Rarity took in some air, she had the floor, a sweat droplet ran down her forehead. The others looked on, they had heard this story before, but they were never prepared to hear it again, given that their own was so similar. Spike still lay slumbering in the corner. “It all started when the way came, the one where every 10 years he chose a mare to stay with him. I was not the first, but I was probably the 9th or 10th, I am unsure.” Rarity turned away from her friends and gazed out the tall window.
“I didn't want any part in the nonsense. I had lost my family in a fire and had plans on opening my own boutique in the kingdom of Canterlot. Many came from all over to buy my designs. I had found my talent in having to fashion clothes for my little sister Sweetie Belle after we lost... well.” A tear trickled down her cheek. “I always did my best to make it as elegant as possible, it was one of the only things that made us feel we were not poor and homeless. They say dress for the life and job you want. So that's what we did.”
Rarity took another moment of silence, “I tried to run.”
The others heads hung low, Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Run from the lord, the taking?” The young pegasus questioned.
“Yes, but...”
Rarity started sobbing. Fluttershy began to feel guilty, she didn't realise that it would have been as painful as the others as it had been for her.
“I never told my sister of what might become of me, I don't even think she knew of this new found law. She was young, but we were all we had left. I couldn't leave her, she needed me, so In the night before the taking, I gathered my sister Sweetie Bell from her bed...”
“Rarity? W-Whats going on?” A young unicorn filly yawned. She had light pink hair, white fir and had not yet gotten her cutie mark, “Where are we going?”
“Shhh,” Rarity hushed her little sister lovingly, “We are just... going on an adventure. We are going to Canterlot to finally open that boutique, and it cannot wait till morning I'm afraid.” Rarity said, sadly as she pulled the covers from her filly sister.
“You mean it!?” The young Filly said, now slowly starting to wake with excitement.
“Yes Sweetie Belle, our new life awaits!” Rarity feined an enthusiastic smile. Though her heart was torn. It was dangerous to leave at night, and she knew it. But since the law was still fairly new, the head mayor at the time of the town personally escorted each of the selected mares to the taking in the morning. Rarity would have done this sooner. but running away from this responsibility is considered a crime. Rarity was at a loss. She was desperate. What would become of her sister if she was chosen?
They came to the edge of the forest after hastily packing what few items they could. Sweetie Bell hid behind her older sister, ears flat against her head, the Everfree forest was terrifying. “Can't we wait till daylight?” Sweetie asked, “We could take the train and-”
“No!” Rarity said, panicked. “We must go tonight, to get the best chance at our new life.” Rarity said more softly.
Fluttershy gasped, “You didn't? Did you?” She asked with dread and sadness.
“I did...” Rarity answered, shamefully. “Back then the rumours of the forest were still fresh, the Everfree had only just become truly malicious, and even though there were stories, even rumours of which involved the royals, that is all they were at the time... Rumours.”
Twilight flinched at that part. Though nopony seemed to notice.
“I was selfish,” Rarity continued bitterly, “and it cost my sister.”
“Well if you're okay with it then I am!” Sweetie Belle stated proudly. It was true. She believed her sister would not do anything to harm either of them. All they had was each other since the death of their family. Sweetie was feeling so brave she pressed forward without warning.
“Sweetie wait!” Rarity cried, chasing after her.
Sweetie Bell stopped beside a fallen log and giggled, “Sorry, guess I'm just excited. I am wide awake now!” Rarity sighed with relief that she had managed to keep up, she noticed her little sister looking to the sky. The trees were close together, but in this area of the forest, there was just enough gap in the treetops to see the stars. “Is it just me, or do the stars look prettier from inside the woods?” Sweetie Belle said softly, trying her best to hold in a yawn, but it didn't work. Proving she hadn't been exactly honest when she had told her older sister she was wide awake now.
Rarity felt calm suddenly, this was a good idea. she thought to herself, as she followed her sister's gaze and took in the breathtaking view. She looked back to her sister, who had fallen asleep against the log. Rarity smiled and picked her up and gently lifted her onto her back. Rarity started walking. I knew we could get through anything.
Rarity walked for an hour or so, it would still be a few till they reached the other end of the forest, but still, she was so close. Little did she know her chest began to glow. She was too busy relaxing to the heartbeat of her darling little sister on her back.
Rarity began to grow weary, lost in her own thoughts when a snap suddenly jolted her back to reality. Her own Heartbeat raced. She did her best to keep composed and treaded more carefully, and quietly. muttering to herself that it was just a breeze, a fallen branch, anything she could think of that would make a rational explanation than her darkest fears.
