Obsolescence

by Windy Writer

Banishment

“Thank you once more for taking the time to do this Rarity,” Filthy Rich said as the dressmaker walked out of the Rich estate.

“It’s really you that deserves the thanks,” Rarity offered back, “If it weren’t for the weekly orders I get from you and your daughter, I wouldn’t be making anywhere as much money with the business as I do now.”

“Well, you know how us ‘high-society’ ponies are. Always have to stay with the times,” Filthy joked, “Or in my case, just making sure that my little Diamond is happy.”

“I’m sure she’ll be really happy when you give her that dress. Isn’t her birthday in a couple of days?”

“That it is. I’m getting this as a premature gift.”

“Well, I’m sure she’ll love it,” Rarity smiled. Thunder boomed in the distance. “I best be on my way. The storm will start soon.”

“That would probably be a good idea,” the stallion chuckled, walking back into his home, “Oh, if you’re available, you open to the idea of me treating you to some coffee Wednesday morning?”

Rarity turned and tapped her muzzle with a hoof. She eventually shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

“Alright. I’ll see you at the cafè.” With that, the door closed and the alabaster mare headed for home.

Considering the large storm clouds coming in from the east, it was still a pretty nice day out. Not too hot, not too humid. It was perfect weather for a nice stroll about town.

As Rarity walked through town, she saw Twilight standing in the doorway of the library, with an orange stallion talking to her, Pinkie was giving free samples outside Sugarcube Corner, for a new cupcake she was testing, and in the distance; Rarity could see Rainbow Dash getting her house ready for the storm.

She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Bon Bon’s Confectionaries was at it’s peak of business for the year, what with Nightmare Night coming up fairly soon. The aroma of the shop could be scented from halfway down the market. Considering the shop was right behind the boutique, Rarity decided to stop in; and audible ‘ding’ announcing her entrance.

“Oh, hey Rarity,” Bon Bon greeted the seamstress.

“Hello Bon Bon. Lyra.” Rarity offered back, looking to the calm lyrist on the bench next to the counter.

“Anything I could get you?” Bon Bon asked.

“I’ll take a simple jawbreaker. I’ll need something to keep my hunger sated while I work on my next design,” Rarity mused, putting a bit on the counter.

“I still have yet to actually stop by your shop for actual shopping,” Lyra thought aloud while still strumming her instrument lightly with her magic.

“You’re welcome in anytime,” Rarity told the mare, receiving her candy from Bon Bon.

“Thanks for stopping by Rarity,” Bon Bon said.

“My pleasure. Have a good day.”

Rarity popped the jawbreaker into her mouth and trotted the few meters between the two shops.

Opening the door and closing it behind her, Rarity sighed as the cool indoor environment rolled over her fur. Undonning her saddlebags, she walked upstairs towards her work station. However, when she got to the door, she stopped.

She looked at the floor. Something was off, and there seemed to be an extra scent in the air. Looking closer, she couldn’t see anything. She almost dismissed it, until she actually saw it.

There, stained into the carpet, was a small drop of what seemed to be blood. Looking further down the hallway, she could see similar marks all the way until Sweetie’s room.

Rarity cautiously walked up to her sister’s room, pressing her ear to the door. Muffled crying could be heard. Rarity decided it sign enough. She opened the door and looked for Sweetie Belle. Finding the filly proved to be extremely easy as she was crouched in the center of the room, tears streaming from her eyes being the first thing Rarity noticed about her sister. However, something much more apparent about the filly stood out.

Marking up both her flanks and parts of her spine were scratches. The cuts weren’t that deep or wide, but there was a lot of them.

“Oh my Celestia! Sweetie Belle, what happened to you!?” Rarity yelled rushing over to her sister. Sweetie stayed incredibly silent. “Wait right here, I’ll get some bandages!”

Sweetie Belle watched her sister run out of the room in complete silence. Within mere seconds, Rarity returned with a complete first aid kit. Sweetie Belle stayed still while Rarity anxiously and meticulously put on the bandages. She winced whenever Rarity’s hoof brushed one of the cuts.

“Dear, would you care to tell me who or what did this to you?” Rarity asked. Sweetie just remained silent.

After about a minute, Rarity had all of the cuts covered. There was about seventeen of them in total. Six on one flank, eight on the other, and three on her lower back.

Rarity looked at her sister. Someone must have done this to her. There’s no way she could’ve given herself that many cuts by herself.

The unicorn was thrust from her thoughts when a loud ‘meow’ broke through the air. Looking to the doorway, Rarity saw Opal. She seemed distraught, running quickly over to the two ponies and inspecting Sweetie Belle.

Rarity looked at the cat as if it were an angel for a second, then she noticed something.

Opal’s claws were red with fresh blood. What was just before a gentle mare who was caring for her sister, Rarity was quickly enveloped by anger.

“Opalescence!” Rarity yelled, the cat flinching as she was lifted into the air via telekinesis right up to the mare’s face. “You, of anything in all of Equestria, were the one who cut up Sweetie Belle!?”

Opal looked at the unicorn like she was crazy, but calmly shook her head.

