When Ponies Cry

by Mannyparkerlalala

Ok this has been in the vault for a while. I started writing it when the show still had only 2 seasons! Then I gave up but I finally decided to submit what I had. I may finish it I dunno. Anyway, it's a terribly dark suspense/drama about how ponies have to dispose of each other when they break a hoof! Can friendship survive when Ponyville's happiest horse is long gone? Find out!

It was a sunny, peaceful day in Ponyville. The sun was shining as bright as it did on any other day. The pegasi had done a good job keeping the baby blue sky mostly clear, with maybe a few fluffy white clouds here and there. At the moment, three very best friends were walking down a road-Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Actually, only Applejack and Fluttershy were walking; Pinkie Pie was sort of hopping along, talking nonstop about whatever random things happened to come to her overly hyper mind. Applejack sighed. Pinkie Pie had been talking nonstop ever since she and Fluttershy met her over at Sugarcube Corner and asked if she wanted to go over to the lake with Fluttershy, and she had not stopped talking all day. First it had been about how she'd love to, then the subject changed to turtles, then cupcakes for some reason, then trees, then Gummy, and then a bunch of other stuff. No one was really listening, so they didn't really know. Whatever.

Applejack's mind was focused on the task of making it to the lake before being driven insane by her pink friend, so Pinkie's words were simply flying through one ear and out the other. She barely noticed when Pinkie stopped talking-it took her a moment to realize that something didn't seem quite right, and then she realized- it was suddenly too quiet. She turned around to see Pinkie Pie, sitting on the ground, a blank expression on her face. Fluttershy was looking at Pinkie with quiet concern, when suddenly, Pinkie burst into tears.

"WAAAAAAAAAH MY LEG I THINK I BROKE IT APPLEJACK FLUTTERSHY HELP ME IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HUUUUUURRRRRRTTTSSS..."

"What in the hay happened?!" Applejack exclaimed, hurrying over to Pinkie Pie. She leaned down to examine Pinkie's leg-it was broken, alright.

"I-I don't know, Applejack," Fluttershy said quietly. "She was just hopping along, and then she sort of bent her hoof back in mid-hop, and she landed on it, and..."

"IT HURTS SO MUCH OWWWWWWW APPLEJACK..." Pinkie Pie continued to scream and cry.

"Don't worry, Pinkie Pie!" Applejack said enthusiastically. "Just be tough, okay? I'll get you over to Sweet Apple Acres so we can bandage that leg up. Then I'll take ya to see Twilight Sparkle! She'll know what to do."

The three ponies found Twilight Sparkle after a while. They had checked her tree library, only to be told that she was out doing errands. So eventually, they found her at the market. Pinkie Pie had her leg bandaged up in a cast now, and the pain was no longer bothering her much. In fact, she was now hopping up and down on her three healthy legs, talking happily nonstop like before. The others were not so happy. They were having...a very grave conversation, which Pinkie obviously was not paying attention to.

"What are you sayin', Twilight?!" Applejack demanded. "This is the biggest load o' hogwash I've ever heard! If this is a joke then you'd better knock it off, cause it ain't funny!"

"No, Applejack," Twilight Sparkle replied sadly, her eyes dropped to the ground in front of her. "It isn't a joke. Believe me, I wish it was. But...this is the only way."

Fluttershy was silent. She had heard the entire conversation so far, and she was speechless. She sat silently, with a horrified expression on her face, wanting to do something but unable-she was frozen on the spot, and the others had completely forgotten she was there.

"You-bu-" Applejack sputtered. "Now listen here, Twilight! If you're serious about this then you must be outta your damn mind, because there is no way in HELL that I'm gonna let you do this!"

"It's the only way, Applejack!" Twilight Sparkle insisted. "I'm sorry, but...it's Equestrian law. Once a horse breaks its leg, it can never be mended quite right. This is only humane."

"Humane, my ass!" Applejack shouted. "What's gotten into you, Twilight?! I-"

"We can't mend her le-"

"YES WE CAN!" Applejack shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "WE CAN MEND IT, WE'LL FIND A WAY, YOU CAN USE YOUR MAGIC-"

"MAGIC DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, APPLEJACK!" Twilight Sparkle shouted back. "THIS ISN'T HOGWARTS!"

"Twilight, what in the hell would make you even THINK of doing this, Pinkie Pie is your friend-"

"DO YOU THINK I WANT TO DO THIS?!" Twilight yelled. "This is what's DONE here in Equestria, I've read about it in books-"

"THEN STOP READING BOOKS!" Applejack screamed. "IS A CELESTIA-DAMN LAW MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR FRIENDS?! DAMMIT TWILIGHT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS DONE THAT WAY, BIG MAC BROKE HIS LEG AND HE TURNED OUT JUST FINE, I'M A FARM HORSE FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD AND I DIDN'T EVEN DO THAT-"

"Some cases are more extreme than others," Twilight Sparkle said softly. "I don't want to do this, Applejack. But there's no other way. I'm sorry."

And she used her magic horn to generate a shotgun out of thin air. Fluttershy's mouth dropped open in disbelief, and Applejack burst into tears. When she spoke again, her voice was much more shaky, filled with panic and desperation.

"NO, TWILIGHT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO THIS!" she screamed. "I WON'T LET YOU! IT AIN'T RIGHT! I-I-DAMMIT, TWILIGHT, I THOUGHT YOU COULD HELP HER! IF I WOULD'VE KNOWN IT WAS GONNA BE LIKE THIS, I...I WOULD'VE KEPT HER IN MY BARN! I WOULD'VE KEPT HER FROM YOU, F-FROM EVERYPONY!"

"AND LET HER LIVE IN PAIN THE REST OF HER LIFE?!" Twilight Sparkle screamed, completely overlooking the fact that at that moment Pinkie Pie was hopping up and down and joyfully talking about popcorn. "DO YOU THINK I WANT THIS, APPLEJACK?! I-DAMMIT APPLEJACK, YOU WERE THERE! WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE HER CALM DOWN, YOU COULD'VE DONE SOMETHING-DAMN YOU, PINKIE PIE, WHY COULDN'T YOU BE MORE CAREFUL?!"

And with that, she lifted the shotgun (with magic), aimed it at Pinkie Pie, and pulled the trigger. With magic.

Pinkie Pie was talking happily at that moment, completely and utterly oblivious to what was going on. The last words anyone ever heard from her were "Oh my Celestia I had the best cupcakes the other day I love cupcakes so much especially with sprinkles and ice cream hey Twilight what's that thing what are you gonna with that oh my goodness I had the best party the other day..."

The gunshot came suddenly, and Pinkie Pie's voice was silenced once and for all. She fell to the ground in a mess of blood and skull fragments, and Applejack and Fluttershy screamed. Lots of ponies who were doing their afternoon shopping looked up, startled, and then returned to their conversations and errands, because this was a natural part of life in Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle burst into tears, and Applejack and Fluttershy began to cry tears of agony in each other's arms. I mean...uh...legs. Cause...they're horses. Whatever. They cried in each other's legs.

About that time, Rainbow Dash flew over to them, excitedly.

"Hey, guys, guess what!" Rainbow Dash said. "There was just an amazing breakthrough in medical science! They just figured out how to mend horse legs!"

She noticed Pinkie Pie's corpse on the ground and got very uncomfortable.

"Oh...uh...I think I hear my oven calling," she said quickly, and flew away.

Twilight Sparkle dropped to her knees and reached to the sky, crying.

"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN...IN PONYVILLE?!" she screamed. "OH THE HUMANITY...WHY, CELESTIA?! WHYYYYYY?!"

That night, Spike paced back and forth anxiously in the library tree where he lived with Twilight Sparkle. It was getting really late, and usually Twilight was back by his bedtime. She said she was just going to be running some errands...it usually didn't take this long. He was starting to worry...

Just then, the door flung open. Spike jumped. She must be home, finally! He hurried over to the door. Indeed, Twilight Sparkle was home, but something about her seemed...off. Spike couldn't quite put his finger on it...but he put it aside, because he was just happy to see her, and relieved that she was okay. He hurried over to her as she staggered in clumsily.

"Twilight!" Spike exclaimed. "Where've you been all day?! It's really late, I've been worried..."

Immediately, Twilight Sparkle clopped him in the face. Spike staggered back, shocked, and felt the pain rush to his face. Of course, Twilight hits him all the time, but this time it seemed so...violent, and hateful.

