"AAAAHHHHHHH!!" A piercing scream escaped Fluttershy as she awoke on her bedroom floor. She scrambled back up into bed and piled even more blankets on top of her quivering form. Nightmares, again. It was the fourth time this week, and it was always the same one. The one where she was a monster, no claws, no fangs, she was her. But she was a monster. She brutally killed all her friends; Equine and Animal, then devoured their bodies. It was awful. Her teal eyes scanned the dark scenery of her bedroom for any signs of movement, but the only thing breathing other than herself was her Angel, who was trying desperately to soothe her.
"I-it's ok, Angel Bunny. I'm ok, they're just dreams, they're just…dreams." She gently stroked Angel as she tried to reassure him, but truthfully, she was trying to reassure herself. They were just dreams, after all. But they felt so real. She could still remember the warm, slimy blood seeping into her butter yellow coat as she ripped Pinkie Pie's flesh off her bones. She could still faintly hear her cry and plead for mercy. Fluttershy shuddered; she didn't want to remember, she just wanted to have one restful night. But the night was over, for rays of golden light began to coat the landscape. Fluttershy didn't want to sleep for fear of more nightmares. Instead she scooted over to the bedside window, drew open the curtains, opened the window, put her head on the sill, and let the warm summer breeze wash over her coat and flow through her mane. Ever so slowly, Fluttershy's eyelids started to droop, and finally she let sleep consume her.
~
"Fluttershyyyyyy~" Fluttershy's eyelids burst open. She was in an empty space full of clutching darkness, save for the candle next to her. "Fluttershyyy. Whyyy'd you doooo iiiiit Fluttershyyyy?" Fluttershy's pupils were now pinpricks. That voice belonged to Pinkie Pie. But yet it didn't. It was distorted and lifeless. "B-b-but I didn't do anything P-P-Pinkie Pie." Fluttershy's voice cracked as she squeaked out "Pinkie Pie". "Ha Ha Ha!! Don't be a lllliarr, Fluttershyyy. Yyyyouuu did ssssomething awfullll, and yyyou knowww iiitt." Pinkie's ghastly voice grew louder, as if the source was coming nearer. "Pinkie, I wouldn't do that!! I couldn't…" Fluttershy croaked. "Yyouu DID!! I bbbeged fffffor yyyouuuu tooo stoppp. But yyouuu didntt lllissstennnn, yyouuuu jusst ATTE ME UPPPP!!" Pinkie snarled. Her voice was screaming in Fluttershy's ears, and finally, she came into view. Pinkie Pie wasn't even a pony anymore. Chunks of ragged, slimy flesh clung to her bones, and her inviting blue eyes were replaced with an unholy red glow. Her mane was straight, rugged, and chunks were missing. Her bones rattled as she shambled closer. "Nowwww I'm ggoonaaaa eaaaat yyyoouuuu uuupp!!" Pinkie's jaws clamped down on Fluttershy's left hind leg. Fluttershy screamed in agony as Pinkie ripped off piece after piece of flesh.
~
"FLUTTERSHY, WAKE UP!!" Fluttershy's eyes fluttered open.
"GET AWAY, GET AWAY!!" Fluttershy screamed as she struck out with her hoof. The blow connected, and soon Pinkie Pie was bleeding from her nose and mouth.
"Fluttershy, that really hurt!" Pinkie Pie tenderly touched her cheek and winced.
"Ohmygosh Pinkie, I'm soooo sorry!! Here, come inside. I'll get you some ice!! Please don't be mad!" Fluttershy pulled Pinkie in through her bedroom window and onto her bed, then dashed into the kitchen. She threw open the freezer door and quickly snatched a few ice cubes, then slammed the freezer door shut. She wrapped the ice cubes in a damp cloth, then raced back into her room, where Pinkie Pie sat with an apple balanced on her head. "Here Pinkie. I'm so sorry, it was an accident, I swear!" Fluttershy held the parcel of ice up to Pinkie's face. The apple fell onto the floor and rolled under the bed as Pinkie took the ice parcel and held it against her bruised cheek.
"Thanks, Fluttershy." Pinkie cooed. There was this look on Pinkie's face… if Fluttershy hadn't known better, she would have sworn that was lust. Exhausted, Fluttershy sat down next to Pinkie. The pair just sat for awhile, enjoying each other's company.
Later that day…
Fluttershy sat on a park bench, bread crumbs spread out on the earth around her, birds nibbling away.
"Hey Fluttershy! Sorry I'm late, Mrs. Cake needed me to test a new Lemon Bar recipe, then Dashie wanted me to play some pranks with her, and I- I got distracted." Pinkie's words were slightly warped, for she was talking with a picnic basket in her mouth.
"Pinkie, it's ok to get distracted sometimes. Let's set up…over there, by the creek." Fluttershy pointed to a shaded beach next to the Ponyville Creek.
"Okey Dokey Lokey!" Pinkie bounced over to the beach and spread out the sheet. Fluttershy unpacked the food, then they sat down. "It feels kinda weird to picnic without the girls, doesn't it? Maybe we should have told them." Said Pinkie, her mouth full of Lemon Bar.
"I'm sure they won't mind. And you did a really nice job with these Lemon Bars. They taste wonderful." Fluttershy took another bite of her Lemon Bar.
"Thanks, Fluttershy! Oh, I forgot to ask, why'd you punch me in the face this morning?" Pinkie asked, touching her cheek again.
Fluttershy stiffened, and her face went paler then the moon itself. "Umm, I, um, I…I had a nightmare…" Fluttershy whispered, daring not to meet Pinkie's gaze.
"Well that's just no fun! I hate nightmares! But what does that have to do with you punching me?" Pinkie was very curious, and she wouldn't change the subject. Finally, Fluttershy broke.
"It's been so awful! I've been having horrible nightmares about me and you. It always starts with us, in a shed. I have a chainsaw, and I'm really hungry. You're in there too, then I start to- I-I-I…I cut you up, and although you plead and beg, I don't stop. I don't stop until I've cut you up into little pieces, then I eat you." Tears streamed down Fluttershy's face, and her body was quaking. Fluttershy had to clamp her hoof over her mouth to keep her from vomiting. Fluttershy knew it; Pinkie would hate her forever. But instead, she felt Pinkie wrap her arms around her quaking self in a tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry, Fluttershy. If I had known, I could have helped you." At this, Fluttershy brought herself to look at Pinkie.
"And the other thing is, after every nightmare, I feel…hungry." Fluttershy was going to confess, right. now.
"You…do?"
"Yes, I do. In fact, I'm hungry right now, even though I ate a sandwich and a lot of Lemon Bars. I'm hungry…for flesh, for meat. I'm hungry… for you." Fluttershy scooted over to Pinkie and licked her bruised cheek. Pinkie blushed, not really knowing what to say. But then she found out.
"You know, Fluttershy…I'm hungry too. I chop ponies up and bake them into cupcakes."
"Really? So…does that mean…"
"I don't hate you, and I never will. You're just like me, only…I love you more than all the cupcakes in the world."
"I love you too, Pinkie." Fluttershy kissed Pinkie, and Pinkie didn't resist.
If there's something you don't like about yourself, trust there's always someone in the world just like you.