//------------------------------//
// 51 In the very end, only one solution can be found 
// Story: Blood Curse Boutique 
// by Rarity Belle 
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	For many hours had Rarity sat before the remains of what once was to be considered her life's work. All while she cried her bloody tears in the deepest of emotional pain with her eyes closed firm. The very building she always would wake up in and where she had some of the so many great moments of her life within it, was nothing more but a pile of ashes after the fires had died down. In the depth of night she stared at the remainders of the once so imposing Carousel Boutique. Remainders that were nothing more but ash and broken stone. Some of her belongings could still be seen, but almost everything was either burned or crushed by the crashed floors.

“How could I have let it come this far..? You knew she wouldn't take it lightly, you incompetent foal,” the unicorn whispered in herself as she placed all the blame on herself. Soon after she had spoken the words there was a deep sniffle that followed. Her eyes were able to open themselves again and they turned themselves up towards the nightly skies. The eyes began to watch over to the stars in the heavens above. Rarity knew that there was only thing that she had left to do. One thing that she had found out by accident a day ever so long ago. The thoughts she had before, would be set into a plan. A plan that would have been set in motion not much later.

Yet when Rarity looked into the skies, the lust for blood as it was shown towards Fleur Dis Lee and doctor Wild had disappeared out of her eyes. The primal beast which lurked deep inside of her mind was once again reduced to its cage and kept there for the time being. So that her sane side could take the full emotional blow that was given, and was far from being finished.


~~~~

            
But long before Rarity would have set her plan into motion had the unicorn turned her gaze back on the leftover building. She dared to walk forward towards the ashes. When she stood on the edge of it all, the hesitation did rose from deep inside her body. The thoughts ran wild through her mind and her head turned itself around one last time to see if anypony was looking.

Then she made her swift way through and up the rubble that was her home not too long ago. The tears still left her eyes every now and then before they were followed up by a weak sniffle. The vampiric unicorn dared to look for anything that she considered to be salvageable. But with all the floors being collapsed on each other, that proved to be a bit more difficult than Rarity originally thought. The site was a disaster and it would be a miracle if she found anything worth salvaging.

With the passage of time had she managed to located the remains of her own room. It was after a long and careful search that she found it. She let her eyes do a full swoop on everything that could be seen. But there was nothing that fell in them that was able to be salvaged. Pictures, books, clothing, all were just burned down into nothing more but a crisp or ashes. Rarity even managed to locate the half burned desk in which her secret diary was hidden from other eyes.

With a trembling hoof had she managed to open up the half burned drawer. The lock itself had been melted away within the heat of the fire. Which meant that it could easily be opened by any force. With a deep exhale that left through her mouth had Rarity dared to open the drawer. She laid her eyes on that was to be found inside.

What fell in her eyes happened to a half burned book. To be more correct, the very book that held her very secrets about what she had done and had become. “Should I..?” the mare spoke before she reached for the book with a trembling hoof. Though without a second thought did she took it out of the drawer. The unicorn placed the diary within the curling of her wings where it would be kept safe for the time being.

Her head turned itself over towards more rubble as the eyes caught something new. Something she never was even able to think of again. “N-No.” Rarity shook her head for she didn't believe her own eyes. But her curiosity got the better of her and out of instinct she maneuvered herself over to what once was the room of her little sister.

“This, this is not possible,” she whispered while she wiped away her tears. It was in an attempt to gain a better vision at the object that had gotten her attention. She came closer with every step and it became clear to her. The whole bed of her little sister had come crashing down onto the ground. The ceiling wasn't able to hold it anymore and gave way during the fire. So it looked it from her perspective. But it was a half burned something that laid upon it, that caught her attention the most. The unicorn shook her head in pure and utter disbelief. She allowed her magic flow to open itself and indulge her horn in the blue aura. “Please, don’t let it be possible,” whispered Rarity with a tone that spoke against all of the odds. For the first time in ages was she scared. She was scared for whatever it was that laid on the burned bed. It couldn’t have been that way, right?

From the bed it came with the usual elegance from the mare her magic. A half burned, but still near perfect looking unicorn plushy of nopony else than Starswirl the Bearded. A gift that Rarity herself had given for the very birth of Sweetie Belle. Ever since her little sister got it, it always was able to comfort her when she was in the boutique. Though she hid it away for both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. The other two Crusaders didn't sleep with them anymore and found them foalish.

Rarity allowed herself to remember the many conversations the two had together about it. How she always kept supporting Sweetie on keeping it even if the filly didn't wanted to. For Rarity understood like no other just the sheer value that emotions could be holding.

The plushy came closer and closer towards her face while more tears built up below the eyes of the unicorn and once again she wasn't able to hold them for herself. Countless joyful memories came back into her mind of rather simple times that were created by her and her little sister. Everything from the two spending time on the couch during a stormy evening, while Rarity would read aloud from a good book for her under the pleasant comfort of a wine and apple juice, to the times where they snuggled up against one another on the posterbed of Rarity while the thunder lit up the skies. Not many ponies knew that both of the sisters were afraid of lightning but together they could withstand the tremors of the sky. As Sweetie always said it, they were truly applepie.


