> A Mother's Duty
>  by Rated Ponystar
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Monster
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty





By The Rated Ponystar





Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter





Chapter 1: The Monster





"When this monster entered my brain, I will never know, but it is here to stay. How does one cure himself? I can't stop it, the monster goes on, and hurts me as well as society. Maybe you can stop him. I can't."


- Dennis Rader (The BTK Killer)





***


Sweetie Belle hated these walls. 

There was no joy in them, no emotion. Just an empty feeling that slowly sucked away your soul as you stared into the grey nothing. She had once seen these walls every day for more than a decade. It was like entering a world without color, without spirit. There was nothing to do but stare into the void and slowly feel your hope fade away. It surprised her that she never went mad like she lead them to believe, but one thing kept her sane. One thing prevented her from screaming endlessly in her cramped cell. 

Her beautiful daughter, Joyous Blossom. 

It was all for her. To keep her safe. To keep her secret known. To not lose her like she lost her sister, Rarity. She would never let her daughter become a murderer and get the needle. She couldn’t live through that again. And yet, for all her efforts, she failed. Her daughter gave in to her guilt and admitted everything. Before the princesses could end her life, they agreed to spare her if Sweetie Belle agreed to be treated yet imprisoned for life. She would never be free, but she would still be alive. That was enough for Sweetie Belle. With enough effort they managed to convince Joyous Blossom to live, despite her desires to die, and let them find someway to save her from herself.

A year since then and Sweetie Belle was still seeing these walls. The damn walls that now caged her daughter the same way she once was. But it was better than the alternative. Better than having to bury her daughter like they did with her sister. Blossom was the one remaining light in Sweetie's life that she had left after a near lifetime of suffering. 

Yet behind these caged walls was another pony. No, not a pony. A monster. Something that made any guard silent and shiver the moment they saw her. Somepony that even the princesses were afraid of. Although her horn was removed the moment she was admitted, it still didn’t lessen the fact that if she wasn’t chained up, if she had just the right moment and time, she would kill you. It would not be quick. It would not be painless. It would be downright brutal and bloody to the point where you begged for death.

She too was afraid of this monster, but not because she was afraid of dying. 

It was because the monster lived inside her daughter.

“Miss Belle?” said the guard at the final checkpoint. “You’re clear to go. She’s already waiting for you.” 

Sweetie Belle nodded and made her way through the gate, avoiding the look of pity he always had every time she came to visit Blossom. Her hooves made their way through the various halls, passing by the multiple guards who nodded to her or said nothing. The path to visitor’s room was like second nature to her, as was the faces of all the guards she passed by. Further and further into the mental ward she went, to a section that housed two ponies. Her daughter and the monster.

Reaching the end of the hall, she stopped at a sealed door where two guards scanned her as usual. After a few seconds, she was allowed inside and the door was sealed behind her. The walls were the same as the outside, yet even they had more life in them then the pony tied in the chair in the middle of the room. 

Every time Sweetie visited, she found it harder and harder to recognize her daughter. It wasn’t the chains, the lack of a horn, the loss of color in her once bright purple mane, nor the numerous self inflicted scratches on her face and legs. It was the eyes. Eyes that held the darkest of the abyss, sheltering something truly frightening. Something that, if released, would leave a trail of blood in it’s wake.

She had hoped to see the eyes of her daughter, the ones that held some innocence when she was little, but the moment she saw the hornless unicorn look up Sweetie Belle knew it wasn’t going to happen. The monster was here today, not Joyous Blossom.

“Hello, Mommy....” Blossom whispered, looking up for just a split second before gazing back down on the floor. 

“Hello, Blossom...,” muttered Sweetie in the most loving tone she could give, but it nearly made her choke. She saw the spare chair and slowly sat down next to it, letting the silence stand still between them like a brick wall. Numerous times she had visited her daughter since she was put in the mental ward, and each conversation was always different. Sometimes her daughter would stay silent, sometimes they would talk. On the rare chance she had her daughter only, and not the monster, she found herself smiling. 

But even then, each visit from her real daughter ended with the same question that tore Sweetie Belle's heart apart: “Would you please kill me?”

Today this wasn’t her daughter though. This was the monster. The same monster that was in Rarity. The same monster she could have been the moment she strapped Twilight Sparkle down and had a knife pointed right at her. The same monster that ruined her life and the lives of so many. Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and tried to play it cool. “How are you doing, baby?”

“I’m okay... I guess,” muttered Blossom, her tone containing no emotion behind it. “What’s it like outside?”

“It’s... sunny,” answered Sweetie Belle.

“I miss the sun... so warm... so bright...” Blossom snorted. “Nowadays the only sun I get to see is the one plastered on Celestia’s behind when she comes to check in on me. I don’t know why she bothers; I can’t be fixed. She can’t get rid of Aunt Rarity.” 

Sweetie Belle bit her lip. “Blossom, you don’t know that. There... there could be a way to save you; don’t you want to stop thinking about killing ponies? Stop Rarity from telling you what to do? All of us are worried about you.”

Blossom was silent for a long time. Then she slowly raised her head, eyes watering, and asked, “Then how come you’re the only one who visits me, Mommy?”

Closing her eyes, Sweetie Belle tried to hold herself back from hugging her daughter. It was against the rules ever since she asked Apple Seed for a hug once and tried to bite out her jugular. The Apples stopped coming after that. Then the rest of the Elements and their families. Twilight, who swore to help as best she could, also stopped coming, leaving in tears when Blossom kept pressuring to admit that she was a failure for trying to cure Rarity before and letting nine other ponies die. Even Comet, despite her efforts, was no longer allowed to see her sister due to her parents fearing Blossom. 

The only ponies who now came to see her were Sweetie Belle and the Princesses. The only ones who had not given up on her. 

Time passed as Sweetie Belle tried to say something to her daughter, but she found herself silent. She glanced at the clock in the room; there was very little time left. Joyous Blossom then looked up at her mother and smiled. “Mommy, do you want to know of a dream I had last night?”

“Of course, baby,” said Sweetie Belle, forcing a smile. “Was it a nice dream?”

Joyous Blossom nodded. “It was a very nice dream. I dreamed I was a foal again. I was playing with some of my old classmates and then came Golden Necklace and Fire Ruby. They were being mean again, as usual... and then I found a rock.”

Sweetie Belle’s smile soon faded and was replaced by horror. 

“It was a really big rock and they kept talking and talking. I couldn’t stand it... so I brought the rock on their heads. Their heads went pop and they stopped talking. Then everypony was shouting and screaming, calling me other names. So I took the rock and started running around, shutting them up. They all stopped screaming. Apple Bloom, Apple Seed, Twilight and her friends, the Princesses, Shining Armor, Miss Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. Everypony was quiet and covered in red. Then it was just you and I, Mommy. And I was so happy because we were alone at last. Just the two of us forever. Alone in a red covered Ponyville....”

For the remaining minutes of silence, Sweetie Belle just stood there, staring at her daughter with a horrified look. She slowly began to turn green before the door finally opened and allowed her to leave. She quickly looked back at her daughter who smiled, yet it was a smile that brought a chill to her very bones. “Have a nice day, Mommy. Me and Rarity both love you.”

Sweetie Belle could only nod before she left the room, turned around the corner, and lost her lunch on the floor.


***


After taking a few minutes to collect herself, a disheartened Sweetie Belle made her way past the checkpoints while earning a few sympathetic glances aimed at her. She ignored them and proceeded to make her way towards the entrance of the ward with as much dignity as she could muster. What she didn’t expect to find was Princess Celestia and Princess Luna waiting for her.

“Sweetie Belle, it’s good to see you again,” said Celestia with a smile and a nod. 

“Hello, your majesties,” whispered Sweetie Belle, staying still. She was probably the only pony in Equestria who no longer bowed to the royal sisters, something that had earned her scoldings from various ponies. It was no concern to her; she had very little respect for the princesses anymore who had spent years watching her scared daughter, believing her to be the same kind of monster Rarity was. Well they got their bucking wish and I hope they're happy with it.

“How is Joyous Blossom doing?” asked Luna, keeping her face emotionless.

“She’s...” Sweetie Belle tried to find the right words. “... a bit under the weather.”

Her attempts to hide her discomfort obviously failed from the concerned look from Celestia and the narrowing of the eyes from Luna. “We were actually hoping to meet with you, Sweetie Belle. A new drug has recently been made for those suffering from delusions, and we would like to see if it could help Joyous Blossom,” explained Celestia, with a small smile.

“Yes, of course. Anything that can help my daughter,” said Sweetie Belle instantaneously, her tone on the edge of desperation.

“We hardly think it will make a difference in the matter,” muttered Luna, but Sweetie Belle caught it. 

“What are you saying?” demanded Sweetie Belle, eyes glowing with fury. “My daughter needs help and maybe this can do it.”

“Tis is the same thing thou hast said with the last drug, and the drug before that, and the dozens of medications we have tried before,” Luna pointed out, glaring back. “Sweetie Belle, We understand our sister and I promised to help thy daughter after she agreed to life imprisonment for her crimes, but it’s been a year now and she’s only gotten worse!”

Sweetie Belle stepped forward, not caring if she was breaking whatever rules there were, and placed her furious face inches away from Luna. “My daughter didn’t deserve this, Luna! She’s just a sick filly who's had a horrible life because of the actions of others! If you tried hard enough...”

This time Celestia answered, hoping to mediate between the two. “Sweetie Belle! I know you are upset, but do not mistake us! We want to help Blossom; we’ve been trying our best.” Celestia sighed. “But it’s getting harder. Many are criticizing us for wasting such money and resources on helping your daughter, and no psychologists or therapists want to work with her. She’s scared them away.”

“And no amount of medication has helped her change for the better,” stated Luna, shaking her head. “We are sorry, Sweetie Belle. We know this is hard to accept, but at this point We believe thy daughter is a lost cause.”

Sweetie Belle started at the two with such rage, it brought up a familiar feeling she only had twice in her life. Once was when she had confronted Twilight Sparkle of the memory spell planted on her, and the other when Diamond Tiara all but admitted she put that damned article of her sister on her daughter’s desk. It was pure and utter hatred.

“A lost cause, huh?! What then?! Do you give her the needle like you did my sister?! Take away the only family I really have left?!” shouted Sweetie Belle, growling like a wolf.

“Sweetie, there is still your pare-”

“My parents refuse to acknowledge that me or Blossom even exist anymore! They believe us all to be lost causes just like my sister was and refuse to feel anything when dealing with us, just to spare them the grief!” shouted Sweetie Belle. “You will help my daughter! You promised you would if we got her to agree to not be executed! It’s bad enough you took her horn despite my warnings of her fear of losing it, but now you're giving up?! I hate you!”

Unable to hear anymore, Sweetie Belle ran out the door, tears in her eyes. Celestia made a move to go get her, but Luna stopped her older sister. “Don’t, Tia. She needs to be alone and accept the harsh, cold fact that we both know.”

“Unlike you, Luna, I refuse to give up,” scolded Celestia. “Somewhere inside that body is the real Blossom and we will help her. We promised we would and I will not break that promise to see Sweetie Belle and Joyous Blossom suffer more than they should have.”

Luna shook her head. “Even if we did manage to cure her, sister, what then? She still is guilty for two murders, and it was before the law was changed. We cannot execute her since our sentence must be followed, but what life will she have? To sit in these wards or a cell for the rest of her life? To never walk among ponies? To never fall in love or start a family? Sane or not, Joyous Blossom’s life is over.”

“Then... do you think we should have given her the needle, Luna?” asked Celestia, with unsure eyes. It was not the first time they had question their action to spare the poor soul that had come to them, pleading for her death so that she could be free from her horrible life. 

Luna closed her eyes. “Back then, We didn’t want to see another soul suffer and wanted to spare everypony another sorrowful loss. But if we known that this would have happened... then yes. She should have died that day, if only to spare her this pain.”

Celestia said nothing. She only continued to move further into the mental ward, followed by her sister.

> A Divided Tree
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty





By The Rated Ponystar





Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter





Chapter 2: A Divided Tree





“Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related for better or for worse... and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum.”


― Rick Riordan, The Sea of Monsters 






***


When her sister was still alive, Sweetie Belle heard Rarity talk about how one day Carousel Boutique would be known throughout Equestria. And that dream had come true, but not in the way Rarity would have wanted. It was a surprise to many that, even now, Sweetie Belle choose to live in the house that her sister once brought innocent ponies to their untimely demise, but to Sweetie Belle it was the only home she had left. All her memories, good and bad, were here and it was a part of her. 

It still unnerved her that all the sleepovers, playdates, and fun times she had with her sister and friends was a cover up to a torture room where bodies were butchered. Many of her sister’s friends, like Applejack and Twilight, had offered to let her live with them, but Sweetie Belle knew that the moment she declare her residence elsewhere there would be a petition to destroy the legacy of her sister. She couldn’t allow that. For some reason, despite all logical thought, she refused to let this place go. Maybe it was a reminder that, despite her actions, there was some good in Rarity or maybe it was another reason. She just couldn’t let go.

She didn’t make it as dazzling as her sister did; she didn’t have the talent. The only things she kept around were the pictures of her family and closest friends; the most common being her daughter. They were what cheered her up whenever she came back from the mental ward and had to deal with that monster inside Joyous Blossom. 

Laying on her bed, she flipped the page of her picture book, smiling at the sight of her newborn daughter wearing her first Nightmare Night costume. She went as a pumpkin while Sweetie Belle went as a witch. It was the first time she had been able to enjoy the festivities without worrying about backlash from her fellow residents. She flipped the pages revealing more photos of her daughter, each one a precious memory: her first steps, potty training, first time using magic, and more. 

