Lonely Murderer

Chapters

Revenge for Abandonment?
What Have I Done?
Are You Okay?
Can You Forgive Me?

Revenge for Abandonment?

Deflated mane and dull colors. Joy was taken away from this pony and replaced with depression. Was once a successful party thrower, however, heartbroken because her friends abandoned her. Pinkamena Diane Pie received the untold truth behind them straight from a young dragon’s mouth. Was it true? Did they disapprove of Pinkie’s parties?

Being alone is what she hated the most, she never wanted to be abandoned. Could she find a revolution for this? Probably. The first thing she tried, grabbed random inanimate objects around her kitchen as her “guests” and invented a party for them. Did it work? No. It drove her insane.

“Of course, you can have more punch, Mr. Turnip.”

Had to speak for her guests, which was not fun. Although she crafted this party herself and had friends by her side, it didn’t feel the same. Can’t expect the only breathing soul to enjoy a party with the same experience as having their old friends. They all rejected her invitation for what? A hangout at Applejack’s without Pinkie? For whatever reason, their desertion got their harmony kicking the turnip bucket.

“I’m not gonna speak to them ever again! They don’t deserve to come to my parties!”

However, she couldn’t manage her solitude, partially wanting her precious friends back, yet still ain’t gonna atone. Elements contradicting each other, a volleyball passing back and forth in her temple. What does she want? Years of solitude or befriending her decliners?

“Cruel, I know. All I wanted to do is end my solitude. But after they declined my invitations and I discovered the truth, I no longer wish to even see them anymore.”

Is there a way out of this? That’s the small query for a complex complication. What could she do? Continue aching in her solitude? Go back to her friends? Revenge for abandonment? Hang on, that last one is probably most thought of. But how? How could she seek vengeance?

While she focused on that inquiry, her left cheek felt the flat facet of the party table, featuring a few appetizers, utensils and more party props. She noticed a kitchen knife on the side. Originally, its application was to cut the cake, but Pinkie believed she’s found the answer she was looking for.

“Perhaps I could solve both plights at once. It’ll require some execution, but it's gonna formulate.”

Liking her plan, she immediately began planting the preparations. Knowing for a fact that one of her five mares ought to fetch her, Pinkamena turned off the lights and opened her basement as she brought the knife down. Everywhere, it’s dark and a little eerie. Soon, a few additions will be applied and then hopefully, it’s a success for her.

“Just needs a little bit of decorating. Where did I put that crimson red spray paint?”

Just needed to add the finishing touches to crafting the party at Sweet Apple Acres for their one particular friend. Fluttershy and Rainbow displayed the banner, Rarity added the streamers, Applejack made the pies and Twilight monitored her checklist, more than once.

“Alright, let’s go over the list once more. Do we have everything set up?”

“You asked that question for the sixth time already, Twi. Seriously, you’re the queen of repetition.”

Rainbow Dash protested, getting annoyed by Twilight’s repetitive inquiry. As if she’s a broken record that plays the same tune every 5 minutes. One more replay and she might consider going anywhere with her. Rarity thought this creation was concluding.

“Looking at this layout, I believe that we’re close to done. Party should be up in a minute now, darling.”

“Are you sure? This needs to be perfect for Pinkie.”

The lavender unicorn informed the fabulous unicorn, plus everypony at her attention. Rainbow commented on her efforts.

“You always strive for perfection. You sextuple checked everything.”

“Pinkie would love what we created for sure.”

Fluttershy agreed. Being optimistic about her friend’s esteem. What could ruin these mares’ thriving plans and become severe?

“Well, if you think so, then it’s time for the moment of truth. Could somepony escort her?”

“Leave it to me!”

Rainbow insisted before dashing out of the barn to find Pinkie, she’s almost certain her friend’s at Sugarcube Corner. Applejack had one apprehension to apply though.

“Don’t ya think Pinkie mighta neglect even goin’ here? Ya know, ‘cause she didn’t know about this and we ain’t comin’ to her ‘afterparty’.”

“She’ll come around. Once we show her what we’ve done, or explain why we did it, she’ll revamp. I’m sure of it.”

“Ah just hope you’re right.”

Of course, this was Rainbow’s umpteenth visit to her friend’s bakery, so she evidently knew the route of flight from Applejack’s to Pinkie’s. She arrived at her destination 10 seconds flat like she always does, looking forward to revealing the secret project they’ve been inventing for this pony.

The front door exhibited a sign with the word ‘CLOSE’ and true, no one’s here ordering cupcakes. Odd, opening hours usually run until their meal breaks. The Cakes were absent delivering deliveries ordered for their doors, so their assistant should be taking over the job unless she’s absent too. Despite the unusual circumstances, Dash inclined towards conventionally knocking on the door.

“Pinkie Pie! Why don’t you come with me over to Sweet Apple Acres?”

Normally, you’d hear an immediate response from the locals. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here as none is being said, she waited for a few seconds, maybe five, but no answer. Huh, Rainbow began guessing possible logical reasons why this transpired. Pinkie could be playing with Gummy, she could be sleeping, maybe she’s outside making ponies happy which made going here pointless. However, Rainbow would prefer to focus on the bakery door first before flying around town to look for one pink mare.

“Hey, this is Rainbow Dash you’re hearing. Are you in there? I wanna show you something cool.”

Still no response. Could she not hear her because of what she’s doing? Hmm, that might be it. Busting into a house without permission is slightly rude, but hey, it’s her friend’s residence and she’ll forgive her. As Pinkie’s friend who loves to be her bestie, she would never give punishments just for smashing her doors.

Before crashing into the window or whatever, Dash decided to check if the door’s locked. Typically, it should if Pinkie’s outside, preventing thieves from robbing their cash. Weirdly enough, the door could move, but if the door was unlocked, unless she’s just forgotten about it, then Pinkie’s inside. However, the lobby is dark, in fact, everything is dark. The only source of illumination beaming was from the opened door and transparent windows, that’s it. Now, it got mysterious, Rainbow suspected this is the work of Pinkie. She’s beginning to believe it’s just a prank she prepared.

“Pinkie, I hope you’re just pulling a prank on me, ‘cause I’m beginning to get a little nervous. I know you’re here, you wouldn’t leave this bakery and forget to close the stable door. What the hay is going on?”

It seemed like a bad idea, but she chose to investigate just to search for her. She tolled the bell on the buffet just in case Pinkie decided to pop up or something, but her appearance did not show up. Continuing the exploration, she went upstairs to the second floor searching for Pinkie. Lights were turned off in the bedroom and not a single pony was found sleeping.

There’s one room in particular that caught her attention. It looked like a party, perhaps Pinkie’s planned Gummy’s afterparty. However, it didn’t look fun. Common props for a party like balloons, cake and plastic utensils were propped, but then the bizarre stuff came into view: a mound of rock, a pail of turnips, a bag of grind wheat and a ball of fleece, all of those wearing party hats.

“What kind of party is this? Using inanimate objects as guests? Pinkie can be weird and all, but I didn’t think she was this weird. What has she been doing for the past 30 minutes?”

No sign of Pinkie here. Granted, she may not have checked everywhere, but it’s getting ridiculous. Rainbow expressed to exit Sugarcube Corner through the front door, she planned to spread the atypical information to Twilight and the others. Before even touching the door, Rainbow noticed one area she didn’t check: the basement.

She has never been to the bakery’s cellar, reason being never told to go down there. Then again, she’s never been told to scrutinize the attic either and the only basement she’s ever visited was in Twilight’s. But the fact that it’s left open was suspicious enough to get Rainbow’s attentiveness.

If some threshold is mysteriously ajar, somepony must’ve exited through it. Pinkie should be down in the basement, for some reason. What could be under the bakery that got her the need to stay there? Not an easy riddle to solve. However, that doesn’t stop Rainbow from snooping in the cellar for that poofy-hair mare. First view into the passage to the underground room, it’s dark like all the other areas, but darker the deeper this pegasus descends.

“Pinkie? Why do you have to be in the dark? Are you trying to scare me? If so, I can tell you it’s working. This is creepy and I’m terrified. Not always the valiant pony, you know?”

Felt her blue fur stood on end, it was so black at the bottom she could barely spot another door as her heartbeat throbbed rapidly. Pushed that door and revealed the entrance to the basement, but what’s in store for the exhibition isn’t what Dash anticipated. Although everything is still pitch black, there’s some faint roof light shining on a decorated table.

Looked like a table accessorized for parties. There’s another festivity happening here too? Unlike the other celebration, guests are absent and hadn’t come. Who could Pinkie be expecting? But there was something else in the frame, one thing both horrifying and traumatic. The wall behind the furniture features a message written in crimson-red, a pigment that closely resembles blood, displayed a capitalized sentence, “YOU CAUSED THIS”

Reading that sentence didn’t feel good, a split-second sense of augury. If that wasn’t creepy enough, light has faded behind her instantly as the loud slam of a door occurred that shocked Rainbow to absolute magnitude. This caused her to turn around for attention, the exit to the surface is no longer accessible. However, nopony was in view in the case that somepony’s responsible as if a ghost was the cause. Panicked, she scrambled trying to open the door, but unlike the main entrance, it’s unfortunately very locked tight.

“Wait! No no no no! I don’t like this, Pinkie! Why are you trying to scare me like this? What are you doing to me? Can you please stop this?”

Finally, a response from this magenta pony, except it didn’t sound friendly. The only high-pitch voice the pegasus got was neither an agreement, nor an answer, nor any chat, but maniacal laughter. A sudden baleful cackle prompted Dash’s attention to look behind her, but the source of the guffawing was nowhere to be seen.

“Pinkie, I know you're here. Please stop the horror and you will come with me to see something awesome.”

Rainbow begged as she nervously walked towards the middle of the room where it happens. Silent hoofsteps came from behind her but unable to hear or notice. Drew closer and closer to her blue flank, but keeping unnoticeable until these hoofsteps have done their deed. She gripped onto a shiny, sharp blade and raised it high to penetrate the pegasus’s barrel.

Through flesh, through muscle, through the ribs, through vital organs and blood oozing out the fresh wound. Rainbow with her wide-eyed expression as she felt the cold metal inside her body, took a few milliseconds until she finally experienced the agony and screamed. Collapsed onto her right flank after the sudden puncture to notice Pinkie Pie pinning her down and substantially holding down the knife against the wound.

“P-Pinkie? I-is that you?”

Noticed she looked different than what Dash saw back at the barn. Instead of poofy-maned, she’s straight-maned. Kept that smile upon her muzzle like usual, but unlike usual, unfortunately, more sinister. Pinkie seemed to wickedly relish this while the pegasus doesn’t.

“Hey, Dashie. I prefer to be called Pinkamena, thank you very much!”

Adding emphasis on that last word followed by an instantaneous drag of the blade an inch for a bigger cut.

“Ah! What the hay! What’s gotten into you?!”

“What’s gotten into me?! You know what’s gotten into me!”

She couldn’t escape Pinkie’s physical force, which was unexpected due to Rainbow’s athletic competence presumed comparison to this party connoisseur. The knife inching slowly but violently towards the heart. Never gets better with every incision made, more gore pouring discoloring the floor.

“Argh! I…I don’t know! Stop giving me confusing riddles!”

“You’ve never liked my parties, have you?”

Inquired this pink equine as she extracted the knife from Dashie’s body, attempting to recall her reason for her friend’s solitude.

“W-what? Who says we don’t-“

An abrupt cut in dialogue as the torturer amputated one of the pegasus’s wings, the loss of the most important part of this species is excruciating and unsettling.

“Spike told me. He said, ‘Your friends are all lying to you and avoiding you 'cause they don't like your parties and they don't want to be your friends anymore!’, straight from the dragon’s mouth!”

So determined she found the truth from a little dragon who’s been around the supervisor of the six. At that point, she realized that Pinkie made a false assumption and Rainbow’s fate is being recorded now.

“What?! No! That’s not true!”

“Don’t lie to me!”

Pinkamena exclaimed as she pierced the weapon through the wound again. There’s no escape from this fate, no chance of freedom, no mercy from this inconsistent pony, every time the victim persuades, always gets ignored.

“Argh! I…I can explain. Please, let me reveal the secret we’ve hidden from you.”

“No need, I already figured it out. I just couldn’t believe you concealed this information about you and all the others.”

She’s done for, it’s over. Such a vicious murderer won’t listen to what her victim’s gonna say or confess. Pinkie couldn’t have known about Rainbow’s friendly party invitation as she continued to tug her knife through every organ on the way towards the nucleus every emphasis in her last line. Blade being a centimeter away from the most crucial organ to abide.

Her heart was pounding in panic as her lungs weren’t functioning. Felt her life slowly fading away and her soul slowly being transferred to the kingdom of angels. Yet, with difficulty, her last words came out before her demise.

“Y-you…will…soon…regret…this.”

Rainbow Dash gave a slow five-word caution, hoping that she’ll realize what she’s done sooner or later and hopefully never. Pinkamema, however, doubted that.

“I’m sure I won’t.”

