The Se7en

A steady rain falls upon Ponyville in the pre-dawn hours. Nopony is out and about, save for a pair of unicorn siblings braving the elements as they make their way to their final destination.

“You certainly picked one glorious morning to do this,” Rarity comments as he magically adjusts the large umbrella hovering over her and her sister’s heads.

“I said I’m sorry,” Sweetie Belle pleads, trying to avoid large puddles in her path.

“Honestly, you’ve known about this school picnic for a week now; why again did you wait until last night to inform me you needed two dozen cupcakes for your class?”

“I’ve been busy, sis. Cheerilee’s been giving us more homework than usual, and the CMCs continue to get requests from all over Ponyville, and even some neighboring towns. Actually … it makes me appreciate all that you get done when you’re busy.”

Rarity smiles as she turns to her sister. “Well-played, Sweetie Belle, but I’ve been around you long enough to be wary of your manipulative abilities.”

The two share a laugh as the rain begins to ease up.

“Well,” Rarity comments, “Rainbow Dash did state that the rain would end before daybreak. And we’re almost at Sugarcube Corner.”

“You sure Pinkie Pie will be able to help us this early?” Sweetie Belle asks. “Princess Luna hasn’t even set the moon yet.”

“In Pinkie’s line of work, the most important tasks get done before the sun rises,” Rarity explains. “Daytime is when customers come to purchase the wares she and the Cakes have created. In any case, this type of schedule frees up the rest of her day to do …” She muses for a moment. “I suppose party-planning, but with Pinkie Pie it could be anything.”

“But the Cakes weren’t even here this weekend,” Sweetie Belle notes.

“Everypony can use a break now and then, least of all a family with little foals. Besides, Pinkie’s been left alone to run things in the past; she’s a lot more responsible than most ponies give her credit for. Ah then …”

Their conversation having taken them to the front steps of the bakery, Rarity closes up the umbrella and approaches the door. “Well, maybe not always responsible,” she notes; “she left the front door open. Well, saves us the trouble of knocking.”

Rarity opens the door, causing a welcoming bell to tinkle overhead. “Yoohoo, Pinkie Pie,” she calls out. “I know this is super-short notice, but Sweetie Belle … needs …”

Sweetie Belle emits an ear-piercing shriek as Rarity suddenly sprints over to the far side of the store.

Seated and motionless behind the display counter, with numerous half-eaten cakes and pies strewn about the countertop, Pinkie Pie’s upper torso and forehooves lay splayed atop the confections. Her head lay face down, buried in the remnants of a large chocolate cake, and her hooves likewise lay deep within half-full pie tins.

Fighting her convulsions, Rarity races back to her sister. “Sweetie Belle, go the Castle of Friendship and get Twilight immediately!” Her sister nods, tears streaming from her eyes, as she turns and bolts out the door. Turning back to the scene and unable to contain her urges, Rarity throws up in disgust. Spitting out traces of phlegm and bile, she composes herself and hurriedly trots over to her friend.

“Pinkie Pie!” she screams. Her horn glows as an aura lifts Pinkie’s head from the cake. She stares at Pinkie’s dead eyes, the latter’s pupils hanging low in their sockets. Half-eaten cake and drool emanate from her mouth and nose; wincing, Rarity turns away as the glowing ceases and Pinkie’s head crashes back down on the cake.

“Oh, Pinkie … why …” she sobs as tears now flow freely. She walks over to a dark corner, curls up and cries into her forehooves as she waits for Twilight to come.

A nagging thought causes her to wipe her tears and look around. She sees that the blinds had been lowered and the curtains drawn throughout the lower level of the building. Her horn glows again, and a single curtain is opened, letting light into the establishment. She takes a final look in the direction of her friend … and notices a peculiar pattern in whipped cream.

She gets to her hooves and walks over to Pinkie’s body, now noticing a single word formed on the floor from the whipped cream:

GLUTTONY

She can only ponder the meaning for a moment, as Twilight bursts through the front door with Sweetie Belle trotting behind.

“Oh sweet Celestia, what happened?” Twilight quietly asks herself.

A crowd of ponies swarm outside the Castle of Friendship, desperate for answers from those closest to the ebullient pink pony party planner as to how she could be found in such a decrepit state. Inside, Twilight Sparkle prepares to address the remaining Elements of Friendship.

Twilight turns from one friend to the next, mindful of the pall hanging over the cutie map room. “I’m glad you could all come on such short notice,” she says to the others. “This is the worst of circumstances that any group of friends could have to be together, but I think it best to reflect amongst ourselves before answering the questions that the masses will no doubt have for us once we leave here today.”

