“What have I done?”
Those would become the final words of Rarity the unicorn as she succumbed to the darkness that seemed to envelop her body the smoke began to compress and constrict her. She tried desperately to scream, but the smog silenced her as it pumped into her mouth muting her and finally knocking her consciousness.
Just as Rarity's blue eyes rolled back and her trembling body fell to the ground, the last thing she heard was that same teasing chuckle. Deep within Rarity's mind Nightmare settled into the mare's consciousness, as she felt her host weaken and finally blackout Nightmare grinned in victory.
Sometime later, but not by much as the moon was still very visible in the night sky, the unicorn finally began to stir; the first thing that came to Rarity’s mind was a deep billowing cloud of shadows and the guilty feeling that she had done something...rash. Amidst her carrying bag, and the jars of anti-aging cream that she had apparently dropped the unicorn groaned to herself as she was immediately overcome with an ache all over her body. “Urghh.” Blinking her eyes as she uncomfortable lifted her head from the ground, Rarity felt like she had let her apple loving friend give her a full force bucking right in her everything.
“Ohh, my...what happened?” Rarity might have been able to better survey the damage she must have taken if not for her long violet mane nearly blocking out the entirety of her view. With an annoyed huff Rarity blew the hair out of her face and tried to stand, the key word being "tried." As the unicorn drew her legs back to her and tried to put the ground steadily under her hooves, she couldn’t help but feel like something was off. Her limbs felt awkward; slow to react and oddly enough unwieldy. “Oh dear did Pinkie Pie slip me that ‘special party brew’ again?”
Finally, after enough effort Rarity was finally able to stand back to her full height, albeit at the speed and grace of one Berry Punch after the sun went down and the bars opened up. As she swayed drunkenly in place Rarity couldn’t help but notice that the ground seemed further away from her.
Of course, her confusion didn’t last very long as she took notice of one major detail: her hooves. They were no longer alabaster white, but rather a dark, nearly black, purple color.
“That’s…different.” Not able to stop herself Rarity’s eyes slowly followed her legs up toward her body, words failing her as galaxy purple fur now took the place where he once marshmallow white had been. As her eyes passed, her knees and it dawned on Rarity that last time she had checked…she hadn’t been this tall. Then she noticed her mane.
“My mane! It's...it's…”Rarity’s eyes widened a bit as she noticed how weightless her hair felt, how elegantly it flowed in the wind, and how within it’s majestic curls she could see the deep expanses of dark magenta dotted with countless little sparkles that reminded her of a beautiful night’s sky. The only thing that reminded Rarity of her old body was the single alabaster stripe that went down her mane, and even down her equally fascinating tail. “... It’s so beautiful!”
It was at that moment that all it suddenly came back to the unicorn: sneaking out to fetch more cream, running into "her", making that deal and the darkness. A moment of panic swept through Rarity as she suddenly expected Nightmare Moon to come shrieking out of the shadows coming to take what was hers. However, no vengeful specter came, only the quiet sounds of the wind rustling the leaves of the Everfree trees and Rarity’s own anxious exhales as she stood frozen stiff in fright.
She might have stayed in place until the sun finally peeked up from the horizon if not for her mane suddenly shifting with the wind and blowing gently across her face, filling her view with nothing by silky soft hair, darkness and the little twinkles of stars. Somehow looking into the expanses of her own mane calmed Rarity’s thoughts, and after a moment, a smile grew across her covered face. The unicorn thought about how she now possessed such a beautiful mane, her body was new...young and Spike…”Wait till Spikey-Wikey gets a load of me now!”
Rarity immediately bounced happily in place as she imagined the look of surprise she was sure to get from her husband the moment she saw him. He would now be her's forever. Letting out a small giggle Rarity was immediately on her way home doing a hurried trot as she continued to marvel at her new found body.
Though at first Rarity’s hoofsteps were clumsy and unsure Rarity quickly got the hang of it, and wanting to push her new body further she sped up to a full gallop down the dirt path. She felt amazing; she had never been this fast before or had ever felt so powerful.
