Pinkie gulped as she saw the needle. She had always hated those. She had her hoof around the jewel around her neck, seeking some form of comfort from the gem. Somehow, it almost seemed to spread warmth through her body. It was reassuring. Real. It would come with her.

“Diane,” the Doctor said, holding the needle, standing calmly and patiently next to her. “I need you to relax your body, including your hoof.” Taking a deep breath, Pinkie nodded, leaning back once again. She kept her body still, trying to relax. She shut her eyes, willing her mind to think of happier things; her friends, her job, Gummy…

No. Happy things; not little fictions. She thought of Maud and Blinkie and Inkie. She thought of the home she could return to soon. She thought of the world she could discover, after it was all over. She couldn’t help but smile ever so softly as she thought of it all. Perhaps all was not as lost as she thought.

But that didn’t stop the needle from setting off every alarm bell in her head, every sense of fight or flight. Her eyes widened as she began to tense up, the needle clenching in her fur. The Doctor quickly pushed his hoof down against her chest, keeping her still, firmly, but gently. She took a shuddering breath as she saw the needle, in her skin, in all too much detail. It was like she was a balloon, and her skin was going to pop. She would explode. She would die. Needles were bad bad things, and she should yank her hoof out of it’s fatal embrace right now.

She took another shuddering breath, willing her eyes shut. It took all her strength not to leap away. It had to be done. She had to remain here, she had to suffer through this. Through this all. She would have to endure the deaths of her friends one more time. Just one more time, and it would be over.

“I’m injecting the chemical now, Pinkamena.”

“Just get on with it, Doc,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m ready to go.” The Doctor nodded and began to slowly slide the syringe down, releasing the chemicals into her blood.

She gasped as she felt it. She felt the liquid join her blood and oh Celestia, did it burn. She bit down on her lip hard, tears welling up in her eyes as pain tugged at every orifice of her body. Each and every joint, bone, every bloody blood cell in her body screamed out in agony as the chemical bit and tore at her. She resisted the urge to scream, only offering up to the pain a small whimper. The Doctor kept his hoof on her stomach, still gently restraining her as the last of the chemical drained into her system.

Her mind began to burn. She felt like she was melting. She hardly registered the removal of the needle as it slid out of her skin. She did, however, feel the cool cotton pressed against her hoof. She wished it would cool her entire body, inside and out. She took a deep breath, feeling it once again falter in her lungs. The world around her was becoming entirely too bright. She had her eyes shut tightly, but it was still too bright. Then it grew bright and dark at the same time…

The pain was fading, and she was so very tired…

So very very tired.

“Goodluck,” she heard. That was all she heard.

*~*~*~

Pinkie groaned as she opened her eyes. The sun was shining. The birds chirped. It was yet another beautiful day in Ponyville. It was a beautiful day in Equestria. But Pinkie knew that everything was wrong.

She stood, disregarding the playful alligator that nipped at her hoof. She trotted away from the bed, nearly falling on her way there; she would regain her balance soon. She shook her head as the world became less fuzzy. She made her way to the door, taking a deep breath. Even the air felt fake here - fuller, and sweeter. It was hideous. This entire world made her feel hideous.

She took another deep breath and raised her hoof to her neck. She looked down and saw nothing, but she still felt it. Others might not see it, but Pinkamena had her necklace on. She was true Laughter today. She was bravery. She could do this.

She just hoped she believed those words.

Pinkie stumbled down the stairs, one at a time. Mrs. Cake glanced up at her, concern etched into her face. “Pinkie, dear, are you alright?!”

“I-I’m fine, Mrs. Cake. I need to see my friends…”

Mrs. Cake ran up to her quickly, worried. “Sweetie, you’ve been asleep for nearly a full 24 hours! Are you sure you aren’t sick? You do look pale…”

“I said I’m fine… I just need to go see my friends.”

“A-alright… If you say so.” Pinkie nodded, trotting outside. She winced at the daylight lightly, but continued on her way. She had this step planned out; first would be Fluttershy. Mrs. Cake watched her out the window, sighing in anxiety. She could only hope Pinkie would be alright.

