Faust sat at the table and slowly sipped some of the divine tea as she watched Cozy Glow in amusement. The little pegasus sat across from her, launching a barrage of questions. “If her life began at that moment, why does everypony mention her being responsible for their cutiemarks?"
“Wait, does she even remember her previous life?” “
"Why can’t I see your entire face?”
“Is it bad that story made me feel energized?”
As Cozy Glow finally took a breath. The celestial alicorn laughed and set down her teacup. “How about we start with your first question. The answer can be summed up in a single word; Hazel. My sister is a master of emotions and memory manipulation. She takes great pride in it, actually.”
Stopping for a moment to sip her tea with a smirk, Faust continued. “She pretty much rewrote the Equestrian history everypony remembered.”
Cozy Glow’s eyes widened. Faust’s voice was flowery as she finished. “It was quite impressive to observe in action, to be honest.”
“As for the next question…”
The voice of Faust dropped like a stone. Her tone grew somber, and Cozy Glow felt the actual urge to cry hearing the deadpan words. “She does. Every moment, every action; she knows what she did and...what she lost.”
Cozy Glow took a relaxing sip of her juice box. The soothing taste of apple juice flooded her with icy comfort, relieving her dry throat, as Faust continued. “She will never forget, nor will the others. She carries her scars as a means to fuel her drive. Because of that, her conviction has not and never will waver. Every night…”
Cozy Glow found herself nervously chewing on the bendy straw of her juice box as the conversational atmosphere grew darker. “She relives her past, frame for frame, unable to ever forget.”
Gently using her hoof to muss her mane for a moment, Faust settled down and ruffled her wings before continuing. Her voice suddenly flowery and warm once more. “As for you feeling excited and ‘energized’-”
She gave a soft giggle as she continued. “From such a sorrowful tale, I wouldn’t see it as bad. True the tale is dark and depressing but to feel a surge of inspiration when she declared her conviction to help others, simply means you have made a connection with what Rainbow Dash went through. Cozy Glow, you have gained an empathetic respect for who she is as you know her.”
The horn of Faust glowed as a new juice box appeared before the young filly. “Here you go, my dear. Cozy never be ashamed to understand another, always seek to make a connection. Tell me, what of my face is visible to you?”
Pausing in her struggle to insert the bendy straw into her new juice box, Cozy Glow looked at the celestial alicorn. “Just the right side of your smile, your majesty.”
“Then there is still so much more to learn. When you have finished that juice box, head back over to the books. Your next lesson awaits, along with the greatest of rewards.”
***
Cozy Glow couldn’t explain it, but she felt a desire to know more about the others, within her. Once more laying on her side, she pulled a book out at random from the small stack and read the title: Rarity.
Cozy Glow found herself amidst a rather gruesome scene just a few pages in:
Her mother lay in the hospital bed screaming as she held the tiny foal tightly as if to shield it. Nearby her husband lay still upon the ground, his throat slashed and his eyes forever unseeing. The two masked intruders moved towards the hospital bed and in a raspy voice one of them snarled. “Give us the foal and we will forgive your debt-”
Gesturing to the mutilated body of her husband, the figure continued.”Or refuse and join him. Either way we WILL claim what you owe us, wench.”
Cozy Glow watched as the mare refused to hand over her daughter. “No! You can’t take her! I won’t let you have Rarity!”
The tiny pegasus watched in morbid horror as the mare had her foal snatched from her grasp and the masked figure rended her jugular in a spray of red. “You were warned, mare. Let’s go, we got what we came here for. Leave these fools for the worms. The boss is waiting.”
For the next few years, Cozy Glow observed the little unicorn grow into a fully trained assassin for the local mob. Tortured beyond her limits and then some, starved, beaten and degraded in every possible way; she grew to have suppressed emotions. She was cold, calculating, and a perfectionist. Once given her target from the age of four, she never failed to take down her mark. Life meant nothing to her, and she expressed no concern taking another’s.
After hundreds upon hundreds of victims, Cozy Glow made a curious observation. Rarity was a well-honed killer but when she was ordered to interrogate a captive, she would exhibit a strange habit. Trotting up to the latest captive to be interrogated, Rarity took one second to stop and observe the wounds, burns and scars adorning the struggling mare. One second later, Rarity leaned close and whispered into the mare;s ear. “You’ve suffered enough. Rest now.”
She then withdrew her beloved knife, crimson red from the mare’s insides, as the victim’s head fell forward and the light faded from her eyes. The boss who had been watching demanded to know why Rarity had terminated the witness. She spoke softly, but her words rang through out the darkened room chilling all present to the bone. “I was being generous, that’s all.”
As silence filled the room and the boss stared on in disbelief, Rarity spoke once more. “If that is all, I have a playmate to eliminate.”
