Rarity's Complicate

Knock. Knock... Knock.

"Good morning, Rarity."

"... Yes. Yes, good morning, Twilight."

"What brings you here?"

Rarity levitates the book she had borrowed last week.

"Oh, really, Rarity, it's fine. I've read that book more times than I can count, 17, but um..."

"Well, Twilight, I... uh... realized that I'm not much interested in it anymore..."

"'The Equestrian History of Fashion'? You're not interested in... that?"

Rarity gulps and her eyes widen.

"Well... er... business is uh... I mean, oh, who cares about fashion of yesterday, fashion is about the now! And the tomorrow!"

"Well okay then, but it'll be here if you need it!"

"Thank you Twilight. There is however... another book I'd like to borrow."

"What do you have in mind?"

"... Well... business is slow about now. I'm also in.. heh... kind of a slump. I think now would be a great time to practice magic."

Twilight's eyes light up. Opportunity!

"That sounds wonderful, Rarity! We could practice together!"

"Ah, no, Twilight, as much as that sounds like a good... uh... I think I'm better off practicing by myself."

"Don't be ridiculous Rarity. I can teach you."

"Well. Ah ha.... uh... But Twilight, just because you can do magic... possibly better than any pony else in Ponyville, doesn't mean you can teach."

Twilight's ears droop down, her eyes staring downward.

"Oh... oh Twilight! I do apologize. I... I just want to do this myself."

"... It's fine Rarity. But promise me you'll come to me if you need help."

"........ I promise."

"Good! Now, I think a good starting book would be... ah! The Grim-Mare!"

"The Grim-... what?"

"The Grim-Mare! It's one of the most comprehensive spell books in Equestria. Er... you should start on spells marked with a yellow star. Those are the easiest. Once you feel you're ready, move onto blue stars... I know you want to do this alone, but please see me before trying any red stars, okay?"

"..... Yes, yes Twilight. I agree."

"Here you go!"

"Thank you again Twilight!"

Rarity starts walking away...

"Wait, Rarity!"

"... Yes?"

"If you don't mind me asking, what is this for? Are you preparing for something?"

"... Oh... Um... It's a surprise."

"Got it. I won't tell anypony!"

She had to keep reminding herself that this was for the best. It was difficult, but Rarity did so, and moved on. She couldn't be blinded by it any longer. She had all of Equestria to save. Lying, however, wouldn't be the last sin.

Rarity heads over to the Boutique to practice the magic. She opens the Grim-Mare to the first page. The first spell, a Yellow Star, was, according to the description, the teleportation spell.

"... Twilight's favourite. It'll be useful..."

The spell was called Geminae Lokali. In order for it to work, Rarity had to create two sparks of magic, one where she is currently, and one where she wants to be. She must imagine herself in the second location until she arrives there.

Rarity tries, again and again, but always, she loses focus and the spell breaks. That machine keeps invading her mind. Rarity keeps on it, though, and this time-

"-This time, I won't let it distract me..."

Rarity casts the spell again. She shuts her eyes, trying to keep the image of the red circle she had drawn for the spell, instead of the mechanical distraught, that had now invaded her mind, again! Rarity fights hard to keep herself from losing focus. It pays off, the machine disappears and when Rarity opens her eyes... She's in the red circle.

"Ha... ha! Yes! I did it!"

The moment of happiness was short lived. She had only then remembered what this meant in the future.

"... Well, I'd better practice some more."

Rarity did so until she was just as good as Twilight. Well, almost as good. But Rarity wasn't going to give up there. After this, she spends days and days on different spells. Teleportation, Strength enhancement, Agility spells, Diamond manipulation and finally...

"Incarcera Cycli Eterne..."

A Red Star spell... Most of what she had done already were Blue Stars. Twilight Sparkle told her to come to her if she tried something like this, but Rarity knew it couldn't be done. Especially for something like this. She casts the spell.

And it fails. Rarity is thrust back into a wall. It seemed as if she didn't have enough magic to cast the spell at all.

She continues reading for a new Red Star spell. She picks one at random and walks over to Twilight's house.

"Rarity! I haven't seen you in days!"

"Ah, yes Twilight. I've been busy with that book you lent me."

"... Hm... So, did you get to any Blue Star spells yet?"

"... Yes, as a matter of fact, I did."

"Wonderful! I'm so happy, now we can spend so much time together performing magic!"

"... Yes, that sounds truly wonderful... um.."

"Yes?"

"I want to do a Red Star spell."

"... Well. See, the trick to those spells, unlike Yellow and Blue Star spells, is that you can't just throw your magic at it. You have to have complete control over your magic, not just what it does, but how it does it, how fast and how precise it is. Depending on the spell... well, it varies."

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you. You can teach!"

"Yes, I'm hoping to teach some of these filly unicorns, maybe even Sweetie Belle, some magic!"

Rarity tries not to...

"... That's... great. Twilight. I'd better get going..."

"Oh, yeah, one more thing."

"... yes...?"

"Be careful with the new spell. If you do it wrong, you'll get thrown back against a wall."

"... I'll keep it in mind. Goodbye, Twilight."

"Bye!"

Incarcera Cycli Eterne. There's something of a circle in the description. Ancient runes, maybe? Rarity wondered. Well, Rarity had a near perfect memory for patterns, and these runes fit a certain pattern. Rarity had it memorized in no time. This time, she knew she could complete the spell. She directed her flow of magic to create the circle, the runes and she casts the spell, successfully. This time, there was no happiness. This spell, in particular, was one of the more sinister spells she has learned.

She begins wondering if this was truly the right path to go down. If this was truly the best way to defeat the machine... she wondered why it had to be this way. She thought of other possibilities, but she knew, that in order to defeat the machine, she had to be hated by every single pony in Equestria. She knew her friends would never hate her, no matter what atrocities she'd commit. She knew that the only way, the only way at all, to save Equestria, was to get rid of those who would love her no matter what.

End of Part One