Applejack and Rarity nod in agreement, while Rainbow Dash looks on in silence, devoid of emotion. Fluttershy also nods, tears still forming in her eyes.

“So what do we … uh … what do we know, Twilight?” Applejack asks.

“The early indications are that she simply overindulged, and possibly had a heart attack,” Twilight answers. “Does anypony here know if she was acting strange over the past few days?”

“This is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about,” Rarity states. “ ‘Strange’ to us is rather commonplace for her, is it not?”

“Well, strange for Pinkie Pie, then,” Twilight responds. “Was she depressed over anything? Any particular stress upon her life. Family troubles?”

Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy turn to each other and all shake their heads. “Nothin’ we know about, anyway,” Applejack answers for the group.”

“OK.” Twilight turns from one to the other. “I never thought I’d have to say this so soon, but we will need to make funeral arrangements. Rarity, I ask that you take the lead on this; I know you’ll come up with something tasteful that will honor her life.”

“Yes, of course; anything for Pinkie Pie,” she remarks.

*PAH*

The shout of derision causes the others to turn to Rainbow Dash. “You can’t do ‘tasteful’ and ‘honor Pinkie Pie’!”

Rarity turns to Rainbow Dash and stares daggers at her. “What do you mean by that comment?”

“Maybe you all forget who we’re talking about! Pinkie wouldn’t mourn her death. She’d celebrate her life … her crazy, carefree, anything-for-a-laugh …”

Now fighting back tears, Rainbow gets up and approaches a wall. She slams her forehoof into the wall, cracking the structure and leaving her hoof cracked and bleeding. She continues to smash her forehoof into the wall as blood spatters onto the wall and upon her face and mane.

“Um … Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy starts. “Are you OK?”

“NO I’M NOT ‘OKAY’!!!” Rainbow Dash shouts as she turns to the others, her hoof now a bloody stump. “MY BEST FRIEND IS DEAD! EVERYTHING WE’VE DONE TOGETHER, EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN THROUGH … all meaningless now …” she trails off. “I’m sorry, I … I can’t do this right now.”

Spreading her wings, she quickly flies out of the room.

“Ah’d better follow her,” Applejack says as she gets up from her chair.

“I’ll come with,” Fluttershy adds.

Seconds later, Twilight finds herself alone with Rarity. “How are you holding up,” Twilight asks. “That had to be a horrible experience, being the first one to see her like … like that.”

“I’m more concerned about Sweetie Belle,” Rarity responds. “Poor thing has never been through anything like this … no foal should have to see something so horrid.”

“Where is she now?”

“At Sweet Apple Acres with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo; Granny Smith and Big Mac are watching over them.”

Silence pervades for several seconds, as both Twilight and Rarity process the last couple hours.

“There’s something I need to ask you,” Rarity finally states.

“Oh?” Twilight turns to Rarity with a quizzical look.

“Right before you came to Sugarcube Corner, I found a word sprayed on the floor in whipped cream. ‘Gluttony’. Do you know why Pinkie Pie would spray that word on the ground?”

Twilight ponders the question. “That is not Pinkie Pie behavior in the slightest. But then again … maybe there were things going on in her life … dark things … honestly, I don’t know what to think right now.”

Rarity sighs. “I suppose whatever demons were inside her are now silenced. So … do you know if the wood from the Apples’ trees can be used for coffins?”

Twilight opens her mouth to respond, but cries from outside the castle quickly grab their attention. They quickly scramble to the main entrance and open the door. The twosome observe scores of ponies scattering in all directions, with the source of the panic standing at their front door.

“Dragonlord Ember!” Twilight exclaims.

Ember looks over her shoulder. “Sorry, didn’t mean to cause a panic here … seems like ponies in general scurry over the slightest things.”

“Whatever caused their panic?” Rarity asks.

“Hey, don’t blame me. I was just trying to get to the front door, but there seemed to be a lot of ponies waiting around for you. So I may have shot a breath of fire into the air, to let them know of my presence.”

Twilight does her best not to roll her eyes. “Well yes, ponies don’t usually see such spectacles.”

“Just one of many culture shocks I need to get used to,” Ember admits. “Dragons got no problems with forcing their way through others when needed. Say … why’d you have so many ponies standing around waiting for you, anyway?”
Twilight and Rarity turn to each other, then bow their heads with their eyes closed. Twilight lifts her head back up and addresses Ember. “It’s been a terrible morning for us … for all of Ponyville, really.”

“Oh?” Ember asks with some concern.

“We’ve … we’ve lost Pinkie Pie.”

