I'm Addicted to the Madness

Chapters

The Imprisoned Pie
Pinkie Pie's Success
Party of None
Broken Tiara
The Party Pony

The Imprisoned Pie

Obsidian 'Minkie' Pie stirred, her little head hurt, and she wondered why she was so cold. Finally managing to open her dull, green eyes, the filly looked around and discovered that she was surrounded by such intense darkness, she could barely see her hoof in front of her eyes. The air was heavy and smelled of mildew, and tapping her hoof on the floor, she realized it was solid, cold concrete.

"Hello?" She squeaked in her tiny voice, which echoed slightly. She began to feel very frightened, "Mama? Papa?"

Minkie Pie stood, though her body ached from laying on the hard floor. She wondered how long she had been passed out; The last thing she could remember was eating dinner with her mother and father. She also recalled feeling very sleepy.

Taking a few steps forward, Minkie yelped as she bumped into some sort of rickety, wooden structure. Feeling it, she discovered that it was a set of shelves with a few empty glass jars. Minkie's eyes began to adjust to the darkness just enough for her to make out shapes of objects, though there weren't many in the tiny room she was in. However, she knew she had indeed been here before to bring down and take up jars for her mother's homemade jams, and sometimes retrieve tools for her father. Minkie Pie was in the cellar.

Knowing where the exit was, Minkie made her way up the dusty stairs and pushed at the latch on the door, but it wouldn't budge. Perplexed, she heaved with all her might, but it seemed as though something was blocking the cellar door. Panic started to set in, and she pounded both hooves on the wood desperately.

"Mama! Papa!" Minkie cried.

From what she could see through the very small cracks around the door, it was night time, but she had no way of telling exactly how late it was. Were her parents asleep? "MAMA!! PAPA!!" Tears ran down her face as she fought with the door, but after ten minutes, she used up what little energy she had and collapsed on the top stair, sobbing. Minkie Pie didn't understand why she was locked in, or who even put her down in the cellar to begin with. Maybe if she waited out the night, she'd be able to shout again and get her parents' attention...

Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz were outside harvesting rocks, but Minkie Pie had hidden under her bed to get out of working. It was the afternoon, and her parents had barely spent any time searching for her, for over the years, they had tried less and less to communicate with their first daughter. Minkie had even overheard her parents talking about how frightening of a foal she was, and that they wanted to get rid of her. This broke her little heart.

A few nights ago, Minkie Pie had discovered that she had a new born sister, but her parents absolutely forbade her from getting close to the infant. She didn't understand why, though. She had been excited to see the tiny filly, and even smiled at the thought of playing with her and growing up together. Alas, her dreams were crushed when her mother told her she was never to enter the little filly's room.

But Minkie Pie did not want to listen.

As her parents continued to work outside, Minkie quietly trotted to her baby sister's room and slipped inside, carefully closing the door behind her. With difficulty, seeing as how she was so little, Minkie Pie peered into the cradle to see her tiny sister curled up in the blanket and sleeping, a cute frown on her face. She was grey, just like the rest of her family, save for her Granny Pie, who was bright pink. Maudileena Pie was what her mother had named the foal, 'Daisy' being her middle name. She wanted so badly to wake Maud Pie up, but she was afraid she'd cry.

However, Minkie didn't need to rouse the foal, for her small light turquoise eyes fluttered open and fell upon the older filly. Maud cooed cutely in baby talk, and Minkie Pie grinned widely.

"Hello." She spoke softly, "My name is Obsidian, I'm your older sister. When you start talking, you can call me Minkie Pie."

"Mah?" Maud cooed questioningly, crawling out from her blankets and coming closer to her sister.

"Meen-kee," Minkie answered slowly.

"Mee?" In an attempt to get even closer to Minkie Pie, Maud fell over the edge of the cradle, but Minkie caught her instantly, cradling the tiny child in her arms.

"Be careful!" She warned the baby, "You're little! You can get hurt if you fall like that!"

Not understanding, Maud Pie waved her arms and giggled, which made Minkie Pie fall absolutely in love. She nuzzled her short purple mane, and then blew a raspberry on her tummy. This caused Maud Pie to shriek with laughter, and Cloudy Quartz burst into the room, looking enraged and horrified.

"Obsidian Pie!!" She shouted, and Minkie flinched, pulling her ears back. "What did I tell you?!"

"I was playing with her..." Minkie murmured, but Cloudy yanked the foal out of her arms.

Immediately, Muad Pie began to cry hysterically, but her mother ignored it as she tucked her back into the cradle. She then turned to Minkie and struck her across the face, "Get out! Go to your room! NOW!!"

Weeping with pain and sadness, Minkie Pie trudged to her own room and crawled under her thin blanket, sniffling and feeling miserable to no end. She hadn't done anything wrong, and in fact, it seemed like Maud Pie had really taken a liking to her older sibling. Why wasn't Minkie Pie allowed to play with her own sister?

It was that night that Minkie Pie had somehow fallen asleep during dinner, only to wake hours later on the cold, hard floor of the underground cellar.

Light from the sun shone through the cracks of the cellar door, catching Minkie Pie's attention. She weakly stood again, banging on the wood and calling for her parents. She froze when she saw a faint shadow appear in her line of sight, freeze, and then dash away. Heart pounding from anticipation of finally being rescued, Minkie continued to yell louder than her little voice had ever gone. She paused when she heard a stallion's voice speaking from afar, and recognized it as her father's. Her mother quickly gave a reply, and before Minkie Pie knew it, another shadow approached.

"Obsidian Pie, get away from the door," Cloudy Quartz ordered emotionlessly.

Discouraged by the tone, Minkie pulled her ears back and descended the stairs halfway. There was the heavy sound of large rocks being moved off of the wooden door, and it finally opened, revealing the silhouette of her mother backlit by bright sunlight.

"Mama...?" Minkie Pie whimpered.

"All the way." Cloudy Quartz barked, "All the way down the stairs."

The filly carefully made her way to the floor of the cellar, and then looked up to see that Cloudy had followed her, but stood above her on the fifth step.

"Mama, why am I down here?" Asked the frightened, dark toned foal.

"You are to remain in this cellar." Her mother replied coldly, "Obsidian Pie, we have had it. You are an evil, evil child, and you need to be kept away from everypony."

"What... Did I do...?" Minkie asked, her lip trembling and eyes welling up with tears.

"I do not know what went wrong!" Cloudy shouted, making Minkie Pie flinch and cower, "You were my first foal, so I thought the pain I went through during pregnancy was normal despite what the other mares have told me! You were like a parasite! I was weak, frail, constantly vomiting, and oh Celestia, how you kicked! Giving birth to you was the most horrible agony I have ever felt in my life!"

"Mama, I do not understand..." Minkie lowered her head.

Cloudy Quartz's expression was filled with hate as she glared down at her first born daughter, and poor Minkie Pie lowered herself slightly to the floor in fear.

"When I found out I was pregnant with Maudileena, I was terrified that the torment would begin again," She explained in a hiss, "But no, that entire time she was in my belly, it was like a vacation! I was surprised when the doctor told me that she wasn't dead, she was so calm! I only got sick a couple of times, and when I gave birth to her, it came to a shock that it was over! And so I thought back on everything you had done, everything your father and I had to go through with you, and I realized that it was not normal..." She took one step lower, closer to the filly. "You are evil. No foal in the village is like you. No foal speaks like you, or acts the way you do."

"What did I do wrong?!" Minkie cried, but in an instant, Cloudy Quartz sprinted down the remaining stairs and lashed out with her front hoof, striking Minkie Pie on the chest and sending her fully to the floor in a crumpled heap.

"I wanted to dispose of you, but your father said that we would most certainly go to Hell. So you are to remain down here. I will bring you a blanket and will feed you, so if you die, it will not be our fault." Cloudy Quartz told the foal in a low tone.

Minkie Pie was sobbing, staring at her wicked mother in disbelief. She had been treated terribly by her parents all her life, but she had never thought they'd actually abandon her. She thought they loved her...

"You are the one who deserves to die!" Minkie screamed, getting to her hooves weakly. Minkie was overcome with more hatred and rage than she had ever felt, accompanied by the searing pain in her little heart, "I want you to die! I did nothing wrong!"

Cloudy pursed her lips and turned up her nose, starting to go back up the stairs. Minkie Pie shrieked and charged forward, intending to grab Cloudy's tail to yank her back, but Cloudy bucked her with her hind legs, sending her to the floor again. The cellar door was shut before Minkie Pie could stand back up.

Crying and yelling hysterically, she sprinted up the stairs to attempt to break the door open, but the rocks that had been moved back on top of it were much too heavy. Minkie Pie bellowed the names of her parents at the top of her lungs, as well as tried to call for anypony else, but their closest neighbors were much too far away to hear.

The fight lasted for hours before tiny Minkie finally lost all energy and retreated back down the stairs to curl up in the corner of the cold cellar. Though she was exhausted, the tears still poured from her tired green eyes, and she buried her face in her arms, whimpering the words, "Why... Why... Why..." All through the night until she finally succumbed to sleep.

One year later, Minkie Pie got her Cutie Mark. She had been once again trying to escape, but something inside her finally broke. She realized she was trapped, locked away forever, and there was no returning to the life she had had before, no returning to the fantasy and lies displayed to her by the world. This was reality. Miserable, dark, cold reality.

Laying under her thin, filthy sheet of a blanket, Minkie Pie watched a mouse searching for scraps of food. It was wasting its time; the one piece of bread that had been given to her three days ago had already been eaten. She was so very hungry.

The mouse ventured closer to Minkie, and when it was within reach, she stomped on it hard with her hoof, crushing the poor rodent to death. Then Minkie Pie brought the corpse closer to her and devoured it. Meat was an odd taste, and she had difficulty chewing, but she had no choice.

Minkie Pie had no regret for killing that mouse, nor any other unfortunate animal that managed to make its way into the cellar. She hated everything, everypony, every single living creature in the world, even herself. She was broken, no longer crying or screaming, no longer trying to find a way out... any sign of fire within her heart had completely extinguished. It was as if she was dead inside.

Igneous Rock never came to see his daughter, and Minkie rarely even heard his voice. Cloudy Quartz brought down food every few days, sometimes waiting a full week. She'd also empty the bucket Minkie Pie had to use as a bathroom. Countless times she tried pleading to her mother to let her out, but Cloudy never spoke a word to the broken pony, and even tried avoiding her eye. Minkie Pie wanted to attack her mother, to bash her skull in with her hooves, to do something...

But she was too weak and frail. She had no strength, hardly any to stand up and climb on top of objects to avoid drowning when it rained, flooding the cellar. Did she think that maybe one day she'd have the chance to end the life of the mare that abandoned her? No. She had no hope for escape, no motivation to try, and no faith in being rescued.

Pinkie Pie's Success

It was a week after Pinkie Pie saw the Sonic Rainboom and got her Cutie Mark. She was in the kitchen, making her very first batch of cupcakes. Pinkie had just pulled them out of the oven, and was now frosting them with bright pink icing. Her sisters, Maud Pie, Limestone Pie and Marble Pie, came into the kitchen to see what she was doing.

