//------------------------------// // Simple Desires // Story: Me Again // by Waxworks //------------------------------// Rarity could see the two mirrors getting closer and closer. They loomed larger and larger in her vision, the only focus of her pell-mell dash. The apparition beside her kept pace as they covered the dark distance from Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres and the waiting mirrors, not breathing hard nor flagging in speed. As they approached, Rarity risked a look back to see how the other mirrors were doing. She saw that all of them had been raised up to the same level out of reach, which sent Rarity into a panic. If they were all up, that means there were only these two left! Rarity redoubled her efforts. She galloped toward the mirrors, the apparition at her side. The voices around her in the darkness were much louder, and that wind was sounding more and more fierce. Whatever was coming was coming on fast. More familiar sounds were incredibly clear, sounding like she was right next to them. She could hear Applejack and her family chattering away about anything and everything. Applejack was in the fields with Big Macintosh. She asked him something and he responded with his trademark “Eeyup!” Granny Smith was muttering about ingredients, and Applebloom was in the clubhouse talking with Scootaloo about Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle! Rarity was reminded that if she didn’t get back, her sweet little sister was in danger! If Rarity couldn’t get back and take care of this impostor, then who knows what she would do to Sweetie Belle! It might not yet be back in the real world with all the other ponies in Ponyville, but it would get there if she didn’t return! Rarity lowered her head and bulled toward the first mirror. Her hooves made a quiet rhythm on the darkness, and when she approached the mirror she prepared to leap! The apparition next to her pushed her aside and dove into the mirror first! Rarity sprawled to the ground and cried out in surprise and pain as her hooves twisted underneath her and she slid to a stop. She scrambled up and turned to look in dismay as the mirror cracked, shattered, and floated into the air. There was now only one left. Rarity pulled herself up and limped toward the last one. She had twisted something with her fall and it hurt every time she took a step. She hobbled toward the mirror, her last hope for escape from this place. Her grunts of pain sounded loud in her ears as she walked, but the glass hadn’t broken yet! She still had a chance! She heard something behind her from Ponyville but didn’t spare it a glance. The wind had become even louder, but she had no time to worry about it. It was likely it ws whatever dangerous thing was in here that the other Rarity wanted to catch her, but she dared not turn away from her last chance to escape. She dragged herself forward, keeping her eyes on the mirror. She saw movement inside it and grimaced, expecting it to shatter at any moment, but there was no sound of breaking glass. Not flight out of reach. Instead, there was more movement. Rarity saw a flash of white pass in front of it, then another. She continued her painful march and came up to the mirror with it still intact, then jumped inside, not caring about whatever trap the two Raritys had set up for her. To her surprise, the other Rarity and who she assumed must have been the apparition that was following her were fighting. No words were shouted, and neither one was using magic, but they were going hoof-to-hoof at each other as hard as they could, hooves striking flesh, leaving welts, bruises, and shearing off patches of bloody fur. One of them, who Rarity believed was the apparition that had pushed her, bit the other’s nose and tore out of chunk of flesh. Rarity gasped. The one on top, who was the backwards one, had the apparition held down and was strangling her, one hoof on her throat. She heard Rarity’s ill=timed gasp and turned to look at the mirror Rarity had climbed out of. She grinned, but her mouth and her eyes were sending different messages. Her eyes were furious, while her mouth was cocky. “.won ton ,oN .esolc os saw I .regnol tib elttil a tsuJ” The other Rarity stomped her hoof down and Rarity heard something snap. The apparition shattered into pieces which faded into mist, leaving Rarity and her doppelganger staring each other down. Her doppelganger grinned that sickeningly wide grin. She almost looked like she was going to leap and tackle Rarity, instead, she pointed in Rarity’s direction. “.uoy dniheB” Rarity flinched and grabbed a brush, ready to defend herself. She moved away from the mirror and circled around her doppelganger, putting some distance between it and herself. The other Rarity kept pointing at the mirror, only following Rarity with her eyes. “.ti gnissim er’uoy ,kooL .wols oot saw I .degduj eb ot emit s’tI” Still in a defensive posture, Rarity glanced