Pinkamena: Beasts of Fall

Chapters

Fall Arrives
Check-ins.
Shitskin
Paradykes
Epilogue: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
The Past, The Present, and the Upcoming

Fall Arrives

Fall had arrived in Ponyville. The air was cool but had those hints of the freezing cold that would come with winter in a few weeks or so. The leaves on the trees were all turning golden brown or red or yellow or some other calmer but still good-looking color. That was a good way to describe the season in general. Calmer. Everyone coming down from the rush and constant fun of summer and now shifting into the brief but welcomed bit of cool down and collecting one’s self before having to deal with the long and cold period of winter.

Fall meant prepping for family get-togethers and all the stress and mess that came with, students going back to or starting school and the emotional meltdowns that followed, and of course the falling of the leaves. This was what life in fall was like. It was cooler, it was quieter, it was calmer.

Pinkamena Diane Pie, or Pinkie Pie as she and many others called herself, wiped a line of sweat going down her dark brown skin as she watched some of the leaves sway in the breeze from the kitchen window. She watched some of them slowly snap away from the branches they were attached to before they drifted through the breeze and flew around in loops and zig-zags as they made their way toward the ground. She watched them land before making her way over to the nearby oven and pulling out a fresh tray of brownies. She got hit in the face with a wave of heat from the oven as she closed it back up, making her thankful her usually pink and curly afro was currently tied up in a bun. She put the tray down on the counter and got to cutting them into pieces.

The way she was able to make each square perfectly equal to one another, it was like an art. Even the edge pieces usually had the same amount of space between them, save for the corner ones. After letting them cool off enough to make sure they were still warm and gooey on the inside, she started pulling them out and putting them on two plates. One for the middle pieces, and the other for the edge and corner pieces. She put the plates alongside others in the display under the counter and let out a long sigh as she wiped another wave of sweat from her forehead. It always got so hot and stuffy when she got the morning batches ready.

She looked to the bakery’s entrance, seeing the streets still calm. There was still time before people started piling in, a bit of time to clean up the pans and bowls and mix ingredients. It was the best way to spend her time while enjoying the silence.

As she walked back into the kitchen, she paused. She looked at the rug, a small rounded square with its materials being made to resemble the patterns of crashing sea waves. Had it always looked like that? Had the pattern always been set up like that? Her eyes started to strain as she looked at the rug, watching it as if the patterns were slowly shifting and moving like painted jagged waves of the ocean sea they were imitating. The sounds of waves crashing slowly started to fill her head. She slowly bent down, reaching out to it.

The baker’s shop bell jingled as she jumped back up, quickly heading back to the counter. She smiled as she saw Fluttershy stumble back a bit. “Howdy Fluttershy! What can I get for you today?” she asked, giggling.

“O-oh, well… I just want a um… hot chocolate and a bagel with cream cheese please… if you have it, I mean, I don’t wanna inconvenience you or anything…” Even when she was the first and only customer of the morning, Fluttershy was still very much herself at her shyest.

Pinkie just giggled, walking around to get the requested items. “Aw, come on Flutters! This is a bakery! We’re gonna have plenty of bagels and cocoa!” she exclaimed, grabbing a bagel and cutting it in two with one quick slice. She put a few squares of cream cheese next to it before putting it on the counter.

“Thank—”

“Not yet silly! You still need your cocoa, hot and steamy.” Pinkie interrupted, walking over to a cappuccino machine and listening to the oddly satisfying sound of the thick liquid filling the cup. She blew on it a few times before picking it up and placing it down next to the plate. “And there you go! One quaint breakfast courtesy of one Pinkie Pie!” She exclaimed, flashing the biggest smile she could.

It was all worth it to see Fluttershy giggle. “Thank you, Pinkie. You always know how to make sure a day starts on a positive note.”

Pinkie just smiled, getting herself two doughnuts and a cappuccino before joining her friend at a table near the front windows of the bakery. “So, Flutters, why come here so early in the morning? It’s not like you to see me this early.”

Fluttershy looked down at her drink, going even more quiet than she usually was. She nervously ran her fingers against the table.

“... Come on Fluttershy, you can tell me what’s up. We stopped the world from being covered in eternal night. We should be able to rely on each other.” Pinkie let her voice soften, though that also made it clear she was getting nervous too …

‘Is… is she gonna confess to me or something?’ was all Pinkie could think in the current moment.

“I just… I had nightmares all last night. A-and then when I woke up, every animal I heard outside just sounded so threatening. I-I just didn’t want to be alone…” Fluttershy explained, her body trembling as she was on the verge of tears.

Pinkie slowly moved in close, watching a few tears run down Fluttershy’s cheeks. “Need a hug?”

Fluttershy slowly nodded, smiling again as the two got up and embraced. She giggled as she felt Pinkie squeeze. “I’m sorry if this is too much for you…”

“Fluttershy, you’re my friend. Don’t you worry about that at all. I’m more just surprised you came to me, really. Wanna drown those fears in sweets or something?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “I didn’t want to risk waking up Rarity or Twilight, and I wouldn’t even know where to look for Applejack since she gets up so early to work in all those acres of trees. And Rainbow Dash-” she stopped mid-sentence before shaking her head. “I still haven’t been able to reach her.”

Pinkie shook her head as she pulled away from the hug. “She’ll pick up someday. I just know it. Dashie’s gonna pick up and go on and on about all the trophies she’s won and how awesome she is.”

Fluttershy sniffed, nodding along. “Yeah. That’ll be nice. Applejack’ll love every second of it,” she said, the two sitting back down and returning to their breakfasts. “Oh, Pinkie. You smell nice today. Like brownies.”

After a while, Fluttershy finished her meal and left. They would meet up at the library with the others later. Pinkie waved goodbye as she watched her head out. She watched the outside for a bit. It was still a bit early, so not that many people were out just yet, giving the outside this perfect sense of empty serenity. With all the leaves swirling through the air, it was like she was looking at the perfect snapshot for a greeting card.

After cleaning up the dishes and putting them aside, she was back at the kitchen rug. She slowly bent down and moved it aside, looking at the panel underneath. It wasn't noticeable if you weren't aware of it, but once you learned about it, you'd always be able to see it.

She lifted the trap door and felt a cool breeze hit her face. She glanced around again to make sure no one else was around. She let out a long sigh before she began walking down, closing the trap door behind her and disappearing into the dark shadows below.

Pinkie softly giggled to herself before looking down at the mug she was holding. The foam at the top had already been drunk, showing her reflection looking back up at her. It was one of the few times where she didn’t have a big infectious smile on her face. It was more calm, held back, quiet.

It was hard to be her normal hyper-self where she currently was - a cozy little underground basement tavern/bar with some tables and nice looking hand-carved wooden chairs and a crackling fireplace in the corner. She was half worried if she tried anything too wild she’d send the whole place up in smoke.

Pinkie always appreciated the fireplace. It always had such a welcoming presence, no matter the situation. She would always find herself parked right in front of the one back home after a long day of mining and harvesting rocks. Her mom always knew when she and her sisters would be heading back from a day of work and would have it already going when they got home. She and Limestone would tumble over who got the closet spot. Those were some days.

She snapped out of her stupor as she heard the sound of a bottle being cracked open and looked to the source. Applejack was downing the bottle of hard cider, real emphasis on the hard, in seemingly one go. Pinkie couldn’t remember what bottle Applejack was on, but it was probably a few over two. “Ahh… always good to reward a hard day of work with a cold drink or two!”

“We know, Applejack. You said that when you let us into this place,” Rarity responded, softly swirling her drink around in her mug. She hadn’t even made it halfway through her first drink, only taking small sips from a straw on occasion. She and Pinkie shared glances for a bit before going back to Applejack.

“Oh, I did? Sorry bout that Rares… just get so scatterbrained from work sometimes that I can end up repeatin’ myself a bit!” Applejack waved it all off with a hearty chuckle. “Can I get any of y’all some more pretzels? Chips? Crackers?”

“Oh, no. I’m good Applejack…” Fluttershy politely declined, before stuffing a few mini-pretzels in her mouth. “I think I’ve had my fill for the night, actually ...”

“I agree with Fluttershy,” Twilight Sparkle added, getting up from her spot near the fireplace. “Today was a good day, but I think it’s time we start hightailing it back and finishing things up for the night. I still need to send my letter to Princess Celestia, and I’d hate to have her think I’m slipping up in my studies.”

Rarity nodded, taking another sip from her drink. “It’s always a delight being down here, dear. Perhaps we can have a game night or something this weekend?”

“Oh, o-oh yeah! That’d be fun! Pinkie can bring a buncha board games and cards and we don’t have to worry about learning anything and just having some good ol’ fun!” Applejack said, doing her best to stand straight, swaying. “Bet you got some wild games that’d be fun to play over drinks, right Pinkie?”

Pinkie could see the expression on Applejack’s face as she looked at her. Despite her sporting a toothy grin, it was obvious how desperate and in need she was...

“Mmmhmm! Sure do!” she quickly responded, giving a bigger smile. “And we can stay up all night and watch movies! Ooo oo! We can even do karaoke! It’ll be super duper fun! I Pinkie Promise!”

“Sounds good to me!” Applejack said, laughing as she began to go for another drink. Pinkie and the others moved to stop her. “Huh? What’s the problem with one more for the road?”

Rarity shook her head, moving in close. “Applejack, I think maybe you should cut it off for the night. You don’t wanna be puking in the morning, now do you?”

“I… I suppose not…”

“Of course you don’t, darling. You’re a woman that has to be at her best when she’s doing her job, and you are not at your best when you’re housing a hangover.” With a flick of her wrist, Rarity used her magic to slowly pull the bottle out of Applejack’s hand. “Now let’s just close this place up for the night and-”

“N-no wait! Just let me have this last one!” Applejack suddenly blurted out, jabbing her elbow out into Rarity’s face, making an audible crack as Rarity stumbled back and fell into one of the tables. Blood was spurting from her nose.

“Rarity!” Pinkie called out as Twilight and Fluttershy rushed over to her, supporting her as they helped her back to her feet. Pinkie could see a restrained mix of disappointment and sadness on Rarity’s face as she cupped her nose.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Just, help me get home and clean this up, alright?” she muttered aloud as she got to her feet with the help of Twilight and Fluttershy, making their way to the stairway back outside. “Pinkie,” she called out, looking Pinkie in the eyes. “Make sure she doesn’t return home looking worse than I do.”

Pinkie nodded as she watched them leave, before turning back to Applejack. She was just downing as much as she could. She looked absolutely pathetic in the moment. Pinkie felt her hands grip her mug tighter before she raised it. “A… toast. To fall days getting better?” The best method was to just get Applejack to bed for the night. Don’t start a fight. Don’t argue or get her emotionally worked up. Just appeal to her and lead her somewhere safe.

Applejack raised her bottle up, trying her best to smile. “I’ll toast to that!” She then went back to drinking the thing… only to topple out of her seat and fall to the floor groaning.

Pinkie quickly finished her drink before wandering over and looking at her. Applejack didn’t even look like she was fully registering what happened or where she was. Maybe she had blacked out?

Pinkie used this opportunity to put out the fireplace before lifting Applejack to her feet and slinging her arm over her shoulder. “Come on Applejack, let’s get you to a nice, warm bed.”

Applejack muttered in agreement as they made their way to the stairs. Pinkie gave one last look back at the now darkened tavern. She knew she’d be back here sooner or later, probably before the week ended if Applejack continued this way. Even as the few remaining embers died out, the tavern still had a comfy look. She was tempted with the idea of just finding Applejack somewhere cozy down here to rest.

They walked back up into fall air, the breeze hitting them both. The color of the sky perfectly matched the colors of the leaves of the trees that lined the pathway back to the main farmhouse of Sweet Apple Acres.

“I... I can walk myself back, just fine…” Applejack muttered, head drooping down.

“Sorry Applejack, but I think it’s just better if you let me help you on this. Don’t need you getting lost out in these fields tonight now, do we?”

“That wouldn’t be so bad now, would it?” A new voice asked. It sounded almost like Pinkie’s own voice, but also… not. She could hear the sound of hooves, clopping against the ground in beat with her own footsteps.

To Pinkie’s right, a small pony walked next to her. Well, it had the shape and features of a pony but this one looked less like the ones that could be found on the farm and more like one pulled right out of a cartoon for kids. Its fur and mane were an uneven dark pink, with the mane done up in a side-cut that fell to the right, with a few visible unkempt notches. Both sides of its hindquarters had an image of three balloons, two blue and one yellow. It smiled up at her.

“I mean, these orchards go on for miles and miles. Would it be that hard to believe that she pushed you away, ran off, and like tripped into a ditch or something?”

Pinkie gritted her teeth as she continued to walk Applejack along. Maybe ignoring it would make it go away for once. She heard Applejack give off a few snores and snorts as drool slowly ran down her chin. The booze finally knocked her out.

The pony rolled its eyes before trotting around over to Applejack’s side and looking up at her face. “Wonder if she cries as much in her sleep as you do. Or maybe she just pisses the sheets?” Its voice sounded more like Pinkie’s as it kept talking.

Pinkie just tried to tune it out once more, shaking her head softly. These paths and orchards just really went on forever.

“All the booze in her system must be killing her. Even if she went cold turkey for the rest of her life, it’s gotta be so much shorter at this point,” the pony remarked as it looked up at the darkening sky. “All the cracks in her life and it’s like she doesn’t even care about patching them up anymore.” It looked over to Pinkie and smiled again. “Really, we’d be doing her a huge favor if we just shortened the process.”

“What even are you?” Pinkie asked, finally responding to the thing.

The pony giggled. “Always asking the same question over and over again,” it said, shaking its head. “And every time, I’ll give you the same answer: I’m you.”

Pinkie let out a long sigh of relief as she washed her hair, scrubbing the shampoo, conditioner and curl activator deep into her hair and scalp. Taking care of her massive afro took a lot of time and care, but it was so worth it. It showed off the kind of energy and fun she could bring to others without needing to say a word.

That’s who she was. She was Pinkie Pie, and she loved making her friends smile. Sure, there were times when she had taken things too far like with Gummy’s party, but she was human. Everyone made mistakes! And she learned from them. And her friends would always have her back, no matter what.

…Right?

She heard the sound of the bathroom door open and saw a figure make their way in. She wanted to call out and tell them she was in here. She wanted to ask who it was. She wanted to say any sort of thing, but the words were caught in her throat.

She watched the figure move closer to the shower curtain. She trembled a bit as she watched them reach out to the shower curtain and yank it aside. She looked at the figure behind it.

It looked at her, a black empty voice where their face should’ve been. It was wearing a brown bomber jacket, zipped up with just enough open for her to see the t-shirt it was wearing underneath. The head of a man with blonde spiky hair gripping an oversized sword was looking right at her.

It grabbed at Pinkie’s neck, slamming her head right into the wall with an audible crack. She let out a yelp of pain as she looked at the figure again. It had a face now. One that was twisted into a sadistic grin as messy rainbow-colored hair covered its eyes.

“I’ll fucking kill you!”

Pinkie blinked, and it was gone. Her breathing was irregular as she felt at her neck. She knew there would be nothing there, no marks or bruises, and yet she still needed to make sure. She slowly sunk to her knees as the water from the shower started to spray onto the bathroom floor.

Pinkie started to cry, as the pink pony walked into the room. It looked at her for a bit, before slowly pulling the curtain closed and grabbing a towel to mop up the water. “The rumors are starting to kick back up again.”

Pinkie looked up, watching the pony outline. “What do you mean? Who’s saying what?”

“I can hear them. People talk about something going on. About those that leave town and never come back.”

“Are they naming any names? Ideas on what’s going on?”

The pony shook its head. “No, no. Just the basic idea that something’s up. Might just be that there are better places to live somewhere else. But, the mood is shifting.”

Pinkie slowly went back to scrubbing her hair clean, not getting up from her spot. The hot water was starting to become lukewarm. She pulled the curtain aside again, glancing up at the bathroom mirror.

She could only just barely see her reflection, looking back at her.

She looked like a small, pathetic child again.

Author's Note

Here we are once again. Happy Halloween to everyone reading this, even if it is after said date. It's currently very cold and snowing where I am.

This is the re-tooled and re-edited version of Part 1. The other parts will be coming here at a later date, but if you wanna see them first, you can pick them up in the book copy, on sale November 17th and 18th at the Ponyville Ciderfest After Dark Vendors Hall. Of course, I'll happily sign your copy if you bring it to me! Hope to see you there!

Comments and critiques are always open and welcome with opened arms.

Check-ins.

Twilight Sparkle wasn’t usually seen around Ponyville alone. Despite having lived in the town for over a year and having made connections with most of the residents in town, she still tended to prefer being seen with her friends or with Spike than by herself.

So, it was a bit unusual for her to be wandering around town on her own. She only gave vague answers and reassurances that nothing was wrong whenever people asked what was up. Other times she wouldn’t even respond, simply walk by deep in thought.

After a while, Twilight finally came to a stop and looked at her surroundings. She had wandered over to the town lake, to the calming water and sand. Not many people come to this area this time of year, with the chilly breeze kicking up from the water.

Twilight liked coming here because it allowed her time to work on things like her findings and reports, without having to worry much about being interrupted. Sure, the library was great and had tons of areas to get away to if she needed peace and quiet but that was also the place where her friends would come to hang out and chat. She liked having her own private space from time to time.

She took a seat under a nearby tree and looked up at the leaves. They were a beautiful red and orange mix, ready to fall from their spots and float through the breeze. They looked ready to move on.

Ready to move on… It was an idea that Princess Celestia had taught her. Sometimes, things that you couldn’t control would happen and it could feel like everything had changed. It would take time to get used to these sorts of things and accept them, but sooner or later you would have to continue with your life. “One can only stay so long in the past, Twilight. I know that it is hard, but I really do hope you at least consider looking into things,” Celestia had urged her. She hadn’t sounded commanding when she said it, but Twilight knew that she was supposed to comply.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her text messages. It always stung a bit to see her messages between herself and Rainbow just become one sided at the end. So many unanswered check-ins and texts to let her know that she was always available if Rainbow needed someone to talk to about things. The hope was that maybe one day she would finally text back and explain what was going on and that she needed her friends to help her. Maybe one day.

Of course, there was the other possible consideration that Rainbow Dash wasn’t just hiding away somewhere in Equestria. The possibility that she hadn’t just moved out of town or run away. The possibility that Rainbow Dash was…

Twilight quickly shook her head, slapping her cheeks a few times. “No, you can’t think like that. That’s ridiculous. If something like that was happening, you would’ve known about it and stopped it. Princess Celestia would’ve known about it and would’ve helped end it. She wouldn’t let you and Spike be in danger like that.” She hated having such pessimistic ideas. Rainbow Dash was fine, and she would come back someday.

But until then, Twilight had to consider someone who could step up to become the new element of loyalty. Spike was always a possibility, but the elements didn’t really seem to react or respond to those with dragon genes and it was a topic that needed further research.

She scrolled through her contacts and came to a stop at the name of another candidate she was considering. She felt a bit nervous as she tapped at the phone number and heard it ring. She was scared about doing this, but she needed to give it a shot. She had to show she was ready to move on from the past and that she was still devoted to things such as her friendship studies. The phone continued to ring as she felt herself get up and start to pace around the tree.

“You’ve reached the number of The Great and Powerful Trixie! Traveling performer, magician extraordinaire, and tamer of the great Ursa Major! Trixie can’t get to the phone right now but is more than willing to make a booking for any kind of party or event or get-together you have in mind. Leave your name and number so that Trixie can get back to you and discuss pricing packages and dates!”

