The Word is Fear

by BronyWriter

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Original Character, Tragedy, Shining Armor, Princess Celestia
Length: 60459

Aternate ending to Broken Blossom, the threequel to the serial killer Rarity story The Secret Life of Rarity

Joyous Blossom, the unicorn daughter of Sweetie Belle, is spared from death by Princess Celestia, and is instead given therapy to deal with her problems. What they don't know is that she is far beyond therapy, and she becomes more dangerous than anypony thought possible.

Now it is a race to prevent her from becoming her aunt, a task that is no easy feat. For Blossom is literally built to be the deadliest serial killer that Equestria has ever known.

Spin-off story to Broken Blossom which is a threequel to The Secret Life of Rarity

Cover art by the amazing Viofriedsebe

Published 2013-05-03 20:20:02 UTC
Last updated 2013-07-23 00:07:39 UTC

Sparing Her Life

Princess Celestia sat in the throne room with her sister, waiting for the meeting to come. Ever since Blossom's incarceration for the murders of her two classmates, she had hoped that something would come along that would stay her hoof, prevent her upcoming execution from happening. The deciding factor had been Blossom's own insistence that she be given the needle. Now her family was in the dungeons, trying to talk her out of her choice. They wanted her to live.

While she understood Blossom's family's need to keep her alive, she also understood Blossom's desire to die. Despite everything that had happened, and Blossom's life had been a living Tartarus for months, she knew that paradise awaited her. She could be free of her sorrow, and her pain there. She would be free of the guilt that had consumed her life since her murder of Diamond Tiara. She could be free of apparitions of her aunt demanding that she kill anypony within reach.

She could be free.

The two princesses exchanged a look of sorrow just in time for the large double doors to the throne room to open up. Blossom's family walked through the door, and to Celestia's relief, they almost seemed relieved themselves. She stood up and walked over to meet them. "What was her choice?"

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath, but the first traces of a smile appeared on her lips. "It took us a while, but... we convinced her that she still has something to live for: us. My daughter doesn't want to die anymore."

Were Celestia not trained to be expressionless in dark times, she too would have breathed a sigh of relief and joined in with Sweetie Belle's tears of joy. As it was, she kept her regal demeanor and gave only a short nod. "If that is her choice, then I shall honor it. Blossom will remain in prison, probably for the rest of her life. She will be subjected to tri-weekly counseling from a trained psychologist, but I will not execute your daughter, Sweetie Belle."

Upon hearing Celestia's declaration, the gathered crowd of ponies all breathed a collective sigh of relief, and began happily hugging each other. Sweetie Belle, for her part, was so overjoyed that she rushed up to Celestia and wrapped her forelegs around the goddess in a hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for sparing my daughter. She isn't a bad mare, she didn't deserve any of this."

"I know," said Celestia softly. "We will do everything in our power to help her. We will leave no stone unturned if it means that we can help her like we should have from the beginning. We will make that mare happy again, I promise you."

Celestia sat on her haunches to better hug Sweetie Belle, and as she did, she saw Blossom's half-sister, Comet, walking up to her. The young filly smiled weakly up at the sun-goddess, and Celestia reached out and hugged her too. "Make Blossom better, okay, Princess?" said the filly. "I just got her. I don't want to see her die." The filly leaned her head against Sweetie Belle. "She's really sick and she scares me right now."

"What do you mean 'she scares you'?" Celestia questioned.

"She slipped through the bars to hug Blossom when we got down," Sweetie Belle explained. "I know she shouldn't have, but they both needed it, I think. When she was being hugged, Rarity appeared to Blossom, and..." Tears began falling from Sweetie Belle's eyes and she had to wipe her eyes with her foreleg. "She told Blossom to kill Comet."

"Blossom is sick, but she didn't hurt me," Comet mewled. "It was still scary to see her yelling at somepony who wasn't there."

"I imagine it must have been," said Celestia gently. "And that is why we shall do everything in our power to make sure that Blossom gets better so when you do see her, she'll be better."

"Do you promise?" Comet whispered.

Celestia smiled warmly at the filly. "I promise."

* * * *

Blossom reclined on her bed, shakily rubbing her hooves together as she tried to get some sleep.

Life would be Tartarus now. She would have to see her Aunt Rarity every day for the rest of her life, and she was not sure how much longer she would be able to refrain from following her orders to kill. She would likely appear the second another pony was within sight.

In fact, it was likely that she had already appeared on Blossom's cell.

"I know you're there, Aunt Rarity," she groaned. "I can't do anything right now so just leave me alone."

Blossom heard the mocking scoff of her psychopathic aunt behind her and she rolled over in bed to glare at her. Rarity was sitting on the opposite end of the cell, buffing her hoof against her chest. She smiled when she made eye contact with her niece. "Honestly, I'm surprised that you aren't happier about this!" she insisted. "You have far more opportunities to kill somepony now. Why, if you did then I'd go away forever and you'd be executed. You win if that happens!"

"No I wouldn't!" Blossom moaned. "I don't wanna kill anypony!" Blossom put her head in her hooves and blinked away tears. "Why couldn't they just let me die?"

"Because they're selfish!" Rarity cackled. "They don't care about how you're feeling at all! They'll prolong your misery forever if it means that they don't get to lose you. They'd rather see you miserable than dead."

"No, you're wrong!" Blossom covered her ears with her hooves. "They want to see me happy, not dead!"

"You and I both know that you need one to be the other." Rarity's voice rang clear in Blossom's head despite the mare's attempts at blocking her words out. The unicorn chuckled. "I can't wait to see how you deal with having this conversation every day until you do as I ask."

"I'll never become you!" Blossom insisted.

Rarity giggled and stood up. "Yes, that's a nice thought, darling. You do seem to forget that you're half me already." Rarity walked over to her niece and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Just give in and be truly happy for once in your wretched life. It's not so hard once you get used to the idea. Just give in."

Descent

Patient 92544 Interview Two Recording. 3/21/10

Analytical Brain: Today is my next appointment with Blossom. We scheduled one for the day after the last recording, but Blossom refused to attend after what she did the last time. When the guards came to force her out of her cell, she became agitated to the point where I felt that she would become violent. I advised the guards that now was probably not the best time for an appointment, and suggested that we re-schedule it until today. No word on Blossom's mood, but I'm worried that this will become a trend.

*Door opens and Blossom enters the room, still secured by hoofcuffs*

AB: Ah, Blossom, please sit down, won't you?

JB: Okay. *Sound of Blossom sitting in her chair and the door shutting behind him.* I'm sorry that I didn't wanna come last time, I was scared after what I did.

AB: No need to apologize, Blossom. You felt that you might hurt me, which I believe to be a good sign. You were so scared that you would bring me harm, that you resisted seeing me again so as to not tempt yourself. I believe that this is the sign that you are not like your aunt. You are a good mare, Blossom.

JB: She's still telling me to kill you, you know. She's telling me that it will be like when I gutted Ms. Tiara.

AB: Er... forgive me for asking, but why would that be a motivator?

JB: Because that was the single most amazing thing I've ever felt. Do you know that feeling, like when you've accomplished something amazing and you're on top of the world? It's like that but three times as amazing. It's like raw power coursing though your veins, making it so that nopony could hurt you. *amused scoff* If you cast some sort of spell that gave everypony that feeling for a minute, then told them that the way to repeat that feeling was to kill another pony... well, Equestria's population would be halved overnight, then halved again the next day.

AB: That's a rather bleak view on things, Blossom. Ponies are more peaceful than that, and I doubt that most would see it as worth it.

JB: Those are the ones in the street in pools of their own blood, then. Soon a lot of ponies wouldn't kill for pleasure, they'd kill for defense.*Chair creaks as Blossom leans forward.* It's that good.

AB: I see. *clears throat* Now, I'd like to talk about your family, if that's okay.

JB: No.

AB: I'm sorry?

JB: I said no! Not now, not tomorrow, not ever! We are never going to talk about my family, is that clear? We're not gonna talk about my mom, my dad, Lilly, Comet, the Apples, Aunt Scootaloo, Aunt Rainbow Dash, none of them so just drop it, okay?

AB: If you don't mind me asking, why?

JB: ... Because... because they had to see me like this. They had to see me chained to a wall with my horn nullified in a jail cell because I butchered three ponies. Comet's too young to deal with this, and she had to see me like that. How do you explain what I did to a filly as young as she is? *sniffle* We're done talking about this. Any other questions today, or are you going to let me rot away in peace until next time?

AB: Well, if you're sure that you don't want to talk about your family, we can move on. I'd like to ask you if you have any ideas of ways to get your aunt to go away.

JB: I take that pen on your desk and shove it through your trachea.

AB: Er... besides that.

JB: Nope. Do you?

AB: Well, would you be open to some medications? I can't force you to take them, but I strongly believe that they would help you a lot. If your aunt was gone, don't you think you'd be a lot happier?

JB: I... I guess I would be. I do want her to leave me alone. I don't want to be tempted to kill anymore.

AB: Are there any moments where you have a respite from her demands?

JB: No.

AB: Even when you sleep?

JB: She first appeared in my dreams right after I killed Ms. Tiara.

AB: Ah. Well, would you be open to medication if it meant that you wouldn't see her anymore?

JB: Yes.

AB: Very well. *sound of paper being torn out of a notebook* I'm going to give you a prescription for three hundred milligrams of Lamictal. If the results are shaky, but present, I'll up the dosage. Does that sound good?

JB: If it gets rid of my aunt, I'll take those things until the day I die.

AB: Very well. Now, I think that's good for today. I'll have your prescription ready by this afternoon, and you can take two pills once it's ready.

*Door opens and Blossom gets out of her chair. She is led out and the door closes once she has exited.*

AB: I think it went okay today. Blossom's family is clearly a touchy issue for her, but if the medication works then maybe I'll see if I can't take another crack at that subject. Only time will tell if Blossom will improve.

*end tape*

Patient 92544 Interview Five Recording. 4/03/10

Analytical Brain: A new development with Blossom. One that *sigh* I hoped would never arise. It seems that Blossom only mimicked taking her medication, but in reality she hid them in her pillowcase. When she had accumulated enough, she attempted to kill herself by overdose. A prisoner in a cell across from hers alerted the guards, and they took her to the infirmary. They pumped her stomach, and she made a full recovery. This is her first session since then.

*Door opens, and Blossom is led into the room. She sits down in her chair*

AB: Good afternoon, Blossom. *fifty second silence* Uh... Blossom? *thirty second silence* Blossom, can you hear me?

JB: Yes.

AB: Good. Now, I'd like to talk to you about your recent... incident, if that's okay with you.

JB: I wanted the needle when I was first arrested. I think it's pretty clear as to why I did it. In my own way, I guess I was kinda lying when I said that killing you was the only way to make Aunt Rarity go away. Turns out, killing me would have been a good way to do it too.

AB: Blossom, your death wouldn't help anypony.

JB: Except everypony. I'd be happy, my family could move on, tax bits wouldn't go to keeping me locked up, my aunt's line would be gone, meaning that nopony would worry about her family producing another killer, all of that. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

AB: Blossom, your life is precious.

JB: No it isn't. It's pretty rotten and useless. Tell me something, doc, how is anypony benefiting by my being here? How am I helping anypony by being alive? The best I can say is that it's giving you more information about killers like me and Aunt Rarity. If you have another reason, I'm all ears. *fifteen second silence* Yeah, I didn't think so.

AB: Blossom--

JB: They didn't work, you know. The pills, I mean. That's one of the big reasons I started saving them up to try to end this. She just laughed in my face when I said that they would make her go away. She laughed, and said that there was only one way to get rid of her. I think that way turns me into a serial killer anyway, don't you think?

AB: Blossom, there's no reason to believe that. Now... we can't trust you with medication anymore. You're a smart mare, and I know that you'd find a way to try to kill yourself with them again despite our best efforts. But Blossom, I need to know if you are considering actually killing somepony. If you tell me then I can help you more by trying different techniques.

JB: If I wasn't hoofcuffed you'd already be dead.

AB: ... Really?

JB: I don't know. That's the whole point of everything, isn't it? I don't know how close I am to giving in just to get rid of Aunt Rarity, but... I think I'm closer to the side that wants to do it. I mean, if I do then I win, don't I? Aunt Rarity goes away, I get that feeling again, and Princess Celestia executes me. Everypony wins... except for you, of course.

AB: It would be me you would target? Why?

JB: BECAUSE I HATE YOU!! You look down at me, wondering how you can use this information for your next book about my messed up family! You don't care about helping me, you want the opposite! The crazier I am, the better your book sells!

AB Blossom I am not trying to manipulate you and I am not writing a book to make money off of all of this! I do want to help you!

JB: Then what's that stack of papers in your desk? The one about my case?

AB: I... how did...?

JB: *chuckle* I didn't. I was taking a stab in the dark. Heh... stab.

AB: Blossom... it's not really a book, it's more of a... research paper, if you will. I'm not writing it to make money.

JB: Notoriety, then? Admit it, most of your colleagues would love to be in your position. I'm the most interesting psychological case since my aunt. Anypony who dissected my mind would be instantly famous, would they not?

AB: Blossom, I assure you that I am not trying to exploit you for my own ends!

JB: I don't want to talk to you anymore today. I wanna go back to my cell.

AB: Blossom, I'm sorry if it upsets you. I should have asked if you were okay with it. I shall cease work on it at once.

JB: Liar. I don't want to talk to you anymore!

AB: Blossom--

JB: I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU ANYMORE!!! *Blossom begins sobbing* Every second I see you Aunt Rarity keeps pushing for me to kill you. Finding out about you exploiting me... it just makes it seem that much more appealing. Maybe my next shrink will treat me better, knowing what I did to his predecessor.

AB: Blossom, you don't want to do that!

JB: Of course I don't! I don't want to hurt anypony! Everypony I've ever killed has hurt me. Miss Tiara cut off part of my ear and was gonna cut my cutie marks off, Golden Necklace and Fire Ruby cornered me in the woods, Analytical Brain tried to exploit me, the guard outside of the room tried to stop me! I didn't want to hurt any of them, but they forced my hoof and I had to kill all of them!

AB: *ten second silence* Maybe... maybe that is enough for today, then.

*Guard opens the door and Blossom is led out of the room*

AB: *two minute silence* I... I think that I'm going to have Blossom secured to the chair for future sessions. I... uh, I think I'm also going to raise her threat level to 'a danger to those around her.' It's not what I wish to do, and I may be wrong, but... *sigh* I'm not sure how to help her anymore. She's becoming increasingly detached from reality. She thought that she had already killed me, and that I was a replacement psychologist. We'll have to see what future sessions reveal.

*End tape*

Now Madness Takes You

*The following recordings are excerpts from the sessions of the unicorn mare Joyous Blossom from the dates 4/15/10-8/17/10*

Patient 92544 Interview Seven Recording Excerpt. 4/15/10

AB: Blossom, I'd like to apologize for not asking your permission to write my research paper on you. If it makes you feel better, I've destroyed my work.

JB: How do I know that? Even if you show my torn up papers, you could still have a copy. As an earth pony it would take you longer to make one, but you could do it easily.

AB: Well... I suppose you'll just have to trust me, won't you?

JB: But I don't. I remember that article you wrote.

AB: Blossom, I have apologized for that article many times now. I don't know what else you want me to say.

JB: Why did you do it? Why did you say those things in that interview? I know it wasn't because of sensationalism, they would have printed the truth. If they wouldn't have, why did you need to say those things? I assume you made a lot of money off of those books about my aunt that you wrote.

AB: I don't know what you want me to say.

JB: I want you to tell me the truth. We're done here until you do.

AB: Blossom... *sigh* I said it because I believed it, okay? I'm not proud of it since I didn't even know you, but I looked at the case of you and those foals and I knew that you had to be the guilty party. I said those things because of who your aunt was. Again, I am not proud of it.

JB: Yeah... my aunt. That's the whole reason for all of this, isn't it? If my aunt wasn't a serial killer, then I wouldn't be here, would I? If you think about it, everything that has happened in the last thirty or so years can be traced back to her. Wouldn't you agree?

AB: I suppose so, yes.

JB: Those two foals told me that I'd be like her, and that scared me. So I killed them. Everypony else that the princesses threw at me, including the princesses themselves, believed that I would become my aunt. Everypony thought that I'd be my aunt. Now I am.

AB: Blossom, your aunt was a serial killer. You are not, thus you are not your aunt.

JB: I also spend most of my time in a cell. Be honest, if I wasn't locked up, do you think that I'd be out there right now, killing innocent ponies?

AB: No, I don't.

JB: I said be honest. Stop feeding me these placating lies, I'm sick of them!

AB: So I should just tell you that you're a psychopath who should have been put down every time you come in here, is that it? You seem to be unreceptive to anything else.

JB: Well... it's true, isn't it? Aren't I a psychopath who should have been put down? I... I wanted to die but they wouldn't let me! Why didn't they just let me die? I would have been so happy!

AB: Blossom, I--

JB: If you say 'your life is precious' I will snap your neck right now, I swear to Celestia. You disgust me, you little wimp. You all look down on me, but you should try living in my mind sometime! If you really want to get inside my head, call the guard in, take your pen, and stab him in the throat until he stops moving forever. Then you'd begin to understand what I'm going through. Until then... well, you can only guess, but you'd never understand for a moment.

Patient 92544 Interview Nine Recording Excerpt. 5/24/10

AB: Blossom, today I'd like to talk to you about what you feel you're getting out of our sessions here, and where you'd like to go with them. I'm not sure how to help you unless you open up to me.

JB: She's telling me to kill you.

AB: I know that. If you could please answer my question, I'd appreciate it. I want to help you.

JB: She's telling me to kill you.

AB: Blossom, that isn't important. I need you to answer me!

JB: She's telling me to kill you.

AB: Blossom, please resist her influence! She's a construct of your mind, an apparition that I can make go away if you meet me halfway!

JB: She's telling me to kill you.

Patient 92544 Interview Twelve Recording Excerpt. 6/04/10

AB: Blossom, I'd like to talk to you about how you resist the hallucinations of your aunt that you see.

JB: *singing* Dream, little one, dream. Dream, my little one, dream. For the hunter in the night, fills your childish heart with fright. Dream, little one, dream.

AB: ... did your mother sing that to you?

JB: *singing* Fear is only a dream. So dream, little one, dream.

AB: *quietly* Blossom, I... oh Celestia, I wish I knew how to help you. Celestia help me, I wish I knew.

JB: *singing* What have they done to its eyes? What have they done to its eyes? What have they done to its eyes?

AB: Blossom... please, let me help you!

JB: *singing* Hush, little one, hush. Hush, my little one, hush.

Patient 92544 Interview twenty Recording Excerpt. 8/15/10

AB: Blossom is only getting worse. I have tried to help her. Some days she's receptive and talks to me, despite the fact that her views on her life are bleak. She is still visited by constant hallucinations of her aunt. Every day she's bombarded with demands that she kill me. She's been holding on for around three months. Three months of constant hallucinations of her aunt. For today's session, I've requested that Princess Celestia attend. She agreed and brought Princess Luna with her. They are both in the room right now. We are waiting for Blossom.

PL: What can thou tell us about Joyous Blossom?

AB: The mare that used to be there is almost completely gone. There are some days where I wonder whether or not she even knows where she is. Sometimes she comes in here and we have a conversation, other times she sits there repeating a phrase, sometimes she just sits there, saying nothing. Once she sang what sounded like a lullaby, but it sent a shiver down my spine. Honestly, if she wasn't hoofcuffed and strapped to the chair, I think I'd already be dead. She wants to kill me.

PC: How are you trying to help her?

AB: I tried medication, but she hid it and tried to kill herself. I've tried Rorschach tests, but all she says she sees is ink. Our conversations about how she feels, and what she's gone through, have not yielded anything for a month now.

PC: Now, this is a difficult question, but I must ask that you answer me truthfully. Should we have executed her?

AB: As much as it pains me to say it... yes. In almost every sense but the physical one, she's dead already.

*Door opens and Blossom walks in. She is secured to the chair and the guard walks out*

PC: Good afternoon, Blossom. Do you remember me?

JB: *fearfully* Are you here to kill me? Are you here to chop off my horn and give me the bad shot like you gave Aunt Rarity?

PC: No! Of course we aren't!

JB: *sobbing* ... why not?

PC: Blossom, you must understand that killing you would not solve anything.

JB: You're wrong! Killing me would solve everything! Why can none of you see that? Why do I have to go through Tartarus every day of my life?! Why am I strapped to this chair?!

PC: Blossom, it's for Dr. Brain's protection. I'm sorry, but we think you may be dangerous.

JB: Can I have that pen?

AB: Which pen?

JB: The one that you have next to your notepad. Can I have it?

PC: Why do you want that pen?

JB: Because I want to kill Dr. Brain with it.

PC: Blossom, how can you say something like that?!

JB: Because it's true. Nothing would make me happier; Aunt Rarity said so. *giggle* They think they get it, but they don't, Aunt Rarity. They think that they can make you go away, isn't that funny? Well, I know how to make you go away. I think if I tell them they might let me.

PL: Joyous Blossom, thy aunt is not there!

JB: If you won't give me the pen, may I have a straight razor? I think that it would cut through my femoral artery the best. It might take me a few tries to find it, but I think that eventually I'd get it. You can do that, or we can draw this out until I kill Dr. Brain. Or... or you could just give me that shot now.

PC: Blossom, it is against our laws to execute you when we have already passed down our judgment for your crimes. If you are in as much pain as you say you are, please let Dr. Brain help you. *thirty second silence* Blossom? *thirty second silence* Blossom, can you hear me?

AB: She's shut down. I'm afraid that we cannot get anything more out of her today.

*Two guards enter room and lead Blossom out, shutting the door behind them*

AB: *sigh* Well, what do you think?

PC: After she asked for the pen to kill you with, I believe that mare is exceptionally dangerous. If she manages to get free, I believe that Equestria will see another serial killer. Thanks to Blossom's powers, she will be a far deadlier murderer than her aunt was.

AB: Are you certain of this? She seems to think that her aunt will leave her alone if she kills somepony.

PL: We fear that is not the case. It would be likely that Joyous Blossom would continue to be plagued with the visions of her aunt. We are not a psychologist, but hallucinations of that severity do not disappear overnight, are We correct?

AB: Yes. Having said that, I have never seen anything like her visions, nor have any of the colleagues I have discussed the case with. I'm hesitant to say this... but it might.

PC: Very well. I hate to have to do this... but we might want to look into fully removing her horn. I will discuss it with my sister and give you the order should we feel it is the best option.

Patient 92544 Interview Twenty-Six Recording Excerpt. 8/16/10

AB: Blossom? *fifteen second silence. Blossom, can you hear me? *twenty second silence.* If you can hear me, blink. *twenty second silence*

Patient 92544 Interview Thirty Recording Excerpt. 8/17/10

AB: Today will likely be my last day with Blossom. I... I can't take this anymore. Every time she walks into the room I fear that she has some plan, some means of escaping her hoofcuffs. If she even gets her magic back, I'm dead. If she gets one hoof out of her hoofcuffs, I'm dead. She wants to kill me. I have a colleague coming to replace me. He should be here sometime tomorrow. I'll give him the details of Blossom's case, then I'm going to take a leave of absence. I will be glad to see the back of this case. I do not think that I will write a book about this one.

*Door opens and Blossom enters, escorted by a guard*

AB: Good afternoon, Blossom You seem... chipper.

JB: *happily* Oh I am. I'm very happy today. Thanks for saying so!

AB: May I ask why?

JB: *sing song* Today's the daaayyy!

AB: The day for what?

JB: Well, I've been fighting her for over five months now. For five months she's been telling me to kill you. Well, I'm pleased to announce that I don't think she's going to be bothering me anymore. I've finally given in, and now's the day that I actually get around to leaving you and this guard here in pools of your own blood! *giggle* I can't wait to feel that wonderful feeling again!

*A commotion is heard as the guard goes to secure Blossom. Blossom giggles and maneuvers so that the guard is off balance. Blossom takes advantage of this and tackles the guard to the ground. Groaning and thumping is heard as Blossom repeatedly slams her hooves into the guard's face and neck, crushing his trachea.*

JB: Come on, doc! It's time to do what I should have done five months ago!

AB: Blossom, please snap out of it! You're a good mare, you're not a murderer! Please don't do this!

JB: If I'm not a murderer, then who killed that guard behind me? It wasn't you, was it? That would be an interesting twist for sure.

*Blossom tackles Analytical Brain and grabs a nearby pen. Gurgling noises are heard as Blossom repeatedly stabs him in the face, neck, chest, and forelegs with it. She's giggling the entire time. Analytical Brain's screams slowly fade away until only Blossom's laughs are left*

JB: Oh, Aunt Rarity, that was wonderful! You were right, this was the best way to go. *ten second silence* Yep. I guess I don't want you to go away anymore. If I'm going to follow in your hoofsteps so that I can keep having that feeling then I'd better have somepony around who knows what they're doing. *five second silence* Oh, I think that I can manage. The guard was a unicorn, I can disguise myself as him. It's a wonderful thing that he has the keys to my hoofcuffs, isn't it?

*Blossom walks over to the guard. Clanking of keys is heard, followed by the sound of hoofcuffs hitting the floor. Movement is heard, and Blossom takes something off of Dr. Brain's desk. She begins picking the lock on the nullifier ring, and after a few minutes, the nullifier ring hits the floor. Blossom fires up her horn*

JB: I guess in the end they brought this upon themselves, wouldn't you say? I mean, if they had just killed me then none of this would have happened. Oh well, what's done is done. It's time to go.

* * * *

Princess Celestia shut off the tape recorder and closed her eyes, wiping tears away with a wing. She gently pushed the tape recorder away and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Blossom," she whispered.

The sun goddess heard the door open behind her and she turned to see Luna walk into the room with a grim expression. "'tis not good news, Tia," she said sadly. "You know Joyous Blossom's powers, We have no way to track her."

"I know." Celestia stood up and walked up next to her sister. "What were the casualties at the prison?"

"Dr. Brain was stabbed twenty-seven times with his pen. He had passed away long before We arrived. The guard was in critical condition, but also passed on the way to the hospital. As Joyous Blossom exited the prison disguised as the guard, she managed to kill two more guards and a janitor. She left a fourth guard in critical condition, but it is likely he will survive... mostly."

"Mostly?"

"He is missing an eye and an ear, not to ignore the scars he will have on his face and legs." Luna sighed. "They were caught unawares, Tia. They believed that Blossom was their colleague, and as such they did not anticipate her attacks. By the time they knew what was happening, it was too late."

"But surely Blossom is not physically strong!" Celestia insisted. "How could she have overpowered four ponies, even with the element of surprise?"

"She made sure to go for vital parts first," Luna said sadly. "For example, the surviving guard's eye was the first thing to go."

Celestia closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Oh Blossom," she whispered.

"What do you suggest in terms of Joyous Blossom's capture?" Luna questioned.

Celestia sighed and opened her eyes. "I... I don't know, Luna. I don't know what to do. I only know one thing at this moment." Celestia looked up at her sister with fear in her eyes. "We have another serial killer on our hooves."

Author's Note

Well, isn't this something? I hope you are ready for another Secret Life of Rarityesque story. All of you who do not wish to read that kind of thing and prefer the superior original ending: turn back now. We've only just begun. I have such sights to show you. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be quite the ride. Not as gory as the original story, but there will be death aplenty.

If you're going to keep reading, you'd better be able to handle it. Don't say I I didn't warn you.

Cats in the Cradle

Silver Spoon rolled over in her bed and tried to sink deeper into the pillow. Ever since Blossom's arrest and incarceration, she had been staying in a hotel in Ponyville to help Sweetie Belle through this time. Yes she had the Apple family and the rest of the town to help her, but given how connected she was to this event, she felt that it was her obligation to help Sweetie Belle.

Silver Spoon sighed and tried to shut her eyes, but the events of the past few months had been weighing heavily upon her, and indeed, all of Ponyville. Sweetie Belle had gone to Canterlot many times with the intention of visiting her daughter, but Blossom had always refused to see her mother. Not even her father and Comet had been able to see her. Silver Spoon shook her head and nuzzled the pillow. She would go see Sweetie Belle in the morning. Maybe they could to see Princess Celestia directly and get her to help Sweetie Belle.

Silver Spoon sighed and tightened the blanket over her. She would talk to Sweetie Belle about that idea in the morning. For now, sleep.

The mare was just about to close her eyes to drift off when she heard a knock on the door. She sat up in bed and frowned. "Who...?" At first she was unsure if she actually heard it, but then the knock came again. She sighed and turned on the lights. She trotted over to her hotel room door and opened it. There, standing behind the door, were two official looking ponies in suits.

One of the ponies nodded slightly when she opened the door. "Are you Ms. Silver Spoon?" he asked.

Silver Spoon raised her right foreleg to take an uneasy step backwards, but she slowly nodded. "Yes, that's me."

Both ponies nodded and the first pony took a small step forwards. "Miss Spoon, my name is Storm Shaker and this is my partner, Stormy Weather. I'm afraid that we're here to take you into protective custody. Joyous Blossom escaped the prison last night after murdering five ponies. Given that she already tried to kill you, Princess Celestia ordered us to come collect you so she can keep an eye on you personally."

Silver Spoon let out a quiet gasp and began blinking rapidly. "I... y-yes, of course." She rubbed her left eye with her hoof to wake herself up a little more. "Should I get my saddlebag or will I not be needing it?"

"I wouldn't take it," said the stallion. "It would be best if we got you out of here as soon as possible. It's likely that she's already in Ponyville."

"Of course," said Silver Spoon. "We should get out of here."

The guards led Silver Spoon out of the hotel where there was a prison wagon waiting outside. Silver Spoon looked nervously at the guards and the stallion motioned towards it. "It's merely a precautionary measure. If she does know that you're in there, she'd have to break in and kill my partner and I before she could get to you. You're not a prisoner."

Silver Spoon slowly nodded and reluctantly walked up to the prison carriage. The two guards flanking Silver Spoon opened up the back doors and motioned for her to get inside. She hopped in and was followed by the guards, one of whom shut the doors behind the trio.

To Silver Spoon's delight, there as a pillow and blanket setup inside the wagon and Storm Shaker motioned over to Silver Spoon to take them. "We figured that you might want some rest," he explained. "It's a long flight to Canterlot and you're going to need your rest." Storm Shaker smirked. "I'm sorry that the floor is the best place for you, but these benches weren't designed with comfort in mind."

"It's okay," Silver Spoon assured him. "I can handle it."

Storm Shaker nodded and tapped the wall of the wagon three times. Silver Spoon heard three response taps and the wagon began moving. It spent a minute or so gaining some speed, but it soon took off.

As the wagon got higher up, Silver Spoon became steadily colder as the atmosphere became thinner. She laid down on the floor and wrapped the heavy blanket over her. It warmed her instantly and she gave a small, contented smile. Somehow the warmth of the blanket lessened the fear that she was feeling. She still felt butterflies in her stomach like nothing she had ever experienced, but it was somehow lessened by her being warm.

She shifted in her blanket and looked up at Stormy Weather and the mare smiled warmly at her. She returned the smile. "So... do you think that Blossom is going to try to kill me? Did she say something like that in the prison?"

"Well, no," Storm Shaker admitted. "The only pony she really talked about killing was her psychologist, Analytical Brain."

"Did she kill him?" Silver Spoon whispered.

The wagon was silent for a few moments, a silence that told Silver Spoon all she needed to know. She took a deep breath and laid her head on the pillow. "If she can kill five ponies in a maximum security prison, how do you know that you can keep me safe from her?"

"There is no way, I repeat, no way that Blossom would risk getting that close to Princess Celestia," Storm Shaker assured her. "Our identities are checked practically every ten minutes in the palace. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna know where every member of the staff is at all times. If a staff member is missing for even a minute the whole palace goes on lockdown, and our identities are triple checked. We all have security codes that we have to recite whenever asked." Storm Shaker smirked. "Trust me; there is no place in all of Equestria safer than the palace."

"She's that dangerous?" Silver Spoon whispered.

Storm Shaker's smile fell and he nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Uh..." He sighed. "Okay... I'm not going to sugar-coat this: yes, she is that dangerous. A serial killer who change her appearance to whomever she desires? We cannot take any risks with that."

"Can she turn into any race or gender?" Silver Spoon asked.

"As far as we know, no. She can only turn into unicorns roughly her size. Plus, I think she doesn't have the power to change her voice. Trust us, if she gets within a hundred yards of the palace, we'll get her."

Silver Spoon nodded and the journey continued on in silence for another half hour. Eventually, Stormy Weather began twitching in her seat and a look of discomfort crossed her face. Storm Shaker cocked his head. "You okay, Storm?"

"Yeah," she whispered, "Just shouldn't have drunk so much coffee before we left."

Storm Shaker smirked and rolled his eyes. He reached back and banged on the wall again. Slowly Silver Spoon felt the carriage descend. When it had come to a complete stop, Stormy Weather opened the doors with her magic and hopped out of the wagon. "Be right back," she mumbled as she shut the doors behind her.

Storm Shaker smirked and Silver Spoon heard the two pegasi poking fun at Stormy Weather. "Too much coffee, huh, Storm?"

"Yeah," she groaned. "Just give me a second."

"Oh take your time," the second guard chortled. We have some time."

"No you don't."

The eyes of Storm Shaker and Silver Spoon simultaneously widened as the unmistakable voice of Joyous Blossom cut through the night, shattering the tranquil and easygoing mood that has been the tone during the flight. Storm Shaker gasped and ran towards the doors of the carriage and tried to see out of the barred windows. Meanwhile, the piercing screams of the two pegasi guards filled the air along with the cackles of Blossom.

"Stormy Weather, let me out!" Storm Shaker pleaded. "I can't help you if you don't let me out!"

"Mr. Shaker, please don't let her kill me!" Silver Spoon sobbed. "I don't wanna die!"

"You aren't going to die, Ms. Spoon, we're going to get you out of here if I have to kill her myself!" Storm Shaker turned back to the bars. "Is anypony alive out there?!"

Silence.

Where there was once piercing screams as Blossom tore apart the pegasi guards weighted down by the cumbersome wagon, now there was nothing.

Wait... there was something now.

Crying, there was crying.

Storm Shaker's eyes widened. "Stormy Weather?"

The crying grew in volume as the sobbing pony dragged herself towards the wagon. The two earth ponies fearfully backed up as they heard a horn fire up. The door was engulfed in a magical glow, and the left door swung open, revealing Stormy Weather covered in blood and clutching at her side. Storm Shaker gasped and rushed over to his partner. "Where is she?" he questioned. "Stormy, where is Blossom?"

"H-Hurts," Stormy Weather whimpered.

"Celestia help me," Storm Shaker whispered as he took off his jacket. He pressed it into Stormy Weather's side to stop the flow of blood. "Okay, just put some pressure on that and we can stop the bleeding."

Stormy Weather sniffled and, to Storm Shaker's surprise, she pushed the jacket away. "Not my blood," she whispered.

"Not your..."

Before anypony could do anything, Stormy Weather slammed a hoof into the side of Storm Shaker's head. She was knocked back with a grunt and Stormy Weather used that to her advantage. She jumped on top of him in a flash and, ignoring the screams of terror from Silver Spoon, she pulled a large knife out of her jacket and pressed the tip directly into Storm Shaker's back, drawing a miniscule amount of blood.

