Legacy of Death Belle: The Cursed Crusaderby Inferno demon DashChaptersTragic heartacheUngranted birthday wishDeath of Scootaloo and sins that followDark journeyEntrance into sorrowA curse forever followedTragic heartacheA barren, cruel red desert laid before the young filly, the age of twelve. She had white fur with a mixture of pink and purple locks for her mane and tail with a small nub of a white polished horn of her forehead.....beautiful sap green eyes were widen in terror as she looked upon the two creatures that stood before her.....and her sister. Her sister was the same white furred pony but full grown, and curled purple locks caressed down being her mane and tail, azure colored eyes were narrowed at the pony that stood before her, a pure white colored sword strapped across her back hidden in a green colored sheath and a large, green diamond rested on the center of her chest on a large, firm sliver chain. The mare's flank held three blue colored diamonds, telling that she had a knack for finding jewels, as proven by the one around her neck....or perhaps she had earned the jewel herself, through hardship and lost while the filly's flank was blank. The mare stomped her front hooves to the ground in rage with a snort from her nostrils all the while glaring at the unicorn before her, while a light but dusty breeze blew pass the four creatures awaiting for the battle that would take place before all the land. "So....the rumors are true......you're the one they call Diamond Slayer....the Mare of beauty....the bearer of the number one jewel....or is that merely a title stamped on you to assume that you had whore your way through the ranks?" A lilac colored mare spoke as she tossed her black mane from her eyes, a very enticing color of purple that were her eyes showed but her face was set in a frown with a single strip of pink for both her mane and tail completed her body. On her flank was a large purple star with five stars around the main, respecting her cutie mark as one of magic. A large, red diamond was on the center of her chest with another large, firm sliver chain holding it around the unicorn's neck as a grown, sharp purple horn was in the center of her forehead. Twin, large curved sliver swords stained with blood with strapped by a brown sheath on her back as the other creature to the left of her was a male teenage dragon, his purple scales were stained with blood as he sighed loudly, wishing for this to be over and done with, he had a light shade of green on his stomach and harsh, annoyed green colored eyes but was without wings. The dragon rolled his eyes as he watched the mares glare at one another, knowing that the female known as Diamond Slayer would never answer his partner's question....she seemed to smart for such a stupid trick. As such, the reptile reached with his left claw behind him and grabbed a freshly packed, tight roll of tobacco from his tail and chuckled as he breathed green fire on the item, before putting it into his mouth and inhaling deeply then exhaling a large amount of gray smoke from his nose. The mare next to him breathed in the smoke and coughed hard, glaring in annoyance at the one who was like a brother to her....one she wish should could have exchanged for another creature by now. "Spike....I told you to stop smoking....it's bad for your lungs and...*cough* it's a really nasty habit you know? Why won't you ever listen to me, damn it!" she growled darkly at Spike who merely rolled his eyes once more. "Because, Twi.....I'm a grown adult now, I don't need you telling me what to do all the time....and in case you have already forgotten....I get bored when your not fighting....so as to not be in ocean of blood myself, I smoke....now if you don't mind....you got a legend that looks like she really wants to kick your ass, Magic Blades." the dragon replied with a smirk as the mare known as Magic Blades turned back to her opponent. "Rarity....please....don't do this." the small filly pleaded looking at her sister who looked back over her right shoulder and smiled half heartedly. "Don't worry Sweetie Belle....it will all be over soon.....I promise. And in any case, I don't have a choice....it's tradition....nothing can stop that....the goddesses themselves forbid it." Rarity spoke calmly as she stepped forward by four steps then turning her head to the left over her shoulder, she drew her sword, the handle held so tight in her teeth that it made her jaw ache, but she had to win this, she knew she could fight with her magic, but she preferred this style of fighting to any other. Magic Blades closed her eyes and chuckled before opening them and turning her he to look at her assistant. "Spike....give me a drag...for me to do something worth wild....if nothing else." she ordered causing the dragon to grin before taking another drag and putting it into the unicorn's mouth as she inhaled.....then exhaled out of her mouth violently tossing it to the ground and stomping on it as she continued to cough, ignoring the protest of the dragon before frowning and then lighting her horn with a purple hue. She brought out her swords then took four steps forward towards her enemy. "I did not seem to introduce myself....I am Twilight Sparkle, and while I may not be legendary like yourself I am the bearer of the number two jewel.....the jewel of pain and suffering, while you yourself have the jewel of godhood and heartache....I have the title branded to me known as the Elemental Mare....also known as Magic Blades." Twilight said with a large, confident grin, her eyes shining with darker intent. Rarity made no reply, she did not have to...she felt the rush of adrenaline in her blood as she breathed deep, trying to get a calm sense of the fight to come....she had no choice in the matter. Sweetie Belle looked on at the mare who would take everything in her life away.....would force her to take up a name that would be known to every creature across the land, forever more. Without further ado Rarity ran straight, eyes narrowed, muscles anticipated for a final fight and mind calm of all, this was just another fight of one who wanted the number one jewel....nothing more, she would fall like the rest. Swinging her head to the right, Twilight dodged swiftly before counter attacking with her left blade, but she had not counted on such amazing reflex from Rarity and watched as the mare stopped the blade aimed at her face with her left front hoof as she blocked the right with her sword, grunting at the strength of the unicorn before pulling her left front hoof back and punching Twilight hard in the right jaw, forcing her to drop her blades for a second. Rarity did not pause as she slashed her sword at the mare who ducked then caught her blades with magic and swung them at the master swordpony as she ducked and blocked with her blade, the three swords creating a shower of orange sparks blinding Rarity for a second as she turned away then turned back to see a sharp, purple horn come at her face that she could not dodge as the object impaled itself deep into her right eye. She screamed in agony forcing her body away and slashing at the mare enraged, Twilight herself being caught off guard by the will of Rarity and took a deep slash to the left jaw that ran up to her her eye before she forced the blade away with her own, stabbing at Rarity with her left while breaking contact with her right and stepping back two steps, her face dripping with blood. Twilight slammed her right hoof into Rarity's face as she gritted her teeth in rage before turning her head and stabbing her horn deep into Twilight's left shoulder causing the mare to scream and pull away, a small stream of blood pouring from the wound as Twilight looked at the now one eyed mare with rage. Rarity could not see out of her right eye anymore, the organ useless, so she felt hot white steering pain in her chest as Twilight's left blade slashed into her, causing a large stream of blood to poor from the wound before she blocked mare's right blade with her sword head on, and despise everything that she had been through with the sword that her own father had given her, she heard a slight crack as Twilight's other blade collided with her own and with a large, glass shattering crack, her sword was broken into a million pieces before her eyes. The remains of the legendary sword known as Memories was littered to the ground, the sight was so sudden that even Twilight had pause looking at the weapon fall before her as she felt her mouth open in surprise....before it closed and she allowed a small grin to form on her face. Rarity's heart broke when she saw her blade fall before her....that sword had been with her more then half her life, and now...now it was destroyed...lost to a bearer of the number two jewel. Without her sword, she knew it was over.....Rarity, The Mare of beauty, the one known as Diamond Slayer.....has lost. Twilight closed her eyes, her cruel, evil grin never leaving her face as she spoke the last words that Rarity would ever hear. "Such a shame....Diamond Slayer......rest assure.....I'll take good care of the number one jewel, you have my word." she laughed softly before causing her horn to glow with magic and with her two blades floating into the air, she sliced off Rarity's head. Sweetie Belle watched with absolute horror as her older sister was slain before her eyes, the body dropping to the ground and her head rolling towards her, stopping only when they touched her front hooves as she was to numb from the shock to turn away.....after the hundreds of lives she had taken to protect the number one jewel and her family....she had been killed by a female unicorn. "Ha, finally....damn, that felt like it took forever...so what now, bearer of the number one?" Spike asked shaking his head and lighting another roll of tobacco with his breathe, holding it in his left claw but it was taken from him before he could put it in his mouth by a purple magical glow and placed into it's owner's mouth as she inhaled deeply before exhaling the gray smoke out of her nose making her cough but not as hard as before. "Now none shall dare challenge us....ever again, Spike....ever again." the unicorn replied with a grin before floating the tobacco from her mouth to her best friend's. "Whatever...I like a scrap every now and then though, you heard me? What about the filly though? Want me to end her?" Spike asked looking with narrowed eyes at Sweetie Belle who had not moved one inch from her spot, her eyes frozen on the head of her sister. "No.....she's of no threat to us....matter of fact," Twilight replied as she took the green number one jewel off of Rarity's body and placed it around her neck with a loud sigh of relief and tossed the number two towards the filly, the red jewel landing to the right of the child, but she had not even flinched before snapping her eyes up brimmed with tears at the shout of the unicorn in front of her. "Listen well to me, kid......don't follow me....you don't want to join your sister in an early death, but I got a good feeling about you so I'll let you live.....I suggest you get yourself a weapon....carrying that jewel around your neck is no joke.....see you around when your older and ready to challenge me, filly." Twilight laughed darkly as she took the smoke from Spike once more and took a long drag before turning around, putting her blades on her back in her sheath, and walking away, leaving Spike to turn back to the small unicorn who had tears sliding down her face as he shook his head and followed after Twilight. Sweetie Belle watched as the one who had killed her sister was walking from her sight.....looking at the red jewel that laid on the ground, she picked it up with her right hoof and put it around her neck, the heavy chain weighting down her head as she held Rarity's calm and almost peaceful looking head in her hooves and wept for all she was worth. Ungranted birthday wishA lone filly was stumbling with small, shell-shocked steps, her mind shattered beyond belief like Rarity's sword Memories. "Rarity.....s.....she's......she's dead.....she's really....gone.....but, she defeated so many other ponies who wanted that stupid, damned jewel...what makes that mare any different?....What made Rarity be....killed" Sweetie Belle thought to herself, tears streaking down her white furred face as she sniffed and shook her head to get the liquid off her face. She had buried her older sister in the hot, desert sand where she had been killed, holding her head in her front hooves for an hour longer before gently putting it into her grave, covering it with her already dirty hooves and stabbing the hilt of Rarity's former sword onto the center of the sand as she touched the red jewel on her chest before taking a deep breath and with one last glance at her sister's final resting place, she turned around and walked away....swearing revenge against Magic Blades. She had been walking through the unforgiving sands for over three hours, not knowing why Magic Blades wished to fight here...not understanding why she did not grab any food or water when she needed it so badly but then knowing that Rarity promised the battle would not take long and that she would tela port them home after it was over. Sweetie Belle's thoughts flashed to those of two days ago....the day of her twelfth birthday. *Flashback, two days earlier* "Happy birthday Sweetie Belle!" a small crowd of ponies shouted together being made of Rarity, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Big Macintosh for the young filly turning the age of twelve. "Wow...thanks everypony, this really means a lot to me" the small unicorn laughed as she looked at the strawberry frosted cake with small dots of chocolate lining the edges and a happy birthday in neat, almost perfect cursive of her sister's magic writing seeing the twelve orange candles before her as she blew them out with one wish in mind. "I wish that no more tragedies would ever happen in my life anymore" she thought with a small smile at her innocent wish. "Yeah, sure thing you walking dictionary, it's not everyday you turn twelve now is it?" a small orange furred Pegasus laughed with her magna colored hair and tail and joyful purple colored eyes. "By the way...here's your gift, don't tell any pony how you got them though, alright?" she pleaded as she turned her head to the left then the right and with her teeth grabbed a small carton of cigarettes known as Diseased Stallion from her tail. Sweetie Belle nodded as she took the pack from her friend and put them deep into her thick furred tail with a large grin before she was given a white with a single red strip across the packet of matches to go along with them. "Thanks, Scoot...your the only one that supports me being a full grown mare now and does not care if I smoke" she chuckled as the Pegasus winked before shaking her head. "Of course you crazy filly, we have been smoking together since we were ten and stole one from Apple Bloom's brother so I don't think I'm going to stop you now that your older" Scootaloo spoke before turning her head and seeing another of her best friends and Sweetie Belle's fillyfriend, Apple Bloom trot towards them with a large grin on her face. "Well Ah'll be....it seems ya'll have really been growing a lot....Ah reckon you'll be a fully grown mare in no time if you keep this up, Sweets" the pale yellow furred earth pony with her long, rose colored mane and tail spoke as she shook her head, causing a large pink bow on the right side of her head to shake rapidly with her golden color eyes shining with happiness and love for the birthday filly. Scootaloo rolled her eyes before trotting away to get a drink of punch making Apple Bloom have some alone time with Sweetie Belle. "Ya know.....Ah saw Scoot give you those pack of stallion.....you know Ah hate when you two smoke, Sweets...but , Ah'm your girlfriend...not your mother or sister, which works for mah. So even though Ah don't agree, Ah still support your choices.....also, Ah got your present at mah home, Ah was going to bring it but Applejack said that Rarity would not want it to be seen at your home....come by the farm tomorrow, Ah'll be sure to give you it then....Ah made it with help from Big Macintosh of course, him being the only blacksmith and bar owner in Ponyville, ya know" Apple Bloom said as she kissed Sweetie Belle's left cheek before looking over to her sister who was talking to Rarity in whispered tones and then back to Sweetie Belle with a blush on her face. "Come on, let's see what they talking about" Apple Bloom whispered softly making Sweetie Belle grin with a nod before following silently after her partner, coming closer to a empty table behind the two mares and being quiet to hear them talk. "Ah telling ya Rare ya can't keep this a secret from her forever...she's going to want to known more about her parents, more about why she only knows the four of us rather then more of your friends, even more...she's going to want to know why your always fighting ponies with a large, red jewel around their chest....ya can't keep this from her...she's old enough to know already" Applejack, with her orange coat and long blond mane with a pony tied tail and alluring green eyes whispered angrily at the older unicorn who scoffed. "You think I wish to keep my sister from all of this, Apple? This jewel has ruined my life....but it was given to me by the goddesses and I simply can not turn away from a pony that holds my life in her hooves, you understand, don't you? I mean Master Dash drove me-" "Whose Master Dash?" Sweetie Belle whispered to Apple Bloom louder then she thought as the two mares turned and glared at the younger filles with disapproval before Applejack grabbed her punch in her hooves and finished it before looking at Rarity with a scowl and with a loud sigh stated. "She needs to know, Rare....no more hiding the truth...she's old enough. Now come on Bloom, it's time to go home, we got a lot of trees to cover by the days end tomorrow and those trees are not going to drop by them self" Applejack said firmly before dropping to her front hooves to the floor and walking towards the door of Rarity's house. "But we just got here...and we still got a lot of questions that need to be answered" Apple Bloom yelled at her older sister, who ignored her and forcing her to turn around with one last kiss on Sweetie Belle's cheek before running after her sister, their older brother trailing after them without even a goodbye making Scootaloo the only one of the guest still there as she looked up from the large purple punch bowl, her mane dripping with the sugar filled liquid and smiled before chuckling awkwardly. "I'll um....I'll just let myself out...happy birthday, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo laughed as she ran out the door, her small wings flapping uselessly to aid her escape as the door slammed behind her, leaving the two sisters alone, Sweetie Belle glaring in anger at her older sister. "So what's this about a master, Rarity? Why don't you tell me what your hiding...what I should know by now, I'm old enough to know, damn it!" Sweetie Belle screamed in rage of having being kept lies as Rarity gasped in shock. "Sweetie Belle...you watch your tone with me, I'm still your elder, and you still must show respect for me" Rarity replied calmly as Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes with a frown. "So then, "elder" who is Master Dash? And what's all this about a red jewel?" she asked, her anger turning to curiosity as Rarity sighed loudly, annoyed by such question but knowing that she had a right to know now. "Sweetie...what do you know about the Number one and two jewels?" she asked softly as the small unicorn thought of the stories that she had been told about them, from her sister to Granny Smith...before she passed away from old age three years ago. "Uh.......they were two jewels that were made by the princesses...the goddesses I mean....the goddess