Thrive

by Aurora Boreallis

Rating: mature
Tags: Dark, Romance, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Sad
Length: 6740

Many ponies prefer the process of judge and jury when they become victims of a series of unfortunate events. Others, seek their own "Justice" by creating their own.

Worlds become merged when an individual seeks to another lifestyle to live and prosper. We are here to do what we have done with any world we come across by. We manipulate it to suit our preferences. We enhance it, corrupt it, destroy it, and move on to the next world. Out of the billions of individuals who live in the world of madness, there are few individuals who seek a new world to not corrupt and destroy, but to embrace and care for. Those individuals, are the pioneers who will reach a new and untainted world……that only the eyes of the innocent, can see.

Written by Sine & Wubcake. Cover Art by Wubcake. [Link to her dA by clicking the picture]

Authors note : "Hi, it's Sine. Man, a lot of stuff came and went. But hey, it's gotten a bit better. Better to the point of where I was surprised I never deleted this story. I practically know it like the back of my hand for reasons. We have good times, and then we make bad mistakes to where you feel like you want to die. This story was written during a very bad time and that's the reason why it was put away. But things are looking up. So this story will be completed overtime. I hope you are excited for this story as much as I am into finishing it." - 7/4/15

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-18 07:12:44 UTC

Welcome To Sugarcubce Corner

Ch 1. Welcome To Sugarcube Corner

　　In the town of Ponyville, an atmosphere of peace and quietness filled the air. Of course, the town did not have that much activity going on during Sundays. So this was a time where you could relax and enjoy nature as is.

The sky only had a few clouds in the sky. Most of them were kicked by the Cloudsdale Weather Pegasi, insuring that their forecast of mostly sunny, would stay true to word.

This is a normal, quiet day in the town of Ponyville. However, it was not always this quiet.

A few years ago, the town was always alive and bustling with activity. There was never a dull moment.

But as time went on, things changed. They changed in a way that would determine the outcome of what is now known as the present in this current world.

We live in a world where we have control on its outcome.

We manipulate it,

Enhance it,

Corrupt it,

Destroy it.

But once there is nothing more we can do to sustain such a world thrown into chaos,

We look for the next world to colonize, manipulate, enhance, corrupt, and destroy.

It is a never ending cycle of fate.

Few individuals however, dare to seek a world to not corrupt, but embrace and thrive in. Those individuals, are the pioneers of the continuing voyage to a new world.

A new world that only the innocent can see.

It was the evening. The last few faint rays of Celestia's sun beamed across the horizon in colors of pink and orange before disappearing completely. Moments later, the moon began rising above the same horizon that the sun had set.

In the North central section of Ponyville, a pink colored earth pony was trotting down one of the avenues. The trotting soon went to a more fast-paced rate, as if she was in a hurry to get home as night time was setting in. Her flattened mane and tail blew back in the form of waves as she bears her path towards her home at Sugarcube Corner. Walking across from Sugarcube Corner, a tan colored earth pony seemed to be out on a night walk, enjoying the comfortable ambiance that comes around Ponyville during the nights.

It wasn't long before both ponies cross paths and bumped into each other.

Obviously neither were paying attention at the moment.

The tan colored earth pony immediately gets up and apologizes.

"Oh my bad! I was-..."

She cuts herself off mid-sentence. Finally realizes the pony in front of her, she covers her mouth in awe, as kneels down in a bowing manner, as if showing respect for royalty.

"I'm so, so sorry Miss Pinkamena! I didn't mean any disrespect! Honest!"

Pinkamena, gets up as well and noticing the pony bowing down to her. She tilts her head to the side and raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"Um...what are you doing? And why are you uh...bowing?"

The tan earth pony looks up and rises, putting her front hooves on Pinkamena's shoulders and looking into her face with an expression of awe.

"You're even prettier in person!”, she exclaims. "And I REEEEEEALLY like your mane!"

Letting the awkward moment run its course, Pinkamena pushes her back.

"Whoa whoa whoa....heh heh...”, she dusts herself off.

"I don't know who you...are you.....a friend of Twilight's?”.

The other realizes her approach toward Pinkamena and apologizes.

"Crap! I’m sorry, Miss Pinkamena! My name is Cupcake Slash and it may sound odd but I’d like to become your assistant, please! I'm technically not Twilight's friend, but I have seen her around before! Your other friends as well!"

Too confused to intake the blast of information, she takes a step back, displaying that she is still uncomfortable about what is going on right now.

Re-verifying the information Cupcake said earlier, she begs the question,

"Assistant? For what exactly..?"

