//------------------------------// // Beautiful Lies // Story: A Wandering Soul // by Kingsley //------------------------------// Chapter 6: Beautiful Lies Lilith, just like every morning, was asleep in bed. She was woken up when she heard the door downstairs open. She got out of bed and went downstairs to see that Twilight had finally returned. "Hi, Mom!" Lilith exclaimed. "You're finally back! Is everything alright?" "Oh, good morning Lilith...Yes everything is alright," Twilight said. "I'm just a bit tired from being out all night..." "Then, you should get some sleep, I know you have a lot on your mind right now, but you can't force yourself," Lilith said. "Come on, I'll help you into bed." "Thanks Lilith...Maybe you're right, a little break from all this is sure to calm my nerves," Twilight said. Lilith walked Twilight upstairs and helped her into the top bunk. Just as Twilight was about to lie down, they heard someone knocking on the door downstairs. "Don't worry, I'll get it," Lilith said. Lilith walked downstairs and opened the door. She was happy to be greeted by none other than her friends. "Hi Lilith!" Scootaloo said. "Are ya busy today?" "We thought we'd come and get you so we could all head over to Sweet Apple Acres and play some games in the orchard!" Applebloom said. "Yeah! Doesn't that sound like fun?" Sweetie Belle said. "I'd love to come you guys, but my mom hasn't been feeling well lately, so I think I'll stay home today," Lilith said. "Awww, are you sure?" Scootaloo asked. "Yea, I'm really sorry you guys, maybe next ti-" Lilith said, pausing mid sentence. "No!...Go with them...That orange pony knows too much... she already suspects it's you..." the voices said. "Go with your friends...take this chance to silence her once and for all..." Lilith stood there with her eyes closed and rubbed her head in discomfort. "Hey, Lilith? You alright?" Scootaloo asked. "Huh? What?" Lilith said. "Oh, um, yeah...Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about it." "Well, I guess we'll hang out some other time then, see ya later Lilith," Applebloom said, turning to walk away with her fellow crusaders. "W-Wait!" Lilith said. "On second thought... I don't think my mom would mind if I went out. I'd be happy to join you guys!" "Really!? Great!" Scootaloo said. "Just let me go and tell her I'm going out," Lilith said. "Alright, we'll wait here for you," Sweetie Belle said. Lilith turned around and walked upstairs to tell Twilight of her departure. "Hey, Mom?" Lilith asked. "Are you awake?" "Hmm? What is it, Lilith?" Twilight said. "Who was at the door?" "It was Sweetie Belle and the others. I was wondering if I could go out and play with them for a bit," Lilith said. "Of course you can, just be careful okay? There's still a killer on the loose somewhere..." Twilight said. "I'll be alright," Lilith said. "I'll see you later okay?" "Okay, have fun," Twilight said. Lilith walked back downstairs and joined her friends. "You ready?" Scootaloo said. "Yep!" Lilith said. "Let's go!" Lilith closed the door to the library and the four friends proceeded to go to Sweet Apple Acres. On their way over there, they passed by the Carousal Boutique and Lilith overheard a conversation from the inside. She peered in through the window, only to see Rarity and Applejack talking. "...I can't believe it's Lilith whose been killing everyone..." Rarity said. "It's gotta be, who else could it be?" Applejack said. "I don't know...It just seems so unlikely...A small little filly, such as herself, is a murderer?" Rarity said. "That's why it's the perfect cover, no one would ever suspect her..." Applejack said. "Well, she can't fool me... there's no doubt in my mind that it's her, we just gotta find a way to get Twilight to believe us..." "If you say so..." Rarity said. "Well I gotta run a few errands first, I'll be done in about an hour or so," Applejack said. "Come to meeting place when you're ready." "Alright, I'll be there." Rarity said. Applejack walked out of the building, oblivious to Lilith's presence, she continued on into town. Lilith, thinking about what to do next, found herself in a very bad situation. She had to find out about this "meeting place" that Applejack talked about. "Hey! Lilith! What are you doing back there?