//------------------------------// // Murderer // Story: The Strange Case Of Doctor Pinkie And Miss Diane // by Arreis Of Avalon //------------------------------// The newsmare rose her hoof high, a newspaper held aloft in the air. Read about the brutal murder In the streets of Ponyville! Profane, insane this murder! When will this killer get his fill? She was all alone that night, one man sang as he read through the paper. They say she gave no fight! I wish this all was but a dream, the town seemed to cry in unison. It's a mystery! A horrid mystery! Bloody murder in the night! Who can solve this mystery Before we're history And bloody murders in the night? Diane licked her lips as she watched those foalish ponies walking around. Their fear was so thick she could nearly taste it. It tasted like honey laced with strawberries and blood - oh how she was enjoying blood! All these new things to try, all those horrors to commit. She retreated further into the alleyway shadows as she chuckled. She backed herself up onto her hind hooves against the wall. She saw an empty window across from her, saw her emerald eyes swirling with madness. She licked her lips again. "My business," she whispered, "is going well... More will die this day..." She laughed, a bitter, cruel sound. She began to walk down the alley, until she saw a skinny little colt on the corner, selling papers. Her grin engulfed her face wickedly. "Boy?~" The little Pegasus - they all seemed to be Pegasi - fluttered his pale wings. Quickly, he scurried into the alley, his saddle bags jingling with bits he’d earned. Nopony saw him run; nopony knew they were there. It was an abandoned alley, after all. “Yes’sum, Miss,” he said, smiling in his ignorance. “Did you want a paper?” “No, little one,” she said, a smirk rising to her face. The child, so innocent, simply tilted his head, wondering why she was smiling. She gently tousled his mane, chuckling. “I am happy to inform you, sweet foal… that you are relieved of your duties…” “Huh?” *~*~*~ There’s been another murder, the ponies all cried as the Royal Guards roped off the alley. Just like the other murder! That poor little colt, one mare cried, being comforted by others. Dead! Can’t you see, all is lost here, one pony said. Please, no, you must be calm dear, her husband said, trying desperately to calm her down in her sheer terror. No, we can’t trust you, everypony seemed to say to everypony else. No, we can’t trust you! We walk everyday and hide what we all think Our neighbor, are they who they say? We can’t trust you, no we can’t even blink Without fearing to see the next day! It’s a mystery! A horrid mystery! Who’s behind these murders, is it you? Let’s solve this mystery! That murderer’s history, Another bloody murder is due! Today! Pinkie charged through the store from an alley, her torn cloak wrapped tight around her. She shook, her face looking almost green - her eyes, even, with that strange sickening tint. Her mane was ragged, curly and wild, but splayed in different directions. The bags under her eyes were completely uncharacteristic. “C-chemical!” An earth pony stallion trotted out of the back. “Ah, Pinkie, how c- Pinkie?!” He ran to her quickly, holding her as she nearly collapsed. “Pinkie, what happened?! You look…” Pinkie growled slightly at him as he coddled her, tearing away quickly. She seemed almost to instantly regret the growl, but shook her head roughly. “Not now, Chemical,” she said in a tired voice. “P-Please tell me you have the things I ordered!” “I-I have them behind the coun-” “Get them,” she yelled, lunging at him, her eyes flashing green. Chemical recoiled and quickly ran behind the counter, grabbing the bags of everything she had asked for. “T-thank you, Chemical,” she panted out, clutching them close. “Pinkie, please, what’s going on? You look horrible!” “I-I’ve been better,” Pinkie muttered as she stumbled toward the door. “I’ve been so much better before, Chemical. Remember that! Remember how much better I used to be!” Without another word, she ran out, her cloak fluttering behind her, leaving a very confused store owner behind her. *~*~*~ A day had passed. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Twilight waited outside Sugarcube Corner. 4 had been murdered in 2 days. They had found another body, killed the same as the first night – Another, today. All of them looked at each other, scared, worried, confused. Twilight shook her head, sighing. “You all read the letters, then.” “Pardon me saying this, darling, but I must ask – Why didn’t you open this letter sooner?!” Rarity had tears in her eyes. “It’s obvious who… Who did all this, now. We could’ve prevented 2 murders, Twilight!" “I-I know, Rarity. I know. B-But Pinkie, she told me not too, I couldn’t open them… I-I just couldn’t, not as a good friend…” “Don’ beat yourself up about it, sugarcube,” AJ said softly, patting her on the back. “Y’all were just tryin’ to do what y’all thought was best.” “I just can’t believe Pinks would do something like this,” Rainbow said, her eyes downcast. Fluttershy said nothing, her face solemn. Twilight glanced around at all of her friends. “Thank you, girls…” Twilight took a deep breath. “Come on. We need to face her, once and for all.” “Twilight,” Rarity said, her eyes wide. “Do you think going in there is the best idea? Shouldn’t we, perhaps, lure her out? Going straight to her might be cause for alarm. She might try to lash out.” “Alarm, Sharm, I say we go in there and buck some sense into our friend!” Rainbow flipped upside down, bucking the Sugarcube Corner sign to demonstrate. “Rainbow Dash, get down from there! Rarity’s right, we need some sort of plan…” “I… I