"Oh, I almost forgot! Can you please place these inside my trunk?"
"No problem with that."
Don't board the train
"Rarity!"
"He's going to get some help, just HOLD ON!!!"
Rarity awoke with a shock, her eyes frantically looking around.
She was in a white, hospital room, the warm sheets of the blanket draping half of her body. The explosion was still ringing in her head, making it ache.
Nopony was around the room. She tried lifting herself up, to no avail.
A knock sounded from the door, as Octavia quickly trotted in, a worried expression on her face.
"Rarity, thank Celestia you're alright!" the gray mare exclaimed as she embraced her friend. She felt her coat dampen from a small tear dripped from her friend's eye.
"You had me worried for a second there!"
"I feel alright now, Octavia." the white mare smiled, calming her friend down.
"Rarity!"
Crimson came in limping, crutches on both his hooves as Octavia helped him over.
"Crimson!" the white unicorn looked in surprise. "You're awake!"
"Well, I guess my hooves ain't." the stallion laughed a little, gesturing at his crutches.
Rarity smiled at his joke, though something was hanging in her mind, bugging her incessantly. She couldn't point a hoof at it; her thoughts wandering aimlessly in her foggy memory.
"Miss Rarity," Stellar stepped in with a serene smile of relief, followed by Autumn Palgiot.
"Good to see you're alright," the beige mare said with a grin.
Winter stepped in right behind them, a dark expression on his face without any word.
"To think," his sister scowled. "where Mirror Mare dared to strike."
"He wants Pendant Lakes to know his presence," the stallion quipped, his mind focusing on something else.
"The tracks leading back to Ponyville and the southern region were destroyed, so it might be a while before you ponies can actually return to Ponyville again."
Octavia let out a disgruntled sigh as Rarity couldn't help but ask: "Was anypony else hurt in the explosion?"
Autumn was the first to speak up:
"There were a handful of ponies in a critical state. Only a few ponies were killed in the explosion."
The white mare felt guilt tugging at her hooves, hesitantly asking:
"Who were they?"
"We've recognized two as residents of Pendant Lakes itself. The other one was Tiki Torch, one of the guests of the ball."
Her heart dropped at the sudden mention of that name. Tears immediately sprung from her eyes, drowning her in a state of shock.
"Oh, Celestia..." she muttered, slumping back onto her bed.
Octavia, noticing the white unicorn's sudden change of expression, began to worry.
"What's wrong?" she asked her friend.
"No..."
"The police are onto it as we speak. So far, they've found remains of a small, pressure pipe bomb hidden in a charred, brown suitcase."
Rarity remained speechless as the mare continued the explaination. She felt faint in her heart, her mind starting to crack from the strain she had with every progressing word.
"Witnesses have seen Tiki opening the suitcase before the explosion. It could be he was the intended target."
"He wasn't..."
All eyes turned to the white mare, her mane hung low as she muttered between sobs:
"Tiki offered to help me move some luggage."
"What do you mean, Rarity?" Octavia piped in.
"I f-forgot to..." she tried to continue with a tremble, but broke down again.
The gray mare instantly placed a hoof around her, her words sweet and tender.
"Hush now.... there, there."
Rarity whimpered, giving a small, smile of gratitude, before continuing:
"I forgot to place my... bag of makeup into my luggage. I asked *sniffle*.... Tiki to help."
"You mean-"
"I killed him, Autumn!" she screamed, her eyes swelled red from tears as she harshly brushed her mane away, her hooves clenching tightly onto her bedsheets with her horrifying realization.
"I was the target!"
The pale yellow pony was slightly taken aback as she quietly sat back down, still absorbing what Rarity just said. The room plunged into a deep silence, nearly forsaking any of them to speak
"It seems," her brother finally spoke. "This is tougher than I thought."
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Summer savored the bittersweet taste of coffee in his mouth, his brows furrowed at the set of blueprints in his hoof. The castle was a really harsh place to navigate, with all its secret passages and what, despite already living his whole life since the days when he was just a foal.
A knock came to his door, snapping him out of his research.
"Just a minute," he called out, almost halfheartedly.
