Rarity stepped out from Hitter's hotel in a righteous fury, as another pony she thought noble turned out being a monster. And to think, this was even worse than Blueblood, if that was conceivable! Mass extinction? Natural selection? Declaring war on an entire Tribe? This was unheard of, blasphemous, and downright uncouth!
Hitter seemed hurt by her actions, but had refused to let her be harmed. "Let her leave the city, and go home." He had said. "She is not a threat to us here... yet."
Ooh, "Yet" was an important amendment for him to make. More than he knew! Once she bore word of this to Celestia, they would certainly accept refugees, and declare war on this country if it sided with- with him..
She hopped on the bicycle she had rented, and sped off along the cobble stone streets. She could hear the screams of terrified ponies all around her, amongst the ruckus of violent shouting and houses breaking from the onslaught, and fought to keep pedaling to the seaport. Her time to aid will come, certainly this measly threat could be stamped out easily...
"Here's another one, boys!"
She heard a vicious scream beside her as she flew down the street, and screeched to a halt when something warm and wet flew across her face. She wiped a good portion of the substance off with a hoof in disgust, before staring at it in absolute horror:
"is this-... b-b-... blood...?"
She dared not to turn, and see what had caused this to spray so violently. She set herself back on balance: and sped of with redoubled speed, heading for the nearest alley as the sounds of laughter, cheering, screaming, and destruction echoed through the streets. She pulled into the brick alley, leaned her bike against the wall, and fled out of the city.
When she finally got to the seaport, some of the blood on her coat had dried, and matted her pristine hair down with a sickly red stain. She walked up to the security guard, but paused in worry when she saw his tribe.
"Miss, are you alright?!" He asked in concern, after noticing her appearance. He was about to approach her, but was thrown back as Rarity tackled him into the station: hiding them both behind the counter.
"What's going o--?"
"Run," Rarity hissed, catching the guard's attention even further. "Run with me, you won't last long here!"
"What are you talking about?" He inquired worriedly, about to peek over the counter when Rarity jerked him back down, panting heavily. She was too weary to speak coherently, so she clumsily thwacked his head and his side:
"No horn, no wings." She panted, "You'll be dead within the hour, if we don't-- shush!"
She pressed her hoof against his lips as she heard a scream come from outside, and heard the running hooves of several ponies chasing a single runaway. There was a gush of wind, and a scream of "Put me down!" before they both saw the shape of a pony fall outside, and heard a terrible squelch and crunch as bone and flesh met pavement. Blood spattered into the station, and the guard cowered in fear.
"What's happening out there?" He whispered harshly.
Rarity stood, and kept him down. She observed the ongoing rampage of mindless destruction, and heard the booming voice of Hitter summoning them back to the stage.
"Extinction," she answered darkly, staring at all the bodies that had already been gathered in the past two hours.
"Where can we hide?"
"Nowhere, not here... we need to leave the country... we need to get back to Equestria."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"No, Rarity."
The Unicorn's jaw dropped at the sound of Celestia's reply. "But-... But how could we not help stamp out this outrage?" She pleaded. "I saw and heard for myself what their victims are being subjected to, we have to do some--"
Celestia raised her hoof for silence, and set it down with a sad sigh. "Part of being a ruler is making hard decisions for the good of our subjects, Rarity." She said in a dark tone. "I will not risk attacking a menace on the soil of a sovereign nation that might not want us to rid it of them, it most certainly would be seen as a direct act of war. We will accept refugees, but until this is able to be acknowledged as a direct threat to Equestria, sending an army onto the Monarchy's soil could lead to disastrous consequences."
She paused, and looked at Rarity with a cunning smile. "However... there is a way we could help..."
"Yes?" Rarity inquired, practically begging to be a part of it.
"Rarity," Celestia offered with a hint of determination, "have you ever considered espionage?"
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rarity stood at the edge of a large table- what was designed to look like a map of the known world- surrounded by the High Authorities of the EUP. Spitfire: High Commander of the Wonderbolts. Titania: Grand General of the Maggi. And Thunderhoof: Leader of the Earthen Elites.
The cerulean Unicorn directed the tip of her staff to the patch labeled "Equestria", and motioned it slowly towards a section marked "Germareny":
"There is one last ship headed towards Germareny at the end of this month, Rarity." She stated, retracting the pointer and setting it to the side. "We want you to have learned at least a few basic combat spells, and one advanced communication spell by then. And we'll need a name for you, as you'll be working as a local florist, codenamed Lilac Duchess. But we need you to cooperate with us on a casual name for you to use." She explained.
"I rather like the sound of Lilac Duchess," Rarity said with a distant smile, "perhaps we could just use that?"
"As both name and codename? Not worth the risk, Miss Rarity." Spitfire scoffed. "This is a covert operation, and a link that obvious will undoubtedly attract attention, and suspicion."
"Exactly... it could just be smart enough to work." Celestia said, stepping into the room after hearing the last few minutes of the meeting.
"I'm with The Princess on this," Thunderfoot growled in admiration, his blue mane bobbing as he nodded, "if Germarenian intelligence is anything like our own, that might be too obvious to even be considered. And if Rarity wants to risk her neck with such a contrived plan, that's her business. We might always learn from our mistakes, if she gets her throat slit too soon."
Rarity quirked an eyebrow at him. "Very comforting, you are, to be sure." She deadpanned. Celestia placed a hoof on her side, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Are you sure this is something you want to do, Rarity? Even if you go by any other name, it's not a matter of if you get caught, but of when. Are you willing to take that chance?"
"I cannot sit back and do nothing, Princess, while innocent ponies are murdered on the streets." Rarity sighed, looking to the table. "The Duchess will aid, what do I do?"
"You haven't visited any of your friends on your way here, have you?" Titania asked.
"No," Rarity informed, curious as to her reasoning.
"In that case, you disappeared during the uprising, and we have no idea where you are. You might even be dead, as far as we know." The General informed, watching as Rarity nodded soberly. She was worried about poor Sweetie's reaction to her disappearance, but she needed to help these ponies: no matter the cost.
It was the generous thing to do.
"You'll need to change your look as well as your name, Rarity." Celestia stated, walking towards the table. "And you'll need makeup for your cutie mark."
"Oh, don't worry about makeup." Rarity smiled coyly. "I wore a dress, so nopony saw my flank while I was over there. And as far as disguises go, I think I know a couple that would let me blend right In..."
She tittered knowingly, remembering a particularly comfortable outfit from long ago.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
She stood on the deck of the massive freighter, and watched over the railing as the docking process began beneath her. She had traded in her usual, curly mane style in favor of letting her hair fall limply over her shoulders, and her bangs were cut short just above her eyes. She wore a black sweatshirt, and small black shoes covered her hooves. A large red beret rested lopsidedly on her head, and her eyeliner took on a darker blue hue than normal.
"Lilac!" She heard the Captain bark impatiently. "Your luggage has already been offloaded, I do hope you get off before we have to depart!"
"Sorry!" She called over her shoulder, rushing to the exit ramp. She had learned how to add a certain youthful effect to her voice when needed, and it had convinced the Captain that she was closer to twenty than she was. She ran to the bottom, and glanced around excitedly as if she'd never seen the glorious city before: dancing in place on her hooftips with a wide smile, and even wider pupils. A familiar crew member took notice of her, and approached.
"Rarity?" He asked, before perking up and walking over. "I thought I recognized you! I've been tending to the Cargo, but I thought I saw you onboard!"
She froze, and turned to see that the guard she had rescued was now in a sailor's uniform. She was sweating bullets on the inside, but did her best to keep her cool, as she looked over to him.
"I'm afraid you've mistaken me for somepony else, my good sir!" She said apologetically, giving her head a subtle shake. "I've just come here to make a better profit with my flowers."
Catching her drift, and nodding in satisfaction, the stallion played along. "O-oh, I'm sorry, Ma'am." He said, not really being the best actor, but not so bad that anypony would take notice of the conversation.
As he passed her on his way to the ramp, he whispered "Falcon has flown, and perched atop the roof." into her ear.
She nodded with a quiet "Thank you," in return. And took up her luggage with her magic.
According to the stallion, Hitter had taken place as commander of the Germarenian Armies. She had not expected the former guard to be her first contact, but she remembered that she was to expect the unexpected from now on. She walked through the city streets, which must have been cleaned a few times since last month's attacks, as they lacked the strong stench of death that was ever-too-present last time.
There were several Earth ponies walking the streets with their heads held at all angles, but they all wore tan bands on their arms, each with the black mark of a small stone.
Rarity could only guess what kind of slur was meant by the depiction, but kept it to herself as she continued to put out an image of awestruck wonder at the fanciful décor around the ancient city: it was enough to know that they weren't all destroyed in the past month, though their numbers were obviously diminished.
Most buildings were in pristine condition, and the grandest were in even greater care, with banners of the symbol she helped create hanging on walls to promote the execution of the entire Earthen Tribe. The thought that she could've aided this disaster in coming about burned at her mind, almost as if a cayenne pepper was bleeding into her soul, and eating at her will.
She had to do something to fix this...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
After a few hours in the dark, cavernous cell had passed, the sound of approaching hoofsteps could be heard coming from the outside. The small slit on the bottom of the cell door slid open, and a large, covered tray came sliding through: stopping just inside the torchlight.
"Lunch, sent straight from the Leader." The guard grumbled. "He must consider you worth keeping, if he provides you with meals as grand as these."
Immediately, Rarity's eyes brightened, and she snatched the tray up. "Thank you." She called softly.
Octavia smiled, and shook her head. She turned, and was about to limp back to her bed when she heard a sliding sound to her left. She turned her head back to see the tray, lid off, resting on the ground beside her: filled with all sorts of quality dishes she had not seen since she left Canterlot. She looked up to Rarity, who had taken a small plate of hay fries, and was now quietly gorging herself on the measly morsels.
Rarity looked up to the confused pony, and smiled warmly. "Go on, eat up! You need it more than I, at the moment." She said in a bright tone. "I doubt being sent such splendorous meals will last forever, so it's best to get an early start on adjusting to a, uh... smaller diet."
Octavia nervously sat next to the plate, and eyed Rarity curiously. "Are... are you sure?"
Rarity practically swallowed the last fry whole, and motioned her hoof in a 'shoo-shoo' fashion, indicating she didn't mind.
"Well... thank you, Rarity." Octavia sighed, starting to tear up. She lifted the fresh Hayburger to her lips, and spent a moment drinking in the fresh, deep-fried scent.
When she eventually took the first bite, it was all she could do to stop herself from screaming in joy at the vibrant tastes cascading through her mouth: deep-fried hay, encased in fresh, organic homemade honey batter. A small dousing of mayonnaise and a few ripe pickles to add flavor, and a hint of sage for that subtle, herbal taste no burger should be without.
The bun itself was unmistakably imported from Equestria, as it held the slight country flavor of homemade bread, specked with the refreshing saltiness of her homeland's dough. And the sweet, sugary taste granted from the daisies used during the baking. She opened her eyes to see a smiling Rarity looking back to her in concern, and felt cold tears trickling down her throat. She smiled, and took another bite out of the burger: this one considerably larger.
"Darling, are you alright?" Rarity asked tentatively, reaching out a hoof to the crying mare.
Octavia gasped for air as she inhaled the burger, as she was sobbing uncontrollably. "I-... I've never-... never felt better-... in all my life!" She choked, swinging her arms out in a single, swift motion. She captured Rarity in a crushing embrace, holding her as close as she could as the tears tickled her throat. "This is the nicest thing... anypony has ever done for me, Rarity. Thank you... thank -hic- you... thank you."
Rarity wrapped her arms around Octavia, and smiled warmly.
'I'm... I'm glad I was captured... if this is what comes of it.' She sighed inwardly, tightening her side of the embrace.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rarity twisted the cardboard sign around, signaling that her new shop was now open to costumers. She turned to the freshly organized setup of living flowers, nodded in satisfaction, picked up a damp cloth, and walked outside to check on the sign. "The Lilac Duchess', flowers to impress." It read: painted in bold, purple lettering.
She had just started mopping the dust off the sign when she caught a small movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head, but saw nothing on the walks, or on the streets around. She stared out for a mere moment before shrugging it off as another newspaper blowing downtown, and turned back to her work.
After she had finished polishing the sign, and had stepped back to acknowledge her work, she moved to polish the bike she had rented. Before she could reach it, however, she was scared out of her wits by a hoof on her shoulder.
She leapt into the air with a startled squeal, and cowered behind the sign.
"O-oh my, I am so sorry, Fraulein." A light brown Earth Pony stammered, hurriedly walking up to her. He seemed just barely older than she, and his light grey mane had a streak of pale red through it. His upper lip played host to a small mustache, his chin was home to a small beard, and his short tail was cut into a point: making it resemble a two-toned crescent moon. His Cutie Mark was three small flowers orbiting a white rose, and he looked down at her through bright blue irises.
Rarity accepted his offered hoof, and let him stand her up as he dusted off her coat, and set his hoof out again when he was done.
"A thousand pardons, Fraulein, I didn't mean to startle you so much." He stated in a soft tone. "I was looking for the Duchess, is she here?"
"You are currently speaking to her, Mister...?" Rarity inquired, taking his hoof with a shake.
The stallion's eyes widened as his pupils shrank. "My dear, I apologize for the misunderstanding!" He blurted, bowing before her. "I presumed a Duchess would be, well, a little older."
Rarity lifted a hoof to stifle her chuckles, and watched gleefully as he stood back up. "I think there's been more than a little misunderstanding, sir, Duchess is my name, not my status." She giggled. "Though you still haven't tossed me your own name...?"
The stallion rubbed the back of his neck. "Well then, I apologize once again. My name is Phoenix, Phoenix Pyre, Frau Duchess: I am seeking any employment I can get in these... troubled times."
Rarity considered the probability of him being a spy, but decided against it. Him being an Earthen, and all.
"Come inside, and let's talk." She offered. "I'll consider taking you on, but I'll need to know a little more about you first."
Phoenix nodded, and once they had gone inside, Rarity set the steaming cup of tea on the pinewood table in front of Phoenix: and sat herself down on the velvet couch opposite him. The interior of the florist shop was similar to her old boutique, if only in that the workspace and living space were often intertwined. She adjusted the beret that began to slide down to eye level, and took a sip from her own cup.
"First off, how much are you willing to work for, Mr. Pyre?" She asked, setting the cup and saucer down onto the table.
"Just Phoenix, please. I only desire six marks a day, and a place to sleep, Frau Duchess." He stated unsurely. "If it is not too much to ask, I also wish for a place in which me and my sister are to hide during the Cull."
"The 'Cull'?" Rarity asked, concerned now more than ever.
Phoenix nodded soberly. "It is not yet confirmed, but there have been discussions among others of gathering the Earthens, and either forcing us into hard labor, or killing us off in groups."
Rarity nearly choked on the air she was breathing, yet the surprising thing was how little she was surprised by this update. She knew of the atrocities committed in the heat of the moment, but she had held a faint hope that they would just ship the Earth Ponies off once they had cooled down. Even now, however, Hitter supporting the Cull of a race was still hard to grasp. How on Equus could someone so kind, chivalrous and collected hate an entire tribe with such a burning passion?
"Fraulein? Are you alright?" Phoenix asked, worried for her health after her two minutes of silence, and staring into space. Rarity snapped out of her thoughtful trance, and looked him in the eye.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you. You will be paid six marks an hour, and both you and your sister are welcome to stay here as long as you need to." She offered, extending a hoof.
Phoenix took it in his, and gave it a grateful kiss, before bowing down. "I thank you, Duchess, I won't let you down."
She reached down, and gently lifted his head by his chin, until their eyes met: "On the contrary, Phoenix," She stated, "it is I who will not let you down."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"So, you say your sister is to be staying here as well?" Rarity asked, preparing the bed for use. Fortunately, it was just large enough for two, so she'd be sleeping on the couch for the next who-knows-how-long.
"Yes, we'll just have to pick her up. She shouldn't take up that much space. And she's very quiet..." Phoenix trailed off, moving the nightstand just out of reach from the bed. Rarity noticed a distant look in his eyes, almost as if he were gazing at a landscape.
"How old is she?" She asked, trying to keep up a conversation as they adjusted the bedroom.
"Nine, almost ten." Phoenix stated with a fond smile. "She just got her Cutie Mark in painting this week, if you can believe it."
Rarity nodded, and reset the china onto their display. She knew from experience that this filly should be old enough to be trusted around fine china without supervision. Especially since she had the careful, steady, gentle hooves of a painter. Even if she were to attempt to handle the dishes, she'd know to be extremely careful with them.
"Are you sure you want to leave those out, Lilac?" Phoenix asked cautiously, noticing the plates she was organizing.
"Is your sister careful?" She rebutted.
Phoenix shrugged. "Well, yes. But she's still just a filly, and she doesn't have a lot of experience with... breakable things." He cautioned.
"I'll just tell her these are like one of her paintings," Rarity said with a smile. "delicate, and yet useful. Inspirational, even."
Phoenix quirked his brow, and chuckled. "That might actually work, Lilac."
After a few minutes of silence, unless you count the scraping of furniture moving across the floor, Phoenix took a turn staring a conversation.
"Why is your Cutie Mark three diamonds, instead of flowers?"
"Oh, my special talent is helping others to look their best through my dresses." She answered out of habit. She immediately smacked herself in the face for blowing her cover, and hoped beyond hope that by some miracle he didn't hear her. That's one habit she didn't even think of correcting during her training, limited as it was.
"Huh, working outside of your talent? I can't help but admire that. There's not much call for a seamstress over here, nowadays."
Rarity's jaw dropped, and hung loosely for a second. She could not believe how lucky she was at this stallion's understanding, even that the circumstances seemed to be lining up perfectly for her.
Her mission was to send any information she got on the movement to Celestia, and she had already gathered a few useful tidbits. She was also free to supply refuge to any Earth Ponies hiding from the movement, and she already arranged for two to stay with her. And this was only her first day here!
"Those Shadow Spade books were no waste of time, after all." She scoffed to herself. "Certainly made espionage training a lot easier to understand..."
"She'll be waiting for me by now, Lilac. Do you want to come with me?" Phoenix offered once they had finished, walking towards the doorway.
"I'd love to," she replied, trotting out as he held the door.
They had walked for about four hours, turning constantly down several decrepit streets and alleys, before they stopped in the middle of an empty lot. Phoenix stepped forward slowly, and called out into the air.
"Misty? It's safe to come out now, I've found a home for us." He called softly.
After barely a moment, Rarity caught a movement in the corner of her eye, and turned to see a hoof gingerly making it's way out of a cardboard box. Soon, the hoof was cautiously followed by a little head, looking out with shining, hopeful eyes. The filly was easily told as a child, definitely no higher than Scootaloo, but with a pale blue coat reminiscent of a seashore at dawn. Her mane was a soft lime, striped with a more cucumber shade: and tied into long, thin braids on either side of her head, just behind each ear. In a peculiar twist, she also had a small horn peeking from her forehead, signaling her as a Unicorn.
Her Cutie Mark showed her talent proudly: a thin, green-handled paintbrush dabbing into the white paint on a large palette. The palette also held colors of blue, red, green, yellow, black, and beige, and had the look of oaken wood. Rarity could only use one word to describe such a filly:
'She's... adorable...'
"Misty?" Rarity asked tenderly. "That suits her quite well, just by looking at her."
"Seamist Pyre, actually." Phoenix chuckled. "I just call her Misty, though."
Rarity nodded, and extended a hoof out to the foal, who cowered slightly at the gesture. Seamist looked up to her brother, who nodded supportively. Slowly, she turned back, and quietly took it with a nod. Rarity smiled at her.
"My name is Lilac, Seamist." She stated simply. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"
The filly's eyes widened, and a small grin spread across her muzzle. She opened her mouth slightly, and rolled her tongue around: contorting her face into an adorable scrunch of concentration. Rarity looked on in concern, which then doubled when she heard Phoenix gasp.
"What's wrong with her?" She asked, looking back at the teary-eyed stallion.
Phoenix stepped forward slightly, and spoke in a tone of pure wonder, and joy. "She's trying to speak!"
Rarity's eyes widened in surprise. "So, she's mute?" She asked cautiously, not wanting to offend either of them.
"Not really," Pheonix sighed, "she's just never tried. Doc said it was a mental problem. Psychological, more than anything else. She can squeak, and squeal, but she doesn't know how to talk. And she's usually just too shy to try. You must have made quite an impact already!"
Seamist tugged on Rarity's sweater, and nodded her head, causing the bangs of her mane to bob a little. She picked up a stick with her magic, and started writing in the dirt:
"Nice too meet you too!"
Phoenix chuckled as Rarity gawked at the mixture of her apparent affect on the dear child, and the impressive lettering. "Not even your parents could get her to try?"
She immediately regretted asking, though, once both their expressions darkened. Seamist's eyes watered a little, and Phoenix took her into an embrace, before setting her on his back.
"No, they couldn't. Not even dear mother could get her to speak." He sighed, before turning around, and walking off back towards the street.
Rarity ran after them, desperate to apologize. "I'm so sorry if I offended you, I just--"
"You didn't know," Phoenix said kindly, a hint of sadness peeking at the back of his voice, "you'll get the full story about what happened to mom at the house, after I put Seamist to bed."
"What about your father?"
Phoenix froze in his tracks, and Seamist seemed to try and shrink into his mane. He slowly turned, and looked back at her with eyes so dark she might have sworn they were incapable of holding light, if she had not seen him before.
"Yes... you'll hear about him too..." he growled, before turning back and quickening his pace.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"What happened after that?" Octavia asked eagerly, now able to start barely bending her hind leg again. Rarity used another piece of her prison uniform to add to the bandage on her friend's leg, and applied more wine to it: causing the grey mare to flinch. About three hours in, Rarity had decided to tell Octavia everything she could about her time as the Duchess, while she helped her with her wounds.
"Sorry, 'Tavi." Rarity said calmly. "I warned you that healing this would sting."
"I know, I just can't help my reflexes." Octavia sighed. "Where did you learn how to apply first aid using wine and prison food, anyways?"
"You'd be surprised what sort of information the Diarchal Government can cram into your head over the course of a month." Rarity tittered. "Plus, with each letter they sent me, there were useful tidbits of survival skills and combat tips for me to memorize. Intended as a 'bonus course' for my own good, if I ever need them, I suppose."
"'Letters'?" Octavia asked again, this tale seemed to get curiouser and curiouser.
"Yes, letters." Rarity stated, ignorant of Octavia's puzzlement.
"But, how come the Germarens let you sent letters out to Equestria?"
Rarity chuckled smugly. "Because they never knew! Now let me finish..."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
After a few more hours walk, they got back inside the Flower shop. Once she stepped in, Rarity's horn glowed a slight gold for a second, and she felt a familiar aura approaching. She nervously glanced to the outside, and spoke to her new tenant.
"I'm going to have to take care of some business, Phoenix." She stated nervously. "You can go ahead and make yourself and the little one comfortable, I'll be down in five minutes."
Phoenix nodded, and watched with a smile as she ascended the stairs to the workstation. She walked up to the window, and shoved it open just in time to let a wisp of smoke through. The smoke swirled in front of her snout for a second, before materializing as a small parchment, wrapped up with a blue band, and sealed with a silver button.
Rarity caught it in her magic, and popped the seal without hesitance. She unrolled the letter, and read it over:
"Dear Rarity,
I ask if you have any word of the movements, or have sent any refugees.
Princess Celestia
She rolled it up, and set it aside. She took out her own quill and parchment, and wrote a quick reply:
"Princess Celestia,
I have learned that there are rumors circulating of a massive cull on the Earth Ponies, and they have all been marked with a band around their forearm.
I have also taken in two refugees: an earth pony named Phoenix, and his sister, a small Unicorn filly named Seamist. I wish to reveal my true identity to them, as I doubt they are a threat: I think they might actually be useful to us, and our purpose. I ask permission to include them in my mission.
She levitated the reply, and with a flick of her horn: sent it out the window in a burst of violet flame. She trotted down the stairs, and saw Phoenix preparing a pot of tea in the kitchen across from the stairway. He noticed her startled expression, and smiled sheepishly.
"I apologize, I thought you might like some tea." He offered, carrying the steaming kettle out of the kitchen with his mouth.
"It's quite alright, and very kind of you, darling." Rarity said with a wave of her hoof. "I just wasn't expecting you to play host."
Phoenix turned a slight shade of red after hearing her address him as 'darling', and cleared his throat. "It's no problem, Duchess. Forgive me if I seemed forward..."
Rarity quirked her eyebrow, unsure of how to respond as he poured her tea, until a realization dawned on her. "Oh! My dear, you must pardon me, I often refer to ponies in that regard. I-I-I meant nothing by it!"
Phoenix's heart slowed to a steady pace, and he nodded in understanding as he set a tray of cookies in between them. He sighed, and set his own tea and saucer down.
"So, you want to hear what happened to our parents?" He asked unsteadily. Rarity could see a bead of sweat form on his brow, and she hesitated to let him go on.
"Not if you're uncomfortable telling me, Phoenix." She comforted.
He shook his head. "You might need to know, if I'm going to be working for you."
Phoenix gave one last breath, and...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Silence.
"And what? What happened?" Octavia asked calmly, setting the lunch Rarity had given her to the side of the bed. Rarity's head popped over the side of the top bunk, and she gave off a slightly embarrassed look.
"I... don't really remember all the details. I'd started crying about halfway through it, and only memorized the outlines of it. Suffice it to say: his father and mother became more distant over the years, fighting more and more, even resulting to physical blows! They still lived together, and raised their children as best they could, but they grew to resent each other, until each day was host to a little war all it's own.
"Eventually, word had spread about the angry mob of Tribe-Haters travelling through the town, killing with mob mentality. The same day I was in Marelin: the father saw the throng thundering through the streets in their bloodthirsty lookout for new victims. He turned on his heel, tripped his wife with his magic, and threw her out to the mob, screaming 'Here's another one, boys!'"
Octavia's mood darkened at the story, she lowered her head a little, and saw tears forming in Rarity's eyes.
"I... I won't go into too much detail as to what they did to her, but I will say that he said her blood ran down the street like a river, and it carried little bits of her with it.
"He said his father joined them after they made a spectacle of their mother, and disappeared with the crowd. They never saw, or heard from him again..."
More silence. That uncomfortable, brooding silence where you think it can't get any worse... before you realize that the story might only get worse.
"What happened then?" Octavia asked, hoping the story would get better.
Rarity shook her head out of her trance, and smiled warmly. "Well, for the most part, nothing noteworthy happened for a few months. The only important events were Celestia approving of their aid, I started trying to teach Seamist how to speak, and I helped her learn magic, as best I could. We took on another refugee, and Phoenix and I grew rather... well, close..."
Octavia levitated an eyebrow, and the corner of her mouth moved upwards. 'This should be interesting...'
Rarity took notice of her cellmate's smug expression, and corrected course:
"Nothing like that, 'Tavi, we were only friends." She stated. "But even with such great friends helping me, it wasn't long before things went south...
"...far, far south..."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Phoenix took down the picture of him and Seamist from the mantelpiece, and set it in the box he was carrying. His mane was a little unkempt from his lack of sleep, and he shuffled around in a desperate attempt to gather all traces that he was ever here.
"They had to start the gathering now..." He grumbled, making no effort to hide his panic. "I'm glad we set up that false wall upstairs, hopefully it's enough to fool the Dotsy officers..."
A thunderous, Kelpic voice boomed from the floor just above their heads:
"Ye'r a very reassurin' bugger, you know that? W'can hear every word y'ar spittin'!"
About two months in, rumors of the 'Cull' gave way to confirmation of gathering all the Earth Ponies, Mules, and Donkeys in Germareny, and setting them in secluded parts of the cities named Ghettos. News of what happened to those that refused spread across the city like wildfire, as the spellfire echoed through the streets. Even the foals were not spared, if they had an attitude about them.
Rarity tried her best to comfort the poor stallion, but his nerves were right to be on edge. Plus, he always thought faster when his heart rate increased. She tapped a hoof on her head, until an idea popped through.
"Maybe we could move to the country!" She said, raising a hoof triumphantly.
"Where snipers could hide in the trees? No, thank you!" Phoenix scoffed.
Rarity smiled smugly. "Who said anything about trees? Didn't you say your mother used to own a house on three hundred acres of open fields?"
Phoenix paused, and turned his head. "I'd say that's a smart idea, Rare, but what if he's there?"
Rarity levitated a steak knife with a bored expression, and slowly glided the blunt end across her throat. "We might be able to... dissuade him from doing anything stupid. A little bleeding might cure his sick mind, if you know what I mean."
"When did you grow so cold-blooded?" Phoenix smiled back, making it clear he wasn't objecting. "I'll just make sure Misty isn't in any danger while we finish him--"
He was unable to finish his thoughts as Rarity screamed at the sight of little Seamist running through the door: her shiny coat caked in dust and blood.
"Misty!" Phoenix cried, taking the filly into his arms. He held her close, and stilled as Rarity looked her over for injuries. The blood was not her own, and the quantity reminded Rarity of when she herself fled the city.
"What happened out there?" Rarity inquired.
She spoke.
Seamist Pyre. Spoke.
One word escaped her lips. It was her first word. And it would be the one word that she would remember for all eternity:
"Eck--... Ext--... Extinction..."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rarity drove the covered wagon out of town, with Phoenix and Bagpipe pulling on the end, and Seamist sitting to her side. She had gotten the Earth Ponies past the city guards by using her makeup skills to make them look beaten and bruised: and Phoenix had even persuaded her to use a whip on him when he became stubborn, which was more often than she liked.
Once they got about ten miles from Marelin, she stopped the carriage, and hopped off her seat to go check on him. She couldn't help but be worried, though Seamist wasn't even phased by the whole experience, she had tried to persuade Rarity that her brother was strong by pointing to him, and then to her flexing forearm. Even though she still rarely spoke, she communicated quite incredibly clearly without the use of words.
"Are you alright?" Rarity asked, setting a hoof on his shoulder.
"I'm fine, thank ye for asking!" Bagpipe blurted in an irritated tone, bobbing his head around as he spoke. He was a rather pudgy pony, with a dark orange coat and a thick, curly red mane. He wore a flannel shirt with a plaid skirt he insisted was called a 'kilt'. Rarity- despite having a soft spot for Kelpic fashion in the spring -loved to tease him about it when she got the chance.
Phoenix looked up at her with a tired expression, and smiled warmly. "Wherever did you learn to use a whip? It made noise loud enough, but our mother swatted us harder than that!" He stated with a laugh, easing Rarity's nerves.
"How far is it to your mother's old home?" She asked with a relieved giggle.
Phoenix examined the surrounding forest, looking for landmarks, before his eyes rested on a large boulder on the side of the road.
"About thirty miles, Rare." He said, looking to the horizon. "If I keep going at this rate, we should be there before dark..."
He trailed off when he noticed Rarity's horn glowing, and he heard a slight 'chink' behind his head, and beside him. Before he could speak: Rarity had levitated him into the driver's seat, laid him down, and attached herself to the yokes. He was about to speak when she turned to Bagpipe, motioned for him to climb aboard- which the brute was only too glad to do -and took off at a brisk pace: headed straight down the road.
Phoenix's jaw dropped at the sight of her strength. Even though he had listened to her tales of when she was one of the Bearers of Harmony back in the homeland, he never fully realized what she was capable of. Only now did he understand her strength: she had knocked a Manticore back with a single kick, she was able to pluck a scale from a serpent, and now she was able to haul a laden wagon at twenty miles an hour like it was a paperweight. Mind, he would be able to do the same on flat ground, but he had not expected a refined lady as herself to be that acquainted with manual labor.
After pulling for a while, and switching places a few times, they made it to a large, open field that was home to a large mansion in the midst of it. The empty land would provide them a spectacular view of the surrounding area, alerting them to any that approached. Unfortunately, that also meant that if he was there, he already knew of their coming. Oh, how they hoped he was the only one there, if there was anypony.
After a short while of pulling, they finally arrived at the dusty front door- which was remarkably well-polished underneath the dust -and Rarity instantly took to picking the lock with her magic. The door replied to her invasion by silently swinging inwards, casting sunlight into the abandoned interior.
Dust and cobwebs decorated the plush furnishings, yet they somehow still shone without stain or blemish. Rarity tried the switch by the door, and the room lit up with a sickly grey glow as the torches came to life: casting gentle shadows across the inside of the massive hall. There was a deathly smell coming from further in, but it seemed as if it used to be far stronger.
Rarity gently stepped inside, and screamed in horror as she looked to their left. She pushed Seamist to stay outside with Bagpipe before the curious filly could sneak a look. Phoenix walked in while Rarity still held a hoof to her mouth in fear, and saw what had startled her: a pair of Earth Pony skeletons laid gently on the floor, dust piling up around them in a large mound.
"Opa and Oma..." He lamented, stepping up to the deceased pair. "We hadn't heard from them in five years...
"They must've had a stroke, or heart attacks, or something."
He noticed Rarity giving him a shocked look as she wondered how he could simply comment on the deaths of ponies that close to him as if it was to be expected. He smiled at the memories of his grandparents, and looked back to her:
"Ever since we moved further into the heart of Germareny, we never had much opportunity to visit them, or vice versa. Mother used to get letters from them, until they stopped coming five years ago. We expected invitations to a funeral, but when none came: we assumed they just stopped trying to get us to visit." He explained, picking up his grandmother's skull.
"Can we bury them out in the fields, in the back?"
Rarity thought for a moment. She wasn't going to deny him a decent burial for him ancestors. Far be her from it! She nodded, but offered an idea of her own, which seemed to please him even more...
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The shovel scraped against the dirt as it patted down the last section of the mound down. Rarity lifted it over her shoulder, and smiled down at the pair of graves in respect.
Firework Burst
Beloved father, and grandfather.
===
1822-2390
===
Sparkle Burst
Beloved mother, and grandmother.
===
1824-2390
===
They used two stone tabletops Bagpipe had hauled from the inside for the headstones, and Seamist carved the inscriptions: using an old hammer and chisel. Her artistry never ceased to amaze Rarity.
They had buried them on either side of the main walkway leading to the front door, just a couple yards behind Rarity's florist sign, which was also painted by Seamist. They still had a lot of moving in to do, and enough time to not have to worry about much.
She was about to compliment the filly on her handiwork, when another scroll materialized beside her. She snapped the seal, and carefully read it:
Rarity,
This is a notice of war, in case you haven't already heard of it.
Hitter has invaded Equestria: his first attack was on Sweet Apple Acres.
We do not know why he has attacked that area specifically, but all the residential family is safe, though with minor injuries.
As of now, we are at war with Germareny, and we will be needing any information from you that you can gather.
Stay safe, keep all refugees you can safe.Princess Celestia.
Rarity sighed with relief, and handed the note to Phoenix. He read it over, and frowned.
