//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Earth-Pony Tradition // Story: Rarity has Dyed // by Unwhole Hole //------------------------------// Spike had, for the most part, stopped crying. It had not been easy. The only thing that had eventually overcome his intense sadness was an even more intense depression. It felt worse, and he could not imagine and end to it, ever, but at least it did not bring any more tears with it like the sadness had. So he wandered through the Castle of Friendship, wondering why it felt so very lonely. It was vast and cold, and no one seemed to be in it. Starlight was out, and Trixie was not in her hobo cart. That meant only Twilight was present, but she was not in any of her normal locations. Assuming she had not gone herself, retiring to some distant and unknown location and leaving Spike all alone with no one and nothing left that mattered. This was Spike’s fear as he wandered the castle for several hours. Just when he was about to give up, though, he entered a large dark room. It did not really serve a purpose apart from being vacuous. When he turned on the lights, though, he found Twilight lying in the center. She was awake, but staring upward into space, apparently oblivious to the chill of the crystal below her. “Twilight?” “Spike,” said Twilight. “I felt you coming. Did you know that if I focus hard enough, I can sense everything in this entire castle? Even half of Ponyville…every heartbeat, every breath. I can hear them all.” “That’s…good?” “I don’t think it’s good or bad. But it makes me wonder things.” She turned her head toward Spike and motioned toward a spot next to her. “I’ve been wondering a lot of things recently.” Spike approached, but did not get too close. Twilight seemed strangely distant, and that made him nervous. “I heard you crying,” she said. “You did?” Spike sighed. “I wasn’t being very manly, was I?” “No, Spike. You weren’t doing anything wrong. Sadness after something like this is perfectly natural. In fact, I think crying was the right thing to do. You don’t need to be ashamed of it.” “Did you cry?” “No. I’m starting to wonder if alicorns even can.” They paused for a moment, and Spike sat down. He realized that Twilight was just as sad as he was, but in a different way. She remained silent about it, and Spike instinctively knew that silence was a very bad thing- -so he started talking instead. “I just…this isn’t the way it was supposed to be.” “I know the feeling.” “I mean, we were supposed to fall in love. When I got a little bigger, and I grew some real wings…if I’m even ever going to grow a pair…and then she’d realize her true feelings and we’d get married and have dragon-pony hybrid children…” “That’s weird, Spike. And also impossible.” “Oh.” Spike was greatly disappointed, but was not sure why. “It’s not like it matters now, though…”He felt tears coming back to his eyes, and he tried to cover them. “Twilight, what am I supposed to do?” “That’s what I’ve been thinking about,” said Twilight, still staring at the ceiling. “I think the only thing we can do is accept it.” “But…but it hurts! And she- -we can’t just- -” Twilight turned her head. “Spike. I know how you feel. I feel that way too. But there isn’t anything we can do. I think the best we can do is remember all the good times we had together.” “Even if it hurts?” “Especially if it hurts.” Spike sniffled. “I just…” He shook his head. “I just don’t know…” “Spike, how long would you say dragons live?” Spike was confused by the question. “I don’t know,” he said, realizing it was something he never considered. “A long time, I guess.” “Good. Because I’m going to live a long time too. And this isn’t the first time this is going to happen. Each friend we make will go away, in time. But I guess you’ll always have me. If that’s any help.” Tears welled in Spike’s eyes, but they were different tears than before. He leaned forward and hugged Twilight. She seemed somewhat surprised, as if contact with another living being had grown foreign to her. Then she hugged him back. It was at that moment that the doors to the room burst inward, having been forced open by a horde of earth ponies. Twilight stood up suddenly, positioning herself to defend Spike, but before she could even ask what was going on, one of the ponies slapped a dimeritium shackle around her horn. “GAH!” she cried. “My most sensitive organ!” Twilight instantly found