"I would stay very still if I were you," said Stormy Weather. However, it wasn't Stormy Weather's voice. It was...

"Blossom?" whispered Silver Spoon.

Stormy Weather smiled and fired up her horn. Instantly the disguise washed away, revealing none other than Joyous Blossom herself. She glared down at a grunting Storm Shaker. "If I get even a hint that you're going to try to buck me off, I'm going to stab you in the back of the head before you even know what's happening, do I make myself clear?" she growled.

Storm Shaker groaned, but he didn't attempt to move.

Blossom smirked and chuckled to herself. "This is a little more extreme than that color changing spell I hit you with when I was a filly, isn't it?" She punctuated her sentence by pressing the knife in half a millimeter deeper. "But, I'm not here to reminisce. I'm here to tell you that I'm not going to kill you. I wouldn't kill ponies that I have a use for, that would be silly." Blossom leaned in next to Storm Shaker's ear. "I have a message for Princess Celestia. If you don't repeat it exactly as I say, I'll know."

"You're bluffing," Storm Shaker groaned. "There's no way you could know if I didn't."

Blossom scoffed. "Well if you aren't going to tell her then I guess I can just gouge out your eyes right now. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Storm Shaker whimpered and shook his head. "No, I'll tell! What's the message?"

"That's a good little foal," Blossom giggled. She leaned down and whispered something in Storm Shaker's ear, then leaned back up. "Do you have all of that?" Storm Shaker weakly nodded. "Good. Now, Ms. Spoon and I have a little unfinished business and I can't exactly have you getting in the way of that so..."

With a sadistic smile, Blossom threw all of her weight onto the knife. Storm Shaker screamed in pain then began gasping as the knife severed his spine.

"Head on a stick," Blossom muttered. She looked up at Silver Spoon who was sobbing in the corner of the wagon. One of her forelegs was extended as if to ward Blossom off, but the psychotic mare only smiled. "No need to try to delay the inevitable, Ms. Spoon." Blossom levitated the knife with her magic and stood up. "I'll bet you're wondering how I infiltrated a military escort for you." Blossom sat down on the bench opposite Silver Spoon and leaned back. "Well, I was in Ponyville to kill you anyway. It was really quite a stroke of luck that I arrived just before the escort did. I figured that they must be here for you, so I cornered and killed Mr. Snails and took his identity. I used his look to subtly follow the guards and when I saw one of them head off to the bathroom for a brief moment, I followed her inside and strangled her."

Blossom looked down at the suit she was wearing and brushed a bit of lint off with the edge of the knife. "No need to go bloodying this up, it would give everything away." Blossom grinned and stood back up. "I think that you can figure it out from there."

Silver Spoon backed further into the corner as if she was trying to phase through the wall itself. "Please," she whimpered. "I don't wanna die!"

Blossom giggled and advanced towards the mare. "Well, that's too bad, isn't it?"

* * * *

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna trotted down the hall of the Ponyville hospital, each saying nothing. Even if one ignored the fact that hospitals were usually quiet and subdued, there was a sense that everypony in the building was frightened. It was not hard to imagine why.

The princesses reached a doorway which led to an intensive care unit where they saw Nurse Redheart shakily relaying information to Shining Armor. Both stopped talking when the princesses reached the door.

"What is the situation, captain?" Celestia questioned.

Shining Armor tightened his jaw and sighed before answering. "I don't know how she did it, but Blossom managed to kill or maim every member of that escort. We found Stormy Weather strangled in a bathroom in one of the shops around here and there was also a stallion named Snails that we found gutted in the back alleyway behind Horte Cuisines." Shining Armor ran a hoof through his mane and shook his head. "I guess from there she took Stormy Weather's identity and the rest is pretty self-explanatory."

"None survived?" Luna guessed.

Nurse Redheart and Shining Armor exchanged an uneasy look, a look that led to Redheart bursting into tears. "She left Storm Shaker alive," Shining Armor began quietly. "she told him a message to give to you, then she severed his spine so he couldn't interfere with her plans for Silver Spoon."

Both goddesses were silent, but only for a moment. It was Luna who spoke up first. "Joyous Blossom killed Silver Spoon, did she not?"

Shining Armor began blinking rapidly and he had to steady himself on the wall. "I haven't seen anything like it since Rarity's basement," he whispered. "We found her gutted and hanging from a tree by her intestines. We found no other wounds on her body. She was still alive when she was being cut open." Shining Armor lost the battle with his legs and he collapsed onto his haunches. He put his head in his hooves and leaned against the wall. "She looked so scared," he whispered.

The princesses exchanged an uneasy look, but Celestia spoke up. "Shining Armor, if you would please go to your sister's house to make sure she is safe. It is imperative that you open the conversation with a question that only she would know. Once you are sure that it is her, I want you to make sure she is safe. Don't tell her about what happened tonight."

Shining Armor nodded and weakly pushed himself up on his hooves. He slowly trotted down the hall as if the weight of the world was bearing down upon him. Celestia decided that she would make him take a leave of absence for a time. He didn't need this again.

"Well, shall we go converse with Storm Shaker?" Luna questioned. "Any message from Joyous Blossom is of the utmost importance, is it not?"

Celestia sighed and nodded. "Yes, it is, isn't it?"

Nurse Redheart merely pointed down the hallway. "Room twenty. It'll be on your right."

Celestia nodded and the two princesses walked down the hall to Storm Shaker's room. Despite their stoicism in the face of strife, even they were not prepared for the sight of one of their guards mutilated as he was. He had an I.V. in his right foreleg and another on the top of his head. An oxygen machine had been implanted in his lungs and was breathing for him. He was hooked up to a dozen different kinds of monitors, most of them relaying faint signals. When Storm Shaker saw the princesses enter the room, he blinked back tears.

"I'm sorry," he croaked weakly. "I failed you and Equestria."

Princess Celestia vigorously shook her head and walked up beside him. "No, Storm Shaker. You did everything that you could. You didn't know that she was capable of infiltrating your group."

"Should have asked Stormy Weather the security question when she came back. If I had... if I had I'd have feeling below my neck." Tears began streaming down Storm Shaker's face. "I can't feel my legs. It's like I'm gone from the neck down."

"Storm Shaker--"

"She wanted me to give you a message. She said that if I didn't she'd torture me even more." Storm shaker looked back up at the princesses. "She says that she's going to kill whoever she wants, and that you can't stop her. She's going to kill three ponies in every city, and once she's completed the cycle she'll start again. If you make any effort to hinder her, she'll kill five. The next time you try, she'll kill ten. In a city like Manehattan or Baltimare, how can you protect the entire city from a mare who can look like anypony she wants?" Storm Shaker let out an almost inaudible sniffle. "You can't."

The princesses stared down at Storm Shaker for a few minutes more before they quietly exited the room. When they reached the hallway outside of the intensive care ward, they were stopped by one of the doctors.

"I take it you've come to see Storm Shaker?" he guessed. Celestia nodded and the doctor returned it. "Given that he has no immediate family and he was injured in the line of duty, the law dictates that this decision falls to you. Do you want us to take him off of life support?"

Celestia's mask of stoicism began cracking at the idea that one of her ponies life was in her hooves in that manner. She might as well be killing one of her children. However, she knew what was best for Storm Shaker, and indeed everypony. She made eye contact with the doctor and silently tilted her head in a subtle nod.

* * * *

Blossom trotted through the streets of Ponyville, walking towards her target. She had already killed Mr. Snails to take his appearance, and now anypony looking for Mr. Snips would find a nasty surprise in one of the rooms of town hall. She would have giggled if not for the knowledge of what she needed to do. This one wasn't for pleasure; this one was almost... business, but not quite. It needed to be done and that was that.

The streets of Ponyville were bare so late at night. She wasn't sure if word of her escape had gotten out yet, but they would all know in the morning when they found the bodies. She suspected that if the princesses had been here, they would have kept the bodies of that mare and Mr. Snails a secret.

Ah yes, that mare. She remembered her from when she lived in the castle. She was one of the ponies who had arrested her when she tried to escape. She had led the apologies when Blossom had seen her next. Now she was gone forever. No more... Blossom mused that she didn't know the mare's name, but decided that it didn't matter. The time to do what needed to be done was at hoof.

There it was. Her target. It loomed over her as she approached it. It was so familiar, so welcoming, but at the same time alien and foreign. She hadn't been here in a long time.

She stopped in front of the door and reached out to push it open. She had to do this, she had to make sure that this wouldn't be so bad.

Blossom shook her head. She was being foolish. It would be better to not think about it and do it quickly.

Slowly Blossom pushed the door open, and entered Carousel Boutique.

Author's Note

Will Blossom kill Sweetie Belle? Will this story be littered with cliffhangers like this? Tune in next time to find out!

Blossom's confirmed kill count: 15

How do I churn out chapters like this? Twelve hour overnight desk shift at work.

You Are My Baby and I Will Love You Forever

Sweetie Belle's eyes fluttered open.

It was still dark, a quick glance at the alarm clock showed it was not yet three in the morning, but something had awoken her. Some noise that she had heard, almost like... something was in her house. It wasn't the sound of her house settling, it sounded more like hoofsteps treading across the carpet. A soft pitter patter.

She sat up in bed, and held back a gasp. A dark shadow was in her room, pacing back and forth as if extremely agitated. In fact, the shadow let out a singular sob. It was because of the sob that Sweetie Belle knew who was in her room.

"Blossom?"

The shadow stopped pacing and turned to face her. It stared at her silently for a moment before speaking. "Hi Momma."

Sweetie Belle inhaled and flicked the light on. Blossom had disguised herself to make her coat a dark blue, but once the light was turned on, she shifted back to her normal white. She managed a small, weak smile that held no joy at all. If anything, Sweetie Belle could have sworn that it was meant to be comforting. "I'm a bad mare, Momma," she whispered.

Sweetie Belle let out a sob of her own and extended her forelegs. Her wayward daughter whimpered and placed herself in her mother's embrace. Sweetie Belle stroked her daughter's mane as tears streamed down her face. "You're not a bad mare, Blossom. You've just done bad things because you were scared."

"But I killed them, Momma! I killed Dr. Brain and those other four ponies at the prison when I left. I... I killed four guards, Mr. Snips, Mr. Snails, and Ms. Spoon tonight so that I could come see you." Blossom tearfully looked up at her mother. "I'm a serial killer, Momma, just like Aunt Rarity."

Sweetie Belle began audibly sobbing and Blossom leaned her head into her mother's chest. So the two ponies, mother and daughter sobbed together; one out of pure sorrow and the other out of regret and self-loathing.

Eventually there were no more tears to shed, but the embrace did not end. Blossom wiped her eyes with her hoof and nuzzled her mother's tear soaked chest. "Momma, I'm gonna go to Canterlot to see Princess Celestia tomorrow. Before I do, can I sleep in your bed tonight?" She whimpered. "I'm scared."

"Yes," said Sweetie Belle with a sniffle. "Just like when you were a filly."

Blossom stood up and walked over to the other side of the bed and laid down upon it. Sweetie Belle nuzzled up closer to her daughter and wrapped a foreleg around her. She nuzzled her daughter's mane. "Goodnight, Blossom. Always know that Mommy loves you."

"I love you too, Momma," Blossom whispered. "I'm sorry that I'm such a bad mare. I didn't want to do it. I love you, Momma." Blossom had to hold back more sobs as she felt her mother's warm breath on her neck. It was such a comforting feeling, like her mother would always be there for her. The breathing was there. It was there...

And then it was gone.

Blossom's tears began anew as she slipped out of her mother's lifeless grasp. She shakily walked over to her mother's bedside table and slipped an empty syringe into her saddlebag. It was quick, painless. Her mother hadn't even felt the needle go in.

Blossom turned her head up and saw her mother's body, lying on the bed just where she had snuggled up next to her daughter for the last time. Blossom began blinking rapidly as the realization of what she had just done hit her in full and she collapsed onto the floor. "M-Momma?" Blossom dragged herself over to the bed and pulled herself on top of it. No, the body was still there, it was still just as empty as it had been when she had looked a second ago. "Momma... I...."

Slowly Blossom wrapped her forelegs around her mother's body and held her close, cradling her just like she had when Blossom was a filly. "Momma, I'm sorry. I just thought that..." The tears fell thick and fast from Blossom's eyes, dripping onto Sweetie Belle's mane. Blossom wiped the tears from the mane and gently moved Sweetie Belle's head. "Momma, I... I think I c-c-can f-fix t-this if you wake up. I d-didn't th-think that it would... I d-d-didn't."

Sweetie Belle remained motionless. Her body was as limp as a marionette that had just gotten its strings cut. She was gone, but Blossom continued to shake her. "Momma, p-please wake up! I... I didn't mean to do th-that to you, Momma. I..."

Blossom threw her head back and screamed. Her elongated screams pierced the night, shattering the relative tranquility that had been the norm before. Then, as quickly as she had begun she stopped. She closed her mouth and stood up, gently moving her mother's body back onto the bed. Her eyes and expression were blank as she laid her mother flat on the bed and folded her forelegs over her chest. She levitated a nearby hairbrush towards her and gently combed Sweetie Belle's mane until it was just as beautiful as it was in life. With that finished, she pulled the blanket over her, tucking her into bed.

Blossom used her magic to smooth out any crinkles in the comforter, then leaned in and gently kissed her mother on her forehead. "Goodnight, Mommy," she whispered.

Blossom straightened up and turned off the light. She levitated her saddlebag over her shoulder and slowly trudged out of the room. The broken mare turned her head back for one last look, then she walked through the door, shutting it behind her.

She slowly walked down the steps of Carousel Boutique, hardly able to think. She had just murdered her own mother. She was dead; gone forever and it was all her fault.

"It's always been all my fault," Blossom muttered to herself. "Everything that has h-happened to my mom has been my fault!"

With a snarl of rage, Blossom tore the saddlebag from her shoulder and slammed it on the ground. She ran down to the main floor and began slamming her hooves on the ground, screaming once again. "BLOSSOM YOU STUPID BITCH! YOU ARE THE MOST EVIL MARE IN EQUESTRIA!!" She screamed in agony and threw her saddlebag against the opposite wall. The strap keeping it close broke and the contents came tumbling out, including a large butcher knife.

Blossom levitated the knife over to her and hooked her foreleg over it. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU YOU...YOU" With another scream Blossom began dragging the sharp edge of the knife across her face. She didn't care about the physical pain, she didn't care that the blood was dripping into her eyes. It wasn't penitence enough for what she had just done.

Suddenly, the door to Carousel Boutique burst open and two plainclothes guards ran inside. Both stopped and gasped at the sight of Blossom's bloody face.

With a snarl of rage and pain, Blossom leaped forwards and tackled one of them to the ground, driving the knife through his skull before either of them could react. The second one fared no better, and Blossom drove the knife through his leg at the knee joint. He fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Blossom tore the knife out and stabbed him through his left hoof until she felt the tip touch the carpet below her.

With one more scream, Blossom stumbled onto her hooves and ran into the night.

Author's Note

Short chapter, I know, but this one filled its emotions quote pretty quick, and I figured that you needed time to recover a bit after this one.

I don't cry at fanfictions, but even I got wet around the corner of my eyes when writing this.

Also, I know I generally don't like to use profanity, I really, really don't. But honestly, I couldn't think of better words to use to truly convey just how much Blossom hated herself at that moment. In case it wasn't clear enough, She did it so that Sweetie Belle wouldn't have to be around to see and hear about all of the terrible things her daughter was doing.

Run

Blood, the blood was everywhere.

Blossom weakly stumbled around, covered in both her own blood and the blood of the two ponies that she had stabbed. The blood pouring from the five or six lacerations on her face dripped into her eyes, blurring her vision and making it difficult to see where she was going.

"Momma," she whimpered as one of her legs gave out and she nearly tumbled to the ground. "Mommy, I'm sorry!"

Blossom began dragging herself forwards, unsure of exactly where she was headed. All she knew was that she had to get out of Ponyville. With three more deaths, she needed to get out of there.

Blossom groaned as a dark mass appeared in front of her, taking up all of her vision. Something large was in front of her. Maybe it was a good place to hide for a while. She reached up and wiped the blood out of her eyes and realized what it was for the first time: The Everfree Forest. Barring predators smelling the blood, a real possibility, she would be safe there.

Blossom shakily got to her hooves and began stumbling towards the forest. She just had to make it past the tree line, and she would be better off. Just a few yards more. Nothing to it.

She had to wipe more blood out of her eyes, but the cuts seemed to be closing up. She was in too much pain to fully take advantage of some of the more basic healing spells she had been taught by Celestia's tutor while she lived in the palace, but maybe with a little pressure on the wounds and some sleep she would improve to the point where she could heal up a little bit. Still, the large scars she would undoubtedly have would serve as a reminder of what she had done for the rest of her life.

"Gotta go," she mumbled weakly. "Can't go back to Ponyville ever. Hurts."

Blossom leaned against a tree and sat on her haunches. Just a few minutes of rest, then she could figure out what to do. However, before she could truly begin her thought process, what seemed like a door opened up in the tree and something that looked like a pony came out. At least, it looked like a pony. It had some weird stripes, though.

The being gasped when it saw Blossom and reached a hoof out. "How is it that you have come here?" She walked a step forward and Blossom flinched back. "Please, my little pony, have no fear!"

"Hurt real bad," Blossom mumbled. "My face hurts."

The thing took another step forward to examine Blossom's face, and gasped when she saw the cuts that adorned it. "Please, dear friend, let me help you! Please come into my home so I can give you a healing brew."

"Okay." The being, Blossom vaguely recalled that it was a zebra, but she couldn't remember her name, pulled Blossom to her hooves and led her inside. She maneuvered Blossom over to a comfy chair and quickly grabbed a rag. "Place this over the worst spots," she instructed. "I shall begin preparing my pots."

"Stoppit," Blossom grumbled, taking the rag from the zebra. "Why do you have to do that rhyming thing?"

The zebra turned to Blossom and frowned. "Why do you perceive my rhyming as bad? Is there something about it that makes you sad?"

Blossom nodded and moved the rag to put pressure on a different cut. "It makes my head hurt. Sounds weird to me and I don't quite get it." Blossom squinted her eyes and examined the zebra who was putting herbs into a pot of boiling water. "W-Wait, your name is Zecorat or somethin' innit?"

The zebra smiled warmly at Blossom. "Close. My name is Zecora."

"That's right," said Blossom with a nod. "I remember you from when I lived here a while back."

"You are from Ponyville, child? I do not recall who you are."

Blossom chuckled as she scratched the back of her neck. "Doesn't matter who I am really. I'm on the move a lot, more so than I was a while back."

Zecora nodded and brought a bowl over to Blossom and placed it on a stool. "This mixture is just the thing," she explained. "I warn you now, it will sting."

"I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

Zecora shrugged and dipped a small brush into the white mixture. When the brush was covered, she motioned for Blossom to move the rag from her face, and she applied the mixture to the large cut on Blossom's forehead. Blossom inhaled sharply at the pain, but didn't flinch back. She needed this.

When the mixture was applied, Zecora lathered it onto Blossom's other cuts. The smaller the cut the less it hurt, but Blossom noticed that the bleeding stopped whenever it was applied to the cuts.

Finally Zecora was finished and she put the brush back in the bowl. "There, I think that will serve you well." She cocked her head. "But how did you come to be injured? Is that something you can tell?"

Blossom groaned to herself but decided to ignore the rhyming. She took a deep breath. "Penitence."

Zecora frowned and brought frothy cup to Blossom. Blossom took the cup in her magic and nodded to Zecora before taking a few sips. "That drink will replenish your strength," Zecora explained. "But... what do you mean by penitence?"

Glad that Zecora was no longer rhyming, Blossom finished the drink. The effects were immediate, and she felt almost as strong as she had when she had killed Silver Spoon. She looked over at Zecora who was examining her uneasily. Blossom sighed and lowered her gaze to the floor. "Have you ever heard of The Ponyville Butcher?"

Zecora slowly nodded. "I knew her well before she fell."

"She was a serial killer, yeah? Well, I'm her niece. I'm Sweetie Belle's daughter." Blossom weakly chuckled. "Or at least I was. Not too much left of me now."

Zecora took an uneasy step back. "Was?"

Blossom turned her gaze back up to the zebra. "I just killed my mother." Blossom stood up from the bed and advanced towards Zecora. "My Aunt Rarity was a serial killer, and I'm one too." Blossom's gaze fell on a scalpel next to a cutting board and she levitated it over to her. "You wouldn't believe how nuts I am." Blossom continued advancing towards Zecora, who was now whimpering in fear. "Nopony can hear us out in the forest," Blossom mused. "It's just you, me, and this scalpel."

With a snarl, Blossom lunged forward and dug the knife into Zecora's shoulder. The zebra fell with a scream and began thrashing on the floor. "Why?!" she sobbed.

"Because I'm bucking evil!" Blossom growled. "My Aunt Rarity told me to kill ponies, and when I finally gave in I found out that I loved it!"

At her declaration, Blossom's eyes widened and she fell onto her haunches. She leaned her head against a wall and shook it. "No... I don't love it. Not the act of killing itself anyway," she muttered. "I just like the feeling I get from it, I suppose. If I got that from something else then I'd do that something else, but it's the only way." Her eyes flickered up to the dying zebra who was still trying to gingerly pull the knife out of her shoulder. "I don't necessarily like the act of killing itself, but I need to do it. It's like how normal ponies have to eat, or sleep, or breathe. I need to do all of those things too, but I also need to kill."

Zecora pulled herself away from Blossom, but found herself backed against a wall. "Please," she groaned.

Blossom sighed and used her magic to pull the scalpel out of Zecora's body. "I don't suppose that you have a potion that will make that need go away, do you? The mare looked around the hut. "I'm sure that you have something here that would poison me, but I don't really want that."

Blossom scooted forward and began running the flat of the blade against Zecora's leg. "But you and I both know how this ends."

"Please don't bring harm to me!" Zecora pleaded.

Blossom scoffed and stood up. "That's not what I'm talking about!" she snarled. "I'm talking about my life! If you think about it, there's only one logical conclusion, one ending to the path I'm on!" A small smirk appeared on Blossom's face and she resumed stroking Zecora's leg with the knife. "My upcoming death is going to be very violent, wouldn't you agree? Unless I get to Shining Armor first, he's going to live a good, long life and die peacefully of old age." Blossom glared at Zecora and slowly began pushing the blade into the zebra's leg. "Meanwhile I'm going to be lucky if I make it to twenty-one! Even with my powers, I'm going to be cornered somewhere, and they'll have to get a mop to clean me up once the guards are done with me! Don't lie to me, you know I'm right!"

"Stop this!" Zecora cried, pain shooting through her leg. "I don't w-want to be ended here!"

Blossom sighed and pulled the knife out, tapping the blade on her head. "I guess since you did heal me up then I should repay you in kind. I was probably gonna die before I found you and you saved my life. Now, I'll be merciful." Blossom leaned in next to Zecora's ear. "It'll be quick," she whispered.

* * * *

The royal chariot landed in the middle of the town square, both goddesses riding on it. Celestia's sun had not been raised even an hour, and already there was much to do.

It couldn't be true. She had not fallen that far, it was impossible.

The two princesses departed from their chariot and beelined straight for Carousel Boutique. Both hoped that the rumors they had heard were false. Reports could be exaggerated and fabricated. Just because Blossom had killed one of her guards and crippled the other didn't mean...

A crowd had already gathered around the home of Sweetie Belle. Despite the best efforts of her guard and some police officers, the crowd was closer to the building than they would have liked. Even so, they moved to clear a pathway for the princesses.

They were met by Shining Armor, and they exchanged grim looks. It told Celestia everything she needed to know, but she refused to believe it anyway. She scanned the group of guards, and her eyes landed on a unicorn mare about Blossom's size. "Sergeant Quick Charge, may I have a word with you?" she called out.

Quick Charge turned to her princess, and a look of fear crossed her face. She did not disobey and she sank to her knees in a bow. "Princess Celestia, I--"

She did not finish her sentence. Celestia engulfed her in a magical glow and levitated her in front of her face. "When you were accepted into the guard, who was your commanding officer for your first mission and what was that mission?"

Quick Charge squealed in fear, but opened her mouth to respond. "M-My c-commanding officer was Gale Shadow and the mission was a border dispute with the griffons!"

Celestia sighed and put Quick Charge down on the ground. "I'm sorry, my little pony," she said gently. "With Blossom's powers, I have to be sure."

Quick Charge shakily nodded, and pushed herself up to her hooves. Celestia turned to Shining Armor. The stallion looked as though the weight of Equestria had been placed on his back, and in a way it was. He was charged with protecting the entire nation from a serial killer who could change her appearance.

Celestia took a step towards him and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "What is the report?" she said quietly.

Shining Armor closed his eyes and bowed his head. "Wind Gust was stabbed through the head. He died instantly. His partner was stabbed through the hoof all the way and through his right knee. It'll be months, maybe years, before he walks again, if he walks at all."

"And what of Sweetie Belle?" Luna questioned.

Before Shining Armor could respond, the three of them heard a commotion in the crowd. They turned to see the source and saw Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Apple Seed pushing through the crowd. "Where is she?" Applejack said wildly. "Where is Sweetie Belle, is she safe?"

"Blossom wouldn'ta killed her ma!" Apple Bloom whimpered. "S-she ain't that far gone, is she?"

As if on cue, the door to Carousel Boutique opened up and two unicorns walked out with a stretcher between them. A large sheet covered a motionless pony, obscuring the victim completely save for one part. A white foreleg dangled limply out from underneath the sheet.

The Apples simply stared in shock as any doubts that Sweetie Belle was dead were forcibly removed from their minds. Indeed, Celestia and Luna weren't breathing as they tried to process what they had just seen. The complete silence was broken when Apple Bloom collapsed onto the ground with a wail of sorrow. She began sobbing loudly, and Apple Seed sat next to her mother, holding her in a comforting embrace, but sobbing herself. Applejack merely stared silently at the ground for a moment before looking up at the royal sisters. "Ah hope you find her first, Princess," the mare growled ominously. "If Ah ever see a hint of that mare anywhere near Ponyville, there won't be enough left to bury."

Celestia didn't respond to Applejack's words. She merely turned back to Shining Armor. "Captain, I want you to send an order out to every single police officer, soldier, and guard throughout Equestria." Celestia paused as her emotions temporarily took control, but she forced them away. "The unicorn mare Joyous Blossom is to be given no quarter. If she is seen, she is to be slain on sight. Show no mercy."

Author's Note

Kill count: 18

Comet

Rolling Thunder was resting on his bed, his head laying against a pillow. An empty water glass rested on the bedside table behind him, which he had used to take two headache pills. They had only partially done the job, and there was a dull throbbing in his temples. He rubbed them to try to get it to go away, but it wasn't working.

The door to his room opened and Lilly walked in. Her ears were dropped and her shoulders were slumped as if a great weight rested upon them. She glanced up at her husband and joined him on the bed. She snuggled up close to him and he put a foreleg over her shoulder. "What have you told Comet?" he asked quietly.

"She doesn't know anything." Lilly deeply exhaled and closed her eyes. "As far as she knows Blossom is still in prison. She's been begging me to take her there in the hopes that Blossom will rescind her choice to not see anypony who visits. I'd rather not, though. You know how upset she was when Blossom turned us away the last time."

"And now Blossom is out." Rolling Thunder began stroking his wife's mane. "When do we tell Comet and how? She's going to find out somehow, and it needs to be from us."

"Do we tell her the whole truth?" Lilly questioned. "Again, she's going to find out anyway."

"How do we tell an eight year old that her big sister that she just met is a serial killer?" Rolling Thunder groaned and began rubbing his temples again. "I... I don't know if I can do it. You know how much she loves Blossom, the two formed an instant bond."

Lilly looked fearfully up at her husband. "Do you think that Blossom would hurt her?"

Rolling Thunder shook his head. "No. I think that you, me, and Comet are all safe. She wouldn't kill us anymore than she would kill her mother or her adoptive family."

"She might kill me," Lilly whispered. "You know how much we disliked each other in the beginning, what if she focuses on that?"

"She won't," Rolling Thunder insisted. "You're going to be fine, I promise you!"

Before Lilly could respond, the pair heard a trio of sharp knocks on their door. Curious, the pair hopped off of their bed and went downstairs to answer it. Lilly used her magic to open the door. Both of them gasped and took a step backwards when they saw not only a large detachment of royal guards, but Princess Luna herself. Both of them fell to their knees at the sight of the princess of the night, but she raised a hoof to dissuade them from doing so. "Thou need not partake in such formalities with us. There are far more important matters at hoof."

The two got to their hooves. "Oh, of course, your majesty," said Rolling Thunder. "I... I take it this is about Blossom?"

"Indeed. May we come in? There are important matters to attend to."

Rolling Thunder inclined his head and motioned for the group to come in. Princess Luna motioned for half of the force to stay outside to watch the house and led the rest inside the house. The duo looked uneasily between the guards and Luna. "Okay, I understand that Blossom is dangerous, but what is going on here exactly?" Lilly asked. "Are any of us in danger?"

Luna closed her eyes sadly and tilted her head in a brief nod. "We believe so. Last night Blossom went to Ponyville. She murdered no less than nine ponies including..." Luna took a deep breath. "Including her mother."

Lilly gasped and Rolling Thunder's jaw dropped. "What did you say?" he whispered.

"As horrid as the event undoubtedly was, what was left of Blossom made it quick. Her normal preferred choice of weapon is a knife, but for Sweetie Belle it was a simple injection." Luna opened her eyes and grimaced. "Based on what we know of that mare, twas a mercy killing, not a malicious one. We believe that she did it to spare her the torment of what will come to pass shortly."

"And you think that she's coming after us next, is that it?" Rolling Thunder guessed.

Luna's gaze turned upwards. "Particularly Comet."

Lilly gasped and put a hoof over her mouth while Rolling Thunder took a step towards the door. "Do you really think that she would stoop to that?!"

"We do." Luna scanned the ceiling as if hoping her gaze could see through it. "She murdered her mother. Nopony is safe now." her eyes shot downwards until they locked onto Rolling Thunder. "Not even you or your child."

"Well then we have to go get her right now!" Lilly cried.

Luna's eyes widened and she took a step towards the pair. "Where is your daughter?!"

Rolling Thunder pointed out the window. "At school!"

* * * *

Comet grinned to herself as her teacher dismissed them for recess. She shut her notebook and placed her pencil on top of it before bouncing out the door. She spotted her friend Dashing Wind and trotted up to her. "Hey, Wind. Do you want to play on the swings?"

To Comet's surprise, Dashing Wind didn't make eye contact with her. Indeed, she flattened her ears and stared at the ground. "I dunno, Comet," she muttered.

Comet cocked her head. "What's wrong? You always want to play on the swings!"

"Yeah..." Wind began kicking at the ground. "Uh... my mommy said that I can't be friends with you anymore. She told me it isn't very safe."

Comet's eyes widened and the first traces of tears appeared in them. "W...Why? I'm not gonna hurt you! You're my best friend!"

"I know," Wind Mumbled. "It's not you. My mommy says that your sister might hurt me."

A scowl crossed Comet's face and she jumped in front of her friend, flaring out her tiny wings. "No! My sister is not a bad mare! She's just sick! They're trying to help her get better!"

For the first time, Wind's eyes trailed up and she looked at Comet with fear in her eyes. "You mean you don't know?"

Comet's wings folded back to her sides and she took an uneasy step backwards. "Know what?"

"My mommy said that your sister got out of prison and she hurt a lot of ponies when she did. Most of them died!"

Comet quietly gasped, but her scowl returned as did her flared out wings. "No, my sister would never do anything bad like that! She's a good mare, she's just sick!"

"But my mommy read it in the newspaper today!" Wind insisted. "She got out two days ago and hurt a lot of ponies, some in Ponyville even!"

"Y-You're lying!" Comet retorted. "M-My big sister isn't a bad mare! Sh-she wouldn't hurt anypony ever!"

Comet began sobbing and turned around, running away from her friend. At the orders of her mother, Wind did not try to follow her. Comet ran up to the only adult that she could find at the moment: her teacher. Adults never lied about that kind of thing. Her teacher saw her run up and smiled warmly at her until she saw that Comet was crying. She sunk to Comet's level. "Comet, what's the matter?"

Comet sat on the ground and did her best to calm down. "I... I w-was talking to W-Wind a-and she said that my s-sister left jail and hurt a lot of ponies when sh-she did! Some so bad that they died! Sh-She said that it was in the newspapers too!" Comet looked up at her teacher with wide, watery eyes. "She was lying, right?"

Comet's teacher's jaw dropped slightly and she straightened up. "You... you weren't told?" She put a hoof to her mouth. "Oh Celestia."

Comet whimpered and curled up into a ball on the ground. "N-No! M-My sister isn't a bad mare, sh-she's just sick! Th-they were gonna make her better!"

"I'm so sorry, Comet," her teacher whispered. "I don't know what to say. I didn't know that you weren't told."

Comet let out a wail of sorrow and her tears dripped down her face, staining the ground below her. Her teacher reached down and wrapped the distraught filly in a tight hug. "Comet, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what you're going through right now. Just know that I'm here for you if you ever want to talk."

"Blossom isn't a bad pony!" Comet sobbed. "She's just sick!"

"I know," her teacher assured her. "And I know that she loves you very much and would never hurt you." Comet leaned into her teacher's shoulder and cried into it, wetting her fur. Her teacher gently patted her on the back and nuzzled her. "I know this is hard for you. If you want to, you can go home for the day. I know your parents will want to talk to you about this."

Comet weakly nodded and pulled herself out of her teacher's grasp. She quickly went inside the school and got her saddlebag before trudging towards home. Her teacher would have normally requested that she it until her parents came to get her, but the filly was a mere three minute walk away from home, even with her short legs. She would be okay.

Comet's tears fell fast and hard as she walked towards her house. Her head and ears were drooped and she dragged her hooves. Blossom wasn't a bad pony, she couldn't be a bad pony! Yes, she was very sick, that much was certain, but she wasn't so sick that she would hurt a lot of ponies so bad that they died on purpose! She wasn't like that. She was a good mare.

"Comet."

Comet's head shot up and her ears perked at the sound of her name being called. She looked around wildly for the source of the voice. After a second or two, she figured that she had just imagined it until she heard it again.

"Comet. Over here."

Comet gasped. She knew that voice! She wheeled around to face an alleyway next to her. Down at the very end was a familiar white mare. "Blossom!" Comet squeed. She bolted down the alleyway and into her sister's eager forelegs. She wrapped her forelegs around her sister's waist and buried her head in her chest. "They said bad things about you at school!"

Blossom gave a half chuckle/half sob and nuzzled her sister's mane. "I know," she whispered. "You're going to hear a lot of bad things about me soon."

"But it's not true!" Comet insisted. "You're not a bad pony!"

Blossom hugged her sister tighter. "I don't want to be. I want to be a good pony, and a good big sister for you." Tears began streaming down Blossom's face. "But I'm not either one of those things."

"Yes you are!" Comet insisted. "You're the best big sister ever!"

"I wish I was," Blossom whispered. "I wish that I could be that big sister for you. I've done terrible things, Comet. I'm gonna keep doing bad things because I can't help myself. I only came to tell you that Big Sister will never, ever hurt you and that I love you very much. I'm not gonna hurt you or your daddy and that's a promise that I will never break."

