(Unofficial cupcakes sequel) Rainbow Dash is missing, and the stories of a family emeregency just don't seem right, so Fluttershy pays Pinkie Pie a visit, and stumbles upon a horrible secret...Pinkie's special ingredient isnt what it seems
Rainbow Dash has been missing for two whole days, and despite Pinkie's claim that its just a family emergency, Fluttershy can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. So she goes to see Pinkie, and accidently stumbles across a horrifying truth...
How Pinkie's secret ingredient is made...
And it might cost her her life, Or at least her sanity...
A Cupcakes Sequel Note: This is a study of what might of occurred had Pinkie Pie been caught after the death of Rainbow Dash. The only part of this story to contain actual gore is Part 2.
“Come on Angel bunny, eat your salad.” With another stubborn nod, Angel shook his head and looked away from the bowl in front of him. With a sigh, I sat down on the floor and rubbed my temples to try and rid myself of the headache that was forming. I loved Angel, but sometimes he was more than a little bit frustrating.
A knock on the door startled my from my thoughts, and, accompanied by a small groan, I got off the floor and over to my door. I opened it to see a nervous looking Applejack standing there.
“Oh hey Applejack…” I said, I was just finishing feeding Angel, would you like to come in?”
She shook her head, “Nah Fluttershy, I won’t bother you none, I just came by to see if you’d seen Rainbow Dash anywheres? I haven’t seen her in two days, and she didn’t even show up to help me this morning…it just doesn’t seem like her to bail like that though.”
I frowned, I hadn’t seen Dash myself in a couple days, but then I remembered a quick conversation I’d had with Pinkie yesterday morning…
“Pinkie said that Rainbow Dash had to go to Cloudsdale, some kind of family emergency…Apparently she was in such a hurry she only had time to alert Pinkie.”
Applejack gave a slight nod…”Ah suppose that makes sense, after all, there’s no better pony to tell then Pinkie if news needs spreadin…hope this family emergency was nothing serious though, we all know how close she is to her dad.”
“Ill let you know if I hear anything.” I confirmed “I’m sure it wasn’t to serious though, otherwise she probably would have written a letter to let us know she’d be gone more than a few days…”
Applejack smiled, “Of course, your always so smart about these things Flutters, Ah’m glad I stopped by.”
I blushed slightly at the compliment, “It was no problem, glad to help…let me know if you need anything done around the farm that Dashie was going to do.”
“Nah!” called Applejack as she walked down the path from my cottage, “I can handle it, Ah am an Apple after all!”
With a chuckle, I shut the door. She was such a stubborn pony when it came to things…just like…Angel. I gritted my teeth and turned to face him,
“Ok Angel, you may have avoided food, but I insist on taking you out for some fresh air!”
Angel looked like he was going to protest, but one look at my face told him that my patience had definitely ran out, with a squeak, he clambered onto my back, and, shutting the door behind me, I flew outside and towards town.
The tinkle of the bell sounded as I stepped into Sugar Cube Corner. The smell of fresh goods greeted my nose with a calming effect. Ah yes, this was most definitely the place if you were having a bad day…
Besides, for some reason my conversation with Applejack set me on edge slightly, and I figured that if Pinkie told me a little bit more about this emergency, I might feel better.
Angel’s nose twitched, and with an alarmed squeak, he buried himself in my mane. I just rolled my eyes, he always acted ridiculous in this place, like as if there was an omen he sensed that I could not, but that was ridiculous, nothing bad ever happened here, not with Pinkie around.
I called out for my bright pink friend as I wandered into the room. Where on earth was she? She was almost always behind the counter…I shrugged, she was probably in her room.
“C’mon Angel,” I whispered, “She’s probably in her room.” I flew out the door and up to the loft space on top of the bakery and knocked on the window, (Pinkie always loved it when I did this) I waited, but there was no answer. I frowned and flew down into the bakery again, maybe she was in the kitchen and I just hadn’t noticed.
“P…Pinkie Pie?” I trotted into the kitchen…empty.
“Where are you, you silly pony?” A tasty smell brought my eyes over to the cooling counter, where a group of freshly baked cupcakes was sitting. I laughed as I saw the rainbow icing, Dashie would find that hilarious.
With a start, I recalled that I was here because of Rainbow Dash, and I took a step away from the tantalizing cupcakes. For some reason, those cupcakes made me nervous when I thought of Rainbow Dash…
Oh, I was being silly! I reached for a cupcake, but a little white paw knocked my hoof away.
“Angel!” I scolded, retracting my hoof. “That wasn’t very nice! That hurt!” But Angel’s face caught me from finishing my lecture…he was terrified, completely terrified.
“Angel what’s wrong? They’re only cupcakes! But he only shook his head quickly. I shrugged, the cupcakes seemed fine, but I decided to leave them, no point in upsetting Angel.
Suddenly, a small shudder in the floor caught my attention. I bent down and inspected the ground…that was weird. I was pretty sure that the Cakes didn’t have a basement...
I put my ear to the floor, and the whispers of sounds rose to greet me. Lifting my head, I paused in thought. Did they perhaps have some kind of soundproofed basement pantry?
I looked around the room, but, just as I assumed, there was no door in the kitchen that could lead to a basement. Then, a bright tapestry in the corner of the room caught my eye. I took a step towards it, only to have Angel dart in front of me to block my path.
Ok, my bunny was getting annoying. “Out of the way Angel!” I grumbled, pushing him aside. I walked over to the tapestry and looked at it. It was a picture of a bright red cupcake, with the words Strawberry Vanilla embedded beneath it. I glanced up and confirmed that it was strung on a curtain rod, which meant… I pushed it aside with a hoof to reveal a metal door with a keypad lock.
“Why a lock?!” I mumbled. “What is so special that it needs to be protected?” Without even stopping to consider that this was none of my business, I looked around the door to try to figure out a way to open it.
The way to open it turned out to be a note taped to the back of the tapestry.
“Dear Pinkie,
Silly you! You’ve forgotten your password again, you dummy!
Remember:
____ is a _____
Love,
Pinkie”
I chuckled, what a scatterbrain she could be! I looked at the clue again, underneath the phrase she’d drawn pictures of a sunshine and balloons. I stared intently for a minute before it clicked. Of course! This was a song that Pinkie often sang when she was baking! I hummed the tune to myself and punched in the letters.
Life is a Party…
I was about to push enter when I froze. What if there was something down here I wasn’t supposed to see? My mind flashed back to the words on the tapestry… Strawberry Vanilla…and I remembered a conversation I’d once had with Pinkie when I was helping her bake…
“What’s that?”
“This? Oh! This is my super special ingredient, made from scratch! I call it my Strawberry Vanilla!”
“Oh…that’s nice. What’s it made from?”
“Super secret tasty things! But don’t worry, I have a feeling that one day you’ll find out! Probably even be able to help me make some!”
So this basement was where Pinkie made Strawberry Vanilla?...Well, she had basically said one day she’d let me see how it was made…maybe that day was going to be today.
A tugging on my tail made me aware of Angel again, who seemed to be intent on getting me away from the door. I laughed and picked him up, depositing him on my head.
“Don’t worry Angel! Pinkie is hardly the type of pony to be mad, in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is some big prank she’s set up!” And with that, I hit the enter button and pushed open the door.
I took a small step, then another. I wanted to run away, run and pretend this room wasn’t here.
I didn’t want to see what was down there…
I was afraid.
I glanced back to see Angel attempting to prop the door open with a brick that was sitting on the top step. For some reason, this calmed me down. I turned back to the stairs; this was Pinkie’s basement! What on earth was I afraid of??? Balloons and streamers?!?!?
More confidently, I took another few steps forward. Angel scampered onto my back, finished with messing around with the door. I looked back at him, and even in the slight darkness, I could see the fright in his eyes. Whatever bad feelings I had about this place, he had them to.
I closed my eyes for a second, and with a quick mental stare-down, I pushed my fright into the corner of my mind and began trotting down the long set of stairs. I could hear the hum of a cheerful voice, yep, definitely Pinkie Pie.
I slowed down again as I reached the end of the stairs…just around this corner…
And then I saw it. The room.
There was blood all over the floor…and…and bits of…of ponies everywhere.
With these…decorations…decorations for Hell’s party.
And in the middle of the room was Pinkie Pie.
I stared at her, and she stared at me.
And then I fainted.
When I came to, I was on a kind of tilted table, with straps around my hooves and my middle. I could feel them against my fur, but for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes. Why? Why wouldn’t I open them? Slowly, I forced my eyelids open.
Oh…that was why I didn’t want to open my eyes.
I was in the basement, Pinkie’s basement, the basement filled with horrors nopony should see. I started to hyperventilate, and I struggled desperately against my straps. I had to get out of here, I had to get out, and go home, and pretend I’d never seen this place.
“I’m afraid you’ll find those straps aren’t meant to come undone easily!” sand a cheerful voice. “I mean come on, Why have them if they aren’t going to work, ya know?” I looked over to my left to see Pinkie Pie standing next to me, grinning as if she’d just made a hilarious joke.”
