Pinkie entered the dream-state and looked over the remainder of the battlefield. There was confetti covering the grounds, metal shrapnel from the first party cannon was at the front of the trench, blood was splattered at the second party cannon and in front of the trench, dirt walls were still placed, covering one half of the trench, and there was a bloody machete at the entrance of the trench, the blade stuck to the ground.
"Pinkamena?" Pinkie approached the dirt wall at the front of the trench.
No answer.
"Please, Pinkamena. I just want to talk." Pinkie said as she knocked on the wall.
Only an echo from the knocking.
"Listen, Pinkamena. You know that I needed to do what I did!"
Silence.
Pinkie knocked again, this time with more force. The wall was solid, there was no way she was gonna get in without Pinkamena opening it for her.
"I just wanna talk Pinkamena. You don't have to hide." Pinkie said as she used all her might to push against the wall, trying to push it over.
"I can until I fade. Why do you even care?"
"I want to help you."
"You want to or you need to?"
"Will you just let me in?" Pinkie evaded the question.
"Will you answer my question? Did you want to talk to me or did you need to?"
"I need to, okay? I can't just leave you alone to cry." Pinkie said genuinely. She expected to get an answer of silence, but she actually received a short giggle.
"You've been here almost twelve years and you're still doing this..." Pinkamena said, her voice filled with what sounded like nostalgia.
"Doing what?"
"Comforting me." Pinkamena stepped towards the wall, leaning against it.
"That's just a normal reaction. That doesn't mean that I'm an imaginary friend." Pinkie said, trying to convince herself of that.
"Oh really? Would you willingly help someone who hurt you, your family, and your friends? And now, you aren't an imaginary friend. Not anymore. Now you're an alternate persona at this point..." Pinkamena said. She didn't sound angry or sarcastic, but... Pinkie could tell she was honest.
"No..."
"Exactly."
"Can you just let me in?"
"You honestly want to be in the same room with a terrible pony like me? The pony who could trap you in here and take back control?"
"Yeah. And even if you managed to trap me, I'd just escape again."
"Alright..." Pinkamena said. The dirt wall slowly dropped down to the ground, revealing Pinkamena sitting in the corner of the makeshift room. Her hooves and stomach were covered in bandages. Tears stained her cheeks. Pinkie was taken aback by the sight. She didn't realize that she hadn't caused this much damage to her.
Pinkie immediately noticed that Pinkamena was noticeably shorter than their last encounter. Her mane only went to her chin, her tail was short, and her hooves weren't muscular as they were previously. She was a head shorter than Pinkie.
"What?" Pinkamena asked. Even her voice sounded a bit higher, a bit like a little filly's.
"Nothing. Just... you look different."
"They're from our fight."
"But--" "I'll explain later."
Pinkie stood at the entrance. Silent tension overtook the room.
"You just going to stand there?"
Pinkie trotted up beside her and sat down.
"I'm trying to think about something to talk about."
"Hm." Pinkamena acknowledging Pinkie's response.
"So... how do you feel?" Pinkie said as she cautiously sat down beside Pinkamena.
"How do you think I feel?"
"Angry. Sad. Hurt. I could go on..."
"I'm not really angry... confused would be a better choice." Pinkamena said, correcting Pinkie.
"Why?" Pinkie asked. Pinkamena stopped talking. She just sat there, staring at the ground.
"Pinkamena, why?" Pinkie asked once more in a more serious tone.
"Why did they take them?" A small pair of wings appeared on her back, folded.
"I... I'm not sure."
"Yeah, I haven't figured that out either," Pinkamena said. "They took away the one thing I loved because of a few chores."
Pinkie remained silent.
"They were supposed to be the ponies who were supposed to protect me-- the ones who I'm supposed to feel safe with, but instead--" Pinkamena turned away, tears stinging her eyes.
"Uh... I-I get it."
"I don't think you do." Pinkamena said, somehow able to decipher what Pinkie felt.
"Listen, Pinkie." Pinkamena said as she turned back towards Pinkie and looked into her eyes.
"Yes?"
"I need to you to go to that magic friend of your's- Twilight Sparkle, and I need you to ask her to get rid of me."
"What?!" Pinkie said, a bit shocked.
"You heard me..." Pinkamena said, turning away.
"But- I can't-" "Listen, I know I have been the worst thing in your life for the last few weeks, but please, just do this for me."
"But you can't just do this! You can't just give up!"
"If you don't do it then I'll do it myself!" Pinkamena said. Silence ruled over the small room afterward.
===============
Marble looked over the hospital room. Her sister and mother had fallen asleep long ago, her father had kept his eyes on Maud and Cloudy and had somehow managed to stay awake with her(despite being awake for at least twenty-four hours), and Maud hadn't had any problems since her heart problem. Nightfall had come and things had slowed down in the hospital.
"Father?" Marble asked quietly, trying not to wake her family.
"Yes, dear?"
"I-it's safe here. You d-don't have to stay up." Marble asked her father.
"Yes... but I can't help it. I have to know they're okay."
"Mhmm. I understand."
"You don't dear... trust me, you don't." Igneous said as he wiped his eyes and rested his head on his hooves. Marble looked around the hospital room once more, but this time, she began to focus on Maud. The blanket covering her began to slightly move at her fore-hooves before returning to its prior spot, surprising Marble.
