> Cupcakes: Afterparty
>  by RedRioteer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROLOGE:

“Uuug…my head.” Twilight mumbled to herself before she really thought it. A minor headache throbbed under her skull as Twilight woke up, but that soon became quite trivial. As her senses returned, she realized that the room she was in was completely dark; Twilight couldn’t see anything.

She called upon her magic and was quick to illuminate her horn and dispel the darkness. Twilight quickly scanned her purple coat. As her sense of balance returned to her recently conscious self, Twilight’s first realization was that she was not lying down. Twilight was, in fact, right side up. 

Before Twilight could even ask herself how, she realized the nerves had her answer, the ones in her legs to be precise. Twilight was strapped to a table of some kind, by rough straps at the ends of all four of her legs as well as an additional support across her breast. It took Twilight’s tired consciousness and extra moment to but it all together; Twilight was strapped down, right side up, and unable to move anything except her neck, and maybe her tail. Several bands stretch from the cold table across her coat to impede most of her movements. Twilight was tied at the end of each of her legs; each band tight and digging to her ankles just above the hoof. These bindings accompanied by a much larger one around her chest, just loose enough to breath. Twilight couldn’t move. She couldn’t escape. This was wrong, this was very, very wrong.

Ok, now is the time to panic…

No, no, don’t panic, panicking won’t help, got to think, got to be calm, calm and logical, got to think. This isn’t a normal way a pony should wake up. What happened? How did Twilight get here? What happened? Ummm… 


===000===


I was at the library, in my room, spending the afternoon studying a book I acquired from my old foul-sitter the Crystal Empire. “Crystal Plants and How They Tick” to be precise. I was reading a chapter on the crystal grape. I had already made several pages worth of notes and was entertaining myself by sketching a picture of one (or perhaps several) of the fruit when my train of thought was derailed at the sound of a knocking at the door. 

I ignored it, and utilized my mental powers to repair my train of thought return it on track.  Like always, my number one assistant did quick work with his small purple claws and answered it for me. Thanks to the stillness of the library, and my open bedroom door, I could clearly hear the conversation that transpired between spike and our recent visitor, despite me being upstairs.

A squeaky, speedy, and completely unique voice was the first to act.

“Hiya Spike, is Twilight home, I kind of wanna ask her something.” That was, without a doubt, Pinkie Pie. 

“Sure Pinkie, just give me a sec.” replied Spike.

I was already on my hooves, ready to see what Pinkie wanted when-

“TWILIIIIIGHT, PINKIE PIE’S HERE AND WANTS TO TALK WITH YOOOOOOU!!”

Instinctively, I lowered my head below my shoulders, folded my ears over my scalp, clenched my teeth, and braced my self for a small earthquake as spiked vibrated my house in challenge for my attention. As I corrected my form and moved down the hall, I found myself wondering.

How does he get so loud with such a small neck? Meh, maybe it’s just a dragon thing. Makes sense, they do a lot of roaring, don’t they?

As I descended down the wooden stairs into the main library I couldn’t help my self form a quick smart remark.

“Gee spike, any louder and I’d think you’d be calling for the horizon itself.”

Spike reached a claw behind his head to scratch his green spines in a limited attempt to hide his embarrassment, “Yaa…Sorry about that Twi…”

“It’s ok. Now, Pinkie,” I turned my attention towards the pink mare, now realizing a small satchel bag around her chest stuffed with papers, “What can I do for you,” I turned my head to get a better look, “is it a research paper?”

“Huh” Pinkie Pie replied in surprise, quickly turning to her bag and realizing the source of the question, “Oh no, silly, these are invitations”

Pinkie Pie bit down on one of the several papers stuffed into the small bag and presented it to me. I, in turn, griped the invite in my magic so as to properly read it.

Pinkie spoke in an unusually low-pitched, somewhat depressing tone. “It’s about Rainbow Dash” Pinkie informed me. I stopped ready and looked at my friend with sympathy. I now noticed that she was still facing forward, but my eyes where focused on the floor and hoof was brushing the other foreleg.

“Aww, don’t worry Pinkie. Trust me; I already have everypony keeping an eye out for Rainbow Dash.” I clocked my head to the side, trying to get her to look at me while holding heavy compassion for the party mare. “We’ll find her, but right now, no pony has the time to go out on a massive pony hunt right now, just have faith.”

Pinkie Pie just kept her gaze on the wooden floor.

Ok, ok, change the subject, change the subject!

“Sooo Pinkie, what are these invitations for?” I already sped read the note and knew what it was for, but I figured explaining it might perk up my friend. And, as I expected, her ears and smile erected.

“Oh, well it’s a small get-together, you know? I’m inviting all of our friends and I’ll have treats and stuff. Its kinda like a party, but its too small to be a party, I mean there’s only five of us, how can that be a party, and I won’t even have  decorations, but I’ll have drinks and treats and stuff, so if you can come out to it that be really great and-MMhmmh MMHMHhmhmh MHMhmhm.” Even with my hoof over her mouth, Pinkie continues to go on about the ‘get-together’.

Trying to speak over the muffled blabbing, I told her, “Pinkie! I get it!” With that, Pinkie finally stops moving her lightning tongue.

“I’ll be there, OK? Besides, don’t you have other invitations to deliver?”
With my hoof still in her mouth, the party mare rapidly nodded her head rapidly like the sugar loaded bunny she it. Almost fearing my hoof would fall off; I quickly retracted it from Pinkie, only to immediate regret it.

The talk-your-ears-off pony rises again, “Well yeah, but before that I gotta tell you about the get-together, see it going to be about rainbow dash and I made special cupcakes and-“

“PINKIE!” Pinkie pie stopped, or likely just paused, her lips to hear what I had to say. “I read the invite; I know what’s going on. It’s a small get-together at Sugar Cube Corner at 3 O’clock this afternoon; all of our friends would be there; there’s going to be special cupcakes because of Rainbow Dash; we are going to pool information about the last time each of us saw Dashie, and we are going to try and find her.” At the end of that I found myself gasping for air. Now that I think about it, I don’t do lectures that often.

Pinkie looked at me with a leaning head and a smirk on my muzzle. “Wow, and some ponies say I talk a lot.”

I facehoofed. This is getting ridiculous.

“But I guess you’re right, I do have more invites to hand out.” Pinkie turned tail and stated hoofing it toward the door.

I followed her to the oak door and waved my hoof as the pony-shaped ball of energy bounced away deeper into Ponyville. “Bye-Bye” I yelled out to my departing friend.

Pinkie turned around to face me, but still managed to keep bouncing in the same direction, away from the library, “See ya, Misses Talkady-Talkertalkson.”

As Pinkie corrected and continued her course, I found myself giggling and rolling my eyes as I closed the door.

“So… a get-together huh?” I looked up to the source of the voice.

There, my number one assistant was up on his ladder, hanging on with one claw, while the other held a white feather duster. His face turned to me, awaiting my answer.

“Yep,” I said. Still in the grip of my aura, I floated the invitation closer to my view to give it one last look. “Sorry Spike, it looks like it just for the girls, so-“

“Yeah-yeah, I know the drill,” Spike returned his attention to dusting the upper shelves, already bored of the conversation but still continues his point, “Keep an eye on the library, look out for letters from the princess, don’t burn the place down, yada-yada-yada.”

“And that’s why you’re my number one assistant.”

Spike put his claws to his ears like a grandmother hard of hearing, “I’m sorry, what was that?”

I rolled my eyes, I knew he heard me, but I’d entertain the thought anyway, and raised my voice “I said: That’s Why You’re my Number One Assistant!”

We both giggled at that as I trotted my way upstairs. As I entered my room, I glanced at the clock above my bed.  I’ve still got a couple hours until the get-together. I wondered what those special cupcakes would be like. Would it have some kind of special tasting icing?  Oh well, I’d never know until I get there, no there’s no point in driving myself insane with curiosity. I focused back to those crystal grapes. Now where’s that quill? I swear, some of them seem to just run away.


***


As I approached Sugar Cube Corner, I noticed that my other three friends had already arrived; as to why they where outside the bakery was a mystery to me. 

Rarity waited patiently like the lady she is. Even on the most casual days, the fashion mare would always find some article of clothing to bring to an event, and today was no different. She stood with a rather large white bonnet adorned with silver feathers and a violet trim; the color choice rather fitting with her coat and mane. 

As to why the headwear was so large was beyond me. If keeping the sun out of one’s eyes was the goal, a hat a third of the size could’ve done the job effectively. I was quick to dismiss the thought. Fashion was one of the few studies I’d simply given up on, even before I met Rarity.

Fluttershy sat a small distance away from Rarity, and was singing to a small group of birds on a tree. She seemed to be giving them a vocal lesson. As Fluttershy whistled a small tune, the four birds followed suit; as best they can, at least. Her voice was smooth and soothing. I almost suspect the birds purposely created sour notes so as to hear the pegasi’s voice again. 

Applejack waited atop the steps in front of Sugar Cube Corner in an unusual position. She was reared up on hear back hooves and leaning her back against the door with her fore hooves crossed against one another. Her head casually leaned forward, but not nearly as much as her hat. The work hat was set to cover Applejack’s eyes and most of her muzzle. She looked as if she was sleeping.