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Come on! Hurry up so we can go!" "Um...you three go on ahead, I need to do something first," Lilith said. "I promise I'll catch up with you." "If you say so," Sweetie Belle said. "Come on guys." Sweetie Belle and the others continued down to Sweet Apple Acres, leaving Lilith behind. "This is bad...You have to stop them from meeting up...It'll mean the end for you..." the voices said. "Go inside...Get the information out of the white unicorn..." Lilith's eyes flickered between "normal" and psychotic. She then approached the door to the Carousal Boutique to confront Rarity. "Welcome to Carousal Boutique!... How may I help yo-" Rarity said. "O-Oh... Lilith...Why, hello there darling! Is there something that you needed?..." "I just wanted to see if you're...Alright is all," Lilith said. "You know with there being a killer on the loose and what not..." "Oh...Yes, thank you...I appreciate you checking up on me...It really means a lot!" Rarity said, nervously. "So tell me Rarity...Who do you think is the killer?" Lilith asked. "W-Who do I think?...Well, um, you see...I...I don't really have an idea at the moment actually..." Rarity said, slowly backing up. "It... could be anyone, you know?" "Really?...I don't think you're being entirely honest with me..." Lilith said, walking closer to Rarity. "W-What ever do you mean darling? I honestly don't have the slightest idea..." Rarity said. "Oh, I hope you're not lying to me...Bad things happen to ponies who lie to me..." Lilith said, giggling to herself and her horn starting to glow. "W-What are you doing...Lilith I-" Rarity said, as she was knocked unconscious from a whack to the head from behind with an object that Lilith was holding up with her magic. Lilith dragged Rarity's body into her bedroom and locked the door behind her. Throwing her body on the bed and tying each of her hooves to a corner, leaving her body stretched out. After about ten minutes, Rarity started to regain consciousnesses and through her blurred vision, looked around at her surroundings. The room was dark, windows had been blocked so no sunlight could reach inside. The only illumination was a few candles placed around the room. "Ugh...My head...What happened?" Rarity asked, trying to move her arms and legs, but to no avail. "W-What the...What is this!? Where am I!?" "Why, you're in your bedroom of course..." Lilith said, walking forward from the shadows. "Are you comfortable?" "Comfortable? Y-You've tied me to my bed! How could I be comfortable!?" Rarity yelled. "Oh...That's too bad...and after I went through such trouble to make sure you were..." Lilith said, turning around and walking towards a chest. "Applejack was right...It was you the entire time..." Rarity said. "Yes... I'm sure that's quite obvious now, isn't it?..." Lilith said, opening the chest which contained a bunch of jewels. "W-What are you going to do to me..." Rarity said. Lilith reached inside the chest and picked up a diamond-shaped amethyst. She turned around to look at Rarity, her eyes transformed once more, completely blackened with small, blood-red pupils. "I just want you to talk is all..." Lilith said, walking towards Rarity and sitting next to her. "My goodness...Those eyes of yours...What are you?..." Rarity asked. Lilith giggled to herself. "That's not important...I want you to tell me where you're meeting with Applejack..." Lilith said, playing with the amethyst in her hooves. "Why?...So you can maim her too!?" Rarity asked. "Precisely...See, you catch on fast..." Lilith said. "Forget it! I'd rather you take my life right here and now then sell out one of my friends!" Rarity said. Lilith stopped playing, she held the amethyst in both hooves and stared at it. "Oh...That's a shame...I was really hoping we could do this the easy way..." Lilith said. Lilith stood up and showed Rarity the amethyst. "Look...It matches your mane...So beautifully..." Lilith said, taking the amethyst and shoving it through Rarity's right eye, gouging it out and splattering blood everywhere. Rarity screamed at the top of her lungs, the pain was excruciating. She had never felt anything so unbearable before. "Scream all you want...I've casted a spell around this room specifically...No one is coming to you're rescue..." Lilith said. "The sooner you talk, the sooner this will all be over for you..." "I...I'd never sell out my friends...Never..." Rarity said. "Then, let's test that shall we?..." Lilith said, getting another amethyst from the chest and returning to Rarity. "I wonder just how much you can take..." Lilith shoved the