~~~~

 
Rarity was unable to hold her tears back once again. The vampony just released them once more. The dark red of the dried up ones got covered up by a lighter red of the newer ones while she placed the plushy against her forehead. She was whimpering to herself in silence because of regret. A regret that became only bigger the more she stood in the burned ruins. The regret of not ending what she had become the very day she found it out was the most dominant one. A voice that spoke towards her from deep inside of her told her something different though, that she should be proud on that what was running through her veins.

Though Rarity didn't even want to know more about the strain of thought and dispatched them  quickly. She rested her eyes back on the stuffed unicorn. “You are coming with me, for you shall return to your rightful owner,” she spoke under a soft smile. Her tone sounded if she had been talking to an actual living creature. The flow of tears managed to come to another hold while a faint smile appeared on the face of the unicorn. Rarity placed the plushy under the curl of her wings as well. It found a resting place rest on the opposite side of the book. The plushy took refuge against her body before her horn lost its connection to her magical power.

“The time has come, to end this all for good,” said Rarity to herself after she had turned her body around again. The unicorn maneuvered her way through the rubble and ashes once again. In the end was the solid and cold ground under her hooves once more. There were things that she had to do. But she knew that there was only one place she was to truly wrap everything up. To finally close the chapter of her life through which she had been living. And quite possibly, end the story all together. She saw no more options to continue her existence. The bucket water was spilling, so to speak.

Her head turned itself over to another direction of the calm town under a deep exhale that left through her nose. With another wipe of her forelegs against the fur on her face, trying to get as much of the bloodstains off from her face. For the first time since she had returned to the once so prideful boutique, she stared down upon her red forelegs and hooves. Rarity shook her head at the sight of the blood covered fur. Though her mind traveled backwards in time itself. Back to times where her forehooves were wet from the normal watery tears instead of the thick and foul blood that coursed through her veins. Blood that was just waiting there and desiring only more.

