Rarity Plays the Waiting Gameby CapNTilfyChaptersThe Waiting is the Hardest PartRarity Versus the Forces of BoredomSisterly BondingFamily MattersRarity's NightmareThe Waiting is the Hardest PartRarity simply stared at her phone, palms sweating. Can you meet me at the mall on Monday? I need to talk to you in person.- Sent by Rarity Sure. It'll probably be kinda late in the afternoon though. I have a busy morning.- Sent by Lemon Zest Rarity sighed deeply. Well, it's not like she has an inkling as to what I need to talk to her about and why. "I don't think I can wait for much longer!" Rarity said as she burst into tears and fell onto her fainting couch. She opened up her eyes to see Opal staring at her, then leaving. "Oh, you're no fun." Rarity pouted, snapping out of her Drama Mode. At least her friends humored her. Perhaps I should look over those dress designs I made for the Shadowbolts' Spring Dance. Rarity shook her head. What am I talking about? I've done that several times over already! I should just get to work on them already, even if spring is months away! She put the palm of her hand to her face. But then I'll probably think about Lemon Zest, then I'll get distracted and the dress designs would be ruined. I'd have to start from scratch! "There you go again, Rarity. You shouldn't worry yourself so much." she said to herself. She made a sputtering noise and stared out the window. "I wonder what everyone else is doing..." Rarity thought aloud as she made a mental checklist. Let's see now...Sunset Shimmer is in Equestria on some sort of a journey that I and the others know little about. Twilight is spending time with Spike because she promised him. Fluttershy is likely at the animal shelter again. Pinkie Pie is getting to know Golden Crossbow better since he's new around here. Rainbow Dash is either napping or playing guitar or something, and Applejack is doing chores. No big surprise there. Rarity counted using her fingers for each of her friends. She sighed. "If there are any gods anywhere, please let something happen!" Rarity yelled. Meanwhile, in an alternate world that Rarity was vaguely aware of, five regal and winged unicorns sneezed simultaneously. They blinked, then went about their day. Rarity heard a knock on her door. "Yes?" "Rarity!" called her younger sister. "Rainbow Dash is here!" Rarity blinked. Whatever could she want from me? she thought, then walked downstairs. "Hello, Rainbow. Sweetie said you wanted to see me?" said Rarity. "Yeah." said Rainbow. "I've been having...weird dreams. I figured since you use them as inspiration for your designs and stuff you might be able to help me." "I do use them for inspiration and I know a thing or two about dreams, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to help you." said Rarity as she frowned. "That's okay, Rares. I'll take any help I can get." said Rainbow. "Very well." said Rarity. "Let's go up to my room then." Rainbow walked into Rarity's house but then was stopped by Rarity. "Stop!" Rainbow blinked. "I need to make tea first! Do you want some?" Rarity asked. Rainbow smiled and rolled her eyes. "No, I'm good." "Suit yourself." Rarity said, and walked into the kitchen. A few minutes later, Rarity returned with a cup of tea. "Okay. Now let's get up to my room." They walked up the stairs and entered Rarity's room, sitting down. "So, what seems to be the problem, Rainbow Dash?" said Rarity as she took a sip of tea. "Well..." said Rainbow, blushing slightly. "I just realized that I've been having dreams about a crush I have." Rarity nearly spat out her tea. "Whoa! Are you okay, Rarity?" said Rainbow, startled. Rarity waved a hand signaling she was as she entered a coughing fit. "I'm fine, darling." she said hoarsely. "Wrong pipe." "Need some water?" asked Rainbow. "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you." Rarity said between coughs. Rainbow sped off and returned with a cup of water. Rarity quickly drank it down and took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Sorry about that." said Rarity as she blushed out of embarrassment. "So who is this crush of yours?" she asked. Rainbow blushed and put her hand behind her head. "I'm...not comfortable saying who it is right now." she said. Rarity nodded. "Fair enough. So how do you know you have a crush on this person?" "Well...my apparent crush just showed up in my dream. I was confused at first, then she told me she thought she knew why she was in my dream. So I said to her 'Iknowwhy you're in my dream. I have a crush on you!' Then I bolted awake." Rarity stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm." she mused. "And prior to that dream, you had no romantic feelings for this girl?" Rainbow nodded. "It just came out of nowhere! Hell, I'm still trying to process it..." "I know how that feels..." Rarity said under her breath. "What'd you say, Rarity?" asked Rainbow. "Nothing!" said Rarity. Rainbow looked at Rarity for a moment, then shrugged. "I hate to say it, Rainbow Dash, but you didn't really need my help. That was a clear-cut dream, plain and simple." said Rarity. "That's okay, Rarity. I guess I just needed to talk to someone about it, is all." she gave Rarity a hug. "Thank you." Rarity smiled and returned the hug. "You're quite welcome, darling. Any time you need to talk, I'll be here." Rainbow broke the hug. "I know." she said, smiling. She sped off back to her home, not noticing Rarity wipe sweat off her brow and breathing a sigh of relief. Goodness! Talk about your coincidences! Rarity thought, the shock of Rainbow's dreams still fresh in her mind. I almost told her about Lemon Zest! Well, maybe not close, but still! Rarity sighed. "WHAAAAAT?!" The sudden scream jolted Rarity out of her thoughts. Goodness! I recognize that scream. Rarity grabbed her phone and texted as fast as she could, which was alarmingly fast. Honed from hours upon hours of constant texting between her friends and others, she typed and sent her text all in the course of three seconds. Pinkie Pie! Is everything okay? - Sent by Rarity She had to wait for a response. Rarity Versus the Forces of BoredomRarity grew increasingly worried as she waited for Pinkie to text back. She almost always texted back immediately! Something had to be wrong! What could have possibly- Rarity's phone buzzed. So...remember Golden Crossbow? - Sent by Pinkie Pie Yes. What about him? - Sent by Rarity It turns out he's Lemon Zest's cousin. - Sent by Pinkie Pie "WHAT?!" Rarity shrieked, causing everything made of glass inside the house to vibrate slightly. Apparently Pinkie must have heard this from wherever she was, because Rarity's phone buzzed again. I know, right? - Sent by Pinkie Pie Rarity heard a knock on her door. "Rarity!" Sweetie Belle said, concerned. "Is everything okay?" Rarity sprinted to her door, not wanting her younger sister to worry. "Yes, yes. I'm fine. Just a...surprise from a book I was reading." "Don't scare me like that!" said Sweetie. "Dumb teenage hormones..." she said as she walked off. "You're a teenager, too!" Rarity said, overhearing Sweetie. "Yeah. No shit, Sherlock." Sweetie Belle muttered under her breath as she rolled her eyes. Rarity sighed. Her parents had planned a special evening for themselves tonight, so it was just her and her sister. Unfortunately, since both she and her sister were going through said "teenage hormones", they ended up getting into fights more often than not. Their parents had decided to keep a pair of earplugs with them at all times so one would break the fight up and the other wouldn't have a splitting headache. At least she didn't slam the door this time. Rarity thought. She walked over to her desk and pulled out the photo taken from the set of the Dance Magic music video and stared at Lemon