Hello, again. This thing almost ends, I'm glad some people actually read my first pony fanfic >w< I had thought Rainbow's dream in a different way, but thanks to Moon_dew for the idea, which I chose to use XD Please comment whether you like it or not. And yes, the whole thing was not exactly about the dreams... Thanks a lot to everybrony~ ^3^
—You don’t understand… I had to be like that. The sins of my past torment me everywhere I go, every single moment. I can still hear the screams for help, the fire and the cries. Oh, the cries, the yelp… They’re stuck in my head… and the only way to push them out of me is smiling…
—I thought something was strange with you. It’s not the fact that you’re always happy, but the way you are. —the pegasus said.
—I… I’m sorry… —the earth pony looked down with tears oozing her eyes.
—Hey… It’s not something bad —She approached her and put her left hoof on the pony’s shoulder —It is actually good you try to feel better… and make others feel better.
—You… You think?
—Of course! Now, let’s get out of here. The ceiling’s starting to crumble down!
Daring Do and his companion rushed passed the giant hall, its walls cracking and its floor sinking into the cold and moisten soil of the jungle. But suddenly…
—HELLO RAINBOW DASH! —the pegasus almost dropped her book (Daring Do and the Shadow of the Sapphire) —What are you doing up there?
—I was… I was just reading, Pinkie! —She said nervously, waving with the book. She was actually spying on her friend, waiting for a single moment: the one during which Pinkie would find herself alone and would begin to whisper his past to a mirror. Like that mare, Moonshade, in that Daring Do book. But Pinkie was, obviously, not like that mare. Pinkie Pie was jumping all over Sugarcube Corner —the place was full after all—, later she went on a walk around Ponyville, saying “Hello!” to everypony she met. Rainbow Dash concealed herself in a cloud, following the party pony. But soon she got bored. Pinkie Pie didn’t do anything out of the normal stuff —normal for Pinkie—, so, when she returned home, Rainbow Dash did nothing more than sit on the roof and read that book again. Or at least the part that woke her curiosity up.
So there she was, on the roof just above the window of Pinkie Pie’s bedroom. And there Pinkie Pie was, on the balcony, looking at her pegasus friend. None of them say a word for a couple seconds.
—I… I better get going! I have to… erhm… go.
—Okey dokey lokey! —The earth pony said happily. She didn’t suspect —or at least she didn’t look like she suspected— anything from her pegasus friend.
Rainbow flew away as fast as she could, ignoring Pinkie’s “See you later!” Darn it! She got discovered! She had to find another way to approach the pink pony and find out about her dark secret past! She had to conjure some sort of awesomely secret plan to make Pinke Pie tell her about those black chapters of her life! Yes!
But she didn’t do any of that. A couple hours later, Rainbow Dash returned to the roof of Sugarcube Corner, above Pinkie’s bedroom, just like she had done before. And nothing else happened. She could watch her go back and forth through Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash was starting to think that Pinkie… well, maybe she didn’t have such a terrible past like Moonshade did. Just maybe… she was overthinking that. Maybe those Daring Do books were really affecting her way of thinking.
—Nah —she said really low.
At nightfall, Pinkie Pie returned home without noticing the blue pegasus who was spying on her. A pegasus who was on the edge of desperation for the waiting. “Come on!” she thought “I know you’re gonna spit something any minute!” But her pink friend went directly to her bed falling asleep instantly. Rainbow groaned. She slid herself over the roof and landed on the balcony. As quietly as possible, she opened the window and entered the room.
—Ok, Pinkie… I know you have something hidden in some place…—She said in a whisper. She had an opportunity to find out! However, she was getting really tired. After all, Rainbow Dash followed Pinkie Pie all day long, and she didn’t sleep well last night. She stood still in the middle of the room, watching her friend snore. Rainbow almost didn’t hold her mouth for shouting “DARN IT!” She realized she had a lot of time during the day for searching into Pinkie’s room, but instead of that, she wasted it actually following Pinkie. That’s not how happened in Daring Do and the Shadow of the Sapphire!
Her eyelids grew heavy. She had forced herself to not sleep while spying on Pinkie… but now she was not spying on her. She could… She could rest. No! She must find something to unravel the party pony’s secret dark past!
But, with a thud!, Rainbow Dash fell asleep in the middle of Pinkie Pie’s bedroom.
She woke up shackled. She was lying down on some sort of metallic table, her wings and legs trapped against the cold and rusty metal. Despair soon filled her.
—He… Hello? Pinkie? …somepony?
—Well, heeeello, Rainbow Dash! —a pink mare appeared in front of her. The rest of the room was pitch black and only a small circle of light could be seen around the two ponies —You’re finally awake!
—What are you doing? This is a prank, right? Right?! —The fetters hold her movements —Hehe… Nice one, let me go now!
—You’re funny, Rainbow! Of course I’m not gonna let you go! —the party mare approached the table and pulled a lever. The metal table rose until it was vertical. Rainbow Dash could see another table, a smaller one, with a pink tray on it. There were three pastries on it. —Oh, do you like how they look?
They were cupcakes, although there was something strange with them. There was a purple one with stars on the icing, an orange one with apples and a yellow one with butterflies. However, they oozed a terrible smell, a smell Rainbow Dash could recognize not because it was familiar, but because it was completely strange, disgusting and sickening: it was the smell of Death.
—I heard you were looking for clues to reveal my past. You eanie meanie Rainy~ That’s sooo Rainbow Dash!
