Chapters The Passing of Decision-making.
Barely a week had passed since Pinkie Pie's death, and ponies were discussing what came after death, all of whom did so in the shadows. While there were many theories, only one came close to the truth. Shining Armor's thought were that Princess Celestria acted like a judge, deciding whether to send them to heaven, hell, or an alternate Equestria.
Many ponies disagreed about what happened. However, most were able to agree that there was a "life" after death. Ponies spoke of a bliss paradise, where nothing went wrong. Houses and shops would look like castles, and everything would be perfect.
But now, Pinkie Pie could disprove anypony. At least, she would, had she not died or yet managed, to escape the lobby, where everypony was to go to be judged. Five arches stood in the room, made of stone. They were so tall that Pinkie Pie could barely see the top of the arch from the ground. Each arch led to a different fate, and which arch a pony crossed through was decided by the judge.
Normally, a hooded pony was at the five arches. The far right was a beautiful paradice, where many ponies ended up. It wasn't hard to get there - all you had to do was be good. The one next to this one was the smallest. A blue wall appeared to prevent anypony from going through, all except the hooded pony.
The central arch led to an alternate Equestria. It was thoes who wern't good enough to make it to the heaven arch, but deserved a second chance. Of everypony failing to make it to heaven, about 75% went through here.
The middle-left took a pony to hell. This was a tempory stay, with more mischief ponies staying and suffering longer. Boiling hot, with hardly any water to drink, made this a nightmare to be. Lava and fire everywhere, and chains for some of the very bad ones.
The fith gate seemed more like a black hole than an actual gate. This is the final destintion for the worst ponies out there. If hell was bad...this is hell cranked up to an eleven. And anypony destined to go there never left...
*
Pinkie Pie was waiting. Waiting for something. Something she didn't know. She had been there about a week, and was starting to worry. The arches across the room interested her, so she finally decided to have a peek through them.
She began with the far-most left. She poked her head into the archway. On the other side, she saw a device with chains and gears. A pegasus was attached to the chains. As the chains released the poor pegasus, Pinkie pulled her head back as to stop herself from seeing the grisly fate that was to come.
"I see you have taken an interest in the arches." -A hooded figure was trotting up to where Pinkie Pie was. His voice was deep and not recognisable from any Pinkie had heard before. -"Sadly, there is nothing you can do about her... fate."
"Err, what is happenig?" Pinkie Pie was trembling, she didn't know what to say. This pony - at least, she saw it as a pony - had just snuck up on her. Mixed in with what she saw through the arch, she could do nothing but listen.
The hooded figure began to talk, its voice sounding more reasuring. "Don't worry, Pinkie Pie. I will -"
"How do you know my name?" the pink pony intergeted, feeling more confused and worried.
The hooded pony smiled. "I know everypony's name. It is just something that comes naturally. The same will come to you... in time. -" The hooded figure stared to lift his cloak. Underneath it, was nothing of which Pinkie Pie or anypony had ever seen. Nopony except those whom had seen somepony mugged and killed."- You see, I am the judge. The latest judge, that is. I died about a centuary ago. My precessor... about a millenia more. I will relay what she told me, and I beg you listen."
Pinkie Pie was unable to speak. The shock from seeing the poor pony's face made her feel sad. As sad as her days as a filly. Reluctently, she nodded, and listened.
*
Pinkie listened hard, absorbing every detail. The Judge spoke about being "the judge" between life and death, and that the worst of people would be sucked into the portal Pinkie had stuck her head into. That very pegasus, of which was from another dimention, had earnt her fate by killing her friends, and is tortured every day by whom she loved most. The conforsation oved onto where the portals lead to, and how everypony was - at the very least - sorted by them.
"Any Questions?" The Judge had offered Pinkie the chance to speak after what seemed like an hour of boredome.
"Just the one." Pinkie started to look at the Judge, his face seemingly mending itself. "How is your face the way it is, and why is it reparing itself?"