"Pinkamena, what in Equestria are you making?" Maud Pie in a dull tone.

Pinkie Pie turned to them with a huge smile, holding up the plate of cupcakes, "I made cupcakes!" She exclaimed, "Wanna try them?"

The three grey sisters exchanged glances, then each of them slowly grabbed a cupcake and took a bite. They chewed, and a small smile appeared on their faces.

Pinkie Pie bounced, giggling, "Do you like them?!"

"Hmm," Limestone was the first to answer, "They're good..."

"Just good?" Asked Pinkie, her smile falling. Marble nodded in agreement.

"Yea, they're okay." Maud Pie started, "There's something a little off about them, but they're still good."

"But... I want them to be great..." Pinkie Pie murmured as her sisters left the room.

She took one of her own cupcakes and bit into it. It was good, but she knew there was something missing. Pinkie set the cupcake down and began searching her cupboards for something she could possibly add. Suddenly, she let out a sharp cry and withdrew her hoof. There was a small cut on her wrist, which had started to bleed. She looked at what scraped her and saw a cheese grater.

Pinkie sighed and looked at her adequate cupcakes. She gently licked her wound to clean it, but froze, her eyes wide. The taste of her blood was... good... really good! She licked again and then smiled. She grabbed her half eaten cupcake and gently squeezed her cut, letting a few drops of blood hit it and soak into the fluffy cake. She picked it up, smiling excitedly, and took a bite.

"EUREKA!" Pinkie squealed, "It's fantastic! It's terrific! It's... fantasterific!!" She bounced out of the kitchen, out of the house, and into the shed across the way. There, she did extensive planning to make her cupcakes the best ever.

"Oh! These are much better, Pinkamena!" Limestone exclaimed with a smile.

"Yea! They're amazing!" Agreed Marble in her soft voice.

The sisters were smiling broadly as they munched on the sweet cupcakes Pinkie Pie had set on the table.

"I'm glad you like them!" Pinkie Pie smiled, thrilled at the smiles on her sisters' faces.

"What did you do differently?" Maud asked.

Pinkie Pie winked and giggled, "It's a secret ingredient." No more was said on the matter.

Earlier that day, before she had made her second batch of cupcakes, Pinkie Pie had journeyed into the small town where her family got their groceries. She had her first, failed batch of cupcakes with her, but she had put something extra in them; sleeping powder. She walked around, looking at everypony to see who might be a worthy candidate...

Pinkie Pie's eyes brightened as she saw a filly a little older than herself. She had a jet black mane and tail, and slate colored hide. Her Cutie Mark was a dark grey cloud with a frowny face, pouring rain. Pinkie bounced over to her, looking cute as can be.

"Hi!" She greeted, stopping the depressed looking filly, "My name is Pinkie Pie, what's yours?"

"Um... Rain Cloud..." The filly answered. She sounded nervous to be socializing with another filly.

"You look so sad!" Pinkie noticed kindly, "You know what I do when I'm sad?"

"What?" Rain Cloud asked, looking interested.

Pinkie pie took a cupcake from her basket and held it up, "Eat Cupcakes!"

Rain Cloud's eyes widened, staring at it as if it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, "It's so colorful..." She gasped in awe. "Is that food?"

"Yea!" Pinkie answered, "It'll cheer you right up! Here, you can eat this and walk with me so I can tell you more about them!"

Rain Cloud managed a small smile, "Okay," She agreed in a quiet voice.

She balanced the cupcake on her nose and walked with Pinkie out of the market place. Once they were out of sight of the towns ponies, Pinkie turned to Rain Cloud.

"Why are you so sad?" She asked.

"Oh..." Rain Cloud answered, looking sadly at the ground, "My brother, Storm Hide, always pushes me around. He used to make fun of me for having a blank flank, but now he makes fun of my cutie mark having a sad face on it..."

"That's no good!" Pinkie exclaimed, "What a meanie face! I'm so sorry he's like that! Taste your cupcake, it'll make you feel better!"

They both stopped, and Rain Cloud took the cupcake off of her muzzle and nibbled a bit of it. The widest smile appeared on her face, and she seemed to stand up a little straighter.

"Oh wow!" She squeaked, "This is amazing!"

"I can do better..." Pinkie answered with a slight grin. She waited patiently as Rain Cloud devoured the cupcake... "Feel better?" She asked.

"Yea," Rain Cloud smiled, but then she started to sway. "Ooh... but I feel... sleepy..."

"Nighty night! Don't let the parasprites bite!" Giggled the pink pony, and Rain Cloud collapsed to the ground.

Pinkie then proceeded to dragging the unconscious filly to her shed at home, bringing her in and closing the door. While Rain Cloud was still knocked out, Pinkie Pie began dissecting her and putting organs into a bucket. Then she chopped up some of the meat and put it in another bucket. Rain Cloud was dead in nearly two minutes.

Pinkie Pie didn't know what to do with the body, but she decided to at least take Rain Cloud's Cutie Marks as a memento. Finally she settled on throwing the rest of Rain Cloud's carcass into a lava pit a few miles from her home where a small colony of dragons lived. Surprisingly, this didn't take too much time.

When she got home, she brought cupcake mix to the shed and started preparing them, adding in her 'special ingredient'. Once the batter was mixed, she carried it back to the house and started baking her cupcakes. Just as her sisters had said, they came out amazing.

One day, Pinkie Pie was getting ready to dissect a mare, when Maud Pie, Limestone and Marble Pie walked in. Pinkie Pie whipped around, still holding a knife that she had been about to use. The sisters all stared at each other for a moment.

"Pinkamena, what are you doing to that pony...?" Limestone Pie asked.

"Um... um..." Pinkie Pie stuttered nervously, still smiling, though her eyes shifted from side to side.

Maud Pie walked around Pinkie Pie and saw all the things needed to make cupcakes sitting on the little table. She looked at the unconscious mare and put two and two together...

"Pinkamena..." She spoke softly. "You're making cupcakes..."

"Yes..." Pinkie squeaked.

"And... And you're going to use this pony in them!" Limestone Pie gasped, catching on.

"Um... um..." Pinkie Pie was starting to panic.

Suddenly, she let out a wail, her poofy mane deflating and going flat, and she lay on the ground, covering her face. Marble Pie slowly walked toward Pinkie and picked up the knife. Pinkie Pie watched her sadly, but was a little surprised when she inched toward the sleeping pony. In a flash, the knife was plunged into the pony's chest. Pinkie Pie sat up, looking bewildered. Marble Pie ran the knife down the mare's abdomen, opening her up.

"This is genius, Pinkie!" Marble smiled.

Pinkie Pie's mane poofed up again, and she hopped up, "Really?!" She squealed.

Limestone Pie ran over to them, smiling just as widely, "Yea!" She laughed, "This is what made your cupcakes so good? It's the best idea ever!"

"But why cut them open while they're knocked out?" Maud Pie asked.

"Well, if they're awake, they'll probably scream, and then mama and papa will hear." Pinkie Pie explained.

"You know what?" Limestone Pie started, poking at the mare's still beating heart, "There's that abandoned cave on the mountain. We can set up a sort of... Harvest room up there. No one will hear the screams, and if they do, they might just think it's a dragon."

"We can play with them before we chop them up!" Marble Pie smiled, hopping up and down.

Pinkie Pie began bouncing around the room happily, "That's such a great idea!" She sang. When she stopped bouncing, she grinned at her sisters, "You know, I didn't think you'd ever be as fun as me, but I was wrong!"

"Finally, we all have something to do together!" Maud Pie smiled.

The four Pie sisters embraced, and then Maud Pie, Limestone Pie and Marble Pie began helping Pinkie Pie make cupcakes.

As time went on, the sisters decided they needed to be more organized when it came to choosing ponies. They all began learning the names of all ponies in the village and started writing them on slips of paper to put in a jar. They wrote a number next to each one, and when they needed more of their 'special ingredient', they'd pull up a number at random.

After capturing the pony that had been chosen, the four fillies would drag the body up to the cave where they had set up many different 'toys'. The sisters would strap the pony to a stone table they fixed up, and when they woke up, would begin to play.

They tortured the ponies, making jokes and bouncing around in the process. As time went on, they came up with new and better ways to play with their victims, inventing devices and bringing in random tools they'd find around the rock farm. They even saved the Cutie Marks, dividing them up between the four of them. It was tremendous fun, and they got to enjoy the best cupcakes in all of Equestria afterward.

The Pie sisters would even share the cupcakes with their parents and the ponies in the village, getting a reputation for being the sweetest fillies in town. They were nicknamed the 'Cupcake Sisters'. Of course, there was a scare about the constantly missing ponies, but they considered the weekly delivery of cupcakes a distraction from the panic. It was a perfectly executed system.

Finally, Pinkie Pie announced to her family that she was leaving the farm to spread smiles in Ponyville.

"But who will make the cupcakes?!" Marble Pie exclaimed.

"I've taught you everything I know!" Pinkie Pie answered, "I have faith in you!"

The four sisters hugged tightly, and then Pinkie hugged her parents, who were completely unaware of the truth behind the cupcakes.

"Good luck, Pinkamena." Cloudy Quartz said, nuzzling Pinkie Pie, "We know you will do well."

Limestone Pie actually started crying slightly, "Will you visit sometime?" She asked with a sniffle.

"I'll do what I can!" Pinkie answered, and she slung her saddle bag over her back, waving goodbye to her family, and then bouncing away from the farm and into the sunset.

When she arrived in Ponyville, she discovered the bakery, Sugarcube Corner, ran by Mr. and Mrs. Cake. They agreed that she could have the upstairs part of the shop, and Pinkie would work there as well. Ponyville was much bigger than her old village, so it took some time to get to know every pony. She'd throw parties nearly every week so that she could make all new friends and know everyone's name...

And so continued the nifty number system she had developed with her sisters, and Pinkamena Dianne Pie began to share her cupcakes with the ponies of Ponyville.

Party of None

Pinkie Pie arrived in Ponyville, and a huge smile spread across her little filly face. There were so many ponies, she didn't even know where to start! She shook her fluffy little tail and began bouncing merrily down the street.

"Hello!" she said to a mare at a flower stand, who looked surprised, but gave a weak smile and waved at the young pony. "Hi!" Pinkie squeaked as she passed a group that was sitting at a table. They too were taken aback by the pink filly's lack of social fear. "How's it going?" A stallion blinked at the greeting, but grinned anyway, Pinkie Pie's smile seeming to be contagious.

She bounced endlessly for about an hour, scoping the streets and making sure she said hi to everypony she saw. Like dominos falling over one after the other, smiles followed Pinkie Pie's progress through the town. However, she froze when she saw a picture of a cupcake hanging on a sign above her. Pinkie backed up slowly, her eyes sparkling with delight upon discovering what looked like a giant gingerbread house. Squealing, she bounced into the shop.

