Chapters A Rarity Such as I
by Touch the Sky
Rarity stood, looking rather bedraggled, before a beautiful but weak-looking wispy white alicorn with a curly emerald-green mane, who gazed expetantly through vivid emerald eyes while standing, with patience on her face. All around Rarity stood armed soldiers, black-coated with white patches every one, all with spears aimed at the white unicorn.
Rarity gazed fearfully back at the alicorn, wondering how the last 48 hours had led her here. For it had been just two days ago when she- or more namely Twilight- had made the discovery that would shake Rarity’s life apart and inevitably lead her to where she now stood in a dark forest, facing a terrible choice. Listening to that selfsame purple unicorn struggle for freedom behind her, Rarity let her mind drift back to the four words which had ruined everything.Rarity… you’re a marshmallow .”
******************************************************************************48 hours previously*
"Come in!" she called amiably over her shoulder, and a lavender unicorn trotted in.
"Twilight, darling, that's just my birth certificate. What's so special about that?" She narrowed her eyes. "How did you know that was in there? Have you been prying through my possessions when I'm not around?"
Rarity held Twilight's intense gaze for all of three seconds before laughing. "Oh, Twilight, you can't be serious. Did Pinkie put you up to this? Honestly, that mare has sugar on the brain every second of every day... when she's not thinking up pranks to pull on innocent ponies..."
Twilight shook her head fiercely. "Rarity, I'm serious! You're a really rare kind of pony, a marshmallow pony. They're born once every millenium, when four stars line up in a certain way. The pony born at that exact moment is imbued with special magic; whatever species they are- earth pony, unicorn, or pegasus- they excel, even more than usual,at what they are destined to do. They always have smooth white or pale pink coats which taste of marshmallows. Don't you see, you have a white coat, excel at your dressmaking and you were born at the moment the stars lined up!"
Rarity still looked disbelieving. "I can't be a marshmallow pony... my coat doesn't taste of marshmallows..." she trailed off, as having never had the urge to find out what she tasted like, she had no idea if she was right in saying this.
"Did somepony say marshmallow pony?! Where?!?" cried Pinkie Pie, bursting in, pink saddlebags brimming with sugary supplies strapped to her sides. Rarity turned to stare at Twilight.
Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but Rarity stuffed a hoof in Twilight's mouth before she could utter a syllable. "Are you crazy?" hissed Rarity. "If you tell her you think I'm a marshmallow pony, she'll want to find out by trying to eat me!" Rarity saw Twilight pull an 'I told her so ' face and muttered "Don't tell me... I taste of marshmallows?"
Twilight couldn't convince Pinkie of the nonexistence of the marshmallow pony, so eventually had to construct a pony out of some marshmallows she sneaked from Pinkie's saddlebags. Pinkie promptly ate the marshmallows, then, satisfied, jumped out of the window to seek more fun, just as Rarity returned.
"Oh, she's gone. Thank goodness." muttered Rarity. "How did you get rid of her?"
Twilight shook her head. "Honestly, Rarity, I'm telling the truth. All of the signs point to you being the marshmallow pony of this millennium."
There was an awkward pause, then a vivid rainbow flash and a familiar blue pegasus with a spectrum of colours on her mane and tail shot through the window Pinkie had left by.
Author's Note
This is my first story, just an idea that came to me while I was just sitting around.
I'd appreciate some constructive feedback. And if you dislike it, please tell me why, so that I can avoid making the same mistakes again.
The categories will come in later chapters, provided I continue.
Rainbow sped through the air, leading the two unicorns towards the town centre. Rarity cantered after the colourful pegasus, and cried, "I don't understand... what would anypony want with Pinkie Pie?"
As Rainbow zoomed back up to roof level, Rarity and Twilight exchanged a concerned glance.
Twilight looked at Rarity again, and Rainbow said irritably, "What is with the glances? Do you guys know something I don't?"near as awesome as pegasi."
Twilight mouthed 'Telepathy? ' to Rarity, pulling an incredulous face. Rarity rolled her eyes and kept running. Suddenly Rainbow yelled, "There!" and shot in a flash of spectrum towards a black and white stallion in camouflage armour, barrelling into him and pinning him down. "What gives, soldier boy? Why have you rounded up all the pink and white ponies?"
