Of Laurels & Lace

by WritingSpirit

Uprising

Rarity couldn't help but laugh.

"And you're sure Scootaloo didn't do it?"

"I don't know!" Sweetie wailed through the speakers.

"But I hope she gives my ribbon back! My mane's getting messy!!"

"I'm sure... um.. Scootaloo can understand." Fluttershy piped in.

Rarity chuckled at her sister. "I'm sure she'll return it. Since when did you care so much about your mane, Sweetie?"

"Cheerilee made her the main star for the upcoming talent show." the yellow pegasus explained.

"Really? That is absolutely wonderful, Sweetie Belle!"

Sweetie giggled in the background. "You wouldn't believe what I'm acting as, sis!!"

"I'm this singing princess that loves, and I mean loves, clothes!! Just like you, sis!"

Rarity blushed a little.

"O-Of course! Certainly, Sweetie Belle. I'm sure."

Octavia chuckled behind Rarity as Sweetie continued rambling.

"Should I brush it this side? Or is it the other way? I don't know, Rarity!!"

"That's f..fine, Sweetie." Fluttershy's voice squeaked in the background.

"I can help you... if you want, of course."

"Really? Oh, thank you, thank you so much, Fluttershy!!"

"Well," Rarity said. "That settles it, then."

"Good luck on your talent show, Sweetie!"

"Thanks, sis!"

The walkie-talkie clicked off as Octavia watched her friend yawn drowsily.

"It's only three in the afternoon, Rarity," she pestered teasingly. "and you're acting like Crimson at breakfast."

Rarity laughed slightly, rolling her eyes.

"Really, Octavia. I spent too much time on this last night."

"I've heard." Octavia mused, giving her a wink. "You're lucky Crimson invited me to some fancy-prancy place in town."

The unicorn blushed a little.

"So how is he? Spike, I mean?"

"Well, he's alright now." Rarity answered. She shook her mane to the side, letting her curls flow straight.

"We had a lot of things to catch up on, he and I."

"Did he know?"

Rarity looked at her friend for a second. "Know what?"

"About the explosion? About how you're supposed to-"

"I think," Rarity broke in. "it's better if he doesn't. At least not now."

She sighed dejectedly, looking out the window. "Maybe when all of this is behind us, when everything is over."

"I think it will be better to reminisce about it then."

Octavia nodded understandingly. "I guess you're right."

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"And be sure to exercise daily. You need to keep those hooves working!"

"Of course, Dr Brineheart!" Crimson said as he waved goodbye.

"Finally.... free from crutches!"

Crimson breathed a sigh of relief as he stretched his hooves. "Forgot how it feels like walking," he mumbled to himself.

The day, like most days in Pendant Lakes, was mellow. Occasionally, a wave or two of golden leaves will flutter around, scattering on the white pavements in each corner.

Crimson let the wind brush through his mane. The cooling air rushed into his nose, tingling his snout a little.

His mind quickly lingered on his marefriend. He chuckled slightly at the thought of the grey pony.

"Well, I must get something for 'Tavi," he reminded himself.

"Starlet Avenue it is, then."

He staggered a little, trying to get used to walking.

"I wonder what she would like? Heels? Or maybe a new dress? Or just something small..."

His voice trailed off as he turned around the bend.

"What in the-!"

The whole stretch of the avenue was blazing with ember. Some of the structures already collapsed to the floor. The sky looked black with soot and smoke. Everywhere ponies are scattered, in dire search of water.

"Get some help down here!" "Somepony's trapped!"

"What the hay happened here?!" Crimson asked one of the ponies frantically.

"T-There-There was...." the pony shunned, his body drenched in fear.

A loud explosion rocked the ground, making Crimson stumble.

"Please sir, I need to know what's going on!" he shouted.

"The S-S-Su-Surrogates!" the pony managed to stammer.

"The what?!"

"Crimson! Crimson Cavalle!"

The singer craned his neck, through the stampeding crowd.

An auburn hoof waved at him, gesturing him over.

"Pardon me!" the red pony swerved through the crowd.

He squinted his eyes, finally able to see the pony.

"Miss Autumn?! What are you doing here?"

"We have no time!!" Autumn shouted frantically. "You need to tell my brother about this. Right now!"

Another explosion echoed, smoke billowing among the flames.

"Quickly, Crimson!" she pleaded. "For everypony's sake!!"

