Hellerum clutched at the seething flesh on her sides tightly. It did nothing to ease the burning, otherworldly pain, but it was all she could do. She felt the energies that gave her strength and sustained her power seeping out, even as she desperately tried to hold onto them. Other than that, her concentration was scattered from all of the distractions. She had to fight against the current of death as well as the incessant attacks that came from other undead that were foolish enough to think she was now an easy target.
They all learned quickly that such was not the case.
Another angry, blood chilling howl escaped through Hellerum's rippling form as she fought her way back into the first precinct of death. The cascade of the waterfall split before her as she pulled her way upward with shadowy limbs. It wasn't easy, but she had to get back. Steam and water spray exploded outward from the precinct's edge as she finally breached the barrier.
Hellerum's violet tinged, fire-filled eyes swept across the gray water-scape as she rose up into the calm realm of death's entrance.
There was nothing out of the ordinary in sight.
Hellerum sped across the surface of the precinct fast enough to hurl up a spine of water behind herself. The search she began lasted hours, days maybe, but that which she sought was nowhere to be found. Not only that, but it hadn't passed her downriver on the current, either. The strange little horse that had promised her freedom merely by showing up, was gone.
"Where is it, WHERE IS IT!?" Hellerum's own thoughts screamed at her as loudly as her voice. In her fury, she devolved into a raging fit; shadowed limbs clawed angrily at her own body in the mindless fury. The splashing sent the surrounding water and spray high up into the otherwise still air.
Eventually, Hellerum ceased her thrashing, the churned waters around her calmed slowly back to their normal ebb and flow. A strange noise caught her attention; she had begun to chuckle. On top of that, she had even started panting from the exertion. Breathing wasn't possible for her, but the rage that she flew into had actually caused her to emulate life; her old life as a human, to be precise. I'm really losing it. After all these centuries, I'm finally spent.
The great form of Hellerum sat down tiredly into the water's dark. She stayed there for a long time, in deep contemplation. Maybe it's time that I give up. Her head swung to face the distant crash of a waterfall, that which led on to the second precinct, and after that the third, then the fourth... all the way to the final place of rest, the gateway to the beyond: the ninth precinct. The others will want my head for that stunt I pulled. A grimace would have made its way onto her face, if it could, or if she had a face to begin with...
On Hellerum's back, the warmth of life unmistakably offered its consoling embrace to her. I think if I could, I would cry right now... A cruel grin formed on the mass of shadow that made up her 'head' as she thought the words. Jagged, black wrought teeth snapped into existence in her new maw. At least my body seems to have healed... from whatever that force had been. She thought tiredly, clueless as to what that unicorn had done to her. A unicorn... The name of the creature returned to her, newly risen after being buried beneath centuries upon centuries of dust in her mind.
Conflicting emotions ranging from sorrow to hatred plagued Hellerum, but being so close to life's border made one thing a little more clear to her. I'm not giving up, not just yet. And that one thing was that she never quit.
Rarity stared up at the ceiling of the bedroom that she had been given. It was usually used by visiting parents of the children and apparently they would stay at the college on occasion. At first, Ms. Greenwood had oddly expected that she would want to remain outside and had said as much, only offering her a place to sleep in... the kitchens of all things. Luckily for her, Sabriel had come to her rescue and demanded she be given a bed, to which she had promptly agreed would be most welcome.
Now, Rarity lay under the cool sheets of a foreign sleeping arrangement, easily three times the size she needed. This made it a perfect fit. It was just about the size of her canopy bed back in Ponyville; more than suitable, she had decided, if a little bit high off the ground.
The comfortable mattress and bedding did little to ease her nerves though, even with the hot shower she had taken earlier on the side. In fact, even Ms. Greenwood professing to explain things to Mrs. Umbrade and support Rarity's claims had only been a small relief. After all, none of that changed the fact that she was still staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.
"What have you landed yourself into this time, Ms. Rarity." Rarity's hooves hugged the covers closer as she let out a weary sigh. "At least, I suppose, I have a plan now. Not to mention someplace to stay and a roof over my head." Her face scrunched up as she also recalled what she didn't have: her friends, or a way home. "I'm still no closer to an explanation of how or why this even happened than when I got here..." The best guess she had come up with was that perhaps it had something to do more with the human's world and their strange magic, rather than Equestria or something therein. If only Twilight were here, she'd have some brilliant explanation from some obscure reference or book to puzzle this all out.
