Five Tales

The Liberation War, Year 1.

6 months After Battle of Canterlot, (A.B.C.)

Operation Crescent. Day 75.

Rarity had a plan.

With Night Wing and her Sentinels’ arrival came a way to finally acquire the harbor wall plans and free Manehatten once and for all. It was only a matter of executing this mission, as quickly and as safely as possible.

First, extensive preparations were in order. Rarity committed to this, sitting patiently as she received one of the most complete make-overs she’s ever had.

The Elite stallion and his red collared mare that Night Wing’s team had captured were carrying an invitation by the highest echelons of the Elite to a nighttime event being held at the old Carneighgie Hall, which had been converted into a palace for the rulers of the city. The Cabal leadership had one of their largest bases attached to Carneighgie Palace, which had long been one of the many suspected places that housed the harbor wall plans. Rarity now knew for a fact that the plans were there.

In order to make use of the opportunity presented, Rarity decided upon the most direct means to reach the plans. She and Corbeau would impersonate the stallion and his slave. Something the wonders of cosmetics, and acting, could easily accomplish.

Standing for a moment to look over Rarity’s newly colored mahogany mane and tail, Coco Pommel crossed her arms. She twiddled a small brush between her fingers, carefully inspecting Rarity’s fur as well.

“That’s the closest shade we can get with what we have. Your fur being white makes it a lot easier to dye black too. Now, as long as we part your mane liiiike… There! Perfect!”

Rarity smiled as Coco finished fussing with her dyed mane, placing it just so it covered Rarity’s sheared horn. The red-collared mare she needed to impersonate was an earth pony. Luckily, Rarity’s own stub was small enough to be hidden by her glossy hair.

“Have you worked in theatre before, Coco?” asked Rarity, as another mare tenderly traced an outline of a new cutie mark on Rarity’s hip.

“I helped with a charity stage event in Manehatten for a long time. We’d do all sorts of plays and shows. Taught me a thing or two about makeup.” Coco Pommel replied, gently finishing the last tints of color applied to the fur on Rarity’s cheek.

“I couldn’t be more grateful for your skills, darling. Or rather… We couldn’t be more grateful. Right, Corbeau?”

While remaining still, Rarity shot a glance over to the flimsy screen on her left. A faint outline of Corbeau sitting could be seen thanks to the light, surrounded by ponies aiding in his cosmetic transformation.

“I’ve always appreciated what the backstage crews of theatres could do. So long as all this stuff can wash off, then I’m fine.” Corbeau said from behind the screen. It was there mostly for privacy’s sake, as the disguises needed to be as complete as can be, meaning every inch of the body must be re-colored. This was especially true in Rarity’s case, as it was necessary to have the bandages on her leg removed and her still-healing wounds hidden under coverage cream. Her leg still felt uneasy, but Rarity shrugged it off.

“We’d likely have to use water collected from the sewers to wash it off.” Rarity noted.

“We travel in the sewers all the time. I doubt it will make us smell any worse.”

Some of the cosmetic ponies giggled and agreed with Corbeau’s statement. Coco Pommel smiled, though kept her mind on more pressing matters.

“I’d be more worried about filling the roles of those two Elite ponies. You’ll have to be really posh and really dirty at the same time to fit in with that kind of crowd, from what I hear.”

“Not to worry, Coco. Corbeau and I have had our fair share of experience with the crowd.” Rarity assured, giving Coco a wink.

With her dyeing completed, Rarity fitted herself into the same garb taken off of the captured red collar. To call it anything related to clothing was an overstatement. All of the silk used was completely transparent, and only covered her belly and parts of her shoulders. The tight straps were only for show, and provided no comfort. The whole outfit only served to expose every desired part of her body, something perfectly suited for a willing slave of the ‘cultured’ Elite.

Nearly finished with the disguise, Coco handed Rarity two green-colored lenses for her eyes. With them in place, Coco did a quick check of everything before lastly helping to secure Rarity’s red collar. Though Doctor Novelle would have to apply the rune seal to make it fully authentic, that could be done later. The doctor was still very sore about Rarity removing her bandages so soon.

“Aaannd… Done! Well… You look… pretty convincing. Care to take a look for yourself?”

Stepping to Coco’s side, Rarity gazed at her reflection. She almost thought the mirror was the wrong one, but soon realized the pony she saw was herself. She had become a living example of a wolf in sheep’s skin.

Another pony moved beside her, a stallion donned in a lavish suit. His deep violet coat and coal-black mane looked completely unfamiliar. Even his blue eyes were those of a stranger.

“I hate contacts.” Corbeau grumbled, fiddling with his bow tie.

“Really? Do they irritate you?” Rarity asked.

“Beyond belief. I feel like if I try to take the lenses out my eyes will pop out with them,” said Corbeau, “By the way, sorry in advance for anything… shameful I might have to do to you during this mission.”

“You don’t need to worry about that, darling. I know you will mean none of it. But, if it makes you feel better, apology accepted.”

Rarity thought of jokingly mentioning that she wouldn’t speak a word of it to his wife, Jasmine, but had quickly chosen against it. It wouldn’t have made him laugh.

“So, who exactly are we?”

“You’re Magnolia. I’m Mr. Pick. Not the kind of name I’d give my son.” Corbeau affirmed.

“Any accents or mannerisms?”

“Mine is basically the same as all Elite stallions are. Feigning an accent to sound classier. You have a Prench accent. I know for a fact you can pull that off.”

“Oui! I’ve always adored Prance. Sometimes I wonder what it must be like to have a Prench name like yours.”

“You can thank my mother for that. If my father had his way, I would have had a Germane name.”

With their appearances complete, Rarity and Corbeau thanked Coco and the others for their hard work and made their way to the elevator, soon arriving at the twentieth floor’s armory to rendezvous with Night Wing and the assembled team.

Night Wing’s Sentinels ready themselves for the night time mission, strapping on harnesses and securing noctral-made suppressors onto their fire dart pistols. A few of them carefully checked their massive long snipes; scoped crossbows which could fire huge bolts from incredible distances. The bow-arms were nearly double the length of a stallion’s arm when fully unfolded, and the whole weapon generally required a perch to place it upon when in use due to its size. It was one of the most powerful weapons created by Umbran weapon smiths.

As Corbeau equipped himself with a folding sword, slipping it underneath his waist jacket, Night Wing approached Rarity.

“Wow. I didn’t even recognize you two at first.” Night Wing commented, “This plan might just work after all.”

“You’re not confident in our chances?” Asked Rarity.

