//------------------------------// // XI: Release // Story: Dreams & Nightmares // by TheUnknownPerson //------------------------------// Pinkie looked over at Pinkamena, who had been scraping her right fore-hoof against the ground so much that their was a small depression in the dirt. "You can't hide yourself forever." "Are you sure about that? I've hid this long, I can do it until I can fade away or get control. Either way, I won't remember how it felt." "Could you at least just open up to me? You know that you can trust me." Pinkie put her right fore-hoof up to Pinkamena's right shoulder, rubbing it. Pinkamena glanced back with a blank, emotionless glare, before turning back to the ground. "I know that you're smart enough not to blab about it to your friends. Do I trust you? Not really." "What do you think I'll do to you? It's not like I'm somepony who'll hurt you." "You're going to use it against me. Like you did when we were fighting." "I did what I did, only because I had to. I'm sorry, but I had to do it to get control back." "No-- you don't realize how much it kills me. I-I can't stand the helplessness, the fear of-of knowing what happened." "I know. It's-- "You don't know. Sitting, paralyzed in fear, having my wings sawed off one-by-one, and having those- those things who call themselves ponies staring at me, pretending to be remorseful for removing my ability to do what I love--" Pinkamena's voice trembled, distressed and angry by the memories. "Please Pinkie, j-just leave me... let me lament in peace until I fade away." "I just want to help." Pinkie said, reaching for her right shoulder again. Pinkamena this time looked back to her, a angry glare on her face. "Just leave me alone!" Pinkamena scraped up some of the dirt in her left fore-hoof and threw it at Pinkie's eyes. "Ah!" Pinkie called out as her vision immediately became clouded. She heard hoof-steps that sounded like they were going away from her. Pinkie tried to rub the dirt out, but it was easier said than done. Pinkie created a small bottle of water, but she couldn't find it due to her vision. She couldn't see it, blinded by the dirt. "Come on..." Pinkie groaned as she felt around for the bottle. After a moment, she finally found the bottle, nearly knocking over the bottle. She unscrewed the top and poured the bottle over her face, trying to wash the dirt out of her eyes. Thankfully, her vision returned after a moment. "Grrr..." Pinkie growled under her breath. Her patience was beginning to wear thin. She got up and exited the trench, looking for Pinkamena. "Pinkamena! Come out!" Pinkie called out. There was nopony in sight. Anger began to take over as she angrily stomped around, looking for Pinkamena. "I'm just trying to help!" Pinkie exclaimed, continuing to look around with still no sign of Pinkamena. She trotted over to the barn and looked around. "Come on, Pinkamena! Please! I just want to help" Pinkie yelled, turning the corner to the right side of the barn. Snnn- crack-crack Pinkie looked back at where she thought the sound originated, and saw that a small fire had started on the barn. "What?" Pinkie said as she fire quickly travel up the wooden structure. She looked around, looking for Pinkamena. "She has to be near by... I know she started it." Pinkie said to herself she continued to scan the area. Finally, she saw a small head stick out of the trench, scan the area, then dip back down into the trench. "Aha..." Pinkie quietly said as she trotted over to the trench and cautiously entered. She saw Pinkamena, who was now sitting in the corner of the room, facing her. She was now as small as a filly, her small mane barely passing her chin. Tears stained her cheeks as she leaned against the wall, her hooves covered in soot. "I'm gonna guess that you were the one who set the barn on fire?" Pinkie said, slightly confused by the change, but she didn't question it. "Y... yes." Pinkamena said sadly. She pulled her hind-hooves up to her chest, wrapping her fore-hooves around her hind-hooves. "Hm. Can't really blame you." Pinkie said. They both sat in silence for a moment. "Will you just let me help you?" "Why should you? I'm a terrible pony. I've lost my wings, and there's no way to get them back. You can't help me, I've ruined it." Pinkamena said as a few tears leaked from her eyes. Pinkie sighed. "Please Pinkamena. I have friends who can help." "I have. I've thought about doing this over and over again, and I want this to happen. I-I can't-- I won't sit here for another day, feeling like a helpless filly." "You need help. I'm sorry, but I won't sit by and watch you end it when you still have a chance of getting help." "There is no chance, okay?!" Pinkamena exclaimed, standing up as tears quickly rolled down her cheeks. "Who'd want to help me?! Who?!" she jumped to her hooves, tears freely flowing. "Pinkamena, the pony who's done the most evil, vile thing imaginable! Me, the murderer! Me, the irresponsible little filly! Me, the worthless, wingless