Rarity rolled over trying to get more comfortable and began to stare at the plain wall, instead of the plain ceiling. The dull, white plaster surface stared back at her, complete with a rough quality and bare wooden boards. Not even a hint of floral print wallpaper had been spotted by her since she had come into the castle-like school. Human architecture is so drab and boring. Do they really not mind looking at such utilitarian design all of the time?
Rarity began to turn over ideas of how she could... maybe just spruce the place up a bit. Certainly they wouldn't mind. This is a school for girls and fillies, after all. How any of these mares can stand the plainness surrounding them is... Her thoughts paused as her mouth opened wide and let out a resounding yawn. Beyond... me...
Sleep came finally, putting an end to her stressful, and second day away from Equestria.
Rarity lay placidly on a well cushioned piece of furniture with a wonderful red velvet material. She wasn't really sure how she had come to be on it so suddenly, and began to take in her new surroundings with curiosity. "Wasn't I just in bed? How odd—" Her voice caught in her throat. Sweeping the room, her eyes had laid upon a very familiar, unmistakable, and instantly recognizable under any circumstance pony of the highest esteem.
"Princess Luna!?" Rarity's voice became an undignified croak as she declared the name to the vast chamber around her. As quickly as her hooves would take her, she deposited herself onto the floor and bowed deeply to the princess.
Luna's eyes widened at the speed with which Rarity had moved. She had only just popped into Rarity's dream, and wasn't expecting such a sudden reception. "Er, rise, Miss Rarity, there is no need for that. I am just beyond thankful to ha—"
"Oh, Princess, is it really you!? This is an emergency! You see, somehow I've been taken away from Equestria. I don't know where in the world I am, in fact, I don't even think this is our world at all! Why, it's just been dreadful. First, I'm fairly certain I drowned while enjoying a wonderful sunny afternoon with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash although they were doing a good job of ruining it, and then I awoke in a cave of all places! I'm not certain what happened next? I was just all of a sudden in a horrible, dank, dusty cellar of all places! It got in my hair, my coat, everywhere! It gets worse though—"
Princess Luna stood and listened patiently while Rarity regaled her with her story. She was at first merely surprised, as she always was, by the fervor of the prim and proper unicorn. The occasional rumor from time to time around Canterlot always spoke to the contrary and praised her refined demeanor.
Luna was about to interrupt Rarity, as she had done so with her and apparently hadn't noticed, but she was getting filled in about the other pony's current situation, which was enough.
"—and then the human poked her head out of the shower and she fainted! I was only just able to catch her. Luna— I mean, princess? Is everything alright, my word, you're crying." Rarity stared up in disbelief at the royalty before her smiling with the saddest happy expression she had seen in some time.
The other mare's eyes widened for a second, before she shook her head and blinked away the mistiness that had been creeping into her gaze. "Oh," Luna sniffed and admirably returned to being her regal self in only a moment. "I apologize for that. Please, continue with thy story, Rarity. You were speaking of an apple pie, I believe, and a school of some sort?"
Rarity gave the princess a consoling look, then frowned. "Princess, forgive me. I do apologize for getting carried away like that. I'm not sure what came over me, as I'm just ever so happy to see you." She paused to let the reality of finding help sink in, then pressed on, repeating herself. "It really is just such a relief to see you, and a surprise as well. I truly thought I was alone, as I said. By the way, how is it you are speaking to me in my dreams?"
Princess Luna smiled wanly and began to consider how to talk of the state of things. "Miss Rarity—"
"Oh please, princess, just Rarity is more than adequate." Rarity beamed with a wide grin up at the other pony.
Luna blinked, then smiled more genuinely and proceeded. "Rarity, I am just thankful to find you are well, and safe. Now then, speaking to you in your dreams is a part of my special talent, to put it simply. I have always been quite adept with certain magic that even after a thousand years my sister cannot perform quite so well. But never mind that, my little pony. You are safe, aren't you? Wherever it is you have found yourself?" She leaned down a little worriedly to Rarity. At the other pony's silent nod, she went on. "Good, I am most thankful for that. Now, how aware are you of what has transpired?"
