//------------------------------// // That Wasn't So Hard // Story: Rarity's Quest to Save Literally Everything // by PegasusMesa //------------------------------// Neverending nothingness. The black, empty void stretched out before Rarity’s eyes. “H-hello?” she said into stale air. The oppressive darkness swallowed the word, not offering even a hint of an echo. “Can anypony hear me?” When no response came forth, Rarity twisted her head around in search of something, anything. She waved her hoof in front of her face, but couldn’t even see that. Then she gasped when, upon bringing her hoof back down, she trod on something warm and squishy. Something that groaned in response to the contact. A circle of light suddenly burst into being, lighting up Rarity and allowing her vision of what she had stepped on. Or, rather, whom she had stepped on. “Pinkie Pie!” she exclaimed, dropping to cradle the prone Pinkie Pie’s head. “Darling, speak to me! What happened to you? Where are we?” Pinkie lay on her back with legs splayed out. “I don’t feel too good,” she said with another groan. “I think I ate too many cookies. Mrs. Cake even warned me about this...” Pinkie’s stomach gurgled and Rarity saw that it bulged alarmingly. Despite the strange environment and all the questions burning in her mind, one seemed far more important to Rarity than the rest. “For Heaven’s sake, how many cookies did you—” She was cut off by a loud clang, which heralded the appearance of another large beam of light. It fell a few meters away and illuminated a group of ponies. After a moment’s confusion, Rarity recognized them as Princesses Twilight, Luna, Celestia, and Cadance. She frowned when she noticed a moment later that each wore a voluminous toga and bore a crown of laurels in her mane. “Twilight?” she said slowly, tentatively lifting a hoof in their direction. “Luna?” Her eyes widened when they began to sing in pure, lilting voices. “She of the Gems, consider this poor mare,” the princesses sang in unison. As one, they pointed at Pinkie. “Who received warning true and well thought out, yet in the end that warning did not heed.” Rarity let her hoof drop. “Dear—er, Your Majesties, why are you singing?” “Preferred she blissful ignorance rather than harsh, unpleasant truth,” Twilight and Celestia continued, followed by Luna and Cadance, who sang, “and thus does reap her just rewards.” As if to punctuate their line, Pinkie belched loudly. Rarity grimaced and covered her nose. “You must explain it better than that. What does this have to do with anything?” “Be ever vigilant and foster not complacency,” they sang, “lest you doom us all to oblivion.” On that note, their forms vanished upwards and into nothingness. “Well, that was certainly odd,” Rarity said, uncovering her face and glancing down. “Pinkie, have you any idea—” Her eyes widened when she saw that Pinkie, too, had disappeared. “What in the world is happening here?” “They all ask that,” said a voice, bringing Rarity’s head up quickly. “Well, the sane ones do, at least.” In the spotlight that had originally illuminated the princesses stood a stallion wearing a bowler hat. “You’re…” Rarity frowned and tapped her forehead. “Straw Bucket?” “It’s Hay Budget,” he said dryly. “Yes, of course,” Rarity said with a loud sigh. “How could I forget?” “I dunno, how could you?” Hay shot back before shaking his head. “What was that about princesses, by the way?” “You didn’t see them?” she asked, head tilted. “Pinkie sat right before me! They were here only seconds ago.” Hay raised a dubious eyebrow. “Uh, no. They really weren’t. Maybe you’re letting the stress get to you.” “I am not!” Rarity said in an indignant voice. “I will have you know that I have never been so composed in all my—” “Yeah, you’re the perfect model of serenity.” He rolled his eyes and sighed. “I’m not here to argue with a crazy mare about make-believe princesses.” “Pray tell, then, would you be here to tell me what the hay is going on?” She stomped angrily with the last word. “I am sick and tired of being yanked around! First I thought you were a dream, and then I end up here with Pinkie Pie sick at my hooves and a chorus of princesses—who were here, mind you—giving me cryptic warnings! If this isn’t a dream, then I demand to know what is happening!” “Oh, you’re definitely dreaming,” Hay said, chuckling into his hoof. “This is the easiest way for me to chat with you, is all.” Rarity fell back slightly. “O-oh. W-well, um—” She resumed her scowl and strode forward. The spotlight tracked her the whole way until she stood directly in front of Hay. “That doesn’t explain what you want!” “Before I tell you that, do you remember what you were doing before you, ah, fell asleep?” he asked, tipping his bowler hat in her direction. “Don’t think too hard, though. Wouldn’t want to hurt that pretty little brain of yours.” “I shall elect to allow that uncouth comment to slide for now,” Rarity said primly. “As for what I was doing, well, I was—” An image of a bright light approaching suddenly flashed through her memory. “I was… Oh, dear.” She saw Luna shouting and covering the entire ballroom with a shield spell. She saw certain death approaching from on high. “The comet! Is everypony okay? What happened to—” “When the comet hit, everyone died,” Hay said, all levity gone from his expression. “You, included.” “E-everyone?” Rarity stammered. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. “But—but that makes no sense! If I died, then what am I doing here?” Instead of answering, Hay glanced poignantly at the hooves that gripped him. Rarity snatched them back. “Don’t touch me,” he said softly. “Never touch me.” “My apologies,” she said with a cough. An awkward silence descended. Finally, Rarity said, “So, what am I doing here?” “You are getting a second chance to make things right, courtesy of my benevolence,” Hay said, still glaring at her. “Do with it as you will. Perhaps, if you show promise, we’ll meet each other again when this is over.” “I do not understand what you—” Rarity gasped as she began to dissipate from the hooves up. “Wait, stop!” He waved, then stood and turned away. “Ta-ta for now.” “What did you mean by ‘second chance’?” she cried. “Please tell me—” As though teleported, Rarity suddenly found herself at her workbench in Carousel Boutique. She pushed off heavily and flailed, falling backwards and slamming her head on the floor. She lay there groaning as rays of sunlight pushed