11

After about only half an hour, Twilight and Pinkie walked back downstairs. Twilight immediately noticed who was missing. "Where's Spike?" she asked the twins, who were sitting closely together in the middle of the floor.

"He said he was going to Fluttershy's," Pumpkin replied, looking worried as she said it.

Before anyone else could react, the door opened and it was Spike who walked in. "Hi," he greeted the twins. He turned to Twilight and Pinkie, who were at the foot of the stairs. "Are you two okay?"

Twilight nodded and approached him. "You went to Fluttershy's?"

"Yeah. Her husband was sleeping late, so I was able to talk to her."

Twilight lowered her voice a little. "You didn't tell her about what Applejack said, did you?"

Spike shook his head, and Twilight was relieved. But apparently Pinkie could still hear her. "Wait, what did she say?"

Twilight decided it'd be best not to respond to the question. Every time she considered it, she told herself, Not yet. She's feeling bad enough as it is. "Did she say anything inportant?" she asked.

Spike thought for a minute. "Um...well, she did say why she stays with her husband."

"But didn't she tell us already?" Twilight remembered what Fluttershy had said--that Sandstorm gave her food and shelter--and Spike was there when she said it.

"Apparently there's more to it."

"There is?" Pinkie was approaching them now, looking quite curious. "What did she say?"

Spike informed them that Fluttershy had referred to herself as a lightning rod to absorb all the anger that Sandstorm needed to let out, and if she wasn't this lightning rod, then her son would be instead. "She says her husband needs her more than she needs him," Spike added.

"You means she agrees to being abused?" Twilight was startled by this fact for a moment, but then she remembered what Applejack had told her and Spike. The incident must have weakened Fluttershy's spirit as well as her body.

Spike nodded in response. There was a pause before Pinkie asked, "What did Applejack say? At the prison?"

Twilight and Spike exchanged an uncertain glance, then Twilight looked over at the twins. Pumpkin was lying down beside her brother on her back, and they were watching them with interest. I wonder if they know. She recalled that Applejack had said that Rarity had blackmailed Pinkie, threatening to use her knife on one of "them." She must mean one of the Cakes, Twilight realized. After all, they're all she's had for quite some time.

"Was it about me?" Pinkie interrupted Twilight's thoughts. "Is that why you're not telling me?"

Pound stood up, facing Twilight. "If you're not telling her just because it will hurt her, then tell her. It can't be worse than what you already said earlier."

Pumpkin nodded, flicking her orange tail. "What could be worse than someone killing herself?"

Twilight tried not to remember the horrific scene. Please don't remind me. She sighed. "You're right. I guess it isn't really too big of a deal." She glanced at Spike again before saying to Pinkie, "Let's just say...I found out why you avoid Rarity."

Pinkie rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. I told you yesterday."

"No, Pinkie. You didn't tell me all of it." Twilight walked away from the door, toward the counter. She always felt awkward when having serious conversations near a door, especially if the door was open like it was now. She turned back toward Pinkie and continued. "But Applejack did. Because she was never blackmailed. She was just told not to tell."

Pinkie took a step back. "W-what do you mean she wasn't blackmailed? What would make you think she was?"

"Well, I only know because she said so. She also said that somepony else was blackmailed instead. And that somepony else is you."

Pinkie looked afraid, but she didn't break down. She kept trying to hide it. "What could Rarity possibly blackmail me with, Twilight?"

Twilight already knew the answer. She pointed at Pound and Pumpkin. "It's because of them."

"W-what?" Pumpkin's blue eyes widened in surprise.

"We have no idea what you're talking about!" Pound protested. "What are you blaming us for?"

"I'm not blaming you for anything," Twilight reassured them. "Unless you count being blamed for being a price."

"A price for what?" Pinkie asked.

"The truth. I know what she did to Fluttershy, and you saw it happen." Twilight didn't to say this, because she was unsure of how it would affect Pinkie, but she felt she had to now. "And Rarity blackmailed you not to tell. If you told anyone about the incident, she would use her knife on them." She gestured to the children.

