Secrets in Equestria

This wasn’t happening, Fluttershy couldn’t go back to being the demon she was, that they were. Rarity’s breathing became rapid and her body began shaking. She looked to the cottage and then away and back again. She didn’t know what to do now. Two of her friends had become their previous selves, she was struggling with knowing how to deal with Sunset and Rainbow and Applejack were probably having a conversation right now. She had to tell them what happened. She ran into town and straight into Sunset. “Sorry Sunset, truly am.”

“What’s got you all wound up, messed up a dress?” Sunset scoffed.

Rarity wanted to snap but she kept her cool as there were more important things to deal with. “Think what you like but my friends are in trouble. If you care to help, you may tag along otherwise I really must be going.” Sunset had begun to care and actually wanted to help but she just couldn’t show it and wasn’t sure why. Maybe her pride was getting in the way or maybe she just didn’t want to get hurt again. Whatever the reason, she gave Rarity a weird look before Rarity huffed and walked off. A part of Sunset felt bad about it but the other part had a wall she had a hard time breaking down. “All right then, onto my friends.” Rarity ran off in search of her friends. After a few minutes of looking around, she found them at her shop. “Applejack, Rainbow Dash, are you two alright?”

“Not really, our friend is still a crazy mare.” Rainbow hovered sadly in the air.

“Where is Fluttershy, is she alright?” AJ asked.

Rarity bit her lip and then took in a deep breath. “No, Pinkamena, she used us as a distraction to get to Fluttershy.” The three were quiet and upset. What could they do, Pinkamena was always a step ahead of them. She had everything planned out and they were afraid. Rarity knew what she had to do even though it probably wouldn’t do any good. “We need to tell Sunset about us. It’s not preferable but it needs to be done. Pinkamena knows us but she doesn’t know Sunset and let’s face it girls, Sunset was right about Pinkie. Perhaps we should trust her this time.

“Trust who this time?” Sunset asked coming up behind them.

The three turned around and sighed in unison. “Listen here Sunset, we all have a past and it’s coming back to haunt us, thanks to Pinkamena.”

“I don’t really care what trouble your in because of her. I have my own issues to deal with.” Sunset tried to push past but Applejack wouldn’t let her. “Do you really want to mess with me hick?”

“No but you need to know because this will affect you as well.” Sunset grumbled and shrugged. “I’ll take that as an ok.” Sunset rolled her eyes out of habit and mentally slapped herself. She couldn’t bring herself to actually be nice. The three in front of her wanted to confide in her and she kept insulting them. “I oughta.”

“Calm down Applejack.” Rarity stepped between her friend and Sunset. “It was a long time ago when we were just fillies. I always had a creative mind but I wasn’t normal. I was always looking for new ways to create and I learned that if I skinned ponies and used their coats and skin, I could create a beautiful dress or anything really. At first it was dead ponies but soon it turned into something more. I would kill ponies just for their skins and coats. I created the most wonderful clothes and least in my eyes. I still have my first creation to remind me not to let my imagination run away with me. Anyway, I killed nearly two hundred ponies before I was taken to the mental institute. Once I got better, I saw the clothes I had made out of ponies and I almost threw up. I still remember everything I did and for a while, the screams haunted me but I had friends with me; the same friends who helped me to kill the ponies. What was left over after skinning the ponies, Pinkamena used in her cupcakes.” Rarity turned away in disgust and anger. “I don’t want to go back to being that way.” She said more forcibly than intended.

Sunset backed away but was stopped by Rainbow Dash. “Listen Sunset, these are our stories and you need to know them. Whether any of us like it or not, you are a part of this group. You want to get out of here fine but this is bigger and wait a minute.” Rainbow Dash turned to Rarity. “Those cupcakes Pinkamena shared with us were made of pony?”

“Darling, how could you not have known. She always said that there were special ponies in those cupecakes.”

“I thought she meant that you all put a lot of time into them. Like you put a piece of yourselves in them, like artists do with their work.” With that said, Rainbow turned and threw up on the ground.

“Well, you weren’t the smartest then. Anyway, consider that a little warning. Don’t let Pinkamena feed you cupcakes.” Rarity looked more disgusted.

Sunset wanted to run away from this but at the same time wanted to know what else to avoid. She was going to do her best to help, somehow. “Ok, fill me in on everything.”

“Glad to see you come around.” Applejack said with a smirk.

“Just continue already.” Sunset grumbled and then mentally slapped herself again. She had a lot to work on.

