As the rainbow was flowing freely around the six founders of the mythical elements of harmony and headed towards the being that wanted eternal darkness. She simply stood still in utter surprise as the horror was witnessed. "How is this possible!" she asked out loud to them all. But a worded reply she never got. Instead she was treated with the rainbows themselves. The colors swirled like a tornado around the dark being and allowed it to be dissolved by its wonderful lights.

The six little ponies kept their eyes closed as their necklaces and tiara did the job. The job of vanquishing the evil and darkness that had been shrouding and living within the heart of the young princess of the night for far over a millennium of time. With one last screech for help that came from the being who named itself Nightmare Moon was destroyed and the swirling rainbows expanded on themselves.

A wonderful white light did its turn through the ruins that was once a mighty castle deep within the mysterious Everfree Forest. A light that was as bright as the sun yet harmonious as the moon. A light that in and of itself would have been enough to heal the wounds created by the gears of time.

Whilst the light faded away from the ruined building it became apparent that the bodies of the six new bearers of Harmony were knocked out unconscious for a bit of time. But on the spot where the being of hatred stood then laid a mare. A blue coated mare what the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus. The mythical sister and second alicorn had returned from her long lasted torment. She was the mare they all heard from in myths and legends, the younger sister of the princess of the sun named Luna.

Each of the young mares slowly crawled back up on their hooves and started to celebrate their victory in their own manner. But it lasted shortly as there was another being that teleported itself into the room of the ruin.

All seven of the mares watched in anxiety to who, or what, the being would reveal itself as. Seven sets of eyes all kept their gaze firmly on the growing sphere of light as the young mulberry unicorn carefully allowed her magic to be flowing through her body and horn. She was ready to strike again if that would be needed.

Out of the sphere emerged a set of white feathered wings. A coloring that was even more pure than the coat of the white coated unicorn of the group. Upon the revelation of the wings it was the mulberry mare who held her charge. All of the magic that was flowing through her body released itself in a calm manner as her eyes teared from happiness and slightly in relief.

It wasn't late after that the sphere erupted out in millions of sparkles and the truth of what the being was, was revealed. It was nopony else then the princess of the sun herself, princess Celestia of Equestria. Her multi colored mane waved ever so majestically in its always waving pattern and the young, tiara wearing unicorn couldn't resist herself anymore. She ran up to her teacher and hugged her the best she could.

Everypony was overjoyed at their victory and as crème de la crème it was the younger sister who accepted the friendship of her sister once again. They would rule over the land as they were meant to be all those years ago. Celestia would take the day whereas Luna would control the night once more.

But the desperate calls for help from Nightmare Moon didn't go unnoticed. For forces of unspeakable capabilities heeded her calls and rushed their way over to the ruin. They slithered through the shadows while they left traces of a black tar like substance behind them. A substance that was nothing more than shadows in its liquid form.

The beings of darkness kept themselves strictly to the shadows as they entered the ruin when the ponies were knocked out. The less they gave away from themselves, the better it would be for the living souls. It were nothing more than steaming shadows which hid among the real ones as shapes of eyes gently formed themselves. The eyes looked over each of the ponies that laid on the ground with great care. But when they all began to wake up it also served as their wake up call. The clouds of shadows merged themselves with another realm. A realm where darkness ruled every single inch of it. A realm where no light could be seen. A realm that stood parallel against the one with light. The void of nothingness it was called by the few brave unicorns that were ever given a look into it.

Yet even in the realm of nothing there still was something to be seen. The very aura of every being in the room was actually visible. Each of the ponies had an aura around them which the clouds were able to see just that. Their eyes went passed their former ruler and took a look over all the other ponies that were present. They seemed to have shown interest in one of the two unicorn and talked a bit against one another in an unknown tongue.

The clouds kept their eyes going for some time more before they left. They simply left the old ruin as a whole and slithered back the way they came. Through the shadows back to a place deep within the forest. A place where they would be hiding until the time was ripe. The time when the next queen would be able to stand up.

Two years had passed after the events in the ruin. Two long years made their passage through time as the white coated unicorn opened her eyes once again. The bags under her eyes were clearly visible after she had removed her eye covers. Both of her forelegs made their way over to her face and she rubbed her eyes a bit under a gentle moan of discomfort.

