Envy and Arrogance

by Mindblower

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

*******

The Elements were wandering through the ruined halls of inner Canterlot until they finally came across the gate to the central portion of the city.

“This is the main castle,” Luna said. “The Daymare is inside.”

Just then, a red pegasus swooped down in front of the entrance.

“Heh, guess this is where it ends,” Lyvia muttered, but it was so quiet in the ruins that everypony heard her. “Either I die, or you die.”

“We don’t want to kill you,” Twilight said. “I’ll grant you full amnesty right now if you step aside and allow us to enter.”

Lyvia chuckled. “That simple, huh? Well, Twilight, right? There’s three reasons I became an assassin. One, I’m good at it. Two I enjoy it. Three, well, I’ve always felt the need to put you stubborn do-gooders to rest. Cheery attitudes just aren’t my thing. You say murder, I say population control, you know the drill. But I guess there are just some times you just have to lay your sword to rest.”

Lyvia plunked herself down square in front of the doorway. Tendrils of energy flew through the air, making the door and Lyvia’s life force one and the same.

Twilight gritted her teeth. This is a rock-and-hard place decision. If we let Lyvia be, we’ll sit here for the rest of our lives. The walls are magically reinforced in case of an attack, we’d never be able to knock them down. But if we try to kill her, we’ll only be proving the entire purpose of Discord. We won’t be any better than they are.

“Step aside,” Luna ordered.

“You and I both know that in order to get through this doorway, you’re going to have a take an innocent life,” Lyvia yawned.

Applejack snorted. “Innocent?”

Lyvia shrugged. “I’m not throwing any punches; you want to kill me, you kill me. And hey, I do deserve it, don’t I?”

Oh, great, Dash grumbled to herself. Loopholes 1-0-1.

“Your choice,” Lyvia said, stretching out on the floor, her belly to the ceiling. “I’m wide-open.”

“Coward,” Dash growled. “Why don’t you just fight us and get it over with?”

Lyvia shrugged. “I’m just not in the mood. There are days for slaughter and days for peace. For me? Well, it depends on how much time I have to buy for the higher-ups,” she smirked.

The group stood there for what seemed like hours before something happened.

“If you won’t throw the first punch, then I will!” the group heard somepony say.

A blue earth pony ran up and pounced on a slightly unprepared Lyvia. She tried her best to disable the mercenary, but Lyvia knew all her tricks, and she tossed her against a wall. “Saphira? What are you doing?!”

“Saphira?!” Rarity asked in shock.

An orange pegasus swooped along the side of a wall and dive-bombed Lyvia, but was still only able to throw a few punches, having lost the element of surprise.

“And Scootaloo!” Dash exclaimed, happiness flooding her system.

“Why, Saphira?” Lyvia asked in shock.

“B-Because I don’t want to kill any more ponies!” Saphira yelled. “I don’t want to have any more ponies d-die at my hooves. Please, Lyvia, you can help us win!”

Lyvia turned away, biting her lip and hiding her face from the group. She didn’t say anything for a few moments, but she didn’t lash out at Saphira in retaliation, either.

Is she... crying? Applejack thought, craning her neck.

“Don’t you understand?” Saphira asked earnestly. “You could have a life again. Like b-before the war.”

Lyvia laughed sadly, wiping her eyes. “Kid, you have no idea what my life was like before the war.” She turned around, slowly advancing on the young earth pony. “It was miserable. It was a waste. Just like yours is now!” she shouted, stomping her hoof on the ground in frustration. “You’re throwing your life away for these... these clowns!”

“They’re not c-clowns, they’re my friends!” Saphira defended.

“We were supposed to be sisters!” Lyvia yelled bitterly, blinking back tears. “Don’t you even care?”

“Lyvia, this isn’t the life I want to lead,” Saphira said. “N-Not anymore.” She walked up to Lyvia and looked up at her. “Please, Lyvia, don’t you understand?”

Lyvia closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she smacked Saphira clear across the room, where she fell to the ground limply.

“Saphira!” Scootaloo yelled to the fallen earth pony. She turned angrily to Lyvia. “She’s your friend! Can’t you see that she’s trying to help you?”

Lyvia stared at them. “I thought that she was different. I thought a lot of ponies were something greater than they actually were. Look where that’s gotten me. But y’know what? I’m done with this,” she said, fury alight in her eyes. “I’m through with every single pony in this miserable country you call Equestria!”

*******

Twilight and the others prepared for battle. This is the moment of truth, Twilight thought.

“I hope you realize that you’re all officially dead,” Lyvia snarled, preparing herself for an attack.

“Bring it on!” Dash yelled, igniting her mane.

