The Mare In The Closet

Sweetie Belle ran into her bedroom and threw her Crusader cape on the bed. She was shortly followed by her sister Rarity. Rarity was carrying her younger sister's suitcase, which their parents had packed. Sweetie Belle was staying for the weekend at the Boutique while their parents went on a small vacation. Rarity placed the suitcase on the bed and began to unpack. Sweetie Belle went over to the window and looked outside. The rain was pouring down. Sweetie Belle hoped the pegasi would get rid of it in the morning, as she had plans with her friends at their clubhouse. After Rarity had finished unpacking, she put Sweetie Belle's pajamas on the bed and walked over to her sister.

"Time for bed, little one," said Rarity, using her magic to close the curtains.

"But I don't feel tired!" Sweetie Belle whined as she reopened the curtains. Rarity gave her a sharp glare as she closed the curtains again.

"It doesn't matter, Sweetie Belle, you need to get to bed! You have a busy day tomorrow with your friends." Rarity said as she carried her over to the bed. Sweetie Belle put her pajamas on and crawled into bed.

"Can you read me a bedtime story, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked her older sister.

"Aren't you a bit old for that stuff?" she responded, walking toward the door.

"I guess, but you at least have to check for monsters," she said. Rarity stopped at the door and turned around.

"Monsters? Sweetie Belle, I honestly don't know where you come up with these things. Alright I'll make sure there aren't any monsters". Rarity walked over to the bed and lifted up the sheet."No monsters under here" she said. She walked to the curtains."No monsters behind here". Her sister giggled at her. Finally she walked over to the closet. She opened the door and gasped loudly.

"What is it? Is there a monster?!" Sweetie Belle screamed both with fear and excitement. She ran over to her sister only to find her staring at a dress.

"Oh my," Rarity said."This thing is the stuff of nightmares!" she said,  grabbing the dress. "I must dispose of it at once!" With that she left the room, leaving her sister alone in the candlelight.

Sweetie Belle trotted back over to her bed and wrapped herself in the duvet. She closed her eyes, hoping she could fall asleep quickly so that tomorrow would come. Just as she closed her eyes, she heard a noise. It sounded like somepony was crying. She got out of the bed and listened to see where it was coming from. It seemed to be coming from outside. Sweetie Belle walked over to the window and looked outside, but saw nothing. Suddenly a flash of lightning illuminated a face outside. Sweetie Belle screamed and ran for the door.

"Rarity!" she screamed as she tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. She started banging on the door and crying. Eventually Sweetie Belle calmed down and crept back over to the window. She looked outside again and saw nothing.

"It must have been my imagination," she said to herself to calm her nerves. She trotted back over to her bed when she heard the crying again. She looked back at the window but it wasn't coming from there this time. It sounded like it was coming from the closet now. Sweetie Belle looked over at the closet on the other side of the room. The door seemed to be growing in size the longer she stared at it. She noticed a shadow move at the bottom of the door. A light seemed to be dripping out from the gaps. Sweetie Belle took a step closer, which seemed to bring her across the room to right in front of the door. She lifted her hoof to open the closet but stopped and walked back to her bed. She called out to the door from her bed.

"Whoever's in my closet, I want you to leave. If you're a ghost, please go away!" She sobbed."I don't like ghosts, they scare me!" Sweetie Belle got no response. She walked back to the door and placed her hoof on the knob and turned it. As the door opened something jumped on her and she screamed.

"Ahhh!" she gasped as she toppled backward trying to get the creature off her. As she moved around she heard a soft "meow". She stopped and looked at the "ghost". Opalescence stared back at her.

"Opalescence, you silly cat!" Sweetie Belle laughed. "You scared me," she said, picking up the cat and putting her on the bed. Sweetie Belle walked back to the closet to take a look and saw a mare standing before her. She was wearing a dark dress with a veil. Sweetie Belle screamed and Rarity ran through the door. Sweetie Belle ran over to her.

"What's going on, Sweetie Belle? are you alright?" she said, hugging her younger sister.

"There's a scary witch in the closet!" she cried. Rarity walked over to the closet and looked inside. She smiled at what she saw and looked back at her sister.

"It was just a mannequin," she said, hugging her sister again.

"But I saw a face outside the window earlier!" Sweetie Belle said.

"Oh, that was Rainbow Dash with a storm warning. She knocked on the door, but I had gone to give Twilight that dress. She must have looked in the window to see what the light was," Rarity said.

"So there's no ghost?" Sweetie Belle asked, wiping a tear from her eye.

"There are no ghosts, and if it makes you feel better you can sleep with me," she said. Sweetie Belle jumped with joy and followed her out of the room.

"Come on, Opal," Sweetie Belle said, but Opal was gone. Suddenly there was a meow and both sisters jumped. They turned to see Opal standing by the door.

"Silly cat," Sweetie Bell said as Rarity closed the door.