The Legend of Rarity: Zecora's Mask

by LittleAngelStocking

Chapter Four

Rarity awoke with a yawn. She stretched her little forelegs up over her head, than neatly slid out of the covers, careful not to ruin them. She straightened the sheets and hopped off the bed, brushing a hoof through her mane. She’d taken a bath the previous night… although it didn’t feel as cleansing as it should have, but that’s what happens when you bathe in ponds. The past two days had been… interesting. One let-down was that she was only able to explore the town. The guards wouldn’t let her through the gates unless she had a responsible adult with her, so she had to stay within the walls of Clock Town.

Being a filly was harder than she remembered. Not that she’d have to worry about it once she returned the mask to Zecora and got changed back. She trotted up to the small window and looked out - it was early, she’d have time to do more exploring before nightfall.

But what to do? She’d already poked around all the shops, nothing had really been of interest, and she didn’t want to waste her bits.
She sighed, she didn’t want to just sit around and wait…

First things first though; she was hungry. She decided to look for a restaurant in town, she’d tried the food here in the inn and it was terrible. Hopefully there was decent food somewhere in this town. She grabbed the cheap saddlebags she’d bought the day before to carry her things – the moons tear, her wallet, she made sure they were safely tucked inside, double checked, and then fastened them to her back.

Usually she bought the finest most expensive things, but she’d only be wearing them just this once. Besides, maybe she could give them to Sweetie Belle or her friends. “Alright, let’s see if there’s anything good to eat around here.”

“I can’t believe this place doesn’t have any decent food!” she cried, earning a few looks as she stomped down the town square, which wasn’t really much of a sight considering her tiny size. Despite her frustration, she still carefully stepped around a little puddle. It had rained the day before.

Well, at least she had food in her stomach. Food she couldn’t quite name, but it was food.
She looked up at the big clock tower, trying to ignore the creepy moon. Say, had it gotten bigger?

It was noon. She scowled, she didn’t want to just sit around and wait. Rarity was a patient lady, but being a filly, trapped in a town she’d never seen or heard of before in her life could wear on ones nerves.

Now that she thought about it, there were some game shops… and she still had money. Deciding it was better than nothing, she trotted towards the steps that lead into the East part of town. Hmm… No! Not Honey & Darling’s shop! That crazy couple played with bombs. Bombs!

And Rarity had thought Pinkie could be outrageous at times. Not the Treasure Chest shop either. It was expensive and impossible.
She finally turned to the shooting gallery. It… couldn’t be that bad. After all, it wasn’t bombs! Besides; maybe it would help her learn to use her hooves more like an earth pony. “It will have to do.” She said quietly. “I can only hope that they let fillies play.”

She trotted up to the door, and let herself in. She shut the door behind her with a back hoof, and looked around. To the right was a counter; and behind it a dark colored earth pony stallion. The room was about average-sized – and had a pool against the far wall, which was painted to look like a beach. She stepped up to the counter. “Um, excuse me?” she asked. The stallion looked up. “What? Oh, would you like to play, little filly?”

Rarity tried to ignore that last comment. “Yes, I would, actually. It’s a bow and arrow game, right?”

“Yeah, you use the bow to try and hit the sea-ponies as they come up out of the water. If you hit a red one you get a point; if you hit a blue one you lose a point. Easy.”

Rarity had never heard of sea-ponies before in her entire life, but she nodded.

“That will be twenty bits.”

Rarity hesitated… “Well…. Couldn’t you drop the price – just this once?” she batted her eye-lashes.

“Nope. Sorry.”

Silently grumbling to herself, she placed her bits on the counter. He took them and reached under the counter for something – and pulled out a little bow that seemed almost to have been made for ponies her size. He handed it to her, and she was about to take it with her magic – but then remembered she didn’t have any right now, and took it in her mouth.

She hopped up into the letter step in front of the pool. A little box of arrows sat next to it.

“You have five minutes; if you can break the 50 point high score you’ll get a reward.”

Rarity nodded, she wrapped a hoof around the bow and held it in front of her – this was hard. She picked up and arrow in her teeth and pulled it against the string.
Her hoof shook – she was having trouble holding the bow steady.

“Ready – set…. GO!” the stallion cried, Suddenly nine badly drawn sea-ponies popped out of the water – Rarity was startled and let the arrow go, it barely flew a foot before falling into the water – “Darnit!” Rarity cried. Then, they popped back under the water and nine more took their place – this time the colors were in a different order.

“Oh, that’s foul play!” Rarity wasn’t even sure if she was now angry or amused. Both, really.

She snatched another arrow in her mouth and adjusted, just as she was going to let go the sea-ponies went back under, and more took their place, once again in a different color order. She hastily aimed for a red one, and let the arrow fly. Just as it was about to hit the pony went back under.

“This means war.” She grabbed another arrow.