Rarity nodded. “May I Applejack?” AJ nodded. “Ok then, Applejacks story is similar to mine in the way of deaths involved. Applejack competed in many competitions, more so than now, and had a bit of an honesty issue. You see, she always had steroids on her if she felt she needed them. Of course they were magically enhanced so when they were used, results weren’t really noticeable. Applejack looked as if she had simply gotten better but this spiraled out of control thanks to our encouragement. Things went further than even Applejack had wanted it to go. You see Sunset, Applejack had no problem if she hurt any pony because of these steroids which were black market only because of the magic used to enhance them. It wasn’t until Applejack’s last steroid enhanced competition did she regret using them. She kicked a hay bale up to the top of the pile but thanks to the steroids, the hay bale tower was knocked over which was only a problem because at the time, weights were in the bales. It was to make it a challenge for competitors but what wasn’t considered was how much weight was in the tower. It was at this time that ponies realized that weights in the bales weren’t safe. Of course if AJ hadn’t used the steroids, the tower wouldn’t have fallen so fast. The force of Applejacks kick was to much. Anyway, the tower was too tall and heavy. It fell fast into the stands and crushed her parents. They were put into the hospital and died from internal bleeding. AJ confessed and she was taken to a mental hospital.”

The story was a bit confusing but Sunset understood the gist of it. She could see why Applejacks explanation could be a little difficult. “Hold on, I get it, it’s bad and all but that seems like a simple addiction to me, how does that make her crazy.” Sunset asked.

“I understand the disbelief darling, I do but it was more than that. Applejack didn’t need the steroids at any time and every pony including Applejack knew it. She had no problem killing pony’s because of them or at all really.”

“Rarity, let me.” Rarity’s eyes widened in shock as AJ never wanted to talk about the steroid story. Rarity nodded to let Applejack finish. “It was more then all that, Pinkamena wanted me to help her. Killing ponies was one way to do just that. I got my parents killed because of Pinkamena. I killed my kin and Pinkamena didn’t care.” Applejack let tears slip down her face and her body began to shake. “She said the steroids would keep me from be suspected for any deaths, I would be safe but it was just a lie. She said it would all look like an accident. I never want to go back to being the way I was. Sunset isn’t wrong though, I was addicted but it didn’t start out that way. I can’t go back to being a terrible pony who lied, cheated, and killed. I just can’t.” Applejack’s knees gave way under her and she fell to her knees. Rarity and Rainbow were both there to comfort her.

“I’m sorry Applejack, truly I am.” Sunset turned away and bit her lip. She wasn’t enjoying these stories and the more she heard, the more she felt she needed to hear and help. Helping was an unusual feeling but there she was feeling like she needed to. There were still a few more stories to be told. “What about Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow Dash cracked her neck and breathed in deep. “I’m not proud of myself either. I have always been a fan of going fast and winning. That was exactly my issue though. I never knew what I could do until Pinkamena showed me. I got into a race a long time ago as a filly and Pinkamena saw me win and create my sonic Rainboom. She spoke to me and told me that winning was nothing if you couldn’t enjoy it. I knew that already but there was more to it. She said I should try and destroy my opponents in a race. I thought I had but Pinkamena shook her head and laughed. I had to do more than just beat them, destruction was the only way to show dominance.” Rainbow looked away and stomped her hoof on the ground. “I believed her and so I did just that and destroyed every opponent I came across. I left their bodies mangled and all I could do was smile and laugh at how pathetic they had been. I did whatever it took to win and Pinkamena asked me to do her a favor whenever that happened. I left her the bodies of the defeated. I never knew what she did with the bodies though. I went on like this for years and to be honest, it has me trapped.”

“Trapped, how?” Sunset asked truly curious.

“Doesn’t matter, it just does and that’s all you need to know. There is only so much personal life that you need to know about!” Rainbow snapped and looked away. She couldn’t tell Sunset, it would only make things that much worse.

“Ok crabby, you told me I needed to know and now you don’t want to spill everything.” Sunset wasn’t happy but she wasn’t about to get anything from them. She could tell from the looks on the others faces. “So what else do I need to know?”

“Fluttershy.” Rarity said. “Fluttershy had always been a bully believe it or not. She had been such a bully that ponies died from her bullying. Pinkamena came to her and told her she couldn’t be pushed around and that Fluttershy had been strong. Flutershy said she knew. She followed Pinkamena wherever she went. The irony is that Fluttershy was never strong, it had always been an act. Fluttershy told us how she cried at night after doing the terrible things she did and then remembered that Pinkamena was there to help. You see, Fluttershy started life off getting bullied and decided that she had to be as well to make it in life. She became one and something in her snapped and told her she couldn’t be bullied anymore. She had to teach bullies a lesson and that included those who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Any pony who crossed her had to be punished and they were. First she yelled at the ponies and then came the pushing. It escalated quickly into killing. The voice within her is the same voice within me and the others and no, it’s not Pinkamena. We all have a voice telling us we need to do the things we do. I suppose I should have mentioned that first but” Rarity sighed and then heard a voice behind her. She flipped around and saw Pinkamena with a knife to her sisters throat. Rarity froze.
The others were about to speak but Pinkamena whistled. From behind Pinkamena came Fluttershy with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. “Yes Rarity, I agree but would it matter, I’m always one step ahead and you all know it.” Pinkamena tightened her grip on Sweetie Belles neck and drew blood from her neck. “Let’s make a deal, dear friends.”