//------------------------------// // 48 There is no place like home // Story: Blood Curse Boutique // by Rarity Belle //------------------------------// Rarity soared through the skies like a pegasus. The wonderful light of the moon shone right through the translucent purple skin that was in the wings. Which on their turn cast a wonderful yet scary play of light on the ground. Two spots of purple light that traveled along the pathways which were leading to the city. Though the play had one major disadvantage that came with it as it revealed where she was in the skies. Not that she cared much for it though. She was on the hunt and wouldn’t stop for anything. Somepony would pay deep for the crimes that were committed. In order to counter that did the mare took refuge in the higher skies the more she moved closer to the lands capital. Rarity moved through the clouds and for the first time ever she got to know just what clouds truly were as she blinked at the discovery. She raced through them and some of the core material entered her mouth. “Cotton candy?” she spoke out loud before her eyes crossed themselves a little bit and she spit out whatever had entered. Her tongue left her mouth in an attempt to lose the rest as she wasn't a fan of the flavor. “Now everything is getting too crazy around here,” she muttered after a couple spits were done to get the taste out of her mouth. The unicorn shook her head again in an attempt to get her priorities straight and continued on to fly for a couple more minutes. Though then there was the terrible pain which jolted into the joints of her wings. The action alone was enough to make wince in midair. “B-Bloody hell,” she muttered to herself. With a careful look of her eyes she made her descend towards the ground. She never flapped her wings again and used them for something they were truly good for. Which was the very act of gliding. Rarity’s only hopes were that the pain didn't became worse and that there was nopony on the ground that could see her coming. Luck managed to find itself on her side once again as the pain didn't got worse but only because she didn't even dare to flap them. Rarity safely managed to glide her way over to the ground with the only true trouble she met was the wind that worked against her. Even though the pain didn't become worse for her. Yet with each hoof she descended, there was a shot of pain went through her body. Her eyes rose themselves up to the moon before she released a deep and forced sigh through her nose. She allowed her face to bath in its magical light. All in an attempt to soothe the pain just enough to make it bearable. ~~~~   Rarity found herself panting deep against herself after she had set her hooves on the solid ground once again. There was she treated with one last shot of pain. It traveled all they through her body which made her bend through both her hind- and forelegs. It was strong enough for her to close her eyes forcefully under the sounds of a dark hiss of pain. The pain was something unbearable for the unicorn and she could only pray it would leave soon again. “Graw, you bloody idiot that you are! You knew you could never fly for that long. But what do you do, you just rocket off like that,” spoke Rarity to herself through the pain in an attempt to ease it a little bit. She blamed it all on herself. That was the only thing that she could have done. In the end was also her who had caused it to begin with. The pain died off once again and the unicorn brought her wings up to her face. Just to stretch them a little bit. While the bones inside of them all snapped in their places had Rarity released a couple moans and groans in response to it. Then she would have curled them back up around her body. Thus they created the infamous nightgown she was forced to wear. The unicorn had tried to fly in the past, though every attempt did result in her just getting the terrible pain in her back. The sockets to where the wings would have connected to the body were there, but they never had developed themselves further due to the vampiric state. A state in which the aging process was stopped or progresses much slower. Which meant that a long surgery would be the thing she required in order to have any ability to maintain long flights with her wings. Though she wasn’t too keen on the surgical part. Never had been and never would be. Yet it was the mystical art of gliding with them which happened to be something she did had perfected over the months. It was one of the easiest things to do for her with them. All she had to do was to jump and spread her wing before the wind did the rest for her. Within the air she only would have to steer and she was almost like the batponies. So silent, so calm and just as deadly. But with the events that happened in Cloudsdale long ago, she never found herself comfortable in the vast emptiness of the skies. Ever since she plummeted down to the ground after her butterfly wings got burned, she had preferred the hard soil of the earth below her hooves. A thing which Rainbow loved to tease her with, a lot. Accompanied with a loud exhale that left her in a growling manner continued Rarity on her path towards the regal and royal city that was merely a stone throw away by then. But each step she took caused her mind to wander more off into the longest distance of hatred. It wouldn't be long before she would face her