//------------------------------//
// Flower's 
// Story: Flower's 
// by TheRussianBrony 
//------------------------------//


“Flower's”


By TheRussianBrony Fraternity


The furze colored pegasus cautiously entered town, wary of his action. The navy blue mane on his head and neck was no longer in its bristling glory, but hung weakly. The graveyard was on the outskirts of town, and he was completely powerless against his throbbing need to visit her one more time before the end. It was early morning and his nostrils celebrated the refreshing smell of grassy dew. The sun lingered in the unseen, teasing the horizon with its brilliant rays.
The ornamental pig-iron bars of the enclosure were in his vision now. The graveyard's fence was atop the delicate hill, giving it the sense of an innocent pony convicted of a crime they did not commit. Flash Sentry cast away his irrelevant wandering thoughts and focused on his goal. A few more seconds, and he was at the black gates. He nervously placed his hoof on the pointy end of the bars. Slowly, the fence allowed him inside. Not knowing exactly where she was buried, he began wandering the hoofball field sized plot of land. The azure irises dragged his attention from one cold stone to the next.
Finally, the sun breached the horizon and sent the mighty light upon the land, lighting up the gloomy hill. The suddenness of this broke the concentration of the pegasus enough for him to catch a glance at the middle piece of the graveyard. A great white obelisk perched atop a block of corinthian styled marble. He sighed in defeat. His hooves carried him to the monument, but his mind screamed for him to flee. Eventually, he came to where the green met the white. His head looked up a little, and he noticed that he was on the East side of the structure. All alicorn gravestones pointed to the West.
There was a golden plaque riveted into the polished stone.

Here lies Twilight Sparkle. The only known unicorn to become enlightened and transform into an alicorn. She dies as a protector of the land we all do not appreciate. She dies as a loyal pony. She dies as an honest pony. She dies as a generous pony. She dies as an optimistic pony. She dies as a kind pony. She dies as a friend to all.

Flash Sentry's eye twitches and tears up. This is all too much for the dejected pegasus. Four long years of anguish crash down on him all at once. His hooves buckle underneath him and he is lying on the ground, swallowing his pain. The weather outside contradicts everything he feels, and the happy sunlight mocks him, laughing at his misery.
It takes him a few minutes to pull himself together and reach into his saddlebags. A Black Rose. Holding it in his muzzle he contemplates his decision. Decisively he places the rose on the cylindrical offering stand. It is solitary in its presence. He turns to leave, but hears the beating of wings, then a rapping from somewhere above. Curious, he looks back to the monument, and then follows the obelisk up to the great black bird, perched atop the gravestone. The white clouds and marble contrast the Raven. Glaring at Flash Sentry, the Raven caws at him with malicious despise. Flash Sentry cast away the omen, and returned to his withdrawal from the encumbering hill. Nothing more, than a hallucination, I presume. He feels it in his flesh; it is time to leave this place.
The Raven watches him leave. Once his hooves fall on the outside of the prison, the bird launches itself on to the stand and grabs the Rose by the stem. Taking no time, the Raven shoots up and disappears into the empty sky.


***

In preparation for the upcoming fall, Rarity had been solemnly working on her new line of autumn scarves. Traditionally the first design was specifically made for her, a white body with royal purple patterns that created the illusion of rain; it matched her pale coat and elegant hair ideally.