Cupcake responds. "Cupcakes, of course! You know the whole-”.

She begins speaking in a different voice, almost matching Pinkamena’s own.

"I'm gonna bake you into Cupcakes, Dashie!!"

Pinkamena's eyes widen.

Nothing could properly explain what was going on at that time she mentioned the word, "Dashie!”. For it is that nick-name alone, that changed what was used to be known as, "The Town Of Friendship" , into a town of normality and predictability. Nothing excited ever happened within the town, with the exception of the parties that would be thrown for events and birthdays. And then for 48 hours, including the post-party period, the town would be filled with happiness and love. Pinkamena is the reason why the town goes into small spurts of joy and happiness due to celebrations, holidays, birthdays, etc.

She is the premier party pony of the town after all.

But soon as word got out that Rainbow Dash had decided to further pursue her dreams of becoming a Wonderbolt, and has not been seen ever since the letter she had wrote to her friends, things became more slower paced. Ponies grew up. As far as what is observed, Rainbow Dash is the only pony out of the mane 6, who is currently out of town. The rest of them are still in Ponyville, continuing putting their own their talents to work in helping the community full circle. Just because one element has moved on, doesn't mean the nation of Equestria is left vulnerable to outside forces. Not only is the Royal Guard stationed in almost every city in Equestria, but The Tree of Harmony keeps half of the "unknown forces" away from Equestria, inside and out. The mane 6 are forever known as the bearers of the elements of harmony, and are still praised for saving Equestria numerous times back then.

However, Rainbow Dash moving on to join the Wonderbolts is only what the mane 6 have been told.

The letter than was written to the mane 6, explaining her intentions for her decision... was forged.

Only one pony in Equestria knows that Rainbow Dash never left Ponyville. The events of Gummy's 1st Birthday party came swimming into Pinkamena's memory.

She hesitates.

"H-how did you know...? That's not your business!"

Pinkamena begins to look at her very suspicious. She circles around Cupcake, eyes scanning her down. She comes into view in front of Cupcake's face and eyes her.

"That is actually nopony's business to know, now go away."

Pinkamena trots past her, heading to Sugarcube Corner ahead. Cupcake on the other hoof refuses Pinkamena's denial and trots up beside her.

"Wait! I can be a BIG help, it’ll be fun!"

Pinkamena stops in her tracks mid-way and reels around to face Cupcake, looking slightly annoyed.

She narrows her eyes at her as she addresses her with a warning.

"Look! This is not some sort of game. This is something I have developed through pain, sorrow, and the demon that lies within me. When it's awake, I must satisfy it to keep my own amount of sanity left. It brings me pleasure in a way that the average pony will ever understand. You do not want to be in my world, I can already tell you’re just a fan-girl who enjoys viewing from a 2nd person view. However, when you're the one holding the knife to a pony's throat, it's something totally different, now go home."

She eyes her, to see if she confirmed her remark. Cupcake responds with a plea,

"B-But..I respect you, and I can help!"

Thinking that this is some sort of prank, Pinkamena grabs Cupcake, and brings her to her face.

"I. Work. Alone.”

Pinkamena drops Cupcake on the ground roughly and proceeds to trot off.

Cupcake sits there in disappointment.

"B-But I..”

Her eyes narrow, a look on determination on her face. She yells to Pinkamena, standing back up and rushing to her side once more.

"Wait! I really can help! I promise I'll do well!"

Pinkamena laughs as she continues to try to get away from her.

"Ha! In what, taking the lives of innocent ponies for pleasure?! You are weak and only become attracted to what is presented to you from somepony else! You cannot sustain and handle the real thing!"

Cupcake stops in her tracks. Desperate to try and prove her wrong on the current impression Pinkamena has of her, she yells back in response.

"I want to help! I want to assure you that you no longer have to feel isolated anymore, I want to make you happy, but if you don’t want to be bothered, I’ll respect that...”

Cupcake's shout turns into a soft sentence as she realizes that she has failed to convince Pinkamena. She sits on her haunches, looking at Pinkamena trailing off in sadness and disappointment.

Pinkamena continues trotting away, but for some reason, deep inside her soul, she did not want to be alone.

In fact, this was the first time somepony ever talked to her besides her main friends, who she even avoids herself.

Finally losing to the overwhelming curiosity of the offer itself, Pinkamena gives out a grunt of defeat and frustration; she turns around and makes her way back to where Cupcake was sitting. Hearing the sound of hooves approaching her, Cupcake lifts her head up.  She sees Pinkamena walking towards her.

