Pinkie Suppressedby ParkerthePegasisterChaptersThe Aftermath of "It"Grief (Almost) Takes OverA Balloon With No Helium Will It End This Way?The Aftermath of "It"Pinkie Pie trudged across the bakery known as "Sugar-cube Corner", glancing at each and every photograph that she took of she and Rainbow Dash. These memories will never be forgotten. One of them was taken on the day that they first met. Pinkie still had braces then. It had been that long since they've known each other and Rainbow Dash betrayed her. She committed suicide, leaving Pinkie Pie in the everlasting pit of dread called life. The party pony hadn't come out of the bakery ever since that visit with Twilight Sparkle and Scootaloo. She still remembered every minute of it. * * * Pinkie saw Rainbow Dash lying on the ground, wheezing. "You're... too... late," were the last words of her favorite mare in the world. Scootaloo got on her scooter and set course for the library. The orange filly was already bawling once she got there. "Twilight, it's Rainbow Dash! She finally did it!" were the last words that Pinkie ever wanted to say. * * * Pinkie sighed, placing a hoof on the last picture she took with Rainbow in it. "Well, in a couple of days," Pinkie uttered to her dead friend, "will be your funeral. I wouldn't miss it for the world... my love." The pink mare broke down onto the ground, sobbing, burying her face into her hooves. She let her screams fill the bakery. They echoed through the halls. Pinkie stood on her hooves, grabbed the picture, and screamed at it. "Why?! Why would you do this to me, Dashie?! Do you not feel any love that I've stored for you?! I loved you, Rainbow Dash! I thought you loved me, but NO! You just commit suicide and think, 'Oh, Pinkie will get over it. She's just my MAREFRIEND'!!!" Her hair had deflated days ago and had not gone back to its original curly style ever since. She stopped to catch her breath, then continued. "Do you not feel my love, Dashie? DO YOU NOT FEEL MY LOVE?!" Pinkie Pie ran up the stairs and threw herself onto the bed, practically drowning in her tears. After what seemed like hours of endless bellowing, Pinkie sniffled. "It's okay. I knew you were depressed... yet I also knew that you were loyal, so you would live a terrible life to not make me miserable! So, why'd you do it if you're loyal?" Pinkie Pie hit her head on her pillow several times. * * * Twilight Sparkle was reading, as she always was. She flipped the pages again and again, driving Spike crazy. Despite how much he tried to get her to stop reading and visit Pinkie, nothing worked. Once he mentioned the visit with Pinkie Pie suggestion, she perked up her ears. "A visit with Pinkie? Spike, why haven't you mentioned that all this time? I must visit Pinkie, or she'll never get over Rainbow Dash's death!", she called to him. "Really? I mentioned it for the past half hour." "Oh... right." Twilight leaned over and put her book back on its shelf. "So that's what you were blabbering about?" Spike groaned with exasperation and face-palmed. He had never thought he would hear of Twilight being so dumb. * * * Pinkie went downstairs and plopped herself into a chair, sulking and sighing. She glanced at the clock. Time to take her ADHD pills.Yet, she didn't see the point in taking them. She didn't show any more symptoms. Not since her marefriend committed suicide. Then she remembered that she promised she would turn to some pony for romance if her friend really did die. She got out a piece of parchment, grabbed a quill in her mouth, and began to write a letter to Cheese Sandwich. Dear Cheese Sandwich, I'm going through real rough times here in Ponyville. My marefriend, Rainbow Dash, committed suicide a couple of days ago and I want you to come over to Sugar-cube Corner to comfort me. Send me a letter if you get this and you are coming. Sincerely, Pinkie Pie The pink earth pony trotted out the door and ran toward the post office. Once there, she trotted to the counter and slammed the envelope down. It already had a decorative stamp on it, so she didn't have to ask to see their collection. "Please send this to Cheese Sandwich." After she said this, she turned around and left. * * * Cheese Sandwich stood near a huge sign that read; Are you a party planner? Well, I'm hiring assistants for parties all around Equestria! About fifty ponies have come to apply for the job. Only one succeeded. Cheese gasped when he saw a wisp of blue and green smoke appear right in front of his muzzle. The smoke vanished, and instead, there was a piece of parchment. He quickly grabbed it and opened it. It was from Pinkie Pie. He gasped again. He was surprised to hear from her. Cheese ran to his house, grabbed his saddle bag, and headed out the door, setting course for Sugar-cube Corner. * * * Pinkie wandered around aimlessly, checking that the daily cakes that were on display weren't going bad. She figured that it wouldn't be long before Cheese Sandwich got here, so she began to wait on the couch. Pinkie thought that she might go a little overboard to feel joy again, so he might as well pack a condom. She giggled at the thought of that and began to blush. Her hair didn't inflate again, though. It seemed that even when she has the major event off of her mind, it wouldn't seem to stay out for long. She tried and tried to do various tasks to get it out, even throwing more parties, but nothing ever seemed to get her happy anymore. She slowly drifted into a deep sleep with no dream. Pinkamena woke up to a knock at the door. She opened it to see Cheese Sandwich standing there. "Hi, Pinkie Pie! Whoa. What's gotten into you?" "I'm sad about Rainbow's death. It didn't seem to affect any pony else, so I figured that I had all the pressure. She killed herself because of me. I made her blow her money on prank supplies and she ran out of bits after that..." "Didn't she have a good job on the Weather Team?" "Not anymore. She got demoted and eventually, fired. I don't know why. She was too poor to pay rent for her house, so it got evicted. She found a job as a substitute teacher at the schoolhouse for a couple of months because Cheerilee was on maternity leave, but that flame burned out as soon as she had her baby and went back to teaching." "Poor little Dashie." "Ever since, I've been the only one that's noticed her being suicidal, but I never thought that she would actually do it. Now, the aftermath is affecting me. So much so that I'm not sure that I'm willing to live long enough to see her funeral." "Wow. You must have really loved her." "And I did love her. After all I've done for her, she betrayed me. I thought that she was loyal. When we met, I still had braces. We've known each other that long and she betrayed me. OH! Where are my manners? Please, come in." "With pleasure." Cheese made his way inside and closed the door behind him. He finally got a good look at the place. "It's a mess. Did you do all of this?" "Well, it's mostly Pound and Pumpkin Cake, but a little of it is mine. A lot of the reason is because I'm so filled with rage. I think to myself, 'what have I done?' Then, I go completely insane. I guess the guilt comes out in spurts. I've been grieving ever since she said what I call 'the words'." "What are 'the words'?" "'You're too late' is what she said to me. I call them 'the words' because they were her last words." Pinkie began to tear up again. "That's when the aftermath of it all started." Cheese Sandwich wrapped his hoof around her neck and spoke softly, "Hey, don't