"Ah," the Judge started, "I hoped you asked me this. You see, there is a magic around here. A magic that bonds us together. But only us. The reason my face is like this is because I was beaten to death. No need to cry, Pinkie. "- Pinkie's eyes started to swell, wanting to burst out in tears. -" My world wasn't the nicest place. Gangsters everywhere even. My fate came to me like a stack of books. But they are healing because -"
"Because while we are here it is some echo of us going on to the next stage, and that part of us has no visual signsof injury, but you needed to to show me your face to make me listen to what you said, and it has healed now because that is what you are eant to look like. And now you are going to tell me that I am the Judge now, and can return to Equestria to see my friends again, but can't because it would mess everything up." Pinkie was now out of breath, panting as she had finished what the Judge was going to say in those few, long sentances.
The Judge opened his mouth wide. "How did you know?"
All Pinkie could say was "Just a hunch".
The Past Affects the Future
Diamond Tiara was a changed pony. That much was true. However, there are some scars that never heal. Somethings that, regardless of what you try to do, everypony will reember.
Regardless of her past, Diamond Tiara decided that, upon turning over a new leaf, she would help Fluttershy aft school every day. Every day for a few weeks, that is. Fluttershy didn't mind: she liked the help, but was curious to know why. This behaviour was a contradiction to the old Diamond Tiara, and was probably tempramental.
However, on Diamond Tiara's last day in Equestria, she was visited by Pinkie Pie. Diamond Tiara was startled by the pink pony's apperance, knowing all too well that she had died three weeks ago.
"Diamond Tiara." The pink pony spoke as if she didn't die. Her voice, as cheery as it was, scared the poor filly.
"H...how are you here? You died, remember?" The filly was starting to cry. Just looking at Pinkie made her cry.
"Aw, don't cry. And I know I'm dead, silly. -" Pinkie had come closer to Diamond Tiara, and was now comforting the filly. Sensing how scared the filly was, Pinkie ajusted her grip to allow the filly to leave if she wanted to, all while still maintaining the hug. "- It's... well, I saw something. Something dark. Something... quite morbid ."
"What do you mean?" Diamond Tiara had stopped crying, but was confused at what Pinkie had to say. "What do you mean by morbid?"
Pinkie laughed. "That would be telling. But, I believe Fluttershy is going to kill you today." Upon sayingthose words, the filly ran as fast as she could go, knocking into Scootaloo. Apologies were swapped quickly, and Diamond Tiara continued to run. Her destination: the cottage near the Everfree forest.
When the filly arrived, she heard Discord talking to Fluttershy.
"I can't keep quiet anymore, Discord." The yellow Pegasus was pacing in the air, mulling over her options.
"You have to though, Flutters," Discord replied promply. He was lying down on his chair, "otherwise you would be thrown into prison. Or worse, executed."
"Your right..." Fluttershy was having a hard time speaking. At this point, a thud came from the door. Diamond Tiara had banged her head on the door, shocked as to what she had heard. Diamond Tiara went to run, find somepony who could help her. As she did, she ran into Discord. Discord picked up Diamond Tiara by the mane, allowing her to try to wriggle free. A click of Discord's fingers sent the filly to sleep instantainly.
*
Diamond Tiara woke with a start. Judgeing by the lack of natural light, the filly had been asleep the whole afternoon. Judgeing by the furniture, she was still at Flutershy's house. She could see a window from where she was, and saw the sun start to set behind the everfree forest. Diamond Tiara went to get up, but found she couldn't. Rope bound the frount two legs of the filly together tightly, and the way she was positioned made her feel more uncomfortable. She went to scream, but a gag prevented any words from coming out. Instead a muffled sound was made.
Discord appeared from Fluttershy's kitchen, a knife in one hand.
"Ah, you finally woke up. Fluttershy got mad at me... thought I overdid it..." Discord was rambling to himself. Diamond Tiara made a noise, signaling to Discord to stop talking.
"There is no need for that language, Diamond Tiara!" A voice came from the kitchen. It sounded kind, while still being harsh. Fluttershy had appeared, a bag held under her left wing. She set it down on her table, and a few objects came into view. A needle, a clamp, and some rusty poers were among the things Diamond Tiara could see.
