//------------------------------// // 126. Rarity's Birthday, Part III // Story: Rebirth of the Damned // by Borsuq //------------------------------//         Applejack’s gaze followed the changeling in disguise as she left Twilight and Matthias to talk with Rarity. Beside her stood Dash, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, all engrossed in conversation about something that the farm pony had stopped paying attention to. However, at some point, the three ponies must have realized that she wasn’t listening. When Applejack was trying to listen in (from across the room) on what Rarity and Nymph were talking about, she felt a hoof touch her shoulder.         She turned to see all three of them looking at her. “Why are you shooting daggers at her?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising an eyebrow.         “She wasn’t shooting daggers at her, silly,” Pinkie Pie interjected before Applejack could answer. “She was just staring at her with a suspicion that she was up to no good. Although, that would be cool, to shoot daggers through her eyes!”         After she rolled the not dagger-shooting eyes, Applejack replied to Rainbow’s question: “Ah’m not shootin’ daggers at her. Ah’m just keepin’ an eye on her.” She turned back to watch Nymph. “Ain’t nothing wrong with ‘em changelins all runnin’ around…”         “Oh, come on,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a hushed voice. “You don’t still think that this whole ‘we want peace’ thing is a part of their master plan or something, don’t you?”         “Well, why wouldn’t Ah?” Applejack asked defensively, taking a sip out of the glass of punch she held in her hoof. “Or anypony else for that matter?”         “Because we had already established that Nymph would be a pretty crappy spy,” Rainbow replied. “She is practically afraid of talking to ponies or just being around them.” She then wrinkled her nose as if she smelled something awful or remembered something unpleasant. “And Wind is just a plain ol’ asshole.”         “Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy spoke up, “that’s not a nice thing to say!”         “Yeah, well… trust me, he fully earned that title.”         Applejack’s thoughts strayed away from Nymph for a moment as she observed Rainbow. For some reason, when she brought up Wind Reaver, a slight hint of red appeared on her cheeks. Since the male in question was a changeling, it was not hard for Applejack to figure out what that reason was.         “He changed into Matt and kissed ya, didn’t he?”         Rainbow looked at her and answered after a second: “Sure, let’s go with that.”         Applejack gasped: “Wait, he didn’t-”         The cyan pegasus snorted. “Oh please, if he would have tried something more, you could have smelled a burned bug from your farm.”         “Well, whatever. But that’s exactly what Ah’ve been talkin’ about; those changelings can’t be trusted.”         “C’mon, AJ, get real. What he did was more like a prank than anything else. Heck, if I could change into other ponies, I would have probably done worse things than that.”         Though reluctantly, Applejack had to admit she had a point there. “Okay, but what about that Nymph gal? She keeps comin’ over to mah farm, talkin’ with mah brother, playin’ with mah sister… she even ate dinner once with us!”         Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “So you think her evil plan iiiss…?”         “Ah don’t know,” she snorted. “Maybe she wants to poison our apples or somethin’? We do supply about half of Equestria, after all…”         “Or maybe she just likes spending time with your family?” Fluttershy suggested timidly.         Applejack snorted again, not believing that this could be the only reason behind the changeling’s visits. She was about to voice those thoughts, but Pinkie began speaking enthusiastically: “Why wouldn’t she?! Apple family is a great family! I sometimes wish I could be a part of it!”         Rainbow snickered. “You could always marry Big Mac,” she said and grinned at Applejack when she glared at her.         “Aw, that would be nice,” Pinkie giggled. “But he’s not my type.”         For the first time since the start of this conversation, Applejack and Rainbow Dash found themselves on the same page. They both looked at each other, and then back at Pinkie. “You have a type?