*~*~*~

Pinkie walked along the abandoned path, her hooves far more steady beneath her. The day was just starting, and few ponies were up yet. Not that many travelled out as far as the edge of the Everfree. Who would, other than she this day? She shook her head and kept going.

She thought as she walked. How would she end up doing it? How would she end it? It was going to be hard, she knew - no. Hard wasn’t the word. Difficult? Terrifying? Agonizingly horrible, with a side of sorrow? She didn’t know, but hard was the closest thing to describe it. She wasn't sure what she would do…

She stopped as she heard something. It sounded like a bird... It was clear, bright, happy... It sounded beautiful, and Pinkie hated every minute of it. It was just another reminder of what she was going to lose when this was all done. She scowled as she drew nearer to Fluttershy's cottage. She peeked over a few bushes, carefully observing.

The Pegasus mare was whistling. She was going about, feeding all of her little animals. Critters bounded around her as she whistled. Fluttershy smiled the entire time she whistled, watching the little critters hop and chirp and enjoy her music. She loved waking up so early, being so isolated with just her and her little critters. That freedom she missed from not flying; this was that freedom. This was a far better freedom, and one she could enjoy on the ground. “Here you are, Mr. Rabbit,” she said, giving him a bit of rabbit food she had prepared.
Pinkie took a deep breath and moved away from the bushes. She just had to do it. Some how, someway, she had to. She put on her biggest smile and trotted up to where Fluttershy was. “Heya, Shy,” she shouted, trying her best to keep her voice from wavering.

She apparently did a decent job of it. Fluttershy jumped a bit from the shout, spilling food on the ground (at which the animals jumped at), but smiled when she saw it was Pinkie. Pinkie, her good friend. Pinkie, her friend who would never hurt her. “H-Hello, Pinkie,” she said timidly, putting down the food. “What brings you here this early?”

Pinkie giggled. Somehow, it sounded foreign to her; still, Fluttershy saw nothing wrong with her giggle. It was the same giggle as always, right? Pinkie glanced around. “I uh… was hoping for some advice! Yeah! Gummy’s been acting strange lately. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers!”

Fluttershy hid her face behind her mane, and Pinkie could practically hear her heart break. This little timid mare would be the first one she would kill. How? How could she do that to her, that whistling mare who was just so happy to be kind? “Y-You want my advice,” she asked, her voice sounding so happy. It wasn’t often ponies came to her for help. “I-I suppose I can help… Why don’t we go inside first? I have to feed Angel Bunny anyways.”

“T-that sounds fine,” Pinkie said, hardly keeping her voice under control. Fluttershy glanced at her briefly. “Sorry, just a tickle in my throat,” she said quickly, hoping her voice was bubbly enough. Fluttershy smiled and gently glided to her door. Pinkie made an effort to bounce along behind her. She had to keep up the charade. She laughed aloud as she thought of the classic game which she used to love; Fluttershy didn’t even notice the laugh. That was the most peculiar thing to her - the laughing. She kept laughing, and nopony questioned it here. How could one pony laugh that much.

They made their way inside, Pinkie sitting on the couch as Fluttershy went into the kitchen for food. She looked around. There were hanging birdhouses all around, desks in odd places… Fluttershy was a tad bit disorganized. It was obvious she had a lot on her mind, what with all the animals she took care of. She was terribly clumsy sometimes as well. Perhaps she could make it look like an accident? That would be best, she thought with a sickened little smile, always smiling as she had to. An accident, so no one suspected. She gulped as her smile grew the instant Fluttershy stepped hoof into the room with the food. “Having fun feeding your animals today?”

“O-Oh yes,” she said with a giggle, “I’ve been having lots of fun. You know how much I enjoy my mornings, Pinkie Pie.” She trotted over to what Pinkie had seen as a desk; it simply held food bowls for certain critters. The desk sat underneath a birdcage, currently uninhabited. “Now, Angel,” she said, addressing the hopping bunny beneath her hooves, “I know you want food, but you’re going to have to sit still.”

The bunny looked back at her with an angry little glare, but stopped hopping nonetheless. Pinkie took in the scene with little emotion; the bunny had always annoyed her. She glanced at the birdcage curiously. It looked as though it was loosely hanging on the hook it was on. “No happy birdies to fill that up,” she asked.

