Chapter 33

She didn't know where she was or for that matter who she was. There was no memory other than the endless blackness that surrounded her on all sides, crushing her very being with its oppressiveness. To her, there was nothing, nothing except for one thing….

Terrible, terrible pain.

And all she could do was scream

“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

“Hold her down!”

“AAHH! AHHHHHHHHH!!”

“We cant! Shes too strong!!!”

“Hurry! Another pulse is building up!”

“I need ten more seconds!”

“To late!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!”

“She’s already injured four personnel! We can't risk anymore!”

“If we don't contain her we put the whole city at risk! Now get back in there!”

“Sir?! Another pulse is building!”

“Dammit! All of you put a shield around her now!”

Rarity awoke with a start, her eyes flying open only to close against a blinding light. Her heart beating furiously in her chest causing it to ache painfully.

“Oooohhhmmmm.” she moaned softly.

“Rarity?!” she heard a familiar voice call her name somewhere to her right.

“Stay back Miss, she’s dangerous!” An unfamiliar voice warned.

“Dont be silly.” responded the first voice. “Shes my friend and she'd never hurt me.”

“As you wish but I must alert the General.” Heavy hoofsteps and the clank of armour moved off into the distance before disappearing altogether with the sound of a slamming door.

The light shining against her eyes seemed to darken as the familiar voice spoke..

“Its ok now, Rarity.” The voice said soothingly. “Im here for you. Everythings going to be just fine.”

The gentle words were like cool water on a hot summers day, washing over her and alleviating her pain. With no small amount of effort, Rarity slowly began to open her eyes. The light still burned against her sensitive eyes but by focusing solely on the shadow hanging over her she was able to open them just enough to see who was speaking.

At first she didn't recognize the face but after a moment a name cut through the fog hanging over her mind and bringing with it a small semblance of peace. “Flutt..ershy?” she whispered.

Fluttershy smiled down on her friend, her face a mixture of relief and sadness. “Yes, Rarity. Im here.”

With her eyes open and the light decreasing in its intensity, Rarity began to notice other feelings. Feelings of pain and discomfort, most notably the pain in her chest and head.

“Where...am...I?” She asked past a leadened tongue.

“You're in Canterlot Castle.” answered Fluttershy. Her lower lip began to quiver as tears fell from her eyes. “Oh Rarity! We were so worried.”

Rarity tried to respond but the sound of distant shouting growing nearer stopped her.

"What do you mean you left her in there alone?!" Came a loud yell.

Before she could wonder at its source the door behind Fluttershy burst open and six heavily armed Unicorn Guardsmen rushed into the room. One forcibly grabbed Fluttershy and pulled her out of the way while the others circled the bed, their horns glowing brightly with magic.

"Anomaly secured." One of the guards said.

"Anomaly?"

“NO!” shouted Fluttershy, openly sobbing now. “Please dont hurt her!”

“Dont worry, Fluttershy. Its only a precaution. I dont want to see anypony else hurt, least of all you.” Rarity heard another voice say, this one was also familiar to her.

“But its not her fault!” protested Fluttershy through her sobs.

“I know thats why I need you to trust me.”responded the voice.

Rarity tried to raise her head up to see who was talking but found that even such a simple task was beyond her.

“Alright.” she heard Fluttershy say as her sobs became quieter. “I trust you.”

“Who's...there?” asked Rarity past her heavy tongue.

“Somepony whose happy to see you awake.” The voice answered as hoofsteps and the jingling of armour grew louder. They ceased as another face entered her field of vision, this one both familiar and unfamiliar.

“Stead...fast?”

Steadfast smiled warmly at her, wincing slightly as the bandages on his face and over his right eye tightened. “You are one tough mare, you know that right?” He said with a light chuckle, causing her to smile as well.

She winced as her body protested even that little amount of movement.

A look of concern passed over Steadfast. "Still feeling rough?"

Rarity fixed him with the most unamused look she could muster. "Thats... an understatement."

His smile never wavered. "Of that I have no doubt. Can you sit up?"

"Not by... myself." answered Rarity.

"Ill help you." Came the soft voice of Fluttershy. Moments later, her face entered Rarity's field of vision as both her and Steadfast gently lifted Rarity up into a sitting position.

As she was being helped up her vision became extremely blurry causing her head to swim but once she was propped up against the headboard the nausea quickly past as her vision cleared.

"Better?" asked Fluttershy.

Rarity slowly turned her head and smiled weakly at her friend. "Much."

"Glad to hear." said Steadfast. He walked over to one side of the room after pushing past one of the Unicorn guards and pulled two chairs over to the bedside, offering one to Fluttershy as he did so. She smiled shyly, partially hiding her face with her hair before sitting down.

Rarity looked towards the Unicorn guards standing around her and saw that there was fear in their eyes. "Why did they call me an anomaly?" she asked, looking back to Steadfast.

"That...is difficult to explain. Its best if I just show you." He nodded to one of the guards who levitated a strange looking metal device out of his saddlebag and placed it at the foot of her bed. A spark from his horn caused the device to begin to glow, with a soft whirring sound it levitated off the bed to hang in the air.

"Nullifier active, sir." The guard said with a nod towards Steadfast.

"I need you to promise me that you'll stay calm." Steadfast said as he levitated a small mirror from a side table to Rarity. She looked to him and nodded. "Alright, take the mirror."

