Incubus

The woods were dark, lovely and deep. But she had promises to keep. And miles to go before she'd sleep. And miles to go before she'd sleep.

Pinkie buckled under her own weight and crawled over to the old castle in front of her. Her stomach abrased against loose stones and jagged rock corners. They cut along her weather-worn coat, indenting and eventually lacerating the flesh. Red oozed out her various nicks and tears as water struggled to layer her inner-eyelids. The air was rank with adrenaline and wilderness as she gasped for breath after breath, finally reaching her wish. If Rainbow wasn't part of her life, it wasn't life at all. That was why Pinkie drew her last, conscious breath against the Two Sisters' Castle steps.

The last moments of her life flashed in long-faded snippets. A withered recollection of her childhood drudged along the confines of Pinkie's skull and they were surrounded by a rock field. Lowly were the pebbles and stones beneath her clicking hooves, never flinching against the dead wind that tickled her fur. Some of it whispered in the mare's ears, forcing them into themselves. The world became a blur of noise as she became blind and dumb to the path ahead. Home stood erect against time's influence, the barn and simple housing barely touched by stray stones and winter's wear. Even as frost thinly covered the roofing, no frost fell from place. Even as she trotted inside, nothing seemed to animate. Not a soul stirred as she creaked the front door open and meekly slipped within.

"Hello...?" She called in cautious tones, keeping her head down.

Pinkamina's mane fell over her dirt-stained muzzle, silken to the touch but leaving her scalp ravaged by perceived warmth. It all felt too hot. Pinkie wanted to shed her coat and tear her skin off. To drag her nerves along her flesh by cheese grater just to distract it's thermal sensitivity. Was it guilt. Was it Hell reaching out for Pinkie Pie. A hoarse, shrill cry erupted out her throat.

"Why?! What did I do to deserve this?"

The roasting heat gradually dissipated as quiet fell. The image of her sister Maud appeared and she drew a gasp of relief. With all her might, she mustered a full-bodied hug, every leg around her stoic sibling. For a moment, the lack of response made her doubt. What if it wasn't real. As soon as Pinkie called her name, whispered it beneath her breath, they replied.

"Um... I love you too, Pinkie. Are you okay, because I thought you said you could handle work alone."

"Wh-what? I was walking up the steps and... I fell asleep. Why am I here? Where's Inky and... wait, why are you here? I thought- I thought you-"

"Died?" Maud shrugged, speaking in her same nonchalance.

"Pinkie, do you even know where you are?"

"No. No, I don't know. I'm... I'm lost. And before I got here, I was alone." Pinkamena shivered, suddenly overwhelmed by a coldness equalizing her body.

Grey skies loomed overhead and gathered mass by the second. Each cloud was dense and heavy like a teetering claymore. It seemed the storm might consume them whole, crackling with blinding white-blues and flickering warnings. Some, distant voice in the skyline declared 'clear!', thus the ground rumbled and split in places far at first. Each declaration the voice boomed, the earth split closer.

Pinkie panicked, rushing to pull her sister to safety. And yet, her efforts grew weaker and weaker as their hooves phased through one another's.

"Maud...! Maud, follow me to the barn! Run with me...!"

"No, Pinkie." Her sister said, closing her eyes.

"No...?"

"No. You can't run forever. No one can. Sometimes, you have to stand your ground and deal with the ugly. You don't have to fight. You don't have to yell. But sometimes, you have to live your life and do what you always needed to do."

Her words started to blur in howling winds. The ground took them apart as they were separated by faults consistently growing wider.

"Whaddyou mean...!" Pinkie cried with all her capacity.

"I mean...!"

Maud shed a tear as her features scrunched in pain.

"I mean remember who you were before you loved her."

'Clear!'

Pinkie Pie choked on her own breath as she gasped awake and shivered into life. Spasms took her brittle, little hooves and the aching wake of life struck her all over. Resurrection came with a price. And her's was her sister. The memory of her sister would always be there. But the gripping words she spoke before poured salt in her ducts. Rainbow rushed over and clung to her. Fluttershy followed. And so did Rarity. Applejack. And Twilight, too. They were all around her. With her.

'Who was I before I loved...?' She processed lazily, barely comprehending all the gooey reunion whispers.

"Pinkie Pie... I'm sorry. I wasn't there. I missed you so much and I'm so horrible. I'm a horrible friend." Rainbow sobbed, barely able to contain her tears.

She glanced down as they stained where her heart would be.

'I was... Pinkamena Diane Pie.'

A weak smile bloomed on her lips.

'I was the element of laughter. And everyone's only Pinkie Pie.'

'I made people happy.'

'I'm so glad to be... me.'