The Disappearance

He slammed the table again, bursting into riotous laughter. The glass countertop cracked beneath his forceful palm. Rarity heard the sounds of splintering wood come from somewhere below. The minotaur’s laughter turned from hearty to maniacal, each bellow wrestling control of her senses. Her instinct begged her to run, but it was off hidden in the darkness of the antique shop.

This was the last time she ever took Twilight Sparkle on a shopping trip.

When Rarity thought ‘shopping trip’, she imagined fashion boutiques aligned with dresses of bold patterns and colours. There would be trendy necklaces set on glowing, white displays, mirrors used to accent and expand the piece. More importantly, she expected proper lighting and a respectable level of sanitation.

But no, Rarity was not on a shopping trip it would seem. She was in some back alley, run-down antique store. Motes of dust assailed her nose and forced her into shallow breaths. In the dim candlelight, a monster mocked and belittled her. Despite the warmness of the store, clammy numbness crept through her. She hadn’t thought, ‘How much for the soul gem?’ was a stupid question, but now she didn’t know.

“One does not simply buy a soul gem” the minotaur snarled, cutting his laughter off abruptly. His face came forward in the light of the flames, the aforementioned flickering in his spiteful eyes.

She shook slightly out of her reflexive terror. Rarity really wished Twilight hadn’t left her alone with the store’s intimidating owner.

Speaking of that unicorn, where was she? Rarity could hardly imagine Twilight blissfully lost in a book, unknowing of the impending, mortal danger that Rarity had fallen into. He had mentioned a book display to which Twilight had hurried off to, but she must’ve been done selecting something by now.

Thinking again, Rarity could see Twilight literally sucked into whatever book she had picked up.

The minotaur half-growled, half-barked at Rarity, startling her out of her retreating reverie. She squeaked. His face was now darker, cut by the shadows. His long, black horns sheened like spear tips in the light. He huffed, stirring a cloud of dust into her face. His voice never once broke from an unerring despise of the unicorn and her inquiry.

“I’m guessing you want to trade me some arbitrary amount of bits for it?”

That was the general idea of selling something, currency for product. It was a simple, ‘yes or no’ question, but Rarity sensed that neither answer were the one he sought. One way, she would be wasting the minotaur’s time, the other loosely implied that she did not have the slightest clue what she was buying. It was clear that this master antique collector had great respect for the stone and didn’t like to see it pass off to somepony so ignorant.

She could feel his entire mass coming down to crush her meek, delicate body in a single motion the second she uttered a peep. Trapped, she nodded her head up and down, figuring it would be better to give him business than not. Her eyes were still watering and in spite of her best efforts, a few sparkling drops fell to the floor.

He grinned wickedly.

“Thirty bits... take it and never bring it back here,” he said to her.

Seeing her way out of this mess, she scrambled to levitate her coin purse out of her saddlebags. Her spellcasting fumbled the buckle a few times, flopping the straps around. After finally getting it open, she struggled to get them on the counter. Almost drunkenly, she bounced the sack of coins against the side of the counter several times before flying them over and clumsily plopping them down before the minotaur. He smirked as he could smell her fear in the dusty air.

He glanced over the bag, mentally accounting for her debt. Satisfied, he retrieved the soul gem from the case and waited for Rarity to levitate it from his hand. Remembering that this little pony was but a quivering, shaking coward, he politely reached over and put it in her saddlebag himself. He gave her a few endearing pats on the head.

Each time the monster touched her, her life flashed before her eyes: Sweetie Belle, her parents, her friends. She thought about the last thing she said to each of them, judging if they were worthy last words. She remembered that she scolded Sweetie Belle this morning for throwing a fit over her cooking. She began mentally apologizing over and over to her sister.

By the time Rarity was writing her own eulogy, she was already outside and Twilight was talking at her about something. She was smiling and waving some old, musty book at her. Rarity caught the word ‘diary’ amidst Twilight’s distantly perceived rants. Images of the monster still scarred her mind, something that Twilight seemed blissfully unaware of.

“"T-twi... Twilight... J-just stop talking. Give me a moment, please...?!”

Rarity filled her lungs with clean, fresh air and held it in. She put her hoof on Twilight’s mouth to stop her from interrupting her practiced process of regaining composure. Many times she found herself flustered in such situations and devised a method she simply named, ‘Taking a Deep Breath’.

She slowly released her breath. Her heartbeat became steady once more and her mind cleared.

"I apologize for being terse with you, but I needed to compose myself," Rarity said, trotting forcefully back to the main street, chin held up high. "You know darling. There is an extremely valuable lesson about the appropriate use of voice inflections, volume, and silence for various scenarios that I simply must share with you one day," she scolded.

Twilight blushed sheepishly as she followed her friend. Back on the beaten path, Rarity found the heart to grace her friend with a response.

“So, you bought an old diary...?”

“Mmmhmm! It’s over seven hundred years old!” Twilight chimed.

“Is it...? Pray tell, why would you want to dive into such a thing? What do hope to gain from such literature?”

She considered her words. “I apologize if that came off as ignorant, but I’m really quite curious,” Rarity corrected.

Twilight stowed the ancient tome text away in her saddlebag. “Well, depending on what they write about, I can learn about what life was like for ponies back then. Like what they did every day, what sort of problems the everyday pony had.”

Now, back on the avenue of high fashion, the sharp colours on the store's’ wares tempted Rarity’s wandering eyes. She forced her attention back to Twilight though. The purple unicorn was still smiling in her usual, cheery way.

Rarity was lost in thought. “I suppose I never really considered that before, but don’t we already know what ponies spent their time doing at that time?”

“Not exactly. This particular time period was known for not a lot of ponies being able to read or write. Not a lot is know about it because of that.”

Rarity knew just the basics of Equestrian history, maybe even less so. Admittedly, she filled that particular notebook with drawings and doodles back when she was a school filly. Now that she thought of it, she filled a lot of notebooks with drawings and doodles.

“Illiterate, you say? Tis a tragedy. Do we at least know what happened to them that made them so plain?” she asked.

“The old legends say that a great evil came and scared the ponies away from books...”

Rarity waited for her friend to continue. They walked past a pair of young lovers, gaily trotting through the market. The laughed and half-cuddled each other as they swerved from one side of the road to the other in their drunken passion. Rarity rolled her eyes and ignored them. Twilight didn’t finish her explanation.

“That’s it? A great evil comes and mysteriously scares ponies away from books?” she chided, almost mocking the simplicity.

“Yeah, that’s all we have, really.”

“Well, I can certainly see why further research is needed. It’s a dismal, unfulfilling explanation at best, Twilight.” Rarity threw on a confident smile though. “But I have faith that our resident librarian will unweave that dreadful plot with ease. You are quite a legendary scholar.”

“Oh, stop it! I am not!”

Twilight blushed. Rarity felt a warmness fill her as the unicorn shied away from the praise. Twilight was always so humble and uncomfortable with compliments that Rarity couldn’t help but pile them on. She thoroughly enjoyed watching her friend deteriorate into a blushing, babbling mess given enough time. It wasn’t that she enjoyed seeing Twilight lose composure, but she had this adorable, naive grace that Rarity envied as her muse.

“Are you suggesting that Princess Celestia didn’t pick the smartest, most intelligent unicorn all of Equestria to be her personal protege? Now that doesn’t seem right...” She smirked.

“Heh, I’m sure anypony could do it,” Twilight replied bashfully, flitting eyes with her.

“Twilight, darling, I don’t think anyone but the highest scholars in Canterlot would have the slightest clues where to even start.”

The shade of Twilight’s blush and her expression shifted to the perfect model of adorable humility. Her innocent eyes had grown to just the right size, her nose wrinkled, and she daintily bit the right side of her lower lip with a small smile. All of it fell right into place.

“Rarity! Please!” she protested.

Rarity smiled, satisfied. Twilight’s little display had already inspired another piece for her upcoming line. She wondered if she’d ever tell her friends just how much she looked to them for inspiration. Maybe some day.

“Fine, fine. I will cease my pestering of my most brilliant friend.”

Twilight’s playfully stared her down, but a roaring noise interrupted them a second later. Another rumbling noise followed and Rarity smiled as she located its source, Twilight’s stomach.

“Hungry are we? Pick any cafe you like, Twilight, dear. My treat.”

---

Rarity sat at her kitchen table later that night. She tentatively fiddled with her dull, maroon souvenir she had been told to be a soul gem. Making it sparkle had become her project for the day. She took some silk cloth and wax and tried to polish it off, but the inner prism remained cloudy and opaque. Sweetie Belle sat across the table, quietly drawing with a few crayons.

She set the crayon down and examined her work.

“So, what does it do? It’s a soul gem, it has to do something amazing, right?” Sweetie Belle asked without looking up.

Rarity scrubbed it rather vigorously without result. She sighed.

“Twilight said she doesn’t know.”

“Yeah, right. Twilight knows everything.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes but didn’t look up either.

“Sweetie Belle, that is not very nice. Twilight wouldn’t lie to me. If she says she doesn’t know, then that means she doesn’t,” she said flatly.

Even though Rarity’s voice was calm, non confrontational, and even bored, Sweetie Belle saw her fault.

“Okay, sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s quite alright. I myself was surprised by Twilight’s unusual lack of knowledge.”

They sat in silence, passively enjoying each other’s company as they worked on their individual projects. There was a certain peace to the sound of light scratching of crayons against paper when it was art that was being created. Usually Rarity liked to spend this time to draw up her own designs, but this gem had a gripping novelty to it. It was so implicitly powerful, and potentially, just as beautiful.

“No matter how much I try, I cannot bring this gem’s sparkle out,” Rarity commented. “Twilight told me that the only way to really get it back to luminosity is by collecting a soul in it.”

“Maybe that’s all it does. You capture a soul and it gets really sparkly.”

“Perhaps... It is a brilliant gem in itself, but the inside is just so murky.”

“It sounds like you need a soul. Maybe you could go steal Diamond Tiara’s.”

“Sweetie Belle,” she warned. “It’s not very nice to suggest trapping you schoolmates souls into rocks... No matter how nasty or rude they are...”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “Maybe you can trap yourself in it. Didn’t I ask you one time if you’d trade your soul for the shiniest gem in the world? What did you say again?”

Rarity bit her lip and kept her eyes fixed on the rock. “I uh, can’t seem to recall. I couldn’t imagine ever agre—”

“Oh wait, I remember! You said only if it matched your mane or cutie mark.”

Sweetie Belle smirked at her sister who glowered in return.

“Am I not the luckiest pony to have a sister with such a superb memory? Who else would remind me of all my questionable dealings with life?”

“I dunno.”

In that moment Rarity’s sharp eye caught a magical glimmer in the depths of the stone. It was the smallest twinkle, yet bright enough to not pass off as an illusion of light. It faded quickly. A brilliant flash followed, illuminating the whole kitchen for a fleeting moment.

Rarity blinked and looked up at Sweetie Belle whose eyes were also glued to the gem.

“Did you see that?” the foal asked.

“I did...”

She wondered if they should be more concerned about it. Perhaps she should have shouted and thrown it high into the air, screaming at the top of her lungs, but she hadn’t. Their momentary calmness forced them to an uncomfortable silence. They looked between each other and the stone, not daring to make any sudden moves.

After a few moments of bated breath, Rarity spoke.

“Well, it was probably nothing,” she said with an unconvincing smile. “Probably just a quirk of a soul gem. If a pony’s soul used to reside in it, I’m sure it must have its own little personality. Nothing to worry about Sweetie!”

Sweetie Belle nodded before picking the crayon back up and returning to her drawing.

---

Rarity ripped open the drawer to her nightstand and chucked the rock in it before slamming it back shut. It rolled about inside the small cabinet, bouncing off the inner wooden walls. She kept her magic firmly on the handle and watched it carefully. After a few moments of apprehension, she released her grip and took a deep breath.

That was the proper, immediate response to an unusually dangerous, magical artifact acting suspicious, flipping out.

After flipping out, Rarity usually asked Twilight to fix her problem. Now that she thought about it, that was her plan of action for most things: freak out, call Twilight. If that didn’t work, she replaced “asking Twilight to fix it” with “blackmailing Twilight to fix it.” Rarity still had a few good pictures from the unicorn’s birthday party.

That didn’t give her the peace of mind she sought though. It was too late to go see Twilight now and that meant she had an entire night alone with the gem.