*Knock knock knock*


She frowned. Business hours were not for another three hours, and she hadn't been visited by any of her friends for at least a year. The realization seeped into her throat and she felt even more dejected. Casting aside the masterpiece, Rarity slowly trotted over to the door of the Boutique with trepidation that increased exponentially with every step. More bad news?
Her hooves were glued in front of the entrance. Then, like a suicidal pony before the final act, she shot her hoof out to the door knob and swung open the door. The force was unexpected and the heavy wood slipped out of her hoof and slammed against the perpendicular wall. The pony on the other side was startled to say the least.
“I'm dreadfully sorry! It's just that...”
She paused in her sentence when she saw exactly who had knocked on her door. The anticipation of this visit long abandoned, kept her from speaking further. Instead, Rarity politely gasped and mumbled a few indecipherable phrases.
The time stretched on and at long last Rarity's heart slowed.
“Why now? Never mind that, you should come inside.”
She allowed the pegasus inside, lead him to the kitchen, and gave him a seat at the table.
“I'll make us some tea, and we can talk darling.”
Rarity levitated two cups out of the upper cupboard and set them on the table, simultaneously igniting the fire beneath the kettle of tea.
“How are you feeling Darling?” She choked out, trying to simulate a casual tone.
Flash Sentry moved his tortured eyes away from the table, and looked at her lovingly. Rarity whimpered.
“I'm ok,” He evidently lied, “how are you Rarity?”
The tea kettle began to slowly make a silent hiss.
Rarity prodded at the truth, “I've been very busy, business and all. I haven't heard from you in a while, where have you been staying this whole time?”
“I've been in Equestria.” Flash Sentry grimly grinned, self-satisfied at his clever response.
Rarity sighed in defeat. The kettle was now softly rumbling.
“You know that's not what I meant Flash.” 
A small box of tea biscuits floated down from the pantry and onto the table.
“Ok. I've been living in Manehattan, working in a horseshoe shop.” Flash Sentry managed to give an honest response.
Rarity was going to respond, but the tea kettle was now whistling and spitting out drops of boiling water. She extinguished the flame and poured tea into both cups. As she was sitting down, she looked at him, he was shining from the early morning light coming from the window, but was also half hidden in the steam rising from the cup. She bit her lip, fighting for control over her spectrum of emotions.
The two ponies sat wordlessly while the tea cooled. Out of habit or nerves, Rarity opened the package of cookies and munched on one, occasionally sipping her tea. Flash Sentry followed suite.
“Why did you come back Flash?”
The question took the tangerine pegasus by surprise. His aura of dejection transformed into confusion when he responded, “Rarity. I don't even know why I left. I guess I just got tired of hiding myself from reality.”
“I don't believe you Flash. I think I know why you came back.” Rarity said in a fearful, icy tone.
“Rarity, I don't know what you are talking about.” He returned.
The white unicorn exhaled and got up from her chair. She left him in the kitchen while she went to her bedroom. A fantastic Ipomoea plant was waiting in a pot by her bed-stand. She telekinetically removed one of the richly colored flowers and returned to the kitchen. She placed the flower on the table, sat down once more and continued drinking her tea. The rest of the time, no words were spoken.
When both of them finally finished their drinks, Flash Sentry got out of his chair.
“I'm sorry this happened Rarity.” He uttered apologetically.
Rarity wanted to explode in anguished tears, attack him, and kiss him, but she resisted the urge. Instead she yelled at him, “Go! Take the flower and GO! I never want to see you here again!”
The words burned at Flash Sentry's mind, but he knew he deserved the pain. Even giving him this flower was an overly generous notion. He took it in his mouth and walked out of the house.
Rarity had never in her life felt as alone as she did now. As soon as she stopped hearing Flash's hooves trotting, she fell out of her chair onto the floor in a shaking, crying mess.


