Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Her heart beat slowly, yet it beat harder and stronger than ever before. You could see it beat through her chest. Even when she and her friends faced Nightmare Moon it didn't beat like this. She had known then that her life was in danger but she had never faced such terror, such in-your-face danger like this. She lifted her hoof up and pushed the smooth, cold object into her mouth. This was it. The defining moment. If she did this and everything was alright it would all be over and she could go back to Ponyville with her head held high. All she had to do was...
Pull.
That.
Trigger.
Rarity stepped down from the carriage, the door held open by the chauffeur. She thanked him with a nod of her head and a fluttering of her eyelids that would make any stallion fall in love. Keeping her usual facade of elegance and grace, she walked through the doors in front of her. However, once she entered the club she felt nothing but gut-wrenching horror from earlier.
She had been invited to showcase her work in front of thirty of the most highly respected fashion critics in Equestria. Rarity knew her work was fabulous, it always had been. A line of dresses specifically for pegasi. They flowed freely, tinted with hints of weather's awesome power. Bolts of lightning danced through dark clouds, swirling with what seemed like the sun's own glowing light shining through and illuminating long streams of rainbows. Rarity could admit it was not her best line of work. She had thrown it together rather quickly, having only a week to prepare. But she knew her work was great; even Rainbow Dash had complimented her on it.
Unfortunately the critics did not seem to agree. Throughout the show it seemed like none of them even cared or were interested in what she had brought. After the show all she got for a compliment was from the stage director.
"Thanks Rarity. You did... pretty good."
She held onto her poise leaving the show, but as soon as she entered the limousine the producer had arranged for her, she nearly flooded the large compartment with her tears. Luckily the chauffeur was kind enough or indifferent towards her to notice the wailing sobs from behind him. Rarity was glad he had never stopped to ask what was wrong, but she was also madly depressed he hadn't. She really needed something to get her out of this funk.
And that's where this little nightclub came in. Club Basix it was called. It was named after its owner, Basic Beats. Rarity remembered hearing about the club from Twilight Sparkle, apparently being the first place she ever had a drink. Twilight really built this place up but Rarity was very disappointed when she reached the main hall. It was such a simple place. Simply ugly! Bland and contrasting colors glaring off mismatched furniture and wall decor intruded Rarity's vision from all sides. To her it looked more like a school gymnasium dressed up to look like a nightclub. The only things that didn't look out of place was a tiny crowded dance floor underneath a Disc Jockey station. Opposite the DJ was the bar, which Rarity immediately strode towards. She hopped up on the bar stool after giving it a quick wipe down with a handkerchief. She was very careful not to put too much of her hoof down on the bar, since it was covered in grease and grime from the years of the owner being too cheap to buy some decent cleaners.
A scruffy barkeep came up and looked Rarity once over before speaking in a gravelly voice, "What'll it be miss?"
She gave a brief smile, which looked more like a grimace. "I'll have a Thunder Quake if you don't mind, sir."
The barkeep gave her a blank stare before asking in a confused voice, "A Thunder... Quake?"
Rarity giggled nervously and cleared her throat. "Y-yes? You take a highball glass, put in one part cherry brandy, one part cognac and then fill it with..."
She stopped short when the bartender held his hoof up. "We don't serve anything like that fancy stuff. We have only a couple choices: vodka, whiskey, gin, or cider." He waved his hoof at the small liquor shelf behind him. "So, what'll you have?" he asked with an added air of impatience.
"Surely you must at least have some decent scotch back there?" Rarity whined.
"Well..." The bartender puttered around in his head a moment before he said, somewhat uneasily, "I do have some scotch, but this here bottle belongs to Howitzer. I s'pose you would have to ask him."
"Ah. And where might I find this Howitzer?" she asked.
"He's the head of security here. You'll find him over there."
He pointed back towards the front door. There was a little desk next to it with a large stallion sitting in front, his back hooves up. A black Stetson, not too dissimilar to Applejack's was tipped over his face. He had a black vest covering him, with the words 'Security' emblazoned across the front. Rarity nodded to the barkeep before hopping down from the stool. She moved through the dancing crowd towards the desk and cleared her throat when she reached it. The stallion either ignored her or just didn't hear her, so she nudged his hoof. Still no response.
"Um, excuse me, Mr. Howitzer?"
