Act I - 04 - All is Vanity...

Act One:

"Charade You Are"

Chapter Four

“All is Vanity”:

Rarity sat there for hours on the floor, holding Kili’s dead body and rocking back and forth, sobbing, “Oh, I’m sorry…” she said through sobs and moans, “I’m so sorry…for everything…” she cried until she simply couldn’t cry any longer. She lay down on the cot and tried her best to sleep. Suddenly a pounding came from the door, followed by the sound of rattling keys, Rarity braced herself for the worst. The door opened, revealing her griffin tormentor and his henchdogs.

“Well, well, well…” the griffin said, walking in and seemingly enjoying watching Rarity’s suffering. “You’re ransom got paid. Good for you” he said, inspecting his still blood stained claws. “It seems your free to go”

Rarity simply couldn’t believe it, that this sick demented creature could find pleasure in such things.

“Really?” she said, her voice weak from all the crying from before.

“Yes” He said, his beak twisting into the familiar face of a somepony about to torture somepony. “And they agreed to pick you up.”

Rarity was confused. If she was free, why was he making that face? Suddenly, as if to answer her questions, he snapped his claws and the henchdogs came and immediately grabbed her, put a burlap sack over her head and knocked her out.

////////////////////////////

Rarity awoke in a hospital, head throbbing. She looked wearily around the room; there was a television tuned into the news and beside her were at least a dozen machines all hooked into her via IVs. She rubbed her pounding temple. “Ugh, my head…” she groaned.

“Oh my,” a familiar voice said. “Look who’s awake.”

Rarity turned her head to see Braeburn sitting by the bed, his eyes on the television.

“How ya doin?” he said.

“Okay I guess,” Rarity said, looking around the room. “How long was I out?”

Braeburn thought for a moment. “Oh ‘bout two days.”

Rarity shifted in her bed. “Two days? Really?”

Braeburn nodded. “Eeup, found ya where they told me to look.” This caught Rarity’s attention.

“Really? Where was that?” she said, wanting to have idea at least where the kidnappers lived.

“In the middle of the desert” Braeburn said, “Ya was unconscious, so I put ya in the car and drove ya to the hospital.”

Rarity was touched by Braeburn’s dedication to her. “That’s very kind of you,” Rarity said, Braeburn held up a hoof.

“Don’t ya mention it. That’s mah job,” He said, giving her a gentle pat on the hoof. “Yer parents are waitin’ outside,” He said, sitting back down.

“Really?” Rarity said. “Alright then,” she said, turning to watch the TV.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

“Ya wanna see ‘em?” Braeburn asked, concern evident in his eyes.

Rarity turned back towards him. “Sure” she said, sighing.

“Alright then,” Braeburn said, getting up and opening the door to reveal Rarity’s father Magnum, her mother Pearl and Sweetie Belle.

“Sis!” Sweetie Belle said, running over to Rarity and giving her a hug. “I missed you so much!”

Rarity did her best to hug Sweetie Belle back. “That’s quite alright,” she said, gently shoving Sweetie Belle away from her, her father then came in.

“There’s my beautiful daughter!” he said, giving her a bear hug.

“Daddy,” Rarity said, slightly put off by the sudden showing of emotion. “Great to see you again.” She turned to her mom, who simply stood in the doorway and fiddled with her phone.

“Hello mother,” Rarity said, doing her best to sound polite.

“Hello dear,” her mother said, putting her phone in her purse. “Well, I guess that ten million was well spent,” She said, walking up and giving her daughter a stiff hug.

“Ten million?” Rarity said, suddenly confused. “What 10 million?” her asked.

“The ransom of course!” her father said. “No ruffian is going to hold my beautiful daughter prisoner.” He gave her another hug.

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle said reaching in for a hug as well.

“Oh thank you father!” Rarity said, hugging back as best she could, given all the IVs. “I’m so happy to see you all again,” she said, catching a glimpse of her mother dabbing a tear from her eye before she spoke.