"T-Twilight," Spike whimpered, his eyes filling with tears, "what'd you do that for? That hurt..."

"Shut up, you little faggot!" Twilight Sparkle snapped, her voice slurred. "Why the fuck aren't you in bed?!"

"Well, Twilight, I...I just was wondering where you w-were..."

"Shut up, retard! It's none of your goddamn BUSINESS, that's where I were!"

Twilight Sparkle hit him again, in the stomach this time. Poor li'l fella felt the wind git knocked outter him, he did, and he done fell over.

"T-Twilight, what..what did I do?!" Spike said, choking back tears. "I'm sorry I stayed up so late, I was just wor-"

"SHUT UP AND FUCK ME!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.

"W-what?!"

"I SAID, SHUT UP AND GO TAKE A LETTER TO PRINCESS CELESTIA FOR ME!" Twilight Sparkle repeated.

"Oh," Spike said, and he hurried over to the table and got a scroll of parchment and a quill pen. Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat.

"Dear Princess Celestia," she began, and Spike hurriedly began to write it down, "today I learned that in the end, friendship never helps anyone. It's just a joke; a gimmick to keep us smiling, so we don't see the truth. The truth is, there's no such thing as the magic of friendship, and in the end, you're left with no one, and nothing to believe in, doomed to either suffer through the rest of your miserable existence, trying desperately to hold onto that last bit of blind faith you still have, or...you can just end it. Remember that night in the emergency room, when you told me that if I feel like ending it all again, to just think of my friends, and what it would do to them if I did it? Well. My friends all hate me now. They're better off without me. I killed Pinkie Pie, and...I don't even think it was right anymore. Please tell everypony I'm sorry I can't attend her funeral. Goodbye, Princess Celestia. I enjoyed being your student. Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle."

Spike finished writing, and put the quill down shakily. He thought about the words that he had just written and ran them through his head a few times, and suddenly realized what he'd just written. That's right, he wrote that whole thing without even THINKING, because he's dumb. Just kidding, it's probably because he was a little shaken up because Twilight hit him. I don't know, I'm just the writer. It's not like I'm supposed to know what's going on in the stories I write. So yeah like he freaked out and stuff

"Wait-what?!" Spike exclaimed, spinning around. He turned around just in time to see Twilight Sparkle hanging a noose to the ceiling with her magic, and levitating herself towards it. He ran over and grabbed her by the hooves.

"Twilight, what are you doing?!" Spike exclaimed, his voice heavy with panic and desperation.

"Let go, Spike!" Twilight yelled at him, tears stinging her eyes. "I have to do this! I can't go on. Not...not after what I've done."

"No, Twilight Sparkle!" Spike cried. "No! You...YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"

"I CAN'T LIVE WITH MYSELF ANYMORE, SPIKE!" Twilight screamed. "I CAN'T WASH THE BLOOD OFF MY HOOVES!"

"NO!" Spike screamed all panicky-like, and pulled as hard as he could. Neither of them was too sure what happened next. Either Spike somehow managed to pull harder than Twilight Sparkle's magic could oppose him, or Twilight herself got cold hooves and decided to ease up on the magic a little bit. Either way, Twilight fell on top of Spike, and they both went crashing to the floor.

They laid there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. The shock of what had just happened was still settling in, for both of them. Finally, after a long time, Spike broke the silence, and spoke.

"Twilight," he said, "what...what happened?"

And they both cried.

The day was windy and gloomy, the sky a cold, hopeless gray. The pegasi had made sure to make the weather as depressing as possible; this was a tradition in Ponyville that was done every time the citizens were in mourning. And today was the biggest day for mourning anypony had ever had in their lives.

"Pinkamena Diane Pie was a wonderful pony," the priest pony said, standing up at the small podium in front of Pinkie Pie's casket. "She brought smiles to the faces of everypony, with her joyful, random behavior, her delicious cupcakes, and her incredibly entertaining parties. It seemed to be in her nature to spread joy and laughter to everyone she met...even Cranky Doodle Donkey couldn't escape the happiness that Ms. Pie thrusted upon the world. But yesterday...was the day the laughter died. It died tragically young, having broken its hoof hopping and been put down in a mercy killing by one of its close friends..."

Applejack sat on a folding chair in the back row, dressed in one of the black dresses Rarity had thrown together for this occasion. She wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief, but she could not stop the pain from consuming her. The words of the priest rang through her mind, causing her to force out every memory she had ever had with Pinkie Pie. Once happy and joyful, the memories had now become painful and empty, as if every speck of warmth and light had been drained from them. It was all over. She would never see Pinkie Pie again. This was the worst day in her entire life. The awesome, magical friendship she had shared with her five best friends...was all over. Applejack just couldn't take it anymore. She sobbed again, blowing her nose on the handkerchief she had brought with her.

Applejack cleared her throat sadly and opened her eyes after blowing her nose, and was a bit startled to see Fluttershy sitting in the previously empty seat next to her. Applejack had wanted to be alone, so she had seated herself as far from everypony else as possible...but she supposed having a friend to help her through this. Fluttershy probably needed comfort too, anyway.

"F-Fluttershy," Applejack said, clearing her throat and forcing a small smile from the corner of her mouth. "Hey."

"She's not here," Fluttershy said simply. "Did you notice?"

Applejack was a bit taken aback by Fluttershy's tone. Usually soft and uncertain, the shy pony now sounded very serious, with a dark, almost threatening tint to her voice.

"Uh...what do you mean, Fluttershy? Who's not here? Rainbow Dash?"

It was true-Rainbow Dash was not at the funeral. Nopony had heard from her since Pinkie Pie's death.

"No, dumbass!" Fluttershy snapped, causing Applejack to cringe. "I'm talking about Twilight Sparkle!"

"Oh," Applejack said. "Yeah. Didn't think about that."

Twilight Sparkle was also absent from the service, but no one had really thought much of that...it was almost a sure fact that Twilight was at home drowning in misery and guilt from having killed one of her best friends. And who really cared, anyway? She SHOULD feel bad. It was a common opinion in most of Ponyville that Twilight Sparkle should go back to Canterlot and die from AIDS. Applejack couldn't help but hold some resentment as well, but she was a little freaked out by the way Fluttershy was acting right now.

"You know, Fluttershy, I'm sure Twilight is feelin' real guilty and that's why-"

"Ha!" Fluttershy laughed coldly, causing Applejack to shiver. "You really think so? You really think she feels BAD?! She doesn't care. In fact, she WANTED this!"

"Um, ladies in the back?" the priest pony said, looking directly at Applejack and Fluttershy. "Yeah, if you're not here to honor Ms. Pie's restful soul, then maybe you should leave and let other ponies pay attention to the funeral service."

"Um, no, Father, sorry, we were just-" Applejack began.

"God, shut the fuck up, you dumb whore!" one of the colts at the funeral shouted, cutting her off. "Pinkie Pie's dead, and you don't even CARE!"

"No, we were just-"

"Why don't you losers just get out of here?!" a mare yelled at them.

"Come on, Applejack," Fluttershy said, glaring at the ponies. "Let's go."

"Fluttershy, what-"

"COME ON!"

And she grabbed the stunned Applejack and yanked her from the funeral service.

Fluttershy led her away from the other ponies, behind a tree. As soon as she let go of Applejack, Applejack grabbed her.

"Fluttershy, what the hell's gotten into you?!" Applejack demanded angrily. "You got us kicked out of Pinkie Pie's funeral!"

"PINKIE PIE WAS MURDERED, APPLEJACK!" Fluttershy shouted, startling Applejack.

"Fluttershy, what the hell are you talkin' about?" Applejack demanded after a long silence.

Fluttershy tsked.

"Oh, Applejack," she said. "So naive. Don't you see? Pinkie Pie's death...it wasn't a mercy killing. It was a murder."

There was another long silence as Applejack attempted to comprehend Fluttershy's odd behavior. How could she think Pinkie Pie was murdered? Of course it was easy enough to believe that her death wasn't really justified, but to say that it hadn't been meant as a mercy killing...

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry, but that doesn't seem to make much sense..." she said finally. "I mean, we were there..."

"Applejack, think about it for a moment!" Fluttershy said impatiently. "Why did Twilight Sparkle kill Pinkie Pie?"

"Because her hoof was broken..." Applejack said. "That's what ponies do in Equestria, Fluttershy, I know it ain't justified but it happens..."