Howitzer didn't look up but he finally replied, "Just Howie, if you don't mind. What d'ya want?"
"Um, the barkeep said that he has some scotch and I could REALLY use a decent drink after tonight. He said to ask you, so I was wondering." She adopted a sweet and sultry voice. "If a nice handsome gentlecolt such as yourself would be willing to let me have at least one little glass? Hmm?"
The stallion grunted and tipped his hat up. Rarity was blown away, he was indeed a handsome colt. He looked her up and down much like the barkeep did with his deep blue eyes. "I'm afraid not," he said, tipping the hat back over his face.
Rarity dropped her sweet act and huffed. "And just why not sir?"
"I don't like you," he stated.
"Oh? And just how would you know you don't like me? You don't even know my name, let alone who I am or what I do!"
"I just know. I can just tell if I won't like somepony just by lookin' at 'em. And you..." He pointed his hoof at her. "...Don't look like a nice pony to me."
"Well that's just plain rude!" Rarity dropped her entire facade of kindness and slapped her front hooves on the desk. "You simply cannot know what kind of pony I am simply by looking at me! I'll have you know I am one of the most generous ponies around and almost the kindest!"
The stallion chuckled and tipped his hat up again. He looked at the mare huffing and puffing in front of him and smiled. Taking his hooves off the desk, he leaned forward towards Rarity and said, "Y'know what, you're right! So I'll tell you what, you sit down and have a nice chat with me and I'll let you have a glass of my scotch. If I do like you after our chat, I might let you have more."
Rarity blinked a few times. She had not expected her little rant to work. Plus she was halfway in between taking him up on his offer and disregarding everything she knew about being a lady by bucking his sorry flank up and down the club.
"Well?"
She dropped back down on all fours and lifted her nose in the air. "HMMF! I-I suppose."
"...So you were all enamored with this big rock?"
Rarity squeaked a little and looked around her to see if somepony might have heard him. Fortunately Howie had acquired them a little table away from everything. It was set back in the wall, so it was pretty private.
"Shh! Please, that was quite embarrassing for me!" She took a sip from what was now her third glass of scotch. "I've never been more embarrassed! But... yes, I had practically fallen in love with this huge boulder. I dragged it around Ponyville, which was very difficult seeing as Discord was constantly changing everything around us! He made the roads into soap, occasional chocolate drizzles and that was the worst! Because I was so in love with this... rock I had not even noticed my mane was getting crusty with chocolate!"
Howie leaned back and howled with laughter. Rarity glared at him, but her face softened into a smile and she even managed a small giggle. "Yes it is amusing now that I look back on it." She looked at Howie whose laughter died down to a hearty chuckle. He wiped a tear from his eye and looked at Rarity. She stared back at him. His sapphire eyes gleamed in the soft light of the club, flashing occasionally from the strobe and lasers from the dance floor.
She felt a blush spread on her cheeks and looked back down at her glass to hide it. Without looking up she said, "I really want to thank you for this. I really needed it."
"Well now, I'm glad you brought that up." Howie's voice because quite serious. "I wanted to ask you about that. What is it that's got you all down and out?"
"Oh, you don't want to know about that," Rarity spoke softly.
"You would be surprised, Miss Rarity. I might even be able to help you out. Now I can tell it's one of three things: it's either a stallion or mare that's got you down, work, or family. So which is it?"
She looked back up at him. What she said next was so quiet Howie almost didn't hear her over the cacophony of the club, "Work."
"Okay, that's a good start. You said you design dresses, eh?" Rarity nodded her response. "Well from what you are wearing tonight I can tell you are pretty damned good, so why the stress?"
Rarity brought her gaze to the dress she wore. It was a rather simple design but one of Rarity's favorites. She actually wore it to some of her shows, but nopony had ever actually complimented her on it. "W-well thank you Howie for the wonderful compliment." Howie waved it off.
"But... well, tonight I had a really big show. There were a lot of very important ponies there. Some were from the biggest magazines in Equestria! And I kind of... blew it."
"How so? Don't tell me old Hoity Toity gave you the silent treatment did he?"
Rarity's eyes shot up to the stallion in shock. "How did you know?"
He chuckled again. "Ah, I know his grand Hoityness from school. Such a drama queen for a stallion... anyway, I know the guy, just because he is quiet doesn't mean there isn't somethin' turnin' in his head."