past the curtains and illuminated the room. The mannequin that bore Luna’s dress stood in the corner. “A dream?” Rarity mumbled through numb lips. She clambered up and yawned. “That was....a dream. But it felt so very real.” Stumbling twice on the way, Rarity shambled into the bathroom and yawned again. “Well, at least none of that nonsense actually happened. And without a doubt the best part—” She tousled her mane and glanced in the mirror “—my mane is still as pristine as eveeyaahahaha!” Where before only a few hairs had been split at the end, now an entire clump of her mane had begun to fray. The workshop door slammed open as Rarity stormed through and marched right over to Luna’s dress. “That is the dress I just finished,” she said. “If that wasn’t a dream, then this wouldn’t still be here! Right?” Her gaze turned to the desk and the mug of cold coffee upon it. “And this is the coffee I drank last night. What is going on?” The last sentence came out as a barely intelligible shriek. As Rarity stood there, chest heaving, the clock on the wall chimed and drew her attention. It read nine forty-five. She frowned and looked at Luna’s dress, then back to the clock, then again at the dress, then one last time at the clock before it finally hit her. The scream died in her throat almost as soon as it began. Three minutes later saw Rarity, dress in tow, thundering through town towards the train station. “Late, late, late!” she muttered over and over again. In the time it took her to gather her things and get outside, a thick spread of grey clouds had appeared and blanketed the sky. Thunder rumbled through the air, still distant, and the clouds flashed with lightning. Rarity glanced upward and frowned. “Don’t you dare!” she yelled at the stormclouds. “Stay up there! Shoo!” A strong wind tore at her mane as Rarity continued her madcap dash to the train station. At last, she rounded a corner and caught sight of her destination. A whistle blew, indicating that a train was preparing to leave and urging Rarity into one final burst of speed. She bounded up to the ticket booth by the tracks and slammed a cluster of bits onto the counter. “One ticket—to Canterlot,” she gasped, fighting for breath. She shifted the garment bag on her back into a more comfortable position. The stallion running the booth peered down with beady eyes. “The ten o’clock to Canterlot?” “Yes, the ten o’clock!” Rarity said, frantically waving a hoof at the train. “Do hurry, please!” "Do you mean the ten AM or the ten PM—" "I mean the one that is about to leave!" she nearly screamed. "No need to yell, ma'am." He arched his eyebrows and, as Rarity's gaze darted back and forth between him and the train, slowly— agonizingly slowly—tore off a ticket. “Ten bits, plea—” Rarity snatched it from him and tore off down the platform. “Money’s on the counter,” she shouted back over her shoulder. “Keep the change!” Fat drops of rain had started to fall. The attendant rolled his eyes and went back to his newspaper. Just as Rarity darted into one of the cars, the rain picked up and the heavens unloaded. She sighed and brushed a sheen of sweat from her forehead before dropping into a nearby seat. No sooner had she sat than the whistle blew again and the train started to pull out of the station. For the first time since she had awoken, Rarity had a chance to simply think. It feels as though I’ve done this already. She stretched her legs and settled in for the ride. The storm had already blown over, letting the sun poke through a hole in the clouds. It was such an oddly prophetic dream—oh, ponyfeathers, I forgot to bring a scarf. She examined her reflection in the window for a moment before she laid her head between her legs. Now everypony can see my awful mane. As the train sped towards Canterlot, Rarity thought to catch a few minutes’ sleep. However, she couldn’t stop her mind from whirling in circles whenever she closed her eyes, so she settled with staring out the window. Half an hour into the trip, clouds once more threatened to block out the sun, and Rarity’s sense of deja vu surged forth. This is exactly like the dream, she thought with a frown. What if— She chuckled and toyed with her mane. Rarity, you cannot let a silly nightmare affect you so. It’s mere coincidence, and nothing more. “Is it getting ready to rain again?” a mare’s voice from behind her said. Rarity felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. The voice continued, “It was sunny just five minutes ago!” Wide-eyed, Rarity slowly rose and turned to look behind her, where sat a mare and stallion. A very familiar mare and stallion. “When is the weather going to settle down?” the stallion said, paying no attention to Rarity. “You know, I’ve heard that there’s been flooding in Manehatten and Baltimare. I heard that Princess Celestia herself went up there to help with relief efforts.” The mare nodded sagely. “It’s like the weather teams have lost cont—” “Pardon the interruption,” Rarity said, wincing when her voice cracked, “but have we met before?” “I couldn’t say,” the stallion answered. He peered at her intently. “I do not believe so.” “Oh.” Rarity continued to examine the two until the stallion cleared his throat loudly. “Oh! My apologies, please forgive my rudeness.” She twisted back into her seat. They’re well-bred ponies—I can hear it in their voices. Yes, of course! I must have seen them at one of Fancypants’ parties! A chime sounded over the car’s intercom. “Attention, passengers,” a pleasant—and terrifyingly familiar—voice said, “we are approaching Canterlot Station. All disembarking passengers, please be prepared to offload the train.” And that voice plays every time the train arrives in Canterlot, she thought. I certainly heard it last time I travelled here with Twilight and the girls! As the train came into the station and slowed to a halt, Rarity’s unease deepened. Everywhere she looked, every sound she heard, all of it tugged at her memory. The pony waving goodbye to his mother, the pots on display in that window, the sound of a violin—she had seen at all before. Rarity’s head swiveled in her efforts to distract herself. She spotted an available carriage and flagged the driver down. “Where to?” he asked, holding the door open for her. “The castle gates,” Rarity answered in a quavering voice. Is this the same driver as bef—from the dream? “You got it.” The driver slid into the carriage’s harness and took off at a steady