"Yes, yes, I know!" Fluttershy said impatiently again. She was a very impatient li'l horse. "But why was Pinkie's hoof broken?"

"Well, I dunno, you said she sort of bent it back and..."

"Yes, exactly!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Twilight Sparkle broke it!"

There was a very long awkward silence after that. Applejack was beginning to seriously worry about Fluttershy.

"Um...no, Twilight wasn't there, remember...?" Applejack said slowly.

"Yeah, I know she wasn't there!" Fluttershy said urgently. "But, she used magic!"

"Um..." Applejack said.

"Yes, she did, she used magic to break Pinkie Pie's leg and Pinkie Pie is DEAD and I WANT VENGEANCE!"

"Sweet Celestia, Fluttershy, have you lost your mind?!" Applejack exclaimed.

"NO I HAVE NOT LOST MY FUCKING MIND NOW SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I KILL YOU AND BURN THIS WHOLE FUCKING TOWN TO THE GROUND!" Fluttershy screamed. Applejack cringed back and was silent for a very long time. After being in Fluttershy's piercing, insane glare for a while, Applejack decided it was best to talk.

"Okay," she whimpered quietly.

"Okay now LISTEN, Applejack," Fluttershy said. "I know it's hard to believe, but I KNOW that Pinkie Pie was murdered."

"Fluttershy, I'm sorry, but...you know, I hate Twilight just as much as the next pony for what happened, but I don't think she wanted to kill Pinkie," Applejack said reasonably. "That doesn't seem to make much sense."

"Oh, come on, Applejack!" Fluttershy snapped. "Haven't you seen the way Twilight looked at Pinkie Pie? All the bitter resentment...she wants us ALL dead, Applejack! She hates us all!"

"Why do you think Twilight Sparkle hates us, Fluttershy?" Applejack sighed.

"Because," Fluttershy said, "she's jealous. Jealous that Princess Celestia likes US more than HER!"

"Um...she does?" Applejack questioned.

"YES!" Fluttershy insisted. "Especially me, because I tried to take care of her phoenix once! But ESPECIALLY you, because you like apples!"

"Because I like apples...?"

"YES! SHE KILLED PINKIE PIE, APPLEJACK! SHE'S A MURDERER AND SHE NEEDS TO BE PUNISHED!"

"Fluttershy, what the hell are you talkin' about? How do you suppose we're to go about punishing her?"

"Well, Applejack," Fluttershy said darkly, "as you probably know, the punishment must fit the crime..."

Applejack stared at her for a moment, and then gasped.

"Fluttershy," Applejack gasped. "You're not suggesting we...STEAL TWILIGHT SPARKLE'S BOOKS?!"

"What?" Fluttershy said, frowning. "No, I'm saying we should kill her."

"Oh," Applejack said. "Oh, yeah. That's much worse. Fluttershy, you can't be serious about this!"

"But I am, Applejack," Fluttershy assured her. "Don't you care about Pinkie Pie, Applejack? Don't you miss her?"

"I do, Fluttershy, but geez, that doesn't mean I'm gonna go around killin' folks for vengeance...Fluttershy, I think you just need to relax, you're havin' a hard time dealin' with-"

Fluttershy pressed her hoof gently to Applejack's lips, shushing her.

"Just think about it, Applejack," Fluttershy said softly. "Think about it. I'm sure you'll see things my way."

And she walked away, leaving Applejack to ponder her strange, dangerous behavior, and wonder about the safety of Ponyville.

That morning, Twilight Sparkle woke up in her bed, feeling queasy and troubled. She sat up and immediately felt a sharp pain in her head. She had a headache; a pretty nasty one, too. She looked around. When had she gone to bed? She didn't remember anything from the day before...

She looked around, and saw Spike sitting next to her bedside, looking concerned. She furrowed her brow, trying to remember something, anything, and then...

A lot of blood. Something with Pinkie Pie...Applejack screaming at her...a gunshot...

The memory rushed back to her with horrible intensity, as if being thrusted into her mind by cruel reality. She couldn't help it...she let out a horrified gasp. There it was...reality. Pinkie Pie was dead. Pinkie Pie was dead, and there was no going back.

"Oh, Spike," she said, and began to sob. Spike patted her on the back, attempting to comfort her.

"I know, Twilight," he said softly. "I know."

Twilight Sparkle cried for a while. After a long time, she sniffed, and began to wipe tears from her eyes. As she was doing this, the memory of the previous night came creeping up on her. She had been drinking a lot after killing Pinkie Pie...she had come home...and then...

"Oh, Spike," Twilight said guiltily. "I...I'm so sorry!"

Spike suddenly turned away from her, his arms folded across his chest.

"You hit me," he said. "You never hit me! Don't you know I'm too young to defend myself?!"

"Spike, I'm really sorry!" Twilight said, tears beginning to regroup in her eyes. "You have to understand...I'd been drinking a lot, I...I killed one of my best friends, Spike! I killed her, and...I don't even think it was r-right anymore..."

She began to cry again. Spike's angry expression softened, and he hugged her.

"Ah, Twilight..." he said. "You did the only thing you knew to do. It happens all the time. Good thing we know how to mend broken legs now, but...that discovery came a little too late, I guess..."

"Oh, Spike, look where all my book reading got me!" Twilight sobbed. "I'm a murderer, just because I did what a BOOK told me!"

Spike comforted her while she cried once again. Finally, she spoke again.

"S-Spike?"

"Yeah, Twilight?"

"When...when is Pinkie's funeral?"

"Uh...I think it was today..."

Twilight opened her eyes wide.

"TODAY?!" she exclaimed. "But...I-I missed it!"

"Oh, Twilight, it's okay," Spike assured her. "I mean, usually funerals aren't held the very day after someone dies, anyway...look, we'll have our own funeral sometime, alright? After you're...done being suicidal."

"Oh, Spike, I'm not suicidal anymore," Twilight said uncertainly. "It was just...an impulse."

Spike looked at her.

"Are you sure, Twilight?" he asked. "Isn't it true that you suffered depression while we were in Canterlot? This isn't the first time you've tried, you know..."

"Oh, Spike, I was silly back then!" Twilight assured him. "Anyway, I'm on medication for it now. I just forgot to take it last night, that's all..."

"Well, and you killed Pinkie Pie," Spike reminded her. "I don't know, Twilight. I just...I don't want anything to happen to you. Cause, then I'll be all alone..."

"Oh, Spike," Twilight said, and she hugged him. "I'm so sorry. I won't do anything stupid like that again, I promise...and...I promise I'll never hurt you again..."

Spike hugged her back, and they stayed that way for a while.

"Twilight?" Spike said after a long time.

"Yeah, Spike?" Twilight said.

"I miss her too," Spike said, and they both cried.

"But, you probably miss her more," Spike added, and Twilight cried harder. Then she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

That night, Applejack walked along the dark road to Fluttershy's house, concealed by a dark cloak and hood. She had received a strange note from Fluttershy earlier, saying only 'meet me at my house tonight come alone don't be seen', and nothing more. She was very concerned about this; Fluttershy was probably up to her recent creepy behavior again. But she had to be there for her; if Pinkie's death was making her go mad, then Applejack was going to make sure she went sane again. After all, that's what friends are for.

She arrived at Fluttershy's house and was surprised to see a very non-welcoming environment; all the lights seemed to be off inside, and all the shades were drawn. Fluttershy usually was up a little later than this taking care of Angel, but...

"That's weird," Applejack muttered to herself. "Is she even home? Oh, well...I guess I'd better knock, just to be sure."

She knocked, and the door immediately opened. A hoof reached out and yanked Applejack inside (don't ask how that works out).

Once inside the pitch-black house, Applejack heard the door slam behind her. She heard a match strike, and in just a couple of seconds, a candle was lit, casting a dim, ominous light over Fluttershy's face.

"Fluttershy, wha-"

"Were you followed?" Fluttershy demanded, cutting her off.

"Wh-what?"

"DO YOU HAVE EARS, BITCH?!" Fluttershy shouted. "I ASKED IF YOU WERE FUCKING FOLLOWED!"

"N-no!" Applejack sputtered, recoiling in shock at this sudden outburst. "Fluttershy, who in the hay would wanna follow me?!"

"Spies," Fluttershy said seriously, turning to the window and opening the shades just a crack, so she could peek out. "I think she has the Russians on her side. They're all over the fucking place...GIVE US BACK OUR MONEY, YOU BASTARDS!"

