The Cutie Mark Killers

Chapter 6
Sweet and Elite

Rarity huffed in annoyance. This was starting to get ridiculous.

“Really” She thought, “After everything that has happened, she could at least do us the courtesy of showing up on time. Especially after all that has happened.”

She, Twilight, and Fluttershy were gathered around one of the tables in the library. Before AppleJack’s burial, Rarity had planned for the three of them to spend the day with Rainbow Dash and reminisce. Too many good ponies were gone, and it was putting everypony on edge. Rarity had felt it necessary to take the tension off over a cup of tea.

One crucial pony was missing however. Rainbow Dash was nearly an hour late.

“Well, it’s just like old times, I guess.” Twilight said with a weak laugh.

“Twilight, you know this was important.” Replied Rarity. “If she had any respect at all, she would have been here by now!”

Twilight sighed. “Rarity, you know Dash wouldn’t do this on purpose. She’s always had trouble being on time. Being a wonderbolt probably hasn’t helped.”

“Still, that doesn’t excuse her. She knows-“

Rarity was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.” Said Twilight, rising to her hooves. She strode across the library and opened the door.

On the other side were two grim-looking police ponies. One removed his cap and looked to the ground.

“Ma’am, we reget to inform you that we…” The police pony swallowed, and looked away.

“We’ve found a body.” Finished the other one.

“Oh no” Said Twilight weakly. She turned away from the police to hide her tears.

“Zecora?” Fluttershy asked. She got to her hooves with a look of concern.

“No.” Said the first officer, regaining his composure. “You should probably come with us.”

“Right” Replied Twilight. “Rarity, can you come with me? I don’t want to do this alone.”

“Twilight, I really don’t think I…”

“I’ll come” Whispered Fluttershy, just loud enough for the others to hear.

Twilight and Rarity turned to her in surprise.

“A-are you sure?” Asked Twilight. This was very unusual for Fluttershy to volunteer for something like this.

“I’m sure.” Affirmed Fluttershy, with steely resolve edging into her voice.

“All right.” Said Twilight. “Let’s go. Rarity, We’ll meet you at the boutique when we get back.”

--==--

Sweetie Bell watched from across the street. She could see the police talking with Mrs. Sparkle at the library, though she couldn’t hear what was being said. Mrs. Sparkle looked like she was crying. A few seconds later, the three ponies left towards the Everfree forest, along with Fluttershy. Rarity came out moments later, and walked towards the Carousel Boutique, her eyes cast downward.

“All right girls, let’s go.” She said to her friends.

Scootaloo and AppleBloom were with her. Sweetie Belle could feel Scootaloo’s anticipation, and AppleBloom had a hungry look in her eye. Sweetie Belle knew what her friends wanted. She wouldn’t disappoint them.

Sweetie Belle would have preferred to save this for later. At least until Mrs. Sparkle and Fluttershy were dealt with. However, with the police involved, everypony was on high alert. It wouldn’t be too much longer until ponies started to get suspicious of the crusaders. Sweetie Belle planned to be far away from Ponyville when that started.

The crusaders raced back to the boutique and entered the back door. They then waited in the dark, staying completely silent. They sat there for around five minutes, until the front door opened. Rarity stepped through, and carefully shut it behind her.

As soon as she thought she was in private, Rarity gave a loud wail and ran sobbing to her favorite couch in the corner. She threw herself onto it, crying into a pillow.

“Oh who is it now? I can’t take this anymore!” She yelled to nopony. “I’ve already lost four friends, I won’t lose another! Why is this happening to me?”

“You selfish foal.”

Rarity squealed and jumped, whipping her head towards the unexpected voice. She sighed with relief when she saw Sweetie Belle step out from the shadows. She was about to walk over to her sister, when her words sunk in.

“What did you say to me?” Rarity snapped. She was in no mood for her little sister to be talking to her like that.

“I said you’re being a self-centered little foal. Like you’ve always been. Just an overgrown brat.” Said Sweetie Belle.

Rarity was taken aback. Her and her sister fought all the time, but not without reason. For Sweetie Belle to just start hurling insults was completely uncharacteristic. Something was wrong and Rarity knew it. However, that didn’t stop her from rising to Sweetie Belle’s taunts.

“Who do you think you are young lady? You have no idea what I’ve been through!”

“Yes, I do. Everypony does. Do you know why? Because they’ve all been going through the same thing! Yet it’s just you who is sitting alone whining about it.” Sweetie Belle said. “For the element of generosity, you’re acting particularly selfish.”

"You don’t know what you’re talking about” Said Rarity defensively. She turned around to drop back into the comfort of her sofa. She didn’t have the energy or will to go toe-to-toe with her sister right at that moment.

“Yes I do”

Rarity tried to turn anound and retort, but was stopped by Sweetie Belle’s hoof slamming into her muzzle. Rarity reeled back, stunned.

“Sweetie Belle, you just… What the hay is wrong with you?” Rarity demanded. Her carefully controlled demeanour had faded away as she rubbed the spot where Sweetie Belle had punched her.