of light and life, Princess Celestia and the goddess of night and death, Princess Luna.....when the land of Equestria was torn apart by ancient enemies, they had made the two jewels to help normal, non immortal ponies because they could not interfere with mortal ponies lives and granting them amazing amounts of strength...the red jewel known as Pain and suffering and the green jewel known as Godhood and heartache.....it worked for many, many centuries..for different ponies or even other creatures who would take them when they were found or even given...but the bearer of the number two became envious of the number one who would become favored by the goddesses and once in a century when there was peace among the land, he challenged the number one to a duel for the number one and won....ever since then-" "Ever since then, every time a pony or any other creature finds the number two jewel, they go in search for the number one to try to become immortal....for none but the number two can fight the number one, and almost any creature can battle and slay the number two....it has been a blessing for many...and a curse for all....Sweetie...I....I am the bearer of the number one jewel....Master Dash, she is my teacher...I pray to Celestia that you to never meet her though, or that you are never given the number two jewel from whoever has it for-" "Why have you kept this from me? You told me that you create and sell dresses as a fashion designer at this shop, The Carousel Boutique...is that why we have that sword in that green case on top of the fire place? So should you need to kill anypony? Is that why every year a single pony comes in very late at night with weapons and asks to see you? Is that why you come in all bloody and tired? Damn it, Rarity-" "Sweetie Leliana Belle you WATCH YOUR LANUAGUE with me, young filly, it may be your birthday and you may be twelve years old but that gives you no right to swear at me" Rarity screamed at Sweetie Belle who seriously hated being called by her full name as she rolled her eyes before walking out the door and taking a cigarettes out of the packet from her tail then with her tail wrapped around a single match she got, she struck it on the ground and lit the tobacco before stomping on the match and exhaling a large amount of gray smoke from her mouth, glad that she taught herself how to smoke and talk if need be at the same time. "Don't you dare walk out on me, Sweet.....what are you doing?" Rarity asked, stunned as she saw such a horrid lung poison in Sweetie Belle's mouth, not knowing how she could have learned such a thing before it clicked in her mind that her friend Scootaloo was always a rotten friend to her dear sister....perhaps it was high time she stopped being around her so much. "I'm smoking Rare...what's it look like? It helps me get rid of stress, and I'll say that you sure gave me a lot" she answered with a huff as Rarity stared in shock at her little sister behavior. "You spit that out right now, young filly...NOW!" Rarity screamed causing Sweetie Belle to ignore her before a blue glow was wrapped around the object, taken from her mouth and stomped to the ground under the owner's hooves as she gritted in teeth in such anger, her jaw begin to ache, but luckily for her she trained herself to fight with her teeth so it went away swiftly. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Rarity...your not mom!" "Mother is GONE......she and father are both gone, Sweetie.....you know that.....that fire that took their lives when you were four was no ones fault....no ones" Rarity spoke sadly, tears sliding down her face as Sweetie Belle cast her eyes to the ground in shame. "Except maybe your goddesses" she whispered harshly as Rarity snapped her head up in shock to look at her younger sister in disbelief that she could say such words. "The goddesses have not made our fates like this Sweetie, you know this, please don't speak so cruel about them, they can and will make our lives better if we only-" "Pray to them? That's all you ever do Rarity is pray to two goddesses who don't give a flying SHIT about us...our parents were killed in a fire that they did not deserve to die in, you always end up having to fight just for a damn jewel that will NEVER make our lives any easier and you want to pray to them and keep the jewel instead of destroying it because you believe they LOVE YOU? WHY!" she shouted, tears of hurt and anger coming in small streams down her cheeks as Rarity took a deep breath to calm herself, knowing that her sister never believed like she did in the goddesses, that she could never understand the blessing she knew she had been given. "Because they are immortal....beautiful.....and all powerful.....they created this amazing land that we are given privilege to walk on...or at least...that's how the stories tell it...I pray three times a day to them because I know that while we suffer...why we have heartbreak...that our lives could be a lot worse, Berry Punch lost her daughter to her own drunken rage...killing her with her own two hooves" "I don't wish to live that life...blaming the land for my own problems...I have been trained to protect this jewel with my last breath...and you....besides, the jewels are impervious to magic or physical damage...you really wish to see my battles, then I'll bring you to a fight that a mare has challenged me in two days....she has chosen the desert for a reason I'll never understand and cannot refuse it...it is my duty as bearer of the number one....I'll prove to you that our lives will get better....all you have to do is believe, Sweetie Belle" Rarity replied quietly as Sweetie Belle was silent for a few minutes before she looked up at the clear black night sky with it's stars covering them in a heartwarming, peaceful glow. "Sweetie...please...will you pray with me for my battle to come, just this once? And then I promise, after this battle is over....I'll allow you to meet a good friend of mine who baked your cake and another who you should have met a very long time ago, I swear to you...no more secrets, no more lies." the older unicorn questioned as Sweetie Belle sighed loudly before looking at her tail which hid her smokes. "Only if you don't compline about me smoking anymore and allow it. I'm a big filly now, Rarity, I can take care of myself and make my own choices...including dealing with the consequences" she answered back forcing Rarity to sighed loudly before biting her lower lip and speaking. "Oh....alright, but no more then one a day" "Three" "Two" "Deal.....thanks, Rare...I'm glad your allowing me to grow up on my own four hooves, now...let's get this over with, I got way to much knowledge in my brain for the day." Sweetie Belle laughed. Rarity shook her head before getting down on her knees, closing her eyes and praying to the goddesses who ruled over the land, Sweetie Belle mimicking her movements but not her words as she opened one eye and looked up at the stars above once more. "Prayer has never helped any pony....we can only count on each other.....and after this is over....I'll learn all about the life hidden from me" . After the prayer Sweetie looked over to her sister, her eyes confused about one thing only before she got another smoke for the night. "Rarity..." she asked softly, not wanting to upset the sword pony should she not wish for the question she was about to ask. "Yes Sweets?" ".....Why do you fight and kill those that demand to duel you....would it not be easier to just give them the jewel?" Sweetie Belle questioned as Rarity turned her head, seeing a small orange glow a few inches from her mouth and knowing she was smoking again before Sweetie Belle exhaled the gray smoke out of her nose as Rarity answered with a loud sigh...and a heart chained with guilt. "Because that is how the bearers have been ordered to deal with immotility among us mortal creatures......and..to redeem myself of my sins." *Flashback ended* She looked up at the blazing orange orb of heat above her, knowing that if she did not find water soon, she would parish....she could not let Rarity down...she owed her that much. Sweetie felt that jewel around her neck weighing her head down take her toll...her body dropping from exhaustion and lack of fluid...her eyes seeing blurred images in front of her that her brain could not process. "Sweetie Belle....Sweetie Belle........SWEETIE BELLE!" a voice shouted at her but she could not see who was speaking to her due to her head dropping and sand getting in her eyes as her body give out, her eyes closed and she blacked out. Death of Scootaloo and sins that followA lone figure descend onto the sands of where the unicorn filly had fallen, noticing that she would die if not given water, food or medical assistance, even if she was not injured in any way, shape or form. With a sigh and shake of the creature's head, it grabbed the filly in it's teeth and hoisted her onto it's back before spreading it's wings wide and lifting into the air to steer away from the high speed currents of the desert storm that was coming near, hoping to help the filly to survive, if only for a while. "Yo, Sweets!" a familiar voice screamed into the small unicorn's left ear as she winced before opening her eyes that were blurred for a second due to the strange change of scenery. She saw...hay on the floor before her, and the solid creation of a barn with it's brown wooden support beams above her along with many items used for farming. The face of Scootaloo who had her eyes widen in a hint of fear for her best friend was right near Sweetie Belle's own before the small Pegasus grinned and with a blink of her eyes shouted behind her right shoulder. "Hey Bloom, she's awake...the damned horned girl can't even die right, huh?" Scootaloo laughed before stepping back to allow the very worried and annoyed face of Apple Bloom to come to Sweetie Belle's vision. "Ya'll had Ah and Scoots worried sick, Sweets.....what happened to ya?And what's with that fancy jewel around ya'll neck? Huh? Answer mah, Sweetie Belle.....are ya alright?" Apple Bloom questioned rapidly to the unicorn's face before she pushed the earth pony away from her and with a groan said only four words. "You got a smoke?" she asked which earned her a shape and painful cuff from Apple Bloom's right front hoof who was now screaming her words in rage at her fillyfriend. "DO AH GOT A SMOKE? WHO THE BUCK DO YA THINK YA ARE TO JUST ASSUME THAT YA WOULD GET YA'LL'S FIX WHEN WE FOUND YA DYING FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION AND STARVATION IN FRONT OF MAH BARN AND ALLOWING MAH AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY TO BE WORRIED SICK ABOUT YA, DO YA EVEN-" "I think she gets it, Bloom, calm down now, will ya? She must be so shaken up from the where ever she was that she passed out near somewhere hot, right Sweets?" Scootaloo cut off Apple Bloom furious rant as the earth pony stomped off in a fit of rage, Sweetie Belle swallowing the spittle in her throat having never seen such a side from her as she turned her head towards Scootaloo who grinned then grabbed a pack of smokes from her tail and taking one out with her teeth, holding it out for Sweetie Belle and lighting a single match before lighting the tip as the filly inhaled and exhaled the nicotine deeply from her mouth. "Thanks, Scoot....I seriously needed that." Sweetie Belle spoke as she rose from her spot on the ground and after stumbling for a second, regained her balance before she walked towards where Apple Bloom had stomped off to, intent on apologizing to her and putting out the cigarette with a hoof after taking one last drag. Before she could open the barn door to tell Apple Bloom she was sorry, she was stopped by Scootaloo's left front hoof who shook her head slowly with a close of her eyes as Sweetie Belle felt tears brim the edges of her eyes, before she collapsed to the ground and sobbed loudly, allowing all her sorrow and anger at what has been done to her onto those around her. "Hey, what's wrong, Sweetie Belle? Bloom....come here, something is seriously wrong with Sweetie!" Scootaloo shouted out the barn as they both heard the sound of rushing hoof steps come to them and with the barn door opening, Apple Bloom appeared with a sliver tray of apple slices and a pitcher of cider in her mouth as she set the tray down onto the ground and trotted up to Sweetie Belle before embracing her in her own front hooves as the filly told them of all she remembered, knowing she could not allow what she had seen to be with her only...she could not. Three hours had passed in the large shelter that physically covered the three fillies, but not emotionly as the two friend's could not even imaged what their friend had gone through in the harsh lands of the desert, watching her older sister to be killed because of some damned jewelry fabled to grant the powers of a god and ultimate power to the wielder, the tray of food gone while they had watched their friend stuff herself full not even bothering to leave them any cider in her hunger. Sweetie Belle was openly sobbing on Apple Bloom's coat while she watched with a broken heart for her lover, guilt slicing through her heart at her angry words she had spoke while Scootaloo gently ran her left front hoof over Sweetie Belle's back, doing what she could to give her own share of comfort, not that it helped much. "Sweets....what I want to know is....how did you get here? The desert is forty miles away form Ponyville, and your a unicorn, a filly at that....who brought you here?" Scootaloo asked softly into Sweetie Belle's right ear as she shook head head before lifting it from the pale yellowed fur of one of her best friends and replied. "I don't know...I honestly don't.....I had fainted before I even notice anypony coming near me in that cruel wasteland" Sweetie Belle spat making Scootaloo only nod as Apple Bloom nuzzled her snout to Sweetie Belle's own who enjoyed the small pleasure. "Well...Ah just glad ya alive is all....Ah don't know what Ah do if we lost ya, Sweets." she said quietly allowing the unicorn to only smile before she put head head into the soft fur of Apple Bloom again, hoping to only sleep with her friends but was not given such luxury as Scootaloo stood up from where she was laying. "Oh, we almost forgot to give you your gift, Sweets....Yo, Apple, go get it will ya?" she ordered causing the filly to glare at her before she swore under her breath and with a kiss on Sweetie Belle's left cheek lifted herself from the hay then were resting in and walking out of the barn to get the item she had created with Big Macintosh's help. "So uh, Sweets.....what's with the red jewel that we found around your neck?" Scootaloo asked in confusion, Sweetie Belle sighed loudly as she told of being given the jewel from Magic Blades after Rarity's death, forcing herself to not cry again as her Pegasus friend listened with a serious look on her face before it was ended. "By the way...where is it anyway?" she asked as Scootaloo shrugged. "I think Applejack has it, once we found you and got you healed up, Applejack took the jewel but did not tell us where she put it, I'm not sure she even wants you to have it...oh well. Both Applejack and Big Mac are at work so we did what we could to take care of you." She answered making Sweetie Belle nod before they both turned their heads upon hearing the barn door open again and saw Apple Bloom with a long, wrapped in blue birthday paper item in her mouth as she rushed over and dropped it onto a nearby work table, opening and closing her mouth to get rid of the ache in her jaw before turning to her friends and pointing a hoof at the present. "There you are....happy birthday, Sweets....it took a month to get done because of Big Mac's other orders, but it's finally finish." she spoke proudly, hoping the gift who cheer her up, or at least help her to not feel so useless at the very least. Sweetie Belle, with Scootaloo trailing close behind her looked at the 'gift' as she raised an eyebrow in confusion and with nothing left to lose, opened the wrapping. Because it was night time, the item was a bit hard to see, but nonetheless Sweetie Belle understood what she was staring it. It was a scythe, with brown wood complete with a sliver blade attached to the left side and curved, the width of the blade being six inches long while the height of it was four. It had a tint of purple on it, in honor of Rarity, why or how they would add Rarity's color of her mane and tail Sweetie would never know, but she did know that the scythe had a single, curved hole of the wood a foot underneath the blade, the shape for any type of pony to slip their hoof into while other creatures could use their claws, paws, etc. The stick of wood was only two inches taller then Sweetie Belle herself when she stood on her rear hooves which she did now to balance the weapon on her two front hooves as she chuckled then laughed louder before she was grinning from ear to ear. "So what's going to happen when I get older? How will I be able to hold this thing when I start growing more?" She asked as Apple Bloom replied that all she needed to do was come see her as she got older and she would replace the wood but leave the blade the same for it was very expensive to have the blade polished to be permanently such a color. "I LOVE it, Apple Bloom....it's perfect and," she paused before slipping her left front hoof into the slot and holding her right on top of the wood before swinging the dangerous weapon to the right, barely missing the table that the weapon once rested as she laughed and swung to the the left, her hoof being twisted in an odd angle as she grunted in pain before stopping and frowning at the weapon in her hooves. "It seems I have to practice with this thing before I can even think about doing any damage to anypony." Sweetie Belle whispered. "Damage? Sweetie, Ah created that thing so ya'll could help with the fields on the farm before ya were able to use ya magic, not for ya to go killing creatures across the land in ya quest for revenge to Magic Blades!" Apple Bloom yelled as the filly removed her hoof from the slot and dropped the scythe to the ground while dropping back to all four hooves and grabbing it in her teeth, wobbling as both the blade and wood caused her head to tilt every which way. Setting the weapon or in this case, tool on the table, Sweetie Belle turned towards her fillyfriend, her eyes narrowed in anger at how she could be so closed minded and against having her revenge for her sister. "I told you before that I was going to do whatever it took to give that mare what she deserves, and I'm not going to be stopped just because you don't agree with my choice of action, Apple Bloom....I have no life just sitting on a farm and working my tail off every day, I have a chance to make this right and give Rarity the vengeance she deserves." Sweetie Belle shouted back while her nose touched Apple Bloom's who had her own eyes narrowed and mouth changed into an angered frown. Neither of them in their anger of trying to be proven right, or trying to stop another's dangerous and selfish quest for revenge had notice Scootaloo silently slide towards the scythe on the table, hoping to give it a few swings before she was caught and knowing Sweetie Belle would think she was being to reckless with it. "Oh so now we earth ponies are useless because we work hard at what we got rather then using some fancy, pansy magic spell, huh? Ya have got no fighting skills in the least, Sweetie Belle, Magic Blades and Rarity were professional at what they did when it came to fighting and they had no choice in the matter when it came to killing their enemies, Ya'll don't even know no damn magic and even if ya did-" "That's not what I meant, Bloom and you know it! I'll learn how to fight with this weapon if I have to, I'll get training and do what I have to.This is about what I have to do to give Rarity peace of mind and redeem her, and I can't do