"Yes but he wasn't the only one. I think the only compliment I got from the entire crowd was from the director. And it was a half-arsed one at that!"
"Wow. But it may not have meant anything Rarity. Hell maybe they were all just shocked at how good it was?"
It was Rarity's turn to laugh, albeit mirthlessly. "No my dear Howie, I think not. Truthfully I may have just ruined my career with this last show. Even with me putting my life into it."
"You really love what you do, huh?"
"Yes. Yes I do." She looked back down at her glass, a small tear dropping into the already watered down whisky.
The two sat in silence, except for the occasional sniffle from Rarity and the deep thump of the music. Howie truly felt sorry for the beautiful mare. He could probably talk to Hoity Toity, but Howitzer Flintlock doesn't stake his reputation on just anypony.
"You know," he started slowly. "I have to say you really haven't put your life into it."
Rarity's head shot back up, a look of confusion and growing anger etched in her face. Her voice shook as she whispered, "What did you just say to me?"
"I said you haven't truly put your life into it." he repeated. "If you want, I think I can help you, but I don't put my reputation on the line if I know somepony isn't willing to truly give it their all. Would you like me to help you?"
"HA! How can you help me? Just because you know Hoity Toity from school doesn't mean you can run the fashion industry! I've failed and that's that!"
"Now there's no need to get hurtful. I'm willing to talk to Hoity Toity. He owes me big time after he got in a little ruckus a couple months ago. He sometimes comes here and plays some poker with a couple of fellas downstairs and the last time he won the entire pot, the boys didn't like that too much. But I don't tolerate fighting here. It's bad for business and Hoity is good for business."
Howie stood up from the table and tipped his hat back. "Now if you want me to help you, I'm going to give this one chance to follow me. If I get to that door across the dance floor and I don't see you coming, I'm going to tell Hoity Toity to forget he ever saw your show and focus on some other designer. If I do see you, I'm going to make you a one time offer. Right now this is all I'm going to tell you."
Rarity watched him as he began walking across the club. What in Equestria is he on about? she thought. A one time offer? If he truly thinks he can help me then what choice do I have? It may be my only chance to succeed now. She picked up her glass and drained it before sliding off her chair and crossing the club. Howie reached the door and looking back, he smiled, seeing the mare coming towards him.
I hope she doesn't take my offer, he thought to himself. Would be a shame to see that much beauty go to waste. Rarity walked up to him and nodded. He opened the door to reveal a set of stairs leading into a cold, dark basement. Rarity hesitated before perking her head up high and strolling down the rickety wooden steps.
Cigar smoke stagnated the air in the basement of Club Basix. One lone, bare light bulb illuminated through the haze a green folding table, around which three ponies and a mule puffed on stogies, two of them holding five cards in their hoof.
"Alright Hoity, this is where you finally lose." A forest green earth pony sneered as he looked at the redraw just dealt to him. Hoity Toity merely adjusted his sunglasses and stared down at the one card he was just dealt.
"Alright gentlecolts, cough 'em up, let's see who wins." The unicorn dealer nearly shouted.
The earth pony layed his hoof out and spread the cards across the table. The dealer looked at the cards. "A flush, nine-high. What about you Mr. Toity?"
Hoity Toity laid his cards down, only three of them face up. The seedy earth pony looked across the table at the hoof. "Three of a kind! HA HA! I knew I'd beat you one day!" He reached his legs up and began sliding the large pile of bits on the table towards him, but stopped as Hoity raised a hoof. He placed his hoof down next to the face down cards and flicked them right side up. The dealer looked down at the cards.
"Correction, full house, kings high!" He looked over at the green pony, "Sorry Trips, you lose. Again."
Trips' jaw hit the table. "But... how? How can it be?"
Hoity Toity laughed and spoke in his usual posh, holier-than-thou voice. "I say dear Trips, I am as they say, Fast Company. Where as you are simply a donkey." He reached up and slid the pile of bits into a small bag.
"Hey, I resent that! My father was a donkey!" the grey mule to Hoity Toity's right said angrily.
Hoity looked over his sunglasses at the mule. "Hmm, quite."
Trips growled a little at Hoity, but the four of them jumped a little as they heard the clip clop of hooves on the stairs. They looked through the smoke and saw one of the most beautiful mares in Equestria descending.
