As a bump in the road made Rarity’s glass jingle, she couldn’t take the silence any longer.
As much as the car ride to her destination had been silent, this group of ponies just wasn’t the same as that winged nightmare of a mare. And with the fact that her nerves still hadn’t quite left her after her show, she needed something more. Some small talk would do wonders. Seeing as how the soldiers were taking glances at her as well, she couldn’t help but smile at the attention, however unwelcome the situation she was in accounted for them.
Pursing her lips, Rarity let her glass down. “It feels like I’m being driven to the Solar Court for a personal hearing with Princess Celestia! This is unnecessary. What did I do?” With no response, she continued. “It’s like you’re going to stop the car and do something drastic as would happen in one of my action-romance novels! Is there some sort of rule, are you not allowed to talk?”
Turning to the stallion on her left, Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Anypony in there, Darling?”
“We can talk, ma’am,” the soldier said with some awkwardness.
“So it’s personal?” Rarity pouted. “Was it something I said?”
“No, you intimidate them,” the driver of the car said. Surprised by the voice, Rarity continued in stride, happy that she was getting somewhere.
“Oh my goodness, you’re a mare, like me!” Rarity gasped, in no way trying to offend. “I really couldn’t tell with all the uniform and gear! I would say sorry but isn’t that what we’re going for here? Soldier first, questions later?”
Smiles were beginning to show all across the car, and Rarity couldn’t help but join in.
“I’m an airpony,” said the mare.
“Well, you most certainly have a strong build. Now that I see it, I really can’t stop looking! Isn’t that strange? Hm?”
Her company finally broke into laughter and she did too. Success! Rarity thought to herself. Now just to keep it going for the whole car ride!
She could then see their smiles faltering as she saw their thoughts of conduct begin to form. “Darlings, it’s okay to laugh! It’s such a serious air in here all the time, can’t we just liven it up a little?”
The soldier in the passenger’s seat turned to look at Rarity. “Miss Rarity, if it’s okay to ask,” he began. Frowning ever so slightly at the lack of names yet, she named them by their position.
“Anything,” Rarity welcomed.
“Is it true that you run your own business apart from your main one? One centered on design and fashion?”
So they do notice, Rarity mused. “But of course! I simply wanted to make a name for myself and I couldn’t do that if I already had one. Of course, it would take some time to get there legitimately but, you know how it goes, hard work pays off.”
“That’s pretty cool, I must admit. Is it hard to keep track of two companies?” Passenger Pony asked.
“Like you wouldn’t believe!” Rarity emphasized her point by putting a hoof on her forehead dramatically. More chuckles and smiles. “Anything else? I don’t want to fall back into that pit of dreary despair.”
The stallion, more like a colt now that she thought about it, raised a hoof.
Rarity looked at him quizzically. “My goodness, raising your hoof is not necessary at all. What is it?”
“Is it cool if I take a snapshot with you?” Close Pony asked, and Rarity smiled.
“Of course. It’s, erm, very ‘cool’,” Rarity nodded. As he took out a camera, she could see it was one she had supported the creation of, and smiled even more at the thought of it’s now widespread convenient use. Though cameras of sorts had existed much longer before-hoof, she had funded and helped commercialize it's visibly and remarkably innovative new features.
Hoofing it over to Passenger Pony, Passenger Pony smiled as he positioned himself beside Rarity for the photo.
“I would rather not see this in your local newspaper,” Rarity poked. As Close Pony threw up a peace sign, Rarity rolled her eyes dramatically. “Please, no ‘gang’ symbols.” As the peace sign was put down, Rarity was surprised by how serious they still took her. “No, darling, I’m kidding! Put it back up.”
The soldier promptly positioned his hooves for the sign once more with a smile.
“Peace! My friends and I all about peace. It’s why I do what I do. Don’t let anypony tell you otherwise.”
As the seconds ticked by, the colt sighed. “It’s okay, just take it. Shaky or not.”
Passenger Pony shook his head with a smirk. “Nah, it’s not good enough just yet.”
“Come on!” Close Pony insisted. “Just take it. All you have to do is push the button and-”
KRABOOOM!
All thoughts of mirth disappeared in an instant as the camera was dropped and the car abruptly stopped.
“WHOA!” Passenger Pony cried as everypony involuntarily ducked.
Rarity dropped her glass and it was quickly forgotten on the floor of the car. Having only seen it for a split second, she knew that the car in front of them had been blown up and flipped over. They were under attack. As indeterminable commands and military jargon were suddenly being thrown around, Rarity could only stare around her in shock. Beams of magic and the sounds of spells filled the air.
“What’s going on?!” Rarity cried. She watched as the soldiers hastily prepared their energy weapons. “What have we got!?”
Driver Pony kicked her door open and began to step out only to be shot twice and fell to the ground. Rarity could only stare open-mouthed at the sudden death of a pony she was beginning to like.
“Shielder!” Passenger Pony shouted. “Stay with Rarity!” He then opened his door and took aim behind the safety of the front engines, and shot a couple rounds. The window shattered, a loud boom, and she heard the thump of him as well. Rarity still couldn’t believe what was happening. She quickly glanced between the two corpses of her company and could feel tears begin to well.
“Buck it all!” ‘Shielder’ growled as his cartridge wouldn’t go in. Shielder’s gun finally clicked, and he opened his own door, ready to fight alongside his comrades.
“No, please, wait!” Rarity begged. “Don’t-!”