"Hello!" She exclaimed at the stallion behind the counter.

"Hi there!" He greeted kindly.

Pinkie Pie stared around, seeing cakes and pastries in a glass display, "Is this a bakery?" She asked, nearly exploding with excitement.

"Yes." The stallion replied, "Have you never been here before?"

"I just came to Ponyville today!" Pinkie explained with a single hop, "And I looooove sweets and parties and friends and parties and everything!!"

The stallion was amused at how eccentric this filly was. He held out a hoof to shake Pinkie's, "Well then, my name is Carrot Cake, and I run this place with my wife, Cup Cake." Then he called to the back, "Honey, come out here and meet our new little friend!"

Mrs. Cake came out from the kitchen, spotting the pink filly, "Oh my! Aren't you a little cutie!" She cooed.

"She's new to Ponyville." Mr. Cake explained, then turned to Pinkie Pie, "What's your name, sweetie?"

"My name is Pinkamena Dianne Pie, but you can call me Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie Pie answered with a smile, "Everypony does!"

"Do you have family here, Pinkie Pie?" Mrs. Cake asked.

Pinkie shook her head, "Nope! I'm all on my own!" Then she explained her story, "I came from a rock farm and lived with my parents and three sisters and there was no smiling just work, work, work! And then I saw a huge rainbow EXPLOSION and I smiled and threw a big party for my family on got my Cutie Mark!!" She took a deep breath, and then showed her flank, where an image of three balloons posed as her Cutie Mark.

"Well, isn't that something." Mr. Cake let out a small laugh.

"So, you have nowhere to stay?" Mrs. Cake asked in concern, but there was a sudden beeping noise coming from the kitchen, smoke wafting through the door. "Oh no! My cupcakes!"

The two Cakes dashed into the kitchen to try and salvage her pastries. Just as they left, a couple of Pegasi walked in, observing the cakes that sat in the glass display. The female Pegasus was pure white with sky blue mane and tail, and her Cutie Mark was a little blue bird accompanied by two music notes. The stallion was slate grey with black mane and tail, his cutie mark being a metal Pegasus wing.

"Ooh, I like that one, Silver!" The white mare smiled, and her cohort nodded, looking around.

"But it looks like nopony is here..." He frowned.

Pinkie Pie gasped, not wanting the customers to be unsatisfied with the service, so she dashed behind the counter, trying her best to peer over it despite her height.

"How may I help you?" Pinkie chirped, and the Pegasi exchanged unsure looks.

"You work here?" The mare asked, her brow furrowed.

"We're not here to work, we're here to play!" Pinkie smiled, "Bringing smiles upon smiles to brighten up your day!"

The two Ponies grinned, instantly overcome with happiness.

"Alright, I would like that strawberry tart right there," The mare smiled, pointing at the pastry in the display.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie Pie squeaked, and she spun around to look through cabinets and drawers.

She found a box, quickly, but gently, placed the tart inside, and set the box in front of the couple. However, before they could take it, she cried, "Wait!"

Digging into her saddle pack, she dug out a bright pink ribbon with her mouth, and in a flash, wrapped it around the box to make it look like a present.

"There! That'll be..." Pinkie Pie checked the tag where the tart had been before saying, "Three bits!"

As they were paying, Mrs. Cake rushed out, terrified at seeing the filly helping her customers.

"Pinkie Pie!" she exclaimed, but Pinkie opened the register to put the money inside. The stallion, who was holding the box, smiled wide at Mrs. Cake.

"I have never been so charmed by a sales clerk in my life!" He smiled excitedly to her.

"She's such a gem!" Agreed the mare, "We are definitely coming back here again! What is your name, little filly?"

"Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie replied happily.

"Well, Pinkie Pie..." The stallion started, "You're fantastic, and we look forward to seeing you again!"

Pinkie giggled, waving goodbye as the left the shop. She looked up at Mrs. Cake with a shocked frown and gasped.

"I didn't ask them their names!!" She squealed, but before Mrs. Cake could reply, Pinkie sprinted out of the bakery, catching the two Pegasi right before they were about to fly away, "WAIT!! What are your names?"

They smiled at each other. "I'm Silver Wing." Replied the grey stallion kindly, "And this is my marefriend, Songbird."

Songbird gave Pinkie another smile.

"I'll remember your names! And I'll say, 'Hello, Silver Wing! Hello, Songbird!' when I see you again!" Pinkie smiled.

Sharing more laughter with the filly, they bade farewell one more time before taking flight. When Pinkie re-entered the bakery, Mr. Cake was back. It looked as though his wife had just told him everything that happened mere moments ago.

"Pinkie Pie..." He spoke firmly, "You shouldn't have taken over without permission." Pinkie's smile fell, looking confused, "However, we're both extremely impressed with how you handled it."

"We'd be very grateful if you worked here for us," Added Mrs. Cake, "We don't have any more ponies on hoof, and sometimes it gets very busy."

"We can't pay you much, but since you have nowhere to go, how would you like to take residence on the second floor here?" Asked Mr. Cake.

Pinkie Pie's smile returned, and she hopped up and down excitedly, "Oh, I'd love to! I'd love to!" She squealed, "I'm super good at baking! And I can learn all the names of everypony in Ponyville! Oh this is going to be so much fun!!"

The Cakes smiled at each other, and then at the eccentric filly. From then on, Pinkie Pie worked at Sugarcube Corner in exchange for living quarters, and a few bits every month. She would've been just as happy even if she didn't get paid, but she kept a piggy bank to save up for her very first party.

In fact, after Pinkie Pie started working there, business at the bakery increased ten fold. Pinkie was kind, happy, and was able to serve customers very quickly. There was one instance where there was an entire line, and she got through them in about ten minutes. As the number of customers grew, the Cakes were making enough money to remodel the inside of the bakery to make it look as sweet as Pinkie Pie herself.

Pinkie Pie threw many parties, learning everypony's name and making sure she never forgot who was who. Everypony in town knew her, and loved her to death. However, because of her desire to know everything about Ponyville, she hadn't gotten the chance to make her extra special cupcakes. Yes, she'd bake quite often, but she was unable to get her "special" ingredient yet. It made her unhappy when she thought about it, but tried to tell herself that she'd be back on track in no time.

Pinkie Pie opened her eyes, squinting in the bright sunlight shining through her window. Groggy, she glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost noon.

"Oh, horse apples!" She cried hoarsely.

She had slept late again. It had been like this for a few months now, and it kept getting worse, sleeping later and later as time went by. Pinkie Pie slumped out of bed and trudged to her mirror, staring at her exhausted face, her baggy eyes, and her mess of a curly mane. Sighing, Pinkie slipped out of her pajamas and started trying to get herself ready for the day.

It had been a few years since she came to Ponyville, and she had grown into her teenage years. Pinkie Pie had become the town's favorite party pony, and she had made tons of friends. However, she never found the opportunity to make her special cupcakes. She had ran into a few snags she hadn't counted on; how to get supplies, and where to do the harvesting.

Because of the lack of the right kind of cupcake, Pinkie was suffering from depression, fatigue, and withdrawal. She had lived off those cupcakes for so long, going without them was taking a surprisingly heavy toll, almost as if it was a drug she had gone too long without. Nevertheless, Pinkie Pie got up every morning, put on a smile, and went about her day, trying not to dwell on her problem.

However, as the years went by, it started to get harder and harder to be the party pony she was destined to be. It was stressful to keep her energy up, smiling wide for everypony, and it wore her out so much, she slept in every morning. No pony noticed though. No pony knew what was really going on with Pinkie Pie.

As she tried to fix her mane, she watched her own eyes in the mirror. They were starting to look dark and listless. In fact, she almost thought her entire body had become a bit dull. She slowly set her brush down, not tearing her gaze from her own reflection.

"Come on, Pinkie." She croaked to herself, "You can do it! What would Maud, Limestone and Marble say if they saw you like this?" Her expression became even more melancholy, "But I'm missing out on one of the fun-est aspects of my life. I came here for a reason, and it feels like I haven't even tried." Pinkie's shoulders drooped slightly, "Maybe you're not as fun as you thought you were. Maybe your Cutie Mark is wrong. You shouldn't have left your sisters." Her lip trembled, "But... I want to bring smiles to everypony's face, and they're not true smiles unless I can share my very best cupcakes with them..." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she growled, "You're nothing..."

Just then, her poofy mane deflated like a balloon, becoming straight and limp as her dreams were crushed. Her lips trembled as she stared into her dull eyes, realizing for the first time in her life that she truly was nothing. She was worthless, a waste of space, and she didn't deserve to smile. And if she didn't deserve it, she wasn't going to try.

Pinkamena turned around and violently bucked her back hooves against the mirror, smashing it to pieces. When the shards hit the floor, Pinkamena began stomping on them, breaking them even further. She somehow managed to give herself tiny cuts around her wrists and ankles, but she didn't care. Wearing a cold expression, Pinkamena left her room, slowly making her way downstairs.

"Look who's finally awake!" joked Mrs. Cake as Pinkamena entered the bakery, "Hmm, did you style your mane differently?" Pinkamena paused, not looking at the mare. She gave no answer, "Pinkie Pie?"

Remaining silent, Pinkamena trudged out of the bakery, keeping her head down. She had been so stupid to never notice it before. Everypony's kindness toward her was all fake, simply smiling at her because they felt pity for the party pony. Well, she didn't need their charity. She could make her own smiles... Real smiles.

Ignoring ponies around her as they tried to say hello, Pinkamena walked to the outskirts of Ponyville, coming to the lake she liked to swim in. She didn't feel much like swimming today, so she simply sat at the water's edge, watching the fish swimming in the clear water.

"I don't need their friendship..." She hissed acidly, "They don't need my parties, so I don't need their friendship. I bet no pony would even notice I was gone if I moved away from Ponyville. They'd just throw their own damn parties. They don't need me." Pinkamena shoved a small rock into the water, narrowing her eyes at the ground, "Their laughter wasn't even because I made them happy! They were making fun of me!" A fish swam up to her, looking at her curiously, "STOP MAKING FUN OF ME!!!" she shrieked at it, and the fish darted away, terrified.

Pinkamena's eye twitched, and she suddenly smiled wide. However, this smile wasn't her usual smile; it was sadistic. She stood up, still grinning that horrible grin, and started trotting around the lake, heading further away from the town.

"Cause I want to make you smile, smile, smile, yes I do..." She sang under her breath, giving another little twitch, "It fills my heart while you scream all the while, yes it does... Cause I really need you to smile, smile, smile... For it'll be... Your... Last time..." And then she laughed, heading toward the Everfree Forest.

When Pinkamena became surrounded by the darkness of the trees all around her, she felt a little creeped out. In an instant, however, she pushed those feelings aside, knowing that there was nothing to fear, not just in the forest, but in the entire world. She hated everything, she hated everypony, and she hated herself.