Shifting a few chess pieces on the chessboard, a clink of gears quickly responded, before the yellow stallion sat back into his seat, reaching for his mug of coffee.
"Come in!"
The door opened suddenly as Winter trotted in, a cold grimace aligning his face.
"What is it that you want?" the yellow stallion asked in a gruff tone, never desiring his brother's presence. He crossed his hooves defiantly, almost as if sneering at the other pony.
"You haven't heard of the explosion down at the train station?"
Summer just scoffed. "Let's say I haven't. Run through it for me, please."
The Patriarch glared at his brother's response, watching him stride across the room.
"You're still joking around, Summer?" he growled with spite
"What do you expect from it?"
"You weren't there!" Winter shouted at him. "You weren't there at all!"
Summer just stood leaning against a piano, his hooves crossed once more in ignorance.
"And?"
The white unicorn felt like punching him. He just felt like stabbing him in the gut.
"See? This is why you can't be Patriarch!"
His brother slammed his hooves on the table in response.
"I can be Patriarch whenever I like!!"
Winter snorted at that, his rage growing and rattling the cage of his mind.
"You don't even care about a single pony down there!" he said, pointing at Pendant Lakes outside the window.
"You don't even bothered about their safety!"
"And why would I?! What did those little ponies did for us that required me to care for them?"
"To hell with you!"
The Patriarch flipped over Summer's study table, his letters and ink scattering on the floor.
His brother just clenched his hoof tightly, rage piling up in his gut. Who does he think he is? Stomping into the room and throwing everything around like that?
"Do that one more time," he gave his brother a stern warning.
"You'll see who's Patriarch in a few minutes."
Winter just gave out a 'hmph', before walking out the door.
He turned his head back, his brows furrowing at his brother with disgust and ignorance.
"Not while I'm around."
Summer gritted his teeth, his brother slamming the door loudly. His face was flushed, seething with rage.
Glancing at the crumpled papers on the floor, his determination steeled.
"You won't be for long..."
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Rarity dragged herself up the stairs, groaning with annoyance at herself. Her body was a little sore, but the doctor said it was only a minor bruise, and immediately dismissed her from the hospital.
Octavia had more of a problem to deal with though. The gray mare was helping Crimson, the stallion himself struggled with his crutches as the couple neared the stairs.
"Damn this blasted things." he said with a laugh as he fumbled around.
The gray mare just held her coltfriend tightly, her hooves wrapped around his own.
"Language, Crimson."
Rarity giggled as Crimson retorted:
"You sound just like my mother!"
"Well, I'm sure your mother is a very nice pony." she replied with a wink.
The colt laughed at her comment, making Octavia shake her head.
"You go first, Rarity," she told her friend cheekily, grinning at her coltfriend mischievously.
"I need to help Mr. Naughty Colt here up."
Rarity gave out a soft giggled as the stallion just smiled, rolling his eyes.
"Very funny, 'Tavi."
As she continued towards the landing, leaving the couple behind, she saw Winter stomping down the corridor, clearly in a fit of rage. His hooves were clenched with spite, which only surprised the white unicorn even more.
"What's up with him?" Crimson inquired as he and Octavia finally reached the top.
"I don't know." Rarity could only answer.
"But I'm going to find out."
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Winter Palgiot settled himself down, his chest heaving with his rage leaving through each pant he makes. The recent argument with his brother gone a little awry to his tastes. He didn't want to flip his table, much less arguing with him.
"He deserved it," a part of his mind said, though his conscious self tried to forget about it.
The door creaked open slightly, the Patriarch watching Rarity stepping in.
"Mr. Palgiot?" she began, "Pardon my intrusion, but-"
"Dont!" Winter suddenly shouted. "move."
Rarity immediately froze on the spot, surprised yet confused at his sudden outburst as the Patriarch quickly strode towards a small table, his lips mumbling inaudibly.
His hoof browsed through the underside of the furniture, flipping a bunch of switches. In response, a flurry of clicks sounded in the distance, making him sigh with relief.
"I suppose I haven't told you everything," the stallionsaid with a laugh. "You're lucky I'm not asleep."