cry. You're one of the 'Super-Duper Party Ponies', remember?" "Not today." Cheese was surprised to hear that. Of all the days she could pick to be depressed, she picked today? Is that why she sent him the note? Pinkie pushed him away slightly. "Did you pack a condom?" Cheese Sandwich began to blush. His eyes widened. "N-no. Why do you ask?" "Shoot. I thought you would. You see, I figured that I would go a little overboard-" "A little?!" "Okay, COMPLETELY overboard to be able to feel joy again... I'm sorry... This is embarrassing... and awkward..." "You think?" Cheese began to quiver. "Are you cold?" "Kind of." "Here. I'll go get a quilt." Pinkie ran to the other room to get a blanket and came back with one. "This one is special to me, so don't make it dirty." "Why would I?" "Now that you mention it, I don't know." She shrugged, handing Cheese the blanket. He wrapped it around himself as he sighed in comfort. "Thanks, Pinkie Pie." "Call me Pinkamena." "Okay. If you say so, Pinkamena," he replied with a sly wink. Pinkie trotted out of the room for a minute and sat on the bed. Why did she send that letter to him? She was going through something serious and she thought he could help, but she isn't going anywhere with him. She began to walk back to the living room she had a plan that he would want to get into without seduction. "Cheese Sandwich, I'm bored. Do you want to plan a party?" "Boy, would I!" Cheese jumped up and ran outside to get his assistant, who he forgot was still in Baltimare. He trotted back inside and thought for a moment. "You could come to Baltimare with me," he suggested. Pinkie's eyes widened. She lashed out at him without knowing it. "Cheese, do you not understand that Rainbow Dash's funeral is in a couple of days?! I thought I knew that I could turn to some pony to help me with this, but NO! You want to go halfway across Equestria to plan a simple party! I thought I could trust you!" "I'm sorry, Pinkamena. I didn't know that your marefriend's funeral hasn't already happened." With this, he trotted out the door slowly. "Oh, and by the way," he said sternly as he turned around to face her, "Don't bother sending me another letter to help you with your depression. Help yourself. You're not helpless." Upon saying this, he turned his back and left Sugar-cube Corner. Grief (Almost) Takes OverTwilight had promised herself that she would go to Pinkie Pie for a visit, but now, she wasn't so sure. Cheese Sandwich was standing in the middle of the library, blabbering about the visit he had with Pinkie. It was rather surprising to see him here, considering he lived halfway across Equestria. "And then Pinkie asked if I had a condom, and-" Cheese was cut off by Twilight's hoof. She raised it into the air to resemble silence. "Tell me what happened, but say everything slower. I couldn't understand you before." Cheese Sandwich took a moment to catch his breath, then started over. "Well, I was hiring employees for my party planning business." "And?" "And a puff of smoke appeared in front of me. After that, a letter was on the ground in front of me. I read it and it was from Pinkie. I ran home and packed a bag, setting course for Ponyville. Once I got to Sugar-cube Corner, She let me in and told me all about why I was supposed to come. Then, she asked me..." He trailed off with heavy blush making its way across his face. "What did she ask you?" "She... she asked me if I... had a condom." Now, he turned his head away in embarrassment. "She asked you if you had a condom? But why?" "She told me that she figured she would go overboard to feel at least a little joy." "Well, that's what some ponies do as a natural response to grief. You see, Cheese Sandwich, some ponies really would go overboard with their lovers to feel joy again. It's just pony nature." The lavender princess paused for a brief moment, then continued. "Sometimes, going overboard really does fix the problem, whatever the problem may be." Cheese turned his head back to face Twilight. Worry clouded his face. "Before all that happened with the question, she told me that she may not be willing to live long enough to make it to Rainbow Dash's funeral." * * * Pinkie Pie cried herself to sleep that night. Not that it wasn't normal for her. She did this every time she wanted to sleep since the chain of events that lead to her marefriend's suicide. Now, Pinkie was considering doing the same thing to herself. "I would be with my Dashie again," she muttered to herself before closing her eyes and singing her own theme song once more, and more likely the last time. "My name is Pinkie Pie And I am here to say I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your day It doesn't matter now If you are sad or blue 'Cause cheering up my friends is just what Pinkie's here to do..." After she sang the first verse, she began to sob softly. The sad mare fell asleep. Pinkie Pie dropped a basket near Rainbow Dash's grave. A tear trickled down her cheek. "This really is goodbye, my Little Dashie..." She lifted the cloth, revealing five six-sided white stars and one large rainbow colored star in the middle.. "I made this myself." Pinkie's eyes fluttered open. She heard a slight grumble. It came from her stomach. The hunger was unbearable, yet she ate right before she went to bed. The party pony trotted to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl, placing it on the counter and turning toward the pantry. She reached in and grabbed a box of oatmeal packages. After opening one and dumping it into the bowl, she filled a cup of water. Blankly, the pink mare dumped the water into the bowl, picking it back up and placing it in the microwave oven. Wait a minute, the mare thought to herself when her eyes fell on her case of knives. One particular blade caught her attention. It was in the medical kit, right beside the case. The metal shimmered in the light of the large room. I could use these... * * * The Cutie Mark Crusaders were headed to The Carousel Boutique. Sweetie Belle was humming a soothing tune while Scootaloo flapped her wings, making her scooter move faster. "Race you there!", she called back to them as she reached the door, "Whoops, sorry. Winner's spot's taken." The other two fillies glared at her with exasperation. "Honestly, Scoots, aren't you just a little sad about Rainbow anymore?", Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo turned her gaze to the young earth pony. "Of course I am! I was her number one fan, you know? How could she do this to me?!" "Scoots," Sweetie Belle uttered, "She hurt all of us for what she did. We are mourning just as much as you are, so the term should be 'How could she do this to US'." "Ah reckon now's not the time to be teachin' Scootaloo grammar," uttered Apple Bloom. "I'm not trying to teach her grammar! I'm trying to get her not to think only about herself all the time!" "I'm not thinking about just myself! I think about Rainbow Dash-" "That's not what Sweetie meant." "Well, sorry!" Rarity opened the front door. "Girls, do come in and stop arguing so much. You're making a scene." As the little fillies stepped inside, Rarity trotted toward the kitchen. "Well, you three came just in time. I just happened to finish making dinner!" Scootaloo made her way toward the dining room table, leaving her scooter at the front doorstep. Sweetie's stomach grumbled unexpectedly. "Well, you made supper just in time. I'm starving!" "Um, Miss Rarity," Apple Bloom called from the living room, "What's for dinner?" "Apple