"Opal!" Rarity cried out, in search of her poor, lost cat. "Opal! Where are you?" she called out again. She and her five friends were out in the Everfree Forest looking for Opalescence, who had gone missing.
"I'm sorry Rarity. If I had kept a better eye on her..." Fluttershy trailed off tears forming in her eyes. "Oh, no, no, no, no. This isn't your fault dear. I don't blame you at all." Rarity said trying to soothe her.
"Thanks Rarity." Fluttershy said. After a few more minutes of searching Applejack broke the silence, "Ah hate to say this, but we should go back. It's gettin awfully late." Rarity let out a gasp. "You mean we should just abandon my dear Opal Wopal?" she said.
"Now hold your dang horses. I never said anything about that, but we all need to sleep. I reckon Opal can fend for herself tonight." Applejack said. "I agree with Applejack." said Twilight, "It will be too hard to see in the dark, and we need our rest. We'll continue searching for her tomorrow."
Finally Rarity gave in with an over exaggerated sigh. "Very well, if we must." she said. As they all trotted out of the forest Fluttershy, once again, said, "Sorry." but Rarity waved her off with a hoof.
As they exited out of the forest Fluttershy bid them farewell, and floated towards her cottage. Rainbow Dash was next flying off to her home in the clouds. Then went Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Finally they arrived at the Carousel Boutique.
"Don't worry, we'll find her tomorrow." Twilight reassured her friend. "I hope so darling." Rarity said. With that she bid Twilight goodbye, and closed the door. As soon as Twilight reached the library she collapsed on her bed.
"I really hope we can find her tomorrow." Twilight said right before drifting to sleep. That night her dreams were haunted by the image of Opalescence cold and alone in the Everfree forest. Sadly tomorrow would be too late for Opalescence.
Back at her cottage Fluttershy was smiling. It wasn't the normal warm, happy smile she usually wore, instead it was a cold, malicious smile. She skipped merrily along as she quickly grabbed a knife from her kitchen, and went to the guest bedroom.
She wasted no time opening the closet, and pushing the trunk to the side, revealing a small string that was nearly impossible to see. She put down the knife, and grabbed the string in her mouth, and pulled, revealing an opening just big enough for a pony to fit through.
She grabbed the knife again in her mouth, and squeezed through the small gap into a room with an opening leading to some stairs. She walked down the stairs a little while, until she got to the bottom. At the bottom there was a plain white door. She opened the door, and stepped in, flicking the light on to reveal a room.
This room was covered in furs. The skins of animals. On the walls there was a wide variety of pelts hanging up from squirrels to rabbits. She even had a bear rug, and a couch covered in deer skin. This was her own personal collection, and she was quite proud of it.
She had been doing this for years now. Killing animals, and collecting their skin. She was amazed at how soft, and cuddly their fur remained even after they were long dead. Suddenly a loud caterwaul broke through her thoughts.
"Oh, no don't think I've forgotten about you." she said approaching a squirming leather bag. That was another thing that fascinated her. The skin of an animal could be used to make many things from bags to dresses. That was the whole reason she had, as Spike would say, a freaky knowledge of sewing.
She set down the knife on the fur of a fox that covered the table as she undid the strap, and opened the bag to reveal an enraged Opal. She was stuck on her back, all four of her legs tied up by a piece of rope. "You'll join your friends soon enough." she said soothingly. Opal just let out another long caterwaul.
She went to a wall where there was a strip that was seemingly bare. She removed the false part of the wall to reveal a grotesque site. There, lined up were the stuffed bodies of Angel, Winona, Owlicious, Tank, and Gummy.
The collection first started when she had killed Angel. She hadn't wanted to just turn him into a wall decoration like the other rabbits, no. He was special to her. He was her first, and only pet. That was when an idea struck her. She could preserve his body so he could be with her forever.
"Wouldn't that be great?" she had asked Angels corpse. Of course there was no response, but Fluttershy could imagine him agreeing with her, so she went with the idea. Then she realized that he would probably get lonely, so she decided to get a friend for him.
After she had killed, and stuffed Winona she realized Why not just get all of his friends? It took a while, as so to not look suspicious. A few months. Her friends were heartbroken, of course, but she knew the truth. She knew they would all be together forever.
She walked back to the table with Opalescence on it, and grabbed the knife, all the while making soothing noises. Opal was not fooled though, as she struggled even harder to get free. "Don't worry Mama's here for you. You're going to love your new life with all your friends." she cooed.
Opal's paws flailed wildly as Fluttershy leaned in, knife in mouth. One of Opal's claws made a shallow scratch in Fluttershy's cheek, but she didn't even flinch. She continued to lean in until the blade was at the throat of Opalescence, and she was still making soothing sounds.
Suddenly, in one swift motion, she brought the blade across Opal's jugular, cutting it. As the life ebbed out of her, and her struggles grew weaker, Fluttershy said, "Don't worry. Everything's going to be alright. You'll be able to play with your friends all you want now."
Then Opal stiffened, and her eyes glazed over, and she was gone. Then Fluttershy started the articulate task of removing Opal's organs, and stuffing her. When she was done her hooves were covered in blood, but she was smiling.
"Now we'll all be friends forever." she said, setting Opal's stiff body at the end of the opening in the wall. She yawned as she realized how late it must be. She didn't even walk back to her room, instead flopping down onto her deerskin covered couch.
That night she had a lovely dream where she, Angel, Winona, Gummy, Opalescence, Owlicious, and Tank were all frolicking, and playing in a beautiful sun filled meadow.