Lyvia leapt up to the ceiling and dive-bombed Luna. The alicorn was able to deflect Lyvia with her magic, but this was just what the mercenary had hoped for. She used the extra propulsion to slice Applejack’s chest open, barely missing her neck.

“Man, are you bad at this!” She sneered at the wounded earth pony. “I’m two for two!”

Applejack leapt up at the mercenary, but Lyvia simply dodged and kicked the wounded mare aside. Dash swooped around the red marauder, but Lyvia swiped her metal-tipped hoof at Dash’s neck, earning Lyvia another scream for her collection. Lyvia then twisted Dash’s wing and kicked her to the floor.

Fluttershy caught Dash and set her down gently. The blue warrior’s flames had gone out when she went unconscious. Twilight and Rarity attacked the assassin with their magic, but it wasn’t enough, and Lyvia knocked both of them aside.

“Man, am I on a roll today!” she screeched, following up her attack on Twilight with a headbutt and a few deft swipes to her belly with blood-stained hooves.

“Get away from her!” Rarity screamed, attempting to run Lyvia off of Twilight, but the mercenary simply did a backflip and slammed Rarity into the ground. Lyvia’s heartbroken tears flew all over the room as the marauder continued to fight with all her passion and drive.

How could she be so skilled? Luna gasped as the Elements of Harmony, one by one, started to fall to the lone pegasus. The moon goddess took a brief moment of opportunity and trapped Lyvia in a bubble-shaped forcefield.

Lyvia started to bang on the magic, but Luna held the spell strong. Lyvia opened a compartment in her sharp metal hoof tips, and it sparked with electricity. Luna screamed in pain as the damaging energy shot through her bubble, destroying it and frying her horn.

“You think I hadn’t thought of that?” Lyvia asked, glowering upon the godess. “You pick up a few things working for an omnipotent goddess.”

Applejack, Twilight, Luna, Rarity, and Dash were down. The ones left, namely Olly, Sweetie Belle, Fluttershy, Scootaloo, and Pinkie, did their best to defeat their adversary.

Olly levitated some shards of glass from the floor and tried to shoot them at Lyvia, but he didn’t have enough time to aim, and Lyvia either dodged them or deflected them with her metal-plated hooves. She got in close and smacked him to the side.

Fluttershy tried to get under Lyvia and attack her, but her attempts were feeble. Oldest trick in the book, Lyvia thought as she did a frontflip and slammed Fluttershy to the floor, where her vision blurred and her consciousness threatened to give in to the pain.

Scootaloo tried to dodge attacks by surfing along a wall with her frictionless hooves, but Lyvia quickly caught on and pinned Scootaloo by her wing to the wall, breaking the fragile appendage. Screaming in pain, Scootaloo fell to the floor.

“Sorry, kid,” Lyvia muttered, “but I know my place.”

As Lyvia looked for the others that were still standing, she was wrenched backward. Somepony had grabbed her mane and was holding on tight. Lyvia turned to try and find her aggressor, but she was unsuccessful until she flew into the air. Scootaloo, who had been clinging to her, lost her grip and slid down to Lyvia’s tail.

“Oh, so you wanna play?” Lyvia growled. She flipped, rocketing Scootaloo to the wall. However, Scootaloo was able to make use of the propulsion, slide up the wall, leap, and slam back into Lyvia.

Lyvia flew backward, yelling in pain as Scootaloo headbutted her, but the recoil was too much for a young pegasus to handle. Scootaloo fell to the floor, limp, this time for good. Lyvia wiped blood off the corner of her mouth. “Alright, gloves off!”

Lyvia landed and galloped toward Pinkie, who was completely unprepared for the sudden rush. With a buck to the chest and a hoof in the stomach, she was down, as well.

That left Sweetie Belle.

“You’re the last of ‘em, huh?” Lyvia growled, wiping her eyes. “I hope you know that I’m not going to enjoy killing you. But nopony seems to care ‘bout me, either. I tried to convince them that I wasn’t a monster, but they wouldn’t listen. That’s why I became one.”

Sweetie Belle was backed up to the wall. Rarity looked up to see her sister being slowly approached by the pegasus that obliterated their entire group, and suddenly felt an entire ocean of rage boil inside of her.

No! Not like the others! Not like Apple Bloom! Rarity screamed to herself, willing her body up. I won’t let her die!

“I wish you knew how much pain I felt when my friends first betrayed me three years ago,” Lyvia seethed. “It’s only gotten worse. I’ve been lied to left and right from then ‘til now. I tried giving everypony a second chance, but you give an inch, and they take a mile.”

Rarity silently limped up behind her assailant, and prepared herself.

