She stared up at the Little Sisters- that's right, stared up. The situation was beyond comprehension to her, and most likely even more confusing to the Little Sisters. No matter, she was determined to get them safely out of the forest, even if she had to claw her way through with her new diminutive size.
"Goodness sakes, darling" the larger sister said, peering down at her through a pair of glowing, yellow eyes "what in the world happened to us?"
"I don't know" she said, then slapped a small hand over her mouth.
"Awww" Sweetie cooed, wrapping her new gangly legs around her "You're so adorable!"
"Down!" she cried, pushing away from the filly "No! Down!"
Sweetie reluctantly set her down, and the unicorn turned to her older sister, a bit taller than she was. She thought it interesting, that that Sweetie wasn't quite as tall as the other concerning their new heights, not as small as a Little Sister, but not as large as a Big
Sister.
"This way!" she said, pointing into the trees "C'mon!"
"Darling, wait!" Rarity said, following the now-small biped.
Rarity and Sweetie Belle followed her through the forest, their long legs making it easy to catch up with her.
"Sis? How did we end up like this?" Sweetie asked, walking next to her taller counterpart as they followed N closely.
"I have no idea, perhaps we should ask Twilight when we return?"
"Yeah...um...Rarity?"
"Yes?"
"You're eyes are glowing"
"Why thank you, but I hardly think-"
"Nonono, like, they're glowing like Mrs. N's do"
Rarity stopped for a moment, and checked her reflection in a nearby puddle on the ground.
She screamed, her reflection doing the same.
"What the hay?!" Rainbow cried, her head snapping up to the forest canopy "What was that?!"
"Oh, um, it sounded like Rarity" Fluttershy said.
"She's probably being attacked!" she deduced "We need to pick up the pace!"
And so they did, desperately searching the forest feverishly for their friend, hoping the other three were having better luck than they were.
"I look absolutely hideous!" Rarity shrieked, wailing as her haunches hit the ground.
She coughed into her hand, standing just a few feet away from the two Sisters.
"Oh...pardon me, darling, you look fine with these features...it's just...well...horrid, on us"
She rolled her eyes, and grabbed Rarity by the hoof, yanking anxiously, displaying her want to get out of the forest.
"Yes, enough of that, I suppose, come along Sweetie Belle" Rarity said, standing.
The three then began their journey out of the forest, following a rough trail that hopefully led out of the forest and into the safety of Ponyville.
"Where exactly are we headed, sugarcube?" Applejack called, running after Twilight, alongside Pinkie.
"I don't know" the unicorn answered, leading the three through the foliage "But Rarity's screaming might've given me an idea of where they are!"
Applejack was tempted to ask how, but was afraid of what the answer might be, and now was no time for a lecture.
The three continued running, and skidded to a halt as two ponies blocked the path, both with a light blue coat and a ginger mane. A stallion took up the left while his female counterpart took up the right. The stallion carried a chalkboard, his sides covered by both sides of the chalkboard. The mare, however, carried a metal platter.
"Get out of the way!" Twilight cried "Our friends could be in danger!"
At the same time, the thought of what they were doing there crossed her mind as well.
No hint of emotion registered on their faces.
"Heads..." the stallion said.
"...or tails?" the mare finished.
"MOVE!" Applejack bellowed.
The stallion tossed Twilight a bit.
"Heads..." he said once more.
"...or tails?" the mare finished, once more.
"Ugh! Fine! Tails!" she said hurriedly, barreling past the two.
The bit went up, flew through the air, and landed on the platter with a metallic *plink*.
The group continued on their way through the forest.
"Bye Rosie! Bye Robbie!" Pinkie called, bouncing after her friends.
The two ponies shared a confused glance, before staring down at the platter containing the bit. On the platter, the coin lay, a gilded image of Canterlot Castle staring back at them.
The mare smirked at the stallion, before making a tick mark on the chalkboard.
"Well, it looks like they might be able to beat the odds after all" the stallion said, turning to walk down the path with the mare.