pace. Within no time, Rarity found herself standing in front of the castle. She dropped payment into the carriage driver’s grasp, then trotted up to the gates. Her heart beat quickly as she saw the two guards waiting there. “Welcome to Canterlot Castle,” the first said in his familiar bored voice. “What business do you have here?” “P-Princess Luna,” Rarity said. She nearly slapped herself across the face. Pull yourself together, Rarity! “I mean, my name is Rarity, and Princess Luna is expecting me.” “Right, the dress-maker,” the other guard said with a nod. “Her Majesty made sure that all of the guards knew you were coming.” Rarity glanced up at the sky, which had cleared for the moment. “I would be oh so grateful if you would take me to see her before it rains again.” “Sure,” the first guard said. He turned around and cupped his forehooves around his mouth. “Hey, Piddles! Are you in there?” Piddles came dashing out, armor clattering as he ran. “Sirs!” Rarity’s mouth hung open. “Newblood, take this refined unicorn up to have audience with Princess Luna,” the first guard said. He waved a hoof in Rarity’s general direction. “Oh!” Piddles said as he turned his attention to Rarity. “Are you Miss Rarity, then? The dressmaker?” “Y-yes,” Rarity squeaked in a passable imitation of Fluttershy. She sighed and rubbed her eyes wearily. “Let us move on, then. It wouldn’t do to let the princess’s meal grow cold while she waits for me.” Piddles snapped into ramrod-straight posture. “Yes, ma’am!” Just as he turned to lead the way, he glanced back at her. “Er, how did you know that Princess Luna’s waiting to eat until you arrive?” “A hunch, I suppose,” she answered with another sigh. Piddles shrugged and started off at a smart pace. This is too much to be a coincidence, Rarity thought, following him towards Luna. Is Hay Budget real? Does that mean that tonight everypony is going to die again? She shuddered. If, by chance, my dream was indeed some kind of foretelling, then perhaps I can stop that from happening. Her glazed eyes passed over the tapestries that had so interested her before. That machine meant to change the comet’s course must have been the cause—I’m sure of that much, at least. But how do I stop— “I will now announce you to Her Majesty!” Piddles’ voice ripped Rarity out of her thoughts, and she found that they had already arrived at the ornate wooden door that led to Luna’s private dining room. Piddles opened the door, walked in, and once more knocked his helmet askew with a fierce salute. “Your Majesty, I present the honorable Miss Rarity!” As Rarity shambled into the room, she immediately locked gazes with Luna, who sat in the exact same spot as before. “Thank you, guard,” Luna said, climbing to her hooves. “You may leave us.” Rarity waited for Piddles to salute and leave the room before she opened her mouth. “Hello, Luna,” she said wearily. “Forgive my rudeness, but would you mind terribly if I helped myself to some coffee?” But what if this is all a freakish coincidence? Luna recovered from the abrupt greeting. “You like coffee?” She smiled and nodded towards the pot. “I thought I was the only one! Have as much as you wish—it appears that you need it.” Her eyes flickered to Rarity’s mane and back. “You have no idea,” Rarity said as she poured herself a mug. Without even bothering to add cream or sugar, she drank nearly the whole mug’s worth before she needed to catch her breath. “Pray tell,” Luna said, lowering herself back onto her stool, “what can so fluster a mare as reportedly refined as yourself?” “Simply the most horrible—” Rarity bit off her words. Whatever would I tell her? ‘Why, Princess, the most fascinating thing happened! Apparently, I already lived through this day and witnessed the end of the world when it gets hit by Bridle’s Comet. Then I got sent back to try and stop it! Isn’t that simply marvelous?’ Who would believe that, particularly when it comes from a pony in such dire need of a mane styling— Luna coughed and brought her back to the real world. “Simply the most horrible what?” “It is nothing terribly important,” Rarity said with a self-deprecating chuckle. “I merely had a poor start to my morning, is all.” She watched Luna hoard a stockpile of food before taking a seat and doing the same herself. Before anything else, I must prove that I have been here before. “Ah, I understand,” Luna said. She paused to take a large bite of egg. “One of those mornings. I hope that my calling you here had nothing to do with your problems.” “Of course not,” Rarity answered, taking a smaller mouthful and swallowing with gusto. She did not notice when Luna tilted her head questioningly. Manners be damned. I don’t have the patience to eat slowly. “I am happy to spend time with you—” Her eyes widened slightly as a thought struck her. Luna smiled and sipped at her coffee. “I appreciate that. And I am pleased that you are comfortable enough to speak to me without using my title.” Rarity, however, paid no attention. There is one final thing that I may check to see if I truly did experience this day already. She placed her mug on the table. “Luna, I honestly must thank you for inviting me here today,” she said, looking Luna in the eyes. “I was absolutely green with envy when the other girls had the opportunity to see you last Nightmare Night and I did not. I’ve been wanting to meet you properly ever since.” “Ah, I see,” Luna said. She gave a nervous laugh and glanced away. “I had thought that maybe you used your need for a dress as an excuse,” Rarity continued, craning her head to catch Luna’s gaze, “that you had more interest in getting some social interaction.” “Of course not.” Luna’s sudden glare rocked Rarity backwards. “You think me some common trickster who would manipulate others so?” “N-no, Lu—Princess Luna,” Rarity said. I'm worse off then before. And now I have gone and made a fool of myself in front of— She frowned when Luna exhaled loudly, seeming to deflate right in front of her. “No, forgive me,” Luna muttered. “I should not feign anger. I—I am such a common trickster.” She lowered her head to stare at the ground. “What you said was the absolute truth. I lured you here under false pretenses, and had not even the courage to admit to it right away. If it is your wish to leave, I cannot blame you.” Oddly enough, the anxiety in Rarity’s stomach simply vanished. Ah. I suppose that proves it. She reached out and patted Luna’s hoof, resulting in