Looped

5.

Chapter 5

⋆.:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆

Applejack

"Rarity!" I shouted, grabbing the fashionista's attention. She was seated on the park bench, staring at the sky above us. We were both at the park, East Orchard, somehow still alive and well.

She was sitting cross-legged, wearing the same silk dress she had been wearing past loops. Her hair was in the same style, her makeup was all the same. I decided to say nothing about it, we had more important matters to discuss than clothing and makeup.

"Listen, I got some theories about why we're trapped here," I started. 

"Theories, huh?" she asked. I sat down next to Rarity, looking up at the same cloudless sky that had been there all previous loops. In the distance, there was a mountain that was staring in our direction.

"Well, when you've got all the time in the world, it's kinda hard not to think of theories," I admitted.

"Well, darling, go ahead. I'm not stopping you." She seemed nicer than she was before. She still seemed hesitant in fixing the loop issue, but at least she was willing to listen.

I paused, gathering up my words. "What if we're both already dead? And this is the universe's way of punishing the both of us? What if we're in purgatory?"

Rarity heaved a sigh. "Do you really believe we deserve to be punished like this? From the outside, it looks like you're a good person."

I traced my hand against the sunlit bench. "Well fine then, tell me about yourself. What were you like before this?"

There was a long moment of silence before she decided to speak. "Happy. I was with my girlfriend and I was happy. Nothing in my life was wrong."

"Why'd Twilight break up with you?"

Rarity stood up from the bench, giving me a cold glare. "Why do you care?"

"Listen, if we're going to get out of this, dead or alive, we gotta work together." My tone turned defensive, I stood up from the bench to face her. "I don't know why anyone would try to pair me up with you. The only time you turn out to be nice is when we're about to die. Hell, we have nothing in common. You go to a rich school, for gifted kids. I go to some small high school, where everyone who attends is a cheap knock off of Monster High dolls."

There was silence as the anger coursed through me. She sat back down on the bench, her expression darkening. "She broke up with me because she thought I was sick. I memorized her break up speech, since I've heard it so many times."

I shifted my weight uncomfortably, averting my gaze over to her. "Sick? She told you that you were sick?" 

She nodded, crossing her arms. "She said that she got together with some other girl. And she said she procrastinated on breaking up with me because she thought I was going to do something stupid. She said she was suffering in the relationship, sometimes she didn't want to get out of bed because of me."

I blinked a few times trying to let this all sink in. She didn't know that Twilight was now dating Sunset, my best friend. And I had no intention in telling Rarity this. 

"Wait, so how'd your first death go?" I asked her.

She scoffed, planting one hand on her hip. Her beautiful wavy violet hair fell past her chest remarkably. "I don't see how that has to do with anything."

I shrugged, it was obvious she was trying to hide something from me. "I was run over by a car the first time."

"I uh-" Rarity sputtered, her tone softening, "I just don't see why it matters. And it- it's not like I remember my first death anyway."

I eyed her little lie and let it pass by, for now. "Well fine, tell me 'bout yourself. The only thing I seem to know 'bout you is that your name is Rarity, and you're dating Twilight Sparkle."

"I was dating Twilight Sparkle," she shot back. She stood there for a few more seconds, thinking to herself. 

"There isn't much to say about me. Sometimes I dream about becoming some model, or better yet a designer - those dreams seem so far away," she admitted.

I groaned, annoyed. "There ain't anything similar about us. I have more things in common with Pinkie Pie than you."

"At least I have patience, unlike some people I know," she chided back.

I rolled my eyes, thinking to myself more things to ask Rarity. "What 'bout your siblings?"

"I have a younger sister, Sweetie Belle. She's nine, she follows me around wherever I go, she can be very annoying - and that's about it."

I heaved a sigh. "I also got a younger sister who's ten. Applebloom is her name, you got any idea who she is?"

"Of course not. My younger sister and I would never try to communicate with you country folk."

I honestly didn't care much about trying to relate to her. "Alright, lets get down to business then," I announced, standing up. I did a little stretch, then looked back at her. "I got no opinion on you, and frankly, lets hope it stays that way. Just do something good, for your sister, or for Twilight or - I don't know. And if we're both still alive, meet back here."

She nodded. "Even though I'm a good person, and I don't have to prove shit to anyone, fine. I'll play your little game."

"Listen Rarity, I didn't choose for us to be like this," I started to argue. "You're not telling me how you first died, so you are obviously hiding something."

Right as I said this, the expression she gave me sent shivers down my spine. She took a deep breath, and walked away from me, without saying anything.

"You do realize that we're gonna have to work together to work this out, right?" I called after her. Of course she knew this. I was just repeating what was already known. 

She continued walking away from me, her arms crossed. "Bitch," I muttered to myself, starting to walk a different direction.

As I walked down the cobblestone pavement, I tried to think of the things that needed "fixing" in my life. I couldn't come close to one thing.

I was a good person. I didn't deserve to be trapped like this. I had everything going for me.

Rarity on the other hand, she had some things to work on. "Mentally sick", wasn't she supposed to be seeking help?

My thoughts were immediately cut short once I saw the image of my mother standing about twenty feet away from me.

She stood there, her wavy hair tied back in a low ponytail. Her face held no expression, she was simply just there.

"Mom," I was barely able to choke out.

Everything seemed to slow down all of a sudden. I placed my hands on my head, pain throbbing around my skull. I was blinded by flashing colorful spots.

The panic and lack of air drove me to start gasping, breathing as if the oxygen had been sucked from the air around me. I doubled over, falling onto my knees, one hand on the ground to support my weight.

I tried to call out for help, but nothing came out. I blinked a few times, glancing back up. And just like that, the image of my mom was gone.

My face met the pavement, my eyes shutting closed.

➵

— World Count : 1282
— First published : June 10, 2020
— Final version released : June 30, 2021