A snake suddenly dropped in front of her from a tree branch, hissing and exposing long fangs. Pinkamena grabbed it by the neck with her teeth, threw it on the ground, and began stomping it into a bloody pulp. Cackling softly, she continued her exploration.

"They always warned me never to go in the Everfree Forest." She sneered, bringing her hoof down upon every snail she saw, "What the hay is so special here anyway? Hiding something, probably..." A rabbit hopped out of a bush to greet her, but she suddenly tore it to shreds with her own teeth. Her face was now just as bloody as her front hooves were from killing the snake, "Laughing... Laugh, laugh, laugh... Smile, smile, smile..." She said that last 'smile' through gritted teeth. "They'll keep laughing... Oh yes they will... I'll give them a fucking laugh..."

Pinkamena paused, spotting something through the trees. She approached it slowly, and discovered that it was an old fortress, nearly in ruins. She was curious to see what was inside, but decided to ignore it, passing it by as she walked on. The trees started to thin out, which surprised her a bit, and she quickened her pace.

At the last moment, Pinkamena saw the edge of the cliff and skidded to a halt. She carefully approached the edge, looking out to see another vast sea of trees.

"Is that still part of the forest?" She asked herself. Wind started to blow, causing her long, flat mane to flutter around her bloody face. "That's a long way down..." Pinkamena stepped as close as she could, peering straight down, discovering very sharp rocks on the way to the valley. Another menacing grin stretched across her face. "No pony will miss me. No pony will care. Pinkie's just a waste of space, so... Do I dare?"

The entire world seemed to slow down, and it was so quiet around Pinkamena, it was almost as if the volume had been muted. Her mane and tail whipped around her gracefully as she looked out to the horizon. The sun was setting. Such a beautiful sight...

Her hoof slid forward gently, just barely hovering over the edge of the cliff. A few pieces of earth broke off and rolled downward to join their rock family.

"Just a jump to fall way down." Pinkamena sang softly, edging just a bit more forward. "And free me of this awful frown." She began to laugh again, tensing her legs, preparing to jump...

"Pinkamena... you're making cupcakes..." Echoed Maud Pie's voice.

"And... and you're going to use this pony in them!" Spoke the voice of Limestone Pie.

"This is genius, Pinkie!" Marble cried. "This is what made your cupcakes so good? It's the best idea ever!"

"Finally we all have something to do together!" exclaimed Maud Pie.

Pinkamena backed up slowly, the memory of her sisters dancing around her head. They all made cupcakes together, they played games, came up with ideas and plans together... It made living on the rock farm just a little more bearable.

"They'd notice I was gone..." She muttered to herself. "They'd miss me. They care about me. The laughs and smiles we shared... Those were real. They'd... probably never smile again if I was gone..." A single tear slid down her face, taking just a bit of blood with it as it fell to the ground. Pinkamena stood up and little straighter, and then turned to go back into the forest.

As the run down fortress came back into view, curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to check it out. Once inside, Pinkamena was met with the stench of dust and mildew, making her scrunch her nose in disgust. Nevertheless, she trotted further into the enormous structure.

Upon entering a hallway lined with suits of armor, Pinkamena's tail began to twitch violently. Just as it did, her front hoof pressed on a hidden button on the floor, and she ducked as a blade shot out of the wall.

"Traps?" She inquired, "Hmm... Good thing my Pinkie sense still works..."

Pinkamena carefully continued her journey, dodging multiple booby traps as she ventured further and further. Then, after descending a flight of stone stairs, she discovered a dungeon. Her eyes widened, heart racing, and her mane poofed up, right back to its usual curly style.

"Eureka!" She squeaked, and bounded into the vast dungeon, excitedly inspecting the numerous torture devices, tools, and weapons.

There was a table with shackles on it to hold down the victim, many medieval torture devices, rusty blades and saws, ropes, chains, nails, hammers, axes, and much more. This was everything she needed to make cupcakes! But...

"I can't drag ponies all the way through the forest," Pinkie Pie said to herself, "But maybe... maybe if I manage to find a place to bring them in Ponyville, then I can move all of this stuff there instead! But where, oh where, would I be able to harvest without anypony knowing...?" Glancing at the many tools and other building resources, Pinkie thought that maybe she could build her own dungeon in Ponyville. But there was still the question of where in Ponyville.

Pinkie Pie let out a loud gasp, and then squealed in excitement, running as fast as she could out of the building and back into the forest. On the way back to town, she dove into the lake, washing the blood out of her fur, and continued to run home.

When Pinkie entered the bakery, the Cakes looked around at her, surprise and concern on their faces. Then they looked confused when they saw that Pinkie was soaking wet.

"Pinkie Pie..." Mrs. Cake spoke up, "Are you alright?"

"Super!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "I didn't feel so good earlier, so I went to the lake to swim! But I feel much better now! I'm going up to my room now!" Without waiting for a rebuttal, Pinkie Pie galloped upstairs, bursting into her room.

Ignoring the mess from the shattered mirror for now, Pinkie Pie took out some sheets of paper and many crayons, humming to herself as she quickly started to draw. She was designing her dungeon, the perfect torture room.

And it'd be right under Sugarcube Corner.

For the weeks following, Pinkie Pie was still sleeping in late every day, but it wasn't because of depression. It was because she worked late at night when everypony was asleep, building a basement under the bakery. The most difficult part was hallowing out the earth while trying not to damage the building itself. She managed it, though, and she was overwhelmed with pride.

The entrance to her new room was located toward the back of Sugarcube Corner behind some bushes. Pinkie Pie had dug a hole there when she started her dungeon, tunneling her way deep below the ground. This would be nearly impossible if it were anypony else, but Pinkie seemed to have a special talent for doing random things that others couldn't.

Then, using her outrageous abilities, she discreetly transferred most of the tools and torture devices from the old fortress to her own dungeon. The table was a bit difficult to get in, considering the hole was significantly smaller than it, but anything is possible with Pinkie Pie!

When the basement was finally finished, including soundproofing the walls and entrance to the tunnel, she sat on the cold floor, gazing at her masterpiece. How could she ever thought of giving up? She was the ultimate party pony, and she did bring laughter and smiles everywhere she went! Now her life, as well as the lives of everypony in Ponyville, would consist of even more fun and happiness, for she'd finally be able to make her best cupcakes.

The last step Pinkie Pie had to take was assigning everypony in the town a number so that she'd know who she was going to play with next. Just like when she lived at the rock farm with her sisters, she wrote everypony's name on a scrap of paper and put them in a jar. This way, she could shake the jar and draw a number at random.

Kidnapping her playmates was no problem, as Pinkie had had enough experience when baking with her sisters. She spaced her play dates out significantly, afraid that she'd blow through her special ingredient too fast, as well as draw attention to mass disappearances. A few missing ponies here and there would give the citizens an uncomfortable chill, as opposed to the chaos and fear caused by large groups seeming to evaporate into thin air.

"Man, Pinkie Pie..." Pinkie's closest friend, Applejack, smiled, "Your cupcakes taste even better than they did before! Whatdja put in 'em?"

"Extra smiles!" Pinkie sang in reply.

Applejack laughed, not questioning the recipe further.

"Hey, you wanna come foalsit my baby sister?" she asked when she finished her cupcake. Pinkie Pie herself had had about five.

"Okay!" Pinkie smiled, then asked, "What's her name again?"

"Apple Bloom," Applejack answered, "She sure is gettin' big, and sometimes I just can't get her off my tail when doin the chores. I could use an extra set of hooves, seein' as how Big Mac's working too, and Granny Smith's gone to see family."

"Sounds like fun!" Pinkie giggled, hopping around briefly, "I'll keep such a good eye on her, you won't even have to lift a hoof!"

"I can always count on you, Pinkie." Applejack smiled, "You're a true, true friend."

"Don't you forget it!"

With that, the two of them walked to Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack lived. Little did Pinkie Pie know, she was about to meet the little filly that would later become her own baking apprentice.

Broken Tiara

"I'm sure gonna miss that 'Bad Seed'." Sweetie Belle sighed to Apple Bloom, Applejack, and Scootaloo.

"'Bad seed?'" asked Applejack, her brow furrowed, "I thought y'all were friends now." The Crusaders waved to Babs Seed as she looked out the window of the train departing Ponyville.

"No..." Sweetie Belle started, "See, first we called her 'Bad Seed' as in actually a bad seed, but now she's bad as in good! Get it?"

"Yeah... No." Applejack answered. The fillies all laughed as Babs' train left the station, "Anyway, I'm gonna head back to the farm. Ya comin, Apple Bloom?"

"I think I wanna go see Pinkie Pie first," Apple Bloom said to her big sister, "I'll catch ya later."

"Alrighty!" Applejack nodded, "See ya girls!"

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo waved goodbye to the earth mare, but as soon as Applejack was out of earshot, a much less kind voice spoke up.

"You know, somehow we knew Babs would turn out as lame as you babies," sneered Diamond Tiara, and the Crusaders looked over to see her and Silver Spoon trying to wipe mud off of themselves.

"Yeah." Silver Spoon agreed, "Just another weak little Blank Flank."

"Weak?" Scootaloo scoffed, "I'm sorry, but who are the ones covered in mud?"

"Babs stood up to you!" Apple Bloom growled, "She stood up to you, and y'all backed away from her like a couple of scared chickens!"

"Doesn't matter." Diamond answered, turning up her nose, "She's a Blank Flank, and just like you three, she's a little cry baby."

"I find it funny that you waited to say all of this until after Applejack left." said Sweetie Belle angrily.

"Oh, why? Because you don't have your mommy looking out for you? Oh wait, Apple Bloom, isn't your mommy and daddy dead?" said Diamond Tiara, strutting closer to Apple Bloom and shaking her fur, splattering her with mud. Apple Bloom flinched, gritting her teeth, "What happened? Did they drown because you cried too much?"

"Y'all best shut your mouth!" Apple Bloom hissed. She never even knew her parents, for they died when she was just a baby.

"Or what? You'll tell on me? 'Oh, Applejack! It was horrible! Diamond Tiara went and gone done made fun of ma and pa, consarnit'!" Silver Spoon howled with laughter at Diamond's mockery of Apple Bloom's accent.

The little yellow filly's cheeks turned pink with rage, and she gritted her teeth, "I said, y'all best shut your mouth!" She shouted, "I'm not warnin ya again!"

"Apple Bloom, just ignore them," Scootaloo spoke up, who was terrified at the amount of anger her friend was displaying.

"Oh no, Diamond!" cried Silver Spoon dramatically, "I think you made her all mad! Better watch out, or she'll cry so much that she drowns us like she did her parents!"

"Stop it!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle, but before she could console Apple Bloom, the yellow filly turned on her heel and galloped back into town.

Her tears streamed behind her as she burst into Sugarcube Corner, and, ignoring Mr. and Mrs. Cake's greetings, tore up the stairs to Pinkie Pie's room. Pinkie Pie was repairing a party favor when she was tackled to the floor by the distraught foal.

"Apple Bloom?" Pinkie gasped in alarm, putting an arm around her sobbing friend, "What's wrong?"

