Chapters Gilda sat alone on a small cloud a few miles away from Ponyville, remembering how close she and Rainbow Dash were before. Gilda had no other friends; Rainbow Dash was the only pony who didn’t notice Gilda’s hostility.
After the party, Rainbow Dash finally realized who Gilda really was and wanted nothing to do with her.
“How could she be friends with such boring losers?” Gilda asked herself as she watched Rainbow Dash enjoying a picnic with her friends in the distance. She had been watching Rainbow Dash for months, just waiting for Rainbow Dash to come to her and be her friend again. But she never did.
Gilda flew away; she had seen enough of her friend for one day. “She’s missing out on some ‘real’ fun” Gilda thought as she glided through the air. “I’m the coolest friend she’ll ever have; she knows she made a mistake” Gilda landed on her home, a darker colored version of Rainbow Dash’s home. As she walked inside, she thought to herself “She’s too cool for that lame little town, she’ll leave any second”. She told herself these things every day, but still couldn’t shake the feeling of doubt out of her head.
“I’ll just keep waiting” she said to herself as she lied down for some rest. Though, she was growing very impatient. Every day she spent watching Rainbow Dash grew longer and she grew angrier. “Like I always do” she said to herself as she drifted into her slumber.
**
It was noon the next day, and Gilda was watching Rainbow Dash like she always did. Rainbow Dash was practicing her stunts and arranging the clouds at the same time. Gilda missed the races she and Rainbow Dash would have. Gilda was
Pinkie Pie, the very last pony that Gilda wanted to see. Pinkie Pie had tied a large cluster of balloons to her body, causing her to float through the air to talk to her airborne friend. While Gilda could see the two perfectly, she was unable to hear exactly what they were saying. Pinkie told Rainbow Dash something about a cupcake she was holding and made Rainbow Dash laugh, Gilda hated seeing somebody else make Rainbow Dash laugh. The two then made their way to the Everfree forest, with Gilda slowly following from a distance.
*
“How much did you put in?” Rainbow asked with a chuckle
“Oh, only a teeny weenie little bit” Pinkie said examining the cupcake “If I added too much, then it would smell too hot saucey and not enough cupcakey”
“Hope Zecora likes her cupcakes spicy” Rainbow Dash said with a smirk.
“Why do you hope that?” Pinkie asked “If she likes them spicy, then the prank won't be very funny”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes while still maintaining her smirk. The two came to a stop above the forest, “Wait here, I’ll be right back” Rainbow Dash said as she swiftly flew into the forest. Disappearing into the trees.
*
“Now it’s just us” Gilda thought as she spotted Pinkie all alone. Gilda quickly flew toward the pink pony and, with her talons, cut the strings wrapped around Pinkie Pie’s body.
Frantically, Pinkie waved her hooves in the air for something to grab on to. Gilda attempted to reach out for Pinkie to grab, but only got a few of her feathers ripped out. Gilda then grabbed Pinkie Pie by her hoof, and kept a strong grip on it.
Pinkie looked up at the griffon keeping her off the ground “Gilda?” she questioned. Gilda nodded her head, Pinkie then thanked her savior “Good thing you came when you did, or I’d have to change my name to Pinkie Pancake”.
Gilda looked down at her in confusion “Didn’t she notice me cut the balloons?”. Gilda shook her head and slowly flew higher into the air “Look Pinkie, there’s gonna be a few changes”.
Pinkie tilted her head “Are you changing your name?” she asked “Oh, how bout…”
While Pinkie was trying to come up with a name, Gilda cut her off “No! YOU are going to change, and you can start by never talking to Rainbow Dash again”. Gilda started flying higher at a faster rate. She even passed through a few clouds
“Never ever?” Pinkie asked “How come?”
Gilder glared down at her “Because she is MY friend, not yours”
Pinkie did not understand “I thought she was friends with both of us”
Gilda continued her glare and continued to fly higher “No, she’s only friends with me. You dweebs are just confusing her.”
Gilda stopped where she was and looked down below. “Pretty far down” she thought to herself.
Gilda then turned her head to Pinkie “You wanna see what happens if you don’t stay away from her”.
Pinkie looked into Gilda’s eyes “If you want to be friends with her, then you should say you’re sorry for being such a meanie at the party.”
Gilda wanted to yell at her, but decided to stick with her original plan. “Enjoy the fall, Stinkie Pie” then she dropped her.
Gilda smiled as she heard the pony scream in fear. Gilda watched her fall for a few seconds and then smiled “I think she's finally getting the message”
“Don’t worry, Gilda to the rescue” she said half-heartedly as she flew downward.
Pinkie was a good distance away, but Gilda was quick. She could catch up.
As Pinkie got closer to the ground, Gilda picked up speed.
She had a sense of worry and fear.
She beat her wings as fast a she could.
Only feet away from her.
The ground got closer.
Gilda was just barely catching up.
She reached out her claw and stretched with all her might to catch Pinkie.
Just inches away, but…
…Gilda was too late.
Days passed as Gilda sat alone in her home, with guilt and fear being the only things to keep her company. Every time she blinked, she saw what remained of the once cheerful Pinkie Pie. The only sound she could hear was the sound of Pinkie Pie hitting the ground. She rocked herself as she relived the memory over and over again. She killed somepony and nothing she could do would fix that.
“It was an accident” She thought to herself. Her mind continued to replay the sound of Pinkie Pie’s body being crushed by the fall “STOP IT!” she screamed, Gilda didn’t even know what she was yelling at.
Gilda stared at her wall “What do I do now? She’s dead because of me…I killed her. What am I supposed to do?” Gilda whimpered to herself until her rocking came to a stop. Tears rolled down her face and she fell to her side. Gilda remembered the look on Pinkie’s face before she died; her last moments were that of fear.
Gilda lied motionless “She’s never coming back. She’s never gonna breathe again. She’s never gonna smile. Never laugh. Never…make Rainbow Dash laugh”. Gilda realized that she not only affected Pinkie Pie, but her best friend as well. Gilda cried even harder at the thought of what Rainbow Dash must be feeling.
“Dash…” Gilda didn’t know what to say, she didn’t know if there was anything she could say. She thought about telling Rainbow Dash everything, but her fear kept her from leaving her home.
“She’ll hate me and she’ll tell everypony” Gilda shuddered at the thought “What would they to do me? Will they kill me? Will Dash?”. Murder was a rare crime in Equestria, so rare that Gilda didn’t even know what the punishment for murder was. Gilda remained on the floor, with only guilt and fear to keep her company.
*
In Twilight’s home, the group quietly sat in confusion and heartbreak. Each sat together at a table, with one empty chair constantly grabbing the attention of the mares.
“How is the princess handling things?” Rarity asked, trying to start a conversation.
“Okay, I guess” Twilight answered looking at the floor “I feel like she’s worse than she let’s on”
“I suppose that’s as good as anypony could do right now” Rarity replied.
“She did seem...quiet at the um, funeral” Fluttershy softly spoke.
“How’s Pinkie’s gator doin’?” Applejack asked.
“Oh, Gummy is fine. I’m…I’m not sure if…he knows” Fluttershy couldn’t bring herself to talk about Pinkie dying.
“Just like doesn’t know that he ain’t got teeth?” Applejack gave a half-smile in an attempt to be uplifting.