Bloom, darling, you don't have to call me that. Call me Rarity, as that is my name, you know." The yellow filly nodded her head and walked to the dining room, taking a seat beside Scootaloo. Rarity continued cooking the remains of the meal. "To answer your question, Apple Bloom, we're having salad with a side of fried grass." The three fillies cheered at this, as that was their favorite combination of specific food. "Maybe that will get the incident out of my head for a little bit," Scootaloo uttered in a surprisingly saddened voice considering she had been happy just mere seconds ago. Rarity turned her gaze toward the orange filly. "You mean what happened three days ago? Scootaloo, you know that Rainbow Dash was only depressed and wasn't thinking clearly about what other ponies would think about it. Especially Pinkie Pie. I haven't seen her since her own marefriend committed suicide. She hasn't come out of Sugar-cube Corner." The fillies started to wonder just what was keeping the party pony away from the outside world. * * * Pinkie had reached the medical kit and had stared at it for enough time to have already slashed her hooves and died. Tears have streamed down her face for God knows how long, but it was past dark now. Pinkie could swear that she heard Mr.Cake come home, but he doesn't come back from his shift until nine, and it was only seven-thirty. Yet another tear made its way down her face. She finally considered the cost of slitting her hoof. Fining an artery was extremely hard, and if she survives and is taken to the hospital in time, she could suffer even more physical pain than her mental feelings, which were currently hurt to the point of suicidal thoughts. She finally made her decision. She grabbed the scalpel and began to cut. Droplet by droplet of blood made a puddle. Pinkie gave off soft moans of pain. A vaguely familiar voice sounded in her head. "You're choosing me instead of your friends? You need to think about how you're going to affect other ponies in particular. You'll be with me again, but you need to consider what you're doing. I thought you would make every pony smile, not cry." It didn't take long for Pinkamena to realize who the owner of this voice was. She turned around to see a cloud of blue, red, and yellow. It looked more like a blurred, rainbow-colored lightning bolt than anything else. Actually, when Pinkie Pie squinted her eyes until they were almost shut, she could make out Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, floating in the still atmosphere. "Who are you? Why do I see Rainbow Dash's cutie mark instead of a pony?", Pinkie squeaked. "Pinkie...I am Rainbow Dash." Pinkie couldn't believe her ears. "Inconceivable! Rainbow Dash doesn't look like that! And she's dead!" The cutie mark disappeared and instead, there stood a blurred version of Rainbow. "See?" Pinkie Pie screamed and jumped back, falling into the puddle of tears and blood. Her heart pumped and another rush of blood came out of her wound. Rainbow's spirit gasped. "What have I done?" Pinkie's heart fluttered. She then knew that she successfully committed suicide. Her eyes closed. Rainbow, despite being a ghost, was able to lift Pinkie, flying swiftly toward the library. A Balloon With No Helium A Balloon With No Helium Twilight had already gotten to bed and reached over to turn off the light when she heard a familiar voice at the door. Whoever it was, it was calling her name. "Twilight! Let us in, quick!" "The door's unlocked!" "That's just it, I can't open it! I've got Pinkie in my hooves!" The lavender pony's curiosity got the best of her, so she, slowly but surely, flew toward the door. "Before I let you and Pinkie Pie in, I must ask, who are you, exactly?" "There's only one of your friends who would holler instead of knock. Guess who?" Twilight knew the answer, but refused to believe it. "You aren't Rainbow! She's dead!" "Why don't you open the door so I can prove it?" Twilight wasn't sure what to do; to open the door, or to keep refusing. She slowly opened the door to see a bloody, unconscious Pinkamena and a cloudy figure holding her. When she squinted enough to where the blur came to focus, her eyes widened. "Rainbow Dash! It really is you! Come on in! What happened to Pinkie?" It was then that Twilight noticed Pinkie's damaged hooves. "Did she do this to herself?" "Yeah. You got an adrenaline needle?" "Yes, of course. In fact, Pinkie asked me the same question when she tried to save you," Twilight replied as she made her way up the stairs. The princess came back downstairs, levitating the injection. Rainbow's spirit could only watch as she lowered the needle into Pinkie's chest. The pink pony gasped awake. She glanced around the room anxiously. When she could make out Rainbow, she only did exactly what Rainbow Dash did on her second-to-last suicide attempt. She narrowed her eyebrows and huffed. "Why'd you save me? I wanted to be with you again!" "Pinkie, do you not notice who saved your life? You owe Twilight and I a thank you." "I know, and I'm sorry, but now, thanks to you, my life is gonna be even more of a nightmare than it already was! So yeah, thanks for ruining my life even more than you did before!" Pinkie then noticed the irony of all this. Rainbow's spirit was here, and technically, heaven was in the clouds.The fear of having a ghost save her life had not come, for the ghost was her marefriend. This was not a nightmare, this was a dream come true. "Dashie, I'm so sorry!", Pinkie wailed as she locked herself into the spirit's embrace. "What's to be sorry about?", Twilight inquired. "I'm sorry because I blamed you for what you did. You may have killed yourself, but you only did that because of me." "Why would I kill myself because of you?" "Because I made you blow your money on prank supplies and that's what started all this! If I hadn't done that, you would still be alive and happy!" "Pinkie, stop. You're going to end up having ulcers because of the weight of crime you're putting on your own shoulders," Twilight said as she slammed her hoof into the ground. Pinkie backed away as if struck. Then, she remarked, "Ulcers? Those can kill me! I..." She trailed off, unable to speak. * * * "I hope you had a good meal, Crusaders! Come back tomorrow!", Rarity called to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo as they left. Sweetie Belle made her way to her bedroom and sat on the bed. "Rarity isn't the same anymore..." she uttered to herself as she levitated a picture frame with her magic. "What is that, Sweetie?" "Nothing, Rarity," Sweetie murmured. She quickly set the picture back onto the dresser, grinning nervously. "Alright, then," Rarity nodded and kissed her sister good night. After doing this, she headed to bed. * * * "Rainbow, I've been thinking ever since I met you that I should ask you a question not every mare is brave enough to ask," Pinkie said as she and her ghost friend entered Sugar-cube Corner, "But, I can't exactly ask you now." "What'd you want to ask me, Pinks?" "I wanted to ask you if you would.....marry me." Rainbow chuckled. "Yeah..." Will It End This Way?Rainbow set Pinkie on her bed. "How long will you stay, Dashie?", Pinkie inquired, followed by a loud yawn. "According to my guardian-" "Who's your guardian?" "That's just it. I don't know. He said I can only stay on the ground for a few more days before I have to go. I don't know why, though." Pinkie nodded. She had no idea what Dash meant, but at least she was here. Finally being able to be happy, even