"What's a Russian?" Applejack asked, confused. "Fluttershy, who are you talking to? What's gotten into you?! Look, maybe I should be gettin' home..."

"NO! Maybe you shouldn't be getting home," Fluttershy said. "We have work to do, Applejack!"

"Why did you call me here, Fluttershy?" Applejack sighed.

"We need to start planning Twilight Sparkle's downfall," Fluttershy explained.

Applejack sighed in exasperation.

"Alright, now listen here, Fluttershy!" she said. "We are not going to kill anypony. You got that? Twilight Sparkle shot Pinkie because she thought it was best..."

"Best for her!" Fluttershy snapped. "Yes, of course it's best for her if she eliminates us all, one by one, so that Princess Celestia will have no choice but to favor her."

"Look, Fluttershy, for one thing, I'm pretty sure Princess Celestia already favors her more. She's her student. And, y'know, the princess wouldn't really appreciate it if Twilight went around killin' all her friends for her favor, and I think Twilight KNOWS that, and-"

"SHE KILLED PINKIE PIE, APPLEJACK!" Fluttershy shouted.

"I KNOW THAT!" Applejack shouted back. "Fluttershy, she thought she was doin' the right thing! She-"

"Oh, so you think she did the right thing," Fluttershy said. "I see."

"No!" Applejack exclaimed. "She made a bad mistake, Fluttershy, and I understand how you must hate her for it-"

"Well, if it was such a mistake killing Pinkie Pie, then why don't you think she should be punished for it?!"

"Well...she...we...we can't just kill her, Fluttershy! I mean, she already lost all her friends and is suffering from a lot of guilt, I bet the consequences are punishin' her enough..."

"Applejack, she took Pinkie from us. From all of us. She needs to be punished."

Applejack sat for a while, thinking about what Fluttershy was saying. This whole thing was some horrible nightmare...what was she to do, report Fluttershy? That was probably the best, but...they'd lock her away, and...Applejack just couldn't bring herself to do it. Maybe Fluttershy wasn't too serious about this...maybe she wasn't even going to do anything...

"Fluttershy," Applejack said slowly, "how exactly do you plan on...killing Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well," Fluttershy chuckled, as if Applejack was a filly asking a silly question, "of course I'm not just gonna kill her right away, Applejack. I'm gonna make her suffer first! We have to hit her where it hurts the most. I'd say the best thing to do first is to kill her stupid little dragon, just to get her nice and scared."

"W-WHAT?!" Applejack exclaimed. Sweet Celestia, Fluttershy WAS mad! "Are you talkin' about SPIKE?! Fluttershy, c'mon, you LOVE Spike, he didn't have anythin' to do with this..."

"My HOOF he didn't!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "He's on HER side! I bet they're at home right now, laughing and cursing Pinkie in her grave!"

"Fluttershy, I really don't think Spike has anything to do with-"

"APPLEJACK!" Fluttershy screamed. "This is WAR, don't you see?! Spike had a part in this too! I have proof!"

There was a long awkward silence. Finally, Applejack broke the silence.

"Um...where's the proof?" she asked.

"Don't you see?" Fluttershy replied.

"Um...no..." Applejack said.

"DAMMIT APPLEJACK, SPIKE KILLED PINKIE PIE AND I PROVED IT!:"

"Fluttershy, you're really freaking me out!" Applejack exclaimed. "I-I should really go..."

"TRAITOR!" Fluttershy shouted.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" Applejack shouted back.

"Pinkie Pie was murdered, Applejack, and you don't even care!"

Applejack thought things over. Maybe the only thing she could do to talk some sense into Fluttershy was to play along...

"Okay, fine, Fluttershy," Applejack said. "I'll help you."

"Good!" Fluttershy said brightly. "Now. First thing's first, we have to kill Spike."

"Well, Fluttershy," Applejack began, trying to think of how best to talk Fluttershy out of this, "I don't think it would be a good idea to kill Spike, because, then Twilight Sparkle would know we're up to something."

"Good!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "That's the whole point, Applejack! We have to make her suffer! She took Pinkie from us, now we must return the favor. We must kill those closest to her first."

My Celestia, she's crazy, Applejack thought to herself for about the fiftieth time. She cleared her throat.

"Well, uh," she said, "You know, uh, Fluttershy, I don't, uh, I don't think...we should...do this right away...we should, like, give it some time first. You know, to, uh...observe her first."

"Well, you can do that," Fluttershy said. "But I don't need to observe her. I've observed her for, like, three years now. However, I agree that we aren't going to do it right away; we need some time to prepare ourselves for the long battle ahead. You can go home, now, Applejack. I just needed to discuss this with you. I will call you here when I have further information regarding our plans."

"Oh," Applejack said. "Okay. Well, uh. I'll just go now, then."

And she hurried out, wanting to be away from that horse that used to be Fluttershy.

Twilight Sparkle sat at her desk, studying hard from the magic book in front of her. She was having a fairly good day, happy enough, when Spike came over with a warm, freshly baked pie.

"Here, Twilight!" Spike said happily. "I made you a pie! I hope you like it!"

"Aw, thanks, Spike!" Twilight said gratefully. "That was very nice of you! I'll be done studying in a little bit, okay?"

"Okay!" Spike said, and he walked off.

Twilight was studying with a smile of contentment, even more happy than before, when she heard a knock on the door. She turned to the door, which was open. Her friends were there! Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash...they were all there. Something felt a little...off, but Twilight was happy...

"Hey, Twi!" Applejack said enthusiastically. "Wanna come help me pick apples? It's gonne be a hoot!"

"Yeah, Twilight, please?" Fluttershy said. "We'd love to have you come along. I mean, if you're not too busy..."

"Yeah, come on, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash said. "I'll race ya!"

"I'm a dumb whore!" Rarity said.

"That sounds great, girls, but I'm doing my studying right now!" Twilight told them. "I'll come meet you as soon as I'm finished, okay?"

"Okay, Twilight!" Applejack said. "We can't wait for you to join us!"

Twilight Sparkle smiled and went back to studying. She was feeling a lot more happy and comfortable now, and she began to poke a fork in the pie that Spike had brought her. But when the fork poked into it, she heard a faint squeal that seemed to be coming from the pie. She began to feel a sense of dread. Something was wrong.

"What the hay?" she said, and poked the pie some more. She heard the squeal again, but this time it did not go away. In fact, it began to intensify, growing louder each second...it began to sound doubled...suddenly it was the sound of two ponies screaming...Twilight couldn't take it, she covered her ears with her hooves, trying desperately to block out the sound but to no avail...

"I'M SORRY I'M SORRY FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE MAKE IT STOP I'M SORRY..."

Blood began to ooze slowly out of the pie, and Twilight Sparkle screamed. She ran away, up the stairs, to her room. She gasped when she saw a coffin sitting on her bed...it flung open, to reveal the corpse of Pinkie Pie, rotting and dead...Twilight tried to scream but could not as the corpse sat up in its coffin and turned its head to look at her. One of its eyes was missing, with a maggot poking out of the empty socket. The other eye was an even worse sight; it was nothing more but a white, filmy goo dripping slowly out of its socket.

"Why did you do this to me, Twilight?" Pinkie asked. "I thought we were bestest friends..."

"I'M SORRY!" Twilight screamed. She ran downstairs, in tears, and saw her friends, still standing at the door...suddenly they were wearing expressions of hatred and rage on their once welcoming faces.

"You killed her, Twilight!" Applejack shouted. "You're a MURDERER!"

All of her remaining friends began to shout at her, accuse her, and she fell to her knees crying.

"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..." she sobbed. Suddenly she was standing before a guillotine, in front of an audience of Equestrians...Princess Celestia was standing next to her.

"Princess, you believe me, don't you?" Twilight asked desperately. Princess Celestia looked down at her, and then looked away with an expression of disgust.

"Twilight Sparkle," she said loudly, for everypony to hear. "For your sick, disgraceful crime against friendship, you must be sentenced to death."

"No!" Twilight protested desperately. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to do it, I'm SORRY..."

She looked at the audience, and saw that they were all replicas of the dead Pinkie Pie.

"KILL HER!" the Pinkie Pies shouted at once, and Twilight Sparkle awoke in a puddle of sweat.

