> Pinkie's Sweet Tooth
>  by Atreyu
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> What the Hell Are You Doing in my Truck?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“OOOOooo! An Ice Cream truck!” Pinkie exclaimed with excitement, bouncing across the barren red badlands of some unfamiliar plain, towards the lone ice cream truck with glee. 

“Helllooooooooo?” Pinkie sounded. As she rose to her hind legs and leant against the counter-window. “Anybody ho-oooome?” 

No answer.

“Hmmm, there’s got to be somebody here to drive this truck” Pinkie theorised.

She noticed that the back of the truck had been left open. She scrunched her face and tapped her chin with a hoof: “Hmmm, looks like I’ll have to do some sleuthing to get this ice cream." She shrugged, "Eh, wouldn’t be the first time.” 

Pinkie hummed as she made her way inside the truck.

***

Meanwhile behind some rocks some metres away.

“OOOOooohyeah! That’s the stuff. Held this one for way too long"
ziiiiip "Well—ahhhh... Better get back on the road.”
As the figure turned back to face his truck he noticed a pink flash out of the corner of his eye enter the truck.
“What the--!?”

***  
“OooOOo, pretty!” Pinkie made funny faces in the reflection of the menacing looking machete. “Bleugh, boo, blolooloouluouluo” she gibbered before chortling at her reflection making faces back at her.

Suddenly, Pinkie’s knee felt pinchy.

“What the hell are you doing in my truck?” demanded a forbidding voice from behind Pinkie, that sounded like it’s owner had made a habit of gargling razor blades. Pinkie jolted upright before turning to see who had made her knee pinch and hair stand on end.

There standing in the doorway, was the most twisted looking clown Pinkie Pie had ever laid eyes on!

His head, was the most salient feature she noticed about him, simply because, in place of hair, was a tower of perpetual flames! His face was covered in a monstrous looking clown mask with a sinister grin plastered across it, centred, of course, by a big red nose.  Only one of his crimson eyes was visible through the mask.
He wore a thick steel ring, anchored with brown leather straps, around his brutish, barrel-like torso. His pants were white with faded red polka spots and were stained with oil in places. To complete the look were a pair of dark brown sturdy workman’s boots on his feet and a pair of brown rubber mechanics gloves on his hands- one, wrapped around the handle of a double-barrel shotgun aimed straight at her.

Pinkie Pie stared at the barrel of the gleaming grey shotgun and then back at the deranged looking clown wielding it.
In an instant Pinkie’s life flashed before her very eyes: Her family, the rock farm, Ponyville, her friends, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Spike, the Cakes and of course, Twilight and that time she went “HUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH”--after all who could top that? She remembered all the great times and long laughs she shared with them, the cupcakes they'd shared, the smiles they'd had, the songs they'd sung together, the time she taught them to giggle at the gho— 
She gasped deeply. With that, just as quickly as she had zoned out, she snapped back to reality and continuing her gasp into a great big breath, and with a great big smile, she introduced herself the best way she knew how:

“Hi! My name’s Pinkie Pie! Is this your truck? If it is where is all the ice cream? Did you run out? Cause, I’d really like some ice cream! That’s why I’m here! I saw the truck and thought ‘hey what better thing to do in desert badlands than to have an ice cream!?’--but when I came over there was nobody here and even worse no ice cream! So I came inside and tried to get to the bottom of things but I really didn’t find much, and then you came in! --What’s your name!?”

For a second the clown stood almost taken aback.
“Wow.  This little pink...thing has a surprisingly large lung capacity" he thought to himself, "Oh well, not like anyone’s around to hear her scream.” 
“Me?” the strange clown tossed the gun aside as he replied in a patronisingly sweet manner. He leaned forward, with outstretched arms, like an owner beckoning their dog for a tummy rub. 
“Why, my name’s:  Sweet Tooth.”

“Sweet Tooth? ...What a fun name!” Pinkie Pie chirped innocently.

“Now”, Sweet Tooth drew his machete as he advanced towards the cornered pink pony, “Who wants some Ice Cream?”

“I do! I do!” despite Pinkie’s trademark pinkie sense, she somehow remained oblivious to the sadistic clown’s true intent.

She didn't even flinch when Sweet Tooth drove her up by the throat with one arm and held her against the back wall. 
In fact, she was still smiling eagerly when there was a bright flash and everything went dark.
> Monsters & Mares
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight and her friends stood wide-eyed and mouths agape starring in disbelief at the unknown and frankly quite grotesque figure that lay beside their friend. Celestia, beside her star pupil, looked upon the scene with a more eloquent, yet nonetheless concerned, demeanour. She didn’t know quite what to make of the mess that lay before her, but she had a feeling it was not good.

Twilight was the first to break the silence; her voice echoing slightly in the large hollow room “I don’t get it Princess. Why are they unconscious? I’ve teleported myself and friends around before without losing consciousness.”

“Yeah, because that’s the most nonsensical thing about this picture!” Rainbow Dash quipped.

“This isn’t exactly teleportation, Twilight. I’ve performed an: inter-dimensional extraction” Celestia noticed Twilight struggling to comprehend the term. “It’s a much more powerful form of teleportation” she elaborated.  “ To put the science in laymare’s terms: we’ve dis-assembled their particles and re-assembled them here” she concluded. Twilight nodded several times as she processed the information.

“Well, I can pretend that made enough sense. But, who, or what ‘in the hay is...that thing?” Applejack asked Celestia.

“And just- what is it wearing!?”  burst Rarity, more mortified at the monster’s choice of clothes than the monster itself “Polka dots!? And leather straps--What is this!? The Rocky Horror Picture Show!?” 

Celestia took a moment to extract memory into words and words into sense: “I must confess, I’m not quite sure.  But from my studies I understand it appears to be ...” she paused for a moment unsure of weather the term matched the subject “...a human. But--”

The previously dormant heap began to stir, causing everyone in the room to take a startled half step back.
Pinkie Pie shot up like a firework as she regained her consciousness.

“Ice Cream!?” she inquired, expectantly, looking from side to side to no-one and everyone.
“Pinkie!” Fluttershy tackled Pinkie Pie with a glomp of relief, “You’re ok!”

“What happened, sugarcube!?” Applejack asked urgently.

“Who is this guy!?” demanded Rainbow Dash.

“Him? OH, he’s my new friend!" Pinkie shrugged proudly. "His name is Sweet Tooth and he drives an Ice Cream truck! Pinkie nudged Rainbow with an elbow with all the pride of a bride to be.  "I bumped into him after I went through the portal. I went into his truck to find some ice cream.” Pinkie linked shoulders with the still unconscious heap, “Now, we’re best buds!” 

Twilight blinked rapidly before shaking her head, “Pinkie, are you sure you’re feeling all right? Do you need to take a lie down?”

“An ice cream truck?” Rainbow Dash repeated sceptically.

Pinkie rushed up to Rainbow making sure they were nose to nose “It’s true, it’s true! He even said he was going to make me some ice cream. But... then- everything went weird and tingly..." she looked in confusion before quickly pressing her face back to Rainbow's "--and then I woke up here... and now I’m talking to you” she added with a grin.

Before anyone could say anything else, Rarity let out a yelp.

The group jumped and let out a gasp as they turned to find Sweet Tooth holding Rarity hostage. With all eyes on Pinkie Pie, the group didn’t even notice Sweet Tooth pick himself up, take hold of his machete and take Rarity as a bargaining chip. 
Rarity was in a state of shock, the cold steel against her skin, sent a cold sweat down her face and onto the blade.

“That’s quite a story, you’re telling there, pal. Mind if I finish it for you?” Sweet Tooth said with nothing but menace.

Everyone was stunned, speechless, on baited breath.

“Now, let me tell you how this story ends” Sweet Tooth threatened. “One of you is responsible for zapping me out of my truck and into here. And one of you is going put me right back, right now. Or else, this one bleeds!”
Rarity let out a shriek. The rest of the ponies looked on with horror. Celestia stepped forward, slowly, being careful not to agitate the maniacal clown,
“We will help you. But hurting Rarity will not help anyone. Let Rarity go and put the machete down” she reasoned with a cool yet firm tone.

“Is that right?” Sweet Tooth retorted with bitter condescendence. “Well then" he looked back to the machete, "consider this: pre-emptive motivation!”

“No!” Rarity screamed, flailing hopelessly.

“Shut up and bleed, you mothe—”

The moment Celestia had realised Sweet Tooth was not surrendering peacefully, she shot a bolt of magic that struck and disintegrated the machete. Rarity, now free, bolted with tears in her eyes back over to the side of the room her friends were on, where they met her with open arms. 
Celestia stepped between her huddled subjects and Sweet Tooth, wings outstretched in a display of supremacy.
“That is enough” she declared. A stern expression accentuating her statement.

“That’s a neat trick you got there, cupcake" Sweet Tooth glared at the Princess --his contempt transparently-veiled "...Wanna see if I can match it!” he threatened.

“No.” Celestia replied flatly. Her furrowed frown gave way to a more diplomatic composure, “Please, enough games. Let us help you.” 

Sweet Tooth didn’t reply.

“Yes, I brought you here; but unintentionally" Celestia conceded to the disgruntled foreigner. "You see, one of my subjects, Pinkie Pie, wandered off into your dimension, through the portal that you see beside you” Celestia explained, gesturing across the room to the portal.

“There... Now, was that so hard?” Sweet Tooth patronised as he stepped towards the portal.

Celestia almost winched, “I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

Sweet Tooth froze in mid-stride and twisted his head like a rusted crane to face Celestia, “It had better be” he hissed.

“The portal works on a lunar calendar" Celestia explained  "It will not open until the cycle harmonises with the other end on the full moon” .
“You mean to tell me: I’m stuck here for 30 days!?” Sweet Tooth exploded.
Celestia nodded with regret for her unintended detainee.
***

Sweet Tooth rubbed his sinuses-- as much as one can wearing a mask-- and let out an exasperated groan, “Perfect.”

“Believe me, we want you gone as much as you do!” Twilight spat as she stepped forward from the now recovered huddle of ponies. 
Celestia shot her an unimpressed look.
“You think I’m taking that from a 3” excuse for a horse!?” Sweet Tooth fired back. 
“Hey! Now, just because y’all are having a bad day doesn't mean ya can go lettin’ off steam—an-and threatin’ the lives a’my friends, y’hear!?” Applejack protested, uniting with Twilight.
“Well, do you or any of your little pony friends have the back-bone to actually tell me how I got here in the first place!?” Sweet Tooth retorted.
“Princess Celestia teleported—er, inter-dimensionally extracted, Pinkie Pie?” Twilight looked to her teacher for confirmation on her wording. 
A nod, ushered her on with her explanation, “back from --whatever dimension she was in when she met you... However, why you came with her has me flummoxed.”

Whether from stunned bewilderment or pure irritation, Sweet Tooth didn’t reply.

“Were you in contact with Pinkie at the point of extraction?” Celestia asked.
“Yes.” Sweet Tooth answered simply, with an un-missably diabolical undertone.
“That explains it!” Celestia said as understanding dawned on her, and soon after, on Twilight as well.