Several misses later; the pony behind the counter blew a whistle. “Time’s up!”

“With the risk of sounding like Rainbow Dash…” she mumbled, then turned to the dark pony. “I want to go again!” She said, giving him twenty more bits. “Just once more!” she said, glad she’d happened to have brought most of her bits when she’d ended up in this town. (Not the money she used to buy food and other necessities at home; the money she had with her was the leftover)

Later that evening, Rarity left the shop, a triumphant look on her face. She’d broken no high scores, but she’d managed to hit several red sea-ponies, and on her final try she only missed seven times, and only hit the blue ones three times.

Needless to say, she was proud of herself.
She convinced herself that most of it was because she was able to get used to using her hooves and no magic quite easily. She couldn’t help but smile, it wasn’t like she’d ever be using a bow in the future. Still, the game was fun and it had helped her get used to using her hooves to hold things pretty quickly.

On the downside, she’d used up a good portion of her bits. Well, most of them. She only had three left.

She also had a bit of blood soaked into the white fur on the corner of her mouth; she’d accidentally stabbed herself when reaching down for another arrow. She licked it away, hoping nopony would notice.
Oh wait, was it getting dark out already?
How long had she been in there?

She looked up at the darkening sky; there was something odd about it. The way the day seemed to fade to night, instead of the sun going down and the moon and stars coming up to take its place. Although that might just be because this moon… thing was out ALL the time.
It looked a lot bigger than before, too. Rarity wondered if Luna controlled it. She’d have to ask next time she saw her.

Rarity walked down towards south Clock Town, or in other words the main square, taking her time. From what she’d heard, the door to the top only opened on midnight, so she’d have to wait until 12:00 o’clock.

As she moved, she couldn’t help but feel something wasn’t right. ..Where was everypony?

Where had they all gone? Even some of the shops that had been opened the two nights before had their doors locked and windows closed.

Normally it wouldn’t have bothered her; but wasn’t there a carnival tonight?
She could understand some of the shops being closed for that reason but… there was nopony around as far as she could tell. With a shrug she continued on.

It was 09:57, so she still had to wait a little more than two hours. She sighed in frustration. She was out of money; what else could she do to pass the time?
“I guess I’ll just sit and wait by the door.” She said, and then paused. “Or, I could take a nap, I am pretty tired…” she was just about to turn around, then stopped. “Oh, that’s right. I already signed out of the inn.” She groaned. She headed up to the clock tower, her head at her hooves.

She climbed up onto the little platform in front of the door, and shifted on her hooves. She could stand here for two hours; but there was no way she was going to sit down here, without a blanket or something.

She traced patterns in the wood with her hoof; and looked at the sky.
She didn’t recognize any constellations. She couldn’t even see any constellations. She chewed her lip.

Honestly, she was really starting to think this might all be a dream or something. It just seemed so unreal. She looked up, craning her neck to check the time. 10:02.

She stood.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

She could stand here all night! Actually, her fore-legs were getting a little tired. They were still sore from her archery. She wiped the corner of her mouth, hoping the bloodstain had magically disappeared.
She wondered if Twilight Sparkle and the rest of her friends were searching for them… Applejack would undoubtedly be worried about Apple Bloom.

She couldn’t wait to go home…

Rarity was awoken by a loud, alarming boom. She didn’t even remember falling asleep.
The boom was followed by another one – and another. Rarity panicked and looked up. Fireworks!
She relaxed a bit – then perked up. It must be midnight! She turned around and rocked on her hooves impatiently – the clock tower was… moving? She looked up, the very top of the clock tower was rising.
She watched, was that supposed to happen? She watched it stop – and then fall backwards. She flinched – but it looked like it was supposed to do that…
Her attention was diverted back to the door when the wooden, brightly painted panel fell – and the one behind it fell, and the one behind that; it went on up forming steps.

Rarity wasn’t sure if she was more impressed or confused. Yet she wasted no time in galloping up the stairs. “I’m coming, girls!”

Rarity had tried not to notice the moon-thing earlier; but it was kind of impossible not to look at it now. It was huge!
And very close. Rarity slowly lowered her eyes. The steps had lead her up the top of the tower – the floor was painted turquoise, with white patters painted on.

And in the middle, was Sweetie Belle and her friends. “Girls!” Rarity called.

The three whirled around. Sweetie took on a defensive stance – Rarity’s ocarina held in a hoof.

The other two looked horrible. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked hungry, frightened, and filthy.

“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity said firmly. “You take that mask off and hoof it over right this instant!”

The powdery white filly cocked her head. “You’re not seriously ordering me around, are you?”

“I am. Come with me, now.” There was a long silence. Then Sweetie Belle laughed.
“I can’t believe you! You really think you can beat me? You’re barely bigger than I; and I now have power to rival the alicorns!”
Rarity narrowed her eyes at her little sister. “Very funny; Sweetie Belle…”

Rarity was confusing herself. Should she be addressing her sister or the mask?

