Lonely Murderer

by uniquecorn

What Have I Done?

Rough day it was, that entire afternoon was an obstacle to swim through, a cave of webs to gradually untangle from. However, the results didn’t bother this pony to any extent, it’s like she hadn’t noticed what cruel act she had done. Her absence of guilt during her performance was despicable and unforgiving.

Pinkamena terminated her malevolent jamboree, feeling joyful and smiling about it. For the rest of her day, her mane never reverted from straight to poofy and her coloration remained with dark hues. She worked on her duty as a seller of baked goods while having a different appearance, common customers came to the cake shop counter and noticed the happy mare with a different look, they’d ask pretty much the same questions and Pinkie would always lie or secrete her secretive secret.

“Are you okay, Pinkie?”

“Yep, totally fine. I’m totally sane.”

Even her employers were observant and they’d attempt to persuade her to leak what she was hiding. Their employee dodged all the Cakes’ questions without hesitation, it looks as if she’s seemingly not secretive.

“What’s up with your manestyle, sweetie?”

“I thought I would bring my old mane back. I mean, nopony else has parallel manes right?”

“But nopony else has poofy manes either.”

Pinkamena never left Sugarcube Corner for the rest of the evening ever since that incident, she never told anypony what she’s been doing and behaved like she’s having an ordinary life to camouflage her real identity: a murderer.

Later that night, it’s lights out in Ponyville. Everypony headed to their bedrooms without any evidence of wariness, while the pink equine slumbered believing peace is where she'll be resting in. Quiet was it felt like for the first hour, and generally, she would love to anticipate roaming in a dream.

Head in the center of her cushion, posture laid her whole spine across her bouncy mattress, exposed forehooves rested upon the quilt, a small frown plastered on her muzzle. She’s shut her one door and one window, but not the curtains. All light sources were decommissioned except for Luna’s moonlight gleaming through the glass.

A large portion of Pinkie’s room is a vacant floor, uninteresting until the area became occupied a moment later. Materializing out from the void were pellucid spectral versions of her victims; Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity. The quartet stood in a line looking toward their mareslaughterer with bitter expressions, they won’t forego her penalty for a heinous stunt she’s executed.

“Look at her sleeping, believing she’d be safe under those covers. Not gonna happen.”

The colorful ghost pegasus whispered aloud to the ponies beside her, experimenting on her ex-friend’s listening abilities. Ultimately, it was enough volume to wake her up and Pinkamena’s eyelashes slowly elevated. Commonly, if one wakes up, their instinct would be to sit, and when she attempted, she couldn’t. Notice metal cuffs around her four hooves securing the criminal to the bed.

“W-what? How did these just appear?”

Ineffective to remove them, her limbs locked in place apart from her neck and barrel. Focused on trying to escape she didn’t bother to look anywhere but her straps until somepony with a lavender appendage commanded her to.

“Turn your muzzle to the right, Pinkie.”

She did as instructed, ceased her tugs and looked towards the glowing spirits. Horrified by what Pinkie’s confronting, because they were slain and dead by her by fact, not in the sense of four spectres regardless.

“No! This can’t be possible! This can’t be real!”

“I’m afraid this is real. Think it’s about time you give us your excuse for doing such a thing.”

Twilight demanded and the others bowed their heads in agreement. Pinkamena remained her belief in her collection of facts, still claiming that to be the truth, so there’s no conviction there’s more to say.

“Haven’t I told you and Dashie already? I had to receive your payback for falsifying your opinion on my parties. You don’t like my parties, do you?”

“Who told you that?”

Applejack inquired. To their knowledge, not once did they give the reveller’s a stamp of disapproval. All her events organized for crowds and crews around Equestria were enjoyable and beloved, it’s a shame the same name came for the games and became a flaming frame who claimed her blame.

“I interrogated Spike the dragon, I was sure he knew something that you knew.”

“Well, hate to burst your bubble, darling, but Spikey-wikey was not involved in this at all. Even if he was, he wouldn’t know that we disliked your parties.”

