So the Grand Galloping Gala wasn't as grand as everypony had anticipated. Twilight hadn't been able to spend her quality time with Princess Celestia. Applejack hadn't gained any revenue from her apples. Rainbow Dash didn't get any time with her precious Wonder Bolts. Pinkie Pie was expecting a wild party, not a fancy and sophisticated one. Fluttershy didn't make any new animal friends. Even Rarity never found her true love.
But it was an alright night. The six friends, Spike, and even Princess Celestia had a wonderful night at the doughnut shop. They spent the night talking and laughing, joking about Fluttershy's outrage (she blushed like the rising sun), complimenting on Pinkie's 'Pony Pokie', and all the while stuffing themselves on sugary doughnuts.
All in all the night wasn't too much of a loss for any of them. Twilight still was able to keep in close relations with the Princess at home. Fluttershy already had copious amounts of animal friends at home. Rainbow Dash still loved to fly for the hopes of the Wonder Bolts. Pinkie Pie still was able to throw the best of parties. Applejack could still always sell apples to the rest of Ponyville. But what about Rarity? After her expectations of a gallant prince charming were smashed, she didn't have anything to fall back on. The rest of her friends had SOMETHING pertaining to their dreams at their 'best night ever' at Ponyville. All except for Rarity.
"Are you sure you're okay, Rarity?" Twilight asked as their carriage from the Gala arrived at Ponyville, "That Prince BlueBlood was awful to you the entire night!"
Rarity clenched her teeth at that name.
"Oh really, darling!" she replied, slapping a smile on her face, "A lady, such as moi, has enough dignity to brush that type of tramp out of mind!"
"We're just worried about your feelings..." came a quiet Fluttershy.
"Really," Rarity said, "I'm fine." she just wanted to be alone right now. The carriage stopped at Rarity's boutique.
"Well, I guess this is where I get off!" Rarity cooed, "I'll see you girls tomorrow. I had so much fun tonight!"
She stepped out of the carriage and watched it roll away, off to drop off it's other occupants. Rarity entered her boutique. The lights were off and everything was calm. She went upstairs to check on Sweetie Bell. Sweetie was fast asleep in her room, no doubt exhausted from playing with her friends. Rarity smiled and tucked her tighter into her blankets. She then made her way to her room.
Rarity closed the door of her room with a small 'click'. She gave a soft sigh. If anyone else heard that sigh, they'd know that something was wrong. Rarity removed her tiara and dropped it to the floor. One of it's jewels cracked. She didn't care. Rarity stripped off her dress, piece by piece, and left them littering her bedroom floor. She walked over to her desk. It was still covered with her ink bottles, quills, and dress designs for the Gala. Suddenly, her face contorted with pent up anger. She slammed her fore-hooves onto the desk and with a quick swipe, she knocked everything off of it. The designs went flying everywhere, the quills hit the wall and snapped, and the ink bottles shattered as they hit the floor, coating the walls, ground, and even Rarity in sickly black ink. She didn't care, though. No was watching.
Rarity's mind was racing both in fury and frustration. How dare that Prince Blue Blood treat her like the way he did?! She was a proper lady hoping for a proper love! She had been waiting her whole life for a chance to get a handsome prince to love. And what did she get after years of dreaming and hoping? An ASS! He was a straight up donkey of a pony! It broke her heart thinking about him and about every stallion in Ponyville. They didn't really love her! It was her reputation they loved! So what if she was beautiful? So what if she was rich? She wanted a true lover and it infuriated her knowing that she would never get what she wanted.
Seething in anger, Rarity walked up to a full body mirror. What she saw staring back almost frightened her. A white unicorn, dripping in back ink, with a look of abject fury was staring back. Her mane was a mess from her rage and her once shining coat was disheveled. Eye liner was streaked down her face from her tears of frustration adding on to her mad appearance. Breathing heavily, still irate with the night's events, Rarity turned around and, teeth clenched in anger, bucked the mirror as hard as she could. The mirror shattered and it's pieces littered the floor along with everything else.
Exhausted from her own rage of emotions, Rarity toppled over onto her side on the floor. She didn't even bother to clean herself up or get into bed.
'Maybe everything will feel better in the morning,' she thought, 'Maybe I'm not the only one angry about tonight...'
Rarity, the well mannered mare of Ponyville, fell into a troubled sleep in her wrecked room on the cold floor.
********
The next morning, Rarity woke up. Still on the floor covered in ink, she got up stiffly. She was sore from sleeping on the floor. No doubt Sweetie Bell was still asleep. So, taking that chance, Rarity quietly snuck into the restroom to clean up. Whether by magic or not, Rarity stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later looking as pristine and beautiful as ever. She decided to get some breakfast for herself and Sweetie at Sugar Cube Corner. Maybe a nice, sweet indulgence would calm her about last night.
Walking through Ponyville, Rarity received her usual greetings from the town's stallions.
"Mornin' Miss Rarity."
"Hullo Ms.Rarity!"
"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Rarity? "
"Looking stunning as usual, Rarity!"
Normally Rarity wouldn't have minded these compliments. But she couldn't help but let her mind wander. Did any of them actually know her besides her fashion reputation and good looks? Was she just popular with the stallions just for them to oggle at her? None of this attention was helping her at the moment.
"Hiya Rarity!"
Rarity entered Sugar Cube Corner and was greeted by Pinkie Pie.
"Hello Pinkie Pie!" she said with a false smile. She perused the stacks of baked goods. "May I have some of those strawberry croissants? They look wonderful!"
"Sure thing!" Pinkie said placing a few in a box, "Anything else?"
"No thank you dearie," Rarity replied, "I'm just here to get some breakfast for me and Sweetie Bell."
But Pinkie didn't seem to be listening. She was staring hard at Rarity. Rarity had the strangest feeling like she was being x-rayed.
"I-is everything alright, Pinkie?" she asked.
"I should be asking you the same thing." Pinkie pie replied, "Is something the matter?"
