//------------------------------// // Chapter Nineteen // Story: Heart of Diamonds // by APoeticHeart //------------------------------// As the crack of dawn arrives, I start to stir in my bed as I can feel the warm rays of sunlight shine through my balcony window and wash over me. A soft sigh escapes my lips as I smile warmly Oh thank goodness I was finally able to sleep without… wait, what’s that noise? My thoughts are disrupted by the sound of a continuous light tapping upon a hard surface Wait, that is my sewing machine. I sit up in bed and reach up to remove my sleeping mask “Ugh… Sweetie Belle, I thought I’ve told you a million times to never use my…” I immediately silence myself as I peer at the figure at my work table. I gasp, for it isn’t Sweetie Belle, but my dear baby boy. My lip curl in curiosity of why he would be using my sewing machine “Connor darling, what you are you doing up so early?” I ask out as softly as I could. Suddenly, a warm smile creeps across my muzzle Aww… he’s probably making his mommy something special… but wait he doesn’t know how to use the sewing machine. I never taught him to use it. What if he hurts himself? I carefully climb out of my bed and stretch out my legs before trotting over to him “Sweetheart, please be careful, Mommy doesn’t want you to…. Ah!” I let out a shriek when I see my darling son in a ghastly outfit of all orange, but what really startles me is that his little hands are connected together by shackles. “Oh my precious darling, who done this to you?” He doesn’t seem to hear me, because he is deeply concentrating on working on something. I look at his little hands closer and I place a hoof against my mouth with a light gasp, because they are red with soreness I can tell. I feel tears sting my eyes “Oh Connor baby, can you hear me? It’s me your Mommy, please look at me.” My heart aches to see my son in this manner. “Mommy, I’m almost done with this dress you asked me to make for you.” I look oddly at him, because I’m standing by beside him, but suddenly I hear hoofsteps approaching my bedroom. I turn my head to look at the door which opens with my aura. “Well my darling Connor, let’s see how you done with this one. If it’s as good as the other ones you made for my clients, then I might consider in unshackling you.” I’m shocked at the words that this facade of a mare that is me says to my son “Very fine indeed my dear little slave.” She patted at his cheek with a hoof. “YOU!” I snap at the doppelganger pony that is me. Finally I’m able to see the one who has been tormenting me for so long, but she seems a bit off. As I look at her, her coat is a little more duller than mine, but still has the pristine smoothness to it. Her mane is all dolled up like she is going to a special party or something. She turns to look at me with a sly smirk and her eyes are what catches my attention the most. They don’t possess the warmth and calmness in their stare as mine do, but a cold and callous demeanor about them. A scowl of anger etches on my face as I stare a hole through her “What in the world of Equestria do you think you’re doing to my son, you beast of a lady?!” I stomp my hoof against the floor. She responds with a chuckle “Well my naive darling, first off he isn’t your son in this dream of yours, but only my obedient little slave. Secondly my dear, I’m just getting him to make me some of my fabulous designs for some very important clients.” Another lowly laugh escapes from her lips which feels like acid being poured into my ears. Her grin grows wider “But don’t worry Rarity, he is unable to hear or see you, since this is just a dream.” Soon the atmosphere surrounding us starts to ripple and it becomes just a void of white. I look around seeing nothing but emptiness and quietness, and then I turn back to this imposter and let out a growl. I glare at her with rage “Who are you exactly, and why are you tormenting me with such horrific visions of me torturing my precious baby boy?!” I can’t help but feel tears sting my eyes. “I thought I’ve already went over this with you darling, but I’m the much better and more realistic side of yourself.“ I keep my expression of anger set upon her as I watch her start to slowly circling me “While you are too weak-minded to comprehend it, I truly understand the reality for a little human child such your son as you like to call him is to be raised properly to understand their rightful place, and that is at the hooves of ponies like us. Why not begin their training when they are young and naive?” She lets out a giggle and I just shake my head disapprovingly. “How dare you speak of any creature like that, even if that creature is a human, and especially one as young as my dear Connor! You’re nothing but a twisted, cruel, and callous voice inside my head!” I furrow my brows in anger and light up my horn to prepare to use my magic against her. “Tsk… Tsk… Tsk.. Why resolve to violence my dear when you know that not only am I just a single voice, but the better half of you?” I can’t take it anymore as I stomp my hoof again and shoot my magic at her, but I’m stunned as my beam of magic goes right through her. I see her grab at herself with a hoof “Sorry darling, but you know you can’t harm a voice, or so that’s what you call me. I’m not going to be done with you my dear until I make you realize that you are a true goddess, and that little one is nothing but a servant.” She cackles evilly, and I just stand there seething with anger. “ENOUGH! Be gone you treacherous spirit!” Suddenly the figure before me slowly started to drift away like particles of sand in the wind. “Gah… You haven’t seen or heard the last of me my darling. I promise I will make it more miserable for you until you come to realization that the little human is nothing more than a lowly servant.” I watch as the last of her finally drifts away. Soon I can see a blurry figure slowly approaching me “My dear and generous friend, are you alright?” I see that it’s Princess Luna trotting up to me with a concerned look on her face. A sigh of relief escapes my lips “Oh Princess Luna, thank goodness you showed up, but how come are you here if a lady may ask?” I look up at her with a warm smile, but with curiosity. She sits down on her haunches before me “Well my friend, Twilight Sparkle wrote to me about your previous nightmares with this voice inside your head, and that is all it is Rarity is a voice. However, it gets stronger with each nightmare you have, because it’s slowly taking over your mentality.” She gently places a hoof on my shoulder. I lower my head and solemnly nod in agreement “Yes your highness, I feel that it’s controlling me, but how can I control it instead? I don’t want to lose all control, and it causes me to really turn my sweet little darling into a mere slave.” I finally allow the tears that have been stinging my eyes to run down my cheek. She places her hoof under my chin and raises my head to look at her “My dear friend, the answer to your question resides in you. I may be able to help soothe the minds of my ponies in their dreams, but it is truly up to them to either achieve peace in their minds or achieve anguish.” I look up at her with confusion etched on my face as I sniffle, but she gives me a warm smile in return “It’s up to you Rarity to stop the voice in your mind. I suggest next time you have a nightmare involving her and her doing something horrible to Connor, you stand up to her and show her that you aren’t going to let her control you anymore.” As the last remaining tear falls from my cheek, I look up at Princess Luna with a confident smile “I think I understand what you’re telling me princess. If I have a chance of overcoming this ghastly voice and finally ridding my life of it, I’ve got to face it and not let it defeat me.” She simply responds with a nod of her head. “That is correct my friend. Now I shall return to the castle, but if you do need me during this time of stress for you, I will come to your side. For now my little pony, you may wake up.” With that, she slowly drifts away, and I slowly awake from my slumber. I sit up in my bed, remove my sleeping mask, and take in a deep breath, exhaling deeply. I climb out of my bed and trot over to my balcony window to look out at the beautiful sun of Princess Celestia shining brightly. I take in a deep breath of the fresh morning air and a smile of confidence and determination creeps across my muzzle. Alright voice, you want to try and control me. Make me into a cruel and cold-hearted master to my baby boy, then I say bring it on. I’ll be ready for you next time.