The Warming of the Hearth
The Right Decisions Are Always The Hardest
Author's Note
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The Right Decisions Are Always The Hardest
The grinding whirring sound grated against the inner sanctum of Rarity's mind, nerve numbing panic had begun to set in. She could remember the taste on her tongue, it tasted of copper and salt. A mixture of the tears she had shed in anguish and the blood she had spilled out of hate. It seemed like it had happened just the other day, in reality it had been many years since she had taken a life out of desperation to replace another. But here she sat, so far from that day while the pain had only grown. A voice startled her out of her revery and back to reality.
"Hello, miss Rarity is it? He said he's ready see you now."
Rarity shook her head and got to her hooves. She didn't care about who the pony was behind the voice. Without bothering to acknowledge the speaker she trotted through an adjacent door and into a small office. The room was nearly bare save for a pair of filing cabinets against one wall and the large oak wood desk in the center of the room. The shades covering the single window had been pulled aside letting the gray light filter into the room giving the white painted walls a light cream shade. Rarity noticed this and was not at all surprised. Few buildings could afford paint let alone a clean cut desk like this. Most of the building in Equestria were built out of metal scrap and pieces found lying around. Her job was one of the few establishments that could still afford such luxuries. The only city that hadn't become a dump yet was Canterlot, the nobles still wealthy enough to pay for large estates and clean streets. The land had gone to shit soon after the immortal princesses had sacrificed themselves to stop the tyranny of the Crystal Queen, Twilight Sparkle after she had become corrupt fighting evil magic. Rarity had heard many stories of it over the years but that seemed to be the most predominant notion. Rarity took a look around the well to do office before spotting the figure behind the desk. It motioned to a chair across from it with a hoof. Rarity took her place in the offered chair before the figure spoke.
"You know what you're here for Rarity." Her boss leaned back in his chair and pulled a cigar out of his desk, lighting it up and taking a large breath before letting it out releasing a cloud of sickly sweet fumes. Rarity turned her head, not having the courage to complain, not that she was in a position to do so anyways.
"Yes." She replied simply with as much willpower she could muster.
Filthy Rich stared at her for a minute before sighing, closing his eyes, and putting a hoof to his forehead in annoyance. "You have been late everyday for the past month AND you missed last week altogether. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Rarity looked down at the desk with sullen eyes. "It's about Sweetie Belle..." Was all she got out before Filthy slammed his fore hooves down onto the table top rattling the entire room.
"You do NOT get to play the sister card again. What happened was years ago. It has never inhibited you from doing your work before. Anypony else would have had you gone weeks ago, now, I am willing to give you one last chance to come back. You'll have to work to earn back the pay you lost but I do hope that you will stay. I still consider you a friend but don't get me wrong, you are on some thin ice as far as the job goes Rarity."
Rarity looked dejectedly at the ground. "Thank you Filthy."
His eyes softened as he looked down at the mare before him. "It's my pleasure dear, I do hope you take me up on that offer."
Rarity shook her head and began to get up from her place in front of the desk. "I'm sorry but I don't want to be a bother to you."
"It's really no problem." He replied with a wave of his hoof.
Gripping the handle to the door she turned back around to face him. "I'm sorry but I can't right now."
He gave her a sad smile. "Well if you change your mind, just know that you're always welcome to come by."
She nodded in confirmation before swinging the door open and slipping back into the reception area. Trotting across the tile floor with nothing but the ticking of the clock to company her out the front door of the building. She was instantly assaulted by the many smells and noises that sat over the crowded street like a putrid blanket. The smoke from the many fires around the city and exhaust from the newest invention in transportation, sky ships. Sky ships had been engineered after the discovery of Mana crystals, Mana crystals being hunks of crystal that were opaque in color, the rocks themselves being immune to absorption of ambient magic, were imbued with levitation spells and filled with simple arcane energy. This allowed the gems to be placed within the machines allowing the pony sitting in the front to steer using a set of peddles and a wheel to control magic flow to and from the crystals.
Making her way through the crowds of people she made her way in the direction of the market on the East side of town where she lived. She was pushed and bumped by more than a few ponies who in turn gave her angry scowls. Keeping her head down she pushed her way through it until she reached a clear area. The area being that of a public square. On one side of the area sat a run down church. Ponies liked to pray to the immortal sisters, pleading them to return to Equestria and save those in need and punish those who have wronged others. Across from the church sat a stage where a protest was being held, the leader of which stood on the stage with a voice amplifying gem hung around her neck.
"WE WILL NOT STAND BY WHILE THE RICH TAKE AWAY OUR BITS, AND OUR FOOD! ACT 66! ACT 66! ACT 66!"
The ponies standing on the ground below her cheered and voiced their agreements with the statement. Rarity simply shook her head and continued through the square. To the right of the stage was a slew of covered stands that sold foodstuffs. Trotting down the line of the market she looked for what she needed. Her eyes landed on a vegetable stand selling carrots and broccoli. Pushing past a couple protesters she walked up to the cart and made eye contact with the vendor.