Shielder closed the door and faced her through the window. “STAY HERE!” he ordered. Just as he turned around, the entire left side was suddenly riddled with holes accompanied with a loud bang. Shielder dropped.
Rarity’s ears rang, but she didn’t care. Putting a hoof to her mouth, she could feel the world begin to spin around her and she shook her head to get the stars out. Looking around, dazed and with blurry eyes, she saw inferno and magic.
Beginning to hyperventilate, Rarity looked around before she saw her car door and opened it. Stumbling out, she saw the gun of Passenger Pony lying beside her, but all she could focus on was him. Shaking her head again, she fell against the car to stabilize herself.
“Rarity!” she could hear Fury’s voice call to her. “Take cover! Don’t move!”
But Rarity couldn’t. She needed to keep moving. There was danger all around her! If she kept moving, she might be safe. Running to a large rock jutting out of the sand, she stumbled around it and fell to the ground, ducking behind it. She would be safe here.
Shakily taking out a parchment and quill, she shakily began to write. To Twilight and friends, she began, until something impacted in front of her, sending sand in her direction. Lowering her paper, Rarity widened her eyes to see a mini-missile with one prominent name plastered on it.
Belle Industries
Widening her eyes, Rarity dropped everything and used her magic to heave it away while simultaneously crawling backwards over the rock. It wasn’t enough. Two metres away in the air and with Rarity just over, it exploded.
The shockwave sent Rarity flying back, knocking the wind out of her. As she impacted the ground her vision blacked out for a split second and she blinked herself into consciousness. Coughing, but coming short for air, she felt pressure everywhere around her barrel. Gasping, Rarity uncontrollably looked down her body.
Only to see blood begin to soak her mid-barrel area.
A pain behind her eyes suddenly took over, and bliss soon after. The darkness was taking her. Her vision began to fade, and the silence rang.
Silence.
Darkness.
Fear.
Pain.
Uncertainty.
Regret.
Darkness.
Darkness.
Darkness…
Several hours earlier...
Rarity sighed as she put her hoof on her designs. She straightened a few crumples and grimaced. If Twilight knew what was happening down here...
The pit of her stomach told her this was wrong. That she should’ve stuck to fashion. Abandoned her other life. That this wasn’t necessary.
For the designs she had before her were not dresses or hats. They were not textile-related at all. They were of crystals. Weaponized crystals. And thanks to her ingenuity and knack for detail as well as her knowledge of gems and rocks, she knew exactly what was needed and how it worked.
Rarity gulped.
This was truly wrong.
And yet here she was.
In front of her was one large diagram that covered all the designs underneath it. A missile that would fall appropriately under the title “weapon of mass destruction”. One she had been commissioned to do by the government. Almost forced to do. She knew something like this wasn’t Princess Celestia’s way of doing things, but with the way things had been happening in the past 9 months, it made sense.
It made sense for Equestria to turn to the most innovative family in Equestria to help them manufacture a means of defense against outside sources. Though her parents didn’t look the part, they were smart. Very smart. Enough to know that putting on a dumb face was all it took for threats to overlook them. And with the wealth that her family had garnered, Rarity had absolutely hated it.
She stuck to her first name. Rarity. For adding a Belle meant she was part of the family, and to be a part of the family meant to be rich, and to be rich meant you didn’t have to work hard at all to make a name for yourself. Was it a question to think that she wanted to go her own path and make her own name in the business aspect of Equestria? No.
Belle Industries meant Belle Technology. Belle Technology meant money. Money meant recognition, and Rarity wanted to earn it. She didn’t want her name attached to the building of electronics, she wanted to be a designer and learned in fashion. To work in the textile industry and become well-known in that regard. Maybe that was why she loved her childhood in Ponyville. To even be able to claim she was born there and not... Manehatten.
She didn’t blame Sweetie Belle for keeping the last name. She wasn’t pressured to know everything about the family business like she was. Rarity did her best to shield Sweetie from her world, from their world of rich upbringing, but she was happy Sweetie knew humility through her.
The fact that nopony had connected dots with her even being a relative billionaire, however, troubled her to an extent.
But with Rainbow Dash missing and her parents off on vacation-disguised business trips every other day…
It fell to her to run the business on a regular basis; separate from her Boutiques. It fell to her to manage and design new tech. It fell to her to finish the commissions. And she hated every minute of it. She had the knowledge to create. If she wasn’t so keen on focusing on her own business and separating herself from the name her family had created, she could rival Twilight’s knowledgeability. The fact that she was still seen as the pompous fashion designer and not the head of a multi-billion bit corporation attested to her ability in evading the obvious.
That was the other reason for her generosity. Her wealth. What’s the point in keeping so much to yourself? You already have all this money, and what do you do? Bathe in expensive pools and have servants do your work for you? No no no, that wasn’t right at all. Rarity prided herself in the fact that she did not flaunt her wealth, but she instead helped with little things. The building of schools and the hospital in Ponyville. The upkeep of beautiful parks all around Equestria. The seemingly miraculous funding of small projects that she would see become successful businesses and ideas. It joyed her to no end.
But this was war. And war never changes. Lives are lost, and more destructive weapons are created. This was no exception.
And now she had to present her creation to the leaders of the military in a remote neutral zone outside Equestria. Leaving for her train in approximately 10 minutes.
“Rarity?” Sweetie’s voice called from within the Boutique. The welcome high-pitched squeal broke her out of her ever increasing inward shell and made her flinch.
“S-Sweetie Belle?” asked Rarity. “Is that you?”
“Big sis, where are you?”