Rarity essentially disclosed the verity, a reality that caused Pinkamena’s eyes to widen in stupefaction. It’s new details to consider and that one knocked her anxiety meter by a lot.

“W-what? Why wouldn’t he?”

“Because our reason for not coming to your party is much different.”

“Th-then why did Spike just tell me something entirely different?”

“I don’t know, maybe you said something that caused him to say it?” Twilight suggested.

“What could I have-!”

Flashback in black and white, to the time when Pinkie last had bouncy hair, she was questioning Spike in a dark room. A spotlight shone directly at the wyvern’s face expressing a panicky and confused emotion. Panicky because he’s hampered by his interrogator and confused because he doesn’t know what she’d like to hear to be satisfied.

“W-what do you want to hear? Tell me what you want me to say, I’ll say it!”

“Tell me that my friends are all lying to me and avoiding me because they don't like my parties and they don't want to be my friends anymore!”

She practically yelled at the 5-year-old.

“Your friends are all lying to you and avoiding you 'cause they don't like your parties and they don't want to be your friends anymore!”

In summary, Spike was a bystander who was brought in just to expose a fake truth. He didn’t tell her willingly, Pinkie literally told him what to say and she’s too Pinkie to realize that, thus accepting it as actual truth.

Back in the present, now she’s realized the worst mistake she’s made, perhaps too big for it to even be considered a mistake. Her friends were murdered because of an excuse one would describe as unfortunate, it’s devastating. How was she so blind to it?

“No!” Pinkamena anxiously exclaimed.

“So we have our answer, the reason why you were slaying us to death was that you Pinkie’d it and were truly convinced that we disliked your parties.”

Rainbow Dash concluded. Fear and sorrow began to erupt on her spine, envisioning the sequence undergone in her noodles made her quiver. But the phantasmal mares were not done reawakening her, there’s more she needs to know, starting with Rarity’s question

“How? How could you do this to us?”

“I-I’m sorry, I couldn’t realize it sooner! I couldn’t control myself!”

“Remember what you did after the gore?”

Asked the southern ghost as Pinkamena immediately grimaced at the question like she knew what she’s mentioning. She doesn’t know what to think about the cross-examination, is it trying to torture her or is this what she needed?

She couldn’t answer as if she knew how cruel the display was. Yes, she can recall forcefully controlling her plushies like a puppeteer in a dimmed party after the slaughter.

“You were enjoyin’ that party, weren’t ya? Ah saw it, you were havin’ fun movin’ our limbs all over the place.”

“Do you wanna know the real reason why we’re avoiding you?”

“The real reason?”

Pinkamena echoed with a question mark. Now that she eliminated her false accusation, she’s finally catching the concrete explanation straight from Twilight’s mouth. Heartbreaking for her when she heard it.

“We were collecting props and decorations for a surprise party in a Sweet Apple Acres barn just for you. You would’ve seen it early if you hadn’t killed Rainbow Dash.”

Gasped the sickening mare without hesitation, her eyes dilating and shrinking in an oscillation about to weep. The thought of a jamboree carefully constructed by her friends, which would’ve been a good time, only to have the hosts murdered by the main party animal, never the chance of experiencing or celebrating.

“A party? For me? W-why couldn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Pinkie, it’s a surprise party. We struggled to make you come, but you refused to listen.”

“B-but…”

“You could’ve waited for us to inform you, spend time with the Cakes? The fillies? Your family? Other ponies? Instead, you suspected us not being your friends and killed us for it.”

True she could’ve done any of that but didn’t, couldn’t she have known that at the time? Must a hangout with other ponies be beneficial, the options could’ve been the Cutie Mark Crusaders, her Pie sisters such as Maud, or a few other mares she knew like Vinyl, Octavia, Lyra, Bon Bon, or even Derpy Hooves. One more unbearable cherry on top from Applejack there is to conclude the reformation.

“Ah’m sure ah heard that you hated solitude, right? It made you insane enough to do this, didn’t it? You did all this just so that you won’t be alone again.”