As I continued my trot toward the bakery, Rarity was the first to notice and greet me. “Twilight, darling, it’s so nice to see you, how have you been?

“Oh same ol’, same ol’.” I responded, “Nice hat by the way.”

“Oh do you like it? Sweetie belle made it for me, its matches me so well. You know, I’ve started suspecting that designing of some sort might be her special talent.”

“Wow, really?” I stared at the hat a little longer. Something like this wasn’t unusual for Rarity, but from a young filly like Sweetie, it was actually quite impressive.

My small train of thought was lost as a soft voice spoke from my left, “Hi, Twilight.”

I turned to my yellow friend in response, “Hi, Fluttershy. Who’re your friends?’

“Oh, them?” Flutershy turned toward the feathered quartet. “Oh, they’re the new tenor section for the bird choir.  I’ve been working with them all afternoon, and they need all the practice they can get, I hope it’s not a bother.”

“I don’t mind, in fact, in kind of nice to hear your choir. They don’t perform often enough.”

Flutter shy turned her head and looked to the ground in a vain attempt to hide her blush, “You’re just saying that.”

At this, Rarity saw fit to speak her mind, “I highly doubt that, darling, you and your birds have more musical talent than some professional choirs I’ve heard. They truly are great.”

Fluttershy lifted her head at the complement; a small but grateful smile was her only response.

I left the two to attend to themselves as I approached my farm mare friend in front of the door. As I move closer, I noticed her slow breathing and unwillingness to react to my approach. Yep, she’s asleep alright. I decided not to disturbed her. Knowing Applejack, she was probably working all day at Sweet Apple Acres and deserved any rest she got.

I burned up the next few minutes by giving myself a small tour of the bakery. The windows, normally lined and stuffed with shelves presenting treats and baked goods of all kinds, now stand uninteresting to they eye as a scarlet curtain coved the windows from the inside, obscuring any view of the presumably empty selves.

But this was to be expected. The bakers, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, were out of town for whatever reason and ensured that their bakery was closed rather than being run by their assistant, Pinkie Pie. Smart move; I dreaded to see anything, let alone an active business, that was in the care of Pinkie Pie for only a few days. I didn’t bother imagining a few weeks.

My thoughts once again interrupted by a voice to my side.

“HELLO EVERYPO-“

SMACK!

As I returned my attention to the front door, I didn’t have to be Surelock Hooves to find out what happened. Without warning, Pinkie Pie flung the door open to reveal herself and greet her guests; all the while pushing Applejack from her sleeping stance, muzzle first into the dirt below. Applejack grunted her disproval and returned to her four hooves.

Pinkie apologized. “Oh, sorry AJ, I didn’t see your there.” An innocent grin spread across her pink face.

Apple Jack got to her hooves. She collected her hat, and confirmed her wellness, “Ahh, t’was nothing. Apple Bloom does worse ta me on a daily basis. So, is it three o’clock ah’lready?” She rebalanced herself, but was still trying to get a little dirt of the tip of her nose.

“Yep, it’s time. Sorry I had to make your girls wait outside. It’s just that I was making those special cupcake I said I’d have, and I wanted them to be extra special, but I also wanted them to be a surprise, so I didn’t want anypony to see them until they where done, and I wanted them fresh, so I was going to have them be like ‘ding’ in the oven by the time your guys got here, but I guess my timing was a little off so, um… sorry about that.”

Fluttershy was the first to respond, “It’s ok; we don’t mind waiting a little bit.”

“Well, whatever the case, I’m sure you’ve made our time worthwhile, sweetie.” Rarity added.

Finally, I chimed in, “Well, its nice to meet you too Pinkie.” my sarcasm reflecting the not-so-formal greeting.

Muzzle clean of dirt, Applejack adds herself to the conversation, “Well, since we’re all here, what’re we waitin’ on, why don’t we see some cupcakes instead’o just talkin’ about ‘em.”

“Oh, you’re right Applejack.” Pinkie pie pushed the door all the way out and steps back inside. She held a foreleg parallel to the floor and beckoned my friends inside, “Come on in, I can’t wait to see what you think of the cupcakes, they’re super-duper special!”

On cue, my friends and I continued our way inside Sugar Cube Corner. Fluttershy had to dismiss her flying friends as they attempted to follow their mentor inside. Rairty placed her hat on the nearby coat rack, but Applejack didn’t mimic with her own. Applejack carried and wore that apple bucking hat anywhere she went. Even at formal events, it would be with her. If that hat’s not on her head or in her saddlebag, then the mare is more likely to be a changeling than the real Applejack.

The rest of us took a table and found our seats. It was as small both next to a window. Applejack was the first to sit. Across from her, Rarity took her place next to the window as well. I didn’t pay much attention to where I was sitting and found myself next to Applejack. Fluttershy took the last available spot next to Rarity.  

Pinkie quickly galloped to the kitchen. As expected she procured the cupcakes she’d gotten all of us exited about. The cupcakes looked as fresh as can be. The fluffy goods still held by the baking tray that helped make them. The oven guard used to hold them in Pinkie’s teeth, as well as the visible steam, led to me believe the cupcakes to be literally fresh out of the oven.

With a surprising flick of her tail, Pinkie spun around to launch two large coasters onto our table. With surprising accuracy, each coasters lay not an inch from the other atop our table. Thus, finalizing my suspicions that the cupcakes where indeed hot.

As pinkie laid the cupcake tray on the coasters in front of my friends, we finally got a good look at the special cupcakes. They where indeed made with rainbow dash in mind. The frosting was a light cyan color that held a very familiar image. It was a cloud with an iconic, multicolored lighting bolt striking down; it was Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark.

Rarity was the first to grip the nearest cupcake with her magical aura and judge, “Simply amazing Pinkie, the color and design are so accurate. I’m almost ashamed to eat one of these works of art.”

Apple Jack spent only a moment staring and admiring the treats. Even to my surprise, she suddenly struck a hoof on the cupcake tin, sending several flying in recoil, as well as pulling an “Eeep!” from Fluttershy, all in surprise by the attack. The cupcake nearest to Apple Jack flew the highest; as it reached its highest point, its flight was quickly ended by Apple Jack’s forelegs as they griped the airborne treat. “Ah’ll say; if only they tasted half as good as they look, I might just pass out.” Apple Jack even started to drool a little at the thought.

“Apple Jack!” Rarity took no entertainment in the event, “We are guests! I’m sure we would all appreciate it if you’d stop acting like a ruffian for a least a few hours.” She kept her glaring, disapproving eyes on the farm mare.

“Aww, whatever.” Apple Jack rolled my eyes in show of how little she cared for Rarity’s insistence on proper etiquette.

I centered my view and saw Fluttershy trying to pick up a cupcake by its side with her fore hooves, all the while attempting to refrain from damaging its delicate design.

As I gripped a cupcake of my own with magic, I took the liberty of grabbing Fluttershy’s as well, holding it the air in front of her long enough for her to finally bring it between her two hooves and take a closer look at the design.

Reminding us why where here, Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “Go on try them, tell me what the taste like, oooh, I’m sooo super super exited!” A wide smile began splitting her face, and her eyes widened in excitement. Anymore eagerness and that muzzle might simply fall onto the floor.

Truth be told, none of us wanted to wait anymore.

Fluttershy and Apple Jack lifted there cupcakes closer to their muzzles, and I levitated mine and Rarity levitated a silver fork. Once again, Rarity insisted on being a ‘proper lady’. I’m not even going to try and figure out where that fork came from.

Almost simultaneously, we introduced our blue treats to our taste buds. 

Fluttershy took a small, shy bite of hers. I could see delight brimming in her eyes and the large smile on her face.

Applejack showed her insistence on enjoying the full flavor; by nearly annihilating the cupcake in one bite, stuffing the rest in her mouth with a second, and chewed with her cheeks stretched enough to look like a big chipmunk. 

Rarity took to her silverware to consume her cupcake. She was enjoying the flavor as well; abet a more civilized stile with small bites and slow chewing.

I for one, just took a bite. That’s it. I didn’t pick around, tried to be fancy, or expand my cheeks; I just took a bite. It was nice; the icing was sugary and sweet as always, but the baking was….new.

The cupcake itself was a flavor entirely foreign to me. It was warm, moist, and flavorful. I just couldn’t find myself to describe it properly. The only flavor I could recognize tasted… a bit like…like iron? Odd.

I looked down at the rest of the cupcake I was eating. It insides was crimson and red. At first glace, I would’ve assumed them to be some sort of fruit flavoring such as strawberry or pomegranate, maybe. But tasting the treat first kept me from those preemptive thoughts. What was this flavor? Truth be told, I actually disliked it a little. But I continued to eat anyway, no need to be rude. It was probably just something new pinkie was trying out; like trying to make the flavor of ‘awesome’ or something.

I looked to my left, back to the party mare, and swallowed my cupcake; a fake smile etched on my face. “That was… really great Pinkie,” I hope Pinkie Pie’s obliviousness to sarcasm would help make up for my horrible acting skills, “So, what do you want to do next.”