Quickly realizing all her designs and blueprints were out in the open, she made quick work in folding them, rolling them up, and otherwise tucking them away into her saddlebags. Bringing one of her ponyquinns and a sewing kit close, she pretended to be working on a dress.
Sweetie Belle walked in just as she finished a stitch. “There you are!” Sweetie squeaked happily.
“Hello, Sweetie.” Rarity smiled, genuinely happy to see Sweetie Belle. A welcome distraction. As Sweetie jumped up, Rarity received the hug with open hooves. “How have you been?”
“Oh, Mom and Dad are on vacation!” Sweetie Belle said. She then pouted as her ears folded back a little. “...again…”
“Oh, don’t worry about them, Sweetie,” Rarity cooed, stroking Sweetie’s mane, “They’re busy doing their thing, and we can be busy doing ours.” If only you knew… Rarity added ruefully as a thought.
Sweetie Belle brightened at Rarity’s statement, however, and she looked up at Rarity with excitement. “Ooo! Does that mean we can hang out and do sister things again like last week when we ate at my favourite ice-cream place?”*
Rarity winced, glancing at the clock. 12 minutes until she had to leave the Boutique, 20 minutes until she made it to the train station. Sweetie noticed this, and her expression deflated. “I’m so sorry, Sweetie Belle, it’s just that right now, I’m really busy. I have to catch the train and-”
“It’s okay, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle sighed. “I’ll go see if the Crusaders are free today.” Hopping out of Rarity’s hug, head hung low, she began to walk away. Rarity’s demeanor sagged as she thought of how last week had been their only outing in ages, and…
“Sweetie Belle.” Sweetie’s ears perked as her head turned to face Rarity. A new glimmer of hope shone in her eyes and Rarity could feel her heart wrench. “When I come back, we can do whatever it is you want to do. How does that sound, hm?”
The light died a little, but was rekindled as Sweetie Belle nodded resignedly but eagerly. “Yeah, that sounds great!” As Sweetie was just about to leave the room, Rarity called once more to her, and Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow.
“I love you, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity murmured, readjusting her glasses so she could get a better look of her sister.
Sweetie smiled. “Love you too, big sis!” And with that, she was off.
Rarity glanced at the clock. 5 minutes.
“How the time flies…” Rarity whispered as she packed her saddlebags. “Time to go.”
Locking up shop, she took a good look at the building she had been calling home for over 4 years and sighed. Would she be worthy of it when all was finally said and done? Would she let the business she had so desperately tried to escape all her life take her now in its big open jaws?
As she began to walk, her mind turned to Rainbow. Where could she be? It had been 9 months already since she disappeared, and if Rainbow were in Equestria she would have contacted them by now. Or at least, Daring Do would’ve found something to report back to them. Twilight and Applejack were doing their hardest in the local and otherwise blatant searchings for Rainbow, and Pinkie was keeping up morale. Fluttershy continued to use her connection to animals in seeing if they had any clue where Rainbow was and as for Rarity…
She was doing all she could with the technology she had in the Belle Industries Baltimare centre. Since the main hub was in Manehatten, a much longer trot away than Baltimare, she made do with what she could.
She didn’t want to waste time going back and forth, only to eventually be unable to maintain and watch over her businesses. Yes, she went to the Manehatten hub whenever she went to check on her Boutique, but only ever to see how things were going. She let Coco take care of her boutique there, and in compensation, Coco received a mysterious funding that kickstarted her own line of work. Rarity smiled at that. Coco Pommel, ever the kind mare. With a huge favour like that, there was no mistaking the lengths Rarity would go to mirror that dedication.
“Hiya, Rarity!” Somepony cried. Rarity’s ears flicked as she snapped out of her thoughts. Looking over to the entrance of Sugarcube Corner which she now stood parallel to, she found Pinkie waving at her. As Pinkie bounced up to her, Rarity smiled.
“Hello, Pinkie,” Rarity greeted. “How are you today?”
“Oh I’m fine, thanks for asking,” Pinkie smiled. “So, where’re you going?”
“Hm?” Rarity asked.
“You know, with the saddlebags and the secret plans sticking out of them and your obvious path to the train station. What’s the sitch?” Taken aback, Rarity stood flabbergasted.
Rarity stuttered. “B-but, w-what are you, uh, wha?”
“Oh, and you still have your glasses on your muzzle,” Pinkie pointed out. Looking down the bridge of her nose, Rarity found that her work glasses were indeed still helping her see. With a defeated sigh, she put them above her horn and addressed Pinkie properly.
“Look, Pinkie, I can’t and I won’t tell you where I’m going, but I’ll let you know that it’s very important. For Equestria, and for everypony.”
Pinkie cocked her head to the side and hummed. “Hm, are you sure you can’t tell me? Because it sounds more to me like you’re just really guilty and don’t want to admit that you’re actually part of some sort of multi-billion bit corporation that was once all about innovation but is now all about weapons.”
Rarity laughed nervously and felt several drops of sweat form on her forehead.
Pinkie suddenly grinned toothily and hugged Rarity with one foreleg. “But who am I to judge, eh? So whaddya say, some cupcakes for the go? On the house.”
Rarity visibly relaxed and shook her head with a light chuckle. “No, it’s okay, Pinkie. I really have to get going-”
“Nonsense!” Pinkie announced, shoving an already prepared doggie bag into Rarity’s saddlebags. “With somepony as efficient as me, everypony has time. Have safe travels and don’t be abducted!” With that, Pinkie disappeared into the sweet shop, leaving a somewhat confused Rarity standing alone in the street. Looking up at the clocktower in the distance, she saw she was two minutes behind.