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Of course, silly! Everypony has their type, don’t they?” “Technically…” “Well, yeah…” Rainbow said slowly. “But I just can’t imagine what’s somepony like you type could be.” “Weeell…” Pinkie began, slightly blushing. “He would have to be a bit older than me, so that when we would get old I could feel young by comparing myself to him. You know, just in case. And he would have a beard so that it would tickle me whenever we would kiss and make me giggle. Also, I think I would like him to be a meanie-pants on the outside, but on the inside he would be sad and lonely and just want a hug from somepony. I would give him hugs anytime he would have wanted! Oh, oh, and he would have to have a cool sounding laugh! Oh oh oh, and a long, serious sounding name that I could shorten into a cute nickname!” Pinkie Pie finished her description of her dreamed stallion, took a deep breath, and looked expectantly at the three mares. “So, what about you girls?” Before Applejack could even grow uncomfortable, not to mention about blushing, something draw everypony’s attention. They looked, startled, at Rarity, who had just uttered a very happy sounding shriek, and currently had her forehooves wrapped around Nymph’s neck. “What in tarnation?” she asked the other three out loud. “Either Rare is strangling Nymph and is very happy about it,” Rainbow replied, looking at the pair confused, “or…” “... or maybe Nymph told her she has a date with Big Mac and Rarity is just happy for her?” Pinkie suggested, grinning at Applejack. While Rainbow and Pinkie burst with laughter and Fluttershy just giggled, Applejack just snorted. Her brother might have liked that changeling for some reason, but she really doubted he would work up the guts to ask out anypony on a date, least of all a changeling. She took another sip of the punch, regrettably noticing that she would have to refill soon. “Hey, might watching out with the drinking?” Rainbow Dash asked her suddenly. “I am way too sore for any action, and I think you wouldn’t want to wake up in the same bed with me again, right?” “Of course!” she quickly replied, glaring at her. “And Ah reckon ya wouldn’t either- wait a minute!” Applejack hissed when she had realized what her friend had just said. “What are ya sore from? Didn’tya say that ya stopped ‘rolling in the hay’ with Matt? Or, Arthas, or whatever!” “Yeah, I did,” Rainbow replied, slightly uncomfortable and blushing. “But last night I kinda… ugh, look, can we talk about this tomorrow?” “Why?” Applejack asked, becoming worried. “Did somethin’ happen?” Rainbow opened her mouth to reply… but then she closed her eyes as her ears perked up in the direction of the punch bowl. As she turned to look there, Applejack followed her gaze to see Twilight and Arthas standing there. Both of them were deeply absorbed into a conversation. “Oh, this will be fun!” she heard Rainbow mutter mischieviously, beginning to trot towards them. Applejack, who reluctantly followed her, wondered what the cyan mare had overheard them talk about.         “R-Rarity, please, you will choke me!” Nymph whispered urgently, despite that being actually impossible.         She could not believe what Mother had done. How could she just… blurt it out like this?! And how did she know, for that matter? Nymph was certain that until just a few moments ago Mother hadn't contacted her directly… The changeling facehoofed mentally. No, Queen Chrysalis hadn’t contacted her… but she had possessed her body for a few minutes. She must have read her memories then. It was a bit trickier for a changeling to pay attention to what was happening with their body and mind in that state, after all. Nymph must have not realize what Mother was doing. And now she was at the mercy of this disturbingly happy pony. Thankfully, her plea managed to reach Rarity’s ears (for a second there, she wasn’t sure of it). “Oh, I’m so sorry darling,” the white unicorn said, quickly letting go of her. “But I am just so excited! Finally I have a chance to advise somepony about dating. None of my friends have even begun thinking about it,” she paused to look with disappointment - and, as Nymph had sensed, a borderline frustration - at the other ponies, “despite some of them having already started… an active night-life. And don’t get me started on those two,” Rarity added with a glare at the Hivespeaker and Lady Twilight. For a moment Nymph was sure she would rant about them, but the pony took a deep breath and looked back at her, smiling again. “Nevermind all that, dear. We have you to think about now.” “Please, Rarity,” Nymph tried to talk her out of this. She was really uncomfortable with the idea. Of course, she knew that Rarity had grown to like her, but the same couldn’t be said about Applejack. “There is no need-” “Hush!” Rarity silenced her. “Listen: you like this stallion?” she asked her, looking her into eyes. Nymph nodded almost on reflex. “Do you want this date to go well?” Another nod, “Are you confident that you know everything there is to dating a pony?” Nymph hesitated. Technically, she knew. During her training, she had impersonated a pony on a date once or twice. But this was different: this time, she would be herself (albeit in a form of a pony). She wasn’t sure she would do everything right… so maybe she should take Rarity up on this offer of help? According to the Swarm’s profile of her, the white unicorn had been only on few dates, all that took place a couple years ago. However, it also stated that she had a vast knowledge