As her eyes adjusted to the pitch blackness of her room, the sound of her own breathing suddenly became loud, ending any semblance of silence. The more she looked at the nightstand, the more her vision blurred and her head spun.

Inside, the rock hadn’t ever moved beyond the first point of impact. It stood up, defying gravity, on a single, sharp edge. The rolling sound came from inside the rock itself.

The dizzy flash subsided just as quickly as its onset. Rarity rubbed her head, dismissing it.

“Twilight said that it only sparkles when a soul is trapped inside it...” she said quietly to herself. A foreign sinistry seemed to surface beneath her words. Maybe it wasn’t a soul trapped in there, but something dark was happening.

The humble piece of furniture began to grow and loom over her in the darkness of the room. Long, spindly shadows sprouted up alongside it, surrounding and encasing Rarity. An unseen wind ruffled the loose fabric sprawled about. Paranoia set in. Rarity felt her heart beating louder and louder, a single bead of sweat coursed her forehead. She wiped it away, baffled. She never broke out in sweat.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness now. Her room looked almost like an old film in the black and whiteness of the dismal light. It was grainy and Rarity was sure that if she tore at it, it would tear like a cheap movie set. It was fake and temporary, empty in its entirety. Nothing had wholeness, and like a cheap movie set, it would be destroyed and forgotten after its time was up.

Luna’s moonlight shone through the window, but the sense of alien loneliness was so complete, that Rarity was sure even Luna would find it uncomfortable.

However, one thing still held enough intrigue to save her from complete desolation. The gem inside the drawer knew she was there. She focused on it and the sudden feeling of an unwarranted stranger replaced her loneliness. She felt eyes penetrating the wood and darkness, staring deep into her. They were searching for something.

“It’s just a silly, diminutive, insignificant rock!” she shouted from beneath the covers of her bed some time later.

Just like that, the shadows retreated and Rarity was left alone with a strange somberness. She panted lightly and had a headache, but it was infinitely better than what she was enduring before.

It was still just as dark, but the black and whites felt warm against her cold sweat. Or maybe it was the blankets she had wrapped herself in.

Maybe it was because she had inexplicably crawled into her bed.

“Dearest...” Rarity said shocked, slowly unraveling herself. “How did I get up here?”

She racked her mind for the memory of when she had climbed onto the bed, but nothing connected. The first and most reasonable explanation was the soul gem was doing something, but she wasn’t willing to admit that yet. Twilight told her it was harmless as long as she didn’t do anything magical to it. She stuck her nose up at the idea.

Questioning her best friend was never an option, so she forced another explanation.

“Rarity, darling, you mustn’t let such silly ideas seed in your mind. Self-fulfilling prophecies are self-fulfilling prophecies are self-fulfilling prophecies,” she repeated to herself. “You let one little sparkle get to you and the next thing you know; you’re making tea and throwing parties for all the voices in your head.”

She chuckled nervously, but it didn’t make her feel any better.

There was a knock at her door. She screamed at the sudden noise and almost jumped through the roof.

“Rarity?! Are you ok?! I heard you screaming!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

Rarity broke out of her small bunker of pillows. She peeked out and saw her sister.

“Oh, that? That was just uhh... Some late-night singing practice!” she lied with a fake smile.

“Really? Can I join?! It’s been forever since we sang together!”

“Erhm, no. I’m finished for the night. My voice is shot and I’m exhausted from my outing with Twilight.” Rarity feigned a stretch and yawned. “I apologize, but I’d like to sleep now.”

“Oh, ok. Maybe tomorrow then?”

“Singing tomorrow with my little sister? I think that sounds lovely.”

The foal smiled. “Awesome, thanks, sis. Love you, good night!”

“Good night, little sister. I love you too.”

Sweetie Belle closed the door and left. Rarity sleepily looked at the drawer. An unusual exhaustion hit her like a tidal wave. Now that she thought about it, she was probably just seeing things out of a need for sleep. Her eyelids grew heavy and she nestled herself into bed delicately. Almost immediately, she drifted to a sleep filled with dreams the morning wouldn’t remember.

---

It was a single, swift, and calculated motion. With over a decade of experience, every tiny muscle and fiber in her foreleg knew its place; a tweak of the hoof here, a leveraging there and then the curl. After just a dab of gel and a few clouds of hair spray, Rarity’s mane sat ready, awaiting her move.

With a glint in her eye and one seamless movement, she dramatically swept her brush upwards, downwards, and outwards. The tension in her mane built like a spring. She held it there for a half second and then let go, letting the upper section of her mane bounce into its trademark style. She threw the brush to the other hoof and continued the elegance with another grand, sweeping motion and tug. Almost if by magic, her lower mane bounced into its trademark, flawless curl.

In the span of five seconds she accomplished a style that would have taken most mares hours to even attempt. Rarity ended with a stunning pose and caught the eye of the beautiful mare in the bathroom mirror.

“Fabulous.”

She opened the door and released a nauseating blend of a half-dozen body scents and hair sprays, nearly knocking out Sweetie Belle.

"Finally, you're done!" she said covering her nose.

Rarity posed. "Yes, I am finished, and looking utterly fabulous! Please do not refrain admiring me.”

"Oh, brother..." Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes with a chuckle. As she did, she fought to suppress a gag from the vapours.

"Sister. Oh, sister," she corrected. “Hmm, the look of disgust riddled across your face is giving me inspiration oddly enough. Sweetie Belle, allow me to indulge, I simply must style your mane today,” Rarity said with sisterly authority.

“Later. I’m doing some crusading today and I’d hate to ruin your hard work on that.” She scratched at the carpet. “B-but we’re still singing today, right?!” she blurted.

“Of course we are! And doing each other’s manes it seems. I myself have a few errands to take care of, but later, it’s a date.”

“Ok. Yeah, we’re crusading to Zecora’s today. Scootaloo thinks we can try being sorceresses!”

“Well, that sounds like a smashing time!” Rarity said, heading for the door. “Tell Zecora I said hi!”

Sweetie Belle trailed after her. “Wait, I was hoping you could come with me! At least to Zecora’s hut.”

“Aren’t you going with your friends?” Rarity said, peering back through the doorway.

“They’re probably already there by now.”

Rarity gritted her teeth. The last time she went through that tangle, she scuffed her coat and chipped a hoof. It was technically her day off and she didn’t want to spend it roughing it.

“I erhm—apologize, I can’t,” she lied. Her errands consisted of hassling Twilight about the gem, going to the spa with Fluttershy, and lounging around the house. All of them too important and enticing to be ruined by a trek through the woods.

Sweetie Belle looked down.

“Oh, don’t worry, the route to Zecora’s is traversed regularly now since she opened her business. There are signs and lanterns for heaven’s sake. You’ll be alright, I promise.”

“Are you sure you can’t come...?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m already running late. I’ll see you later tonight, love?” Rarity said warmly.

She cracked a weak smile. “Yeah, ok.”

---

There was a knock at Twilight’s library. Rarity waited there patiently for somepony to answer. A few moments later, she met the face of the baby dragon.

“Whoa, hey there, Rarity! Uhh, what brings you around?” the baby dragon asked, suddenly blushing.

“Good morning Spike! Looking as dashing and scarlet as ever.” She patted him playfully on the head “Tell me, is Twilight home? I desperately need to talk with her about something.”

“Oh... She’s still sleeping.”

“But— It’s almost eleven...” Rarity raised a skeptical brow. “She couldn’t still be asleep at this hour, could she?”

“Take it up with her.”

Rarity saw no reason distrust the dragon nor did she have the gall to push the issue any further. Twilight regularly stayed up late to study, but usually when she did, she just slept less. Rarity thought about how much the unicorn actually slept and decided to let it go. Twilight deserved to remain undisturbed.

She heard loud snoring from the depths of the library. Rarity’s ears drooped for a half-second before returning to her proper posture.

“Indeed, well I may be around later today, Spike.”

---

“Fluttershy is also sleeping?” Rarity said in disbelief. It was almost noon now.

Angel nodded his head quickly.

Rarity furrowed her brow. She had an arrangement with Fluttershy today and sleep was no excuse for that.

“Did she have a particularly late night or something? Fluttershy is almost always up at the crack of dawn caring for you woodland critters.”

He shrugged.

“But we have a spa date! Flutter wouldn’t just shrug that off in pursuit of leisure,” Rarity exclaimed. “I demand to see her at once.”

Angel stood his ground and crossed his arms, somehow blocking her way.

“Angel, step aside. The poor thing will thank me for getting her up and about. I know it’s a lazy Sunday, but that is no excuse to spend all of it sleeping your heart away.”

Rarity trotted straight past Angel into the cottage. He tried to stop her, pulling on her hooves and jumping on her back, but she ignored him and walked straight up to Fluttershy’s bedroom.

“Flutter, darling?” she cooed through the door.

No response. She knocked a few times. Angel continued to hop angrily on her back. Rarity didn’t mind though. It was actually kind of like a massage.

“It’s Rarity, may I come in?”

No response. Rarity sighed and opened the door slowly. Before her, sleeping peacefully on her bed, was Fluttershy. The moment Rarity saw her, she wanted nothing more than to leave her be. The pegasus radiated her usual, divinely inspired level of grace. Her coat and mane gleamed in the midday sun and her form rose and fell ever so slightly as she snored a light, harmonious note. Just seeing her inspired yet another dress idea for Rarity. She sighed at the romantic scene.

She also sighed as Angel thumped a knot out of her lower back.

“Oh, Fluttershy. You will never know how much I envy your subtly, your delicacy, your grace,” Rarity whispered to herself with a blush.

Fluttershy muttered something in her sleep. Rarity strained her ears to hear.

“Lu... Luna.”

Rarity’s eyes grew wide. Of all the subjects she remembered from school, royalty was the first. She knew of Princess Luna’s dreamwalking abilities and its various historical uses. She may have just walked in on royal encounter.

“Oh my goodness,” she whispered. “Please excuse me for intruding. I had no idea I was in the presence of a princess.”

Rarity quickly vacated the cottage. Angel let a verbal door slam remind her the rudeness of waltzing into somepony’s house uninvited.

Rarity’s face was blank, but deep in thought. Two of her three plans for the day were busy sleeping. She stared off into space as she contemplated what to do with her time.

She scratched her chin. “Well, everyone else is doing it... And I’d hate to be behind on the times.”

---

Rarity fluttered her eyes in the light of the late afternoon sun, awaking from a late nap. She took a deep breath with her nose dug into the clean, freshly fragranced pillows and bed sheets. Savouring the warmth of the bedding, she pulled some of her covers as she sat up. For a few minutes she sat there, swaying a bit as she reminisced about her dream.

In it, a stallion and a mare both pursued her, chasing the treasure of her kiss. They flew after her, falling through an endless, warm cloud. That was all she could remember, but she considered it a good dream.

It put her in the mood for a romance novel.

She reached over to her nightstand and picked up her book, The Last Dream of the Concubine. It was about a mare who found love in a stallion who only lived in her dreams. It was suitable reading for what had turned out to be a very ‘sleepy’ day.

Hours passed by in minutes as she was drawn ever deeper into the fantasy of the story. Pages flew by and before she knew it, the sun was almost setting. The story had put her into a trance and letting time slip her by. It was nearly seven.

Her stomach rumbled. A small box of chocolates from an unknown admirer had held her over for most of the day, but she craved real food. Perhaps Sweetie Belle would have a request for dinner. If not, it would be quiche again.

She trotted to the main showroom. “Sweetie Belle?!” she called out through her boutique. “Sweetie, love, what would you like me to cook you for dinner?!”

Silence.

“Sweetie Belle?! Are you here?!”

Rarity tentatively listened for even the slightest peep, but there wasn’t one. She slowly walked around the house, searching in each room. The kitchen, the showroom, and the filly’s own room were all empty. A tinge of worry overtook her, but she quickly dismissed it. Sweetie Belle had probably just gotten caught up with friends.

Rarity let out a sharp sigh and frowned. The afternoon felt wasted now, she hadn’t done anything all day. Duets and singing lessons with Sweetie Belle was going to be her concession to a lazy day, but she wouldn’t even get to do that now. Maybe she could still go out and fetch her before it got too late, but it wasn’t likely. It was a school night and Sweetie needed to be in bed soon. A little sullen, she went for the door, but caught herself in the mirror before leaving.