She trotted towards the door, no emotion on her face, and no tremor in her step. Cozy Glow observed that this would happen each and every time. Years passed, and Rarity had quickly risen through the ranks till she was none other than the personal assassin to the boss; her abilities considered bar none the best. Knocking on the door, Rarity heard the familiar ‘come in’ that she was used to and began trotting through the door. “Target elim-”
Her knife had left its sheath as she stopped talking and quickly turned to block the slicing strike of a knife-wielder. Metal struck metal as Rarity glanced once again at the desk to see her boss, the stallion who raised her, lying there deceased and completely eviscerated. She had noticed it immediately as her first hoof had entered the room; this however was not what angered her.
Rairty didn’t have much in this world. With her knife, she had developed her own method and style of dispatching a target; she would carve a triple-diamond shaped symbol upon their right forehoof as a signature mark. She had seen the familiar symbol carved into her boss’s right forehoof as it lay draped across the desk, almost as if intentionally mocking her.
Cozy Glow watched as her emotionless state faded and Rarity began to tremble. The unicorn’s eyes glazed over with the crimson haze of uninhibited rage. The pegasus filly felt a pang of sadness for the wanton killer; the one thing she had in life that was hers and hers alone, had been stolen from her.
Her finesse was gone. Her swings were wild as she lashed out in anger. “HOW DARE YOU?"
Her attacker remained silent behind the mask, calmly parrying and dodging the swings. Rarity screamed like a wounded animal. “WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT?”
Cozy Glow watched, wincing, as a triple diamond appeared on Rarities foreleg severing the tendon and forcing her to drop the blade in pain. “ArrrggggGHHHH!”
The attacker stood over Rarity’s prone form as they plunged the blade into her. “You ask what gives me the right.”
As the light drained from Rarity’s face the assailant removed the mask. It was a female unicorn who was almost a mirror image of her, aside from the mane and being slightly younger. “You generously took my family from me while I cowered nearby. As a thank you, I am generously taking everything from you including your identity. Mine is the last name you will ever know, hear it well. Sweetie Belle!”
Suddenly both Cozy Glow and Rarity were in another setting; the void Cozy Glow currently called home. “Welcome home, my child.”
Immediately Rarity went defensive; she stood and took a stance as if preparing to counter any assault. “Who’s there? Where am I? Holding me hostage will get you nowhere! You’ll get nothing from me!”
The celestial alicorn slowly shimmered into view. “My name-”
As her wings materialized, followed by her luxurious burgundy mane and tail appeared she continued. “Is Faust, and you-”
Her wings flared dramatically as the rest of her appeared. “Are in the hereafter, my child.”
“Wait, what are you-”
The horn on Faust’s head began to glow and from it a window appeared showing Rarity’s still form in a puddle of crimson red, where the fight had taken place. Rarity’s face took on a look of pure defeat. Her voice reflected her hopelessness. “You mean...I lost?”
Lowering her wings, the alicorn nodded and spoke in a gentle tone. “That phase of your life has ended, though your story itself may not be over just yet.”
Still reeling from the sight of her own corpse, Rarity asked again, perhaps she thought she hadn’t heard right. “So that’s me and I’m-”
“Yes my daughter, you are no longer amongst the living.”
“Then that means you are the-”
“Yes, I am the one you cried to.”
Rarity narrowed her eyes in anger. Was this really her? And, being an assassin, why would she come to me, someone who had killed countless ponies in cold blood? These thoughts were stamped across her facial expression as She angrily slammed down her hoof and shouted out. “Whoever is behind this bad taste in humor, I will gut yo-”
“There is no joke here, assassin. Your time has ended and you now face judgement.”
The voice was not warm or gentle. It was filled with the harsh iciness of truth; brutal and unfiltered. A moment later the ashen gray alicorn who had spoken stepped into sight. “I suggest you listen to my sister, or you will face my wrath young one.”
Cozy Glow watched as Rarity glared at the alicorn in defiance. “And who are you? You don’t seem very intimidating.”
At once a harsh, grating laughter erupted from the gray alicorn. As Faust placed her hoof to her face in disgust, she said softly. “You shouldn’t have said that.”
“I’m not scary am I, I see-”
At that moment the alicorn’s horn glowed crimson red, and her body began to change, rapidly. Tendrils of flame erupted from her as she morphed into a fiery unholy creature. Fangs and glowing eyes, appeared on the flesh, as the unicorn before the creature froze in mortal fear. A flaming tendril grabbed her and held her by her hoof above one of the mouths. “TELL ME MORTAL, AM I SCARY NOW?”
“Sister…Enough teasing. Set her down so we can continue or….”
Cozy Glow began to tremble as Faust, still speaking in the same warm voice seemed to cause the air around her to grow icy. “You’ll face MY wrath, Hazel.”