“Of course!” Twilight chimed “Just like normal teleportation, he must have gotten mixed up because he was in contact with Pinkie at the point of extraction!” She chuffed in conclusion, trotting in place over her new-found understanding.

Sweet Tooth was fuming. He clenched his hands on his head and knelt down before finally exploding up and throwing his arms down as he looked to the sky and let out a roar of frustration. 
The ponies had, understandably, become savvy to his explosive tendencies. This time they did not cower, but instead, stood their ground bracing themselves for any cruel tricks he had planned.

But much to their surprise, Sweet Tooth did nothing more than let out a deep, half-angry, half-defeated sigh.
“Just forget it—and forget you! I’ll just sit here and wait.” He conceded angrily and dropped himself to the floor with his legs crossed, arms folded and back turned.

The ponies decided it would be safest to take him up on his offer and clear out before he changed his mind.
They were turning to leave when they realised, someone was missing from the head count.	

“Uhhm, Mr. Sweet Tooth?”

The gang were flabbergasted to see that Fluttershy had simply crossed the room and was now within arm’s reach of a trans-dimensional monster that, not even half an hour ago, tried to kill one them! Twilight started forward to collect her friend and speak some sense into her, but was stopped by Celestia’s outstretched wing.
Fluttershy consoled Sweet Tooth compassionately, “I know that you aren't happy to be away from home. And I want to apologise on behalf of all of us for getting you into this mess in the first place.”
Sweet Tooth turned his head and looked at her and then returned to his pouting position.
Fluttershy smiled in understanding, “It’s ok if you don’t feel like talking about things now. But if you ever do, you’re always welcome at my cottage by the Everfree Forest.”
Fluttershy’s friend’s jaws dropped even lower to the ground.

As Fluttershy floated herself back to rejoin the rest of the group, Celestia smiled at Fluttershy with her famous:' I'm proud of you ’ smile.
“Are you CRAZY!?” whispered Rarity to Fluttershy as the group left the room.
“Maybe...” Fluttershy replied, turning to look at Sweet Tooth.  “...All I know for sure right now is: hurt people, hurt people. The best way to break that cycle is with love and kindness.”

The six friends left the room with Princess Celestia as she closed the grand doors behind them.  The room itself was already fitted with video surveillance after the last incident involving the mirror and the Princess had summoned for an elite team of guards to guard the door to the room.  

As the group of friends left for a de-briefing over tea, Sweet Tooth remained in the portal room mulling over his past and the words of the yellow pegasus. 
“Hurt people...hurt people...” he echoed.







> Dislocated
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweet Tooth revelled in the diversity of expressions his stroll through town evoked in the little ponies. Stallions and mares alike looking on with: confusion, surprise, perplexity, horror, anger --to name a few. Mothers shielded their children’s eyes, ponies of all ages could be seen running for cover. Shutters closing,  doors slamming closed in panic. 
He passed through the town as if he were a plague, leaving a trail of ghosts behind him.

He passed by a group of fillies playing a game of make-believe:
“So, just pretend, I’m the doctor and you’re the mummy. And when I—” all three of them stopped dead in their tracks with wide-eyed awe and horror at the behemoth passing before them. The behemoth stared right back.

As Sweet Tooth made it out of the town centre he hummed out a deep and deranged laugh. “You should see my other ride” he scoffed over his shoulder to the inhabitants of the ghost town he now left behind him.
***

The Barrel-chested truck driver was panting by the time he had reached the outskirts of the town. “Augh! Why do such little horses have such long roads!?"
He stopped for a moment, wiped the sweat from his brow and placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath, “I miss my truck” he whined yearningly.
***

Sweet Tooth was already kicking himself to a pulp in his own mind for even knocking on the cottage door. But before he could turn around and walk away, Fluttershy tentatively opened the door.
She smiled sweetly at him in greeting.
There was a brief silence.
Sweet Tooth had little experience in exchanging pleasantries with 3” horses...or anyone really.
“Hello, Sweet Tooth. Would you like to come in?” Fluttershy invited warmly, like she was meeting an old friend.
Sweet Tooth couldn't have felt more out of place. It was like a ‘knock and run’ gone horribly wrong.
“Please” she ushered him inside.

Butterflies flittered about Fluttershy and chipmunks made themselves cosy in her mane as she lay comfortably atop the rug on her smooth wooden cottage floors.  She took a sip of tea, looking across to Sweet Tooth.  Clutching the microscopic tea-cup and saucer in his hands. The pony-sized sofa fitting him more like a small arm-chair.
“So, are you comfortable?” Fluttershy asked hospitably.
A moth perished into Sweet Tooth’s flaming 'hair’.  His stony demeanour remained unchanged. 
“This cannot be happening. How can this be happening?”  Sweet Tooth beseeched himself.
“Uhh...do you have anything... stronger than tea?” He finally managed to spit out, disconcertedly.
Fluttershy put a hoof to her chin for a moment. “Hmmm, I think I've got some bourbon in the pantry?” she concluded, gliding to the kitchen.

Sweet Tooth raised an eyebrow. 

His dumbfoundment must have been noticeable as Fluttershy giggled a little bit as she brought the bottle over to him and began pouring him a glass, “Applejack often gets it for me as a gift when she visits Appaloosa.” She left him the bottle “She knows it’s my favourite brand” she smiled cheerfully, resuming her position on the rug with her animal friends. 

“Right...Applejack... Is that the one I tried to kill?” He asked in, what he considered to be, a sincere attempt at friendly chit-chat.
Fluttershy couldn't help looking down awkwardly for a moment, “Ah, no. That was Rarity.”
“—Oh...” Sweet Tooth took a gulp of bourbon. 
The koo-koo-clock's slow ticking lingered as Sweet Tooth attempted to avoid eye contact with the little yellow pegasus.
“I guess... I should—uh, apologise for that, right?" he surmised  "--If it would make her feel any better-- I also tried to kill the pink one!”  he testified eagerly.
“Pinkie Pie” Fluttershy smiled, looking past the content and into the heart of what Sweet Tooth was saying.
“Uh—right” Sweet Tooth mumbled and slumped down. Unsure of what he was more bitter about: his latest attempts to kill or his latest attempts to try and redeem himself.

Fluttershy noticed his despair “I'm sure Pinkie Pie will forgive you. From what I can tell, she seems over the moon about you!”
Sweet Tooth went to speak, but ended up taking another drink of bourbon. With a sigh, he hung his head, his arms across his knees. Fluttershy now stepped forward and gently lifted his face with her hoof. 

She looked him in the eye with compassion “Don’t worry; you’re not a bad person. You've just made some bad decisions.”
Sweet Tooth brushed her foreleg away. “A lot of bad decisions” he confessed with a small sigh.
“It’s not too late to start making right decisions.” Fluttershy reassured
Sweet Tooth remained motionless. Fluttershy couldn't help but feel discouraged as well. 

Then, for the first time since arriving at the cottage, it was Sweet Tooth who broke the silence.
“You’re right...” Sweet Tooth rose from the sofa and put down his glass “...I’ve still got 29 days left.”

> Why Do They Call it a HACKsaw, anyway!?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Fluttershy said I could find—ah...Pinkie Pie here?” Sweet Tooth awkwardly tried explaining to the cakes as they cowered behind the shops counter. Carrot Cake was shakily wielding a knife while his wife brandished a particularly nasty looking rolling pin.
Sweet Tooth had been subjected to much worse many times before, so he was kinda de-sensitised to humouring people's concerns.
“What do you want with Pinkie Pie!?” Mrs Cake demanded
“Look, I just wanted to apologise for trying to slaughter her earlier!” Sweet Tooth, held out his hands, he couldn't understand what the big deal was!

Mrs Cake fainted. 
Sweet Tooth started forward reflexively. Carrot Cake panicked as the monstrous thug advanced on him and his helpless wife. He lunged forward and wildly swung the knife driving it into Sweet Tooth’s side, where it stood fast. Carrot Cake stared in awe at what he’d done and at how little it had affected the juggernaut before him. Sweet Tooth looked down plainly at the embedded knife, growing tired of the melodramaticism of all these ponies.
He simply pulled the knife back out “You done?”

“Sweetie!!” a familiar voice squealed with joy from across the room. Pinkie Pie was standing ecstatically at the base of the staircase and was already bounding over to greet her newest friend. 

***
Pinkie Pie busily yet joyfully pulled out assorted trays, bowls, flans, pans and ingredients from Sugarcube Corner’s many cupboards and drawers. As Sweet Tooth watched on, laying out his side of the story of their first meeting to her.
“So, you were going to cut me up into little pieces!?” Pinkie gasped with a smile.
Her light-hearted reaction caught Sweet Tooth a little off guard “Well...yeah—maybe not little pieces” he mumbled absent-mindedly. “But, yeah, I was.” 

Pinkie Pie chortled “And there I was thinking you were going make some ice cream. Boy, would my face have been red!”

“Yeah...red...” Sweet Tooth noted, rolling his eyes. “I just came to tell you that I--” 

“HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” Pinkie Pie gasped abruptly “You know what we should do!? We should totally make our own ice cream! It’d be totally funerific!” Pinkie bounced eagerly like a child on Christmas morning.
Sweet Tooth realised that getting through to Pinkie was going to be a more of a marathon than a sprint. Rolling his eyes, like a babysitter with a persistent and over-eager child, he looked up to the sky with a sigh and reluctant shrug of agreement.
Pinkie flapped her front hooves together excitedly, over Sweet Tooth’s agreement; outshining the reality of his apathetic approach.

***
Cupcakes were baking in the oven and ice cream mixture was being stirred together as the seemingly impossible couple conversed like two old war buddies.
“So I’m standing there, covered in blood, with this skunk under one arm and a 3-foot salami under the other. And so I says to Mable, I says: Oatmeal? Are you crazy!?” 
Sweet Tooth roared with laughter at Pinkie’s ridiculous anecdote.
“And they never found out?” He asked with a tear of laughter on his cheek.
“Didn’t look like it.”
“Bwahohaha ha-HA-- Pinkie Pie, you-- are so... random!” Sweet Tooth said through hysterics . “Oh-hooo, oh boy, I gotta keep my sides from splitting” wiping another tear of laughter from his eye.
“Er, no kidding” Pinkie added, matter of factly as she noticed the open wound in Sweet Tooth’s side. 
“Whoops, forgot about that” Sweet Tooth said with disinterest. 
Pinkie Pie, however, was a little more concerned “Doesn’t that hurt!?”
Sweet Tooth rolled his eyes a little bit; dismissing her concern “I’ve had worse... trust me.”
“If you say so” Pinkie slapped a bandaid over the wound.

“Besides, it was just a knife anyway... The thing was a tooth-pick compared to my machete” he added, with obvious yearning for his recently disintegrated weapon.
“Yeah, that thing was cool-looking!” Pinkie sympathised “Where did’ya get that anyways?”

Sweet Tooth angled off from the little pink pony giving her a perplexed look.

