Twilight loses a friend
By Majikkstar
Dear Princess Celestia,
It was a bright and beautiful morning when I woke up in my bed today; I was facing the window and saw the sun in the sky. ‘Thank you Celestia for this beautiful day. I’ll make it the best I can and my friends will help!’ I thought to myself. But, first, I had to get out of bed. Pushing myself up I saw a photo of us all on my night stand and my heart ached.
Rainbow Dash has been gone for 28 days now and we haven’t heard from her. It’s not like she isn’t impulsive and reckless, but she usually contacts us if she needs help or is going away for a while. Everyone has been her usual selves but we’re all worried, even though we act like we aren’t. Rarity has been spending a lot of time looking at the sky outside her shop. Pinkie has been baking cupcakes like crazy; she’s been using rainbow frosting to keep our hopes up.
Fluttershy is hiding it very well, but she has had her animals keeping an eye out. Applejack is so focused on her work it’s hard to tell if she really notices yet, but I believe she’s a great friend is worries, and may be burying herself in work as a distraction. I’m just trying to keep us all together while we go about our business until she gets back.
I know this isn’t a lesson in friendship, but I felt like you should know because I am really bothered by this. When I learn my lesson I’ll send you a letter.
Best Wishes,
Twilight Sparkle
Transcribed by Spike!
Twilight was looking out the open window for the second hour that day: Watching the sky as another Pegasus was clearing the sky. ‘Where is she? I miss seeing her rainbows.’ Looking at the ground as she contemplated where she could be; Dash wasn’t in Cloudsdale or Canterlot and no one knew where else she’d go or why she’d leave. Seeing the town life hustling in the distance she decided to go and see how Fluttershy was.
Flying from her castle was of little effort and while she glided through the air she recalled flying with Dash and having a race the previous week. Dash had won by a landslide and gloated incessantly, but it was so much fun they had rescheduled a rematch for yesterday. When Dash didn’t arrive everyone’s worry had begun to grow.
Watching the Pegasus clearing the clouds increased her worry and her pace increased. Ever since becoming an Alicorn, Twilight had had her friends by her side consistently; having a friend go missing was unnerving her. She had taken notice that there had been a lot of people over the past two years that have gone missing, ran away or travelers that only stayed half nights at the inn she was beginning a personal, secret, investigation just before Dash had disappeared.
Now everything was on hold. ‘May be Fluttershy has heard something, I’d better look for her quickly, but I can’t seem too eager, I don’t want her to worry anymore than she already does,’ Twilight thought as she flew over the outskirts of Ponyville, where Fluttershy lived and cared for her tiny woodland friends.
Landing softly several feet ahead of Fluttershy Twilight spoke cheerfully, “Fluttershy, how are you today?” “Oh, I’m good, Twilight. It’s so nice to see you,” Meekly replied the yellow Pegasus. “Have you had one of Pinkies cupcakes today? They are extra sweet and she said any donations will go into a bucket for throwing Dash a welcome back party.”
“No,” Twilight said awkwardly, trying to change the subject, “have you seen Applejack lately, she’s been working so hard I don’t want her to get worn out or hurt,” she chuckled, “Remember when I first came to Ponyville and she tried to harvest the entire apple acres herself?” “Yes, I do.” Fluttershy stated quietly looking at the ground. “Dash was a great help picking the apples on top of the trees.”
Looking nervously away from her friend twilight rubbed her arm and couldn’t find anything to say. After a moment Fluttershy looked up and showed tear filled eyes, “I hope she’s ok. I don’t know what I’d do if she was hurt and we couldn’t help her.”
“Oh, she’s okay Fluttershy, you have to have faith that she’ll come back soon and with every hair and feather intact,” placing a hoof on Fluttershys shoulder. All Fluttershy could do was weep quietly for a moment while looking at the ground, then she turned and walked back to her cottage, softly closing the door, “I’ll talk to you later twilight, I need to check on Angel, she’s not well today.”
‘Wow, this is really affecting her,’ though twilight, as she lifted off and headed into town. Landing near Rarity’s shop, she saw the white mare sitting outside under a sun umbrella, and decided to let her be, since Fluttershy had reacted so typically she didn’t really want to deal with rarity, even as a best friend; she’d check on her in a couple hours.
Turning around Pinkie was holding a box with several rainbow iced cupcakes in her face, “HI TWILIGHT! Wanna cupcake?” Shouted Pinkie, grinning wide.
“Uh, I guess so Pinkie. Hey, have you heard anything about Dash?” Asked twilight, knowing that virtually nothing bothered Pinkie.
Looking into the sky and touching her chin thoughtfully, “NOPERS SCOPERS! If you have any money to donate I’ll put it into a welcome back party fund for Rainbow Dash.”
