Darkness

by Achilles

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, Dark
Length: 4852

What is Darkness? Darkness is inside of me.

What is Darkness? Darkness is being alone. Completely alone. Darkness is feeling as if nopony cares for you. Darkness is feeling as if your life has no meaning, it's just…there. Darkness is having nopony to turn to in times of need. Darkness is not being able to tell anypony. Darkness is inside of me…

Any videos used in this story are used specifically for the music only

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-05 00:20:46 UTC

Poison Blood

Youtube Video

Pinkiepie, leaning against her bedside cabinet, felt her body shakily jolt forward and back as she tried to take in some air. Her face was covered in both tears and sweat and her body felt cold, unnaturally cold. She tried to hold it in for a minute so she could regain her breath, her lip quivered uncontrollably and she felt the pain brewing up inside of her. Then she slammed her head against the bed, giving in to the sobbing. She lifted her head from the quilt, shakily taking in another breath of air. She turned and looked at the penknife on her bed, staring at the kind metal blade. She picked it up, biting her lip. Staring into the blade, she saw a fearful, pink Pony staring back at her, eyes full of both terror and thankfulness. Pinkiepie let in another shaky breath of air as she extended the knife, staring into its grey, shining edges. She closed her eyes, preparing to relieve herself of this cold, dark blood.

At first, Pinkiepie didn't want to do it, she felt she was doing something wrong, as if there was no thankfulness in the face she had seen staring back at her. Then, her mind went blank. She contacted her arm, grinding her teeth in pain. She drove the blade back and forth across her hoof. The red colour of the blood mixed with her unpure pink furr. She let out a weak yelp, retracting the innocent blade from her body. She held the blade in front of her, embracing it. She then shakily dropped the blade and made her way across the room. She partailly collapsed, leaning against the cold wall. She then slipped and fell. She stared at the ceiling looking down on her, disgusted by her presence. She began to sob softly, covering her face and letting the poison drip out of her. She could not stand for her knees failed her. She could not see for her eyes were dressed in tears. She was broken. Completely broken. Was this all a nightmare? If she slept, would this end? If not, she prayed that Luna above would take her in her sleep...

Twilight Sparkle was walking through the town, staring into the sky. The dark, grey clouds high above her head. She was thinking about Pinkiepie. Her mind both blank and full, she continued to walk down the street, until she came upon Sugarcube corner. She walked through the door, it was empty. "Hello? Mr and Mrs Cake? Are you here?". To her yell came no reply, which made her worried. In truth, she was already worried about Pinkie, she'd been acting weird, lately. Not wanting to come out to see anyone. Instead of her bubbly, funny, sociable self, she was now a depressed black blob. "Mr and Mrs Cake? I need you!". Still no reply. Twilight's worrying nature got to her. What if Pinkie was in trouble? Or even worse, what if she wasn't here? Had she left already? She'd said she'd say goodbye! Her worrying became too much to hold in, she finally screamed "HEY!!!".

The noise downstairs woke Pinkie from her sleep. Her face felt warm, although her cut seemed cold. Who was it? Oh shit, sounded like Twilight. She couldn't let Twilight see her like this! She ran into the toilet and grabbed a medical box from the shelf. She bandaged her cut hastely. She couldn't let Twilight know she'd done it, knowing how she responded last time.

"Well, dear, that's no reason to shout. You almost woke up Pumpkin and Pound." Mr Cake said, as Mrs Cake cradled their two Babies. "Sorry, Mr Cake, but I NEED to see Pinkiepie! I've been worried about her all day and...and I need to...I j-just need-"

"Calm yourself, sweetheart!" Mrs Cake said, giving the Babies to Mr Cake, who took them into the back. "We'll go get her"

"Oh thank you, thank you!"

"Now you stay here, I'll be right back". So Twilight waited. For a sight. A sound. A sign. Something...

"No! I don't want her to see me!" Pinkiepie was facing the wall, covering her shoulder and trying to conceal her face from Mrs Cake. The tears returned to her ungrateful face, bringing them back to haunt her.

"But Pinkie, dear, she's worried about you!"

"I don't care!"

"Pinkamena Diane Pie, your friend has come here out of kindness and worry to make sure you're alright!"

"Well I'm not alright, ok?!"

"Well...whatever is wrong with you, my dear?"