another wave of deja vu. At least I know that I’m not insane, she thought with a light smile. “Luna—darling—I already told you that I am glad to be here. You may rest easy.” “Are you certain?” Luna asked as she slowly lifted her gaze. “Even though I did not reveal the ruse myself?” “I am certain that you would have done so in due time,” Rarity answered. “I just wanted to know.” She smiled again and sank her teeth into a piece of toast. “Now, tell me something about yourself. Anything at all.” She turned her attention inward as Luna began to speak And perhaps in the meantime I can figure out a way to save us all. “I haven’t figured out anything at all!” Hours later, Rarity stood in Luna’s private bathroom, swiftly wrapping her mane into a more presentable fashion. “Think, Rarity, think!” The time spent with Luna had passed in a flash, and before Rarity knew it, they were heading upstairs to get ready for the viewing of Bridle’s Comet, to which Luna had once more invited her. Rarity had already dressed herself in the clothing Luna provided. The same silver dress as before hugged her body and reflected the bright light mesmerisingly. If I tell her and she does not believe me, then I likely won’t get another chance, she thought, paying little attention to her work. So I must first try to handle this on my own. Her hooves deftly slid pins into her mane to hold it in place. But I’ve never done this sort of thing alone. Usually, Twilight’s in charge. What would Twilight do? She smacked herself repeatedly on the forehead. Think! The glint of light off of metal caught Rarity’s eye, and she noticed a pair of mane-trimming scissors by the sink. Frowning, she examined them closely before sighing and slipping them under her dress. With one last glance at herself in the mirror, she walked back into Luna’s chambers. “Ah, there you are!” said an already-dressed Luna, who stood tapping a hoof by the doorway. “I feared that you had fallen in.” “Fallen in wha—” Rarity’s eyes widened. “I assure you that not even once have I fallen in in my entire life! The very thought is utterly disgust—” Luna laughed and walked over to drape a companionable leg over Rarity’s shoulders. “I jest,” she said with another chortle. “‘Twas merely a comment on how long you spent in the bathroom.” Rarity felt to make sure that the scissors were securely held against her chest. “Well, I do like to look my very best,” she said, giving Luna a demure smile. She spotted her slippers on the far side of the room and cast a spell to levitate them over to her. “Manes don’t style themselves, you know.” “Mine does!” Luna laughed again, then released Rarity and moved back to the hallway door. “Well, shall we?” As the door creaked open, she held out a hoof invitingly. “After you.” Rarity nodded and made her way through, followed closely by Luna. The two took up an ambling pace down the hallway. “Forgive me for saying, Luna, but you seem to be in quite the mood.” “Ah, my apologies,” Luna said, slowing her steps and straightening her posture. “You—you do not find it odd, do you?” “No, quite the opposite,” Rarity said as she let a wide smile spread across her face. “It’s helping me feel better, I think.” Luna glanced down at her. “You mean you were unhappy earlier? What was the problem?” “Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. “I just had plenty on my mind, is all.” She pranced forward to the spiral staircase that led to the ballroom. “If you so insist,” Luna said with a raised eyebrow before moving after her. They climbed up in near silence, with only the sounds of their hoofsteps on stone to be heard. Rarity stood waiting at the top, chewing on her lower lip. She didn’t react when Luna stopped in front of her. “Rarity?” Luna said, tilting her head. “Are you sure nothing is wrong?” Rarity’s attention slowly returned to the present. “Hm?” Her eyes snapped into focus and she jumped. “Oh! Nothing! Everything is fine, absolutely fine!” She raised a hoof to muffle her sudden titter. Luna frowned, but otherwise did nothing, and Rarity sighed. “Forgive me for being… preoccupied, I suppose I should say. I just need to figure something out.” Luna’s expression softened. “Might I be of some assistance?” For a long moment, Rarity considered her offer. “I’m afraid not,” she said finally. “It is a bit of a personal matter.” Blast, I must change the topic. “Are you certain?” Luna said as she turned to the ballroom door. “You need not explain everything—” “Oh, my, you look simply stunning this evening!” Rarity interrupted before slapping a hoof to her mouth. “Not that you aren’t lovely otherwise! I just meant—” Luna’s chuckle cut her off. “I understand what you meant,” she said with a warm smile. “You, too, are quite beautiful.” “In the dress?” Rarity asked, frowning when Luna walked towards the ballroom. What—what just happened? “You meant in the dress, correct?” “Come, we should not be late,” Luna said without turning back. Rarity blushed and trotted after her. The ballroom was no less grand than the first time she had been there, although her reaction was slightly more subdued. She glanced around until her gaze landed on the covered machine, which stood separated from the rest of the party. I must go over there and do something, she thought. And sooner rather than later. She subconsciously patted the hidden scissors. “‘Tis unfortunate that nature obscures the view,” Luna said as she pointed towards the cloudy sky, visible through the glass ceiling. She turned towards the hors-d'oeuvres. “The royal astrologists promised a sight unlike any seen before.” “I see,” said Rarity. “I—ah!” She feigned interest in something in the distance. “Why, is that Blinding Crescent, over there? I haven’t seen him in ages! Forgive me, Luna, I shall return momentarily.” “Very well, I shall be here,” Luna said to her back. As Rarity moved across the room, she noticed that the unicorn stallion in charge of the project stood near the machine, and an idea began to form in her mind. She checked that the scissors were firmly in place and moved towards him. However, as her eyes roamed around to make sure that nobody had their attention on her, she saw a flash of purple amidst the crowd. “Twilight?” she muttered. She squinted and once more caught glimpse between the milling nobles of someone who looked exactly like Twilight, deep in conversation with a unicorn mare. Suddenly, Twilight glanced over and fixed her gaze on Rarity. Her eyes