“P…Pinkie? What…What’s going on? What is this place?” I whispered.
“Oh silly billy, you know what this place is!” said a still smiling Pinkie, “This is my basement! Where I make my Secret Ingredient! You weren’t supposed t come in here, you silly old snoop!”
I could only stare at her.
“You see,” she giggled, walking in front of me. “My cupcakes need a special dose of what I call Strawberry Vanilla, and Strawberry Vanilla is made from…well, “ she said, surveying the room, “I’m sure you can guess.”
I forced myself to look at the room. What I had originally thought to be normal tables and chairs were made out of bones, there were decorations made from bits of rotting flesh, and a banner made from skins, with the words Life is a Party written on it…in blood.
Oh my Celestia, Pinkie made her cupcakes with…with…
I turned my head, and emptied my stomach onto the floor. Pinkie jumped back and gave me an irritated look.
“Ewwww…C’mon Fluttershy! Don’t make a mess in my work room!”
Shivering, I looked away from her and closed my eyes. Please wake up, please wake up, please wake up.
“Well,” sighed Pinkie Pie, “I suppose it’s about time we get started.”
My eyes snapped open. “What???”
She just shook her head, almost looking sad now. “Sorry Fluttershy, I try to be fair and stick to the numbers, but I’m afraid I can’t have ponies finding out about this place, which means your number just moved up.” She turned to a cart that was next to us, and pulled off the sheet covering it. Underneath there was an assortment of knives and wicked looking objects. She ran her hoof over them before suddenly snapping it back.
“I just remembered!” she said “I need your help with something.” She trotted away and returned after a minute wearing a dress made out of skinned cutie marks, stitched together in a patch work fashion. Severed wings were attached to the back, and the clang of a unicorn horn necklace rang in my ears.
I shrieked and tried to avert my gaze from the dress, trying to ignore the fact that several of the cutie marks looked painfully familiar.
“You like it?” Pinkie giggled, “I made it myself! Wouldn’t Rarity be proud?!” she laughed and pointed at one of the cutie marks, “I’m sure you’ll recognize this one! You fillysat her a lot!” I stared at the cutie mark, two peppermint sticks in a cross…oh Celestia…Twist. I felt tears spring up in the corners of my eyes.
“Anywho, I just got two new cutie marks, and I really want to find the best way to display them. You may not be a fashionista, but I think you’ll know just the place for them!” she held up two matching cutie marks in front of my face. They were clouds…with little rainbow lightning bolts.
I stared at them, and then screamed, I screamed and screamed and screamed, and couldn’t stop. Pinkie cuffed me around the head.
“Stop screaming or I’ll be forced to cut off your ears!” she growled. I snapped my mouth shut, and then opened it again slowly.
“You…you killed her…you killed Rainbow Dash.” I whispered
“Yes indeedy, her number came up, and, well, rules are rules.”
I was crying now, really crying. The tears were rolling down my cheeks, and I whimpered quietly.
“Awww. Don’t be sad Fluttershy. She’s not gone! Look! She’s right over there!” She pointed over to a little stuffed doll sitting on one of the chairs. It was a cyan blue, with magenta buttons for eyes, and a rainbow mane and tail.
“You see,” Pinkie said, “I was originally going to stitch up the real Rainbow Dash, but then I realized how messy and not nice that would be. So I cut off her mane and tail, and made a Dashie doll.” Her voice cracked slightly, and I thought I was a tear run down her cheek “So I can have my friend forever.”
Then she turned to me and gave me a winning smile. “That’s what I’m going to do for you Fluttershy, so that you and I and Dashie are together always.” She reached out and brushed my mane. “You have such a beautiful mane. What do you say we take it off now so that it doesn’t get all messy and bloody?”
“No!” I shrieked, but she grabbed a knife in her mouth and pressed my mane against the table. In one quick chop, my mane was gone. Pinkie picked it up lovingly and placed it on a table before turning back to me with a smile.
“Tail next?” Without waiting for an answer, she bent down, and I heard a dull thwack. Pinkie straightened up with my severed tail, and proceeded to tickle the tip of my muzzle with it. Laughing, she set it aside.
“Ok, sorry Fluttershy, but fun times over, we really need to get started!” Pinkie picked up a knife and walked over to my side, staring intently at my flank.
“What…What are you doing?” I asked fearfully.
“Well,” said Pinkie with a giggle, “I think I’m going to catch some butterflies!” She placed her knife against my skin and began to cut a circle around my cutie mark. I screamed and couldn't stop despite her warnings. The pain was worse than all the bumps and scrapes of a lifetime. I could feel the blood running down my flank. I was going to die here... I was going to die in this horrible place.
I felt Pinkie remove the knife, and slowly my screams faded to shaky sobs. Slowly, Pinkie reached for her skinner, but then froze.
There were voices yelling things, and I could hear the clobber of hooves on stone. Several figures burst into the room, and though my eyesight was blurry from the pain, I could distinguish several of the ponies tackling Pinkie, while the orange one ran towards me, screaming my name over and over again.
Reaching me, the pony pulled ferociously at the straps holding me down.
“It’s ok Fluttershy, it’s ok. We’re gonna get ya outta here, okay?”
Slowly, I opened my eyelids, blurry images and bright lights swum in front of me. I lifted a very sore hoof, and rubbed my eyes. Opening my eyes again, I saw two of my friends looking down at me.
“Good morning!” sang Rarity, who despite her cheerful demeanor looked quite shell-shocked. In response, I groaned and slowly sat up. Applejack grabbed a pillow off a nearby chair and propped it behind my back.
I slowly looked around. I was in a bed…in a hospital room. Rarity and Applejack were standing on opposite sides of my bed, with twin looks of concern.
“What…what happened?”
They glanced at each other, “Don’t you remember darling? That um ….that incident with…Pinkie?”
Pinkie…now I remembered. The basement, the blood, Twist,…Dashie. I shivered and felt a tear drip down my muzzle.
“Oh yea.” I whispered. I reached up to brush my mane off my face, only to remember it wasn’t there, instead my hoof touched short choppy strands of hair that were barely a few inches long. Putting my hoof down quickly, I looked up at the girls.
“How long have I been out for?” I asked.
Applejack looked down, “Two days…” she mumbled.
“Two days?!?!?” I yelled, trying to get out of bed. A sharp pain in my flank forced me to sit down again.
“Don’t worry sweetie, Pinkie is in solitary confinement…awaiting trial, and we even have seen to it that your animals have been cared for.” Rarity said.
I sat back, slightly relieved. “Speaking of animals…where’s Angel? He was there with me in the basement…before…before I fainted and Pinkie….”
Applejack smiled slightly, “Right there,” she motioned to a little sleeping ball of fur on the pillow next to me. “Brave little fella, I’d say you owe yer life to him.”
I looked at her, “How did you find me?”
She nodded to Angel, “Like ah said, it was Angel. I don’t really know what was goin’ on in there, but I guess he just slipped under the radar. I was up running mah apple cart on the street. Angel came up to me, and started pointing at SugarCube Corner, while making that little gesture you taught him to mean help. Ah walked over to the bakery with him…and that’s when I heard you scream.” she shivered slightly, “I went to rush right in, but Angel blocked the door and kept doing that little help thing. It took a minute, but ah figured out what he meant, so I ran down to the guard station down the street, found three guards, and told them there was trouble. When ah brought them back, and there was no one there, they seemed ready to leave…but you started screaming again, and…and we found the basement.” She finished meekly.
“The basement was sound-proofed though…” I trailed off, looking at Angel…he had propped the door open. “Oh Angel,“ I whispered, petting his tiny head, “You knew…you knew this entire time, and you tried to stop me.”
The reality of the situation finally washed over me, one of my best friends was a murderous psychopath, and another dead by her hands, as well as countless others…and I had nearly joined that list. I buried my head in my hooves and sobbed.
I felt Rarity’s foreleg around my shoulders, “It’s ok darling…” her voice cracked slightly, “It’s going to be all right.”
“No, it’s…it’s not going to be all right.” I whispered, “Nothing is ever going to be all right again.” I gently shrugged her arm off, and slowly got out of bed, taking special care to restrict movement in my sore flank, which, upon drawing back the covers, I noticed was bandaged thoroughly.
I walked over to the window, and looked out. The hospital was, quite unfortunately, further down same street as Sugar Cube Corner, and even from here I could see the yellow tape surrounding the seemingly harmless little bakery.
“What’s it like out there”
Applejack ran a hoof through her mane. “Ah won’t lie to ya, Fluttershy. It’s a real mess out there. Everyponys’ freakin out. The official dead list is supposed to be released later today, and, well, everypony who knew someone who’s gone missing is no doubt waiting at home with bated breath.”
I nodded slowly. “The Cakes were arrested?”
“Yes, you probably heard me mention that as you were waking up.” said Rarity, “They were arrested shortly after Pinkie Pie.”