Oh Celestia help her, she was doing this. Twilight took a deep breath. “H-hey Trixie. It’s Twilight Sparkle, from Ponyville. Listen, I’m just dropping a call to see if you can get back to me on something. It’s just, you travel around Equestria and a friend of mine has run off and I was wondering if you’ve seen them…” she paused, thinking. “A-and I really wanna make things up to you. I’m really sorry about your cart and what my friends and I put you through. I wanna talk about it if that’s alright. I’ll even pay for things like food if you wanna do it over a meal or something. Call back, if you want,” she paused again, thinking. “… I really am sorry about all that Trixie.” She hung up, before pressing her face into her hands and letting out a long embarrassed groan.

There was a good chance that Trixie would just ignore it anyway so really, this was just one of those silly little decisions that Twilight could look back on and laugh at and-

She almost jumped as she felt her phone vibrate in her hands, seeing the name on the caller ID. She picked up almost immediately. “H-hey.. So, you have any place in mind you wanna eat at?”

Pinkie walked around the aisles, pushing her shopping cart absentmindedly. She occasionally spaced out when she went grocery shopping, somehow getting mentally fogged up between the rows and rows of chips and cookies. However, she could take some relief in knowing that a lot of the other shoppers around her were probably doing the same.

Of course, it was also funny whenever she would get a small glance at people being surprised that she was out shopping. Apparently, seeing someone famous getting groceries was still the most mind-blowing thing around.

Maybe it was because she was farther out from town. The Ponyville grocery store was great and had tons of friendly people, but the one Pinkie went to had more variety in food options and more of the ingredients that she needed. Sometimes she wanted fresh fruit or veggies and didn’t want to wait until the weekend market to get it. And the deli that they had here? Unmatched in terms of cuts and taste.

She watched the wheels of the shopping cart turn and turn, the wheel on the front right wobbling and squeaking every few seconds. She wanted to jump on the cart and go speeding down the aisles, but that’d just wind up making a scene. Either she’d get mocked and called out for acting like a little kid… or everyone would see her and she’d have to bust out a song or some jokes and she just wasn’t in the mood at the moment.

As she watched the wheels of the cart, she saw the floor go from patterned tiles to cold muted concrete. She then noticed the strong chill that was going up and down her body. She had wandered into the store’s freezer section in the back. Large cuts of meat were hanging from hooks as the giant machines that cooled these rooms hummed and groaned.

“Geez, this was spacey for even me. Gotta get back before someone yells at me,” she muttered, to herself. She continued to push her cart forward, deeper past the giant slabs of beef and pork.

“Just gotta turn around, and make my way to the checkout line,” she said to herself, slowly bringing her cart to a halt and walking past it. Her arms were out in front of her, as if she was feeling out for a light in the middle of the dark.

“Need to get home before it gets too dark. Gotta start work on that cake order that came in. Need to make the best cake I can,” she told herself, as she wrapped her hand around a small door handle and pulled with all her might. She could feel the cold steel dig into her skin as the door slowly dragged open.

“I’m gonna have so much fun tomorrow with my friends…” her voice trailed off as she stepped through the doorway, moving her gaze down to the ground. She could hear her footsteps echo around her, as if the room she had just entered had suddenly shut itself away.

She didn’t look up, taking smaller and smaller steps until she felt herself bump into another body and fall on her behind. She finally forced herself to look up.

The frozen, unblinking corpse of Rainbow Dash was looking ahead. Looking straight at the door into this room, never looking away since she was left there, one early morning.

Pinkie looked up at her in silence, slowly getting back on her feet as she took more long, deep breaths. Rainbow still looked the same, still with that frozen expression on her face. One that showed she would never go gentle into that good night. No matter how much she tried to give her long dead face a smile or a look of sadness, the look of fight and resilience wasn’t leaving.

Pinkie watched her for a few more seconds, before promptly turning around and heading for the door. She was only a few steps away before she heard a guff chuckle. She turned her head and looked behind her.

“Come on, you’re not gonna even say a ‘hey Dashie’ or something stupid like that?” The corpse of Rainbow Dash asked, now sitting on a pile of frozen food boxes behind her. “I go all the way to your house to see you and now you can’t even give me a ‘hey’?”

Pinkie felt beads of sweat building up on her forehead, despite the freezing cold room. “That… that wasn’t a funny prank Dashie. You shouldn’t pull pranks when people are in the shower.”

“Oh, that wasn’t a joke. I meant what I said there, you know.” Rainbow Dash’s voice sounded distant, but full of smugness and anger. “I’m gonna fucking kill you. And quit the scared little girl act. It’s not working here.”

“You were my best friend-”

“You weren’t my friend. Not when you fucking drugged me, restrained me and… oh yeah, killed me!”

“You swear too much, Dashie. You should watch that language, in case Scootaloo hears it or something…” Pinkie’s own voice was growing weaker as she watched the corpse talk and move.

Rainbow Dash sat on the boxes, one leg resting on top of the other. Her jacket was partly open and her shirt ripped down the middle to show off her bruised and stitched up chest. “Scootaloo? Now you’re really trying to avoid this shit,” she said, leaning back more and stretching her arms out. Had death really turned her this aggressive, or had she always been like this? “You can play this dumb little game of facades and dress up all you want, but it’s not gonna be fun for much longer.”

“... I’ll see you later Dashie. Get some sleep, you’re cranky.”

“If you didn’t want to see me, why’d you come in here then? Why don’t you just stuff me in a furnace or cut me up and put me in a meat grinder? I’d be fine with that, you know. Beats being stuffed in here for the rest of my days. And it’s not like my body is gonna keep looking like this forever.” Her smile seemed to grow on this last idea. “I mean, it would be worth it, I guess. Seeing you look so shocked and dumbfounded when the rot and decay mix with the freezer burn. Losing all my parts and skin that make me your ‘best friend’.”

Pinkie just turned back around to head for the door, but saw it was now at the end of a seemingly endless hallway. “Why did you come here, hm? To tell me off for the little shower scare I gave ya? To see if this was all just a bad dream or something?” Rainbow paused, slowly getting up. “Or, is it finally starting to sink in for you?”

“... Just please stop talking, Dashie.”

“Aw, what’s the matter? Finally feeling guilty?” Rainbow Dash cackled at this idea. “Or do you finally get that you’re nothing?”

Pinkie snapped back around at this. “W-what’s that supposed to mean?”

Rainbow started to slowly rise above Pinkie, her flesh cracking and tearing wings slowly sprouting out from her back. Pinkie winced at the frozen groans it was causing. “It’s simple. You’re replaceable. You work in a bakery and people hire you to throw parties. Whoop-de-friggin-do. You know who else can do that kinda shit? Any other clown! You’re not good at making outfits or talking to animals or even picking apples! You’re no Fluttershy, you’re no Twilight, you’re no Applejack, you’re no Rarity, and you’re certainly no Rainbow Dash.”

“But I’m the element of laughter!”

“Who cares about laughter? Anyone can make others laugh! Spike could fill the role! He makes me laugh, and I can actually tolerate him! You? You’re just the comic relief that sticks around way too long. Is that why you started killing people? ‘Cause you realized no one was finding you funny anymore?” Rainbow asked, floating above Pinkie as the wings spread out in their full glory. They were a beautiful blue, feathers floating off and around in the air. They mixed in with the large chunks of freezer burn on the walls, feathers and snowflakes flying about.

Pinkie felt her fists tighten as her sadness and meekness suddenly turned into a pulsing, burning anger. “Don’t you ever shut up, you stupid meatheaded asshole?!” she shouted, jumping and grabbing at her legs. She pulled her down to the ground as the two were sent into a spiral. The small rectangular freezer they were once in was now hundreds of feet below them as they came crashing down through the air.

“Ooo, look, I’ve upset the killer! She can’t delude herself anymore! It’s all falling to bits around her! What a shitty joke she’s telling!” Rainbow simply laughed as Pinkie reached up and grabbed her by the throat.

“I should’ve severed those vocal cords of yours! I would never have to hear another second of your voice again! You’re the fraud here, Rainbow! You are!” Pinkie shouted, digging her nails as deep as she could into Rainbow’s neck. Her eyes widened as she saw viscous black fluid start to bubble out from the cuts and run down her hands.

“You really don’t get it, do you Pinkie?” Rainbow asked, before giving Pinkie a strong shove and pushing her off, watching as she fell back down to the frozen concrete below with a loud-

THUD

Pinkie blinked a few times as she saw she had fallen back on her behind again. The door was open behind her, only a few steps away. Dash was back in her original position now with a few small scratches on her neck and cheeks. “No no no, I’m so sorry Dashie, I didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean for any of it…” Pinkie started to mutter, quickly getting back on her feet and tending to the cuts.

“We need to get going. We have groceries we have to attend to,” the pink pony remarked, standing by the doorway. “Coming here after that little experience wasn’t a good idea. You knew something like this would happen.”

Rainbow Dash started to move again and tutted, the sounds of her frozen skin cracking as she turned her head to look at the pony. “Neither of you really get it, do you? There’s blood in the water, and sooner or later, people are gonna notice. And when they follow it, they’ll see it’s leading right back to you.”

Pinkie finally broke away, running out of the room then slowly shutting the door. She watched the door’s shadow as it slowly grew and covered Rainbow’s face, leaving the corpse back in the darkness once more.

The pink pony led her back over to her shopping cart. “You need to stop coming back here,” it explained. “It’s just going to end up breaking you.”

Pinkie didn’t respond, pushing her cart back out into the store. She didn’t even care if she was seen by others right now. She didn’t want to acknowledge what was reality and what was fantasy. She just wanted to go home.

“Think happy thoughts,” the pony remarked, walking past her towards one of the aisles. “You don’t need anyone asking why you’re looking so off,” it said as it trotted ahead. Pinkie looked at her reflection in the deli counter’s windows.

Her hair had gone completely flat.

Applejack let out a long sigh to herself as she stood at her apple booth in the town market. Her head still hurt like all hell, but she had a job to do and she knew that she’d get in even more trouble if she quit early.

At least it was a slow day, so she didn’t have to worry as much about how she looked… but it was also a slow day so she had very little to do at the moment. “Jeez, the one day where I don’t have a drop of anything and it’s the day where nothing’s happening.”

Applejack didn’t like having time alone with her thoughts. She liked doing things with others. Anyone who was willing to give her the time of day was someone that she could talk to, laugh with, have fun with. She needed that.

She leaned out from her booth and looked in the distance. She could see Applebloom with her friends. That was always something that made her feel a bit better, seeing that her little sister was still keeping in touch with Scootaloo and being there for her after Rainbow Dash left town. Poor girl had probably actually taken it worse than she had. And with her parents being the way that they were, Scoots needed all the support she could get.

Squinting, Applejack could make out that the girls were talking to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Applejack could already feel her hangover intensify as she thought about all the possible outcomes of this. Those two girls meant nothing but trouble for the crusaders and even when she tried to tell the both of them off herself, they never took her seriously.

She then saw Scootaloo slug Silver Spoon across her face, causing her to crumple to the ground in a heap. “Aw, hell…” Applejack muttered, leaping over the booth’s counter and dashing over.

As she got closer, she could see Applebloom and Sweetie Belle restraining Scootaloo as she violently kicked and struggled. “Alright, what’s going on here?” she asked as she helped Silver Spoon back on her feet.

“I-I didn’t do anything, Applejack!” Applebloom blurted up, glancing up at her. “Honest!”

Sweetie Belle nodded along. “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon just wanted to apologize to us! They’re saying they’re sorry for all the bullying.”

Applejack glanced over to Diamond Tiara. She looked sheepish as she turned her head away. “It’s true… we just wanted to say we’re sorry for picking on them all the time. We were being stupid.” It was killing her to admit to this.

Silver Spoon rubbed her cheek, readjusting her glasses. “I just wanted to tell Scootaloo that she was welcome to have a sleepover at my house if she wanted. Wasn’t a prank or anything…”

“I don’t need your pity apologies! Y-you’re just saying this cause you both think Rainbow Dash isn’t coming back! She is! I know she is! She’s just out winning a buncha cool trophies and medals and when she comes back, she’ll tell me all about ‘em! Then you can apologize and make these stupid offerings! When you actually mean it!” Scootaloo was still struggling and thrashing about, trying to keep from crying.

Applejack winced at this, before steadying herself. Time to be the big sister. She walked over, softly taking Scootaloo’s hand. “I’ll be right back with her. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, help make sure that Silver Spoon isn’t hurt too bad. And you two.” She looked over at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “I’m keepin’ ya to that apology. If I ever hear about you being mean to these girls, I’m calling both of yer folks and telling them.”

She watched the two slowly nod as she turned her gaze back to Scootaloo. She was looking away, trying her hardest to keep from looking up at Applejack.

After getting far enough away, Applejack put her hands on Scootaloo’s shoulders before pulling her into a long hug. “It’s ok, it’s ok. Cry as much as you want around me, I won’t mind one bit.”

It was muffled, but Applejack could hear the sounds of whimpers as the front of her shirt slowly became stained with tear spots. She knew the feeling all too well. She would cry with the girl right now if she wasn’t being the big sister. “I miss her too, Scoots. I miss her every damn day of my life, and it makes me feel weird sometimes. And that’s ok, you know? Our emotions don’t always have to make sense, but that don’t mean I can just go and hit someone ‘cause of that,” she explained, softly wiping some of her tears away.

“Th-they didn’t mean it…” Scootaloo muttered, pulling her head back. Tear streaks were still on her cheeks and chin. Applejack continued to wipe them away. “They’ll just pick on us again when Rainbow Dash comes back.”

Applejack patted her on the back. “Aw, come on now, you don’t know that. Those two might just be honest in what they’re saying. And listen, you don’t have to do it, but maybe go to that sleepover. At the least, you’ll get free pizza out of it and I know you ain’t gonna say no to that, right?”

Scootaloo sniffled, nodding as she started to smile. “Y-yeah, I guess I can give it a shot.” She then quickly perked up. “Ooo, and with that I can get a cutie mark in forgiveness or hospitality! It’ll be perfect for me!”

“Not entirely the right idea, but still, I like the spirit. Now go have fun with your friends. It’s gonna be alright. Promise. And I’m always here for you if you need anything,” she said, pulling Scootaloo into one last hug.

“Thanks, Applejack,” Scootaloo said before breaking away and running off to join the other girls. Applejack smiled to herself as she watched. She did enjoy being the big sister. Though, she did notice something. The backs of Scootaloo’s arms had massive black and purple bruises, as well as a few small scattered burns.

Applejack didn’t know Scootaloo’s parents that well. Only a few off-and-on talks at school events and the like. She wasn’t their biggest fan, but there were never any signs of them being abusive to Scootaloo in public. Someone would’ve seen it by now if that was the case. It was probably just being even more reckless than usual when hanging out with the other girls.

She shook her head, sighing. Sooner or later, someone would step in for the girl if something was going on, right? Someone else would see it, and if not, Applejack would be the one to step up. At some point.

She watched Scootaloo rejoin the others, her body language showing she wasn’t the best at giving apologies for stuff like what she did. Applejack chuckled, it was nice to see that some things were slowly getting back to normal.

She just hoped all of it could at some point.

Author's Note

I'm back from Ciderfest with another updated chapter for you to enjoy. Ciderfest went well, being part of the amazing writing staff for the con felt like a high honor. So many great people made it all come together for one hell of a time. I brought twenty copies of the Beasts of Fall Book and left with only seven. It still feels unreal, saying that I sold over half my stock. If anyone who brought a copy is reading this here. Thank you.

I am looking into ways that I can sell the left over and extra copies that I currently have, but I've never done anything like that before so it'll likely be a bit before any updates on that. In the meantime, please enjoy the new update!

Comments and critique always welcome!

Shitskin

Author's Note

Hey, big content warning for this one before we get into it. This chapter'll have intense gore imagery at one point as well as themes of anti-black racism and reference to lynchings. If that makes you uncomfortable or the like, now is your chance to stop and find something that isn't as upsetting. Or if you wish to keep reading and still don't want to see the scene, scene four is where it all happens.

Hope you're able to enjoy this.

Shitskin

The darkness felt cold. The floor felt polished. Her body felt both light and heavy at the same time. There was nothing, and yet there was everything.

Pinkamena slowly opened her eyes, seeing the familiar tiling of the grocery store. It looked recently cleaned and polished, her reflection looking back at her as she slowly rose to her feet.

The lights of the grocery store were dimmed, the rows and rows of shelves casting long shadows across the floor. Aside from her footsteps, the only sound she could hear was the buzzing coming from the freezers and the lights.

She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to massage out the soreness running through her. She felt disoriented with every step she took. The aisles she peered down seemed to stretch out to infinity, and the products that lined them were covered with indecipherable text.

She could see the doors to the freezer were open, inviting anyone to walk inside. They wanted someone to walk inside them, they wanted her to walk inside them.

She moved with caution. The cold air felt harsher than usual as it wrapped around her body. The fans and machines sounded like they were straining, the sounds of their churning and blowing echoing off the walls.

She walked past the huge cuts of beef and pork, hanging from their hooks. It was hard to notice at first glance, but she saw they were all swaying slightly from side to side.

She kept walking, going deeper and deeper in. From the freezer’s ceiling, she was bathed in the blue and white light from the buzzing bulbs giving her the appearance of a body frozen over.

Ahead of her, hanging from one of the hooks was a body. It was held up by a hook piercing through its arms, high above its head. The arms’ veins poked out from under the hook. It swung back and forth, head pointed down at the ground as if trying not to look at her. All she could do was stand and watch.

It was the corpse of a black woman, her body covered in large scars and gashes. Deep purple welts and bruises were mixing in with the rigor mortis running up and down her body. It seemed to be conniving in her stomach, bloated and covered in stretch marks.

Pinkie was unable to move from her spot. She watched as the corpse slowly raised its head to look at her, the eyes glazed over. She could hear the sounds of bones cracking and snapping as the corpse now looked her in the eyes.

“We don’t have hearts,” it said, the voice sounding sore and raspy. “That was what they always told us. We weren’t born of flesh and blood but of the dirt and shit of the Earth. Shitskins.”

Pinkie wanted to break her gaze, but couldn’t. “… Who used to say that.”

“Who didn’t, really? The children on the playground, the adults who watched us from a distance, the people we thought we knew. They all look at us, seeing us as nothing more than shitskins.”

“We’re not shitskins,” Pinkie replied. “We were born the same way just as everyone else. The people that say that kind of stuff-”

“They all think it, even if most of them don’t say it.” The corpse continued to glare at her. “We don’t have heartbeats, Pinkamena. We have only rot and filth in our chests.”

“I’m not thinking like that. I’m getting you down,” Pinkie replied, trying to get her off the hook. She wouldn’t budge.

“When they find out it was all you, it’s going to get worse,” the corpse said.

Pinkie took slow deep breaths before she pressed her nails into the corpse’s chest. Thick black liquid started to bubble out, dribbling down her knuckles and arms. It felt warm and syrupy. She pressed her hands in more, getting more fingers in before both of her hands were forced in. They felt warm, submerged in the black liquid.

“They see her as a shitskin too. But one that wants to be like them. They all love that. When we think we can ever be normal, like them. But it won’t last long. When they find out about you, they’ll look at her as well. And they’ll feast upon her.”

She was trying to ignore the words as she slowly started to wrench the chest apart and open. A blast of hot, rancid air hit her in the face. She quickly turned her head away, gagging and coughing from the putrid smell.

