//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Rarity // Story: Sympathy For The Devil // by Closer-To-The-Sun //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Rarity It was getting late in the day in Ponyville, and at Tchort’s Trinkets, the two workers inside were getting ready to close up the shop. “Applebloom, have you finished organizing the book shelves?” Morning Star asked as he put a box on a shelf. It read: ‘cursed ancient weapons: Keep Out of Reach of Children’. Applebloom was on a ladder, shelving the last few books, “Almost done, Mr. Morning Star. Ya certainly have a lot of copies of ‘Paradise Lost’.” The stallion chuckled at the statement, “What can I say? I enjoy stories that I’m featured in.” “What’s it ‘bout?” the filly asked as she shelved the last two books she had with her. “Oh, no need to worry about that right now. But I do need you to get this book shelved,” he held up a large book, almost as big as Applebloom herself. The size alone worried Applebloom. “Uh….ah don’t know if ah can even lift that….” she expressed her concern. “It’s just one copy of the Necronomicon, Applebloom, and it needs to be shelved up there at the top,” Morning Star pointed up, “This is one book I can’t let fall into the wrong hooves.” The front door opened and the bell jingled. A voice called out, “Hello? Anypony here?” The stallion’s ears perked up, “I’ll go help the customer, you get this book up there.” Applebloom slid down the ladder and looked at the giant book, doubtful about her ability to move the book an centimeter. “Hello, and welcome to Tchort’s Trinkets!” Morning Star greeted the visitor. The white mare with a very stylish purple mane nodded, “Thank you. I heard about your store from my friend, Twilight Sparkle, and she said that you have a number of different items here.” “Well, as you can see, Rarity, we have plenty to offer here,” the stallion grinned, showing off his store. “Wait, how did you know my name?” Rarity was a bit frightened at this. “How do I not? You are the type of pony everypony should know,” Morning Star smirked. While she wanted to say something, she was stopped by seeing something out of the corner of her eye. On the far wall, Rarity saw Applebloom pushing a large book up a ladder in hopes of getting it to the top. She was having great difficulty in doing such. “Um, not to pry or anything, but shouldn’t you help Applebloom over there? She looks like she’s having a lot of trouble,” Rarity pointed with her hoof. Morning Star turned to see the event unfold, “Oh, pay no mind to my assistant. She’s just shelving a book written by a mad Arab known as Abdul Alhazred. Instead, let’s find something that is just perfect for you, my dear!” There was a considerable charm to his voice, “Let’s check the jewelry, shall we?” The word ‘jewelry’ did catch the attention of Rarity as she followed him to the back counter. Once he was behind the counter, the white stallion pulled something out from below, “I think this might catch your fancy, no?” It was a large diamond, about the size of Rarity’s own hoof, surrounded by smaller jewels of the same type. Connected at the top of it was chain that looked like it was silver with more diamonds and other jewels embedded within it. The color of the central jewel was a deep blue, and when the light hit it correctly, it shined an otherworldly gleam. “I should certainly say that it does!” Rarity exclaimed, her eyes were reflecting the diamond in them. The stallion noted how captivated Rarity was on the jewel. This gave him a sinister smile, “This here is the Faith Diamond, a fabled gem whose history is surrounded in mystery and rumors of a curse. However, who could say that something with such beauty could be anything but gorgeous.” Rarity was only paying half attention to what Morning Star said. Her gaze was fixated on the diamond. “Would you like to try it on?” Morning Star raised the diamond up by the jewel-embedded chain, offering to put it on the white unicorn. “Really? You’re allowing me to try on this work of beauty?” “It would be a crime not to!” Carefully, Morning Star and Rarity worked together to place the diamond around Rarity’s neck. The stallion raised a mirror up to allow the unicorn to admire how she looked. “Why, this is absolutely marvelous!” Rarity mused as she saw her reflection. “Indeed it is, would you like it? For free?” Rarity stuttered in shock, “I-I couldn’t!” “I insist. It looks as if it was meant for you, Rarity,” Morning Star claimed. “I….I don’t know what to say! Just, thank you very much, sir! I will be sure to spread the word about your generosity to the rest of the town!” Rarity happily spoke as she looked down at the Faith Diamond. It looked like it belonged around her neck. She turned and started toward the door, “Thank you again! “Oh, and do beware when the gem turns red.” “Why?” she pulled the door open, waiting for him to finish. “Oh, never you mind, it’s just a rumor anyway.” Rarity shrugged as she left the shop, bidding farewell. Morning Star gave a laugh as the door closed. He was cut off by a loud thunk from the far wall. He quickly hurried over to see what it was. Applebloom was pinned beneath the large book she was trying to shelve. “Help me….” she managed to say weakly. “Applebloom, be careful with the Necronomicon! Are you trying to summon Cthulhu? He is very grumpy when he’s woken up from his sleep and he’s a real jerk when it comes to playing poker. He’s such a sore loser,” Morning Star started to get sidetracked, “What kind of creature flips a table over when he doesn’t win with a pair of fours?” “Please….Mr. Morning Star….” Applebloom pleaded with what little air she had left. “Oh, right, sorry about that. I really got to stop getting diverted in my thoughts,” the