Fluttershy gave a small smile and nodded.
“Everypony remember the party she threw for Gummy?” Twilight asked with her head raised, a small smile went across her face as well.
“How could anypony forget one of Pinkie Pie’s parties” Rarity commented, with a smile on her face and a light chuckle.
“She was a mighty fine party planner” Applejack said “I always loved the parties she threw the day after our birthdays”.
Rainbow Dash slowly stirred in her chair.
“She wasn’t the best detective though” Twilight smiled “Or do I have to remind all of you of the incident involving a certain cake?”.
“But she sure did have spirit” Applejack responded.
“But not the fashion sense” Rarity chimed in “She could have done much better than that tacky hat”.
“It beats the hat that she made me wear” Twilight laughed.
Fluttershy giggled.
“Don’t even get me started on her Pinkie Promises” Twilight rolled her eyes.
Rainbow Dash flew out of her chair, knocking it a few feet away from her. She beamed down at her friends she was flying above.
“Stop acting like you have nothing to say to me!” she shouted.
Nopony said anything; they just stared at their distraught friend.
“Just say it. Say…” Rainbow Dash clenched her eyes to keep from crying, but she couldn’t keep her tears from showing “Say it’s my fault!”.
Shock took over her friends’ faces, while still remaining quiet.
After a few seconds, Twilight spoke “Rainbow, you shouldn’t say things like that”.
Rainbow Dash flew to Twilight, just inches away from her face “I know you’re thinking it” more tears poured down her face as
“Nopony thinks that!” Applejack shouted.
Rainbow Dash glared at her “I heard everypony talking; I heard them talk about me!”. Rainbow Dash could no longer hold back all her pain; she lowered herself to the floor and started to cry.
“I should have known those balloons weren’t safe” Rainbow Dash looked down at the floor “If I was there…I” Applejack got up and embraced the sobbing Pegasus. The others got up and did the same, quietly comforting their friend.
“It’s okay” Fluttershy said in a soothing voice.
*
“Nopony will know…nopony will know, nopony will know” Gilda muttered to herself in an effort to convince herself that things were going to be okay.
She heard the noise again. She clutched her head and screamed at the top of her lungs to drown out the sound, but she could still hear it.
“It was an accident, but it was still murder. Nopony saw, but what if somepony did. Nopony will find out, but somepony still could” Gilda’s thoughts buzzed around her head and nearly made her sick.
“Nopony will know” she said to herself. She got up and looked out her window “Nopony will know”, and then she flew towards where it all began.
*
“You can stay with me tonight, if you want” Applejack smiled to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash paused for a short time, but finally answered. “Okay” she said, wiping away her tears. Applejack lead Rainbow Dash out of Twilight’s home, with her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s back.
After Twilight shut the door, Rarity lightly shook her head “The poor dear, she’s been taking it harder than anypony”.
Twilight let out a sigh “I just hope she gets better”, Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
“Now that she’s gone” Twilight continues “I’d like to talk to you girls about something”.
“Wh…what?” Fluttershy nervously questioned.
“It’s about Pinkie Pie” Twilight sat back down in her seat.
“Twilight, wouldn’t it be best if we just stopped thinking about it?” Rarity calmly asked.
“Something about it keeps bothering me” Twilight looked into Rarity’s eyes for acceptance.
Rarity turned her head to Fluttershy, who lightly nodded.
Rarity turned her head back to Twilight “Okay Twilight, tell us what it is” she said.
Twilight paused for a few moments, she didn’t like what she was about to say. “We assumed that Pinkie’s balloons came untied, right?”.
Rarity and Fluttershy nodded.
“Well, when have Pinkie Pie’s balloons ever come untied?” Twilight asked.
A silence took over the room as Rarity and Fluttershy thought about Twilight’s question.
“I’ve…never seen it happen” Fluttershy said. She began to see the problem.
“I’ve never even been able to untie them” Rarity declared. Rarity showed uncertainty on her face as she thought about this fact “What exactly are you suggesting Twilight?”.
“I think…” Twilight took a deep breath “I think something cut the strings”.
“You’re saying that it wasn’t an accident?” Rarity asked.
Twilight nodded “Yes, something must have attacked her”.
“Well” Fluttershy gently said “There are all kinds of nasty monsters in the Everfree Forest”.
“Exactly” Twilight replied “One of them must have done it”.
Twilight got up out of her seat and levitated a book towards herself. “If that’s the case, we could have a problem” Twilight said with her face buried in the book’s contents.
Rarity realized Twilights analysis “The creature that killed her could kill another pony”.
Twilight lowered her book past her eyes “Precisely”.
“What should we do?” Fluttershy asked.
“We should talk to Zecora” Twilight suggested “She knows the Everfree Forest better than anypony”
Fluttershy nodded.
“Then it’s settled” Twilight said as she closed her book “It’s best if we go right now before another incident”.
“That’s fine. Fluttershy and I will go” Twilight levitated her book back into the bookcase and opened the door for the mares to leave.
“Wait, please” Fluttershy said. She had a strange look on her face.
“What is it, dear?” Rarity asked.
Fluttershy had trouble trying to speak “Do…do the other ponies…really think that it’s R-Rainbow Dash’s fault?”.
Before Twilight could dismiss her friend’s worry, Rarity told Fluttershy what she knew.
“Yes, as a matter of fact. I have been hearing some ponies placing blame on poor Rainbow Dash since the day after Pinkie Pie passed away. I’ve tried setting them straight, but they won’t listen to me” Rarity had a sad look on her face “I wish they could see the pain Rainbow Dash is going through, maybe that would convince them”.
“Don’t worry” Twilight said, trying to be uplifting “If we’re right, they’ll stop talking nonsense”. The three mares then ventured out the door.
*
Gilda sat alone on a cloud, continuously muttering to herself.
“Nopony will know”.
She thought about Pinkie Pie’s family.
“Nopony will know”.
She thought about Rainbow Dash.
“Nopony will know”.
She thought about the other ponies in Ponyville.
“Nopony will know”.
She thought about Rainbow Dash again.
“Nopony will know”.
Gilda stopped her muttering and looked down at the spot where Pinkie Pie landed. Even though her body was buried days ago, she still saw the body lying there.
Eyes still open. Legs mangled. Teeth shattered. Head crushed. Spine broken.
Gilda saw herself drop Pinkie Pie. She saw Pinkie Pie fall. She saw her body hit the ground. She heard the noise it made.
Gilda then saw two ponies tread over the body as if it weren’t there, then Gilda didn’t see the body anymore.
Gilda shook herself back into reality as she saw the ponies enter the Everfree Forest. It took her a short time to realize that she had seen those ponies before. They were at the party with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.
“Why are they going into the forest?” Gilda pondered as she watched the ponies disappear into the trees.
“I’m not there. They won’t find me” her breathing started to slow.
“They know I’m not there” Gilda’s trembling came to her stop and her breathing slowed to a normal pace.
“They aren’t looking for me” Gilda let out a breath of relief.
Gilda stared off into the distance. She reverted back to her muttering, plagued with the thought of being caught.
*
“Where is everypony?” Rainbow Dash asked, sounding less saddened than before.
“Big Mac and Granny Smith are visitin’ family” Applejack took a drink “And Apple Bloom said somethin’ about cutie mark crusader sailors”.
Rainbow kept quiet and continued drinking her cider.
