The ride to Canterlot was rife with awkward silence. The events that took place that eventually got the entirety of the mane six on the train was a convoluted series of inner-circle drama. It was as if harmony was crumbling right before their eyes and they did not even notice it. It was like the time Discord had hypnotized the mane six into a group of bickering ponies. Only this time no spell would save them.
Discord's Mother would be proud...
As Applejack looked in horror what she had done to Twilight, Fluttershy was in the background. She looked in horror what had happened between two of her closest friends. This terrified the already terrified pegasus. Her emotions were at a peculiar state of horror and rage. With a strange mixed emotion, she darted towards Applejack.
"APPLEJACK!" Fluttershy yelled. "How could you do something like that to your own friend?!"
Even if Applejack knew that she was the last person to burst into a fit of anger, if Fluttershy ever did become angry, she KNOWS that trouble is ahead for whomever made her angry. And this time, Fluttershy's cannons of pure rage was aimed at the earth pony. Even SHE knew she had to run at this point.
And that's exactly what she did.
The awkward silence persisted throughout the train ride. Pinkie Pie was, ironically, sitting next to Rainbow Dash. Even if she tried to avoid her for a long while. Meanwhile Rainbow Dash attempted to open up to Pinkie Pie, but Pinkie Pie refused to reciprocate, simply snubbing Rainbow Dash with a look that says "buck you."
Rainbow Dash began to wonder if it was her fault. If not missing a party of Pinkie Pie's (according to Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie hates rescheduling), then it was of pestering Pinkie Pie to attempt to apologize. The very thought made her feel bad about herself. She called Pinkie Pie annoying, when all this time it felt it was her that annoyed Pinkie. Still, she had to say something.
"Pinkie?" Rainbow began.
Silence.
"Look...I got caught up in a mugging by Troll Face and-" Rainbow continued, before being interrupted.
"I'm not stupid, Rainbow Dash..." Pinkie Pie said, suddenly very serious. Her hair straightened in response to the serious tone. "You only left so that you can make out with humans!"
Rainbow Dash looked at her in utter confusion. What the hay was she talking about?
"Listen, Pinkie Pie..." Troll Face began. "Rainbow Dash prefers to spend time with humans...than with FRIENDS...."
Suddenly Troll Face began to stare into Pinkie Pie's eyes. Pinkie Pie was only able to stare back. It was hypnosis. Like the time with Discord.
"Oh good. It still wORKS. Huh. Not quite as well, but it'll do." Troll Face said. For a second Discord lost control of the voice and his true voice was revealed for a split second. "Now to find all the other ponies..."
Rainbow Dash recoiled back at the backlash Pinkie Pie gave her.
"Pinkie Pie...I...what?" she said.
"You hurt me. You just left me there." Pinkie Pie said.
"I told you I was mugged I-" said Rainbow Dash, before being interrupted again.
"Will everypony just BE QUIET?!" yelled, of all ponies, Fluttershy. There was a hint of sadness in her tone.
"Twilight?" a voice peeped.
Twilight woke up to find a familiar face. She was in Fluttershy's house...again. The repeated head-smashing was beginning to be tiresome. Twilight went up in all fours. She looked around for anything else interesting. Fluttershy was simply standing there, as usual. Twilight then noticed something on the ground.
Ryan's gun.
Twilight Sparkle was dumbfounded by the presence of the firearm in Fluttershy's house. Fluttershy was confused, but noticing Twilight's gaze, she now knows why.
"We'll worry about the gun later. Right now we have to-" Twilight said, right before being bucked in the face...AGAIN...by Fluttershy, as she quickly made a (quiet) run for the Everfree Forest. Twilight recovered (surprisingly) quickly, however.
"Ow! Not again!" said Twilight. She then noticed a note underneath the gun. Using her magic, she picked it up, and quickly skimmed through it.
It was a suicide note. By Ryan Jack.
"What's gotten into you, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Fluttershy was simply trying to hold back tears, then ran off down the train aisles. Meanwhile the train came to a slowdown, readying to stop at the station. Twilight went after Fluttershy. There was little time to waste.
"Fluttershy! Wait!" Twilight yelled.
"Arrived at Canterlot Station! Canterlot Station! Exit to your Right!" a conductor yelled.
Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie unboarded the train. Rarity, meanwhile, was doing multiple double-takes, trying to decide between helping Twilight and heading towards the palace to see the Princess. A nearby conductor was looking at Rarity impatiently.
"Look, lady, make your decision." he sneered. "Either get off here, or wait till we stop at Trotonto Station."
Reluctantly, Rarity chose the former choice over the latter. She unboarded the train, and the conductor quickly closed the train so that it would head towards the next stop, which was roughly 4-5 hours away from Canterlot. Rarity then realized she was lagging behind the rest of her friends that did leave the train on time.
"Ohhh..." Rarity said to herself, overwhelmed with worry.
Fluttershy was in the Everfree Forest once again. She was careful not to disturb any of the wildlife. The amount of corpses in this part of the woods creeped her out considerably. The scent of rot and decay was around her relentlessly. However, she knew where to go to find her lover.
And there he was.
...dead.