“Still fabulous,” she said to half-heartedly to herself. After bouncing her mane a few times she called out. “Opal, momma’s going out! She’ll be back soon though!”

Rarity left thereafter.

---

By the time she had reached Sweet Apple Acres, her pace had escalated to a racing gallop. It never took long for Rarity to start imagining the worst possible scenarios. Given the circumstances, those scenarios became dreadful, if not repulsive, rather quickly. Maybe it was her inclination to drama, but something felt off about today. Strange things always come in threes.

Her sister was at least two hours late coming home. That wasn’t completely unheard of, but Sweetie Belle was never, ever, late for alone time with her big sister. Rarity wasn’t just being conceited either. Sweetie Belle had lied to her about days off school just to spend time with her. She had dropped her friends early upon hearing Rarity had some free time. Sweetie Belle was borderline obsessed and it was almost becoming problematic.

More importantly, that sort of fanatical drive doesn’t just ‘get distracted.’

The more she thought about it, the more it set in her mind that something was wrong. Really wrong.

She slowed down to a trot as she approached the front, screen door. Her heart was racing and she could feel the onset of fear building in her chest. She trotted in place, antsy, and looking around quickly, looking for the form of her sister playing in the distance. The scent of Apple family baked goods wafted through the air. Laughter and merriment could be heard from inside. Rarity quickly knocked a few time. Moments later, Applejack emerged.

The farmer wore a wide smile. “Well, howdy, Rare. What brings you ‘round?”

Rarity composed her nervousness. “Good evening, Applejack. I just came by to see if Sweetie Belle is here.”

“Uhh, she ain’t here ‘less she’s hidin’ real good. Why?”

“Well, she hasn’t come home yet.”

“Hmm, that’s mighty strange ‘cause Applebloom is here and all.”

Rarity’s heart sank. Applejack looked at her friend suspiciously. Hints of worry and anxiety were starting to peek through. Even though concerning things happened on a semi-regular basis, she sensed something of a different nature was wrong.

“Ya know what? Let me get my sis out here.” She turned her head back inside. “Applebloom!”

Moments later, the foal came scampering in around Applejack’s hooves.

“Yeah, sis?”

“Rarity here is lookin’ fer Sweetie Belle. Can ya tell her the last time you saw her?”

Rarity glanced at the setting sun, praying to its princess for anything but the news she knew was coming. She met the big eyes of the filly head on.

“Ah din’t see her all day,” she said honestly.

Rarity almost choked. The simple words hit her like a train, but seemed to do so in slow motion. Eventually their weight caught up with her and she came out of her slowed time wanting to gasp, but unable draw air. Only sporadic coughs in or out would sate her need for oxygen. She trembled ever so slightly as her stomach tossed and turned. She was about to become sick.

“Rare... Where did Sweetie tell you she was goin’ today?” Applejack asked apprehensively.

“She was supposed to meet us at Zecora’s hut, but she never showed,” Applebloom blurted.

Applejack locked eyes with Rarity. She had seen the unicorn panic enough time to know the signs and intensity of a breakdown long before it happened. The way she slightly bit the inside of her lips and the mist that gathered in her eyes were regular indicators, but this time there was more. This time Rarity’s pupils quivered and shook ever so slightly.

She didn’t know how long she had, but the unicorn could only a few minutes from a complete, unrequited meltdown.

“Thanks, sis. Now go back inside, me and Rare hafta talk alone,” Applejack said firmly.

Applebloom only caught a hint of the severity of the situation, but she left them with a puzzled look on her face. Applejack led the unicorn to a bench on the porch. The sat down together.

“Rare, Ah know that look when Ah see it. Don’t you start gettin’ all crazy, ya hear?” she warned.

Rarity nodded, but she was still stiff as a board.

“Come on, take a couple of deep breaths.”

Rarity tried and expelled a few whimpers that alluded to very stressed and volatile state of mind. Any semblance of an attempt at composure and level-headedness had been thrown out the window or forgotten. Applejack knew there was a deadly balance between over-reacting and under-reacting she’d need to strike.

“Swell. So, Sweetie Belle didn’t come home, right?”

“Correct...” Rarity murmured.

“When was the last time you saw her?”

“10:30. She was frolicking off to the Everfree Forest.”

Applejack found the choice of words strange. Rarity almost sounded sarcastic, like she might be able to take this lightly. If she had known how close Rarity was to snapping, she might have picked better words to follow.

“So, she’s been missin’ for almost ten hours in Everfree? That’s a mighty long time. Ah’m sure she’s okay.”

Acknowledging the time only brought the issue to full manifestation. Rarity gently began rocking back and forth. Instinctively, Applejack went to put her arm around her, but an outburst from the unicorn startled her away.

“Oh my goodness, Applejack! I’ve lost my baby sister!” she cried gutturally, clenching her eyes. “It’s all my fault!”

“Whoa, there partner,” she soothed, going to put her arm around Rarity, thinking she’d need a shoulder to cry on. “Don’t get a head of yerself. It ain’t yer fault she’s lost, just calm down.”

Rarity tossed Applejack’s arm off. “Calm down?! How would you feel if Applebloom was off prancing around with a swarm of manticores and bears?! Don’t tell me to calm down!”

“Heavens to Betsy... Rare, it ain’t doin’ no good panickin’ either! Sit back down, we need ta think of a plan so we don’t get any more ponies lost or hurt.”

“Plan?! What plan?! How difficult can be to search for a lost pony?! As much as I love wasting precious time conversing with a pony on the intricacies of how to scream a name whilst walking through a forest, I have a sister to find!”

“As much as I love yellin’ at ya, we got a filly to find!”

“Yes, I do!”

Rarity stormed off and called towards the forest. “Sweetie Belle, sweetums! Rarity’s coming for you!”

Applejack caught up with her and blocked her path.

“Now listen to yerself! Yer not gonna go sweep the forest all by yer lonesome. Last thing we need is somepony else to get lost.”

“Step aside, Applejack! I need to find my sister!”

“Ok, that’s the plan, but ya gotta calm down first. How ‘bout we go round up our friends and start a search party?”

“I don’t need help! It’s my fault, I’ll find her!”

“Now yer just bein’ ridiculous. Look, I know yer scared, but we gotta get more ponies involved. If we’re gonna find Sweetie Belle, we hafta be organized.”

Rarity huffed and puffed, refusing to back down.

“Rare, go home and see if she’s back. If she is, go tell Twilight. She’ll let the rest of us know,” Applejack explained. “If not, stay there and wait for her. We’ll scan the forest lickity split.”

Rarity laughed harshly. “Yes, of course! I shall stay behind while you all search for my sister!”

“Ah’m bein’ serious. Y’all stay behind.”

“Why shouldn’t I be out searching?!” Rarity snapped.

“Somepony’s gotta stay behind in case she comes back. Outta the six of us, you make the most sense.”

Rarity wasn’t convinced.

“Also, I don’t mean any offense in the slightest, but considerin’ we got Rainbow Dash, myself and Pinkie, we’re gonna cover a lot of ground fast. Yer not an athlete and if ya can’t keep up, we need to put ya someplace where you’ll do the most good.”

The last line somehow spoke the most to Rarity. She knew in her heart that she’d get in the way and slow them down if a pitch black trek through the forest was the order. The thought of being left behind when her own sister was lost didn’t do anything for her guilt, but it was cruelly practical.

She swallowed her pride and hung her head.

“Applejack, you bring her back to me,” she said finally, defeated and ashamed. “I will never forgive myself if—if...”

Her voice trailed off thoughtlessly as she slowly turned and trotted back to town, head hung.

“Just make sure ya got some hot cocoa and an hour long hug ready fer her when she get’s back!”

---

Rarity was alone trotting back home, when the thought of never seeing her sister again dug itself in her mind. She had the chance to go with her, she had been asked to go with her, and still she didn’t. The guilt felt like sludge in her stomach and nausea overcame her as she dashed to a nearby bush.

She wiped her lip and cursed to herself.

---

Rarity paced back and forth endlessly on the porch of her own house, lapping the circular building. Total, nauseous panic had gripped the unicorn, already vomiting twice since she got home. Previously she had almost never sweat before, but neither had she lost her sister before. However, here she was in cold sweat for the second day in a row.

Her pace led her endlessly around her house in a dizzying repetition. At her speed, every few seconds, every approach was being checked. The spinning threw her into a dry heaving fit. After nearly passing out, she decided to get a glass of water and check the house for the thirteenth time.

None of the lights were on, leaving the house covered in darkness. It wasn’t that she left them off, but that she forgot they were there. Her voice was hoarse, but she still called Sweetie Belle’s name as she scoured every room in near complete darkness. Graphic, horrible ends for her little sister consumed her thoughts. The sickening creativity of her delusion was tormenting. She tried as hard as she could to push them to no success.

Eventually, she came to her own door in her search and like the twelve times before, she avoided it.

The total weirdness of the day had taken her. She was shaking sick as though she’d downed five pots of coffee and three full sized cakes. Her gut, mind, and senses all felt like trash. She didn’t know it, but her temperature had risen to one-hundred and three.

Needless to say, she was wildly delusional. Her house was a prison and everywhere she looked she saw Sweetie Belle disappearing behind one piece of furniture or another doorway.

To her delusion, her room was the epicenter of madness. She couldn’t understand why she avoided it so direly, but something about it scared her. The door was toxic and she wouldn’t look at it, let alone touch it. There was an evil beyond its threshold, and that evil was the source of her strife.

It would kill her just like it killed her sister.

Even though every instinct screamed and pleaded with her to stop, she approached the malefic bedroom. Her hoofsteps were clumsy, she trembled violently, and her clammy, cold skin turned numb. Every step closer she took, she felt her sanity slip away. Tears flowing and nausea cusping her to her fifth upheaval, she distantly levitated the door open.

It swung open slowly. The shadows hitting it seemed to lag behind the actual movement, following the door a few seconds after it moved. The subtle effect brought chills to her spine. It was suicidal to go any closer, but what is it worth living if she did so knowing she had caused her sister’s death?

She fatefully entered the room. Light was present from a lamp on the table, but colour had been drained from the room. Only the greys were left. Everything looked gritty, like an old noir film. Specks of black from the film reel played across her eyes. She wondered if they were her madness or the magic of the evil.

Something rustled from under the covers of her bed.

“Sweetie Belle?! Darling! Is that you?!” she cried, stepping towards it.

The rustling stopped.

A drawer in the night stand snapped over. Rarity screamed, backing up to the door that had somehow shut itself. She clawed at it desperately. She pulled at the door handle, but saw the wood had fused to the wall. She turned around to look back at the nightstand and screamed again.

The soul gem was now on the floor in front of her. It glowed brilliantly amidst the colourless world, however, in its light, vibrancy seemed to return.

“What do you want with me?!”

Silence.

She dared not move nor take her eyes off the menacing rock. She blinked and when she opened her eyes the soul gem was a few feet closer. She screamed and went back to clawing at the door furiously.

She cried bloody murder and the sort of scream that was someone’s last scream.

“Help! Help me! I’m in mortal danger! Please! Somepony! Anypony!”

She began blasting away at the door, the settling dust revealing a clean, unscathed door. Each bolt just broke against the newly indestructible entrance. At her hooves, she could see the colour of her room’s carpet slowly return as it approached her. Her heart rate picked up as panic upon panic gave way to pure adrenaline.

“Stupid rock! I have a little sister to save!” she bellowed to herself as she bucked, kicked, and blasted the door.

A calm, young voice resonated through the room. It was girlish, but firm.

“I know. I’m going to help you, seriously,” it said warmly. “I’m not joking.”

Rarity tore her head around to see the soul gem at her feet.

“Who was that?!”

It spoke again, a tinge of annoyance in it’s pleasant voice. “It was me... The rock. Also you should stop shouting. It’s annoying.”

Rarity gawked at the rock. With all reason and rationality already thrown out the window, she found herself mostly at odds its tone. “Excuse me for being a little terrified and extraordinarily stressed! My sister is out lost in the forest and now a magical garnet is talking me! Just what the hay is going on?!”

“Really?! Is that what it looks like? A garnet?” it said, surprised.

“Yes, you’re a gar— Wait, no! Just shut up!” Rarity took a quick, but deep breath. “I’m sorry for being short with you, but I’m really not feeling well at the moment!” She thought for a second. “Actually, no, I’m not sorry for being short with you! You are clearly an evil, malicious thing who has something to do with the disappearance of my sister!”