Rarity moved her body in the same direction she had moved her head towards. Step by step she would continue on her way down the road and would go passed the houses of many ponies which she knew and loved. Her eyes fell gently on each of them but her attention was caught by the wind that blew in her face. The soft but chill wind moved her curly mane even more backward than it already was before it fell back before her eyes after the mysterious blow. “Maybe, it is a sign?” she quietly spoke to herself before she continued on her journey. “A change in the wind, usually means a change in one’s life... Though whom’s is always the question that needs to be answered.”


~~~~

 
In the distance did the house of her parents became visible. It was through the windows that the sights were revealed to her. The very shadows of everypony that was present within the walls reflected against the window. Rarity wanted to leave another sigh but she didn't allow it herself. Instead she gave just a simple nod to that what was there to be seen. The mare had to wait somewhere safe before her plan could be set into true motion. She had to remain hidden in plain sight while she waited for the sun to raise over the hills again. The end was coming for her.

Before Rarity took refuge within one of the many bushes that stood by the house, there was a feelings in her guts to make her way up to the building under a good sneak attempt and place her ears on the front door. She was curious to just what the ponies inside would be talking about. What stories they would be sharing with one another and above all, how they would remember her as a being of flesh and blood.

After some careful wandering and sneaking around was her ear placed against the door. She caught the words that were spoken by Celestia. Deep in her body was there something that could be felt. A burning feeling that came forth from the holy beings that were the alicorns themselves. That was what she thought at least. She had no true idea where it came from and didn’t wanted to find out either. Alicorns were holy and she was unholy, those two things would never have matched.

The feeling did became too much for Rarity to handle. She heard that Luna speak out her toast and the vampiric unicorn left the building for what it was. She managed to venture down the main road without being spotted by anything. Not even the animals that lived in the night saw her.

In her eyes she noticed a good hiding spot that was close to the road yet enclosed enough to keep her hidden from peeking sets of eyes. Rarity instantly went off of the land road and walked into the small bushes that stood on either side. The unicorn lowered herself to the ground where she would curl up to make herself as small as possible. Her red rimmed eyes were kept on the door in order to see if anything would leave.

Despite her spot being hidden for those who weren't looking, she could be easily spotted if one did pay some degree of attention. Her white fur was something that was out of the contract that the dark green bushes gave off. Not to mention her purple skinned wings were also a dead giveaway. Yet the advantage she had was the fact that the vegetation was thick and poison ivy had to be crossed in order to reach it.

 She laid upon the spot and forgot the flow of time around her. Her eyes were only fixed upon the visible window and front door of the house. The unicorn waited for them all to make their departure. Her wish would have been granted in the end. After an unknown amount of time was the door opened and a figure stood within the opening.

Out of the doorway came the yellow coated, shirt wearing pegasus. “Fluttershy..?” Rarity whispered to herself. She identified the mare rather quick. The mare left the building as the first of the lot. But as Rarity continued to watch her, her streaming tears were seen crystal clear, together with something else. The expression that bore on Fluttershy’s face was hinting towards a great desperation. Her eyes found themselves going all over the place. She tried to find an escape route of some kind. Rarity just watched the events unfold as they would.

As quick as she came, she had left as well. Fluttershy went galloping off into the far distance and the opposing direction of where Rarity laid in. The odd behavior of the pegasus did cause the suspicion to raise within the unicorn. The urges to just follow her and find out what she wanted to do came to her but the mare decided to stay hidden from everypony. She thought that that would be the best cause of action.


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Time progressed even further and Rarity was shocked up by the sound of the door that opened again. All of the visitors that had been gathering themselves in the house just left it. Each of them went in a different direction as they wanted to give it a place in their hearts. But her eyes shot open at what made its departure into her way. She shook her head deeply at the sight before she made herself even smaller then she possibly could inside of the bush as the burning feeling returned to her once more. And the burning feeling only became worse the more the two figures approached and their hoofsteps fell in her ears.

“Does this mean, you need to find another generosity, sister?” a voice spoke in a sad tone. The head was turned over to the other being. That being released a deep sigh as response to the question. There wasn’t anything that could have said directly to reply. Time had to be taken for a couple of seconds before the words would have come.

“I am afraid it does, Luna. With the, unlucky events, that happened to lady Rarity. It is the best thing I can do for the elements,” the elder sister answered. Her one visible eyes let itself fall upon her younger sister. The sight she saw did create a gentle smile on her face. In one way or the other, she had been through the same as Rarity’s family.

“But, can’t she be resurrected than?” Luna asked in a curious manner.

“Sister, you know that that kind of magic is from your, if not the other side. Besides, how would they all react if all of the sudden she stands there again. No Luna, Rarity passed away during the fires that destroyed her boutique. And we shall give her the rest she needs.” Celestia spoke in response as she shook her head a little bit. Her eye closed itself in a gentle manner before it opened again and gazed upon the road ahead.

“If you say so, sister,” where the last words the unicorn inside the bushes caught up as the burning became less and less. With one quick gaze over the entire area that was visible for her, did Rarity took note that all of the other ponies had left and the lights in the building had gone out.


~~~~

 
She rose up from the bushes and made her way back over to the house again. Her ears got once again placed on the door as she closed her eyes in order to listen at the sounds that could be heard inside. There was nothing to be heard on the inside. She opened her eyes again and with a hoof she was already reaching for the doorknob.

Then there was a shock went through her body which opened her eyes even further. Her hoof was resting on the knob now and the mare removed it like lightning. Entering through the door by opening it like that would have gotten their attention for sure.

