The next morning, the girls were at the cutie map table enjoying some breakfast. It was quite like there pancake breakfast they had long ago but a little different. They had more variety this time to choose from. Of course they had the usual pancakes piled up high on a plate but they also had waffles, bowls of berries, breakfast sandwiches, and even some toast with jams lied all around the table awaiting to be opened. Each pony was busy piling their plate with the different choices happily. Pinkie was about to grab her usual stack of a dozen pancakes when the pancake tower began to shake.

"Uh oh! Watch out! Falling pancakes incoming!” Pinkie yelled as she hid under the table.

The girls looked toward the tower of pancakes just as it came down. Pancakes fell all over the place like the floor, the table, and even including right on Applejack’s hat. There was a splat noise as they all came down as Applejack could no longer see with the pancake in her vision.

“Who tipped em’ over? And could somepony please get this off me.” Applejack said as Rarity levitated the pancake off Applejack.

“Well that’s a disappointment. Now there’s no more pancakes.” Fluttershy replied.

“Not exactly! They’re all over the place! We can just eat them where they are.” Pinkie now galloped over to a pancake on the floor and scarfed it down within seconds.

“Ew..I prefer being sanitary..” Rarity said disgusted as she shielded herself from watching Pinkie’s disgusting act.

“I for one find it quite delightful.” A voice was heard as Discord was watching the pink pony eat whatever she could find on the ground.

“Discord? What are you doing here?...Again.” Twilight asked.

“Oh nothing, just seeing that not one of you invited me to your little breakfast or deal here. How rude.” He complained.

“I don’t recall you being our best friend or anything. Plus, you’re kind of annoying.” Rainbow said, flying right up in his face.

“Ah, yes. Such a hypocrite you are. You really don’t think your over sized ego isn’t annoying either?” Discord asked, snapping his paw as Rainbow’s head suddenly became very large and heavy. She began to wobble around until she fell to the ground with a bang.

“Why Rainbow, your head is even larger than your ego!” Discord laughed.

Twilight shook her head. “Fine. If you want to be apart of our breakfast then you can. But you have to behave. No giving ponies random limbs or well..Oversized heads.” Twilight said, glancing over to Rainbow on the ground as she groaned.

“Perhaps I can comply with that.” He replied as he snapped, giving Rainbow her normal sized head again.

“Ooo! Maybe you can give us another stack of pancakes! Pleasseee?” Pinkie begged.

“Fine, but I better not be used as some genie or something.” He snapped, appearing another plate of pancakes on the table.

“Woo!” Pinkie cheered as she dived head first into the pancakes, knocking them all over the place again.

“Well that was a waste.” Rainbow commented.

Twilight giggled, shaking her head as their breakfast continued on.

***

It was now the afternoon as the girls were lounging around and doing their own thing. Discord had decided to stay longer as he watched the others do their thing. Currently Rainbow, Pinkie, and Twilight were playing Go Fish.

“Do you have..A five?” Pinkie asked as Twilight shuffled her cards, checking for it.

“Nope, go fish.”

Pinkie moved over to a pile of cards and grabbed one out of the pile, adding it to her deck.

Discord was gently watching them when a perhaps ‘evil’ idea appeared in his head. He didn’t exactly think it was evil. He was rather more..Curious. He quietly sneaked behind Pinkie as he hid behind her so neither Rainbow or Twilight could see him. His eyes fell on her element of harmony around her neck. He could only see the necklace part since Pinkie was faced back to him but his curiosity only grew more. He carefully lifted his paw and claw to it as he carefully wrapped them around the necklace part, hoping she wouldn’t notice or at least feel him doing so. He gripped on to it tight as he looked quickly back and forth making sure no one was watching. He then pulled suddenly.

“Ow! Hey!?” Pinkie squeaked.

There was a sizzling noise as he kept pulling on it, not even caring if anyone noticed now. He looked to see the necklace coming off slightly. Underneath was Pinkie’s neck of course and a sizzling looking magic from the necklace being binded to her.

“Discord, what are you doing!?” Twilight yelled.

He gave one last yank with a huff as he fell backwards with the element fully off. He held the Element of Laughter in his claw and paw as he looked up to see Pinkie now not wearing no longer and having a bare neck once more. Pinkie seemed to be dazed or in another world as her pupils were about the size of a pea. He heard the girls gasp and Twilight galloping over to Pinkie.

“Pinkie, Pinkie! Are you okay? Wake up!” Twilight said frantically as she had her hooves on her shoulders, shaking her.

It was as if suddenly all life was drained from her when her eyes fell closed and she fell limply back in her chair. Twilight was in shock as she stared at the lifeless body now. Tears slowly formed in the alicorn’s eyes as she stared at her once more. The others gasped and they too began to weep as well. Twilight panted as she looked at Discord on the ground, anger rising within her.

“You..WHY!? WHY DID YOU DO THIS! I TOLD YOU THAT THEY WOULD..Grr..” Twilight yelled at him as she placed her hoof to her face, rubbing her face.

Her purple eyes filled with tears once again stared at him. Discord backed up now, getting up quickly in case she perhaps tried anything. Her eyes narrowed as she yelled in anger and shot at him. He dodged either way as he still held the Element of Laughter.