First overjoyed, she begins to call out to her. But she cuts herself off as she sees no smile on Pinkamena's face.

In fact, Pinkamena seemed to be approaching Cupcake very rapidly.

Cupcake takes a step back.

"I- I..."

"Come here!”, Pinkamena snaps at Cupcake.

"Yes ma'am!” Cupcake responds, not moving back any further.

Pinkamena grabs Cupcake once again and brings her to her face.

"You come with me... and you better swear by Celestia's sun, that you will not disclose any information you observe. I would've just left you, but being the fact that you are the only pony besides me, who knows what had happened to Rainbow Dash, I cannot afford you to be trotting so freely in society. How can I even trust you? How come you have not called the Royal Guards and had me executed?! You know what happened?! So who's stopping you?!"

Pinkamena widens her eyes at Cupcake, demanding an answer.

Cupcake closes her eyes and gives a warm smile to Pinkamena.

"Have you gone deaf, Miss Pinkamena? I had just told you that I want be of great assistance to you. I know what it feels like to be alone, but that explanation is for another time."

Not wanting Cupcake to repeat herself, she brings her closer to her face as she address her sternly.

"You do not share anything you're about to see. Hell, I'll even still give you the chance of turning back right now, and walk away like we never met. Because once you're in my domain, you think you've seen what hell looks like...."

Regardless of her warning, Cupcake responds just as sternly to Pinkamena. No fear whatsoever.

"I'm coming with you. And my mouth is sealed."

She waves a hoof over her mouth, as if zipping her mouth closed.

Pinkamena rolls her eyes and lets go of her.

"Follow me." She orders.

She turns around and proceeds to trot back in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Cupcake follows behind her. They approach what seems to be a traditional life-sized gingerbread house. Pinkamena approaches the front doorstep to the bakery and opens the door.

She walks in and quickly gestures Cupcake over.

"Get in. Now."

Cupcake complies. "O-Of course!" She rushes inside the bakery.

Pinkamena slams the main front door behind them and locks it twice over. She goes to the windows and lets down the shades. The entire main room was now blocked from the outside world. She then turns around and walks across the bakery floor, not even bothering to turn the lights on. It is almost blinding dark in the room they're in. Only a couple night lights, illuminated 1/4 of the entire room. Pinkamena reaches an door next to the back of the cashier's counter.

Cupcake speaks up as she eyes the door.

"Does that lead to the basement?"

Pinkamena ‘face-hoofs’ in response.

Cupcake apologizes. "Sorry! I've never been inside Sugarcube Corner before!"

Pinkamena rolls her eyes and opens the door, walking down into the darkness of the basement floor, she addresses Cupcake.

"Close the door behind you."

Cupcake responds. "Okay."

She proceeds to walk into the basement entrance, and closes the door behind her. Pinkamena grabs a wire with her teeth and gives it a tug, turning the light on.

The room illuminates, showing a decent sized area space.....

....except for the fact that there were 3 stretchers lined up against the wall, perpendicular to her.

Pinkamena walks over to a desk and pulls out a blood stained knife. She grabs it with her teeth and walks over to Cupcake, who was just reaching the bottom of the stairs. Pinkamena stops and drops the knife in front of Cupcake. The knife lands with a cling that sounds through the quiet room.

She addresses to Cupcake.

"Take that knife....and slit your cutie mark.....three times over."

Cupcake stares at the knife, and then picks it up.

"But why-.....I-..."

She begins to look nervous and bits her lip, as she does not wish argue with Pinkamena.

She angles her torso for her cutie mark to be visible and looks at it, a cupcake with green frosting.

"I...”. She gulps.

Pinkamena pulls out her rolling chair and sits on her haunches. She folds her arms and waits patiently.

She gives a slight smirk to Cupcake, and then begins to define the practice being given.

"This will verify to me that you will, "assist" me in anything I say or tell you to do. You will participate, you will learn, and you will not argue.

More importantly...”, she leans in closer to Cupcake.

"...You will NOT leave your duty., this is your new responsibility now. Anything you have done had planned on doing has now been scrapped.”

She grins at Cupcake.

"....You belong to me.”

Pinkamena leans back in her chair, eyes still focused on the mare before her.

"Now you have two choices. You have one more chance to leave right now, and never dare to return again, for I have yet to even show you the "culinary" creations I have made in the back door over there."

She points her hoof to the large metal door to her right.

"Or... You swear your servitude to me. You leave your family and friends. You stay with me, regardless of what I do to you. The choice is yours."

