1: Twilight Sparkle
"I... I don't understand," Twilight Sparkle said slowly.
She sat in the police station in Ponyville, her five former best friends crammed into the room as well. She pushed her dark purple bangs out of her eyes and tried to clear her head. The police officer sighed.
"The family that bought Golden Pearl's old house a few months ago decided to put a pool in the back. When they began the construction, Golden Pearl's body was found," he explained.
A few of the ponies in the room made some noises. Fluttershy whimpered, a tear rolling down her face, while Rarity and Applejack gasped. Rainbow Dash let out a sigh.
"Any idea of when this had happened? How it happened? Who did it?" Twilight asked, the questions spilling out before she could stop them.
"Our team of specialists did some tests, and the results came back that she had died around a year ago," the officer answered, "and at this time, we are not sure of the cause of death. There are no suspects yet."
The officer sighed and removed his hat, and rubbed his forehead. "At this time, we just wanted to inform you that she was found, although the outcome is dire. We will ask you back individually to ask you some questions, as we try to gather insight into what exactly happened."
Twilight and her acquaintances took that as their cue to leave. They each filed out of the dingy office, out of the building and onto the streets. They stood in a circle, awkwardly glancing at each other, and trying to avoid each other gazes at the same time.
"I guess there will be a funeral held, or something," Rainbow Dash finally muttered, breaking the silence.
"Do you think her parents know yet?" Fluttershy whispered.
"If not, they'll know pretty soon," Rarity said.
The silence sounded again.
"Well... I sort of need to get going," Rainbow Dash said after a few awkward moments, breaking the silence again.
The others murmured other excuses to leave as well, and slowly, they began to drift apart.
"I guess we'll see each other again at the funeral," Applejack said, as she began to cross the street.
Twilight inhaled deeply and exhaled. She walked quietly back to the library, the building she had made her home. Golden Pearl had often teased her about living in a library, but Twilight had always gotten a sense that she was jealous about it. Or had been jealous.
Spike approached her as soon as she entered the building. Spike was a baby dragon, one she had made hatch during her exams into magic school. They had been together ever since. Now he was her assistant and helped her with her reports and other assignments that Princess Celestia sent her. While Twilight had graduated from the magic school in Canterlot long ago, the princess sent her different assignments and tasks in order to keep up her magical training. Plus, school was something Twilight enjoyed. She hoped to one day be one of the greatest scholars known in history, just like some of her idols before her.
"What did the police want?" Spike asked. Twilight shut the door behind her and closed her eyes for a minute. It was still settling in, the bad news. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about it yet.
"They found Golden Pearl's body," Twilight said mechanically, "She's dead."
Spike's mouth fell open and he stared at her. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," Twilight said, almost somewhat impatiently, as she brushed past him, "She's dead, ok?"
"Are you ok, Twilight?" Spike asked. He followed her as she began to walk up the stairs.
"Yes," she snapped, "I'm fine."
"You sure? You don't seem fine. She used to be one of your best friends," Spike said.
"Yeah, used to be," Twilight said in reply. She turned to say something else, but stopped at the look on Spike's face. She sighed and rubbed her temples. "I'm sorry, Spike. I just... I just don't know how to process this right now, ok? I just need some time to myself."
"Ok," Spike said quietly.
Twilight continued up the stairs and slammed the door to her room shut.
A funeral was held in Ponyville the next week. Another one would be held in Canterlot a few days later. Since Golden Pearl had spent the rest of her life in Ponyville, her parents thought it would only be fitting to have a funeral in both the town she died and the town she grew up. Twilight thought it was a little overbearing and they were having trouble letting their daughter go.
Twilight wound up sitting in a row that had been reserved for her and the other Element bearers. They shifted uncomfortable in their seats, some of their gazes dedicated to the ceremony up front, others stared at the ground.
Twilight couldn't help but shake the feeling that she was being watched. The past few nights had been hard. She had gone through old photos of her and Golden, and the trip down memory lane hadn't been as nostalgic as she remembered. She remembered some of the bad things they had done, things that Twilight wouldn't have ever dared or even dreamed of doing, on her own. But Golden, or Goldie as her friends had begun to call her, had a way of persuading ponies. The memory that stuck out the most was the two of them arguing during their sleepover the year before, the night that she had gone missing. Possibly the night that Golden Pearl had died. And now, as Twilight sat in the pew of the church, sniffling ponies around her (most of Ponyville had shown up for the funeral), she couldn't help but glance around her, sure that there were eyes on her and not on the shrine of photos and flowers in the front. It was as though somepony was reading her mind and the guilt Twilight now felt about that night Golden had disappeared. If they hadn't had gotten into that fight, if Golden hadn't stormed off...
