Author's Note

"The weight of the world's on my shoulders! Heavy is the head that wears the crown of thorns! The weather outside's getting colder! I've been freezing to death since the day I was born!"

-Last Witness, Hell has Frozen Over

Frozen Hell

Rarity admired the scenery outside the boutique. It would be the last time the plant life would be visible for awhile. Winter had just begun, and the first snowstorm of the season was expected in a matter of mere hours. Heading back inside, the fashionista examined the thermometer hanging from her wall. It read around ten degrees Celsius - fifty degrees Fahrenheit in imperial measurement. Concern started to grow. Unbeknownst to all except her parents, Rarity struggled with an astronomically uncommon genetic mutation which left her vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Even Sweetie was unaware of her condition. Rarity prayed the weather would even out once the storm was over.

"It's getting chilly," she heard a high-pitched voice observe.

"Yes. I suppose it is."

"What's wrong?"

"Why should anything be wrong?"

"I don't know. You seem kind of...Out of it."

"Nonsense. I'm perfectly fine."

"Guess I was just imagining it."

While Rarity portrayed and externally collected image, she was deeply touched by her younger sister's gesture of kindness. It wasn't very often the two did anything other than fight.

"I'll make us some tea."

"Awww. Can't we make cocoa instead?"

"Perhaps around dinner. I don't want to give you too much sugar."

"Fine," Sweetie reluctantly huffed in agreement.

Rarity chuckled.

"You're weird."

"We all have our unique personality traits."

Rarity filled the kettle with water and placed it on one of the stove burners.

"What are we going to do? We'll be stuck inside soon."

"We could read a book."

"I've already read everything in my room. Besides, those books are for babies."

"I have a few novels in my room."

"Let me guess -classic literature?"

"What's wrong with classic literature?"

"Nothing, if you like kissy kissy goo goo stuff."

Rarity rolled her eyes.

"You'll be into that 'kissy kissy goo goo stuff' one day."

"Ew! No way!"

"Come now. No need to fuss."

Sweetie sprawled onto her back and waved her legs around. She produced a false cry, mimicking an infant throwing a temper tantrum. Rarity had to suppress a wave of raucous laughter. Rather, she chose to playfully reprimand her sister.

"That behavior isn't very ladylike, you know."

Sweetie halted her display.

"Ladylike is boring."

"Well, I never!"

Sweetie stuck her tongue out.

"Let's see...If you don't want to read a book, why don't we write one?"

"We can do that?"

"Of course! Writing down one's innermost thoughts and feelings often leads to the creation of masterpieces. Some may be underappreciated, but the true seeker of beauty and knowledge will recognize them for what they are."

"Wow. I actually never thought about it like that before."

"We'll start once the tea is ready."

Time passed as the sisters constructed the plot for their novel. The story revolved around a lone musician who traveled the seas fighting evil monsters. As the idea evolved, Rarity grew fonder of it than she expected. Their brainstorming process was cut short when a pelting sound began pervading their ears through the walls of the building. Rarity started shivering. She had been so entranced by the story that she hadn't noticed how cold it had gotten. She glanced over to the thermometer. The temperature had been effectively cut in half by an unforeseen onslaught of freezing rain.

"Celestia, help us..."

"Rarity...?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you're okay? You've really been spacing out today."

"Yes. I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting it to rain today too."

"That is really weird. I guess there's only so much weather ponies can predict though. Maybe Twilight can help them during the next forecast."

"Perhaps."

"We should probably put some clothes on."

"Good idea. Come back here when you're finished getting dressed. I don't think we should be alone right now."

"Right."

The sweet, dulcet tone of her sister's voice startled Rarity. It reminded her of herself, though there was a trace of Sweetie's personality somewhere.

"What was that...?"

The fireplace warming the sisters blazed like an inferno, but it did little to ease Rarity's growing discomfort. As the sun began to set, snow floated down from the somber sky. It was the calm before the storm. The thermometer was fast approaching negative eighteen degrees - the equivalent of its imperial zero counterpart. It was impossible for Sweetie to ignore her sister's suffering any longer.

"I didn't know the cold was getting to you this badly."

"It's just a little chill. Nothing to concern yourself with."

"No, it isn't. What's going on, Rarity?"

Rarity let out a disheartened sigh.

"I suppose you were going to find out sooner or later. How much have you learned about genetics so far?"

"Most about how they affect physical appearance and mutations."

"Yes, well...When I was born, the doctors noticed I had a strange reaction to the environment. They ran some tests and found out I had a mutation in my DNA that caused me to exhibit flu and heat stroke symptoms if it was too hot or too cold. It's been causing me great stress since I was a child."

"There's more, isn't there...?"

"This change has left me with an increased risk of developing two fatal bodily fluctuations: hyperthermia and hypothermia.

"Hypo-what?"

"Hyperthermia and hypothermia occur when your body temperature is far above or below normal. If the temperature changes too much, I could burn or freeze to death."

Sweetie Belle started crying.

"You can't die! I won't let you!"

The filly wrapped her elder sibling in a tight hug.

"There there. Don't cry. I'm not going anywhere."

"Why didn't you tell me!?"

"Because I didn't want you to worry about me. You have your whole life ahead. I wanted you to live it without fear."

"I don't want to live it without you! How could I live every day thinking about you and never seeing your face again!"

"Death is a burden we all must bear sooner or later. We all need our time to grieve, but that shouldn't stop you from living."

"Why does it have to be like that!?"

"I wish I knew..."

Sweetie cried herself to sleep that evening, never letting go of her sister for even a single moment...

Rarity woke up feeling unusually groggy the next morning. When she saw the thermometer, her heart nearly stopped. Then, she remembered Sweetie. Rarity could still feel the contact between their coats. Their shared body heat and the blanket surrounding them had been just enough to stave off her death sentence.

"Sweetie...?"

Rarity tried to nudge her sister awake, and was horrified by what she discovered. Sweetie had stopped breathing.

"Sweetie Belle!?"

The child's body was cold and limp. Any hope of resuscitation had long since faded. Rarity clung to her baby sister's corpse while tears flowed freely from her eyes. The temperature had dropped so dramatically during the night that Sweetie's body couldn't handle the physical and emotional strain. She died peacefully in her sleep. Rarity screamed and wailed for hours. Ponyville would never forget the sounds of anguish which emanated from the now dull and lifeless halls of the carousel boutique.