Reaper Mare

Applejack was hesitant as she approached Sugar Cube Corner. Given Twilight's rather violent outburst, she could only imagine the state that Pinkie Pie was in. The group was well-aware of Pinkie's troubles, but the mare seemed to have them well under control most of the time. She didn't quite understand it herself, but it seemed like two separate mares lived within one body. One was the ecstatic pony who took an active role in the lives of those around her while the other was an anti-social pony who had been driven mad by a childhood on a dreary rock farm. While there wasn't any credence behind the rumors, she had heard that Pinkie had fled her home to escape her father. What the stallion had been doing was any pony's guess, but it had scarred the pink mare for life.

What she did know, however, was that Pinkie rarely slept soundly and was often haunted by nightmares. On the times that they had all had sleepovers, Pinkie would be restless the entire time, tossing and turning before curling in a defensive posture and shying from imaginary blows while crying out, wordless moans of pain and torment, until she was awoken. After she was awoken, she claimed to not be able to remember anything about the dreams.

There were only a few times that this didn't happen: Whenever Pinkie slept next to her. It was as if the mare could sense the dominating and protective presence of the farm pony, even in sleep. Now that such perceived protection was gone, how would she react?

She noticed, upon entering, that the store was nearly deserted. The few ponies that actually occupied the store were scattered among the tables, silently eating their treats. Carrot and Cup Cake interacted with their customers with their usual jovial manner, but their expressions seemed a brittle front.

They were terribly worried and the object of their worry became apparent. Pinkie appeared from the kitchen. She moved without the usual bounce in her step, her head bowed and eyes downcast. She trudged past her employers, ignored the greetings from nearby customers, and placed a tray of cupcakes into the display case. She then moved slowly about the dining room, gathering dishes before returning to the kitchen. Not once did she speak, lift her eyes, or change her pace.

Applejack noticed Carrot and Cup exchange a worried look as she followed Pinkie. The mare set her burden by the sink and sat down with a heavy sigh. Folding in on herself, she began to quietly sob.

“Pinkie.” She approached the mare. “Don't cry. Ah...Ah...” She sighed, “Ah wish y’all knew I ain't left yet. Ah hate seein' y’all in so much pain.”

Pinkie produced something from somewhere on herself. She held it in her hooves, staring at it fondly for a moment, before embracing it tightly.

“Whatcha got there?” Applejack asked, trotting around to get a better look. She peered closely at the object. It had a braid of yellow yarn held together at the end with a red rubber band and was made of orange fabric with a long braid of yellow yarn for the tail.

It was a doll. A doll of her.

Applejack sat down, wondering if it was possible for a spirit to faint. Pinkie began to rock slowly, murmuring as she held her Applejack doll. The plushie was hastily sewn together, with the seams exposed and being overstuffed in parts. The entire thing had the look of something thrown together at the last moment by an amateur.

It brought comfort to Pinkie, what little that could be offered. Slowly, Applejack got up and began to back away.

“Pinkie?”

As quick as a flash, Pinkie tucked the doll away and turned to face Cup Cake. “Yes, Mrs. Cake?”

“Are you okay, dear?”

Pinkie nodded and presented a brittle smile. “I'm sorry I'm taking so long with the dishes. I'll get on them right away.” She turned and swept the pile of dirty tableware into the soapy dish water, furiously scrubbing at one plate. Whatever the speck of mess was, it was certainly stubborn and, no matter how much force she put behind each stroke, she couldn't get it clean.

Finally, in a show of frustration, she smashed the plate against the floor. It took a full three seconds for Pinkie to realize what she had done.

“I-I'm sorry.” She gasped, shooting a horrified look at a worried Mrs. Cake. “I-I-I didn't mean to. I'll clean it up right away.” She dropped down and began to sweep up the shards, yelping when she suddenly cut the inside of her hoof.

That did it. Choking back a sob, she slumped against the sink and sank to the floor. Cup Cake charged across the kitchen to wrap Pinkie in a tight embrace. Pinkie let out a pitiful wail as she curled into the hug.

“It's okay. It's okay. She's in a better place now. She's happy and you should be happy for her. You'll be able to be with her one day, but you must keep going until then.” Cup Cake whispered as her hold on Pinkie tightened.

Applejack turned and left, certain that if she had a heart it would be broken.

Out on the streets, she was anxious over seeing the rest of her family. She almost didn't want to, but she couldn't stop her hooves from taking one step after another. Idly, she wondered if walking anywhere was really necessary. However, walking was the only way she knew to get around.

In short order, she found herself standing before Carousel Boutique. Given what she knew of Rarity, the unicorn's shop and home would look like Twilight's. Rarity was the definition of a Drama Queen, often throwing fits over the most mundane of misfortunes. The death of a pony close to her would surely send the mare spinning out of control.

Cautiously, Applejack stuck her head into the shop and looked around.

The Boutique was in perfect order. In fact, it was in better shape than she had ever seen it. Slowly, she stepped through the door, afraid that what she saw was just a front and chaos lay around the next corner.

Fortunately, she never came to the next corner. The entire Boutique looked like it had been professionally refurbished from top to bottom. Rarity's Inspiration Room, which was usually what she referred to as “organized chaos” was immaculate, with supplies and fabrics stored neatly in various chests and shelves.

The floor was swept, mopped, and waxed. Mannikins were neatly lined up against one wall, like an army awaiting orders. Despite all that she had found, the strangest thing was that Rarity was no where to be found.