just for a few days, made Pinkie smile for the first time in what felt like years. * * * Twilight set the last book in its place. She smiled, letting the midday sunlight glint off of her teeth. The sun shone through the windows and reflected off of the mirror in a corner of her bedroom. The lavender alicorn heard a screech. It sounded like one of pain, but there wasn't any fear in it. "Hello?", Twilight called in the direction of the kitchen. She heard a voice. "T-Twilight? Go away!" "Are you the one who screamed?" A pink pony stood in the middle of the room with a bloody knife in her mouth. Twilight gasped. "Pinkie?" Pinkie Pie fell to the ground, letting her scraped flank show. Twilight couldn't see the three balloons on it. They had been cut away. She also noticed that Pinkie's hooves were damaged. Badly. The purple princess was glued into place. All she could do was watch the life fade from Pinkie's eyes. "Pinkie, no!", Twilight reached out and snatched Pinkie from the ground. Pinkie closed her eyes before uttering four more words; "I'm with Dashie now..." * * * Twilight shrieked awake. She breathed heavily, inhaling through nose, exhaling through mouth. She looked out the window and glanced in the direction of Sugar-cube Corner. I have to visit Pinkie TODAY, she thought. * * * Pinkie woke up from her first good dream in months. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing no pony in her room. Dash must have left. She flopped out of bed. She felt sad this morning and she didn't know why. This had been normal since Rainbow's...incident. She sighed loudly and trudged out of her bedroom. The pink pony glanced around the kitchen. Where was Rainbow? She had said that she still had a few days until she had to leave. Pinkie glanced over to the couch. A note sat there, motionless. She approached it. It said, Dear Pinkie, I stand correct it. The funeral is today, not tomorrow. Sorry for such short notice. I have to leave now, goodbye, my love. Sincerely, Rainbow Dash Pinkie gasped. The funeral's today? Why are they telling me the date now? Why couldn't they tell me when it was four days ago?, Pinkie thought. When thinking of this, she trotted out the front door and toward the Carousel Boutique. * * * The pale white unicorn cantered frantically around the room full of organized chaos. She had been sewing dress after dress until there were five of them. Each of them were black and made of silk. The only thing left she had to do was get some flowers from the garden so that she could make the final touch; the garlands. She jumped out of her fur when a loud knock from the door split her eardrums. She shrieked unexpectedly. Rarity galloped over to the front door. She gasped. "Pinkie Pie! You finally came out of Sugar-cube Corner! Come, I'll show you what I made for our friends." When saying this, Rarity beckoned Pinkamena to come in. Then, she pointed toward the mannequins, all with identical black dresses that had a small trail of fabric behind them. Each of them had six cutie marks embroidered into them. The first five were the other's cutie marks, circling around the one that was Rainbow Dash's. Just looking at the blue, yellow, red, and white mark made tears well up in Pinkie's eyes. "Well, Rarity, they all look...nice..." Pinkie murmured. She opted to reach out and touch one, but Rarity grabbed her hoof before she could. "Now, now, Pinkie Pie, you simply must take a shower before you touch anything else," Rarity uttered in disgust. She quickly let go of Pinkie's hoof, rushing to the sink to wash it. Pinkie, while hanging her head, trudged toward the bathroom. Once in there, she punched the mirror. The impact cracked it. She hit it again, spreading the crack. One more punch, then the mirror shattered. Pinkamena was breathing heavily with anger and sadness. She grabbed one of the shards in her hoof. The tears blurred her vision as she bellowed. The pink mare heard frantic hoofsteps. She took one last look at the shard, then closed her eyes. It's time to see you again, She thought before pulling the sharp end of the shard toward her forehead. She heard a loud cracking sound, then everything went black. Rarity looked in the bathroom door and shrieked in surprise. Pinkie was laying there, face on the floor. Rarity turned the limp body over and started bawling. Pinkie had stabbed herself in the forehead. Her eyes were wide open, almost as if she were scared of something. Her mouth was partly open. Her face was covered in blood. "PINKIE!", Rarity screeched as she fell to her knees. "WHY?!" The unicorn didn't care what would happen to her beautiful complexion. She buried her face in the blood-covered floor as she sobbed. Once her throat hurt too much, she got up and headed for the telephone. She dialed the number and held the phone up to her ear. She heard an answer. "Rarity? What's up?" "Scootaloo, darling, I need you to come over. Don't ask any questions, just come over. Now." "Um, okay, I guess." After Rarity heard that comment, she hung up, not wanting to talk to any pony else before Scootaloo got there. * * * Twilight walked swiftly along the sidewalk, keeping the building that she was approaching in her view. An orange blur ran past her. "Scootaloo?", Twilight called. "Where are you going?" The orange filly turned her head toward the alicorn. "To the Carousel! Wanna come with me?" "Well..." Twilight almost refused, but quickly backtracked. "Wait up, Scoots!", she yelled as she cantered toward the filly. * * * Rarity frantically raced around the boutique for a mop. Once she saw one, she levitated it and ran toward the bathroom. Once she got there, she levitated Pinkie's limp body out. Sweeping the mop back and forth, Rarity heard the front door open and close. She quickly hid Pinkamena, shut the bathroom door, and went to help her customer. Twilight and Scootaloo stood in front of Rarity, watching and trying not to judge her as she bawled. Once she had let it all out, the white unicorn cleared her throat. Scootaloo spoke first. "Rarity, why were you crying like that?" "S-Scotaloo, Darling... I-I was c-c-crying because...because..." Rarity overcame another bout of sobs before continuing. "It's P-Pinkie... She...She..." She lost her voice, then hugged both of the ponies in front of her. "Oh, Twilight, it's horrible!" "Rarity...It's okay..." "NO, IT'S NOT!" The unicorn backed up and spoke more softly. "Pinkamena...got her way with a mirror." "What do you mean?" "She...pushed the biggest shard through her forehead..." Rarity hung her head, letting her salty tears form a puddle on the hardwood floor. She thrust her head back and let it all out. Twilight hugged her. "Where is she now, Rarity?" "She's, um, resting in my bedroom on the floor, if you know what I mean..." Twilight cantered toward the bedroom, throwing open the door and hitting something hard. She looked behind the door and saw a limp, pink, and crimson form. Blood stained the floor. The purple alicorn covered her mouth with her hoof, then nudged the pink pony a little. No reaction came out of her. Twilight just stood there, appalled. Tears stung her eyes. The lavender pony hugged Rarity. "Oh, Rarity...I'm so sorry..." "It's okay. And don't feel sorry for just me. We all lost another Element of Harmony...the best one, in my opinion. Laughter." All three of them broke onto sobs. Their hearts shattered into a thousand pieces once more. Three more pools of tears sat on the ground. All three mares ran out the door to go tell their friends, all of Ponyville, in fact, that their beloved Pinkamena Diane Pie was gone.