I sighed, “I don’t think they knew anything about this, but I just really don’t know if what my prior judgment is worth anything here, I was definitely wrong about Pinkie Pie.” Silence reigned for a few more seconds. “Where’s Twilight?”
“At home, she wasn’t really handling this whole thing with Pinkie very well, and being here at the hospital was makin’ it worse, so Spike took her back to the library last night.” Applejack whispered sadly.
I sighed, and rested my head against the windowpane. I felt a tear trickle down me cheek. I just stood there for a second, feeling the cold glass on my forehead, and trying to forget the events of the last few days.
Rarity’s voice broke through my quiet bliss. “I can’t imagine how awful this is going to be for Rainbow Dash when she gets back from Cloudsdale.”
I whipped around to face her, “What?!”
She looked at me confused, “Rainbow Dash, darling.”
I could only stare at her, shivering and shaking. Rainbow Dash…the supposed trip…The dead list wouldn’t be official until later today…they didn’t know…they didn’t know.
‘Is something wrong darling?”
“Rarity,” I whispered, “Pinkie Pie gave me the names of two of the ponies she had killed. Would you like me to tell you who they are?”
She exchanged an uneasy look with Applejack, “Well…If you feel it’s something you need to share with us….”
I didn’t want to tell them like this, I didn’t want to tell them at all, but they had to know, and I could think of no way I could soften the blow. “The first was a filly named Twist, the other….the other was Rainbow Dash.”
They stared at me, and suddenly Rarity lunged forward and pulled me into a hug, burying her head on my shoulder and sobbing. I felt Applejack’s forelegs wrap around us as well, her quiet sobs wracking her entire body. And the three of us sank to the ground, hooves still wrapped around each other, and let the anguish and sorrow wash over us.
I stared at the list of names, and a lump formed in my throat. These were ponies that had had families and friends, and now they were gone forever, leaving their loved ones to cry themselves to sleep. Even I, one of the more unsocial ponies in town, vaguely recognized the majority of the names.
35 ponies dead because of Pinkie Pie.
I pushed the sheet of paper away from me, feeling queasy to my stomach.
“You were right, I shouldn’t have looked.” I mumbled dimly. Rarity simply sighed and picked up the list, putting it on the small table in the corner of the room.
I had woken to find Rarity reading over the list. I had asked to see it. I had wanted to know.
“I warned you it probably wasn’t a very good idea.” said Rarity. “You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, and the last thing you need to do is torment yourself with this.”
I shook my head numbly, “I needed to know Rarity. I needed to know…it’s not like I can pretend this never happened. It’s something that’s changed me forever, inside…and out.” I glanced down at my left flank, covered in bandages. The doctor’s had saved my cutie mark, but there would be scars all around my butterflies for the rest of my life.
Rarity frowned slightly, “Of course you can’t, darling. I just…oh, never mind, it’s not like I can truly understand what your going through.” She sniffled slightly, “I’m such a horrible friend, I was sitting there while you were asleep thinking how awful this will make my life, and here you’ve gone through hell and don’t even complain.”
I sighed, “Rarity, believe me, I want to complain, but what can I say? ‘Oh curse the world that Pinkie turned out to be a psycho!’ It’s not going to change what happened.” I looked down at Angel, sound asleep on my pillow. “It’s not going to make it go away…” I turned my attention back to her. “And don’t you ever call yourself a horrible friend. A lot of friends wouldn’t have stuck it out here at the hospital with me, now would they? Besides, I’m sure everypony who was connected to this is wondering how its going to effect their lives.”
Rarity shook her head and sighed. “Fluttershy, can I…can I do something for you?...You don’t have to say yes…”
I hesitated slightly. ”W…What?”
She sighed, “Can I fix your mane? I…I know it’s silly, but for some reason I feel like it would help me.”
I stared at her, ”Rarity.” I said solemnly, “You may do whatever you see fit to my mane if you think it is going to help you cope.”
She gave a small smile, and dove for a bag sitting underneath her chair. For the next half hour, we sat on the end of my bed while she brushed and styled my mane, working in silence, our problems temporarily lost in the smell of hairspray and the soft sound of the brush moving up and down.
When she was done, I walked slowly to the mirror in the corner of the room. I stared at my reflection…the short choppy strands of hair had been brushed soft and neat, and the small bits and pieces that were a bit longer had been expertly curled.
“Wow…” I whispered, “You did an amazing job.”
Rarity grinned, “Now I know it may seem a different from what you used to have, but short manes are definitely in style this season…”
I made a face at her, “No, they’re not.” I turned back to the mirror, “But…this looks nice. Thank you.” I turned my head and watched the little curls twist and bounce. I giggled, “I look like I’ve got springs in my hair.”
“Do not!” But she started to giggle too. I whipped my head back and forth, back and forth, and our giggle slowly grew until we were both leaning against each other, laughing hysterically. It felt good to laugh, it made the pain go away.
Applejack walked into the room, and stared at us as if we were crazy.
“What’n tarnation?!”
“Applejack!” sang Rarity, “Come join us, and I’ll fix your hair as well, maybe tease some elegance into that rat’s nest of a mane!” Applejack rolled her eyes, and focused on me.
“Flutters,” she said firmly, “I know you’ve had a rough day, but I need you to concentrate for a minute.” I stopped laughing and firmly shut my mouth.
“Good…now, I just got back from meeting with some ponies about Pinkie Pie’s trial. Obviously, it’s a pretty big deal, so the princesses themselves have come down from Canterlot to see that she gets accurate justice, no more, no less. They will…they will be the ones to decide whether she lives, or whether she dies.” she took a deep breath. “They’re gonna start the trial tomorrow, but first they want witness statements from everypony that was there…Ah have already seen them, and the guards that were in the basement talked to them this morning…the only pony left is the most important witness, you.”
I sighed and nodded. I stepped away from Rarity and steadied myself, before following her out the door.
I sat in a cold metal chair, facing the princesses from across a metal table.
“Fluttershy, thank you for meeting with us, I know this must be difficult for you, but I was wondering if you could please give us an accurate description of what happened in the basement?” asked Princess Luna. I noted with surprise that for once she wasn’t using her royal Canterlot voice, in fact, her voice was barely above a whisper. I glanced over at Celestia, who simply gave a small nod, her face rather pale.
I sighed. “Well…I went to visit Pinkie Pie, because a talk with Applejack had left me feeling uneasy about Pinkie’s story about Rainbow Dash…” I told them of looking around, and finding the basement door, about the note, and the password. I told them how I walked down the basement steps, and fainted when I had seen the horrible things inside. That I woke up cuffed to the metal table, where Pinkie Pie told me about the true makings of her secret ingredient. I shivered as I remembered the dress, and the Dashie doll, and then explained how she promised to save me that way as well.
“Forever…” I whispered, “She said that way she’d have her friends with her forever. She cut off my mane and tail, to save them for the doll. Then…” I whimpered softly, my hoof pressed against my bandaged flank, “She cut around my cutie mark, she was about to skin it, for her dress probably, when Applejack found me.”
Princess Luna nodded, while Princess Celestia simply sat there, looking as if she was about to throw up. Realizing she was the more composed of the two at the moment, Luna focused on me again.
“Now…We are going to ask you a few questions…and you must answer them truthfully to the best of your ability.” she glanced down at the paper in front of me. “How did you know the password to the door?”
I shifted uncomfortably, “I’d heard her say it before…It’s a song she always sings when she’s baking…cupcakes.”
“Do you think the Cakes are involved in this?”
“No…” I whispered, “I don’t know how to say this…but everything down there…it’s very…Pinkie. I didn’t see or hear anything that suggested the Cakes were involved, Pinkie made it sound a lot like it was a one-pony show.”
Luna smiled. “Good…though we must still try them, we are fairly confident that they are innocent, and your words will no doubt help. So…were you aware that Pinkie had a secret ingredient?”
I sighed, “Yes, I knew she put something in her cupcakes, only she called it strawberry vanilla. I always just presumed it was some sort of vanilla and fruit mix.”
Luna wrote something on her paper and stood up. “That’s it, but Fluttershy, I’m afraid we must ask more of you. Pinkie’s trial is tomorrow, and to convict her we will need testimony against her…So, will you come and face Pinkie Pie, and see that her justice is served?”
I looked her firmly in the eye. She was asking me to convict my friend…and my would be killer. A pony who had destroyed so many lives.
The sun was just starting to stream through the windows when Rarity woke me.
“Fluttershy, you have to get up now. We need to be in the courtroom in half an hour.” I yawned and slowly rolled out of bed. Rarity flitted around me, brushing my mane and tidying me up, while Applejack remained in the corner of my room, a sullen expression on her face.
Rarity gently poked me with the hairbrush.
“Huh?”
“I said, I brought something for you to wear…if you want.” She lifted up a short black skirt, free of embellishments. “I thought you might want something to cover up the bandages…”
I stared at the skirt. It was so different from anything Rarity normally made. Usually her skirts were done in bright colors with sparkly gems…but this…this was no doubt made for today. It was made for a pony in mourning.
