A train thundered down the line. It rushed past the station of Ponyville itself where the six mares and the dragon had gathered themselves. The sun was shining bright and not a cloud stood in the skies. If anypony knew any better, they were waiting on the next train to make a stop on the station. But if they all would have departed, was the question left unanswered. Spike the dragon carried all of the blue colored suitcases as per usual. A thing which had given him more than enough muscles in the arms to handle the deed. Not even once did he let out a complaint.
Twilight Sparkle only glanced over to him with a worried glance in her eyes. Was he truly able to carry all that weight and not succumb under it? The chances of him crashing were certainly there and she hoped he could last it out. Her attention was turned back to the only other unicorn of the group, Rarity the fashionista. “So this is it then?” Twilight spoke up to her.
Rarity gave a nod to her friend and had a look to the remaining four ponies. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, they were all there and ready for the things to come. All of them did have a strange look in their eyes whenever they looked to Rarity. It almost seemed as if they had something hiding from her. Rarity wanted to know what it was and their time waiting for the train might have been the best thing.
The wooden boards of the station didn’t even let out a creak while Rarity paced up and down. Her eyes couldn’t remove themselves from her friends. They were holding back on something that happened not even a month ago. Rumors had done their turn in gossip magazines and among the town’s folk. Rumors she didn’t even like one bit. Though before she could speak a single word, Applejack relieved the silence, “So, sugarcube, are ya really going to Canterlot by yarself, for that show of yars?”
To those words could Rarity only have nodded. It was the plan after all. Spike had dropped all of the luggage that belonged to Rarity and joined them. He let out a deep huff and puff while he rested against a leg of Twilight. Who in return wrapped the same leg around him. She pulled him closer for some comfort. A smile formed across her muzzle as a silent thanks for him. He smiled back before he focused his attention back on Rarity.
“It is the only way I see it possible, really. I wanted to bring you all along for it as it doesn’t happen too often I get a show there. But the unknown benefactor made it clear I came alone from Ponyville,” she replied with the voice of a true lady. Though those exact words were the very things that worried them all. Especially Applejack and Rainbow Dash found it fishy to say the least. Some things about the whole event just didn’t seemed to be adding up in the slightest. Though they also knew that they couldn’t stop Rarity, even if they tried.
Applejack took her hat off and let out a deep sigh. She shook her head a little bit, only to feel a hoof of Rarity gently touch her chin. Which then brought her head back up to stare right in the fashionista’s very eyes. “Come come darling, no need to act like that. I’m sure you’ve seen the posters around town and in the landwide magazines. It’s all official business, Applejack. Just the pony who sponsored it all is left out of the picture. I know your concerns about the matter, but you have no need to worry about me that much.”
“It ain’t that, sugarcube, it are a lot of other things that trouble mah mind,” she replied. She placed her hat on her head and gave a deep glance in the eyes of Rarity. But Rarity looked just as deeply back in her eyes. Perhaps it was a tactical little thing, as the farmer was the element of honesty, lying was hard. If anypony could have told Rarity the truth, it would have been Applejack.
Though she was out of luck, Applejack didn’t let out a single inch of ground. Whatever was hidden within her mind, Rarity wouldn’t be able to know just by gazing within her eyes. “Are you two going to kiss, or what?” the sudden voice of Rainbow Dash spoke in a chuckle. A voice which caused the both of them to go even wider eyed. They turned their head away from one another with a bright red blush across their cheeks.
“Don’t let us speak of that again, any time soon,” Rarity said in an inaudible whisper to Applejack. Who nodded just once to confirm the thoughts that were shared. The attention of Rarity turned over to the tracks for just a single second. Only to then be moved over to the skies above Ponyville.
Not a single cloud was visible and the bright blue skies managed to give her a gentle smile. The five other mares and the dragon only looked at one another for just a moment. The stare that Rarity was giving to the skies was one they all feared. Each of them feared that a memory of the - not all too distant - past had come back to her. A memory they all had sworn to keep hidden from her. Rarity was better off without knowing what had happened to her. But they also knew that it once should have surfaced. Once she would have remembered those events, everything would change.
In the eyes of Rarity had the moon come to the skies with a strange figure visible on it. A figure that didn’t remind her to the mythical legend of the Mare in the Moon, but another. One that actually and physically stood there. A massive shadow that was cast over the rocky surface. She shook her head in a firm manner. Her attention turned back to her friends for some comfort. The expression in her eyes were those of memories she should have remembered, but just couldn’t. “Something happened in that time, and nopony told me really what it was. Not even you, who I consider my closest friends are telling me the truth about it,” she said to them.
“We have told you the truth, Rarity,” Twilight said after she had done a step forwards. “We have told you the truth as we know it.” Twilight was getting more and more desperate about the situation. If Rarity would have figured out what had happened, who knew what kind of trouble they would have gotten into? Word has it that history is doomed to repeat itself.
---
But what was it that her friends were hiding from her? In her dreams had Rarity been plagued by a figure she couldn’t place. A strange figure that spoke to her from the darkness. It tried to seduce her in unthinkable manners. It tried to seduce her, to leave her life and go to the darkness itself. Faint and failed attempt they were, as Rarity always managed to cast a spell to ward it off. But each spell, did reveal more of the figure she was talking to.
The figure appeared to have been a fusion. One that could only be described of one between her and nopony else then Nightmare Moon. But such a thing was impossible, right? There wouldn’t have been a way in the entire world, that caused Rarity and Nightmare Moon to have fused, right? Yet from her own nightmares, that was the exact thing that had happened. What if the darkness tried to call her back? What if everything was real and her friends told her lies? It all seemed unlikely and surreal, but the chance was certainly there.
The five friends just stared at Rarity while she once more had a glance of infinity in her eyes. Spike walked up to her and snapped his fingers right in her face, trying to wake her up from the daydream. But there was no response that came from Rarity. “Heh, she must be thinking pretty hard then, never seen her like this before. Not even...”
“Don’t mention it, Spike. For the love of Celestia, don’t,” commented Twilight straight away. The last thing she needed was somepony spilling out more words than they needed to do.
