The Rock

by DinoDenver

Chapter 5: Strength of a diamond

“Hello, Rarity!” She turned around to face source of the voice.

“Spikey!” She greeted him happily and went few steps in his direction, but stopped half way and became sad. They were in Canterlot gardens and spike was sitting on his own statue.

“What's the matter?” Spike got up and approached Rarity.

“Well, dear...” Spike noticed that she was looking at his grave.

“You're right, let's change scenery.” Spike snapped his fingers.

She was in bright, beautifully decorated hall. Music was playing, all around her were mares in beautiful dresses and colts in fancy tuxedos. She also had her dress from gala on.

“You look beautiful as always, miss Rarity.” Spike, in tuxedo, was standing in front of her. “And I think this will look million times better on you, than it does on me.” Spike winked as he put heart-shaped fire ruby necklace on Rarity.

“Spike, what's happening?” She was really confused.

“I thought that this should cheer you up. May I have a dance, my lady?” Spike bowed a little, looking in Rarity's eyes and reaching to her with his right hand.

Off course Rarity agreed. They were enjoying dancing for some time. It was already fifth song. Rarity couldn't believe, that Spike was such a wonderful dancer. But she decided it is time to break the silence.

“Spikey, I've found present you told me about.”

“Oh, did you like it?” Asked Spike with worried tone.

“Of course I did!”

“Thank Celestia!” Spike sighted with relief. “I really hoped you'll like it.” Spike smiled.

“But... Well... We, Twilight and I, went to ask Princess Celestia... she told us that you're dead-dead and there is no way to bring you back...”

“Mhm.”

“Don't you mhm me, Spike! How can you be dead? This feels too real to be just a dream!” Tears appeared in corners of her eyes.

“Rarity.” Spike said softly. They stopped dancing and Spike wiped Rarity's tears with his hand. “I probably know you better than anypony else. And I can tell you, you're as strong as you are beautiful.” He smiled and stroked Rarity's face. She calmed down and also smiled a little. “You'll find a way, Rarity, you're stronger than you think.”

“I won't give up, Spikey, I won't.”

“I know. You have to fight, you can't give up, Rarity.” Spike became serious... and sad. “I don't know what I would do if I were to lose you.”

“What do you mean, Spikey?” Rarity was surprised.

“Rarity, you have to wake up.”

She opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom. Rays of morning light were coming through the windows. She looked at Spike's photo on her night table.

“I won't give up, I promise.” A tear dropped down on her pillow.

She got up and went to bathroom. She needed to prepare herself for another hard day. She looked in a mirror and gasped. Her mane was a mess, but that was common in the mornings. Her eyes looked little red, but it was to be expected. What she didn't expect was heart-shaped fire ruby necklace on her neck.

***

“Twilight! You must see this!” Shouted Rarity as she burst through the door to library. Her friends head appeared in doorway to bedroom, and moments later rest of Twilight's body followed.

“What's the hurry, Rarity?” Twilight went downstairs and approached Rarity. Few moments later white mare caught her breath and answered question.

“Look, Twilight, look at my necklace!”

“Well, it is a pretty nice necklace, Rarity.” Twilight didn't get why Rarity was so excited, but then she wasn't really into fashion nor jewelery.

“It's not just nice! It is the one that Spike was buried with!” She was a little bit angry about how clueless her friend was.

“Well, Rarity, I'm pretty sure this isn't the one.”

“What do you mean, dear?” Rarity was surprised, that Twilight didn't recognize such a distinctive necklace. White mare looked down at her chest, just to make sure. Heart-shaped fire ruby was still there. As beautiful as always.

“Spike gave you fire ruby, not diamond from what I remember, Rarity.”

“Of course he gave me fire ruby! Heart-shaped fire ruby that is in necklace on my chest right now! I had another dream with Spike and he gave me that necklace and when I woke up...”

“Rarity!” Twilight stopped her friend. “I know this was hard for you... It was hard for me too. But you have to calm down and let Spike go. I'm really starting to worry about you.”

“How can you say that?” Rarity was embittered. “Spike is alive somewhere, he's reaching to me in my dreams!”

“Rarity, I wanted to believe in this too, but you heard what Princess Celestia had told us yesterday.” Twilight's voice was calm. “It is true, she was a little bit harsh with the delivery, but her message was clear. And if she doesn't know a way to bring Spike back, there is nopony who could.”

“...well, Twilight, my dear, I think I will need some time alone now...” Rarity turned around and went in exit's direction with her head down.

“Sorry, Rarity. But please, keep it together.” White mare turned her head back.

“Don't worry Twilight. I'll manage, I won't give up that easily, a friend once told me, that I'm pretty strong.” Wink of her eye was a goodbye, as she went outside and closed door behind her.

Rarity was slowly going in direction of Carousel Boutique. Why wasn't Twilight seeing her necklace? What is going on? Is she going mental?

“Hi, Rarity!” Pinkie greeted her from behind. “Where are you going?” Now she was already in front of her. “Why don't you go with me to Apple family's farm? It will be fun!” Now Pinkie was just making circles around Rarity, in her typical jumpy style.

“I don't really have time now, dear.” Then she thought of something. “Pinkie, would you be so kind to give me your thoughts on my necklace?”

“It is pretty, Rarity!”

“Could you please go a little more into details, darling?”

“It is really very super pretty, Rarity!” Detailed review at it's finest.

“What about gemstone?” White mare got to the point.

“It is very pretty diamond.”

