The Form of Evil

by RainbowsAreMagic

Visit to Rarity

Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia, multiple-time savior of Equestria, and bearer of the Element of Magic, woke up.

"Ugh, I feel terrible," she grumbled. "If I look as bad as I feel, I must be a sight to behold right now."

Even with her head aching as it was, she still tried to make the joke. The purple unicorn found it much less amusing after Spike cried out and bolted when she walked out of her bedroom and into the library proper.

"Very funny, Spike. Now come out from wherever you're hiding so we can have breakfast."

There was no response.

"Spike? Spike! Cut it out!"

There was still no response. Clearly, something had the little dragon truly afraid. Perhaps he'd had a bad dream or something. Yes, that must have been the problem. A bad dream.

"It's okay, Spike. Just come out, and we can talk about whatever scared you."

There was still no response, but Twilight saw something move underneath the table in the kitchen. The unicorn sighed. As much as she cared for her assistant, she didn't have time for this. Using her magic, she dragged the struggling dragon out from under the table.

"Now, Spike, what's gotten into you today?" The dragon trembled in fear, even as she tried to comfort him. "Was it a bad dream? Or…"

Twilight had a sudden realization, finally making the connection. Spike, hiding, and afraid to come out, the day after he had been helping out Rarity. The mystery of exactly what he could have been doing to help Rarity. The common knowledge that he was infatuated with the white pony. Suddenly, everything made terrible sense. Everything fit together. Twilight knew exactly what was wrong, and she was furious. Rarity would not get away with this.

"Don't worry, Spike, I'll make this right," she reassured him. "Rarity won't hurt you again, I'll make sure of it." How her friend had fallen to such a low was beyond Twilight, but the evidence spoke for itself. Using Spike like that… it was beyond horrific. Rarity would not have another chance to hurt her assistant.

Twilight Sparkle, full of anger, stepped out of the library and began the walk to Carousel Boutique. She was so focused on her anger at her friend that she notice the terrified looks she was receiving from other ponies, or that streets were rapidly emptying the moment she came into view. No, these things were not important. Only the fact that Rarity had a lot of explaining to do, and then probably a lot more explaining to do - the latter in a courtroom. How could she have fallen so far? Was she really so desperate that she would take advantage of Spike? If only she had known, Twilight thought to herself. Twilight herself would have gladly taken Spike's place in the matter, had she only known the matter existed. She'd always felt a sort of attraction towards the white unicorn anyway.

Why hadn't Rarity said something? The two unicorns were close friends. Twilight remembered that Rarity had once told her that she felt there was nothing that should ever need to be a secret between them. So why would she do this to Spike, instead of asking for help? Some ponies might say opportunity. Spike was vulnerable, and it probably hadn't taken much convincing on Rarity's part for him to agree to "help" her.

Other ponies might cite instability. Twilight knew that the bearers of the Elements of Harmony were very much the embodiment of the Elements they bore, but that came with severe weaknesses in other parts of their personalities. Rarity was vain and narcissistic, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were proud, Pinkie Pie was somewhat bipolar, Fluttershy had difficulty expressing herself, and Twilight herself was prone to overreaction. This, though, this was no overreaction, Twilight was sure.

It was with thoughts such as these that Twilight reached the Boutique. She rang the bell, and Sweetie Belle answered the door.

A moment of dead silence passed.

"Rarity! Heeeeelllp!" Sweetie Belle's exclamation was not what Twilight had been expecting. Nor was the cowering attitude, or the abject fear written on the filly's face.

"Sweetie Belle?" Twilight asked, cautiously. "What's wrong?"

There was no response from the filly. When Twilight approached, she suddenly stopped moving completely, and it took Twilight a moment to realize the poor thing had fainted dead away. What could be so terrifying, Twilight wondered.

It was only a moment later that the villainous Rarity came down the stairs. She saw Sweetie Belle, lying unconscious on the floor, and Twilight standing in the doorway. Her voice filled with rage.

"Get away from my sister, vile monster! You will not corrupt her with your evil! Away with you, fiend!"

Twilight blinked. Monster? Fiend? This was unexpected. Doubtless a distraction to make her get off track and forget her purpose in coming here. It would not work. Twilight would not be so easily defeated.

"My evil? How dare you accuse me of evil after what you did to Spike? How could you? He was shaking with terror this morning, from nightmares of what you did!"

"Nightmares?" Rarity shot back. "The only Nightmare around here is you! If I woke up to see that, I'd be afraid too! Look at yourself!" The white unicorn magically dragged a mirror before Twilight, forcing her to see herself for the first time that day.

Twilight recoiled. "No! That's not real! It's a trick!"

In the floating mirror stood a Nightmare. One with Twilight's own cutie mark.

Comments

[Stelith]

In the floating mirror stood a Nightmare. One with Twilight's own cutie mark.

Oooo. Mysterious. I like it!

[SpurBrony21]

the ending lines make me really excited!!

[JBL]

...... What?