"Take life as it comes. Run when you have to, fight when you must, rest when you can."
- Elyas Machera
"Come to Sabriel!" Sabriel shouted suddenly. She had felt the strange magic again.
Ellimere and Sulyn glanced over from their game of chess to look at their now mysteriously excited raven haired friend. As one, the two girls turned away from the eccentric girl to look at each other, smirking. After a pause they both grinned, then laughed at the way they had mirrored each other's reaction on impulse. They were getting used to being friends with the older girl.
Sabriel caught on that she was what was being laughed at and stormed over. "Oh come off it you two, what's so funny? Never mind, I felt it again just now!" She shook the coat sleeve of Sulyn anxiously, who had traded her gleeful smile for a look of consternation and worry directed at Ellimere.
Ellimere merely responded by pointing back at Sulyn. "It's your turn, I baby-sat her last night."
Sabriel scowled at her other friend and squinted her eyes. "Come on Ellimere, it's just out in the garden, maybe not even! I'll bet it's inside the college! It's so close, please oh please come?" She begged her friend with what she hoped were the most endearing pair of eyes that Ellimere had ever seen. Slowly, she swiveled them towards Sulyn as well and managed a sad whimper for good measure.
"Holy charter!" Ellimere covered her face and groaned out angrily. "Alright fine, lead the way." She shook her head in defeat looking up and heaving a sigh.
Sulyn rolled her eyes before picking up and dropping her queen, on a vector meeting with Ellimere's king. "Checkmate."
Rarity made her way towards the trees in the very back of the strange castle's courtyard to enjoy her meal. Quite taken with her prize, she couldn't help but stop and sample it once or twice. Make that three times.
Behind and unbeknownst to the unicorn, a trio of girls, two being led by a quite literally jumping third—hurriedly made their way into the trees as well. The unicorn perked her head up along with her ears at the sound of approaching laughter. Cautiously, she looked over the bush beside her, then flinched back immediately. Oh no, they're coming this way! Okay don't panic Rarity simply stand tall, speak eloquently and-
RUN!
In a flash, the skittish unicorn was running without concern further into the brush. Her muddied hooves parted saplings and branches alike, the only care she took was in levitating her pie before her—keeping it mostly unsullied. She tumbled once, tripping over a log, but regained her hoofing and galloped on.
Eventually Rarity slowed, then stopped. She had come to the strange grey castle's wall. Panting, she sank to the ground and looked behind herself, gasping for breath. There was no one there. "Oh thank Celestia, I think I lost them." Collapsing there on the ground, Rarity smiled weakly at the still steaming feast she had made off with. A twinge of guilt panged her heart, but now she could re-approach those she had wronged with a full stomach. Then, I can make it up to them, if it proves that I will be able to-
A twig snapped behind Rarity, followed by the rustling of leaves. Her eyes shot to their utmost widest. Shaking, she turned around, tears already forming in her eyes as her mind jumped to conclusions. Images of the night before, of fire and blazing symbols careening towards her unprovoked shot through her terror stricken thoughts.
There they were, three tall shapes all staring at her. Just. Staring.
The unicorn skidded backwards on her rump until she ran into a hard object. "Gaah-haah! I'm sorry-iee-heehee! I didn't want to take the pie! Or break your door! Or trespass! Plea-hease have mercy!" Her eyes had clenched shut as soon as they had met those of the girl's.
The girls themselves simply stood in shock at what lay trembling before them. It appeared by all rights to be a tiny, oddly colored horse, with what looked like a pie outstretched on one of its hooves. Not to mention that just a moment ago the strange looking thing had been speaking.
Ellimere fainted.
Sabriel giggled and spared only a glance for her friend who had just fallen over.
Sulyn, however, knelt beside Ellimere immediately and tried to help by waving a hand over her face. This was of course in between staring incredulously at the white and brown animal huddled against an old maple tree. Sabriel knelt as well, after approaching the creature a little bit. Only six or so feet away she stretched a hand out towards it—as one may to a cat or dog.
"Hey, hey there we're not going to hurt you." Sabriel cooed towards the strange creature.
Rarity's eyes shot open and stared, still wide, at the now much closer Sabriel.
"We want to be your friends, honest." Sabriel took a gamble next. "What's your name? I'm Sabriel, these are my two friends- er, friend. Sulyn is the conscious one, Ellimere is the uhm, sleeping one." She giggled and looked back at the animal that very much resembled a tiny pony to her eyes. It possessed some very blatant differences though, she noted.
