Only screams could be heard when Rarity regained consciousness. She stirred before waking up and looking around to find where she was. One minute she was on Celestia's execution table, dying from lethal injection for her countless murders as she sang a lullaby to her little sister, Sweetie Belle. However, before she could even finish the song, Rarity found herself in a realm of darkness with little light. Rarity got up and tried to move around, but she found herself tugging on something and then realized that there was a great chain around her neck connected to the ground.
She whimpered and looked around as she began to realize, much to her dismay, where she was. It wasn't a place of fire and brimstone like everypony thought it would be, but Rarity knew what this place was all the same.
"Tartarus," she muttered in fear before sulking her head, "I-it's only fitting that I should end up here. Truly I really am an evil pony and shall be here forever."
Rarity listened into the countless screams in the darkness. Oddly enough, they didn't really sound like screams of torture, but more like sobs; sobs of sadness, regret and remorse. She looked around to examine her surroundings. She was on an island in the middle of darkness, and within the darkness, she could barely see countless other islands. No doubt where other poor damned souls were, Rarity thought, here with her forever. Never to see their friends, family, and loved ones ever again.
"Not forever," said a voice echoing from above. It was a cold voice, yet somehow... comforting.
Rarity looked up in fear and found before her astonished eyes, a creature hovering above her. A grey alicorn, not with wings of feather, to Rarity's surprise, but wings of a bat. He was elegant, graceful in flight, and handsome to her. His coat was gray, his mane as black as the darkness around them and his eyes were a sharp red. Rarity also noticed that the bat-alicorn also had a chain from the ground around his neck. It was longer than hers, as if so he could move around more. Was he a prisoner here, too? "Who are you?" she asked. "And what do you mean 'not forever'?"
"My name is Azrael, and you shall not be here forever, child," said the strange pony as he gently landed before Rarity. "This realm, called 'Tartarus', is not a realm of eternal retribution, like so many foolishly believe, including my kin, the Princesses, who have taken on mortal flesh, despite their great knowledge. All the Princesses know is that this realm will last till the end of time and they are correct at that measure at least. This, however, is a place of correction, discipline, restoration, reconciliation, and redemption, for that is true divine justice, and I will be your corrector."
"True justice?" Rarity asked. "But, I tortured and killed so many ponies in life. More than any other serial killer before me. I'm a monster and surely I deserve to be tortured forever!"
"You feel remorse for your crimes already and a desire to repent, Rarity," said Azrael, "And that is good, for that takes a long while for many, and it is the first step towards gaining Paradise. You do not deserve eternal torment. No being does, for such a thing is unjust in proportion to mortal lives. Besides, do you think that if it is wrong for you to torture ponies, it is right that ponies who do so get tortured forever? The Creator does not deal in double standards. For he is a just and righteous, as well as merciful creator. An eye for an eye is one of the worse forms of justice according to the great design. In fact, by the experience I've gained in my time here, I believe that the Creator is very displeased towards the Princesses' way of dispensing justice."
"W-well, if you put that way…” Rarity said, her lips quivering. “What will happen to me, then? What must I do gain Paradise?"
The bat-alicorn looked at Rarity sternly. "First," said Azrael, waving his hooves to make a swirling, smoky form. "You must experience the full suffering you've caused on your victims. All your victims."
Rarity sniffled and tried to move forward, only to be held back by the chain. “What's with the chain?” she whimpered. “It's not like I can really go anywhere.”
Azarel looked at her. “The chain is so you can stay and watch,” he said coldly, before touching the swirling, cloudy form.
To Rarity's astonishment, before her eyes came visions of the past. First came of vision of her as a filly, sitting at her creek until Dug, Kicker and Annie came and started bullying her. The older Rarity, her subconscious having a sense of deja vu, watched helplessly as the young filly killed two of the three bullies with the rock and buried the other alive. At this, Rarity's lip began to quiver as she began sniffling and weeping.
“I never wanted that!” she cried. “Oh Celestia I never wanted that! Why couldn't they just have left me alone when I told them too? If only they knew the monster they would create!" Rarity continued watching and made faces in disgust at how her younger self planned to continue the killings.
