Seven Very Chilling Mare's Tales

"Don't give in."

I was slightly taken aback by the rather odd words Rarity's receptionist had just greeted me with. Her tone was that of deadpan seriousness. I had noticed a rather peculiar scar on her foreleg and was about to mention it when Rarity spoke once more. Her tone was slightly tinged with sadness as she said the mare's name, before becoming sunny and cheerful once more. "Oh Sweetie Bell...Dah-ling welcome to Rarity's boutique. This is your new life!"

She shot a strange almost baleful look at Sweetie Bell as she turned swiftly around. Her alabaster flank was just mere inches from my face as she turned her back towards me and spoke aloud. " Dah-ling, you came at such a perfect time. We are currently backed up on orders. You'll be learning on the job. You've much to learn and little time to do so."

I blushed as she stood, creamy white backside inches from my snout. Did she even know how much of a fan I was of her? I had pictures of her on my wall at home, and I bought all her latest designs. This truly was a dream come true, I thought to myself. Still that 'Sweetie Bell' mare rubbed me the wrong way. What was their relationship? Did I even stand a chance? I mean I had admired her since I could remember. I even came all this way. Okay so it was supposed to be for an internship but still, surely it could be something more, right? I would show her how amazing I was and become her partner. Rarity was going to love me. Also what was with that strange scar on Sweetie Bell's foreleg?

I opened my muzzle to speak and voice my concerns about Sweetie Bell. Before I could get a single word out she turned around and stared me in the eyes. Her horn was glowing a light blue, as her deep swirling, captivating amethyst eyes filled my vision. Her voice made it quite clear there was no room for debate. Not that I would. Her tone was prim and proper, melodious as well, with an underlying tone of complete control of the situation. "Now then, enough talk and follow me...Dah-ling."

As we took the tour, I decided to ask her about that receptionist of hers. "Pardon me, Miss Rarity who was that mare who works the receptionist desk?"

She continued walking for a second and then stopped in front of a wooden door, that had been painted white. Turning to me she said in that truly wonderful voice, "Oh that's Sweetie Bell, she was my sister. Here we are, your new living quarters."

I paused to look at her, not quite sure I had heard right. "She was your sister?"

She looked at me as her horn glowed a light blue and the door swung open. Her voice was like that of an angel as she stated hurriedly, "Oh dear me, she is my sister. Slip of the tongue Dah-ling. We've just been so overworked, and I'm exhausted from all the late nights. Why don't you go in your new room and gets some rest? Tomorrow is a long day after all."

I nodded. Of course. It was quite understandable. Her hair had been a bit frazzled on the edges when we met. Clearly she barely had time to brush those luxurious purple strands. Such exhaustion could easily cause such a slip of the tongue. All of a sudden I did feel rather sleepy as well. "That sounds wonderful Miss Rarity, goodnight!"

I tucked myself under the smooth crisp feeling of clean cotton threaded sheets and smiled to myself. Her sister! I giggled as I closed my eyes. Of course I still had a chance. I had been paranoid for nothing. What a silly filly of a unicorn mare I was. It didn't take long for my mind to lose all focus and me to slip into a inviting, deep sleep.

I awoke the next day to a gentle knocking on my door. "Time to get up Dah-ling! The new fabrics were just delivered."

I was not a morning pony. I grumbled and rolled over not fully conscious yet, muttering. "Five more minutes."

Pulling the covers over my head, I once more fell asleep. Moments later I found myself being roughly shaken until I opened my eyes. I had messed up. I was staring into the eyes of a very annoyed, to say the least, form of Miss Rarity. Her voice indicated very strongly to get up. "Dah-ling...when I say get up, I mean it, now then get your flank downstairs it is time for work. Do not make me repeat myself again, am I understood young mare?"

Her hooves were digging painfully into my shoulders. I nodded and stammered out an answer as she slowly let me go. "U-understood Miss Rar-rarity!"

She sighed, took a deep breath and slowly trotted towards the door. Her voice that of sunshine once more. "That's better dah-ling! Now then, chop-chop, lot's of work to be done today."

I rushed downstairs after throwing on my best Rarity branded attire, I had made her angry. I said, "good morning Sweetiebell."

She didn't move, not even a twitch to indicate she heard me as she stared straight ahead. Had she even moved since I saw her yesterday? Was she mad at me? These thoughts coursed through my mind as Rarity stood there explaining my task. "Dah-ling this is the new fabric. Your job will be to stock the rack according to alphabetical color. You have exactly till sunset tonight. Do not disappoint me."

The look she shot me, as that horn glowed a gentle light blue, made me feel ashamed for my actions earlier. I had to make it up to her. I will not fail, I thought to myself. "Yes, Miss Rarity."

I worked all day without a break. Slowly the boxes containing the bolts of fabric were placed gingerly on the shelves. I wiped my brow with a hoof. I was exhausted but it looked good. She would be proud, I thought. I heard her say from the front, "Thank you for your business Dah-ling, do be sure to come again."