“Well,” Pearl said in typical unemotional-like manner looking at the clock on the wall. “It seems sadly that we must leave,” She said, with all the sincerity of a crocodile apologizing for eating somepony, she tugged at Magnum’s shirt.

“Well dear, I’m sorry,” Magnum said giving Rarity one last hug. “But your Mother is sadly right, I totally forgot the meeting,” he said, shooting a quick glance at his watch. “But if you want we can Sweetie Belle with you for company.”

Rarity’s eye involuntarily twitched. “Oh, okay” she said, as Sweetie Belle jumped up on the bed again.

“YEAH!” she said, giving Rarity another hug. “Thanks so much!” she said, hugging Rarity even tighter.

“Well, goodbye,” Pearl said, leaning in and giving Rarity a quick peck on the cheek before leaving with Magnum. Once her parents left, Braeburn, who had not said a word since her parents had come in, noticed Rarity’s somewhat frustrated expression and gently pulled Sweetie Belle off Rarity’s bed.

“Well, Sweetie Belle, I think your sister’s a little tired right now so’s how about we get some Ice Cream? Wadda think?”

Sweetie Belle turned. “That’d be great!” She jumped off the bed and ran over to Braeburn, who gave Rarity a wink.

“Thank you,” She whispered.

“No prob,” He said. “Ya ready?” He said, turning to walk out with Sweetie Belle, leaving Rarity alone.

She was safe and sound, with nopony trying to hurt her in anyway. She lay back once more, letting out a long sigh and falling asleep once more, completely exhausted.

////////////////////////////

“Braeburn, please be careful!” Rarity said as she watched Braeburn carry her prized antique Ponyphone record player. “It’s more than-”

“40 years old, I know,” Braeburn said, doing his best to balance the heavy (and not to mention incredibly expensive) old machine on his back. After a few days of doing her best to put up with Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s parents finally came and took her back home. Since then, Rarity had been doing her best to make the hospital room feel like home.

One such method was transporting her entire collection of antique LPs to her hospital room.

“Y’all know they have a radio here right?” he said, doing his best to set the record player on the table next to her bed.

“Yes, dear, I know they do, but the only station it picks up is that dreaded pop station,” Rarity said. “And believe me, if I have to hear that horrible song they keep playing once more, my mind might melt, dear. Did you bring the records?” She said, as Braeburn cracked his back.

“Yes. I did” He sighed, pulling out an old LP from his saddle bag with his mouth.

“CAREFUL! That’s vintage!” Rarity said, quickly levitating the LP over to her to check for damage. “Why must you always use your teeth? Didn’t your mother teach you that’s not polite”

Braeburn rolled his eyes, “Unless y’all noticed, I don’t a fancy horn to help me…” He pointed to his distinctly hornless forehead.

“Oh, right, sorry. I keep forgetting that…” Rarity said, setting the LP on the table next to her. Braeburn set his saddlebag down next to the bed and turned towards the television, switching it to some generic soap opera.

“What’s that?” Rarity said, pointing at the television.

“This? Oh it’s just somethin’ I found” Braeburn said, “It’s about some fella named Rocky from Dakota, who just went into a saloon to meet a mare named Magill, who called herself Lili but everypony knew her as Nancy.”

Rarity snickered, “Braeburn, I never took you for the soap opera type.”

Braeburn rolled his eyes, “I’m not, there’s just nothin’ else on.”

They watched it for a little while, both poking fun at the cheesy writing and bad acting, eventually though they both tired of it and Braeburn switched to the news, where a report was talking about a random conflict in Griffinheim.

“Hey, ain’t that where ya’ll got taken to?”

Rarity looked to the screen and quietly watched as random citizens ran about behind the news pony, who babbled on and on about the conflict over there. All this managed to do was make a strange empty feeling form inside her.

“Braeburn,” Rarity said, feeling uneasy. “Please change, last thing I need to see is…” She suddenly stopped when a very familiar face came on the screen. It was her chief tormentor during her captivity, simply staring into the camera with the same wicked grin on his face.