ex-slave once again. ~~~~   With a walk of more than six hours and a rather uncomfortable train trip behind her, had Fleur finally made her return into Canterlot at the coming of the celestial dawn. The large unicorn found herself wandering through its near empty streets in order to find the right mansion. A mansion she hasn't been in for the last half year. From time to time she even wondered if it still stood there. Her eyes were rested on each of the wonderful houses that could be seen as the one that followed up being even more extraordinary than the last. In the end they fixed themselves on one in particular as she gained a bright smile. After everything that happened to her, after all she had been through, Fleur could almost say that she was home once again. The mare followed the steel fence all the way up to the front gate where two guard hold their posts. The mare simply smiled at the two of them and they looked back at her with the same smiled on their faces. “Welcome back, miss Dis Lee,” one of them spoke to her and the both of them made way for her by opening the gate to her home. Even though the side split in the face was visible as the sun, neither of them made a remark on it. It wasn’t their place to question or ask. “Thank you both kindly,” replied Fleur under a light bow through her forelegs. She walked up the path that would have lead her over to the front door of her home. Though she couldn't resist it to have a look at the maintained garden. One in which she always brought her spare time through. Whether it be bathing in the sun, lunching or even do some gardening of her own. It was just wonderful to be there. Especially with the rising, morning sun. Soon after the feelings of nostalgia did she gave a couple knocks in the oaken front door of the mansion. The knock wasn't answered right away but the mare had all the time in the world. She turned herself around once again to watch the front garden a bit more. Her eyes then fell upon a small pedal for roses. Their formation was a waving pattern and it really showed that to the fullest of effects. It happened to be a little thing Fleur did herself one day long ago. After the passage of some second the sound of it being unlocked did their turns and under a gentle screech of the hinges it got opened. In the opening stood a light yellow coated, earth pony mare who wore a traditional French maids outfit while she stared at the larger mare with a set of big, ruby colored eyes. “M-Miss Dis Lee? Is that, t-truly you?” she managed to ask through her disbelief and in her signature British accent. But her eyes did caught the double sided face and she was visually horrified by the display. Fleur gave her a warm smile and a slight nod in response to the spoken words. “It is me indeed, but may I please enter?” she spoke up as she wanted to step through the doorway itself. “Oh yes, of course, excuse me here,” the maid reacted quite quick before she took a step aside. The motion allowed her rightful master to enter her true home. Which she of course did with the some great pleasures. The eyes of Fleur would have watched over the enormous hall with the staircases that would be leading up to the upper level on either side of it. It was a sight for sore eyes. ~~~~   It was a wonderful sight to behold as the architecture had something away of that from an ancient, royal castle. Everything was made out of the finest of marble and within the support columns that held up part of the second floor, were a series of figures carved within them. Figures that represented both the celestial and lunar guards with their signature weapons and armor. They looked ready for the duty given to them and that was for what they were used. Fancy Pants believed that the spirits of the guards also guarded their very house. A fools fate to believe it probably was, but it had always worked for as long as Fleur could remember. The staircases themselves were located on either side and spiraled up before they end up at the floor above them with a curve starting at the first step. When she stood in the house, Fleur’s had tiredness managed to catch up with her. She was being used to a life of work during the day and sleep at night. But with the events that happened as they were, it had gotten more and difficult for her to keep her eyes open. What had taken the most of her energy was the fires in the boutique that were caused by her. “Miss, you have to tell me just where you have been all this time, of course, we had the will of master Pants, a-and your letter, but I wish to hear it out of your own mouth. N-Not to mention... your face. E-Excuse me rudeness though,” the maid spoke up after she closed the door behind the unicorn. Fleur gave her a light chuckle for her words before she made her way over to one of the marble staircases. “If you are willing to make up my bed, then I shall tell you in the finest of details what happened, my dear Ruby,” answered Fleur. The maid gave a nod together with a smile as she quickly made her way passed the larger mare. Ruby raced up to the stairs and then disappeared in one of the doors that the second floor was holding. The unicorn just continued on her way up the stairs. She didn’t had a feeling of haste, nor did she needed to be somewhere anytime soon. When she had made it to the top, she walked up to the middle and hung her forelegs over the railing of the balcony. It