• Chapter Six: Love Over Bits •

…

Tonight was the second show. Rarity excitedly trotted down the corridor, approaching her stand, which was still labeled 'Rare.' Rarity blissfully took the second dress from the rack, and eyed it, working out what would look best with this design.

"Well look. It turns out Rarity did manage to get into this competition after all. I wonder, Rare." Rarity looked up to see a tall white unicorn filly before her. The pony wore an elegant golden dress, which looked like it twinkled in the light. On her head, she wore a star-like tiara, and it collided nicely with her pink and white mane. Fluer stood before Rarity with her eyes narrowed malevolently. Rarity looked up in alarm. Fluer Dis Lee had found her.

"Hi Fluer... Nice to see you too," Rarity crooned, turning her attention back to her fabric, trying to hide her apprehension. Fluer Dis Lee wasn't done with Rarity yet however, as she took a menacing step forward.

"And let me guess- my future coltfriend managed to get you in here?" Fluer smiled viciously.

Rarity couldn't hide her amusement. "Your future coltfriend? You mean my current Special Somepony?" Rarity let out a small giggle.

Fluer stared at her in shock. "You're bluffing."

"Tell that to the restaurant we went to last night... and the dance we has... and the ki-" Rarity stopped, knowing she had said enough already. She blushed slightly. She couldn't believe that she had just nearly told Fluer that Fancypants had kissed her.

Fluer stared at her in horror, and turned around, unsure what to say. "How dare you. How dare you. I will get my revenge Rarity. Just you wait- and by the way- there is no way you are going to win this competition." Fluer turned around and briskly trotted away. Rarity only shrugged, and eyed the red dress again. She didn't care what Fluer thought anymore. There was no way she was going to let that annoying, prissy little diva get the better of her ever again. Ever.

…

The top ten were now going to get split into a top five. Rarity had done her act. Now it was time to find out who was going into the finals, and who was not. Rarity was number 7, and Fluer was number 1. All the ponies stood in the row of 10, praying that their number would be called.

"One!" To Rarity's disappointment, Fluer stepped forward, smiling deviously at the sound of her number. "Two!" Three spots were left for the top five. "Five!" Rarity gritted her teeth. She was two numbers away from that. Please don't skip to eight! "Seven!" Yes! Rarity let out a sigh of relief at the sound of her number. The last pony to get into the top five, was eight.

Rarity followed the line of ponies as they exited the stage. Only when she was out of view from the watching ponies, Rarity let out a cry of delight.

"I'm in the top five! I'm in the top five!" Rarity hopped up and down, and saw through the corner of her eye, Fancypants and Sweetie Belle approaching her.

"Come here, you two!" Rarity squealed. She didn't even wait for them to come, as she dashed up to them, and threw her front legs around the two unicorns, sharing a warm embrace with her little sister and her Special Somepony.

"I'm in the top five! I'm in the top five!" Rarity still shrilled.

"We know! We know!" Sweetie Belle giggled slightly, as Rarity released her grip from her two favourite ponies in the world.

"Are you two going to be hanging out again, tonight?" Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow.

"I don't think so. Rare needs to rest. She will be in the top five tomorrow, and then we'll see if she gets into the top two," Fancypants explained. Rarity gave him a relieved nod, and as if on cue, she yawned.

"We still need something to eat though," Sweetie Belle pointed out.

"Me and Rare will go take you to another restaurant then," Fancypants smiled down at Sweetie Belle.

"Sounds good," Rarity nodded.

"Please excuse me for a moment... I just need to get something," Fancypants smiled at the two sisters, before trotting away, leaving Rarity with Sweetie Belle.

"Y'know, I couldn't be any happier that you two are now together," Sweetie Belle chirped, sitting down and smiling warmly at her big sister.

Rarity blushed. "Me too. I have had a crush on him since forever. I have always dreamed of it, and now it's as if my dreams are coming true.

"He has had a crush on you since forever too," Sweetie Belle smiled mischievously.

Rarity gaped. "How do you know, Sweetie Belle?"

"He told me. He even asked me about you. That's how he had the guts to ask you on the date yesterday."

Rarity's eyes widened. She had seen Fancypants and Sweetie Belle chatting in the crowd while she was waiting to come on stage. She never knew that they were actually talking about her. "Did you say anything embarrassing?" Rarity gulped.

Sweetie Belle giggled, "of course not."

The two sisters waited in silence for a few minutes, before Rarity became restless. "Where is Fancypants? I'm going to go and see, you wait here, Sweetie Belle." Her younger sister sat down obediently, as Rarity began to trot down the area he had went.