“You fear it. You fear getting caught. All the whispers and talks, all the side glances… they’re watching you. They’re catching on. And you don’t have much time left… do you?”

“I’m not getting caught. I’m smart. I’ve always been smart. The system works,” Pinkie responded as she opened the chest more. Half-decayed rotting organs and intestines started to pour out, slopping at her feet in a stinking sopping pile. The thick fluids covering her hand almost looked like a pair of black rubber gloves for a few seconds.

In the center of the corpse’s chest, a decaying black heart with bits of bone sticking out of it. Held in place by several strands of pink cooking twine. It did not beat.

“You can shorten your name, you can make your curls all big and laughable, you can make them sweets and cakes and let them laugh at you, but it won’t hold them. They’ll smell the blood you’re spilling and pounce.” She could see the corpse was sporting an all too familiar pink side cut as it grinned at her, lips tearing.

“They’ll find you… and that won’t be enough. They’ll need more to feast on. They’ll go to others that look just like you, they’re the ones ruining the world. They’re the ones making it worse for all the civilized folks. It’s all your fault, Diane.”

Pinkie felt something in her hand. She was gripping a knife. She squeezed it and cut at the twine, hearing the strands snap one after another. She ran her other hand through her hair, damp with sweat. It was flattened, falling down the side of her face, with only a few scattered curls remaining.

“Shitskins deserve nothing.” The corpse wouldn’t stop talking. She watched the skin on the corpse’s lips flaking and falling off. Pinkie grabbed the heart, hearing it squish in her palm. It was cold and mushy. “That’s what they all think about us. We deserve nothing, and we’re disposable.”

“Not we. Not we. I don’t know you, and I’m not disposable,” Pinkie lied, looking down at the heart. She squeezed it, feeling more of the thick black liquid pooling out between her fingers.

“I’m the end result. I’m what all of this leads to after generations and generations of build-up.” The thick black liquid was now running down the sides of the corpse’s mouth as she talked. “Tell me, how long do you think it’ll be until we get to this point? How much longer until you get sloppy and you feed the beast at the wrong moment? ”

Pinkamena tossed the remains of the crushed heart away. “There.You don’t keep going now, you can rest. You don’t have to worry about this shit anymore.”

Her corpse simply looked down at her. “How much longer till we join the rest?”

Pinkamena blinked, looking around again. The metal walls of the freezer were now replaced by hundreds of trees reaching high into the night sky. From the branches, corpses were strung up by their necks, bodies desecrated as they swung in the breeze.

“Who do you think they are?” Her corpse asked, pink twine now wrapped around her neck. “All the people we’ve killed? Or all those that came before us and all those that will come after because of how we’ve ruined everything?”

Pinkamena watched her own body hang. Sweat built up on her forehead. She started to dry heave as she gripped the knife. Something was rising, deep within. “We can’t escape it. We need to feed and spill. And we’re going to pull the one person that loved us under, because of it.”

Pinkamena felt something softly tap against the back of her head. As she turned to look, she saw purple heels swaying in the breeze. Above her was Rarity, adorned in the same dress from earlier in the night, pink twine wrapped around her neck. Her stomach and chest had been slashed wide open, her intestines and organs hanging out. A look of pure terror was frozen on her face, her cheeks streaked with tears.

“No… No no no…” Pinkamena muttered, tripping and falling back. She could feel tears welling up as she looked at her. Blood was dripping from Rarity’s eyes and mouth onto her heels, the ground, and Pinkamena’s face.

Suddenly, Rarity raised her head and looked directly at Pinkamena. “Pinkie…” she croaked. “W….what did you do…”

“Not you, not you, not you…” Pinkamena muttered, jumping to her feet and wrapping her arms around Rarity. She was still holding onto the knife. She pulled and tugged, continuing to dry heave as she tried to get the body down. Blood continued to drip onto her, dribbling through her hair and down her face. “Please oh please…”

“It’s like I told you…” She heard another voice echo through the trees. Nearby bushes started to rustle. Someone was approaching. She could feel her own heartbeat slamming against her chest.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Rainbow Dash shouted, bursting out from her left. She tackled Pinkamena to the ground, taking the knife. Rainbow Dash smiled as she pinned her. She glanced back at Pinkamena’s bloated corpse. “I’ll make sure that’s where you wind up,” she gloated, before stabbing the knife down.

Pinkamena tried to move out of the way, only for the knife to pierce her cheek. The pain was an endless searing heat, blood pooling up in her mouth and running down the side of her face and neck. She pushed and kicked, getting out a few wet, gurgling, animalistic cries.

Using a burst of energy she dug her knee into Rainbow Dash’s ribs, causing her to drop the knife and fall to the side. She quickly grabbed it, getting back on her feet and steadying herself. She launched a few more kicks into her ribs and chest. A twinge of euphoria ran through her as she heard the sounds of bones breaking and organs rupturing, alongside Rainbow’s groans. “No…no please… P-Pinkie… not again…”

Pinkamena slowly crouched down, meeting Rainbow Dash’s gaze. She watched as Rainbow tried to put her hands out and push her away. Her mouth slowly curled up into a grin, as she put the knife to Rainbow’s face. She made sure Rainbow had a clear look at her grin before she started to slash and stab. The cries of pain Rainbow let out were cut short as the knife eviscerated her.

Pinkamena kept going, slashing and cutting and impaling anything that her hands could reach. Even when Rainbow’s body stopped twitching, she continued at it. Her face still stung as blood ran down her cheek and filled her mouth, but she didn’t care. She was in control again. She was in bliss.

After some time, she pulled away and stood back up, looking down at Rainbow’s body. Her face was nearly unrecognizable, covered in lacerations. Blood was starting to pool around her, covering her body in a large puddle. She was a deer, struck by a predator and left to die.

Pinkamena let out a few breathy laughs, catching herself. For a few more seconds, she was lost in the rush of it all… and then it came crashing down. She looked at the corpse below, her body starting to tremble again. She could feel bile rising up in her chest as she started to glance around.

All of the corpses hanging from branches. They were all looking at her. Hundreds of unblinking eyes and unmoving faces, all looking at her. All watching her. All there because of her.

“Do you get it yet, Pinkamena?” Her own corpse called out. “The blood will always lead back to us. It’s always been because of us.”

Rarity’s corpse was looking at her again. “Pinkie… it’s always been you, hasn’t it? This is all because of you…”

Pinkamena Diane Pie could feel her heartbeat as she gripped her knife. Rotten, decaying flesh smashing against the inside of her chest. The stench of death and flesh stung her nose.

All because of her.

Paradykes

Pinkie’s eyes shot open as she let out a long groan. Her body was awkwardly splayed out on the bed, every part of her feeling heavy and sore. She tried to move herself to get in a more comfortable position, but it was like all of her insides were made of solid concreted.

She slowly sat up, hearing the sound of rain pounding against the window and roof as thunder rumbled behind it. “Oh great, a storm day…” she muttered, forcing herself on her feet and shuffling to the bathroom.

Her insides now felt like they had been pureed into a thick stew, sloshing around with each swaying move she made. She tossed her clothes to the floor, a twinge of guilt about doing something like that to a dress Rarity made, but she really needed to get into the shower.

She turned the lever to its hottest setting before closing the bathroom door and turning out the lights. She let it run for a bit, taking a slow deep breath as steam filled her lungs. Then, she stepped in.

Pinkie liked taking showers in the dark from time to time. She had no proper explanation as to why, it just soothed her. Just letting the sounds of the water become white noise as she let herself relax. And with her body currently feeling so miserable, she needed a little levity.

All her thoughts and worries stopped as she washed her body. It took time to care for all of it properly, especially her hair, but it always felt so refreshing.

Suddenly, a stray thought popped into her head and made her blush. It was the thought of another body sharing the shower with her, and pressing up against her. The thought of a feminine hand running down her chest, with the other rubbing shampoo into her hair. The thought of someone breathing hot air onto her neck as they leaned in closer, the hand running down her chest moving to between her legs and thrusting into her. She could feel her own body shiver at the thought, her cheeks glowing pink as she leaned into it. “Oh, Pinkie, darling…” the voice of the woman whispered into her ear.

Pinkie let out a gasp, and just as soon as the thought came, it was gone. She was back alone in the dark with hot water pouring over her. She took a few seconds to regain herself, splashing between her legs. At least this one hadn’t tried to hurt her.

“Giggle at the ghosties…” She found herself starting to sing. That one was always popular with the younger kids, and even Twilight had asked her to sing it once or twice after she had busted it out in the Everfree Forrest. Being able to sing on a moment’s notice was quite the impressive skill.

After some time, she turned the shower off and stepped out. She reached out and grabbed a towel, cooling off as she turned on the shower light, bathing her in a dark red glow. The bathroom mirror was fogged up from the steam still left in the room. She pressed her hand against the mirror and in one clean wave, wiped the area around her face away.

She saw an X-shaped scar on her left check, looking relatively fresh. She touched it, feeling a sharp and stinging pain that caused her to wince and suck in air through her teeth. “How did that…” she muttered under her breath, before feeling all the color drain out of her face as she suddenly lurched forward and vomited into the sink.

The good feelings the shower had brought had run out, with her body back to feeling sick and miserable again. As she looked back up at herself in the mirror, she stumbled back in surprise.

Her corpse was now in the reflection, silently watching her. Pinkie slowly got to her feet and slowly approached the mirror. The corpse just looked, a blank stare on its face. It looked as though decay and rot had long set in, the corpse’s form being much heavier and older looking. A long, horizontal slash ran across the corpse’s nose. It looked as if it was only a few seconds away from just splitting open and showing the rotted out insides of its head. After a few seconds, it’s mouth twisted into a smile, as blood started to pour out from its scars and run down its face. Pinkie watched some of it trickle out from the bottom of the mirror and into the sink, before blinking and rubbing her eyes. Her reflection was back to normal, mirroring her again.

She looked behind her, ready to get another chewing out or moment of support from the pony… but no one was there but her shadow, elongated and cast onto the shower wall by its light. She was left to wallow and soak in her own sweat and fear.

After getting back to her feet, Pinkie washed out the sink and slowly made her way down to the bakery. She could see the dark clouds in the sky, making the view out into town look as if it was still the late night. It was absolutely pouring outside, large puddles streaming through the streets.

Pinkie knew it was unnecessary to do so, but she still got a small white board out from under the counter and scribbled a short message on it.

‘Chef is sick :( Shop closed for now’

She knew that the Cakes probably wouldn’t want to come in for a bit either, at least not while she was currently sick. But now that that was done with, she could just go back to bed and sleep for Celestia knows how long.

She made her way back to her bedroom, hearing the storm worsen and seeing the sky getting even darker. It would make good white noise to lull her to sleep at least. She had no idea how she would be able to explain the scar to anyone, hell she couldn’t even explain it to herself, but that didn’t matter right now. The covers felt warm and heavy as she pulled them closer.

Her mind felt hazy as she slowly closed her eyes. Maybe, when she woke up, everything would be better. Maybe, when she woke up, Rainbow Dash would be down in the bakery ready for another day of fun. Maybe, when she woke up, everyone would be there… all of them so happy to see her…. every… one….

“…I forgot it was gonna rain today,” Silver Spoon muttered to herself as she looked outside her bedroom window. “And I was ready to use the kites and everything.”

“Why do you hang out with Diamond Tiara?” Scootaloo asked, glancing over while laying on the other girl’s bed. Her mother had been more than happy to drop her off with Silver Spoon and her family for a sleepover, which had went from just staying one night into a ‘You should stay the whole weekend and get to know her’ scenario. Probably meant she was at home, doing one of those poker night things that always went forever and ever.

Silver Spoon looked unimpressed by the question. “Can we please talk about something else this weekend?”

“Answer this one and I’ll stop asking.”

Silver Spoon just sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Fine, fine. It’s nothing special, my daddy was friends with her daddy and they thought it would be best if we hung out. She needed a friend, I needed a friend, simple as that. Now, how bout we-”

“Wouldn’t she just make fun of you for having glasses or something?” Scootaloo cut her off. “I mean, she thinks not having a talent yet is hilarious so needing glasses to see must be a real gut buster.”

“She just needed friends, alright? Have you seen how her mom treats her? She needed someone positive in her life. And that’s where I came in,” Silver Spoon explained, looking rather happy about that fact. “I’ll say I’m sorry a million times if you want, but come on, can’t we do something fun?”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes before sitting up and stretching. “Fine fine. You can ask me something.”

“Why the scooter?”

Scootaloo smirked. “Cause it’s fast, and it’s cool. It lets me go at such high speeds with ease, and people have to get out of my way most times! I’m the one in focus!” She paused. “That and my mom wouldn’t let me buy a motorcycle yet. Stupid driver’s licence laws.” she sheepishly admitted, looking aside.

“You do look pretty cool on that thing, I guess. You ever race anyone with it?”

“I’ve asked Rainbow Dash to race dozens of times. Always says yes.”

“How many did you win?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter. She always says I do great on em, so I be doing something right. It’s why I keep trying to get better and better at it, then I’ll be able to see her again.”

Silver Spoon looked at Scootaloo, confused. “How will you be able to see her again from being good at your scooter?”

“Well… I know she wasn’t proud of me anymore when she took off. She didn’t say it in her letter, but I just knew it. Maybe cause I haven’t figured out my talent yet while so many other people have. Maybe I haven’t been doing fast enough on my time trials or in my homework. I need to do better, so that I can make her proud,” Scootaloo explained.

“I’ll see her again some day. She’ll be waiting for me and she’ll pull me into the coolest hug you’ve ever seen! And she’ll be all ‘Scoots, I knew you could do it! You’re the coolest gal around!’ and Applebloom and Sweetie Belle’ll be there too celebrating for me! And my mom and dad will get a big celebration cake and say how proud they are! It’ll be great!” She shouted as she jumped from the bed, hovering in the air for two seconds, before falling and hitting the floor with a thud.

Silver Spoon watched her as she jumped back on her feet, unphased by the fall. “Well, I guess that’s nice. I guess. I can help you with that stuff if you want. If that’s cool with you anyway.”

“Huh? Oh, sure. I’ll keep that in mind I guess, though the others are probably gonna wanna see it first. Maybe if they’re busy I’ll think about it.” An awkward silence filled the room as the two girls looked aside. “Anyways, didn’t you say your big sister was a famous musician or something? Can we go to her room?”

“Not just any famous musician. The one and only Octavia!”

“… you mean that boring violin woman? Lame.” Scootaloo said, before bursting into laughter. She was never gonna admit it, but she was enjoying this. The same way she enjoyed spending time with the Crusaders, or going to parties at Sugarcube Corner, or even just doing tricks around town. She liked doing things away from home, that place was just too boring for her.

It sounded like the rain hadn’t let up yet, but the boom of thunder didn’t seem to be as consistent. Pinkie didn’t feel like she had totally recovered yet, but at least she wasn’t feeling totally miserable either. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as she looked around.

She wasn’t laying down in her bed, she was sitting up. The wide space of her bedroom was now much more tight and compact. Everything still looked blurry as she looked around, seeing a window that showed dark cloudy skies above and rainy tracks below her.

Somehow, she had woken up on a train. And she had no idea where she was headed. She heard a soft snore to her left as she looked.

The pink pony was there, curled up like a cat as it slept on seat next to her. She slapped it as hard as she could on the head. “H-hm…? What happened?” it asked, poking its head up and looking around.

“We’re on a train. How did we wind up on a train?” Pinkie asked, her normal happy tone missing from her voice. “You got something to do with this, huh?”

The pony shook it’s head, leaning over to get a good look out the window, assessing the situation. “Maybe we just… erased the memories of getting on here?”

“Last time I was up, I could barely even walk myself back upstairs to my bed! I never would’ve gotten train tickets to go anywhere with how I was feeling. And in this rain? I would’ve just died from something out there.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know either!” the pony retorted. “I’m as lost as you are. Just be happy you didn’t wake up covered in vomit or anything. We should just stay calm for now. Find a place to call and say you need someone to pick us up.”

“How do we explain getting on a train in the middle of a storm and winding up… wherever we wind up?”

“We can work on that later. All we need to do for now is assess the situation we’re in and work from there. Let’s try and see if we can recognize where we are.”

There was something oddly familiar about the landscapes they were passing. It wasn’t near any of the major city spots in Equestria and yet it felt like it was a place she knew…

All she could do was watch as the train pulled into the station, no signs of anyone else being on the train with her. “Come on, let’s just find a phone and try to call someone. We can say someone from Rarity’s party must’ve spiked our drink bad or something,” the pony explained, getting off its seat an heading for the exit. Pinkie begrudgingly followed.

Looking around the station, she could already see the bright white lights of a few nearby restaurants, all of them promising the escape from the rain as well as a delicious goodness. Pinkie dug in her pocket, not surprised that her phone and wallet weren’t there. Thankfully, by the miracle of being Pinkie Pie, she did still have some cash on her. “I should probably get some food in me, especially after throwing up earlier…”

She rushed through the pouring storm into the nearest one, a diner that filled her nose with the smell of hot coffee, pancakes and fries. She made her way to a window side both and sat down, a menu already there. Once again, feelings of familiarity came over her as she looked through the menu items.

“This town…” the pony muttered to itself, looking out at the other buildings that she could see in the storm. “We’ve been here before, haven’t we?”

Pinkie was silent, looking out into the distance.Wasn’t there another restaurant that was supposed to be near the station and where cars would usually enter the town? “Best damn burgers around…” she mumbled, before shaking her head. She watched the waitress come up to her and she made her order.

She ate and ate, stuffing her face with as many pancakes as she could get. Her body felt thankful for the food, though there were a few times where she had to keep her body from just throwing it all back up.

As she ate, she noticed something. Pink hair was growing up and down her arms. “…damn it, I thought I shaved you all away,” she groaned. She had to take extra care of her body and how it looked, she doubted many people wanted to see Pinkie Pie throw their party while sporting the very un-party like feature of arm hair.

“Maybe I can swing by the pharmacy on the way home and pick up some razors,” she said as she finally finished eating and left her money on the counter. She then rubbed her forehead. “Why do I know where the pharmacy in this town is?”

She walked out of the restaurant and stood under its awning, watching the rain continue on. She looked out into the distance, seeing nothing there. But she knew there should’ve been something!

“You’re gonna get sick from this, you know,” the pony muttered. “Do you really wanna make yourself feel worse?”

“I need to see what’s missing. Feel free to wait here, if you want,” Pinkie remarked before dashing out into the storm.

She could feel the wind and rain sting against her face. The new scar on her left cheek wasn’t helping things either. She ran as hard as her legs could carry her as she got closer and closer to the spot she was looking at.

It was hard to make out under the dark skies, but there was a building there. As she got closer, she saw why it wasn’t lit up like the other ones near the station.

The remains of a drive-in diner sat, a standing corpse covered in ash and soot. The fires that had covered this place were long gone, but their work still remained. It looked like the building could collapse at any second, and yet even with the rain and wind, it did not come down.

Pinkie stood in the rain for a few seconds. She clutched at her chest as she ran under the drive-in roof, shaking as she heard the sounds of the rain pick back up. As she looked at the burnt out building, it dawned on her. The building stayed standing, just for her. It’d probably finally give in to the forces of nature soon enough if she didn’t step in right now.

“Why am I back here…” she asked herself, before slowly making her way into the building. She could hear broken glass crunch with each step she took. It really was a miracle that anything was still around in a place like this. All the seats were burnt black and had their cushions cut up and torn.

