Fulfillment

by Amaranthine Thought

Chapter 3

When Emptiness returned that morning without a new horn and frustrated, I knew Sweetie had won the night. She told me to come to her, and I did, worried she’d kick me, but she didn’t, and just told me what had happened that night.

She was happy to play The Game again, and more so because Sweetie was playing it very well. But she wasn’t completely happy and was planning to get some revenge for Sweetie hitting her with the flashlight; She didn’t tell me what she intended, but I knew she had lots of ways she could make things worse for her victims and stay within the rules of her game.

Then she told me that she was proud of me for going near other ponies, and asked if I’d made any friends. And then said that I didn’t have to tell her about it, but that she would be very angry with me if I did something she didn’t approve of.

Not that that mattered, since her approval changed all the time.

Once she was done and resting, I left and headed straight back into town to find Sweetie. I had a lot more to tell her about The Game, and had to warn her about Emptiness’ anger, and what that could mean for her. And give her something.

I found her in school, and somehow managed to convince one of the adults that I was new in town and wanted to sit in with the class. It was really hard to stand in front of everypony and be introduced to them, but I got seated next to Sweetie, which made it easier.

Just seeing her, I knew she wasn’t going to make another night. She was practically falling asleep on the desk. I shook her a little until she focused on me, and quietly, as the teacher spoke, asked her, “Sweetie, are you alright?”

“Tired…” she weakly told me, and I worried for her. I knew I would find something like this, since The Game made it near impossible to get any sleep. But I had a solution for it.

I gave Sweetie a tiny vial, and told her “Drink this, it will help.” Sweetie tried, and I had to help her drink it, but she swiftly perked up, and was soon alert and awake again. I was actually kind of surprised that it worked so well.

---

“Wait, what exactly did you give her?” Rarity asked. “Because… Sweetie was behaving rather strangely later on.”

“…It’s a special liquid.” Gentle said. “And Sweetie would have acted oddly because it’s strong stuff.”

“But what was it?” Rarity asked.

Gentle didn’t answer, looking away for a moment. Without looking back, she said, “If you promise not to hurt me.”

“Gentle I… I, I won’t. No matter what you tell me, I swear that I won’t even touch you.” Rarity promised, taking a deep breath. “I may yell, however.”

“…I call it potion normally, but it’s really unicorn horn blood.”

“…What?” Rarity asked, blinking.

“Emptiness’ stolen horns would bleed the day before the new moon. Bleed a lot of colorful, sparkling blood. She’d spend all day licking it up and collecting as much of it as she could into little vials. It gave her jolts of power that didn’t last very long, but it’s what enabled her to play The Game the way she did, and let her have magic for just a little time. She was always happy when her horns bled."

Rarity felt sickened and dismayed, and Gentle finished, telling her, “It’s strong stuff, but it did more than I ever thought it would to help Sweetie. It kept her awake and aware despite that she wasn’t sleeping at all; Sweetie got a little addicted to it though, and I guess you must have noticed.”

A moment passed, and then Rarity asked, “Emptiness would just let you,”

“She had hundreds of vials of potion.” Gentle interrupted. “She never noticed me taking a few of them for Sweetie, or she never cared.”

“…School ended early that day. Do you know why?”

“That’s a lot easier to explain.”

---

I stayed with the class, because I was really hoping to tell Sweetie more about The Game before the next night. But I never got a chance to then; the teacher noticed Sweetie’s sudden alertness and paid a lot more attention to me and her both.

But we were let out later on, to play for a while, and I’d hoped to get Sweetie alone. But she had two friends, who were quick to approach me.

They asked me all sorts of questions I couldn’t answer, and I… I was too shy to face them both like that; particularly when both said they’d noticed me give Sweetie something.

Sweetie defended me though, declaring me a new friend and telling them that I was really shy and didn’t want either of them asking me so many questions. They both backed off after that, and introduced themselves; I thought it was going well, up until two other fillies approached: Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

I knew they were bullies the moment they came near. I saw Sweetie worried, so I decided to face them and defend her like she had me; after all, they were nothing compared to Emptiness.

I upset them, because I didn’t care what they said. So what if my mane was a mop, what did I care that I didn’t have a cutie mark? But then I called them four eyes and sparkle head and got them too mad. Silver tried to grab at my mane and I… I panicked.

I yanked her leg and then threw her. Through the school house wall.

Everything went quiet after. Then Diamond started screaming, and then everypony started screaming. I tried to run but the teacher grabbed me and other adults hurried to help Silver and calm the other children.

The teacher kept me with her and I managed to tell her that I hadn’t meant it and that I’d done it because she’d grabbed my mane. So she talked to me about right and wrong, and then wanted to know who my parents were, so she could talk with them about it. Except I couldn’t tell her that, or where I lived; she just got more and more frustrated and angry with me until I just made up an address to give her.

