Rarity coughed, keeping her eyes shut as she released herself into a mad coughing fit. The smoke in the air filled her lungs and felt spit flying from her mouth as she felt the air choking out, sucking the life straight out of her. Her eyes were fuzzy and she moaned against a pressure on her chest. She craned her neck to see what crushed her and she saw a large piece of debris. Singed wood, from the looks of it. She moaned as she felt it slowly but surely melt through her shirt and burn her skin.

Everything hurt. Every bone, every muscle, and every organ, they all felt as if the fire that raged around her spread over her. It cut deep, her soul screamed under the pain of the over stimulation of pain that roared in her veins and muscles. The sinew feeling as though it might evaporate at any moment, her throat felt as though razors were tearing it to shreds. Rarity coughed violently, the groans that erupted from her pain stricken vocal chords. She beat back the pain and pushed with all her might against what lied on top of her. Her arms shook, her muscles slowly beginning to fail her. She thought she might be trapped for a minute, but she pushed on, she was not about to be defeated by some debris of the dirthouse.

With a large groan, the debris was moved off of her, kicking up still burning ash as it found its resting place upon the ground just a meter away. She spat, what little saliva she had left and saw a little bit of blood mixed with the salivated liquid. She shook her head, a pain stretching all the way around her head like a bandana tensed and increased in pressure. She got to her knees, as this was all she could do.

She settled slightly as she groaned, lifting herself up, sprawled upon the ashen ground. Sparks and dying flames all around her. It all had come back to her now. She and Pinkie destroyed the Dirthouse, they blasted it into smithereens. The damned thing was gone but their journey was just beginning. It was a long way until they would confront Lilith. One down, two to go.

Rarity attempted to stand up but felt her side flare in sudden pain, she looked down and saw shards of wood splinter inside of her, a small pool of blood gathered beneath her. The edges of the wounds were charred so she did not have to worry if it got infected or to cauterize it, that and the bleeding had settled down.

Though that did not mean that the damage was not already done. She felt woozy and lightheaded, shaking her wits to break the exhaustion she felt. She thought back to what had happened, her thoughts being as lost as the ashes that now floated high above their heads. She pressed her hands hard against the ground and lifted herself up despite the pain.

She looked down and over to see that lying next to her was Bethany, who now started coughing, violently. Rarity thrust out her arms and cradled the little girl into her lap and soothed, "Shh, it's okay...we're okay...you're okay...we're safe for now...rest now..."

The young ebony haired girl listened to her and settled easily in her arms, the warmth of the little girl reminding her of when she would settle Sweetie Belle down to sleep when she was just a little baby. Life was so simple, it was easy. It was when her father had not touched the bottle in years. The warm memory causing Rarity herself to forget about her pain, both physical and emotional.

It was all so fast. Her life had changed so quickly, it was like nothing was even real anymore. She felt tears well in her eyes, everything came crashing down. Just like the Dirthouse.

Her world collapsed, she could feel her insides turn and twist, causing an immense amount of pain. Dirthouses. Witches. Warlocks. The Instinct. Witch Doctors. Hex Bags. Family ties. Fugitives. She had a great many titles, but she never thought fugitive would be one of them. They were hunted, not only by the government but also by hired assassins of some ex psycho killer now turned down to earth and complete party maniac. She bit back a scream that she desperately wanted to release. She was crazy, she was absolutely crazy for all of this happening.

But she could not find herself to hate anything, she could not find herself to abandon Pinkie Pie. She needed someone, and that someone was going to be her. But this, all of this, this was too much.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard rustling and coughing that was similar to her own. She dried her eyes and straightened her back. She breathed evenly, despite her blood pressure rising at the sound. She rested Bethany down, drawing her hand threw her hair and kissed her forehead like she did with Sweetie Belle.

She stood up, groaning at the acceptable pain level, taking wounded steps towards the sound. Pushing past some fallen debris she blinked away at the smoke filing her vision. She pressed her shoulder against the debris, offering her cover. She reached to one of her holdsters and found her side hammer, cocking it and readying it and herself for a fight.

She watched as coming into view was a dressed man, not dressed in the sense that he wore a suit, but a dressed man as in he was dressed for combat. She strafed to the wall, setting Bethany down behind her and readying her side hammer. She controlled her breathing, in and then out. Her mind bled with calm, an unnatural amount of it as she could feel the ash filled wind glide across the cold iron barrel of the gun.

Rarity breathed and pushed past the cover, pistol whipping the Royal guard. Dazing him, while he was still gathering his senses she cracked off a shot that connected with the base of his neck. Whatever cover she had left it was gone now, with the thunderous promise of death that released itself in the open air. The guard crumbled to the ground with a heavy thud, his golden armour weighing heavily on him. She saw three more burst from the smoke and ash, all with batons. She took in a large gulp of air, concentrated and closing one eye she raised her gun.

Three shots seemingly rang out at the same time, she watched as two burst back at the pressure of the fire and the third keel over, clutching his thigh and releasing a scream. Rarity told herself that this was in self defense. She knew how stubborn royal guards can be, and she could not be accused of a crime she did not commit. This was her life now.

The fourth released, silencing the scream. Smoke rising from the barrel, she blew casually on it, her muscles pumped full of adrenaline that soothed the pain a considerable amount.

She turned to go find Pinkie when she felt a sharp point stop her from turning. It pressed hard at the base of her neck. She heard a familiar male voice ask in a tenor voice, "Nice trick. Did Pinkamena teach you that?"

It was Shining Armour. And she could feel the man's bleeding courage in his breaths, he was assured that he had this battle already won. She felt her veins rise with fire, anger swelling inside of her as she responded, "No."