For nearly a year and a half she had been suffering nightmare after nightmare. Dreams of unimaginable cruelty haunted through her mind. Factories of death and friends turned into murderers were just some of them and she couldn't believe it. But the worst of all where the dreams in which her friends just abandoned her like some old foals toy that was broken.

The mare was always more than happy when the sun played through the curtains of her bedroom as it vanquished the horrible dreams. It's gentle rays teased her to get out of bed every morning. But despite the nightmares and lack of sleep from time to time, she still managed to be the beauty that was Rarity.

A fashion designer in mind and soul. Yet aside from that she also happened to be a little philosopher. She always had a different look on that others considered normal. Her vision was unique to the world but kept to herself for most of the time. Only her friends and her family heard the wise words she spoke every now and then. It would happen rarely that she shared her ideology with others outside of the group.

Rarity managed to hoist herself out of bed and some bones on her hind legs cracked themselves back into their respectable places. She left her magnificent yet slightly curved bedroom and walked down the white wallpapered hallway to the bathroom. She wanted to take a good shower to wake up the best she could.

As the warm waters of the shower made their contact with the body of the unicorn and she released both a small moan as well as shiver of joy as a smile formed itself on her face. The waters would wake her up as the soap cleaned her gorgeous body from even the tiniest bit of filth. With great elegance came a clean body was something she always said to herself.

Eventually left Rarity the bathroom under the sounds of a gentle hum. The door was left open so the steam could make its exit into the building itself. Her sapphire blue eyes irradiated their warm and inviting look as she walked down the staircase of the boutique. Her mane and tail were wrapped up in a bundle of towels as she wanted to let them dry in a natural manner. Her horn was still free and it charged itself with the light blue magical aura as all the letters and newspaper were picked up from the doormat. They were brought to the eyes of the mare who turned to her right.

Rarity entered the living part of the multifunctional building while her eyes went over all the letters she had received. Most of them happened to be invoices or orders for dresses that she had to make or materials she had to pay for. It was something she was able to judge by the types of envelopes. There then was the usual newspaper that came during the weekends but even below that there was one letter left. The last letter of the stack was the one that got most of her attention.

The mare rose an eyebrow up in silence before she placed the mysterious letter on the table which stood before the sofa in the living room. Even though her curiosity was greatly sparked, she managed to put herself off of it for the time being. The letter was addressed to her personally and written in a writing she remembered from her younger days. Days that went by ever so long ago.

The unicorn sat down on the sofa as her eyes looked at all of the invoices and orders she had received for the weeks, if not months to come. By some of the received orders she released a gentle chuckle for the fact they were quite the unique ones she had ever gotten. Ones that broke the original standards of things and went their own way. The mare always loved it when such opportunities made their way to her.

With the passage of time she worked her way through the pile of letters and even her weekend newspaper. Outside of the normal articles there wasn't really something shocking to read in it. With a gentle charge of her horn had she removed all of the unnecessary papers from the table and the orders and invoices got brought over to the working area.

Her warm and friendly eyes laid themselves on the unopened letter. A deep sigh left through her nose before she took it and walked up to her bedroom once again. If it truly contained that what she thought it would, it could change the course of her life in more than one way.

It was impossible for Rarity to keep her eyes off of the letter. The more she looked at the white envelope, the more the thoughts soared through her mind and questions raised themselves. Questions to which the content inside gave answers on. Or so she hoped.

As Rarity re-entered her bedroom and with her horn still charged in order to open up the curtain all the way. She walked up to the window sill. The young mare then did something she found herself doing more and more often with the progression of time. She allowed her bum to take place on the sill as her hind legs crossed themselves a bit. The humming of her horn became a bit more intense as both the towels around her head and mane removed themselves. They simply glided off of her wonderful body and down to the ground. Eventually to heap up upon the other. The towel around her tail still remained there as it was blocked by her legs to make the drop.

The unicorn made herself decently comfortable on the sill of the circular window and placed her head against the wall as she closed her eyes. With doubts in her mind she opened the envelope and took out the actual letter that was inside. After about a good minute of just fearing what might be written down on it. The unicorn opened her eyes anxiously and they began to make their way over the wonderfully written down words. Words that could be written down by nopony else but him.

