Rarity trudged through the thick foliage of the Everfree. Night settled with a cold wind that billowed from the north, unsettling Rarity. A cold shiver running up her spine. She might be special but that did not stop her mind from wandering to places she should not be. Blood. Death. Murder. Her mind went to that image of her murdering an innocent once again. She closed her eyes and rubbed her arms as she trudged on. More than anything she wanted to go back to the hut and just lay down on the soft pelted bed. Just let the haze of sleep overtake her.

Zecora was right on her, right next to her. Rarity said trying to break the silence between them, "So...I overheard you and Pinkie talking earlier...are you-"

"A witch doctor?" Zecora knit an eyebrow and responded, "An answer to your question is yes, I am. But not what you usually think. I used to delve heavily into black magic. Conjuration. Transmutation. Reanimation. But I became someone that I was not. The Pies had more influence on me than I had thought. But they soon abandoned me once they figured out about the Blackwhisper Coven. A powerful group of witches and warlocks, especially Lilith. At my prime I could not match her power and I do not hope to. I soon let myself escape, a wanderer once again. I then discovered white magic. Herbal remedies and teas, salves, and so many other ways of healing."

Zecora lifted her hand and a bright green flame sparked on her palm and she stared at it as it continued to billow, "But I have not forsaken the eldritch energy that runs through my veins."

Rarity watched the witch doctor slowly regain her original demeanor that was briefly lost as she explained. She very well knew the implications of dark magic. But to actually see it and feel it, it was another beast all together. She felt the raw energy that was created in her hand, it crackled as the green tongues of flame engulfed Zecora's palm. Rarity patted Peacemaker that rested calmly at her side. Breathing in calmed and heavy breaths. Zecora must have picked up on something because she asked, "What is wrong young Rarity?"

Rarity swiftly looked over at Zecora and replied rubbing her arm, "I just...I'm-"

"You are worried that you will turn into someone like Pinkamena?" Zecora interrupted. Rarity shifted her gaze away from the witch doctor and held her gaze low. Her hand no longer resting on Peacemaker. Her hand shook with anxiousness.

Rarity wiped her mouth with her shaky hand and replied, "No...it's just...I don't...I don't want to be...a...killer."

Zecora looked over at her white colored friend and responded, "It is quite alright Rarity. You are not a first to be in this position. You are trying to hold onto your innocence as long as you can. That is why you are so hesitant to kill. This is what the Pie's would call the Wall. Once it was broken, there is no leaving it. No matter how far you travel or how long you ride. You can never escape from this. But I can tell that your wall is still somewhat in tact. You have three kills under your belt, a few more and you could very well turn into Pinkamena if you are not careful."

Zecora stopped and turned Rarity so she was facing her. She stared at Rarity and said with great conviction in her eyes, "Fight to defend. Not to kill. You have extraordinary powers Rarity. Do not exploit them."

Rarity then felt a feeling of cold steel on her side, it was Peacemaker itching to be drawn. Rarity's breathing became ragged and she closed her eyes. Blood rained down in her vision. Though she knew that it was not real, that was not how it felt. She felt like there was really blood falling from her head.

Rarity opened her eyes and she was standing in a hallway with limited light fixtures. Shadows almost leaping out and attaching to her skin. She drew Peacemaker and swatted away the shadows. Rarity looked around hastily to try and find an exit but found none. She jogged down the hallway with no way to tell what was in front of her. Peacemaker raised and ready to shoot down anyone that threatened her life. She tried to control her breathing as she travelled down the dark hallway.

Her pace increased as she heard a sharp voice, "Where do you think you are running to?"

Rarity looked around as she sprinted down the hallway, her vision flashing and she stopped. Rarity opened her eyes and saw that she was in the wide and abandoned church where she had killed her father. Rarity knew the stained columns and the paned windows anywhere. They were almost unmistakable. Rarity clutched Peacemaker tightly in her hand as she carefully stepped closer to the abandoned altar. Looking around as she walked closer.

It was quiet. Eerily quiet. Rarity's breathing slowly controlled and her heart beat returned to normalcy. As normal as it would seem at the moment. More pressing questions were why she was in the church where she killed her escaped convict father? Or why she was leveling her hysteria to a relaxed rate?

Her gaze set upon the large stone altar with a statue of Celestia holding a spear to the sky. Rarity was never one to go to Celestial churches. She thought that it was ridiculous to worship statues when you could worship the real thing. It did not make sense to her. But she paid her respects anyways. She kissed the space in between her thumb and her index figure as she clenched her free hand. Then moving her fist to her heart and lowered her head. It was a common show of respect for higher officials or of the princesses themselves. A common expression of great power.

Once she opened her eyes she felt a force bash against her temple, causing her to topple to the ground. Rarity cried in pain as she hit the floor. She dropped Peacemaker and pressed her hand against her head and kept pressure there as her vision slowly began to clear. She heard a voice that said, "I always knew that I was pathetic but not this much."