"You're not gonna hurt anypony!" Comet wiped her eyes. "You're not a bad pony."

Blossom bit her lip to prevent further tears, but she gently pried her little sister away from her. "Comet, I... I am a bad pony. I don't know if you know about my Aunt Rarity, but I'm like her. Like I said before, you're going to hear a lot of bad things about me soon. I just want you to know that I don't want to do them and that I love you very much." Blossom sighed and wiped her eyes as well. "Comet, I need you to go back to your mommy and daddy right now, okay? You're going to be safe with them, I promise."

"But I don't want you to go!" Comet whimpered. "Can't you go back to that place where they're going to make you get better and I can see you?"

Blossom dropped her ears and shook her head. "No, Comet. They won't let me back there. I'm going to die if anypony sees me." Blossom sat down on her haunches again and gave Comet one last hug. "Big Sister will miss you." With that, Blossom stood back up and changed her appearance to a grey mare. She wordlessly trotted out of the alley.

* * * *

Rolling Thunder paced back and forth in the entryway of his house while Princess Luna and his wife watched him. "I'm sorry, your majesty, I cannot believe that Blossom would hurt Comet, it just doesn't add up."

"She would not bring her harm out of malicious intent. From Blossom’s perspective she would be euthanizing your daughter," Luna explained. "Such was the case with her mother. She wished to spare her the emotional pain of seeing what is to come."

Rolling Thunder opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off when the door to his house opened and two guards walked in flanking...

"Comet!" Lilly cried, rushing over to her daughter. She swept her into a hug and held her tightly. "You're home!"

"My teacher let me go home for the day." Comet nuzzled her mother's shoulder. "I found out bad things about Blossom."

Lilly sighed and rubbed her daughter's back. "It'll be okay. She's not going to hurt you."

"I know," Comet whispered. "She said that she's a bad pony, but that she's not going to hurt me."

Instantly the air of the room changed from one of unease to complete shock. All of the ponies were as still as statues until Princess Luna broke the silence. "When did thou see Joyous Blossom?"

"When I was walking home from school."

Luna turned her head to her guards. "Sound the alarm. Joyous Blossom is in Baltimare and she is close."

The guard saluted and left the house with his fellows. When he had left, Comet looked up at Luna with wide eyes. "If you find her, don't hurt her. Just take her back to that place and make her better. She's not a bad pony!"

Luna stared wordlessly down at the filly for a moment before sighing and walking out the door.

Ghosts

It was time to put her plan into action. It was her trump card, her best bet at catching Blossom before her rampage got out of hoof, though, some would argue that it already had. Eighteen ponies had died by Blossom's hooves, and there were definitely more to come unless she did something.

That's where The Ghosts came in.

Princess Celestia, flanked by Shining Armor and Princess Luna, opened the door to her private tactical room and walked in. It would be safe here. Only nine ponies knew that it even existed, and six of them had found out today. The six in question were six royal guards, a male and female from each race, all standing at attention about twenty paces away from the door. All six of them bowed their heads when the princesses walked in, but Celestia waved her hoof. "There's no time for that, my little ponies. What I have to discuss with you today is of the utmost importance."

She glanced behind her and shut the door to the room. "I assume you have all been briefed by Captain Armor on the situation there."

"Yes, Princess," the all chanted at once.

"Excellent." Celestia's eyes scanned the room. "I will not lie to you. We are facing one of the greatest threats Equestria has ever seen. You all know what The Ponyville Butcher was like, but her niece has the potential to be far deadlier. Rarity was caught and gave up without a fight. Blossom will not go down so easily." Celestia's face hardened, her expression devoid of all happiness and warmth. "She has the power to change her appearance at will, and she is indiscriminate of who her victims are. She killed her own mother in Ponyville last week. There is literally nopony in Equestria besides my sister and I that is safe from her bloodlust. She is to be shown no mercy if found, for none shall be given by her."

Celestia's horn ignited and six packed manila folders levitated out of a briefcase Shining Armor had on his back. She moved the folders so that they stopped in front of the pony that they pertained to. "This mission is a simple one in theory, but it may end up being the most difficult one you have ever imagined. I will not order you to accept it, you are doing so of your own free will.

"Know this, should you join this organization, you are in it for good. You are not allowed to turn back." Princess Celestia's horn expelled a bit more magic and the edges of the folders began to singe. "You will cease to exist." The folders stopped burning at the edges. "Do you accept what I am asking of you?"

One of the guards, the one on the far right, stepped forward with her head held high. "I believe that I speak for all of my fellows here when I say that we will join you, Princess Celestia. We will do our duty to Equestria and its ponies."

Princess Celestia looked over the other five. "Does she speak the truth?" The other five sharply nodded once, and Celestia responded in kind. With one more bust from her horn, the folders disintegrated, not even leaving ash. "It is done. There is no turning back for any of you."

"We understand, princess," said another one of the newly anointed Ghosts.

Celestia gave a singular nod. "You will be my right hoof, scouring Equestria for Joyous Blossom. Any trace of her, and you are on the spot, searching every possible hiding place. You will study her patterns, determining where she is likely to strike next. When she does strike, you are there without fail. You will learn every detail of Joyous Blossom's life. You will come to know her better than you know those ponies who used to be your family. Only then will you be able to catch her. Discretion is your greatest ally. I do not know if Blossom will come to discover what you are, but I would like to prevent that for as long as possible."

Princess Celestia turned back to Shining Armor and Princess Luna, both of whom shook their heads. She nodded and turned back to The Ghosts. "You know your mission. Dismissed."

* * * *

The two princesses and captain of the guard quickly went over to the princess' private room in the library after briefing The Ghosts. She wordlessly closed the door behind them, and turned to her sister and nephew-in-law. "Art thou certain that their efforts will not be in vain?" Luna questioned.

"No, Luna, I'm not," Celestia admitted. The three of them sat down at the table. "It is still out best option. Blossom knows the guards are looking for her. They will not be subtle about it and as such she will find it easier to evade them." Celestia took the briefcase away from Shining Armor and opened it up, pulling out several charts of Blossom's murder patterns. They had not yet started, but she had marked where she was likely to go next. "If we have a group working in the shadows, we can catch Blossom unawares. For all her powers she is not a genius. An indiscriminate killer such as herself will slip up somehow. When she does... we'll be ready."

Princess Luna opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by knocking on the door. All three ponies diverted their attention to it, and Luna opened with her magic. Instantly an out of breath servant burst into the room, levitating what looked like a newspaper in front of him. "Your majesties, I... I was..." The servant sucked in air, but decided it was simpler to put the newspaper on the table. All three ponies studied the paper for only a moment before gasping in shock.

EQUESTRIA'S NEW NIGHTMARE SPEAKS!!

The horrors that The Ponyville Butcher inflicted upon Equestria are known throughout ever corner of the world, and it was our sincerest hope that such an event would not occur again in our lifetimes. However, it is not to be. A new killer has taken the place of The Butcher, and she has the powers to be even deadlier than her aunt. The killer in question, is none other than the niece of The Butcher herself, Joyous Blossom. We received a message from Blossom last night that we share with you now.

Mares, stallions, fillies, colts, my name is Joyous Blossom, the niece of The Ponyville Butcher, and I am writing to you today to tell you what is about to happen. In ten day’s time, I will follow in the hoofsteps of my aunt, and go on a killing spree throughout all of Equestria. Each week I will travel to a different city and murder three ponies. After I have done so, I will move on to another one. Once I have completed the circuit, it will begin again. I have already given this message to the princesses themselves, with additional orders that they are not to stop me, or the kill count per city increases. I expect them to ignore that demand of mine, so prepare yourself for what is to come.

Enjoy the last ten days of peace.

The three ponies stared silently at the newspaper, still as statues. It was Shining Armor who broke the silence by slamming his hoof onto the table. "No, I'm not buying it! I know Blossom, this theatricality is unlike her!"

"The Joyous Blossom that you knew before now is irrelevant," Celestia said quietly. "Blossom went to Ponyville and brutally slaughtered eight ponies, but gently put down a ninth. The Blossom that killed her mother was gentle, kind, merciful, closer to the Blossom that you knew." Celestia motioned over to the paper. "This is the Blossom that allowed the hallucinations of her aunt to dictate her actions. I believe that Rarity would hardly have been so melodramatic, but if Blossom believes that she would then she will act accordingly."

"You are sure of this, Tia?" Luna questioned.

Celestia gently exhaled and shook her head. "I have not spoken with this Blossom. Any statements regarding her mental health are pure guesswork at this time. I'm only going off what I suspect to be most likely."

"If this letter is true then we only have ten days before she starts cutting ponies down," Shining Armor observed. "If I had to guess, she's going to be laying extremely low during that time. She could be anywhere in Equestria, and six special ops ponies aren't going to find her in time. She can change her appearance at will!"

Celestia closed her eyes and dropped her wings down as she scanned the paper again. She only looked back up when Shining Armor moved closer to her. "Princess Celestia, I hate to say this, but I think Blossom's already substantial kill count is going to go up. I may underestimate The Ghosts, but I think the only way we're going to catch Blossom right now is if she's sloppy."

"She is also motivated," Luna guessed. "We suspect that she will be indiscriminate in her kills, but will follow through with them no matter the cost." Luna motioned over to Shining Armor. "Should she find herself in a room with somepony as skilled as Captain Armor, she would do everything in her power to be the only one to make it out of that room."

Both Luna and Shining Armor flinched back when Celestia swept the newspaper off of the table and slammed both of her hooves onto it. "I will not let this happen again!" she cried. "I will not have another Rarity, I can't!" Celestia stood up and began angrily pacing around the room. Shining Armor gasped in surprise when he saw the tips of Celestia's mane and tail start to glow bright orange, as if they were on fire. He backed away from the wrath of the sun-goddess. Luna was the only pony who could help now.

As if on cue, Luna got to her hooves and stepped into Celestia's path. "Tia, thy anger helps nopony!"

"I know that, Luna!" Celestia snarled. "Can't I blow off steam for once?" Celestia let out a cry that shook the room and disintegrated the chair that Shining Armor had been sitting on not fifteen seconds ago. "I just... I can't sit back and watch more of my ponies die, knowing that I cannot do anything to save them! I don't want to have to wait for a frightened filly that I should have executed murder another innocent pony, and hope that maybe she slips up so we can catch her before she does it again!"

With another screech of agony, Princess Celestia's mane and tail burst into flame. She began repeatedly slamming her hooves onto the table, each blow denting the solid steel. When she next spoke, her voice held an almost other-worldly tone to it. "I. HATE. FEELING. THIS. HELPLESS!!!

"TIA!" Luna screeched in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

At her sister's voice, Celestia's eyes went wide, and she collapsed onto her haunches. Her mane extinguished until it was in its flowing ethereal form once more. "Lulu," she whimpered.

Princess Luna sat on the floor and embraced Celestia, letting her cry on her shoulder. "I h-haven’t done that in many millennium," Celestia sobbed.

Luna rubbed Celestia's back and nuzzled her shoulder. "I know, Tia," she said gently. "I know. I feel just as you do. I do not know what the future brings for Joyous Blossom and our little ponies, but they will need you. You can be strong for them."

"I can hardly be strong for myself sometimes," said Celestia bitterly. She sighed and wiped her eyes with her foreleg. "But you are of course right, Lulu. Equestria needs me." Princess Celestia broke away from her sister's embrace and resolutely got to her hooves. "And I will be strong for them." She turned her gaze to Shining Armor, who had regained some of his courage, but was still uneasily standing in the corner of the room. "Captain Armor, Blossom was last seen in Manehattan. Send out The Ghosts.

Author's Note

You want blood? Here it comes.

Ten Days Later

The ten days passed faster than anypony could have possibly imagined.

During that time, every possible precaution was taken to maximize the safety of the ponies throughout Equestria, but everypony knew that unless Blossom's MO was made public, and it would be when she started her spree, they could not determine their methods. Nopony was truly safe.

Throughout Equestria, the town leaders and city mayors had called one final meeting on the ninth evening, just before Blossom's promised spree. In Manehattan, the town hall was packed with ponies, each listening raptly to their mayor, a young pegasus stallion who had been elected only two years ago named Thundering Tornado, who was angrily pounding on the podium. "I refuse, I say I refuse to have the ponies in my city live in fear of The New Nightmare! She is just some bucked up filly who saw what her aunt did and thought it was a good idea. She has killed before, I won't deny it, but this time we're ready for her! This time she will make a mistake and our fair princesses will make a swift end to her!"

The crowd cheered loudly, and Mayor Tornado puffed out his chest. "I personally guarantee the safety of each and every one of you kind ponies. You are all the kind of honest and hardworking folk that is going to keep Equestria strong, and I know that you will do your duty to our country, and do your part to rid us of this evil! The New Nightmare will not kill any from Manehattan, even if she is in the city!" Mayor Tornado slammed his hoof on the podium again. "United we shall vanquish this monster, and the only blood that stains the streets will be hers!"

"Send her to Tartarus with her aunt!" roared one of the mares listening.

Mayor Tornado pointed out into the crowd where the voice came from. "You see, good mares and gentlecolts, this is the kind of attitude that will bring us safety and victory! With beliefs like that, we shall not fall to her evil devices." The Mayor narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer to the crowd. "I know you all will have the strength to make it through this time. If you see The New Nightmare, I don't care how you have to do it, but you must destroy her. Your families will thank you, I will thank you, and Equestria will thank you." Mayor Tornado raised his hoof into the air and pointed it at the ceiling, echoing a popular campaign image that he had. "We need you all to be as strong and brave as I know you are. Fear not, good citizens of Manehattan, WE. WILL. HAVE. VICTORY!"

* * * *

Princess Celestia stared out into the horizon as Luna's moon rose into the sky, darkening all of Equestria. It was time. Blossom's rampage was about to begin.

The moon reached its zenith, and Celestia was joined in a few short moments by her sister. They exchanged a comforting nuzzle, but neither of them felt comfort.

"Do we have any indication of where she might strike first?" Luna questioned.

"No, we don't," Celestia replied. The royal guards, the local police forces, and The Ghosts have been working around the clock to see if they can't discern some possible location, some hint of where she will strike next."

"But there is nothing," Luna concluded.

Celestia closed her eyes. "No. There is nothing."

"Your highness."

Celestia's eyes fluttered open, and she turned her head to see two of The Ghosts standing silently behind her. They had mastered their stealth training well. "Report."

"Alpha, Beta, what news?"

"It isn't good, your majesty," Alpha admitted. "Gamma and Delta went to Appleloosa while Epsilon and Zeta scoured Ponyville." Alpha levitated a map out of a small saddlebag and laid it on a nearby table. "We started in most of the outlying small towns." He began pointing to small towns on the outskirts of big cities marked in red. "We checked here, here, here, and here. All of our reports came back negative."

"And you are sure that the reports are accurate?" asked Luna.

Beta nodded. "Towns like that are small. It took all of six days to check the populations. We've also begun looking at the motels in the area, but we've come up negative with all of them." Beta rolled up the map and pushed it over to Alpha. "Wherever Blossom is, she's in one of the larger cities. The others have been checking a few of them. Gamma and Zeta even checked as much of Cloudsdale as they could, but we were met with no success."

Celestia stared silently at the two Ghosts as she processed their words. She fired up her horn and unrolled the map again, scanning it for any possible clue, but found nothing. "So what you are telling me is that in the next week, three of my subjects will die?"

"If she does them all at once... yes." Beta rolled up the map again. "The best we can hope for is that she exposes herself too soon, or she only kills one and slips up that way." Beta slipped the map into Alpha's saddlebag. "I'm sorry, but we have done all we can."

"Very well, you are dismissed," said Celestia with more than a little sharpness in her voice. The two Ghosts bowed their heads and left the room.

Luna extended a wing and wrapped it over Celestia's shoulder. "We will catch her, Tia. She will not kill as many of our subjects as her aunt did, We swear it."

"I just don't know, Lulu," Celestia whispered. "I just don't know."

* * * *

Mayor Tornado reclined in his dining room chair, munching on a plate of celery. Normally he would have been in bed by this point, but he was awoken when the clock struck midnight in his home. The ten days were up. Equestria's New Nightmare had fallen upon the land.

He shoved another celery stalk into his mouth and began work on another speech. It was far from unlikely that The New Nightmare would make at least one kill tonight, and it would be in the papers by morning. His ponies needed to see that he was a beacon of strength during this hard time. Although, if she was in Manehattan...

He shook his head and pushed such thoughts out of his mind. There were plenty of other places where The Nightmare could strike. Canterlot, Baltimare, even Ponyville would make a far greater impact on Equestria than Manehattan. Canterlot was Celestia's doorstep. Four of the Elements still lived in Ponyville, both would send a bigger shock throughout the land than Manehattan. Killing here had no symbolic significance. They would be fine, he knew it.

Mayor Tornado chewed his last bit of celery and finished a paragraph of his speech. He put his head in his hooves and shook his head. "I wish I knew what to say to help you," he whispered. "Celestia help me, I have to be a pillar of strength for six million ponies."

"Is something the matter, sir?"

Mayor Tornado glanced up and saw his butler and cook looking anxiously at him. He forced a weak smile onto his face and shook his head. "I'm just working on a speech. The Manehattanites will need me tomorrow, I'm sure of it. I want to make sure that I'm ready to help them however I can. That starts by me being strong."

The butler nodded. "I understand, sir."

Mayor Thunder pushed the parchment away and leaned back in his chair again. "If you two want, you can go home for the night. I know we all need our rest."

The butler drew himself up to his full height and locked eyes with his employer. "Sir, it is in times like these where we must all stick together. If what you are saying is true, we have a responsibility to help you in any way we can. That would be truth even if we were not employed by you!"

The cook nodded, but in a strangely perplexing move she held out her hoof in the direction of the nearest doorway and fired up her horn. The butler and Mayor Tornado frowned at her, but her actions became apparent soon enough. A vegetable knife flew through the doorway and into the cook's hoof. The two other ponies gasped when she grabbed it between her hooves, but it was too late. With one quick swing, the butler fell to the ground, blood pouring from a large jagged gash in his throat.

Mayor Tornado was about to get to his hooves to attack the intruder, but a quick burst from her horn froze his legs to the chair. He struggled to get out, but it was no use, and he could only settle for a glare.

The cook kicked the butler's head, and when she was satisfied that he was no more, she looked up at Mayor Tornado with a large grin. "I take it that you've figured out that I'm not your cook."

Thundering Tornado flared out his wings and intensified his glare. "If you've hurt her I swear to--"

"Oh I haven't hurt her," said Blossom with a wave of her hoof. She fired up her horn and changed back to her normal appearance. "I have something much more special planned for my third kill. Your precious cook is knocked out in your room. She'll have a nice lump in the morning, and whoever moves in next will want to buy a new lamp, but she's no worse for wear in the end." Blossom trotted over to the other side of the table and sat down in the chair opposite the mayor. "It's just you and me now."

Mayor Tornado snarled at Blossom and tried to take off. Blossom merely rolled her eyes and froze his wings as well. "It's not going to work, you're not going to make it out alive. Your death is far too meaningful to Equestria for that." Blossom giggled and her ear twitched. "'The Pillar of Strength for All of Manehattan!' That was your campaign slogan, wasn't it? Imagine what it will look like when I knock it down."

"My ponies will survive without me," Thundering Tornado growled. "They are a strong bunch, they're not going to fall to the likes of you!"

Blossom idly wiped the blood off of her knife with one of the napkins. "Maybe. You definitely got them riled up, that's for sure." Blossom chuckled and rested the knife on the table. "I was at your speech a few hours ago, it was really quite something. You really seemed to like my 'send her to Tartarus with her aunt' comment." Blossom rested her head on one of her hooves. "Stooping to my level by calling for blood, are we?"

"They'll catch you!" Tornado roared. "You won't get away forever!"

Blossom sighed and levitated the knife into the air once more. "I'm probably going to get that a lot," she mused. "In all honesty, you think that I don't know that? I am going to die soon and violently, it's just a matter of when, that's all." Blossom shrugged and motioned over to the table laden with wine glasses. "Had a dinner party tonight, did you?"

"No, I asked some law enforcement officials to come to my house so that I could have a hoof in coordinating the defense of this city. I served some non-alcoholic refreshments."

Blossom shrugged. "If you say so. Kinda seems like an oversight that you would coordinate security, but you don't have any for yourself."

"The Manehattanites need it more!"

"I'm sure that'll ease the sting of finding you butchered." Blossom tapped the knife on her lower jaw. "I haven't decided if I'm going to let them find all of you, or most of you.

Blossom shrugged once more and leaped onto the table, smashing two of the wine glasses. She fired up her horn and levitated Mayor Tornado's speech over to herself. "I'm curious," she admitted. She took another step forward and knocked another glass against the wall.

"To the citizens of Manehattan,
Last night was a hard night for us all. We lost a fellow Equestrian in enter city here." Blossom chuckled and crushed yet another glass. "Good to see that you have some foresight.

"It is now our time to give our support to the ponies of that city. The New Nightmare has not yet left there, so if we help catch her, we may prevent more tragic deaths."

Blossom tossed the speech on the ground and knocked over another wine glass, relishing in Mayor Tornado's increasing fear. "Could be worse. I think I'll send it to a newspaper. Your ponies will need their final words of comfort from their pillar of strength."

Before the mayor could respond, Blossom sliced the knife across his throat three times. Blood poured from the lacerations, and it was not more than ten seconds before Thundering Tornado slumped forward in his chair. Satisfied that he was dead, Blossom smashed the final wine glass before jumping off the table. "Quite the pillar of strength," she giggled.

Author's Note

Blossom's kill count: 20

The Third Murder

"This can't be happening, Luna," Celestia whispered. "It can't be."

Luna sighed as she stared down at the drained body of the butler. "We know, Tia. We wish it were not so as well."

The two goddesses walked over to the body of the mayor. He was lying face down on his table; his wings stripped to the bone. His feathers were scattered all over the room. On top of that, he had been stabbed six times in the back. To complete the ensemble, a copy of his speech was pinned to the back of his head with a small paring knife. A group of guards, including four Ghosts, were going around the scene, searching for anything that could possibly help them determine what Blossom was doing next.

"I can't help but feel a little hopeless, Luna," Celestia admitted. "We know who we are looking for, but we don't know how to find her! She can change her appearance to look like anypony she wants! How do you catch somepony like that?!"

"Tia, we will catch her!" Luna insisted. "She cannot keep going on like this forever."

Celestia wheeled around to glare at her sister, her wings flared. "And how many more of my subjects must I see like this before then?" She pointed her hoof down at the slain butler. "How many more of our ponies must endure this desecration before Blossom is in the ground?!"

Luna took an uneasy step backwards as she saw the ends of Celestia's mane begin to sizzle. "Tia, please control thyself!"

""How many, Luna?! How many more?!"

"We will catch her, Tia!" said Luna as she uneasily backed away from her sister's wrath. "Joyous Blossom will answer for her crimes!"

"WHEN?!" Celestia screamed as her mane and tail burst into flames. "WHEN WILL WE SEE HER DESTROYED?! I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR HER TO SLIP UP; I WANT. HER. DEAD. NOW!!!

"CELESTIA, STAY THIS MADNESS!" Luna screeched, taking flight and flaring out her wings.

Celestia snarled and took flight herself. "I will when Blossom is dead! I will not rest until she has ceased hurting my subjects! She will..."

All of a sudden, Celestia's eyes widened and her mane and tail extinguished. "Oh no," she whimpered.

She folded her wings and landed on the ground, instantly collapsing onto her side. Her tears streamed from her face, dripping on the floor. Her sister landed beside her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Tia, let Us help you."

"I cannot do this, Lulu," she whispered. "I cannot stand another moment of feeling like this. I cannot just sit here, knowing that Blossom is out there. Any second now I'm going to get the report stating that she has killed another one of my ponies and I cannot do anything about it! I just have to hope that she messes up?"

"She will make a mistake, Tia," Luna insisted. "She is not right in the head; she will become overconfident."

"But when, Lulu?" Celestia raised her head and stared into her sister's eyes. "When shall we see that day? How many of our subjects must die before then? Ten? Fifty? A hundred? How many?"

Luna sighed and sat down next to her sister. She draped a wing over her. "We don't know, Tia. We... We don't know."

* * * *

The news of the mayor's death spread through Manehattan like a virus. If Blossom was capable of killing their leaders, then she was capable of killing anypony she desired. The train stations were packed with ponies clamoring to get out of Manehattan so they could stay with relatives or in hotels in other cities. Blossom had not yet made her third kill. She would still kill one more pony in Manehattan.

To cover the sheer volume of ponies in trying to leave the city, Celestia sent a full three platoons of guards, as well as all six Ghosts to make sure that nopony who left the city was Blossom. All unicorns Blossom's size, regardless of gender, were scanned to make sure that the killer wasn't trying to escape Manehattan.

Alpha and Beta scanned the crowd of ponies attempting to leave on the five o clock train. "We're never going to be able to scan all of them," Alpha muttered. "We're going to have to get very lucky if we want to catch her."

"That's discounting the fact that she hasn't made her third kill yet," Beta grumbled. "She's not going to leave the city until she does."

Alpha sighed as he watched a guard scan a bright blue unicorn mare whose foals clung to her in terror. She came up clear and the guards allowed her to pass. "Do Gamma and Zeta have any leads?" Alpha questioned. "I heard that they were scouting out the new mayor's place."

Beta shook her head. "Nothing. So far all of the noble's houses have been cleared. There's nothing that indicates who she's going to strike at next."

"Don't think there ever will be," Alpha sighed. "If in the next town she kills the mayor, we'll know her MO." Alpha shook his head. "I don't think that she's going to have one. She doesn't seem the type."

Beta opened her mouth to respond, but before she could she heard a shriek of fear, followed by a chain reaction of screams. Both of the Ghosts looked in the direction of the commotion and gasped when they saw who it was.

Blossom.

Blossom was standing in the middle of the crowd, looking wildly down at her body. She looked up at the guards who were quickly advancing towards her and turned around to bolt in the opposite direction.

"Shoot to kill!" Beta screamed. "Shoot to kill!"

Alpha needed no second prompting. He charged up his horn and fired a deadly blue beam directly at the retreating killer. The blast struck her directly at the base of her spine. She fell like her strings had been cut.

Instantly the entire crowd was silent. They could only stare at the lifeless body of the mare that had been their tormentor through many sleepless nights. Her face was frozen in a mask of shock and fear as the two Ghosts and a dozen guards ran over to her.

Alpha and Beta smirked to themselves as Beta rolled the corpse over. White body, light purple mane, the cutie mark matched, unicorn mare exactly Blossom's size... it was her.

"We got her," Beta whispered breathlessly. "We got her!"

The crowd burst out into loud cheers as Alpha raised Blossom's body into the air. Ponies throughout the crowd and guard hugged each other. Many of them began crying tears of elation now that the nightmare was over.

It was over.

A few ponies rushed up to congratulate the Ghost who had fired the fatal shot. One or two ponies even began spitting on the body, something that Alpha put a stop to. They needed to body in good condition to show to Princess Celestia. Still, Alpha couldn't help but feel that he himself would like to crush the side of Blossom's head once Princess Celestia had been informed, but he would have his time. He was about to become the known hero of Equestria, after all.

* * * *

"They got her, Tia!"

Celestia wheeled around as Luna burst into her room with a gigantic smile on her face. "She was killed attempting to instigate her third murder at a train station! Her disguise was discovered and she was slain by Alpha almost instantly."

Celestia stared blankly at Luna for a moment. "Luna, I..." A wide smile crossed her face and she shot to her hooves. She wrapped her sister in a crushing hug and began weeping tears of joy into her sister's shoulder. "It's over."

Luna wrapped her wings around her sister. "Yes, Tia. Joyous Blossom is no more. She will no longer terrorize our ponies. They are free from fear."

Celestia wiped a few tears of joy out of her eyes and looked up at her sister. "Where is her body?"

"They are bringing it to the palace with all speed. It should be here any moment."

Celestia stood up and beckoned Luna to follow her. "I want to see it for myself. I have to know for a fact that Blossom is gone for good."

Luna trotted beside her sister towards the castle entrance. "Of course, sister. We are also curious to peruse Joyous Blossom's body. T'would be a shame to not confirm the kill ourselves."

The two princesses reached the castle entrance just as the chariot bearing Blossom's body arrived. It landed directly in front of the smiling princesses. Alpha and Beta hopped off of the chariot, their heads held high and beaming smiles on their faces. Most importantly, Alpha held the battered and broken corpse of none other than Joyous Blossom herself in his magical glow.

The two Ghosts stopped in front of Celestia and bowed. "Your highness. It is done."

Celestia put her hoof on Alpha's shoulder. "You have done a great service to Equestria, Alpha. Many lives have been spared thanks to you."

Celestia took Blossom's body in her own magical glow and laid her on the ground. The empty corpse was a mere shell of what Celestia knew Blossom to have been, but that was the idea, wasn't it? The sun goddess leaned in next to Blossom's ear. "I'm sorry, Blossom," she whispered. "But I think you knew that it had to be done. You cannot hurt any of my little ponies ever again."

"None of them can," Beta said with a grin. "That's it, the whole line is wiped out."

"Indeed," Celestia agreed. "I'm disappointed that it had to come to this, but--"

Celestia's words died in her throat as she continued to examine the body. Something was off. Something was very off. A further inspection of the corpse revealed that the roots of Blossom's fur wasn't the pure alabaster that she knew it to be. Instead, it was a chocolaty brown color. Her head snapped up to Alpha. "Before you brought this body to me, did you check it to see if it was really her?"

Alpha cocked his head. "Uh... yeah, Princess. I mean, it's her coloration, her mane, her cutie mark, it's her from where I'm standing."

Celestia ceased her breathing as she fired up her horn. "Please no," she whispered. A beam of magic washed over the body, and as it did, the pure white gave way to the brown coloration that the roots held. In no time at all, the body before her was not that of Blossom, but an unknown mare.

The other three ponies gasped. "No, it had to be her!" Beta cried. "How else could this have happened?!"

Celestia's eyes flickered up to the two Ghosts. "I want you two to tell me exactly what happened. How did you come to kill this mare?"

The Ghosts exchanged an uneasy look before Alpha answered. "We thought that Blossom might take advantage of the crowds to kill somepony trying to escape. You sent three platoons of guards to the train station, and all of us were working to make sure that Blossom did not get on a train. We heard a scream and saw this mare. We thought it was Blossom, so I..." His eyes trailed down to the body. "I killed her as per your orders to slay the murderer on sight."

"She was running," Beta added. "We had to act fast or risk her escaping in the crowd."

Princess Celestia held up a hoof to forestall any more explanation. "Alpha, Beta, inform your counterparts that the order to kill on sight is rescinded. Only kill if Blossom's identity is confirmed beyond a doubt."

"And if she surrenders?" Alpha questioned.

"Nullify her magic and find somepony to remove her horn altogether as soon as possible. Then bring her to me." Celestia motioned down to the body. "Find out who she is. Inform the family and try to spin it so that the public does not know that she was killed by you. After that, find out where she is headed next. I do not care how you do it. I want this to end."

Before anypony else could respond, Celestia turned around, and walked away.

Author's Note

Blossom kill count: 21

Onwards

It worked.

For whatever reason, they didn't even attempt to check the identity. They shot to kill.

Blossom pushed open the door to her run down shack that she had found at the edge of Manehattan. It was a perfect base of operations for her spree. She would have to find a new place when she went to wherever she was headed next, but that would hardly be an issue.

She bounced into the main room and saw her aunt reclining on the lumpy mattress she had laid out for herself. Rarity looked up when she came in and grinned at her niece. "So, how did it go?"

Blossom giggled and sat down next to a few rolled up scrolls. "They shot to kill. I doubt that poor mare even felt it."

Rarity eagerly sat up. "So, where are you headed next? Baltimare? Las Pegasus? Vanhoover?"

Blossom shrugged and unrolled one of the scrolls revealing a map of Equestria. She laid it out on the floor and placed a few small rocks on the edges to keep it flat. She cracked her neck and studied the map. "I could do another large city," she mused. "A smaller town would be excellent too. I'd have to do that one all in one night, though. Lessening the population of a town like Appleloosa will make it easier to catch me. I'd need to do all three in one night, then get the heck out of there."

Rarity trotted over to the map and looked over Blossom's shoulder. "Have you considered Ponyville? I'm certain that there are ponies there that could use a good slicing."

Blossom shook her head. "I already killed four residents last time I was there, I don't..."

Blossom was struck with silence, and her eyes trailed to the floor as she flattened her ears. "I killed my mom there too."

"Oh Blossom." Rarity sat down next to her and wrapped her in a hug. "I know that I was very protective of Sweetie Belle when I was alive, but what you did was very noble and generous." Rarity motioned to the map. "The ponies you kill in these towns and cities, well, you want to make them suffer. You want to instill fear in them so that their suffering is at maximum when they fall under your blade." She closed her eyes and nuzzled Blossom's cheek. "You didn't want that for Sweetie Belle."

Blossom slowly nodded and ran her hoof over the map. "I hurt," she whispered. "It hurt more than my face."

Rarity gave Blossom a sad smile and touched one of the bigger scars on Blossom's face. "You'll be okay, Blossom. I know it hurts now, but you have to kill the pain away. Tell me, don't you feel better after you've had a nice kill?"

"Yeah."

Rarity threw her hoof over Blossom's shoulder. "Well that's the key, isn't it? The more you kill the less it will hurt."

"She never wanted this for me," Blossom breathed.

"And that's why you protected her," Rarity pointed out. "Isn't she much happier in Paradise now? She's away from all of the darkness and pain of this world. She doesn't have to live in either of our shadows." Rarity's sad smile turned comforting. "She's free, and it's time for you to experience some of that yourself." Rarity tapped the map. "Let's begin the next round, shall we?"

Blossom wiped her eyes and looked back at the map. "I guess." She scanned it for a viable target and smiled when her eyes landed on one of the smaller towns. "And I think that I know just where to go."

* * * *

One week later

"Dodge City."

Princess Celestia glanced up from the latest Ghost report to see Beta and Zeta behind her. "That is where she is?"

Zeta shook her head. "No. That's where she was."

Celestia tightened her jaw and pushed the scroll away. "How many?"

"All three in one night," Beta replied. "She's probably long gone, but we're scouring the town just in case. The whole place is on lockdown."

Celestia nodded and got to her hooves. "Tell the guards to prepare my chariot. I want to have a hoof in the investigation. Luna can take care of things here. She needs the experience anyway."

Beta and Zeta bowed. "It will be done," Beta replied.

* * * *

Four hours later, Princess Celestia's chariot touched down in Dodge City. As she exited the chariot, the first thing that she noticed was how... empty the town was. Aside from a few guards, there was nopony on the streets. She looked confusedly at Zeta. "Where are they?"

"Hiding in their homes, which they won't have for much longer."

"Why not?"

The expressions of the two ghosts turned grim. "It's better if you just see it for yourself." Beta and Zeta beckoned Celestia onwards, and it wasn't long before the source of the problems became clear. In the center of the small town was the remains of a building. It had been set on fire, and there was a small crew of townsponies sitting next to a bunch of buckets which had been used to put out the fire.

That was not what Celestia cared about. What she focused her attention on was a trio of ponies under white sheets. "Her victims," Celestia whispered.