After a long struggle dealing with the fallout of the reveal of Rarity’s murders, she had finally found peace and happiness in the form of a single drunk accident that became her only true joy in the world. She turned to the last page and frowned. Her daughter was carrying a lunch box with her school supplies nearby. She remembered this picture all too well. That was the day her life changed for the worse yet again. The first day of school was when her daughter learned the dark truth she had tried to keep secret for years, hoping to tell her daughter the story of her aunt when she was older and more mature. 

But Diamond Tiara ruined everything. She ruined my daughter’s innocence... thought Sweetie Belle, gritting her teeth. She would never say it out loud, but she was glad that rich brat was dead. All her life she had made Sweetie Belle suffer, only getting worse over time. She had crossed the line when she hurt her daughter with that news article. Although she once had pity for her when Blossom killed Golden Necklace and Fire Ruby, that was quickly swept away when her oldest enemy tried to kill her daughter. I hope she’s rotting in Tartarus...

A knock on the door quickly snapped her out of her dark thoughts. She levitated the picture book away and headed down the stairs. “Coming!”

Opening the door, she saw Ponyville’s oldest mailmare, Derpy Hooves, waiting there in uniform with a mouth full of letters. “Mahcalh!” Sighing, Sweetie Belle levitated them out of Derpy’s mouth and placed them on her back. With her mouth free of it’s burden, the aging pegasus gave a bright smile. “Thanks, Sweetie. How are you doing today?”

“Fine... just fine,” muttered Sweetie, forcing a smile. 

Derpy nodded before giving a salute and taking off much too Sweetie’s relief. She didn’t like lying to such a kind pony, especially one of the few who had defended her at the memorial for the victims of Rarity, but she didn’t want to keep burdening ponies with her problem. She took the mail and chuckled it into the trash, already knowing that they were just letters from various ponies in Equestria that wanted to say their piece about her daugher. 

When Joyous Blossom’s full story got leaked to the news, everypony in Equestria wanted to talk to Sweetie Belle about her daughter. Some said that her daughter should have been killed while others say they sympathized with her daughter’s story and offered their condolences. It attracted everyone, from anti-bullying campaigns, who wanted to show how bullying could turn children into murders, to crazies, claiming that Blossom was Rarity reincarnated and was seeking to continue her work. All Sweetie Belle wanted was to be left alone. She didn't care who was against her or for her; she just wanted her daughter back.

She was about to go upstairs to look at the pictures of her past once more when the door knocked again. Sighing, Sweetie opened it again but smiled again upon seeing Apple Bloom. The two friends hugged before Sweetie Belle invited her inside. “I said I was gonna see you tomorrow.”

“Ah know, but Ah saw ya comin’ from the train station with a depressin’ look on yer face,” said Apple Bloom, retreating her smile. “It wasn’t a good run was it?”

“... no,” admitted Sweetie Belle, eyes facing the floor. “I... I hate to say it, but she’s getting worse. Most days it’s that...other her, and rarely do I ever see my real daughter.”

Apple Bloom took Sweetie Belle hooves and held them tight. “Hey, listen. The princesses will do everythin’ they can to help yer daughter. Ah’d go... but....”

Sweetie Belle didn’t say anything. Although it hurt to hear how her best friend in the world no longer wanted to go see Blossom, who she had raised while she was trapped in that mental home, she couldn’t fault her. Most mothers wouldn’t want to see the one who almost ripped your daughter’s throat out.

“Applejack invited ya to dinner. And she ain’t takin’ no for an answer,” said Apple Bloom, changing the subject. 

Sweetie Belle was ready to declined but stopped when she saw the stubborn look on her best friend’s face. Sighing in defeat, she nodded. 


***


Sweet Apple Acres hadn’t lost its touch over the years. In some ways, it was a second home to Sweetie; a sanctuary she used to hide from the harsher glares and comments from the residence of Ponyville while growing up. Even when it passed, the farm was still a place she frequently visited, and was welcomed as an honorary Apple. It was also the place where Blossom had spend a good portion of her fillyhood, with the kind and warm Apple family watching over her like one of their own. 

And yet... one of their own convinced my daughter to turn herself in...  Sweetie Belle bitterly thought as she entered the farm grounds. She knew it was wrong to blame the pony who her daughter called ‘sister’ in all but blood, and she had stayed her tongue many times when she saw Apple Seed. But a small part of her, no matter how much she tried, couldn’t forgive her. It was my choice to take Blossom’s sin. My choice to sacrifice my future so she could continue hers! If she hadn’t...

“Sweetie Belle? Is something wrong?” asked Apple Bloom, stopping midway up the porch stairs. 

Quickly faking a smile, Sweetie Belle responded, “Oh, it’s nothing. Nothing.”

Apple Bloom nodded and the two of them walked inside. Ready to greet them was Applejack, who gave the girls a toothy smile. “About time ya both got here. Big Macintosh’s already got the table setup for supper. Why don’t y’all get seated and Ah’ll call Apple Seed down.”

“Thanks for having me over,” said Sweetie Belle.

Applejack raised her hoof. “Ah, shucks, Sweetie Belle. Yer practically family in this household. Ain’t nothin’.”

The two hugged before Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom made for their seats in the dining room, Big Macintosh already putting down the last of the dishes. He nodded at the girls before getting the apple juice from the fridge along with some preserved salad. Sitting down, Sweetie Belle rubbed her stomach at the sight of such good food. She looked around, noticing that there was six seats which tung a string in her heart, painfully. She remembered how many times she had brought her daughter to eat with the Apples, times that were the most fun in her life.

It was like they were a true family. Applejack and Big Macintosh passing the food around, telling Joyous Blossom and Apple Seed about the trouble their mothers got into, much to the former Crusaders' embarrassment. Apple Bloom and her exchanging the newest gossip, mostly about the ponies they knew growing up and their development. Sometimes they would exchange news about Sweetie’s parents, back when they still wanted to be in her life, or about Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo in the Wonderbolts. 

But those days of joy were now gone. And despite the smiling faces she saw on those she called her second family, she knew that anytime they eyed that empty seat, a hint of sorrow could be seen. 

Sweetie Belle heard the sounds of their final members coming from down the stairs and turned around to see Apple Seed enter, freezing for a bit when she spotted who was at the table. Applejack soon arrived and nudged Seed to continue. Apologizing, she made for her seat and sat down, never taking her eyes off of Sweetie Belle. After everypony was settled in, they all began to eat in silence.

Occasionally, Sweetie Belle caught sight of Apple Seed glancing at her, only to turn away when she looked back. Although a bit angered by this rudeness, Sweetie said nothing and continued eating her mashed potatoes. Sensing the obvious discomfort at the table, Applejack cleared her throat. “So, Sweetie Belle. Ah, heard ya went to go see Comet and her family a while ago. They doin’ okay?”

“What? Oh, yes,” said Sweetie Belle, recalling her trip to Baltimare a week ago. Rolling Thunder had insisted that Sweetie Belle spend time with him and his family, if only to help reassure Comet that Blossom was doing fine. It did nothing to stop the filly’s desire to see her big sister again, but it was warming to know that there was somepony that still had faith in her daughter. “Comet’s doing well, she’s even been trying a few things we did as the Cutie Mark Crusaders to get her mark. None of the dangerous stuff, mind you.”

“Nothin’ involvin’ tree sap either, Ah hope,” joked Apple Bloom, getting a laugh out of everypony except Apple Seed, who was picking her peas.

“Yeah, she’s gotten a bit better since Blossom was...” Sweetie Belle paused for a second, “... taken away...”

The happy mood quickly turned sour as everything became quiet once again. Then, Apple Seed muttered, “... she’s not Blossom...”

Sweetie Belle slowly turned towards Apple Seed who was glaring at her plate, looking ready to smash it with her hooves. “That... that animal... isn’t mah sister. Not the one Ah love and care about. She’s just a horrible bein’ that deserves to be locked in a cage.”

“Apple Seed, that’s enough,” scolded Apple Bloom, but before she could say anything else, Sweetie Belle stood up.

All eyes were on the unicorn as her nostrils flared. “My daughter is not an animal. She’s a good pony who needs help. She’ll get better; I know she will.”

“And what if she doesn’t?!” screamed Apple Seed, stomping her hoof. “What if she’s stuck bein’ in a crazy, murderous rage for the rest of her life?! What if she gets loose and starts comin’ after ponies and killin’ them just like Rarity?!”

“Apple Seed!” shouted Apple Bloom, this time holding nothing back in her outraged tone.

“She is not my sister! And you’re no sister of her’s for convincing her that she was a murderer you brat!” cried out Sweetie Belle, lifting her glass and throwing it against the wall. “She was safe! Free! She could have had a good life, but you screwed up everything!”

“She was doin’ wrong! Makin’ ya pay for a crime she did!” 

“I told her too! I told her to lie! All so she could still be alive! Is that what you want?! To see her dead?! After everything you two have been through as sister?! You may talk about ‘family morals’ but you know nothing about family at all!” 

“Enough!” screamed Applejack slamming her hoof down, echoing across the entire household like an explosion that had gone off. “Both of y’all better not say another peep out of yer wordholes unless ya want to start chokin’ on yer broken teeth when Ah slap ya!”

Apple Seed ran off, tears in her eyes, and headed up for the stairs while her mother ran after her. Sweetie Belle, huffed and wiped her lips with her napkin. “Thank you for dinner,” she muttered before getting up and leaving the household. 

Once outside, she passed the road and made straight for the apple orchards, her anger building up more and more with every step she took. How dare she! How dare she say all that! What kind of friend is she to Blossom?!  It’s her fault she went  to the princesses and confessed everything! If she just kept her damn mouth shut!

“Augh!” screamed Sweetie Belle as she kicked a nearby tree. She kicked it a few more times, even after all the apples had fallen from its branches, before sitting on her haunches. Taking a deep breath, she tried to hold back the tears in her eyes until she heard the sound of somepony heading towards her.

“Ya know, that tree was supposed to be bucked next week,” commented Applejack, strolling by. “Then again, it’s just one tree. We can just store the apples in the cellar.” 

“Why are you here?” asked Sweetie Belle, keeping her focus on the ground. “If you want me to apologize to your niece...”

Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Ain’t sayin’ that she did no wrong, but the two of ya yellin’ at each other wasn’t right. Can’t ya take her feelin’s inta consideration, sugarcube?”

Sweetie Belle got up and snorted. “Feelings? What feelings? It’s pretty clear she doesn’t care much for my daughter anymore. Just like everypony else. And she once called her sister!”

“Ya think so?” asked Applejack, stone faced with her eyebrow raised. “Follow me...”


***


“Apple Seed? Honey, are you okay?” asked Apple Bloom, knocking on her daughter’s door.

“G-go away!” shouted her daughter, followed by a few sniffs. “Leave me alone!”

Shaking her head, Apple Bloom wondered how everything went wrong so fast. She was hoping for a nice dinner, maybe not a talkative one but something to draw her best friend out. Sweetie Belle had only been more and more anti-social the past year. Although she understood it was a tough time for her, and the rest of them in general, Apple Bloom knew that Sweetie Belle needed her friends more than ever. The tension between Sweetie Belle and her daughter wasn’t oblivious to her, but she held some hope that the two could have gotten along.

Apple Seed, however, she was more worried about. Ever since Blossom tried to rip out her daughter’s throat, she had refused to talk to anypony about it, even the psychologists Princess Celestia had sent. Apple Bloom tried to force down the bile that was building up inside of her. She still couldn’t believe that Joyous Blossom, the same pony she loved like her own daughter, had did that to her baby. The sight of Apple Seed on the floor, screaming as blood poured out of her neck while Blossom-no, that monster-was slowly chewing the flesh she had taken.

When she stared into the eyes of her daughter’s attacker, she saw nothing that reminded her of the sweet filly that once played outside her backyard. Only a soulless sense of evil that lingered in a set of hollow eyes that looked ready to tear them all apart with her mouth if need be. She knew it hurt Sweetie Belle that her family refused to see Blossom again. But even she couldn’t risk her daughter, or anypony else in her family, again. Not even for her.

Shaking off her thoughts, she refocused on her current task and decided to ignore her daughter’s wish for solitude. Taking a small bobby pin out of her mane, she quickly worked on the lock and heard a click before opening it. Pushing the door open, she saw her daughter, crying her eyes out while holding a picture of her and Blossom at the Sisterhooves Social. It was just at the end of the race when they took the picture. They were covered in mud, sweat, and dirt, but the two of them were smiling while proudly showing off their medals. How she wished such happy times could come back once more.

Apple Seed didn’t acknowledge her mother's’ arrival, even after she sat next to her daughter and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. After a few minutes of silence, Apple Seed looked up at her mother and asked, “Mama... did Ah betray Blossom?”

“Why do ya think that, Apple Seed?” asked Apple Bloom, caressing her daughter’s mane.

Looking down at the photo, Apple Seed rubbed her eyes and answered. “Because it’s true isn’t it? If Ah didn’t get angry at Blossom, tell her to confess her crime, she wouldn’t be in this state would she? She might have found help like she planned and be back with us. Ah’d have mah sister back; so would Comet.”

“Honey, this isn’t yer fault. Ya didn’t know this would happen,” assured Apple Bloom, but her daughter shook her head.

“But it did happen! Why did it happen, Mama?! Blossom was such a sweet mare! She never wanted to hurt anypony, but...” Apple Seed clasped her neck, which still held the scar of the surgery she had to have. “... but she nearly killed me! Me! Her sister! Ah... don’t... Ah’d don’t know what to feel, Mama! She’s not Blossom and yet she is! Ah hate her, but Ah still love her! Ah wish this never happened! Ah wish...”Bloom had heard enough. She wrapped her forelegs around her daughter and held her tight. Apple Seed wept on her mother’s shoulder as she continued, “Ah still can feel it. Her teeth sinkin’ into me. Ah thought Ah was gonna die... all because of a hug...”

“Oh, Apple Seed...” whispered Apple Bloom. “None of this is yer fault. Ya did what ya thought was right...”

