Pinkie Has Coping Issuesby Mochas DungeonChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8(Inrto) Letter to CelestiaChapter 1Twilight 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 rainbow trail.’ 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 month. Dash had won by a landslide and gloated incessantly, but it was so much fun they had rescheduled a rematch for last week. When Dash didn’t arrive everyone’s worry had begun to grow. ‘Maybe 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 any more 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 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 haven’t seen her for a couple days,” she chuckled, “Remember when I first came to Ponyville and Applejack 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 very concerned eyes, “I hope Dash’s ok. I don’t know what I’d do if she was hurt and we couldn’t help her.” Fluttershy reached out and a small bird landed on her out stretched arm, smiling briefly. “Oh, she’s okay Fluttershy, you have to have faith that she’ll come back soon and with every hair and feather intact,” Twilight stated comfortingly, 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,’ thought 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, her leg in a cast and her spirits low. Her mane was not kept up except for a butterfly pin holding a small strip of hair out of her eyes. Her shop was closed. Twilight decided to let her be, since Fluttershy had reacted so typically she didn’t really want to deal with rarity’s arrogance, even as a best friend; she’d check on her in a couple hours. “HI TWILIGHT! Wanna cupcake?” Shouted Pinkie grinning wide holding a platter of rainbow frosted cupcakes in Twilights face, mere centimeters from her purple snout. “Uh, I guess so Pinkie. Hey, have you heard anything about Dash?” Asked Twilight as she tried to peer around the desserts to see the grinning pony. 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,” chirped Pinkie. 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, I’ll tell you what it is,” Pinkie leaned in close to Twilights ear and whispered, “It’s a secret,” she said with a serious face. Then Pinkie hopped onto her haunches and began balancing a cupcake on her nose, “I also have Apple ones in the making too, Twilight, you’ll love them, they’ll be ready tonight and I’ll bring you one tomorrow, free of charge.” Thinking of what Pinkie meant Twilight knew that it could mean anything and getting a straight answer would be almost impossible so she smiled warmly, “Thanks, pinkie, here are a couple bits for the party.” Taking the bits and dropping them 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, she does live in a bakery after all. I don’t really know what to do, I guess I’ll just visit around town.’ Turning back to Rarity she locked eyes with the white mare, who was scowling. Groaning internally Twilight smiled awkwardly and began to trot over to the injured mare. “Hi, Rarity, you’re looking well. I was just on my way to see you.” Twilight stated. Still glaring at her purple friend Rarity retorted, “I saw that, as you were buying cupcakes from that addlepated twit. Did you enjoy her bribe?” Snorting as she said the word ‘bribe.’ Looking at Rarity, Twilight narrowed her eyes. “I know what happened, Rarity, I was there. The surprise malfunctioned and exploded hurting you and all of us. It’s not wrong to accept a gift from a friend and Pinkie is still our friend, she’s just, not our friend for right now. I’m not taking sides, but Pinkie was really hurt too. You didn’t...” Interrupting with a shout that alerted nearby listeners, “SHE was ‘really hurt,’ SHE was? She bounced away like nothing happened and brought me a balloon while I was lying, bleeding on the floor of my shop, smiling like a twit that doesn’t know anything,” Rarity stated in her arrogant voice. Replying quickly Twilight argued back, “I know! You’re hurt most of us physically, but emotionally we were all hurt. We all took your side the minute you were insulted and stop being friends with Pinkie until she calms down.” “That doesn’t concern me…” Rarity tried to interrupt. Cutting Rarity off Twilight retorted, “Dash ran off and Applejack won’t leave the farm! You’re sitting in self-pity; refusing to do anything. Everyone is hurting, Rarity, it’s not only about you.” Turning around as she finished her sentence she began stomping away not waiting for a response. Rarity didn’t know what to say as she rarely saw Twilight get upset, much less walk away mid argument. With a sigh Rarity watched her friend turn the corner and returned her gaze to the ground, watching the grass wave in the breeze, finally beginning to contemplate the feelings of the others. ‘Maybe, just maybe, I am taking this too seriously. I am alive, and Pinkie did try to make amends which I ignored. Everyone has been punishing Pinkie and I guess I’m to blame. I guess I should,’ she sighed as she completed her thoughts, ‘go and accept her apology and we can all go back to being friends and put all this nastiness behind us, once and for all.’ Rising from her chair she began to hobble to Sugarcube Corner to wait for pinkie and eat some humble pie, ‘I wish I had a friend to help me get around this blasted town,’ Rarity thought with a scowl. After turning a corner Twilight slouched her shoulders and lowered her head; she didn’t like being assertive to her friends, and her friends were in short supply right now. What would she do next? Chapter 2Choosing to walk to Sweet Apple Acres was a good choice, Twilight felt, arriving at the gate Twilight saw Granny Smith, Applebloom and Big Mac by the barn. Beginning to trot over to the gaggling group she smiled warmly and then they all exchanged greetings. “Say Twi, how is everypony out there doing? Applejack said she wasn’t talkin’ to any of y’all ‘til ya got your senses back,” chirped Applebloom. “Well, we’re all good. I haven’t seen Applejack since the… Incident. Pinkie is baking a lot and looking as happy as normal. Rarity is recovering nicely, albeit grumpy,” replied Twilight, rubbing her shoulder lightly in an uncomfortable way, “So, where’s Applejack?” “Ya know, I ain’t seen her since last night. Granny Smith an’ me were just talkin’ about where she could be, she got a cupcake from Pinkie and its in her room, I wanna eat it but it ain’t right takin her stuff, so if you see her can you ask her if I can eat it?” stated Applebloom without concern, starting to walk around looking at the ground, following a trail of ants. “Yup,” simply said Big Ma with a smile. Granny Smith nodded in agreement but didn’t say anything, sipping on a large cup of cider, she was a bit inebriated and was ready to sleep it off. “Okay, so…” Twilight awkwardly mused, out of things to talk about since now Applejack is missing. “I’m going to go and catch up on my reading, I’ll see you later.” Smiling Twilight turned and trotted back into town. Thinking to herself, ‘I guess I have two missing ponies now, I hope everything is okay. I’m going to talk to Rarity and apologize for earlier, I was kind of mean and I can’t leave her all alone while she’s recovering.’ The sun was getting low in the sky as she headed for Rarity’s boutique, not stopping to make pleasantries with the townsfolk. Arriving at the boutique Twilight discovered the yard empty and quickly presumed the injured pony had gone inside to wallow in self-pity. ‘That poor cat,’ twilight thought with a smile as she entered the shop. “Hello, Rarity. It’s Twilight. I’m here to talk to you and, apologize, for my attitude earlier, I was wrong to act so rude to you and I’m here to keep you company.” Walking through the halls as she apologized she found no pony anywhere. Opalescence was sitting on a royal throw pillow by Rarity’s bed licking her paws. “I guess, maybe she’s out?” questioned twilight, as she turned to leave. Walking to the door twilight noticed a cupcake with rainbow frosting sitting on a display shelf, “Oh, she must have been visited by Pinkie! I guess I’ll check Sugarcube Corner.” Quickly walking out twilight opened her wings and took to the skies, going several hundred feet up and circling, she slowly descended to the bakery, landing softly in front and went inside. “Hello?” Mr. Cake peeked out from the kitchen and smiled, “Hi Princess Twilight, what can I do for you? Would you like a slice of cake? Three bits.” Twilight quickly replied as he was finishing his sale, “No, I’m ok. I was hoping to find Rarity here, or Pinkie. I’ve been looking for them for a while.” Lowering his head, Mr. Cake said, “Ah, I see. Ever since Rarity got hurt Pinkie hasn’t been the same. She’s quiet, won’t talk to us and she looks different; her mane is flat and her coat is dark. We’ve never seen her so depressed,” rubbing his hooves together as he sat in front of Twilight, “She doesn’t bake as much, either. She should be back in a while, the sun is getting low and she’s never out too long after Luna raises the moon.” “Okay,” replied twilight, her chin in her hoof as she thought about how things weren’t adding up with her energetic friend. ‘If she is depressed at home why is she still full of energy out in public. It’s not uncommon for people to hide their feelings, but Pinkie? She can’t keep her feelings under control even under the best circumstances.’ “Can I go to her room to wait, Mr. Cake?” Asked twilight, he nodded as he stood up and walked back to the kitchen. Twilight saw Mrs. Cake and the twins playing in the kitchen as food was cooking on the stove: it smelled great. ‘Not only are they amazing bakers, they can cook too. They should just open a restaurant, how much harder could that be, and it would be so much fun to taste their food all day,’ mused Twilight. Walking up the stairs as twilight finished her thought she arrived at Pinkies room and heard voices from inside, smiling she pressed her ear to the door to eaves drop on Rarity and Pinkies conversation, but she only heard various muffled voices. It sounded like a few different ponies were holding a meeting, so twilight knocked softly on the door. “Pinkie, can I come in,” asked twilight. Slowly the door creaked open and Pinkie peered out the cracked door, only showing part of her eye, “Yes, how can I help you, Twilight?” Pinkie hissed out the door. Curious, twilight cocked her head at her friends’ odd mannerism and said, “Yes Pinkie, I’m just checking on you. I’m looking for Rarity and…” Pinkie slammed the door to twilight’s surprise. “Pinkie, what’s going on? Open the door, please. I need to talk to you about everything.” After a moment twilight used her magic to open the door and smiled at what she saw. A table set up with a mock tea party with various inanimate objects wearing party hats and confetti. Twilight chucked as Pinkie was helping a bag of sugar balance on a chair while glaring at Twilight. Her mane was flat as was her tail, her fur was dark pink and her eyes were almost sinister, with a sneer on her mouth she growled in a lower flat voice devoid of her humor and charm, “What are you doing in here. Are you laughing at me? First you unfriend me and now you laugh at me and my new best friends?” Starting to walk towards Twilight, who was slowly backing up and out the door, ears pulled back. ‘Dash talked about Pinkie going all crazy when we threw her that surprise party, but I didn’t know she was serious. This is just weird and creepy,’ thought Twilight as she tried to keep a distance between she and her friend. Pinkie continued to walk towards twilight and continued, “You never liked me, did you? You just wanted to laugh at me. You tried to keep it a secret among yourselves and I found out when Rarity got hurt. You showed me who you all really are.” She was backing twilight down the hall now, into a wall with an open window. “You, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity. Liars, all of you are LIARS,” her eyes twitched and misaligned briefly, “You can’t know what it’s like to be alone for years and then to finally be made happy by ponies who laugh at you behind your back.” Pinkies eyes were terrifying now. Twilight began to cower in the corner. “Pinkie,” Twilight whimpered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, we’re your friends still, we just got mad, I’m here to apologize and I want to be your friend again. We were all going to apologize and go back to the way things were in a couple days. We didn’t mean to hurt you like this, we don’t laugh at you behind your back, we…” “SHUT. UP.” Screamed pinkie, making twilight shriek in shock, rarely having heard Pinkie upset, she was mad now, “You’re liars and meanies and you wouldn’t care if I was dead, and I won’t care if you all died too,” Screamed Pinkie with murderous eyes. All joy and humor was gone from the pink mare and only intent to hurt Twilight filled the air. “What’s going on up here? Pinkie, what are you saying?” chimed Mr. Cake from behind. As Pinkie turned twilight used the moment to fly out the open window, tears in her eyes as she flew higher and higher, thinking of how quickly Pinkie had changed and how nothing made sense all of a sudden. ‘Dead? What is going on here? ’ Twilight thought as she soared. Stopping her ascent she sobbed and began gliding steadily high above the town, above the clouds, trying unsuccessfully to understand what was happening and where her friends were. Three were missing and one was going insane. ‘Wait, no it couldn’t have been. I thought I saw the bag of sugar wearing Rarity’s butterfly pin. I must have been seeing things while she was yelling at me. It’s a bag of sugar wearing a party hat. It could be have been anything.’ Smiling a little twilight turned and headed for Fluttershys cottage. Landing quickly, startling some birds and critters causing them to scurry and fly away, twilight knocked on the door roughly and opened the door, jumping in almost head butting the shy yellow Pegasus pony. Chapter 3“Oh my, twilight,” whispered Fluttershy with a slight surprise, “What are you doing here, are you ok?” Questioned Fluttershy. “Oh Celestia I’m so glad you’re okay. Dash, Rarity and Applejack are missing and Pinkie just yelled at me.” Sheepishly Fluttershy replied, “Oh, that’s not a big surprise, Pinkie is emotional, and she has intense feelings.” “Yeah, she does, but you didn’t see her, Fluttershy, pinkie was acting crazy. She was all dark and said she didn’t care if we died. If we DIED, Fluttershy, she looked like she was going to hurt me before I ran away,” Twilight was almost shouting, swirling her hooves around her head making coo-coo motions. “Oh my, that doesn’t sound like her at all,” looking down at the carpet Fluttershy wiggled her ears. Angel came over, hopping on her back Angel began to stroke Fluttershys wings, comforting her. “We should go talk to her together and try to cheer her up.” “No, Fluttershy, we can’t right now. She looked like she would hurt me, I can’t imagine what she’d do to you, or us, or the Cakes. We have to leave her alone for now and hope everyone comes out okay.” Twilight was pacing around the room worried as she spoke, Fluttershy just stood in one spot watching her friend through her mane covered face. Twilight was forming a plan as she spoke, “Okay, I think we should stay together until we figure everything out, come to the castle and we’ll read up on how to deal with manic depressive ponies.” “No, I’m okay, I have my woodland friends to watch out for me and if anything happens they’ll come and tell you, but I trust Pinkie and don’t think she’d every intentionally hurt anyone,” Fluttershy said with a little confidence in her voice, which was reassuring to twilight. Turning to look out a window Twilight smiled and began to speak, ‘Okay, Fluttershy, I trust your opinion and…” Chapter 4Opening her eyes she moaned as she smelt a foul mildew stench fill her nostrils. It was dark and damp, she began to stand and felt a stinging throb in the back of her neck; feeling with her hoof she noticed a lump in the back of her head and winced. Her horn hurt too, she tried to cast a light spell to illuminate her area and pain shot through her head down to her mid back causing her to groan in pain. Feeling a headache on both sides of her head she touched her forehead and screamed in shock: Her horn was cut off leaving a jagged inch left with some dirt rubbed into it to stop the bleeding. Vomiting slightly from the shock of everything she had been through today. Grasping the situation she began to ascertain her surroundings. It was some kind of dungeon, with a few racks and chains, but no weapons or torture tools. “Twi, can you hear me? Twi, you okay?” Applejack’s voice echoed. Replying warily twilight answered, “Yeah.” She heard her other friends cheerfully chiming in, happy she was ok. “What’s going on? I was talking with Fluttershy and then next thing I wake up here. But, where is here and why is it so dark? Who put us here?” “Well,” Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Pinkie and Fluttershy are the ones that