//------------------------------// // Segment 1:7 Finale: Making Decisions and Living with Them // Story: Pinkamenace II Society // by jmj //------------------------------// Chapter 7 Pinkamena Diane Pie had secretly contacted Golden Harvest, a pony Pinkamena had known since moving to Ponyville and the current leader of one of the larger gangs in Ponyville, the West Side Trotters. Pinkamena walked the dirty streets this night alone, with her saddlebags weighing heavy upon her. She had asked Fluttershy to accompany her and the night air might have done the fretful mare well, but she had declined the invitation. The yellow pegasus was skittish of nearly everything and a drug deal was out of the question for her. She had decided to stay in Sugar Cube Corner and monitor any further updates on Applejack's search for them. Flutters' refusal was not a big deal to Pinkamena. She was used to being alone. Pinkamena had contacted Golden out of necessity, not friendship. She didn't consider herself friends with anypony except Flutters anymore and she simply knew Golden had a good deal of pull in Ponyville's streets. Golden had trusted Pinkie Pie at one time and Pinkamena had never given her reason to doubt her. Even though it had been several years since their last meeting, some shred of this trust must have remained, as her old friend had agreed to meet with her with as few bodyguards as possible. The icing on the cake was that Golden Harvest had never liked Applejack. The two mares had been rivals in agriculture and sales before Ponyville had changed and that rivalry had led to more than one bitter exchange between the two. So, Pinkamena sought Golden out not only for her influence and presence on the streets, which would be instrumental to selling larger quantities of what she had begun calling Pink Dreamz, but also her hatred for the Apple Family, which would motivate her old friend to push Pinkamena's product especially hard. Pinkamena hoped her plan would pay off. This was her best chance at flying under the Apple Family's radar. As Pinkamena wandered the dim streets, she saw several ponies she had known in the old days. At one time, she had known them all, but she had let many of their names and faces slip from memory since then. The flat-haired pink earth pony didn't speak a word to anypony but herself. Somewhere along the line, she had picked up a mumbling habit when she was alone. Pinkamena knew that she used to talk constantly; her reputation for being easily excitable and embarking on long-winded ramblings on a variety of subjects was known and, as she now realized, sometimes dreaded in the past. Now she muttered to herself just under her breath, so only she could hear. The mare didn't realize she even did it most of the time. "Couple more blocks, 4th Avenue. Old cineplex. Shows dirty movies now; Golden's meeting place is in the basement. Use the alley entrance. Bitch better not have many guards." Pinkamena thought about her hoofgun in her saddlebag. If things went badly, she could blast her way out. Pinkamena made the necessary turns until the cineplex came into view. The building was old and made of brick. It had been a part of Ponyville for nearly fifty years and showed its age. The bricks were dull and almost brown; the flickering lights displaying the words "XXX Two Mares One Trough" seemed to have barely enough intact light bulbs to justify having the sign. As Pinkamena paused to stare up at the sign for a moment, flickering images of what that sign was advertising interrupted her thoughts. She had seen it once; bored, and maybe the tiniest bit lonely, she had explored the town for something to do. Pinkamena's memory flickered. She saw a flash of a blue mare waiting happily and expectantly as a pastel yellow unicorn stood over her with a sick grin and... She had known both the mares in the film. They were Sweets addicts and were probably tanked up on the drug and promised more after the completion of the scene. The tragedy of such films was that they were produced right there in Ponyville. No other town in Equestria made such disgusting filth for its citizens to enjoy. No other ponies would enjoy it. Pinkamena smirked to herself and made her way to the alleyway. "Pop-Tart and Tea Bag. Always were stupid. Freaks." Pinkamena descended a short flight of stairs and, upon hearing her hooves on the metallic staircase, a large orange stallion opened a door and stuck his head out to investigate. His eyes were close together and his mane all but cut. He stared at the pink haired pony with dim eyes, as if he didn't quite understand what he was seeing. "You s'posed to be here? You don't looks likes yas are." "You don't look like you understand basic addition. Let me see Golden Harvest; I don't have time for this." Pinkamena didn't want to waste words on the idiotic pony. She was supposed to be here and he knew it. Doubtless, he was too dumb to carry out basic orders like "Let in a pink mare." "I don't tink Golden's expectin' yas. She said a poofy head, not a flat head." "If you don't let me in right now, I'll give you a flat head, flat head!" Pinkamena was getting angry and, even though she was confident the moron didn't know that “flat head” meant dumb or that he had inadvertently called her so, she had taken offense to it. "Yeah, but..." "For Celestia's sake T Bone, let her in!" Golden's voice rang out from the inside of the room. She was apparently annoyed with the situation as well. "Yes ma'am, Golden." The brutish stallion opened the door fully and stepped out to let Pinkamena pass, which she did with a slight huff. The room was terribly small and housed only a table big enough for four, several sacks of popping corn, and a shelf of assorted goods that were sold upstairs. At the back of the room was a staircase that most likely led up to the room behind the concession bar. Golden Harvest sat on one side of the table, but quickly stood up with a smile that showed off the shiny gold grills that mounted her upper teeth. "Pinkie Pie! My dear old friend, I love what you have done with your mane! It's been too long, sweetie." Golden was a yellow earth pony with an orange mane that poofed up almost as much as Pinkie's once had. She wore a large smile and stood on her hind legs, opening her front legs to embrace the pink mare. Pinkamena instantly became uncomfortable at the mention of her former name and, only for the sake of showing good intent, embraced the carrot cutie marked Golden Harvest. "Yes, a long time." Not nearly long enough, Pinkamena sneered to herself. She grimaced at the other earth pony and added, "It's Pinkamena now. I don't go by Pinkie anymore." Golden put on a disappointed look and held the pink mare at foreleg's length. Her voice was different, lower and monotone as if she were without emotion. She didn't have the trademark Pinkie hair, jubilance, or smile. Things really were hard on everypony if Pinkie Pie had changed this much. Maybe she had gotten into the Sweets. "Honey, you look so … so different. Is everything all right? Do you need something? A drink, something to eat, something to snort?" Pinkamena sighed and tried not to visually roll her eyes