Only the Broken, Only the Cursed (please read blog post)

by DougtheLoremaster

Chapter 24- Tears and Fears

“You knew?”

Applejack threw herself flat as the massive drama couch sailed towards where she had been standing.

“Rar! Calm down!”

“Don’t you ‘calm down Rar’ me, you Applebucker!”

*Crack*

The sound of the couch slamming into the castle wall and splintering startled the sleeping Rainbow Dash; who immediately threw her wings over her eyes, whimpering. All commotion between Applejack and Rarity stopped immediately when Rainbow gave a frightened squeal. Her voice was filled with desperation as she screamed out.

“I don’t want to die!”

Rarity’s rage faded as concern filled her eyes. Applejack immediately ran to Rainbow Dash’s side; cradling the Pegasus as she sobbed uncontrollably. It was no mystery to the two why Rainbow was panicking. Ever since her demise back on that night, Rainbow had been haunted by the last sound she heard; the cracking of her spine snapping as she slammed into the ground. The sound of the couch colliding with the wall had re-awoken the terror of that moment.

“Shhh, Sugarcube, Ah’m here for ya, mama’s got ya.”

The horrible PTSD from that moment would cause the brash Pegasus to revert to an infantile mindset, leading Applejack and Rarity to adopt her in the first place. Now as Applejack gently rocked Rainbow, Rarity joined Applejack in comforting the distraught mare.

“Darling, it’s alright, we’re here. We got you.”

Rarity slowly ran her hooves through Rainbow’s mane whispering soothingly.

“Shh. You’re safe. Close your eyes and rest, little Rainbow. Aunty Rarity and Mama Applejack are here, we got you, it’s time for little fillies to visit the magical land of dreams.”

As Rarity spoke, Rainbow’s eyes flickered and her shivering stopped; slowly the Pegasus lay her head back down and her wings fell back to her side.

“There ya go, let those heavy eyelids fall, we’ll protect ya, yore safe, Sugarcube.”

Together, Applejack and Rarity continuously soothed Rainbow and dried her tears. Within moments, the mare was snoozing peacefully in her own hooves, once more.

“That’s mah good girl.”

As soon as Rainbow was softly snoring once more, Applejack and Rarity instinctively looked over at Pinkie Pie; who had been quietly snoozing, while simultaneously eating the cupcake she lay muzzle-deep in. The empty cupcake wrapper lay next to the whimpering form of Pinkie; her muzzle flecked with crumbs.

Before either could move, Fluttershy after placing a hoof to her muzzle, slowly placed a new cupcake, silently in front of the sleeping party pony, moving it with her wingtips. Quickly, Pinkie began nibbling on the cupcake; her whimpering ceased and as all three watched, she began to murmur in her sleep.

“I made a new friend Maud, her name is Twilight. She’s really nice...Just like you.”

Fluttershy gently draped two blankets over the two sleeping mares, while the other two stood there, watching like mother hawks. Silently, Fluttershy pointed at the pair with her wings before gesturing towards the door. The two locked eyes before nodding and silently headed towards the door, before stepping into the hall.

Once the door had been closed, Applejack blurted out.

“Rar, Ah’m so sor-mmmph!”

Applejack found Rarity’s forehoof against her muzzle.

“Shush.”

Taking a deep breath, Rarity spoke directly to Applejack.

“I understand why you didn’t tell us; we most certainly would have tried to prevent everything, but I know you. If you honestly feel something is the right choice, you’ll do it. Celestia said let what would be, be. I get it. I just want to know one thing, Dah-ling. Can you tell me why she disappeared? Can you tell me what happened to Sweetie Belle?”

She didn’t sound angry; Rarity’s tone was one of defeated submission. As the tears welled in her eyes, she spoke with acceptance. Applejack understood; Rarity wanted closure from that night. The once-farmpony swallowed hard.

“Are ya sure, Rar? Ya really aren’t gonna like what ya hear.”

Rarity’s eyes held a pleading glint in them as she whispered.

“Please Darling, I need to know. Tell me. What happened that night?”

Taking her treasured hat off, Applejack stared at it in silence with her one eye for a moment before placing it, once more on her brow, covering the horrendous wounds that graced her skull. Sighing, she looked Rarity square in the eyes.

“Alright, fine. Ah’ll tell ya. That night, Sweetie Belle slaughtered Applebloom.”

***

“She did what?”

Twilight tried in vain to get the attention of Cozy Glow who after blurting out her thoughts, immediately pulled out her parchment and crayons at the table. She now appeared thoroughly invested in her scribbles, unwilling to look up as the three other mares watched.

Twilight felt a searing heat spike within her; her vision spinning as Sunset gently tapped her on the shoulder. Twilight’s breathing quickly grew more and more labored, and as her nose began to bleed, her flesh grew dark and pitted. Twilight fell to the ground, twitching as Trixie quickly knocked Sunset’s hoof away, and the last thing she saw was Sunset’s horn glowing brightly before she passed out.