"Fancypants?" Rarity peered around, until suddenly, she heard a voice. It was muffled, but she could work out what words it read. "Fancypants." Rarity trotted over to room in which the voice it was coming from. The door was closed, but Rarity was able to peak through the key-hole. There was Fancypants, standing right there... and Fluer Dis Lee! She had her hooves circled around his neck, and her lips were close to his own. She was saying something, but Rarity didn't bother to listen, as her tears began to well up. Crying, Rarity ran back down the hall to Sweetie Belle, who was still sitting patiently down.

"Rarity! Did you find Fancypants?" Sweetie Belle got up excitedly.

"It doesn't matter. Just come with me, we can go to the restaurant without him." Rarity put her hoof around her sister's shoulder and dragged her down the hall, to get outside. Tears were still dripping down Rarity's eyes, as she tried to get her sister as far away from where Fancypants was as possible. Sweetie Belle no longer needed to be dragged, as she trotted besides Rarity in confusion.

"What's going on Rarity?" Sweetie Belle questioned.

"Fancypants doesn't like me. I saw him with another filly," Rarity choked.

"What do you mean, sister? Fancypants loves you! He would never go with any other filly!" Sweetie Belle cried in shock.

"I thought that too... and I was wrong. It was all just a game," Rarity muttered.

…

The two sisters reached the restaurant and ate in silence. Rarity jabbed her fork into a bit of lettuce, scraping the side of the plate, as she stuffed the whole bit of lettuce into her mouth without even cutting it.

"Rarity..." Sweetie Belle coughed, a bit weary of her older sister right now. Rarity was no longer depressed, but furious, as she ate another bit of lettuce in rage.

"Don't you think you are going just a teeny-weeny bit overboard?" Sweetie Belle swallowed, avoiding her sister's piercing eyes.

"In a time like this, there is no going overboard! I read a book of how you're meant to handle this! Now I just need a knife and a few hammers..."

"As educational as that book sounds, I don't think that would work in this situation. I think you should just talk to him," Sweetie Belle advised, but Rarity ignored her.

…

There was the knock on the door, just as Rarity had tucked Sweetie Belle into her bed. Rarity trotted over to the door, to see Fancypants, and slammed it right in his face.

"I don't want to talk to you!" Rarity screamed.

"Rarity! Please let me in! I need to talk to you!" The voice was muffled, but it was decipherable.

"There is nothing to talk about! We're done!" Rarity roared, grabbing a pillow and trying to block her ears.

"I don't even know what I did wrong!"

"Oh you know exactly what you did wrong! This was all just a game, wasn't it?"

"Let him in!" Sweetie Belle hissed at her sister, but Rarity ignored her.

"Just leave me alone, jerk!" Rarity sniffed slightly. Sweetie Belle got out of her bed, and trotted over to the door, opening it.

"Thanks, Sweetie Belle," Fancypants sighed, and trotted over to Rarity's bed, where she was hiding her head under the pillow.

"Rarity... Please, just tell me what's wrong. I am sure there is an explanation for it," Fancypants tried to pat her back, but she shuffled away, further across the bed, before she sat and faced him, as far away as possible.

"When you said you needed to go and get something- you went, and me and Sweetie Belle were waiting ages but you never came back. Eventually I went to look for you, and I saw you with your new love- Fluer Dis Lee." Rarity hissed.

Fancypants's eyes widened, "you saw that?"

"Of course I saw that! I'm not an idiot!" Rarity spat.

Fancypants gave her a soft look, "I can explain Rarity."

"I don't ne-"

"Rarity! Let him explain himself," Sweetie Belle scolded her older sister, and turned to Fancypants. "Continue."

Fancypants didn't hesitate. "I went to get something, and when I went into the room, Fluer Dis Lee came after me, and shut the door. I tried to get away from her, but she came up to me, and started telling me that she liked me and stuff like that. I tried to get away, but she was holding me down. I swear I didn't mean for it to happen!"

Rarity hesitated. That did sound like something Fluer Dis Lee would do. But he still hadn't explained one thing. "How do I know you weren't just using the 'getting something' excuse just so you could go there?"

"Because I was going to get you this," Fancypants hesitated, before taking something out of one of the pockets of a suit he was wearing. It was wrapped in paper, and he slowly crawled onto the bed next to Rarity. He sat next to her, and handed her the package. She held it in her hooves staring down at it for a while.