caught us. They put something in my cupcake and I woke up here.” “Me too, Sugarcube, but I woke up hog tied and gagged. I guess it was the only way to keep me from buckin them to Appleoosa when they put me in here. I done spent a whole night tied up before they cut me loose. I got a rope in here now, but damned if I know what to do with it,” Applejack mused. “Oh dear, I just woke up here a couple hours before I saw Fluttershy carry you into your cell, she is being absolutely indignant, darling,” Rarity said unhappily. All the mares were in cells separated by heavy stone walls, preventing them from seeing each other lined up side by side with heavy rusty hinged gates keeping them securely locked in. There was a grate with water flowing just below with enough space to lap at the water, that was also to double as their toilet. “When do you think we’ll get out of here?” Dash asked. “Why does it matter, you’re almost all together again,” Pinkamena’s voice echoed in the dark. “Pinkie?” Twilight asked the darkness. “Pinkamena, my name is Pinkamena. It’s the least I deserve being all but friendless and alone in this world.” Her voice was dark and melancholy as before in the day when she had scared twilight, only this time twilight had nowhere to run. Flashing a lantern in Twilights face nearly blinded her. Opening her wings to hide her eyes twilight felt something different, “I clipped your wings, you can’t be better than the rest of us if you can’t fly above us like you’re the high and mighty Princess. I clipped Dashes wings too, now you’re all almost as low as I am. I also took your horns, so you and Rarity can’t use magic to escape or hurt us,” Pinkamena said, looking into Twilights eyes. “Oh dear, my HORN, what, what have you DONE, Pinkie? This is a crime against me and all fashion across Ponyville,” whined Rarity. “Pinkie, please, we’re still your friends and you have other friends, everyone in Ponyville. Everyone loves you, we’re all sorry. Please let us go,” begged twilight. Pinkamena laughed, “Pinkamena, and you all said the same thing. You’re all wonderful liars; you’ve all practiced this for a while, haven’t you? If I was anypony else, I’d believe you, but I’m NOT anypony else.” “We see through your lies, and you’ll pay. All of you, you are liars and you don’t love me or Pinkamena. We figured that out the day you turned on us. Soon the games will begin, and we’ll show you what happens to liars like you,” Fluttershy’s voice came into existence from the stairs as she descended, her wings keeping her aloft so as to not make any noise. “Flu, Flu, Fluttershy? You’re really a part o’ all this?” asked Applejack Fearfully looking at her captor twilight cowered in the back of her cell, cold slimy walls rubbing against her back, giving her the chills. “What’s happening, why is she calling herself her full first name?” Dash was shaking, her voice cracking. “I ain’t got a clue, and what d’ya think she meant by ‘games?’” added Applejack. “Twi, we don’t know where we are but I don’t like it,” Dash stated sounding somber, “Where ever we are we aren’t near other ponies, otherwise we’d have been saved cuz of all our yelling. We’ve been trying to escape too but these doors are made for huge stallions soldiers, we can’t get out. There’s a grate in the floor for when you have to go to the bathroom, but it’s sealed into the floor with cement and stone.” “I done tried buckin’ the door and stompin’ the grates, but I chipped my hoof tryin’, damn near broke it off trying to pry it. We ain’t getting’ out til she unlocks the doors,” Applejack said, her voice saddened, “Whatever is wrong with her is our fault.” There was a long silence as the mares thought about that statement. Quietly sobbing began to echo in the room, no one would admit it but they all were scared of what might happen. * Several hours had passed before the sound of hooves clopping was heard. All the girls perked up, hoping to see anyone, anything, and maybe get food. There was a light coming into the room held by Pinkamena, she placed a lantern by the door, replacing the one that had nearly burnt out. Opening her saddle bag she produced one apple per pony, then left. Ignoring her captives the clopping echoed away. The mares ate their apples and laid down. Not talking and looking at the flickering lantern in the farthest corner was the only entertainment they had. The lantern was lighting two steps up toward their freedom in its dim light: The first steps to freedom might have been a simple hundred feet away, or ten miles. More days passed with only one visit a day. Fluttershy and Pinkamena would alternate their visits and say only what time of day it was outside and leave one apple or two carrots. The four were losing all energy and hope, feeling themselves becoming thinner and frailer. One day they heard Pinkamena coming, hoping for more food or a conversation they saw Fluttershy descending the stairs to their delight with saddle bags full and what looked like fresh fruits and vegetables sticking out of one. This time Pinkamena came behind Fluttershy dragging behind her a large heavy bag that clattered as it hit each step, full of something metallic. The girls stopped smiling and stared at the mares as they stood side by side, their manes partly covering their faces, as they looked at the cells. “They’re all together ready to be punished, I’ll get the lights ready you get the tables and equipment ready,” Pinkamena said to her accomplice. All the prisoners looked at their friends as they turned on more lanterns and opened the bag and began producing several bladed weapons and knives, tools like hammers, saws and screw drivers. The light was enough to allow the girls to see the whole room finally; rust, dirt, mold and moss were across the floors and there were two newer looking torture tables. They were spaced a few feet apart that rotated all the way around and straight up either ways so someone could be upside down or right side up. There were removable parts and heavy leather straps were attached to several spots on each table. Rusted chains were attached to the walls with newer looking shackles and dark red and black spots were around the tables and chains by the walls. Terrified, the mares began to whimper and tremble as they took in the sights. Asking what was happening and what the duo were doing yielded no answers or even looks in their direction. Rarity and Twilight began to sob, their faces hidden under their hooves while Dash and Applejack gritted their teeth. After twenty minutes or so of setting up and preparation the duo huddled together and nodded at each of the captives. Stopping at Rarity Fluttershy said, “She was the first one who began to tell the truth, she’s the first one we play with.” A trembling Rarity opened one of her eyes, looking out the cell she saw Pinkamena walking to her with a cupcake on her head, “Eat up Rarity, and you’ll be freed,” she said as she smiled warmly, her color brightening slightly. Looking at her pink friend she nodded cautiously and gobbled the cupcake, sitting up straight she smiled, the first food she had had that day and it was delicious, sweet and filling. Smiling at Pinkamena she thanked her for the treat. Pinkamena opened the gate and said, “Don’t tell anyone of this place,” as she backed up. “Don’t worry my friend, I won’t. I’ll see you girls soon,” Believing herself to be free she began to hobble towards the staircase, she began to wobble and fell over, her cast finally coming into view was covered with mold and some of her bodily waste. Her body was skinny and her mane was in terrible shape, her skin was dirty. “Let’s get her on the table,” Pinkamena said walking to Rarity, grabbing a hoof in her mouth. She began dragging Rarity to a table and, with Fluttershy, tied rarity down. Pulling a lever with their hooves, heaving the table to a near vertical position, “Pinkamena, are you sure you don’t want to start?” questioned Fluttershy “Yes. It is your turn. They were mean to us, laughing at us, lying to us,” Pinkamena replied with a sneer forming as she spoke, “This isn’t the first time I’ve done this to ponies like them, and all the others,” she grinned darkly, her eyes taking on a murderous stare into the distance, “Never. Lied. Again.” With those last words everyone in the cells shivered, chills rolling down their spines into their haunches until their hooves shook. “What? What do you mean?” Asked Twilight. Looking back at Twilight Pinkamena said nothing, and turned back to Rarity, tightening the straps until her flesh began to change color from the binds. The only leg not heavily strapped was her left hind leg, since the cast was in the way, they used a rope to secure it to the metal table. Then, they stepped back to look at their work. They whispered to each other, then went up the stairs, leaving the ponies alone in the dungeon looking at their friend tied up and sleeping peacefully, a slight smile on her face. Chapter 5After half an hour Rarity began to stir, slowly waking up she began to move, squeaking in pain as she pulled against her straps as a still unknown pain stung her limbs, and her broken leg throbbed as she opened her eyes and looked at her worried friends staring at her. “What’s going on, girls? Why can’t I move?” questioned Rarity. None of them knew what to say, and then Dash spoke up, “You’re tied up, Rare. We don’t know what they have planned but, I don’t think its anything bad, just scary,” lied Dash, as she smiled at her friend. Pinkamena and Fluttershy returned to the room and walked in front of Rarity who asked, “Pinkie, what’s happening, I can’t move, this is terrible for my skin, and my mane is positively disheveled and I have to fix my horn. You said you’d let me go, so let me go.” “Now you know what it’s like to be lied to,” retorted Pinkamena, “And my name is Pinkamena, I’m not worth the name Pinkie to you ponies. Pinkie is the name for the favorite party pony, but I can’t lie anymore, I’m not worth that title, I can’t keep smiling while you’re so awful to us, it’s taking so much from me." With that Fluttershy turned to the captives and asked, “What do you love most about Rarity? You pretended to love me while defending her, so what do you truly love about her?” Puzzled, the trio stared back, and hesitantly Dash said, “I’ve always liked her mane, it’s so styled and pretty.” Applejack looked at the floor and added, “I always liked her smile. She may have a bad attitude but her smile was always honest. Pinkamena looked at Twilight awaiting a response, “Well,” Twilight started, “I always liked her generosity, and she’s blunt but honest about fashion and style too,” smiling to herself with slight jealousy. Turning around, Pinkamena went to Fluttershy and whispered something. Walking to a table setup Fluttershy picked up a small knife and went to Rarities back, the white mare tried looking behind her, causing her limbs to burn and sting. “What are you doing, dear?” Rarity asked worried, then she tensed her body and screamed louder than she had in years. Looking they saw blood running onto the floor as Rarity thrashed against her binds, her screams echoing in the room making every pony except Fluttershy wince from the noise. Watching with wide scared eyes, Dash, Twilight and Applejack stomachs turned as Rarity’s whole tail fell to the floor. Blood poured from her body as Fluttershy ran away and up the stairs. Looking at Rarity Pinkamena smiled and trotted over to the fallen tail, picking it up with her teeth, some blood trickling onto her head, she tossed the tail towards the trio. It landed a few feet infront of twilights central cell. All the mares jumped back in disgust. Twilight began to throw up into the waste-grate while the other two looked in fear at the pink mare. Returning with a large Paint can, the handle wrapped in cloth in her mouth, Fluttershy quickly set it on the floor in front of Rarity, who was screaming loudly from the throbbing pain shooting through her legs and lower back, her broken leg throbbing worse than ever before. Opening the can Fluttershy grabbed a pair of pliers and took out a red glowing bolt and pressed it to the bleeding wound. The white mare thrashed as the burning at the base of her tail filled her body, the smell was disgusting and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. She vomited while she screamed and thrashed violently with more force than she knew she had, she began to tear the flesh on her wrists. Rearing up, Pinkamena hit Rarity in the chest below her ribs, making the mare lose her breath and go silent for a moment before gasping for breath, “Be QUIET,” Pinkamena screamed, “You’re too loud, and no one likes a pony that’s always loud, right? You hated my loud parties and the noises they made; you complained the most about them. From now until we’re done, any noise you make will make it worse on, them,” and with that last word she turned and looked at the trio. “I’ll be honest with you, Rarity,” Pinkamena spoke monotone now, devoid of emotion, “I never liked your voice. It never matched with the rest of your family. Sweetie Bell and your parents talk pretty normal, and you talk fancy, like you’re better than us. All of us, like you come from Canterlot nobility, when you are just the same as the rest of us.” Sobbing again, choking back tears and screams from the pain in her tail, she spoke between breathes, “I don’t know what you mean, Pinkie dearest, please, let me go. I forgive you, that’s why I was going to see you. You’re my friend, I don’t know what you want from me, but I’ll do anything. I’ll make you a dress! The best dress you’d ever see and you’d be the envy of every pony in Canterlot. For free,” Rarity pleaded to her captors as she smiled and nodded her head. “You can’t offer me clothes and make up for what you’ve done all these years, or apples, or books, or pranks. Only my friends will go free,” said Pinkamena, somber as she’d been since they were first taken, “You’re in this together, the four of you, and I have, and always have had, Fluttershy.” Looking up as Fluttershy came around the table she entered the view of the trio, blood splatter covering her face and the mane covering her eye was flat with blood that had been poorly wiped away. Fluttershy dropped the now smoldering bolt to the floor. Smiling weakly, she spoke louder than usual, “Pinkamena is my best friend, more than all of you ever were. She sees the world as it is; she loves to play with my little friends and neither of us truly trusts the world. We both have reasons to hate the world, but the reasons we have, bring us closer together.” Fluttershy walked to Pinkamena and kissed her on the neck lightly, causing her to shiver and smile. Hearing the shy pony speak with such confidence and kiss another mare was unnerving, causing the trio to begin to sob lightly. How could they know so little about their most eccentric friends after all this time? Both the mares turned back to Rarity and stared at her, finally Pinkamena spoke up, “I wonder if she really would work to let us go and make me a cloak.” “Yes, yes, yes, I would. It would be fabulous and you’d know how much of a true friend I am, all of us are, dear,” Rarity said smiling and nodding heavily through her tears. “Very well, we’ll take one. You’ll make me a cloak, then, if I like it, you can go home when we’re done.” Pinkamena said, but first I need to know how determined you are to finish your projects. So, we’ll get you supplies over the next couple days,” Picking up a short knife Pinkamena went to the right flank of rarity and, beginning a half inch above her cutie mark, began to slice a rough outline around the white mares cutie mark. Blood curdling screams filled the dungeon as pain filled her legs, throbbing in her broken leg and her tail caused the white mare to lose control of her bowels as she released yesterday’s meal, running down her cauterized tail, stinging more and more. Rarity pulled until her wrists were bleeding now, struggling to move away from the pain, she only made Pinkamena cut deeper. “Stop moving so much, you’re making me cut too deep,” complained Pinkamena. Finishing her poor cut job Pinkamena began to tear the cutie mark away with her teeth, blood pouring down her flank, the pain overtook her and she lost consciousness. Still pulling the flesh from meat Pinkamena stopped and began to cut the fat and muscle away from the cutie mark until she was finished. Walking to her cowering friends she laid the cutie mark on the tail, showing the three diamonds to them then turned and returned to the unconscious mare. Taking a bandage from the saddle bag Fluttershy had carried down Pinkamena wrapped the wound and the duo began to release rarity, her body falling to the floor limp and blood pooling on the bandage, she was carried back to her cell and locked in. Going back to their bag, the duo produced three more cupcakes and placed them in front of the still awake mares’ cells. “Who’s next?” Pinkamena asked, with a wicked smile, “This will go