Seconds later, Twilight opened her eyes to Sunset sheepishly apologizing.

“Sorry about that, I forget you mortals don’t suffer my touch well. I was just trying to get your attention.”

Twilight’s fever had subsided, and her skin had been restored, she looked into the deceptively gentle eyes of Sunset and gave a nervous chuckle.

“Not the first time I died, right?”

Trixie grinned at the reaction.

“Oh, I like you.”

Sunset meanwhile, though very careful to avoid contact, pointed at Cozy Glow, who was still scribbling with her crayons. A mischievous smile played on Sunset’s lips as she whispered.

“Watch this.”

Her demeanor became gentle and warm, as she spoke to the small Pegasus.

“War, why don’t you take your crayons and go color me a picture of your armor. The big mares need to have a conversation.”

Instantly, Cozy Glow looked up and attempted to protest.

“But-”

Sunset interrupted immediately.

“If it looks good, I’ll hang it on the fridge. Wouldn’t that be fun, my little filly? Imagine having your drawing where all the girls can see it. It would make me so proud…”

As her voice trailed off, Cozy Glow instantly rushed to her tyke table to continue furiously scribbling with her crayons. Sunset leaned over and whispered softly to Twilight.

“That’s how you handle her. Anyway, maybe I can explain what she meant. Celestia laughed at Death’s comment, but actually, it was a bit more than that. You see…”

***

The fire roared to life as Celestia began laughing. Trixie narrowed her eyes at the reaction and demanded.

“What’s so funny?”

Still shaking with mirth, Celestia cleared her throat.

*Ahrem* “I meant no disrespect, but surely you must have other interests. You are, after all, living creatures, as you’ve said. Destruction can’t be the only thing you enjoy.”

Trixie blinked at the audacity of the Daybreaker to laugh at her, before turning to look at Starlight, who slowly crunched a chip in deep thought before looking at Sunset questioningly. The Horsemare of Pestilence shrugged in confusion before shaking her head. Turning back to Celestia, Trixie asked her curiously.

“What do you mean, ‘other interests’?”

A surprised look appeared on the Tyrant’s face as she struggled to understand how such a question could be asked. Looking thoughtful for a moment, Celestia responded.

“Perhaps it would be best if you saw firsthoof what I mean.”

“What do you mean, first-”

Trixie’s words died in her throat as in a flash of golden light, Celestia and The Four appeared before a massive couch on which rested none other than the Mother of Creation, herself.

Looking slightly amused as she stared down at them, Clover smiled; her melodic voice of harmony ringing out.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite daughter-in-law, Celestia. How nice to see you again dear, and I see you’ve brought some rather interesting guests, as well. To what do I owe this wonderful home invasion?”

The Four watched in stunned silence as Celestia approached and gave Clover a warm embrace with her wings and received a gentle nuzzle of approval in return. Gesturing at the four with her wingtips, Celestia stated plainly.

“I encountered these four as they attempted to cause an apocalypse upon my world.”

Clover’s smile faded.

“I’m sorry, Celestia, did you just say apocalypse?”

Before she could answer, Clover turned her gaze towards Trixie.

“Death, come here please.”

Shivering, Trixie slowly stepped towards Clover as she rose from the couch, her seapony tail whipping side to side; conveying her annoyance. She stepped towards Trixie and placed a hoof on her chin, slowly forcing Trixie to look up into her eyes.

“My darling little Harbinger, tell me, what were you doing attacking the Realm of Death without my permission?”

Stammering, Trixie’s horn glowed as she whimpered.

“L-letter from G-Grogar, your Majesty.”

A piece of parchment appeared in front of Clover, who quickly read it, before rolling her eyes and looking at Trixie. Her voice was soft and angelic.

“Do wait a moment please, won’t you?”

Lightning flashed in the benevolent Creator’s eyes as her next words thundered throughout the realm, her rage causing the ground beneath her visitor’s hooves to quake.

“Grogar get out here!”

The five watched as a massive ram stepped out of a portal that materialized; seemingly unaware of what was going on.

“You called, dear? Oh hello, Celestia. Wonderful to have you visit. Has my boy been treating you well?”

Clover stayed quiet as Celestia bowed her head and addressed the Creator of the Underworld, with a respectful tone.

“Hello, Lord Grogar, oh yes he has been nothing but wonderful. We are still quite happy together. In fact, we had plans to go to another dimension and observe the extinction of creatures he calls ‘dinosaurs’, tonight. Some planet called Earth, he says. It was going to be a truly magical 100-year anniversary.”

Grogar nodded.

“That does sound wonderful. How was it?”

Celestia kept her tone even, but gestured to the Destroyers as she spoke.

“Sadly, it never happened; since I had to spend the evening protecting my world from these four, lovely mares; as they tried to bring about the apocalypse, much to mine and my husband’s dismay, my Lord.”