“Rainbow…” Applejack started “Me and the other girls trust you. We all know that you didn’t do anythin’ wrong. We don’t care what anypony says”.
Rainbow looked at Applejack “Thanks” she said “I’m glad you guys are my friends”.
Rainbow drank the last of her cider and walked into the guest bedroom “I need to lie down” she said.
“You’re more than welcome to” Applejack said, watching the door close in front of her.
*
Zecora heard a knock at her door. She put down her herbs to see who it was.
Zecora opened the door and saw her good friends anxiously waiting.
“My friends, come in” she said “Many days it has been”.
“Thank you Zecora” Twilight said as she and her friends walked into Zecora’s home.
The ponies all walked inside Zecora’s home, but simply stood in one spot instead of sitting down.
Zecora noticed this, “You ponies look tense. There is a problem that I sense”.
“Not too be rude” Fluttershy said “But we…didn’t really come here to visit you”.
Zecora tilted her head in confusion.
“She’s right” Twilight explained “We’re here because we think something in the Everfree Forest killed Pinkie Pie”.
Zecora bore a sad look on her face “It was just an accident I thought. You ponies think it’s a killer that we’ve got?”
“That’s right, Zecora” Twilight said “You’re more familiar with the creatures here than we are. Do you know any creatures that would have killed her?”.
“Outside the forest is where our friend died, the creatures here will only attack ponies inside” Zecora explained.
“Are you sure?” Twilight asked, disappointment in her voice “Maybe a dragon could have done it”.
Zecora shook her head “Dragons attack to creatures that trespass in their homes, they won’t attack a pony who simply roams”.
“There must be something” Twilight quietly spoke, eyes to the floor.
Zecora walked over to a pot and pulled out a few feathers.
“I found these feathers on the forest floor, but I have never seen this kind here before” Zecora explained.
Twilight levitated the one of the feathers to herself for a closer inspection.
“Hmm, they look familiar. I have a book at home that might be able to tell us what these feathers belong to” Twilight said.
“I could take one too” Fluttershy said “I don’t think any of my animals could do such a thing, but I…I can check to be sure”.
“That’s a good idea” Twilight said. She turned to Zecora “Thank you so much, Zecora. I’d hate to leave after I just arrived, but we really need to look into this”.
“Anything for my pony friends, let us hope this problem finally ends” Zecora smiled.
*
“Maybe I could just jump” Gilda thought “Die like she did”.
Gilda looked down to the distant ground below her. She knew how easy it would be. She didn’t even have to jump; all she had to do was just fall. It would have been painless as far as she knew. One thing stopped her from actually doing it.
“Rainbow Dash” Gilda thought “You’d never let me do it. You’d tell me that I didn’t deserve to die. You’d tell that I had such a cool life to live”.
Gilda buried her face into her claws “But if you knew I killed Pinkie Pie, you’d tell me to do it. You’d want me to die. You’d hate me” tears dripped to the ground below her.
“Nopony will know”.
Gilda wiped away her tears.
“Nopony will know”.
She looked towards Sweet Apple Acres.
“Nopony will know”.
She saw a yellow pegasus fly past her cloud with her hoof clutching on something she could not make out. She ducked down and watched the pegasus enter her house. She remembered the mare entering the woods earlier.
Gilda smiled “Guess you didn’t find anything”.
She looked down at the forest and saw another mare walking slowly out of the forest. She was using her magic to look at something.
Gilda squinted to see the object, due to the aura around it making it difficult to see.
“Looks like a white feather with” Gilda’s eyes widened, her heart jumped “That’s MY feather. How did she get it? Where? Why?”.
Tears and sweat poured down Gilda’s face “No no no no no. This can’t happen. Please!”.
She flew into the forest and hid behind a tree without drawing the attention from the unicorn.
She saw the mare walk further away from her, and Gilda saw her fate get closer. “They will know it’s mine, they’ll find me, catch me, and then kill me in front of everypony. Even Rainbow Dash”.
“I could hide in this stupid forest” Gilda thought “No, they would expect that. They’d also expect me to be home”.
Gilda pounded her head against a tree, clenching the ground in pain. Then she felt something rough in her claw, a chunk of rock. It was kind of heavy and had jagged edges. Gilda looked at the rock, and then the unicorn. Her legs trembled at what she thought about doing.
Without a second thought, Gilda rushed towards the unicorn as fact as she could. She reared back her claw, and swung it as hard as she could. The unicorn flew forward, dropping the feather and landing face-first into the ground. Blood poured from the wound in the back of the unicorn’s head. Gilda was just a few inches behind her, staring at her motionless body.
Suddenly, to Gilda’s shock, the unicorn started to move. She struggled to get back to her feet, letting out a whimpering noise as she tried to recover. Tears filled Gilda’s eyes, Gilda was not finished yet. Before the unicorn could turn her head, Gilda took another swing at the same spot.
Gilda had the unicorn’s blood all over her leg. The wound in the unicorns head was larger, and showed shards of her skull penetrating her brain. Gilda took one final swing, and plunged the rock into the unicorns head.
Gilda looked at her claw, covered in blood and brain matter. Gilda looked at the unicorn, still and lifeless.
Gilda started to cry “Why didn’t you just leave everything alone? You made me do it. You could have stayed home. I didn’t want to do it”.
Gilda thought it was bad enough that she killed another pony, but then she remembered that the pony was Rainbow Dash’s friend.
“Rainbow Dash” Gilda thought in her head, as if Rainbow Dash could hear her thoughts “I didn’t mean to do this to you. I never wanted this to happen”.
“Nopony will know” Gilda said to herself.
She picked up the unicorn’s body and her feather, and then flew away. Gilda didn’t know where to go; she didn’t know what to do with the body. All she could think about was Rainbow Dash, which brought her to Rainbow Dash’s house.
She found a small ditch and threw the unicorn’s body into it. She lightly covered the body with some nearby twigs and leaves. It was done.
Gilda looked up at Rainbow Dash’s house “I’ve put you through so much pain Dash. That’s not what friends do”.
Another tear ran down Gilda’s face “I’ll never come back”. Gilda flew away to the safety of her home, and left behind the damage she caused.
*
Rainbow Dash stood in front of a gravestone, with a large group of ponies forming a circle around her. Each of them glaring at her, none of them speaking to her. Rainbow Dash couldn’t see any of her friends, just the angry faces of nameless ponies.
Rainbow Dash saw a pink hoof tear out of the ground, but slowly began to sink. She called out, but no noise came from her mouth. She gripped the pink hoof and pulled as hard as she could, but the hoof just kept sinking into the dirt. Eventually, the hoof was fully submerged into the dirt.
Rainbow Dash tried to dig, but the dirt was as hard as rock. Blood poured out of the hole, drenching Rainbow Dash in the maroon fluid. The blood also sprayed the ponies surrounding her. The ponies then walked towards her in unison. The space got tighter, breathing became harder. Rainbow Dash covered her head with her hooves as the world around her went black.
Rainbow Dash gasped as she awoke. She looked around, making sure she was awake. Same guest bedroom she fell
At around noon the next day, Rainbow Dash emerged from the guest bedroom. She had dark circles under her and she swayed as she walked.
“Mornin’ there, sleepy head” Applejack greeted Rainbow Dash with a smile.