I nodded
All of us were silent when we entered the courtroom…just as we had been on the walk over, Rarity and Applejack doing their best to hide me from the pointing hooves, the whispers, and the wide-eyed stares. I, the pony who t didn’t even seem to be seen most of the time, had suddenly become famous in a few short days.
Who could blame them for staring though? I was the first pony to enter Pinkie’s basement who wasn’t…well, Pinkie, and survive.
Quite possibly a few ponies were angry that I had been the one to escape, and not some loved one of theirs.
We took our seats at the designated table. While Rarity herself was not a witness, her involvement in the situation left no doubt in anypony’s mind that she had a right to sit with us.
I glanced around the room as more ponies filed in. “Is Twilight coming?”
Rarity sighed, “She’ll have to. It’s customary for all the princesses to try murder cases. The only reason Princess Cadance didn’t have to come is because she’s dealing with some issues in the Crystal Empire.”
I frowned, “But…given how personal this is for Twilight…. Couldn’t the princesses have allowed her to not try the case?”
“Well, to tell you the truth…” Rarity leaned in close with a whisper, “Spike came by when you were asleep. Apparently the princesses did offer to let Twilight just come to the trial as a friend of yours and Pinkie’s. But, she asked to help try the case.”
I wanted to say that Twilight shouldn’t try her best friend, that she should have just let the princesses do justice, but the words died on my lips.
Twilight was somewhat of a volatile pony at the best of times. Give a pony like her a situation where one of her closest friends had murdered others, including another one of her best friends…Who wouldn’t want to see that she got what she deserved?
I shivered slightly. I couldn’t do it though. I wanted justice for Rainbow Dash and all the other lost lives, to see Pinkie given what any murderer should get…But, I couldn’t be the one to convict her. Even after everything she’d done, she was still my friend. Serving as a witness was one thing, but being the one to decide if she lives or dies?
I felt like crying. No friend should ever have to make that kind or decision, regardless of the circumstances.
With all the necessary ponies in the room, the door swung open for the princesses. Celestia, still looking slightly dazed by the whole situation, walked in, followed by Luna. Behind them was Twilight. Her mane and tail were impeccably groomed, her crown atop her head. She walked with the walk of a stiff professional who had already decided how things were going to play out. It was her eyes that frightened me though, they were cold, void of emotion.
From behind her, Spike scampered over and sat with us. Applejack nodded her head toward Twilight with a concerned look on her face. Spike simply shook his head and shrugged.
Luna’s voice broke through the silent conversation. “We call to order the trial of Pinkamena Diane Pie, charged with the first-degree murders of Rainbow Dash, Peppermint Twist, Violet Spring, Time Streak…”…The list went on, all the names of the ponies Pinkie had killed. “As well as the attempted murder of Fluttershy.”
Twilight spoke in a ridged voice, “Bring her in.”
Two guards opened the doors, and everypony, including myself, turned to see the pink mare walk into the room.
I’m not sure what I was expecting to see in Pinkie’s face. Sadness? Pain? Regret? I know I definitely wasn’t expecting a happy smile.
“Hey look! All my friends are here!” She skipped into the room, the chains around her hooves clanking after her.
“Hi! Hi! Hi Rarity! Hi Applejack! Hi Fluttershy!” The two guards holding her chains roughly pulled her over to the chair set aside for her, and fastened her chains to it.
“What the hay is wrong with that pony?!” muttered Applejack. I could only stare. Where was the sorrow, the remorse? She was treating this all as some big tea party.
“Yes, well…ahem” coughed Celestia, “Pinkamena Pie, you have been brought here today so that we may decide your fate based on the nature of the offenses we can prove you have committed…”She trailed off, and glanced at Pinkie.
“Nopony named Pinkamena here!” she sang, “If your talking to me then my name is Pinkie.”
Luna rolled her eyes slightly. “Using proper names is customary in court…but, very well…Pinkie. Now, I would like to call forward our pieces of evidence that show you were involved in the murders of the before said ponies.” Officials wheeled in tables littered with bits and pieces from Pinkie’s basement. Other pieces of evidence that were either too large or too gruesome to be displayed were shown in photos that were given to the princesses and the jury.
I looked at the jury, wondering what purpose they would serve in this case. In any other situation, they would be the ones to convict Pinkie. But, as with all murder cases, Pinkie could only be convicted by one of the princesses.
The final piece of evidence wheeled in was Pinkie’s dress. My stomach lurched as I remembered her holding up Dashie’s cutie marks in front of me.
I was glad they hadn’t brought in the Dashie doll…I don’t think I could have handled seeing that again.
I watched numbly as a specialist came up and pointed out each of the cutie marks, reading the names of the ponies that those cutie marks belonged to. Looking at the pieces of evidence, my memories of the basement began to overwhelm me, pulling me into the darkness…
I felt Rarity nudge me, and I glanced over to see her looking at me expectantly. “W-What?”
She coughed, “Fluttershy, darling, Princess Luna just asked you to come to the stand, it’s time for your testimony.
I stood up, and edged out from behind the table. Taking a hesitant step forward, I glanced up at the princesses, and then over at Pinkie, who continued to smile at me with unbounded enthusiasum. If my knees hadn’t looked at that point I probably would have collapsed on the spot.
I couldn’t do this…
I wheeled about and galloped out of the courtroom, the doors swinging on their hinges. From behind me, I felt somepony tackle me and pin me to the ground, effectively cutting off my escape to the outside.
“And just where do ya think yer goin’?!” said Applejack with a snarl.
“ANYWHERE.” I screamed. I quietly began to sob, “I can’t…I can’t do it, Applejack…I can’t do it. I can’t get up there and say the words that will convict my friend….. I can’t. I’m just…I’m just not strong enough.”
When Applejack remained silent, I opened my eyes to se her silently crying.
“Oh, sugarcube...” she whispered, wrapping me in a hug.
“I don’t want her to die…I don’t want her to die.” I moaned, burying my head on Applejack’s shoulder
“None of us do.” she said, speaking with a conviction that surprised me. “But she’s killed ponies, Fluttershy…and she needs to pay for that. After all, If any other pony had been the one to do these things to our Rainbow Dash, wouldn’t ya want them to get what’s comin’ to em?”
I shuddered with guilt. “…Yes.”
She pushed me away gently so that we were looking each other in the face. “Which means you need to go in there, and help them do what’s right. If not for yourself, and the pain she’s caused you, then for Dashie, as well as all the other ponies she’s taken lives from.”
I sighed, and nodded. Applejack gently helped me to my hooves, and we walked back into the courtroom.
“Tell me...”said Twilight, trotting back and forth in front of me, “exactly how you came to be at Pinkie Pie’s house.”
I sighed, “It was Applejack, she came to speak with me about Rainbow Dash going away and not telling us. After I finished talking to her, I decided to take Angel out for some fresh air; my talk with Applejack had left me slightly concerned, so I decided to stop by Sugar Cube Corner and ask Pinkie exactly how long Dashie had said she planned to be away.”
“And what did you find there?”
‘I couldn’t find Pinkie or the cakes. Looking in the kitchen…I found the door…and, well, I got curious.” I whispered.
Twilight nodded. “Could you please describe for us your encounter in the basement?” She asked, her voice shaking slightly.
I launched into the tale of the basement once more. Even when I felt the tears form and start to fall, I didn’t stop or falter. It felt good to let it out.
After I finished my story, ending with Applejack’s rescuing me. I allowed the tears to fall more freely, for my body to shake. Twilight opened her mouth to ask another question, but Celestia, looking slightly sick to the stomach, placed a hoof on her shoulder.
“No further questions at this time.”
I sat in numb silence as Applejack and the guards were brought up for their questioning about the basement. After the last guard finished, the princesses put their heads together and murmured quietly. The rest of the ponies took that as the cue for their break, and proceeded to talk among themselves.
I frowned, “Why hasn’t anypony been questioned by Pinkie’s defense lawyer yet?”
“What defense lawyer?” muttered Rarity.
“She…she doesn’t get a defense lawyer?! But the rules state that every suspected criminal gets a lawyer!”
“Well Pinkie is hardly a suspected criminal!” she snapped.
I recoiled slightly. “I’m sorry dear.” she sighed, “I guess what I’m trying to say is that…well…you’re the kindest pony I know, and I think it’s marvelous you want to be fair and kind to everypony, but…some ponies don’t deserve kindness. No matter who they are or who their friends are…they are bad bad ponies.”
“I…I know. I just…We’ve already lost Rainbow, I’m not sure if I can stand losing Pinkie.”
She nodded and sighed
Luna’s voice called attention back to the room, “While we have no doubt in our minds that Pinkie Pie is indeed guilty of both first-degree murder and attempted murder. We would like to hear what the accused has to say for herself.” She fixed Pinkie with a cold glare, “And perhaps convince us why we should be merciful with your life.”
A unicorn guard enveloped Pinkie with his magic glow, and lifted her, chair and all, to the center of the room, in front of the Princesses.
“Pinkie…” whispered Celestia, “Why did you do what you did?”
Pinkie let out a giggle. “Well duh! Cupcakes!!!”