at the mare. "I'm fine, Golden. I'm better now than I ever used to be." How Harvest had ever become the leader of a gang was beyond Pinkamena's understanding. Pinkamena knew she had organized the West Side in defense of their community when the Royal Guards had abandoned them, but how she stayed in power was baffling. She spoke sweetly and with such a convincing consideration for other ponies. “I came here to talk to …” The door flew open as a pastel purple pegasus mare flipped through the air to crash, face first, against the table in the center of the room, disturbing Pinkamena and Golden Harvest's conversation. Golden stood quickly and, with a most unfriendly glare, kicked the floundering pegasus between the eyes, ending her squirming as she went unconscious. “T Bone! What the buck is this?” The large earth pony had been on the other side of the door guarding it from intrusion. He strode inside and shrugged. "She was snoopin’ round in the alley. She’s one a’ them Vipers, Harvest. She had this knife.” T Bone tossed a thin bladed knife onto the table. It was easily concealable and was primarily a defensive weapon. "She had it in her mouth as she started down the stairs. She tried ta run when she saw me. I tink she wanted ta stab yer friend wid it.” The Vipers were a small gang from a section of town close to Golden’s West Side. They generally didn’t cause problems for Golden, but they could be a nuisance from time to time. Golden Harvest looked the mare over and tried to recognize her, but she didn’t know the pony. “Good work, T Bone. I don’t know why she would be interested in this conversation with Pinkie, but she won’t be awake for it.” Pinkamena knew the Pegasus; perhaps she still knew most of the ponies of Ponyville after all. Shimmer Shine. She was the sister to the stallion she had shot and killed for tormenting and preparing to burn Fluttershy. The pink earth pony had wondered if the Vipers might send somepony for retribution for killing one of their members. She doubted it. Shimmer was hot headed and had, most likely, come alone to seek vengeance on Pinkamena. The Vipers rarely stepped out of their boundaries and those gang members who did were left to their own devices in the territories surrounding them. They weren’t strong enough to take on bigger gangs yet and their policy was the defense of their turf. If a pony was fool enough to get herself killed in other hoods, it was her own fault and not the responsibility of the gang. Pinkamena had lost her Pinkie Sense long ago. She didn’t know whether it was due to her change in emotions or the constant source of danger, but it rarely spoke to her anymore. Shimmer was proof. It should have told her she had been followed. Pinkamena logically concluded that Shimmer had coincidentally crossed paths with her and stalked her in the hopes to shank her in the back in a secluded alley. The pale purple pegasus was smart, but prone to erratic behavior when her temper flared, which could easily ignite, and seeing her brother’s murderer had probably sparked her anger. An easy stalk, stab, walk away chance was hard to pass up. Golden Harvest grumbled and looked up to T Bone, barking orders, “Wake her up and find out why she followed Pinkie.” Her voice had become iron and her intentions venomous. If she had to, she would remind the Vipers not to mess with the Trotters. That included messing with their guests. If another gang in her territory had harmed Pinkie just outside of one of her meeting places, she would look weak. “I killed her brother for trying to burn Fluttershy alive. She probably wanted revenge.” Pinkamena looked at the pegasus for a moment and then kicked her hard in the ribs, causing her to stir and moan. “It’s not your problem, Harvest. I doubt she wants anything to do with you.” “I would agree with that. T Bone, take her out back and shoot her. Then toss her into the garbage. Pinkie is my friend and my guest. You don’t buck with the Trotters’ friends.” Harvest hadn’t expected Pinkie to kick the mare. She had expected happy-go-lucky Pinkie Pie to laugh and smile and forgive the pegasus. She said she had killed. What else had her partying pony friend been up to? Pinkamena grinned at the thought and realized why Golden Harvest was still in control. She was nice and friendly until she was crossed and then she was hard and unfeeling. Pinkie wondered which was the real Harvest and which was an act. It didn’t really matter; if what Golden had said was true, then Pinkamena may just acquire the protection she needed. If Golden would agree to her business proposal, then secrecy would be the first line of defense and the West Side Trotters her second. It could be nice to be located safely within the West Side’s territory if Applejack got wind of who was making the drugs taking away from her business. Golden watched as T Bone dragged the semi-conscious pegasus back out the door. The scowl on her elegant face disappeared as the door shut and a bright smile returned as she sat in her chair again and faced Pinkamena. “I’m so sorry for the disturbance, Pinkie.” “Stop calling me, that. Pinkie Pie is dead, Harvest. It’s just me now, Pinkamena.” The annoyance of being referred to as Pinkie was eating away at the stability in her mind. “You’ll always be Pinkie to me.” Golden’s smile was one of pure friendship. Of smiles, hugs, rainbows, and good times with loved ones. “No, I won’t! Pinkie Pie was a weak fool! She died a long time ago. Don’t call me that name again!” Pinkamena slammed her hooves on the desk and stood up in a short outburst. She breathed hard and, for only a moment, lost control of herself. She hated the smile on Harvest’s face. She wasn’t her friend. Pinkamena would use her to distribute drugs and Harvest would use her to make the drugs. Together they would make lots of bits, but at no part of the deal was there a friendship. Pinkamena would never trust anypony enough to be their friend again. Fluttershy’s face flashed into her mind; no, she didn’t even trust Fluttershy. She just knew the pathetic mare was too cowardly to turn against her. Golden’s smile died and, for a moment, she considered striking Pinkie. She dropped the friendly act and stood up, getting eye level with the pink mare, as it was important to show her strength. Pinkie had shocked her with the display, but she wouldn’t show it. She would show her she could be a bitch if crossed. “Yeah? Well what’s Pinkamena want with me then?” She stared into the blue eyes of the pink mare and grinned. She absently wondered how far Pinkie had fallen. She had said she killed the pegasus’ brother, so maybe she was harder than she had initially given her credit. She liked the irony of the party pony turning vicious. The wicked grin spread on Pinkamena’s cheeks and in her eyes danced the sprites of insanity. Harvest then understood that Pinkie’s madness hadn't disappeared or gotten lost in the fog of depression and despair. No, it had stuck with her as she became Pinkamena; it just wasn’t good-natured anymore. Faced with the embodiment of Pinkamena’s madness, Harvest felt a shiver run through her. The good Pinkie was capable of many acts of insanity; a dark