Apple Bloom did not answer, just continued to cry. Pinkie Pie backed away from her and started making silly faces, stretching and puffing her cheeks to get Apple Bloom to smile, but the filly continued to glare. Apple Bloom sniffled and turned away, heading over to a cabinet and opening it.

She took down a glass jar filled with little scraps of paper and smashed it on the floor. "Apple...!"

"I don't care 'bout the rules," Apple Bloom grumbled, sifting through the paper and looking at all the names and numbers, "She's had this comin for a long time, I tell you what..."

"But Apple Bloom..." Pinkie spoke quickly, "I already picked two ponies for us! We can't do a third! Two is pushing it already!"

Apple Bloom rounded on her mentor, her sunset colored eyes blazing with rage, "Y'all gonna have to make an exception." She finally found the paper she was looking for and held it up. It was Diamond Tiara's number.

"Hey, isn't that one of your bullies?" asked Pinkie Pie, feeling a tad frightened of her apprentice.

"She went too far this time," Apple Bloom explained lowly, "I don't care 'bout your rules, Miss. Pinkie Pie. We're doin this. I'm doin this. Y'all got a problem with that?"

"But I already have two..."

"THEN WE'LL DO THREE!!"

Pinkie flinched, but she smiled weakly, "Okay..." She agreed, "We'll do three. I mean... How hard could it be?"

"We can focus all our attention on Diamond Tiara until we're done with her," said Apple Bloom.

Just then, Mrs. Cake called upstairs, "Pinkie Pie. We're leaving now! You sure you'll be fine on your own?"

"Absopositibly!" Pinkie chirped. When they heard the door close, the party pony giggled, "I gave them tickets to see a show in Canterlot! That way we'd definitely have no problems with our play date!"

"Y'all okay to get Diamond Tiara with the other two?" asked Apple Bloom.

"Oh, no prob, Bob! Just close the shop up and then go to the basement to get ready. I'll be back in a jiffy!" Pinkie Pie bounced happily out of her bedroom, and Apple Bloom grinned wide, following after at a calm walk.

The filly had only been baking with Pinkie Pie for about two years. She had stumbled on the hobby by accident, but instead of disposing of Apple Bloom, Pinkie Pie had decided to show her what she did. Apple Bloom was fascinated with the art, and she never really knew why. However, in her entire time of baking, she only assisted Pinkie. This was going to be different.

Apple Bloom put up the closed sign on the door to the bakery and shut off the main lights. Then she opened the door to their secret basement, went inside, and closed it again. She turned on the lights, looking around at their handy work. There were entrails and bones decorating the place, and on the table were three painted skulls, all foals, wearing party hats made from their own hides. Next to them was what looked like a large pile of fabric piled on the surface. Apple Bloom went to inspect it and discovered that Pinkie Pie was in the process of sewing a bunch of hide together into a banner. She wondered what it was going to say.

Staring at the foal heads, Apple Bloom's lips curled into a nasty smile. She imagined a fourth skull sitting their with a toothy grin and a pink party hat. She always hated odd numbers. She gently pat one of the skulls with her hoof.

"Y'all gonna have a brand new friend soon." She told the heads. "She's kinda rude, but I'm sure y'all will straighten her out right." After that, she started preparing all of their tools and equipment, humming merrily as she brainstormed what she was going to do to her guest.

"Okay, explain it again, Pinkie." said an Earth Pony mare once she entered Sugarcube corner with the party pony, a Unicorn mare, and an Earth Pony filly. She had light brown hide and a bit darker brown mane and tail, and her Cutie Mark was a little brown bean pod.

"Yeah, I still don't get it," The Unicorn agreed. Her hide was an odd bluish silver, but her mane and tail were pure white. Her Cutie Mark was a cluster of multicolored sparkles, "Why do you need us to help you make cupcakes?"

"I'm experimenting with new flavors!" Pinkie explained happily, digging in the fridge. She reached to the very back where no pony would think to look, "I need some taste testers!"

"Why us?" The filly asked, who was none other than Diamond Tiara. "I've got way more important things to do than eat sweets."

"Cocoa Bean." Pinkie spoke up, addressing the brown pony, "You are Ponyville's chocolate expert! You know more about chocolate than even the Cakes! I need you to test my new Super Duper Ultra Deluxe Fudge-O-Matic cupcake! And Glitter..." She turned to the Unicorn. "You're always about how much pizzazz something has! I need you to try my Tangy Tangelo Turnover Surprise cupcake!" Glitter and Cocoa Bean exchanged looks, but then they smiled and nodded, "And Diamond Tiara, I know you're too good for sweets and stuff, so I figured you could help me taste test some tea! I mean, you are so super duper classy, right? And so mature for your age!" Diamond Tiara grinned and held her head up high.

"Yes, I am," she smiled in a dignified tone, "I would be happy to help you taste test some tea."

"Fantasterific! I've gotta get the water boiling then!" Pinkie Pie set a container on the counter before turning to fill a teapot with water and setting it on the stove. Glitter used her magic to open the container, seeing two cupcakes, one chocolate, and one that was colored orange.

"Should we go ahead and eat these, Pinkie?" asked Glitter.

"Oh, not yet!" sang the Pink Pony, "I want to wait until the tea is done so I can gauge all of your reactions at once! Go ahead and sit at a table, I'll be there lickity split!" The three guests all nodded, leaving the kitchen and going into the main area of the shop to sit at a table. Glitter took out a sparkly brush from her saddle bag and started carefully running it through her lovely mane. Diamond Tiara watched, jealous at how her snow white hair seemed to shimmer as if it had glitter in it. She had always been envious of Unicorns, feeling like she should've been one. It wasn't fair.

After some time, a loud whistle sounded from the kitchen, and a short while later, Pinkie Pie bounded in with a tray of tea and the two cupcakes. She set it in the middle of the table, then quickly poured tea from the teapot into a cup and handed it to Diamond Tiara.

"Drink up! Before it gets cold!" she chirped, and then handed Glitter and Cocoa Bean their cupcakes. "Bon appétit!"

"Thank you, Pinkie Pie," Cocoa smiled kindly, and she took a bite from her cupcake. Her eyes widened in surprise, "Wow! That's fantastic!"

Glitter bit into hers, and her expression matched Cocoa's, "That's really tangy!" She exclaimed, "I feel like I just bit into a tangelo!"

Diamond began to sip her tea, trying to look as elegant as she could to show her host that she was indeed mature and classy, "Not bad," she drawled, hiding how impressed she was, though the taste made her want to smile. "What flavor is it?"

"Sleepy Time!" Pinkie Pie giggled, and just as she said that, Cocoa Bean and Glitter both dropped their cupcakes, their heads dropping to the table top. Diamond's vision blurred as she tried to figure out why her fellow guests had passed out, but Pinkie Pie tipped her cup gently, forcing her to drink more of her tea.

It didn't take long for the cup to slip from Diamond's hooves, and it crashed to the floor as she too fell unconscious.

Diamond Tiara woke up to the sound of screaming. It took her a moment to recognize the sound for what it was, for she was still groggy. She had to blink a few times to get her vision to clear, and when it did, she saw Cocoa Bean and Glitter tied to chairs right in front of her. Both were sobbing hysterically, but Glitter was the one screaming, for her horn appeared to have been broken off, blood dripping from the break and down her head. Diamond began to struggle, but noticed that she was bound to a wooden table big enough for one adult pony.

"What's going on?" She yelled at the mares in front of her, but before either of them could say anything, Pinkie Pie hopped into view.

"Oh, sorry Diamond Tiara, they're a little tied up!" She laughed, and suddenly slapped pieces of duct tape over the ponies' mouths so that they couldn't speak.

"Yes, this party is all for you, princess," Said a second voice, this one with a Southern drawl.

Diamond Tiara looked around to see Apple Bloom looking up at her, grinning in a way she had never seen before.

"What...!" Diamond Tiara exclaimed, but then something else caught her eye.

Right behind Apple Bloom was a table with three foal heads sitting in the middle, almost as if they were meant for decoration. Then her eyes flitted around the rest of the room, taking in all of the hideous flare; intestine streamers, furniture made from bones and hide, and even balloons that appeared to be organs filled with helium. On the floor was a large banner lain out, but it was blank. Looking more closely, Diamond realize that it was made out of many different pony hides stitched together to form one enormous piece.

The party pony turned back to the terrified filly and waved at her. She herself was a terrifying sight, wearing a dress made from Cutie Marks, three pairs of Pegasus wings on her back, and necklace of Unicorn horns around her neck. Apple Bloom wasn't wearing anything special, just her usual pink bow. However, the yellow filly remedied that by taking Diamond's crown from her head and placing it on her own.

"Why ya wear this thing anyhow?" She sneered, "You ain't a princess. You ain't more special than the rest of us. What ya tryin to pull? Makin everypony think you're hot stuff when all ya got is nothin."

"I've got money, you low life, poverty stricken farm animal!" Diamond spat, but to her surprise, Apple Bloom just chuckled.

"My family works hard and earns its keep in more than just money," Apple Bloom said bitter sweetly, "We bring apples to the whole town. We make cider for everypony. What do your parents do?"

"My father sells your stupid zap apple jam!" Shouted Diamond Tiara, "And my mother is a nurse! I'd say that's pretty helpful!"

"Oh, wait! Are ya tellin' me your dad is rich because of my family?" asked Apple Bloom in mock surprise, "Holy hay! That means y'all should be thankin' us for your fortune, huh? As for your mama, I've met her. She's nice! And your dad ain't too bad neither. What happened to you? They say the apple don't fall too far from the tree. Well, you fell a good distance away, didn't ya? Why you so mean, Diamond?" Apple Bloom pouted gently, "Go on, you can tell little ol' me. Remember, I don't got no parents, it's hard for me to understand how that kind of relationship works, seeing as how I'm so dull witted. Right?"

"I'm so sorry, Apple Bloom!" Diamond Tiara said quickly, realizing that this was an act of revenge, "I was so mean to you! I'll be so much nicer to you from now on! Just let me go! I won't even tell on you!"

"Apple Bloom, I have an idea!" Pinkie Pie spoke up, "Why don't we let Diamond Tiara tell you why she's such a meanie face, and then we'll let her go!"

"Great idea, Miss Pinkie Pie!" agreed Apple Bloom, "How 'bout it, Diamond Tiara? Give me your sob story, and then I'll let ya go." Diamond smiled weakly, and she nodded.

"Mom and dad are always so busy," She explained in a rush, "Dad travels a lot because of business, and mom works late at the hospital. Even when I was really young, mom was hardly there! I have a nanny, but I don't like her, she's mean to me! She tells me that I'm ugly and that I'm not special, but all I want is to be loved! Can't I have that?"

"I dunno, can you?" asked Apple Bloom pensively.

"I want attention!" Diamond Tiara continued. "You don't know what it's like, Apple Bloom! I am jealous of you with your loving sister, brother, cousins, and grandmother! They give you the love and attention I want from my parents! But no! All I get is Nanny Nutmeg telling me to make myself useful and clean the house! She threatens to take my tiara away!"