Pinkamena crosses her arms as she leans back in her chair. Half of her mane falls over her face as she eyes her, analyzing every emotion Cupcake might be feeling at the moment.

Cupcake looks at Pinkamena with determination and nods her head.

"I belong to you."

And with that statement, she reaches the knife towards her cutie mark, and began to press the sharp blade of the knife on her cutie mark. Blood immediately starts oozing from the slit she has made. She does not scream, as she is determined to prove herself worthy to Pinkamena. She repeats the step twice more. Her body trembles from the pain, but she stands proud.

Finishing the practice, she holds the blood dripping knife up between her eyes as she looks at Pinkamena with seriousness.

"And only you, I shall never leave you, I promise to forever be loyal."

Pinkamena responds in slight monotone,

"We'll see about that."

She hops out of the chair and lands on her hooves. She grabs the knife from Cupcake's hoof with her teeth. She turns around and spits it out, tossing it on her desk. Cupcake's blood from the knife, stains her stack of papers

.

Pinkamena then walks over to one of the stretchers, grabs it with her teeth, and uncovers it.

Revealing to be one of Rainbow Dash's friends,

Flitter.

Pinkamena then goes to a bag next to the unconscious Pegasus, and digs her hoof in, pulling out a large adrenaline needle. She tosses the needle over to Cupcake. The needle drops right before her. She addresses to her,

"Take that needle and stab it into the side of her neck. That'll wake her up."

She trots to a nearby cart. Cupcake obeys her command. "Yes, Miss Pinkamena."

She picks up the needle and walks over to the unconscious Flitter. She then jabs the needle into her and injects the liquid.

Flitter screams to life.

"AAAH!!!! ...wait...w-what...Who are you?! Where am I?!?”, she asks the pony next to her in panic.

Pinkamena's ears perk up at the sudden task being completed in such short notice. She then turns around and pushes the tray of sharp, bloodstained utensils over to where Cupcake and Flitter are.

Flitter goes into a full on panic.

"H-Hey! What are you doing with those there?!?! Why are yo-..."

Flitter takes a good look at the pink pony before her. She doesn't believe who she is seeing.

"P-Pinkie..?"

Pinkamena smiles softly. She pulls out a large, thin scalpel from behind her.

Flitter's eyes now connect to the presence of the surgical tool. She tries to move, but she is strapped down four times over to the stretcher.  Cupcake looks into Flitter's eyes, seeing her fear. She starts feeling a hint of excitement, but mostly nervousness.

Flitter cries out.

"Please! Please don't harm me!! I beg you!! I didn't mean to make fun of Fluttershy a couple months ago! It was Cloudchaser's fault! I swear!! I-...mmph!!"

Pinkamena presses a piece of duct tape to her mouth, silencing her temporarily. She is still able to hear Flitter’s muffled screams of panic. Pinkamena smiles and places the large scalpel at the base of her forehead.

She looks down at Flitter.

"You know...I didn't realize you had such pretty hair. Full volume too! That might go great with my new sweater I'm finishing up! Hope you don't mind me borrowing it!"

She turns to Cupcake. Her smile goes away in a quick flash.

"Sit and watch, assistant”.

As she commanded, Cupcake takes a seat to watch Pinkamena, and gives a slight smile.

"Of course."

Raising her eyebrow at Cupcake's sultry response, she turns back to Flitter. Flitter is now in tears as she tries struggling to get loose, but it is no use. With that, Pinkamena places the scalpel to the top of her forehead.

And begins to dig in her scalp.

She begins to draw an incision right on the border of her hair line, all the way around to the back of her head, and back to the top of her forehead again. Flitter literally screams in high pitch from the discomfort. She has yet to feel more. Humming to herself, in battle to Flitter's muffled screams, she places the scalpel back down on the cart and turns to face Flitter.

"Hey Flitter~....” she coos to her.

Flitter stops screaming. Her rapid breathing is only heard through her nose.

"Head's up!"

Pinkamena grabs Flitter's hair with both hooves.

Forcefully but progressively, she begins pulling her entire scalp off, the sound is similar to one tearing fabric.

Flitter's muffled screams can be heard as if she was lit on fire. After ten long seconds of pulling, Flitter's entire scalp, along with her hair fully intact, rips completely off her skull. Flitter is squirming madly in her bondages as her raw muscle on her skull is exposed. She doesn't stop screaming, even though the process is over. Pinkamena places the scalp full of hair on the table next to her and faces Flitter. She rips the duct tape that was covering her mouth. Flitter continues screaming in agony. She has gone into shock.

Cupcake covers her ears from the loud piercing screams.