“But was it the right thing, Mama?! If Sweetie Belle and yer positions were reversed, would you do the same thing? Would ya order me to keep silent if Ah killed ponies and y’all took the blame?” asked Apple Bloom, staring into her mother’s eyes.

Apple Bloom closed her eyes. She didn’t need to think about the answer at all. The answer was so simple. “Yes... Ah would...”

Apple Seed expression told she wasn’t expecting this. She looked at her mother in disbelief and slowly broke the hug, her mouth hanging wide open. “But... but ya said...”

“Ah know what Ah said about family, and never lettin’ them down. But,” Apple Bloom sighed, “yer mah daughter. Ah’m yer mother. Ah would do anythin’ to keep ya safe. Anythin’.”

Apple Seed shoulders sagged as did her ears. “So... did Ah do the right thing?”

“.... Ah don’t know, Apple Seed... Ah don’t know,” said Apple Bloom, sighing. “All Ah know is that Blossom, if there is any part of her left somewhere inside that body, is hurtin’. If Ah could help her, save her and Sweetie Belle from anymore pain, Ah’d do it in a heartbeat...”

“... Ah would too,” muttered Apple Seed, hugging her mother once more. “Ah’d do anythin’ to see mah sister again...”


***


Just outside the window of Apple Seed’s room, two spies were standing in silence. One with an emotionless expression, while the younger one was doing her best to keep her tears from falling. Applejack motion for Sweetie Belle to follow her back on the path towards town. Halfway there, Applejack said, “Ah know yer hurtin’, Sweetie Belle. Celestia knows this can’t be easy for ya. But don’t think for one second that none of us don’t love Blossom any less than ya do.”

“... I’m sorry,” muttered Sweetie Belle.

“Ah, ain’t the one ya should be apologzin’ too. But ya also deserve an apology, so Ah’ll make sure Seed gives ya one back,” said Applejack, stopping in the middle of the road. She turned around, facing Sweetie Belle with her expression now softening up a bit. “Sweetie Belle, Ah love Blossom. She’s like a daughter to me, just as y’all are. But if ya want to blame anypony, blame me.”

“Y-you? W-why?” asked Sweeite Belle. “You did everything to keep her happy and safe.”

“But not enough to stop her from becomin’ what she is now,” mutter Applejack, grimly. “Ah always had some suspicion that there was more to those foal’s murders than met the eye. Maybe even a part of me suspected yer plan on takin’ the blame all along. Even so, Ah wanted to make sure somepony of Rarity’s line had a happy life. Ah know her, and despite all she did she was mah friend. And Ah knew that she would never have wanted any of y’all to suffer for her sins.”

She looked up in the sky, a tear dripping down her face. “Ah thought maybe, if Ah gave enough love and care, Blossom would turn out alright. But Ah failed. It wasn’t enough. Now Ah feel like Ah failed all of y’all. Yerself, Blossom, and Rarity.”

Sweetie Belle put her hoof on Applejack shoulder. “My sister’s actions are her own fault. And Blossom’s... she had to go through a lot...”

“It’s not fair. Not at all. After all the horseapples y’all went through because of Rarity, ya deserved to be happy. The both of ya,” muttered Applejack, lowering her head. Turning around, she made her way back to the farm, but stopped after a few steps. “Sweetie Belle. Ah know ya want to keep believing that yer daughter can be saved, and Ah’ll always respect that. But trust me when Ah say this...” She turned around and gave Sweetie Belle the saddest, yet serious stare she had ever seen from the aging honest farmer. “That Joyous Blossom that’s locked up is not the one we love. And ya have to accept that before somethin’ happens to ya.”

Sweetie Belle said nothing as Applejack walked away, without looking back once.

> I'm Beyond All Hope
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter



Chapter 3: I’m Beyond All Hope





“I gave up love and happiness a long time ago."


- Richard Ramirez (aka The Night Stalker)





***




Another visit. Another day of hope or disappointment. Sweetie Belle sighed as she waited for her daughter to arrive in the room. According to the guards, she was very resistant and was even asking Rarity to stop them. Sweetie Belle did her best to resist tearing up. Somedays, to her shame, she wished she didn’t have a sister who became a murder. A sister who ruined her life and her daughter’s life because of her actions. Yet the Rarity that Blossom knew was nothing more than a delusion, spurred on by the rumors and opinions of others. Sweetie Belle knew her sister, even if she was a killer. Rarity would never have let Blossom or herself go down her own dark path.

She could still remember the final look in her eyes before they were shut forever. It was a look of sorrow, guilt, and yet comfort. Rarity’s last act of kindness to her before she died. Those eyes had haunted her, even to this day. Sweetie bit her lip, feeling more alone in the world than ever. Her sister was dead for horrible crimes, the worst Equestria had ever seen. Her parents abandoned her, unable to take the shame of what their bloodline has become. And her sweet daughter was now ciminally insane and locked up for not just her protection but all of Equestria. There was still a divided line between her friends and her sister’s friends, and she would never fully trust the princesses ever again. 

No, I am alone. I’ve been alone ever since Rarity died, thought Sweetie Belle, as her mask broke and a tear fell down her cheek. 

The door soon opened and in came Blossom, chained and jacketed with two guards, swords drawn, guiding her. Sweetie got up and nearly grabbed her daughter upon seeing blood on her lip. “Oh, my baby. What did they do to you?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Belle, but we had no choice,” said one of the guards, forcing Blossom to sit down. “She tried to take one of our swords. We had to get a little... rough.”

“Your lucky,” muttered Blossom, slowly grinning. “If I had just gotten an inch closer, Aunt Rarity would finally have left me alone.”

“Rarity isn’t there you nutcase,” muttered the other guard. “You can’t kill a delusion.”

“No, but I can still kill somepony and that would have gotten her to finally SHUT UP!” shouted Blossom, yelling towards her left where there was nopony there.

The two guards looked at each other before walking out of the room. Sweetie Belle didn’t know what to say to her daughter, or even what to do. Before she could say anything, Blossom looked at her with pleading eyes. “Mommy, can you tell Aunt Rarity to be quiet this time? I just want to talk to you and you alone.”

Sweetie Belle gulped, and slowly turned her head towards where ‘Rarity’ was. She knew it wasn’t a good idea to feed into her daughter’s delusions, but if she wanted to have her in a clear mind then she would have no choice. “Rarity... um, big sis? Do you think you can... leave us alone, please?”

A long silence went by before Blossom sighed in relief. “Thank you, Mommy.”

“A-anytime,” said Sweetie Belle. Before trying to think of something to change the conversation. Suddenly, she remembered why she was here. “I... I spoke with Apple Seed yesterday...” Blossom’s head rose in interest. “She... she wanted to apologize for something she did last week and... well, I was to blame too.”

“Apple Seed has a way with hurting those she loves,” muttered Blossom, teeth clenched. 

Sweetie Belle winced. “A-anyway, we talked and she wanted me to ask you something.”

“Yes?”

“Why did you bite her?” asked Sweetie Belle. It was the million bit question that many had asked. The Apple Family, Twilight, the princesses, and various psychologist asked.

Joyous Blossom sighed and leaned back into her seat. She looked up and smiled. “It was suppose to be a message.”

“A... message?” asked Sweetie Belle, tilting her head.

“Yeah,” said Blossom, sighing. “Apple Seed was suppose to die. She was supposed to lie there, bleeding to death until her last sight on this planet was me, looking straight into her eye, eating her jugular. Her death was suppose to break Apple Bloom’s heart, and everypony else. Papers would spread about my murder. Vigils would be held for Apple Seed, wishing her safe passage into the afterlife. They would make her look pretty for her funeral. Lying there in a coffin, all dressed up, smiling like an angel, and holding her favorite flowers between her hooves. She would look so peaceful as everypony walked up to her and said their final goodbyes. And then they would see it. The small tear that I left. A reminder of what had happen to her. And they would all ask, ‘Why did Blossom, her sworn sister do this?’ and then they would see the message...”

“What message?” whispered Sweetie Belle, frozen in fear.

Blossom, with a sad smile, muttered, “That I am beyond hope.”

Sweetie Belle sat in silence as the guards rushed in and took her away. Looks of disgust and hate on their faces. “Monster,” one muttered.

“I know...” cried Blossom now weeping. Her daughter didn’t resist their rough handling, only look at her and said, “Don’t tell Apple Seed, Mommy. Please.”

Sweetie Belle only nodded and sat there in silence. It took her a few minutes to get up, but when she did she felt tears streaming down her eyes untils he left the facility. 



***


Celestia stared into the reports the staff at the mental hospital before throwing them away in anger. Nothing. Not a single change in behavior, unless you count the fact that Blossom was getting scarier and scarier to deal with. Some of them were even finding it hard to sleep at their homes, worried that Joyous Blossom, or even Rarity, would come out of the shadows and kill them and their families. 

She was running out of options. She had tried every psychologist, every drug they had. Nothing seemed to help Joyous Blossom, not even her own family and friends could bring back the playful spirit of the mare that Celestia found so innocent. Yet innocent or not, she is responsible for two filly's deaths. Diamond Tiara is dead because of her too, but that was for self-defence...

And yet she relished in it. She remembered how Blossom, in tears, told them how happy she was killing her. The look on her face when she realized that she had her daughter's killer in her hooves and let her go in a moment of weakness. The utter despair that she kept seeing was both haunting and electrifying to the broken unicorn. 

Celestia had faced many things in her life, but never had she found such a problem like Joyous Blossom. Then again, there was a great deal about murderers that she didn’t understand. All the books and records of Equestria's previous murderers held very little information about them. It seemed that most scholars were more eager to claim them as “evil” and then just have them killed off, hopefully forgotten. But now Celestia knew there was more to these killers then met the eyes. Ponies just couldn’t have been born evil. Something had to have made them become this.

The question is what triggered Blossom to become a murderer as well? asked Celestia, rubbing her temples.

The sound of her door opening alerted her and she turned around to see Luna looking at her in disapproval. “We take thou are going to stay another night looking into Blossom?” 

Celestia turned away and went back to work. “Yes, Luna. Could you please tell one of the maids to send me a cup of coffee? A large one.”

Luna sighed. “Sister, thy dedication is to be merited, but thy reasoning must be questioned. Thou hast spent too many nights worrying about Blossom and not for thyself. ‘Tis time thou takes a break and take a good long sleep before thy own health declines.” Shaking her head, Celestia got up and made her way for a book on her shelves when Luna walked in front of her and pointed to the bed. “Rest Tia, now.”

“You do not order me, Luna,” said Celestia, narrowing her eyes. “I need to get to work. One of us has to keep that promise and find a way to help Blossom.”

Sighing, Luna looked at the floor in sorrow. “Celestia, when will thou realize the truth? There is no way to save Joyous Blossom. She is too far gone. We cannot keep wasting our time on such matters when more important things are present.”

Celestia stomped her hoof. “I can’t Luna! I can’t let anypony, not even Blossom, suffer anymore for what Rarity has done! There has been enough grief and suffering because of her actions! I won’t let her claim one more victim!”

“Rarity has nothing to do with this, Celestia!” shouted Luna. “She is dead! She’s been dead for years! Joyous Blossom made her own mistake when she murdered two fillies!”

“She was scared and angry, just like Rarity was!” shouted Celestia, eyes closed, remembering the final conversation she had with Element of Generosity. To this day she couldn’t understand how one chosen by one of the most powerful magical items in the world could have been a mass murder ever since she was eight. “It was like history repeating itself. Bullies threatening a hurt filly, scared of danger.”

“And so the two fillies deserved what they had?” Luna shook her head. “Celestia, We know you want to make this right. So do We. To this day we still cannot forgive ourself for not telling anypony about Rarity’s actions before hoof.”

A long silence reigned between the two sisters. Celestia, mouth trembling, asked, “Luna... did we play a part in creating this monster?”

Luna blinked. “We... don’t understand.”

“Do you remember what Nevitt said?” asked Celestia. “How we had continued to pressure Blossom? Watching her in fear of her being another Rarity? While we were right, I can’t help but feel our actions caused her to become this way. To her, it seems like she was born to be a killer because everypony assumed her to be like Rarity. And in a way... we made that happen.”

Luna didn’t answer at first, but then she said. “There are many factors to this, Celestia. Perhaps the fault lies in Diamond Tiara or her child, We do not know. Perhaps We played some part of it. And maybe, in the end society failed her.” Luna nuzzled her sister and hugged her. “All We know right now is that our big sister needs some sleep and a few days off from this Blossom business.”

Nodding, Celestia nuzzled her sister back and watched her leave the room. Before she exited, Celestia then asked, “Luna, have you ever looked into Blossom’s dreams before?”

Luna stopped and answered, “Once... all We saw was a little filly in the darkness. Crying her eyes out. And no matter how much We tried, no matter how much We did, We could not reach her and comfort her. It is... a dream We will never forget.”

Celestia watched her sister leave her room before getting into her own bed, and fell asleep.

> What Makes a Killer?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty 



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter



Chapter 4: What Makes A Killer?





“Do not be dismayed to learn there is a bit of the devil in you. There is a bit of the devil in us all.”


 - Arthur Byron Cover





***




When she learned about Rarity’s murders and saw the evidence of them all those years ago, Sweetie Belle was sure that nothing would ever make feel as horrified again. And yet just hours ago, she heard her own daughter talk so casualty about a dream where she had murdered everypony. She said it with such a happy tone, almost as if it was out of personal enjoyment. The only one who had been spared was Sweetie Belle. She wondered if, deep down, that was all Blossom ever wanted out of life, to be with her. 

