Much Too Soon

Much Too Soon: Chapter 1

"That's odd. My Boutique is... In FLAMES!" The pristine white unicorn galloped to the lavender and amethyst building with fear in her heart. "Oh no, no!" The unicorn galloped through the wall on the side of the building, flames nipping at the sudden rush of outside oxygen. "Sweetie Belle..." Rarity softly said. "SWEETIE BELLE!" "Rarity!" The young filly called from a distance. "Where's Glimmer?" "I don't know! I can't see anything!"

Rarity paced back and forth.  "Just start talking! I'll find you!" The marshmallowy unicorn advanced forward at full speed, following her sister's gibberish and small-talk.

"I found Glimmer!" Sweetie Belle announced, covering the pastel-maned foal with her forelegs. "I'm coming, girls! Hold on!" Rarity finally saw Sweetie Belle's silhouette in the flames and tried to grasp a hold of her with her magic, but to no avail, as unicorn magic, unless trained, cannot function under intense heat.

 Rarity took in a deep breath, ready to charge into the flame. All was lost that very moment. A beam supporting the ceiling snapped,  toppling down onto Sweetie Belle and Glimmer. A shrill scream rang out as the beam fell and Rarity knew she was too late.

Mortified, Rarity ran out of the Boutique, only to come across a team of fireponies. "You guys show up now? NOW?!" The traumatized unicorn cried out. The leader of the fire squad, a rather rough looking stallion,  disregarded her and went to the fire hose.

 An hour later, the boutique was nothing but a heap of charred planks and the occasional piece of fabric. Two mares, a unicorn and a Pegasus, rolled Sweetie Belle out of the charred mess on a stretcher, zipped up in a body bag. "Sweetie..." Rarity's eyes watered.

Another body bag on a stretcher came along. Rarity threw her forelegs on the small bag and wailed. "Glimmer! Not you too!" Her tears flowed out in waves, her eyes becoming bloodshot, bearing an expression of sheer pain.

"Ma'am, we're sorry for your loss, but we've got to leave." The fire chief blankly said, his tone husky. "Why I- You dare say that to me now? I... You... Why I... You..." Rarity angrily stuttered. In a fit of rage she stood on her front hooves and kicked the fire chief as hard as she could with her hind legs. Satisfied with his injury, she trotted off, Sweetie Belle's shrill voice still ringing in her ears.

"Where am I to go?" The porcelain unicorn wondered. "Who's to tell the others?" She stopped in front of Fluttershy's cottage. "I guess Fluttershy should know first..." Wiping the tears around her eyes, she gently rapped her hoof against the surface of Fluttershy's door, unsure of how to tell her the news. "Fluttershy, darling... Might I come in? No, that's too plain... I have to inform you that- no no, that's Twilight's thing. What to say, what to say?" She practically stressed her mane into frayed ends and tangles. A light tapping came from within the house. Hoofbeats.

"Too late now, Rarity. Stand tall... Don't fret... Don't stress. Stressing leads to baggy eyes and grey hair." Rarity tried to calm herself a bit. The thick wooden door opened a little. "Yes?" A soft voice responded. "Fluttershy, it's me, Rarity." "Oh my, come in, quickly!" Fluttershy pulled her friend into the small cottage. "I heard about the fire on the news. I'm so sorry. At least nopony was injured." Fluttershy smiled, giving one of her signature 'squees' and giving Rarity a hug.

"Actually..." "Oh? What?" Fluttershy released her embrace. "The news anchors must've been mistaken... Sweetie Belle and Glimmer..." Tears formed in Rarity's eyes. "No..." "Yes! Sweetie Belle died trying to save Glimmer, and a beam... Crushed them both..." Rarity choked on her words, gobs of her speech getting caught in her throat. Fluttershy led the grieving unicorn to the couch and wrapped her up in a blanket. "There there." She pat her on the back. "You can stay here for as long as you need." Rarity looked up at the kind yellow mare before her. "Thank you..." She mouthed, tearing up again.

"Never leave a pony behind, as Rainbow Dash says." "As Rainbow Dash says.