A Library's Secret

The upcoming Fashion Tour in the heart of Canterlot ranked among the most anticipated days for Rarity; it also was one of the most dreaded days for her. While she could whip up something in a few hours the experts would gawk at and gossip about it for years, surveying and scrutinizing each detail and stitch for hours at a time froze Rarity's spine. Checking it thrice, fixing up a misalignment invisible to the naked eye, and rinse and repeat until it was ready.

At least she had three dresses all sewn up and ready for the occasion days early. The problem was that Fashion Tour only allowed one dress per each pony on a team for the preliminary rounds. She had little time to think it all over. Rarity would rather wade through an aisle selling crimes against fashion than dump two works of art or leave them to rot.

Rarity paced back and forth across the upper floor of Carousel Boutique, clacks filling her ears and the sun outside causing the aquamarine floor to glow like a gemstone. Against one of the walls were three mannequins, each one donning one of the dresses Rarity could choose for the grand occasion.

"The rose-colored dress would fit well in an outdoors setting," Rarity muttered to herself. She glanced over to the one on its left. "But the gold trim of the second dress just fits the posh, royal lifestyle of Canterlot so well." Her head swiveled an inch further to the left; Rarity's eyes focused on the third and final dress. "And this dress has such exquisite detail sewn to the last millimeter, not to mention how its green accents highlight the gold, flowery decorations I put so much time into making." She pursed her lips. The ticking of the room's clock drowned out the rest of the world's noise.

In a flash, her eyes widened. "And with Coco Pommel being my partner, I can't let her down. I'd never want to show my face again if I show up with something that's ghastly!"

Rarity sat down on the floor, forelegs crossed. "It's going to be okay, Rarity." She took a number of deep breaths; the tension throughout her body dissipated bit by bit. "It's only one of—no—the most important event for designers throughout Equestria. There's no need to worry, right?" She feigned a chuckle. "Right?"

Her eyes glanced over to the green dress once more, the designs stitched on the fabric catching her eye. A second later, she focused on the rose-colored dress. "Hmm. Maybe I'll go with—"

A series of loud knocks rang into Rarity's ears. Jumping up in surprise, a lightheaded sensation taking hold of her for a moment, she landed on all four hooves. "Someone's here? Is it Coco?"

Less than a second later, Rarity dashed down the staircase, her legs wiggling as she leaped over some of the steps as if they were hurdles. Upon arriving at Carousel Boutique's first floor, she spent no time observing the neatly arranged furniture, paperwork, or anything unrelated to the door waiting for her. Rarity reached for the doorknob; the beating of her heart seemed loud enough to echo in the room.

Three more knocks arrived. Rarity opened the door, only the fourth knock bopped her forehead as opposed to the wooden frame.

"Hello," a familiar, albeit agitated voice said. "Sorry about poking you there."

Rarity rubbed her stricken forehead, the soreness disappearing a second later, and locked eyes with the visitor before her. It was Twilight Sparkle, the alicorn princess' eyes wider than dinner plates and her cheeks pale.

"Rarity!" Twilight shrieked. She nudged closer to Rarity until the two were an inch apart. "I need your help!"

"It's nice to see you, Twilight, but what's the commotion?" She arched an eyebrow and took a step back. "Did you see something hideous like an overly colorful shirt? Is another monster attacking Ponyville?" Rarity shuddered and gasped. "I hope it's not something dreadful like that. Now's not the best time to get my hooves dirty, dear. However, I'm willing kick a bugbear or manticore for my dear friends and Equestria if needed."

Twilight violently shook her head. "It's none of those things. See, it's a stone tablet found under the ruins of Golden Oaks Library."

Shrugging, Rarity then tapped Twilight's shoulder. "So a dumb rock? Well, I do have lots of experience with those." She glanced over to her cutie mark and released a soft giggle. She'd lost count of how many bemused expressions she received whenever she told the story of her cutie mark. Rarity then brought her attention back to Twilight. "What's so frightening about this one?"