"So I am supposed to believe that you always knew how to wield a gun?"

Rarity replied, her poshness returning, "You can choose to believe whatever you like Shining Armour. There is no amount of reasoning that I can say to you that will change your mind."

"Are we talking about the same thing?"

"Your banter is beginning to aggravate me Shining Armour, if you are here to arrest us then do so. Do not waste time in monologuing. Because-"

She spun around, seemingly faster that Shining anticipated, and quickly twisted the sword out of Shining Armour's hand. He jerked towards the fallen weapon, but was halted when he felt a warm barrel against his forehead. Rarity finished, "-your convict might surprise you."

He smiled, a smile that even Discord would reel under, "I have to say Rarity, you definitely are full of surprises."

The smile died and he turned dead serious, a state of mind she found herself to be familiar with, "Surprises i never thought would be like you. First, you kill an innocent and then you flee with a prisoner, Pinkie Pie. Who you undoubtedly learned by now is a serial killer. escaping the law so that you can disappear and kill again."

Rarity shook her head, biting back anger, "That is not true. She never asked for this."

"You did."

"I had no other options."

"You could have turned yourself in," Shining Armour snapped, he continued as she slowly shook his head, "You could have turned in Pinkie and yourself and your punishment would be miniscule. Now arson and mass slaughter added to that list? The least that I could give you is the death penalty."

Rarity cocked the hammer, staring deep into his dark blue eyes. The calm she had once felt washed over her, her finger putting [ressure on the trigger, but not releasing a shot.

Shining Armor chuckled, a half smile crossing his lips, "So you're going to add another victim on your list? Brother to one of your closest friends. What do you think Twilight thinks of all of this? She misses you, she wants you home. She doesn't want this for you. She begged and pleaded for Celestia to have the benefit of the doubt. She needs you."

Rarity's gaze did not falter for a second. She stared, coldly, into his aquamarine irises. Thinking. She began to think about Twilight, and everything that has transpired. She thought deeply, she considered this offer. She was one of the Elements of Harmony, surely she could lighten the punishment if she turned herself and Pinkie in. All of this would be over, this nightmare would finally be over.

But, but she could not stop thinking about Pinkie Pie. She could not stop thinking about what she would think of all of this. If Rarity went through with this, Pinkie would turn on her or worse. Would forget completely about Rarity. Rarity was all that she had. Everything that tethered herself to this world, if she was gone...the emotional consequences would be too dire for Rarity to deal with.

She was going to finish what she started with Pinkie Pie.

Rarity sighed, "No...we need her."

"What?-"

Rarity lowered her side arm and blasted apart his calf. Just missing the bone but enough to cause significant damage to his achilles tendon. He keeled over, Rarity shot the other one, ensuring his escape was futile. Her gaze was cold upon the shaking and pain stricken friend at her feet. She explained, putting away her side arm, "Twilight is very powerful, if we are going to finish what we got ourselves into, we'll need her. What we are going to go face has power unrivaled by any other. I can't convince you to help us, so I am going to make you."

She patted him on the shoulder as she holdstered her side arm and reassured, "Don't worry, I didn't cause any permanent damage, just enough to cripple you from escaping. You see, if you are going to monologue, make sure that you hold the other person's strings first. Make sure that there is no way for them to escape."

Rarity dusted herself off as Shining Armor spat, "You sick bitch!"

Rarity scoffed, "Such crass language. Do not think that will get you anywhere. Does it make you feel better? Does it help ease the wound?"

She lifted her hand gracefully to her ear to hear an answer. There was nothing but harsh and anger filled heavy breathing, Rarity smiled crookedly, "No, didn't think so."

"Now, I hope that you have experience with being a hostage. And if not, then I am glad that it is both our first time being in a hostage situation together."

Rarity struck the captain of the guard before he could say anything else, he slumped over in the dirt, silencing anything he had to say. Rarity shook her head, and breathed a sigh of relief. She found her father's gun. Peacemaker.

She kissed the barrel, she has grown to appreciate the intricate workings of inlays on the iron pistol. She put it in its respective holdster and began to drag Shining Armor's unconscious form through the ash. He was heavy, not that he was large but he was dense. He was very built for his age, which is why it surprises Rarity so much that she was able to take care of him. She was very petite when compared next to him. And she had to admit, he was quite the specimen. Very ruggedly handsome and all the charm that a woman could desire. Rarity found herself, nights before all of these events transpired, growing very jealous of Cadence.

Rarity dropped him and growled in pain at the shrapnel in her side. She winced, falling to the ground. She breathed, hand resting beneath the wound, "Whoo...okay...on the count of three...1...2...3."

She wrenched the shrapnel out of the singed wound, shrieking at the release of pain but glad that they were out. Tears nearly burst out of her close eyes. She breathed, trying to calm the irritated wound.

As the wound slowly died down of pain, she looked up to find Bethany, and Pinkie Pie being dragged along. Arm slung over shoulder, and feet dragging as Bethany carried her. Pinkie looked in no better shape, sustained, barely breathing, but Rarity had seen how fast she could heal. A few hours and Pinkie Pie will be back to her former self.

She gave a simple nod to Bethany as she stopped in front of Rarity and Shining Armor. Bethany nodded back to her, Rarity picked up the unconscious form of Shining armor, groaning at the weight. And set off away from the destruction. Sun rising to their left, and a wide grassland opening before them, emerald hills sprouting with life.

Rarity breathed, her world had fit itself back together. Not completely, but it was no longer fractured.

Author's Notes:

The best version of this song to use in conjuncture with this chapter is the one from the Sons of Anarchy soundtrack.