easier if you go willingly, or I’ll have to choose for you, and you won’t like if I have to choose,” she stated as she glared back and forth between the three. Standing up tall both Dash and Applejack walked forward and grabbed their cupcake, seeing the other reach they stopped and began to argue of who was tougher and could handle more. Fluttershy, who was sitting and watching got up and took away Applejack’s cupcake, “Dash has always been mean to me, making me fly and help her when she wanted it, not caring if I wanted to help or not, making me and my animals cry,” she stated sadly as she looked at the floor. Reluctantly Dash ate the cupcake, waited for a moment and then began to wobble, “Fluttershy, you can stop this, and let, us, go. We love you and you’re always our friend. Please?” Dash said as she yawned and began to doze. After a few minutes she pouted at Fluttershy and fell over, landing with a soft thud as her head hit the floor. Waking up on a rack, Dash looked at her friends in their cells, smiling to finally see them after so long, her face began contorting her face when she saw Rarity’s condition. She tried to move, knowing she was strapped down, she felt her skin sting. She fluttered her wings, smiling because they weren’t tied down, she began to think of any way to use them to her advantage. Feeling a tug on her right wing she looked over to see Fluttershy pulling on her wing, then the same on the left, with Pinkamena. “What are you doing, gals? Admiring the craftsmanship?” Dash chuckled, ready for anything these wimps had to offer, until they began pulling out her feathers, each one stinging more and more. Dash winced as she watched her feathers floating to the floor, refusing to cry. Beginning to bleed as the feathers were still falling, tears in her eyes and her heart heavy, she didn’t struggle knowing she couldn’t get away she began choking back tears, “You know, once these babies grow back they’ll be stronger then ever,” she mused as one of her most sensitive feathers was pulled she yelped. Once her wings were nearly bare Fluttershy stopped and went into the bag, removing a brick of salt. She went to the nearly bare and bleeding wings began rubbing salt onto Dashes wings. Now Dash shouted, gritting her teeth she bore the pain, tears pouring out of her eyes she still refused to cry out in pain, not wanting to seem weak in front of her friends. She had to stay strong for herself, not knowing what would be next. Choking back a tearful sob she quickly said, “We’re your friends, Pinkamena, always.” Stopping Fluttershy with a wave of her hoof, Pinkamena reared up and pressed her hooves against Dashes chest, applying a little pressure, “Do you think you have what it takes to be my friend?” “You’re sure I do. We all have what it takes to be your friends forever, no matter what,” quickly replied Dash, smiling weakly, “and no matter what, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you.” With the tip of her hoof Pinkamena jabbed Dash between the ribs, fracturing one. Taken by surprise the mare yelped in pain as the pink mare twisted her hoof between the bones. Choking and gagging from the pain Dash pulled against her restraints, her wrists beginning to redden deeply, she fought against the urge to lash out like Rarity had, lest the punishment be worse. Hopping back and down onto all fours she went to the bag and took out a small pill, and going back to Dash, hopped up and put it in her face, “Eat,” was all Pinkamena would say. Looking at the pill worriedly, she quickly opened her mouth and ate it from the dirty hoof of her friend. Feeling dizzy faster than before, Dash was asleep within a minute. Carrying Dash back to her cell and locking it they turned and grabbed their bag and left the dungeon without a word. Sobbing was the only sound echoing from Twilights cell, finally they heard Rarity stirring awake, gasp and begin sobbing. Chapter 6“Are you okay, Sugar?” Applejack asked. Rarity didn’t reply. Looking at her bandaged leg and the throbbing in her haunches was beyond extreme. She couldn’t think about anything to talk about not could she through her clenched teeth as she did her best to not scream in pain and horror; her perfect body was ruined, her tail was gone, she had defecated on herself in front of her friends. She really was at the lowest she had ever felt and wanted no part in humoring her friends. Dash had awakened and, even though she did her best to hide it, was sobbing. Her wings were destroyed and she might never fly again, her days in the clouds would be over and she’d be an earth pony. What would she do if her cutie mark was meaningless? Work at a lumber yard or shovel holes for the rest of her life? Twilight had stopped crying, focusing on drinking water that was running below her cell and trying to ignore the random tastes of what was probably blood from one of the mares at either end of the water source. Hearing clopping in the distance they tensed up and moved to the back of their cells, all except Applejack, who knew it was her turn and Rarity who was so broken and hurt she couldn’t move at all, she only laid her head on her hooves and looked at the back wall of her cell. Holding out her hoof Applejack waited for Pinkamena to place a cupcake in her hoof. Placing the bag, full again she walked upstairs and returned with Fluttershy carrying a mannequin and colorful bag, as well as the paint bucket. Pinkamena walked to twilight and placed a cupcake in front of her cell and backed away. “Hey, what d’ya think you’re doing, I’m up, I volunteer for the next round Pinkie Pie, I’m ready.” Taking a step back Pinkamena glared at applejack, “Pinkamena,” then turned to the bucket and opened it, grabbing piece of glowing metal with pliers she walked to applejack, who backed up to the rear of her cell. Tossing the screw at Applejack Pinkamena made her mark and hit the strong mare on her front right leg making her yelp in pain. Holding her burn she glared at Pinkamena who walked back to put away the pliers. Fluttershy walked to Twilight, “It’s not about strength, it’s about why. Twilight is next, or we choose someone else.” Her eyes wide, twilight contemplated what would happen to her, then thought of what would happen to rarity or dash if they had to go back before they had more time to recover. Walking hesitantly to the cell door twilight grabbed and ate the cupcake in one bite. It was as delicious as the last one she ate, her wings trembled and her heart raced from the sugar, but she didn’t smile this time. Laying down she rested her head against the cell door and slowly waited until she fell asleep. The duo opened her cell and carried her out, walking her over to a wall and locking her into leg shackles at the wall, placing a claw hammer by her, they went to Applejack and gave her a cupcake. “Now it’s your turn.” “Oh, okay Pinkamena. Just don’t hurt the others, please,” applejack said as she ate the treat. A smile was on her face but her heart was empty. She laid down and fell asleep fast. Opening the cell the duo picked her up and started carrying her to a table when Applejack bucked and fell on the floor, she looked at Pinkamina and charged her, slamming into her with enough force to seriously injure any other pony, but pinkie rolled with the attack landed on her feet. Applejack saw Fluttershy coming up from behind her, and she bucked with all her might, connecting with Fluttershy on her side as she twisted away from the strongest mare they knew. Coughing blood Fluttershy fell to the floor and grabbed her sides. Knowing she didn’t have long, applejack charged Pinkamena again, suddenly feeling faint her eyes unfocused, and she ran full speed headlong into a wall. Wobbling she stumbled sideways and fell over, her head bleeding slightly. Smiling Pinkamena trotted to Fluttershy and helped her stand up, a large bruise on her side Fluttershy smiled as she looked at the swelling wound, “I guess this is going to slow me down helping you carry them around, huh?” The two chuckled as Pinkamena wiped some blood from Fluttershys cheek. Then they began to prepare Applejack. Double strapping her with the straps and rope they checked twice to make sure she was very secure, then strapped her chest and waist as well. Rolling the bed vertically they waited, sitting and watching the orange mare twitching in her wounded limbs. Taking red hot screws they hammered it into applejacks legs and one into her right wrist. Startled awake she shouted in pain, eyes wide and her voice cracking, she began pulling violently at her strapped arms and wrists, coughing as she gasped. “Oh, she’s awake now, that was faster than I thought it would be,” Fluttershy said sheepishly, “you hurt me, a lot. See?” She turned to show her flank to the screaming mare, “You’ll pay for that, applejack, and you’ll always know that it’s your fault.” Gaining her senses she was able stop crying, regaining her strength, she looked at her body and saw the still burning screw in her wrist. Gritting her teeth she looked at the duo and glared, not saying a word, she spat at Fluttershy. Walking to the table Pinkamena picked up a hammer and walked to applejack, a smile on her face, she swung without a word and cracked applejacks knee, breaking it. Applejack shouted in pain and tensed her body, making the burning screws tear her skin and press against her bones. Without a few seconds passing applejacks other knee was broken. Her eyes filling with tears and her heart broken she began to bawl uncontrollably. How could she ever buck apple trees again? Her life as she knew it was over, would she ever walk again either? Her mind was awash with fear and concern as she cried. “She broke easier than anyone ever has, what a weakling,” Pinkamena said as she whacked applejack in her left knee one more time. Awaking to the sound of applejack crying twilight stood up and felt the cold metal on three of her legs. “What are you doing to her!” cried twilight, having only a slight view of applejack. “You’re in the best position of all, twilight sparkle. You’re the ring leader. You hold their freedom in your hooves,” Fluttershy said with an odd confidence, and placed a key on the tool table, “all you need to do is get the key and you can open the doors, leave this place, and get medical help, a real meal, and all the luxuries the life out there has to offer.” “That’s all? That’s all I need to do? Okay, unlock me and we’ll leave and never tell anyone about this place, ever,” begged twilight. Laughing timidly Fluttershy said, “Unlock yourself,” and pointed to the hammer. Picking up the hammer twilight began hitting the lock and the hinge, causing a sting with each strike, so she turned to the chain, to no avail. She dropped the hammer as she realized and snapped her neck to the duo, “You mean I have to break all my legs to get out?” Twilights voice asked while shaking. Smiling the duo nodded and turned back to applejack leaving twilight shocked at the prospect. “Okay applejack, we’re going to continue where we left off.” Pinkamena said. Switching her hammer for a knife, she cut a deep ‘X’ on applejacks right cutie mark and peeled it open, the flaps of skin hanging loose, Fluttershy did the same to the other side. Gritting her teeth applejack bore the pain, her brow furrowed as she shut her eyes and thought of the apple farm, distracting herself from the pain. She could feel the blood going cold as it slowly dripped down her leg. Walking to Rarity, who was hiding under her hooves at this point, Pinkamena asked, “Rarity, I need to see your sewing skills, can you help me?” Shaking her head still under her hooves rarity declined. “If you help we’ll stop on her for the day.” Turning her face to Pinkamena Rarity smiled as she saw the mare. Raritys eyes were red and her face had scratches from her unkempt hooves rubbing her face. Slowly rarity nodded, rising her best on her front legs she began turning around, screaming in her throat as she made the turn. Pinkamena unlocked the door and heaved it open, bowing slightly in a form of fake respect, holding one arm towards applejack. Crawling at a slow pace unable to keep her balance from her missing tail, pain in her flanks, the feeling of blood running down her leg, she arrived at applejack after a few tense minutes. With a happy slap on her bleeding flank where her cutie mark was, Fluttershy gave rarity a gleeful, “Hello.” Causing rarity to fall over crying, unable to choose which side to grab since her broken leg twisted when she jumped from the slap, she fell face first into her hooves and cried as Pinkamena shoved a needle in rareties back. Not noticing the poke the pain began to subside in rarities lower half and she heaved herself up, red eyes full of tears, she spoke in a normal voice not unlike twilights, “Pinkamena, I’m sorry for all this, please, I’m not better than you or anyone else. I talk fancy because I am hurt too. I didn’t have friends until I started being something I wasn’t, just like you two,” sobbed Rarity. Pinkamena and Fluttershy laughed for the first time, like it was just another joke but they were uncertain of how to react. “Rarity, sew her closed, or she’ll die,” said Fluttershy. Trembling she grasped a needle in her mouth she threaded a needle with a lot of effort, having used her magic for so long it was a difficult task to perfrom with her hooves and mouth. Lowering the table and offering a boost, rarity began to sew the wounds closed. Applejack stayed still as best she could as rarity sewed both her cutie marks closed with almost surgical skill. “Oh my, this is some of the best work I’ve ever done, not that I’ve ever sewn another living thing before,” rarity beamed in her fancy accent again. Taking a knife Fluttershy cut a ‘+’ across applejacks left cutie mark and said, “You missed one, fancy girl. Looks like she lost her apples.” Smiling she cut around the mark, removing two of the apples on each side of her legs’ cutie marks. “You’re crazy! Why are you doing this? I did what you asked me, I fixed her, like you said,” cried rarity as she fell under the weight of her body on her pain filled legs as applejack clenched her teeth and coughed. “Because, you missed a spot, so you have to start over,” Fluttershy said, as the skin fell to the floor. Picking it up she placed it on rarity’s sewing kit, which was placed on the floor in front of her, and then Fluttershy smiled, “Go on, sew it back on, and don’t miss this time.” Sobbing hard and getting to her front hooves she reached for the flesh laying in front of her with her mouth; pulling back she couldn’t touch it, “Raw flesh from a living creature, I can’t touch it, I can’t, I’m so sorry applejack, I can’t do it,” rarity apologized, “Please, applejack, I’m so sorry.” Looking down applejack smiled at her friend, “It’s okay, Rare, I understand. I’m sure I’ll heal up nice like either way.” Grabbing a leg each Pinkamena and Fluttershy dragged the screaming and crying rarity back to her cell and locked her in. Dash didn’t say anything the entire time, her attention was focused on her broken wings as she to distract her as best she could. Picking up the sewing kit the flap of skin fell to the floor with a squish and Pinkamena stepped on it, slipping slightly, then she kicked it over to the cells, it landed almost near the tail and rarity’s cutie mark, which were drying quickly. Doing their best the mares choked back tears and sobs, trying to understand the pain their friends were in. After securing Rarity back in her cell, this time facing out of the cell, the duo returned to Applejack and released her legs at the same time, causing her grunt in pain as the weight of her legs pulled on her broken knees, then in unison her hips and chest were released, finally her arms were released and she fell. She caught herself instinctively and tried to stand, then the pain in her knees shocked her, she fell forward with a shout, face first onto the stone floor unable to catch herself in time she bloodied her muzzle and nose. Standing to each of her sides, she was guided back to her cell, dragging her broken body behind her, doing her best to stay strong she moved smoothly. Coughing softly Fluttershy spoke just before applejack entered her cell, “I guess she won’t be bucking anyone ever again, right, Pinkamena?” then the duo shared a laugh. Scowling and gritting her teeth applejack stopped and laid her head town, gasping to catch her breath, “You don’t know what I’ll do next,” she said with confidence, looking at Fluttershy from the corner of her eye. Approaching her exhausted friend Fluttershy leaned in to speak, then applejack hopped up and brought her hoof down onto Fluttershys, cracking her right ankle causing the quiet mare to scream at a surprising volume. Rolling over the orange mare rolled over to her back ignoring the throbbing in her legs and punched Fluttershy in her neck, making the mare begin to choke as she fell over. At the same time Pinkamena reared and fell with surprising force landed on applejacks