Crimson looked around in shock. Her eyes pierced into his like a steel razor.

"Please..."

He held one of her hooves up, cupping it into his. A fierce spirit of determination brewed in him as he looked at the mare in the eye.

"I'll try."

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"What do you mean, she attacked somepony?"

Rainbow tried to brush it off, but Twilight's serious gaze said otherwise.

"She... she took a blade from the cart. I dunno what happened..."

The rainbow-maned pegasus shuddered. "You should've seen it. How hard she gripped the blade. How angry her stare was."

"But the scariest part was what she said."

Twilight reached the door, stopping for a moment.

"What she said? As in, what she said when she held the blade?"

"You know..." Rainbow's tone tingled uneasily. "She started cursing stuff, something about stupid wretched fiend and rot in Tartarus, things like that!"

"It was like something... I dunno... possessed her! She was totally out of control! Nopony could stop her..."

Rainbow's voice turned quiet as Twilight turned the knob. Both ponies peered in cautiously as they stepped inside.

"Pinkie?" Twilight called to her pink friend on the bed at the other end of the room.

"Pinkie, it's me. I'm back."

There was a long silence, as Twilight and Rainbow crept closer.

"What do you want?"

Rainbow froze in her tracks, nudging Twilight nervously.

"I told you!"

"Pinkie, I heard. About what you did to... well.. to-"

"That idiot? Don't mention anything about him. At all." Pinkie's voice rose sharply in volume as she sat up from her bed.

"I won't, Pinkie." Twilight assured her, edging closer to Pinkie, who was now facing the window.

"I just wanna know what's bothering you lately."

The pink pony seemed to flinch, prompting Twilight to stop.

"Pinkie?"

"What?"

"Please." she tried again. "Just tell me what's going o-"

"There's nothing going on!!" Pinkie threw a pillow suddenly as she turned around, glaring with her bloodshot eyes.

Twilight ducked downwards, the pillow flying above her before crashing into a small vase.

The vase toppled to floor, shattering with a small crack.

"Pinkie, please! I know what the pony did to you was frightening!! But how you're acting now, that's exactly what that pony wants!"

Pinkie's glare seemed to soften, yet Twilight can still see the cold morbidity in her eyes.

Rainbow walked beside Twilight, trembling slightly.

The pink pony's blue eyes sparkled, noticing the pegasus's fear.

"What's wrong, Dashie~?" she taunted coyly. "Afraid of Auntie Pinkie Pie now?"

"I- I...." Rainbow cringed, glancing away nervously.

"Pinkie!" Twilight urged. "Come to your senses now!!"

"And why is that?!!" the pink pony screeched, her eyes flaring with rage.

"Why do you think that I'm the only crazy pony here?!! Why do you all think that way?!!"

She started crying bitterly, her voice faltering a little before continuing:

"I told that bucking pony once! And I'll say it again!!"

She sniffled once, as Twilight took a step backwards.

"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW CRAZY I CAN GET!!!"

Pinkie started laughing loudly, falling onto the bed as her body convulsed violently.

"Crazy, you know!!" she snickered with spite. "Cuckoo in the cockatoo~!!"

"Celestia, Pinkie..." Twilight whispered as she watched her friend rolling on the bed with laughter.

Rainbow tried to get it off her mind, the screaming, the shouting, the way her friend was acting.

The pink pony's voice calmed, as Pinkie draped herself under the sheets of the bed.

"Just go. Get out." she croaked.

Twilight shook her head. "No, Pinkie."

"I don't want to see you like this. We need the old Pinkie back."

Pinkie looked up in surprise as Twilight finished her sentence.

"The real Pinkie..."

The pink pony froze for a moment, before her shocked expression darkened.

"You don't know much.... don't you Twilight?"

Twilight widened her eyes, slightly stunned by her comment.

"W-What do you mean?"

The pink pony gave her a disturbing smile, making Rainbow shiver nervously.

Her face slowly twisted into a frown, as Pinkie gave both ponies a cold stare. She turned her head away from them, her mouth letting out one last word in a booming, merciless scowl.

"Out."

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"BOOOM!"

"What in the hay was that?"

Octavia peered out the window, letting out a small gasp.

"Celestia..."

Rarity followed her gaze. A giant cloud of smoke billowed in the air, complete with large flames. Screams echoed from the fire below spread through the town.