Her main description that only she knew was exposed, being isolated from the spirits of harmony provoked her lucidity. It scared her that the farmer brought it up. Who knows how a ghost can acquire Pinkie’s mental mind? And what does she have against that knowledge? Two words: Bad things.

“Well, your situation wouldn’t be restored after finalizin’ the mission now, would it? You lost your friends and havin’ a party with our corpses ain’t gonna be felt the same, you’ll just be as alone as before without any way of renouncin’.”

A path into her own solitary grave that she created for herself without realizing and never leaving. Droplets collect below the equine’s optics before she decided to willingly release them down her muzzle, penitentially admitting the veracity that went down. Murmuring apologies through her sobs hoping for their forgiveness.

“N-no! I can’t be alone, I hate being alone. If only I had kn-known sooner, if I had waited as you said, I wouldn’t have attempted m-murder…I-I’m so sorry I’ve been so cruel!”

Her lament articulating deep regret genuinely late acknowledged. Could she have ceased, everypony could’ve been saved, but it’s her own sick idea that provoked the dominoes of her consequences. However, the paranormal ponies wouldn’t experience her emotions. Why?

“Don’t worry, Pinkie. Let’s get you out of your misery.”

From behind the quartet, Twilight emanated her magic to levitate a steel blade pointing at her and displayed in front of them. Pinkamena noticed through her tears looking horrified because she knew what’s happening. She tried begging for her release from captivity, the least she can do.

“You shouldn’t have done such a thing, Pinkie.”

“N-no! Please! I’m sorry! I swear! I’ll do anything to bring you back.”

“Too late, you’ve done your deed. Face it, there’s nothing in Equestria to resuscitate us.”

Twilight informed. Is this how the villain dies? Is this how revenge is won? Is this how the story ends? All four equine spirits marched and surrounded the bed, weighing upon her knees and shoulders disengaging her to move a limb. The knife hovering over its victim’s frightened face of horror, her victim’s revenge to ultimately thrust it through her temple, skull, then the cerebrum.

“Look what I’m planning. Go to Tartarus for us, will you?”

The knife elevated a slight was it ready to descend.

“Nooooo!”

---

Face moist from her sweat and tears, she instantly jolted from bed while huffing and puffing. 4:00 ante meridiem at dawn, nopony else in Ponyville was awake, just Pinkamena. A nightmare revealed her disgustingly committed sins and her supposedly deserved punishments. Realizing what she had done, hesitation was no priority, she frantically rushed to jump out of bed, run down the stairs into the foyer, then into the basement, mumbling a prayer hoping for this reality to be untrue.

“No! Please, no! This can’t be! I didn’t!”

Throughout the ruckus, her neighbours, specifically the Cakes, didn’t bother and didn’t care to follow. Every source of illumination was engaged as bright as they can in the basement, caliginous still due to the fortifications being dark grey. She hadn’t cleaned up the place after the party ended, so the back wall and the table is still mostly red, recognizing the decorations she applied here gave her burden and uncomfortable certainty.

A cabinet was displayed against a wall oozing blood from inside. Pinkie veered to the bloody furniture queasily like she knew what she stored in there. But she couldn’t refrain, she had to see them. Opening the doors dropped four deceased equines to the floor, the mare alive covered her muzzle with her hoof and gasped.

Couldn’t believe what she had committed, enduring the grief about to spill out as she’s finally aware of the dead. Pinkie scurried and carried her friends off the floor and onto the table, all four laid adjacent to each other on the surface. There’s no sign of life, no sound, no breathing, no animation, and seeing their bodies entirely littered with stitches constructed by herself broke her heart. Poor pony committed unintelligible murder on her perpetually cherished Twilight, Applejack, Rarity and Dashie. Let her weep for them and the true nature of her emotions. No more hate, cruelty and ignorance, but love, mercy and repentance.

“Everypony. Please, if you can hear me, forgive me. Now I know. I…killed you all. I’m gonna…miss you all. I just didn’t want to be alone, but this was not intentional, I swear! You don’t deserve this, none of you, I shouldn’t have done something so vile. I’ll accept any punishment I get from this, just please, I’m so sorry!”