“You. You are what’s wrong. You are incapable of doing anything other than complaining. Anytime something is wrong, all you do is bitch and moan while everypony else drags you along. You think you know pain? You think you know fear? You don’t even know the meaning of those words. Not yet anyway.”

Rarity’s jaw dropped. For a few seconds, she could only stand there, with her hoof to her face. Finally she moved. Dignity forgotten, she rounded on her little sister, her horn glowing with magic. However, she stopped short when she noticed the two other fillies that had joined Sweetie Belle.

AppleBloom and Scootaloo were standing on either side of Sweetie Belle. AppleBloom was clutching a syringe in her mouth, while Scootaloo held a curved knife. They were both staring at Rarity with an excited glint in their eyes.

Sweetie Belle grabbed the needle from AppleBloom with her magic.

“I know what you’re most afraid of. Do you?”

--==--

Rarity woke up in a haze. Groaning, she looked around. Her room. She must have passed out while working. Rarity realized she had a terrible headache. Her forehead felt like it was split open. She moved to rub her temple. As she did, her hoof brushed against something hard.

She looked towards where she felt the disturbance and gasped. Her hooves were tied to the posts of her bed with lengths of red ribbon. She could still move each hoof a little, but the bindings were tight. She struggled for a bit, but couldn’t get free.

As she struggled, she started to remember what happened. Not the whole event, but bits and pieces. She remembered a struggle with her sister. Scootaloo and AppleBloom were there too. There was something about a needle, then nothing. Everything went dark after that.

Rarity reached for her magic, trying to untie herself. Nothing came. She tried again, concentrating harder. Again, she couldn’t access her powers. Rarity grunted in frustration.

“Having trouble sis?”

Rarity looked over her stomach towards the far wall. The three cutie mark crusaders were there. They were standing so still that Rarity hadn’t noticed them at first. With a chill, she saw that Scootaloo was still holding the curved knife.

“What’d you do to me?” Rarity slurred. The sleeping drug hadn’t worn off completely.

Sweetie Belle said nothing, but nodded towards Rarity’s left hoof.

Rarity looked to where Sweetie Belle indicated. It was the same place where she had felt something brush against her. She squinted, and through her blurred vision, she saw something. It was a small cone, as white as her coat. A shallow grove spiraled along its length.

Rarity’s eyes shot open. The after-effects of the drug were shaken off immediately by the sight of it. Horror welled up inside of her as she stared at the object. She knew exactly what she was looking at.

A unicorn horn. Her unicorn horn.

Rarity turned away. Tears welled in her eyes. She leaned over the other side of her bed as much as possible and vomited onto the floor. She turned towards her sister, Hatred boiling inside of her.

“When I get out of here, you are in for a world of hurt.” Rarity snarled.

Sweetie Belle made no reply. She simply walked over to the side of the room towards a large mirror that Rarity used to help her fit dresses. With a grunt, Sweetie Belle pushed it towards the side of the bed, aligning it so Rarity could get a good look at herself.

Rarity gasped at what she saw. Where her horn would have been, a stump remained. The rest of her face was covered in purple bruises. Rarity gave a choking sob and tried to look away from the terrible sight her own face had become. However, Sweetie Belle held her head still with magic.

She stepped behind her sister’s head so Rarity could see her in the mirror.

“You know what your problem is?” Asked Sweetie Belle, “You think you have it a lot tougher than you actually do. You have a really good life, but you constantly complain how hard everything is. You have no idea what real fear or pain is like. So I’m going to show you. I’m doing you a favor, really.”

Sweetie Belle took the knife from Scootaloo. Still holding Rarity’s head, she gently placed the blade on her cheek. Rarity whimpered and looked down at it, holding absolutely still.

“Do you know what you are really afraid of most? It’s not just losing your beauty like everypony thinks. No it’s more than that.”

“Sweetie Belle…” Rarity said carefully, “Get that knife away from me…”

Sweetie Belle continued talking as if Rarity hadn’t said anything.

“You’re afraid of ponies looking down on you. That why you are so afraid of doing anything that would diminish the veil of dignity you made for yourself. You want everypony to think that you’re above them.”

Sweetie Belle adjusted the knife so that it was pointing directly down at Rarity’s face. The tip drew a pinprick of blood.

Sweetie Belle pressed the tip of the knife against Rarity’s face. It slipped through her pearl-white skin. With almost no effort, the blade cut right through the muscle, entering the cavity of the mouth.

Rarity shrieked as blood dripped down her face. Some poured into her mouth and down her throat, causing her to gag. The copper taste combined with the pain nearly made her throw up again.

Sweetie Belle continued pushing. The knife sunk deeper into Rarity’s face, widening the wound. Rarity tried to cry out, but her tongue rubbed against the edge of the blade. With a muted whine, she felt a layer of flesh peel away from it.

Finally, the tip of the knife met with the inside of Rarity’s other cheek. Feeling the resistance, Sweetie Belle plunged the knife down hard. It tore through the tissue, and sank into the sheets below. Sweetie Belle let go of the knife and stepped back.

Rarity was sobbing gently into the bed. The knife that was shoved through her face was pure agony. Every breath she took sent a lance of pain through her mouth. Her heart pounded, sending torrents of blood from the twin gashes. A crimson stain had started to form on the bedsheets.