Twilight Sparkle looked around, breathing heavily and shakily. Sweat was still dripping from her forehead. She turned her head this way and that, taking in her surroundings, still not quite adjusted after the shock of the nightmare. She saw Spike sleeping soundly in his bed, snoring lightly, and she sighed. It was a shaky exhalation of breath, and she could feel her heart still pounding in her chest. She laid back, thinking hard about the dream. The guilt of what she had done came back to her, and she buried her face in her hooves in her suffering.

"Why did I do it?" she sobbed. "WHY?!"

She looked over at Spike. He looked so peaceful, so innocent...she felt terrible that she had hurt him. Would he be okay without her? Well...surely he would get by. One of her other friends would take him in, they all loved Spike...

"Spike..." Twilight said softly, talking more to herself than him, "I'm so sorry."

She climbed out of bed and went downstairs. She went into the kitchen and got a knife. With her magic horn, she levitated it carefully towards her wrist and...

"No!" she suddenly exclaimed, taking in the reality of what she was doing. The knife clattered to the floor, and her heart stopped. Had Spike heard? Was he awake? She strained her ears for any sounds of movement from upstairs, but there was only silence. She sighed and picked up the knife, putting it away.

How could she even think of leaving Spike like that? God, she's such a bitch. She had promised him she'd be fine, but here she was, doing the same old thing again...he'd been right. She DID need some help. The damn pills weren't working anymore. God, she needed a drink...

She looked in the direction of the stairs, thinking about Spike...about how she had hurt him last time she'd drank...but...it would be okay this time, right? She'd be careful...she wouldn't break her promise...

"Oh, Spike..." she said. "I promise I won't go over the limit this time...I promise..."

And she left. As she walked outside, alone, feeling the chill air against her coat, she thought of Pinkie, and her friends, and immediately shook the thought out of her mind. Instead, she changed the subject to what bar she would go to. She didn't really want to go to the one she did last night. Everypony there was an asshole. She wondered if there were any new bars in town...as she walked along in downtown Ponyville, looking at every building she passed for a place to go, she noticed a building she hadn't noticed before. The Rusty Apple, the sign said, and decided to go inside. Despite the fact that the word 'Apple' reminded her of Applejack and that made her sad. It's like, whatever.

She went inside. It was indeed a bar, and she walked past a few sad-looking ponies to the counter. The bartender stood with his back to her, a cowpony-God-a COWBOY hat, WHATEVER, on his head. That hat also reminded her of Applejack! But like, you know, whatever.

She cleared her throat, and he turned around.

"Well howdy there, miss!" the bartender said enthusiastically, in a Southern accent, or, like, an Apple accent whatever it's like fucking gay ass pony world or some shit like dat god so dum why you even readin this about like gay colorful horses that talk god ur like 5 or somefing or like a faggot god so dum and stuff so like yeah god like faggots go jack off to cartoon horses or something like that god SO ANYWAY he had an accent. "What can I do ya for?"

"You look familiar..." Twilight observed, squinting her eyes in thought. "Wait a minute...Braeburn?"

"That's my name!" Braeburn said, smiling. "Say, aren't you that Twilight Sparkle guy my cousin hangs out with?"

"Yeah," Twilight said. "What are you doing in Ponyville?"

"Well, Applejack gave me a call about her dead friend," Braeburn said. "I thought I'd come down here and try 'n make her feel better. And also open up a bar. After all, everyone bein' all sad about Pinkie Pie and everythin' is real good for business!"

At the mention of Pinkie Pie's name, everypony in the bar started to cry and order more drinks.

"See? Told ya!" Braeburn said happily, hurriedly filling glasses and handing out drinks. "So what can I get ya, Ms. Twilight? Hard cider? Apple scotch?"

"I'll have a cider," Twilight said, and Braeburn set the glass down in front of her. She looked at it glumly.

"Y'know, Twilight, you don't strike me as someone you drinks very often," Braeburn said, leaning over the counter to talk to her. "But, here ya are. I heard about what you've been through, Twilight. You must be feelin' awful about what you did, huh?"

Twilight looked up, touched that someone was reaching out to her.

"Y-yeah," she said quietly, looking up at him.

"Well heck, why didn't'cha say so?" Braeburn said excitedly. "Have another one, on the house!"

He set another glass down in front of her, and she looked at it with growing discomfort.

"Um...I don't know, Braeburn," she said unsurely, "I'm kind of trying to watch the liquor tonight..."

"Aw, c'mon! What's a little alcohol gonna do?" Braeburn encouraged.

"Braeburn, I don't really like the way I get when I drink..."

"Well, a couple ciders won't get ya that drunk!" Braeburn assured her. "Come on, now!"

"Well..." Twilight considered, "I guess just two will be okay..."

An hour later, Twilight Sparkle was completely drunk off her ass, the counter in front of her practically buried in empty glasses.

"Hey, Burnbrae!" she shouted, her voice slurred. "Gimme 'nother one!"

"Comin' right up, Ms. Sparkle!"

While Twilight waited for her next drink, she turned to the colt sitting next to her.

"Hey!" she snapped. The pony turned on his barstool to face her.

"Yes, ma'am?" he said, and Twilight clopped him in the face, knocking him out of his seat.

"Don't look at me, faggot," she muttered. She then turned back to the counter where her next drink was sitting. She picked it up and took a long drink. Then she set it down and stood up.

"I'm gonna go, Rarity," she said drunkenly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Twilight, I'm not sure I can let you drive," Braeburn said uncertainly.

"I walked here, idiot!" Twilight spat.

"Oh," Braeburn said. "Okay, then. Have a good one!"

"You have a good one," Twilight muttered, and walked out the door.

Spike paced back and forth frantically, wondering where Twilight was and worrying. He had woken up after a long, restful sleep to find that she was not in her bed. He had gone downstairs, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He couldn't help but wonder if she had gone out drinking again. Or...what if she was committing suicide?! That would be horrible!

"Where is she?" he muttered. He kept on glancing at the door, hoping for her to walk in-preferably sober.

After a while of waiting, he heard the door open. He spun around to look, and sighed in relief when Twilight Sparkle walked in the door.

"Hey, Twilight!"

Twilight Sparkle immediately clopped him in the face.

"Ow! What'd you do that for?!"

"Shut up, you little faggot!" Twilight spat. "I hate you!"

"T-Twilight...no!" Spike protested. "You...you promised..."

"SHUT UP!"

Twilight hit him hard in the face, knocking him backwards into a chair. The chair toppled over and Spike fell on top of it. Twilight Sparkle walked towards him slowly.

"Yes...that's it...go on, I want to watch you squirm..." Twilight said as she towered over Spike, who was struggling desperately to get up. She raised her hoof, about to stomp on him.

"N-no!" Spike choked. "Twilight, please...I'm sorry...whatever I did, I'm sorry, I'll-I'll go to bed, I'll be good, I promise, I'll do anything you want me to..."

Twilight looked down at him with drunken hatred, watching him squirm and plead for his life, when suddenly, a feeling of sober regret hit her. She slowly lowered her hoof; the angry, resentful expression on her face turned to guilt.

"Oh my Celestia...what am I doing?" she whispered. "Spike...I'm so sorry..."

"Please, Twilight, just...leave me alone!" Spike pleaded. Twilight looked down at him for a moment, and then burst into tears and ran out of the tree library thingy. She ran for a long time, not thinking of where she was going or what she was going to do, thinking instead only of her misery, of her pain. She stopped running and sat down on a street corner, and cried, thinking about how she had hurt everyone.

"I...I promised I wouldn't hurt him again," she sobbed. "I promised...and I broke that promise. God...I'm so sorry, Spike. I'm sorry, Pinkie...I'm sorry, Fluttershy...I'm sorry...everypony."

She cried for a while longer, all alone, and she did not notice a very shady-looking pony in a trenchcoat walk over to her.

"Hey...miss?" the creepy pony called. "You look like a...troubled young lady. Anything I can do to help?"

"N-no, sir. I'm fine," Twilight sniffed. "I just need some time to myself."

"Oh, hey, I can understand that," the creepy pony said agreeably. "I've been down the same road, kid. Feeling worthless...no friends...left alone to basque in the misery of my own mistakes. But what if I told you I had something that could...take your mind off the pain for a while?"

Twilight Sparkle looked up.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

The creepy pony reached into one of the large pockets on his overcoat and pulled out a small baggie of a white powdery substance. I don't know what it's called in Ponyville, but...it's a white powdery substance.

"THIS stuff," the creepy pony replied with a wicked smile. "I'm tellin' you, missy, this is some good stuff...if Equestria isn't magical enough for ya, then this shit will take you to places you've never even DREAMT of before."