As neared the end of the tree line that separated her from the outskirts of Ponyville, Rarity feeling absolutely ecstatic allowed herself to laugh out loud with only something sounding slightly off about it. So caught up in the rapture of escaping the thing she had dreaded so much, the unicorn was unaware that instead of her usual graceful and slightly posh laughter the night for a few seconds was filled with the sinister cackle normally made by the late Nightmare Moon.
As she sped past the last of the Everfree trees, Rarity slowed herself down to casual walk, enjoying how quietly her hoofsteps were as well as not feeling the tiniest bit worn out from her run. “Silent as one of those, oh bother what did Sweetie Bell call them? Oh, yes! Ninjas!” Happily talking to herself for a few minutes Rarity was glad that she was the only pony walking the streets at this time. “Now, that I think about of it, I’d looked absolutely chic in something black...maybe with blue sapphires to compliment my...oh hello there.”
While she had been busy imagining herself as a beautiful kunoichi of the night Rarity’s path toward home had brought her just outside the now closed Sugar Cube Corner and when the mare turned her head, she was greeted by her own reflection. Like the rest of her body Rarity’s face was covered in a near black shade of purple fur, her horn had grown longer possibly rivaling Celestia’s and of course that mane of hers continued to softly blow majestically. However, what had really caught the unicorn’s attention were her own eyes. They were piercing; a sharp blue that complimented her body strikingly; and most interesting her pupils had slitted not unlike her own husbands emerald green eyes. “Oh Spikey...you have no idea what's coming for you tonight.”
It was amazing just how amazing Rarity felt as she struck pouty expressions, followed by sultry winks, and ending with risque yet dignified poses to her reflection. This was what she had missed oh so much, the physical feeling of being able to do what she wanted and looked great while she did it. As she gave her reflection, one more final look over Rarity was once again struck with glee. Her body, which was already young and fit, looked good. No, scratch that, damn good. The longer legs gave her the elegant physical presence that she had envied when she had met the unicorn: Fluer, and she couldn't help but notice that she had ended up with a very eye-catching ‘end’ as well. “Live forever and look absolutely amazing the entire time. BEST DEAL EVER!”
Having adored herself enough for the time being, Rarity continued on her way, and before long she could see her sought out destination. “Momma’s home.”
With that she approached the dress studio and shop she called home. However things weren’t as she left them as a single light appeared on the ground floor signalling to her that someone or rather some dragon was in the kitchen. “This may be rather…awkward.” Despite the level of euphoria that she had been riding all the way home Rarity couldn’t help, but feel an understandable level of dread as she stared at the closed door to her own home. She had never revealed to Spike that she had been sneaking out every now and then to fetch the cream that had kept her looking young, and her slight personal vanity at bay. That was bad enough, but explaining her new body might require some...tact.
For a few minutes Rarity shuffled in place nervously as she weighed numerous scenarios in her head, and tried to take a guess at how her husband would react to everything that had transpired. He’d be concerned that she was venturing alone into the Everfree forest at night in pursuit of something that he had never believed to be a big deal. He’d probably be upset that Rarity had ran into the very specter that caused the two of them and their friends so much trouble years ago.
“Spikey may be a tad miffed from it all but once he gets a good look at me, and I tell him that I’ll be with him forever…” Securing herself that her motives were in the right, and that Spike would understand in the end Rarity took a large inhale, and marched toward the door to her house. It had been a long night, and she deeply wanted to see her husband.
Within the boutique Spike sighed to himself tiredly as he tried to conjure up an agreeable reason to why when he had woken up to get himself a glass of water that he found his home devoid of a certain white furred, purple maned mare. Understandably, he nearly turned the house inside out in his search for his wife. After a moment's pause, though the drake rationalized that Rarity couldn't have been abducted without him sensing something, which led to the only option that he could comprehend. Rarity had left of her own volition...the real question was why. Before the concerned dragon could delve any deeper into his thoughts, the sound of the front door opening caused Spike to whip his head toward it fast enough to make himself dizzy.
As Spike’s eyes refocused, he could just barely make out the form of a pony in his doorway. His distorted vision caused the pony to look nearly as tall as Celestia, and whoever it was certainly had a large mane. That’s when a familiar voice called out to Spike mere seconds before his eyesight was fully restored. “Up a bit late, dear.”