The Aftermath of "It"Pinkie Pie trudged across the bakery known as "Sugar-cube Corner", glancing at each and every photograph that she took of she and Rainbow Dash. These memories will never be forgotten. One of them was taken on the day that they first met. Pinkie still had braces then. It had been that long since they've known each other and Rainbow Dash betrayed her. She committed suicide, leaving Pinkie Pie in the everlasting pit of dread called life. The party pony hadn't come out of the bakery ever since that visit with Twilight Sparkle and Scootaloo. She still remembered every minute of it. * * * Pinkie saw Rainbow Dash lying on the ground, wheezing. "You're... too... late," were the last words of her favorite mare in the world. Scootaloo got on her scooter and set course for the library. The orange filly was already bawling once she got there. "Twilight, it's Rainbow Dash! She finally did it!" were the last words that Pinkie ever wanted to say. * * * Pinkie sighed, placing a hoof on the last picture she took with Rainbow in it. "Well, in a couple of days," Pinkie uttered to her dead friend, "will be your funeral. I wouldn't miss it for the world... my love." The pink mare broke down onto the ground, sobbing, burying her face into her hooves. She let her screams fill the bakery. They echoed through the halls. Pinkie stood on her hooves, grabbed the picture, and screamed at it. "Why?! Why would you do this to me, Dashie?! Do you not feel any love that I've stored for you?! I loved you, Rainbow Dash! I thought you loved me, but NO! You just commit suicide and think, 'Oh, Pinkie will get over it. She's just my MAREFRIEND'!!!" Her hair had deflated days ago and had not gone back to its original curly style ever since. She stopped to catch her breath, then continued. "Do you not feel my love, Dashie? DO YOU NOT FEEL MY LOVE?!" Pinkie Pie ran up the stairs and threw herself onto the bed, practically drowning in her tears. After what seemed like hours of endless bellowing, Pinkie sniffled. "It's okay. I knew you were depressed... yet I also knew that you were loyal, so you would live a terrible life to not make me miserable! So, why'd you do it if you're loyal?" Pinkie Pie hit her head on her pillow several times. * * * Twilight Sparkle was reading, as she always was. She flipped the pages again and again, driving Spike crazy. Despite how much he tried to get her to stop reading and visit Pinkie, nothing worked. Once he mentioned the visit with Pinkie Pie suggestion, she perked up her ears. "A visit with Pinkie? Spike, why haven't you mentioned that all this time? I must visit Pinkie, or she'll never get over Rainbow Dash's death!", she called to him. "Really? I mentioned it for the past half hour." "Oh... right." Twilight leaned over and put her book back on its shelf. "So that's what you were blabbering about?" Spike groaned with exasperation and face-palmed. He had never thought he would hear of Twilight being so dumb. * * * Pinkie went downstairs and plopped herself into a chair, sulking and sighing. She glanced at the clock. Time to take her ADHD pills.Yet, she didn't see the point in taking them. She didn't show any more symptoms. Not since her marefriend committed suicide. Then she remembered that she promised she would turn to some pony for romance if her friend really did die. She got out a piece of parchment, grabbed a quill in her mouth, and began to write a letter to Cheese Sandwich. Dear Cheese Sandwich, I'm going through real rough times here in Ponyville. My marefriend, Rainbow Dash, committed suicide a couple of days ago and I want you to come over to Sugar-cube Corner to comfort me. Send me a letter if you get this and you are coming. Sincerely, Pinkie Pie The pink earth pony trotted out the door and ran toward the post office. Once there, she trotted to the counter and slammed the envelope down. It already had a decorative stamp on it, so she didn't have to ask to see their collection. "Please send this to Cheese Sandwich." After she said this, she turned around and left. * * * Cheese Sandwich stood near a huge sign that read; Are you a party planner? Well, I'm hiring assistants for parties all around Equestria! About fifty ponies have come to apply for the job. Only one succeeded. Cheese gasped when he saw a wisp of blue and green smoke appear right in front of his muzzle. The smoke vanished, and instead, there was a piece of parchment. He quickly grabbed it and opened it. It was from Pinkie Pie. He gasped again. He was surprised to hear from her. Cheese ran to his house, grabbed his saddle bag, and headed out the door, setting course for Sugar-cube Corner. * * * Pinkie wandered around aimlessly, checking that the daily cakes that were on display weren't going bad. She figured that it wouldn't be long before Cheese Sandwich got here, so she began to wait on the couch. Pinkie thought that she might go a little overboard to feel joy again, so he might as well pack a condom. She giggled at the thought of that and began to blush. Her hair didn't inflate again, though. It seemed that even when she has the major event off of her mind, it wouldn't seem to stay out for long. She tried and tried to do various tasks to get it out, even throwing more parties, but nothing ever seemed to get her happy anymore. She slowly drifted into a deep sleep with no dream. Pinkamena woke up to a knock at the door. She opened it to see Cheese Sandwich standing there. "Hi, Pinkie Pie! Whoa. What's gotten into you?" "I'm sad about Rainbow's death. It didn't seem to affect any pony else, so I figured that I had all the pressure. She killed herself because of me. I made her blow her money on prank supplies and she ran out of bits after that..." "Didn't she have a good job on the Weather Team?" "Not anymore. She got demoted and eventually, fired. I don't know why. She was too poor to pay rent for her house, so it got evicted. She found a job as a substitute teacher at the schoolhouse for a couple of months because Cheerilee was on maternity leave, but that flame burned out as soon as she had her baby and went back to teaching." "Poor little Dashie." "Ever since, I've been the only one that's noticed her being suicidal, but I never thought that she would actually do it. Now, the aftermath is affecting me. So much so that I'm not sure that I'm willing to live long enough to see her funeral." "Wow. You must have really loved her." "And I did love her. After all I've done for her, she betrayed me. I thought that she was loyal. When we met, I still had braces. We've known each other that long and she betrayed me. OH! Where are my manners? Please, come in." "With pleasure." Cheese made his way inside and closed the door behind him. He finally got a good look at the place. "It's a mess. Did you do all of this?" "Well, it's mostly Pound and Pumpkin Cake, but a little of it is mine. A lot of the reason is because I'm so filled with rage. I think to myself, 'what have I done?' Then, I go completely insane. I guess the guilt comes out in spurts. I've been grieving ever since she said what I call 'the words'." "What are 'the words'?" "'You're too late' is what she said to me. I call them 'the words' because they were her last words." Pinkie began to tear up again. "That's when the aftermath of it all started." Cheese Sandwich wrapped his hoof around her neck and spoke softly, "Hey, don't cry. You're one of the 'Super-Duper Party Ponies', remember?" "Not