"Oh? And who are you looking for?" snapped Rainbow. "You let Pinkie and the others go, now!"
Immediately three more soldiers, almost exactly like him except for variations in size and species- for there was a pegasus, unicorn and another earth pony- sprung from nowhere to surround the two unicorns. Rarity's ears flattened, but Twilight just growled, lowering her head like a bull preparing to charge.
Twilight ignored him and purple magical aura surrounded her horn. She fired a spell at the unicorn soldier, who raised a magical barrier with a flash of emerald glow. Twilight's spell dissipated, but so did the shield, and Twilight prepared another spell.
Rainbow launched herself with a yell at the pegasus soldier, who threw himself on the ground as she swept so close by him that she could touch him, and so she reached out and with a quick strike of a blue hoof knocked him sprawling.
Rarity was left to contend with the two earth ponies, who advanced on her, stopping as she threatened with a spell, pale blue aura surrounding her horn.
"Yes." chimed the second. "One simple check."
Just then there was a squeal and Pinkie crashed into them, hugging all three of them at once. "Ohmygoodness, you guys, it's been so boring, I mean, those weird ponies caught me and brought me here all of ten minutes ago, and there's nothing to do! And I've already eaten all the cakes and sweets, but nopony has any idea what's going on, andtheninoticedthatallthepinkandwhiteponiesexceptRaritywerehereandwonderedwhy, andthen-"
Rainbow shoved a cyan hoof in Pinkie's mouth. "Okay," the pegasus said crossly. "Will somepony please tell me what the hay is going on here?"
"Sweetie Belle?" cried Rarity. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
"Ahem!" declared Rainbow Dash. "Now that touching moment is over, don't you think we should put our heads to busting out of here?"
"Um... I think I might be able to help..." came a inconspicuous whisper.
Fluttershy let out a frightened squeak. "I was getting some carrot cake for Angel... when those soldiers barged in and pushed everyone out. I ran into the storeroom and hid, and they didn't find me. Then they locked the door and only opened it to shove ponies in... I didn't want to be caught, so I stayed hidden."
"Well, how can you help us get out?" demanded Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, I remember! The kitchen entrance!" chimed Pinkie Pie. "Silly me!"
"I agree." nodded Rarity. "We should stay here until we think of a plan to get rid of those soldiers."
Fluttershy huddled against the ground as a pair of soldiers trotted into the circle. Where they passed a white or pink pony, a tuft of pink or white coat was pulled out and licked by the smaller soldier. Each time, the soldier shook his head, sometimes shuddering at the unpleasant texture of hair on his tongue, and the pony which had given the tuft of their coat was dismissed and allowed to leave the circle. They trotted quickly away, wondering what on earth the point had been.
Eventually Rarity's turn came. After Sweetie Belle and Pinkie had been checked and dismissed, Rarity was the last pony to undergo the 'examination.' A tuft of fur was yanked from her shoulder, and the soldier licked it. Excitedly, he bounced up and down, nodding and jabbing a hoof at Rarity. Rainbow, Fluttershy and Twilight, though not checked themselves, had waited for Rarity and Pinkie, and were standing on the outside with the pink party pony, and all of them, except Twilight, were throwing confused stares at each other. Twilight just gazed at Rarity and looked miserable.
"Miss." said a soldier, the earth pony soldier they had first run into. "You must accompany my command. We have sought you for several months."
The soldier stepped forward. "Miss, on my authority as General Blackthorn, I must insist you accompany us. If you refuse, we will take you by force."
Rarity spotted a gap, and turned back to General Blackthorn. "I apologise, dear sir, but it appears that the wisest course of action for me is to..."
"RUN!" screamed Rarity to the other five, and fled towards the boutique.
Author's Note
Yeah... I couldn't think of any other definite test the soldiers could do... so... meh.
Not sure whether to carry on. I've been working on a tragedy to see if I could pull it off, so that's been taking priority over this.
That and I don't actually know what's going to happen next.
Business Goes Up (Literally)
Rarity arrived back at her boutique ahead of the others. After her five friends and her sister had piled in through the door she slammed it (delicately) and then bolted it.