Rarity let out a sigh as she settled herself onto a chair.
"What was that for?"
"The switches, when flipped, will activate certain traps. For example," he explained, gesturing to a tile. It was noticeably a little faded in color from the others, the stallion continuing his explanation:
"That tile that you nearly stepped on, if you did, it will activate a crossbow and a gun from..."
Winter scanned the room as the mare shuddered in her seat.
"Let's see..."
"There!" His hoof pointed at a wooden crossbow on the top of the bookcase, an arrow glinting in position.
"And there," he trotted towards the bookshelf, revealing the barrel of a gun sticking out from one the books, which only made the mare stare at them in disbelief.
"Why in Equestria would you ever-"
"Necessensio, Miss Rarity." Winter reminded her.
"I don't want to take any chances, especially with all the Mirror Mare and stuff going on."
There was a moment of brief silence, before the mare remembered of her reason here.
"I saw you walk out just now," Rarity said, recalling the incident earlier.
"You seemed very upset."
"I have every reason to be. It was just an argument with Summer, not a big deal." Winter replied, laughing it off.
Although this time it went a little too far...
"Do you argue every day?"
"Well, that's a first for that question," the stallion chuckled as he grabbed a seat.
"We weren't really... brotherly ever since he was born."
"We were arguing about everything, always causing disruption and chaos every time we're together."
"Like my sister and I," Rarity piped in suddenly, remembering the events before Sisterhooves Social. There wasn't a time when she and her bonded properly together, though everything changed soon after.
Winter laughed softly in amusement at that comment, kicking his hooves back.
"Siblings can be tough sometimes," the stallion said, stretching his back as he sat against his chair.
"Well," Rarity suddenly spoke.
"It would be easier if you can just talk to him."
Winter's ears perked with interest, the stallion now moving to the edge of his seat.
"Pardon?"
"Talk to him, to Summer." the white mare advised the Patriarch, who was now in deep thought.
"Understand his likes, his dislikes, the problems he's having. Spend some time together."
"Well, you must remember what kind of family this is."
He sighed, the mare hearing a tone of disappointment from him.
"It isn't typically what you call......"
"Normal."
Rarity chuckled nervously, remembering the Palgiot family's devoussantics.
"Position is in high regard in every royal family, Miss Rarity." he said, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"You'll never know when one turns hungry for power."
"And, by the way," Winter stopped for a moment, taking a sip from his cup.
"I wanted to show you something."
"Oh?" Rarity's interest flickered.
The Patriarch straightened his suit, standing up from his seat.
"And bring your friend, Octavia along," he advised, though his serious tone made it sound more like a demand.
"We don't want things to go.... ugly."
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"But your butler said-"
"Well, Stellar was just passing out my orders."
Winter, Rarity and Octavia were walking up a granite spiral of stairs, their hooves starting to tire. The stairs seem to go forever, but Winter knows that they will eventually reach the top:
The Tower Room.
"Besides," Winter said as they continued up the stairs.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind a visit."
A small bluejay chirped from the window, with small rays of sunlight seaming through the window, shining across Rarity's face with the graceful feeling of wind blowing across her mane.
"Silly me!" she suddenly exclaimed with a sheepish grin.
"I forgot to comb my mane!"
"You won't need to, for this one." Winter responded, making the other two ponies stare at each other in surprise.
"What do you mean?" the white unicorn asked.
"You'll find out when we get there."
Octavia's mind was now busily wandering off, her concern directed onto Crimson.
"I shouldn't leave him alone there. That insane pony can attack any second."
"Don't worry," Rarity assured her, calming her friend down.
"I'm sure the guards are doing their job."
"And... here we are!" Winter exclaimed with a sigh.
A menacing, white stone door stood, with crystalline handles tempting anypony to open. The surface was decorated with the pristine designs of two doves, their beaks clutching onto the leaves of a laurel wreath.
Rarity looked in amazement at the intricate design, unable to imagine the amount of time spent on this handiwork.
Winter gave the handle a slight push, the door slowly swinging open.
