The morning air is calm and cool as it brushes against my fur as Connor and I head to my parents’ house. I take in a deep breath of fresh morning air and exhale, turning around to look at my baby boy with a warm smile “It sure is a beautiful morning, isn’t it dear?” I nuzzle at his cheek gently, causing him to blush a shade of pink.
“Yes it is Mommy, I can’t wait to see Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Sweetie Belle!” I see him light up with joy speaking of his grandparents and aunt. I feel him hold onto me by hugging my neck with his little arms “Where do they live Mommy?”
“Oh don’t worry darling, we’re almost there. However, there is a small pond in the back of their home and knowing my father like I do, he would maybe want to take you fishing with him sometime. How does that sound my dear?” I reach up to gently stroke at his hands around my neck as I trot along the path.
“Oh that sounds like fun Mommy! I never been fishing before, do you think Grandpa will teach me?” I giggle light-heartedly at the enthusiasm in his voice.
“Oh, yes of course Connor, he’ll definitely teach you how to catch some scrumptious fish.” I smile warmly as I can see the bridge up ahead that we need to cross to get to the house. I let out another light giggle “And after you catch some, maybe mother and father can fix you a nice, fresh fish dinner.”
I hear him let out a sigh of warmth “Mm… that sounds yummy Mommy!” He lets out a giggle of his own getting excited about the fun things that mother, father, and Sweetie Belle could do together.
As we approach their home “Well my precious, we’re here. Would you like to knock on the door?” I turn to see him give me a nod and I lean forward on my forelegs to let him climb off my back.
“Do you think they are home Mommy?” He looks up at me curiously as he reaches out to knock on the door.
“They should be dear, they hardly ever leave home unless they go get supplies from the market or they go on trips.” I give him a warm smile and look back at the door as it opens.
“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle squealed and then looked at Connor “And my cutie of a nephew, what are you two doing here?” She beams as she trots up to give me a hug and I return it. She then pulls her nephew into a warm embrace, wrapping both of her forelegs around him, and then rubbing up and down his back gently.
“We came to visit you all for a while. Where’s mother and father?” I smile warmly at her as she continues to hold Connor warmly in her embrace.
“Mom’s in the kitchen fixing breakfast and Dad is in the living room reading the newspaper.” She nuzzles the top of her nephew’s head “And how is my sweet little nephew doing today?”
He giggles “I’m doing good Aunt Sweetie Belle. I’ve miss you, Grandpa, and Grandma.” I smile as I watch him hug her around her neck and she continues to rub up and down his back.
“Come you two, let’s go see what mother and father are preparing.” I pat at Connor’s back with a hoof as he looks up at me with a nod. I let him walk with us, as we trot through the living room toward the kitchen “Mother, Father, your other lovely daughter and precious grandson are here.” I look over to see father at at the coffee table “Hello father, how are you today?”
He looks up from reading his paper “Hey there pumpkin pie!” He gives me a warm smile, causing me to blush at one of the many cutesy nicknames he likes to give me. He stands up and trots over to us, and looks down at Connor “Well heya my little chipper of a grandson, how are you doing?” He ruffles at Connor’s head with a hoof.
He giggles as his head is ruffled “I’m doing good Grandpa, I’ve missed you.” He smiles up at father and gives him a hug around his foreleg.
“Well, I’ve missed you too big guy. What do you say we go into the kitchen to get something good for breakfast?” He lifts Connor up onto his back and looks at me “And how are you doing Rarity?”
I simply nod my head and smile warmly “I’m doing good father, thank you for asking.” I trot along with Sweetie Belle behind the two.
As we approach the kitchen, I can smell a heavenly scent and I can tell that Mother has been working hard on today’s morning meal. “Hello mother, I hope we aren’t intruding.” I let out a light giggle.
She turns around as she is preparing a few plates “Oh, good morning sweetheart.” She greets me with a loving smile and immediately beams when she notices Connor “Oh my, hello my dear little peach!” She trots up and reaches up to wrap a foreleg around his back in a hug.
He hugs her around her neck happily “Hi Grandma!” I just smile warmly at the site.
I take in another whiff of the enticing aroma “Mm… Mother, what in Equestria are you fixing? It smells absolutely divine.” I let out a comforted sigh as not only the smell is marvelous, but always when I come to see mother and father, their home is always welcoming.
“Well Rarity dear, I read a cooking magazine one day and it had a wonderful take on hay cakes.” She gives a warm smile as she uses her magic to levitate the plates over to the table “All I had to do was blend a mix of blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries in the hay cake batter and voila!” She smiles at the finished product as we all look at the hay cakes.
I nod “That sounds delightful indeed Mother, I might have to borrow that recipe from you.” I blush and giggle, but suddenly sigh heavily “Mother, Father, could I maybe speak with you two for a moment?” As expected, I watch them look at each other worriedly, but nod at me. I turn to Connor “Connor dear, you eat some breakfast and Mommy will be right back.”