Suddenly Apple Bloom rushed forward. “Rarity! The mountain, swamp, ocean and canyon! Sweetie says their important or somethin’!”

“No,” Scootaloo interrupted, “She said to stay away from there!”

“Shut up, both of you!” Sweetie hissed, bucking Scootaloo in the face with a back hoof.
“Scoots!” Apple Bloom rushed to her friend.

Rarity’s eyes widened. “Sweetie! How could you?!”
Remember, Rarity. It’s the mask, not your sister. Remain calm.

“Whatever;” Sweetie yawned absentmindedly tossing the instrument up and down in her hoof. “I know you can’t stop me. Nopony can.”
“I can stop you.” Rarity said confidently.

“Rarity no!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cried.
Sweetie Belle laughed again. “Look above you! If you think it can be stopped, then just go ahead and try to stop it!”

Sweetie lowered her head, a pulse of lightly colored magic erupted at the tip of her horn, she then thrust her head up. The ball of light went up and hit the moon. Rarity felt the ground below her tremble – then, then moon begun to lower. Very quickly.

Rarity’s jaw dropped, her eyes went wide her pupils tiny.

The moon hadn’t been getting bigger, Sweetie was bringing it down!

Rarity panicked. “Oh nononononononono!” she cried, running around in helpless circles.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were hugging each other in terror.
Sweetie was still concentrating on the moon.
Rarity galloped for her sister. Forgive me Sweetie! She thought as she whirled around at the last minute and bucked her sister in the chest. Sweetie yelped and dropped Rarity’s ocarina.

“Hey!” Rarity cried. “That was a gift from Princess Luna!”

She snatched it up in her hoof. She felt a rush of nostalgia – she remembered when Princess Luna had presented this to her…

“Rarity;” Luna addressed, “I’ve called you here for… well, it isn’t really a personal matter, but… I fell something. Something about you is just….”

Rarity listened, was it her beautiful coat? Her gorgeous eyes? Or maybe her amazingly luscious mane. She smiled, absentmindedly flicking a stand of hair with a hoof.

“I sense something is going to happen.” Luna said finally. “And I want you to have this.” Using her unicorn magic, she levitated over a small instrument; a beautiful shiny blue. It had holes in it obviously meant for a being with fingers, like a dragon or griffon to play. Rarity blinked. “It’s beautiful. What is it?”

“It is called an ocarina. This one in particular, is a family heirloom. I’m surprised Celestia hadn’t already given it to Twilight.”

“You’re giving me an heirloom? Why? Surely it isn’t just out of generosity…”

“It isn’t. But I want you to have it, just in case. Playing it is easy, just focus your magic on the holes when you play.” Rarity nodded, picking it up in her own magic.

“Thank you so much; Luna. But I still don’t understand why…”

Not that she didn’t want this gem-like instrument!

Luna shook her head. “Just… just take it. It will make me feel better…”

Rarity shrugged. “Well, if you insist, Princess.”

“Here,” Luna said. “I want to teach you this song… It’s not much, but it might come in handy.”

“A song? Come in handy?” Rarity wondered aloud. Luna chuckled. “Just give it here, let me show you… it’s called the song of time…”

Rarity snapped back into reality. The song! The song of time! That’s it!
Rarity put her lips on the mouth piece; “What are you doing!?” Scootaloo cried. “Playing music?! How is that gonna help?”

Trust me.

Rarity had trouble playing with her hooves – she had no magic to put pressure on the holes when needed; but somehow she managed.

She played. She hummed the melody in her own head as the song came through the ocarina. Hmm mmm mmm mmm mmm….

Rarity felt lightheaded. What was happening to her? She closed her eyes – she felt… odd. Suddenly, she was falling. She cried out.

She remembered herself walking through the everfree forest, looking for the flower.

She remembered herself being knocked to the ground as Sweetie made off with the ocarina.

She remembered Zecora.

She remembered the three days spent here.

She opened her eyes.

Rarity was standing In front of the clock tower. It was daytime; she could see ponies walking around, going about their usual day. “Wha…?” she looked around.
“What happened? Everything’s…”

She stepped forward; and suddenly stopped. She turned around and looked up at the moon. It sat high in the daytime sky.
“Gone back?”

She looked around. Everything was exactly the same as it had been the first day she’d arrived.
She wasn’t as clean as she’s been after her bath. She no longer could taste blood in the corner of her mouth. She felt… exactly the way she had when she’d first arrived.

Her saddlebags were gone; but all her money was back. That was good!
Rarity turned towards the clock tower. Perhaps Zecora could enlighten her…

Hang on a minute. That meant the moons tear gem was gone.

Rarity's anguished scream could be heard for miles around.