"I was going to save it for a surprise- but right now seems like a better time to prove my loyalty." Fancypants beckoned her to unwrap it, which Rarity slowly did. She let out a slight gasp of shock, as she held the necklace in her hooves. It was a beautiful, silver neckpiece, with her Cutie Mark dangling from the end. Several smaller ones of her Cutie Mark surrounded it, all of them the perfect shade of purple and the exact correct texture. Rarity was agape for a few minutes, before Fancypants broke the silence.

"Do you like it?"

Rarity hopped up, and screamed, bouncing on the bed. "Do I like it? I love it! And you know what I love more than it? I love you!" Rarity hopped down, and kissed Fancypants.

"Aww," Sweetie Belle giggled from behind them, and Rarity glared at her, but smiled, as she wrapped her hooves around Fancypants's neck and hugged him. She closed her eyes lovingly.

…

The next competition was up. It was the top five, and Rarity wore a blue dress with a cute tiny top hat perched on her head. The dress had sparkles lining down the end of the fabric, and it suited her perfectly. Rarity was number 4 in this competition, and again, Fluer was number one. The five stood in the line, their heads down as they prayed that their name would be called so they could get into the top two.

"And the two finalists are..." There was a dramatic pause, before the narrator shouted, "Fluer Dis Lee and Rare!" Rarity was so surprised to hear her name. I am in the top two! I am in the top two! Rarity screamed as soon as she was off the stage.

"Congrats, Rare," Rosetta smiled as she passed by the screaming white unicorn with the purple mane. Rarity hopped up and down ecstatically, and ran towards the audience, where she found Sweetie Belle and Fancypants.

"I can't believe you made it this far!" cried Sweetie Belle.

Rarity grinned. "I know right!" She gave Sweetie Belle and Fancypants a hug. "I need to get prepared! The next competition is on tonight," Rarity muttered.

"Tonight? Do you know what you are going to wear?" Fancypants choked.

"Yes, and I am going to add one last accessory to it." Rarity smiled, as she trotted to the change rooms, where Fluer Dis Lee was waiting.

"Oh, great. It's Rarity, her mutt and..." Fluer stopped at Fancypants and quickly turned away. Rarity grabbed her dress from the stand, and came back. This final dress was silky and purple. The dress had purple gems lined down the edges and it had diamond shapes planted here and there. The head piece was a purple pom-pom like item, but it was made out of ribbon instead of pure fluff. The final accessory Rarity added to it, was the necklace Fancypants had given her.

Fancypants noticed it, and gave Rarity a grin. "I can't believe you're actually going to wear that!"

"Of course I am," Rarity nuzzled him, before adding some makeup to her face. When she had finally finished, she let out a sigh of relief.

"Now that I am done, I need to wait. You two can go do something, you don't have to stay with me," Rarity pointed out, trotting over to the other side of the room and sitting down on a chair. Sweetie Belle and Fancypants followed her.

"No, we are staying right here. We are not going to leave you alone," Sweetie Belle sat next to her sister stubbornly, alongside Fancypants. Rarity smiled. I am so lucky having such an amazing sister, and a loyal coltfriend.

Hours had passed, until finally the competition was nearing, and Sweetie Belle and Fancypants had been forced to leave. Rarity was hyperventilating. This was her last chance to beat Fluer at something. Speaking of Fluer, she had come beside Rarity, and was waiting for the show to begin as well. The white unicorn with the pink mane turned to Rarity for a second, and smiled sweetly. "Break a leg, Rare." Her voice gave away the sweetness and replaced it with hostility.

Rarity gave an angelic smile back. "Yeah, good luck, Fluer." Her voice sounded bitter.

The competition had now started, and the narrator had began to speak. Finally, he welcomed Fluer to the stage, and she strutted down like any other snobby celebrity.

Fluer's dress was a knockout. It was velvety pink, and it was so long, it trailed along the ground. It had many different fairy-floss pink pieces of silk hanging down from the sides, making Fluer look innocent and young. She gave a pose, before trotting away.

Up next was Rarity. Rarity strutted down the walk, feeling hundreds of eyes glueing to her. She smiled, feeling the gown waft behind her. She reached the edge, and was about to strike a pose, when she felt a light yellow magic aura begin to lift its way up her. Oh no! Rarity tried to make her way out of it, but it was too late, as she was lifted into the sky, and bashed against the ground several times. Pain exploded against Rarity's side as she felt it bashing against the ground. The audience, noticing the yellow magic aura, began to let out frightened gasps.