"I—" Rarity began with a stutter, picking up on the severe turn the conversation was taking. "Uhm, I don't know, Princess. As I said, the last I remember before ending up... here, was being at the little pond in Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie ruining my favorite chapeau! That was a nice hat by the way, lovely silk—"
The Princess held a hoof up off the ground just a little, and the grimness in her face quieted the other mare. The silence hung for a moment before she spoke. "Rarity..." she began, "You're the first of your friends that are missing that I have confirmed are... alive. Yourself, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie have all gone missing. It's been five days since we began to search. I should have been able to find any of them if they were but asleep, however I have not been able to."
Rarity's hooves came up to her muzzle to stifle the horrified squeak that tried to escape. Despite her urge to ask questions, her voice wouldn't listen. Her frozen mind managed to get the exclamations out. Alive!? What do you mean? What happened to Twilight and Fluttershy? They weren't even...
"I suspect now, after hearing your tale, it may have something to do with you only being aware of two days having passed..." Princess Luna's shoulders sunk as she pressed on, the weariness in her very apparent now to Rarity. "The same fate almost befell Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but thanks to the pegasus' efforts, they were able to save themselves." She looked up and met Rarity's shocked gaze before continuing. "We don't know what is going on, Rarity, and anything you can tell us will help. I... hope that you have something more than pies to share."
It took Rarity a moment to understand and form a response to what was asked of her. "Ah, I— princess, I really can't say, I don't... I haven't seen anything since ending up here other than these humans I mentioned. They are odd, but seem very friendly, at least. They have taken me in for now and I have even already managed to gain help from an accomplished practitioner of their magic. He professes to not know anything about what may help me, such as a way back home, but he promises to look into it."
The end to the last of the worthwhile information Rarity had to share echoed slightly in the vast, Canterlot styled chamber.
"I see," Luna began slowly. "That is good to hear at least. Unfortunately, this means we have absolutely nothing to go off of." The princess sighed and sat down on a cushion which appeared behind her out of thin air. Rarity raised an eyebrow at that and began to stare in disbelief. "We have ruled out Chrysalis, as well as Discord. Both are still banished, under watch and imprisoned in the garden respectfully. Tartarus has not seen a breach, either, according to Cerberus." She paused long enough to let out a sigh and meet Rarity's eyes again, at least, she would have been had Rarity been looking at her.
Luna's stare followed to where Rarity was looking, which appeared to be her rump... and blushed. "Uhm, Rarity, is everything alright?"
Rarity jumped at suddenly being addressed, and realized she had been staring most indignantly, and purely by coincidence at the princess'... hindquarters. "Yes, everything's alright." She said mechanically, then coughed and made to redeem herself by explaining her rudeness. "I apologize princess, I didn't mean to— I was just wondering, how did you do that? The thing with the cushion?"
Luna's eyes widened a bit from the unexpected change of subject, then looked back at the deep purple pillow she was now seated upon. "Oh, this is a dream, Rarity. Almost whatever you can imagine and hold in your mind's eye is possible here. There are limits, though, and it isn't easy for the untrained—"
The brightened face and squee that immediately came from Rarity again caught the princess off guard, interrupting her in the exact same way as Rarity had done before.
She certainly seems to have a knack for causing distractions, Luna thought levelly. Before her a mirror, and she supposed unsurprisingly, a gown of ludicrous proportions appeared around Rarity. The other pony was now enshrouded in the most luxurious examples of clothing design the princess had ever seen.
"Impressive," Luna said.
"Oh my word," Rarity exclaimed, turning this way and that in front of the full body reflective surface. "If only it were this easy while awake! Why I—"
"Rarity," The stand mirror and dress disappeared with hardly a poof. Luna continued while the other mare turned to face her, grinning sheepishly. "Please, time is a strange thing here, and it is important that I begin looking for your friends again as soon as possible. We... don't know what may have befallen them."
Rarity's face became ashamed. "Oh no, Princess, I am sorry. You— You don't think anything bad has happened to them, do you!? I mean, I'm safe, so surely wherever they are is... What was it that happened to them? Do you know? Did they almost drown, as I did?" Her face became confused when the Princess shook her head resolutely.
"Such is not the case, my little pony. At least, not for Fluttershy and Twilight. They disappeared under different circumstances, as Applejack and Rainbow Dash almost did. Pinkie Pie, however... I almost neglected to tell you, forgive me. She swam after you, Rarity, as did the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash." The Princess of the Night's face was as hard as stone while she retold the events she had become privy to. She couldn't manage a heartfelt or warm expression at the moment, she was too tired.