“I am. I just didn’t expect to be on a mission the day after we got here. We’re ready though. When do you want to have the briefing?”

“In a moment, once your Sentinels are finished with their armaments.”

“Wait!”

Rarity’s ears twitched as she turned around, seeing Meadow appear from the doorway. She was wearing a similar ‘wardrobe’ to Rarity’s, as if ready for her own undercover excursion.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Judging by what you’re wearing, either the hotel patrons are demanding more from you, or you’re doing what I think you’re doing.”

“I’m going with you.”

“Meadow,” Rarity grasped her by the shoulder, “I admire everything that you do for me and every pony here. You don’t need to keep trying to prove yourself, darling.”

“I know. But I want to help more. You never know if you could use another mare on the inside at this party. There are plenty of mares down in the Veil floors that can cover for me. And I’ve cleared it with Mr. Haybale. Please, take me with you!”

The determination in Meadow’s eyes convinced Rarity of her willingness. She briefly turned to Corbeau for his thoughts. He shrugged.

“As much as it would be helpful to have another set of eyes and ears, our cover only had one slave. If Meadow is going to tag along, then we’ll have to give her a story. We don’t have enough time to have her painted like us.” He advised, fussing with the cufflinks on his sleeves.

“It can be anything,” Meadow pleaded, “I’m used to any kind of bondage or handling. It could work so long as Rarity is still the privileged one. You could even say I was a black collar turned red that you chose to break in to the Elite lifestyle, or something.”

Corbeau nodded. “I’m sure that could work. Not that I’d ever ask you to do that.”

Rarity mulled it over, now looking to Night Wing, who had just finished holstering her Sentinel katar.

“It won’t affect me or my team whether she goes in with you or not. If she does go, then it would be best to try and stick together as much as possible. Especially when you exfiltrate.”

“When what-now?” Meadow asked, her head tilted.

“When you exfiltrate. You know… leave?”

“Ohhh, right. I knew that.”

Night Wing rolled her eyes while Rarity held her hand to her chin. Rarity was always faced with difficult decisions ever since she became a leader. But this one choice was much more vexing. Meadow could be just as much as a liability as she could a great benefit to the mission.

“Alright.” Rarity breathed, “You’re on the mission, Meadow. Let’s get you briefed, shall we?”

Meadow’s lips grew into a bright smile. “I’m ready!”

“Not quite.”

Rarity reached behind Meadow’s ear and took her pink flower out from her mane. She placed it down on a nearby table.

“Now you’re ready.”

The approach to the front of Carneighgie Palace had gone much smoother than anticipated. Rarity felt incredibly safe, though she knew the feeling would soon be gone once they were given permission to enter.

In accordance with their plan, Night Wing, leading her Night Sentinels, made use of the cover of darkness to setup various long snipe nests on the rooftops and buildings surrounding Carneighgie Palace. From their positions, they would be able to watch the Palace grounds and be able to see through most of the larger windows. They were there as a reactionary force, if the infiltration were to go awry at any time.

It was a good thing they were watching from above. While open, many points of the grounds outside were manned by Cabal guards. While they weren’t as outfitted for counter-insurgency as they usually were, their presence alone gave the entire Palace a sense of committed security. The Cabal nor the Elite could afford to muck up this night’s gathering. Even though the only actual fallout for a party being cancelled would be a chink in the planner’s reputation, which in reality, amounted to very little in an isolated city.

Once they set foot inside the Palace, Rarity knew they would be on their own.

Dressed in their revealing silks and brandishing their red collars, Rarity and Meadow followed Corbeau towards the great wide steps of the Palace. In a somewhat unorthodox yet distinctly Fall-like manner, Rarity and Meadow’s leashes were hung around the sides of Corbeau’s waist, loosely tied to his belt. It gave Corbeau free use of both his hands, and implied his level of ingenuity among his ‘peers’.

“Mr. Pick. Welcome to the Palace,” said the concierge, reading through the papers on his pedestal. “The night’s events will begin the grand hall. The only issue I see here is that you were listed with bringing only one of your slaves. You seem to have two.”

“I do apologize, my good stallion,” Corbeau stated, being outward yet composed at the same time, “My second one here just recently committed to her rightful calling. One cannot afford to miss an event as big as this, so I decided to bring two. It won’t be a bother would it? After all, I’m sure many of the patrons already have in excess of one or two slaves on their persons. What harm is there in my bringing of an extra for fun?”

“Oh, well, yes that it true. Very well, sir. You may enter. Have a pleasant night.” Said the concierge, allowing the three of them passage.

Corbeau bid the stallion thanks and proceeded past him with Rarity and Meadow close behind. The walls lining the outskirts of the front grounds were plastered with typical caribou propaganda, though with an added depth from the Cabal and the current situation outside of the city walls. Several wanted posters were among the sheets, all with detailed illustrations of Rarity and Corbeau.

Rarity caught a quick glimpse at one of the posters before continuing up the steps. “Goodness. With a depiction that horridly inaccurate I’m surprised they haven’t accused some random mare of being me.”

Corbeau grinned, successfully holding back a chortle. “It’s like they didn’t even know you had a face up until we interrogated Asmund.”

“They most certainly didn’t.” She whispered back.

The undercover Saboteurs entered into the grandiose Palace. The huge hallways and luxury settings were spotless, every inch of wall and floor meticulously cleaned for the night to be had. It was the only aspect of the entire setting which was pure in any way. The Palace was feverishly adorned with everything that symbolized patriarchal dominance. Uniquely varied amounts of sex toys were picked for display to the guests. Shorn-off unicorn horns were mounted like trophies on commemorative plaques, some being from the very first few weeks of the Fall. Caribou Cabal and Elite achievements were given spotlights, such as models of future building plans back when Dainn still held the throne, and fully-repaired pre-Fall automatic wagons, which the Elite claimed to have invented.

Though more notably, there were stalwart Cabal guards stationed nearly everywhere the eye could see, acting utterly professional in their duties and armed with all manner of advanced shock-based weapons. Their versions of the notorious caribou shock batons were twice as long and much more concentrated with their electrical deliverance. If things got complicated, fighting their way out on their own would not be an option.

Upon arriving in the center of the entrance hallway, the Saboteurs stopped, only for a nearby stallion to take notice of them. The unfamiliar stallion approached Corbeau, trailing three other red collared mares behind him, their leashes looped on the hand which also held his cane.

“Pardon me. You appear to be a little lost. Golden Apple, a pleasure to meet you.” said the stallion as he shook Corbeau’s hand, incredibly dapper though relaxed in his outfit. The harem of mares he led around seemed anxious for his attention, but they remained in their places.