Rainbow Dash saw a cup of coffee in her friend’s hoof. Without a word, Rainbow Dash swiped Applejack’s coffee and chugged every last drop of the energy-boosting black liquid.
“Needs more sugar” Rainbow Dash mumbled. She handed back the now empty cup.
“You coulda put more sugar in before you drank it all” Applejack said.
A small smile came over Rainbow Dash’s face. Applejack didn’t know if the smile was real or fake, but she was happy to see it nevertheless.
Rainbow took an apple out of a barrel and started eating, mostly to get the bitter taste out of her mouth. Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack and her mood seemed to get better.
“Applejack,” Rainbow started “Is it alright if I stay here another night? I feel a lot better when somepony else is with me”.
“You can stay as long as you want” Applejack smiled.
The two heard a knock at the door, Applejack opened the door and Fluttershy immediately flew in.
“Do any of you know where Twilight is?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.
“No” Rainbow Dash answered.
“Haven’t seen her since yesterday” Applejack added.
“Oh dear…” Fluttershy said, more worried.
“What’s wrong, sugar cube?” Applejack asked.
“Well we…” Fluttershy paused before she spoke, wondering if it was okay for Rainbow Dash to know.
“Come on, Fluttershy” Rainbow Dash demanded.
“We went into the Everfree forest because we thought…th-there was a monster in there. Zecora gave us feathers that didn’t b-belong there. So me and Twilight went to our homes to study the feathers, but she isn’t home. Sh-she wasn’t home yesterday either. I thought she was just sleeping but” Fluttershy stopped when Applejack opened her mouth to speak.
“Does this have anythin’ to do with Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked.
Fluttershy turned her head to Rainbow Dash, then turned it back to Applejack and nodded.
“Fluttershy” Applejack said “Maybe we should try movin’ on and stop worryin’ bout’ what happened”.
Rainbow Dash had interest in what Fluttershy was saying.
“Why were you looking for a monster?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Fluttershy let out a sigh, “Twilight thinks that a monster…got P-Pinkie Pie”.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both shocked by Fluttershy’s statement, with Rainbow Dash being the most shocked.
“What monster? Where?” Rainbow Dash asked in frantic and angry tone.
“Rainbow, calm down” Applejack said.
“No!” Rainbow Dash shouted “Not until I find out what killed Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy, what was it?”.
“I-I-I don’t know” Fluttershy stuttered.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Rainbow Dash yelled.
Fluttershy winced at the sound of Rainbow Dash’s yelling, “I…”.
“Stop it, Rainbow” Applejack intervened “Just calm down."
“I’ll calm down when I find out what happened” Rainbow Dash said.
“Th-that’s all I know” Fluttershy trembled.
“Then that’s that” Applejack said “Right now we have a friend that’s gone missin’, and we need to find her. There ain’t nothin’ we can do for Pinkie Pie anymore, so we best forget about it."
“Right” Fluttershy agreed.
“Rainbow?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow Dash let out a sigh “Right."
**
The trio, along with Rarity, got several ponies together for their search.
“Listen up y’all” Applejack called out “In case nopony told you, Twilight has been missin’ since yesterday. She was last seen in the Everfree Forest, so you can imagine how serious this could be. You have all been divided into different groups, to search different spots. If you have any questions, please ask your group leader."
There were four total groups, with about five ponies in each group. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity were the group leaders. Rainbow Dash’s group consisted of all pegasi, while the other groups had a mixed variety of ponies.
“Now, move out” Applejack called.
Applejack’s group was in charge of searching Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity’s group was in charge of searching town square and recruiting other ponies for help. Fluttershy’s group committed itself to oversight views over all of Ponyville, including the landscapes that led out of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash’s group, by her suggestion, was in charge of searching the Everfree Forest.
Rainbow Dash flew her group to the outside perimeter of the forest, and then set her feet to the ground to speak.
“The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place, which is why we need to take some safety measures” she said.
“She’s one to talk about safety” remarked one of the pegasi.
Rainbow Dash glared at the group before continuing, “We will all gather into groups of two. Then, each group will go to different corners and scan the all the forest we can. We’ll meet in the center, then we will go back to the corner we were in before. Any questions?” Rainbow Dash had a harsh tone when asking if the group had questions, she expected to hear a sarcastic question about Pinkie Pie.
The ponies remained quiet, “Good. Thunderlane, you’re with me” Rainbow Dash said.
The ponies got into their divided groups and made their way to the farthest reaches of the Everfree Forest
*
Gilda lied on her bed, blankly staring at the ceiling. Thinking about what she’ll do with herself.
“Maybe a new place and a new name” Gilda thought.
Gilda had many ideas for what she could do with herself, but lacked the energy and enthusiasm to leave her bed.
She heard the noise again, but it was different. It was quieter and it didn’t distress her like it used to. Gilda was unsure about what it meant, but she knew she was changing.
*
The pegasi finished their search of the forest, with no results.
“Take five, everypony” Rainbow Dash said “We’ll search again after some rest.”
Rainbow Dash flew to Sweet Apple Acres in order to see if Applejack had better luck.
“Sorry, Rainbow” Applejack said “We ain’t found her yet.”
“She has to be around her somewhere!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
“Calm down, everypony is doin’ their best” Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash bolted to the town square, hoping to hear better results.
“No luck, I’m afraid” Rarity told Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof, “Doesn’t anypony know where she is?”
“Rainbow Dash, You need to calm yourself.” Rarity said “Take a few deep breaths.”
Rainbow Dash was annoyed, but did as she was told.
“I understand that you are worried, I am as well.” Rarity said “But we have to keep have to keep ourselves under control if we want to get anything accomplished.”
“I’m trying, it’s just…” Rainbow Dash paused “just that we’ve already lost a friend. Why do we have to lose another?”.
“Don’t say that. We cannot assume that Twilight is dead” Rarity said.
“Then what can we assume?” Rainbow Dash asked “That she’s okay? That’s what I assumed when Pinkie-”
Rainbow Dash stopped speaking and ducked her head down, hoping it would hide her tears if she started crying.
“Rainbow Dash, you-” Rainbow Dash lost her focus on what Rarity was saying and instead focused on the discussion of two nearby mares.
“She just left her there alone, and then her balloons came undone” said Daisy.
“Really?” Rose asked “I thought she was alone the whole time.”
“No, she was only alone for a few minutes. If Rainbow Dash stayed with her the whole time, she’d still be alive” Daisy said.
Rainbow Dash turned her head to the pair, “Why don’t you say that to my face?”.
The pair stayed silent as Rainbow Dash walked to them, “Well…I’m waiting.”
“Rainbow Dash” Rarity called out. Rainbow Dash just stood there, grinding her teeth as she glared at the two mares.
“I’m sick of everypony here!” Rainbow Dash shouted “I thought you were all my friends! I thought you all cared about me!”
The two mares continued remaining silent. Rainbow Dash kicked dirt at the two mares and flew away from Ponyville as quickly as she could.
**
Gilda was still in her bed, still staring at her ceiling. Her mind was blank; no single thought seemed to show itself. She occasionally heard the sound, but never reacted to it. Perhaps this was what death felt like, an empty feeling of nothingness.
“Gilda” a voice called out. Gilda stayed still, thinking it was just another trick that her mind was playing on her.
“Gilda” the voice called out again. Gilda turned her head to see Rainbow Dash standing in her doorway.