I heard the sound as the sign saying open was switched to closed and the boutique door was locked. I heard the hoofsteps behind me as she approached. She was speaking in a good mannered tone. "Alright Dah-ling today began with a rocky start but, I'm sure you'll do just fine, so i'll let that tiny flaw in your judgment slide this time. Now then how are you-Ugh! What is this?"

She pushed me aside and pointed at bolts of fabric on the rack. "Explain this then, young mare. Tell me, which color is this?"

"Um, red, Miss Rarity, ma'am."

her voice had become shrill. I didn't understand, did I do something wrong? I quickly looked at the rack as I heard her take a deep slow breath and say softly, "Dah-ling are you color blind?"

"N-no Miss Rar-Rarity."

She glared at me before her horn glowed light blue and she flung the bolt onto the floor. "THAT is Blood."

More bolts of fabric were flung to the floor. "THIS is wine. THAT one is Rose..."

I stared in disbelief. I had messed up again. I tried to apologize as I saw the anger in her eyes. "I am so sor-"

She interrupted me with a low voice. It was dominating, it was dark. "You will be spending the night re-stocking this shelf correctly. When I come down in the morning it WILL be correct."

Taking a deep, slow breath, she walked towards me her eyes were gentle once more. Her horn glowed a soft light blue. She placed a hoof on my shoulder. "Dah-ling, you are a nice pony, your personality makes me want to like you. Please do your best not to let me down again. Understood?"

I nodded, unable to speak. I chided myself. How could I be so stupid? I needed to make this right. "I will have it done by sunup, Miss Rarity."

She sauntered slowly away in her sultry strut, calling back over her shoulder. "That's a good mare. Goodnight, dah-ling."

I would not fail this time! I set about determined to make her proud and worked until I could barely stand. I scoured the racks, organized and reorganized each and every bolt. I would show her I was worth her time. The sound of a rooster crowed from Fluttershy's cabin. I stepped back, analyzing my work. I smiled I had done it! I had- wait-oh no. My mind screamed at me, you idiot! There before my eyes I saw a bolt I had missed. As I rushed to fix it, the sound of the door knob being turned and the sound of hooves stepping into the room, made me sweat. I gulped, wishing I could be elsewhere literally anywhere else, than there at that moment. I closed my eyes as the bolt fell to the floor with a thud and waited for her justified wrath.

"Young mare, I understand you are new and that you were thrust into this job rather quickly. Apparently colors simply aren't your forte."

The sound of the voice was gentle. I slowly opened my eyes and saw her frowning at my work as her horn glowed a soft blue. She seemed rather calm, though. She turned to me and spoke once more. "I'll tell you what, Dah-ling. I'm a rather generous mare. I'll give you one last chance to make me happy. First however, you have exactly one minute to place this bolt on that rack properly, or I shall have to remove you from my services."

60 seconds...My eyes scanned the racks. My heartbeat quickened.

50 seconds...I heard her hoof tap slowly, ugh! Where does it go?

40 seconds...It's Blue, right? What was this feeling?

30 seconds...The sound of a throat clearing, as I began to put it to the left of Bone, told me I guessed wrong.

20 seconds...I looked hard at that bolt. It was a Dark Blue...maybe it goes next to Diamond?

10 seconds...Her throat cleared once more, wrong again. Why was I panicking?

1 second left...No, it wasn't Dark Blue! My eyes widened. It was Azure it goes next to Aqua!

"Time is up."

I was terrified. I couldn't fail again. I closed my eyes as I ground to a halt, shoving the bolt into the rack. This was it. My last chance. Did I get it right?

"That's correct, Dah-ling. Now follow me. We need to discuss your usefulness to me."

I panted in relief. The sweat dripped from my mane as my head hung down in near exhaustion. That pressure I had felt, I only wanted to make her happy. How could I have been so stupid? Miss Rarity was my idol. She deserved the best, and I had let her down. Of course she was mad at me. What kind of trash couldn't even sort colors right? I began to walk on my shaking knees and somehow managed to make my way out the door, following Miss Rarity. I made myself a solemn vow. No matter what I would not disappoint her again.

Teetering towards the kitchen, I saw Sweetie Bell sitting stock still on that stool as she manned the receptionist desk. Her right foreleg was visible as I passed. What the...How strange was that scar on her foreleg always there? It seemed to resemble a mirror image of the one I swore I saw on her left. Entering the kitchen, I found her with her hooves up on the table rocking her chair as she slowly sipped a mug of coffee. Very improper to be sure, but still captivating to watch. She looked at me as her horn glowed light blue once more. "Sit down, please."

I did as I was instructed. That blue glow was gorgeous and staring into it, the way it mesmerized me, made me realize how inferior I was to the radiant unicorn before me. She shined so beautifully and here I was, just a piece of trash who by Rarity's generosity was still in her presence.

She looked at me, the hint of a smile on her lips, though her voice told me otherwise. "Dah-ling, I like you but as far as your internship goes, you don't seem to have any skills necessary to serve me. I will give you one chance to explain to me why you wanted this position. Please take your time."

I took a deep breath as I tried to gather my thoughts. "I am completely worthless in your presence, Miss Rarity. All I wanted was to be a great fashion maker like you. I practiced for hours, in my room since I was a filly sewing different patterns from your magazines. I-"

She put her hooves down on the floor and said softly, "You say you can sew? Hmmmm...maybe there is some use for you here yet. Follow me Dah-ling."