"Wha-What's happening down there?"

The door busted open as Crimson heaved inside, collapsing onto the floor as the stallion panting and heaving rapidly.

"Must..... find...."

"Crimson!" Octavia rushed to his side.

She wrinkled her nose at the soot covering his hooves. "What happened?"

"The town.... an attack..."

"What do you mean 'an attack'?" Rarity asked.

"Armies.... marching up.... Palace."

Both mares looked at each other, their eyes widened in horror.

"What army, Crimson? What army?"

"She didn't say...." Crimson heaved slightly, coughing a wisp of ash out.

Octavia patted his back as Rarity tried to piece things together.

"She? Who's she?"

"Autumn. Winter's sister."

Octavia glared at him suddenly. "What are the both of you doing together?!"

Crimson just looked at her in surprise.

"Nothing, 'Tavi! Honest!" he assured her.

"I was just walking down, then I saw Starlet Avenue being destroyed." he explained frantically.

"Autumn was there before me. She begged me to get Winter."

The grey pony just raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Octavia," Rarity barked, "this is not a good time!"

The door swung open once again as Winter stepped in. Stellar followed closely behind.

"Rarity, Octavia." Winter gestured to the two mares. "We need everypony to a safe place. Stellar will show you where."

Both mares nodded as they helped Crimson up. The stallion brushed a little dust off as he mustered up his confidence.

"Winter."

The white pony looked at him.

"What is it?"

"It's your sister." he told him. "She needs to see you immediately."

Winter's face darkened slightly, his mind trying to register through the explosions as he turned to Stellar.

"I don't like where this is going."

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Applejack tensed as Sweet Apple Acres came into view. She gazed at her cast with uncertainty as Fluttershy followed her with her bags.

"Ah don't know about this...."

"But you family must've missed you and, um..."

"Fluttershy," Applejack grinned at the yellow pegasus. "Ah know you're trying to help me and all, but I'm not really sure about this."

"What would Big Mac think if he saw me like this?" she asked worryingly. "What would Applebloom say?"

"Don't worry, Applejack." Fluttershy comforted her friend.

"I'm sure they'll understand."

The grass meadow made way for a forest of trees as they entered the orchard. The trees stood tall behind old, wooden fences, with one too many ripe apples hanging from the branches.

"These apples sure ripen quickly," Applejack muttered as they continue down the path.

Both ponies stopped short, looking at the view before them. The barn stood proudly, just right beside the house of the Apple family. The sun blazed brightly as Applejack shielded her eyes with her hat, letting her ponytail fall to one side.

"By golly!" she chuckled at Fluttershy, who was still pushing her bags along.

"What a hot day it is!"

"Applejack!"

Twilight and Rainbow approached them, wandering from another path.

"Hey," Applejack waved her hoof. "How was Pinkie Pie?"

Twilight fiddled with her hooves. "Didn't go well. At all."

"She's way over her head with this one."

"What did 'ya mean?"

Rainbow cleared her throat. "She doesn't want to tell what's bothering her."

"Without Rarity, Twilight and you, everything just became a lot worse. Now, she doesn't even want to talk to us."

Fluttershy trembled a little, cringing behind one of Applejack's bags.

"So 'ya think she's half insane, in a way?"

Both ponies nodded.

"And she doesn't give a horseshoe to talk about it?"

"You could say that!" Twilight chuckled.

"Well," Applejack concluded. "I, for one, don't blame 'er. She just need a little of 'er time to open up, that's all."

"If I were the both of you, I'll blame the rotten pony that pushed her! The darn pony that..."

Her voice faltered as the orange pony raised her cast.

"....that did this."

"Applejack!"

A large, red stallion galloped towards them, his hooves clattering in a frenzy as an expression of relief and anxiety crossed through his face.

"Macintosh!!" Applejack called out his name as both ponies swiftly embraced, tears chugging out from her eyes.

"Ah told 'ya Manehatten ain't some place for a filly like you!" he scolded with extreme worry.

"Look at what happened to ya hoof, Applejack! You know how dangerous it is with all the driving and stuff?! You're lucky you have 'ya friends there with 'ya!"

Applejack grinned slightly at Twilight, who returned it with her own.

"I sure am lucky, Mac."

"SIS!!"

Apple Bloom rushed towards her big sister, tightly squeezing her as the orange pony turned slightly blue.