Applejack hit the lightswitch, but Twilight immediately flicked it off again.
"Twilight, why'd ya keep turnin' the lights off?"
Rainbow Dash shoved the lacy curtains aside. The seven ponies could clearly see a group of the strange camouflaged soldiers standing around the front of the boutique. A glance out of the back window showed that they had completely encircled the building.
General Blackthorn stepped forwards. In a commanding tone, he declared, "My soldiers are positioned all around this residence. Any attempt to escape will be punished. We, the soldiers of the Shadowed Forest, demand that the older white unicorn female turn herself over to our forces before the night is done. If she does not comply, more drastic action will be taken."
All six other ponies turned to stare at Rarity, and she turned to look beseechingly at Twilight, who cleared her throat. Attentions were immediately diverted to her.
"Ahem," Twilight cleared her throat again, nervously. "Well, it's clear we have to compose escape plans-"
"Wait just one minute!" Rainbow swooped forward to hover in the middle of the room. "I, for one, want to know what the hay is going on!"with your minds earlier!"
Rarity cringed as Sweetie Belle frowned. "Telepathically? But unicorns aren't-"
"But how will we get out?" whimpered Fluttershy.
"Well, duh." came Pinkie's voice. She was pointing at Twilight's horn. "We teleport."
"Well, can't Rarity do a teleportation spell too?" said Pinkie. Rarity once more felt their eyes on her.
Applejack nodded. "So Rarity takes Sweetie Belle, and Twilight takes Pinkie an' Fluttershy."
Rainbow pounded her front hooves together. "To the death!"
"Well, hopefully it won't come to that." said Twilight hastily. "Where are we to teleport to?"
"Okay. We'll bust out and provide a distraction, then you five skedaddle out of here." said Applejack indicating herself and Rainbow Dash.
Without a backwards glance, Applejack kicked the front door off its hinges, earning a gasp of outrage from Rarity and a musical jingle from the bell overhead. The orange farm pony charged out of the door, followed quickly by a flying streak of rainbow colours. The sound of soldiers shouting floated through the doorway.
Rarity turned to Twilight to see her grip Fluttershy and Pinkie and vanish in a flash of magenta magic. Sweetie Belle grabbed at Rarity's foreleg as Rarity cast her own spell, an image of Fluttershy's tree home locked in her mind. There was a flash of pale blue aura, and a sensation of rushing along at great speed before Rarity was blinking in the cool air outside Fluttershy's cottage.
Twilight and the others had arrived safely, and Fluttershy was engaged in deep conversation with a pair of birds sitting on a low branch, while Pinkie and Twilight sat waiting, Pinkie twitching and fidgeting like it was hard for her to sit still. Rarity fleetingly remembered Pinkie saying she'd eaten all the sweets while locked in Sugarcube Corner and sighed. Pinkie Pie on a sugar high was something she didn't need right now.
Sweetie Belle detached herself from Rarity's leg. "You have got to teach me how to do that sometime! It would be awesome to be able to teleport wherever I wanted to go!"
*************************************************************************************
Now he turned his attentions back to the building. There should be five ponies still in there, including their target and the juvenile. But as he watched, one of his soldiers, who had been searching the building, emerged from the doorway shaking his head.
At first, Blackthorn was confused. But then he growled. Unicorns. They had obviously teleported out of the building. He kicked himself for being so foolish as to overlook the fact that three of their captives were unicorns. Now they were... who knew? Maybe those two escapees knew, but for now he had to try something else to draw his target in. She had a business, did she say? One look told him she was a dressmaker, and he withdrew with a smirk.
A business, she said. Not for much longer.
******************************************************************
Before she knew what she was doing, Rarity was out of the door and running towards town.
**********************************************************************
Blackthorn was pleased. The boutique burned beautifully, an orange beacon against the night sky. If the white unicorn was anywhere within a few miles, she'd see it. And if she worked out what it was, she'd come running back. In fact, if he focused hard he could almost hear her hooves pounding over the crackle of the flames, hear her cry of misery as her business supposedly burned.
*************************************************************************
Rarity's eyes filled up with tears as she stood helplessly, watching all of her dreams come to ruin. All of her belongings were in that building, every dress she'd ever made, her most expensive materials. And her memories, all the photos of her family, friends, sister. She sat down before her burning boutique and wailed in misery and grief.