stallion commented as he lifted the book off of the little filly. ----- Rarity was trotting around Ponyville, showing off her newest addition to her style; the Faith Diamond. The large gem did give her a lot of attention, with all of the gazes fixated on both her and the jewel. The light hitting the diamond made it shine with brilliance, causing most of the onlookers to shield their eyes from the radiance. Finally reaching her home, Rarity went to her room. She took the diamond off and placed it on a table. “Such a marvelous jewel, I can hardly believe that I got it for free! It’s simply beautiful!” Rarity mused as she continued to stare at the Faith Diamond. The more she looked at it, the more she feel in love with it. “I must put in a safe place so nothing happens to it,” she spoke to herself. She grabbed the diamond but paused before she moved, “Wait, it would be such a shame to not put this on a pedestal to show off to all of Equestria. Hiding it would do no good….” Rarity took the diamond with her down stairs to her workshop. Clearing the clothing and other items off one of the ponyquins, she then placed the Faith Diamond around the neck of it. “Perfect! Now all of Equestria will be able to see this wonderful jewel when they come into my store!” Rarity mused. She used her magic to move the ponyquin into the center of the room, making it the focal point and the center of attention. Later that evening, while the rest of Ponyville was asleep, there was a crashing sound at the Carousel Boutique. And the Faith Diamond started to glow red in color. ----- The next day at Tchort’s Trinkets, Morning Star was reading the paper. He let out a groan. The sound caught Applebloom’s attention, “Somethin’ the matter?” She asked as she was sweeping the wooden floors. “Remember the murder that the cursed typewriter caused?” he pointed over to the machine, which was nearby on the counter with a small sign on it that read: ‘free to a good home’. “Yeah?” “Well, the police are stating that the murder is most likely going to remain unsolved and they’re putting their resources into something else,” Morning Star was no satisfied with this. “Why did that have to backfire, the cursed typewriter tactic is usually a good way to cause some evil.” “But why do ya wanna be evil?” Applebloom stopped in her sweeping to ask. This confused Morning Star, “Why do I want to be evil? “Yeah, it seems like yer jus’ doin’ all of this fer no reason,” the filly said. “Why do you care what I do? Not trying to be mean spirited with this, but most ponies wouldn’t help a strange stallion giving away items with curses to them,” Morning Star, voiced his own opinion. Applebloom shrugged as she resumed her sweeping with a small smile, “Ah think yer a nice pony underneath all of the evil that ya claim ya have. Maybe ya jus’ needed somepony ta help ya out?” Morning Star thought about what she said. “That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, and I know Palin.” The front door opened with a ring, revealing a stressed and panicked Rarity. Her mane was unkempt and a complete mess. The fact that she left her home looking like that baffled everypony, including Morning Star. “Oh, it’s a complete disaster!” she whined as she moved toward the counter in the back. The stallion had a smirk on his face. His voice was sympathetic however, “What is it?” “It’s a tragedy! A catastrophe! It’s absolutely, positively, the worst possible thing ever!” It looked as if Rarity was on the verge of tears. “What could it possibly be?” Morning Star was being coy. He knew misfortune had befallen Rarity and all of those around her. “The diamond! The Faith Diamond!” she cried out. Applebloom was watching the pony unravel as well, “What ‘bout it?” “IT WAS STOLEN!” she shouted. Morning Star’s face turned blank, “What.” Finally catching her breath, Rarity spoke in a calmer demeanor, “Last night, somepony broke into my home and stole the Faith Diamond! The robber was caught by police after he tripped and broke two of his legs. As the police were taking him in, their police cart broke a wheel and caused more problems!” “What about the diamond?” Applebloom asked. “That’s just it! Nopony knows where it went! If somepony took it, nopony has said anything or have any leads. Though, it was a bit odd that earlier this morning, Carrot Top’s house did burn down after she said she found something really cool.” “This is insanity!” Morning Star’s anger exploded forward. “Excuse me?” Rarity raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. “The curse was supposed to affect you! Not everyone around you!” Morning Star shouted at the unicorn. “Curse?” Rarity was even more confused. The stallion continued his rampage, “That’s it, out! You’re banned from my store! Not only did you lose one of one of the most valuable artifacts in all of the various histories, but you even somehow managed to not have anything bad happen to you with owning it!” “Something bad did happen, I don’t have the precious diamond anymore!” Rarity stated. Morning Star left from behind the counter and started to shoo Rarity out, “I don’t care, just go! Out! Shoo! You are from here on out, banned from Tchort’s Trinkets!” Once the stallion shoved Rarity out of his store, he let out an anguished groan of frustration. Applebloom trotted up to him, placing a comforting hoof on his back, “It’s okay, Mr. Morning Star, ah’m sure the Faith Diamond will turn up again.” Morning Star gave an annoyed glare to the filly, “I….I need a moment alone, Applebloom. Just….just go, I don’t know, polish the Argonaut Treasure….and make sure you polish it with the real polish, not the one that will make the metal far more shiny but it slowly kills you by making disappear. That’s stuff is expensive.”