“What?” Pinkie was almost offended “I like shiny things. And sharp things are exciting! So a shiny and sharp thing is always fascinating!” she explained innocently.

“Uh, I made it from some twisted metal I found at wreck” he concluded, still slightly suspicious of the little pink mare.
Pinkie Pie picked up on his suspicious bewilderment.
“Heh, it’s funny.” Pinkie punched in some numbers on the microwave and placed the ice cream mixture into the fridge to cool. “People often assume the worst about someone when they reveal something unexpected” she wily noted, turning back to face Sweet Tooth.

He didn’t respond.

“I suppose I can understand why people find it concerning that I like sharp things” Pinkie, attempted to force a smile, but abandoned the idea and instead just looked away and swiveled her hoof on the ground. 
“A while back, when I was a filly, I moved away from my family on the rock farm. I was still new to Ponyville so I didn't have many friends. At school, one of my classmates made up a rumor that I had locked all of my old friends in a room and...” she scrunched her face in repulsion before letting out a sigh “...made them into cupcakes.”

Sweet Tooth was used to: hearing of, witnessing, as well as inflicting his fair share of cruel and disturbing pain on others. But the idea of this cute little pink pony standing before him, doing such atrocities? 
Sweet Tooth knew how to tell the crazies from the normals. He’d been on both sides, after all. 
He realised that she was a bit of an odd one, but... 
He then realised that he was beginning to feel something, something he hadn’t felt in a long, long time...
He realised that he felt sorry for her, remorseful. 
She didn’t deserve the injustice she received from some stupid kids who thought they knew everything.

Pinkie Pie continued recounting her sorrow “As if being alone in a new town and new school wasn't hard enough!” She threw herself into the air and managed to remain there an unnatural amount of time, flapping her arms in a fit.  “It wasn’t just the things they said about me, it was the looks I got. Ponies were scared of me.”  
She touched back down to the ground still huffing, in what Sweet Tooth could only assume was as angry as Pinkie got. “Making friends became impossible! Everything I did just came off as psychotic to them!”  Pinkie deflated from light-hearted frustration to a deep and sincere anguish. “It hurt. And I didn’t know what to do with it all. I was... confused and frustrated" she confessed quietly. "But ultimately, it made me angry.” Pinkie’s tone got increasingly bitter, “So angry that I felt like giving them a reason to believe the rumours. If they wanted to be mean and nasty to me, I would be mean and nasty to them!”  
Pinkie looked up at Sweet Tooth’s masked face, “An eye for an eye, right?”

“What did you do?” Sweet Tooth asked.
“One day, during the lunch break. I was watching her, the one who started it all, across the courtyard, surrounded by her friends: smiling, laughing--occasionally after pointing at me. She was having the time of her life over there with all her friends, at my expense” Pinkie sat down glumly, ashamed. “In my bag, I had a rock that I’d brought to my home from the rock farm-- A big one...a hard one” Pinkie heaved in regret.
Sweet Tooth lowered himself to be at her eye level “What did you do?” he repeated.
He didn’t know what to think or feel about the seemingly innocent little pink pony when she began to slowly grin, eyes down, glazed in remembrance. 
“I remember it all so clearly” she recounted, shaking her head gently with a vacant smiling stare. “I was going make things even... I wasn’t going to be the only hurt one anymore.”

Sweet Tooth knew exactly where this story was going. He scoffed, “But, surely, you didn’t...finish her... Did you?”
A small grin formed on Pinkie's face, “No, I didn’t.”
Sweet Tooth wasn’t sure if he was relieved or disappointed, “Well then, what happened to her? To you?”

“I was just about to get up and ‘finish it’, when somepony came up beside me and asked: Is this seat, taken?” Pinkie seemed more familiar now as she spoke, her trademark effervescence slowly returning to her: In her eyes, her mannerisms and on her voice. “I couldn’t believe it! Somepony wanted to talk to me!?” She pressed her hooves to her chest, in wide-eyed disbelief, re-living the thrill of the memory. “She actually wanted to be my friend! She said that: ‘us farm ponies, need'a stick together.’ It was Applejack who had reached out to me!” The original shock and joy of the moment still resonated as Pinkie recounted it.  “I asked her why she wasn’t scared of me like the others. And you know what she said?”
Sweet Tooth gave a hesitant shake of the head. He had a feeling the question was rhetorical, but it was often hard to tell with this one.
Pinkie began to erupt into a buzzsaw of joy “She said that, she wanted to hear the honest truth, straight from the horse’s mouth! Said: she knew that the rumours couldn’t be true! Granny raised her better than to judge somepony before getting to know 'em!” The pride and joy slowed down now as Pinkie reminisced. 
She smiled at Sweet Tooth “That was the start of a great friendship. One that we still share today!” she noted with delight

Sweet Tooth repeated his question, “What happened to the other girl?”

Bing! The microwave timer sounded. 

Pinkie Pie began removing the ice cream mixture from the fridge and putting it into a container. “Well, after I became friends with Applejack, I was able to start clearing my name” She placed the container in the freezer.  “Not just through what I said, but through what I did” Pinkie explained, giving the door a light kick closed, tilting her head cheerfully to the side with a smile, as she did so.
She swooned as she started to reminisce over childhood memories, “Applejack and I: went in school bake-sales together, helped plan school parties and events together... just serving those around us with a smile and a laugh, doin' the little things, y’know? We started to make a bit of reputation for ourselves--”

“But, what about the other girl!?” Sweet Tooth implored impatiently. He still felt angry at the one who’d done all of this to her. He still felt angry about what had been done to him.

“I was getting to that, silly!” Pinkie Pie, smiled and flopped a hoof as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She regressed to a more serious and vulnerable tone,  “Of course, I was still mad at her for the way she had treated me, those feelings still lingered even after I had become friends with Applejack; I’d just given them a backseat to my joy.” She let out a sigh as she continued. “Sure enough though, with time those feelings started creeping up again” she looked away, deflated.
Her softly quaking eyes and disheartened frown shattered as she sprung back up, progressing with the story with her usual enthusiasm, “So, I told Applejack, about how I felt about it all”  just as quickly as her enthusiasm had appeared, it began to slowly fade once again.  “I told her about what I had planned to do, how I was going to get even... I was worried that my confession would make her think that, after all that time, I really was a monster like everypony said.” Pinkie was crestfallen. “You know what she did?”

‘Another rhetorical?” Sweet Tooth’s internal quandary was overcome by his anticipation as Pinkie continued.

“She hugged me. And she told me some things, something I’ll never forget” Pinkie’s face began to light up. She whimsically jabbed a hoof to her eye,  “An eye for an eye and the world goes blind... sugarcube” she added whimsically, for historical accuracy “Like Granny Smith always says: you reap what you sow. If you give in to that anger, it doesn’t go away, it just gets bigger and bigger until it swallows you. You’ve got to break the cycle! Love your enemies. Do to others whatever you would have them do to you!”

Sweet Tooth was stunned, it almost seemed like she was speaking another language.

“But I was still so angry!” Pinkie scrunched her face at the memory. “I told her that, and that I couldn’t just do nothing about it!” she stomped her hoof.
Sweet Tooth cracked a grievous grin behind his mask as he anticipated the assurance he had been hoping for. “Of course! You can’t just do nothing! It’s not fair! So, how did you do it? Did you double team her?” He rubbed his palms together with impish glee.
Pinkie looked away with an amused smile, remembering when she too reasoned like that. She turned to face Sweet Tooth again.
“I wanted to. But--”
“But what? But what!?” Sweet Tooth asked maniacally. His hopes, of finding another lost soul, fading.
“But I was just... tired... of being angry” she concluded warmly. “Applejack showed me a way out of my dark, un-fun place. She gave me a light and a path.”

Sweet Tooth tried to speak, but he couldn’t. The words died in his throat. 

Pinkie placed a friendly hoof on his shoulder and looked him in the eye: “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” 

Sweet Tooth thought back to how this all started. How he had always lashed out, his bloodlust; not just at the ponies, but everyone. His rage, his confusion and at the core of it all, he realised, his fear of the unknown and his desire to feel he had power over what happened to him. He realised that all of his anger and all of his hate, were spawned from his fear. He was still just a boy underneath it all, a hurt, confused and scared child who wanted to out-match the big bad world that had broken him; to scare it off. To prove he could hit harder than it could. To prove to it that he could give worse than it could.
Pinkie Pie went to give him a hug. He stood up sharply and turned his back before she had a chance.
He was overwhelmed by the way he had just related so deeply to...to-- a little pink pony, of all things! Her story of injustice and anger, of hate... 
He wanted to believe he too could find a way to this so called light. Was it even possible? Was it real? Through it all, there was so much he wanted to say, to ask, to do. There was a storm of emotions raging inside of him, some new and some of them old ghosts. 
Finally, He made a decision: If it were possible, he wanted to at least try.

He looked back over his shoulder “I'm sorry” he said plainly, reluctantly, as if Pinkie was his sibling, “For trying to kill you earlier” he added.

“That’s ok! I forgive you” Pinkie replied almost immediately.

Sweet Tooth was noticeably astonished at the brevity of her response. Pinkie Pie simply giggled. He couldn’t help but feel a bit dejected.  
“If you didn’t, we might never have met!” Pinkie remarked.
Her ironic attempt to comfort him was met with a stone-cold reception.

Sweet Tooth, beginning to feel uncomfortable, attempted to move the spotlight back to Pinkie, “You still haven’t answered my question. What happened to that other girl?” 
Pinkie smiled to herself “Rarity...” she corrected. “...eventually came to me to apologise”
Sweet Tooth raised an eyebrow, he recognised that name.

Pinkie elaborated “She said that she was sorry for the way she’d been treating me. She said that she had just been trying to make people like her because she was afraid to be alone. When she realised that she had sold herself out to be in, when she realised she was living a lie, she wanted to change... She saw how Applejack and I had endured, in the face of peer pressure and ridicule and she was 'so, so, so sorry' that she ever put us through any of it. She wanted 'in' on something that special. She wanted to be my friend.” Pinkie Pie smiled triumphantly “I forgave her right then and there. With the biggest hug and the even biggerest  smile I had!”

“So, let me get this straight.” Sweet Tooth cross-examined her case. “She tried to sabotage your life...apologises ...And you just: forgave her? Just like that, huh?” 
“Yeperoonie!” Pinkie Pie replied with proud and unwavered confidence.
Sweet Tooth considered all of what Pinkie Pie had testified to him before breaking his silence “Then I have another question.” 
“Yeah?”
“Do you think...she’d do the same for me?"
> Pins & Needles
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rarity levitated an assortment of fabrics, cloths, and other textile materials as she hummed a tune to herself, merrily buzzing about her boutique. She placed the sewing kit she had been carrying in her mouth down on her workbench by her sketches and lowered the textiles down neatly beside the bench as well. 
Just moments earlier, inspiration had burst through her front door and swept her off her feet.