“Dash” Gilda shouted in joy, a smile came over the griffon’s face. She got off her bed and ran to her best friend, embracing her when she reached her.
Gilda gave Rainbow Dash a playful punch, “Took you long enough.”
Gilda quickly noticed Rainbow Dash’s watery eyes, “Come on Dash, I didn’t hit you that hard.”
“It’s…it’s not that” Rainbow Dash said “Can I come in?”
“Sure” Gilda said.
Rainbow Dash walked into her old friend’s house, noticing how nothing about it had changed. She threw herself onto Gilda’s bed, burying her face into Gilda’s blanket.
“You okay?” Gilda asked. Gilda did her best to pretend she knew nothing about the past week.
“I’m sorry I never came to see you” Rainbow Dash said “I just…really need somepony to talk to.”
“Well, you have me” Gilda said as she sat next to Rainbow Dash “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Rainbow Dash told Gilda everything she had been through. Gilda already knew what happened, but hearing the story from Rainbow Dash’s point-of-view brought a new feeling of shock to the griffon. Gilda had no idea that Rainbow Dash felt so bad about what happened. Then Rainbow Dash talked about how the other ponies blamed her for what happened, which made Gilda angry.
“Those losers have some nerve” Gilda commented.
“But…I feel like they’re right” Rainbow Dash said, her face still hidden within the blanket.
Gilda hated herself; she couldn’t believe what she put her best friend through.
“Dash,” Gilda said “It’s not your fault. It was…an accident; nopony can help it if an accident happens.”
Rainbow Dash kept her face buried, but could not hide the sound of her crying.
Gilda did her best to hide her tears and stay strong in front of Rainbow Dash.
“You’re my best friend” Gilda said “I know it’s not your fault.”
Rainbow Dash rubbed her face with the blanket and brought her head up. Her eyes were still red and watery, but she managed to smile at Gilda.
“Thanks” Rainbow Dash said.
**
Fluttershy passed over Twilight’s house in her search for Twilight. She saw Owlowiscious perched in front a window, and remembered that the bird was left all alone for a whole day.
Fluttershy made her way into Twilight’s house, luckily her door was unlocked.
Fluttershy noticed that the bird was asleep, and quietly made her way to the sink. She filled a bowl full of fresh water and poured some feed into the other bowl. She gently placed the two bowls next to the bird and turned around to leave.
Before she left, Fluttershy noticed a book lying out. Fluttershy remembered Twilight reading it before she disappeared. She picked it up and read the cover, “Creatures of Equestria” she read. It took Fluttershy a fraction of a second to realize that Twilight’s book could tell her what the feather belonged to.Fluttershy quickly made her way out of Twilight’s house with the book.
At her own home, Fluttershy had stored the feather in a cupboard next to her bed. She took out the feather and began reading every page of the book.
*
After over an hour of reading and page turning, Fluttershy finally found a match.
“A griffon?” Fluttershy questioned.
The book had pictures of single griffon feathers, which were all strikingly similar to the feather Fluttershy had. Shape, color, and designed all matched together.
“It’s a griffon” she said.
Fluttershy left her house in a hurry to tell her friends about her discovery.
**
After the sun had faded and the moon lit the sky, Rainbow Dash decided that she was gone long enough.
“Thanks for being here for me” Rainbow Dash said “But I should get back to Ponyville. I’m sure the others are worried about
“They don’t hate me” Rainbow Dash said.
Gilda raised an eyebrow, “They blamed you for something that wasn’t your fault, talked about you behind your back, and they didn’t care about your feelings. Sure doesn’t sound like they like you”.
“I don’t mean them, I mean my friends” Rainbow Dash said.
“You sure that they don’t do the same thing?” Gilda asked.
Rainbow Dash, frustrated, walked away from Gilda. “We’re done talking, we’ll talk later…I guess.”
Gilda watched her best friend leave and vanish into the clouds.
“Nice job” she told herself. “You just had to keep talking.”
Gilda heard Rainbow Dash’s story echo through her mind, a tragedy is never truly understood unless you hear the story from a victim’s perspective. Gilda made Rainbow Dash a victim; she made Rainbow Dash’s life a tragedy. She killed two of Rainbow Dash’s closest friends. The only good thing that came out of this for Gilda was that her friend came back, that’s when it hit her.
“She came back to me” Gilda thought. “After all this time, she came back. All it took was-”
Gilda pause, “-for me to kill her…”
Gilda shook her head. “No, it’s not right. What I did was not right.”
Gilda looked at her doorway. “But she came back…”
**
Rainbow Dash returned to Applejack’s home and was surprised to find Rarity and Fluttershy there with Applejack.
“Oh, hey guys” Rainbow Dash greeted.
“Come on in, Rainbow” Applejack said. “We need to tell you somethin’.”
Rainbow Dash shut the door behind her. “Did you find Twilight?”
“No, most of the searchers gave up and went to bed. Some ponies are still searchin’ though” Applejack said.
“Then what’s this about?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Fluttershy, go ahead and tell her” Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash drifted her eyes to Fluttershy, awaiting an answer.
“I went into Twilight’s house, but only to feed Owlowiscious. While I was doing that I saw a book and I remembered that Twilight was looking at it before. It-It’s about every creature that lives in equestrian. So I tried to find a creature that matched the feathers I found, and a griffon matched the feathers” Fluttershy explained.
“You think a griffon killed Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“I-I think so.” Fluttershy answered.
“I’m not so sure anythin’ killed her.” Applejack claimed. “But if it makes you girls feel better, I guess we could look into it.”
“There are so few griffons that we know.” Rarity said. “It wouldn’t take long to talk to them.”
“She’s right; we only know Gustave and Gilda.” Fluttershy agreed.
“Alright, we can talk to them and get back to worryin’ about Twilight.” Applejack said.
“We don’t need to talk to Gilda. I know she didn’t do it.” Rainbow Dash said.
“How can you be so sure?” asked Rarity.
“I just am.” Rainbow Dash said. “I talked to her while I was gone. Unlike everypony else, she cares about me.”
“What does that have to do with Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked.
“She didn’t say it was my fault when Pinkie Pie died. She was caring and nice to me. The ponies in Ponyville could learn a thing or two from her. There’s no way she did anything wrong.” Rainbow Dash said, with her eyes drifting to the window.
“But that…” Rarity paused, and then let out a sigh. “Fine, Rainbow Dash. If you say she didn’t do anything, then she didn’t do anything as far as we’re concerned.”
“Thank you.” Rainbow Dash responded.
“Anythin’ you need for your second stay?” Applejack asked, trying to change the subject.
“I might want to get my Daring Doo book to take my mind off things.” Rainbow Dash said.
“Then go ahead and get it, we’ll just have some girl talk while you’re gone.” Rarity said. “Make-up and spas, you won’t be missing much.”
“I’ll leave right away.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. She kicked open the door and flew into the starry night sky.
After a few seconds, Rarity spoke. “I think she’s being lied to.”
“Wh-why do you say that?” Fluttershy asked.
“Come now, Fluttershy” Rarity said. “Are ‘caring’ and ‘nice’ really proper words to describe Gilda?”
“No.” Fluttershy answered.
“You sayin’ that Gilda killed Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked.
“I’m saying that it’s worth investigating.” Rarity responded.
