Blood Curse Boutique

by Rarity Belle

45 The fires of hatred are fueled by rage

The eyes of the enraged and larger unicorn kept themselves fixed upon the vampiric mare. Fleur had allowed more charges to leave the violet colored, magical orb. All of them resulted in balls of fire which got released under a violent speed. She shot them in almost every single direction that Rarity jumped in order to avoid them. She made it each time, always just by the skin of her teeth. Though what was the biggest question for her, was how Fleur had managed to control such a powerful form of magic. Time to ask wasn't there and everywhere the balls hit something was set ablaze in the fires.

That same time didn't need to progress long before both of the mares found themselves in a burning Carousel Boutique. The fires consumed more and more of the building’s wood, fabric and paper. It all just acted fuel to the raging fires. Rarity knew that it would only be a matter of time before the whole building would just collapse on itself. The real question was going to be, would the two of them still be inside when it eventually did happen. But the unicorn couldn't keep eyes for it, they only had eye for the other and the utter annihilation of the one she faced.

“This is where you die, monster. Please, do so to make it easier for yourself and stop struggling.” Fleur yelled up under a snicker of utter insanity as the orb and eventually the aura around her horn simply disappeared. The larger mare had lost herself within the hatred for Rarity. She flicked her tail happily at seeing just what damage she had caused to the building with the corners of her eyes. There wouldn’t have been stopping her anymore.

But Rarity hissed in a dark manner to the flames. With her wings she tried to keep them out of her face while she managed to hear the words that were spoken by Fleur. “I won’t die like this!” she replied in a dark tone. She readied herself again to just tackle the other unicorn to the ground. She wouldn’t stand for the burning of her life’s work. She wouldn’t allow it to be burned to the ground. She wanted to straight up murder the other mare more than she ever dared to dream.

~~~~

Though their attention was all of the sudden caught the windows of the boutique. All of the glass that was worked into them sprung open due to the heat that was caused by the flames. The little explosions each sent its sharp shatters in both directions and through the sounds, ponies that lived in the buildings next to the boutique knew at that time that something was horribly wrong.

Rarity placed one of her wings before her face in order for it to catch the shrapnel's and she felt it within the skin of the wing. For the tiny pieces of glass had managed to make their way into it and created a burning itch that was worse she had ever been through.

“Just bloody do it for once!” Fleur yelled after she had lowered her foreleg to avoid the pieces of her own. The two could speak of luck that the more bigger pieces were all sent outward and fell to the ground where they shattered then they made their way into their flesh.

Above the two raging mares had the fires had started to consume the support beams that held up the second floor. Under a terrifying sound of creaking and cracking there was one of the beams that came crushing down and fell next to the enraged, violet rimmed mare. A mare who jumped aside and quickly inspected the situation she found herself in. Fleur knew that she had to leave that instant or she would be consumed by the fires she had awoken and unleashed over the building.

Her attention turned over to one of the broken windows and without much thinking she turned herself over to the gap that was created. With one small gallop and a well-timed jump had she made her way through it. The mare fell right into a muddy pool that was created by the rain that was still going on. A rain that wouldn't be able to stop the raging fires in the slightest of bits.

Back inside the burning building had Rarity tried to locate an exit for her own. Her head moved itself into every direction in the faint hope. But luck wasn't to be found on her side as the fires had surrounded her all sides. The vampiric unicorn didn't want to have her life to end in the manner it would seem, she simply couldn't. There had to be some form of exit, anything just to get out of there. Perhaps on the second floor? Or perhaps just straight up running through the flames?

Her head moved itself in pure desperation once again into every direction. She could see the entrance to the kitchen, but it was blocked by the raging flames and not to forget the broken down support beam. The mare turned herself back around to see the front hallway of the building with fading hopes. An escape route would be possible if she could go up the second level of the building and through the window, or simply through the front door. But once again were the routes blocked off. Through the same window as Fleur seemed to be her only option, but she hesitated because of the sheer amount of flames that had raised up.

There was nothing to be found after her eyes had gone through every single direction and all she could do was pray for a miracle to happen. A miracle which in her mind, would probably never happen to her. Rarity cried out for help from the outside world. But none would hear her faint cries over the deafening sounds of the raging fires and the thunder in the skies.