As she pronounced those final words to say to her obsolete friend. She lifted the knife off the incision and hovered it over the blue skin covering the heart. Unafraid to do such a violent act, her twisted mind came to her as she smiles at a sudden thrust down directly into…

It’s been approximately 5 minutes since the speedy pony with sky blue wings departed from the barn. Bulbs are still off waiting for their party horse to arrive and give surprise, but alas, the doors hadn’t swung.

That’s weird, Rainbow should’ve found her by now due to her breakneck speed. Maybe Pinkie was not found at home, but if that’s the case, where and what for? What happened to her, or those two if preferred?

“Rainbow should’ve been back by now.”

“Oh dear, what do you think happened to her, Twilight.”

Fluttershy asked anxiously, pondering about what could go south?

“I don’t know, I just hope they’re okay. We have been waiting for them longer than anticipated, perhaps somepony has to go and search around Ponyville for them, ensuring their safety.”

By that decree, her friends delayed volunteering, as if they have a sensation that interfering may lead to bad outcomes since they had no clue about Rainbow’s disappearance. Seeing that nopony is brave enough to step forward, the mare in a stetson decided to perform the request.

“Ah’ll find ‘em.”

Applejack only presumed that it’s just a normal task and perhaps her usual penalty on Dash for taking so long and a lame excuse. Little did she know, it’s gonna be more abnormal than she anticipated.

“Are you certain about this, darling? We don’t have any info on where Rainbow or Pinkie ended up, you might disappear the same way as them! What if…”

“Rare, Ah’m gonna be fine. Ah promise ya, our friends are alive and well, nothing’s gonna happen to me. Ah’ll be back lickity-split.”

“Please do be back in under 5 minutes, or we would be very worried about you.”

That was a promise she cannot fail to backstab. Applejack left her fruit farm unaccompanied in search of two of her good friends. Unlike the robust pegasus, doesn’t feature any feathers and is unable to fly, therefore didn’t take seconds, it took about 2 minutes to reach her destination. Being calm by walking, not running, thought not to rush even for a second because it’s just a simple pick-up, or so she thought.

The path to the bakery ain’t hard to follow, been there several times. First time she was told to come was to bake with half deafness. When the southern pony arrived, the door of Sugarcube Corner has left ajar, but the interior of the patisserie didn’t recruit for illumination. Eerie, yet have to enter to look for two mares.

“Huh, didn’t think it’s gonna be this elaborate. Maybe Rarity was right and ah didn’t believe her.”

She turned her muzzle in all directions, Applejack making note of her surroundings despite the darkness. Familiarizing with the ordinary objects while originally being here, like the property’s counter, delicious desserts, furniture and ornamentation. But when she noticed an opened door, something tells her to look where there was downstairs.

“Did RD find Pinkie in the basement? Why would she be in the basement?”

Applejack decided to descend to the cellars. Her friend likely went on the descent, for what exactly? Her decision comes with an unknown outcome, perhaps it’ll come out alright, but there’s a chance of dire positions.

It’s so black as she stood on the lowest bit of floor and blindly collided her face onto a wooden door. Embarrassing she thought, even though she knew it’s impossible to see in the dark. Making entrance by interacting with the gate of ominousness, into a room that’s just as dark as the darkness in the lobby with limited light from outside.

“Pinkie, ah don’t know what you have done, but whatever it is, ah’m terrified and ain’t likin’ this.”

Applejack proceeded deeper into the shadows while not knowing what she was wandering into. Slowly and nervously, she walked into the rough center of the basement, then suddenly, a light bulb illuminates from the ceiling shining down on a long table, some graffiti in red and revoltingly, the corpse of none other than RD.

“R-Rainbow?! W-what happened to you? Who did this to you?”

The side of Rainbow’s barrel was wounded wide, both of her wings were amputated, her eyelids were shut and her body felt cold with no sign of breathing. Applejack couldn’t believe what she’s seeing right now, her good friend is found dead underneath her other friend’s basement. As she tried to mull over who could’ve done such a thing, her answer’s sneakily approaching her. It’s closing in on her and when near, she spoke.

“I believe I can answer that.”

A familiar voice she thought, but didn’t sound friendly she evoked. Her first reaction to that was to fearfully turn around to face the speaker. She’s aghast to notice Pinkie Pie with a knife raised, she was already prepared for the performance as she thrust it down the instant she…

Another 5 whole minutes elapsed after the earth pony’s leave. Nopony’s returning, at least Applejack should be back by now and displaying news about her forage fail, not remaining where they’re unable to give any information to you.

So far, two out of five ponies were missing and nopony knows how or why. Think of any lucid and logical possibility that could be imagined, but every thought always gets pushed with a contradiction. Could it mean that one needs to envision a ludicrous and irrational possibility? Insane to imagine such imagination, an example would be a friend becoming a villain which wouldn’t occur, of course. Would it?

“What could’ve possibly happened to them? Both of our friends became lost while searching for Pinkie. Is there a reasonable explanation for this state we’re in?”

Twilight panicked about losing another friend without information as to how. If only she knew, at least she would’ve been given some form of news. Considering how few of them are left standing, these circumstances were looking quite grim and fearing the absence of more.

“What if there was a powerful villain who captured our friends into cages? Is that possible?”

“Princess Celestia overlooks all of Equestria, Fluttershy, she would’ve given us a warning if she detects one. It couldn’t be possible that a villain’s nearby.”

Well, no other choice but to summon someone to find Pinkie and the others and escort everypony to the farm without truanting. But with about half the elements of harmony unknown of where they ended up, nopony dares to volunteer. Outcomes unable to arise unless one of three stood up, so humble for her hesitant horses, the spirit of magic decided to investigate the scene herself unaccompanied.

“If nopony wants to volunteer, then I’ll go.”

“What? But, Twilight, what if you don’t come back?”

“You could’ve ended up like them, darling. Might wanna think twice?”

Her allies were apprised of the insight, they were trying to advise Twilight to reconsider abiding under the sky. In light of nopony arriving back alive, frightened for her demise she might fly into. However, this unicorn was not convinced she’s gonna be in any trouble.

“Believe me, nothing bad will happen. An example for your concerns, Pinkie would never harm anypony, otherwise, we’d call her crazy.”

“Twilight, darling, if you don’t come back for another 5 minutes, what will we do?”

An inquiry caught her off guard. What will Rarity and Fluttershy do if she doesn’t come back? Not an easy question to answer, but she’s not even sure there is an answer.

“I…I don’t know, but something’s going on out there and I’m going to find out.”

“Oh, I anticipate that you come back.”

That sets Fluttershy’s expectation, if she does not arrive under the required time, these mares would become extra anxious. Twilight Sparkle begins to make her leave and started galloping towards the town’s sugar shop. Again, since Pinkie’s a close friend, she knows exactly the route to her destination and running on that path took less than 30 seconds before she’s at the door.

Wait a minute, the pink stable door’s lower half is only opened with a little but visible crack. Somepony definitely went in, possibly Rainbow or Applejack. So her friends who were sent did search for Pinkie in her confectionery, but for some reason, they never emerged.

But now Twilight became excited that she saw some sign, but then emotions quickly turned negative by the view of the interior. It’s dark and eerie with no one to turn the bulbs on. The light switch was near the front door, so illuminating the foyer is not a challenge.

“They didn’t even bother to turn the light on? Or am I just missing the bigger picture?”

Nopony was in the first scene, otherwise, she’d left the cake shop right away. Looking high and low for any indication designating a pony life, she spotted an umber door left agape. One would assume the pegasus and earth pony tried to enter it and conformity told the unicorn to go through as well.

The opened door leads to an underground passage, an unlit tunnel to the basement. At the base of the distinguishable staircase is another open door, looks like another dark room through the thin crevasse. Twilight climbed down the steps and intrude into territory. The room was so black that she decided to use magic to illuminate her hoofsteps instead of blindly walking towards a wall for a light switch.

“Hello? Rainbow Dash? Applejack? Pinkie? Anypony here?”

There’s no answer, no respondent echoes. Huh, either they don’t dare to speak up, or they purposefully stayed silent, or for some other unconventional reason. Surely this room of darkness isn’t that big to hide two or three ponies whether to assume Pinkie’s present or absent.

Twilight advanced further into the room, anxious to find out what’s been happening since the group was arranging a cute celebration. At one point, she heard some laughing, but not ordinary pony laughter, more of an evil villain-like hilarity caught behind her and caused her to gradually glance at the open entrance and exit of the room.

Nopony existed behind her. Odd, Twilight insisted she listened for the voice of a mare, except it looked like she imagined it, unless it did exist and it just escaped her vision. This sudden plot in the picture prompted the purple pony perplexed and more panicky.

“Uh, who laughed? Please show yourself.”

She commanded in stutters as the anxious mare had a feeling that she wouldn’t approve of what’s gonna happen. As she felt fear from the non-existent source of laughter, Twilight slowly steps her hooves a couple of centimeters backwards.

Until she made her last step, that was the exact moment when Pinkie Pie comes from above and successfully broke the unicorn’s horn with a blade followed by a loud crack. The amputator smirks at her victim as she enjoyed the awful screaming of Twilight, the affliction of losing the most important piece of bone of her class. No horn, no magic; ceased illumination and making it black in the process.

“W-what? W-was that you, Pinkie P-Pie?”

Finally, the lamps in the room flashed showing Pinkie Pie and Twilight closely face-to-face with each other, too close that the sinister expression on the pink mare’s face shocked the unicorn and threw her back, colliding her head on a table.

“Yup, but call me Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

Pinkie presented her bloody knife as she introduced her full name, a sign that she’s not gonna give Twilight a nice experience. Looking at the blood, she invented new inquiries which invent new inquiries.

“W-wait, what have y-you been doing here? Why are you h-holding a b-bloody knife? H-how did you get your h-hooves on a knife?”

“Hearing your panicky questions makes me laugh. Why don’t you look at the table you cracked your skull on.”

As she rubbed the bruised backside of the brain, she turned her neck to notice the huge bloodstain on the table’s surface and screamed at the disturbing substance.

“Turn to your right to see the excruciatingly exquisite exhibit of your friends, or should I say, ex-friends.”

Some light revealed a wall and Twilight’s sight at the display was extra-disquieting. The wall was painted with more stains of red than the table, with two corpses of distinct ponies, Rainbow Dash and Applejack, both have been dissected very badly.

The pegasus had her barrel completely torn open via a wound the size of the womb, plus one wing subtracted from her complete body structure. The earth pony had her underbelly torn open and over half the number of vital organs were removed, as well as the loss of her hat. Both are breathless and motionless and now there’s a unicorn who just lost the tip of her horn and is unable to use magic to either fight or defend.

“No, how could you? For what reason caused you to-“

In swift movements, Pinkie gashed Twilight’s flank, right where her cutie mark is. Expression changed from sinister to angry as she knew the question she was about to ask.

“Twilight, concealing secrets from me. What’s wrong with my parties, huh? Were all my festivities too bright, too loud, or what?”

“W-what are you t-talking about? Your p-parties were f-fine, fantastic and f-fun. All the g-games, food and ch-chatting, we enjoyed it all, ho-honest.”

Pinkie didn’t like what she heard even though it was the truth in Twilight’s memory. She proceeded to aggressively stab her back, the agony was agonizing but it won’t stop there. The murderer shouted at her face with anger for the belief of her falsities.

“Liar! Your dragon friend told me the truth, I’ve been told he’s by your side all day long, I already suspected he knew the truth. Here I am now eliminating your friends one by one to make sure this doesn’t happen again, but don’t worry, we’ll have one more celebration once this is over!”

Slowly she raised her knife until it’s over her head and quickly thrust the blade down to her body as she at the action and-

5 minutes already elapsed and no sign of a lavender unicorn in view. Rarity and Fluttershy had been lingering long enough to the state where their distress has elevated. Both mares began to panic when realizing they were losing ponies quickly.

“Okay, Fluttershy, calm down. So far, those who attempted to find our one and only Pinkie got lost without a known reason and now we’re left wondering what happened to our friends.”

Rarity loquaciously spoke in a way to show she’s clear and clearly panicky, along with Fluttershy who was jittering in the corner of the barn.

“Apologies for my wails, darling, but I’m freaking out. This. Is. The. Worst. Possible. Thing that could’ve happened!”

She was grasping onto her friend’s coat and shook Fluttershy back and forth until, even though she was still worried, she snapped out of her distress. She pulled out of the unicorn’s hooves and snapped her out as well.

“Rarity, please. You gotta pull yourself together. If we keep panicking, we won’t be going anywhere.”

“Ah, you’re right. Sorry, darling. It’s just that I was promised Twilight’s return, now it’s up to the two of us to work out what’s going on.”

But what should they do? Should they risk summoning one of them to investigate again? It seemed unsafe considering they’ve already lost three ponies to the pink pony search, there’s no chance that one of the two mares is leaving the barn to find her alone.