“Mr. Pick. The pleasure’s mine.”

Golden Apple lit up with enthusiasm. “Ah! So you are Mr. Pick! I’ve heard some interesting things about you. You’re quite the self-made stallion, aren’t you?”

“Well, from what I like to say, the only tools I have ever needed were my own two hands. At least, in most cases.” Corbeau replied, giving the stallion a good chuckle. He placed his arms over Meadow and Rarity’s shoulders, pulling them in closer. They in turn pressed themselves unto his sides, stroking his chest.

“Or perhaps in this case, no tools at all! Very ingenious of you to keep your property close to your working bits and bobs.” Remarked Golden Apple, lifting a finger away from the glass in his other hand to point at Corbeau’s belt.

“Thank you. I had only thought of it quite recently.” Corbeau gave a dashing smile, “I’m always looking for more inspiration from my fellow stallion to think of new practices, though. Might there be a gathering place where I could meet a few bright minds?”

Golden Apple lifted his glass briefly. “Ah! Let me enlighten you. Just past those massive pillars is the grand hall. The beginning announcements to the night’s events will be hosted there soon, and the most prominent figures of both the Elite and the Cabal will be there. I can introduce you to a few I know, if you’d like.”

“That’d be perfect, thank you. When are we allowed to go in?”

“The announcing will not begin until an hour or so from now, but we can go in at any time. However, you should be aware that there’s only so many tables and so many seats. We can only bring in one of our slaves with us.”

“Really? That hardly seems fair.” Corbeau frowned.

“I know, I know, we should be allowed to bring what we have! But for the sake of fairness and space, we have been restricted on the subject. It’s only for the grand hall for the time being.” Golden Apple shrugged.

“That seems outrageous. Isn’t this whole event hosted by the Cabal? Some of their officers have dozens of slaves to their name. Are they going to abide by the same rule?”

“If you know some of the Cabal officers as well as I do, then… not likely. Their collections aren’t as large as you might think though. I’m confident there will still be space for us, if we deposit our property in a dark room in short time.”

Corbeau nodded with a sigh, looking Rarity and Meadow. “You’re right, I suppose. I just don’t know which one of mine I want to take in. No stallion in this world should have to be put through such a difficult decision.”

“On the contrary, I have it worse! I have three to pick from! Anyways, make haste, will you, Mr. Pick? I’ll save you a seat at a table once you’re ready.”

Golden Apple tipped his hat to Corbeau before he strode off, his three slaves in tow.

Moving at a leisurely pace, Corbeau took his accomplices towards a hallway lined with nearby dark rooms. Though instead of using any of them, he found a tucked away corner in the hall, which had a lone supply closest. Corbeau quickly opened the door and ushered Rarity and Meadow inside, going in last and shutting it behind them.

“A bit cramped… But I suppose it’s better than using a dark room.” Rarity mentioned as she struggled to reach the light switch, flipping it on.

“I figured it would be easier this way. I didn’t want to- oof! – have to leave either of you chained to a rack on your lonesome or anything.” Corbeau explained, trying his best to shift around while not pushing against either of his friends. There was hardly any room for all three of them, despite the closet being mostly emptied of any cleaning material.

“So, what do you think? Would the grand hall be worth checking out?” Asked Corbeau.

“Yes. Incredibly so, actually. If we can spend some time in the grand hall we could possibly pick up on hearsay bringing us closer to the whereabouts of the plans.”

“Does that mean I should stay here?” Meadow said, squished up against Rarity’s shoulder.

“I’m afraid so, Meadow. You should have more space when we leave. But be sure to stay as still as possible. We won’t be gone for long.” Rarity assured.

Meadow nodded. “Ok. Come back soon, please.”

“We will.” Corbeau added, before he and Rarity exited the closet, bound towards the mingling crowds.

The largest section of the old Carneighgie Hall was its grand hall, which always housed the greatest performing arts events and celebrations of past Equestria. Now, it served as the primary gathering and socializing point for the Elite, transforming the entire hall into a luxury hang-about. The hall was crowded with the entitled males and their personage. A long table was set up along the towering windows, offering various ales and other beverages.

Rarity, with her leash still attached to Corbeau, followed him towards a nearby glass table, containing the stallion Golden Apple and one of his mares.

The seats present were for the owner’s use only. The slaves had to rest on their knees beside them. Never a comfortable position, especially on the hard marble floor, but it was something Rarity had adapted to long ago.

There was a third member sitting with them, across from Golden Apple. A caribou, a Cabal officer in appearance. True to Corbeau’s previous complaints, the caribou had three red collar mares and a caribou cow with him. Two of them sat patiently at his sides, while the other mare and the cow were already servicing their master’s member from underneath the table.

“Ah! Mr. Pick, welcome. Let me introduce a friend of mine. This is Sindri. He’s a communications officer in the Cabal.”

“Good evening,” Corbeau nodded briefly, “You have an impressive entourage with you.”

Sindri scoffed in a heavy tone, almost coughing if his voice were any lower.

“… ‘Entourage’. It’s the only thing I don’t understand when it comes to you Elite. You all keep using that old pony way speaking. They’re cunts. Just plain, cum-drinking cunts who know their place. That’s all you gotta say to compliment me.”

“Well, with how colorfully you speak, I should think that you were trying to be the fancy one.”

The Cabal officer slightly chuckled as Corbeau made himself comfortable.

“So, Officer Sindri. Did you help plan this wonderful event? I wonder if it’s to make up for that brazen attempt by those renegades to steal from you not two days ago. What were they even after anyway?”

“Those ‘renegades’ weren’t just thieves. They call themselves Saboteurs, and they work for the Alliance, and that bitch Princess of theirs. Phew,” Sindri rattled, pausing to pant from the pleasure his slaves were giving him. He focused on the conversation surprisingly well,
“They’re after some plans for a certain section of the wall, at least that’s what the Primus tells us. I’m sure he has big plans for them.”

“Indeed. I have complete faith that the Cabal will prove victorious.” Golden Apple chimed in, beaming. Sindri gave him a nod.

Corbeau stroked his chin. “Well, it’s good that they were unsuccessful. But what if they were to try again? If they were able to get close to the Primus himself, then what’s stopping them from finding the plans as well?”

Sindri waved his hand, dismissing Corbeau’s notion with a smirk.

“I know for a fact they won’t find them. Because I’m the one in charge of them.”

“A communication officer in charge of building plans? Seems odd,” Corbeau turned to Rarity, snapping his fingers, “Get me a drink. Red potion.”