"Well, it's more about what the rock says than it being some old rock," another voice replied. Peeking behind Twilight was a light blue pegasus mare, her mane in the colors of the rainbow. She flapped her wings at a steady pace as she hovered above the soil. "It's kinda boring at first, but what it says later on sounds awful."

"Greetings, Rainbow Dash," Rarity replied. "And how bad are we talking here?"

"Cataclysmic," a third voice said, her tone having the slightest drawl to it. Emerging into Rarity's eyesight was an orange earth pony, a familiar brown hat atop her head. "And I'm not talkin' about somethin' that happens quickly. It's gonna be long and painful if we don't do somethin' quick."

"Since when did you become a dictionary?" Rainbow teased. Nudging Applejack, she donned the slightest of smirks. "I thought you worked all day on the farm."

"I told you, I sometimes read in my free time. Ya learn words and stuff when ya read. It ain't the hardest thing to understand."

Rainbow nodded and then shrugged. "Point taken, but hearing that—that word come out of you is kinda surprising."

Applejack cocked her head, brow ruffled. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Rainbow snickered. "Don't worry about it."

"Anyway, it's nice to see you too, Applejack," Rarity said. She rubbed her muzzle. "Twilight, I'm guessing you've rounded up your friends. Do you know where we'll be headed?"

"What we need to do next is still a mystery," Twilight muttered. Pursing her lips for a second, she then took a quick breath. "I wish it wasn't. Anyway, I still need to get Fluttershy and Spike up to date, and Pinkie Pie is doing her part at the moment around Ponyville. Also, Rainbow Dash and Applejack stopped here at the same time I was, so I guess it's kind of a strange coincidence we're all here."

"Well, coincidences are a funny thing, darling. However, what's Pinkie's part in this?"

Twilight nodded. "See, we're going around Ponyville to spread the news, then asking other ponies to let their friends know about it. This way, we'll get the news all over Equestria as quickly as possible. Maybe we'll figure out the identities of some key figures and what to do from here. It's the best method I could think of in a flash, so sorry if it's not optimal."

"It sounds reasonable to me." Rarity forced a smirk, her widened eyes clashing with it. Twilight's plan sounded rational, but it was everything around it which froze her blood, namely the slab's ominous inscriptions. "Wise as always, darling."

"If overly nervous at times," Rainbow added. With a nervous chuckle, cheeks colored a hot pink, she rubbed the back of her neck. "But to be fair, we've all been there before. And—and I don't blame her this time."

"Yeah," Twilight and Applejack said in unison.

"Well, I hope we're able to solve this," Rarity said. She quietly hoped she wouldn't have to drag her fainting couch out again. Magic or no magic, getting it from Carousel Boutique to just the right spot sometimes wore her out more than whatever stunning revelation she heard. "I'm supposed to be heading over to Canterlot in the near future, so maybe I could spread the word over there when I make my grand appearance. I'd hate to not help out in some way, and I'm willing to miss some of the festivities for the safety of my friends."

"That sounds like a great plan," Twilight said. "The Royal Canterlot Archives will also have tons of theories and answers about the past, so maybe that's one place to look at. Just ask one of the librarians there for information on relics, as looking through everything will take too much time."

"Sounds like your kind of paradise." Then again, visiting such a prestigious room filled with knowledge intrigued her. It'd also serve as a nice break from the duller, longer parts of the festival where even the most dedicated of fashionistas would yawn every minute. Rarity had attended enough to know which parts to avoid like an alternative fashion event. "Anyway, let's not waste any time. What's the current situation?"

"Well, the tablet that was excavated shows Ponyville like how it is right now. I'd not think much of it in most instances, but it even has the new castle etched onto it." Twilight blew some air out; her body shivered. "That's not exactly a coincidence."

"It does?"

Twilight nodded, her lips sealed.

"Most unusual, but I'd like to know more, please." Rarity tapped her hoof against the floor; she gazed up for a second. "I wouldn't count out a coincidence just yet, darling, but what's the dreadful news?"

