Piece by Piece

by Eltirions

Chapter 38: Changes 1

14 December 1008

Morning came, in Rarity's honest opinion, far too early. But it came anyway, and she woke up in a comfortably warm bed - her own bed - with Rainbow on the other side and Flurry in between them.

Rainbow's eyes opened a moment after Rarity's. ‘’Good morning,’’ she whispered.

‘’Good morning,’’ Rarity replied. ‘’What time is it?’’

‘’A little past nine,’’ was the answer she got back. ‘’No one's been up to see us yet, so you can go back to sleep if you want.’’

‘’You haven't done that either.’’

‘’I was waiting for you to wake up, so I could tell you.’’

‘’Thank you, darling. I appreciate it.’’ Rarity leaned over Flurry and gave Rainbow a chaste kiss on the cheek, setting the Pegasus’ face aflame. ‘’Shall we see if Flurry wants to wake up?’’

Rainbow nodded, and so Rarity bent down and gently stroked the filly's mane. ‘’Flurry, darling, it's time to wake up.’’

It took a few tries, but soon enough Flurry was awake, and quite hungry too. ‘’Can we go have breakfast?’’ she asked, and there was nothing Rarity could do against those pleading eyes.

Breakfast, today, was pancakes served with maple syrup; a true Crystallian staple, apparently originating from the west of the country. The cities of Quebuck and Whinnypeg both claimed to have invented it first, so Rarity was told by one of the staff members serving the food. In order to not show favouritism, the Palace apparently had contracts with suppliers from both cities. It was delicious, and that was all that mattered to her, really.

‘’I like these pancakes!’’ Flurry said, her mouth full.

‘’Don’t talk when there's food in your mouth, darling,’’ Rarity reprimanded gently. ‘’But yes, they are quite good.’’

‘’They’re awesome!’’ Rainbow put in from her seat.

‘’Yeah!’’

Rarity couldn't help but chuckle at that. ‘’Perhaps we might eat them more often, but not too often, of course!’’

‘’Of course, Rares,’’ Rainbow agreed with a grin that told Rarity exactly how much she believed in moderating her own sugar intake.

Rarity just shook her head and took a sip of her orange juice. It was, as usual, delicious.

Suddenly, the door burst open. ‘’Ma’am,’’ a Night Guard she didn't recognise got out between breaths, ‘’there's been an attack at Princesses Plaza!’’

‘’What!?’’

‘’A bomb went off, and there’s shooters. The Captain is heading there now with the Guard.’’

Rainbow was already out of her seat. ‘’Give me a minute and I’ll be there.’’

‘’Rainbow!’’

‘’I’m a Shadowbolt,’’ Rainbow snapped at her. ‘’I’m not going to sit around here and wait!’’

‘’You can’t just head into a fight!’’

‘’It’s my duty, Rarity.’’ Before she could even formulate a proper response to that nonsense, Rainbow had darted over to her and pressed a long kiss to her muzzle. Then she and the guard were gone, and Rarity was left alone with Flurry.

‘’What’s happening?’’ the filly asked.

‘’I don’t know, darling,’’ Rarity answered, ‘’but I'm sure we’re safe here.’’

‘’Will Rainbow be alright?’’

Goddess, I hope so.

‘’She’ll be fine.’’

|-x-X-x-|

14 December 1008

It took Rainbow all of five minutes to slip into her uniform, get her weapons and be on her way towards Princesses Plaza, together with a cadre of Night Guard led by Captain Darkheart.

‘’What do we know about them?’’ she asked as they flew over the streets.

‘’There’s maybe a dozen, maybe more, of them,’’ Darkheart answered. ‘’Small arms and rifles, and at least two bombs. That’s all I have.’’

‘’Ponies?’’

‘’Yes.’’

Rainbow swore. Darkheart didn’t respond; he was clearly struggling to talk and keep up with her breakneck speed at the same time, but Rainbow wasn’t going to slow down.

She only did so when they were almost at the Plaza, touching down just before it, where crowds were fleeing out of the Plaza, being guided by Crystal Guards and policeponies.

‘’Forward!’’ Rainbow ordered. ‘’Watch your fire! There might still be civilians in the Plaza!’’

‘’Copy that!’’

Rainbow readied her own rifle, and pushed through the crowds onto the Plaza.

There was smoke rising from a fair few places; stalls that had caught fire after the explosion? Ponies were on the ground, some moving and some not- Rainbow turned away from those and focused on where the crowds were fleeing from.

She sighted a stallion in normal clothes with a rifle- aimed- and hit his face. He went down with a muffled cry. ‘’Over there! One down!’’

The soldiers behind her spread out, opening fire and calling out whenever they spotted one of the terrorists. But she heard other cries too; at least three of their own fell down, and behind her there had to be wounded civilians who were dying. She ground her teeth and dove for cover moments before an enemy shot took her wing off, ducking behind a cart that had been thrown over.

Fuck me sideways.

‘’For the Princess!’’ a rough voice shouted. ‘’To me, ye loyal sons and dau-’’ His speech cut off, presumably because a sensible person put a bullet in him. Lovely.

Rainbow took a breath, and then peeked her head out. Sighted, aimed and fired. She ducked back and heard a cry of pain a moment later.

‘’Bomb!’’

That was the last word she heard before the explosion.

|-x-X-x-|

Something shattered in the hallway outside.

‘’What was that!?’’

Someone screamed.

‘’Flurry, come here.’’ Rarity backed away into a corner of the room, eyes fixed on the door. Flurry was behind and under her. ‘’Stay behind me, and don’t make a sound. Okay?’’

‘’Okay, auntie.’’

Rarity nodded, and focused on the door.

Another scream, gunfire, a shout, and then the door exploded outwards, shattering into countless of crystal shards- Rarity had to look away and shield her eyes, and when she looked back-

‘’Hello, Rarity,’’ Twilight Sparkle said as she strode into the room. Her horn was glowing ominously purple, in a dark shade that Rarity had never seen before, and there was blood splattered over her entire body, but it was her eyes that made Rarity freeze. There was a spark in them that had never been there before.

‘’Twilight.’’

‘’Is that my niece I see behind you? Come out of the corner, please.’’

‘’I don’t think so, Twilight. The Empress-’’

‘’Do not mention her!’’ Twilight snarled, and there was madness in her tone. Caepasia help her. ‘’She is nothing. Now come, Rarity, I can be sensible. Flurry sweetheart, please come out. It's me, your auntie Twilight.’’

‘’Auntie Twilight?’’

‘’Flurry-’’

‘’Silence, Rarity. Give me my niece.’’

Rarity grit her teeth and met the alicorn’s eyes. ‘’No.’’

Twilight paused for a moment, and then she cocked her head, staring at Rarity as if she was some wild animal she had never seen before. ‘’No?’’

The next thing Rarity knew, she was flying across the room- into the wall.

‘’Apologies, dear niece, but she was being quite obstinate. Now, come over here, please. It's been such a long time.’’

Flurry, no!

Her mouth wouldn’t move.

‘’Auntie Twilight, you look weird.’’

‘’It's temporary, sweetheart.’’

‘’What did you do to Auntie Rarity?’’

A pause. ‘’Nothing she won’t heal from. Now come. We have places to be.’’

‘’But-’’

There was a familiar popping sound, and then Rarity was finally able to open her eyes- and Twilight and Flurry were gone, leaving a wrecked room behind.

Author's Note:

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