Bursting into tears as her apologies were downed for the count and drowning with her. Pinkamena banged her hoof askance on the facet to punish her own diabolicalness. Who in Equestria could’ve done more dreadfully?

“I regret it all, Dashie. You were right about that. I was a horrible pony. I should’ve come with you like what you’ve come for, none of this would’ve happened then. That party you girls said you made for me would’ve been lovely, I just know it.”

A miniature smile was formed on her muzzle, it’s only small because a big grin might exhibit the murderer’s looks, with the parallel hair and everything. Shortly after, she removed it as she thought about more acknowledgements and stating them to reassure her understanding of the case.

“That…accusation I made was only invented, you tried to explain the truth, but I…didn’t let you. I…ignored your cries, laughed at it, l-loved it, where I shouldn’t be. I took back those things I said and did, I should’ve just abode with other ponies. If there is a way to revive all of you, even if it means sacrifice, I would do it just for those I’ve depressed.”

She didn’t want to believe what phantasmal Sparkle told her in her nightmare. Any form of resuscitation she desired to happen. Whether that’s through risks, battles, rituals, or sacrifices, success would be her only, only option, failure’s not.

“Memories of you all I will keep, even if we hadn’t lived for a whole season. Vanquishing Nightmare Moon, swatting the parasprites, discovering my Pinkie Sense, comparing our cutie mark stories. I’ll never forget those moments, I promise.”

Memories. All issues and problems solved only via their friendship. It’s a disgrace that it’s one of the pre-victors who destroyed their connections. She was a mare jam-packed with laughter which subtracted to negative depths plus the addition of hidden emotions. The million things they could’ve done as friends may have been cancelled, but her word will live on as determined, she’ll never forgive herself if she forgot.

Pinkie spent half an hour submitting her acknowledgements to her dead friends. She knew that somewhere in the clouds, they were frightened, upset, praying, screaming and crying because of her, she couldn’t leave their resting place. However, she knew better this was not healthy, she had to accept they’re not moving, at least for now. One thing she can promise though.

“I won’t leave you girls, okay? And I won’t let it happen again. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, with absolute certainty this time. Again, I’m sorry I did this to all of you, I hope you’ll forgive me. And if you won’t, well, I understand.”

Better get going before somepony phones a search party to search the party pony not found, anypony can enter the basement at any moment and discover something they shouldn’t discover. When the mare was ready to leave, she joylessly stepped away from the table and turned to the exit, the light of dawn. Pinkie grabbed the door about to close it on the way out, but she twisted her neck for her seemingly last farewell.

“Goodbye, my little ponies. Rest in peace.”

Facing the outside world, Pinkamena will soon face a whole new life ahead of her. There’s a list of endeavours with the word “must” stamped all over it to make up for her unspeakable activities. Must she complete her virtual assignments in the right way, positive things will come out of them, or so she had hoped.

---

Meanwhile, in the chambers of the Canterlot castle, the one and only Alicorn of the Night, Princess Luna, remained on her bed and was chanting her magic. Her nine-to-five duty requirements were currently active, protecting her subjects from nightmares. The dream dimension displayed compact circles comprised of little fillies’ fantastic fantasy. She could pay a visit by simply phasing through one, then she could be a friend or helper to the dreamer.

Most of them seemed peaceful, all good things they fantasized about at night from ambition to romanticism, but one bubble stood out from the rest. Specifically, it’s entirely black, a flat shape of a lock glued on it. Noticing that unusual phenomenon unique from the rest drew her wariness to it.

“A locked dream? What does this mean? Who does it belong to?”

Sauntering closer to the dark sphere, Princess Luna was able to perceive the action occurring within it. The high-frequency voice that's very well-known to know its owner, the exact voice of one of six protégés, the spirit of laughter, Pinkie Pie. However, the words she heard would be something she’d never hear in the real realm.

