Rejected Mercy

It was sixteen years ago. Back when I had lost all hope.

I had finished my study of dentistry with ease; I had worked for several dentists; I had started a promising career in my field; and I was fired for ‘harassing’ the patients.

Punished for humanity’s apathy towards their teeth.

What else could I do? What was there to live for? I was stranded in this world. My passion kept me alone. I was considered weird, crazy. A lunatic.

The police were called on me several times. Causing a disturbance. There were investigations as to whether I was dangerous or a psychopath. But I could lie when needed. I knew that once I landed in an asylum, I wasn't getting out.

To them, it's crazy just to care for your teeth.

I couldn’t work in dentistry anymore. And nothing else was worth it.

I looked down. The sea under the bridge was quiet. Waiting for me.

And yet, amongst the welcoming waves, the full moon’s reflection smiled.

‘What are you doing, Pari?’

My tears flowed in an endless stream. Regret. Sadness. Hopelessness. My life was a waste. Celestia should’ve killed me when she had the chance. This ruthlessness would’ve been mercy upon myself.

‘You’re destined for more.’

I was. I was destined to be a ruler! An empress! But Celestia, with her egotistical grudge, took it away from me.

‘No, Pari.’

The sea suddenly teemed with pictures. Memories of when I still worked for a dentist. A child that cried because he feared losing his teeth. The same child that smiled when his parents told him about the tooth fairy.

A picture of how I retold that story to someone else. Another picture where I pretended to be the tooth fairy for a child. I taught her a lot about how to care for her teeth.

In that role, I could be calm. I could be patient. But I could only play it for children.

‘You can become one. A real one.’

I laughed. This was ridiculous. Was I imagining all this?

‘This world is ready for another being. You’re perfect for it.’

Another being?

‘When generations believe, they give us the power to assign a chosen one for them.

‘No one loves teeth like you, Pari. You care for them. You value them unlike anybody else. Use it for humanity. Make children happy with your work. Become a part of their lives.’

My eyes became heavy. Tired. So tired. I just wanted to fall asleep.

‘Do you accept this role?’

I nodded, closing my eyes. Anything was better than what I was now.

And for the first time in this world, I was flying again.

A leather book with a symbol of a sun in red and yellow on the cover laid on a table. Sunset had left it there during her break. I didn’t open it. Too risky, and I didn’t have time anyway.

But it was magical. Not as strong as the Rainbooms’ performance, but definitely noticeable.

Couldn't humans feel magical auras too? Or were they just ignoring it? The Rainbooms’ transformation had been visible—they never tried to hide it.

“Pari!” Sunset called after me. “Break is—”

And the book vibrated.

“—over.”

She saw it too. She made a wide grin—obviously to distract from the vibrating book—and with it showed me all her teeth.

At that moment I understood. Her teeth had the same wear pattern as mine. She was also from Equestria.

No wonder Snow mentioned her.

“It’s, em,” Sunset stuttered, grabbing the book, “my phone. I tend to hide it there.”

With a conspicuous sleight of hand, she pretended to retrieve her phone from the book.

“See?”

I didn’t care. She was from Equestria. She had something magical. She was the main key to Equestrian magic.

And I would take it from her by any means necessary.

Sofian would always wear his keffiyeh, sandals, and yellow-grey dishdasha no matter the weather or region he was in. Snow at least matched his appearance to his surroundings.

But it’s not like it mattered for Sofian. I had never seen him amongst a crowd, even when invited to a party. He preferred being alone and, of course, staying up the whole night. As it was, he barely met anyone anyway. A true loner.

“Greetings,” I muttered after seeing him.

He greeted me back with just a slow nod.

“Done for today?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“Is Sunset asleep?”

He squinted, locking his eyes on me. He didn’t answer in any way.

Once he looked away, he replied, “What are you up to?”

“None of your concern”, I said.

“So it’s about Equestria. Again.”

I crossed my arms. “That’s where I belong.”

“No, you don’t.”

I took a deep breath. I didn’t need this discussion again. Just because the moon made me a tooth fairy when I’m asleep, it didn’t mean my home world had changed. He loved his role. He couldn’t fathom how someone wouldn’t want to be commanded by the moon day and night.

“Don’t you have other things to do? Like making humans fall asleep with your sand?”

“Why are you interested in her?”