Beta nodded. "Yes. We recovered them from the wreckage. It's not pretty."

"Do we have any idea who they were?" Celestia inquired.

Zeta nodded. "As a matter of fact we do." The three ponies trotted up to the sheets, and Zeta pointed at the closest one. "Her name was Cherry Jubilee. She was the owner of this building which used to be a cherry processing plant." He motioned to the other two bodies. "They were night guards as far as we can tell." Zeta sighed and shook her head. "They weren't trained to take on a deranged murderer. If you'll permit me to hazard a guess, I'd say that she took them out in under an hour. They were lucky if she was that quick."

Celestia picked up on the implication and lifted up the sheet with Cherry Jubilee under it. Her eyes widened and she took a step back. The corpse was horribly burnt from being in the middle of the fire. Her mane and tail had been burn off in the fire, as well as a decent portion of her fur. To complete the picture, there were several large gash marks all over the body. Her left front hoof was missing and both of her ears had been cut off. Her stomach and face were covered in gash marks and to complete the ensemble, her face was stretched into a silent scream, revealing a few missing teeth.

Celestia covered her with the sheet once more and closed her eyes. "I take it the others aren't much better."

"I'm afraid not, Princess. What's worse is that if I'm familiar with her M.O., these ponies were alive when she did this to them."

"How is the town taking it?" Celestia questioned.

Zeta sighed and sadly glanced back at the town. "To be honest, Dodge City will become a ghost town in a few short weeks. The cherry orchard was the main source of income for a good ninety percent of the ponies here, and now that it's gone those ponies are all out of a job. Of course, that's on top of the fact that a The New Nightmare just killed here. They'd leave even if the orchard wasn't out of commission."

"Most of them will probably head out to Manehattan if I had to guess," Beta chimed in. "With Blossom having already hit it, it's the safest place to be right now."

"Ponyville potentially as well," Celestia muttered. She sighed and looked back to the burning building. "I will sent aid to this town at once. I will not have Blossom's actions destroy its economy. If they feel they need to leave to be safe, I will help them there as well. It is imperative that they have a home to return to when this is over."

"Of course, Princess," said Beta. "Shall we get the other four down here?"

"No, they are needed to scour the other cities to see where she may have gone," Celestia replied. "We have guards watching the train stations, correct?"

"Of course," Zeta confirmed. "No train leaves without every passenger being checked."

"Good." Celestia took a deep breath. "I want you to study a map of Blossom's activity. See if you can't discern a pattern."

"Yes, Princess." Beta bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably. "But I've been considering other options to catch her as well. Some more... uncivilized means."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Beta cleared her throat. "Well... with her mother dead her only family is her father, sister, and step-mother, correct? If I understand correctly, she is still close to her sister. She could have easily killed her in Baltimare, but she didn't."

"What are you saying?"

Beta took a deep breath before responding. "We foalnap Comet and use her as bait to catch Blossom."

Celestia gasped, but stomped on the ground and flared out her wings. "I will not stoop to Blossom's level just to catch her!" she snarled. "She is only eight years old! To do such a thing would cause her much mental harm!"

"Would it be worth it to potentially save the lives of dozens of ponies?" said Zeta quietly.

"No." Celestia's eyes narrowed. "You are not to do such a thing. I order you to forget that option, is that clear?" The two Ghosts nodded and Celestia folded her wings. "Good. Now do as I ask and try to discern a pattern to Blossom's kills."

The Ghosts bowed. "Right away, Princess."

Author's Note

Kill count: 24

See What You've Done

The economy was decapitated, the citizens were fleeing the town, and three more ponies were dead. Overall, it was hard not to view Dodge Junction as a successful mission.

Blossom grinned to herself and leaned back on a beat up bed in the shady motel room in Vanhoover she had purchased for herself with the money she had looted off of her three latest victims. She leafed through a newspaper, looking to see what the local politicians were saying about everything that had happened. To her delight, they were keeping relatively quiet about the whole thing. No public speeches had been made, no rallying cry throughout the city to band together to defeat her. Cut off the head...

Blossom glanced out the window as Celestia's sun set in the horizon. It would be time soon. Time for another round of wonderfully merciless slaughter.

Blossom stretched her forelegs and used her magic to tie a pair of fake pegasus wings to her side. The string tying the wings to her was thin enough that it was well hidden under her fur. Yes they wouldn't hold up to any real scrutiny, but a quick glance would make it seem like she was a pegasus.

She placed a large straw hat on her head and slipped on a stolen tropical looking shirt. She walked over to a mirror to check the disguise and smiled. She was the spitting image of a tacky pegasus tourist.

Content that her disguise would fool the average pony, Blossom slipped her saddlebag over her shoulder and walked out of her motel room. She began trotting in the direction of the city proper. She had done some scouting earlier that day to look for any small shop that stayed open late. A little cafe owned by a couple that she could make quick work of. Then it was back to the motel to kill the owner before heading off to Hoofington.

Overall, it was a pretty solid plan.

During her earlier outing, Blossom had come across the perfect place. It was perfect. Good food, friendly owners, and everypony minded their own business. Best of all, it was open until nine that night. Given the fact that the city would be bare thanks to the fear of her knife, it was almost definite that she would not be disturbed until she had finished her work.

Blossom smiled as she reached the corner cafe. The neon 'open' sign was still illuminated and a perusal through the window revealed that the place was empty. The only ponies there were the two owners who were wiping down tables. She walked over to the door and pushed her way inside. The quiet chime of a small bell over the door went through the cafe, and the two ponies looked up from their work. "Good evening," Blossom greeted with a friendly grin.

The two ponies froze when she entered, but Blossom observed that their eyes flickered over to her sides. When they saw her wings, they visibly relaxed and returned her grin. It was common knowledge that she couldn't change races.

"Good evening to yourself," greeted the stallion. "What can we get for you?"

Blossom trotted up to the counter and examined a small menu. "Just a small iced tea would be fine."

"Coming right up," said the mare.

Blossom sat down at the bar and watched as the mare waddled behind the bar. The poor dear was quite overweight. All the better for me, Blossom snickered to herself. Means she can't run as fast.

The stallion joined his wife behind the bar just as the mare put the iced tea in front of her customer. Blossom thanked her and slid three bits over to her. She smiled and took a sip. "It's good."

"Why thank you, dear," said the mare. "We do our best here."

"So, what are you up to this late at night?" the stallion asked. "Er... if you don't mind me asking."

Blossom shrugged. "I felt a little restless, I guess. I couldn't get to sleep as well as I liked. I was walking around the city earlier today and saw this place so I thought I'd give it a try."

"You're not worried about The New Nightmare?" the stallion questioned.

His wife frowned at him and nudged his side. "It's not polite to talk about that."

Blossom chuckled. "No, it's okay. I'm not worried about her."

"Well that's good." The stallion sighed. " I sure do hope that the princesses catch her before she comes this way. It's a shame what happened at Dodge Junction."

Blossom bowed her head and flattened her ears. "Yeah. I had some family there. They weren't killed, thank Celestia."

The mare smiled at Blossom. "That's good. Were they among those that left the town?"

Blossom shook her head. "No, they figured that if The New Nightmare had already hit Dodge Junction that it was one of the safer places in Equestria. They have enough bits saved up that they can afford to stay for a little while. Besides, I heard that Princess Celestia was helping out those who were staying."

Blossom drained her cup and the mare refilled it. Blossom reached into her bag to pull out some more bits, but the mare waved them away. "No charge."

"So, are you from around here?" the stallion asked. "I don't recognize you."

"No, I'm from Baltimare. I had heard rumors that The New Nightmare might hit there next since she has family there so I decided a short vacation here would be in order."

The mare's eyes trailed to the countertop and she shook her head. "It's horrible, that. I'm very proud of this city. I've lived here all my life and I know it's a good one. No offense to you, but it's a shame that you only came here to get away from badness."

"Such is life," Blossom muttered.

"Unfortunately so," the stallion agreed. "But let's not talk about that. Are you headed back there sometime later this week?"

"No, I'm going to Hoofington to see some family for my birthday once we know where she's hit next. If it's Baltimare I'll head home after that."

"It's a darned shame that honest ponies like you have to plan your lives around what that terrible mare is doing." The stallion sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do once she hits Vanhoover."

The corners of Blossom's mouth turned up slightly and she unhooked her saddlebag. "Well that's easy. You're going to die."

The atmosphere was sucked out of the room as the couple stood frozen behind the counter. Their eyes were wide and their jaws were slightly open, allowing Blossom to reach into her saddlebag. "Goodbye."

Before either of them could react, Blossom leaped onto the counter and slammed her knife directly into the skull of the stallion. He was dead before he hit the ground. Blossom jumped down on top of his body as the mare screamed beside her. She pulled the knife out of the stallion's body and swung it at the mare. A deep, jagged gash appeared on the mare's right foreleg, and she fell to the ground with another scream.

Blossom sighed contentedly and pushed her hat off of her head. "I think you've figured it out by now."

"Please," moaned the mare as she tried to back away. "Y-you don't have to do this!"

Blossom shrugged and advanced towards the mare. "Well maybe not from where you're standing, but if you were inside my mind for even ten minutes you'd realize that yeah, I really do!"

The mare pushed away from Blossom, but stopped when she backed into a booth. "Please! My foal--"

Blossom cut her off with a snort. "Oh, I'm sure Celestia will take good care of your child. I mean, is she just going to let it starve?"

"N-no! You don't understand--"

"Don't care."

With one burst of her magic, Blossom dragged the knife across the mare's throat.

* * * *

Blossom skipped happily down the street, whistling a happy tune to herself. The kills had gone about as well as could be expected. Neither of them had put up much of a fight, and she was out of there almost as quickly as she had entered. She had even left her fake pegasus wings on one of the tables just so Celestia would know that she could disguise herself as another race should she choose to do so.

She reached her motel room within ten minutes, and entered the office of the owner. She rang a small bell on the counter and the owner came out of the back room. "You checkin' out?"

Blossom reached into her saddlebag. "Yep.

* * * *

The next morning saw Blossom sitting in a train to Hoofington disguised as a green pony with a teal mane. She was leaning back in her seat with a small smile on her face and her eyes closed. She did not fall asleep as the hushed whispers of her fellow passengers were far more interesting. It seemed that her actions had made the morning papers again. She hoped that they would report her fake pegasus wings. Such fear that would cause.

She cracked open one eye and saw a salespony walking around with stacks of newspapers. She leaned her head up and motioned him over. After hoofing him a bit, she levitated the paper over to her and settled down to read the front page.

THE NEW NIGHTMARE STRIKES AGAIN!!!

Joyous Blossom, Equestria's latest serial killer, has struck once more. This time her target was the city of Vanhoover. The first victim was discovered at 11:50 PM in a local hotel, and sources indicate that the unfortunate victim was the owner. The pony in question had his ears, teeth, wings, and cutie marks removed. They were all found behind the office safe not long after the body was discovered.

That was the least tragic thing to happen last night. The owners of a local cafe were also found brutally murdered early this morning. A pair of fake pegasus wings and a straw hat indicate that The New Nightmare disguised herself as a pegasus pony, then killed the owners, and by extension the mare's unborn child. Princess Celestia went--

Blossom let out an audible gasp and dropped the paper.

Unborn child.

The mare was pregnant.

Blossom began blinking rapidly and hyperventilating. "Oh no," she whimpered. "N-no. I d-didn't know." Blossom began hyperventilating and she put a hoof over her mouth. "I..." Blossom blinked back the tears that were streaking down her face.

"Disgusting."

Blossom's glaze flickered up and she saw Rarity sitting in the seat across from her, glaring daggers at her. "Even I never stooped so low as to kill a pregnant mare. Such vulgar behavior is not worthy of my family line."

"I didn't know." A sob escaped Blossom's lips. "I just thought that--"

Rarity held up a hoof to silence Blossom. "If you're going to keep doing this, you really had better think about why. To kill an unborn foal..." Rarity scoffed and shook her head. "Were I still alive, I would disown you."

Blossom's sobs became louder and more pronounced, and she collapsed onto the floor. "I'm sorry!" she wailed.

As she lay on the ground sobbing like a foal, she heard a few ponies whispering above her. "Ma'am? Are you okay?"

"She was fine a minute ago," another voice muttered. "It wasn't until she... she..."

"What?"

"She read the paper today. That's when she started, I think."

"Oh dear." Blossom felt somepony place a hoof on her back. "Miss? Miss, can you hear me?"

"You're pathetic, do you know that?" Rarity growled. "First you murder an unborn foal, then you cry like one in public. I expected better from you."

"Miss, I need you to calm down."

"Somepony get her some water."

Blossom felt a pair of forelegs wrap around her middle, and the pony lifted her back onto the seat. She leaned back against the backrest and continued sobbing. She heard somepony sit on the seat next to her. "Shh, it's okay," soothed the voice of a mare. The mare pulled Blossom in a hug and began stroking her mane. "Were they family of yours?"

"Yeah," Blossom whispered. She opened her eyes and saw a group of six ponies standing around her with sympathetic looks on their faces. Her aunt was still sitting on the seat across from her, the glare still present. Blossom flinched back and squeezed her eyes shut again.

"I'm so sorry," the mare said quietly.

"Th-they were my aunt and uncle." Blossom opened her eyes a crack and saw a pony coming up to her with a paper cup in his magical glow. She took it in her own and began sipping from it.

"Maybe we should have her talk to the guard when we get to Hoofington," one of the ponies around her mused. "Maybe she knows something."

Blossom's eyes snapped open and she fixed the stallion with a fiery glare. "No! I'm not talking to any stinking guards!"

The stallion frowned. "But maybe you--"

"I said no!" Blossom snarled. "It's entirely their fault that this happened! If they had just put down that animal when they had the chance, none of this would have happened! They wouldn't be dead!"

"Well, if you talk to them then maybe they can catch her."

"I'M NOT TALKING TO ANYPONY!" Blossom screamed. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The mare who was hugging Blossom pulled her forelegs away and backed up. "Okay, shh." She ran her hoof down Blossom's mane. "If you want I can ask the conductor to see if we can't get you a private car, okay? Would you like that?"

Blossom wiped her eyes and nodded. "I just want to be alone."

The mare nodded and the crowd around Blossom dispersed. A minute later one of the workers came up and led Blossom to a private car. He quickly left once he had made the bed, allowing Blossom to collapse onto the bed.

"What have I done?" she whimpered.

"I'll say this, at least you had enough presence of mind to lie. Celestia knows I thought you were going to drop your disguise right then and there."

"I should have," Blossom moaned. "Then this could be over!"

Rarity snorted and trotted over to the bed. "Is that really how you want to die? Yes, I can see it now: "Equestria's New Nightmare Caught Sobbing Like a Newborn Foal on a Train." Quite the legacy you'd leave there."

"I don't care about my legacy," Blossom muttered.

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Oh don't lie to me. If you really didn't then you wouldn't be theatrical in the least or you'd throw yourself from the train right now."

"Maybe I should."

"Yes, maybe you should." Rarity poked Blossom's side. "I don't think I've ever seen anything more pathetic than you are right now."

Blossom shot up and pushed Rarity back. "How did you like it when you killed foals?!" she snarled. "Don't think that I don't know that you did!"

"Never unborn foals," Rarity retorted. "Even I never stooped to that level."

"I didn't know!" Blossom wailed. "How was I supposed to know?!"

Rarity scoffed. "What, you've never seen what a pregnant mare looks like? Given how far along she was I think it would have been obvious."

Blossom glowered at her aunt. "Look, we both know I'm an evil mare, okay?" Blossom leaned in closer to Rarity and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Am I really less evil if I kill an unborn foal?"

Rarity shrugged. "If that's how you want to justify it to yourself I suppose I won't stop you." Rarity sat down on the bed and leaned back against the wall. "If you're going to go that far then maybe you want to think of only killing mothers." Rarity's mouth twisted into a smirk. "After all, you killed your own, didn't you?"

"But she's safe from me now," Blossom muttered. "Neither of us can hurt her. That was the whole idea." Blossom lowered herself to her haunches and leaned her head against the bed.

"You protected your mother by killing her." Rarity grinned and leaned her head next to Blossom's ear. "You're not done doing that, are you?"

Blossom closed her eyes and let out an almost inaudible sigh. "No. I guess not."

Author's Note

Blossom's kill count: 28

Down the Rabbit Hole

One month later

Blossom trotted into a small Applewood hotel and powered down her disguise. She levitated her saddlebag off of her back and placed it, and a small box, on the table. "Got the papers, Aunt Rarity."

Her aunt, who was sitting down at a nearby table, looked up at her and smiled. "Indeed? Well, let's hear the news, then."

Blossom nodded and sat down opposite her aunt. She opened her saddlebag and pulled out a stack of four newspapers, as well as a few smaller sheets. She put most of them aside, keeping only the top paper. "This one is The Baltimare Sun.

"Go on, dear, I'm listening."

Blossom flattened the paper and cleared her throat.

Rioting in the streets occurred today as furious Manehattanites protested Princess Celestia's inability to capture Equestria's New Nightmare and bring her to justice. Prince Shining Armor made a statement, saying that more measures were being taken to ensure that The New Nightmare would not kill anypony else. A few days later, two teenaged couples were found dead in a back alleyway not far from City Hall. Forensic evidence indicates that the initial stab wounds were light and surprisingly sloppy, indicating that The New Nightmare might have hesitated once before going in for the kill. It could indicate that she held back, but the subsequent wounds were deeper.

Despite Shining Armor's words, the protesting continued until the royal guard and Manehattan police force broke them up. Thankfully the breakup was peaceful, but tensions all throughout the city are high. Experts analyzing The New Nightmare's rampage predict that she may start each cycle with Manehattan, meaning that the citizens have only three weeks left of peace before she kills again in that city. Last time she was there, she killed the mayor and his butler, as well as being responsible for the death of a mare trying to escape the city.

Las Pegasus Times

The hotels and shelters around this city and Cloudsdale are packed to the brim as thousands of pegasi are flocking to the cloud-based cities. So far The New Nightmare has not hit either city, indicating that she is unable to do so, being only a unicorn. The mayors of both cities have issued a city-wide ban of all unicorns in the city, and all pegasi must prove their race before they are allowed entry. Unicorns vacationing in Cloudsdale and Las Pegasus have been forced to return to their homes, and any unicorns that were found in the city after the time limit were incarcerated and deported. Princess Luna has been a vocal critic of the bans, but Princess Celestia has not been able to be reached for comment on the issue. Princess Luna has indeed gone so far as to use her authority to remove the bans, but few unicorns have taken that as a sign that they are able to return to the pegasi cities.

Blossom chuckled to herself and pushed the paper away. She levitated the smaller sheets over to her and turned them so her aunt could see. "I've collected a few of these."

Rarity squinted and leaned forward. She scanned the papers and a small smirk crossed her face.

NO UNICORNS ALLOWED!!

"Got that one in a Manehattan shop," Blossom explained. "This one... I got in Vanhoover." Blossom placed the second sheet down and examined the third one. Her smirk slowly faded and her ears drooped as she read it. "This one I got in Cheebos, that restaurant that I went to with Lilly, Comet, and Dad not long after I killed Ms. Tiara." Blossom sighed and used her magic to tear the paper in two. "It makes me sad to think that Lilly is going to have to explain to Comet why they can't go there anymore because Mommy has a horn."

Rarity sighed and shook her head. "It is unfortunate, isn't it? Life does go on for them, though, doesn't it?"

Blossom nodded and picked up the third paper. "Canterlot News this time."

A mob of unicorns stormed the castle today, protesting the increasingly popular signs denying unicorns entry into shops and restaurants. Princess Celestia has done her best to help unicorn businesses stay afloat, but her efforts were damaged when The New Nightmare killed a pegasus mare while disguised as the owner of a shop that the victim had gone into. Princess Celestia told the mob that she will not extend such help to the shops who have such signs, and the businesses are suffering for it. Dozens of shops and restaurants all over the country have closed down to to lack of business, leaving hundreds of ponies without jobs.

Meanwhile, The New Nightmare killed two mares and a royal guard during the riot. As per usual, she evaded every effort to capture her.

Ponyville Times

The local school's paper, The Foal Free Press, was forced to shut down operations when it received a note from The New Nightmare, along with a demand that the paper print it. The local schoolteacher, Cheerilee, found out and brought the note to the attention of the authorities, and they confiscated it a few minutes later. So far it has not been released to the press, but sources indicate that it seemed to be more of a cry for help than a threat.

Researchers and forensic experts are examining the note, hoping to find any clue to The New Nightmare's location. Princess Celestia released a statement, calling the note a sympathy ploy, designed to lower our guard should anypony come across her. Nevertheless, precautions have been made, and the remaining five Elements of Harmony and families, as well as The Nightmare's grandparents, father, half-sister, and step-mother, have all been placed into hiding.

Blossom put down the newspaper and pushed it aside. "Sympathy ploy," she muttered.

Blossom scoffed to herself and turned her gaze upwards where her Aunt Rarity and three other 'guests' were sitting around a table in a small apartment building in Applewood. Rarity was staring down at the newspapers and shaking her head. "Well if it wasn't a sympathy ploy then what was it? Surely you aren't losing your nerve."

Blossom drooped her ears and shrugged. "I... I guess not. Maybe... I don't know."

Rarity scoffed and roller her eyes. "Very well. Just so long as you don't actually get yourself captured it's unimportant." The corners of Rarity's mouth turned up and she poked the pony sitting next to her. "This one does interest me, though. He was quite the fighter."

Blossom's ears perked back up and she copied her aunt's smile. "Yeah, he was, wasn't he?" Blossom stood up from her seat and walked over to the pony. She hooked her foreleg over the knife still embedded in his neck and pulled it out. "He called himself "Epsilon" if I remember right."

"Yes, Epsilon." Rarity leaned in closer to the dead pony. "He seemed to be a guard based on the way he fought even after you stabbed him in the back, but he isn't dressed like a plainclothes guard. I think this is something else."

Blossom poked the body with the tip of the knife. "He seems to be the same breed as the ponies who always show up to my kill scenes, not to mention the one who killed that mare I changed. Special forces, maybe?"

Rarity nodded. "I think that's it. I think this pony's only purpose was to kill you."

Blossom's ears flattened and she hung her head. "He couldn't even protect them. He couldn't even hide them forever."

Rarity's own ears drooped, and she looked sadly at the other two slain ponies. "At least Mother and Father didn't suffer that much."

"And now they don't have to live with what I'm doing." Blossom sunk to her haunches. "Or what I did to Mom." Blossom slowly raised the knife and dragged the edge across her chest. "They're not scared anymore. They don't have to be sad anymore. They're with Mom now."

Blossom dragged the blade across her chest once more. She raised the knife to her face, but she was stopped when Rarity placed her hoof on the handle. "Blossom, today is not a day for sorrow or pain. You generously made it quick for your grandparents." Rarity motioned for Blossom to put the knife on the table, and she helped her niece up. "Today is a day for celebration."

Blossom gave her aunt a small smile and nodded. She moved over to her seat and sat down. She fired up her horn and pulled the small box closer to her.

"This was kinda hard to get with my horn and all, but I managed to convince the owners that I wasn't a killer."

Blossom opened the box and levitated out a small white frosted cake. She smiled and placed it in front of her before wiping the blood off of the knife and cutting out a piece.

"Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear Blossom. Happy birthday to me.

Blossom took a plastic fork out of the box and was about to dig into the cake when her gaze shifted towards the bed inside the apartment. Her sight landed on a light grey pegasus filly sitting on the bed, staring blankly at Blossom. Blossom tightened her jaw before turning back to her treat and taking a bite.

"Please go away," Blossom whispered.

Author's Note

Blossom's kill count: 46

Now, one thing: when this is over, is Ripples going to be the last Killer-Rarityverse story I do?

... no.

Is Word is Fear going to be the last story in the Killer-Blossomverse?

... no.

Unless you don't want. Then I can condense the sequel to this and tack it on the end of this one as one or two chapters.

Have you ever wanted a Secret Life of Rarity t-shirt? Of course you have! Now you may have one. http://www.cafepress.com/bronywritermerc

Sweet Little Apple

The conference room of Canterlot Castle was dead silent, despite the fact that eight ponies sat inside. The remaining five Ghosts had been called back to the castle after the death of Epsilon, and after making sure that the remaining members of Blossom's family in hiding were secure, they went to Canterlot at all speed. Now seven pairs of eyes, the Ghosts, Luna, and Shining Armor's, were all staring directly at Celestia, waiting for her to start the meeting. Princess Celestia was staring down at a manila folder that held the report of the deaths of Epsilon and Blossom's grandparents.

"Is there anything in these reports that I have missed?" she asked. "Have any of you found new information during your travels here?"

"Blossom hit Fillydelphia last night," Alpha replied. "She killed a store owner."

"Is that all?" Celestia questioned.

Delta shook his head. "No. In fact..." Delta hesitated and scratched the back of his neck. "It's strange. A mare reported that she came across The Nightmare and The Nightmare held her and her foals hostage for a few minutes. Blossom didn't hurt them, she merely hugged one of the fillies, then let the family go."

"No harm befell neither the mare nor her foals?" Luna asked.

Beta shook her head. "She just hugged one of the foals. According to the mare, Blossom was almost crying."

"She was wearing a dress, too," said Zeta. "Based on how the mare described it, it sounds like the dress that The Ponyville Butcher wore to The Grand Galloping Gala."

Celestia's gaze snapped up and she glared at Zeta. "Rarity never went to The Grand Galloping Gala!" she snarled.

Luna matched Celestia's glare. "Tia, such denials will get us nowhere! If they say that Joyous Blossom was wearing the dress that Rarity wore to The Gala, then she was!"

Celestia shot a quick glance in Luna's direction, but did not respond to her sister. She turned her attention towards the rest of the group. "Mares and gentlecolts, I feel that now is the time to discuss more unorthodox methods of capturing Joyous Blossom. If Blossom has left Fillydelphia, then she has not killed three ponies in that city. She may be losing her nerve, or is slipping up somehow. If not, she will strike twice more."

"There's something more," said Delta. "Fillydelphia was where we hid the Element of Laughter and her adoptive family. Given that The Nightmare has killed her entire biological family save for her father and sister, it is likely she knows they're there."

"If she does, would you six like to explain how she found out?" Celestia snapped. "Even if she doesn't know where they are, can you explain how she found her grandparents, a debacle that doubtlessly led to her finding out about the Ghosts?!"

"I don't know, Princess," said Beta quietly. "I..." Beta closed her eyes and sighed. "Look, I think we've all long since found out the hard way that it's next to impossible to capture a mare who can change her appearance at will. It's possible she recognized one of us from the train station the day after she killed the Manehattan mayor and used that information to find her grandparents."

Princess Celestia silently closed the folder and nodded. "Very well. In that case, I suggest that we move her families somewhere else. If need be we can move them to the castle."

"Which has the risk of dramatically increasing the chances of Blossom knowing where they are at all times," Shining Armor pointed out. "The Elements of Harmony and The New Nightmare's paternal family all moved to the castle? If one pony in the press finds out, and it wouldn't be difficult, then Blossom knows where they are."

"The castle is probably the single safest place in all of Equestria," Gamma retorted. "Even if she did know, how would she get them?"

"Look at her track record! She hunted down her in-hiding grandparents and killed one of you guys!" Shining Armor groaned and put his head in his hooves. "I just think that it would be more dangerous for them if she knew where they were."

"Equestria is a big place," said Luna. "Should the palace prove a great risk for them, simply move them someplace else in one of the larger cities."

"Even if we do move them, it is a temporary solution to the problem!" Celestia retorted. "I want to hear any and all ideas: how are we going to stop her? Almost fifty of my subjects have died at her hooves, and another hundred more shall perish if we don't think of something!"

Alpha nervously cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head. "Well... there was Order Forty Two. It's the best one if--"

Celestia slammed her hoof on the table. "I said no! I don't care what we do as long as we do not become the monster that she is!"

"Princess Celestia, you asked for my opinion and I gave it to you!" Alpha replied. "My team and I are spending every waking moment trying to find a way to catch this mare, but she's slipping past our nets!" Alpha stood up from his seat and balanced on his hind legs, using his forelegs on the table for balance. "How can two thousand guards and five thousand cops find one pony out of forty million when that one pony can change to whoever she likes?!"

It was at this point that Shining Armor stood up from his seat. "You can't talk to the Princess like that!" he snarled.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Alpha snapped back. "Forgive me for being a little disheartened that we have an almost impossible task before us!" Alpha roughly pulled a group of maps out from his saddlebag and slammed them on the table. "I have spent more time pouring over these maps trying to find a pattern than I have sleeping! My crew and I have all put more effort into catching this mare than I thought possible from any of us!" Alpha shoved the maps towards Shining Armor. "You try it, Captain. You try doing half the things that we do! I'd look forward to seeing you collapse from exhaustion."

Shining Armor swept his hoof across the table, sending the group of maps flying. "You are way out of line, soldier! I would shut up right now if I were you!"

"Cease this incessant bickering at once!" Luna shouted. "We shall not catch Joyous Blossom by arguing like we are!" Alpha and Shining Armor shut their mouths, but did not stop their glares. Luna shook her head and let out a weak chuckle. "This is madness," she whispered.

"No kidding," Beta mumbled.

"How close are we to catching Joyous Blossom?" Luna questioned.

Alpha's glare slowly faded, and he slid down to the floor. "Not at all. We're as close to catching her as we are to resurrecting Rarity so she can go fight her niece." Alpha let out a small chuckle of his own, but it was mired by a half-sob, something that didn't escape Celestia's attention.

"Alpha?" She reached forward and gently put a hoof on his shoulder. "Is something else wrong? Something you have not shared with us?"

"She found and killed Epsilon," Alpha whispered. "I don't know how..." Alpha exhaled and leaned his head on the table. "If she can hunt us down at will, who's to say that she can't find all of us whenever she wants? Who's to say that she can't find my family?" Alpha took a deep breath. "Again."

"What do you mean 'again'?" Shining Armor asked.

"In Fillydelphia..." Alpha shakily reached up and ran a hoof through his mane. "The mare and the two fillies she spared were my wife and daughters." Alpha's shoulders began shaking as a heaving sob vibrated through his body. "That evil mare held my daughter! Sh-she took my daughter out of my wife's forelegs and hugged her and nuzzled her and..." The unicorn wiped his eyes with a hoof and took a deep breath. "If she had known who they were she would have killed them. It's a miracle that she didn't kill them anyway. What happens if she wants to go back and kill them to finish the job?"

"We can put them in hiding if you feel that is a real danger," Celestia offered.

Alpha scoffed and looked up at her. "Because that worked really well for Blossom's grandparents." Alpha shook his head and pushed himself to his hooves. "I don't know if hiding will work, I really don't. If you ask me, the only way to make sure my family is safe is to kill The New Nightmare. The only way to kill The New Nightmare, is to put in motion the plan that I am asking."

"I'm sorry, Alpha, but I cannot authorize that kind of action," Celestia replied. "I will not sink to Blossom's level."

Alpha slowly looked up at Princess Celestia. His face hardened into a glare. "Then you have doomed even more ponies to death."

* * * *

Blossom stepped out of her Trottingham safe house and began walking towards the city. They were here. She was sure of it. The city proper was only a few minutes walk from where she was, and she was inside the city in a short time. This would be where she found them. Her informants should be able to point her in the right direction. She was getting close.

A few minutes into the city, she saw a group of four foals playing hop-scotch on the city side-walk. They were young, carefree, and best of all, unsupervised. Perfect.

With a smile, Blossom walked over to the group disguised as a pony close in color to Miss Twilight. They all stopped when she came over, and she flashed them a big smile. "Hello, girls," she greeted. "I was wondering if you could help me."

All four of them immediately stopped playing and began backing away. "W-we're not supposed to talk to strangers!" said the largest one. "Mommy says that it's dangerous!"

"And your mommy is absolutely right. However..." Blossom reached into her saddlebag and pulled out an I.D. card that she had taken off of a dead police officer and changed so that it matched her. "It is okay to talk to police officers, isn't it?"

The foals stared intently at her I.D. as if trying to determine if it was fake. Their eyes flickered between the card and Blossom, but finally the lead filly nodded. "Yeah. Mommy says that it's good to help police officers."

"Your mother sounds like a very wise mare," said Blossom as she put the card away. "So, can I trust you girls to help me with a case I'm working on? It's very, very important." The fillies nodded and Blossom smiled. "Good." Blossom reached into her saddlebag once more and pulled out a photograph. "This mare is a dangerous criminal. Because of her, a lot of ponies have been hurt. I need to know if you have seen her around here."

The four fillies eagerly flocked around the photograph, chattering amongst each other as they examined it.

"I think we have," said the lead one finally.

Blossom's face split into a wide grin. "You have?"

"Yeah, I've seen her with a few other mares and a really big stallion. I think she's staying in a house on Crystal Street," said the smallest of the fillies.

Blossom nodded and pulled out a notepad, jotting down the name of the street. "Okay, Crystal Street. Where is that exactly?"

"It's just a few blocks away from city hall. There should be a map of the city next to city hall if you're really stuck."

Blossom jotted down the details. She put her notebook back in her saddlebag and flashed the fillies a wide smile. "Thank you very much! I appreciate your help." She patted the smallest filly on the head. "You girls have done Equestria a great service."

All four fillies beamed at the praise. Blossom thanked them one more time before walking towards city hall.

* * * *

Apple Seed shifted in her bed and pulled the covers tighter over her. The constant city noises filled her ears, preventing her from drifting off to sleep for the third time this week. "Land sakes," she muttered. "Doesn't anypony in this city ever sleep?"

Sighing, Apple Seed threw the covers off of herself and hopped out of bed, plopping her Stetson on her head as she did. "If nopony in this city is gonna quiet down, Ah might as well get a walk in."

Apple Seed tip-hooved out of her room in the small duplex that her mother, aunt, and uncle shared. She had to be careful to not wake up her aunt, who was sleeping on the couch in the main room, but she navigated past without disturbing her. She pushed the door of the duplex open and walked out into the night.

The cool Trottingham air swept over Apple Seed as her hooves clacked on the cobblestone streets. She took a deep breath and rotated her neck to ease some of the stiffness out of it. She trotted past a duplex near her own that was blaring music of some sort. She shook her head. "Too noisy."

"You can say that again. I never really liked dubstep."

Apple Seed's ears perked, and she swiveled her head in the direction of the voice. Her gaze landed on a pink unicorn mare who was pulling a cart full of blankets. Apple Seed flashed the mare a smile. "Good evenin' to ya."

The mare inclined her head in a nod. "Good evening to you too. Just going for a walk, I take it?"

Apple Seed nodded. "Yeah, Ah can't rightly sleep 'round here with all of this noise."

"I know what you mean. I'm not a city mare myself."

"Izzat so?" Apple Seed questioned. "Where are y'all from then?"

The mare chuckled and unhitched herself from the cart. She took a few steps towards Apple Seed. "Ponyville. I was born and raised in Ponyville."

Apple Seed frowned and cocked her head. "Ah'll grant that Ah ain't as good as Pinkie Pie at rememberin' everypony who lives in Ponyville, but Ah'm from there too and Ah don't rightly recall who ya are."

The mare chuckled again. "Oh come on, Apple Seed, I thought you would have at least remembered what I sound like."

Apple Seed's frown deepened. "No, Ah don't..."