My dearest Rarity,

As first and foremost, allow me to say sorry for what happened ever so long ago. Things didn't really turned themselves out as we both wanted to be. Unfortunate events struck us time after time and eventually, we grew apart from each other. Which is quite the shame actually. For even after all this time, I still do have feelings for you. I can only hope that you are having them for me as well.

I would like to meet you on the thousand second Summer Sun celebration in the old castle in the Everfree. It would mean a lot to me if you came and visit me. Even if it is just to see your face again after such a long time.

With the kindest of regards,

Emerald Masquerade

Her eyes couldn't believe it. No matter how many times she read the letter over, it was just unbelievable for the unicorn. She didn't spoke a word to Emerald since their separation in high school. But it also rose suspicion in the mare. Something told her not everything was what it seemed. Why would he search up me now, instead of years ago? I am well known in Equestria, if the rumors have to be believed, she thought to herself before another deep sigh made its way through her nose.

The sapphire blue eyes separated their ways from the letter and fell on the street the boutique stood on. The ponies that came by didn't even look at the mare behind the window as they were too busy with their own things and needs. A faint smile came to her face as she saw the life what went on down on the lane.

But then there was something that came to her mind and she read the letter once again. Thousand second Summer Sun Celebration, but, that's today! the unicorn thought and almost instantly she removed herself from the sill and made her way over to the walk-in closets. The towel around her tail was finally given the opportunity to drop itself and that it did with grace.

Luckily she was a unicorn who had mastered that arts of levitation over the years and with her memory she didn't even had to go into the closet to get the attire she wanted. Her horn still shone in its aura as her mane started to do itself in a more formal manner and a pinkish dress showed itself before her eyes from the walk-in closet.

With a smile on her face she placed the dress around her body. A dress that happened to be a tight fit and was to be completed with a set of matching gloves for her forelegs and shoes for her hind hooves. A hat in the same coloring got placed on her head and she turned herself around. The mare posed a little bit in the mirror as her horn discharged itself after the door of her closet had closed themselves under their signature thuds.

Rarity was finally ready for her meeting with her long lost friend and one of the very few love interests within her busy but humble existence, Emerald Masquerade.

While the sun stood on its mid noon position and shone its light freely over the loved land of Equestria. Not a single cloud made its way over the bright blue skies. The sun was ever so warm and pleasant that it could be felt deep within the Everfree Forest. On the path the unicorn was venturing on she looked up to the skies with a smile and tipped her hat a bit more to back to fully enjoy the light. The woods themselves were normally hostile and dangerous but on a day like it was it had a certain and unknown charm to itself. Her pacing as a gentle trot but the haste in it was possible to be noticed. She wanted to meet him again but the questions never left her mind.

Rarity moved her head up to the roof of leaves and branches as the birds sang their songs within her ears. A choir of the best vocalists of the woods gave of an astonishing performance as she went by. Her head lowered itself again as she focused herself on the road head and tipped her hat back.

But the deeper she came into the forest, the more she began to realize why it was called Everfree Forest. For deep within there laid secrets dug deep beneath the soils. Secrets that would even indulge fear in the most bravest of hearts. The unicorn knew from stories that were told by Twilight that the woods once housed a tower where the most powerful unicorn of his time lived, Starswirl the Bearded.

A studious stallion much like Twilight herself, he had set is tower in the woods to record its curious weather activity. An activity that wasn't controlled by the pegasi and no matter what they tried, they never were able control it. The stallion become a unicorn of myths and legends through his searches and discoveries. But the woods never gave its secrets away.

Everything within them was free. Free from the help of ponies like Rarity. Life had found a way to preserve itself on its own. And that was the reason why the wild woods close to the rustic little town of Ponyville was called the Everfree Forest.

Rarity tried her best not to think about the unknown factors of the forest and simply continued on her way as she came across a cross-road. On the signs were two locations written down, one would lead her to the nearby woods of White Tails. A place that was known for its fog which appeared to be moving like tails of white hair. The other road would lead her to the ruin of the castle. The mare allowed her eyes some time to look over the signs before it began to push through her mind that she had to hurry to her destination.

The young mare went down the road which led her over to the old ruin. A road she had wandered one time before. Two years ago she and her friends made their way over there for the first time in their quest to find the elements and stop Nightmare Moon. It brought back many memories of forgotten times. Times that were different than the ones she lived in afterward. A smile came to her face as she trotted down the road.