"Flutters, can't we just kill her?" Discord had gone becides the bound filly, his knife quite near her neck. Diamond Tiara nodded along with Discord. Anything to end this now was better than whatever mad things Fluttershy was planing to do.
"No, Discord. -" Fluttershy was pulling out her pokers and had put them into the fireplace. Fluttershy then bent over, and lit a fire. "- I'm afraid that, although it would be easier, this filly needs to be taught a lesson before she dies. -" The grey filly gave a mumbled grown, and then started to cry.
"I know what you're thinking. You think that you've changed. And you have. But I still see some evil in you. Some of your old self. That is why I'm teaching you a lesson." Fluttershy's voice was filled with hate. The yellow pegasus spat onto the bound filly, making both Discord and Diamond Tiara shudder.
Fluttershy then went back to her bag. She rummaged carefully for what seemed like an eternity for Diamond Tiara, although right now: time had seemed to have stopped for the filly. Fluttershy pulled out a small knife.
"Perfect for slicing throats, or anything else for that matter." Fluttershy was now flying over to the filly. She grabbed Diamond Tiara's hair. With one jagged motion, Fluttershy had cut most of Diamond Tiara's hair off. Beause of the way the filly was struggling in her bounds, the blade had made some cuts in her head, and her hair had gone from all nice and brushed to a small mess upon her head. It would take several weeks to regrow.
Fluttershy then took her knife, and made another slice. Diamond Tiara's reactions were slow enough to allow the cloth binding her muzzle, but fast enough to avoid being cut again. Breathing heavily, and crying just a bit, she screamed for help.
"HELLLLP!" The filly's voice was loud. So loud that Fluttershy hid behind her sofa. This was the cue for Discord to step in. He clamped hard on the filly's muzzle, causing a few teeth to be broken.Then, with no regard to Diamond Tiara's expression, he grabbed one of the pokers, and jabbed the hot end into one of Diamond Tiara's hooves. The hot poker burned the hoof, and a mixture of blood and steam came pourig out of the hoof where the poker had been stabbed. Discord went to insert another poker into a different hoof, but the filly managed to hit her attacker away with the poker that was jabbed inside her.
Fluttershy, getting up from her scare, flew as quickly as she could to the bag. A needle was poking out of it, and the pegasus went ahead and picked it up. The needle had some green and red mix of what looked like poison and blood. She them flew back to the filly, whose ropes were now alight. It seemed Diamond Tiara wanted out.
While the grey filly was buzy with her bounds, Fluttershy jabbed the needle into her left flank. Diamomd Tiara gae a huge yelp, and moved her legs so viciously, the bounds broke, and the poker flew out of her hoof. While the poker managed to hit Fluttershy in the head, it wasn't until after the poison-blood mix was injected into Diamond Tiara. With both attackers out cold, the filly ran as far as she could to find help.
Diamond Tiara's death didn't go unnoticed. Now, everypony was fearing this 'killer', as it could've been
anypony
that killed the filly. It seemed that Scootaloo was the only one who knew who did it, but nopony listened. Nopony, except one. Rainbow Dash.
Since Scootaloo was the only pony to be around Diamond Tiara, she was accused by many to be the killer. Rainbow Dash was going to die before believing this, so asked the orange pegasus what happened.
"I...it was scary. Diamond Tiara was in a state and...and just died !" Scootaloo was trying to get the facts out, but unsure whether her idol would believe her. "She told me that Fluttershy tried to kill her, and just collapsed. You have got to believe me!"
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. Normally, she would laugh at something like this, but this was different. Things were getting serious. "Listen, squirt. I know you didn't do it. But for you to accuse Fluttershy? I don't know."
"Well why don't you go visit her, and find out?" Scootaloo was trying to find a way to get the cyan pegasus to believe her, and get this whole mess sorted. Rainbow Dash agreed, and proceded to the cottage that sat on the edge of the Everfree forest.
*
Upon reaching the cottage, Fluttershy was waiting for them. She greeted them in, and offered them a drink of Apple Cider. Rainbow Dash agreed without objection, but Scootaloo wasn't so sure. In the end, the filly took the drink reluctantly.
"So, what brings you here then, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy was curious to hear why the cyan pegasus had come.