"Wh-what?" Rarity stuttered, "Why would you ever say that? I'm fine!" She gave a wave of her hoof as if to brush off the subject.
"If you say so Rarity..." Pinkie stilled looked worried.
"So... How much do I owe you for these?" asked Rarity.
"Oh you don't need to pay!" chirruped Pinkie with a wide smile, "Free of charge!"
"Oh, but I couldn't!" Rarity said. Pinkie placed the box of pastries on her back and shot behind the counter. She gave Rarity a warm smile.
"Oh... Very well," Rarity said defeated, "Thank you very much Pinkie."
"No Problem!" she replied with a wave, "Try an cheer up though, okay?"
Rarity walked out the the bakery not feeling a lot better than before. She made her way slowly to her boutique, not watching where she was going.
"RARITY!!"
She looked up. Rainbow Dash was soaring above her, now diving towards her. She landed right in front of Rarity.
"Rarity!" she said loudly again, "I need your advice!"
"On what?" asked Rarity.
"Uhm... How do I act... Pretty?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"What do you mean?" Rarity said, cocking an eyebrow.
"Uh... Well... You promise not to tell anyone?" she asked.
"I Pinkie Pie Promise!" Rarity said smiling.
"Okay, well, I got a letter this morning from Soarin, you know, one of the Wonder Bolts, and guess what it said! Soarin asked me out on a date! Me!"
Dash gave a high picked fan-squeal.
"I couldn't believe it! A member of the Wonder Bolts! And he asked me out on a date!" She continued.
"O-oh!" Rarity finally said, "I'm so happy for you!" How did a ruffian like Rainbow Dash get a date with a celebrity faster than her? She could feel icy jealousy creeping up her spine. The two spent the next fifteen minutes discussing Dash's grooming and tips on how to be more refined.
"Thanks a ton Rarity!" Rainbow Dash said, hugging her.
"Not at all dear!" Rarity replied, patter her on the back. Rainbow Dash zoomed off.
Rarity was now seething. How was it that her own dreams of a lover rubbed off onto some one else? Much less Rainbow Dash? Grumbling to herself, she finally made her way back to her boutique.
"Finally!" called Sweetie Bell, "I thought you'd be gone forever!"
"I'm sorry Sweetie," she replied, "I was held up! But don't worry! I've got breakfast right here!"
The two sisters spent the morning eating their pastries and talking with each other.
"Oh that reminds me," Rarity said through a mouthful of croissant, "Why don't you go out and play with your friends for today? I'm expecting a visit from Hoity Toity later this afternoon."
"Wow sis," Sweetie replied, "You're getting real famous now, huh?"
"Well, I wouldn't say 'famous'," she replied with a smile.
"Don't worry Rarity!" Sweetie said taking another large bite, "I won't bother you! I'm going crusading today anyways!" She gave Rarity a smile.
After breakfast was done, Sweetie Bell gave Rarity a tight hug and left to meet with Applebloom and Scootaloo. Rarity was finally left alone. She took one of her pony mannequins upstairs into her room. It was still messy and disheveled from the night before. She placed the mannequin at the center of the room. She circled around it, concentrating all of her frustrations and stress into it. It made her even angrier staring at it.
With her unicorn magic, she picked up a pair of sharp scissors. With all of her might, she rammed the scissors into the mannequin's side. If it were a real pony, it would be screaming in pain. She removed the scissors and some cotton fell out of the stab wound. Again she stabbed the mannequin, this time in the head. Then again she attacked it, stabbing it's back.
Rarity, blind with pent up rage and fury continued to massacre the mannequin.
"Why. Can't. I. Be. HAPPY?!" she screamed, punctuating each word with a stab with the scissors. She dropped the scissors from her magic and picked them up with her mouth. She continued to tear at the pony mannequin, bits of fluff and a leg of it falling to the floor.
She stepped away, tears streaking her face and scissors still clenched in her mouth. She was breathing heavily and still full of rage. Bits and pieces of the fake pony were strewn across the floor. It's head was lying next to her. Strangely, Rarity didn't feel bad about her actions. She was just relieving stress. Yes. That was all. She wasn't crazy.
Again, Rarity freshened up in the restroom. She then headed downstairs to await Hoity Toity. Right on cue, he arrived along with two other fashion observers.
"Good afternoon Mr.Toity!" Rarity said bowing her head a bit.
"Yes, and to you as well." he said looking around, "I hope your talent hasn't diminished since last we met?"
"O-oh no! Not at all, sir!" Rarity said. She may still be irate, but she still had to act like a lady.
"Good!" Hoity Toity said with a smile, "I need something new. Something fabulous to show the world, that a new fashion wave is on it's way! Modern. Simple. Elegant. Bold! And I want you to do it!"
"Oh I didn't know..." Rarity said, "I haven't really been myself lately..."
"But you're the best!" Hoity Toity replied taking off his glasses, "Only you have the eye, the talent to put things together and make them beautiful!"
Rarity's eyes suddenly grew wide at these words.
"I'll... Think about it..." she said slowly, staring into space.
"Good!" Hoity Toity said with a skip, "I'll await your decision by letter shall I?" With that, he slipped on his glasses and left the boutique.
Rarity stood there, still staring in to space. She was thinking about what Hoity Toity had said earlier. 'Only you have the eye, the talent to put things together and make them beautiful!'
He was right, wasn't he? She was the best fashionista in all of Ponyville, perhaps even in all of Equestria. And it was her special talent to be able to take different patterns, designs, and fabrics to create a magnificent dress and works of art. That's what she was best at and it was her true calling in life. Her cutie mark was proof! So why can't she do that with ponies?
Rarity bolted upstairs into her room. She looked around at the pieces of the mannequin she had destroyed earlier. She picked up a leg and a part of it's torso. Yes, it was just like a puzzle! Like another dress! Rarity walked around her room gazing around at the pieces of fake pony on the floor. It couldn't be difficult to make another pony, could it? Thread by thread, stitching it together? Putting it together, piece by piece? And if she DID do it, he would be perfect! She'd make him just they way she wanted! No flaws, no pompous attitude, and just undying love for her! For Rarity!