Eventually it fell in her view. The broken down leftovers of the once so mighty castle. A castle that once was a home for the royal sisters. Before the massive battle between the sun and the moon waged through it. Then it was left over the gears of time to consume what remained of it. One of the main towers fell in her eyes as the broken stained glass of the main room was to be spotted soon after it.

Rarity allowed herself a gentle sigh of nostalgia before she continued to trot further into it. She got more and more determined to meet with Emerald and she wouldn't back down from it. The fashion designer had passed the point of no return. Literally and figuratively.

The mare stood once again in the very room where once the elements of harmony were housed and she had a look around the room. She hoped to find him sooner or later. But then she realized that just her appearance and hoofsteps wouldn't be enough to make him come to her, she called his name a couple times while she took off her hat with the help of her magic.

The first calls weren't answered in any form and she sat down on the steps which led over to an elevated level of the room. Rarity placed her forelegs before her eyes as gentle streams of tears made their way down. Tears of sadness were the kind which steamed down her face. She thought they could meet each other but the possibilities of what happened could only be two things. Either she was too late and he had left already. Or it was just a sick trick played by somepony.

What was unknown to the unicorn had to be the fact that the exits of the room had sealed themselves off with silent flames of shadow. Shadows that blocked her escape, shadows which forced her to stay in the particular room. It wasn't long after it that the humming of power could be heard going through the room.

Rarity looked up in curiosity of what came under the sounds of a couple sniffles while she wiped away the tears of sadness. Within her eyes she gained a look of mystery as she stared at the portal that was forming itself in the room. A portal that created itself in midair and appeared to be a swirling tornado on a horizontal side.

Fear was the very first thing which rose up within her body and she crawled back up even more against the steps. Rarity looked over to her sides, towards the doorways of the room. But all she saw where the raging flames of shadow. "Trapped like a mice," she whispered to herself before her attention turned itself over to the portal.

There were two streams of a black tar like substance which got spewed out onto the floor of the room. Rarity shivered in a disgusted manner at the scene that happened before her eyes and she closed them. The mare didn't even wanted to know what was going to happen to her, or the substance. But had she kept them open it became known that the tar morphed itself into stallion like shapes. Shapes of a stallion that would remind her to Fancy Pants himself. Their appearance was friendly despite their mysterious origin. Their eyes looked like gems, so bright in coloring. Once they were fully formed and had a good hold on the ground, the both released a gentle moan into the air. A moan which made the young unicorn crawl up even further away from them.

But it also was through the moan that she opened her eyes and looked at them. Rarity was hit by utmost surprise for what she caught within them. Two perfectly shaped stallions that made their way over to her in a gentle pacing while streams of shadows left their bodies like a trail of smoke or fog. Rarity only crawled back the more she realized that they were coming for her instead of having a look around. The dressed unicorn reached the back wall and managed to stand up on all four of her hooves again and her eyes fell upon the stallions.

The thought to use her magic against them did occur in her mind multiple times. But the beings didn't do anything against her yet. In her ladylike mind she didn't had a valid reason to blindly charge them. The mare simply closed her eyes firmly and waited for the inevitable.

"Miss, Rarity, we presume," one of the stallions spoke in a kind gentlecolt's voice. A voice that was sweet enough to make the terrified mare stop her shivering. With the greatest of care in the world she opened her eyes under a gentle nod. "We, have been following you around for some time now and we both wish to make you an offer. An offer a lady of your capabilities simply can not refuse."

"W-Where is this all about..? W-Who are you two to begin with it and where is my beloved Emerald?" Rarity managed to speak up in a somewhat clearer voice to the both of them. Her eyes kept switching themselves between the stallions as the other opened its mouth to speak.

"We are afraid that mister Masquerade was unable to make the acquaintance he had purposed in the letter send to you. But as the offer goes. We would like to have you as our queen. Think about it, it is a job so much better than that what you have now. And above all," the speaker began to gain a deep grin on his face before it continued on with its words, "you will receive subjects that won't drop you like a brick." he spoke as his sapphire eyes never left the face of the unicorn.