She walked past the counter to the kitchen area, seeing a smashed in milkshake machine and soda fountain. She could just barely make out dried up soda stains on the floor below it. “To be left like this, not even demolished… what a waste,” she muttered to herself as she made her way to the kitchen.

Naturally, it seemed like the flames were the worst in and had originated from the kitchen. Pinkie made her way past the grill, looking out the order window at the counter and the booths. She watched the storm rage for a few seconds.

She made her way over to the deep fryers, looking down at the them. A half melted mop bucket laid on the ground nearby. “You don’t… you don’t throw water on a…” she muttered, rubbing at her eyes.

Suddenly, she saw colorful light stream in from the dining area. Music started to fill the air. A jukebox in the corner was playing with the last of its remaining life. Despite being heavily damaged, its colors were bright and spectacular.

“Ladies and gents, guys and gals, I hope you’re enjoying your meal! Not in the mood for a classic burger and fries? Try one of our cool corndogs and you’ll be on top of the world!” Pinkie fell back against the grill as a recorded voice played on top of the music. “And to go with those yummy meals and sweet treats, have we got a show for you!”

Her eyes widened as she saw a figure skate past the order window. “No no no, stop it! Stop it, stop it, stop it!” she shouted as she ran out of the kitchen, back into the dining area. She felt the colors drain from her face at what she saw.

The diner was alive again, with people filling up the booths and sitting at the counter. They were talking, laughing, smiling. The sounds and scents of burgers cooking up on the grill filled the place. “She’ll have you oooing and aaaing then leave you laughing in stitches! A gal you can’t find anywhere else in Equestria:”

She bolted over to the juke box, hitting it as hard as she could. “Shut up! Shut up!”

“Pinkie Pie!” She slammed her fists down on the machine as it finally caved in with bits of glass, vinyl, and plastic to go flying everywhere. Some of it embedded in her arms but she didn’t even care.

As Pinkamena sunk to her knees, she turned her head. Near the entrance of the diner stood a young woman in full roller-waitress attire, a colorful mix of blues and blacks and pinks and yellows. She looked so happy as she tapped her left foot against the ground. A young, happy woman that had found a comfy place in life. She had even found the perfect name for when she put on shows for the customers.

Pinkamena watched as the diner’s roof shook, some of the few remaining pieces of ceiling smashing to bits as they hit the floor. It was time to leave, and she was more than happy to oblige. She rushed towards the entrance, passing through the now fading ghost of the young woman and heading back out into the rain.

She could hear the sound of the whole thing finally caving in behind her as she ran as hard as she could back to the station. She didn’t care that she was drenched with rain, which would probably make her sick again, or that her whole body felt sore and didn’t want to move. She needed to leave the rotted out corpse to finally rest after being left unattended for so long.

As she reached the station, she saw the pink pony sitting on a bench near one of the vending machines. There was a small dufflebag next to it. It was currently in the process of ringing out rain water from its mane. “Found this,” it said to her, motioning to the bag.

Pinkamena reached in, feeling heavy relief as she found it was full of dry clothes and an umbrella. “Hear any weather updates?” she asked, not having the energy or the mood to question where it came from.

“Gonna stay stormy for a long time. Seems like the fall air has been too dry in some spots so the weather team is just bringing out the big storms for a bit to make up for the long drought. You gonna change into those new clothes now?” the pony asked, watching.

“No, no. I know where I need to go next. Then I find a hotel to stay at and call someone,” Pinkamena explained, before glancing at her reflection in a nearby window.

Her hair had been flat since she had woken up on the train.

“Welp, that should be everything we need in case flooding breaks out or the roof starts leaking,” Applejack said, looking over the various emergency supplies and buckets she had laid out on the floor.

“Hopefully won’t do too much damage to the crops,” Big Mac remarked, looking out the living room window at the storm as it thundered on. “Don’t need another worry to add to the pile.”

Applejack shook her head. “Aw, we’ve survived much worse. This is some bad weather, but it ain’t ‘the great flood’ kinda weather.”

“I suppose. Guess I’m just hoping that the place we’re taking Granny is gonna survive this,” Big Mac contemplated.

“Aw, why’re ya talking like it’s moving day? I’m still living here ain’t I? Keep yet butt focused on the storm preppin’!” Granny shouted from the kitchen, Applejack chuckled as she watched Big Mac scamper off to get more buckets.

Applejack made her way upstairs, to make sure that no leaks had broken through in any of the bedrooms. Things were changing at Sweet Apple Acres, and she was doing her damnedest to keep on top of them. Granny Smith was getting older, which meant she was more and more likely of getting sick, and the only way they could make sure she would get all the medicines and supplements she would need would be to move her to a nursing home out in Manehattan. Big Mac would be the one to help move her out there, having to stay out there for a few weeks and help her adjust. Applejack had been nervous about having to take care of the farm, its business deals, and raising Applebloom all by herself at first… but then she realized it would help her out.

Applejack knew that she had been worsening over the past year. Drinking so heavily had taken a toll on how everyone around her was seeing her. She was worried that even Applebloom would grow distant from her if it kept up. She didn’t want that. This was the perfect opportunity for her to sober back up!

As she checked through her room, she saw lightning flash in the window. “Aw hell…” she muttered, rubbing her eyes as she tried to refocus her vision. And for a split second, she thought she saw a figure out in the storm. “Damn lightning…” she said, walking over to the window to make sure there wasn’t anyone in need outside at the moment.

Despite it only being the early afternoon, it looked like midnight out there. She could see the winds whipping against the tree, looking as if they would be ripped straight from the ground. Between the orchards, standing on the pathway to the farmhouse was a woman. She was looking up right at the window. Her hair whipped back and forth in the wind, her face impossible to make out… but Applejack knew who it was.

“R-Rainbow Dash…?” The words left her lips but it didn’t feel like she had said them herself. It was unmistakable, but what was she doing back now? No calls, no letterss, and in the middle of a storm, no less! Rainbow started to wave up to the window, smiling. Motioning for the farm girl to come out and join her, ready to be reunited after so long.

Applejack slowly started to pull on the window, trying to get it up. It wouldn’t budge. “I-I’m coming, Rainbow Dash, just hold on!” she shouted, yanking more and more as she felt her heart rate increase. “Oh, I’m gonna, I’m gonna, I’m gonna hug you and never let go again!” Applejack’s palms were lubed with sweat as she fiddled with the window’s locks, cursing under her breath before she turned them. With a single motion, she yanked the window up and knocked out the bug screen. She felt the rain and wind hit her face as she put one leg though the windowsill. “Rainbow Dash! I love you! I lov－”

“Applejack?” Applebloom asked, poking her head in through the doorway. “What’re you doing?”

“A-Applebloom? I was just—” Applejack started, before looking back outside. Rainbow Dash was gone, the spot where she had been standing getting pounded by another burst of heavy rain. “Just seeing how bad things were outside, the wind knocked out this window’s screen,” she lied, closing the window. “Now come on, we got the other rooms to check.”

“…You think Granny’s gonna be away forever when she has to move?” Applebloom asked as she watched Applejack move to the next room.

Applejack simply shook her head. “This place means too much to Granny. She’ll just need some time recuperating and then she’ll be on the next train back here to make sure we haven’t burned the whole orchard down.”

The two shared a chuckle, before both getting startled by another loud crack of thunder, almost knocked off their feet. The storm wasn’t stopping anytime soon, but… it wasn’t as scary at the moment.

The umbrella was a big relief, but the rain and the wind were still hitting hard. Pinkamena’s face stung, and she knew it was going to stay like that for weeks.

She moved through the darkened and empty streets, the pink pony following closely behind. Cars sped past, none of them slowing to offer her a ride. She couldn’t blame them, she was really nailing the look of a drifter who knew all the ways how to use a pocket knife to slash someone’s throat.

She made her way out of the town’s shopping district and into its residential area. She watched as the smaller store based buildings slowly gave way to giant darkened apartments, reaching up high into the cloudy skies above. They were all forced together in tight blocks, all sporting small metal balconies and windows that had probably been installed already damaged and warped by smoke and extreme heat.

These apartments had the makings of those built with the underpaid and overworked factory grunt in mind. The only factories that were in the area had long been out of commission.

They all looked so similar to each other, but Pinakmena knew which one to run into. She ran into one in the middle of one of the rows, tripping up on one of the steps and tumbling into the empty lobby.

She looked around, thankful to see that there was no one else there at the moment. The lights of the lobby were dim, but warm. She slowly made her way to the elevator, finding herself counting the seconds it took to make its way down. Exactly 30 seconds.

It opened with a ding and she stepped in, pushing the button for the fourth floor. It closed again and started its way up. As it slowly climbed and churned, she noticed shadows were forming on the walls to her side. There were two of them, a taller one on the left and one around her size on the right. Both appeared to holding grocery bags. Pinkamena’s fists tightened and she heard the sounds of plastic crinkling.

The elevator stopped and opened, Pinkamena stepping out. No sign of anyone out in the hallway. She headed straight down the corridor in front of her, passing by a few doors. She could hear sounds from some, and silence from others.

After another exactly 30 seconds, she stopped. The door that stood in front of her had a bouquet of flowers placed next to it. They looked relatively fresh. No sign of any notes or cards, just flowers. She picked them up and smelled them. They were all colored white. Their scent was powerful, yet soft. Lillies.

She tried the door knob, hearing it rattle around. She wasn’t surprised it was locked, she just didn’t think it would be locked for her. She sighed, before using a bit of force to slam her arm into the door as she tried the knob again, causing it to swing open. She took another whiff of the flowers and stepped in.

There wasn’t much to see in the darkened apartment. She had stepped into the kitchen/dining area and could see the living room ahead. To the right of the kitchen was the hallway that lead to two bedrooms and a bathroom.

No one was living in the apartment. No one was allowed to live in the apartment.

Pinkamena slowly made her way around, her shoes slowly tracing lines and curves against the ground as she walked. There were no traps or tricks, but she wanted her feet to map out every part of it. The way she slowly swept her legs around, it was almost like a ballerina memorizing their routine. Slow, deliberate, a pause after every move.

She rested her hands against the kitchen counter, steadying herself. She was taking each step very slowly. If she didn’t, she would ruin something.

She leaned over the counter, looking into the kitchen. A rug she had never seen before was there, sporting a pattern that resembled crashing sea waves.

Pinkamena stepped into the living room area, standing over a couch. A blanket and pillow were sucked in-between the cushions and their strong iron grip. She slowly sat down on it, hearing the springs inside it groan and creak. She laid back against it and looking up at the ceiling before letting out a long sigh. She watched as the pink pony slowly got up onto the couch with her. “…Was this the first place I met you?” she asked.

The pink pony thought on it. “I don’t think it was here, no. I’ve always sort of… been there for you. But it was one of the first times you really gained awareness of me. Or at least, listened to me. You rarely ever do that now, taking my advice or hearing me out.”

“You switch up what you want for me a lot, I’m allowed to doubt you have my best interests at heart,” Pinkamena responded.

“You can’t blame shift everything onto me,” the pony muttered, laying down more. It was doing its best to curl up.

Pinkamena softly rubbed its mane. She knew she shouldn’t be doing things like that, but it still felt real to her. It was in need of a good washing and cleaning to make it softer, but still… it felt nice to pet the pony.

She watched it fall asleep before getting up and moving the rug in the kitchen. Hidden under it was a large, washed out blood stain on the floor. Most of it had been scrubbed and cleaned away, but the feint discoloring of the kitchen tiles showed it could never fully be erased.

Pinkamena crouched down and looked at it more. She placed her palm onto it. For a few split second, it felt warm. She quickly got back up, moving to the hallway.

The bedrooms were on the left and right, with the bathroom being straight at the end. She looked into the bedroom on the left. Most of it was empty, with only the mattress and a few pieces of furniture remaining. Another washed out bit of blood splatter was on the doorway itself and the wall next to it, before slowly curving down all the way to the floor.

They had slumped. When they were shot, they had slumped against the wall and slowly fell to the floor. Looking back into the room from the door way, Pinkamena could see scattered bullet holes in the wall across from it.

She then headed into the bedroom on the right. Mostly the same, though no sign of blood splatter.

She walked over to the mattress, not looking as badly worn as the other one as she got on it. She closed her eyes, hoping to hear feint whispers or music or footsteps. She wanted anything, anything at all, that could act as a reminder that there used to be life in this apartment. It was like she was looking for the right shell to put to her ear to hear the sea with. Sadly, there were no shells washed up on shore today. Just the sounds of crashing waves.

Pinkamena felt herself yawning a bit, leaning back. She shouldn’t sleep here, she shouldn’t even be here to begin with… but she wanted to. All of this, it was draining. And no matter how much she wanted to get up and move, the sensation of exhaustion took her over. She fell back against the spring mattress and closed her eyes.

Sleep overtook her almost instantly.

Pinkamena pressed her face into the ground, feeling sweat building up on her forehead. Her body had locked up in fear, making her as solid and silent as a rock.

She could hear loud brutish snoring from in front of her. On the couch, she saw the back of a head sway as snoring continued. One of the beasts in the apartment, it was asleep on her couch and snoring. But it still had the weapon on the them.

“You know, people had to work hard to get these kinds of apartments in the first place,” a voice said to her. She wanted to jump up and scream at whatever new horror there was, but something about the voice sounded comforting. Like a nostalgic familiarity.

“When they started the plans for these apartments, there was vocal push back from neighbors and the community. ‘They’d just drop the price of these places! They’re not gonna fit in or be near their normal jobs,” the voice continued as she closed her eyes and trembled. “Of course, they also dropped a few ‘shitskin’ insults, to really add class.” It sounded like her own voice, but it also wasn’t…?

Pinkamena felt something softly touch her forehead as she opened her eyes and looked up. It was… pink, and it had hair just like how she did when she wasn’t performing. It was some sort of animal but she couldn’t think clearly enough to really focus in on what it was. “This apartment is the right of black men, women and children just like you. They worked their asses off to get it. Hate has always flowed through its pipes like the shit they say covers your skin,” the animal continued. “You let them get leave this apartment, and they’ll likely go pick off someone next to you or down the hall.”

Pinkamena felt the energy slowly coming back to her as her arms trembled. She looked back, making sure that the beast sleeping on the couch hadn’t woken up yet. She sat up, before pulling herself up to her feet with the kitchen counter. She glanced over, looking at the kitchen floor.

A body laid there, a pool of blood sprayed onto the floor. She… she couldn’t make out the face. She didn’t want to look at the face. She didn’t want to look at the expression. Her mind was scratching out the face for her. She could feel herself hyperventilating as she started to tear up again.

“You can cry and mourn later,” the pony said, looking up at her. It then looked over at the knife holder on the counter. “Take the first one your hands grab. Grab it and hold it as tight as you can.”

Pinkie looked down at the pony. It gave her a soft, but sad, smile. “It’s gonna be alright. You’re gonna make it out of this, you know. You’re smart, and you can do this. Now come on, take one.”

Pinkamena’s thoughts were becoming more clear. She wasn’t trembling as much. She slowly grabbed a black handle and pulled it out. It was a simple chef’s knife. Not too thick like a butcher’s knife and not too long like a tomato knife. She gripped the handle in her palm. Her body was sore from exhaustion and fear, but she held onto it with all her might. She could hear her heartbeat increasing from adrenaline.

She already knew what was coming next, but she looked down at the pony for confirmation. “Right through,” it said with a smile.

She slowly shuffled against the floor. The snores got louder as she drew closer. Such an ugly beast it was, making such a mess of the food that was there on the table. It stunk of booze and sweat. It was clear this beast had never done something like this before.

She watched the beast’s head sway as it snored, standing in front of it. . It would move against the back of the couch and then fall forward while muttering unintelligible nonsense. “Are you scared?” the pony asked, watching her.

Pinkamena shook her head, taking a slow deep breath. “No,” she said, and for a few seconds, she was young again. A young child on the farm, holding the biggest rock that she could over her head as her mother, brain and body slowly festering and rotting, just smiled up at her. “Just bringing back muscle memories.” She brought the knife down, stabbing it into the the beast’s neck as blood started to spurt out onto her face. She watched its eyes suddenly jolt open from the shock, but before it could do anything, she pushed down hard with her strength. She could hear a wet crack as she forced the blade through flesh and bone right out the other end.

She watched it pathetically kick and flail, trying to grab at her and the knife. It could only make pathetic cries and gargles, trying to call for help as it looked her in the face. She just smiled, slapping its hands away. The beast was only able to let out a few more pathetic gurgles, tears on its cheeks as it fell forward and toppled to the floor with a thud, bleeding onto the carpet.

Pinkamena watched it for a bit, before bending down and pulling the knife out, the thing now soaked from blade to handle in blood. She took a few seconds to catch her breath as she stood there, watching the beast slowly become a corpse.

She looked over to the kitchen, seeing the dead body laying on the floor. It was a woman, around her age. She forced herself to look at them, slowly moving over and standing over them. The large hole in the back of the corpse’s head as it looked to the side, a look of pure hopelessness and terror forever frozen on their face. She softly crouched down and rubbed their cheek one last time. “I love you. It’ll be alright. It’ll all be over soon.”

She shot back up as she heard the sound of a sink turning on down the hall. The other beast, it hadn’t heard what had happened. She only had seconds to act.

“Make it suffer,” the pony said, as she moved down the hall. She didn’t look into the bedroom on her left. She didn’t want to look at the other dead woman right now.

She placed her hand on the bathroom knob, before letting go. No no, she had to do bigger than that. She could hear the sink running and water being splashed. The beast was cleaning itself up. She slowly took a few steps back, hearing rain starting to come down outside. With the loud boom of thunder, she kicked the door in, the beast whipping around and trying to reach for its rifle as she rushed in.

Pinkamena only laughed as she stabbed at its face. It sounded like a dying pig as she slashed its flesh right open, slamming it right into the bathroom mirror. She was going to keep stabbing and slashing until the beast stopped moving all together, or until her arms got tired. Whatever came first.

Pinkamena’s eyes shot open as she woke back up. She felt energy running through her body, but still a sense of lethargy. It would be so easy for her to close her eyes again, and fall back under. Maybe she wouldn’t need to wake up again, and the storm wash her away. She started to close her eyes again as she started to let out slow, deep breaths.

No. No, it wasn’t that easy. She opened her eyes back up and sat up, turning and getting off the mattress. Her face still stung, but it also felt this tight tingling sensation, as if it was being smashed in by a compressor. Some part of her wasn’t letting her go back to sleep. It wasn’t going to be that easy, and it wasn’t the time for that yet.

She made her way back to the living room, seeing the pony still asleep. She rubbed its coat, before pulling her hand back. The pony’s coat was rough and scratchy, feeling more like the fur of a capybara.

“Just what the hell are you, huh?” she muttered to herself, before heading for the door. She picked up the bouquet of flowers again and sniffed them. They now came in colors of pinks, oranges and crimsons. They had no scent. Zinnias.

She left the apartment, heading back to the elevator and going back down. She could still hear the storm pounding on, but she needed to keep going.

As she made it back down to the lobby and stepped out from the elevator, she paused. A chill ran through the air. She could hear the sounds of hushed, distant whispers from all around her. They were indecipherable, coming from each and every direction. Some of the voices were calm, others were aggressive.

She could make out feint glowing forms that were attaching themselves to the voices. They came in all shapes and sizes. Most seemed to be older than her, a few were carrying smaller forms in their arms or leading them by the hand.