Then came her visions of her many other kills, including Scootaloo's parents, Trixie, Gilda, the Diamond Dogs, and most painfully of all, Sweetie, Sweetie's mother, and Hayseed. There were also visions of how she plotted the would-be deaths of Applejack and Twilight. Rarity could barely stand the vision of when she allowed her own sister an audience to her torture of Scarlet Tomato and of when her sister killed the tomato salesmare.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity whimpered. "I never wanted that. Why did I let you do that?! I wanted you to live a happy life! Now you shall forever suffer because of me."
The visions continued and they were all painful to look at. All the while Rarity found how she enjoyed each and everyone of her kills revolting. Except for Sweetie, Sweetie's mother and Hayseed of course. Within every vision of her kills, every hack, slice and slash, as well as every lie Rarity ever made, were all in explicit bloody detail, like a well made horror movie, except that it was all real and Rarity could do nothing but helplessly watch. To Rarity's fear, she found that these visions were repeating themselves over and over again. She wanted to turn away and never look back, but something unknown compelled her to keep watching in remorse and sorrow as the visions continued. Her eyes began to water, not knowing how many times the visions of her terrible deeds flashed before her. A hundred times? A thousand? Perhaps a million? A billion times, the same visions over and over again? Nonetheless, each time was more painful and bitter than the last for Rarity. She sniffled and quivered as the great sense of regret and remorse burned through her soul like an infernal fire, so tormentful it was agonizing! It was then Rarity realized that the fires of Tartarus was truly not literal fire, but rather the burning pains of remorse for evil. In addition, there was also another form of pain, as if she was feeling every hack, slice and slash she dealt upon her victims with her many, many knives.
Eventually, Rarity collapsed onto the floor and began sobbing in fiery sorrow and remorse. “I never wanted this!” she cried out, “I would do anything to go back and undo all of these terrible things! I-it's true! I really am an evil pony! I hate myself! I wish that I was never born! That way none of these ponies would have suffered my terrible deeds. I wish that I was never born!”
Azrael sighed and floated towards the crying mare before placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You're not evil, Rarity,” he said. “Your actions were evil, but you yourself were sick and now in need of correction, but you now understand the full severity of the pain and suffering of your victims, and thus feel true remorse. However, you're not done here yet.”
Rarity sniffled and looked at the chain around Azrael's neck. “Tell me,” she said. “How did you get here?”
Azrael's eyes turned to slits. “Our creator, the creator of the entire universe, banished me and a third of the angelic alicorns for a great rebellion that wreaked havoc across the cosmos. I have been here since the beginning of time. My penance is to correct souls and thus to correct myself. It's through my own punishment of doing this that I gain wisdom. Now, however, comes the next part of your penance.”
“The next part?” Rarity whispered, her ears drooping downward in fear.
“Yes,” said Azrael. “You understand fully the suffering of your victims, but now you must understand the full suffering those affected by your crimes: friends, family, even ponies you don't even know.”
Rarity whimpered and before her eyes came visions of her friends, most likely after her execution, and each and everyone of them were in a state of forlornness, sadness, bitterness, even with feelings of betrayal and rejection from others. Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike… all of them were completely distraught. She even saw the princesses suffering because of her crimes. Then came images of her family, all of them mourning her death in their own way and suffering from society's rejection of them. She cringed as she felt their pain, and that pain was excruciating, just like the pain she felt when watching the visions of her murders.
“Please!” Rarity cried out in painful remorse, “Don't mourn for me. I was rightfully executed for my crimes and you should know that. Please don't suffer for what I have done! I’m sorry! I’m sorry for having brought this upon you!”
The visions continued and Rarity watched as her friends and family continued to suffer. Their lives shattered because of the lost of their daughter, sister and friend. Eventually, though, Rarity sighed in some sort of relief, when visions showed them all moving on with their lives, except, to Rarity's anguish, her sister Sweetie Belle. The mare cried out in horror when Sweetie Belle slashed out at another pony and was sent to prison to be kept in custody.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity cried in sobbing horror, “You’re not like me! I never wanted you to be like me!” The mare continued sobbing. “I just wish I could speak to her. I wish she could know how truly sorry I am. I feel like I’ve wronged her more than any other pony.”