“Look, look. You have to know that when you tell someone a few things and not the full story their going to be curious. I just wanted to see what would happen if I took it off alright?” He tried to reason with her.

"You wanted to know what would happen? I told you! Not only that but you shouldn't even be experimenting with something like that!"

"I didn't know alright? I didn't now she'd actually die."

"I told you she would!"

"I..Forgot?.."

"Forgot huh? WHAT IF THAT HAPPENED TO FLUTTERSHY! Oh, I forgot that if I took it off it would kill your so called wife!" Twilight yelled.

Discord suddenly went silent as his eyes widened at her.

"T-Twilight?.." Fluttershy softly asked, looking at her slightly frightened. It was the look on Fluttershy's face that gave Twilight a hint she shouldn't of said that.

Discord now narrowed his eyes at her. Fluttershy put her hooves over her face shaking, expecting the worst when there was a poof noise as Discord disappeared.

“That could've gone better..” Applejack said quietly.

Twilight now glanced around, staring at the lifeless body of Pinkie again.

“I-I’ll go check on him..I’m sure he couldn’t of gone far.” Fluttershy replied as she hopped out of her throne, trotting out of the room and outside.

***

Fluttershy flapped her wings as she soared through the cool air. By now it was about late into afternoon as the sun was slowly going down behind Canterlot Castle. Dusk was slowly approaching as the sky began to take colors of purple and orange from the sun setting. It was the perfect time for anypony to perhaps sit outside and think. Perhaps even the large hill just outside of Ponyville. Fluttershy glided over to the hill, looking around for any signs of a draconequus around. There maybe just one.

Down on the hill, she could see a oddly neon colored tree. It stuck out like a sore thumb apart from all the green trees around. That must of been where he decided to go.

Fluttershy swooped down now and landed on to the hill beside the neon tree. She looked up to see in fact Discord lying on a large branch of the tree, face in paw.

“Discord?..” Fluttershy asked slowly as she flew up to the branch.

“Oh! Fluttershy, I didn’t know you followed me.” He frantically said, quickly removing his face from his paw and giving a small smile to her.

“Well, I can leave if you’d like..”

“No, no! You can stay dear. I just wasn’t expecting you to follow.” He explained, grabbing Fluttershy and bringing her on to the branch with him. She carefully climbed on to him nervously and lied down on to him.

“Now, what’s the matter? You disappeared after Twilight well..Um..”

“Nothing’s the matter dear. Don’t worry about me. I’m not the one who had their friend die.” He now placed his paw on to her back, gently rubbing it. “By their lover..I’m surprised you still want to be around me after that.”

“Of course I want to be around you Discord. It was just a accident. Sure, it's really unfortunate but I know you didn’t mean it..Right?”

Discord now glanced elsewhere, seeming to have a bit of guilt in his face.

“You didn’t mean it..R-Right?” She repeated.

He now placed his paw and claw over his face. “Would it be bad to say I did a little?..”

Fluttershy now placed her hoof over her mouth, gasping.

“I-I was curious okay?..Not everything that comes out of that purple pony’s mouth is true. I wanted to test if her theory was correct. And seeing as it is now and she has the nerve to say such about you.”

“Everypony gets angry sometimes but that’s no excuse to kill somepony either! Not even for your own curiosity. You should of just listened to her.”

“Yeah well I didn’t. I wanted to know exactly if that could happen. Especially for you.” He now stared at her sadly.

“So what if I died? If I died at least maybe Pinkie would still be here. I’m not a party pony or someone important or even somepony who makes others smile!” Fluttershy argued.

“You make me smile and you are very important.”

Fluttershy sighed heavily and was about to leave when Discord pulled her back, holding her to his chest.

“Fluttershy, wait. Look, just because you aren’t a Princess of Friendship or a party planner doesn’t mean you aren’t important. You’re kind, caring, loving, including, and appreciative. No other pony have I met is exactly like you or does exactly what you do. If you died, I would be so lost without you. I love you Fluttershy. You’re the only good thing I have left..” He said, his voice slightly cracking from being emotional.

Fluttershy now turned around, looking at Discord who seemed to be slightly tearing up now. She turned around and hugged him.

“Promise me you’ll never leave me.”

“Well, I can’t promise that. I’m not immortal like you. But I can promise I will stay as long as I can.” Fluttershy said, feeling herself begin to cry as well as she buried her face into him.

***

The two took an hour or so to calm down their emotions and mostly socialize alone before returning to Twilight’s castle. When they arrived it was complete chaos. Which Discord would usually enjoy but he wasn’t exactly in the mood at the moment. There were books being tossed off shelves, the sound of ponies crying, and Twilight having a complete meltdown. Both Fluttershy and Discord just watched from the entrance unsure what to do. Twilight was surrounded by a mountain of books, levitating one every so often and quickly skimming through the pages. She seemed to be looking for a spell to perhaps revive Pinkie? Fluttershy shook her head sighing before trotting over to her stressed friend.

“Twilight, are you alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yup! Everything’s fine!” She said quickly before teleporting another book and flipping through the pages.