***


Flash Sentry stamped through the streets of Ponyville, half lost half loathing. One more place. He wanted to visit one more place before he went back to his motel. The Ponyville Library loomed in the distance ominously. It was only an hour and a half before it opened, so he hoped this conversation wouldn't last too long. Before he was even ready to talk, his hoof was on the door of the tree.
A few seconds later, a sleepy, purple, dragon answered, and immediately froze, sobered by who he saw. Flash too was speechless. He wanted to say so many things, but he could not allow himself to. Scanning his mind for a reasonable response, he said the only thing that he felt was appropriate.
“Hey there pal.”
Mentally, he smacked himself for such a shallow greeting.
“Flash Sentry?” The dragon stared in disbelief. “Everypony told me you were dead.”
Flash Sentry recalled Rarity's questions, and his own miserable depression for the past four years. He stifled his weaknesses, and recomposed himself.
“Nope, I just had to leave for some time.”
“Did you find him? Or her? What have you been doing?” The dragon desperately grasped at straws trying to rationalize Flash Sentry's disappearance and sudden reappearance.
“No, I didn't find the one, but I looked. I've been in Manehattan, but the trail died there.” Flash Sentry told the disappointed creature. Spike's eyes were wet, but he did not cry.
“It's ok Flash. It’s not as if it would have changed anything.”
“Regrettably. What have you been doing recently?”
“The only thing I can do. The library has been my home for a long time now, and I do my best to keep it in shape, and to keep her spirit around. The other five have been hit really hard, and I don't think they will ever return to their former glory. I just, you know… I've thought about it for a very long time, and I think we can't just commit suicide over every little bump in the road.”
Flash Sentry nodded, “Even if the bump is the size of a mountain.”
“Yeah. It's been tough, but I feel that time will heal the wounds of my friends, and maybe we can go back to the way it was.” Spike inflected his tone, sounding hopeful. Flash Sentry doubted the words of the young dragon, but did not show it. There was no need for any more sadness.
“Well Spike, I'm glad you are feeling better, I hope what you say is true.” Flash sincerely stated.
“Hey, before you go, I want to give you something.”
Flash saw Spike jog up the stairs to his living space and enter his balcony. Spike returned holding a bright red Poppy flower.
“Here you go man. I know it isn't much, but it was her favorite flower.”
Flash was stuck in a cube of ice. Memories flooded his mind, but just as he was about to fall on his flank, he snapped out, and calmly took the flower in his hoof and positioned it into his saddlebags.
“Thanks Spike, it means a lot to me. I'm going to go now, but you keep it together. The library looks very nice by the way.”
Spike blushed, “Ah, it's nothing.”
With that, the two creatures expressed their goodbyes and Flash Sentry once again, returned to the dusty road.

His stomach growled. I shouldn't have eaten that cookie. He thought to himself. Eating that cookie shocked his stomach after days of starvation, and now he wanted food even more. A café he knew about was just around the corner, and he decided to have a final meal before he would return to his motel.


***


Would you like it if I nailed your hooves to the table sir?
“Excuse me?”
“What would you like for your meal, sir?” The garçon asked again.
“Oh, ok. Well, what do you have?” Flash Sentry responded in a daze.
The server gleefully gave Flash the menu and said, “Along with these choices, you might also want to try our daily special salads. You could go with the exciting, mysterious, 'Esoteric Salad', fresh with the best Acacia, Mint, Columbine, and Tamarisk flowers, topped with Tempered Hemlock. On the other hand, our reliable farm ponies have brought in a fresh shipment of White and Pink Carnations, just what we need for our 'Homely Salad', along with the freshest Forget-me-nots, Chestnut Flowers, and Daisies.”

When he was done, Flash Sentry was lost in thought. What he wanted was not what he needed, he knew that.
“I'll have a bowl of that 'Esoteric' salad please.”
“Very well sir, I'll be just a second.”
Why? Flash contemplated the question in his mind, revolving it around in his mind like a rotisserie pretzel. From across the street Flash looked at Sugarcube Corner. The place seemed dimmer than usual. Like the sun had decided to be greedy with it's beams, or an invisible cloud hung above it. He hoped that everything was still ok for the business couple and Pinkie Pie.
Suddenly, an urge of discomfort engulfed him. He turned away quickly, and jumped up in shock when the server's body flooded his field of view.
“Whoa there, sorry for scaring you sir. Here's your salad.”
“It's ok, thank you.” He responded shakily.
The waiter stood awkwardly for a minute, and walked back into the café to continue working. The salad looked luscious and fresh with a drop of vinaigrette on the top; he bit in eagerly. His body enjoyed the nutrition, as did his tongue.
As he was chewing his salad, he eyed the Tempered Hemlock flower sitting in his bowl: The flower of guilt. He thought to himself and smiled. Another mouthful disappeared into his muzzle. His self-reflective monologue was beginning to annoy him, but he was no longer in control of his thoughts. They were forced into reliving the events that transpired over 4 years ago.
“YOU!”
Flash Sentry almost spit out his salad at the exclamation. Slowly this time, he turned his head to the pink mare hanging in front of his table, seamlessly appearing from the air.
“Pinkie P...”
“You don't get to know me you meany!”
“I just...”
“No! No more lies! Leave now, and never come back!”
“Okay...”
“Leave now, and NEVER COME BACK!” Pinkie screamed in desperation, stamping her hoof onto the table, emphasizing her point. Other ponies in the café were silenced and their attention was pointed at the public display.
Flash Sentry left the half eaten salad leaving some bits on the table, and sulked away, not being pursued by the candy colored mare. He trotted back to his motel room with his head hung low. He remembered playing hide and go seek with Pinkie, so long ago.