Fluttershy walked up to her best friend and only looked over her with a calm set of eyes. “She seems okay to me, just dozed off into another world, lost in thought,” she said to the rest of them. They all let out a deep sigh of relief as they knew that Rarity was at least okay. “I reckon she’ll be back with us soon enough. Give her a minute or two. After everything, her mind still needs to fill in the gaps. She wants to remember what happened during those gaps.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t happen every day that you get possessed by Nightmare Moon and become this, this... thing,” said Rainbow Dash. In an instant did she only got mean look from the rest of them. Even Spike glanced to her with anger in his eyes. He wasn’t growling, yet. “What? You know it’s true! So why do you hide it from us? Obviously missy over there can’t hear us.”
“Sugarcube,” Applejack started after she had wrapped a foreleg around the neck of Rainbow. “Yar words ring truth, but this ain’t the place for ‘em to be spoken. Yes, Rarity became possessed by Nightmare Moon and was brought back through our memory, but Ah can tell ya right now, she doesn’t want to be remembered to it. There’s a reason, why we spoke those lies to her, for her own safety. Rarity’s a special mare, ya know that as well as Ah, Ah’ll leave the rest to ya.”
Rainbow released a deep huff before she tore herself out of Applejack’s hold. Without a word spoken, she remembered the events that took place on the moon itself. A deep shiver at the mere thought went through her body. She had gotten the point of it loud and clear.
Thankfully hadn’t Rarity heard a single word from what was spoken about her and her past. In the distance did the clocktower of Ponyville chime its bell. One, two, three, four, five, five times it chimed. It wouldn’t take too long anymore before the train to Canterlot would have arrived and Rarity would have boarded. It would do them all a bit more good to separate for just a small amount of time. For what, they didn’t even knew themselves.
---
It rolled into the station and came to a screeching hold. The puffs of smoke made by the mighty steam engine were released into the air. But Rarity was still out of their world. Twilight let out an annoyed groan. She charged her horn just a little bit. One tiny jolt of magic was then sent into the direction of the other unicorn.
“Wha!” she shouted after she had come back. “Where, where was that good for, Twilight Sparkle?” Her eyes had focused on the other unicorn and she let out a growl of her own.
“Rarity, train,” were the only two words that got spoken by Twilight. In an instant did Rarity turn herself around and watched over the mighty train. Her eyes went wide before her horn horn charged up. All of her luggage got levitated off the ground, revealing a Spike who was already attempting to do the same thing. His eyes looked over his lighter load before realizing it was levitating off.
“I, suppose this is goodbye then for the time being. I’ll see you all in about, three or four days. Of course I’ll tell you all how it was and what new things have sparked those Canterlotians,” said Rarity before she pulled each of her friends into a tight hug.
“Ya got this girl,” Applejack encouraged her.
“Don’t forget to have fun!” Pinkie Pie almost shouted.
“Good luck up there,” Twilight added.
Rainbow and Fluttershy remained silent, but they made up with the strength of their hug. The time to depart had arrived. From that moment onwards, Rarity would have been on her own and facing both the un- and the known. “Thank you all, and please, don’t destroy the town while I’m away. Would be nice to come back the way it was left,” added Rarity in a teasing chuckle. One which was well received by the other ponies.
---
Tik, tik, tik, tik, went the rain against the window of the train. The more the train thundered down the tracks towards Canterlot, the more the weather had been turning. What promised to have become such a wonderful and quiet evening, had turned into a straight downpour. The eyes of Rarity watched through the window to the sight she could still see, although there was little to witness. Luckily for her, she had managed to get a private compartment on the train - as per usual. It seemed to best her inspiration if she wasn’t interrupted every so often by other ponies.
With the rain hammering its way onto the glass, thinking in silence wasn’t a thing that seemed plausible anymore. Rarity let out a gentle sigh through her mouth before she made herself more comfortable in the seating. If anything, she could have tried to get some sleep during her time on the train. The trip to Canterlot would have taken longer due to the storm, so she had all the time in the world. “Maybe a quick nap before the worries of tonight and tomorrow do their turn. Need to get all of the sleep that I possibly can,” Rarity said to herself just before a yawn left her.
She snuggled a bit more up against the seating and closed the curtains of her compartment with the help of her magic. It was followed by the extinguishing of the light, before even her own magic was released into the world. Shrouded in darkness, Rarity would have been able to get some sleep. A thing that hopefully would have done her some form of good. There would have been more enough time to worry about everything else, once she was at her hotel. Or even worse, at the venue where the show was held.
---
“Rarity,” a faint and faraway sounding voice whispered in her ears. A voice that was recognized as that of Sweetie Belle. Her name was repeated over and over, almost hammering itself through the skull of the unicorn. Who had opened her eyes in the darkness of her compartment.
A yawn left her mouth before she could make a reply. “Sweetie, it’s not time to wake up yet, just go back to bed,” she growled in annoyance. Disorientation had gotten to her while she rubbed the temples of her head. The swaying motions of the train as it raced down the tracks came to her and all of the sudden she realized just where she was. “Wait, but that means, Sweetie can’t be here! Oh if that filly has gotten on the train, I’m stuck to her for the entire thing. Not that I really mind it, but she’s... she’s... well, Sweetie.”
Fear rushed through her body. The last thing she wanted to encounter during her trip was her own flesh and blood, for good reasons. Whenever her sister tried to help, things usually ended up in an even bigger mess then they started in. But if she was on the train, she was all alone, looking for her older sister. But Sweetie couldn’t have been there, could she? She wasn’t on the platform when Rarity boarded the train. So, how? Those kind of questions riddled the mind of the unicorn.
Rarity got off of her seating and moved over to the door. She opened it with a hoof and took a quick glance to her sides. The well-lit walkway of the train blinded her for a moment. Yet the whisper was caught in her ears again. Faint enough to hear it, but not loud enough to determine any location. The mare removed herself out of her compartment and closed the door behind her. Given how it was the evening train, not many ponies would have been traveling to Canterlot. Meaning that the entire train was almost deserted.