“Rarity, don’t be silly,” it laughed. “How do you even know any of that? You’re making baseless assumptions.”

“How do you know my name?!”

“I’m immobile, not deaf... Or blind for that matter,” it said matter-of-factly. “I however, am effectively a rock to you if that makes a difference. Very safe to be around.”

Rarity didn’t know how to respond to it’s absurdly casual voice. “Very well then! What do you want with me?!”

“I know where your sister is, I’m assuming you want to find her, and I’m trying to tell you I can rescue her. Isn’t that great?” it replied giddily.

“Why should I believe you?!”

“Rarity, it’s going to be difficult to converse if you keep yelling.”

“I think I will keep my voice elevated, thank you very much!”

“Really? Rude much? I’d expect somepony so pretty would be a bit nicer,” it said sardonically. “I base that expectation on absolutely nothing logical, but you are annoying.”

“Now you insult me? I think I will take you to my friend tomorrow to have you disposed of. She’s a very capable magician! You won’t stand a chance!”

It sighed. “ Right... Since I can’t find a nonconfrontational way to put this, I’m just going to say it. If I die, your sister, and maybe you, will also die,” it said flatly.

“And why should I believe that? How do I know you’re not lying out your metaphorical teeth?!”

“Metaphorical? I have real teeth, you just can’t see them,” it protested. “But since we are being philosophical-ish all of a sudden, perhaps a better question? Who do you think I am?”

Rarity thought for a second. The soul gem had only recently began to sparkle and her sister only recently disappeared.

“Wait, S-sweetie Belle, is that you?” she nearly whispered.

“Uhh, no— My name is Princess Illustrious, and thank you for lowering your voice,” it said sweetly.

“Oh, you’re welcome,” she replied reflexively. Realizing her pleasantry and not wanting to sound friendly she sneered at it. “Please inform me why should I care.”

“First and foremost, I know where your sister is. Secondly, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I could probably kill you. So... there is that circumstance.”

Rarity laughed harshly. “Oh, could you now?”

“Yep,” it said defensively. “See the darkness around us? Without colour, an artist’s soul will slowly die. Yes, that’s me, Princess Illustrious, prohibiting the colour from your world. Hey, how are you?”

Rarity was silent. She looked around. Right now, the shades of grey and black were novel, but she saw the rock’s point. The dullness of the shadows, the absence of life, the crushing loneliness; she couldn’t endure it forever. It wasn’t just a lack of colour, but a lack of purpose and inspiration. It was the void made real and personable.

“Now Rarity, again, I’m not trying to be confrontational, but you’re just making me a bit nervous. In reality, I’m really super desperate,” Illustrious admitted. “I’m trying to get out of this rock and you’re the last pony in two-hundred years to talk to me. Right now, I’m trembling with excitement because I believe we can help each other out.”

“I’m only listening if my sister is part of this.”

“She is, and that’s why I’m so excited. She gives us a reason to work together. We can both work towards a common goal of saving her,” she exclaimed happily.

Rarity could feel a smile growing on Princess Illustrious’ phantom face.

“Sorry for pointing out how great it is that your sister is in mortal danger. You may need to give me a second to stop shaking.”

Rarity sighed. Suddenly, it felt like she was dealing with a blushing school filly who’d just been asked to the dance. It clashed with her dire mood.

“Get to the point,” she snapped.

“Right, sorry. Well, first of all, she is alive and well, relatively speaking,” she said finally. “I know this because I can feel the inspiration in her soul. She is destined to be an artist and her colour runs deep through me,” Illustrious explained. “I’ve listened to her sing and I know what she’s going to sound like when she’s older. You won’t believe how much she sings about you, it’s beautiful really.”

There was no way the rock could have known about Sweetie Belle’s special talent without some sort of magic. Rarity relaxed a little. Her heart still pounded, but it was slowly coming down.

“Where is she and what do you want from me?”

“She is somewhere very grey at the moment. Her colour holds, but she needs my help to stay alive. I’ll do what I can, but right now I am indisputably inside a rock.”

Rarity was lost in thought. “Correct me if I’m not reading into this right, but you are asking me to find a way to release you from your gem. Thereafter, you’ll do something fantastically magical that will return Sweetie Belle to me?”

“Simply put, yes. And if you don’t, Sweetie Belle will die from the absence of my colour.”

“This is utter madness...” Rarity shook her head. “I’m having an existential impasse with a rock who is blackmailing me with colour blindness and my sister’s life to do something I think I need a license for.”

“Hear it from my perspective. This unicorn’s, brilliant, little sister, somehow passes into my domain. Conveniently, I am able to talk to her old sister, unlike most incidents, offer to save said sister, and am consequently threatened with death.”

“You’re still blackmailing me.”

“You started making threats and evoked such a response from me. I wanted to have a pleasant conversation. We could have talked about fashion and how to impress stallions,” she said plainly.

In her delusion, Rarity burst out laughing. She nearly keeled over, sliding down the door onto her rump. She felt herself beginning to dry heave again, but continued laughing through the cusping bile.

“Wh-what’s so funny?” Illustrious stammered.

“Pleasant conversation?! You have questionable ideas about what is or isn’t pleasant in conversation!” she roared, coughing a bit.

“I fail to see what is so funny...” Illustrious sounded hurt.

Rarity wiped a tear from her eye, a massive smile peeled across her, cold, sweat soaked face. “My, my... I had no idea such intense stress could do this to a pony. I am having a convincingly real conversation with a rock. I’m going to sleep right now.”

Her voice broke down further. “I’d really rather be referred to as a pony, I’m not a rock...”

“Darling, you can be whatever your little heart desires, but I’m going to sleep, and then the doctor as soon as I wake up.”

“Please, Rarity!” she cried. “You’re the only chance I’ve had in so long!”

Rarity ignored her.

“Fine, I don’t even care about me. At least help me save your sister. Even if I don’t get released, let’s save her!”

The rock began sobbing.

Rarity got up from the door and plopped down onto her bed. “How noble. Pray, for a rock, you create quite a commotion. Keep your voice down to a whisper please. It’s rude to talk when somepony is trying to sleep.”

She nestled into her bed. Even though horrible thoughts still surged her mind, she tried to push them out. She had passed to the point of sickness where she couldn’t even tell how sick she was anymore. She knew she was sick, but not that she was having a seizure.

She flailed violently on the bed, snapping in and out of consciousness. Her temperature was skyrocketing and her heart pounded. The mercy of sleep was about to take her as she closed her eyes for the night. That’s when she heard a familiar voice.

It was Sweetie Belle, and she was singing Rarity’s favourite song. A song that Rarity had written and never shared with anypony else.

Somewhere, over the rainbow

Way up high

There’s a land that I heard of

Once in a lullaby

Rarity’s eyes pried open. She snapped her head around, scanning for the source of the music. It resonated deep from the soul gem. The tune was slow, mournful, reflective and hopeful. The voice was Sweetie Belle’s, but Rarity knew she was hearing an older version. Rarity had never taught her that song, but planned to one day.

Today was going to be that day.

One day I’ll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind me

Rarity stared deeply into the rock, her countless emotions finally realized into one, sadness.

When troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That’s where you’ll find me

That song healed Rarity and when it was over she was whole again. The gentle sobs of the unicorn broke the bitter silence that followed. Sweetie Belle’s voice had lifted all the feelings that weren’t her’s and left her with simple worry, and sadness. It was cathartic and pure and it brought her back to sanity. The truth she knew in her heart had finally set in. Sweetie Belle was lost and her big sister needed to find her.

Colour returned to the room in spurts with each heaving sob.

“Oh... Sweetie...” she whispered.

“Rarity, I need your help to save her. Her colour is so vibrant and I don’t want to lose it,” Illustrious said softly.

“Wh-what do I need to do?”

It took a deep breath. “Thank you Rarity. I promise to do everything in my power to save her. First thing’s first. Go get a mirror.”

”I’ll see you on the other side.”

The Unicorn

“I’m so sorry... I’m so, so sorry,” Rarity cried.

“It’s okay, I’m okay with it. It’ll be fun, right?” Illustrious smiled weakly. She looked so unsure, but so bright. Her eyes were honest, like she really was okay with it.

Rarity couldn’t believe her ears. “How can you okay with it?! No, it’s not fun! It’s wrong! After what I put you through, you should hate me!”

“I don’t want to hate anypony,” she replied quietly. “It’s been a lonely millenium... I’m just happy I have somepony to hang out with. Even if it means—this...”

---

“No, no, something large!” the rock princess directed.

Rarity popped out from her closet, displaying a slightly larger hand mirror with a shrug. To her, a mirror could mean one of a dozen different objects, the rock needed to be more specific than ‘a mirror’.

“No, no. Think something you could walk through.”

“Oh, you mean like a full vanity? Well, why didn’t you say so?” Rarity said, tossing the mirror back into the dark depths of what could only be a fashionista’s closet.

“Yes, that’s the term, vanity! You have an exceptionally expansive vocabulary.”

Rarity beamed from the complement.

“Thank you darling, but flattery is the unexamined approach to constructing relationships,” she said with a smirk. “Perchance since death threats and sickness have worked so well thus far, we should constrict ourselves to those. Also, sarcasm, vile, unrelenting sarcasm.”

She picked the rock up and made her way to her showroom.

“Uhh... if you insist,” Illustrious started. She cleared her throat. “Ahem, the unicorn that holds me is the most beautiful, most stunning, most perfect creature and it will pain so very much to have have her gutted and quartered.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Elementary. You speak with the eloquence I spoke with when I was an adolescent. Also, so violent.” The sudden suggestion of violence made her weary. “Were you raised by rabble? Have you no subtlety?”

Rarity trotted down her stairs and flipped the lights. Before her, the famous Carousel Boutique Showroom lit up section by section. Glossy, alabaster floors paved their way. Light rained down from a series of complex railings sitting invisible against a black ceiling. Cool, contemporary jazz began playing through the room. The gleam of the floors held a bright radiance to them, but never was the point where glare shone in one’s eye.

To the left of the entrance, light fell down on a half-dozen closed, red curtains, spaced evenly down the curved wall. Behind each one sat Rarity’s finer designs. Just opposite of that, was the main stage. It was a simple, but elegant, half circle of hard-crafted, clear plastic. Beneath the stage, lights backlit it, eliminating any shadows cast across it.. It held a slight, modern-looking sheen.

“Wow, this is nice!” Illustrious said giddily. “How successful did you say you were again?”

“Who me? Oh, not very much at all.” Rarity buffed her hoof on her chest and examined it. “I mean there was this one time I was commissioned to dress a royal wedding” She tapped her chin. “And I do suppose there was this other time where I was tasked with creating the wardrobe for a world famous pop star. And they did both make me their personal fashion design—”

The rock squealed. “Rarity—Just—You have no idea how impossibly perfect you are for this.”

“Am I? I am disinclined to believe you as your statement lacked the requisite amount of death threats, and I have yet to sense any sarcasm.”

Illustrious was still lost in her own excitement. “Throw me at the wall. I need to make sure this isn’t a dream!”

“That’s more like it.”

“No, seriously, throw me at a wall.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I said, toss me lightly at a firm establishment,” she iterated. “Preferably at a velocity that would awake a pony should they be unconscious.”

“You—You want me to throw you at my nice, expertly constructed walls? What if I make a crack in one?” she pouted.

“Sweetie Belle will die if you don’t throw me at the wall.”

She frowned at the rock. That was taking it a bit too far. Her sister was not to be trivialized. “For some reason I don’t believe that! Also, it is ill-mannered to use a pony as leverage! My sister is not a bargaining chip for destruction of property!”

“Stop being so stubborn and throw me at the freaking wall!” Illustrious said not getting it.

“Stubborn?!” Rarity stamped. “I am a lady, and ladies do not throw rocks. Tis brutish and unbecoming. I apologize, but I will perform no such task.” Rarity stuck her nose up away from the princess.

“Fine, whatever. If I wake up from this I will probably cry.”

“Well, I never! There is rude, and then there is childish,” she scolded.

“Or maybe I’ll cry if I don’t wake up from this. You know, you remind me of my mother, so proper it hurts.”