chest, creating an audible series of crack sounds, “Go to your cell,” Pinkamena said, sharply. The orange mare was shaking and coughing as the pink mare hopped off applejacks chest and turned to Fluttershy, who was laying on the floor coughing weakly and breathing softly. Then Pinkamena grabbed applejack by her mane and began dragging her back to her cell, the orange mare gasping in pain, frozen in place trying her best to not move. After being dragged back to her cell Pinkamena went to her bag, produced two small boards and some cloth, then brought them to applejack, then locked the door. “Here, fix a leg. Just because you don’t deserve to live doesn’t mean Fluttershy is without heart,” with that Pinkamena picked up Fluttershy and began to gallop out of the room as quickly as she could in a blur, her hooves becoming distant echoes in only a few seconds. ‘She’s always been fast, but it’s crazy to see her move that fast,” though Dash and twilight. Still sobbing both applejack and rarity began thinking of the future of their lives in their current shape until Dash spoke up, weakly, “Guys, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but we only have three ways out of this. Find a way to be her friend again, twilight breaks 3 of her legs and tries to get us out, or, we die.” All the others were silent after hearing dashes options, knowing them to be true. “What if twilight gets out and they torture her next before she can let us out?” asked rarity sadly. Chapter 7“Well, I think that’s a risk we’ll have to take. Applejack is in bad shape, rarity is too. If we can get out that way I think we have to risk it. My wings will heal and a couple broken legs won’t stop me from my duties as a princess. My first order will be the execution of those two, as long as applejack doesn’t kill Fluttershy before then,” joked twilight. All the mares shared a laugh and coughing laughter could be heard from applejack. Stopping their laughing after a moment they slowly realized the grim situation they were in, kill or be killed seemed to be the options, and there weren’t any other choices. No one was going to save them, they weren’t going to be released, and the torture was getting farther and more dangerous. * A day had passed, as far as the mares could tell, Applejack had used the bandage to wrap her chest as tight as she could so she could breath, her ribs and sternum broken, bruising heavily and she still didn’t know if she would ever walk again. “How ya doing, applejack?” Dash asked after hearing her friend coughing awake. “I’m a sore as a dog under a rhinoceros, I didn’t sleep more than a wink ‘fore my aches woke me up,” weakly responded applejack, laying her stomach, the cold stone taking away some pain from her chest and legs. “How ya doin’ over there, Rare? Your legs doin’ any better?” “Oh dear, I’m fine. Those two can’t take my beauty away with a few cuts and twists,” stated rarity in her usual confident voice. In reality rarity knew she wasn’t ever going to be the same, her legs were in more pain than before and it wouldn’t stop throbbing and stinging. Twilight could see rarity in her cell and applejack’s twisted legs and wished her hardest that she could do something to help. A sharp pain resounded through her head again as she tried to cast another spell without realizing. Rarity was laying her head down toward the cell door, and even though she sounded confident she looked sad, her face stained from tears, her makeup had run across her face in all directions from crying all night. Twilight chimed in, “You’re all doing great gals, I don’t think we’ll die here. Pinkie has been a lot of crazy things, but a murderer isn’t one of them, I’m sure.” “Yeah darlin’, but what do we really know about her? All she’s ever done is run around and throw parties, no one should be able to have that much energy all the time, it ain’t natural,” said applejack confidently. “We don’t know much about her life before we met her or what she does when she’s alone. She can’t be planning parties and all that 24/7. Maybe we should ask her about her life, maybe it’ll help,” dash said, her voice low. Thinking about her words the others agreed, “We should ask about her foal hood, that’s where all this started, I bet,” stated twilight, “I’ll ask, since I think they just want me to watch and try to escape or chop off my legs,” her voice stopping suddenly. The thought of intentionally maiming herself wasn’t reassuring to herself or her friends, “But, I’m sure she’ll let us go before then.” Laying down she rested her head on her hooves, and began to doze off in the silence of the room, except for the quiet weeping of rarity and raspy breathing of applejack, there wasn’t any other noise in the room. The light was fading and pitch darkness was encompassing them. Another day passed, and another before they heard clopping coming down the steps, perking up the mares all focused their attention on the door and the dim light coming down the stairs, illuminating Pinkamenas front legs, the mares felt their hearts drop. Entering the dungeon she replaced the lantern by the door and walked to inspect the cells and mares inside them. Picking up Fluttershys saddle bags from before she dumped out a small pile of rotting vegetables and divided them into three piles then pushed them to twilight, dash and rarity. In front of applejack she placed a small box with a pretty red ribbon tied into a bow. “Fluttershy is almost dead after what you did, I think this is a fair trade,” Pinkamena spoke coldly. Reaching out to grasp the box she strained against the pain in her body, and pulled the box inside. Hoping for even a rotten apple she opened the box and gasped. “What is it, applejack?” Dash asked, expecting her to say rotten fruit or a dead bird even. Heavy coughing began to come from applejacks cell, “I’ll kill you, I’LL KILL YOU, YOU MONSTER!” startling the others, her words echoing in the dungeon. Throwing the box out Appleblooms ribbon fluttered onto the stone floor with blood on it, wrapped around a red apple. The others gasped to see it, and then glared at Pinkamena. “You hurt Fluttershy, it’s only fair,” said the pink mare, smiling at applejack, then she turned away stopping by the box, she kicked it to applejack, “You can eat the box, right?” Starving and sobbing applejack grabbed the box and began to tear it with her teeth. Applejack knew she had to get energy any way possible to help get the rest out, even if it cost her own life, for Applebloom too. She wasn’t going to let pinkie get away with hurting or killing her little sister. Quickly gobbling the rotting fruit and vegetables the other mares ate their first meal in days. After they had eaten something they all fell asleep, drugged heavily. Applejack was the only one awake and watched as Dash was dragged out of her cell, she was laid on a table and her wings were cut off and her back was cauterized, the smell sickened applejack who shouted and screamed her best to get the torture to stop. Strapping dash onto a table Pinkamena then used a sharp knife to carefully remove the mane and tail hair off dash, doing her best to not cut dash too deeply. Gathering the hair she set it all aside in a pile. Rarity was dragged out of her cell next and laid on a table and her front legs were strapped. With a rope tying her broken leg heavily in a tourniquet Pinkamena took an axe and chopped the cast off rarity’s leg then began chopping her leg off above the knee. It took a lot of hits and was a terrible mess, spraying blood all over the table, Pinkamena and across rarity’s body. After what must have been fifty strikes the leg fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Wrapping the bleeding wound Pinkamena repeated the process with rarity’s other leg, only this time below the knee, poorly wrapping both before turning the bed upside down. The gauze and cloth were soaked through with blood which now ran across the white mare. Grabbing a very sharp knife Pinkamena went to rainbow dash. Screaming her loudest applejack begged and pleaded for Pinkamena to stop, it was too much. The mare was climbing her cell door, up to her knees, and she placed her hooves together, with tears in her eyes and deep sobbing she watched as the knife was driven with a heavy thrust into rainbow dashes front hooves, as they were cut clean off from the rest of her arms. Bleeding lightly her arms twitched in response to the pain. Tightening the straps around rainbow dashes wrists nearly stopped the bleeding, then she was rolled upright and both turned to face eachother with a slight angle towards applejack. Dropping to all fours Pinkamena sighed and shook the blood off her as best she could, then walked to twilight. Applejack began begging and screaming for Pinkamena to stop. Ignoring the please Pinkamena grabbed a few tools on her way to the sleeping princess, then, using a sharp knife cut deeply into twilights head around her horn, then began to pry it out. Humming a happy song as she worked the horn free of its nook in twilights head, a loud pop echoed in the room as Pinkamena fell back, horn in her mouth she giggled, then grabbed a wad of dirty cloth and packed it into the bleeding hole. Taking another tool, a large serrated blade, she went to twilights wings and began sawing them off at the middle joints. The wings fell to the floor on either side of the sleeping mare. Standing back to admire her work Pinkamena smiled and walked to applejack, who, while still on her broken knees, was bawling more than she even knew she could. “Well, applejack, I guess we’re even now. I’ll leave you like this for a while, and we’ll see how you do. Here, have a leg to stand on,” Pinkamena laughed as she tossed one of rarity’s legs to the mare who finally gave in to the pain and fell to her side, crying heavier and heavier until she couldn’t breathe. Using a magic crystal Pinkamena cast a light spell in the room, “This will last until about the time I come back. And here’s for rarity,” she said as she placed a vial in the dying mares mouth, emptying the contents the dropped the vial to the floor, which laid in cold blood. * Chapter 8Hours later the other mares began to stir. Twilight was the first to begin to wake up, “Oh, what happened? I think I was drugged, by head it killing me,” she reached to her head as Applejack shouted. “Twi, don’t touch your head, darlin’, you’re hurt bad. All of you are. Just stay calm, okay hun?” Reaching to touch her head she felt a wad of cloth that pressed into her head too deeply to be safe. Twilight began to panic, “Where? Where? My horn? Where?” She jumped up and her wings unfurled, sending pain across her back causing her to scream in pain. Looking down trying to shut out the pain she saw her wings lying to her sides and panicked heavily. Vomiting at her feet twilight lost consciousness before she could speak. ‘Well, at least she don’t gotta worry about seeing the others just yet,’ thought applejack. As dash woke up next she trembled as she saw rarity. The beautiful mare upside down, blood across her body and legs missing. Dash felt true terror and screamed more than she ever had, losing her breath and screaming again and again, unable to break her gaze. Rarity began to awaken to dashes screams and felt light headed, she couldn’t feel any pain in her legs and smiled lightly wondering how great it felt, except for the screaming. Her eyes focusing she saw an upside down rainbow dash thrashing and screaming at her. Groaning rarity tried to speak but there was something in her mouth, she swallowed and coughed from the bitter sour flavor. Then she felt alert as if she woke up in bed, and looked at her friend and gasped, shouting in fear at the sight of dash without wings or hooves. Gasping she felt her legs burning and looked up to where her legs were, the bleeding had stopped and the potion had sealed her wounds, preventing her from bleeding out too fast. Looking at her poorly amputated legs she took note of the blood streaking her body and froze. Dash began to get hoarse and began coughing, noticing her back pains, she tried to flutter her wings and felt more pain in her back. Looking to her sides she began screaming again as she looked at her wingless back, she began to hyperventilate and became drowsy until she could barely move. After some time twilight began to awaken again, this time she understood their peril and what had happened to her. Shaking some vomit from her chest she looked at her screaming friends and saw the horror that was left of them. Twilights head and back throbbed worse than the worst migraine, causing her to fall to her side. “Sugar cube, twilight, pinkie said she was gonna be gone for a while this time. Maybe days. We gotta get out or we aren’t gonna live til she comes back. You gotta think of somethin’,” applejack said, her voice shaking. Picking up the claw hammer twilight swung with all her might and began chopping her hooves. The pain was so great she could only swing a couple times before needing to take a break, her body in so much pain she lost consciousness several times before breaking her first ankle. The rest of the day was spent with twilight hitting her ankles. “I’ve gotta do this, for my friends, we can’t die here. We can’t die like this. We have to live,” Twilight said as she broke her second ankle. After her second ankle was broken she turned the hammer to her last leg and swung for all she had, cracking the bone in one swing. Twisting the hammer she popped her hooves off one by one, the adrenaline rushing through her system she wrestled out of the shackles and dragged herself to the table. Grabbing the key she went to the cell and unlocked it, pulling it open with help from applejack. Looking at each other with relief they began to crawl for the stairs. Rarity was still in shock after all this time, her back muscles having cramped so much she was stuck looking at her missing legs. Dash was dehydrated from crying and screaming. “We’ll be back, girls, we’re getting out of here to get some help,” twilight said as she dragged herself behind the racing applejack. Getting to the top of the stairs there was a door with a simple knob. Both mares looked at eachother and chuckled. Neither of them wanted to have to stand up in their shape, but twilight took the initiative and opened the door with her mouth, turning the handle carefully so she didn’t slip. There was nothing but darkness in the room, as the duo crawled into the pitch black they felt something slimy across their bellies and wondered what they were in now. They listened for any noise but there was silence still, “Ugh, why does it have to be like this. I’m going back to get that light spell and we can see what’s here,” twilight moaned. Returning to the dungeon twilight hobbled to the center of the room, balanced on her back legs through the pain and grabbed the gem casting light with her mouth, then fell over in excruciating pain. Crying she returned up the stairs, light in hand, leaving a dim lantern for her tied friends. The room came into view as a cellar of some sort, there was a door in the ceiling at the far end of the empty room with a rope attached, much like an attic door. Crawling to the door applejack pulled the rope, and the sun shone through, blinding the mares in it’s warm light. “Freedom, at last.” (Inrto) Letter to CelestiaDear 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. Last week Pinkie did a prank that left Rarity in the hospital with a broken leg and a missing tooth: She is so hyper and impulsive; she acted before she thought and Rarity was hurt. Almost all of us were mad and hurt and overreacted and paused our friendship with Pinkie for a while until she calms down, with all this going on we are going to befriend her again soon, she is a great pony after all. Rainbow Dash has been gone for 3 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 their usual selves but we’re all worried, even though we act like we aren’t. Rarity has been spending a lot of time outside her shop. Pinkie has been baking cupcakes like crazy; she’s been using rainbow frosting to keep our hopes up. Fluttershy has had her animals keeping an eye out for Dash, but has been really hurt by us all over reacting to defriending Pinkie, she is the only one who took Pinkies side. Applejack is so focused on her work it’s hard to tell if she really notices yet, 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 Dash gets back. Watching the Pegasus clearing the clouds is heart breaking. Ever since becoming an Alicorn, I’ve had my friends by my side, now to have a distance with Pinkie and with Dash missing, it’s almost too much. I’ve taken notice that there have 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. Nothing to worry about overall, but I have a feeling something is happening. I’m going to investigate in my spare time. 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/we learn a lesson we’ll write. Best Wishes, Twilight Sparkle Transcribed by her #1 Assistant Spike!