Pinkamena grabs a large kitchen knife from the table next to her and drops it into Cupcake's lap.

"Be a dear and stab her in the throat. I actually want to harvest her organs in peace for once. You can only enjoy so much screaming you know."

Pinkamena winks and moves the cart away to give Cupcake some space, for she knows of the usual result from stabbing somepony in the throat.

Cupcake picks up the kitchen knife and looks at herself in its clean reflection for a second, before walking up to Flitter. She can clearly see the damage Pinkamena has done. She ignores the tears from Flitter's eyes as she raises the knife to the Pegasus's throat.

Pinkamena raises her eyebrow in interest and watches her closely.

Flitter looks up at Cupcake. Blood streams freely from her torn scalp, shaking violently from shock. She gapes in horror as she sees the earth pony holding the knife to her throat.

Flitter whispers hoarsely through choked sobs of pain

.

"...p-please..*hic*....d-don't...*hic...i d-don't wanna die...."

She begins to break out in sobs again.

Pinkamena watches both of them from across the room. The dim lit lamp is visible on only them both. The rest of the room is dark, with Pinkamena's eyes watching them both from afar. Cupcake looks into Flitter's eyes.

A wide grin appears on her face.

"Too bad."

She then stabs the knife through Flitter's throat twice while giggling, piercing through her trachea. Cupcake never felt so much adrenaline course through her.

And she liked it.

She begins laughing, now maniacally.

"Hahaha..HAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAAHA!!"

Blood splatters wildly into Pinkamena's face, indicating that Cupcake had stabbed through Flitter's neck and into her jugular vein. Flitter suddenly stops moving as she gurgles up blood, choking. It isn't long until she stops breathing,

and passes away. Pinkamena, who was watching the entire time, walks over to Cupcake and turns her around. She scans her blood splattered body.

"Hmm...I like you this way.. Adds a little bit more...flare into you."

She smirks as she walks over to Flitter's body and pushes the stretcher into the room with the metal door. The room, which a massive refrigerator unit, was where Pinkamena stores her victim's bodies to preserve them for later work.

She closes the door and walks back over to Cupcake. She gives her one final look-down before putting her doubt and suspicion of her away.

"Not bad.” she says coolly as she trots past her and approaches the basement stairs.

"Come. You need to wash up."

Cupcake smiles, happy to have pleased Pinkamena. She felt like she had been born a new pony today and she couldn't be more proud of what she had done.

"Of course!”

She follows her upstairs.

What You Thought You Knew

Ch. 2 : What You Thought You Knew

Cupcake patiently waited beside the closed bathroom door. She keeps herself still, fearing that she would accidentality stain Pinkamena's walls and floors if she were to get too comfortable. It is not long until Cupcake hears the sound of water, come to a stop.

The door opens. Pinkamena walks out of the shower, rinsed clean from the blood that coated her fur just an hour ago. She turns to Cupcake.

"You can use the bathroom now. By the time you're finished, I should have food ready for you. Twenty minutes or less."

Cupcake nods, "Thank you."

She then proceeds to walk into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Pinkamena walks downstairs and steps into the kitchen. She opens the fridge and leans in to see what to take out to prepare for supper. She gives a frown to the main missing ingredient she was looking for.

"Dammit. Out of meat already? Eh....I really don't feel like going over to Fluttershy's and stealing one of her chi-..."

She stops her thought and glances over to the basement door.

Her face curls into an evil, satisfied grin.

She closes the fridge and trots the basement door. She unlocks the two chains on  it, opens it, and descends down the basement stairs.

Meanwhile upstairs, Cupcake washes the blood off of her coat. Rinsing herself clean, she turns off the shower, steps out, and begins drying herself. She looks into the mirror and takes notice of herself.

She gives a smile at her reflection.

Back downstairs, Pinkamena emerges from the basement stairs with a cooler tub on her back. She kicks the door shut with her right back leg and locks the door again. She She leans to the side, allowing the cooler to slide off her back. She rolls the cooler over to the kitchen sink. Standing on two hooves, she opens it and takes out several raw, semi-frozen slices of meat, and places them in a separate plate to the side. Pushing the plate next to the sink, she gets back on all fours and walks over to the oven. She turns the knob to preheat it at 450 degrees F, before returning to the sink.

Cupcake walks out of the bathroom, and trots downstairs. She spots Pinkamena about to prepare some food.

"Need help with anything?" , she asks.

Pinkamena jumps a little.

"Oh! Whoa! Jeez Cupcake!" , she puts a hoof over her chest.

"Scared the living daylights out of me! And no thank you. Since you're here now, just lounge over there in the living room and wait."

