//------------------------------// // Ones company... // Story: Equestria Divided // by Nightmare Darkness //------------------------------// Rarity Spring 23,14 ASD Rarity massaged her head with her good hoof as the throbbing increased. She had lashed out at the last pony who had disturbed her. Her numerous advisors had given her space as she coped with her mood. A small knock on the door sounded like a loud thunderclap. “What!" she exclaimed angrily as it opened slowly to admit Sweetie Belle. She had grown up and looked much like Rarity had when she was younger, and although that would make others in her position envious, all she felt was love for her baby sis. “Sweetie Belle? I’m sorry but my head is really hurting. I wish to be alone, dear," she said, exhausted. Sweetie Belle smiled and approached her, laying a comforting hoof on her shoulder. Rarity lifted her crystallized hoof to it. Crystal fragments cracked and clattered as they broke off and began to bleed.. Sweetie Belle began to stroke her mane and softly sing as Rarity closed her eyes, focusing on her voice. After a moment, Rarity opened her eyes and looked up at her sister. “You always know how to make the pain go away," she said with a small chuckle. Sweetie Belle looked at her. “What’s got you so distraught?" she asked. Rarity lowered her crystal hoof and waved her other back and forth as if waving off a fly. “It’s this," she said, lifting a letter with the seal of the Moon and Star. “Twilight? She contacted you?" Sweetie said, slightly surprised. Rarity nodded as she leaned back into her seat. “What did she say?” Sweetie asked. “The sum of it is to have a meeting," Rarity said, shaking her head. Sweetie Belle looked at the letter, unfurled it with her magic and began to read out loud. “Rarity, I know we have not always seen eye to eye on matters concerning how Equestria should be run but that must be set aside. Blah blah blah…," Sweetie Belle said, skipping over the trivialities. “Ah, I wish to converse with you regarding matters of trade between our houses, as well as things that are best left out of messages brought by couriers. I await your response. Archmage Twilight Sparkle," Sweetie finished and sighed, then looked at her sister. “What are you going to do?" she asked as Rarity looked at her with an unsure look. “I’m considering it… but the real question is what has she found after fourteen long years that is worth seeing one another now of all times. Who else has she told? These are the questions I have that are giving me a headache," she said exhausted. Sweetie Belle put the paper back on Rarity’s desk and shook her head. “Don’t worry too much, sis. You might get wrinkles," she teased as Rarity looked up at her, shocked. “Please don’t tell me I have wrinkles!" she said, aghast, and Sweetie Belle laughed lightly. “No, no, you look fine. But seriously…" she said, before the door opened again, admitting General Fancy Pants who bowed curtly to them both. Rarity’s mood changed from light hearted to a stone cold glare. “Mistress Rarity. News comes and it is dire," he said, resolutely. Rarity straightened her back, giving off a most regal appearance. “What is it?" she asked venomously. Fancy Pants hesitated a moment. “Some of the Diamond dogs are acting out against you in the mining quarter," he said briskly. Rarity didn’t bat an eyelash. “Make an example of them," she said. Fancy Pants frowned. “In what way milady?" he asked, unsure. “Have the leader dragged and beaten. I’ll have no disobedience from them. Then have them chained and lead to the gem mines. Was there anything else?" she said coolly, as if stating a fact. Fancy Pants nodded. “Yes Milady. There are rumors of the cult working out of the poor quarter," he explained. Rarity gave a soft glare at nopony in particular as she thought a moment. “Investigate and have my sirens try to gather intel. We have to root out those corpse raising zealots," she said as Fancy nodded and left quickly to carry out her orders. Sweetie Belle looked at her sadly. “A lady's work is never done, I’m afraid, dear. Thank you for visiting me. I’ll get back to you about what I will do with Twilight's proposal," Rarity said, lifting her red rimmed glasses to her eyes as she began to read again. Sweetie Belle nodded to her and quietly left. Twilight Spring 24, 14 ASD The stone walled room had the feeling of a dungeon, but Twilight moved about it with ease and familiarity. The ghostly visage of an old pony with a long white beard watched her with a neutral expression. Starswirl the Bearded sighed, and Twilight's eye twitched and annoyance. “What?" she said pointedly. “Nothing…" he said passively. “You always sigh when you're deep in thought or have something to say," she said as she lifted two vials and began to mix the two. “What would Celestia think of you now?" he murmured. Twilight froze. “What did you just say…" she turned on him was a dark look. “I remember that look," he said coldly. “Then you should be afraid of it…" she said, continuing to mix her two potions evenly. “No, that was the same look Sombra gave Celestia and Luna when they refused to ally with him. That began the Crystal conflict all those years ago," he said, thinking back. “Don’t compare me to a tyrant," she said angrily. He simply watched her with a look of overwhelming sadness. “It's not too late you know. Yes, you’ve made mistakes, but you can try to mend them," Starswirl said carefully. Twilight was quiet for a moment before she spoke softly, putting the vials into their holders before turning showing a neutral expression to him. “I was so sure of myself and in my haste, I murdered my friend Pinkie Pie and severely hurt Rainbow, who was so loyal to me even after Applejack refused," she paused as her face cracked and twisted, overbearing guilt washing over her. Then she continued. “No Starswirl, the only ponies close to me are you, Spike, and at a distance Rarity, who is just as secretive as I am. Nopony trusts me and nopony should. I also don’t trust in anypony but myself," she finished. Starswirl bowed his head slightly. “If there is one thing I know from my long life, it’s that guilt will always eat you away unless you forgive yourself," he said gingerly as he looked up at her again. “Starswirl, its war we are in and Applejack has no reservations about cleansing this country of unicorns calling our magic unnatural. I'll abandon this land for a better Equestria, and all Unicorns will know peace from the threat of the Earthborn," Twilight said, turning to her vials again. Twilight finished as she then heard scuffling and the yelling of a pony. “That must be the spy," she said as she combined the two liquids causing the two colors to combine and become a dark inky black with a soft sizzle. “The last potion I tested seemed to give the unsightly effect of burning one's insides to the point that his insides spilled onto the floor. I wonder what this one will do…" she said, lifting the veil up for a closer inspection as she smiled cruelly.