She took a couple steps into the direction of the head of the train. Her ears were perked and primed, even the faintest whisper of her sister’s voice would be caught with them. One way or the other, she would have found her. At least, that was the thing she wanted. A thing that was a whole lot easier said than it was done. Another yawn was given by her before her head was shaken again. Rarity had to stay awake no matter what.
Out of nowhere there was a curve made by the train. One that caused Rarity to crash into the wall and forced her eyes shut. But even behind her closed eyelids did she saw how the lights on the hallway went out. One by one, they all lost their power. She forced her eyes open again and tried to look around. The thought of charging up her horn didn’t come to her once, she had to adjust to the darkness and pray the lights would get back on.
Though she closed her eyes again after standing back in the hallway again. Her ears were perked again while she tried to hear Sweetie’s voice. “Rarity.” It just continued to whisper to her. It wanted that she came and follow it for whatever reason. There was just something about the entire voice that seemed unusual. It sounded familiar in both the good and the bad way. Rarity just couldn’t place it in her mind. Something could have been toying with her, or it was the real deal.
Either way, she had to continue onwards. Given how her compartment was in the last carriage of the train, it only made sense to her that she moved towards the head of it. Though navigating in the darkness was something easier said than done. At the tips of her hooves she made her way forward, walking at a snail’s pace. All while the voice continued to call out for her. It wanted her to find it, whatever, whoever, it was.
Rarity’s eyes did have an issue getting adjusted to the darkness though. She could only see splashes of things that stood in front of her, but she missed the biggest part. Without a single warning given to her, she crashed into something. Something that gave way only just a little bit. But Rarity couldn’t see what it was, so she released the loudest scream possible. Gibberish words were spoken by her while she took a step or two back. With her whole heart she hoped it wasn’t a giant spider that had entered the train.
---
The lights went on again. One by one were the light relit. They revealed a Rarity who still had her eyes closed firm and kept on screaming. At that point it was a blessing that the train was almost empty. Her high pitched yell went through marrow and bone. “Miss!” was shouted in her direction. The mysterious, stallion’s voice, seemed to have come from right in front of her. “Miss!” it spoke again. “Would you please stop screaming, I’m already halfway of getting deaf!”
It appeared to have been working. The yelling of Rarity became less and less until her voice had died down to nothing. One of her eyes opened up and they stared at the pony who was their conductor for the night. In an instant there was a bright red blush that came to her face. “E-Excuse me, I, I didn’t mean to...” she managed to stumble out.
The conductor let out a sigh through his mouth and adjusted his cap. “It’s alright miss, not even I can fully explain why the lights went out. Seemed like they went off when we entered a tunnel, and came back on once we were out. Either somepony is toying with us or it’s just a very unlucky coincidence. I don’t know what to believe on it.”
Rarity nodded to his words after her other eye had opened as well. She had assumed a bit more of a normal posture in front of him. The regal side of the mare was revealed once more. She wanted to head back to her compartment, but was stopped. Her mind steered her back to the stallion. She asked the question that laid at the tip of her tongue. “You, didn’t hear some kind of whisper, or faint calling, during the time the lights were out, right? No filly with pinkish mane encountered either?”
The conductor rose an eyebrow to her before he shook his head. “I haven’t heard any whispers, only a loud yell in the darkness. Which came from you, I might add. As for the filly, I’m afraid I haven’t seen her either. Nopony matching that description has boarded the train tonight. Good night miss.” And with that, he moved back to the front again.
Rarity turned herself around and nodded calmly. Sweetie wasn’t aboard of the train, meaning she was probably vast asleep in her bed. But who was it that called for her then? Whose voice was it, that spoke to her in the darkness? “Maybe it is just my mind toying with me again, wouldn’t be the first time it happened and you know it.”
She closed the door shut behind her and assumed a relaxed position on the sofa of her compartment. The time to worry and to think about the matter wasn’t there anymore. The train was almost in Canterlot, she was almost near her destination.
---
Having disembarked the train and made her way through the rainy streets of Canterlot, Rarity had finally arrived at the hotel where she would be spending the rest of the night. A deep exhale of relief was given by her once she stood by the reception. Perhaps it was luck, but she had packed an umbrella of which she had made great usage. She wasn’t afraid for her luggage getting wet. The many suitcases she carried could have handled it.
At the counter, she checked in for the night and got the key to her room. A room that was on the thirteenth floor. That little fact alone should have been enough to get any superstitious pony on the tips of their hooves. But two facts were true about Rarity. She didn’t believe in the number thirteen bringing bad luck, and she was tired. It didn’t matter to her where her room was, as long as she could have taken a bath and then move over to a bed to sleep.
Her journey to the thirteenth floor was an easy one with the help of a magical elevator. She found her room quick on the floor. But before she entered, she allowed her eyes to sink in the architecture of the place. It reminded her of how all of Canterlot was build. An old style, but still very pretty to look at. How they could have done it, she didn’t knew. But it reminded her of the royal castle. A little smile formed across her lips before she inserted the key and turned it.
Before her was the room revealed to her. A room that looked just marvelous and spared no expense whatsoever. It was all top-notch and Rarity brought everything she carried with her inside. Her eyes kept on gazing to the ceiling and the walls, it just looked so, so wonderful. Never in her life had she expected to see such things outside of the castle of the two sisters. She was truly blessed for the moment. Blessed to be able to spend the night there.
Though the events aboard the train weren’t forgotten, not at all. She remembered them a little bit too vividly for her own taste. All of her suitcases were dropped down and ordered before her horn was discharged. Her eyes fell upon the massive, queen-sized bed for a moment and the smile became even bigger. She was going to enjoy the night, that much was certain.
And what could have hidden itself behind that precarious looking door? If her mind wasn’t kidding herself, she could have sworn that there would have been a bathroom behind it. Her hoof was placed on the handle and she opened it. There it indeed laid, the massive bathroom of her hotel room. Including a wonderful looking bath. Faucets’ that were coated in gold, a bath that was completely surrounded by marble stones. Even the bath itself seemed to have been made from some kind of precious metal or rare type of stone.