In fact, Luna felt as if she may begin to tear up again while looking at Rarity. She looked down consolingly at her lost subject. "We drained the pond after Rainbow went for help. Neither you, nor Pinkie were at the shallow bottom. It baffled us, and after we learned similar fates had befallen Fluttershy and Twilight, we became certain that something most foul was afoot. Twilight was testing a new potion, and instead of arriving at Canterlot as planned, she merely disappeared altogether. I have not been able to find her. Fluttershy was last seen by her animals, going into a patch of nearby forest, I have not found her yet either. We do not know how any of you were taken from us."
Luna took in a deep breath, exhaling carefully, so as not to break her stride. "Given what you have already told me, it is a safe conclusion I fear, that you are not in Equestria, or our world any longer. Both Celestia and I have traveled the length and breadth of our entire domain, but never have we encountered, nor heard of a race of creatures called 'humans'." She said the name of the strange race with finality, as if concluding a story. The name certainly did baffle her, and sounded strange beside as well.
Rarity listened in quiet shock as she took in what had happened to her friends. "What do we do then, princess? I—, you can get me home, right? Now that you've found me? Then you can do the same for my friends once you find them, of course?" She looked up with hopeful eyes at the princess. When the other mare's expression widened a little, then wilted, Rarity felt her own heart sink. "But... surely Celestia or you can..." Her voice trailed off and a hoof found its way to covering up her muzzle, unable to continue asking about what was already clear to her.
"I am sorry, as I fear it is not so easy. We have never heard of, or thought it possible there could be places other than our home in existence. Rest assured, Celestia is working tirelessly to research and find a way to get you all back." Princess Luna rose and came to stand before Rarity. "We will get you back, Rarity. All of you..."
Rarity's face scrunched as she fought back tears of her own, but looked up hopefully at the Princess' strong words. "What should I do then, Princess?"
Princess Luna tilted her head slightly and spoke with a considering tone. "You mentioned that there are those that could help you in the world you've found; stay with them, and remain safe above all else, my little pony. We don't know what may be out there, but if it lies outside of Equestria, it is safe to assume that things may be very, very different. Harmony may not extend out to these other, outside lands."
"I... see..." Rarity nodded solemnly.
Another silence stretched in the chamber. The two ponies sat in the quiet, lost in thoughts both mundane and wide in scope. Princess Luna changed the scenery at one point, to clouds, which always calmed her. Rarity had gasped at the change, then adopted a look of interest and began toying with the white fluff that now surrounded them.
As the Princess had hoped, it had eased things. While explanations were already had in full, she also expanded on what she had mentioned earlier, that dreams worked funnily with time. The two ponies spoke for a little longer, until Luna gave her final good byes for the night, and said lastly that she would be able to find Rarity so long as she were asleep.
"I... confess, Rarity, I had been losing hope that I could reach you, wherever you had been taken. Now that it is clear this is not the case, I can return to my search without abandon. I will find them in the dream." Princess Luna smiled broadly, hoping to instill confidence in her subject.
Rarity returned a hopeful look and a smile of her own. "Good luck, Princess, and thank you so much. It feels so good to know that I am not alone."
Luna nodded, and her horn began to glow.
"Oh, Princess, wait!" Rarity held up a hoof and trotted from her couch of clouds over to the other mare.
Luna paused in her going. "Is something else the matter?"
"Please, when you find them, my friends, tell them I said hello, and I can't wait to see them all again." Rarity could feel the sadness in her eyes, but she smiled as big as she could.
Princess Luna nodded, straightening her back in a show of confidence. "I will, Rarity. Rest now, as you may very well need it. I will be in touch."
The world hadn't shimmered, or slowly faded as Rarity had been expecting it might. She was instead suddenly waking up. The feel of the bed and covers around her was unmistakable. Leaning up in the dark of the room, she channeled a light spell out of simple desire and bathed her accommodations in her magic's pale blue light. Everything looked as it had when she had last seen it in the candle light. She sighed, looking around at the foreign surroundings that were as far from her bedroom in the Carousel Boutique as they could get.
"Keep it together, Rarity. You're safe here, after all." Rarity breathed breathed out a sigh in an attempt to to achieve some sense of peace. Before long, the morning sun began to creep through the window.
Rarity got out of bed, only to have a sudden thought, something that both she and Princess Luna had overlooked discussing further. "Pinkie Pie, she followed me." Her eyes widened at the realization.