The mare scoffed and fired up her horn. The blankets in the cart shifted and a wooden two-by-four flew out. "Well, you'll remember soon enough, won't you?"

Apple Seed's eyes widened as the realization of who she was talking to settled into her brain. "Blossom?"

Before Apple Seed could do anything, Blossom swung the plank directly at Apple Seed's head. The wood connected with the side of her face, Apple Seed fell to the ground with a shriek that was drowned out by the loud music coming from the duplex in front of them. She brought her hoof up to her face in an attempt to dull the pain of her now broken cheekbone.

Blossom giggled and skipped over to her honorary sister. "You would not believe how long I have been waiting for you to come out alone." She raised the plank into the air again. "But the city noise got to you eventually, didn't it?"

Apple Seed raised a foreleg defensively. "Blossom, please don't do this!"

Blossom scoffed but didn't respond otherwise. She merely swung the plank down again onto Apple Seed's foreleg. The young mare pulled it back as pain shot through it, allowing Blossom to smash the plank onto Apple Seed's face once more. The final blow left the mare unconscious.

Blossom smiled and tossed the plank aside. She really could not have asked for better circumstances. Apple Seed coming out alone at night and her attack being drowned out by the music? It was perfect is what it was. She fired up her horn and lifted Apple Seed into the cart. With one more burst, she pulled the blankets over her.

"You and I have a few things to talk about, Apple Seed."

* * * *

With a gasp, Apple Seed's eyes snapped open. She squeezed her eyes shut as her head throbbed with the pain of being hit.

Blossom.

Blossom had attacked her.

She groaned and weakly opened her eyes. She was strapped to a table too small for her, and the lower half of her legs were dangling over the edge. "Blossom?" she called out. "Blossom, where are you?"

"Right here."

Apple Seed's head turned in the direction of the voice, and she saw Blossom sitting on the floor with her back turned to her. "Blossom, what's goin' on? Why am Ah here?"

"You're here because you and I have some things to talk about." Blossom turned her head and looked into Apple Seed's eyes. "I assure you that they're most important."

Apple Seed's lower jaw quivered, and she tried to pull one of her forelegs out of the straps. "Blossom, you don't halfta do this! Ah'm yer sister!"

Blossom let out a humorless chuckle. "Apple Seed, surely you've been keeping up with current events. I'm a serial killer. Hurting ponies is just what I do."

Apple Seed whimpered and a pair of tears streaked down her face. "Blossom--"

"Shut up, Apple Seed." Blossom pushed herself to her hooves and levitated a canvas bag over to her. "You and I are going to have a little chat. How much pain you go through and whether or not you survive tonight is going to depend entirely on how much you cooperate with me." Blossom ignited her horn and levitated a large butcher knife out of it. She trotted over to Apple Seed and ran the flat of the blade against her forehead. "And just so you don't get any ideas, we're out in the outskirts of Trottingham. We're in the basement of a recently deceased mare who rented out one of the rooms in her home to me. Nopony is going to hear us, so I suggest you save your breath and not scream. You're going to need it for our chat."

Apple Seed let out a sob and turned her head away from Blossom. Blossom frowned and jerked Apple Seed's head back over to her. "You don't get to get out of our talk that easily! If you don't want to talk to me, I'm going to break one of your legs, is that clear?!"

Apple Seed whimpered, but slowly nodded. "Yeah."

"Good." Blossom fired up her horn again and lifted a large hammer out of the bag. "Just so you know I'm not kidding about breaking your legs." Blossom put the hammer down on a nearby table. "Now. Let's talk about blame."

"What... what do ya mean?"

Blossom took a deep breath and tapped the knife on the table. "So, I think we can both agree that what I'm doing is bad, right?" Apple Seed squeezed her eyes shut and flinched away. Blossom rolled her eyes and spun her hoof. "Okay, at the very least the public at large seems to believe that. So, we're going to talk about who's to blame for what I'm doing."

"Blossom, please don't do this," Apple Seed whimpered. "You can just let me go, and mah mom'll thank you for it! S-she'd know that you're not all bad!"

"Well, you've clearly been ignoring what I've been up to," Blossom retorted. "But I'm asking you who is to blame for what I've done!" Blossom lifted the hammer in the air and tapped Apple Seed's left foreleg. "So, I need you to tell me who you think is to blame for all of this."

"Please just let me go!" Apple Seed wailed. "You don't have to do this!"

"Apple Seed, if you don't answer my question in five seconds I'll shatter your leg." She tapped Apple Seed's leg with the hammer again. "One... two..."

"NO! NO! DON'T!" Apple Seed screamed. "It's yer fault!"

Blossom cocked her head and frowned. "What, um... what makes you say that?"

"Y-you have ta take responsibility fer yer actions, Blossom! Ah know you ain't a bad mare, but you've done a lot of bad things!"

"Do you think that I'm the only pony responsible for what I do?"

Apple Seed sniffled and nodded. "Nopony else killed anypony!"

Blossom scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You know, I think you're aware that there's somepony else that shares at least some of the blame." Blossom put her hoof on Apple Seed's forehead and pushed her head back. "Why else would you be strapped to my table?"

Apple Seed's eyes snapped open. "Me?! W-what did Ah do?!"

"Well, let's think about it. What was the domino that led us where we are? My first genuine murders were when I was in prison." Blossom tapped the hammer a little harder on Apple Seed's hoof. "And who was the pony who pushed me to turn myself in?"

"Ah... Ah..."

"You." Blossom's face twisted into a snarl and she raised the hammer high. "IF YOU HADN'T TOLD ME TO TURN MYSELF IN, NEITHER OF US WOULD BE HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Before Apple Seed could do so much as scream, Blossom swung the hammer down with all of her might. A resounding crack echoed throughout the basement as the bones in Apple Seed's left foreleg shattered. Apple Seed's shrieks of pain echoed through the basement. She struggled to pull her right foreleg out of the strap trapping it as Blossom moved down to Apple Seed's left hind leg.

"If you don't stop screaming, I'll break this now. If you scream too much we can't talk." She tapped Apple Seed's leg again. "Shut. Up."

Apple Seed began hyperventilating, but she stopped screaming. "Blossom... p-please stop!"

"Well, that's up to you. Now, why might you be at fault for this?"

"Ah don't know!" Apple Seed wailed. "Ah... Ah don't see why this is mah fault!"

Blossom's eyes narrowed and she slammed the hammer on Apple Seed's hind leg, once again shattering the bones. "BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE ALL MY FAULT!!!" Blossom swung the hammer down and broke Apple Seed's other hind leg. "I KILLED A PREGNANT MARE! I MURDERED MY MOTHER AND GRANDPARENTS! I CANNOT BE THE ONLY PONY RESPONSIBLE!"

"Please stop!" Apple Seed screamed. " Ah'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it! Sorry doesn't bring them all back!" Blossom moved over to Apple Seed's remaining leg. "I accept that I'm an evil, evil mare! I know I'm going to burn in Tartarus with my aunt! It can't be all my fault! It can't be all on me that I killed those ponies!"

"Ah'm sorry!" Apple Seed began loudly sobbing. "Ah don't wanna die!"

"If you hadn't forced me to turn myself in, I would have gotten help from Dr. Mind and I'd be happy! My mom would still be alive! Everypony I've ever killed would be safe at home! I killed them, I know that, but if you hadn't told me to turn myself in, Aunt Rarity wouldn't have convinced me to kill!"

"Ah don't want to die!" Apple Seed sobbed. "Ah... Ah wanna go home!"

Blossom raised the hammer high. "Speaking of that, I've heard that Princess Celestia hired a few farmhooves to work on your farm while you're away. I think I know who to go after when I'm in Ponyville next." Blossom smirked at the broken pony on the table. "One more to go, Apple Seed, then we'll find other ways to play."

Blossom put her hoof on Apple Seed's remaining leg, steadying it as she aimed her hammer right at the knee joint. Just as she was about to swing it down, she heard Apple Seed squeak out two weak words.

"A-Apple Blossom..."

Blossom's grip on the hammer faltered, and she lowered it a half of an inch. She lifted her hoof off of Apple Seed's leg and slowly turned her head to her sobbing friend. Tears streamed down Apple Seed's face, and her mouth weakly twitched a she fought to spit out words."Y-y-yer r-right. I-it's all mah fault!"

Blossom raised her eyebrow and slowly lowered her hammer. "What did you say?"

"It's mah fault! Ah sh-shouldn'ta told you to turn yerself in. Yer right. I-it's all mah fault."

Blossom stared at Apple Seed for a few seconds, then exhaled deeply and dropped the hammer on the floor. She backed up until she hit the wall, then slid onto her haunches. "It's not all my fault," she whispered. She chuckled slightly, and a small smile crossed her face. "It's not my fault. I'm not that bad of a mare."

"Apple Blossom... Ah wanna go home," Apple Seed squeaked. "It h-hurts."

"I know," said Blossom softly. She took a deep breath and pushed herself to her hooves. "It's good that you're taking responsibility, Apple Seed." Blossom fired up her horn and summoned her knife. "It's not all your fault. I share some of the blame too."

"It's mah fault!" Apple Seed moaned. "Ah'm sorry that Ah betrayed you like that, Apple Blossom."

Blossom smiled fondly at Apple Seed and raised the knife high. "I know you are." She began gently stroking Apple Seed's mane. "I forgive you."

* * * *

A few hours later, the three elder members of the Apple family burst into the emergency room. "Where is she?!" Apple Bloom wailed. "Where is mah daughter?!"

The mare at the front desk widened her eyes and shot to her hooves. "Are you Apple Seed's family?"

"Yes!" Apple Bloom sobbed. "Where is she?!"

"A few EMTs found her on the sidewalk. Three of her legs had been broken and she suffered a deep stab wound. She was lying in a pool of her own blood. The wound seemed to have been hastily closed, but it came back open when she hit the sidewalk."

"Is she gonna make it?" Applejack questioned.

The receptionist sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not a doctor. I saw her when they brought her in and if you ask me, she was lucky to have survived as long as she did."

The double doors behind the receptionist opened, and a doctor walked into the waiting room. "Are you Apple Seed's family?"

"Tell me she's gonna be okay, doc!" Apple Bloom wailed. "P-please tell me she's alive!"

The doctor took a deep breath, but slowly nodded. "Yes. She's alive and she's going to survive her wounds. I won't sugar coat it, though. It may be years before she fully recovers."

"Ah know Ah don't wanna ask, doc, but what did Blossom do to her?" asked Applejack.

The doctor grimaced and looked down at his chart. "As I'm sure you've been told, The New Nightmare stabbed her in the gut. It caused significant damage, but we managed to stop the bleeding and get her a blood transfusion. All of her legs save for her right foreleg were not only broken, they were shattered. She's in surgery now and we're doing our best to re-construct them."

"Is... is she ever gonna walk again?" Apple Bloom whispered.

"I..." The doctor closed his eyes and lowered his head. "If she's lucky, then she can begin trying to walk again at some point in the future. My guess is that it will be at least a year before that can happen, though."

Apple Bloom whimpered and collapsed onto her haunches. Applejack sat next to her and wrapped her forelegs around her sister's shoulders. "Shh," she soothed. "It's gonna be okay. Apple Seed is alive and she's gonna be okay. She's alive."

"You can go see her once she's out of surgery." He motioned over to the chairs littering the room. "You may wait here. If I understand correctly, Princess Celestia is sending an entire platoon of guards over. This hospital is going to be one of the most secure places in Equestria." The doctor put a comforting hoof on Apple Bloom's shoulder. "She's going to be okay. I will do everything in my power to make sure that she recovers."

* * * *

Nine hours later, the doctor came out of the double doors again. He wordlessly beckoned the Apples through the doors flanked by six royal guards. The doctor led the Apples to a small room where Apple Seed was lying on the bed.

"No!" Apple Bloom moaned.

Apple Seed was hooked up to a machine that measured her faint heart rate. An oxygen mask was fixed over her muzzle. A pair of IVs were in her forelegs, one with blood and the other a hydrating agent. To complete the picture, half of her face was wrapped up in bloody bandages, and three of her legs were wrapped up in large casts.

Apple Bloom ran over to her daughter and gently placed a hoof on her fore head. "Ah'm so sorry," she whimpered. "Ah'm sorry."

Apple Seed's eyes cracked open, and she locked eyes with her mother. "M... momma?"

"Ah'm here, Apple Seed. Momma's here, Momma's got you. Uncle Big Mac and Aunt Applejack are here too."

"Momma..." Apple Seed croaked. "Ah'm sorry. Ah was dumb."

"No, Apple Seed. You weren’t dumb," Applejack insisted.

"I did something really bad, Momma," Apple Seed whispered.

"No you didn't," Apple Bloom assured her. "You did nothin' wrong."

"Everythin' that happened with Blossom, everythin' that she did. I... it's mah fault, Momma. It's mah fault."

"Don't say that, Apple Seed," Apple Bloom sobbed. "What Blossom did ain't yer fault!"

"She wanted help, but Ah told her to turn herself in. She killed a pregnant mare. She killed her ma and her grandparents." Tears began streaking down her face and she squeezed her eyes shut. "That's mah fault, Momma. It's mah fault! Ah was so mean to her!"

Apple Seed's heart rate monitor began beeping more rapidly, and the doctor shot over to her. "Nurse! Nurse get in here with a sedative! Her heart rate is at a dangerous level!"

"It's all my fault!" Apple Seed screamed. "Everypony who died has me ta blame! Momma, Ah'm sorry! Blossom's right; it's mah fault!"

Author's Note

Just to keep it straight (because I know it can be hard) here are the Ghosts.

Alpha-unicorn male
Beta-unicorn female
Delta-earth pony female
Gamma-pegasus male
Epsilon-Earth pony male-dead
Zeta-pegasus female

Blossom's kill count: 50

You like my stories? Buy my stuff! http://www.cafepress.com/bronywritermerc

Hail to the Empire

Two weeks later, Apple Seed was finally strong enough to move to a wheelchair. She still couldn't put pressure on her broken legs, the doctor having said that the titanium bits she had installed needed time to fuse with the repaired bone. Still, she could only sit in a wheelchair while her mother hugged her and hummed lullabies.

Apple Bloom stroked her daughter's mane and nuzzled her cheek. "Yer lookin' well today, Apple Seed," she cooed. "Why, soon it'll be like it never happened at all. You'll be back ta apple buckin' in no time."

Apple Seed stared unblinking out of her room's window. She reached out her one good foreleg and touched the windowsill. "It doesn't matter, does it? Ah... ah deserved what Ah got fer betrayin' Apple Blossom like that."

"Don't you go on like that, Apple Seed!" Apple Bloom begged. "Ah don't wanna hear ya talkin' like that! Blossom is doin' very bad things and it ain't yer fault!"

"Then why did she do it, Momma?" Apple Seed leaned her head against her shoulder. "Why would she do it if Ah didn't deserve it?"

"Because Blossom is..." Apple Bloom closed her eyes and sighed. "Ah'd like ta say Blossom is just sick and is doin' bad stuff because of that, but..." Apple Bloom shook her head. "Apple Seed, Blossom's a bad mare who is doin' evil stuff. Heck, Ah don't even know if the mare who did this to ya is even Blossom ta begin with." Apple Bloom nuzzled her daughter's cheek. "Ah know y'all don't wanna think about it, but was the Blossom you saw the one that was yer sister growin' up?"

"It was the Blossom Ah betrayed," Apple Seed muttered. "Sh-she broke me forever!"

"No she didn't!" Apple Bloom insisted. "Yer gonna be buckin' apples again, Ah promise!"

A tear dripped from Apple Seed's eye, and she moved her good hoof over her stitched up stomach. "That ain't what Ah'm talkin' about," she whispered. "The doc came in yesterday talkin' to a nurse. They thought Ah was sleepin', so they talked about mah condition and all that." Apple Seed's lower jaw quivered and the tears fell more rapidly. "Th-they said Blossom hurt me too bad when she stabbed me. Ah..." Apple Seed's whole body was wracked with a sob. "Ah ain't gonna have any foals!"

Apple Bloom softly gasped and her eyes widened. She shakily reached a hoof out towards Apple Seed's stomach wound, snapping her hoof back when she was a few inches away. "N... no," she whispered. "That can't be true!" Apple Bloom's face was streaked with tears that were falling from her eyes. "They're really good with medicine these days, Apple Seed! If they can fix yer legs they c-can fix the rest of ya!"

Apple Seed whimpered and Apple Bloom pulled her in a gentle hug. Mother and child wept in each other's forelegs unaware that Applejack was watching on. The elder Apple sister sighed and shook her head. "Ah can't believe it," she muttered. "Blossom, why the buck would ya do somethin' like this?"

"Because she is evil, Applejack, just as her aunt was before her."

Applejack adjusted her Stetson on her head and turned around to see Princess Celestia walking down the hall flanked by three guards. Her face was emotionless, but her mane was noticeably duller and less wavy.

Applejack scoffed and leaned on the door frame. "It's somethin' that Ah don't wanna back y'all up on, Princess, but..." Applejack looked back to her sobbing niece and sister. "It ain't somethin' Ah can deny either." Applejack sighed and pushed her hat up. "Ah.. Ah don't wanna be mad at her. Ah don't wanna sink to her level, but some nights, particularly in these past few weeks, Ah lay awake in mah bed and think: 'if Ah could just go back Ah'd snap Blossom's neck. Ah'd save nearly fifty lives doin' it.'"

"Do you really feel as such?" Celestia questioned.

Applejack shook her head. "Every single time that thought has entered mah head Ah start cryin' like a filly durin' a thunderstorm. Ah may not've seen Blossom like Apple Seed did, but Ah can't imagine that she's the same mare that Ah helped raise."

"We all have regrets regarding Blossom, I think," Celestia admitted. "I myself wish that I had ordered her horn removed when she was given life in prison, but given that it was one of her greatest fears and we were trying to get her emotionally stable I chose not to." Celestia sighed. "Pity. Horn blockers can be unstable and that's why we removed Rarity and Sweetie Belle's. We didn't want to risk a murderer getting out if we could help it. With Blossom she was repentant and turned herself in on top of the fact that she willingly went into therapy. We blocked her horn as a precaution. How in Equestria were we supposed to know that it would go this far; that a mare who turned herself in and was scared of becoming a killer would do all of this?"

"She was such a happy filly," Applejack mumbled. "She didn't deserve the life she had. She deserved bein' happy with her ma." Applejack glanced inside Apple Seed's hospital room. "Ah take it yer here ta see her 'bout what happened."

Celestia nodded. "Indeed I am. I have to hope that maybe she gave some hint of where she is going next."

"As if Blossom would give a mare she intentionally kept alive any hint of what she's plannin' next." Applejack scoffed. "Look, Princess, the only thing Apple Seed's been sayin' these days 'bout what happened that night is that everythin' Blossom's been doin' is her fault. Ah know y'all wanted to wait until she was better ta talk to her, but now ain't the time. She only found out yesterday that she can't have foals no more."

Celestia gasped and looked inside the room where Apple Seed and Apple Bloom were still sobbing. "I had no idea."

Applejack let out a humorless chuckle. "It just goes back to how Ah can't see the Blossom Ah know doin' all of this. Ah don't know if it was planned, but if it was it'd be the biggest wound she could give to us." Applejack looked down at the floor. "Ah turn fifty-five later this year. Ah ain't havin' any foals. Big Mac is sixty so no go there either. Apple Bloom turns forty-two. Ah can't see her havin' any more foals either. Now Apple Seed ain't havin' any foals on top of that. With one flick of a knife Blossom destroyed the Ponyville line of the Apple family."

Celestia lowered her head and flattened her ears. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "If I knew how to fix her I would."

Applejack tightened her jaw and kicked at the floor. "An Apple has been in Ponyville since it was created and that's gone now. She did the same thing ta us that she did to the Rich line." Applejack mimicked swinging a knife. "Cut it off. She cut it off, but she still kept Apple Seed alive so she'd have ta live with bein' the last Ponyville Apple."

Princess Celestia put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "If I ever find a way to help her, you know I will."

"She's buckin' sixteen," said Applejack, tears now falling from her eyes. "Ah lost mah parents when Ah was thirteen, but Ah knew it was just an accident. They're in a better place now. Apple Seed had to be strapped to a table, stabbed, and have her legs broken. That'd be torture fer a thirty year old, but a sixteen year old? Ah don't want this ta be one of the most significant events of her life... but it will be."

Applejack slid onto her haunches and leaned against the door frame. Apple Seed had stopped crying and was now being held by her mother who had gone back to humming lullabies. Applejack shook her head and adjusted her Stetson again. "Ah know this is terrible to say, but seein' stuff like that... well, it doesn't make me feel so bad about wantin' Blossom dead."

Celestia slowly nodded and fixed her gaze on Apple Seed. "I know what you mean."

* * * *

Princess Celestia's chariot touched down in front of the palace later that afternoon. Princess Celestia stepped off and began walking towards her throne room, but she was stopped by a servant. "Princess Celestia, you have a visitor who wishes to see you."

Celestia shook her head and waved her hoof. "I cannot be bothered by visitors right now. I have a meeting with the guard leaders."

"With all due respect, Princess, you're going to want to meet these emissaries. They came all of the way from Griffonia."

Celestia screeched to a halt and turned to look at the servant. "Did they say why they have come?"

The servant shook his head. "No, but I know it is important. They demanded that they speak to you the second you arrived. They have been waiting there for around four hours, I think."

"Very well. I had best see them, then."

Princess Celestia altered her course and walked into her throne room where three griffins stood in front of her throne. One was an ambassador clad in fine silks while the other two were dressed in the traditional pitch black armor of Griffonian knights. The ambassador turned around when Celestia entered and sank into a bow. "Princess Celestia. My name is Ambassador Chint. We are honored to meet with you this day."

Celestia inclined her head and moved over to her throne. "I do not wish for this to be rushed, but I have important matters to attend to. I would like for this meeting to be prompt."

The griffin bowed again. "Of course, Princess. However, I do think that this meeting is pertinent to your interests. I come with a message from Emperor Attchune the Third himself regarding your current issues with The New Nightmare." Ambassador Chint leaned in next to one of his guards. "Er... that is what they're calling her, right?" The guard nodded once, prompting a mirroring response from the ambassador.

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "I was not aware that Attichune was following the events of The New Nightmare's rampage."

"Diligently, your majesty," Chint replied. "He has taken a great interest in the case and as such, he wishes to help you with your problem."

"I see." Celestia's eyes narrowed. "And how would Attchune presume to help us catch and/or kill The New Nightmare?"

Chint pulled a series of scrolls out of his robe and placed them on the floor. He picked up the top one and unfurled it. "If our research is correct, then The New Nightmare plus The Ponyville Butcher makes a total of forty-eight serial killers in your entire history, correct?"

"I believe so, yes."

"It is an unfortunate fact, but Griffonian society has seen more bloodshed." Chint unfurled the scroll further. "Griffonia has had to bear witness to two hundred and sixty-three serial killers throughout its long history. While it is true that none were quite as..." Ambassador Chint hesitated and spun his claw around. "Er... prolific as The Ponyville Butcher, our race has far more experience actually catching our killers."

"Get to the point, Ambassador," Celestia growled. "What does Attchune want?"

At this question Ambassador Chint smiled proudly and drew himself up to his full height. "In a show of good faith between our nations, Emperor Attchune the Third is wiling to commit two thousand fully trained Griffonian knights to aide in your efforts to capture and kill The New Nightmare. Our most recent serial killer was a mere fifteen years ago, so there are knights fully experienced in the ways of hunting down killers."

Princess Celestia tightened her jaw and levitated the scroll out of Chint's grasp. She scanned it for a brief moment before returning it to Ambassador Chint. "Forgive me for saying so, but our countries have not always had the most peaceful past. Why am I to allow two thousand fully armed, armored, and trained griffonian knights into Equestria? How do I know that it is not a scouting mission for an invasion while the country is in turmoil?"

"Emperor Attchune the Third is fully aware of your might as evidenced by our most recent war. Two thousand of our knights is half of our standing army; Emperor Attchune the Third does not to risk open war by sending in half of our forces to fight Equestria on its own turf, particularly since Princess Luna took to the throne again." Chint cleared his throat and glanced at the ground. "Our people have... not quite forgotten her retribution after our failed invasion of Equestria. Emperor Attchune the Third does not wish to repeat that."

Celestia scoffed and a small smirk played at her lips. "I see. So this is merely a good will gesture? You would gain nothing from it except the potential loss of some of your knights?"

"Well..." Chint lifted up a second scroll and unfurled it. "We are not without our requests. Should our efforts to aide you prove successful, we would like some access to the warm water port to Zebrica that borders our lands. Obviously its loss was an unfortunate consequence for us from the last war, and we would like to potentially open trade with Zebrica again."

Celestia scoffed again. "Always a catch with Attchune."

"Nothing is completely free, Princess," Chint replied.

"Indeed not," Celestia agreed stiffly. "However, now is not the time for me to make a decision regarding your offer. I will meet with my advisers on the issue."

Ambassador Chint bowed once more. "Of course, Princess. That is only reasonable. I have secured accommodations for me and my guards at a nearby hotel. The Blue Parrot Hotel if I recall correctly. I can be reached there."

"Very well. However, there are two things that I must mention that I would suggest you tell Attichune." Celestia stood up from her throne. "In the even that we accept your help and it turns out to be an invasion ruse, we shall capture every single knight occupying Equestria and execute them. After that the sun will be blocked out and my forces led by both myself and Princess Luna will march upon your capital city."

Ambassador Chint's jaw dropped and he took an step backwards. "Well now, that's not really--"

"The second point is this: if we accept your help and Blossom is captured and killed, I will allow your people access to the warm water port to Zebrica on the condition that it is a Griffonian knight that kills or captures Blossom. Of course, I would prefer her alive to deal with her myself." Celestia took another step towards Ambassador Chint. "Do I make myself clear?"

Chint cleared his throat and inclined his head. "Crystal. I will tell Emperor Attchune the Third at once."

Funny Games

Blossom pushed her hind hooves into the back of the mare she was strangling and tightened her grip on the mare's trachea. The mare convulsed as Blossom's foreleg crushed more of her throat, but her twitches became noticeably weaker the longer Blossom held on.

"Just let go," Blossom whispered in the mare's ear. "It's just like going to sleep. It'll all be over soon."

The mare's normally bright orange face turned red as the blood in her brain was unable to be pumped back down to the rest of her body. She grasped at Blossom's forelegs, her hind legs twitching as she did. Finally her twitches ceased completely, and she lay still in Blossom's forelegs.

Blossom cracked her neck and released the mare. She flopped onto the ground like a rag doll. Blossom sat down next to the mare and pressed her hoof on her neck. Yep. Whoever this mare was, she was dead now.

Blossom removed her hoof and stood up. She fired up her horn and took the appearance of the mare. "Yeah. There's nothing there anymore." Blossom ignited her horn once again and slipped the mare's work shirt off. She checked the name tag before she put it on herself. "Orange Peel. Gotta remember that," she muttered.

As she adjusted the plastic name tag attached to her shirt, Blossom heard two sets of hooves come up behind her. She turned around and saw her aunt and the foal walking up to her from different directions. She smiled at her aunt, completely ignoring the foal as she did. "Hello, Aunt Rarity."

Her aunt flashed her a smile. "Good afternoon, Blossom. You ready for the next round?"

"Yep. Figured that as long as I was in Canterlot to rent a hot air balloon to go to Cloudsdale I might get a kill or two in." Blossom motioned to the hotel back entrance. "What better place than some hotel for stuck up nobles? Their coin purses would also mean that I can feed myself for a long time."

"Very shrewd," said Rarity with a nod. "Though they're likely to have increased security."

"Blossom, why did you do that to your sister?" the filly whimpered. "She loves you very much!"

Blossom's ear flicked, but she otherwise ignored the filly. "Uh... yeah. W-well not if you have the right method."

"You were sad that she hurt you, but she's very sad that you hurt her!"

"I... uh, wanted to try something other than a knife this time." Blossom began walking towards the body of Orange Peel and lifted her into the air with her magic. "Just having one method would be boring, you know?"

Blossom heard the filly sniffle behind her, and she flinched forwards when she felt a small hoof touch her hind leg. "I know you were quick when you killed your mommy because you love her very much. Why did you have to hurt your grandma and grandpa so bad when you killed them? Why did Apple Seed have to suffer like she did?"

Blossom growled and roughly opened a nearby dumpster. She tossed Orange Peel's body inside before covering it with the large trash bags that the unfortunate mare had come out to throw away. She flattened her ears against her head and slammed the dumpster shut.

"Don't you feel a little bad for it?"

Blossom groaned angrily and spun around. She stood on her hind legs and grabbed the filly, lifting her into the air and slamming her against the opposite wall. "YES!" she screamed. "DON'T YOU GET IT?! YOU'VE SEEN THE SCARS ON MY FACE!" Blossom slammed her hoof on the wall next to the filly's head. "Of course I bucking hate myself for this. I... I..." Blossom deeply exhaled and dropped the now sobbing filly on the ground. She ran a hoof through her mane and leaned her head against the wall. "I cried for hours when I realized just what I had done to Apple Seed."

Blossom ignited her horn and the orange on her coat faded away to reveal her natural white. She lifted up her foreleg and stared at the three recently healed jagged scars and tooth marks. "I hope I didn't hurt her too bad when I stabbed her," Blossom mumbled.

Rarity clicked her tongue. "If you ask me, she got what she deserved. What kind of mare does what she did anyway?"

"She was your sister and you really hurt her," The filly whispered.

"I'll bet she hates me now," Blossom groaned.

"Oh let her hate you. You hate her just as much."

"You don't hate her! You love your sister!"

"She wasn't even your real sister," Rarity snarled. "If you ask me you should have left her to bleed dry!"

"Shut up both of you," Blossom growled as she re-disguised her foreleg. "I can't deal with this right now!"

"That is true," Rarity mused. "You do have a few kills to perform and a trip to Cloudsdale to plan."

Blossom grunted and moved the brick holding the back door aside as she entered the hotel. She entered a large kitchen where at least three dozen chefs and servers were bustling about preparing the meals for the guests. Blossom moved past them, but was stopped when a chef stepped in front of her.

"Hey Orange Peel, can you take this cart up to room two-oh-nine?" The stallion motioned over to a cart laden with a pair of large plates and a large goblet. Blossom nodded and began pushing the cart. Get in, kill the guests in that room, get out.

Blossom exited the kitchen and towards a large ramp beside the stairs leading up the second floor. She pushed the cart up the ramp and was soon on the second floor. Room two-oh-nine was the third door on the left. Ignoring the room itself, she pushed the cart towards a nearby janitor's closet and opened it up. She looked around to make sure that nopony was watching her before searching the closet for anything useful. "Come on, there's gotta be something I can use to..."

Blossom raised an eyebrow when she saw a bright yellow box sitting in the corner of the closet. She poked her head out once more to make sure nopony was coming and lifted the box into the air. She smiled when she read the label.

Rat poison.

Blossom chuckled and opened the flap on the top of the box before sprinkling a conservative amount of the flakes into the goblet of the guest. A few flakes were sprinkled on the food as well. Blossom put the box back in the corner and shut the janitor's closet. She grabbed the fork next to the plate and used the handle to stir the drink, dissolving the flakes.

"Here's hoping."

Blossom cleared her throat and wiped the fork clean before pushing the cart towards the correct room. She reached it and rapped on the door. "Room service."

"Ah, excellent!" said a voice on the other end.

The door opened in front of Blossom revealing a pair of tall fully armored griffin knights armed with sharp spears. Blossom squeaked and flattened her ears, stepping backwards as she did. "Oh... I... uh."

Her muttering was cut off when a third griffin came to the door, motioning for the two knights to step aside. He smiled fondly at Blossom. "You needn't be afraid of them, child. They can be an intimidating pair, but they wouldn't hurt you."

"Okay," Blossom whispered.

The griffin chuckled. "Do come in, please. I want to make sure there are no issues with the food. If there is something wrong I'd like to save you a trip back up here. It's one less time to walk up the ramp, my dear. Otherwise you'd have to go down only to get called up by me and have to walk up and down one more time. No need for that if you stay here for a minute while I check the food." He flashed her another smile. "I'm sure it's wonderful though."

Blossom nodded and pushed the cart into the griffin's room. She levitated the plates onto a table next to a large canopy bed. The two guards moved over to the cart and searched it as the griffin sat down at the table.

As Blossom put the plate down, she noticed that the table was covered in letters and official documents. She subtly scanned them before the ambassador moved them aside and handed them to one of his guards.

She only picked up a few sentences before the scrolls were moved. It seemed to be a letter of sorts.

I spoke to Princess Celestia and I think that she will accept our help to catch The Nightmare. Begin assembling the troops.

Blossom tightened her jaw and slowly raised her hoof as if to begin running. The griffins were coming. She put her hoof down and forced a smile onto her face. "I-if you don't mind me saying so, I've never met a griffin before."

The griffin chuckled. "Now you have." He extended one of his claws and Blossom shook it. "I'm Ambassador Chint of Griffonia. I'm the most direct line between my emperor and your princess."

Blossom cocked her head. "You met with Princess Celestia?"

Chint nodded. "Just yesterday, as a matter of fact."

"Excuse me, ma'am," said one of the guards. "We're going to have to frisk you if you stay here much longer."

Blossom shrank back and whimpered. "W-why?"

"It's just a precaution, my dear," Chint explained. "With this whole New Nightmare business, it's best to err on the side of caution."

"Okay." Blossom stood still while the guard closest to her patted her down. Thank goodness I left my knives at the motel I'm staying in.

The guard frisking Blossom straightened up and nodded. "She's clean. No weapons on her."

"Excellent." Chint lifted up his fork and took a bite of the quiche on his plate. "So..." Chint swallowed his bite. "You've never met a griffin before?"

Blossom shook her head. "I think I might have seen a few in passing, but I've never really met one."

"I know we might seem like an intimidating lot, but I assure you we strive to be a peaceful people." Chint smiled and took a long drink from his goblet. He made a choking noise and set it down on the table, his face wrinkled in disgust. "My, my. That certainly has quite the... unique aftertaste."

"Is there something wrong with it?" Blossom questioned.

Chint cleared his throat. "Well... I don't know. I have to admit that I've never actually tasted this particular vintage before. Thought I'd try something new while I was here. It was bitter and sharp at the same time."

Blossom chuckled. "Oh that's just the way the wine is. I've had a few glasses myself. It's an acquired taste."

"Clearly." Chint grunted and took another sip. "Bugh. It might be a while before I acquire a tolerance for it."

Blossom shrugged. "I can get another wine for you if you want."

Chint nodded and pushed the goblet towards Blossom. "That might be best. A 1293 Manehattan Cognac if you don't mind. I've acquired the taste for that already."

Blossom inclined her head in a bow and took the empty goblet in her magic. "I'll get on that right away."

* * * *

Blossom stepped out of the hotel and began walking towards her hotel. She glanced to her left and saw Rarity walking next to her. "So, how did it go?"

Blossom exhaled with a growl. "Celestia's upping the ante. She's thinking of bringing Griffonian troops to help catch me. She's not messing around anymore."

"Oh dear. What are you going to do about it?"

Blossom sighed and scanned the bustling streets of Canterlot. Her eyes locked onto a trio of guards walking down the streets, looking amongst the crowd themselves.