Still wandering her room, she came across the mannequin's head. Rarity sat down on her rump and picked it up with her fore hooves. She could picture it. A dashing smile, sophisticated eyes, and a flowing mane. She hugged the head to herself at the thought. She started to giggle. After a few seconds, she gave out a loud "Hah!" If she couldn't find the perfect stallion, she would make one. Sitting on the floor still cradling the mannequin's head, Rarity started to sing.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming,
I'll make you from scratch,
I'll stitch you together.
We'll be a perfect match,
Together forever.
So perfect and loving.
I'll make you divine,
And be ever so happy
To call you mine."
*********
It was about two weeks after the Gala and life seemed to be normal in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash's date had gone well (she even had another one planned), Applejack was still selling, and Twilight was as studious as ever. Even Rarity's attitude had changed for the better. She could be found prancing around town purchasing packages here and there. They were probably things for her new fashion or something. She must be feeling better! She was always humming a song as she went about her errands. She must have made it up herself.
All of her friends seemed to be getting along fine as well. At first they were worried about Rarity and the whole BlueBlood fiasco, but from what they could see, she seemed to have gotten over it. All except for Pinkie Pie. She still knew something was out of place...
Rarity entered her shop, another large package wrapped in her tail. This was it. Tonight she could get started. Sweetie Bell was out to school and wouldn't be back for a few hours. Rarity trotted up to her room and closed the door. She placed the package on her bed and slipped on her red glasses as she made her way to her desk.
On the desk was a set of the most peculiar designs and instructions you'd have ever laid your eyes on. Instead of intricate designs for dresses and outfits, there were diagrams of ponies. Each and every part of a male pony was laid out on paper in red ink. There were instructions on what went where, which nerve connected to which, what organ went where, and how much blood was in the average stallion. Diagrams of the skeletal system were posted here and there along with pictures of muscle placement.
Rarity gave an excited giggle as she over looked her plans for the perfect lover. She wanted a strong physique, much like that hunk Big Macintosh. She also wanted a healthy and colorful mane. Oh, and the eyes. She can't forget the eyes. After almost two weeks of eager planning and research, she could finally get started.
Rarity slipped off her glasses and picked up her new package. She left her room and moved up to the boutique's attic. Instead of a normal storage area, it had been converted into something like an operation room. In the middle was a table, much like the ones doctors used. Around it were shelves containing tools. Some were sharp and precise like a scalpel or a pair of fine tweezers. Others were large and crude like hack saws and cleavers. Her newest package contained a small device to pump blood in and out of a body. She set this down and looked around. 'Yes,' she thought to herself, 'I have everything I need!'
As Sweetie Bell returned home and night fell, Rarity prepared for her night's adventures. After she tucked Sweetie Bell in and made sure that her attic door was locked, she went to her room. She came out of it with a large bundle on her back. She was covered in a black veil to hide her vibrant white coat. The last thing she wanted was somepony seeing what she was about to do.
Rarity exited her boutique and moved with a skip in her step. She again started to sing.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming,
I'll make you from scratch,
I'll stitch you together.
We'll be a perfect match,
Together forever.
So perfect and loving.
I'll make you divine,
And be ever so happy
To call you mine."
As she wandered, happily lost in her thoughts, she reached her destination. Ponyville Mortuary. This was the place deceased ponies would be sent to be prepared for burial. This is where they'd be freshest. No one would be here at this time of night, so she would have the whole place to herself. Using her magic, she clicked open the locked doors. Rarity slid through them and quietly closed them behind her. Now to get her supplies!
After a few minutes of wandering the dark and eerie facility, Rarity found herself facing a large metal door. This was it. This was where her prince charming was waiting for her. She pulled the handle on the door and shoved it open. As Rarity entered the large room, she gave a soft gasp of amazement. The room was filled with rows upon rows of corpses and cadavers. Stallion and mare alike, each on its own table. Rarity walked along the aisles, eyes wide, her face set with a mad grin, and heart thumping. Each wore a look of calm on their faces not moving a millimeter. They just laid there quiet and still, as if waiting for Rarity to take her pick. It was just like shopping for new fabrics. Different sizes, different patterns, and different designs. There were old mares who died from old age, young stallions dead from accidents or sickness, and even foals and fillies. The room was cold, no doubt to further preserve the bodies. But Rarity couldn't help but notice that here couldn't possibly be this many dead in Ponyville alone. She looked at the tags on some bodies.
"Canterlot," she read aloud quietly. She picked up another, "Manehattan."
So they weren't only from Ponyville. Rarity didn't mind however. She wanted some variety! She dropped her bundle and pulled out several body bags and a hack saw. She then took out a slip of parchment. It looked like a shopping list. She smiled as she looked down at it. First she would need a torso. Then fore arms. Then hind legs. Then a full set of organs. Then a mane. Then, last and most definitely not the least, the head and perfect face. As Rarity perused the aisles of bodies, she made sure they were in prime condition.
Perhaps this one? No, the chest was too small. Maybe this? No, that wouldn't do. This one was too mangled. How about this one? Nah, too old. But THIS one was perfect! Nice chiseled abdominal, a muscular chest, it would fit perfectly. And no damage to the body! Struck in the head by blunt trauma and hemorrhaged, but she didn't need this head.
Rarity picked up a body bag and magicked the corpse into it. He was heavy but it wasn't anything Rarity's magic couldn't handle. She looked down at her list and crossed out 'Torso' and 'Organs'. She gave a quiet giggle... Next, the limbs and head!