“Yes master.” Rarity replied instinctually, rising from her knees and departing to the drink table as soon as Corbeau let go of her leash.

Rarity took her time getting to the drink table, passing by other stallions and caribou guests, giving out winks and showing off her curves. She picked a glass and filled it with a red-tinted ale. The clarity and lightness of the beverage reminded Rarity of a cherry cocktail she once used to have while working long nights designing new fashion lines.

With the drink in hand, Rarity made her way back to Corbeau, steadying her pace as she got within hearing range of the conversation with Sindri.

“… couldn’t give you a better reason. It’s just the Primus’ way of keeping things safe. Being unpredictable.”

“I don’t think any other reason would be necessary. It’s a brilliant method to-”

Just before Rarity arrived at Corbeau’s side, she deliberately fumbled her next step, nearly tripping. She managed to catch herself before falling, but in doing so, the ale in the glass flew out and splashed all over Corbeau’s chest.

“O-oh no, I’m sorry master, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

The scowl that appeared on Corbeau’s muzzle slowly turned into a forced smile.

“Can you believe I just got this suit cleaned?”

Sindri only stared as Golden Apple made an appalled gasp.

“Whatever was the cause of that?”

“Need I say more than ‘that’s what mares do’? Excuse me, my friends. I’ll be back soon.” Said Corbeau.

As Rarity pleaded for her master’s forgiveness, Corbeau yanked her leash down, forcing her onto the floor. Her injured leg slammed against the hard marble, causing her to briefly cry out in pain. Corbeau briskly stood up with Rarity’s leash gripped tightly in his fist, and hurriedly dragged her out of the grand hall by the collar. The scene was mostly ignored or accepted as normal by the crowd in proximity, even as Rarity gasped for air while she was pulled along.

“On your feet.” Corbeau ordered, hoisting Rarity up as they entered the outside hallway. She was given not a moment of respite, being pulled vigorously by her leash and led to one of the empty dark rooms.

Just as they neared it however, Corbeau grabbed Rarity by the shoulders and darted with her around their corner, hidden from others as they briefly stood beside the closet door.

“Are you ok? I’m sorry, I think I might have been acting too much.” Corbeau asked, worried.

Rarity smiled after feeling her neck. “It’s ok, darling. I’m fine. Just still a little tender, is all. What did that officer say?”

“There should be a communications room, filled with some radios and other sound equipment like you would see in a music studio. It’s in the right wing of the Cabal’s base, which means it’s just a few sections down the halls here. You and Meadow are going to have to go find it. I don’t want anyone to think Mr. Pick suddenly disappeared.”

“Understood. Then let’s get moving. Meadow?”

Rarity opened the closet door, her eyes widening as she uncovered it to be empty.

“Could they have found her?!” Corbeau asked in shock.

“No. No! Quick, check the dark rooms here!” Rarity pushed, following Corbeau as he immediately began searching.

Peeking through the cracks of a few of the rooms, but to no avail, Rarity and Corbeau tried the last door in the hallway, spying through the door’s crease. A green mare was inside, sifting through a bag.

Rarity and Corbeau quickly entered and closed the door behind them, startling Meadow.

“Meadow!” Rarity exclaimed, though in a quieted manner, “What are you doing? You were supposed to stay in that closet!”

Meadow held up the bag she was rummaging in. “I’m sorry! I overheard a few stallions leave this room while you guys were gone… So I thought I’d sneak in to see if they left anything. I found these.”

A set of dull keys jingled as Meadow held them up, giving them to Rarity. A tag on the key ring labeled their purpose. The three keys were for the windows that some dark rooms have.

“That might be useful for you two.” Corbeau mentioned.

“For us? What are we doing next?” Meadow queried, some excitement returning to her voice.

Rarity was about to lecture Meadow on being too brash, but she decided to save it for when they were finished with the mission.

“We know where to look for the plans, but Corbeau must go back to the grand hall to avoid any suspicion. Which means you and I must go and find the plans.”

Meadow contained herself, breathing deeply. “Ok. I’ll follow you, Rarity. I promise not to go off on my own.”

“Thank you, darling.” Rarity smiled, turning to Corbeau behind her, “The Cabal section is not far from here. We’ll rendezvous back at the closet in fifteen minutes.”

“Can do. Be safe, you two.” Corbeau replied, smiling at both of them before moving back to the door.

After Corbeau had scanned the hallway for them, Rarity and Meadow slipped out of the dark room a few seconds after his departure, moving with haste down the opposite hall. They kept close to the walls, making sure to avoid open doors and to quickly step past intersections in the hallways. It wasn’t long before the halls took on a darker shade of color, signifying the transition into the Cabal base.

Most of the Cabal soldiers had been assigned to guard the Palace section of the massive structure, leaving the halls in their base relatively empty. Even here, there were a few dark rooms, though they were left mostly unused. Caribou never had use for a private room when they wanted to fuck something. Anywhere suited them.

As they crept further along, Rarity froze in her tracks, stopping Meadow behind her. Her ears twitched at the sound of boots stepping towards them from a corner ahead.

With a dark room door right beside them, the two mares silently slipped into the room, carefully closing the door just as a pair of Cabal guards turned the corner.

Rarity put her ear close to the door, listening as the boots came to a stop. The guards put themselves right in the middle of Rarity and Meadow’s path, blocking any advance.

“We’ll have to find a way around.” Rarity whispered.

“What about the window?” Meadow said, pointing back at the other end of the dark room.

Rarity nodded, handing the set of keys over to Meadow. “See if you can open it. Try your best not to make any sounds. I’ll keep an ear to the door.”

Nodding silently, Meadow patiently made her way to the rectangular window, taking one of the keys and trying it on the lock. It refused to fit.

The boots in the hall begin to move again, growing louder.

“Meadow.” Rarity whispered across the room, “Hurry, please.”

“Hang on!”

The next key wasn’t a match, leaving one left. Meadow put it to the lock, but it didn’t budge. Her face turned pale as she kept trying fit the key, to no avail. Her expression relaxed however as she flipped the key and inserted it into the slot, twisting it and unlocking the window.

Rarity turned as she heard the gentle creak of the window opening, quietly making her way over. Meadow looked outside, letting the cool night air brush along her exposed fur. To her left was another window much further down. An alleyway lied below, while a gutter was just above the ledge.

“We’re a few stories up, and there isn’t a whole lot of ledge…”

“I’ll go first. Hand me that bit gag.”

“What for?” Meadow asked as she picked up the metal bit harness from the nearby desk.