If one of the two doesn’t attempt to examine or simply surrender to no unearthed info, who knows who will or what’ll happen next? Here’s a question, who says they shouldn’t go with somepony else?

“Why don’t we go together? I mean, if something happens to one of us, the other pony would notice and would be able to report that something.”

“Why, I hadn’t thought of that. But what if we don’t come back and somepony cleans this party before Pinkie even took a glance?”

“We could leave a note behind before we abandon it.”

“Good idea, once I’ve written a notice, we’ll be heading off to Sugarcube Corner.”

Conveniently, Rarity found a square of notepaper, a writing instrument and a sticky strip. She combined them into a memo stuck at the barn’s entrance before leaving for the bakery with Fluttershy beside her.

As the unicorn and the pegasus approach the territory of missing ponies, their nerves began to kick in. Several things can turn south, they can be certain a possibility to end up like those who came before them.

They had the bravery to brave their posture until they reached the porch of the patisserie. Sensed the eerie aura surrounding the building in front of them and a shut door doesn’t make it better, at least the windows were opened showing an unlit lobby.

“How do you feel about this, darling?”

“Um… I have reduced confidence. How about you?”

Rarity sighed before her response. She was not prepared for a rapid heartbeat in her chest, it didn’t seem like anything was about to happen.

“Let’s just be honest, Fluttershy, I’m feeling nervous and freaking out. I wasn’t ready for this!”

“Just breathe and stay strong. We’re gonna get to the bottom of this.”

So the mares entered the sugar shop. Even though it was dark, they could see that everything looks to be in place from the previous times they’d visited. Thank Celestia for the light switch works, wandering in the dark is not ideal.

They had the chance to explore the interior and admire the scenery, vibrant colors and pleasant scents around the room made their emotions a slight brighter. Unfortunately, nopony comes to afford them an adored welcome, it felt unwelcoming for the two.

“Foyer’s vacant of ponies, otherwise we could’ve made them leave with us.”

“Then that means they could either be upstairs…or downstairs.”

Concluded Rarity with a voice of tension after a pause as she darted her eyes at the dark hallway behind Fluttershy. The pegasus turned around to see the passage and had a feeling.

“Um, Rarity, you might call me insane, but I bet they were down there.”

“Y-you think so? What gave you that assumption?”

“I got a hunch.”

It’s obvious that the generous mare is scared to investigate and the truth is, however, the gentle mare is also feared. But they were aware there was no other option, it was to go down or do nothing and they can’t do the latter since that’s abandonment.

“We can’t leave a suspicious area unchecked, can we?”

Unconfident, but didn’t lose their lucidity and had decided to descend into black. Luckily, the group had a magic mare with a horn that can glow blue, it’s being smart to light the way and stay close to Fluttershy.

It’s really deep and dark, they took their time until they felt the bottom and Rarity felt the invisible door. The door felt wooden and rough unlike the bakery’s gate whose surface was flatter, it gave her the nerves that serves her distress.

“Why must Sugarcube Corner have a creepy, dark basement?”

She asked before unveiling the room behind the gate. They’ve never been or seen downstairs since they’ve known Pinkie, so what’s underground was beyond what they expected. Lighting wasn’t vivid, barely a shape or writing they could notice ahead. Aura felt eerie in the midst, Rarity and Fluttershy trembling out of control.

Dare them both to amble closer for closer inspection, hopefully, the unicorn’s horn will uncover the blackout curtains. All that it illuminated was a small table with a crimson red facet, no question it being blood. Seeing such fluid, they’d love to find a pot to vomit in. The action was followed by abrupt darkness and a boom from behind, causing an instinct to face backwards frightfully. Then panic.

“D-did the d-door just c-close?”

Not a pony in sight, would’ve been otherwise implicit. Running for the exit, the tailoress pulled the egress as hard as she could to no avail, her friend helped with no luck.

“No no no no! Pinkie, what have you done?”

She queried to the cellar’s ceiling as lamps activated and emit luminescence upon a wall right of the table. It featured corpses of familiar faces, victims of Fluttershy and Rarity’s missing friends wounded worse than a timberwolf ambush. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle had their horsey torsi knifed on different sides plus some medium cuts. Only one word can describe them: dead.

Before they can start wailing, another illumination revealed a red omen that read “YOU CAUSED THIS”. A message that meant danger, both weren’t safe.

“P-pinkie Pie, c-come out, d-darling. I d-don’t l-like this!”

Laughter came from the shadows to respond, it sounded manic like a maniac. Questions they have, yet to acquire some answers to: What has she done? What did she do to her friends? Why is she playing Halloween? Why must these questions exist?

Scared were they, Rarity and Fluttershy, but that’s what’s boosting the perpetrator’s cruel joy. Even though the needlemare’s horn is glowing, still they’re blind to see what’s coming. Fast movements, couldn’t defend, a split millisecond of a menacing pink pony holding a blade and attacking.

Her magic faded to black with the sound of skin penetration, there’s a steel knife in her windpipe. Gagging and cannot breathe or scream as cold metal was blocking oxygen from respiration, Rarity’s blood painted the weapon and Fluttershy became the pony screaming. Pinkamena’s voice was apparent, about to account for things.

“Good to see you two again, Rarity, Fluttershy.”

Rarity couldn’t retaliate, Fluttershy was too panicky to speak. There’s no point anticipating a reply from anypony. The unicorn had minutes to learn something before passing away.

“You see, I really don’t like secrets, nopony likes secrets, don’t you agree? Today, I’ve been told that my friends don’t actually like my parties.”

The pegasus knew what she was talking about, she’s concurrently unsure though. She was only aware of loving Pinkie’s parties, not hating them. Slow was her acknowledgement, more had to be mentioned.

“Oh, you’re my friends. All of this was to provide all of you with a lesson, a punishment and a solution. All of this to make sure you won’t make the same mistake again, and who’s better at no mistakes than someone dead?”

Anypony who has that conclusion in mind is reckoned insane, not random. That’s not how Pinkie’s supposed to be remembered, is she really the real pink pony they knew and loved, or has she always been this mad? Her next line was after a press on the handle stimulating Rarity’s pain, drops flowing out her eyes by it.

“Once I’m done, Fluttershy, Rarity, I’ll host not just an afterparty, an after-death party, and the best one for your corpses.”

Pinkamena extracted the blade from the unicorn’s oesophagus allowing blood to excrete down and drowning her lungs. Meanwhile, Fluttershy couldn’t afford to die in the hooves of this murderous mare, she couldn’t let her body be used that way. Using all her might, she transmitted all her strength to her rear hooves, bucked the door and prayed that it's enough to break the lock. Lucky, the exit was revealed, now escape!

“No! Come back here!”

As Fluttershy hastily ran up the basement stairs, Pinkie chucked her knife towards the pegasus, it stabbed her leg vertically and screamed faintly in pain. Whilst sprinting, she managed to remove the weapon, tossed it down the stairs and continued running past the foyer and out the main exit and hid, ignoring the agony she could feel. The hostile party couldn’t set hoof into Celestia’s light if she doesn’t want to get noticed.

“Curse you, Fluttershy!”

Pinkie shouted in the distance.

“Oh well, four out of five is not perfect, but not bad. I know where you live! I’ll get you someday!”

Fluttershy hid behind the nearest village house with one ear up, heart racing via the nightmare that just occurred, it wasn’t a nightmare. The killer went back inside, the survivor, in the meantime, wondered about decisions. Her idea was to never tell anypony what she witnessed, never approach Sugarcube Corner and hope for good-hearted Pinkie Pie.

“Dear, Pinkie. Realize what you’ve done, please. We need the real Pinkie back.”

One might comment a deed is overwrought, they’d call a murderer inanely insane. Vile and cruel Pinkamena’s mind went, the stage was stationed like a jamboree in the cellar made for guests deceased.

A pile of humeri and femora perched in a corner, four corpses stuffed and stitched like dolls positioned on chairs at a long rectangular table and decorations with a slightly dark hue, all combined with dimmed lighting and a daunting aura. How she’s comfortable with how she played seemed indelicate.

“You girls kinda missed the last party, but fortunately, I’ve decided to start a second one today in case you decided yourself.”

“You know what? Ah admit. This is by far the best party you’ve thrown!”

Quoted Pinkie with a southern accent imitating Applejack as she controlled her friend’s gesticulation. Somewhere in nirvana, the ghost of that corpse wouldn’t appreciate that.

“May I have some more of that cake, darling?”

She imitated the pre-fashionista, in a high-pitched transatlantic voice.

“Of course, we’ll empty the whole bakery if we have to.”

“Shame Fluttershy’s not with us, she’s missing out.”

Dashie’s turn to be forced into conversating, she would be punching the pink pony in the face right now if she’s alive.

“Yeah, don’t worry I’ll fetch her next time.”

“When should we do this to make you satisfied?”

Finally, a voice for Twilight Sparkle, not something she would ask ever for.

“We can do this every day, Twilight. We will do this every day.”

Pinkie answered como un loco, repeating her reply in a nefarious tone. Afterwards, a burst of laughter crescendoed until it was petrifying to listen to. Poor pony unbeknownst of her behavior and the consequences that come with it, pray that remorse and regret hidden within her will haunt her the next day. Does she have the morality for her measures?

To be continued…

Author's Note

My first confrontation on a gore-y story; a Pinkamena situation in this case.
I’ve seen and I know there are fimfictions about this topic, but most of them are the authors furthering the fandom into another step, or that Pinkamena calmed down but either she died or she’s forever alone. No happily-ever-afters or they’re staying incomplete forever. :pinkiesad2:
This story, however, I planned it, there’s gonna be more chapters and a happy ending, I promise.
Please stay tuned. :raritywink:

What Have I Done?

Rough day it was, that entire afternoon was an obstacle to swim through, a cave of webs to gradually untangle from. However, the results didn’t bother this pony to any extent, it’s like she hadn’t noticed what cruel act she had done. Her absence of guilt during her performance was despicable and unforgiving.

Pinkamena terminated her malevolent jamboree, feeling joyful and smiling about it. For the rest of her day, her mane never reverted from straight to poofy and her coloration remained with dark hues. She worked on her duty as a seller of baked goods while having a different appearance, common customers came to the cake shop counter and noticed the happy mare with a different look, they’d ask pretty much the same questions and Pinkie would always lie or secrete her secretive secret.

“Are you okay, Pinkie?”

“Yep, totally fine. I’m totally sane.”

Even her employers were observant and they’d attempt to persuade her to leak what she was hiding. Their employee dodged all the Cakes’ questions without hesitation, it looks as if she’s seemingly not secretive.

“What’s up with your manestyle, sweetie?”

“I thought I would bring my old mane back. I mean, nopony else has parallel manes right?”

“But nopony else has poofy manes either.”

Pinkamena never left Sugarcube Corner for the rest of the evening ever since that incident, she never told anypony what she’s been doing and behaved like she’s having an ordinary life to camouflage her real identity: a murderer.

Later that night, it’s lights out in Ponyville. Everypony headed to their bedrooms without any evidence of wariness, while the pink equine slumbered believing peace is where she'll be resting in. Quiet was it felt like for the first hour, and generally, she would love to anticipate roaming in a dream.

Head in the center of her cushion, posture laid her whole spine across her bouncy mattress, exposed forehooves rested upon the quilt, a small frown plastered on her muzzle. She’s shut her one door and one window, but not the curtains. All light sources were decommissioned except for Luna’s moonlight gleaming through the glass.

A large portion of Pinkie’s room is a vacant floor, uninteresting until the area became occupied a moment later. Materializing out from the void were pellucid spectral versions of her victims; Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity. The quartet stood in a line looking toward their mareslaughterer with bitter expressions, they won’t forego her penalty for a heinous stunt she’s executed.

“Look at her sleeping, believing she’d be safe under those covers. Not gonna happen.”

The colorful ghost pegasus whispered aloud to the ponies beside her, experimenting on her ex-friend’s listening abilities. Ultimately, it was enough volume to wake her up and Pinkamena’s eyelashes slowly elevated. Commonly, if one wakes up, their instinct would be to sit, and when she attempted, she couldn’t. Notice metal cuffs around her four hooves securing the criminal to the bed.

“W-what? How did these just appear?”

Ineffective to remove them, her limbs locked in place apart from her neck and barrel. Focused on trying to escape she didn’t bother to look anywhere but her straps until somepony with a lavender appendage commanded her to.

“Turn your muzzle to the right, Pinkie.”

She did as instructed, ceased her tugs and looked towards the glowing spirits. Horrified by what Pinkie’s confronting, because they were slain and dead by her by fact, not in the sense of four spectres regardless.

“No! This can’t be possible! This can’t be real!”

“I’m afraid this is real. Think it’s about time you give us your excuse for doing such a thing.”

Twilight demanded and the others bowed their heads in agreement. Pinkamena remained her belief in her collection of facts, still claiming that to be the truth, so there’s no conviction there’s more to say.

“Haven’t I told you and Dashie already? I had to receive your payback for falsifying your opinion on my parties. You don’t like my parties, do you?”

“Who told you that?”