Rarity continued to stroll through the chilled room. Perhaps this stallion? No no no, that one over there has a much more fit body. She looked down upon yet another corpse. It had lean and muscular fore arms. No doubt this was a train puller from the train station. Yes, these would do just fine! With a wide smile, Rarity picked up the hack saw using her magic. She lifted it up above her head and swung it down upon the corpse, just above one of it's shoulders. The saw landed with a sickly THUNK as it cleaved through the dead flesh and hit the bone.
Although the body was dead, it still contained copious amounts of blood. As Rarity hit the body with the saw, a small amount of blood sprayed out at her. Looking down at herself, Rarity gave a annoyed groan. She's have to scrub extra hard to get the blood out of her coat! Pushing this thought aside, she started to saw at the bone. Back and forth, the saw ground it's way through the thick bone until it cut all the way through. Rarity picked up the now dripping and severed limb and placed it in another body bag. She then walked over to the other side of the stallion's corpse. With another swift and wet THUNK, Rarity started on the other fore arm. Soon after, the body lay bloody, dripping, and armless.
Splattered in blood that was starting to dry, Rarity checked off 'Arms' on her list. What should she go for next? The head? The hind legs?
"Wh-HEY!!"
Rarity's eyes grew wide. She whipped around to the door of the refrigerated room and saw a young stallion. His coat was white and his cutie mark was a shiny yellow star, no doubt to symbolize his job as a security guard.
"What are you doing here?!" he yelled, "And what in Celestia's name are you doing to the bodies?!"
"Please, sir, just leave me alone..." Rarity said quietly.
"Wha-? No!" the guard yelled. He was confused and horrified at the scene in front of him. A mare with a black veil was covered in blood and surrounded by corpses. He slowly approached her. He hadn't seen the saw.
"Ma'am," he said, "I-I'm afraid I'll have to take you to the authorities."
"Please leave me alone..." Rarity continued turning her back on the guard. "I'm very busy..."
The guard was right behind her. His stomach churned as he came closer. The stallion's body was missing it's arms and the table it was on was dripping with pools of cold blood. What was this mare doing?!
"Please go away..." Rarity said again.
"Ma'am," the guard continued, "I must-" but he never finished.
"I SAID 'PLEASE'!!"
A slash of serrated metal and a splatter of crimson, the guard stumbled a few steps back. He tried to speak but all he could do was gurgle messily as warm blood spewed from his mouth. He lifted a hoof to his throat and felt a large horizontal tear in it. Rarity had swung the saw across backwards at the guard and tore his throat wide open.
He lifted both hooves to his gaping throat, hopelessly trying to stop the uncontrollable bleeding. He looked up, bleeding to death, to see Rarity hovering over him. Her eyes ran the length of his face and then stopped at his eyes.
"My my my," she said quietly with a grin and her pupils contracted madly, "You have very pretty eyes... Perhaps I can use you."
Already so weak from so much blood loss, the nameless guard could do nothing but watch as Rarity laid him on his back in his own pool of blood. He couldn't move or resist. But he could still feel pain. Rarity slid the saw into the cut in the guard's throat and slowly began to saw back and forth. In a last scream of pure agony and pain, the saw cut through the vocal cords, silencing the twitching body. After a few minutes however, the guard's body lay limp and headless.
"Perfect," Rarity said, lifting up the head with her magic examining it. It was still warm and dripping with blood. "Hm, but his face isn't quite what I had in mind. Perhaps I'll have to make a new face..."
And she did just that. Rarity went around the chilled room, sawed off, and collected a total of five pony heads from the corpses. She then proceeded to obtain her legs and mane. She threw the heads into a body bag and legs and mane into another.
She picked her four bags filled with her 'parts' easily with her magic and stepped out of the room. She looked back and saw the room stained in red and mutilated bodies everywhere. This didn't bother her, though. No one would know it was her. No one would expect perfect and well mannered Rarity for this mess. She smiled and gave a soft giggle as she closed the door and exited the mortuary. And nopony else knew what went on that night.
**********
It was the afternoon after Rarity's 'shopping trip' when Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash burst into her boutique.
"Rarity!" Twilight yelled, "Have you seen the morning paper?!"
"Why?" Rarity said trying to act surprised, "What happened?!"
"Somepony broke into the bone house," Applejack started, "An' chopped th' place up!"
"Oh my!" Rarity gasped.
"'The corpses in the mortuary,'" Rainbow Dash started to read over Twilights shoulder, "'were found this morning mutilated and disturbed. A few were missing heads, one was missing arms, and another missing it's legs. The intruder had also murdered and beheaded the night guard of the mortuary.'!"
Fluttershy hid in the corner, sobbing.
"You don't think there's murderer loose in Ponyville, do you Twi?" asked Rainbow Dash, eyes wide with concern, "Because nothing like THIS has ever happened before..."
"There seems to be a mad pony in town," Twilight said, hoof raised in thought, "But what's strange is that who ever did this was doing some kind of 'harvest'. What do you think Pinkie Pie? Pinkie Pie?"
Everypony turned to look at Pinkie. She was standing behind all of them, uncharacteristically quiet. She was staring straight ahead with a disbelieving look.
"I think who ever did this," she started to say slowly, "Was, and still is, very upset..." She kept staring at Rarity.
Rarity's heart almost skipped a beat. Did Pinkie Pie know? But how could she? Was it her 'Pinkie Sense'? No, it couldn't be. She was just using logic. Of course a murderer would have to be upset. But that didn't point anything to Rarity.
"Well," Twilight started to say, "I should report this to the Princess. I suggest that we keep an eye out and protect ourselves and our friends as best we can. But in the mean while, we should return to our normal routines."
"I'll discuss things with Big Macintosh, too." Applejack said.
"And I'll try and keep a look out for anything strange." Rainbow Dash said with a salute.
"Me too..." Pinkie Pie said quietly.
They all waved and said good bye as they left Rarity by herself. Perhaps she should be a bit more subtle next time... But now wasn't the time to worry about that.