It was strange she heard her voice but she did not speak. She shook her head to shake away the haze. Rarity refocused and leaned to her side and looked up. She saw herself standing tall above her in jet black combat suit. Standard issue to stealth units in the Equestrian Military. Rarity knew it well as her grandfather was a Shadow Unit. One of the greatest in the business. She looked tough and battle hardened. Her tight leather armor and her gaze as well, staring daggers at her. Rarity looked at her hand and saw that it had blood on it, glistening with the red liquid.

Rarity said, "How...is this happening right now?"

The other Rarity replied sharply, "I'm you but a darker version of you."

So this was a test that her mind was playing on her. If she can fight herself then she can keep up the wall. The darker her said, "This is gonna hurt."

Rarity quickly reached for Peacemaker but felt a heavy boot stomp on her hand. Rarity said in her mind, 'Well? This is how it is going to go down?' Rarity kicked her leg up and it connected to the back of Dark Rarity's knee. She fell to one knee and Rarity lifted her foot and hooked over Dark Rarity's neck and slammed her head on the ground. Rarity had no idea where she got all these combat moves from. Rarity's foot cracked as it broke under Dark Rarity's twist. Dark Rarity pulled Rarity closer and punched Rarity hard in the nose. Her head slammed against the stone floor. Her vision showing spots. Rarity groaned as she caught the next punch. Dark Rarity spat out, blood leaking down her head, "You can't fight forever you know? You can't win this fight."

Rarity kept a grit look on Dark Rarity and then shifted her eyes over to Peacemaker. Rarity stared at her darker self. If this was what she was to become then she did not want to have an part in becoming a killer. New found conviction swelled and boiled underneath herself. Rarity growled at Dark Rarity, "I can damn well try."

Rarity spat in Dark Rarity's face and slammed her forehead at the bridge of Dark Rarity's nose. Rarity felt that she broke bone and Dark Rarity flew back. She reeled back in pain. Rarity crawled over to Peacemaker and pulled back the hammer. She felt the cold steel sting on her warm grip. Rarity closed one eye and stared down the iron sight and Rarity said coldly, "I'm not going dark today. I'm sorry princess, for I spill blood in your church on this day. My own."

Rarity released the bullet and it tore through the air and whistled as it connected and pierced through it's target. A large hole in Dark Rarity's brow. Smoke billowed from the iron barrel and Rarity let out a sigh and her vision closed.

Rarity jerked herself back to reality. She opened her eyes and became more calm than before. She looked and saw Zecora staring at her. Rarity asked as she rested hand on Peacemaker to make sure that it was still there. Rarity said, "How...what was that?"

Zecora nodded as she responded, "That was your first test. It was a way to keep the darker version of you at bay. It now resides deep within you. There is a fifty/fifty chance that you would come out of that a completely different person. But I expected you to win considering that you are older."

Zecora nodded and continued on to her hut. Rarity called out, "Wait! What happened to Pinkie when she took hers?"

There was a cold silence before Zecora responded before she started for her hut once more, "She lost."

Rarity looked on and saw the hut. She had never been so exhausted in her life. She craved to fall onto a bed and just nap for the rest of the day. Everything seemed so rushed, she had begun to have a headache form inside her head. For she longed for the long days she would spend at home. Looking after Pinkie and sometimes Sweetie Belle. Depending on what day it was. The simple days. But she knew in her heart that she can never return to that life. That simplistic way to live, no death other than old age. No killing. And no revenge.

Rarity sighed and walked up to the porch, Rarity looked and saw Pinkie reclined on a rocking chair with something on the ground next to her. She was covered in dried blood and she was twirling her knife around her hand whistling away as if it was a normal day. Rarity thought it was odd the tape she wore on her arms and hands. But what was really off was the linen robe, wavy and open. Rarity wondered what she did this time. 'Nothing good...' Rarity thought to herself.

Rarity brought herself to the front steps and looked over at Pinkie who continued her whistling. Rarity asked, "Where were you?"

Pinkie had her hood drawn over her face, but Rarity could still see the cruel smile that curled from ear to ear. Pinkie picked up what was next to her and threw it to Rarity. As it sailed through the air she said, "I was just tying up loose ends."

Rarity caught what Pinkie threw and it was soft, her eyes grew wide as she looked at it. Holding in her hands was a severed head of some poor sap who happened to cross Pinkie. It's eyes were lulled and half open, it smelled awful like a combination of blood and rotted meat. Blood stained the stump of it's neck. Rarity heaved as she looked at the head. Rarity tossed it away and tried not to puke. Pinkie said, "Hey. Try not to bruise it too bad. It has to be in acceptable condition if I am going to send it to the Princesses."

A shocked look filled Rarity and not finding the right words to say Rarity blurted out, "Pinkie...why the fuck do you have a severed head?!"