“I hope you have fun wherever you’re going to end up,” Lyvia hissed, biting back tears. “It’s better than here... trust me.”

Sweetie Belle was pressed up against the wall, pure terror showing in her young eyes as tears fell down her face. No... I... I still have to save Apple Bloom...

“Get away from her!” Rarity screamed. Startled, Lyvia turned around, but that was just the opportunity Rarity was waiting for. She used her horn to slice open Lyvia’s neck.

But she didn’t stop there.

The screaming, enraged Rarity also followed up with a kick, further breaking Lyvia’s nose and sending her sprawling. Before she could recover, Rarity stabbed her horn into the marauder’s chest.

Panting, Rarity removed her blood-soaked horn from Lyvia’s body.

“No…” Lyvia murmured, her life slowly fading away. “Not like this…”

*******

Saphira got up and silently walked over to the bleeding Lyvia. “Lyvia...?” she asked, lying down by the dying pegasus. She took one of Lyvia’s hooves in hers. “Please, say something, Lyvia.”

Lyvia exhaled. “H-Hey, kid.”

“Y-You’re alright,” Saphira smiled, pressing her head against the bleeding pegasus.

“Not... not for long, Saphira,” Lyvia mumbled, her eyes beginning to glaze over.

“No, Lyvia, do-don’t say that!” Saphira said, her eyes watering.

Lyvia lifted one of her hooves up to Saphira’s cheek. “Sorry, Saphira... I can’t protect you anymore. I wish I was a better friend,” she said, before grunting and going limp. Her blood was rapidly forming a small pool.

“No, Lyvia, please stay alive, please!” Saphira begged, sobs shaking her tiny frame. “Lyvia...!”

“Chin up, kid,” Lyvia said weakly, her final tears sliding down her cheek. “We’re sisters, right? I’ll see you... see you again...” Then she was still. The shimmering force that had barred the way slowly evaporated as Lyvia took her last breath.

The battered and bruised party looked up at Rarity, who had finally ended the battle. But she had also ended something else; something she had never wanted to end. She had ended a life.

Am I the murderer now? Rarity thought to herself, staring at the body that laid in front of her. Two wrongs don’t make a right... They never make a right. “I’m so sorry, Saphira.”

“It’s not y-your fault,” Saphira whimpered, tightly hugging Lyvia’s body. “Sh-she tried to kill all of us. I just w-wanted her to b-be alive. I w-wa-wanted...” she trailed off, crying too hard to continue.

Sweetie Belle was still terrified, but was slowly beginning to calm down. The horror of the situation was starting to ebb.

The calm after the battle was unbearable. Everypony was just sitting there, waiting for something to happen. Perhaps Lyvia would just jump up and attack them all again. Perhaps the Daymare would revive her. But nothing did happen, and Lyvia’s bloodied and broken body would lay there, motionless, until somepony else removed it. Lyvia was dead.

Lyvia was dead.

Why...? Why do I feel the need to repeat that, over and over? Twilight thought as she stared at the blood-stained pelt of the fallen warrior. It all happened so quickly.

Are we going to have to do this again? Pinkie thought, looking away from the corpse in the center of the room. I’ve never seen Rarity get so upset.

Luna was the most shocked. The fact that Rarity could have so much rage inside her heart that she lost control of her actions and killed a pony... Taking a life is the most selfish thing anypony could ever do. You only get one.

This could happen to any of us, Dash thought. To kill a pony, whether they deserve it or not, is something we all might have to do. Over and over again. How are we supposed to live with ourselves after this is all over?

Slowly, though, the stunned group pulled itself together. They gathered in a bunch, and Sweetie Belle sang her song to alleviate the injuries the battle had inflicted on the group.

But there was still the question of Saphira.

“Can we trust her, Scootaloo?” Dash asked.

Scootaloo nodded, and showed her cutie mark to the group, her roller skate. “She helped me to get this.”

“You got your cutie mark?!” Dash asked in shock.

“Yep,” Scootaloo said. “Thanks to her,” she added, glancing at the quiet and somber earth pony sitting next to her.

“Well, why do ya want ta join the group?” Applejack asked.

“B…Be-Because you f-fight the good fight,” Saphira stammered. “I d-don’t want to live a li-life where I have t-to hurt ponies. Not like Lyvia...” she trailed off, struggling not to cry.

“Come here,” Fluttershy said, pulling the upset earth pony into a soft hug. “If you fight with us, then everything will be alright. I promise.”

“Th-Thanks,” Saphira murmured, though she didn’t make eye contact.