She needed to find another way in. A way that went through the shadows themselves. While she tried to come up with a manner to just do that, her mind brought her back to the very moment she became one with the shadows themselves. It happened to be something she had done only once and ever so long ago. “It is the best option I’m having here if I want to enter without them knowing,” whispered Rarity to herself. She knew that the thought up manner was the only one reliable.

Under a deep and silent exhale of her own, her body summoned shadows that were there to be found nearly all around her. They revealed themselves to her and the mare let her entire body being consumed by them. The cold feeling crawled again to the very depths of her heart. The world around her turned white and three major, big, red dots were found within the building. The unicorn shook her head at the sight. She only desired to make her way inside.

When she was one with the shadows once more, there was no difficulty to enter the house of her parents through the small gaps of both the door and windows. Rarity slithered under the door, through the little gaps in the windows and even through the smallest of cracks in the wall she didn't even knew they were there. Through her newly gained sight she made another revelation which she saw much more clear that that she normally was able to do so. But the things her eyes caught the most, was the staircase leading up to the upper level.

One step on it would certainly wake them up and she moved herself through the hallway like the mist she had become. As she flowed within the air and shadows, Rarity made her way up the stairs to the second level. It was only once she found herself on top of the staircase that the mare literally just walked out of the shadows under the shaking of her head. She just walked out of the darkness as her white coated, purple maned body became more and more visible with every passing step.

There were some drops of liquid darkness - or liquid shadow - that fell off her body. She made her way over to the room of her little sister. She wanted to give at least her family a proper goodbye, even if they were asleep. It was the least bit that Rarity owed to them all.


~~~~

 
With a very soft screech of the hinges got the door of the filly’s bedroom opened by the unicorn her hoof. Her head was the first thing to enter the room when the gap happened to be big enough and in the eyes fell upon the peacefully asleep filly. Even though this was the saddest day in her life and she had the dried up tear streams on her face to proof. The young filly still found happiness with the memories of her beloved sister. The same memories which Rarity had when she scavenged through the rubble of her home.

The unicorn released a deep but silent sigh through her mouth upon the wonderful sight. A sigh of both gratitude and slight happiness from herself before she carefully made her way over to the bed. Once Rarity reached the bed, she took out the plushy that was salvaged from the fire and she placed it on the small desk. A little desk where her sister could be found behind if she was reading or drawing and it stood almost next to the filly’s bed for easy access.

Rarity allowed a light chuckle to leave her before her red rimmed gaze turned back over to Sweetie’s body. And with that came the terrible memory of her draining her own flesh and blood came flashing by before her eyes. “I am so sorry, Sweetie, I never intended to hurt you nor anypony else ever in my life. Know that I am, that I'm just so, so very sorry,” the elder sister whispered. She gave a small kiss on the very forehead of her sister. It was the least she could have done.

The filly let out a soft giggle in response of the cold lips. They had made contact with the warm skin of her own forehead, Rarity heard the giggle echoing within her ears and she decided it was time she made her departure just as silent as she came. But when she closed the door, she felt the urge to speak to the sleeping filly for one last time. “Goodnight, my dearest sister.” Under a soft click was the door of the bedroom closed itself again as if nothing happened.

Once Rarity was back on the hallway was the head turned over towards to the door of the bedroom of her parents. There was a thing she needed to give them, one that would probably break their hearts even more but also gave them a lot more information about herself, her true self. But the worst of all was that Rarity knew it would hurt them ever so much. “Better a hurtful truth, then a wonderful lie,” she whispered she opened the door.

Mere seconds later she found herself within the four walls of the bedroom where her parents resided and the vampiric, purple maned unicorn took out the book she had salvaged from her wing and placed it on the desk of her father. Her attention fell upon the sleeping lovers and words didn't need to be spoken against them, for the feeling of her own regret of not telling them anything that happened to her around year ago simply dominated her mind and the air.

 In the greatest of silence did she left the room and closed the door behind her. Thus letting the lock fell back into its original state. Her gaze would have finally turned over to the final door she would enter for the night. The door that would have led her to her own room.