“Did the lives of those you killed mean nothing to you?!” Celestia clapped her hooves over her mouth, looking startled at her own outburst.
Pinkie stared at her with a frightening calmness, “Of course they mattered, but I like to make ponies happy, and ponies love my cupcakes.” she slowly turned her head toward the table at which Rarity, Applejack, Spike, and I sat. “In fact…It’s kinda your fault.”
She grinned slightly, “I killed to make cupcakes, and I made cupcakes because all my friends loved them so much. If they hadn’t eaten them, I wouldn’t have baked more cupcakes, and therefore would have killed less ponies.”
Her grin grew wider. “Supply and Demand”
Next to me, Rarity turned a slight shade of green. Then it hit me…I had eaten her cupcakes. I glanced around the room; everypony here had eaten her cupcakes, even the princesses.
We had all consumed our fellow ponies.
Then Pinkie’s eyes shifted to me, and she smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen. “I recall that you, Fluttershy, were particularly fond of the cupcakes I made for Hearth’s Warming Eve…the ones with the Peppermint frosting.”
Oh Celestia…
I started to hyperventilate as bile rose in my throat.
“ENOUGH!!!” screamed Twilight, jumping up. She gave Pinkie Pie a look of disgust and utter betrayal. “Pinkamena Diane Pie, for your crimes of an unspeakable nature against all of ponykind, I sentence you to death by lethal injection!”
Her words hit Pinkie like a stone. The smile dropped off her face as she stared at Twilight. Her hair fell limp with a rustle in the ar.
“No…NOOOO!” She launched herself off her chair and towards our table as the guards grabbed hold of her chains.
“nonononono!” she cried, still trying to reach our table as the guards dragged her towards the door.
“No!!!! Applejack! Rarity! Don’t let them!!! I’m not a bad pony!!!”...
She was sobbing now, “NONONO!!!”
She stared at me for a second… without really seeing me. “DASHIE!!!”
The lights inside Twilight’s tree home glistened softly as the sounds of busy hooves rose to meet my ears. I stood outside her door, slightly wobbly on my hooves as I battled with my new unease to step into her house.
I spared a glance back at the bunny perched on my back. Since being released from the hospital this morning I had not gone anywhere without Angel.
Slowly, I turned back to the door and took a deep breath. Reaching up my hoof, I knocked quietly on the door.
“Spike! Get the door!”
The door hesitantly creaked open to reveal my dragon friend. “Oh…Hey Fluttershy.”
“H-Hi Spike.” I mumbled, “Could I maybe, umm, talk to Twilight?”
He rocked back and forth on his feet awkwardly and cast a worried glance back inside. “I suppose so…but, just to warn you, she’s kinda in one of her moods…”
I gave a small sigh at the idea of trying to talk to an irate Twilight and slowly edged inside. Twilight was sitting on the floor next to a pile of books, which she was levitating and sorting either back onto the shelves or into a small group in the corner.
I walked over to her and waited for a minute before giving a quiet cough. Twilight glanced up with a glare, but softened her expression when she recognized it was me.
“Fluttershy…What are you doing here?”
“Well…” I hesitated, “I just...wanted to talk to you, I guess.”
“Oh…That’s nice.” Twilight turned back to her books, pausing occasionally if she wasn’t sure what to do with a book.
I felt frustration build up until I couldn’t contain it any longer. “Why’d you do it?” I blurted out.
Twilight looked back up at me. “Do what?”
“Why’d you give her the death penalty?” I whispered, shivering slightly at the word death.
Twilight sighed and got to her hooves, walking over to an unsorted bookshelf and scanning the titles “It had to be done.”
I glared at her. “No. It didn’t”
She shrugged and pulled a few books off the shelf, trotting over to the pile of sorted books and carefully placing them on top.
I followed her. “You could have given her life in prison or sent her to an insane asylum.”
She wheeled around to face me, “Fluttershy, she killed Rainbow Dash! She nearly killed YOU!!!!”
I shrunk before her gaze. “I know that…but…but…”
“But nothing!” She shoved past me and opened a closet, pulling out a box. “She’s a cold blooded murderer, and she deserves what’s coming to her.”
I gasped, “Twilight! This is Pinkie! Our…our friend. How could you say that?”
She trotted past me with her mouth shut and began filling the box with the books. I sighed and looked around the room, my gaze falling on the elements of harmony sitting in their glass case. I walked over and gazed down at the gems. The elements of kindness, honesty, and generosity glowed with a bright consistency, while the element of magic fluctuated wildly. The element of loyalty had lost its glow, fading to a dull maroon, while the element of laughter flickered weakly, its blue seeming to grow a little darker with each minute.
A lump formed in my throat as I stared at the dying element. “You have to change your sentence.” I whispered.
Twilight tensed up, keeping her back turned to me. “No.”
“Why not?” A tear splashed against the glass. I pressed a hoof to my wet cheek…when had I started crying?
“Because…she doesn’t deserve to live.”
“NEVER SAY THAT!” I snarled. Anger and sadness wrapped into one, coursing through my body. “Yes, she’s done horrible things…horrible, evil, unforgivable things. But…there was a side of her that cared about us, the part of her that giggled at the ghosties and threw parties for her friends for the littlest things….” A tear traced down my cheek as I fought the urge to just collapse and wail.
Twilight glared, “The Pinkie Pie I knew died with Rainbow Dash.” She strode past me and looked at the dim blue element. “Perhaps…perhaps she never existed at all.”
I took a step way from her, trembling slightly at this side of Twilight I had never truly seen. “Twilight…I can’t watch her die.”
“WHAT ABOUT RAINBOW DASH THEN?!?” Twilight screamed at me, angry tears welling up in her eyes. “She died! Pinkie Pie killed her! You were there in the basement with her very remains!...Did she not matter?! Do you not care that she died?!”
Anger like I’d never experienced before raced into me, with a snarl, I launched myself at Twilight, pinning her to the ground. “OF COURSE I CARED!!! She was my friend! My best friend!!! The only one I had before I met the rest of you! ...She was like my sister…I…I loved her.” I sighed and released Twilight, my anger gone.
“Look…I know what Pinkie did was wrong.” I closed my eyes for a second, trying to banish the memories of the basement back to the dark corners of my mind. “And I’ll never be able to forgive her for what she did to those ponies…to Dashie…to me.” I took a steadying breath and opened my eyes.
“I just…didn’t want to have to say goodbye…”
I sank to the floor, closing my eyes again. Slowly, I let the last of my tears fall as I tried to fight the pain that was slowly drowning me.
A hoof began to slowly stroke my mane. I opened my eyes to see Twilight give me a comforting smile. “It’s…ok, Fluttershy. It’s ok to feel pain, to not want to let go. You don’t have to force it away.”
I gave a small smile and sighed. We sat there for a few more minutes in blissful silence.
Slowly, I placed the last book into the box. Twilight came over and inspected it for a second before nodding and levitating it over to the pile of boxes near the door.
“Thanks for your help, Fluttershy.” I smiled, it had felt nice to lose myself in the work, to not think for a change.
“Oh, it’s no problem. It’s the least I could do after how I was earlier today.”
Twilight shrugged, “Fluttershy we both said some things we shouldn’t have...but, it was mostly my fault. You went through a lot down there…and I know the idea of losing somepony else is difficult.”
“But…your not going to change the sentence, are you?”
She shook her head. “I think you and I both know that, truthfully, it’s the right thing to do. Anypony else would get the death penalty. Besides, even if I said I wanted to spare her, I doubt the princesses would back me up.”
I nodded. “Your…your right.” My eyes wandered the room, settling on the pile of boxes resting in the corner. “So what are those books for anyways?”
Twilight hesitated, “Well…those are the books I’m taking with me to Canterlot.”
I took a small step away from her. “Your…going to Canterlot?”
Twilight sighed and nodded. “This…it’s too much for me Fluttershy. I can’t be here. I’m moving back home.”
I gasped. “But…you can’t! This is your home! Where your friends are!”
“Friends…” sighed Twilight. “What an interesting concept.” She looked at me with a sad smile. “Fluttershy, I came here to learn about the importance of friendship, to form a bond with a group of ponies that could be and would be as close as my family…Now what? One of them is dead, another one the cause of it. Heck, if it weren’t for Angel and Applejack you’d probably be gone as well. Everything I thought I understood about friendship has been proved wrong. I…I failed. I failed to see the signs with Pinkie. I failed to save Dash. I…failed you.”
She slowly trudged over to a pile of bags and boxes lying by the stairs that I had overlooked earlier. “I can feel myself losing my connection with my element. I’m supposed to represent the magic of friendship, but I can’t channel it anymore. I’ve lost the spark…I’ve lost the meaning of friendship. So…” She levitated the bags and set them next to the boxes at the door. “I’m going back to Canterlot. I’ll work and study, do my royal duties, but I will never study friendship again.”