"W-What are you talking about. M-Me a q-queen? I find, I find that hard to believe to be honest. And how do you mean, that won't drop me?" Rarity replied in utter confusion as she stared at the two stallions and blinked while she shook her head. She truly didn't had a clue just where the two were talking about.

"Your friends will eventually leave you for somepony much better than you. They will drop you like you are nothing more to them then a box of rocks, miss," the other stallion spoke in its unusual kind voice given the situation. His eyes looked like emeralds and the mare had to do her best to not get lost in them, for she always loved the color the gem had.

But Rarity wasn't the craziest of unicorns either. She had the feeling something was wrong with them. A feeling that got more and more confirmed the more she carefully stared at them and the portal they appeared. Her mind had forgotten about Emerald for the time being. She wanted, or better said, she had to find a way out of the situation she found herself in. "I, I don't wish to offend either of the fine stallions. But I know more than well that my friends will never just ditch me because I am who I am." Rarity dared to speak against the two. "And besides, I know them for two years now, if not longer. Never did they show me a sign of hostility. Of course there was the occasional exchange of words with Rainbow and Applejack. But that is no reason for them to just dump either me or them, now is it?"

The words spoken by the unicorn angered the two black stallion deeply but they never showed her any sign of their anger. "Are you sure about that lady? Because lately there have been some rumoring around of meetings between the five of them," the emerald eyed stallion spoke as he paced a little around in a nonchalant manner before her.

"And, how do you know that if I may ask? You two haven't been spying on us now have you?" Rarity spoke up with a risen eyebrow.

"We know it simply because it is truth lady," the sapphire eyed stallion spoke in a bit of a saddened voice. "Friends always leave you in the far end. Whether you like it or not, they just do. But we, we shall never leave your side."

"I still find it terribly hard to believe to be honest. We are simply inseparable. We have been through the thickest of life with one another and even though we share our differences, we still help each other out when needed." Rarity replied to the stallions while she tried to keep herself as down to earth as possible.

"Though keep in mind lady Rarity, that without you, our very existence would be just, meaningless," the emerald eyed stallion spoke. "It is your generosity, that will save us."

"No! My friends, they need me," the unicorn spoke as she shook her head deeply against the spoken words. "And how, how do you mean... Am, am I some sort of savior?"

"You could sorta say that yes," the sapphire eyes stallion spoke before the emerald eyed one took over again.

"But do they truly need you? Are you sure they wouldn't just reject your gifts when somepony else comes along then? Somepony with a bit less attitude, perhaps?" he spoke in a persuading tone. The tone was powerful enough to make the unicorn think about the words in a deep consideration. She began to remember her ever lasting nightmares of her friends separating with her.

Dreams of sheer horror did their turn before her eyes once again. "N-No... They wouldn't," she whispered inaudible to herself as well as to the both of them.

The unicorn found herself standing in the working area of her boutique with a questioning gaze in her eyes as the words of Twilight echoed within her mind. "No thanks Rarity," the mulberry mare spoke as she shivered from a set of perfectly made saddlebags. Everything the studious unicorn could dream about was simply present within it yet she was horrified by it.

"But I made it just for you..." Rarity spoke in a confused tone. Within her mind she simply didn't understood just why one of her best friends would rejected such a wonderful gift. They always had accepted them from her in times before. "Could, could you at least tell me what... Twilight?"

The unicorn had simply left the room and Rarity blinked a couple times before she set the saddle bags back to the ground. She removed her glasses from her nose and gently rubbed her eyes. "Could it be that, that your skill starts to lack Rary?" she mumbled in herself as she walked up to the front door of the building. "No, the stitch lines were perfect, the color matches everything... Why wouldn't..."

And as she came on the street she saw a sight that no matter how many times she saw it in her dreams, tore her heart into two pieces. All five of her friends stood around a nerdy looking pony as Twilight wore a new set of saddlebags. A horrible made set of saddlebags and the name of Twilite on it. The unicorn actually appeared to be in love with the bags as she spoke her words. "Maybelle, you're so generous! I don't know what we'd do without you," she spoke in a genuine happy tone.

Deep within her heart could Rarity feel the knife that stabbed through it in a vicious manner. She wanted to puke at the sight and turn her head away. But forces greater than her own blocked her from doing so. "She, she didn't even spell your name right, Twily," the white coated unicorn mumbled to herself as she blinked a couple times in the attempt that her eyes were lying to her.