Chapter 1Twilight 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 rainbow trail.’ 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 month. Dash had won by a landslide and gloated incessantly, but it was so much fun they had rescheduled a rematch for last week. When Dash didn’t arrive everyone’s worry had begun to grow. ‘Maybe 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 any more 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 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 haven’t seen her for a couple days,” she chuckled, “Remember when I first came to Ponyville and Applejack 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 very concerned eyes, “I hope Dash’s ok. I don’t know what I’d do if she was hurt and we couldn’t help her.” Fluttershy reached out and a small bird landed on her out stretched arm, smiling briefly. “Oh, she’s okay Fluttershy, you have to have faith that she’ll come back soon and with every hair and feather intact,” Twilight stated comfortingly, 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,’ thought 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, her leg in a cast and her spirits low. Her mane was not kept up except for a butterfly pin holding a small strip of hair out of her eyes. Her shop was closed. Twilight decided to let her be, since Fluttershy had reacted so typically she didn’t really want to deal with rarity’s arrogance, even as a best friend; she’d check on her in a couple hours. “HI TWILIGHT! Wanna cupcake?” Shouted Pinkie grinning wide holding a platter of rainbow frosted cupcakes in Twilights face, mere centimeters from her purple snout. “Uh, I guess so Pinkie. Hey, have you heard anything about Dash?” Asked Twilight as she tried to peer around the desserts to see the grinning pony. 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,” chirped Pinkie. 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, I’ll tell you what it is,” Pinkie leaned in close to Twilights ear and whispered, “It’s a secret,” she said with a serious face. Then Pinkie hopped onto her haunches and began balancing a cupcake on her nose, “I also have Apple ones in the making too, Twilight, you’ll love them, they’ll be ready tonight and I’ll bring you one tomorrow, free of charge.” Thinking of what Pinkie meant Twilight knew that it could mean anything and getting a straight answer would be almost impossible so she smiled warmly, “Thanks, pinkie, here are a couple bits for the party.” Taking the bits and dropping them 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, she does live in a bakery after all. I don’t really know what to do, I guess I’ll just visit around town.’ Turning back to Rarity she locked eyes with the white mare, who was scowling. Groaning internally Twilight smiled awkwardly and began to trot over to the injured mare. “Hi, Rarity, you’re looking well. I was just on my way to see you.” Twilight stated. Still glaring at her purple friend Rarity retorted, “I saw that, as you were buying cupcakes from that addlepated twit. Did you enjoy her bribe?” Snorting as she said the word ‘bribe.’ Looking at Rarity, Twilight narrowed her eyes. “I know what happened, Rarity, I was there. The surprise malfunctioned and exploded hurting you and all of us. It’s not wrong to accept a gift from a friend and Pinkie is still our friend, she’s just, not our friend for right now. I’m not taking sides, but Pinkie was really hurt too. You didn’t...” Interrupting with a shout that alerted nearby listeners, “SHE was ‘really hurt,’ SHE was? She bounced away like nothing happened and brought me a balloon while I was lying, bleeding on the floor of my shop, smiling like a twit that doesn’t know anything,” Rarity stated in her arrogant voice. Replying quickly Twilight argued back, “I know! You’re hurt most of us physically, but emotionally we were all hurt. We all took your side the minute you were insulted and stop being friends with Pinkie until she calms down.” “That doesn’t concern me…” Rarity tried to interrupt. Cutting Rarity off Twilight retorted, “Dash ran off and Applejack won’t leave the farm! You’re sitting in self-pity; refusing to do anything. Everyone is hurting, Rarity, it’s not only about you.” Turning around as she finished her sentence she began stomping away not waiting for a response. Rarity didn’t know what to say as she rarely saw Twilight get upset, much less walk away mid argument. With a sigh Rarity watched her friend turn the corner and returned her gaze to the ground, watching the grass wave in the breeze, finally beginning to contemplate the feelings of the others. ‘Maybe, just maybe, I am taking this too seriously. I am alive, and Pinkie did try to make amends which I ignored. Everyone has been punishing Pinkie and I guess I’m to blame. I guess I should,’ she sighed as she completed her thoughts, ‘go and accept her apology and we can all go back to being friends and put all this nastiness behind us, once and for all.’ Rising from her chair she began to hobble to Sugarcube Corner to wait for pinkie and eat some humble pie, ‘I wish I had a friend to help me get around this blasted town,’ Rarity thought with a scowl. After turning a corner Twilight slouched her shoulders and lowered her head; she didn’t like being assertive to her friends, and her friends were in short supply right now. What would she do next?
Chapter 2Choosing to walk to Sweet Apple Acres was a good choice, Twilight felt, arriving at the gate Twilight saw Granny Smith, Applebloom and Big Mac by the barn. Beginning to trot over to the gaggling group she smiled warmly and then they all exchanged greetings. “Say Twi, how is everypony out there doing? Applejack said she wasn’t talkin’ to any of y’all ‘til ya got your senses back,” chirped Applebloom. “Well, we’re all good. I haven’t seen Applejack since the… Incident. Pinkie is baking a lot and looking as happy as normal. Rarity is recovering nicely, albeit grumpy,” replied Twilight, rubbing her shoulder lightly in an uncomfortable way, “So, where’s Applejack?” “Ya know, I ain’t seen her since last night. Granny Smith an’ me were just talkin’ about where she could be, she got a cupcake from Pinkie and its in her room, I wanna eat it but it ain’t right takin her stuff, so if you see her can you ask her if I can eat it?” stated Applebloom without concern, starting to walk around looking at the ground, following a trail of ants. “Yup,” simply said Big Ma with a smile. Granny Smith nodded in agreement but didn’t say anything, sipping on a large cup of cider, she was a bit inebriated and was ready to sleep it off. “Okay, so…” Twilight awkwardly mused, out of things to talk about since now Applejack is missing. “I’m going to go and catch up on my reading, I’ll see you later.” Smiling Twilight turned and trotted back into town. Thinking to herself, ‘I guess I have two missing ponies now, I hope everything is okay. I’m going to talk to Rarity and apologize for earlier, I was kind of mean and I can’t leave her all alone while she’s recovering.’ The sun was getting low in the sky as she headed for Rarity’s boutique, not stopping to make pleasantries with the townsfolk. Arriving at the boutique Twilight discovered the yard empty and quickly presumed the injured pony had gone inside to wallow in self-pity. ‘That poor cat,’ twilight thought with a smile as she entered the shop. “Hello, Rarity. It’s Twilight. I’m here to talk to you and, apologize, for my attitude earlier, I was wrong to act so rude to you and I’m here to keep you company.” Walking through the halls as she apologized she found no pony anywhere. Opalescence was sitting on a royal throw pillow by Rarity’s bed licking her paws. “I guess, maybe she’s out?” questioned twilight, as she turned to leave. Walking to the door twilight noticed a cupcake with rainbow frosting sitting on a display shelf, “Oh, she must have been visited by Pinkie! I guess I’ll check Sugarcube Corner.” Quickly walking out twilight opened her wings and took to the skies, going several hundred feet up and circling, she slowly descended to the bakery, landing softly in front and went inside. “Hello?” Mr. Cake peeked out from the kitchen and smiled, “Hi Princess Twilight, what can I do for you? Would you like a slice of cake? Three bits.” Twilight quickly replied as he was finishing his sale, “No, I’m ok. I was hoping to find Rarity here, or Pinkie. I’ve been looking for them for a while.” Lowering his head, Mr. Cake said, “Ah, I see. Ever since Rarity got hurt Pinkie hasn’t been the same. She’s quiet, won’t talk to us and she looks different; her mane is flat and her coat is dark. We’ve never seen her so depressed,” rubbing his hooves together as he sat in front of Twilight, “She doesn’t bake as much, either. She should be back in a while, the sun is getting low and she’s never out too long after Luna raises the moon.” “Okay,” replied twilight, her chin in her hoof as she thought about how things weren’t adding up with her energetic friend. ‘If she is depressed at home why is she still full of energy out in public. It’s not uncommon for people to hide their feelings, but Pinkie? She can’t keep her feelings under control even under the best circumstances.’ “Can I go to her room to wait, Mr. Cake?” Asked twilight, he nodded as he stood up and walked back to the kitchen. Twilight saw Mrs. Cake and the twins playing in the kitchen as food was cooking on the stove: it smelled great. ‘Not only are they amazing bakers, they can cook too. They should just open a restaurant, how much harder could that be, and it would be so much fun to taste their food all day,’ mused Twilight. Walking up the stairs as twilight finished her thought she arrived at Pinkies room and heard voices from inside, smiling she pressed her ear to the door to eaves drop on Rarity and Pinkies conversation, but she only heard various muffled voices. It sounded like a few different ponies were holding a meeting, so twilight knocked softly on the door. “Pinkie, can I come in,” asked twilight. Slowly the door creaked open and Pinkie peered out the cracked door, only showing part of her eye, “Yes, how can I help you, Twilight?” Pinkie hissed out the door. Curious, twilight cocked her head at her friends’ odd mannerism and said, “Yes Pinkie, I’m just checking on you. I’m looking for Rarity and…” Pinkie slammed the door to twilight’s surprise. “Pinkie, what’s going on? Open the door, please. I need to talk to you about everything.” After a moment twilight used her magic to open the door and smiled at what she saw. A table set up with a mock tea party with various inanimate objects wearing party hats and confetti. Twilight chucked as Pinkie was helping a bag of sugar balance on a chair while glaring at Twilight. Her mane was flat as was her tail, her fur was dark pink and her eyes were almost sinister, with a sneer on her mouth she growled in a lower flat voice devoid of her humor and charm, “What are you doing in here. Are you laughing at me? First you unfriend me and now you laugh at me and my new best friends?” Starting to walk towards Twilight, who was slowly backing up and out the door, ears pulled back. ‘Dash talked about Pinkie going all crazy when we threw her that surprise party, but I didn’t know she was serious. This is just weird and creepy,’ thought Twilight as she tried to keep a distance between she and her friend. Pinkie continued to walk towards twilight and continued, “You never liked me, did you? You just wanted to laugh at me. You tried to keep it a secret among yourselves and I found out when Rarity got hurt. You showed me who you all really are.” She was backing twilight down the hall now, into a wall with an open window. “You, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity. Liars, all of you are LIARS,” her eyes twitched and misaligned briefly, “You can’t know what it’s like to be alone for years and then to finally be made happy by ponies who laugh at you behind your back.” Pinkies eyes were terrifying now. Twilight began to cower in the corner. “Pinkie,” Twilight whimpered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, we’re your friends still, we just got mad, I’m here to apologize and I want to be your friend again. We were all going to apologize and go back to the way things were in a couple days. We didn’t mean to hurt you like this, we don’t laugh at you behind your back, we…” “SHUT. UP.” Screamed pinkie, making twilight shriek in shock, rarely having heard Pinkie upset, she was mad now, “You’re liars and meanies and you wouldn’t care if I was dead, and I won’t care if you all died too,” Screamed Pinkie with murderous eyes. All joy and humor was gone from the pink mare and only intent to hurt Twilight filled the air. “What’s going on up here? Pinkie, what are you saying?” chimed Mr. Cake from behind. As Pinkie turned twilight used the moment to fly out the open window, tears in her eyes as she flew higher and higher, thinking of how quickly Pinkie had changed and how nothing made sense all of a sudden. ‘Dead? What is going on here? ’ Twilight thought as she soared. Stopping her ascent she sobbed and began gliding steadily high above the town, above the clouds, trying unsuccessfully to understand what was happening and where her friends were. Three were missing and one was going insane. ‘Wait, no it couldn’t have been. I thought I saw the bag of sugar wearing Rarity’s butterfly pin. I must have been seeing things while she was yelling at me. It’s a bag of sugar wearing a party hat. It could be have been anything.’ Smiling a little twilight turned and headed for Fluttershys cottage. Landing quickly, startling some birds and critters causing them to scurry and fly away, twilight knocked on the door roughly and opened the door, jumping in almost head butting the shy yellow Pegasus pony.
