A Good Reason To Smoke
I sat on the porch of the cabin, watching the rain pour down. I took another drag of my cigarette as I gazed out into the darkness. The past couple of weeks had been pretty stressful, but tonight I was going to relax and enjoy myself. I think I deserved that much.
I exhaled the smoke from of my lungs, and watched as it drifted out from under the protective covering above the deck, and into the rain. It was quickly torn to pieces by the water that was coming down, and disappeared into the darkness of the night. I pulled the cigarette, which was still held in my yellow field of telekinesis, back to my lips and took a final drag before tossing it out into the rain.
I held the breath for a moment before releasing it. I waved a hoof around to clear the smoke, and picked up the pack of cigarettes that was sitting next to me on the porch with my magic. I turned and tucked the pack into my tail where it rested alongside my lighter, and got up to leave. I pushed the door open, and was greeted by sounds of jubilation as I entered the busy wooden cabin.
The party was in full swing, and everypony was enjoying themselves. Daisy was chatting with Roseluck about something to do with botany. Berry Punch was dancing wildly in the middle of the room to the music that was playing on the stereo, and Bon Bon was laughing at her new marefriends antics. Bon Bon glanced my way as I entered the room, and scowled for a moment before turning back to enjoy the company of the others in the room.
I sighed, and took a seat next to Roseluck on the couch. There were several bottles of assorted alcohol on the table in front of me so I picked up the bottle of Wild Pegasus and took a large swig. The whisky burned my throat as it went down, but that was the trade off with alcohol; momentary discomfort for dulled senses and heightened ability to not give a buck.
I took a couple of more modest sips from the bottle before I set it back down on the table. I noticed that Berry Punch was grinning at me, and she quickly made her way over.
“Now that’s what I’m talking about. A mare that really knows how to hold her liquor,” Berry said as she patted me on the back.
“Well, I’m no match for you, Berry, but I have been to plenty of parties in my day,” I replied as I leaned back in my seat.
“Oh yea you artist love to party don’t you,” she chided, “but you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
She pulled out a drawer that was on the bottom of the table, and reached around trying to find something. The sudden change of pace stopped Roseluck and Daisy’s conversation as they watched their host. With a shout of triumph Berry Punch pulled out a small bottle, and slapped it down on the table.
I gasped for a second before asking, “Is that what I think it is?”
“It is, if you think that this is my super special personally made Berry Punch’s Vodka.” The other mares, myself included, audibly showed our awe as we inspected the bottle. Inside was a light purple liquid of fabled potency slightly obscured by a sticker of the mare winking.
“I have only heard legends of this,” I said as I picked the bottle up in my hooves.
“I guess now we get to see if the legends are true,” Roseluck commented to my left.
“Oh believe me my little ponies, the legends are true. What you hold in your hooves is the best and most potent vodka known to ponykind,” Berry said, praising her own creation.
“So it’s true that a hangover from this stuff can last a week?” I asked still inspecting the bottle.
“Only in rare cases.”
“So it’s true that one swig of this particular brand of vodka can fell a dragon?” Roseluck inquired.
“I’ve seen it happen myself,” Berry replied.
“So it’s true that this rare brew can give you wings?” Daisy added.
“Only if you are already a pegasus,” Berry Punch deadpanned causing all of us to burst out laughing. My purple friend then swiped the bottle from me, ignoring my panicked cry.
“This bottle is something special, and should only be brought out on special occasions like tonight.” Berry pushed several of the bottles off the table where they fell onto the carpeted floor with a thud. After clearing a space she placed the bottle back into the middle of the table, and pushed a shot glass towards each of us. “Now it’s time for a little game.”
“What are we gonna play?” Bon Bon asked from the chair across the table. Berry filled each of the shot glasses with the purple liquid before she took a seat next to her marefriend.
“It’s a classic. We are gonna play us some, I Never.” Berry Punch put the bottle back in the middle of the table.
“I love that game,” I said picking up my shot glass.
“Well the you can go first,” Berry said, motioning for me to start the round.