"Well what do we have here?" Trips said, slicking his greasy mane back. He jumped up and made his way over to the mare. Bowing in front of her, he said in what was most likely the worst debauchery of the Prench accent ever heard, "Enchanté, mademoiselle!" The mare cringed at the look of the dirty colt. She just about turned and booked it back up the stairs when Howie came down not a moment too soon.
"Hey now Trips, Rarity here is a classy lady. She doesn't want anything to do with you."
Trips looked genuinely hurt. "What and I'm not classy?" he said spitting onto his hoof and smoothing out his eyebrows, which he wiggled at the very obviously disgusted mare.
Hoity Toity stood up from his seat. "Good Celestia Howitzer, did you just say 'Rarity'?"
"Yes I did Hoity. She's what I came down to talk to you about, so..." He motioned for the others to leave. "If you wouldn't mind giving us a while boys."
Rarity stood in shock. She stared at the fashion designer before her, barely noticing the others purposefully bumping into her flank as they ascended the stairs. Hoity cut the awkward silence short first. "Miss Rarity, it is a... pleasure to see you again so soon. Your work tonight was um, interesting to say the least."
"T-thank you?" Rarity stuttered out.
"Mm, please don't mention it."
"Now, now Hoity, I gotta talk to you about something and starting things off this way ain't helping matters. You remember that favor you owe me?" Howie strode over to the table and drank one of the full shots still sitting on it.
"Ugh, how could I forget it, Howitzer? You remind me every time I see you."
Howie motioned Rarity to come over to the table. She did so, her legs wobbling violently as she walked. "Well Hoity, as I understand it, Rarity here says she may have ruined her career tonight. Do you think that's true? And please be honest with me, you know how much I hate wafflers."
Rarity sat down at the table next to the seat Hoity moved to occupy. Hoity looked over at the nervous filly and sighed. "Yes, I dare say she made quite the foal of herself this evening. I mean weather themed? Come now, Miss Rarity, why would the entirety of the fashion world be overjoyed by a line designed only for the interests of pegasi?"
"I-I just thought... It was a welcome change from what is in this year."
"Yes, but a change in the wrong direction I believe. Now what is this favor you want from me, Howitzer?" Hoity directed his attention directly at Howie as the security guard sat down opposite of him.
"First I want to know if you have sent your review off to your editor already."
"I haven't. I still have some minor details to work out about how dreadful it was." He tossed a glance in Rarity's direction, who recoiled from the glare.
"Okay Hoity, I want you to rewrite it. I want you to make it positive. Say that Rarity's work was a stroke of genius not unlike your own!"
Rarity couldn't take her eyes off Howie. "Howie, I-I don't know how I could ever repay—"
Howie raised a hoof to silence her as Hoity Toity scoffed, "And just why would I do such a thing?"
Howie laughed. "Because Hoity, if you don't your little poker sessions down here come to an end." Hoity's face dropped in a way Rarity never thought see would ever see from him again since the show in Ponyville.
"And Rarity here is going to show me how much she wants this to happen."
Rarity started to look uneasy. "How am I going to show that?"
Howie chuckled. "This is my one time offer, Rarity. If you can show me how much you want this, I'll make Hoity here stick to his word and he will rewrite his review. Have you ever played roulette, Rarity?"
"I suppose so. There were a few tables at the Gala last year."
"Well then this should be somewhat of an easy concept for you. Have you ever heard of Gallopway Roulette?"
Rarity's unease was very apparent now. "No, is it some kind of new way to play? Do I have to gamble to get this? I don't have many bits with me at the moment."
"It's a kind of way to play. And you won't be betting your bits in this game, Honey. You remember me saying you never put your life into your work. As in actually put your entire life into it?"
Rarity gulped and nodded. Howie continued, "Well this is your chance." He reached his hoof into his vest and pulled out a long, silver revolver which he placed in front of Rarity on the table.
Rarity was visibly shaken by the sudden appearance of the weapon. It was not a common weapon, as most ponies either didn't know how to use one or even needed one. Robbery and assault was something only bars and banks experienced, so outside of those venues guns were rarely seen. It was a formidable sight nonetheless. Howie picked the gun back up and popped out the cylinder. He began unloading the shells and placing them primer side down on the table until six rounds had lined up in front of him. "I'm glad to see you know exactly what this is. This game is quite simple Rarity. You put one bullet in and spin the cylinder. Then you cock the hammer, put it to your head and pull the trigger."