“Rarity is that you?” Still believing his emerald peepers to be on the fritz Spike rubbed his eyes for a moment then looked again to get a better look. “...R-rarity?” As much as the drake tried to convince himself, otherwise the oddly familiar mare in front of him had definitely spoken with his wife’s voice and with a hint of shame Spike couldn’t help but let his eyes roam over that beautiful form that now smiled genuinely at him in return.
“Yes, Spike-wikey.” Though part of her was less than happy about the hint of suspicion that was still present in husband’s gaze, the other part of Rarity wanted to playfully flirt with the drake that she noticed had looked her over. “I-I know that perhaps I have some explaining to do, but believe me when I say that it’s none other than me...Rarity.”
“Rarity, why do you look like…!?” Spike’s words died in his throat as memories from long ago of the very same mare that stood in his doorway suddenly flashed in his mind. Nightmare moon had nearly decimated Ponyville, destroyed the elements of harmony and had almost stolen Rarity from him forever. “NIGHTMARE!” Leaping up from his spot on the couch Spike narrowed his green eyes at the startled unicorn in front of him. “Get the hell outta my wife this instant!”
“Spike! Please hear me out!” Seeing the emerald flames that were threatening to escape from the glaring drake’s mouth, Rarity nearly leaped out of ‘her’ skin as she hurriedly tried to calm her husband down. “I’ll admit that this is probably odd, but just allow me to explain this predicament.”
“...How do I know that you’re not lying to me?” Though Spike relaxed slightly, the dragon crossed his arms in agitation as he continued to leer at what could be the very same villain who had nearly blacked out the sun for all of eternity. “Maybe somehow you managed to posses my beautiful Rarity again and now you’re just waiting for me to let my guard down.”
“...Spike.” Rarity could feel herself crumpling inwardly as the suspicion and anger that dwelled in Spike’s eyes burned into her, as well as inflate the guilt that she had been feeling the moment she spotted her home. This was the scenario that Rarity knew she’d risk finding herself in every night that she snuck out without telling her husband. It was almost ironic how despite Nightmare’s deal now gifting her with a perfect body, she’d still have to face the possibility of tainting her marriage with deceit. “Is there anything I can do to prove that it’s me?”
“What’s my favorite kind of gem?”
“W-what?”
Scratching a claw against his right arm in anxiety Spike sighed to himself as he watched Nightmarity’s face turned from sad to confused. “If you’re really my Rarity then answering a few questions shouldn't be any problem. So once again, what’s my favorite gem to eat?”
“I-it’s rubies! You told me that while amethysts are sweeter, you prefer rubies because they have a cinnamon aftertaste.” Rarity smiled a bit as she saw Spike’s eyes widen slightly at her answer, which had been one of the first things they conversed about during their first date.
“Correct.” Spike scratched his chin for a moment as he pondered what to ask next, the gem question was something that only his wife and his best friend knew the answer to. The drake wanted the pony in front of him to be telling the truth, but he had to be careful. “Maybe a more personal question is in order, one that only my 'wife' would know.” Coughing into his fist to make sure, he had the mare’s attention Spike went on to his next question. “If it’s really you Rarity, then tell me, what was the 15th song the band played at our wedding anniversary party last Tuesday?”
“Well of course it was...wait.” Rarity brought a hoof to tap her chin as she fixed a confused expression towards Spike. “But...dear we hired that DJ miss Vinyl and it couldn’t have been last Tuesday, because we married on the 31st. Last Tuesday was the 2nd darling.”
To this Spike’s suspicious look nearly cracked into a grin. It had been a trick question and surprisingly the unicorn had answered it correctly...by answering it incorrectly. Spike loved his wife to no end but even he had to admit that his lovely fashion obsessed mare had a few flaws, one of them being the inability to remember dates. The unicorn certainly knew what Rarity did and she did have a few of Rarity’s mannerisms or did she?
Rarity felt her heart skip a beat as she watched Spike visibly relax as well as a small smile that spread across his face. Feeling her heart melt as Spike reached out to her, Rarity took a step forward as she was more than ready to embrace her husband.