that on no damn, bucking FARM!" Sweetie Belle screamed back, Apple Bloom gritted her teeth and was about to retort when she noticed that Scootaloo was standing on her high hooves with Sweetie Belle's scythe and her right front hoof in the slot swinging it around as if she was attacking enemies. "What are ya'll doing, Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom yelled to the orange coated filly who paused in embarrassment at being caught red hoofed. "Hey! Put that down, Scoot, that's my birthday present, not a toy. Stop touching things that are not yours!" Sweetie Belle screamed as she trotted up to Scootaloo and grabbed the wood from her hooves as her left begin to twist at an odd angle. "Yo, back off, Sweetie Belle...this maybe yours but you don't got to get your tail in a knot, you could have just asked to be given it back" Scootaloo shouted as she tugged at the wood that her hoof was caught in. "And you could have bucking asked to use it, I need this Scoots and I'm not going to allow you to break it just because you think everything is a game!" she shouted before tugging at the wood to remove her hoof, the blade being turned around back and forth between the two fillies as they tried to get the dangerous weapon from the other. "Give it to me!" "Buck off" "I said give it to ME, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle screamed before the force of her pull and strength of Scootaloo's pull caused the wooden slot to snap, swinging the blade of the scythe deep into Scootaloo's chest, impaling deep as she coughed up a spray of blood at Sweetie Belle's face, forcing her to ignore her own friends blood as a long, thick line of blood ran down the left side of her chin, the dying filly looking deep into Sweetie's Belle's eyes, her sad, betrayed eyes being engraved into her mind, never to be forgotten. She breathed her last breathe in Sweetie Belle's eyes, before the filly herself was shoved violently out of the way by Apple Bloom, with Big Macintosh and Applejack running into the barn by the screaming, the scythe being ripped from Scootaloo's chest by Big Mac as Sweetie Belle cowered with her front hooves coving her face, never able to forgive herself for the sin of which she had committed. "Scoots, don't you die on mah you hear? Don't you bucking die on mah.....SCOOTALOO!" Applejack shouted as her efforts to revive the young filly was for naught, Scootaloo was dead. *One week later* All of Ponyville was in attedance for the death of Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle weeping was never stopped from herself or anypony. Sweetie Belle was tempted to burn the scythe but for some reason could not find the heart to do it, Apple Bloom never speaking once to her in four days, not wanting to have anything to do with the one that killed their best friend. It was night when Sweetie Belle had to force herself to eat, looking at the grave that embossed Scootaloo's name as she took a big bite of her red apple, ignoring the tears soaking the fruit. "I'm sorry, Scoots...I'm so sorry." she whispered as guilt ripped open her heart with it's cold, harsh truth that she was the cause of her best friend's demise. "Yeah, I can tell your soooo sorry....and it's really, really getting annoying, Sweets." a small and smart mouth voice spoke behind the filly as she turned around, her eyes widen in shock as she saw no pony or any other creature near her before noticing an orange glow and seeing Scootaloo before her eyes, her form shifting but still visible as the filly smirked before grabbing a smoke from her tail and lighting a match while lighting the tip as well, inhaling the tobacco deeply before exhaling it out her nose with a grin. "Scoot....Scootaloo?" Is that really you?" Sweetie Belle asked, her mind not able to understand what was before her own eyes as the filly in question rolled her own eyes and replied. "No, it's me, Scootaloo the dragon, how you doing fillies and gentle colts? Right, like I would be that dumb as to appear before you as a damn dragon, buck that.....tell me Sweets, how long it been since you had a smoke? A week now or something? Been crying like a little bitch for the death you caused me, huh? How touching, really." Scootaloo laughed making Sweetie Belle stand up and ignore the apple that dropped to the ground and rolled away for her. "But....but how did you-" "Guess you can thank the goddess of death for that, huh? Shit, stop whining already will you? I may be dead but at least you won't be alone on this quest of yours right? I mean being sent to Tartarus and then being given the chance to come back to the living to bring sorrow to the one that killed me even though it was an accident? How could I not say yes? Damn, Sweets, you look awful...you really need to get yourself cleaned up if we are going to leave, ya heard me?" Scootaloo spoke with another inhale then exhaled of her smoke, the grey smoke being blown towards Sweetie Belle but could not smell it as it went right pass her, before disappearing into the air. "Leave? What the hay are you talking about? Leave to where and I'm not going anywhere, in fact, Apple Bloom, come here...Scootaloo's back!" "I would not do that if I were you, Sweet-" "What the blazes are ya'll screaming about Sweetie Belle, ain't it bad enough that our friend is dead that you got to be playing sick, bucked up games with her death!" Apple Bloom shouted in rage as she ran towards Scootaloo's grave, knowing that it was the place she would come to everyday to ask her for forgiveness. "But look she's here, don't you see her, she's right-" Sweetie Belle replied as she pointed a hoof at the orange filly who had a smirk on her face, inhaling the smoke in her mouth once more as she shook her head before exhaling out her nose. "NO...Ah don't see her. What the BUCK is wrong with ya'll, Sweetie Belle? Scoots is gone....gone ya hear.....she's gone and she not ever coming back..." Apple Bloom screamed as her voice trailed off and without a word she ran off, fresh tears falling to the ground behind her, Sweetie Belle to confused to comfort her fillyfriend. She turned her head to look at Scootaloo who chuckled "I warned you, Sweets....she can't see or hear me....that special talent is only reserved for you and of course maybe a god or goddess, your my bitch now, Sweetie Belle. So I suggest that you stand up, grab that broken piece of shit that's your weapon and get some training in your bones......we got a long, dark road ahead of us." Scootaloo laughed harshly with glee as blue lighting cracked the sky above and as the white furred filly wept for the the lost of her friend and her dark words, not even noticing as the skull of a unicorn with fangs in exchange for teeth and twin black scythes, one crossed over the other appeared permanently on her flank, respecting her talent as a filly who would bring tragedy and even death to every life she would meet. Dark journeyYo Sweets!" a voice near Sweetie Belle shouted as she opened her eyes, noticing that the rain had begun to pour on her fur, and her best friend's grave rather rough. She sighed before looking up to see Scootaloo herself or rather her ghost form sneer at Sweetie Belle's weak, pitiful broken body, heart and soul before her. Her tears mixing with the rain falling from the sky. "Get your ass up, Sweets...no pony going to respect a broken down white furred piece of ass...now will they? Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Scootaloo laughed hard as she held her front hooves to her ribs and fell to the ground, not able to breathe...if she had any breath in her. "Ah...we are going to have so much fun together, Sweetie...I can tell. Oh look, looks like Bloom is coming back to apologize to you" she chuckled as they looked up to see Apple Bloom was indeed coming forward towards them, Sweetie Belle's scythe in her mouth and a dark green sheath across her back. She spat the weapon out, a glare on her features as she gritted her teeth intent on giving her fillyfriend a really harsh and angry talk as she opened her mouth, her voice emotionless and cruel. "Ah suggest...ya leave, Sweetie Leliana Belle, just...go...Ah, Ah really...really, don't wish to see ya right now Belle...Scootaloo is gone...because of ya...will ya'll really cause death where ever ya go? Where ever ya'll hooves step? Ah...Ah can't forgive ya now...just take ya'll bucking scythe and leave!" Apple Bloom screamed the last words as she threw the sheath off her, turned around and full galloped away from her lover...or former. The night sky lit the sky with a boom before a blue arc of lighting zapped near Sweetie Belle forcing her to jump away quickly as her heart calmed down and her body did not shake as much, she then looked at the weapon in front of her hooves and the dark green sheath meant for her hard days work of labor and protection from the weather and bugs from when she was supposed to be a farm pony...instead she was a murderer. "Ah sure she does not really mean it, Sweets, here...ya'll need this more then ya might think." a voice spoke behind her as she turned around so fast she almost give her neck whiplash and saw Applejack, her eyes sad and filled with tears at the sight before her as the mare tossed a large, red colored jewel near her hooves, the gem getting streaks of mud from the rain as Sweetie Belle picked it up and put it around her neck, not sure why she was given such a cursed item. "She is just depressed...Ah would not be surprised if ya self was not either, young filly. Ya don't belong here, Sweets, at least...not for a long time. And if ya really want to avenge ya'll sister, then Ah suggest...ya may as well follow in her hoofsteps. In the mountains East of here, there is a temple, known as Talent of heart...it is run by a Pegasus known as Rainbow Dash...you will refer to her only as Master though...she is an old friend of mine...and that jewel should be enough for the cost of living there until ya complete her studies...if ya'll are even given a chance" Applejack paused, allowing salty, dark tears of anger and sorrow to be released from her body as her mind went into the past before she shook her head, hoping to remove such thoughts, the past should be left buried. "Anyway...find her and prove to her that ya'll are worth her time, Sweetie Belle...she DESPISES unicorns, ya must show her that ya'll can be taught as ya sister did, for she was the only unicorn that fought as the students were trained...and knowing ya'll's family...ya will be the last." she spoke with a humorless chuckle making Sweetie Belle narrow her eyes at hearing such unnecessary talk about her family. "What's that supposed to mean?" she shouted as Applejack ignored her, forcing her to glare at the ground before she grabbed the sheath in her jaws before tossing it into the air, allowing her left front hoof to slid pass the material and over her neck, making the empty strap fit comfortably on her shoulders as it was strapped firmly around her chest, making her able to turn her head to the right if she needed to reach it, but it would have to be done quickly in a fight. "Ya'll path...will be dark, young one...please...do mah a favor...a promise that ya sister herself broke, little filly...don't let the demons take ya." Applejack shouted as a sob escaped her throat as she turned around, wanting to leave but hoping to give her one last piece of aid, something that she would need for her travels. "And Sweets...ya'll are welcome to come over to the farm to get a long, more adapted stick for ya'll blade when ya have time off...if Ah'm still thinking of the correct time that ya have to stay...and please, don't let yourself get killed for that jewel around your neck...it's very important...but not as much as ya." Applejack whispered as she to walked towards the corner of the night and allowed darkness to swallow her completely, leaving the small white furred filly to herself...and her demon. Sweetie Belle ignored Scootaloo as she laughed hard on the mudded, soaked ground, leaving no imprints on the soil as she coughed before staring at her best friend with a large grin on her face as Sweetie Belle picked up the scythe in her mouth, then with much difficultly, she was able to get it into her sheath before she ran towards some area to get dry, and to clear her mind of what she must do next. "Yo, don't tell me you believe in that crazy SHIT Sweets, she was bucking pulling your leg, we know that...COME ON!" Scootaloo shouted after the unicorn as she ignored her again and with a roll of her eyes, her grin never leaving her face, Scootaloo followed after the filly that would cause a wake of carnage and death among her path...with every hoofstep she took. The pair began their travels walking from Ponyville into the forest that would turn into an open field then the mountains themselves with time, being stopped by none of the civilians as she ignored the rain pouring down her fur and the mocking or rather jokes that Scootaloo was trying to tell her, snorting once or twice to get water from out of her nose and shaking her head to rid her face of it, noticing that her scythe was rather heavy now that she had to fully carry it, not even given a saddlebag for food or medical reasons. After a few hours walk in the night to get away from Ponyville and not even a goodbye to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle stopped under an old oak tree, hoping to get some rest from the horrible and really dark night she's been having. "Best get some sleep you weak slut, we got a long travel if we want to meet this bad ass mare we heard about, she can teach you some good shit you know...Rainbow Dash...that's an awesome name now that I think about it, something you could never have, Sweets." Scootaloo's mocking tone was the last Sweetie Belle heard before her body gave her and her vision went black from exhaustion. She awoke eight hours later, her coat, mane and tail completely drenched but she was in high spirits and for once...Scootaloo was gone from her sight. With a deep breath, Sweetie Belle stood up wincing as a bolt of pain came from her right shoulder and she turned her head to see that she had forgotten to take her scythe and it's case from her body, resulting in her pain. With a grunt, Sweetie Belle ignored it and began to walk forward, hoping to get to the mountains near Ponyville by nightfall. After nine hours of non-stop trotting, Sweetie Belle dropped to her hunches with a loud sigh, sweat dripping down her forehead and coat as she looked above her where she rested near an apple tree, weather by luck or by fate, she did not know...nor cared. Bucking the tree with her hind legs as hard as she could the pre-teenage filly shouted with joy as a shiny, green apple dropped to the floor and she smiled before kicking it for another, hoping to have a fine meal. Looking at the fruit with awe, she licked her lips before taking a large bite out of the soar but incredible tasting treat, allowing her taste buds to envelope her mouth as she swallowed before taking a breath then another bite. After she had finished her lunch and taking a long sip of water from a lake near her, Sweetie Belle sighed in content and brought her tail to the front of her body before she took out her pack of Diseased Stallion she had tucked away and taking one of them out, put them back before she lit a match with her tail then lighting the tobacco and inhaling it deeply before exhaling the grey smoke out her nose, hoping to rest a while longer before carrying on her journey. "Yo Sweets!" a voice shouted making her wince and close her eyes hoping that it would go away and leave her be...at least for a moment more. "Hey there, bitch...I'm talking to you, now why you got to go and ignore me like that, girl?" the blunt and rather rude voice of Scootaloo questioned as Sweetie sighed, talking another drag of her smoke as she talk while allowing the smoke to come from her mouth. Entrance into sorrow"Yo Sweets!" Scootaloo's voice shouted as Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and ignored her. They walked for several hours, it took three days just for Sweetie Belle, and with regret Scootaloo trotting along side her, just to get the the mountain in which the legendary Master Rainbow Dash was fabled to train the Pegasus and even Earth ponies to become their own master of assassination. With a sigh and gritting her teeth for smoking her second to last Diseased Stallion in her carton, Sweetie Belle's nerves were wearing down as Scootaloo kept talking....and talking....and talking, most were just insults, others were smart ass comments for when Sweetie Belle did reply...but none were of happy memories before her death. "You know what I don't understand, Sweets? Why not just hire a Pegasus to fly you up there, instead of trotting through half of Equestria like you some sort of bas ass unicorn? I mean come ON girl, we both know you don't got no bits...hay, you have to use that jewel AND a little flank action to even try to-" "Will you please, SHUT UP!" Sweetie Belle suddenly screamed without turning around, wishing for the third time in a day that her scythe could slice through spiritual creatures, forcing Scootaloo to stop and frown with a hurt look before a smug grin came onto her muzzle. "Oh I get it, that time of the month again, huh? Well, when a female's got to go, she got to go right? Why don't you just use that....oh wait...we don't got no trees...well, guess you could always dig a hole and use your tail to wipe-" "SCOOTALOO!" the unicorn filly screamed making her friend's grin get even wider. "What? We grown...fillies, we can have this talk you know...it's OK...here, I'll even teach you where foals come from, HEY! Where you going?" the Pegasus shouted with a laugh as the filly ignored her and continued to walk, wishing for some miracle to drag Scootaloo back to Tartarus. Sadly for her, her wish was not granted, but coming close to the edge of the cold, snow infested and sharped wind of where her would-be master was close at hoof. With a deep breath Sweetie Belle lifted her right front hoof and reached out to step onto the soft, powered white snow, ignoring Scootaloo's comment to "Jump into it as you would a pool and get it over with" and rested the hard crusted limb deep into the snow and hissed as she felt it snap at her like a Diamond dog. "Damn, that hurt." Sweetie Belle shouted as she gritted her teeth and ignored the string of the cold to take another step with her right front hoof this time, and after two hours and using all her will to not run ahead to warm up her body but slip, fall and get her coat wet as a result, she was coming closer to the building known as the Talent of Heart....a school fitted only for ponies, or even other creatures who wished to learn the special art of attack and defense, for the common good. The building itself was sixty feet in length and two stories high in height, golden bronze torches were outside to light a way into the entrances and large banners of a single pony standing on it's rear legs with it's front right hoof curved and it's left curved even higher then the right in victory was imprinted on the cloth, showing that no pony could not attain success if they tried their best . A small, gray colored coated unicorn filly with golden eyes and a long yellow colored mane and tail with no cutie mark was coming out of the building, going to light a torch that had gone out with a long black wooden stick that had afire lit on the edge away from her mouth and smiled in satisfaction at her accomplishment before her eyes rested on the unicorn filly not even fifty feet from her. With a shout of surprise she dropped the flaming stick and cried out in terror as it fell to the wooden floor and started to light the ground before she stomped it out, or tried to before it burnt her hooves and made her cry out in pain. Without a seconds hesitation, Sweetie Belle ran up and slid hard into the snow, forcing the icy cold element to fly high