"Supposedly, something is going to send Equestria into ruin, and it seems to place a lot of emphasis on this unicorn."

"Ruin?" Rarity gulped. While she knew better than to trust whatever reached her ears, hearing it from Twilight's voice turned her pale. Her horn lit a faint, blue aura as she readied the fainting couch. The cold, hard floor was no place for anypony to pass out on; she needed some comfort. However, as she took a few deep breaths, the lightheaded sensation went away. Rarity ceased casting the spell. "I-I'm sorry, but are you sure this rock is telling the truth?"

"There's no evidence suggesting it's fake." Twilight sighed. "Then again, there's no evidence supporting it's telling the truth. All we can do is brace for the worst as best we can."

Rarity wiped her brow and breathed a sigh of relief. Beads of sweat clung onto her foreleg. "So we still have time. It could be a hoax, right?"

"We have plenty of time to get to the bottom of this. I-I think we do." Twilight sulked, her head hung low. "But exactly how long is still a mystery. We have to find out who the unicorn depicted is as well as whoever sent the letter suggesting its existence. I think we'll need those if we're going to have any hope of solving this in time."

Stepping back, Rarity's face tautened. "First you say we have plenty of time, but now it sounds like you're unsure?" She moaned, almost toppling over as the world became darker for a second, though she regained her composure. "But—but what if we're almost out of time? Are there any telltale signs of impending doom?"

"Well, seeing half of Ponyville on fire might suggest something's wrong," Rainbow said, shrugging. "I mean, it should be obvious, right?"

"I-I guess so." An image of Carousel Boutique consumed by an inferno reached the tip of Rarity's mind, the scent of charred fabric and a sulfuric stench touching her nostrils at the thought. Even the flames' crackling reached her. Turning pale and with her pupils shrinking, Rarity blinked, then finding herself in reality once more. "I hope that doesn't happen."

"And you've got the fastest, strongest flier on your side." Rainbow winked; she flapped her wings and hovered an inch above the outside grassland. "You've even got the best friends in the world, so we'll be able to stop this disaster even if it happens!"

"I appreciate your little speech, dear." Rarity blushed. Even the corniest of motivational speeches tickled and warmed her heart. After all, if material goods or a helping hoof proved to be unhelpful, then words of wisdom or support did the trick more often than not in Rarity's eyes. "So then, anything else I should know about?"

"That's pretty much the gist of it," Twilight said. "I wish I could tell you more."

Rarity chuckled. "If your descriptions were anything to go by, dear, I think hearing more would do as much harm as good. I'd have a panic attack for the ages if anything worse came up." She took a deep breath; a few seconds of awkward silence passed by as the four of them assumed blank, static expressions.

"Anythin' else you need, Rarity?" Applejack asked. "I'm willin' to help out if ya need an extra set of hooves."

"I'm fine, everypony." Her cheeks tautened. "A bit nervous about the rock, but I'll get over it."

"Well, we all wish you the best of luck on your trip to Canterlot and Fashion Tour," Twilight said. Ruffling her wings, she then gently waved to Rarity. "Well, we do have to get going. Goodbye, Rarity. And thanks for offering to help out."

"You're welcome." Rarity placed a hoof to her chest. "I promise I'll do anything I can to spread the word." Stretching her foreleg out, she then returned the wave to Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. "Goodbye, darlings!"

"Goodbye, Rarity!" the trio shouted in unison once more.

Once the three mares disappeared in the horizon, Rarity plopped her hoof back on the earth, closing the door shut a second later. A clack rang in her ears; Rarity then pressed her back against the door's wooden frame and treated it like a mattress. The smooth, ice-like texture metamorphosed into a warm, rugged surface.

Warm like a bonfire.

Screeching like an agitated bat, Rarity smacked herself across her cheek. The serene setting of Carousel Boutique reappeared, no smoke in sight.