I fought the urge to cry as I glanced around the room, looking for inspiration as to the right thing to say. My gaze fell once again on the elements. Taking a couple steps towards them, I watched the pulsing purple tiara. I wanted to just grab it and slam it onto Twilight’s head, to try to force her to remember all the wonderful things about friendship.
A creak in the stairs drew my attention, and I turned around to see Spike looking first at me, then Twilight. He sighed and shook his head. “She told you didn’t she?”
My heart ached at the realization that not only Twilight would leave, but Spike as well. “You…”
“Are staying.” he muttered.
From across the room, Twilight stiffened and turned to face us. “What?”
Spike shrugged, “I’m not going, Twilight. I’ve thought about it…and…this is my home. This is where our friends are, and they need us right now. There’s nothing for me in Canterlot.”
Twilight gasped, “But…Spike…you have to come with me!”
“Why?” he frowned at her. “If your done with friendship, then you don’t need me. But…I’m not just going to abandon our friends like that Twilight.”
He glanced at me, and took a deep breath, “Friendship means being there for your friend when they need you. It means thinking about them and not just making the selfish, cowardly choice. We’re all going through a difficult time right now, but the only way we’re going to get through it is if we all stick together.”
Twilight stared at us, trembling slightly. Her eyes welled up with tears as she suddenly leaped forward and pulled both of us into a hug. “I am so, so, so sorry. I’ve been a terrible, terrible friend. I was selfish and cowardly, but I was just so afraid. I tried to forget about friendship to try to block out the pain!”
Beside us, the element of magic steadied, and seemed to glow a little brighter. I allowed a small smile to slip onto my face. “So…you’ll stay?”
The metal cuffs of the restraints scratched against my fur as I struggled against the bonds. I whimpered as the cuffs dug into my skin. Objects of strange shapes sat bathed in shadows around me, while an inky black darkness swirled in front.
Fighting my panic, I continued to attempt to escape my bonds. The more I tried to break free, the closer the darkness became. It lapped the edges of the table that I was strapped to. I let out a wail and ceased to move, watching in relief as the darkness began to subside, sensing my defeat. As the shadows shied away, more of the room slowly came into view.
The place seemed strangely familiar. As faint light began to fall on more and more objects, it clicked. Those horrific party decorations….the bits of… ponies… dotted around the room like furniture…the cart of wickedly sharp metal next to my table.
In a sudden, quick flash of light, I saw the banner on the wall. It’s familiar message etched into my brain.
Life Is A Party
I was in the basement.
I screamed and thrashed against the cuffs that held me in place, pain from the tight bonds ignored in my hysterical attempts to get free. My eyes darted around the room in a panic as I sobbed helplessly. I had to get away from here, to somewhere else, anywhere else.
From the darkness, I heard the clip-clop of hooves as a shadowy shape moved towards me. As the figure came closer, the sounds of quiet singing reached my ears. Growing louder with each step.
Life is a party,
Come and have a treat.
Why make life sour when it can be so sweet?
It was a song I had heard many times before. It had always sounded so happy and carefree, but now the slow music sounded more sinister. I cringed away from it, closing my eyes as if to hide myself from the song. At last the music stopped, and I tentatively opened my eyes to see a smiling pink mare beside me.
“Hello Fluttershy!” she whispered.
I screamed and did my best to fling myself away from her. She rolled her eyes and merely took my head in between her hooves.
“Why so sad?” she said, “This is a party! You can’t be sad at parties!” I merely whimpered as more tears swam down my face.
She pouted and released my head. “Please don’t cry Fluttershy, I can’t have one of my friends upset at one of my parties….What’s the problem?”
“Y-You’re the problem!” I choked out, shaking with fear and anger.
She frowned for a minute, then gave a knowing smile. “Oh I get it! You’re upset cause I’m the only pony here, and none of our other friends have arrived yet!” she nodded, grinning at her own intelligence, “I can understand that. After all, parties aren’t really a two mare thing. Not to worry, dear Fluttershy, I have another one of our friends right here! I’ll go get her so the three of us can hang out!”
I tried to fight the urge to panic as she trotted out of view. Who else had she trapped down here? Rarity? Applejack? Twilight???
“Here we are!” Pinkie Pie bounced back over to the table, a familiar blue doll on her back.
“Oh Celestia…no…” I whimpered. My stomach lurched as I was forced to look at the realistic blue fur, the soft rainbow mane, those unseeing magenta buttons that represented her real eyes. “Get that thing away from me…”
“Why???” Pinkie said, “It’s just Rainbow Dash, she’s our best friend!” She smiled and stuck the filly-sized doll in my face. “Say hello to Fluttershy, Dashie!”
“Hello Fluttershy.” whispered a voice that seemed to come from the doll. I shrieked and flung my head away. That was Dashie’s voice…that couldn’t be her voice…she was dead.
“Dead?” whispered the voice, “Oh, yes, I suppose that’s true. But that doesn’t mean I’m not here. Pinkie saved me, made me a new body, so now we can be together forever!”
“Saved you?” I cried, “She killed you! She killed you, and Twist, and Daisy, and…and…” my voice trailed off. There were just too many names. “She’s not your savior, nor our friend any longer.”
“Well…” cooed the voice, “She certainly turned out to be a better friend than you. Tell me Fluttershy, is it fair that you survived and not me? That the aspiring Wonderbolt, the most loyal and awesome pony in Equestria, died, and you….an animal nut, who barely talks to five ponies, lived?” she chuckled, “Why, if you had been a better friend, you would have found your way down here sooner. Saved me, and so many other ponies. Or, who knows, maybe you wouldn’t have had your rabbit to save your flank. Either way, you’d be dead, I’d still be alive, and Equestria continues as normal. The world needs me, Fluttershy, not you. You should have been the one who died down here.”
“That’s not true!” I whimpered. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I shook my head.
“Oh, cheer up girls!” cried Pinkie, “Here, have a cupcake!” A pink hoof stuck a tray of baked sweets in my face. One was a light pink with green flowers, another purple with little blue hearts. Each one modeled after a victim pony.
The smallest one was a brilliant ruby red, with little bits of crushed peppermint on top of it.
The largest had vibrant rainbow colored frosting.
“What if it hadn’t been me?” whispered Rainbow’s voice. For a second, the cupcake flashed and changed, with yellow frosting and little pink butterflies.
I woke up in bed screaming.
Rarity burst through the door with a panicked look on her face. She quickly trotted over and wrapped her forelegs around me.
“Shh…shh…it’s ok.” she whispered soothingly.
“I…wa-was…in…t-the basement.” I whimpered slightly, trembling in her embrace. “A-and she had…Dashie, and she k-kept saying it was my fault…all my fault.”
“It was just a dream, Sweetie….” Rarity said. Gently, she lowered me down, resting my head on the pillow and pulling up the covers. She scooched onto bed next to me, carefully stroking my mane as she hummed a quiet lullaby.
Slowly, my shivering stopped and my whimpers grew quieter. Once my fear had dissipated, I immediately felt guilty for waking up Rarity…again. When the hospital had released me, they’d made it clear that that I could not go back to my home at the edge of town immediately. Aside from the possibility of a medical emergency, they had warned that I might suffer from some nightmares once off the heavy sleep medicine they gave me there. Though I had reckoned I would have been fine with Angel for company, Rarity had demanded that I come stay with her.
Now, I was grateful.
“Fluttershy, darling?” whispered Rarity, breaking the silence.
“Yes?” I answered after a second.
“You’ve been having nightmares for nearly a week now, every night since you came to stay. Now, don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe you ought to consider seeing a psychologist?”
She paused for a second, taking my silence as a cue to continue. “It’s just that they seem to be getting worse every night, and maybe a professional could help you. Even if they can’t figure out what’s causing the nightmares, perhaps they could recommend some sleeping pills or something.”
“I know what’s causing the dreams, Rarity.” I chuckled sadly, “I’m afraid. Besides, the hospital said that with the strength of the pain medications they had to give me when they found me, it would probably do my body a favor to stay off the meds.”
Rarity sighed, “Your hardly doing yourself a favor letting these nightmares ruin your sleep. Please Fluttershy, I’m happy to have you stay here as long as you want, but I’m no fool. I know you intend to get back to your animals as soon as possible. We both know your in no condition to be on your own right now, and it’d make me feel better knowing this isn’t going to happen without me there.”
I nodded dejectedly. “All right Rarity, I’ll go.”
I ran my hoof over the scratchy orange fabric covering my chair in the waiting room. The clock ticked loudly as the time passed by. I watched as the mare at the front desk scribbled on some forms, never looking up from her work.
At last, a mare trotted out of the door behind the desk. I noticed with a start that is was Twist’s mother, and I quickly snatched up a magazine and pretended to read as she passed me by. Once she had trotted out the front door, the mare behind the desk looked up at me and smiled.
“All right, Fluttershy. You can go in now.”
I nodded shyly and walked past her into the darkened room. In the half-light I could make out a couple chairs but couldn’t spot the mare I was supposed to be meeting with. Suddenly, bright lights left spots in my eyes as a lamp switched on. As I blinked rapidly to return my vision to normal, I heard the doctor’s voice, “Sorry Fluttershy,” she said. “Mrs. Mint prefers the lights dimmed, calms her down, poor thing.”