“The locks are on the inside. I’ll need something to break the glass on the other window.”

As Meadow stepped aside, Rarity placed the bit in her mouth and climbed through the window. She grabbed hold of the gutter with her hands and found her footing on the thin ledge. Being barefoot made it somewhat easier to keep her feet on the stone’s edge.

Rarity cautiously etched her way along the thin ledge, soon followed by Meadow. The distance to the other window wasn’t too great, but the process was frighteningly slow. Rarity strained the muscles in her legs to keep her balance, causing a surge of pain in her left leg. She stopped suddenly, almost causing Meadow to bump into her.

“Rarity? What’s wrong?”

“Nu’in!” Rarity mouthed past the bit, shaking her head. She fought through the pain and continued on, soon reaching the other window.

After she knelt down next to the window, hugging the building wall while keeping a hand on the gutter, Rarity took the bit from her teeth and began poking the edge of it into one of the glass panes with a steady hand. She managed to clear out the square of glass, taking the keys she looped through her collar’s ring and reaching inside with them to open the lock.

The key fitted the lock, and the windows swung open.

With sighs of relief and pain, Rarity and Meadow slipped themselves into the empty dark room. Rarity’s leg was worse for wear, and Meadow quickly took notice.

“Where does your leg hurt, Rarity? I think I can help.”

“Gahh… Up here. Just below the hip.” Rarity said, gritting her teeth.

Meadow scooched closer and gently laid her hands on Rarity’s old wound, which was completely hidden from the cosmetic camouflage of her black coat of fur. With and articulate motion, Meadow massaged the muscles in the specified area of Rarity’s thigh, initially causing her to wince. But as she continued, Rarity felt the pain lessen.

Meadow kept her massage going for a minute longer before stopping. “Did that help? How does your leg feel?”

“It’s still a tad bit achy, but it feels much better. Thank you so much, Meadow. Where did you learn to do that?”

“It’s a massaging method good for the core-ish area of the body, I learned it from some of the other mares who work on the Veil floors with me. It helps a lot with severe bruising or aching muscles.”

Rarity paused, thinking back to those red collared mares who help sustain the Keep’s guise.

“… Do you or the others get hurt? When you work on the Veil floors?”

Meadow shook her head. “It’s very uncommon for one of us to get seriously hurt. Some of the customers that the brothel attracts can be rough, but it’s not so bad. We’re all red collars when we’re there, so we don’t mind it.”

“And when you’re not on the Veil floors?” Rarity asked, “Who are you then?”

Meadow looked down to her lap, then back up to Rarity.

“Well, we’re… just ponies. Like anyone else.”

Meadow’s words ran about in Rarity’s thoughts. She was completely right. Rarity knew most of all in her time during the Fall how being a red collar felt, even if she was faking it while others weren’t. And while the mares among the Elite still adhere to the Fall’s rule, given the chance, Rarity believed they could be able to be reasoned with. At the very core, their loyalties lied to themselves, not to the caribou. Red collared mares, regardless of which side they chose, were just as flawed as any pony else. Some were indeed traitors to Equestria, but for those who were like Meadow, Rarity completely understood them.

Rarity gave Meadow a warm hug, causing the green mare to smile and return her affection.

“We’ve still got a job to do, right? Let’s get those plans!” Meadow exclaimed, her pink eyes showing her determination.

Rarity nodded. “Indeed. Let’s be off!”

The halls were even emptier the deeper they went into the base. It truly was a momentous night for nearly all of the Cabal to be out and about. They likely felt the interior of the Palace was safe enough this far in. As proved by Rarity and Meadow’s presence, their beliefs were misplaced.

As their infiltration continued, Rarity and Meadow came to another stop just around a corner. Past the bend was their objective; the communications room. Flanked by two bored Cabal guards.

“Of course. The only place under guard is the one place we need to be.” Rarity whispered. Meadow took a quick peek at the door as well, before pulling back and nudging Rarity to get her attention.

“I’ll distract them. Then you can get inside.”

“No, Meadow, wait!-,”

Throwing caution to the wind rather purposely, Meadow dashed into the middle of the hallway, immediately garnering the attention of the guards.

“Hey! What’re you doing here?!” One of them bellowed.

“Oh! I, uhm, was just looking for my master…” Meadow spoke loudly, pretending to hide something behind her back, “Uh… You have a tiny penis!”

As she broke into a full out sprint the opposite way, one of the guards pulled out his shock baton.

“That bitch!” He yelled, giving chase.

“Wait, you idiot! We’re not supposed to leave our posts!” Called out his partner, chasing after him in turn.

The guards zoomed past the corner Rarity his behind, disappearing down the winding halls in pursuit of Meadow. Rarity stood up, feeling more concern than accomplish. Meadow’s distraction worked, but she only hoped that Meadow would be able to find a way to evade the guards and hide before they could catch her.

Re-focusing her mind to the mission, Rarity went into the communications room. The equipment within was fairly sparse. There were a few old Equestrian radios seemingly salvaged from some place in the city. They worked for the most part, but were incredibly crude. A map which hung over the radio desk showed certain highlighted places in Equestria, with large crosses over places like Canterlot, Ponyville, and Rainbow Falls. They marked Alliance positions on the Eastern side of the map, with a significant portion of markings surrounding Manehatten and its boroughs.

There seemed to be several other cities under caribou control which they were keeping in communication with, the most notable on the map being Las Pegasus. From the logs written down in the notebooks on the desk, they were conversing about similar problems with insurgency in the westward city. Rarity was not surprised by this in the slightest; The Alliance had dispatched the Saboteur 1st Cell there only a few months ago, sometime after Rarity and her 2nd Cell set up in Manehatten. If the logs are correct, then Las Pegasus might be liberated soon.

Pulling herself from the radios, Rarity continued to scan the room thoroughly. It didn’t take her long to find another large desk with several documents lying about on its surface. Most of them were Cabal reports of the city interior, and their efforts to stop Saboteur advances. There wasn’t anything of note involving Primus Asmund. It appeared from some of the skimmed reports that the Cabal had no clue where to look for the Saboteur HQ. The find brought a sense of relief to Rarity, knowing that her ponies in the Keep were still safe.

Moving her hands down to the sides of the desk, Rarity grabbed hold of a small handle and pulled on it. A wide drawer slid open, and tucked away within it was what Rarity had been looking for ever since she stepped foot in Manehatten; The harbor wall plans. Along with the bonus of the additional schematics for the entire wall itself.