Sweetie knew that their separation would cause problems, and she knew that the Princesses would never treat her daughter like she would. They treated her like a time bomb, waiting to go off at any minute. Even when she was living with the Apples they still considered her a risk. Sweetie glanced the distant city of Canterlot with such fury that if she had the power she would have wipe it off the face of the earth, along with the princesses. Yet a tear dripped down her face, knowing that a part of her daughter’s suffering was done by her own hoof. She had failed to protect her and separated herself from Blossom, hoping she would be strong without her.

The train arriving at Ponyville finally settled at the station and she got off with haste. She didn’t feel like heading home yet, not after what had happened. There was nopony she knew off hoof that she could talk to about this either. After the incident with Apple Seed, Sweetie Belle had decided to stay away from the Apples for the time being. Then she thought of the one pony who always looked after her when her sister died, the one who never stopped helping her, even when she had tied her down and was prepared to kill her. 

With her mind made up, she made for Golden Oaks Library. 

***

It had been some time since she had last seen the library, even after she was released from the mental ward, but it still looked the same. She touched the bark and inhaled the familiar smell of nostalgia, remembering all the times she and her friends had played near the library or looked for books to help them with something school or cutie mark related. It brought back memories of the happier times that she, and was certain others, had longed for, when such warm and sunny days seemed to last forever. She wondered if those days could have continued had her sister not been caught. They would all be ignorant that one of them was a serial killer, but ignorance, they said, was bliss. 

Sweetie Belle opened the library door, hearing the greeting bell from above ring. Looking up from her book on the pedestal, Twilight saw who it was that entered and smiled. “Sweetie Belle! It’s good to see you!”

The two old friends exchanged hugs before Sweetie Belle asked, “Twilight? Is it... is it alright if I talk to you? I need somepony to listen to me.”

“Of course. I’ll make us some tea,” said the librarian as she went into her kitchen. Sweetie Belle took a look around, seeing that much hadn’t changed on the inside ether. She saw a few frames of Twilight's family, her friends, and even some with the Cutie Mark Crusaders back in their blank flank days. One of the more noticeable ones were a series of a certain dragon assistant growing older over time. 

Sweetie Belle sighed; she missed Spike a lot. The young dragon had been by her side, defending her from those that sought to harm her because she was Rarity’s sister. Spike had tried his best to remain strong as well, having cared for Rarity deeply. But then one day he left, leaving a letter that said he was going to see the world, and he hadn’t come back since. Twilight was devastated for a long time when it happened, and even begged Princess Celestia to tell her if she knew anything, but the princess did not. Nopony knew if he let because of Rarity, or if he sought to live his own life. Either way, he was gone, but everypony held hope that he would return one day, safe and sound.

“Sweetie Belle?” Twilight entered the room with the tea in her magical grasp. “Do you want any sugar?”

“Two please,” said Sweetie Belle as she sat down, accepting the drink with a small smile. The two of them engaged in light hearted chatter, talking about their lives, and keeping any conversations of Blossom or Rarity out. After a few rounds of tea, Sweetie Belle finally decided to talk about why she came here. “Twilight? Do you mind if I talk about somethings that has been bother me lately? I need... I need somepony to listen.”

Twilight paused in raising her tea to her lips before closing her eyes with a sigh. Putting it down, she looked up with sympathetic eyes and said, “It’s about Blossom, right?”

Sweetie Belle nodded, lowering her gaze downward as she struggled to speak. The events of the past week had finally taken it’s toll on her and she couldn’t keep them in anymore. “She’s... my daughter is getting worse, Twilight. It’s like I can’t recognize her anymore. She’s my baby, and yet I’m looking and hearing a complete stranger... no, a monster.”

“Sweetie...” Twilight reached her hoof out and touched Sweetie Belle’s. 

“Why isn’t she getting better?!” Sweetie Belle screamed, slamming her hooves on the table. “We’ve tried everything! Medicine! Doctors! Therapy! And yet nothing is working! My daughter is losing her mind more and more everyday, and I’m afraid, Twilight!” She buried her head into her hooves and wept. Each tear carrying the fears and regrets she had been holding for so long. She felt like she was a filly again, lost and confused. “I’m... I’m scared she’ll go to a point where I can no longer recognize any part of her. That my sweet Joyous Blossom will be gone forever! I don’t want that, Twilight! I want my baby back!”

Twilight wasted no time getting up and hugging Sweetie Belle, letting her rest her tear-eyed face on her shoulders. For a long time, neither of them moved, holding onto each other like a life line. “Why did this happen? How did this happen? Is what they’re saying right? That my family is nothing more than a bunch of murderers?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“No, Sweetie Belle,” Twilight whispered, shaking her head. “It’s not like that. Not like that at all.”

“Then why?!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “Why is that my sister, myself, and my daughter are all murderers, Twilight?! Just why?!”

Twilight didn’t answer at first, but moved very slowly away from Sweetie Belle before turning towards her basement door. Wiping the tears off her face, Sweetie Belle watched as Twilight pressed her hoof on the handle, staring at it with great intensity. Sighing, she said, “Sweetie Belle, do you want to see what I’ve been doing for the past decade since you took the fall for Blossom’s murders? It’s something I’ve never shown anypony, but I feel you have a right to see it. Maybe it will answer your questions, but I doubt it. I still haven’t found any answers myself.”

“W-what is it?” asked Sweetie Belle, walking closer.

Twilight looked at her with a grave expression. It almost was frightening to see such drive in the eyes, almost on the borderline of obsession. “I’ve been asking myself for a long time about the idea of murder, and how ponies can even do something so horrible. I used to believe it was impossible really, even knowing that serial killers existed at a certain point in our history long ago. That all changed with Rarity. After she died, I then I realized nopony ever talks about them unless it’s recent. I tried looking into the Canterlot Killer, the last serial murderer before Rarity, and it took me so much effort to even find a single book on him.”

“Did you know that all the other races have more in depth of what goes through the mind of serial killers, rapists, arsonists, and more than Equestria? I guess when you live in a county that has the lowest crime rate in the world, you tend to think that where you live is utopia, never believing that your kind can do horrible things. But the truth is that ponies can commit acts of evil, and ponies can kill.” Twilight opened the door. Sweetie Belle peered inside and saw that it was dark below. “I wanted to know what makes a pony turn to something as horrible as murder, so I did what I used to do when I was still Princess Celestia’s student. And that was research.”

The two of them went down the stairs, Twilight hitting the light switch. Sweetie Belle started at the basement in fascination. All the walls were covered in papers, photos, or newspaper articles, some were paintings or old newsprint or scrolls. Books on psychology and criminology were scattered across the floor, mostly written by names that sounded griffin or minotorian with very few being pony. Along side them with charts, notes, and other researching materials. Sweetie Belle recognized a section dedicated to her sister, detailing all the murders, and her signed statements of the horrible killing she had done over the life. Her date of birth, date of death, and the word “executed” were seen under her face. 

There were other ponies, other murderers, who shared the same fate over the years, and some who were killed during arrest or committed suicide. Sweetie Belle never recognized any of the names, except for the Canterlot Killer. She walked over to a few and read what was written about them before turning away in disgust. It hurt knowing that her sister was now forever linked with these monsters, and her daughter would probably be as well. 

“I’ve been getting what data I can about all the ponies who had committed murders ever since the princesses took control of Equestria,” said Twilight.

“Why not go back to the point where Equestria was first formed?” asked Sweetie Belle.

Twilight shook her head. “Because, from what I can theorized, back when Equestra wasn’t ruled by the princesses, horrible crimes were still being committed at a time. How or why is never explained, and I doubt Princess Celestia will answer my questions, even if I was still her student.”

“But... why keep such knowledge hidden? Why forget it all?” asked Sweetie Belle, trying to think of the reason for such a thing. “Isn’t the point of learning history so we can not repeat the same mistakes?”

“Yes, but I think, somewhere along the line, they thought it was better to hide such dark times away from the new generation. Maybe they feared that the influence of such evil would cause others to be inspired to act the same way. Or maybe they just wanted to forget. I don’t know who decided such a thing, and I hate to think the Princesses did. Or maybe crime just became less and less common to the point where they simply found no reason to write about it anymore and the knowledge was lost.” Twilight walked over to a few books and levitated one of them, titled Murderers of Equestria. “But no matter how much they tried to hide the history, they couldn’t stop the darker nature of ponies from being unleashed. And it’s happened, from regular ponies like you and me who one day snapped and became what they are.”

“LIke how?” asked Sweetie Belle.

Twilight looked around her list of serial killers before walking over to one on the opposite side of the wall and pointed to a young earth pony with a red cross on his flank. “This is Doctor Scalpel. He was a surgeon, young and brilliant, who seemed like a normal everyday doctor.” Twilight grimaced and slowly moved some pages out of the way and revealed a horrible sight that made Sweetie Belle nearly lose her lunch. It was a mare, strapped to a table with chains, her face in agony as her womb area was sliced open, her intestine and inner liquids leaking out. 

“He... he killed that mare?” asked Sweetie Belle, terrified. It reminded her of the remains of the victims in Rarity’s hidden room. 

“Yes, her and four other mares,” Twilight muttered, grimly much to Sweetie Belle’s horror. She couldn’t help but imagine the idea of her strapped to that table, with that sick psycho tearing into her and ripping out her organs. “He surgically removed parts of the lower abdomen of the mare with rusty equipment, making the pain even worse. When he was done carving her up he left her bleeding to death. He finally got caught when a nurse noticed him leaving early from his workstation and witnessed him kidnap a sixth victim before getting the guard. He was executed three days later after confessing his crime.”

“Why did he... do something so horrible?” muttered Sweetie Belle. 

“Nopony really knew back then. They just called him evil, killed him, and moved on.” Twilight shook her head sadly before she took out pictures of each of the victims and then a sixth one that she didn’t recognize. “See anything familiar?”

Sweetie narrowed her eyes. They were all different types of ponies, with different cutie marks, but then she noticed something they all had in common. “They all have the same mane style, and freckles.”

Twilight nodded and showed the sixth one. “This is Doctor Scapel’s mother. She left his father when he was six, running away with another stallion and living a new life while her ex-husband, and Scalpel barely scraped by. I think he killed those mares because he hated the fact that his mom abandoned him and his dad, and so he sought to unleash his anger on any mare who looked like her.”

The more Sweetie Belle thought about it, the more it made sense. If I saw anypony that reminded me of Diamond Tiara, I sure as hay would feel angry. 

Walking over to another killer, Sweetie Belle quickly thought she was looking at a deranged maniac. The unicorn mare was in her late mid-years, her hair frizzled and coat dirty and muddy looking. There was a crazed look in her eyes, like she had lost touch with reality and had a violent streak behind her. The strangest thing, Sweetie Belle noticed, was the necklace she had on. It was holding a baby’ pacifier. 

“This is Willow Whistler,” said Twilight, pointing to the crazed unicorn. “She was a well known flute player back in her days. She had a good life, loving husband, a lot of friends, and was even getting ready to have her first foal.” Twilight shook her head in sympathy. “But after her baby was born, it died of a disease seven days after birth. The tragedy was so crushing to her that she took up drinking and it caused her to ruin her career, her friendships, and her marriage in less than five years. She lost everything because she couldn’t get over the fact that her foal was dead.”

Twilight, hesitantly, then showed three photos of three children, one colt and two fillies. They were all smiling or looking happy, but Sweetie Belle had a feeling that their fates were not. “These three children each disappeared in the same month. The first, Wing Striker, was kidnapped walking home from  school and turned up a week later... like this.”

Sweetie Belle got ready to shut her eyes incase it was too gory, but to her shock it was anything but. The colt was dead, but it was how he was found that just baffled and yet saddened Sweetie Belle. He was in a homemade looking coffin, his size, while dressed in a nice suit. His hooves were folded over his chest while holding a single rose, and his face was peacefully looking. It almost look like he didn’t suffer at all.

“They found him, in this coffin near a graveyard just a week after he disappeared. He hadn’t been malnourished, beaten, or raped, but was suffocated. Presumably in his sleep.” Twilight levitated two other photos. This time it was the fillies, dressed up in dresses instead, but still were in similar homemade coffins. “These two were found a week after their kidnapping. They also died of suffocation.”

Sweetie Belle nearly felt her heart stop when she saw one of the fillies, a unicorn, looked almost like Blossom. She wondered how the families dealt with such a horrible tragedy. The very idea that their own child was dead and gone. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and hugged herself, trying to shake of the imagination of her daughter lying in a casket. “W-why did she do it?”

“Well, she kidnapped another colt, but he managed to escape five days after he was kidnapped and later they arrested Willow. He said he kept calling her his baby, treating him like he was a newborn foal in all the ways. Feeding him, forcing him to wear a diaper and pacifier, and rocked him to sleep,” explained Twilight.

“So why kill him on the seventh...” Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened. “Her child died after a week of being born.” She looked at the photo of Willow Whistle and muttered, “She was reenacting the only time she ever had with her baby.”

“Yes, when they arrested her, she insisted that they were all her children. The courts were unsure to declare her insane or execute, her but before they could do anything she took her own life in her cell. The loss of her child was so great that it changed her, broke her.”

Sweetie Belle could only nod. Losing a child was the worst fear a mother could have, one that she had to live with every day now. Even her own mother was never the same when Rarity died, and the same was said for Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon who had fallen from grace in their own ways.

“Are all of them like this?” asked Sweetie Belle, looking around her. “Were they all turned into these monsters because of a tragedy in their lives?”

“If only that was true,” said Twilight, shaking her head. 

“So... what about my sister?” asked Sweetie Belle, a question she had to know as she looked at the photo of Equestria’s most recent killer.

Twilight lowered her head as she walked towards Rarity’s section on the wall and looked at it. “I’ve studied her more than any of them.I find it hard to think that the most generous mare that I knew was also one of the most cruel and murderous of us all. But why did she do it? I think it was because of what happened back then, her first three murders.”

“You mean Dug, Kicker, and Annie?” asked Sweetie Belle, remembering the three names who were Rarity’s first victims. 