Applejack inquired. To their knowledge, not once did they give the reveller’s a stamp of disapproval. All her events organized for crowds and crews around Equestria were enjoyable and beloved, it’s a shame the same name came for the games and became a flaming frame who claimed her blame.

“I interrogated Spike the dragon, I was sure he knew something that you knew.”

“Well, hate to burst your bubble, darling, but Spikey-wikey was not involved in this at all. Even if he was, he wouldn’t know that we disliked your parties.”

Rarity essentially disclosed the verity, a reality that caused Pinkamena’s eyes to widen in stupefaction. It’s new details to consider and that one knocked her anxiety meter by a lot.

“W-what? Why wouldn’t he?”

“Because our reason for not coming to your party is much different.”

“Th-then why did Spike just tell me something entirely different?”

“I don’t know, maybe you said something that caused him to say it?” Twilight suggested.

“What could I have-!”

Flashback in black and white, to the time when Pinkie last had bouncy hair, she was questioning Spike in a dark room. A spotlight shone directly at the wyvern’s face expressing a panicky and confused emotion. Panicky because he’s hampered by his interrogator and confused because he doesn’t know what she’d like to hear to be satisfied.

“W-what do you want to hear? Tell me what you want me to say, I’ll say it!”

“Tell me that my friends are all lying to me and avoiding me because they don't like my parties and they don't want to be my friends anymore!”

She practically yelled at the 5-year-old.

“Your friends are all lying to you and avoiding you 'cause they don't like your parties and they don't want to be your friends anymore!”

In summary, Spike was a bystander who was brought in just to expose a fake truth. He didn’t tell her willingly, Pinkie literally told him what to say and she’s too Pinkie to realize that, thus accepting it as actual truth.

Back in the present, now she’s realized the worst mistake she’s made, perhaps too big for it to even be considered a mistake. Her friends were murdered because of an excuse one would describe as unfortunate, it’s devastating. How was she so blind to it?

“No!” Pinkamena anxiously exclaimed.

“So we have our answer, the reason why you were slaying us to death was that you Pinkie’d it and were truly convinced that we disliked your parties.”

Rainbow Dash concluded. Fear and sorrow began to erupt on her spine, envisioning the sequence undergone in her noodles made her quiver. But the phantasmal mares were not done reawakening her, there’s more she needs to know, starting with Rarity’s question

“How? How could you do this to us?”

“I-I’m sorry, I couldn’t realize it sooner! I couldn’t control myself!”

“Remember what you did after the gore?”

Asked the southern ghost as Pinkamena immediately grimaced at the question like she knew what she’s mentioning. She doesn’t know what to think about the cross-examination, is it trying to torture her or is this what she needed?

She couldn’t answer as if she knew how cruel the display was. Yes, she can recall forcefully controlling her plushies like a puppeteer in a dimmed party after the slaughter.

“You were enjoyin’ that party, weren’t ya? Ah saw it, you were havin’ fun movin’ our limbs all over the place.”

“Do you wanna know the real reason why we’re avoiding you?”

“The real reason?”

Pinkamena echoed with a question mark. Now that she eliminated her false accusation, she’s finally catching the concrete explanation straight from Twilight’s mouth. Heartbreaking for her when she heard it.

“We were collecting props and decorations for a surprise party in a Sweet Apple Acres barn just for you. You would’ve seen it early if you hadn’t killed Rainbow Dash.”

Gasped the sickening mare without hesitation, her eyes dilating and shrinking in an oscillation about to weep. The thought of a jamboree carefully constructed by her friends, which would’ve been a good time, only to have the hosts murdered by the main party animal, never the chance of experiencing or celebrating.

“A party? For me? W-why couldn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Pinkie, it’s a surprise party. We struggled to make you come, but you refused to listen.”

“B-but…”

“You could’ve waited for us to inform you, spend time with the Cakes? The fillies? Your family? Other ponies? Instead, you suspected us not being your friends and killed us for it.”

True she could’ve done any of that but didn’t, couldn’t she have known that at the time? Must a hangout with other ponies be beneficial, the options could’ve been the Cutie Mark Crusaders, her Pie sisters such as Maud, or a few other mares she knew like Vinyl, Octavia, Lyra, Bon Bon, or even Derpy Hooves. One more unbearable cherry on top from Applejack there is to conclude the reformation.

“Ah’m sure ah heard that you hated solitude, right? It made you insane enough to do this, didn’t it? You did all this just so that you won’t be alone again.”

Her main description that only she knew was exposed, being isolated from the spirits of harmony provoked her lucidity. It scared her that the farmer brought it up. Who knows how a ghost can acquire Pinkie’s mental mind? And what does she have against that knowledge? Two words: Bad things.

“Well, your situation wouldn’t be restored after finalizin’ the mission now, would it? You lost your friends and havin’ a party with our corpses ain’t gonna be felt the same, you’ll just be as alone as before without any way of renouncin’.”

A path into her own solitary grave that she created for herself without realizing and never leaving. Droplets collect below the equine’s optics before she decided to willingly release them down her muzzle, penitentially admitting the veracity that went down. Murmuring apologies through her sobs hoping for their forgiveness.

“N-no! I can’t be alone, I hate being alone. If only I had kn-known sooner, if I had waited as you said, I wouldn’t have attempted m-murder…I-I’m so sorry I’ve been so cruel!”

Her lament articulating deep regret genuinely late acknowledged. Could she have ceased, everypony could’ve been saved, but it’s her own sick idea that provoked the dominoes of her consequences. However, the paranormal ponies wouldn’t experience her emotions. Why?

“Don’t worry, Pinkie. Let’s get you out of your misery.”

From behind the quartet, Twilight emanated her magic to levitate a steel blade pointing at her and displayed in front of them. Pinkamena noticed through her tears looking horrified because she knew what’s happening. She tried begging for her release from captivity, the least she can do.

“You shouldn’t have done such a thing, Pinkie.”

“N-no! Please! I’m sorry! I swear! I’ll do anything to bring you back.”

“Too late, you’ve done your deed. Face it, there’s nothing in Equestria to resuscitate us.”

Twilight informed. Is this how the villain dies? Is this how revenge is won? Is this how the story ends? All four equine spirits marched and surrounded the bed, weighing upon her knees and shoulders disengaging her to move a limb. The knife hovering over its victim’s frightened face of horror, her victim’s revenge to ultimately thrust it through her temple, skull, then the cerebrum.

“Look what I’m planning. Go to Tartarus for us, will you?”

The knife elevated a slight was it ready to descend.

“Nooooo!”

Face moist from her sweat and tears, she instantly jolted from bed while huffing and puffing. 4:00 ante meridiem at dawn, nopony else in Ponyville was awake, just Pinkamena. A nightmare revealed her disgustingly committed sins and her supposedly deserved punishments. Realizing what she had done, hesitation was no priority, she frantically rushed to jump out of bed, run down the stairs into the foyer, then into the basement, mumbling a prayer hoping for this reality to be untrue.

“No! Please, no! This can’t be! I didn’t!”

Throughout the ruckus, her neighbours, specifically the Cakes, didn’t bother and didn’t care to follow. Every source of illumination was engaged as bright as they can in the basement, caliginous still due to the fortifications being dark grey. She hadn’t cleaned up the place after the party ended, so the back wall and the table is still mostly red, recognizing the decorations she applied here gave her burden and uncomfortable certainty.

A cabinet was displayed against a wall oozing blood from inside. Pinkie veered to the bloody furniture queasily like she knew what she stored in there. But she couldn’t refrain, she had to see them. Opening the doors dropped four deceased equines to the floor, the mare alive covered her muzzle with her hoof and gasped.

Couldn’t believe what she had committed, enduring the grief about to spill out as she’s finally aware of the dead. Pinkie scurried and carried her friends off the floor and onto the table, all four laid adjacent to each other on the surface. There’s no sign of life, no sound, no breathing, no animation, and seeing their bodies entirely littered with stitches constructed by herself broke her heart. Poor pony committed unintelligible murder on her perpetually cherished Twilight, Applejack, Rarity and Dashie. Let her weep for them and the true nature of her emotions. No more hate, cruelty and ignorance, but love, mercy and repentance.

“Everypony. Please, if you can hear me, forgive me. Now I know. I…killed you all. I’m gonna…miss you all. I just didn’t want to be alone, but this was not intentional, I swear! You don’t deserve this, none of you, I shouldn’t have done something so vile. I’ll accept any punishment I get from this, just please, I’m so sorry!”

Bursting into tears as her apologies were downed for the count and drowning with her. Pinkamena banged her hoof askance on the facet to punish her own diabolicalness. Who in Equestria could’ve done more dreadfully?

“I regret it all, Dashie. You were right about that. I was a horrible pony. I should’ve come with you like what you’ve come for, none of this would’ve happened then. That party you girls said you made for me would’ve been lovely, I just know it.”

A miniature smile was formed on her muzzle, it’s only small because a big grin might exhibit the murderer’s looks, with the parallel hair and everything. Shortly after, she removed it as she thought about more acknowledgements and stating them to reassure her understanding of the case.

“That…accusation I made was only invented, you tried to explain the truth, but I…didn’t let you. I…ignored your cries, laughed at it, l-loved it, where I shouldn’t be. I took back those things I said and did, I should’ve just abode with other ponies. If there is a way to revive all of you, even if it means sacrifice, I would do it just for those I’ve depressed.”

She didn’t want to believe what phantasmal Sparkle told her in her nightmare. Any form of resuscitation she desired to happen. Whether that’s through risks, battles, rituals, or sacrifices, success would be her only, only option, failure’s not.

“Memories of you all I will keep, even if we hadn’t lived for a whole season. Vanquishing Nightmare Moon, swatting the parasprites, discovering my Pinkie Sense, comparing our cutie mark stories. I’ll never forget those moments, I promise.”

Memories. All issues and problems solved only via their friendship. It’s a disgrace that it’s one of the pre-victors who destroyed their connections. She was a mare jam-packed with laughter which subtracted to negative depths plus the addition of hidden emotions. The million things they could’ve done as friends may have been cancelled, but her word will live on as determined, she’ll never forgive herself if she forgot.

Pinkie spent half an hour submitting her acknowledgements to her dead friends. She knew that somewhere in the clouds, they were frightened, upset, praying, screaming and crying because of her, she couldn’t leave their resting place. However, she knew better this was not healthy, she had to accept they’re not moving, at least for now. One thing she can promise though.

“I won’t leave you girls, okay? And I won’t let it happen again. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, with absolute certainty this time. Again, I’m sorry I did this to all of you, I hope you’ll forgive me. And if you won’t, well, I understand.”

Better get going before somepony phones a search party to search the party pony not found, anypony can enter the basement at any moment and discover something they shouldn’t discover. When the mare was ready to leave, she joylessly stepped away from the table and turned to the exit, the light of dawn. Pinkie grabbed the door about to close it on the way out, but she twisted her neck for her seemingly last farewell.

“Goodbye, my little ponies. Rest in peace.”

Facing the outside world, Pinkamena will soon face a whole new life ahead of her. There’s a list of endeavours with the word “must” stamped all over it to make up for her unspeakable activities. Must she complete her virtual assignments in the right way, positive things will come out of them, or so she had hoped.

Meanwhile, in the chambers of the Canterlot castle, the one and only Alicorn of the Night, Princess Luna, remained on her bed and was chanting her magic. Her nine-to-five duty requirements were currently active, protecting her subjects from nightmares. The dream dimension displayed compact circles comprised of little fillies’ fantastic fantasy. She could pay a visit by simply phasing through one, then she could be a friend or helper to the dreamer.

Most of them seemed peaceful, all good things they fantasized about at night from ambition to romanticism, but one bubble stood out from the rest. Specifically, it’s entirely black, a flat shape of a lock glued on it. Noticing that unusual phenomenon unique from the rest drew her wariness to it.

“A locked dream? What does this mean? Who does it belong to?”

Sauntering closer to the dark sphere, Princess Luna was able to perceive the action occurring within it. The high-frequency voice that's very well-known to know its owner, the exact voice of one of six protégés, the spirit of laughter, Pinkie Pie. However, the words she heard would be something she’d never hear in the real realm.

“N-no! Please! I’m sorry! I swear! I’ll do anything to bring you back.”

“Pinkie Pie?! Is that a nightmare you are having?”

Pinkie's utterance overlapped with echoes protruding from the orb. The princess could sense panic through it, one of many emotions that occurs in a nightmare. Feeling concerned, she must jump into action, a bystander would tarnish her supervision. A monarch, too, must be cautious, due to never encountering one in Luna’s thousand-year career, therefore being unsure of its dangerousness.

Cautiously approaching slowly and attempting to go through the portal, however, as her muzzle nearly met tangency, an unexpected gash left a visible incision on her left cheek. The instantaneous movement was excruciating, it knocked the alicorn a few steps backward and provoked her hoof to cover it. When she revealed the wound, her hoof was stained with her own blood and so is her cheek.