~~~~

While Fleur finally rose up from the mud did her eyes caught up some of the bystanders who all came out of their own houses at the sudden torch of light in the quiet town. Some were brave enough to pull the unicorn away and out of the pool. It was in just mere seconds after that she was pulled away from the mud, it became apparent of just why they did that. For the sign of the boutique lost its hold and came rushing down with a crushing speed. It made everypony that stood around it jump back even more.

Under the sound of a soft thud and a wave of water had the burning sign made its way down to the very ground. If Fleur wasn't pulled away by the brave souls who did it, the sign would not only have crushed the entire lower parts of her body without mercy but also cut it in half.

“S-Somepony call the fire brigade!” one of the mare bystanders shouted while some others did it on command. The ones who had pulled Fleur away had set her aside and every single soul that had been around here was focusing its attention on trying to make the raging flames less. It didn't matter however, no matter what they tried to do. It seemed to be impossible to get the flames down. They didn’t even knew what had caused them to begin with. But it was all part of the plan where Fleur had come up with. Her magical fire won’t have been extinguished that easily.

The large unicorn placed a very good act by playing along with the game and events that had happened and the fire brigade was on the scene a lot quicker than everypony expected. All of the hat wearing unicorns that left the steam powered vehicle charged up their horns straight away. None needed an explanation on what was going on. None of the firefighters summoned water as they would have done in normal cases. Instead they took a use of the opportunity to bend the rain in their favor. All of their actions were done in attempts to calm the raging fires down first before they would start to extinguish them. That was their plan of action, but they needed to be quick.

Next to the fire brigade, there was a team of police officers and medical personnel who arrived on the scene and one of the officers ordered some of his co-workers to get the crowd under controls as soon as possible. They had the luck that the rain still poured down like cats and dogs and thus only one warning would be enough for most of the bystanders to leave the scene and go back to their homes. It would sound crazy, but they would eventually read about it in the newspapers.

It didn't happen all too often that ponies would simply leave a scene like the one that was playing out before them. But most of them didn't want to risk getting an even wetter than they already had and possibly catch some kind of disease.

~~~~

The co-workers had done an excellent job on the matter and the officer who had ordered it made its way over to Fleur. The green rimmed eyes of the mustached pegasus officer fell upon the doctors who were taking care of her by removing the shatters of glass the best they could. He released an inaudible sigh before he spoke up in a deep sounding voice. “I thank the both of you kindly doctors, but could you leave me and the miss alone for the time being?”

“Of course we can, officer. The injuries aren't all too bad as originally thought. Only very slight burn marks, first degree at their worst,” one of the doctors spoke before the both of them took their gear. “I still suggest to visit the ones for your face.”

“I thank you kindly, but no. You told me they won’t cause an infection and from what I saw in the mirror, it created a unique look on me. A look I intend to hold as a reminder, of some sort,” replied Fleur to them. After that she moved a gentle hoof over the glass that had penetrated parts of her face. Little bits that looked like her coat were engraved with the purest of diamonds.

“If you are sure miss, then so be it,” the doctor spoke up in a understand manner. The both of them nodded to the officer and then they were on their way to the vehicle of the fire brigade. There they would be taking a shelter from the rain until they would be needed once more.

The officer lowered himself a little bit through all four of his legs so he was on eye-height with the unicorn. “I know this is going to be terrible for you to recall, miss, even now that it is still going. But could you tell me just what happened?” he spoke to her in a kind tone. He lifted up one of wings in order to get both a note block and a small pencil out to write down the testimony of the one unicorn that seemed to have survived the fire.

Fleur wiped away the fake and crocodile tears from her left eye as the right part of her face was covered in glass splinters. And one of them had cut off her tear-duct. Under the sounds of a large sniffle she did the story as she would knew it. Meaning more something in the manner of, as she lied it together. “I, I am not sure just how it happened. One moment I was wandering through the dark, ground floor, the next I was lighting up a candle and then, boom...” Her eyes allowed themselves to drop upon the burning boutique. The sounds of another loud crack got the attention of everypony that was still present on the site. The area got filled with the cracking sound that originated from another support beam which gave in and fell to the ground level filled the area for a mere second. “...This inferno had ignited just like that,” she mumbled as a final word.

~~~~

The officer had written it all down and his gaze had fallen back on Fleur. He gave some nods to her story in a way that he understood what had happened. The stallion placed a gentle hoof on the shoulder of the unicorn. “Everything will be alright, miss. But answer me this, where you alone in the house at the time the fires emerged?” he asked through in order to get as many details as possible.