widened as she whispered something hurried to the mare beside her, who also turned to look. Rarity stared into her piercingly blue eyes for a moment before she remembered her mission. As soon as I take care of this, I can speak with Twilight, Rarity decided. She crossed the final few yards between her and the machine. The scientist took no notice of her. “Hello, there!” she said, causing him to jump. “What would a handsome gentlecolt such as yourself be doing all on his lonesome?” “Ah, just getting ready to make the presentation,” he said. “You know, guests aren’t supposed to be over—” “I just wanted a peek at this device,” Rarity continued. She moved to the machine’s far side, where nobody could see her, and pulled up the sheet. “It’s utterly fascinating, what you plan to do.” The stallion followed her. “You really aren't supposed to be—” He yelped when she pulled him under the sheet with her. “What are you—” Rarity’s horn lit, producing a dim glow in which the scientist could see the shining scissors held out before her. “Now, here’s what we’re going to do, Mr.—forgive me, but what is your name?” “Bl-Blinding Crescent,” he stammered, eyes fixed on her weapon. “Blinding—wait, really?” Rarity raised an eyebrow. “How odd.” She shook her head sharply. “But no matter. Mr. Crescent, you are going to make it so that this machine does not work, if you would be so kind.” “Why?” Blinding Crescent asked. A sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead. “Because if you do not, then I will be forced to use these scissors on you,” Rarity said with a wild glint in her eye. “Tell me, Mr. Crescent, have you ever seen what a desperate mare can do with a pair of these?” He swallowed heavily. “N-no.” “Well, let me tell you, it is not pretty,” she said. “And I will have you know that I am very—very—desperate.” She opened and snapped shut the scissors for effect. Blinding's wide eyes focused on her weapon. “Okay, I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” he said in a cracking voice. He quickly turned to the machine and slid open an access panel. “Here, just take this!” From the panel, he pulled a vial of glass filled with a clear liquid. “What is it?” Rarity asked, holding out her hoof to take the vial. “It’s a solution that serves as a medium for our magic.” Hesitantly, he passed it into her grasp. “It allows us to provide power for the attraction field. Difficult to produce, and quite expensive.” “So, if I understand what you say,” Rarity said as she examined the glass, “without this solution, you cannot perform your demonstration. Correct?” “Yes, that is—” The sound of shattering glass interrupted him. Rarity had dropped the vial onto the ground. “Wh-why are you doing this?” “I truly am sorry, dear,” she said, smiling lightly. “I cannot tell you. But it is for the best, you’ll see.” “Whatever, just—can I go?” Blinding pressed back against the machine. “Not quite yet,” Rarity said. She held her hoof out once more. “I find it difficult to believe that you would not have a spare for such an important component.” Blinding opened his mouth, but immediately shut it when the scissors flashed in front of his face. With a sigh, he pulled another two vials out of his coat pocket and handed them over. Those, too, were dropped and shattered. “Will you let me leave now?” “Of course I will,” Rarity said. She patted him on the head. “Honestly, though, now that that’s over with, I must admit that I’m not sure if I could have gone through with it. Ruining somepony’s mane…” She shuddered violently. “Um, mane?” he said with a frown. His eyes flickered to the scissors and back. “Well, yes,” she answered, dropping her weapon to the floor. “It would have been impossible for you to go outside with the awful manecut I would have given you.” She reached up and lifted a clump of his hair. “Well, more awful manecut, I should say. I’m afraid there isn’t a lot to work with here.” “Wait, so you mean you weren’t going to—” The cloth vanished as someone ripped it away, and Rarity looked up to find Luna scowling down at her. “And what would happen to be going on here?” she asked primly. “Princess!” Blinding said. “She forced me to do it, I swear!” He darted behind her, peeking around at Rarity. “She’s crazy, I tell you! Crazy!” “Rarity,” Luna said as she attempted to push Blinding away, “would you care to explain to me why you and Blinding Crescent were hiding under that sheet?” “Well, we were—that is, I—he—” Rarity sighed deeply. “Oh, very well. I forced Mr. Crescent to sabotage his machine.” Luna’s jaw dropped open. “You what?” She quickly turned to Blinding, nearly knocking him over in the process. “Can you repair it?” she asked him. “Y-yes,” he said, “but probably not in time for—” A loud series of gasps cut him off, and almost the entire room went silent as the clouds cleared overhead. A bright blue glow shone through the quickly dissipating cover. Rarity looked up and nearly fainted when she saw Bridle’s Comet, right in the center of the sky. Was this all for nothing? However, after a moment’s observation, she noticed that it was moving across the starscape, rather than approaching and growing larger, and she released her pent-up breath. “It’s not supposed to be so close,” a wide-eyed Blinding Crescent whispered. “We didn’t even alter its course.” “You mean, this is how close it was even without your machine’s influence?” Luna asked him softly. Meanwhile, all of the guests in the ballroom had begun to applaud. “Almost positive,” Blinding answered. “If we had tried to bring it closer—” He turned his gaze to Rarity. “You—you saved us.” Rarity blushed and pawed at the ground. “Yes, well…” The sound of hoofsteps heralded the rest of Blinding’s team’s approach. Luna lowered her voice so that only he and Rarity could hear her. “Blinding Crescent, as far as anypony else is concerned, the machine worked and Bridle’s Comet’s current proximity is a result of that. You decided to perform the demonstration on your own. Do I have your understanding on this?” He nodded mutely. “Very good. Rarity, come with me back to my quarters—I believe it is time we had a conversation.” She waved in the door’s direction. “One second, dear—I saw Twilight in the crowd earlier,” Rarity said as she craned her head to look around. “I thought to have a word with her.” However, Twilight had seemingly vanished from the room. “Perhaps she’s standing behind something?” “Are you certain it was Twilight?” Luna