The candles illuminated the study where he sat at a sturdy wooden stool. The day had melted away into night and through the window before him, Flash saw the comforting scene of the townsponies cozy in their homes, safe from all despair.
Head buried in his hooves, he contemplated what he should do. Irritated by the moral intricacies of proper substance use, he lifted his head and grabbed the front drawer of the table in front of him. Violently ripping out a bottle of Dandelion vodka he popped the cork and flooded his gut with sweet liquor. The burn was no longer noticeable. He scribbled on a piece of paper the note best suited for what was to happen. When he was done writing it, he cocked his head and looked at the words. If I wasn't insane to this point, I am now insane. The thought haunted him throughout his life he hadn't understood love. Even when he thought he met the mare that he wanted to spend a lifetime with, his taste of love was limited until now.
An uncertain knock on the door sounded from the hall. She had come, as he had anticipated.


***


The sun was swallowed by the horizon. He must be on his way back by now. She thought to herself in a fog of raw, unreleased, emotion. She continued berating herself, telling herself that she should just stay at home, but reluctantly dug out her charcoal cloak and fastened it to her neck.
Her hoof levitating out into the street, not yet making contact, but easing in, closer and closer. She felt the ground. No turning back now.
Rarity carefully navigated to the motel, unsure of what to do, but still focused on her task. The door was in her sight, and she could not stop herself.


*Knock... Knock knock knock*


For a second, she thought she may have dodged a bullet and happened upon an empty or incorrect room, but to her dread, muffled clops started nearing the door by the closed portal. As they neared, a noticeable imbalance could be heard. Rarity sighed at her routed fate. The hooves stopped and seemed to disappear altogether. She quickly reasserted herself. It's the chastisement I deserve, and the amity I need. The door creaked open and her eyes were plunged into the black and blue oblivion of his. Along with his tragic composure, he was shaking and bobbing on his hooves seemingly anticipating an attack.
“Heh, I knew you'd come *urp* beautiful. Come in, don't stand in the night.”
“Flash-”, she choked out, “You poor, poor thing. Look what you've done to yourself.”
Entering the room, Rarity noted the intoxicating smell of her favorite cologne, cringed from the pain, and hung her head. Flash Sentry walked around her frozen form and to the study room, she did not pursue. He came back momentarily, only hooves visible to the crestfallen pony. She looked up at him holding a bottle of Dandelion vodka, hesitated once more, and grabbed the bottle. Swiftly finishing off the rest of the liquid she threw the bottle into a corner, much to the shock of the already drunk pony.  She let him sensually wipe her lips with his tender, orange, hoof. 
They stood unmoving for 8 minutes, counting the clicks of the loud clock in the study. By now, she was dizzy, hot, and feeling impulsive. Flash looked at her left eye, then the right, and then her mouth. His inebriated state prevented him from being too articulate with this motion, but she wasn't exactly sober either. No inhibitions left, she flowed along with her feelings and moved her face deeper into his space. Meeting her halfway, their muzzles collided bluntly. They both recoiled for but a millisecond before they dove into one another's mouths, fighting for control over passion.
Frustration, anguish, loss, and intense lovst poured out of the shaking white mare and into Flash Sentry's very soul. She wanted him to catch a generous amount of her shadows. Perhaps it was selfish of her, but there was nopony else who would understand, and definitely nopony who would be able to put her heart to rest. In fact, she already felt better, but that was probably the alcohol starting to truly take effect. Regardless, Flash absorbed every drop of the penned up pain she gave him. Both ponies fell on the ground in a lover's embrace.