She then watched as a trio of forms walked through the front lobby doors, walking right through her and heading into the elevator. The one in the middle seemed to be sporting a side cut, happily chatting away to the others as they got in. She saw figure with the side cut kiss the form on its right side.

After a few seconds, the doors opened again and the figure with the side cut slowly made their way out. They were caked in blood from head to toe, an expression of shell shock on their face. All the voices in the lobby were replaced by the figure’s footsteps as they slowly staggered forward, walking through Pinkamena again and right out the lobby doors, vanishing into the rain.

Pinkamena continued to stand there, total silence surrounding her, until another loud crack of thunder broke the nothingness. It was time for her to leave.

This place was a standing graveyard, and the next time she found herself back in that apartment, it would be her coffin.

She ran back out into the storm, her umbrella fighting against the howling winds as she ran past other open restaurants and shops, most devoid of people besides the workers. She was moving too fast for her to really notice their faces, to see if any were watching her.

As she moved, the sounds of the rain, wind and thunder became disrupted by the sounds of bumping bass and techno. She smiled as she came and found her next stop, a building with lights on the roof pushing away all the darkness that came from the clouds in the sky.

‘Paradykes - Club, Bar and Rooms for the modern woman’ Was written on a flashing signpost that called out to her. She could only barely remember most of this town, but that sign… it was forever engraved in her mind.

She wasn’t aware of many clubs that also acted as a hotel/get away for all the wandering dykes and lesbians, but she wasn’t complaining. She herself had crashed here for a bit when she first got in to town.

She felt the rain continue to beat her down right before she stepped into the building. The sounds of rain outside being absorbed into music, conversations, and laughter as she looked around. Women of all shapes and sizes, ages and ethnicities were around her. They were dancing, drinking, eating, kissing and holding each other close.

She was bathed in multi-colored lights and was almost immediately swallowed into the crowd on the dance floor. She slowly pushed her way to the bar, seeing a gal with piercings and hair dyed deep space blue dealing with all the customers and orders. “Hey!” she called out.

The woman at the bar looked at her, blinking a few times. “…Mena?” she asked, getting close. “Holy shit I thought I’d never see you again,” she said with a smile.

Pinkamena looked at her, trying to discern her face. It was definitely a twinge familiar, but names and memories weren’t coming to her. “I’m sorry… do I know you?”

The woman was a bit saddened by this but quickly shook it off. “It’s me, Glazed Galaxy. Guess it has been a lotta time since we last talked, huh?”

The name wasn’t doing that much, but if she knew her… it could help her out a bit. “Oh! Hey! Sorry bout not being back here much, it’s just after everything that happened, I needed time away from this whole place.”

Glazed nodded, looking down at the glass she was polishing. “Yeah, yeah, I was the same too. I’ll be back to you in just a bit, alright? Ladies need their drinks to keep the party going. With a storm like this, feels like its the end of the goddamn world,” she said, before running off to the other end of the bar.

Pinkamena watched her. She didn’t know this woman anymore, and yet she still felt pride in seeing her succeed and be able to grow and move on.

It then dawned on her that Pinkie Pie did not exist here. The time she had spent in Ponyville, being the element of laughter, everything else… that didn’t happen out here. Pinkie Pie was just the title she used when she was performing, Pinkamena Diane Pie was who she was.

She felt herself start to smile, chuckling. She wanted to indulge herself for a bit, no harm in that right?

Pinkie wasn’t a drinker, but Pinkamena was. She watched as Glazed made her way back to her. “… I’ll take a fireball.”

Glazed Galaxy smiled. “Heh, good to see it’s still you Mena.”

A few drinks later and the two were talking between runs of rounds. “My mom was surprised to see me take this place. I think I was too. I used to keep saying I was gonna move away from this town, and I did after what happened… but I didn’t find many places that I felt like I belonged to. Not with knowing some of the important people in my life weren’t there. Here was were I made my connections, where I made my memories. It just means too much for me,” Glazed explained. She smiled at Pinkamena.”You coming back here, it really kinda helps me see it. The people that matter to me, they’ll always wind up back here at some point or another.”

Pinkamena nodded. “You seeing anyone yet?”

Glazed shook her head. “No, but I’ve met ladies. Women I can do things with, women who I can talk to and bond with. I’m getting back to finding someone soon enough.”

Pinkamena smiled, giggling. “Good. Good. Love to meet your new friends sometime,” she said, looking back to the dance floor and the ladies on it. “Wanna join me on the floor? I mean, you got others working the bar right?”

“In a bit. Not my break yet, but don’t wait up for me. Enjoy yourself, Mena!”

Pinkamena smiled as she finished up her drink and moved to the floor. She got lost again in the sea of dykes, moving her body to the hypnotic sway and tones around her. There could’ve been no magic users in the club but everything about the air and music definitely was enchanted.

She watched women smile at her, they’d say things to her and she’d say things back. She didn’t know what she was saying and she didn’t know if the other women knew what they were saying either. They all looked so cute to her, sucking her attention up. But then, near the back, she could see someone that caught her glance above all else.

She was dancing, drenched in sweat and clothes that were clearly in need of a good wash. She was lost in the grove and excitement and the women, and she was enjoying it all. Her hair was messy and she clearly was in need of rest but she was still going. Nothing could stop her.

“...Marble?” Pinkamena’s eyes widened. Her younger, by a few minutes, sister was here. She was having the time of life. She was absolutely exhausted by the environment, but her smile showed she was loving every second of it.

Pinkamena reached a hand out, taking a step towards her. But she stopped. Her baby sister was here, free from trauma and any connections to her old life. She was surrounded by people that made her feel happy and free. If Pinkamena were to put herself into that life, she’d ruin it. She’d only bring her down into the blood, guts and filth that Pinkamena was in. If her sister wanted that part of her life back, she’d contact her herself. Coming in now, it could cause everything to come crashing down. “… Good for you, Marble. Keep the party going,” she muttered to herself before heading back to the bar. Exhaustion was washing over her as well and it was time for her to finally make a phone call.

Glazed was more than happy to show her to the rooms. It was simple bed and bathroom, with a mini bar stocked with all kinds of booze and customizable lighting. Something straight out of the disco era, kept alive and maintained into the modern day.

A white phone sat on a nearby desk next to the bed. It was just sitting there, waiting to be used. Pinkamena took slow deep breaths as she picked up the receiver. “… Why is this hard? I’ve been waiting to do this since I woke up!” she muttered to herself. Was it the explanation, the choice of who to dial, what she would say?

“Don’t delay on this. You can worry about talking about why you’re here later. For now, just call before you somehow wind up even more lost,” the pink pony explained. It slowly climbed up onto the bed and flopped back on it.

Pinkamena felt her body growing shakier as she reached her hand out to the dial. Her vision became blurry as tears welled up in her eyes as she punched in numbers. It was all crashing back down, and she wasn’t keeping it together.

She held the phone tight as it rung and rung. Her body was trembling, just seconds from collapsing onto the bed. After a few long seconds, she heard someone pick up on the other end.

“Oh, Darling, I’m so sorry, but Carousel Boutique is closed until furth－”

“R-Rarity! Oh, Rarity …”

“Rarity, are you nuts?” Applejack asked, watching Rarity dry off and drink from a mug of tea. “The fact that you even came out here in the first place is crazy, but going all the way to the train station? Yer gonna get sick!”

“I know, I know, Twilight said the same thing, but I need to do this,” Rarity explained. “Pinkie called me and she seriously sounded like she neede my help. I will not leave her alone like that.”

Applejack let out a frustrated groan before sighing. “I know, I know. But, going out in the middle of a huge storm, to a town you ain’t ever heard of? At least let me come with you, just to be safe in case Pinkie’s hurt or something! Big Mac can watch Sweetie Belle just fine. She’s not gonna get too bored either since Applebloom’s here.”

Rarity sighed, shaking her head. “How I wish, but she kept saying she only wanted me. I’m really worried about what’s going on with her, Applejack,” she explained, sighing again. “What you can do to help is just, can you maybe look into setting something up for her when we get back? A nice cake or inviting her over for dinner here? Just, something to tell her we’re always there for her.”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, yeah I can do that. Just… Just promise me you’ll be safe out there too. Even if the storm doesn’t get you all sick or something, I know there’s probably at least a few bad people that aren’t still inside,” Applejack said. She took Rarity’s hand, the two blushing. “… I can’t have someone else I care about disappearing on me ‘cause I wasn’t there for them.”

Rarity nodded, pulling her into a hug. “Applejack, it’s me. You know nothing like that would stop me so easily,” she said with a wink and a giggle. She pulled her rain jacket and boots back on. “Would you be less worried if I were to give you a goodbye kiss on the cheek?”

Applejack’s blush deepened as she looked away. “H-heh heh... We probably shouldn’t be joking ‘bout that…”

Rarity nodded, before opening the door and heading out into the storm again. While it was naughty to tease the past like that, she liked seeing Applejack actually smile again.

She just hoped she could do the same for Pinkie.

Pinkamena had been watching the ceiling for hours. After she had finished her call to Rarity, she collapsed into bed and hadn’t had the energy to get back up since.

She sat up when she heard a knock at the door. She slowly made her way over, before stopping and listening. “… Pinkie Pie, are you in there? The woman at the counter said this was your room.” Rarity’s voice.

Pinkamena took a few seconds, trying and failing to get her hair back to its curly afro, before letting out a long deep breath and opening the door. She shut her eyes tight as she swung it open, gripping the door knob as tight as she could.

Before she could get a word out, she was pulled into a tight hug. Her top quickly grew wet from Rarity’s jacket. And yet, she could still feel a warmth underneath it. “Oh, Pinkie Pie …” Rarity whispered into her ear as she looked at her. After a few long and silent seconds, Rarity let go of her. “May I come in, dear?” she asked, smiling.

A short while later and Pinkamena was watching Rarity as she dried off in the bathroom. “I’m listening, darling, you can talk about this whenever you’re ready.”

“I really don’t know how I got here, Rarity. I just … I was sick, I went to sleep, I wound up on the train here and I don’t know… I just don’t know,” Pinkamena muttered, shoving her face into her palms.

“... What do you think happened, exactly?” Rarity asked, poking her head out from the bathroom. “Has this ever happened before?”

Pinkamena shook her head. “No, never! I think I just… sub-consciously did it all. Like my body wanted me to come here.”

“Now that you have, do you think you’re ready to go back?”

“No. No, not yet. I just… it feels like I can’t go back yet. I don’t deserve to go back yet,” Pinkamena explained. Her body was shaking again. “Oh Rarity, I don’t deserve any of this! My friends, my job, my talent, anything! I’m a fraud! A worthless fraud!”

Rarity pulled her into another, softer, hug. “Oh, Pinkie, that’s not true. You’re such an amazing friend, so talented and skilled and beautiful. From your jokes to your baking to your singing range. Ever since you first moved into town, I’ve enjoyed being your friend.”

“Pinkamena.”

“Hm?”

“My name. My real name is Pinkamena. Pinkamena Diane Pie. C-can you please call me that while we’re here?”

Rarity nodded, smiling. “Of course, Pinkamena. It’s a lovely name, if I may say. It fit you so perfectly.”

“B-but… what if I’m just a big joke. What if I’m doing everything wrong, what if I’m the reason Rainbow Dash went away?”

“Oh, sweetie. It isn’t your fault. I swear to it,” Rarity responded. She softly stroked her cheek “She didn’t say anything about you in her note, after all.”

Pinkamena thought, before looking Rarity in the eyes “Rarity I… I need to tell you something.”

“What is it dear?” Rarity asked, already wiping away at the tears.

“I…” Pinkamena stated, before pausing. She saw the pink pony standing in the doorway to the room, watching her, a blank expression on its face “H-have you heard all the rumors going around? That the people that leave town, don’t actually just move out?”

“I have,” Rarity looked confused. “Why are you… Pinkamena, don’t tell me you …”

“What if Rainbow Dash is dead? What if she’s gone and we’re never gonna see her again? What if something happened to her? What if someone did something to her, Rarity?!” Pinkamena screamed, breaking back down into tears.

Rarity embraced her again, but this time, her grip felt more personal. It wasn’t just the hug of a friend hugging another friend. “I-I would be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind on occasion. It would make sense… the chances of no one seeing someone as loud and bombastic after she vanished is small. B-but I can’t fully give into that idea. Because, I don’t want to believe in a world where someone like exists. I can’t lose hope for her, I can’t lose hope for Applejack, and I can’t lose hope for you.”

Pinkamena blushed as Rarity pulled her even closer. “Because what if you left next, Pinkamena? I’d have to consider the possibility that the same thing happened to you. And I refuse to have those sorts of thoughts.”

“R-Rarity, why are you that concerned over me?”

“I’m hoping it’s because of the same reason you called and asked me to come out to a town I’d never heard of before, all by myself, to a room you booked at a club called ‘Paradykes’. Is it?”

Pinkamena’s cheeks were as pink as her hair. “I-I think I might be in love with you, Rarity.”

“I know, darling. And I know that I’m in love with you,” Rarity responded, before pulling her into a long passionate kiss. Their bodies pressed against each other, a shared warmth between the both of them.

Pinkamena giggled before she grabbed Rarity’s behind, watching her pull away to let out a gasp. “C-can you make me forget all my worries? I’d do anything for that.”

Rarity nodded, undoing her top with one and and using her magic to levitate two beer cans from the fridge with the other. She giggled as she shook her chest for Pinkamena to see. “Oh, Pinkamena. You don’t have to do a thing for it~” she said with a wink as they cracked their drinks open.

The pink pony used this opportunity to walk out and leave. It needed the time anyways to think. “…I’m not an it,” it said to itself. “I’m… a she,” she told herself, a small smile crawling across her face. That felt nice to say. She was a part of Pinkamena, she came from her after all, but she was also her own being. Thoughts, feelings, emotions. She had them all. All she needed was a name.

For Pinkamena and Rarity, the day turned to night and the night became endless. Their nude bodies pressed against each other as they kissed and touched, growing slick and sticky with sweat. Their moans and cries of pleasure echoed off the walls as Rarity wrapped her legs around Pinkamena’s head and held her there as she ate her out. “Ooo, someone knows how to go down on another woman~”

Pinkamena had know she was lesbian for most of her life. A fascination with the female body in art and tv shows led to discovery and exploration as she got older. She would meet women just like her, try things out. She would find true happiness and love… only for it to be taken away from her the same night she rediscovered her other type of fascination with the human body.

But now, that fascination and admiration was in full effect. She was showing Rarity how much she loved her form, her body, her voice, everything about her. She kissed up and down her legs, doing her best to please.

Of course, Rarity was no beginner either. She loved all the things Pinkamena gave her. She would lean into every kiss, every grab, every finger. She loved it, and she craved it. “O-oh, Pinkamena~! Don’t you dare stop!”

Pinkamena then pulled her head back, smiling. She felt an energy running through her, and she wanted to play with it. She reached out for Rarity’s nipples, pinching and tugging. “Such a selfish demand. Telling me what to do, I don’t think so. You’re here to make me forget, Rarity. And I don’t have to do a thing to make you!” she said, twisting them with a smile.

Rarity could only cry out in true bliss as the storm continued on outside. If they had the ability to, they’d stay like this forever.

After a few hours, the two were going off pure adrenaline. Pinkamena had saddled herself on top of Rarity, bouncing on her as if she was riding something. There was no strap on or the like to connect the two, but the jolt of sensations that went both of them was enough to keep her going.

Even in the dimmed room lighting, Rarity still looked stunning. Her hair was messy and she still covered in sweat, but she was still Rarity. The moans she madewere weaker, but they were still full of love and lust.

Pinkamena smiled again, putting a hand down on Rarity’s chest, before blinking as she heard a loud squish. Pulling her hand back, she saw that her entire palm was now crimison red, dripping from her fingers and running down her palm. “H-huh?” She quickly looked back to Rarity, her own blood going cold at the sight.

Rarity’s chest was cut open, her flesh laid on each side of her, giving Pinkamena a good look at her insides. Pinkamena could see all of it. Her ribs, her lungs, her intestines, her still beating heart. She watched them all, puling and rising and falling, the thick scent of copper mixing with acidic juices filling the air.

Pinkamena felt her own heartbeat increase as she started to pant. Her lungs weren’t getting any air as she panted. “Pinkamena? Darling, what’s wrong?” She slowly moved her gaze up to Rarity’s face.

Rarity was smiling at her, even as blood trickled from her mouth. Cuts and scars of all sizes and lengths covered almost every inch of her face. Her hair was mostly gone, leaving only shaved down stubble in its place. She looked like it hurt to smile and breathe at the same time.

Pinkamena let out a scream, falling back and hitting the floor with a thud. She curned up in the fetal position, sobbing as Rarity got of the bed and came to her side. “P-Pinkamena, what’s wrong?”

Pinkamena couldn’t stop crying as she shook. “I… I love you Rarity. I love you so much. A-and the people that I love, they all get hurt by me. Because of me. T-there’s a beast inside me, and it might hurt you too...” She had the look and sound of a scared, lost child.

Rarity looked at her for a few seconds, before letting out a chuckle. “Oh, Pinkamena, darling,” she said, softly putting a hand on the back of Pinkamena’s head as she looked her in the eyes. “You could bite into my shoulder and rip chunk out of me as if were a ripe fruit,” she grinned, moving Pinkamena’s face closer to her shoulder. “and I would love you all the same.” She could feel Pinkamena’s uneven breath on her skin as she shivered with delight.

Her hands then cupped Pinkamena’s cheeks, before letting her fingers trace over the scars on either side. “If there really is a beast inside of you, Pinkamena, then I hope I can see it some day. Or perhaps… I’m already looking at her, right now~”

The worry and fear on Pinkamena’s face turned to happiness as she nuzzled against Rarity, giggling. “I love you, Rarity.”

“I love you too, Pinkamena Diane Pie.” Rarity looked over to a nearby clock, reading the time. “Oh my, it’s gotten to four in the morning? Felt like it was late afternoon only five minutes ago.” She laughed. “I think I’m going to have one more drink before bed. How about you?”

Pinkamena shook her head as she got to her feet. “I’m just gonna wash up. I feel all damp and sticky,” she said, before walking into the bathroom. She turned on the sink, splashing hot water on her face.

Looking to the room’s corner, she noticed her bag was there. It was… buzzing? Curious, Pinkamena crouched down, going through it. Through the old and still damp clothes, she could see a dim light shining through.

As she reached in and pulled it out, her heart sank. It was a cellphone, an older and roughed up flip phone model. One that didn’t belong to her, one that she had stolen and tried to bury away. One that would’ve been so easy to just break and toss, but one that she never could because of how much it meant.

One that belonged to a dead woman.

Applejack sighed, leaning back into the couch as she heard the other end of the phone continue to ring. It had been a while since she had done this. And it hurt every single time she did, but she still wanted to at least keep trying. The small chance of the other end picking up, it was always… such a nice thought.

The routine was the same each and every time. She’d hit the answering machine, talk for who knows how long and then just hope Rainbow heard it on the other end. She let out a sigh as was ready for the answering machine to pop up.

But then, there was a click… and she could heard the sound of heavy breathing on the other end. She bolted up right. “H-hello? Rainbow Dash, is that you? Are you there?” she was already tearing up as she held the phone close to her ear. She had the biggest smile on her face. “Oh, I’ve missed you! Are you alright? Need anything? I-I can come get ya from wherever you are right now!! No one’s mad at ya or anything, if that’s what you’re worried about, we all just miss you and－”

A raspy, tear filled voice came through. “Applejack… never call me again…. please….” before quickly hanging up the phone.