“I wonder what everypony would think of you now.” Mocked Sweetie Belle. “The great designer Rarity, all disfigured and crying like a foal.

“I think that knife is starting to hurt a little” Said Scootaloo from behind her. A grisly smile of delight split her features. “Maybe you should take it out.”

Sweetie Belle nodded to her friend and grabbed the handle of the knife once more. With a smile she started so saw the blade back and forth, pulling it towards the front of Rarity’s mouth. Two red gashes were left in the wake of the knife as it traveled forth. Rarity screamed and tried to clamp her teeth down on the blade, slowing it.

Feeling the resistance, Sweetie Belle punched Rarity as hard as she could in the eye. Reeling back, Rarity briefly opened her mouth in shock. It was all the time Sweetie Belle needed.

She savagely tore the knife forward, creating a clean cut out of Rarity’s mouth. A line of blood splashed across the mirror as the blade arced outwards. Rarity’s mouth opened wide as she cried out, separating the two gashes that now dominated her face. Twin rivers of blood poured down her chin.

Rarity looked at herself in the mirror. The cuts made it look like her mouth extended halfway up her face. Though she looked on in horror, her reflection gave a bloody smile back to her. She closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight of her own face any longer.

“Oh no you don’t!” Sweetie Belle snapped.

She used magic to grasp the eyelashes on one of Rarity’s eyes and pull them outwards. She then brought the tip of the knife down and traced a line across the eyelid. The whisper-thin membrane separated and peeled away from Rarity’s face. Sweetie Belle repeated the procedure with the other eye. She then stepped back to give Rarity a good look at the mirror.

Rarity simply gaped at the monster staring at her through the mirror. Her eyes were now permanently open, giving her a surprised appearance. Blood welled from her eyes and dripped down her face, mixing with her tears. Combined with her new mouth, she looked to be in a perpetual state of demented glee.

“So, how do you like your new makeover?” Teased Sweetie Belle.

Rarity gave no answer. She just stared at her reflection.

Sweetie Belle leaned closer. She examined her handiwork closely, delighting in her sister’s fear and pain.

Suddenly, Rarity broke from her catatonic state, and lunged forward with her forehead. She caught Sweetie Belle in the nose, sending her reeling back. In her surprise, Sweetie Belle dropped her knife in front of Rarity’s face.

Rarity grabbed it with her teeth, and wrenched her head out of Sweetie Belle’s magic. She quickly cut her left hoof free of the ribbon. She spat the knife into the palm of her hoof and stared down at it.

Sweetie Bell rubbed her nose. A trickle of blood dripped from it. Scootaloo and AppleBloom cautiously stepped back from Rarity. Now that she had the knife, there was no telling what she would do.

But Rarity just sat there, knife in hoof. Her deranged face was impossible to read. It looked like she was smiling down at it, as if it was the greatest thing she had ever seen; her eyes wide in a mask of excitement. Finally she moved.

She brought the knife up to her own throat. She gave one last look at her sister. Their eyes locked for a lingering second. Sweetie Belle looked through the monster’s smiling features, into her tortured sister underneath.

Rarity plunged the knife into her herself. A fountain of blood spewed forward. Rarity jerked the knife to the side, severing her own windpipe. She didn’t cry out. She didn’t even whimper as she collapsed backward onto the bed.

There she lied, dead. The crusaders looked on in shock, not entirely sure what to think of what just happened.

“We should get out of here,” Said AppleBloom nervously. “Mrs. Sparkle and Fluttershy will be back soon.” Scootaloo nodded in agreement.

“You guys go on ahead. I just want to leave a surprise for the next pony who comes through here.” Sweetie Belle replied. She walked to a nearby desk and removed a bottle of glue from its drawer. She then grabbed Rarity’s horn from the bed.

“I’ll catch up in a little bit, and we'll meet at the clubhouse. Scootaloo, leave your knife here. ”

As she got to work, Sweetie Belle didn’t even notice the cutie mark that was forming on her flank.

--==--

Spike walked across town towards Carousel Boutique. He had seen Rarity come through here earlier. He wanted to go check on her. He knew she wasn’t taking the deaths of her friends well.

He came to his destination, and knocked on the door.

“Rarity, are you there?”

There was no reply.

Spike cautiously opened the door. It was pitch black inside. He squinted and fumbled around for the light switch. He found it, and flicked it on. The intense showroom lights that Rarity favored blazed to life, blinding Spike temporarily.

He blinked, and saw a figure in the centre of the room. The familiar silhouette of his beloved Rarity came into focus.

“There you are, Rarity!” He said, running over to her. “I’ve been kinda worried about you.”

As he got closer, his vision started to improve. He was now able to see her features clearly. The sight made him stop in his tracks.

Her face was almost unrecognisable. A crimson smile crossed it. It had a sinester look to it. Where Rarity’s eyes should have been, there were only bulging sockets, filled with cotton. Stitched cuts crossed her body, most promenantly across her throat, where her once-white coat was permanently stained red.

Seeing the mutilated pony before him was too much for the young dragon. He swayed, and collapsed onto the floor, passed out.

--==--
End of chapter 6