There was a deep grin that came to her face. From the moment that she saw the bathroom, Rarity knew that she was going to enjoy her stay in the hotel. Perhaps a little bit more than she originally had intended to. Not that she cared much about it though. The more pleasure she had to keep her mind away from the show, the better it would have been for her. She closed the door behind her and turned open one of the faucets. The time to take a bath had fallen upon her.
---
Steam left the bathroom long after Rarity had left it. She had covered her wet body in a bathrobe and her mane was wrapped in towels. She had dropped her body unto the bed and made herself rather comfortable on the mattress and the blankets. Magazines laid next to her to be read, but with her eyes closed and her magic discharged, there wasn’t much reading done.
Instead, she seemed to have fallen into a series of light sleeps. Light sleeps that would have ended up in a long and deep one in the end. Her eyes opened up for one last time before the light of the candles ceased to exist. With a yawn that left her mouth did the mare close her eyes again. She desired to sleep until the rising, morning sun. To regain her energy for the show that would happen in the evening of the following day. A show that was sponsored by an unknown benefactor. Fishy, perhaps. But on the other end, it also seemed to be a great opportunity for her business.
Rarity snuggled up against her pillows and left both the bathrobe and towels on. She was too tired to do anything else but sleep. Though sleep was a precious thing and for the second time that day, it would have been disturbed by something.
---
“Rarity,” that mysterious, Sweetie Belle-like voice spoke up again. The voice managed to wake Rarity up again. She looked around in the darkness of the room. Her desires to find out just what was haunting her had only become greater. “Rarity, come over here,” it continued to speak. For the first time, there were more words spoken by the eerie voice.
Rarity had to swallow once as she didn’t believe the things that were going on. Something or somepony had to be playing with her, right? Whatever dark entity in the realm would have come after her? For whatever reason would it had done such a thing? So many questions rushed through her mind, but she only stared into a deep, dark room.
Not a single candle was kept lit. Not a single breeze of wind waved through the curtains. Not even the sound of the rain was caught in her ears. Complete and utter darkness, with no way of knowing where she could run away to. Rarity was trapped like a mice. But would she heed the words of the voice, make a reply of her own, or pray in silence that whatever was toying with her eventually gave up? All of it seemed tempting, but the wisest decision was one that she couldn’t make. Rarity had to know who was behind it all.
In order to know it, Rarity would have chosen to remain silent. But she didn’t go unseen. She knew that whatever entity was with her, knew that she was in the room. So the unicorn released a deep exhale through her nostrils. Her eyes were closed again before the blue aura around her horn was seen again.
The towel that had wrapped itself around her head was removed and dropped off to the sides. Her eyes were opened again. In the light of her aura, she hoped to encounter exactly what was haunting her. Whom of her six friends had gone to such extremes as to follow her to Canterlot just to play a horrid prank on her. She would figure out the truth, one way or the other. Though little did she knew, what she would have found.
Her eyes were given a new room, one that was faintly lit in the light of her aura. A room that was still shrouded in darkness at numerous places and this gave excellent hiding spots. But what did she caught in the corner of her eye? Rarity turned her head a little bit, but again did it appear in the corner of her eye. She turned again. And again, it was in the corner of her eye.
Whatever it was, it didn’t seemed to be one of her friends. They wouldn’t have been able to do such a thing. Which meant that some kind of other force had set in the hunt for her. That was a realization that terrified her down to the soul. Another gulp was given off by her while gentle streams of sweat came from her forehead.
Her heart was beating like mad, her lungs filled themselves with air every few seconds. She was almost hyperventilating, yet she appeared just so calm. It remained within the corner of her eyes. It kept on watching over her. A blob of what could be described as shadows to her. What it wanted and why it came for her she didn’t know. Rarity didn’t even wanted to know it.
She closed her eyes just for a moment. They were closed to give her mind some recollection about everything that had happened. But when they were opened again, the blob of shadows had moved over to the other side. Out of curiosity had Rarity closed her eyes again. They were opened shortly afterwards and the blob of shadows appeared in its original position.
The conclusion was drawn that every time she closed her eyes, the blob saw an opportunity to move around. But would Rarity have the guts to face whatever it was that was hiding within them? The chance existed she would, but the odds were more aimed to the fact she couldn’t. A light grumble left her throat while she remained silent.
It was that very same silence that caused the voice to speak further. Words were left into the air in that same, eerie voice that sounded like her sister’s. “So that’s how we’re going to play this? Very well then, enjoy the night, Rarity. Enjoy the torments of me, terrorizing your darkest days. But in the end, you realize that there might be one or two things, we have in common.” Those were the words spoken by the mysterious entity before it seemed to disappear.
Rarity could have only wished that the thing was gone. It didn’t appear in the corners of her eyes anymore though. Instead, she caught something else almost right in front of her. On the wall in front of her did it just stood. A shadow of a large mare, perhaps three times the size she was. No eyes could be seen, but the shadow had opened up on the spots where the eyes usually rested. Which gave it an even creepier effect.
Rarity wanted to scream the lungs out of her body, but she couldn’t let out the faintest sound. Her eyes were fixed upon the shadow she saw in her light. A shadow that even turned on the wall. One moment it stood sideways, the next it had turned its body a quarter. All of the sudden there was a howl that came from the shadows before they hurled themselves towards Rarity. The mare tried to scream again, but again with no sound.
The light of her horn was consumed, engulfing the room again in darkness. She felt her body being pushed further against the mattress and blankets as if something pinned her down. Her eyes didn’t see who or what, but her mind had an idea or two. She held unto those very ideas, right up to the point where she lost her consciousness. Everything around her turned black as the night, her grip upon the physical world became less and less... until she had departed to another world.
---
The rays of the sun pierced through the room, the orange skies were visible through the windows and Rarity let out a groan. The light was toying with her eyes, making them twitch a bit. The groan was followed up by a deep moan before she even dared to raise her body from the bed. Her eyes opened up. She rubbed the fur of a foreleg in both of them just before a yawn was let out.