Azrael looked at her. “Very well. As part of your penance, you may speak to her,” he said. “However, your time will be short. I shall send you to the time of your sister’s imprisonment.”
Rarity looked up at him, her eyes wide. “What do you mean ‘time’?” she asked.
“I don’t believe that time moves at the exact same pace here as in the mortal world,” Azrael replied. “However, there’s no doubt that you have been here for a very, very long time. That being said, I can send you back to any time I please. Or rather any time the Creator deems appropriate. Now go. Remember, your time will be short.”
Rarity nodded and within a blink of an eye, she found herself inside Sweetie Belle’s cell. There was no chain around her neck anymore, but she still felt… restricted. The mare looked around and glanced at a mirror. Her eyes widened to see that she looked quite healthy. Her horn was where it should be and her mane was perfectly styled as always. It was as if she had never died.
However, Rarity looked at her reflection with utter unadulterated disgust, remembering all the terrible deeds she have committed in life. “How dare you, Rarity,” she spoke softly to the reflection, not wanting to wake her sister just yet. “I hate you, Rarity, you… you monster! You ruined the lives of my friends and family! You tortured and murdered dozens and dozens of ponies. I hate you!”
Rarity sniffled and looked down to the floor, seeing how useless it would be to lash out at herself. Besides, that’s not what she was here for and she had to make this quick.
Rarity returned her gaze to Sweetie Belle’s bed and trotted quietly. She looked at Sweetie Belle and for the first time in a long time, Rarity smiled, seeing how grown up Sweetie Belle had become.
"Sweetie Belle, I'm here," Rarity said softly as she touched her younger sister’s shoulder.
Rarity watched as Sweetie Belle’s eyes opened. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the display of her little sister wrapping her hooves around her before burying her head in the older mare’s shoulder.
"Yes, I'm happy to see you too," Rarity said. She felt Sweetie Belle tighten her hug and she returned it. The feeling of the embrace of her younger sister was as wonderful as Rarity remembered it when she was alive.
"How are you, Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked, watching her little sister break off the hug and sit back down on her bed.
"I've been better," said Sweetie Belle. Rarity sadly nodded and sat down on the bed next to her little sister.
"I know how you feel," she said sympathetically. "This isn't easy." Sweetie Belle shook her head.
"No it isn't," Sweetie agreed.
The duo sat in silence for a brief moment. Within that moment a great pain swelled up inside Rarity. However, she gave her best to hide it and she placed a hoof on Sweetie Belle's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you," Rarity said, sadly. "I never wanted you to get hurt. I promised that I would never hurt you!"
"I know you did," said Sweetie Belle. "And I know that you truly meant it, but it happened anyway."
"I would have given anything to protect you from this," said Rarity. "I would turn back time, I would go back to the day of my birth and erase myself forever, I would kill the whole world, I would do anything to save you from this."
"But you can't," said Sweetie Belle. "Nopony can." Rarity sadly nodded with the pain within her swelling greater than before.
"I'll understand if you hate me forever," Rarity said. She braced herself for cruel words, but her eyes widened as she saw Sweetie Belle vigorously shake her head.
"I don't hate you!" Sweetie Belle said to Rarity’s surprise. "I would give anything to have you back, to make things go back to the way that they were! I have never hated, or resented, or even had any bad feelings towards you at all! I just want you back."
Rarity sighed guiltily. The pain of remorse and shame intensified within her. It was obvious that she didn’t deserve Sweetie Belle’s kind words. All she felt that she deserved at the moment was Sweetie Belle’s hate and contempt, especially for all the terrible things she have done.
"I don't deserve your admiration and love," said Rarity sadly. "You know what I did, you know some of the ponies that I’ve killed."
"I do know," said Sweetie Belle. "But you're still my sister and I still love you." Rarity looked down at the floor and nodded before standing up. It was almost time for her to go back. Back to Tartarus.
"I have to go now," Rarity said sadly. "I'm sorry that I can't stay longer but I have to go." Sweetie Belle nodded.
