There was no question, Rarity had some pony’s cutie mark laying in a case. Through an act of will power. Rainbow picked up the small patch of pony flesh in her hooves. Everything in her mind was screaming at her to run the heck out of that room. And get the royal guards here as soon as possible. As Rainbow inspected the patch of flesh. The longer held the small patch of fur the more she doubted it was even real. Sure, it looked like real flesh the white fur and cutie mark felt real enough. But underneath the patch of fur it felt almost rubbery. Rainbow Dash flipped over the piece of pony flank in her hooves.
“Hey wait a minute! This isn’t pony flesh…it’s just a prosthetic cutie mark! Like the kind they use for special effects in the movies! Darn it Rarity! I was just about to have a heart attack! Wait, why does Rarity even have a fake cutie mark?”
Rainbow looked down into the case, she saw a variety of different cutie marks. Just underneath the one she was currently holding. There was one with a surfboard on it, another was a knife. Rainbow put back the fake cutie mark back in it’s case. The whole thing left Rainbow scratching her head with her hoof.
Rainbow decided to move on to the other side of the room. She knew that the disturbing cutie mark collection was a mystery that would have to wait. There was only two sections of the room was left to explore. Rainbow saw that there was a rather large wall of framed photographs. She decided that she would look over at the photographs first. Then look over the end of the room that was sectioned off by the large purple curtains.
* I will save the best for last, I hope it isn’t something extra creepy like the last section! I’ll just take a look at these photos real quick. *
Rainbow walked up the wall was lined with hundreds of photos of Rarity. Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. After she spotted a picture of Rarity rolling around in the mud puddle during a rainstorm with a smile on her face. Rainbow gawked at one photo to the next. Rainbow guessed that Rarity must have run out of room to hang her photos. And this was just the overflow wall. There was no way Rarity would put these kind of photographs in her house up stairs. Surprisingly, a lot of the photographs are of Rarity doing either a very messy activity or some kind of extreme competition. Rainbow Dash’s favorite picture. Was the one with Rarity dressed in an artist smock while painting on a canvas. Rarity was covered in so many different colored blobs of paint.
“Ha! Looks like I’m not the only rainbow pony!” snickered Rainbow.
Once, she had her fill of the eye opening/amazing photographs. Rainbow made her way to the purple curtains. She slowly raised her hoof to pull back the dark purple curtains. Rainbow couldn’t see anything in the dark enclosure. Taking a deep breath as she walked into the purple dungeon. As soon as Rainbow walked through the curtain; there was a flash of light illuminating the makeshift room.
Shielding her eyes with a hoof to protect her eyes from the blinding light. Rainbow figured there were some motion sensitive lights installed in this section of the room. After blinking a few times her eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the room. Rainbow Dash fell on her haunches. She quickly rubbed her eyes with her hooves to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Just beyond the curtains was the largest collection of Wonderbolt memorabilia Rainbow had ever seen. Framed autographed posters lined the walls. Glass cases that held countless Wonderbolt artifacts. There was even a large collection of mannequins dressed in Wonderbolt uniforms. There were a handful of dressed mannequins behind glass in a large display case. Rainbow got a closer look at the uniforms in the case. She couldn’t believe her eyes, these were authentic, original, uniforms. Rainbow thought back to the time Rarity tried to help her study for her Wonderbolt exam. She always wondered how Rarity could whip up all of those Wonderbolt uniforms so fast.
*Rarity used her own private collection of Wonderbolt uniforms just to help me study! I can’t believe she let Pinkie Pie wear an original Wonderbolt uniform! I mean these things are worth more than my house for crying out loud!*
Rainbow found herself lost in Rarity’s museum quality Wonderbolt collection. After she drooled over everything in sight. A small glass case on a pedestal caught her attention. With her eyes bulging from disbelief, she saw a large collection of metals that were earned by Colonel Purple Dart. Purple Dart had earned the largest number of metals in Wonderbolt history. Rarity had placed the medals in chronological order of when the Colonel had earned them. Rainbow felt her heart skip a beat when she saw a blank spot in the case.
Rainbow knew first hoof why there was a empty slot in Rarity’s collection. Rainbow’s great grandfather gave her that specific medal. After he learned that she wanted to be a Wonderbolt. Her great grandfather was a close friend to Purple Dart. After Purple Dart retired he personally gave her grandfather one of his medals. The gift was a symbol for their friendship. Rainbow kept the medal in a metal safe in the deepest recesses in her closet. Not only was that medal a precious relic it also was extremely valuable and important. But the meaning behind the gift meant more to Rainbow than it’s value. It was also very sentimental to her.