She didn’t seemed to realize what had happened the night before, but a shudder of fear did travel over her body. “What a terrible nightmare,” she mumbled up to herself. Her eyes had been fully cleaned in her eyes and Rarity left the bed for what it was. She would have disappeared within the bathroom to prepare herself for the evening to come. Of course she had questions about the things she had seen in her ‘dream’, but it wasn’t the place to get answers.
Not much time would have passed before the unicorn had left the bathroom. She looked as stunning as ever. Her mane and tail were curling perfectly while her eyelashes were the deepest, most beautiful black. Those looks combined with her deep, sapphire blue rimmed eyes, any stallion would have lost himself within her sight. A true lady - a lady that was worth a kill for - had wandered out of the bathroom and made her way over to the door.
Rarity had the desire to leave the hotel room for what it was and just walk up to the venue where the show was going to be held. But when she opened the door, a shock went through her. In an instant did her horn charge up and most of the suitcases were brought along with her.
While it was true that she had send everything for the show already away, some of her most precious and most daring designs were kept safe. She didn’t trust anypony else outside of herself with them. The last thing she needed was that a new and secret design would have fallen into the hooves of a competitor.
With the suitcases in her magical grasp had the time come for Rarity to make her departure. She wouldn’t just stroll around Canterlot though. Instead she would have gone straight away to the venue. Even though it would be in the evening, she still had to set a ton of things up.
---
Rarity wandered through the streets of Canterlot. Her eyes were wider than usual before she placed them on the venue itself. It was a rather simple looking building, used often for such events. But the sheer beauty it carried always managed to mystify her. The city had so a certain charm to it, that couldn’t be explained by anypony. Perhaps it was because the princesses lived there, perhaps it was because it was that old, nopony could tell the truth.
The unicorn knocked on the front door and waited in patience for somepony to open it. Though the fact that she heard sounds coming from the inside confirmed the thoughts she had. It even vanquished some of the silent worries that surged through her mind. The entire thing was real. It wasn’t some kind of trap to lure her to Canterlot and abduct her. That whole idea alone seemed to have been strange. Nopony would even dare to commit crimes in the city of the princesses, let alone against an element of harmony.
The door was opened for the unicorn and she entered the building with a smile. The pony who had opened the door returned it to her and Rarity just watched for a moment. She allowed everything to come to her. The entire atmosphere of the place was brought to her. The natural levels of stress and nervousness, it all was normal to her. “Right then,” she said before she walked over to the models that would wear her designs, “let’s prepare for the show.”
What nopony knew though, was the fact that even Rarity was nervous. She had not a single clue what could happen that night. She had to prepare for everything. For failure, for victory, everything. Anything. While the models showed that they were nervous, Rarity kept her straight poker face and appeared just like any other day.
But that evening could have either made, or broken her. “I need everypony on their best tonight, as much as I do hate to say it, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she spoke to the models. They all nodded to her before they went their separate way again. Time would tell what the outcome would have been. Only once the curtains fell, the results would be in.
---
Giggles echoed within Rarity’s ears, the curtain dropped before her while she stood in a thankful bow. It was all over. Everything was said and done, the deeds were done and everypony could just hope. Rarity’s respiration was heavy, even though she had only been on stage for a mere five minutes to give her closing speech. But the day had been tiresome.
In other words, she was glad that it was all over. Once the curtain had fully dropped itself, she came out of her position and turned around. Her eyes caught the models who were still wearing her designs and the brightest of smiles came to her. What followed was that all of the mares giggled together. They had put on an amazing show for the audience, that much was certain.
Words of thanks were spoken by each of the models, thanks that she had chosen them for the job, thanks for the opportunities given to them. Rarity giggled more before her face straightened a bit. She was after all a lady of posture. “Girls, none of you have any idea how much it warms my heart to have seen you out there and the words you just said. They are going to be something I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life. Few have pulled off a show like you did. Go, go and undress yourselves, the evening is still young. You earned a night out.”
“Aren’t you coming with us then?” one of the models asked her.
Rarity rose an eyebrow to the question at first. Then she shook her head from side to side. “As wonderful as it sounds to join myself to you, I’m just unable to. I have to clean up here a bit and then send everything back to Ponyville. I doubt there will be much left of the evening once everything is done. I’m sorry girls.”
Thankfully could the mares understand the direction she was coming from. They all nodded to her words before they went their separate way again. They would have undressed themselves, redressed into more appropriate clothing before leaving the venue after the audience had done the same. It seemed to comfort Rarity that they would have all gone their own ways. The last thing she needed was somepony walking before her hooves during the cleaning up.
Her mind brought her back to how the show went and she tried to imagine it how it looked from the front. It must have been mesmerizing to see the wonderful designs that she had made specifically for the show. But another point she had tried to figure out, was to see who could possibly have been that mysterious benefactor. Who among the crowd could have been responsible for the whole thing to become a reality.
Rarity had never seen a pony who was capable of it, but she was certain that he or she was sitting among them. A warm smile was formed by her lips before she shook her head a bit. “Oh Rarity, you’re imagining things again, aren’t you?” she said to herself. With the help of her magic had she collected some of the dresses, more and more ponies were leaving.
They all had done their part of the cleaning up and bid her a goodnight. If she didn’t know any better, Rarity was one of the last ponies present. “Miss Rarity,” a voice spoke to her. The attention of Rarity was turned over to the voice. Her head left the desk and she got a stallion in her eyes. Through her red-framed glasses she watched over him. “I’m going to take my leave now, after that it’s just you and the security pony, I think. I haven’t seen anypony else during my last round. If you make your leave, check in by him, so then he knows you’re gone too. Have a nice night, and it was an amazing show.”
Rarity had to try her best not to show him a little blush that came to her cheeks. However, she would have heeded the words he spoke. She gave a nod to him before there was another smile given. She removed the glasses from her eyes and blinked only once. “Of course darling. And thank you as well, for everything you’ve done today. May you have a nice night as well.”