asked. “When I invited her last week to attend this viewing, she declined. Perhaps you merely saw somepony who resembled her.” She nodded sagely. “Regardless, Twilight Sparkle’s presence should not concern us right now.” Her hoof once more gestured towards the door. No, I’m certain it was Twilight. She recognized me. “Yes, of course,” Rarity said, head drooping. She fell into line behind Luna. On their way out, she spotted a cluster of bottles of chilled wine and caught two up in a levitation spell, along with two glasses. Luna glanced back over her shoulder. “Is this truly going to be so bad for you that we require alcohol?” Despite her disapproving tone, a hint of a smile played around her lips. “Perhaps,” Rarity admitted with a chortle. “But I know for certain that after the day I’ve had, I could use a drink.” The first thing Rarity felt upon awaking was the throbbing pain right behind her eyes. She rubbed them, which did nothing to alleviate the discomfort. The second thing she noticed was how thick and fuzzy her tongue felt. Oooh, my head, she thought, licking her dry lips. This is why I never drink. The third thing that she took note of was that her head and upper body lay on something warm. Something soft. Something that let out a sudden, loud snore. With a squeak, Rarity rolled away and off of whatever had been under her. However, gravity did its job, and she dropped a hoofspan onto her stomach. She scrambled to her hooves and backed away. Her eyes widened when she realized that she stood in Carousel Boutique. They widened even further at the sight of her one-time pillow, Luna, lying unconscious on Rarity’s couch. “Oh—oh, my,” Rarity breathed in a raspy voice. “What did—what happened last night?” She shook slightly as a wave of nausea passed over her. Luna scratched her stomach and shifted slightly. “Water. First, I need water.” In the kitchen, Rarity poured herself a generous glass and sipped at it. Flashes of the night before had started to surface in her memory. “I wish you had trusted me more,” Luna said. She and Rarity sat on soft pillows in her private chambers. “I would have believed your story. Ponies have successfully traveled through time before. “ She sighed and shook her head. “Although I suppose I cannot argue with the results.” “I won’t doubt you again,” Rarity said, glancing away. “I just—I didn’t know what to do!” Luna patted her on the back. “Things could have ended much more poorly, considering. For now, let us just celebrate your success. Do you still need a drink?” Rarity took her water with her back into the main room as she waited for her headache to subside. She closed her eyes. “What time is it?” Rarity asked, knees wobbling. She tried to pour herself another glass of wine, but the bottle was already empty. “Oh. It appears that we drank it all.” “My clock reads midnight,” Luna answered in a slurred voice. Rarity nearly dropped her glass. “We’ve been talking for three hours?!” Rarity winced when a particularly painful throb ran through her forehead. Her hoof rubbed gingerly by her horn until the pain passed. As soon as her legs stabilized, she walked up to Luna and, with a neutral expression, looked down at her. “I will accompany you back home,” Luna declared. She drew herself up and nearly toppled over. “You—you are—you are too in—ininebra—inebrian—drunk to go without me.” “You seem far from sober your—” Rarity hiccuped into her hoof “—yourself,” she finished with a laugh. “Then all the more reason for us to accompany one another!” Rarity glanced at her grandfather clock that sat by the staircase at almost the exact instant that it chimed. It read six o’clock. “Six o’clock, and we’re all still alive,” she said, taking another sip of water. Luna’s eyelids flickered. The wind tore at Rarity’s mane, pulling it free from its styling and sending it whipping through the air. She laughed at the sensation, as the airborne carriage in which she and Luna rode soared towards Ponyville. “Thank you for inviting me, tonight,” Rarity said over the roaring in their ears. “And I am frightfully sorry for not trusting you more.” Luna laughed and patted her on the back. “‘Tis water under the bridge. You had your reasons, and the most important thing is that you saved us all.” She arched an eyebrow in Rarity’s direction. “Next time, though, perhaps you could find a more legal solution.” “Aah, yes, that.” Rarity glanced away. “It shamed me to resort to threatening the poor pony, but I honestly could think of no other way—” Her eyes widened as she felt a pair of lips plant a kiss on her cheek and pull back. She slowly twisted around to look at Luna, who had glued her eyes to the sky while she whistled innocently. A soft gasp, barely more than a normal breath, floated past Rarity’s lips as she recalled that particular moment. “Ah,” she said, raising a hoof to her mouth, “was that…” Rarity crossed to the other side of her living room and bent over to look under a table. “Opal, sweetie,” she called. “Where are you?” Her body wobbled, right hooves flailing for steady footing but failing. She tumbled to the ground. “Are you alright?” Luna said as she darted to Rarity’s side. Her concern eased when she saw the wide grin on Rarity’s face. “I suppose that—” She, too, swayed slightly before she managed to catch herself “—answers my question.” “My dear Luna, I do believe that you are drunk,” Rarity said, patting Luna on the nose. Luna opened her mouth, but her words were too soft to be heard over Rarity’s sudden burst of laughter. Rarity wiped the tears from her eyes. “I am so sorry—I haven’t felt this giddy in ages! Now, what were you saying?” She wiggled into a more comfortable position. A blush swept over Luna’s face as she glanced away. “I said that if I am drunk, then you are beautiful. And believe me, I am very, very drunk.” Luna groaned and stretched her hind legs out, knocking an empty bottle from a nearby end-table. For the first time, Rarity noticed the six—no, seven other bottles that lay scattered around the room. She darted back into the kitchen and opened up a cabinet, only to groan when she found it empty. “That was my entire stock of sauvignon blanc!” she said. A loud grunt from the other room reminded her that Luna still slept, and she slapped her forehooves over her mouth. She slowly ambled back to the couch. “Am—am I doing this incorrectly?” Luna asked Rarity, who stared back, wide-eyed. Rarity snapped her mouth shut. “N-no, it’s