Applejack took a few seconds to take in what just happened, before leaping up with joy. Oh, thank Celestia! She was alive! She was still out there! She’d see her again some day, she knew it!

She began letting out hoots and hollers that were louder than the storm. She knew she’d wake the whole house up and get a chewing out by Granny Smith for doing so, but she didn’t care! She couldn’t wait to share the good news with anyone that could hear! Hell, she’d make apple dumplings to celebrate the news, that’d quiet ‘em down!

Pinkamena threw up into the toilet as she tossed the cellphone aside. No no no! Why did she do that?! What in the world was she thinking?! “Fuck. You fucking idiot, do you ever do anything right? Why’d you ever think answering was a good idea?!”

She then turned to see Rarity, looking down at her. She was expressionless. “R-rarity! I… don’t…”

Rarity simply walked in, picking the phone up. In one swift motion, she twisted and broke it in two before tossing it in the sink with a splash. She then turned on the showers and let steam fill up the room as she moved to step in. “Come on, you said you needed to wash up, right?”

Pinkamena nodded, getting in with her. As the two embraced once more, thick heavy steam surrounded them and flooded the bathroom.

Pinkie Pie smiled as she looked at the large cake put out for her. It was obvious that it was homemade, with one side clearly sagging and the topping dribbling off it. But, it was the thought that counted. “Wow, you guys didn’t have to do all this for me!”

“Aw, nonsense! Nothing wrong with showing a little support for a good friend, now is there?” Applejack asked, slapping her on the back. “I know you eat up any pastries you see quicker than a starvin’ vagrant at the county fair, so why are you complaining about free cake?”

“Who said I was complaining? I was just pointing it out!” Pinkie laughed before taking a the biggest slice available and biting into the thing. It could be a bit more moist and used one more layer of frosting on the inside, but she’d be crazy to say that outloud. “Mmm mm! Tasty stuff!”

“O-oh thank goodness. I was worried I hadn’t done enough for the cake… I’m not used to doing this kinda stuff myself…” Fluttershy squeaked out.

“You did wonderful, Fluttershy darling,” Rarity complimented. She then walked over wiping a glob of frosting from Pinkie’s nose. “though I do think Pinkie would appreciate the taste more if she was less of a messy eater,” she said, sneaking a cheeky wink to Pinkie. She giggled seeing her blush.

“You know, Pinkie, we’re all here for you if you ever need anything. We’re sorry if we made you feel otherwise,” Twilight said, approaching her. “We’re all friends for a reason, and friends are there for each other. We’ll make sure things are better.”

Pinkie smiled. “ Wow, thanks you guys! You’re the bestest friends a gal could ever want! Hey, I’m gonna go get something from the kitchen real quick, I’ll be right back,” she said, heading to the back.

Twilight watched her, before feeling a tap on her shoulder. “Oh, Trixie! Happy you could make it to the party.”

“Trixie has come asking to see if that offer you made her, was that still on the table?”

Twilight chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. “Right now? I… I’m not so sure. One of my friends just got a call from Rainbow Dash, so there’s a real chance she might come back soon. A-and I don’t even know if the elements can be switched or not or－”

Trixie put her hand up, stopping Twilight. “Trixie assumed as much. Such a lucky chance really was too good to be true,” she said, throwing both hands up and sighing. She then reached in her pocket, pulling out a business card and handing it to her. “Trixie shouldn’t be giving you this after all you’ve but her through. But, in case you ever need a break away from all of this, you may give her a call.”

“T-thanks … ?” Twilight wasn’t fully sure of the implications of what she was saying. “… Do you want to stay for the party or—?”

“Of course. The Great and Powerful Trixie never turns down a free meal.”

As Pinkie entered into the kitchen, she put the slice of cake on the kitchen counter as she saw the pink pony looking out at the party. “You want me to save you a slice or something? I’m sure somehow it would work.”

The pony shook her head. “Maybe later… you know, we can do whatever we want at this point. We can bury our past and everything we’ve done back in that town, and fully focus on the life we have here.”

“What spurred this on?” Pinkie asked, walking over. “

“Going back to that town, it was cathartic. It was necessary,” the pony explained. “It’s part of us, but we needed to see it off. It was a goodbye.”

Pinkie moved her slice of cake closer to the pony. “You can have it if you actually explain what the hell you are. You like switching between using “me” and “we” a lot.”

The pony looked at the slice, before putting a hoof out and moving the plate closer. “I’m you. I’m your thoughts, your wants, your desire, your scars.”

“So you’re the thoughts in the back of my head, that kinda explains it, ” Pinkie replied.

“Mena.”

“Huh?”

“Call me Mena,” the pony said, taking a bite from the cake and chewing. “I like being my own being.”

“Just a bundle of contradictions, aren’t you?” Pinkie said, before looking back at her friends through the kitchen doorway. She watched them happily talking to one another as the crusaders, and two other girls she didn’t recognize, cheered Scootaloo on as she shoved multiple slices in her mouth. She then looked at Rarity, who glanced over to her and smiled and waved.

She smiled back at Rarity, before looking down Mena as she continued to eat. “It does sounds nice, not having to worry about those things anymore…” she muttered. She walked back to the others, smiling.

“You know something,” Applejack said, slapping Pinkie on the back as she re-joined them. “I’m glad you’re my friend.”

Pinkie Pie gave the biggest smile that she could.

Pinkie watched the leaves come off their branches and float through the air as she heard the sounds of dozens of legs running mixed in with energetic commentary in the far distance. The annual Running of the Leaves had started and this time, Spike had the honors of doing the commentary all on his own. She was happy for him, he deserved more time in the spotlight.

She had changed into that sweater that she and Rarity had found. It was so snug and cozy, perfect for this lovely fall weather. Though, all the mud that was there from the storms did make going for a nice walk a bit too messy.

It was one of the few moments where she enjoyed being alone. Taking the cool air in, admiring the scenery, it was such a nice sense of zen. She’d need to make herself a hot chocolate with the works to really go with this weather.

As she walked past the many trees, she head a voice in the distance. It sounded angry. “What do you mean I lost the position?! I was gunning for it!” It sounded vaguely familiar to Pinkie. She slowly made her way closer as her eyes widened. It was that woman from Rarity’s party. She didn’t know her name, but she had the growing feeling it wasn’t going to matter soon enough.

“...It went to Velvet Suns?! That hackjob shitskin got the position and I didn’t? What the fuck does she have that I don’t?” Pinkie slowly reached in her pockets and pulled out black latex gloves. Funny, she couldn’t even remember why she put them there.

“I swear, she doesn’t even work most of the time. Always laughing it up so loudly and eating those shitty snacks. Does she always have to get the ones that get all over her fingers? Or is that some kind of weird ghetto fashion thing I didn’t know about?”

This woman was lucky, with the running of the leaves and Spike’s commentary, she could go on rants like this without having to worry about her volume. Though, with how self absorbed and focused on her call she was, she probably wouldn’t notice anything going on around her unless it hit her in the face.

“I’m gonna contest this, you can count on that. I’ve worked too goddamn hard to get this far. Probably just doing it to look good, give the shitskin the position and let the actual workers suffer. It’s all bullshit.”

Pinkie got closer, walking up behind her. The latex gloves slid on without resistance. She could hear the sounds of the dozens of people running mixing in with this woman’s voice.

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you later or whatever. Spread the word on this bullshit. We need others to push back against this too. I’m not taking this lying down,” the woman said, before angrily hanging up.

She only barely noticed the shadow looming over her as hands wrapped around her throat and squeezed. All the sounds she tried to make died in her throat.

As she made her way into the bathroom, Pinkie noticed that she had tracked mud in. She’d have to clean that up later, so that’d be fun.

She felt the fall breeze again as a few scattered leaves blew in from the window above the mirror. She watched them float in slowly, landing all around her. It made for a pretty sight.

She placed her hands on the sink as she looked at her reflection. She blinked a few times as she saw herself and her friends, all of them smiling back at her. Rainbow Dash happily wrapped her arm around her shoulder as they laughed. It had happened over a year ago, but Pinkie remembered it like it was yesterday.

She slowly reached up to her cheek, running her fingers against the claw marks on her right cheek. The sting from it caused her to suck in air through her teeth.

“...It was a nice thought, the idea I could return to that life,” she said, sighing. She turned the water on as steam slowly filled up the room. She washed her hands. “But, it would never be that easy. Even with the people in my life supporting me, it could never be that easy.”

She looked at the now fogged up mirror as she turned off the sink. She reached out and wiped her palm across it. She saw the reflection of herself and the Mena look back at her.

“Well, time to get to work,” Pinkamena Diane Pie said as she turned and left the room, making her way back to the kitchen. She lifted up the trap door and felt a cool breeze hit her face. She glanced around again to make sure no one else was around.

As she looked into the darkness, she could hear a sound coming from it. The crackling of a record player.

She let out a long sigh, then smiled, before she began walking down. She closed the trap door behind her, disappearing into the dark shadows below.

Author's Note

Well here we are, back again with a brand new-ish updated chapter, as well as the additional epilogue for Beasts of Fall. Doing this as a sort of semi-late Halloween celebration as well as making up for the fact that I sadly won't be selling copies of the book at Ciderfest this year. I do have another bigger piece planned that'll likely be coming after the con is all wrapped up so look out for that but for now, enjoy this and the long awaited (by me) epilogue of this story. And thank you to anyone that liked and stuck around. Here's hoping it's back to more very, very soon.

Epilogue: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Pinkamena could hear the sounds of rushing water as she slowly opened her eyes. She She was lying in the middle of a stream, with the night sky above her. A cold breeze ran against her skin as hundreds of tall trees surrounded her. “What the …” she muttered, slowly getting to her feet.

As her eyesight adjusted to the new environment, she noticed that Mena was standing a bit ahead of her, watching the sky. “Hey! What’s going on here?”

Mena continued to watch the sky, before turning her head and looking at Pinkamena. “ I think its time for me to get going.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s becoming clearer now. You don’t listen to me, you’re not thinking things through anymore. You’re slipping up, and I’m not going to be around when it all goes wrong.”

Pinkamena stood there, baffled at what she was hearing. “Huh? You think I’m slipping up? I’m doing better than ever! I’m making decisions that are making me happy, making us happy. What’s this about huh?”

Mena just glared at her. “You’re letting more people into your world. You’re getting more and more emotionally attached and acting on something because it makes you feel good, not thinking of the long run.”

“Is this because I took in Scootaloo? I’m making sure she gets the love and affection she deserves. Better than anything her parents could give her!” Pinkamena was growing visibly agitated, scowling.

“She doesn’t need the kind of love and affection someone like us has. She needs to be put in an environment that’ll actually help her cope with all the shit she’s been through. Not us feeding her beast.”

“I’m giving her what I needed when I went through everything!”

Mena just scoffed. “You’re putting yourself and her at risk. And especially, especially, with keeping Rarity so close.”

“Don’t you dare tell me I shouldn’t be able to feel love again. Rarity loves me for who I am. Do you know how long it is since I felt that sort of love in my life? No wait, you do know since you are me!” Pinkamena tried to get closer but stumbled. The bedding of the stream was made up entirely of uneven rocks.

Mena shook her head. “Again. You’re not listening to me or what I have to say. She’s fueling you and feeding you in ways that are making things worse. And you don’t see that because she says ‘I love you’.”

“... Didn’t you like it when she said that too? Didn’t you miss the warmth of sharing a bed, or a hug or, or, or anything?” Pinkamena suttered.

Mena looked aside, hiding her face. “I did. I liked it at first. When she loved you. But she isn’t the same Rarity anymore. Things aren’t the same and it’s beyond our control.”

“Mena, don’t say that. We’ve been able to－”

“We killed Fluttershy, Pinkamena. We killed another one of our friends because you were so scared of her taking everything awa,” Mena said, tears welling up in her eyes. “You don’t wanna listen to me anymore, so I’m… I’m just gonna go. I don’t wanna be fully aware and felling things when they come and kill us.” She turned away and started to walk off, before stopping and looking back. “I… I’m sorry for all of it, Pinkamena.”

Pinkamena just watched her start to head further down the stream. “H-hey wait a minute! Don’t go! Come on, we can fix this! I can fix this!” She paused, before gritting her teeth. “You wanna act like you were this great guide? How bout all the times you told me it’d be easy to just close my eyes and aim up, huh? How nice it sounded to sleep forever? Or how easy it would be to fuck up Applejack a bit?! I’m like this because of you, no walking it back!” She paused again, fists tightening. “I killed my mom cause of you! You’re the urge that made me bring down the rock! I could’ve hesitated, I could’ve backed away! But no, I did it and I killed my mom!”

She was shouting at the top of her lungs, tears in her eyes as Mena continued to walk further down. “You wanna leave me because you’re scared?! Fine, then fuckin’ leave you fuckin’ murderer! Don’t come back! I’m happy, I’m loved, I’m not alone! I’m allowed to have a happy ending! If I ever see you again I’ll… I’ll… I’ll smash your stupid head in! I’ll take the biggest rock I have and I’ll smash your face in on the ground! How bout that, huh?! Huh?!”

Pinkamena was panting, watching as Mena stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around to look at her again. There was a new person in her place. A young girl, no more than six or seven years old, standing there. She was trembling as tears ran down her face. The front of her shirt was stained in blood, along with a large rock that she was holding. “I… I … I … I killed my mommy…” the young girl said, before being dragged down into the water.

Pinkamena just stood, silently as tears continued down her face. The sound of the stream echoed around her, along with wind rustling through the trees. She looked down, watching as the waters began to turn red from a trail of blood slowly appearing.

It was leading right back to her.

Suddenly, Pinkamena blinked and sat up. Her head stung badly and the air smelled damp. “Ugh…” she muttered under her breath, rubbing the sore spot. She noticed that she had on rubber black gloves, and was wearing a large and heavy pale apron.

“M-Miss Pinkamena, you’re awake!” She was pulled into a hug as she recollected herself. She smiled as she saw it was Scootaloo, wearing a bloodstained apron and black rubber gloves. “I got so scared when you tripped like that. I didn’t know what to do besides a wet washcloth. A-are you alright?”

Pinkamena chuckled, nodding. “Yeah, yeah. Just a bad fall. Happens sometimes when your work environments get so wet and messy, yeah?” she joked, as she got back on her feet.

The area around them was barely lit, illuminated by the warm orange glow of a few sporadically light bulbs. Pinkamena had found that she had grown rather accustomed to the lack of lighting in the basement, thanks to spending so much time down there now.

“I think it would be best if we did a bit of clean up later this weekend, Pinkamena. Some of your work stations reek of old blood and it makes me just want to gag.” Pinkamena felt herself blush as Rarity pressed against her from behind, her head appearing over her left shoulder. “This place already has to deal with the stink of fresh bodies, you don’t need the old ones too.”

Pinkamena nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I guess I can look into it,” she muttered. Looking at Rarity’s face, she took a close look at the three large claw marks that ran over her lover’s left eye and the three in the middle of her face.

“What? Is something bleeding again, darling?” Rarity asked, moving a hand to her scars.

Pinkamena shook her head. “No, no. Just… admiring your beauty,” she said, before pulling her into a deep kiss. “God, you’re something else, Rarity.”

Scootaloo made audible gagging sounds as the two kissed. “Bleugh. I like the corpse smell! I think it makes this place feel even more like home.”

Before Pinkamena could respond, a loud and raspy groan came from behind the three. A body was standing behind them, suspended by ropes, blindfolded and gagged. Pinkamena could note a few tear stains were on the blindfold as they groaned and struggled. They pulled on their ropes to no avail. “Oh right, you. Honestly, I keep forgetting you’re there.”

She pulled away from Rarity, walking to a nearby cart. Dozens of knives were on it, all different shapes and sizes. She picked up a kitchen knife, hand getting comfy with its handle. “Let’s deal with that, yeah?” she asked, walking towards the body, smiling as she watched them start to flail and struggle.

Pinkamena Diane Pie was happy with her life.

Pinkamena gasped for air and coughed as her hands gripped onto counter. Her nose was burning and couldn’t smell anything at the moment, but if it could it would be overwhelmed by the putrid stench that the vomit in the sink was giving off. Tears were streaming down her face as she quickly turned the faucet on, blasting the bile down the drain and splashing her mouth to wipe away anything left.

She looked down at the sink for a few more moments before looking around her. It was still the same kitchen, with the same shelves and drawers and refrigerator that had been there when she first woke up here. The kitchen was still the same, the living room was still the same, the bedroom and the bathroom were still the same. Pinkamena Diane Pie was still dead and stuck in her coffin.

It was another day in the coffin, which one she wasn’t sure. She had stopped counting the actual days after her second or third year. Trying to keep track of it had just caused her to grow neurotic, and she didn’t need that on top of everything else while living in purgatory.

As she turned off the faucet, she felt her forehead. Still damp and clammy, thick beads of sweat rolling down her face as she let out heavy breaths. Just because she was long dead didn’t mean she couldn’t feel things. This place was made to have her suffer. And currently, she was going through another particularly bad bout of withdrawal.

“God…” she moaned under her breath and staggered away from the sink. She slowly moved out of the kitchen and into the living room. Her legs felt like lead, causing pain to spike through her with each step. She just wanted to crash on the couch and sleep until it stopped hurting, to sweat out all the pain.

As she took another step, her foot snagged against the carpet and tripped, sending her to the ground with a loud thud. She let out a sobbing groan as she hit the floor, sliding across it in agony. All she could feel was pain. Pain that she couldn’t treat or ignore or deny. She could feel her eyes watering as tears ran down her cheeks alongside all the sweat. She had been through this time and time again, and it never got any easier.

But then, something changed and the mood shifted. Pinkamena felt another presence, someone was standing above her. Watching her. Through her blurry tears she saw a figure in front of her. They were tall and looming, silently observing her. A pearly white grin ran across their face as they locked eyes.

She slowly rubbed her eyes and blinked, only to see that that the tall figure was gone. In their place stood the front door, still locked and moving. She shook as she crawled closer to it, resting her head against it. It wasn’t a pillow, but it would have to make do.

Her eyes widened as she felt a cold breeze on the back of her neck. She turned around, feeling a gust of cold air hit her in the face, followed by a few scattered snowflakes. Through the tiny crack at the bottom of the door, she could feel a breeze. There was an outside.

She got to her feet, all sensations of pain leaving her body as she wrapped her hand around the doorknob. She took a few seconds, before turning the knob. It rattled in place a bit but didn’t turn. She gave it a few more tries, but with no success. The door remained locked.

Pinkamena rested her head against the door, letting out a few deep breaths… before a smile slowly crossed her face. There was something out there. There was somewhere out there. Somewhere with fresh air, snow… and at least one person wanting her out there.

Or maybe, they just wanted to put her in a new coffin.

Pinkamena took a deep breath as she looked up at the sky. It was a brilliant blue, a color she hadn’t seen in a long time. She could hear the wind, a slight breeze on her arms.

None of this felt real. She was half expecting to be jumped by someone and wake up back in purgatory, another delusional dream coming to a depressing reminder of an end. But that moment hadn’t happened. It wasn’t going to happen. Because whenever she put her hand to her chest, she could feel her heart beating. For the past few days, she had been alive again.

She tapped her foot slightly, leaning against the balcony railing. The Golden Oak Library had always been such a good spot for when someone wanted to just get a reminder of where they were. She could see all the buildings and shops, the people happily walking to and fro, waving and chatting with each other. It was like nothing had changed at all.