Her attention brought itself back to the stallion before her and she gave a small nod to the question. Lying to the question was about the best thing she could possibly do in order to make sure that Rarity would actually stay dead. “Y-Yes, I was all alone in the Boutique. R-Rarity had left to somewhere, I don’t know to where sadly enough.”

“This is all I am required to know from you, miss, if you happen to have a place where you can rest for the night and day, I suggest going to there right now and try to dispatch of these horrible sights. Be glad that you are still alive. These fires are from Tartarus themselves,” he spoke under a small smile. Only after he had hidden away the pencil and note block again under his wing. And then he left her alone again. His thoughts were placed on his own business again while one of the two doctors had returned to do the last checks on Fleur before she would be allowed to leave the site.

With the last checkups being good enough to let her go and the doctor gave her a smile and then left as well. But he had to make the recommendation again to let the tiny pieces of glass to be removed in the hospital. A thing she waved off just like the first time. Being allowed free to go wherever she wanted to, Fleur Dis Lee left Ponyville for what it was. She had done her deeds and managed to rid herself from the monster that held her in control for so many months. It would be strange when she arrived back home. Yet it was a home that was still so far away for her.

Not to mention that there were too many bad memories being created by the town itself. There was only one place she could have gone too. Fleur Dis Lee would have made her way back to the estate of Fancy Pants, located in the outskirts of Canterlot. Her mind thought about the fact that she had released herself from the monster that had been holding her against her will for nearly six months. Fleur thought she had murdered it and a small smile formed itself on her divided face.

Little did she knew, that Rarity wouldn't give up this easily. And with her would everypony would pay their share of the price. Even if it was a price that was unspeakable of.

~~~~

“Help! Somepony please help me!” shouted the vampiric unicorn as loud as she could. But the raging fires had made it impossible for anypony to hear her faint calls for help. Members of the fire brigade kept doing their best to keep the flames in tone before the worst possible thing happened. Rarity’s head moved itself upwards and saw the last thing she desired to witness. Everything was standing at the point of crumbling. Everything was about to come down. Bits of wood already fell down to the floor, without a doubt that bigger pieces would have followed.

Even with all of their efforts combined, couldn’t the firefighters have prevented the fact that the very top of the boutique came rushing down unto the floor below it. The structure just collapsed on itself as enough support beams had been burned up or had fallen down already. The loud cracking sounds of wood being broken and stone shattered did their turn through the ears of Rarity. It was in that moment that she gave it all up. There wouldn’t have been any kind of escape for her that time.

Fleur was right after all, her home would become her tomb. She just awaited the heavy parts of the building’s upper level and attic to fall down upon her and crush the little life that was still in her, out of her. Her magic wouldn't help since she wouldn't be able to catch up chunks of debris and guide them over safely. Rarity’s magic just wasn't that powerful to accomplish such tasks.

The unicorn curled her wings back up against her body while the tears of blood streamed down her cheeks and she closed her eyes. Tears of regret for everything that she had done in order to deserve the faith that would be upon her soon enough. The more tears she shed, the more she lost her knowledge of the world around her until only the raging and consuming sounds of the fires could be heard. But in the end, even those would fade away.

~~~~

All the way back in the house of her parents, it was Magnum who stood before the windows and watched the lights in the skies. “Honey, come to bed...” Pearl spoke up after she was woken up from her sleep thanks to the more visible lights. “It’s probably just another storm... Had many lately.”

“Another storm? On my backside. It seems like a house has been lit on fire for some reason,” the stallion replied to his beloved wife. Even though it was an insult spoken to her, Pearl knew that Magnum didn't mean it that way. He was just being cranky for needing to get out of his bed.

“I take it that you want to have a look over there then? Fine... be my guest and let yourself rain wet. But don’t come complaining by me when you are sick tomorrow,” mumbled Pearl before she turned herself around again. She faced the wall of the bedroom and closed her eyes again to get back to sleep. It was all she desired during the night, get some of her much needed rest.

“And go I shall. Night love,” he replied to her with a cocky grin. The stallion moved over to his wife and gave her a nuzzle through the mane before he left the room in silence. He would travel down to the front door and put on his jacket before he left the building as a whole. Magnum would figure out what had been set ablaze and possibly what happened. But nothing in the world could have prepared the loving father for just what was heading towards. As fast as his legs could carry him, he galloped through the rain and muddy pools to make the discovery of a lifetime.