"I'm going to show her I'm not messing around either."

Rarity frowned and cocked her head. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"

Blossom licked her lips with the tip of her tongue and the corners of her mouth went up. "Cut off the head..."

* * * *

Shining Armor sighed and put his head in his hooves. "I can't believe it," he moaned. "I just can't bucking believe it."

Shining Armor shook his head and glanced down at the report in front of him. Six days prior the Griffonian ambassador was found dead in his hotel room. The autopsy revealed poison as the cause of death. The two bodyguards stated that the only time somebody had been in his room the day of his death was when a server named Orange Peel has delivered his lunch. He had complained about the taste of a goblet of wine he drank, but the mare had insisted that it was the normal taste. The last Shining Armor had heard, the two bodyguards had been dishonorably discharged from the Griffonian army and sentenced to thirty years in prison for failure to do their duty.

Leaning back in his chair, Shining Armor flipped the report closed and glanced over at his second-in-command. "We're screwed, aren't we?"

His Lieutenant shrugged. "Princess Celestia is a good diplomat. She'll probably have to let them join in the investigation."

Shining Armor nodded. "Last I heard, the griffin emperor has issued an ultimatum that Celestia allow Blossom to be brought to Griffonia to stand trial and face public execution there." Shining Armor smiled sadly. "And their execution methods are nowhere near as painless as ours."

"I heard it was disemboweling."

"Then you get drawn and quartered by a quartet of chariots. The worst part is that the criminals are given both a sensory amplifier so that they feel the most pain but also an adrenaline shot so they don't pass out."

"And they're not just going to let Celestia deal with her?"

"Nope." Shining Armor ran a hoof through his mane. "They're saying that they should be the ones to kill Blossom or else."

The lieutenant cocked his head. "What does "or else" mean?"

"I don't really want to find out. It could mean war for all I know."

"Well we can't deal with that right now." The lieutenant put a manila folder on Shining Armor's desk. "We still haven't found the body of the mare we think Blossom disguised herself as. We're not sure that's how she got in, but a mare named Orange Peel was reported missing from the hotel not long after we were informed of Ambassador Chint's death."

Shining Armor pulled the folder over to him and flipped it open. "No possible leads on where she might be?"

"No. We've suspected that she might have dropped her body in a dumpster because it's plausible that The Nightmare got her when she went to take out some trash, but the dumpster had been emptied by waste removal by then." The lieutenant grimaced. "We've been searching through the waste processing plant for the body, but we're not hopeful."

"Perfect," Shining Armor grumbled. "What's worse is that Blossom hasn't killed three times in Canterlot as far as we're aware so she may still be in the city."

"She could have already killed the third and move on by now."

"Could have."

Shining Armor took a deep breath and glanced outside the window. It was a few hours into the night and the crickets were chirping. "Well, Battle Charge, I'd best be getting home. I don't want the wife worrying about me and I'd like to be there for her if Blossom's still in Canterlot. I have a few guards protecting her for now, but she needs me."

Battle Charge nodded. "I'll walk with you. If she's still here it's best to stick together. My house is in that direction anyway."

Shining Armor nodded and the two walked out of the guard barracks and into the night. Shining Armor took a deep breath as the cool night air washed over him. "I'm thinking with this that it might be best if Cadence and I move into the castle. The only reason we haven't yet is because Blossom has never been in Canterlot for more than a day and she's always killed civilians. I didn't think she's go for really high profile targets until she killed the ambassador. She's probably going to want to be close to Twiley too."

Battle charge nodded and stretched his wings. "I wanted to move the wife and our two fillies into the palace too, but I'm not really high profile and can defend my family if need be. My wife and I have talked a lot about not talking to strange mares. Plus the atmosphere in the castle is going to be a nightmare now that Celestia has to deal with the griffins." Battle Charge shook his head. "I'm going to spend as much time as I can at home. My family needs me."

"I hear that," Shining Armor agreed. "Cadence and I were talking about having a foal a few months back, but that's not going to happen now. Not now that Blossom is doing what she's doing."

The two walked in silence down the completely empty Canterlot streets. What residents hadn't taken leave to other cities had locked themselves up tight at night, leaving Shining Armor and Battle Charge as the only ponies out and about.

"It's too bad how afraid everybody is about all of this," said Shining Armor. "I can't wait to get back to how things used to be before two serial killers went through Equestria."

"I know. Can you believe that between The Ponyville Butcher and The New Nightmare they've killed almost one hundred and thirty ponies?"

"Terrible," Shining Armor mumbled. "But she's not going to get my wife if I can help it."

"I hear that," Battle Charge agreed. "I'd do anything to protect my family."

Shining Armor nodded. "Yep."

"And I mean anything."

"Same he--"

Shining Armor's words were cut off when a sharp blow to the back of the head sent him crashing to the ground.

* * * *

Slowly Shining Armor opened his eyes, mumbling something unintelligible as he did. He groaned and raised his head, but a light shining in his eyes magnified the splitting headache he was experiencing and he snapped them shut. "What's going on?" he mumbled thickly.

"Here, drink this. It'll help with the headache," said the voice of Battle Charge. Shining Armor felt a cup being pressed against his lips, and he took a few sips of the cool liquid. The throbbing pain in his head died down, allowing Shining Armor to open his eyes completely. He found himself sitting on a chair in front of a small table inside of some sort of run-down warehouse. He tried to move, but his limbs would not respond to his commands. To complete the scenario, he felt a horn blocker ring slipped onto his horn.

Shining Armor turned his head and locked eyes with Battle Charge. His face twisted in a snarl and he tried to leap out of his chair, but once again his legs did not respond. "Traitor!" he snarled.

Battle Charge flattened his ears and took a step backwards. "I... I'm sorry, Captain Armor. I didn't want to do this, believe me!"

"Then why did you?!"

"Because I told him to."

Shining Armor's eyes widened and he felt his chair being encased in a magical glow. The chair rotated one hundred and eighty degrees, revealing the New Nightmare herself. She was grasping a knife that she held at the throat of a young filly who had a rope leash around her neck securing her to a pole. Another filly and a mare that could only have been their mother were in similar situations.

"I told you, Captain Armor, I'd do anything to protect my family."

A smirk crossed Blossom's face. "I got them last night. I've been stalking various guards to see if any of them had families and I struck gold with your lieutenant here. I drugged them and used a stolen cart to transport them here." Blossom motioned around the room. "This used to be an ore processing plant before it got shut down a few years back. I checked some public records and found that it's set to be demolished in a week, so don't plan on us being disturbed."

Shining Armor stared at the captured family for a moment before turning his head back to Battle Charge with another glare. "All you had to do was tell either myself or the princess and we could have caught her!"

"She would have killed them if I had. She said I had to be here with you by nine tonight or they wouldn't find all of them."

"We could have formulated a plan!"

"Sir I worked all night last night and all of today! I only found out that she foalnapped my family three hours ago! It... it would have been too late."

"But you're here with him now so that's all that matters," Blossom replied. "I'd hate for you to have to be given another reminder of just how serious I am about all of this."

Blossom grinned and motioned to the mare. Shining Armor gasped when he saw that the mare's mane had been cut to the point where it was almost non-existent. "Sent the mane to your lieutenant along with a note with my instructions. Since he's followed them to the letter and gotten you here he can take his wife and go."

Battle Charge's eyes widened and he took a step forward. "Let my daughters go too!"

Blossom rolled her eyes. "Then I don't have any hostages." Blossom took the knife and cut the mare's rope. She shoved her forwards. "Take your wife and get out of here. If I see any guards in the next five hours both of your kids get it, understood?"

"Please just let them go!" Battle Charge cried. "Th-they're good fillies; they don't deserve this!"

Blossom scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Fine." she cut the leash of the younger filly and pushed her forwards. "I'll keep the other one. You have two minutes to leave before I bleed her dry, understood?"

"Mommy!" the filly wailed, reaching for her mother.

"Mommy and Daddy are going to get you out of here!" sobbed the mare. "Just be brave and we'll come get you!"

The filly tried to run forwards, but Blossom wrapped her foreleg around her and held the knife to her throat. "Get out. What happens next is between me and Shining Armor here."

Battle Charge whispered something in his wife's ear before putting his daughter on his back. He gently led his sobbing wife out of the old factory. When Blossom was certain they were gone, she sighed and dropped the knife.

"You're a monster," Shining Armor growled.

Blossom scoffed. "Tell me something I don't know." She took a deep breath and wrapped the crying filly in her forelegs and nuzzled the top of her head. "Shh. It's okay. Your mommy and daddy love you very much and they're going to come get you soon, okay?"

"I want my mommy!" the filly wailed.

"I know," Blossom whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you. I never was going to hurt you. I... I didn't want to hurt your mommy either. That's why I only cut her mane. Don't worry. It'll grow back and be just as good as new." Blossom began stroking the filly's mane. "You're a very brave young mare. I'm sure your mommy and daddy are very proud of you." Blossom took a deep breath and levitated a strip of cloth over to her which she tied around the filly's eyes. "Don't take that off, okay?" Blossom got to her hooves and fired up her horn. The filly was encased in a small shield that quickly faded away. A sound muffling spell.

Content that the filly was taken care of, Blossom trotted over to the table, turning Shining Armor's chair around as she did. She sat down in a chair of her own and dropped the knife onto the table. She bowed her head and stared at the floor. Shining Armor fixed her with a glare. "Don't think that because you tried to comfort her that you're any less evil!"

Blossom quietly scoffed. "I never said I wasn't evil. In fact, I think I've been saying that I'm evil this whole time." Blossom lifted her head to reveal that her face was streaked with tears. "I just... I hated doing that. When I cut that mare's mane, I almost started bawling. Th-they were all so scared a-and it was my fault!"

"You could have just let them go. Who's to say that Battle Charge isn't organizing a rescue mission now that he knows where you are and what you're doing?"

Blossom shrugged. "He could be. That would mean that my last act on this planet is killing you and an innocent filly." Blossom wiped her eyes and began idly spinning the knife. "He was willing to bring you here to me to protect his family. He's not going to just cut his losses and let his child die for a gamble. He knows I'll let her go. They'll be here in five hours."

"And I assume you have some sort of plan for me then?" Shining Armor spat. "You going to torture me?"

Blossom picked up her knife and tapped it on the table. "No, not exactly. You and I are going to have a little chat and fate gets to decide which one of us dies tonight. Who knows? Maybe both of us do."

Shining Armor frowned as Blossom put the knife back on the table. "What do you mean?"

Blossom hit the handle of the knife, spinning it around until it came to a halt pointing at the back wall. "I'm going to spin this every so often. I will cut whoever it points to. Whoever bleeds out first loses." Blossom pointed over to a bowl next to the table. "When I got the cuts on my face, Ms. Zecora made a healing gel of some kind for me. It closes up cuts pretty well. I looked up the recipe. If you die first I'll just heal myself. If I die then my freezing spell will be lifted and you can heal yourself up and come out of this a hero. Now..." Blossom placed her hoof on the handle of the knife. "Tell me something: why do you think that I do this?"

"Because you're evil!" Shining Armor spat. "You're the same breed of pony your aunt was!"

"What if I told you that you were wrong? What would your second guess be?"

"There isn't a second guess because what I said is the truth!"

Blossom sighed and spun the knife. The tip pointed closer to Blossom and she picked it up. Lucky you." She picked up the knife and dragged the edge against her left foreleg, leaving a deep gash. She tossed the knife back on the table. "If you were forced at knife point to choose a second guess, what would it be?"

"Because you get a sick pleasure out of killing ponies!" Shining Armor retorted. "You kill indiscriminately and don't regret a moment of it!"

Blossom scoffed. "Really?" She motioned to the scars on her face. "Then what exactly are these from? They're not from your soldiers, that's for sure." Blossom spun the knife again and once more it pointed to her. She gave herself another cut on her left foreleg.

"You're a masochist."

Blossom spun the knife again. "You're getting warmer, but not quite there yet."

This time the knife stopped with the tip pointing right at Shining Armor. He widened his eyes and tried to struggle, but he couldn't move an inch. Blossom picked up the knife and made a deep cut on Shining Armor's left foreleg, eliciting a scream of pain.

"Okay, where were we?"

"Blossom stop it!" Shining Armor yelled. "Just stop this!"

"Nopedy nopedy nope." Blossom put the knife back down. "One of us has to die. I'd kill myself, but I'm too scared to do it. If I die here it'll kind of be accidental on my part, right? I'll just kinda slip away and it'll all be over." Blossom chuckled and spun the knife again. "You'll have some cool scars to show Ms. Cadence. Mares like that kind of thing."

"Blossom they will hunt you down to the ends of the planet if you do this," said Shining Armor through clenched teeth.

"Something they're already doing anyway." Blossom sighed and spun the knife. "I do hope me killing that one griffin doesn't lead to a war." The knife pointed at Shining Armor again, and Blossom sliced open his right foreleg.

"It might!" he shouted. "They want to tear you to pieces! If the griffins don't get you then they might invade Equestria!"

Blossom spun the knife again. "Why do I care? I'll be dead. Everypony else I care about is already dead, so they won't have to go through it." Another cut on Shining Armor's left foreleg.

"What about..." Shining Armor gasped in pain. "C-Comet?! You don't want to hurt her!"

Blossom went to spin the knife again, but paused at the name of her sister. Her gaze flickered upwards. "And if the griffins do decide that they want to take revenge on me, and by extension Equestria, by hurting my family, are you just going to let that happen or will they be protected?"

"Blossom listen to yourself! You're willing to potentially start a war with Griffonia?!"

Blossom shrugged and spun the knife, dragging the blade across her chest when it pointed to her. She flinched from the pain but put the knife back on the table. "You never really did get why I'm doing this right." Another spin, another cut for Shining Armor. "Don't you remember the days when I was just a filly living in the castle? I got arrested and you were willing to knock heads together to make sure that I was okay. Now you'd jump at the chance to tear my head off." Another spin, another cut for Shining Armor.

"BLOSSOM STOP IT!" Shining Armor yelled. "The princesses will go easier on you if you do and we can potentially avoid war!"

Blossom scoffed and spun the knife again resulting in another cut for her. "The last pony who told me to turn myself in is currently sitting in a hospital with three broken legs and a stab wound." Spin. Cut for Shining Armor. "If you're not going to guess why, I'll tell you." Blossom's face twisted into a snarl and she slammed her hoof on the table. "It's because I can't bucking help myself!"

"Oh... don't... g-give me that," Shining Armor weakly. "You... b-bucking enjoy it and you know it."

"You listened to the tapes of my therapy sessions in prison, right? You know how hard I tried to stop Aunt Rarity from making me kill somepony!" Another spin. Another cut for Blossom.

"I... j-just wanted to die!"

Shining Armor groaned, but lifted up his head to stare into Blossom's eyes. "Then... j-just bucking do it. Y-you’ve cut yourself a lot. Just... just do it against your throat."

"I told you already: I'm too scared to do it myself!" Blossom spun the knife and slashed Shining Armor's shoulder. "I'm scared to die because I know I'm going to Tartarus to burn for eternity!" Blossom reached for the knife, but the amount of blood she had lost was beginning to make her dizzy, and she put her hoof down next to it. "If you want to know the truth, I don't even think that... that I was actually ever going to let you win this one. I thought that if maybe I accidentally cut myself too deep I'd die and... and maybe it wouldn't be too bad. I'd be bleeding on the floor and I'd be forced to accept my fate."

Blossom looked down at the ground where a pool of blood was forming. A similar pool had certainly appeared under Shining Armor. She looked up and saw Shining Armor slumped over, bleeding profusely from his many cuts. "I... I think I might have cut you deeper than I cut me. M-maybe not."

Blossom used her magic to tilt Shining Armor's head back, and, using the last of her strength, she stood up and walked next to him. His eyes were barely open and his breathing was shallow. It would be soon. Blossom pressed the blade against Shining Armor's throat. "R-remember when you let me ride on your back after you saved me all those years ago? You promised me the best food I'd ever had." Blossom quietly chuckled. "It was pretty good. I... I think I had a grilled cheese sandwich and hay fries with chocolate ice cream for dessert." Tears began dripping from Blossom's eyes. "Even though Mom was in a mental institution... I... I miss how simple things were. I w-wish I could go back to a year ago and not kill Ms. Tiara. Maybe I... I could go back farther and not kill Golden Necklace or Fire Ruby. I didn't want to be my aunt then. Maybe I still don't."

With one swipe, Blossom drew the knife across Shining Armor's throat.

* * * *

Princess Cadence opened her eyes and sat up in her bed. She looked beside her and clicked her tongue. Shining Armor hadn't come home again last night. "Shiny, I swear you work too hard sometimes," she muttered. Cadence slid out of bed and stretched her wings. She used her magic to lift up a picture of the two of them on their wedding day. "I guess with Blossom doing what she's doing you have to work hard to get her, but I can't wait for the day to come when I can wake up beside you again."

Cadence trotted out of her bedroom and glanced out her window where her bodyguards were changing shifts. They spoke to each other for a moment, Cadence surmised that they were checking identities, before five fresh guards replaced the ones who had guarded their two-story house while she slept.

She sighed and shook her head. In reality all she wanted was her husband back to protect her. Being the wife of the captain of the guard had its disadvantages, particularly during times of national crisis.

Cadence was just about to go to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal when she heard a small commotion behind her. She glanced out the window again and saw the royal chariot pull up. Both of the Equestrian monarchs were on it as well as a few of the new type of guard to catch Blossom. Cadence frowned. They usually gave at least a few hour’s notice before a visit.

Shrugging to herself, Cadence trotted over to the door and opened it up. She flashed her aunts a smile as they stepped off of the chariot. "Good morning, Aunties. How are..."

Her smile fell and her eyes widened as her stomach twisted into a million knots. Neither of her aunts had a smile on their faces. Instead they wore masks of grim determination, but Cadence saw that both of their faces were streaked with tears.

"No," she whimpered. "N-no, no, no."

"Cadence--"

"Go away," Cadence mewled as thick ears began streaming down her face. "I... I don't wanna... go away!"

"Cadence I--"

"GO AWAY!" Cadence screamed. "I DON'T..." With a wail, Cadence slammed the door and collapsed onto her haunches. Her screaming sobs echoed throughout the house. The front door opened and Celestia walked in. She sat next to Cadence and wrapped her in a hug. Cadence returned it and buried her face in Celestia's shoulder.

"Shh," Celestia soothed as she stroked Cadence's mane. "I promise you we'll get her. She is going to pay for what she did to you, I swear on the sun I raise every day. Joyous Blossom will pay."

Cadence continued sobbing and Celestia turned her head back to Luna and the Ghosts. "I understand that Lieutenant Battle Charge was the one who turned Shining Armor over to Blossom, yes?" Beta nodded. "I want him executed with the hour, is that clear?"

Beta saluted, but was stopped when Luna put a hoof on her shoulder. "Belay that. We shall deal with him when Tia is more centered."

"I am centered, Luna," Celestia growled. "Battle Charge is an accomplice to murder. I want him executed within the hour."

"His family was held hostage, Tia! We must take that into--"

"If Battle Charge isn't executed within the hour I shall go to the prison and perform the execution myself, is that clear?"

Beta glanced up at Luna who subtly shook her head. She beckoned Beta back to the chariot. "We shall deal with Battle Charge, Tia."

"Beta." Beta turned around and locked eyes with Celestia. "I have one more request. Tell it to the other Ghosts. Execute Order 42."

Author's Note

Goes well with this song.

Blossom's kill count: 53

Help Me

Celestia held her sobbing niece in her forelegs and gently hummed a soothing tune. Cadence's head was buried in her aunt's shoulder, and her tears were wetting her fur. "It'll be okay someday, Cadence," Celestia soothed. "We'll get her, I promise."

"Why did sh-she do that?" Cadence wailed and hugged her aunt tighter. "Not my Shining Armor! Why did she have to kill my husband?"

"Because she is evil, Cadence." Celestia gently nuzzled the top of Cadence's head. "She's one of the most evil ponies who ever lived."

"She was such a happy filly," Cadence moaned. "How could she do something like this?" Cadence wiped her eyes with a foreleg. "I heard that she gave a note to a Ponyville paper apologizing for killing the pregnant mare. M-maybe she feels bad about Shining Armor too."

Celestia sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Cadence, but I'm afraid that Blossom is a mare without remorse or empathy. That letter was just a sympathy ploy and I urge you not to believe it." Celestia began stroking Cadence's mane. "Do not worry, my dear. Shining Armor is at peace now: away from evil mares like Blossom. He is in paradise, and I know that he will be happy when we avenge his death."

Cadence's eyes widened and she looked up at her aunt. "Huh? A-avenge?"

Celestia smiled serenely at Cadence and nuzzled her head again. "Indeed. I promise you that Blossom will suffer a thousand times more than Shining Armor did. Your husband will be happy to know that his murderer suffered in ways she couldn't imagine before the end."

Cadence pushed away from Celestia and shot to her hooves. "I... what are you saying? That my husband was a vengeful stallion? He wouldn't want that kind of thing!"

"Cadence, I know you're distraught so you're not thinking straight, but--"

"Thinking straight?!" Cadence gave an incredulous scoff. "I... I want Blossom to come to justice for what she did to me, but to me that means the needle!"

Celestia sighed and got to her hooves as well. "Cadence, Blossom has killed dozens of ponies without a shred of remorse the whole time. She has made all of Equestria suffer, and I believe that she should suffer as well."

"Rarity killed more ponies than Blossom had and tortured them in worse ways!" Cadence gently touched Celestia's foreleg. "Auntie, you gave her the needle."

"The difference being that Rarity showed remorse," Celestia countered. "Blossom shows none."

"I just mentioned the letter!" Cadence flattened her ears and looked to the ground. "I've heard the tapes of her therapy sessions in prison. She didn't sound like an evil mare to me, even when she killed the guards. She just sounded like a very sick, very scared mare." Cadence removed her hoof from Celestia's foreleg. "When she is captured, she deserves the needle. Anypony can see that. Don't torture her, Auntie. Putting her through even more pain isn't going to bring Shiny back. He'd want us to be better than that. Torturing a scared mare isn't being better than her."

Celestia smiled serenely at her niece and put her hoof on Cadence's shoulder. "Cadence, this is a difficult time for us all. We have to be strong and not believe Blossom's acts. Her letter to the Foal Free Press was just an act designed for this very thing. You cannot believe a word that mare says. When she is captured, she will understand what she has done to Equestria, to me, to you. I promise you that she will see justice."

Cadence stared up at Celestia with blank eyes that were slowly filling with tears. Her emotionless expression made Celesta's smile falter for a moment before Cadence spoke again. Cadence slowly reached up and pushed Celestia's hoof off of her shoulder as tears dripped down her face.

"Who are you?"

* * * *

Blossom groaned and reclined on the bed she had rented from a cheap, run-down motel in Fillydelphia. She had gotten on the next available train to the city. Well, she didn't really care what city she went to next. It was just when the next train arrived. She had been limping from the lacerations she had inflicted upon herself, and the blood loss was making her woozy. Were it not for Zecora's healing brew, she would have joined Shining Armor in death. She would have likely bled out before she managed to make it to the train station. Or worse, she could have passed out and been taken to a hospital. She was caught if she did that.

She had spent the last few days inside the motel, hardly moving except to have take-out sent to her room. Pizza boxes stuffed with half-eaten slices littered her room. She mused that she would have to throw them out soon as they were starting to smell. Maybe she should shower too. Blossom scoffed and put her head in her hooves. "Mom, Dad, Comet... if only you could see me now. Bucking lying in a motel room trying to recover from lots of blood loss from yet another murder." Blossom sighed and levitated a day old cheese pizza slice in the air. It still looked vaguely edible, but she groaned in disgust and tossed it back in the box. She looked down at herself and scanned her scarred body. "At least I had enough sense to not cut my face again," Blossom muttered.

Groaning, Blossom pulled herself out of bed and trudged over to the bathroom mirror. She turned the water on and dunked her head into the sink, letting the cool water wash over her head. She turned the water off and dried off with a towel. It was the closest thing to a shower that she had had in the last few days. She looked at herself in the mirror and gave a humorless chuckle when she saw what a mess she was, scars notwithstanding.

"Okay, maybe it's time to have a real shower."

Twenty minutes later, Blossom stepped out of the hot shower feeling surprisingly refreshed. Her mane and coat didn't feel as dirty anymore which was a plus for her. She dried off completely and walked back into the main room, collecting the pizza boxes as she did. She disguised herself as the light pink unicorn that she had checked in as, and walked behind the motel to toss her trash in the dumpster.

As she walked back to her room to gather her things, she saw a small group of half a dozen ponies gathered around a light post. Frowning, Blossom trotted over to the group and saw that they were all muttering amongst each other about a flier that had been attached to the pole.

"Looks like The Nightmare got another filly," a stallion next to Blossom muttered.

"Shame that she's going after foals now. My guess is that she'll exclusively kill foals and their mothers from here on out."

"Now that she managed to kill the Captain of the Royal Guard himself who is left to stop her?" said another mare. "The princesses don't seem to be capable."

Blossom began pushing through the group. "Excuse me, please."

The group didn't respond, but a few of them moved back a few inches. The stallion closest to her clicked his tongue. "Man, I thought for sure she'd off another guard. I'm never going to win the betting pool at work."

Blossom's eyes widened and she swiveled her head towards the stallion. "Uh... excuse me?!" She narrowed her eyes. "Betting pool about the murders?"

The stallion snorted and frowned. "My private life is none of your business, lady."

Blossom growled, but turned her attention back to the pole. The second she saw it her eyes widened and she softly whimpered. "Oh no."

Plastered over the poster was the image of a light green filly with an electric blue mane flying a few hooves into the air. She was smiling for the camera and pointing at something off of the frame.

"Comet," Blossom moaned.

Sure enough, the text under the photograph left no doubt of the filly's identity.

MISSING: COMET BLITZ
A pegasus filly named Comet Blitz has been missing from her home in Fillydelphia for the past few days. Experts believe that she was captured by The New Nightmare, but since no body has turned up then she is likely still alive. She answers to the name "Comet" and was last seen playing in Kane Street where her home was located. Princess Celestia and the family have offered a two-hundred thousand bit reward if anypony has information that leads to her being safely returned home.

Blossom's lower jaw quivered and tears poured from her eyes as she ran away from the flier. "Comet!" she cried. "Please don't be dead! Please be okay! Please be okay!"

Blossom tore down the street in the direction of the city hall. There was a map there that would tell her where Kane Street was. She had to get there as soon as possible.

As she ran, she noticed a flash of white in her peripheral vision and glanced to the side to see her aunt running next to her. "You know it could be a trap," Rarity said. "This could be a play by Celestia."

"Of course it's a bucking ploy," Blossom growled. "Either that or some bucked up vigilante group has foalnapped the one pony in the whole of Equestria that's still innocent! There's no way that Lilly and Dad have let her hear about what I'm doing!"

Rarity clicked her tongue. "Okay, let's say that it's some vigilante group instead of a Celestia-backed order. What are you going to do then? How are you going to find her?"

"I don't know!" Blossom snarled. She glanced up and saw city hall appear in the distance. "I am going to scour every inch of Equestria if I have to! I'm going to find those evil idiots and I'm going to make them squeal! They are going to be begging for death, but I'm not going to give it to them until I've flayed every single scrap of skin off of their bodies and poured salt on the wound before I set them on fire!"

"All in front of Comet?"

"Of course not! I'm going to get her back to Dad first." Blossom screeched to a halt in front of the giant map adorning the side of the Fillydelphia city hall. "Kane Street, Kane Street. Where the buck is Kane Street!"

"Kane Street?" said a voice behind her. "You're looking for Kane Street?"

Blossom wheeled around and saw a unicorn mare with a young foal resting on her back. She flashed Blossom a smile. "I live on Kane Street. I was just about to head home too. It's only a few blocks so I can lead you there if you want me to."

Blossom's terrified visage gave way to a look of utter relief and she threw her forelegs around the mare while being careful to not disturb the foal. "Thank you! I-if you get me there I don't know how I'll ever repay you!"

The mare chuckled and beckoned for Blossom to follow her. "It's no trouble at all. Like I said, I was heading in that direction anyway."

The two walked in silence for a few minutes save for the heavy breathing Blossom was doing while trying to catch her breath. She glanced over at the foal on the mare's back who was happily babbling away. Blossom managed a small smile. "She's cute," said Blossom.

The mare widened her smile. "Yeah she's a happy little filly, that's for sure. I almost envy her for her age. She's never going to truly understand what it's like to live with The New Nightmare hanging over her head."

"The Nightmare probably won't hurt her either because of that," said Blossom. "The Nightmare hasn't killed any foals."

"Except for the pregnant mare," the mare muttered. She sighed and shook her head. "I felt safe through all of this until that. Then I didn't know if I would wake up to find my foal dead."

"'I really don't think you have to worry." Blossom glanced over at a nearby street sign. Kane Street. "I heard that the letter she sent to the Foal Free Press in Ponyville apologized for that; said it was accidental."

The mare shrugged. "If so I feel a little better. I'm going to feel a lot better once this is all over."

Blossom smiled and gave the mare a reassuring pat. "I'm sure it will be fine. This isn't going to last forever. The New Nightmare isn't invincible." The trio reached a small brick house with a white picket fence. "As for you and your foal, I promise you that you are safe. It's not The Nightmare's style to go around murdering mothers and their foals."

"I hope you're right, miss." The mare fired up her horn and opened the gate. "I really hope you're right."

With a goodbye and a thanks, the mare walked inside her house and shut the door behind her. Blossom turned around and scanned the street for any good hiding spots. There was a clump of bushes near a group of trees that would make the perfect hiding spot in case anypony came by looking for Comet. Her parents might still be here too. Or it could be a trap.

Blossom glanced to her left and saw Rarity standing next to her. "You know it's a trap, right? This is such an obvious play to draw you out of hiding that I'm surprised that Celestia even thought of it; much less authorized it."

"It's the best lead I have to finding Comet. I don't even know if she's in Fillydelphia still."

"Or if she was even foalnapped at all," Rarity mused. "She was in hiding after all."

"There's that too." Blossom growled and tapped her hoof on the sidewalk. "I can't operate under the assumption that it's a complete lie. If it isn't, then who knows what Celestia or some sick vigilante group is doing to Comet now?"

"If it is Celestia then she won't hurt Comet," Rarity pointed out.

"If it's a vigilante group then they might." Blossom turned around and lowered her head. "I don't really have any other choice if I want to save Comet, do I?"

Trying to Protect You

Night fell on Kane Street, allowing Blossom to shift her appearance into a dark blue mare. She similarly disguised her saddlebag and softly trotted towards the bushes she had spotted earlier. Without a sound she slipped into the bushes and crawled on her stomach towards a clearing beside the bushes. As she neared the edge of the bushes, her eyes landed on two sets of armored legs. She licked her lips and swiveled an ear closer to their direction.

"Do you think she'll come?" asked one of the guards. "I mean, what are the odds that she was even in Fillydelphia when we posted the notes?"

The other guard shrugged. "The way I understand it, we put fliers like that all over Equestria. Wherever The Nightmare is, she saw one unless she's completely in hiding."

The first guard clicked his tongue and shifted where he stood. "Did you hear where they took her sister? I mean, it's not just a ploy, right? Celestia really did order her foalnapping."

The second guard grimaced and nodded. "Yeah, but I don't know where they took her. The way I hear it, if The Nightmare doesn't turn herself in, different bits of the sister are going to be showing up every evening."

Blossom's eyes widened and she bit her tongue to prevent a whimper from escaping her lips. Her hooves were shaking as she reached into her saddlebag. She pulled out her knife and was about to jump out of hiding to kill the guards when she felt a hoof on her hind legs. She glanced back to see Rarity shaking her head and pointing at the guards. Blossom grimaced and lowered the knife.

"Are we really going to torture an eight year old filly?" The first guard scratched the back of his neck and softly sighed. "Are we even sure it would work?"

"The Nightmare killed her own mother, but didn't kill her sister when she had the chance." The second guard looked ahead at the house in front of him. "If Celestia and The Ghosts are right, she'll come looking for her sister. From there she either surrenders or gets ambushed."

"Only Princess Celestia and The Ghosts know where she is though, right?" the first guard asked. "I mean, she could just kidnap a guard and interrogate him."

The second guard nodded. "Right."

Having heard enough, Blossom snuck back out of the bushes. "All I have to do is capture and interrogate one of The Ghosts. Brilliant."

"You could find one the same way you found Shining Armor," Rarity pointed out as she trotted up alongside Blossom. "Get a guard to lure her out?"

Blossom shook her head. "They're going to be expecting that after Shining Armor." Blossom sighed and glanced back at the house the two guards were watching. "I think I'm going to have to be a little smarter about finding and capturing one of the ponies who knows where Comet is." Blossom scoffed and began trotting back to the city proper. "Before I do, though, I think I'm going to need some booze."

* * * *

Beta stretched out her legs as she reclined on a couch in a nearly empty home in Kane Street that was serving as the home base for the guards patrolling the area. It had been a few days since the fliers had gone up saying that Comet Blitz was missing, but there was still no sign of The Nightmare. Today the papers had reported that her tail had been found on a park bench near Fillydelphia's city hall. Tomorrow they would find something else, and Beta was unsure how many days Comet could go before they killed her. "The Nightmare had better show up soon," Beta muttered.

"What if she doesn't care?" asked a nearby guard. "I mean, what happens if The Nightmare just keeps on killing regardless of whether or not we have her sister?"

Bet shrugged. "I don't know. All we know right now is that it's our best shot." Beta sat up on the couch. "I personally think she's looking since we haven't heard anything about her killing. If she's not around already, she'll be here soon."

Before the other guard could respond, the door to the house flew open, revealing a wide-eyed guard inexplicably covered in soot. "Fire! There's a fire three doors down!"

Immediately the six guards in the house bolted out the door and in the direction of the house. Beta leaped to her hooves and levitated a bag towards her. "The Nightmare's here!" she said to the guard who came in. "Stay here and keep an eye on me while I contact Celestia!"

The guard saluted Beta and she opened up the bag and pulled out a quill, ink, and parchment.

Princess Celestia, The nightmare is here. She set a house on fire in an attempt to draw us out. Send reinforcements.

Beta rolled up the scroll and stuffed the ink and quill back in her saddlebag. She turned to the guard and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, she heard the window beside her shatter. A flaming bottle flew into the house, colliding with the guard in front of Beta. The liquid inside splashed over him, setting him alight. His screams of pain echoed throughout the house, and more of the liquid splashed inside, setting more of the home alight. Before Beta could cast a water spell, a second flaming bottle came through the window. Within seconds the entire room was on fire, and the screaming guard on the floor had stopped moving. There was nothing to be done for him now.

Unable to do anything else, Beta ran out of the room and towards an adjacent room. Smoke filled her lungs, disorienting her and making it harder for her to breathe. She looked up and was horrified to see that the room she had run into was a dead end save for a simple window. Without hesitation, Beta crashed through it and tumbled onto the ground below. She spent the next minute or so coughing, trying to get the feeling of the smoke out of her lungs as the house beside her burned.

Before she could do anything else, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head.

* * * *

Beta slowly woke up some time later. Her head felt like somepony had driven nails into it, but she was alive. She slowly opened her eyes and raised her head. She was in a basement somewhere. It was full of clutter, but nothing that indicated exactly where she was. She looked down at herself and saw that she was sitting on a chair. She tried to move, but her body did not respond to her commands. To complete the picture, a horn blocker had been slipped over her horn.