“None as of yet,” Fluttershy said with a sigh. “Oh well. I’m sure somepony will have a bird I can take care of.” Fluttershy smiled as she began to pour out some food for Angel. She was bent over as she held the heavy bag in her hooves. In fact, her body was right underneath the birdcage.

Pinkie’s eyes widened as Fluttershy began to giggle. “I miss the birds so much lately, I’ve been whistling through my chores. Do you ever whistle, Pinkie?”

“I… I don’t think so! I’m more of a singing type of gal.” Pinkie stood, picking up the flower vase Fluttershy had sitting on the table. It was empty and fragile, but maybe…

Fluttershy began to whistle. Pinkie felt her eye twitch. That happy, beautiful whistling. It was another reminder of the beauty she was sacrificing for the world. She took a step closer.

That maddening noise. Angel Bunny looked at her. He tried to warn Fluttershy as Pinkie stepped ever closer, her hooves somehow silent to the whistling mare.

The whistling hit a high note. The flower vase rose.

The noise stopped as shattering filled the air, soon to be followed by a scream.

Fluttershy fell as the bird cage slammed against her spread wings, bending them out of place. She was trapped momentarily, breathing frantically as her chest was stuck against the hardwood floor. Glass fragments sprinkled down on her, causing her to gasp in pain as they imbedded themselves in her back. What just…

She saw Pinkie standing over her. “P-Pinkie, what’s going on?!”

“Stop whistling,” Pinkie whispered, her eye twitching. She pulled the bird cage off her friend’s back, groaning. Fluttershy tried to scramble to her hooves, but Pinkie quickly pushed her back down with a hind hoof, standing straight like a diamond dog. She groaned again, hoisting up the cage. “I CAN’T STAND IT ANYMORE!”

“P-PINKIE, WHAT ARE YOU-”

No more waiting. The birdcage came down. Pinkie centered it around her close friend’s head, pushing it down as hard as she could.

There was a sickening crunch as it bashed in her friend’s skull. Fluttershy cried out in agony as her skull fractured from the almighty strength of the blow. Where had Pinkie gotten that strength!?

Pinkie groaned as she lifted up the cage again. She had to do this right - her wings might have been broken, but they might not be able to connect the wings to the cage. If she could get it in that same spot…

She felt powerful. Something was surging through her. She just knew it was the element. It still strengthened here, even now. She grinned. It felt… good.

Fluttershy looked up at her, blood sliding down her head. She panted as she coughed, blood stuck on her lips along with spittle. “P...inkie… w-why are you…”

“W-what is it you like to do, Shy? Whistle while you work?”

With a perverse, power mad grin, Pinkie slammed the cage down again. She began to whistle as she picked up the cage again and again, slamming it into that same crevice now in her friend’s head. Fluttershy made no more noises - unless you counted the crunching of her skull as the cage widened the hole.

Pinkie laughed as she left the cage imbedded in the fresh corpse. It was more a laugh of relief - or release. Release of anger, of anything. She looked at the blood staining her fur. It looked… strange. Foreign. But it wouldn’t for long.

She took a step back from the body, careful not to let her bloody forehooves hit the floor. She walked haphazardly to the kitchen. She quickly bumped on the water, washing the blood. It came out surprisingly easily. Fresh blood does, apparently. She watched the red fluid for minutes, she lost track. It looked… beautiful. Real. Real, true beauty.

She shook her head, gulping. Reality. It was setting in. She had just… she had done that. That just happened. She… smiled. She was freeing herself. Her mind felt somehow clear. She felt… happy. Full of laughter.

She turned off the water after all the blood had been washed out. She dried her hooves on her fur, careful not to dry it on a washcloth. No making any more mess than necessary.

She trotted back to the main room, but stopped in her tracks as she saw it. Animals were sniffing at the blood; rabbits, birds and cats alike watched it curiously. Angel sniffed at the body. He had never liked that rabbit food anyways.

Flesh tasted so much better.

Author's Note

HAHAHAHAHA I'M SICK AND TWISTED HAHAHAHA
Also, it is quite true that a cat will clean your body of flesh before you're cold. Happy facts!