Pinkie pie lifts a hoof to cover her lips as she giggles, “Well, now you go to sleep.”

Sleep? That was an odd thing to say.

But… 

…that’s all I could remember. Everything else is such a blur.

Did I…

…did I really fall asleep?


No…

No, I didn’t fall asleep.

My senses failed, my vision blurred, and the world around me swam.

I…

I passed out.



===000===


Twilight’s full consciousness returned to her as she finished recalling. 

But it doesn’t make sense. How could I get from eating cupcakes to-?

Flash!

Twilight shut her eyes to shield them, but it was too late. She could feel her eyes burning. After several seconds, Twilight slowly raised her eyelids. As she attempted to view this room within the new lighting, Twilight found her vision swimming and mixing as it tried to adjust to the new lighting.

She tried to focus on the only moving object within her view. A pink mass grew larger as it approached her, accompanied by rhythmic hoof clops.

Twilight’s vision cleared before her deluded mind could put two and two together. The image of the pink mass sharpening as it got closer. Twilight was looking at a bright pink pony, sea blue eyes, a fluffy hot pink main, and a broad grin. She reared up and placed her fore hooves on the upright table as she bought her face closer to mine.

I was looking at directly Pinkie Pie.

“Yay! You’re awake. Now we can start the fun.”

SNAPP!

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1:

“AAAAAAAAAAAH”

Twilight could only scream at the sudden surge of pure pain.

MY HEAD, It hurts, it hurt so munch

Twilight clenched her teeth and sealed her eyes in a pathetic attempt to ease her pain.

It was in her head, it burns, it aches, it stings!

Celestia help me, please, make it go away!

Twilight tried to breathe deeply, but found them rugged and uneven. She waited several long seconds for the adrenaline to finally ease the pain to an only somewhat unbearable level. That’s when Twilight noticed a warm liquid roll down her muzzle. She peeled her eyes open as her mind desperately tired to learn what’s happening.

Blood

It was blood. Blood was running dripping off my muzzle. Blood was running off her forehead, blood was bleeding from…

No, No, Nonono!! Not that, please no, anything but that!

My horn!! My horn!! My horn!! It’s gone! My horn’s gone. My horn was ripped out her skull! Why was this happening?  Why did…why did…

Her eyes refocused on the pink mare in front of her. As first, Twilight didn’t want to believe what she saw. But…but there it was…

The mare stood there in a dress… a horrible dress… a dress from the reaper pony himself! Pinkie pie stood merely feet in front of Twilight wearing a multi-colored dress. A dress made from sewing together multiple large patches, enough to for it to cover the shoulders and breast as well as the flank with room to drag on the floor. Each patch had its own color, as well as an image. It was a dress, and a large one at that, made entirely out of cutie marks. Well almost entirely.

On top of the gruesome choice in fabric, the dress came with accessories. Pinkie pie also wore a set of pegasi wings atop her back. Three pairs, each with its own color, and none of them pink. None of them where Pinkie’s. And with the wings, the smiling mare wrapped a necklace of stringed unicorn horns around her neck. Four of them, each one a different color, and none of them pink.

That dress was stolen. How many did she steal from? How much had she stolen? What did she do for that dress? How did she get so many wings? How did she get so many horns, and how did she get… my horn?

There she was. The happy-go-lucky party mare, standing in front of Twilight’s bound self, in a horrific dress made from the skin of ponies, and in Pinkie Pie’s everlasting grin, was her horn. The pain…the blood…the horn….

Pinkie Pie broke Twilight’s horn and ripped it out of her head.

But…how can this happen, Pinkie’s my friend, isn’t she?

This isn’t right; she had to make sense of it. Twilight moved her lips, and found them surprisingly heavy, along with the rest of her head. With effort, she lifted her bloody muzzle up to her friend and found it equally difficult to simply ask, “Why…?”

Even here and now, Pinkie kept her cheery attitude, “Because I can’t let you use magic silly; that would ruin the fun.”

“W-what’re your talking-“

Wuuush!

Before Twilight could finish, Pinkie Pie used her hoof to rip a cloth off a small table next to her, and unveil what was under it.

Atop the small wooden table was an assortment of blades. Blades of all kinds: long, short, curved, strait, serrated, all kinds. They lay in no particular order, and don’t look very new either. Pinkie placed Twilight’s horn on the table next to the many knifes and wrapped her teeth round the handle of one of the blades.

Pinkie turned her head towards Twilight, and gave her guest a clear view of her choice. As Twilight took notice of the small razor, cold liquid ran down her spine. 

This isn’t good; what is she going to do?

Even with the razor in her mouth, Pinkie still spoke her usual tone. “You sit still now; this is going to hurt…a lot!”

Panic rushed though Twilight. Without even thinking, she begged. “What?! No, no-no-no, please pinkie NO!!”

It didn’t sway her. 

“AAAAAAAHHH!”

Pinkie swung her muzzle around and thrust the razor into Twilight’s right flank. Twilight could feel the cold blade pierce her skin, and the blood rushing out the new wound. She could feel nerves screaming at her, demanding attention. Twilight clenched her teeth and shut her eyes to deal with the pain. Even thought it all, Twilight could still feel the knife as it started to move.

Pinkie rotated her head around as she ripped through Twilight’s skin and flesh. Tears fled her eyes as the fire on her flank grew and grew.

Uuugh! What is she doing?

Twilight turned her head to view her dying flank. Twilight witnessed Pinkie finish her circular cut… around a small star pattern… around her cutie mark.

She finished her crude incursion and ripped the blade out of Twilight as fast as she placed it in. Gravity took no delay as it pulled her blood all over her leg. The warm liquid flowed as proof of Pinkie’s intention.

It was torture…pure cruel torture…

…From one of my best friends…

Pinkie pie then replaced the knife back on the table, only to lift her head again with a new one. This new blade was several inches long and curved backward. Not even Sombra could say what Pinkie would do next. Twilight didn’t have to wonder long.

Pinkie took the blade and dug it into the cut, deepening the wound. The horrific pink mare then slid the sharp blade down as she slowly removed her skin form its fleshy neighbor. The new burning sensation was more than enough to bring more tears from Twilight’s eyes, but she held her screams. It just hurt so much.

Pinkie removed the skin inside the crimson circle from Twilight’s flank, sparing only just enough flesh for the band of hide to stick to her flank. The patch of bloodied fur fell and dangled on its side, the sight was almost enough to cause Twilight to vomit. Blood continued to flow its way down, but only so much as the wound was already trying to seal itself. Twilight watched as Pinkie put the blade back on her table. She turned her head towards Twilight, that everlasting grin still etched on her face as she returned closer.

“Now this is going to make a great addition.”

Twilight made no response; her jaw was still clenched shut, now biting on her tongue in desperation to simply deal with the pain.

Pinkie gripped the flailing flank in her jaw and mercilessly tore it off. A new surge of pain galloped through Twilight’s spine, as well as the chill of adrenaline as they both battled for control of her nerves. The adrenaline was quickly defeated.

Twilight watched as Pinkie brought the slab of thin flesh to her table to admire it. She made a whispered shriek of delight like a filly with a new toy. She turned her head toward its missing pair. Newfound annoyance was showing in her stressed brows and fallen grin.

“Aww, horse feathers, I forgot the other one.” She turned her head to the table to scan it contents. “But I can fix this; I know I have nice one here somew-Aha!” Pinkie griped her teeth around a new knife, and turned to show it to Twilight.

Twilight let of a heavy sigh as she released a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Her lungs rushed to bring air in and out, all the while pushing the flowing blood out of her mouth and pooling with the blood on the floor. It seems Twilight bit her tongue too hard. It didn’t matter; pain and numbness crawled around her body like an army of ants under her skin.

The blade looked like a small, narrow saw. Dozens of metal teeth snarled at twilight. Each already coated in drying blood and well experienced in their task.

Why is this happening? Why is she doing this? Pinkie Pie is my friend. Friends don’t hurt each other, they help each other. This isn’t helping; it hurts, its bloody, its torture. Pinkie…Pinkie’s my friend…isn’t she?

“Say Twilight, don’t you think serrated is a funny word. It’s kinda like ‘Sir’ and ‘Aided’. It’s like the name of some kind of doctor who helped or ‘aided’ you, but I’ve never seen a serrated scalpel or any doctoring gear before.” Pinkie Pie continued to admire her choice in cutlery. “Hmm, then again, I guess bones saws are serrated. Oh wait, I have a bone saw. I know, I’ll call him ‘Aided the Knight’! That way, I can say he is ‘Sir-Aided’.” Pinkie Pie giggled her joke.

With little warning, she swung the blade over to Twilight’s left flank. This time she did not create a circular insertion around the cutie mark. This time Pinkie just sawed downward, just under the skin and through the flesh.

Twilight could feel every tooth of that mini-saw as it ripped away at her flesh. Pinkie pie moved deliberately slow while seeming to savor and enjoy every grunt Twilight made. With every pull and push of her neck, the pool of blood on the floor below grew and grew to a disturbing size.