“Then explain that!” Rarity yelled while manually unsheathing the feline’s claws. Opal’s eyes widened in realization at how bad the situation must seem as a single drop of blood fell to the carpet below.

Rarity continued to stare daggers into the very soul of the fear-stricken feline. Opal meowed, looking frantically to find a way out of the situation. She noticed a picture of Rarity with all of her friends on a nearby nightstand. She jumped up to it and pointed a paw to Fluttershy.

The white mare stared at the pegasus in the picture for a few moments before giving up, “What would Fluttershy have to do with any of this?” Rarity asked her pet, growing impatient. Opal gestured with a paw between her mouth and ear.

“I do suppose she could translate,” Rarity agreed. She groaned, “Alright! Sweetie Belle, come on. You’ll have to help explain things.” The filly silently nodded and walked towards the door. Rarity shot a glare at Opal before walking out herself. The poor cat just meowed out a sigh before trailing behind with her head down.

“Fluttershy, dear!?” Rarity called, knocking at the door to her friend’s cottage, “Are you home? We need your help!”

After a few moments, the door opened and the yellow mare examined the group. “U-uh sure. What do you need help with, Rarity?”

“Sweetie Belle?”

The filly turned, showing Fluttershy her flank and spine; all bandaged up and slowly healing. Fluttershy’s face turned to horror.

“Oh my Celestia, who could have done this!?” she yelled.

“That’s what we’re here to find out,” Rarity said, moving aside.

Fluttershy stared at Opal for several moments before she realized what Rarity was saying. “Wait, you don’t think that Opal did it, do you?” Rarity nodded. Fluttershy walked outside and sat down in front of the cat. She looked up at her sitting just the same.

“Now Opal, you didn’t do this did you?” Fluttershy asked. Opal meowed a couple times. Fluttershy turned to Rarity, “She says she didn’t. She was just as shocked about Sweetie as you were.” Opal meowed again. “The blood on her claws came from a mouse she found lurking around in the back storage room.”

Rarity considered that for a few moments. She walked over to Sweetie Belle, sitting next to the filly that was looking out onto the horizon. “Sweetie Belle, are you sure you don’t want to tell us who or what did this?” Sweetie was silent for a few moments. A noticeable shiver ran up her spine. Finally, the filly sighed.

“It was Opal,” she said. Her voice had cracked from it’s recent lack of use.

Opal was obviously shocked. The feline loudly meowed something at Fluttershy. Fluttershy gasped, turning back to her, “Opal, that is nothing nice for me to do.” Opal spoke again. “Even if she might be, there is no reason to be rude!” Fluttershy exclaimed, her voice barely even rising above a casual indoor voice.

“What’s she saying?” Rarity asked.

“She is accusing Sweetie Belle of lying,” Fluttershy responded.

Rarity sighed. “Sweetie Belle, let’s go home.” Sweetie nodded, getting home and heading down the trail. Opal meowed a goodbye to Fluttershy and followed suit. However, upon reaching Rarity, the unicorn put a hoof in her path. Opal looked up confused at her owner.

“You are to stay here. I don’t want there to be even a sliver of a chance of you ever scratching my sister again, but I am not cruel enough as to put you down,” Rarity told her, “So, you’re Fluttershy’s now. Do not ever come home again, Opalescence.”

With that, Rarity trotted down the path to catch up with her sister. Opal sat dumbfounded in front of Fluttershy’s cottage, looking between the path and Fluttershy. Before long, she melted down; releasing the closest thing to what be summed up as a feline’s tears being shed.

Comments

[Mad Maudlin]

Thumbs up, though the vague ending is a bit irksome. Where did the scratches come from? A crusader escapade? If so, why blame Opal? More detail!

[nodamnbrakes]

http://www.fimfiction.net/user/Obselescence

[TheKitten]

The cat deserved it.

[Queen Cookie]

media.giphy.com/media/MWfagETkGk22Y/giphy.gif

[Sea_Swirl]

wow at the end that doesn't sound like rarity but other than that's it sounds good

[Tetrominon]

Wait... that's the end? But if Opal didn't do it, then who did? If Opal did do it, then what was the point of bringing Fluttershy into the picture at all? Or to put it on a meta level, what, in your mind, was the point of writing this? What is the reader meant to take away from it?

If this is really only a first chapter and the fic was marked as complete by accident, then okay. But as it is, nothing happens and no-one learns anything, the end, best I can say is that it's short enough that you aren't wasting too much of our time.

[JustAnotherTimeLord]

4294010
Shh.

[Amber flicker]

...What just happened?

[Zeyon The Green]

Well that cat got off lucky. If it were me in that moment there would be no talking to Fluttershy, she'd be a hat.

Taking into account certain facts I can see more to tell. I notice that Sweetie Belle doesn't react as Opalescence comes into the room, and she never makes eye contact when she says it was Opal. She is just looking away in the horizon.

[Windy Writer]

4294745
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4298018
I'd like to thank all of you. I will be adding one or more two chapters to finish the tale. This first was just a thought experiment I got from my History class. You can probably already tell something about those next two chapters by looking at the characters...

4294010 I had the same thought when Obselescence was approving my story.

[OmniFox]

I kind of feel bad for her.