Smiling wryly, Rarity shrugged. “Thanks, Pinkie,” she whispered. Now at a brisk trot, she could see the train station and she broke into a canter.
“All aboard!”
Rarity made it just in time.
The train conductor nodded at Rarity as she was one of the last to walk onto the train and she sat herself in an empty seat. Setting her bags down beside her and scooching to the window, she watched as the train conductor pulled the last few strays onto the train. Soon, she could feel the wheels click and begin to chug, and the whistle blew.
As the train station began to move and quickly disappeared, Rarity sighed. For her, this was going to be a long ride.
Rarity watched as the train slowly became just another dot on the horizon.
Turning around, she found herself in front of an envoy, complete with guards and an actualcar. You don’t see those everyday, even though my family helped invent them, Rarity thought. Cars were expensive. Only used for events that were absolutely important for safety and speed, or, way back in the day, for military use. To see one this far out from mainland Equestria was not very reassuring, to say the least.
At least she had comfort in knowing it had evolved from a rickety wagon powered by an inefficient mana battery to a proper locomotive.
“Miss Belle?” the guard closest to her asked as he walked up to her..
“Just Rarity, if you would,” Rarity winced. “Miss Belle** is my mother.”
The guard nodded. “Okay, Miss Rarity. Could we see some identification?”
Taking out her business license, the guard inspected it and checked with his colleagues. Rarity waited nervously, not because of fear of being unrecognized but of what she was soon going to have to do.
“Looks like everything checks out, Miss Rarity,” the guard said, finishing his talks with his fellow guardsponies and handing the license back. “If you would please step inside the car, we will be at the presentation in half an hour.”
Rarity nodded, and she boarded the car to find a familiar face staring back at her. One she was not expecting.
“Fury?” Rarity whispered.
“You look surprised, Rarity,” Fury said with a small smirk. “I wouldn’t miss this demonstration if it meant it could help protect Equestria. I’m all about that stuff you know.”
Rarity sat down in the seat adjacent to her and the car roared to life. “Yes, well, just know that I fully disapprove of all of this. I’ve told you time and time again how-”
“Yeah, I know,” Fury said. “You don’t like the violence. You don’t like the weapons.” Turning to look at Rarity with her one available eye, Rarity couldn’t help but make eye contact. “But having seen what I’ve seen and knowing what I know would most likely change your mind in the blink of an eye.”
Rarity gulped as the car had begun its journey. “Okay.” For a time, they sat in silence, until Rarity felt like the car would explode from sheer tension.
“How’s your sister’s group of misfits?” Fury asked out of nowhere.
“W-wha?” Rarity stammered before realizing what she had been asked. “Oh, you mean the Cutie Mark Crusaders?”
“Yes, the Crusaders,” Fury smiled. “What kind of trouble have they been getting up to lately?”
“Well, they’ve helped a few ponies out with their cutie marks. Just recently, they helped a fellow filly reconnect with her dog. It was very sweet. Sweetie Belle and I just reconnected at about that time and Apple Bloom has been starting to help Applejack at the farm. Scootaloo, though… we’re all still holding out hope that Rainbow Dash is out there somewhere.”
Since Rarity was staring out the window, she didn’t notice the involuntary flinch Fury had when Rainbow’s name was mentioned. “That sounds… very interesting indeed,” she said. “And the search for Rainbow? I’ve been helping out with my own contacts and forces so I have an idea, but I would like to hear from you.”
Silence. “...Daring Do has recently found some sort of code that was hidden in a few books. Looks like there are more signs saying that Rainbow Dash was in the past now than there were before.”
Fury nodded, squinting her one eye slightly as she thought of the... small part she played in it. “Well, good luck then.”
“...Thank you…”
The remainder of the car ride was met with silence. Seeing her creations of destruction begin to loom closer and closer, Rarity closed her eyes and said a prayer to anypony who was listening that she hoped she had the mindset to help deliver her presentation properly. After all, she was pretty much the figurehead of the company without actually being so, and she needed to represent it as such.
“Looks like we’re here,” Fury said. “Time to show us what you’ve got.”
“Yes, looks like,” Rarity muttered. As the leaders and guards, whom she now realized were also soldiers of Equestria, lined up to watch, Rarity checked and rechecked all the equipment currently stationed at the site. Her magic worked to make sure each gem was aligned perfectly and each repulsor was functioning properly.
As her preliminary checks finished, Rarity stood apart from the group of army ponies and faced them.
“Hello, fellow Equestrians,” Rarity began, having memorized what she was going to say a long time ago. “We stand here today because we share a common interest. The protection of Equestria, and all those who live in it. With recent events that have led to several troubling confrontations and matters in and around Equestria, I was tasked with the creation of a weapon that could potentially help us with any confrontation, without being overly destructive of nature and to minimize the collateral damage.
“My great grandmother believed in an Equestria that didn’t… that didn’t need to fight to solve wars. And yet, with how she helped shape Equestria during the Crystal War, we were able to have nearly a thousand years of peace. Peace with other nations that has since begun to falter. And with the peace, our defence has become second to our happiness. We must fix this mistake.”