The rhythmic shredding just blurred into pain. Twilight hadn’t even noticed when Pinkie was done. Twilight looked beyond her bloodstained muzzle and made a slow examination of her body.

Her legs were stained almost entirely in a drying dark scarlet. Twilight saw her hooves make random shivers beyond her control as the nerves scrambled on and on trying to maintain all of the damage.

Twilight looked up at the pink nightmare and saw her grinning ear to ear with a large slab of flesh between her lips. After showing it to Twilight, Pinkie carelessly threw her cutie mark on the table atop its twin. She seemed to take pride in her work.

“You know Twilight, I always liked your cutie mark. Sometime I wish my cutie mark was symmetric like yours. Oh, it’s going to make such a good patch!”

Twilight kept her pathetic stare at Pinkie in both wonder and disgust. She tried to speak and found it difficult. Her mouth was covered in blood, her breathing was ragged, and the blood loss was making clear thinking a challenge. “Why *cough* are you doing this? *wheeze* I thought we were looking for Rainbow Dash *cough*.”

“Oh, Dashie? Don’t worry about her Twi, we already had our fun!”

Pinkie Pie spun around and started to walk away. Twilight’s irises shrank in disbelief. “W-what?”

Pinkie didn’t bother to turn around and kept walking forward as the conversation continued. “Yep, it was super fun, and the cupcakes she helped me make where delicious!”

“What…cupcakes…?”

“The cupcakes we ate earlier, silly”

The cakes…? They…they were red and tasted very odd.

“Pinkie Pie…did you-?”

“Kill Rainbow Dash and used her many organs as ingredients to bake some awesome-flavored cupcakes? Yep!”

Twilight’s captor made her way to her destination; a metal door at the opposite end of the room. She griped the large handle with her teeth and pushed it open. Twilight flattened her ears against her skull as the screeching sound of metal on metal filled the room. Pinkie Pie seemed unmoved by the horrid sound.

With the swing of a rear hoof, Pinkie turned a small convenient lever low to the ground and next to the door. With a faint snap, the light in the room cut out, and Twilight was left in total darkness save the pony shaped silhouette created by the hallway beyond.

But the sight quickly faded as Pinkie Pie left the room and closed the door behind her, once again creating that ear pricking screech. The door and its scream ended with a metallic thump as a lock fell into place, and was followed only by the familiar, rhythmic sound of clopping hooves; each falling quieter than the last until they could be heard no more.

She did, it didn’t she? Rainbow dash wasn’t just missing these past two days, she was gone. Pinkie Pie killed her. And if this is what Pinkie is doing to me, what did she do to Dashie?

Twilight hanged her head in silence and without light. Acting on pure habit, Twilight tried to illuminate the dark room, only to be reminded by a throbbing headache why that won’t work…and never will again. In hindsight, Twilight didn’t want to see anyway.

Twilight shifted and twisted in attempt to find some way to slip out of these binds. She did not make much effort as her muscles resisted with a painful soreness. Twilight let out a sigh as she tried to think of what could happen. What could Twilight do? What will Pinkie do?

Has Pinkie Pie always been like this? Did something happen to her? What’s going to happen to me? What’s going to happen to…to my…her friends.

That was it. That was the breaking point for Twilight. The thought of the possibility that Pinkie Pie has the rest of her friends and doing discord-knows-what to them. Her tired eyes erupted in tears. Twilight would scream, but her exhausted body would not let it.

She could feel the tears rolling down her checks and her neck. Twilight felt the cold, liquid drops of sorrow wash over the now dried blood that fell from her horn all over her body. The thought of what condition her body was in only strengthened the stream from her eyes.

Her body demanded sleep. With Pinkie gone, all her muscles wanted to do is rest and heal. Twilight was in no condition to deny it. Her head, her legs, her eyes, all felt heavy and defeated. Twilight relaxed everything and gave way. Head hanging in the binds, she was quick to fall asleep.

At what felt like the cold doorstep of the reaper pony’s castle, Twilight fell asleep.


***


Pop!

Confetti blasted her face as Twilight walked into the lobby of Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie Pie was throwing yet another party. No pony could escape one of these parties without having her mane covered in party decorations, and this was no exception.
Twilight blew empty air through her nose in attempt to remove a rather stubborn bit of confetti from her nostril. Twilight drew another breath to try again, but the piece fell an inch deeper into her muzzle, causing her to suddenly sneeze.

Twilight shook her head to make double sure her nose was clean. It was clear, and with that done, she took a moment to observe the party. Pinkie Pie’s parties where always random. There was no way anypony could predict how one of Pinkie’s party’s could turn out. The only thing you can be sure is that it won’t be like last time.

To her left, Apple Jack tried her luck at pin the tail. A green blindfold and comedic lack of balance was evidence enough to show how bad Apple Jack was at the game. But still, even with the dozen or so failed attempts that littered the targeted picture, most of them at least, AJ strived stubbornly to succeed.

To her right, a small section of tables, normally reserved for customers at the bakery, where fitted into a drink table. The tables seemed fused together by a long table cloth, and atop it lay stacks of paper plates, cups and party hats. At the corners, the table also held down several strung balloons of various, bright, party colors. In the center was the main attraction to the area, a large glass punchbowl filled with purple punch and one large ladle.

Twilight watched as Rarity trotted to the punch bowl. A paper cup was lifted from its stack and away from its many twins in a light blue aura as Rarity grasped the ladle in the same fashion. After pouring and sipping at her drink, Rarity turned to Twilight.

“Twilight, darling, you must try some of this punch. I truly think it’s the best batch Pinkie has ever made!

“Well, ok!” What reason did Twilight have to refuse, it a party! Plus, she was interested as to what the drink tasted like.

Without hesitation, Twilight walked over towards the drink table and grabbed a paper cup in a levitation spell of her own as well as the ladle. Twilight mixed around in the drink before finally pulling a large spoonful out of the bowl and pouring it into her cup. Twilight peered down, investigating the plain violet liquid.

Twilight’s curiosity wouldn’t stand idle any more; she tilted her head back and shut her eyes as the flavor fell and enveloped her tongue. Twilight swished the punch between her teeth several times, letting the divine, cool, silky flavor rush over her tongue every time.

Twilight swallowed the liquid, its stream texture quickly turned icy as it flew down her throat. The icy felling dispersed through her spine and all throughout her body, leaving an icy sensation like a snowy day. Twilight opened her eyes in search of more of the magnificent drink, only to see an equine skull staring at her.

A skull…

Twilight’s irises shrank and her lungs filled with gasp at the sight. There before her lay the surface of a skull. Its empty eye peered at her like a lurking alligator, just above its pool of crimson in a large glass bowl.

Her head shifted left and right in horror of her new surroundings. The tables no longer had its large white covering or its confetti stained decorations. It now lay bare, exposing a dark, crude, and unsanded surface. The table was littered not with party decorations, but with blood stains and various tools of torture; all of them covered in wet dripping blood, as if recently used.

Twilight whipped her head a round and dashed for the exit. Her escape, however, was short lived. Her nerves betrayed her and froze her hooves at the sight of another horror. In front of Twilight was the door, but before that was the staring frame of a bright pink pony and her fluffy cotton candy hair. Twilight’s jaw stood agape, her eyes stared wide, and ears folded against her head at what was before her only a few feet away.

To either side of the door, the display windows were missing. In their place stood old, wooden, blood stained walls. All around, every detail of the party was replaced with its nightmarish opposite. Streamers now hang as intestines from their posts. Organs of various types and sizes littered the floors. Blood splattered and stained nearly everything in place of confetti.

To the left of the door, Apple Jack’s corpse hovered above the ground; nailed to the decaying wall with several large railway spikes penetrating throughout her body. Like some grotesque artwork, her eyes lay absent form their sockets and her hooves where nailed and forced into a bucking pose.

To the right, Rarity was presented to underworld critiques in a similar form. Blood flowed from the huge nails that impaled her and stained her lovely coat with small stripes of crimson. Her elegant form was stripped of her lapis eyes and elegant grace. Her body was defiled and posed to be continuously rearing up.

Hanging above the door was the form of the yellow pegasus, Fluttershy. A tight noose was tightly rapped around her neck and originated from the endless dark that was now the ceiling. Her head was bent at an unnatural angle to the side, a clear indication her neck had been snapped. Despite death, her eyeless face still irradiated an expression of horror. Several large hooks dug deep into wings and stretched them outward as far as the tendons would allow. Fresh blood dripped from the wounds and onto the floor.

The pink mare between them all now shifted and was quick to grab Twilight’s attention. Twilight saw the figure twist her head around and flung something towards her. She tuned her head to the side, shut her eyes, and lifted a hoof so as to try and block the projectile. She was not hit as expected, but instead heard what sounded like wet rags being tossed to the floor just in front of her.

Twilight dared to open her eyes and lower her guard. At her hooves lay two bold violet slabs each with a similar starry pattern. Her cutie marks lay on the floor still fresh with the smell of blood. Twilight looked up from them, only to have her vision suddenly and completely engulfed by a pink face, merely an inch from her own.

Pinkie Pike clocked her head to her left, as large blue eyes locked on Twilight’s. Smiling she said, “Isn’t life like just like a party…?”