amethyst in Rarity's stomach, slowly cutting it all around. Rarity screamed in agony, tears rushing down her face as blood flew out of her body with every cut. "Ready to talk yet?..." Lilith asked. "I...I won't..." Rarity said. "Hmm, suit yourself...I can make this as slow as possible..." Lilith said. "Oh... I just got an idea..." Lilith brought the amethyst back down to her stomach and started to cut deeper. "Why don't we take a look inside of you..." Lilith said, starting to cut Rarity's torso open. Every cut Lilith made caused Rarity to scream even louder. It was just too much for the unicorn to handle. "A-Alright! Alright! I'll talk! Just please stop! I-I can't take anymore!..." Rarity yelled, sobbing. "That's the response I was looking for..." Lilith said, withdrawing the amethyst from Rarity's body. "Now... where are you meeting her?..." "...We promised to meet in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres in exactly one hour... She wanted to discuss of ways to persuade Twilight..." Rarity said. Lilith became angry, grabbing Rarity's mane and pulling her head towards her. "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME! I'LL MAKE SURE SHE NEVER LEAVES MY SIDE!" Lilith yelled, releasing Rarity's mane and exhaling. "...Anyway...Thank you for the information..." "So...Are you going to...Let me go now?" Rarity said. "I-I've told you everything I know!" "Let you go? My dear, if I let you go you'll just go on and blab all this to mother..." Lilith said. "No...No I'm afraid I can't let that happen." "P-Please! I promise I won't say anything! I don't want to die yet! Please don't kill me!" Rarity cried. "Oh, how I wish I could believe you...But, unfortunately for you...Your time is up," Lilith said. "Tell you what...Because you were...Somewhat cooperative with me...I'll make you're death quick and painless." Lilith held the amethyst in her hood, jumped up on the bed and stood over Rarity's body. She then held Rarity's head still with one hoof and placed the amethyst on her neck with the other. "N-No! Please don't do this! I promise! I promise I won't say anything! Don't kill m-" Rarity said, interrupted. "Goodbye Rarity..." Lilith said, driving the amethyst across Rarity's neck and slitting her throat. Rarity's head fell back as her lifeless body laid there, blood pouring out of her neck. Lilith set the amethyst on her chest and jumped down to the ground, wiping off whatever blood she got on herself. "Now...Head to Sweet Apple Acres...Time is of the essence..." the voices said. Lilith's eyes had returned to "normal", but since she still had her mindset on murdering another, she remained in her psychotic state as she left the building and headed down to Sweet Apple Acres. When she arrived, she noticed the CMC sitting next to the barn, all bored waiting for her. "There you are!" Scootaloo said. "We've been waiting forever! Where were you!?" "S-Sorry guys... Rarity wanted me to help her with something...I thought it'd be quick, but it took a bit longer than I expected..." Lilith said. "Yeah, my sister tends to do that a lot. It's alright though!" Sweetie Belle said. "The point is you're here now! So what should we do?" The three fillies started to discuss what activity they would do next. Lilith looked back and noticed Applejack arriving at the gates. "H-Hey guys! I got an idea, why don't we play some hide-and-seek?" Lilith said. "I'll count while you guys hide." "Alright!" Sweetie Belle said. "Sounds like a plan to me!" Scootaloo said. "Mhmm!" Applebloom said. "Okay then...Here we go!" Lilith said. "1...2...3..." Scootaloo and the others flustered around and took off to find hiding spots off in the orchards. Lilith stopped counting and looked around to make sure they were gone. She peered around the corner and noticed Applejack getting closer, so she ran around to the back entrance and went inside the barn. It was windy outside and dark clouds could be seen coming in from the distance. Lilith waited inside until the barn doors crept open...And the orange pony that she had been waiting for came walking in. Applejack, who was expecting Rarity, was in complete dismay when she came face-to-face with the one she'd hope to expose. "Lilith!? What in the world are you doing here!?" Applejack asked. "How did you even kno-" "Applejack..." Lilith said, using her magic to close the door behind Applejack. "It's so good to finally see you...Why don't we have a little chat...?"