"I understand, sis," she said.
Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a look and couldn’t help but smile. There was something that she wanted to do for a very long time. “Before I go...I know you're a grown mare now but...I don't suppose you're too grown up to let your big sister tuck you in? Even if you are in a jail cell I'd still like to."
"I'd like that," said Sweetie Belle, smiling.
Rarity nodded and gently held the sheet, tucking Sweetie Belle into bed. She stroked the younger mare’s mane and kissed her softly on the forehead.
"Goodnight Sweetie Belle," Rarity said. "I love you."
"I love you too, big sis, I love you too."
---
Rarity was back in Tartarus. She was on the ground sobbing wildly in absolute remorse. As wonderful as her time with Sweetie Bell, only Azrael could know how long ago that was, it was also terribly heart wrenching beyond comprehension. Rarity continued sobbing before looking up at Azrael, standing over her, watching the whole time.
Azrael glanced at her before extending his hoof to the crying mare and helping her up. Rarity couldn’t help but hug the bat-alicorn tightly. Azrael rolled his eyes slightly before stroking the mare’s mane gently. “Your sister loves you,” he said. “All your friends and family do. Many of them may be sad and angry over what you have done and having to lose you. But always remember, that they do love you.”
“I don’t deserve it.” Rarity sniffled. “I ruined and destroyed their lives and so many others.”
“Hush,” Azrael said as he broke the hug. “You must continue your penance. Soon you’ll be able to go to Paradise and you will be with your friends and family forever.”
Rarity sniffled again. “I don’t deserve that,” she repeated tearfully. “I don’t even deserve to exist.”
Azrael sighed and stepped back. With a swirl of his hoof, the cloudy form from earlier returned, giving off more visions to Rarity.
Rarity watched as the visions resumed, showing more and more of Sweetie Belle’s life. She watched sadly as Sweetie Belle sought help from psychiatrists. After a moment, though, Rarity’s pain reached it’s peak, when she horrifically watched Sweetie Belle try to butcher Twilight in anger after her memory of killing Scarlet Tomato was restored.
“No Sweetie Belle!” Rarity cried. “Don’t be like me! Don’t be the monster that I was!”
However, Rarity sighed in relief when Sweetie Belle didn’t even start. Later Rarity smiled a bit upon seeing Sweetie Belle give birth to a little filly named Joyous Blossom. Truly, it was the first moment in Rarity's time in Tartarus that she felt any form of happiness and she didn't expect it to be possible in a place like this.
However, the pain continued as she watched Joyous Blossom grow up and how she too was affected by her crimes, being feared of becoming just like her. Witnessing her niece kill her bullies, just as she has done in life, was among the most painful of Rarity's torments. She continued watching as her niece and sister were eventually separated, with Sweetie Belle being taken to prison for her daughter's crimes and Joyous Blossom taken into custody. Rarity watched and her soul burned ever more painfully as she watched mother and daughter suffer, both physically and mentally, for ten long years in mortal time.
After watching Joyous Blossom grow up with the Apple Family, Rarity shrieked out in horror as she helplessly watched an insane and vengeful Diamond Tiara, the mother of one foals killed by her niece, break into her home and forcefully take Joyous Blossom to the same basement where she had done her torture and kills. Rarity continued watching in absolute fear as Diamond Tiara tortured Joyous Blossom for a little, only to let her go after changing her mind. However, the vision only got worse when Joyous Blossom turned on Tiara and butchered her.
“N-no B-blossom!” Rarity sobbed, as if trying to call out to her niece. She was sort of thankful that Joyous Blossom regretted her actions instantly and didn’t get into trouble, since those who found her thought of it as self-defense. However, the very fact that her murderous legacy was continuing tormented the mare greatly.
Rarity sobbed as she continued watching, now seeing Joyous Blossom’s life fall apart. She watched as her niece became tormented by manifestations of an evil version of herself, a part of Blossom’s mind that constantly urged the young mare to kill again, even driving her to almost kill Silver Spoon. The sight of it made Rarity tremble and scream in tormentful pain. She continued watching until, after changing Sweetie Belle of memories of her basement, Joyous Blossom turned herself in for her murders of the foals, allowing the release of Sweetie Belle.