into the air and land onto the small flames that would have spread outward if not stopped. "Wow.....you might have just saved my life, thanks." the gray colored unicorn smiled as she looked the filly before her over once, impressed "Are you here to be a new servant for Master Dash? No, you can't be because you have a weapon." she asked glancing at her scythe as Sweetie Belle looked at her confused. "Servant?" she repeated allowing the filly to nod her head eagerly with a smile before stopping and frowning. "You don't know what a servant is? Wow...you must really be new.....a servant of Master Dash and Chief Gilda is any unicorn who is willing to cook, clean, breathe and if necessary, fight for the Talent of Heart students....and their masters. I'll admit, it's not a very great job if one does not mind being treated like a second class creature...but hey, it's great pay....even though we get yelled at a lot if we mess up and it's cool to meet the other ponies...even though some call you names and laugh behind you back...but..." she stopped, not really able to find something worth explain why she enjoyed her job so much. With a rough shake of her head the unicorn could find nothing to really justify the school not meant for unicorns. "Anyway...my name is Dinky Doo, welcome to Talent of Heart....come on, I'll show you around, um-" "Sweetie Belle...that's my name." she replied with an honest smile as Dinky nodded and turned around to enter the building, picking up her fallen stick and trotting inside. "Hey, what about me, Sweets? Not going to tell her who I am?" Scootaloo chuckled as Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and did not speak, making the orange Pegasus to comment. "And hey, great job helping out Doo bitch or whatever her name is, she does not have the words loser stamped on her forehead or anything ha, ha,ha, ha, ha" she whispered causing the filly to grit her teeth in rage once more of her new friend being treated so harshly...and to a dead pony no less. "Her name is Dinky Doo, Scoots and she seems like an honest filly so leave her alone, alright?" Sweetie Belle whispered back making Scootaloo roll her eyes and get out a single cigarette, put it in her mouth, light a match with her tail and inhale the tobacco with a large grin as she exhaled it out her nose. "Ah, yeah....this is where it's at, Sweets, and as for your perfect little fan girl, she's a scared little bitch.....sort of like you...but smarter, you know? Bet she can't even hear me...HEY DUMBO!" Scootaloo shouted causing Sweetie Belle to gasp loudly, hoping the filly trotting ahead of her did not hear before sighing with relief once Dinky did not turn her head and glaring at Scootaloo who shrugged. "Guess only you can really hear and see me...lucky you, mini marshmallow, catch you later." Scootaloo laughed before she vanished into the floorboards, smoking trailing behind her. With a sigh, Sweetie Belle kept pace with Dinky who had set the flaming stick that the snow had put out with the others while she was talking with Scootaloo and walked pass many empty rooms that were quarters for students, making Sweetie Belle wonder where the servants slept. After twenty minutes, the two stopped near a large tan wooden double door that Dinky pushed open with her hooves as she smiled at Sweetie Belle and stepped aside. "Sorry, Sweetie Belle...servants are not allowed in the training area unless it's an emergency, Chief Gilda gets furious with us...I'm hoping your able to stay here though and be a servant, I would love to have a new friend that does not tease me so much because of who my sister is...oh look, there she is now!" Dinky exclaimed in excitement at the sight before her eyes, making Sweetie Belle follow as what she saw shocked her to no end. A gray coated mare Pegasus having a blond mane and tail and with two beautiful, enchanting golden color eyes that were looking in different directions every time and was wearing a black colored stash over her waist had a large sliver colored sword with a golden colored hilt and a miniature what looked to be gold muffin on the top of the weapon clenched tight in her teeth, and another wrapped firmly around her tail, the blades locked in combat. The mare's opponent was a female hybrid of the body of a lion and an eagle...that which was known as a griffin. She had her claws wrapped around the weapons, making sure they did not damage her as she narrowed her eyes and taunted the Pegasus. "Come on, Derpy...cut the shit, I know you did not become the number one student in this school with that sort of skill, hay my little brother could do better then you are, and he was just born a year ago." The griffin laughed causing the mare known as Derpy to become enraged and with her tongue sticking out to the right of her mouth, her eyes narrowed and a power flap of her wings, Derpy broke the contact with the blades and claws and slashed with the one in her mouth at the hybrid who screamed as the blade sliced deep into her right wing. Blood stained the ground as she bit back a curse and dodged the slash from Derpy's tail, countering back with a slash near Derpy's muzzle who blocked the limb with her wings, forcing a deep claw mark into the feathers as Derpy screamed then with a shout of rage, pushed out her wings and slashed her two swords deep into Gilda's chest who screamed as blood sprayed onto the floor in a small puddle. With a roar, Gilda flapped her wings and pushed herself forward before slashed her right claw deep into Derpy's muzzle, causing a claw mark that would forever be a scar that went from her left jaw to her nose as she narrowed her eyes and with another scream, slammed her front hooves deep into Gilda's spine and forced her to the ground who could do no more then cry out in pain, her body already weak because of the heavy blows. The griffin gasped loudly in pain as she stepped back four feet, causing blood to drip down through her feathers with every step before she kneeled down onto the hard oak floor, her right rear paw on the floor as her left was holding the rest of her body up, her wings covering her form as she chuckled. "Ha.....your getting better, Derpy...improving....got to say I'm impressed." Gilda spoke with a hint of anger as she looked to the ground and winced as a long, thick line of blood ran down her chest. "Seems she's getting better then you, Gil....that now's bucking hilarious.....yo, Derpy, you doing much better then I thought...maybe your finally ready to face me." a cyan bodied Pegasus mare with a rainbow colored mane and tail spoke as she was laying lazily on the rafters above, before she opened her wings and gilded to the floor, her cerise colored eyes looking at the crossed eyed mare before snapping back to the griffin bleeding in defeat. "I.....I don't belive I'm ready, Master Dash. It was just pure luck that I have defeated Chief Gilda, Master." "Yeah, it's also pure luck that my ass has a rainbow colored tail, nah...you got some serious skill, what you say we...who's that?" Rainbow Dash asked looking at Sweetie Belle, her voice tinted with a hint of disbelief and shock. Gilda looked up, a smug grin appearing on her beak as she took a step forward before her leg jerked from under her and she roared in anger, not knowing that Derpy's blades cut so deep. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sighed before shaking her head slowly "Hey, servants? Your Chief is a bucking idiot and hurt, why don't you tape her up?" she shouted as the six unicorns from both genders and different ages come forth from unknown areas of the structure to gently grab the hybrid from the ground and lift her with their magic, or the older adults did at least. "Wait.....what's your story, filly? Why are you here?" Gilda asked glaring at Sweetie Belle with her left eye, her right closed due to losing consciousness and her body stopped and in the air held by magic. "Uh......I......I'm here to.....ummm.....train with the other students, Master Dash and Chief Gilda," Sweetie Belle stopped, her throat suddenly dry as she wished for once Scootaloo was here to at least insult her to tell her what to do. But she was alone this time...completely. With a deep breathe, she spoke...hoping that she sounded as brave as she did not feel in the slightest. "I want to learn how to use my body, heart and soul for the greater good....for a sense of justice and-" "Stop , stop...just, just stop alright. Who the hay do you think you are, girl? Your a unicorn in case you have not figured that out which would be very sad...how old are you even, seven?" Rainbow Dash asked with her eyes narrowed as she trotted up to the filly and glared at her, the filly herself about a minute away from soiling her fur. "I...I'm twelve, Master" she replied nervously. "Twelve huh....hmm.....no. Look, maybe if you want, I could make you a servant but I don't do unicorns training under my wing....ever! Maybe, just maybe if you gave me an excuse as to why I should let you in, I might think about it...but it's so bucking narrow of a chance that it could never happen, trust me....there's not a unicorn in the land that could match the skill of Diamond Slayer" she whispered softly before turning away causing Sweetie Belle to gasp in shock, her eyes widen in shock. "Yeah...that's what I thought, filly...nice try though...now if you'll excuse me, I got a fight with my number one student to accept." Rainbow Dash laughed before she continued walking as Sweetie Belle with nothing left to lose shouted. "Please....let me join, please Master." she begged, her body dropping to the ground from exhaustion and fear of being turned away, not able to get revenge on her sister and have herself a normal life. "And why should I?" Rainbow Dash shouted back not even bothering to turn around as she sat in front of Derpy who frowned at the filly, awaiting her answer. "BECAUSE SHE'S MY SISTER!" Sweetie Belle had no other choice, she had to use her last resort which made every single pony and one griffin stop what they were doing at stare at the filly in shock, not understand nor believing that this filly was related to one of the greatest sword ponies in the world....who used to be the bearer of the number one jewel, the Mare of Beauty, Diamond Slayer. The unicorns were so shocked that they dropped Gilda who was in so much disbelief herself that she did not even register the pain, Rainbow Dash eyes were widen in shock and betrayal, for she had raised and taught the mare everything she knew, and she had been repaid by the unicorn leaving in the middle of the night with that damn green jewel she found claiming that it was a message that she was chosen from the goddesses, what a load of bullshit. For fifth teen years she had trained Rarity until she was better then even herself...but she had failed in thinking that the mare would not wish to remove her chains and do what ever her heart wished.....and now this filly who dare claims she was related to her wishes to train under her. And for what? For what? Why was this filly really here? How dare she even show her face. "What did you say?" Rainbow Dash snarled, her teeth tensed in rage as Sweetie Belle swallowed the large amount of spittle in her throat and spoke again, her voice more firmer because she had spoken the truth. "I said she is my-" her voice was cut off by a front hoof slamming into the left side of her face, causing her to be stunned and shocked that her assaulter was none other then the mare at which she wanted to hold so highly, Rainbow Dash. "Get out....you filthy, maggot rotting piece of fur...GET OUT!" she screamed, her power wings still flapping to hold her in the air as Sweetie Belle held a hoof to the injured side of her face and with tears forming in the corner of her eyes she kept her them to the ground before glancing briefly at Dinky Doo then the other small fillies and colts and without another word, she turned her body away and walked out the entrance,for if she could not be trained by Master Dash...where was she to go? A curse forever followed“Yo Sweets!” a loud, smart ass tone from Scootaloo yelled as the white filly ignored her, not knowing where it was she was supposed to go….she did not know what would happen if she got turned away from Master Dash and her school, she had been warned but did not expect for it to truly happen. As she walked on through the snow, ignoring the flakes that clung to her coat, she accidently hit the shoulder of one of the four ponies that were coming towards the school itself, all four were adults; two were green coated earth ponies with red manes and tails and gold eyes, one male and one female while the other two were Pegasus and both brown furred with white manes and tails with blue eyes, also one male and female. The one she had ran into for not looking ahead of her was an earth pony and was male, with a sword strapped to his back as the female had a spear with both having grey sheath’s to cover their weapons, the Pegasus on the other hoof had two knives attached to their hips, green sheaths covering the weapons as the stallion Sweetie Belle had ran into snorted. “Watch where you’re going, unicorn trash!” he snapped and slapped her hard in the face with his tail as the other ponies laughed and continued walking before the female earth pony spotted a red glow from the small unicorn filly. “Hey, hold up…..she’s got a nice piece of jewelry around her neck.” She sneered darkly making the other three turn to look at the filly still slowly trotting away. “Hey, WHORE!” the green furred mare Pegasus shouted to the unicorn who in her depression to be rejected did not hear her. “Yo, Sweets….I’m thinking those ugly bastards behind you want to have a little chat, why don’t you go….give them a warm greeting.” Scootaloo whispered to the right of her with a smirk as Sweetie Belle looked at the orange filly confused before turning around and seeing the four ponies behind her walking to the building, giving all four a good long look of the red jewel she wore. “W….what? Hey, she….she’s got the number two jewel around her neck.” The red furred stallion whispered to his allies as their mouths were open in shock, for even they while on vacation had heard of the legendary Diamond Slayer being killed and the mare known as Magic Blades to take her place around the moral ponies as a goddess…at least, in their minds, but now they had just noticed that the number two jewel was being carried around by a filly, a unicorn at that. “The, BUCK! Hey, if we get that damn jewel, we won’t have to be around Rainbow’s dumb ass, we can have an all expense pay trip to the big time once we kill Magic Blades.” The green coated mare spoke to her friends who nodded without hesitation, not knowing that only one of them was able to challenge Magic Blades at a time. “Hey, bitch…..give us that pretty stone around your neck….we don’t want to hurt you.” The same mare screamed to Sweetie Belle who narrowed her eyes at the earth pony’s words. “Much.” The other mare whispered under her breath as her long white tail reached slowly for the small knife on her right hip, her head moving ever slowly for her left while her other two companions did the small, save for the green coated stallion who had his tail go towards his sword on his back, hoping to end this filly’s life quickly, she had no need for the jewel if she was not even going to last five minutes with four full grown ponies. As an unfair battle was about to be placed on the snowy ground, Dinky Doo who had been ordered to fetch a wooden pole to light another lantern that was blown out by the wind, looked around before her and saw four members of Talent of Hearts school facing a very hard to see white filly with purple and pink locks in her mane and tail but could not see her expression from such distance. Without a word Dinky dropped her stick and ran to get help from Master Dash or her sister….whichever came first. Sweetie Belle wanted to curl into a ball and cry for such an unfair battle, she only had her scythe and even if she could reach it with her teeth which she doubted due to the weight, four full grown ponies were right in front of her….she knew the odds were not in her favor. Was she really hated by the goddesses this much? Was this her punishment for her sin of killing Scootaloo, her best friend? Was death at the hooves of these ponies truly an option? “No.” she muttered under her breath, she had come too far, she had not come here to be killed by four selfish ponies…that was not to say she knew how to fight well, her inexperience seriously put her at a disadvantage but that did not mean she was not going to try, damn it! With no other choice, Sweetie Belle made her tail grab the wooden part of her weapon as her tail stretched to remove it from its own sheath as it was released and brought towards the ground, the wooden stick in the air as the blade was pointing to the ground…and turned away from her. Dinky had come just in time with Derpy, Master Dash and a whole crowd of unicorn servants to see the battle about to take place. Derpy unfurled her wings to go down and help the filly but was stopped from a hoof by Master Dash as she turned around to look in surprise at her master. “I have to help her, Master Dash, this battle is no place for a filly and she is heavily outnumbered…she has no way of surviving a fight from four full grown ponies who are armed to the teeth.” Derpy spoke calmly to the Pegasus who merely smirked and replied. “In order to prove that she has a place in our school, we have to see what she’s capable of….and besides, with that jewel around her neck she going to be attacked constantly, a fight to the death that cannot be ignored….so better for her to get trained under a master then to be killed not knowing what to do…and if she really is the sister of Diamond Slayer, she’s has got to learn a thing or two, eh?” Rainbow Dash spoke slowly. “Why does she hold her weapon backwards?” Dinky asked confused, wincing for she expected to be slapped by Master Dash for not being given permission first, but no attack came as she sighed in relief. “Hmmm…..I would assume it is because holding a bladed weapon away from you allows for a much more greater defense as well as an open swing of attack, but at the same time she is more prone to be sliced or stabbed at…it would be almost impossible for her to stab unless it was an upward thrust and much harder for her to swing while the blunt end of the scythe is facing her opponents unless she flips it over with her tail…let’s hope she knows what she is doing with that fighting style.” Derpy answered as Master Dash only nodded looking closely at the filly. “Your right, Derpy, never knew you had studied different styles of holding a weapon,” she said with a grin as Derpy only smiled and bowed her head for her praise “But…..the thing is I myself have never even seen anypony have this sort of style with a weapon…..hmmm….not even Rarity held her blade like that, did she Derpy?” Master Dash questioned as Derpy answered right away. “No, Master Dash….she has never held her weapon like that…” her voice trailed off as Master Dash glanced at her from the corner of her left eye. “I forgot you used to know Rarity, Derp…..why did you not go with her when she left, I heard she asked you to follow her, or was my information false?” the rainbow colored Pegasus asked slowly causing the grey colored mare to grit her teeth and her hooves to press harder against the floor board as she answered. “S…she did, Master…..but….I have chosen that my sister is more important to me then a quest for the goddesses……and she is dead because of her faith.” Derpy replied coldly causing Rainbow Dash to laugh loud and hard as she wiped a tear from her right eye. “Ah….could not say it better myself, Derps….forgot you were never one for faith anyway…..hmmm….one of you unicorns, get me a mug of hard cider and a chair, this is going to be a long fight…I can feel it.” she snapped as four servants saluted and went to do as ordered without pause while all eyes kept looking on…to the filly whose fate was forever sealed by bloodshed.