today." Cheese was surprised to hear that. Of all the days she could pick to be depressed, she picked today? Is that why she sent him the note? Pinkie pushed him away slightly. "Did you pack a condom?" Cheese Sandwich began to blush. His eyes widened. "N-no. Why do you ask?" "Shoot. I thought you would. You see, I figured that I would go a little overboard-" "A little?!" "Okay, COMPLETELY overboard to be able to feel joy again... I'm sorry... This is embarrassing... and awkward..." "You think?" Cheese began to quiver. "Are you cold?" "Kind of." "Here. I'll go get a quilt." Pinkie ran to the other room to get a blanket and came back with one. "This one is special to me, so don't make it dirty." "Why would I?" "Now that you mention it, I don't know." She shrugged, handing Cheese the blanket. He wrapped it around himself as he sighed in comfort. "Thanks, Pinkie Pie." "Call me Pinkamena." "Okay. If you say so, Pinkamena," he replied with a sly wink. Pinkie trotted out of the room for a minute and sat on the bed. Why did she send that letter to him? She was going through something serious and she thought he could help, but she isn't going anywhere with him. She began to walk back to the living room she had a plan that he would want to get into without seduction. "Cheese Sandwich, I'm bored. Do you want to plan a party?" "Boy, would I!" Cheese jumped up and ran outside to get his assistant, who he forgot was still in Baltimare. He trotted back inside and thought for a moment. "You could come to Baltimare with me," he suggested. Pinkie's eyes widened. She lashed out at him without knowing it. "Cheese, do you not understand that Rainbow Dash's funeral is in a couple of days?! I thought I knew that I could turn to some pony to help me with this, but NO! You want to go halfway across Equestria to plan a simple party! I thought I could trust you!" "I'm sorry, Pinkamena. I didn't know that your marefriend's funeral hasn't already happened." With this, he trotted out the door slowly. "Oh, and by the way," he said sternly as he turned around to face her, "Don't bother sending me another letter to help you with your depression. Help yourself. You're not helpless." Upon saying this, he turned his back and left Sugar-cube Corner.
Grief (Almost) Takes OverTwilight had promised herself that she would go to Pinkie Pie for a visit, but now, she wasn't so sure. Cheese Sandwich was standing in the middle of the library, blabbering about the visit he had with Pinkie. It was rather surprising to see him here, considering he lived halfway across Equestria. "And then Pinkie asked if I had a condom, and-" Cheese was cut off by Twilight's hoof. She raised it into the air to resemble silence. "Tell me what happened, but say everything slower. I couldn't understand you before." Cheese Sandwich took a moment to catch his breath, then started over. "Well, I was hiring employees for my party planning business." "And?" "And a puff of smoke appeared in front of me. After that, a letter was on the ground in front of me. I read it and it was from Pinkie. I ran home and packed a bag, setting course for Ponyville. Once I got to Sugar-cube Corner, She let me in and told me all about why I was supposed to come. Then, she asked me..." He trailed off with heavy blush making its way across his face. "What did she ask you?" "She... she asked me if I... had a condom." Now, he turned his head away in embarrassment. "She asked you if you had a condom? But why?" "She told me that she figured she would go overboard to feel at least a little joy." "Well, that's what some ponies do as a natural response to grief. You see, Cheese Sandwich, some ponies really would go overboard with their lovers to feel joy again. It's just pony nature." The lavender princess paused for a brief moment, then continued. "Sometimes, going overboard really does fix the problem, whatever the problem may be." Cheese turned his head back to face Twilight. Worry clouded his face. "Before all that happened with the question, she told me that she may not be willing to live long enough to make it to Rainbow Dash's funeral." * * * Pinkie Pie cried herself to sleep that night. Not that it wasn't normal for her. She did this every time she wanted to sleep since the chain of events that lead to her marefriend's suicide. Now, Pinkie was considering doing the same thing to herself. "I would be with my Dashie again," she muttered to herself before closing her eyes and singing her own theme song once more, and more likely the last time. "My name is Pinkie Pie And I am here to say I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your day It doesn't matter now If you are sad or blue 'Cause cheering up my friends is just what Pinkie's here to do..." After she sang the first verse, she began to sob softly. The sad mare fell asleep. Pinkie Pie dropped a basket near Rainbow Dash's grave. A tear trickled down her cheek. "This really is goodbye, my Little Dashie..." She lifted the cloth, revealing five six-sided white stars and one large rainbow colored star in the middle.. "I made this myself." Pinkie's eyes fluttered open. She heard a slight grumble. It came from her stomach. The hunger was unbearable, yet she ate right before she went to bed. The party pony trotted to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl, placing it on the counter and turning toward the pantry. She reached in and grabbed a box of oatmeal packages. After opening one and dumping it into the bowl, she filled a cup of water. Blankly, the pink mare dumped the water into the bowl, picking it back up and placing it in the microwave oven. Wait a minute, the mare thought to herself when her eyes fell on her case of knives. One particular blade caught her attention. It was in the medical kit, right beside the case. The metal shimmered in the light of the large room. I could use these... * * * The Cutie Mark Crusaders were headed to The Carousel Boutique. Sweetie Belle was humming a soothing tune while Scootaloo flapped her wings, making her scooter move faster. "Race you there!", she called back to them as she reached the door, "Whoops, sorry. Winner's spot's taken." The other two fillies glared at her with exasperation. "Honestly, Scoots, aren't you just a little sad about Rainbow anymore?", Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo turned her gaze to the young earth pony. "Of course I am! I was her number one fan, you know? How could she do this to me?!" "Scoots," Sweetie Belle uttered, "She hurt all of us for what she did. We are mourning just as much as you are, so the term should be 'How could she do this to US'." "Ah reckon now's not the time to be teachin' Scootaloo grammar," uttered Apple Bloom. "I'm not trying to teach her grammar! I'm trying to get her not to think only about herself all the time!" "I'm not thinking about just myself! I think about Rainbow Dash-" "That's not what Sweetie meant." "Well, sorry!" Rarity opened the front door. "Girls, do come in and stop arguing so much. You're making a scene." As the little fillies stepped inside, Rarity trotted toward the kitchen. "Well, you three came just in time. I just happened to finish making dinner!" Scootaloo made her way toward the dining room table, leaving her scooter at the front doorstep. Sweetie's stomach grumbled unexpectedly. "Well, you made supper just in time. I'm starving!" "Um, Miss Rarity," Apple Bloom called from the living room, "What's for dinner?" "Apple Bloom, darling, you don't have to call me that. Call me Rarity, as that is