With out her consent, Twilight’s instincts took quick control of her hooves and drove her body back as fast as it could. Hooves still flailing and swinging, Twilight crashed into the punch table behind her, flipping it over. The bowl shattered, and many knives and tools clitter-clattered behind her as they fell to the floor. Twilight tripped over the table and onto her back.

Unmoved by her actions, Pinkie slowly walked towards the frightened mare and continued to talk. “They’re fun, exiting, and full of laughs….”

Twilight’s hooves rushed to find friction on the ground and pushed her away from Pinkie Pie. Twilight slit her back across one of the glass fragments of the punch bowl. Twilight felt it cut away at her lower back. She sealed her eyes once again, but her legs did not care for the pain. They continued to thrash and push at the ground beneath Twilight until she was pined against a wall.

“They’re full of games and friends…”

Twilight spend several seconds breathing heavily with her eyes still forced shut. She didn’t want to look at what was around her, but how else could she get out of here? With one last breath, Twilight readied her self to gallop out of here as fast as she could. Twilight opened her eyes only to Pinkie’s looking back at her even closer than before.

“And I bring them to a sudden and messy end!!”

With that, Pinkie Pie retracted her head. Her brows folded downward to an angry expression, but her lips moved to from a slowly growing grin. After several seconds of growth, the lips spit to reveal dozens of sharp, fanged teeth.

When her grin finally reached its climax at each end, Pinkie Pie slowly opened her jaw. Many unnatural rows of carnivorous razor teeth vibrated in place and dripping saliva. Each one was ready to rip and tear at Twilight’s face.

Pinkie roared at Twilight, but not like any real roar. Pinkie Pie emitted a head splitting metallic screech, like the sound of a metal door as it dragged on a metal floor.


***



Twilight woke with a gasp and a cold sweat. Fear was quick to awake her senses and get them working. Her eyes quickly opened to observe her surroundings. Gravity was more than egger enough to keep her muzzle pointed down as Twilight slept. She took a look at her pitiful self. Her body hanged against the table still bound in the same manner as before. Nearly every inch of her legs where stained with chipping, drying blood. A large layer of solidified puss stood at each side of her flanks; preventing herself from adding to the large pool of blood at her feet.

Her head rapidly lifted to the sound of clopping hooves.

Flash!

Once again, the single light was suddenly kicked on. Twilight head winced and her eyes shut at the sudden photon assault. Twilight peaked though her eyelids at the dim ground, hoping to quickly regain her vision. Her eyes teared up at the heavy task, but Twilight persisted, she needed to find a way out; and for that, she needed to see.

A cheery voice broke through the silence, “Oh, goody Twilight, your awake! Now, all three of us can get right to the fun!”

All three of us, w-what is she talking about?

Twilight lifted her head to look. In front of her the murderous mare stood just inside the room. She still wore her patchwork dress. A part of Twilight wondered for a moment if it was the same dress as before. Another part hoped it was the same, and not another.

In her mouth, Pinkie Pie had what appeared to be a rope of some sort. The other end was connected to the head of a pony at the doorway. Pinkie gave a small tug at the rope, “C’mon now.”

The new pony, a mare it seems, slowly walked through the doorway. Each step was slow and shaken; as if it was a difficult task. Twilight noticed the mare was covered in many, many small lacerations all over her body. Blood has clearly flown from the wounds, staining the mare’s coat. It seemed a much larger amount of blood and come from her shoulders. It seemed now that walking was not only difficult, but painful.

A long, ragged mane covered the mare’s face from her view. She kept her head down in shame or embarrassment. She followed Pinkie Pie deeper into the room, like a dog to his mistress. Only when her hooves splashed in her pool of blood did she finally stop. Twilight saw a shiver rush though her body in reaction to that.

Pinkie Pie turned to the scarred pony’s left, and dug her muzzle under her mane. With a faint *eep*, Pinkie pulled the pony’s head up. “Now, now, how’re you going to play our game with your head all down like that?”

As Pinkie Pike forced the pony’s head upright and facing Twilight’s. Pinkie also brushed away her protective mane. Now Twilight saw the pony wore some sort of bit. Straps gripped the pony’s head from under her jaw and behind her ears. The strap over her throat was tied to the rope leash Pinkie had used. A metal bar was forced within the pony’s muzzle and behind her teeth. An extra strap was present. This one was of unusual width and covered the pony’s eyes; clearly intended to be a blindfold of some kind. The bit actually looked more like the result of an odd kink.

Under the ragged mane, Twilight could see the muzzle was left unstained, save for dark streaks of tears under the eyes. Her face showed a yellow coat and a soft build.

Pinkie Pie clenched at the strap around the pony’s neck and pulled down on it, loosening it, and then forcefully pulled it off, blindfold and all. The yellow mare kept her neck up, but her head now returned to pointing at the floor, causing her mane to collapse hide her once again.

Tossing the bit and leash across the room, Pinkie Pie whispered into the pony’s only unhidden ear. “Remembered what we talked about, time to play our game.”

With that, Pinkie trotted to the still open metal door. She paused at the doorframe and turned her head, “And remember, if you don’t play, you don’t get Angel back!” Pinkie Pie slammed the door behind her, quick to start and end its signature scream, and leaving Twilight in the room with the shy yellow mare.

Finding newfound confidence in the odd threat, the mare spoke with a faint soft voice. “Twilight…”

She finally lifted her head up. Gravity pulled away the pink mane like the curtains to a new show. Sky blue eyes starred up. Shivering irises and tearing corners showing heavy sorrow and terror. The new tears fell down Fluttershy’s face.

“I….I’m sorry…”

> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2:

There was no scream in this room. 

But how could there be when the only voice is frozen by true terror? A white unicorn sat on a cold metal floor, her jaw hung open, and eyes stood wide. Her flanks rested on the hard floor while her forelegs remained erect; keeper her head held high in gruesome awe. Her purple mane, usually groomed and primed, now hanged as a stingy mess atop her long neck. The large collar around her neck and a short chain from it to the floor were made entirely useless to the paralyzed mare. Neither a dragon, nor the faint scream in the distance could make her move now.

Rarity’s prison did not have steel bars or chain-link fences; instead, the room was of full of shelves. To her left and right, she could see several filled the long room on either side. Each shelf was simply a metal bar, a few feet in length, which stuck out of the walls at pony height. Most of the bars only held one item to its viewer, a rare and delicate type of cloth, a pony hide.

Rarity couldn’t believe what she saw. This was a closet strait from a nightmare. Pony hides of all sized and colors, hanged across a metal bar, awaiting somepony or something to make use of them. On many of the hides, Rarity could even make out what had been legs or necks.

After several long seconds, Rarity recovered from the initial shock and regained control of her movement. She took long deep breaths to calm herself.

[i[It’s ok… I’m not being attacked, it’s just a scary place; a very scary place.

Rarity took notice that this was more than just a storage place. Fear shivered her bones as she looked ahead. At he end of the room were several tools Rarity was more than familiar with. A small wooden table held a sewing machine. At the foot of the table, was a pile hides in smaller cuts. As Rarity focused her eyes, she could tell each patch had a unique pattern to it. It was a pile of cutie marks.

Next to the table were a few design dummies. These large dolls where very familiar to Rarity, but there current usage was nothing short of disgusting. Many cutie mark patches, and even a pair of pegasi wings were sewn together. One of the dummies wore a nearly completed patchwork dress made from those cutie marks.

That was it. This was the breaking point for Rarity. The mare always had high patience and strong will, but seeing this twisted, nightmarish version of her own trade, her own art, was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Rarity collapsed to the floor. She folded her ears against her skull, sealed her eyes closed, and wrapped her head tightly within her forelegs; hoping that maybe this whole world would disappear.

Every fiber within her shivered in fear. Heavy tears rolled down her lovely cheeks. Her breathing was stressed a ragged. Rarity pleaded to herself and anypony that could hear her whispers.

“No, no. Th-his can’t be real, i-it just can’t be. Please, let this just be a dream. Oh please Luna, please t-tell me this is just some n-nightmare. Please, just wake me up. Please, p-please, please…. Just be a dream…J-just be a-a dre-eam…”

A ragged, hellish, but well-pitched voice came from behind, “This isn’t a dream….”

Rarity’s ear’s erected at the sudden voice. Her deep breathing started to become more rapid at the realization that somepony, or something else was here.

Rarity lifted her head and turned around to look for the source of the voice. At first, she only saw dark shadows. An area of the room in which it seems the lighting had stopped working. But a shifting motion soon caught her attention.

Stepping forward from the darkness was what slowly starting to appear to be a pony. The figure stepped forward with a few clops of its hooves and sounded as if to be dragging something behind it.

As it stepped into the light, Rarity was able to get a better look at the pony. It appeared to be a pegasus stallion. His build was somewhat thin and starved. His dark blue mane was short, but unkempt. Dark amber eyes seemed to stare into Rarity. A dark ash coat covered his whole body. His forelegs clopped on the ground in motion, but his rear legs…were gone. That dragging sound was his lower body, what’s left of it anyway. His flank, legs, tail, and anything below his abdomen were gone, cut off it seems. In place of it all was a large, black, crisp burn. It must be how he didn’t bleed to death from such a wound.