Zest. She sighed. "I wonder if you know how I feel about you..." she thought out loud, wondering what Lemon and the other Crystal Prep girls were up to at this very moment. Probably something fun. Probably something- Rarity's phone buzzed. Do you know Applejack's address? - Sent by Sour Sweet Rarity blinked. Sour Sweet didn't text all that often, she was usually more direct by calling. Rarity simply shrugged. Yes, but why ask me? Why not Applejack? - Sent by Rarity The other girls and I saw Applejack have a pretty rough day at work yesterday, so we thought we'd surprise her. - Sent by Sour Sweet Rarity smiled. How thoughtful of them. They really have come a long way since the Friendship Games. Rarity sent Sour Applejack's address. Thanks, Rarity. - Sent by Sour Sweet Not a problem, dear. - Sent by Rarity Hmm. I wonder if anything else is going to happen? Rarity thought, hoping for the rest of the day to be an eventful one. Rarity sighed deeply. She had never felt this bored before! Why, if it wasn't so unladylike, she'd drag her chest on the floor, arms limp with only her legs moving her! She made a noise of frustration. "Something happen already!" Rarity shouted. Her phone buzzed. Don't tempt fate! <3 - Sent by Pinkie Pie Rarity grabbed the closest pillow she could find and shrieked into it until her voice nearly gave out. She stared out the window and sighed. Maybe some tea will keep me from losing my mind. What's left of it, at least. Rarity walked downstairs to the kitchen and started making tea. She made another sputtering noise and nearly hit her head on the counter. That's almost preferable to the boredom I'm suffering through. Once the tea was finished, she swallowed it all down in one gulp. Rarity heaved a sigh of relief. Well I certainly feel calmer, but I'm still rather bored. Rarity frowned. She returned to her room and sought out one of her hidden romance novels. She picked one from her stash and started reading. Time had indeed passed, but Rarity simply wasn't feeling the thrill she normally got from reading these...stimulating novels. What was wrong with her? Had boredom's grasp on her become that tight? Whatever will she do? She didn't have an audience, so there was no point in breaking out with her dramatics. Rarity sighed. Being alone in her room was fine and all, but being alone in her room and bored was another thing altogether! She made another frustrated noise and stared out her bedroom window. Nothing interesting going on outside. "Oh, why do Sundays have to be so boring!" Rarity said, flailing her arms in frustration. Slowly feeling her mind snap, she grabbed all the pillows in her room and threw them into the air. "I make it rain!" said Rarity, actually enjoying her lapse in sanity. She imagined herself fighting off giant pillow-sized pieces of hail, laughing like a madwoman. Once all of the pillows had landed on her bedroom floor, Rarity stacked them all up, then ran into them, causing the pillows to fall to the floor once again. Laughing with unrestrained glee, Rarity slowly and methodically built a fort constructed of pillows, her sheets, and various fabrics. She entered the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom and cackled maniacally. "Bow before me, my subjects!" Rarity commanded. Since nobody else was around, Rarity had to play the part of her subjects as well. Fine by her, she would have all the fun to herself. She bowed before her empty throne. "All praise to the Princess of Pillows and all Things Fabulous!" She exalted her ruler. "Thank you." The Princess of Pillows and all Things Fabulous said, idly looking at her fingernails. Rarity then left the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom, and began tearing it down like a giant monster. The Servant went into a panic. "My Lady!" She shrieked. "A giant monster is attacking the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom! Whatever shall we do?!" The Princess of Pillows and all Things Fabulous thought for a moment. "Bring out the pillow-pults!" The Servant blanched. "B-b-but Your Majesty!" She stuttered. "The Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom itself is made from pillows! If we were to use the pillow-pults, the fortress will surely collapse!" "That is simply a sacrifice we must make. For the greater good!" said the Princess of Pillows and Things Fabulous. The Servent hesitated, then nodded. "Understood, Your Majesty." Rarity then began throwing all of her pillows left, right, up, down. She laughed with glee, fully relishing the moment...until... "Rarity?" Sweetie Belle said from Rarity's apparently wide-open door. Sisterly BondingStaring wide-eyed at her younger sister, Rarity felt wave upon wave of embarrassment. Her face slowly turned form white to crimson as silence reigned supreme and lorded itself over the Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous, thus destroying the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom, the monster, and any possibility of rebellion from the survivors of the monster's wrath. Several thoughts popped into Rarity's head at that moment, but she went with her first instinct. She let out a shriek and started throwing pillows at her unfortunately positioned sister in a rapid fire manner. "Holy-" was all the sentient target of the now usurped Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous could say before being struck by what remained of the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom. Her barrage was fierce. Unrelenting. Seemingly endle-oh crap, she ran out of pillows. Rarity stared at the pile of pillows that completely covered Sweetie Belle. She shed a tear for her departed sister, but the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom and the Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous had been avenged. She lifted her right hand, curled it into a wrist and set it on her forehead, throwing her head back in typical dramatic Rarity fashion. "The Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom shall rise again!" she decreed with a dramatic flourish. Unfortunately for Rarity, the first thing that rose was her sister. Slowly, as if she were a zombie being re-animated from the dead, Sweetie Belle climbed out of the mound of pillows. Her face sported a huge grin, which for some reason unnerved Rarity. Almost immediately, Rarity lifted her arms in front of her head, bracing herself for the onslaught she was about to receive. Sweetie Belle began her onslaught, laughing with an intensity and insanity that would make even the maddest of mad scientists question their life choices. As Rarity felt each pillow hit her, she made a mental note to try to talk her younger sister out of drinking coffee in the near future. Quickly regaining her composure, Rarity caught one of the pillows, much to Sweetie Belle's shock. She narrowed her eyes at her little sister in challenge. "It. Is. On!" She declared excitedly. The two siblings tossed pillows at each other with all the energy they could muster, causing ripples in the pillow-sheet continuum. The damage was catastrophic. Feathers were flying from the pillows and even a poor innocent bystander got beaned by a pillow! To this day, Opalescence still doesn't trust pillows. Once the two had spent all of their energy, they nearly collapsed. Rarity used the remainder of her energy to clean the floor, then laid right next to her sister. "T...thank you, Sweetie...Belle." Rarity said, trying to catch her breath. Sweetie Belle smiled. "No...no problem..." she blinked. "What did I do?" "I was clearly out of my mind from being bored." Rarity said, her breath coming back to her. "I can't remember the last time I had such an intense pillow fight!" Sweetie laughed. "Yeah. Same here. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom have nothing on you!" Rarity smiled. "Good to know." Realizing that she hadn't spent that much time with sister, Rarity decided to take advantage of this moment. "So...how have you been?" Sweetie turned her head away. "Okay...I guess." she sighed. "Are you still having nightmares over the Anon-A-Miss incident?" Rarity asked, a hint of concern in her voice. Sweetie Belle sighed again. "Yeah. I know me and the girls we warned about it, but I wasn't expecting them to be so...severe." Rarity ran a hand through her sister's hair as she hugged her. "Guilt can be a very powerful thing, Sweetie Belle. Lord knows Sunset Shimmer has suffered through that many times over." Sweetie winced at the mention of Sunset's name. She, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom still hadn't regained the entire trust of the student body or even the staff at Canterlot High, and it was no wonder. Not after what they did. "I still can't go a day without feeling horrible over what I did." she said, her voice cracking. Rarity smiled. "That's understandable, darling, but at least it shows that you're a good person. That you genuinely feel penitent over your actions." Sweetie sniffled, then cried on Rarity's shoulder. Rarity gently stroked Sweetie's hair, giving her words of comfort as she rocked back and forth. Rarity sighed. The whole Anon-A-Miss mess had a nasty effect on all of us. Rarity thought. But the people who suffered most were the Crusaders and Sunset Shimmer. Sweetie Belle calmed down after a few minutes, then tightened her hug with her sister. "How long will it take for the rest of Canterlot High to forgive us?" she said, her voice a whisper. Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a sad look. "Now darling, you know I can't answer that question. That's up to the students and staff, not myself and the girls." Sweetie Belle sighed deeply. "I just don't like constantly being reminded of what the three of us did." Rarity smiled. "I understand, but my friends and I are here for you and the girls." Sweetie Belle sighed deeply yet again. "Can we change the subject?" Rarity smiled. "Of course darling. What would you like to talk about?" Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know. Anything but Anon-A-Miss." Before either sister could say another word, they heard the downstairs door close. Their parents had returned. "Girls?" their father called out. "We're home!" Rarity was about to get up off the floor, but Sweetie held her down. "Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said, a frown on her face. "Rarity..." Sweetie said, tears in her eyes. "Thank you. I love you." Rarity felt a lump in her throat. "You're welcome...and I love you too." The two sisters hugged for a moment, then ran downstairs to greet their parents. Family MattersRarity and Sweetie Belle ran downstairs and gave their parents hugs, greeting them back home from the plans they made. "Hey, girls!" said Hondo. "How's the day been?" he asked with a huge smile. The two sisters shrugged. "Kind of uneventful." said Rarity. "Except for the massive pillow fight!" Sweetie Belle said excitedly. Hondo chuckled. "The Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous returned, eh?" Rarity blushed and nearly curled up into a ball. Sweetie Belle blinked. "You mean that's not the first time that's happened?" Hondo Flanks grinned. "Far from it!" he said. "That's your sister's favorite way to kill time when she gets really bored." "Father!" Rarity said, her face red from utter embarrassment. Sweetie's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" Hondo nodded. "She and I used to play that all the time." Between the boredom of the day and embarrassment, Rarity had reached her limit. As she tried to change the subject, she blurted out The. Worst. Possible. THING! "I have a crush on a girl for the first time and it's been driving me crazy for months and months!" Rarity shouted, flailing her arms. Silence hung in the air as everyone, even Rarity herself, processed what was just said. Rarity blinked, then realization hit her. Her face became an even darker shade of red than before as tears streamed down her face. "Damn these teenage hormones!" she shouted as she ran upstairs to her room, utterly mortified. Hondo Flanks, Cookie Crumbles and Sweetie Belle all stood still in shock until the slamming of Rarity's bedroom door startled them back to reality. They all looked at each other, concern in their eyes. Rarity lied on her bed, her face in her pillow. She was so distraught that she didn't even know if she was seriously crying or overacting like she tends to. Perhaps a little bit of both. She sighed deeply. Well, that cat's out of the bag... she thought bitterly as she heard knocking on the door, nearly startling her off of her bed. "Go away! Leave the angsty teenager with sexuality issues to wallow in her own pity!" she shouted, before almost immediately changing her mind. "I need a hug!" There was a pause. "Well, which one is it?" her father asked. "Just get in here!" Rarity shouted as she leaped out of her bed, now understanding that she was on the verge of crying for real. Her parents and sister rushed in and gave her a big hug, then she broke. She spent several minutes sobbing into her father's chest, letting out all the frustration and confusion she had felt over the past few months. The family of four stayed locked in place even after Rarity had fully calmed down. "Thank you." Rarity said softly. "I truly needed to release all of that pent-up emotion." "Of course, honey." said Cookie. "But I would like to know why you haven't told us about this before." Rarity sighed heavily. "I've been rather...insecure about it. I haven't told anyone else except Pinkie Pie and Lily Pad, because I was worried that if I didn't tell anyone, I'd blurt it out!" Rarity blinked, then sighed again. "Like I just did." She put her head in her hands and made a sputtering noise. Hondo put an arm around his eldest daughter's shoulder. "You know that we love you no matter who you want to date, right?" he said, giving Rarity a compassionate smile. Rarity smiled, putting her hand on her father's arm. "Of course I do." she said, feeling herself tear up again. "Unless you fall in love with a dog, then we'd have to have a talk." Hondo grinned, then let out a raucous laugh. Everyone else joined in, as he was well known for his contagious laughter. "So..." said Cookie, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Who's the object of your affection this time?" Rarity blushed and hesitated, knowing that there would be several questions to follow. She sighed. "Her name is Lemon Zest." Sweetie Belle blinked. "Why is that name vaguely familiar to me?" Rarity smiled. "She was one the Shadowbolts in the Friendship Games and in the Dance Magic music video. She was the Shadowbolt with headphones and pink skin..." Rarity trailed off as she blushed and sighed. "She's strong, beautiful, graceful..." "Sounds like someone we know." said Cookie, smiling. Rarity's blush deepened, then she continued. "The way she dances...it's simply mesmerizing!" Sweetie Belle poked her older sister. Rarity blinked. "Yes, Sweetie Belle?" "Sorry." Sweetie Belle said. "You looked like you were about to go on one of those seemingly endless tangents of yours." Rarity laughed sheepishly and pulled her younger sister into a hug. "Perhaps I was, Sweetie Belle...Perhaps I was." "So have you told her yet?" asked Sweetie Belle. Rarity shook her head. "As I said, I already told Pinkie Pie, Lily Pad, and now you three." "The rest of the girls don't know?" asked Sweetie Belle. "They will tomorrow." said Rarity. "I sent Lemon Zest a text yesterday to meet me at the mall, and I'm going to tell them shortly beforehand." she sighed. "For better or for worse, I feel that I need closure with this so that I can either be in a happy relationship with her or move on with my life as best I can." Rarity's father put his arm around her shoulder once more and smiled. "And you can bet that the three of us will be there for you in addition to your friends. 