into the mirror where she was pointing and gasped. Inside, the crowd of Rarities she had created as a distraction had been swept up by some unseen wind. They swirled about the eye of the storm, helpless to resist it. As Rarity watched, it swirled in their direction, headed for the mirror Rarity had passed through. “It. Will. Choose,” the other Rarity said. Rarity looked over at her in shock. She had spoken something understandable! “Wh-what do you mean?” Other Rarity said nothing more, but pointed and sat down. The chunk of flesh missing from her nose dripped blood, staining her white coat. Rarity didn’t want to wait, and tried to push past the other Rarity to leave. Other Rarity pushed back against her, and Rarity stumbled to a half-sitting position, her injured hoof buckling. Other Rarity pointed at the mirror and nodded. Rarity turned to look, and the swirling white mass was almost upon them. It swept closer, and Rarity could see the frozen faces of her apparitions inside as they blew past. It came close enough to where Rarity could feel the wind, and then it stopped. The mirror showed nothing but grey, then it split open, revealing a giant eye which peered into the room with them. Rarity held the brush she had grabbed in front of her, frozen as she looked at the giant eye. It was huge and catlike, and switched between the two Rarities as it did whatever it had come to do. It seemed to have done so as a spike of darkness shot through the mirror, speared the other Rarity, then retreated, pulling other Rarity with it. The eye closed, the mirror went dark, then reflected the room, and Rarity was alone. She released a breath she wasn’t aware she had been holding, and began to sob. She rubbed her injured hoof as tears spilled out of her eyes. So much had happened she didn’t understand, and now that it seemed to be over, she still had no idea what was going on. She heard hoofsteps out in the hallway, and she pressed a hoof to her mouth to stifle her cries. Her breathing gusted through her nostrils, snot trickling out over her hoof as she tried to keep quiet until the pony had passed by. She heard the handle click and the door swung open. Her heart lurched in her chest and she leaped around the corner of the shower, intent on getting the jump on whoever it was. She swung the brush as hard as her magic could manage, beating on the pony trying to enter. “Stay away from me! Leave me alone, you monsters!” she screamed. “Woah, woah, woah! Hold on there, pardner! Give me— stoppit! Rarity, cut that out! Wut in tarnation are you even doin’ in my bathroom?” Rarity slowed her swings and took the time to look at the pony who had entered. She recognized the orange fur and blonde mane, along with the skewed Stetson. She dropped the brush and fell into Applejack’s hooves, the sobbing beginning once again. Rarity was in bed at home, Sweetie Belle was close by, and Twilight was standing at the end of the bed with Applejack next to her. “So, you went into the mirror and found yourself all the way out in Applejack’s house?” Rarity nodded to her. Her nose was cleaned up, she had been bathed, and had rested. “I don’t understand why it happened, what those things were, or why it chose the other Rarity. I think she intended me to get taken, but I was able to trick her.” “And what guarantee do we have you aren’t that doppelganger?” “Applejack and Sweetie Belle say I’m myself. As the element of honesty and my sister, I would say they are best equipped to know. Not to mention I told you, her mane was parted in the wrong direction.” “That’s a good point, but this seems completely out of nowhere. Why attack you, of all ponies?” I just wanted to be beautiful. “I—” Rarity stopped and looked around. Had she heard something? “I don’t know.” So very beautiful. “Is it okay if I get some rest? I am exhausted.” Twilight looked at her a moment, then nodded. “That’s probably for the best. Sweetie Belle, let me know if she acts strangely, or you see anything out of the ordinary, okay?” “Sure, Twilight! Thank you again!” The two older ponies left, and Sweetie Belle was all alone with Rarity. Rarity hugged her, then laid herself down and closed her eyes. “I’m glad you’re back, Rarity.” “I’m glad to be back, Sweetie. It was all so nonsensical. Why me? Why any of it? For what purpose?” Rarity sighed. Because if I was going to be real, I would be somepony glamorous. But it was not to be. Rarity shook her head and flicked her ears. “Wake me in an hour for dinner, okay Sweetie Belle?” “Sure, Rarity. Sleep well.” Sweetie pulled the blanket up over her sister, then turned to leave. As she passed the vanity, she put her forehooves up on it and looked at the various bottles, then into the mirror. Beauty will grow. Sweetie Belle smiled at her reflection, then dropped down and turned to leave. Her reflection did not, but instead watched as the smaller white mare left the room. It then grinned wide and followed. The End.