A grin crossing her lips, Rarity quickly took all of the schematics and rolled them up as tightly as she could, finding a nearby carrying cylinder to place them in. She stuffed the schematics, including the harbor wall plans, into the cardboard cylinder and fastened the cap. She then slung its strap over her shoulder and made for the door, though not before making the sudden decision to unplug all of the radios and flip the desk over, throwing most of them to the ground.

“Splendid.”

Silently observing the halls, Rarity snuck out of the communications room and made a bee-line for the Palace side. The lack of obstacles along the way gave Rarity a bad feeling, which was further deepened as she thought of Meadow once more. She hoped to Celestia that her friends were ready to leave once she returned.

Rarity knocked on the closet, causing Corbeau to emerge with a breath of relief.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes. I was getting worried.”

“I have them!” Rarity exclaimed in a hushed tone, “Not just the harbor wall plans, but the plans for every single wall section around the city. They’re in this cylinder.”

Rarity pointed to the carrying case on her back, opening the lid. Corbeau peeked inside, closing it as Rarity looked behind him.

“Where’s Meadow?”

“I thought she was still with you.”

Rarity’s heart sank.

“She distracted two guards to allow me to get the plans. I was hoping she would find you before I returned. We cannot leave without her!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll find her. But we’ve got to be quick about this, so keep your eyes open.”

Making sure she was still presentable as a slave, Rarity and Corbeau exited the private room and made their way down the luxury halls, subtly yet hurriedly looking around for their missing friend.

They searched the back halls and empty dark rooms, turning up nothing. Rarity decided to take a peek in the grand hall, where an announcement was to be made, heralding the night’s continuing events.

As they turned in toward the huge pillars at the entrance, most of the room was quieter than before. The attention of the patrons and their slaves was directed towards the grand hall’s massive stage, opposite of the pillars. The night air shown through the ornate windows which dwarfed the room’s inhabitants.

In view of all was Primus Asmund, dressed in powerful red cloaks and beaming with pride. A thunderous applause preceded his entrance on stage.

“Good evening my friends! Brethren caribou and gentle-colts of the Elite. I hope you’ve been enjoying this late soiree.”

The audience applauded once more.

“I’m so glad! Unfortunately, I have a bit of bad news for you all. I would never want a celebration like this to be spoiled, but it must be, for our safety… and for justice. For you see…”

The air became tense.

“…There are spies among us!”

Some gasps filled the room, as the curtains of the stage slowly parted.

From behind the stage, a large circular outline rolled forward, lurching past the backstage line.

A blankee device. With Meadow strapped to its center.

Rarity and Corbeau stood at the far end of the grand hall, frozen in place and trying their best not to show signs of concern. Though had any one in the room looked back at them, it would have been easy to see their fear.

Held spread-eagled along the circle frame of the device, Meadow panted and struggled to free herself from the metal bonds. The device’s extending arm hung outward above its control panel, training its modifying tools directly at Meadow. A thin red light shown on Meadow’s forehead.

Asmund continued, stepping beside the captured Meadow. He rested his hand on the device’s control panel, keeping a finger hovering above the activation switch.

“The Alliance, the militant force of the so-called government under Luna, has been more determined than ever to take our city. So much so, that they’ve sent three of their agents to infiltrate our peaceful gathering tonight. But fear not. Not only have we captured one, but the other two happen to be here right now, in this very room.”

As some in the audience scanned the room worriedly, Rarity and Corbeau turned behind them. The entrance was suddenly blocked by a host of Cabal guards on Asmund’s command. There was no escape.

“As enemy spies, this mare and her Alliance friends are traitors. I think we know full well the punishment for traitors. But there is a chance for this mare’s punishment to be averted… If her friends surrender themselves.”

Rarity gritted her teeth, forced to listen to Asmund continue.

“Do you hear that, Rarity?” Asmund articulated, smirking, “You and… Corbeau, isn’t it? I know why you’re here. If you show yourselves, and surrender, then your friend here will not be blanked. I’ll let her keep her colors, her memories and her very identity… if you simply step forward.”

Rarity quickly glanced to Corbeau.

He looked back, reflecting the same hopelessness Rarity felt. He didn’t know what to do.

Rarity turned her sight back to Meadow, noticing that she was keeping her own eyes shut. She knew Asmund was keeping an eye on her reaction, to possibly use her to catch sight of where her friends were hiding.

Some seconds passed, before Rarity made her decision.

She stepped forward, a steely gaze in her eyes.

“There you are.” Asmund announced, setting the whole room’s eyes on her. Corbeau had stepped up beside her as Meadow finally opened her eyes in shock.

“We’ll surrender ourselves, Asmund. But only if you release Meadow!” Rarity demanded.

“You mean let her go free? Let her go back to your hidden base?”

“Yes.” She replied, absolutely stoic.

Asmund mulled it over. “… Very well. Considering how easy it was to capture her, I suppose she isn’t exactly the most useful to you. We have a deal.”

Several Cabal guards came forward, surrounding Rarity and Corbeau. One sent his fist into Corbeau’s stomach, knocking the air out of him and forcing him to take a knee. Another kicked Rarity’s injured leg, causing her to fall to the floor in blaring pain.

As Rarity lifted her head, Asmund kept his grin. His hand was still on the control pad.

“… Then again, how am I to ensure safety for this city if I let my enemies go free?”

Click

“Rarity!!”

Meadow’s cries for help were drowned by the whirring of the machine’s equipment, the lights intensifying as it was activated. The blankee began its brutal work, focusing its altering beam on its hapless subject. The screaming made Rarity’s heart shatter.

CRASH

In a blink of an eye, the windows of the great hall completely shattered. Lightning-fast bolts fired from faraway long snipes streaked and whistled through and struck down several of the Cabal guards surrounding Rarity and Corbeau. The other guards recoiled as the attack startled the entire hall, sending the patrons in a panicked bid for the exit.

Corbeau took the opportunity presented and whisked around, knocking the Cabal guard behind him to the ground with a swift punch of his own. He hurriedly acquired the guard’s advanced shock baton and incapacitated him.

The other caribou guard from behind Rarity moved to attack Corbeau. As Corbeau turned to face the threat, Rarity reached towards his vest and grabbed his hidden folding blade. As he locked batons with the caribou, Rarity snapped the blade out and slashed across the caribou’s leg, allowing Corbeau to quickly defeat him.

The two exposed Saboteurs dashed to the stage as fast as they could, witnessing Asmund flee the scene just as another long snipe’s bolt impacted a guard beside him. More bolts intercepted the approaching guards attempting to subdue Rarity and Corbeau. The accuracy of the Sentinel snipers proved to be their unbreakable defense as they clamored up the stage.