“Yes, they were bullies and were cruel to your sister,” said Twilight, closing her eyes. “She felt so scared, so pathetic, that when they cornered her she killed them out of fear and rage.”

“So why kill all those other ponies?!” shouted Sweetie Belle, growling. “Even if they were horrible individuals they didn’t necessarily do anything to her!”

“It was because she had the power, Sweetie Belle,” answered Twilight, sighing. “That’s the only thing I can think of. The power of life and death in her hooves, having such power after being weak for so long? It changed her, making her want to kill more for the thrill and energy. The idea that she wasn’t weak. Maybe she changed her victims to more horrible behaving ponies to make some moral crusade of them or maybe she had a twisted sense of justice. I don’t know, but I think if she hadn’t killed those three bullies, then she wouldn’t have become like this.”

“Just like Blossom,” muttered Sweetie Belle, realizing the similarities. “She killed them the same way.”

“Yes, but Blossom did so because she was afraid of her life. And fear is what’s been driving her down to what she is now,” said Twilight. “Fear of being a killer, fear of dying, fear of the princesses and society, the fear of her family's dark past. I guess she couldn’t just take the pressure anymore and it’s made her become well...”

Sweetie Belle looked at her sister’s smiling face and wished it would just burn off. She screamed and pounded on it, much to Twilight’s surprise. “Stop smiling you monster! It’s all your fault! Everything is your fault! If you hadn’t been such a horrible pony none of us would be suffering like this!” 

“Sweetie Belle, calm down!” urged Twilight.

“Why should I, Twilight?!” sweetie Belle shouted, giving her sister’s face a look that could kill. “Everypony’s lives have been ruined because of her! Mine, yours, our friends, my daughter’s, and everypony else who's suffered because of her! I wish I never had a sister! If she really loved me...” Sweetie Belle banged her head on the wall and let her tears fall. “If she really was a good sister... if she really loved me... she wouldn’t have done the things she did... she wouldn’t have had to get killed like that... Rarity, why? Why did you do that?”

Twilight hugged Sweetie Belle from behind and whispered, “Sweetie Belle, Rarity loved you. She always loved you and she never wanted you to suffer for her sins. I know that. If she were here right now she would regret everything you and Blossom have had to go through.”

“Doesn’t matter, Twilight. Nopony except maybe you, me, and your friends will believe that. I have to live with the knowledge that my sister is the worst murderer ever. I doubt anypony in your list is worse than her.”

“No, Sweetie Belle,” muttered Twilight, shaking her head. “Maybe they haven’t killed as many ponies as Rarity did, but there are just as many evil or more evil ponies that you see besides her.”

“Like who?”

Twilight turned to another killer, this one bald with a stone cold expression on his face. He looked almost emotionless, a void in his eyes that showed no signs of life inside of him. It was like looking at something hollow and empty. 

“This pony... nopony know his name. He only gave himself the name ‘Soulless’ because that’s what he was. His cutie mark was, of all things, a stuffed animal, but it might as well have been a blade.” To Sweetie Belle’s surprise, Twilight’s eyes flashed with pure hatred when she looked at the picture.

“What did he do?” Sweetie Belle asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

Twilight didn’t answer. She only handed off a piece of paper which Sweetie Belle read. Upon finishing the first page, Sweetie Belle ran to the nearest trash can and puked. This stallion, to her disbelief, was in someways worse the Rarity was. The torture methods this... monster had done paled in comparison. Rarity killed her victims in a single day with torture and breaking them until she ended their lives. Soulless, a name that Sweetie Belle found suited him, had only killed seven ponies, but he had his sick way with them for over an entire year. Every day he raped them, cut them, tore off part of their body and ate right in front of them, hanged the women from their teats, cut the males balls off, made them eat their own waste, tore out their eyes, cut off their tongues, and more. He did this to them, for an entire year with each victim until, even after they begged for death, and then ended their lives before searching for another one. This stallion deserved death. 

“How could... how could anypony do such a thing?” asked Sweetie Belle, who couldn’t help but wonder which was worse. Her sister who killed so many, or this stallion who killed so few but made them suffer for an entire year. 

“They asked him that when he turned himself in,” said Twilight. Noticing Sweetie Belle’s shocked and confused look she nodded. “That’s right, he turned himself in. And you know why? He said he wanted to see the expression on everypony’s face when he told them, showed them, and explained to them how he did it. When asked why he only said one thing, ‘It was just for fun, until it got boring.’ They executed him the same day they found him guilty. He didn’t show any emotion, in fact he even said he was looking forward to his descent into tartarus. Said it would be interesting.”

 Sweetie Belle just stood there in stunned silence. Now she had some hint as to why murderers were not common knowledge to ponies. If she had known about this monster growing up then she would have been afraid to even go outside. Would Rarity even be who she is if she knew about this guy?

Twilight sighed and looked over all her work and shook her head. “I haven’t found why he did it, and for a few other as well. The reasons, methods, and personalities of all these ponies are so different that... the truth is there is no one single reason why ponies kill. It’s just too complex to even think about, and I can’t help but wonder... what if this is something we can’t stop? What if this is part of our nature, the evil within in, that all of us have that could be unleashed? Are all of us capable of becoming killers?”

“... Yes,” said Sweetie Belle, who slowly looked at her own hooves. “Because I almost did... with you.”

 Twilight’s eyes widened as she remembered the time that Sweetie Belle found out about the memory block on her and nearly killed in anger. “Sweetie...”

“No, Twilight, don’t....” Sweetie Belle flattened her ears. “I... I killed too, remember? I have blood on my hooves just like Rarity. Just like Blossom. All of us for a different reason, but it doesn’t change the fact we’re all murderers!”

Neither of them said anything for awhile until Sweetie Belle asked, “Twilight? What should I do? Can’t I help, Blossom? Can’t I save her? And what about Rarity? Should I hate her? I want to, but I can’t help but still love her. Please, be honest.”

Twilight closed her eye, her ears flattened. “Sweetie Belle, I won’t answer because it’s not the one you want to hear.” She then looked at Rarity and said, “All I can say it that I know there is good in Blossom, just as there is good in you, and I know that there was good in Rarity. I still can’t believe that the Element of Generosity wouldn’t choose her if there wasn’t. I know I will never be able to forget the sins she committed, but I choose to remember that despite all that, she had some good inside of her.”

Sweetie Belle stared at Twilight for a good while before she nodded and made for the stairs. “I’m going to home... I have a lot to think about.”

Twilight didn’t even say goodbye. She just watched Sweetie Belle exited the basement, leaving her with all her notes, surrounded by the faces of killers. 


***


“And you're saying her behavior changed?” asked Doctor Mindsweep as he followed one of the guards down the hall, towards the direction of their most infamous of patients. He had been reluctant to be under the same roof of such a crazed mare, but at the same time he was a bit fascinated by her.

“She kept banging her head against the wall, screaming,” muttered the guard, looking disturbed by what he had just seen. “When we finally stopped, she wa crying and asking for her mother only... it was how she spoke that got our attention.”

Mindsweep raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“See for yourself.”

The guard directed him to the cell where doctors were cleaning up a bleeding Joyous Blossom’s face. Mindsweep faked a smile and looked at the terrified Blossom’s face, whose eyes were wide and staring at the strange like he was the boogypony. “Blossom? I’m Doctor Mindsweep.”

“H-hi...” 

Mindsweep nodded. “Are you okay?”

“It hurts, but the doctors say I’ll get better. I don’t even know how I got hurt like this,” Blossom whispered, her voice sounding small and fillyish. Doctor Mindsweep noticed this and made a mental note of it. “Um... Mr. Doctor pony?”

“Yes, Blossom?”

“Can... can you find my mommy? I’m supposed to be home right now,” said Blossom.

This made Doctor Mindsweep raise an eyebrow as he leaned forward and asked, “Blossom... what is the last thing you remember?”

Blossom looked up at the ceiling in concentration before smiling and said, “I was heading to bed because I wanted to wake up early for my first day of school!”

> Three Minds, One Body
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter





Chapter 5: Three Minds, One Body





“And He asked him, "What is thy name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion: for we are many.” -The Gospel of Mark 5:9


It was not for the first time that Sweetie Belle wondered how much more suffering was there going to be before fate finally had enough of playing around with her and her daughter. How much longer did her daughter have to go through before there was nothing left to take away? She had lost her innocence, her freedom, and her sanity. What more was there for her to lose?

She stared at the two princesses who were guiding her down the halls. The hall that had her daughter trapped from the world outside. A world she should have been able to live in and enjoy, but now was nothing more than a trapped rat in a cage, treated with disdain and fear. She didn’t want them with her, she wanted them to leave her alone, but she had no choice in the matter. Doctor Mindsweep had requested all three of them come to see what had happened to Blossom, saying it was of the utmost importance. 

So she put aside her feelings and focused on the more important issue: Blossom. The three of them soon arrived at room with large blind covering a window, Doctor Mindsweep waiting for them inside. He bowed before saying, “Thank you for coming. As I mentioned in my letters, there has been a new development with Blossom, one that I don’t think any of us saw coming.”

“Is this good news or bad?” asked Princess Celestia, with a hint of hope behind her tone.

Shaking his head, Doctor Mindsweep turned to the blinds and move them, allowing the three to see what was inside the next room. Sweetie Belle gasped and covered her mouth as she saw her daughter in straightjacket with chains now around her. Five guards, armed with spears were pointing their weapons with fear in their eyes. The worst thing to see was Blossom, she was stitched up from wounds and looked asleep but her expressions kept changing. One minute she was smiling, the next she was scared and looking like she was having a nightmare, then she was growling and shaking with rage.

“What did you do to her?!” Sweetie Belle shouted , glaring at the doctor who shook his head. 

“I agree, I didn’t authorize this,” said Celestia who sounded just as angry. She looked back at Blossom with pity in her eyes. “What made you think this was necessary.”

“Your majesty, this is to protect Blossom, and the rest of us, from... one of her personas,” said Doctor Mindsweep, getting the attention of all the mares in the room. “You see her expressions changing every minute or so in her sleep? How she switches stances and behavior? Blossom is fighting herself, or more accurately her personas are fighting with each other.”

“Personas?” asked Luna, tilting her head. “You mean like personalities?”

“Yes,” Doctor Mindsweep sighed, “Blossom has developed multiple personality syndrome. Her mind has strained itself to the point where she now has three personalities based on her original one. In other words, she’s now split into three individuals.”

“By the Elements...” Celestia whispered, eyes widening. “How how did she get this?”

“Her mental health deteriorated faster than we expected,” Doctor Mindsweep  answered, looking at his chart. “It’s an uncommon illness that happens to ponies either through stress or trauma when the brain can’t handle what’s happening to them.”

A large slam echoed across the room and everypony turned to Sweetie Belle who was banging her hoof over and over again on the wall, slowly making it red. Princess Luna quickly grabbed it and tried to make Sweetie Belle stop, but she struggled out of the grip, fighting against Luna until she tripped and fell on the floor. The others tried to help her up, but she pushed them away and bit her lip. 

Nopony said anything as they watched the silent mother slowly get up before walking over and look at her struggling daughter. Finally, she said, “So it’s finally happened. She’s gone crazy...”

“Sweetie Belle, your daughter is...” Celestia stopped herself to find the right word, but she couldn’t. 

“Crazy,” Sweetie Belle finished, glaring at Celestia. “What other word is there that anypony else will use? Huh? My daughter thinks she’s three different ponies now and I may have lost her for good! Are you happy, Celestia?!”

“Sweetie Belle, silence! If you think any of us wished to see this then you are mistaken!” Luna shoutd, stomping her hoof.

Sweetie Belle glared at Luna, but said nothing. She turned to Doctor Mindsweep and asked, “What personalities does my daughter have?”

Doctor Mindsweep looked at his notes. “Well, like I said, there are three. The first one we are calling her ‘Innocence’. This persona behaves like Joyous Blossom before her first day of school, thinking herself to be a little filly without any knowledge of what has happened to her before that day. She still thinks she’s the same age and doesn’t know about her aunt or even why she’s here. She’s scared and really wants her Mommy to come find her. We think this persona was made because this was when Joyous Blossom was at her happiest in life, maybe even what she has always wanted. But ever since she saw that article about Rarity on her first day to school—”

“Her innocence was lost,” Celestia finished, shaking her head. “It makes sense. Everything changed that day.”

“If Diamond Tiara didn’t put that stupid article on her desk...” Sweetie Belle muttered , thinking that the mare who helped ruin her daughter’s life was lucky she was already dead. 

“The second persona,” Doctor Mindsweep continued, “we call ‘Guilt’. This is the Joyous Blossom who feels that all she’s done in life is ruin everything, and believes that the only thing that can stop it is if she was dead.” Sweetie Belle put her hooves over mouth, silencing her gasp. “The first thing she asked me if I was here to kill her. I said no. She replied that I should, or find somepony who is willing to do it. That’s why I have her in that straightjacket and chains. She’s tried to bang her head against the wall, bite her own tongue, and tried running into the weapons of the guards. She’s suicidal and thinks nothing of her own life, seeing herself as a monster who doesn’t deserve to live for her crimes.”

Upon hearing this, Sweetie Belle covered her eyes and began to weep. It brought her back to the day her daughter gave herself in, admitted her crimes and asked to be executed. I fought so hard to keep her alive, does she really want all that to go to waste? Doesn’t she know how much I need her alive?! She’s all I have left!

She felt two wings comforting her as she looked up and saw the princess’ concern. At first she wanted to tell them to back off, but she stopped herself. What was the point? 

“And the third?”

