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.