What she did not know was that Blackthorn, simply not cruel enough to destroy things he knew must be precious to her, had had the boutique emptied of fabrics, dresses and furniture before setting it alight. All of her possessions were piled in an empty house nearby, so that it was only the building and a few permanent fixtures which now went up in flames.
But Rarity was not to know that. She wailed and sobbed, as her friends ran up to surround her before staring in awestruck horror as the Carousel Boutique burned. Sweetie Belle, when she arrived, joined her sister in her tears as her home, too, was burning.
When the soldiers arrived, Rarity, her mind glazed and uncaring, did not resist as she was dragged away. Her friends and sister were tied up and brought along, too, as they were 'escapees' and so must be punished. The five of them were dragged to the edge of the forest, where they were reunited with a captured Applejack. Rainbow, it seemed, was still giving the soldiers the fly-around.
The prisoners were ordered to 'get some sleep' and were untied, with the exception of Fluttershy's wings. Surrounded by guards with spears, even Applejack knew not to attack. Eventually, even in the face of the night's events, fatigue overtook the captured ponies one by one and they fell asleep. Eventually only Rarity was still awake, her eyes slowly closing as a plume of smoke obscured her view of the sunrise.
Author's Note
This took a long time to write (by my standards anyway). I was working on two new stories at the same time though, so it's kind of understandable
In the morning, Rarity was prodded awake by armoured hooves. She got to her hooves, shuddering at the black soot which had settled on her coat and resolving to wash off in the first lake they passed. Her friends and sister now stood uneasily around, until the soldiers ordered them to walk into the trees.
The soldiers led the six other ponies deep into the Everfree, not even flinching as timberwolves howled somewhere nearby. Fluttershy, however, huddled on the ground in terror, and the soldiers could not shift her.
Eventually Blackthorn snapped impatiently, "Catch up with us when she gets up. The rest of us will go on. She isn't necessary anyway." Leaving four soldiers to prod the shivering yellow pegasus, they trotted onwards into the trees. Rarity noticed that some of the pegasi soldiers looked even more badly battered than the previous evening, spotted a blue feather in one of their tails, and guessed that Rainbow was still on the loose.
This theory was proved right when a streak of rainbow colours sent one of the soldiers spinning. Applejack seized her chance and with a defiant cry made a run for it, tearing back up the path after the blue pegasus. Applejack looked back and jerked her head imperatively, indicating that her friends should follow, but the soldiers had encircled them again, and Twilight shook her head. Applejack reluctantly kept running.
Blackthorn very calmly continued walking, but there was now a depleted number of soldiers guarding the prisoners. Rarity could see the cogs turning in Twilight's brain as she tried to formulate an escape plan. Pinkie just bounced along, seemingly oblivious to their situation, while Sweetie Belle stayed near Rarity, a look of confusion flickering on her face.
By midday, Rarity had had to carry Sweetie Belle on her back, as the little white filly's hooves were stinging from all the walking. This doubled the effort it took for Rarity to walk on her own aching hooves, but she kept going. Pinkie just kept bouncing, while Twilight was looking frustrated.
An hour later, they were set upon by timberwolves. But the soldiers dealt with them easily, sending the wooden terrors fleeing with their tails between their legs- after they had reformed, that is. This also caused Rarity to wonder why these efficient fighters had had such trouble subduing Rainbow Dash.
But as evening was beginning to touch the sky, Blackthorn stopped. Pinkie gave one last bounce- and collapsed, asleep before she hit the ground. Rarity lifted a sleeping Sweetie Belle off her back and fought the urge to collapse alongside her sister. Instead, she gazed at the castle.
High above her loomed a castle, up in the treetops. was like a treehouse, but much bigger, made of sticks and leaves. A set of spiral stairs within a tower coiled down from it.
"State your rank, name and purpose!" came an intimidating order.
At that moment Rarity felt some fur yanked from her front leg. When she looked sideways, she saw Pinkie, looking thoughtful. Then Pinkie's eyes widened. "Hey, Rarity, why does your coat taste like marshmallows?"