herself unable to use magic. She still struggled, although futilely. Earth ponies were surprisingly strong, and they were quickly able to get a rope around her and drag her through the castle, with Spike following the whole way. “WAIT!” he cried. “Don’t take Twilight! Please! She’s all I have left!” One of the ponies kicked at him. “Trust me, Spike, it’s for your own good! You’ll thank us later!” Twilight was dragged roughly outside. When she stopped and was eventually righted, she saw that a crowd had gathered around the base of the building. The entire town seemed to have gathered, surrounding the base of the castle in the darkness- -and almost all of them were carrying pitchforks and torches. The group of ponies paused only for a moment before dragging Twilight through the crowd. It parted to allow her through, and Twilight could feel the glare of the entire town on her. Some of them whispered. A few jeered and threw crumpled-up wads of paper at her. Within seconds, though, she felt herself being plopped down on a hastily constructed raised platform. Twilight once again struggled, even though it was of no use. Earth ponies were apparently good at tying knots; it might even have been one of her captor’s special talents. The crowd stared back at Twilight, and she suddenly felt terrified. Consciously, she had no idea what was going on- -but instinctively, she knew that there was only one reason why a mob would form and bring their pitchforks and torches out of storage. “Ahem,” said a voice beside her. Twilight turned suddenly; she had not realized that another pony was standing on the platform already. The ponies who had dragged her in stepped back and off the stage, and Twilight found herself left alone with none other than Mayor Mare herself. “Mayor Mare!” she cried. “What’s going on? I’m so confused! There must have been some mistake- -” “Twilight Sparkle,” said the mayor, sternly, as she unfolded a document. “You stand accused of necromancy.” Twilight blinked. “Um…is this a joke?” She looked around, and realized that she did not see Pinkie Pie. She supposed this was a joke, and that Pinkie would jump out at any moment. Twilight actually started to laugh- -only for her laughter to trail off when she saw the deathly serious expression on the mayor’s face. “Resurrecting the dead is no joke, Ms. Sparkle,” said the mayor, darkly. “It is a sin against nature, and a crime against Celestia’s will.” “You can’t be serious- -” “There were witnesses, Ms. Sparkle. Witnesses that clearly saw our dear friend and beloved community member Rarity walking the town, despite her death having been well-recorded.” “It’s true!” cried one of the ponies in the crowd. The tea pony- -Twilight did not know her name, only that they shared a coat color- -pushed forward. “I saw her! With my own eyes! All covered in dirt and moaning! She was a zombie! Necromancy! NECROMANCY!” The crowd murmured angrily, and the mayor shook her head in disappointment. “Twilight,” she said, softly. “I understand. I truly do. The desire to save your dear friend from death, to go so far as to deny nature to do it…and this may be acceptable to unicorn-folk, but here, it is a serious, serious crime…” “But I didn’t! I would never! Not to Rarity- -you have to believe me! This is absurd! I couldn’t do that to a friend, not like that!” The mayor’s eyes narrowed, and she spoke more loudly, addressing the crowd. “So you admit that you COULD, then?” “I- -I didn’t say that- -” “Can you or can’t you, Twilight Sparkle? Because our conclusion was that of all the ponies in Ponyville, only you have the capacity to raise the dead!” “Well- -yes- -technically. I mean, it was a required elective at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, and I of course excel at every academic course I take.” Twilight smiled, but her joy faded quickly. “…and I’m not helping my case, am I?” “No. Certainly not. And I think I’ve heard enough.” Mayor Mare approached the edge of the stage and raised her hoof to the crowd. “Twilight Sparkle!” she said, slowly turning toward Twilight. “You are hereby convicted of witchcraft!” “What? But- -but I’m not a witch!!” “That’s exactly what a witch would say!” cried a member of the mob. The others joined in to confirm the sentiment. “Indeed,” said Mayor Mare. “There was already more than enough evidence, but now a confession as well?” She shook her head in disappointment, and