The white bunny

I couldn't sleep that night. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't get comfortable. I felt horrible. I had kicked Angel. Hard, even. I couldn't get the squeal he made out of my head. So I decided to go downstairs to ease my mind with some camomille tea. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I couldn't believe my eyes. Angel was raiding the fridge.

"Angel! What are you doing!" I shouted, not loud enough to wake the other animals, but enough to make him jump in surprise. He turned, and had a scared look on his face. Then he looked at the carrot he was holding, and put it away before giving a nervous smile. "Now, Angel, you'll get food in the morning. Now, go to the bunny village, I'm sure they have a place for you to sleep there," I told him as calmly as I could. Bunny village was a place had built for bunnies, hares, mice and rats to live. Angel had never been there before, since he was the only animal that slept inside the cottage. I was trying very hard not to get angry at him. But I still felt great anger inside me. He didn't move. I knew what he was doing. He was pretending he didn't know what I was talking about.

"Angel, I mean it! I told you you can't sleep in the cottage for a week. Get. Out. Bunny village is nice, I'm sure you'll like it there," I told him. Still no reaction, exept folded arms. He won't respect you before you do something. Punish him properly! a voice in my head said.

Something inside me knew that it was wrong to punish a helpless animal, but the voice sounded so reasonable. Like in a trance, I went to the kitchen and got a sharp knife. I hid it under my wing, and walked back to Angel. "One last chance, Angel," I warned him. He did not leave the fridge. So I grabbed him between my hooves, took him to the basement. The mayor had trusted me to hide all torture equipment in Ponyville after a crazy pony stole a torture chair from the museum.

But all I needed was a tiny woodboard with strong straps. I strapped Angel to it, and took out the knife. This, of course, terrified him. But I was only after giving him a warning.

Without thinking, I cut off most of his left ear. He screamed, but nopony would hear him from the basement. He was bleeding. His blood was running down his face, mixing with tears as it ran down his cheeck. I still don't know how I was able to be so emotionless while I took out some alchohol to clean the wound. He squealed and struggled, but couldn't get free.

After I had made sure his wound was clean, I put away the knife under my wing, released Angel from the straps, and asked, "Will you now do as I say?" He nodded.

"Good. And if you tell any of the other animals what has happened here, things will go bad for you. If anyone asks how your ear turned out that way, say you got attacked by a wild animal. Understood?" Another nod. "Good. Now, get out!"

He ran outside as fast as he could. As soon as I cleaned my hooves and the knife from blood, a wave of regret washed over me. I couldn't believe what I had just done. I had never done such a thing in my life. My hooves were shaking as I reached for the teapot to make some calming camomille tea. As I waited for the water to boil, I was still shaking. I looked at my hooves. They were clean, but I still felt like there still was blood on them.
What have you done, what have you done,what have you done...
I was a nervous wreck. What if my friends found out? What if the police found out? Either way, I'd get arrested for animal abuse!

I jumped when the teapot squealed. It sounded just like Angel's screams. Hooves trembling, I took a teacup, and poured. But my hooves weren't steady enough, so the teacup fell down with a CRASH! I picked up the pieces, but stopped in my tracks when I saw that the patterns on the cup were white bunnies. "Don't panic, Fluttershy, it's just a coincidence," I told myself as I picked up the pieces and threw them in the trash. I took a new cup, and started pouring. I felt a little better, and when I was done drinking, I looked in the cup to see if the tealeaves had made a shape. I almost jumped when I saw that the tealeaves had formed a bunny. my hooves were trembling again as I put away the pot and the cup and went back upstairs.

***

I didn't see Angel that morning. I had prepared his favourite salad to apologize, but he was nowhere to be seen. I flew nervously to bunny village, hoping to see him. A split second, I saw him. He was in the hotel, eating a carrot. When he saw me, he instantly closed the blinds to his room. I knelt down, and whispered: "Angel, I brought your favourite salad. I hope you can forgive me." When I didn't get a response, I left him. He had all the right in the world to hate me. I hated him too, but I still regretted doing such a thing. I hoped that if I left, he would come out and eat the salad. That was all I could do.

I went to Ponyville to clear my mind. I tought I could do some grocery shopping, or perhaps have something to eat. Or maybe buy a gift for my husband. He would be going on a bussiness trip soon, and an early birthday gift would be perfect. So I walked towards a gift shop and had a look. Finally, I decided to buy a giftcard he could use in any store in Equestria (exept Appleoosa). Then I suddenly heard angry shouting from the market. Curious, I flew to see what the fuss was about.

I saw Carrot top, Roseluck and Daisy surrounding a bunny. I instantly recognized him. Angel! I landed besides the mares. "What did he do this time?" I asked over a sigh.

"He raided my carrot supply!" Carrot top shouted angrily.

"He stomped over my roses!" Roseluck said.

"He bit over the stem of all my flowers!" Daisy shouted, not fainting for once.

"How many bits do I have to pay?" I asked casually.

"We have found out that your bunny has made damage for 360 bits," Roseluck answered. "120 bits each."

I payed them their bits, and they walked away. "Sorry," I said to the mares. I turned my head and glared at Angel.

As ponies were leaving, I picked him up and put him in my saddlebag. I may have looked like I was completely calm, but on the inside, I hated Angel more than ever. I can't explain it, but I started having dark toughts. I wanted to harm him. For once, I didn't feel any regret for what I had done the other night. He deserved what he got. Clearly, he hasn't learned anything. He is a waste of an animal. There's no use in keeping him alive. The longer I tought about it the more tempting it got. How satisfying wouldn't it be to see him die?

I got to the cottage, and went inside Everfree forest. I picked up Angel, alongside a knife I always carried around in case of the worst. I pinned him down with one hoof, and held the knife in another. "I sheltered you. I fed you! I loved you! I let you sleep inside the cottage! I always gave you the better food! I even let you break the rules! And how do you repay me? You steal from the townsponies, and the townsponies give me the bill. You have used my kindness all these years for yous selfish needs. I hope you're satisfied. To think that once, I loved you!" I yelled before I slit his troath. I watched him struggle against my hoof, but to no avail. Eventually, he choked to death. Unlike last time, I didn't feel regret. I felt... Happy. I felt... Free. I laughed. Not a happy laugh. A crazy laugh. I do not know how long I was laughing, but when I was done, I left Angel's body and found a river. I washed my hooves and the knife before putting it back in the bag. I flew to the cottage, acting like nothing had happened. I continued the day full of cheer, and at the end of the day, me and my husband went to sleep.

I woke up to fire.