The mare’s face swam into view before me. She was a unicorn, with a light blue coat, and a frizzy chocolate brown mane. “I’m Dr. Dreaming Sky,” she said, “Would you like to take a seat?”
“Ok…” I whispered, slinking over to the plush sofa. “Dreaming Sky…Isn’t that a bit of an odd name for a psychologist?”
She laughed, “Well, I suppose my parents weren’t expecting me to choose this as my career, they’re both astronomers, after all.”
I smiled slightly, “I doubt my parents were expecting me to be an animal caretaker when they named me Fluttershy.”
“No, probably not.” she said. Sitting down in the chair across from me, she levitated over a notebook and pen.
“Now, Fluttershy, would you care to tell me what the problem is?”
I hestitated, “W-Well, I’m sure it’s obvious that it’s to do with my time in the…basement.” Dreaming Sky nodded, and began scribbling on her paper, “And, every night since I came back from the hospital, I’ve been having these dreams. Each time I’m there, and it’s so…dark. And then Pinkie begins to sing, always singing that song she used to sing while baking. Sometimes she just repeats her actions that happened in real life, other times she acts all friendly and offers me a…cupcake.” I cleared my throat, “Last night, though, there was something new, something much worse than the other times.”
Dreaming Sky frowned, “Could you describe to me your dream?”
I sighed, “She brought out the doll. I-It turned to me and spoke in Rainbow’s voice. Told me that…I should have been the one who…died.”
Dreaming Sky smiled sympathetically, “Fluttershy, this is a very normal thing for a mare in your situation, It’s called survivor’s guilt.”
I miserably shook my head, “No-no, she was right. Rainbow Dash had so much more to live for than me. It…doesn’t even make sense that she died and I didn’t. Dashie was the toughest pony I know, if she couldn’t escape…why should a weak mare like me?”
“Fluttershy,” she said firmly, “There is no “she”. The Rainbow Dash you saw in your dreams is just a figure created by your mind to embody your feelings of guilt and regret.”
I shrugged, “I know that, it just seemed so…real.” I glanced down for a second, “Do you have something that will make the dreams go away?”
I have a mild pill made for calming, “If you take it at night, it will help dissipate the worst of the nightmares. Now, I know the hospital recommended you avoid medicine where you can for a while, but this doesn’t have any strong drugs in it, so it should be fine.”
I smiled, “Thank you.”
“These pills will only delay the issue though, Fluttershy.” she said, “If, you don’t mind, I think it would be beneficial to you if we talked about how your feeling.”
I sighed dejectedly, “Ok.”
“So…” she started, “How are you doing aside from the dreams? How are you spending your day?”
“Ummm…” I whispered, “Well, I’m doing ok, I guess, under the circumstances. I just spend my time at my friends’ homes, we’re all just trying to get though this together. They’re…very kind to me.”
Dreaming Sky nodded.
“But…it feels kind of surreal, almost. Like it’s not really happening. Like it is all a dream.” I shivered, “A really awful dream. But then I look at the calendar, and the number of days till Pinkie’s…execution. And then it all comes crashing down on my head.”
Dreaming Sky sighed, “I’m sorry, Fluttershy, I know that all of this must be very difficult for you.”
I nodded slightly, “I-it’s only happened a couple of times. But…last night was the worst. I looked and…” I closed my eyes, commanding myself not to start freaking out again, “Tomorrow. It’s tomorrow.”
I let out a shaky breath, “Tomorrow they will execute my friend, my joy, the source of my nightmare. And…part of me can’t help but want that because of what she did to all those ponies, to a mare who was as close to me as a sister. But, at the same time…I don’t want to lose her.” I tensed up as I tried to fight away the pain, and then it snapped. “Celestia help me…I’m just so bucking mad!”
I slammed my hooves over my mouth in surprise at my own words. Dreaming Sky regarded me with a professional gaze.
“I…’m sorry.” I whispered, “I don’t know what came over me. I…I meant…sad.”
Dreaming Sky shook her head, “Don’t lie to me, Fluttershy. It’s important to be honest about how you’re feeling. Tell me, Why are you mad?”
I sighed, hesitating for just a second, “I’m mad because I walked away when I shouldn’t have. I…I’m mad because Rainbow Dash died when I would have willingly taken her place in the basement. I’m mad that my dumb luck worked for me, but not in time for anypony else!” I whimpered, “I’m mad because one of my best friends turned out to be something entirely different from what I thought she was, and that she dared pretend to be our friend when she could turn on us so easily.”
I sobbed, the tears that had been building up finally starting to fall down my face. “I see her every night, pretending to be my friend, pretending to love me, and care about me. But…it’s always a lie. And my own rabbit could see past that lie when I couldn’t!”
I buried my face in my hooves, “I stood there in blind innocence when Dashie perished, and that’s what makes the doll in the dream’s statements true. I was smart enough to find my way into that basement, but, Celestia help me, I was to stupid to do it at the right time!”
I slowly curled into a ball as I shook with anger and self-loathing, “How am I supposed to forgive myself for that???....How?”
The next morning, I finally woke up with a small smile on my face. No dreams.
Not one single bucking dream.
I felt like singing.
Maybe it was the pills, maybe it was just talking things out with somepony who didn't need protection... like my friends. But I felt better than I had since the day I took my first steps into that basement. Dreaming Sky was a miracle worker. Even through all my screaming, all my crying, she jut sat there quietly and took it all in. After it was over, she didn't hold me and give me her pity...she talked to me. She talked to me like a normal mare, not one who had nearly been murdered barely a week ago.
She'd told me that life had a funny way of planning itself out, and it wasn't worth beating our heads around what could have been when what had happened had happened...even when it was something more horrible than we could imagine. Thinking about what could have been different would just destroy me.
I think it was the best advice I'd gotten since this whole mess started.
I sighed in an easy way as I watched a tiny spider crawl across the ceiling.
No Dreams.
It wasn't recovery, not by a long shot. Dreaming Sky herself had stated clearly that things wouldn't ever be the same.
But it was a start in the right direction.
I sat up with a yawn and hopped out of bed. My eyes wandered over to the calender on the wall by the bed. For a second I just stood there as the date finally clicked, and then I sat down with a sharp gasp as it all came crashing down.
Today was the day.
I sat on a chair by the door as I waited for Rarity to finish getting ready. I fiddled nervously with the fabric on the black skirt around my waist. I had found myself wearing it everyday to hide the bandages around my flank, to pretend they weren't there. It helped me feel... normal.
Rarity trotted downstairs, dressed in a similar black skirt. No fancy fashions today, we were mares in mourning.
We slipped out the door, Rarity locking it behind us. Curious eyes watched us from across the street as we walked along the road. I whimpered slightly at all the staring ponies, and did my best to hide behind Rarity.
She glanced at me, "Did you eat breakfast?"
I shook my head, I had been too nervous to try to eat anything.
She sighed sympathetically, and we continued down the street in silence. "Are the girls coming?" I whispered.
Rarity grimaced, "Applejack and Twilight are meeting us there. Spike is going over to Scootaloo's house with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Twilight didn't want him to come, too young." she sighed, "Hopefully the three of them can do something for Scootaloo, she hasn't been the same since she found out about...Rainbow."
I winced, thinking of the poor filly. "She loved Rainbow more than life itself."
We turned a corner, and found ourselves outside the small city asylum, Pinkie's current home. I stopped and turned to Rarity, "Why isn't Pinkie in a jail?"
Rarity looked at the ground, "I didn't want to tell you, given how bad things have been for you...but...she's not been very well since the trial. She's always screaming and appears to be talking to her victims, particularly Rainbow Dash. They had to put her in solitary confinement in a padded room for her own safety."
I shivered, "But...couldn't she be pardoned by reasons of insanity then?"
"Fluttershy, she's done horrific things." Rarity whispered, "Even if they could prove she's insane, they wouldn't be able to revoke her sentence."
A trotting noise came from behind us, and we turned around to see Twilight and Applejack turn the corner. They came to stop next to us, and I noted with a sigh that Applejack looked like she'd been crying. We all stood there for a second, unsure what to say, until Twilight broke the silence, "Shall we...go in then?"
In silence, we all took the final steps towards to the door as one. Applejack gently pushed it open, and we filed inside. It was a disturbingly pleasant front room, with bright artwork and comfortable looking chairs. On a sofa by the wall, there sat two young mares, one purple, one grey, each on the side of an old, frail looking mare. My heart sank as I recognized them from the pictures Pinkie had proudly tacked onto her wall.
Her mother and sisters.
The older mare took one look at us and dissolved into tears. One of Pinkie's sisters jumped up with a snarl, "What do you think you're doing here?!?"
I whimpered, afraid she was talking to me, but then watched in amazement as she instead advanced on Twilight.
"You're the one who condemned her to this!" she screamed, raising a hoof as if to strike her. Her sister quickly leaped forward and shoved her away from Twilight.