"Um, I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not going to self-medicate with dangerous, illegal drugs to drown out my depression. So, no deal."

The pony was clearly taken aback. No one in Equestria really talked much about drugs, so most ponies didn't even know what they were, let alone a young mare like this.

"N-now, how does such a young girl know about drugs?" the creepy pony asked nervously.

"I read a lot," Twilight Sparkle explained simply.

"W-well, aren't you a smart lass!" the pony said. "A little too smart, if you ask me," he muttered. He cleared his throat and went on. "Well, listen. Um...how is your life going at the time, little girl?"

"Not so great," Twilight replied. "And, I'm not a little girl."

"Of course you're not. Now, look at it this way...with things going the way they are for you...how much do you actually care about your health? At the time?"

"You're actually trying to talk me out of caring about my life?" Twilight Sparkle demanded, outraged. "I have a baby dragon, and he needs me!"

"Well, now, of course I'm not trying to talk you out of your health," the drug-dealing pony quickly lied. "I want you to be healthy, and live a long, full life. That's why...these are safe drugs! Not like all the nasty ones you get on the streets!"

"This is on the streets," Twilight Sparkle reminded him.

"Well, yeah, but...listen, I'm a safe drug dealer! We're very rare, but we ARE out there..."

Twilight Sparkle chuckled.

"Okay, sir? Listen. I know for a fact that there are no safe drugs. All illegal substances have dangerous effects and high addiction rates..."

"Yeah, well, this stuff is less dangerous, okay?" the pony said impatiently. "And not as addicting. Just...trust me on this, alright? Would I lie to you?"

"Probably..."

"Well, I wouldn't! Just try it ONCE. One time couldn't hurt, could it?"

Twilight Sparkle thought about this for a while, her brow furrowed in deep consideration.

"Fine, I guess not..." she said finally, giving in. "Just...fine."

"There, now you're talkin'!" the creepy pony exclaimed happily. "I knew you were a smart mare! I assure you, this shit will make your problems just melt away..."

"Fine, just...gimme the damn drugs already," Twilight said, reaching out her hoof.

"Ah ah ah!" the drug dealer said, pulling the baggie out of her reach. "Not so fast...that'll be 50 bits."

"Fif-fifty bits?!" Twilight ejaculated, outraged and unbelieving. "Shit, for fifty bits that stuff better've come out of Princess Celestia's ass!"

"Hey, happiness ain't cheap, kid," the drug dealer said. "Now pay up!"

"Fine," Twilight sighed. She reached into wherever she keeps her money, I dunno, her nose or something, I don't watch My Little Pony, I just happen to know so much about it because I guessed, and she pulled out fifty bits. "Curse the high prices of illegal street drugs..."

I"m glad we could do business," the drug-dealing pony smiled, taking her money. He gave her the drugs and walked away, laughing evilly. Twilight Sparkle was left to examine the powdery substance that she had just bought, and wonder what to do with it.

"Let's see..." she pondered, "I don't really want to snort it, that's disgusting...I think injecting it with a needle is pretty common. Luckily, I'm a magic unicorn and I can conjure things out of midair!"

She conjured a needle out of the air and looked at it.

"Ah, owning my own needle. Such a huge advantage over sharing one with other, drug-addicted ponies, risking blood-transmitted diseases, the rates of which are, statistically speaking, much higher than..."

"JUST DO THE DAMN DRUGS ALREADY!" a random voice shouted.

Twilight Sparkle looked around, confused.

"Who the hell was that?" she wondered aloud. "Oh, well. I guess I might as well get this over with. Here goes nothing..."

She used magic to liquefy some of the powder, and put it in the needle, and then injected it into her arm. Or...leg, I guess...you know, one of her front legs. So, you know, it kinda looks like her arm.

Immediately after injecting the substance, Twilight Sparkle began to feel the effects kick in. There was a strange feeling in her head, and colors began to swirl around before her eyes. Strange visions flew past her, of ponies pulling lizards out of their heads and stuff like that.

"Oh my God," Twilight said. "I can...hear the colors."

Back at the library, Spike was cowering in the corner, fearfully awaiting Twilight Sparkle's return. What was going to happen when she got home? He couldn't keep himself from wondering that. Was she drinking again? The second time tonight? Would she come back even more drunk than before, possibly even more vicious, more violent and angry...Spike swallowed fearfully at the very thought of this.

The door was flung open, and Spike's heart leapt in his chest. This was it...it was all over. Twilight Sparkle burst in the doorway, and Spike immediately could tell that she was not sober. Something was definitely very off about her, but it was not like when she had come home drunk. Still, he was sure she was going to hurt him again...

"I'm sorry, Twilight, please, don't hurt me anymore..."

"HURT YOU?!" Twilight exclaimed, surprise filling her voice, which was overly energetic, in a way that Spike had never heard her act before. "Why would I HURT you, Applejack? I love you and that green cat you're always carrying around with you! God, there are so many fucking BUGS on me..."

She started to violently beat at herself with her hooves.

"NAR!" she exclaimed. "This...would be...so much easier...if I had...FINGERS!"

"Twilight, what the hell are you doing?!" Spike exclaimed. "Stop it!"

"Shut up, you little punk!" Twilight screamed. "You and your stupid frog...GET THIS RABBIT OUT OF MY HEAD!"

"Twilight Sparkle, what the hell are you on?!" Spike cried.

"Wait...I'm on something?" Twilight Sparkle asked. "Oh my Celestia...YOU'RE ONE OF THEM! You bastard, tell them to leave me alone! Tell them! Now!"

"Twilight, I don't know what you're talking abo-AAUUUGH!"

He ran, because Twilight Sparkle was chasing him with a chair over her head, babbling nonsensical things like a drugged-out freak. He ran upstairs and hid under his bed, praying for the horror to be over.

Meanwhile, at Fluttershy's house, the owner of the house (Fluttershy) was looking out her window with a pair of binoculars. Her plan was going to come into fruition soon enough, but she was sure she was being watched, so she had to take extra precaution.

"Stupid Twilight Sparkle," she was muttering to herself. "Stupid mom...it's not my fault Dad died! Oh, it should've been me, huh? I'm WORTHLESS, huh? Well, I'll show you. I'LL SHOW YOU ALL! I KNOW you killed her. YOU KILLED PINKIE PIE! Just like you killed my father."

There was a knock on her door, and she jumped.

"Oh, that must be them," she said. "Out to get me, huh? Well, I've got a surprise for you."

She reached her hoof into a box she kept safely underneath a cabinet that was up against a wall. She opened the box and took out the shotgun inside, chuckling evilly to herself as she picked it up somehow, loaded it, and cocked it. She walked over to the door, and opened it.

Applejack and Rarity both screamed when they saw a gun pointed at them through the open door.

"Oh, it's just you guys," Fluttershy said, lowering the gun. "Good...I need backup. Get in here! NOW!"

They made their way into the house, and Rarity cleared her throat.

"Fluttershy, tell me THIS INSTANT what is going on!" Rarity demanded. "Applejack says you've been acting...very strange lately."

"Oh, good!" Fluttershy said enthusiastically. "So you've been told what needs to be done. Come on in, we have to discuss battle tactics!"

"B-battle tactics?" Rarity repeated, looking at Applejack. Applejack dropped her eyes to the floor and shook her head as Fluttershy pulled them further into the house and closed the door. And latched it.

"Okay," Fluttershy said. "Now. Were you followed?"

"Fluttershy, you asked that last time!" Applejack said impatiently. "What is it with you and bein' followed? Nopony's gonna follow us!"

"Fluttershy, Applejack and I are very worried about you," Rarity said. "We're all dealing with Pinkie Pie's death in our own ways, but yours seems...very unhealthy."

"Bitch, you can't just deal with Pinkie Pie's death!" Fluttershy snapped. "You have to AVENGE her!"

"Yeah, that's what we're talkin' about," Applejack said. "Listen, Fluttershy, it's...normal to hate Twilight for what happened. I understand that, and I wish it weren't true, but I can't HELP it. None of us can. But see, when you start talkin' about revenge and murder and all that hooey, that's when things start gettin' real nasty. After all, it's not what we feel that makes us bad horses. It's how we act on those feelings. Nopony can help the way they feel. But everypony...can keep themselves from doin' somethin' bad."

Fluttershy looked down at the floor.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I...I understand, Applejack..."