She tentatively took the mirror in her hooves, not quite understanding what this was all about. With a nod of encouragement from Steadfast she lifted the mirror to gaze at her reflection

Her heart stopped when she saw two crimson eyes gazing back at her from underneath a spiked red horn and a mane that waved unnaturally.

"What...?"

The nullifier began to buzz loudly and flash sporadically as Rarity's hoof tightened on the mirror.

"Sir?!"

"I see it!" Steadfast placed his hooves on the side of the bed. "Rarity! Listen to me, you need to stay calm."

"What happened to me?" She said, completely ignoring Steadfasts pleas. She could feel the anger growing inside her driving away all pain and exhaustion and filling her with a sense of power she never knew existed. Purple haze began to flow out of the corners of her eyes as the sclera turned a dark green. The sight only added fuel to the fire.

"WHAT DID HE DO TO ME!!!" She shouted in a voice that echoed with power. The mirror turned to dust in her hooves, removing the awful sight from her eyes though it was permanently burned into her mind.

The nullifiers sparked brightly before shattering into a dozen pieces.

"Oh that's not good...." thought Steadfast. "Rarity please listen to me!" He shouted, frantically waving for the guards to restrain her. Small bolts of lighting were beginning to arc along her body as the six guards cast a joint nullifying spell on Rarity.

It had little effect.

"HE DID THIS TO ME!" A sickly green glow emanated from her horn as the room seemed to darken. "DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM!!!"

A magical whirlwind began to form around her as Steadfast pushed Fluttershy up against the wall as he kept himself between her and Rarity while also signaling for the guards to do the same.

"Get back! All of you!" He shouted over the crackling energy. They complied, pressing themselves against the far wall as they channelled more power into their spell.

The bed Rarity was laying in began to shimmer like a mirage before disappearing altogether, leaving her floating just above the floor. She raised her hooves and examined them.

"Did Sombra intend for this?!" She said. Suddenly calm. She was no longer shouting but it still sounded like a dozen or more ponies were speaking with her. "No matter." She dropped her hooves as she lowered herself to the ground causing the floor to warp and bend strangely.

"With this power." She said, turning slowly to Steadfast who continued to protectively shield Fluttershy. "Sombra and all who follow him will die by my hooves." Her eyes turned completely green as a wicked smile crossed her face. "Paving the way for my ascension."

Steadfast had seen enough. "Do you hear yourself!" He shouted above the whirlwind and lightning. He stepped away from Fluttershy but made sure to stay in front of her. "Sombra has corrupted you with his darkness! Made you like him! Dont you see?!"

He gasped loudly when an invisible force grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air. "Oh but I do see, General." Rarity said as she pulled Steadfast towards her as he desperately clutched at his throat. The six Unicorn guards jumped to his rescue but were pinned to the wall by a wave of Rarity’s hoof.

Steadfast struggled against the pressure at his throat but found he could do little as he came face to face with Rarity.

"I now have the means to become more powerful than anything that has ever walked this Earth." She raised her forehooves into the air. "Despair for this worlds end is nigh!"

Fluttershy cowered against the wall, unable to look anywhere but at the dark expression on her friends face as she slowly choked the life from Steadfast. She used her wings to cover her head, wanting nothing more than to intervene but too afraid to try. She looked up suddenly when an idea came to her.

Mustering all her courage, she crawled over to the small end table that had been previously sitting next to the bed. Opening the bottom drawer, she pulled out an old brown Stetson.

Taking a deep breath, Fluttershy stood up with the hat held firmly in her hooves and walked towards Rarity. She had taken no more than two steps before Rarity's dark gaze fell on her.

"Ah Fluttershy." She said malevolently. She reached a hoof towards Fluttershy but stopped when her eyes fell upon the Stetson held in her grasp.

The magical whirlwind abated as to did the lightning as Steadfast and the other guards fell to the floor with thud.

"Th..this isnt you, Ra...rarity." Fluttershy stuttered, the fear almost overwhelming her. She held out the hat which Rarity gently took in her hooves. The purple haze flowing from her eyes ceased and the green drained away only to be replaced by tears.

"Oh Applejack." She whispered to herself, sitting down on the floor and clutching the hat to her chest as she began to sob quietly. "Im so sorry." She looked up to Fluttershy who looked on with compassion. "Im so sorry for everything."

Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around Rarity and pulled her close. "Shhh. Don't cry Rarity." She whispered soothingly, gently hugging her as she continued to sob. "Its not your fault."

Steadfast picked himself off the floor and idly rubbed his neck. "That could have ended badly." He thought glancing over to the other guards as they were helping each other up. "Had Fluttershy not....no." He mentally shook his head. "Best not to think about what may have happened."

Steadfast motioned for one of the guards who approached at his signal. "Are any of you injured?"

The guard shook his head. "No sir, just winded." He glared at Rarity who was still sobbing into Fluttershy's shoulder.

"Then you all may go." Steadfast said, turning away from him.

The guard looked back to him in shock. "Sir?! With respect..?"

"Thats an order." Steadfast said with finality as he walked over and placed a comforting hoof on Rarity's shoulder. They remained that way as the six guards made their way out of the room.

They remained that way for some time until Rarity's sobs had become little more than sniffles. “I've become that which I hated the most.” she whispered, barely loud enough to hear. “A monster that doesn't deserve to live.”

She dissolved into more stuttering sobs as Steadfast squeezed her shoulder gently. “Yes, you are a monster.” He thought to himself, watching while Fluttershy continued to comfort her. “But you may be the only hope we have of surviving this.”