* I can’t believe I’m the reason that Rarity’s collection is incomplete. In a strange way it feels like a crime that my medal has been separated from it’s family….Wow I’m starting to sound like Fluttershy! *
Rainbow was deep in the thought about medals, her great grandpa and her friends. She didn’t even notice that was Rarity standing right behind her.
“Are you enjoying the museum?”
Without even thinking Rainbow Dash replied to the sudden question.
“ You bet I am! This place is AWESOME!…Oh no!”
Rainbow spun around so fast that she almost fell over. she shrank back slightly when she saw Rarity glaring daggers at her.
“Oh no, is right! You are only trespassing on my most private sanctuary! No pony can ever see this place! If they did then my reputation would be ruined!”
Angry tears flooded Rarity’s eyes as she glared at Rainbow Dash.
“What are you talking about? Everypony would love this place! I mean the awesomeness is just oozing from th-”
“You just don’t get it do you! If anyone found this place they would know that everything I have done is a lie! Don’t you get it Rainbow DASH! I’m a sham, a phony, a big old fraud!”
“What are you saying?…”
Rarity let out an exasperated sigh. “What I’m saying is that I’m not some stuck up, want to be Canterlot snob. My whole proper lady bit, is just that! A facade, that’s not who I really am. I’m actually just an athletic tom-colt that also loves fashion!”
Rainbow stood in silence while her brain tried absorb all of this new information. She thought back to every memory of the fashionista. The Rarity she knew was just a fake. For the very first time, the real Rarity stood before her. The whole thing was very unsettling. Rainbow started to feel anger slowly bubbling to the surface.
“Why did you lie to everyone Rarity? Why would you lie to all of us?” Rainbow Dash felt her voice shake slightly.
“ Because it is my destiny! It’s my cursed talent that I was thrusted into the world of the prim and proper. I had no choice, I learned a long time ago that a tom-colt designer could never be successful! Soon after I received my cutie mark...I started to fabricated this facade of lady Rarity, clean Rarity, proper Rarity. But it wasn’t enough! I still had other talents such as fighting, sports competitions, painting and anything else that requires one to get down and dirty.”
“I don’t believe it! You mean to tell me that all of the dangerous missions we went on you could have fought! You could have defended us this whole TIME!”
Rarity stomped her hoof in defense, her eyes narrowed in on the cyan pegasus in front of her.
“I only held back because, I knew all of you could take care of yourselves. If I jumped in the fray every single time, then none of you would have gotten stronger. If I saved the day constantly. Twilight may have ever never gotten the chance to be a princess. Fluttershy would have never stood up to that dragon if I interfered. ”
Rainbow Dash nostrils flared, she could feel her angry blurring her vision.
“Or you just let us save your sorry flank just so you could keep your precious little secret! Rarity…if that’s even your real name? Face it you only cared about yourself and your dirty little secret. Obviously your friend’s lives are not as important as keeping your secret life-”
Before Rainbow could even finish her sentence she was tackled to the ground. Rarity had pinned her down. While holding Rainbow in a choke hold. Rainbow Dash tired to break free but it was no use. Her eye caught sight of the slightly bulging muscles underneath Rarity’s white coat.
“Now you listen to me Rain-bow Dash!” huffed the enraged unicorn.
Rarity made sure to drag out her name before she continued.
“I don’t ever want to hear you accuse me of not caring about the lives of our friends! It is true, I’m a liar and a phony! But I never, faked my bonds with you or the others. I might be a good actress; but I could never fake how much I love each and everyone of my friends.”
In a fit of pure anger, Rainbow head butted Rarity with all the force she could muster. Slamming the back of her head into Rarity’s snout. The jarring pain made Rarity loosen her grip on Rainbow Dash. With a quick shove, Rainbow broke free. A small trickle of blood drizzled from Rarity’s muzzle. With her nostrils flared Rainbow pawed at the ground with her hoof. Her shoulders were hunched while she leaned forward, giving Rarity the universal sign of a pony scrapping for a fight. Rarity whipped the blood from her muzzle with the back of her hoof, she narrowed her gaze.
“You don’t want to fight me Rainbow Dash. I have the same amount of training as the royal guard.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Everypony knows that the royal guards are a joke! I can take you on! You only won our last tussle because you surprised me!”
“If you want a fight, then let us move to a different section…It’s pretty crowded in here.”
Without a word Rainbow moved to the center of the room, she turned to glare at Rarity. The angry unicorn used her magic to moved all of her things out of the way for their fight. Once, Rarity cut off her magic she hardened her stare. Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof on the ground in response.