“N-no! Please! I’m sorry! I swear! I’ll do anything to bring you back.”

“Pinkie Pie?! Is that a nightmare you are having?”

Pinkie's utterance overlapped with echoes protruding from the orb. The princess could sense panic through it, one of many emotions that occurs in a nightmare. Feeling concerned, she must jump into action, a bystander would tarnish her supervision. A monarch, too, must be cautious, due to never encountering one in Luna’s thousand-year career, therefore being unsure of its dangerousness.

Cautiously approaching slowly and attempting to go through the portal, however, as her muzzle nearly met tangency, an unexpected gash left a visible incision on her left cheek. The instantaneous movement was excruciating, it knocked the alicorn a few steps backward and provoked her hoof to cover it. When she revealed the wound, her hoof was stained with her own blood and so is her cheek.

“Argh! W-what?! Is that…my blood? W-what was that? And…why does this feel familiar?”

Even the sovereign can bleed. Not in a million years, would she anticipate seeing flowing ichor once in a world like Equestria, and of her character out of every other animal in this universe. Dubiety in her eyes focused on both the circle and the blood alternatingly and simultaneously. After enough watching, Luna decided her agony was too painful to keep, she returned to reality. Unfortunately, the laceration didn’t get removed, so immediately, she called her watchmen to fetch the bandages.

“Guards!”

“Yes, Your High-! What happened to you?”

“Questions later, the medical kit now!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The sentries ran off into the hallway to find the box of medical supplies, while Princess Luna awaits their return by accommodating what just happened. A locked nightmare in Pinkie’s mind, unable to tell what it was about, but able to hurt her when she gets close to it. What does it mean? Why did the dream try to annihilate her? And to her, it felt familiar, but why?

“Here, Your Highness.”

One guard returned with the box of doctor’s equipment amid the princess’s thoughts.

“I appreciate that. Now go back to your post.”

The guard left her room as Princess Luna attempted to apply the adhesive on her face herself. While doing so, she wonders what she should do first thing in her sister’s light.

“Perhaps I must scrutinize the library for some answers. I must find out what that black bubble is to help that element of laughter. But I fear something might be wrong about this.”

She must also rest for the wound to settle a bit, running with an impractical plaster wouldn’t be practical. The cut is cleaned with antiseptic, bandaged with mesh, then continued her innocuous duties as princess until the sun rises. By tomorrow morning, she’ll get to work in the atheneum to search for information about the nightmare that attacks.

To be continued…

Author's Note:

I'm curious to see how viewers will feel after reading this, are they gonna feel despondent or nonchalant towards remorseful Pinkamena? I hope they'll feel the former.
Princess Luna plays a very important role in this story, stay tuned for that because it'll be something nopony has ever done on this site.

Comments

[uniquecorn]

11222166
Just you wait, Twilight. By the end of his 'holy crap', you will see what I had in mind.

You know what they say, some rules are meant to be broken, that also applies to grammar. I want to keep my stories as unique as possible, which means sentences start with different letters, rare words will be utilized and most of the time, you won't see the same word referred to twice in a row. (Hopefully, I worded that correctly...)

[LH45]

I personally believe that all sapient, sentient beings must be given a chance at redemption, if possible. Only in rare cases is someone truly, irrevocably evil from the start to finish.
Also, if you are looking for unique words, especially for ones that Luna might be liable to use, I have a website that is very useful for tormenting your English professors.
https://www.phrontistery.info/
Also, if you want uniqueness, it is not just found in diction and word choice. It found in the way you write. For instance, I found myself wondering whether Pinkie Pie was just imagining her friends or if she was truly interacting with her spirits. That vagueness? That is unique. If you want unique diction, perhaps tie certain ways of speaking and thinking to certain characters, and modify their diction as necessary. For instance, Applejack is a apple farmer, so she might be familiar with and use words and terminology related to farming apples.

[Twilight_the_spy]

11231785
You aren't being "unique" by screwing up the grammar and using a thesaurus to swap words around. You're just making your story a pain to read.