“Lost? You mean … she …”

“My sister and I found her in Sugarcube Corner this morning,” Rarity replies. “She overindulged last night … none of us know why …”

“Oh …” Ember’s eyes dart to corners as she takes in this information. “Wow … this is, really awkward now.”

“It’s not your fault,” Twilight says. “Have you met her before?”

“Can’t say that I have, no … but, ho boy, maybe I should come back later.”

Twilight and Rarity eye Ember’s sudden discomfort. “Ember,” Rarity starts, “is there something wrong?”

“Yes, there is,” Ember replies solemnly. “You better follow me.”

Ember slowly flies off towards the edge of town. Twilight and Rarity follow in concerned silence.

As the last of the day’s light fades away, Twilight and Rarity stare into the maw of a large cavern. “This cave looks familiar,” Twilight states, “but I can’t quite place it.”

“Can the two of you provide a light source?” Ember asks.

The two ponies nod and concentrate as their horns illuminate the darkness.

“OK, follow me … but prepare yourself.” Ember flies into the cavern, with Twilight and Rarity trotting in pursuit.

After traveling for several minutes, the threesome come upon a large pile of gems. Rarity gasps as she sees a green dragon lying off to the side, his eyes fixated on the group.

“Don’t worry about Grundle,” Ember says. “I’ve ordered him to just sit and wait; I’ll deal with him later.”

“Waitaminute,” Twilight states upon eyeing the dragon. “I’ve seen him before … in my first year in Ponyville. He chased Spike out of his lair, and probably would have killed him if it weren’t for Owliwicious.”

A chilling realization dawns upon Twilight, who turns to Ember. “Why did you bring us back here?”

Ember sighs and points to an unlit portion of the wall. “For this,” she says as she flutters over to the section she pointed out.

As Twilight and Rarity get closer, then horns soon cast light upon a figure lying on his back, charred and broken as he lies in a pool of blood. The twosome recoil in horror and disgust, sobbing and emitting fresh cries of “Why?” that echo throughout the cavern.

“I’m sorry, I truly am,” Ember solemnly states. “I’ve asked Grundle what happened; he says that he left his cavern for a spell, and when he returned, he found Spike just lying atop his hoard. Instinct kicked in, he breathed fire, and, well ... it’s a dragon thing; it doesn’t normally end so badly … but with one as small as …”

Sorrow quickly gives way to anger as Twilight turns to face Ember. “Why was Spike even in this cave! Why would he endanger his own life when he ALREADY KNEW WHO ELSE WAS IN HERE???”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Ember says defensively. “I have no idea why Spike came back here. I didn’t even know he’d been here before. I only found out about this yesterday evening.”

“LIAR!” Rarity accuses, her eyes red and focused.

“You think I had anything to do with this?” Ember turns away from the twosome. “You think I wanted this? Spike meant everything to me … I wouldn’t be Dragonlord without his help. He was a true friend, a pioneer among dragons for showing us what could be gained from others. I dreaded having to tell you, and I’m truly sorry that you had another tragedy to deal with before I showed up.”

Twilight and Rarity feel their anger dissipate, giving way to more grief. Ember turns back to face them.

“Grundle will not harm or obstruct you in any way while you do what needs to be done. Though Spike is a dragon, I believe he would want his final resting place to be among the ponies he grew up with. I must leave now, but I’ll return to gain more information from Grundle. Again, I am deeply sorry for everything you’ve had to contend with.” Having said her fill, Ember flies back towards the cave’s entrance. Grundle gives the twosome a final look before closing his eyes and resting his head.

With heavy hearts, Twilight and Rarity walk over to Spike’s lifeless body. Twilight shakes her head. “I don’t understand it, Rarity. Spike’s been here before; why would he return, knowing this place was guarded.”

“I remember that one incident when he became … infatuated with property,” Rarity recollects. “Was he experiencing any urges recently.”

“No, nothing at all.” Twilight’s horn increases its radiance as Spike’s body begins to levitate off the ground. Blood drops run down his features and drip into the puddle left behind.

Rarity observes Twilight’s actions, but notices a strange pattern of gems on the floor not far from his body. “What’s that?” she asks.

“What’s what?” Twilight inquires in return.

Rarity edges closer to the pattern of gems, her horn glower ever so much brighter. There on the ground, the pattern spells out a single word:

GREED

Twilight carefully lowers Spike’s body to a dry spot, then joins Rarity. “ ‘Greed’? Rarity, what do you make of all this?”

“I don’t know,” Rarity solemnly answers, “but considering that ‘gluttony’ and ‘greed’ are just two of the ‘seven deadly sins’, I fear we may endure five more of these before all is said and done.”