“Argh! W-what?! Is that…my blood? W-what was that? And…why does this feel familiar?”

Even the sovereign can bleed. Not in a million years, would she anticipate seeing flowing ichor once in a world like Equestria, and of her character out of every other animal in this universe. Dubiety in her eyes focused on both the circle and the blood alternatingly and simultaneously. After enough watching, Luna decided her agony was too painful to keep, she returned to reality. Unfortunately, the laceration didn’t get removed, so immediately, she called her watchmen to fetch the bandages.

“Guards!”

“Yes, Your High-! What happened to you?”

“Questions later, the medical kit now!”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The sentries ran off into the hallway to find the box of medical supplies, while Princess Luna awaits their return by accommodating what just happened. A locked nightmare in Pinkie’s mind, unable to tell what it was about, but able to hurt her when she gets close to it. What does it mean? Why did the dream try to annihilate her? And to her, it felt familiar, but why?

“Here, Your Highness.”

One guard returned with the box of doctor’s equipment amid the princess’s thoughts.

“I appreciate that. Now go back to your post.”

The guard left her room as Princess Luna attempted to apply the adhesive on her face herself. While doing so, she wonders what she should do first thing in her sister’s light.

“Perhaps I must scrutinize the library for some answers. I must find out what that black bubble is to help that element of laughter. But I fear something might be wrong about this.”

She must also rest for the wound to settle a bit, running with an impractical plaster wouldn’t be practical. The cut is cleaned with antiseptic, bandaged with mesh, then continued her innocuous duties as princess until the sun rises. By tomorrow morning, she’ll get to work in the atheneum to search for information about the nightmare that attacks.

To be continued…

Author's Note

I'm curious to see how viewers will feel after reading this, are they gonna feel despondent or nonchalant towards remorseful Pinkamena? I hope they'll feel the former. :twilightsheepish:
Princess Luna plays a very important role in this story, stay tuned for that because it'll be something nopony has ever done on this site. :raritywink:

Are You Okay?

Early in the morning, roughly 5-6 o’clock, the sun was about exposed on the eastern horizon. Its rays were casting shadows of her bedroom curtains on the second floor’s floor, but weren’t baking her skin since they didn’t reach far enough. Just a chair with a table and their generic purpose employed by Pinkamena.

Just on her rump doing nothing besides intaking and exhaling. Psychologically, the gloomy mare’s mind was occupied with remembering and contemplating her past whereabouts. There were a couple of instances when that nearly stirred her diaphragm erupting. The whole daybreak, she nauseously relived her setbacks of that bloody knife, a chilling spine coursed throughout it.

“How could I have been so blind? What am I to commit an offensive performance? Could I have done worse?”

How about handling a sibling? Wouldn’t that be harsher? Ordinary relatives are more affectionate than ordinary friends. But still, siblings don’t leave siblings and friends don’t leave friends and they were more than mere mares, like a family. If only she’d been there to stop it. If only she’d known what the jokes were. If only she’d left and stayed with others. They would be here to stroke her, embrace her, comfort her.

“I wish there’s a way to fix everything. A time machine to the past would’ve been fantastic. They deserved me unlike what I just became.”

Pinkie caught herself before she lost herself. See, crumbling was what brought her casualties and that was sworn not to occur anymore. No longer was she within her mind anymore, a soliloquy by her pharynx.

“You have to keep lucid! You have to accept they’re…gone. No, that they’re just gone for now.”

She hoped, she won’t believe that murder can’t be undone. Murder wasn’t even a thing before what she did, so it’s controvertible that any form of resuscitation existed in Equestria. And there were more prominent banishments than the mare on the moon for those non-chroniclers.

“You won’t harm anypony again. You can protect everypony. You gotta face your fears. You know what they lost. You want to be their therapist. You-”

“Pinkie Pie? Are you okay?”

Opening hours from 6 for Sugar Cube Corner, the roused Cakes heard the pony’s spoken soliloquy at that hour. Cup intervened with a worried expression and perceived her employee needed emotional reassurance. However, Diane dared to save the beans.

“Of course, I am. Why wouldn’t I be? Heh heh heh.”

She loathed lying from now on, it didn’t feel right. However, they practically bought her blatant dishonesty, that fact further flinched the filly. Though, the swirly-maned approached straight-maned to acquaint some concerns.

“Listen, darling. We have noticed your sudden change of character, our conclusion ended up being you’ve been hiding something.”

“Y-your conclusion?”

“If you need somepony to talk to, we’d value wrapping our hooves around you.”

“What if it’s something horrible and I’m uncomfortable mentioning it?”

“Then, please take the time you need, whenever you feel like it.”

Carrot recommended being no bystander. These two are no pegasi, but would they gladly fold their wings over Pinkie’s shoulders? Sure, if they weren’t busy at the time. As a deep breath negotiated as if Pinkie was willing to let it slip, the Cakes had the nerve to be someplace before starting a word.

“I’m sorry, but you know we’re busy until late.”

There goes her opportunity. Yes, she could say it now, but somewhere in her cerebrum thought this was not a good time to bring it up.

“Oh, right.”

“Come downstairs and get yourself breakfast. Be as lively as you were when we get back.”

“I’ll try.”

Moving on she must, cognizant of the considerably continuous confusion consequences considering she concentrates constantly. Trembling out of her room and escaping the escalier was bathmophobic when she wasn’t even. Once the earth ponies found the foyer, Pinkie chose a vegan salad. Typically, her morning meal was a baked good that a bakery does.

“No confections?”

Mrs Cake questioned.

“Not today. I feel like having a diet today.”

“Alright…I guess we’ll meet again.”

“Yeah, well, have a nice day.”

Along with the gesture of waving was the countenance of lacking smiles until both custodians were obscured by the door closing. Pinkamena plopped her slaw and flank on dining furniture nibbling gradually and with potentially nopony to lecture and her alligator, Jelly, stares upstairs. All she could think about during the morning was scolding her mirror for keeping silent.

“Great, just great. You simply couldn’t speak up about it?!”

“But I don’t want them to think I’m a m-murderer, they could be mad at me or call the authorities.”

“You’ve established that already, plus you deserve to be sent to a dungeon or Tartarus or the sun or moon.”

“True, but not at the time. I want to make it up, there has to be something I could do. Maybe I could style for Rarity, I could harvest for Applejack, I could write to the princess for Twilight, or maybe I could-”

“Pinkie Pie? Are you okay?”

Unlucky, her mirror fell off its seat and broke. The pink mare paused her rambling to focus on the familiar young voice behind the front door. Inconceivable, lo and behold, Spike.

“Spike! I sorta missed you even though it’s been a day.”

“You did? Am I that significant to you?”

“Well, presumably? And yes, I’m okay.”

The wyvern approached the seat that was occupied by the framed glass, he did notice the shards on the floor.

“What happened there?”

“Oh, do you know the etiquettes of somepony random? Sometimes, their reflection became their friend.”

He understood by the remains of the mirror, that is weird. Actually, the only odd thing observed was how Pinkie acknowledged her randomness, which has never happened since Spike transferred to this town. He decided not to ask about it.

“What are you doing here?”

The dragon wanted to spread the news, which she knew little did he know.

“Twilight hasn’t returned since midday of yesterday. I thought she had a night-long business with her mentor or something, but this morning I just couldn’t find her.”

Afraid was the mare she’ll be sniffed by dear Twilight Sparkle’s assistant

“Oh, I see.”

“I was thinking maybe you know where she went.”

This was her opportunity to tell her what happened, but it was a biased coin flip to Pinkie where most of the wheel said ‘I will lie’. By some miracle, it would’ve struck ‘tell the truth’, but unfortunately, what she didn’t want was a likely outcome.

“I think she mentioned going on an excursion with her friends.”

“Without you? Also, that wasn’t part of her schedule.”

“I figured I was late. Also, what do you know about Twilight?”

“You fool, he’s gonna buy it.”

“You’re right, what do I know?”

Well, maybe some other time nopony knows when. Having a bowl half empty and a young dragon resting his chin on his claw with his elbow on the surface, the guilty mare ought to recall what she did to him yesterday.

“Spike, about yesterday…”

“Yeah, I remember. You baited me with rubies.”

“I was literally playing the bad detective.”

“Well, you’re not that bad.”

“No, I’m really sorry if I pressured you. Whatever I asked you, I was being unfriendly, I don’t mean anything by it.”

Her confession bewildered him; he didn't understand her motive. At the time, Scales didn't realize he had been bludgeoned. Spike viewed Pinkie's guessing game as just another guessing game.

“Well, whether you pressured me or not and whatever you asked me, let’s just say I had no clue what was happening that day.”

That was further evidence indicating the respondent had zero intentions of being in the room where it happened. Her execution for execution could have resulted in her execution because of that unnecessary execution, shrunk at the revelation.

“If I did realize I was walking into a corner at the time, don’t worry about it. As you’re Pinkie Pie, I’d always forgive you.”

“Always?”

“Always.”

“Even if it’s horrible?”

Nodded the snout of the young dragon, unsuspicious about Pinkie’s subtle hints that herself thought he shouldn’t be. Why was the juvenile sitting next to the ambicide? Near the end of the dialogue, though the salad bowl was polished, final queries on that occasion.

“Do you have any plans for today? Like throwing parties? Gladdening ponies?”

Consider what she did yesterday, in her basement, at that convention.

“No, not today.”

“Taking a break, huh? I can respect that. Since the five seemed to be missing I’ve heard, I’d gamble that triad of fillies are gonna be anxious as they stumble to school. Maybe you should accompany them to start with.”

A quarter-hour before the CMC’s rousing time, imagine Sweetie Belle, a member, walking the lonely road without her parents or Rarity. This was an opportunity to redeem her benevolence, make up for her deceased, and pray that they were watching.

“Yeah, maybe I will.”

“Cool. I could go for a chore or a read or a walk for the day and let’s hope Twilight and the others will return.”

Pinkie agrees in a different context, hope can last until something crushes it. The young wyvern escaped his seat, wishing her good fortune before closing the doors behind him. The equine’s gears silently started working, her assignment for the day became to cure the encumbered burden by visiting their homes and presences. Those fillies lost their only considerate siblings, it’s her turn to be courteous to these siblings.

It’s settled, might as well get over it. Nervous her appearance would bring attention to the citizens, the conception of them rubbernecking the former killer without any implication, being unable to tell the truth herself pains her. However, this is the redemption they would’ve wished for she thought. Gained confidence to pivot the door to the yard and blinding light, Pinkamena was shielding it like a vampire.

“Here goes everything.”

Meanwhile, the midnight equine of the night spied the rise of the shine and end of her nightly shift, but the start of her morning requisite reading. By the sun’s apex, Princess Luna rolled over her bed, strode the Canterlot castle hallways to the archives and went scrutinizing. Any information about inaccessible dreams would be useful now, anything to identify Element of Laughter’s condition and help whatever it was.

Books and scrolls under the ‘dream’ or ‘nightmare’ rows might answer why that dream slaughtered Luna’s cheek violently so that it stings through the bandage. The problem is that she’s not like young Twilight Sparkle. She has read some treatises about dreams, but, unfortunately, not all the treatises. Moreover, she admitted the bookcases are wide.

“Looks like I just have to act like Twilight until I get what I want.”

Nonetheless, she proceeded with the process of taking book after book, flipping page after page and pretending to enjoy every second. Spoiler alert: it was laborious for even the top echelon, especially if Luna is doing it quickly for Ms Pie so that she may assist her as soon as possible.

A 144 pages per second pace that she maintained non-stop investigating. Until 25 textbooks on imagination magic, she became oblivious to the shrieking library entrance and the crescendo of clip-clopping hooves. A taller white alicorn and her aurora-like mane approached, the day bringer.

“Luna, what are you doing here?”

Frozen abruptly, so focused she didn’t anticipate a reaction from somepony behind her back in a second. She turned her muzzle so that half of it saw her approaching geriatric Celestia with a dish of decorative pancakes and a plastic fork.

“Sister! I was trying to learn more about dream magic. What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was gonna invite you for breakfast, but you weren’t found in your bedroom.”

“Oh, well, forgive me. It was urgent.”

“And why is that? Did something happen to your eye? Because I noticed you’re not looking at me directly.”

“It’s not my eye, it’s my cheek.”

Luna finally revealed the other side of the muzzle covered with an adhesive strip.

“Sweet myself! What injury have you encountered?”

“Laceration. Excreting blood along with excruciating agony.”

“Laceration? By what?”

“That’s what I wanted to know. I was in the dream realm doing regular duties as should when I encountered a “locked dream” that I heard Pinkie Pie from. When I got closer, it just violently slayed my face.”

When a monarchy identifies the substance of blood in the world of centuries of peace for the first time in forever, they would recognize it as a serious violation. Princess Celestia transpiring to her younger sister’s experience shuddered as if she imagined herself in those silver hoof shoes.

“Did you perceive what she said?”

“From what I can gather, she seemed to be crying and begging in there.”

“So it was a nightmare, I assume.”