'For better or worse.'" he said with a gentle and supportive smile. Sweetie Belle and Cookie Crumbles nodded in agreement. Rarity felt tears well up again. "Thank you." she said, her voice quavering. "I love you three very much, and I don't know what I'd ever do without you." she sniffled and enjoyed the precious moment with her father, mother, and sister as they hugged again. The rest of the day was mercifully quick, albeit uneventful. Giddy with excitement over the coming events, Rarity had to drink chamomile tea to calm herself down so she could get a decent night's sleep. She put on her sleep mask, turned off her bedroom lights, and let sleep slowly claim her. Rarity's NightmareRarity opened her eyes to the same auditorium from the same dream she had been having ever since her first encounter with Lemon Zest. She sighed in contentment. I could watch her dance all day she thought as the silhouette danced around and around the stage. Rarity shrugged. "Why bother hiding it at this point? My friends will know tomorrow." She snapped her finger and the silhouette transformed into Lemon Zest as she continued to dance and entrance Rarity. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the auditorium. Out of nowhere, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy rushed in to evacuate the captive audience. Rarity tried to move, but found herself spellbound by Lemon's dance moves. What's wrong with me? Why isn't my body moving?! Rarity began to panic, even though she knew the audience was in good hands with her friends. Another explosion happened, causing large chunks of debris to rain throughout the auditorium. Rarity's friends and the audience members tried their best to dodge, but one or two innocent bystanders got crushed by large pieces of the ceiling. Fluttershy took notice and was frozen in place, paralyzed by shock. Rarity looked up and saw a giant part of the ceiling falling loose and dropping, hurtling downwards to her dear friend. Rarity tried to call out her name, to get her friend's attention. She had succeeded. Fluttershy turned around and looked at Rarity, the kindest of smiles on her face. She looked down and noticed a shadow looming over her head. She looked up and let out a terrified squeak before being crushed with a heart-wrenching and stomach-churning wet thud. Rarity screamed, but she couldn't hear her own voice. She was barely aware of the tears running down her cheeks. Focusing all of her willpower, she got up from the spot and ran towards the chunk of ceiling that landed on her now deceased friend. She was so close until Rainbow Dash suddenly got in front of her, arms outstretched. Another explosion occurred as Rainbow to the brunt of it, almost immediately incinerating her. Yet another explosion nearly leveled the auditorium as Applejack barely got out of its destructive path, only for Rarity to watch one of her closest friends slowly burn to death. Rarity wanted to let out a shriek, or a wail, or any kind of noise! The inability to express her mourning was becoming rapidly unbearable! Rarity turned around to see a mortally wounded Sunset Shimmer. She was leaning against a wall, struggling to breathe and coughing up blood. Her shirt was torn, and Rarity could see a dark mark on Sunset's abdomen. Dear lord, she's bleeding internally! Rarity thought as her mind raced. Images of Rainbow, Fluttershy and Applejack dying flashed through her head. Quickly, she snapped herself back to attention. Sadly, she was too late as she saw Sunset slowly slide down the wall and fall limply onto the floor. She shuddered, then remained still. Rarity saw Twilight and Pinkie rush over to Sunset's still body then stop, only to let out wails of mourning for the friends they had lost. The duo forced themselves to move on and continue rescuing bystanders, they could mourn their losses later. Pinkie's hair had nearly gone flat, which was all it took for a stray piece of rubble to pin her down by the legs. Twilight ran to Pinkie, but Pinkie could only mouth the words "Go on without me, Twilight!" Pinkie's eyes teared up as she mouthed the words "I love you." before being buried under rafters. Twilight Sparkle collapsed with emotions momentarily, but fought hard to keep them at bay. She got up slowly, and Rarity could hear sobbing. Wait. Rarity could hear? Realization dawned on her that it wasn't Twilight's sobbing she was hearing. It was hers. She made a mad dash towards her sole surviving friend and stretched her arms out wide open to embrace her, only for six cloaked figures to intervene. Rarity stopped in her tracks and stared at the new arrivals. Before she could blink, they ran past Twilight. Three seconds passed, then Twilight let out a shriek of agony that would haunt Rarity for years to come as she was blown a few feet into the air, then landed onto the ground, lifeless. "TWILIGHT!" Rarity screamed. She shuddered. "My friends...they're all gone." she convulsed with emotion, unable to get a hold of herself. She looked up and saw the six figures looming over her. She looked at all of them, tears in her eyes. "How...how could you?" she managed to choke out. She got a good look at their masks. One mask had several animals etched on it. Another mask had a plague doctor's mask etched on it. The third mask she saw had a nightcap etched on it. The fourth was a giant question mark. The fifth was a gravestone, and the last was a king's crown. That last one must be the leader. was Rarity's final coherent thought as the cloaked figures raised their weapons...then Rarity woke up. Rarity woke up and took off her sleeping mask. She slowly processed the events that unfolded during her nightmare. That proved unsuccessful as the images of all of her dear friends dying came back in a rush that overwhelmed her, causing her to let out an ear-piercing shriek of anguish. Within a matter of seconds, Hondo, Cookie, and Sweetie Belle all rushed into her room, nearly breaking her door down. Rarity shot out of bed, ran to her family and burst into tears, bawling uncontrollably. The three hugged her tightly as she rode out a strong wave of emotions. Her family was saying things to her, but she was far too preoccupied at the moment to be coherent. Several minutes had passed before Rarity regained her composure, or at least some semblance of it. "What on earth happened?" asked her mother. Rarity sighed deeply, then shuddered. "All I am willing to say at the moment is that it was the most horrifying dream I have ever had. I fear if I were to say more, I would break down again." Her mother nodded in understanding. "Are you going to be okay?" asked Sweetie Belle. Rarity sighed heavily. "I don't know...but I would like some time alone to regroup." "We understand." said Hondo, and ushered his wife and younger daughter out of Rarity's room. Rarity checked her phone to keep her thoughts occupied. She saw that she had a message, and her eyes lit up in anticipation. Hey girls, I'm back!- Sent by Sunset Shimmer Well it's about time! Rarity thought as she swiftly sent a text. Sunset, I need to talk to you and the girls about something. - Sent by Rarity At about the same time, the other girls had sent texts of their own. Rainbow Dash's was the first Rarity noticed. Sunset...I need to talk to you.- Sent by Rainbow Dash As Rarity scrolled down, however, it was clear to her that whatever problems she and Rainbow might have paled in comparison to the others. "Dear lord..." Rarity said. "What happened to everyone yesterday?!" End of Book Three of "Not Just Any Other Old Day"