“Okay.” I scrunched my face in thought for a moment. “I never… threw a party in a creepy log cabin in the middle of the Everfree Forest on Nightmare Night.” I smiled at Berry Punch.
“Now that was a cheap shot,” she shot back but took a drink from her glass anyways.
“I guess it’s my turn then huh,” Roseluck said as Berry refilled her glass. “I never… made out with a complete stranger at a party.”
I rolled my eyes and took my punishment; Berry and Bon Bon also took a drink from their glasses. The round moved to Daisy as Berry poured more purple nectar into our glasses.
“I never… had a spread in playcolt magazine.”
All eyes immediately turned to Roseluck who didn’t seem the slightest bit embarrassed as she drank her shot. She put down the glass and looked at each of us in turn, “You know you are jealous.” Her comment caused us all to burst out laughing again.
“Okay okay, my turn. I never licked a metal pole and got my tongue stuck to it,” Bon Bon said, staring right at me.
“You are the one that dared me to do that in the first place.” I pointed an accusing hoof at the mare.
“Drink, horn head,” Berry Punch commanded and I reluctantly obeyed.
“All right my turn!” our host declared. “I never…” Lightning flashed outside the window, causing Daisy to yelp in surprise. “Ha, I never have been scared by lightning.”
Daisy and Roseluck took a shot, and it was my turn again. “I never…” a knock came from the front door causing our pink friend to once again squeak in surprise. I rolled my eyes and continued, “I never have been scared by somepony knocking at the door.”
Daisy glared back at me, but took the shot anyways. I had to admit that this vodka was really strong, and I was already beginning to feel tipsy. Usually I can go a long time before any inebriation sets in, but Berry Punch really knows how to brew good booze.
“I’ll get it,” I said as I stood, and shakily made my way to the door.
“Yea, this seems like a good time for an interruption,” Berry agreed as she got up from the couch and started to leave the room.
“Where are you going, Berry?” Bon Bon asked as she also got out of her seat.
“We are starting to run low on the good stuff. I’m gonna go to the cellar and get more.” With that she quickly walked to the door adjourning the kitchen and opened it. A second later she had disappeared down into the darkness.
I finally stumbled all the way to the door, and swung it open. Outside, completely drenched and shivering on the porch, was Ditzy Doo. “Well it’s about time you got here,” I said as I ushered her inside.
“Sorry about being late. I got turned around in the forest, and I couldn’t fly with all this rain coming down,” she apologized as she entered the cabin. I shut the door behind her and began to direct her to the fireplace so that she could dry off.
“Don’t worry about it. We were just playing a couple of games while we waited for you to get here.” The two ponies on the couch stood to greet the wall-eyed mare, Daisy far more shakily than Roseluck.
I saw that Bon Bon had retreated into the kitchen so I broke away from the group to go talk to her. She had her back turned to me, and was looking through the fridge for something. I walked up next to her, and waited for her to notice me. Sighing, Bon Bon closed the door and turned to look at me.
“Yes?”
“Well, I wanted to talk to you,” I said awkwardly rubbing a hoof behind my head.
“About what?” She didn’t seem very enthusiastic about the upcoming conversation.
“I just wanted to know if we are okay.”
“Are we okay? I think you made it very clear what you think we are.” She turned away from me, clearly she was still angry.
“Look, I just said what I felt at the time. We weren’t really going anywhere and it wasn’t fair to either you or me. I still wanted us to be friends though.” She really made me feel like an ass sometimes.
“I don’t think we can ever be friends, Lyra. Now if you will excuse me I need to go see what is taking Berry Punch so long.” She harrumphed, and opened the door to the cellar. A second later she had descended the stairs into the abyss below.
I sighed heavily, and walked back to the living room where my friends had resumed the party. Roseluck noticed my frown as I sat down and grabbed the bottle of my favorite whisky again.
“Looks like you had another heart to heart with candy flanks.” I downed a large gulp before responding.