It was barely noticeable, but the second the harness around his neck glinted, Celestia instinctively threw open her wings wrapping them around Trixie. Celestia slammed her hooves into the ground while bracing herself for what was to come. As soon as her wingtips touched the Destroyer, they started to wither. Trixie stared up into the grimacing face of Celestia in disbelief; seeing her give a pained smile, just as the world around them erupted in hellfire.

“What?”

Grogar’s voice was one of rage, and it tore the feathers and ripped patches of fur from Celestia. The room itself became bathed in a black and blue firestorm mixed with a miasma. Clover had barely managed to secure the other three in a shield of Harmony; protecting them from harm. Celestia’s eyes were streaming a glistening red, and she felt like she was about to be torn in half; in front of her the essence of death was stealing her lifeforce, behind her, her own Creator’s magic threatened to shred her to nothing. And within her embrace, an astonished Trixie watched in shocked silence, while Celestia refused to let go.

“I sent you to the Realm of the Living! You dare attack my Daughter-In-Law?”

***

“That’s when-”

“That’s enough, Pestilence. Why don’t you go see how War’s drawing is coming along. I’m sure she would appreciate your lovingly, scathing encouragement.”

The hurt look on Trixie’s face, caused Sunset to suddenly stop her tale mid-sentence. She stammered frantically.

“Death, I-”

Starlight, noticing her tears, rushed to Trixie’s side and looked at Sunset.

“You heard her, go and-”

“You too, Famine. Both of you go enjoy yourselves. I need some time alone with Twilight. Celestia’s sacrifice is not something to be so casually spoken of.”

After the two went their ways; Sunset to where Cozy Glow scribbled, Starlight to the couch to enjoy season 14 of her favorite show, Trixie lit a black candle. Trixie’s eyes softened as the lights around her and Twilight grew dimmer. She no longer seemed intimidating in Twilight’s eyes, in fact, Trixie seemed almost gentle. Pouring herself some rose wine, Trixie looked Twilight dead in the eyes, her own no longer a glassy stare.

“Your mother was something special, and you remind me a lot of her. Your emotions; traits she once possessed but gave onto us so that we could live as she does.”

Twilight lifted her eyebrows in confusion, something Trixie noticed immediately. Delicately, she explained to the young heir exactly what she meant.

“You need to understand something very important; your mother was very different from the mare you know today. She was gentle, warm, and caring of all creatures; it didn’t matter who or what, she felt all deserved to feel sunshine; even in the rain. And…”

Taking a deep breath after choking up, Trixie whispered.

“She would sacrifice anything she possessed, be it material possessions or even pieces of her own being, just to make sure it happened. Even for the wretched like us.”

The candle’s black flame danced brightly in the dark as Twilight sat there, listening in wonder as Trixie told her the secret Celestia had kept for just under a millennia.

***

“The three of them sat on the hill observing the camp at the foot of the hill; completely unaware of the danger creeping up behind them.”

Rarity sat on a sofa in the teacher’s lounge with Applejack, listening to her explain what happened that night. At Applejack’s insistence Rarity had sat down to hear her tale; ‘Ah dun need ya faintin’ from shock in th’ hall’, she had said.

“It happened without warnin’. Sweetie got grabbed an’ in no time at all, amidst th’ confusion that followed, all three were immobilized. Ah’ll spare ya th’...details, but them cultists tried to resurrect ‘er.”

“Like us?”

“No, Rar, not like us. They didn’ resurrect ‘er soul. When ‘er majesty brought us back, it was our souls that were resurrected; bringing us ta life. Them Cultists attempted ta resurrect ‘er body, while ’er soul remained amongst th’ other undead.”

Rarity took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. She sounded angry, hurt, and vengeful all at once.

“Are you saying they zombified Sweetie Bell?”

Zombification, the result of Necromantic Magic being bastardized by being cast by the Living; an urban myth amongst the Unicorns. The corruption of an Undead. Fear of the Living was a relatively new concept, having emerged within the last 1000 years or so. This led Celestia to institute the following edict that the first thing all magic-casters were to be taught: Don’t resurrect the dead; A cardinal rule hammered into all magic casters of the Undead from the time they could wield it.

Rarity felt sick, as Applejack stared into her eyes and nodded. Her words carried a seriousness about them, that Rarity had never heard from Applejack before.

“Yeah, Rar. They did.”

Comments

[sykko]

Can't wait to see where this builds to. So many questions. Will house Nightmare be restored? Will Twilight assume the title of Tyrant? Will the Tyrant and her sister be restored and a triumvirate of Tyrants rule the land? Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?

[Pete100]

10739896
Glad I could make someone laugh. And, I really am.

[DougtheLoremaster]

10745005
probably not canon Trixie, true. In this case, however... Not many could

[Pete100]

I’m surprised and a little disappointed that rarity didn’t try to kill applejack.

[DougtheLoremaster]

10752233
she did try...and was probably going to, but something far more important than the two of them ground that conflict to a halt.