With those words had he made his departure from the venue and Rarity was once again, left alone. Not that she minded it too much though. She always seemed to be working best whenever she was alone. It made the time go a lot faster for her feelings. And now that she was alone, she could have taken her time to set and order everything the way she wanted it.
The dresses were all placed back in their specialized suitcases and she kept a close eye on each of them. She could have done it the other day, sure. But her designs were almost holy in her eyes. She wanted them in the first train to Ponyville as soon as possible. Once there, her mother and father would have unloaded them and brought them back to the boutique. It was how they got to Canterlot in the first place. Though within Canterlot, there was another pony who picked them up.
The locks were locked on each suitcase, no eyes that didn’t need to know what was within them was allowed. Security measures beyond believes were taken by Rarity. Perhaps she was a little bit too obsessed with her work. Quite the number of ponies would have agreed on the matter.
---
The longer she kept on working, the more Rarity seemed to notice that something was wrong. It just didn’t look wrong all of the sudden, it felt wrong as well. Something crawled up to her of which she thought it had only been a dream. That agonizing fear which she had felt during her dreams seemed to return to her. The unicorn couldn’t place the thoughts in her mind though.
Without a warning did the magical lights began to flicker. It seemed as if their currents had been drained and they would most likely fail soon. Thankfully was she done with sorting and storing the dresses. Though she wouldn’t just leave like that. No, it felt to her as if she had something to prove to somepony. An annoyed grumble let her throat before she took off her glasses. They were placed on the table before her and mere fractions later did it happen.
The currents that flowed through the lights gave up. The light that had been her company for hours faded out of existence. The darkness crawled up to her once more. Only the light of her own magic was visible but didn’t cover every area of the place. There were still dozens of blind spots where anything could have hidden.
What followed was a deep shudder of a coldness that travelled down her spine. Almost as if something stroked an ice-cold hoof over her back. The hairs in the back of her neck sprung up because of it. Yet in her eyes she caught that mysterious blob of shadows again. “So it wasn’t a dream after all,” she mumbled to herself. Rarity remembered what had happened clearly, and she knew for a fact she wasn’t dreaming in that very moment. “Reveal yourself!” Rarity shouted in anger towards the darkness. “I know you’re dwelling inside of there, but what you are or who you are I don’t know. You said we might have had something in common, but I don’t know what I and a dweller of the darkness ever could hold in common!”
Wheezes were made through her nostrils. She was tired, exhausted and once more facing a being she most likely couldn’t defeat. A supernatural being that seemed to be haunting her for whatever reason. She would have loved to figure out why it was he who received the mental punishment. Questions arose within her, but the answers were kept waiting.
The blob in the corner of her eye moved again. But that time without the blinking motion made by her. It moved on its own free-will. It travelled to the wall that was the furthest away from her by the looks of it. There it would have formed a being. A being that she had only seen in memories she couldn’t place. The mythical mare in the moon, the one whose whole body could be seen, had assumed the position on the wall.
It was faintly lit in the light of her magic. Enough to see it standing, but by far not enough to make any definitive accusations. The posture of a mare five times her own size was caught in the eyes, a mane and tail were waving wonderful in the non-existent wind. There wouldn’t have been much doubt in Rarity’s mind, whatever the creature wanted, it would come and claim it. “Tell me, who you are!” demanded the unicorn while she took a step closer.
While she made that step closer, there was another shiver of fear that travelled through her body. One that showed her a horrid image of a past long forgotten and bend from reality. One in which a friend of her broke their friendship. Rarity took a step back and closed her eyes with a great force. “No,” she said in a whisper. “It can’t be...”
The figure on the wall released a dark, empty chuckle into the world. One that came from a dry throat and it rasped in its very echo. Uncomfortable, wouldn’t even cover the feelings for it. “It had been fun, watching you work tonight. Though I regret to inform you, that tonight was your last show... ever,” the mysterious entity spoke up. It had left behind the voice that sounded like her sister. Instead it reminded Rarity of somepony else. Somepony whom she was unfortunately familiar with.
“Instead of making lousy threats about events in my life, you might put some bite to your barking,” Rarity countered with a growl of her own. She showed little to no fear, but inside was her heart beating harder than ever. If it was the entity she thought it was, she would have been in a whole lot of unhelpful trouble.
“Your memory is serving you right, every time, time and time again, but I’ve been patient. I came so close to what I desired once... And I won’t hesitate to do it a second time,” the figure growled back at her.
“Well, you seem to be wasting your time right now. All talk but no action,” countered Rarity.
“There’s no fun in doing that, right now. No, I desire to break you again, and again, and again. Keep on breaking you until there’s nothing left within that body of yours to break. One can end the life of a pony only once, but the mind can be shattered over, and over.”
In an instant did everything make sense for Rarity. She knew whom she was talking to and it wasn’t pretty. She knew the entity that could have taken the sweet time to concoct up such a wretched plan. Only one dark entity she had ever faced in her life was capable of the mental torture. “You asked who I was,” the voice spoke up before the defining chuckle was given. That dark chuckle that could send a shiver down the spine. The chuckle of the legendary and true Mare in the Moon. “You remember me as Nightmare Moon, but in this form I was known differently. I told you we might have had something in common, Rarity. For I was known, as Nightmare Rarity.”
---
That did it for the unicorn. Every single bit rushed back to her and she did another step backwards. The memories that had been suppressed ever since she had reverted back, rushed back to her. Flashes of the events on the moon came crashing down unto her. “No! That’s, that’s imp-”
“Impossible, you wanted to say?” the shadow on the wall chuckled up. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, you have so much left to learn about the dark arts.”
Rarity didn’t even wanted to know the sidetracks. She wanted to know where the train of devastation would be heading towards. “Why have you come back, how have you come back?!”