"Well... Scootaloo here told me that, when Diamond Tiara died, you killed her." Rainbow Dash's voice didn't flow naturally, but instead stuttered continuously. However, as she spoke, both Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo felt light-headed. They both became unconcious soon after, and Fluttershy began to tie them up.
Killing Two Birds with One Stone
"Scoots?" Rainbow Dash woke slowly. I took a few moments to realise that she was hanging upside down, and to realise that her wings were hurting her like mad. Rainbow Dash went to hyperventolate, only to breath faster when she saw where she was.
Ropes bound both Rainbow Dash's, and Scootaloo's, legs Those ropes were tied to another rope. One which was threaded through a hook on the ceiling of Fluttershy's home. This then led to the floor, and back up. It seemed that the rope was the only thing keeping Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo alive. Underneath them, a load of spikes were aranged so that, if they fell, they would surely die.
Rainbow Dash kept calling out to Scootaloo, but the filly didn't reply. Scootaloo, it looked like from where Rainbow Dash was, also had one of her wings broken. There was blood dripping slowly from them, and what looked like an X was cut over the cutie mark.
Fluttershy flew into the room. She was careful not to stop flying, or else meet the fate that Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had.
"Fluttershy?" -Rainbow Dash had started to cry. A feeling of betrayal came to her, a feeling that broke her mentally.- "Why are you doing this?"
The yellow pegasus ignored her, but proceded to insert a needle into Scootaloo's body, right where the heart was. The filly woke with a start. The only problem is, she couldn't see anything , although she knew she was upside-down, and in a lot of pain.
"Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo began, her voice trembling, "what's happening?"
"Don't worry right now, Scoots!" Rainbow Dash could see the filly was terrified, and thought best to try to calm her down. "Everything will be allright. I promise."
"I wouldn't promise anything , Dashy." Fluttershy had finally started to talk. It seemed she was angry for them finding out, but finding out what exactly, she didn't know. There was a knife in her mouth, which muffled her voice a bit, and there was blood dripping from it. Without a word, Fluttershy flew over to Rainbow Dash, and plunged the knife into her left flank. Blood splattered everywhere. All over Fluttershy. All over Scootaloo. And all over the spikes on the floor. A high-pitched scream was made, and the cyan pegasus was reduced to tears.
"Why did you do that for?" Scootaloo was unsure what had happened. She was ignored. Fluttershy removed the knife from Rainbow Dash's flank, and went over to Scootaloo. While it was difficult, Fluttershy yanked out Scootaloo's tongue, and made an attempt to slice it off. Raionbow Dash and Scootaloo screamed. It wasn't a very good job, but most of the tongue was parting, spilling blood everywhere. It would only be a matter of time before Scootaloo would faint, and eventually die.
*
Applejack was on her cart. She was trying to sell the rest of her apples to Mayor Mare, when she heard a high-pitched scream comming from near the Everfree forest.
"What in Tarnation?" Applejack was shocked to hear the sound. Without any warning, she started to run full-speed towards Fluttershy's cottage. While it sounded like one of her friends were in danger, she didn't know from what.
It took a few minutes to get to the door of Fluttershy's house. Sounds of sobs and shreiks of pain were more frequent and a lot louder not. Applejack banged at the door, and was surprised at the fact it opened with ease.
"What in Tarnation is going on?" Applejack was shocked to see Fluttershy with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo like this. Fluttershy's reaction made her turn her head quickly. Too quickly. The knife in her mouth went through the rope cleanly, despite the knife being blunted by use.
The next few moments felt like it was happening in slow motion. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo began to fall towards the spikes. A whispered "Sorry Flutteshy" was audible only to the ponies in the room, comming from Rainbow Dash. The two pegasii hit the spikes with a thud, and were dead there and then. Fluttershy then dived at Applejack, the only pony she never wanted to know what she was doing. Knowing that Fluttershy would get her before she got help, Applejack attempted to jump onto Fluttershy, thereby stopping her mrderous rage. It was a risky move, and one that would result in death. But if she took out Fluttershy...