"Aw, you poor thing..." Apple Bloom cooed, wiping away an invisible tear. "Your life is terrible, I tell you what. Such trauma."

"I have the kind of life you could write a book about," said Diamond, "The neglected child who picks on everypony, but just wants to be loved. It's tragic!"

"Oh, so tragic!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, and Pinkie blew her nose into a tissue. "I can't think of anypony who has a worse life than you. How can your life possibly get any worse?"

"I know!" said Diamond Tiara with a grateful smile, "I'm glad you see it my way, Apple Bloom! Now... Can you let me go...?" Apple Bloom looked to her mentor, who gave her a wink.

"Your tragedy ain't over just yet, Diamond Tiara," Apple Bloom hissed wickedly, "Maybe we spice it up a little. Give the author of your biography something to really write 'bout."

"What... are you talking about?" Asked Diamond, her smile falling.

"Well, what could be more tragic than a foal that doesn't get attention from her wealthy parents?" said Apple Bloom as Pinkie Pie pushed a cart over to her. She lifted the towel that was covering it, revealing medical tools of many different kinds. Apple Bloom took a scalpel from the cart and calmly journeyed to Diamond Tiara's left side, "How 'bout a foal who lost her Cutie Mark?"

"WHAT?!" Diamond shrieked, struggling as she realized what Apple Bloom was doing.

Unfortunately for her, she was tied down too tightly, and her screams elevated when the scalpel pierced the flesh of her flank. Apple Bloom carved a circle around the tiara Cutie Mark, and then used the blade to pry the skin from the muscle. She then walked to her other flank, repeating the process.

"Maybe I should make somethin from your Cutie Mark just like Miss. Pinkie Pie done with her victims' marks," Apple Bloom pondered thoughtfully, "After all, you hold a very special place in my heart, Diamond Tiara. You're so sweet and thoughtful, and I just can't imagine life without ya." Then she cackled, stabbing Diamond's flank with the scalpel, making the pink filly cry out in pain, "Oh wait, yes I can. And it'll be as sweet as the cupcakes we're gonna make ya into." At this point, Cocoa Bean and Glitter both had their eyes shut tight, not wanting to see the blood.

"Uh oh!" Pinkie Pie gasped, quickly grabbing another scalpel. "No, you guys! You need to watch! Didn't you hear what Diamond Tiara said? She wants attention!" With difficulty, seeing as how the mares were struggling, Pinkie managed to slice off the eyelids of Cocoa Bean and Glitter, then moved their chairs closer to the scene with Diamond Tiara, making sure they could not look away, "Now be good, or I'll be forced to tie your heads in place!"

"Ain't that sweet, Diamond? Now ya got an audience! Ain't that what ya wanted?" Apple Bloom cooed to her hostage. Diamond was horrified at what Pinkie Pie had just done, and she met the eyes of her fellow victims. Their tears were flushing out the blood from their eyes, so she could tell they could see her. Then she looked back at Apple Bloom.

"Please let me go." She whimpered, "I won't pick on you anymore! I just wanted to be like you! Why can't you understand that?"

"Well, princess..." Apple Bloom answered, dramatizing her accent and crossing her eyes, "I guess I ain't so smart, I reckon. I just a poor lil' farm pony who done got no learnin'!" She fixed her gaze back on Diamond Tiara, looking furious, "You should feel special. Normally, we choose a pony's number at random, like we done with Cocoa Bean and Glitter, but I pulled yours out on purpose. You shouldn't have pushed me. Now you're gonna pay."

"Numbers?" Repeated Diamond Tiara as Apple Bloom turned to the cart. "You mean, you do this a lot?!"

"A lot! A lot!" Squeaked Pinkie Pie, bouncing around Cocoa Bean and Glitter, who continued to whimper. "And all three of you have eaten my special cupcakes! Now you know what makes them so super yummy!"

"You mean, the cupcakes at my cute-ceañera were made out of other ponies?!" shrieked Diamond Tiara, and Pinkie nodded enthusiastically.

"You betcha!" The party pony answered, "You loved them, you spoiled brat!" She giggled sickeningly, still bouncing around.

"I didn't help with those cause I had convinced myself that I wasn't comin," Apple Bloom spoke up, sifting through a box, "When I decided that I was gonna go anyway, it was too late. The cupcakes were already made." She yanked the scalpel out of Diamond's leg and set it down, then took out a nail gun she had just loaded, "Ready for some senseless pain?"

"PLEASE DON'T, APPLE BLOOM! I'M SORRY!! I'M SO SORRY!!" Diamond Tiara screamed, writhing against her binds, but it was no use; she was held down too tight. Apple Bloom carefully positioned the gun at her left knee cap and shot a nail right into it. The pink filly wailed again, sobbing hysterically, and Cocoa Bean and Glitter tried desperately to look away.

"Hey!" Pinkie spat, "What did I tell you?!"

She quickly took two wooden planks and wedged them behind their backs, then wrapped duct tape around their heads to attach them to the wood. Now they could not turn their heads. Apple Bloom shot a nail into Diamond's other knee cap, and then both of her elbows. Then she lifted the gun to her jaw where the right joint was.

"I always thought you talked too much," Apple Bloom hissed in her ear, "I'm gonna fix that." Without a second's hesitation, she shot a nail right into the joint. Diamond Tiara was hyperventilating, feeling weak from the pain. Apple Bloom punctured the other joint, and then stood back, admiring the blood oozing from the new wounds, "G'head, say somethin." Diamond Tiara tried to speak, but her words were garbled from the pain in her jaw, "Dang, y'all still talk too much. Guess we gotta resort to desperate measures."

This time, Apple Bloom grabbed a rather large hammer, and Diamond Tiara started trying to plead again. Apple Bloom ignored her as she took aim and struck Diamond's jaw as hard as she could, shattering the bone. Her victim continued to sob and yell as Apple Bloom set the hammer down, and then took out an enormous wrench, beginning to pry Diamond Tiara's jawbone off. She was having a lot of difficulty because it was still attached to the skin.

"Miss. Pinkie Pie, you mind slicin' her skin around her mouth for me?" The filly asked her mentor.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie answered happily, taking a scalpel and carving into the skin around her mouth and jaw.

It took some extra effort, but she managed to sever the flesh enough for Apple Bloom to pull the bone away. Diamond Tiara's tongue lulled out of her mouth due to the lack of support.

"Here!" Pinkie Pie smiled, and she cut the tongue off completely, throwing it to the floor in front of the other two prisoners.

"Great!" Apple Bloom exclaimed happily, "Now you're much less annoyin." She stared at her bleeding foe for a moment, and then punched her across the face as hard as she could. A massive amount of blood splattered in different directions, and now Diamond Tiara was sporting a black eye, "Oh Celestia, I hate ya so much! I hate Silver Spoon too, but she's a lump of sugar compared to you!" Diamond Tiara continued to sob, feeling weak from pain all over her body.

"Wow! She's not even trying to stay alive!" giggled Pinkie Pie, who quickly pulled a syringe from the cart and injected it into Diamond's chest. Diamond Tiara gave a gurgling gasp that caused her to cough and splutter, as she had inhaled a good deal of her own blood.

"But your party's just started, Diamond!" Apple Bloom whispered, "I ain't done nothin to ya yet!" She took off the tiara she was wearing and stomped on it with her hoof, shattering it. Then she picked up a large shard of metal and jammed it into the eye that had been blackened. It punctured and burst, spilling out even more blood. Cocoa Bean and Glitter screamed into their duct tape, fighting with their restraints, but they still could not look away, "But life's a party to ya, ain't it? Ya have a blast pickin on other foals just because they don't have their Cutie Marks. How did ya even get yours, huh? Suddenly realized your name was 'Diamond Tiara'?"

"'Life's a party...'" Muttered Pinkie Pie to herself, rubbing her chin and looking over at the unfinished banner, "Eureka! Apple Bloom, you're a genius!"

"Why?" Asked the filly. Pinkie Pie took a large paint brush and shoved it briefly into Diamond's mouth, or what was left of it. Then she withdrew it and bounded over to the banner, beginning to paint. She had to keep coming back for more blood, but finally, she managed to write, 'LIFE'S A PARTY' across the stitched hides.

"Of course life is a party!" Pinkie said joyfully, "I'm surprised I didn't think of it sooner!"

"Hmm, ya proved useful after all." Apple Bloom sneered at Diamond Tiara, who was still crying, though she could only see from one eye. She wanted to continue to plead for forgiveness, beg Apple Bloom to save her life, but any sound she tried to make came out as a gurgle. The biggest thing she wanted to say ate away at her the more she thought about her best friend.

Without warning, Apple Bloom screamed with rage and started punching Diamond Tiara in the face multiple times, leaving bruises and cuts as her hooves collided with the skin. She broke off a few of her front teeth, and they clattered to the floor gently. Diamond Tiara was groaning, panting, and crying, stars clouding her already blurred vision.

After quite a vicious beating, Apple Bloom ceased, grabbed a skinning knife from the cart and grinning wide at Diamond Tiara. She pulled a lever next to the table to rotate it so that it was in a laying down position. Then she clambered onto the table and stood over her victim, aiming at her belly.

"I just got another great idea..." She murmured menacingly, "I'm-a gonna make an apron with your Cutie Mark on it. But to do that, I'm gonna need a bit more material." She placed the tool on Diamond's abdomen and slowly dragged it down, peeling away the top layers of flesh. Diamond Tiara groaned in agony, struggling once again at her restraints, "Gotta be careful not to ruin your beautiful fur. I'm gonna have ta use a lot of stain remover to get these blood stains out."

It took quite a bit of time and another adrenaline shot for Apple Bloom to successfully remove enough skin to make herself a small apron. She set the pieces aside to dry, and Diamond whimpered as the air stung her skinless front. Apple Bloom leaned down and blew some air on the raw muscle, making her victim flinch.

"Yes, that hurts, don't it?" Apple Bloom giggled, "No pain, no gain!" She climbed off of the table and started setting up something new on her cart. Apple Bloom placed a jar of some clear green fluid on a portable hot plate, turning it on and waiting. Diamond Tiara gurgled at Apple Bloom desperately, trying to get her to realize that she wanted to tell her something.

"I think she's trying to speak!" Pinkie Pie said in amazement.

"Even with no jaw and tongue, ya still won't shut up!" Apple Bloom snarled, raising her hoof to punch her again, but Diamond Tiara met Apple Bloom's eyes with her remaining one, trying to make her see that she needed to know what she had to say. Apple Bloom saw this and furrowed her brow, "Miss. Pinkie Pie, may I have a paper and pencil?" Pinkie Pie nodded, quickly retrieving the needed items from a box filled with miscellaneous objects. She gave them to Apple Bloom, who undid the strap holding Diamond Tiara's right arm still. "Ya know how to write with your hoof, right?" Diamond nodded.