She ignored her. “If you don’t mind me asking, what makes me so perfect for this task? Wouldn’t a pony whose talent is magic be better suited at freeing you from your prison? Is it not a magical task?”

“Find a mirror and I’ll show you. And no, magicians are uhh—‘icky’, for a lack of better terminology, and not what I need. I need an artist.”

“Alright then...”

Rarity climbed a few short steps onto her stage. As she trotted behind the curtains, the Illustrious noticed that the lights didn’t cast a single shadow. Every light had near perfect balance with the others. It was an odd effect for the real world.

The unicorn opened a hidden control panel behind stage left and pressed a few buttons. On the other side of the curtain a veil of mirrors dropped down from the shadowy ceiling, surrounding the stage. Seven in all, Rarity passed back through the curtains and came to lay eyes on a legion of reflections, each one darker than the last. She posed dramatically like she always did when they came down.

“You know, one mirror would have been sufficient,” the rock chided.

“Obviously you’ve never done anything commercial before. One of anything is never enough.”

“Point taken.” Illustrious noticed Rarity’s collected demeanour. “So, what’s up with you? You seem pretty normal for having just lost your sister.”

Rarity maintained her pose, looking up and down her sleek form in the mirror. “The shock has passed. Next I must do the work that is necessary and during my downtime I will grieve.”

She looked straight into her own eyes as she ended that statement.

“How practical. Honestly, I never took you as somepony so stoic, you came off more as a—”

“A drama queen?” Rarity interrupted.

“Well, I was going to say something nicer, but that’s an accurate description, among primadonna and—”

“Yes— Well, I certainly have my moments, but nopony is perfect. I think it a necessary outlet for a romantic artist’s soul.” She gently transitioned to another pose, bouncing her mane up into place. “You know, for a princess, I expected a more graceful experience. The phrase ‘throw me at a wall’ doesn’t exactly ring my ear as regal. ”

Illustrious was silent.

“I’m—I’m working on it, kay?” she said quietly.

“Very well, enough chit chat though, I’m ready to get started.”

“Ok, great, now take the stone in your hoof and push it against the mirror. Make sure not to let go.”

Rarity dropped the rock into her hoof as instructed and pressed it against the glass. Immediately, it started sinking in. From the point of where it touched, a wave of colour washed through the smooth surface like somepony spilt a drink over and over again. They were images from her mind, visualized. The daily things that passed through her mind’s eye.

All the emotions she felt constantly, the ones she felt only once in a lifetime, they all spilled onto the mirror. She saw the daydream of her first crush and heard the silly song she wrote about him. There was her first design and the little dance she did when that business pony bought it. That book idea she had months ago that she blabbed to Twilight for hours about. All of it played it in brilliant, vibrant clarity, better than she remembered it.

As she pushed further, fire and ice ran through veins, electrifying her. The sudden intensity stuck her rigid frame. She struggled to push as her mind opened up to a slowly building, rainbow chaos. The mirror seared her senses from her.

“You’re almost there! Just get the rock through the mirror and I’ll pull you through!” a distant voice said.

It felt like her skull was being burned away as her mind exploded with colour and memory. It was a complete blur of one set of colours after another. By the time she pushed the rock through, her very soul reflected in the mirror. She didn’t expect it to be so bright or so beautiful.

The rock now completely through, part of her hoof had gotten caught in the mirror. She could push farther, but was afraid to, unable to handle the intensity of the passage. Every inch further she pressed, it seared her skin and mind white hot. Describing it as ‘uncomfortable’ would have been an understatement to say the least. She wanted out.

“I don’t know if I can do it!” she panted heavily.

“Brace yourself!” the voice called.

Rarity would never forget the sensation of being yanked through the mirror in less than a second. It had taken at least a minute to push the rock through and at that rate, she could barely withstand it. Every fiber of her body burned like the sun and then somepony had grabbed her by the hoof and tore her through the threshold. It was like being skinned alive in the icy waters of the frozen north as it spiked to a boil and then froze to the negatives, over and over again.

It exhilarated her to the point of transcendence if such a thing were possible. She laid on the other side of it, back flat to the ground. She was still panting when the blinding light subsided in her vision and the white ringing in her ears died down. Her heart pounded in her throat, but she took comfort in that. At least she was alive.

She looked up and saw the smiling face of whom she assumed was Princess Illustrious. She was a pearly, opalescent white with a starry, baby blue mane. Her bangs were cut jagged and her eyes held the perfect visage of the amethyst. She was young for a princess, barely taller than Rarity. Her expression was youthful and bubbly.

The only thing missing about her look were the standard royal adornments of royalty. Rarity had never seen an alicorn without them. This particular one was bare and unclothed, even her crown was missing. It was odd, but somehow fitting to the smiling princess in front of her..

“Ohmigosh ohmigosh! It worked! My calculations were correct! Hi! How are you?! You’re a very pretty unicorn!” she clapped her hooves excitedly.

She poked the unicorn in the stomach a few times and felt that back of her hoof against Rarity’s forehead.

Rarity barely moved. Any motion she did make could have been accurately described as ‘twitching with direction’.

“How come you’re not moving? Oh wait, you’re probably still in shock, aren’t you? Severely dazed, can barely move your everything?”

There was no measurable reaction from the unicorn.

“I should have suspected as much,” she said, scratching her chin. “You’re probably very confused aren’t you? Confusion follows from a lack a lack of knowledge, so you need information to relax. Since I don’t know what you want to know, you have to tell me what you want to know!”

Rarity looked from side to side. The princess continued to rant.

“But in order to converse quickly, we should devise a system to communicate since it’s the case that you can speak nor gesture.”

Illustrious bit her lips, looking up and down the form of the paralyzed pony. Rarity blinked, and inspiration hit the princess.

“Oh, wait I know! One blink for ‘yes’, two blinks for ‘no’, got it?”

Rarity blinked once.

“Great, the system works! So, do you anticipate having full control of your body soon? Or at least some control? Wait no, better question, is your motory functionality returning in a positive trend over time?”

Rarity looked upwards as if thinking before blinking once.

“I thought so, well I’m just going to leave you here for just a moment and go fix us some tea! I love tea because of the caffeine content and it’s very calming.”

She got up, giggling happily, and skipped across, what only just occurred to Rarity was a bedroom floor. She looked around saw the standard fare for an adolescent mare oddly enough. Posters of various artists, a corkboard filled with pictures, a desk with a vanity mirror, and a bed with girly pink sheets and covers. Cheap carpeting covered the floor and it smelled sorely of even cheaper body spray.

It was basically her room seven years ago, if not a little cleaner.

“Oh, would you like some scones?” Illustrious called before leaving through the door.

Rarity blinked once.

She left, ranting to herself about something.

---

By the time she returned, the numbness had subsided slightly and Rarity was able to sit up and speak. She ran her hoof over the tingling needles under her coat, trying to get feeling back faster.

Illustrious walked back in, a smile slapped across her face, and set down a surprisingly complete tea tray followed by a plate of scones. They comfortably sat on the floor.

“Look who’s feeling better. You are! Your recovery rate was exceptional! I thought you’d have to blink at me for, like, hours,” the princess giggled, pouring her a cup of hot drink.

“Yes... Thank you,” Rarity muttered taking exactly two sugars and one creamer and stirred them in her drink. “Pardon my manners, but just to make sure I’m not mistaken, you are Princess Illustrious, the mare from the soul gem, are you not?”

She giggled. “Lily is fine, but yes! Hello! I’m Princess Illustrious, Crown Monarch of Asaralubat!” Her tone was goofy, almost childish. Bubbly couldn’t even begin to describe the amount of energy in this princess.

“I’m sorry, what is it that you reign over again? Asa...?” Rarity stirred her tea a bit slower.

“A-sa-ra-LU-bat!” she replied slowly. “It’s where we are right now, well actually we’re technically in my bedroom, but my bedroom is inside Asaralubat, so yes. I reign over it, kind of.”

“Indeed... It’d be safe to say we’re not in Equestria anymore, correct?”

“You are correct! Most observational.”

“Charmed, I know you already know my name, but to be proper; I am Lady Rarity and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

They both saw Rarity thirstily eye her cup and Illustrious nodded her on. The unicorn closed her eyes and took deep breath of the minty aroma of the tea. She sipped her tea. The hot liquid brought waves of feeling washing back over Rarity. She could have sworn the drink was magic at the rate it melted the numbness from her.

“My, my... This is excellent tea, princess,” Rarity commented politely before taking another sip, this one bordering on the greedy side.

Illustrious blushed. “Thank you, you’re really nice. Did I mention you’re pretty? Wait, yes I did, once actually, twice if you count the previous statement’s implications.”

Illustrious wore a huge, toothy grin. It was sort of endearing.

“Here, have a scone, they’re apple. I love apple scones. It’s the apple part that I like, but the scone form is a close second. Really, scones are an ingenious packaging system...”

Rarity waved them away. “Heh, no thank you.”

“You wouldn’t like a scone? I could find you a bagel if you wish, or perhaps some corn. Maybe you’re a carnivore. You’re not a carnivore are you? I’ve never been friends with one of those before. Would you like some meat?”

“Oh, no, darling.” Rarity waved her away. “It’s merely a poor coincidence. My friend Applejack owns an apple farm, so you can imagine how often I’m treated to the humble fruit.” She took a sip of tea and sighed in comfort. “Such repetition wears thin on a mare. Nothing to eat though, I’ve decided my stomach isn’t quite ready yet.”

“Ok, no problem! More for me I suppose.” She nibbled off a corner of one gingerly. “So, I bet you’re ponderin’ in your noggin how we’re going to save Sweetie Belle.”

“Only since the second I realized she was missing.”

“Right—Well, it’s going to have something to do with going back through that mirror.” Illustrious pointed to the mirror just behind Rarity, the same one she came through. Her tone never broke from its unwavering, happy-go-luckiness. “Unfortunately, we don’t have enough colour for both of us to get through it, but I have a solution. Actually, I have about six, but I figured out that this one is the best one to acquire colour!”

“Colour? How do you mean that?”

“Inspiration, the driving force behind the creation of art, colour,” she explained. “I’m one hundred percent certain that if you can create a truly outstanding work of art and push it through the mirror, it’ll deliver you to the other side. Sort of like what you did a few minutes ago, except backwards.”

“Oh, is that all we need to do?” Rarity said almost flagrantly. “You need a skilled fashionista to design you a divine dress so you may leave this wretched gem? After which you’ll bring Sweetie Belle back?”

She nodded excitedly.

“I can see why you were so excited to have me. Have no fear, princess, I will not let you down!” Rarity declared.

She squealed. “You have no idea how long I’ve been trying to design something good enough to get through! If you’d like an idea of how long, it’s been approximately seven-hundred years, but that’s besides the point. With you it shouldn’t be longer than a few hours!”

“Now, now, you mustn’t rush perfection,” she said confidently. “Perchance you could show me some of your sketches so I can see what sort of standard to start from?”

---

To say the least, they were good.

To do them justice, any one of these designs would have started an entire movement in the fashion industry of Equestria.

As Rarity flipped through Illustrious’ portfolio, her heart sank little by little. She ran through them quickly, casually even, but her proud facade belied a growing issue. They were too good and she couldn’t compete with such inspired designs.

In her growing nervousness, Rarity downed scone after scone. Apple products had a way of reminding her of home.

“These are absolutely stellar...” the unicorn mumbled. “Peerless, really.”

Illustrious was lying on her bed, hooves behind her head staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Do you think stallions notice me?”

Their words flew by each other.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to top some of these...” Rarity scratched her chin. “Maybe if I take elements from one and apply them to the other...”

“I mean, I’m not that pretty, but I think I’m nice enough,” she pouted. “It’s so hard to observe because if you watch them to see if they watch you, it’s considered weird and obsessive. I’m not obsessive, just curious! Maybe it’s weird, but everypony is a little weird.”

“The extensive use of accessories is refreshing to say the least. Usually it just ends up being gaudy, but here she makes it work... Maybe...” Rarity scribbled across her canvas.

“I really hope I’m not creepy... Hey, Rarity, how do I get a stallion to notice me?”

“What now?” Rarity replied, breaking her fashion focus.

“Oh, sorry— You’re busy aren’t you? Sorry—I’ll go back to talking to myself.”

Rarity turned to the next page, saw the brilliance beaming off the page and quickly flipped it back. “No, it’s fine. I’m fairly certain that I know what I’m dealing with... What is it, darling?”