After a while, she heard nothing, and that is when she started to calm down. But that moment didn't last long, as once her own heartbeat slowed she realised... she couldn't feel another.
“SWEETIE?!” Rarity screeched as she turned to see her little sister was no longer on her back. How could this be? How could she not feel the sudden drop in weight? Rarity ran frantically in the direction of where she came, “SWEETIE?!”
A blood-curdling scream came from in the dark wood. Rarity Wailed as she recognised the sound as her little sisters cry. “IM COMING!! WHERE ARE YOU?!” Rarity ran towards the sound, a few more screams rang out, each getting more distant, though she was sure she was running in the right direction, it seemed that she still wasn't fast enough for whoever or whatever had her sister.
“RARITY!!! PLEASE! HELP ME!!”
It was faint, but she heard it, and her heart dropped, she picked up speed, her eyes were stinging from the tears, wind and twigs that occasionally scraped her. But that was the last sound she heard. The last sound of her sister she would ever hear again, the world and forest around her grew silent. She cried out to her many more times, panting she collapsed to the ground. Trying to drag herself forward. But she eventually drifted off into darkness. The only thing that mattered to her was gone.
“I woke up in the morning in my bed, I don't know how I got there, but I wish the forest had taken me too. I don't know why it didn't. for a moment I thought I had a bad dream. I ran to check on Sweetie Belle, but she wasn't there. I searched high and low... nothing.”
“I'm so sorry...” Fluttershy said, choking on a sob of her own.
Rarity gave her a faint smile before her features turned into a frown once again. “The next thing I knew the mayor came to fetch me. I didn't get ready that day, and the mayor and the rest of the mares despised me for it. They figured it was an attempt to not get chosen, that I wasn't playing fair. I’d never do that.”
Pinkie growled lightly, “UGH! I am so darn mad at how mean they were to you, The-The big MEANIE HEADS! You would be generous enough to give everypony a chance.”
Rarity finally cracked a genuine smile, it was hard to not at anything Pinkie said.
“They were mean to you?” Fluttershy asked
“Well, they didn't take kindly. They said some things in the cart, which made me do a once over of myself and I found I still had cuts and bruises all over me. Would you believe they thought I would go that far to make myself unpresentable?!” She spat bitterly and stomped her hoof on the floor. “Well, it didn't matter to the lord, he took me, and I had no reason to fight it. Everyone hated me now, all the mares and their families and coltfriends. I lost my sister, my family, my life. All because I tried to avoid it, to begin with.”
Applejack moved over to Rarity and nuzzled her shoulder. “It ain't your fault sugar cube. You were just trying ta do what was best. A poor judgment, but how could ya have known?”
Rarity looked to Fluttershy. “He was a lot meaner, you know, yet, more lively. I miss that part of him. His jokes were a bit...uncivilized at times but at least he made them more often back then. It was almost as if he lost himself when he found out I had a special power.”
“What... power is it anyway? Do all of you have it?”
The mares nodded. “We have a little of what was written in a book, a book he can hardly read. He isn't too sure if it's directly connected with this power. But it has a small effect of this power.”
“And what is the effect?”
“The Everfree forest doesn't appear to harm us as much as others.” Rarity answered, bluntly, yet softly.
Fluttershy’s was stunned. “But... oh dear, I am even more confused.
Rarity giggled. “This new power, I and the others apparently possess, or so he says. Has provided a small cure for afflictions and diseases caused by the Everfree forest.”
The young yellow pegasus gasped. “The chocolate milk elixer!”
“Yes, he takes a bit of our DNA, with our permission, and he has been able to make a small cure. Which is what was used not too long ago I believe for a big occasion.”
“The green Summer.”
“Yes, and a few times since then... in small cases too. But even the elixer cant save everypony. Those that get lost in the forest will already have become too far gone for such a cure. I didn't know this... or at least I didn't accept it. I always thought that if I found my sister, if she was afflicted by this curse of the forest, whatever it had done to her, I would still try to cure it. Even if the lord- ahem- Discord, told me otherwise.” Rarity stared blankly at the wall, “But I never found her, or heard anything of an appearance of her. With nothing else to lose, I decided to stay. I had no reason to go, and if it helped him find a cure or way to destroy whatever dark magic this forest is under that affects all creatures, or even one day find out what happened to my sister... well, it was an easy choice.”