Braeburn noticed Rarity’s usually beautiful face contort into one fixated with hate. “Y’all alright?” He said, putting a hoof on her hoof.

“Turn. It. Off.” She said, emphasizing every word.

“All righty then,” Braeburn said, switching the channel to some random game show. Braeburn looked back at Rarity. “What was that all about, huh?”

Rarity turned towards Braeburn. “That was my chief tormentor. That’s what that was all about.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Didn’t know.” Braeburn quietly changed the channel. “Sorry iffin I brought back some bad memories…”

Rarity sighed. “That’s okay…it’s not your fault,” She said, reaching a hoof out. “It’s just…it’s just that I really don’t feel like reliving the worst months of my life. You understand don’t you?”

Braeburn nodded. “Yeah, of course,” He gave her hoof a gentle shake. “I wouldn’t wanna do that either.” He leaned in and gave Rarity a hug.

Rarity tensed up slightly, surprised by Braeburn’s sudden showing of emotion. “Well…thanks…a lot…”

“Yer welcome. That’s what I’m here for, to be yer secretary and to make sure ya don’t go all crazy with depression.”

Rarity laughed. “Yes, because if I did you’d be out of a job.”

“Well, that…and I honestly care fer ya.” Before Rarity could say anything, a knock came at the door, they both turned to see Dr. Stable, the chief doctor at Canterlot Hospital, standing in the doorway. “Hey doc, what’s up?” Braeburn said, extended a hoof in greeting, the doctor walked in, shook it rather stiffly, and turned towards Rarity.

“Well, good news. You’re getting released.” Rarity and Braeburn’s mouths dropped, both equally surprised.

“Really?” Rarity said, a smile making her way across her face.

“Don’t that seem a might soon?” Braeburn said, the doctor turned to Braeburn.

“Well, normally I’d agree with you, but that…” He pointed to the diamond arc. “…That has certainly made the difference, it’s amazing really, somehow able to drive energy from the patient and then giving back twice as much…truly amazing.” He shook his head in awe at the diamond.

“I still don’t see why that means I can leave so soon?” Rarity said, puzzled at the news.

The doctor looked at his clipboard. “Well, it seems the diamond is also increasing your rate of recovery. You not going to re-grow lost limbs or anything, but you’ve recovered much faster than normal. Truly amazing.” With this, he turned and walked out, not saying another word.

////////////////////////////

Rarity sat in front of the television, trying her best to find some inspiration, hoping that maybe some designing would get her back into the swing of things, but so far no luck. It had been a week since she had returned from the hospital and all she managed to create were several thousand doodles of various kinds of outfits and suits, none of which seemed suitable for actual production.

Eventually she had simply given up on fashion designs and moved to just random doodling. Right now she had just finished a rather strange drawing of a giant mechanical unicorn pony holding a terrified griffin in its hoof, horn alight as if ready to meet out judgment upon the creature in its grasp. The record turned on the spindle, music emanating from the speakers.

Braeburn walked in carrying a magazine, “How ya’s doin’?” He said, sitting next to the bed.

“Frustrated…” Rarity mumbled.

“How so?” he said, picking up a couple of papers with rather colorful language scrawled all over them and throwing them away.

“It’s…it’s just I can’t think of any new designs! It’s driving me crazy!” Rarity flung the papers into the air, letting them fall randomly.

Braeburn simply started picking them up and organizing them into folders. “Well, I don’t really think sittin’ on a couch all day is conducive tah one’s creativity.” He put the folder in his saddlebag.

Rarity huffed, took off her glasses and crossed her front hooves. “Ugh. I know…it’s just I can’t explain it…”

“Explain what?” Braeburn said, still picking up random pieces of paper and sorting them.

“Well” Rarity said, whipping out a cigarette. “Ever since I’ve got back I’ve had this strange feeling in my chest…”

“That would be the big rock there.” Braeburn pointed at the diamond arc.