Pinkie could be frightening. Pinkamena jolted Harvest back into reality as she opened her saddlebags and, without ceremony, dumped several miniature cakes of powder onto the table between them. “Business, Harvest.” *** Scootaloo had snuck downstairs into the basement level with an apple for Rainbow Dash after escorting Twilight around the farm with Apple Bloom and that other bitch. Twilight had been easily kept from wandering too closely to the secret areas of Sweet Apple Acres, but it had taken almost the entire day. Scoots had worried the whole time about Dash. The multicolored mare had been pretty sick when she had come across her and she hoped AJ had given her some sweets. The pegasus filly was relieved to finally be back and able to check on Rainbow Dash. Scoots paused at the door to Rainbow’s usual room and a shiver ran through the filly. Even in the early evening, the cold of the room was permeating the sturdy door. How could anypony sleep inside a room like that? Using her hoof, she knocked lightly and waited for a moment, walking back to the stairs and looking up them to make sure a certain white unicorn know-it-all wasn’t following her. She felt satisfied and turned back to the door. It was still shut and she knocked again with her hoof, harder this time. Nothing. Images of Rainbow Dash’s corpse flooded her mind. She had been frightened once today already, thinking Rainbow had died from her withdrawal, and she jumped right back into that dread. She almost didn’t want to open the door. If she opened it and Dash was lying in a puddle of her own bloody vomitus, Scootaloo wasn’t sure she wanted to see it. On the other hoof, if she didn’t check and Rainbow wasn’t dead but dying and Scoot could save her... She had to open the door to see what was on the other side. She forced herself to be calm. Get a grip, Scootaloo, she thought to herself. AJ just gave her Sweets and she passed out like normal. Holding her breath, she pushed on the door and it swung open only a crack. The light was off and the darkness devoured the room. A wave of cold brought chill bumps to the young mare and her tiny wings fluttered momentarily to shake the cold away. Peering into the inky blackness, the filly softly uttered Rainbow’s name. There was no response from the void before the filly. Even though Scootaloo had witnessed terrible acts of violence in her life in The Apple Family and understood at her young age that the real monsters were the ones you saw on a daily basis, she felt frightened. She slowly planted one hoof in front of the other until she found herself within the depth of the void and her eyes strained to see anything in the smothering blackness. “Dash? Are you in here?” Something stirred in the darkness and Scootaloo’s heart nearly stopped. “Dash? Is that you?” A moan rippled the darkness as if something had woken up underground and crawled its way from the grave. Scootaloo gasped and her mind cried out at the thought of zomponies. Damn those late night shows that Apple Bloom liked to watch! The filly held her breath again as she backed away from where the sound had come and towards the only source of light in the room, the open doorway. The thing groaned again and Scootaloo shrieked loudly. “Shut up already! Just leave me the buck alone and let me lay here!” Rainbow Dash’s voice sounded pained and wispy as if she were out of breath. She didn’t know who was in the room with her, but hoped it wasn’t Applejack. She had taken enough abuse for one day. Scootaloo felt incredibly stupid for being afraid of the dark, especially when she bumped into the chain connected to the hanging bulb of the room. She grabbed it in her mouth and yanked. Light splashed across the concrete room and spread across Dash’s form huddling on her burlap bedding. Scoot saw the bruising under Dash’s left eye and the dried blood across her muzzle. She was huddling for warmth and grimaced when she lifted her head up to see who was disturbing her, letting out a throaty moan from the pain the movement caused. Scootaloo gasped and ran to the trembling Dash. “Squirt? What are you doing down here again? I’m not in the mood to tell you any stories right now, okay? Just leave me alone.” Rainbow’s voice came out in tremors from the shakes she was experiencing. “But you’re sick still…” “Yeah? So? I’m always sick. Are you going to go get me beat up like that Twilight unicorn did?” She coughed hoarsely and moaned as the motion inflamed her aching ribs. One was definitely broken. “Twilight got you beat up? How did she do that?” Scootaloo thought the unicorn was nice. She kneeled before the blue mare and nuzzled her neck gently. “She said she’d go get me some Sweets and then told Applejack on me or something. AJ dragged me down here and…” She looked away as if the memory hurt more than the result. “Well, I deserved it I guess. Buck Twilight. It’s her fault.” Scootaloo was looking at the floor. There was dried blood on the concrete and she sighed. Rainbow needed to get over the Sweets and get out of here. This wasn’t the first time Scootaloo had witnessed Applejack’s handiwork on Rainbow. She had seen it a few times now and worried it would keep happening. She felt conflicted. Applejack had taken her in and given her a home and a place in the Apple Family after her parents had abandoned her. Applejack had made sure she had enough to eat and was teaching her how to be part of the business. Scoot owed Applejack a lot… Rainbow groaned again and Scoot felt rage welling up within her. Buck Applejack; she wanted to stab the bitch through the eye with a stick. She deserved that … and much worse. Applejack did things like this to Rainbow Dash too often. Not usually beatings, but other forms of abuse. Rainbow could barely take care of herself and Applejack kicked her around, laughed at her, and made her work awful jobs. All the while, lording the drugs Dash needed over her in order to keep her as a plaything. Maybe someday, when Scoot was stronger, she’d show Applejack what it felt like to be on the receiving end of that… Her and that snotty little Sweetie Belle. She and Dash could even do it together, if only … Scootaloo grimaced and looked at Dash angrily. “Why can’t you just get off the Sweets? You used to be better than Applejack. You don’t have to be treated this way. You could get well again if you just stopped taking the Sweets. I’m…Dash, I’m afraid you’ll die if you don’t.” Scootaloo fought back tears of anger and frustration as she challenged the mare to look into her eyes. Rainbow looked down and eased her head into the fold of her front left foreleg. “I wish I would sometimes, Squirt.” Scootaloo reached out and slapped the mare angrily before she realized she had done it. She didn’t want to hear Rainbow’s self-pity. She wanted to hear Rainbow get angry or defensive like she used to. She wanted the over confident, awesome, too busy being cool to hang out with the likes of you Rainbow Dash to come back. “Shut up! Why are you like this? You were my idol once, Dash! I looked up to you. I wanted to be you! When did you become such a loser?” Dash looked angry for a moment, but everything the filly had said had been true. She