Rarity instantly stopped at the blankee device’s control panel, switching it off just as Corbeau swung at the instrument pod with the shock baton, disabling it.

Meadow’s agony had stopped as her hands and feet were released from the frame, causing her to drop to the floor. Rarity and Corbeau went to her side.

The bright greens which defined the mare were gone. Every inch of Meadow’s body was hairless, her fur coat, mane and hair of her tail utterly dissolved by the machine. Her terrified eyes were no longer pink, now only a pale grey.

Rarity tried to take her hand, but Meadow pulled back.

“S-stop! Who are you? W-what’s going on?”

Rarity couldn’t hold back her tears as she realized the extent of her friend’s damage.

“Meadow, please, it’s ok…”

“Who’s Meadow?? N-no! Stay away!”

Seeing little else they could do with the time they had, Corbeau held the hilt of the shock baton and conked Meadow in the head, knocking her out cold and leaving a bruise on her scalp.

Rarity only stared at him as he stepped behind the unconscious Meadow.

“A few seconds longer on that thing and she might have been completely lobotomized. She’s lucky to still be able to form sentences.” Corbeau said, lifting Meadow onto his back after tossing the shock baton away. He held his hands on to Meadow’s thighs as her arms were draped over his shoulders.

“Come on! We have to go!”

Placing herself back into focus, Rarity kept the carrying cylinder close, and held her folding blade at the ready.

The grand hall was nearly empty, its occupants having fled the sudden violence. As Rarity and Corbeau ran towards the entrance pillars and away from the windows, their long snipe covering fire could not reach them. Some Cabal guards took advantage of this, closing in from within the entrance hallway.

They were stopped however as unseen noctrals leapt from the shadows, having infiltrated during the chaos created. Night Wing was among them, clearing out the Palace steps. With expert Sentinel training at her call, she utilized her sharpened katar and swiftly eliminated two caribou guards, before noticing Rarity and Corbeau with the incapacitated Meadow.

“Do you have the plans?” she asked quickly as others of her team held off more Cabal.

“Yes, in this cylinder.”

“Let us take it back to the Keep. We’ll keep them guessing while you make your way back. Doesn’t look like you’ll make it far with that load.” Night Wing suggested, glancing at Meadow on Corbeau’s back.

Rarity nodded, passing the cylinder to the noctral Sentinel. “Fall back as soon as you can! I don’t want any of you giving your lives for me!”

“Already on it.”

Going as fast as they could with Meadow in their care, Rarity and Corbeau exited the front of the Carneighgie Palace, descending the steps as the Sentinels made their retreat. Several Cabal pursuing them were stuck down by bolts fired by the snipers above, faithfully protecting their allies on the streets.

As far as it seemed, this mission was complete. Now, it was a matter of returning home.

It was likely well past midnight, from what Rarity could guess. The night air was pleasantly cool, though it did little to dry her sweat as she and Corbeau hastily made their way along a pre-planned escape route along the alleyways.

Rarity kept her eyes forward, checking behind her often to make sure Corbeau, with the unconscious Meadow still slumped on his back, could stay close. They turned into another alleyway, nearing their next stop.

Rarity stopped for a brief moment, reeling from the persistent pain in her leg.

“Is your leg acting up?” Corbeau asked, stepping beside her.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine. You shouldn’t be worrying about me.” Rarity snapped. Her words sounded much harsher than usual.

Corbeau stayed silent, still hunched slightly from Meadow slung on his back.

“… It’s not your fault.”

“Of course it’s my fault, Corbeau.” She replied, passing him. “I’m the one responsible for every pony’s safety. I should have never let Meadow come with us. Now hurry. The maintenance hole should be here.”

Corbeau sighed, following close to Rarity. They both stopped again however as they found the maintenance hole.

It was already open, its mechanism severely damaged.

“Could one of ours have left it open for us?” Pondered Corbeau.

“Not likely.” Rarity surmised as she helped Corbeau take Meadow down into the sewer. Once they were settled in the tunnel, Rarity looked back up at the metal plate pried open. It was impossible to tell if it had malfunctioned or if it was deliberated damaged, and there was no time to examine it thoroughly.

Turning away from the maintenance hole, Rarity was about to search for the hidden lantern nearby, but stopped to realize that the entire tunnel was already lit with crude candles, left on the dry edges of the stone paths. Many were just piles of wax.

“… I don’t think we’re alone down here…” Corbeau noted, re-shouldering Meadow on his back to adjust her.

Rarity focused on following the wax candles, coming around several bends and turns in the sewer tunnels. As they continued, rough writing and symbols scrawled on the stone walls became illuminated. They were mostly gibberish, with arrows pointing in certain unknown directions, all drawn with a purple ink of some kind. Only one word was recognizable.

LAVENDER

Rounding about another corner, Rarity stopped herself and Corbeau as they happened upon a mysterious pony. The mare was crouched down, trying to help another mare up from the sewage. Both of the ponies had purple collars on, though the one above the muck wore a torn sheet of violet along her shoulder, hanging from under the crease of her collar and covering parts of her chest. She had tatters of clothing on, and some equipment pouches strapped to her legs and waist.

“W-where… The others… Took them?” The mare in the grime asked, confused in a shambling way.

“They’re gone. Out of the city. Sister, you must join them! Follow my lights and my art. They will lead you to Lavender. She will keep you safe.” The clothed one said, getting the other to her feet.

In a strange sense of understanding, the shambling mare nodded, making her way into the next tunnel, following the candles. She soon disappeared, leaving the clothed one content with her work.

The remaining purple collared mare turned around, only to yelp in surprise at the sight of Rarity and Corbeau.

Corbeau stayed back as Rarity cautiously approached, putting away her folding blade. “It’s ok. Don’t be scared. We aren’t here to hurt you.”

Rarity tried to be as simple as possible. Dealing with purple collared mares was always a challenge. Their insanity made them utterly unpredictable, though most were often incoherent or obsessed with finding any form of pleasuring. This one seemed like neither. She seemed to actually have a grip on herself.

“Y-you…” The mare stuttered, her arms held outward, “Y-y-you’re… Ally… Ally-ence?”

Rarity assumed a more passive stance. “We are Alliance, yes. Do you know what the Alliance is?”

“Oh! Good, I know. You fight against the old masters. Take back Equestria! This is good. I know.” The mare nodded, heroically shaking her fist in the air.