Rarity gasped, appalled by what she heard. Howie went on, "After that, if you are not dead, open it up and you put one more bullet in. Spin the cylinder again and pull the trigger. Then you do that once more. If you are still alive after three shots, I will have Hoity Toity rewrite the review. But right now, this very moment is your only chance to leave. If you leave, I won't blame you and I won't give it a second thought. Quite a few stallions and mares stronger and less wise than you have left without playing."
Rarity's jaw hung open from the speech she was just given. "H-how many others have actually done something like this? Who could be so foalish?"
"You would be surprised, Rarity. I've lost count of how many have agreed to do this. Not all of it was to get my help on something though. A lot of times they played just to see if they could do it. I myself have played. Twenty seven times to be exact. A lot of times I play with another pony. We take turns until one of us is the unlucky one." The stallion winked. "And think of this, the fact that I'm still here means I've never lost."
She put a hoof up to her mouth to close it. How could somepony ask her to play such a horrible game? Even worse, what kind of pony would invent such a game? What kind of mare does he think I am? she thought. But... if he's serious, and Hoity Toity will actually do it... No. NO, just no! I can't do such a thing. If I did this and died, what would my friends do? What would Sweetie Belle do? I can't just abandon them like this. If my career is actually over, I'll just accept it and live out my days selling jewels.
She got up from her seat and slowly walked towards the stairs. Behind her she heard Howie sigh. "Now ain't that a shame, Hoity? I really thought she would give it her all." Hoity Toity responded with an befitting grunt.
Rarity, on the other hoof stopped dead in her tracks. She whipped around and glared at the two ponies. But after a moment her gaze softened and she walked back to the table. She grasped Hoity Toity's sunglasses with her magic and pulled them off his face so she could look at him eye to eye. "I want your absolute word that you will write my review the way Mr. Howitzer said to. Can you give me that promise?"
Hoity gazed back into Rarity's eyes, a mix of uncertainty and amazement shining through. "I do owe Howitzer a large favor. If he wants me to write it in a way that puts you up on a pedestal then I will stick to my word. Not that I think it will help you of course."
"We will see about that." Rarity turned towards Howie. "And you give your word that if I go through with this... ludicrous idea of a game, that you will make him rewrite that review?"
Howie stared at her, honesty emblazoned in every feature of his chiseled face. "I give my word as a stallion. I swear on my father's grave that if you do this Hoity Toity will rewrite his review."
Seeming pleased with the answer yet still visibly nervous, she sat back down at the table and loaded one round into the chamber. She lifted the heavy pistol up with her magic and pointed it at her head. Howie reached over and put a hoof on the gun, lowering it. "Just remember, if you play you play for keeps. Once you pull that trigger the first time, you must play until the end. I say this because I don't actually want you to play, Rarity. It's just... I just have to know you can pass this test."
Hoity spoke up. "After thinking about this Rarity, if you can do this I guarantee I will do what I can to make your show seem like it was Celestia's gift to Equestria. Not just every pony would or could do something like this to save themselves."
Rarity nodded to both of them and Howie took his hoof off the gun. He stared right into her eyes. "Now take a breath. Take it deep."
Rarity breathed in as deep as she could and let it out slowly. Her hooves started shaking against the table. "Calm yourself, Rarity. This is the worst part."
Rarity started sweating then. As much as she hated perspiring she knew she couldn't help it. But this was no time to think. She moved slow, picking the gun back up.
"Are you okay?" Hoity asked, only mildly intrigued.
"Do you think I'm okay?" Rarity pretty much screamed. "I'm terrified!"
"You still have a chance to go, Rarity, all you..."
"NO! No, I'm not leaving. As you said, I have to pass this test."
"Okay. Now count to three."
Rarity took another deep breath. She could feel her heartbeat pick up. "One."
"Two."
"Three."
Rarity hesitated. It was if her magic told her not to do it. She willed and pushed at it inside her head. Just... pull the trigger.
*click*
Rarity let out the breath she was holding in and laughed maniacally. "Oh my Celestia! I can't believe I just did that!" She looked at the two stallions in front of her and saw that they were grinning ear to ear.