was a loser. She had failed Applejack and turned to Sweets. She deserved to be beaten down and miserable for the rest of her life. Dash hated when Applejack was upset with her and she had deserved it this time. Her plan to get Twilight to steal drugs from Applejack’s desk had been out of desperation and had backfired totally. She had taken each blow the Apple mare had given her without attempting to dodge. The physical pain was bad, but nothing compared to the breaking of her heart. She kept failing. She had broken Applejack’s trust with this scheme and deserved the beating. She kept making Applejack think less of her. Rainbow, at one time, had dreams of snuggling with the orange cow-mare happily forever. Applejack had thought highly of Dash and Dash knew it. She had hoped that one day AJ would tell her she had feelings for her and then they could be together. That was when AJ thought well of her. Due to her constant failings, the earth pony she cared about saw her as worthless and only kept her around because they had been friends once. Rainbow didn’t deserve Applejack’s friendship anymore, much less her love. She needed Sweets. She wanted to get away from her pains and aching heart. She remembered the filly was with her. “You want to hit me too, Squirt? Go ahead. I deserve it. I’m not worth your time either.” Scootaloo felt sorry for Dash and regretted hitting her, even if it was just a tap really. She was no better than Applejack. No…that wasn’t true. She wanted Rainbow Dash to stand up for herself and get well and Applejack wanted to keep her in submission and hurt her. Scoot sighed and produced the apple she had brought with her, pushing it under Rainbow’s sore nose. “I brought you this. You need to eat it to keep your body strong. Did Applejack give you any Sweets?” Rainbow scoffed and pushed the apple away with her muzzle. “No. She won’t let me have any for two more days.” “Two days? That’s a long time for you. You really need to eat or you might not make it.” “So what, Scoots? Do you really think I matter around here? Would it really be that different if I died? Nopony would give a buck. Nopony cares about me anymore. I don’t deserve it.” Scootaloo sighed sadly and pushed the apple back to Rainbow before standing up. She had resigned from the conversation. Rainbow was a lost cause until she found some token of self-esteem still floating inside her drug-addicted body. Rainbow watched as Scoot slowly began walking from the unhealthily cool room. The orange pegasus couldn’t understand how she felt. For what reason did Dash have to give up the drugs that took her from the bitter real world and offered some sort of solace from the monumental failure that was her life? Nopony would miss her when the Sweets finally killed her. She would be just one more corpse in the ground unloved, unmissed, and full of regrets. The filly paused at the door for a moment, turned back and looked at Dash with fresh tears in her eyes. “I would care, Dash. You’re still my hero…” *** It was late and night had long since fallen, but a small creature had made his way through the Ponyville streets and beneath Sugar Cube Corner to an entrance through which only the smallest animals could fit. The bunny crawled up through the floorboards of Sugar Cube Corner, his white coat dotted with bits of soil from the secret entrance into the building where his friend Fluttershy lived. He loved Fluttershy and couldn’t wait to visit her again. He bore a giant smile as he pushed up the loose tile that was the end of the tunnel into the domicile. The bunny looked around the room; he didn’t understand the difference between a clean room and a messy room, so he paid no attention to the unkempt state in which the two mares who lived here kept the room. Crawling out of the floor for better vantage, he searched for the yellow pegasus. As she wasn’t in this room, the bunny hopped happily into the next room and rejoiced in seeing his friend lying on the piece of furniture called a “couch”. The mare wasn’t paying attention and appeared to be lost in thought. The bunny smirked and began sneaking towards her. He was going to make an entrance. Bunnies knew about silence—they had to because of their natural predators—and he stealthily made the long open distance between the doorway and the side of the couch in a short dash. He pressed himself against the side of the couch and tilted his long ears towards the pony. She hadn’t heard him and he dropped as low as he could get and crawled around the edge of the couch to the direction the pegasus faced. The bunny crept to just underneath the yellow mare with a pink mane and peeped his tiny head up over the cushions of the couch, tiny eyes peering up at the pony. She didn’t notice and he eased his head back underneath the cushion to where she wouldn’t be able to see. He prepared himself, shifting his weight to his back legs, and… Out of nowhere, a creature leaped onto the couch in front of Fluttershy with its tiny front legs extended into the air above its head and mouth wide open as if saying TADAH! Fluttershy made a start and jerked back with a nervous grimace across her lips, but smiled and leaned down to nuzzle it after seeing it was only one of her bunny friends. This one had a small circular brown patch on his back and she called him Spotsy. Spotsy was unusually prone to making his appearance known in more a grandiloquent fashion than other bunnies. Fluttershy was happy to see Spotsy; she had been receiving troubling updates from her animal companions over the course of the last day. She had asked if her friends would let her know what was going on at Sweet Apple Acres. They had been more than happy to spend their time frolicking around the farm and watching the Apple ponies. Already Fluttershy had received a lot of information regarding the Apples; it was shocking how much tiny furry creatures witnessed each day. She wondered what news Spotsy had brought her. “Oh, Spotsy, I’m so glad to see you. Have you been a good bunny?” The yellow pegasus answered her own question with a baby talk tone used by only the most shameless animal lovers, “I know you have. I think I have some sunflower kernels for you.” The bunny excitedly waved his upper legs in anticipation of the tasty treat as the mare revealed a small brown bag with the top rolled down on itself. Moments later, she had produced several delicious kernels and the bunny savored their flavor while the mare watched him with a smile. Spotsy tried not waste too much of his time with the mare eating and so he stashed the last seed for later and motioned urgently, with a secretive expression crossing his tiny features as if the empty room might be doubling as a spy, and whispered, in bunny talk, into Fluttershy’s ear. “Oh, I see…Oh my…and then what happened? Goodness…and they all broke out in song?” Fluttershy had learned long before that Spotsy was a very clever bunny and tended to embellish some details to the point of disbelief but she never let on that she didn’t believe those parts. Bunnies were fragile things and that applied to their feelings as well. The mare smiled at the bunny and planted a gentle kiss right