At once, Rarity and Hazel were sitting side by side.The former was shaking from fear staring not at Hazel but Faust. The latter was in her alicorn form apologizing profusely. “Sorry sister, I -”
“Enough. It is over, let us move on. Rarity this being is my sister, Hazel, though you probably know her by less desirable names. As you can see, she takes pride in her ability to harness the darkness. Please be more mindful of that so we don’t have any more mishaps.”
Rarity took a deep breath and spoke in a more careful manner than before. “Forgive me, Hazel. I was wrong you are very horrifying.”
Spreading her wings in a curtsy, Hazel smiled. “Why, thank you.”
The wings of Faust slowly lowered once more and after a slight ruffle, she spoke once again. “Now then, Rarity I believe you have an understanding of your situation-”
Noticing the frantic nodding of the unicorn, Faust continued. “That’s wonderful so let us continue, preferably without any more-”
Suddenly she turned to glare at her sister, causing Hazel to shiver. “Silliness.”
Hazel lowered her head in shame, as Faust turned towards Rarity once more. “My daughter, you have ventured quite far from the Path of Harmony. As such, normally your path would lead you to her-”
Gesturing a feathery wing towards her sister, Faust continued in her warm, motherly voice. “Domain. However, I have observed an, shall we say interesting trait, during your misadventures.”
Shaking her head and mumbling as though still unable to fathom what was going on, Rarity asked her. “Alright...so I’m here and there is no way to get out of here...all right, Darling. I’ll bite, What kind of trait?”
Cozy Glow watched in anticipation as Faust eyed the unicorn disdainfully before opening her muzzle to speak. “That’s-”
At that moment Hazel rushed forward and slapped Rarity. Her voice was filled with venom. “You insolent little - Have you not yet understood your current situation? You are dead. You are deceased. You were stabbed in the heart! You, who have fallen from grace stand before the literal deities you, yourself cried out to. Show some- no, you know what? I’ve had enough...Faust I need to show our guest something, it won’t take long.”
The celestial alicorn spoke calmly, but her voice carried her annoyance. “One minute and not one second more Hazel. I shall await your return.”
As Hazel wrapped a wing around the rather confused soul, Faust slowly counted out loud “One..Two.."
Cozy Glow watched in growing curiosity as the counting continued while the two vanished from sight. “Four….Five…”
As she counted, the celestial alicorn created a a dining table and adorned it with some fresh brewed tea. “48….49….”
Decorating the table with three plates, she didn’t miss a beat. “56...57….”
As a large cake appeared on the table, her sister and Rarity reappeared. Rarity shivered as she glanced at Faust and slowly approached her. The alicorn noticed her and smiled gently. “I take it, we won’t have any more insolence, my daughter?”
“Did you really…”
Ignoring the question, Faust gestured to the table. “Sit. Both of you.”
As the two took their seat, Faust spoke once more as she had before all the interruptions. “I noticed a unique aspect to your...shall we say...wayward ventures. While presented with an unarmed adversary you-”
Her horn glowed and a window appeared showing a slideshow of every victim Rarity had claimed. “Would avoid inflicting any...unnecessary...injuries. I wish to know why. Please explain yourself.”
Rarity’s words were spoken more carefully than before. Cozy Glow listened to the subtle ‘need to please’ tone in her voice. “I was an assassin, not a torturer, my job was to swiftly eliminate another. Nothing more to it, really.”
Hazel and Faust shared a glance and Hazel smirked seeing her sister smile. As her sister reached for her slice of cake, Faust remarked casually towards Rarity. “And yet you spoke a blessing on their behalf.”
Rarity’s eyes widened for a moment, though she quickly regained her composure, continuing to chew her cake though more slowly. “And?”
“Words of sanctity reflect the soul and echo in my ears, my daughter.”
Without batting an eye, the unicorn replied tonelessly. “Words are just words.”
As she took a small sip of tea, Faust’s horn began to glow. “Indeed. Words are just words. Perhaps I was simply mistaken.”
Cozy Glow found herself next to Rarity standing before a tied up captive. The captive, the young pegasus observed, had been razed with electrical shocks and pounded by hooves to a bruised and battered form. Rarity leaned forward as she drove the knife into the tortured soul. Whispering in the unfortunate souls ear. “You’ve suffered enough. She never answered my prayers, but I hope when you see her, your suffering will be over. Sleep now and go to Faust.”
Beside her Cozy Glow heard a gasp and saw Rarity’s soul watching the flashback. “This...means nothing. Just empty words.”
In a flash both Cozy and Rarity stood observing a scene where Rarity stood before a gang. The unicorn was no more than 7 years old and in her hooves she held two knives. Off to the side her guardians lay battered, broken and barely breathing. “You WILL NOT hurt my family! As Faust is my witness I WILL KILL YOU!”