“It really is you, isn’t it?” Spike stepped forward to hug the unicorn in front of him before a sheepish look crossed his face and he stopped to scratch his head. “Oh geez this makes things awkward.”
“It’s fine Spike, the new body kind of caught me off guard as well. You were right to be upset with me.” Taking another step closer Rarity was only a few inches away from her scaled beloved.
“No, what I mean is well...I sorta freaked out when I woke up and couldn’t find you.” Seeing the dark-coated unicorn raise an eyebrow at him Spike couldn’t help but shuffle his feet a little. “...I sorta lost it a teeny little bit in the kitchen and well, I torched that gaudy coat that we had lying on the breakfast table.” Though he looked a little guilt ridden, and refused to meet the mare’s gaze Spike was actually weighing everything on the Rarity’s reaction.
“...........” For a long minute not a sound could be heard as Rarity took in a sharp breath, her left eye twitched, and her mane went stock still as if frozen in place. “T-that was..a..one..of a kind...new age...middle eastern cashmere hybrid!” Rarity trembled in barely controlled rage as she fully glared at the Spike (who was inwardly about to burst into happy tears). “AND DID YOU JUST CALL IT GAUDY?!!”
“Wouldn’t call a pile of ash fashionable now would I?” Spike let out a loud laugh as his last words signed his death warrant, and the unicorn in front of him lunged at him while spewing a string of curses. “Haahahahaaa...Ow! Okay, okay, I took it a little far there, okay.” Gently grabbing hold of the unicorn’s hooves while her blue eyes still burned with fury, Spike wore the more sincere smile. “I just. had to be sure that it was you Rares.” In a fluid movement, Spike hoisted the surprised mare into the air, twirling her once before bringing them to fall onto the couch he had been previously sitting on. “You know I wouldn’t harm that coat...even if it’s kinda tacky.”
“Why you cheeky ...” Though she was happy to finally be in her husband's arms the mare knew when enough was enough. Her new horn glowing brightly Rarity levitated a cushion from off the couch and sent it careening into the grinning drake’s face.
*Pomf!* Not expecting such a volatile response (or did he?) Spike spat out a few feathers as the cushion fell from his mug. “Hey!” Quick to reply the drake jumped up to grab at a throw pillow, and well...throw it!
Rarity who had been giggling into one of her hooves was introduced to soft cushiony payback as one of her favorite couch pillows *booped* her right on the muzzle. “It is on!”
For the next hour or so, the Carousel Boutique was filled with the sounds of excited shouts, good-natured quips, and the noises of pillows hitting faces. However, after some time both gladiators finally ran out of steam and collapsed onto what remained of the posh couch. Even while half-asleep Spike reached out to his transformed wife and gently embraced her into his form. Rarity in the meantime giggled tiredly as she noticed that for the first time she was capable of being the ‘top spoon’ as well as hearing Spike’s heartbeat through his chest a steady rhythm that quickly lulled her to sleep.
The next morning Celestia’s sun filtered through the uncurtained window of the dress shop falling upon the interspecies couple sprawled out on the couch.
The warm sunlight caused the drake to stir, allowing him energy like most members of his species. His slitted eyes slowly opened to reveal that there laying on his chest was the recently transformed body of his wife with her extremely long and lush mane and tail draped over him like a blanket made of the finest silk.
As Spike lay there, his mind was still swimming with emotions over the recent series of events. One feeling in particular was guilt, he felt guilty that he had never been this attracted to her in their ten plus years of marriage. Yeah, he knew that she wanted a strong reaction out of him, but she was just so different, so much more exotic and alluring: the eyes, the mane, the tail, the flank, the whole nine yards. Another strong emotion was anger, mostly because she went into this decision without consulting him about it. Yet, that anger was soon replaced by bliss as if he was a chunk of molten steel going into a quenching tank; she did this change partially for him. He knew that someday she would be gone and he would be alone. The last thing he wanted was to think of her going through the pains of old age whilst he himself stayed virile and young.