The stallion slowly crept forward into the light, standing only a few feet from Rarity. His eyes still fixated on the bound mare, he shifted his head and spoke again, “… you wouldn’t be crying in a dream.”

Rarity’s eyes widened in anticipation. “W-who are you?”

The gray stallion looked the ground, deep in thought for several second. “Who…? My name…” He slowly lifted his head, facing Rarity, to address the question. His eyes stared off, still trying to remember, “… is…River Tail.”

Before Rarity could ask another question, River Tail refocused his vision on Rarity like a hawk, causing her to freeze in fear again. 

“You’re pretty…”
This caught Rarity off-guard, normally she’d take great pride in such a compliment, but it was completely out of place in this nightmare. She didn’t know what to think of it.

“… Miss Pinkie Pie says I can play with you.”

Rarity kept she sight on River Tail. “P-pinkie? No…Pinkie pie could do this….She…” Rarity’s voice trailed off as she tried to recall what happened. “I-I remember going to Pinkie Pie, and she made cupcakes, and….and…”

“And you went to sleep…  We all did.”

“Wh-what do you mean ‘we’?”

River clocked his head again, finding ignorance in the mare, “Everypony that played with Miss Pinkie Pie.”

“Who?”

“Everypony around us.”

Rarity’s irises shrunk in horror. “P-pinkie Pie did this?”

She pulled her head back. Her instincts told her this was dangerous. Rarity tried to scoot away, but the chain and leash held tight. She only managed to move a few feet. Desperate for a way out, Rarity franticly looked around for something, anything!
Her attention was taken by the sound of River Tail dragging his body across the ground. Rarity quickly refocused herself on the stallion, who was now inching his way closer.

“Miss Pinkie Pie got to play with them all, but now I get to play with you.”

In a swift blur, River Tail’s wings stretched out and pushed him through the air at speeds few peagsi can truthfully claim. Rarity barely had enough time to gasp. He pounced unto her back, raping his right foreleg around her shoulder and chest, while the left found its way to her throat and muzzle. Rarity was quickly overpowered and forced to the ground. Despite her struggles, River kept his firm grip on Rarity.

With that, River Tail flapped his wings again, but he did not let go. Instead, he tightened his grip and pulled Rarity’s head from the ground. He reached over and bit Rarity’s horn, gripping it in his teeth.

Rarity now grew desperate in her struggle. As River Tail pulled her up, Rarity called on her magic to try and lift the monster from her back. River’s teeth bit through the magic aura surrounding her horn.

But before Rarity could target something to levitate, her vision rapidly shifted, followed by a lout Snap! River Tail pulled on his leg and twisted her muzzle to the left, while his neck and teeth pulled to the right. In one swift motion, Rarity’s magic failed, replaced by an unbearable headache and the pegasi now released his grip and held a pearly white horn in his muzzle.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Rarity’s screams cut through the cold silence of the room. The pain was sharp and heavy. Blood flowed between her eyes and down her cheeks. She screamed from the top of her lungs, for several long seconds, until her lungs carried no more air. All the while, River Tail seemed to enjoy the single-note song.

Freed from River’s grasp, Rarity dug her head into the floor and buried it under her fore hooves. She grasped the source of her pain, trying to comfort it. She could feel the stub that was once her horn and all the blood that flowed from it. Tears fell from her eyes. “M-my horn….”

River Tail kept his position on top of the sobbing mare. He whispered into her ear, “You’re not pretty…”

Rarity opened her eyes and twisted her head, now attentive to her captor. She continued to quietly sob and hold what was left of her horn.

“You’re beautiful…” River’s vision turned downward. He seemed embarrassed. “I liked all of my pretty ones, but I never got to have a beautiful one before, Miss Pinkie Pie wouldn’t let me.”

Rarity was horrified as to where this conversation may lead. “What do you mean?”

River refocused on the white mare, “Pretty ones were good, but think you’ll be better.” A small smile crept across his face at the thought.

He started to salivate and droll. River moved upward atop of Rarity, and licked her neck from one side. From the shoulder to the ear River Tail slowly licked upwards, getting a long, thorough taste of the mare. The other side, he stoked his hoof though Rarity’s mane, almost with a sense of false love.

Rarity could do nothing but shiver and sob. Fear absolutely paralyzed her. She was sure she’d be rapped if River Tail still had his stallion parts. The pain from her horn attracted adrenaline to flow throughout her body, forcing her awake and alert to the detail of every touch from River Tail.

For a moment, River stopped. Rarity could sense he wanted to say something. She slowly turned her shivering head around to look at him. There she took a long deep look into his amber eyes. She could see no remorse, no empathy, and no kindness whatsoever. She could only see a mad and empty soul.

River Tail did have something to say. “You’re beautiful.” The faint smile was still on his face.

That was it. It was too much. As if all the pain wasn’t enough, the mental torture of it all outclassed it greatly. Rarity fainted to the floor, leaving herself now entirely vulnerable. River Tail simply looked at the uncurious body for a few seconds before raping his hooves around it, hugging it, and resting his head on the soft purple mane.

River Tail loved his new beautiful playmate.

> chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3:

“I’m sorry…”

Streams rushed down Fluttershy’s face as she looked up at Twilight. Her pitiful eyes said it all. Her irises shivered in true apology. Twilight didn’t understand.

Fluttershy reared up, and placed her left hoof on Twilight’s shoulder to balance herself. Her right foreleg pulled back, ready to strike.

Fluttershy shut her eyes and gritted her teeth. Tears fell even faster now as her hoof stuck forward, punching Twilight with a powerful right hook. The impact worsened Twilight’s headache and splattered blood out her mouth and onto the table.

“I-I’m s-so sorry…”

Another strike lifted and impacted twilight’s cheek. The pulse rang in her ears.

“I’m Sorry….”

Strike!

“I’m Sorry!”

Strike!!

“I’m Sorry!!!”

STRIKE!!!

“I’M SORRY!!”

Fluttershy’s hoof pulled back again. But instead of striking forward again, it shivered in place. Twilight spat the remaining blood from her mouth and looked at the terrified mare. Even though all the abuse, Twilight didn’t care. She wasn’t angry at Fluttershy, but rather she felt sympathy and pity or the mare. She was in pain, she needed help.

“I-I can’t d-do it…”

“You don’t have to do anything Fluttershy, *chough* you can just stop.”

“No-n-no,” Fluttershy’s breathing became rapid as ever. “I-I have to play. I HAVE TO! … She has Angle Twilight, she has Angle. I have to help him; I have to get him back!”

“AAAAAAAAAAH!!”

In her raging cry, Fluttershy struck Twilight once again. Twilight didn’t care; recoiling from the impact, Twilight only looked at Fluttershy with sympathy.

“STOP IT!! Don’t look at me like that. I have to play the game.”

“Then play…”

Fluttershy’s quivering face looked at Twilight with confusion, “What?”

“Play the game, Fluttershy, I don’t mind.” Twilight lifted her muzzle towards Fluttershy and gave her a small, sincere smile.” “Just play the game, get Angle back”

Fluttershy couldn’t take it. She didn’t want it. She didn’t deserve it. She wanted Twilight to hate her for what she was doing. She doesn’t deserve pity; she was a horrible friend. Fluttershy’s rear legs gave away from the turmoil. She fell on her back all rolled to her side. Each leg closed in, curling Fluttershy into a ball. Her forelegs covered her sobbing face. Her right hoof was stained in blood, but it was barely noticeable from all the scares around her body.

Twilight couldn’t do much but watch. Her body was beaten and tired, too exhausted to be angry or say anything. Blood continued to drool between her teeth as Twilight whispered to herself, “Oh Celestia, what did Pinkie do to you?”

Long seconds turned into long minutes. The terrified yellow mare quietly sobbed to herself, while Twilight could only watch. She nearly fell asleep while the screeching trumpet from the metal door announced Pinkie Pie’s return.

She walked in with two white plates balanced perfectly on her back. Twilight couldn’t tell what was on the plate from the only angle she was given, but she did notice something else new. Pinkie got a new necklace. Instead of strung unicorn horns, they were now some kind of white stubs. There were four of them on the sting, but Twilight couldn’t tell what they were from this distance.

“Oh Fluttershy,” Pinkie Pie called, “guess what I got!”

Fluttershy lifted her head only inches from the ground, wiping away so as to see the pink mare. “I-Is it Angle?” Fluttershy’s sobs started to fade.

Now that Pinkie Pie was turned to the side, addressing the wounded Fluttershy, Twilight could now see what was on the plates. Each had a chunk of something very red. The things dripped and oozed out an equally read liquid all around the plates they were on. It took Twilight a few seconds to put the pieces together. It was raw, bloody meat.

“Yep, I got him right here!” Pinkie Pie responded. She took the edge of one of her plates within her teeth and gave it to Fluttershy, placing it on the floor next to her. She then took the other plate in a similar fashion, and placed it on her table of vicious tools. What she did next almost made Twilight puke. Pinkie Pie started to eat the raw chunk of flesh. Fluttershy lay frozen and dumbstruck; staring endlessly at her plate. Pinkie Pie continued to enjoy her first large bite.