“Oh, Rarity, I dare say, you’ve outdone yourself, once again!” she complimented herself, turning her head in dignified pride before breaking her refined demeanour--springing to her hind legs and let out a giggling spurt of uncontainable zest. 

She set about her work--her art: her years of experience evident through her laser-beam attention to detail, sizing and measuring selections of textiles to a series of mannequins. She continued to cut the textiles to the appropriate proportions and assorted shapes with: precision, poise--proficiency. Her meticulous eye for detail, rivalled, only by the ease at which she breezed through the exacting process.
Her cat, Opalessence, pompously wandered over to sticky-beak at what her owner seemed to think was more important that paying attention to her. 
“Oh, Opal, these dresses will be simply smashing at the Princesses' Lunular Reunion Anniversary celebration!” Rarity proclaimed, making a few editions to her initial sketches.
Rarity turned to her sewing machine-- there was a knock on the door. Her head pricked up, “Who could that be?” she thought curiously to herself.

She opened the door and greeted the visitor: “Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where every piece is: chìc, unique and magnifique!--”
Rarity was bewildered by who was on the other side of the doorframe. 

“Hello, Rarity!”

“Oh--" Rarity lifted a hoof to her face, she couldn't believe who stood before her.
***


"What are you doing here, Twilight? I thought you would be in Canterlot to help oversee the preparation for the anniversary celebration” Rarity inquired.
“Things...” Twilight Sparkle gazed upward sheepishly, lost for words for a moment “...sorted themselves out much quicker than we first thought they would” she rolled her eyes with a smile and rubbed her neck awkwardly. 
Rarity detected that there was a tale behind that under-statement. 

Twilight blushed, “So, I thought I might just stop by and see if you’d had any luck with your recent 'creator’s block' ”
“Well, please, do come in and make yourself at home, darling!” Rarity invited as she turned to resume her work. “Please, excuse the mess; I’ve received a revelation!” she explained triumphantly, levitating her preliminary sketches over for Twilight to inspect.
Twilight took telekinetic control of the sketches. She brought them closer and studied them in awe at her friend’s remarkable vision. “Wow, Rarity! These are dazzling!”
“Why, thank-you, dear!" Rarity placed her hoof to her chest with light-hearted prestige, "They are sure to be among the halls of my greatest works!” she declared before turning back to her textiles and sewing machine. 

As Rarity set to work, she suddenly realised that some critical material was missing from its usual spot. She felt a stab of panic! “Where is the gold silk!? Pull-ease tell me I have golden silk!” she began throwing herself around the room, frantically searching everywhere. Upturning every loose item, digging through every drawer and cabinet.  She suddenly lifted her head in realisation, “Sweetie Belle” she growled. 
She inhaled...
...exhaled, and then turned with grace to her curious friend, “Twilight, darling?”
“Yes, Rarity?”
“I hate to be a bother, but could you perhaps be a dear and check upstairs for my golden silk? I’m fairly sure SWEETIE BELLE has miss-placed it. It’s more than likely still in her room.”
“Certainly” Twilight chimed, happy to help a friend. She made her way upstairs.


“I swear, that Sweetie Belle will be the death of me” Rarity muttered to herself.
She began levitating the miscellaneous items of the boutique, that she had tossed into a whirlwind in her search for her gold silk, back to their proper places.
Her tidying was interrupted by yet another knock at the door. 
She wondered if she’d ever get her deigns started.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where every piece is: chìc, unique and magnifique--”

“Hi!” Pinkie exploded, bounding through the door into Rarity’s boutique.
“Pinkie Pie?” Rarity stood with warm-hearted surprise. She couldn’t help but let out a small grin at her friend’s effervescence “To what do I owe this lovely surprise visit?”
Her question was quickly answered. 
Sweet Tooth, following shortly behind Pinkie Pie, lowered himself through the door, seeping into the pristine boutique like a bloodstain. 
The rolls of fabrics and textiles Rarity was levitating all crashed to the ground. She froze with terror as her mind raced back to the only memory she had with the gargantuan monster.
***

The room was locked in a vice. Sweet Tooth didn’t know what to say and Rarity was simply mortified. The grotesque—thing that had attempted to kill her just days ago was in her home! 
Time had slammed to a grinding halt. Pinkie Pie realised that this was going just as badly as Sweet Tooth had predicted. She attempted to mediate for the two. “Rarity, this is Sweet Tooth. Sweet Tooth, this is Rarity” she chirped. “I know that you two got off on the wrong hoof. But, Sweet Tooth has changed!”
Pinkie Pie’s testament was met with crippling silence. 
From the stillness, Rarity could only shake her head in a combination of fear and disbelief. Her eyes darted between Pinkie Pie and Sweet Tooth. 
What is Pinkie Pie thinking!? Surly she knew who this is! How did she bring him here!? What did he have planned!? Changed? Did he say that!? What does that mean!?  --How can I get out of this alive!? Can I get out of this alive!? 
She started breaking down into stammering “...Pinkie...wha-whe--wha--why—how-wh-... I can’t—I don’t--” 

Pinkie Pie realised that Rarity had not recovered from her near death experience quite as rapidly as she had. 

Pinkie’s bubbly nature simmered to a more sensitive demeanour as she drew close to her distressed friend.  “I told him... about our childhood” she informed Rarity softly.
Heart still pounding, Rarity broke her terror-griped gaze from Sweet Tooth. Her eyes met with Pinkie’s. 
“Please, Rarity? He says that he wants to change, and I believe him. Just give him a chance.”
Rarity remembered how she had asked a young Pinkie Pie to “just give me a chance”.
Hesitantly, she placed a hoof forward, looking to Pinkie for reassurance as she stepped towards Sweet Tooth.

Sweet Tooth slowly crouched to one knee in an attempt to extend a warm greeting to the still petrified unicorn, “Rarity.” 
Rarity summoned her strength to compose herself. “...Sw-Sweet Tooth.”  

Unfortunately, In spite of all their efforts, the scene was still on its way out of its awkward bog when it was shot down by a sudden and unexpected interruption.

“You not going to believe where I found the golden silk!” cheered Twilight, reaching the base of the stairs. 
Silence met her. 
She opened her eyes to find: a dumbfounded Pinkie Pie, stunned Rarity and the still kneeling villain all staring back at her.
“What are you doing here!?” Twilight demanded throwing herself between Sweet Tooth and Rarity. She lowered her head and was poised to charge.
“Look, I don’t have a beef with you. I just—” Sweet Tooth began impatiently.
“Came to ‘finish the job’!?” Twilight interjected.
“Wait!” Pinkie Pie jumped into the air and zoomed across to Twilight in wide-eyed haste. “You don’t understand! Sweet Tooth has changed!” 
“Oh, has he now?” Twilight spat sceptically, not breaking her laser-locked stare with Sweet Tooth.
“Yeah!”  Even with her 6th sense, Pinkie Pie failed to detect Twilight’s obvious disbelief. “He came here to apologise to Rarity! Not to cut her up into pieces!”
Twilight looked to Pinkie condescendingly “I’m sure that’s exactly what he wants you to think” she countered sweetly. 
She snapped back to Sweet Tooth before elaborating “...He tricks you into lowering your guard—then he strikes!” she finished angrily with a stomp and a sweep of her front hoof.
Sweet Tooth was back on his by feet now, he jabbed a finger towards Twilight “You don’t know what you’re talking about! You’ve got it all wrong” he explained, exasperated by Twilight’s incredible interjection.
“Oh, I don’t think I do!” Twilight retaliated venomously “I’ve done my homework on you.” 
Sweet Tooth leaned back slightly. Twilight realised she had hit a nerve on the behemoth. 

“That’s right. You can’t fool me: You’re a monster! A cretin! Not just inflicting--but... delighting in the suffering and death of the helpless. You may have deceived my friends, but you’re mind-games are no match for me! I don’t know what you’re trying to pull in coming here. But let me tell you something--right now: if you think you can lure my friends into your-- den of death, then so help me... I’ll make sure Celestia sends you on a one-way trip to the sun!” she returned Sweet Tooth’s burning glare with her a glare of her own. “For a scumbag like you, banishment to the sun wouldn’t be punishment enough."
Sweet Tooth chuckled devilishly “Alright: No more Mr. Nice Guy” he advanced towards Twilight. 
He may not have his: machete or his truck or his weapons, but he didn't need them. He knew other ways of getting his message across.

Twilight fired a large bolt of magic at him, the otherwise powerful bolt, failed to knock the titanic man over but sent him skidding back across the room as he absorbed the shot. Pinkie Pie reached a hoof out absently to Sweet Tooth, Rarity looked on in shock.  
The vapour settled. Throughout the blast, Sweet Tooth hadn’t even broken his death stare with Twilight. 

“I think you’d better leave” Twilight threatened.
Sweet Tooth was internally combusting with frustration, infuriated at what his attempts to clean up his life had yielded. 
“What do you think I’ve been trying to do!?” he exploded defensively.
The door slammed shut. Twilight flared her nostrils with a huff before turning to face her friends. She let out a sigh “That takes care of him, right girls?”

"..."
> When Darkness Falls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweet Tooth approached the Library with an unbreakable march. 
He tried being nice, nice was for suckers.
He wasn’t going to let some pint-sized lavender unicorn push him around! 
He felt the familiar, fleeting comfort of vengeance take hold of him as his grin matched the one plastered on his mask. 
He came to a halt by the letterbox, taking a moment to look over the site. 
“Ah, Golden Oak Library” he sighed, placing his hands together behind his back with mock nostalgia. He peeked downward and noted the number on the letterbox “One Eighty-Four...” his twisted grin snapped back in place “Let’s BURN IT DOWN!” he laughed hysterically, lighting up a Molotov cocktail. 
He wound-up his throw, aiming to send the first one straight through the front window. The dry old pages of the books Twilight had left littered on the floor were sure to catch nicely. The leafy exterior would take care of itself.

“What are you doing!?” called a voice behind Sweet Tooth.
He decided he would rather show then tell. 
But before he could continue, he realised, his first clip of cocktails were gone as his pitched arm grasped at empty air.
He dropped his arms tiredly “This just keeps getting better and better!” He muttered to himself.

***
Sweet Tooth slowly, irritably, turned around to see Rarity, levitating the bottles into a nearby skip bin. He bore down on her with a foreboding stare “What are you doing here?” he demanded balefully, sending a chill down Rarity’s spine.
Rarity felt the breath of the monster's words send a chill down her spine, freezing her where she stood. This plan was so much easier in her head—
“I was in a good mood when I let you get away from me the first time...” Sweet Tooth explained menacingly. “...I’m not going to give you any more chances: Just turn around and walk away, right now.”
Rarity recoiled in fear. Her heart was beating like a hummingbird trapped in a glass jar, her mouth had gone dry, her stomach knotted. Her mind, drowning her with screaming visions of what would happen next... her fear had evolved into terror and she couldn't move.

She closed her eyes, summoning all the strength within herself to regain her composure. 
She inhaled and opened her eyes. 
The transformation from petrified dressmaker to bearer of the Element of Generosity was astounding.