Rarity paused, letting some of it sink in. “Now, as you all know, I am the Acting-CEO of Belle Industries and my name is attached to it in more ways than one, but that does not make me any less capable of doing what’s necessary. As the designer I am, I have crafted what you see before you today. Outfitted with the latest repulsor technology, powered with state-of-art patented crystals. As the name would suggest, it can bring any wall down in one blow, and as it is fired, all material is used, effectively making it unsalvageable
“It can lock onto multiple targets at once…” Rarity trailed off. She could see her clients, the army, beginning to grow restless. With a drop of sweat, Rarity smiled sweetly. “...and what better way to show it’s functionality than with a demonstration?”
Waving her hoof, Rarity, glanced over to the helpers she had been provided with. Smile quivering, Rarity said “Mares and gentlecolts, I humbly present to you, The Mareicho.” As her smile faltered into a nervous wreck, she was glad to see all their attention was now on the missile launcher. She could see the missile positioning upwards into the sky, the sudden onset of hushed conversation concerning the missiles, and Fury’s questioning sidelong gaze at her, but all she could focus on was her own breathing and her thoughts.
Breathe, Rarity, she thought to herself. She could feel the nerves catching up to her and her body begin to shake. You’re a proper lady, Rarity! You should be able to handle this! You’ve presented your works to others before. What’s so different now? At this point, Rarity had begun to calm down, but her last thought had her lips curl downward. What’s different? I’m presenting the art of war, not the art of fashion.
Rarity could feel her heart weigh heavily before the missile’s booster activated and it shot from it’s perch.
Rarity quickly composed herself to a slight smile, and watched silently as the soldiers and generals slowly followed the path of the missile to a hill far off in the distance. It’s ascent was quiet, and it’s decent was just so. Knowing what came next, Rarity nearly closed her eyes as she heard the payload of the rocket disperse and fan out before the explosions came.
BOOM!
FZASH!
KRAKOW!
CRISH!
Already, Rarity could see the wind shifting away towards her and towards the crowd of military. Then came the gust. It blew Rarity a few centimetres off her hooves but she quickly grounded herself. Her mane and tail flapped in the wind and Rarity wished she didn’t have to do this. The dust cloud came and she closed her eyes knowingly.
A few coughs came from her audience, but when she opened their eyes, she could see a few hats had been flown off of the soldiers and a look of surprised amazement on most of them. Glancing towards Fury, however, all Rarity could see was an inscrutable expression of judgement and analysis.
“Thank you.”
Almost immediately, they began to talk amongst themselves. Sighing, Rarity put a hoof to her chest and started to head for the refreshments. A nice taste of home, Applejack’s cider, would definitely help calm her nerves.
As she opened up a rather expensive and flashy looking cooler, one she preferred to use only to maintain appearance, she poured a glass of cider and lifted it in her magic.
“Quite a show you put on, Rarity,” Fury said beside her. “Colour me interested.”
The sudden appearance made Rarity’s grip on the glass slip ever so slightly. “Interested?” Rarity huffed, “That’s it?”
Fury didn’t answer. “You looked nervous up there.”
“Yes, well, you would be too if you had to present weapons of mass destruction for the first time in over a millenia. I’m just hoping Rainbow Dash… that she comes back one day soon so that we never have to use these missiles… ever.”
Another flinch from Fury, once more unnoticed as Rarity filled her glass up once more. Turning to address those present, she said “Here are the order forms and the price sheets for these missiles. You may send them by mail or dragon fire to one of Belle Industries’ hubs.”
Fury took one in her hooves and studied it. “Quite pricey, hm?”
Rarity eyed Fury wearily. “I’d rather this money went to the bettering of Equestria than weapons of war, and that is exactly what I intend to do.” Rarity then walked away as a scroll of parchment burned into being in front of her.
Rarity unrolled it and perused its contents, recognizing the seal.
Rarity!
I know you’re having you’re presentation sometime soon, and I wanted to know how it went. Keep me updated!
Your friend in Baltimare,
Red
Rarity pouted, unsure how to answer. Writing something on the other side with a spare quill as not to be wasteful, she wrote back:
Hi Red,
It could’ve been better. Much better. For me at least. Sales are not out of the question. They’re impressed from what I can tell. More later.
Your sincere friend,
Rarity
With drink still in hoof, Rarity concentrated on sending the scroll back in a display of white flames. Now able to concentrate on one thing again, she levitated the cider with her to the car. Thanking a soldier that involuntarily opened it for her, Rarity smiled graciously before stepping in, and the door was closed.
Just as she was settling down, Fury walked up to the van. “Rarity, wait.”
Rarity narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. “This is the funvee. The humdrumvee is over there.”
Fury raised an eyebrow. “Hm. Words I never thought you’d use.”
Rarity giggled sarcastically. “It’s better than this dreadful place. Now if you’ll excuse the both of us, we’ve got to go.”
Fury pursed her lips. “Well, let me just say again that it was a good performance. I’m sure we can count on you to help protect Equestria.”
“Haven’t my best friends and I been doing that since we got the Elements of Harmony?” Rarity questioned. To say Rarity was surprised when Fury smiled darkly would be an understatement.
“There have been threats lurking in the shadows far longer than you’ve been active, Rarity,” Fury murmured. “Be careful what you wish for.” With those words, Fury left for the other car and Rarity was left alone to interpret her words.
Her hold on her glass now a little shaky, she ceased her magic and held it with both hooves, bringing it to her mouth. It’s sweet sting helped her focus.
As a soldier entered the car to sit beside her, the van was almost full. Rarity nodded to them and they nodded back before the car was started and it began to follow the second car in the convoy of vehicles she was now in. The feeling of tension and dreary awkwardness filling the air. Maybe she could lighten up the mood. In the meantime…
Soon… soon, she would be able to get back home and remove all of her troubles from mind for a time.
