Saturday, January 2, 2016

Morning

Rarity's place is a modest, well-kept two-story house. Pinkie and I get our things out of the taxi and hurry up to the door. In addition to my dress from the Fall Formal, the underwear Rarity gave me (hey, why not?), and those stupid heels, I've got my knives in my tote bag. I'm guessing Pinkie probably has her whip with her.

Pinkie rings the bell. It feels like forever before what I guess must be Rarity's mom answers. She's as pink as Cadance or Pinkie, with bright blue eyes and a huge dark blue beehive hairdo. She's wearing white mom pants and a red blouse. "Oh, good morning!" she says. "You must be Rarity's friends!"

"Yes ma'am," I say.

"She's up in her room. Second door on the left. I must say, I wasn't expecting to see any of her friends show up here at the house today!"

"We just kinda wanna hang out until the party," Pinkie says. "That's okay, right?"

"Sure hon, it's fine with me."

We head inside and up the stairs. A little girl with pink and purple hair comes out of one of the doors, wrapped in a towel. "Oh, hello," she says with a nervous squeak, drawing the towel more tightly around herself.

"Hi!" Pinkie says cheerfully. "I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your name?"

"I'm Sweetie Belle," the girl says. "You're friends with Rarity, right?"

"That's right."

Sweetie Belle draws in a deep breath. "RARITY! YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE!"

Goddamn that girl is shrill.

Another door opens, and Rarity peeks out, a cross look on her face. "Thank you, Sweetie Belle," she says. "Now that you've rendered us all deaf..."

Sweetie Belle wilts. "Sorry...jeez..." She slinks off to her own room and slams the door.

Rarity sighs, then looks at us. "Well...come on in," she says.

Rarity's room is...messy. But not like 'Oh my GOSH Rainbow why are there dirty underwear all over your floor?' messy, more like...'mad genius at work' messy, with scraps of fabric and lace and ribbon and shit like that all over the place. Rarity clears a pile of fabric off a beanbag chair, which Pinkie plops down on, then rearranges three dresses that are occupying her bed and sits down, crossing her legs primly. I hang my garment bag up in Rarity's closet and set my tote down, then pull out her desk chair and sit down.

"So," Rarity says, "you both felt the need to just rush over here because I was the victim of some malicious prank?"

I exchange a glance with Pinkie. "It's...not a prank," I say. "Something's definitely gonna try to kill you today."

"But don't worry," Pinkie says. "Me, Dashie, Flashie, and Twi-Twi are gonna protect you!"

Rarity frowns. "What on earth are you talking about?"

I look at Pinkie. She takes a deep breath, then, speaking more slowly and clearly than I've ever heard her, lays it all out: Zodiac, Shadows, Persona, and how it's all somehow connected to Canterbook.

"Flash Sentry's been fighting these things since his birthday back in August," Pinkie finishes. "Remember when he was in the hospital for three days? That's why. He almost got killed by one of these things. Then on my birthday, a really nasty one came after me, and Flash and Twilight protected me. Then we all fought one on Dashie's birthday, and that was the worst one yet..." Pinkie shudders. "We almost didn't make it, because this crazy psycho skank with her own Persona cut him off from the rest of us, and he's really the one who does all the work because he's got like, some weird power..."

"Hey, we woulda won," I put in.

Pinkie gives me a look. "No we wouldn't, Dashie. That Shadow would've killed us all if Flash didn't make it."

I shake my head and sigh. "So anyway, yeah...we all got that birthday horoscope about dying, and then we all got dragged into this Zodiac shit," I say. "And now it's your turn."

Rarity stares at us. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe a word of this," she says.

"Yeah, we didn't think you would," I say. "Twilight said you'd probably think we're crazy. But that's okay. We're sticking around all day long whether you want us here or not. It's the only way to keep you safe."

"Yeah...we gotta stay with you, Rarity," Pinkie says.

Rarity sighs. "Well, if you must..." She smirks. "Of course, you realize I'm going to be spending half the day at the salon, non? If you insist on staying by my side today, you're going to have to come along. Besides...forgive my saying so, but you could both use a makeover..."

Pinkie shrugs. "Sure, sounds fun."

Ugh. A beauty salon...lame!

But...it's the only way to protect Rarity...

"Fine," I say. "Let's...let's just get it over with."

Rarity grins like a cat that's just found a nice, fat bird...

Elsewhere...