my name, you know." The yellow filly nodded her head and walked to the dining room, taking a seat beside Scootaloo. Rarity continued cooking the remains of the meal. "To answer your question, Apple Bloom, we're having salad with a side of fried grass." The three fillies cheered at this, as that was their favorite combination of specific food. "Maybe that will get the incident out of my head for a little bit," Scootaloo uttered in a surprisingly saddened voice considering she had been happy just mere seconds ago. Rarity turned her gaze toward the orange filly. "You mean what happened three days ago? Scootaloo, you know that Rainbow Dash was only depressed and wasn't thinking clearly about what other ponies would think about it. Especially Pinkie Pie. I haven't seen her since her own marefriend committed suicide. She hasn't come out of Sugar-cube Corner." The fillies started to wonder just what was keeping the party pony away from the outside world. * * * Pinkie had reached the medical kit and had stared at it for enough time to have already slashed her hooves and died. Tears have streamed down her face for God knows how long, but it was past dark now. Pinkie could swear that she heard Mr.Cake come home, but he doesn't come back from his shift until nine, and it was only seven-thirty. Yet another tear made its way down her face. She finally considered the cost of slitting her hoof. Fining an artery was extremely hard, and if she survives and is taken to the hospital in time, she could suffer even more physical pain than her mental feelings, which were currently hurt to the point of suicidal thoughts. She finally made her decision. She grabbed the scalpel and began to cut. Droplet by droplet of blood made a puddle. Pinkie gave off soft moans of pain. A vaguely familiar voice sounded in her head. "You're choosing me instead of your friends? You need to think about how you're going to affect other ponies in particular. You'll be with me again, but you need to consider what you're doing. I thought you would make every pony smile, not cry." It didn't take long for Pinkamena to realize who the owner of this voice was. She turned around to see a cloud of blue, red, and yellow. It looked more like a blurred, rainbow-colored lightning bolt than anything else. Actually, when Pinkie Pie squinted her eyes until they were almost shut, she could make out Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, floating in the still atmosphere. "Who are you? Why do I see Rainbow Dash's cutie mark instead of a pony?", Pinkie squeaked. "Pinkie...I am Rainbow Dash." Pinkie couldn't believe her ears. "Inconceivable! Rainbow Dash doesn't look like that! And she's dead!" The cutie mark disappeared and instead, there stood a blurred version of Rainbow. "See?" Pinkie Pie screamed and jumped back, falling into the puddle of tears and blood. Her heart pumped and another rush of blood came out of her wound. Rainbow's spirit gasped. "What have I done?" Pinkie's heart fluttered. She then knew that she successfully committed suicide. Her eyes closed. Rainbow, despite being a ghost, was able to lift Pinkie, flying swiftly toward the library.
A Balloon With No Helium A Balloon With No Helium Twilight had already gotten to bed and reached over to turn off the light when she heard a familiar voice at the door. Whoever it was, it was calling her name. "Twilight! Let us in, quick!" "The door's unlocked!" "That's just it, I can't open it! I've got Pinkie in my hooves!" The lavender pony's curiosity got the best of her, so she, slowly but surely, flew toward the door. "Before I let you and Pinkie Pie in, I must ask, who are you, exactly?" "There's only one of your friends who would holler instead of knock. Guess who?" Twilight knew the answer, but refused to believe it. "You aren't Rainbow! She's dead!" "Why don't you open the door so I can prove it?" Twilight wasn't sure what to do; to open the door, or to keep refusing. She slowly opened the door to see a bloody, unconscious Pinkamena and a cloudy figure holding her. When she squinted enough to where the blur came to focus, her eyes widened. "Rainbow Dash! It really is you! Come on in! What happened to Pinkie?" It was then that Twilight noticed Pinkie's damaged hooves. "Did she do this to herself?" "Yeah. You got an adrenaline needle?" "Yes, of course. In fact, Pinkie asked me the same question when she tried to save you," Twilight replied as she made her way up the stairs. The princess came back downstairs, levitating the injection. Rainbow's spirit could only watch as she lowered the needle into Pinkie's chest. The pink pony gasped awake. She glanced around the room anxiously. When she could make out Rainbow, she only did exactly what Rainbow Dash did on her second-to-last suicide attempt. She narrowed her eyebrows and huffed. "Why'd you save me? I wanted to be with you again!" "Pinkie, do you not notice who saved your life? You owe Twilight and I a thank you." "I know, and I'm sorry, but now, thanks to you, my life is gonna be even more of a nightmare than it already was! So yeah, thanks for ruining my life even more than you did before!" Pinkie then noticed the irony of all this. Rainbow's spirit was here, and technically, heaven was in the clouds.The fear of having a ghost save her life had not come, for the ghost was her marefriend. This was not a nightmare, this was a dream come true. "Dashie, I'm so sorry!", Pinkie wailed as she locked herself into the spirit's embrace. "What's to be sorry about?", Twilight inquired. "I'm sorry because I blamed you for what you did. You may have killed yourself, but you only did that because of me." "Why would I kill myself because of you?" "Because I made you blow your money on prank supplies and that's what started all this! If I hadn't done that, you would still be alive and happy!" "Pinkie, stop. You're going to end up having ulcers because of the weight of crime you're putting on your own shoulders," Twilight said as she slammed her hoof into the ground. Pinkie backed away as if struck. Then, she remarked, "Ulcers? Those can kill me! I..." She trailed off, unable to speak. * * * "I hope you had a good meal, Crusaders! Come back tomorrow!", Rarity called to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo as they left. Sweetie Belle made her way to her bedroom and sat on the bed. "Rarity isn't the same anymore..." she uttered to herself as she levitated a picture frame with her magic. "What is that, Sweetie?" "Nothing, Rarity," Sweetie murmured. She quickly set the picture back onto the dresser, grinning nervously. "Alright, then," Rarity nodded and kissed her sister good night. After doing this, she headed to bed. * * * "Rainbow, I've been thinking ever since I met you that I should ask you a question not every mare is brave enough to ask," Pinkie said as she and her ghost friend entered Sugar-cube Corner, "But, I can't exactly ask you now." "What'd you want to ask me, Pinks?" "I wanted to ask you if you would.....marry me." Rainbow chuckled. "Yeah..."