just—” She swallowed heavily “—y-you merely caught me by surprise, is all.” “And thus I have ruined the moment,” Luna said with a groan. She quickly stood and moved to the couch. “Along with the entire evening.” “Of course you haven’t!” Rarity said, swiftly moving to Luna’s side and dropping next to her on the couch. “Like I said, you surprised me.” “Clearly I did something wrong, or else we would not be having this conversation right now.” She buried her head between the cushions. “I know not what made me think that was a good idea.” “Now see here—if I say that your advances only surprised me, then that’s the truth!” Rarity grabbed Luna’s shoulders and twisted her around so they sat face-to-face. “And if I must prove it to you, well, so be it.” She leaned in and... “What happened next?!” Rarity cried, holding her head. A sudden groan froze her in place. She glanced over and saw Luna sitting up. “Ugh, my head.” Once more Rarity flew into the kitchen, where she poured a second glass of water. “Will Luna remember?” she mumbled. “Do I want her to remember?” Another groan came from the living room, and she heard Luna say, “This is why I never drink.” Well, no use hiding in here. Rarity hefted the glass and trotted out to find Luna sitting up and rubbing her forehead. “I thought that exact thing when I woke,” she said in a raspy voice. She held out the water. “Here, this should help.” “Thank you,” Luna said as she accepted the offer. She tilted her head back and drank the whole thing at once, then glanced around blearily. “Ah, forgive me for asking, but—where are we?” “This is my humble boutique and home,” Rarity said with a bow. “If you recall, you insisted on accompanying me here, and apparently decided to spend the night, as well.” Luna scrunched her face up thoughtfully. “I—I think I remember some of it,” she mused. She ran a hoof slowly along her jawline. “After we arrived, you offered your own wine—and ‘twould have been rude had I refused—so we drank and shared conversation, and then we—” Her eyes widened at the same instant that a deep blush set in upon her cheeks. In a faint voice, she said, "Yes, this is why I never drink." Oh, dear. “And then we what, Luna?” Rarity said, tilting her head. Luna didn’t answer, but instead raised a hoof to play with her upper lip. “Tell me, Luna, what exactly did we do?” Rarity pressed. “‘Tis better if I do not tell you,” Luna said at last. She hopped from the couch and stretched her neck. “I may have dreamed the whole thing. In fact, I am certain of that.” “Luna,” Rarity said, trotting into Luna’s line of sight, “you asked that I strive to trust you more. Can’t you do the same for me?” “Yes, but that was—” Luna paused again as her blush deepened. “You were—” She let her head droop. “Is there no way I can avoid this?” “No way at all, dear,” Rarity said with a laugh. She leaned in for a friendly nuzzle, but gave a start when Luna stiffened at the contact. “Luna?” “I am afraid that last night we may have acted—” Luna’s ears suddenly pricked, and she whipped her head towards the window. “Did you hear that?” Rarity listened for a moment, but heard nothing. “Oh, no, you aren’t getting out of it that easily,” she said. She glanced up, only to frown at the gravity on Luna’s face. “This is no jest,” Luna said. Her ears twitched again as a keening noise, one that both could hear, sounded from far away. “There, did you hear it that time?” “What is that?” Rarity moved to the window and peered out. “I can’t see anything.” The sound rumbled through the air again, this time much more clearly. Luna’s face paled. “Oh, no,” she whispered instants before sprinting to the door. “Wait!” Rarity cried. "Where are you going?" She followed closely behind as Luna whipped the door open and ran out, past two royal sentries standing guard. “Guards, prepare yourselves!” Luna shouted at them on her way past. “Something has roused the blazekites!” Rarity opened her mouth to ask what a “blazekite” was when a sudden wind caught hold of her and nearly threw her to the ground. She glanced up just as a massive, scaled form soared overhead, wings spread wide as it passed. “Oh, you cannot be serious!” A second dragon passed by in the wake of the first. Each screamed their fury down at the quickly awakening Ponyville. “I will attempt to distract them,” Luna said to the guards, who had followed her. A burst of fire lit up the town hall in the distance. “While I do so, you will evacuate the town as quickly as you can.” “Yes, Princess!” they said with a quick salute before they galloped off to follow her orders. As Luna spread her wings, Rarity pushed forward. “Luna, what can I do?” More fires raged around town as the dragons continued their rampage. Luna considered her for a long moment, then gave her a grim smile. “You can evacuate with the rest of the town,” she said somberly. Her eyes remained fixed on Rarity, even as she prepared to push off of the ground. “You know, I truly looked forward to getting to know you better.” “But—” “Be safe,” Luna said, pumping her wings heavily and pushing herself into the air. With a few powerful flaps, she was off towards the carnage. For a few seconds, Rarity watched Luna fly away until she disappeared amidst the pillars of smoke climbing skyward. Then, her eyes narrowed. “There must be something I can do! I did not save everypony from a comet just for some silly dragons to kill them instead!” Hooves pounding the ground, Rarity ran into the town square. Everywhere, ponies tried to escape the carnage. A nearby house crumbled to the ground and sent up a large cloud of dust to mingle with the smoke. She saw one of Luna’s guards attempting to direct the crowds, but they paid him little mind. Suddenly, a screaming roar hit her from behind, and she turned to behold a dragon diving directly at her. It opened its mouth and belched forth a searing jet of flame. Rarity turned away, eyes tightly closed. However, nothing happened, and a few seconds later, she peeked out from behind her eyelids. There in front of her hovered Luna, breathing heavily as she maintained a magical shield. The dragon turned its fiery breath towards a different part of town. “I thought—I told you—” Luna fought for air as she allowed the shield to dissipate “—to get out.” “Yes, but I—” Rarity didn’t get a chance to finish. The house behind her, caught up in the flames that Luna had saved her from, collapsed and fell forward. She glanced up to find the entire