Is she awake!?
"F-father... did you see that?"
"What, dear?"
"I-I think I saw one of Maud's fore-hooves move."
"You did?!" Igneous asked, a bit louder than he wanted to. He covered his mouth as he saw Cloudy move as if she was about to awaken.
"Marble, are you playing a joke on me?" Igneous said, whispering as he removed his hooves away from his mouth. Marble shook her head. Igneous looked to Maud, scanning for any movement.
"Marble dear, I need you to keep your eyes on Maud. If you see anything, and I mean anything that suggests she is awake, you come to me or your mother immediately. Even if we are asleep, you wake us up." Igneous said, his voice taking a serious tone.
"Mmhm." Marble nodded.
"Good. Thank you, dear." Igneous said as he leaned back and continued to look over at Cloudy.
Hopefully she'll wake up soon... that was a good sign that she will.
===============
Pinkie sat beside Pinkamena, a bit worried. Not only for Pinkamena, for also herself.
"I won't be responsible for a pony's death..."
"Then I'll do it myself. You let me have control in the morning and I'll do it myself. You won't even have to watch."
"Why can't you just move on?" Pinkie asked. Pinkamena looked over at her with a hateful look.
"I can't okay? I will never forgive them for it." Pinkamena said before she turned away, somehow managing not to bludgeon Pinkie with the nearest object.
"I don't think you've even tried. And I'm not asking you to forgive them, I'm just asking you to try."
"Maybe that's a good thing..."
"How so?"
Pinkamena became silent.
"Pinkamena, you just need to tell me what you're feeling. You can't just sulk around. I'm sorry, but there's no way you're gonna get rid out of this rut without talking about it." Pinkie tenderly put a hoof on her shoulder. "You've gotta get rid of all those emotions. It can't be healthy."
"You want to know what I'm feeling? Really?"
"Yes, truthfully."
"I'm feeling like telling you to get out." Pinkamena said as she got up and went outside of trench, leaving Pinkie alone in the trench. Pinkie sighed.
"She can't keep it bottled up forever."
===============
Fluttershy trotted into her cottage, the cub laying on her back asleep. After she told the cub of her mother's fate, she hugged her tenderly for the longest time. She eventually fell asleep in her hooves and Fluttershy had to put her on her back while she traveled back to her cottage. Angel hopped up to her as she entered, his face revealing a bit of jealousy. He crossed his arms and bounced his left foot on the ground.
"I'll explain it to you in a moment, Angel. I've got to put this poor, little one to bed." Fluttershy said as she trotted over to the small pillow in the corner of the living room and she had set up for the cub earlier in the day. She carefully picked up the cub and put it on the pillow, making sure not to wake her up. Thankfully, she didn't. Fluttershy quietly tip-hoofed away from the cub and went back over to Angel, who still had his arms crossed and a jealous look on his face.
"Angel, please don't be angry with her. She just found out that her mother is d-dead." Fluttershy said seriously. Angel immediately stopped in the middle of his whole act; even his foot had stopped in the middle of a bounce. One of his eyes widened, but the other remained a normal size.
"Angel? A-are you alright?" Fluttershy asked. Angel bunny sat his foot down, uncrossed his arms, and went over beside the cub.
"Angel, please don't...?" Fluttershy trailed off as she saw Angel bunny curl up beside the cub and close his eyes as if he was going to fall asleep beside her. A small smile crept across Fluttershy's face.
"Aw... Angel." Fluttershy quietly said as she saw the cute display of comfort. A slight blush crept across Angel's face, but he still remained in place.
"Well, goodnight you two." Fluttershy said as she walked over to the front door, shut it, and locked it. She went into the kitchen and repeated the process for the back door before going to her bedroom and laying down.
===============
Marble looked over at her eldest sister, scanning for any movement. She had been at it for at least a half-an-hour and hadn't seen any more movement.
Maybe I was just seeing things... I'm exhausted.
Marble wiped her eyes as she looked over at her sister. Her eyelids were heavy.
Maybe I could get a few minutes of sleep.
Marble looked over at her father, who had finally managed to fall asleep. Surely a couple of minutes of shut-eye wouldn't hurt, could it?
Marble let her eyelids fall and her vision darkened. She felt her self slowly drift to sleep.
"Uhhhh..."
===============
Pinkie trotted up behind Pinkamena, who was now at the opposite side of the trench and sat down beside her. Pinkamena still kept her eyes away from Pinkie.
"I guess I was right..."
"About what?"
"You refuse to let anyone in." Pinkie said. Pinkamena let out a low growl.
"And you won't let out any sadness or hurt."
"Where did releasing my emotions get me last time? Huh?"
"..."
"I let mother, father, and Maud know exactly what I was feeling that night when my wings were cut off. And where did that get me? Nowhere. My wings were still cut off, so don't come to me with that stuff."
"I'm just trying to help..."
"Well you can't help me unless you get my wings back, and that isn't very likely, is it?"
"..."
"Exactly." Pinkamena said as she got up and trotted away from Pinkie. Once Pinkamena was out of earshot, Pinkie sighed.
"I know she's hurt, but she doesn't need to keep pushing everyone away. She just needs to let me in and I can help her..."
===============