Pinkie swallowed and turned to Fluttershy. “What’s wrong Fluttershy, I said you could have Angel back; well, here he is!” Fluttershy started to tremble uncontrollably. “Go ahead; he’s really moist and tender. Oh and don’t get me started on these lucky rabbit feet. I got four of ‘em, and I’ll tell ya, I can already feel the-“

“EEEAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH” Fluttershy couldn’t hold it in any longer. She lifted her head and screamed; not in terror, but in rage. She quickly got to her hooves and launched at Pinkie Pie, sending both crashing to the ground several feet away. Fluttershy forced Pinkie pie on her back. One hoof pinned her to the ground while the other was raised skyward, ready to make another strike.

“I’LL KILL YOU!!” Fluttershy’s eyes where filled with nothing but pure rage. Her hoof shivered heavily, eager to strike.

Cough, Ack, Cough

Suddenly, blood began to flow out Fluttershy’s mouth. She started to choke and drown in it as each cough splattered more and more blood. Her strength quickly drained from her body. Fluttershy’s shivering hoof fell, and the rest of her body followed suit. She fell off, and lay vulnerable next to Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie got up. Her cheerful attitude and smile were unfazed by the sudden attack. She looked down at the wounded pegasus. “Aww, Fluttershy! You shouldn’t have moved around so much…”

Bash!

Pinkie Pie bucked at Fluttershy. “…now I got to retenderize you!”

Fluttershy’s body skidded across the room and stopped right in front of Twilight. Twilight struggled to free herself, to try and help her friend, but to no avail. Her bonds kept her in place, unable to do anything. Twilight couldn’t do much of anything. She teared up and her emotions get the best of her, “STOP IT! Pinkie Pie stop it! Please!”

At first, Pinkie Pie did not react to Twilight. She slowly walked to Fluttershy’s dying body. Only when she stood merely feet from both of her captives did she turn away from Twilight. Pinkie spun her body, and bucked Twilight in her chest. The hoof impacted just under her ribcage, at the diaphragm.

The wind was bucked out of Twilight entirely. Her lungs remained empty for several long seconds. As Twilight desperately tried to refill her lungs, Pinkie Pie reared up and rammed her forehead unto Twilight’s. Pinkie was unfazed, but the impact hit Twilight’s stub of a horn, driving pain through out her skull.

Heads still locked and eyes inches from one another; Pinkie lifted a hoof under Twilight’s muzzle. She whispered to Twilight. “Don’t worry Twi, I’ll play with you later.”

Pinkie got down and returned her gaze onto Fluttershy. The bleeding pegasis lay there, coughing up blood. Pinkie pie reared up and smashed her hooves against her chest.	

The impact was blood curling to watch, let alone hear. Twilight watched in disgust as one friend physically beat the other, and smiled while doing it. She could hear the ribs as they cracked and gave into brute force. Blood splattered from Fluttershy’s lips. Her many cuts reopened and bled once again. Her eyes widened for a slight moment in surprise and pain, before falling behind her eyelids. She didn’t scream. Her body laid limb. She stopped coughing.

Twilight’s stomach nearly gave way. She forced its contents to stay put. Twilight yelled at Pinkie Pie, rage commanded her voice, “NOOOO!!!! YOU FUCKING PSYCHOPATH!! Why are you doing this?! She’s your friend, we all are!!” Twilight’s tears poured out from misery, but rage nearly evaporated them of her cheeks.

Pinkie Pie gasped in realization. “You’re right Twilight. I almost forgot about our other friends. Oh, I hope I’m not too late. This party is almost too big for me to manage on my own, and that’s really saying something.”

With that, Pinkie Pie completely lost interest in Twilight and Fluttershy. She trotted to the metal door. With the flick of a hoof, the lights cut out. The only thing Twilight could see now was a silhouette in the doorway. For many moments it stood there, shivering. Twilight could now hear the shaking body moan and sniff. 

 Is Pinkie Pie …crying?

The silhouette turned around. Twilight could not see any color, but the shape of her pink cotton candy mane was not in the shadow. It seemed to have grown limb and strait. Pinkie Pie continued to sob.

“T-Twilight….p-plea-ease….H-Help me…I-I c-can’t stop…”

Twilight just stared at her for several long seconds. What is she doing?

With that the shadow figure suddenly twitched her head to the side; the mane sprung back to life and its usual self. The sound of crying immediately stopped. She turned and continued down the hall, closing the metal door behind her.

Twilight didn’t understand what happened. Was she crying? Was she begging for help? She was quick to dismiss her questions. Who really needed her attention now was Fluttershy. Twilight summoned all her will, and forced magic through the stub she had left of her horn. She forced a simple illumination spell to form. The light was weak. Even with the splitting headache it caused, she could barely see anything in the confined chamber.

Twilight looked at the wounded pegasus, hopeful that she was ok. Twilight could see her chest slowing rising and falling. She was alright, well not really, but she was alive, and that was important.

“Twilight…” She was barely able to whisper.

“What is it Fluttershy?”

“Rainbow dash… was never missing… She got her Twilight… I saw the body. She cut it open… in so many places… and stitched it back up… like some kind of…  doll.”

“Fluttershy…” Twilight could do nothing but hang her head in sorrow and pity.

“I think… we’re all going to… end up like her… just a bunch of… decorations…we all ate… those cupcakes…”

Twilight said nothing, but what could she say? Should she lie to her face and say everything is all right. There was nothing Twilight could do to help her friend…Well, there was one thing.

Adding even more pain to her head, Twilight struggled to cast another simple spell: Levitation. She reached with what little arcane energy she had and gripped something on the table; one of the blades. It felt heavy, like lifting a house.

“Twilight…. It hurts….”

“I know Fluttershy…”

This was the one thing Twilight could still do to help her friend, to end her pain. 

A quick stab to the neck, that’s all it will be. I could cut the spinal cord. She won’t fell anything. S-she won’t be in pain, but…

Twilight lifted the blade closer to Fluttershy.

But I’ll kill her… I…I…

She waited too long, hesitated too much. Twilight’s energy failed, along with the spells she was casting. The room suddenly fell into darkness; the knife fell to the floor with a loud, echoing clank!

Twilight hanged in her bonds, thinking about what she had done, and what she was trying to do. She shivered in terror and disgust at her self.

I don’t even know what’s worse: The fact that I just considered killing one of my close friends, or that I couldn’t do it and now she has to suffer on.

Did I give her the chance to live on, or did I just prolong her pain?

> chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4:

Clop clop clop

Auuuugh

Applejack awoke with a grunt. Her back was sore, like she’d slept at a bad angle. She slowly peeled her eyes open, only to be looking down towards the floor. As it turns out, Applejack slept at a very bad angle. Her entire body was bound to stone wall. Each leg, as well as a collar around her neck, was held by a metal shackle to the wall and several feet off the ground. She was in some sort of stone basement, not unlike the ones at her farm for storing various items, lit dimly by a ceiling candle. Below her, a large metal tub was on the floor; it seemed to be waiting for Applejack to jump in. But it didn’t matter what the décor was, she still couldn’t move at all.

Clop clop clop

As panic began to rise, so did the volume of the clopping in the distance. Applejack couldn’t help but breathe rapidly. She was bound to a spot, unable to move, unable to do anything. She was now vulnerable to any sick buck that might be outside the door only a few yards in front of her, and somepony was. Horrible and vicious thoughts of what somepony might do, what somepony might make her do, began to flood the farm mare’s mind. She put her strength into the bars, willing with all her might to make them release her. It didn’t work. She couldn’t get out.

Clop clop… clik-clank

And somepony is just right outside that door.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

The door slowly creaked open. Applejack braced herself for whatever might prance in. She wasn’t going to give in! She wasn’t going to break! She won’t submit!
She…she wasn’t prepared for this.

A Pink muzzle poked into the room. Atop the smiling shade of pink was a fluffy, curly, hot pink mane. It moved in, and following it was a body covered in a patchwork dress. It seemed new. It was short, only reaching half-way down her rear legs. It did not come with accessories, but symmetry and craftsmareship in the patches could be seen.

Pinkie Pie walked into the dimly lit room, her smile growing wider at the sight of her friend.

Applejack lifted her head; she’d recognize the pink mare anywhere, even if Pinkie wore such an odd dress. Oblivious to the atmosphere in the room, Applejack immediately seeks help from her friend. “Pinkie? Oh, good. Would you lend a hoof an’ get me outta’ here?” Applejack struggles with her restraints to show Pinkie, “I’m kinda’ stuck here”

Pinkie Pie kept her pace, advancing toward applejack. When she was just in front of captive mare, she looked up and tilted her head, “Now why would I do that, after all the work I put in to get you up there?”

“Wait… what?” Applejack’s head began to rack trough memories. It only took an instant to remember what happened at sugar cube corner. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Y-you did this?”

Applejack began to breathe rapidly. This situation wasn’t going so well. She began to panic. “Wait, what’s happening, what about Dashie?”

Pinkie only giggled to herself.