"Got to let the food cook you know....."

Pinkamena gets back to standing on two hooves and returns to the sink. She begins to individually wash the choice cuts of meat. Upon finishing, she places them in a baking tray, carries them to the oven, places the tray in, and closes the oven door.

She turns away and walks over to the sofa next to her assistant.

"So......how's the flank....?"

Pinkamena's eyes travel down to Cupcake's cutie mark, where the three slits from the knife still remain.

Cupcake also looks down at her own flank.

"Looks like it'll scar cause of how I had cut it." .

She waves her hoof away at the matter.

"It didn't really hurt thought. Heh, I remember my first knife accident actually." .She laughs a little.

Unamussed, Pinkamena raises an eyebrow.

"Knife accident....? Define."

She adds as she puts a hoof to her chin, focusing her attention to her assistant as she listens in.

Cupcake then begins to explain.

"I was trying to cut a frozen bagel with a shark knife, and ended up cutting my hand open. Right near my finger. It actually scared me more than the pain itself. I was lucky I didn't hit any ner-..."

She stops, as she just realized the words she just used.

She tries changing the subject.

"Uh...so....heh, do you like...art?"

Pinkamena's eyes snap to attention at Cupcake.

"Stop."

She narrows her eyes as she leans her head in towards Cupcake.

"What....is a hand?"

Cupcake hesitates a little, "It's a....thingy that I....made up?" .

She gives the best smile can.

Pinkamena gives her a stare, that seemed to turn ten seconds, into ten minutes.

After moments of silence, she gives up her suspicion and waves the matter away.

"You have weird verbal labels for things. I guess I'm gonna have to get used to that from my assistant."

Cupcake quickly responds, "Yeah! That's me! I like making up words for things! It's fun! Makes things interesting you know!"

She forces out a laugh as an addition to that statement.

"I mean, hand? Finger? What's the deal with that? Right?"

Pinkamena tilts her head to the side, still in a bliss from Cupcake's sudden enthusiasm.

"That's the thing. I do not know what a "hand" , or "finger" is, Cupcake......just what are you talking about...? You're not making any sense to me."

Cupcake stays quiet, not wanting to answer the question, she shifts her eyes away from Pinkamena.

"Just silliness. Don't worry about it." , she responds. Still looking away.

Pinkamena on the other hand, keeps her eyes locked on her for a moment, studying her movements and facial language.

The silence grows more eerie by the second. Cupcake's hooves are shaking ever so slightly.

Out of nowhere, the time on the stove rings loudly.

Cupcake jumps a little at the sudden noise. Pinkamena dis-locks her stare upon Cupcake and immediately returns into a smile.

"Oh! Food's ready!" .

She gets up and happily trots over to the oven, as if the unannounced staring contest, never even happened.

Cupcake sighs in relief.

Pinkamena opens the oven and pulls out the fully cooked slices of meat, placing them onto he counter. She then grabs a few seasonings from the lower cabinet and sets them aside from the tray of food. She turns to the fridge and grabs a bowl of tossed salad, placing the bowl on the counter as well. She bends down further and pulls out two bottles of hard apple cider, closing the fridge. Setting the items on the counter, she grabs a couple plates from another cabinet and places them on the counter. She grabs the seasonings and lightly showers it over the cuts of meat.

Her eyes glance to the left, eyeing a steak knife holster set. Smirking, she extends her arm, to a length that completely defies logic of the forearm, grabs the knife set, and pulls it towards her.

She notices that there is a missing knife in the holder.

"Oh! That's right!" .

Pinkamena reaches behind her, digs in her flattened tail, and pulls out an 11 inch steak knife.

Cupcake slowly gets up from the sofa and walks into the kitchen.

"Want me to do anything? Set the table or something?"

Pinkamena stabs the knife into the counter.

"Nope. Have a seat my assistant."

Cupcake looks at the knife. Taking notice, she backs away slowly. She then walks to a side of the table and sits down.

Pinkamena wrenches the knife from the counter and lightly places it in the slit of the knife holder. She then proceeds to put a few slices of meat on Cupcake's plate and her own plate, while putting salad in each of their bowls. Carrying them all at once for some unexplained reason, she places Cupcake's food on her side, and walks over to the other side of the table, placing her food down as well. Returning to the counter, she grabs two streak knives and forks, along with the two bottles, placing one for Cupcake and for her as well.

She walks over and sits on the other side of the table, facing her assistant. She proceeds to eat in silence.

Cupcake looks down at her food and begins to eat. She eats about half of the slice of meat before stopping to attempt a conversation.