Chapter 3“Oh my, twilight,” whispered Fluttershy with a slight surprise, “What are you doing here, are you ok?” Questioned Fluttershy. “Oh Celestia I’m so glad you’re okay. Dash, Rarity and Applejack are missing and Pinkie just yelled at me.” Sheepishly Fluttershy replied, “Oh, that’s not a big surprise, Pinkie is emotional, and she has intense feelings.” “Yeah, she does, but you didn’t see her, Fluttershy, pinkie was acting crazy. She was all dark and said she didn’t care if we died. If we DIED, Fluttershy, she looked like she was going to hurt me before I ran away,” Twilight was almost shouting, swirling her hooves around her head making coo-coo motions. “Oh my, that doesn’t sound like her at all,” looking down at the carpet Fluttershy wiggled her ears. Angel came over, hopping on her back Angel began to stroke Fluttershys wings, comforting her. “We should go talk to her together and try to cheer her up.” “No, Fluttershy, we can’t right now. She looked like she would hurt me, I can’t imagine what she’d do to you, or us, or the Cakes. We have to leave her alone for now and hope everyone comes out okay.” Twilight was pacing around the room worried as she spoke, Fluttershy just stood in one spot watching her friend through her mane covered face. Twilight was forming a plan as she spoke, “Okay, I think we should stay together until we figure everything out, come to the castle and we’ll read up on how to deal with manic depressive ponies.” “No, I’m okay, I have my woodland friends to watch out for me and if anything happens they’ll come and tell you, but I trust Pinkie and don’t think she’d every intentionally hurt anyone,” Fluttershy said with a little confidence in her voice, which was reassuring to twilight. Turning to look out a window Twilight smiled and began to speak, ‘Okay, Fluttershy, I trust your opinion and…”
Chapter 4Opening her eyes she moaned as she smelt a foul mildew stench fill her nostrils. It was dark and damp, she began to stand and felt a stinging throb in the back of her neck; feeling with her hoof she noticed a lump in the back of her head and winced. Her horn hurt too, she tried to cast a light spell to illuminate her area and pain shot through her head down to her mid back causing her to groan in pain. Feeling a headache on both sides of her head she touched her forehead and screamed in shock: Her horn was cut off leaving a jagged inch left with some dirt rubbed into it to stop the bleeding. Vomiting slightly from the shock of everything she had been through today. Grasping the situation she began to ascertain her surroundings. It was some kind of dungeon, with a few racks and chains, but no weapons or torture tools. “Twi, can you hear me? Twi, you okay?” Applejack’s voice echoed. Replying warily twilight answered, “Yeah.” She heard her other friends cheerfully chiming in, happy she was ok. “What’s going on? I was talking with Fluttershy and then next thing I wake up here. But, where is here and why is it so dark? Who put us here?” “Well,” Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Pinkie and Fluttershy are the ones that caught us. They put something in my cupcake and I woke up here.” “Me too, Sugarcube, but I woke up hog tied and gagged. I guess it was the only way to keep me from buckin them to Appleoosa when they put me in here. I done spent a whole night tied up before they cut me loose. I got a rope in here now, but damned if I know what to do with it,” Applejack mused. “Oh dear, I just woke up here a couple hours before I saw Fluttershy carry you into your cell, she is being absolutely indignant, darling,” Rarity said unhappily. All the mares were in cells separated by heavy stone walls, preventing them from seeing each other lined up side by side with heavy rusty hinged gates keeping them securely locked in. There was a grate with water flowing just below with enough space to lap at the water, that was also to double as their toilet. “When do you think we’ll get out of here?” Dash asked. “Why does it matter, you’re almost all together again,” Pinkamena’s voice echoed in the dark. “Pinkie?” Twilight asked the darkness. “Pinkamena, my name is Pinkamena. It’s the least I deserve being all but friendless and alone in this world.” Her voice was dark and melancholy as before in the day when she had scared twilight, only this time twilight had nowhere to run. Flashing a lantern in Twilights face nearly blinded her. Opening her wings to hide her eyes twilight felt something different, “I clipped your wings, you can’t be better than the rest of us if you can’t fly above us like you’re the high and mighty Princess. I clipped Dashes wings too, now you’re all almost as low as I am. I also took your horns, so you and Rarity can’t use magic to escape or hurt us,” Pinkamena said, looking into Twilights eyes. “Oh dear, my HORN, what, what have you DONE, Pinkie? This is a crime against me and all fashion across Ponyville,” whined Rarity. “Pinkie, please, we’re still your friends and you have other friends, everyone in Ponyville. Everyone loves you, we’re all sorry. Please let us go,” begged twilight. Pinkamena laughed, “Pinkamena, and you all said the same thing. You’re all wonderful liars; you’ve all practiced this for a while, haven’t you? If I was anypony else, I’d believe you, but I’m NOT anypony else.” “We see through your lies, and you’ll pay. All of you, you are liars and you don’t love me or Pinkamena. We figured that out the day you turned on us. Soon the games will begin, and we’ll show you what happens to liars like you,” Fluttershy’s voice came into existence from the stairs as she descended, her wings keeping her aloft so as to not make any noise. “Flu, Flu, Fluttershy? You’re really a part o’ all this?” asked Applejack Fearfully looking at her captor twilight cowered in the back of her cell, cold slimy walls rubbing against her back, giving her the chills. “What’s happening, why is she calling herself her full first name?” Dash was shaking, her voice cracking. “I ain’t got a clue, and what d’ya think she meant by ‘games?’” added Applejack. “Twi, we don’t know where we are but I don’t like it,” Dash stated sounding somber, “Where ever we are we aren’t near other ponies, otherwise we’d have been saved cuz of all our yelling. We’ve been trying to escape too but these doors are made for huge stallions soldiers, we can’t get out. There’s a grate in the floor for when you have to go to the bathroom, but it’s sealed into the floor with cement and stone.” “I done tried buckin’ the door and stompin’ the grates, but I chipped my hoof tryin’, damn near broke it off trying to pry it. We ain’t getting’ out til she unlocks the doors,” Applejack said, her voice saddened, “Whatever is wrong with her is our fault.” There was a long silence as the mares thought about that statement. Quietly sobbing began to echo in the room, no one would admit it but they all were scared of what might happen. * Several hours had passed before the sound of hooves clopping was heard. All the girls perked up, hoping to see anyone, anything, and maybe get food. There was a light coming into the room held by Pinkamena, she placed a lantern by the door, replacing the one that had nearly burnt out. Opening her saddle bag she produced one apple per pony, then left. Ignoring her captives the clopping echoed away. The mares ate their apples and laid down. Not talking and looking at the flickering lantern in the farthest corner was the only entertainment they had. The lantern was lighting two steps up toward their freedom in its dim light: The first steps to freedom might have been a simple hundred feet away, or ten miles. More days passed with only one visit a day. Fluttershy and Pinkamena would alternate their visits and say only what time of day it was outside and leave one apple or two carrots. The four were losing all energy and hope, feeling themselves becoming thinner and frailer. One day they heard Pinkamena coming, hoping for more food or a conversation they saw Fluttershy descending the stairs to their delight with saddle bags full and what looked like fresh fruits and vegetables sticking out of one. This time Pinkamena came behind Fluttershy dragging behind her a large heavy bag that clattered as it hit each step, full of something metallic. The girls stopped smiling and stared at the mares as they stood side by side, their manes partly covering their faces, as they looked at the cells. “They’re all together ready to be punished, I’ll get the lights ready you get the tables and equipment ready,” Pinkamena said to her accomplice. All the prisoners looked at their friends as they turned on more lanterns and opened the bag and began producing several bladed weapons and knives, tools like hammers, saws and screw drivers. The light was enough to allow the girls to see the whole room finally; rust, dirt, mold and moss were across the floors and there were two newer looking torture tables. They were spaced a few feet apart that rotated all the way around and straight up either ways so someone could be upside down or right side up. There were removable parts and heavy leather straps were attached to several spots on each table. Rusted chains were attached to the walls with newer looking shackles and dark red and black spots were around the tables and chains by the walls. Terrified, the mares began to whimper and tremble as they took in the sights. Asking what was happening and what the duo were doing yielded no answers or even looks in their direction. Rarity and Twilight began to sob, their faces hidden under their hooves while Dash and Applejack gritted their teeth. After twenty minutes or so of setting up and preparation the duo huddled together and nodded at each of the captives. Stopping at Rarity Fluttershy said, “She was the first one who began to tell the truth, she’s the first one we play with.” A trembling Rarity opened one of her eyes, looking out the cell she saw Pinkamena walking to her with a cupcake on her head, “Eat up Rarity, and you’ll be freed,” she said as she smiled warmly, her color brightening slightly. Looking at her pink friend she nodded cautiously and gobbled the cupcake, sitting up straight she smiled, the first food she had had that day and it was delicious, sweet and filling. Smiling at Pinkamena she thanked her for the treat. Pinkamena opened the gate and said, “Don’t tell anyone of this place,” as she backed up. “Don’t worry my friend, I won’t. I’ll see you girls soon,” Believing herself to be free she began to hobble towards the staircase, she began to wobble and fell over, her cast finally coming into view was covered with mold and some of her bodily waste. Her body was skinny and her mane was in terrible shape, her skin was dirty. “Let’s get her on the table,” Pinkamena said walking to Rarity, grabbing a hoof in her mouth. She began dragging Rarity to a table and, with Fluttershy, tied rarity down. Pulling a lever with their hooves, heaving the table to a near vertical position, “Pinkamena, are you sure you don’t want to start?” questioned Fluttershy “Yes. It is your turn. They were mean to us, laughing at us, lying to us,” Pinkamena replied with a sneer forming as she spoke, “This isn’t the first time I’ve done this to ponies like them, and all the others,” she grinned darkly, her eyes taking on a murderous stare into the distance, “Never. Lied. Again.” With those last words everyone in the cells shivered, chills rolling down their spines into their haunches until their hooves shook. “What? What do you mean?” Asked Twilight. Looking back at Twilight Pinkamena said nothing, and turned back to Rarity, tightening the straps until her flesh began to change color from the binds. The only leg not heavily strapped was her left hind leg, since the cast was in the way, they used a rope to secure it to the metal table. Then, they stepped back to look at their work. They whispered to each other, then went up the stairs, leaving the ponies alone in the dungeon looking at their friend tied up and sleeping peacefully, a slight smile on her face.
Chapter 5After half an hour Rarity began to stir, slowly waking up she began to move, squeaking in pain as she pulled against her straps as a still unknown pain stung her limbs, and her broken leg throbbed as she opened her eyes and looked at her worried friends staring at her. “What’s going on, girls? Why can’t I move?” questioned Rarity. None of them knew what to say, and then Dash spoke up, “You’re tied up, Rare. We don’t know what they have planned but, I don’t think its anything bad, just scary,” lied Dash, as she smiled at her friend. Pinkamena and Fluttershy returned to the room and walked in front of Rarity who asked, “Pinkie, what’s happening, I can’t move, this is terrible for my skin, and my mane is positively disheveled and I have to fix my horn. You said you’d let me go, so let me go.” “Now you know what it’s like to be lied to,” retorted Pinkamena, “And my name is Pinkamena, I’m not worth the name Pinkie to you ponies. Pinkie is the name for the favorite party pony, but I can’t lie anymore, I’m not worth that title, I can’t keep smiling while you’re so awful to us, it’s taking so much from me." With that Fluttershy turned to the captives and asked, “What do you love most about Rarity? You pretended to love me while defending her, so what do you truly love about her?” Puzzled, the trio stared back, and hesitantly Dash said, “I’ve always liked her mane, it’s so styled and pretty.” Applejack looked at the floor and added, “I always liked her smile. She may have a bad attitude but her smile was always honest. Pinkamena looked at Twilight awaiting a response, “Well,” Twilight started, “I always liked her generosity, and she’s blunt but honest about fashion and style too,” smiling to herself with slight jealousy. Turning around, Pinkamena went to Fluttershy and whispered something. Walking to a table setup Fluttershy picked up a small knife and went to Rarities back, the white mare tried looking behind her, causing her limbs to burn and sting. “What are you doing, dear?” Rarity asked worried, then she tensed her body and screamed louder than she had in years. Looking they saw blood running onto the floor as Rarity thrashed against her binds, her screams echoing in the room making every pony except Fluttershy wince from the noise. Watching with wide scared eyes, Dash, Twilight and Applejack stomachs turned as Rarity’s whole tail fell to the floor. Blood poured from her body as Fluttershy ran away and up the stairs. Looking at Rarity Pinkamena smiled and trotted over to the fallen tail, picking it up with her teeth, some blood trickling onto her head, she tossed the tail towards the trio. It landed a few feet infront of twilights central cell. All the mares jumped back in disgust. Twilight began to throw up into the waste-grate while the other two looked in fear at the pink mare. Returning with a large Paint can, the handle wrapped in cloth in her mouth, Fluttershy quickly set it on the floor in front of Rarity, who was screaming loudly from the throbbing pain shooting through her legs and lower back, her broken leg throbbing worse than ever before. Opening the can Fluttershy grabbed a pair of pliers and took out a red glowing bolt and pressed it to the bleeding wound. The white mare thrashed as the burning at the base of her tail filled her body, the smell was disgusting and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. She vomited while she screamed and thrashed violently with more force than she knew she had, she began to tear the flesh on her wrists. Rearing up, Pinkamena hit Rarity in the chest below her ribs, making the mare lose her breath and go silent for a moment before gasping for breath, “Be QUIET,” Pinkamena screamed, “You’re too loud, and no one likes a pony that’s always loud, right? You hated my loud parties and the noises they made; you complained the most about them. From now until we’re done, any noise you make will make it worse on, them,” and with that last word she turned and looked at the trio. “I’ll be honest with you, Rarity,” Pinkamena spoke monotone now, devoid of emotion, “I never liked your voice. It never matched with the rest of your family. Sweetie Bell and your parents talk pretty normal, and you talk fancy, like you’re better than us. All of us, like you come from Canterlot nobility, when you are just the same as the rest of us.” Sobbing again, choking back tears and screams from the pain in her tail, she spoke between breathes, “I don’t know what you mean, Pinkie dearest, please, let me go. I forgive you, that’s why I was going to see you. You’re my friend, I don’t know what you want from me, but I’ll do anything. I’ll make you a dress! The best dress you’d ever see and you’d be the envy of every pony in Canterlot. For free,” Rarity pleaded to her captors as she smiled and nodded her head. “You can’t offer me clothes and make up for what you’ve done all these years, or apples, or books, or pranks. Only my friends will go free,” said Pinkamena, somber as she’d been since they were first taken, “You’re in this together, the four of you, and I have, and always have had, Fluttershy.” Looking up as Fluttershy came around the table she entered the view of the trio, blood splatter covering her face and the mane covering her eye was flat with blood that had been poorly wiped away. Fluttershy dropped the now smoldering bolt to the floor. Smiling weakly, she spoke louder than usual, “Pinkamena is my best friend, more than all of you ever were. She sees the world as it is; she loves to play with my little friends and neither of us truly trusts the world. We both have reasons to hate the world, but the reasons we have, bring us closer together.” Fluttershy walked to Pinkamena and kissed her on the neck lightly, causing her to shiver and smile. Hearing the shy pony speak with such confidence and kiss another mare was unnerving, causing the trio to begin to sob lightly. How could they know so little about their most eccentric friends after all this time? Both the mares turned back to Rarity and stared at her, finally Pinkamena spoke up, “I wonder if she really would work to let us go and make me a cloak.” “Yes, yes, yes, I would. It would be fabulous and you’d know how much of a true friend I am, all of us are, dear,” Rarity said smiling and nodding heavily through her tears. “Very well, we’ll take one. You’ll make me a cloak, then, if I like it, you can go home when we’re done.” Pinkamena said, but first I need to know how determined you are to finish your projects. So, we’ll get you supplies over the next couple days,” Picking up a short knife Pinkamena went to the right flank of rarity and, beginning a half inch above her cutie mark, began to slice a rough outline around the white mares cutie mark. Blood curdling screams filled the dungeon as pain filled her legs, throbbing in her broken leg and her tail caused the white mare to lose control of her bowels as she released yesterday’s meal, running down her cauterized tail, stinging more and more. Rarity pulled until her wrists were bleeding now, struggling to move away from the pain, she only made Pinkamena cut deeper. “Stop moving so much, you’re making me cut too deep,” complained Pinkamena. Finishing her poor cut job Pinkamena began to tear the cutie mark away with her teeth, blood pouring down her flank, the pain overtook her and she lost consciousness. Still pulling the flesh from meat Pinkamena stopped and began to cut the fat and muscle away from the cutie mark until she was finished. Walking to her cowering friends she laid the cutie mark on the tail, showing the three diamonds to them then turned and returned to the unconscious mare. Taking a bandage from the saddle bag Fluttershy had carried down Pinkamena wrapped the wound and the duo began to release rarity, her body falling to the floor limp and blood pooling on the bandage, she was carried back to her cell and locked in. Going back to their bag, the duo produced three more cupcakes and placed them in front of the still awake mares’ cells. “Who’s next?” Pinkamena asked, with a wicked smile, “This will go easier if you go willingly, or I’ll have to choose for you, and you won’t like if I have to choose,” she stated as she glared back and forth between the three. Standing up tall both Dash and Applejack walked forward and grabbed their cupcake, seeing the other reach they stopped and began to argue of who was tougher and could handle more. Fluttershy, who was sitting and watching got up and took away Applejack’s cupcake, “Dash has always been mean to me, making me fly and help her when she wanted it, not caring if I wanted to help or not, making me and my animals cry,” she stated sadly as she looked at the floor. Reluctantly Dash ate the cupcake, waited for a moment and then began to wobble, “Fluttershy, you can stop this, and let, us, go. We love you and you’re always our friend. Please?” Dash said as she yawned and began to doze. After a few minutes she pouted at Fluttershy and fell over, landing with a soft thud as her head hit the floor. Waking up on a rack, Dash looked at her friends in their cells, smiling to finally see them after so long, her face began contorting her face when she saw Rarity’s condition. She tried to move, knowing she was strapped down, she felt her skin sting. She fluttered her wings, smiling because they weren’t tied down, she began to think of any way to use them to her advantage. Feeling a tug on her right wing she looked over to see Fluttershy pulling on her wing, then the same on the left, with Pinkamena. “What are you doing, gals? Admiring the craftsmanship?” Dash chuckled, ready for anything these wimps had to offer, until they began pulling out her feathers, each one stinging more and more. Dash winced as she watched her feathers floating to the floor, refusing to cry. Beginning to bleed as the feathers were still falling, tears in her eyes and her heart heavy, she didn’t struggle knowing she couldn’t get away she began choking back tears, “You know, once these babies grow back they’ll be stronger then ever,” she mused as one of her most sensitive feathers was pulled she yelped. Once her wings were nearly bare Fluttershy stopped and went into the bag, removing a brick of salt. She went to the nearly bare and bleeding wings began rubbing salt onto Dashes wings. Now Dash shouted, gritting her teeth she bore the pain, tears pouring out of her eyes she still refused to cry out in pain, not wanting to seem weak in front of her friends. She had to stay strong for herself, not knowing what would be next. Choking back a tearful sob she quickly said, “We’re your friends, Pinkamena, always.” Stopping Fluttershy with a wave of her hoof, Pinkamena reared up and pressed her hooves against Dashes chest, applying a little pressure, “Do you think you have what it takes to be my friend?” “You’re sure I do. We all have what it takes to be your friends forever, no matter what,” quickly replied Dash, smiling weakly, “and no matter what, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you.” With the tip of her hoof Pinkamena jabbed Dash between the ribs, fracturing one. Taken by surprise the mare yelped in pain as the pink mare twisted her hoof between the bones. Choking and gagging from the pain Dash pulled against her restraints, her wrists beginning to redden deeply, she fought against the urge to lash out like Rarity had, lest the punishment be worse. Hopping back and down onto all fours she went to the bag and took out a small pill, and going back to Dash, hopped up and put it in her face, “Eat,” was all Pinkamena would say. Looking at the pill worriedly, she quickly opened her mouth and ate it from the dirty hoof of her friend. Feeling dizzy faster than before, Dash was asleep within a minute. Carrying Dash back to her cell and locking it they turned and grabbed their bag and left the dungeon without a word. Sobbing was the only sound echoing from Twilights cell, finally they heard Rarity stirring awake, gasp and begin sobbing.