"I can't...you wouldn't understand! J-Just forget it!" Pinkie's shaky voice made it hard for her to speak, but she held back her sobbing. She didn't understand, why wouldn't anypony leave her alone? It wasn't their problem! "Just...please, Pinkiepie...go down and see her...I'll wait up here....". Pinkie stared at Mrs Cake, showing her the tears. She then got up and limped downstairs, drying her eyes.

Twilight was getting worried. What was taking them so long? It was like playing a horror game. Finally, the monster appeared. "Pinkiepie!". Pinkie stared at Twilight, not reacting to her call. "Pinkie, are you alright?!". Once again, Pinkie didn't respond. Instead, she gave her a rather angered glare. As she came down the stairs she walked right past Twilight. "Pinkie-"

"What..."

"How...how've you been?"

"Pissed off...." Twilight still couldn't get over the fact that Pinkie was using such language. "W...why?"

"Take a guess, Twilight. I want to be alone and you follow me around bugging me all the time"

"I just wanted to check if you're alright, then I'll go. If you'd just-"

"Then go...." Pinkie said darkly, an intimidating glare on her face. "Pinkie...we need to talk. Not just a chat, a long, hard discussion"

"Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I'm worried about you, Pinkie!"

"WelI don't need your pity"

"I'm sorry, Pinkie! But I wont let you just sit here every day and...what's wrong with your hoof?". Pinkie looked down at her hoof, wrapped in a white bandage. Pinkiepie moved her left front hoof behind her right. "None of your business".

"Show me!" Twilight said, walking towards her, but she backed off. "None. Of. Your. Business!"

"Pinkie-"

"Get lost, Twilight. You have no right to come in here and demand anything of me!". Pinkiepie narrowed her harsh eyes. "Please Pinkie...". Pinkiepie looked away, then held out her left hoof. Twilight reluctantly took it in her hoof and unwrapped the bandage, staring at the bright red mark. "Oh...Pinkie...." She said, her face falling. "You said you wouldn't do it again!"

"Yeah...I lied"

"What's got you so worked up lately?!"

"Everything. And you're not helping"

"I came here to make sure you were ok!"

"I never asked you to!"

"Pinkie-"

"I don't WANT your help! I don't NEED your help! JUST GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"

Twilight's jaw dropped as she backed away, scared half to death. "...P-Pinkie...."

"...Leave me alone...."

Whispers

Pinkie stared at the wall. She was both angered and calm. Staring into space. 'I don't need her...I don't need any of them....why would I? All she ever does is bug me, she never leaves me alone!' Pinkie sniffed up, fixing her gaze at the wall. 'Why me? Why me? Why do I have to be so sad? Why can't it be someone else? What have I done?'

'You don't need to ask yourself why, Pinkie.' Pinkie looked up, her eyes widening and her breathing stopping for a second. The voice spoke with a deep British accent, and it sounded like a Male. "Who...who are you?" She said, turning to look behind her. You need not speak out loud, Pinkie. For I cannot be seen, touched or smelled' Pinkie thought to herself, then said the words in her mind. 'Ok then. Who are you? If you can hear me'

'You need not know my name. Only that I am here for you.'

'You...know what I'm going through?'

'Of course I do. It's quite obvious. The way you act. The way you cry at night. What you did to your hoof.' Pinkie stared at the cruel reminder of her pain that lay upon her wrist. 'It hurt, didn't it Pinkie? It always hurts. No matter where you do it. But I must say, looking inside your mind, it seems to be where the most damage is done'

'So...you're only here to taunt me? And remind me of how I'm slowly going insane?'

'If that's what you call comfort of the mind, then yes. I am here to taunt you. To remind you of how your life is nothing and how everyone around you *shits** on you, aren't I?'*

'Stop it...'

'Why? What are you going to do to me?'

'I brought you into my mind. I can take you out'

'Oh, but my dear Pinkie, that is very much a lie. For I am not something that can merely be 'dispatched'. I am the aftermath of your emotional struggle. The very shadow of your thoughts. What makes you think I'll *ever** leave you alone?'*

'Because if you don't, I'll *make** you'*

'And how exactly are you going to do that? Tell your friend Twilight to cast a spell? After what you just did to her' Pinkie's eyes widened and she growled. 'What do you mean?'

'You know exactly what I mean, Pinkie. She came here out of worry to see if you were alright, and you shoo her away like some sewer Rat. Why do you think your friends have abandoned you?'