then spoke to the crowd. “By ancient earth-pony tradition, the witch is sentenced to be BURNED AT THE STAKE!” The crowd parted, and Twilight gasped when she saw that the stake had already been assembled: a wooden post surrounded by leaves and wood shavings. Her eyes widened in panic as she realized that this was actually happening. Terrified, she tried to struggle to break the ropes that bound her. She attempted every spell she could think of, but her magic was no match for the dimeridium that surrounded her horn. “NO!” she cried. “Please! No! Don’t burn me! I- -I’m a Princess!” “No one is above the law.” Twilight was dragged down from the stage and through the crowd. They had become more angry, and somehow more happy as well. This time instead of murmuring amongst themselves, they were jeering loudly. A chant broke out. “Burn the witch! BURN THE WITCH!” Twilight struggled harder, but still to no avail. For a moment, the ropes around her were loosed, and her heart soared with hope- -only for new, thicker ropes to be wrapped around her as she was tied to the stake. These ropes were fastened tightly, and Twilight could not help but wonder just how good her immortality was: if she would survive this, or if her inability to use magic would have an effect on it, or just how much it would hurt if she really did fail to die. Through the crowd, Twilight could see Spike screaming and struggling to reach her. The crowd held him back, but upon seeing him, Twilight suddenly burst out in tears. “No!” she wailed. “Please! I can’t go like this! You’re all my friends! Why would you do this to me?” The crowd did not answer. Instead, they moved silently in unison, forming an orderly line in front of Twilight. Twilight closed her eyes as the first pony approached her, bracing herself for what was coming. The pony in question was just a child, the filly Diamond Tiara. She was holding a torch. Twilight closed her eyes and braced for the burning. Diamond Tiara cleared her throat. “Your horn is so short, I literally thought you were a Pegasus until just now.” Twilight opened her eyes. “What?” “Nice one, honey!” called a voice from farther back in the line. Diamond Tiara smirked and stepped out of the line, setting her torch in a labeled receptacle as she did. The line moved forward, and the next pony stepped up. “You’re so unappealing,” he said, “that the only stallion you ever saw naked was your own brother!” Several members of the crowd jeered in response. Twilight just blinked. “What- -but we’re ponies! We’re almost always naked! I’ve seen every stallion in town naked! Except that one waiter guy…” The pony who had insulted her did not bother to argue. He stepped aside, and the line moved up. “You’re so ugly, Flash Sentry frienzoned you! And he dated Sunset Shimmer when she was evil!” “That was in another dimension, it doesn’t count- -” The line moved forward. “You’re so fat, Celestia only hangs out with you to make herself look thin!” This comment was incredibly hurtful. “I’m- -I’m not fat- -and neither is Celesitia, she’s just big-boned- -” The next pony arrived. Or, rather, donkey. Cranky stared at her angrily, or at least as angrily as he ever did. “You’re purple,” he grumbled. “I don’t like it.” He then turned and left, leaving Twilight- -as well as the rest of the crowd- -confused. Before Twilight could complain, the next pony- -Cheerilee- -arrived. “Your library has so many dust bunnies, Fluttershy has started feeding them!” Twilight’s eyes widened. Insults concerning her were one thing, but insulting the library she had so carefully curated was over the line. The crowd seemed to realize this, and their energy changed. The next one came. “You must know a thing or two about scoliosis, right?” “Well, yes, it’s caused by- -” “- -Because every book in your library has a bent spine!” “NO!” screamed Twilight. “My books are straight! I care for them! I would never let them get bent like that!” “Hey,” said the next in line. “Do you know why your books are bad at poker?” “That doesn’t make any sense- -” “Because all of the pages are FOLDED! In the CORNERS!” Twilight screamed in agony. “NOOOO!!” she struggled and tried to escape. “Stop! STOP! Make it stop! Won’t somepony please HELP ME!” The crowd only laughed at her, and a chant rose from it as the next pony took her place at the front. “Burn the witch! BURN THE WITCH! BURN THE WITCH!!” And so, the torment continued.