Rarity gave him a deadpan look. “No. Not THAT kind of a funny feeling…one that’s like there’s an empty hole in my soul…I can’t think what could be causing it…”

Braeburn sat next to her. “Well, iffin ya ask me, I think y’alls been locked up in this place too long…” He said as he motioned to the massive living room. “Maybe y’all should get out and try and get back inta the swing of things.”

Rarity pondered this. “Yeah,” she said, getting and walking towards the massive fireplace. “Maybe I could use some pony company.” She levitated a fire poker and gently prodded the fire, “Yeah,” She said, smiling. “Maybe that’s what I need.” She put the poker down and turned to go to her room.

“Where y’all going?” Braeburn said, following after her. “I am going to going to do what you said,” Rarity said as she made her way down the hallway. “And that is?” Braeburn said, as she entered her room. “To go and get back in the swing of things, as you put it.”

////////////////////////////

Braeburn stood in the doorway of Rarity’s bedroom, slightly confused at the sudden change in her personality. “Rarity…ya sure y’all okay?” Rarity turned, a newly light cigarette in mouth.

“Yes. I’m fine, just because I’m suddenly taking your advice and reintegrating myself back into proper society doesn’t mean I’ve lost it.” She walked over and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Relax. I’m not crazy, just, cabin fever you know?” She walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

“Well, um, there anythin’ y’all need? Any secretary stuff?” Braeburn said, leaning against the bathroom door.

“No, nothing besides any standard work my dear,” Rarity said through the bathroom door.

“Well, where y’all gonna go?” Braeburn said.

“Isn’t today Fancypants’ birthday?” Rarity said, the sound of water running coming from behind the bathroom door.

“Uh, lemme check.” Braeburn fiddled with his ePad. “Um, yeah, it is…why?”

“Well, if there’s any way to get back into the swing of things…” The sound of a hair drier came from the bathroom. “…It’s to go to a party or a get together of some kind.” The door opened to reveal a newly cleaned Rarity. “It’s at Fancypants' house right?”

Braeburn checked his ePad again. “Yup.”

“Good!” Rarity chirped. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get ready for the party,” She said as she gently nudged Braeburn towards the door.

“Alrighty then, y’all get ready, I’m happy fer ya,” He said as she closed the door.

////////////////////////////

Rarity looked over the dresses lying on the foot of her bed. They all seemed somewhat over the top. Frustrated, Rarity levitated them back to the closet, and started to rummage through the massive amount of various dresses. She reached the back wall of the closet, which was quite a feat taking into account that it was the size of a bedroom. She suddenly stopped when her eyes fell open a familiar gown. The gown was the gown from her graduation. She ran through the painful memories associated with the gown in her head with the strange nagging feeling in her chest growing.

////////////////////////////

“Mom, Dad, I’m home!” Rarity said as she opened the door, levitating her suitcases and bags, turned to see her mother and father standing there, with her mother’s back covered with a cloak.

“Dear, I and your mother have something to show you!” Magnum said, as Pearl walked up to Rarity and pulled back the cloak covering her back to reveal a white baby filly with a light purple and pink mane sleeping quietly.

“Mom…?” Rarity said, dropping her bags in shock.

Pearl pulled her cloak back over her back, her horn glowing as she smoothed it over. Magnum took a quick step toward them, one back, and then one forward again, his tail twitching the way it did when he was trying to think.

“Well, you see, honey, err…your mom thought that-well, since you were having finals and that’s always a hard time for you kids-”

“I have a sister and you never told me?” Rarity said, her voice ringing stridently. “Is THAT why you didn't come to my graduation? Because I just got a sister??” she said, staring simultaneously confused and angry at her mother.

“Honey-” Magnum said, reaching out a hoof to calm Rarity down.

“And you!” she turned on Magnum, who shied back. “You didn't tell me? You called me every single day and your best explanation was ‘you know your mother?’”

“Sweetie-” He said, trying again to reach out and calm her down.