was a small balcony that offered her a view over the small front area of the house. But also to the many windows which could be found on either sides and in front of her. Fleur then let her eyes rest on one of them and thus on the world outside, a world that she saw through the stained glass window which held an image of Fancy Pants family weapon. Yet what drew the most attention to her eyes was the crescent moon that could be seen making its departure from the skies above them. “That same moon...” Fleur mumbled to herself before a deep exhale caused some steam to leave her. It had been during the same moon that shone upon her while the fiasco at the graveyard unfolded. ~~~~                 It wasn't much later afterward that Ruby had returned from the room she had entered. With a gentle pace she walked over to Fleur while a smile could be found on her face. “Your room is ready miss. I placed a pot of warm coal under the mattress so your cold bones can warm up during the night,” she spoke with a kind tone her voice. A tone that did a decent job at hiding the sheer happiness that went through her for the fact that Fleur was back after such a long time. The larger unicorn calmed herself down on the spot and then turned her head over with a smile. She kicked her forelegs off of the railing and dropped them back on the floor once again. “Thank you, my dear,” spoke Fleur in a thankful tone before she walked past the maid. Only to have disappeared in the door that the maid came out of. Ruby watched her go and then entered through the door herself. She entered the bedroom which both the mare and stallion once shared again. But it all belonged to the mare after the unfortunate passing away of the stallion. Her ruby colored eyes caught a Fleur who made her way into the warm bed before she released a soft moan of comfort. “Hmm, this is simply perfect, Ruby,” she spoke while the maid closed the door behind her a bit and then made her way up to the bed. Fleur gave herself some time to look at the very room she hadn't been in for months and took note of the windows that gave a beautiful image over the valley of Canterlot. The mixture of the twilight she let her eyes fall on had giving of a mysterious atmosphere but also a peaceful one in her eyes. The larger mare just stared over the sight that played outside for some seconds to come and took it towards herself. Her attention would have moved itself over to the walls where some paintings of famous artists hung. They had always done that and been there. She released a smile of recognition. Fleur could then say that she was home again. Everything was as it was supposed to be for her. “Only doing my job the best I can, miss Dis Lee. But please, tell me everything about it. In the letter said that you were leaving the mansion to be with your, love,” spoke Ruby before she took place in a chair that stood close to the bed. The larger unicorn rose a small eyebrow and positioned herself right up in the bed while her tone turned over to a whisper. “Love?” She had to find a way to lie herself out of the story because simply saying she set a fire in a building to kill a vampony would not only raise suspicion but all of the personal would declare her crazy as well. “Is it true, milady?” the maid asked with even more curiosity in her voice. Fleur had to the blink a couple times in order to just get what her maid meant. Yet made the connection quick, together with the memory of her writing the letter. “Yes, yes that was so. Or at least I thought so. I thought that that mare was able to return the same love to me as I gave Fancy Pants. Things looked quite well for a couple months. But the last two were horrible, we had arguments and fights all of the time,” she spoke before a deep sigh left through her nose as her eyes turned over to the ones of Ruby with a sad gaze in them. “I couldn't take it anymore, that is why I came back home...” “But, what about the fire I heard from and, your face?” Ruby then asked. ~~~~   It was that very question that caught Fleur by surprise more than anything. She knew that news could travel fast but she never expected it to be going at the rate it seemed to be going. In true reply she kept herself silent for a couple more seconds. She thought up with a reply to the question. “That, that was an unfortunate event added up to a series of those already, Ruby. Same is going for my face I'm afraid,” she brought out as the definitive answer. The maid gave a nod of understanding towards her for she knew she had been tugging the heartstrings of Fleur and moved in for a tight hug. The larger mare accepted the hug with comfort by wrapping her own forelegs rightly around her. “C-Could you leave me alone, for the day?” she asked in a polite manner despite the comfort of a real living being embracing her that wasn't any form of authority. It surprised her that there wasn't anything asked about her face, but that was probably better left that way. “You are really tired aren't you?” Ruby almost whispered into one of the ears of the unicorn. Fleur gave a nod and the hug was broken ever so gently. But not before the maid gave a kiss on her forehead. “May you sleep well, milady. We shall see each other when the time is there again.” A gentle blush appeared on the cheeks of the large unicorn before she spoke her reply in a soft tone. “We most certainly shall.” Ruby gave a last smile