"ENOUGH!" She yelled out loud. "You are nothing. You hear me?! NOTHING!". Mrs Cake came running up the stairs, swiftly opening the door and staring at Pinkie. "My goodness, Pinkiepie. Who are you yelling at?" Pinkie turned to look at her. The voice was gone. Everything was silent.

She stared at Mrs Cake emptily. "I...nothing, Mrs Cake". As Mrs Cake left the roof, Pinkiepie fixed her meaningless gaze at the floor. 'Would it make you feel better if I told you I was sorry?'

'What's the point. If you're here to guide me through taunting why would you?'

'There's a smart Girl...'

'What now? What do I do now?'

'I can't give you guidance to how you can overcome how you feel, Pinkie. I am only here to make you feel better'

'That doesn't even make sense'

'Relax, Pinkie'

'Please...I need help. I really, really do...'

'Then find it...' Pinkie's meaningless gaze grew into a glare as she crawled up onto her bed. 'Sleeping will not solve your problems'

'...I know'

'Sleep tight, Pinkie'

'...I will....'

A Box Without Hinges, Key nor Lid

Fluttershy hadn't slept at all. She wasn't able to. She had been kept awake all night by the thought of poor Pinkiepie. How in all of Equestria could a Pony like Pinkie ever be sad? Let alone depressed...

She walked down the road. Luckily, the rain had stopped, like something was trying to encourage her. The dirt path was still soggy, though. Her yellow hooves were stained with brown as they sunk into the puddles and mush below them. She looked around the street. Shutters were shut. Doors were locked. The townsfolk were nowhere to be seen. It was as if they were hiding from something.

As she reached Sugarcube Corner, she knocked on the door, which slowly swung open. The 'Closed' sign on the door was crooked, and the smell of sugar and cake was thick in the air. The sound of the clock ticking repeatedly jerked her eardrums, standing out from the plain silence of the  Mr and Mrs Cake were nowhere to be seen, but she could tell their children were here, she could smell their soiled diapers. Someone had to be in. They wouldn't leave their babies alone like this. She presumed Pinkie was upstairs.

As she ascended the wooden stairs, the cool winter breeze left her and she was instead greeted by a warm, clammy gust of wind as the door slammed shut behind her. The steps creaked beneath her hooves as she reached the top and began making her way down the hallway. The sound of the clock faded away and was replaced with silence. She looked behind her, half expecting something to jump out. The ironic, taunting, bright pink wallpaper guided her way down the hallway which seemed to last forever. Finally, she made it to Pinkie's room.

The door was open, and the table outside it was overturned and lay on its side against the wooden floor. A smashed pot lay a few inches away from it. She no longer felt comfortable. The encouraging and blessing safety of the grey sky had abandoned her, and she was now greeted by the warning silence of the hallway. She entered the room, looking around. The once brightly colored walls were now dull and grey, and the wallpaper itself had been torn off and now lay scattered across the floor. The curtains were shut and the lights flickered, one of which seemed to have had its bulb removed and smashed against the wall, almost as if it had been purposely hurled towards it. The carpet was dull and covered in dark stains. Perhaps the only sign of life in the room was the half-eaten cupcake by the side of the bed.

"Why are you here..." A voice came from behind Fluttershy.

She spun around, looking at the Pony behind her. She no longer saw the friend she once knew. As Twilight had described, her hoof was bandaged and her mane lay limp, hanging from her head. Instead of joy and happiness,  no emotion was seen in her ironically bright blue eyes, apart from pure anger. She was no longer deserving of the name 'Pinkiepie'.

"Pinkie?" Fluttershy asked, taking a step towards her.

"Why...are you here?" Pinkie asked, this time expecting an answer.

"I came to...to-"

"Check on me?"

"Yes...to check on you....Twilight told me what you did to your hoof"

Pinkie hid her hoof behind the other, her eyes narrowing to show her displeasure. "I told her to forget about asking you guys to help me..."

"But...why? All we want is to make sure you're okay"

"Well I'm not..."

"But why?"

Pinkiepie didn't answer, but instead stared into her friend's eyes, narrowing her own even more. "That's a question I can't answer"

"Why can't you?"

"Because if I did...my mind would force me to show my true unhappiness" Pinkiepie glared at the ground hatefully, wishing she could lie down against it and embrace the stone cold gaze of the ceiling.