"Who is doing this?" Rarity hissed. Finally, the magic disappeared, and a beaten up Rarity lay on the ground. A nurse was immediately there, treating Rarity with first aid. Rarity had luckily not had too much serious injuries, she had just been severely winded. Once Rarity could finally catch her breathe, she got up on shaky legs, and ran away from the stage, collapsing on the ground and crying.

"Who would do something like this?" She whimpered. Suddenly there was the sound of snickering behind her, and she turned and saw Fluer. It all made sense! Fluer must have been the culprit!

"Why did you do this to me?" Rarity spat, getting up on quivery legs and took a threatening step forward.

Fluer Dis Lee blinked innocently. "Oh Rarity! Why would I do something like that?"

"Because you told me you would get your revenge, you told me to break a leg- literally and lift this up!" Rarity shoved a piece of paper before Fluer. "Pick it up!"

Fluer Dis Lee hesitated, before bringing her hoof forward to grab it, but Rarity slapped it away.

"With your magic, moron!" Rarity glared at Fluer.

The prissy white unicorn with the pink mane looked away firmly. "No! I don't want to!"

Rarity was on the edge of lunging forward and strangling the filly, but then Rosetta came up to them.

"You two! Come on stage now! They are going to announce the winner!"

Rarity and Fluer stumbled onto the stage, scowling at each other the whole time.

The narrator talked for a few minutes before finally he cut to the actual point.

"Now it is time to find out who the winner is, out of these two amazing designers and modellers; Flue Dis Lee and Rare. The winner is..."

The whole crowd was silent. You could hear a pin drop from a mile away, as Rarity shuffled awkwardly on her hooves. Fluer was smirking, as they waited for the chilling few seconds.

"Fluer Dis Lee!" Fluer gave Rarity a look of murder and smugness as she smiled. She turned her back to Rarity, and was about to receive her trophy when Rarity saw something on Fluer's back. Rarity's eyes widened.

"Stop!" Rarity had never screamed so loud, as every pony in the audience froze.

"What are you doing?" Fluer hissed.

"The aim of this competition is you have to make your own dresses, and model in them, am I correct?" Rarity questioned, stepping forward.

The narrator gave her a confused glance. "Yes, that is true."

"Then how can you allow a pony who hasn't even made their own dress to win?" Rarity questioned.

"What..? What are you t-talking about?" Fluer faltered.

"On your back! There is a tag on it, which means you have purchased the dress! You haven't made it at all!" Rarity spat. Everyone in the audience gasped, and the narrator turned Fluer around, examining the tag.

"It's true!" He gaped.

"Well... well..." Fluer glanced around, until her eyes rested on Rarity's necklace. "It wasn't only me who cheated! Rarity did too, look at her necklace!" No pony even bothered questioning why Fluer had called her Rarity, as all eyes fell on the necklace around Rarity's neck.

Rarity hesitated. "Somepony I love gave it to me. Somepony I love got this specially made for me! This was given by the heart! Fluer's was given by a few bits!"

"Security! Get this imposter out of here!" A few security guards marched down and grabbed ahold of Fluer, dragging her away.

"I'll be back Rarity! I will get my revenge!" Fluer tried writhing out of their grip, but they were too strong and she was hauled away. She even attempted to lift the trophy out of the judge's hooves, but failed, and the aura coming from her horn was yellow, much to Rarity's content. When she was finally gone, the narrator turned to Rarity.

"I present to you- this year's winner! Rare!" Rarity gave a smile as she was handed a trophy.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" The crowd was ecstatic, cheering helplessly for the newly created idol. Rarity smiled, and finally she could leave the stage, as the show was over.

"Rarity!" Rarity turned to see Fancypants standing before her, and with a cry off bliss, she flung herself into his arms and kissed him lovingly.

"It was you who helped my win! It was your necklace!" She smiled at him her eyes glistening.

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle trotted behind him, and Rarity brought her up into a big group hug.

"Aww. How touching!" A voice sounded behind them, and Rarity turned to see Rosetta. Rarity happily trotted up to the pink unicorn with the darker pink and white mane.

"Rosetta! I won!" Rarity chirped.

Rosetta smiled, "I brought you a gift."

Rarity turned to the unicorn, to see her holding a basket. Rarity peered inside, to see some delicious looking blueberries.

"Blueberries! They are my favourite! How did you know?" Rarity cried, picking up one, and tossing it into her mouth.

"Fancypants! Sweetie Belle! Come over here, I have some blueberries to share!" Rarity turned around, calling to her friends, as they excitedly trotted up and took a few for themselves.

