Chapter 4
"Numbers"
"Mama? Father? Sisters? what are you doing here?" Exclaimed Pinkamina in a panicked disbelief.
"Well would you look at this pathetic sight. The filthy creature is covered with blood" Her father said to her mother.
"Unbelievable, after all of the love and care we had given her, she turned into a murderer. How can I live knowing I birthed this wretched excuse for a girl? I'm so ashamed." Replied her mother.
"Mama and father should have given you to an orphanage." Probed one of her sisters, "Do you even know how much heartache you caused after you left the farm to 'chase your dreams'?"
"You abandoned us." Interjected the other sister.
'Mama, papa, I can explain..." began Pinkamina as tears rolled down her face.
"Explain what?" interrupted her mother, "Explain how you ran away from home, leaving us to clean up your messes because you wanted to show people how to smile?! You're dead to me, girl. My two wonderful girls would never do such a thing."
"...But mama, I'm your girl too! I'm your daughter!"
"You're not my daughter." Stabbed her mother.
Pinkamina's eyes swelled up with hot tears. They streamed down her face in warm waves. She had never felt like such a failure...
"Please, Mama! I'm your girl! Just say that I'm your girl, one more time. Please!" Pinkamina Pleaded.
"Miss Pinkamina, who are you talking to?"
Pinkamina turned around to see a blood splattered Scootaloo staring at her with inquisitive eyes. Pinkamina turned back again to face forward, but there was no one there. Only darkness.
"Oh, no one Scootaloo. I was just having another one of my episodes." pinkamina said, half reassuring herself.
"So you're okay then?" Scootaloo asked.
"I'm fine...so," she began, changing the subject, "How is #233 coming along?"
"You mean Cherilee?" Asked Scootaloo.
Pinkamina rolled her eyes, "Yes, her" she hated it when she used their names.
"She's nearly finished, though I thought I'd leave the last part to you, you seemed a bit upset after you didn't get to have fun with Rarity, so I thought you might like to...do the honors."
It was true, Pinkamina had been left feeling a bit....unfulfilled, by the way she dealt with her old friend. She was touched by Scootaloo's offer, and let her know with a genuine smile.
"Thank you, Scootaloo," She said, gently petting her head, "Is she awake?"
"Yeah, I pumped her with adrenaline just like you said"
"Wonderful."
Pinkamina slowly followed Scootaloo's motions toward the dark room that held their latest victim. She gazed at her pupil's handiwork, and was filled with pride.
Scootaloo went about following her instructions perfectly, the mare before them was nearly unrecognizeable. All of her main arteries had been slashed with precision, her legs and arms broken, and her cutie mark had been sliced away with near perfection. Cherilee was inches away from blissful death, but still clung to life as if she had a chance.
Pinkamina was filled with joy.
Her grin stretched from ear to ear as she slowly approached the blood soaked pony before her. She picked up a straight razor from the table to her right and held it close, the feeling of the cold metal pressing against her making her shiver with anticipation.
"Any last things you want to get out before I send you away?" Pinkamina asked, removing the gag from the teacher's mouth.
"HELP ME!" She screamed as loud as her lungs could manage.
"PLEASE DEAR CELESTIA SOMEONE HELP ME!"
Pinkamina rolled her eyes, unimpressed.
"That's what they all say," She sighed, "You're just wasting your breath."
"Now," She said, pressing the razor against Cherilee's cheek, "Shall we begin your anatomy lesson?"
She readied her arm to make her first cut, when she was interrupted by the sound of someone calling her name.
She shook her head, seemingly snapping back to reality, as she put the gag back in Cherilee's mouth and stepped down.
"I'll be right back, don't bother trying to get out, it won't make a difference.." She said Glaring into her terrified eyes.
She was now able to tell that the voice belonged to Scootaloo, which soothed her rage a bit. But nonetheless she was still extremely upset at being interrupted during her time of enjoyment.
"What the hell is it!?" Pinkamina yelled furiously.
"I...I'm sorry, I just..." Scootaloo stammered, avoiding eye contact.
Pinkamina relaxed, realizing the tone in her voice.
"I'm sorry Scootaloo," She whispered, straightening her mane, "Now what was it that you needed to tell me?"
"We still haven't picked a number for today..." Scootaloo replied calmly.
Pinkamina gasped in shock, how could she have forgotten? She was supposed to pick one every morning!
"How could I have forgotten? Quickly, get my the jar!"
Scootaloo nodded, and ran as fast as she could upstairs to fetch the jar.
Pinkamina put her face in her hooves. How could she forget? In the year since her first victim, she had not forgotten ONCE, what was different today?
She sighed and thought for a moment. Maybe her parents were right, maybe she should stop. It would be ok, she could...start over...maybe move to Canterlot? And she could...
"Here they are!" Scootaloo announced eagerly as she handed Pinkamina the jar.
No, it was too late for that. Scootaloo was all the family she needed now, if she couldn't make people smile, then why try? Why bother with friendship? Why care? WHY-
"Miss?," Scootaloo asked, puzzled, "Aren't you going to pick a number?"
"Y-yes," She responded, composing herself, "Here..."
She reached into the jar, and felt around for what felt like ages. Conflicting thoughts battled in her head, she should take her hoof out right now, stop this madness, go back to the way things were...
No, she should take the number with pride, they had to dissapear, and she was the only one who could make it happen. They deserved it, all of them, there was no turning back...
She finally pulled her hoof from the jar.
"So what is it?" Scootaloo asked trying to get sight of the slip of paper now resting in Pinkamina's hoof.
"Number 647," Pinkamina froze as he remembered who the number was for, she considered putting the number back, but she pushed it out of her mind, she couldn't. Especially not with her pupil here, she had to stay strong.
"Twilight Sparkle" Pinkamina choked out, her hoof shaking.
"Well, that shouldn't be hard," Scootaloo chimed in, "She was never much of a fighter."
"Yes, but she's a thinker," Pinkamina replied, "And that's far worse."
"Well I thought she got sent back to magic kindergarten, smart ponies don't go there..."
Pinkamina recalled that day, and knew what it had done to twilight, she was vulnerable.
"Do you know where she is now?" Pinkamina asked, still not looking up from the slip of paper.
"I saw her and Spike heading South when I was selling our last batch of cupcakes earlier today." Scootaloo replied.
"Well," Pinkamina said, her sinister grin returning, her eyes filled with a crazed excitement. "Let's get to work..."