“I came to say: I forgive you” she informed Sweet Tooth.
The words stopped Sweet Tooth and his murderous rampage in his tracks, puzzled. Did he hear that right? 
He’d seen fear turn to hysteria before, but never-- like this 
“...What?” he finally puzzled quietly.
“Pinkie said that you wanted to change. That you wanted to apologise for-- attempting to kill me?” Rarity raised an eyebrow.
Sweet Tooth realised his earlier confessed vulnerabilities had been exposed. 
He raised his guard out of instinct. “And you believed her!?” was the best he could come up with.
Rarity held back an amused grin. “At first: No, I didn’t. But when Twilight cross-examined you, when I saw how you reacted to her words, in comparison to when we first met. I knew something was different. But, it wasn’t until Twilight attacked you, that I knew you had changed” she concluded.

In bewilderment, Sweet Tooth tried to rebuttal her testament, but not a single word could make the journey from mind to mouth. 
Rarity took the opening to continue prosecution “Twilight Sparkle is a powerful, magically-gifted unicorn” she gently ensured eye contact with Sweet Tooth. “And that blast she gave you was not a much of a warning shot. She was scared...” She looked away mournful for her friend’s actions “...she was angry...”  
Sweet Tooth attempted to bail out of the situation “Thanks for reminding me!” he chided. Now, if you’re done with the pep talk?” He turned to Library. “I’ve got a house to burn down—”
“No. I am not done!  And I would thank you to turn around and look at me when I’m talking to you” Rarity ordered.

Sweet Tooth turned, half surprised and half infuriated by the little unicorn’s sudden development of a backbone. “You think I’m going to take that from you, cupcake!?” he started sardonically “In case you’d forgotten, the only reason I haven’t killed you all already is—oh yeah, that’s right: There isn’t one!” he growled.

“Exactly!” Rarity stood her ground. 
Sweet Tooth was thrown. Rarity’s reaction had caught him off guard.
Rarity continued closing down Sweet Tooth’s defences “Only, I think: There is a reason. Otherwise you would have done away with us back at my Boutique.”
When Sweet Tooth was unable to argue a defence immediately, Rarity knew she was right. “Twilight may be a powerful unicorn, but that bolt of magic didn’t even leave a scratch! In fact, when I saw the way you were looking at her after it, I was sure our last hope for survival was gone! But, you didn’t retaliate, did you? You could have—with ease, I’d imagine, and quite successfully too! But you knew: that would only prove Twilight’s assumptions right.”
Sweet Tooth couldn’t believe it. This damn unicorn had pierced his armour! She’d seen through his mask. She was right.

Out of plays, Sweet Tooth let out an frustrated sigh of anguish and slumped to his knees, defeated. He figured she had him right where she wanted him: at the end of his rope, open and vulnerable. She knew he had gone soft. She knew he wanted to give up the fight after so long. She knew that he had become an old dog.  He had barely put the pieces together himself, but she did. And now, she had him cornered.
Sweet Tooth had grown accustom to what happened to the vulnerable in his world. He decided, he’d make peace with his demons before whatever destruction lay before him. 
“I’m sorry...” he confessed his head still hung. His words were not just to Rarity, but to everyone he had tormented “...for everything.”


“Apology accepted. I forgive you” Rarity chimed nonchalantly .
Sweet Tooth peeked upwards in bewilderment “Wha?...was that it? Just like that? --What are you playing at?” he demanded suspiciously
Rarity couldn’t help letting a small chuckle slip through her smile, “Believe me, it is no small feat. It was not easy for me to say those words.”
“...then...how—wha, why?”
“Come along" she beckoned merrily, she turned to leave, "I’ll explain over coffee” she called back.

***
Sheltered from the sun, outside a quiet local coffee shop Sweet Tooth had thrown himself onto the miniature outdoor seat. Removing the rag of cloth from a Molotov and casually taking a swig of the cheap Vodka. 
Across the single-legged table, Rarity, savoured the aroma of her coffee, delicately blowing the steam off the top before taking a slow, refined taste of the brew. Deeply satisfied with the blend she sighed comfortably. 

“So, Pinkie Pie told you about...my childhood?” Rarity asked politely through slight discomfort at the subject.
“Yeah. She did” Sweet Tooth answered plainly.
Rarity had hoped that they could have danced around the subject at least little longer than that. 
With nothing to go with, she sighed reluctantly and abandoned her aim of beating around the bush.

“When I was just a school filly, my mother and father fought, often. My mother wanted to pour everything they had into raising me right. My father, an enterprising businesspony, expected his trophy wife to ‘not be so eager to spend his life-savings’.  To cut a long story short: They expected different things out of each other... They wanted different things out of life. In the end they divorced. 

Rarity, took a moment. She hadn’t dwelt on this scar in a long time.
"My mother, put on a brave face and did her best. But I could tell that being a single parent, without my father’s generous income, was taking its toll. Meanwhile, my father had quickly re-focused himself back to his work. He had torn my mother out of his memory; He has never really been one to have time for sentiment. He often made an effort to instil in me that: ‘Life is short. And you only live once, sugar. You waste your time being nice and you’ll get walked over by everyone!’” Rarity’s detached impression of her father gave way to sorrow.
“As I watched my mother drift into poverty” she recounted with watery eyes “I realised..." she shook her head softly "...My father must have been right. Rarity suddenly straightened her posture, with a bold, stern expression now etched on her face. “My silver tongue and eye for detail, my weapons of choice, I established an empire at school. Charming my teachers with my good grades, dismantling anypony who stood in my way, ensuring all of my classmates knew who they answered to if they wanted to keep their dignity. I did whatever I could to get ahead.  I didn’t want to end up: broken and alone like my mother.” Rarity sighed and swallowed her regret “I stepped on a lot of innocent ponies in my sprawl for the top. Completely oblivious to how far I had to fall. Or what I had become.”

“What about Pinkie Pie?” Sweet Tooth asked
Rarity took a sip of coffee as she smiled absently, eyes glazed over “That’s when everything started to fall apart”

“When Pinkie Pie arrived, she was the talk of the school grounds, naturally. I recognised her as an immediate threat to what I worked so tirelessly to achieve." Rarity stared cunningly into the steam rising from her coffee as she recounted her equation meticulously. I knew, if she realised how magnetic she was, she would gain self-confidence. And then, it wouldn’t be long before she would overshadow me --steal my 'friends' with her infectious enthusiasm and sincere charisma. But, I also knew she was insecure..."
"So I started the rumours” she stated simply.  “My plan worked perfectly... until Applejack interfered. She proved to be a critical mis-calculation on my part.”
“They started to make a reputation for themselves” Sweet Tooth recounted Pinkie’s ramblings.
“Indeed” Rarity answered vacantly, still staring down into her coffee. “My ‘friends’ began to abandon me as soon as they realised that my grip over them was slipping. I was devastated. What did Pinkie Pie and Applejack have that I couldn’t offer!?” she demanded. Her now desperate stare morphing into a vicious glare “If I couldn’t be Queen-B...nobody could.” 
Her voice echoed a disturbing calmness, poised and calculated.  “So I set out to destroy them: to undermine and erode their friendship.  I used every trick I could think of but they didn’t break!" Rarity's voice crescendoed "In fact, the sabotage appeared to bring them closer together! The pushes and pressures, only gave them more confidence! They were impervious to everything! What did they have that I didn’t!? ” Rarity implored to Sweet Tooth across the table.

Rarity dropped back into her seat, enchanted by the still vivid memories, “Before too long, my heartlessness left me... broken and alone, with nothing to show for selling my heart and soul but a life of regret. Things got dark.." Rarity paused. "But, I resolved to at least try and pick myself up and try again, to try... the other path. The one my father had warned me against.”
...The path he had tried to follow, Sweet Tooth realised. 
The path Twilight had pushed him from, Sweet Tooth identified exactly with what she had meant as she continued.
“I went to beg for forgiveness from the very girls I had tried to destroy.  At the end of final period, I waited by the gates to catch Pinkie on her way home. I figured I’d already hit rock bottom, after all. If she pounded me deeper into the bedrock, I suppose I deserved it.”

“But, Pinkie Pie told me, she forgave you? On the spot even” Sweet Tooth questioned in confusion.
Rarity lit up “And she did! And so did Applejack! And that’s when I realised-- what it was they had, that I had thrown away a long time ago” Rarity explained with jubilation. “They had love!”
"..."Sweet Tooth now had no idea what she meant.
“Not an awkward, hopeless-romantic, lovey-dovey love!” she quickly clarified with an awkward chuckle over Sweet Tooth's confusion. “But an even greater love-- A deep respect for each other! The desire to put the other before themselves” Rarity elaborated earnestly.  “To delight in each other! To be there for them, a shoulder to cry on and share a load with. To laugh when one laughs and weep when one weeps, to take their pack the whole two miles --to take a bullet for them! "she burst dramatically. 
Clearing her throat, she quickly recomposed herself and took Sweet Tooth's hand in hooves,  "To forgive them.” 

Rarity let the words sink in for a moment before bringing her hoof back to her cup. She took another sip of her coffee. Her eyes glazed over as she smiled absently, floating in nostalgia. “...A childhood saturated with: fighting, selfishness, deception, back-stabbing, and burnt bridges have taught me: Never turn down an apology when it is offered." 
Sweet Tooth looked up over to her.
Rarity returned to the present and looked Sweet Tooth in the eye “But most importantly of them all: Do unto others as you would have them do onto you.”

Sweet Tooth was sent falling into a sense of metamorphism as he made the connection between Pinkie and Rarity’s interwoven stories. “You reap what you sow...” he recalled under his breath.
> Rebirth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

***
Sweet Tooth simply sat silently in Rarity’s room on the upper level of Carousel Boutique, on what Rarity had referred to as her ‘fainting couch’. He had been mulling over what had happened over the past few days since arriving: visiting Fluttershy, Pinkie’s story, Rarity’s testament, Twilight’s jarring reminder of who he is and what he’s done, both of which joined in with all that was floating across the surface of the sea of his mind, as the storm that had been raging reached its eye.
Rarity was climbing back up the stairs, face scrunched slightly, she disconcertedly inspected the details of a bottle she levitated before her. “All I could find was some wine that I got from the Gala” she called from the stairway. “Though it hasn’t really had much time to age, I’m afraid it’s all I’ve got right now” she reached the top of the stairs and continued over to Sweet Tooth. “Do you still want any of it?”