Rarity looked down upon the ground weeping, taking the blame for everything Blossom and Sweetie Belle have gone through. Truly she felt that she was the worst pony in history. Even at the end of her life, Rarity could not have expected how much suffering her actions would have caused upon her family. It all only confirmed to Rarity how much of a monster she was.
"Sweetie Belle! Joyous Blossom!" Rarity wept. "I am so, so sorry for everything. S-so sorry."
Then came visions of many other ponies, some Rarity knew like the friends and family of the bullies she killed, others she had never known. All of them were in pain, and Rarity knew it was all because of the lives she had taken from them. The mare felt every painful emotion these ponies were feeling: grief, sadness, anger, fear, and a cry for vengeance. A vengeance that Rarity felt she most definitely deserved, but the pain she felt from their emotions were tormentful all the same.
Rarity didn't know how long the visions lasted, only that it seemed like forever, for her actions of affected countless ponies throughout the world and throughout the centuries and millenniums, even with other serial killers, some more deadly than her, began to pop up throughout history. The mare's body trembled and she collapsed onto the floor sobbing, as the last images flashed before her eyes.
“Please!” she whimpered, looking up at Azrael, “I wish I could speak to Sweetie Belle again. She needs to know how sorry I am again. Joyous Blossom, too. They both need to know that I’m sorry,”
The bat alicorn nodded. "Very well," he said. “Remember that once again your time will be short. This time I’ll send you to the time not too long after your last meeting with your sister. As for your niece… three times you’ll see her, each within her mind, in the mortal world, the last being before her execution, which will be by her own request."
Rarity sulked her head. She didn’t see any vision of Joyous being executed, or requesting to be executed, but she knew that it would come to that either way, and she knew that so did Azrael.
Nonetheless, Rarity nodded and in an instant she found herself no longer in Tartarus, but in Sweetie Belle’s bedroom. Like before, she no longer felt the chain around her neck, but she still felt restricted to where she was. Looking around she found Sweetie Belle, still a grown mare, trying to fall to sleep in bed. Smiling sadly she walked up to the sleepless pony, sat at the edge of her bed. The pain within her intensified as she knew what both Sweetie Belle and her yet-to-be-born daughter would go through in the future, but something compelled her to be silent about that. So, Rarity smiled weakly and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Sweetie Belle."
Rarity saw Sweetie Belle open her eyes and kept her small sad smile. "Hello, sis," she spoke softly, seeing the tears in Sweetie Belle's eyes.
"Hello, Sweetie Belle." However, Rarity frowned slightly to find contempt in those eyes.
"I... I don't know if I want to talk to you right now," Sweetie Belle said, much to Rarity's horror.
The older mare stepped back. "Sweetie Belle, I know that I was a terrible sister who did a wretched job of protecting you from what I did, but--"
"Rarity, it's like I told Twilight: I can't keep lying to myself about what kind of pony you were. You were a serial killer who relished in torturing ponies and slowly murdering them. When you got caught, it left me without a sister to take care of me and I had to deal with the fallout." The tears that had been welling up in her eyes began falling as she prepared her next statement. "Rarity... you ruined my life."
Rarity's jaw dropped at the declaration and tears began pouring from her eyes as well. The burning, fiery sense of remorse she felt during her time in Tartarus returned, but she didn't care about the pain. Sweetie Belle was right after all. She was right about everything.
"Sweetie Belle, I..." Rarity burst into tears and she rushed over to wrap her little sister in a hug. "I know I ruined your life, Sweetie Belle and I'm sorry. I'll be sorry until the end of time! I deserve worse than Tartarus and I never deserved Paradise! You deserved a much better sister than I could ever be! You were right to want Applejack as your sister over me. She wouldn't have destroyed any chance you had at a happy life, but I did! I did, and I deserve every bad thing said about me and much, much more! I'm so sorry, Sweetie Belle! Big sister is sorry!"
Rarity sobbed into Sweetie Belle's shoulder much like the way she saw Sweetie Belle had done to Twilight in her visions. Rarity continued sobbing and felt, to her surprise, Sweetie Belle awkwardly wrap her forelegs around her.
