“Doesn’t everypony know?” Gilda asked. Gilda thought the news of her disappearance would have been spread all over Ponyville.

“You didn’t answer” Rainbow Dash cried. “How…did you know?”

“I heard a rumor that she went missing.” Gilda said. Gilda began to see the severity of the situation.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. “You’re lying.”

Gilda’s body stiffened. “How does she know?”

“We didn’t tell anypony about her spying on you. Nopony but us knows.”

Rainbow Dash began to loudly cry. “You killed her…You killed all of them!”

Gilda covered her mouth and kept her ears open for any movement within the house. She didn’t hear anypony coming.

“I’m going to fix everything.” Gilda said. Gilda struck Rainbow Dash on the side of the head and her body instantly went limp. The world around Rainbow Dash faded into an inescapable dark abyss.

**

Rainbow Dash awoke to find herself tightly tied against a support beam in Applejack’s cellar. Rainbow Dash’s head pounded with pain. The room was dimly lit but she was able to make out some the debris from the Crusaders’ fire starting. Beyond that, she saw nothing else in the cellar but the stairs.

She saw a lot on upstairs. “Hello!” Rainbow Dash called out, hoping for a friendly answer.

She heard somepony walk down the stairs and stop at the end of them. The figure stared at Rainbow Dash, who instantly knew who it was.

“Gilda, stop this!” She called out.

Gilda walked towards Rainbow Dash, dragging one of her feet with her. As Gilda got closer, Rainbow Dash could see a clearer image of her. Her beak was covered in blood, with small droplets scattered across her forehead. She had a large amount of feather torn from the top of her head, revealing a sickly pale patch of flesh. One of her legs appeared to be disjointed and swollen. With all this damage to her body, Rainbow Dash was shocked to see a friendly expression on her face.

“I did it, Dash. I fixed everything.” Rainbow Dash never saw such a happy smile on Gilda’s face, it was disturbing.

“What do you mean? Where are my friends?” Rainbow Dash’s eyes watered at the thought of their fate.

“They were not your friends. I am your only friend and we need to talk about our friendship.”

Rainbow Dash scowled at Gilda. “I am not your friend and I will never be your friend.”

Gilda’s calm demeanor vanished and her vicious personality returned.

“I try to be nice, but you’re too stubborn to reason with.” Gilda walked behind Rainbow Dash, away from her view.
“What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash asked, struggling to free herself from her binds.

Rainbow Dash heard no response, but was suddenly surprised by a blunt strike to the face. Her chin went numb and her jaw throbbed. Blood covered the side of her face, but it wasn’t hers. She turned to Gilda, whose cold eyes stared back at her, and saw a decapitated head in her claws. The eyes were gouged out, leaving behind a small vein hanging from the left socket. The mane was torn off of the head, with a few small strands remaining. The skin and fur were mangled into a disgusting red mush barely clinging to the bone. The strands of the mane stood out among the red mess, revealing a contrasting purple color. Rainbow Dash fell into a horrified trance, staring down at the mutilated head.

“Dash.” Gilda called, trying to get Rainbow Dash’s attention. Rainbow Dash ignored her and remained in her unresponsive state.

“Listen to me!” Gilda yelled as the struck Rainbow Dash in the face again. Gilda lost her grip and the head slammed against the wall next to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash had blood pouring from her nose and into her open mouth, but she remained mostly unfazed.

Gilda sighed. “She was kind of pretty…was.” Rainbow Dash didn’t respond.

“But they were all ugly on the inside, so it doesn’t matter.” Gilda cracked her neck and continued. “She didn’t get the worst of it. The one with the hat took almost two hours to die.”

Rainbow Dash slowly turned her, keeping her expression the same. Gilda’s expression changed, to a saddened look Rainbow Dash never saw before.

“You two were real close. She kept asking me to let you go, even to the end.”

Gilda turned her back to Rainbow Dash. “She loved you. I saw it in the way she was around you. The smile…the laughing…the way she watched you when you left.”

Gilda clenched her claws, her voice grew louder. “It’s disgusting to think about how that filthy mare lusted for you. Probably using the murders to get you in her bed! I took care of those sexual feelings and watched her bleed out!”
Gilda calmed herself and face Rainbow Dash again. “We both know you deserve better.”