"Hello missy, what brings you here today?" He said with a wink.
She glared at him. "Good to see you to Bask. I'm just here to buy some carrots."
He leaned against the counter, his yellowed teeth peeking out from behind his cracked lips. "How many?" He inquired.
"I'll be needing ten." She denounced.
He cackled slightly. "That'll be eight bits."
Her eyes widened. "WHAT? But I got ten last week and it was only three bits!" She said with anger.
He broke down into a heavy laugh. "I'm just kiddin with you lass."
Her confused expression dissolved into one of anger. "Just let me have my carrots you hooligan." She said reaching into her bag and pulling out three bits.
"Yes mam." His fit of laughter slowed down to a light giggle.
They exchanged items and Rarity turned back into the crowd. She'd never liked Bask, he eyed her up like a piece of candy every time she visited but she considered it worth it because he always seemed to give her the best deals and the lowest prices. Pushing her way through the gaggle of ponies in front of the stage she made her way across the square and into a thin alley to one side. The sound of the protesters seemed to fade behind her as she moved farther into the space. The loudest sound was that of water steadily dripping from a gutter somewhere above her head into a nearby puddle. She could see the light of the nest street brightly illuminating the exit to the passage way she was in. Then there was silence. She ignored it at first until she realized that the water had stopped dripping. Turning her head to the side she looked up with one eye. A thin sheet of ice had spread along the wall seeming to originate from the point on the building closest to the stage in the square. The gutter had frozen over and the water turned to ice. Tiny icicles hung from the dripping pipes seeming to absorb the light that hit them giving them a darker appearance. Suddenly the darkness thickened, she felt she could almost feel it. The ice no longer spreading along the wall, instead seeming to retreat slightly. Rarity took the event as the point at which she needed to leave.
Bolting down the remaining alleyway she emerged out onto a avenue that seemed brighter, happier. There were still ponies making there way along the street, but not nearly as many as the downtown area that she had just witnessed. Taking a moment to catch her breath she began to move up the street with the speed of somepony that has somewhere to be. She indeed had somewhere to be. She wasn't going to let odd magical occurrences keep her from her sister. Turning to the left she made her way up a flight of stairs to her home. Her home consisted of one kitchen, a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. The kitchen and living room being in the same area. Levitating a gem attached to a loop from around her neck she touched it to the door handle disengaging the locks on her house. Stepping in to the building she let the door close softly behind her. Stepping into her bedroom she threw herself onto her bed and levitated off the ID that marked her as a Rich Industries employee, pulling herself out of the bed she left the bed room. Lighting a few candles she made her way back into the kitchen setting her bags down on the counter. Stepping into the living room she turned on the radio with a flick of her magic. A musical symphony began to ring out around the room as she got to work cutting the carrots and slicing the bread. Taking a small canister of cream cheese out of the magically cooled box in the corner she spread it on the bread with her only knife. She placed the cream cheese back into the box and pulled out a small stack of cucumber slices. Spreading them evenly on the slices of bread she made a total of six cucumber sandwiches. Setting them aside she lit a small stove built into the counter, placing a pan on the flame to warm up she drizzled a small amount of oil into pan and deposited the carrots into the pan. Once the carrots had been adequately sautéd she placed them onto the plate next to the sandwiches.
"Sweetie! Dinner is ready!" She called to the rest of the house.
A light pounding could be heard before her sister came running around the corner.
"Come on, It's your favorite." Rarity said with a smile.
Sweetie opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.
"Are you okay dear?" Rarity questioned with a nervous glance at her sister.
Sweetie simply looked at her with a blank expression. "Could you read me a bed time story?"
Rarity seemed a little taken aback by the request. "Oh, I guess so." She replied hesitantly.
Getting up from the table she lead her sister back to through the hallway to Sweeties bedroom, CMC posters covering the walls and toys scattered around the room. Laying her sister down in the bed Rarity turned towards the bookshelf to choose a book to read to her younger sister.
"Could you read me this one?" Sweetie asked, her voice slightly deeper.
"Hearths Warming Eve? Sure thing sis." Rarity reached out for the book levitating directly in front of her. Settling down on the floor next to Sweeties bed she began to read.
"Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia-"
"And together they named their new land, Equestria." Rarity finished with a smile. "Do you think the windigos are real Sweetie?" Rarity looked up from the book to see her sister turned away from her. The soft sound of crying could barely be heard. Rarity frowned, her sister was never one to cry. "Sweetie? Are you okay?" She touched her sisters shoulder.
Sweetie spun her head to face Rarity. Bits on mangled flesh clinging to the bone, muscle and sinew stretched across what was left of her mutilated face. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets and blood poured from the wounds in fountains.
"Why did you leave me to die?" She screamed out in a deep garbled voice mere inches from Rarity's face.
Rarity sat up screaming throwing her sheets off of her barrel. She spun around to look at her surroundings. The room was dark, save for the street lights through the window. Panting she laid back down on her bed. "It was just a nightmare." She whispered to herself. Closing her eyes once again she rolled over, hoping she might get some sleep nightmare free.