The alabaster unicorn had completely abandoned her dwelling and business, as it seemed. Remembering what she had seen with Pinkie and Twilight, She feared the worst.

“Nah,” Applejack told herself. “She's prob'ly out shoppin', or at the spa, or visitin'. Ah'm sure she's fine.”

Trotting back around to the door, she was about to leave when the door burst open and Rarity entered. Her mane and tail were in disarray, as if she had just come in from a powerful windstorm, and she wore no makeup. There were bags under her eyes and lines across her muzzle. The unicorn looked as if she had aged twenty years in the span of a few days.

From one of the bags, she pulled out a length of shimmery, satiny black fabric. A mannikin was selected and levitated to the center of the wide room. Needles, thread, and measuring tape flew along in her wake as she circled the mannikin.

“This will be my finest creation.” Rarity told herself. “She deserves that much, at least. No, she deserves a great deal more, but there's not much I can do about that, is there?”

She paused in her work to turn her eyes skyward. “I promise you, I will not charge Macintosh one single bit for this. Even though we didn't always see eye-to-eye, I loved you like a sister. I will do anything and everything in my power to help your family through this, I promise.”

Rarity dove back into her work. “You deserve more than what I can give you. You deserve to be alive, but, as they say, no good deed goes unpunished. Even if you can't have that, you deserve justice.”

The bell at the door rang and Rarity trotted past her to see to her customer. “I'm so very sorry, but we're closed until further notice.”

The pony, Carrot Top, looked a little crestfallen. “Oh, I didn't mean to disturb you.”

“That's quite alright, dear.” Rarity assured her. “It's just that... my priorities have shifted for the moment. If you'll just allow me a bit more time, I'll have your gown ready. You won't be disappointed.”

Carrot looked over Rarity's back at the mannikin. “You're making her funeral dress?”

The unicorn's continence shifted into a grim mask. “Now, I know the Apples and the Carrots have had a long standing feud, but I will not have you speaking ill of her on my property. Is that clear?”

Carrot gave a hasty nod. “Oh, of course. My mama raised me better than to talk bad about the dead. Sure, she and I had our shouting matches over the fence and, when we were little, we'd always sabotage each others work, but she was a good pony and she worked hard for everything she had. I'd never dream of letting any old feud tarnish her memory.”

Rarity gave a sad smile. “Thank you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your kind words. And I'm sure she does as well.”

“Yer darn tootin'.” Applejack seconded, thumping her hoof. “Ah wish there were a dozen more like ya, Carrot Top.”

Carrot smiled and turned to leave. “Let me know when you're ready, Rarity. Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you again for you patience, Carrot Top.”

After seeing Carrot Top out, Rarity returned to her work, designing without templates and letting her art flow from her soul. Each cut, each stitch, was precise as love guided her magic. As she worked, tears streamed down her cheeks and sobs hitched her breath, but there was a bittersweet smile on her face. While this was a painful task, it was like a salve. The application was agony, but it would help the wound heal all the faster.

Certain that Rarity would be fine, Applejack left the mare to her work.

Fluttershy's cottage was out past Sweet Apple Acres, forcing Applejack to pass by her home. She wasn't terribly upset about that. In truth, she dreaded returning to the farm and actually considered just returning to Death's Realm after visiting Fluttershy. However, she desperately wanted to see her brother and sister one last time.

The cottage was unusually silent. The din of the various animals that passed by was absent and the property showed no signs of life. She approached warily, passing through the wall just below the window.

The cottage was empty. The rafters were now devoid of the birds that fluttered among them. The animals that occupied the cottage all seemed to have moved on.

Except for Angel Bunny. The little white rabbit was perched on the arm of the sofa, watching over Fluttershy.

Applejack expected tears, but Fluttershy just laid there, drawing circles on the wooden floor with her hoof. The yellow pegasus let out a sigh, saddened past tears. Her ears and wings were wilted and she seemed to be melting into the furniture.

As Applejack approached, Angel's head snapped up and he seemed to stare right at her. She froze, watching him closely. Carefully, she began to move again, watching as he followed her.

Angel could see her, or, at least, was aware of her. He tracked her as she moved about the room. It was only when she began to approach Fluttershy that he began to screech an alarm.

Fluttershy sat up, giving him her full attention. “What is it, Angel?”

Angel began to shriek louder as he hopped and pointed at Applejack.

“Do you see something?” The Pegasus' eyes swept the room, but found nothing. “What's got you so upset?”

The rabbit hopped off the couch and charged for Applejack, who instinctively took a few steps back. He slid to a halt and resumed his pointing, chattering insistently.

“There's nothing there, Angel.”

The rabbit gave a shriek of frustration, planted his front paws, and began to kick his hind legs.

Fluttershy watched him a moment before hazarding a guess. “There's something on your back?”

Angel rolled his eyes and disappeared a moment, returning with a plush cow and a length of string, which he used to lasso the toy.

“You want to wrangle cattle? Angel, that's not very safe. I didn't even like it when Applejack did that. I always thought she was going to get herself...” she gasped as her pupils shrank and she collapsed back to the sofa, breaking down in tears.

Angel abandoned his task and returned to the pegasus, settling down next to her.

Applejack slowly left. All of her friends were in terrible agony. Rarity seemed to be coping the best, but she was the exception. She needed to check on Macintosh and Bloom, then return to Death.

This wasn't going to be pleasant.