The discovery of a lifetime that would be regretted within the first second he saw it.

~~~~

In the treelibrary of Ponyville had Twilight woken up due to all the commotion that could be heard on the streets and she hoisted herself up in her bed before she charged her horn a little bit. Under a loud yawn she opened one of the curtains and she saw the ball of light that was once the wonderful Carousel Boutique. In an instant did her eyes went wide while she gasped for air.

The mulberry unicorn just couldn't believe that what she saw and without a form of thought in her mind did she just rushed out of the bedroom. “No, no, no, no, no,” was all she could speak to herself. It was a miracle that Spike hadn’t woken up from all of it and just before she left, she wrote down a small note which said: Away for some time, don’t know when back, not more than a week.

Twilight found herself still repeating that simple word of ‘no’ to herself countless time. She left her home and galloped down the streets at full speed, not caring a bit about the rain. She could only pray that it would be something different but her worst fears got confirmed when she saw the ball of fire in her eyes. “This, this is just impossible!” she spoke up to herself before her eyes left the broken building and looked over for the police officer.

Luckily for her was the chief officer found quick after her arrival and she walked up to him. “Can I help you, miss?” the grey coated pegasus spoke with his kind voice as Twilight stood right in front of him with a confused look.

“Could, could you tell me what happened here?” she asked to him with a wondering twinkle in her eyes. Though it wasn't any kind of happy twinkle. Twilight had to know what happened.

The stallion wanted to say his words, but they were caught off by the cracking sound of pieces from the attic that crushed down to the upper level. The both of them simply stared in horror before Twilight poked him with her horn. The action shocked the officer out of his shock and he turned back to the mulberry unicorn. “Uhm, yes, well, as you can see, a massive fire emerged from within the building.”

“I can see that... Tell me, is, is Rarity alright?” she continued to ask through.

“Word had it she wasn't even home,” he replied as that was known to him.

Then Twilight’s eyes became as small as possible. Rarity never would have left without a note to her friends and that thought caused a chain reaction within Twilight. “She isn't in there!? She is in there! I just know she is!” she shouted to the officer in command.

“That might be so, but nopony can enter that raging inferno without protection!” the stallion replied as he tried to reason with her. But Twilight always had been the stubborn little unicorn. She just pushed the stallion aside and galloped over to the edge of the burning building without second thought. “Hey! Stop her!” he shouted.

On his command did the other police stallions made their way up to Twilight. Who in return charged up her horn and looked all of them with a skewering look. “Go ahead, make my day,” she spoke as her horn wasn't just charged with the normal magical aura she had, but was also sparking with energy. “I don’t care what happens to you, all I want is for my friend to be safe.”

Hearing and seeing the charge alone caused none of the officers to do something against her. For each of them knew just how powerful Twilight Sparkle could become since she was the very element of magic. All of them took careful steps back and away from her as they had the desire to live. The head of them all just growled a little bit to her before she spoke up to her. “Then go ahead! But make it quick, the building is about to give in and I don’t want to drag a body out of there!”

The unicorn smirked deep to herself and she released the charge of her horn. Which then created a bubble shield around her. A shield that would have drained her from her magic for certain, but it also would protect her from the fires and falling debris the building would be rich. The mare turned herself around and walked up to the half burned away front door of the building.

Twilight gave it a kick with all of her might and she then entered the hellish inferno. Her eyes gave themselves the time look around from the safe-haven of her bubble as she took the first steps further inside. The fires from Tartarus seemed to be a reality as they fell in the eyes of the mulberry unicorn. “Come on, come on, where are you?”

~~~~

The officer outside shook his head under a deep sigh. He knew the operation she had undertaken was a risk far greater than anything else on the night and he could only have prayed that what she said was true. That there indeed was still a pony inside. Of course it would be a bad reputation for him, but he was only doing his job. He didn't even knew he was being played by Fleur to begin with. As she was the real troublemaker of it all. In silence he prayed while barking out commands.

Through the rubble had Twilight maneuvered herself. She took note of the conditions the building was in. Her instinct told her to go to the living room of the building and that was that she followed almost blindly. The mare made her way passed the staircase that was leading up and she walked through the archway that led to the room.

The unicorn gave her eyes once again the time to spot everything and in the corner next to her was something. Her eyes went wide as she had found the pony was looking for. As quickly as she was allowed did Twilight made her way over to the hump. Vaguely she could make out the silhouette of Rarity and the tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks. In the moment she was so happy that she had found her friend, that she overlooked the injuries Rarity had gotten.