Rarity made her way upstairs. Sweetie Bell, again out with her friends, was absent and left the boutique empty for Rarity. She reached the landing and called down the hidden steps to the attic. As she entered it, a strong sharp scent greeted her. Well, obviously she needed to continue to preserve the body parts and her magic and some extra chemicals did just that. Rarity put on a clear raincoat.
The makeshift operation room was now fully set. A total of six severed heads, eyes closed and mouths slightly agape, were propped up on a shelf on one wall. The limbs were laid out on a separate smaller table under them. But on the main center table was the base, the canvass where Rarity would create her best work of art. Her soon-to-be prince charming was in this room. She just had to put him together.
As eager as Rarity was, she had already begun her work. The full body of the stallion she had taken for the torso was already 'prepared'. It's limbs and head were cut off. The important nerves and blood vessels were delicately left intact, branching out of the main body of the torso like small roots from a tree. The discarded parts were left in a large bin in the corner of the attic.
On another wall of the attic, Rarity's designs were posted. Her self-made instructions and diagrams were there, showing her final product. She had designs for the perfect face, mane, and body frame. She knew exactly where each important nerve ending, vein, and artery had to go.
"At this rate," Rarity said to herself, "And without any interruptions, I should be done in a few days!"
She stilled over to the table with limbs and carried the legs and arms to the center of the room. She lifted one forearm to the torso. Rarity then picked up a needle and thread and started her long and tedious work. Stitch by stitch, she sewed the arm on as she would a sleeve to a dress, carefully attaching the right nerves and vessels. After about three hours of bloody sewing, she stepped back to admire her work. One limb, three more to go. Rarity gave the one arm a firm tug. Yes, it was attached perfectly. She laid her head down onto the torso.
"Soon, my prince. Soon..."
********
"Hey sis?"
"Yes, Sweetie Bell?"
It had been a few days since the newspaper article about Rarity's little adventure had been published. Everypony was still talking in hushed whispers and looking out for the still loose criminal.
"You've been cooped up upstairs a lot these past few days," Sweetie Bell said. The two sisters were in Sweetie Bell's room, both cleaning up. "What the hay are you doing up there? I hardly get to talk to you anymore!"
"Oh, don't trouble your little head about it," Rarity replied, "I'm just working on a huge project, that's all."
"Oh like a dress?" Sweetie asked.
"Yes, yes something like that." Rarity said.
"Oh, what kind?" Sweetie Bell continued, "What color is it? Is it for another party? Can i go too? Is it pretty? I'll bet it's beautiful! When will it be done?"
Rarity gave a small sigh and pursed her lips. Were all little sisters this annoying and nosey or was it just hers?
"Oh! Oh! Can I see it?"
"Absolutely NOT!" Rarity shouted.
Sweetie Bell shut her mouth at once and her eyes widened a bit. Rarity had never raised her voice at Sweetie before. Even when she had cut up Rarity's gold silk, she never yelled at her.
"O-okay sis..." Sweetie Bell said shrinking quietly, "I won't go near it. I promise..."
Rarity turned away from her. She shouldn't have yelled like that.
"This is going to be surprise!" she said in a false happy voice, "And if anything, I don't want to spoil it!"
"If you say so..." Sweetie started to back out of the room, "Uhm, also, Pinkie Pie's been looking for you. But i told her that you were busy..." She left the room, presumably to find her own friends.
All of these interruptions! At this rate, her lover would never be finished! And Pinkie Pie? She definitely knew something... Rarity had to keep a closer eye on her.
Again, Rarity found herself in her attic along with a half finished stallion. The legs and arms were attached and the organs were still in prime condition. On a separate table, the six heads were stationed there, taking part in Rarity's next step. The heads were propped up side by side. Five seemed to be missing parts. The one other was being tended to by Rarity and her scalpel.
She slid the blade into the base if the head, where the neck met the back of the head. She made a horizontal cut from ear to ear. Rarity then made an incision from the top of the head, down to the base. She held on to two flaps of flesh at the back of the head and pulled. With a sound like separating Velcro, the skin and meat slowly tore off of the skull. A few minutes passed until all that was left was a bare and bloody skull. Rarity laid the face she had torn off flat on the table. Now all she had to do was piece together the perfect face the way she saw fit.
She took many different pieces. Parts of the muzzle, cheek, chin, jaw, forehead, temple, and eyelids. Using her skills and eyes of a sick and twisted fashionista, she arranged and rearranged the pieces. Like the pieces to a bloody and fleshy puzzle, the face slowly came together, sewn in a white thread. Rarity picked up the quilt of pony flesh and stretched it over the bare skull she had made earlier and sewed it in place, occasionally using the stapler.
Standing back to see her newest work of art, Rarity gave a small chuckle. What she saw would cause any normal pony to vomit. In front of her sat a stallion's head. It's face was scattered with mismatched colors of different coats. Stitches and scars were left streaking across its surface. The skin and flesh of six different individuals were now attached to one head, creating the perfect face.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming,
I'll make you from scratch,
I'll stitch you together..."
She carried the dripping head off of the table and onto the center table that had the main body.
"We'll be a perfect match,
Together forever.
So perfect and loving..."
Rarity positioned it on top of the torso on the neck. She pulled out her needle and twine.
"I'll make you divine,
And be ever so happy
To call you mine..."
Rarity gazed down at the face of her perfect lover. Soon, he'd be walking with her and caring for her. She leaned in and kissed the head on it's cold, bloody lips.
And well into the night and until morning, the crazed and lonely seamstress sewed her way through the flesh that was to be her perfect husband. And as she did it, all she did was smile and sing.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming,
I'll make you from scratch,
I'll stitch you together.
We'll be a perfect match,
Together forever.
So perfect and loving.
I'll make you divine,
And be ever so happy
To call you mine."
*********
A few more days passed when the six friends were gathered around a cafe table. They hadn't had any adventures after their "best night ever," and were eager to get together again. Especially Rarity. Nopony ever saw her these days. Only her sister, Sweetie Bell, would be able to talk to her before she was shooed out of Rarity's house to play. They had met for lunch and were idly talking, occasionally passing gossip.