Pinkie pulled out another clump. "It's great!" Feeling another bunch yanked out by Sweetie Belle, Rarity screamed, "TWILIGHT!"
Rarity gave her sister a weak smile. "Quite all right, Sweetie Belle, as long as you don't do it again."
General Blackthorn coughed. "Now, Rarity , if you'd follow me-"
Rarity went around and around on the spiral staircases, and just as she thought they might never end, she emerged into a large, open throne room. The walls were lined with more soldiers, but at the back of the room sat a small, old, white alicorn. Rarity stared in confusion, and Twilight and Sweetie gasped. Only Pinkie seemed unperturbed.
Blackthorn approached the throne and bowed. "My Lady."
The white alicorn's emerald green eyes turned to Rarity, and Rarity dropped into a respectful bow.
This alicorn's mane did not have an ethereal flow like Celestia's or Luna's; it was emerald green and curly, and she was the same size as a normal mare, with the short rounded horn typical of common unicorns and the wings of a typical pegasus. However her regal gait commanded the respect of the room. On her flank were three emeralds.
Rarity blinked. "Who are you?"
"We are well hidden." came the evasive reply. "Only Celestia, Luna and we know of this kingdom's existence."
"Alright," said Rarity. "But why do you need me?"
Author's Note
Not much tut the next to say about this. But the next chapter is already in production!
Rarity instinctively stepped back, her eyes widening with fear. Behind her, Twilight growled and lowered her head, but Blackthorn and his soldiers quickly cantered to form a protective circle around their princess and Rarity. The princess looked slightly confused for a fleeting moment, but then gazed down in total bewilderment as small white hooves waved in her face.
Sweetie Belle snapped, "If you want to hurt my sister, you'll have to get past me first!" Twilight and Pinkie tried to barge through the circle to join her, but the soldiers seized them. The two ponies continued to struggle as the three white ponies faced each other in silence.
Suddenly, something seemed to click behind Emerald Shine's gaze and she threw back her head and laughed, a tinkling laugh unnervingly comparable to Rarity's. Rarity and Sweetie Belle, still with her hooves raised, stared awkwardly as if the alicorn was insane. For several moments the laughter continued, until the alicorn shook her head to compose herself, her green curls bouncing slightly, and met Rarity's stare levelly, still with a bubbly grin.
"Thou thought we meant to take thy soul?" Emerald tittered. "Oh, no, my child, we only need thee to pledge thy soul to yonder kingdom as we once did."
Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity and Sweetie Belle stayed completely still as their minds ticked over it. Then, simultaneously, both Pinkie and Sweetie Belle declared, "I don't get it."
The alicorn smirked. "In that case, maybe it would be infinitely better for us to show rather than tell." Beating her wings, she rose into the air, her horn beginning to glow with leaf-green aura. Even as this began, her actual body began to emit a white glow, growing stronger as she hovered a metre off the floor.
Pinkie bounced up, chanting, "Shiny! Shiny!" while the three unicorns just stared. Emerald closed her eyes and her muzzle shaped a concentrated frown.
Rarity's wide blue gaze fell on Emerald, who gave her a smile through closed eyes before her eyelids opened into orbs of pure, painfully bright white light. Everything was swallowed up by the light, and Rarity turned away, closing her eyes and shielding them with her hooves.
When the light died, Rarity was gone. Twilight snapped at the descending alicorn, "What did you do to Rarity?"
When Rarity opened her eyes, she was standing in a forest clearing. She looked around in bewilderment, before a quiet voice spoke to her.
Rarity stood working that out for a few moments, before a swirl of leaves enveloped her. When she had batted them away, a figure was standing before her. It was a pony, or it had at first appeared to be. Its body shape was that of a pony, but it appeared to be woven from wood, shoots and plants. Leaves sprouted here and there, and when its eyes opened they were a lush leaf green, but so deep they spoke of countless seasons.
"Who are you?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.
The 'nature' pony looked expectantly at Rarity. With a flash, Emerald Shine appeared and nodded.
Rarity frowned. "But what will the soldiers do while I spend all those years in Ponyville?"
Rarity unscrambled her thoughts. It all seemed very appealing; being a princess, and living for a thousand years. She would rather had ruled over a kingdom which wasn't so... natural, but being a princess at all was surely worth it.