Twilight closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. But as she shut her eyes, the memory began to play out. The seven of them were in Applejack's barn. Candles were lit all around them, and they had just finished playing a game of "Epic Truth". Golden had come up with the game. It was basically Truth or Dare, except it was only Truth, and you had to answer whatever question was asked. Twilight suspected Golden had made up the gain to gather more information and secrets to hold over ponies. She had a sort of knack for doing that.
After their game had finished, Golden declared what their next activity would be. She turned around and brought out a small sack from behind her back. She untied it and dumped the contents onto the hay floor.
Seven little pony dolls fell out. They were made of scrap fabric and stuffed with hay. They were a little shotty—no pony in the group matched Rarity's skill for sewing—but the intent of the design was clear. The small dolls were supposed to represent each of the seven friends in the room.
"What are these?" Applejack asked wearily.
"They kind of creep me out," Rainbow Dash said, as she poked the one that slightly resembled her.
"I think they're cute!" Pinkie Pie said, with a gleeful jump.
"I was thinking," Golden Pearl said, pausing for dramatic effect, "that we could practice voodooism."
Twilight couldn't help but let out a snort. Golden Pearl shot her a look.
"Voodoo doesn't work," Twilight said, "Everypony knows that."
"How can you be so sure? Have you ever tried it?" Golden Pearl asked.
"I don't need to try it, it's fact," Twilight said. Golden Pearl rolled her eyes.
"Ok, fine. But that doesn't mean we can't pretend," Golden said. Twilight then rolled her eyes. Pretend play? What were they, fillies?
Golden Pearl stood up and blew out half of the candles surrounding them, making the barn look darker and creepier. Fluttershy began to shake beside Twilight.
"Come on girls, don't let Twilight spoil the fun," Golden Pearl said, "She sure does have a way of cheating us out of a good time."
Twilight felt her cheeks grow hot and anger boiled inside her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped.
"That you're a party pooper," Golden said with a wink. Twilight glared at her slightly. She knew what it really meant, and she didn't appreciate Golden holding it over her nose in front of her other friends. Luckily the others didn't—and couldn't—catch the reference. The reference to a secret that Twilight wished only she knew.
"OK," Golden said, "Everypony close your eyes. I'm going to pick one of you at random."
Reluctantly, the ponies began to close their eyes. Twilight couldn't help but think about how the whole thing was so stupid.
"Hey! Fluttershy, I said close your eyes," Golden Pearl said.
"B-But you're reaching for m-my doll," Fluttershy said. Twilight opened her eyes.
"So? What's the big deal?" Golden Pearl asked, annoyance clear in her voice.
"I don't want to play," Fluttershy said quietly. She reached out to grab the doll from Golden Pearl, but Golden Pearl snatched it away.
"Everypony has to play, Fluttershy," Golden Pearl said, "otherwise it's no fun."
"But I don't want to play," Fluttershy said, her voice slightly louder. The others began to open their eyes now too.
"Ugh, don't be such a baby about it!" Golden Pearl said. Fluttershy didn't say anything. Her eyes began to brim with tears and she began to heave uncontrollably.
"Oh, just give it back to her Golden Pearl, she doesn't want to play your stupid game," Twilight said.
"What's the big deal?" Golden Pearl said again, "Like you said Twilight, it's not even going to do anything. Just let me have my fun."
"You always have your fun," Rainbow Dash muttered.
"What was that?" Golden Pearl asked.
"You heard her," Twilight said. She grabbed the Fluttershy doll from Golden Pearl and threw it back in the pile with the others, "Let's play something different. Why don't we—"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Golden Pearl said, "That's not fair. Why don't we vote? See who wants to play my game and who wants to play whatever lame game you're about to suggest?"
"Alright," Twilight said, so tired of Golden Pearl always getting her way, "We'll vote. Who wants to let Golden Pearl practice her voodoo trick?"
Golden Pearl looked around at her friends. None of them put up their hooves. As a matter of fact, most of them tried to avoid her gaze. Twilight couldn't help but feel a little smug.
"And who wants to... play cards?" Twilight asked, cards the first thing that came to her mind. Only about three hooves went in the air, two of them not voting, but the message was clear.
"Hmph, fine," Golden Pearl said. She stuffed the dolls back into her sack and stood hastily, "I have somewhere else to be anyways, somewhere much cooler than here. Tired of hanging out with you losers anyways."
"Good, 'cause we're tired of you always bossing us around," Twilight said. Golden Pearl glared at Twilight. She opened her mouth to say something, but then turned on her heels and stormed out of the barn. The six of them sat there for a second, not quite sure what to do.
Twilight finally sighed and went after Golden Pearl. But by the time she reached the barn door, Golden Pearl was nowhere to be found. The mares had expected her to come back, but Golden Pearl never came back. She just disappeared.