Author's Note
Cover art is by Life on Cloud 9 if you do a reading please credit artist.
Under Your Skin
"Oh my head. Where am I?"
Celestia wakes up in a pitch black room. Her body feels heavy as though she was neck deep in thick mud. She tries to light her horn, but when the magic reaches her horn a surge of electrical pain erupts through her mind. Making her wince in pain. Did something happen to her? The last thing she remembers was going to bed last night. She tries to move one of her fore legs. However her body felt so heavy that she might as well be trying to lift a mountain. She pants with exhaustion as she relents her failed attempt of mobility. All she could do was wait.
The minutes pass by like hours. The silence is maddening. Laying there in the darkness princess Celestia contemplates her situation. Her mind races with thoughts as to whom it could be that could bind her in such a matter. If she were a thousand years younger she could break out of whatever these bindings were that held her, and make her captor pay dearly for their transgression. However that was not the case she was no longer the battle hardened warrior she once was. This past millennia of relative peace has made her soft. In truth she has little more than above average strength. It wouldn't take much for a new foe to overpower her these days. Celestia takes in a deep breath, and with her old Canterlot voice she yells into the dark.
"IS SOME-PONY OUT THERE!? I DEMAND THAT YOU LET ME GO THIS INSTANT!"
The air vibrates as Celestia's powerful voice echoes off of the unseen walls. As the echo finally dies down Celestia waits for a response. Silence is the only thing that answers her demands. Her ears begin to twitch in annoyance as whatever kind of joke this was it was no longer funny. She was about to shout again when a faint echo of hoof steps prick at her ears.
" Finally,"
The steps get closer then stop a few feet away. A sound of locks clicking then a beam of light illuminates the dark as the door opens. Celestia's eyes adjust to the light. When they do her heart alleviates. Standing in the door way was Rarity with a set of keys.
"Rarity thank the gods release me, and lets get out of here,"
"Release you? But Darling that would be so uncouth you are my guest of honor. It wouldn't be polite to let you leave before the party even begins,"
"What are you..."
Rarity's horn lights up, and several blue torches ignite along the walls. Celestia squints to shield herself from the sudden burst of bright light. When it seemed to be over she opens her eyes, and what she sees makes her heart sink. A mirror directly across her showing her reflection. Her body was being held tightly in place by ethereal chains.
"I do hope you like the accommodations your highness. I had to find some place where we wouldn't be interrupted,"
"What is the meaning of this Rarity?"
"I can't imagine what you mean, darling? We are simply having a delightful little chat between your highness, and I,"
" I guess we have different tastes in what we consider little chats,"
"Hmm quite,"
"Listen Rarity this is obviously some sort of misunderstanding so why don't you just let me go, and lets let bygones be bygones,"
"A misunderstanding? Oh no I can assure you this is by no means a misunderstanding. We have business to discuss,"
Rarity's disposition changes slightly as she begins to circle Celestia like a predator stalking wounded prey. The phantom chains tighten their grip on Celestia making her let out short gasping screams.
"Awe what's wrong darling too tight? Hehehe well don't you worry by the end of the night you won't even notice,"
"Why are you doing this Rarity?"
Rarity teleports herself right in front of Celestia's face with an expression Celestia knew all too well. It is an expression she has seen more times than she cares to admit...madness.
"Why? WHY!? Because this was always meant to be! Oh I may be admired in Ponyville, but you. You are adored! You are worshipped as a goddess throughout ALL OF EQUESTRIA! You have what rightfully should be mine! I have tried to rise to the station which a pony of my radiance deserves, but no matter how hard I try you will always be above me! This will stand no longer!"
Her horn once again lights up, and within her magic a tome bound in black leather appears. Celestia's eyes narrow as she immediately recognizes the book in question.
"Where did you get that!?"
"It doesn't matter princess as a matter of fact after tonight nothing will,"
The book flies open to a pictogram of some sort of ritual. Celestia couldn't tell which though after all the book in question was filled with such things. Her attention though is quickly brought back to Rarity as she conjures a razor sharp scalpel. Rarity inspects it, and with a wicked grin sticks her tongue out licking its edge. Rivulets of blood run out of her mouth, and down her pristine white coat. Getting right up into Celestia's face Rarity smiles showing her now red teeth.
"Lets get started shall we?"
The chains pull at Celestia forcing her to stretch to her fullest length. They position her at an angel so her hind hooves were just hovering above the cold floor. Celestia's eyes swell as she is forced to look at her captor Rarity in the eyes as she draws the blade closer to her chest.