~~~~

 
With the greatest of caution and the prayers spoken within her mind, had entered Rarity through the final door. It almost felt like if she had entered a whole other world. A world of much more simpler and overall happier times she had been living through. She had one last look over the room of which she could say that was her bedroom. Then her bodys took place before the window. For a couple minutes she simply sat there and thought about every single event that had happened in the past year she was forced to live in the manner she did.

It had been just over one year since the dreadful night in the boutique had happened. Just over one year since she had become the thing she was known as to herself. For just over a one full year she had lived with the curse running through her veins. A blood curse that was pulsing through her entire body and made her doing deeds that were simply unheard of. Deeds she regretted with all of her life and immortality.

Rarity spend more and more time in her thoughts. But she was brought back to reality by the howl of a creature that was even unknown to her. For somewhere by the hills of Ponyville there must have been a creature that roamed around. A wolf like being that had its head aimed towards the brightly shining full moon. There was one final howl which was made through the air before the sounds just died off again. And the creature made its way away from the hill. It just walked away with its yellow pawed legs, its claws extended and ready to strike to anything if it so desired.

The blue aura appeared once again around the horn of the unicorn behind the glass after the sounds had died. It collected a little bit of power before opening her curtains and faced the final sight of her life. Rarity just stared down the street and the hills where she caught just the final tip of the creature that made the howls while she waited for the cursed dawn.

With her mind still wondering what the howl could have been, the single thought was soon to be taken over by a sea of thoughts of her time before being turned. For it were the happy times she wanted to remember as the time of sadness had to be placed behind her once and for all.


~~~~

             
The moon made its way behind the hills of Canterlot again to end the night. The unicorn knew there was no return from her plan, not anymore. She wanted to do it no matter what fate decided to throw at her. Rarity took note of the very first rays of sunlight which came peeking over on the horizon. With gentle motions had they turned the dark blue skies in a pleasant and warm pinkish red. Yet deep within her was the feeling of just crawling back into the shadows that did took over her mind a couple times. Though being the stubborn or determined mare that she was, Rarity kept sitting in her position like a rock.

The vampiric unicorn gave a nod to herself before she closed her eyes under a soft smile. “It will all be over soon,” she spoke to herself in a comforting tone and a small tear of blood ran down her cheek. “So very soon indeed,” she repeated to herself over and over.

With the sun illuminating more and more of the world and her room alike, it would only be a matter of minutes - if not seconds - before the light of the sun would meet her skin. When it would meet up with her skin, it would set the chain reaction into motion. One that would put an end to her life for good. That was the end Rarity choose to do, the only way she saw it fit her.

With patience had the mare waited for it to happen. All while she fought off the urges to flee back in the shadows that were to be found within her room. Eventually and unavoidable she felt the warm rays fall upon her mane. They warmed themselves up with care and quite normal even. As pleasing as it felt to have the sun fall upon her body again, she couldn't find the true enjoyment out of it for quite obvious reasons.

Because for the mare it would only be mere seconds from that point onward that it would happen. Though Rarity didn't care about it. She wouldn't scream or cry from the pain she would receive from the light. The unicorn had accepted the fate she had decided. She would face her true death like the lady she was, not like the monster she had become.

Yet it was on the very second that her skin would meet the sun that there was a bright shadow which took its turn before the window. A shadow that could be clear seen through her closed eyes. Rarity began to wonder great at what could have caused the shadows. And more importantly, why she wasn't allowed to end her life as it was. The vampiric unicorn opened her eyes with one slow motion and her wonderful red rims showed themselves to the world.

That what her eyes saw within them and before her, was a sight that was a totally unexpected. For her eyes glanced right into a dark blue, feathered wing that blocked out most of the sunlight. The light that did manage to pass it created a wonderful play of light in both the shadows as well as the fur of the wing.

The unicorn became curious just to where, or what the wing came from. She let her eyes follow it until they had fallen on it. The a set of warm yet cold, cyan colored eyes. A small smile was formed on the face of the deep blue coated, heavily wheezing pony with a gentle flowing mane. A face that was glad to see the unicorn still alive. The mouth of the being opened up. A female voice managed to speak through the wheezing it did at a soft rate. “Lady Rarity, we meet again.”