"So uh, you're really a good cook."

Pinkamena acknowledges her. "Sometimes you gotta learn how to feed yourself."

She wags a fork at Cupcake while locking eyes on her."

"....sometimes you gotta feed yourself.......real well."

She sticks her fork in the bowl of salad and proceeds eating.

Cupcake responds. "Yeaah...."

She looks at Pinkamena for a bit, then reaches to pick up the fork.

It slips out of her hoof.

"Shoot!" .

She tries again. It slips out.

"Come ooon!"

Pinkamena's eyes shift to her assistant. This makes her stop herself from putting the salad in her mouth.

She begs the question,

"W-...what....are you doing?"

Cupcake stops and looks at Pinkamena for a second, embarrassed.

"Just playing around. That's all! Heh....."

She tries to pick up the fork again, but it falls back onto the table.

"You....uh.......you know how forks work.....they're.....forky."

Pinkamena responds with confusion, "You are seriously starting to weird me out."

Shakes her head to forget about the matter.

"Just....eat your food."

Cupcake gives a nervous look to the left, "Yeah...sorry..." .

She looks down at the fork, and decides to eat some salad.

Instead, she eats it..........head first.

"Good salad too!"

Pinkamena's eyes grown wide in surprise. She drops her own fork.

"Uh.......Cupcake....?"

Cupcake lifts her head from the bowl. A few pieces of salad fall off her face.

"Yes, Miss Pinkamena?"

Pinkamena tries to come up with the simplest of questions to address the problem before her.

She fails to come up with anything. Shaking her head once again, this time, out of utter confusion.

She re-addresses the question.

"I know you do a lot of ridiculous things, but this is by far the most random thing I have ever seen any other pony do all week. Regardless, I know that's not how you eat and it shows no presentation for a mare like you."

"Now stop being stupid. Understood?"

Cupcake frowns a gives a deep sigh. She looks at the table for a second, then back to Pinkamena.

"Maybe I should tell you why I'm acting so.....weird."

Pinkamena widens her eyes for an emphasis on that statement alone.

"YES! Do please."

She puts her fork down and puts both hooves on her chin, unbeknownst making the situation more uncomfortable for Cupcake herself.

Cupcake swallows hard......and starts.

"I think you should know.....that I am not really from Equestria."

She pauses for a second, looking into Pinkamena's eyes.

"I was not born a pony....." , she continues, taking a deep breath, and admits.

"I'm a human."

.....

Pinkamena gapes her mouth open. ".....w-......what....?"

She shakes her head for a half second to re-confirm the last sentence.

"So....you're.....not a pony......you're some kind of.......creature....that is called, a human?"

She points her hoof at Cupcake, raising one eyebrow, trying to confirm what she just heard.

Cupcake only nods her head.

"Yes, I am a human being. I did not look anything like a pony or have an anatomy similar. Please do not be too alarmed.....I'm....not here to hurt you. All that matters is that I'm here."

Pinkamena's eye twitches.

She then closes her eyes, putting her hooves on the table gently.

She takes a deep breath.

.....

She flips the entire table over.

She gets up and charges at Cupcake, knocking her over the chair. Plates and glasses shatter everywhere along with the thud of a large wooden table. Pinkamena lands on top of her and cuffs her up by Cupcake's chest. She pulls out another large knife from her tail, the same knife she pulled out earlier, and places it towards her throat.

Pinkamena begins raging in shouts of recon and anger.

"WHO, IN THE LIVING, FUCK, DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!?! HUH?!? COMING INTO THIS WORLD, FROM A WORLD THAT YOU LEFT!! JUST TO SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE!?!?!? AND SO YOU ARE HERE!!! IN MY LOCATION!! TO WHERE I DO NOT INVITE OUTSIDERS!! TO WHERE I DO NOT INVITE EVEN MY CLOSEST FRIENDS SOMETIMES!!! AND YOU COME HERE, TO THE WORLD, AND KILL A PONY!?!? YOU'RE NOT EVEN ONE OF US!!! AND YET YOU KILLLED ANOTHER EQUINE?!? WHO IN THE LIVING FUCK ARE YOU!?!"

"GIVE ME ONE REASON!!!"

Lifts Cupcake up a little, and slams her back to the ground.

"GIVE ME ONE,"

"FUCKING GOOD REASON!!!"

"WHY I SHOULD NOT WATCH YOU GURGLE IN YOUR OWN BLOOD RIGHT HERE!!!"

"RIGHT NOW!!"

"HUH?!?"