Both of the others smiled. Emerald Shine rose up again, beginning to glow once more. Her royal vocals returned and she proclaimed, "Then this kingdom rejoices at your coming, child, for by the maps of stars thou truly art our chosen successor."
Twilight was pacing the castle floor. First Rarity had vanished, and then before they could demand an explanation from the alicorn she had disappeared too. Sweetie was looking miserably out of the window, while Pinkie just sat staring at the floor.
Suddenly Sweetie cried out. "Hey! What's that?"
Again, white light filled the room, and when it cleared Rarity stood supporting Emerald Shine. But something was wrong- Twilight could only see one horn, but there were two sets of white wings. As soldiers dashed to take over supporting their princess and Rarity stepped away, Twilight could finally see clearly.
Rarity had white, feathered pegasus wings. She had become an alicorn, while Emerald was now just a pegasus. Twilight blinked as Rarity walked over, then the white alicorn stopped, frowning at the shock on Twilight's face.
"Twilight, darling, what's wrong?" asked Rarity. Before Twilight could reply, Sweetie raced over and tackled Rarity in a hug.
Rarity turned her head and stared with narrowed eyes at the feathery additions to her anatomy. After several awkward minutes of silent staring, Rarity's eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted.
Author's Note
I was working towards two separate endings the whole way through. The other was that Emerald actually takes Rarity's soul, but I thought this was better.
Opinions?
It didn't take long for Rarity to revive, but Emerald Shine was on a downward spiral. She grew weaker every moment.
Rarity's respect for the old princess rose and she asked to be able to see her. Blackthorn could not refuse his new ruler and agreed.
Emerald Shine looked up as Rarity came in and her aged face crinkled in a smile. "Hello, Rarity."
Rarity's eyes flickered with pain. "You should bow to no one."
Rarity reached forwards with a hoof and closed the old, unseeing eyes. All the life was gone from them now.
Rarity left the room and nodded to Blackthorn softly. He hung his head, and then raised his muzzle to the air and let out a keening cry. It was the sound of nature in mourning, and as one every one of his soldiers raised their heads to give vent to their grief.
Rarity's official coronation was a sombre affair as the forest dwellers mourned their previous ruler. The crown was placed upon her head, and then Blackthorn notified her of the location of her belongings. And with that, she, Pinkie, Twilight and Sweetie Belle were allowed to leave.
Rarity walked with her friends in silence for a little while. They had nothing to fear from timberwolves or other beasts now; all were under Rarity's rule. Then Twilight spoke up.
"So. You're an alicorn princess now."
"Yes." Rarity felt it was rather a stupid question, given what had just happened, but was too polite to say it.
Seconds later, Sweetie Belle looked at her sister and prodded at a white wing. "So can you fly now?"
"Probably." Rarity didn't seem interested.
"Try."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Just because." Rarity thought of the old pegasus again and lowered her head.
Sweetie Belle frowned, then jumped on her sister's back. "C'mon! Just try!"
"Alright." sighed Rarity. "But get off in case I crash."
As it was, flight came naturally. Rarity realised finally why Rainbow enjoyed soaring up high so much, and skimmed the tops of the trees as Ponyville came into view, before sinking to the ground and disguising her wings.
Rarity and the others told the inhabitants of Ponyville that they had fought the soldiers off in the forest and
Many years passed, and Rarity aged cosmetically. She hid her wings from common sight- only her friends, sister and eventual husband Spike knew of her princesshood.
But after 80 years living in Ponyville, Rarity felt the forest calling her. Her parents were already dead, and she didn't think she could bear to see her friends and sister, and their families, slip away in such a way. So she left them with instructions rather like a will, and one night, crept away back into her kingdom. Twilight, an alicorn herself, understood her pain. But Spike suffered long after the deaths of their other friends, wanting his wife back, until finally Twilight told him where Rarity's castle lay.
There Rarity lived for 900 years, ruling her kingdom with wisdom and even growing to love the dirt she had once despised for the live-giving qualities it possessed. She watched her subjects- Blackthorn, and many others, age and wither away, never growing old herself until a few months before her thousandth birthday. It was then, when she found wrinkles she could not wish away, that she sent her new general, Stormcloud, out with his battalions to find her successor.