By the time she finally let me go, it was late, and Sweetie was gone. I couldn’t find her before the night came.

---

“That would be because I came to pick her up from school, once word had gotten round.” Rarity told Gentle. “That was the first time I heard about you; the filly that had seriously hurt Silver Spoon. I’m surprised you didn’t hear Diamond’s screams; she was demanding that you get chained up in some dungeon at the top of her lungs to more or less everypony.”

“I heard yelling; just not what about.”

“I tried to take Sweetie home after, but she stopped me and asked me to buy her a new flashlight and nightlight. I hesitated, but she got so insistent that I gave in to her, though I warned her that if she broke these new ones, I wouldn’t get her any more. That was when I noticed her behaving oddly; Sweetie throwing a tantrum like a two-year-old only to then be apologetic and sad and then tense and serious when she was looking at flashlights.”

“So I took her to the doctor, wondering if she was ill, and he told me that Sweetie was not sick but most likely under the influence of… well, nothing good.”

“Drugs?”

“How do you,”

“I’m three hundred and fourteen years old.” Gentle interrupted. “Almost all of it was spent away from ponies, but the ghosts came in all kinds and they taught me a lot about the world.”

“Ah… well, yes. Between him and I both, we got her to admit that you’d given her a special drink. I just forbade her from going near you again, and took her straight home afterwards to get her to drink as much as I could get her to, since the doctor said that would help.”

“And then she threw another fit when I put her room back together.” Rarity sighed. “…I should have been more observant. Noticed that Sweetie wanted me to empty her room of everything except her bed which she wanted in the middle of the room. Something was off, but I just… I just thought she was being bad and yelled at her. If only I’d realized.”

“Emptiness would have killed you and her both if you interfered.”

“I’m sure I could have done something for her.” Rarity said, leaning back. “Keep her from school, let her sleep during the day… of course, hindsight is perfect. I didn’t notice then, and I can’t do anything about it now.” She finished, sighing heavily. “…I assume the night went poorly?”

“It did.”

---

Emptiness was much more active that third night; Sweetie had to fend her off a lot more than she had before. Emptiness hoped to wear her down, but the potion kept her alert and awake, though it was harder. The room was put back together, and Emptiness had way more places she could hide and emerge from.

Her revenge against Sweetie was petty and mean. She’d try to scare Sweetie’s fur off, laughing insanely, revealing herself just to startle her, whispering what she’d do when she grabbed her. But then she started to tear the room apart; pulling the drawers out, breaking small objects, scattering stuff all over the floor, yanking the curtains down.

That was more than just her upsetting Sweetie. Emptiness made sure she didn’t do anything that a filly wouldn’t be able to, to ensure that Sweetie would get blamed for it. Talking as if Sweetie had just done that, giggling while she destroyed things.

---

“Celestia…” Rarity breathed, staring at the floor. “That… I…”

“Sweetie didn’t blame you.”

“I was so mad and confused. I… I made her clean it up herself and then had her stand in a corner for hours and tell her she wasn’t getting dessert for a week. And she didn’t say a word, didn’t object at all; she just… just had this look of understanding, and she didn’t tell me I was wrong, didn’t give me a fight about anything. Not even when I took her new flashlight away.”

“…Sweetie wanted me to tell you that she forgave you.” Gentle said, Rarity looking down at her, Gentle not looking up. “That she didn’t hold anything against you.”

“…Truly?”

“She insisted on it. And… and I forgive you too.”

Rarity was silent at that, watching as Gentle, with extreme care, shifted her left hind leg. A terrible feeling grew in her as she heard Gentle give a pained whimper, and more so, hearing her breathing sound pained a moment.

Gentle’s obvious pain had Rarity feel a sharp pang of horror; she’d done that. She remembered the feeling of Gentle’s leg giving way, the effort it took to magically squeeze the filly. The cold indifference that she’d felt before.

But like melting ice, it was giving way, and Rarity only then truly became fully aware of what she’d done. The actions she’d taken in what she could only hope were complete insanity, because otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.

Even then…

What had she done?

“…I, I’m sorry, Gentle.” Rarity said, growing teary as she watched Gentle so obviously pained.

“It, it’s fine, I’ve been hurt worse.” Gentle dismissed, not looking at her, stopping to move since it wasn’t helping. “And… and if Sweetie can forgive like she did, then so can I.”

“Gentle…” Rarity murmured, tears flowing form her eyes. She carefully reached towards the filly, and the sharp regret and guilt grew worse when Gentle startled away from her.

“D, don’t touch me!” the filly snapped, Rarity pulling her leg back, silently crying. “I, I’m fine.” She obviously lied. “Let me finish telling you everything.”

“I, I can refill your cup if you want.” Rarity offered, doing her best to pull herself back together. Gentle didn’t say anything, but let go of the cup, letting Rarity take it.

Once she’d gotten a new drink, Gentle continued the tale.