Rarity awoke with a gasp. A dream? A nightmare? She felt around the bed with her hooves, nopony. She felt again, focusing on the bed sheets. Embroidered linen. She was not at home. Flash Sentry was not in bed with her. This greatly perturbed the already anxious mare, the essential reason she came here was in jeopardy. 
Frantically searching the covers for him proved to be fruitless, and so she got up shakily from the bed, still buzzed beyond a reasonable doubt. She galloped around the small chamber, but he was gone. She returned to the bedroom and collapsed on the bed crying like a filly scared of the dark.
The only comfort she found was inside her. A warmth that spread through her and calmed her down long enough to think that the ordeal was finally over.
She still lay on her side, the invisible caress of Flash hugging her close to him like a phantom limb on an amputee. A gruesome comparison for a gruesome circumstance. As unreal as it was, it felt nice to feel her stallion holding her, making her feel like she was protected by the strongest armor, and wearing the most stylish coat in Equestria.
Rarity waggled her hooves into the ghost body and smiled earnest joy before falling asleep again.


***


Flash Sentry opened his eyes to a cloud of purple. He took a strong whiff. Lavender. His limbs tried to move, but they were clamped, vice-like, around another pony… that other pony. The pony he was so feverishly in love with. Her body in his hooves made him feel an unimaginably smooth pleasure. Not quick, but lingering. She whinnied in her sleep cutely. He felt himself breathing at the same rate as her, and he could not help but question his conflicted mind with the thoughts of being with a pony who he had brought more harm to than good, and hated himself for it all the more.
She was worth more than a million Flash Sentrys easily. Even his self-despise was unattractive. Her tail flicked in her dreams and brushed his leg under the covers, sending a pleasant tickle up his spine. He loved her touch so much, but his painful realization burned him like a cigar in the wind.
Slowly and carefully, he removed himself from the bed, making sure to not stir her in this fragile state. Before he walked out of the door, he kissed her forehead and planted the letter on the bedside table, placing his saddlebags on it to hold it down. He resisted the urge to cry. He resisted the urge to plunge his face into her chest and hold her one more time. He resisted the urge to just as carefully slide back into the bed and pretend like everything was going to be ok. He resisted the urge to wake her up and ask her to leave with him, out of Ponyville, out of Equestria. 
No. This is my cycle. I will finish what I started. I cannot avoid my fate forever. I cannot further damage the most precious being in my life, she deserves so much more. So much more than a pony who has already robbed her. His head felt like it was on the verge of an explosion, and the hangover didn't help. Holding himself to his word, he walked out of the motel room, into the nighttime, and quietly shut the door.

In an hour he was on the back of a train going out to Canterlot. He was internally grateful that ponies in these parts could ride the backs of service trains without consequence, unlike in Stalliongrad or Manehattan. The train would take a bit, but it would drop him off exactly where he needed to go. The rolling hills of the countryside calmed him down and sobered him up from the night. While waiting, Flash lit up a pipe and enjoyed some fresh tobacco he bought on his way to Ponyville.
Another few sleepless hours of contemplation later, Flash hopped off of the side of the train and onto the loading bay for the work ponies. They didn't pay any attention to him.
The sky was getting lighter, so he sped up. His destination sat blatantly in front of him, it was Twilight's old Canterlot home. This was the place where they were supposed to be living when they got married. The building was marvelously constructed. The best stonemasons for the best ponies. The building had become a haunted mansion now. Two stories tall, with a smashed upper floor window, it no longer possessed the beauty of his bride to be. Thankfully the door stood fast. Flash shot into a land of fantasy, where he knocked on the door, waited a few seconds, and was greeted by the grin of a small purple alicorn.
After realizing that he had been staring at a closed door for far too long, he took the key and opened up the door. What was I waiting for? He thought puzzled. Ignoring the thought, he walked through the dark greeting hall. The sun was not to rise quite yet, so he had to avoid the occasional fallen book, or piece of rubbish. Canterlot was not known to house squatters or looters, so other than the messy floor, nothing was out of place; time hadn't touched these walls in four years.
He continued his path upstairs to the main library. A mouse scuttled away from the intruder. The omen made him smile. He wouldn't allow his ignorance to hurt anypony else. The familiar hourglass stood broken in two. The smaller top side seemingly huddled next to the larger bottom half. His heart froze, and he couldn't help the tears anymore. The jagged tip of the base hourglass piece still held a few flakes of forgotten blood.
That is where she laid, slain by her own husband, the father of her unborn foal, his own. Flash Sentry turned away sharply. No, he'd have plenty of time for regret soon. The books in the book shelf looked like they could hold most of his weight for the time he needed them. He began stacking them, one atop the other in a tower. He didn't have enough will power for any other way.
When the stack of books rose to two thirds of the room's height, Flash flew to the top, trying to remain balanced on the shaky structure. The tower stopped moving. He took a deep breath, folded his wings in, and jumped off of the books in a belly flop position. In a blink, the sun was reborn; Flash fell onto the broken hourglass segments, and the books started toppling down.
The blunt trauma of the fall was enough to render Flash Sentry unconscious for the priceless scene that he had created, so long ago. His weight was enough to crush the rest of the bottom hourglass piece and thrust the pointy tip of it clean through his back. The sand spilled all over the floor, similar to the blood which was spreading, disease-like across the floor and also being absorbed by the sand. Books, they too were strewn about in chaos, many gaining a crimson tone from the thick puddle.
The mouse watched the events unravel, and as soon as the final page had settled, it turned its back and returned to its hole. A raven cawed in the distance.