Tragic heartacheA barren, cruel red desert laid before the young filly, the age of twelve. She had white fur with a mixture of pink and purple locks for her mane and tail with a small nub of a white polished horn of her forehead.....beautiful sap green eyes were widen in terror as she looked upon the two creatures that stood before her.....and her sister. Her sister was the same white furred pony but full grown, and curled purple locks caressed down being her mane and tail, azure colored eyes were narrowed at the pony that stood before her, a pure white colored sword strapped across her back hidden in a green colored sheath and a large, green diamond rested on the center of her chest on a large, firm sliver chain. The mare's flank held three blue colored diamonds, telling that she had a knack for finding jewels, as proven by the one around her neck....or perhaps she had earned the jewel herself, through hardship and lost while the filly's flank was blank. The mare stomped her front hooves to the ground in rage with a snort from her nostrils all the while glaring at the unicorn before her, while a light but dusty breeze blew pass the four creatures awaiting for the battle that would take place before all the land. "So....the rumors are true......you're the one they call Diamond Slayer....the Mare of beauty....the bearer of the number one jewel....or is that merely a title stamped on you to assume that you had whore your way through the ranks?" A lilac colored mare spoke as she tossed her black mane from her eyes, a very enticing color of purple that were her eyes showed but her face was set in a frown with a single strip of pink for both her mane and tail completed her body. On her flank was a large purple star with five stars around the main, respecting her cutie mark as one of magic. A large, red diamond was on the center of her chest with another large, firm sliver chain holding it around the unicorn's neck as a grown, sharp purple horn was in the center of her forehead. Twin, large curved sliver swords stained with blood with strapped by a brown sheath on her back as the other creature to the left of her was a male teenage dragon, his purple scales were stained with blood as he sighed loudly, wishing for this to be over and done with, he had a light shade of green on his stomach and harsh, annoyed green colored eyes but was without wings. The dragon rolled his eyes as he watched the mares glare at one another, knowing that the female known as Diamond Slayer would never answer his partner's question....she seemed to smart for such a stupid trick. As such, the reptile reached with his left claw behind him and grabbed a freshly packed, tight roll of tobacco from his tail and chuckled as he breathed green fire on the item, before putting it into his mouth and inhaling deeply then exhaling a large amount of gray smoke from his nose. The mare next to him breathed in the smoke and coughed hard, glaring in annoyance at the one who was like a brother to her....one she wish should could have exchanged for another creature by now. "Spike....I told you to stop smoking....it's bad for your lungs and...*cough* it's a really nasty habit you know? Why won't you ever listen to me, damn it!" she growled darkly at Spike who merely rolled his eyes once more. "Because, Twi.....I'm a grown adult now, I don't need you telling me what to do all the time....and in case you have already forgotten....I get bored when your not fighting....so as to not be in ocean of blood myself, I smoke....now if you don't mind....you got a legend that looks like she really wants to kick your ass, Magic Blades." the dragon replied with a smirk as the mare known as Magic Blades turned back to her opponent. "Rarity....please....don't do this." the small filly pleaded looking at her sister who looked back over her right shoulder and smiled half heartedly. "Don't worry Sweetie Belle....it will all be over soon.....I promise. And in any case, I don't have a choice....it's tradition....nothing can stop that....the goddesses themselves forbid it." Rarity spoke calmly as she stepped forward by four steps then turning her head to the left over her shoulder, she drew her sword, the handle held so tight in her teeth that it made her jaw ache, but she had to win this, she knew she could fight with her magic, but she preferred this style of fighting to any other. Magic Blades closed her eyes and chuckled before opening them and turning her he to look at her assistant. "Spike....give me a drag...for me to do something worth wild....if nothing else." she ordered causing the dragon to grin before taking another drag and putting it into the unicorn's mouth as she inhaled.....then exhaled out of her mouth violently tossing it to the ground and stomping on it as she continued to cough, ignoring the protest of the dragon before frowning and then lighting her horn with a purple hue. She brought out her swords then took four steps forward towards her enemy. "I did not seem to introduce myself....I am Twilight Sparkle, and while I may not be legendary like yourself I am the bearer of the number two jewel.....the jewel of pain and suffering, while you yourself have the jewel of godhood and heartache....I have the title branded to me known as the Elemental Mare....also known as Magic Blades." Twilight said with a large, confident grin, her eyes shining with darker intent. Rarity made no reply, she did not have to...she felt the rush of adrenaline in her blood as she breathed deep, trying to get a calm sense of the fight to come....she had no choice in the matter. Sweetie Belle looked on at the mare who would take everything in her life away.....would force her to take up a name that would be known to every creature across the land, forever more. Without further ado Rarity ran straight, eyes narrowed, muscles anticipated for a final fight and mind calm of all, this was just another fight of one who wanted the number one jewel....nothing more, she would fall like the rest. Swinging her head to the right, Twilight dodged swiftly before counter attacking with her left blade, but she had not counted on such amazing reflex from Rarity and watched as the mare stopped the blade aimed at her face with her left front hoof as she blocked the right with her sword, grunting at the strength of the unicorn before pulling her left front hoof back and punching Twilight hard in the right jaw, forcing her to drop her blades for a second. Rarity did not pause as she slashed her sword at the mare who ducked then caught her blades with magic and swung them at the master swordpony as she ducked and blocked with her blade, the three swords creating a shower of orange sparks blinding Rarity for a second as she turned away then turned back to see a sharp, purple horn come at her face that she could not dodge as the object impaled itself deep into her right eye. She screamed in agony forcing her body away and slashing at the mare enraged, Twilight herself being caught off guard by the will of Rarity and took a deep slash to the left jaw that ran up to her her eye before she forced the blade away with her own, stabbing at Rarity with her left while breaking contact with her right and stepping back two steps, her face dripping with blood. Twilight slammed her right hoof into Rarity's face as she gritted her teeth in rage before turning her head and stabbing her horn deep into Twilight's left shoulder causing the mare to scream and pull away, a small stream of blood pouring from the wound as Twilight looked at the now one eyed mare with rage. Rarity could not see out of her right eye anymore, the organ useless, so she felt hot white steering pain in her chest as Twilight's left blade slashed into her, causing a large stream of blood to poor from the wound before she blocked mare's right blade with her sword head on, and despise everything that she had been through with the sword that her own father had given her, she heard a slight crack as Twilight's other blade collided with her own and with a large, glass shattering crack, her sword was broken into a million pieces before her eyes. The remains of the legendary sword known as Memories was littered to the ground, the sight was so sudden that even Twilight had pause looking at the weapon fall before her as she felt her mouth open in surprise....before it closed and she allowed a small grin to form on her face. Rarity's heart broke when she saw her blade fall before her....that sword had been with her more then half her life, and now...now it was destroyed...lost to a bearer of the number two jewel. Without her sword, she knew it was over.....Rarity, The Mare of beauty, the one known as Diamond Slayer.....has lost. Twilight closed her eyes, her cruel, evil grin never leaving her face as she spoke the last words that Rarity would ever hear. "Such a shame....Diamond Slayer......rest assure.....I'll take good care of the number one jewel, you have my word." she laughed softly before causing her horn to glow with magic and with her two blades floating into the air, she sliced off Rarity's head. Sweetie Belle watched with absolute horror as her older sister was slain before her eyes, the body dropping to the ground and her head rolling towards her, stopping only when they touched her front hooves as she was to numb from the shock to turn away.....after the hundreds of lives she had taken to protect the number one jewel and her family....she had been killed by a female unicorn. "Ha, finally....damn, that felt like it took forever...so what now, bearer of the number one?" Spike asked shaking his head and lighting another roll of tobacco with his breathe, holding it in his left claw but it was taken from him before he could put it in his mouth by a purple magical glow and placed into it's owner's mouth as she inhaled deeply before exhaling the gray smoke out of her nose making her cough but not as hard as before. "Now none shall dare challenge us....ever again, Spike....ever again." the unicorn replied with a grin before floating the tobacco from her mouth to her best friend's. "Whatever...I like a scrap every now and then though, you heard me? What about the filly though? Want me to end her?" Spike asked looking with narrowed eyes at Sweetie Belle who had not moved one inch from her spot, her eyes frozen on the head of her sister. "No.....she's of no threat to us....matter of fact," Twilight replied as she took the green number one jewel off of Rarity's body and placed it around her neck with a loud sigh of relief and tossed the number two towards the filly, the red jewel landing to the right of the child, but she had not even flinched before snapping her eyes up brimmed with tears at the shout of the unicorn in front of her. "Listen well to me, kid......don't follow me....you don't want to join your sister in an early death, but I got a good feeling about you so I'll let you live.....I suggest you get yourself a weapon....carrying that jewel around your neck is no joke.....see you around when your older and ready to challenge me, filly." Twilight laughed darkly as she took the smoke from Spike once more and took a long drag before turning around, putting her blades on her back in her sheath, and walking away, leaving Spike to turn back to the small unicorn who had tears sliding down her face as he shook his head and followed after Twilight. Sweetie Belle watched as the one who had killed her sister was walking from her sight.....looking at the red jewel that laid on the ground, she picked it up with her right hoof and put it around her neck, the heavy chain weighting down her head as she held Rarity's calm and almost peaceful looking head in her hooves and wept for all she was worth.
Ungranted birthday wishA lone filly was stumbling with small, shell-shocked steps, her mind shattered beyond belief like Rarity's sword Memories. "Rarity.....s.....she's......she's dead.....she's really....gone.....but, she defeated so many other ponies who wanted that stupid, damned jewel...what makes that mare any different?....What made Rarity be....killed" Sweetie Belle thought to herself, tears streaking down her white furred face as she sniffed and shook her head to get the liquid off her face. She had buried her older sister in the hot, desert sand where she had been killed, holding her head in her front hooves for an hour longer before gently putting it into her grave, covering it with her already dirty hooves and stabbing the hilt of Rarity's former sword onto the center of the sand as she touched the red jewel on her chest before taking a deep breath and with one last glance at her sister's final resting place, she turned around and walked away....swearing revenge against Magic Blades. She had been walking through the unforgiving sands for over three hours, not knowing why Magic Blades wished to fight here...not understanding why she did not grab any food or water when she needed it so badly but then knowing that Rarity promised the battle would not take long and that she would tela port them home after it was over. Sweetie Belle's thoughts flashed to those of two days ago....the day of her twelfth birthday. *Flashback, two days earlier* "Happy birthday Sweetie Belle!" a small crowd of ponies shouted together being made of Rarity, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Big Macintosh for the young filly turning the age of twelve. "Wow...thanks everypony, this really means a lot to me" the small unicorn laughed as she looked at the strawberry frosted cake with small dots of chocolate lining the edges and a happy birthday in neat, almost perfect cursive of her sister's magic writing seeing the twelve orange candles before her as she blew them out with one wish in mind. "I wish that no more tragedies would ever happen in my life anymore" she thought with a small smile at her innocent wish. "Yeah, sure thing you walking dictionary, it's not everyday you turn twelve now is it?" a small orange furred Pegasus laughed with her magna colored hair and tail and joyful purple colored eyes. "By the way...here's your gift, don't tell any pony how you got them though, alright?" she pleaded as she turned her head to the left then the right and with her teeth grabbed a small carton of cigarettes known as Diseased Stallion from her tail. Sweetie Belle nodded as she took the pack from her friend and put them deep into her thick furred tail with a large grin before she was given a white with a single red strip across the packet of matches to go along with them. "Thanks, Scoot...your the only one that supports me being a full grown mare now and does not care if I smoke" she chuckled as the Pegasus winked before shaking her head. "Of course you crazy filly, we have been smoking together since we were ten and stole one from Apple Bloom's brother so I don't think I'm going to stop you now that your older" Scootaloo spoke before turning her head and seeing another of her best friends and Sweetie Belle's fillyfriend, Apple Bloom trot towards them with a large grin on her face. "Well Ah'll be....it seems ya'll have really been growing a lot....Ah reckon you'll be a fully grown mare in no time if you keep this up, Sweets" the pale yellow furred earth pony with her long, rose colored mane and tail spoke as she shook her head, causing a large pink bow on the right side of her head to shake rapidly with her golden color eyes shining with happiness and love for the birthday filly. Scootaloo rolled her eyes before trotting away to get a drink of punch making Apple Bloom have some alone time with Sweetie Belle. "Ya know.....Ah saw Scoot give you those pack of stallion.....you know Ah hate when you two smoke, Sweets...but , Ah'm your girlfriend...not your mother or sister, which works for mah. So even though Ah don't agree, Ah still support your choices.....also, Ah got your present at mah home, Ah was going to bring it but Applejack said that Rarity would not want it to be seen at your home....come by the farm tomorrow, Ah'll be sure to give you it then....Ah made it with help from Big Macintosh of course, him being the only blacksmith and bar owner in Ponyville, ya know" Apple Bloom said as she kissed Sweetie Belle's left cheek before looking over to her sister who was talking to Rarity in whispered tones and then back to Sweetie Belle with a blush on her face. "Come on, let's see what they talking about" Apple Bloom whispered softly making Sweetie Belle grin with a nod before following silently after her partner, coming closer to a empty table behind the two mares and being quiet to hear them talk. "Ah telling ya Rare ya can't keep this a secret from her forever...she's going to want to known more about her parents, more about why she only knows the four of us rather then more of your friends, even more...she's going to want to know why your always fighting ponies with a large, red jewel around their chest....ya can't keep this from her...she's old enough to know already" Applejack, with her orange coat and long blond mane with a pony tied tail and alluring green eyes whispered angrily at the older unicorn who scoffed. "You think I wish to keep my sister from all of this, Apple? This jewel has ruined my life....but it was given to me by the goddesses and I simply can not turn away from a pony that holds my life in her hooves, you understand, don't you? I mean Master Dash drove me-" "Whose Master Dash?" Sweetie Belle whispered to Apple Bloom louder then she thought as the two mares turned and glared at the younger filles with disapproval before Applejack grabbed her punch in her hooves and finished it before looking at Rarity with a scowl and with a loud sigh stated. "She needs to know, Rare....no more hiding the truth...she's old enough. Now come on Bloom, it's time to go home, we got a lot of trees to cover by the days end tomorrow and those trees are not going to drop by them self" Applejack said firmly before dropping to her front hooves to the floor and walking towards the door of Rarity's house. "But we just got here...and we still got a lot of questions that need to be answered" Apple Bloom yelled at her older sister, who ignored her and forcing her to turn around with one last kiss on Sweetie Belle's cheek before running after her sister, their older brother trailing after them without even a goodbye making Scootaloo the only one of the guest still there as she looked up from the large purple punch bowl, her mane dripping with the sugar filled liquid and smiled before chuckling awkwardly. "I'll um....I'll just let myself out...happy birthday, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo laughed as she ran out the door, her small wings flapping uselessly to aid her escape as the door slammed behind her, leaving the two sisters alone, Sweetie Belle glaring in anger at her older sister. "So what's this about a master, Rarity? Why don't you tell me what your hiding...what I should know by now, I'm old enough to know, damn it!" Sweetie Belle screamed in rage of having being kept lies as Rarity gasped in shock. "Sweetie Belle...you watch your tone with me, I'm still your elder, and you still must show respect for me" Rarity replied calmly as Sweetie Belle narrowed her eyes with a frown. "So then, "elder" who is Master Dash? And what's all this about a red jewel?" she asked, her anger turning to curiosity as Rarity sighed loudly, annoyed by such question but knowing that she had a right to know now. "Sweetie...what do you know about the Number one and two jewels?" she asked softly as the small unicorn thought of the stories that she had been told about them, from her sister to Granny Smith...before she passed away from old age three years ago. "Uh.......they were two jewels that were made by the princesses...the goddesses I mean....the goddess of light and life, Princess Celestia and the goddess of night and death, Princess Luna.....when the land of Equestria