Night Crawlers

Sweetie Belle shot through the double doors, using her newfound magic to fling them open. "Where's Rarity?! Where's my sister?!" She panted, then ran to Twilight. "Tell me!"

"Your sister isn't dead, Sweetie." Twilight pulled the little filly close to her. "She's just very sick. The doctors don't know what's wrong with her, but we'll be able to go see her in a minute. Okay?"

"Okay." Seeing Sweetie Belle for the helpless and vulnerable filly she was nearly broke Twilight's heart. She sniffed and hugged her a little tighter. But that's nothing on Applejack's condition. Twilight thought. I haven't seen her this worried since the Flim Flam brothers incident.

Applejack was staring vacantly at the floor, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Her jade eyes held no emotion except pain and fear. She hadn't even looked up when Sweetie Belle flung the doors open.

Twilight went over to sit with Applejack, maybe provide some comfort. "Hey, Rarity's going to be okay, Applejack." Twilight put on her brave face. "She's awake, at least."

"Twilight, can I tell ya somethin'?" Applejack said suddenly.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Ah've had a crush on Rarity for a few months now." AJ blushed. "I mean, I would go out of my way to stop and talk to her when she passed by. And...seein' her like this...Ah hope you understand a little better why Ah'm so upset."

Twilight patted her friend on the shoulder. Sweetie Belle joined the two in waiting after a moment, and curled up on AJ's other side. Nothing was said. They merely sat there, waiting to see their sick friend.

"Miss Sparkle, Miss Apple, you may now see Rarity. Her room number is 2-24."

They ran up the stairs and down a hall until they found Rarity's room. She lay propped on a large number of pillows, weakly smiling when they came in.

"Rarity! I thought you were dead or something!" Sweetie Belle skittered up onto her sister's bed and lay there with her, staring into Rarity's eyes with a gleeful expression.

"Sweetie, you'd best get down, and I'm not dead." Rarity's laugh quickly morphed into a coughing fit, and Applejack ran to assist her.

Sweetie Belle climbed down from Rarity's bed. Applejack gave Rarity a glass of water, which she managed to gulp down through her coughs. "Thank-cough-thank you Applejack."

"No trouble, Rares. How do you think you got this way, anyhow? Yesterday you were bright an' sunny, an' now you're lyin' in a hospital bed." Applejack sat on the rim of Rarity's cot, looking at her.

Rarity's gaze turned down. Eventually she spoke, but quietly; "Last night somepony attacked me."

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Who attacked you? I want to find out so we can report it to the police." Twilight piped up. The others nodded.

"I heard Opal yowling, then a thin shriek, and I woke up to see the pony smack Opal against the wall. I told them to leave or I'd use the pair of sewing scissors I was levitating. The pony pinned me down first, I remember her-its nose was curved like a mare's-leaning down as if to kiss me on the neck, then I woke up on the floor this morning."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Well, I'll go report this to the mayor, everypony should be on high alert." Twilight was the first to break the silence. She headed out. "I'll visit again in a bit, alright, Rares? Oh, and what did this mystery pony look like?"

"Pale coat, not pure white, but creamy-colored. Dark mane and tail, scruffy like Rainbow's. It had wings like a bat."

"I'll tell the mayor. Thanks for the description."

Rarity waved as the last of Twi's tail disappeared through the door. "Ah've gotta go as well, Rare, chores and such. See ya."

Rarity waved for Applejack as well. She turned to look at Sweetie Belle, who was looking up at her. "Rarity, please don't say I have to go. I wanna stay here with you. It's scary being all alone in my room at your store."

"Sweetie, I don't think they'll let you stay." Rarity caressed Sweetie's face. "Be a good girl and go on home."

Sweetie Belle gave Rarity one last adoring glance before leaving, her tail and ears drooping. She told the receptionist lady that she was leaving, and she gave her a lollipop.

"I know how it is, honey."

****************

"Alright, I'll tell everypony to look out for these creatures. Thank you for informing me, Twilight."

"No problem, Mayor."

Twilight headed out, on her way back to the library, when Sweetie Belle bumped into her.

"Sorry, Miss Twilight, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Oh, no trouble, Sweetie. Coming back from the hospital?"

"Mhm. Rarity said the hospital wouldn't let me stay with her, and I'd have to go home. But...I don't want to. What if the same thing that attacked Rarity comes for me?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "You know...Sweetie Belle, you can stay at the library for a bit. If you wanted to."

Sweetie instantly perked up. "Really, Twilight? You mean it?"

"Yep. I'll set up my extra bed. Why don't you go and get your things that you think you'll need. It'll be like an extra-long sleepover."

Sweetie jumped in the air with excitement. "Oh, thank you Twilight! I'll make myself useful, I promise!" She ran off to get her things. Twilight watched her endearingly, then headed home to set up her cot.

*****************

Sweetie Belle appeared in the doorway just as Twilight was finishing up. "Could you get that for me, Spike?" Twilight yelled down the stairs. Spike opened the door. Sweetie Belle looked surprised, but then looked down. "Oh, hi there Spike! Twilight said I could stay with you guys until it was safe again."

"Oh, okay. Twilight's pretty much done setting up the extra bed. You can go on up."

Sweetie headed up the stairs as Twilight draped a pink blanket over the cot. "Oh, Sweetie Belle! You go ahead and make yourself at home, I'll be downstairs studying."

Sweetie Belle nodded. Twilight could tell she was still shaken, giving her a hug and a small kiss, then heading down. Once she was sure nopony could hear her, the dam broke. The hug and kiss...that was so Rarity it hurt. She was certain that Twilight didn't know that, and just wanted to show her she cared, but it still ached. She cried harder.

After about 7 minutes, her sobs turned to deep, shuddering hiccups. She curled up on the bed next to her saddlebags, and pulled out the little doll Rarity had made her, Bunny. It was a little pink dog-like plush, and she equalled it to a blankie. She hugged it close. "Bunny, I'm scared. Even though I'm with Twilight and she'll keep me safe, I'm still scared that whatever got Rarity's going to get me. And what about Scootaloo? Or Apple Bloom? What if it gets them? They're my only friends, I don't want to lose them."

Sweetie pressed her face into the pillow, a fresh flood of tears spilling onto it. A knock on the door jolted her out of her weeping, and she peeked downstairs to see who it was.

"Hey, Sweets! We heard about Rarity, and we wanted to come see if you were okay. We've been looking everywhere for you!"

Sweetie Belle perked up and bounced down the stairs. "Scoots, I'm okay. Rarity's in the hospital, but she's feeling better. I'm going to be staying at Miss Twilight's until it's safe again."

"You feel like crusadin' today, Sweets? We're tryin' for...what was it called, Scoot?"

"Parasailing cutie marks! You want to, Sweets?"

"I don't really feel like it today. But you girls can go ahead and try for them. Let me know if either of you get your marks."

"Alright, we will! See you, Sweetie!"

Sweetie leaned against the doorframe and waved goodbye. Then she headed back up to her room.

"Sweetie, you want to read for a bit with me? You can take a book up to your room if you want to be alone."

Twilight held up a book in her magic. Sweetie read the title aloud. "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade One."

"I have all 7 volumes. Since you started learning about magic today in school, I think a bit of follow-up studying is good for you, plus it'll help you keep your mind off things."

"Yeah, I think I'll read this for a little while. Thanks again, Twilight."

She took the tome in her own olive-green aura, then headed upstairs, her hoofalls noticeably heavier. She climbed up on the bed, and flipped to Chapter 5, Offensive Magic. Might as well learn a few good offensive spells beyond weak lasers. Sweets thought. I might need to defend myself in the future.