But then she’d see the giant, sparkling castle on the other side of town, and it’d remind her that this wasn’t her town, her home. This was a world with a Pinkie Pie and not a Pinkamena. A world where people got to live their lives without the fear of being taken and forgotten, one where life got to go on as it was always intended to. One that did not care if she died again.

Pinkamena rubbed the back of her neck, sighing. It was cool, and yet it was like there was a heat bearing down on her at the moment. “Damn it…” she muttered, feeling her palms start to burn up. Probably best to head in soon, maybe take another shower and deep cleansing before heading out to meet up with the others.

She turned to head in, before hearing a crunch under her shoe. She bent down, seeing a reddish-orange leaf’s top half poking out from under her shoe. She watched the free half flap around for a beat, before pulling it off and looking at it. How long had it been stuck there? It was nowhere near fall yet and none of the trees had leaves matching this color. She watched as the leaf she was holding got swept up and blown away in the breeze, joining dozens of other leaves that looked just like it.

She looked down to the various crowds below, seeing the backs of people she knew among the many others. She’d only see them for a few seconds before they would head deeper in and disappear, being swallowed by the seas of others. No one was looking at her, no one was calling out to her.

Pinkamena blinked, and she was back to reality.Her head felt light and she swayed a bit, before going back inside and heading to the bathroom. The sound of warm water pouring out into the sink was oddly calming for her. Like, it was another reminder that she was back in a reality that had fresh running water or something. She let it fill her hands before splashing it on her face, giving out a few long and relieved sighs.

Her relaxed tranquility was then cut short as she heard the sound of a radio coming from another room. Funny, she didn’t remember turning on one… or this place even having a radio to begin with. But that wasn’t the issue. The issue was who was currently on the radio. “Ah, dearest listeners, it feels like a lifetime since we last chat, despite it only being a day or so.” The voice of Minerva Gethsemane filled up the bathroom, almost as if she was simply doing her show from the shower. “I hope you’re doing well, especially with all the oddities that have been going on this whole week.”

Pinkamena grumbled, washing her hands and looking up at herself in the mirror. She still had a bit of a pause whenever she gazed at her new appearance. Spending a decade or so in purgatory had led to her coming out looking much different. She had become heavier, sporting a big round belly, and tons of thick body hair all over. Add along the numerous scars covering her from head to toe, and it sounded almost impossible to believe that she used to the skinny black girl with the big puffy pink afro that threw parties and made cupcakes. At least her hair was still pink.

“You know, it’s been these recent events, that got me thinking,” Minerva said, Pinkamena able to hear the sound of her chair creaking as she leaned in closer to the mic. “Our lives are something truly sacred. Something that we’re supposedly supposed to take for value. But a lot of people don’t like telling us why. Why should we try to live our lives when we can just curl up and let death take us? Not like life is easy or anything, right?”

Pinkamena didn’t understand most of what Minerva said in her broadcasts. To her it was mostly just the forgettable nonsense that any other disc jockey would say between music tracks. As she looked at her face in the mirror, she found her eyes gazing down to the long horizontal cut that ran across the center of her face and nose. She softly touched it.

“I’ll tell you why. Because, there’s no fun in rotting away on purpose. No fun in it at all. Especially when you’re a woman like me, a woman of a certain… pigmentation. Others really, really want you dead and gone, along with the other cruelties of life.”

As Pinkamena looked up back at the mirror, she blinked. Her reflection, it was different. It looked younger, missing the cut across the nose, and oddly it wasn’t looking directly at her rather it was looking up at her with an expression of fear. There was a slight sting as she felt blood trickling from the scars on her face.

“But I guess it’s up to you really, dear listeners.” Pinkamena felt a hand softly squeeze on her shoulder as Minerva’s voice came from behind her. “You can become and remain a corpse in the land of the living, or you can become something truly greater. You can keep going and see what comes next, what awaits you at the end of it all,” Minerva said, laughing. “Of course, like I said, it’s all up to you. And if being dead is what’s better for you, then at least make it entertaining.”

Pinkamena felt the hand leave her shoulder as she looked around, seeing she was still alone in the bathroom. Looking back to the mirror, she could see her reflection was back to normal again, displaying a walking corpse. “This next track’s for all my other dark skinned sisters listening in. And especially for my favorite Black Bastard, you better keep going.”

As the Minerva’s voice faded into the start of the track, Pinkamena looked at her reflection. After a few seconds, she smiled. She splashed some more water on her face, cleaning away the blood running down her cheeks and chin. She watched it get sucked down the drain before she turned from the mirror and started walking out of the bathroom as the radio kept playing.

Pinkamena smiled as she got out of the library and headed for Sugarcube Corner. She had people she had to meet up with, she had things she had to do.

Pinkamena Diane Pie had to get to work.

Author's Note

Happy day-late Halloween and Doomsday everyone. As of now, all chapters of this story have been switched out for the updated/revised version. If you weren't able to buy a copy of the book at Ciderfest 2023, you can now read it online for free! Is this the end of me added and fixing stuff up for this story? Probably not no. It's a fascinating story to me that explores a lot of stuff I think about in my identity. So naturally I'm gonna keep thinking up more and more things. One day in the future I wanna do a deluxe edition with more scenes that do straight up body horror and things like illustrations for each part. But that's in the far, far future when I have a more stable grasp on my writing. For now, enjoy. And don't touch that dial, cause I can assure you there's still more fun writing from me to come!

The Past, The Present, and the Upcoming

Applejack ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Everything around her was a blur. It was just colors and morphing shapes as her eyes welled up with tears. She could hear people calling out to her, asking what was wrong, but they weren’t people that mattered to her at the moment. She needed the others.

With a loud thud, she slammed through the doors to Sugarcube Corner as everyone in the shop looked at her. “Rainbow’s gone!” she shouted, trying her best to keep from falling to her knees and becoming an incomprehensible mess.

“What?!” Twilight ran over to her, supporting Applejack as she fell into her arms. “Applejack, what do you mean?”

“S-she wasn’t answering my calls, so I went by her place to see what was up… and.. and she wasn’t there! Lots of her clothes and stuff were just.. gone. A-and I found this note, and, oh Celestia this is my fault isn’t it…” Applejack’s stoic and strong nature was just gone as she blubbered and mumbled to herself, the note clutched tightly in her fist.

Twilight slowly pulled it out from Applejack’s grasp and started to read it out loud.

‘To my (former) friends,

I’m sorry, but I just can’t keep myself here. I see that this town, the people in it, they’re just stopping me from living out my dream. I want to be free, I want to fly high with the rest of the Wonderbolts. I can’t just live the rest of my life in this town, hoping for an adventure every day. I need to go out and find it myself. I’m starting a new life, a new me. Don’t look for me, I’m not gonna let you find me without a fight. Applejack, I’m sorry about this. I’ll always love you, but I’m not ready yet to ask you to come with me. You were and still are an amazing woman, and so much better than anything I could ever deserve in my life. Tell Scootaloo I’m sorry too, but when I’m soaring with the Wonderbolts, I’m always hoping she’s watching.

From,

Rainbow Dash’

A silence fell over the bakery, save for Applejack’s sobs and muttering. “Th-this has to be a joke, right? Dashie’s just playing an extra mean prank on us, right?” Pinkie Pie asked, walking out from behind the counter.

Rarity nodded with Pinkie. “It isn’t like she hasn’t pulled some rather cruel jokes before, right? I’m sure this is all just her trying to get us to openly talk about how amazing she is, and then she can pop out from some secret hiding spot and brag about how she knew she was always that cool.”

Fluttershy just sat at her spot, watching her hands as they slowly started to shake. She pressed them to her face as she tried her best to not let anyone else notice she was sobbing just as hard as Applejack was.

The whole bakery was starting to fill with concerned chatter from others, while a few were muttering about how they knew this would happen with someone like Rainbow Dash. They all had to be politely escorted out by Pinkie, half to give her and the others some space and half to keep them from getting their faces beaten in by Applejack.

“Don’t lose hope, Applejack. The others are probably right. You know how Dash can get sometimes. And I promise, this isn’t your fault,” Twilight said, patting Applejack on the back. “I can send a letter to Princess Celestia, get her to help look into it if you’re really that worried about her being long gone from here.”

“Th-that w-would be so nice of you, Twilight… I don’t normally ask much of you, but please,” Applejack said, looking up at her.

Twilight simply nodded. “Of course. In the meantime, We’ll all try to call her and see if she answers.” She looked over to the others as they nodded.

“It’s going to be fine, dear. We promise,” Rarity added, walking over and pulling Applejack back up to her feet and into a hug. “It’ll be alright.”

Pinkie just watched this all before quickly making her way to the kitchen. “I…” she paused for a few seconds, deep in thought. “I’ll get us all some water, so we can calm down and think clearly,” she said, shaking her head.

The emotions in the bakery ran high, but there was still a strong feeling of friendship and optimism. There’d be a light at the end of the tunnel for all this.

... right?

Pinkie found herself admiring the new wallpaper of Carousel Boutique. It showcased the silhouette of a woman riding a horse as it leaped high and valiantly through the air. It really helped tie the room together for the most part.

“Do you like it? I spent a whole day going back and forth on whether it was the one to use or not. As well as going for a darker lavender theme, to soften the mood around here even more,” Rarity explained as she walked into the room.

“Oh yeah, I think it looks really pretty!” Pinkie responded, nodding her head. She couldn’t see much of Rarity at the moment, thanks to a large cake box that she was currently holding. It was only now that she remembered she was holding it. She stumbled around a bit, blushing. “H-hey, Rarity, where do you want this?”

“Oh, yes! Let me get the table out for you to put it on!” Rarity said, snapping her fingers as a large table quickly floated into the room and placed itself down between the two. “Here, right here.”

Pinkie eagerly obliged, putting the large box down and letting out a sigh of relief. “This wallpaper was the correct choice. It’s so good, it made me forget I was holding this ginormous cake! That is no easy task!” She then gave a tug on the bow wrapped all around the box and watched as it came undone, the box falling open and revealing the cake inside.

It was a tall three layers, covered in white, black and purple frosting with sharp wave patterns and flowers covering each one. It both looked ready to be eaten up or just admired by anyone who came across it.

“One Super Special Black Forest Cake with special white chocolate icing, safe and sound!” Pinkie said, giggling as Rarity walked around, getting a good look at it.

“Oh, Pinkie darling, this is just wonderful! You and the Cakes have outdone yourselves yet again! I would have some of it right now if it wasn’t for tonight,” Rarity exclaimed, giggling.

“I did want to ask, what is this cake for? You don’t really buy that many sweet-based items when you come over to Sugarcube Corner,” Pinkie asked, looking at Rarity. Her cheeks still felt warm as she looked at Rarity.

Rarity was wearing a button-up shirt with a suit jacket thrown over her shoulders. Pins and needles were sticking out of it, so it was still a work in progress. She looked like she belonged on the cover of those mini books Pinkie saw at the grocery store.

“Oh, yes yes. This is for a celebration party I’m having later tonight. You see, I’ve been doing so well with orders and so many high-profile clients, I thought that I’d celebrate it. That and Photo Finish wants to celebrate her 10th anniversary for her business, so it’s a real two-in-one, you see,” Rarity explained, before glancing over to Pinkie. “Pinkie, darling, are you alright? Should I open a window or something?”

Pinkie blinked, snapping out of it and shaking her head. “No no, I’m super duper fine! I hope this cake is what you’re looking for for your party tonight, Rarity!” she exclaimed, turning to leave as fast as she could.

“Wait, Pinkie.” Pinkie stopped in her tracks at the command. “I was actually wondering, would you like to come to the party tonight? I know that more fancy and slow ones aren’t really your thing, but if I’m being honest, I would like it if one of my close friends was there. These are all people I know, but you know… it’d be nice to have someone I could pair up with in case things turned sour or needed spicing up. I can try to get you a rare ingredient or the like, if you want a trade or deal to be made from this,” Rarity offered.

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increasing. She rubbed her hand over her forehead a few times as she tried her best to straighten out. She turned around. “Sure, Rarity. Anything for a friend!” Oh, why was she feeling this? Why here, why now of all times?! “I just hope I don’t make things too awkward.”

“Nonsense, and even so, I’d rather have an awkward time with you than a boring and forgettable time with people I barely know,” Rarity explained. She was so elegant and smooth with her words. “I’m finishing up my outfit for tonight, but if you come back right after lunch, I can help pick out an outfit for you tonight.”

“O-oh, I don’t want to be a burden-”

“Nonsense, Pinkie! I have plenty of unused dresses that are still in great condition. They’d just be wasting space if I didn’t at least try to see if I could still use them for something!” Rarity said, before turning and walking off. She flicked her wrist and the cake box was closed back up and off floating towards the kitchen. “I should get back to finishing this jacket. I’ll see you after lunch. Or, I could even whip something up, if you wanted.”

“Coolthanksseeyoulaterbye!” Pinkie shouted out, running out of the boutique. She was doing everything she could to keep from tripping over herself as she made her way back home. Nothing felt real at the moment, what was going on?

Rarity watched her run out before going a bit pink in the cheeks herself.

“Oh dear. I do hope she comes back.” She looked at the suit she was working on. “Mm… let’s see if we can make this work.”

Animals chittered and chirped with joy as Fluttershy refilled various feeders and water bowls. It had been a bit overwhelming at first, since a lot of the animals she was currently caring for needed new diets, but thankfully things had fallen back into a groove.

She giggled as she watched Angel help with the process, getting his own cuts of lettuce from the table. He was much more well-behaved these days, not throwing as much of a fit when he didn’t get the food or items he wanted.

She walked over, scratching him on the head and smiling down at the bunny. “It’s so nice to get these things over with, because I get to see all my animal friends smile,” she explained, grabbing her mug of tea and walking over to a nearby bench and sitting down.

She watched the animals eat, the sounds and presence of nature surrounding them all. Her hair blew in the fall breeze as she looked at the orange and red leaves on the trees. She felt her fingers wrap around the mug, her soft smile slowly turning downwards into a frown.

She didn’t turn to look as someone sat down next to her. She only glanced, seeing hands wrapped around a blue thermos. “Hey, did I… miss most of the work again?” Rainbow Dash asked, glancing over.

Fluttershy shook her head. “I’ve done this stuff for years, Rainbow. I’m not as built as you but I can carry heavy bags without that much issue.”

“It’s not about that, honest! I just,” Rainbow paused. “I just want to be there more for you, ya know? I want to show I’m better.”

“Rainbow, you don’t need to-”

“Come on, I bet Harry hasn’t been fed yet, has he? I can bring him the fish he needs!” Dash said, jumping to her feet and running into the cottage.

“Rainbow Dash, wait up!” Fluttershy said, quickly following after her. “You don’t have to worry about-”

“I know, he’s a big softie! I wasn’t gonna do anything dangerous with the big lug! Just let me get him his food and then we can talk more about things you think I can do to help around here!” Rainbow was already in the fridge, scouring around for food.

“Rainbow Dash…” Fluttershy’s hands began to shake.

“I’ll be right back before you know it!”

“Rainbow Dash, Stop right now!” Fluttershy said, shouting. She watched as Rainbow turned to look at her. She looked down at the ground before they could make eye contact. “Dash… you don’t have to do that. I’ve already fed him for the day. And I’m not mad at you. I could never be mad at you.”

Tears were already welling up in Fluttershy’s eyes again as she heard Dash approach. “You don’t have to do anything to make me happy. Just… just… stay here. Please don’t leave. Talk to me, tell me you’re still here.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “I’d never leave you. I love you, Fluttershy. I just… didn’t say it back sooner.”

Fluttershy knew this was wrong, making her say these things. But, it made her happy. It made her get through the process of loss and grief. No one else knew about them, and it would stay that way.

“Come on, let’s enjoy the breeze, yeah? Nice fall weather outside, and all the animals are probably worried about you,” Rainbow said, walking back outside into the fall air.

Fluttershy watched the back of Rainbow’s bomber jacket float around in the breeze. She looked so happy, so carefree, so amazing. She had the walk and look of a woman that would live forever.

“I love you…” Fluttershy muttered, and like the last few times she had said it, her voice simply echoed around “you”.

She shook her head, getting back on her feet and heading back to the animals. Rainbow was still there, sitting on the bench and smiling at her. It wasn’t time for her to go yet. She wanted her to be happy for just a little while longer.

As tears streamed down her cheeks, Fluttershy smiled. For Rainbow, for her animals, for herself. This was how things were supposed to be. And she wasn’t going to let them slip away from her just yet.

She sat down right next to Dash. “So… is there something you wanna talk about?”

“You’ve heard all the whispers around town, right?” Fluttershy found herself shaking a bit as she finally looked Rainbow in the eyes and saw dark black pools staring back at her. “I think we should talk about them.”

Pinkie almost felt like things were unreal. Aside from the outfits for the gala, she had never really gotten anything from Rarity. Sure a fixed-up or new apron here or maybe some stitched oven mitts there, but a whole new outfit?

She watched her walk back and forth, various outfits floating through the air. They all looked so nice and pretty, probably too nice for someone like her, in all honesty. A woman who threw parties and made sweets and snacks did not deserve fashion of any kind.

“Relax,” the pink pony said, sitting next to her. “She’s offering you this for free. It’ll help take your mind off everything else. Steel your nerves before you become a total mess on the outside.”

Pinkie just rolled her eyes as Rarity held up a red and white striped suit. “How about this one? I designed it with a peppermint-type feel to it, though it was a bit too much for who I originally had in mind. I think it’ll look a lot better on you.”

“Oh, I don’t think suits are for me,” Pinkie muttered.

“Too masculine,” the pink pony added. “They’d stop ordering from us if they thought a big tough black lady was the one making the sweets or blowing balloons.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. Can we at least keep button-up tops on hand, just in case? I think you could really do well with those.”

“Yeah, those are probably fine…” Pinkie watched as Rarity then pulled out a pink wool sweater. “Ooo! That one looks nice.”

Rarity smiled, looking at it. “This one? It is very comfy looking, isn’t it. While it isn’t something really made for a party, it does go perfectly with this Fall weather. I can give this one as a little extra then, so that you don’t get too cold when winter rolls around.

“Ask her if she has any latex gloves,” the pony remarked, snickering. “We need some new ones.”

“Shh,” Pinkie whispered, before turning to see Rarity walk over to her. “D-do I have something on my face? I did just help finish icing another batch of cupcakes.”

“No no, it’s just…” Rarity rubbed Pinkie’s cheek, before looking down at the palm of her hand. A large brown spot had formed while large and ghastly-looking scars were now running along the side of Pinkie’s face. “Do you need help applying the concealer, dear? It always looks like you rush right through it.”

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increase as she nodded. “Y-yeah, I get up early so I can be on time for breakfast, you know? No one seems to notice it though, so it’s not that big of an issue.”

“You have been so against letting them be seen, so I just want to make sure that they’re not,” Rarity explained as a concealer kit floated over. She began to work on her cheek, sighing. “Truly a shame really. You try to make peace with Gilda and she just scratches you right up. And here I was hoping she was something more than just a bully.”

“Y-yeah, sometimes things just don’t work out, huh?” Pinkie muttered.

“Heh… take that, you freaky bastard…” Gilda panted, blood on her nails. She was trying to steady herself but was having issues thanks to the large cuts in both of her knees. “How are you gonna explain those to anyone that asks, huh?” Despite clearly bleeding profusely, she was smiling from ear to ear. She wasn’t going down without a fight, and right now… she had the upper hand.

Pinkie slowly reached to her cheek and felt it. It stung like all hell. She saw a lot of blood running down the side of her face and dripping onto the floor.