Taking a cupcake and tasting the frosting twilight was overtaken by the sweet and full flavor; eating it in one bite, “Oh my gosh Pinkie, this is one of your best cupcakes ever! You have to make these for Dashes welcome back party!”
“Ohhhh, I don’t know if they’ll be exactly the same, I don’t think the ingredients will last that long.” “What do you mean, don’t all ingredients last the same time?”
“Oh, usually yeah, they do. But these have a secret ingredient in them that I got specially for Dash, and it’s reeeealy hard to get.”
Thinking of what that meant twilight put it out of her mind, knowing that it could mean anything and getting a straight answer would be almost impossible she smiled warmly. “Thanks, here’s a couple coins for the party.” Taking the money and dropping it into a small bag and beaming with energy Pinkie hopped around for a moment in joy and bounded away.
“Where does she get all that energy?” Twilight said aloud, turning and walking away. ‘Maybe from all that sugar.’
After several hours of mingling in town, visiting all her friends and hearing their worries about Dash and reassuring them, twilight left for her castle. While returning she saw Sugarcube Corner, ‘Hmm, that was sure a good cupcake. Maybe I can get a few more… for Spike, and small cake.’ Turning sharply like Dash, she dove and headed for the ground, stopping several feet away and landing carefully. ‘I guess I’m not that adventurous, I’ll leave that to Dash.’
Upon arriving she noticed the door was closed and the lights were low, the bakery looked empty, at least 45 minutes too soon. The sun had just set, the moon was rising and the stars were out. It wasn’t like Mr. and Mrs. Cake to close early, but they were out of town doing their monthly supplies run. They left Pinkie in charge during these times, since it was only for two days and Pinkie was highly trustworthy.
Opening the door slowly twilight peeked inside, “Pinkie? Hello? Are you in here?” Entering the bake shop she looked around at the dimly lit area. ‘Sure is quiet, I guess she’s not here. But I DO see cupcakes, I guess I’ll grab a few and leave some donation money on the counter.’
Using her magic she grabbed a box, opened it, placed 6 cupcakes in the box and closed it.
Leaving some money on the counter she turned to leave and stopped on her way to the door, ‘I guess I should leave a note so she knows what happened and if she has any questions, where is there some parchment and a quill?’ Looking around she saw nothing, she went around the counter and found what she needed, as she wrote a simple note she swore she could hear a scream in the distance.
Standing straight she put the box down and listened, closely. Another scream, it was very faint, but sounded close, and distant. She listened harder, holding her breath, she didn’t hear it again as she strained to hear anything, noticing her heartbeat. Smiling she began to think again, ‘It must have been a mouse or something, this IS a bakery after all.’
Turning she stepped away and heard it again, it was sustained this time. She froze and held her breath, the sound, it WAS close, her heart stopped and her ears twitched until the sound was focused, it was coming from behind her; from the wall. ‘What is this? What’s going on here? That is definitely a pony in distress, I’ve never heard anything like it. I have to find out.’
Casting a discovery spell she saw through the walls and noted the door, she saw a wire attached to the lock and followed it to a hidden floorboard, which she promptly moved and pressed it, causing the door to pop open. ‘Is this a hidden cellar, maybe used for hiding important documents and supplies? Maybe its just Pinkie being excited, maybe I shouldn’t go in. I haven’t heard any noices for a while, she could be having personal refection time.’
A gargled scream came at her from the dim cellar; twilight bolted down the stairs, fearful of her friend in trouble, maybe she was stuck under some books or an oven had fallen on her. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs she slipped and fell chest first onto the floor, an awful smell filling her nostrils, she heard a dripping sound mixed with something dropping made of metal.
She turned her head to the sound and froze in shock; her friend Pinkie had blood across her and there was a colt tied to a homemade rack, the colt was strapped to it. The colt was unrecognizable from various wounds to his entire body and his entire front was open, his entrails wrapped around Pinkies body like a scarf and a chunk of meat in her teeth.
Pinkie smiled huge, becoming excited and giddy, spitting out whatever part of him she was eating as she started to run towards twilight, getting choked back the intestines wrapping her body, she fell back with a giggle. Standing she beamed with joy at her friend and started slipping free of the biological rope, still oozing digestive juices and blood.
Screaming her loudest, twilight threw up and started running up the stairs, taking off with her wings frantically flapping, her mind blank except for the sight of her most energetic friend butchering another living creature. She flew out of the cellar and into the closed door that led to her freedom, cracking the door and practically knocking her unconscious.
In a daze she stood up, not knowing and opened the door, stumbling into the lightly populated streets as ponies were winding down for the evening. She was regaining her senses when Pinkie jumped on her back and started shrieking in joy. Other ponies ignored the noise, even as twilight began calling for help and bucking her best.
Pinkie just held on and giggled, “Wheeee, Ride’ em Cowboy!”