“What about Gustave?” Applejack asked. “Ain’t he a suspect too?”
“He is.” said Rarity. “We will still be investigating him as well. I know where he lives, I can take a train there tomorrow.”
“I guess Fluttershy could find a map at Twilight’s place and find Gilda with it.” Applejack said.
“Okay.” Fluttershy agreed.
“If you just do a few peeks around Gilda’s place tonight, then we can consider it an investigation. Remember, somepony is missin’ out there.” Applejack said.
“I’ll be really quick.” Fluttershy said.
“Good.” Applejack commented.
“I’m back” Rainbow Dash called before entering the house.
“You’re back.” Rarity said. “You’re just in time to hear about my latest manicure.”
“Pass!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
Rarity lifted up her chin, “Alright then.”
“Why don’t we all have some cider?” Applejack suggested.
“Oh, but Fluttershy has to get back home soon.” Rarity said, winking at Fluttershy.
“Y-yes, sorry.” Fluttershy said.
“It’s cool,” said Rainbow Dash. “I’ll make sure Applejack saves you some.”
“Thank you.” Fluttershy said. She waved goodbye to her friends and left for Twilight’s.
Fluttershy went back into Twilight’s house, and looked out the window to make sure nopony saw her.
“Who”, a sound broke the silence.
Fluttershy let out a small squeak and turned around to see the stranger in the house with her.
“Don’t worry, Twilight will be back soon.” Fluttershy said.
“Who.” The owl responded.
*
It was quiet and dark. Fluttershy was to high up to hear the crickets below her. The wind was very light and smooth. The moonlight barely lit Fluttershy’s flight path.
Fluttershy finally found the home she was looking for, which stood out as being darker than the barely lit environment. She moved in close to the house, which was soundless and still.
She poked her head though one of the windows but saw nothing but darkness. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to see better, but it was to no avail. Fluttershy would have to go inside if she wanted to see anything.
Fluttershy hated the dark, but she kept her breathing steady and slowly walked in. Fluttershy could barely make out the walls around her. She could see the silhouettes of various items lying on tables, but was unable to register what half the items were. Fluttershy stopped at the bed in front of her; she had walked through the whole house. Fluttershy did not notice anything that would confirm a killer, but decided to double-check everything.
As she turned around, she felt something cover her mouth. She then felt something press against her neck and force her against a soft material behind her. She let out a small, muffled scream. She felt something close to her ear, and then heard a voice.
“Sssshhhh” The voice whispered. “There’s no need to scream.”
Fluttershy coughed from the force being applied to her neck, but then she felt the force weaken.
“Sorry, I get a little carried away sometimes.” The voice said. “You’re here about your friend, aren’t you?”
“That’s going to be a problem.” The voice said. “You see, I’m trying to keep that little incident a secret. Yet, more and more ponies keep sticking their noses into my business.”
Fluttershy stayed quiet.
“Not much of a talker.” The voice commented. “I like ponies who don’t talk much.”
A tear dripped onto the claw covering Fluttershy’s mouth. She recognized the voice; there was no doubt that it was Gilda’s.
“You have every reason to be scared right now.” Gilda said. “I’m scared too. Bad things will happen to me if ponies find out what I did. I’m not a killer, I just have bad luck.”
Gilda let out a chuckle.
“Rainbow Dash and I are best friends.” Gilda continued. “If she finds out, our friendship will be ruined. You don’t want to ruin a friendship, do you?”
Fluttershy didn’t answer.
“DO YOU!” Gilda screamed.
Fluttershy shook her head, more tears falling down her face.
Gilda spoke in a normal speaking voice, “Of course not, you know that ruining a friendship is wrong.”
Fluttershy felt the grip on her mouth tighten.
“I’m Rainbow Dash’s best friend, but you and your friends are trying to change that. Rainbow Dash doesn’t need you, she needs me. She needs somepony who can make her life worth living. And you’re trying to take that away from her. That’s not right.”
Fluttershy tried to speak, but Gilda had no interest in listening.
“She could be living the life she’s always wanted, but instead she’s stuck with you losers. It’s not her fault, it’s yours. You and your friends are manipulative monsters tying down a girl who wants to enjoy everything life offers her. You all brought this on yourselves. You, Pinkie Pie, and that little unicorn friend of yours.”
Fluttershy gasped, she knew Gilda meant Twilight. Fluttershy let out a muffled whining as her tears continued to fall off her face.
“You didn’t find her yet?” Gilda teased.
Fluttershy continued crying.
“Well, I might as well tell you what happened. I saw her all alone, abandoned by you. I saw this rock, a nice heavy one with sharp edges. I hit her over the head as hard as I could, but she was still alive. She almost started crying, but then I hit her again and again. There was so much blood. And all she had to do-” Gilda stopped.
Her voice went back to a serious tone, “All she had to do was leave things alone. You two had to play detective. You had to start trouble. Look where you are now. All alone, with somepony you just pushed and pushed until she couldn’t take it anymore.”
Fluttershy felt the pressure on her neck and mouth build up.
“It’s your fault.” Gilda said. She then snapped the neck of the weeping pegasus and watched her lifeless body collapse in front of her.
Gilda stared into the still-open eyes of the dead pony, “The others will join you soon.” She said.
**
Lyra and Dust Devil patrolled the land around Ponyville.
Lyra was using her horn to light the ground in front of her, while Dust Devil gave the land an overhead view.
“How long can you keep that horn-glowing up?” Dust Devil asked.
“Pretty long,” Lyra said. “It doesn’t take much energy to use this spell.”
“After ten more minutes, do you want to call it a night?” Dust Devil asked.
“I guess so; we’ll have more luck looking for her in the daylight.” Lyra answered.
Dust Devil shifted her eyes off Lyra and towards Rainbow Dash’s house.
“That’s a nice house.” Dust Devil commented.
Lyra looked up, “Yeah, Rainbow Dash sure is the queen of showmanship.” Lyra tripped over an unseen object and fell face first into the ground.
Dust Devil looked down and laughed, “You should pay more attention.”
Lyra gave stuck out her tongue at Dust Devil and turned around to cast her light on the object. Lyra brushed of the leaves and twigs off the object.
Lyra and Dust Devil stared in shock at their discovery, Twilight’s bloody corpse.
A day passed since Twilight’s body was found, a darker tone took over Ponyville. Instead of grief, the ponies experienced fear and anger taking over their daily lives. Curfews were established and stores closed early to avoid nighttime travel. With Twilight’s assistant, Spike, away on royal business, the princess was unaware of the panic that ensued. Although they lacked proof, most of the ponies pointed their hooves at the pony. Rainbow Dash
**
Rarity and Applejack sat together in the kitchen, while Rainbow Dash was spending her time crying in private.
“This is crazy.” Rarity mumbled, head hanging down.
“I know, but as soon as Spike gets back…” Applejack noticed Rarity shaking her head.
“That’s in three days. Gilda killed two ponies in two days. She could do it again.”
“And everypony would say that Rainbow did it.” Applejack turned to the window, anger in her eyes. “How can they think she killed somepony? She is one of the loyalist and good-hearted ponies in all of Ponyville. They have no right to call her a murderer. And if they try to come within five feet of her-”
Rarity interrupted, “Violence is not the answer right now. It will just cause more trouble.”