Ding-Dong 

Rarity stopped, looked quickly between the door, the bottle and Sweet Tooth. 
“I’ll just-- leave the bottle” she concluded sheepishly. “ You’ll be ok on your own again for a moment?” she inquired with motherly concern.
Sweet Tooth didn’t respond.
Rarity couldn’t help but relish the opportunity to break off from the awkward scene. 
She opened the front door “I am truly sorry, but trading hours have closed. If you would like—” she stalled, upon realising who it was at her door. “Oh, Fluttershy? I’m terribly sorry, darling, but I’m...with a client. Could we please re-schedule this, dear?”
“Pinkie Pie told me what happened. I thought, maybe I could help--If that’s ok with you...”
***

The bright afternoon sun cast light over Rarity through the boutiques windows, illuminating her angelic white coat brilliantly, almost blindingly as she returned upstairs, trailing behind Fluttershy who had already established herself in the room, having made a bee-line for it from the front door. 
Sweet Tooth took a drink of the bourbon Fluttershy had brought with her for just the purpose.
Even with Fluttershy’s help, the ponies probing and airings of concern hadn’t broken through Sweet Tooth’s brooding. The two ponies decided to give him some space, turning to return downstairs. 
“If you need anything at all, just let us know” Fluttershy offered.
“We’re here for you” Rarity affirmed.
Once again, the kindness of the ponies had flown under Sweet Tooth’s guard, he found himself oddly infuriated by how well he was being treated. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Before the two ponies could leave he simply asked “Why?”
“Beg ‘pardon?” Rarity turned towards Sweet Tooth in confusion from the mouth of the stairway.
“Why?” He repeated  “Why are you doing all of this!?”
Fluttershy and Rarity paused temporarily, exchanged glances, before smiling to each other. Rarity stepped forward.
“It’s because we’re you’re friends, sweetie!” she replied simply and sweetly “—uh, Sweet Tooth...darling” she corrected herself clumsily with a smile.

The sincerity and selflessness they had exhibited to him since he first laid eyes on them and tried to slaughter them, burned him. The floodgates he had held his guilt back with collapsed. He remembered how he had felt about the girl who had made Pinkie’s life hell and how he felt after hearing about Rarity’s father and her childhood. He thought about all the people he had snuffed out.
“How can you be so kind!?” he challenged quietly.
Rarity’s coat dimmed as the sun was eclipsed by the clouds, and the light filling the room turned dark. Rarity and Fluttershy were perplexed by his question; neither knew what he meant by it.
Their questions were answered when Sweet Tooth erupted from the chair “Why are the ones who deserve better the ones who always get the shaft!?” He threw his arms around in pure anger as he continued his lamentations “Why are they the ones to get pushed around, walked on, swept aside? What’s the point of being good if you get knifed for it and the dogs get rich off your blood!?”
Before either Rarity or Fluttershy could respond, he continued “You have all shown and told me of the ‘magical power of love and friendship’” Sweet Tooth waved his arms and legs up and down mockingly in a half-hearted jig. “But why bother with love and friendship!?” he spat.  “I hate myself for what I’ve done. But why should I change?” he took a moment to let the challenge sink in before concluding his rant “Why should I change, when I’ll just be miserable anyway!”  his voiced made the walls shake. He stood there, fuming, panting like a blazing steam train slowing to a stop.

For a moment the two ponies stood stiff, wide-eyed with dropped jaws at his unexpected outcry. They turned their heads to each other in silent dialogue. 
This time, Fluttershy stepped forward. “I’m not miserable” she replied simply and sensitively.
“Neither am I” Rarity stepped forward uniting with Fluttershy.
“How..." Sweet Tooth clenched his palms before him in question, staring in unbelief at the two ponies "can you stand there in all honesty and tell me that?” he demanded simply.
“We don’t do nice things to benefit ourselves, dear” Rarity started. “We do it to benefit others, so that others might live. So that others can see the light of love reflected into their life, to look at things through different eyes, to encourage them to join in taking the highroad, perpetuating goodness --paying it forward, so to speak" Rarity testified. “Why, knowing that you’ve helped someone is more fulfilling than the richest of banquet feasts!” 

For the first time since he had arrived, things were starting to make sense for Sweet Tooth. His memory flashed back to the decision he had made with Pinkie Pie:  “Applejack showed me a way out of my dark, un-fun place. She gave me a light and a path.” 
“The light?” Sweet Tooth muttered in recollection.
“The light of love” Fluttershy informed. “We have this light shining in our hearts, even though we ourselves are like fragile jars containing this treasure.”  
Sweet Tooth couldn’t help noticing that Fluttershy couldn’t have been a better illustration for fragility.
“That doesn’t answer my questions...” he strained, leaning down towards the ponies, arms outstretched. “Why do you allow people... like me to hurt you!?” 
Rarity noticed that this question was more aimed at her “Darling, believe me: I didn’t want nor ask for you to hold a machete to my throat and start threatening my life. And, given the chance, I would have given you a right piece of my mind for being so uncouth!” She scolded jokingly, in an attempt to lighten his mood...
Realising that she should leave the wisecracks to Pinkie Pie, Rarity quickly sought to amend her response. “What I mean is: we don’t ask for bad things to happen to us and we do our best to avoid progressions that all too quickly evolve into bad things.” Her light-hearted air evolved into a more candid tone as she took his hand in her hoof. “But, bad things happen and will happen to everyone at some point or another, regardless of who we are, what we believe or what we do. We’ve all been sorry, and we’ve all been hurt. But it’s how you choose to respond to the cards you’re dealt that makes you who you are!”

Fluttershy moved closer to Sweet Tooth, looking up to him with compassion “We are pressed on every side by trouble, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. After all: light shines brightest in the dark.”
“That’s...” Sweet Tooth marvelled at Fluttershy’s insight before his rage began to rise once again “--all well and good! Meanwhile, you’re hard earned rewards get pocketed by some low-lifes!?” 
“Darling, we don’t chase after or cling to the ever-fading spoils of this world.” Rarity chuckled sweetly. 
Sweet Tooth gave Rarity a sceptical look.
His challenge, causing her to elaborate her point more candidly “If I learnt anything from my father it's that those who want after money will never have enough.” Her heart and gaze momentarily dropped in remorse for her father, she quickly returned her focus to Sweet Tooth. “ And I learnt, first hoof, that those who fight for power can never achieve complete control.” She reminded him with a sympathetic smile before adding “...even if they do, it never lasts” Rarity rolled her eyes down, disappointed in her past. She then sprung back to life, placing her front hooves upon Sweet Tooth’s shoulders “but love does!” she expressed earnestly, her eyes wide and sparkling like sapphires.  “Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous, or boastful, or proud or rude and it does not demand its own way. It is not irritable and keeps no record of being wronged” she slowed from her initial frenzy by the weight of sentiment loaded in the words. “Love does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices when the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses hope. Is always faithful and endures through every circumstance” she concluded, hugging Sweet Tooth’s side.
“That is why we never give up” Fluttershy chimed in, as if the two had rehearsed for this. “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a treasure that vastly outweighs them all and will last forever! So, we don’t look at the troubles we see now; rather we fix our eyes on what we cannot see. For the things we see now are only temporary, but the things we cannot see are eternal.”

“Why don’t I have this light?” Sweet Tooth asked with jealous sorrow.
“Have you ever asked?” Fluttershy inquired plainly.
Sweet Tooth was dumbstruck. He looked Fluttershy in the eyes. He had never considered that it could be that simple. He shook his head.
Fluttershy joined Rarity by hugging his other side “It’s never too late.”

> Invitation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The touching scene was shattered by Rarity’s window doing the very same.
Fluttershy flinched and let out a microscopic squeal of fright.
“My window!” Rarity cried in horror.
“I brought you a letter!” sung a familiar voice from outside, flying off busily to continue her blitzkrieg mail route.

“Ooh” Rarity whined angrily. “That derpy mare! What will we do with her?” she huffed to nopony as she trotted over to collect the pouch of letters.
She was levitating it over to place on her desk when she noticed that, among the letters, were some that had the Royal Seal stamped upon them! She quickly brought the pouch back across to herself.  Upon opening and inspecting the contents, Rarity tilted her face slightly, raising an eyebrow, and a hoof to her chin.

“What is it, Rarity?” Fluttershy had already started over to Rarity “...Is it about the Princess’ Lunular Reunion Celebration?” she asked with shy curiosity. 
Sweet Tooth rolled his eyes and retired to the sofa to drink and let the two ponies fuss over their ‘Royal tea-party’.
“Oh—umm” Rarity looked over one of the Royal letters in befuddlement. “Yes, it is dear. But...” she hesitated.
Fluttershy’s curiosity turned to mild concern, “But what?” 
“Well...” Rarity lowered her voice to a whisper, Fluttershy leaned in close. “I don’t want to over-step the mark. But, there is a letter here addressed to Sweet Tooth from the Princesses and... well” --in an instant, Rarity combed her mind again for any plausible reason the princesses would be addressing a written letter to Sweet Tooth. And again, she had only one plausible conclusion --“Well, I think it might be...an invitation to the Celebration?”
Fluttershy pulled back in a reflexive fit of jubilation “You mean Sweet Tooth’s invited!?” she asked, just a little bit louder than she intended.
Across the room, Sweet Tooth spit out his mouthful of bourbon, his flaming head somehow causing it to have a flame-thrower effect, “What!?”
“D’oh” Fluttershy winched. “Me and my big mouth” she scolded herself quietly.
Rarity smiled awkwardly to Sweet Tooth and forced a laugh...that fooled no-one.
***

Sweet Tooth stretched the parchment invitation out in front of him, hoping he could find some fine print hidden in the corners to say this was a joke, “What does a...lunelar...looney reu—loo—la—whatever the hell this says even mean!?” he slapped the sheet.
“Sweet Tooth, darling!” Rarity reeled in shock at Sweet Tooth’s lack of knowledge on historic Royal Equestrian holidays. “The Lunular Reunion Celebration is a key annual event! Even those who live under rocks know about it” she stated.
“It is the anniversary of Princess Luna’s return from her banishment on the Moon” Fluttershy elaborated.

“It’s a special day to us as well” Rarity placed a friendly foreleg around Fluttershy. They pressed their sides together and nuzzled cheeks in a warm display of companionship.
Fluttershy smiled delicately at Sweet Tooth, “It marks the anniversary of our friendship. And discovery of the Elements of Harmony.”
“Then why I am getting dragged into this!?” Sweet Tooth inquired tactlessly, throwing his hands into the air.

The two ponies looked at each other. That was a very good question: Why is he being invited?

“Well...” Rarity started forward “...Maybe—the Princess is— impressed by your progresses since arriving here and now she wants to...see you again” she rambled as confidently as she could. “Right, Fluttershy!?” 

Fluttershy was never very good at improvising under a spotlight, “Oh! Well, umm, I—uh, maybe...she—yes?” she recoiled, tucking her face behind her front hooves, blushing with a sheepish smile.

Sweet Tooth dragged his palm down his face with a groan.

“Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” Rarity reprieved. “If the Princesses want you at their --quite prestigious party, then I can’t see the harm in: ‘stopping by’...right?” she charmed, sidling up beside Sweet Tooth, head tilted, nudging his hip, eyes fluttering. 
“Besides, everypony who’s anypony will be there!” she added nonchalantly.
Sweet Tooth stepped away to face her, immune to her charms “Everypony?” he repeated, folding his arms with a raised eyebrow.
Rarity tried not to let her confusion show “...Why, of course!”
“So, I’m guessing that will include –‘Little Miss know-it-all’!” he snapped.
Rarity smiled uncomfortably, tugging on the collar of her invisible shirt. She glanced to Fluttershy for support. Of course, they both knew exactly who he meant.
“Don’t worry about her, dearie...uh” Rarity assured. “After all--you might not even see her!”  
Sweet Tooth's stony scepticism remained untouched.