***


Rarity awoke from the beaming light shining into her eyes from the window. She felt around for Flash Sentry, and was shocked to find that his loving embrace was nowhere to be found. Then, she remembered her half-drunk attempt to locate him the prior night.
She dug her nose into the bed, weeping and looking for the unmistakable smell that was Flash Sentry, a weak, pungent scent, laced with assorted hardwood trees, nutmeg, and chestnut. The only thing she got was a realization that he had indeed been there last night, and that he had left her again. Feeling betrayed and angry, she bucked the bedside table with all her might.
Something heavy fell off of it and created a blunt noise on the ground. She used her horn to levitate the object. It was Flash Sentry's saddlebags. Had he forgotten them? She curiously looked inside the bags, the irrational side of her psyche using rationalization to whisper lies into her ears. The bags contained two large bags of bits, each bag containing at least 2,000 bits, maybe more. There was nothing more. Why would Flash forget so much wealth on his way out? She tried to understand, but couldn't.
A bird chirped outside, alarming her. When she didn't see any danger, her eyes fell upon a sheet of paper on the table where the saddlebags once lay. She was afraid to read its contents, but there was nothing she hadn't already forced herself to be able to handle that could possibly destroy her anymore. Yet, with each hoofstep, she wanted to grab the letter and burn it until there was nothing but ash.

This is just what she did. Grabbing a box of matches lying next to the bedside candle, she struck a match and nurtured the flame until the match held a beautiful blaze. Slowly, she moved the dancing gleam under the paper and set it ablaze. The fire started to burn the letter.
WHAT AM I DOING?! She screamed at herself in her thoughts, grabbing the paper with her horn, casting it onto the bed and smothering the devil with the blanket. Housekeeping wouldn't be pleased to find the blanket covered in ash, but she saved the letter, most of it.
Eyes still watering, she unfolded the paper and began to read.

Dear beloved Rarity,
Since the day I met you, you have stolen half of my heart. Something that should have never been allowed to progress, progressed. I feel no regret for loving you. However, I can no longer handle the guilt of constantly hurting you with my actions. You completed me by giving me compassion, and sympathy, understanding my dilemma between you and Twilight. Without the proper context, other ponies would think that we were in a lustful relationship. I do not feel that such a description is accurate. You do pose a breathtaking appearance, but I feel, whole, with you likely on your way to this motel right now. It will be up to me to decide the future for the both of us, and I pray to both goddesses that I am strong enough to make the right decision.

The next passage was written sloppily and in blue ink, opposed to the black ink above, Rarity's heart was racing. The letter had received enough flame to destroy a whole segment of the text; she hoped it wasn't anything essential.