Sabriel perhaps turned back to face the creature too quickly, because as she did so it jumped and made the cutest eep noise she had ever heard. As a result, it dropped the pie which it had held out on one outstretched hoof, face down in the muck.
Even stronger tears than before welled up into its eyes as Sabriel looked on. It began bawling right then and there. "No! Why-y do these things happen to me-e-hee-e? I just want to go home! I did just want a meal, but I can't even have that, can I? Oh you're a fool, Rarity!" It fell on the ground pleadingly before the ruined pastry and into its front legs.
The disturbance she had felt wasn't anything but a fellow living creature after all, Sabriel concluded. But one that also talks! She felt bad, because her smile actually grew with every word the strange creature spoke, despite its negative scope. Thinking on things, her smile shrank and became tempered by awareness of the poor thing's unhappiness. She paid very close attention to what it was saying.
"I could get you another one." Sabriel spoke up cheerfully.
Rarity's eyes looked up cautiously at the strange thing that sat before her. Or stood, whatever it was doing. She had simply fallen into despair, sure that it was her end, and the last straw had been lost over the pie. Her eyes clenched shut for a moment, unable to see anything anyway from the tears. Perfect job Rarity, they think you really are a fool, of that you can be sure. Where has your common sense and etiquette gone? You left it in that cave apparently. With some emotional effort, she managed a calm outward demeanor.
Sabriel frowned down at the shivering creature on the forest ground. Gosh, she's beautiful. The horse, while muddy, was simply elegant in every sense of the word. "You said your name was Rarity? Or was that a friend...?" She spoke in hopes of trying to get the little thing to speak again.
Rarity swallowed, rubbed her eyes and tried to salvage the situation. "N-no, I am Rarity, or Miss Rarity if you would prefer. Ahem, uhm it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss?" She fluttered her eyes weakly alongside her last ditch effort to make a good impression. She was all too aware of just how bad she must look, and it was all she could do to just maintain eye contact.
Sabriel's smile grew tenfold again. Behind her, Sulyn was waving a hand in front of her own face and pinching herself.
"Oh no the pleasure is all mine." Sabriel lowered herself to a crossed legged position. "And my name is Sabriel as I said, over there is Sulyn, and that's Ellimere!"
Sulyn managed a weak twitch of her still shocked face and waved. Ellimere lay as still as a rock in the grass.
"Oh dear, she'll be alright won't she?" Rarity leaned forward to point a hoof at the open mouthed and unconscious Ellimere. Sabriel spared her friend a glance and shrugged.
"I'm sure she'll be alright, I think you frightened her is all." Sabriel held up a hand to conceal her chuckle a little.
"I frightened her!? Goodness, you three had me so scared I saw my fillyhood flash before my eyes, and that encounter last night... I had thought for certain I was going to die, uhm." Rarity gave them each another nervous look and lifted a leg as if to go. Her eyes darted to the gate further along the wall. Sabriel was quick to try and settle her though. The last thing she wanted was for this encounter to end.
"It was a misunderstanding. Para—that is the girl you met last night, by the way—she thought you were a dead creature, or something attacking her. You weren't though, were you? Attacking her that is." Sabriel's smile didn't falter, whoever or whatever Rarity was, she was delightful and amazingly well mannered. She quite reminded Sabriel of their Etiquette class teacher, actually. Just the thought of the comparison was worthy of a few snickers.
"By Celestia, no! I saw her trip for some reason, well, in all honesty I knew she had been from setting eyes on me... So I may have panicked and rushed over to see if she was alright. That was... That was when these golden arcs of light shot out at me." Rarity shrank as she retold the horror story of her first human encounter.
Sabriel nodded and frowned slightly. "Charter marks, those could've killed you alright, definitely. Oh, I mean-" Sabriel regretted her matter-of-fact statement after seeing the look on Rarity's face widen in shock—aghast at the very notion. "Well, what I mean to say is that we don't want to hurt you, it was an accident. It's just very dangerous around here at night sometimes. Not usually, but... It's a good idea to be cautious."
Rarity's demeanor calmed again and she nodded—only half understanding what she was being told.
Sabriel pressed on still excited. "So, uhm, what are you exactly? Some manner of free magic spirit? A lost race? A construct? You aren't something dead after all, are you?"
Blinking, Rarity leaned back from the girl's fervor, but laughed. It was a light tinkling that she managed. She noted that it was the first she'd laughed in earnest since waking up there. Wherever here is. Her mind thought absently.
"No darling, I am not any of those...things. Just a humble pony. Are all of those...whatever they were you said, actually other creatures from around here?" Rarity waited for Sabriel's suspicious look to fade, and the girl nodded in answer. "I see, and what exactly is 'Free Magic'?" Rarity asked earnestly, tilting her head slightly.
