Chapter 1: Fear
You were desperate to get to Sugarcube Corner, as you had quite a bit of explaining to do. For months you had been attempting, and failing, to woo Pinkie Pie. Just a few weeks ago you had decided to take the direct approach, hoping for better results than your subtle hints were having. You weren’t quite surprised when it worked, and Pinkie announced, quite happily, that she felt the same about you. The following weeks had been some of the best of your life. You did almost everything together, and you had even celebrated Hearts and Hooves day with her.
Now, though, you were running through Ponyville, hoping that you could make it to Sugarcube Corner before it was too late. Trixie, the self proclaimed ‘great and powerful’, had returned to Ponyville a few days ago, hoping to win back her pride. Sadly, and predictably, things didn’t go as planned. The show she hosted started out with her bragging about her accomplishments, and even some displays of actual magic. The real magic she did wasn’t very impressive, and quite a few ponies just left after her initial display.
You stayed, though, hoping for a good laugh or two. When she asked for a volunteer you raised a hoof, and to your surprise you were the only one. You leapt up onto the stage, and soon Trixie was going on about her abilities once more. All you got out of her bragging was the ability to manipulate emotions, and reactions. When she finally looked at you there was a fire burning behind her eyes. Before you could get out of the way of her spell, it hit you.
The following days were a blur, but now you are beginning to have your memories come back. Trixie had forced you to love her. You had done things that no self-respecting stallion would ever do. And what made it worse was that Pinkie had seen you making out with Trixie. Her cry of dismay was, at the time, completely ignored. Now, though, you feel a wrenching pain in your chest when you think of what happened.
Now, as you race through the town, you marvel at just how fortunate you are that Twilight messed up her memory spell when she cast it on you. She explained, after casting the spell, that Pinkie was so upset with you that she had been unable to do anything, and that you were the cause. When she tried to talk to you about it, all you did was sing praise of Trixie. Twilight had deduced that a spell had been placed on you, and she quickly dispelled it.
Sugarcube corner finally came into sight, and you let out a small cheer as you closed in on the confectionary hot spot. You skidded to a stop before the front door, but when you tried to open it, it was locked. Worry began to gnaw at you, since the shop was never closed during the day. You walked around to the back door, and that was also locked. You could see Pinkie through the small window in the door, though, so you quickly knocked on the door. When Pinkie looked at you her eyes narrowed, and she slowly made her way to the door.
She opened it, and you slowly entered. Still gasping for breath after your sprint, you could only look around the room. It was a mess, much like usual when Pinkie cooked, but there was something off about it all. Normally the globs of frosting were, almost, artistically spattered on the walls. Now, there was no rhyme or reason to it. And when you looked at Pinkie her eyes lacked any sparkle to them. Normally there was a sparkle in her eyes that showed a laugh was never far from her lips.
You finally catch your breath, and you stand up straight before you begin speaking with Pinkie. “Pinkie, I came here as quickly as I could.”
“Why?” You looked at her like she was crazy for a moment, and then you shook your head.
“Because I have great news for you! It has to do with Trixie, and I.” At the mention of Trixie Pinkie’s eyes narrow even further, and her gaze hardens even more. She takes a step closer to you, but you can tell by the way she does it that it is not a sign that she is pleased.
“Don’t mention her name in front of me.” Her voice chills you. It is filled with an anger that sounds alien to your ears. Never, in all the time you’ve known her, has she sounded this upset, and angry. Her voice sends shivers down your spine, and you unconsciously take a step back from the pink mare.
“I’m really sorry about all of this, Pinkie, but it needs to be explained. You see, I never really liked-”
With a flash of light, and a sharp crack, another mare appeared in the room. This one had a light blue coat, and a horn. You recognized her immediately, and it brought a massive frown to your face. It was the one, the only-
“Trixie,” she exclaims her name, and she quickly looks around the room, until she lays eyes on you, “has arrived.” Her voice is laced with sensual undertones, and that scares you almost as much as the way Pinkie had looked at you just moment ago. “Trixie has found you, and now Trixie will take you back to her wagon for some more… fun.”
You take a step back from her, and her eyebrows rise. “No frickin’ way. You used some spell on me, and now I’m free from you.”