Doctor Mindsweep closed his eyes and shiver. “The third... is the reason why we have the guards there. The third one we call...’Rarity’.” This got the attention of all three mares as they waited for him to continue. “This is Blossom’s murderous persona. She wants nothing more than to kill; it doesn’t matter who it is. She told me exactly how she would start her spree the moment she got out. She would kill any guards that stood in her way of getting her horn back and flee, then... go after Silver Spoon for what her daughter did to her. Then Ms. Belle... you would be next.”

Sweetie Belle felt herself go cold. “But... I’m her mother. Why would she want to kill me?”

“To spare you from the pain. It would would be quick and painless for you, she said. Then she would kill three ponies each month in a different city, establishing fear and chaos until Equestria was in a panic, unable to trust anypony because of Blossom’s ability to disguise herself. She wouldn’t hold back from killing anypony, not even your majesties if she ever found a way.”

“But Rarity wasn’t like that!” Sweetie Belle shouted. “She never would have done that! It’s completely different from what she did!”

“We agree, this sounds more of a plan to install fear into our subjects,” Luna replied in disgust. “Rarity murdered because she found it enjoyable, but she had a specific set of rules she followed and murdered in secret. This sounds more of a plot to install fear like a terrorist.”

“That’s because this is the Rarity that Blossom views, the kind of pony she thinks Rarity was,” said Doctor Mindsweep. “She’s heard nothing but horrible stories about how terrible Rarity was, almost like a monster. She thinks that she’s no different than Rarity and that this personality exists because she feels she must be like Rarity because she murdered too.”

Nopony else said anything, everyone was trying to compensate what they were learning. That’s when Sweetie Belle said, “Let me see her.” 

Doctor Mindsweep shook his head. “I don’t think—”

“Doctor,” interrupted Celestia, stepping forward. “I too would like to see this for myself.”

With no other choice,  Doctor Mindsweep nodded and pointed to the door that lead to the room next door. With a shaking hoof, Sweetie Belle opened it and all three of them entered together. 


***


I’m scared. I don’t know where I am. I want Mommy, where is my Mommy?

She doesn’t want us anymore. She hates us, fears us. They all do. We don’t deserve her, Mother is just too good for bad ponies like us.

She wouldn’t do that! Mommy, loves me! She says so everyday! I’m not a bad pony!

Oh, how ignorant you are. No, you are bliss. If only I was like you. But it’s too late. For all of us.

Will you two shut up. I swear, it’s bad enough I have to deal with you two, but I’m still strapped to this chair.

You shouldn’t be so mean!

And you shouldn’t be such a naive idiot. Do you want to know why we are here? Why were all here? Do you want to know why those guards look at us like we are some kind of a monster? How tempted they are to push those nasty spears into our guts just to see us slowly rot and die?

Shut up! Leave her alone! It’s all your fault, Aunt Rarity! 

My fault? The only reason we are trapped here is because of you. If only we had killed Silver Spoon, then I would have had us by the throat and nothing would be able to stop us from doing what we were born to do.

I hate you! I hate everything about you! It’s only knowing that you’re going to burn one day that will make it worth it in this nightmare!

If I burn, you will burn too. All of us will burn.

I don’t want to burn. Please stop it, you're scaring me. I just want to go home!

We can’t go home... we have no home... we deserve no home...

Shut up, both of you. We’re awakening and somepony is here.

Who is it? Wait... that’s...

“Mommy!” Joyous Blossom cried out, who attempted to rush towards her mother, but stopped short and jerked back thanks to the chains. Her mother looked at her with sad, teary eyes while two really big unicorns with wings came in. Blossom had a feeling she knew who these ponies were, but she couldn’t think of them at the top of her head.

Sweetie Belle stepped forward and smile before hugging her daughter, nuzzling her as gently as she could. Blossom closed her eyes and began to relax. The cold and dark room hadn’t been very nice, and the warmth she got from her mother was like a gift from above. 

“I missed you, Mommy,” Blossom whimpered, ignoring the other two meanies in her head. “Where am I? What is this place? Somepony said this was a hospital, but it’s different than the one back in Ponyville.”

This isn’t a hospital kid. It’s a prison. 

For our own good! We’re too dangerous!

Blossom shook her head and waited for her mother, who was biting her lip, to answer. “Y-yes, Blossom. Your very sick and you need help. Mommy and the princesses are here to make sure everything is gonna be okay.”

Blossom eyes widened as she turned to the royal sisters and gasped. “You are the princesses?! Wow! That’s so cool! You look beautiful!”

Celestia and Luna looked at each other, unsure of what they were seeing, but slowly smiled and nodded. Celestia replied, “Thank you, Blossom. Are you... are you sure we haven’t met before?”

Blossom shook her head. “I’ve never met royalty before, but I’ve heard so much about you! You look even more amazing face to face.”

“Is that so?” said Celestia, her smiling waning. 

Luna then asked, “What is the last thing you remember?” 

“I was heading to bed to get ready for my first day of school.” Blossom gasped. “School! I forgot about it! Mommy, is Ms. Cheerilee gonna be angry at me for being late?!” 

Blossom held her breath when she saw her mother crying. She wasn’t even attempting to hide the tears that fell down from her cheeks. Blossom’s ears folded back as she whimpered. “M-Mommy... did I do something wrong? Why are you crying?”

“I... I just...” Sweetie Belle held her daughter even closer. “Oh Blossom, I’m so sorry. I should have protected you better. I love you so much, but I failed you.”

“Mommy?” Blossom asked, confused and feeling teary-eyed herself. 

Okay, I’ve had enough. It’s time for me to step in.

What?! Don’t you dare! Haven’t you made her suffer enough?! Haven’t we suffered enough?! Do you have no heart?!

“Stop fighting!” Blossom shouted, surprising everypony, even the guards. “You two are being such meanies to each other! And in front of my mommy!”

“Blossom, who are you talking too?” asked Celestia, urgently.

Blossom shivered and leaned closer to her mother. “It’s these scary voices. One sounds so sad and keeps saying we did something bad. The other is really mean and says really bad things. I think... I think she likes hurting ponies. She says I do too, but I don’t want to! I’m not a bad pony, right?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head and rubbed her hoof over her daughter’s mane. “No, baby. I know you’re a good pony. Just don’t... don’t listen to those voices okay?”

Good luck with that. We’re all together in this and we’re gonna be such good friends. You might as well give me a turn speaking. After all, sharing is caring. 

Blossom, please! Listen to me, don’t listen to her! I have to talk to everypony before she does! There is still time to stop her!

They won’t listen to you. What are you going to do? The same sob speech about how we’re better off dead? My sister isn’t going to do that because she can’t stand the sight of losing us and the princesses can’t go back on their judgement. Face it, I’m going to live as long as you do!

“I’d rather die than have us hurt somepony again!” Blossom screamed, making everypony step back. No longer were her face and eyes innocent and childlike, but full of fear and rage. Realizing she was in control, she stared at the princess and her mother with pleading eyes. “Mommy, your Majesties, please listen to me! I don’t have much time!”

Hey I wasn’t done talking to Mommy! Let me talk to her again!

Oh so now it’s your turn, huh? Don’t think you can control it forever, I’ll be getting my turn soon enough.

“B-Blossom?” Sweetie Belle nervously asked. “A-are you okay?”

“Am I okay?” Blossom asked in disbelief. Gritting her teeth, she closed her eyes to fight back the waterworks. “No, I’m not okay, Mother. I’m in Tartarus. I’m trapped in my mind, listening to endless voices while getting hateful glares and comments everyday. I haven’t seen the sun or stars in a year. Everypony I love hates me or fears me because I am a monster. A murderer.”

“Blossom, we’re trying to help you,” Celestia said, shaking her head. “I know you are not a bad pony, Blossom, I can see that now. And I know it’s difficult, but we will find a way to fix you.”

She really doesn’t get it does she? Oh well, guess I’ll have to spell it out for her.

“There is no fixing me!” Blossom yelled, shaking in her chair. “Don’t you get it?! There is no hope for me! You might as well ask those guards to just stab me here and now! I want to die! I need to die! Everyday is just suffering for me and death can only stop it! Stop me and Aunt Rarity from hurting anypony! I don’t care if I get Paradise or Tartarus! I just want to die!”

“No!” Sweetie Belle shrieked, placing her hooves on her daughter's cheeks and forceing her to look at her. “I won’t lose you, Blossom! I saw somepony I loved dearly die once! It nearly broke me! I won’t let that happen again! Not to you! Not you!”

“Mommy...” Blossom muttered, whose mane soon covered her face. 

“Blossom?” 

And then when her daughter looked into her eyes did Sweetie Belle see what she could only describe as the eyes of a soulless being. A curved smile appeared on Blossom’s lips as she relaxed and sat in her chair like it was fit for a queen. A chill passed through Sweetie Belle’s spine as Blossom couldn’t help but find it so amusing. “Hello, little sister,” she said with a sweet yet dark tone.

Sweetie Belle gulped. Even though it was not her voice, nor even the same pitch, Sweetie Belle knew which persona she was now addressing. The very monster that had grown inside her daughter and ended up imprisoning her in this mess. 

“Rarity...”

> The Dark Side In Us All
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter



Chapter 6: The Dark Side In Us All



“We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow.” - Ted Bundy


The entire room suddenly gotten ten degrees colder, which was saying something since Sweetie Belle felt like she was already in a fridge. Nothing, however, was colder, and more empty, the eyes of her daughter, now calling herself “Rarity.” This was her. This was the monster inside her daughter that turned her into an abomination. Now that she was seeing this side of her, eye-to-eye, she didn’t know what to say.

Turning her head, she saw the expressions of the princesses, both of who no longer held the same pity only moments ago. These were now the rulers of Equestria who treated any threat to their subjects seriously. “Rarity” knew this too as Blossom, looking as relaxed as ever despite the chains, leaned forward and smirked. “What’s the matter? Cat got all your tongues?”

“You are, ‘Rarity’, I take it?” asked Celestia, calm yet stern.

“Bingo. Got it in one, Sunbutt,” Blossom congratulated, giggling at the nickname she had given to her jailer. The guards readied their spears, yet they were still shivering and sweating on the brow.

Turning to one of them, Blossom leaned towards one of the edge of one of the blades and smirked. “Aw, come on, guardsman Victory. Are you scared of little old me? I’m jailed up and helpless, otherwise…” Blossom licked the blade which made the guard gulpt before she finished speaking,” … I would take this spear, shove it down your throat and let you bleed on that floor as I killed your comrades one by one. All while you watch in the glimmering moments of your life before you entered darkness for eternity.”

“Monster…” the guard muttered.

Blossom scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know already. You guys really need better names for me.”

“It is no less the title that you deserve,” Luna growled, stepping forward. “We don’t care if you are merely a part of Blossom or not. It’s clear you have no regrets on the prospect of murder.”

“The only regrets that I have are that I haven’t done it in a long time,” Blossom said, stretching her neck. “I’ll be doing it eventually, mind you, but this long delay is just… annoying.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “You think that you will be released? It’s clear from all this that Blossom is still a danger to society and to release her will only bring about more innocent deaths.”

Although it hurt Sweetie Belle to hear Luna say such things, it hurt even more to know that they were true. She looked at her daughter, a mind of three now, and realized that there was no chance for freedom for her daughter. Maybe there never was to begin with and she had be deluding herself into thinking if she got better, the princesses would find mercy. My baby… what has happened to you…?

Sweetie Belle’s thoughts were interrupted by a harsh laughter from her daughter whose very mirth made her shiver. “Me? A threat to society? I am the best thing that ever happened to it. Both as Rarity and as Blossom.”

This made the three visitors look at each other in shock. Seeing that she had their attention, Blossom continued. “I’m the best out there because I reminded you all that despite your little ‘harmony and friendship’ lifestyle, you are all able to bleed and die just like maggots in the dirt. I reminded you of how precious life is by taking it from you. I let you know fear and terror and hatred, bring out the survival instincts that have been inside you since the day you came out of your mother’s legs. I am not a threat to society; I am the part of it that has been always there that never goes away."

“And as for those ‘innocent’ deaths?” Blossom scoffed. “Those two brats were just like their mothers. Snobs who thought they were better than everypony and would have made any life miserable just for their own amusement. Golden Necklace’s mother was no better, trying to kill poor little me because poor mommy winy missed her precious brat.”

“How dare you!” Celestia shouted, yelling for the first time as her eyes blazed over a stoic Blossom. “You think it was amusing?! Innocent lives have been lost! You killed ponies! Doesn’t that even give you a hint of regret?! They will never know anything of life anymore; none of its beauties and wonders because you killed them!”

Sweetie Belle didn’t know if Celestia was talking to Blossom in general or this part of Blossom. She wasn’t even sure it mattered anymore.

Blossom stared glare to glare at the sun princess before smirking. “Tell me, Sunbutt. What right do you have to say about me killing when you yourself have killed?” Celestia was silent as Blossom leaned forward, her grin growing. “This entire so called ‘utopia’ you have built? How many bodies did it take to build it that you don’t tell your subjects? How many resisted you and have been put to the sword because they didn’t like the idea of being ruled?” She looked at Princess Luna and winked. “And what about your sister? Her little Nightmare Moon episode? How many graves did she fill? Foals she orphaned? How much destruction was there until she was finally banished? I bet the two of you have more bloody deaths combined under your hooves then I did as Rarity.”

“Silence!” Luna screeched, stomping her hoof. But it was clear that she was shaking. “You don’t know what you are talking about!”

“Oh, I do know what I am talking about,” Blossom whispered, her eyes slowly lighting up with more life then Sweetie Belle had seen in years. Yet this was not the innocent life that she had seen in her daughter before. This was something that else. Something terrible. “You know what the best part of killing is? It’s not the fact that you end their life. No, it’s the sight of them dying. The panic and fear they have in their eyes as they watch, drop by drop, their blood slowly come out of them. The tiny breaths they take, knowing that any moment they could be breathing their last as they beg to whatever god they believe in to save them. Their mind is filled with despair and helplessness as time seems to slow down. And then there is nothing but an empty shell, face filled with horror as the last thing they realized is that they were going to die. Just seeing that… that alone… is what makes killing worth it.”