“I am so sorry...” Fluttershy said sincerely, as she made her way over to comfort one of her best friends in the castle thus far.
“We still don't know why we haven't aged, neither does he. For a moment Discord thought his immortality was rubbing off on us.”
“None of you have aged?”
“Well, Rarity is the only one that's been here for a lot longer than she should have been. Twilight even more so. Other than that we are all, as far as we are aware, in our current life expectancies.” Applejack stated, “Though I gotta admit, yall look like ya haven't aged a darn day!”
“How long have you all been here?”
Pinkie bounced up to the small crowd that had formed by the window, a light from an unknown source hit her, and she held a violin and softly started to play, “Guess it's my turn for story time huh!”
The mares looked at Pinkie questioningly, and she tossed the violin behind her. “Oh okay, I guess I could lose the props.” She shrugged. “I had packed my bags for Ponyville. I was planning on starting a business, a little bakery. Rock farming wasn't for me...” Her hair deflated. “I miss my family, I told them I would write to them, I wonder if they even know.”
“I have heard stories about you I think!” Fluttershy said.
“You have?” Pinkies hair suddenly bounced back to its usual curly manner, but she maintained a questioning look.
“Yes, and rest assured it is believed you were taken by the forest, so... I know it isn't much help but, I'm sure your family doesn't believe you left them on purpose.” Fluttershy tried her best to give her new friend a little hope and reassurance, after all, what she said was true. “So how did you escape and end up here?”
“Well, I braved the forest, my answer to fear is to laugh through it all, you should try it sometime! Only... it didn't work that time. A tree branch grabbed me, but suddenly let go. I ran, I wasn't sticking around to ask a tree why it was so interested in me ya know?” Pinkie laughed nervously. “I ran till I got lost... Timberwolves were AFTER ME AS WELL!” Pinkie grabbed Fluttershy by the shoulders and shook her like a rag doll. “I came to a castle, and Rarity was the one to find me...”
There was a pounding at the door, Rarity, who was walking above on the second story hear the thuds. A storm was raging that night, and she shuddered. “Probably just the wind...” Then the pounding came again. Rarity carefully made her way down the steps and to the door. Her delicate hoof reached out to touch it, but she hesitated and quickly withdrew it. She stood there for sometime when a crack of thunder jolted her to the core. The pounding came again, this time more frantic, and she could even hear... yelling? Over the heavy rain.
“Please, SOMEPONY!!” A voice screeched. “I DONT WANNA DIEEEEE, A FUNERAL IS NOT A PARTY I WANNA ATTEND LET ALONE BE THE GUEST OF HONOUR!”
Rarity swung the door open and a Pink soaked to the bone mare fell inside. The mare quickly got up and shut the door, locking it behind her and panting, some howls were heard close by. For good measure Rarity pulled a couch the door to bar it even further. “OH GOODNESS, YOU POOR DEAR, WHAT HAPPENED?”
The strange mare chuckled nervously and held out her hoof, panting still. “H-Hi,” She said as enthusiastically as she could, “Pinkie Pie, nice to meet ya! You...” She finally took a deep breath and calmed herself, “You wouldn't happen to know which direction Ponyville is do ya?”
Rarity stuttered slightly... “Well, y-yes I do, indeed. Oh but darling you couldn't possibly go back out there why don't you stay the night an-”
“What is the meaning of this?! Rarity...Who is this mare?!” came a booming voice from the top of the stairs of which the unicorn had just descended.
“Discord!” Rarity cried, alarmed.
Discord slowly descended himself, menacingly. “And what, pray tell, made you think I would allow guests over?”
“I didn't, she was lost in the forest and oh she is soaked to the bone and-”
“What?!” Rarity, get behind me. Discord commanded though she didn't have time to move before Discord dragged her behind himself. “She needs to leave... she must be corrupted it is too late for-” He paused, and realised the Pink mare's chest had a soft glow eliminating from it, which was now slowly fading.
Discord summoned a glass of chocolate milk and passed it to the new mare. “Drink this.” He demanded.
Pinkie took a small sniff of the concoction, it smelt sweet, like chocolate. For some reason she didn't have any suspicion, she just downed the glass enthusiastically. “MMM!” She hummed in delight, “Could have used some whipped cream or something but I ain't complaining!”
Discord let out a small sigh of relief and even laughed slightly. "I'll make a mental note of that, it's a splendid idea!" He looked her over, “No pains, no sweating... no uncontrollable urge to do unspeakable things?” He asked her, his tone turning serious.