“Yes, which is why I’m positive there’s an answer somewhere in this library, that subject must be traumatized.”

Determined, wasn’t she? But what about planning that Saturday night? Is she gonna be surrounded by bookcases until she finds the right volume or combination of chapters? Looking around the room, the other princess also admitted their royal bibliotheca is massive. There was no way she could do this on her own in precious time.

“Tell you what, Luna. Come with me for breakfast and then afterwards, we’ll scour the entire library high and low.”

“But what about Pinkie Pie?”

“Hey, it was just a dream, right? And as far as I’m aware, she is relatively mindful in all sticky situations. I suppose this one is no different and not the most difficult to get unstuck from.”

Potentially, that magenta equine is crying for help. Perhaps, the only pony who could help her right now is Luna. But if otherwise, then there would be no rush in finding the solution. And considering Celestia’s case, she’s not wrong.

“Alright. Thank you, sister.”

“You’re welcome. Now, let’s take a seat at our wide table and spend our time together eating stacked pancakes.”

“Can I have mine with vanilla ice cream, Tia?”

She remembered that Rainbow Dash was not Scootaloo’s sister and more of her idol, but does she value her hero more than her parents? Knowing she would eventually discover her loss, it might be advisable if her friends around her age told her. In that case, first, she took the road to the Carousel Boutique.

As she did, the few active ponies noticed parallel-maned recognized as that euphoric mare not anymore euphoric. Ignorance is bliss unless bliss is ignored. They needed a frown upside-down down there, they needed that smiling pony down there, but this pony is frowning, there’s no way this pony could light up the mood.

“I’m sorry, everypony. I don’t think I can make you smile. Because the last true smile I made was relentless.”

She bumped into the awning of the clothing store while speaking in soliloquy. Pinkie rubbed her face as she noticed Opalescence the cat and Sweetie Belle seated on the furniture. At least there were two civilians present in the building. The filly glanced at Pinkie waving through the window after hearing a sound on the awning. She ran over to open the door.

“Pinkie Pie? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, sorry. I had my focus somewhere else.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d check on you since Rarity’s not around.”

“You knew? When was the last time you saw her?”

In certainty, the last vision of the aesthete was her horror when the blade penetrated the unicorn’s pharynx and her last breath. Too vile of an explanation to the underaged, young enough to faint or puke due to blood spills. Needing to regretfully lie without a choice.

“Rarity was invited last morning.”

“Do you know where she’s gone?”

Pinkie shook her head begrudgingly. A few minutes remained to remain here until Sweetie’s departure to class, so the filly stepped away to let the mare through to inspect the place. The brightly coloured and decorated environment in contrast to the gloomy and graffitied basement. The joyous work of her friend became more cherished the moment she emerged from the dark flight. She inspected the table hiding under the tablecloth and how empty it was.

“Have you eaten breakfast this morning?”

“No. I was thinking of making it myself, but I’m sure you remembered me and the others tried baking to get our cutie marks.”

Sweetie Belle recalled. Coming here restored that memory, who would have thought? Those fillies never proved their brewing abilities, but they never gave up trying. Before becoming missing, Rarity routinely served her sister a meal before seeing Cherilee, so what is for breakfast?

“Would you like a sandwich or 5-minute pancakes?”

“A sandwich is fine.”

Not that the filly was avoiding desserts, just a dish she could polish within a moment punctual for school. Within 3 minutes, Pinkie leisurely created the healthy herbivore hoagie and then placed it on the table.

“What’s with the manestyle? Why is it no longer poofy?”

“Oh, did you know this was my mane when I was younger? I just wanted to re-experience it.”

Other locals queried that same question and essentially received the same lie they believed in. As Sweetie Belle masticated her sandwich, Pinkie pondered why she has the instinct to keep the truth. Yes, there’s always a time for sincerities about anything, but this cutthroat mare can’t endure, can she?

In the meantime, she decided to explore the boutique of recollections to appreciate what kind of friend Rarity was to her. She noticed a pink something slithering out of a cupboard from the corner. She went to look and what she found were gowns. Gowns for the once-in-a-lifetime Grand Galloping Gala. She acknowledged that they were ideal for the setting, which is nice, but it’s unfortunate that her friends won’t be alive on Saturday night.

“The gala is tomorrow. Those plans, the fun, my friends…”

Waterfalls from before continued to seep as she imagined her treasured mares sad that they died before the big moment. Pinkie ultimately cancelled their opportunities, at least for now.

“I know th-they had good reasons to come. W-Why did I act like a monster? H-How could I have committed something horrible?”

Not only would some of them never be worn again, but the entire attire supplier retired and expired. Who else in Ponyville would be available for the position? Pinkie knew everypony in town and the only fashionista around was Rarity.

What’s gonna happen to the revel now? What are the princesses gonna do? What are the guests gonna spend their bits on? What are the Wonderbolts gonna do? What is Prince Blueblood gonna do? What is Pinkie gonna do? Is Pinkie gonna come? What happens if she doesn’t?

“Are you okay? Pinkie Pie?”

The future, but this is reality. She’s gotta focus because insanity is unwanted. Sure, do it for the spirits, but her spirits must be lifted. Sweetie Belle snapped her composure from the barrage of questions, Pinkie wiped her tears, closed the closet and saw the filly.

“Yeah, I just remembered the milestone in showcasing our gala costumes to an audience.”

“Was it that sympathetic?”

“Contemporarily, yes. You should be back on the table.”

“Oh, my plate’s cleaned. I’m ready for school.”

Without company, she couldn’t wait to bring closer her closest peers and fellowship. After all, with no one but her household feline to share discussions with, perhaps a whole day of fillyhood fun with filly friends would be so much better, won’t it?

Belle was ready and so was Diane, the filly brightly stashed essential stationery in her saddlebag and the not-so-bright mare guided her to the exit on the road to Sweet Apple Acres. From the boutique to the farm, the casual walking road did take a long time, but it felt longer to Pinkie mainly because ponies were staring at her. Knowing that she understood and deserved it, these villagers nauseated her.

Despite the effort to keep her head up, they had reached the zones of the apple farm where the school and Applebloom resided.

“Alright, you should know where school is. I’m gonna see if Apple Bloom’s okay if that’s okay.”

“Don’t worry, I understand.”

“You do?”

“I may not know what it is, but I perceived that you’ve been stressed out lately.”

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle dashed off, leaving the surprised equine behind. What she witnessed was a young filly who comprehended Pinkie’s illness without the desire to know why. Maybe she would also understand what led her to murder. Shoot! She would be glad to blurt her secret if only she asked. No matter, she had to visit dear Applejack's dear family and dear sister.

Unlike Rarity’s sibling, Apple Bloom lost her older sister but still lives with a Big Mac and Granny Smith. However, this family’s sombre history was especially blind to her and made the account more accountable. She learned that behind the main entrance is a hoof-crafted potentially party prepared for her. Fearing what she may find, Pinkie chose to not approach it yet and instead knocked on the door to the living room and then heard the herd responding from inside.

“Could that be her?”

“About time. ‘Cause ah’m gonna make ‘er take ya to school, Sugarcube.”

Sounded like the granny expecting Applejack to deliver the filly to her educator. Bad news, she ain’t coming to do that soon. Very soon, the stable doors swung open and revealed Big Mac. When he saw Pinkie, he smiled and stepped aside to let her in and be seen by the other two members here.

“Pinkie Pie?”

“Consarn it! We were waitin’ fer Applejack.”

Mrs Smith explained. This was the family of somepony generally honest and urging her members to be as honest as her. She was also a living lie detector, so who knows if she taught her grandmother that lesson. Point is that she had to be careful, otherwise this family might not like discovering the truth.

“Sorry, guys. Talking about Applejack, she won’t be here in the morning.”

Straight-maned kept a straight face while saying that, making it perceived she had nothing behind her back.

“What? Why? Did somethin’ happen to ‘er?”

Apple Bloom questioned.

“She just went on an overnight trip with her friends, I didn’t go because I had more important errands to do.”

“Why didn't Applejack inform us beforehand?”

“Perhaps she simply lacked the time?”

The young filly from the South gave the testimony some contemplation as Pinkamena shivered, fearing that she wouldn't accept it. Unexpectedly, she did.

“Oh, ah see. Haven’t y’all scheduled a cruise from Horseshoe Bay? Applejack didn't have time to say goodbye as it was ready to go.”

“Yeah, precisely what happened.”

She was fortunate she was safe, yet she would rather have been exposed. That was an unbelievably fitting conclusion, at least she got to live another day only to fix things.

“So, does that mean our young’un will have to walk to school herself?”

Granny Smith enquired.

“She can do it, right? If not, her big brother can.”

“Eeyup.”

Macintosh responded.

“Alright, then. It’s not like ya ain’t done it before ‘cause before, ah was just gonna give Applejack a chore fer comin’ late. Apparently, that’s not the case.”

“Well, ah’m still eatin’ mah half apple pie ‘cause ah awoke later in the mornin’.”

Apple Bloom pointed out.

“Don’t worry, Sugarcube. Why don’t we let Pinkie Pie accompany ya while we get to harvestin’?”

“Sure, that’s actually what I planned to do anyway.”

They were surprised, why wouldn’t they be? Then again, why would they be? This was a mare who could accurately read minds and predict futures 99% of the time. Otherwise, there would’ve been a problem.

“Ya got a few minutes. Be sure she ain’t late fer school.”

The big stallion and elder had left the building leaving their youngest with one once a jolly party connoisseur who was unveiled and unleashed as a disguised one-time psychopath. If her hidden intentions were to murder this filly without witnesses, she was to run from the farm as far as she could and confuse the farmers.

Pinkie calmly grabbed a seat by the round table diametric to Apple Bloom’s position. The filly chewing on her family’s famous fruity tart as an earth pony like Winona dunking her head in a pet bowl as both residents heard the outsiders boxing malus trunks with hind limbs. Other than the sound of bucking and chewing, this room’s a little quiet, lonely even. To keep moods alive, the pink pony began a conversation.

“Are you worried about Applejack at all?”

“Worried? You just convinced me she’s on a cruise. It sounded fun, ah would miss ‘er fer a day, but of course, ah ain’t worried.”

For a day, huh? She would imagine the scale of how much she would miss her would’ve been larger than average. A special sister she must be then. Imagine what she would’ve been if she knew she was gone forever. Hmm…

“What would it feel like if you lost a sibling?”

A question mark appeared over the filly’s red mane followed by a thought bubble with gears. The answer was classified that it would pain her if she brought it up, but honesty is her signature passed down from her sister’s hoofsteps. Well, there were times when she did lie for reasons.

“Uh, ah don’t wanna answer that.”

“Um, why?”

“It’s complicated. Why d’ya wanna know?”

“That’s also complicated.”

“Were ya lyin’ somewhere?”

Apple Bloom was quickly becoming suspicious of Pinkie and the fear caught on her mind thinking she’ll find out sooner or later.

“W-what? Lying? Um, no?”

“What’re ya hidin’, Pinkie Pie?”

“N-nothing, nothing at all. Please don’t press me further…”

“Ah’m sorry, but as Applejack’s younger sister, ah want answers.”

Her back was against a corner, seemed there were no cutting corners. As if honesty was the price of escaping botheration, a tear developed in her eyes’ corner as she thought her listener wouldn’t forgive her.

“If I tell you, I doubt you’ll want to see me again.”

“Was it that awful?”

Pinkamena nodded dreadfully and then took a deep breath, getting prepared to reveal what she had been doing and potentially anguish the poor young foal. Never would one expect the laughter pony to tear up. Quicker than her confession, the poor young foal prevented it and decided herself not to know the secret.

“Ya know what? Forget it, maybe next time.”

“Huh?”

“Ah’m sorry, ah didn’t mean to push ya. Ah’m sure ya had a good motive fer what happened yesterday.”

“But I have something bad to tell you, something wrong.”

“Ya wanted to keep it a secret from everypony and ya had a good reason why. Don’t worry, keep it until yer ready. Were you ready?”

Wow. Advice from a filly, who knew? Fortunate was she who cried and then Apple Bloom sensed anxiety, she took it as nonchalantly as worms burrowing through apples. Whether or not it was intentional, she got to live another day.

“I wasn’t.”

Pinkie’s optical drizzle had stopped pouring and stayed to wait for Apple Bloom’s empty plate, or until she parts with her tart. After shovelling a few more bites, she swallowed the last bit in her mouth and pushed the dish in front of the magenta mare before standing from her stool.

“Ya can have the last slice.”

“Oh no, that was your pie.”

“Mah stomach’s heavy like a bag of flour, plus ah wanna play with Sweetie Belle now.”

There were still 10 minutes to the ringing of the school bell, but why not let her go early? She didn’t stop the foal as she organized her saddlebag, what to and not to carry while Pinkie watched. How kind was she by giving her strudel to the pony who loved strudels? Apple Bloom excitedly thrust the front yard gate ajar about to stroll the acres after a valediction.

“Bye, Pinkie Pie. Good luck in keepin’ yer secret.”

