Second Chance

Pinkie would be taken back for a second. She had only seen Dash like this once or twice. Pinkie had barely even heard a shriek from her.

“Dashie. Look at me, I would do nothing to hurt you! You and I are best friends." Pinkie Pie says, a huge smile appearing on her face. Pinkie Pie even gave a pat on the shoulder of her restricted victim.

“PINKIE! This is not what friends do! I don't want to die!" Rainbow Dash would yell again, her voice cracking.

“Dash. You know you don't have a choice, and neither did I! The number system did.” Pinkie would say that to Rainbow Dash calmly—seemingly more cold than ever. A pristine scalpel lay in Pinkie's hoof, and she would move slowly to Dash's flank, the tension rising as she got closer. Dash's heart raced, she kept thrashing around on the table she was strapped to.

“Dash, stay still! It's only going to be a small pinch." Pinkie would lie straight through her teeth. Pinkie Pie continued, holding Dash's leg down. Pinkie Pie started to slice a circle around Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, the scalpel cutting through the flesh of Dash’s flank like butter. Pinkie's cuts would be slow and tedious, treating it like a art. Pinkie Pie finished cutting the circle around Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark; it dripping a thick layer of blood she would tap at with her towel in her apron. It was her cleanest cut on a pony ever. Pinkie started to pry off the skin containing the cutie mark, taking all that matter to Rainbow Dash. The talent that Rainbow Dash loved was gone in an instant.

Rainbow Dash screamed in pain as the scalpel cut through her flesh to separate the tendons still holding the skin. Pinkie would glance up at Rainbow Dash. "Dashie, it's not a big deal! You are helping me so much!" Pinkie would eye Dash as she kept crying. Pinkie would even return to patting Rainbow Dash’s shoulder with her blood-soaked gloves, rubbing into Rainbow’s short fur.

“You're a monster! You can't do this! Every pony will know I'm missing! The sky will fill up with clouds! The weather will become worse than ever!" Dash would struggle to speak as more tears fell from her face.

"Dashie, there are so many pegasi! One pegasi disappearing won't matter. How long do you think I've been doing this for?" Pinkie would start walking over to Dash's other flank as Pinkie Pie waited for her response.

"Now! You just started now! You must be mad or something—Pinkie, please—LET THIS PRANK BE OVER!" A hoof was placed over Dash's mouth.

"Dash, I have done this for years; I did it at the rock farm; I did it right when I got to Ponyville and nopony knew! I haven't gotten caught yet; now let's get back to business!" Pinkie would say in a serious tone and then return to her bright, cheery self!

Pinkie would wipe her scalpel on the towel she kept in her apron, it was now pristine once again. Pinkie returned to Rainbow Dash and started to slowly cut the other cutie mark on Rainbow Dash's flank.

Pinkie would think to herself, Rainbow Dash was her friend. Pinkie had never dissected one of her friends before, what would happen if Pinkie started to grieve? Go into depression? Pinkie would look up at Dash and see her face capture all the pain Pinkie had put her through. "Dash, what would you do if you had a second chance?"

Pinkie would ask as she peeled the other cutie mark smoothly. Rainbow Dash panted as she struggled to say another word, "I would go home! I would go home and stay there forever! I would hide forever because of what you've done to me!” Dash would yell through sobs, her voice getting more and more scratchy and weak.

“I have an idea, Dash, and you must listen." Pinkie stared directly at Rainbow Dash. “I've never done this to any pony before, but I'll do it for you. You can stay here and leave your old life behind, but you need a new name, a disguise. If you don't agree, we must keep going, and you will die."