on the subject. That she could turn that knowledge into practice was proven by the fact that none of dates had repeated. Rarity was looking for a serious relationship. During just one date she could tell whether the stallion was a good material for a life-mate and if he was a good match for her. Nymph decided to that making sure the date with Big Mac went perfect was more important than her being uncomfortable. Looking at Rarity, she shook her head in answer to her earlier question. “Can you help me?” Rarity smiled, and Nymph could feel a surge of nothing but a positive emotions. “I will be glad to. Now, who is this stallion?” Nymph once again found herself hesitating. “What if she will refuse to help me once she’ll learn that this is her friend’s brother? Or worse, tell Applejack?!” she thought in alarm, and she couldn’t help but throw a quick glance at the direction of the mare. Applejack and the other three were now surrounding the Hivespeaker and Twilight. “I mean, she’s bound to learn sooner or later… but I don’t want to deal with this right now!” Unfortunately for her, Rarity caught the quick glance. Nymph watched, horrified, as the white unicorn’s eyes moved to the small group. When she looked back at her, she was smiling knowingly. “It’s Big Mac, isn’t it?” “P-please don’t tell Applejack,” Nymph begged quietly. “I know she doesn’t like me-” She was cut of by a hoof placed gently on her lips. “First off, Applejack doesn’t hate you; she’s just having a difficult time trusting your kind. She is the Element of Honesty, after all, and changelings, well, you sort of live by deception.” Nymph nodded reluctantly as her ears dropped. “Second, I am not going to tell her that.” Rarity smiled as Nymph felt her ears perk up again. “Normally, I would try to talk to her about it, but you and Big Mac have a terrible timing.” Nymph raised an eyebrow questioningly. She had no idea what that was supposed to mean. Rarity blinked, then realized that Nymph hadn’t understood her. Sighing, she lowered her voice even lower. “She’s in a less agreeable for a mare time of the month.” “What do you- oh!” Nymph exclaimed quietly, finally understanding. “Does that really affect you mares that much?” she asked out of curiosity. “You don’t go through it?” Rarity asked in return. There was a disbelief in her voice. When Nymph shook her head, she asked: “But how… pardon my question, where do the little changelings come from?” Nymph pondered for a second how much was she allowed to reveal at this point before she answered. “Female changelings are fertile all year, ever since reaching maturity,” she finally said. “However, we all have a protection spell inherently placed on us. We lift it when we decide to try and produce an offspring for the Swarm.” Rarity stayed silent for a few moments, no doubt processing the information. “One of the perks of the entire population being able to use magic, I suppose,” she finally said, shaking her head. “Anyway, back to the subject… since your date is tomorrow, I suppose this means that it will take place after the Ponytones performance, right?” Nymph nodded once again, remembering that the unicorn was also a part of this quartet. “Well, I suppose it would be best if I distracted Applejack while you two will slip away… or come up with a good speech about love and tolerance.” “That’s right! I completely forgot Applejack would be there as well!” “Sorry for the tro-” she tried to apologize, but Rarity cut her off. “Never fear, dear. I am happy to help. Now, on to the date; do you know what Big Mac has in mind for it?” “I… I think he just wants us to have a walk in the park,” she confessed, slightly blushing. “Ooh, romantic,” Rarity commented, smiling. “Rainbow Dash had mentioned to me that tomorrow night there will be a clear sky…” She trailed off for a moment, probably picturing the scene in her head. However, before Rarity got a chance to speak her mind again, both her and Nymph’s attention was drowned to the eruption of laughter on the other side of the room. They looked, confused, at the group of ponies laughing. Or, more specifically, a group of mares laughing. The Hivespeaker, who appeared to be the cause of their laughter, was currently chugging a rather large gulp of punch from his glass. “It would appear that we are missing on some fine joke,” Rarity said and giggled. Nymph turned to her, also amused. “You remember how Fluttershy and I had tried to coax you to come with us to a spa tomorrow?” Confused at the sudden change of subject, Nymph nodded. “Now you are definitely coming,” Rarity declared with a voice that left Nymph no room for any objection; oddly, it resembled to her a lot how Mother spoke. “We will make sure that you’ll look simply divine for your date. I will also use that time to give you a few tips and guidelines. Sounds great?” There was no mistake in Nymph’s mind. Rarity was visibly excited at the idea. Far more than Nymph herself. But she really