A rare moment of him showing some interest. Or was it a concern for a human? In any way, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“She’s from Equestria too,” I said. “Just wanted to pay a visit. Talk about what's on the other side.”

He remained standing in silence. He obviously didn’t believe me, but he also couldn’t stay around. His duty called, and watching over me wasn’t his task anyway.

“The moon is watching you.”

I laughed. “Well, then why are you still here? Go put someone else to sleep.”

With a grunt, he finally vanished.

“Pari?” Sunset asked, yawning. “Did something happen?”

So she wasn’t asleep. Luckily I had decided to knock first.

“I’m really sorry to wake you,” I said. “Can I come in?”

“What time is it?” Another yawn.

“Around midnight. Please, it’s important!” I stepped forward, but Sunset put her arm across the doorway.

“Sorry, but we’re basically strangers. Don’t take it personally.”

I sighed. “Of course.”

There was hope that her tired state would make her less careful. Feign urgency and importance at that moment, and usually people are polite enough to follow such requests.

“So?” she continued, leaning on the door frame. “What's the problem?”

I looked around us. We were alone. If only I was more fit. Then I would’ve been fast enough to knock her out here and now.

“It’s, em.” I bit my finger, pretending to be nervous. “It’s about…”

She raised her eyebrow.

“It’s about Equestria.”

A silent stare. Sunset had good self control if she wanted to hide it, but her silence was slightly too long. If my ruse worked, she would let me in. Or slam the door in my face. It was a gamble, but I had to try.

“Equestria? What is that?”

“Where you’re from.”

She tilted her head, squinting her eyes. I knew she was thinking about how to react. Or she was judging me.

“How?”

A relief. Either the Rainbooms weren’t hiding their magic at all costs, or Sunset figured out it would be no point trying to deny it. It made sense. Why hide the truth when she should care how I knew even the name of her world?

“Your book,” I lied.

“You read it?”

“No.” I didn’t, so I couldn’t act as if I knew what was in there. “But it put away any doubts I had. You transformed during your performance yesterday. You looked more like a pony.”

“How do you know about Equestria?”

I didn’t know if the portal was used exclusively for banishing dangerous beings. Was Sunset also one? Or had its purpose changed over time? I had already risked so much by revealing this knowledge; I couldn’t risk more.

“I’m a mystery hunter,” I spun a hopefully believable lie. “This city has been under my radar for years. I asked around. Met some former residents of the other world. Three girls with hypnotising voices were willing to tell me more.”

“The Dazzlings,” Sunset muttered, clenching her fists.

“Could you, uh, answer some questions?” I asked.

Now was the moment of truth. The point of success or failure. She had to let me in. Turn her back for a second.

“Maybe tomorrow?” Sunset deflected. “I have school in the morning, you know?”

Horseapples! Did everything have to go wrong? It was now or never!

“Please! I've been searching for the truth for years!” One step closer to her. “I’ve never been closer to getting all the answers!” Another step.

“Tomorrow,” she insisted. “Then you can have all the—”

A kick on the door. A hit from my hidden metal bar on her head. She was down. Still breathing. Good. I didn’t know what would happen to her magic if she died.

I had to move quickly. I dragged her inside her apartment and tied her up with ropes and gagged her with a piece of cloth.

Then I searched for the object that contained her magic. Child’s play. Why wear a necklace with pyjamas?

And I was correct. Inside of it was a red crystal. Its magic…

Familiar. Fascinating. Burning. I wanted to hug it. I wanted to have it. I wanted to feel it forever.

‘Stop while you can.’

I looked out of the window. The full moon shone brightly and angrily. Judging. I closed the curtain.

This was true Equestrian magic. Something that I deserved. Something—

I needed more. More! One crystal wasn’t enough! I needed all seven!

With heavy breathing, I went around her apartment. Where was her phone? Maybe next to her bed?

Bingo!

However, her phone was locked. Would a fingerprint open it? No. None of her fingers worked.

Be calm, Pari. Don’t panic.

The night was still young. Sunset would wake up soon. Then, she would do anything I wanted.

“You hate me because I hide chocolate eggs?” Carrot asked me. “Man, you must hate Snow even more!”

“No, not you, but your role.” I explained. “It’s nothing personal.”

The little girl took a long sip from her empty cup. Her brown bunny-ear headband was too big for her, requiring constant readjustment.

“Role?” she said, tilting her head. “What do you mean by that?”

Childish naivety. She fully embraced what she was chosen to be, and didn’t live amongst humans.

