The Monster Behind the Mirror

It started out just like every other day. Rarity shook Sweetie Belle awake and they ate breakfast...such a nice day couldn't possibly hold a little tragedy.

Sweetie Belle didn't even say goodbye as she walked out of the boutique. Her packed lunch was held tightly in her jaws. They had another fight last night. Rarity felt Sweetie Belle was too young to learn magic and ,of course, Sweetie Belle disagreed.

She planned on going to Twilight, since she was a goddess now, to become like a teacher.

Sweetie Belle slammed the door shut and trotted to school in a huff.

Her inner personality screamed for her to keep moving, and she obeyed. Her other half, which was out most of the time, told her to go back and apologize. But what did she know. Hmph.

She got to school and sat down. Ms. Cheerilee was at the board, teaching the other fillies about photosynthesis because two prissy fillies didn't study. The rest of the class was now suffering.

"Psst. Hey blank-flank. Pass this note to Silver Spoon will you." Diamond Tiara whispered to Sweetie Belle.

She turned, took the note and tore it up. Her inner self smiled and willed her to do it. Stuffing the pieces into Diamond Tiara's mouth, she got up and stomped out of the classroom.

   The class was in utter shock. Especially the other Cutie Mark Crusaders. Their mouths hung open and watched as their good friend turned the tables.

Cheerilee cleared her throat and began to continue her lesson, keeping a close eye on the bullies of her classroom.

Meanwhile, while Sweetie Belle was throwing her tantrum, Rarity went grocery shopping. Her eyes warned around her neat list. Carrots. Okay, simple enough. She trotted over to Carrot Top, who was selling a few already. She patiently waited behind the pony already buying and heard loud hoof steps from behind.

Turning her head, she saw two fillies running off with stolen goods. Rarity turned to scold them, but heard a screech as a stallion pulling a cart tried to stop.

Rarity let out a panicked scream as the wagon doubled over onto her. Splinters were the last thing on her mind as wood drove into her stomach. Blood spilled from her mouth and all she could think was :

Sweetie Belle! I'm sorry, I should've listened to you!

As the light faded from her sight, she saw Sweetie Belle. A vision sent to her. Half her face looked sweet and innocent, like the filly she was, but the other half was a cruel grown mare with a seductive smirk on her face.

Rarity fell into blackness.

Sweetie Belle stood in the emergency room. Rarity suddenly opened her eyes, looking afraid and in pain.

"My little marshmallow, you have to keep her from-" Rarity managed to say before she started coughing up blood.

The doctor rushed in and pushed Sweetie Belle out.

"She needs peace." he huffed.

Sweetie Belle knew Rarity was going to die. She knew it deep into her soul, so why wasn't she crying?

A little voice whispered in her ear:

Let your tears out young one. The time will come for me stop them.

She recognized this voice, the mare appeared in her dreams. Always stopping the nightmares, like Rarity never did.

Sweetie Belle felt the tears falling down her cheeks. Why did this mare keep showing up when she felt distressed?

   She felt numb, her heart lurched when she heard the news. She knew it was coming, but what little hope she had was diminished. Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. Sweetie Belle wrenched away, then ran into the room.

The doctor yelled at her to leave but she retaliated.

"This is my older sister so back off! You are a sad and lonely stallion with no friends and no pony like you because you are such a tool!" she snapped at the rude stallion.

He stammered and ran off. Twilight walked in, looking concerned.

Two years had passed. Sweetie Belle had grown, but still had no cutie mark. Her mind was on other things. Her magical studies had piled up on her other homework. She had no time for getting her cutie mark. However much she wanted it, her friends avoided her due to the temper that grew over the last two years. Such a happy filly turned into a work-crazed bookworm.

   Twilight mentored her but worked her like any other student would be. She was much less stern than the teachers in magic school, but still strict enough.

   Sweetie Belle still kept that memory of Rarity close to her. She sung her heart out at Vinyl Scratch's concerts every weekend.

Her young mind was growing faster with the help of Twilight, but that mare still haunted her every step. The mare gave her advice and guided her, but she never saw the mare's face.

   Twilight wrote letters to Celestia about Sweetie's progress and her concern about Sweetie Belle talking to thin air.

After a while Celestia wrote back with a spell that could delve into a pony's subconscious.

Twilight knew the precautions and decided to cast the spell when Sweetie Belle was asleep and unaware.

That night, Twilight crept into Sweetie Belle's room. She was tossing and turning in her bed muttering something about a mare.

Twilight slowly charged up her horn. The spell would drain a lot out of her, but she knew Sweetie Belle needed to fix this emotional backfire.

Her horn sent a soft lavender light on Sweetie Belle's head. Searching through the filly's mind, she entered a dream-like state.

Twilight started walking through a black abyss. It seemed to go on forever, but she soon saw a small light. A memory that glowed and twinkled. Twilight walked up to it, to find it like a floating orb of water. The happy memory floated toward her as Twilight recognized the memory from Sweetie's point of view.

Twilight saw Sweetie Belle bouncing in excitement at the thought of searching for a cutie mark with Scootaloo and Applebloom, who now avoided her.

Twilight smiled at the filly, but shook her head and pulled away. As she turned, a mare walked towards her. She had a smirk on her face, and strode forward like she owned Sweetie Belle's mind

Beside the mare, Sweetie Belle walked curiously.

   Twilight couldn't help but shiver. The mare looked like Sweetie Belle. Twilight felt like she was looking at the past and the future.

Darkness seemed to swamp her, and she panicked.The mare smirked and moved quickly, lightly touching her own horn to Twilight's. Twilight's pupils grew to the size of a rice grain. Her body wracked with pain, but she couldn't move or scream.

  The mare's gaze was locked with hers. Soon, she had no control. The light started fading. Sweetie Belle waved causally and disappeared. Twilight felt the dream-like state falling around her as the mare vanished from view. The trance broke as Twilight opened her eyes in Sweetie Belle's room.

Spike stood over her, looking concerned. Sweetie Belle was standing in the doorway with the mare.

"Twilight, wake up. We have a guest." he muttered.

Twilight stumbled up and shook her head in shock. The mare stood before her, with a smirk.

Spike ruffled up his spines. Twilight could tell he was getting over Rarity. The mare smiled and batted her eyelids in a mimic of Rarity.

"My name is Sweet Heart." she gloated.

Twilight could sense Spike blush, but she knew he was in  dragon puberty so she ignored it.

"Nice cover up, now tell me why you're really here." Twilight sat down, aggravated.

Sweet Heart rolled her eyes and walked away.

"I don't need to tell you anything at all." she replied, swaying her hips and she exited the library.

   Sweetie Belle looked happier than ever, instead of stressed and angry. Twilight, Spike, and Sweetie Belle searched for her. But nothing. Twilight nearly pulled the hairs from her head when the sun started setting. Of course, I shall not give spoilers on where she is, that would be cheating.