appreciated the offer of help, and she also really wanted to date to go smoothly. “Sounds great,” the changeling replied, smiling. Rarity’s smile broadened, and she quickly pulled Nymph into another hug. This one, however, was mercifully much shorter than the previous one. “Oh, I feel we will become good friends,” the unicorn said happily as she pulled back. “Now, what do you say that we will go and join them? It sounds like our dear Sir Lightbringer is in quite some distress.” Nymph, who felt a way of happiness swept through her at Rarity’s words (and fed a bit on the love she emanated) nodded, quite curious as to what was causing the Hivespeaker to be so perplexed. However, before the two of them could go and join the bigger group, something caught Rarity’s attention. “Spike! There you are!” the white pony exclaimed. Nymph followed her gaze and spotted her looking at the dragon coming out of the kitchen. It was weird seeing a baby dragon, let alone being in the same room with him. Every few years, the Swarm had to chase off mature dragons that would try to fly into the Dread Wastes. The changelings wouldn’t be affected by the smoke if they would try to settle in some of the empty caves, that was true. They had no real need for sunlight. In fact, having the dragon smoke would only serve to even further discourage any sentient creature from venturing into their lands. However, there was too big of a risk of a dragon stumbling into the Hive to allow them remain within their domain. The potential damage they could cause… Spike, however, seemed truly harmless. Nymph knew a few things about him from the reports on the Elements of Harmony the Swarm had gathered. She was also told some interesting details by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He has some flaws, but overall his behaviour resembled more that of a pony than a dragon. She wondered if every baby dragon was like him. “Spike, what were you doing in there for so long?” Rarity asked, trotting towards the dragon. “Cleaning the dishes, as you had offered, shouldn’t have taken that long.” “More like insisted, actually,” Nymph thought, recalling how Spike (taking the plates on which they ate the cake) had told Rarity that he would do that now quickly so that she wouldn’t have to worry about them. The baby dragon looked at the mare he adored (which was clear to Nymph from Day One of her stay in Ponyville) with a tired and embarrassed expression. “I’m sorry, Rarity… I kinda… dozed off for a moment.” “Dozed off? Oh my goodness, is everything alright? You aren’t sick, are you?” the unicorn asked caringly. “No, nothing like that,” Spike quickly replied. However, he seemed to not be in a hurry to remove the hoof Rarity placed on his forehead to check his temperature. “I am just tired. I couldn’t sleep last night because somepony was studying…” he said, glancing briefly at Twilight’s direction. “And it’s getting rather late, I suppose.” “Oh my goodness, you’re right!” Rarity gasped, looking at the time. It was only a little past eight, but with the days becoming shorter it was already well past sundown. While it was still rather early for most of the party’s attendants, Spike was a baby dragon. He needed his sleep. “You should be in bed. Come along, you can sleep in Sweetie Belle’s bedroom, she’s not here tonight,” she said, picking him up with her magic and placing him on her back. “Al-aaauuoowwh-right,” the dragon yawned in the middle of the reply, already falling back asleep. “And I’m going to have a talk with Twilight about the consequences of lack of sleep,” Nymph heard Rarity mutter as she began marching off. “I knew I saw bags under her eyes… oh, Nymph,” she called out, glancing back at her. “By a dear and tell the rest of the company that I will join them shortly.” Nymph nodded and turned around, heading towards the group.         “I can’t believe them!”         Arthas was looking concerned at Twilight as she banged the now empty glass on the table. He had just finished recalling for her just what exactly had her parents talked to him about that night over two months ago. He had some problems remembering every detail (and left out that Night Light and Twilight Velvet had showed him pictured of her as a baby), but she had learned enough to grow angry at them.         “You know I had always thought that I have the best parents ever?” she asked as she poured more punch to her glass. Arthas, surprised at sudden statement, perked up his ears. “I’ve read all about how some mothers start to worry about their daughters, when will they get married and to whom. I’ve also known about the traditions of the past among Canterlot’s unicorns like arranged marriages. However, my mom and dad had never even once tried anything like that. But now I hear-         “Twilight, they were just concerned,” Arthas tried to calm her down. “There was a grown stallion living in you house for a few months. They had a right to ask me what exactly our relationship was.”         “Maybe,” she muttered, taking another swing. Arthas, who remembered what had happened when she drunk too much, was starting to get really concerned. “But they had no right to tell you that they had hoped I would meet… what did you say they said?”         He sighed, regretting telling her that. “A nice stallion, and that I seem like a perfect match.”         “Yeah, that-” Twilight began, pointing a hoof at him, but before she could finish the thought, both of their attention were drawn by the sudden shriek from the other side of the room.         Arthas blinked, confused by the sight, but it was Twilight who voiced the first thought that came to his mind. “Is Rarity... strangling Nymph?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.         Seeing the happy smile on the mare’s face, Arthas shook his head. “No, I think she’s just happy about something.”         It didn’t take him long to figure out what that something could be. He smiled, surprised that the shy changeling had mustered enough confidence to tell Rarity about her date.         “What are you smiling about?” he heard Twilight ask him. Arthas turned to her, wondering how should he explain it, but the momentary hesitation caused the Twilight to snort, albeit somewhat humorously. “Oh fine, keep more secrets.”         “It’s not a secret…” he started.         “Oh please, everything about you is secret,” she giggled. “I didn’t even know how much Rarity reminds you of your sister, you only said there are some resemblance between their interests. Which reminds me…” she said, glancing at him with an almost malicious smile. “Rarity reminds you of your sister, right?”         “Well… yes…” Arthas said, confused as to why Twilight was repeating herself and where she was going with it.         “So those few months ago, when Rarity asked you to kiss her to make things okay between the two of you… you were basically kissing your sister?”         “Ugh, that was a part of why I was so uncomfortable… when… wait a moment,” he suddenly trailed off. “How do you know about that?”         He vaguely remembered Applejack mentioning it to him, but back then he hadn’t questioned it. Now, however, it struck him as really odd that Twilight would know that. Rarity didn’t strike him as a pony who would have mention it… and he had definitely not mentioned it to Rainbow Dash…         As if thinking about her had summoned her, Arthas suddenly found himself with her foreleg wrapped around his shoulders. “Aw, come on, ‘Matt’,” Rainbow exclaimed, grinning. “Don'tcha know that girls talk about everything?”         Arthas did not know that. “Eee… everything?” he asked, looking from Rainbow, who’s grin grew wider, to Twilight, who was still smirking, but was also now blushing, and to Applejack, Pinkie and Fluttershy, who must have come with Rainbow. All three, though slightly embarrassed, nodded. The consequences that this fact could cause hit him almost immediately. “W-wait, you aren’t serious, aren’t you?!” Arthas asked pleadingly, looking back at Rainbow. “Oh, I’m afraid I am. I told them plenty of interesting bits on that slumber party when you had moved out of Twilight’s.” She snorted with amusement. “Pity that ex-girlfriend of yours is on another world, we would have so much to talk about…” “Please tell me you’re kidding!” Arthas exclaimed, looking around. “I… on the very off chance that somehow the few female friends I had in my previous life were to come to Equestria, I don’t want you to befriend them and start talking- and this is going to happen,” he said in a monotone and resigned tone, having the sudden epiphany;  “whether I like it or not and no matter how unlikely this scenario is, won’t it?” “You betcha!” Rainbow laughed, joined by the other mares. “Ugh, Light blind me…” Arthas muttered, rubbing his temples. Trying desperately to not think about what he had just said, he turned towards the punch bowl. “I need a drink…”         “Thanks for the party, Rarity,” Arthas said a few hours later.         Due to the few drinks he had, his mood had improved and he was able to enjoy the rest of the party. However, as with all things, the time had come for it to end. Every guest was currently leaving, thanking the hostess and saying goodnight as they began to head home.         And some needed a bit help with the last one.         “Yeah, it was great…” Twilight muttered sleepily, leaning against his shoulder.         Just like Arthas had feared, she drank too much, and now nopony trusted her to make it back to her library safely by herself. Arthas had offered to make sure she would, though he guessed that if he hadn’t, he would have been unanimously appointed to do so by the rest.         “I am happy to hear you had a good time,” Rarity said, smiling. She looked a bit concerned at the state Twilight was in, but it wasn’t really that serious (after all, she had seen Rainbow and Applejack way more drunk than that). “And don’t worry about Spike, he will be fine here.” She turned to Applejack: “Applejack, are you sure you won’t need help as well?”         