“Yea, she is still pretty sore about it, but I think that eventually we may be able patch things up.” I replied.
“I don’t know. If my marefriend suddenly dumped me out of nowhere I don’t think I could get over it that easily,” Daisy interjected as Ditzy gave a sagely nod.
“I don’t know, I’ve known Bon Bon for a long time and…” I was cut off by a scream that came from cellar door. Everypony looked at the open door and froze, not even Daisy was able to say anything. From the door came the sound of somepony climbing the stairs like their life depended on it.
Bon Bon raced out of the cellar, and slammed the door closed behind her. She collapsed against the door bracing it as well as she could. I noticed that she was crying and quickly raced to her side.
“Bon Bon, what the hay happened?” I asked kneeling down next to the crying mare.
“Berry!” she cried, still leaning against the door.
“What? What happened to Berry?” I asked, I had never seen her this hysterical.
“She….” Bon Bon stammered through her tears. “She is dead.”
That is when reality seemed to speed up all of a sudden. I faintly heard Daisy behind me start to scream her head off. Without thinking I shoved Bon Bon away from the door, and magically tipped the refrigerator over so that it blocked the cellar door. When I came back to my senses I realized there was something warm and sticky on my hooves.
I looked down to see my lime green coat was dyed crimson with blood. I looked to Bon Bon and noticed for the first time that she had a long gash in her side. The mare was lying on the ground breathing shakily.
“Roseluck, get over here!” I screamed. “Bon Bon is hurt.” She immediately broke away from where she was consoling Daisy, and raced into the kitchen.
I quickly turned away from the downed mare, and started searching through drawers at random. Silverware went flying across the floor as I desperately looked for something to stop the bleeding. Finally I found some towels, and passed them to Roseluck.
“We need to get her to the couch,” my red maned friend advised. I nodded and gently lifted Bon Bon into the air with my telekinesis. My horn started to ache from doing so much magic in a short period of time, but I blocked out the pain.
I gently made my way back into the living room, and set her down on the couch. Roseluck immediately went to bandaging her side with the towels, and administering first aid.
“Bon Bon, tell me exactly what happened,” I pleaded with the mare.
“I-I went down into the cellar to look for her, a-a-and wh-when I got down there I couldn’t see anything. I turned on a light, and there she was. She was just lying there. I thought that she had passed out or something, but that was when I saw the blood.
“Oh Lyra, there was blood everywhere. She was dead, and lying there in the cellar, and there was nothing I could do.” Bon Bon broke down into sobs again, but continued her story. “Then somepony leapt out at me, and swung a knife at me. I screamed, and ran upstairs.” Bon Bon stopped talking and began to cry inconsolably.
“How is she?” I asked, turning to Roseluck.
“It wasn’t that deep,” Roseluck replied, looking up. “She will be fine after it starts to clot.”
“Daisy do you think that you could…” I turned to the empty space that she had been standing a second ago.
Realizing that she was missing, I turned and saw that the front door was standing wide open. Lightning flashed outside, and I was able to make out the retreating form of the pink mare.
“In the name of Celestia does that mare have a brain at all!” I exclaimed as I raced to the door.
“Lyra wait!” Roseluck yelled as she raced to my side, “What are you doing?”
“We have to go after her. You heard Bon Bon, there is some psycho out there, and Daisy is just running around like a chicken with its head cut off,” I shot back.
“So you are just going to run off and get yourself killed? I want to look for her just as much as you do so we are going to go together.” She argued back.
I was about to respond, but she put a hoof to my lips to cut off any argument that I might have. “Ditzy!” she yelled, turning around to face the grey pegasus. Ditzy snapped out of whatever trance she had been in this whole time to look at Roseluck. “Stay here, and look after Bon Bon. Latch the door behind us, and make sure you don’t open it for anypony other than us.”
“..okay…” she quietly replied as she crept over to the door.
Roseluck stepped out onto the porch and I hurriedly followed her. The door closed with a creak behind us, and I heard it lock tightly. Roseluck then immediately raced off into the darkness with me quick on her heels.