to her before she made her departure from the room after the words were spoken as the lights dimmed until nothing and the door closed itself. Fleur allowed a deep sigh of mixed emotions to leave through her nose and she lowered herself deeper in her bed after the lights were off. She placed her head deeply in the pillow and closed her eyes as the sleep caught up with her after mere seconds. The unicorn would be granted a peaceful sleep during the upcoming day. A day that would be going by like any other. That was until the evening would set in once again. For the peaceful day, would be traded in for a horrible night, the last night. ~~~~   Through the dark streets of Canterlot she walked like a huntress. A mare that stood by and moved through the shadows as much as possible. All while she boiled herself within the emotion of hatred and rage. Not a single living soul dared to show itself on the cold streets as the news of the storm that had raged over the little town had all of the Canterlotians shiver in a deep fear. And all of them knew that the pegasi were leading the storm to the north, but if they wanted they could let the winds  change at any given moment. The storm would break into two pieces and one part would be send over towards their very homes just like that. “I’ll cut and then gut you alive before draining every last bit of blood inside that sorry-ass body of yours!” Rarity whispered to herself. It was just one of the many plans for her revenge that made their turn through her sick mind. The next that came was even more crazier than the last, but it all ended up in one way. The death of nopony else then Fleur Dis Lee. The unicorn made her way in silence through the streets of the metropolis and had the moon to guide her the way. Adding up the fact that she knew where to go as there was only one place her victim could and would be hiding from her. And it happened to be a place she had been visiting for a couple times before and thus something that resulted in her knowing the route to walk. Her blood red irises were traded in for the sapphire blue colored eyes and they got fixed on the very building were Fleur had entered the morning before. It caused her to hiss in a pleased manner. Rarity uncurled and spread her wings a little bit and in complete silence. The mare knew the pain would return without a doubt, but it was better than having to kill somepony who didn't knew anything between their feud. Her normal and regal side still had the upper hoof in her mind but her true vampiric side was still lurking from time to time, ready to reveal itself if that would be necessary. With a high jump and a couple, silent flaps of her wings had Rarity moved her body over the metal fence and landed into the grass of the garden without a sound. Though the pain indeed returned into her wings. The sharp shock was sent through her whole body and made her curl them up even faster than normal. She lowered herself to keep a low profile on the ground. Rarity couldn't help it but to release a quiet hiss of pain through her closed mouth and shut her eyes for a moment. She tried to press the pain away in all of her might without making any kind of sound. If she was caught in the garden, either a lot of dead bodies would be found or she would appear before court. Two things to which she wasn’t looking forward to in the least bit. The unicorn opened her eyes once more while the pain was almost gone. The unicorn took a couple sniffs into the air to smell if everything was clear for her to make a move. After that she would have made her way over the ground to the backdoor of the mansion. A door that would be leading her straight into the kitchen. What was the most surprising of it all, was the simple fact that nopony even took notice of her presence in any shape or form. It was of course something that could be explained due to the fact of it being deep in the night and most of the souls in the mansion were asleep. Including Fleur who hadn't even woken up from hers since the moment she closed her eyes. That was something that gave her free game to do her things as she saw fit of them. The only guards from the whole mansion were in fact the two that stood by the gate and since she already had passed them, her worries for other guards weren't there anymore. But her worries for encountering members of the staff. ~~~~                 With great care and elegance did the unicorn enter through the backdoor that stood open and found herself in the kitchen of the mansion, the mare let out another hiss of joy before she would put her sneaking attempts to the max and the hunt had been opened. The hunt for nopony else then Fleur Dis Lee was on. The very pony she once was such good friends with in a distant past, had become one of her greatest enemies. She spied in silence and with care through the building. Rarity listened  to activity by every single door that she encountered. All in the hope to find that where she was looking for. The mare made her way past many rooms the mansion and she didn't even had the slightest of clues what was behind them. Although the one thing was for certain was that none of them contained her target. It was only after she had moved up the marble staircase and laid her ear against one of the three main wooden doors that her chances of finding her ex-slave were increased. While her ear was set against the wood of