“Oh, I was just exploring the notion of how one gets a stallion to notice them. I’ve yet to reach a conclusion.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, that’s easy. You go and strike up a conversation with him.”

“It’s not that easy though! There are at least five-hundred ways to open a conversation. That’s is a massive understatement too, but it illustrates my point well. What am I supposed to say to him?”

“Princess Illustrious, do I need to remind you that you are of royal title? You are tasked with handling foreign dignitaries and running a nation. Shouldn’t you be more composed than a babbling school filly?” Rarity said somewhat annoyed.

“I dunno... maybe... possibly... theoretically...” she said quietly.

“That should be a resounding, confident ‘yes’! Have you no pride in your title?”

“Well, I— I...” She started crying spontaneously, whining and howling loudly. “I don’t even know what to do anymore! Everypony hates me and I’m not even pretty and—and...!” She buried her head in her hooves. “I don’t have any friends!!! I’m so ugly!!! Everypony probably thinks I’m creepy!”

Rarity pulled her ears against her temples, trying to dampen the shrieking. It was turning out to be a long day: her sister had disappeared, she had throw up four times, she had entered another realm, she found out that a hormonal, teenage filly wants her to design pure divinity. She was coming to regret something, but now that she thought about it, her list of potential mistakes was growing too long to discern what that something was.

“Princess!”

She gave no response besides endless crying. Rarity tried again.

“Princess! You’re very pretty and nopony hates you!”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better! I know that because that’s what ponies do! It’s considered polite and socially acceptable!” she wailed.

Rarity facehoofed. She was starting to think that maybe she should have just taken her chances with the forest. There were certainly worse things than a forest, filled to capacity of dangerous animals armed to the teeth, and she was experiencing it, prepubescent mares.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Go away! I hate doors! I’m gonna go freeze to death!” Illustrious whined.

Deep, creaking moans were heard. Illustrious’ ears perked and she stopped crying.

“Wait, wait, no! Just give me a moment, I’m getting dressed!” Illustrious replied, panic suddenly apparent in her tone. She sniffled and wiped her eyes quickly.

She dived off her bed and tore her closet open, levitating out her royal regalia.

“Rarity, can you do me a huge favour and stare at the red triangle on my door?” she whispered as she adjusted her crown and neck piece. “And don’t look away, got it? When I open the door, do not look away.”

Flustered by her complete change of character, Rarity followed her orders. She looked for the triangle but didn’t see it. However, a sticky, red liquid slowly oozed through the door in the rough shape she was looking for. She glued her eyes to it.

Rarity saw out of the corner of her eye, a powerful, regal character approach the door instead of the silly, immature princess from before. With her crown and gilded shoes Illustrious looked completely different. She glowed a baby blue and her eyes pierced the world like a super-hot purple flame. With a simple flash of her horn, colour washed away from the room. Rarity felt a tiny little prick of pain in her gut. It was like a single cell of her body had been frozen solid.

Air pressure in the room skyrocketed. Her ears popped. All at once, the door was ripped from its hinges in the as the pressure exploded. It was sent spiraling into a dark void, soon lost in the blackness. The drawings, clothing, bed, everything was torn from the space as though sucked through the door by a vacuum.

Illustrious stood their stoically as the matter passed through her like a ghost. All that was left were the two ponies and the mirror. Even the roof was had been ripped off.

Long, spindly legs tapped against the space around her. Rarity couldn’t seem them, but those kinds of black legs only belonged to one kind of nightmare. As much as she wanted to confirm her suspicion she held her eyes on the space diligently. Rarity heard Illustrious’ voice.

The princess stood up to the creature, wings flared and chin held high. “Are you sated yet? I am bare and naked now,” she said powerfully.

Again, the peculiar, deep creaking of heavy hooves against wooden floors was heard.

“I hide nothing. You see what I am. I am no witch.”

A black mass with a hundred glowing, red eyes descended on Rarity from the darkness. Their light painted the black and whiteness of the room crimson. Like a black light, it revealed stains and splatters of a bloody massacre.

She trembled in fear. Whimpers were starting to peep through, but she grit her teeth and pursed her lips hard to silence them.

Rarity flashed a panicked glance up at the spider to see that, above the eyes, stood a towering mound of colour. On its back were paintings, sculptures, and dresses. Countless works of art piled higher than she could see. They were fused to it, held firmly in place as if melted into one giant mass. They radiated and glowed in the visage of a dream’s rainbow, starkly contrasted to the red, black and grey of the room far below.

As soon as she looked up, the spider backed up, fearfully stepping out of the small room. Rarity reflexively went back to the spot she had been instructed to stare at, but it was too late.

The creaking turned to the sound of splintering wood. It was either panicked or furious, Rarity couldn’t tell which.

“No!” Illustrious screamed. “I am not a witch! I know my place!”

The spider hurried off into the darkness with a speed that belied its size. Illustrious dropped her regal stance.

“Rarity, we need to go!”

The unicorn rested her eyes and looked up to the princess.

“Go where?! I’m not sure if you were here for the last five minutes, but a gigantic spider just ripped your room apart! The only exit leads to nowhere!” she exclaimed flailing her hooves.

Beyond the room was an endless fog of swirling black smoke.

“Dear Rarity.” she tapped her hoof impatiently, staring directly at the unicorn. “There are more than one of those spiders, or more accurately described, Colour Eaters, as you’re about to find out. And I’d really, really rather not be here when they get back,” she said making dramatic, mocking gestures. “Now, come and shatter this mirror!” She stamped.

Rarity was about to start arguing when, in the distance, a forest of colourful mountains grew like a fire hazily in the smoke. It wasn’t more than a few seconds after that when the entire horizon burst into a rainbow flame. The unicorn jumped to her hooves and immediately began bucking the mirror without question. It was deceptively hard and each kick seemed to expand the frozen spot in her innards more and more.

“You have better have a explanation for all of this!” Rarity shouted. “What happens when this breaks?!”

“Just do it!”

A few kicks later the mirror shattered, revealing a doorway to a familiar scene, her showroom stage. Before Rarity had too much time to take it in, Illustrious shoved her through.

On the other side, the princess slit her chest with the sharpened edge of her gilded horseshoe, drawing blood. She drew it out in a line and made a few quick motions in the air, casting some sort of spell Rarity had never seen. The rift sealed thereafter.

As the blood spilled out, some of the princess’s colour drained from her, greying her slightly. With a quick spell, she sealed it up. After is was over and the magic left her, she collapsed to the ground, panting.

“Princess... Wh-what was that? Where are we?”

“Those were Colour Eaters and this is Asaralubat, the World of Reflections,” she said, wincing in pain.

It began to rain, lightly at first before escalating into a full downpour. Rarity didn’t even notice her perfect mane get completely ruined.

“I know that!” she spat. “But what does that mean?! I’m not an expert on all things magical so you might need to be plain with me! Especially when my life is in jeopardy!”

“It’s—it’s too abstract to describe! Put simply, all things reflected come here! There are countless mysteries in Asaralubat and if I had all of them solved, I wouldn’t be here!”

“Wonderful!” Rarity tossed her hooves up, shouting to the black stormy abyss above. “The sovereign of this realm doesn’t even know what she’s doing! I’m guessing I’m also stuck here now?!”

“You weren’t supposed to be! That mirror held your colour and it was enough colour to get at least one of us back through! You could’ve left anytime you wanted!”

“Well, I don’t foresee that happening anytime soon, now that it’s both broken and off somewhere in this forsaken nightmare! You have trapped me in your morbid little world!”

Both of them stood off against the other in the rain, glaring, panting in frustration. They stood inside the showroom of Carousel Boutique, but Rarity knew it was an illusion. Every mirror had been shattered completely. Dirt and rust covered the wall and only two lights worked, leaving them in mostly darkness. Holes from erosion and decay tarnished the once pristine gallery. Additionally, the rain flooded the room.

“Look,” Illustrious said calm, but firmly. “I’m sorry. I really am. I will explain everything I know once we’re somewhere dry, but can we agree to work together? I can’t do any of this alone.”

Rarity saw no other option.

“Fine, where is dry? I’m a bit lost right now.”

“That...” She stood up. “Is a good question...”

In a shard of one of the broken mirrors, Illustrious caught glimpse of an unsettling sight. A reflection of Rarity crying. Illustrious beckoned the unicorn over.

“Look, it’s you...” she said.

Rarity swallowed hard. Illustrious was right. Her mane might have been a mess, but it was indisputably herself, bawling her her eyes. She had been told this was a world of reflections and seeing this made her believe it. The distance from home grew that much greater.

“She—I’m grieving for Sweetie Belle...” Rarity choked. “I sometimes come to this stage when I’m upset.”

The reflected Rarity soon became still, her sobbing coming to an end. She had cried herself to sleep.

The rain subsided quickly and a few of the mirrors fixed themselves, flying back into place before their very eyes. The flood water fell back to the ceiling and disappeared. Rarity looked from the mirrors, ceiling and clear floor. She stood there astounded.

Her voice was a soft whisper. “I knew that was going to happen...”

Illustrious ringed her mane out and shook her head. “You did?” she said surprised and excited.

“Yes, I didn’t know precisely what was going to happen, but I felt it.”

“This is excellent news, let me think for a second.” Illustrious paced back and forth, muttering to herself. “So, I think I know where we are.”

“Do you?”

“Yes, I’m about ninety-nine percent sure we’re in your reflection.”

“I beg your pardon?” Rarity said, not surprised, but genuinely interested in the statement.

“We were just in my reflection with the colour eaters. Now, we’re in yours.”

“How do you know that?”

“You were crying, so it rained. A simple exchange really. However that was just a reflected feeling...” Illustrious was silent, her face calculating and solemn. She cradled her chin in her hoof and inhaled deeply. She looked up into a corner for no real purpose. “Rarity, this may seem like an odd question, but what do you think about on a daily basis?”

“What do I think about?”

“Yes, I need to know how worried we should be about your reflected thoughts. Most of your thoughts are pleasant and tame I’m hoping. Nothing gruesome or maniacal?”

“Well, of course not! I am no brute or barbarian! I think about fashion, my friends and family...”

Rarity’s voice trailed off on that word.

“Sweetie Belle...”

Illustrious saw the unicorn’s eyes quiver.

“After Sweetie Belle went missing, and before you met me, what did you reflect on? What are you going to reflect on now that she’s gone?”

Rarity was silent, her lip trembling. There was a tiny pain in her stomach. It felt like the coldest ice has been lodged straight in her gut. It went away quickly after.

The princess spoke seriously. “Rarity, your reflections, whatever they are, are very real now. If we’re about to get mauled by a pack of dragons you need to tell me.”

The mirrors around them lifted back into the ceiling and they came face to face with an angry mob, rioting on the floor. They threw rotten fruit, booing and hissing at the two mares onstage. They carried torches and pitchforks, but curiously didn’t brandish them, instead holding them at their sides.

Produce rained down on the two like a never-ending wave. The princess tried to shield herself from the rancid onslaught, instinctively backing up towards the curtain. Rarity stood there, taking it. It hit her in the face and stained her coat. The smell churned her stomach, the taste seeped into their mouths, and stung in her eyes.

“Rarity! We need to go before this gets out of hand!”

“Why?! I deserve this! I’m a rotten sister!” she cried. A rather large, exceptionally rancid tomato hit her square on the cheek. A thin swarm of flies descended upon her.

“For the love of—” Illustrious grabbed the unicorn.

“Hey!”

She yanked her behind the curtains and together they ran down a fire exit. The mob reacted quickly, chasing after them. Rarity nearly slipped on a carrot as she ran, but balanced herself. They burst into the sunny scape of Ponyville.

“Unhoof me thi—!” Rarity tried to tear away from the princess.

“No! Listen to me!”

“Unhoof me or I shall scream and—

Illustrious slapped the unicorn. Rarity turned back from the force of the blow, gently rubbing her cheek. Her eyes became misty.

“You—you hit me...” she said, her voice cracking.

“Yes, I did. I’ll do it again if you don’t focus and listen to me. ”

Rarity pursed her lips into a pout, her eyes growing huge and hurt. She continued to rub her cheek, whimpering.

“Thank you. So, it seems your reflection has quite an imagination.”

“Y-you hit me...”