“I’m sure she’ll come around” Fluttershy looked up to Sweet Tooth, placing a tender hoof to his leg. “You’ve made a real change! And if she needs help believing your testament: Pinkie Pie, Rarity and I are happy to back you up” she reassured him confidently.
“She’s right!” Rarity asserted. “We’re your friends now. And a friend loves at all times, a sister is born for times of adversity!” Rarity proudly stamped a hoof to the ground.

Sweet Tooth looked at the two ponies, with their puppy dog eyes.
“Alright, I’ll go” he slumped, conceding with a sigh.

The two ponies smiled cheerfully, eyes closed sweetly in glee.
Rarity suddenly jumped to her hind legs with a gasp “Ideeeeeaaaaa!” she sung. “We need to get you fitted for an outfit!” she declared with euphoria.

Sweet Tooth had never felt more threatened in his life.
> Homecoming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Come to the Celebration! She says. It’ll be fun! She says. Don’t worry, we’ll back you up! She says!” Sweet Tooth grumbled to himself, standing out like--
...like a psychotic clown man in a tuxedo standing alone in a room full of decorous ponies. He clutched a cup of punch in his hand as he stood staring, half-lidded, straight ahead into space “Urge to kill: rising” he muttered.

Pinkie Pie bounced over to him as she pinballed her way around the party.  “OOOoooo, pretty!” she marvelled, moving her head like a yo-yo, about the tuxedo Rarity had made for Sweet Tooth. The tuxedo was admitably a remarkable piece. As Rarity, herself, had put it: “The ensemble remains true to his twisted clown essence while symmetrically captures a less intimidating harlequin atmosphere.”
His jacket and pants were a rose colour that both complimented and blended in colour with his flaming head, with faint red lines that ran vertically and horizontally to form outlined squares all over.  The open jacket featured crimson lapels and covered a white formal shirt, with cummerbund. The shirt itself featured three comically large red buttons leading up to the grand finale being a clown-sized purple bow-tie around his neck.  Matching the comic bow-tie were a pair of oversized clown shoes on his feet and his brown mechanics gloves, now replaced with flawless white leather gloves.

Sweet Tooth currently, however, more resembled one of those disturbing ‘sad clown’ paintings. 
“Hey! You know what I just realised!?” Pinkie Pie quizzed, tilting her head and leaning down on her front legs in anticipation. “Your jacket matches my coat!” she exploded unto her hind legs, throwing up her forelegs in an arc and holding them out in jest, “Get it!?”
Sweet Tooth stood expressionless.
Pinkie Pie didn’t mind his lack of enthusiasm, however, displaying enough for both of them as she bounced around his statued form.

Rainbow Dash had trotted over alongside with Rarity in time to catch Pinkie’s pun. 
Rainbow Dash snickered, “Good one, Pinkie Pie!” 
Rarity took the humour in stride “It really is quite a fetching colour on you, darling. Like I always say: Real men aren’t afraid to wear pink.”
Sweet Tooth rose a finger to rain down his distain upon them over himself just being in the room-- when Rainbow Dash had zipped up to be face to face.
“So... Sweet Tooth, right?” she questioned, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow. 
Before Sweet Tooth had finished inhaling for his reply, Rainbow continued, “Glad to see you haven’t cut anypony up yet” she grinned, giving him a playful elbow nudge.
“Don’t give me any ideas” Sweet Tooth muttered under his breath, feeling his patience evaporating.
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash poked her head back in Sweet Tooth’s personal space, with an idea of her own. “If you’ve got time later, could you sign my copy of Twisted Metal!?” she placed her hooves together adoringly.
“Sign your what!?” Sweet Tooth angled off from her in bewilderment.
“Ooohh! I love that game!” Pinkie Pie chirped, triggering a fanfare of discussion between Rainbow Dash and Pinkie over their other favourite games. Sweet Tooth was trapped behind the crossfire of the flapping pegasus and the raving pony. 

Meanwhile, Applejack was regaling an attentive, eagerly listening Fluttershy to one of her many anecdotes as they wandered over to meet up with the rest of their friends.
“...the sea was angry that day, mah friend; like an old man tryin’a send back soup at a deli—”
Applejack broke from her story to greet their friends, “Hey y’all!”
Fluttershy looked across from Applejack, “Hi, girls.” 
Noticing that the group was already engaged in a discussion, Applejack took the opportunity to finish telling her tale to Fluttershy, “so anyway, I got ‘bout fifty feet out when, suddenly, the great beast appeared before me...”

Rarity took a head-count, followed by a curious glance around the room. “Uh, girls? Has anypony seen Twilight? Princess Luna’s address is sure to start soon and we’ll need to be ready to--” as Rarity returned her gaze to her friends she realised her attempts to rally them were being hindered by more than just the room’s white noise.

“Although, I really enjoyed Daring Do’s Fortune, I’ve gotta say: Daring Do’s Deception was my favourite” Rainbow Dash replied concludingly to Pinkie Pie.

“...As if sensin’ ma’ presence, the beast let out a great bellow. I said: Easy, big fella!...” Applejack re-enacted.

“The original Kingdom Hooves is legen...dary! But, Kingdom Hooves two was two times the fun! Action overload!” Pinkie Pie sold her case to Rainbow Dash with unbridled cheer.

“...Then, from outta nowhere, a huge tidal wave lifted me; tossed me like a cork!...” Applejack dramatically recounted to Fluttershy, whose hooves now covered her mouth in suspense.

“Girls!” Rarity called out once more “Has anypony seen Twili—”
The white noise and commotion of the lively room, were snuffed by the fanfare of the Royal procession.
The five mares took off in a hurry to take their place behind the VIP balcony in a puff of smoke.

...Sweet Tooth remained, expressionless. He peered down to the punch still in his hand, 
“Glad this is Irish.”

***

“...and I pray that, in all seasons, through all generations: our children and theirs, until eternity, that when we look back in our hearts at what happened during that fateful Summer Sun Celebration, that it will serve as a reminder to us all, of the glorious light of our saving grace, protected in the hearts of the humble, the faithful, the ones who chose the path of resistance, of mercy and of forgiveness, of love. And as your princess, I will endeavour-- till my dying breath to, like the moon, shine light upon you in your darkest hours... Thank-you.”

The crowd was sure to let their Princess of the Night remember how pleased they were to have her back as they rejoiced in applause following her address.
Princess Luna gave a humble yet majestic bow of her head to her subjects before turning from the balcony to rejoin Celestia, Twilight Sparkle and now, her five friends as well.

“That was beautiful, Princess Luna!” Twilight Sparkle thanked the Princess, a single tear stain on her cheek.
“Thank-you, Twilight Sparkle...truly” Luna replied, allowing her royal manner to pass a deep and open sincerity, “And thank-you, Sister... for forgiving me.”
Princess Celestia smiled warmly back at her little sister “Thank-you for giving me the chance to” she replied compassionately.

“I promised myself-- I wouldn’t cry” Rarity whispered, fanning her face with a hoof.

Luna did her best to keep from blushing, “Thank-you all, so much. For all that you have done” she spoke now, not just as their leader, but as a fellow pony “You showed me the light and you words worked together with your actions to prove to me the supreme power of love” she looked across the group earnestly, “You helped give me life. For that I am grateful, everyday.”

Not a word or dry eye could be found in response among the group. Together they let the moment, and everything that had built to it, sink in.

Princess Luna turned to Twilight and her friends, “Come, I have something to show you.”

***
> Sunset
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Luna had brought the six ponies back, into the catacombs of Canterlot Castle. 
They arrived at a grand set of pure white doors. The Princess telekinetically opened the doors to a broad, sterling white room. The room was empty, except for the mirror portal and an identical set of doors at the far side of the room as well as Sweet Tooth, who was too pre-occupied arguing with the guards who had escorted him swiftly and strictly from the party, to notice he now had company. 
“Watch the jacket, it’s cotton!” he sneered in contempt to one of them as he was released from their telekinetic grip “You call that a knife!?” he egged viciously at the other.
“That’s enough, sirs. You may go” Princess Luna ordered the guards to stand down. They saluted quickly before leaving the way they came. Sweet Tooth turned to see where the voice had come from.

His eyes widened slightly upon realising the set-up. Twilight did the same.

“You!” they called in unison.

***
“I know that the two of you don’t see eye to eye” Luna started diplomatically, “but we’ve brought you together tonight for a rea--”
“You’ve got some nerve showing your face around here, especially tonight!” Twilight spat with blind outrage.
Luna rolled her eyes with a submissive sigh and allowed the two to get things out of their system.
“Look, I don’t even know what your name is, but—”  Sweet Tooth’s attempts to explain himself, once again, went unheard.
“My name is Twilight Sparkle! Disciple of Princess Celestia” Twilight declared planting her hoof down in contempt. “And I don’t know what you were thinking poking around our celebration, but I’m telling you now: nopony is dying tonight!” 
“I’m not here to kill anyone” Sweet Tooth waved his hands passive-aggressively at Twilight’s assertions.
“Did you really think a murdering thug like you would be able to lay low among a crowd of innocent ponyfolk!?  --Dressed like that!” Twilight mocked in accusation. 
Rarity shuffled uncomfortably, deciding not to risk stepping into the crossfire.
“I’ll have you know: I have an invitation!” Sweet Tooth countered, producing the rolled up scroll from his jacket pocket before pegging it at Twilight.  She caught it with her magic, unimpressed. She continued to stare at him unamused as she unravelled the scroll, and inspected it like a bouncer with a fake ID.

Twilight discarded the scroll as she turned to face Princess Luna “I’m glad you captured this creep, Princess. Though, I wish you had told me you were going to trap him at the celebration. I could have helped!”
“Twilight, I—” Luna was, once again, cut off by Twilight’s accusations, as she turned her head to glare at Sweet Tooth “After all, I’m sure you’ve heard of how he has tried to kill a number of my friends, multiple times!” 
“Hey! If I wanted them dead, they’d be dead!” Sweet Tooth rebuked, stomping forward with an accusing finger.
Twilight ignoring his threats, continued to dob him in to the Princess “Not to mention, all the other ponies he’s more than likely attempted to kill since getting here” Twilight sneered at Sweet Tooth, insulting his recent lack of homicidal prowess.

“I told you: I never miss twice --” Sweet Tooth boomed, logic overtaken by emotion.

“What about your daughter!?” Twilight snapped with smirk.

Her friends’ skin crawled at her egregious degradation.
Sweet Tooth froze in pure rage, his diabolical fury emanated, causing a blanket of terror to descend upon the room. His blood was boiling as his mind offered him different ways he could silence the unicorn, permanently. 