She slowly walked over to a nearby table, picking up a small glass jar. “You know, they say parasites don’t normally eat fresh, living flesh, only that of the dead. That’s why they tend to usually be found on the corpses of dead deer, foxes, and bears,” she explained, her voice unusually calm. “Of course, they can be more lenient on these things if, say, put under pressure. They not only eat as part of their natural life cycle but also to survive. Those little guys can die rather quickly if left from the pack or without normal food sources.”

Gilda tried to move away, only to trip and fall to the floor with a thud as she watched Pinkie move closer. “Now, another reason they don’t go for humans or living animals is actually due to all the various acids that are inside them. It could eat through someone’s stomach, but then what happens when all that hot stomach acid spills onto it before it can spit out another parasite? Both parties die in the end, benefiting no one.”

She loomed over Gilda before grabbing the back of her head with one hand and pushing it down, rubbing it against the hard ground. With her other hand, she moved the jar closer revealing that there was a parasite inside it. She violently shook the jar, jostling the insect up. “Of course, that doesn’t take into account any possible third parties, watching the deaths take place.” A look of pure sadistic glee filled her eyes as she reached in, grabbing the bug and shoving it in Gilda’s mouth.

She then shook her head, her hair instantly puffing back up to its curly form. “Oh, Dashie, it's awful! I just wanted to try and say I wasn’t holding any grudges against Gilda! She just started saying awful things and slashed at me! She laughed so hard after taking a chunk of me off like that, the big meanie!” she said in an exaggerated sad voice, pointing at the large slashes. “I can’t believe she was so mean…”

She watched as Gilda tried to yell something at her, only to let out painful gurgles instead before she began to convulse. Pinkie could see the parasite moving through Gilda’s body eating as much of her insides as it could. She would laugh if she didn’t—

“Pinkie, darling, I asked: what do you think about this?”

Pinkie blinked, snapping out of her stupor, and looking at the new dress Rarity was holding. It was a one-piece yellow and blue striped dress, with a subtle touch of pink near the bottom. “O-oh wow, that’s something. I could never wear something so amazing. Rarity, you don’t have to go through all these fancy dresses for-”

“Nonsense, Pinkie. If this is the dress you want, this is the dress you get. And I will not hear a word otherwise. You’re welcome, darling,” Rarity said, resting the dress over her arm. “I’m going to go get this all prepped and ready for you to try out. Don’t go anywhere.”

Pinkie watched her walk out before pressing her head into her hands and letting out a sigh. She really didn’t deserve any of this. She wanted to leave, not because she hated it but because she knew that Rarity would be better off if she just took someone else to the party. Twilight would easily fit right in among the higher society people, Applejack needed an event like this to help straighten her back out, and Fluttershy… well probably not her, but still.

“Go along with this. Go to this thing tonight, have the time of your life. You’re being so insistent on sticking to this life, this’ll help clear thoughts of anything else,” the pony explained.

Pinkie glared at her. “Oh, and then I have to deal with you complaining, right?”

The pony blew a raspberry at her. “I wouldn’t complain that much. I can still find fun things to do from an outcome like that, you know.” It got up, walking away. “I’m getting some air. Eager to see how you look for the party.”

Pinkie heard it trot off, before shaking her head. Talking with a pony that didn’t even have a name, how broken was her brain at this point?

This train of thought was broken as Rarity came back in with the dress, a plate of cookies and tea, and a camera. “If it’s alright darling, I’d love to take some pics of this as well. Just in case I miss something in the moment and see areas that could be fixed up later.”

“Oh, sure!” Pinkie exclaimed, trying her best to get back into her cheery persona. “Can I make silly faces, or are you gonna make me model longer if I do 'em?”

“Knowing you, you’re going to do them regardless. Just try to save the poses for the end, I suppose. I want to see how it looks on a calm you first,” Rarity said before she giggled. She tried to hide it with her wrist, Pinkie’s blush returning as she saw it. “So, shall we begin?”

The night breeze was cool and calming. Everything had a slight sway that just made any worry go away. When it became night, any stress or worries that had collected during the day just vanished. You could relax, be yourself, get a good meal. The work day had long ended.

Pinkie watched the trees and bushes sway, her own skirt moving with them. She was used to skirts, but this one felt different. This one was special. Rarity made it for her.

She watched a few random strangers walking by. Most had returned home for the night by now and weren’t in the mood to head back out, even with the cooler weather.

The pink pony watched with her, its mane blowing in the breeze. “Hey. Just this once: you should let your hair deflate. Really sell the look of being more formal here. They won’t give you as many looks if you sell it right.”

“Really? It’s not like they’re gonna suddenly stop seeing me as Pinkie Pie in there. The village clown is always a clown, even if they’re not wearing their makeup.”

“Just try it. Listen to my words of advice for once,” the pony remarked, watching her.

Pinkie took a slow, deep breath and watched as her hair went flat. She messed around with it a bit, moving it to the left side. “If I had known you wanted it like this, I would’ve gotten a straightener,” she muttered under her breath as she continued to mess with it.

“An improvised side-cut is still impressive. Get yourself one of those black turtlenecks and sunglasses and you’ll look like a fancy record producer type, one of the few kinds of black people the people at this party would want to shake hands with.”

“Yeah yeah… let’s just get this over with, for Rarity’s sake.”

“And yours,” the pony said, smiling up at her. It was a mix of shit-eating and genuine.

Pinkie walked up to the door of Carousel Boutique and knocked. She could see the calm purple tint of the lighting from the windows, as well as hear the muffled jazz coming from the speakers inside.

The door opened, with Rarity in the doorway. She had traded the suit and button-up for a light black-gray turtleneck sweater and purple heels that made her look so… so… breathtaking - like there was just a wave of easy class and coolness covering her. “Why hello, Darling. May I have your name?” she asked, before getting a good look at Pinkie. Her eyes widened. “Why, Pinkie! You look simply stunning! And your hair looks simply divine! You must tell me what conditioners you used,” she said, softly pulling her in.

“O-oh, nothing much to do. Just some time with a hair iron, you know…”

“That and long-term depression,” the pony added, running a hoof through her own hair.

Pinkie looked around at the party. Lots of people, most of them white, dressed in fancy and sleek-looking outfits. They were chatting among themselves with drinks or plates of food in their hands. Speakers set up on the wall pumped music into the room. “Did you set all of this up yourself, Rarity?” she asked, amazed.

“You’re not the only qualified party thrower, you know. It was easy honestly, hanging up the color-changing lights. I was planning on installing a set in the boutique anyway. And even if they don’t work out down here, I can always just move them up to my room as well. The speakers were a bit harder, my magic isn’t made for lifting super heavy objects like Twilight’s is,” Rarity explained before looking at Pinkie. “But enough about that. Would you like some cake? Anything to drink?”

“Um… just a lemon soda, honestly. Don’t like the taste of alcohol,” Pinkie responded, following her over to the snack table. The cake’s patterns and markings could still be made out under the lower, darker lighting. “Where’d you send Sweetie for the night?”

“Oh, she’s out at Sweet Apple Acres tonight with Applebloom and Scootaloo. They’re probably all sleeping in their clubhouse… or out causing havoc somewhere. Though, I doubt Applejack would let that happen so easily,” Rarity said. “Despite what happened the other day, and how she’s been in general, I do see Applejack wanting to better herself. When I asked if she thought she was up for having them stay the night, she looked so happy. Seeing others happy again makes her happy.”

“Yeah…”

The pony chuckled under its breath. “Yeah, and she’ll probably hit up the cellar to celebrate a job well-done, right?”

Rarity took Pinkie by the arm. “Do you mind if I introduce you to some of the others here? They’re just dying to meet the element of laughter herself,” she asked.

“Wow, they wanna meet me?” That was a surprise to Pinkie.

“Of course, darling. Who wouldn’t?” Rarity whisked her away, the two getting lost in the crowd of people, while Rarity never lost her grip on Pinkie’s arm.

The pink pony watched them vanish among the other guests, before looking up at people getting themselves a slice of cake. “You know, I’m honestly surprised,” one of them murmured to the other. “When I saw pictures of the woman that usually makes these things, I was half expecting her to have already eaten half of it before any of us got here.”

“Probably going to save it for after the fried chicken and grits,” the other responded giggling.

The pink pony just huffed air through its nose and walked off. “They really don’t have anything original to say, do they.”

Twilight found herself glancing out the window for what must’ve been the twentieth time. She was always so early to meet-ups, and every time she was she wound up so anxious and twitchy. She had good reason for it this time though! That was what she told herself anyway.

She just hoped she wasn’t annoying any of the waitstaff. She’d have to be sure to leave an extra large tip to make up for things when this was all said and done.

As she kept looking out at the night sky, she was startled by the sound of someone getting into the seat across from her. “Why is it,” Trixie asked as she took her seat, “that the trains Trixie uses always seem to come in late? Trixie would be fired from most gigs if she wasn’t used to it at this point.”

“Was wondering if I had gotten here too early, in all honesty. Good to see you’re doing well, Trixie,” Twilight said, doing her best to not sound like she was being too condescending or extending too much pity.

“Why of course.The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t go down easily, after a single defeat!” Trixie proclaimed, before taking a beat to cross her arms. “You sure did try your best, you know. Most people know me as the woman who got utterly humiliated, and let me tell you it is not good for business.”

“I know, and I truly am sorry for that. I just thought you told Snips and Snails to bring in the Ursa Minor.”

“Of course, Trixie would never do that. Even if my tales of beating one were true, I would never bring something of that size into town. That’s the thing about stage performance. You’re allowed to go over the top. Tall tales, legends, and rumors all become true when you’re performing for a captivated audience,” Trixie explained, looking through the menu.”And before you start begging to replace the cart, I already have a new one. It’s smaller, but does the job well.”

“Ah… well, I might have another way that I could repay you for the shame and damages. And it’s alright if you say no to this one too,” Twilight said. She took a deep breath as the proposal she had in mind slowly made it’s way from her head to her mouth. “How would you,” she paused. “how would you…” she trailed off.

“How would I what?” Trixie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“How would you like to be an Element of Harmony?” Twilight spat out, before quickly covering her face with her menu.

Trixie blinked and then blinked again after a delayed few seconds. She slowly reached out and pulled Twilight’s menu down. She saw Twilight’s face was dark red as she looked aside. “Y-you’re not trying to mess with me on this, are you? Not some sort of hidden camera thing that’s going to go online?”

Twilight shook her head as she watched Trixie’s cheeks grow red as she fell back into her seat. “I-I would never lie about something like this! Th-the element of loyalty is possibly in need of a new member and I wanted to give you something to show I truly mean my apology!”

“W-wow… just… wow. Trixie never actually thought that something like this would land on her plate again. I was never able to make it through Celestia’s magic school, and I thought my chances of being able to work with royalty again were all gone.”

Twilight looked at Trixie. “Wait, you went to Celestia’s school?”

“For like, half a year. I dropped out because my magic simply wasn’t the kind that was wanted there. The world of the stage wanted Trixie, but now the world of royalty wants her too!” Trixie said, eagerly kicking her legs back and forth. She then steadied herself. “Though...” She thought on things. “I can’t just jump to accepting this sort of thing right away. I’d need to change some things around and probably look into finding a place to live,” Trixie explained. “Trixie just assumes this sort of thing can’t just be handed over?”

“Well, I don’t fully know on that front. Me and my friends all got and used ours the night we went after Nightmare Moon, and that was the same day I met them. Maybe the same thing can happen to you?”

“If Trixie may ask, why do you need a new element bearer? Did something happen?”

Twilight sighed. She had dreaded this coming up. “Rainbow Dash suddenly ran off one day, and Princess Celestia is pressuring me to look into a replacement. I know it’s been a year and everything, but it’s still a heavy task…”

“The cocky one with the rainbow hair left? I knew she could be a pain to deal with, but not like that…” Trixie paused, tapping her cheek. “Though, Trixie hasn’t seen her at all during her travels.”

“Maybe she just doesn’t want to be found or something… but I swear, every time I look out into crowded areas, I see her. Like she’s just narrowly avoiding me, wanting me to chase her and lecture her for leaving everyone like that. Or like, I’m gonna randomly pass her while she’s in disguise and only realize it when she’s gone.” Twilight looked back out the window. “She’s just gotta be out there somewhere, right?”

Trixie watched her for a bit. “Listen. Trixie will need some time to fully prep for something like this. I still have a few shows left I need to do, and I can ask around about your friend, if you can help find me a place to stay.”

“Well... I do have a tree and library available with plenty of space for a new roommate. You just gotta deal with a grumpy little dude that’s probably gonna eat most of your snacks.”

Trixie chuckled. “I suppose you have yourself a deal, Twilight Sparkle.”

The two shook hands, Twilight looking out into the night one last time as the relieved waitress came to ask them for their orders. Rainbow Dash had to be out there somewhere, right?

… Right?

Pinkie had lost track of how much time she had spent partying with Rarity. It was probably early morning, or at the very least, nearing midnight. This was why she never really did parties at night for large groups, it could probably go on into the next day with the wrong crowd.

She downed another plastic cup of water, rubbing her forehead. She had talked to so many people that Rarity had worked with. Most of them seemed to be nice, and Rarity was having the time of her life at least. And going to get another slice of cake always helped her break away if things were getting too awkward. She hadn’t seen the pony either, so that at least meant some unnecessary voices or snark were toned down as well.

She went to find Rarity. She had wandered off to get more ice for something and now, it felt like she was nigh impossible to find in the various bodies and heads bathed in purple lighting.

“I just wanna tell her I’m going home…I don’t wanna be seen as a rude friend or anything. Just say thanks and this was fun, but you’re feeling wiped out and am busy tomorrow. Easy in, easy out,” she told herself, making her way towards the kitchen.

Maybe it was because of all the people in the boutique, maybe she had had a few too many rum and cokes in the place of soda, maybe she was just slowly dying from something inside her… but Pinkie was feeling woozy. She rested herself up against the kitchen door frame, catching her breath. She could see Rarity near the fridge, talking to people.

“You know, Rarity. Have you ever considered maybe looking into getting a new shop set up in Canterlot or the like?” One of them, a woman, asked while swirling her crappy plastic cup around like it was a high-quality wine glass.

“It has always been a dream of mine to do something like that, but I think it’s simply too soon for me. I’m still dealing with the increase of high society customers here at the moment. Oh, and Sweetie would be devastated if I had to move out temporarily to make sure everything was up and running smoothly,” Rarity responded. She looked tired, but not too tired. She could still keep things going, but she wasn’t hiding the sweat from exhaustion on her forehead at this point.

“Here’s an idea then, why don’t you just move out to Canterlot and take her with you? I’m sure that you can get a nice place with all the money you’ve made from working here all your life,” the other one said. This one was a man.

“A-and leave Ponyville? Oh, no no no. I could never do that. This has been my home since the day I was born. Canterlot was divine from the brief time I was there, but to live there? And all my friends, and Sweetie’s friends too, they’re all here!”

The woman simply chuckled. “You should at least consider it. I mean, your friend Rainbow Dash suddenly up and left one day, right? Why can’t you and your sister do the same?”

Pinkie felt her heartbeat increase as she began to grip the door frame.

Rarity let out an agitated chuckle. “You know, I’d rather not talk about something like that right now. This is a party, we shouldn’t dwell on distressing issues like that.”

“You should consider getting out of town soon though. I mean, when a big star like that leaves town, you know what comes in their place?” the man asked, cockily smirking.

“The hoodlums and punks and all those gangs. Flashing their fake jewelry and playing that shitty trash they call music as loud as they can. They’ll probably be selling knockoffs of your clothes sooner or later,” the woman replied.

“... And why do you think that would happen, hmm? Me and my friends are still here, aren’t we?” Rarity wasn’t looking either of them in the eyes.

“Yes, but Rainbow Dash was the ‘badass’ one. She could set kids straight. Now, all those ghetto kids are missing their role model. Next thing you know, they’re idolizing some gangbanger who winds up dead the next week. And they’ll probably be the same!”

“Probably! Really, you should look into moving. I have a great agent who can get you a store and apartment combo just like this one, you know. If not for you, for your sister's sake. You don’t want her to be seen as another one of the bad ones do you? I know you work so hard to keep yourself from being associated with that kind of culture and those kinds of people.” the woman added, downing the rest of her drink.

Rarity’s hand started to curl into a fist as Pinkie stumbled into the room. “Rarity! I’ve been looking for you. I think I lost something outside, can you help me find it?” Pinkie asked, trying her best to give a supporting smile.

“Oh, why yes darling. So terribly sorry, but I have to take care of this pressing matter,” Rarity said, following Pinkie as they used the kitchen’s backdoor and stepped out into the cool night air. Rarity took another few paces away from the boutique before putting her face in her hands and letting out a muffled scream.

Pinkie watched her, before slowly approaching from behind and wrapping her arms around her. “Can I just assume you needed this hug?”

“Yes darling, thank you so much…” Rarity murmured before pulling her face back up. “I’ve heard that kind of pitch so many times. They think they’re being so clever when they’re not. They don’t say the slurs but at that point, they might as well!”

“Wanna mess with them?” Pinkie asked, looking at her. “I mean, this party could use a good hearty laugh from a classic pie to the face!”

Rarity chuckled, shaking her head. “No no, darling, it’s fine. I don’t need to start a scene or anything right now. I think I’ll just start sending people home soon, you know? It is getting late, and I think my mood has been soured as of that moment.”

“I can help clean up.” Pinkie gave her a reassuring smile.

“You can help me tomorrow, Pinkie. I’m likely going to go straight to bed the second the last guest leaves. You should do the same, you look so drained, darling.” Rarity put her hands on Pinkie’s cheeks, softly rubbing them. “You’re worn out. Get home, get sleep. Everything’ll be waiting for your help when you wake up tomorrow morning.”

Pinkie nodded slowly, looking back at the party. She could still see the people inside talking to each other, drunkenly swaying and trying to dance the night away. They all looked so fancy, so high up on the social ladder. She knew most of them probably talked about Rarity the same as those asses in the kitchen.

“Alright, Rarity. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she said, heading off. She stopped, turning back to her. “Rainbow Dash is out there somewhere. We’ll see her again someday, I just know it!” she called out.

Rarity smiled, nodding. “And when we do, we’re going to give her the biggest earful and biggest party that she’s ever had in her life!” she shouted back, laughing as the two went their separate ways.

Both ladies were blushing as they walked back.

As Pinkie made it back home, she slowly made her way to her bedroom. The booze was kicking back in. She swayed as she got closer to her bed.

Her footsteps echoed against the floorboards with each step, her body feeling heavier and heavier with each passing second. She was so close, and yet the bed felt so far away.

With a mighty push forward, she was finally able to flop onto her bed, groaning as she landed. Her body didn’t feel right. It felt like all her organs were being churned up.

“Damn it…” Pinkie weakly muttered, her vision blurring as exhaustion washed over her and she slowly closed her eyes, melting into the darkness around her and the cushy feelings of her bed below her.

Author's Note

It's been a while since I posted the updated version of this story. I really am proud with how it turned out and everything. By the time this is being posted and uploaded everywhere, it'll be near/on my birthday. I'm another year older. And I think I'm pretty happy with how I turned out, even though I'm the one writing MLP horror themed adult fanfiction so my judgement might not be the best on that ground. But hey. I have an amazing girlfriend. And sometimes, that's all I need. I'll try to post more fic updates on and off. Hoping I can sell more copies of the book at future cons sometime, but not sure on that for now.