—What… what are you doing, Pinkie?! —her chest went up and down, her heart beat so fast it hurt, and the sweat soon ran across her coat.
—Oh, nothing… Yet. Why do you have to be like that, Rainbow? You planted the seed in the others and they started asking me… They didn’t give me any choice than doing this! —she pointed the cupcakes. Rainbow Dash froze. No. It can’t be… —Do you like how they look? I’m sorry, I couldn’t hold back and I ate the Rarity one. She was sooo tasty! But I still have Twili, AJ and Fluttershy. Want a bite?
The pegasus could not speak. She actually… Did she actually bake them into… into cupcakes? Pinkie’s eyes looked pretty strange. Her pupils were really small, even in the dark the room was filled with. Her mane, now flat, made two dull curtains aside her eyes. And the smile in her lips didn’t do anything more than make her look even creepier.
—Now it’s your turn, Dashie. You’ll learn not to ask for aunt Pinkamena’s paaast~ I wonder how a Rainbow Dash cupcake tastes like~—the pink mare took a couple steps forward Rainbow Dash, staring at her with those grim red eyes.
Red? Pinkie’s eyes were not red… But it didn’t matter. Everything went red a second later.
—NOOO!!
—Gooood morning, Rainbow Dash! —A high-pitched voice and a sweet smell filled the room. By the looks, Pinkie Pie was making her breakfast. Some kind of pastry. Again.
—Whe… What? —The pegasus stood up quickly —What happened? —A dream, it was just a dream. Rainbow Dash calmed down a bit, but was still nervous— I mean… Hey!
—Oh, I’m sorry! I supposed to pretend I don’t realize you’re spying on me, right? —Wait, how…?— Don’t worry, silly filly~ Here, have breakfast!
Pinkie Pie put a cupcake near her hooves, on the ground. Rainbow Dash backed off since the sweet piece was blue with rainbow colored icing. Then she stared at her for a minute. In the name “Pinkie Pie” the words “party”, “weird” and “creepy” were implied. But in despite of the cupcake coincidence, there was something inside the pegasus that pushed her through. Oh, the urge. She hadn’t had the idea for more than a couple days and she already had a huge urge of knowing. If her friend was like Moonshade in Daring Do’s book, she could be in great suffering in the inside! But, on the other hoof… maybe not.
—Ehm… Pinkie…—She finally said, stepping aside of the pastry and advancing towards her friend— I have something I want to… ask you.
—You do? —she said with a very high-pitched voice.
—Yes. It’s… —the blue mare rolled her eyes, trying to find the right words. Or the courage to pronounce them — …about your past. I’m very curious about it…
—You are?
—Of course I am, Pinkie! You thought I was not gonna notice?!
—Oh, no, you noticed! —The pink mare pressed her cheeks with her hooves and opened her eyes widely.
—Yes! Yes, I did! —Rainbow poked her with a hoof —I know you’re hiding something from all of us! Something dark about your past! You’re just pretending everything’s fine… but you have to talk about it, because…!
— Hahaha, you’re so funny, Rainbow Dash! I don’t even know what you’re talking about! —She made a gesture with a hoof and then trotted upstairs. —I’m out of sprinkles; wait here while I reach another can of it. Okey dokey, strangy-suspiciousy-Dashie? —Nonetheless, just a second later, she came back real fast —Oh, they’re here!
Behind her, entering Sugarcube Corner, was the rest of the gang. Twilight Sparkle and Rarity seemed very intrigued, and a tired Applejack was holding Fluttershy, who looked pretty scared.
—Oh, you came…
—Of course we came.
—Ya’ made us think weird stuff ‘bout Pinkie. Look how Fluttershy is now ‘cause o’ that!
—Hey, that’s not my fault!
—A-and th-those poor l-l-little ani-mals…
—Wait, what?
—QUIEEET! —Pinkie shouted as everpony else shut up — Can someone please explain to me what’s going on? —she looked at each of her friends. They seemed sort of upset with Rainbow Dash.
Twilight Sparkle sighed. She told everything to the pink mare, who listened carefully. The blue Pegasus downed her head, feeling a bit guilty about everything. When the unicorn finished, the earth pony laughed hard.
—Did… Did you honestly think of that, Dash? HA HA HA HA!
—So… there’s nothing?! —The blue Pegasus ask, a little disappointed, while Pinkie rolled on the floor.
—Haha, of course not! I smile because I like smiling! I make everypony happy because I love to see them happy! You don’t need a reason for a smile, you silly Dashie!
All the girls regained a grin slowly, even the almost-traumatized Fluttershy. Until Rarity spoke.
—So, Pinkie, dear, how’s your sister?
—Blinkie? Oh, she’s great! I heard the other day she…
—No, I didn’t mean Blinkie. I was talking about your other sister.
For an instant, only for a brief instant, the smile on Pinkie’s face faded. And everypony, specially Rainbow Dash, noticed that.
—She’s… fine.
—Where is she? It would be a pleasure to meet her as well —Rarity said, softly.
—Oh, I’m sorry, Rarity, you can't. You’ll see... She’s, well, she’s… you know… —Pinkie Pie felt weird. A little sad and melancholic, but her smile remained still. Yes, she had no reason to get sad; she could share that memory with her best friends. Couldn’t she? —Dead.
A lot of thoughts flowed through the mares’ minds:
“She assassinated her!”
“Sh-she made a c-c-cracker with her!”
“She was killed by those evil guys!”
“She swallowed ‘er!”
“She baked her into cupcakes!”
—Why are you looking at me so weird?