“I'm only a tooth fairy when I'm asleep,” I explained. “When it happens, it feels like a dream. Then I'm normal again when I wake up.”

“I see!” She took another sip, then reached for the pot. “More tea?”

I nodded, and Carrot filled my cup with her imaginary drink.

“I love being a bunny!” She said with a big smile. “I get to play with other children! I colour eggs, and hide them, and they search for them!”

Knowing her past, I could understand her enthusiasm. Losing her parents. Growing up fully alone. Separated from other children. The moon gave her a chance to be a child again.

So I smiled back. “I’m happy for you.”

“Are you happy being a tooth fairy?”

I looked away. Was I happy? In my dreams, I was. It felt like I had found my new destiny. A place where my passion for teeth would be useful.

But I didn’t want to stay there. What if the tale of the tooth fairy died out? What would I be left with? A question that barely mattered to me compared to my hatred for this world.

I was a breezie, not a human. This world wasn’t my home. No matter how many times Snow tried to show me kindness, no matter how many times Sofian tried to make me like my role, no matter how much comfort the moon gave me, I refused to call this place home. To call humans the same species as me. To cut away my memories of Equestria.

“I don’t know,” I replied.

“Here!” She gave me an egg with a toothy smile drawn on it. “I made this for you!”

Boiled egg. And beautifully drawn. Carrot’s lightheartedness was contagious. Her tea party might have lacked any actual tea, but it was nice being around her.

I should meet her less.

“The code,” I demanded, showing Sunset her phone.

“Screw you!”

Stubbornness. A stupid pony trait. What had she been in Equestria? A unicorn? An earth pony? Not a pegasus, she didn’t have wings during her transformation.

“I’m not playing around.” I showed her a needle. “The maxillary nerves—”

She spit at my face.

I calmly wiped her spit away and continued. “The maxillary nerves are connected to teeth. Poke at just the right spot, and you’ll understand why dentists were so feared before anaesthetics.”

“My friends will save me!”

I groaned. Why did she have to be so difficult? I was only asking for her code; was it really worth the pain she’d get?

“Well, you asked for it,” I said, then gagged her so she wouldn’t scream. I had tied her up even firmer, so she wouldn’t be able to move anything. Fixing her head had been a bit of struggle, but the construction did its job.

She bit at the gag and watched me furiously through squinted eyes.

Stupid pony.

Raising her upper lips, I searched for the right spot and stabbed into her gum. Immediately her eyes widened, and her muffled scream was audible even through her gag.

And I waited. Torture didn’t give me joy, but I had to do what was necessary. A foolproof method to get what one wanted quickly.

After half a minute, I pulled the needle out of her and I removed her gag. “The code.”

Tears filled up her eyes as she sobbed. I wasn’t a monster, so I waited for her to calm down a bit. But not too long. I had already wasted enough time.

“The code.”

“Zero, six, one, six,” she muttered.

“Thank you.”

It could’ve been that easy from the start. Well, onto the rest of the plan. I gagged her again and made myself comfortable on a chair.

Messenger app. Scrolling through the contacts and searching for any Rainbooms member who was still online.

Luckily, there was one. Rainbow.

Hey there, could you come by my place? It’s urgent. Just come through the door, it’s unlocked.

And sent. Now I just had to wait. My metal bar was already next to—

A flash of wind came into the room. What just happened?

No, it couldn’t be! How was Rainbow already here?! How—

Focus! She had seen Sunset already and stared at her in surprise. Only by sheer luck was I positioned out of sight.

“Sunset? Is that you?”

I grabbed my bar and lunged. She turned around, but before she could react, I had already hit her head.

First job: Tying her up. Super speed was the only explanation for her appearing here so quickly, and I wouldn’t test my luck with her again. Surprise was the only thing that saved me.

Now to her crystal. She didn’t wear a necklace, but her wristwatch glowed dimly. I took a closer look and, lo and behold, there was the crystal.

Twice as much power. Closer to awakening my old self. But I needed more. Only five more, and I would be unstoppable!

I checked Sunset’s phone. No one else was online. The last time she had written to anybody was an hour ago.

It made sense. They had school tomorrow, and it was already two hours after midnight.

At the same time, should I really invite one of them here? Rainbow apparently had super speed. What superpowers would the rest have? I couldn’t risk it!