Applejack, who had also drunk quite a bit, rolled her eyes. “Ah am fine, sugarcube. It would ‘ave taken a bit more than yar punch to get me drunk.”         “Fine, just take care,” Rarity said. “See you all tomorrow… oh, and Fluttershy, Nymph, remember that we are going to the spa tomorrow!”         Chuckling inwardly at Nymph’s ‘misfortune’, Arthas wished everypony goodnight and began guiding Twilight to her library.         “Quite the party, huh?” Twilight murmured after a few minutes, slightly brushing against his neck.         “Umh…”         “Pity you had to send Storm away… It would be fun to make jokes out of him and Rarity,” she snorted.         “I didn’t send him away,” Arthas, who also was a bit tipsy, confessed before he stopped himself. “I mean… he had a slight problem with his gift for Rarity,” he amended.         Twilight giggled and blushed, but didn’t say a word as to what she found funny about that. Both of them stayed mostly quiet after that, until they reached the library.         “There you go,” Arthas said, opening the doors and looking at Twilight expectedly.         “Thanks…” she hummed, taking a step forward, the turning back. “Won’t you come in?”         “I-” Arthas started.         Before he knew what was going on, Twilight’s hooves were wrapped around his neck, and her warm lips were pressed against his.         “What am I thinking?”         There was an easy answer to that question.         He wasn’t.         Arthas was definitely not thinking when he replied to Twilight's kiss at the threshold to her house. He was definitely not thinking when he let her lead him deeper into her house and closed the door behind them. And he was as sure as hell not thinking when he pushed her into the bed and laid on top of her.         Some alarms - slowed down by the alcohol and hormones - had finally began to go off in his mind as he continued to kiss Twilight within her bed, his hooves trailing down her body. But he wasn’t listening. He finally had what he’s been craving for all those months. Twilight. He had her.         And she had him. She wasn’t exactly passive, as he would have expected. Her tongue all but danced in his mouth, and her hooves were brushing his back. At one point, Twilight had suddenly turned them around, making her be on top.         Looking down on him, she smiled. Arthas had never seen this, this... predatory side of her. But it was still her, his Twilight. He could see the blushes on her cheeks, the slight embarrassment behind the smile.         “Twi-” he tried to say, but she again cut him off.         “Shhh…” she whispered, her head lowering to lick his ear.         Twilight then whispered three words that had completely erased any intelligent thought from his mind.         “I want you.”         Arthas kissed her neck, making Twilight moan and arch her back as his hooves traveled up and down her spine. She looked down once more and leaned for the kiss…       What happened next would be very hard for Arthas to describe. Even if he wasn’t slightly intoxicated, he would probably not be able to find the exact words. Nor would his mind was able to register every detail.         Suffice to say: Twilight puked into his mouth.         And passed out.         As weird as it may sound, when twenty minutes later Arthas had finished cleaning (his mouth, himself, Twilight, the bed and the floor), he was actually grateful for what had happened. He loved Twilight. He wanted her; of that there was no doubt. But he didn’t want their first time to happen due to a drunken spur.         Arthas smiled looking down on Twilight. She was now fast asleep, and with any luck she would not recall anything of what had happened. A part of him wanted to lay beside her and sleep with her. But he know he couldn’t. Not just due to his belief that they shouldn’t be together - if it was just that, he would have bucked his conscience and followed his heart. Nor was it due to the memory of what had happened the last time they were both drunk and fallen asleep together.         His primary reason was that he might have to mount a rescue party by sunrise.         “Storm is so dead once I’ll get my hooves on him.”         Arthas banished the thought, wanting to enjoy the peaceful moment for just a couple more seconds. He bend down to kiss Twilight just below her horn… and then on a cheek, muzzle and mouth, before he could stop himself. Wrinkling his nose a bit due to the lingering scent of what had happened, Arthas made his way to the door, trying to not look back.         Once outside, he closed the door and began heading home. “Not home,” he corrected himself. “To the Abbey.”         He sighed and looked at the clocktower. It was fifteen until midnight.         Rarity’s birthday would last for only fifteen more minutes.         “Storm, where are you?”