The Waiting is the Hardest PartRarity simply stared at her phone, palms sweating. Can you meet me at the mall on Monday? I need to talk to you in person.- Sent by Rarity Sure. It'll probably be kinda late in the afternoon though. I have a busy morning.- Sent by Lemon Zest Rarity sighed deeply. Well, it's not like she has an inkling as to what I need to talk to her about and why. "I don't think I can wait for much longer!" Rarity said as she burst into tears and fell onto her fainting couch. She opened up her eyes to see Opal staring at her, then leaving. "Oh, you're no fun." Rarity pouted, snapping out of her Drama Mode. At least her friends humored her. Perhaps I should look over those dress designs I made for the Shadowbolts' Spring Dance. Rarity shook her head. What am I talking about? I've done that several times over already! I should just get to work on them already, even if spring is months away! She put the palm of her hand to her face. But then I'll probably think about Lemon Zest, then I'll get distracted and the dress designs would be ruined. I'd have to start from scratch! "There you go again, Rarity. You shouldn't worry yourself so much." she said to herself. She made a sputtering noise and stared out the window. "I wonder what everyone else is doing..." Rarity thought aloud as she made a mental checklist. Let's see now...Sunset Shimmer is in Equestria on some sort of a journey that I and the others know little about. Twilight is spending time with Spike because she promised him. Fluttershy is likely at the animal shelter again. Pinkie Pie is getting to know Golden Crossbow better since he's new around here. Rainbow Dash is either napping or playing guitar or something, and Applejack is doing chores. No big surprise there. Rarity counted using her fingers for each of her friends. She sighed. "If there are any gods anywhere, please let something happen!" Rarity yelled. Meanwhile, in an alternate world that Rarity was vaguely aware of, five regal and winged unicorns sneezed simultaneously. They blinked, then went about their day. Rarity heard a knock on her door. "Yes?" "Rarity!" called her younger sister. "Rainbow Dash is here!" Rarity blinked. Whatever could she want from me? she thought, then walked downstairs. "Hello, Rainbow. Sweetie said you wanted to see me?" said Rarity. "Yeah." said Rainbow. "I've been having...weird dreams. I figured since you use them as inspiration for your designs and stuff you might be able to help me." "I do use them for inspiration and I know a thing or two about dreams, but I can't guarantee I'll be able to help you." said Rarity as she frowned. "That's okay, Rares. I'll take any help I can get." said Rainbow. "Very well." said Rarity. "Let's go up to my room then." Rainbow walked into Rarity's house but then was stopped by Rarity. "Stop!" Rainbow blinked. "I need to make tea first! Do you want some?" Rarity asked. Rainbow smiled and rolled her eyes. "No, I'm good." "Suit yourself." Rarity said, and walked into the kitchen. A few minutes later, Rarity returned with a cup of tea. "Okay. Now let's get up to my room." They walked up the stairs and entered Rarity's room, sitting down. "So, what seems to be the problem, Rainbow Dash?" said Rarity as she took a sip of tea. "Well..." said Rainbow, blushing slightly. "I just realized that I've been having dreams about a crush I have." Rarity nearly spat out her tea. "Whoa! Are you okay, Rarity?" said Rainbow, startled. Rarity waved a hand signaling she was as she entered a coughing fit. "I'm fine, darling." she said hoarsely. "Wrong pipe." "Need some water?" asked Rainbow. "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you." Rarity said between coughs. Rainbow sped off and returned with a cup of water. Rarity quickly drank it down and took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Sorry about that." said Rarity as she blushed out of embarrassment. "So who is this crush of yours?" she asked. Rainbow blushed and put her hand behind her head. "I'm...not comfortable saying who it is right now." she said. Rarity nodded. "Fair enough. So how do you know you have a crush on this person?" "Well...my apparent crush just showed up in my dream. I was confused at first, then she told me she thought she knew why she was in my dream. So I said to her 'Iknowwhy you're in my dream. I have a crush on you!' Then I bolted awake." Rarity stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm." she mused. "And prior to that dream, you had no romantic feelings for this girl?" Rainbow nodded. "It just came out of nowhere! Hell, I'm still trying to process it..." "I know how that feels..." Rarity said under her breath. "What'd you say, Rarity?" asked Rainbow. "Nothing!" said Rarity. Rainbow looked at Rarity for a moment, then shrugged. "I hate to say it, Rainbow Dash, but you didn't really need my help. That was a clear-cut dream, plain and simple." said Rarity. "That's okay, Rarity. I guess I just needed to talk to someone about it, is all." she gave Rarity a hug. "Thank you." Rarity smiled and returned the hug. "You're quite welcome, darling. Any time you need to talk, I'll be here." Rainbow broke the hug. "I know." she said, smiling. She sped off back to her home, not noticing Rarity wipe sweat off her brow and breathing a sigh of relief. Goodness! Talk about your coincidences! Rarity thought, the shock of Rainbow's dreams still fresh in her mind. I almost told her about Lemon Zest! Well, maybe not close, but still! Rarity sighed. "WHAAAAAT?!" The sudden scream jolted Rarity out of her thoughts. Goodness! I recognize that scream. Rarity grabbed her phone and texted as fast as she could, which was alarmingly fast. Honed from hours upon hours of constant texting between her friends and others, she typed and sent her text all in the course of three seconds. Pinkie Pie! Is everything okay? - Sent by Rarity She had to wait for a response.
Rarity Versus the Forces of BoredomRarity grew increasingly worried as she waited for Pinkie to text back. She almost always texted back immediately! Something had to be wrong! What could have possibly- Rarity's phone buzzed. So...remember Golden Crossbow? - Sent by Pinkie Pie Yes. What about him? - Sent by Rarity It turns out he's Lemon Zest's cousin. - Sent by Pinkie Pie "WHAT?!" Rarity shrieked, causing everything made of glass inside the house to vibrate slightly. Apparently Pinkie must have heard this from wherever she was, because Rarity's phone buzzed again. I know, right? - Sent by Pinkie Pie Rarity heard a knock on her door. "Rarity!" Sweetie Belle said, concerned. "Is everything okay?" Rarity sprinted to her door, not wanting her younger sister to worry. "Yes, yes. I'm fine. Just a...surprise from a book I was reading." "Don't scare me like that!" said Sweetie. "Dumb teenage hormones..." she said as she walked off. "You're a teenager, too!" Rarity said, overhearing Sweetie. "Yeah. No shit, Sherlock." Sweetie Belle muttered under her breath as she rolled her eyes. Rarity sighed. Her parents had planned a special evening for themselves tonight, so it was just her and her sister. Unfortunately, since both she and her sister were going through said "teenage hormones", they ended up getting into fights more often than not. Their parents had decided to keep a pair of earplugs with them at all times so one would break the fight up and the other wouldn't have a splitting headache. At least she didn't slam the door this time. Rarity thought. She walked over to her desk and pulled out the photo taken from the set of the Dance Magic music video and stared at Lemon Zest. She sighed. "I wonder if you know how I feel about you..." she thought