could go in as a distraction, i-if that might work.” Everypony turned to the shy pegasus. “I-I mean… I could go down there, a-and you all could come in while I try and talk to her… I-If that’s a good plan…” “Darling, I couldn’t allow one of my friends to go down there alone!” “Shucks, Shy, y’all shouldn’t have to go down there.” Applejack stood taller. “Ah can go too.” Twilight sighed. “I don’t know we’ll have much of a choice in this, guys. Let’s at least go inside.” Everypony nodded and trotted inside. Only to find the door to the basement was wide open. “Oh no…” Without another word, Twilight ran downstairs. Everypony gasped and followed her quickly. Down below, papers were scattered. Blood matted them to the floor, but whose blood was unknown. Potions laid undrunk on the counter, some spilled among the shattered glasses. The only thing still left undamaged was a single open notebook. Pinkie was nowhere to be found. Twilight crossed the room, hearing the papers crinkle beneath her hooves. It looked far worse in here than it had the last time she had been here. Trotting to the desk, she flipped through the notebook, reading the entries. Miss Diane– August 22nd, 3:27 am 2 fresh murders. ‘Doctor’ Pinkie will be in for a surprise when she wakens once again. A mare, with the most lovely pearls around her neck, and a stallion with a peculiar cutiemark. Both of them seemed to be smiling before I killed them – I thought it would be best to kill them smiling. You see, ‘Doctor’, when you read this, your potion DID work. Now ponies will always be happy. They’ll always smile. Because I kill them right after they smile. You were the one who wanted to bring out the opposite part of ponies. It worked perfectly. I am the opposite you. The part that never laughs as you did, the part that only smiles at pain. I am Pinkamena Diane Pie. Twilight shivered and moved to the next, reading them aloud now for all of her friends to hear. Doctor Pinkie – 4:14 am I’m scared. I read the message left by… Diane. I woke up with blood on my hooves. I don’t know how to react to this. The message said I… I killed ponies. Their blood is on my hooves. I’m really scared and I’m crying and I don’t know what to do. I know I need to put a stop to this. I need to make a new potion, one to counter this… thing I turned into. I’ll get right to work on that. 5:15 am New potion made. Drank it all. Feeling hot and warm and uncomfortable again, appear to be coughing up blood. I don’t care. 5:17 am Choking on my own tears. Can’t wr Twilight felt tears coming to her eyes as she read on. Miss Diane – 6:30 am DAMN YOU TO HELL, ‘DOCTOR’! DAMN YOU AND YOUR POTIONS! Doctor Pinkie – 8:18 am Mrs. Cake called for me right after my change. I’m scared she heard my monster breaking my glasses. Apparently, Diane didn’t like my most recent batch. She knows I’m trying to get rid of her. I yelled at Mrs. Cake to go away – The sight of another pony might awaken Diane’s blood lust once more. I don’t want anypony else to get hurt. I’ll keep mixing potions. It’s the only way to fix this… Twilight flipped through a few more pages, reading each and every single passage. 10:45 am Twilight visited me. I gave her letters I hardly recall writing. 5 letters in all. They should tell them about my experiments, what I’ve done so far. I feel… strange, lately. I have been looking tirelessly for a cure, but none has presented itself. I find myself thinking back to an old tale my Nana Pinkie used to tell me… Where the brambles are thickest, There you will find, A pool beyond the most twisted of vines A mare came To gaze in the pool Her mind betwixt by, who’d have guessed 2 personalities that needed be fixed And into her own reflection she stared Yearning for one whose reflection she shared, And solemnly sweared not to be scared At the prospect of being doubley mared. I can’t stop thinking about it… the tale of the Mirror Pool… I wonder… Miss Diane – 3:46 pm Killed 2 more ponies, ‘Doctor’. Hurry hurry with that cure. Pinkie Pie – 3:56 pm I’ve decided potions won’t work anymore. I am leaving. Everypony gasped as they heard Twilight say that. “L-Leaving,” Fluttershy said, her eyes wide. “She can’t jus’ leave! She’s gotta find a cure to all this, she’s gotta fight it!” Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “Come on, girls, we gotta find her.” Everypony sounded their agreement except Twilight. “Girls, wait! There’s more here…” That story my Nana Pinkie told me is my final hope. Somewhere, deep within the Everfree, has to be the pool I’m looking for. I’m bringing a knife to cut through the brambles, and, if all goes to plan... Diane will be the last blood on my hooves. Everypony stood in silence. Twilight cleared her throat. “That’s the last entry… She’s alone in the forest. We’ve got to go find her!” Everypony nodded. “I’ll be right up, girls. I’m going to see if there’s any other clues down here.” Twilight turned as everypony trotted upstairs. She gazed at the chaos around her, feeling tears rising to her eyes. All of this… All of this was caused by the most likeable, laughable pony around… Twilight had promised to always be there for her, always be her best friend. And now, they were hunting her down, like an animal. Was that all her friend would end up being? A monster? If you live around here, she said softly, lots of ponies, I fear Their promises they will not honor, it’s clear That the truth is… She’ll end up getting scarred… There’s a beast inside her, And it’s wild and free Will she let it out, None of us want to see What’s lurking… Behind her façade... Outside, the ponies shouted. They screamed. And the ponies sang. Hunt down the murderer, they must be found...