"I don't hate you, Rarity," Sweetie Belle whispered.
"But you should!" Rarity insisted, tears still falling from her face. "You should hate me for the rest of time! I don't deserve any love or admiration that I get from you, now or then! I let you watch me mutilate a pony and you killed her later! You almost killed Twilight today because of that and it is all my fault! I'm the worst pony in the history of Equestria!"
Rarity whimpered as she saw Sweetie Belle take a deep breath before responding. "Yeah, sis, you were. I hate to admit it to myself, you were one of the worst and you did ruin my life as a result. But I've been doing a lot of thinking and I think I realized something: you only ruined my life because I let you. I held on to the anger and fear and resentment of you and everypony else for over ten years and those ten years have been the worst of my life. But if I let go, if I let you go and move on, then maybe I can have a chance for a better life, one that doesn't rest in the shadow of what you did."
Rarity broke away from the hug and stared at Sweetie Belle with wide, watery eyes.
"Sweetie Belle, I would wish nothing less for you. I think that letting me go and doing your best to move on... well, it's what I've wanted for you for years. You deserve better than what I gave you, and I never wanted my death to control your life."
Sweetie Belle smiled at Rarity who returned one. "Even though you were a serial killer, I still love you, sis, and I wish it could have been different."
"I love you too, Sweetie Belle. I wish that too."
---
Rarity opened her eyes after blinking them. She found herself no longer in Sweetie Belle’s bedroom. Instead, she found herself in her kill basement. Despite the fact that the way it looked, as if all the coats and other ‘trophies’ of her victims were never removed after her death, terrified Rarity greatly, she found it to be very odd. The mare looked around seeing Lily, Blossom’s step mother, strapped to the table and saw Joyous Blossom, being berated into killing by the evil manifestation of her aunt. It was then that Rarity realized that she was inside of her niece’s dream. She tried to say something while Blossom wasn’t looking, but the evil manifestation simply looked at Rarity and vanished before her eyes.
Seeing that the evil version of herself was gone, Rarity went to towards the young mare. She sat on her haunches and began crying silently, before speaking softly, “Blossom?”
Rarity saw Blossom's ears perk up at her voice, and when the younger mare looked up, her shedding of tears intensified in pain and sorrow. As with Sweetie Belle, something compelled her to keep silent of things to come for her niece." My dear Blossom," Rarity whispered.
Rarity scooted a few inches closer to her niece and extended her forelegs, wrapping the filly in a warm hug. She could tell that something within Joyous Blossom was screaming to her to break free, but she continued to hold onto her nice with warmth and kindness. Rarity felt Joyous Blossom tilt her head so it leaned against her shoulder and the mare began stroking Blossom's fragmented mane. "I never wanted this for you," Rarity whispered. "I... I never wanted your mother or you to become like me. It scared me even when I was still alive."
"Then why did you say those bad things to me just now?" Blossom whimpered.
Rarity paused for a brief moment before answering. "Blossom, that wasn't me” She teared up and flinched in pain. Something told Rarity that her time here will be brief. “Just whatever you do, don’t listen to that wicked mare.”
Rarity sobbed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she found herself in a cell and found yet again, Joyus Blossom being confronted by the bloodthirsty manifestation. It didn’t take Rarity too long to realize that this was the night before Blossom requests her own execution to the Princesses.
However, she heard Joyous Blossom tell the manifestation how scared she was of dying, only to be once again berated by the evil part of her mind. She glared at the evil manifestation with hateful eyes, and the manifestation turned and did the same, before once again vanishing into thin air.
Rarity sighed and walked quietly to Blossom. She stood in front of her niece with a kind, but sad, smile on her face. Sitting down next to Blossom, Rarity wrapped the younger mare in a hug. She made sure that the warmth and love behind the hug told Blossom beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was not the Rarity that had tormented her waking life. "So was I when my time came," Rarity said soothingly, remembering that time long ago, when she was in Blossom’s position, before her execution. "I won't pretend that I left this world with my head held high and courage in my heart, because I didn't." Rarity gently nuzzled Blossom's head and began stroking her mane. "Blossom, you are a better, braver pony than I ever was, or could ever hope to be. If this is your end, I know that you have the strength to be brave when your time comes."
