Dark Laughter

The air rushed passed her as she fell, her wings folded tight against her side. Her struggles would soon be over. Pinkie Pie closed her eyes as the ground approached her, at peace at last. Falling, falling, falling...and it stopped. It was over.

Pinkie felt the oddest sensation, as if she was floating, being cradled by clouds and light. She sighed, content with the world around her.

"Pinkie Pie..." A familiar, quiet voice breathed.

Fluttershy...

"Pinkie Pie...please don't end your life. I want you to know that I'm happy now, and that I'll be watching over you, protecting you until we meet again. You have so much to live for, Pinkie. Your parties, your baking, your friends... Pinkie, don't end your life. It's my wish. My dying wish..."

But Fluttershy...I'm already dead.

"Open your eyes, Pinkie Pie. Open your eyes and be happy."

Pinkie Pie opened her eyes and saw the gravel of a street in Ponyville a couple feet below her, through a fuchsia glow that covered her whole body.

"Pinkie Pie, how could you try to kill yourself?" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed. Pinkie felt Twilight's magic right her body and stand her down on her four hooves.

"Yeah, Pinkie, that was NOT COOL," Rainbow Dash growled, tears worming their way out of her magenta eyes despite her tough persona.

They were all there. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity.

"Pinkie Pie, is this because of...Fluttershy?" Rarity asked. Pinkie nodded and bowed her head.

"Sugarcube, the loss has been just as hard for us as it has been for you," Applejack sighed. "But ya can't just try an' take your life like that. It aint fair to us."

"I-I understand," Pinkie whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Twilight smiled weakly. "It's a good thing you fell from so far up, otherwise we wouldn't have saved you in time."

"How ever did you manage to fall from so high?" Rarity questioned.

"Um...I flew," Pinkie said. Wasn't that obvious?

"What the hay are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash snorted. "Pinkie, I know you can bounce super-high, but you can't fly. You don't have wings."

"Yes I--" Pinkie looked at her flank and gasped. Her wings were gone. Her fur was back to it's normal, bright pink color. When she felt around her mouth with her tongue, she found that her fangs were gone, as well. She imagined that her eyes were back to their normal, light blue color, as well. She wasn't a bat-pony anymore. But how?

"What the...did you use the serum on me?" Pinkie said accusingly.

"What serum?" They said in confusion.

"I'm...not a bat-pony," Pinkie tried to explain.

"Of course you're not," Twilight said. "Why in the world would you be a bat-pony?"

"You don't remember..."

"Don't remember what?"

Something occurred to Pinkie. "Am I going to be punished? For what I did to Diamond Tiara, and Nurse Redheart, and that one doctor?"

"Excuse me?" Rarity cocked her head. "Darling, those ponies are fine, as far as we know. Is there anything wrong?"

Pinkie gaped. "You mean they're not dead?"

"Of course not!" Twilight cried.

"Ah think Pinkie's a bit woozy from the shock," Applejack chuckled. "She needs some rest. C'mon, y'all, let's get her to bed."

Pinkie allowed her friends to carry her to Sugarcube Corner and tuck her into her bed. As they left, she pondered what they had said. Were they lying to her? No, they sounded very sincere. If they had been lying, Pinkie probably would've been able to tell. Were their memories tampered with?

A few minutes later, Pinkie heard hoofsteps as Mr. and Mrs. Cake trotted into her room.

"Oh, Pinkie, you're awake," Cup Cake said, mildly surprised.

"We heard what happened earlier," Carrot Cake stated, a frown etched on his muzzle. "Are you okay?"

"Fine and dandy," Pinkie lied.

"That's great," Cup Cake said half-heartedly. "Well, um, we were thinking that maybe you should take a break from work for a couple days."

"What? Why?"

"We think that we haven't been giving you enough time to...grieve," Carrot Cake clarified. "Losing somepony dear to you can take a long time to adjust to."

"O-okay," Pinkie stammered. "Thank you."

The Cakes nodded and left. Pinkie Pie got out of her bed and walked over to her bedroom window, which she could see most of Ponyville through. She scanned the bustling masses below, searching for three particular ponies.

Yes, there was Diamond Tiara! She was with her friend, Silver Spoon, browsing through expensive jewelry in the Ponyville market.

And there were Nurse Redheart and the doctor! They were strolling through town, no doubt discussing some sort of medical topic...or romantic topic. Pinkie couldn't help but notice the way they were longingly gazing into each others eyes.

How could this be?! How was Pinkie back to normal, and those three ponies alive?! It was almost as if...almost as if it never happened. As if it never happened at all. But that couldn't be...Fluttershy was still gone; everypony had made that clear. If something caused everything to reverse itself, why couldn't Fluttershy be brought back to life, too?

Feeling a wave of tears about to pour out, Pinkie went into the bathroom to get some tissues. As she was about to leave the small, tiled room, Pinkie looked at herself in the mirror. Yes, she was entirely an earth pony again. Normal mouth, normal ears, normal fur, normal--

Pinkie stuck her hoof in her mouth to keep from screaming. Her eyes weren't their normal aquamarine color.

They were blue-ish green. Teal.

They were the same color as Fluttershy's eyes. What was going on?! Why did she have Fluttershy's eyes?! What had happened?!

With a jolt, Pinkie realized why.

"You did this, didn't you...Fluttershy?" Pinkie said, looking up. "You made everything back to the way it was...so I could be happy." Pinkie rubbed her teal eyes, having no problem whatsoever with the change. "My eyes...this means...this means that you're watching over me, doesn't it."

A smile spreading across her face, Pinkie bounded into her room and leaned out the window once again. She stared at the perfect blue sky, and could almost imagine Fluttershy up above, in wherever good ponies go when they die, watching over Pinkie with a sweet little smile like the one she always wore.

"Thank you, Fluttershy," Pinkie said, tears running down her face. Tears of joy. "Thank you."

FIN