No, I had to visit each one of them and steal their crystals in their sleep. Luckily, Sunset’s contacts list gave me all the addresses I would need.

‘Pari.’

Ignore it. Don’t look. Hide in the shadows as much as possible.

‘You can’t hide from me, Pari.’

Don’t let its artificial guilt affect you. Remember your goal. Feel the power of Equestrian magic in your hand.

‘What are you doing?’

The voice was full of motherly concern. Full of disappointment. But I had nothing to be ashamed of. No reason to listen to her.

‘Please, Pari. You don’t have to do it.’

I had to. There was no turning back.

‘There still is. You can fix your mistakes.’

No, I couldn’t, and I didn’t want to! I would be back in Equestria, and with these crystals at my side I'd take my revenge on Celestia and return to my rightful place!

‘You’re going to lose everything.’

There was nothing to lose anymore!

‘Pari.’

And I was at my next destination.

“Remarkable,” Adagio commented. “Quite remarkable.”

I rolled my eyes as I opened the door to a small restaurant. “One does what one has to do. And lockpicking isn’t really that hard.”

“But couldn’t you, like, break into banks and get rich?” Aria asked.

I groaned. Did they know anything about the human world? “Do you really think bank security consists only of locks?”

“What else would they have?” Sonata asked.

“Really?”

“Ignore her,” Adagio sighed. “She’s not the brightest.”

“Whatever,” I said. “Take only what you need and get out. Smaller hit, better chance they won’t notice anything. And don’t touch the money!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Adagio said. “So we don't get the police involved. We’ve got it.”

Petty burglary. It was far beneath an empress, but I couldn’t survive without it anymore. I couldn’t hold down a job, and any background checks made other companies reluctant to hire me.

I had met the sirens accidentally. Their glowing pendants and hypnotic singing got my attention, and I could feel their magic once I got near them.

We made small talk. They dropped minor hints. With more and more details I became sure they were from Equestria, so I revealed that I came from there too.

Now, we survived together in this cruel, human world.

While I stood guard outside, I looked up to the sickle moon. It wasn’t content with my life of crime, but I assumed it tolerated it, given my circumstances. I still flew in my dreams. I still woke up with teeth in my hands.

The moon just didn’t talk to me as much as before.

“Alright, we got everything,” Adagio whispered as they left the building.

We sprinted back to our car and drove to our hideout.

My lockpicking skills were still good enough. Nobody was awake at this hour, but I still snuck in as quietly as possible. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Fluttershy. All a success.

Their power was amazing! Intense as a fire, and close to burning me. But still not enough. Two left. Twilight was next.

She was a problem. Her picture had a dog, and dogs bark at intruders. I couldn’t just walk in.

So I called her. Again. And again. She wasn’t picking up.

Was her phone on mute? Or was she sleeping like a log?

As I called her another time, I looked up at the night sky. Only a few stars were visible. The moon was hidden behind a tree. Would I fly in my dreams again? Or would the moon revoke my role?

Somehow, I didn’t want the dreams to stop. But it wouldn’t matter once I was back in my world.

“Hello?”

Finally!

“Twilight!” I whispered. Hopefully this way she wouldn’t recognise that it wasn’t Sunset’s voice. “Could you come outside? It’s really important!”

“Why?” Twilight asked and yawned. “What time is it?”

“Quick!”

“But—”

I hung up and creeped to her front door. Sadly, I was right at the moon’s sight.

‘You could kill her.’

So what? Every nation was founded on blood. Besides, the risk was low. Probably.

‘Is war your destiny?’

I closed my eyes. War. What a negatively connotated word. War was just against an unjust ruler. War was right against the unrightful.

‘Who would want you to be their ruler?’

I squinted at the moon.

Their teeth. No one cared for their teeth! Only I did! They didn’t deserve to ruin their amazing, precious teeth!

‘And this is your way of combating that? Through their tears, pain, and blood?’

Shut up! You don’t get it! No one does!

Once I heard Twilight unlocking the door, I readied myself to knock her out.

“Idiots!” I screamed as I burst into their room.

“What?”

“You idiots!” I repeated as I raised the newspaper and pointed at an article. “What did I tell you about stealing money?!”

Adagio raised her hands. “We didn’t!”

“Liars!” I threw the newspaper at them. “Now we’ve got the police on us!”

“Chill, gurl,” Aria said, rolling her eyes. “First, they have to catch us.”

“Are you dumb?”