Chapter 6“Are you okay, Sugar?” Applejack asked. Rarity didn’t reply. Looking at her bandaged leg and the throbbing in her haunches was beyond extreme. She couldn’t think about anything to talk about not could she through her clenched teeth as she did her best to not scream in pain and horror; her perfect body was ruined, her tail was gone, she had defecated on herself in front of her friends. She really was at the lowest she had ever felt and wanted no part in humoring her friends. Dash had awakened and, even though she did her best to hide it, was sobbing. Her wings were destroyed and she might never fly again, her days in the clouds would be over and she’d be an earth pony. What would she do if her cutie mark was meaningless? Work at a lumber yard or shovel holes for the rest of her life? Twilight had stopped crying, focusing on drinking water that was running below her cell and trying to ignore the random tastes of what was probably blood from one of the mares at either end of the water source. Hearing clopping in the distance they tensed up and moved to the back of their cells, all except Applejack, who knew it was her turn and Rarity who was so broken and hurt she couldn’t move at all, she only laid her head on her hooves and looked at the back wall of her cell. Holding out her hoof Applejack waited for Pinkamena to place a cupcake in her hoof. Placing the bag, full again she walked upstairs and returned with Fluttershy carrying a mannequin and colorful bag, as well as the paint bucket. Pinkamena walked to twilight and placed a cupcake in front of her cell and backed away. “Hey, what d’ya think you’re doing, I’m up, I volunteer for the next round Pinkie Pie, I’m ready.” Taking a step back Pinkamena glared at applejack, “Pinkamena,” then turned to the bucket and opened it, grabbing piece of glowing metal with pliers she walked to applejack, who backed up to the rear of her cell. Tossing the screw at Applejack Pinkamena made her mark and hit the strong mare on her front right leg making her yelp in pain. Holding her burn she glared at Pinkamena who walked back to put away the pliers. Fluttershy walked to Twilight, “It’s not about strength, it’s about why. Twilight is next, or we choose someone else.” Her eyes wide, twilight contemplated what would happen to her, then thought of what would happen to rarity or dash if they had to go back before they had more time to recover. Walking hesitantly to the cell door twilight grabbed and ate the cupcake in one bite. It was as delicious as the last one she ate, her wings trembled and her heart raced from the sugar, but she didn’t smile this time. Laying down she rested her head against the cell door and slowly waited until she fell asleep. The duo opened her cell and carried her out, walking her over to a wall and locking her into leg shackles at the wall, placing a claw hammer by her, they went to Applejack and gave her a cupcake. “Now it’s your turn.” “Oh, okay Pinkamena. Just don’t hurt the others, please,” applejack said as she ate the treat. A smile was on her face but her heart was empty. She laid down and fell asleep fast. Opening the cell the duo picked her up and started carrying her to a table when Applejack bucked and fell on the floor, she looked at Pinkamina and charged her, slamming into her with enough force to seriously injure any other pony, but pinkie rolled with the attack landed on her feet. Applejack saw Fluttershy coming up from behind her, and she bucked with all her might, connecting with Fluttershy on her side as she twisted away from the strongest mare they knew. Coughing blood Fluttershy fell to the floor and grabbed her sides. Knowing she didn’t have long, applejack charged Pinkamena again, suddenly feeling faint her eyes unfocused, and she ran full speed headlong into a wall. Wobbling she stumbled sideways and fell over, her head bleeding slightly. Smiling Pinkamena trotted to Fluttershy and helped her stand up, a large bruise on her side Fluttershy smiled as she looked at the swelling wound, “I guess this is going to slow me down helping you carry them around, huh?” The two chuckled as Pinkamena wiped some blood from Fluttershys cheek. Then they began to prepare Applejack. Double strapping her with the straps and rope they checked twice to make sure she was very secure, then strapped her chest and waist as well. Rolling the bed vertically they waited, sitting and watching the orange mare twitching in her wounded limbs. Taking red hot screws they hammered it into applejacks legs and one into her right wrist. Startled awake she shouted in pain, eyes wide and her voice cracking, she began pulling violently at her strapped arms and wrists, coughing as she gasped. “Oh, she’s awake now, that was faster than I thought it would be,” Fluttershy said sheepishly, “you hurt me, a lot. See?” She turned to show her flank to the screaming mare, “You’ll pay for that, applejack, and you’ll always know that it’s your fault.” Gaining her senses she was able stop crying, regaining her strength, she looked at her body and saw the still burning screw in her wrist. Gritting her teeth she looked at the duo and glared, not saying a word, she spat at Fluttershy. Walking to the table Pinkamena picked up a hammer and walked to applejack, a smile on her face, she swung without a word and cracked applejacks knee, breaking it. Applejack shouted in pain and tensed her body, making the burning screws tear her skin and press against her bones. Without a few seconds passing applejacks other knee was broken. Her eyes filling with tears and her heart broken she began to bawl uncontrollably. How could she ever buck apple trees again? Her life as she knew it was over, would she ever walk again either? Her mind was awash with fear and concern as she cried. “She broke easier than anyone ever has, what a weakling,” Pinkamena said as she whacked applejack in her left knee one more time. Awaking to the sound of applejack crying twilight stood up and felt the cold metal on three of her legs. “What are you doing to her!” cried twilight, having only a slight view of applejack. “You’re in the best position of all, twilight sparkle. You’re the ring leader. You hold their freedom in your hooves,” Fluttershy said with an odd confidence, and placed a key on the tool table, “all you need to do is get the key and you can open the doors, leave this place, and get medical help, a real meal, and all the luxuries the life out there has to offer.” “That’s all? That’s all I need to do? Okay, unlock me and we’ll leave and never tell anyone about this place, ever,” begged twilight. Laughing timidly Fluttershy said, “Unlock yourself,” and pointed to the hammer. Picking up the hammer twilight began hitting the lock and the hinge, causing a sting with each strike, so she turned to the chain, to no avail. She dropped the hammer as she realized and snapped her neck to the duo, “You mean I have to break all my legs to get out?” Twilights voice asked while shaking. Smiling the duo nodded and turned back to applejack leaving twilight shocked at the prospect. “Okay applejack, we’re going to continue where we left off.” Pinkamena said. Switching her hammer for a knife, she cut a deep ‘X’ on applejacks right cutie mark and peeled it open, the flaps of skin hanging loose, Fluttershy did the same to the other side. Gritting her teeth applejack bore the pain, her brow furrowed as she shut her eyes and thought of the apple farm, distracting herself from the pain. She could feel the blood going cold as it slowly dripped down her leg. Walking to Rarity, who was hiding under her hooves at this point, Pinkamena asked, “Rarity, I need to see your sewing skills, can you help me?” Shaking her head still under her hooves rarity declined. “If you help we’ll stop on her for the day.” Turning her face to Pinkamena Rarity smiled as she saw the mare. Raritys eyes were red and her face had scratches from her unkempt hooves rubbing her face. Slowly rarity nodded, rising her best on her front legs she began turning around, screaming in her throat as she made the turn. Pinkamena unlocked the door and heaved it open, bowing slightly in a form of fake respect, holding one arm towards applejack. Crawling at a slow pace unable to keep her balance from her missing tail, pain in her flanks, the feeling of blood running down her leg, she arrived at applejack after a few tense minutes. With a happy slap on her bleeding flank where her cutie mark was, Fluttershy gave rarity a gleeful, “Hello.” Causing rarity to fall over crying, unable to choose which side to grab since her broken leg twisted when she jumped from the slap, she fell face first into her hooves and cried as Pinkamena shoved a needle in rareties back. Not noticing the poke the pain began to subside in rarities lower half and she heaved herself up, red eyes full of tears, she spoke in a normal voice not unlike twilights, “Pinkamena, I’m sorry for all this, please, I’m not better than you or anyone else. I talk fancy because I am hurt too. I didn’t have friends until I started being something I wasn’t, just like you two,” sobbed Rarity. Pinkamena and Fluttershy laughed for the first time, like it was just another joke but they were uncertain of how to react. “Rarity, sew her closed, or she’ll die,” said Fluttershy. Trembling she grasped a needle in her mouth she threaded a needle with a lot of effort, having used her magic for so long it was a difficult task to perfrom with her hooves and mouth. Lowering the table and offering a boost, rarity began to sew the wounds closed. Applejack stayed still as best she could as rarity sewed both her cutie marks closed with almost surgical skill. “Oh my, this is some of the best work I’ve ever done, not that I’ve ever sewn another living thing before,” rarity beamed in her fancy accent again. Taking a knife Fluttershy cut a ‘+’ across applejacks left cutie mark and said, “You missed one, fancy girl. Looks like she lost her apples.” Smiling she cut around the mark, removing two of the apples on each side of her legs’ cutie marks. “You’re crazy! Why are you doing this? I did what you asked me, I fixed her, like you said,” cried rarity as she fell under the weight of her body on her pain filled legs as applejack clenched her teeth and coughed. “Because, you missed a spot, so you have to start over,” Fluttershy said, as the skin fell to the floor. Picking it up she placed it on rarity’s sewing kit, which was placed on the floor in front of her, and then Fluttershy smiled, “Go on, sew it back on, and don’t miss this time.” Sobbing hard and getting to her front hooves she reached for the flesh laying in front of her with her mouth; pulling back she couldn’t touch it, “Raw flesh from a living creature, I can’t touch it, I can’t, I’m so sorry applejack, I can’t do it,” rarity apologized, “Please, applejack, I’m so sorry.” Looking down applejack smiled at her friend, “It’s okay, Rare, I understand. I’m sure I’ll heal up nice like either way.” Grabbing a leg each Pinkamena and Fluttershy dragged the screaming and crying rarity back to her cell and locked her in. Dash didn’t say anything the entire time, her attention was focused on her broken wings as she to distract her as best she could. Picking up the sewing kit the flap of skin fell to the floor with a squish and Pinkamena stepped on it, slipping slightly, then she kicked it over to the cells, it landed almost near the tail and rarity’s cutie mark, which were drying quickly. Doing their best the mares choked back tears and sobs, trying to understand the pain their friends were in. After securing Rarity back in her cell, this time facing out of the cell, the duo returned to Applejack and released her legs at the same time, causing her grunt in pain as the weight of her legs pulled on her broken knees, then in unison her hips and chest were released, finally her arms were released and she fell. She caught herself instinctively and tried to stand, then the pain in her knees shocked her, she fell forward with a shout, face first onto the stone floor unable to catch herself in time she bloodied her muzzle and nose. Standing to each of her sides, she was guided back to her cell, dragging her broken body behind her, doing her best to stay strong she moved smoothly. Coughing softly Fluttershy spoke just before applejack entered her cell, “I guess she won’t be bucking anyone ever again, right, Pinkamena?” then the duo shared a laugh. Scowling and gritting her teeth applejack stopped and laid her head town, gasping to catch her breath, “You don’t know what I’ll do next,” she said with confidence, looking at Fluttershy from the corner of her eye. Approaching her exhausted friend Fluttershy leaned in to speak, then applejack hopped up and brought her hoof down onto Fluttershys, cracking her right ankle causing the quiet mare to scream at a surprising volume. Rolling over the orange mare rolled over to her back ignoring the throbbing in her legs and punched Fluttershy in her neck, making the mare begin to choke as she fell over. At the same time Pinkamena reared and fell with surprising force landed on applejacks chest, creating an audible series of crack sounds, “Go to your cell,” Pinkamena said, sharply. The orange mare was shaking and coughing as the pink mare hopped off applejacks chest and turned to Fluttershy, who was laying on the floor coughing weakly and breathing softly. Then Pinkamena grabbed applejack by her mane and began dragging her back to her cell, the orange mare gasping in pain, frozen in place trying her best to not move. After being dragged back to her cell Pinkamena went to her bag, produced two small boards and some cloth, then brought them to applejack, then locked the door. “Here, fix a leg. Just because you don’t deserve to live doesn’t mean Fluttershy is without heart,” with that Pinkamena picked up Fluttershy and began to gallop out of the room as quickly as she could in a blur, her hooves becoming distant echoes in only a few seconds. ‘She’s always been fast, but it’s crazy to see her move that fast,” though Dash and twilight. Still sobbing both applejack and rarity began thinking of the future of their lives in their current shape until Dash spoke up, weakly, “Guys, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but we only have three ways out of this. Find a way to be her friend again, twilight breaks 3 of her legs and tries to get us out, or, we die.” All the others were silent after hearing dashes options, knowing them to be true. “What if twilight gets out and they torture her next before she can let us out?” asked rarity sadly.