Pinkie stared at Twilight for a moment. She then looked away. Twilight saw a tear roll down her cheek as she said quietly, "It was so terrible." She looked up again and walked over to Twilight as Spike finally realized the door was open and quietly shut it.

Twilight stroked her fluffy mane and said, "I'm sorry that I had to remind you of the incident."

"Don't be sorry."

"Oh, I forgot to mention..." Spike looked a little embarrassed about interrupting them. "I talked to Rarity too. And I told her that we know."

"She didn't hurt you, did she?" Pinkie asked with concern.

"No. She was actually afraid to encounter you."

Pinkie wiped her eye. "Me? Why?"

"She didn't really say."

Twilight thought for a moment. "Well, it has to have something to do with the incident last year. Maybe she was afraid to hurt you or something?"

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Pinkie wiped her eyes again, as if to ensure that she wasn't visibly crying, then turned to open it. Once she did show, she squealed a little in fright and backed up toward Twilight, who had to hold her for a moment because she was scrambling and close to falling down. Twilight looked at the visitor and smiled a little. "Hi, Rarity."

Rarity looked a little shyer than usual. She avoided looking at Pinkie Pie. She glanced at Twilight with her grayish-blue eyes and said, "I hope you don't mind me interrupting."

Twilight noticed Pumpkin backing away, and Pound standing protectively in front of her. They must've gotten the whole psychopath-killer-Rarity thing in their heads. She looked back at Rarity. "No, it's okay."

She stepped further in, feeling guilty for doing just that. With her magic she closed the door behind her, and pulled the hood of her cloak off. She then turned to Pinkie, for the first time in the past year. The earthpony looked like she'd just been crying, but Rarity could only see that from the sadness and fear in her ice blue eyes. Pinkie tried backing away further, but Twilight quickly held her hoof and exchanged a meaningful look with her. Pinkie looked back at Rarity. Rarity wasn't willing to break the silence, and Pinkie didn't seem like she wanted to speak either.

Rarity finally said, "It's been a while since I've seen you."

Pinkie simply nodded.

Rarity approached her. "You don't like to remember it, do you?"

She didn't need to clarify what she was referring too. Pinkie didn't need to ask. She answered, "No. I don't."

Rarity raised her hoof and rested it on Pinkie's shoulder. Pinkie flinched, but she didn't try to back away. Rarity smiled a little at her. "I hope you realize that I don't want to hurt anyone. Not anymore."

There was a few moments of silence. They stared at each other as Twilight, Spike, and the twins watched intently. Twilight seemed to be hopeful. Then Pinkie started crying. She didn't audibly sob, but her breath was shaky as she pushed Rarity's hoof away and jumped on her, hugging her tightly. "I-I'm sorry!"

Rarity was crying a little too. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I should've talked to you!" She stood up again, and turned to Twilight. "I could've stopped Fluttershy from being hurt. But I didn't."

"It's perfectly reasonable," Twilight replied. She seemed really touched by this reunion between Pinkie and Rarity. "You were too scared."

"Exactly! I'm a coward!" She looked back at Rarity. "You shouldn't blame yourself."

"I started it. I overreacted." Rarity remembered how out if it she had been the year before, and Fluttershy bleeding on the ground in front of her. She blinked, letting a few more tears fall. "But, even if we can't forget...we can at least not mention it."

"That's what I've been doing. But it didn't work."

Rarity smiled down at her. "I trust you enough to try again." She let go of Pinkie and wiped her eyes. Then she had a sudden idea. Something that might help this situation just a little. But Twilight couldn't know. She lowered her voice and whispered, "Can you meet me in an hour near the market? I promise I won't hurt you."

Pinkie stared at her hesitantly. It would be reasonable for her to refuse. After all, the last time Rarity had asked someone to meet her, that someone got brutally beaten. But Pinkie nodded.

Which was good. What Rarity was planning could lift a lot of stress. Besides, it would make up for what happened the year before.