"Please don't do aaaaaa!"
Celestia screams as the blade slowly pierces her chest. Blood flows freely as Rarity effortlessly draws the blade all the way down her barrel. She stops just above her hip. Looking back up to Celestia; Rarity forces the blade to go deeper into her. Twisting the blade she revels in Celestia's screams of agony. With a slurp she pulls it out. Once free large amounts of blood start to pour out of the wound. Pooling under her.
Like a machine Rarity makes precise surgical cuts along Celestia's curves. Cut after cut she draws lines of blood as if she were creating a template for a dress. As she makes her last cut Rarity steps back to examine her handy work. The long crimson lines look as if they dance around the mare's regal curves, and musculature.
" Are you enjoying the festivities so far princess? It took me forever to make the proper accommodations for a lady of your stature, but I think I have truly outdone myself. Oh, wait where are my manners? Here princess let me take your Coat,"
Rarity trots behind Celestia her horns lights up, and several thick chains descend from the ceiling. With long hooks at the end of each chain Rarity methodically digs the hooks into Celestia's body. When the last hook was firmly planted into Celestia she looked like a puppet suspended by her strings.
Her horns lights up, and terrible sounds begin to echo through the room as the chains begin to pull at Celestia's body. The cuts begin to widen, and tear under the strain. Celestia's screams reach a new level of intensity as the skin around her hooves begins to pull itself away from muscle, and bone. Blood pours out from her body as the chains continue to pull her skin off at their deliberately slow pace .
The chains hum their sick, and twisted melody as Celestia struggles with all of her might to save herself. With one such jerk her skin tore away from her flanks exposing her lower half to the cold air. Her body violently spasms as pain bites deep into her bleeding flesh. Rarity simply laughs as she watches her victim struggle for her life. She especially enjoyed watching her intestine spill out from her stomach as the chains pull her skin all the way up to her wings. The chains begin to bounce up nd down as they try to pull around her wings. When it came clear that they couldn't progress any further Rarity lights her horns, and pulls a rusty hacksaw from a shadowed corner.
With utter glee Rarity smiles as she saws through Celestia's wings. Relishing in the feeling of royal blood covering her face. The wings that once graced the princess of the sun fall to the wayside like leaves in the autumn air. Celestia could no longer scream nor cry she simply hung there. Her vision all, but gone she has lost too much blood. The pain has nearly killed her, even if by some miracle she survived this she would never be the same.
Rarity however has other plans for her. Using her magic she causes the blood that covered the floor to recede back into its host. Celestia gasps for breathe as she regains consciousness.
"why? Why are you doing this Rarity!?"
"Because we are not done yet your highness, and we would be most remiss if the guest of honor missed the grand finale of this wonderful soiree,"
With that the chains fully remove her skin. The ethereal chains that held her in place dissipate letting her collapse to the floor. Celestia through tear filled eyes looks up to see her skin hanging there in front of her. A once proud coat of glistening white fur now a bloodied shell of its former glory. When her eyes fell upon her blood stained cutie mark Celestia's heart broke.
"Oh what's wrong your highness? Don't you like my new dress? I know it is a little rough right now, but don't worry it wont look like that by the end of the night. As a matter of fact I want you to see this part it is something special,"
Using her magic Rarity holds Celestia's head in place as she stands in front of her. Once she was standing directly underneath the chains they lower the bloodied hide draping it over her like a cloak. Once securely placed around her a haunting melody fills the air as light pours from the black book. The torn edges of skin begin to melt, and weave themselves back together. As the last piece melts back into place the sound of bones cracking resonates in the air. Two long spikes explode out of Rarity's back. Feathers quickly grew forming wings. Then her once beautiful blue mane, and tail began to change hue. Now a myriad of rainbow hues shift, and shimmer.
Celestia wishes she could puke, but with her intestine splayed out underneath her that wasn't going to be possible. What laid before her was something out of a nightmare. Where Rarity once stood now stands a perfect replica of...her. Her height, her frame, her cutie mark even her magical aura a perfect replica. Then what came next was the coup de grace... she spoke in her voice.
"Hehehe don't worry Celestia I will be an excellent princess. You unfortunately wont be around to see it. Would you like to know tomorrow's headline? Fire engulfs Carousel Boutique one pony found dead,"
The faux Celestia leaves the room laughing maniacally as she closes the door. Engulfing the dying Celestia in complete, and utter darkness.