With difficulty, seeing as how she was weak, there was a nail in her elbow, and she wasn't used to holding a pencil in her hoof instead of her mouth, Diamond Tiara wrote a messy note on the paper that Apple Bloom held up for her. When she was done, she dropped the pencil, and her arm went limp, panting hard from using so much energy. Apple Bloom squinted at the chicken scratch, but slowly made out the words. She read them aloud.

"'Don't hurt Silver Spoon." She read. With a scoff, Apple Bloom crumpled up the paper and tossed it behind her, glaring down at the damaged filly, "Y'all serious? Ya expect me to just leave her alone? After everythin both of ya done to me? No, Silver Spoon has a number, and if she's good, she'll be picked at random. If not, I'll pull hers on purpose like I did with you." She pulled the lever again, rotating the table about forty five degrees. "I'm impressed though, I didn't think you had the ability to care 'bout somepony other than yourself. I'll make sure to let her know ya tried to save her." There was a gentle bubbling sound, and Apple Bloom turned to the hot plate. Whatever was in the jar had come to a steady boil.

"What's in there?" Pinkie inquired.

"Just some plain ol' olive oil," Apple Bloom replied, "It's good for the skin, or at least that's what Rarity told me once. Amazin how some things ya eat are good for your skin and hair."

"Isn't Rarity a genius?" Pinkie Pie giggled, "She's the one who gave me tips on how to manage my curly hair better! It used to be super straight, but the day I got my Cutie Mark, it poofed up! It was really messy though, I had no idea how to tame it!"

"See, Diamond Tiara?" Apple Bloom asked her captive, "Ya can be wealthy, pretty, and nice. Rarity is a prime example." She sighed melodramatically, "Too bad, so sad, a chance at kindness ya never had." She lowered the temperature on the hot plate to keep the oil from boiling over, and then she dipped in a small wooden spoon, scooping out a small bit of the substance.

Apple Bloom carefully brought the spoon close to Diamond Tiara and dripped the oil on the nail in one of her knee caps. When it touched the nail, the temperature of the metal increased, sending burning pain through Diamond Tiara's leg. She shrieked, though the sound was weak and raspy. Apple Bloom scooped up more oil and did the same to the other knee cap, as well as her elbows. She also dribbled oil along other parts of her skin, including her flank wounds, as well as her skinless belly. Boils and blisters appeared anywhere the hot liquid touched.

The filly stood back, rubbing her chin as she observed her work. She was growing bored, for Diamond Tiara was hardly struggling anymore. She figured she should've held back, but she hated Diamond so much, she was overwhelmed with violent urges. She sighed and turned off the hot plate, grabbing the jar with a cloth and splashing the remaining oil on her victim. Diamond Tiara flinched, but her sounds were almost nonexistent.

"Are you finishing up already?" Asked Pinkie Pie in disappointment.

"I'm not sure what else to do," Apple Bloom replied with a shrug. "I had a few other plans, but she's sure not as fun as I had thought she'd be."

"I think you just got a little enthusiastic." Pinkie Pie explained, "You got carried away! That happened to me a lot when I first started out. You'll learn to manage your time more carefully. In fact, I'll teach you some good techniques when we play with Cocoa Bean and Glitter!"

The aforementioned prisoners whined in despair. Glitter feeling sick to her stomach. She was amazed she hadn't yet vomited; perhaps it was because she knew what came up would have nowhere to go but back down, and she didn't want to suffocate on her own puke.

"I been helpin ya for years, and I'm still nowhere near as good as you," Apple Bloom sighed, beginning to prepare a second syringe. "No wonder I ain't got no Cutie Mark..."

"But I've been doing this since I was your age! I have way more experience!" Pinkie Pie explained confidently, "You'll get your Cutie Mark before you know it, and it'll be the best Cutie Mark anypony has ever seen!"

Apple Bloom smiled, and then shot the syringe into Diamond Tiara's belly. Diamond herself was feeling faint, starting to lose consciousness. Pinkie Pie hit her with a third adrenaline shot, and it woke the filly up by force once again.

"We gonna bring some of these cupcakes to the picnic tomorrow afternoon?" Apple Bloom asked as she waited for the numbing serum to take effect.

"Yep yep yep!" Pinkie replied with a hop, "That's my favorite part about making cupcakes! Sharing them!"

Apple Bloom laughed, looking into Diamond Tiara's bloody face. The poor filly stared right back, her chest heaving as her heart worked overtime to keep her alive.

"My favorite part is the harvest," Apple Bloom said, winking at Diamond. Then she slammed her hoof against one of her damaged knee caps, but there was no reflex response, "Good. Time to get started." Apple Bloom took a scalpel and sliced down Diamond Tiara's torso vertically, then added a horizontal line at the top and bottom, "How's that look, Miss. Pinkie?"

"It's a tiny bit lopsided, but that doesn't matter much," Pinkie Pie answered, then she looked over to Cocoa Bean and Glitter, "Do you guys feel sick?"

They nodded as best they could, and Pinkie ripped the tape from their mouths. They immediately started shrieking.

"LET US GO! PLEASE LET US GO!!" Cocoa cried, tears pouring from her lidless eyes.

"Hey, I'm being nice!" Pinkie Pie said defensively, "I don't want you throwing up and choking to death! Where's the fun in that? So just hush up, this is Apple Bloom's first solo harvest!"

Apple Bloom opened the flaps she had made on Diamond Tiara's torso, and poor Glitter finally wretched. Cocoa Bean groaned, trying to find something else to look at.

"While you're still awake enough to comprehend, I'm gonna let ya in on a little secret." Apple Bloom said to Diamond Tiara as she swiftly began to dissect her, "When I first met ya, I admired you so much. You were pretty, confident, and popular. I figured it was because y'all had your Cutie Mark." She started pulling out the lower intestine, and Pinkie Pie held a bucket for her to set the organs in, "I wanted to be your friend, wanted to hear how ya got it. But ya shoved me off and called me a Blank Flank.

"I expected ya to be the type of pony who would help other foals get their Cutie Marks, but I proved myself that I was a fool for thinkin that. Instead, you were only a little nice to foals who had their marks already. I even remembered you being cold toward Silver Spoon until she got hers. You're so false." After both intestines were piled up in the bucket, Apple Bloom pulled out her liver. Diamond Tiara fell sickened at seeing her own guts being taken away from her, and her vision started to blur again, "We coulda been friends, you and me. Then ya woulda got the kindness and attention you craved so badly. Ya attract more bees with honey than vinegar, ya brat."

"Bees!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as Diamond's pancreas was dropped into the bucket. "Remind me to get some! We can use them on one of our play dates!" Apple Bloom did not smile, but in fact, a tear ran down her face as she removed Diamond Tiara's stomach.

"Ya hurt me so much," She muttered, "Me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. Why? For somethin we can't control? What is wrong with you? Out of the two of us, even though I'm sittin' here pullin' out your entrails, you're still the monster. You brought this upon yourself. My one regret about this whole thing..." She finally grinned wide, and it was the last thing Diamond saw before her vision swam at its maximum intensity, "I regret that I was too rough with ya and this didn't get to last longer." She pressed her hoof to the slowly beating heart. "G'bye, ya sad piece of trash." She pushed with all her might, crushing the heart into a mass of goop, and Diamond Tiara's body fell completely limp.

"Not how I would've done it..." Pinkie Pie started, "But you've got lots to learn. Are you crying?"

Apple Bloom wiped her eyes, smearing blood on her face, "Yeah..." She sniffled, "Not sure if it's cause I'm happy she's gone, or shocked that I just single hoofedly killed somepony."

"Might be both!" Giggled Pinkie, "I guess I should've let you practice a bit before now! Wow, I am a bad mentor! But that ends today, Apple Bloom! I'm going to be more attentive, and you're going to be the best baker this town has seen since... well, since me!"

Apple Bloom smiled at the pink pony, and then glanced over at Glitter and Cocoa Bean. Both were sobbing and covered in vomit, for Cocoa had finally thrown up on herself as well, and Glitter seemed to have lost her stomach a few more times.

"I want Glitter." said Apple Bloom, "And I'm gonna do it right this time. I'm gonna pace myself."

"It might be easier because you won't be blinded by rage!" Pinkie Pie smiled.

"You're right," Apple Bloom agreed with a nod, "I rushed Diamond Tiara because I hated her and wanted her dead. I need to prepare myself for handlin' Silver Spoon, I gotta restrain myself." The filly giggled, "There were so many bad words I wanted to call Diamond Tiara, but then I thought, what would Applejack think if she heard me sayin those things? That's a one way ticket to gettin my mouth washed out with soap!"

"Ew!" Pinkie flinched with a grimace, "No pony likes a potty mouth! Alright, so you want to do Glitter? I'll take Cocoa Bean then!" The two bakers turned their attention on the tied up mares, who whimpered and struggled even more. Glitter met the eyes of the yellow filly, who was grinning evilly...

Apple Bloom's tears had stopped.

The Party Pony

"What, are you stupid?!" Shouted the mare behind the counter of an apple stand, her customer flinching at the outburst, "Can't you even count? It's two bits per apple! You have five apples!"

The grey Pegasus trembled as she fumbled with her bits on the counter, trying to figure out how much she owed the apple vendor. Tears were starting to well up in her crossed golden-yellow eyes, as she became aware that other ponies in the market had turned to see what the commotion was. The pegasus decided to just push all of her bits to the mare.

"NO! There are five bits here! You need ten!" The mare behind the counter shouted.

"I not has any more..." The Pegasus sniffled, her ears drooping.

"Then you don't get five apples! You can only afford two!" The vendor shouted in exasperation.

"B-but... I not will be able to come to Ponyville for another week..." Replied the Pegasus, "Derpy don't live in town, Derpy live away and needs food to last the week..."

"Looks like you're going hungry then, huh?" Snapped the vendor, smacking Derpy's bits at her and taking back the apples, "And learn how to speak, you idiot! Go away!"

Derpy bit her lip as tears slid down her face, but kept her head down to try and hide them from the ponies who were watching. She scooped her money back into her saddle bag and turned away from the stand, but ran right into a green mare. She looked up into the kind hazel eyes of SugarCube Corner's tea specialist, Apple Snow.

"Hey there, Ditzy!" Apple Snow cooed with a gentle smile.

Derpy had rarely spoken to Apple Snow face to face, but knew of her family's contributions to the town.

Apple Snow slightly tilted her head, "What's wrong? Ain't got enough bits for your trip?" Derpy nodded, her cheeks growing hot with embarrassment and humiliation. Apple Snow smiled sweetly, "Tell ya what. Why don't ya come back with me to Sweet Apple Acres and I'll get you set up with all the apples you need. Sound good?"

"Okay." Replied Derpy softly, feeling a bit more confident.

As she followed Apple Snow, she glanced back at the angry vendor, who actually looked disappointed that Apple Snow had come to Derpy's rescue.