"Whoa there, silly filly!" she managed to yelp. "Easy with the hugs!"

"You know how worried I was about you?!!" Apple Bloom screeched fiercely.

"I nearly thought you weren't going to make it!! You scared me, sis!!"

Applejack shushed her.

"I'm here now, sugarcube." she mumbled into her sister's ear softly. "I'm alright."

"Please don't do that," the yellow filly pleaded, sniffling a little. "Ever again!"

"I won't, Apple Bloom," Applejack hushed her, tightly embracing her little sister with tears in her eyes as her friends watched along with Big Mac.

"I promise."

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"This way!"

Stellar led the three ponies through the main corridor as plaster rained from the ceiling. The ground rumbled a little, the chandeliers swaying to and fro. Platoons of guards emerged from all corners, rushing outside the main doors as they ushered everypony else to safety.

The butler stopped in his tracks, gesturing to a set of stairs leading down into the darkness.

"These stairs lead to the wine cellar." he explained hastily as another explosion rocked the palace. "You'll be safe down there."

He passed them an ornate set of keys. "Hurry! Go!!"

Octavia glanced uneasily in the darkness as she stepped down first. Crimson followed closely behind her, with Rarity tailing at the end.

"Miss Rarity," Stellar called out to her.

"If something comes up somewhere down there, let me know."

Rarity gave a nod. "Alright."

"Now go!" the butler shooed her. "There's not enough time!"

A symphony of shatters rang through the hallway as the chandelier broke loose from its chains. The guards stacked a mountain of antique furniture against the main door as Rarity began her step down.

"Octavia?" she called out in the dark as she clambered to the bottom. The unicorn squinted her eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness.

"Crimson?" she tried again. A loud 'boom!' echoed from above, clouds of dust trinkling from the seams in the stone ceiling.

"Over here!" a voice hissed.

Rarity looked around, irritated by the lack of light in the room.

"Where?" she grumbled.

A small flicker caught her eyes, as Rarity crept slightly closer towards a stone pillar.

The air became mustier as she strode deeper. She let out a gagging cough, trying not to stumble as she worked her way through the darkness.

The spark became a ball of flame, illuminating Octavia's face as the grey pony held up an oil lamp.

"Vintage, eh?" she said jokingly.

The small ember illuminated through the room, forming distorted shadows around them.

Crimson sat down, his legs worn out as he looked around in wonder.

"What is this place?"

The pillars were solid granite, smooth in appearance yet rough in texture. Iron pedestals jutted out from them, with a claw designed to grip onto the bottom of a torch.

But what really amazed them more was the wall beyond them. Between a few wine racks, bricks jut out from their respective places, with scrawls and scribbles carved neatly into them. A small keyhole stood in the center, along with a faded bronze plaque nailed below.

Rarity tried to read the words.

"Holding firm .... stand.... Ochre...."

She wiped the plaque with her hoof, with little success.

"Ochre... Ochre Palgiot." her mind clicked.

"He saved Pendant Lakes from disaster many decades ago."

Octavia walked towards Rarity, examining the plaque as well.

"But why is his name in a wine cellar? And what's with all the weird bricks?"

She tapped slightly onto one lingering above her head.

The room shook a little as another loud explosion rang out. Crimson looked up with worry.

Dust fell from the ceiling, making Octavia cough lightly as Rarity tried to make sense of the faded words.

"Son.... Son of Ochre Palgiot?" she inquired

"Perhaps," Crimson answered with a shrug. "Or maybe Ochre is the son of... well... somepony."

"Fedora," Rarity answered with pride. "Winter assisted me with my history."

"Well, there are no Fedoras here," Octavia sighed in defeat.

"Maybe it is Ochre's son after all."

Rarity examined the weird bricks jutting from the wall.

"They're all just a pointless number of scratches." she said, throwing her hooves up with annoyance.

"I don't understand which ridiculous pony would put a wall such as that here!"

The room rocked again. Rarity jumped with fright as one of the wine racks toppled over, the bottles shattering all over the floor.

Octavia and Crimson laughed loudly. "It's only wine bottles, Rarity!"

The unicorn blushed with embarrassment.

"I guess I'm being a little jumpy today." she admitted.

"Well," Octavia gazed at the wall again. "I wish I know what's it about."

Rarity followed her gaze. The wall seemingly intimidated her, the keyhole taunting her with every move.