“I knew she was unfeeling,” Rarity said, turning back on her mother. “I knew she was void of all motherly or proper feeling but I didn't know you were so wholly, purely, and completely SELFISH! You’re the most egotistical, self-absorbed, soulless creature I've ever met! I've never dealt with a person who cared so little about manipulating and exploiting the hearts and feelings of others for her own personal comfort and ease!”

“Now you stop right there, young filly,” Pearl said in a such a forceful voice Rarity was stunned into silence. “Who are you to accuse me of selfishness and manipulation? You who manipulate your father’s affection for you to do as you please in every matter from buying closets of clothes to vacations in Las Pegasus, you have no respect for the labor he put in to accumulate his wealth so you can spend it as you like! He may be blinded by saccharine feelings toward you but I’m not! You are vain, serpentine, egotistical, self-righteous and wicked and have no right to accuse me of anything.”

There was a stretch of thunderous silence.

“Well Mother,” Rarity said, her voice smooth and icy. “I respectfully disagree. I think I have every right to accuse you since everything I know about being a wicked terrible daughter I learned from my evil, horrible mother.” With that she spun around, grabbing her bags, and started towards the door.

“Where are you-” Magnum began.

“Away,” Rarity said, continuing towards the door.

“But honey!” Magnum trotted up beside her. “You just got home! You’re mother’s a bit…uh, hormonal from birthing but she’ll be back to normal in a few-”

“That’s why I’m leaving,” Rarity said. “This is the most honest conversation with my mother and, thanks to her, I’ve finally decided on the course of action I should have done years ago. I can’t endure another moment with her. If I stay I’ll go mad. I’m not going to live with a pony who thinks I’m their terminal illness. I’m sure she doesn’t want me to infect her new daughter, the one she can make in her own image.”

Magnum babbled desperately to refute her but Rarity’s head was buzzing so loudly she didn’t hear a word. The only thing she heard was her mother’s comment to Magnum as she stepped out the door, “Don’t humiliate yourself, Magnum. She’ll be back.”

////////////////////////////

Rarity shook her head to clear her mind of the bad memories. Taking another look at the gown, she was tempted to throw the thing away, but simply couldn't bring herself to do it. Maybe I can pawn it off to Sweetie Belle. She turned away, finally deciding on an elegant red dress. She walked out of the closet, leaving the gown on the hanger in the back.

////////////////////////////

“Okay, ya sure y’all don’t want me to come?” Braeburn said as he and Rarity walked towards the waiting limo.

“Yes. Don’t worry Braeburn” Rarity said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “I just going to the party and coming back. I seriously don’t think that they’re going to try and kidnap me again.”

“Alright then,” Braeburn said. “Just keep in touch. I don’t wanna wake later to find that y’all got pulled over or arrested or something on PMZ.” They both laughed.

“Don’t worry. I won’t.” With that she stepped inside the limo which drove off towards Fancypants'.

////////////////////////////

After causing quite a stir when she first arrived, Rarity made her way to the stallion of the hour, Fancypants', who was busy discussing various things with Jet Set, Upper Crust and Bruce Mane.

“Well, I believe this bat-fellow deserves a medal,” Upper Crust said.

“And a straight-jacket to pin it on,” her husband Jet Set replied. “I think running around in a silly, and might I mention, highly unfashionable, costume is not going to solve any problems over there. Honestly I think the problems over there are unsolvable.” He nodded to Bruce Mane. “No offence intended Bruce.”

“None taken,” Bruce Mane replied.

“Well, that might be so,” Fancypants' said. “But Bruce here is the only one of us that actually lives there, what do you say?” He put a leg around Bruce Mane’s shoulders.

Bruce thought for a moment. “Well, to me anyways, anypony who dresses as a bat, very clearly has issues.”

“Well, if anypony cares what I think,” Rarity said, making her way into the circle of ponies. “I believe it great that somepony’s doing something about the problems over there, instead of just throwing money at it.” The group stopped laughing, “So how’s the stallion of the hour?” Rarity said, as the group turned to her, Rarity noticed Bruce seemed to have something on his mind.