"But...what does that mean?"

"Too hard for you to understand, Fluttershy?"

"No...I understand that you're unhappy....but why wont you tell us why you're unhappy?" Fluttershy managed to force out, trying to think of how to structure her words.

"Because none of you understand. None of you will ever understand what it's like to feel what I feel right now..."

"Pinkie...that's not fair. We've all felt like you have once in our lives"

"Have we? Have we really?"

Fluttershy fell silent, staring at Pinkie in confusion.

"Have we all felt how Pinkamena Diane Pie feels? Have we all? Have we all felt what it's like to look at their own friends and feel lonely? Even when there are Ponies around them? Have we ever looked into the darkness and felt that we...belong there?" Pinkie said, an unsettling look upon her face.

"P-Pinkie...I don't....."

"Of course you fucking don't..."

Now all Fluttershy wanted to do was to leave. The aroma of the cake and sugar, mixed with the smell of soiled diapers was making her sick, and the Pony she saw before her made her feel as if she couldn't breathe, as if she was staring into the eyes of a Demon. There was no reasoning with her, she simply didn't listen. Twilight was right, Pinkie was beyond her help.

"Pinkie I-I...I don't know what to-"

"Get out..."

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me, Fluttershy...get out"

"B-but..."

Fluttershy's heart sank and ached as her eyes began to water. She couldn't tell if it was the foul stench, or her fear of the monster in front of her. All of a sudden, Pinkie lost it. "GET OUT" She screamed, her eyes widening and her bare teeth showing. Fluttershy turned and ran, stumbling into the wall just as Pinkie threw her fist against a wooden table, breaking off one of the legs, then picked it up and hurled it outside in Fluttershy's direction. "GEEEEET OOOOOUUUUUT!!!"

Fluttershy took off, tears flowing from her eyes. She felt Pinkie's anger thrust through her like a bucket of boiling water had just been poured all over her. Her tears mixed with sweat as it trickled down her neck. She burst through the front door sobbing loudly as she sprinted down the street.

Back in her room, Pinkie stared at the door in a rage, her eyes narrowed and her teeth bared. As she heard the sounds of her friend's sobbing from outside her window, her expression softened and she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing her hooves into her eyes regretfully.

'What are you going to do now, Pinkiepie?'

She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible.

'You've not only driven away one, but now *two** of your friends'*

"I don't care..." She said out loud. "They're better off without me...."

The voice did not reply. Whether it was out of disgust or pity was unclear, but Pinkie didn't care. She just sat there, face buried in her hooves, silently...

Malevolence

Turn Our Backs

"Seriously? Just like that? She just...attacked you?!" Rainbow Dash asked, staring at the traumatized Fluttershy, who took a sip of her tea shakily.

For Fluttershy, the morning had been no better than the previous afternoon. Sure, it was sunny, the once lonely streets were now filled with the many colours and voices of the Ponies that resided in Ponyville, but she couldn't get the image of Pinkiepie...that monster out of her head. Her eyes, her teeth, her voice. It all seemed like some kind of horrific nightmare and she was waiting to wake up any second.

"...Yes" She said, refusing to look up.

"...This doesn't make sense" Twilight said, pacing back and fourth. "She attacks us on sight, she wont tell any of us what's wrong, yet she acts so...lonely...." Twilight's mind went blank. "I...I actually don't know what to do anymore"

"Well, if you ask me, she's just being stubborn!" A furious Rarity said, attracting the purple Unicorn's attention. "After all, she's been pushing you away for several weeks now and, after that little performance she pulled with Fluttershy, I don't think we're obliged to help her anymore!"

"...'We're' obliged to help her?" Rainbow Dash asked. "You haven't been doing anything"

"Oh, and I suppose you have?"

"Hey!"

"Now hang on for a second!" Twilight snapped. "Pinkie's already at our throats, we can't afford to turn on each other" Twilight said.

Rarity let out an angry 'Hmmph!'. "Then what do you suggest we do about it, hmm?"

"Well, we know one thing, sending any of you alone is a bad idea. Fluttershy was the most likely to be able to help her and that didn't work"

Twilight shook her head. All of this was giving her a headache. Pinkie, of all Ponies, depressed. Seemed impossible. Yet, here they were. She turned to Applejack, who was hiding under her hat.

"Applejack?"