A giant, circular room stood before them, the dull, brick walls pasted with sketches and blueprints. Hanging from one end of the room, the map of the castle was nailed into place, framed behind a thick wall of glass.
Tables stacked with books leaned against the wall, Rarity looking in disgust at the scattered, disorderly pages lying around. A few oil lamps hang from the ceiling, but what caught the two mares' eyes was different.
Right before them, a colossal, brass machine stood in the center of the room, gleaming from the rays of the afternoon sun shining through the two large windows. Its mechanical arms gripped tightly onto two copper marbles, with some parts of it tainted by a thin coat of rust.
Octavia looked in amazement as she and Rarity grew closer, marveled completely at the sight. The giant needle that stuck from the top like an antennae gleamed smoothly, the tip vanishing into the ceiling. The intricate clockwork was slightly rusted, with Winter blowing a cloud of dust off its structure.
Rarity's eyes glittered as she couldn't believe what she saw inside the structure.
There was a glass dome, within it was a large, gigantic sapphire, cut and polished to pure perfection. A few rusted iron claws held in into place, though the marveled unicorn never bothered of it, too busy at the gem standing within its gentle grasp.
"I see Miss Rarity here has good taste," Winter said with a laugh.
He oiled a few gears as the other two ponies continued examining the structure, before finishing with a cheerful whistle and a delighted grin.
The bottom was fixed firmly onto the floor with giant, steel bolts. In the middle stood a tall, velvet chair, a few dangling wires twirled around with a circular, plastic film attached to the end.
"This, ladies," he spoke, his face beaming with pride. "is the Dreamscape Five."
Rarity was unsure of what to do, her friend beside her only able to let out a small, amazed 'wow'.
"I built this machine in my spare time." Winter said, standing proudly beside his creation.
"It uses a mix of electricity and steam, as you can see here." he continued, tapping on a few valves jutting out from a maze of pipes.
"This machine lets you enter a dimension. A dimension in which you can see but cannot touch."
"This machine lets you recall not only your dreams, but also your thoughts, your desires, your emotions..."
He hesitated for a moment, before continuing: "Your future."
"Our future?" Rarity asked in amazement.
"Your life, and any other life, to be exact. It's a machine that connects you with a life force; an essence of time and nature itself."
Octavia squealed in anticipation at that. Rarity stood, looking up at the towering contraption, the stallion sitting on a stool with his hoof tweaking a few controls on the circuit board in front of him.
"But I don't understand," she asked, curious.
"Why would you bring us up here?"
Winter looked up from his wiring as her friend thought of the same thing.
"Come to think about it, she does have a point. Why me and Rarity? You could've chose anypony else."
The Patriarch sighed, his hooves raised in defeat.
"Well, you see..."
"I brought Rarity and you up here, cause of Mirror Mare."
Rarity tilted her head in bewilderment.
"What do you mean, Winter?"
"Miss Rarity, do you have any connection with Mirror Mare, any at all?"
Her eyes widened almost immediately.
"No!" she exclaimed in self-defense
"I wouldn't have anything to do with that insane pony!"
"Do you know of Caesar Mills?"
Rarity shook her head.
"Never heard of him, why?"
"He was one of the first victims to be killed by Mirror Mare. Since his death, a few other bodies had been appearing around the town since."
"When he took Tassel's life, I knew something was going on." Winter finished, placing a pair of headphones onto the circuit board as he trotted towards Rarity.
He took out a faded photo from his suit, the white mare examining it closely.
In it was a stallion, playing with a few fillies, presumably his children, with a sky-blue mare gave him a mug little coffee. All of them were smiling cheerfully, the sight only warming heart.
"This is him," Winter said, pointing at the stallion.
Images of trains, blood and a swinging, wooden sign flashed into her mind as Rarity widened her eyes in horror and realization at the sight of Caesar.
"That-" she felt something stabbing into her gut, her voice forcefully squeaking out:
"That was the pony! The pony I saw being..."
She felt sick, her face turned a slight green as Octavia trotted over to console her friend.
"No..." she muttered. "It's impossible. It was only a nightmare. A horrible nightmare..."
"Unfortunately," Winter's expression darkened.
"What you've, how should I put it, seen, was all true."
"But the pony!" Rarity nearly stumbled.
"He was dragged by a train! Mirror Mare couldn't have been sick as that!"
"Caesar has done something, something possibly big that Mirror Mare had made him pay for," Winter inquired, placing the photo on a nearby table.
"Somehow, Tassel Twist and Crimson are connected in this."
"What do you mean Crimson is connected in this?" Octavia questioned the stallion, slightly confused yet enraged by his assumption.
"What would he have to do with this?"
"I have no idea, but I'm intending to find out. And I need both of your help."
Rarity trembled a little, trying to push Caesar's death out of her mind.
"Alright," her voice quivered with reluctance.
"What do you want us to do?"
Winter sat back onto the stool, brushing the dust off the circuit board.
"Rarity," he called to the white mare.
"I need you to sit onto the chair over there."
She nodded slightly as she slowly trotted towards the machine, albeit hesitantly.
"Whatever for?" curiosity beckoned her to ask.
"You were selected as the next Hostia Prima, Prime Victim." Winter said, placing his headphones on.
"I'm going to find the source of this, to see how this connects to everypony else involved."
"Octavia," he called to the gray mare this time.
"Please connect the yellow and blue pairs of wires to each of Rarity's hooves."
She quickly nodded, as she started connecting the wires.
"Good luck," she whispered encouragingly to Rarity.
The unicorn just gave her friend an unsure smile as Winter continued:
"Now, attach the iron cuffs to Rarity's hooves."
The gray mare whirled back, glancing skeptically at the Patriarch.
"Are you kidding me?"
"You don't want her flying out the window."
Unwillingly, she clasped the cuffs shut. Her friend tried to move her hoof. It was firmly gripping her like a vice, so tight that she couldn't twist and turn any of her front hooves
"Alright, Octavia. Stand back." Winter said, clasping onto a red switch.
Rarity held her breath as he flipped the switch downwards.
The machine started whirring to life, the sapphire inside glowing brightly. The copper marbles started spinning like the blades of a helicopter, their top halves slowly sliding open, revealing a glass prism inside it.
Th gears whirred faster and faster, making Octavia shield her eyes from the radiant light that suddenly flared from the exposed prism, her fascination growing along with the light's intensity.
The prism reflected the bright lights, turning the glaring beam into a dazzling display of dancing wisps, all in different hue of colors.
Rarity felt a tingle in her hooves, staring in awe and disbelief at the lights show around her. Her mane fluttered in the whirlwind, the mechanical hands overhead spinning faster and faster.
Then, she felt herself fly free from her seat, the world around her fading into a blinding, white light.
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Rarity felt her head pounding intensely, the small pain making her let out a small moan, her eyes opening slowly.
Her vision was a foggy blur, her hoof reaching around blindly. Raising one of them, she hastily rubbed her eyes. What she saw made her gasp.
"Could it be...?
She was standing in the center of Carousel Boutique: her store, her home! Squealing with delight, she looked around, still not believing the sight around her.
Galloping out the door, breathing in a little bit of fresh air, the white unicorn landed on her knees, her hooves raised in a loud cheer.
"I'm home!!!!"
Rarity was so excited that she pranced around, jumping for joy.
"I should go talk to my friends!" she told herself with anticipation.
"Pinkie Pie should be celebrating my return, along with my other friends!"
She gleamed at the thought of it, giggling with excitement.
"Applejack will be there! Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie would of course be there!! As well as-"
Her voice suddenly seemed to drop, realization overwhelming her in a split second. Rarity felt her shadow behind her grew larger, the despair settling back into her heart.
"Spike..."
Rarity tried not to cry, although a small tear already formed in her eye.
"Alright!" she proclaimed suddenly with fierce determination, pushing her sniffles away.
"The party can wait!"
"I'm coming, Spikey-Wikey!"
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Ponyville Hospital looked strangely vacant, with not a single pony around. The usual rush of doctors and nurses, the patients walking around the corridors in their wheelchairs... it wasn't there anymore.