He loved her and the very fact that she changed her very body for him proved that she felt the same way for him; Rarity's change told him that she wanted to see what was at the end of forever alongside him.
It was with this introspective that caused the dragon to smile and gave him the motivation to get off the couch.
“Rare...” Spike shifted underneath his wife’s enormous mane causing the mare to groan in her sleep. Gently lifting her off of him, he freed himself from her form and made his way to the kitchen, his fourth favorite place in their home next to their bed, their shower and Sweetie Belle’s old room.
Spike was an excellent cook, honing his craft living with a bookworm that couldn’t even make toast. Gathering his supplies from a well-stocked refrigerator, a windowsill herb garden and a pantry, he began to prepare breakfast.
It wasn’t much later that the unicorn back in the living room took notice that something was off, mainly that her draconic cushion was no longer underneath her. Although that mystery was solved rather abruptly when he nose caught the scent of oil, cinnamon, sugar, and her ears caught the whistling of “Don’t worry be Happy.” ♪ ♫
As Rarity trotted towards the kitchen, she felt a tingling sensation at the back of her skull. At first it felt like a small tickle, but as the mare stopped in place to run a hoof through her mane the sensation intensified to an irritating itch. “Oh bother, must’ve hit my head last night at some point.” Frowning a little at the annoyance Rarity was about to resume her trot to the kitchen when suddenly the back of her head felt like it had been raked by one of Opalescence’s sharp claws. “Ow! Owowowowowow what in Celestia’s name is causing this?”
“Have enough scampering about in MY body?” From the dark recesses of Rarity’s mind, a mocking whisper echoed in the unicorn’s skull. Immediately Rarity’s eyes went wide in panic as she felt an icy chill crawl down her spine and she backpedaled away from the kitchen entrance. “I certainly hope that I’m not interrupting something.”
“B-but I thought y-you were...”
“Honestly, darling, did you really believe that this new body didn’t come without any sort of consequences.” Nightmare Moon spoke with a sense of smugness. The specter could feel her willpower dominating that of Rarity’s; wrestling control from every nerve, every limb, and every sense of physical control. For a brief moment, the unicorn’s face was frozen in an expression of fear, pain, and guilt...until her eyes closed and the face softened gently. Deep within the unicorn’s mind what remained of Rarity shuddered with despair as she felt ‘herself’ open her eyes and a malicious grin set upon her features. “Now if you must excuse me I really need to redecorate that drab kitchen of yours with some dragon blood.”
Nightmare allowed a low chuckle to escape past her lips as she reveled in the feeling of once again having a fully physical form. “It's been too long.” The unicorn cooed to herself as she ran her hooves through her mane, fully enjoying the feel of her own body, and the tendrils of her fully recharged power that began to emit from her form. It was good to be back, good to have once again taken an accursed element of harmony hostage to keep her safe from the others' wrath...and it would feel good to expunge her host’s beloved dragon from the world with her own body.
“Rarity, are you gonna lay on the couch all day or am I going to get some company in here?” The dragon’s voice rang out from the kitchen causing Nightmare to giggle to herself at the timing.
“On my wa-y spikey-wikey.” Not wanting to hold off for another second Nightmare prowled toward the kitchen. Her hoofsteps were almost silent; the tendrils of her power akin to snakes, as they seemed more than eager to tear into the drake. As she poked her head into the kitchen entrance Nightmare had to repress a snicker as she could feel Rarity struggle in vain to take back control of her body.
“No! Please whatever you do leave him alone!” All around her consciousness Rarity could feel the cold darkness that was Nightmare’s presence smother close as if to snuff the fashionista’s existence entirely. Feeling as if she was choking from Nightmare’s power Rarity desperately tried to focus on the image of her husband’s smiling face as she attempted to warn him. “Spike! Run away! It’s not me! Please Spike run!”
“Oh no, no, no little Rarity, there won’t be any escape, not now, not ever.” Rarity’s pleas for Nightmare to spare her precious beloved only enticed Nightmare’s actions as she crept into the kitchen and quietly advanced on the drake whose back was turned to her. “I’m going to enjoy every second of this.”