Once at the farm, Derpy noticed six ponies, a stallion, a young dragon, and a filly sitting on a red and white checkered blanket under a large apple tree. The group noticed Apple Snow walking toward them, and all waved, but a bright pink pony bounced right up to greet her.

"Hi Snowie!" She squeaked happily, "Where you been?" Then she notices Derpy behind Snow, "OOH! Who is this?"

"Pinkie, you remember Derpy Hooves, right?" Apple Snow smiled, ruffling Derpy's blonde mane affectionately, "She's the one who eats the most muffins at your parties."

"OH! I remember you!" Pinkie grinned, clapping her hooves, and Derpy smiled shyly, "I remember my party a few weeks ago when you accidentally knocked the punch bowl over and it fell on your head and then I was like OOH! And I took another bowl and put it on my head and we wore them for the rest of the party!!" Pinkie Pie took a deep breath when she finished talking, panting slightly from lack of breath.

"I knocked-ed the bowl over on by accident," Derpy admitted shamefully, hoping Pinkie wasn't mad.

"And that's what made it fun!" Pinkie squeaked in reply. She turned back to Apple Snow, "So watcha doing? Is Derpy hanging out with us today?"

"The apple vendor was harassing her..." Apple Snow sighed with a frown, "It seems she didn't have enough bits to buy the apples she needed, so I said I'd giver her some of ours."

"WHAT?! No pony is mean to my friends and gets away with it!" Shouted Pinkie Pie, and she actually made to walk into town.
But Apple Snow threw an arm out to catch her, "Woah, slow down, it's alright. I took care of it. Besides, our apples are much more fresh than the ones that mean mare sells. She gets them from a different farm."

Derpy noticed that the rest of the group behind Pinkie Pie were watching the three of them curiously.

"Well don't go yet! Have some fun with us for a bit!" Pinkie smiled excitedly, "We're having a picnic!"

Derpy smiled, still a bit shy, and nodded as she followed Pinkie Pie and Apple Snow to the blanket.

"Hey!" Rainbow Dash smiled, standing and approaching Derpy, "I know you! It's... Ditzy, right?"

"Derpy." The grey Pegasus corrected.

"Right!" Dash replied, gently punching Derpy's shoulder, "I notice you helping out Pegasi sometimes."

"I try." Derpy answered, pulling her ears back again, "But Derpy don't fly so good, so sometimes Derpy makes wrong."

Rainbow Dash frowned, having never heard Derpy speak before. She now understood quite a few mishaps during Pegasi duties, "Well," She said, a bit more slowly,"Everypony has some things they're better at than other things..."

Pinkie Pie hopped behind Derpy and started pushing against her rump to move her closer to the others. Derpy resisted slightly, her hooves scratching the dirt as she was forced forward. Rainbow Dash sprinted over to the rest of her friends and whispered something to them quickly, which made their faces fall, and they looked uncomfortable. Pinkie and Apple Snow encouraged Derpy to sit on the blanket, which she did, nervous around the others.

"Hello, Derpy." Rarity greeted, speaking with more pronounced enunciation, "My name is Rarity, this is Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Fluttershy. She's a Pegasus like you."

"Hello," The latter three greeted in unison.

"And this is Big McIntosh, my eldest cousin." Apple Snow smiled, gesturing to the red stallion, who waved, "And you've met Applejack, of course." Applejack waved, "And my youngest and most lovable cousin, Apple Bloom."

"Nice to meet ya!" Apple Bloom greeted with a smile, and unlike the others, she didn't bother to change the pace of her speech, "We've got lots of food in our picnic basket, help yourself!"

Derpy smiled widely, having not eaten anything all day, and she dug into the basket to find something.

"Apple Bloom, can I talk to ya for a sec?" Applejack asked with a frown.

Apple Bloom began to look concerned. The filly followed the orange mare away from the tree and close to the barn.

"What's up?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Well, Derpy... See, Derpy ain't like most ponies." Applejack explained, "She doesn't... Understand some things, and ya got to watch how ya talk to her."

"What do you mean?" Apple Bloom tilted her head slightly

"Uh... Try to talk a bit slower and use more simple words." Applejack suggested.

"Why?" Apple Bloom asked.

Applejack frowned deeply, knowing that Apple Bloom was too young to understand some of the less fortunate things in the world, "Because she... She, uh..."

"Apple Bloom!" Came Pinkie Pie's voice, and the trio of Apples looked back at their friends, "Come see what Derpy can do!"

Forgetting the conversation with her sister, Apple Bloom galloped back to the picnic, causing Applejack to let out an indignant sigh and slowly followed. Pinkie Pie was cheering as Derpy balanced an apple on her muzzle, her little tongue sticking out in concentration.

"That's awesome!" Apple Bloom cried, and she took another apple to try it herself, but failed.

Soon, both she and Pinkie were attempting Derpy's trick, but their apples just kept falling back to the blanket. After dropping her apple about ten times, Pinkie Pie laughed.

"I can bake, I can play a bunch of instruments at once, and I can throw parties." She said with a defeated smile, "but I cannot balance things on my nose."

"Welp, I ain't gettin my Cutie Mark this way." Apple Bloom smiled, taking a bite from her own apple.

"I not good at lot of things, but I still do some things." Derpy smiled, also eating the fruit she had been balancing.

"So, Derpy..." Rarity spoke up tentatively, and Derpy's crossed eyes rested on her as she chewed, "Where do you live?"

"I not live in Ponyville." Derpy replied, her mouth still full, which made Rarity cringe, "I live far out in a little house, but I can see Ponyville from my window, and I really like Ponyville."

"Why don't you live in Ponyville?" Twilight asked, a slight frown on her face.

"I not can has much money." Derpy continued, "I has the house from the nice doctors that took care of me when I was a filly."

"Doctors?" asked Twilight, but before Derpy could elaborate, there was another voice that called, "Apple Bloom!"

They looked around and saw two more fillies, one a white Unicorn, and the other an orange Pegasus.

"Hey guys!" Apple Bloom smiled, standing to greet her friends. The young Pegasus waved at Rainbow Dash, blushing slightly, and Dash gave her a wide grin in return.

"Guess who we just saw in the park." Sweetie Belle smiled, joining their picnic.

"Who?" Apple Bloom inquired.

"Silver Spoon." Scootaloo answered.

"So?"

"She was crying." Sweetie Belle explained, "We couldn't help but ask what was wrong, and she wasn't even mean to us when she said she hasn't seen Diamond Tiara in three days. She hasn't even been home, and her parents called the police. There's a search party and everything."

Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom exchanged glances, and they both smiled briefly. Apple Snow noticed this and quietly raised a brow.

"I'm sure she's fine." said Apple Bloom. "She's probably just... I dunno, doin somethin evil, I reckon."

"But she's never away from Silver Spoon," Scootaloo contradicted.

"Relax." Pinkie smiled sweetly, and she dug into the picnic basket, pulling out a small box. When she opened it, Derpy saw three very pretty cupcakes. "Have a cupcake!"

A tiny snicker came from Apple Bloom, but no pony noticed except for Derpy, who tilted her head at the cupcakes, and Apple Snow, who decided to stay quiet and smile. The two fillies each took one and bit into them, a smile immediately playing their faces.

"Gosh, Pinkie Pie." Scootaloo cheered happily, "Your cupcakes are the best in Equestria."

"Hey Derpy, you want the last one?" Pinkie asked, holding the box to her.

Derpy immediately shoved her face into the box, scarfing the pastry in seconds.

"MMM!!" She exclaimed, frosting all over her face, "This is yummy yummy! I usually like muffins, but this is yummy yummy!"

"Fantasterific! I'll make you a batch of muffins some time!" Pinkie smiled cheerfully.

Twilight tapped Pinkie Pie on the shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Hey, Pinkie..." She said kindly, "Maybe you should bring your energy level down a tad? Not speak so quickly...?"

"Why would I do that?" Squeaked Pinkie loudly, and Twilight flinched. Pinkie returned her attention to Derpy, "Hey Derpy, wanna play tag?"

"Yeah!" Derpy exclaimed excitedly.

"Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, you can play too!" The three fillies happily followed Pinkie and Derpy into a part of the field that didn't have as many trees. The rest of the group watched momentarily before anypony spoke.

"I didn't realize that Derpy was..." said Rainbow Dash in an unsure tone.

"I thought maybe she was just clumsy," said Rarity. "Though her eyes should've been a clue."

"Guys, there's nothing wrong with her," Apple Snow frowned sternly.

"She talks like a foal does when they first learn to talk," argued Spike.

"Doesn't mean she's less of a pony!" Snapped Apple Snow.

"Ee-yup." Agreed Big Mac.

"That's very true." Rarity nodded, "Maybe we just have to get to know her a little better."

"Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom seem to just adore her." Applejack noticed.

"I'm a little worried about them not really understanding Derpy's condition," Twilight added, "I mean... It's as if they don't see the difference..."

Apple Snow looked at the playing fillies and ponies. A smile grew on her face, "There isn't."

After playing tag for about thirty minutes, Pinkie Pie, Apple Bloom, and Derpy flopped in the grass on their backs, laughing and breathing heavily. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were panting just as hard, but Sweetie Belle noticed the sun beginning to set.

"Uh-oh!" She gasped, "I've got to get home or mom and dad will be sore!"

"Me too!" Scootaloo added.

And they both said their goodbyes to the other three, before running to the others to bid farewell to them too.

"That was a blast." Apple Bloom giggled, "I've never played tag with more than two."

"Run run run, fun fun fun!" Pinkie Pie squealed, flailing her arms and legs.

Derpy, however, had replaced her jubilance with concern, "Why do everypony talk slow at Derpy?" She asked softly.

The other two blinked, rolling to lay on their stomachs.

"Dunno." Apple Bloom replied, "Maybe they were afraid you wouldn't like them."

"But everypony talks real slow at me." Derpy continued, "All the time. And sometimes they laugh when I not tell joke, and sometimes they laugh at me when I fly into stuff. I don't fly so good 'cause I don't see so good."

"We all just want to be your friends!" Pinkie Pie giggled, but Derpy still looked distraught.

"I thought they wanted to be friends before too." Derpy explained, "But I see them laugh, but not how you and Apple Bloom laugh. I think they don't want friends with me at all." They all fell silent for a few seconds before Derpy asked, "Am I stupid?"

"What the hay makes you think that?!" Apple Bloom exclaimed in shock.

"Derpy, you're not stupid, you just think differently!" Pinkie answered, "Some ponies just don't understand. Sometimes I get laughed at when I'm trying to be serious. No pony takes me seriously when there's a real problem, and I can tell the difference between nice laughter and mean laughter."

"And me and my friends get bullied for being Blank Flanks." Apple Bloom added, nodding at her flank, "But no matter what, we don't give up. You're not any different than anypony else, but we're all still special in our own way."

"But if anypony gives you trouble..." Pinkie angrily added, "I'll pop them a new one!"

Derpy's smile returned, her worries fading away. Apple Snow, who was still watching the trio of ponies, smiled in relief. She was happy that Derpy was able to find a friend that understands her.