"Not good," she muttered. She took a deep breath and tried to fire up her horn in case she could break the blocker, but a sharp pain streaked through her head, causing her to grunt in pain.

As the headache dulled, she heard a set of hoofsteps coming down the basement stairs. She turned her head in the direction just in time to see The Nightmare herself enter the basement. Beta softly gasped when she saw the sheer volume of scars, some all too fresh, covering The Nightmare's body. However, it wasn't nearly as terrifying as the murderous look plastered on The Nightmare's face. She had a saddlebag on her back that she put down a few hooves away from the chair.

Beta's face twisted into a glare. "You'll never get away with this." Beta motioned up to the upper level. "Do you seriously think that you're not going to be found down here?"

Blossom rolled her eyes and opened the saddlebag. "Do you seriously think I only went halfway on my diversion? Not only did I set two houses on fire, but I changed the appearance of a mare near the first house to look like me. Your guards went for her like a dog to a bone. On top of all of that, I killed the couple who did own this house and put a sound dampening spell on the basement. Plus, I killed a mare about your size and tossed her body into the house you were in. They're going to think that you burned to death." Blossom reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a gleaming butcher's knife. "You and I are going to have a talk, and we have as much time as I want to have it." Blossom moved in front of Beta and pointed the knife at her. "Now..." She tapped Beta's horn with the blade. "Before our talk is over, you will tell me where Comet is. I know that you know."

"She's at--"

"No, no." Blossom put a hoof over Beta's mouth. "I know you've been instructed to give me a false location for a trap. I also know that she can't be in the palace because there are too many ponies around and it is likely that she'd be discovered." Blossom flicked the knife forward, drawing a small cut across Beta's cheek. "I read the papers. I know you cut off her tail and planted it on a park bench. What's coming off next for her, hmm?"

Beta's glare returned. "Probably her mane. Then maybe one of her ears. I'm not sure; only Celestia really knows."

"Right." Blossom flicked the knife again and made another cut on Beta's other cheek. "So that's why you're going to tell me where she really is. To get to that point, I'm going to torture you in ways you can't even begin to imagine. First I think I'm going to cut off an ear, then I'm going to leave you for a half-hour to think about it. Then I'll cut off the other one, maybe go for a hoof then too." Blossom shrugged. "It all depends on my mood, I suppose. After you think about that some more, I'm going to crack your horn in half with my hammer. I'll pour alcohol in your eyes and the open wounds from time to time so you don't pass out. After every waiting period, I'm going to ask you where Comet is. Every lie or show of defiance means that I up the ante." Blossom smirked and tapped the now whimpering Beta's horn again. "All of that stuff I described? That's if you cooperate."

Beta whimpered and flattened her ears as tears streaked down her face. "Look, she's here in Fillydelphia! Th-there's a warehouse about a mile from here in the industrial district that we took her to, I swear!"

Blossom smiled and patted Beta on the head. "Excellent. That's a really good start. Mind if I get the address?"

"Four-nine-one Gunnar Street," Beta whispered. "Warehouse three."

"Very good." Blossom levitated a quill, ink, and parchment out of her bad and jotted the address down. "Okay. Let's get started then."

Beta widened her eyes and pulled her head back. "NO! I t-told you where she was!"

"And what assurances do I have that you're telling the truth?" Blossom ran the flat of the blade up and down Beta's face. "I know that Celestia would have told you to give me a false address for a trap just in case this very thing happened." Blossom ignited her horn and tugged Beta's ear. "So without further ado..."

* * * *

Four hours later, Blossom wiped her knife clean. She had finally broken one of Celestia's cursed Ghosts. She stepped back and smiled as she admired her work. Both of Beta's ears were missing, as was the upper half of her horn. Her severed forelegs lay on either side of the chair, the left one was laid right next to Beta's right eye. Her hind legs had sustained several stab wounds, and her back hooves were missing as well. The only thing that Blossom neglected was her mouth, as Beta needed that to tell Blossom where Comet was. To complete the picture, Beta was soaked in a bottle of Cognac that Blossom had purchased before the session began.

Blossom took a deep breath and looked down at the parchment by her hooves. Two addresses, two possible locations for Comet. She licked her lips and put the knife back in her saddlebag which she strapped onto her back. She glanced up at Beta and smiled. "I know you're still alive. You're going to bleed out in a few minutes, so it will all be over soon. Just try not to think about how you failed Equestria, okay?"

Chuckling to herself, Blossom trotted up the stairs of the basement, taking a moment to disguise herself as the mare who used to live in the house she was in. She opened the door to the house and poked her head outside. The remains of the two houses had been put out, and the bodies of the mare and the guard were underneath sheets. Blossom trotted out of the house, and in the opposite direction of the chaos.

It was time to find Comet.

* * * *

Hard Helmet trotted through the dark warehouse he was stationed at, nodding at the plethora of soldiers he passed. Ever since his promotion to Captain of the Guard after the death of Shining Armor and the disappearance of Battle Charge, he had been given near total command of the guard in the attempts to find Blossom. He answered only to the Ghosts and the princesses themselves. Under normal circumstances, this would have been a dream come true for him. The head job was one that he had pined for all of his life and now it was his. Still, he didn't want to get the job because his predecessor had been tortured and murdered.

After completing his round of the warehouse itself, Hard Helmet went towards a back room. It used to be a small storage closet, but now it served a new purpose. He reached it and the guard in front of it saluted him. "Sir."

Hard Helmet saluted back. "How is she?"

The guard grimaced and glanced at the door. "I haven't looked. I just..." The guard closed his eyes and shook his head. "Every time I even think about it I can hear her screams in my head from when we cut off her tail. I don't even want to know what it's going to be like if we have to take something else."

Hard Helmet nodded. "Which we will if The Nightmare doesn't turn herself in. Princess Celestia ordered me to take her mane off tonight and put it on the steps of city hall." Hard Helmet stared at the door and tightened his jaw. "At first I tried to argue with her about it. I told her that just having her would be enough to draw The Nightmare out. But..." Hard Helmet ran a hoof through is mane. "She started yelling at me. H-her mane and tail even caught fire a-and she promised that I'd find myself in the dungeons awaiting execution if I didn't follow her orders."

"You didn't have a choice," the other guard muttered. "Her tail will grow back. So will her mane."

"But we're not stopping there." Hard Helmet glanced up at the guard. "Tomorrow the town will find her mane, but the next day the’ll find part of her ear. That doesn't grow back."

The guard looked back at the door in disgust. "Princess Celestia ordered that?"

Hard Helmet nodded. "The benevolent ruler of days past is gone now. Even Princess Luna and Princess Cadence don't recognize who she is anymore. As far as I'm aware, Princess Luna doesn't even know we have Comet. She thinks that Blossom has gone off the deep end and is torturing the only pony she has any attachment to left. It's not too much of a stretch since she's killed the rest of her family." Hard Helmet took a deep breath and motioned to the door. "But I have my orders, and I don't want to die for disobeying them. It's... it's only her mane, right? The Nightmare will give herself up after she finds out. I-it'll grow back."

The guard frowned. "So you want me to open the door so you can cut her mane off?"

"Yeah." Hard Helmet began blinking rapidly and took another deep breath. "It's not going to be so bad, I guess. It'll only take a minute."

Slowly the guard opened the door, allowing Hard Helmet access to the room. The previously pitch black room was filled with a dim light, revealing the shaking green pegasus filly huddled in the corner. Her tail had been cut down to nearly nothing, and her ribs were beginning to show. Three plates of food lay in the other corner, completely untouched.

"She's not eating?" Hard Helmet asked.

The guard shook his head. "No. We're going to try force-feeding her tomorrow if she still hasn't eaten."

Comet squeaked and curled into a tighter ball. "I want my mommy," she whimpered.

"You'll see your mom soon, I promise," said Hard Helmet in his best attempt at a soothing voice. "You just have to stay here for a little while longer."

"No!" Comet moaned. "Just let me go. I promise I won't tell my mommy and daddy that you cut off my tail. I-I'll just tell them that it was an accident and that Princess Celestia had nothing to do with it."

"You'll see your mommy and daddy soon, I promise you. Just be brave for... for..." Hard Helmet took a deep breath and shook his head. "Screw it."

"Sir?"

"No. No, this isn't what I bucking signed up for." Hard Helmet turned around and fixed the guard with a glare. "I want to protect Equestria from The Nightmare, but this isn't the way to do that. I'm getting her out of here and back to her family. I'll tell Princess Luna to hide them like she hid Battle Charge and his family. I won't do this anymore."

The guard shifted his gaze between Comet and Hard Helmet for a few moments before taking a deep breath himself. "Yeah. Yeah this isn't what I signed up for either. If Princess Celestia is going to punish me for this, I'm going into hiding myself until this blows over."

"Same here." Hard Helmet turned back to Comet and sat down in front of her. "Hey, Comet? We're going to get you out of here, okay? We're going to take you back to your mommy and daddy."

Comet slowly raised her head and stared at Hard Helmet with wide eyes. "Right now?"

"Yes, right now." Hard Helmet ignited his horn and lifted Comet onto his back. "You're a very brave young mare. You just gotta be brave for a little while longer while we get you back to your parents."

"Okay," Comet squeaked.

"Right." Hard Helmet turned around and walked out of the room. "I know the patrol routes. We'll take her out one of the side exits. We shouldn't have any problems if we time it right. If there are guards there you take the filly and I'll order them somewhere else, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay." Hard Helmet adjusted Comet on his back. "Let's get her out of here."

* * * *

Blossom poked her head around the corner of a run-down shed next to the warehouse Beta had directed her to. She had seen a lot of guards around when she had scanned the place from a nearby hilltop. They were guarding something very important, that much was certain. Of course, there was still the big issue that Blossom didn't know how to get inside the warehouse. There were too many guards to start fighting, and the patrol routes meant that any missing guards would be discovered and the alarm raised. Then who knew when she would get the opportunity to get Comet out?

"I'm not going to let you hurt her, Celestia," Blossom growled. "If I hear that you've hurt her, I will find a way to kill a goddess. That's a promise."

As Blossom snuck around the grounds, she spotted a side entrance to the building that was lightly guarded. Only two guards standing in front of it. It would be as good a place as any to get in, and if she was fast she could get out with Comet within minutes. Blossom slid the knife out of her saddlebag and got ready to sneak up on them.

Just as Blossom was ready to begin her attack, the door opened and a third guard came out. Blossom growled, but stayed in the shadows. Maybe he'd go away soon. He seemed to just be exchanging a few words with the guards. The two guards saluted the third guard and, to Blossom's utter delight, they moved away from the door. Once the third guard left, she could get in completely undetected.

The guard exited the warehouse and held the door open. He motioned with his hoof for somepony to come out, and yet another guard walked out of the building. The guard was carrying something on his back, something small and strangely familiar. Blossom's eyes widened when she realized who it was.

"Comet!" Blossom's eyes narrowed and she cracked her neck. "They must have heard about that Ghost already. They're trying to move her." Blossom chuckled and began tailing the guards. "Little slow there."

Slowly Blossom followed the guards, being sure to keep her distance in case they heard her coming. If they did then they might hurt Comet. They seemed to be heading for the hill that Blossom had first observed the warehouse from. Good. It was nice and secluded there.

The guards reached the hill after a few minutes, and Blossom followed from behind, completely undetected. The guards stopped at the hill's peak, and the one carrying Comet set her down. Now was as good a time as any. With a cry of pure fury, Blossom leaped towards the guards, swinging the knife once she was close enough. The guard carrying Comet fell to the ground with his throat slashed. Before the other guard could move, Blossom had already stabbed the knife at him. The blade sunk to the hilt in his throat.

"YOU WILL NOT HURT MY SISTER!" Blossom screeched. She pulled the knife out of the twitching body and stabbed it into the guard again. "I'll rip out your guts and--"

"Blossom?"

Blossom's eyes widened and she looked up to see Comet sitting on the ground, staring at the carnage in front of her. Blossom let go of the knife and wrapped her sister in a hug. "Big sister's got you now, Comet. Big sister protected you."

"Blossom, y-you killed them," Comet whimpered.

"I know, Comet, but they were going to hurt you. They cut off your tail, didn't they?"

"They said they were going to take me back to Mommy and Daddy." Comet began shivering in Blossom's grasp. "They were gonna let me go."

Blossom sighed and nuzzled Comet. "Comet, did you really believe that? They took you away from Lilly and Dad. They were just moving you somewhere else. They were trying to make it so that I couldn't find you." Blossom stroked Comet's mane. "But big sister has you now. Big sister isn't going to let anything bad happen to you. You're safe with me. It's going to be okay, Comet. I promise you."

Comet uneasily returned her sister's hug, and nuzzled up against her chest. Still, she couldn't help but look down at the two of them and see the blood covering both of their bodies.

Author's Note

Blossom's kill count: 60

I know, you bloodthirsty gore fans wanted more details about what she did to Beta, but that would have required a rather repetitive torture scene, something a touch out of place here. You still found out what happened.

The Nightmare

Princess Luna reclined on her favorite couch in her room as she looked over the reports of Blossom's latest deeds. Somehow she had to convince the griffons that Blossom was Equestria's problem, so the griffons had no right to muscle in on Blossom's inevitable death. She shook her head as she scanned the ultimatum that the new Griffonia to Equestria delegate had issued to the crown. Something about how they demanded Blossom's blood themselves, or they would consider war with Equestria. Luna clicked her tongue and tossed the ultimatum aside. They would deal with that when the time came.

Luna stretched out and shifted on the couch to make herself more comfortable. She closed her eyes and fluffed up her pillow with her magic. A nap would do her well.

Just as Luna was about to fall asleep, she hears a loud knock on her door. She opened one eye and glared at the door, but she sat up. "Enter."

The door swung open and two of the Ghosts walked in Luna sighed, leaned back down, and draped a foreleg over her eyes. "Zeta, Delta, We assume you have news of Joyous Blossom for Us."

"Uh... not exactly," said Delta.

Luna removed her foreleg and opened one of her eyes. The two Ghost were glancing between Luna and each other, and their ears were flattened. Luna frowned and stood up. "What is the matter?"

"It's about Comet," Zeta muttered.

Luna closed her eyes and sighed. "Do not tell us, she has been found dead, correct?"

"No," said Delta. "She..." Delta exhaled and ran a hoof through her mane. "Look, what has Princess Celestia told you about Order forty-two?"

Luna opened her eyes and cocked her head. "Order forty-two? We only heard about it in passing, but given that Tia fought against it We gave no thought to it. We know no details."

"I thought not," said Zeta. "Princess Celestia ordered us to never speak to you about it."

"And yet thou does so now." Luna's eyes narrowed and she took a step forward. "What, pray tell, is Order forty-two?"

Zeta and Delta glanced at each other again before turning back to Luna. "Order forty-two was first suggested by Alpha not long after Blossom hit Dodge City," said Zeta. "It was an order to foalnap Comet with the intention of drawing Blossom out of hiding."

Luna's jaw dropped and she flared her wings out. "No. Tia would never agree to such a thing!"

Delta's gaze trailed to the floor and she slowly nodded. "But she did. After the death of Shining Armor..." She sighed and shook her head. "Blossom doesn't have Comet. We do. We severed Comet's tail and put it on a park bench."

Luna screamed and took flight. She levitated Delta into the air and stared at her with glowing white eyes. "Where are they?!"

* * * *

Blossom opened the door to her hideout a mile from the warehouse. It wouldn't do as a long term hiding place, but it was a good place to re-charge for now. She levitated Comet off of her back and gently placed her on the ground. Comet was shivering and staring at her forelegs which were stained with blood. Blossom trotted over to a sink and got a few towels. She soaked them in water and walked back over to Comet.

"Hey, it's okay," she soothed as she washed the blood off of her sister. "They can't hurt you anymore. Big sister's got you now."

"Blood," Comet whimpered. "Blood." Comet looked up at her sister and stared at her with wide eyes. "Why did you kill them, Blossom?"

Blossom put the towels down and wrapped her sister in a hug. "They were going to hurt you, Comet. Don't you remember what they did to your tail?"

"B-but those two guards who you..." Comet's ear twitched. "K-killed were going to take me back to Mommy and Daddy!"

"Comet..." Blossom nuzzled her sister. "They were lying, I promise you. They were just going to take you to another place where I couldn't find you. They were going to do more stuff like cut off your tail." Blossom tightened her hug. "But big sister has you now. You're safe with me."

"Okay," Comet whimpered.

Blossom took a deep breath and put her sister down. She looked over her to see if there was any more blood on her, but there didn't seem to be. Comet looked up at her sister and put her hoof on Blossom's foreleg. "What are we gonna do now?"

Blossom closed her eyes and deeply exhaled. "Comet... I don't know. Where I go, I can't take you." Blossom reached out a hoof to stroke Comet's mane. "Do you know where Dad and Lilly are?"

"I think so." Comet squeezed her eyes shut. "Uh... we were in Applewood. The city right under Las Pegasus. Sometimes we would go up to there, and Mommy cast a cloud walking spell on herself. I'm not sure if Mommy and Daddy are still there."

"Okay." Blossom stood up and put her saddlebag over her shoulders. "Well then, we should start there. If you can remember where in Applewood you were, we can get you back to Lilly and Dad." Comet slowly nodded, and Blossom followed suit. "Uh..." Blossom ran a hoof through her mane. "Before we do... what have you heard about me in these past few weeks?"

Comet opened her eyes and looked up at her sister. "What do you mean? I haven't heard anything about you. Mommy and Daddy don't talk about you at all."

Blossom sighed in relief, and a small smile appeared on her face. "That's very good, Comet." Blossom levitated Comet into the air and put her on her back. "Okay, let's go find Dad and Lilly. I might have to change your colors so we aren't caught by the guards."

"Okay," said Comet quietly.

"Good. We're going to be okay, Comet." Blossom smiled comfortingly at her sister. "You're going to be safe. Just hold on to me, okay?"

"Blossom."

Blossom's ears perked up as the sound of two voices, speaking as one entered her ears. She looked around her and saw Rarity and the filly staring at her with emotionless faces. "Do you hear it, Blossom?" they said. "Do you hear it, Blossom?"

Blossom's breath died in her throat as the sound of hoofsteps coming from outside grew louder. Her eyes widened and she let out a loud gasp when she was what was outside: royal guards. Dozens and dozens of them converging on their position.

They were led by none other than Princess Celestia herself.

Blossom whimpered and ran back to the middle of the room. "No, not now! Th-they can't be here now?"

"Blossom, what's wrong?" Comet whimpered. "Why can't we go back to Mommy and Daddy now?"

Blossom levitated Comet off of her back and reached into her saddlebag for her knife. "Comet, you're going to be okay. They aren't going to hurt you!"

"Who?" Comet curled up onto a ball on the floor. "Who isn't going to hurt me?"

"Comet, just be strong for me, okay?" Blossom let out a single sob, and tears began streaking down her face. "B-big sister has to die now. Please be strong."

"Blossom, no!" Comet wailed. "Why can't we go back to see Mommy and Daddy now?"

"Because they're out there, Comet. The bad ponies who hurt you are out there and they want to hurt me."

"I... I don't understand," Comet whimpered. "Y-you're a good pony."

Blossom wiped her eyes and turned back to her sister. "C-Comet. I--"

Blossom's words were cut off when no less than thirty royal guards burst into the room. They crashed through the windows and disintegrated the door, flooding in like an unstoppable tide. Blossom whimpered and used her body to shield Comet just as Princess Celestia walked in, a large, smug smile on her face. "Good evening, Blossom. It's lovely to see you again."

Blossom glared at Celestia. "Don't you bucking hurt Comet."

Celestia lightly chuckled and flared out her wings. "Oh, now that we have you there's no reason to deal with your sister. I must say that the tracking spell I put on her was a stroke of genius on my part, yes?" Celestia's expression darkened and she fired up her horn. Comet was lifted into the air and placed in the forelegs of Alpha.

Blossom ran forward, swinging the knife. "Leave her alone! She's just a filly!"

She was knocked back when Celestia created a barrier between the two. The knife was almost flung from her grasp but she held on to it.

Celestia took a step forward. "Joyous Blossom, you stand accused of the crime of the murder of dozens of my subjects in ways most foul."

"If you had just let me die in the mental ward like I asked none of this would have happened!" Blossom screamed. "This is all your fault!"

Celestia's left ear and right eye twitched, and her smirk fell ever so slightly, but only for a moment. "I wouldn't call it my fault, but not killing you when I had the chance is a mistake I plan to rectify." Celestia's eyes narrowed and she ignited her horn. "IMMEDIATELY!"

With a yell, Blossom threw the knife at Celestia as hard as she could. Celestia caught the knife in her magic. Blossom whimpered and began moving backwards, but Celestia exerted more power. A golden glow surrounded Blossom, and she was lifted into the air. "Joyous Blossom, I sentence you to death for the crime of murder."

"Please stop!" Blossom cried. "J-just make it lethal injection like you did for my aunt!" Blossom saw to ponies standing behind Celestia: her aunt and the filly. Both had a completely blank look on their faces, and they seemed to just be staring straight ahead. Blossom whimpered and tried to struggle out of Celestia's grasp. "I never wanted this! Just make it quick!"

Celestia chuckled and moved Blossom closer to her. She leaned in next to Blossom's ear and lightly licked her lips. "Oh Blossom... I don't think so."

With that, Celestia grasped the knife in her hooves and slammed the knife up to the handle into Blossom's gut. Blossom let out a weak gurgle and twitched in the air.

"BLOSSOM!" Comet screamed. "LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"Silence her!" Celestia growled.

"L-leave her alone you heartless, spineless--"

Blossom's word were cut off when Celestia used her magic to jerk on Blossom's horn as Alpha muzzled Comet. "I should have removed your horn," Celestia growled. "In fact, if I had known what kind of monster you'd be, I would have done it just. Like. THIS!"

A resounding crack echoed through the entire house as Celestia tore the horn off of Blossom's forehead. Ignoring Blossom's shrieks of agony, Celestia dropped the severed horn on the ground and smashed it under her hooves. As she did, the disguise that Blossom had been using to hide her scars fell revealing the multitude of scars all over Blossom's body. "One more part to this execution, I'm afraid," said Celestia gravely.

"Just stop!" Blossom screamed. "Please don't!"

Celestia chuckled and swept the horn fragments away. "Blossom, Blossom, Blossom. If I stop now, where is the justice in that?"

With another burst of her horn, Celestia began bending Blossom backwards, putting considerable strain on her neck and backbone. Blossom began gurgling as her air supply was cut off. Celestia reached forward and pulled the knife out of Blossom's body.

Before Celestia could finish the deed, the entire wall behind Celestia was torn away, revealing Princess Luna. Her wings were flared, and her eyes glowed a pure white. "CELESTIA STAY THIS MADNESS!"

Celestia raised an eyebrow and looked back at her sister. A small smile crossed her face. "Oh, Lulu. You never really understood what it took, did you?"

Another final burst from her magic shot from her horn, and a resounding crack echoed through the entire house. It sounded like a plastic pipe being snapped in two. A snarl crossed Celestia's face, and she slammed the broken body of Joyous Blossom on the ground so hard it left an indent in the wood and split Blossom's skull open.

With a snarl of pure fury, Luna shot a bream of midnight blue light at her sister. It collided with her head and sent her flying. "That was not the way to accomplish this, Tia!" Luna screeched. "Thou art no better than the murderer lying broken at your hooves!"

Celestia shot to her hooves and fired a golden beam at Luna. Luna barely got a shield up in time, but the force of the spell shattered it, knocking Luna back. "You never understood what had to be done! Mayhaps you sympathize with the murderer? Mayhaps you wished to not execute her?!"

"Celestia, listen to thyself!" Luna fired off a rapid series of spells at her sister, half of which connected. "We are not the enemy! Thou just committed murder!"

Celestia's eyes glowed white, and her mane and tail once again ignited as pure fury coursed through her. "I will kill anypony that decides to hurt my little ponies!" Celestia sent a shockwave through the house that knocked the guards back, but Luna was able to block it. "Even if that means hurting you if you try to stop me!"

Luna's eyes narrowed, and she stood her ground. "Thou art not the sister We knew. Thou art a danger to Equestria; We see that now!" Luna flew into the air and began charging her horn. The magical aura expanded until it nearly encompassed Luna. "We see now what must be done!"

"What must be done?!" Celestia cackled and shot a beam of magic at Luna. "What, do you wish to emulate Mother and put me in a corner?"

"Celestia cease this at once!"

Celestia's eyes narrowed and her white eyes blackened as she shot rapid fire spells out at Luna. "You dare betray me?! You are not on my side, I see that now!" Luna whimpered and poured more magic into her shield. "I see that if it were up to you Blossom would still be alive!"

"Celestia, listen to thyself!" Luna cried. She shot an offensive spell out of her horn that Celestia blocked. "We wished for justice for Joyous Blossom the same as you!"

"Lies!" Celestia spat. "You never wished to do what must be done!" Celestia's looked down at Comet who was shivering in the forelegs of Alpha. "In fact, there is still more to do. Rarity's line is not quite wiped out completely yet."

Luna gasped as Celestia shot a powerful beam of magic at Comet. Luna only barely managed to get a shield in front of the shivering filly in time. The blast ricochet off of the shield and smashed into the opposite wall, leaving a small crater where it impacted. "Tia thou just attempted to murder a child!"

"I will do anything that I have to to protect my little ponies, Luna!" Celestia sent a burst of magic through her horn and a whirlwind swept through the room, throwing the guard around like rag dolls. It was only by Luna's protection that Comet and Alpha were not swept up themselves. "Once Rarity's family is completely gone, we will be safe forever, Luna! We can go back to the way it was before!"

"Things will never go back to what they were before, Tia!" Luna sent a shockwave through the room that negated Celestia's whirlwind. "Thou shalt not murder a child!"

"You know what has to be done, Luna," Celestia snarled. "This must happen to protect my ponies! They will be joyful that I did this, and you will see the good in it too!"

Luna's face twisted into a growl and she began charging up her horn. She began siphoning magic from the unconscious and dead unicorn guards in the room, and her whole body began glowing a midnight blue. "Celestia, you were wrong when you said that We would not be willing to do what must be done. Thou art mad, Tia. We will not let you murder!"

The magic flowing through Luna shot out of her horn. Celestia was encased in the dark glow that had covered Luna. She was lifted into the air, screaming in agony. For the briefest of moments, Celestia and Luna locked eyes. Luna saw a look of recognition in Celestia's gaze. A look of fear. "Lulu," Celestia whimpered. "I... I'm sorry."

With one more burst from Luna's horn, Celestia evaporated into the air.

Luna powered down her horn and collapsed onto her haunches. She weakly raised her head and looked tearfully at the sun. "W-we are sorry, Tia. Perhaps someday you will come... back."

With that, Luna collapsed onto the floor.

Author's Note

Blossom dead, Luna unconscious, and Celestia to the sun? I hope it's everything you were hoping for.

Shooting Star

"Madness. Absolute madness."

The latest Captain of the Guard, Thunder Cloud, walked through the destroyed house where The New Nightmare had finally been put down. The floor was littered with the bodies of the royal guards who had come to capture or kill her; some dead, some merely injured. Thunder Cloud turned to one of his guards and motioned over to the bodies on the floor. "Get a medic in here. See who is still alive." The guard saluted and left the room.

Thunder Cloud took a deep breath and continued his examination. On the floor lay a comatose Princess Luna, while Princess Celestia was nowhere to be found. Next to her was the battered and broken body of The New Nightmare herself. Her spine was snapped to the point where her head almost touched her hind hooves, and her neck was jutting out at an odd angle. Her horn was missing, it was likely the bone fragments around her were the remains of her horn, and her head was in a pool of blood. To complete the picture, one of the Ghosts, Alpha he thought, though he had trouble telling them apart sometimes, was sitting in the corner; shaking and unblinking. He was holding a young pegasus filly who was muzzled for some reason. Thunder Cloud walked up to him and took the filly out of his forelegs. He removed the muzzle and hoofed her over to another guard. "Get her to a medic too. I want to know who she is and what she would be doing here."

The guard saluted and put the filly on his back. Thunder Cloud knelt in front of Alpha and waved a hoof in front of his eyes. "Alpha? You in there?"

Alpha blinked once and looked at Thunder Cloud. He shakily raised a hoof and pointed at the corpse of The New Nightmare. "W-we... uh..." He blinked again. "Princess Celestia... she wanted us..." Alpha groaned and leaned his head back against the wall.

"Alpha. Where is Princess Celestia? Why is Princess Luna on the floor like that?"

"They fought," Alpha whispered. "Princess Celestia... she killed The Nightmare and they fought." Alpha raised his head again, still pointing at Blossom's body. "Don't know where Princess Celestia is. She..." Alpha's ear twitched. "She just... went away. Princess Luna made her go away."

Alpha tried to curl away from Thunder Cloud, but Thunder Cloud grabbed him by the head and forced him to make eye contact with him. "Alpha, what do you mean by that? Where is Princess Celestia?"

"She just vanished," Alpha muttered. "Princess Luna just made her vanish. I don't know where."

Thunder Cloud sighed and ran a hoof through his mane. "One more for the medics, I guess," he muttered. Thunder Cloud got on his hooves and turned to his second-in-command, Lightning Blitz. "Lieutenant Blitz, what can you make of all of this?"

Lightning Blitz scoffed and shook his head. "Heck if I know. This kind of thing is above my pay grade, so to speak. Luna down, a Ghost shivering in the corner like a foal, and Celestia who knows where..." He shrugged. "My guess is that this will have political ramifications for decades to come."

"Can't argue with you there," said Thunder Cloud. "We'll get the medics to look over the survivors." Thunder Cloud motioned over to the downed guards. "Do we have a survivor count?"

Lightning Blitz nodded. "Yeah. Forty guards came after The Nightmare. We have twenty-five dead and fifteen wounded. There were no knife wounds, so The Nightmare didn't get any of them. Most of the dead ones have fatal neck and head injuries."

"No indication of what caused it?"

Lightning Blitz shook his head. "Probably whatever took down Princess Luna and made Princess Celestia disappear."

"And we don't know what that is." Lightning Blitz shook his head. "That's just wonderful."

"Excuse me, sirs?" Lightning Blitz and Thunder Cloud turned around and saw a medic kneeling in front of Princess Luna.

"What is it?" asked Thunder Cloud.

"Well, I've done my examination of Princess Luna and I think I might know why she's out like this." The medic pressed his hoof on her neck to check for a pulse. "She's alive for sure, but she's just shut down. Somehow through all of..." The medic motioned to the chaos. "This, she expended a massive amount of power. She's basically shut down to re-charge."

"How long will she be out do you think?" Thunder Cloud asked.

The medic shrugged and began listening to Luna's heartbeat. "Hard to say. It depends on how much magic she used. Frankly if she used so much power that she defeated Celestia, possibly killed her too, then it might be decades."

Thunder Cloud's eyes widened and he trotted up to Luna. "Decades?! She can't be out for decades?! With Celestia gone, Luna is the only one who can move the sun and the moon."

"Well, that's not strictly true," Lightning Blitz pointed out. "We'll just do what we did before the princesses and have a group of ponies move the two. Princess Cadence and Twilight Sparkle especially will be invaluable." Thunder Blitz weakly chuckled. "After all, Princess Cadence is next in line for the throne."

Thunder Cloud bit his lip and scratched the back of his neck. "Uh... that isn't strictly true. Yes she technically is, but she's in charge of the Crystal Empire now. She's not experienced enough to run both the Empire and Equestria."

"Well then, who is in charge now?"

* * * *

Thunder Cloud and Lightning Blitz walked down the now gloomy halls of Canterlot Castle. The news of Blossom's death, Luna's condition, and Celestia's banishment had spread through not just Canterlot, but all of the world like wildfire. Despite the brightly lit corridors and ornate decor, there was no trace of happiness in anypony around. Indeed, none of the servants or other guards were making eye contact with each other.

Once more troops had arrived at the house, the bodies had been moved to a storage facility in the castle to be sorted later. Comet, Alpha, and the rest of the injured guards were in the medical wing, but Thunder Cloud had been told that Comet and Alpha were suffering from shock, but were otherwise perfectly fine.

The speed of the news of the Princess' incapacitation had caused a power shift as they had to go to the fourth pony in line for the throne. As such, many foreign delegates had flocked to the castle in hopes of gaining an advantage over the new Equestrian ruler. The biggest problem was the griffins, as they had made it clear that they would be the ones to execute Blossom. Now they had to deal with the new king of Equestria, as he had taken to calling himself.

"I can't believe that I would live to see the day where Prince Blueblood would ever take the throne," Lightning Blitz muttered. "I mean..." He scowled and the two stopped in front of the throne room. "You know how he is."

"Actually, it seems I know how he is a little better than you do." Thunder Cloud put his hoof on the throne room door. "Did you ever wonder why the Princesses kept that mareanizing dolt around? He's not related to them, and I assure you that he doesn't actually come from a royal family."

"Then why is he around exactly?"

"Look, I know this is going to be hard to believe..." Thunder Cloud sighed and rubbed one of his temples. "But Prince Blueblood is one of Equestria's foremost legal minds. He probably would have been a well-respected judge or lawyer if he wasn't such a plotfaced jerk who abuses his power for his own ends."

"You learn something new every day," Lightning Blitz muttered.

"Yep. The griffins are pissed off, but if they think that Blueblood is going to lie down and take whatever they give, they've got another thing coming." Thunder Cloud tapped the door. "Speaking of which, we'd better get in there. Prince... er..." Thunder Cloud rolled his eyes. "King Blueblood wants us in there in case the griffins try anything nasty or if he wants to order us around or something."

Thunder Cloud pushed the door open, and the two guards were greeted with the sight of Prince Blueblood sitting on what was normally Celestia's throne. A smirk played at his lips that likely had more to do with the crown adorning his head than the new griffin ambassador that was ranting in front of him.

"I had no idea that Princess Celestia was so disrespectful as to ignore our perfectly reasonable demands!" the ambassador screeched. "Emperor Attchune the Third made it quite clear that we were to be the ones who destroyed that monster as retribution for her murder of our ambassador!"

Blueblood's smile widened ever so slightly and he adjusted his crown. "Oh really? And why do you presume that we would allow such a thing? If I recall correctly, we made no such deal. In fact you didn't even have time to put any troops into Equestria."

"Something that we may do now!" The ambassador flared out his wings. "Admit it, now that Celestia and Luna are gone and Cadence is out of the country, Equestria is severely weakened! We would have no problem wiping you out!"

Blueblood rolled his eyes. "You seem to forget that our army is not weakened just because our princesses are out of commission. The death of Captain Shining Armor was regrettable, but he was hardly our most important general." Blueblood chuckled and gave the ambassador a look very reminiscent of a spider with a fly in his web. "You also do seem to forget the Crystal Empire, a race that would certainly go to war to prevent any harm coming to their grieving princess. What say you? Can you fight a two-front war?"

"The Crystal Ponies are weak!" the ambassador snapped. "It would not be long before we won in the east!"

"It would be just long enough for us to cut off your supply lines, on top of the suffering you would go through when all trade with Equestria is cut off." Blueblood clicked his tongue and began idly examining one of his hooves. "I'd love to see how you fight a war without the timber and wheat we export to your nation. I'm sure the Crystal Ponies and Minotaurs would be more than happy to take your share."