What a weird way to say ‘good fortunes’. With no ponytail of Apple Bloom to be seen any longer, Pinkie was by herself in the bright living room with a table of nothing but a part of a pie. Believe it or not, at the time, her mind was questioning whether she should eat the pastry. Eventually, her mind has determined to just go for it.

She grabbed the crust by her hooves, slipped it between her jaws, moved her cheeks and felt the old flavour sensed on her tongue. Her benevolent self left Equestria for her malevolent self, she came back aware of herself and had missed her old personality even from yesterday. Now she felt sentimental about how she missed the taste of Applejack’s pies. Fluid ducts resumed flowing.

“Oh, Applejack. I really missed this. I needed this. I need you to come back, I beg you.”

“By the way, ah almost forgot.”

Tear conduits suddenly stopped as Pinkamena turned to Apple Bloom who came back.

“Have you noticed the note on our barn door? It’s fer you.”

She hadn’t which was to her surprise, but the fact that she didn’t catch a glimpse of writing on the big barn door intimidated her. What could be behind the big door to a big room?

Now is the time to face the harsh truth that lies beyond the gates. How special of them to leave a note on the door’s surface before they left and never returned. The adhesive ribbon must've deteriorated over a day of being stuck and sucking muck and guck from the dirty planks.

“Don’t clean up the party until Pinkie arrives.”

Presumably, whoever wrote the memo left last and was the last pony to venture into that awful basement. That could either be Rarity, whose blood clogged her trachea, or Fluttershy, who became a marksmare’s survivor. That small square of paper was what they did for Pinkie

Anything inside it will make her regret what she’s done, no doubt. Even if the jamboree isn't breathtaking, it's still a celebration put together by her friends. Feelings are conflicting again. Should she fear the best or be grateful when she sees it? As fear set in, she blinked and exhaled.

“Everypony, this is what you want me to see.”

The doorway yawned awake slowly and revealed the interior of the barn. Colour palettes in the area are typically dull, but this time, vivid hues have been introduced. The straw-covered floor was littered with confetti and ribbon, the rafters were lined with streamers and a pennant and balloons were secured to support beams. Three tables were positioned in reasonable positions, one with gifts, another with a gramophone and obviously, the cake.

“Everything is so colourful, so positive.”

Pinkie was walking deeper into the boulevard of broken dreams. Embracing the joyful ambience, she was blown away by the beautiful decorations in the room. As the party aficionado of Ponyville, she knew it took those 30 minutes to tweak it to perfection. Additionally, Pinkie's face was well-designed on the cake. It looked like the Cakes’ cake job.

Her most delightful surprise would have been if she hadn't interfered, but instead, she relentlessly compelled. She ruined her own anticipating surprise, she ruined their moment to shine, she ruined a potentially prominent party time. Waterfalls resumed to stream down Pinkie’s cheeks as she pictured herself playing with her precious ponies.

“Th-this looks like a fun party, it looks p-perfect. I w-would’ve loved to party here, but now…”

Pinkie snivelled. Salted rivers were flowing out freely, perhaps enough sodium to season a bucket of popcorn.

“I…I’m sorry, if only I had seen this sooner, if only I had followed Rainbow Dash… Rainbow Dash, is this what you want me to see? If so, I saw it. I saw it! Please, if you can hear me, forgive me.”

Can’t expect the only breathing soul to enjoy a party with the same experience as having their old friends.

“No, I need my friends, my only bestest friends in Equestria. I can’t party… alone.”

She twisted her neck because of instincts and saw a picture frame nailed to the wall. A photograph of the six Spirits of Harmony and Spike, probably AJ’s. The pony approached it and held it in her hooves to cherish it. Four of the six equines in the picture are deceased. Those left alive included the murderer and the survivor, who had Pinkie’s attention.

“I need to see her.”

To be continued…

Author's Note

I assume most users who found this fiction did not return to chapter 1. Anyway, how convenient that the original MLP:FiM episode "Party of One" was before the Grand Galloping Gala episode, I have a plan for that event later.

Can You Forgive Me?

She remembered one pegasus who didn’t end up a victim but a witness. Glad that she escaped turning into a bloody mess, but she also remembered what her vile self told the lucky kindness mare.

“I know where you live! I’ll get you someday!”

Fluttershy must be traumatized after witnessing what Pinkie’s been executing, frightened of what her friend was then, vigilant of when that despicable personality will have sought her.

On top of that, physical harm was done to her scaredy friend. The throwing knife plunged into the back of Fluttershy’s right hind leg, opening an oozing wound that caused the nerves used for screaming. But she had to flee fast enough not to get caught and thus, had to endure sharp agony all the way to her cottage.

Pinkie Pie immediately regretted what she did to her, those events led her to ponder about her friend’s extra shelter more than what she’s ever given before. Hopefully, it’s not too late, the fear of Fluttershy’s wound already infected or her deciding to move to somewhere far away from Ponyville. No, she can’t let any of those things happen.

“Fluttershy, I hope you’re okay. Can you ever forgive me after what happened in the… basement?”

She gaslighted her internally, not verbally allowing her friend to make her lobes stand, as she approached the cottage where the pegasus abided. Decided that it was appropriate to pay her a visit, which meant displaying the face of an attacker in front of a fugitive. Without further context, this would potentially lead her to believe the murderer came to bite her.

How is she supposed to convince her otherwise? Seemed like there was nothing to manage that query, besides barging in and hoping Pinkie’s acknowledgment would placate Fluttershy.

The vegetated bungalow openings were distinctly shut, presumably to attempt begging ‘keep out’ for who she thinks will come to bite her in the neck. Pinkie could see how that incident awakened her defensive mode and it pinched her that she barely escaped from death.

“Forgive me, please.”

She was hesitant, but she must make this visit. Absorb the unputrid nitrogen and make the birthday wish and she’s…ready. Knock knock, let the devil in, but benevolent unlike she’s ever been.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was in the middle of making warm noodles made with, for and of her adopted wilderness within her nest. She’d undoubtedly love to burn the horrible memories with crimson if they weren’t already burned in her already. But, that’s why she attempted meditation for the day and a half after the fact, until she heard her door.

“Ah! Oh, um, who could that be? I hope it’s not…”

Jumped by the knocks she was, being occupied with her sanctuary that she was lost in reality. Approaching leisurely to her front porch, anticipating anypony but that pink assassin, Fluttershy would’ve deemed herself dead if that mare came, she hoped to have unlocked the egress composedly.

Nervous, wasn’t she? She dragged her hoof to her handle and slowly pulled the door without calling for her visitor’s name. Door was opened until a crack, enough to reveal the pony behind it for both parties. Fluttershy immediately recognized the parallel mane and immediately slammed the door and hugged it against her back.

“No! Please, no! Not now!”

If Pinkamena doesn’t act early, the pegasus would’ve chosen to escape right away with her chances. No, she won’t let it happen, she came for her friend’s sake and not for her blood.

“Fluttershy! Wait! I’m not gonna… hurt you!”

No way was she gonna believe that first line, she was planning and going to kill her based on that incident.

“I’ve seen what you did, I’ve heard what you said! You’re here so that you can end it!”

End it? End what Pinkie wanted to accomplish? Committing democide? Betraying everypony she thought betrayed her? Sounded like what she just did alright.

“That wasn’t me! I don’t know what came over me! I made a mistake!”

“Huh?”

Fluttershy ceased her shivers upon hearing what Pinkie admitted. Murder can be a mistake? Causing somepony gone forever was a mistake? And what does she mean by coming over her?

“They didn’t die in vain, but… they died because of something stupid! It was wrong! I was wrong! I just came here to see if you’re alright, Fluttershy!”

No, she couldn’t believe it. For what reason Pinkie had that was mistaken, it can’t be the reason. No, she didn’t. But words came from the mouth of the mare who performed the deed. Fluttershy’s neck cocked behind, her eyelids slanted, jaws gritted in her open frown. She was a little mad, but not psycho-mad, she figured Diane came to talk more about it. Well, she and the rest were looking for answers, finally.

Determined to discover, she stood up, turned toward the door and ceased her cowardice when she opened the door like a normal pony. Seeing her “friend” frown wasn’t enough to at least have a little mercy, yet. And she still didn’t feel safe with even the benevolent Pinkie, she can’t trust if she is benevolent, yet.

“Just come in, Pinkie, but know that I still can’t trust you.”

Pinkie expected something like that or along the lines. She knew she couldn’t simply earn Fluttershy’s assurance after what she’s done. Even she doesn’t know if she could trust herself. Would it frighten the pink mare if inside her mind, her intentions were to finish her off? Look, if this kind pegasus somehow bled in her hooves, she would’ve been hopeless and won’t even try to acquit herself.

“I know. I understand.”

The bitter winged kept staring at the guest as she walked through the threshold, decided “The Stare” would be too much for her however, thankfully. Once approached the arch leaving the foyer, Fluttershy focused on the door to shut it.

Pinkamena took a gawk at the cottage admiring the incomplexity of decorations like she’s never seen such fragility before. Butterflies, flowers, hearts, spades and shades of cool colors between buttermilk and neptune. Calm and serene and in contrast to that sordid dark basement she emerged from.

She dared to relax her flank on the closest couch, the backrest with a cardioid top. All the animals Fluttershy owned were seen playing in the sun through a window, at least they won’t be whaffing any lingering stenches of metal like a detector of red events. Even though she was upset about what her visitor admitted, she still thought it’d anyway be kind to provide her sustenance.

“Can I get you anything, Pinkie?”

The responder thought about it looking away from those kind blue eyes hers didn’t have. Eye to eye again, she had an answer.

“Do you have any herbal tea I can soothe my mind with?”

Understood, she did. So she entered her kitchen to make Pinkie’s selection of brew. As she passed through the stone brick arch, she also exposed her mummified hind leg to a witness’s point of view. The fact that she was the culprit behind the limb made her flinch, she can feel the cold blade as if it happened to herself on the same limb.

She launched the blade at her at Celestia knows how many fig newtons, but certainly enough to form a kitchen knife incision. Hopefully, all she got was a temporary wound instead a permanent scar. If she did get the latter though, she’d feel much worse for the mare who edited the body.

“Fluttershy, what have I caused you?”

Diane delayed discussing deciding to describe her deliberations after her decided drink dropped in. She fiddled with her cloves as lingering ear-piercing whistling occurred from inside the other room, kettle blowing anger out awaiting one of those leaves to dissolve in its contents.

Eventually, Fluttershy emerged flapping with a tray in her functional forehooves, the platter was settled on the table between the sofas, tisane cascaded from the spout to the brim and then the pegasus settled on the far side of the other sofa Pinkie didn’t occupy, all while keeping furrowed eyelids.

“The tea’s still hot, so be careful.”

Lunged for the glass with her bare hoof. As warned, the pink limb sensed a different kind of warmth upon contact, but at least it wasn’t a hot potato. As she attempted to exhale repeatedly into the teacup’s surface, it was a matter of yearning for what she came for: the apology. Guess she should start by addressing the ultimate thing she did to her.

“How’s your leg feeling? Is it…?”

“It still stings a little bit. Every time anything happens to it, it stings a little bit.”

But it might’ve been burning ever since the wound was fresh out of the ground. It should never be glossed over, it was Pinkie’s fault and she should care more.

“W-was it a wound or a scar, F-Fluttershy?”

“You made a wound, Pinkie, so no need to concern.”

That’s a relief, thank heavens she graduated medical school for vets, she can identify scars even if they haven’t formed yet. Like Fluttershy told her, she doesn’t need to conc-iliate.

“No, Fluttershy, I have to concern. I threw the knife at you. I’m…so sorry, you don’t deserve the wound.”

Fluttershy noticed she was being apologetic, but not enough to balance the scales between disapprobation and empathy. At least she noticed she was trying, she can provide some form of reaction.

“At least you’ve acknowledged it now. Thanks, Pinkie.”

Pinkamena noticed the sedate’s response was a bit bitter and she understood, so she won’t bother asking why she said it like that. Her cup should be warm enough to touch her muzzle without enflaming her throat. The flowery liquid coursed through her veins pumping the substances to where it tried to cool down her already jumbled mind.

Felt sympathy, she missed just the nice providence of Fluttershy’s brews. Chills up her back spine as she reminisced having cute tea parties with the only equine in Ponyville who knows how to arrange tea parties. Pinkie Pie’s parties were all about happiness and exuberance while Fluttershy’s parties were presented with affluence and without the need to roam around and were opinionately exceptional to straight-maned. She’d hate to be the cause of its termination to lust for another cup.

Any moment now, she needs to explain the reason for being disgustingly comfortable murdering those endearing defenseless innocents. Someone here has to bring it up first, they can’t keep forgetting the horrible nightmares

“Alright, Pinkie, enough stalling. I know why you’re here, to enlighten me with your account of what you’ve done.”

Her indecisiveness wasted a couple of minutes as Pinkie thought about how to begin confessing that she frankly destroyed them. Fluttershy decided to help develop her words, but she wasn’t playing around.