"Your country is in trouble, if he's attacking this early." He stated dryly. "He's not one to have false confidence in his troops."
Rarity stiffened. She knew he was right, and she knew Hitter as well. She ran to the wagon, pulled out a pen and parchment, and wrote into it urgently:
Princess Celestia,
What direction did Hitter attack from?
She sent it off with lighting speed, and waited for a reply. Phoenix walked up behind her, and placed a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you panic." He offered.
"It's not that, I just remembered something of importance to my country's position in this new war." She assured him, just as a reply whisked up beside her.
From the west. What do you have?
She hastily wrote a simple reply:
Keep your eye on the rising sun!
She then turned when she heard galloping, and looked around the wagon to see an approaching stallion. She couldn't tell his race, but his color wasn't one she was used to seeing: he was a deep blue coloration, with a wavy light blue mane with magenta highlights. The most noteable detail, however, was the fact that he wore a Dotsy outfit. And once he got closer, Rarity could see that he was unquestionably a Unicorn. Bagpipe peeked his head from the interior of the mansion, and looked outside to see what was going on.
Rarity turned back to Phoenix, and smiled nervously. "I hope you can understand why I did this..."
"Did wha--?!"
*THWOCK!*
She retracted her hoof as he fell over backwards, possibly not going to wake up until the next morning. Bagpipe's jaw dropped as his eyes bulged, and he slowly retreated behind the comforting safety of the door as the inside of the house grew a sudden appeal.
"That," she answered nervously, signaling for Seamist to take cover, and walking around the wagon.
As the stallion neared, she saw that he had a foal on his back, and there was blood on the side of his uniform. He stopped right in front of her, muttered out a weak "Help... him..." and collapsed on the ground: dumping the foal onto the grass roughly.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"That colt was little Grainwood, the only foal to show kindness to Seamist before she and her brother went on the run." Rarity explained, smiling warmly at the memory, while looking down at Octavia from the top bunk. "A Dotsy had carried him to safety, despite losing his own life in the process. Just goes to show not all in that militia agreed with Hitter's Dot Regime."
The sun had set several hours beforehand, but neither had any sleep in them tonight. It was mostly because the gallows were right outside their window, and one in particular still had a familiar body hanging from it: his wings were forcefully shattered in several places, and several scars oozed blood onto his once brilliant light blue coat. Rarity already rued the day she'd have to tell Rainbow about this.
For now, she was continuing with her story, hoping it would take Octavia's mind off the pain in her leg. The grey mare seemed to look up to her now, and each time a new section of the story began, her eyes would shine like diamonds in anticipation. Time would tell if that glow would linger, as the tale went further into what happened in those years.
She debated with herself just how far she should go into her story, she didn't want Octavia to hear the unpleasant parts, but those were yet to come. And a part of her knew that no matter what she went through, Octavia has probably either seen just as bad or worse during her time in this Dotsy dungeon.
"You're doing it again, Rarity. What's wrong?"
Rarity snapped out of her thoughts, just to see a puddle of her own tears staining the floor beneath her. She shook her head of those dark memories, and smiled warmly once more. A little too sincerely, to Octavia's eye.
"Where was I?" Rarity asked, trying to hold back tears.
"Well, before you trailed off, you were talking about the child that the Dotsy died for. Grainwood, I believe."
"Yes, well, you would not believe how adorable Seamist was when she found out her only friend outside of me was staying with us..."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Granood!" Seamist called excitedly in her little squeak of a voice, hopping up just as the young colt opened his eyes. Rarity had to hold her back to keep her from accidentally injuring the poor child. Surprisingly enough, Phoenix had awoken before the sun had set, and was able to help Rarity bandage up the foal. He was the one who identified him as Grainwood.
For now, yellow foal's eyes peeped tiredly from their lids, and focused on the white fog in front of him.
"M-... Mama?" He groaned. Rarity lifted a hoof to her mouth in a light gasp: she had not even given a thought as to where the colt's parents were! If the Dotsy had died trying to free the lad, what disaster had befallen his parents?
"No, little Grain," Phoenix said softly, brushing some hair out of Grainwood's face, "it's just us."
Grain allowed himself a little, weak smile.
"Phoenix?"
Phoenix nodded with a smile, and Seamist sighed in relief at her friend's response.
"I cooked the lad a wee bit o' broth, if he's up fer it." Bagpipe offered, carrying a steaming mug into the room. Grain took it in his hooves, and drank it down greedily. After downing the beverage, he looked around the room, and spoke in his soft little voice:
"Where's Tremor?"
Silence. They could only wonder if he was referring to--
"The soldier that rescued me, where is he? I saw him take a couple shots, did you--"
When he saw them all avoid eye contact, his expression fell. He lowered his head morosely, and started to cry.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rarity saw Octavia start to doze off, so she smiled, and lowered herself into her own bed. She was just about to shut her eyes when the door flew open, and in stepped an all-too familiar figure:
"Madame Rarity, I presume?" The stallion muttered, adjusting the band on his pale trench coat. "Or, maybe you prefer to go by Lilac, hmm?"
Rarity snarled at the silhouette, showing her teeth.
"Hitter..."