"You do?" Applejack asked, stunned.

"Yes, Applejack," Fluttershy replied. "I understand that you're a TRAITOR!"

She lunged at Applejack, and Rarity quickly grabbed her, holding her back.

"No!" Rarity exclaimed. "Fluttershy, what are you doing?! Stop!"

"No! Why should I? She killed Pinkie Pie!"

"No she didn't!" Rarity said. "Twilight Sparkle killed Pinkie Pie!"

"No, she didn't!" Applejack said. "It was an honest mistake!"

"Oh, really now, you're gonna take her side?" Rarity snapped. "How could you forgive her after she took Pinkie Pie from us?"

"Well, she's our friend, too!" Applejack snapped. "What if it'd been the other way around? What if Pinkie Pie had shot Twilight, then we'd just be mad at Pinkie Pie, right?"

"YOU BOTH KILLED PINKIE PIE!" Fluttershy screamed.

"N-no!" Rarity exclaimed. "Fluttershy, you're, uh...you're right! Twilight killed Pinkie Pie, just, just, just calm down! We're just, uh...we're worried about you! Twilight, she's, uh...she's very... heavily armed! Going after her is dangerous, so, maybe things would be best if you'd just, like...let this one go? For now? Maybe...see a therapist?"

"Oh," Fluttershy said, calming down. "Well, I'm glad that you guys didn't kill Pinkie Pie. But, come on, guys! Twilight, she's not so tough. I'm more heavily armed than she could ever hope to be! So, don't worry about me. I can take her. Now, listen! I need to go out now and make some preparations for the Great War that is afoot. Applejack! Rarity! I want you to stay here and guard the house. If anything happens, just remember, I keep weapons stashed in various places around the house. Gottagobye!"

And with those words, she left them there, stunned and worried.

"Um...where's she going?" Rarity asked after a long silence.

"I don't know," Applejack replied. "I'm...kinda worried..."

"Well, so am I," Rarity said. "But there's really not much we can do, except stay here and wait for you."

"Yeah, or we could go and try to stop her..." Applejack said.

"Um, Applejack...remember how she almost attacked you?" Rarity said.

"Yeah, I think it's best we stay here," Applejack agreed quickly.

Four hours later, they were still there, growing tired, and wondering when Fluttershy was going to be back. Applejack yawned.

"How...how long is she gonna take?" she asked.

"I don't know," Rarity replied. "Celestia only knows what she could be doing out there..."

"We should probably be doing something...like going out and looking for her or something..." Applejack said.

"If she was doing something bad, we'd be too late by now," Rarity said. "I'm...worried, Applejack."

"I'm sorry, Rarity..." Applejack said. "I'm sure...everything's okay...things will get better...this whole thing will blow over...eventually..."

She trailed off. After a long silence, Rarity looked over, and saw that she was crying.

"Applejack, don't cry!" she cried. "What's wrong?"

"I-I'm just...thinking about Pinkie Pie, Rarity," Applejack sniffed. "I...I miss her so much..."

"Oh, Applejack," Rarity sighed, tears beginning to form in her own eyes. "We all do."

They hugged each other for a long time. Whatever. After a while, Rarity spoke.

"Applejack?" she said.

"Yeah?" Applejack said.

"Well...you know, I was just wondering... why is it that everyone in the Apple family always has...something to do with apples on their Cutie Marks? I mean...where's the suspense?"

Applejack laughed.

"Well, sugarcube, we're the Apple family!" she said. "Of course we all love apples! We also love our family, and our home, and since we're the Apple family, apples sorta represent those things for us, if ya know what I mean."

"Well, yeah, but, I mean...EVERYPONY in the family loves those things? That kind of defeats the purpose of wondering what your Cutie Mark is going to turn out to be, doesn't it? I mean, it's the same thing every time..."

Applejack was silent.

"Okay, look," Rarity said quickly. "I was just wondering...was there ever...anyone...in your family who...who DIDN'T like the same thing as all the others?"

Applejack looked up, completely silent, a hurt expression on her face. Rarity called her name a few times, concerned, but her words were distant, as if from another, faraway world, as she slipped into the memories of her past.

Applejack was a young filly, eating dinner with her family, who she loved very much. She enjoyed dinner as well...apple pie, apple sauce, fried apples, and plain apples...her family lived off a very diverse diet. She was having a great time, until she heard her father talk to her brother, Fritter Pie. She winced when she heard his voice...she knew what was coming.

"What're you doin', boy?" her daddy barked. "Quit sittin' there and eat yer dinner!"

"Don't wanna," Fritter Pie replied.

"Come on, Fritter Pie," Applejack whispered nervously. "Just eat it! Don't make him mad..."

"What the hell's wrong with you, boy?!" she heard her daddy snap. She sighed...she was too late. She closed her eyes and told herself that it would be okay, that she was in a happy place...

"Why don't you eat yer apples?" Granny Smith demanded. "Your poor mother slaved in the kitchen to feed you, and this is how you repay her! Ungrateful child..."

"I don't care!" Fritter Pie snapped. "I fucking hate apples!"

Applejack flinched when she heard the blow.

"Don't you EVER talk like that under my roof AGAIN!" she heard her daddy shout.

"Daniel, don't hit him!" her mother exclaimed. Applejack heard another blow, and she choked back a sob and silently began to pray for it to be over.

"I'm going to bed," Granny Smith said quickly.

"I fucking hate this house!" she heard Fritter Pie shout. "I hate all of you! I ain't no fucking redneck! I...I got my Cutie Mark today!"

Applejack peeked through her hooves, feeling a slight rush of excitement at that...she'd been eagerly awaiting her own Cutie Mark, so the subject held a bit of fascination for her. She saw Fritter Pie stand up to reveal his Cutie Mark, and she gasped. It was...a banana. She saw her mother faint, and she felt like fainting herself.

Later that night, her daddy had kicked Fritter Pie out of the house, and Applejack had witnessed them fighting on the doorstep.

"Where the hell am I supposed to go?!" Fritter Pie had demanded.

"I...I don't care," her daddy had replied, turning away.

"What do you mean, you don't care?!" Fritter Pie had shouted. "I'm your SON!"

"I have no son," her father said. "No offense, Big Macintosh."

"Nope," Big Macintosh replied.

So back in reality, Rarity was now waving her hoof in front of Applejack's face. She was concerned by Applejack's blank expression, and the tear running down the corner of her eye. Suddenly, Applejack snapped back to reality!

"Hey, sugarcube!" she said enthusiasitcally. "How are you today?"

"Um...good," Rarity replied. "So, uh...where do you think Fluttershy is?"

"I don't know, Rarity," Applejack sighed. "I just...I don't know."

MEANWHILE, AT THE CLOUD MANSION OF RAINBOW DASH...

Rainbow Dash was sleeping peacefully on a cloud, like she always liked to do. Fluttershy looked down at the cyan pony, waiting for her to wake up. It wouldn't be long now...

Rainbow Dash began to twitch in her sleep, and then she slowly opened her eyes. She raised them up to look at Fluttershy, then closed them again, then did sort of a waking up double-take and jumped, startled.

"Fluttershy, what the hell-"?

"Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said quietly. "We...need to talk about something."

"Fluttershy, you scared the crap out of me!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "What are you doing up here? What time is it?"

"That does not matter, Rainbow!" Fluttershy insisted impatiently. "We need to talk!"

"About what?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Look, Fluttershy...if it's about Pinkie...I don't want to talk about it. Okay? I don't want to think about it. I...I just want to be alone."

"Rainbow Dash...how do you feel about Pinkie Pie's death?" Fluttershy asked.

"W-what kind of question is that?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean...I feel sad, obviously..."

She sighed and looked away for a moment, biting her lip and thinking hard.

"Sometimes..." she said, "sometimes I just...I wonder why, Fluttershy. Why did Pinkie Pie die, Fluttershy, and not I? I look up at the sky, and I just...wonder. Why would something like that...why would it happen to Pinkie? She was...the happiest, most innocent pony, and...why couldn't it have been me?! She doesn't deserve it, Fluttershy, I...I think about her all the time, and I miss her!"

She choked back a sob, and picked up a small cupcake that had been sitting near her on the cloud, holding it up for Fluttershy to see.