"I... you... we will not..." The ambassador's face turned a bright red, but his wings drooped ever so slightly. "Restitution must be given even if there will not be a war! You seem to forget that my predecessor was murdered in your land!"

Blueblood sighed and stopped looking over his hoof. "I do not suppose I can argue with that issue seeing as you don't want to let it go. What do you suggest?"

The ambassador snapped his talons, and one of his aides handed him a scroll. "These are Emperor Attchune the Third's demands! If you follow them, we will drop the matter entirely." The griffin cleared his throat and unfurled the scroll. "For all future visits to Equestria, griffin ambassadors will be allowed to bring triple the guards for security."

Blueblood yawned, but spun his hoof. "Done, I suppose. As long as they don't try anything. They will be watched, though."

"Good. Our next demand is that we be given limited access to the warm water port so we could secure trade with Zebrica!"

"I don't suppose there's harm in that." Blueblood's small smirk returned. "Of course, given that the warm water port is Equestrian territory, there will be a tax that comes with all goods moved from Griffonia. On top of that, any imports will be taxed at the expense of Griffonia."

"That is hardly fair and you know it!"

"Or you can just not have it at all," said Blueblood. "Makes no difference to me or the Equestrian citizens."

The griffin ambassador began quaking with rage, but Blueblood shot a hoof out and waved him away with a yawn. If there's nothing else, I have more important manners to attend to."

"Emperor Attchune The Third has more demands!" the ambassador snarled. "We are not done here!"

"I have already given all of the concessions I am willing to give." Blueblood's smirk returned full force. "Attchune should have understood the risks of sending an ambassador into our country when a serial killer was on the loose. I refuse to hear more demands if you knew the risks. Even if you didn't I would like you out."

"We are not done!" The griffin flared out his wings. "Emperor Attchune The--"

"But we are done here," sad Blueblood. "If you do not leave my throne room in ten seconds, I will have you escorted out."

The ambassador's face twisted into a snarl and his face turned red once more. "This isn't over!"

"I think it is." Blueblood chuckled. "I believe that we already discussed what war between us would look like." Blueblood waved his hoof again. "Begone with you! You bore me."

The ambassador looked very much like he would like to set Blueblood on fire, but with a huff he turned around and stomped out of the throne room. Blueblood chuckled and leaned back on the throne. "Featherbrains. Amusing, really." He sighed and turned his head to Thunder Cloud and Lighting Blitz. "Report on the state of the filly."

Thunder Cloud saluted. "The Nightmare's sister is currently resting in the infirmary. As far as we know, she's completely healthy, but she hasn't said a word since she got there. She just..." Thunder Cloud hesitated and scratched the back of his neck. "She just kind of stares ahead and does nothing. She hasn't eaten in a while, so we have her on an IV giving her nutrients."

"Hmm. Have her parents been contacted?"

"They're on their way to the castle last I heard," said Lightning Blitz.

"Well, that's good, I suppose," Blueblood drawled. "Just give the filly over to them once they arrive. Let them figure out what to do with her."

The two saluted again. "Yes, sir."

"Yes, your majesty," Blueblood retorted.

The two inwardly sighed, but saluted again. "Yes, your majesty."

Blueblood smirked again. "Now, given that The Nightmare began killing because of how my aunties handled the situation with her sister, I think that it would be best if we kept our distance while still keeping an eye on her. Since she's not talking, it's doubtless that her parents will put her in therapy. I want reports on her status every two weeks."

The two guards saluted and Blueblood nodded. "Very well. Begone with you both!" Blueblood stuck his snout into the air. "My lunch is coming and I do not wish to be disturbed!"

Thunder Cloud and Lightning Blitz exited the throne room and trotted towards the infirmary. Thunder Cloud had a small smirk on his lips, and he glanced over at Lightning Blitz. "What did I tell you? He's no slouch when it comes to politics."

"That griffin was furious, but good grief, Blueblood played him like a violin!"

"I remember something he said to me once," said Thunder Cloud. "A mediocre diplomat relies on compromises. A truly great diplomat gets his way."

Lightning Blitz scoffed in amusement as the two reached the infirmary doors. "No kidding."

Before the two guards could open the door, they heard the thundering of hooves behind them. They turned around to see a grey pegasus stallion and a pink unicorn mare zooming down the hall to the infirmary. The mare was sobbing, and even the stallion looked like he was barely holding it together. When they reached the doors, the mare grabbed Thunder Cloud in her hooves.

"Where is she?! Where is my daughter?!"

Thunder Cloud jerked his head to the doors. "She's in there. She hasn't been hurt."

The mare let Thunder Cloud go and burst into the room followed by the stallion and the two guards. On the best closest to the door was the pegasus filly recovered from the scene of The Nightmare's death. A nurse was beside her bed, checking on the IV in her right foreleg. The mare whimpered when she saw her daughter, and she bolted towards the bed and scooped the filly up in her forelegs.

"It's okay, Comet. Mommy's here; Mommy has you now."

The filly hardly reacted to her mother's touch. She stared forwards with a completely blank expression on her face. Every few seconds she blinked, but other than that she was still.

The mare looked up at the nurse. "Is she okay? Sh-she hasn't be hurt, has she?"

The nurse shook her head. "No. she's perfectly healthy. She's just in shock, that's all."

"What happened to her tail?" the stallion asked quietly. "We hadn't heard any news after she went missing."

The nurse sighed sadly and removed the IV. "I'm afraid that The Nightmare did that when she foalnapped her sister. It's a good thing she was found when she was, otherwise little Comet here wouldn't be in nearly as good condition as she is now."

"Don't call my daughter The Nightmare!" the stallion snapped. "Sure she did bad things, but she didn't deserve that title then or now!"

The nurse held up a hoof. "Okay, okay. Her tail was cut off when Blossom foalnapped her. It's going to grow back and she's going to be fine."

The stallion's glare faded and was replaced by a tired look. "I just can't believe she would do that," he muttered. "That's not the mare I knew."

"Well she did kill her mother and grandparents," Thunder Cloud pointed out. "By the end I don't think there was much left of the mare you knew."

The stallion's glare returned, but he said nothing on the subject. He just looked down at his comatose daughter. "When is she going to snap out of it?"

The nurse shrugged. "Could be any day now. I'd suggest getting her to a therapist if she doesn't begin talking soon."

The mare whimpered and gently nuzzled Comet. "Comet, can you talk for Mommy? Mommy's got you now. You're safe." Comet did not respond except to look up at her mother with the same blank stare. "Comet, please say something for Mommy! You're fine now, please say something!" When her daughter did not respond, the mare leaned in and nuzzled her again. "Okay, Comet. I understand. You're scared right now. So am I. We're going to take you home now, okay? Everything is going to be okay. You're safe, Comet. Nopony is going to hurt you anymore."

Author's Note

You know, I think the most fun that I had writing this chapter was writing politically intelligent Blueblood. I still made him a total plothead to keep his established character, but... that was kinda fun. I might have to use that again.

The original ending was the griffins take Comet and the next story was about how they use her as a sleeper agent to kill in Equestria. One of the scenes is where she's holding Prince Blueblood's head in front of a shocked crowd of ponies and then she goes after the princesses. It ends with her taking a cyanide capsule.

... then I decided that was completely ridiculous and didn't belong in a killer Rarity story. Another fic sure, but not this one.

We Just Want to Help You

Patient file 92544. Subject name: Joyous Blossom
Race: Unicorn
Sex: F
Age: 18
DOB: 11/05/92

Notes from my colleague, Dr. Working Mind. The unicorn mare Joyous Blossom, known naturally as merely 'Blossom' and shall be referred to as such in the future, was arrested and incarcerated on 3/15/10 when she confessed to the murders of two of her classmates when she was seven years old. Blossom was sentenced to execution for her crimes, but an appeal by her family reduced her sentence to life in prison and mandatory counseling. Blossom was also responsible for the self-defense killing of the mother of one of the fillies she had murdered, an event that resulted in a scar on Blossom's right hind leg above her cutie mark and a portion of her left ear severed.

One final note of interest is that Blossom is the niece of Rarity, AKA, The Ponyville Butcher. *For more on her, see file 79168* At the time of her arrest, Blossom had reportedly seen hallucinations of her aunt who spoke to her, telling her to commit more murders. There has been no official confirmation as to whether or not she followed those orders, but the prevailing theory is that she did not. All the same, Blossom has been show to become upset easily, and she is in constant fear that she will carry out her aunt's orders. When not agitated, she is docile and friendly. She has a strong, positive relationship with her family who are doing their best to support her through this time.

Patient 92544 Interview One Recording. 3/18/10

Analytical Brain: Alright, is this thing on? Ah, yes, the recording light is on. *clears throat* My name is Dr. Analytical Brain, Equestria's leading expert on The Ponyville Butcher and Equestria-renowned psychologist. Because of my qualifications, particularly those regarding Rarity, I have been chosen to examine the mind of her recently incarcerated niece, Joyous Blossom. It is my goal to understand her mind, to see if we can't help her through her troubles. She will, unfortunately, be confined to a cell for the rest of her life for the murders of her classmates and the mother, but I am going to try to help her if I can.

*Door opens and two ponies walk into the room. One is secured with hoofcuffs.*

Analytical Brain: Ah, Blossom, you're here. Please do sit down. *to guard* You may leave us.

Joyous Blossom: Are you sure about that? I don't feel comfortable being alone with you.

Analytical Brain: Nonsense, Blossom. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you.

Joyous Blossom: I'm not scared that you're going to hurt me.

Analytical Brain: You're not? Well then... *pause* Oh... I see. Blossom, I assure you that I have every faith that you will not bring me harm. You wouldn't even if you weren't wearing hoofcuffs and a magical nullifier ring, I have every faith in you that you won't hurt me.

*Guard exits the room and the door shuts behind him. Blossom sits down.*

AB: Now, I'd like to talk to you about what happened a few days ago if that's okay.

JB: Why?

AB: What do you mean?

JB: Why don't you think that I'd hurt you if I was free?

AB: Because I don't think you hurt ponies without feeling scared or helpless. Those two bullies scared you, and Ms. Tiara hurt you. I have done no such thing and thus I don't feel that you would like to. Besides, I know that you are a good mare, Blossom. You have just had unfortunate things happen to you.

JB: ... I read your article.

AB: Which one?

JB: 'In terms of Joyous Blossom herself, I think that it means that she is just as evil as her aunt is and should at the very least switch places with her mother in the mental institution.' Do you have something that you want to say to me, Dr. Brain?

AB: Uh... w-well, Blossom, you must understand that... uh, that was just some report to a cheesy tabloid magazine. They wanted s-sensationalism and I gave it to them is all. It--

JB: 'If that mare is allowed to roam around Equestria free as a bird, expect to see reports of ponies disappearing without a trace all around the land. I can promise you.' Are you sure you're not here to ask me about the ponies I've hidden in the Apple Family's cellar?

AB: Blossom I... *sigh* I have no excuses. It was very wrong of me and I apologize. I wasn't thinking.

JB: I know. But Aunt Rarity is still telling me to kill you. She has been since I walked in and recognized who you are.

*fifteen second silence*

AB: Blossom, Rarity isn't in the room with us.

JB: Just because you can't see her, that doesn't mean that what she's saying to me is any less real! When my family came to talk me out of death, Aunt Rarity was there and told me to kill my sister! She was right there, I could have reached out and touched her! WHY WON'T SHE LEAVE ME ALONE?!

AB: Blossom, you--

JB: S-she told me that I'd snap and kill the poor pony that they gave me to see if I could get better. I won't kill my family because I love them too much, but she told me I'd kill you!

AB: Blossom, please calm down, there is no reason to get so upset!

JB: But she wants me to kill you! *sob* She wants to make it so that you really suffer before I kill you! She wants me to hurt you like I hurt Miss Tiara because she knows it will feel really good for me!

AB: What do you mean 'it felt really good for you'?

JB: When I killed her... murdered her I made sure that she suffered when I did. It felt really good, like I was invincible almost. It was like raw power was filling me up, making it so that Miss Tiara would stay away from me and I wouldn't be afraid. It wasn't long after that that Aunt Rarity started talking to me.

AB: And she's here right now?

JB: She's sitting in the chair behind your desk.

AB: ...Blossom, there's nopony there.

JB: YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SEE HER?! What, do you think that if you just tell me that she isn't there then she'll just disappear on me, and I can go back to my cell to live the rest of my life chained to a wall with no sunlight, and no magic? I know you can't see her, I know that you don't think that she's there. That doesn't make what she's telling me to do any less real for me, does it? * sobbing*

AB: ... Blossom, I know that it seems very real to you. Just keep telling yourself that she isn't real, she isn't there! I will work day and night with you to make sure that she goes away!

JB: How? I've been seeing her for months now, she's always there, always watching me! She's always whispering in my ears, calling for the blood of whoever I can get of my hooves on. *Three second pause* I don't know how long I can tell her to leave me alone. *Hoofcuffs clink as Blossom stands up* I see her when I'm awake, I see her when I'm asleep, I have had nothing but nightmares since I have been here. She's talking to me always. I don't think that I can resist her for much longer.

AB: And that is why you must let us help you! I have dealt with cases such as your before; ponies who think they see others but in reality they are nothing more than the products of their own minds. I have never failed to dispel those apparitions and I will not fail you!

JB: Have those ponies you've interrogated ever been visions of their serial killer aunts, telling them to follow in her hoofsteps? Have they ever been tempted?

AB: ... are you tempted?

JB: If I wasn't then I wouldn't be so scared that I'm going to do it! I wouldn't have pushed my sister away from me when she was hugging me when my family came to beg for my life! For a moment... I wanted to. For a moment it seemed worth it if it meant that she'd leave me alone. I really wanted to just so Rarity would go away.

AB: Do you think that the Rarity that you see would leave you alone if you killed?

JB: I don't know! I-if she leaves me alone for even a few days then it might be worth it. Why didn't they just let me die?!

AB: Blossom, I--

JB: LEAVE ME ALONE, AUNT RARITY! I don't want to kill him! I know he wrote that mean article, but that doesn't mean I have the right to just snap his neck! Yes... yes I know that I could if I wanted to, but I don't!

AB: Blossom, snap out of it! Please listen to me, she's not there!

JB: Just go away, I don't want to kill him, just go away!

AB: Blossom she's not--

*Hoofcuffs are heard rattling as Blossom moves. Analytical Brain gasps and a chair falls over. Blossom immediately begins crying*

AB: Blossom, I... I know you weren't in control, when you lunged forwards just now. But I also know that you didn't want to hurt me, otherwise I think that you would have. You're still a good mare, and I think that with my help Rarity will go away.

*Blossom continues sobbing and the door opens. The guard mutters something and Blossom stands up and is led out of the room*

AB: The first session did not go as well as I had hoped. Blossom is clearly suffering from paranoid delusions, and it is definitely affecting her. I'm going to be looking into several possible medications for her, maybe more than one. I will make Rarity go away, it... just might be more difficult than I originally envisioned.

*End Tape*

Author's Note

Author's Note: I wrote this A. because I thought it would be interesting and B. to show everybody who had a strong opinion of what the real ending was what the alternative is. I stress, this is not an accepted canon ending; it's just here to show you what Blossom would have done had she not been executed.

What a Fright, Give Me Something Sweet to Bite

A small bell above a store door chimed as the door opened, and a dull green unicorn mare stepped inside the shop. The owner, a tan unicorn mare, looked up at the new arrival and smiled. "Good evening, and happy Nightmare Night."

Blossom returned the mare's smile and tilted her head in greeting. "Happy Nightmare Night." Blossom shook her body to get some feeling back inside her legs. "It's cold out there."

The mare tisked and nodded. "I heard it's supposed to get a bit warmer in case any trick 'r treaters come out tonight." The mare's smile faded and her gaze fell to the floor. "Something unlikely with this "New Nightmare" business."

Blossom ran a hoof through her mane to flatten some of the wilder parts and nodded. "Yeah, I was just turned away at a restaurant because of my horn." Blossom put her hoof down and glanced back at the door with a glower. "It's like they thought that I was going to butcher the entire restaurant! There were at least three dozen fully grown pegasi and earth ponies having a meal in there, how was I supposed to kill them all?"

"Oh, did you go to Coyas place?" The mare scoffed. "I know about them. They turned me down there last week. I was supposed to meet a nice stallion there for a date!"

"I mean really, The New Nightmare can't be that powerful!" Blossom let out a frustrated grunt and glanced over at her aunt who was covering her mouth with her hoof to prevent herself from laughing.

"Well, if you want to know what I've heard..." The mare beckoned Blossom closer and leaned next to her conspiratorially. "I heard from a friend of mine that The New Nightmare is so powerful, and so good with a knife, that she can kill an entire room of fully trained guards in fifteen seconds and not even break a sweat."

Blossom cocked her head. "Has she done that yet? I didn't think that she killed more than two or three ponies at a time."

The mare shrugged. "Well, if she's managed to evade capture so far then it's pretty likely that if she did get in a showdown with a platoon of guards she'd win. I mean, she's killed a few already, hasn't she?"

Blossom nodded. "Yeah, I heard she even got some special ops guard that was designed specifically to catch her."

"Yeah! That was the same night that she slaughtered her grandparents!"

At the mention of her grandparents, Blossom flinched back and flickered an ear. The effect was hardly noticeable, so the mare didn't notice, but Blossom needed a moment to regain her composure. "Oh... uh, yeah, her grandparents. Terrible that that h-happened." Blossom cleared her throat and shook her head. "S-So... yeah."

"I know, it's terrible , isn't it?" The mare looked sadly out of her store window. "I suspect that few foals will be out trick 'r treating tonight, if any." The mare motioned over to a newspaper sitting on the store counter. "The papers even warned us not to."

"I heard that a few cities are doing their trick 'r treating tomorrow afternoon so everypony feels safer," said Blossom. "That way the foals feel safer and they don't have to miss out."

The mare raised an eyebrow. "Really? That sounds like a great idea! I'll have to spread it around, Miss..." The mare spun her hoof, prompting a response from Blossom.

"Oh, Bright Sparks. My name is Bright Sparks. I'm here from Trottingham visiting relatives."

The mare cocked her head. "Isn't that where The New Nightmare hit last?"

Blossom nodded. "Yeah, that's why I'm here. My aunt and cousins want to know that I'm safe, so they told me to come to Fillydelphia."

"Even though The New Nightmare hasn't hit here yet?"

"That's the other reason. I want to make sure they're safe too." Blossom broke eye contact with the mare and looked around the shop. As it was Nightmare Night, there were rows and rows of costumes of every shape and size. Tons of cheap rubber masks, both of the scary and humorous kind, lined the walls and windows, and there were baskets full of accessories dotted around the store. "Had much good business with this whole New Nightmare affair?"

The mare sighed and poked at a plastic replica of Princess Celestia's tiara. "Better than I expected, though not as good as years past. Parents don't want their foals to be too scared, so they still let them dress up for Nightmare Night. Normalcy is important for them."

"That's part of the reason I'm here too," said Blossom. "I'm looking for a good Nightmare Night costume of my own."

The mare smiled and motioned around the store. "Well you've come to the right place. I have just about anything that you could possibly want here."

Blossom tapped her lower jaw with her hoof. "Well, I don't really get to dress up that much Do you have some princess costumes or anything like that?"

The mare nodded and beckoned Blossom onwards. "Right back here is where I have the adult costumes. I'm sure I can find something that looks good on you." The mare chuckled. "Heck, I even have some dresses that used to be high-society and now are bargain bin nonsense."

Blossom giggled and stepped inside the back area with her host. "No kidding?"

The mare shook her head. "No kidding."

As the two entered, Blossom saw that the back room was full of cheap, knockoff dresses and tuxedos hung on wire hangars. Most of the colors one them were faded, or at the very least, clearly artificial, and they had all clearly seen better days.

Blossom walked up and down the two short rows of outfits, occasionally pulling out a dress that caught her eye without really finding anything interesting. "Is this all?"

"I'm afraid so," said the mare. "Most of my best stuff is usually long gone before this point, so you have the leftovers in front of you."

"It's okay," said Blossom with a wave of her hoof. "I'm sure I can find something."

Blossom put a dark blue dress back on the rack, and was about to turn around to go back down the rows again when something caught her eye. It was a back room of the store, almost like a sort of workshop. Inside was one of the most beautiful dresses that Blossom had ever seen. It was a purplish pink dress with subtle, darker purple frills accenting it. The back end was lined with gold fabric and was dotted with small gemstones. To complete the ensemble, a golden tiara rested on the ponyequin's head.

Blossom's eyes widened and she raised a hoof to shakily point at the outfit. "What is that?" she whispered.

The mare looked over to where Blossom was pointing and smiled while at the same time flattening her ears. "That, is one of my finest possessions, but greatest shames." The mare motioned for Blossom to join her in the room, and she flipped on a light to better accent the dress. "Dresses like this were all the rage about thirty years back. My mother got ahold of this just after it happened." The mare bowed her head. "Murderabilia, that's what they called dresses like this."

"What is it?" Blossom questioned.

"If what the few ponies who have seen it are telling me is true, this is one of the dresses designed by The Ponyville Butcher herself." The mare reached up and straightened the tiara. "What's more, this is the one that she wore to The Grand Galloping Gala."

Blossom inhaled sharply and her jaw dropped. "Rarity?"

The mare nodded. "I don't know where my mother got it. She never told me and I was only foolish enough to ask once, but she told me that there was a mad rush to collect these dresses. In the few years after her death anything she had ever touched became more valuable than gold." The mare chuckled sadly. "We're too young to understand, I suppose, but from what my mom told me, the less civilized ponies were in a mad rush to get everything of hers. The deadliest serial killer ever and an Element of Harmony to boot? It was fascinating to a lot of ponies. My mom scoured Equestria for anything of hers. By the time she got enough cash to get some of her stuff, there wasn't much left." The mare motioned over to the dress. "It's a miracle she found this."

"She collected Ponyville Butcher murderabilia?" said Blossom breathlessly.

The mare nodded. "This wasn't the only thing of hers she got." She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know why I'm telling you about all of this, but I'm a talkative mare and I can't talk about this stuff with most ponies. I think that I just want to get rid of it so I can be done with it all."

"What else of The Butcher's did she get?" Blossom asked.

The mare glanced over at a sewing station and pawed at the ground with her hoof. "I don't know if I should show you, but..." The mare groaned and fired up her horn. A small drawer opened up, and a polished wooden box floated out of the drawer. It moved over to the two mares and stopped in front of the owner. "If my mother was adamant about not telling me where the dress came from, she was even more tight-lipped about telling me where this came from."

Slowly the mare unhitched the latch and opened up the box. The small light inside the room reflected off of the metal inside, making it glisten as if it was brand new. Blossom's jaw dropped slightly, and she took a shaky step backwards at what she saw.

"One of her knives," Blossom whispered.

The mare nodded. "Griffonian butcher knife. It was specially imported if what my mother told me is true." She sighed. "The guard collected all of them at her arrest. I don't know how my mother managed to get her hooves on one of them." The mare grunted in disgust and snapped the box closed. "Whatever, I don't want to think about my mom doing anything illegal."

"I'll take them," Blossom said quietly. "I... I'll take them."

The mare frowned and cocked her head. "What?"

"Th-the box with the knife and the dress. I-I'll take them both!"

The mare's frown deepened, yet held a hint of unease as she glanced down at the box in her magical glow. "Well... I guess..." The mare blinked three times and looked up at Blossom. "Why?"

"Can I have them or not?"

The mare flinched back at Blossom's harsh tone, but she moved the box closer to Blossom, allowing her to take it in her own magical grasp. "Ten bits apiece, I guess."

Rarity stepped next to Blossom, glaring at the mare as she did. "Humph. I never would have sold anything of mine for ten bits, much less my personal items."

Blossom ignored both her aunt and the shop owner. She put the box carefully on the ground and gently opened the lid. The knife was just as sharp and well-kept as it had been when she had seen it last. A shaky hoof reached out to it, and Blossom hooked her foreleg over the handle. The second her skin made contact, Blossom felt a jolt go through her foreleg. It would have caused her to drop the knife under normal circumstances, but here it was almost pleasant.

"It's like claiming your birthright, isn't it?" Rarity giggled.

Blossom slowly nodded and raised the knife into the air. "It's..." She exhaled a breath she hadn't known she had been holding in. "It's almost unreal."

"I know," said the mare sadly. "Can you believe that that knife was used to end the lives of Celestia knows how many ponies?" She shook her head. "I'm glad to be rid of it, honestly."

"It was one of my favorites when I was alive," Rarity cooed. She smiled fondly at the knife and reached out a hoof to touch the blade. "For her to give it to you like that... well, it's almost enough to spare her from death."

Blossom's mouth twitched into a small smile. "Almost."

The mare cocked her head. "Almost what?"

Blossom let out a small chuckle, and before the mare could do anything other than raise her hoof to take a step back, Blossom swung the knife horizontally across the mare's neck. The mare gasped as her blood began draining from her throat. She reached a hoof up to grasp at the wound, but her ebbing strength led her to collapse onto the floor.

Blossom stared down at the drained body of the mare. It had been so simple. Far simpler than it was normally with her own knife. "It cut so cleanly."

Rarity giggled again and motioned to a washcloth. "Yes, griffon knives are meant for cutting meat, not vegetables. It's amazing, isn't it?"

"It doesn't even compare." Blossom levitated the cloth over to her and wiped the blood off of the knife. When it was cleaned, she gently placed it back inside the box, which she then levitated into her saddlebag. "I might as well have been using a plastic fork compared to that."

"Why did she have to die?" a tiny voice behind Blossom whimpered.

Blossom gasped and spun around, nearly knocking over the dress as she did. There she was again. That little gray filly. Every kill since the pregnant mare, there she was. Always crying about why they had to die. Blossom growled at her, causing the foal to take a small step backwards.

"I thought I told you to get out of here!" Blossom snarled. "I said I was sorry! Just leave me alone!"

The filly's ears flattened, and she slowly moved past Blossom to the mare's body. "She only showed you that stuff because she was sad that her mommy had it. She just wanted it to go away." The filly sniffled and wiped her eyes with her foreleg. "Why did she have to die?"

Blossom groaned and began sliding the dress off of the dress form. "You know why. Just leave me alone!"

"She probably has family. They're going to be very sad when they find out she died like this."

The dress came off, allowing Blossom to fold it neatly over a padded wooden hangar. "Stop following me!"

"I bet my family was sad when they found out you killed me while I was in Mommy's tummy. It hurt me a lot when you killed her." The filly sniffled again and began shaking the slain mare on the ground. "It hurt me when I died in Mommy's tummy like that."

With one final snarl of anger and pain, Blossom wheeled around and glared daggers at the filly. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"

The filly flinched back and began softly crying, wrapping her tiny forelegs around the mare's left foreleg and burying her face in her mane. Blossom groaned and ran out of the shop, slamming the door to the workroom behind her.

* * * *

Night had fallen upon the city of Fillydelphia.

Nightmare Night.

One of Blossom's favorite nights of the year when she was a filly was Nightmare Night. The ones with the Apples were always really cool because she got to help make treats like caramel apples for the townsponies, but trick 'r treating with her mother had always been a wonderful experience too. She would hope around her mother, dresses like a veterinarian like Aunt Fluttershy, or a Wonderbolt like Aunt Scootaloo and Aunt Rainbow Dash. Her mother would be dressed up too, and the two of them would go down the streets of Ponyville, gathering candy from the happy townsponies. All of the other foals would be out too, dressed as something scary or funny. Auntie Pinkie Pie would often chaperone a group. The streets would be filled with ponies eating candy, dancing, playing games, and just having a generally good time. Once Princess Luna had shown up to the festivities, but Sweetie Belle had taken Blossom home when they had seen her chariot in the sky.

This was nothing like that.

Fillydelphia was a city of two million ponies. One would never know just by looking down even the busiest street in the entire city. Not a single soul was walking down the street. No ponies were taking their foals trick 'r treating. All of the doors were locked tight, the curtains were pulled over the windows, and there were no lights on save for the occasional street lamp.

It was as if everypony had just gotten up and left.

The only evidence that anypony existed on the planet at all was a single white mare with a purple mane and a regal purple dress walking down the street all alone. The only sounds in the night were those of her hooves clopping on the pavement. For all intents and purposes, the city was dead.

Blossom trudged down the streets of Fillydelphia, aimlessly looking for... something. She sighed and scanned the rows of houses that lined the street. Not a single pony stirred in any of them.

Blossom stopped in her tracks and turned her head to the left. The house that entered her vision was a small, one-story building. Just the kind of place that was prevalent in Fillydelphia. Like the others around it, there were no lights on in the whole place and the curtains were closed. Ponies likely hid in their rooms, shivering under blankets in the hope that she wouldn't find them there.

She shrugged and began walking towards it. If there were ponies there then she would have her kills. If not, there was likely some food she could use for a quick meal.

As she walked up towards the house, she noticed an unusually shaped lump on the front porch. It looked like...

Candy?

Blossom frowned and stepped onto the porch. Yes, there was no mistaking it. The mound was a few hooffulls of small, brightly colored candies. What was more, there seemed to be a piece of parchment on top of the pile. Blossom frowned and took the note in her magical aura, expending a little more energy to increase the light emulating from her horn.

To The New Nightmare,
My name is Spinning Cog. I live here with my wife Pure Meadow and my two fillies, Bright Sky and Morning Dew. I am writing this to ask you that you spare my family and me tonight, and all nights going forward when you come to Fillydelphia. If you do come to us, please just take me and leave my family alone. My wife is the kindest, sweetest pony you'll ever meet, and my two daughters are full of such joy and life. Bright Sky just got her cutie mark a few weeks ago. You should have seen how happy she was. Morning Dew is trying to be like her big sister by getting her cutie mark too. I know that Equestria sees you as a monster, but I believe that there is good in all ponies. I beg you to find it in you to spare my family. I know this offering isn't much, but it's my way of begging for your mercy. Please, spare my family.

Yours humbly,
Spinning Cog.

Blossom slowly let the note drift from her magical grasp. She stared blankly down at the small pile of candy and reached out to grab a small piece of candy corn. She lifted the treat into the air, and popped it in her mouth. "Hope Morning Dew finds her cutie mark," she whispered.

As Blossom stepped off of the porch, she began to feel the first traces of tears in her eyes. Nightmare Night was supposed to be scary, not terrifying. She had ruined that for little Bright Sky and Morning Dew. Maybe... maybe one was enough for Fillydelphia. Just this once.

She once again began her trek down the streets of Fillydelphia, but this time she noticed that Spinning Cog was far from the only house to leave her a candy offering. In fact, dozens upon dozens of houses had such offerings. Most had left small notes to her as well.

It was official. In Fillydelphia at least, Princess Luna was no longer The Nightmare that they were appeasing. It was her.

"M-maybe tonight isn't the right night for another two kills," Blossom muttered. "Uh... th-there will be other nights for this."

Blossom exhaled deeply and straightened the golden tiara on her head. "Yeah. Not tonight."

Just as Blossom was about to turn around to begin her journey back to her hideout, a few quiet noises entered her ears. She frowned and swiveled them in the direction of the noise. They sounded like... voices. Blossom slowly turned around and the source of the voices became quickly apparent.

A mare was quickly herding her two fillies down the street. She was hissing whispered commands at them and looking wildly around for any possible source of danger.

Her.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

The mare gasped and hugged her foals close to her with her wings. Her head rotations became more rapid as she looked around to see who had spoken. Blossom used it as her opportunity to trot closer to the mare. "I'd like to talk to you."

The mare's eyes locked on to Blossom, and she began rapidly taking steps backwards. "Please just leave me alone!" she begged. "I just want to get my foals home safe!"

"I know you do. That's why you're going to stay right where you are and let me talk to you." Blossom began taking faster steps and was quickly only a few hooves away from the three of them. "If you try to run, if you try to scream, if you try to draw any attention to us, I'll kill all three of you, is that understood?"

The mare squeaked in fear, but screeched to a halt, hugging her fillies even closer. She locked eyes with Blossom as tears began pouring down her face. "You don't have to do this," she whispered.

Blossom scoffed and used her magic to pull her aunt's knife out of a pocket of the dress and stroked the mare's mane with the flat of the blade. "Why do you think that I would?"

The mare flinched back at the feeling of the cold steel on her head. "Huh?"

"You asked me not to kill you. Why do you think that I would?"

"Because you've killed so many ponies!" The mare shakily sat on her haunches and wrapped her forelegs around her foals. "Please don't hurt them!"

Blossom exhaled and shook her head. "Why do you think that I do what I do? Be honest. I won't get mad no matter what you say."

"Because you're evil!" the mare snarled. "You have the same black hole for a heart that your evil aunt did!"

"Is that truly what you believe, or are you only saying that because everypony else is?" Blossom took another step forwards. "Be honest."

The mare let out a sniffle and lowered her head to nuzzle the fillies in her forelegs. "What other kind of mare would do this?"

"I think a truly evil and heartless mare would have killed you and your foals already."

A small gasp escaped from the mare's throat, and she slowly raised her head. Blossom gave her a small, sad smile before looking down at one of her children. The filly flinched away when she saw Blossom looking at her. "Do you know who I am?" Blossom questioned.

The filly slowly shook her head and held her mother tighter. "Don't hurt Mommy," she whimpered.

Blossom reached out a hoof and gently placed it on the filly's head. "Why do you think that I will?" The filly shrugged. "I suppose you're right to be scared. I am a bad pony who does hurt other ponies, just like my aunt did a long time ago. I..." Blossom stopped talking when she saw how much the filly was shaking. She sighed and sat down on her haunches. "Don't scream. Please don't scream or I might have to do something that I regret."

With that, Blossom fired up her horn. Her magical aura encased the filly, tearing her out of her mother's forelegs. The mother whimpered and the filly began sobbing, but neither of them screamed. Blossom slowly reached out to the sobbing filly and wrapped her in her forelegs. "I'm sorry."

The tears that had been welling up in Blossom's eyes started spilling over and dripping down her face. She gently nuzzled the crying foal. "It's going to be okay. I'm not going to hurt you or your mother or your sister. You're going to be fine." Blossom began gently stroking the filly's mane. "I have a sister just like you, did you know that? Her name is Comet Blitz, but everypony just calls her Comet. I... I really miss her."

"I wanna go back to my mommy!" the filly whimpered.

"I know. I just wanted..." Blossom sighed and shook her head. "No, I can't have stuff like this."

Blossom loosened her grip on the filly, who immediately wormed her way out of Blossom's grasp, running straight back to her mother. Blossom slowly pushed herself to her hooves and put the knife away. "Go." Blossom pointed towards the street behind the cowering family. "Get out of here."

The mare shot to her hooves and tossed her foals onto her back. She then turned around and shot in the opposite direction. Blossom watched her until she was only a speck in the distance, then fired up her horn. She used her magic to remove the dress and tiara, folding them neatly and stashing them inside her saddlebag. With one more burst of energy, she changed her saddlebag's color from green to dark red, then shifted her own appearance until she resembled a dark blue mare.

"Happy Nightmare Night."

Author's Note

Blossom's kill count: 47

Hope you like this chapter. Check out my store! http://www.cafepress.com/bronywritermerc

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