At least, for a little while.
Author's Note
And thus, another installment to the universe of Equestria NOW!
*The episode "Forever Filly", as well as numerous other Season 7 episodes still occur as seen in the show.
**I am using her parents' alternate names, Magnum and Betty Bouffant. So it would be 'Magnum Belle' and 'Betty Bouffant Belle'.
Additional note: If anything seems a bit fantastical, it is because I am twisting show canon in my favor in a way that this all works. Please leave comments on anything that confuses you and I will give you answers to the best of my ability without spoiling any potential plot points (thought they may be predictable anyways, they aren't in the long run).
And thanks for reading the start of a new book! This won't update for a while as I'm finishing up the other two I need to do, but rest assured, this will be updated. Thank you!
Pain.
All Rarity could sense was pain.
All she could feel was pain.
The world was blurred around her, spinning and spinning and spinning.
The lights hurt. She could sense bodies surrounding her. Dissecting her.
It was too much. She screamed in agony. She cried from the torture. She felt restraints on her hooves and she strained against them, her mind being lanced in a million different ways by all that was attacking her.
Light’s blurred.
Shadows lengthened.
Spinning.
Twisting.
Sickening.
Shouting.
She sobbed from the sheer magnitude of anguish she was now experiencing. It clouded her mind. She couldn’t think. Only react.
Suddenly, a white cloth came over her face. A blissful cloth of wondrous scents…
In that moment, the world wasn’t as bad.
She relaxed, her body going limp.
A long sigh.
Darkness.
Silence.
Oblivion…
Rarity awoke with a start, her entire body feeling like it had gone through ten different Sisterhooves Socials at once. Lead-like and sluggish, her eyes struggled to stay open in the dimly lit room. Above her was a rocky ceiling, and everything felt damp. She found that she now had a coat on her, and with the sight of her breath in the air and the chills she seemed to harbour, she could see why. Lying on a mattress face up, she inhaled deeply.
She coughed and sputtered, her first breaths in the waking world being deep and causing her throat to react quite severely. By this, she discerned she must’ve been breathing shallowly and quickly in her sleep. Fluttering her eyes, she heaved for a few seconds before she realized just how parched she felt. Glancing to either side of her lethargically, she found a cup and a bottle.
Concentrating, she cried in pain. She couldn’t use her magic. A pressure felt like it was building up in her forehead, and a lance of hot steel pierced her mind and the crooks of eyes as she tried to focus. Trying to reach for the cup, she only ended up swatting it to the ground. Breathing heavily just from the small endeavour, she shut her eyes tight and opened her eyes once more before realizing somepony else was in the room with her.
Or rather, somezebra.
Widening her eyes ever so slightly, she eyed the bottle and reached for it before something went taut and she felt a painful pull around her chest.
“I would take care not do anything rash if I were you.”
Something about the zebra’s speech bothered her, but she had more pressing matters to attend to. With a terrible gut feeling, she looked down and saw wires protruding from a bandaged wound in her chest. Her breath quickening, Rarity pulled on it and painfully glanced to the right, only to see a big black box. Feeling a phantom pain in her chest, she felt herself begin to hyperventilate as she struggled to removed the wrappings.
Rip. Tear. Her muscles felt like sluggish death but she did it. In her bosom was a circular object, with wires extending to connect the box to it. With the tiniest shift, she felt her chest feel almost constricted and invaded. Her breath came out in big gasps as she tried to regain oxygen from her hyperventilation.
Feeling tears in her eyes, Rarity put her hoof over it before letting her body fall limp once more, staring at the ceiling in disbelief and hot tears.
As she lay there feeling a ghostly anguish, she gasped. Her breath was still sporadic, and she could feel her throat constricting with each sob.
“Just breathe, Miss Belle,” the zebra murmured. She shuffled around to glance at Rarity before setting a few plates. “It would do us both no good if you were to fall unconscious once more.”
Rarity could only nod in agreement, a few tears silently dripping from her face. With a raggedy inhale, she sat up and swung her legs to her left to face the fireplace.Nearly falling off from the sudden rush to her head, she blinked and leaned onto the nearby table with the box for stability. A soft sharp drumming in her temples began before she closed her eyes tight, willing it to go away.
She felt a tap on her shoulders.
“A mirror,” the zebra offered. “It would seem you have a need to inspect it yourself.” She then trotted over to the fireplace. As the zebra mare began poking at a pan that was sizzling over the fireplace, Rarity shakily turned the broken mirror in her hoof and reflected the image of her chest.
“W-what…” Rarity managed to choke out. The rough object shone dully in the dank space. “What did you do to me?”
“What I did?” the zebra said with a bitter smile. “What I did is to save your life.”
Rarity put the mirror down and felt her body shiver at the unnatural sight of something protruding out of her chest. Putting a hoof over it, she closed her eyes at the complete lack of feeling except for pressure applied to the thing itself. She could still hear the zebra talking, and her head drooped as her ears swivelled, still listening.
“I removed all the shards that I could,” she began, “But there’s still a lot left.” Grabbing something on a nearby table, the zebra held it gingerly in one hoof and turned. “And it’s headed right into your atrial septum.” Offering the vial to Rarity, the zebra’s lips stretched ever so slightly. “Here, want to see? I have a souvenir. Take a look.”
