They didn’t know for how long they had been outside in the cold. It was like an unforgiving mother who was scolding them with the harsh cold. With the cold hitting their sensitive areas with hostility.

Spike and Fluttershy had tried to convince Pinkie that she couldn’t make it with her wounds but she didn’t listen, she just continued to run and run until she slowed her pace and began to walk which at first, was relaxing, but soon, she could barely walk. Her injuries were too grave and were the cause of the reason.

Once she was near Yakyakistan, she collapsed to the ground. Breathing heavily as her two friends shouted for her.

Spike jumped out of the wagon and tried to keep her awake while Fluttershy tended to her wounds. The Duo did everything they could, they tried different herbs and medicine that were impossible to find in Equestria but nothing worked. Pinkie Pie ... she passed away from her injuries.

Injuries that came from her own friends.

“It’s all my fault ...” Spike emotionlessly spoke. “I shouldn’t have involved you in this war.” He was broken in such a way Fluttershy didn’t know how to respond.

“No it isn’t,” She finally said. He glanced at her with a look that dared her to continue. She walked closer to him by the cold, stone road they were on. “Pinkie ... she knew from the start what kind of dangers she would be in by fighting in this war.” It was troubling to speak about their dead friend. “She was willing to pay the price for it.”

“Still, I do feel responsible,” He stubbornly claimed.

“That may very well be the case, but just remember; she knew the costs of fighting,” Fluttershy smiled at him sadly.

Spike looked away, not wanting to see the eyes of the mare who was trying to soothe his guilt. It wasn’t something that was just washed away along with the water. It was something that would take time.

But how much? How much would it take?

“Does she have any family members who are still ...?” He didn’t dare finish the question. He would accept any punishment they tell him as a price for losing their daughter and sister.

“She does,” Fluttershy conceded. “They live in the Crystal Empire since the invasion, but I do not know where they specifically live. Only ... Pinkie knew that for obvious reasons.”

“I’ll be the bringer of bad news when the time comes,” Spike said. He picked up her body gently and placed her inside of the wagon, allowing Fluttershy to take care of their friend.

But before they started moving again, Fluttershy stopped him.

“You know that they won’t blame you right?” The statement made him freeze. He hoped that they would.

“And if they do?” He asked in a daring voice that didn’t stop the yellow mare.

“If they do, then give them time. They would have lost their daughter and sister. It’s easier to blame things on another creature than nothing at all.” Her voice carried itself over to Spike’s ears which always made him feel relaxed.

“Your right,” Spike admitted with a sigh. “It is easier. Creatures always look for something easy.”

Fluttershy smiled sadly. She knew what he meant by that.

“You know that Celestia doesn’t hate you, Spike, she’s in a tight corner; deluding herself that the other kingdoms want your head, even though they don’t.” She said.

“But that is precisely the problem, she believes that the other kingdoms want my head so much that she isn’t willing to listen to reason!” He let out his frustrations that he’d been keeping inside of himself for quite a while.

Before Fluttershy could respond, Spike beat her to it. “We should continue, Yakyakistan isn’t far from here,”

She looked over at him sadly, knowing that he had an internal conflict with himself.

When they were getting closer to Yakyakistan, Spike slowed down slightly but not by much. The death of Pinkie hung over his head like a torment that never went away. The fact that she was dead made him feel guilty. She had her whole life ahead of her and it was taken away.

It was taken away from her, by one of her own. Their own princess’ order!

He would never forgive his mother. He couldn’t and he wouldn’t even try to because he knew he’d refuse.

Pinkie Pie was a pony he looked up to when Twilight or his mother couldn’t be that role. She always cracked a smile on his lips that would quiver until the biggest grin mustered from ear to ear. She made everypony and creature smile and wave as she trotted down the streets of Ponyville or abroad.

But it was taken from her ...