Pinkie stopped twirling her knife and sat up, pulling down her hood revealing her long pink hair. She kept her gaze on her dagger for a second and then refocused to Rarity and replied, "We need to send some sort of message back to the Princesses. They are sending patrols to capture not to kill. Sooner or later if we do this enough then they will be forced to send Twilight. We won't kill Twilight, just rough her up a bit while we explain our situation to her. I'm sure she'll understand."

Rarity was absolutely disgusted. Rarity responded, "Pinkie. The whole reason why you left was to not kill anymore people. What do you think will happen if you continue to do this?"

Pinkie shrugged her shoulders and began twirling her blade as she responded, "Old habits die hard I guess..."

"Old habits..." Rarity pressed the bridge of her nose hard as she continued, "Fine...what are we going to do next?"

Pinkie stopped and stood up and walked over to Rarity as she explained, "Well...we'll be heading to the nearby dirthouse. Do something to draw the attention of Lilith. Once we have her attention she will be forced to send more assassins. We will then take out the other dirthouses and finally find her and kill her. She is the sole reason on why there are assassins coming to kill us."

Rarity raised her hands and knit her eyebrows, "Woa...did I just hear the words destroy?"

"Yeah," Pinkie shrugged her shoulders, "How else are we supposed to weaken her powers? Those houses are under the protection of a lot of dark magic. Lilith made more of the dirthouses for our family, so we can expand our horizons. But what is the one thing that witches get their power from?"

Rarity shrugged as she replied, "Sacrifices?"

"Exactly." Pinkie said, "The more people killed on the ground of the dirthouses, the more power Lilith absorbed. Luckily, that power is linked from the house to the witch. So if we destroy the house then we severe the link between her and her power."

Rarity crossed her arms and said, "Okay then, what will it take to destroy the link and the house?"

Pinkie looked over at Rarity and said, "Has anyone complimented you on your beautiful brain?"

Rarity felt rosy and responded timidly, "Well...not exactly...the only compliments I got were for my...well...my boobs."

Pinkie shrugged, "Well, that's a shame. Anyways, well in order for the power to be absorbed into Lilith there has to be a constant connection between her and the sacrificed ground. That means there has to be a witch there constantly drawing the energy and giving it to Lilith. Willing or unwilling."

Her immense knowledge on witches was astounding, which begged the question, "How do you know so much on witches?"

Pinkie rested her hands on the railing and looked out. Something troubling entered her mind when she asked that question. Her gaze distant and she seemed distraught at the memory. Rarity knew this reaction well, it was very common for Pinkie to react like that. Rarity did nothing but rest her elbows on the railing next to Pinkie.

The sun was just beginning to set, twilight making way for night. Beautiful pinks and purples cascading across the sky. It was a truly amazing sigh to see. Much like seeing the dawn of the sun, it was just as beautiful to see it set as well. But it gave no sympathy to the mood. Rarity and Pinkie stood in silence staring off at the setting sun. Pinkie finally spoke and uttered, "I...my family are not normal...our family was started just before Nightmare Moon was banished. By Luna herself. It seems that the reason that we are like this is because of that fact. I don't know how and I don't know why, but ever since that day my family has been as black as sin. We took in the Blackwhisper Coven when they needed to be saved. They were being hunted for their strength, a sympathy I can relate to."

Rarity breathed out carefully and calmly, trying to remain calm. Rarity said, "So you picked up on a few things from the Blackwhispers?"

Pinkie looked at her hand and made a fist as she shrugged, "Just the basic stuff. I could not learn everything, being that I am not a Kindred and I was...Pinkamena...so...obsessed with natural killing."

Rarity leaned next to Pinkie and asked, "You okay?"

Pinkie sheathed her dagger and leaned against the railing and replied, "I am hunting down my family of psychopathic killers and rapers. Does it sound like I'm okay?"

"A straight forward answer would have been nice." Rarity said to herself. She looked over at Pinkie and continued, "Are you prepared to do this?"

Pinkie returned, "All we are doing is waiting on Zecora to finish making her hexbags. Then we'll be good to go."

"Do you know where to go?"

A cruel smile found its way to the corners of Pinkie's lips as she answered, "I am a member of the family, I always know my way home."

Rarity slowly nodded and stepped away from Pinkie and said, "Alright then. Let me know when you are ready to go, I'll be taking a nap inside."

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long update but I decided to split this chapter into two parts. Don't want something overly long to read when only this far into the fic. Towards the end they'll be longer, cause eventually I am going to stop doing the past chapters. For one thing they are a pain in the ass to write and take me way too long to finish. Not that I don't like them it's just sort of a genre I am not strong in. I have a hard problem in finding goals or plots in little things like what they are eating or who they are hanging out with. So sorry to those who enjoyed those chapters.

Anyways, Part II will come out soon.

See you guys next chapter!
~Sylus~