As the zebra tossed it, Rarity was quickly reminded of her current lack of magic with a lance of hot pain. Only barely catching it in her hooves, the contents jingled softly. Several shards of crystal glinted in the light of the fireplace and dim electric torches, and she tiredly raised it to eye-level, appraising their worth.
“I’ve seen many wounds like that in my small village.” The zebra reminisced softly as she went back to doing her own thing. “I… we called them the walking dead… because it takes about a week for those barbs to reach the heart. As a doctor… I did all I could to help them, but their time was limited with the resources we had.”
The zebra nodded to her side, gesturing indiscriminately to Rarity. “You on the other hoof… you’re too important to die, hm?”
Rarity said nothing.
“In any case, neither of us are lucky to be here. You more than me. And with that hole in your chest, I doubt you’ll be escaping any time soon.”
The remark brought Rarity’s attention back to the object imbedded in her breast. Somewhat curious but treading carefully, Rarity bit her lip. “What… what is it?”
The zebra turned around, an eyebrow raised on her striped figure and a smile on her face. “That thing in your body? That is an electromagnet, attached to a car battery… and it’s the one thing that’s keeping that shrapnel from entering your heart.”
Rarity could feel her breath feel just that much more laboured at the thought before she felt a chill go down her spine. It truly was cold in a place like this. With a resigned breath, she pulled her coat close and zipped it up. The magnet was covered, but she could still feel it within her bosom. Just then, it seemed to hit Rarity in the face like one big buckball.
“You don’t speak in rhyme?” Rarity blurted out without thinking. In that same moment, she assigned a name to her fellow prisoner as they had still yet to be introduced.
Rarity could see a smile form on her face. “Oh no,” Zap replied, or at least, what Rarity had begun to call her. “Now why would I do that?”
“Well, there’s this zebra I know. A friend of mine…” Rarity provided. “She speaks in rhyme.”
A soft chuckle came from the mouth of the zebra. “Well,” she said, “You’ve got one important friend.”
Rarity blinked. “I do?”
“Oh yes,” Zap offered, a small grin now dominating her features. “Only elders or important zebras of certain tribes in Zebrica still uphold that tradition. Of course, they don’t need to, but it is a symbol of their dedication to their culture and their roots.”
Bringing a platter with two plates on it to the bed, Zap raised an eyebrow. “The question is, just who might your friend be, and why is she so far from home?”
Rarity could only shrug in response. “I don’t know.” Only then, when the zebra was approaching did she see the lensed machines in the dark corners of the room. Zap noticed this and nodded.
“That’s right,” she said. “Smile!”
Rarity accepted the plate and scooched over a little to make room for the zebra. Placing their meals on the long table beside them that also housed Rarity’s new source of life, the zebra sighed.
“We met once, you know. Very briefly. A long, long time ago.”
Rarity turned to look at Zap with curious eyes. “I beg your pardon?”
The zebra giggled. “Oh, you wouldn’t remember. You were so antsy to get out of that conference hall… I wouldn’t have been able to stand much less give a lecture on mana-batteries and integrated archaic technology at such a young age and with such intense jitters.”
Rarity blanched, remembering that very night. “Y-yes, well… I didn’t like the looks of disapproval some ponies gave me… especially those who think that a company shouldn’t be run by a 19 year old…”
Zap, with an about face, nodded. “And now you only show up to make sure your company is still running as smooth as it has been. Rumour has it… you’ve taken on an alias.”
‘So it has been noticed,” Rarity murmured, looking away. “Must’ve been the Manehatten Boutique…”
“But your life is not mine to interfere with,” she said. “And you can give me the details another time. For now…” Her ears swivelled, listening in with a grimace. “We’ve got company.”
At that, a shutter in the metal door’s frame opened and two eyes pierced the darkness. “Axella!”
Zap began to pull on Rarity’s frazzled being. “Come! You must move!’
Shocked by the sudden action, she obliged, albeit shakily. “W-what-”
“Shh!” she hissed. “Be quiet. Do as I do. Do as I do!”
The zebra then trotted a foot away before plopping down on her haunches and raising two hooves to her head. “Hurry! Quick!” The doors soon opened to reveal four armed mercenaries and a bundled up pony to lead them all.
“...” Rarity whispered. “My… my creations; my w-weapons…! H-how did-?”
“Are you listening?” the zebra simmered. “Do as I do!”
They continued to walk forward a few more paces as the lead pony began to speak.
“Tere Haruldus Belle,” the stallion smiled warmly, though Rarity could see the glint of cunning and deception in his eyes.“Equestria suurim kurjategija pole veel näinud!” As he finished, he gestured to Rarity’s right. Following his gaze, Rarity saw her new zebra friend’s eyes flickering around before she turned to face Rarity.
With a sigh, Zap began to translate. “He says… ‘Welcome Rarity Belle, the greatest villain the likes of which Equestria has yet to see’.”
The zebra could only watch as Rarity’s features seemed to darken, sagging in unveiled guilt.
“Ma olen meelitatud olema oma kohalolekut.” The stallion gestured once more.
“He is honoured, to be in the presence of such a mare.” The zebra watched as Rarity’s face became unreadable.
“Ma tahan, et teete samale raketile, mille esitasite oma sõjaväelastele isiklikuks kasutamiseks. See on siin,” the stallion said, and a arms-bearing griffon to his right offered a picture.
“He wants you to build the missile,” the zebra translated, “The missile that you presented.” Taking the picture in her hoof, she carefully showed it to Rarity. “These ones.”
Rarity cast her eyes over to the picture. There, printed in black and white for all the world to see, were her Mareicho missiles. The crystal structures glinted in the light, and Rarity grimaced. In her mind, Rarity was thinking her options. But she knew there was only one way to go about this. The right way. Thinking of her friends… of Rainbow and her loyalty, Rarity clenched her jaw and steeled herself.
Looking the stallion in the eyes, Rarity narrowed her own.
“No.”
And she could only watch as the stallion’s eyes widened at the blatant rejection. Rarity’s new zebra friend could only watch in mild horror as she saw the stallion gesture his head to Rarity and herself. Closing her eyes for the inevitable, the zebra accepted her fate.
As bags were placed over their heads, Rarity felt herself be unceremoniously tugged in a direction. The battery nearly ripped from her chest, but she felt it get thrust into her hooves. Biting her tongue, she knew now was not the time to make any remarks as she normally would’ve. It might just make things worse. As she felt herself quickly pass over the grooves in the floor she began to count the steps. They then made a sharp turn to the right and suddenly, a blazing light replaced the darkness of the sackcloth that had been above her head. This time, Rarity couldn’t help but yelp as her mane was tugged painfully backwards.
Rarity felt her hooves get restrained by other forces before she found herself facing her reflection in a water basin, and she widened her eyes. She could only catch a glimpse of the stallion’s face before another tug forced her to gasp in pain and her head was thrust downwards.
“Mmmmphggffff!” Rarity gurgled, her eyes shutting closed and losing her breath from the cold viscous water. The shock even made her horn spark in agony. Her head was pulled back up as she shrieked. “Ack- Aghhhh!”
Her head was forced to plunge again and Rarity’s brain went into overload, trying to compensate for the sheer amount of stimulus. “Arglfffreghmmmmph!” she gargled before she was practically ripped out once more.
“Ahhh!” Rarity shouted. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she could hear the phantom pains and shouts of her friends calling her name.
“Rarity!”
Rarity plunged once more. This time thrust in for the longest, Rarity felt her mind close into itself. Thoughts raced. Plans formed. In that instant, she thought of something beautiful. Something extraordinary. Something amazing. Images of blueprints flashed through her mind in that split second. The sight of a finished product. Glowing with intensity and power.
When she thought she couldn’t survive any longer without oxygen and began to see spots, she was pulled out and the bag was thrust onto her head once more. The bag immediately began to dry her soggy mane and fur, and she knew this time for sure her make-up was gone, but none of it mattered. With this act, she knew they weren’t playing games. It was do or die. As she realized that counting pace right then and there was useless, she turned her thoughts to the zebra she had been with.
The whole time, the zebra had been listening to Rarity’s cries of pain and torture. Her drowning cries. The only thing she could do was wince and grimace. And as they began to move, she was almost glad to know that it had stopped and Rarity was by her side once more.
As they were led somewhere once more, both of them realized it was taking too long for either of them to be returning to their holdings. Soon enough they felt their travels through an obvious rough cave system come to an end and the bags covering their heads were removed once more.
The blinding light that came this time came from Celestia’s sun, shining a burning light on everything surrounding her. Rarity could only squint as her clammy eyelids struggled to open up, and she glanced around to see her fellow zebra captive wondering the same that she was.
In the next moment, all of Rarity’s ailments were forgotten and she nearly dropped her battery. “By the stars…” Rarity whispered.
All around her, with several races of quadrupeds, avians, and bipeds milling about were piled crates upon crates of miscellaneous ballistics and artillery. Rarity could feel her jaw part slightly before a tear of anger welled up within her and she clenched her mouth shut, blinking it away. As they were led to the center of it all, Rarity was put side by side with Zap. After this, I’m definitely asking for her name, Rarity pondered as a quick side-thought. With a frown, she put her best poker-face on, not wanting to show anything else to the ruffians she had been kidnapped by and she watched as the same stallion from before walked back up to her.
“Mida sa arvad?” He cocked an eyebrow and turned to Zap.
“He’s asking what you think,” Zap relayed.
Rarity breathed quietly. “I think you’ve got a lot of my weapons.”
“Belle arvab, et sul on palju relvi,” Zap translated back, and the stallion smirked.
“Meil on kõik, mis Mareicho rakettide ehitamiseks on vaja,” the stallion gestured all around him.
Zap continued to translate. “He says that they have everything you need to build the missile.”
The stallion nodded, pointing to Rarity. “Lihtsalt looge materjale ja kui olete valmis, anname sulle oma teed!” At that, he also pointed to the one main exit out of the small mountain inlet.
Rarity scanned the stallion’s face for anything as she watched Zap furrow her brows in the corner of her eye. “He says for to you create a list of materials and start working immediately,” Zap translated. “And… when you’re done, he will set you free.”
Rarity studied his eyes. There was no trace of any truth in his claims. Even if she did believe it, she would still find out in the end that it was all for not. As the stallion stuck a hoof out towards her, she glanced at it and towards Zap. With a prim smile, Rarity grasped the stallion’s hoof and shook on it.
“No he won’t,” Rarity muttered resignedly behind her facade of smiling agreement.
“No, he won’t,” Zap agreed quietly, nodding her head with a tight smile of her own.
“No, he won’t.”
Author's Note
Read the one-shot that will accompany this fic!
EWhat's In A Name?
Bon Bon receives a visit from one of the only ponies who could know her true identity.
Essay Jay ·
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This will be the last chapter I post before updating this fic to finish The First Wonderbolt and It's All A Little Strange To Me.