Applejack jumped at the last minute. Fluttershy had made a swing for the neck, but was shocked when Applejack jumped onto her. The force of the orange pony knocked Fluttershy back, and the weight of Applejack caused Fluttershy to land on the spikes. Applejack's windpipe was severed, but there was a hole in Fluttershy's heart. A hole caused by the spikes.
Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and types, were at a scene of a murder. Or, at the very least: somepony had killed somepony; or it was a very well-planned suicide attempt. This one was different to the other recent deaths. Most deaths in Ponyville were natural, or accidental. This one... ropes bounded the pony's legs together. There was a gag over the mouth, and several cuts over the poor pony. Most notably was the pile of blood, the main source being a deep gash in the throat.
This is what shocked most of Ponyville. While medical ponies tried to revive the pony, there was nothing they could've done to save her. A neck injury of this scale was, for the most part, lethal. Nopony knew anyone who would kill such a great soul.
But this is what confused most ponies, Princess Celestria being one of them. Twilight Sparkle tried to understand it as a prank. A very morbid prank which Rainbow Dash had put on. However, as the months went by, this was no laughing matter. Her friend was dead, and there was nothing she could do. Pinkie Pie had gone on to wherever was next.
It seemed Rainbow Dash was the most affected, always seen mourning the loss of such a cheerful and friendly pony. Fluttershy tried to stay composed, but couldn't help it with the occasional sob. Rarity, to try to ease the pain, made dresses inspired by the personality of Pinkie. Applejack held a feast to celebrate Pinkie's life, and all of the Apple family came. This was, as many onlookers would agree, a major shock to the bearers of the elements of harmony.
This was another thing that worried Twilight: With Pinkie Pie dead, who would be the element of laughter? Nopony knew for definite, but it didn't matter too much at that time. The elements were, at least, safe in the tree of harmony. But still...
Many detective ponies came to the scene over the next couple of days. None of them were, sadly, able to find the killer by the clues. All they knew was, as sad as it was, there had been a major struggle. Everypony conluded that, no matter who did this, that pony would be caught...
Diamond Tiara was running out of time. Looking around, she couldn't find anypony to help her. It seemed, however, she was looking in all the wrong places. She had forgotten about the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a group of ponies she had become friends with not long ago.
She raced to their clubhouse to find only Scootaloo there.
"Hi, Diamon-" Scootaloo began to greet Diamond Tiara, but the grey filly interupted the pegasus. Time was not on her side.
"Please. You have to help me!" Diaond Tiara was in a right mess. Scootaloo noticed the crudely-done haircut, and burned hoof. "Fluttershy was trying to kill me!"
"Calm down there." Scootaloo's voice had changed from cheary to a more sympathetic one. As soon as those words were spoken, the filly she was comforting had gone cold. Diamond Tiara was dead. Scootaloo panicked. She ran away from the clubhouse. Looking for anypony to help...
*
Diamond Tiara awoke with a start. That is, if she was dead, how could she wake up. She was in a room with 5 arches, and Pinkie Pie was in frount of the middle one.
"I see you have met with a terible fate, Diamond Tiara." Pinkie's voice was as cheery as it had always been. Neither pony looked harmed in any way. Diamond Tiara's mane, previously all ragged; uneven; and blood-filled, was now soft and beautiful again.
"Where am I?" The filly's voice sounded demanding, as if expecting an answer. "I thought we were dead."
"Don't be silly, filly. Of course you are dead!" The pink pony seemed content with her answer, creeping out the filly she was meant to be judging. They spent some time talking about the arches. With every passing moment, Diamond Tiara's voice became softer. Soon, her voice sounded symathetic.
What seemed like ten minutes past, and Pinkie Pie concluded what she had said.
"So...I'm guessing I'm not going into the far-right arch then. Right?" Diamond Tiara had a hint of remorse for her actions back when she was alive. Had she known that she would've been judged like this, she would've strived to be better.
"No, no. You havn't been that bad." Pinkie Pie had gone to comfort the filly, who was now sobbing at this point. A hot cup of coaco came out of thin air, and the pink pony insisted Diamond Tiara drink it. It warmed the filly up nicely, as it helped calm her down. Without another word, they both walked to the far-right arch, and walked through together.