Spike, with an unknown lifespan, had lived by her side all the nine centuries. As Rarity aged, he hurriedly sent Twilight a letter.
"It's time."
Twilight arrived at the forest castle to find Rarity- now looking retirement-aged- sitting at her window with Spike, waiting for Stormcloud to return.
"They know." she rasped to Spike. "They know that soon I will be gone."
"And you'll be missed by all of them." said Spike sadly.
Rarity didn't answer. She was looking out over the forest, and then she opened her mouth and sang the song Twilight remembered from all those years ago, when Blackthorn and the other forest ponies had sung it when Emerald Shine had died. It was no less beautiful now than it had been then.
Twilight went to stand by her friend and took in the song. Rarity acknowledged her with a flick of her ear, but kept singing. Below, in the settlement, many of her subjects gave their answer.
Stormcloud entered an hour later, a pink earth pony mare with a wavy, pale green mane and tail following curiously. On seeing Rarity, the newcomer began to bounce. "Ohmygosh! An alicorn! I didn't know there were five! I..." The mare continued to leap around in glee, babbling excitedly. Stormcloud quickly took his leave, looking relieved to be free of his charge.
The pink mare looked at her and giggled, "Princess Twilight! Oooh, who are your friends? Is this pony really an alicorn? Oooh- a dragon! Cool!"
Rarity looked confused. "Do you know this pony?"
"Uh... she's Pinkie's great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great granddaughter." Twilight thought for a second. "Give or take a few greats."
"Ah." Rarity tried to sound calm, although she was mentally seeing her kingdom burn as Pinkie's descendant hopped around in the carnage. "Well, then. I suppose... time to explain..."
An hour later, Rarity went to see Stormcloud. "It's time, Stormcloud. Be as loyal to her as you have been to me." The dark grey pony lowered his head respectfully and sadly. Rarity had ruled since he was born and long before; he could not imagine a time without her. None of her subjects could.
Rarity went back into the throne room, preparing to cast the spell which would make Bubble Beam the new princess of the Everfree. The pink pony had shown herself to be a lot calmer than she had first seemed, though she had got excited several times during the explanation of the whole situation. Now she stood, head respectfully lowered.
Rarity took a deep breath and muttered the spell. Twilight and Spike shielded their eyes as bright light filled the room. Rarity felt a dreadful wrench- not only physically but mentally- as her wings were taken from her.
Bubble Beam stood there as an alicorn when the light faded, while Rarity was a unicorn once more, as she had been centuries ago. She smiled into the green eyes of her successor as she felt the last of her power swirl away from her.
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Rarity lay in her bed, feeling each year catch up to her. Bubble Beam came in, sombre; Rarity smiled weakly. "What is it, Princess?"
Bubble Beam just lowered her head in respect. Too tired to protest, Rarity felt a rush of need to see Twilight and Spike once more before the end. "Please, could you send Twilight and Spike in? And Princess." Rarity said softly, "Rule the kingdom well."
Twilight and Spike stood by Rarity's bedside, their faces downcast. Rarity chuckled. "Why so sad, my friends? I go to join our friends, and my sister... I'll see them again... I have lived far longer than I expected to anyway."
Spike just grasped her hoof with his claw and sniffed. Twilight smiled. "I'll see you again one day, Rarity. Not even an alicorn lives forever."
"Ah, this is too sentimental for me, darlings. Just talk properly." Rarity said crossly.
Just as she said this, the song started up again outside, and Spike raised his head to join in, closing his eyes and holding tight to Rarity's hoof. Twilight followed his lead, and then heard Rarity join in. They sang for a while, until Twilight realised Rarity was no longer singing. She opened her eyes but continued singing, looking down just in time to see her friend's body dissolve into leaves and swirl away, out of the window. Spike opened his eyes as he felt his wife's hoof disappear, and though he continued to sing, his eyes filled up with tears.
Twilight raised her wings and flew out of the window, dancing above the trees as leaves swirled around her and the eerie tune of the song rang out through the Everfree.
Author's Note
I always wanted to finish this story, and now it's done.
Thanks to everyone who read this story!