was torn apart by ancient enemies, they had made the two jewels to help normal, non immortal ponies because they could not interfere with mortal ponies lives and granting them amazing amounts of strength...the red jewel known as Pain and suffering and the green jewel known as Godhood and heartache.....it worked for many, many centuries..for different ponies or even other creatures who would take them when they were found or even given...but the bearer of the number two became envious of the number one who would become favored by the goddesses and once in a century when there was peace among the land, he challenged the number one to a duel for the number one and won....ever since then-" "Ever since then, every time a pony or any other creature finds the number two jewel, they go in search for the number one to try to become immortal....for none but the number two can fight the number one, and almost any creature can battle and slay the number two....it has been a blessing for many...and a curse for all....Sweetie...I....I am the bearer of the number one jewel....Master Dash, she is my teacher...I pray to Celestia that you to never meet her though, or that you are never given the number two jewel from whoever has it for-" "Why have you kept this from me? You told me that you create and sell dresses as a fashion designer at this shop, The Carousel Boutique...is that why we have that sword in that green case on top of the fire place? So should you need to kill anypony? Is that why every year a single pony comes in very late at night with weapons and asks to see you? Is that why you come in all bloody and tired? Damn it, Rarity-" "Sweetie Leliana Belle you WATCH YOUR LANUAGUE with me, young filly, it may be your birthday and you may be twelve years old but that gives you no right to swear at me" Rarity screamed at Sweetie Belle who seriously hated being called by her full name as she rolled her eyes before walking out the door and taking a cigarettes out of the packet from her tail then with her tail wrapped around a single match she got, she struck it on the ground and lit the tobacco before stomping on the match and exhaling a large amount of gray smoke from her mouth, glad that she taught herself how to smoke and talk if need be at the same time. "Don't you dare walk out on me, Sweet.....what are you doing?" Rarity asked, stunned as she saw such a horrid lung poison in Sweetie Belle's mouth, not knowing how she could have learned such a thing before it clicked in her mind that her friend Scootaloo was always a rotten friend to her dear sister....perhaps it was high time she stopped being around her so much. "I'm smoking Rare...what's it look like? It helps me get rid of stress, and I'll say that you sure gave me a lot" she answered with a huff as Rarity stared in shock at her little sister behavior. "You spit that out right now, young filly...NOW!" Rarity screamed causing Sweetie Belle to ignore her before a blue glow was wrapped around the object, taken from her mouth and stomped to the ground under the owner's hooves as she gritted in teeth in such anger, her jaw begin to ache, but luckily for her she trained herself to fight with her teeth so it went away swiftly. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Rarity...your not mom!" "Mother is GONE......she and father are both gone, Sweetie.....you know that.....that fire that took their lives when you were four was no ones fault....no ones" Rarity spoke sadly, tears sliding down her face as Sweetie Belle cast her eyes to the ground in shame. "Except maybe your goddesses" she whispered harshly as Rarity snapped her head up in shock to look at her younger sister in disbelief that she could say such words. "The goddesses have not made our fates like this Sweetie, you know this, please don't speak so cruel about them, they can and will make our lives better if we only-" "Pray to them? That's all you ever do Rarity is pray to two goddesses who don't give a flying SHIT about us...our parents were killed in a fire that they did not deserve to die in, you always end up having to fight just for a damn jewel that will NEVER make our lives any easier and you want to pray to them and keep the jewel instead of destroying it because you believe they LOVE YOU? WHY!" she shouted, tears of hurt and anger coming in small streams down her cheeks as Rarity took a deep breath to calm herself, knowing that her sister never believed like she did in the goddesses, that she could never understand the blessing she knew she had been given. "Because they are immortal....beautiful.....and all powerful.....they created this amazing land that we are given privilege to walk on...or at least...that's how the stories tell it...I pray three times a day to them because I know that while we suffer...why we have heartbreak...that our lives could be a lot worse, Berry Punch lost her daughter to her own drunken rage...killing her with her own two hooves" "I don't wish to live that life...blaming the land for my own problems...I have been trained to protect this jewel with my last breath...and you....besides, the jewels are impervious to magic or physical damage...you really wish to see my battles, then I'll bring you to a fight that a mare has challenged me in two days....she has chosen the desert for a reason I'll never understand and cannot refuse it...it is my duty as bearer of the number one....I'll prove to you that our lives will get better....all you have to do is believe, Sweetie Belle" Rarity replied quietly as Sweetie Belle was silent for a few minutes before she looked up at the clear black night sky with it's stars covering them in a heartwarming, peaceful glow. "Sweetie...please...will you pray with me for my battle to come, just this once? And then I promise, after this battle is over....I'll allow you to meet a good friend of mine who baked your cake and another who you should have met a very long time ago, I swear to you...no more secrets, no more lies." the older unicorn questioned as Sweetie Belle sighed loudly before looking at her tail which hid her smokes. "Only if you don't compline about me smoking anymore and allow it. I'm a big filly now, Rarity, I can take care of myself and make my own choices...including dealing with the consequences" she answered back forcing Rarity to sighed loudly before biting her lower lip and speaking. "Oh....alright, but no more then one a day" "Three" "Two" "Deal.....thanks, Rare...I'm glad your allowing me to grow up on my own four hooves, now...let's get this over with, I got way to much knowledge in my brain for the day." Sweetie Belle laughed. Rarity shook her head before getting down on her knees, closing her eyes and praying to the goddesses who ruled over the land, Sweetie Belle mimicking her movements but not her words as she opened one eye and looked up at the stars above once more. "Prayer has never helped any pony....we can only count on each other.....and after this is over....I'll learn all about the life hidden from me" . After the prayer Sweetie looked over to her sister, her eyes confused about one thing only before she got another smoke for the night. "Rarity..." she asked softly, not wanting to upset the sword pony should she not wish for the question she was about to ask. "Yes Sweets?" ".....Why do you fight and kill those that demand to duel you....would it not be easier to just give them the jewel?" Sweetie Belle questioned as Rarity turned her head, seeing a small orange glow a few inches from her mouth and knowing she was smoking again before Sweetie Belle exhaled the gray smoke out of her nose as Rarity answered with a loud sigh...and a heart chained with guilt. "Because that is how the bearers have been ordered to deal with immotility among us mortal creatures......and..to redeem myself of my sins." *Flashback ended* She looked up at the blazing orange orb of heat above her, knowing that if she did not find water soon, she would parish....she could not let Rarity down...she owed her that much. Sweetie felt that jewel around her neck weighing her head down take her toll...her body dropping from exhaustion and lack of fluid...her eyes seeing blurred images in front of her that her brain could not process. "Sweetie Belle....Sweetie Belle........SWEETIE BELLE!" a voice shouted at her but she could not see who was speaking to her due to her head dropping and sand getting in her eyes as her body give out, her eyes closed and she blacked out.
Death of Scootaloo and sins that followA lone figure descend onto the sands of where the unicorn filly had fallen, noticing that she would die if not given water, food or medical assistance, even if she was not injured in any way, shape or form. With a sigh and shake of the creature's head, it grabbed the filly in it's teeth and hoisted her onto it's back before spreading it's wings wide and lifting into the air to steer away from the high speed currents of the desert storm that was coming near, hoping to help the filly to survive, if only for a while. "Yo, Sweets!" a familiar voice screamed into the small unicorn's left ear as she winced before opening her eyes that were blurred for a second due to the strange change of scenery. She saw...hay on the floor before her, and the solid creation of a barn with it's brown wooden support beams above her along with many items used for farming. The face of Scootaloo who had her eyes widen in a hint of fear for her best friend was right near Sweetie Belle's own before the small Pegasus grinned and with a blink of her eyes shouted behind her right shoulder. "Hey Bloom, she's awake...the damned horned girl can't even die right, huh?" Scootaloo laughed before stepping back to allow the very worried and annoyed face of Apple Bloom to come to Sweetie Belle's vision. "Ya'll had Ah and Scoots worried sick, Sweets.....what happened to ya?And what's with that fancy jewel around ya'll neck? Huh? Answer mah, Sweetie Belle.....are ya alright?" Apple Bloom questioned rapidly to the unicorn's face before she pushed the earth pony away from her and with a groan said only four words. "You got a smoke?" she asked which earned her a shape and painful cuff from Apple Bloom's right front hoof who was now screaming her words in rage at her fillyfriend. "DO AH GOT A SMOKE? WHO THE BUCK DO YA THINK YA ARE TO JUST ASSUME THAT YA WOULD GET YA'LL'S FIX WHEN WE FOUND YA DYING FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION AND STARVATION IN FRONT OF MAH BARN AND ALLOWING MAH AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY TO BE WORRIED SICK ABOUT YA, DO YA EVEN-" "I think she gets it, Bloom, calm down now, will ya? She must be so shaken up from the where ever she was that she passed out near somewhere hot, right Sweets?" Scootaloo cut off Apple Bloom furious rant as the earth pony stomped off in a fit of rage, Sweetie Belle swallowing the spittle in her throat having never seen such a side from her as she turned her head towards Scootaloo who grinned then grabbed a pack of smokes from her tail and taking one out with her teeth, holding it out for Sweetie Belle and lighting a single match before lighting the tip as the filly inhaled and exhaled the nicotine deeply from her mouth. "Thanks, Scoot....I seriously needed that." Sweetie Belle spoke as she rose from her spot on the ground and after stumbling for a second, regained her balance before she walked towards where Apple Bloom had stomped off to, intent on apologizing to her and putting out the cigarette with a hoof after taking one last drag. Before she could open the barn door to tell Apple Bloom she was sorry, she was stopped by Scootaloo's left front hoof who shook her head slowly with a close of her eyes as Sweetie Belle felt tears brim the edges of her eyes, before she collapsed to the ground and sobbed loudly, allowing all her sorrow and anger at what has been done to her onto those around her. "Hey, what's wrong, Sweetie Belle? Bloom....come here, something is seriously wrong with Sweetie!" Scootaloo shouted out the barn as they both heard the sound of rushing hoof steps come to them and with the barn door opening, Apple Bloom appeared with a sliver tray of apple slices and a pitcher of cider in her mouth as she set the tray down onto the ground and trotted up to Sweetie Belle before embracing her in her own front hooves as the filly told them of all she remembered, knowing she could not allow what she had seen to be with her only...she could not. Three hours had passed in the large shelter that physically covered the three fillies, but not emotionly as the two friend's could not even imaged what their friend had gone through in the harsh lands of the desert, watching her older sister to be killed because of some damned jewelry fabled to grant the powers of a god and ultimate power to the wielder, the tray of food gone while they had watched their friend stuff herself full not even bothering to leave them any cider in her hunger. Sweetie Belle was openly sobbing on Apple Bloom's coat while she watched with a broken heart for her lover, guilt slicing through her heart at her angry words she had spoke while Scootaloo gently ran her left front hoof over Sweetie Belle's back, doing what she could to give her own share of comfort, not that it helped much. "Sweets....what I want to know is....how did you get here? The desert is forty miles away form Ponyville, and your a unicorn, a filly at that....who brought you here?" Scootaloo asked softly into Sweetie Belle's right ear as she shook head head before lifting it from the pale yellowed fur of one of her best friends and replied. "I don't know...I honestly don't.....I had fainted before I even notice anypony coming near me in that cruel wasteland" Sweetie Belle spat making Scootaloo only nod as Apple Bloom nuzzled her snout to Sweetie Belle's own who enjoyed the small pleasure. "Well...Ah just glad ya alive is all....Ah don't know what Ah do if we lost ya, Sweets." she said quietly allowing the unicorn to only smile before she put head head into the soft fur of Apple Bloom again, hoping to only sleep with her friends but was not given such luxury as Scootaloo stood up from where she was laying. "Oh, we almost forgot to give you your gift, Sweets....Yo, Apple, go get it will ya?" she ordered causing the filly to glare at her before she swore under her breath and with a kiss on Sweetie Belle's left cheek lifted herself from the hay then were resting in and walking out of the barn to get the item she had created with Big Macintosh's help. "So uh, Sweets.....what's with the red jewel that we found around your neck?" Scootaloo asked in confusion, Sweetie Belle sighed loudly as she told of being given the jewel from Magic Blades after Rarity's death, forcing herself to not cry again as her Pegasus friend listened with a serious look on her face before it was ended. "By the way...where is it anyway?" she asked as Scootaloo shrugged. "I think Applejack has it, once we found you and got you healed up, Applejack took the jewel but did not tell us where she put it, I'm not sure she even wants you to have it...oh well. Both Applejack and Big Mac are at work so we did what we could to take care of you." She answered making Sweetie Belle nod before they both turned their heads upon hearing the barn door open again and saw Apple Bloom with a long, wrapped in blue birthday paper item in her mouth as she rushed over and dropped it onto a nearby work table, opening and closing her mouth to get rid of the ache in her jaw before turning to her friends and pointing a hoof at the present. "There you are....happy birthday, Sweets....it took a month to get done because of Big Mac's other orders, but it's finally finish." she spoke proudly, hoping the gift who cheer her up, or at least help her to not feel so useless at the very least. Sweetie Belle, with Scootaloo trailing close behind her looked at the 'gift' as she raised an eyebrow in confusion and with nothing left to lose, opened the wrapping. Because it was night time, the item was a bit hard to see, but nonetheless Sweetie Belle understood what she was staring it. It was a scythe, with brown wood complete with a sliver blade attached to the left side and curved, the width of the blade being six inches long while the height of it was four. It had a tint of purple on it, in honor of Rarity, why or how they would add Rarity's color of her mane and tail Sweetie would never know, but she did know that the scythe had a single, curved hole of the wood a foot underneath the blade, the shape for any type of pony to slip their hoof into while other creatures could use their claws, paws, etc. The stick of wood was only two inches taller then Sweetie Belle herself when she stood on her rear hooves which she did now to balance the weapon on her two front hooves as she chuckled then laughed louder before she was grinning from ear to ear. "So what's going to happen when I get older? How will I be able to hold this thing when I start growing more?" She asked as Apple Bloom replied that all she needed to do was come see her as she got older and she would replace the wood but leave the blade the same for it was very expensive to have the blade polished to be permanently such a color. "I LOVE it, Apple Bloom....it's perfect and," she paused before slipping her left front hoof into the slot and holding her right on top of the wood before swinging the dangerous weapon to the right, barely missing the table that the weapon once rested as she laughed and swung to the the left, her hoof being twisted in an odd angle as she grunted in pain before stopping and frowning at the weapon in her hooves. "It seems I have to practice with this thing before I can even think about doing any damage to anypony." Sweetie Belle whispered. "Damage? Sweetie, Ah created that thing so ya'll could help with the fields on the farm before ya were able to use ya magic, not for ya to go killing creatures across the land in ya quest for revenge to Magic Blades!" Apple Bloom yelled as the filly removed her hoof from the slot and dropped the scythe to the ground while dropping back to all four hooves and grabbing it in her teeth, wobbling as both the blade and wood caused her head to tilt every which way. Setting the weapon or in this case, tool on the table, Sweetie Belle turned towards her fillyfriend, her eyes narrowed in anger at how she could be so closed minded and against having her revenge for her sister. "I told you before that I was going to do whatever it took to give that mare what she deserves, and I'm not going to be stopped just because you don't agree with my choice of action, Apple Bloom....I have no life just sitting on a farm and working my tail off every day, I have a chance to make this right and give Rarity the vengeance she deserves." Sweetie Belle shouted back while her nose touched Apple Bloom's who had her own eyes narrowed and mouth changed into an angered frown. Neither of them in their anger of trying to be proven right, or trying to stop another's dangerous and selfish quest for revenge had notice Scootaloo silently slide towards the scythe on the table, hoping to give it a few swings before she was caught and knowing Sweetie Belle would think she was being to reckless with it. "Oh so now we earth ponies are useless because we work hard at what we got rather then using some fancy, pansy magic spell, huh? Ya have got no fighting skills in the least, Sweetie Belle, Magic Blades and Rarity were professional at what they did when it came to fighting and they had no choice in the matter when it came to killing their enemies, Ya'll don't even know no damn magic and even if ya did-" "That's not what I meant, Bloom and you know it! I'll learn how to fight with this weapon if I have to, I'll get training and do what I have to.This is about what I have to do to give Rarity peace of mind and redeem her, and I can't do that on no damn, bucking FARM!" Sweetie Belle screamed back, Apple Bloom gritted her teeth and was about to retort