt-smudged unicorn who continued to slumber. "Rarity... wake up! I think we found her cottage! Well... more like she found us and brought us to it, but that's not the point. Oh, get up!"
The white unicorn's azure eyes slowly opened and took in the environment and she sat up without much more thought. Shock was obvious on the diva's face, but no elegant language escaped her lips. The unicorn was simply too frightened by their dim and murky environment. Though she had not been able to speak just moments ago, her voice found her just as she asked, "She lives in a clock?!" She fell silent once more when hoofsteps sounded outside of the door. Not a moment passed before the door slowly creaked open to reveal their hostess.
The mare that stood before them was slim and had an elegant figure that could rival many of Equestria's beauties. Her coat was the color of coffee mixed with cream and her mane was a lovely auburn that had streaks of red and dark brunette. The eyes which glanced between the two ponies were the most amazing feature of this alicorn; they were a dazzling icy green that seemed to attract even the most distracted of gazes.
Finally, the alicorn spoke in a hushed and hesitant tone of voice, "I apologize about my friend, Naarga. His personality had been corrupted by some imps that have been trying to cause me nothing but sorrow. Normally he is quite the greeter and is a pleasing companion to my cottage here."
Twilight and Rarity both sat there with their jaws hanging in amazement as well as confusion. The princess had never heard of any other ponies having dragon friends and wished to know if this quiet--if not strange--pony had raised the creature since it had hatched. Of course, she was interrupted by Rarity before she could ask this question, "That... that... thing has a name?! I am appalled! That creature was a brute!"
The white unicorn immediately regretted her words when she saw the other pony's sadness well up in her eyes. The cream colored pony nearly started crying as she said, "I didn't mean to make him be reckless and dangerous! I made him so I wouldn't be alone out here..."
If Twilight hadn't been confused before, then she was terribly confused now. "Wait... you said you made that dragon?"
"Of course I did! I made him with my own designs and magic." A green glow surrounded her horn as she nodded for them to follow after her and into a larger room that was obviously a workshop. The workroom was filled to the brim with mechanical creatures in all sorts of shapes and sizes, some finished and others not; there were many machines that lined the walls and gear clanked and creaked. Once the two ponies took in the sight of her glorious workshop, the alicorn continued, "I created everything here out of scratch and imagination." Gears and springs were levitated by her magic as she sorted them out on one of the three desks that was scattered about the room. "My magic allows me to create things once I have pictured them in my mind. I just happen to prefer clockwork entities rather than real ones."
Rarity then asked, "Then you live here all alone?"
The other princess shook her head and smiled a sad smile, "No... each of my creations are my friends and family. They keep me from being swallowed by the loneliness that threatens to swallow me whole whenever I venture into the world of ponies far beyond my woods."
"But... they can't talk." Twilight said in a hesitant tone before being hushed by the older alicorn.
"Shh... just listen to the song that the gears sing..."
They all fell silent for not even a minute before Rarity whined, "I hear nothing by their clanking and grinding." Both of the alicorns sighed at the unicorn's shallow behavior.
Twilight watched as her fellow alicorn's eyes became even more sad and distant. That's when she realized that the other stood on a thin line between sanity and insanity. Finally, Twilight spoke up and said, "Well, I'm sure that their song is lovely, Fabricia."
"How did you know my name?" Fabricia asked in a terrified manner and stepped away from the other ponies as if they had suddenly turned into monsters.
"Princess Fabricia... I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, former student of Princess Celestia, and this is Rarity." The purple alicorn then went on to explain that they would need Fabricia to attend this year's Grand Galloping Gala. Although she saw great detestation cross the other mare's face, she continued onward in hopes of persuading the other princess of her importance to the kingdom. It wasn't until she finished that she dared to allow anypony else to speak. 
The moments of silence that followed after the speech made Twilight feel immensely uncomfortable. Rarity had nothing to pitch in and she knew that it was all up to the cream colored mare. Sweat slowly rolled down her forehead as if the lovely temperature had become unbearably hot before Fabricia opened her lips to grant her an answer.
The single word that answered made Twilight feel queasy. "No."

End of Act II