“I don’t like having produce hurled at me so it would be fair to warn me if you sense a reflection coming on. Now, we need to get home sometime soon. That can be accomplished by finding colour and pushing back through the mirror.”

Rarity’s face scrunched up in tears. “W-why did you hit me...?”

Only then did Illustrious notice the unicorn’s duress.

“Is something the matter? Why are you crying?”

“Y-y-you hit me! Why would you hit me!? Do you hate me?!” she whined.

“What? No, you were getting hysterical, so I slapped you. Ponies do that to other ponies who are acting crazy,” she explained stoically.

“Nopony has ever hit me before like that...”

That wasn’t true. Rarity had received firm punishment as a filly from her father when she was growing up. A backhoof across the cheek had been her regular threat, and only rarely did he do it, but when he did, it hurt.

She didn’t resent him for it, and actually considered it fundamental to her present day character, but she didn’t approve of it. That disapproval had actually led her to lie on behalf of her sister many times, instead opting to take the punishment for herself. She didn’t think it was right to hit a foal anymore.

Yet, when Illustrious hit her, it brought back a flood of emotions for her sister, of her small sacrifices for her sister she made on a daily basis.

“Okay, I’m sorry. That was wrong of me. Will you forgive me if I promise to never do that again?” Illustrious said half-heartedly.

“It’s fine.” Rarity wiped her eyes and sniffled. “So, what do we have to do now?”

Relieved, Illustrious went on. “We need to make art, to make colour, and push through the mirror.

“How are we going to do that? There is no mirror...”

“That mirror wasn’t that special actually. We should be able to make another one, but colour is needed for that. A lot of it.”

“So... You still want me to design something? What about you? What will you do for our situation?”

“I’ll protect you as well as I can and make as much colour as I can, but the weight of the burden falls to you.”

“Splendid... Where do we begin?”

“First, we should probably go somewhere safe and start drawing up some sketches. Anywhere, where the real you won’t be spending a lot of time. She’ll just cause us trouble,” Illustrious explained. “Then we’ll find our fabrics and tools and start sewing. Do you have a friend we can stay with?”

The Unicorn

"But what exactly does it do…?" Rarity continued, a bit agitated. The tiny gem rolled from hoof to hoof as she talked.

"A soul gem is not actually a gem," Twilight explained, missing the question for the second time. "It's made of a magical substance called aether. Somepony took the raw magical energy that powers all magic and transformed it into crystalline form. The only way to do that is to use somepony's soul as a binding agent.”

“It's funny that they say the gem traps the soul, when the soul actually binds the gem."

---

Rarity knocked on the door of Twilight’s library. After grooming themselves, Rarity decided that staying with her would be best. Rarity liked clean and quiet in her workspace, and Twilight’s house was both of those in the absolute extreme. Rarity would have suspected that each speck of dust had a pre-set place in the library if Twilight had access to a movable microscope.

Also it was a library. Being quiet in a library is like the first, universal rule of etiquette, and a law punishable by death in the presence of Twilight Sparkle.

The yammering of a dragon sounded from the depths of the library.

“Yeah, I heard ya, sheesh louise, bossiest unicorn e—,” Spike said as he opened up the door. “WHAT, RARITY?!”

He stumbled backwards almost too quickly as he saw his beloved unicorn. The door hadn’t even fully swung open by the time his eyes grew to the size of dish plates. He stood in an ever-expanding puddle of his own sweat and his heart literally pounded about a foot out from his chest.

Rarity gasped at such a cartoonish effect happening to her little dragon in terrifyingly real detail.

“Oh geez! I—uh!” Spike stammered. He looked nervously from side to side, before leaning against the threshold of the door. A goofy grin spread across his face. “Yeah, baby. What’s cookin’? You are hot st—”

He slipped and smacked his head against the wall, nearly knocking himself out. Tears welled up in his eyes as he grasped at his head.where a large bump was sprouting at a physically impossible rate. He crawled away into the shadows in no particularly special way.

“Spikey Wikey! Are you alright?!” Rarity took an apprehensive step forward. “Do you want Rarity to kiss your boo boo better?!”

He stood silently in the shadows under the false impression that she couldn’t see him anymore.

“Interesting reflection, Rarity...” Illustrious observed.

“Reflection? Is that why he’s acting like a babbling, bumbling buffoon?”

“He’s going to be whatever you think he is. This must be what you really think he’s like.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide. “Just you wait one second! Are you meaning to tell me that everypony we meet is going to be some gross exaggeration of the way I truly view them?”

Illustrious smirked and chuckled. “Reflections don’t lie dear. Why? Do you have things to hide?”

“Well—!” she stuttered. “Of course not! A lady is never ashamed of her thoughts, but it’s a bit prying, don’t you think?!”

“Sure it is, and if don’t want me to see them, you better get to work.”

“What are you guys talking about?” piped a familiar voice.

It was Twilight. Or at least an ironically fashionable form of Twilight. She wore a pair of thick-rimmed, lensless, black glasses, a hoofwoven sweater and tie combo, and a white blouse. Her mane had been tied into a ponytail and she wore a pink headband just behind her bangs. A pair of pink bows adorned the end of her tail. She hugged a book, wearing an innocent, girlish smile.

“Oh, good afternoon, Twilight. We were just talking about... uhh.... not... books.” Rarity grinned. “Me and my friend were wondering if we could stay here for awhile.”

“Oh, okay!” Twilight replied none-the-wiser. “Come on in!”

They followed the lavender unicorn inside.

“So, I’ve been working on this quantum theory of thermodynacular, secular bio-gravity...” Twilight went on.

Inside the library were books upon books stacked to the ceiling. Candles hung from some of the walls lighting the darker, but surprisingly clean, floorspace. After a few minutes of walking around the winding and wheeling maze of literature, they reached Twilight’s desk and bedroom area. Hundreds of stacks of parchment surrounded a central desk with several dozen candles placed in romantic, idealistic positions, cascading around her workspace. Inkwells covered roughly half the surface space of all the papers and the desk.

“...but, the specimen just keeps hyperbolicking the flux radeon. It’s crazy, I know! Anyways, who’s your friend? Is she a princess? She looks like one,” Twilight said, now circling Illustrious.

“Oh, no, of course not, darling. This is Lily,” Rarity introduced.

Twilight narrowed her eyes at her. Illustrious smiled nervously. The unicorn intensified her scrutinous gaze, and a bead of sweat rolled down Illustrious’ forehead.

“If you say so!” She smiled warmly with unrelenting cheer. “Well, you two make yourselves at home!”

“Twilight, do you have somewhere, where I can put my regalia?” Illustrious asked.

“Yup, just put them anywhere!”

“Don’t you have like a closet or somewhere, where I can properly stow them?”

“Not really, anywhere is fine.”

“Interesting...”

Illustrious began undressing herself, piling her things neatly in a corner. It was odd to watch. With every single piece she removed, Illustrious’ demeanour became goofier and weirder. Illustrious noticed Rarity watching her curiously and looked from side to side awkwardly. Suddenly self-aware, Rarity blushed and looked away, laughing nervously.

“Twilight do you mind if I borrow some ink and parchment? I’d like to doodle,” she asked, deflecting her awkwardness.

Twilight turned around, the candlelight splashing across her face as she did. Each lick of the flame created the perfect shadow to accentuate her stunning features.

Rarity blinked.

“Oh, Rarity, you don’t need to ask...” she said, batting her lashes at the unicorn. She took her glasses off and undid her ponytail, letting her long, lush mane dangle to her shoulders. She picked up a stack of paper and strutted over her friend. “You can just take... Take anything you like...” Twilight blushed seductively, hoofing over the paper.

Rarity blinked again.

“Right! Much thanks, Twilight! I’ll be upstairs—drawing! You go back to studying now,” she said with a giant, feigned smile. “Come now, Lily, we have work to do!”

Rarity slipped away deftly and trotted upstairs.

Twilight stuck her lip out and pouted. “Hmph!” She glared at Illustrious as she followed suit.

Now, in Twilight’s extended guest bedroom, Rarity sat down at a small table. The princess trotted with a skip in her step and a cheeky smile across her face. She hummed a nonsensical tune, tripping slightly over the top step.

“I suspect that filly is completely infatuated with you. I can tell because she said you can take anything of hers and that’s quite a statement.” Illustrious sighed dreamily. “I wish somepony surrendered all their possessions to my materialism like that...”

Rarity quickly took a paper and began her first design drawing. After reflecting on Illustrious’ designs, she was eager to try her hoof at contesting her genius. “Yes, how very odd. The Twilight I know, would never act like that.”

Illustrious tapped her chin, her smile turning devilish. “Since reflections don’t lie, ever, I’ve induced that you wish she’d act that way in real life.”

“Inconceivable, she is my dearest friend and nothing more. We go on shopping trips, I treat her to the spa, and she lends me books.”

“Ha, yeah right.” She pointed at Rarity accusingly. “I’m the Princess of Expression and I know what I saw!”

“And you saw an awkward exchange of outstanding conflict and butting heads. At no point in time were Twilight and I at all thinking the same things.”

The princess playfully nudged Rarity. “Nuh uh! I totally saw how you looked at her. You liiiiike her don’t you?”

“I most certainly do not!”

“See look, you’re blushing! You loooooove her, don’t you?”

“Do not be ridiculous! I just—”

“Rarity and Twilight, sittin’ in a tree! K-I-S—” Illustrious sang.

“Don’t you have designs to be sketching?!” Rarity scolded with a stamp of her hoof. She glowered at the smirking princess.

“Design one, Rarity’s and Twilight’s wedding dresses...” she replied, dabbing her quill in the ink.

---

Rarity crumpled up another drawing and threw it into a nearby wastebasket. How many different ways could a pony conceivably wear a scarf? At least twenty ways more than she had considered before. Horn scarfs? Were those even a thing?

Five straight hours of conceiving pure brilliance had a way of wearing a pony’s stamina and sanity down. She placed her quill down, levitating her fourth cup of tea to her lips and finishing it off. The tea pitcher seemed to call to her for another cup, but her splitting headache was saying ‘no’. Rarity slumped back in her chair, her hooves on her belly, and looked to the ceiling.

“So, I’m curious. How will we know we have colour when we create it?”

“It’s different each time you make it,” Illustrious muttered. Her outfit was not coming out the way she wanted it. She held up her drawing to Rarity. “The frills?”

Rarity’s sharp eye quickly analyzed the outfit. “Around the collar? They are fine, but the hat needs a rework. Bring the rim down, loosen the fit and don’t have it sit on the crown. Relax the look, we aren’t victorian, darling.”

Illustrious turned the paper sideways and squinted. “Yeah, okay... You’re thinking something more neo and adjusted to colonial Baltimare?”

Rarity rubbed her aching head and groaned

“I don’t know...” She strained her imagination to its last length. “Pretend like everything is made of velvet, line it with felt, stir the idea and send it two hundred years back before where it first seems like it’s from.”

Illustrious blinked.

“That’s so weird, because I had a vaguely similar idea...”

“I don’t want to hear it...”

They gave each other deadbeat stares.

“Maybe we should take a break...” Rarity suggested.

“Agreed. Let’s go for a walk.”

They both stood up and stretched, breaking their bodies out of their stiffness. In the doorway, Twilight leaned against the wall. Her sultry eyes greedily and deviously watched the unicorn as she bent over.

“Going somewhere...?” she asked softly.

Rarity squeaked. “Twilight! How long have you been standing there?!”

She corrected her potentially compromising position, returning to her usual perfect posture.

“Oh... I don’t know... A while...” She took her glasses off and folded them, tossing them far onto her bed. “Why? Don’t you like me watching you?”

“I uhh— Am not sure?”

Rarity bit her lip anxiously, flitting her eyes with the Twilight. Her eyes, her smile, her outfit, all of it was the stuff of a special part of Rarity’s mind. The fashionista was far too well-versed in social interaction for her own good. Twilight was totally getting weird.

Twilight locked eyes with the unicorn and cocked her head at the innocent princess. It was clear that Twilight wanted the princess out of her house, but Rarity pretended like she didn’t understand. Illustrious was busy tickling her own nose with a quill, after which she let out a triplet of high-pitched sneezes. She smiled innocently at the two.

“Well, Lily and I have been hard at work designing all afternoon. We’re going to go for a stroll. Pardon us!” she added, hurrying to the doorway. Twilight held out her hoof, blocking Rarity’s path.