She’s holding something back, Applejack remarked. I can see it in her eyes. There’s something on their side that’s making her nervous of joining us, and it’s not Lyvia. Either that, or she’s lying, and I don’t think she is.

“Well, a friend a Scootaloo’s is a friend a mine,” Applejack finally said. “If we finish this battle, ya can come home with me until ya get settled.”

Saphira smiled. “Th-Thank you. I’ll fight my hardest, I promise.”

“Well, now that everything’s all hunky-dorey, I believe we have to exterminate Equestria’s biggest cockroach,” Olly said cheerfully.

“What would that make Envy?” Twilight asked.

“Equestria’s second-biggest cockroach,” Olly said.

Rarity nodded. She had wiped the blood off her horn. “Let’s go.”

Far above them, on a balcony, a blue-green unicorn was watching the group with a mix of expressions on his face, but most of them resembling remorse and guilt.

=====================================================================

Trixie stood outside the entrance to the Daymare’s throne room. I’m going to die soon, aren’t I? she silently asked herself. I’m sorry, Equestria, for failing you. I don’t want to fight against you, I don’t! But I can’t do anything else, except hope that I die. Hope that I make it easy for them. The chains around her hooves glowed with nervous energy.

Just then, Lorey jumped down from above. Trixie noticed, but didn’t lift her head up to meet his eyes.

That’s why she was moderately surprised when feeling flooded back into her legs and body.

“Go,” Lorey hissed. “I may not be able to outwit her spell for long, but you should have plenty of time to get to the Elements of Harmony before the spell kicks back in.”

Trixie stared at the now limp, mundane chains that hung at her hooves. They still glowed with a faint magical energy, but they no longer dictated her actions.

“Thank you,” Trixie said earnestly. “I’ll be sure to reward you for-”

“Hurry,” Lorey interrupted, looking at Trixie urgently. He vanished in a burst of magical energy.

=====================================================================

[Note]: I do not own anything in this story that already belongs to someone else.
This entire storyline takes place BEFORE season two, but AFTER season one.

Comments

[sonic30]

Oops. Maybe I shouldn't read them so quickly so that I don't comment on one only to see you've uploaded a second one while I typed!
At this point, most of what I say is repetition, but I can't help it!
I'll keep it short: So many unexpected things keep happening. I can't seem to be able to predict what's going to happen next. Saphira and Scootaloo helping in the battle, Rarity getting enraged to the point of killing, and Trixie being (temporarily) freed from her control by one of the bad guys!
Still awaiting more (just don't upload too many too quickly because of me )

[ScyStorm]

Oh no, Rarity. :/ I hope that doesn't have too terrible of consequences on her. And yay, Trixie joins the fight~ I loves this story.

I think you may have referred to Saphira as a pegasus in one of Scootaloo's dialogues, though.

“Saphira!” Scootaloo yelled to the limp pegasus.

[Mindblower]

6201 Fixed. Sometimes those derps happen when you're writing at a million miles an hour. If you see any more, though, I'd prefer it in a private message.

[Shader]

6201

I wouldn't think it would. They didn't attack until she became a threat, and when said threat was poised to kill an innocent, Rarity intervened with what little combat ability she had. Strike until it stopped being a threat.

Like Obsidian said himself, “The lives I sacrifice I do so for the greater good. Understand that. You will have to do it as well before your lives are over, mark my words.”

[GraffyHooves]

Arghhh i need to see how this ends. This is a really good story though. I commend you on your work and await more.

[Lars]

Wait a bloody second... Rarity commited (if you believe Luna) the most selfish act in the history of selfish acts by killing Lyvia (who didn't even deserve it in my opinion). She did NOT realize her Potential when that happened so...

Oh snap. The picture for this fanfic... IT MAKES SENSE NOW!
This fanfic is BRILLIANT! All my stars!

[Starcat5]

*Eyes AJ* THAT can't be good...

[Balancer]

194541Sadly I have to agree with you on that one, Rarity gona get possessed before this fic is over

Also, Lory is awesome

[insightguy]

here is some perfect music for this time:
E1M8
and i hope you can use this in the latter chapters:
Sandy Gothic
have fun!
P.S. thanks for inspiring me to make my own

[fancy_pants:)]

Aww man, Lyvia was the coolest character in this fic, and now we just have that traitor Lorey.

[Octy]

which one is the shapeshifting one, deception right? whats her name? i get them mixed up

[Csquared08]

My uncertainty senses are tingling... Things do not seem to bode well for Rarity...

[Bongoro7]

6263
Woops.

[deathtap]

Rarity is badass.

[Dante Kami]

oh no, what now? will rarity EVER get her powers???

[themanesix]

what is even happening here.......the mysteries are insane.....I hope they last