“What are the rules? Wings or no wings, I don’t want to be called a cheater.” sneered Rainbow.
Rarity held onto her poker face due to her many years of training.
“You can use your wings, not that it would matter. This is an anything goes fight. The first pony to pin the other for three seconds wins. To make it a fair fight, I won’t be using my magic.” huffed Rarity.
Rainbow snorted loudly, she knew Rarity was going to fight handicapped. Which made her even more enraged. Knowing that Rarity didn’t consider her a threat.
“If you're not going to use your magic then I’m not gonna use my wings!”
Rarity closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, Rarity’s voice was cool and even like deadly ice.
“ The only way you even have the smallest chance of winning, is you having the intent to kill me…”
Rainbow was stunned by Rarity’s shocking statement, she was starting to think that this fight evolved into something more serious. Rarity saw that Rainbow was stunned by her words. Rarity saw this as her chance to end the fight with a quick tackle. Just like the last time. Rarity charged Rainbow with a burst of speed. Rarity rammed right into Rainbow Dash’s side. The hit knocked the air right out of Rainbow’s lungs, she wheezed as she laid on the floor. Rarity just stood over Rainbow’s body with a menacing smirk.
“It that all you got Rainbow darling?” sarcasm coated Rarity’s words.
Rarity was now just toying with Rainbow Dash. Deep down Rarity always secretly wanted to compete and even have a good sparring match with her rainbow maned friend. Now that one of her many fantasies had come to pass. Rarity didn’t expect things would be this easy. She hopped that Rainbow Dash would give her more of a challenge. Rarity was happy when she saw her mocking must have struck a nerve in the blue pegasus.
Rarity didn’t want to be outright mean, she just wanted Rainbow Dash to fight at her full potential. Once, Rainbow recovered she darted at Rarity. Raising her right fore hoof as she tried to punch Rarity in the muzzle. Stepping to the side, Rarity easily blocked the blow with her hoof. Now locked together, Rainbow flashed Rarity a quick smile before she kicked Rarity’s barrel with her hind leg.
The blow threw Rarity off balance for just a second. That was all Rainbow needed, she body slammed Rarity to the ground. With a smug grin Rainbow pinned down the white unicorn. As Rainbow sat on Rarity’s chest while holding down Rarity’s fore hooves. Rarity closed her eyes as Rainbow began to count.
“One…Two-”
Taking in a deep breath Rarity tried to clear her mind. She could feel Rainbow’s heart beating through her coat. Everything seemed to slow down, between Rainbow’s heart beats. Rarity’s eyes snapped open, she focused all of her energy onto her hind legs.
“Thre-”
Rainbow was launched into the air from the sear power of Rarity‘s kick. Before she could finish counting. Rarity had managed to push the smug pegasus off of herself just in the nick of time. While Rainbow Dash flailed in the air Rarity was already up on her hooves. Rarity crouched down like a cat getting ready to pounce on a bird. Rainbow crashed onto the hard floor. Rarity wasted no time a she jumped right on top Rainbow’s back. Rarity held down Rainbow’s head while she pinned down one of Rainbow’s fore hooves behind her back. Rarity began her count, she drawled it out giving Rainbow Dash a small window to escape.
“One…Two……Three…” A faint smile graced Rarity’s alabaster lips.
“Looks like I win, How about we discuss this whole thing over a nice cup of tea. A cup of tea sounds lovely right about now. Don’t you think so Rainbow Dash?”
Rarity let go of Rainbow as she fox-trotted towards the exit; expecting Rainbow Dash to follow her out. Rainbow Dash glared at Rarity, she was so angry that she had been lied to this entire time they were friends. Rainbow Dash didn’t know what made her more angry. The lying or the fact that she was just beaten up by the prissiest sissy pony she ever known. In a fit of rage Rainbow Dash charged at Rarity while her back was turned. The sudden sound of galloping hooves made Rarity’s ear swivel.
Rarity leaped into the air just before Rainbow could ram into her. Rarity then landed right on top of Rainbow‘s back. The next thing Rainbow knew was that she was pinned once again. She felt something cold and slick against her neck, she looked down seeing that Rarity had a knife pressed up against her neck. It was in that moment that Rainbow realized that she was no match for the unicorn. For the first time Rainbow Dash’s life, she felt a genuine fear of dying. Rainbow looked into Rarity’s eyes, they were intense and fierce.
“Don’t ever charge at me from behind!” growled Rarity while she pressed the cool blade a little closer to her neck.