"That's so awesome!" Rainbow spoke up as her only reaction to the saddlebags. Pinkie Pie hopped around the group as her usual happy self as Fluttershy and Applejack simply watched over the events as they unfolded themselves with a happy smile on their faces. Rarity just stood by on a distance and was just unable to move herself. She had gained a defeated look in her eyes and a tear made its way down her cheeks before it hit the ground. She couldn't believe the events that happened before her very own eyes.

As soon as the tear made contact with the ground, everything around the unicorn slowly turned itself in a vortex of pure darkness, fog and lightning flashes as she desperately spoke her words against the images of her friends. "Please, let me help... Don't forget about me, please!"

But none of them would listen to her. Rainbow simply flew away as Twilight looked at her with a leaning look before she parted their ways in silence. The helpless unicorn could feel the warm knife piercing itself through her body once again. And once again it struck her right in her heart before her eyes turned themselves over to the three remaining ponies.

"We don't need anything from you, Rarity!" Pinkie yelled before she disappeared within the vortex.

"And we never will!" Applejack yelled at her turn. And then she was just off. Off to do her own things and she also disappeared within the vortex. Out of her sight.

"Yeah," was the only thing spoken by her dearest friend, Fluttershy. The unicorn and the pegasus had been through a lot together and it all ended with such a simple little word. The yellow coated pegasus took off from the ground and she also disappeared within the vortex of shadows. Rarity was then alone, her eyes made their way through the vortex as more and more tears slowly started to stream down her face. Tears that came forth of a sadness she had never suffered before. The loss of ponies dear to her.

The three final nails of her coffin got hammered into the wood under three large bangs. Where as the knife did three more stabs through her heart. It was by then that her heart was nothing more but a leaking pool of sadness.

She shocked out of the dream that took place within her mind for mere minutes, but was in reality just a few seconds. Her sapphire blue eyes fell upon the two stallions of the shadow and she reached for her chest. Rarity tried to feel if she was actually wounded but there was nothing to be found except the emotional scarring. Her eyes then moved themselves up to the two black stallions with a set of tears which streamed down her cheeks. "They wouldn't forget me, would they?" she questioned not only to herself, but also to them. The poor unicorn was in a complete state of doubt. Nothing in her own mind added up against each other anymore as the two stallion made great use of the opportunity that had been opening itself before them.

"Stay with us and your kindness would never be taken for granted," the sapphire eyed stallion spoke.

"You would never be forgotten," the emerald eyed one added as out of the portal a small stream of smoke emerged. A stream that headed straight towards the poor unicorn and the very tip of it was covered in magic. Rarity was too blinded to see the incoming stream as she kept blinking to herself and her mind wondered off to many things.

But then she felt the contact that was made. The magic of the stream clashed against her horn. "Never?" she spoke softly. "I just want to help..." The stream circled itself down the magical extender that was given to her by birth and more streams of shadows swirled around her body. It all tried to gain a hold on the poor and powerless unicorn.

"And you will help," the emerald eyed stallion spoke up once again. "More than you ever dreamed."

The shadows managed to get a hold of the humble unicorn and they slowly covered her within their misty selves. The barrier became so thick that the stallions were unable to see her no matter which realm they would go into. The sounds of clothing being ripped to pieces took its turn through their ears as some flashes showed it.

The first one showed an elongated body, the second flash a much larger horn, the third and final one revealed a mane that was only known by the princesses of the land. The stallions looked at each other for a moment before they returned their attention over to the thick fog once again. It was the emerald eyed one which dared to open its mouth and it spoke in a curious yet cautious tone. "Rarity?"

But the reply he got was everything but what they expected. Deep within the foggy smoke, there was a set of eyes which rushed forward into their direction. A set of eyes that looked like the eyes of a cat with blue irises which opened and thus revealed themselves to the world. But the eyes had something different about them, for they had sparkles in them. Sparkles that looked like the gems from the cutie mark of Rarity. The eyelashes were undoubtedly those from the unicorn tailor But when the being within the fog spoke up, it released a tone nopony ever wanted to hear. A tone that was meant to indulge fear in even the bravest of hearts. A tone that was colder than stone, yet as refined as the most proper lady. And then came the words it desired to speak.

"Rarity, is dead..."