//------------------------------// // Chapter Five: Righteous Rebuke // Story: Home is Where the Hearth Is // by TheCrimsonDM //------------------------------// Home is Where the Hearth Is Chapter Five: Righteous Rebuke Written by TheCrimsonDM Well at least there was a plan, even if it wasn’t a very creative one. With Applejack and Pinkie by my side we traveled through the town. Despite my earlier fears, it seemed ponies here didn’t seem to recognize me. I suppose without my cape and hat I wasn’t the great and powerful magician, I was just another unicorn. The first pony we were going after was Rainbow Dash, I wasn’t sure why Pinkie was so deadest on going after her first but I accepted it. So far Pinkie’s had an unnatural knowledge of what was to come, even if she herself couldn’t exactly tell me what was going to happen. Going against those instincts just seemed like a mistake. It wasn’t long before we reached the edge of the town and found ourselves staring off into the long grassy fields where hills rolled on endlessly with sparse forests here and there. I was still trying to get used to all the color around town after living on the farm with only varying shades of gray for so long. A few clouds drifted lazily up in the sky. It took me a moment to remember that up north pegasi usually were in charge of pushing clouds around or creating wind currents for them to travel on. Down on the farm any clouds we did get were random and seemed to move with unnatural wind currents. Then again I don’t think there was even a single pegasus in the village nearby the rock farm. Pinkie Pie was looking up at the clouds. Applejack soon followed her gaze. I followed last and saw that on one cloud in particular there seemed to be a blue pegasus laying on it taking a nap. Applejack shook her head, “Ain’t she supposed to be working right now?” Pinkie Pie giggled. “That’s our Rainbow, lazy as ever.” Rainbow Dash called out from the cloud up above them. “HEY! I’m not lazy!” Rainbow Dash burst through the cloud she was lying on and flew towards us with a rainbow trail following her. She landed only a few feet away from us with such speeds that I could hardly keep up with her eyes alone. Once firmly on the ground she shook herself and yawned. “Okay, maybe I’m a little bit lazy.” Pinkie Pie replied, “Yeppers. How was your nap?” Rainbow rubbed at her eyes. “Not good enough. Need more sleep, but I’ll survive, I’m kinda awesome like that.” Her eyes drifted over to me and narrowed. “What is she doing here?” I took a step back. This was far from the warm reception that Twilight had given me. Pinkie Pie was quick to answer. “I already told you girls what Trixie was doing here.” Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side. “Wait, you were serious about that? Geeze… I thought you were trying to prank us or something.” Pinkie put a hoof on my shoulder and squeezed gently. “Go on, Trixie. I’m sure Rainbow Dash will hear you out.” I swallowed. It was now or never. I didn’t want to be here, I didn’t deserve to be. Not after all the pain I’d put these ponies through. However, I was also tired, so tired. I wanted to sleep again, like really honestly sleep. I wanted to have good dreams, maybe about Pinkie. I’d do anything to get rid of these nightmares and to make myself feel whole again. Whatever was left of my pride had long since been left in the same dumpster as my hopes and dreams. I could hear my voice wavering as I spoke. “I’m sorry. For everything I’ve done to hurt you, especially when I was wearing that cursed amulet, I’m sorry.” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “That’s all? Do you even remember what you did?” I shook my head. “I can’t remember most of what happened when I had the amulet on, it’s like this horrible nightmare that happened but only parts of it I can recall… I’m sure I did something horrible to you, and I’m really, truly sorry for it.” Rainbow Dash marched up to me. I tried to back pedal away but she grabbed my head in both o her hooves and forced me to look directly into her magenta eyes. She had such a serious expression, and something hidden beneath that, something I didn’t want to see. For a long moment she stared at me, forcing me to make eye contact. Applejack spoke, her words hardly reaching me as I looking into that serious expression. “Rainbow Dash, let her go. Yer scaring her.” Rainbow Dash let me go and I quickly retreated back and around Applejack. I couldn’t even look at Rainbow Dash. My heart was racing and I could feel my body shaking. I was terrified of her, yet that wasn’t all. I was ashamed. I was so ashamed of myself, I used to be stronger than this. I used to be able to challenge such threatening looks head on without fear. Where had all my power gone, where was all my confidence? Rainbow Dash walked away. “I forgave Gilda, and she broke my heart. You on the other hoof, you only hurt me. I’ll forgive you, Trixie. Just don’t do anything stupid or bad again.” I was shaking in my hiding place. It took all my effort to reply, “I-I-I w-wont.” Rainbow Dash glanced back and I saw her look at me. The serious expression was gone, replaced by a softer look but one I disliked just as much; pity. I was being pitied. In the back of my mind I could feel an old itchy