//------------------------------// // 5.1) Impostor!!! // Story: Fears // by Short Stories //------------------------------// It's been quite some time since Rarity and I have gotten some quality sister time. What, with the Summer Sun Festival and that evil mare taking over and damaging almost everything in sight. Most of it was the stuff I made. Typical. Rarity and five other strangers walked into the Everfree forest; it's been a while since they returned. I'm nervous some Timberwolves ate her, or maybe an Ursa Major ripped her to shreds. It's strange that they would tell us about the beasts that live in the Everfree forest during school. You'd think they want us to have nightmares! If Rarity isn't back in 15 seconds, I'm going in after her. (15) I know it isn't smart to do this...(14)...but I miss her so much already! (13) She told me, and I quote, 'Sweetie, we will have sister time after everything...' (11)...'simmers down, as it were.' (10) I might never see here again now... You know, she used to talk like I talk now. (9.5) Then she watched some show. (9) I forgot what it was called, but it had a heck of a lot of British people in there. (7) She still watches it, and it's still as annoying as ever. (6) She insists on speaking that way. (5) I'm going to miss her old voice...if she ever uses it, it'll sound like somepony else entirely. (4) Yet, everyday, I want to hear that natural voice of hers again. (3) to bring me back to when i was just a foal, and she took care of me. (2) We had lots of time to bond then! To bad I couldn't talk. (1) I would say "I love you, Rarity!" And she would say "I love you too--" "Sweetie Belle!" (0) Sweetie looked up from the journal she was writing in to see her sister running towards her, out of the Everfree Forest. There were twigs and leaves stuck in her messy purple mane and her hooves were coated with mud and goop, but she didn't seem to care. Rarity kept running until she reached her little sister, then wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug. "I...can't...breathe..." Sweetie gasped as her off-white face slowly tinted red, then blue, then purple before Rarity let go of her to let the filly breathe. "I'm terribly sorry, Sweetie Belle, I just missed you so much!" Rarity exclaimed, "I didn't think I would ever make it out of the Everfree alive! I had to scavenge for food and water, all the while trying to find a place out of this mess!" She looked down at Sweetie Belle, who was still trying to catch her breath. "But it was all worth it!" Rarity hugged Sweetie again, yet not as hard as before. Sweetie returned the embrace, closing her eyes and letting out a happy sigh before noticing something wrong. None of the strangers Rarity went in with came out with her. Also, Rarity would have probably cleaned herself up by now, even if she hadn't seen Sweetie in five years, she would always ignite her horn and make herself sparkly clean before any hugs of any kind. There was one more thing: Rarity was speaking in her natural voice. Sweetie pulled away from the hug in disgust, then walked backwards to get a better view of 'Rarity'; she narrowed her eyes before speaking. "Who are you?" Sweetie asked. Rarity looked shocked, swiveling her head from left to right before realizing Sweetie was talking to her. "I'm Rarity!" The impostor claimed, "your sister! The one you grew up with..." "Wrong!" Sweetie pointed an accusing hoof at the impostor as she continued. "I grew up with mom and dad! You grew up with Aunt Gleam! You looked over me when I was five and onwards!" As soon as Sweetie realized that technically ruined her evidence, she tried a new tactic. "Plus, the Rarity I know would have cleaned herself up by now with a simple spell!" "I haven't seen you in so long, Sweetie Belle, of course I--" "Your not speaking in your 'British' accent, 'Rarity'." Sweetie mocked, placing air quotes around the words 'British' and 'Rarity'. The impostor's face slowly changed into a huge, creepy grin before 'Rarity' transformed into a shadowy figure with blue-green hair, a crooked horn, and tattered wings. Her teeth looked dangerously pointy. "Smart filly..." the beast whispered, circling a terrified Sweetie Belle like it's prey. "Too bad I hate smart fillies." It growled. In a split second, it snatched Sweetie Belle then flew into the Everfree Forest. As soon as her shock was resolved, Sweetie tried to get free. "Who are you and what did you do to my sister?!" Sweetie demanded, trying to gnaw on the beast's holy hoof. "I am Queen Chrysalis." Chrysalis stated, "and forget about your sister. Your not going to see her again." Sweetie stopped gnawing to look at Chrysi with wounded eyes. "I won't?" She squeaked. "Hmm.." The queen pretended to think for a brief second before giving Sweetie the answer. "You might," she said, "just from a distance. These pods are sound proof, too, so..." "From a distance?" Sweetie interrupted. "Sound proof?!?" "Hush, child." Queen Chrysalis instructed, landing in a seemingly empty clearing. "We're here."