"I cannot let Ponyville turn to ashes," Rarity murmured. Her breathing quickened. "But if I'm stuck in Canterlot, what will I do next? And it's not like I can abandon Coco Pommel. We need each other for this event." Her cacophonous heartbeats reached her ears; the color in Rarity's cheeks turned pale as if the blood rushed away from them. "And even though Twilight and her friends said I could help while in Canterlot, what if Ponyville needs me?" Rarity pursed her lips. "What do I do? What do I do from here?"

With the tension in her limbs crushing her bones and her head about to float away, Rarity plopped onto the floor, her lips kissing the sparkling tile as the world turned into a pitch black void.

The interior of Carousel Boutique was a hazy blur when Rarity regained consciousness. A splitting pain pulsated on her forehead and the faintest stream of saliva glanced the floor. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and pushed herself upright, gravity seemingly returning to normal. Rarity knew it was far from the first time she fainted, Rainbow reminding her of the fact whenever she caught her doing so, but each time still embarrassed her. Lily Valley passed out much more often, but said mare shrieked and shook at rabbits or wilting flowers. Those were not the most flattering quirks a pony could have.

"I hope I wasn't out cold for too long," Rarity said. She glanced at the clock to her right, the time reading 2:50. Blinking, her jaw then slowly fell, eyes widened. "I've been unconscious for a little over an hour?"

Just then, a series of knocks reached her ears. They were followed by another series of knocks set to the tune of a familiar, out of tune song she heard during a school play. Rarity twisted her body to face the door; she then forced it open to where a gust of wind blew past her mane.

Before she could gaze at the visitor, a white filly with a cotton candy-like mane jumped toward Rarity, enveloping her in a warm hug. The high-pitched giggles and hugging prowess confirmed it was indeed Sweetie Belle.

"Hiya, Rarity!" Sweetie chimed, her voice squeaky like a mouse's. "How are ya?"

Rarity paused for a few seconds. She glanced at her sister's shining smile and glowing eyes. Rubbing Sweetie's head, Rarity cracked a smile, her mane as soft and fluffy as ever. "I'm—I'm well. I was a tad anxious not too long ago, but I'm getting over it."

"Nervous? I'd be nervous, 'cause aren't you heading to Canterlot for the show soon?"

With frozen limbs, Rarity felt as though the wind was knocked out of her. "The dress!"

Sweetie cocked her head. "You mean you haven't decided which dress to bring with ya? That's not like you, Rarity. I mean, weren't you gonna head out to the train station in ten minutes?"

"I know, dear!"

Leaping up into the air, Rarity then skedaddled upstairs, her legs flailing about as she teetered on the edge of staying upright and toppling over. She tackled the door open with her shoulder and a sickening thud split her eardrums. Rarity grasped onto the nearest dress she could, brought a bag of supplies toward her with her magic, and made her way down the stairs like somepony galloping for her life.

All of this while not even spending a second to see what she brought with her.

"Everything okay, Rarity?" Sweetie asked from afar.

Rarity shook her head. "I'm running late!" she screamed. Upon reaching Sweetie Belle once more, she pecked the filly's forehead with her lips, then exhaled. "One more thing," Rarity said, tone lowered. "Fluttershy agreed to help look after you while I'm gone, and the trip shouldn't take too long. I have my hotel's address written on the counter if you need to mail me anything, and I'll see if I can pick up something special for you while I'm there."

"Thanks, Rarity."

"You're welcome," She then pranced in place; her tail swished about like a skipping rope. "Sorry, but I have to get going now. I can't be late, even fashionably late!"

"Understood!" Sweetie nodded. "See ya, Rarity!"

"Goodbye, Sweetie Belle!"

Not bothering to close the front door, Rarity then galloped across the dew-covered grass. She weaved around a variety of ponies trotting about. Most of them were in groups gossiping about less public matters or even the slab, though a select few were on their own with tote bags or hefting up something their size.