The shadows on the wall grinned, revealing a set of jagged teeth on them. Teeth that weren’t physical, but did gave that effect. “That’s simple. Once they made you remember that nopony had forgotten you, you still feared something more than anything. It wasn’t your boutique burning, or you become a vampony. No, you feared me. You feared me, above anything else. And thanks to that fear, I was able to keep a solid hoof in the mortal world.” The voice of Nightmare Moon erupted out in a deep chuckle before a shadow hoof was physically pointed to Rarity.
“In a way, you’re responsible for my third resurrection. But this form won’t do though. I require something more, subtle. Your body was great to wear and live in. Such pleasantries had been made. I’ll spare you the details though,” the dark entity chuckled up. Her hoof was still pointing to Rarity, who could see drops falling off of it. Something didn’t add up about it though. Could it have been the mysterious ‘liquid shadow’ she had heard Twilight spoke about every now and then? She guessed it was, which meant that everything had become more dangerous.
“I don’t even want to know what you did while you resided in my body, or how you managed to lock my soul up to take over. But what I do know, is that you won’t succeed another time. Fool me once, shame on me,” countered Rarity with another growl.
“Fool me twice, shame on you,” finished Nightmare Moon with the deadly grin. The words were indeed so true sounding, the faint attempt to bargain for her life was just cute. Rarity was the perfect host for the leech that was the Nightmare. And said leech would have gone to any length to get back what was once hers. “Luna’s body is powerful, but everypony knows her counterpart. Not everypony knows your dark counterpart. Second unicorn of the elements, defeated by a mere breeze of darkness. You should have kept studying magical arts, darling.”
Rarity took those words as an insult and she fired a blast into the direction of the shadows. Darkness began to swallow everything as the smoke rose up from the point of impact. The unicorn hoped with her whole heart that she would have put an end to the devil in her life. Though luck was most likely not at her side.
---
Her eyes scanned everything around the smoking area. The light of her magic had emerged again and Rarity wanted to know whether or not she had defeated Nightmare Moon once and for all. It just seemed stupid of her to think she had done it. A thought that lingered deep within the back of her head as well.
A step forward is made by Rarity, but she gets another vision. A twisted lie sold as the terrible truth. An imagine of her friends in Ponyville actually celebrating the fact that she was gone. Tears would have sprung in her eyes, if she didn’t know any better. But in the situation she did know it better. She had just fired a shot of magic to the darkest mare in the land, the fact that she got the vision before her eyes proved enough. She took another step forwards and an even darker image was granted to her.
One that had both of her parents and Sweetie Belle in a picture. But when Rarity looked better, it became apparent that she had been removed out of the image through magic. It wanted to show her that not even her parents wanted that she was born. Of course did it turn and twist the mind of the mare. Of course did Rarity wanted to erupt out in tears at the images she saw. But she had to stay strong. She had to keep telling herself everything was a lie.
A growl left her and she looked back to the place where the shadow stood. She saw how the smoke had been cleared up and it revealed to her a horrifying sight. The figure of her own Nightmare version stood there, grinning as dark as ever. “I, I should have known,” she whispered to herself.
The other entity just released another, deep and dark chuckle. “Oh my dearest, you always have been such a foolish little pony. I saw it the moment I glanced into your eyes. You fear a lot of things. Things you can’t even held possible yourself, the fabric of the universe, the infinity of space, the zillion possibilities of time, you all fear it, but don’t know it.”
“Perhaps,” answered Rarity in a defeated voice. One that sparked the interest of Nightmare Moon. One eyebrow was invisibly risen up just after the grin had faded from her face. Had Rarity admitted defeat? Was she ready to be consumed by the Nightmare for a second time? It was too easy in the entity’s eyes. Too easy for a mare like that to just give up and give in. Something had been hidden away from her.
The eyes of Rarity stared back into the holes that represented those of her Nightmare counterpart. She couldn’t fully understand why it hadn’t reverted back to the state she had known her in though. She shook her head to get the thought out of her mind. It was a right question, wondered at the wrong time. “But I know things that not even you seem to know about me,” she added to her words.
In an instant was the attention caught by Nightmare Moon. Just what was that little pony thinking of in front of her? Just what was she trying to do? “Bargaining for your life won’t work. I know every single secret you have. Your brain was mine when I was inside of you, remember? Bwahaha! Of course you don’t.” Another bark, but still no bite. What was it about that version of Nightmare Moon? The leech that was the entity must have taken one or two personality treads of the unicorn as well. Rarity herself was also a mare who did a lot of barking, but did little biting.
Perhaps Rarity could have taken her advantage with it? Only if she played the game smart, really smart. It was Nightmare Moon she was dealing with in the end. Another growl left her throat. Which was followed up by a huff. Her eyes glanced deep into those of the dark entity, the praying had begun. There wouldn’t have been any way back from there on onwards. Rarity’s greatest battle alone, was about to be fought.
---
Her eyes kept on staring to Nightmare Moon while the charge of her horn increased only a bit more. “You see dear, the problem with you is that you also behave like me. And I know how I behave, I know why I do every action and reaction. You on the other end, just assume I do them because they are pretty. Which is correct, for the most part.” She did another step forwards. There was another horrid image that appeared before her eyes.
Though that time didn’t Rarity even flinch at it. She didn’t even tore her eyes away. The image sprung up before her eyes, but Nightmare Moon would always have been visible. She had thought of a way to defeat the Nightmare with her own little game. Didn’t she say she held her hoof in the mortal world, because Rarity was afraid of her? “But you forget one thing, I lay connections quickly as well. I find loopholes within words, contracts, if you may. And right now, to me, you’re nothing more but an annoying customer who doesn’t know what she wants!”
Big words spoken for a small mare, Rarity hoped it would have been enough to save her skin. If not, she could kiss both of her beautiful flanks goodbye forever. Her heartbeat rose, adrenaline was pulsed through her body while she waited for Nightmare’s response. Yet in her mind she kept on repeating one little phrase. I’m no longer afraid of you, were the words she said to herself.
How big were the chances that she could have defeated Nightmare Moon like that really? How big of a percentage did she gave herself that everything would have succeeded? The chance was slim and the percentage less than one. Rarity’s didn’t believe she would have been able to defeat the Nightmare. Though in the least, she would have gone down, knowing she wasn’t afraid anymore.