Pegasus!" her words were full of pain and heartbreak. Pinkie could only sit and watch. "Why would anyone help me?! The... the flightless Pegasus..." Pinkamena's hooves trembled and gave out, collapsing to her knees. "N-Nopony would want somepony so useless... I don't deserve anypony's attention..." Pinkamena reaffirmed, more for herself than Pinkie. The wings on her back slowly began to fizzle away, each feather tearing away piece by piece until they were gone. Pinkie couldn't bear it any longer. She swiftly grabbed Pinkamena, wrapping her in a hug. "No, d-don't touch me!" "It's all right, just let it out! You're so close!" Pinkamena weakly pushed against her hooves. "I c-can't... I won't." Pinkamena said as she looked away from Pinkie. "Why?" "It's too painful..." "The only way you're gonna get rid of the pain is to face it head on. I'm here for you." Pinkie tightened her hug as gave her a warm smile. Pinkamena glanced back at Pinkie for a moment before looking away again and sighing. "Okay... j-just-- let me go." ================== Fluttershy woke up from a(thankfully) blissful sleep. She rubbed her eyes before scooting out of bed and going into the living room. She looked over to the corner of the room, where Angel and the cub were asleep on top of the pillow. He was in the same spot, except he had turned towards the cub overnight. That was so nice of him... trying to comfort her. Fluttershy looked over the cute display for a moment before heading into the kitchen. She opened up a small cabinet at the bottom of the kitchen counter, pulled out a glass, and trotted over to the sink where she proceeded to fill it. Fluttershy took a small sip out of the glass before sitting it down on the counter and going over to the refrigerator. Let's see... what should I fix for them? Fluttershy opened the refrigerator and found that most of her food had been eaten. "Hm... I need to go to the farmer's market." Fluttershy said as she shut the door and trotted into the living room. I need to get in the shower before I go. Fluttershy trotted into her room and bedroom and opened her closet, where she kept most of her towels. She grabbed one of the towels and trotted out of her bedroom and into the bathroom. ================== Marble woke up, feeling the warm dawn sunlight wash over her face. She stretched her hooves and back for a moment before straightening up in the chair. Then, she realized her something. Her face flushed. Oh no! I slept in! Marble looked around the room, seeing that all of her family was still asleep. She let out a quiet sigh of relief as her eyes returned to Maud, making sure that she kept her eyes on her. I hope father didn't wake up and find me like this in the middle of the night. Marble bounced her hind-hooves, nervous. He was up for almost two days. "No..." Marble eyes immediately jerked to where the sound originated, which was Maud's bed. "M... Maud?" Marble asked loudly. Maud didn't respond, but she let out a small groan with what sounded like pain hidden behind it. "F-father." Marble said as she gently grabbed his right fore-hoof and shook it, trying to wake it up. Instead of awaking him, Igneous snorted and moved the hoof she shook away. "Father, wake up. Maud might be awake!" Marble said as she pushed against his chest, a bit harder. "Huh? What's wrong?" Igneous said as he jolted awake. He looked around the room, scanning for anypony. "Maud just s-said something. She might have wake up soon!" Marble said excitedly. Igneous took a moment to process the statement before a small smile crept across his face. "That's... that's good." Igneous said as he leaned back into the chair with the smile still on his face. "Sh-should we go over their and m-make her wake u-up?" Marble asked, wanting to see her sister up and awake very soon. "No, dear. We should let her get up on her own. I'll be back in a moment, dear." Igneous said as he got up and trotted out into the hall. Marble became slightly saddened by the order, but she was still happy. "Okay, father." Marble said. After a minute, Igneous returned with Nurse Redheart. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention." She whispered as she entered the room in front of Igneous. "Hello, sweetheart. What was it that you heard?" Nurse Redheart asked kindly as she went over to Marble. "Well... I-I heard her say something like, 'No' and then she just groaned." "Hm..." Nurse Redheart put one of her hoof up to her chin, probably thinking about Maud's condition. "I'm probably gonna give her some pain medication and then we'll see how her condition is." Nurse Redheart said as she trotted over to Maud's I.V stand and took out the I.V bag and exchanged it for a new one. "W... will she wake up soon?" "Let's see... she's been in a metabolic coma for five days... I couldn't really tell you the exact date that she should wake up, but if she's speaking while in the said comatose state, then she's probably entering a semi-comatose state, which basically means that she'll