She led me to a room with a sewing machine. She pointed at it and in an almost hungry voice stated. "I want you to show me your skills, prove your worth to me as a servant."

I sat down at machine, glancing at the angel before me. Her horn glowed a soft blue as I turned my attention to the task at hand. My eyes narrowed in extreme focus. I was trash, but I would make her proud of me. Just once let me do something right! My mind screamed these thoughts as I stitched the pattern I had been given. I gave it my all; I put my heart my soul into it. Finally, I finished. It truly was my best work, surely she would be proud of me. I handed her back the fabric as I watched her horn glow blue once more. It pulsed, it captivated my mind. What skills did a useless mare like me have? None. I was nothing. She was everything. I was not fit to even gaze upon her splendor.

She looked at the pattern for just a moment, before slowly shaking her head. "Oh, dah-ling, you really are a useless pony...aren't you? Truly the most horrific stitching I have seen in my entire life. As your owner, even with my brilliance I can't fix this...monstrosity."

My heart sank like a rock. I had utterly failed my owner. All those years of practice come to naught. I dropped my head, as a white foreleg came into view and I felt it being raised back up. I was staring into those gorgeous amethyst eyes as she said softly. "You are very much a worthless piece of trash as a mare, aren't you? Well even though you may have no value as a pony, you have been most certainly entertaining as a toy."

My eyes sparkled in hope. Such a compliment, from my owner, did this mean I made her proud? She continued her horn glowing a soft light blue. "Watching you falter and fail as you tried to make me happy, such an entertaining toy indeed. The problem is sweetie; I no longer find you amusing. However, I know how bad you yearn to make me proud of you. You remind me of how Sweetie Bell was."

I thought to myself, worthless garbage.

"She wanted so badly to please her big sister. Sadly like you, she could never measure up to me and soon I grew bored with her as well. She pleaded for me to command her, to let her serve me, that anything I wanted she would do. Naturally as the generous mare I was, I agreed."

I was simply worthless trash. I couldn't please my owner. What kind of toy couldn't make their owner smile?

"Using my magic threading abilities and quite a bit of stuffing; to maintain the gorgeously curvy body, I gave her the power to make me eternally happy with her. A few stitches here and there mainly on her forelegs, though sadly I could not hide those unsightly seams, and voila Dah-ling! She became the perfect doll. Now she only moves according to my will. My magic controls her limbs as she sits there at that desk, forever ready to serve customers. No more fits or feelings. No more crying or failures. Obedient, flawless, a wonderful toy."

Was there nothing I could do to please her?

She sounded sad, almost disappointed. "You were so very entertaining, I must say, you certainly lasted much longer than my previous playthings. You didn't break nearly as quickly. Sadly though, you did break. Like all my other toys you broke and became utterly worthless, didn't you?"

Her horn glowed that familiar light blue as she stopped for a moment and then spoke to me, with the voice of the angels. "Still, you did entertain, me far more than they did. That is why I will grant you, your greatest desire. I will let you perform one final action before I release you from my services in order to make me happy. I know I am far too generous. You don't have to say a word."

Anything I thought, just one thing to make her smile and I would do it! I screamed these words inside my mind as she leaned close and whispered inches from my muzzle, "I have a special project for you. The last project you'll ever perform for me, Dah-ling."

She stared into my eyes. "Are you willing to perform one last time for me, my worthless toy?"

I nodded. I had to impress her, even if I was being let go for my incompetence. She was my everything.

She leaned close and whispered instructions into my ear. I looked at her and said, "Yes, my Mistress Rarity."

At once I rushed upstairs and began the project. Using my hooves and unicorn magic, I began hoofcrafting the request. I wound the threads tightly. Her exact words burned into my brain. "It needs to be a golden color. I want it braided of coarse thread and approximately five feet long, Dah-ling."

The next morning before Celestia had raised the sun and the moon was still being lowered by Luna, I went downstairs and into the Color Room where I had been instructed to take my special assignment. As I watched and waited, sitting there on my haunches, I thought to myself. If it's the last thing I do here, please let this make her proud of me. The doorknob slowly turned and she stepped inside, horn glowing a light blue. I bowed my head and dropped my final attempt to please her at her hooves. She glanced down and smiled. She smiled! "Dah-ling this is spectacular work. Do me a favor and put it just above that stool, like a good toy."

I went to do as she bid. After I had hung the finely woven object above the stool, she called me over. She gently placed a kiss upon my lips and spoke. Her voice was soft,warm and caring. "You did a very nice job. It looks so wonderful. Now make me the happiest Mare in Equestria and use it, like every worthless toy should."

I did it! I was finally able to make her happy. I stood on the stool and placed the noose around my neck, as i stood on the tip of my hooves teetering a little. She smiled lovingly at me and as she kicked the stool away, spoke in a caring voice as that horn glowed a light blue. "I'm proud of you."

She said the words I had so desperately wanted to hear since I started. As my eyes closed for the last time, a smile appeared on my lips. I had finally made Miss Rarity proud.