The orange Pony looked up slightly, her bright green eyes almost reflecting the sun's glaze.

"You've been through depression before, right? You know how this works"

"...Yeah....so?"

"We need to know how to help Pinkie"

"Well sendin' Ponies alone ain't gonna do y'all no good. She'll feel calmer if we can prove that we all care about her"

"...Meaning?" Rainbow Dash rudely interrupted.

"She needs to see us all at once"

Twilight shook her head once again, looking straight at Applejack. "That doesn't sound like a good plan at all. She'll feel more invaded. More conflicted"

"That what'd'yah suggest we do?"

"I...I don't know, Applejack....at this point I'm pretty much open to ideas"

"Good. So we go 'round t'her house, tell her we still care 'bout her, then-"

"No"

Both Ponies' heads spun around immediately to face Rarity's furious gaze. "'Scuse you?"

"I said no"

"But...Rarity...."

"There's not a chance of me going anywhere near that...that....barbarian! Not after what she did to Fluttershy!"

Twilight's jaw dropped slightly, her face becoming painted with concern. "But...Rarity, we need you! We all do. If you could just-"

"Uh, actually Twi...heh heh, make that....you need her"

Twilight once again spun around to face the Pony who was giving up on her. "...Not you too, Dash...."

"...Yeeaaah, sorry. I kinda just....I just don't think that this 'meet her as a group' thing is going to work..."

"The element of loyalty, Dash. That's you! LOYALTY!"

"Yeah. I know. But I'm not the element of undeserved forgiveness"

"Pinkiepie needs you! All of you"

"Yeah, well, what has she done for me lately?"

Twilight didn't know how to respond, but simply shook her head in disgust. "...What about you, Fluttershy? Do you feel the same way?" She asked quietly, not looking at Fluttershy. Fluttershy didn't say anything, but simply nodded. Twilight didn't know what to say at this point. She sighed a sigh of defeat. "This is shocking. All of you. The Ponies who I thought would stand by me when I needed them...giving up on me because they're blinded by anger"

"Blinded?" Rainbow Dash said. "Look around, Twilight. Look what Pinkie has done"

Twilight looked around the town, then her eyes widened, her jaws dropped and the warm, summer breeze turned into a chilly wind as if the sun wasn't even there. The Ponies around the town were arguing. Yelling. Screaming. Some of them were even fighting. "....They miss Pinkie"

"Exactly" Rarity said. "Pinkie's incompetence has led to everyone feeling depressed. Not just her"

Twilight couldn't believe it. Pinkie wasn't just hurting herself, she was hurting Ponies around her.

"She stays up, wailing in her room, while we suffer because of her" Rarity continued.

"No, no...that's not fair! You can't blame Pinkie for this! She's not responsible for everyone who lives here!"

"That may be true, but who else is to blame? Her aggression and anger is terrifying everyone!" Rainbow Dash added, stepping down from the chair to stand next to Rarity. "Even Fluttershy is scared of her! Aren't you?!"

The words hit Twilight like a slap to the face. Like a bucket of cold, icy water. Like a shot from a rifle. She was scared of Pinkie. No, not scared, she was terrified.

"I know Pinkie's in a dark place, but we can help her! You can't just turn your backs on her now!"

"What else are we supposed to do? ...We give up, Twilight. You should too" Rarity said

Twilight began panicking. There had to be something she could do to change their minds. "Pinkie wouldn't have wanted this if she were still happy! If this were Sweetie Belle you were talking about, would you help?"

"Sweetie Belle wouldn't ever attack somepony for no reason"

"Pinkie would want us to help...she would stand by us...she would never turn her back from someone who needed her....she would tell us to keep going-"

"-It would be something like that..."

All five heads spun around to see the pink mare standing behind Twilight. Her eyes narrowed. Her hoof bandaged. Her hair lifeless and limp. Seeing her out of the house was both terrifying and reassuring.

"Y-you...you're out" Twilight stuttered.

"I didn't notice" Pinkie said. "This shithole looks no different from my room"

"What did you do to your hoof?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Like you give a fuck" Pinkie replied. "I heard what you were saying"

"Good. I'm glad you did" Rarity said. "Now maybe you understand the flaw of your actions and maybe...now you'll......be more.........careful?"

Rarity opened her eyes to find Pinkie's face before her own. Her eyes narrowed like scissors and her teeth barely showing.