“I am Blossom, but I am not Blossom. I am Rarity, but I am not Rarity,” Blossom answered. She looked at Princess Celestia who was shaking with rage. “I am the true darkness that lies in everypony. I am your mothers, your fathers, sons, daughters, uncles, friends, neighbors, and strangers. And no matter how much you try, princess, I will always be there waiting until somepony is pushed far enough, and I’ll be there… ready to watch another poor soul scream for mercy before I end them. That’s who I am.”

With one last smirk, Blossom closed her eyes and when she opened them, no longer did the sight of true evil appear before them. Rather the sight of innocence that looked at them with a tilted head. “Mommy, why is everypony staring at me like that?”

Nopony said anything. They just stared at the “innocent” Blossom who was squirming in her seat. She eyed the sharp spears that were close to her face and sniffed. “Mommy, did I do something wrong?”

“Blossom… do you remember anything… that just happened?” Sweetie Belle asked, trying to force a smile, but failed.
Rubbing her misting eyes, Blossom answered, “The sad lady started arguing with the scary lady so I decided to come back here. She… she really is scary, Mommy. I don’t want to be with her anymore! I wanna go home!”

Slowly walking towards her daughter, Sweetie Belle made an effort to try and hug her daughter, but was pulled back by Luna via her tail. She looked at the princess with pleading eyes, for just one hug to her daughter. This side of her daughter that she knew, loved, and wanted so much. Not the demon that they had seen earlier, but the stern look was enough to make Sweetie Belle give in. She turned to her daughter, holding her own tears, and whispered, “I’m sorry, Blossom. But you can’t go home yet. You’re… you’re still sick… and you need to go to sleep now.”

“But…”

“Please, trust me. I’ll be back soon…” Sweetie Belle promised, smiling as well as she could, although the very muscles in her mouth struggled to resist her. “I need you to be a big girl.”

Blossom sniffed, but nevertheless nodded. “Okay, Mommy.”

With that said, Princess Celestia lit her horn and cast a sleep spell on Blossom, who soon fell into a blissful slumber. Only then did Sweetie Belle fall to the floor and weep. She didn’t care who there, she only wanted to let out the grief in her heart. She felt the comforting wings of both sisters, but they did nothing to heal the pain in her heart. Her daughter, the one thing left she had in her life, was gone. Now she was a psychological mess that none of them had hope of curing. Why her? Why her? Why not me? Why not let me suffer? Anypony on this planet but her!

Lifting her head, she watched the guards take her daughter away, back to her cage where she would be alone, without her. She reached her foreleg in a futile effort to reach for her, to just touch her one more time. “No… Blossom…”

“Sweetie Belle, I am so sorry. I failed you. I failed both of you.” Celestia quietly sighed as her warm tears dripped onto the floor. “I… I don’t know what to do anymore. But I do know that this is only killing you and I can’t let you suffer this anymore.”

“W-what are you saying?” asked Sweetie Belle, slowly lifting herself off the floor.

For a long time, Celestia bit her lip while Sweetie Belle waited with held breath. Finally, Celestia closed her eyes and said, “I am going to follow the advice of my sister and have Blossom locked up for life. We have tried everything and I can no longer watch this happen. You will have one more visit for you daughter, but after that, nopony will ever see her again.”

“… You’re going to lock her up, throw away the key, and never open it until she dies, right?”

“Yes.”

Before Sweetie Belle knew it, her hoof was across Princess Celestia’s cheek, the impact echoing across the room.


> I'll Always Love You, Blossom
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter



Chapter 7: I’ll Always Love You, Blossom



“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  She never existed before.  The woman existed, but the mother, never.  A mother is something absolutely new.”  -Rajneesh


For the first time in a long time, Sweetie Belle wanted her big sister. She didn’t care anymore about what Rarity was or wasn’t. All she wanted was her to come home, hug her, and tell her everything was going to be okay, just like she used too as a filly when Diamond Tiara made fun of her, or she got upset for failing to get her cutie mark again. They would hug each other, sometimes eating cookies and milk while Rarity just stoked her head and kissed her on the forehead. It was those memories that made Sweetie Belle forget that her sister had been a serial killer.

Serial killer.

Was she doomed to always be haunted by that for the rest of her life? Everything had been changed by it: her life, her friends, family, and now her daughter. Everypony was caught in the web of Rarity’s sins, maybe even all of Equestria. Like ripples on a pond, no area of the water was left untouched by her sister’s horrible deeds. She lost so much when Rarity was caught and executed, but she gained it all back in the form of her daughter. 

Now I’m going to lose her... I’ll lose everything again... Sweetie Belle though, sitting on her bed, curled up in a ball. Nopony took the news of Blossom being locked up forever well. Everypony wanted to give her sympathy, but Sweetie didn’t want it.

Comet was the worst to take in the fact that she would never see her big sister again. Sweetie Belle felt it was personally her responsibility to tell Blossom’s father and sister the news. Rolling Thunder broke down and cried while Lilly stood there in silence. Comet, however, overheard everything. She screamed and even attacked Sweetie Belle, saying she was a bad mother for letting this happen to her daughter, and wailed that she wanted her sister back.

The little filly got one thing right, she was a bad mother. 

Sometimes, Sweetie wondered if everything that had happened to her was one big dream. That she was still a little filly, searching for her cutie mark, sleeping in her bed while having the worst nightmare of her life. And when it was over she would wake up, see her sister alive and well, and there would be no secret passageway to a murder room. 

But that’s what it all was. Merely a dream.

Another knock on the door snapped her out of her stupor, but she ignored it. She didn’t know who it was, nor did she care. All she wanted was to be left alone, but it looked like it wasn’t going to happen when she heard the door smash open. Hoofsteps came up the stairway until she heard the door open for her room. Wrong place, Sweetie Belle thought as she rest her head upon her sister’s sheets. She hadn’t come into this room in a long time, but it felt like Rarity’s spirit was still with her.

The door opened for the room she was in, and Sweetie Belle saw someone she hadn’t seen in years. He was much taller, handsomer even, with a long traveling trench coat on his back that showed the evidence of his many travels. He looked at her with understanding green slitted eyes as he walked forward on his two feet, scaled tail behind him. 

“I... I heard...” Spike said, tears streaming down his eyes. “I was at Appleloosa. I read on the news. I-I’m so sorry, Sweetie.” She leapt from her spot on the bed and hugged Spike as tight as she could, crying on his scally chest. He rest his head on her ruined mane and nuzzled her. “I’m sorry. I should have been here for you, for all of you, all those years ago I should have stayed.”

“You had your reasons. I don’t blame you,” Sweetie Belle whimpered, but deep in her heart she wished she had stayed. No other person had defended her or understood her pain like Spike did. “But... why?”

“I loved Rarity,” Spike muttered, closing his eyes. “Despite what she did, I still loved her. It... hurt seeing her die like that with her name dragged into the mud. And when I saw you suffering I thought I could protect you with the others, like Rarity would have wanted.” Spike clenched his fists. “But I just couldn’t stop thinking about her. About Rarity. I left because... I wanted to forget all this pain. This suffering. I wanted to forget her because I wanted to heal my heart again.” He looked into her eyes, guilt emanating in them.  “But then I heard what happened with your daughter and you, and I ignored it because I felt like if I got back involved it would hurt again, but now I see that the pain will never leave me. Just like it hasn’t left you.”

He hugged her again. “I’m sorry, Sweetie Belle. I should have been here. I never should have left.”

Sweetie Belle just held onto the sobbing dragon, until she guided him to the bed and they sat down. “Did you see Twilight yet?” Sweetie Belle asked, holding Spike’s claws in her hooves, “she’ll be thrilled to see you.”

“I came here first. I think you needed it more,” Spike muttered, wiping his cheeks.

“... do you remember what happened when we were sixteen?”

“... you mean on the anniversary of Rarity’s death?” asked Spike to which Sweetie Belle nodded. Blushing Spike answered, “I managed to sneak some alcohol and the two of us got drunk and... we...”

“Made out while crying. You whispered Rarity’s name while doing so,” said Sweetie Belle, sighing. “Even though you thought I was somepony else, it made me feel somewhat loved; a way to help with the pain.” She looked at Spike and whispered, “Can you help me again? Tonight? Even if it means nothing... I just want to feel something.”

Spike stared at her before slowly taking off his coat. He reached over and kissed Sweetie Belle, holding her tight as he pressed her down on the bed...


***


It was midnight by the time Sweetie Belle woke up next to Spike beneath the covers. He leaned closer upon his chest and held him tight, like a warm, scaly teddy bear. She had no regrets what they did, even if there was no true love behind it. She laughed, cried, screamed, and begged while Spike treated her like a priceless treasure. He was soft, gentle, yet fierce. 

“You still awake?” asked Spike, caressing her mane.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle muttered, bringing the covers closer to her. “Spike... what am I going to do? In two days I’ll see my daughter for the last time. If I die, I’ll never see her again. If she dies, I’ll have to bury her like I did with my sister. I want to save her, Spike. I really do.”

“You're her mother, Sweetie Belle,” Spike whispered. “What do you want to do?”

“I want to end her suffering.” Sweetie Belle sniffled as tears fell down her cheeks. “I want her to find peace and to not suffer anymore. I want my little foal to be free again. Life has been so hard for her...”

And then it finally hit Sweetie Belle. Her eyes opened as her mind went through a single idea that began to form up in her mind. It was simple. And it was the only way she could do the right thing for her daughter. Closing her eyes, she wiped away the tears and cuddled next to Spike. “And I think I know how to save her.”

“Sweetie?” asked Spike, but was silenced with a kiss.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’ll tell you when I get back,” Sweetie Belle whispered, closing her eyes. “Let’s just pretend... that everything is peaceful... just for tonight.”

Spike nodded before closing his eyes as well. Sweetie Belle sighed as she hugged onto Spike tighter.


***


Never had Sweetie Belle been as nervous as she was now. Her entire body was shaking and she was breathing heavily. Sweat could be seen dripping down her brow as the guards gave her the final clearance to pass. She was grateful that none of them seemed suspicious of her, most likely just chalking it up to her distress from the sympathetic looks in their eyes. 

She had only just entered the halls when she saw somepony already waiting for her. Princess Celestia walked over to Sweetie Belle and bowed her head. For a long time, there was silence between two as Sweetie Belle glared back at her with narrowed eyes before she sighed and lost all sense of anger in an instant. It was all going to be over today, so there was no point in hating the princess any longer.

“I know I have said this to you many times, Sweetie Belle, but I will say it one more time,” Celestia said as she lifted her head, a tear dripping down her cheek. “I am so sorry. I failed you. I failed Joyous Blossom. There has been so much suffering for the two of you, and, despite my power, I was helpless against it. Neither of you deserved what happened to you. None of it all.”

“Princess...” Sweetie Belle walked over and placed her hoof on her shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m not angry anymore. You did your best, but I guess even you can’t fix everything.”

“It’s a lesson I am learning bitterly,” Celestia whispered as she stepped back to allow Sweetie Belle entrance into the halls. “Go see your daughter. Take as much time as you want.”

“Before I go, can I ask one favor?” asked Sweetie Belle, holding her breath. This was it. If she didn’t get it now for her plan to go through then she would have to improvise. “May I have my daughter’s horn? Something to remember her by?”

Celestia didn’t answer at first but soon nodded as her horn glowed a bit before the horn materialized in the air. Sweetie Belle carefully took it with her magic and cradled it it was a newborn foal. A small smile stretched across her muzzle. “Thank you.”

“It is no trouble,” said Celestia. She turned around and made her way for the exit.

Sweetie Belle, knowing there was no coming back with her plan, suddenly cried out a question she had always wanted to know for years, but never had the courage to ask. “Celestia! Did you... did you ever regret executing my sister?”

The princess stopped in place, her face staring at the doors across the room. “I have never regretted the execution of The Ponyville Bucher.” She then turned around, her eyes as gentle and soft as the sky above. “But I do regret the death of Rarity, The Element of Generosity.”

That was all she had said before leaving the room. Sweetie Belle stared at the retreating princess before she too turned and left.


***


The situation was the same as before. Her daughter was wrapped in chains, straight jacket and all, with the armed guards ready at a moment’s notice. Thankfully, none of their spears were on her daughter, most likely because she looked already dead in the eyes. Sweetie Belle sat down and looked at her daughter, whose focus was on the floor. She seemed so lifeless, like there was nothing left of her.

Was this one of the personalities in charge? Or was she simply numb from all the drugs that had been pumped inside her to keep her calm? Sweetie Belle didn’t know, but she didn’t care either. Moving her chair forward a bit more, Sweetie Belle caressed her daughter's cheek, hoping to find some sort of reaction, but her daughter’s eyes refused to look at her. 

“Blossom? Do you know how much I hated my life before you were born?”Sweetie Belle cooed, soft and gentle as if she was telling her another tale before bedtime. “There were so many ponies that hated me and my parents simply because I was the younger sister to a murderer. They thought I must have known about all the deaths, or even played some part in it. I knew why they were blaming me. They wanted somepony to take the blame. Somepony to take the fall since Rarity was already dead.” She shivered, remembering all the times mobs of ponies tried to kick her out of town, or taunt her to do something criminal so they could just be proven right. “I had my friends, Spike, and even my sister’s friends help me at every turn, but there were times when I just... couldn’t take it. Times when I just hated everything, including my sister. Times when I did stupid things like get drunk, get in fights, or dress up like my sister on Nightmare Night to avoid getting pranked. That lead to more problems.

“Even after I accepted my sister’s sins, even after it all started to die down, I was never happy.” Sweetie Belle leaned over and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “That was until I had you.”