Rarity glanced up at the sky, the sun's location moving about like a nagging clock. She noticed three pegasi descending into Ponyville. Something about their forms appeared familiar, two of them causing her to blush and sheepishly smile. If it was the Wonderbolts, a late apology would be in order. The first time she directly encountered them was a memory she'd rather forget.

However, apologizing and explaining her behavior in the Best Young Fliers Competition would take too long. Rarity sped her legs up, dust kicking up behind her.

Taking a sharp left, Rarity spotted a wooden structure towering above the nearby abodes with a train parked behind it. Her eyes glowed like stars, Rarity dodging the ponies trotting toward her, yet one of them happened to be a familiar, pale-yellow pegasus. Her flowing, pink mane showed her as being none other than Fluttershy; she was the last pony Rarity would ever think of risking being rude toward.

"Rarity," Fluttershy said. She glided toward her with a concerned expression. "Did—did you hear what Twilight found?"

"Yes!" Rarity screamed at the top of her burning lungs. She slid across the dirt, panting and forcing her legs to remain static. "I'm so sorry, but I have no time to chat! I must be on my way!" She glanced over to the train station. The large clock's minute hand crawled toward the departure time. "You can understand, right?"

Fluttershy nodded. "I do." She scuttled away from Rarity, cheeks flushed. "I'm so sorry if I'm slowing you down. I don't want to be a burden."

"No need to apologize, but I must be going."

Fluttershy paused. Twirling her hoof around her mane, she bobbed her head once more. "Okay. I have to tell some of my friends about what's going on. You take care, Rarity."

"Same to you, Fluttershy."

Kicking her forelegs up, Rarity sprinted toward the train station, a white cloud of smoke bellowing from the train and a high-pitched whistle polluting the air. Rarity eyed the clock on the station's exterior; the minute had rested mere inches away from the departure time. She'd loathe having to explain to everypony why she arrived later than planned. Coco would understand, even if she wore a somber expression while waiting for her, but others would scowl and scold her.

And getting scolded from a fellow fashionista was a fate Rarity wished on nopony.

With a graceful dive toward the ticket counter, Rarity pulled out a small sack of bits with her magic in the blink of an eye. She locked gazes with the attendant, then shouted, "One ticket to Canterlot, please!"

"The train leaves in less than a minute," he replied. "Do ya wanna get the later—"

"No thanks!"

Shrugging, the attendant traded a small stub for the ten bits in the sack, Rarity swiping the ticket and charging at the nearest open door. She stumbled about, almost tipping over and landing flat on her face, but she soon planted all four hooves onto the train cart's familiar, fuzzy carpet.

Rarity took a deep breath, collapsing onto an empty, plush seat and dropping her supplies next to her. Huffing and puffing, she watched the cart's doors close by themselves as if by magic, a click indicating they were locked. She cracked a slight smile and let her body sink into the green cushions.

"Thank Celestia I made it!" she yelled, almost out of breath. Sensing the tension in her limbs dissipating at last, Rarity propped herself upright. Then, a sudden jolt pushed her forward a second later. She glanced out the window; the train chugged away from the station's wooden frame inch by inch. All of it was soon replaced by a blurred view of Ponyville's cottages which vanished from her sight seconds later.

"Well, at least something positive happened today." Rarity pressed her weight on the wall. "The thing is, how am I going to spread the news while in Canterlot?" Coco would believe her, even if she needed a few pieces of evidence, but getting the others at the Fashion Tour to do anything other than bat an eye at her would be an uphill battle. If only more fashionistas were like her and Coco. "And what about the library? What am I going to do there? I'll be lost on what to do without Twilight."

Rarity pursed her lips. Lowering her head, she studied the supplies with her. Everything from the necessary paperwork to stylish trinkets she could wear while out and about were accounted for, though the green fabric atop the bags sent a chill down her spine.

"I-I wanted the blue one." Rarity sighed; she rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll have to make do with this one. At least Fashion Tour will go well, win or lose. I wish the same could be said about letting everypony know about the mysterious stone."

But unbeknownst to her, Fashion Tour would have something else up its sleeve.