Rarity’s soul watched her first instance of dispatching her foes. Ducking, dodging, rolling and slicing; she was dancing with her blades as the tears fell. As the last gang member fell to the ground, spraying crimson from his chest. The tiny filly dealt the killing blow and immediately ran to her guardians to check them.
Cozy observed the soul of Rarity stammer at this display. “I-I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Scene after this type of scene played out, hundreds if not thousands of times until finally Rarity and Cozy Glow found themselves observing her final fight. As Rarity fell to the floor and lay still, the assailant named Sweetie Belle leaned down and whispered to her. “I don’t hate you. I thought I did, and I wanted you to pay for your crimes.”
Slowly, Sweetie Belle’s eyes traced the form of the scars on Rarity’s body.“Now, though, as I look at you, I can see your pain. Your scars and burns from being tortured, I see them and I hurt for you.”
Her eyes clouded over as she began to cry and held the still form to her chest. “I’ve taken your life in rage, but in your passing, I pray for your soul to be at peace. May you hurt no more.”
In a flash Rarity was back at the table once more as Cozy hovered observing nearby. Faust spoke softly to the wide-eyed alabaster unicorn. “Tell me, my daughter, are those words spoken from the heart ever just words?”
“I-”
The alicorn got up and gave her a warm hug whispering softly. “Did you ever really want anycreature to suffer?”
“No…”
Rarity began to cry and from her came a primal scream before she let it all out, unashamed. “I never wanted anypony to suffer! I was forced to take the lives of others. It was either that or I myself would perish! I told myself it was the only way, I told myself that if I had to do it I could at least make it painless as possible! I claimed to them and myself it was me being generous. I wanted to save those I could, I never wanted to inflict pain against anypony!”
As those feathers wrapped her in a warm and loving embrace, Faust whispered in sadness. “What if you could save another, even if meant losing everything?”
Rarity began to shake. “I w-would do it.”
Releasing her from the hug, Faust said calmly. “Even if you were raised once more only to perish again?”
Glancing down in anguish Rarity began. “I-I-I wou-would…”
Her voice faltered, and Faust leaned down to gently nuzzle her. “My daughter, generosity is a rare trait, though it shows much versatility how it is used. Talking to someone you don’t want to and listening to their side, or perhaps laying your life down for another. Both are acts of generosity. Giving something away for a discount or perhaps willingly parting with it for free. There are many forms of this element; though-”
Raising a wing to gesture at a terrified Sweetie Belle who had appeared within a swirling vortex, Faust continued. “Should I give you the chance to show such a generous side of you or shouldn’t I? That is something you must decide for yourself.”
Rarity stared at the figure fleeing for her life, within seconds she would be caught and easily overwhelmed. “What’s her story?”
Looking amused, Faust preened a wing as she said. “You both have quite a bit in common. Her pain wasn’t from torture to become desensitized, rather it came from torture until she...agreed to create life...shall we say. She had lost all hope of escaping, that she fell to loving her captors; that is until you showed up.”
Rarity was shocked. “Me...what do you mean?”
Faust’s eyes filled with tears as she explained. “Your targets as you call them, were her...slavers. That night as she cowered there she saw a light; a way out. True she hated you for taking her ‘family’ as she saw them, however deep down she also admired you. -”
The alicorn let out a sudden laugh. “In her own twisted form of admiration, she desired to learn your techniques, even styled her fur as well as mane and tail in your style.”
“I never wanted that style to be influential, though.”
Looking at her Faust asked gently. “Oh? And what style would you have rather been inspired by you?”
Rarity looked embarrassed as she spoke. “Whenever I would invade a noble’s house, I saw the most amazing of dresses and outfits. I always...fantasized about designing such...things.”
“I see, I’ll be sure to remember that. Back to the matter at hoof. That young mare saw you as a, somewhat, big sister to impress. Though she did...slay you...deep down and even now as she runs, she hoped you would be proud of her.”
Rarity smiled. “Well then, what kind of sister would I be not to help my sibling without a thought? Send me there, even if I die, I’ll protect my weird little sister.”
“That is the answer I was waiting for, my Element of Generosity.”
At that moment, Cozy Glow found herself inside a strange wooden building. The interior looked so familiar and then she heard it. She saw Rarity standing there designing a dress as Twilight and Spike stood before her. Cozy Glow noticed once again, no wings on the princess. “Dah-ling what happened to your hair?”
***
Cozy Glow turned the page and saw once again the letters A.H. Closing the book, she glanced over at the table. She saw Faust gesturing with her wing, calling her over with a smile. She could now see the teal of the alicorn's right eye. “Shall we review, my daughter?”