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// Chapter V: Then There Was One 
// Story: Ten Little Balloons 
// by menameh 
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They all sat in the dark the night came closer. No one spoke. The tension was far to thick for even words to break now. Spike held the CMC as they all laid on his chest. Twilight was asleep alongside Pinkie and Fluttershy sat in silence next to the fire place. The night had drawn very long and cold. Fluttershy had looked over to everyone as the lights began to dim and saw them all shiver. So she took it upon herself to chop up some of the firewood and throw it into the fire. Suddenly as she lit the fire and the darkness closed in the sound of bones breaking was heard and woke everyone up. only to have Pinkie and the CMC scream in horror at the sight. Fluttershy sat laying across the mantle dead with the ax she used to cut the firewood buried in her skull.

Twilight looked in terror and mumbled. "Ten little balloons one chopping up sticks, One pop themselves, then there were six."

Spike began to growl in anger and glared at Pinkie and Twilight standing in front of the CMC for protection. 

"Spike, calm down we still don't know who did this."

Spike then held the girls' hands and made his way upstairs and locked himself in the room with the girls. "NO ONE IS GOING TO HURT THE GIRLS IF I CAN HELP IT!" Spike then roared in passionate anger.

Pinkie panicked, "What if he's the killer!?" Pinkie started to panic more at the sudden event.

Twilight spoke up with worry. "I don't know Pinkie we just have to deal with it for now."

Pinkie then looked over to the kitchen and saw the poem pinned to the wall with a knife. "No, the killer didn't really just." She rushed to the poem and saw most of it crossed out with blood. and was rewritten quickly.


Ten little balloons went out to dine;
One choked its little self and then there were nine.

Nine little balloons one sat up very late;
One overslept themselves and then there were eight.

Eight little balloons two now in heaven;
One said they’d stay there and then there were seven.

Seven little balloons chopping up sticks;
One popped themselves and then there were six.

Ten little balloons four in fear of you;
The smallest all burned then there were two.


Two little balloons sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was one.


Twilight glred at it and looked upstairs and screamed for Spike to get out, suddenly the entire upstairs caught fire and exploded. Twilight began to tear and then felt the locking charms had been lifted. She then grabbed Pinkie and ran outside into Ponyville just as the fire department showed up.

Pinkie and Twilight sat next to each other in the ambulance and and Pinkie was sobbing. Twilight then grinned darkly and then her hand began to glow. 

"Twilight?....you're the killer?" Pinkie then backed away from her "friend."

"Yes I am."

"W-why?"

"I'm a princess now, and now I am immortal. I will outlive all of you. I just thought of beating time to the punch." She then pointed her finger at Pinkie and let the magic fry and absorb all the moisture in Pinkie's body.

Twilight then looked at the burning building and her "frizzled" friend. "It isn't day time but hell nothing's perfect." She then disappeared into the night and made her way to the castle.