start to enter and exit consciousness over the period of a day or two at average. At most, and there's a very unlikely chance of this, she could do this for a week." "Should come to you once she does wake up?" "Oh, yes. You should come to me or find another nurse or doctor immediately if I'm not here." "Okay. Thank you." Igneous said as he held out his hoof for her to shake. She did shake his hoof and proceeded to left the room. "That's great." Igneous said as she looked over at Maud. "Mmhm." ================== "Th-they were supposed to help me! Not hurt! Pinkie listened to Pinkamena she let go of all the years of bottled up emotion. She was balled up beside Pinkie. Pinkie combed down her messy mane. "I-I can't even begin to describe what I f-felt then... terror, pain, helplessness..." Pinkamena said as she let tears slide down her face and hit the dirt. Pinkie looked on. "I'm so sorry Pinkamena. You've been holding this in the whole time?" Pinkie asked. Pinkamena nodded slowly. "Now all I feel is anger, depression, guilt..." Pinkamena said as more tears fell from her face. "Guilt? Why are you guilty?" "Because y-you were right." Pinkamena said, her voice cracking. Her lower lip trembled as she covered her mouth. "About what?" Pinkie asked once more. "I-I did to Marble and Limestone what mother, father, and Maud did to me!" Pinkamena said, immediately going from somewhat composed to complete bawling. Now Pinkamena wasn't the only one feeling guilty. ================== Fluttershy trotted through the crowds of the farmer's market, trying to findthe Apple Family's stand. Hopefully this time things'll be better this time... After a few minutes of searching, Fluttershy found the stand and trotted up to the entrance. "Howdy, Fluttershy! What can I get'cha?" "H-hello, Applejack. C... could I grab some food for the animals?" "Of course. Just tell me what ya want and ah'll get it for ya!" Applejack said in a welcoming tone. "Okay. I-I need apples and carrots if y-you don't mind." Fluttershy said quietly. "Alright. How many do ya want each?" Applejack asked. "Um... ten each, please." Fluttershy said as she took out her bit pouch and opened it. "Alright. Ya want me ta put 'em in a basket or do ya think that ya can hold 'em in yer saddlebags?" Applejack asked as she picked up the apples and carrots and puts them on the stand in front of Fluttershy. "I-I could probably hold them in my saddle bags." "Alright, sugarcube. Well, how have ya been feelin' since ya got out of the hospital?" "Better. I-I've got to stop back by there to go the physical therapy." "Well, good. Do ya feel better now that y'all told us 'bout Pinkie?" Applejack said, this time speaking quietly. She finished sitting the fruits on the table. "Y-yes." Fluttershy said, a cold shiver going down her spine at the thought of what Pinkie did to her. "Have ya told Rainbow Dash about it?" Applejack whispered. "... No." Fluttershy said as she began to put some of the fruits in her right saddlebag. Her face flushed. "Y'all know yer gonna have ta tell her sometime." "I know... I'm just scared about how she's gonna r-react." Fluttershy said as she realized that her right saddlebag was now full of apples and decided to go to the next one. "Listen, sugarcube. Ah know that Rainbow Dash can be a bit... angry when somepony hurts ya, but she ain't gonna do anything ta hurt you." "I know." "Now, you just need ta calm yerself and work up some courage. Ah know ya can do it." Applejack said, assured of herself. "Thank you..." Fluttershy said as she managed to stuff the rest of the fruits into her saddlebag. "Yer welcome, dear. Y'all have a good day!" "Y... you too." Fluttershy said as she out of the way of Applejack's stand. Now I just need to go to the hospital and do the physical therapy... ================== Pinkie looked at Pinkamena, who was now sobbing uncontrollably. She was at a loss of words. "I..." Pinkie stuttered, trying to find something, anything to say or do that could comfort Pinkamena. "I... don't what to say except, I'm sorry." Pinkie said as she wrapped both of her hooves around Pinkamena and pulled her into a tender hug. "W... why? Why would y-you want to help somepony l-like me?" Pinkamena manage to say through her sobs as weakly tried to pull out of the hug. "I don't think you're not a bad pony." "Y-you don't?" "I know you're not bad, just hurt and scared. I'm sorry for what I said." Pinkie said as she pulled Pinkamena deeper into the hug. Pinkamena gently hugged back, growing back into a full grown mare as she smiled subtly. She felt something that she didn't even think was possible anymore. She felt loved. Welcomed, as if her presence wasn't purposeless. Unfortunately, Pinkie's hooves left Pinkamena along with the rest of her body. "Thank you..." Pinkamena quietly said, remaining in place. ================== Pinkie jolted up in the bed. She immediately hopped out of the bed and went out into the hall. I... I think I know what I need to do. ==================