between his ears. She started to speak again, but the sound of a key cracking the locks out of place took her attention and she looked away for a moment. Pinkie was home; she was happy about that. She had been very worried for Pinkie’s safety. She turned back to the bunny, but he was gone and on a quick inspection, she saw him at the doorway waving goodbye to her before disappearing around the doorframe and back into the tunnel beneath the loose tile. Fluttershy was relieved the bunny had left after he had told her what he had seen. His testimony was one of several that indicated that Applejack had a new unicorn working for her and that thought scared Fluttershy. What if this unicorn was being paid to divine Pinkie’s identity? Magic wasn’t something Fluttershy knew a great deal about, but she had seen or heard of many spells and discerning a location or identity seemed possible to the mare. She would need to warn Pinkie. The shy mare hated the thought of something happening to Pinkie, her only remaining friend. Fleetingly, she wondered if a powerful magic spell could return them to the day the Flim Flam brothers showed up. Maybe somepony could stop Applejack from making that bet that cost her everything. Fluttershy wasn’t the most intelligent pony, but she could trace events back to that day and was confident that was when the troubles started for not just Applejack, but all of Ponyville. Fluttershy sighed and heard Pinkie muttering something to herself, a habit Flutters thought might be a sign of psychological instability, but this was Pinkie Pie and she hadn’t exactly been the most mentally stable pony. She hoped her business with Golden Harvest had gone well. She waited patiently, pushing her worries to the back of her mind for a moment, and realized that Pinkie was slurring her words to herself. Flutters sighed to herself. She was probably high or drunk, something Fluttershy also worried about, but she had been through a lot and blaming her for her problems seemed cruel. Fluttershy was very happy to be living with Pinkie and helping her when she needed, but sometimes seeing her hurt the pegasus deeply. Pinkie Pie had always been so full of love and happiness. She was always waiting with a joke or story—the pony loved to talk to a fault—and Fluttershy had always enjoyed her company even though Pinkie’s outgoing personality adversely mirrored her own. It was actually nice to have somepony around who loved attention and was more than happy to that attention away from the shy pegasus. Flutters disliked being forced to engage others; she was more than happy to be a face in the crowd, or even better, hiding behind the crowd. Pinkie, however, had devoured it, making others happy with her antics, songs, and parties. It was her calling in life and without it, well… “Shlippery…plashe ish a mesh…heh heh. Shhimmer…buck!” Fluttershy heard Pinkie’s hooves clacking as she skittered around the tiled kitchen as if she couldn’t control her legs properly, followed by a heavy thud as she stumbled and fell against something. “Oof! Bucking floor. Moving like…that.” Drunk. Pinkie was drunk. The pegasus got to her hooves and walked into the kitchen to check on her friend. She found Pinkie leaning with her back against the refrigerator. Her eyes were angry, red and drooping, and she held a bottle of something curled in one of her forelegs. Fluttershy could smell the strong alcohol from across the room. Pinkie hadn’t noticed her yet and was busy telling the refrigerator off for being a useless hunk of metal and yanking her legs out from underneath her. Flutters frowned as Pinkie punched the appliance for, apparently, talking back to her. Maybe she should just let Pinkie be Pinkie by herself where she could curse herself, and other more inanimate objects, until she fell asleep. It wouldn’t be long and she looked like it would benefit her mood and physical shape. “Shhhy!” Too late. “Shhhy, make one of your...hic...your bear friendsh kill this bucking thing. It…it’sh rude!” Pinkamena slurred angrily and pointed a hoof in the general direction of the appliance. Fluttershy walked to Pinkie and sat before her. “Umm…okay. Pinkie, do you need help getting to bed?” She had never been struck by Pinkie Pie, but was still nervous that the drunken mare might think that she was a dishwasher or oven and take a swipe. “Noooo. I want…hic…to talk to you. It’sh been a good night, Shhhy. Harvesht ish gonna shell our shtuff and…we’ll be rich. What do…you…hic…want with your money? I’ll buy…hic…anything you deshire.” Pinkamena’s eyes were opening and closing independent of each other as if synchronicity were a figment of her imagination. “Oh, Pinkie, I don’t need anything; I’m happy to be here with you, my best friend.” Fluttershy wanted Pinkie to be normal again so badly. No more drugs, no more drinks, just happy go lucky Pinkie Pie bouncing around making people happy. A small smile crept across her face at the thought. “Well, there could be…no, it’s too much trouble.” Pinkamena grinned mischievously and decided to tease the mare, remembering, in her hazy mind, that Fluttershy was largely unchanged by the cruelty of Ponyville. She chuckled, “You wanna go shee thoshe moviesh in the theatre, don’t you? Two Mares One Trough is still playing…heh.” Fluttershy’s face screwed up in horror at the thought of that movie. Pinkie had told her what had happened in it once and she had nearly become sick. She couldn’t bear the thought of how depraved and addicted those ponies must have been to do something like that. It hurt her heart to think about it. “N-n…no. I don’t want to see something like that. I want something else.” She knew what she really wanted was a long shot. “Oh yeah? What’sh that? Hic!” The intoxicated pink pony managed to stop the room from spinning long enough to get a good look at Fluttershy. “I want you to throw a party, Pinkie.” Fluttershy braced herself for whatever reply Pinkie might launch her way. Parties were a very sore subject for her, like a wound that wouldn’t heal…with salt ground into it, doused in iodine, and set on fire. Some of Pinkie’s previous reactions to the mention of parties were bad language, broken furniture, and, on one occasion, a fire that Fluttershy barely managed to contain when Pinkie decided, while high, that the only way to erase those memories was to burn down Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkamena grumbled and glared daggers at the yellow mare who cowered beneath the vicious vision of the pink pony. She took another swig from the bottle cradled in her left leg before speaking. “Don’t ruin…the fun. It’sh been a loooooong time shince I’ve felt thish…good. Golden ish gonna sell what I make…hic…fifty fifty, Shhhy. We’ll make lotsh of bitsh! Don’t buck thish up for me…hic!” “I’m sorry, Pinkie. But, um…well, you did ask what I wanted.” “Well thatsh NEVER happening again! And SHTOP calling me PINKIE! Ssshhe’sh DEAD! I’m not…hic…ever going to be that shtupid again. NEVER!” Pinkamena fell to her back from her sitting position and floundered her legs like a foal in a tantrum as she yelled. “But you’re not dead and…and I miss you.” Fluttershy didn’t like when Pinkie