The rain was coming down even harder now, and due to my terrible little habit I was quickly running out of breath. Roseluck didn’t bother to slow down, and kept racing through the darkness ahead of me. It didn’t take long before I lost her all together.
I continued to run through the darkness alone after my friend that had disappeared in front of me. Every shadow that I saw seemed to leap out at me, and I had to stop myself from screaming as a branch scratched me more times than I wished to count.
The rain continued to pour down in torrents, and actually seemed to be getting worse, if that was even possible. The wind had begun to pick up and was whipping my mane around my head obscuring my vision. Every few seconds lightning would flash across the sky, and light up the forest around me.
During the brief amounts of illumination I would find myself desperately scanning my surroundings for my friends or the pony that I imagined would end my life. I was no longer able to run through the trees, and began to just wander around aimlessly. I slowed as much as I dared and looked around me, hoping to see something that was familiar.
A snap of twigs behind me caused me to immediately stop in my tracks. I strained my ears to hear anything in the woods around me, but was only able to make out the sound of the rain. Adrenaline heightened my senses, and pushed all traces of alcohol out of my system.
With as much courage as I could build I slowly turned and looked behind me. All that loomed before me was the dark forest that I had been running through, and whatever had caused the noise was invisible to my eyes. Lightning flashed once again overhead, and disappearing behind a tree I was able to catch sight of something metallic and wickedly sharp.
I didn't even have time to think as I turned and ran for all I was worth. My hooves raced along the floor of the forest as fast as they possibly could, and the only sound that I could hear besides the rain was the pounding of my heart in my ears. I continued to run, not daring to look back, and in my mad dash for safety I managed to run right into a low hanging branch.
The branch groaned as I ran straight into it before snapping, and sending me sprawling. I laid on my side in the middle of a rainstorm trying to catch my breath as some psycho chased me down through the trees. My state would have been hysterical if it hadn't been so tragic. I managed to stave of the manic laughter that threatened to make its way out of my throat and pulled myself back to my hooves.
Next to me I saw a strong tree that I could take shelter under, and slowly began to walk to it. I leaned against the tree and tried to call out for my friends that had gone running off into the night, but my voice was lost in the sound of the storm. I felt tears beginning to well up in my eyes, but I fought with everything I had to hold them back.
I stayed that way for what felt like thirty minutes, unable to make myself move away from the tree. I just couldn’t believe that Berry Punch was actually dead. How could something like this have even happened? We lived in Ponyville for Celestia’s sake. Nothing like this ever happened in the small country town.
I felt terrible for thinking it, but soon my thoughts turned to myself. I wondered if I would be able to make it out of this nightmare alive, or if this terrible monster that had slain my friend would also kill me. Would this be the night that I died?
Something touched me shoulder and caused me to shriek. I looked to my side and saw that Roseluck was standing next to me, her coat completely soaked through.
“I don’t think that we are going to find her in this storm,” she said, and I could see the sad look in her eyes.
“She is probably halfway back to Ponyville by now,” I agreed.
“I’m sad to say, but I think that she had the right idea. We should have gotten out of here at the first sign of trouble,” she said looking down in shame.
“I know… I just can’t leave our friends behind like this though,” I replied.
“Yea, I know what you mean. Come on let’s get back to the cabin. When this storm passes we can send Ditzy to go get help.”
I nodded my head in agreement, and immediately took up my place behind her as we hurried back to the cabin. The forest didn’t seem nearly as threatening as we trekked back to where our friends were waiting for us. Before long we could see the light of the cabin shining through the trees.
We came into the clearing and were standing at the back of the wooden structure. Something immediately caught my eye, and I pulled on Roseluck’s tail to stop her. I clamped a hoof to her mouth to stop her from yelling out in surprise, and pointed to the figure that was lying next to an open cellar door.
Roseluck looked to where I was pointing, and froze. Slowly, I removed my hoof from her lips and began to inch my way over to the figure lying in the mud. Roseluck put out a hoof to stop me, but I pushed past her, I just needed to see this.