Will It End This Way?Rainbow set Pinkie on her bed. "How long will you stay, Dashie?", Pinkie inquired, followed by a loud yawn. "According to my guardian-" "Who's your guardian?" "That's just it. I don't know. He said I can only stay on the ground for a few more days before I have to go. I don't know why, though." Pinkie nodded. She had no idea what Dash meant, but at least she was here. Finally being able to be happy, even just for a few days, made Pinkie smile for the first time in what felt like years. * * * Twilight set the last book in its place. She smiled, letting the midday sunlight glint off of her teeth. The sun shone through the windows and reflected off of the mirror in a corner of her bedroom. The lavender alicorn heard a screech. It sounded like one of pain, but there wasn't any fear in it. "Hello?", Twilight called in the direction of the kitchen. She heard a voice. "T-Twilight? Go away!" "Are you the one who screamed?" A pink pony stood in the middle of the room with a bloody knife in her mouth. Twilight gasped. "Pinkie?" Pinkie Pie fell to the ground, letting her scraped flank show. Twilight couldn't see the three balloons on it. They had been cut away. She also noticed that Pinkie's hooves were damaged. Badly. The purple princess was glued into place. All she could do was watch the life fade from Pinkie's eyes. "Pinkie, no!", Twilight reached out and snatched Pinkie from the ground. Pinkie closed her eyes before uttering four more words; "I'm with Dashie now..." * * * Twilight shrieked awake. She breathed heavily, inhaling through nose, exhaling through mouth. She looked out the window and glanced in the direction of Sugar-cube Corner. I have to visit Pinkie TODAY, she thought. * * * Pinkie woke up from her first good dream in months. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing no pony in her room. Dash must have left. She flopped out of bed. She felt sad this morning and she didn't know why. This had been normal since Rainbow's...incident. She sighed loudly and trudged out of her bedroom. The pink pony glanced around the kitchen. Where was Rainbow? She had said that she still had a few days until she had to leave. Pinkie glanced over to the couch. A note sat there, motionless. She approached it. It said, Dear Pinkie, I stand correct it. The funeral is today, not tomorrow. Sorry for such short notice. I have to leave now, goodbye, my love. Sincerely, Rainbow Dash Pinkie gasped. The funeral's today? Why are they telling me the date now? Why couldn't they tell me when it was four days ago?, Pinkie thought. When thinking of this, she trotted out the front door and toward the Carousel Boutique. * * * The pale white unicorn cantered frantically around the room full of organized chaos. She had been sewing dress after dress until there were five of them. Each of them were black and made of silk. The only thing left she had to do was get some flowers from the garden so that she could make the final touch; the garlands. She jumped out of her fur when a loud knock from the door split her eardrums. She shrieked unexpectedly. Rarity galloped over to the front door. She gasped. "Pinkie Pie! You finally came out of Sugar-cube Corner! Come, I'll show you what I made for our friends." When saying this, Rarity beckoned Pinkamena to come in. Then, she pointed toward the mannequins, all with identical black dresses that had a small trail of fabric behind them. Each of them had six cutie marks embroidered into them. The first five were the other's cutie marks, circling around the one that was Rainbow Dash's. Just looking at the blue, yellow, red, and white mark made tears well up in Pinkie's eyes. "Well, Rarity, they all look...nice..." Pinkie murmured. She opted to reach out and touch one, but Rarity grabbed her hoof before she could. "Now, now, Pinkie Pie, you simply must take a shower before you touch anything else," Rarity uttered in disgust. She quickly let go of Pinkie's hoof, rushing to the sink to wash it. Pinkie, while hanging her head, trudged toward the bathroom. Once in there, she punched the mirror. The impact cracked it. She hit it again, spreading the crack. One more punch, then the mirror shattered. Pinkamena was breathing heavily with anger and sadness. She grabbed one of the shards in her hoof. The tears blurred her vision as she bellowed. The pink mare heard frantic hoofsteps. She took one last look at the shard, then closed her eyes. It's time to see you again, She thought before pulling the sharp end of the shard toward her forehead. She heard a loud cracking sound, then everything went black. Rarity looked in the bathroom door and shrieked in surprise. Pinkie was laying there, face on the floor. Rarity turned the limp body over and started bawling. Pinkie had stabbed herself in the forehead. Her eyes were wide open, almost as if she were scared of something. Her mouth was partly open. Her face was covered in blood. "PINKIE!", Rarity screeched as she fell to her knees. "WHY?!" The unicorn didn't care what would happen to her beautiful complexion. She buried her face in the blood-covered floor as she sobbed. Once her throat hurt too much, she got up and headed for the telephone. She dialed the number and held the phone up to her ear. She heard an answer. "Rarity? What's up?" "Scootaloo, darling, I need you to come over. Don't ask any questions, just come over. Now." "Um, okay, I guess." After Rarity heard that comment, she hung up, not wanting to talk to any pony else before Scootaloo got there. * * * Twilight walked swiftly along the sidewalk, keeping the building that she was approaching in her view. An orange blur ran past her. "Scootaloo?", Twilight called. "Where are you going?" The orange filly turned her head toward the alicorn. "To the Carousel! Wanna come with me?" "Well..." Twilight almost refused, but quickly backtracked. "Wait up, Scoots!", she yelled as she cantered toward the filly. * * * Rarity frantically raced around the boutique for a mop. Once she saw one, she levitated it and ran toward the bathroom. Once she got there, she levitated Pinkie's limp body out. Sweeping the mop back and forth, Rarity heard the front door open and close. She quickly hid Pinkamena, shut the bathroom door, and went to help her customer. Twilight and Scootaloo stood in front of Rarity, watching and trying not to judge her as she bawled. Once she had let it all out, the white unicorn cleared her throat. Scootaloo spoke first. "Rarity, why were you crying like that?" "S-Scotaloo, Darling... I-I was c-c-crying because...because..." Rarity overcame another bout of sobs before continuing. "It's P-Pinkie... She...She..." She lost her voice, then hugged both of the ponies in front of her. "Oh, Twilight, it's horrible!" "Rarity...It's okay..." "NO, IT'S NOT!" The unicorn backed up and spoke more softly. "Pinkamena...got her way with a mirror." "What do you mean?" "She...pushed the biggest shard through her forehead..." Rarity hung her head, letting her salty tears form a puddle on the hardwood floor. She thrust her head back and let it all out. Twilight hugged her. "Where is she now, Rarity?" "She's, um, resting in my bedroom on the floor, if you know what I mean..." Twilight cantered toward the bedroom, throwing open the door and hitting something hard. She looked behind the door and saw a limp, pink, and crimson form. Blood stained the floor. The purple alicorn covered her mouth with her hoof, then nudged the pink pony a little. No reaction came out of her. Twilight just stood there, appalled. Tears stung her eyes. The lavender pony hugged Rarity. "Oh, Rarity...I'm so sorry..." "It's okay. And don't feel sorry for just me. We all lost another Element of Harmony...the best one, in my opinion. Laughter." All three of them broke onto sobs. Their hearts shattered into a thousand pieces once more. Three more pools of tears sat on the ground. All three mares ran out the door to go tell their friends, all of Ponyville, in fact, that their beloved Pinkamena Diane Pie was gone.