“But… You told me that you loved Trixie. You called me your Trixie-wixie.” Her eyes begin to moisten, and you notice the look on Pinkie’s face. Things are about to turn incredibly nasty, and there was nothing you could do about it. As though in slow motion, you watched Pinkie lunge at Trixie, death in her eyes. Pinkie collides with Trixie, and the two tumble over a few times, until Pinkie is sitting atop Trixie.
You start to move forward, to pull the two apart, but before you can reach them Pinkie lands a fierce slap across Trixie’s face. Despite your dislike of the mare you can’t help the sympathetic wince that passes through you. With another pop, and flash of light Trixie is on her hooves again, and on the other side of the room.
“Stay the hell away from me! You’re crazy!” With that said there is a final pop, and Trixie vanishes. Although you are relieved to have her gone, you’re now alone with Pinkie. You look to where she is sitting on the floor, and you can see her shoulders heaving periodically.
You reach a hoof towards her, but just before you are about to touch her, she speaks. “Don’t touch me.” Unlike before her voice is tinged with an emotion you can’t quite place. “Just go.” You move your hoof away, and then she says one final word. That one word is filled with just one emotion, and as soon as you hear it you know. “Please.” It’s terror.
You take a step back, towards the door, and Pinkie just stays there, sobbing. You never turn your back as you exit the room, and you have to grope for the handle. You open the door, and cautiously you begin to exit. “Pinkie,” you start. “I’m so sorry for what I did.”
“And I’m sorry for what I’ll do.” You close the door with a sense of finality, and you turn away from Sugarcube Corner. You make your way home, and soon you are within the confines of your small home. Despite your love for your home, nothing seems interesting, or worth doing anymore. You simply sit in your living room, staring at the floor. An hour passes, and you hear the telltale rumble of a thunderstorm. Minutes later, and it is pouring rain outside. A frantic knocking comes from your door, and you reluctantly move to answer.
When you pull open the door you are greeted by a soaked Twilight standing in front of you. Her eyes say so much, and so you quickly step aside so that she could enter. She takes a moment to wring out her mane some, and then she looks at you. The anger in her eyes is baffling.
“What’s wrong, Twilight?” You are almost certain you know what this is about, but you don’t want to jump to conclusions just yet.
“You’re the problem! I just went to go see Pinkie, and she just couldn’t stop ranting about how angry she was! This is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about here! THE Pinkie Pie who is everypony’s friend! And now you’ve hurt her feelings, and now you just sit in your home doing nothing?” You let her yell at you, knowing that once you explain, hopefully, things will be able to improve. “What could have possessed you to hurt her so badly? Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I was trying to apologize to Pinkie, for what happened with Trixie, but then she showed up, and ruined everything. I swear, I was trying to make things better, but when Trixie showed up Pinkie just snapped! And you should’ve seen Pinkie’s reaction to it all! I’ve never seen her look like that, and her eyes. Twilight, I don’t know if I can face her again after what I saw.” Twilight’s facial expression changes as you speak. “The look in her eyes…”
“Regardless of what happened, Clear, you need to go there and talk to her. You can’t just let this fester. By tomorrow I expect you to have made up with her, or else you’ll have five very angry mares after you. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Twilight. I understand.” Twilight’s face softens quite a bit at your answer.
“Good. Now, I suggest you try to get some sleep, and think about what you’re going to say to Pinkie. You know what’s at stake, so I expect you to treat it as if it was the most important thing in your life. It very well may be that important.”
You walk Twilight to your door, and you slowly open it. “I know how important this is, Twilight. I don’t want to lose Pinkie as a friend, and I don’t want to ruin my chances of making it past friendship either.” Twilight just gives you a knowing smile before she creates a small magical shield for herself, and she walks out into the rain. You just watch the rain for a few minutes before you close the door, and head up to your bedroom.
You sit on the bed for a few minutes, before you head to the bathroom to take care of your basic hygiene before bed. You finish in the bathroom, and then you crawl into bed. More than an hour passes and yet sleep never comes to you. Just as you are about to sit up, and get something to drink a hoof connects with your head. You are dazed, but not unconscious. You try to stagger to your hooves, but the blow to your head is disorienting you too much. Another blow connects with your head, and you slump over, consciousness fading fast.
The last thing you hear before you finally pass out is a mare gently weeping.
(More to come soon.)