"So Dash," piped up Applejack, "How're you an' Soarin gettin' along?"
"He's kind of a klutz," she said with a giggle, "But what the hay. I love him!"
The six mares all giggled in their girl talk.
"Hey Rarity," Twilight said, "When are you going to introduce us to this 'prince charming' of yours? After what you've told us, you two seem to be seeing each other a lot!"
"Oh yes, he's quite the charmer!" Rarity said proudly, "He's everything I've ever dreamt of!"
"So when will we be able to meet him?" asked Fluttershy.
"Oh soon enough," Rarity replied. Yes, just a bit more time and he'd be finished.
"So where did you say he was from?" Pinkie Pie asked with a slight grin.
"Ah..." Rarity paused, "From... Canterlot! He's very refined."
"Right," Pinkie said still smiling, "Maybe Twilight has heard of him?"
"O-oh would you look at the time!" Rarity stammered looking at her bare wrist, "I should really get back home and finish.... those things for Hoity Toity! I'll see you around, girls!"
And with that she sped off to her boutique.
"Do you think Rarity's been a bit... off lately? Y'know, distant?" Pinkie Pie said watching Rarity's trail of dust.
"Nah," Applejack said shaking her head, "I'll bet she's jus' flustered 'bout her new boyfrien' is all!" she looked at Pinkie with a slight smile, "An' shame on you fer eggin' her on like that."
"Yep," Pinkie Pie replied still watching Rarity's trail, "Silly ol' crazy, random me."
As Rarity entered her boutique, there were only three things on her mind. Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Bell, and her attic. Was Pinkie Pie interrogating her? Not likely... She didn't seem the type to do so. All Rarity had wanted to do was finish her project, but her somewhat pesky friends had called her up. And Sweetie Bell was alone at home. Rarity hoped to heaven that she wasn't tempted to poke around Rarity's attic. But then she remembered. Sweetie Bell was at school at this hour.
Rarity sighed in relief and giggled nervously. 'Silly me!' she thought to herself. Now she had the whole afternoon to-
Knock knock knock.
Rarity stamped her hoof in frustration. Who could that be now? She opened the door and saw Pinkie Pie.
"Oh hello Pinkie Pie!" she said through the door.
"Rarity," she said without even a 'hello', "I can tell when something's wrong. And before you do anything... drastic, please, I'm here for you if you need a friend." She gave Rarity a warm smile.
Rarity frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said haughtily, "And frankly, I don't think what I do is any of YOUR business. Now please, Pinkie, I'm very busy." And Rarity closed the door. She just had to put some finishing touches on her prince...
Pinkie stood outside the boutique, still in front of the closed door. Something was wrong with Rarity and she knew it. Pinkie Pie didn't know how, but she could feel it in her gut. She knew that somehow Rarity was connected to the murder on the newspaper article days ago. She had to tell some one.
Pinkie Pie ran back to the cafe she and the others had met at. Luckily they were still there.
"Guys!" Pinkie Pie shouted as she skidded to a stop at the table, "I can't hold this in any longer! I think Rarity was behind the murder!"
"What?" the other four replied at once.
"Yeah! And I think she's going to do something terrible!" Pinkie Pie continued.
"Pinkie Pie," Twilight said, "Think about who your talking about. This is RARITY. The most refined pony in all of Ponyville? And why would she want to murder in the first place?!"
"I don't know!" Pinkie said through gritted teeth, "But I just know she's doing SOMETHING!"
"Sugarcube," Applejack interjected, "If this is some kinda prank er joke, it's not very funny..."
"What?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"Uhm... Rarity would never do such a thing like that..." Fluttershy said quietly.
"But...!" Pinkie stammered. She just knew it! But she could not for the life of her explain it. She was getting very frustrated. Even her hair flopped down, straight and hanging down limply.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said finally, "I think we're gonna need a bit more proof than your 'Pinkie Sense' on this one, Pinkie Pie..."
"Proof?" she said seriously, "You want proof!? I'll get you your proof!"
"Why are you so determined to pin this on Rarity?!" Twilight said pointing a hoof threateningly at Pinkie.
"BECAUSE IT'S FOR HER OWN GOOD!!" she yelled and stormed off. She WAS trying to keep Rarity from doing something she would regret. She knew how it felt to have lost everything and desperately try to fill the void. The bucket of turnips and pile of rocks were perfect examples. But why had none of her friends believed her?
**************
It was a dark and stormy night.... No wait. It wasn't. It was a warm summer evening and everypony in Ponyville was headed to bed without a worry in the world. Except for two individuals. Pinkie Pie was still up, thinking about ways to get proof that would ultimately save one of her best friends, Rarity. The other individual WAS Rarity. She was finally finished.
She had convinced Sweetie Bell to have a sleep over at Sweet Apple Acres with her friends. Luckily for Rarity, she did not object. Upstairs in Rarity's lair, she was as proud as the day she had gotten her cutie mark. She stood at the center of the room covered in dried blood beside the center table. The stallion was finished. The perfect prince for Rarity was laying on the table, waiting to be held in Rarity's arms.
There were a number of small machines scattered throughout the room. A device to circulate blood was attached to the body. Another was keeping the blood at normal body temperature. A machine, an electrocardiogram, monitored the heart rate of the body, which now was flat-lined. This was it. Tonight was the night where Rarity's dreams would come true, where she would finally be happy, where she would finally have a happy ever after.
She stood back and firmly planted hooves on the floor. Eyes closed in concentration, her horn started to glow. She felt around with her magic in the corpse's body for it's heart. She found it and wrapped it in the magic. Rarity then strained as she charged up an electricity like spell. As it built up, she struggled to control it. Almost at her limit, sweat dripping off her face and mane in a mess, she released it. The enormous electric shock shot through the dead heart and throughout the rest of the body. The quilted corpse jerked once as the shock passed through. Rarity, panting from the spell, looked up. The electrocardiogram was still flat-lined. No pulse was present. No, this isn't right. He should be alive now. Why wasn't this working? She stood beside the still body of her prince-to-be.