“How dare you to insult me like that!” Nightmare Moon shouted before a roar of primal power was released. The shadows that had been playing nice on the wall, repeated their pattern. They turned sideways before they lunged themselves forwards. Nightmare Moon left the realm of shadows and merged into the physical realm. The drops of shadow fell of her body as she wanted to tackle Rarity. The unicorn on the other end remained standing firm. Only her eyes were closed.
A loud crash could be heard in her ears. A loud crash while a bright, blue light was caught even behind her eyelids. The sounds of a fire followed up after the crash, as if somepony had made a big, strong fire. What on earth had happened to cause such a thing? Rarity was almost dying to find out. Yet a sudden warmth filled her body. A warmth that originated from her heart. Had she done it? Had she truly done it and overcome her fears?
The chance existed there for certain, but it was a very slim one.
---
Her eyes were opened again and Rarity was granted a sight unbelievable before her. One she had never expected to see in her entire life. Before her were blue flames that shone the same color as her cutie mark. They burned with the power she carried in her heart, which was the place she assumed they had come from.
Behind them had Nightmare Moon’s walked away as if she was a limping dog. Despite the flames, Rarity walked through them without any form of effort. She trailed after the dark entity with a curious glance in her eyes. She was still wondering whether or not she had actually done the impossible.
The light of her horn was cast again, forming itself around the physical version of Nightmare Moon’s Nightmare Rarity looks. “What..? Are you going to throw in the final insult, as I leave this world? My strength is fading... Even one measly element is able to send me back. You don’t fear me, anymore...” Her voice was weak, distorted while pieces of her body were already falling to the ground.
But Rarity shook her head to those words. She wouldn’t have done any of those things. Though she doubted if she could have ever changed the mind of Nightmare Moon. “No,” she answered before her light faded again. “I won’t give an insult or comment. I’ll let you depart to the void in peace. I won’t ever be able to change your mind, nor do I intend to do so. You, no.”
Without a further word, Rarity turned her body around and walked away from the scene. She had defeated Nightmare Moon, sent her back to the void and didn’t seem happy about it. One last, dry chuckle was released by the shadow mare before her final words got released. “You always were, the greatest bitch of them,” the voice said in the dry, empty voice. Tired could be added as well. Nightmare Moon didn’t even look back at Rarity’s departure. The both of them had some form of dignity to withhold.
“I know,” Rarity finished before she seemed to have left the area. That was the moment when Nightmare Moon decided it was time. Time to leave the physical world again for who knew how long. Her end had come, but her rebirth would happen again in time. When? Not even she knew. Only when the fear for her came into existence again, she would come out of hiding.
---
The train rolled back into the station of Ponyville. Five ponies and a dragon were waiting for a certain somepony to have disembarked. That very pony was nopony else then Rarity herself. The unicorn of fashion looked at them all with a big and warm smile on her face. Without words had she left the train and they all embraced her in a hug. A hug that was returned by the unicorn tighter than usual, for some reason.
None of them found it their place to ask but they did ask how everything went for her. To that, there was only one thing that Rarity could have said. “Come by tomorrow, around noon and I’ll tell you all about the journey I had in Canterlot.” But Twilight had a deeper look in Rarity’s eyes. She saw that the innocence of a forgotten memory was gone. Which meant that Rarity had remembered the horrid events. How, why and when, were three questions she had no answer on.
“Uhm, Twilight, would you be a dear and please, help me with brining everything back to the boutique. There are also some things I would like to discuss with you,” Rarity spoke up after they had broken the hug.
Twilight couldn’t say no to the matter and everything seemed to have settled. The four other ponies said their goodbye’s after their welcome home’s. It was a bit strange to say the least, but Rarity was glad that they went out of their way just to greet her.
When both Rarity and Twilight walked through the streets, Spike carried some of the suitcases while the unicorns held most of them. “So, Rarity, you seem to know what happened during that gap in your mind, right?” Twilight asked.
Rarity gave a nod to the words before her reply was made. “Unfortunately, the pleasure was given to me to remember the events. Events of which I can understand you kept them hidden from me. I don’t blame any of you for that.”
Relieved with the answer she got, Twilight still had another question that went through her mind. “Your hug, at the station, it seemed tighter than before. Something happened during the show you haven’t told any of us yet?”
The fashionista couldn’t help herself but to let out a little chuckle at the question. In her eyes it was just so funny, though Twilight didn’t knew why she was laughing to begin with. “It was, yes. On purpose, I dare to say,” Rarity started. “Let’s just say that during the show, there was an event that made my eyes open a little bit. An event that showed me something far more precious than everything I have in materials.”
“And, that being?” Twilight asked with a tilted head. She didn’t had a single clue what Rarity possibly could have meant with her words. It was a Rarity-thing, speaking in riddles and idioms.
“That I am very fortunate to have you all as my friends, and know how to overcome the fears I carry inside of me. At times of darkness and with no light, memories can become the light you need to walk away from the darkness,” Rarity said in a voice that sounded as if she was in a faraway place.
Twilight still didn’t fully get the situation. She had become more interested in just what had happened as a whole. But the chance to ask it on the streets wasn’t given to her. They had arrived at the Carousel Boutique and Rarity had opened the door for the three of them. “I may tell you, one day sooner or later. In the meantime, would you care for a cup of tea?” The librarian couldn’t resist the offer. She watched how both Rarity and Spike entered the building.
Though she remained outside for a moment longer. Her eyes went up to the visible moon in the bright blue skies of the day. The legendary Mare in the Moon was gone, but for her feelings she had always been there. She had never left. “Life works in mysterious ways. Would become boring if the last question is answered. Mystery, keeps us on the tips of our hooves, the unknown is sometimes more fun than the known. And some things, are best left unknown. Though I’m certain, we’ll meet again. Don’t know where, don’t know when. But we will.”
With those words, Twilight Sparkle entered the boutique and closed the door behind her.