Pinkie thought for a second as Rarity frantically turned her head back and forth between the two. “Nope!” She answered happily, “Though I don't see what the fuss is about?”
"What a shame!" Discord laughed, Rarity smacked him on the arm, demanding seriousness. he had half a mind to toss her into another dimension for that. but no, instead he calmed himself and stared at the pink mare sceptically. Another roar of thunder shook the castle. “You're not gonna send her back out there are you Discord?” He stopped and thought for a second. “Don't you dare!” Rarity said harshly.
“She can stay. I want to keep her under observation tonight anyway. Give her the room in the west wing. Perhaps stays with her.” Discord looked over them once more before muttering “I have work to do.” With that, he turned tail and disappeared down the hallway.
“What was that about? What the frickity frackity is he anyway?”
Rarity burst into laughter. “That is the Lord of chaos!?” She said through breaths of air. “You didn't know?”
“Nah, who the hay? News doesn't travel fast when you live on a rock farm. We only know about Princess Celestia and her sister Luna really.
Rarity couldn't believe it. How could anypony not know of the most powerful being in all Equestria? It was quite refreshing. “Come, let me show you to your room...”
Well, we had a bit of a slumber party that night,” Pinkie gushed, That's when she told me of her sister and such and her role in the castle.”
“Back then he didn't have overly too much of an issue on communication.” Rarity said.
“After that, he came the next day, asked me to stay a while longer, so one slumber party turned into two. I felt bad, my bakery was waiting and... well the last day he told me he sensed something in me and asked me to stay. I refused, I had to go to the bakery. So he sent me on a safer path to Ponyville.”
Fluttershy tilted her head slightly, “Oh? What made you come back?”
“Well, I didn't really have a choice you see... word travels faster in a small town than it ever did in the rock farm when I didn't show up to run the store, they had found out I had taken a path into the forest to get there. I wasn't aware that once you go in, you're kinda considered a goner. You know how they say you come back different and... darker? Well, once I was heading on my way into town, I was attacked by a stallion pony, who recognised my description. He thought I was evil, no longer Pinkie. I had to run back to the castle. Back then the brew that Rarity and Discord were working on hadn't been made public yet. So for my own safety and the doubts of others. I decided to stay and help in any way I could.
Pinkie twiddled with her own hooves, “Not as tragic as Rarity's or Applejacks story, but, well, that's why I'm here.”
“Well, I'm sad for you,” Fluttershy said, making her way over to Pinkie.
Pinkie waved it off nonchalantly, “Appreciated but don't be,” She gave them all a sincere grin. “I do actually like being here. It can be a bit boring but, if I can make all of you smile through everything you've gone through, I feel I need to be here in more ways than one!”
“She really does liven up the place!” Rarity happily stated, which caused another round of agreements from the mares, which stirred Spike from his slumber. Fluttershy was already beginning to feel more comfortable.
Spike yawned and rubbed his head with his claw, his eyes adjusting to the light. “That woke you up? Really?” Twilight teased playfully. Spike shrugged, he went to get up and stretch when he noticed an odd arrange of colours he hadn't seen before... another mare.
“Hey who's this? OH WAIT! Guys what are you doing?! I'm still in Discords bad books from last week and I really don't need this hanging over my head as well.” He whined.
“Oh, would ya relax Spike, poor lass jus’ wanted some company is all.” Applejack reassured Spike.
Spike thought for a moment before sighing. “Well if you're alright with it Applejack...”
“Of course I am, would I ever lie to ya?”
The young Drake shook his head. He started to resume stretching when he was suddenly pushed down by a hard lovingly nuzzle. “Oh my gosh! You're still a baby dragon? You are soooooo cute!!” Fluttershy cooed, causing Spike to blush and push his chest up with pride. “W-well, I'm not really a baby anymore, I just develope slowly as I'm a dragon, and even slower than normal dragon standards too. Its a bit of a double blow if you ask me. Technically in Dragon age is in my 20’s.”
Fluttershy, although believing this to be true, still couldn't help but fawn over him, and he was loving every second of it.
A small cough from Applejack got the attention of everyone in the room, she had a blush on her own cheeks for some reason. She quickly turned her face away from Fluttershy and Spike in what could only be assumed as an attempt to hide it. “We’ve been telling our stories on how we got here and.... well, I guess it's my turn.” She said, trying to get back on track and stop this odd feeling washing over her.