“...Well, it sure is...” Rarity was shocked. She expected this answer, yet, it hit her pretty hard, harder than she expected for sure.

“Oh, Rarity, you're such a joy! Come to Applejack later if you have time. It will be fun!” Pinkie stopped and looked in Rarity's eyes with serious expression. “And by fun I mean there will be a lot of cider. A lot.”

“I cannot promise anything, but I'll try to make it, Pinkie.” Lied Rarity, she wasn't really in mood to get drunk. Or maybe she was? Anyway there were things she had to do, and drinking cider wasn't one of them.

“See you then!” Said Pinkie as she started walking in direction of Applejack's farm.

”Oh, my, this is rather bad, Rarity!” Said voice in her head. Everything looked like she really was loosing her grip on reality. But that's not important now. Princess Celestia didn't help her, so now she has to met with somepony else who could know how to bring Spike back. Well, somezebra would be more accurate in this situation.

***

Everfree forest was even darker than usual. Or maybe it was always like this, but with friends at her side she wasn't paying much attention? Rarity didn't have much time to think about it, because she approached Zecora's hut.

Silence was the only thing that answered Rarity's knocking on the door. It looked like Zecora wasn't home.

“Just my luck!” Rarity wasn't pleased, to say the least. “Well, at least I'll leave note for her.”

Her horn glowed, pen and paper magically appeared. Few moments later note was ready and pinned to Zecora's door. Rarity has waited for couple more minutes, in hope that maybe her zebra friend will come back, but, as disappointing as it was, in the end she didn't have much of a choice and started going back to Ponyville.

“What to do now?” It was still pretty early, maybe half an hour after noon, and she was already out of ideas. What should she do next? She wanted to bring Spike back, more than anything, yet she couldn't do anything. Without Zecora's advice she was clueless.

“Well, I'll just have to wait for Zecora's answer and keep myself busy for the time being. But I don't think I'll be able to do anything productive... Still, could be worse. I'm sure Zecora will have some answers for me.” She smiled a little and raised her head. And stopped in her tracks right after that.

As it turns out, situation got worse pretty fast. Right before her was a pack of timberwolves, and they were ready to attack. She was so busy with her own affairs that she hasn't noticed them until the very last moment.

There was no time for regretting this, she started to run, and wolves started to chase her, of course. Rarity was running as fast as she could, but wooden predators weren't slow either. It looked like the looser will be the one to run out of stamina first.

“GO LEFT!”

Rarity obeyed voice without any questions, and it was a good thing for her. Not so much for timberwolf that would catch her if she didn't make that turn. The tree that he “caught” instead was pretty hard.

Rarity didn't have time to celebrate this small victory. Or to think about voice. She was no longer on the road, now she was running through the woods. And wolves had clear advantage in these circumstances.

“LEFT!”

Once again she obeyed, and once again she didn't regret that decision. But situation was going downhill pretty fast. She was getting really tired, in the end she wasn't athlete. And on top of that after going through some bushes she saw rock wall going straight up. A cliff was the-worst-possible-thing. Probably. She turned around. Wall behind her back, pack of timberwolves in front of her. Oh, right. Timberwolves. They were the-worst-possible-thing.

“GET DOWN!”

She immediately dropped down to the ground. She heard painful howls and opened her eyes. She saw that all timberwolves were burning with green fire. Few wolves ran into the forest, three of them have already died right before Rarity.

“Spike?!” There were no mistake, Rarity knew this fire all too well. “Where are you Spikey?!” There was no answer. “Spikey, I am absolutely positive that it was your doing! Please, come out Spikey!”

She has waited for few minutes, but no one answered. She decided it's better to get going.

As it turned out, she was pretty close to edge of Everfree forest. Moments later she was on right road to Carousel Boutique.

***

First thing Rarity did when she got home was, of course, to take a shower. Taking a shower was one of her ways to calm down, and it also was refreshing at the same time.

She had some time to think about what happened. About the voice and flames. Was she really going mental? Or was it real? She was confused. A little angry, but happy on the other hand. As it turned out shower worked pretty well washing off sweat and dirt from her last adventure, bud it didn't wash away these thoughts. Hearing knocking at the door worked much better.

“Coming!” Rarity wondered if it could be Zecora already, as she rushed downstairs. Moments later she had her answer.

“Come drink with us!” So it was Pinkie...

“Well...”

“I don't take no as an answer!”

Before Rarity could say anything she was already pushed outside. She noticed Twilight, with resigned smile on her face. Well, it was Pinkie, all resistance was futile.

“I will, Pinkie, but please let me leave a note.”

Few moments later she closed the door to boutique and left message for Zecora. It was starting to feel like some sort of paper chase game. Hopefully Zecora won't be mad about this.

Three mares went in direction of Applejack's farm.

Comments

[Rubakor]

Gotta love Twicunt. She accepts Celestia's words as absolute truth and law. If Celestia told Twilight to raze Ponyville to the ground she'd do it without question.

[Snivypony]

When will this be finished it's getting good.

[DinoDenver]

3740335 To be honest I have pretty much the whole story ready, I just have to read each chapter one more time to make some corrections.

Also: thanks ^_^

[OmniFox]

Rarity needs to go to the one pony who knows about dreams and nightmares: Princess Luna.

[Neutrinos are Magic]

Spike became serious... and sad. “I don't know what I would do if I were to lose you.”
“What do you mean, Spikey?” Rarity was surprised.
“Rarity, you have to wake up.”

I think I know what's really going on...

[SShonix]

Rarity is going mad....