screamed, especially not at her, and tears dripped down her cheeks as she turned and galloped back into the living room. Pinkamena, while drunk, still heard the quiet sobbing of the yellow pegasus and, if she was honest with herself, her only remaining friend. Pinkamena was still bitter about the ordeal, but couldn’t listen to Flutters crying like that. She felt guilty for yelling as she had; drunk or not, she shouldn’t have made an outburst like that at Fluttershy. She grumbled and fought the spinning room for control of her body. “Stupid. Bucking idiot. Kept mouth shut. Ruining everything.” Somehow, the room lost the battle and Pinkamena made it to her hooves shakily. She groaned and trotted a weaving line into the living room in search of the crying pegasus. Pinkamena took a moment and stabled herself before she walked around the couch where Flutters was lying. “Shhy. I don’t…” “Applejack is going to kill you. She might me too, but definitely you. She has a unicorn now. My animal friends told me she did. If she uses her magic to find you then Applejack will kill you.” Fluttershy gushed quickly and wiped her eyes, turning away from Pinkamena. Pinkamena leaned one way for a moment and then the other as she fought gravity. A unicorn? That might spell trouble for them, but Golden Harvest might have means to counter magical spying. She would have to ask on her next trip to supply Harvest. “Buck Applejack. Shhe won’t kill ush. I won’t let her. Hic. Ish that what you…wanted? A going away party?” The flat-haired pony flopped onto the couch next to Fluttershy and laid a foreleg across her back, trying to console the mare. “No. It’s…it’s stupid anyway.” “What was it? Hic.” “I thought that…maybe if we used the bits from the…umm…illegal cakes to start a party service you might feel happy again. You need to be happy, Pinki…err...Pinkamena. If I could get what I wanted, it would be to see you be happy again.” Fluttershy faced Pinkamena and bolstered the courage to look into her eyes, wiping her own free of tears, but still looking pitiful. Pinkamena looked down and sighed. “Shy, it…won’t work. Poniesh don’t want…hic…parties in Ponyville anymore. They just want drugs and violence.” “We could cater to Canterlot until we made enough money to move away from here. Please, Pinkamena. We don’t have to stay here.” Pinkamena sighed and leaned her head back onto the worn cushions of the couch. She didn’t want to party anymore. She had never wanted to party again after the last time. She rubbed her hoof across Fluttershy’s back and leaned her head down against her shoulder, pink hair flowing across the pegasus’ sides. “I can’t, Shhy…not after what happened last time.” Flutters thought that maybe Pinki…Pinkamena might feel better. A party gone wrong had sent her into the pit and maybe a good party could help her climb back out. It was worth a chance. If Applejack found them, it wouldn’t matter anyway, so why not try and bring her friend back? “Just the two of us, Pinkamena. We’ll have a party together because we’re friends. Nopony else has to come. I’d be happy with that.” A groan escaped the pink earth pony as the energy from the alcohol in her system waned and sleep began to knock at her door. Pinkamena opened her bloodshot eyes and found Fluttershy’s face, pleading for her wish to come true. Pinkamena resigned from the argument and nodded. She didn’t enjoy seeing Flutters upset because of her; she was the only good thing left in Ponyville. “When we make…enough bitsh. I’ll make one more party for…hic…you, Shhy. Just one…cause you’re the only pony…who desherves it…” Fluttershy nuzzled the nearly asleep Pinkamena and hoped her plan would work. Maybe things would be better. There was always a chance; she believed that. Things couldn’t always be bad. It couldn’t rain all the time. “Thank you, Pinkamena. Thank you.” “Fluttershhy?” “Yes?” “It’sh Pinkie.” *** Morning swept the countryside of Equestria in an orange glow that beckoned the sleeping world to wake and rejoice, for Celestia had raised the sun once more for her beloved ponies. The small animals of the forests awoke and scurried about branches and fields in search of morning’s breakfast while their soaring counterparts dove and spiraled in the morning air, excited about the new day. In Canterlot, businesses were opening and ponies were greeting each other with gusto as their happy day began. In similar towns across Equestria, the morning breathed new life into each and every citizen and filled them with a sense of happiness. Morning had come and a brand new day would begin for them. It was another day to make new friends and celebrate those they already knew. Except in Ponyville. At Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight had gathered her things and waited to leave. She had not gotten over the revelation that Applejack had brought about and the sadness felt nearly unshakeable. They had tried to kill her and Spike over the bits the balloon would make. The unicorn had never heard of anything so selfish in her life. Ponyville must have been in a terrible shape to breed ponies with natures so cruel. She sat on the bed of the room in which she had been staying and sighed morosely. Spike had visited her earlier, but she had sent him away to gather the few possessions he had brought with them. His attempts at cheering her up had failed completely. Twilight decided it was time to ask Applejack to help her contact Princess Celestia; all she really needed was some parchment and a pen. She could have Spike magically send her letter to the Princess and, with hope, be back on her way to Hoofington soon, though the prospect of finding friends was like mud in her ears. She didn’t feel up to it anymore. Twilight stood and, head hanging lowly, stepped towards the door. To her surprise, somepony knocked on the other side before she reached it. The unicorn hoped it wasn’t the fillies with breakfast again; she really didn’t think she would make good company this morning. The lavender unicorn was surprised when Applejack stood on the other side of the doorway. Twilight opened the door and attempted a feeble smile for the cow- mare. “Hello, Applejack. I was just coming to see you.” “Good mornin’, Sugar Cube. I hope yer feelin’ a might better n’ you were last night.” The country mare put on her best show of feeling for the unicorn. This had to go correctly. She had to convince Twilight to stay. “Not really, but thank you. I was hoping you could let me use some paper to write a letter to the Princess so I can get my balloon repaired and get to Hoofington. I still have my assignment to finish.” Twilight spoke with little mirth. Her task was, once again, a duty she had to perform and not a joyful experience. Applejack plucked the despondency from Twilight’s words and studied it. “Ah see. Still wantin’ ta get back in the air an’ to another town? Ah cain’t say Ah blame ya too much fer wantin’ to leave. What was yer assignment again?” “To study the ‘Magic of Friendship.’” Twilight spoke with sarcasm oozing from her words. If this was any indication of what she could expect from other ponies, she would rather be alone. “Ah thought that was