"She is the one," Rarity heard Rosetta mumble under her breathe.

Rarity looked up, "what do you mean?"

To Rarity's horror, a green flame enveloped down Rosetta's body. It swirled around, until finally a ravishing form appeared before them. The rest of her body seemed like an illusion, except her piercing, green eyes.

"Chrysalis?" Rarity bowed her head low to the queen. Fancypants and Sweetie Belle alongside her.

Chrysalis paused, before chanting.

"Rarity, you're life has been as beautiful as you yourself,

But in the future, you dare threaten Queen Chrysalis- me!

Your name is now Raripunzel, you're life is parallel.

You will not see light again; I'm changing your destiny."

"My... my destiny?" spluttered Rarity, and a green flame spiralled around, before opening up a portal. Rarity let out a wail as she was lifted towards the void.

"No Rarity!" Fancypants cried, hopping up, and grabbing ahold of her flailing hooves. She held him for as long as she could, staring at him in pain, until finally he had to go, and Rarity went tumbling into an endless circle.

"Wait for me, sister!" She heard Sweetie Belle squeal as she jumped into the portal after Rarity.

"We're coming Rare!" Fancypants wailed, and he jumped into the portal too. Then everything went pitch black.

…

"Uh... Where am I?" Rarity got up, brushing the dust off her beautiful dress and scanned her surroundings. The room was quite spacious- there was a bed on one side with a vale over it. On the other side, was some closets, and kitchen materials. On another side was a huge window. Rarity trotted towards the window, opening it up and peering through it.

"Oh my!" Rarity stared down. She was in a tower. It was incredibly high... Too high to climb down. Finally, there was a mirror, and Rarity trotted up to it, staring into it and screamed.

"Oh my gosh! My hair is so unnaturally long! This is horrible! I need to cut it now!" Rarity couldn't find any scissors anywhere. Her hair was as long as this tower was tall, and it was platted. Rarity backed away from the mirror, bumping into something. She turned around, and screamed to see the changeling queen standing before her. She backed into the mirror now, as Chrysalis peered down at her.

"I can understand you'd be very confused right now. Just sit down and let me explain how."

Rarity hesitated before planting her rump on the carpet.

Chrysalis sighed, and sat down too and began to talk. "Your name is now Raripunzel, you belong to me. You are locked in this tower, you cannot be set free. I am now your mother, just as you are now my daughter. I'll come here every day to give you food and some water."

Raripunzel narrowed her eyes. "Well you forgot one thing, I still have my horn. I'll be here one day, and the next I'll be gone. Teleportation may be hard, but it can still be done. You cannot just keep me here, I'll just escape and run."

Chrysalis gave a laugh. "Wait just a minute, hear me out. Magic doesn't work here, try it if you doubt."

Raripunzel hesitated, before attempting to levitate something with her horn, but it didn't even give a slight fizz. Raripunzel sighed and then looked up to Chrysalis. "But what about you? If we cannot use our magic? You can't teleport here, wouldn't that be tragic?"

Chrysalis grinned softly. "Haven't you wondered why your hair is incredibly long? You toss it through the window and I'll climb it- it's very strong."

Raripunzel let out a gasp. "Why in Equestria do you think I'd do something like that? It may be strong but I'm not, I'll fall through the window with a splat!"

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes, "do you want food and water or not?"

Raripunzel quickly went silent.

Chrysalis grinned, in the way that spoke that's better. "Anyway, you may be wondering what happened to your sister and your lover. You are never going to ever see one another. They can search and search, but you are too far away. You live here now- you are here to stay."

Rarity winced. "Please don't hurt Sweetie Belle, she is only a foal. Let her be herself, please keep her whole. Don't hurt my coltfriend either just leave both of them alone. Don't hurt a hair on their heads, I promise I'll let you stay on the throne!" Raripunzel begged, but Chrysalis looked away.

"The young one I won't hurt, I'll just send her far away. The older one I cannot promise anything, but now I cannot stay."

Chrysalis trotted up to the window. "Raripunzel, come here."

The white unicorn with the purple long mane nervously trotted up, and the changeling took her hair, throwing it out the window. Raripunzel sobbed as Chrysalis held onto it and began crawling down the tower. It hurt, as she yanked onto Raripunzel's hair, but Raripunzel knew she'd have to get used to it. After Chrysalis was gone, Raripunzel closed the window and lay slumped on her bed.

"Oh Sweetie Belle... I'm glad you'll be ok. As for Fancypants, what I'll do is pray."