"...You should really learn to take your own advice before someone takes it the wrong way" She said.

"Now, Pinkie, there's no need for violence here"

"Why not?"

"It's uncouth"

"Does it actually look like I fucking care? Uncouth my shit-stained rump...I'd take pleasure in beating your ass. Fuck you and your 'uncouth'..."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Pinkie...calm down"

Pinkie's eyes didn't stray from Rarity's own, but she slowly backed off, allowing Rarity to stand up straight. She made a quick glance at Fluttershy, who immediately hid behind her cup, which didn't prove to be a good hiding place.

"All that bullshit about me causing the townsfolk to be sad. You actually believe that?"

Nobody answered.

"You think I'm responsible for everypony? That I'm only here to make them happy?"

Once again, nobody responded, but a few guilty looks were exchanged.

"These townsfolk. They're not mine to look after. They can deal with their own shit" She said.

"But, Pinkie...who else is gonna do it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't give a fuck. Just not me. I come here every morning and do a little dance for these fucks...I make sure they're happy and kind to each other....and the second I'm fucking gone they decide that they want to be dickheads again"

"Pinkie, we-"

"NO!" Pinkie yelled, causing several heads to spin their way.

"I've spent all my life entertaining the residents of Ponyville and making sure there's a smile plastered across their faces and, in all the time I've been here I've only learned one thing..."

The many heads facing her way were distorted in shape when ears perked up all around her.

"...The residents of Ponyville don't care...."

Once again, the words hit Twilight hard, as if she was getting a beating. Pinkie exchanged looks between her friends, then turned and walked straight back to Sugarcube Corner, not caring how many eyes were on her as she did so. She slammed the door as hard as possible, causing it to echo down the street.

Twilight turned her attention back to the table. Rarity and Rainbow Dash had already taken off down the street and Applejack was sat staring blankly at her glass of cider. She let out sigh, sitting back down at the table across from Applejack and staring at the menu.

"...What're y'all gonna do now?"

"...There's nothing I can do....not anymore..."

A Child's Shadow

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

She Who Shows Kindness

Fluttershy was stunned, to say the least. Twilight's story had shocked her beyond belief. She never expected Pinkie to be so...sad. "She...cut herself?" She asked, squeezing her eyes half shut. "Yes, she did. And I want to stop her but...she wont let me" Fluttershy's heart started to ache. She knew that she was too busy with the Animals to help her empty friend, but still felt guilty, as if she may have caused it somehow. "I should have been there for her" She said, hanging her head in shame. "No, it's fine. It's not your fault. Pinkie's just...stressed, I guess"

"Why?"

"I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out" Twilight took a deep breath in, trying to remain calm. "She's not letting up, but I can tell I'm almost there. I just need to persist more"

Fluttershy's eyes widened slightly. "So, you're...annoying her until she tells you what you want?"

"Pretty much" Twilight said shamefully. "it's the only thing I can do. I've talked to Mr and Mrs Cake but they say they have no idea, I've told Princess Celestia but she's never seen anything like this, I even read some books, but..." Twilight's eyes met the cold, mocking ground. "It just wont work...she's tight lipped"

Fluttershy was lost for words. It was like trying to open a box with no lid. She thought to herself, raising her hoof to her chin. "Would you like to talk about this inside?" She asked. She felt it wasn't kind of her to leave Twilight on her doorstep in the rain. "Thank you" The Unicorn said, walking inside. Fluttershy sat down on the couch while Twilight sat next to the fire. Fluttershy thought long and hard about her next question. "Does she like us anymore?" She said, trying not to sound like a Filly.

"Well...yes, I'm...sure she does still like us. She's just forgotten how to show it"

"What do you mean? She's the happiest Pony in Ponyville"

"Not anymore she's not. I wish she was" Twilight looked out of the window into the rainy darkness. "I don't know how, Fluttershy, but I will bring her back to normal. Whether she likes it or not"

Fluttershy stared at her. "I...don't know what to say, Twilight. I had no idea this was happening"

"It's okay. Things like this aren't easy to see unless you look pretty hard. We just...looked too late" Fluttershy scratched the back of her head, pondering over her answer. "So...what can I do to help?" She asked. Twilight looked at her. "I...I don't know. Maybe you could talk to her. You're the expert on kindness"

Fluttershy nodded her head. "Yeah, okay...I'll try"