I approached, but wasn’t really able to make anything out other than that whatever it was, it wasn’t moving. I stood directly over it, but only was able to discern the smell of iron. Lightning flashed behind me for an instant revealing what I was standing over for a second, but that was long enough.
At my hooves laid Daisy. The mud that I was standing in had been dyed red with the blood that was pooling out from her slit throat. Though I only saw her for a split second, I was able to clearly make out the look of horror on her face. I backpedaled as hard as I could, and slipped in the mud.
Roseluck caught me before I fell, and got me back to my hooves. From the look on her face I could tell that she had seen it too. Without a word we raced around that cabin as fast as we possibly could. I kept scanning the treeline as we ran for our lives, but nothing popped out at us.
We collided with the front door causing it to groan in protest, and proceeded to beat our hooves on it as hard as we could. No answer came from the other side of the door however, so I peered through the glass into the living room.
“What’s going on, Lyra? Why aren’t they opening the door?” Roseluck desperately asked.
I scanned the living room thoroughly before answering. “I don’t see Ditzy anywhere,” I replied with panic oozing out of my every pore.
“Move back!” Roseluck commanded and I quickly got out of the way. She turned around and gave the door the hardest buck that I had ever seen.
The latch broke and the door swung wide open. Without wasting any time we raced inside. I ran around the back of the couch and found that Bon Bon was lying on it sleeping. Letting out a sigh I fell back onto my flank.
“Bon Bon is still here,” I told Roseluck who was still looking around the living area.
“Then where is Ditzy!” she yelled back. “Why isn’t she here? We told her to wait until we…” Roseluck stopped mid sentence as her eye caught the sight of something to my right.
Even though I desperately didn’t want to, I followed her gaze to the floor. Not a foot away from me I could clearly see a slight trail of crimson liquid leading back into back of the cabin.
Roseluck finally collapsed into raspy sobs, unable to take the pure horror of the situation any longer. A part of me envied her for being able to just let all of her emotion out like that. I couldn’t afford to break down now, there was too much on the line.
“Stay here.” I said as I shakily rose to my hooves.
Roseluck looked up and I was able to see how terrified she was for the first time this evening. “Lyra, d-don’t leave me here,” she begged.
“I need you too look after Bon Bon,” I said as I made my way over to my friend and rested a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “I will only be a second, I promise.”
Not waiting for a reply I turned away from the crying mare and inched my way down the hall where the trail of blood led. I knew that there could be no good outcome to this as I slowly made my way around the corner that the trail led down.
I saw that the blood led into one of the rooms, and gulped down my cowardice. Gathering all of the courage that I had left I slowly approached the door. I pushed the door open, and gazed inside.
The bathroom was completely tiled with bright white squares. A few of the light bulbs that were above the sink were broken, and shards of glass littered the floor. Hesitantly, I took a wary step into the room so that I could get a better look of where the trail led.
My eyes stopped at the tub, and I started to look up for what felt like an eternity. Eventually I saw the horrible sight that I had foolishly made my way into the back of the cabin to see. In the tub laid Ditzy in a pool of red water. I couldn’t see exactly what had happened to the mare as I ran from the room as quickly as possible.
I slammed into the wall on the far side of the hallway, and collapsed. This couldn’t possibly have been real. There was no way that all of this could be actually happening. None of it made any sense, I just couldn’t wrap my mind around anything that was happening.
A yelp from the living room pulled me out of my quickly spiraling thoughts. Without thinking I jumped to my hooves and raced into the living room. When I arrived I found the most horrific sight that I had seen all night waiting for me.
Roseluck laid on the ground with a knife through her neck, and on holding the handle of the knife in her teeth was a very familiar mare. Pulling the knife out of Roseluck with a sickening sucking noise, Bon Bon stood to face me.
My brain felt like it was completely fried at that point, and through my trembling lips all I was able to get out was a single word, “Why?”