The fear and confusion on Rainbow Dash’s face prompted Gilda to leave the cellar, vanishing into the light of the doorway. With Gilda’s absence, Rainbow Dash used her remaining strength to trash and jerk herself out of her bindings. Rainbow Dash felt the rope get looser, but stopped when she heard Gilda walking down the stairs.

Gilda was lugging something on her shoulder. She threw it towards Rainbow Dash, landing a few feet in front of her. It was Scootaloo.

Scootaloo had swollen lumps all over her body. A bloody rag stuffed into her mouth and duct taped. Blood trickled down her back, with slash marks that read “RAI.” Scootaloo’s muffled crying made the sight even more sad for Rainbow Dash.

“The others drank some stuff from under the sink. There wasn’t any left for this one.” Gilda casually said, examining her work on the filly’s back.

“I was going to make her a welcoming present, but you woke up before I could finish.” Gilda stroked Scootaloo’s wounds.

“Get away from her!” Rainbow Dash screamed, tears rolling down her face.

Gilda walked behind Rainbow Dash again, fetching something else from beyond her view. Gilda spoke from the distance.

“We are down here for a reason.” Gilda said. She returned to view with two red containers. She poured half of the first on Scootaloo, drenching her in the clear liquid. Scootaloo winced and wined when the fluid made contact with her wound. Rainbow Dash recognized it as lighter fluid, leftovers from the Crusaders’ fire starting. Gilda emptied the rest on her back, making a large puddle around her and Scootaloo. She splashed Rainbow Dash a few times with the second container, but dumped the rest around the cellar.

“Final choice, Dash. Come with me or we all burn together.” Gilda had a serious look in her eyes; Rainbow Dash knew Gilda meant what she said.

Gilda immediately walked to a visible box of matches a few feet away.

“Stop! I’ll do it! I’ll leave!” Rainbow Dash yelled. Gilda had a smile of satisfaction on her face.

“I thought so.” She scoffed.

Rainbow Dash looked down at the weeping Scootaloo.

“What happens to her?”

Gilda rolled her eyes and gave a half-hearted response. “If you act like a good friend again, then I’ll let her live.” Gilda showed little care for the filly’s position, kicking her as she picked up a hammer next to her.

She displayed the hammer to Rainbow Dash. “I need to be sure that there’s no funny business.” Gilda moved to Rainbow Dash’s side and lightly tapped the hammer on her wing, preparing for her strike. Rainbow Dash lightly tugged on the roped without notice, hoping to free herself before Gilda could start. With Rainbow Dash preoccupied with the rope, the impact from the hammer came as a shuttering surprise.

Rainbow Dash let out a soft moan, but kept her composure. Gilda looked disappointed.

“Guess I’ve got to do it again.” Gilda struck the wing again and broke it.

Gilda struck at a downward angle, but in the same spot she hit before. The lower part of the bone stuck out of the skin with the rest of the wing lazily dangling by the flesh holding it. Blood trailed down Rainbow Dash’s back as she did all she could to hold back her screams. It was the most painful thing she ever felt, but she wouldn’t let Gilda know it.

Gilda rolled her eyes. “The tough girl act get’s old after a while.” She walked to the other side of Rainbow Dash, tapping the hammer on her wing.

Rainbow Dash felt like the rope was loose enough and would come undone with one large thrust. Gilda reared back the hammer and Rainbow Dash through herself out of her binds. Rainbow Dash got back on her hooves just as Gilda attempted to hit her while she was down. Rainbow Dash ducked underneath Gilda and, taking a hoof full of lighter fluid, hit Gilda in the eye.

Gilda dropped the hammer and gripped her face in agony, wildly screaming and throwing her head back. Rainbow Dash helped Scootaloo up and the two ran out of the cellar. At the top of the stairs, Rainbow Dash removed Scootaloo’s gag and told her to run for help.

“What about you?” Scootaloo asked.

Before Rainbow Dash could respond, she was yanked by her tail and thrown down the stairs. She landed on her back at the bottom of the stairs, plunging the bone further out of her body.

Rainbow Dash backed away from the doorway, picking up the hammer Gilda left behind. Gilda appeared in the doorway, one eye glaring at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash braced herself, but Gilda did not move towards her. Gilda instead walked to the box of matches and lit a mix. Rainbow Dash backed away from the pool of lighter fluid at just the right moment. Gilda flicked the match and the fluid immediately ignited, creating a blinding white glare.