Chapter 7“Well, I think that’s a risk we’ll have to take. Applejack is in bad shape, rarity is too. If we can get out that way I think we have to risk it. My wings will heal and a couple broken legs won’t stop me from my duties as a princess. My first order will be the execution of those two, as long as applejack doesn’t kill Fluttershy before then,” joked twilight. All the mares shared a laugh and coughing laughter could be heard from applejack. Stopping their laughing after a moment they slowly realized the grim situation they were in, kill or be killed seemed to be the options, and there weren’t any other choices. No one was going to save them, they weren’t going to be released, and the torture was getting farther and more dangerous. * A day had passed, as far as the mares could tell, Applejack had used the bandage to wrap her chest as tight as she could so she could breath, her ribs and sternum broken, bruising heavily and she still didn’t know if she would ever walk again. “How ya doing, applejack?” Dash asked after hearing her friend coughing awake. “I’m a sore as a dog under a rhinoceros, I didn’t sleep more than a wink ‘fore my aches woke me up,” weakly responded applejack, laying her stomach, the cold stone taking away some pain from her chest and legs. “How ya doin’ over there, Rare? Your legs doin’ any better?” “Oh dear, I’m fine. Those two can’t take my beauty away with a few cuts and twists,” stated rarity in her usual confident voice. In reality rarity knew she wasn’t ever going to be the same, her legs were in more pain than before and it wouldn’t stop throbbing and stinging. Twilight could see rarity in her cell and applejack’s twisted legs and wished her hardest that she could do something to help. A sharp pain resounded through her head again as she tried to cast another spell without realizing. Rarity was laying her head down toward the cell door, and even though she sounded confident she looked sad, her face stained from tears, her makeup had run across her face in all directions from crying all night. Twilight chimed in, “You’re all doing great gals, I don’t think we’ll die here. Pinkie has been a lot of crazy things, but a murderer isn’t one of them, I’m sure.” “Yeah darlin’, but what do we really know about her? All she’s ever done is run around and throw parties, no one should be able to have that much energy all the time, it ain’t natural,” said applejack confidently. “We don’t know much about her life before we met her or what she does when she’s alone. She can’t be planning parties and all that 24/7. Maybe we should ask her about her life, maybe it’ll help,” dash said, her voice low. Thinking about her words the others agreed, “We should ask about her foal hood, that’s where all this started, I bet,” stated twilight, “I’ll ask, since I think they just want me to watch and try to escape or chop off my legs,” her voice stopping suddenly. The thought of intentionally maiming herself wasn’t reassuring to herself or her friends, “But, I’m sure she’ll let us go before then.” Laying down she rested her head on her hooves, and began to doze off in the silence of the room, except for the quiet weeping of rarity and raspy breathing of applejack, there wasn’t any other noise in the room. The light was fading and pitch darkness was encompassing them. Another day passed, and another before they heard clopping coming down the steps, perking up the mares all focused their attention on the door and the dim light coming down the stairs, illuminating Pinkamenas front legs, the mares felt their hearts drop. Entering the dungeon she replaced the lantern by the door and walked to inspect the cells and mares inside them. Picking up Fluttershys saddle bags from before she dumped out a small pile of rotting vegetables and divided them into three piles then pushed them to twilight, dash and rarity. In front of applejack she placed a small box with a pretty red ribbon tied into a bow. “Fluttershy is almost dead after what you did, I think this is a fair trade,” Pinkamena spoke coldly. Reaching out to grasp the box she strained against the pain in her body, and pulled the box inside. Hoping for even a rotten apple she opened the box and gasped. “What is it, applejack?” Dash asked, expecting her to say rotten fruit or a dead bird even. Heavy coughing began to come from applejacks cell, “I’ll kill you, I’LL KILL YOU, YOU MONSTER!” startling the others, her words echoing in the dungeon. Throwing the box out Appleblooms ribbon fluttered onto the stone floor with blood on it, wrapped around a red apple. The others gasped to see it, and then glared at Pinkamena. “You hurt Fluttershy, it’s only fair,” said the pink mare, smiling at applejack, then she turned away stopping by the box, she kicked it to applejack, “You can eat the box, right?” Starving and sobbing applejack grabbed the box and began to tear it with her teeth. Applejack knew she had to get energy any way possible to help get the rest out, even if it cost her own life, for Applebloom too. She wasn’t going to let pinkie get away with hurting or killing her little sister. Quickly gobbling the rotting fruit and vegetables the other mares ate their first meal in days. After they had eaten something they all fell asleep, drugged heavily. Applejack was the only one awake and watched as Dash was dragged out of her cell, she was laid on a table and her wings were cut off and her back was cauterized, the smell sickened applejack who shouted and screamed her best to get the torture to stop. Strapping dash onto a table Pinkamena then used a sharp knife to carefully remove the mane and tail hair off dash, doing her best to not cut dash too deeply. Gathering the hair she set it all aside in a pile. Rarity was dragged out of her cell next and laid on a table and her front legs were strapped. With a rope tying her broken leg heavily in a tourniquet Pinkamena took an axe and chopped the cast off rarity’s leg then began chopping her leg off above the knee. It took a lot of hits and was a terrible mess, spraying blood all over the table, Pinkamena and across rarity’s body. After what must have been fifty strikes the leg fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Wrapping the bleeding wound Pinkamena repeated the process with rarity’s other leg, only this time below the knee, poorly wrapping both before turning the bed upside down. The gauze and cloth were soaked through with blood which now ran across the white mare. Grabbing a very sharp knife Pinkamena went to rainbow dash. Screaming her loudest applejack begged and pleaded for Pinkamena to stop, it was too much. The mare was climbing her cell door, up to her knees, and she placed her hooves together, with tears in her eyes and deep sobbing she watched as the knife was driven with a heavy thrust into rainbow dashes front hooves, as they were cut clean off from the rest of her arms. Bleeding lightly her arms twitched in response to the pain. Tightening the straps around rainbow dashes wrists nearly stopped the bleeding, then she was rolled upright and both turned to face eachother with a slight angle towards applejack. Dropping to all fours Pinkamena sighed and shook the blood off her as best she could, then walked to twilight. Applejack began begging and screaming for Pinkamena to stop. Ignoring the please Pinkamena grabbed a few tools on her way to the sleeping princess, then, using a sharp knife cut deeply into twilights head around her horn, then began to pry it out. Humming a happy song as she worked the horn free of its nook in twilights head, a loud pop echoed in the room as Pinkamena fell back, horn in her mouth she giggled, then grabbed a wad of dirty cloth and packed it into the bleeding hole. Taking another tool, a large serrated blade, she went to twilights wings and began sawing them off at the middle joints. The wings fell to the floor on either side of the sleeping mare. Standing back to admire her work Pinkamena smiled and walked to applejack, who, while still on her broken knees, was bawling more than she even knew she could. “Well, applejack, I guess we’re even now. I’ll leave you like this for a while, and we’ll see how you do. Here, have a leg to stand on,” Pinkamena laughed as she tossed one of rarity’s legs to the mare who finally gave in to the pain and fell to her side, crying heavier and heavier until she couldn’t breathe. Using a magic crystal Pinkamena cast a light spell in the room, “This will last until about the time I come back. And here’s for rarity,” she said as she placed a vial in the dying mares mouth, emptying the contents the dropped the vial to the floor, which laid in cold blood. *
Chapter 8Hours later the other mares began to stir. Twilight was the first to begin to wake up, “Oh, what happened? I think I was drugged, by head it killing me,” she reached to her head as Applejack shouted. “Twi, don’t touch your head, darlin’, you’re hurt bad. All of you are. Just stay calm, okay hun?” Reaching to touch her head she felt a wad of cloth that pressed into her head too deeply to be safe. Twilight began to panic, “Where? Where? My horn? Where?” She jumped up and her wings unfurled, sending pain across her back causing her to scream in pain. Looking down trying to shut out the pain she saw her wings lying to her sides and panicked heavily. Vomiting at her feet twilight lost consciousness before she could speak. ‘Well, at least she don’t gotta worry about seeing the others just yet,’ thought applejack. As dash woke up next she trembled as she saw rarity. The beautiful mare upside down, blood across her body and legs missing. Dash felt true terror and screamed more than she ever had, losing her breath and screaming again and again, unable to break her gaze. Rarity began to awaken to dashes screams and felt light headed, she couldn’t feel any pain in her legs and smiled lightly wondering how great it felt, except for the screaming. Her eyes focusing she saw an upside down rainbow dash thrashing and screaming at her. Groaning rarity tried to speak but there was something in her mouth, she swallowed and coughed from the bitter sour flavor. Then she felt alert as if she woke up in bed, and looked at her friend and gasped, shouting in fear at the sight of dash without wings or hooves. Gasping she felt her legs burning and looked up to where her legs were, the bleeding had stopped and the potion had sealed her wounds, preventing her from bleeding out too fast. Looking at her poorly amputated legs she took note of the blood streaking her body and froze. Dash began to get hoarse and began coughing, noticing her back pains, she tried to flutter her wings and felt more pain in her back. Looking to her sides she began screaming again as she looked at her wingless back, she began to hyperventilate and became drowsy until she could barely move. After some time twilight began to awaken again, this time she understood their peril and what had happened to her. Shaking some vomit from her chest she looked at her screaming friends and saw the horror that was left of them. Twilights head and back throbbed worse than the worst migraine, causing her to fall to her side. “Sugar cube, twilight, pinkie said she was gonna be gone for a while this time. Maybe days. We gotta get out or we aren’t gonna live til she comes back. You gotta think of somethin’,” applejack said, her voice shaking. Picking up the claw hammer twilight swung with all her might and began chopping her hooves. The pain was so great she could only swing a couple times before needing to take a break, her body in so much pain she lost consciousness several times before breaking her first ankle. The rest of the day was spent with twilight hitting her ankles. “I’ve gotta do this, for my friends, we can’t die here. We can’t die like this. We have to live,” Twilight said as she broke her second ankle. After her second ankle was broken she turned the hammer to her last leg and swung for all she had, cracking the bone in one swing. Twisting the hammer she popped her hooves off one by one, the adrenaline rushing through her system she wrestled out of the shackles and dragged herself to the table. Grabbing the key she went to the cell and unlocked it, pulling it open with help from applejack. Looking at each other with relief they began to crawl for the stairs. Rarity was still in shock after all this time, her back muscles having cramped so much she was stuck looking at her missing legs. Dash was dehydrated from crying and screaming. “We’ll be back, girls, we’re getting out of here to get some help,” twilight said as she dragged herself behind the racing applejack. Getting to the top of the stairs there was a door with a simple knob. Both mares looked at eachother and chuckled. Neither of them wanted to have to stand up in their shape, but twilight took the initiative and opened the door with her mouth, turning the handle carefully so she didn’t slip. There was nothing but darkness in the room, as the duo crawled into the pitch black they felt something slimy across their bellies and wondered what they were in now. They listened for any noise but there was silence still, “Ugh, why does it have to be like this. I’m going back to get that light spell and we can see what’s here,” twilight moaned. Returning to the dungeon twilight hobbled to the center of the room, balanced on her back legs through the pain and grabbed the gem casting light with her mouth, then fell over in excruciating pain. Crying she returned up the stairs, light in hand, leaving a dim lantern for her tied friends. The room came into view as a cellar of some sort, there was a door in the ceiling at the far end of the empty room with a rope attached, much like an attic door. Crawling to the door applejack pulled the rope, and the sun shone through, blinding the mares in it’s warm light. “Freedom, at last.”
(Inrto) Letter to CelestiaDear 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. Last week Pinkie did a prank that left Rarity in the hospital with a broken leg and a missing tooth: She is so hyper and impulsive; she acted before she thought and Rarity was hurt. Almost all of us were mad and hurt and overreacted and paused our friendship with Pinkie for a while until she calms down, with all this going on we are going to befriend her again soon, she is a great pony after all. Rainbow Dash has been gone for 3 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 their usual selves but we’re all worried, even though we act like we aren’t. Rarity has been spending a lot of time outside her shop. Pinkie has been baking cupcakes like crazy; she’s been using rainbow frosting to keep our hopes up. Fluttershy has had her animals keeping an eye out for Dash, but has been really hurt by us all over reacting to defriending Pinkie, she is the only one who took Pinkies side. Applejack is so focused on her work it’s hard to tell if she really notices yet, 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 Dash gets back. Watching the Pegasus clearing the clouds is heart breaking. Ever since becoming an Alicorn, I’ve had my friends by my side, now to have a distance with Pinkie and with Dash missing, it’s almost too much. I’ve taken notice that there have 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. Nothing to worry about overall, but I have a feeling something is happening. I’m going to investigate in my spare time. 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/we learn a lesson we’ll write. Best Wishes, Twilight Sparkle Transcribed by her #1 Assistant Spike!