"I do believe you should have put a comma in there, somewhere" the mare replied.
"I don't need to use a comma when it's phonetic"
"Rarity- Rarity, I'm scared" Sweetie Belle said, tugging on her sister's tail.
"I know, darling" Rarity replied, engaging eye contact with the manticore "Keep N away, I doubt she'll be able to do much at the moment"
N rolled her eyes as Sweetie Belle protectively shielded her.
The manticore licked its chops, sizing up its prey, and deeming it a fairly easy kill.
"S-Sweetie" Rarity said shakily "both of you get somewhere safe"
"But-"
"NOW"
Sweetie shrank back, and herded N into the safety of the forest.
'Ridiculous' N thought 'I'm supposed to be the one protecting them'
Rarity stared down the manticore, standing her ground as she and the beast circled each other. She didn't know what was running through her mind, whether it be the adrenaline her system was producing, or the fact that the two hiding in the foliage was what turned her nerves to steel, or what. What she did know, was that she was going to do anything in her power to protect her sister and N.
"Alright you mongrel" she huffed "I've had a very, very, very horrible day- and believe me, you do NOT want to mess with me right now"
The manticore didn't heel, and roared as it reared back on its hind-legs, flaring its leathery wings.
"Have it your way" she growled, her horn charging.
"N!" Sweetie said in a harsh whisper "Stop struggling!"
The fickle biped didn't, however, as she continued wriggling in Sweetie's hooves.
"Stop it!" she said, briefly bopping her on the nose.
She grew quiet for a moment, before her lower lip began quivering, followed by a sniffling sound.
"Ohnonononono- please don't cry, I didn't mean it, please" she pleaded, wrapping her long legs around her.
'It's like she's a foal again...' she thought, soothing her.
She took a moment to look up through the trees and spied Rarity in the manticore. She crawled closer, if only a bit, and saw that Rarity's horn was glowing, prepared to attack. The manticore roared, and to her surprise, Rarity roared back, and was close enough to witness her normally flat teeth shape themselves into sharp ones, like a mouth full of sharp knives. Sweetie nearly soiled herself, seeing her sister in that state. The manticore then took the opportunity to charge, extending its claws as to swipe at Rarity. It was sorely mistaken, however, as Rarity lunged. It had a brief moment to be surprised, before it was pinned to the ground, Rarity's new size making it easy.
She could only gape at her sister's actions, still cradling N, who had been watching everything with the same expression Sweetie had.
This twisted version of Rarity, if it was still even Rarity at all, bore down on the manticore, her sharp teeth edging closer to its neck. She closed her eyes, unable to watch, as the distinct sound of flesh being pierced filled the air. A howl of pain rose out of the manticore, forcing Sweetie to flinch as she kept her eyes screwed shut, afraid of what she might see. More pained cries flew through the trees, and grew quieter as she risked a peek, spying a bloodied figure limping through the trees and deeper into the forest. Along with N, Sweetie poked her head out of the bushes, and saw Rarity, breathing heavily as she stood on four hooves.
"Rarity? Sis? You okay?" she asked quietly.
Her coat was spattered with blood, specks of it in some places, and large blots in others.
The unicorn collapsed, exhausted, her teeth returning to their normal, flat shape. She whimpered, holding her head in her forehooves as she lay spread out across the grass.
"Sis? Are you alright? Please...say something...anything!"
"Sw-weetie Belle...thank Celestia..."
"Rarity...Rarity...are you going to be okay?"
"*Yawn* Oh, yes dear...but I'm feeling rather...*Yawn* tired..."
"You better wake up, do you hear me? You'd better wake up or...or...I'll...*hic*"
N ran a hand through her coat soothingly, smiling up at her a bit as she did.
"Rarity will be fine...she'll recover- strong"
"*hic* you think?"
"Know so, no wounds on her"
A small smile would its way across Sweetie's face, and lay down next to the sleeping Rarity, beckoning N to join her. She did, and rested in the unicorn's forehooves, the sun shining down upon them.