//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 "A Friend..." 
// Story: The End of a Nightmare. (A Grimdark Finale) 
// by TheMareinTheMoon 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2 
“A Friend...” 

“UNHAND ME!” Rarity screamed to the guards violently binding her hooves. 
Pinkamina stood there in the shadows, admiring her work, as Rarity was dragged, screaming from her home. 
“Sweetie Belle how could you!?” Rarity screamed to her sister as the guards dragged her past her. 
“I didn’t tell them!” she answered, tears filling her eyes, “I swear! please believe me!” 
Pinkamina smiled, she was telling the truth. 
She watched Rarity’s eyes dart everywhere, trying to determine whether or not this could really be happening, She screamed and thrashed at the guards, but Pinkamina could tell she knew she couldn’t get away. 
Suddenly, her screams stopped. Rarity’s eyes stared straight at her, bloodshot and soaked with tears, Pinkamina stared right back, emotionless. 
“SHE’S RIGHT THERE!” She screamed, desperately trying to get the attention of the guards, “SHE’S THE MONSTER,TAKE HER, TAKE HER!!!” 
The guards ignored her. 
“PLEASE, LISTEN TO ME! I’M NOT CRAZY, PLEASE!” She screamed with the last of her energy. 
“SILENCE” Ordered one of the guards. He glanced at the shadows for a quick moment. Nothing. 

Pinkamina rushed through the dreary streets of Ponyville, she couldn’t stand being in the light, every beam of light seemed to burn as it touched her face. 
She remembered the look of sheer terror that Rarity had given her before being hauled away, it made her feel...happy. 
As she neared Sugercube Corner, memories of her past invaded her mind. She saw herself...her old self, she saw her friends, all of them. Even Dash. They were laughing, smiling, they were happy. 
Pinkamina grew furious, as she tried desperately to push the memories out of her mind. 
“No,” She whispered to herself in agony, “They never loved me! It was all a lie...all a lie...” 
“Besides,” She thought to herself, looking at the dry blood on her hooves, “It’s too late. far, far too late.” 

As she opened the door to her home, she felt a rush of relief, the memories faded. 
“Scootaloo?” She called, “I’m back.” 
“Oh hold on,” her voice echoed from the basement below, “I’m just finishing up on this one...” 
Pinkamina felt good finally hearing her voice again, every minute outside had felt like hours. 
She slowly descended the staircase, curious to see how her young pupil was doing, hoping that she remembered what she’d taught her. 
Pinkamina was overwhelmed with a feeling of joy as she entered her basement, It was where she escaped her nightmares...where she made everything better. 
The room was dark, albeit for the small light emanating from the lamp by Scootaloo’s side. 
The light shone on the crimson liquid coating the walls and floor, and caused the shining surgical tools on the table to give off an occasional glint. The smell of flesh and steel perforated the air, and the sound of muffled screaming filled the room. Pinkamina was at home.
Pinkamina glanced at the purple figure strapped to the table in the middle of the room, she recognized her immediately, the teacher.
Pinkamina glared at Scootaloo, who held a carving knife in her hoof seemingly ready to begin, however as she looked into her teacher’s terrified eyes, something made her stop.
“Well?” Pinkamina said, growing impatient, “Begin!”
“I...I can’t,” Scootaloo mumbled.
“What do you mean?” Pinkamina asked, “You’ve done this dozens of times.”
“This is...different” She responded, hiding her head in shame.
“Is it because of her?” Pinkamina asked accusingly, “Well is it!?”

Scootaloo slumped down and began to cry, Pinkamina looked at her for a moment, and then sat down next to her.
“I want you to remember something, kid” She began, “Growing up is hard enough as it is, and you’re gonna have it tough. You’re like me. You have a monster inside.” 
Scootaloo raised her head a little and began to look at her with tearful eyes.
“I understand how lonely it is,” She continued, brushing Scootaloo’s mane away from her eyes, “Growing up, being what you are. I want to give you something that I was never lucky enough to find at your age...”
“A Friend.”
She ran into Pinkamina's embrace, wiping the tears from her face as she looked into her eyes.
"And I want you to know, that no matter what,"
"I will never leave you..."