second floor dropping onto her head. A loud thud and a sudden pressure were the last things her mind registered before blissful nothingness washed over her. Once more, Rarity stood in the absolute darkness of the void. She tapped a hoof on the obscured floor before opening her mouth. “Hello?” she said in a quavering voice. “Hay Budget? Are you here?” Metallic clangs rang through the air as spotlights overhead illuminated two circles on the ground. Rarity, who had a circle all to herself, couldn’t help but smile when she saw Rainbow Dash in the other. However, the look on Rainbow’s face was anything but joyful, and Rarity’s own grin quickly faded. “Rainbow, dear, whatever is the matter?” she asked, reaching out a hoof. “I failed my Wonderbolts tryout,” Rainbow said. She dropped to her haunches and put her head on the floor. “I thought I had it, too, after doing so well on that stupid written test for the reserves.” “Don’t worry, darling, everyone knows you’re the best flier in all of Equestria,” Rarity said. She opened her mouth to continue when a third circle of light appeared, once more revealing Princesses Twilight, Luna, Celestia, and Cadance in their togas. They all pointed a hoof at Rainbow. “She of the Gems, consider this poor mare,” they sang, “who merely won a single victory, and let accomplishment cloud her judgement.” “Don’t you dare mock her!” Rarity shouted, interposing herself between the princesses and Rainbow. “I’m positive that she did her best!” “Triumph is the sweetest nectar of all,” Luna and Cadance sang, proceeded by Twilight and Celestia, who added, “and the most treacherous that one might imbibe.” “Is this supposed to be another lesson?” Rarity drew Rainbow into a tight hug. “I do not appreciate you using my friends as a subject of your silly riddles!” Ignoring her, they all sang in unison, “Be ever vigilant and foster not complacency, lest you doom us all to oblivion.” The lights all went out simultaneously. Rarity screamed her frustration, even as she sat straight-up in bed. However, a puzzled look crossed her face when glanced around and took in her surroundings. This was not the Carousel Boutique. The bed, a simple wooden affair with a thick mattress and a worn quilt, sat in the corner of the dimly lit room. The only light streamed around a cloth covering the only window. A half-full bookshelf collected dust across from the bed, right next to a white dresser. On the wall opposite the window, a door stood ajar. Rarity slid from under the quilt and placed her hooves onto the carpeted floor. With a disgusted groan, she noticed that smudges of thick soot covered her body. She padded to the door, through which she peeked. “Is anypony home?” she called tentatively. “C’mon downstairs!” shouted a voice. Rarity glanced to the right and saw a wooden staircase. She ambled down and into a small kitchen. At a round table sat Hay Budget, sipping a cup of tea while he read his newspaper. “Mr. Budget—” she began. “Hold on one second,” he said. He turned the page and chortled. “Do you read the comics? These things get me every time.” “I say, Mr. Budget—” “I said, hold on,” Hay told her. He flipped the page again and hummed as he took another drink. “Hey, check out this headline— ‘Equestria Mysteriously Vanquished From Existence’. Looks like it’s gone. Poof. Vanished into thin air.” His high-pitched laughter echoed in the tiny room. “You know, they just don’t make worlds like they used to—” “Mr. Budget!” Rarity stomped a hoof so hard that a picture frame on the wall tilted. “I will have you know that I am tired, cranky, possibly dead, and worst of all, filthy! Now, will you please explain to me exactly what is going on?” Hay sighed and laid his paper on the table. “Ponies these days,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You just can’t be patient, can you?” “Considering the circumstances, no. I cannot.” She dropped to her haunches. “Well, what exactly do you want to know first?” he asked her as he crossed his forelegs. “I—” Rarity paused, mouth working but no sound coming out. Finally, she said, “I-I do not know.” After a few moments, Hay sighed again. “How about I start by telling you why all this is happening?” “Well—yes, that would be lovely,” she said. “And you probably want to know why you aren’t dead,” Hay continued. “Either from getting hit by a comet or burned by dragons.” Rarity nodded. “I find myself curious about that.” “The answer is simple,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “Both times, I stepped in and retrieved you.” “Retrieved? You mean, you saved me?” She cocked her head and frowned. “In a sense, yes,” Hay said as he finished off his tea. “And I sent you back to try again. You did well enough with Bridle’s Comet on your second run through, but, well…” “Yes, the dragons appeared and found me wanting,” Rarity finished for him. “I suppose I would now like to know why you have done all of this.” She settled back and crossed her forelegs. “Somebody has to do it,” Hay said, “and it sure as hell ain’t me. I can’t even leave this house, let alone go gallivanting all over Equestria.” When Rarity opened her mouth to speak, he added, “And don’t ask me why. You only need to know that I’m stuck here, inside.” Rarity’s mouth snapped shut for a moment. “Very well,” she said after a moment. “Then how about if I ask why these catastrophes both happened so close to each other?” “I actually just learned this part for myself,” Hay said. He stood and walked to the stove, where a teapot sat on the burner. “The comet, the dragons—things like this don’t randomly happen at the same time. Someone’s behind it.” “So the comet wasn’t an accident?” Rarity exclaimed, leaning forward. “And someone actually sent the dragons to attack Ponyville?” She laid a hoof against her chest. “The absolute nerve! But—who would do such a thing?” “I don’t know if it’s being done on purpose, but I definitely know that someone is causing these disasters,” he explained. He poured a cup of tea and handed it to her. “And I’ve found out who.” Rarity accepted the cup with a grateful nod. “Who is it?” “Someone you know already,” Hay said, dropping back into his seat. “In fact, I believe you know her quite well. She’s one of the brightest minds of your generation.” “Wait,” said Rarity. A sense of dread weighed down her stomach. “You cannot mean…” “Yup,” Hay said with a shrug, “The one responsible for this entire mess is Princess Twilight Sparkle.”