"But I'm scared, Aunt Rarity," Blossom whimpered. "I'm scared that I'm going to Tartarus."
"Oh Blossom," Rarity whispered, tears falling from her face. Despite the fact that she knew that Tartarus was temporary, rather than eternal, she knew that it was not a place for Joyous Blossom. "Tartarus is for evil ponies like me, not scared ponies who did bad things because of that fear. If I'm right about what kind of mare you are, you will see paradise."
"I lived a lie for ten years!" Blossom retorted. "I let my mom suffer in my place while I went free. How is that not evil?"
"You accepted a sacrifice that your mother made for you," Rarity explained. "Was it the right thing to do? I suppose not, but you were just a scared filly who didn't know what to do."
"I still am," said Blossom quietly. "I don't want to die, but there is still that part of me that does."
Rarity frowned and cocked her head slightly. She wanted to know exactly why her niece was going to choose execution, but she didn’t show it. "What do you mean, darling?" she questioned.
Rarity watched Blossom sigh and lean her head against her aunt’s chest. "Aunt Rarity, I... I'm tired. I'm just tired of all of this. I'm tired of being afraid, I'm tired of living in your shadow, I'm tired of that sick part of my brain continuously telling me to murder ponies, I'm tired of the princesses, and I’m tired of making ponies sad." Rarity nodded as Blossom lifted a hoof to wipe away tears that had formed. "After everything that's happened over the past few months, dying would be like going to sleep after a long, bad day. If I'm in prison for the rest of my life, it's going to be Tartarus for me anyway. I couldn't stand day after day of therapy, of my mind telling me to kill my therapist or anypony else who come within my reach, I couldn't stand not being to see the sunlight anymore."
"You would still be able to see your family," Rarity pointed out, having a knowingly futile hope that Blossom might change her mind.
"Behind bars? In a small room under constant surveillance?" Blossom shook her head. "Every time they'd see me they'd just be sad. It'd remind both of us of what we used to have. On one hoof I have a life of misery, sorrow, and the constant stress that I'm going to hurt somepony. On the other, I die in a way that's just like going to sleep after a long day. When I think about it that way..."
Rarity sighed and nodded. She saw that there was no point in trying to talk Joyous Blossom out of being executed at this point. Nor did she see any possibility of her niece’s friends and family being able to talk Blossom out of it. Rarity knew that within two days, Joyous Blossom will be dead, resting forever in Paradise.
Before Rarity could say anything, the scenery changed once more. She was still in Joyous Blossom’s cell, no doubt the day before her niece’s execution. Here, Rarity saw Joyous Blossom with her friends and family, including Sweetie Belle. Something within her told Rarity that only Blossom would be able to see her, unlike the rest of the ponies present.
Then came the wicked manifestation of ‘Evil Rarity’. Like always, the evil part of Joyous Blossom’s mind began to taunt her and trying to get the young mare to kill once more. The real Rarity watched, feeling helpless as her wicked ‘counterpart’ continued to torment her niece. However Rarity knew what to do.
Rarity blinked as she felt something in her hooves. She looked and saw that it was a butcher knife. Yes, Rarity knew what to do; for Joyous Blossom, for Sweetie Belle, and for all of Blossom’s friends and family.
“You get away from my niece and never hurt her again you bitch!” cursed Rarity, very quietly as she lunged for the evil manifestation with the butcher knife. ‘Evil Rarity’ didn’t know what hit her, and within moments, she was lying on the floor dead with the butcher knife in her back.
"And you won't," said Rarity softly, as she stood over the bleeding corpse of the evil part of Joyous Blossom’s mind, replying to Blossom’s fear of going to Tartarus.
When Blossom inhaled sharply and looked up at her aunt, Rarity smiled sadly at her and trotted over next to her. She sat down next to Blossom, neither caring that the bad Rarity's blood was pooling around her. "You're a good pony, Blossom," said Rarity. "And I know you'll be brave when your time comes."
