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.”

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