"HUH?!?!?!?"

Pinkamena pokes the knife at Cupcake's neck at an alarming rate. Extreme fires of anger are burning through her eyes as she glares hotly at Cupcake.

"WELL!?!?"

Pressure is applied to the knife being held at Cupcake's throat.

Hearing no response, Pinkamena brings the knife above her with both hooves. Reeling back, she prepares to strike down.

Cupcake has a surprised and terrified look on her face, before she relaxes herself. She speaks in the most calm and collective tone.

"I understand. Do away with me if you must. I deserve it for lying....about who I am. Though as you may have noticed I am not a very good liar, I hope you know that what I am about to say is from the bottom of my heart."

"I came here, not to escape from my world, but to come here to find you. And I mean it when I say that I came here for you. Because I gave up everything to find you!! I had to figure out so much on how to actually get here! ALIVE!!! I could have died in the process of traveling here. But I risked it all for you. I want to help you out as much as I can. I want to get to know you. I want you to know me. I want to share my world's stories with you. I want you to share your world's stories with me. I understand if you just want to kill me, but I think you should know what my intentions were first. There may be no point in them, but at least I got to be in the same world as you, Pinkamena Diane Pie. I know it's frightening to meet somebody that is....different, but you got to look past it. Whether that be by how they look or who they once were. I for one, accept others for who they are. Not by what they once looked like. I admire you greatly, and maybe even......love you, Pinkamena. No...not maybe.....I do love you, Pinkamena."

Just like that, the knife slips out of Pinkamena's hooves.

The knife itself, lands behind Pinkamena, sticking right through Cupcake's trail, pinning her to the ground by her tail.

Dumbfounded, stupefied, and confused, she drops her shoulders and looks down.

She goes into deep thought, verifying what her assistant had just told her. The humans, another world in turmoil, portals, being in love with Pinkamena.

She sits there, wide eyed. Too emotionally confused to take it in all at once. So within a moment's notice, she asks the question that stuck out the most.

"....y-you're.....in love with me.....? C-Cupcake.....if that's your real name.....I'm a horse......you're a human....."

Pinkamena's eyes are no longer seen as furious, but confused....and a hint of fear.

Cupcake responds.

"I don't see you as what you are. I see you for who you are. I don't care if someone's extremely ugly. If I can speak to them and get to know them, it doesn't matter to me."

"I love them for who they are inside here."

Cupcake places a hoof against her own chest, then to Pinkamena's, gesturing a heart.

"Though there are others who don't look on the inside, but just from what they see on their physical appearance. You cannot pay attention to that. If they cannot take the time to ask you what's wrong, then they are not worth the time."

She finishes, not breaking her contact from Pinkamena's eyes.

Pinkamena looks into her assistant's eyes.....deeply.

Four different tones of pink and magenta, shine around the circumference of Pinkamena's irises for a brief second.

She shakes her head out of it and gets up off her, immediately tending to her assistant's side.

"I-I'm sorry.....I didn't mean to hurt you....I-I....I-....I didn't know what to think a-and....you know...."

Cupcake gives her a  reassuring smile. "It's alright. It's not your fault. You didn't know, and I don't blame you for reacting that way."

Pinkamena responds with the primary question.

"...I know, but it's just that.......why are you here.....meaning, at my house....?"

Her voice drops drowns down into an assertive tone.

"You know what I do here, Cupcake Slash."

"You just killed somepony not too long ago, simply because I told you to do so. What in the right mind would make you avoid the psychological damage and trauma, of ending somepony's life? Only to find pleasure and satisfaction in return?"

Pinkamena grabs the knife that has Cupcake's tail pinned to the floor, but doesn't lift it up until she gets an answer.

Cupcake reminds her, "Because I Pinkie Promised you to you."

She winks and points a hoof to her slashes on her cutie mark.

"Not exactly a Pinkie Promise, but well.....it was pretty damn close enough I guess. Also, I kinda see the thought of killing, as if I was watching a movie."

"I have a weird mind."

A grace of warmness caresses Pinkamena's stomach. A small smile reappears on her face. She lifts the knife from the floor, releasing Cupcake's tail.

Pinkamena puts the knife behind her. The knife disappears within her tail.

Cupcake smiles back as she watches Pinkamena put the knife in her tail.

"Hmm....clever."

Pinkamena then looks around at the massive mess in the dinning room. She swears under her breath.

"Ah......fuck......I think I broke about four plates under that table."

Cupcake responds flatly to her.

"You. Flipped. A table."

"Sorry, but you don't know how much I've always wanted to do something like that."