out loud, wondering what Lemon and the other Crystal Prep girls were up to at this very moment. Probably something fun. Probably something- Rarity's phone buzzed. Do you know Applejack's address? - Sent by Sour Sweet Rarity blinked. Sour Sweet didn't text all that often, she was usually more direct by calling. Rarity simply shrugged. Yes, but why ask me? Why not Applejack? - Sent by Rarity The other girls and I saw Applejack have a pretty rough day at work yesterday, so we thought we'd surprise her. - Sent by Sour Sweet Rarity smiled. How thoughtful of them. They really have come a long way since the Friendship Games. Rarity sent Sour Applejack's address. Thanks, Rarity. - Sent by Sour Sweet Not a problem, dear. - Sent by Rarity Hmm. I wonder if anything else is going to happen? Rarity thought, hoping for the rest of the day to be an eventful one. Rarity sighed deeply. She had never felt this bored before! Why, if it wasn't so unladylike, she'd drag her chest on the floor, arms limp with only her legs moving her! She made a noise of frustration. "Something happen already!" Rarity shouted. Her phone buzzed. Don't tempt fate! <3 - Sent by Pinkie Pie Rarity grabbed the closest pillow she could find and shrieked into it until her voice nearly gave out. She stared out the window and sighed. Maybe some tea will keep me from losing my mind. What's left of it, at least. Rarity walked downstairs to the kitchen and started making tea. She made another sputtering noise and nearly hit her head on the counter. That's almost preferable to the boredom I'm suffering through. Once the tea was finished, she swallowed it all down in one gulp. Rarity heaved a sigh of relief. Well I certainly feel calmer, but I'm still rather bored. Rarity frowned. She returned to her room and sought out one of her hidden romance novels. She picked one from her stash and started reading. Time had indeed passed, but Rarity simply wasn't feeling the thrill she normally got from reading these...stimulating novels. What was wrong with her? Had boredom's grasp on her become that tight? Whatever will she do? She didn't have an audience, so there was no point in breaking out with her dramatics. Rarity sighed. Being alone in her room was fine and all, but being alone in her room and bored was another thing altogether! She made another frustrated noise and stared out her bedroom window. Nothing interesting going on outside. "Oh, why do Sundays have to be so boring!" Rarity said, flailing her arms in frustration. Slowly feeling her mind snap, she grabbed all the pillows in her room and threw them into the air. "I make it rain!" said Rarity, actually enjoying her lapse in sanity. She imagined herself fighting off giant pillow-sized pieces of hail, laughing like a madwoman. Once all of the pillows had landed on her bedroom floor, Rarity stacked them all up, then ran into them, causing the pillows to fall to the floor once again. Laughing with unrestrained glee, Rarity slowly and methodically built a fort constructed of pillows, her sheets, and various fabrics. She entered the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom and cackled maniacally. "Bow before me, my subjects!" Rarity commanded. Since nobody else was around, Rarity had to play the part of her subjects as well. Fine by her, she would have all the fun to herself. She bowed before her empty throne. "All praise to the Princess of Pillows and all Things Fabulous!" She exalted her ruler. "Thank you." The Princess of Pillows and all Things Fabulous said, idly looking at her fingernails. Rarity then left the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom, and began tearing it down like a giant monster. The Servant went into a panic. "My Lady!" She shrieked. "A giant monster is attacking the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom! Whatever shall we do?!" The Princess of Pillows and all Things Fabulous thought for a moment. "Bring out the pillow-pults!" The Servant blanched. "B-b-but Your Majesty!" She stuttered. "The Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom itself is made from pillows! If we were to use the pillow-pults, the fortress will surely collapse!" "That is simply a sacrifice we must make. For the greater good!" said the Princess of Pillows and Things Fabulous. The Servent hesitated, then nodded. "Understood, Your Majesty." Rarity then began throwing all of her pillows left, right, up, down. She laughed with glee, fully relishing the moment...until... "Rarity?" Sweetie Belle said from Rarity's apparently wide-open door.
Sisterly BondingStaring wide-eyed at her younger sister, Rarity felt wave upon wave of embarrassment. Her face slowly turned form white to crimson as silence reigned supreme and lorded itself over the Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous, thus destroying the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom, the monster, and any possibility of rebellion from the survivors of the monster's wrath. Several thoughts popped into Rarity's head at that moment, but she went with her first instinct. She let out a shriek and started throwing pillows at her unfortunately positioned sister in a rapid fire manner. "Holy-" was all the sentient target of the now usurped Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous could say before being struck by what remained of the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom. Her barrage was fierce. Unrelenting. Seemingly endle-oh crap, she ran out of pillows. Rarity stared at the pile of pillows that completely covered Sweetie Belle. She shed a tear for her departed sister, but the Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom and the Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous had been avenged. She lifted her right hand, curled it into a wrist and set it on her forehead, throwing her head back in typical dramatic Rarity fashion. "The Mighty Fortress of Pillowdom shall rise again!" she decreed with a dramatic flourish. Unfortunately for Rarity, the first thing that rose was her sister. Slowly, as if she were a zombie being re-animated from the dead, Sweetie Belle climbed out of the mound of pillows. Her face sported a huge grin, which for some reason unnerved Rarity. Almost immediately, Rarity lifted her arms in front of her head, bracing herself for the onslaught she was about to receive. Sweetie Belle began her onslaught, laughing with an intensity and insanity that would make even the maddest of mad scientists question their life choices. As Rarity felt each pillow hit her, she made a mental note to try to talk her younger sister out of drinking coffee in the near future. Quickly regaining her composure, Rarity caught one of the pillows, much to Sweetie Belle's shock. She narrowed her eyes at her little sister in challenge. "It. Is. On!" She declared excitedly. The two siblings tossed pillows at each other with all the energy they could muster, causing ripples in the pillow-sheet continuum. The damage was catastrophic. Feathers were flying from the pillows and even a poor innocent bystander got beaned by a pillow! To this day, Opalescence still doesn't trust pillows. Once the two had spent all of their energy, they nearly collapsed. Rarity used the remainder of her energy to clean the floor, then laid right next to her sister. "T...thank you, Sweetie...Belle." Rarity said, trying to catch her breath. Sweetie Belle smiled. "No...no problem..." she blinked. "What did I do?" "I was clearly out of my mind from being bored." Rarity said, her breath coming back to her. "I can't remember the last time I had such an intense pillow fight!" Sweetie laughed. "Yeah. Same here. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom have nothing on you!" Rarity smiled. "Good to know." Realizing that she hadn't spent that much time with sister, Rarity decided to take advantage of this moment. "So...how have you been?" Sweetie turned her head away. "Okay...I guess." she sighed. "Are you still having nightmares over the Anon-A-Miss incident?" Rarity asked, a hint of concern in her voice. Sweetie Belle sighed again. "Yeah. I know me and the girls we warned about it, but I wasn't expecting them to be so...severe." Rarity ran a hand through her sister's hair as she hugged her. "Guilt can be a very powerful thing, Sweetie Belle. Lord knows Sunset Shimmer has suffered through that many times over." Sweetie winced at the mention of Sunset's name. She, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom still hadn't regained the entire trust of the student body or even the staff at Canterlot High, and it was no wonder. Not after what they did. "I still can't go a day without feeling horrible over what I did." she said, her voice cracking. Rarity smiled. "That's understandable, darling, but at least it shows that you're a good person. That you genuinely feel penitent over your actions." Sweetie sniffled, then cried on Rarity's shoulder. Rarity gently stroked Sweetie's hair, giving her words of comfort as she rocked back and forth. Rarity sighed. The whole Anon-A-Miss mess had a nasty effect on all of us. Rarity thought. But the people who suffered most were the Crusaders and Sunset Shimmer. Sweetie Belle calmed down after a few minutes, then tightened her hug with her sister. "How long will it take for the rest of Canterlot High to forgive us?" she said, her voice a whisper. Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a sad look. "Now darling, you know I can't answer that question. That's up to the students and staff, not myself and the girls." Sweetie Belle sighed deeply. "I just don't like constantly being reminded of what the three of us did." Rarity smiled. "I understand, but my friends and I are here for you and the girls." Sweetie Belle sighed deeply yet again. "Can we change the subject?" Rarity smiled. "Of course darling. What would you like to talk about?" Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know. Anything but Anon-A-Miss." Before either sister could say another word, they heard the downstairs door close. Their parents had returned. "Girls?" their father called out. "We're home!" Rarity was about to get up off the floor, but Sweetie held her down. "Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said, a frown on her face. "Rarity..." Sweetie said, tears in her eyes. "Thank you. I love you." Rarity felt a lump in her throat. "You're welcome...and I love you too." The two sisters hugged for a moment, then ran downstairs to greet their parents.
Family MattersRarity and Sweetie Belle ran downstairs and gave their parents hugs, greeting them back home from the plans they made. "Hey, girls!" said Hondo. "How's the day been?" he asked with a huge smile. The two sisters shrugged. "Kind of uneventful." said Rarity. "Except for the massive pillow fight!" Sweetie Belle said excitedly. Hondo chuckled. "The Princess of Pillows and All Things Fabulous returned, eh?" Rarity blushed and nearly curled up into a ball. Sweetie Belle blinked. "You mean that's not the first time that's happened?" Hondo Flanks grinned. "Far from it!" he said. "That's your sister's favorite way to kill time when she gets really bored." "Father!" Rarity said, her face red from utter embarrassment. Sweetie's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" Hondo nodded. "She and I used to play that all the time." Between the boredom of the day and embarrassment, Rarity had reached her limit. As she tried to change the subject, she blurted out The. Worst. Possible. THING! "I have a crush on a girl for the first time and it's been driving me crazy for months and months!" Rarity shouted, flailing her arms. Silence hung in the air as everyone, even Rarity herself, processed what was just said. Rarity blinked, then realization hit her. Her face became an even darker shade of red than before as tears streamed down her face. "Damn these teenage hormones!" she shouted as she ran upstairs to her room, utterly mortified. Hondo Flanks, Cookie Crumbles and Sweetie Belle all stood still in shock until the slamming of Rarity's bedroom door startled them back to reality. They all looked at each other, concern in their eyes. Rarity lied on her bed, her face in her pillow. She was so distraught that she didn't even know if she was seriously crying or overacting like she tends to. Perhaps a little bit of both. She sighed deeply. Well, that cat's out of the bag... she thought bitterly as she heard knocking on the door, nearly startling her off of her bed. "Go away! Leave the angsty teenager with sexuality issues to wallow in her own pity!" she shouted, before almost immediately changing her mind. "I need a hug!" There was a pause. "Well, which one is it?" her father asked. "Just get in here!" Rarity shouted as she leaped out of her bed, now understanding that she was on the verge of crying for real. Her parents and sister rushed in and gave her a big hug, then she broke. She spent several minutes sobbing into her father's chest, letting out all the frustration and confusion she had felt over the past few months. The family of four stayed locked in place even after Rarity had fully calmed down. "Thank you." Rarity said softly. "I truly needed to release all of that pent-up emotion." "Of course, honey." said Cookie. "But I would like to know why you haven't told us about this before." Rarity sighed heavily. "I've been rather...insecure about it. I haven't told anyone else except Pinkie Pie and Lily Pad, because I was worried that if I didn't tell anyone, I'd blurt it out!" Rarity blinked, then sighed again. "Like I just did." She put her head in her hands and made a sputtering noise. Hondo put an arm around his eldest daughter's shoulder. "You know that we love you no matter who you want to date, right?" he said, giving Rarity a compassionate smile. Rarity smiled, putting her hand on her father's arm. "Of course I do." she said, feeling herself tear up again. "Unless you fall in love with a dog, then we'd have to have a talk." Hondo grinned, then let out a raucous laugh. Everyone else joined in, as he was well known for his contagious laughter. "So..." said Cookie, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Who's the object of your affection this time?" Rarity blushed and hesitated, knowing that there would be several questions to follow. She sighed. "Her name is Lemon Zest." Sweetie Belle blinked. "Why is that name vaguely familiar to me?" Rarity smiled. "She was one the Shadowbolts in the Friendship Games and in the Dance Magic music video. She was the Shadowbolt with headphones and pink skin..." Rarity trailed off as she blushed and sighed. "She's strong, beautiful, graceful..." "Sounds like someone we know." said Cookie, smiling. Rarity's blush deepened, then she continued. "The way she dances...it's simply mesmerizing!" Sweetie Belle poked her older sister. Rarity blinked. "Yes, Sweetie Belle?" "Sorry." Sweetie Belle said. "You looked like you were about to go on one of those seemingly endless tangents of yours." Rarity laughed sheepishly and pulled her younger sister into a hug. "Perhaps I was, Sweetie Belle...Perhaps I was." "So have you told her yet?" asked Sweetie Belle. Rarity shook her head. "As I said, I already told Pinkie Pie, Lily Pad, and now you three." "The rest of the girls don't know?" asked Sweetie Belle. "They will tomorrow." said Rarity. "I sent Lemon Zest a text yesterday to meet me at the mall, and I'm going to tell them shortly beforehand." she sighed. "For better or for worse, I feel that I need closure with this so that I can either be in a happy relationship with her or move on with my life as best I can." Rarity's father put his arm around her shoulder once more and smiled. "And you can bet that the three of us will be there for you in addition to your friends. 'For better or worse.'" he said with a gentle and supportive smile. Sweetie Belle and Cookie Crumbles nodded in agreement. Rarity felt tears well up again. "Thank you." she said, her voice quavering. "I love you three very much, and I don't know what I'd ever do without you." she sniffled and enjoyed the precious moment with her father, mother, and sister as they hugged again. The rest of the day was mercifully quick, albeit uneventful. Giddy with excitement over the coming events, Rarity had to drink chamomile tea to calm herself down so she could get a decent night's sleep. She put on her sleep mask, turned off her bedroom lights, and let sleep slowly claim her.