"Good Rarity, good! The hardest part is over. Now put one more in its place." Howie slid one of the nickel-plated shells towards Rarity. She was breathing hard, her whole body shaking. She opened the cylinder and stuck the shell in next to the other. Spinning it, she flipped the cylinder back into place with a flick of her magic like a pro. "Hey, careful now! I don't want you bending the crane!" Howie said, concern for his "baby" clear on his face.
"The... what? Oh never mind, let me concentrate," Rarity said. She cocked the hammer back, but this time hesitated to put it to her head.
"Okay Rarity, I did say the hardest part is over, but I didn't say these parts were easy. Speaking of Celestia, you should say a little prayer to her. And this time close your eyes. Sometimes it helps."
Rarity nodded and closed her eyes. Please Celestia, watch over me. Guide my hoof so that I can get through this alive. And if not... please watch over Sweetie Belle and all my friends. They probably won't understand. Sweetie Belle most of all. She kept her eyes closed and brought the barrel back to her temple. She took another deep breath and held it in. It was oddly silent for being in a nightclub, only the soft beat of the bass from upstairs could be heard. No that wasn't bass. That was Rarity's heart.
Again Rarity's magic wouldn't do the deed. She nearly screamed it out loud, JUST PULL THE TRIGGER!
*click*
Rarity sighed. Inside, she began berating herself for getting her into such a mess, How could you do this to yourself, Rarity? To your family? To your friends? Would you blame them if they never wanted to be your friends again, if they learned you did something like this? So many won't even get the chance to say goodbye. Then and there, Rarity nearly broke down in tears but she couldn't let herself do it. She bit her lip and focused on the icy revolver still pressed to her head.
"Very, very good, Rarity." Howie's soft voice snapped her out of her inside torment. "Only one more to go and this one is the most dangerous." He slid one more round towards Rarity. She opened her eyes gazing at Hoity Toity and Howitzer. Howie looked on the verge of tears himself and Hoity looked dumbfounded, probably due to the fact he never expected somepony to go so far to get ahead in his industry.
This mare absolutely deserves my attention. The attention of the fashion world! he thought to himself. If she actually survives, she will be my shining star.
Rarity took the bullet that was placed before her and tried to put it in the revolver's cylinder. It slipped out of her grasp and hit the floor. Howie slowly reached over and took the gun from Rarity. Leaving the dropped round on the ground, he grabbed another from in front of him. He put it in next to the other two. Gently, he closed the cylinder after spinning it. He purposely avoided looking at it, so he wouldn't know the outcome. Then he put it back down on the table and slid it back over to the mare.
Rarity reached for it with a hoof this time. She grasped the cold steel, gliding her hoof along the intricate etching in the metal. If it had not been an instrument of death, she would have been awestruck at the beauty of the design. Reaching up, she pressed the barrel to her head. She held it there for a moment, then lowered it from her head. Howie and Hoity looked confused.
"Now Rarity, remember what I said. You gotta keep playing. Until the end," Howie said rather sternly.
"I know," Rarity's voice broke. "I just had a thought. If I don't survive, would I want an open casket? If so, I should put it in my mouth."
She giggled at the thought. Both Hoity and Howie at least smiled, but it was a sad smile. Rarity stopped giggling. She took one last look at the stallions in front of her and closed her eyes. Suddenly her life flashed before her eyes. Her horn bringing her to that jewel filled rock; the day she discovered her talent and finally got her cutie mark. Coming home after school when her parents told her she would be having a baby brother or sister.
Sitting next to her mother, swaddling her gorgeous sister. Putting that grand opening sign up on Carousel Boutique. Meeting all of her friends, her best friends in the whole world. The Sister Hooves Social, where she discovered how important Sweetie Belle truly was to her. And now she was risking it all. Just to be a star in the eyes of every high fashion pony in Equestria. What an idiot I am.
Then she heard that beat again. The beat not coming from upstairs.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Her heart beat slowly, yet it beat harder and stronger than ever before. You could see it beat through her chest. Even when she and her friends faced Nightmare Moon it didn't beat like this. She had known then that her life was in danger but she had never faced such terror, such in-your-face danger like this. She lifted her hoof up and pushed the smooth, cold object into her mouth. This was it. The defining moment. If she did this and everything was alright it would all be over and she could go back to Ponyville with her head held high. All she had to do was...
Pull.
That.
Trigger.
With a final thought of prayer and love for her friends family, Rarity opened her eyes. Just in time to watch the hammer swing.