The purple collared mare’s own fur was caked in all manner of grime and refuse, though she looked distinctly orange in color. Her mane was a dirty white, while her eyes had a deeper shade of orange. Her attention slowly drifted towards Corbeau, her ears tilting quirkily as she spied the unconscious Meadow on his back.

“Is… Do you have a sister? There, on the cock’s back?

“What did you just call me?” Corbeau hissed. Rarity couldn’t understand what she meant, and kept her eye on the mare as she stepped closer, squinting at Meadow. She then stopped, pulling back.

“Oh… No, not a sister. Red. But then, why blanked? The old masters must really be missing us!” She giggled.

“I’m sorry, I’m just a little confused,” Rarity said, “What is your name? And who are these sisters?”

The mare grinned and took a breath to answer, but her grin disappeared as she failed to find her words. She pondered for a few seconds, rubbing her temples furiously.

“Name… Uhh… Agghh name, name, name… Had something to do with cream. The kind you eat… Anyway, sisters! Yes! Those who are purple are sisters. Lavender gave me her blessings to go to the big city and find as many as I can! They aren’t safe here. They can only be safe with Lavender.”

“Lavender? Who’s Lavender?” Rarity probed.

“Lavender’s Lavender. Lavender’s Host. We are the Host. And she is Lavender. Well, she isn’t colored lavender, but she’s still Lavender. If we come together… Then Lavender will do the same thing the Ally-ence does! Take back Equestria for us! She’ll-”

The mare suddenly stopped, shaking as though a cool air came through. She quickly gazed at her wrist, staring at a painted-on watch. The hands of the ‘watch’ were broken.

“I have to go! More sisters to find! Time running out!”

Before Rarity could call out to the mare, she was gone, dashing into the blackness of the tunnels ahead. The candles brightened her splashing footsteps until they were silent.

“I’ve never seen a purple collared mare so… composed,” Corbeau mentioned, “Even if she was still off, she only used the word ‘cock’ once. That’s new.”

“That might explain why we haven’t been seeing purple collared mares too often. But that mare… I’ve never seen her here before. How did she become so coherent?”

“I have a feeling we won’t find the answer to that here. We should be going,” Corbeau advised, “We can think more on what we just saw later.”

Nodding in agreement, Rarity took the lead, traveling with Corbeau and the unconscious Meadow deeper into the tunnels, and soon, to sanctuary.

The reception given to Rarity by the Keep was incredible. Everyone had already known of the plans being acquired, since Night Wing and her Sentinels had arrived before them. All of the praise fell to Rarity, and though she was happy to be able to lift everyone’s spirits, she wasn’t in the best of moods.

Even now, as she stood idly outside one of the medical ward rooms on the fifteenth floor, she felt horrible. Maybe it was due to her aching leg, despite being patched up by the medical ponies. Maybe it was because of the unpleasant process of removing all of her dye using less than clean water. Or maybe it was because she was just so tired of this damned city.

Rarity’s thoughts told her all of this, but she knew the real reason.

She let Meadow go with her.

Rarity knocked gently on the door way, doing so for the fourth time. Finally, Doctor Novelle appeared, looking to Rarity.

“How is she?” Rarity asked.

The doctor had some trouble finding the right words.

“…Her minor injuries are healing fine, and her hair will eventually grow back, though it will likely be white now. Maybe it would be better to see her for yourself. She’s awake now.”

Doctor Novelle departed off to another room in the med ward, leaving Rarity. She went further into the dimmed room, the lights kept low to provide a calmer atmosphere for patients.

Brushing aside the curtains, Rarity stopped at the cot containing the resting Meadow. A bandage was wrapped around her head, where Corbeau had hit her. Several other smaller bandages covered scratches and scrapes on her fragile and fleshy skin. The cot sheets covered most of her body, giving her some extra warmth along with the patient clothing given to her.

Meadow’s paled eyes looked to Rarity.

“Hello. Are you feeling better?” Rarity asked, taking her words slowly.

Meadow nodded. “A little… Are you another nurse?”

Rarity was initially surprised that Meadow didn’t at least recognize her from the night before, when she was just removed from the machine. But as she thought on it, Rarity remembered that she and Corbeau were still in their disguises. They had washed all the dye out of their fur once they got back.

“Ah, no, I’m not a nurse. I help run this place.”

“Oh… ok.”

“Can you tell me your name?” Rarity asked. Her tone wavering slightly with each word.

“M-Meadow… That’s what everyone says my name is.”

“Can you remember how you got here?”

Meadow shook her head.

Rarity continued. “Can you… remember anything at all?”

Meadow paused. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, before finding her words.

“All I remember is waking up in a weird place. Ponies were running away. A mare and a stallion were next to me and told me to go with them, but I was too scared. Then I woke up here… Can you tell me why I’m here?”

Rarity paused. “You see… You were a part of a conflict for our home land. Equestria. Do you remember Equestria?”

“It sounds like a silly place. How’d it get its name?”

“It’s a long story… But to the reason why you’re here. I… had to go on a mission, to stop a race called the caribou. You see, they conquered Equestria four years ago. We were all enslaved. But now we are fighting back.

I… made a choice. And my choice led to you… losing your memories. And… everything else…”

Meadow fell silent. She stared, unsure what to think as Rarity cried.

Her voice stressed and quivered. “I’m so sorry… I did this to you. It’s all my fault.”

For a while, Rarity’s tears were the only sound in the room. Meadow looked away, shedding tears of her own.

“… Maybe… maybe you should go…”

Rarity was startled, but she somberly complied. She knew it was only normal if Meadow never forgave her for the mistake she made. Rarity knew she would never forgive herself, either.

Stopping herself as she stood, Rarity remembered something she had brought with her. She took it out of her coat pocket.

“I’d like you to have this. It’s a flower clip, for you to put in your mane when it grows back. My sister and I had… well. That’s not important… It’s yours.”

Meadow took the pink flower in her hand, a little brightness in her paled eyes shining through. She smiled weakly.

“Thank you, I… I really like it. Wh-what’s your name again?”

“It’s Rarity.”

“Rarity…”

Slowly turning her head away, Meadow’s smile disappeared as she looked at the pink flower. Her tears had stopped, unlike Rarity, who felt as though her heart was ground to a pulp over and over again at seeing what she had allowed to happen to her friend.

Rarity left Meadow, ambling towards the nearby elevator.

She got inside, pressing a random floor to quickly close the doors.

Before they could slide shut, a hand stopped them. They opened again, letting the stallion inside.

As they finally shut, Rarity sank into Corbeau’s arms. Her tears spilling onto his coat.