Rarity felt a foreboding presence as she walked down the corridor. The hospital was clean, completely free of dust, yet
She slowly trotted down the corridor, her eyes looking through the windows of every door, toiling tirelessly through the corridor to find the purple dragon.
Then, she saw him!
On the bed, peacefully resting, was Spike!
She quickly opened the door, with great anticipation. The dragon, slightly larger than Rarity, slept silently as the monitor beside him beeped slowly.
"Spike!" Rarity called him with a cheerful grin, though there was no response.
"It's me. It's Rarity," she tried again, yet the dragon slept, his chest rising with every inhaling breath.
Rarity cupped his claws into her hooves as she sat on a stool beside the bed.
"Please, wake up..." she said with a sniffle.
"Please..."
"I knew you would be here, Rarity."
Rarity looked up at the mention of her name, watching as a purple unicorn stepped in.
"Twilight! Oh how great it to see you!"
Twilight Sparkle just gave her an unsettling smile, slinking to the side whilst beckoning an orange pony to step in from behind as well.
"Applejack? What are you girls doing here?"
"Ya see, Rarity." Applejack held back, biting her lip.
"Twilight has something to tell you."
Rarity looked at the purple unicorn, who was shuffling about nervously.
"What is it?"
"It's...." Twilight's streaked mane shifted slightly.
"It's about Spike."
The door opened once more, as two pegasi stepped in.
"Rainbow Dash! Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed as they both smiled warmly at her.
"But where's-" she felt something twinge in her gut.
"Where's Pinkie Pie?"
"Pinkie Pie wouldn't come out of her room." Rainbow Dash explained, her rainbow mane slightly discolored than usual.
"What do you mean?" Rarity asked her, as she began to worry.
"Why wouldn't she?"
"Rarity." Twilight called as she tried to wipe a few tears away, which only fueled her worry.
"She wouldn't come.... because of Spike."
"What do you mean?"
"Spike," Twilight tried to continue, but was interrupted by Fluttershy's slight whimper, as well as her own.
"Spike hasn't been doing... well these few days."
Rarity tried to shake that thought off.
"I asked the doctor about it. The d-doctor said... he said..." the purple unicorn started tearing up as Applejack hugged her friend. Twilight started to sob quietly, though the white mare could only stare in confusion.
"What did he say?" she asked frantically, almost forcefully as well.
"What did he say, Twilight?"
"The doctor said," Applejack finished her friend's sentence.
"Spike's not going to make it."
Rarity felt the world drop on her, her gut stinging from the news broken down to her.
Tears started flowing from her eyes, her heart sinking rapidly to the floor. Her chest thrashed violently,
"Impossible!" she screamed, making her friends look in surprise.
"He is going to make it, I know he is!"
"Rarity! We all believed in it as well-" Applejack began, but was cut off by a scowl.
"No! You said," the white unicorn glared with tears in her eyes as her hoof pointed towardsTwilight, who was still sobbing on Applejack's shoulder.
"You said it was just a coma! You said he will wake up!!"
"He isn't going to, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash shouted, Fluttershy now cringing at a corner.
"Everypony wished he can get through, alright!?"
"Shut up, Rainbow!" Rarity's eyes fixated into the blue pegasus's.
"He is going to live! He is going to make it!"
"No Rarity! He is not!!"
Rarity, completely enraged, gave Rainbow Dash a loud 'slap!!'.
The blue pegasus stumbled backwards onto the floor, rubbing her brazened face. Everypony else looked at the white unicorn in shock, unable to respond to what she just did.
"Don't! You! Dare! Say That!"
"Rarity!" Twilight shouted with a shiver. "Please-"
"You lied to me, Twilight!!' Rarity scowled begrudgingly, her hoof pointing at her friend accusingly, her eyes bloodshot with rage.
"You lied about Spike! You said he will live through it! You said we will celebrate!"
"Quit it, Rarity!" Applejack marched up to her.
"Listen to ya darn self!"
Rarity still glared at Twilight behind Applejack's shoulder, whose eyes were widening in fear.
"We really wanted Spike to pull through this, sugarcube." the orange pony's voice softened. "All of us do!"