She looked at the key ring Stellar gave her.

"These keys are a bit too small for that hole." she concluded. "There must be another set of keys around here."

Sounds of trotting echoed from the stairwell, a menacing shadow rumbling down towards them. Both mares held their breath as Crimson buckled his hooves.

"Hang on. I got this."

Stellar stumbled from the staircase, sweat furiously dripping down and dampening his suit. The three ponies let out a relieved sigh.

"Come quick! Master Winter needs you!!"

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Rarity slinked through the crowd, watching in horror at the pitchforks and blazing torches rallied in the air. A red banner stood tall from the crowd, depicting a giant blade stabbed through a pony's skull.

Overwhelming chants filled the room, demanding for Winter's presence as the guards aimed their rifles towards the mob, surrounding the crowd with ease.

"I demand for the Patriarch to come out from his blithering, watering hole of his," a robed pony barked fiercely, "and face the dire consequences for his selfish acts!!"

"Now, now, Thistle." Chief Griffonhooves stood valiantly as he lowered his pistol down.

"You know the rules. You were not suppose to be barging in here in the first place."

"Your 'Patriarch', agreed without fail that there shall be no more taxes in the future!" Thistle shouted back, glaring at the police chief coldly.

"And we all know, Chief. That we have tolerated already eight rounds of tax inflation!"

Thistle sneered at that, gripping his twin daggers firmly.

"Who's the unfair pony now, Chief. Who?!"

Rarity and Octavia clambered up behind them as a soft echo of murmurs spread throughout the crowd.

Crimson quietly opened the door to the ballroom, gesturing them in.

"And of course. We have someone to back our claim, Griffon."

He turned around, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Bring her out!!!"

Rarity widened her eyes, letting out a gasp.

Chains clinked around her ankles as a small whimper escaped her lips. She staggered and stumbled, the cuffs gripping tightly like a vice as the crowd parted for her.

"Autumn?!"

Winter's voice boomed as the Patriarch stumbled from the ballroom, not believing what he saw.

"Autumn!! What are you doing?!!"

The mare hung her head low in regret, her mane covering it in shame.

A black pony followed closely beside her, trying to comfort her as she wept silently.

"Autumn!!" Winter glared at her sister, as Spring peered in terror from behind his brother's back.

"Autumn Palgiot, you bucking answer me right now!!!"

Her head perked up suddenly, her eyes overflowing with tears as an aura of anger swept over her.

"You want me? Of all of the bucking ponies in the world, ME? To tell you why??!!"

Autumn glared at her brother, who was slightly taken aback by her outburst.

"I tried to tell you, Winter!!" she screamed. "I tried to make you stop, but you're too stubborn!!"

"You brought this upon yourself, Winter!!! This was YOUR FAULT!!"

Winter fumbled with his words, his mind racing in shock and guilt.

Spring buried her head in Winter's suit, quietly sniffling at Autumn as Stellar knelt down.

"Hush now, little Spring. Hush now."

Thistle's voice boomed as he started laughing coldly.

"You see, Patriarch." he sighed in a sarcastic manner. "even your own sister is against you."

"Can't you see? The chaos you're causing? All because of little, old you."

Winter drooped his head down, still absorbing what Autumn said as Thistle marched up to him.

Octavia buried her face in Crimson's chest, unable to look.

"This is the start! The start of a glorious revolution!!" Thistle roared.

The crowd cheered gallantly, raising their weapons in the air.

Thistle readied his dagger. "This is it, Winter."

The white stallion looked up as Stellar dragged Spring away from him.

"No!" the filly wailed loudly.

"The moment I've been thirsting for."

Rarity closed her eyes, glancing away in fear.

BANG!!!

Comments

[WritingSpirit]

Chapter 17!

Finally done with it! Hard to focus at night.

I was thinking of getting pre-readers for the next bunch of chapters.
I'll think about it.

[BlackMuffin]

816494 Quick question that just came up in my head; what gender are you anyway? I usually can pinpoint by someone's style of writing but this is strange.
Sorry if it comes off as creepy, it's not my intention at all. Just curious. Don't answer if it creeps you out.

[Fury of the Tempest]

.... God damn stupid cliffhangers...
I'm sure there is a reason for the tax rises...

[Mocha Star]

Rarity is a stone cold killer for no reason. Nice