The flames were high and began to set the dry ceiling aflame. Rainbow Dash couldn’t see or hear Gilda, only the thick bright flames were visible. Rainbow Dash slowly crept around the parts of the floor that weren’t burning, but the fire was spreading fast. She heard Gilda’s voice, sounding dangerously close.

“We can still leave.” Gilda said, trying to sound reasonable. Rainbow Dash looked around her with her hammer ready, but could not make out Gilda. She looked behind her and the light from the fire made the laminated the very back of the cellar. Rainbow Dash saw the mutilated remains of her friends, but quickly turned away to avoid the nightmarish thoughts.

Rainbow Dash took her steps slowly and carefully, making a clear mental note of everything around her. Rainbow Dash could barely see the doorway and she moved at a faster pace. Gilda swooped down from the safe path and threw Rainbow Dash back where she was. Rainbow Dash quickly got up and swung the hammer at Gilda. Gilda got the hammer and flipped Rainbow Dash over her shoulder, landing her a few inches from the flames.

Gilda got on top of Rainbow Dash and pushed down on her stomach, preventing her from getting up. Gilda’s eye shined from the flare of the fire.

“Last chance.” Gilda smiled. Rainbow Dash saw the position they were both in and saw a way out. She used her back legs to kick Gilda over her head and into the inferno. Her entire body fell into the flames, the fluid on her back ignited on impact. Her shrieks of pain tuned out the sound of the crackling flames. Rainbow Dash saw parts of the ceiling collapsing and ran for the door. Gilda grabbed Rainbow Dash hoof and pulled herself out of the flames, her back still on fire. Rainbow Dash looked at the door then back down at the murderer. She knew Gilda could make it and that she would kill again if she did. She knew that it was the perfect time to stop her and that she was the only pony that could do it.

“I’m sorry everypony.” Rainbow Dash grabbed Gilda’s claw and head, then threw Gilda and herself into the fire. Among all the pain and screaming, Rainbow Dash held Gilda in the flames to ensure she never hurts anypony again. Rainbow Dash last thoughts were about her friends, waiting for her in the life after death.

**

The storm kept the fire under control for the fire department to take care of. The house remained mostly intact, except for a few collapsed floors. Applebloom and Sweetie Bell were found dead in the kitchen from an apparent poisoning. It was never concluded whether it was the result of homicide or suicide, Scootaloo refused to describe what happened. Remains were found severely burned within the cellar, however they were later identified as Applejack and Rarity. Scootaloo told the authorities about Gilda and Rainbow Dash being in the cellar, but no trace of their bodies was found. News about Gilda cleared suspicion in Ponyville with only a few ponies still skeptical.

The princess was alerted about the murders and missing ponies. She arranged an all-out search for the arrest of Gilda and safe return of Rainbow Dash. Every city and town was told to report any sighting of the two. The princess later held a private funeral for the victims, with Rainbow Dash being one of them.

**

Gilda wheezed and coughed again, taking even longer to catch her breath.

“How much is there?” Gilda asked. Her voice was weak and cracked as she spoke. Her burned body was covered in blisters and blood. The worst burns were on her back, which was reduced to a thin layer of skin underneath a cesspool of blood and puss. She was missing a majority of her feathers, with her wings barely having enough to fly. She sat at the end of her bed as a trembling pale creature covered in its own blood.

Gilda looked at Rainbow Dash lying on her bed.

“At least I have you.” She smiled. Her attention was then on the window, as she saw several ponies flying by in the distance. Gilda struggled to her feet and walked to the window for a better view. Several groups of ponies were scattered across the landscape, both on ground and in the air.

“They’re looking for us.” Gilda said, disheartened. “It’s only a matter of time before they get here. Even if we leave they’ll find a way to track us.” Gilda stared into Rainbow Dash’s empty eyes.

She opened the door and a cold breeze blew against her. “We might as well wait for them to show. When they do, I’ll kill all of them.” Gilda again, clutching her chest in pain. As the temporary pain faded, Gilda stood with a triumphant smile on her face. She turned to Rainbow Dash, slightly stumbling in the process.

“I’ll kill everypony. Just wait and see.”

Author's Note

Sorry for the long delay. Procrastination and frustration with direction prevented me from getting this out at the time that I wanted it to.