The raven haired schoolgirl was taken aback by this second, even more incredible question. In her mind, only people far south of the wall wouldn't know what free magic was. Certainly an obviously magical animal would be well aware of its existence.
"Free magic's...complicated, but it's evil and chaotic. Only really bad people or old things can use it." Sabriel grimaced to the side while talking about the taboo art.
Rarity frowned, but took advantage of the silence. "We certainly don't have any of that or those monsters in Equestria that I can think of, though we do have our own variety... No zombies though, despite what Spike or Pinkie may say. Well, whatever the case may be I must say I am at quite the loss concerning you three. I may be a Unicorn like Twilight, but I certainly don't share her vast array of useful knowledge." She gave a light laugh at what she'd made sound like a quip. "So, what are you? If I may be so bold to ask? I have no idea what you all are at all."
Sulyn's eyes however shot up upon hearing something.
"U-u-unicorn?" The eyes of the quiet young girl traced across the tip of Rarity's horn and across her other dirty features. Sulyn had beaten Sabriel to the next turn at speaking. Sabriel and Rarity alike both turned towards the girl who had suddenly spoken up. For Sulyn, her sneaking suspicions had just been confirmed—and straight from the horses mouth! So to speak... "B-but, those aren't real. Are they?" She looked questioningly to Sabriel, who grinned knowingly back at her friend's version of excitement. "Wow, I've always dreamed of meeting a real unicorn." She gazed starry eyed at Rarity, who managed a weak smile in return.
"You've heard of unicorns before, Sulyn?" Sabriel tilted her head.
Rarity's head followed the girls' conversation as each one spoke in turn to the other. Perhaps they could even help her after all, she decided. The matter of how old they were suddenly popped into her thoughts, they sounded rather young to her fuzzy ears.
Nodding rapidly, Sulyn answered Sabriel. "Yeah, of course. They're an old legend from further south. I've read about them in a couple favorite books of mine. They're majestic beasts, strong and proud and resembling horses with a horn."
Rarity had felt her smile grow and wilt within the same sentence the girl had spoken. Horse? I am not a...whatever that is! Rarity is a lady first, no matter what.
Sulyn went on. "I read about them in fantasy books though. Not anything factual, I've never considered that they would be real."
The wilted smile Rarity had donned turned into a desolate frown. Nothing factual? Fiction? But that's just simply not possible, even if I were in a foreign country somehow. Surely they've encountered Unicorns!? Or Pegasi! Or Earth Ponies! They're everywhere, not just in Equestria but all around the world! Rarity's face grew stern and she glared at the dirt in thought.
How have I gotten to a place where Unicorns and ponies are considered by a never-before-seen or mentioned race of creatures to be as fictional as a 'Daring Do' novel? Rarity muttered to herself quietly to answer the thought, not breaking her staring contest with the ground. "Am I dead? Or dreaming?"
Sabriel still spoke with Sulyn, she grinned at her friend's answer. Things were getting more and more interesting for her as they spoke. Abruptly, she turned without missing a beat to face Rarity, whose purple mane hung over her drooping head. "Well, to answer your question Miss Rarity, we're humans, people, or persons. However you want to say it really is good." Cheerily she rambled on. "But how have you never met a human before? We're literally everywhere, even in the Old Kingdom there are people and cities. What are you doing on this side of the wall actually? You're from the north aren't you? I saw you use some kind of strange magic and magic doesn't work here in Ancelstierre—usually anyway. By the way, can you please show us some of your magic? I am deeply interested in it, maybe I could even study it a little?"
Rarity was completely caught off guard by the girl's second tirade. She watched confused and mesmerized by the speech that would have impressed Pinkie Pie. At first, only half of what was said was heard, but her smile returned as she picked up the jist of everything.
Rarity giggled and held one grimy hoof to cover her muzzle. "You remind me of a friend of mine back home, Sabrie-" Her stomach chose that moment to grumble again—perhaps becoming frustrated with its owner. She laughed uneasily to cover up the embarrassment.
"W-well where was I? Oh yes, I really can't say, Miss Sabriel. You see, I've never heard of any of that. I'm from a land called Equestria," Rarity became disheartened as she saw a distinct lack of recognition in either Sulyn's or Sabriel's eyes. "It's our kingdom you see, ruled by the Princesses Celestia and Luna? They raise and control the sun and moon?"
That earned some gasps from them, but now they just looked confused and skeptical.