when she noticed that Scootaloo was standing on her high hooves with Sweetie Belle's scythe and her right front hoof in the slot swinging it around as if she was attacking enemies. "What are ya'll doing, Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom yelled to the orange coated filly who paused in embarrassment at being caught red hoofed. "Hey! Put that down, Scoot, that's my birthday present, not a toy. Stop touching things that are not yours!" Sweetie Belle screamed as she trotted up to Scootaloo and grabbed the wood from her hooves as her left begin to twist at an odd angle. "Yo, back off, Sweetie Belle...this maybe yours but you don't got to get your tail in a knot, you could have just asked to be given it back" Scootaloo shouted as she tugged at the wood that her hoof was caught in. "And you could have bucking asked to use it, I need this Scoots and I'm not going to allow you to break it just because you think everything is a game!" she shouted before tugging at the wood to remove her hoof, the blade being turned around back and forth between the two fillies as they tried to get the dangerous weapon from the other. "Give it to me!" "Buck off" "I said give it to ME, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle screamed before the force of her pull and strength of Scootaloo's pull caused the wooden slot to snap, swinging the blade of the scythe deep into Scootaloo's chest, impaling deep as she coughed up a spray of blood at Sweetie Belle's face, forcing her to ignore her own friends blood as a long, thick line of blood ran down the left side of her chin, the dying filly looking deep into Sweetie's Belle's eyes, her sad, betrayed eyes being engraved into her mind, never to be forgotten. She breathed her last breathe in Sweetie Belle's eyes, before the filly herself was shoved violently out of the way by Apple Bloom, with Big Macintosh and Applejack running into the barn by the screaming, the scythe being ripped from Scootaloo's chest by Big Mac as Sweetie Belle cowered with her front hooves coving her face, never able to forgive herself for the sin of which she had committed. "Scoots, don't you die on mah you hear? Don't you bucking die on mah.....SCOOTALOO!" Applejack shouted as her efforts to revive the young filly was for naught, Scootaloo was dead. *One week later* All of Ponyville was in attedance for the death of Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle weeping was never stopped from herself or anypony. Sweetie Belle was tempted to burn the scythe but for some reason could not find the heart to do it, Apple Bloom never speaking once to her in four days, not wanting to have anything to do with the one that killed their best friend. It was night when Sweetie Belle had to force herself to eat, looking at the grave that embossed Scootaloo's name as she took a big bite of her red apple, ignoring the tears soaking the fruit. "I'm sorry, Scoots...I'm so sorry." she whispered as guilt ripped open her heart with it's cold, harsh truth that she was the cause of her best friend's demise. "Yeah, I can tell your soooo sorry....and it's really, really getting annoying, Sweets." a small and smart mouth voice spoke behind the filly as she turned around, her eyes widen in shock as she saw no pony or any other creature near her before noticing an orange glow and seeing Scootaloo before her eyes, her form shifting but still visible as the filly smirked before grabbing a smoke from her tail and lighting a match while lighting the tip as well, inhaling the tobacco deeply before exhaling it out her nose with a grin. "Scoot....Scootaloo?" Is that really you?" Sweetie Belle asked, her mind not able to understand what was before her own eyes as the filly in question rolled her own eyes and replied. "No, it's me, Scootaloo the dragon, how you doing fillies and gentle colts? Right, like I would be that dumb as to appear before you as a damn dragon, buck that.....tell me Sweets, how long it been since you had a smoke? A week now or something? Been crying like a little bitch for the death you caused me, huh? How touching, really." Scootaloo laughed making Sweetie Belle stand up and ignore the apple that dropped to the ground and rolled away for her. "But....but how did you-" "Guess you can thank the goddess of death for that, huh? Shit, stop whining already will you? I may be dead but at least you won't be alone on this quest of yours right? I mean being sent to Tartarus and then being given the chance to come back to the living to bring sorrow to the one that killed me even though it was an accident? How could I not say yes? Damn, Sweets, you look awful...you really need to get yourself cleaned up if we are going to leave, ya heard me?" Scootaloo spoke with another inhale then exhaled of her smoke, the grey smoke being blown towards Sweetie Belle but could not smell it as it went right pass her, before disappearing into the air. "Leave? What the hay are you talking about? Leave to where and I'm not going anywhere, in fact, Apple Bloom, come here...Scootaloo's back!" "I would not do that if I were you, Sweet-" "What the blazes are ya'll screaming about Sweetie Belle, ain't it bad enough that our friend is dead that you got to be playing sick, bucked up games with her death!" Apple Bloom shouted in rage as she ran towards Scootaloo's grave, knowing that it was the place she would come to everyday to ask her for forgiveness. "But look she's here, don't you see her, she's right-" Sweetie Belle replied as she pointed a hoof at the orange filly who had a smirk on her face, inhaling the smoke in her mouth once more as she shook her head before exhaling out her nose. "NO...Ah don't see her. What the BUCK is wrong with ya'll, Sweetie Belle? Scoots is gone....gone ya hear.....she's gone and she not ever coming back..." Apple Bloom screamed as her voice trailed off and without a word she ran off, fresh tears falling to the ground behind her, Sweetie Belle to confused to comfort her fillyfriend. She turned her head to look at Scootaloo who chuckled "I warned you, Sweets....she can't see or hear me....that special talent is only reserved for you and of course maybe a god or goddess, your my bitch now, Sweetie Belle. So I suggest that you stand up, grab that broken piece of shit that's your weapon and get some training in your bones......we got a long, dark road ahead of us." Scootaloo laughed harshly with glee as blue lighting cracked the sky above and as the white furred filly wept for the the lost of her friend and her dark words, not even noticing as the skull of a unicorn with fangs in exchange for teeth and twin black scythes, one crossed over the other appeared permanently on her flank, respecting her talent as a filly who would bring tragedy and even death to every life she would meet.
Dark journeyYo Sweets!" a voice near Sweetie Belle shouted as she opened her eyes, noticing that the rain had begun to pour on her fur, and her best friend's grave rather rough. She sighed before looking up to see Scootaloo herself or rather her ghost form sneer at Sweetie Belle's weak, pitiful broken body, heart and soul before her. Her tears mixing with the rain falling from the sky. "Get your ass up, Sweets...no pony going to respect a broken down white furred piece of ass...now will they? Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Scootaloo laughed hard as she held her front hooves to her ribs and fell to the ground, not able to breathe...if she had any breath in her. "Ah...we are going to have so much fun together, Sweetie...I can tell. Oh look, looks like Bloom is coming back to apologize to you" she chuckled as they looked up to see Apple Bloom was indeed coming forward towards them, Sweetie Belle's scythe in her mouth and a dark green sheath across her back. She spat the weapon out, a glare on her features as she gritted her teeth intent on giving her fillyfriend a really harsh and angry talk as she opened her mouth, her voice emotionless and cruel. "Ah suggest...ya leave, Sweetie Leliana Belle, just...go...Ah, Ah really...really, don't wish to see ya right now Belle...Scootaloo is gone...because of ya...will ya'll really cause death where ever ya go? Where ever ya'll hooves step? Ah...Ah can't forgive ya now...just take ya'll bucking scythe and leave!" Apple Bloom screamed the last words as she threw the sheath off her, turned around and full galloped away from her lover...or former. The night sky lit the sky with a boom before a blue arc of lighting zapped near Sweetie Belle forcing her to jump away quickly as her heart calmed down and her body did not shake as much, she then looked at the weapon in front of her hooves and the dark green sheath meant for her hard days work of labor and protection from the weather and bugs from when she was supposed to be a farm pony...instead she was a murderer. "Ah sure she does not really mean it, Sweets, here...ya'll need this more then ya might think." a voice spoke behind her as she turned around so fast she almost give her neck whiplash and saw Applejack, her eyes sad and filled with tears at the sight before her as the mare tossed a large, red colored jewel near her hooves, the gem getting streaks of mud from the rain as Sweetie Belle picked it up and put it around her neck, not sure why she was given such a cursed item. "She is just depressed...Ah would not be surprised if ya self was not either, young filly. Ya don't belong here, Sweets, at least...not for a long time. And if ya really want to avenge ya'll sister, then Ah suggest...ya may as well follow in her hoofsteps. In the mountains East of here, there is a temple, known as Talent of heart...it is run by a Pegasus known as Rainbow Dash...you will refer to her only as Master though...she is an old friend of mine...and that jewel should be enough for the cost of living there until ya complete her studies...if ya'll are even given a chance" Applejack paused, allowing salty, dark tears of anger and sorrow to be released from her body as her mind went into the past before she shook her head, hoping to remove such thoughts, the past should be left buried. "Anyway...find her and prove to her that ya'll are worth her time, Sweetie Belle...she DESPISES unicorns, ya must show her that ya'll can be taught as ya sister did, for she was the only unicorn that fought as the students were trained...and knowing ya'll's family...ya will be the last." she spoke with a humorless chuckle making Sweetie Belle narrow her eyes at hearing such unnecessary talk about her family. "What's that supposed to mean?" she shouted as Applejack ignored her, forcing her to glare at the ground before she grabbed the sheath in her jaws before tossing it into the air, allowing her left front hoof to slid pass the material and over her neck, making the empty strap fit comfortably on her shoulders as it was strapped firmly around her chest, making her able to turn her head to the right if she needed to reach it, but it would have to be done quickly in a fight. "Ya'll path...will be dark, young one...please...do mah a favor...a promise that ya sister herself broke, little filly...don't let the demons take ya." Applejack shouted as a sob escaped her throat as she turned around, wanting to leave but hoping to give her one last piece of aid, something that she would need for her travels. "And Sweets...ya'll are welcome to come over to the farm to get a long, more adapted stick for ya'll blade when ya have time off...if Ah'm still thinking of the correct time that ya have to stay...and please, don't let yourself get killed for that jewel around your neck...it's very important...but not as much as ya." Applejack whispered as she to walked towards the corner of the night and allowed darkness to swallow her completely, leaving the small white furred filly to herself...and her demon. Sweetie Belle ignored Scootaloo as she laughed hard on the mudded, soaked ground, leaving no imprints on the soil as she coughed before staring at her best friend with a large grin on her face as Sweetie Belle picked up the scythe in her mouth, then with much difficultly, she was able to get it into her sheath before she ran towards some area to get dry, and to clear her mind of what she must do next. "Yo, don't tell me you believe in that crazy SHIT Sweets, she was bucking pulling your leg, we know that...COME ON!" Scootaloo shouted after the unicorn as she ignored her again and with a roll of her eyes, her grin never leaving her face, Scootaloo followed after the filly that would cause a wake of carnage and death among her path...with every hoofstep she took. The pair began their travels walking from Ponyville into the forest that would turn into an open field then the mountains themselves with time, being stopped by none of the civilians as she ignored the rain pouring down her fur and the mocking or rather jokes that Scootaloo was trying to tell her, snorting once or twice to get water from out of her nose and shaking her head to rid her face of it, noticing that her scythe was rather heavy now that she had to fully carry it, not even given a saddlebag for food or medical reasons. After a few hours walk in the night to get away from Ponyville and not even a goodbye to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle stopped under an old oak tree, hoping to get some rest from the horrible and really dark night she's been having. "Best get some sleep you weak slut, we got a long travel if we want to meet this bad ass mare we heard about, she can teach you some good shit you know...Rainbow Dash...that's an awesome name now that I think about it, something you could never have, Sweets." Scootaloo's mocking tone was the last Sweetie Belle heard before her body gave her and her vision went black from exhaustion. She awoke eight hours later, her coat, mane and tail completely drenched but she was in high spirits and for once...Scootaloo was gone from her sight. With a deep breath, Sweetie Belle stood up wincing as a bolt of pain came from her right shoulder and she turned her head to see that she had forgotten to take her scythe and it's case from her body, resulting in her pain. With a grunt, Sweetie Belle ignored it and began to walk forward, hoping to get to the mountains near Ponyville by nightfall. After nine hours of non-stop trotting, Sweetie Belle dropped to her hunches with a loud sigh, sweat dripping down her forehead and coat as she looked above her where she rested near an apple tree, weather by luck or by fate, she did not know...nor cared. Bucking the tree with her hind legs as hard as she could the pre-teenage filly shouted with joy as a shiny, green apple dropped to the floor and she smiled before kicking it for another, hoping to have a fine meal. Looking at the fruit with awe, she licked her lips before taking a large bite out of the soar but incredible tasting treat, allowing her taste buds to envelope her mouth as she swallowed before taking a breath then another bite. After she had finished her lunch and taking a long sip of water from a lake near her, Sweetie Belle sighed in content and brought her tail to the front of her body before she took out her pack of Diseased Stallion she had tucked away and taking one of them out, put them back before she lit a match with her tail then lighting the tobacco and inhaling it deeply before exhaling the grey smoke out her nose, hoping to rest a while longer before carrying on her journey. "Yo Sweets!" a voice shouted making her wince and close her eyes hoping that it would go away and leave her be...at least for a moment more. "Hey there, bitch...I'm talking to you, now why you got to go and ignore me like that, girl?" the blunt and rather rude voice of Scootaloo questioned as Sweetie sighed, talking another drag of her smoke as she talk while allowing the smoke to come from her mouth.
Entrance into sorrow"Yo Sweets!" Scootaloo's voice shouted as Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and ignored her. They walked for several hours, it took three days just for Sweetie Belle, and with regret Scootaloo trotting along side her, just to get the the mountain in which the legendary Master Rainbow Dash was fabled to train the Pegasus and even Earth ponies to become their own master of assassination. With a sigh and gritting her teeth for smoking her second to last Diseased Stallion in her carton, Sweetie Belle's nerves were wearing down as Scootaloo kept talking....and talking....and talking, most were just insults, others were smart ass comments for when Sweetie Belle did reply...but none were of happy memories before her death. "You know what I don't understand, Sweets? Why not just hire a Pegasus to fly you up there, instead of trotting through half of Equestria like you some sort of bas ass unicorn? I mean come ON girl, we both know you don't got no bits...hay, you have to use that jewel AND a little flank action to even try to-" "Will you please, SHUT UP!" Sweetie Belle suddenly screamed without turning around, wishing for the third time in a day that her scythe could slice through spiritual creatures, forcing Scootaloo to stop and frown with a hurt look before a smug grin came onto her muzzle. "Oh I get it, that time of the month again, huh? Well, when a female's got to go, she got to go right? Why don't you just use that....oh wait...we don't got no trees...well, guess you could always dig a hole and use your tail to wipe-" "SCOOTALOO!" the unicorn filly screamed making her friend's grin get even wider. "What? We grown...fillies, we can have this talk you know...it's OK...here, I'll even teach you where foals come from, HEY! Where you going?" the Pegasus shouted with a laugh as the filly ignored her and continued to walk, wishing for some miracle to drag Scootaloo back to Tartarus. Sadly for her, her wish was not granted, but coming close to the edge of the cold, snow infested and sharped wind of where her would-be master was close at hoof. With a deep breath Sweetie Belle lifted her right front hoof and reached out to step onto the soft, powered white snow, ignoring Scootaloo's comment to "Jump into it as you would a pool and get it over with" and rested the hard crusted limb deep into the snow and hissed as she felt it snap at her like a Diamond dog. "Damn, that hurt." Sweetie Belle shouted as she gritted her teeth and ignored the string of the cold to take another step with her right front hoof this time, and after two hours and using all her will to not run ahead to warm up her body but slip, fall and get her coat wet as a result, she was coming closer to the building known as the Talent of Heart....a school fitted only for ponies, or even other creatures who wished to learn the special art of attack and defense, for the common good. The building itself was sixty feet in length and two stories high in height, golden bronze torches were outside to light a way into the entrances and large banners of a single pony standing on it's rear legs with it's front right hoof curved and it's left curved even higher then the right in victory was imprinted on the cloth, showing that no pony could not attain success if they tried their best . A small, gray colored coated unicorn filly with golden eyes and a long yellow colored mane and tail with no cutie mark was coming out of the building, going to light a torch that had gone out with a long black wooden stick that had afire lit on the edge away from her mouth and smiled in satisfaction at her accomplishment before her eyes rested on the unicorn filly not even fifty feet from her. With a shout of surprise she dropped the flaming stick and cried out in terror as it fell to the wooden floor and started to light the ground before she stomped it out, or tried to before it burnt her hooves and made her cry out in pain. Without a seconds hesitation, Sweetie Belle ran up and slid hard into the snow, forcing the icy cold element to fly high into the air and land onto the small flames that would have spread outward if not stopped. "Wow.....you might have