“Why?” Bon Bon repeated as she slowly approached me. “Isn’t it obvious, Lyra? Revenge.” She smiled as she spoke through the knife in her teeth.
“Revenge? What are you talking about? This doesn’t make any sense at all.” I said backing away from the quickly approaching mare. I felt the surface beneath my hooves change from carpet to tile as I entered the kitchen.
“What doesn’t make sense, Lyra? It makes perfect sense to me. This is your punishment for breaking the heart of a mare that truly loved you.” I looked into her eyes, but the mare that looked back at me wasn’t the Bon Bon I knew.
“M-m-my punishment?” I stammered. “You have killed all of our friends! How is that my punishment!” I felt my flank hit the counter as I ran out of room.
“It would look awfully coincidental if you just mysteriously died out of nowhere wouldn’t it? But if some raging psychopath attacked us all while we were out in the Everfree Forest nopony would ever think that I was to blame. Hell, they would probably praise me for managing to get away with only this cut.” She motioned to her side where her gash had opened again, and was slowly bleeding out onto her coat.
“I knew that you were bucked up in the head, but this is just insane!” I yelled at her, causing her to laugh hysterically.
“While it has been fun talking to you for one last time Lyra, I think it is time for you to die now.” She stepped over the threshold that separated the kitchen from the living room.
I looked around for anything and eventually my eyes locked onto a kitchen knife that was lying on the floor among assorted pieces of silverware. I lashed out with my magic, and levitated the knife over to me. I held the knife up pointed at Bon Bon as she slowly continued to approach me.
“Don’t come any closer!” I yelled at her.
My threat only seemed to infuriate her, and she leapt at me with the knife still clenched between her teeth. I looked away and shielded my eyes with a hoof. I heard the sound the knife punching into something soft before a massive weight slammed into me.
My body rolled back against the counter, breaking a cabinet or two. I felt a scorching pain lance through one of my rear hooves as the weight on top of me stopped moving. Slowly, I opened my eyes to see exactly why I wasn’t dead.
Lying on top of me with her teeth still tightly clenched around her knife Bon Bon stared at me in anger. The knife fell from her lips as she let out her final breath, and landed right next to my head.
Nearly screaming again I threw her off of me with all of my remaining strength. She fell to the floor with a thud, and I was able to see exactly what had happened. In her blind rage Bon Bon had actually managed to impale herself on the kitchen knife that I had been holding.
I stuck out of her chest right over her heart, and I could only assume that it had been a miracle that had saved me. I tried to stand, but felt pain cut through my back leg again, causing me to stumble. I looked down, and saw that in our tumble Bon Bon had managed to cut me pretty deep.
Not caring that I was seriously injured I limped away from her as fast as I could. I rounded the corner, and raced out of the kitchen and through the living room to the front door. I managed to get to the edge of the front porch before collapsing.
I couldn’t feel anything. I wanted to cry for all of the friends that I had lost tonight, and for whatever had happened to the mare that I had loved not to long ago. I wanted to shed tears for all of the terrible things that had happened, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
I was the last one left, and this whole thing had been my fault. The storm overhead had calmed a little, but was still coming down pretty hard. I reached out with my magic, and took hold of the pack of cigarettes and lighter that were still somehow tucked into my tail.
I pulled them out and levitated them in front of me. I pulled a cigarette out of the pack, and tossed the rest into the puddle that was just below me. I flipped open the lighter, and as I covered the flame against the wind, I lit the cigarette. I set the lighter down next to me, and took a long drag of my cigarette.
I breathed in heavily before expelling the smoke from my nostrils. It did little to settle my severally frayed nerves, but the practiced motion of it all helped a little. I looked out into the foreboding forest that was once again stretching out in front of me. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to toss away the rest of my smokes.
I looked down to the puddle where my pack was slowly sinking into the water. I took another drag of my cigarette, lightly illuminating the world around me. For an instant, in the muddy water beneath me, I was able to make out the sight of a disheveled Berry Punch with a bloody cleaver clenched tightly between her smiling teeth.