Rarity coughed and moved on. "If you haven't guessed by now, I really don't know what it is I'm doing here at all. I was just swimming with my friends Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash when I-"
The two girls suddenly devolved into a fit of giggles, Sabriel made a big show of it and even fell over.
Rarity's ears twitched and stood up. "W-what is so funny?" She looked between them wearing unease on her face. Was it something I said?
Sabriel rolled back upright from falling on her back. "N-no, heh, it's nothing, sorry. Your friends just had silly names that's all." Sabriel couldn't help but grin. "Pinkie Pie? Really? Rainbow Dash wasn't that much better, actually..."
"Well I have to say, as pretty as your names both sound they're gibberish to me, so fair's fair." Punctuating her statement Rarity raised her muzzle up mockingly and pawed a hoof at them in the air. The girls blinked before they caught on and the three all settled into a fit of giggling caused by the fake recompense of the unicorn.
A commanding roar interrupted them once again.
Rarity blushed and peered down at her stomach. "Oh dear, darlings I hate to be a bother, really, but I don't suppose I could trouble you both for a little something to eat?" She smiled weakly, embarrassed. "I-I will understand if you don't want to; I am trespassing and a stranger and I really don't want to be a bo-"
Sulyn held up a hand and smiled kindly. "I'll go. It will be easy for me to get something from the kitchen. The cooks adore me." She mimicked Rarity's earlier display and earned herself a giggle.
"Are you sure Sulyn, I can go? Besides, I've been hogging all the questions," Sabriel tilted her head at her friend. "We don't know how long Miss Rarity will be staying either so why don't you ask some Unicorn related stuff? I'll be right back!" Sabriel was already lifting off the ground and dashing away. "Oh uhm, plus you should watch Ellimere anyway; she'll probably be upset when she does wakes up."
Sulyn smiled at her flighty and hasty friend's back, who had made the decision for her, not that she minded that. The blonde haired girl looked nervously back at her company, whom she was now alone with, as Ellimere certainly didn't count.
The words Sulyn wanted to say jumbled about in her mind, talking wasn't her strongest quality or skill. The trait was usually what kept her grade in Etiquette class so terrible. The Unicorn smiled at her though. She thought again about just how amazing it was that she was meeting one, and that they were so pretty—and could talk.
"C-can . . . c-" Sulyn gulped.
"Yes, darling?" Rarity was getting familiar vibes again from the human sitting just a couple meters from her. It was uncanny really, she considered, just how much these two reminded her of her friends. Or perhaps I'm just projecting on them?
"Ahem, that is, may I touch your mane? Uhm, Miss Rarity?" Sulyn's smile fluctuated between growing and disappearing altogether.
Rarity's eyes widened and she put on a face of modest surprise just before laughing. "Well, of course you may." She stood up and trotted over to the girl—who squeaked in what she hoped was glee.
Rarity frowned a bit, coming to a stop in front of the excited filly. "It is, uhm, very messy though, not at all at its best. I've had quite the rough couple of days you understand, what I really need is a bath. Oh, it's just been dreadful out here darling, you have no idea." Sulyn's hand stretched out and stroked the glossy purple hair cascading over the unicorn's shoulder. Even full of twigs and leaves it was pristine, merely filled with foreign debris.
It's nothing like my horses' manes back home... Sulyn thought, then realized she was staring and that Rarity had finished speaking. The girl looked up and grinned uncontrollably. "A bath? Like in a river?"
The unicorn gasped at the notion. "Oh heavens no, that isn't a bath dear. I mean in a proper tub, or at the very least a shower, with some shampoos and maybe some incense for atmosphere . . . Mmm, that does sound divine now- What? Is there something on my face?" Sulyn schooled her looks and blushed, she hadn't meant to let her surprise show.
"N-no, I'm sorry I just didn't expect you to use a bath like us. So . . . And I'm sorry to ask don't take this the wrong way, but . . . You live like us? I mean, like humans? Not like . . . Uhm, animals?" Rarity sat and thought on the strange question. It was certainly an odd thing to compare how the woodland and field creatures preferred to live in comparison to ponyfolk and others.
"Uhm, well yes I suppose? Ponies rather enjoy and prefer to live in a civilized fashion, that is to say in an actual civilization itself. Our languages are certainly more refined to begin with. We also have quite a few grandiose cities and the capitol, that's Canterlot. It is home to the most marvelous palaces and gold peaked towers . . . I'm rather glad of all this too, I could never live in a forest or a beaver's dam, could you imagine?" Rarity laughed at the joke, but it slowed to a few awkward chuckles when Sulyn just smiled back blankly. "Something wrong, Sulyn?" The name felt strange on Rarity's tongue. It was pretty though, she rather liked it, too.