it. Well, listen here, Sugar Cube. I been thinkin’ about that.” She paused and smiled as Twilight looked up with just a hint of interest resting in her eyes. “Well, ya’ve only been here two days an’ already ya’ve made some friends. Apple Bloom won’t hush about how much she likes ya. Shoot, none of them fillies will hush about ya. Especially Sweetie Belle. That little varmint thinks yer the greatest thing since sliced apples, bein’ a unicorn and all. She was askin’ me just a little while ago if you would be stayin’. Ah think she wants ya ta help her with her magic. She doesn’t know much yet an’ her sister doesn’t do a lot with her own magic. She’s one a’ them fashion designers and all her magic is used fer getting’ measurements right an’ stuff.” Twilight liked the fillies and the prospect of helping Sweetie sounded pretty nice to her, but Hoofington was where she was supposed to be. “Yes, I did notice that Sweetie didn’t seem to use her magic very often. I can’t delay anymore, though; I should have been in Hoofington by now. I should really be on my way; I can’t trouble you any longer either.” “Trouble? Y’all ain’t no trouble, Twi. You or yer friend, Spike. Ah like that yer here. I wish y’all could stay. Ah mean, there are plenty of folks here on the farm for ya ta become friends with. You could help Sweetie an’ the way you tried to help Rainbow Dash th’other day was nothing short of friendly. Y’er a good’n Twi. Cain’t say we see a whole lot like you ‘round these parts. I bet if more ponies were like y’all Ponyville’d be a right nice place to live. Things here have perked up since ya’ve been here. Ah ain’t felt so good in a long time.” Applejack tried to lay it on thick. She wanted to make the best argument she could before resorting to more drastic means of keeping the unicorn. The orange mare, in truth, had felt happy the night before, which was a liability. She hadn’t hugged another pony out of affection or empathy in years and yet Twilight had sparked her to such acts. It had thoroughly pissed her off, but she could overlook that for now. She still needed to make sure that the lavender mare was who she said she was. Twilight listened, her mind opening up to the idea somewhat. What if all Ponyville needed was a pony to show it what friendship was? “Well, I like you too, Applejack. You’ve been nothing but kind to us during our stay here. I’d like to think we’re friends.” “Darn tootin’ we are, Sugar Cube. Y’er like a whole mess of apples, sweet, good, and nutritious for the soul. Ah’d like it if ya would stay. What’s Hoofington got that we don’t have right here in Ponyville?” Applejack hoped the unicorn would continue becoming interested in staying. If Twilight’s intentions were what she claimed, there were possibilities that opened up with having a capable magic user like Twilight around. Magic could accomplish more than what Applejack wanted to admit and, if Twi could tutor Sweetie Belle, it would only make Sweet Apple Acres better in the future. Twilight thought for a moment. Hoofington probably was a better town, more like Canterlot, without the crime and desperate ponies lurking the streets, but that meant it would also have less of a challenge to offer. What if Twilight turned this whole town around just by injecting friendship into it like a vaccine? She could be the antidote for an entire populace! That would easily secure her position as favored student. Time magic, time shmagic; this would directly affect the ponies of Ponyville. It would at least be an interesting study into the cultural differences of individual populations. It was less safe, but higher risks yielded higher gains. The Princess would be so proud of her if she could discover the Magic of Friendship and use it to immediately benefit an unhappy segment of her citizens. A smile began to creep across Twilight’s face. Applejack watched the mare’s head lift as she ventured into her imagination. When the smile began to spread, Applejack knew she had to seize the moment and drive the point home. If she could secure the unicorn into staying on at the farm, it would mean she didn’t have to worry about the unicorn spilling too much information to the wrong ponies and she could keep a close eye on her. “Does that mean y’all are gonna stay? Ponyville didn’t always use ta be so bad. Ah bet ya’d be a real positive influence on it. Ya could stay right her on the farm with us so ya’d be safe. If ya wanted to go inta Ponyville, Ah’d make sure somepony went with ya.” Twilight might be bending the rules staying in Ponyville instead of going to Hoofington, but this town had a much higher success margin. The positive influence she brought would reflect greatly upon her abilities. Ponyville could work out better than Hoofington ever could because it would immediately show the benefits of the Magic of Friendship. There would be a lot to learn, but a lot to teach and Twilight Sparkle was just the unicorn to do it. For the first time since her revelation, she smiled happily. “I would need to inform the Princess of the change of plans and get permission, but I think you are right, Applejack. I would like to stay here with you and make friends. And, maybe you are right, too, that I can help Ponyville. With ponies like you teaching me what it is to be a friend, I am sure I won’t fail.” Twilight hopped to her back legs and kicked with her front legs in celebration. Applejack grinned and joined the celebrating mare. Perfect. Keep the nosey little brat under watch and let her make friends with whomever she wants…under Applejack’s watchful eye, of course. Unicorns think they’re so smart, Applejack chuckled to herself. Ah’ll put that little brain to work fer me and she won’t even know it. “Let me go get ya that paper y’asked for, Twi. Ah’ll come back for lunch and maybe we can go on a picnic…er somethin’.” *** In the Sweet Apple Acres cellar storage room, Rainbow Dash had still not fallen asleep and her stomach convulsed into a tight ball in an attempt to expel its contents. Unfortunately for her stomach, it had long since regurgitated the apple Scootaloo had brought it. Not one to betray its cause to reason, it continued to squeeze until some of the muscle tissue ripped and fresh blood streamed in a short jet across the floor of the storage room. Rainbow Dash could hardly move; the shakes were so strong they practically owned her body and trapped Dash’s tired and aching mind in the prison she had made for it. She had kicked her way loose of the bedding on which she usually slept and made a half circle around the room, leaving a nasty streak of dirt, urine, and fecal matter in her wake. Rainbow Dash was misery. The multicolored mare had never been this badly off before. Her body could scarcely draw breath from the tremors that racked her and every inch felt as if fire ants were devouring her. She could feel her heart skipping beats and then picking up several extra to make up for the ones it missed. Rainbow was confident she would die soon and it would be so good. She wished for the hoof of death to take her soul away from the diseased body it inhabited. She had no such luck. Rainbow Dash’s body was strong of will and it refused