Blossom slowly lifted her head.

“When I learned I was pregnant from a simple drunken night, I was ashamed at first, but then when I gave birth to you I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Hope.” Sweetie Belle smiled, remembering the day she delivered the little filly of hers into the world. “You were so sweet. So innocent. I didn’t care about anything else other than being the best parent I could be for you.” Her smile waned. “I always remember the days raising you. Teaching you how to walk and talk. Making you giggle and rock you to sleep. I was happy. After such a long time of being miserable I was happy because of you: my little Joyous Blossom.”

Her smiled faded a bit more. “But life is cruel. And soon enough history repeated itself, despite my best efforts and worries. I was gonna lose you again and I couldn’t let that happen.” She nuzzled her daughter’s cheek. Sweetie Belle could see some life growing in those dead eyes. “I let myself suffer for you. To let you have a life, but you still suffered. I wasn’t able to protect you from the world and I’m so sorry, Blossom. I’ll never forgive myself for making you become this... this shell of your former self.” 

With tears in her eyes, Sweetie Belle hugged her only daughter and laughed. “I’ll always love you, Blossom. And I promise you will never have to suffer anymore. Because I’m going to be a mother again. And I’m going to save you.”

“Mom?” Blossom whispered, speaking for the first time.

Sweetie Belle kissed her on the cheek and smiled. “It’s okay, Blossom. Just sleep...”

Using her magic, Sweetie Belle levitated Blossom’s horn.

“... sleep and be free.”

Before any of the guards could react, the horn was stabbed into Blossom’s neck.


***


This can’t be happening. Please tell me this isn’t happening! Celestia screamed in her head as she rushed down the halls with speed unlike any other. She was almost to the palace when a guard had told her what had happened with Blossom and Sweetie. She didn’t want to believe it, she had to see for herself. 

A loud crowd of doctors, nurses, and guards stood in her way as she made it to Blossom’s room, but they quickly made way for her. Entering the room, Celestia felt her heart leap at what she saw. Her guards stood there in stunned silence, staring at the scene with just as much shock as her.

There she saw Joyous Blossom, eyes closed forever, with her own horn impaled on her blood covered neck. Holding her was none other than the murderer and mother of the departed unicorn, who gently stroked her mane with a smile. She softly sang a tune that everypony knew:


“Hush now, quiet now.


It's time to lay your sleepy head.


Hush now, quiet now.


It's time to go to bed.”


“Sweetie Belle...” Celestia collapsed onto her haunches in horror. “Why?”

Sweetie Belle simply smiled and said, “I’m her mother, Celestia. Only I could end her suffering.”




> Peace At Last
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter



Chapter 8: Peace At Last



“If you die you're completely happy and your soul somewhere lives on. I'm not afraid of dying. Total peace after death, becoming someone else is the best hope I've got..”


- Kurt Cobain 


It was over.

At long last it, was finally over.

Sweetie Belle never thought freedom would feel so great, but now it was all she ever wanted to feel. The nightmare that haunted her day in and out had ended at last. Blossom, her daughter, was finally at peace. No more voice. No more Rarity. No more suffering. Only peace and happiness awaited her in Paradise. Nopony understood. Not Princess Celestia. She was never a true mother. Despite all that she was to Twilight, she never was a true mother. Just a mother figure, and nothing more.

She never knew the pain and pleasure of raising life in a cruel world of darkness and hate. To give it hope and joy. To raise it to become a strong and healthy mare. The world was too cruel to her daughter. Too cruel for her to live in, and she had paid the price over and over again. But no more. Joyous Blossom would sleep peaceful again, and for eternity.

The smile never waned from Sweetie Belle’s face as she leaned on the wall of her cell. Celestia tried to talk to her, but she ignored everything she said and never spoke back. Sweetie Belle didn’t even resist when Celestia, regrettably, ordered her to be imprisoned. She didn’t care anymore what her fate was. It was all over, and she was glad for it. Her sister was dead, her daughter was dead, and she was sure she would be dead too. 

With her death, Rarity’s legacy would finally be put to rest. Rarity. Sweetie Belle. Joyous Blossom. All three of them would remain only in history books, to be hated and feared forever. But that was fine with Sweetie Belle. If Tartarus was her destination after death, then let it be so. Her life had been a living hell for over thirty years. It would be a vacation to all the things she had to do with life. And if by some holy mercy above she managed to get Paradise, then what did she care about what she was leaving behind. She would either be reunited with her daughter or her sister. And maybe that’s all she ever wanted for so long.

Even if she lived, there was nothing left for her. Her friends would never look at her the same again, and she felt it was for the best. It was time for everypony to wake up and realize the truth. Nothing was bringing those golden days of innocence and laughter back. Nopony was going to remain blissfully unaware of what had been going on since Rarity was eight. Rarity’s sins were going to stay with all of them, and even their children until many generations had passed. Or until the next serial murder, at least. 

They would move on. It would be hard, but they would move on. All she wanted to do now was sleep. Sleep and imagine her daughter being happy at last. 

Laying down her head to sleep, Sweetie Belle sighed and closed her eyes. Humming a tune she heard from some time ago. They always said she had a great singing voice. It was a shame she never got a chance to really use it.

She continued her tune for a little longer until she heard somepony walking towards her. Opening her eye, she gasped, but the smiled at who it was. “Rarity...”

Smiling as radiant as ever, Rarity walked over to her little sister and nuzzled her. “Hello, Sweetie Belle. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“I missed you,” Sweetie Belle muttered as a tear dripped from her eye. “It’s been... it’s been so hard... so painful without you.”

“I know, darling,” Rarity whispered, patting her on the back. “I know, but I’m here now, and it’s all over. Just sleep, little sister. I will watch over you tonight, like I used too.”

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and relaxed. “Can you sing me a song, Rarity? It will help me sleep.”

Rarity nodded as she closed her and stroked her sister’s drowsy head as she began to sing. 


“Hush now, quiet now.


It's time to lay your sleepy head.


Hush now, quiet now.


It's time to go to bed.”



***


Luna didn’t think anymore drama would happen that night, but she was wrong. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was all of fate’s cruelty or mercy. She followed the guard down the hall until she reached the cell where Sweetie Belle lay. Two other guards saluted while the doctor was putting away his stethoscope into his bag. 

He looked at Princess Luna and shook his head. “She’s gone, Princess. My guess is a stroke.”

Princess Luna closed her eyes and whispered a small prayer before looking at the peaceful body of Sweetie Belle, who laid on her bed, eyes shut forever. “Does my sister know?”

“Yes, she came here first. She just looked at the body and walked away. I think she was crying.”

Oh Tia... Luna thought, feeling her heart weep for her sister. First her older sister blamed herself for for failing Blossom, now she was sure to blame herself for this recent death.

“I must alert the residents of Ponyville of this... tragedy,” Princess Luna muttered, as she turned around and made her exit.

“Shall we remove the body now?” asked one of the guards.

Luna stopped and glanced behind her. “No. Not yet. Let her rest just a bit more. She’s had a long, hard life.”

And with that, she left, a single tear dripping down her eye. 

> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


A Mother’s Duty



By The Rated Ponystar



Edited and based on the KillerRarityVerse by BronyWriter



Epilogue



Death was something Celestia had seen many times in her life. It was all around her, everyday. To an immortal like her, a single mortal lifetime was like a blink of an eye. A thousand faces she would see smiling under the sun before a thousand graves replaced them. She had always smiled to them, laughed with them, and treated them like her children. But rarely did she ever open her heart to them. There were only a few in her life that she ever granted that privilege. The most recent ones were a small little filly with incredible magical potential, her family, and five mares who had freed her sister from her curse.

And yet, in a small amount time she lost them all because one harbored a monster deep inside. The apprentice whom she loved like a daughter, she had to cast away because there was no other choice, one of the mares who saved her sister she executed, leaving the rest to suffer for it. But no pain was worse than the two who suffered the most in it’s aftermath.

Walking through the graveyard of Ponyville, the sun princess came upon a single headstone with a simple inscription:


Here lie Sweetie Belle and Joyous Blossom



May they be together in eternity



Rest in Peace


Sweetie Belle had originally wrote in her will that she wanted to be buried next to her sister, but Celestia couldn't allow that.  Rarity’s funeral had been a small and private one, as well as her burial deep in the Everfree Forest by the river where she proved to Twilight she was the Element of Generosity. It was safest place for her body to rest without being vandalized. 

Celestia couldn’t remember a sadder funeral then Sweetie and Blossom’s. All of Ponyville had come, even those who didn’t like Sweetie or Blossom, to pay their respects. Seeing the daughter and mother, laying side by side in a single coffin, brought nothing but tears to those who came. Nopony shed more tears than Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who had lost a pony both considered a sister, and Comet, who nearly leapt into the casket, begging for her sister to wake up.

Celestia said nothing, nor did anything during the funeral. She did not cry, nor did she give any speeches. She had no right to. Not after she failed them. She wanted somepony to hate her, even Sweetie Belle’s parents, but they too were numb during the funeral. Many ponies thought, in disgust, it was because they were still ashamed of them, even in death. That was quickly proven wrong when they were discovered two weeks later, a bottle of poison next to their cold bodies with a note that said they had gone to be a family again. 

Perhaps the one thing that Celestia would never forget was during the burial. The casket lowered itself, and one by one ponies said the names of the two who were lost, but there was also a third name. It was soft, but grew in numbers from those who remembered the name of a white unicorn with grace and beauty. Even Celestia muttered Rarity’s name, but just once. Perhaps it was the town letting go of their hatred. Perhaps it was them finally forgiving her. Or maybe it was the heat of the moment.

The news of the deaths continued to go on for some time. Some in sorrow, others in joy, but they were soon shut up by something nopony saw. Another horror had begun, but this time it came in double. A unicorn killer had started visiting cities at random and killing one pony per month. It had been two years and already twenty four ponies were dead. And if that wasn’t bad enough, there was an arsonist going around, burning ponies in their homes with home made fire starters. This had only lasted a year, but there were six homes gone, dozens injured, and four dead. 

And the worst of it was that they still had no leads. Even with all her power and forces, the two criminals were able to slip past them. She had to rely on the griffins, who understood the criminal mind better than she did, to help them out. Many of her subjects foolishly had thought that with Rarity and her line finally over, no more evil would happen, and, to her shame, Celestia did as well. The moment she heard of the first new murders, her mind drifted back to the day she heard that sinister voice tell her how she would return. That no matter how much she tried, the darker nature of ponies would come and take away the innocent. She had chalked it up to the madness in Blossom, a persona, but there was some truth to what she had said. Celestia hated to admit it, but at last it was time to see the truth. 

There were always going to be murderers. There was always going to be somepony killed in some brutal way. There was always going to be somepony who snapped and unleashed the darkness inside of them. And she would never be able to stop them. It was going to happen until time itself ended, and that was what grieved Celestia the most. That she was useless to prevent more tragedy, that this cycle of Rarity was going to continue at some point again and again. Even if it was hundreds of years apart.

It all but brought a tear to Celesta’s eye.

“I thought it was your chariot passing by.”

Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, a small sense of joy entering her heart as she turned around and saw her once faithful student walk toward her, flowers held by her magic. She placed them on the grave and joined Celestia in her staring as the two of them sat in silence.

“I could have helped them,” Celestia muttered. “I could have done something, anything for them.”

Twilight lowered her head. “Even if you did, would it have changed anything? They would have to still carry the burden of being related to a murderer. Even if you ordered it a thousand times, demanded they be left alone, nopony would have listened. So many were hurt, they just wanted to hurt somepony else. And they were the targets.”

“Even so, they did not deserve this fate.” Celestia sighed. “I keep going through everything in my head over again. Trying to think of some way I could have prevented this.”

Twilight shook her head before turning to her former mentor. “You know what you should do, Celestia?” The alicorn turned her head. “Leave it alone, and move on.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Move on?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes. Believe me, it’s hard. But what use is there crying and regretting all that’s happened? All three of them are dead. Is it not better to just let them rest in peace while we move on with our lives? I don’t think about it anymore, at least not like I used too.” She looked at the grave once more. “It’s what they would have wanted, and it’s what I think we all need. We’ll always remember them, the good and bad, but I’ve had enough suffering to last a life time. I want to spend the rest of my days improving my life and enjoying it with my friends and Spike.”

Celestia gazed upon her student, seeing the peace in her eyes and sighed. “You are right, Twilight. I should move on as well. Equestria needs me to defend her again from two more acts of evil, and I should not let my regrets hinder me.”

“Princess, you also need to be happy again as well. I know it will be hard, but I want to see you smile once more. Like you used to... back in the day,” Twilight muttered with a small smile.

Back in the day. When they were apprentice and student. Mother and daughter even. 

“Twilight...” Celestia turned to her former apprentice and bowed her head. “I’m sorry for dismissing you as my student. I’ve missed our friendship so much. I shouldn’t have let what happened get between us. Even if I couldn’t have been your teacher anymore, I still should have been your friend.”

“It’s okay. You were right to cast me out,” said Twilight. “I aided a criminal, and ponies died because of that. I was selfish and refused to do the right thing. I deserved my punishment.” 

Twilight’s smile grew a bit more as she extended her hoof. “But... I would like it if we become friends again. We may never get the same bond we held before, but I would like it if we could start over.”

For the first time, in a long time, a true smile appeared on Celestia’s face as she shook the hoof of her old friend. “I would like that as well. Perhaps we can have tea at your place?”

“I’d like that,” said Twilight as she and Celestia left the grave alone.

It was only minutes later when a single mare came towards the grave. She only looked at one name, a name that never left her mind for a single day, before she placed her own bouquet of flowers on it. She slowly touched the name of Joyous Blossom and cried a tear just like every other time she came to see her.

Comet tried to say something, but all she could do was cry in silence. 


***



“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.”  - Robert Frost