"Wake up," she whimpered, "You're supposed to be awake. You're supposed to be perfect!"
Rarity just stood there. Her eyes were dripping with tears. Again she had failed to obtain her true love. Again, she had her hopes and dreams shot down and crushed. Rarity started to morn for the lover she could never love.
BLIP.
Rarity's eyes opened.
BLIP.
That was the electrocardiogram.
BLIP.
Eyes still bleary with tears, Rarity looked up to machine.
BLIP.
A pulse! There was a pulse! As the minutes slowly crawled by, the cardiogram's pulse started to speed up. Rarity walked over to the cardiogram and read the numbers. Three beats per minute. Seven beats per minute. Thirteen beats per minute. Nineteen. Twenty two. Twenty eight. Thirty five. Then finally, a constant forty one.
"That's it!" Rarity said silently, "That's the prime number!"
She looked at the now living body on the center table. He was definitely alive. But why was he still just laying there not breathing? As the cardiogram continued to make it's rhythmic noise and blood was continuing to pump through the body, Rarity looked at her creation in disappointment. She leaned in and kissed the body on it's lips.
As her lips touched the lips of the now living pony, the once dead quilted stallion's eyes snapped open. Rarity, startled by the sudden movement, jumped back. The now thriving stallion opened it's mouth and forcefully sucked in a chest full of air. It then turned to the side of the table and hacked up a pint of blood. Rarity gave a loud squeal of happiness. It was just like the fairy tales!
It was alive.
Rarity approached her creation, her new baby. Tears of joy were streaming down her face at the sight of him. Finally, her perfect prince charming was right in front of her.
"M-my love!" she said quietly, "My prince! My lover!"
The monster, still taking great lung-fulls of air looked up at Rarity. His eyes were mad and staring, no color in it's irises. The flesh on his face was stretched in places and quilted. Finally he opened his mouth again.
"I. Shouldn't. Be. Alive." he said in a raspy, gurgling voice.
"What?" Rarity said, still smiling and emotional from her success.
"Why. Why did you make me alive." the stallion said, still breathing heavily and staring.
"But... You're my lover!" Rarity said shakily, "I made you perfect! We're meant to be together forever!"
"I should not be alive..."
"Wha-?" Rarity started.
"I SHOULD BE DEAD." the monster bellowed, "It is not a pony's will to create life. That judgment does not belong to you."
"But... What?!" Rarity said, shocked at what she was hearing.
"What do I call you? Mother? Creator? Master? God?!" the stallion slid off the table and advanced towards Rarity, "Look at me. LOOK AT ME! Is this normal? Does this seem like something that should be done?! I have no soul. I was MANUFACTURED through the bodies of others! Life was never to be created unwillingly..."
"I made you," Rarity started, "So that we could be together! You're my perfect mate! My prince charming! My husband!"
"It burns when ever I breath," he continued, "Every step I take sends pain through my dead body. The blood pumping through these ponies' veins feel like ice. Why? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME EXIST?!"
Rarity was stunned in horror. This wasn't what she expected. She had hopes for a loving and willing individual under her creation.
"I shouldn't be alive." the stallion turned towards a shelf covered in sharp tools.
"Wait, what are you-" Rarity said watching him.
"I shouldn't be alive," the beast tore off the tubes connecting the blood to his body.
"No! Stop! You need that-!"
"I shouldn't be alive," He slowly stepped towards the shelf.
"Stop! No!"
"I shouldn't be alive," he picked up a large knife.
"Agh! No! What are you-!" Rarity shouted, running towards her 'prince'. "Don't! Please! I created you!"
The stallion plunged the knife into his own chest. A smile crept across his stretched face as the knife punctured his heart. Rarity stopped in place, eyes bulging in horror as she watched.
"I. Should. Be. DEAD." he said, stabbing the knife into himself with each word. The monster tumbled to the floor, knife still jutting out of his chest. Blood was pooling under him, the puddle growing wider and wider.
Rarity screamed in absolute horror. Her creation. Her most precious prince lay on the floor unmoving. She ran up to him and sat down next to him.
"M-my prince?" she stuttered quietly, "P-please wake up. You were supposed to be with me. Forever. You were to be mine. Get up..."
She held the bleeding corpse in her hooves. It's eyes were glazed over and unfocused and a content smile was spread across it's face.
"No." Rarity said, "This isn't right. You were supposed to love me. You were supposed to be perfect. We were supposed to be happy. Get up... Love me. Love me. Love me! LOVE ME!" By now, she was shaking the once again dead body.
Rarity dropped the body and it landed in the pool of blood with a loud 'splatter'. As a mother morned for her dead child, as a master whept at his ruined painting, as a child cried for his dead parent, and as a mare howled for her lost lover, Rarity sat in the pool of cold blood over her prince charming, tears streaming down her face mixing with the crimson, morning the loss of her prince and again and forever her hopes.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming,
From heart I had made you,
And hooves created,
To love like new
And with dreams elated.
We were to be
The happiest pair.
But then you left me
Alone to despair...
Oh, Why did you go?
You were to be mine.
But you tore out my heart,
And left me behind..."
*********
Pinkemina Diane Pie was looking into a window on the bottom floor of Rarity's boutique. She brushed her flat hair out of her eyes as she looked around. Nopony was inside and it was dark. Pinkemina opened the window and quietly slid in. She poked around for some clues that might lead her to Rarity's plans.
Pinkemina continued upstairs. Sweetie Bell wasn't there. She moved into Rarity's room and looked around. She walked to the desk to see if there was any information that could help her. She found strange instructions and designs. These weren't the normal things Rarity would come up with...