"Stop it, Inkie!" she yelled. She then turned to Twilight with fear in her eyes, "I-I'm sorry princess... my sister is wrong to blame you for this."
Twilight sighed, "N-No apology needed. I'm sure you're all going through a very difficult time... I can hardly be upset at you for considering this my fault. I-I did convict her, after all."
The mare simply reached up and gave Twilight a hug, "We've seen enough from Pinkie's letters to know you girls all cared for her very much....I...I'm sure you only did what you had to."
She then turned to me, a few tears brimming in her eyes. "Fluttershy...I'm...so...sorry." she whispered, casting a glance at my short mane, "I..." she trailed off, turning away sadly.
I put out a hoof to stop her, and gently wrapped my forelegs around her, letting her cry into my shoulder. "No," I whispered, "I'm sorry...You're losing your sister, nopony deserves that." I carefully guided her back to her seat, and turned to her mother. "Mrs. Pie...I..."
The mare simply smiled sadly and rested her hoof on top of my own, her eyes full of sympathy.
On the other side of the room, a door swung open, and a tired looking mare trotted out. "Friends and family of Pinkie Pie?" We all nodded, and she sighed. "Follow me please."
She lead us through the door to a small room devoid of anything but a few chairs, a glass boundary taking up part of one of the walls. The worker looked at us with pity, "Umm..." she cleared her throat, "All prisoners are allowed to write letters to their loved ones, saying goodbye." Her eyes trailed around the room, as she carefully drew a stack of papers out of her saddlebag, "Mrs. Pie? Inkie? Blinkie?" Pinkie's mother and sisters stood and retrieved their letters.
"Twilight Sparkle?" Twilight sat up in surprise and took her letter. I listened as Rarity and Applejack were called up to retrieve their letters. The names of the Cakes were called, and the letters for them placed back in the bag.
"Rainbow Da-" The mare froze, glancing down at the envelope, before shaking her head and putting it back in her bag.
She looked at the final letter for a second, then turned to us, "Fluttershy..." she whispered, pity in her eyes.
I reached out and grabbed my letter, staring at it in horror. What in Equestria could Pinkie Pie honestly have to say to me? I slowly turned it over and started to break the seal, when Twilight's hoof reached out to stop me.
"You don't have to." She whispered, a quaver in her voice.
I gently pushed her hoof away. "Yes....I do." I opened the envelope, pulling out the letter, which appeared to dotted with tears. Taking a deep breath, I unfolded the paper and began to read.
Dear Fluttershy,
I don't regret what I've done.
I see things differently from other ponies, and I have different urges. I can't really help it...It's just the way I was born. I've killed other ponies, I can't change the choices I've made, even if I never planned on them. Once I started I just couldn't stop...I don't regret it though...mostly. It's a part of who I am.
I thought you should know that.
I know you probably hate me, and I suppose I can't blame you for that. I do have one request though, an appeal to your kindness.
Try to remember me by the pony who was your buddy, not the pony who didn't care if she killed her friend...It's all me, but I kind of like that good part a bit better. It helps make this a bit easier.
I suppose I did lie...I had one regret. I wish I hadn't pulled Dashie's number.
But I don't make the rules, do I?
-Pinkie Pie
I dropped my hoof and watched the piece of paper circle to the ground. The light white of the paper stood out against the dirty grey linoleum. I stared at the floor blankly, and for once...I had no tears to give. I couldn't cry for this letter. Not for Pinkie Pie, not for Rainbow Dash, ...not even for myself. I wasn't upset...nor angry. Just...empty.
...She wrote me a letter just to tell me she doesn't regret it?
Why doesn't she regret it?
She's going to lose her life.
...She regrets Rainbow Dash.
But not me.
She would have killed me.
I would have been the next doll on her shelf.
Who can apologize for that?
...Remember her as my friend?
How can I do that?
...............Why aren't I crying?
I felt a breeze tickle my coat as Twilight sped past me and out the door, sprinkles of tears littered on the floor in her wake. I could hear sobs coming from somewhere near myself. I wanted to move and comfort whoever was crying, but I couldn't. I simply sat there, my gaze locked on the letter.
A mare's voice said something, and I slowly raised my eyes in time to see them bring her through on the other side of the glass. Pinkie Pie. Her hair still hung in that complete flatness, devoid of it's normal life, but her face held an eerie smile. My breath caught in my chest as I studied her slow walk and her tear-stained cheeks. She perked up when she saw us and waved enthusiastically at her sisters.
"Hi girls! I'm so glad you could come!" she chirped. Inkie sobbed and buried her face in her sister's shoulder, yet Pinkie just continued to stare at them with a smile on her face. Her gaze traveled over to Rarity and Applejack, who she quickly saluted in a rather Pinkie-ish way.
She didn't seem to see me.
It was only when the guards began to pull her towards the chair did she seem to understand what was happening. Her eyes grew wide, and the smile dropped off her face. I saw her tense up, pressing her hooves against the floor in an attempt to prolong her fate. The guards grunted in surprise as they suddenly found themselves dragging rather than leading her.
"No..." She whimpered, hooves scrambling to find purchase on the linoleum. "No...NO!" Swinging out of the guards' grip, she turned and skidded towards the door. The stallions dove for the chains shackled to her hooves, grabbing them just as she reached the door. The metal links went rigid as Pinkie reached the end of their length, and her hooves swung out from under her.
The floor resounded with a sharp crack as her chin hit the ground. "No...please, no..." she mumbled, eyes struggling to stay open. The guards dragged the unconscious mare over the the metal chair at the center of the small room, and buckled her in. Pinkie's eye snapped open as the last restraint clicked into place.
Sobbing, she tugged effortlessly against the cuffs holding her down, and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. Trapped...she was trapped and defenseless, just like all the ponies she had trapped down in her basement. Like me. The bandages that covered my cutie mark suddenly seemed to itch and burn furiously, and I whimpered as pictures of the dark and the rot threatened to overwhelm me.
With tears streaking down her cheeks, Pinkie's eyes suddenly met our from the other side of the glass. "Rarity!" she cried. "Applejack! Help me! Help me!Please!" She furiously pulled against the chair strapping her down as a stallion in white entered the room. "Please! PLEASE! Please!" She screamed desperately. "I'M YOUR FRIEND! WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME?!"
Rarity let out a rather unladylike sob and dashed from the room.
"Rarity!" cried Applejack, galloping after her.
Pinkie's crazed eyes flickered over to her family. "Mommy! Mommy, don't let them!" she yanked a hoof against a cuff, and a small line of blood appeared where she had cut herself on the sharp metal. "Ow! Mommy, make it stop! It hurts!" I turned to see her mother with a panicked expression on her face. The stallion in white, who I presumed was a doctor, trotted into the room and began pulling a syringe out of the cupboard. Pinkie's eyes went wide. "No! I-'ll be a good little filly! Just please, Mommy, make them stop!"
Pinkie's mother bolted from the room, her daughters right behind her as Pinkie cried out for her siblings to wait. She screamed for her family in-between her sobs as the doctor filled the syringe. I was shivering and quaking in horror as her gaze turned to me, eyes full of desperate tears.
"Fluttershy..." she whimpered, and I recoiled back. "Fluttershy..." Her eyes flickered to the doctor. "Fluttershy, please. I-I'm not a b-bad pony....p-please don't let them do this. I-I thought we were friends." I desperately shook my head, still glued to my seat. The stallion at last turned to Pinkie with the filled syringe and a grim expression on his face.
"No!" she shrieked, thrashing about. "No! No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Fluttershy, don't let them do this! I don't wanna die! It's not my fault! Please!"
As the doctor tried to find his mark, I at last found myself in control of my body. I launched towards the glass and pounded on it desperately. "STOP!" I screamed. "STOP! PLEASE!" One of my hooves connected with the glass with more force than I thought I had in me, and a small crack appeared. Pinkie's eyes met mine, full of hope.
"Fluttershy..."
As she stopped struggling for a second, the doctor quickly took his chance, and the needle met her skin. A gasp escaped her lips, and her eyes went lidded as the clear liquid flowed out of the syringe and into her veins. I let out a shriek of unbridled terror and threw myself at the glass again and again as she slowly faded away.
"Dashie..." she whispered, then went still.
My hooves dropped to the ground as I stared in disbelieving shock at her limp form. I whimpered and began to tremble, before quickly scooping my letter from Pinkie off the ground and bolting from the room. I sped past the waiting room and out the door into the deceitfully cheery summer afternoon. I didn't stop, just ran in a blind terror for what seemed like hours.
Eventually, I found myself at the river. Falling to the ground, I lay there shivering as Pinkie's desperate cries echoed through my head again and again. Each time they were a little louder.
Why?
The note from Pinkie, a little dirty from sitting on the linoleum floor, fluttered to the ground. I stared at it for a second, a piece of the last hoofwriting she would ever make, and let out a scream. Leaping up, I attacked the note, smashing it against the ground and tearing it to pieces until there was nothing left but a few bits of white that were blown away by the wind.