"N-not at all! I mean, it's just strange I guess. Uhm, do other animals live in . . . Civilization? Like squirrels?" Rarity blinked, that was an odd question too.
"Well no, although a few do like to share proper houses with other animals. Typically they seem just happy living in any old burrow. They do tend to prefer staying near to town, however. It means getting taken better care of by us ponies, Fluttershy for instance, bless her heart—that's one of my friends by the way." Rarity sighed and looked up through the tree branches at the cloud's, picturing her friend as she spoke. "That girl's house is always swarmed with visitors and regulars alike. But, it does seem more common for the little darlings to stay in the wilderness and fend for themselves more often than not. Is that what you meant...?" She'd seen Sulyn's eyes widen at the start when she'd said 'house'. "I guess that's not normal here then?"
Sulyn swallowed, getting more questions and more interested which each one she asked. "Sooo . . . They're smart?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Like me or you? Can they all speak?"
"Well they speak animal, if that's what you mean. I'm no good at understanding chirps and such myself, but my friend Fluttershy for instance, has an innate gift with the dears. One that few ever seem to, she understands them perfectly, well, most of the time. Pinkie Pie is fairly good at listening to them as well, sometimes...I think. Then again, honestly I'm not a hundred percent sure with Pinkie." Rarity recalled Pinkie's full blown and seemingly one sided conversations with Gummy briefly. "Smart, though? I'm not sure I follow you darling, what do you mean by bringing up their intelligence?"
Sulyn's eyes grew wider with each thing Rarity said that she didn't quite fully understand. When the pony finished speaking, she had to shake herself briefly to continue. "Could they do math for instance? I'm sorry I don't mean to pry, it's not as though it's important . . . I just love animals, I've always wished I could speak with them." She finished by smiling sheepishly at her conversation partner.
Pawing a hoof in reassuring fashion, Rarity answered Sulyn's demure apology with a lady's grace—despite being covered in muck. "Oh not at all, ask anything you'd like Sulyn, I'm the one who's indebted to you after all. I get the feeling I may be in your debt for sometime as well... Never mind that though, uhm, yes I suppose some of them could be taught math. I once saw a sweater which an eagle knit, that I found to be particularly impressive. It was very good stitch work as wel- Sulyn what's the matter darling? Oh, I said something strange again, didn't I?" Sulyn gulped again and nodded slowly, but a faint open mouthed smile worked itself into being.
"I think..." Sulyn began, but trailed off and had to start again. "I think that it's safe to conclude that animals here are very different from your animals, Miss Rarity. I'd be lucky to teach a dog to roll over here... I'm fairly certain that even in the Old Kingdom, animals aren't that smart." She tried to picture just how an eagle could possibly knit a sweater in her head, but her brain wasn't having it.
The topic drifting back to Rarity's position, caused the unicorn to reflect on what she'd heard thus far. None of it had reassured her yet... Worse, she recalled the stars from the night before, and that she had not recognized a single one.
"I... See, you mean to say that animals aren't friendly?" Rarity asked distractedly, she didn't hear Sulyn's answer—her thoughts were elsewhere. The mare didn't quite yet want to learn any more of the hopelessness of her situation. The idea that she could have ended up outside her own world even... It was clear to her though, this wasn't Equestria.
I'm simply not in my homeland any longer.
"Rarity?" The unicorn looked over, it was Sabriel holding a plate of pancakes. "They're a little cold, but they should fill you up! I hope they're alright, I didn't think you might want something else until I was halfway back out here . . ." The unicorn's heart pulled a one eighty. Puzzle solving later, pancakes now. Her mind emptied immediately and was filled with only pancakes, delicious scrumptious pancakes! In every direction!
"I've never seen anything more beautiful in my entire life! This is more than perfect Sabriel, oh thank you!" Her voice escalated into her trademark squeak at the tail end of her sentence, that wasn't done on purpose either, despite popular belief around Ponyville. She wasn't that much of a drama queen. It just came naturally...
Rarity's horn glowed and lifted the plate and the silverware atop the pancakes, she spotted the jar of syrup in Sabriel's other hand. "Would you be so kind as to pour me some of that delicious syru— uhm, oh. What is it now? What did I do?" Sulyn sat stiffly on her knees, her back was straight in obvious shock. Sabriel's mouth was practically dragging on the forest floor.
Ellimere's eyes cracked open a hair. Her head hurt a little, and she felt twigs and dirt in her hair for some reason. What had happened...?
The scream caught Rarity and the other two Wyverly schoolgirls completely off guard.