feeling, one that wanted to rage against her for daring to pity me. Yet it was only a small feeling, and was quickly replaced by the realization that I had truly fallen into something that could only be pitied. I wasn’t a threat to anypony anymore, I was hardly even an annoyance. I was just the trash somepony had forgotten to throw out… maybe I should throw myself away, get out of everyponies mane once and for all. Rainbow Dash spread her wings and flew back up to her cloud. I guess that was it then. I’d apologized to two ponies. Now I just had one more left. Surely Rarity, the element of generosity would be easier to deal with. I mean all I did to her was mess up her mane once right? Applejack offered her hoof and I took it. With a little help up to my hooves again she looked back toward the town. “Alright, let’s go meet Rarity and get this over with.” *** It wasn’t too much longer before we were all traveling to a little boutique in the middle of town. From the outside I couldn’t see in due to the thick red curtains that obscured sight from the windows. Applejack was the first one to enter with Pinkie following next. I walked in and the first thing I noticed was the smell of spice. Off to the side I could see some scented candles burning away. The room wasn’t dark like I imagined it would be with no sunlight. The lights in the ceiling provided more than ample light to see from. From inside it seemed every single wall was covered by a deep red curtain. A few mannequins stood with some of the most beautifully crafted dresses I’d ever seen. In the corner I saw a mare with snow white fur and a curly purple mane. She was studying a dress as she held it aloft in a blue telekinetic aura, twisting and turning it to see the details. She had a pair of glasses which must have been for seeing the kinds of details that normal ponies would gloss over. She let out a sigh, gently set the dress down on a nearby table and took her glasses off laying them next to it. Rarity spoke with a voice that was the very definition of grace. “Darling, could you do me a favor and ask Twilight if she still has that fabric I loaned her last week? I suspect I’ll need it to finish this piece.” Pinkie shrugged. “Maybe. If you answer my question first. Why weren’t you at the castle with Twilight today?” Rarity glanced over and looked at Pinkie. “Because as much as I love you, I’ve got a business to run. I can’t jump at one of your… events every time you have one.” Pinkie’s ears folded back a little. “But, I explained how important this was to me.” “You did, but what you’re suggesting is so preposterous that even I cannot take you serious. Trixie, wanting to apologize.” Rarity scoffed. “No, I think not. That kind of pony doesn’t understand the concept of it.” I stepped forward. “I think I do, and for what it’s worth, I am sorry.” Rarity’s eyes snapped onto me like a dagger at the throat of a king. Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. I could sense danger and hatred running off this mare like a river of blood. Her breathing had changed to a steady, heavier breathing as if she was preparing to battle. Rarities words hit me like few had today. “What is ‘that’ doing in my house?” Pinkie Pie looked around. “There’s something in your house other than us? Did we let a parasprite in by mistake?” Rarity growled. “She’s as bad as one.” Pinkie Pie was still looking around. “She? What did we let into your house?” I lowered my head. “She’s talking about me, Pinkie.” Pinkie Pie gasped. “No she isn’t. Rarity is one of the best ponies I know, she’d never treat anyone like that.” Rarity growled. “It’s telling the truth, Pinkie. I’m talking about that disgrace of a unicorn you just let my home. Now get her out of here before I do.” Pinkie shot a glare at Rarity. “Take that back.” “I refuse.” Pinkie took a step forward. “Trixie is here to say sorry, and you’re being awful to her. I explained how important this is to me. Why are you being so awful?” I was staring at my own hooves by then. I couldn’t look up and see that mare’s hatred, it was too much to handle. “Because I ruined her mane and made her look silly in front of the crowd. It was wrong of me.” Rarity spat words of venom. “That’s not it you, you, you feather brained monster! It’s because you forced me and my sister to work for you until our hooves bled from the effort. You turned us and random children into slaves, and every single thing you forced us to make you burned in front of us just to watch our spirits die. If it had just been me, maybe, just maybe I might be willing to forgive you one day, but that was my baby sister you hurt!” I looked up at her, panic began to swallow my heart. I didn’t remember doing that. Was that what I did when I was under the effects of the alicorn amulet? Did Pinkie know I did such a horrible evil thing and not tell me about it? There was no way that Rarity could forgive me, in fact I was surprised she hadn’t stabbed me for walking through her door. I turned around. I needed to leave. I did not belong here, no matter what Pinkie Pie said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know… I’ll leave you alone.” I galloped to the door and burst through it. The last thing I heard was Applejack shouting, “Rarity, look what you’ve done.”