Blinded by her happiness had Twilight pulled the vampony into her shield. Though the moment the vampiric mare was inside did the sound of more support beams breaking off do its turn through her ears. Twilight looked up to the ceiling in order to inspect the damage.

But what her eyes caught was a crack that went over the whole ceiling. A crack that wouldn’t hold it out for that much longer. “Oh no,” she mumbled before her attention turned back to a half burned Rarity. If she didn't got out of the burning boutique quick enough, the entire upper floor and the attic would have fallen down on them and crush them almost with an eerie certain.

~~~~

When Magnum arrived at the scene and caught the fires with his own eyes, he was just horrified by them to say the least. The building where his oldest daughter lived in was set on fire for some unknown reason. It wasn’t just a small fire, but a massive bonfire that couldn’t be stopped. “Im-Impossible,” he mumbled to himself before he looked over to the firefighters. He could of course go on a rampage against them, as well as against the police that was present but it wouldn't get him anywhere and he knew that too well. They were just doing their job and more they couldn't do.

In his eyes he caught the officer walking back to the vehicle the firefighters came with in order to join the two doctors. With the questions soaring through his mind, Magnum simply needed to know what happened. Even though the chance was there they would lie against him to keep him on the positive side of thought. “E-Excuse me gentlecolts, but do you happen to know what, or better said, who was still inside?” he managed to bring out as he looked to the three of them.

Surprisingly enough it was one of the doctors who decided to talk. For not only had he treated Fleur but he also had seen Twilight entering the building. “What I know, is that one pinkish maned mare had left the building through the window and then left after checkups.”

“Fleur...” Magnum spoke up in a soft tone. He knew the description. “Fleur Dis Lee, she, she was my daughter’s caretaker during her illness and coworker. Where, where is my daughter!?”

“Easy sir!” the officer interrupted before things could get out of control with them. “What does she look like?”

“Ivory coat, purple mane, sapphire blue rimmed eyes! That enough for you?” Magnum snarled to the three of them.

“We,” the doctor spoke up again.

“Yes?”

“We saw another unicorn entering the building. Mulberry coat, the element of magic.”

And at the sheer mentioning of the element, some of the wires inside the head of the white coated unicorn father snapped. For something didn't seem to be adding up what so ever in his mind. “You know the element of magic almost right away but the home of generosity you don’t!? What kind of...” Magnum wanted to curse them all the coat full, but that wouldn't give him his daughter back. Instead he turned himself around and galloped over to the burning building.

“Next time, just keep yourselves quiet, will you?” the officer spoke up in a silent tone towards the doctor and then left himself.

~~~~

“Rarity!” the stallion shouted towards the inferno. “Rarity can you hear me?! It’s your father! Please, say something, anything!” But with the size and power of the flames had Magnum little hope and held desperately on that what he still had. He was about to lose his mind and both his youngest daughter and wife weren't even there. They were peacefully asleep in their warm beds.

“Sir! You can’t get any closer!” the officer spoke before he pushed the desperate father back with a wing. “I know how you feel, but you need to listen to me, and listen carefully!”

“You don’t know how it feels to lose a daughter! Now let me go!” Magnum countered before he was forcefully pushed back.

“I do!” the officer shouted in return.

And then there fell a sudden calm between the two. A calm that came forth from their hearts as they synced together . They both went through the same ordeal at one point or another. But the moment that could have been something beautiful in its own manner, was brutally taken from them.

For the cracking, screeching and deafening sound of the second floor that gave in filled the skies. The two stallions turned their heads to the building and looked horrified towards it. For neither of them could have believed what was really happening.

Magnum just pushed the wing away and time slowed down in his mind. He set his hooves on the ground and watched the remainders of the building falling down towards the ground. “No,” was all he could say before the sadness took over both his body and mind.

Comments

[Zodiacspear]

Things are beginning to move. Seems Twilight is acting on the information she received from the stranger some chapters back. Let's see if friendship will win the day once again.

Or will all fall to darkness I wonder?

Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

[Echo Night]

Oooo~ I cant wait!!

[Rarity Belle]

5531023 0-o Now that is a first one, even for me. I'm glad that you enjoy the story, but I never would have expected that a mother also would enjoy it. Today, marks the day of a great achievement.

[Crescent Glaive]

What i have learned about you rarity belle is that you are skilled in keeping your readers wanting more

[Rarity Belle]

5544379 And I consider that a very good thing my dear.