“Pinkie, why did you kill our friends? I’m listening.”

Bewildered by the fact she didn’t stutter when she articulated the word ‘kill’, for she recognized the status quo. Therefore, substitutions for associations with executions are unnecessary in these conversations. Fine, so Pinkamena operated lungful respiration to prepare herself and summarized.

“Because I thought…”

She didn’t complete her first sentence before she hesitated again, believing her answer was gonna be stupid. In her angelic mind, she knew it was amoral, but pretending to be justified while aloud elucidating was difficult. Fluttershy was not willing to let her flee, intimidatingly staring the prisoner down. The pink muzzle pulled away as she spoke.

“It was stupid, Fluttershy. I was corrupt, I was vicious, I can’t name what I’ve done, it’s hard.”

“It’s not that hard to simply say something and I don’t care if it’s stupid. Pinkie, all I wanted…no, all we longed for was the truth, any info that you carry, only you can inform us, or what’s left of us. I didn’t want to have to force you to do that, honestly, but after witnessing what you’ve done to us, I have no choice. You owe us.”

She does, doesn’t she? Of course, she knew that she owes, so why does she still hesitate, huh? Fault and guilt lied on her, she fated herself to pay the pegasus a visit and an explanation. All only happened because of her. Her, her, her. She deserved to be overwhelmed by her name painted all over everything that happened. Fluttershy was correct, stupid or not, she has to stop hiding.

“After I couldn’t get you to come to my…event, I…wanted to know why.”

Notice Pinkie was uncomfortable with the word ‘party’ or ‘afterparty’. Fluttershy understood what she was referring to.

“So, I brought Spike over, thinking I’ll get the information from him.”

“And what did you get?”

Here was what she thought was the ridiculous part.

“My friends disliked my events…and myself as a friend.”

Fluttershy reacted by raising her still-slanted lashes, half of what Pinkie prophesied.

“What? What did Spike say?”

“...What I told him to say?”

Disbelief on Fluttershy after, entirely what Pinkie prophesied. Does the pegasus expect the mare of jokes to believe the dragon’s words that actually came from her like speaking to a megaphone aimed at the messenger and absorbing her own message?

Does she dare explain the insanity that occurred at the party? Is it worth exposing her ab capabilities she knew were too far? What would Fluttershy think of her if she found out she was friends with processed wheat and a piece of fleece? She decided to skip that part.

“I…thought about seeking revenge, but…I swear it wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Fluttershy helped fill in the blanks, she knew where it was going.

“You somehow found your weapon and prepared your plan in the basement?”

Pinkie nodded.

“I…I m-murdered…my f-friends.”

“And then? What happened after you killed them?”

She didn’t want to mention the other party she celebrated, but then she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight knowing there was one thing she refrained from telling.

“I…threw an event with…their dead bodies.”

Yep, no one can believe she can be so messed up on several elevators. A more chaotic alternative would be if she brought a camera and embarrass herself in front of their skeletons. She felt even more terrible for Fluttershy that she had to hear and imagine that disturbing image. Thankfully, she can manage.

“What made you stop?”

“It was a nightmare I had last night.”

“A nightmare? About what?”

Pinkamena remembered everything her formidable perception distinguished, the legitimate motivation for commitment and the unspeakable consequences. For a while, she won’t believe that no resurrection ritual exists even though her dream told her so. She can be sure that a quartet had been slaughtered, but she can’t be sure if entropy is in effect. So far, all Pinkie’s doing was recovering, she hadn’t begun searching yet, sweating that they might be right.

“M-my friends…as ghosts. They came…and explained everything. They were really…v-vexed that…they…m-mustered the courage to…reciprocate on me.”

How dreadful of a dream, Fluttershy imagined. Seemed to loosen her negativity toward her visitor a little bit, her mouth still frowned and her creases had a weaker tension. For someone watching from the outside, her facial expressions were untraceable, especially to Pinkie.

“Oh, I’m sorry that happened to you. Well, you must be up early after that. Did you do anything during that time?”

“I immediately rushed into my basement and I mourned for them. I…I s-saw what I did, I r-realized what I did, I remembered what I did. We…reminisced about how I’m glad I once was their friend and that we couldn’t get to do everything we could’ve done together. Heh heh.”

Pinkie giggled but unlike how she usually laughs or her murderous chortle. It was at this point, she felt her feelings beginning to flow out. Fluttershy was also still pessimistic, she understood what Pinkie experienced in her mindset and she understood she wanted to apologize, she felt bad but felt it wasn’t enough.

“I just can’t believe you would do such a thing, Pinkie! After all those friendship problems we dealt with and learned from, why would you assume that we don’t want to be friends with you anymore? I don’t know if you knew, but you missed our party because of you. No wonder we were wondering where Rainbow Dash went. If only you’d spared her life, she would be your first chance out of four to arrive punctually. But no, you stabbed and stabbed and stabbed!”

“R-Rainbow…”

Upon uttering the name of the first casualty dead in those magenta hooves, the pipes started to leak. The weeps were released into salting the tea held in Pinkie’s hooves, her lips quivering as her tremulous sobbing was freely articulated. Embarrassed that she cried for the fourth time today, though that didn’t matter right now.

“I…I’m s-sorry…I was s-so…heartless. I…I saw the p-party…that I didn’t come to, it was p-perfect, I would’ve l-love to play there, but…”

Fluttershy lamented about scolding her, now she felt more miserable when she saw Pinkie’s willingness to cry. She perceived the gloomy mare as feeling deserved, but morally, that’s unacceptable.

“R-Rainbow Dash…told me I’d regret it, but I…carried on. I wanted to b-believe that there’s a way to reverse it…so that I can see them again and repent, but…”

Her tears weren’t dripping, they were running. Finally, Fluttershy accepted the apology, she had a little smile and her eyelids were creaseless. Decided it’d be fair if she represented her kindness.

Hey, despite what she perceived Pinkie yesterday, the fact remains that they were outstanding friends in the past. And if there’s a problem, mental or otherwise, then it should be aided, even if she almost died trying to tell the tale.

While those misty eyes were shut, Fluttershy delicately approached the despairing pony. Her flank collapsed on the remaining regions of Pinkie’s bench, the cup she held was taken and settled on a side table. As she sensed with her back, her eyes widened to see her listener right beside her.

“It’s okay, Pinkie. I’m sorry it happened. You were late to your senses, you couldn’t control or stop yourself, but you’re aware of everything that has happened. Here, my prayers ever since I survived…the incident, I’m happy.”

“How can you forgive me after what I’ve done? I was disgusted with myself, what I did was grotesque, unforgettable, unforgivable.”

“I beg to differ, I’ll forgive you. Because you were my good friend before, no adversities will correct that statement. And, Pinkie, don’t forget my spirit of harmony.”

True to her representative, the element of kindness was, happy to offer her forgiveness. Oh, compared to the element of laughter who was yet to represent hers. Hopefully, when the hard part’s done, she'll come around.

Let it all out, she was committed, didn’t care that it was embarrassing. Don’t worry, Fluttershy is the pony to be around somepony in tears, her presence is symbolic of wanting to comfort. Pinkie plopped her pink pate on the pinioned pony’s peritoneum puddling her pelt. She didn’t mind, she could wash it later, but her friend needed the kindness, the embrace around her occiput. It had been her roughest day and Fluttershy understood, acknowledging herself of murder and frightened of the aversion of the martyrs who reckoned her would’ve been hard.

“Our friends might’ve gotten mad at you, but I don’t think they were righteous. And please, promise me that you won’t suicide or sacrifice because of this.”

“I…I w-won’t. I’m…s-sorry I…c-caused you to think that…”

“No, don’t apologize. I just wanted to know.”

This never would’ve happened if Fluttershy had been slain for good. Murderer could’ve struck her first instead of Rarity’s pharynx, or the basement’s threshold could’ve failed to break open. It would take a miracle for the pegasus to survive, but apart from the limping limb, here she is.

Pinkie liked her calm company and she would hate it if one day she decided to compromise. As of now, the only pony she can rely on, the only pony who can believe her is Fluttershy.

Fluttershy encouraged the miserable, the lonely and depressed to take her time emptying her fluid ducts. The poor unfortunate soul cried for another two minutes musing on the past when her friends were alive and dreaming the consequences without the macabre before she was left with a scatter of sniffs.

“Calm down, Pinkie. I’m here for you.”

“Do you think there is hope that they’ll come back, Fluttershy?”

She never believed that there was any hope for the return of the elements. Death in cold blood was never witnessed in Equestria, though funerals do happen. All she believed was ‘the dead is dead’, but Pinkie seemed to think otherwise. Fluttershy understood that her friend wished she could turn back time to the good old days.

“I don’t know, Pinkie. I just didn’t have the nerve to think about it. We just hold funerals for ponies who died of aging and we never had to revive anypony. Murder is different and, well, yours is the only one.”

“How am I gonna tell Spike, the CMC, the Princesses? I just don’t want to make the situation worse than it is. Will I end up in the dungeon or on the moon because of what I’ve done? I…I don’t want either of those.”

“Well, eventually, you have to tell them the honest truth. You can choose when they can know, but you can’t keep it secret forever. Hey, they won’t punish you if you acknowledge your actions. And if they would punish you, don’t worry, I’ll defend you because I know you want to do the right thing.”

Fluttershy truly is a friend, everypony is a friend, except for perhaps a certain griffin. Maybe she wouldn’t submit her motive to the public and make them fear Pinkie enduringly, she can take baby steps and select a few who can swallow it. Fluttershy glanced at her walled clock and realized the discussion entailed a whole hour.

“It’s about lunchtime. Can I get you something to eat? I have plenty of groceries.”

“I would like just a usual sandwich, please. Maybe two?”

“Alright, I’ll make two sandwiches. Then, maybe after lunch, you can sleep in my room, you must’ve been tired after waking up from your nightmare.”

Pinkie nodded before Fluttershy went inside the other room to prepare a sandwich. She’s right about the pink pony needing to sleep, she woke up very early because of her nightmare and refused to go back to bed after visiting her victims.

She would prefer sleeping in her friend’s bed instead of her own nearby the crime scene. Hopefully, she’ll get a dream this time…hopefully.

Celestia and Luna ransacked their archive for any reference to whatever scratched the young princess’s cheek. Surely, there existed an article that explains what must be accomplished upon the appearance of a ‘locked dream’.

Even the white alicorn admitted that for being the head of the kingdom, the economy earned to build Canterlot provided an enormous library of books. When a pony wants specific information about a concept, it was helpful that everything was sorted in alphabetical order, but not so helpful that everything was sorted based on their title and not the synopsis.

“This library was supposed to be for Twilight since she was so studious when I met her. It wasn’t meant for us to forage, that’s my student’s attribute.”

“Perfect, she would be appropriate for this and she’d be happy to help her friend, Pinkie Pie. When do you think she’ll approach us?”

During Luna’s breakfast, Celestia thought cleverly to epistolize her faithful disciple, but her response didn’t come. She even dared to write three more paragraphs, pardoning Spike’s inflamed gullet wherever he is before deciding to reply to the sender about the mystery of where Twilight is plus his condition.

“I’ve sent her a couple of letters already, but it seemed that something had happened to her. It’s been about two hours since my last message and I don’t want to displease Spike unless it’s urgent.”

“Twilight Sparkle has disappeared?”

Strange, one pony can’t just simply vanish from existence. The only way for that to be possible would be via magic or was it an unfortunate kidnapping? Maybe there was a villain they encountered before that came back and caught her? Or, tant mieux, in terms of estimation, there was a connection.

“Could it be that Twilight’s disappearance is related to Pinkie’s nightmare I assume I saw?”

“If that’s so, then I fear her whereabouts, something bad must’ve happened to her.”

“Well, we need to wait until the night of the gala so that Pinkie can speak with us without scaring her. Does that sound like a plan, sister?”

But first, they must flip through every book about dreams and nightmares to understand what they might find out. Since such a mysterious phenomenon existed, there must be at least one record of it. Eventually, sure enough, 10 minutes after entering the library after breakfast determined to find it, Luna believed she discovered the exact pages.

“Tia, I think found it.”

“Really? What section did you find it in?”

“Uh, the fourth row of the Q-U bookshelf titled ‘Truth Revealed by Nightmares vol No.6’ and on page 66.”

“Well, that’s an ominous heading. Mind if you share with me what you found?”

It might imply that Pinkie’s nightmare was revealing a truth about something. Her own truth? Does she own a secret nopony suspect her of? Now the princesses became suspicious of her, but they didn’t want to assume the worst quagmire she found herself in. But if they do learn what she was capable of, how are they gonna treat her?

Author's Note

Hopefully, this creates your sympathy towards Pinkie. There is no other Pinkamena story that makes Pinkie weep in front of Fluttershy. She's perfect for the role of a pony who's willing to let someone cry on her shoulder. I mean, wouldn't you agree?

The only 'Pinkie-cries-on-Fluttershy' image I found: