Losing a friend, I never thought it would hurt so much... but one must feel pain in order to know they're alive, right?
It had been a few days after the funeral, and I felt as if I had become a broken shell of my former self. Everypony in Ponyville had gathered to pay their respects to the mare that saved us all time and time again like her friends. But now, now she was gone, lost forever to the void. The young twenty three year old mare having burned alive in her cottage along with ten of her beloved pets.
It was so tragic, and heartbreaking to lose my dearest friend in such a blazing inferno... but there wasn't anything that could have been done. When Rainbow and the other fireponies arrived on the scene, the cottage was already flaming wreckage on the ground. No matter how hard they tried, the building was gone, turned to ashes and rubble. I don't think I've ever seen Rainbow cry that hard in her life, the poor dear. We had all cried that day, our hearts broken and torn, as if someone took a hot knife and shredded them to pieces.
Pinkie Pie's mane had stayed droopy for days, and she couldn't find it in her heart to smile and mean it.
Rainbow had locked herself in her home, refusing to come out.
Twilight had been similarly locked in her library, not coming out even for the Princess. Spike stayed with her through it all, the kind drake.
And Applejack... well, she had been busying herself with her applebucking. She had not said one word since the day we buried our poor friend in the ground... what was... left of her, anyway.
I myself, busied myself in the boutique. I didn't do much, as I was still mourning the loss of her. I couldn't come up with a design to save my life, nopony had ordered anything and I was left to sulk in the darkness of my room. My own pet had been with Fluttershy that day, and she too, was gone. Burned to ashes like everything else.
A sigh escaped me, and I got up off of my bed and trotted out of my room and to my staircase. I still remember that times Fluttershy and I would get together at the spa, just last week we went there and got a special. Of course the mare never needed to do anything special to make herself look good, Fluttershy already looked beautiful and I was always envious of her looks, but I said not a word of it to her. I didn't want to make her feel like she was stealing the spotlight or any such thing.
The days we spent together were some that I always enjoyed. Sure I loved spending time with my other friends, but Fluttershy and I were closer, I would have liked to think, the weekly spa trips and tea afterwards, when I came over to her house and spent the day. They will be memories I'll always cherish, no matter wherever she is.
I eventually reached the door leading to my basement and opened it with a flourish of magic, grabbing a lantern I descended into the darkness, closing and locking the door behind me.
Dear me, Fluttershy would be so scared if she had come down here in the dark. I mused, walking down the steps slowly so I would not fall to my own demise. She was such a frail pony, scared of her own shadow if you believed me. I would have loved to help her with her timidness, but that was a quality about her I admired, she was so careful and methodical in everything she did, from eating to walking down the street. She could be dainty without even breaking a sweat, while ponies like myself, I had worked for years to become who I am now. And Fluttershy, did absolutely nothing, except live.
Another sigh escaped me as I hit the bottom step, the darkness of the basement evaporating as my lantern burned them away. The dark snaky tendrils of shadows retreating into the nothingness. Down here is where I keep my spare Ponyquins, all lined up in perfection, sitting on their pedestals awaiting the day I would bring them into the light and dress them up in my latest gown. I had four as of now, I would need to get more soon.
Trotting over to my desk, I placed my lantern down and turned to my Ponyquins. Fluttershy was so scared of these as well. I commented with a giggle. It was true, but then again dear Fluttershy was scared of everything, if it had a pulse or not. The only thing she wasn't scared of was her animals, I had seen her wrestle a bear once, quite a feat for a pony of such feeble strength and timid heart. Oh I wish I could talk to her... I trotted up to one of the Ponyquins, they were all different sizes, so as to accomodate the different body types and such. "Oh Fluttershy, I wish that fire had never happened..." I muttered, staring into the blank face of the Ponyquin, another look at it reminded me of Fluttershy, her body was so perfect in every way. "The elegant curves, the perfectly shaped flanks and the wonderfully styled mane and tail. Oh! You were so beautiful, I dare say, did I have a crush on you Fluttershy?" I wondered aloud. "What do you think?" I asked the Ponyquin, stroking its chin lovingly as I draped my arm across its back.
Then suddenly, a sound reached my ears.
"Ohhh I know darling, it must be so lonely down here." I replied to the Ponyquin. "But you have your friends with you!" I smiled sweetly, pointing to each of the other Ponyquins. "There's miss Colgate, she was such a lovely mare, died from drowning, can you believe that?" I then pointed to the next tone. "Then there's Breaburn, he was killed by some rogue buffalo, the poor dear. And then we have sweet little Twist. you remember the poor dear? She was kidnapped by Diamond Dogs, never to be seen again, though I'm afraid she's gone quiet. It has been a month since I added her to my collection, she's not as lively as she used to be." I then looked at the Ponyquin in front of me, its body shivering. "Then there's you... Fluttershy."
The whimper again.
"I added you, because I could not stand to lose you!" I told her, tears leaving my eyes. "You were so badly burned when I found you, but.. but I... I saved you! Yes, yes I saved you from death!" I cried, throwing my hooves into the air before falling to my knees. "You'll be a part of my collection for years Fluttershy, your beautiful body and wonderful style forever gracing my shop."
Another whimper.
"Did you know how I did it?" I asked her, no answer. "Well, I learned this spell from an old friend of mine, he's actually up in the shop now, wearing one of my tuxedos. Has been for the last three years I believe, oh he is such a darling. He taught me this spell, mostly so I could know how to counteract it." I looked at my Ponyquins, smiling warmly. "I found a new use for it actually~"
No sound this time.
"You see, Ponyquins are expensive nowadays, then I figured, why buy them... when I can make them?" I chuckled. "A genius plan if I do say so myself. All of the Ponyquins upstairs, they are all ponies who agreed... well... volunteered to model my latest works over the years. They are all such generous souls~ At least... I think at least a quarter of them are still alive, I'm not sure."
No sounds.
I looked back to Fluttershy. "Don't worry, you won't be alone forever." I turned around, taking my lantern with me. "I'll go and get you some new friends!" I chuckled. "I'll go and add more of you to Rarity's Collection!" I turned, staring down at the four I galloped back down, hugging dear Fluttershy for one last time. "You will be the star of my newest ensemble." A tear left my eye, "Its named after you Fluttershy, do you like it?"
Nothing...
"Well my dears, I will be back soon~ I have had my eye on Scootaloo for quite some time." I looked at the door thinking. "Did you know the poor dear has no parents? I say, I don't believe anyone would miss her right away, the Everfree is dangerous this time of year I believe... it would be a shame if she got lost in there wouldn't it?" With a smile, I trotted over to the stairs and climbed them. "She will be added to my new line! Forever Beautiful!"
I closed the door, shutting them all in the darkness.
Author's Note
A Short horror fic brought to you by SHIT HORROR Studios and TERRIBLE WRITING Productions. I got this idea after remembering that creepy movie, House of Wax, so I figured... why not write it?
Sorry Flutters, but... it had to be done.