//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Tears and Nightmares // Story: A Love Divided // by Wren_Fest //------------------------------// After a long session with Dr. Devotion, I found myself being escorted through the halls back to my room. I saw the paintings on the walls, but didn’t mind them. For once in my visit, I felt at peace. I looked at the flooring, which was a dark color with specks of white. I tried to think of the many things that could possibly help to make it look better, but I couldn’t get the Dr. off my mind. He was just so kind, so caring. When I was with him I felt everything bad disappear. The fire never happened, Sweetie never died. I wasn’t even checked in here, I was just visiting a friend... “Rarity!” Applejack’s voice brought me back to reality. I saw, through blurred vision, her running towards me. Before I could react she pulled me into a tight embrace. “You ok?” I heard her concerned voice, as she wiped away the tears that had formed. “Y-yes darling. Why wouldn’t I be?”The words spilled out of my mouth in a jumbled mess, choked by the tightness in my throat that had formed without my knowing. “You were cryin’.” Applejack said, a trace of worry in her voice. I was? I thought to myself. “Was I?” I said, confused. “Yeah,” Applejack walked next to me and put a caring arm over my shoulder. “Yeah, you were.” “W-well I can assure you, darling, that I’m perfectly fine” I said with a content smile. Applejack gave a quick squeeze and a relieved smile before releasing me. “Well Ah’m glad to hear it,” she said with a slight blush, “Ah better get back to work.” And with that she walked away, off to go do her duties. ______________________________________________________________________________ I walked to my bed to think for a while. I laid myself down, closing my eyes in hopes to clear my mind. I opened my eyes again, only there was fire all around. I stood, panicking as smoke burnt my eyes, adding to the tears that had already begun falling to the ground. The steam burnt the skin beneath my shorts, telling me that this had to be real. If it was, then I could save Sweetie! “Sweetie Belle? Can you hear me?” I called out, hoping for an answer. A horrid scream of agony pierced the air, telling me she was still alive, but in the fire somewhere. That was when a tiny, sorrowful voice spoke behind me. “Rarity, why did you leave us? I thought you loved us…” said the voice. I turned to see my sisters small figure, but instead of the pale skin, green eyes, and her curly lavender and rose hair, I saw a flaming monstrous being that had taken the shape of my sister. It had skin as black as coal, with eyes as expressionless and cold. I saw a tear run down her charred cheek, with only caused me to burst into tears. “Sweetie Belle! I am so sorry, I just don’t know what came over me! I wish I could have saved you… I want you back!” My voice cracked with every word, salty tears running into my mouth as I cried in the most unlady-like way I could have imagined. I awoke to a hand on my shoulder. I looked to see who it was, and was surprised. Applejack was there, trying to comfort me. I hugged her tightly, sobbing onto her shoulder. “There, there,” I heard her comforting voice, “It’s ok.” “No! It’s not!” I cried, pulling her closer, “It was absolutely awful! I was back at the boutique, fire was everywhere! And… and…” I pulled her into a bone-crushing hug and bawled, “I saw her!” “Saw who?” Applejack asked, concern in her voice. “Sweetie Belle.” My voice came out as a mere whisper, barely reaching her ears. Applejack grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me away. She held me in place, staring into my eyes. I saw just how concerned she truly was, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. I put my hand on her cheek and lightly brushed away the tears. She put her hand on my cheek. “Come with me.” “Where to, darling?” I asked, unsure what to think. “We’re gonna go see the doctor.” “The doctor? Whatever for?” “He told me to take you to him if I saw it necessary.” I looked at Applejack, fresh tears streaming down my face. Applejack, the only one here whom I dared called “friend”, was starting to see me as one of those brutes who sat in the corner talking about prophecies and the apocalypse! But… What if I was no better than them? What if I was just a drooling fool, ranting about a family lost and a home burned… “Rarity!” Applejack’s voice snapped me out of my trance. I looked at her and saw that she was crying. The fan slowly rotating in its futile attempt to keep the room cool. Fan? I sat up and felt a sharp pain in my head. I grabbed it and lay back down. “Ah’m sorry Rares…” I heard, Applejack say, hiccuped by tiny sobs. “Whatever for dear?” I asked, feeling more than a little light-headed. She took my hand in her own and showed it to me. It was stained red. Panic immediately set in. “What happened?” I asked fearfully. “W-well… when Ah asked you to go to see the doctor, you closed your eyes and started cryin’. Ah tried to comfort you, but you started thrashin’ around. Heh, didn’t know you were so strong…” I saw a large red mark on Applejack’s cheek. “Oh my goodness, dear… I… I’m so sorry!” I cried out, pulling her into a tight hug. “No, I’m sorry Rares. I panicked, when you started thrashin’ about, I grabbed you and threw ya to the floor. I tried to keep ya pinned but…” She touched the mark on her cheek, “Ah really didn’t know how strong you really were.” She said with a chuckle. “Is that why…” I looked at my hand, realizing what stained it red. Applejack gave me a small nod and looked away, tears streaming down her face. “Ah… ah didn’t mean to. Ah’m so sorry…” I hugged her tighter. “I… I think I should go see the doctor.” I said finally.