“Go on Lily, I need to speak to Rarity in private. She’ll catch up with you,” Twilight said sharply.

Tension rose in the room. The two pale ponies pursed their muzzles and exchanged glances. Rarity gave Illustrious a nod before she shyly trotted out the room and down the stairs. The sound of a heavy oak door opening and closing sounded a few moments later.

Twilight’s smiled turned from flirtatious to completely sultry and almost deprived.

Now alone, Twilight walked lazily around the unicorn, dragging her hooves daintily. The burning ice in Rarity’s stomach grew. It was still very small, but the tiny sensation from before was almost twice its original size.

Rarity blinked. As she closed her eyes, the smell of warm cinnamon tickled her nose. Among that, she was now clothed, the light had dimmed and she felt fresh air ruffle her mane. She wrinkled her nose in a momentary discomfort.

When she opened her eyes she was no longer inside the library.

A warm ocean breeze rolled across her coat, running softly through her mane. The sun was setting. Gold and purples painted the sky behind her. In front of her, Twilight Sparkle still stood in the doorway, but instead of a heavy sweater, she wore lacy black stockings, pink sheer, and a sweet smile. She was blushing, but unafraid. In her eyes, Rarity could see Twilight’s heart sparkle, unfettered.

They shared a soft, marble balcony, set high on a rocky cliff above the sea. White pillars rose to support a matching, marble roof. Vines wrapped and embraced the stone in perfect symmetry from one pillar to its mirror. A pink, heart-shaped bed with scarlet pillows stood directly behind Twilight. The breeze lightly rustled the sheets and netted drapery that hung above it. The setting sun poured golden twilight across the dreamy scene, but as it sunk lower, floating candles lit themselves one by one.

Rarity looked down to herself to see a stunning, indigo gown in obvious partnership to Twilight’s. Both of them being one of her fantasy designs.

“What the...?” Rarity said rhetorically. Despite the jarring shift, she knew exactly where she was, her most recent, favourite daydream.

While she never truly harbored feelings for the unicorn, she had entertained the thought more times than she was willing to admit. It was a pleasant, long-winded thought. Particularly the thought of what would happen made her heart skip and send warm blood surging through her body.

She looked around for her royal companion, but couldn’t spot her. All she saw was a beautiful unicorn. A smile came over Rarity’s face. Twilight reflected it with her own warm smile. There was something enticing about the lavender unicorn, and despite seeing no escape, Rarity wasn’t sure she would leave if she could.

After a few moments of pleasant silence and sizing the other up, their subtle body language agreed to begin the night.

“Sweetheart...” Twilight said to Rarity, taking a few steps forward.

Rarity was about to meet her halfway before she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Looking for me?” Illustrious whispered softly right in her right ear..

Rarity suppressed a squeal and did her best to maintain composure.

“Lily, what in the world just happened?!” she hissed back.

“Lily, who’s Lily...?” Twilight said, suddenly extremely hurt.

Illustrious spoke quickly. “Right, information! So, I never left. I merely turned invisible, slammed a door, and put a sound ward around Twilight. I predicted that you might need my help.”

“How wily...” Rarity whispered without moving her lips.

“Aren’t I the smartest?” she said triumphantly. “I mean I’ve seen this approximately thirteen-hundred times in my life, so I’m a bit prepared. Anyway, you triggered a reflection! Congratulations on your first one!”

The princess stamped obnoxiously in praise.

“Reflection? My reflection of Twilight is a flirtatious school filly who speaks scientific gibberish!” she quietly protested. “Not an impossibly beautiful mare on a cliffside suite! And aren’t we always in my reflection, like because I control it?”

“To tell you the truth, I call basically all the relevant occurrences of Asaralubat ‘reflections’. Now that I think of it, I should probably have a more clear cut identification system. Maybe I’ll call this a fantasy, or a musing. Maybe a daydream? Sometimes I question existence maybe...”

Rarity could almost feel a smile growing on the princess’s face as she derailed. Meanwhile Twilight eyed Rarity with a pout. She cracked a nervous smile.

“Anywho!” she continued. “This kind of reflection is particularly powerful. It means the real you is thinking deeply about whatever this is, and that consequently makes you live it out. Also, you can’t leave it until you live it out.”

“What do you mean, live it out?” Rarity clarified.

“I means, you’ve had this fantasy before, and you obviously play a part in it, so play the part. You can’t leave this place until you satisfy whatever emotion this particular reflection makes. There is probably nothing twenty feet out from this room because it’s not part of the fantasy,” Illustrious explained. “Just black, swirly smoke like my room.”

“You’re telling me I’m stuck here?!” she said louder that she wanted to.

“Well, of course you are, you silly mare,” Twilight said bashfully. “Just you, and me, the ocean... the night...”

”Ohmigosh, this is definitely a fantasy... Yeah, you two have fun. I’m going to go cry and be alone in this corner over here.”

Rarity kept her voice back down. “I will not, I repeat, I will not go through with this. You’re the monarch of this world, so help me!”

“Heh, yeah, I’m not going to get in the middle of this. Awkward much,” she laughed nervously. “Well, obviously this is something you’ve thought about before, might as well go with it. Don’t pretend like you don’t want to!”

Rarity flushed crimson at the accusation.

“My real self just lost her sister for pony sakes! I just lost my sister! Why the blazes am I thinking about my friend giving me a goo—”

“Funny you mention your sister because this might actually be a good thing...”

“Rarity, baby. Twiley Sparky, wants you to talk to her... Not whisper like a mad pony to the candle.”

Rarity focused her eyes and saw a candle right about where she thought Illustrious was.

“How in the world is this a good thing?! One of my deepest suspicions is about to be put display for a complete stranger!”

“I won’t watch! I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’ll leave you guys alone and go somewhere else!” she protested. “Now listen, I have no idea if what I’m about to say is true, but if you live out your little fantasy here, you might find colour. We’ll be able to get home sooner and subsequently be able to save Sweetie Belle,” Illustrious explained. “Try and relax, this isn’t the real Twilight, just your imagination.”

Illustrious trotted off to the balcony behind the bed, whistling Over the Rainbow.

Rarity closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, taking a deep breath. She didn’t know what exactly to do next, so she just went with what she remembered.

“Come here, you beautiful unicorn,” Rarity strained as sensually as possible. “Don’t keep your love waiting!”

Rarity could hear the clops of hooves against marble get closer and closer.

‘For Sweetie Belle, I will do this,’ she thought. ‘Good gracious! This is so utterly absurd! How does this make any sense at all!? Why didn’t I just go and search the forest like a normal pony?!’

She felt a soft touch graze against her neck. Rarity clenched her eyes tighter and bit her lip. Twilight had started kissing up her neck from her chest. She desperately tried to remember exactly how it was supposed to happen next, but her raging inner conflict kept her from focusing.

In a small way what she was experiencing was pleasurable. This was her fantasy for a reason. She knew it was wrong, but it felt more and more right as Twilight progressed upwards to Rarity’s lips. Still, it was only suitable for her mental record to not be okay with it.

‘Ohdearohdearohdear! Oh sweet sun princess, please have mercy! Save me from this!’

Twilight stopped kissing halfway up her neck. Rarity stood taut for a moment, sweating profusely, but mildly disappointed.

‘Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou, EEEIIYEEE!’

Twilight’s wet tongue slithered across her neck as she suckled lightly on the unicorn. Rarity let out a reflexive gasp. Her heart fluttered with each dollop of her tongue . She had wanted to know what that felt like for so long now. The slippery tongue, the soft lips, all of it exhilarated her, jolting her heart. Her hopeless romantic soul had been tapped and Rarity embraced her friend.

“Mmmm...” the lavender unicorn moaned. “Rarity...”

“Oh, Twilight...!” she whispered.

From the sidelines, Illustrious cheered. It was quite awkward.

”Better just go with it Rarity! I’m ninety-nine percent sure that if you put your heart and soul into it, we’ll find colour! A lot too, given what’s going—Yeah, kiss her back!” Illustrious hollered. “Oooh, that’s steamy! Now, push her ov—Yeah, I don’t think you need my help anymore. Where was I? Oh, yes, whistling and crying.”

---

Rarity found herself in a warm, heart-shaped bed later that night, her arm around her dear friend. Twilight whimpered a light note and her light breath rustled Rarity’s chest. She held her closer, tighter.

She pensively looked into the shard of mirror-like glass that floated before her. It was her reward for the night. The light glare against it shone deep technicolour instead of the typical whiteness. She caught the reflection of the sleeping Twilight in it and smiled.

The sun had already set and now only candles lit the space.

At the foot of the bed Illustrious was splayed out, crying. Rarity had tried to ignore her for a few minutes now, but she knew the princess wouldn’t stop if she didn’t give her what she wanted. Attention.

“Darling, it is most unbecoming of a princess of your beauty to weep so.”

“Nopony loves me. Nopony ever will,” she brooded.

Rarity sighed, unamused, twirling the shard in midair. “That isn’t true and you know it.”

“Easy for you to say! Right now you have a marefriend all cuddled up next to you! One, whom may I remind you, called your name for the last two hours straight!” she said pointing to Twilight and then her pitiful self. “I’m just alone! And ugly!”

“So am I. Twilight would have never done this... My first loving encounter was me just thinking... Isn’t that funny? It felt so real, but it wasn’t.”

Illustrious stopped crying and looked up at the unicorn, sniffling and wiping a few tears away.

“In all honesty, this has been quite the enlightening experience. I learned I’ve been wrong about a lot of things. I might love Twilight and I only have every reason to think she doesn’t really feel the same way.”

“Why not? What’s she really like?”

Rarity laughed sweetly. “I don’t think I’m the best source for information anymore because she isn’t this. She’s nothing like what you saw.” She gestured at the dozing librarian. “She’s a gem through. The kindest, most innocent, sweetest of ponies. It surprises me how readily I put her into such a devious fantasy.”

Rarity became lost deep in thought.

“It’s funny, she never talks about love or anything of the sort, always trotting about with her nose in a one book or another. Maybe it’s just the romantic in me, but she always seemed so lonely. And as a standing testament, I know a mare will always find time to daydream about love if she’s lonely.”

“I know I do,” Illustrious agreed quietly.

“We both know the hopeless romantic’s heart well, don’t we?” Rarity smiled, but it quickly faded. “The way she looks at me, looks up to me, talks with me... I sort of figured that she might daydream about me like I do about her.” Rarity’s eyes became soft and gentle. “In real life, she has this one look. A blush that I sometimes think about for hours. It’s so perfect and I love it.”

“Okay, now you’re just shoving in my face how cute of a couple you are.” She cracked a smile. “You’re aware of how lucky you are, aren’t you?”

“After tonight, I am. That look, that blush, it stole my heart. I’m certain that whenever she wears it, she is happy to be around me and I’m happy to be around her.” Rarity looked at the reflection in the shard. “Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen her wear it around anypony else.”

Illustrious sighed. “That’s so romantic... Maybe when we make it out, I might be able to find somepony like that...” she said, holding her hooves up to her cheeks. “Oh well, at least we found some colour.”

“I advise you look somewhere else, this hopeless unicorn is mine.” Rarity squeezed her and kissed her lightly on the cheek, evoking an adorable whimper.

She looked into the mirror shard and saw them together, herself and Twilight. “And that we did, we found our first colour.”

“A beautiful blend of colour.”

---

Rarity and Illustrious left while Twilight slept. The door led to the hallway of the Ponyville Inn on the other side of town. The ceiling lights were close to the end of their lives, buzzing and humming, giving off old, amber light. The carpet was stained and musty. Despite being washed weekly, it had clearly been run though. The plaster of the walls were chipping and the wallpaper had been been worn off shamelessly.

“Oh... W-well, this shouldn’t look like this,” Illustrious stammered. “You’re still thinking deeply it seems.”

Rarity’s face dropped in horror. “I know I am... And I know where we are...”

“How come I have a feeling that that’s a bad thing? This is a reflection, isn’t it?”

“Let’s just say that when I was a little filly, I had a wild, uncontained imagination... I imagined monsters and dreamt of nightmares.”

The lights suddenly flashed out, leaving them in pitch blackness, save a few faint, burning coils in the bulbs.

“And I was also absolutely terrified of the dark...”

The ice in Rarity’s stomach grew.