“Oh! Rarity! So good to see you!” Fancypants said, seemingly very surprised to see her. Her gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “We've been worried sick about you! How’s the world been treating you?” He said, as the rest of the group agreed.

“Well, for somepony who’s just been freed from captivity, rather well,” Rarity said, levitating a martini glass from a passing waiter.

“Oo! What’s that?” Upper Crust said, pointing towards the diamond arc.

Rarity looked down at it, “Oh? This old thing? It’s a little trinket I made while in captivity.”

The other ponies' eyes all widened. Jet Set leaned in. “Well, whatever is such a beautiful diamond doing in your chest?”

Rarity rubbed it. “Well, actually, when they captured me, the explosion caused me to suffer severe shrapnel wounds and this,”—She proudly tapped the diamond—“Is the one thing preventing the shrapnel from killing me.” The group simply stared at her for a moment, unsure whether to continue the conversation. Rarity noticed the awkward silence. “Don’t worry however,” she said, quickly waving a hoof in the air. “I’m still the same pony as before.”

Fancypants was the first to speak: “Well, I must know who helped craft that marvelous diamond.” His voice giving away his obvious curiosity.

Rarity remembered Kili for a moment. “A friend I made while in captivity, a diamond dog surgeon.” She said, stirring her drink, the group once again gave Rarity a funny look.

“A diamond dog surgeon?” Upper Crust said, seemingly unable to get her head around the concept.

“Amazing,” Bruce Mane said, speaking for the first time since Rarity had entered the conversation. “And here I thought they were totally incapable of rational thought!” He burst out laughing joined by Upper Crust, Jet Set and Fancypants

Rarity was shocked at the sheer selfish nature of these ponies, that a pony, no matter his background would help anypony else with such a problem and not ask for payment and the only thing they could think of was that he was supposedly stupid.

“I’ll have you know,” she said, interrupting their laughter. “That he died helping me.”

Fancypants put his leg around her shoulder. “We didn't know. I apologize.” He said, seemingly sincere.

“It’s alright” she said, excusing herself. “But I must go now, I hope you have wonderful birthday Fancy.” She gave him a hug and made her way to exit, fed up with the empty lives of the ponies around her.

////////////////////////////

Rarity threw herself onto her bed, disgusted by the actions of those around her. She angrily levitated the remote control over and switched on the TV. Once again, fate determined that it would be an news report about the conflict over in Griffinheim, the country where Rarity’s captors hailed from.

“The terrorists say that their new weapons are thanks to the 10 million bit ransom payment for famed Equestrian fashion designer Rarity Belle, who was kidnapped by the terrorists and hasn't been in public seen since her release from the hospital a week ago,” The news pony said, with the footage exhibiting the terrorists “wonderful” new weapons. Large machine guns carried on the backs of diamond dogs who fired them with glee at random innocent civilians.

Rarity had seen enough. She shut the television off, the empty feeling in her chest becoming unbearable. She looked around the room, catching a glimpse of the doodle of the mechanical pony and griffin she had made earlier. The gears in her head started to turn. She had to do something herself, Kili had sacrificed his body for me, she thought, I couldn't give any less without blaspheming his memory.

She immediately grabbed her glasses, levitated some papers and a pen over and began to draw fervently. Her pen whipped across the page hysterically, her eyes didn't even perceive the shape, it was coming too fast—straight from somewhere in her hollow chest—a surge of anger and sorrow.

They have pay, I have to MAKE them pay, wring it out of them before my eyes. She puffed another cigarette, brushing away bits of ash as she fervently sketched. I have to be there, I have to SEE it, DO it myself. For Kili’s sake, I cannot substitute my payment to anypony else. Her pen stopped abruptly—as if responding to her thoughts—and her eyes fell on the page.

The final sketch showed sketch for an elegant battle suit made of steel. This design would be powered by her diamond arc. “‘Don’t waste your gift’ you said,” she whispered to herself. “Well, I think I've found a purpose for my gift dear friend.”

"I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind."

• Ecclesiastes 1:14