just saved my life, thanks." the gray colored unicorn smiled as she looked the filly before her over once, impressed "Are you here to be a new servant for Master Dash? No, you can't be because you have a weapon." she asked glancing at her scythe as Sweetie Belle looked at her confused. "Servant?" she repeated allowing the filly to nod her head eagerly with a smile before stopping and frowning. "You don't know what a servant is? Wow...you must really be new.....a servant of Master Dash and Chief Gilda is any unicorn who is willing to cook, clean, breathe and if necessary, fight for the Talent of Heart students....and their masters. I'll admit, it's not a very great job if one does not mind being treated like a second class creature...but hey, it's great pay....even though we get yelled at a lot if we mess up and it's cool to meet the other ponies...even though some call you names and laugh behind you back...but..." she stopped, not really able to find something worth explain why she enjoyed her job so much. With a rough shake of her head the unicorn could find nothing to really justify the school not meant for unicorns. "Anyway...my name is Dinky Doo, welcome to Talent of Heart....come on, I'll show you around, um-" "Sweetie Belle...that's my name." she replied with an honest smile as Dinky nodded and turned around to enter the building, picking up her fallen stick and trotting inside. "Hey, what about me, Sweets? Not going to tell her who I am?" Scootaloo chuckled as Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and did not speak, making the orange Pegasus to comment. "And hey, great job helping out Doo bitch or whatever her name is, she does not have the words loser stamped on her forehead or anything ha, ha,ha, ha, ha" she whispered causing the filly to grit her teeth in rage once more of her new friend being treated so harshly...and to a dead pony no less. "Her name is Dinky Doo, Scoots and she seems like an honest filly so leave her alone, alright?" Sweetie Belle whispered back making Scootaloo roll her eyes and get out a single cigarette, put it in her mouth, light a match with her tail and inhale the tobacco with a large grin as she exhaled it out her nose. "Ah, yeah....this is where it's at, Sweets, and as for your perfect little fan girl, she's a scared little bitch.....sort of like you...but smarter, you know? Bet she can't even hear me...HEY DUMBO!" Scootaloo shouted causing Sweetie Belle to gasp loudly, hoping the filly trotting ahead of her did not hear before sighing with relief once Dinky did not turn her head and glaring at Scootaloo who shrugged. "Guess only you can really hear and see me...lucky you, mini marshmallow, catch you later." Scootaloo laughed before she vanished into the floorboards, smoking trailing behind her. With a sigh, Sweetie Belle kept pace with Dinky who had set the flaming stick that the snow had put out with the others while she was talking with Scootaloo and walked pass many empty rooms that were quarters for students, making Sweetie Belle wonder where the servants slept. After twenty minutes, the two stopped near a large tan wooden double door that Dinky pushed open with her hooves as she smiled at Sweetie Belle and stepped aside. "Sorry, Sweetie Belle...servants are not allowed in the training area unless it's an emergency, Chief Gilda gets furious with us...I'm hoping your able to stay here though and be a servant, I would love to have a new friend that does not tease me so much because of who my sister is...oh look, there she is now!" Dinky exclaimed in excitement at the sight before her eyes, making Sweetie Belle follow as what she saw shocked her to no end. A gray coated mare Pegasus having a blond mane and tail and with two beautiful, enchanting golden color eyes that were looking in different directions every time and was wearing a black colored stash over her waist had a large sliver colored sword with a golden colored hilt and a miniature what looked to be gold muffin on the top of the weapon clenched tight in her teeth, and another wrapped firmly around her tail, the blades locked in combat. The mare's opponent was a female hybrid of the body of a lion and an eagle...that which was known as a griffin. She had her claws wrapped around the weapons, making sure they did not damage her as she narrowed her eyes and taunted the Pegasus. "Come on, Derpy...cut the shit, I know you did not become the number one student in this school with that sort of skill, hay my little brother could do better then you are, and he was just born a year ago." The griffin laughed causing the mare known as Derpy to become enraged and with her tongue sticking out to the right of her mouth, her eyes narrowed and a power flap of her wings, Derpy broke the contact with the blades and claws and slashed with the one in her mouth at the hybrid who screamed as the blade sliced deep into her right wing. Blood stained the ground as she bit back a curse and dodged the slash from Derpy's tail, countering back with a slash near Derpy's muzzle who blocked the limb with her wings, forcing a deep claw mark into the feathers as Derpy screamed then with a shout of rage, pushed out her wings and slashed her two swords deep into Gilda's chest who screamed as blood sprayed onto the floor in a small puddle. With a roar, Gilda flapped her wings and pushed herself forward before slashed her right claw deep into Derpy's muzzle, causing a claw mark that would forever be a scar that went from her left jaw to her nose as she narrowed her eyes and with another scream, slammed her front hooves deep into Gilda's spine and forced her to the ground who could do no more then cry out in pain, her body already weak because of the heavy blows. The griffin gasped loudly in pain as she stepped back four feet, causing blood to drip down through her feathers with every step before she kneeled down onto the hard oak floor, her right rear paw on the floor as her left was holding the rest of her body up, her wings covering her form as she chuckled. "Ha.....your getting better, Derpy...improving....got to say I'm impressed." Gilda spoke with a hint of anger as she looked to the ground and winced as a long, thick line of blood ran down her chest. "Seems she's getting better then you, Gil....that now's bucking hilarious.....yo, Derpy, you doing much better then I thought...maybe your finally ready to face me." a cyan bodied Pegasus mare with a rainbow colored mane and tail spoke as she was laying lazily on the rafters above, before she opened her wings and gilded to the floor, her cerise colored eyes looking at the crossed eyed mare before snapping back to the griffin bleeding in defeat. "I.....I don't belive I'm ready, Master Dash. It was just pure luck that I have defeated Chief Gilda, Master." "Yeah, it's also pure luck that my ass has a rainbow colored tail, nah...you got some serious skill, what you say we...who's that?" Rainbow Dash asked looking at Sweetie Belle, her voice tinted with a hint of disbelief and shock. Gilda looked up, a smug grin appearing on her beak as she took a step forward before her leg jerked from under her and she roared in anger, not knowing that Derpy's blades cut so deep. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sighed before shaking her head slowly "Hey, servants? Your Chief is a bucking idiot and hurt, why don't you tape her up?" she shouted as the six unicorns from both genders and different ages come forth from unknown areas of the structure to gently grab the hybrid from the ground and lift her with their magic, or the older adults did at least. "Wait.....what's your story, filly? Why are you here?" Gilda asked glaring at Sweetie Belle with her left eye, her right closed due to losing consciousness and her body stopped and in the air held by magic. "Uh......I......I'm here to.....ummm.....train with the other students, Master Dash and Chief Gilda," Sweetie Belle stopped, her throat suddenly dry as she wished for once Scootaloo was here to at least insult her to tell her what to do. But she was alone this time...completely. With a deep breathe, she spoke...hoping that she sounded as brave as she did not feel in the slightest. "I want to learn how to use my body, heart and soul for the greater good....for a sense of justice and-" "Stop , stop...just, just stop alright. Who the hay do you think you are, girl? Your a unicorn in case you have not figured that out which would be very sad...how old are you even, seven?" Rainbow Dash asked with her eyes narrowed as she trotted up to the filly and glared at her, the filly herself about a minute away from soiling her fur. "I...I'm twelve, Master" she replied nervously. "Twelve huh....hmm.....no. Look, maybe if you want, I could make you a servant but I don't do unicorns training under my wing....ever! Maybe, just maybe if you gave me an excuse as to why I should let you in, I might think about it...but it's so bucking narrow of a chance that it could never happen, trust me....there's not a unicorn in the land that could match the skill of Diamond Slayer" she whispered softly before turning away causing Sweetie Belle to gasp in shock, her eyes widen in shock. "Yeah...that's what I thought, filly...nice try though...now if you'll excuse me, I got a fight with my number one student to accept." Rainbow Dash laughed before she continued walking as Sweetie Belle with nothing left to lose shouted. "Please....let me join, please Master." she begged, her body dropping to the ground from exhaustion and fear of being turned away, not able to get revenge on her sister and have herself a normal life. "And why should I?" Rainbow Dash shouted back not even bothering to turn around as she sat in front of Derpy who frowned at the filly, awaiting her answer. "BECAUSE SHE'S MY SISTER!" Sweetie Belle had no other choice, she had to use her last resort which made every single pony and one griffin stop what they were doing at stare at the filly in shock, not understand nor believing that this filly was related to one of the greatest sword ponies in the world....who used to be the bearer of the number one jewel, the Mare of Beauty, Diamond Slayer. The unicorns were so shocked that they dropped Gilda who was in so much disbelief herself that she did not even register the pain, Rainbow Dash eyes were widen in shock and betrayal, for she had raised and taught the mare everything she knew, and she had been repaid by the unicorn leaving in the middle of the night with that damn green jewel she found claiming that it was a message that she was chosen from the goddesses, what a load of bullshit. For fifth teen years she had trained Rarity until she was better then even herself...but she had failed in thinking that the mare would not wish to remove her chains and do what ever her heart wished.....and now this filly who dare claims she was related to her wishes to train under her. And for what? For what? Why was this filly really here? How dare she even show her face. "What did you say?" Rainbow Dash snarled, her teeth tensed in rage as Sweetie Belle swallowed the large amount of spittle in her throat and spoke again, her voice more firmer because she had spoken the truth. "I said she is my-" her voice was cut off by a front hoof slamming into the left side of her face, causing her to be stunned and shocked that her assaulter was none other then the mare at which she wanted to hold so highly, Rainbow Dash. "Get out....you filthy, maggot rotting piece of fur...GET OUT!" she screamed, her power wings still flapping to hold her in the air as Sweetie Belle held a hoof to the injured side of her face and with tears forming in the corner of her eyes she kept her them to the ground before glancing briefly at Dinky Doo then the other small fillies and colts and without another word, she turned her body away and walked out the entrance,for if she could not be trained by Master Dash...where was she to go?
A curse forever followed“Yo Sweets!” a loud, smart ass tone from Scootaloo yelled as the white filly ignored her, not knowing where it was she was supposed to go….she did not know what would happen if she got turned away from Master Dash and her school, she had been warned but did not expect for it to truly happen. As she walked on through the snow, ignoring the flakes that clung to her coat, she accidently hit the shoulder of one of the four ponies that were coming towards the school itself, all four were adults; two were green coated earth ponies with red manes and tails and gold eyes, one male and one female while the other two were Pegasus and both brown furred with white manes and tails with blue eyes, also one male and female. The one she had ran into for not looking ahead of her was an earth pony and was male, with a sword strapped to his back as the female had a spear with both having grey sheath’s to cover their weapons, the Pegasus on the other hoof had two knives attached to their hips, green sheaths covering the weapons as the stallion Sweetie Belle had ran into snorted. “Watch where you’re going, unicorn trash!” he snapped and slapped her hard in the face with his tail as the other ponies laughed and continued walking before the female earth pony spotted a red glow from the small unicorn filly. “Hey, hold up…..she’s got a nice piece of jewelry around her neck.” She sneered darkly making the other three turn to look at the filly still slowly trotting away. “Hey, WHORE!” the green furred mare Pegasus shouted to the unicorn who in her depression to be rejected did not hear her. “Yo, Sweets….I’m thinking those ugly bastards behind you want to have a little chat, why don’t you go….give them a warm greeting.” Scootaloo whispered to the right of her with a smirk as Sweetie Belle looked at the orange filly confused before turning around and seeing the four ponies behind her walking to the building, giving all four a good long look of the red jewel she wore. “W….what? Hey, she….she’s got the number two jewel around her neck.” The red furred stallion whispered to his allies as their mouths were open in shock, for even they while on vacation had heard of the legendary Diamond Slayer being killed and the mare known as Magic Blades to take her place around the moral ponies as a goddess…at least, in their minds, but now they had just noticed that the number two jewel was being carried around by a filly, a unicorn at that. “The, BUCK! Hey, if we get that damn jewel, we won’t have to be around Rainbow’s dumb ass, we can have an all expense pay trip to the big time once we kill Magic Blades.” The green coated mare spoke to her friends who nodded without hesitation, not knowing that only one of them was able to challenge Magic Blades at a time. “Hey, bitch…..give us that pretty stone around your neck….we don’t want to hurt you.” The same mare screamed to Sweetie Belle who narrowed her eyes at the earth pony’s words. “Much.” The other mare whispered under her breath as her long white tail reached slowly for the small knife on her right hip, her head moving ever slowly for her left while her other two companions did the small, save for the green coated stallion who had his tail go towards his sword on his back, hoping to end this filly’s life quickly, she had no need for the jewel if she was not even going to last five minutes with four full grown ponies. As an unfair battle was about to be placed on the snowy ground, Dinky Doo who had been ordered to fetch a wooden pole to light another lantern that was blown out by the wind, looked around before her and saw four members of Talent of Hearts school facing a very hard to see white filly with purple and pink locks in her mane and tail but could not see her expression from such distance. Without a word Dinky dropped her stick and ran to get help from Master Dash or her sister….whichever came first. Sweetie Belle wanted to curl into a ball and cry for such an unfair battle, she only had her scythe and even if she could reach it with her teeth which she doubted due to the weight, four full grown ponies were right in front of her….she knew the odds were not in her favor. Was she really hated by the goddesses this much? Was this her punishment for her sin of killing Scootaloo, her best friend? Was death at the hooves of these ponies truly an option? “No.” she muttered under her breath, she had come too far, she had not come here to be killed by four selfish ponies…that was not to say she knew how to fight well, her inexperience seriously put her at a disadvantage but that did not mean she was not going to try, damn it! With no other choice, Sweetie Belle made her tail grab the wooden part of her weapon as her tail stretched to remove it from its own sheath as it was released and brought towards the ground, the wooden stick in the air as the blade was pointing to the ground…and turned away from her. Dinky had come just in time with Derpy, Master Dash and a whole crowd of unicorn servants to see the battle about to take place. Derpy unfurled her wings to go down and help the filly but was stopped from a hoof by Master Dash as she turned around to look in surprise at her master. “I have to help her, Master Dash, this battle is no place for a filly and she is heavily outnumbered…she has no way of surviving a fight from four full grown ponies who are armed to the teeth.” Derpy spoke calmly to the Pegasus who merely smirked and replied. “In order to prove that she has a place in our school, we have to see what she’s capable of….and besides, with that jewel around her neck she going to be attacked constantly, a fight to the death that cannot be ignored….so better for her to get trained under a master then to be killed not knowing what to do…and if she really is the sister of Diamond Slayer, she’s has got to learn a thing or two, eh?” Rainbow Dash spoke slowly. “Why does she hold her weapon backwards?” Dinky asked confused, wincing for she expected to be slapped by Master Dash for not being given permission first, but no attack came as she sighed in relief. “Hmmm…..I would assume it is because holding a bladed weapon away from you allows for a much more greater defense as well as an open swing of attack, but at the same time she is more prone to be sliced or stabbed at…it would be almost impossible for her to stab unless it was an upward thrust and much harder for her to swing while the blunt end of the scythe is facing her opponents unless she flips it over with her tail…let’s hope she knows what she is doing with that fighting style.” Derpy answered as Master Dash only nodded looking closely at the filly. “Your right, Derpy, never knew you had studied different styles of holding a weapon,” she said with a grin as Derpy only smiled and bowed her head for her praise “But…..the thing is I myself have never even seen anypony have this sort of style with a weapon…..hmmm….not even Rarity held her blade like that, did she Derpy?” Master Dash questioned as Derpy answered right away. “No, Master Dash….she has never held her weapon like that…” her voice trailed off as Master Dash glanced at her from the corner of her left eye. “I forgot you used to know Rarity, Derp…..why did you not go with her when she left, I heard she asked you to follow her, or was my information false?” the rainbow colored Pegasus asked slowly causing the grey colored mare to grit her teeth and her hooves to press harder against the floor board as she answered. “S…she did, Master…..but….I have chosen that my sister is more important to me then a quest for the goddesses……and she is dead because of her faith.” Derpy replied coldly causing Rainbow Dash to laugh loud and hard as she wiped a tear from her right eye. “Ah….could not say it better myself, Derps….forgot you were never one for faith anyway…..hmmm….one of you unicorns, get me a mug of hard cider and a chair, this is going to be a long fight…I can feel it.” she snapped as four servants saluted and went to do as ordered without pause while all eyes kept looking on…to the filly whose fate was forever sealed by bloodshed.