His rage spiked like oil being poured into the fire, making him almost lose control of himself. It was like an open wound that he didn’t use a bandage for or at least something to cover the wound; allowing the body to do its work. But at the cost of being infected, an infection in this case; he couldn’t allow happening.

He wasn’t alone, he had Fluttershy with him, the pony that was soft-spoken and cared for every creature good or bad. She never judged any creature based on their past, their problems, their race, anything. She had never done any of that.

The first time he set his foot in Ponyville and met her, she was instantly all over him because he was a dragon; a baby dragon at that. It wasn’t a bad thing, not many ponies can say they’ve met a dragon let alone befriended one.

But she had paid attention to him and learned everything about him. She was the one pony he trusted the most now when Pinkie was gone. He did trust his other friends and followers, but he needed some creature he could speak to about his problems.

He didn’t want to let any creature down with what weaknesses he might have that might have never occurred to him. Fluttershy was the best creature for that kind of thing because she is kind about it and doesn’t judge a creature because of its weaknesses.

She was one of the many reasons he continued to be who he was until ...

“Were almost there,” Spike said with no emotion in his voice. It made him sound like a robot that had no feelings or regard for any creature.

“I’ll prepare ... her,” Fluttershy responded with sadness seeping into her voice.

He didn’t say anything. He continued to walk.

When they reached Yakyakistan, the creatures there had been eccentric seeing their liberator. But when they saw his gloomy look, they knew something was wrong. Their intuition was correct when Spike gave them the news that Pinkie Pie had died trying to save him.

To honour the saviour of The Ghost they had a burial that was usually only reserved for royalty and nobles but on this occasion, they were beyond that. They had lost a warrior that fought for what she believed in.

When Spike was inside the place where they bury the royals and nobles, Princess Yona walked up to Spike and Fluttershy. She knew the difficulty of losing a friend and family member.

It was something that gave unimaginable pain even if it is someone you hate, because, even if you hated a creature you would still feel some kind of pain. But in this case, it was much worse, their hero loved Pinkie Pie, making the situation much more depressing.

“You are not alone,” Yona sniffled. “We are all with you, we will continue to fight with you.”

He could hear her determination and anger. The anger of losing a great pony that stood close to her hero. But sadly, Pinkie wouldn’t be the only or last one to die, they have lost many great creatures to King Sombra.

“I know Princess, but it feels like it,” Spike hated to admit it but his words did not speak lies. He lay a claw on the tomb that was specially carved for Pinkie with the torches flickering from the faint wind that made its way inside like water running from a hole.

“Every creature knows you will never intentionally fail them,” Yona tried with her voice almost sounding desperate.

“I’m not trying to fail them!” Spike angrily said, turning to Yona who was unfazed by his small outburst that was still controlled somehow.

“That is what I’m trying to say, they know that, I know that, every creature knows that,” She said with hope in her voice, trying to make Spike better.

“I hope so,” Was his response. There was no emotion in his voice as if he was a robot that could not feel any emotion.

Fluttershy sighed, knowing her friend didn’t believe a word the princess of Yakyakistan said. “Thank you, Princess Yona,” She said with a sad smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

The Yak smiled sadly and bowed in respect to the two. After that, she turned around and left, wanting to leave the two alone so they could say their final goodbyes.

They were quiet, saying their prayers and hoping that their friend had reached enlightenment and that she was at peace.

“May she come to eternal rest from samsara and reach nirvana.” Spike said with a bow, his tears leaking out from his eyes.

Fluttershy couldn’t contain her sadness any longer and cried along with him, allowing them to freely run down from her face. Her emotions were haywire, her mane looked like a mess, her eyes were turning red from the number of tears she allowed to escape.

Together, they hugged each other while crying over the loss of Pinkie Diane Pie, the brave mare who sacrificed herself to protect The Ghost.

Discord had tears running down his face from what he witnessed. He couldn’t believe that Pinkie’s own creatures would do such a thing.

“His legend grows, he is The Shadow Samurai.”

Author's Note

Man ... this was a hard one to write ...