Rarity's Complicate

Part One: The War of the Rarities

It was something that probably wouldn’t have happened, had it not been for a few little facts, some deep thinking locked away in a shop, and some serious dedication for the greater good. Certain aspects of this reality seemed to twist around. And by twist, I mean contort, fluctuate, resist all temptations to reduce the heat. It was cold, though, and lost. Like Rarity was, when she had her dream.

The dream, if it could be called that, was very much outside the realm of Princess Luna. It was, after all, in the middle of the day. The ‘worst possible thing’ hadn’t happened earlier, so she didn’t faint. In fact, she might not even be aware of the two mares in her Boutique. It looks like… yep, she’s not aware. Lyra and Bonbon are getting really ticked off. They leave, while Rarity stands there with a glazed look in her eyes.
Inside her mind, her vision, her… clairvoyance… She encountered… the most dreadful, horrible…

Fog.

No really, it’s creepy. Seriously, you should have been there.

Rarity walked carefully into the thick wet haze. There was a shape in the distance, a silhouette of… a formless being that had no business being anywhere but the Ever Free Forest, but had made its home in the mind of Rarity. The voice, while near silent, echoed and resonated throughout Rarity’s bones.

Do not be afraid.

“Well, I for one would never even attempt to get anypony to not be afraid with such… oh how to put this lightly… a… voice as terrifying as yours~”

I will not harm you. Come closer…

“Oh! You won’t harm me! Well, when you put it like that… Okay, whoever you are, tell me where I am, right now.”

Very well. You are in the plane of time, the castle of the Prophets.

“The what?”

You, Rarity, have been given the gift of the magic of foresight. This is a vision of the future.

The voice’s resonance seemed to echo twice as it grew louder, leading Rarity to be suspicious of something.

“… The future… who are you. What is your name?”

You mean… what are our names?

Formless twisting silver plumes of smoke, two of them speaking (if you could call it that) in perfect harmony, but of perfect disillusioned madness.

“Oh. There are two of you. So, you wanted to show me something?”

We are merely the keepers of the Castle of the Prophets. Whatever you seek, is up to you.

“Well, that is simply absurd. I’ve never been here before in my life, how would I know what to look for?”

You are a prophet of time, Rarity. You know the way…

“This is in no manner the proper way to treat a guest let alone a lady such as myself-“

She was to continue, but a sudden urge to turn and walk in a specific direction overcame Rarity. She understood now how the way was to be shown. It was pure instinct. The serendipity of the path was almost- deceiving. The feeling of this deception gnawed and gashed at Rarity’s stomach, but she pressed on. A more powerful feeling of duty, the duty of a prophet of time, was felt within her castle. That’s right. This was Rarity’s Castle.

There was no reason for this place to be called a castle. If ever a synonym was needed, now would be the time. The expanse of rock, stone and boulder, brick, cement and threshold was much too vast to merely be called a castle. The edges of the door (if it could even be called a door) were so far out in every direction, no amount of straining would allow Rarity to see them. It seemed all of Equestria could fit in just the doorway. And it made sense, since all of time fit into the castle. Rarity approaches the door and it cracks open with the worst possible light, glaring deep within her soul. She presses on.

Rarity expected there to be a roof. She expected it...

There was sky, there was grass, she was back in Equestria in an expanse of field known as the Mustang Miles, a place where ponies could run far and wide. Such a peaceful place, such an ironic beginning.

A whirlpool of the very fabric of reality contorted around itself and created the opening, the opening, the opening…

…

And from this portal to the most horrid of places, worse than Ever Free could ever be, came a beast so horrid, the Jabberwocky caught god damn bone cancer to avoid it.

The beast was disturbing. It was made of rotations, compressions and steam. Rust and steel, an industrial concoction of rancid terror and unyielding hate.

She was outside this future reality, outside the very realm of the event. To meet this technology of destruction were the Mane Six. Twilight Sparkle led the charge, adorned with the Elements of Harmony; they did engulf the nightmare of machinery in the magic of friendship.

And it had no effect.

Rarity never thought something else could be ever so dreadful as what sprouted out from the inside of the technical monster. It was a wire, twisting around itself, woven tightly like cable. At its tip was the claw.

Twilight Sparkle was cut in half.

“Nooooooooo!!!!!!” screamed the present day Rarity~

The others in the future screamed out in agonizing protest and frustrating disorder.

Fluttershy was next. She was mutilated and left to bleed out.

Applejack attempted to buck-kick the thing. In her delirium she had forgot that that thing was levitating. The claw grabbed her and dropped her from the highest perch. Rainbow dash flew to catch her, but her head was caught in the claw and sliced clean off. Applejack fell to her death.

Pinkie and Rarity were the only ones left. They kept their distance as they tried to think up a plan… Then the machine of despair rained thousands of gigantic needles upon the two mares. Pinkie covered Rarity and shielded her from the onslaught. She held on to her slipping life force until the firing died down… Pinkie fell in the pool of her own blood. Rarity was left standing alone. Present-day Rarity was in complete shock. She could not believe this horrid event was to come to pass. She had to warn every pony! She wanted to leave. She didn’t know how she would handle seeing her self die. Even though, she probably is scarred for life. Then, in an act, presented to her by her instinct, she turns around… and sees her future self, horn glowing and a glaring look of determination in her eyes. This future Rarity spoke with a voice more powerful than the aura of the terror of the skies.

Her voice was muffled. Loud, dignified, but incomprehensible. Rarity did not realize it at the time. How could she? Rarity did not even understand what had been said. She did catch a bit though...

"... my friends..."

Her horn began to glow.

A light, more powerful than the Elements of Harmony streamed out of Rarity’s horn. It blazed the floating horror. When the light cleared…

Nothing had happened. It was a failure. Then it spoke.

[If ever a foe wished to end me.

Hear with your ears, use your eyes to see.

And heed this warning, all that maybe hidden.

To be victorious is to be caked with sin.

Yes, hate, and only hate can lead you to save~

The ponies you love, cherish, the life you crave.

You must be hated, detested and berated.

Scathed, delayed, shunned and felt betrayed.

You must be hated by every pony, big and small.
Only then, could you ever hope to defeat me once and for all.]

Her eyes then saw the empty boutique and as Rarity stood there, eyes wide and mouth agape…