the door, she expected to hear nothing once again or not to hear the snoring she wanted. Rarity placed her ear against the wood and focused herself upon the sounds inside. She listened with care, her ear twitched even a little bit while she caught up a snoring that seemed to be familiar. Rarity concentrated herself even more in order to identify the sound even better. Soon enough there was a bright grin to be found on her face. She had identified that the snoring which originated from the room, was in fact the snoring she heard every single night. Rarity knew who it was and that the time to avenge herself had fallen upon them. With a wide grin that revealed her fangs had Rarity opened the door wide enough for her to enter. She slithered through the narrow opening like a snake. When she stood in the bedroom of her prey, she closed it again and let the click of the lock to echo through the room as quiet as it could. Then the mare turned herself around and allowed her red rimmed eyes to fall upon the bed on the opposite side of her. And within them they caught that what she was looking for. They caught nopony else then Fleur Dis Lee herself. The vampiric unicorn made her way over to the bed and simply kept watching towards it in order to see movement happening. When she was close enough would Rarity have whispered in the exposed ear of the other mare. “Goodnight, my slave. Did you miss me?” she said in a stone cold voice. ~~~~   The eyes of two faced Fleur shot open widely as she was woken up. The words she heard as the voice drilled itself into her brain were all too familiar. The larger unicorn then jumped out of her bed and fell flat on her face, on the floor under a soft yelp in response to the words. Though she also fell before Rarity who kept grinning like the monster that she was beneath the lady. Fleur rose her head back up and the eyes caught the vampony within them. She stumbled some inaudible words out in a tone of utter disbelief. For a good minute she managed to be going before she rose back on her legs. She also was able to formulate words normally again once she stood again. “How did you survive, that fire!? Why are you here, monster?” she spoke in a questioning and demanding tone. All while she made sure not to look the mare straight in her eyes again. That mistake had been once and she wanted to keep it that way. The vampiric unicorn took a couple steps back as she chuckled sinister in herself before she spoke her own reply. “How I survived you ask? Simple, I am a survivor. You of all ponies should have remembered that. Something that I can’t truly say from you. As for my reasons why I am here, I have a score to settle with you. You almost robbed me of my life. Now I am going to return that favor, with some interest of course.” Then the eyes of Fleur shrunk deep and without a second thought she charged Rarity in a strike of blind rage. Though the vampiric unicorn wasn't in the mood to play the kind of games that had been set up. She just evaded the blind charge like it was no big deal. The evasion maneuver let Fleur adjust her course while Rarity allowed the blue aura to collect around her horn. The both of them were willing to end everything right there, right then and without mercy whatsoever. ~~~~                 “Did you know that there are many things which can be levitated? Things that can be seen, but also things that can’t be seen to the naked eye. One simply has to know where they are in order to lift them,” said Rarity under the grin of a mad mare while more magic collected itself in her horn. Whatever she was preparing for the larger mare, it was a load of trouble without a doubt. Fleur huffed towards her words as she had turned herself around and the hum of her own horn increased itself. “Spare me your riddles and cryptic horsecrap for a change. What I did to you in your precious little home, I can do again if I so desire,” she said in an enraged tone. The two of them were preparing to fire their blasts of magic once again, at least that was how it looked like. Rarity took the words as a deep insult and in response she allowed her horn to collect even more magic. Both of the unicorns strafed around one another in a perfect circle apart each other. They were ready to duel for their lived if it would come to that and it probably would with the determinations in their eyes. “Take that back, and I might spare you,” said Rarity in a calm voice. “You wouldn't spare me! If you truly would do so, you wouldn't have come here to begin with,” answered Fleur before her eyes narrowed themselves. She had seen through the lies of the unicorn almost in an instant. A little something where wasn't used too. “You may have a point there, but you meant much to me, Fleur. Always have and always will be. I won’t take enjoyment out of this,” added Rarity in a tone that almost spoke sympathy. Though it did hid the insanity that was flowing through her. “All lies!” shouted Fleur in response as her eyes opened themselves in anger once again. The gaze of Rarity turned into a dead serious one and the opposing mare could feel their coldness going over her body in the form of a deep shiver. A shiver which messed up with her inner flow of magic. Rarity just opened her mouth again to speak once more. “Then so be it. It was nice to know you, Fleur Dis Lee, but this is where I take my profit,” she said in a stone cold voice.