As I predicted, you came by to say goodbye. Perhaps I was selfish to want to see you one last time before the end, but I wanted to see what I need to protect. You are beautiful when you sleep you know? I wish I didn't have to do this, but it must be. By the time you read this letter I will be gone. And by this time tomorrow, you'll know what happened to me. *The letter is too badly burned at this point, and the font is illegible* what happened tonight, I think you saw this moment coming. Let's just both hope that nothing happens after I'm gone. I left you all of my money in the saddlebags. Sorry for lying to you about Manehattan. The jobs I did there were illegitimate and criminal, nopony wanted to hire me after the controversy. I worked and starved to try and compensate you even in the most meaningless of ways for the horror I've brought upon you and your friends, you are the only thing that kept me going these four lonely years, and it has taken me that long to find the true remedy for both our sorrows.
I want to keep writing, but I have to catch the train to Canterlot. Did I mention how peaceful you look when you sleep? You make such an adorable snoring noise.

Eternal Love,
Flash Sentry

Rarity had no tears left. She dreaded the next day when she knew what she would learn. She silently forgave him for lying to her, and took comfort in his kind words about their love. She cursed herself for destroying a part of the letter; a piece of crucial information lost about the night before. It didn't help that her memory was gone from the last 8 hours.
“Shit!” She cried out in frustration, anguish from the gravity of everything that had happened. She sat down, and began re-reading the letter. Again. And Again. And Again.

An hour went by, and the clock broke her focus. It was time to go home. There was nothing more she could do; it made her feel powerless and drained. She levitated the saddlebags onto her flank, folded her cloak into them, and walked out of the motel room, pushing the letter into her fur with her magic leaving a dark smudge on her breast.
Once at home, Rarity climbed into her bed, folded the letter, placed it on her bedside table, and shifted back into a restless sleep, dreading the ticking time.


***



Four years prior.


The mouse cautiously crept out of his hole in the wall, smelling around for any dangers. He had been living here for almost a month and encountered no predators, but he could never let his guard down. There was always the chance that something would kill him.
No, all he saw was the same winged unicorn shuffling through the layered blocks put into embedded walls, looking fuller. The mouse saw no purpose in the blocks, but also didn't see any cause for alarm, so he continued his sneaking downstairs to the kitchen area. Where he hoped he could score some vegetables or cheese. The steps had thick moulding nailed into the side, allowing Mr. Mouse to use it as a means of a road to climb up and down the two floors.
When he was halfway down the stairs, he saw an orange coat blaze past him going up. The fear froze him in place. After a few seconds of not dying, the little critter opened his eyes and looked around… nothing. His strangely curious nature fed him more than any food he had ever encountered, and he began to ascend the moulding to the second floor.
Carefully, Mr. Mouse positioned himself behind a massive wooden furnishing holding more of those layered blocks, and watched the scene before him.
The two ponies were giggling, and the orange pegasus seemed to be teasing and taunting the winged unicorn from the air. Yes, she was definitely larger than before. Suddenly, the orange pony grabbed the other's hooves and started to drag her up into the air, still laughing. The purple one was also giggling and trying to help him lift her massive weight. The two seemed to be having a good time. Mr. Mouse was starting to leave when the winged unicorn fainted. They were too high for a safe landing, and she was much too heavy now to keep afloat. The pegasus was in a state of panic, trying with all of his might to stay on his wings and hold the larger one. He tried to avoid crashing into one of the wooden furnishings by flying at an angle. His plan backfired, he lost his grip, and the winged unicorn went flying down, and smashed hard into the magical sand counter in the middle of the room. She wasn't just hurt. She was impaled by the broken half of the warped glass.
Mr. Mouse looked at the grim sight in horror. Such a travesty. That pony seemed like a very nice pony. Now, her lifeblood was being counted by the magical counter, turning the sand inside of it a deep pigment. Yet, she was still alive. She had not been impaled through any vital part. She was breathing. As he continued watching, he realized that he was not the only one. The blue-maned one was also watching, and doing nothing. He sat on the floor, staring at the other pony dying very slowly. What was he doing? The little creature thought. Shouldn't he call another for aid?
The mouse’s stomach grumbled humbly, reminding the mouse of his need to survive. He didn't know why, but the scene above made him very sad. His instinct cleared his mind and made him focus on the kitchen below. While the two are still distracted he'd be able to take a good chunk of whatever was there.