This was a confusing, but Applejack didn’t have time to respond. Pinkie Pie twisted her mane, flinging and spinning something up in the air. The object reached its climax, inches from the end of Applejack’s muzzle, and glinted in the light from the open door and hallway beyond. As it fell, Pinkie lifted a hoof and pulled back. Just as the object fell by her, she pushed forward, punching Applejack in the stomach. No sound was heard to confirm the object hit the ground; it disappeared within the strike.

Applejacks eyes widened in surprise by the sudden attack, then fell into concern as she dry heaved at first, but quickly puked; blood spewed from her mouth. It poured all over her chest, staining her coat as well as Pinkie’s leg. Much of it fell into the tub bellow. Several drops even managed to hit Pinkie’s face. She gagged a few more times. Some of the blood found its way to Applejack’s lungs.

Pinkie was unfazed by the crimson splash. She pulled her leg away from Applejack, and gave it a long, slow lick. With her tongue, she swept up the fresh blood from her coat, savoring and enjoying the flavor. She looked up at Applejack, “Mmm… It’s that tough blood that’s got such a thick flavor.”

Pinkie Pie dug her muzzle into the point of impact, gripping something. She pulled it out, revealing it to be a sharp, bloody scalpel. It was the same object that was thrown in the air only moments ago. At the sight, Applejack grunted heavily as pain suddenly surged from her abdomen. Adrenaline rushed through her body. She gritted her teeth and shook in her restrains, but it didn’t help much.

Applejack gagged and coughed on even more blood, now that the scalpel was removed and blood flowed uncontrollably though her insides. Her body tried desperately to contain the small flood, pumping it though her throat, filling the tub below and staining her autumn coat. All the while, Pinkie Pie continued to enjoy her sample.

Blood continued to drool from Applejack’s mouth. She looked downward at Pinkie Pie, “W-why are you, *cough*, doing this?”

Pinkie pie stopped licking herself like a cat and turned her head towards Applejack. “Because I need more special ingredients.”

“Special ingredients? *hack*, what special ingredients?”

“The ones for my cupcakes.”

“Cupcakes? What about Rainbow Dash?

“Oh, don’t worry about her, Applejack.” Pinkie giggled, “We already had our fun!”

Rainbow Dash? Cupcakes?

Applejack suddenly recalled the events a Sugar Cube Corner again, and how the special Cupcakes looked; how much the looked like Rainbow Dash.

Special Cupcakes? Special Ingredients?

It didn’t take long for Applejack to piece it all together.

Her pain momentarily subsided in a fit of rage, “YOU!! It was YOU! You’re the reason Rainbow Dash is missing.” Applejack spat blood as she yelled, “That’s why the cupcakes tasted so funny!” Tears began forming in Applejack’s eyes, “How… how could you do this?”

“The same way I’ve done this a few baker’s dozen or so times before” Pinkie pie lifted a hoof to her chin, thinking, “Hmm, I guess I lost count. But come on, Applejack, you don’t think I’m new to this, do you? I mean, I throw parties all the time, you’ve been to plenty of them.”

Pinkie pie continued her signature grin, but Applejack was anything but smiling. Her nerves and muscles were screaming at her, begging for attention. Applejack could feel their pleas, but she was unable to do anything to nurse them. 

Applejack couldn’t take it. Physical torture was one thing, but the mental agony was unbearable. Right here, one of her dearest friends was slowly murdering her. She’d already killed Rainbow Dash and who know how many other ponies. And her friends… They all ate the cupcakes…Pinkie Pie could be killing them all…one by one…

…or… or they could already be dead…

Applejack had to get out! She didn’t know how, but she had to! The mere thought of her friends being hurt brought muffled tears. But what could she do? She couldn’t move anything. Actually, she could move her lips. So that what she did, Applejack begged.

“P-Pinkie please, Ah’m your friend. Please l-let me go. Ah promise Ah’ll neva’ tell anypony. Y-you can trust me, Ah’m honest, right?”

Pinkie Pie returns her hoof to her cheek, thinking about the proposition. “Weeeell, if you’re honest and… “Pinkie points her hoof at Applejack and gives her a beady stare, “and you pinkie promise to never-ever-EVER tell anypony, anybody, or anything…”

Applejack nodded her head franticly. “I promise not never-ever-ever tell anypony, anybody, or anything. Cross my heat, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Applejack faked a wide smile, hanging on to her string of hope.

Pinkie pie rolled her eyes, “Weeeell, Ok!” She trotted to the other end of the room, by the door. There she found a small lever on the wall. With a hoof, she pulled it down on it. With a clank, the restraints holding Applejack to the wall released, and gravity took no delay bringing her to the ground.

Applejack hit the tub hard, splashing her pooling blood. The force of the impact swam throughout her body, almost causing her to puke again. She held it in, and limped out of the tub. The pain was intense, but it didn’t matter. She was about to leave. 

None of this makes any sense, but maybe it’s not supposed to. Maybe this is all just some bad dream. Ya, a nightmare. That’s what this is. There’s no way Pinkie could kill another pony.

As Applejack found her footing outside of the tub, she smiled for real. “Thanks Pinkie.”

Pinkie just giggled again, trying to contain full on laughter.

That was odd, but Applejack paid no attention. She was almost out of here, this nightmare was almost over. Applejack limped to the door, each step pulsed pain though out her body, but it didn’t matter; she was almost out, she was almost-

CLANK!!

Fresh pain rushed though Applejack’s body. This time, it wasn’t from her stomach. This time it was from her left rear leg. Multiple sharp points pierced her skin and flesh just above her hoof.  Ancient instincts immediately imagined a bite, and quickly took control of Applejack’s body before she could properly react. She rapidly gasped a breath, and tried to shake her leg to break free from the would-be predator, while the others tried to run away. Her logic conflicted with her instincts, causing the response to be uncoordinated. Applejack only made it inches before her body fell forward to the ground-

CLANK!!

Another series of sharp teeth pierced Applejack’s skin. This time, it was in her right rear leg and just under her flank. While still on the ground, she franticly kicked and bucked at whatever might be attacking her. Each thrash only slid the fangs deeper and deeper into her flesh, drawing out more and more blood. Only when her conscious mind finally caught up to the event did Applejack open her eyes to what was really eating away at her in the dim light.

What the hay are these things?

It was no animal, but rather just two large, curved sets of metal teeth that rapped their grip around each leg, determined to never leg go. Applejack lay in pain and terror at what these metal contraptions were.

“AHAAHAHAHAA!!” Pinkie Pie fell on the floor, holding her sides and laughing uncontrollably. “HAhahaha, I, hahaa, c-can’t believe you fell for it, hahaaaha!”
Applejack could only lay there on her side and bleed even more than before as Pinkie struggled to breath between laughs.

Gaugh! What’s going on? What’s happening?

It was Pinkie Pie that put her question to rest. She got up and walked a few steps, looking down and hanging her head just above Applejack, “Heehee! What do you think? Pretty neat, huh? There called “bear traps”. Apparently, some zebras use these things to trap bears, manticors, and other big, scary animals.” Pinkie moved beside Applejack, getting a better look at her toys and the wounds they created. “They’re really tough, so zebras needed really tough traps, but I guess they work just fine on ponies.” Pinkie pokes one of her hoofs on Applejack’s Flank. “After all, you’re not going anywhere and your one of the toughest ponies of ‘em all!”

Applejack looked at Pinkie. The pain almost brought tears to her eyes, blood continued to drool off her lips. “This isn’t a nightmare, is it?”

Pinkie Pie kept her head focused on Applejack’s injured legs, “Nnnnope.” Another smile spread across her face, as is she had just thought of a new idea. “The fun is all real!”

Pinkie reared up, lifting her forelegs high into the air, only to make them slam back into the ground. With a thunderous crack, her hoofs smashed into Applejack’s leg, breaking bone.

“Ehhhgggg!” Applejack grunted her pain. She wouldn’t stand for this. She pulled one of her font legs up. She aligned her hoof with the floor and pushed. She was going to get out of here one way or another, and it wasn’t baked in a bucking cupcake. She pushed a hard as she can, despite her muscles’ protests. She was a few inches off the ground and advancing slowly but-

Crack!

With another well placed stomp, Pinkie broke the other leg. The impact depleted Applejack of what little strength she had left, as well as her hope. The pain was unbearable, her blood was splattered everywhere, her vision blurred. She was losing too much blood, but Pinkie wasn’t done yet.

Pinkie trotted towards the door and stood in front of Applejack, standing away from her. Applejack could barely think. Within a blur, Pinkie leaned on her front legs, throwing her rear legs with lightning speed. The hoofs smashed against Applejack’s template, bucking her up and off the ground.

To Applejack, the world slowed down. Her entire body was flung backwards and unto the ground. She hit the ground without any sound or feeling of impact, and fell to her side once more. Her head faced the door, watching a pony shaped silhouette grow bigger and it drew closer. Her entire body was numb; ringing sang endlessly in her ear. She commanded her muscles to move, to fight, but they did not respond. Color faded from her sight. The silhouette giggled and blocked the only source of light. Everything went black.

Her nightmare had only just begun.