He gives me a soft smile “Okay Mommy.” I return the smile as I motion mother and father to follow me into the living room.
When we enter into the living room I sigh heavily. Mother places a hoof on my shoulder “Rarity dear, is something the matter?” I give a solemn nod.
I inhale and exhale deeply “Mother, Father, I haven’t told you any of this, because I didn’t want you both to worry, but I believe it’s time for me to tell you since it has gotten out of control.” I look into their eyes, tears forming in my own.
Fathers lays his hoof on my other shoulder “Rarity, I don’t like how this is going.” I can hear the concern in his voice and my heart just aches for both of them.
“Well Father, Mother, for a while now I’ve been having this voice in my head tormenting me. It has spoken to me about how Connor is nothing but a lowly human and should be treated like a human should be treated by a pony like me, nothing more than a slave.” My lips curl into a look of anger as I even think about it “And worse, I’ve been having these nightmares where I treat my baby boy exactly like a slave and even hurt him.” I allow a couple tears to shed down my cheeks.
“Oh Rarity sweetheart, you should have told us about all this sooner.” Mother wraps her forelegs around my neck and rubs up and down my back soothingly to try and calm me down.
Father joins along in comforting me “Pumpkin, have you told your friends about this or even the princesses? Maybe the could come up with a way help you fight this voice of yours and stop the nightmares.”
I let out another heavy sigh “Well Father, I…” There is a sudden knock at the door and I look on curiously “I wonder who that could be?” I look at my parents who have the same look of curiousness on their face. I trot up to the door and open it to see my friends standing there “Twilight, girls, why are you all doing here?”
“Rarity, we need to speak to you and it very important.” Twilight gives me a serious glare and then looks past me at mother and father “Mr. and Mrs. Belle, would it be okay if we speak with your daughter alone for a little bit?”
“Oh of course Rarity’s friends.” Mother gives me a warm smile and nod “We’ll just be in the kitchen with Connor and Sweetie Belle sweetheart.” They both turn to trot back into the kitchen.
I decide to go outside to talk with my friends “Twilight, what’s wrong and how did you all know that I’ll be here at my parents’ house?” I look at each of them worriedly.
Applejack tips her hat toward me “Well sugarcube, we all came by the boutique to get ya, but you and the little feller were gone. So we figured that yall would be here.”
“Rarity, I received a letter from Princess Celestia this morning, and we have been asked to go to Canterlot right away.” She sighs heavily “Princess Luna believe that the voice that has been tormenting you all this time is not only a voice Rarity, but a form of Nightmare Moon!”
I gasp loudly “Nightmare Moon?! But I thought we defeated her when we used the Elements of Harmony and brought Princess Luna back!” I bite my lower lip nervously.
“Well it seems like that her spirit didn’t totally vanish.” Rainbow hovers up in the air with her forelegs crossed “And now the hag is trying to take over your mind Rarity and turn you into the new Nightmare Moon.”
“Well darlings, we certainly cannot let that happen.” A look of determination forms on my face “Let me just go tell my family that I’ll be going, okay?” They give me a nod as I turn and trot back into the house.
Entering into the kitchen I smile warmly as I see my precious son enjoying a lovely breakfast with my parents and little sister. He looks at me as he giggles happily “Hi Mommy!” I feel tears start to well up in my eyes, but I prevent myself from crying.
“Hi my darling baby boy, could Mommy speak with you for a minute?” I motion him with a forehoof and he climbs of his chair and walks over to me. I wrap my foreleg around him gently and pull him to me in a warm hug. I look down at him and kiss his forehead “Sweetheart, Mommy has to go with her friends to see the princesses for something important, okay?” I rub at his side with my foreleg.
He looks up at me worriedly, but gives me a nod understanding “Okay Mommy, I will be a good boy while you’re gone.” He then hugs my stomach with his little arms and I can’t help but sniffle.
I nuzzle the top of his head “That’s my baby. I know you’ll be a good boy for your grandpa, grandma, and Aunt Sweetie Belle.” I look at the other three who gives us a warm smile.
“Don’t worry Rarity dear, we’ll take good care of him while you’re gone.” Mother gives me a nod of reassurance.
I hold him in my embrace a couple more minutes before breaking apart. I sniffle again and look into his eyes “Mommy has to go now dear, but I promise I’ll be back. Mommy loves you Connor!” I give him one last kiss on the forehead.
“I love you to Mommy!” He gives me a soft smile before walking over to eat at his food again.
I look at mother, father, and Sweetie Belle “Bye family, I shall return.” I blow each of them a kiss and wave a hoof before turning to trot out of the kitchen and back outside to join the others. I wipe at my eyes.
“Are ya alright sugarcube?” Applejack places her hoof gently on my shoulder.
I sniffle and nod “Yes Applejack darling, I’m okay.” I shake my head some to focus and look at my friends “Now let’s go to Canterlot!” They nod in agreement and we all head toward the train station.
So Nightmare Moon, you want to try and turn me into you? Well darling, you’ve picked on the wrong mare this time.