Rarity's NightmareRarity opened her eyes to the same auditorium from the same dream she had been having ever since her first encounter with Lemon Zest. She sighed in contentment. I could watch her dance all day she thought as the silhouette danced around and around the stage. Rarity shrugged. "Why bother hiding it at this point? My friends will know tomorrow." She snapped her finger and the silhouette transformed into Lemon Zest as she continued to dance and entrance Rarity. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the auditorium. Out of nowhere, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy rushed in to evacuate the captive audience. Rarity tried to move, but found herself spellbound by Lemon's dance moves. What's wrong with me? Why isn't my body moving?! Rarity began to panic, even though she knew the audience was in good hands with her friends. Another explosion happened, causing large chunks of debris to rain throughout the auditorium. Rarity's friends and the audience members tried their best to dodge, but one or two innocent bystanders got crushed by large pieces of the ceiling. Fluttershy took notice and was frozen in place, paralyzed by shock. Rarity looked up and saw a giant part of the ceiling falling loose and dropping, hurtling downwards to her dear friend. Rarity tried to call out her name, to get her friend's attention. She had succeeded. Fluttershy turned around and looked at Rarity, the kindest of smiles on her face. She looked down and noticed a shadow looming over her head. She looked up and let out a terrified squeak before being crushed with a heart-wrenching and stomach-churning wet thud. Rarity screamed, but she couldn't hear her own voice. She was barely aware of the tears running down her cheeks. Focusing all of her willpower, she got up from the spot and ran towards the chunk of ceiling that landed on her now deceased friend. She was so close until Rainbow Dash suddenly got in front of her, arms outstretched. Another explosion occurred as Rainbow to the brunt of it, almost immediately incinerating her. Yet another explosion nearly leveled the auditorium as Applejack barely got out of its destructive path, only for Rarity to watch one of her closest friends slowly burn to death. Rarity wanted to let out a shriek, or a wail, or any kind of noise! The inability to express her mourning was becoming rapidly unbearable! Rarity turned around to see a mortally wounded Sunset Shimmer. She was leaning against a wall, struggling to breathe and coughing up blood. Her shirt was torn, and Rarity could see a dark mark on Sunset's abdomen. Dear lord, she's bleeding internally! Rarity thought as her mind raced. Images of Rainbow, Fluttershy and Applejack dying flashed through her head. Quickly, she snapped herself back to attention. Sadly, she was too late as she saw Sunset slowly slide down the wall and fall limply onto the floor. She shuddered, then remained still. Rarity saw Twilight and Pinkie rush over to Sunset's still body then stop, only to let out wails of mourning for the friends they had lost. The duo forced themselves to move on and continue rescuing bystanders, they could mourn their losses later. Pinkie's hair had nearly gone flat, which was all it took for a stray piece of rubble to pin her down by the legs. Twilight ran to Pinkie, but Pinkie could only mouth the words "Go on without me, Twilight!" Pinkie's eyes teared up as she mouthed the words "I love you." before being buried under rafters. Twilight Sparkle collapsed with emotions momentarily, but fought hard to keep them at bay. She got up slowly, and Rarity could hear sobbing. Wait. Rarity could hear? Realization dawned on her that it wasn't Twilight's sobbing she was hearing. It was hers. She made a mad dash towards her sole surviving friend and stretched her arms out wide open to embrace her, only for six cloaked figures to intervene. Rarity stopped in her tracks and stared at the new arrivals. Before she could blink, they ran past Twilight. Three seconds passed, then Twilight let out a shriek of agony that would haunt Rarity for years to come as she was blown a few feet into the air, then landed onto the ground, lifeless. "TWILIGHT!" Rarity screamed. She shuddered. "My friends...they're all gone." she convulsed with emotion, unable to get a hold of herself. She looked up and saw the six figures looming over her. She looked at all of them, tears in her eyes. "How...how could you?" she managed to choke out. She got a good look at their masks. One mask had several animals etched on it. Another mask had a plague doctor's mask etched on it. The third mask she saw had a nightcap etched on it. The fourth was a giant question mark. The fifth was a gravestone, and the last was a king's crown. That last one must be the leader. was Rarity's final coherent thought as the cloaked figures raised their weapons...then Rarity woke up. Rarity woke up and took off her sleeping mask. She slowly processed the events that unfolded during her nightmare. That proved unsuccessful as the images of all of her dear friends dying came back in a rush that overwhelmed her, causing her to let out an ear-piercing shriek of anguish. Within a matter of seconds, Hondo, Cookie, and Sweetie Belle all rushed into her room, nearly breaking her door down. Rarity shot out of bed, ran to her family and burst into tears, bawling uncontrollably. The three hugged her tightly as she rode out a strong wave of emotions. Her family was saying things to her, but she was far too preoccupied at the moment to be coherent. Several minutes had passed before Rarity regained her composure, or at least some semblance of it. "What on earth happened?" asked her mother. Rarity sighed deeply, then shuddered. "All I am willing to say at the moment is that it was the most horrifying dream I have ever had. I fear if I were to say more, I would break down again." Her mother nodded in understanding. "Are you going to be okay?" asked Sweetie Belle. Rarity sighed heavily. "I don't know...but I would like some time alone to regroup." "We understand." said Hondo, and ushered his wife and younger daughter out of Rarity's room. Rarity checked her phone to keep her thoughts occupied. She saw that she had a message, and her eyes lit up in anticipation. Hey girls, I'm back!- Sent by Sunset Shimmer Well it's about time! Rarity thought as she swiftly sent a text. Sunset, I need to talk to you and the girls about something. - Sent by Rarity At about the same time, the other girls had sent texts of their own. Rainbow Dash's was the first Rarity noticed. Sunset...I need to talk to you.- Sent by Rainbow Dash As Rarity scrolled down, however, it was clear to her that whatever problems she and Rainbow might have paled in comparison to the others. "Dear lord..." Rarity said. "What happened to everyone yesterday?!" End of Book Three of "Not Just Any Other Old Day"