“If anythin’ is gonna cause more trouble, it’s Gilda.”
“Yes, which means we have to be much more careful.”
Applejack remembered telling Fluttershy to go to Gilda’s house. She remembered waiting all night for her to come back, and she never did. Applejack shuttered at the thought of what Gilda might have done to her.
“I should of never told her to go.” Applejack banged her head on the table, quivering
“We both sent Fluttershy to that wretched griffon’s home. We are both to blame.”
Both of the mares felt as if a heavy weight had been placed on their backs, a weight that served as a constant reminder of their mistake.
**
Gilda sat in front of her doorway, anticipating Rainbow Dash gliding through the clouds to return to her. Throughout the silence around her, Gilda realized that the noise that tortured her once before had vanished.
“I get it now. It no longer bothers me because there’s nothing to be bothered by. I was scared because I didn’t know anything about death. Now I do. Now I understand that certain ponies deserve to die. And that these ponies cannot be reasoned with and cannot be given a second chance. All they deserve is death. Because if they go on living, they slowly turn the world into their own little play thing. They take what they want and do what they want without any regard to the ponies around them. They have no problem with others being hurt; they even seem to enjoy it. They love to rub their possessions into the faces of ponies who have nothing. It makes them important…but they’re not. No, they are the most unimportant and unnecessary wastes of life that could ever exist in our world. I’m doing the world a favor by getting rid of the real monsters. I shouldn’t feel guilty for killing horrible ponies, and I don’t. I know that what I’m doing is right. Right for me, right for the world, and right for Rainbow Dash.”
Gilda smiled, she finally pieced together the thoughts that were scattered throughout her mind. Her mind was finally at peace. She could now put all her focus where she thought it belonged, on Rainbow Dash.
**
Rainbow Dash lied alone in the dark guest room, crying into her pillow for what seemed like hours. No matter how loud or how much she cried, the pain inside of her stayed the same. The world, like the room she was in, had grown dark. She didn’t know why everything was happening to her. She didn’t do anything to deserve any of it. But here she was, crying her eyes out while everypony around her lost the love and respect that they once showed to her. Rainbow Dash felt dead, dead inside and dead to everypony she knew.
She was supposed to be outside arranging the clouds for a scheduled thunderstorm, but knew that none of the other pegasi would trust her. They would only glare at her and blame her for taking the lives of harmless ponies. The only reason that nopony tried to have her arrested was that they had no proof, that and a few ponies still argued her innocence. Rainbow Dash remembered her conversation with Gilda. Maybe she should forget about Ponyville and go stay with Gilda.
*
After about 40 minutes, Rainbow Dash was able to stop crying. She laid in silence, trying to keep herself calm. The silence was peaceful, as if there was nothing in it to worry about but the person secluded in it. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash heard yelling.
“Get out of here.”
Rainbow dash heard another voice, but it was too quite to make out. She got out of the bed and cracked open the door, peeping from the shadows. She saw Applejack standing at the front door and a pony with a camera standing outside.
“There ain’t any murderer in here. It’s just me and Rainbow Dash. If you want to take pictures of a murderer, then go find that griffon.” Applejack put her hoof on the edge of the open door, preparing to slam it.
The photographer laughed, and gave Applejack a smug smirk. “Lady, everypony knows that the whole ‘a griffon did it’ story is nothing but a tall tale to keep your friend out of trouble. You have no evidence to even back it up.”
Applejack tightened her grip on the door. “Nopony has evidence that Rainbow Dash did it.”
The photographer raised an eyebrow, while still maintaining his smirk. “I don’t know…she was with that Pinkie girl, who ended up dead. Her friend tries to figure things out and she gets a rock in the head, then her poorly hidden body is found next to your friend’s home.”
The photographer moved closer to the door and leaned on the doorframe. “Only one eyewitness to give an alibi for one of the murders, and she wasn’t even watching her friend the whole time. She could have easily flown out the window and killed that unicorn without being seen. It all seems pretty clear cut to me. Or do you have anything useful that you’d like to share?”
Applejack leaned closer to the photographer, as if to whisper a secret. As the photographer leaned in closer as well,
Applejack quickly jumped backwards and slammed the door shut. The thud of the door hitting the reporter seemed to echo throughout the house. Applejack locked the door and walked away as if nothing happened. She then saw Rainbow Dash peeking from the guest room, her glistening eyes contrasting with the darkness in the room.
“Don’t worry about him.” Applejack said, giving a reassuring smile. “I don’t think he broke nothin’.”
Rainbow Dash maintained a sad expression, unaffected by her friend’s attempt to cheer her up. “No evidence.” She mumbled to herself.
Applejack’s smile reverted back to the frown she had earlier. “And yet they keep accusin’ you.” Applejack sounded tired, her sleepless night was catching up with her.
Rainbow Dash became irritated. “That’s not what I mean.”
"What do you mean then?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow Dash walked and stood face to face with Applejack. “I told you that Gilda didn’t do anything and you went and told everypony she did. That’s what the others are doing to me. Don’t you see how I feel about it?”
Applejack backed away and sat down against the wall. Applejack looked at the picture she had on the wall, the picture of all her friends. “I didn’t want to believe it Rainbow. I didn’t want to believe that somepony would actually kill our friends…but it looks like somepony is.” Applejack took her eyes off the picture, unable to handle the pain.
“What happened to it just being an accident?” Rainbow Dash’s voice grew angry, yet sad at the same time. “You were always the one that said it was just an accident, even when we all disagreed with you. What happened to that?”
Applejack weakly lifted her head to look at Rainbow Dash, with their eyes meeting each other. “Rainbow…Fluttershy is dead.”
“What are you talking about?”
“…I told her to go check out Gilda last night. She never came back.”
Rainbow Dash felt her heart stop as those words were uttered. “No” was all she could get out.
Applejack continued, “Things were bad enough already. Rarity and I decided to keep it to ourselves, so that other ponies don’t overreact.”
Rainbow Dash screamed out Applejack, letting out the emotions she’s been bottling up. “Overreact? Do you know how stupid that sounds? You’re telling me that Fluttershy is dead! But you’re worried about how others will react? How about me, Applejack? How am I reacting?” Tears rolled down Rainbow Dash’s cheeks as she barraged Applejack with confused rage.
“Applejack,” Applebloom called, much to Rainbow Dash’s surprise. “What’s goin’ on up here?”
Applejack quickly got up before Applebloom caught sight of the ordeal. “We were just having a disagreement.”
Applebloom came out of the basement, covered in coal. “It sounded loud.”
Applejack tried to navigate away from the incident. “Why are you covered in that black stuff?”
An innocent smile appeared on Applebloom’s face. “Cutie Mark Crusader Fire Starter.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Inside the house?”
Applebloom kept her smile. “Well, you said we ain’t allowed outside. We were gonna go out anyways, but it’s gonna to start raining soon. We have nowhere else to do it.”
Applejack and Applebloom stood looking at each other without speaking, Applejack hoping that Applebloom would find a flaw in what she said. Unfortunately, she didn’t.
“Do you want to help us?” Applebloom had innocence in her voice that Applejack couldn’t turn down.
Applejack rolled her eyes. “I guess I can help you from burnin’ the house down.”
Applebloom looked at Rainbow Dash. “Do you want too?”