“Help! Help! She’s a murderer! She’s crazy! Call the Police!”
Ignoring them both the ponies went about their business, giving the duo disdainful looks for playing such a game at their ages in the streets before bedtime.
“Twilight! Twilight! I have a cupcake I made just for you, eat it, c’mon inside and eat it!”
Twilight bucked Pinkie off and scrambled to get away, flapping and running at the same time, unable to discern which limbs were moving in any order. She used her magic to cast a hovering spell around Pinkie and pushed her into the bakery, locking the door and calling over a table from the inside to block it. Standing at the window, Pinkie Pie looked with huge sad eyes at her purple friend as she lifted off and flew toward her castle.
Once inside the castle twilight began casting every security spell she could, sealing the entire castle, she closed herself into her room and sealed it with shut. Using her magic she tossed her room completely into disarray to make sure Pinkie didn’t use her super speed to beat her there and was hiding, waiting to attack her.
Terrified and shaking she didn’t sleep at all that night, refusing to move from a pile of furniture and clothes in the center of the room, not even for Spike when he tried to check on her. She stayed in her room throughout the day as well, her stomach growl echoing in her silent mystical room, her mind blank, the image of her friend smiling running at her wrapped in… she couldn’t finish the thought.
After the second day Princess Celestia arrived at her door, trying to gain entrance she had to use several powerful spells just to enter the front door. Spike tackled her, glad to finally be able to leave the sealed castle and to see another living being. “Oh, Princess, I’m so happy to see you. She’s been locked in her room since she locked the whole castle for almost two days! She hasn’t eaten or answered her door. I hope she’s okay,” Spike called as he led the princess up the stairs.
Panting as he arrived he pointed at the door. Knocking softly on the door the princess requested entrance to no avail. She became very worried and began to dispel the barrier, quickly overpowering it and opening the door. Walking in she gasped at the mess, looking for her pupil in the mess, hearing a whimper she magically moved the pile.
She took a step back when she saw twilight, laying, sobbing lightly in her own feces whispering, “Don’t find me, don’t find me, don’t find me…” Spike hid outside the door, a look of worry on his face. Celestia approached the cowering mare, smiling cautiously, and asked, “Twilight, are you okay? Can you tell me what happened?”
“She, she, she, Pinkie, she, she, she…”
“It’s okay, twilight, calm down. Start at the beginning.”
As twilight began telling the tale, no one heard a muffled groan as Spike was grabbed by Pinkie, who rushed him upstairs, “Stay here, and stay quiet. You know you shouldn’t listen in on other ponies conversations, right?” Her eyes sparkling.
“Yeah, I guess. I’ll just wait here,” Spike responded, looking defeated as he thought of violating trust.
Pinkie bounded out of the room, “See you soon, Spikey-Wikey.”
Returning to the room Pinkie heard the conversation nearing its end, so she acted quick, using her speed she ran in and attacked Princess Celestia with a knife, chopping her horn almost completely off in one strike and tying her wings to her body, then zipping around her legs, tightly binding them performing a full take down in 3 seconds, the princess tipped over, shocked and surprised.
Sitting on the royal mare Pinkie smiled, knife in her teeth, she giggled at twilight and jumped in her direction, landing in front of her, she slashed with the knife, cutting twilight's ear. Screaming twilight scrambled back and slipped in her feces falling back onto the floor, cowering in fear.
“Pinkie, what are you doing!” Shouted the princess, struggling against her binds. Taking the knife Pinkie ran around to her captives chest and said, “Let’s play a game Princess! We haven’t played a game yet, have we? How about ‘ring around the rosie?’”
Pinkie took the knife and stabbed the princess in the chest, and began carving out a circle singing ‘Ring around the rose, pocket full of posies, ashes ashes we all,’ Spike came running in to see the horror that ensued, Pinkie ran to him and hog tied him, knowing simple rope could hold the tiny dragon. Returning to the screaming royal mare Pinkie said, “Awe, where was I? I guess I have to start over, UGH.”
Choosing a new spot she cut into the screaming white mare, blood draining from her wounds pooling under her, staining her red, lightly spraying onto Pinkies pink coat. ‘Ring around the rose, pocket full of posies, ashes ashes we all, fall. DOWN!’ There we go!, Oh, look Celestia! Doesn’t my work just take your breath away?”
She produced a part of her lung to her, laying it down in front of her, sending her into a panic, Pinkie quickly went to work singing a disturbed song as she butchered her royal highness on the floor in front of a terrified twilight and Spike. Still moving and whispering, blood spraying from her mouth with every attempted word, Pinkie put her head into the now open cavity and the princess’ body seized tight, every muscle tense and her eyes filled with tears.
Removing her blood soaked head from the warm cavity; Pinkie looked at Twilight with the still beating heart in her mouth, “I guess her heart wasn’t into my game, hehehehe.”