Suddenly Pinkemina looked up to the ceiling. She heard voices. They seemed to be arguing. Upstairs she could hear Rarity and somepony else. She couldn't recognize the voice. Even as she walked back into the hallway, Pinkemina could still hear the voices in the attic. But as she exited Rarity's room, there was a sudden commotion. She looked again to the ceiling. It sounded like somepony was fighting. There was a loud thump as something hit the floor of the attic. Then there was a scream. Rarity's scream. Something then started to leak through the floorboards in the ceiling. Tiny droplets started to rain down on her. Blood. Pinkemina stood there looking up in terror and confusion. What was going on? As she continued to stare at the ceiling, she heard crying.
Pinkemina summoned all the bravery she could muster and crept up the stairs leading to the attic. It was a dark and cold in the attic. Pinkemina couldn't see anything but a dim outline at the center of the room.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming..."
"R-Rarity?" she called out.
"Go away..." Rarity's voice came in a whisper, "Leave us alone..."
"Wh-what happened?" Pinkemina asked as she approached Rarity. As she took a step, her hoof landed into a wet puddle. It was too dark and couldn't tell what it was.
"Leave us alone..." Rarity continued to whisper, "Don't touch him..."
Pinkemina was standing right behind Rarity. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light. Her eyes widened as she realized what Rarity was leaning over. A young stallion had a knife sticking out of his chest. He seemed to be made up of nothing but bloody stitches and old flesh and was lying in a pool of blood. Pinkemina raised her hoof and saw that it too was drenched in crimson. She abruptly turned her head and emptied her stomach's contents.
"Rarity!" she shouted wiping her mouth, "You are the murderer!"
"No..." she whispered back, "I didn't. Please don't touch me..."
Pinkemina placed her hoof on Rarity's shoulder.
"I have to get you some help," she started to say, "You're crazy!"
"I. Said. PLEASE!"
Rarity grabbed the knife from the dead stallion's chest, wrenched it out, turned around, and thrust it through Pinkemina's throat.
Pinkemina fell back into the pool of blood. She looked down and raised both hooves to her throat. The knife was slid into her neck, the handle jutting out under her chin. Warm, sticky blood oozed from the wound, the knife still firmly stuck in place. She failed her limbs trying to save herself, but the damage was already done. As Pinkemina Diane Pie tried to take her last breath, her eyes rolled back in her head and she lay still, her blood streaming from her neck and mixing with the pool she lay in.
***********
"Welcome to Canterlot Asylum."
"Yes, thank you," Twilight Sparkle said to the receptionist, "I'm here to see my friend."
"Yes," the receptionist pony said, "right this way."
The two mares entered through a set of white double doors leading to the main asylum. It was composed of a long spiraling hallway, both walls on each side containing a patient in a cell behind a thick glass wall. There numerous individuals in the asylum. Ponies who had become mad from loss, obsessions, endured extreme mental trauma, etc., etc., etc.
Twilight and the receptionist reached the cell they were looking for. But somepony was already there.
"Princess Celestia?" Twilight called out.
The Princess was standing in front of the cell Twilight was looking to visit.
"I'll leave you two alone, shall I?" the receptionist asked and walked away.
"Hello, my faithful student," Celestia said quietly, "I was hoping you'd be able to better explain this to me than the reports."
Twilight walked up to the Princess and looked through the glass.
In the cell was her old friend. She was huddled in a corner looking thin and malnurished. Her mane was still the recognizable violet color, but it seemed to have faded a slight.
"This is Rarity," Twilight began, "From what I've gathered, she was driven passed the normal limitations of ponies. She was maddened by the thought of not being able to find a lover and decided to 'make' one herself."
"Create another being?" Celestia asked, "That's extremely dark magic and illegal..."
"Yes, I know," Twilight said with a sigh, "Rarity was driven by her obsession in creating the perfect mate. However, like every time before, the creation of another individual went wrong. Rarity's failure lead to into insanity."
"She's also committed murder," Celestia said coldly.
"Twice," Twilight corrected, "She murdered the security guard at the mortuary and eventually killed one of my fiends..."
Twilight stifled a sob as she thought about Pinkie Pie. She only had the best intentions for Rarity and ended up getting murdered for it.
"And she was like this when you found her?" Celestia continued.
"Yes. She was drenched in blood and sitting over her..."
"Monster?" Celestia finished.
"Uhm, yes..." answered Twilight, "And upon further inspection, we were able to tell that it was made from... a number of different individuals..."
"What about her sister?" Celestia asked, "She did live with her, didn't she?"
"Yes, she did," Twilight answered, "Sweetie Bell was of course extremely shocked to hear about what her sister had done. She was so traumatized, Sweetie Bell has actually blocked it out. She doesn't even remember that she had a sister..."
"Poor thing..." Celestia said looking down, "She lives with her parents now in Manehattan, so she is in good hooves."
Celestia gave a hollow sigh. Grave robbery, murder, and playing to be almighty. It pained her to see her subjects in this state. Insane and and pitiful.
"I think that is all I needed to know," she finally said, "I shall take my leave, Twilight." She gave Twilight a tight hug. "I hope you and your friends stay safe..."
Twilight Sparkle was left alone sitting in front of Rarity's cell, looking through the glass wall. She had a small stream of tears dribbling down her face. One friend driven to insanity and another dead by it's results. She saw how fragile one's psyche could be. All Rarity wanted was somepony more than a friend, more than just a companion. She wanted a true lover to care for her and love her. She wanted a life partner that would adore her and never take her for granted. And Twilight Sparkle's heart ached and she felt ashamed that she wasn't able to do that. She wiped her tears from her face and continued to watch Rarity.
As Rarity sat in her cell, trapped in her own mind, reliving the horror within her attic, she continued to sing, over and over and over again.
"Prince Charming, Prince Charming
My perfect Prince Charming,
From heart I had made you,
And hooves created,
To love like new
And with dreams elated.
We were to be
The happiest pair.
But then you left me
Alone to despair...
Oh, Why did you go?
You were to be mine.
But you tore out my heart,
And left me behind..."
~The sad end...~