This brought a small smile on Rainbow Dash’s face. After days of glares and hateful expressions, she finally saw a sincere smile directed towards her. Regardless of all that has happened, Applebloom still treated her the same way she always had.
Probably because of the great sister she had.
“Sure.” Rainbow Dash nodded.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash followed Applebloom to the basement. They saw an annoyed Rarity at the end of the stairs.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash.” Scootaloo said. She had the same smile Applebloom had.
Rainbow Dash waved as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walked backwards toward the end of the stairs, spilling a trail of powder as they did so.
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stopped by Rainbow Dash’s side. Scootaloo looked up to Rainbow Dash, a smile still on her face.
“Do you want to count down?” She asked.
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Sure.”
*
Rainbow Dash relaxed on her bed once again. The explosion in the basement made a large mess of things, but Rainbow Dash didn’t have to help clean up after all she had been through in the past few days. Rainbow Dash did get some annoyed looks from her friends for encouraging the crusaders, but neither one chastised her.
Rainbow Dash smiled. She was glad that there were ponies who believed her.
“Hey, Dash.” A familiar voice greeted.
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes to see Gilda perched on the window frame next to her.
“Hey, Gilda.” Rainbow Dash greeted.
“Feeling any better?” Gilda asked.
“A little.” Rainbow Dash had a small smile on her face.
Gilda tilted her head. “Only a little?”
“Yeah.” There was confusion in Rainbow Dash’s voice.
“I don’t know Dash.” Gilda said. “I don’t think that’s enough.”
“I’m trying.” Rainbow Dash’s smile vanished.
“It’s not your fault.” Gilda reassured. “It’s the ponies around you. They just don’t get things.”
Rainbow Dash felt an emptiness inside of her. “They’re…just scared.”
The tone of Gilda’s voice rose. “Being scared is no excuse. What happened to your friend was an accident, period!”
Rainbow Dash turned to her side, facing away from Gilda. “It’s not just that.”
Gilda gave a frustrated sigh. “You didn’t do anything wrong. There’s nothing else to it.”
“They found my friend, Twilight, murdered just outside my home.” Rainbow Dash’s entire body cringed at the memory.
Gilda fell silent. Part of her felt guilty, but the other part of her was convinced that nothing bad happened. Rainbow Dash noticed the silence and began to turn her body towards Gilda.
Gilda quickly spoke. “That doesn’t…mean anything. She could have been killed there by anything.”
Rainbow Dash turned her back towards Gilda again, trying to make herself more comfortable on the bed. “They think it was me. They all watch me and talk about me all the time. I’m worried that they-”
“Typical idiots refuse to change their opinions, no matter how wrong they are.” Gilda interrupted. Gilda made a small smirk. “That’s why you need to ditch these losers and hang with me.”
Rainbow Dash turned and lied on her back, staring at the ceiling. “I thought the same thing, that there was no point being here. Then my friends reminded me, there is always somepony that will look after and care for you. Even when everypony around that somepony tells them that they’re wrong.”
Gilda’s smile disappeared; she knew that Rainbow Dash wasn’t talking about her.
“I was lucky enough to have more than one somepony to care about me. I know that no matter how bad things get, they’ll always be by my side. They’ll always be my friends. So I guess I’ll always have a reason to stay.”
Gilda chuckled. “Cute speech, Dash.” On the inside, Gilda felt angry that Rainbow Dash saw others as more important than her. “But it doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does to me!” Rainbow Dash snapped.
“Well, that changes everything!” Gilda snapped back.
Rainbow Dash covered her face with her pillow in an attempt to hide her tears.
“Sure, keep hiding.” Gilda continued. “I bet after a few years, maybe ponies will start to forget.”
Rainbow Dash kept the pillow over her face, quietly crying underneath it.
“A few ponies out of over a hundred care about you. You think that’s some kind of achievement?”
Rainbow Dash threw the pillow across the room and sat up to face Gilda.
“You need to leave.” Rainbow Dash demanded in her most stern voice.
Gilda narrowed her eyes.
“Go away!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
Gilda turned her head to see the busy streets full of ponies. She turned her head back to Rainbow Dash.
“I’m sorry, Dash” Gilda said, hoping on top of the bed. “I guess I’m not being clear…You’re coming with me.”
Rainbow Dash stood up on the bed. “Go…now” she growled.
Gilda and Rainbow Dash stared each other down, waiting for the other to attack. Gilda didn’t want to hurt Rainbow Dash, but saw no other way of setting her straight. Through her mind, Gilda tried to think of anything that she could say to get her friend to come with her. Gilda took a deep breath before tackling Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash fell on her back, slamming her head against the wall. Gilda sat herself on top of Rainbow Dash and tightly grabbed her by the neck. Rainbow Dash squirmed underneath Gilda and desperately tried to pull Gilda’s claws away from her neck. As Rainbow Dash squirmed, Gilda squeezed Rainbow Dash’s neck with greater force. Rainbow Dash’s eyes began to roll to the back of her head as her movements became weaker.
Gilda quickly released her grip, not wanting to kill her friend, and threw Rainbow Dash off of the bed. Rainbow Dash loudly gasped to catch her breath. After regaining enough oxygen, Rainbow Dash kicked Gilda in her chin. Rainbow Dash attempted to kick again, but Gilda grabbed one of her back legs and drug her talons through her thigh.
Rainbow Dash yelped and pulled her legs back. She looked at blood running out of her gashes. While distracted, Rainbow Dash felt a sharp blow to the top of her head and fell to the floor. Gilda pounced on Rainbow Dash’s back, pinning her to the floor. Gilda picked Rainbow Dash’s head up by her mane, and forcefully slammed her head against the hardwood floor. Rainbow Dash attempted to throw Gilda off of her, but this only prompted Gilda to slam her head on the floor again.
Gilda hit Rainbow Dash’s head against the floor a third time before speaking to her.
“I tried being nice, but you need to be put in your place.”
Rainbow Dash made another attempt to break free from Gilda’s pin, but Gilda stayed strong against her attempt. Gilda slapped Rainbow Dash’s head and continued speaking.
“You’re not that tough, Dash. You know I was always stronger than you.”
Rainbow Dash coughed. “Just get away from me.”
Gilda lifted Rainbow Dash’s head. “Friends don’t leave each other.”
Rainbow Dash spat at Gilda. “You’re not my friend.”
Gilda felt the return of her empty feeling. She always imagined Rainbow Dash saying those words to her, but never thought she would say them in reality. Tears formed in her eyes, “I’m alone.” With Rainbow Dash’s voice echoing through her head, Gilda realized that she no longer had any friends. Gilda’s sadness slowly turned to anger.
Gilda hit Rainbow Dash’s head against the floor and pressed her face into the hardwood surface. “Those stupid friends of yours ruined everything. They’re the reason why you’re thinking like an idiot.”
Rainbow Dash was unable to open her mouth, due to the pressure that Gilda was applying.
“It’s their fault.” Gilda said. A small smile broke over her face. “…And I’m glad they’re dead. Pinkie Pie, that unicorn, and that skittish pegasus. They’re all bad influences on you.”
Rainbow Dash mumbled something. Gilda lifted Rainbow Dash’s head in order to understand her.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes were wide and empty. “How do you know?”
Gilda raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Tears fell off of Rainbow Dash’s face. “How do you know that Fluttershy died?”
“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.
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!”
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.