Chunk of cheese in his claws, and a soggy cracker in his tummy, the little guy diligently climbed back up to the second floor. He had almost forgotten what had happened, but was immediately reminded when he saw the river of red running past his home's entrance. Lifeblood, lots of lifeblood. The pony that was impaled was thrashing around on the spike, unable to escape, like a mouse in a trap. She was trying to scream something, but only gurgling could be heard. Her horn had cracked and a piece of it lay on the ground, she must have smashed it during her struggle.
The pegasus just sat there, still watching. But as the Mr. Mouse kept watching, he concluded that the sitting pony wasn't watching. He was waiting. He was waiting for her to die. Such barbaric animals, ponies can be. The mouse thought to himself, flicked his tail, and scurried back into his hole, tracking the lifeblood into his home.


***



Present day.


Rarity woke up again. She didn't want to get up. The air smelled like rain, and she could sense a unpleasant day when one was imminent. She tried to remember the nightmare that was plaguing her. Something regarding a mouse, and a lot of blood. Shivering at the thought, she dragged her blanket closer to her, and bunched up some pillows behind herself to pretend she was still one whole, and not a halved individual. Once more she clenched her eyes and imagined his loving hooves around her.
She was about to go back to sleep, when the door to her room was opened violently. Rarity leapt up in fear and screamed in terror. The pink pony hopped up on the bed and hugged her, trying to comfort her racing heart.
“Pinkie Pie?” She whimpered.
“You went to the bad pony's room two nights ago. I saw.”
Rarity was silent. What could she say to that? After all, Pinkie had a way of knowing about things like that, and even if she didn't, how would she ever live with the guilt of lying to her friend about such a truth? She wasn't strong enough to resist the impulse, so she acted on it.
“He's finally dead you know.”
Rarity began to shake, she had seen this coming, but wasn't ready for the news. The pink pony let her hang onto her like a life vest in the open ocean.
“Pinkie, what else do you know?” The bedraggled unicorn asked nervously, still tightly embracing her friend.
“That you don't remember anything from last night. But I do, I watched, I listened, and I read.”
“What do you mean, you read?” Rarity asked in interest.
Pinkie took out a sheet of paper, “This is the note you decided to burn. I know what you don't remember. And I know that if you are ever in the need for help, that time is now. You won't rest easy until you read the part that you destroyed.”
The pink mare held out the crisp sheet to Rarity who politely took it with her cyan magic and examined it. Her eyes widened. Her dream shot into view again. She understood what had happened. She remembered what he told her. She remembered how he cried into her soft coat. She remembered taking him to bed. And she remembered...
“Pinkie, what happened after he told his story?”
The pink mare was dejected, but not deflated; she looked at the foot of Rarity's superfluous bed and said quietly, “What always happens when two ponies are in love.”
Her deepest suspicions were correct. She had taken advantage of him one last time before the end.
“Rarity, you do know that I'm still here for you? I'm always going to be your friend, no matter how dark things get I won't give up. Neither will the other girls. We'll help you if you let us.”
“I know Pinkie. Thank you for watching over me. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't read the rest of the letter.”
“The girls and I will try to be the best aunties ever.”
“I'm sure you will.” Rarity sighed, “Wait. . . What did you say?”
“The girls and I will try to be the best aunties ever.”
“N-No this is a sick joke, P-Pinkie what are you saying. Don't let it be true!”
“I'm sorry Rarity. But an itchy belly can only mean one thing. You know my sense doesn't play tricks. I Pinkie promise that I'll help you with it. It's not all too different from when Mrs. Cake...” But Pinkie was cut off by a wail of miserable pain. Such a sound could never have come out of a pony in her right mind. The scream was so broken, so demoralizing, that even the walls grew a shade darker. The wail grew louder, and then dropped in volume, falling apart into maniacal laughs and hyperventilating sobs. Pinkie Pie watched the unicorn rolling around on the bed with a look of utter shock. She had seen her overreact in dramatic ways, but this was something much different. It felt heavy on her mind, this was indeed insanity. With nothing left to say, Pinkie grabbed hold of her friend and squeezed her tightly, letting her soak her mane with tears.