Rarity groaned a bit before Joyous Blossom could say anything. The older mare knew that now her time with her niece was now over. She will never see her among the living again.
---
Rarity was back in Tartarus. However, something was different. She found that there was no chain around her neck. Rarity looked up and found Azrael floating beside her. The bat alicorn had a warm smile on his face.
"Come," he said. "Your time here, as long as it was, has ended. You have paid your penance."
"What?" Rarity cried, backing away in confusion. She began to wonder if saving Joyous Blossom from the darkness within her completed her penance, but a part of her told that it just wasn’t enough.
"You have paid your penance," Azrael repeated. "It's time for you to move onto Paradise. It's time to stop hating yourself and move on." Azrael smiled and waved his hoof, before another swirling cloud appeared.
Within the cloud a portal opened, showing Rarity a great field of green grass. Something compelled her to step forward into the portal, as if she was suppose to be there, but she paused. "I don't deserve this," she whimpered. "Like I've told my sister, I never deserved Paradise."
"Whether or not you deserved it is beside the point," Azrael said. "Now go. Your time in Tartarus has ended. Paradise is not a reward for good deeds. Nay. Rather it's the end result for all sentient beings, and that's just how the Creator wishes and do know that the Creator is sovereign."
Rarity nodded, with tears streaking down her face. Nether pony knew if these were tears of sadness or happiness.
Rarity continued walking towards the portal before stopping one last time. "The ponies there," she spoke softly, "Will they forgive me for what I've done?"
Azrael smiled calmly and gently. "Rarity, child, they forgave you a long, long, time ago. However, the more important question is this: do you forgive yourself? For many beings are still here, not because they haven’t felt remorse yet, but because they have yet to forgive themselves. Remember Rarity, that you were the Element of Generosity. There was good in you, like in every being. Just as there is light even within the darkest of hearts, even if it’s just a sliver, and as there is darkness even within the brightest. "
Rarity thought about for a long moment. She gave the portal to Paradise another look, and soon she began crying, before nodding. Yes. She did forgive herself and she saw that it was time for her to move on. Rarity sniffled before straightening herself and restoring her posture, smiling at the bat-alicorn before her.
"Will I see you in Paradise one day?" Rarity asked, looking back at him, glancing at the chain still around the bat-alicorn's neck. “Have you forgiven yourself?”
Azrael frowned, as if thinking about it. "I have forgiven myself. So… maybe," he said. "At the end of time, no doubt, when all souls who are lost in darkness are brought back to the light."
Rarity's smile broadened. "Goodbye Azrael. Thank you for helping me."
And with that Rarity stepped in the portal. Upon entering Rarity felt a new sensation come upon her. The air was warm and the grass soft with a sense of everlasting peacefulness. Looking around Rarity felt something tug at her hoof. Looking down she gasped upon seeing Sweetie, the filly she killed in life, smiling broadly at her along with… Joyous Blossom!
"Hi, Rarity," the little filly squeaked, "It's great that you finally made it."
Joyous Blossom nodded happily. “I was told that Tartarus didn’t last forever. I’m so happy that you’re here at last.”
Rarity sniffled, trying to make tears, only to find it impossible. All she could say was "I'm sorry, both of you."
Sweetie smiled and giggled with Joyous Blossom. "Silly Rarity," said the filly, "Don't you remember when we last spoke? I have already forgiven you. All of us have."
Rarity smiled and made an unexpected giggle to her own surprise. "Of course, Sweetie."
Sweetie continued smiling and Joyous Blossom grabbed Rarity's hoof. "Come on Aunt Rarity," said Blossom excitedly. "There are so many ponies who want to see you."
Rarity smiled and nodded happily. The three ponies happily walked together through Paradise, Sweetie and Blossom taking the older mare to the great city, where Rarity spent eternity in peace with the ponies who were once her victims, now her friends, her ancestors, along with her friends in life and each and everyone of her family when their time came. Rarity smiled throughout this eternity, with the greatest blessing being that she was forgiven, and she would always be forgiven, just as all souls will be forgiven, throughout all time, right to the very end.
The end.