“Sonata is.”

“Hey!” Sonata complained, turning to Aria. “No I’m not!”

“Yes, you are.”

“Am not!”

“Shut up!” I shouted at them. “You’re ruining my future!”

They laughed. A laugh that cut my heart. They didn’t care.

“What future, Tooth Fairy?” Adagio asked. “Who would hire you anyway?”

“And even if,” Aria added, grinning widely. “They’d fire you once you throw a tantrum over them drinking soda.”

And they laughed again. Using my love for teeth as an instrument to mock me. Who did these banished sirens think they were?!

No, calm down. They were from Equestria too. They also had an interest in returning home. We were stronger together.

“I don’t think you understand the weight of our situation,” I said. “This world is much more technologically advanced and interconnected. If something happens here, it’s shared every—”

Aria grabbed my attention. She snored. And once I went silent, they laughed again.

That was it! With a scream, I jumped at Adagio, aiming for her throat.

They were three. I was one. They easily pinned me down and, after taking everything that was worth anything, threw me out on the street.

Traitors.

How was Applejack already at work? The sun hadn’t risen yet!

Were she a normal human, I would’ve snuck up to her, but I didn’t know what her powers were. Even worse, I could hear a dog barking. It was far away, but it meant Applejack could be alerted at any time.

What could I do? How could I surprise her?

I touched the small bag around my neck. Six crystals. Their magic was as intense as a burning flame. One more crystal. Just one more.

They gave me comfort. Confidence. They needed me to release the last of their kind from human’s imprisonment. They wanted to serve me. They wanted to save the teeth. I could feel it.

I had to try. For me. For my destiny. For the teeth!

Bush by bush. Nearer and nearer. Applejack was singing. Good for me. Just a bit nearer and—

The dog started barking. Louder. Faster. And I heard it run towards me.

I jumped out of the bushes and ran towards Applejack, the metal bar ready to strike.

But Applejack saw me. Immediately positioning in a boxing stand, she dodged my strike and punched me in my gut.

I fell down. Air. I needed air! I couldn’t breathe! My heart was about to explode. My lungs threatened to collapse in on themselves.

For a single moment, I didn’t care for anything but to survive.

And then came the saving breath. I had never felt relief like that before.

“Who are you?” Applejack asked, still in her boxing position.

I couldn’t do anything. Only pant for that much needed air.

“Did you really think you could take down an apple farmer just like that?” She laughed. “We’re tough. Tougher than you could ever be.”

I sat up. Her dog was standing next to her, barking loudly.

At that moment, I realised that I had lost. And I was so close! Just one more crystal, and I would’ve been unstoppable! Had I really failed because of one peasant farmer girl?

“What is that?” Applejack asked.

I looked down. My bag of crystals glowed brightly in different colours. Their magic burned even more intensely, to the point of being almost unbearable.

“If you attacked me…” She stepped closer to me. Her eyes widened. “What did you do to my friends?”

She figured out what was in my bag. She connected the dots. Rage was written on her face.

“What did you do to my friends?!” she shouted.

She threw me down. One of her hands gripped my shoulder painfully tight, the other formed a fist and hung over my face. “Tell me!”

And I gasped. Not because I needed air, but because the magic was too strong to bear. Her necklace glowed. My bag glowed even brighter. The Equestrian magic burned in my chest. Painfully. Then it wrapped around me. My whole body seemed to melt.

The next moment, the burning sensation stopped as quickly as it had begun. Applejack laid before me on the ground, covering her face with her hat.

The sun was rising, laying long shadows across the ground. I saw mine. Wings were behind my back.

I turned to my right hand. I was holding a silver sceptre covered with engravings of teeth. On top of it was a glass sphere with an opening.

Just like in Equestria.

“What on…”

Applejack was at a loss for words. Her dog stood beside her, its tail low, but still with a fierce stance.

And I was powerful.

“Your crystal,” I demanded, walking confidently towards her.

“You mean my geode?” she asked.

“Whatever you call it,” I replied and grabbed her necklace.

She grabbed my arm tightly, refusing to let go. Her body glowed up for a moment, transforming her. Immediately, her grip became painful again.

Super strength.

But a punch to her face with my other hand made her let go, and her necklace was now in my possession.

A pain in my leg.

“Ouch,” I hissed. Her dog bit me. A light kick sent it flying away.

I had won. Their Equestrian magic was mine!