***

“That does not sound like the Twilight Sparkle I know” Princess Celestia pierced the scene, rebuking her student.
“Princess Celestia?” Twilight bowed to her teacher. “Princess, I don’t know how much you know about this guy, but he is not one of the good guys!” Twilight explained, waving a hoof at the still fuming Sweet Tooth.

“Have faith, Twilight. I know all about him and what he has done. However, I cannot understand the reasons for your recent actions.”
Twilight looked back and forth from Sweet Tooth to Celestia, stuttering quietly, before staring wide-eyed at Celestia, “Princess...” Twilight implored weakly. 
Princess Celestia raised an eyebrow expectantly. 
Twilight responded by stiffening her bottom lip and began her prosecution, “This monster has ripped into our world, uninvited--after trying to kill one of our friends” she flung a foreleg at Sweet Tooth in accusation “And then, the first thing he tries to do when he gets here is try to kill another one of our friends!” she continued in a fluster. 
When Twilight realised she somehow had yet to convince the Princess, she sought to further incriminate Sweet Tooth “...and, and—he ...and...” Twilight seized slightly, realising she was out of evidence. She huffed and puffed, scanning her mind furiously for something further she could use to validate herself with. Finding nothing, Twilight threw herself at her teacher’s feet and pleaded her case “Please, Princess, believe me. I’ve heard about the awful things he’s done and the cruel terror that he is! He is a: scary, mean, grumpy, awful, heartless troll!”

“All the more reason for you to humble yourself and take a second look at things” Celestia instructed.
Twilight pricked her head up and gave it a quick shake in bewilderment, she opened her mouth and for a few seconds, no words were coming out, “...What are you saying?”

“She’s saying: Don’t judge a book by its cover” Luna answered, stepping forward to unite with her sister.
Twilight’s mouth remained wide open, she tilted her head slightly.

“I remember my descension , more vividly than I would sometimes like” Princess Luna explained, hanging her head solemnly. Celestia extended a comforting wing over her little sister as she continued “I felt I had always lived in the darkness of my sister’s shadow since we were young, I knew her failings-- she was no greater than I was. So, why were things so unfair between us? Our subjects always ignored my beautiful night, but they relished in my sister and her days. I had always lived in the background. What was I doing wrong!? Was my night not good enough for them!? Was I not good enough for them? How could they know!? I have so much I can offer them but it was all going to waste while I was hemmed in behind the shadow of my sister’s light” 
Celestia furrowed her brow in guilt.
“ There was always an--invisible barrier that never failed to somehow clip my every attempt to stretch my wings and make a difference for the kingdom I adored” Luna closed her eyes.
Celestia drew closer to her little sister in support as they both mourned over their darkest moments.

Luna let out an anguished sigh “Yes...I lived in the darkness of my sister’s shadow for a long time. And I grew comfortable there, in apathy. Drifting and searching for answers, I was trapped in a hopeless state of mind” she shook her head in regret. 
“Until eventually, I realised, I had changed--slowly at first, but always at my discretion.  I had let my thoughts wander and linger in narrow-minded pessimism, in my frustration, in my desire to do something more for my kingdom, in my jealousy over my sister’s glory” Luna recounted grimly, “I had decided, that it was time for change, it was time for me take reign over the kingdom I 'shared' with my sister. When I finally decided to jump the threshold, it felt good, exhilarating! Why hadn’t I done it sooner!?” Luna shook her head, sickened at the memory. “Before long, my desire consumed me and I realised, I wanted more than to just share the kingdom... I wanted my sister to know how it felt to be the underling. I wanted to get even” Luna looked to her sister apologetically; her big sister squeezed her tighter. “Before I knew it, I was in over my head. But it was too late for me. My darkness had taken me further and deeper than I had ever bargained for. I was out of control, it was like it had taken me hostage, while it wreaked havoc and desolation on the kingdom and people I loved the most” she hung her head low to the ground, a single tear fell.

Princess Celestia took over “Banishing...my own sister, was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. As her sister, I wanted nothing more than to help her get back onto the right track. But, as a ruler, I realised that my duty was to my subjects first. A good leader loves their people” her voice saturated in conviction as she continued solemnly, “And the greatest expression of love is self-sacrifice.” 
She held back tears “I realised that I couldn’t allow my sister to continue to terrorise the Kingdom...I spent one thousand years wondering if I was right or wrong. Was there a better way? I spent one thousand years... wondering if my sister would ever forgive me for what I did to her. ” Celestia looked to her sister compassionately. Luna was smiling back in bittersweet reassurance. The two sisters hugged in a tender display of triumph.

Luna returned to Twilight, “Nobody, just wakes up and decides to become a monster, their perception of what is good and right is just distorted and blurred by fear, lies and hatred, by darkness. Until, all of a sudden, you find yourself asking what you’ve become. And usually... that question comes too late” she concluded.

“That is why it is so important for us to love one another, especially our enemies.” Celestia elaborated “To put others before ourselves. When someone slaps us in the face, to turn the other cheek. To forgive them, as we ourselves have been forgiven. By shining the light of love into their lives we help to reveal to them what is true.”

“Hurt people hurt people” Fluttershy chimed.
Luna winked, “Exactly.”

Sweet Tooth’s murderous rage had subsided.  He suddenly felt all of his fear, all the anger fall away. It all became clear to him.

“Twilight, I’m sorry.”  
The entire room turned to Sweet Tooth, astounded.
“Please, forgive me. For the ways I’ve tormented you. I realise now that you were just angry and afraid. I know that I haven’t made the best case for myself. I’ve always lived with a... clouded perception. But, your friends-- they got me to see things through different eyes, to think about things in a new light. They taught me that there is a better way and that although the road is narrow and it can be hard, it’s always worth it in the end. And it’s clear to me now, there is a light that never goes out, there is love and I have it in me now. Can you forgive me, please?” 
His sincerity caught Twilight completely off guard-- Twilight’s pupils nearly overtook her irises, she gasped steeply. She realised at that moment, how she had acted... she had been so blind the whole time. She shook her head in disbelief.
“Sweet Tooth...I—” for a moment, Twilight didn’t know what to say or what to do. Her heart and mind gave way to so many thoughts and feelings at her realisation before she found the three simple words that summarised them all: “I forgive you.”

Immediately the room was refreshed, as every heart in it soared.  The yoke of anger and hate was lifted and shattered.

Twilight continued “And, I’m sorry. For the ways I’ve treated you! I was angry at you for what you tried to do to my friends. They have been telling me that you really have changed. But, after I discovered who you were, I didn’t feel like I could trust you. I realise now, that even then, I should have trusted my friends!” she smiled sheepishly back at her friends, before turning to face Sweet Tooth, she looked down and shook her head “But I refused to believe them or you. I refused to accept the fact that I had misjudged you and your motives because...” she pulled her gaze up and looked at Sweet Tooth with sincerity “...I was scared of you. And, I’m sorry. For refusing to turn from my stubbornness and self-righteous ignorance. I felt I had all the answers, but my pride blinded me. Can you forgive me?”

Sweet Tooth pretended to think for a minute, “...Eeh'yeah. Why not?” he concluded with a shrug.
Twilight smiled as she ran across and hugged him. The rest of her friends followed closely behind her, the resulting group hug knocked Sweet Tooth to the floor.

“Well, I’m glad that you two have patched up your differences. Now, as I was saying when we got here” Princess Luna looked at Twilight in playful irritation. Twilight shrugged and rubbed her neck awkwardly.
“I have brought you all here for a reason” Luna stated earnestly. 
The group now picked themselves up and recomposed themselves, eyes glued to Luna in anticipation. 
Princess Luna looked to Sweet Tooth “We’ve worked out a way to get you back home, tonight.”
***

“But, it hasn't been thirty days yet!” Twilight protested in horror, stepped in between Luna and her new friend.  
Sweet Tooth gently swept her aside, “How?”
Twilight looked to him in shock. He didn’t notice.
“The portal works on a lunar calendar” Luna explained, “So I can manipulate the moon in this dimension to harmonise with the moon in your dimension, thus, opening the portal back to your home.” She hesitated, realising the new circumstances before adding “That is, if that’s what you’d like?”

Sweet Tooth looked back to his four-legged friends; still all dressed up in their gala attires, all smiling at him in warm encouragement. This place, which had started as a prison for him, was now a paradise, where he was free to start over. Here he was: accepted, loved, safe, at peace...
But, as much as he loved it, he couldn’t deny the fact that he simply didn’t belong here. 
They were colourful, magical, girly, pretty ponies. 
He was a nightmarish man who dressed as a clown and drove a weaponised ice cream truck for a living. 
...And he still, really, really missed that truck. 

He was torn.

Seconds felt like hours as everything he had been taught and all he had experienced in his time here washed over him.
He’d just gotten comfortable here, he felt a warmth inside that he had never had before, things made sense! And now, as soon as everything had become perfect, he gets offered what he had wanted since the beginning? 
He sighed. If only he had known then what he knew now...

He turned to his unlikely friends “Thank-you, for everything. For all you’ve done. You showed me a way I never thought possible. You’ve given me a light and a path.”
He slumped with a quiet sigh as he faced facts. He turned to Luna, “But I can’t stay here. I don’t belong here! I need to go back... home.”
Princess Luna nodded in understanding. Turning to face the portal, her horned flared with magic. Sweet Tooth turned back to face the ponies, he kneeled down to them.
“It’s not that I haven’t appreciated all you’ve done. And it’s not that I don’t want to stay, either” he explained.  “But, I’ve got...” he looked away and sighed before concluding “...unfinished business to attend to, loose ends to tie up.”

“It’s ready” Princess Luna gently informed.

Sweet Tooth realised all six of the ponies had tears in their puppy-dog eyes, he elaborated further to comfort them, “I’m still not where I’d like to be, and I know I’ve still got a long way to go. But, because of your help, I’m closer than I feel I’ve ever been before.”


And with that, he got up, turned and walked back through the portal, without so much as a wave.


 



> The Flame
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweet Tooth stepped out of his truck, victorious. A ring of blazing wrecks scattered around him. The smothering heat of fires and hot engines along with the humid stench of: diesel, burnt clutches, exhaust, smoke and melting rubber, saturated the air. 
He stomped over to Calypso.

“Congratulations! You have won Twisted Metal! What is your one wish?”

> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The spring afternoon sun cast its glorious amber light over Ponyville. Shining light through the canopy of trees, illuminating their humble beauty in a sparkling array of golden and emerald lights, shifting and swaying gently in the breeze. The contrasting lights and shadows upon the thick line of trees and flowers, adding to the brilliant reality and depth of the scene. 
The gentle buzz of activity, of friends and neighbours-- a community, interacting in the town square below, harmonised with the song of the various birds around him.

Marcus Kane inhaled deeply, absorbing the peace and vitality of the life around him. The warm kiss of the golden afternoon sun upon his face and the gentle caress of the breeze around him completed the transcendence. 
He opened his eyes again and saw his six friends coming to meet him on top of the hill. 

He waved a hoof to them. They all smiled and waved back.

The pure beauty of what he was now a part of was washed over him and sent a ripple of hope and joy all across his body. And, for the first time in his life, he felt true peace.