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew over to comfort the lavender mare, who was already breaking down.
The white mare's rage still flared, looking away from Applejack in discomfort, before she began sniffling.
"I know. All of us do. About you and Spike, alright?" the orange mare said, as Rarity's tears continued to fall.
The white unicorn gazed at the dragon, who was still sleeping peacefully in his bed, oblivious to everything happening around him.
"Even Pinkie Pie was depressed," the orange pony continued, though hesitantly.
"She nearly hung herself yesterday."
Rarity turned back to Applejack, shocked by the news of her pink friend.
Pinkie Pie? Hanging herself?!
"It was lucky RD managed to stop her." Applejack sighed.
"This whole news is going too far for Pinkie to bear as well."
Rarity let herself fall on the floor with her mane hung low, sobbing quietly.
"I'm sorry...."
Applejack's ears perked as Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked over.
"I didn't know... what I've done..."
"What do you mean, Rarity?" the orange mare asked, beginning to worry.
"I didn't know... how my friends felt."
Rarity stood up, still looking down at the floor, walking across the room.
"I wasn't aware... of anything. Anything that happened." she whimpered. the warm rays of sunlight shone across her face
"Sugarcube, it's alright. We didn't expect it to happen either."
Rarity trotted closer to the window, looking down at the town outside.
"But I didn't care. I didn't want to care..."
"Rarity, just.... just come to your senses now." Fluttershy finally spoke.
"You didn't.... know about it... um-"
Rarity shushed her as she smiled at the yellow pegasus.
"Fluttershy?"
She looked up at the white unicorn, nervously replying: "Y-Yes?"
The white mare held her breath as she buckled her hind hooves, closing her eyes shut.
Her decision was made, a small smile creeping up to her face.
"Take care of Sweetie Belle for me."
Applejack leaped from the chair suddenly, her eyes widened with horror.
"Rarity! No!"
In one swift move, Rarity launched herself out the window, glass shattering through her face as tears continued to fall down her cheeks.
"RARITY!!!!"
Her four friends screamed in unison, with Rainbow Dash quickly flying out after her.
Rarity felt her body fall as she closed her eyes, letting the weight of gravity pull her in a tight, painful embrace. Rainbow Dash was flying down from a distance, quickly catching up to her.
"Rarity, don't do this now!!" the blue pegasus shouted. "Don't do this to me now!!"
She felt like she was falling forever, the grieving torrent of water starting to patter onto her face. Her tears flew from her eyes, blowing in the wind. Lightning flashed in the distance as her fluttering mane became wet from the rain.
Her heart became ensnared with remorse, though she smiled; she would finally be with him.
The love of her life...
"Rarity!!!" Rainbow Dash shouted at her friend.
Then, Rarity felt her body slam onto the sharp surface ground, her mind snapping instantaneously from the pain, as she saw the world fading back into white.
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"Spike!!!"
Rarity awoke with a shock, her body convulsing tightly in her seat with her hooves still restrained
Octavia rushed towards her friend, instinctively reaching her hoof out to calm her down from her shock.
"It's okay, Rarity! It's just me," the gray pony said to her friend, trying to shake her from her frozen state.
"It's okay..."
Winter rushed to Octavia's side as well, with the white mare finally coughing, tears filling her eyes to the brim.
"Celestia....." the shaken mare could only mutter as the stallion unclasped the steel cuffs, freeing her from the vice grip of the machine.
"Octavia, she needs some rest." the Patriarch advised, looking at them with concern.
"I suggest you bring her to her room."
Rarity tried to lift herself up, yet she struggled with her trembling hooves, still shaking and convulsing violently from the harsh ordeal. Octavia helped her friend up, hooves around each other's shoulders, with Winter shutting his machine down, before helping the mares by opening the marble doors.
The mare felt faint, tired with pain still clutching in her chest. She closed her eyes, her thoughts slowly fading into the sweet, tempting sensation of sleep as she muttered out one last word quietly under her breath, accompanied by a small tear of despair warmly received by the marble floor below their hooves.
"Spike..........."