to die. It may have become weak and dependent, but it was not a quitter. It had never lost its will power as her mind had and so it thrashed, kicked, and screamed against the withdrawal, refusing to give in. If Rainbow’s mind had given up, it was her body’s purpose to survive until the mind could wake the buck up and fight for itself. It would take a lot more than just physical dependency to take down this hard bitch. Her body fought but, regrettably for Dash, she resided in her mind and could only suffer through the pain. Rainbow Dash had thought that being rejected by the Wonder Bolts was the lowest she had ever felt, but not anymore. She had now truly hit rock bottom. Unable to control the body she inhabited and sleeplessly forced to endure the worst pain imaginable, she discovered what the lowest point of existence was. At some point, her exhausted mind began playing events back to her. Rainbow watched as she and Applejack competed in contests and laughed with each other. She saw Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity and remembered the fun they used to have as a group. She had been there to help them and they had been there to cheer for her at flying competitions. Lots of ponies had cheered for her at those events. She recalled the Flim Flam brothers and the fate of Sweet Apple Acres, seeing each day in a few moments as time caught up to her now. She wondered absently if, when time caught her, she would die. Was her life flashing before her eyes? Was it going to be over finally? She watched Applejack installing the plants that yielded the Sweets and equipment for the manufacturing process. She watched as AJ killed her first pony as a warning to others. She remembered the Wonder Bolts rejection and the first time she snorted the Sweets as clearly as if she were living it again. She felt Applejack’s scorn from the first time an argument had turned violent. Image after image flashed through her mind, up to and including Twilight’s arrival and the terrible abuse she had suffered from Applejack the day before. Her life had been getting worse and worse for a long time and she was privileged enough to watch her descent into the Hell into which she was surely going to be thrown shortly. And then, she remembered the only source of kindness she had had for a long time. Scootaloo. The little twerp had worshipped Rainbow Dash for as long as Rainbow had known her. She had done a great many things to earn Rainbow’s affection and had never received it. Rainbow had felt the same with Applejack, unable to achieve what she wanted, but burning with desire for it. She had done everything except tell her mare-to-mare, for fear of further disdain from the orange cow-mare, who treated her worse and worse as time went on. She had done the same to Scootaloo, never giving the filly the time she deserved. Using her for selfish reasons. On more than one occasion, the filly had stolen food for Rainbow, a couple times even stealing Sweets for Rainbow despite knowing the risks and punishments. The filly was her greatest fan and, for a long time now, the only pony who showed her something other than the bottom of their hooves. Scootaloo deserved better. Rainbow was the worst hero. Is that what she had called her? Her hero? Dash was not a hero to anypony, especially to that filly. Dash had pushed her away like garbage and yet she still did her best to look out for Rainbow. The filly loved Rainbow and it finally dawned on the multicolored mare how much of a cad she had been. Her arrhythmic heart hurt from more than detoxing and she regretted her actions towards the filly. More and more images presented themselves to the shaking mare. Scootaloo had been in the background of most of them, watching in awe at the pegasus she adored. Scoot was stout for her age, but still couldn’t fly. She was an orphan now after her parents had “left” and Rainbow was the role model she had chosen to fill in for parents. Some role model she was, a mentally abusive Sweets addict who was currently shitting herself and kicking her way, uncontrollably, around a freezing basement. Yeah, she could totally see why the filly loved her so much. Rainbow was a waste and she finally took notice to how pathetic she was. “Rainbow?” Scootaloo stood at the doorway looking at the flailing mare with a look of disgust screwing up her face. Rainbow didn’t think she could speak, but somehow she heard her words given voice. “Scootaloo? I’m sorry.” “Yeah? Well, it’s too late for that. I don’t care about you anymore. I tried to help you, but you wouldn’t let me.” The filly looked as if seeing Rainbow made her sick, but came close to the mare, leaning over her and coughing something thick and wet into her throat. “Please, Squirt. I’ll give up the Sweets. Let me have another chance. I don’t want to be this way anymore.” Rainbow sobbed and pleaded up to the filly. Scootaloo spit a thick wad of goo into Rainbow’s face. Rainbow pitifully looked up at the filly; she didn’t want to be alone. She wanted to make everything up to the fledgling pegasus. “I deserved that. Please give me another chance. Just one more.” “I worshipped you when you were strong and even when you were weak, but not anymore. Do everypony a favor and just die, Rainbow Crash.” The filly turned and began walking away. The doorway seemed impossibly far away on the horizon and Rainbow watched the filly for what seemed like an hour, each step another painful regret shooting through Rainbow’s heart. She begged and cried for Scootaloo to come back. Her fan, her friend, the only pony who cared, but she just kept walking away, forever… From shooting star to bottom of the barrel. This was not who she was. Rainbow was better than this; the filly knew it and had tried to tell her, but Rainbow wouldn’t listen. Drugs controlled her life, dragged it through the dirt and made her beg for more. Not anymore. Rainbow could beat this just as she had overcome nearly every other obstacle that stood in her way. She wouldn’t sit idly by and let the drugs ruin her life anymore. She could fight back. She would fight back. She would make that little flightless filly proud of her and treat her the way she deserved. Rainbow might not recover fully from what she had done to herself, but it didn’t matter. She would help Scootaloo fly. She would make that poor lonely filly better than any pegasus had ever been. Rainbow looked around the room disoriented, fighting her jerking body. The door was still shut and except for Dash the room was vacant of life. It had been a vision, just like the others. Scootaloo hadn’t spit on her and abandoned her. Rainbow could still make it up to the filly. The multicolored mare had to fight through the pain and sickness; she had a filly to mentor. Rainbow Dash would live through this and make amends for the years she spent wallowing in her self-pity. She would make herself strong again, whole again, and take the filly on as her apprentice. She would make Applejack take notice of her again, march right up to the orange mare, and tell her she loved her. She would live the life she was given and stop wasting it. She just had to endure being at the bottom first.