Everything and her clearly wasn’t fine however. Twilight’s mane would usually be all over the place and messy when she was stressed. She also had a certain tone that made her sound scared or rather maybe excited at the same time. Fluttershy knew that she wasn’t from these simple signs.

Fluttershy placed her hoof on the book she was currently holding and knocked it out of her magic’s grasp.

“Hey!”

Fluttershy now placed her hooves on Twilight’s shoulders. “Twilight, leave the book. You don’t need to find a spell to help Pinkie Pie right now. You need to help relax your friends and relax yourself.” Fluttershy assertively said.

“But..”

“Pinkie can wait. I’m sure she’s fine wherever she is right now. Come on.” Fluttershy helped Twilight up, putting her hoof on her back and guiding her over to the rest of her friends.

Rarity was currently being comforted by Applejack as she weeped while Rainbow Dash played a game of catch with the castle wall.

“What’s wrong with Rarity, Applejack?” Fluttershy asked.

“Hard to explain kinda. She misses Pinkie but the death of her reminded her of when Spike left..” Applejack tried to explain.

“H-He’s too young to go! A-And Pinkie..”

Fluttershy now hugged Rarity.

“We all miss him Rarity.” She reassured her. “But I’m sure he’ll come back someday. He has friends here.”

Not long ago, Spike had left not for the Dragon Lands but for on his own. The little dragon had grown into a teenager and was wanting to experience adventure on his own. Twilight and Rarity didn’t like the idea really but they knew they couldn’t stop him either way. He needed to do something’s on his own of course. Pinkie had thrown him a goodbye party and a lot of Ponyville had got him gifts. By the time the party had ended, Rarity and Twilight were already crying as they said their goodbyes. Rarity had a hard time but Twilight had a even worse time considering she was pretty much his mother. She had raised him since he was only a tiny egg into the dragon he was now. Now, she tend to not dwell on it so she wouldn’t burst into tears when ever she saw his empty bed at night. One thing that was nice was he took plushies of Rarity and Twilight with him before he left so he could always remember them.

“I hope you're right darling.” Rarity said, sniffling a bit before hugging Fluttershy back.

“Now, I know Pinkie can’t be here but I think we should try and think of happy things for now.” Fluttershy announced as the other ponies left nodded, giving a small smile.

There was a sudden poof noise as a sign appeared on Fluttershy’s chest. It read, “Best Leader” as she looked over to Discord now. He gave her a sly smirk and she returned it, giving a giggle.

“But..What should we do with her..Uh, ‘body’.” Rainbow asked as everyone turned to see Pinkie’s lifeless body on the floor now.

“Nopony dealt with that?” Fluttershy asked as everypony shook their heads. “Well, I guess somepony is going to have to do it.”

“I don’t want to completely dispose of Pinkie’s body just in case I find a way to revive her but, maybe if we can keep her in some kind of magical force field and store her somewhere then that would be good.” Twilight replied.

“I can do that.” Discord said as Pinkie’s body began to float. A yellow aura wrapped around her and created a small magical ball as she sat in it. The magical ball floated up to the ceiling and stayed there, carrying Pinkie within it.

“Are you sure she’d be safe up there?” Twilight asked worriedly.

“I’m sure. Besides, it's not like she can feel anyway.” He joked as Twilight gave him a death glare.

“Yeah, because of someone..” She said bitterly.

“You two are going to have to apologize sometime.” Fluttershy said, putting her hooves on each of their shoulders.

“Well, she’ll have to apologize first then.”

“Excuse me!? You’re the one who killed my friend!” Twilight yelled.

“Yeah, but you also neglected me many times in the past.”

“Maybe because you made it very hard to even like you.”

Fluttershy facehoofed. Bickering foals in this castle was going to make this a long week.

***

The sounds of trotting silently echoed against the castle walls as Twilight silently made her way up the stairs. It was way into midnight as everypony was asleep and Twilight was the only one up. Her horn glowed, illuminating the dark staircase as she made her way up. As soon as she was at the top, she trotted over to the balcony and sat down. She let the cool breeze blow her mane as she stared at the moon.

She was about a few weeks late with her promise to the Princesses and she was a little worried that they might come for her and do it themselves. Life was already hard without her smiling party friend to keep her going. If she lost the other four...She couldn’t even think about it. Without her friends by her side, she would be a very lonely princess. It was like Celestia once said. ‘What’s a Princess of Friendship without her friends.’ It was true. What was she without her friends? A self absorbed egghead with no purpose? She couldn’t even be called a Princess of Friendship anymore. What was the point?

She heaved a sigh as her gaze fell on the moon again. However, something was off. There was nothing she could see in the sky currently that was off...It was what she felt. She had this strange feeling that something wasn’t quite right. And usually her feelings were correct. She always got it before Equestria was in deep trouble. Was she physic? A bit of anxiety raised within her as she looked around. What could it possibly be? Then, she saw something. A pink glow reflecting off the side of her balcony. It pulsed as she turned her head around to look. There on her dresser was her element of harmony pulsing and glowing pink as small cracks formed on the element. Then she knew something was wrong.

Author's Note

Rest in peace pink pony. You tried eating pancakes but died.