Unaware of the silently approaching doom behind him Spike was just on the verge of finishing a delicious breakfast for his sleepy-headed wife. However, his mind made its way back to the subject of Rarity’s decision and rightly, so he was still worried that making such a deal would have some dramatic backlash, but considering how good it felt to wake up under her after sleeping lovingly within each other’s grasp quelled some of those thoughts. “Maybe I was just being overly concerned.”
Inches away Nightmare loomed up behind the dragon who happily continued whistling to himself whilst his claws set to work, and his ears twitched slightly. So caught up in the glee of inflicting pain Nightmare hadn’t even decided on how she was going to end the hapless drake. “Maybe I’ll just tear him to pieces, or blast him with a beam powerful enough to scatter his ashes to every corner of Equestria.”
For a moment, Spike shuddered in place as his sensitive ears picked up the sound of something sneaking up on him. It didn’t take much pondering for him to deduce the culprit that planned to catch him unaware, and having the element of surprise he decided to turn the tables.
“Time to die dragon.” Nightmare muttered just as she was about to pounce upon the scaled dope, Spike suddenly turned around with a wide smile.
“Breakfast is almost ready hon.”
Before Nightmare could react the drake closed the gap between them and placed a loving kiss on her muzzle, before chuckling to himself and sidestepping the shocked in place mare. Slitted eyes opened wider than ever before, and a clashing shade of crimson spreading across her dark fur. Nightmare had certainly been caught off guard. “W-w-what just happened?”
From her confines within her own head Rarity felt a surge of white hot anger swell up through her as she watched *her* Spike kiss this…*impersonator*. “That’s *my* *husband*!”
As Nightmare continued to stand frozen in place while her mind slowly, and weakly come to the realization that her first actual kiss had just taken place mere seconds ago, a disturbingly familiar voice began to roar in the back of her head. “Rarity?!”
“Rarity indeed, you home-wrecking ghoul!” Powered by her righteous fury Rarity’s consciousness grew like a raging inferno, uprooting the tendrils of Nightmare’s control, pushing her mind back behind the steering wheel and quickly sending Nightmare’s back to the abyss of her thoughts. “No pony kisses my dragon but me!”
To further punctuate her point, instead of Rarity just simply returning the simple form of affection, she opted to forcefully cram her tongue down her husband’s throat in a possessive wanton display. Spike on the other hand had no idea what had brought on such a dominant act of passion from his wife, not that he was complaining, as his brain was only able to fire off one legitimate thought. ‘Wow, her fangs feel really good.’
Spike couldn’t help but slowly traced the sharp canines of his mare causing her to moan into his mouth. It was a new experience for the drake, but between the new teeth, the slitted eyes, the now never aging body and the dominant behavior, things felt strangely familiar to him.
After what felt like several hours, but was in actuality only a few minutes the couple finally broke free from their kiss, breathing heavily.
“Wow...” The pony and dragon both uttered in unison.
An awkward silence lingered as husband and wife looked at one another with unabashed want and passion before Rarity piped up. “Darling, I must say breakfast smells divine.”
“Er, um...yeah...” Spike still a bit dumbstruck over what had just transpired slowly placed the food onto the table and being the gentledrake he was, he pulled out a chair for his wife. The gesture caused the unicorn to smile warmly as well as her mane to reach out to the drake and tickle his chin.
As the couple ate a Nightmare watched from her place deep within Rarity’s mind. It had come as a complete shock to the entity that her host had somehow managed to overthrow her as well as take back full control. At first Nightmare pondered angrily if perhaps she had made a mistake but then a sudden realization came upon her. Conquering the element of generosity would not be as easy as Princess Luna, whereas the alicorn of the moon had been wrought with loneliness and spite, Rarity was surrounded by friends and a loving husband that she cherished. The path ahead would be more difficult than she had planned but with a short chuckle, Nightmare quietly reminded herself that if she was anything...it was patient. She would retake control again when the time was right, but not before she found an answer to a certain scaled obstacle. As she watched the purple dragon smile at her from her host’s eyes, Nightmare’s thoughts went from dreams of conquest to the admittedly handsome drake across from her and those thoughts that made her feel uneasy.