"My...my birthday was just a few days before her...passing. She baked me this. She baked me a whole batch of cupcakes, actually, but I was full by the time I ate the others. I was...saving this one. Look, Fluttershy! See, there's even a little note attached to it! It says, 'Happy Birthday, Dashie'! And...she wrote it! This...this is all I have to remember her by now. And...I'm never going to let it go. I...shouldn't have let her go. But seriously though, I don't really wanna talk about it."

"Okay," Fluttershy replied. "Well, Rainbow...does Pinkie's death ever make you...angry?"

"Angry?" Rainbow Dash repeated. "Well...yeah, kind of. I mean...Twilight...she just took Pinkie from me. From us. From everyone. I mean, I get why she did it...it's just...something we do here in Ponyville...you know, Fluttershy, to be honest, I...sometimes I feel like this whole thing, like it's MY fault, too. I mean, like...if I had just arrived a little sooner to tell Twilight about the whole broken leg thing, then...well...Pinkie would still be alive today..."

She started to cry, and Fluttershy clopped her in the face.

"Ow!" Rainbow Dash cried. "Fluttershy what the hell!"

"Get ahold of yourself, woman!" Fluttershy snapped. "Pinkie Pie's death was NOT your fault! Why would you even think that?!"

"Y-yeah," Rainbow Dash sniffled. "I guess...we all just need to stop blaming ourselves. We all just need to accept that...that Pinkie's death was a mistake, and move on..."

"Yeah!" Fluttershy agreed. "And, it was Twilight's fault!"

"Well, yeah," Rainbow Dash said agreeably. "But, you know, I mean, she did have her reasons..."

"Yeah, she had her reasons, all right," Fluttershy said darkly. "Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie was MURDERED!"

"Murdered?" Rainbow repeated. "Uh, Fluttershy, Twilight only killed her because she broke her leg..."

"You think that's a reason?!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

"Well, no, I'm pretty pro-life, I guess, but..."

"But nothing!" Fluttershy snapped. "She had no right to just take Pinkie from us like that!"

"Well, yeah, that's true," Rainbow Dash agreed. "Still, though, Pinkie just...wouldn't be Pinkie anymore with a broken leg...she wouldn't be able to hop and sing like she always did..."

Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Actually," she continued, "she probably would be the same, because if I had just arrived a little bit sooner, I could have stopped Twilight..."

"Yeah, well, no," Fluttershy told her. "She would've done it anyway."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked, wiping tears from her eyes with her hoof.

"I told you, Rainbow, Twilight killed Pinkie Pie for a reason!" Fluttershy said impatiently. "She murdered her, and she's gonna murder us next! They ALL are!"

"Um, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash said with concern. "I...think you're going insane."

"Yeah," Fluttershy said, "or maybe I just know what goes on around these parts, Dash! Pinkie was killed for a reason. She knew too much. She knew too much, and now she's gone. And I'm gonna be next. And then you, and Rarity, and Applejack..."

"What did she know?" Rainbow asked.

"She knew that Equestria is nothing but a bloodthirsty dictatorship, designed for us to shed each other's blood for Princess Celestia's amusement," Fluttershy said. "Which is why Twilight killed Pinkie, because Princess Celestia liked Pinkie better than Twilight, and Twilight wanted to be her favorite, so she was removing the competition, which is what Princess Celestia wanted her to do."

"I thought you said Twilight killed Pinkie because she knew too much," Rainbow Dash replied.

"Yeah, she knew too much so Princess Celestia liked her better so Twilight Sparkle killed her!"

"Wait... so Princess Celestia wanted her to know the truth?"

"Who, Twilight Sparkle or Pinkie Pie?"

"Twilight Sparkle," Rainbow Dash replied. "Wait, no, I mean Pinkie Pie."

"Yes, Princess Celestia wanted Pinkie to know the truth so that Twilight would kill her."

"Yeah, you're going insane."

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy exclaimed, startling Rainbow Dash a little bit. "Listen to me! You are not taking this seriously, and this is a very serious situation. Twilight Sparkle is out to get us, and I'm beginning to get suspicious of Applejack and Rarity, too! I need your help. Unless...you're against me too."

"Well...I'm not...I guess..." said Rainbow Dash. "But...Fluttershy, what are you wanting me to help you do, exactly?"

Fluttershy cleared her throat. It was time to tell Rainbow Dash what they had to do.

"Rainbow Dash, we need to KILL TWILIGHT SPARKLE."

"What?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in shock. "F-Fluttershy, no! Are you serious?! I'm not killing anypony!"

"Oh, you're not? Fine," Fluttershy said. "Fine! So be it, then. But just remember, Dash, you're never going to see Pinkie again. NEVER. She's dead. And I didn't shoot her. You didn't shoot her. No. Twilight Sparkle shot her."

And on that grim note, she turned around and left, leaving Rainbow Dash to sit there alone, pondering life. She looked down at the cupcake in her hoof, and cried.

Applejack and Rarity were sleeping soundly and peacefully when Fluttershy burst in the door. They both woke up, startled.

"F-Fluttershy!" Applejack cried out. "Where've you been?"

"I dreamt about casual sex with multiple partners," said Rarity (like usual).

"I had...some business to attend to," Fluttershy said.

"What kinda business?" Applejack asked.

"Well, Rainbow Dash is now part of our...alleigance," Fluttershy told her.

"Alleigance?" Rarity repeated. "Fluttershy, I don't even remember ever agreeing to any of this...and...I doubt Rainbow would either!"

"Well she did," Fluttershy said annoyedly. "Are you sure you're not going to join, Rarity? Maybe we could talk about this privately. Applejack, you can find your way home, right?"

"Well...yeah..." Applejack said.

"Good," is the word that the character named Fluttershy said after that. "Leave. Come, Rarity. Let me accompany you on your walk home."

"Um...I guess so..." Rarity said nervously like she was gonna be stabbed or something god what a BITCH.

So Fluttershy and Rarity left, and Applejack left as well. They all left.

So Fluttershy and Rarity were walking along in the dark night, silently. Finally, Fluttershy cleared her throat.

"So," she said. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." Rarity agreed nervously.

"Yes, yes, it certainly was," Fluttershy said impatiently. "Now...Rarity, you have to realize that Pinkie Pie's death was no accident."

"I know it wasn't an accident, Fluttershy!" Rarity said exasperated. "Twilight Sparkle shot her because she had a broken hoof. I don't think it was necessary either, but I really doubt Twilight had some...big master plan to kill her."

"Rarity, you need to be able to trust me on this!" Fluttershy said angrily. "I know this is hard to believe, but I have proof!"

"No you don't, Fluttershy!" Rarity exclaimed. "You're just...you're losing it! You couldn't handle what happened to Pinkie, and now you're losing your mind. You need help, darling!"

"I see," Fluttershy said softly. "So she's gotten to you too. Rarity, Twilight Sparkle is out to get us. And I'm pretty sure Applejack is, too. And possibly Rainbow Dash. And Pinkie Pie. And Rarity."

"Well, Pinkie Pie's dead, and I'm Rarity," Rarity explained. "Fluttershy, really, dear, you're starting to worry me. You're starting to worry all of us! You're...you're not yourself anymore. You're not anything like the Fluttershy I used to know. Please...go talk to a therapist or something. Get some help. Please...for your friends."

"No!" Fluttershy snapped. "I don't need a goddamn therapist! They're probably all working for Twilight Sparkle, anyway!"

Rarity sighed.

"Fluttershy..." she said, thinking hard. "If...if I can't help you...then...I can't be around you anymore."

And she galloped away, tears in her eyes.

"TRAITOR!" Fluttershy screamed after her. "I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET WHAT'S COMING TO YOU, YOU FILTHY TRAITOR!"

She watched her friend leave with betrayed hatred in her nutty, screwed-up little mind. Oh well, she thought. Rarity would just have to die as well.

Meanwhilez, Applejack was laying in her comfy bed, but she was not very comfy. In fact, she was tossing and turning. She woke up, breathing heavily and sweating, her heart pounding with the fear from the nightmares that had been haunting her ever since Pinkie Pie died. She sighed and took a drink from the glass of apple cider that she usually kept on her bedside table. She sat up in bed for what seemed like hours, just thinking. Her mind inevitably found it's way back to the problem that had been worrying her mind most of all lately...Fluttershy.

"God..." she said to herself quietly. "Fluttershy...what's gotten into her?"

She noticed Big Macintosh walk in.

"Oh...hey, Big Mac," she greeted.

"Eeyup," Big Macintosh replied.

There was a long silence. Sometimes Big Macintosh liked to talk, but sometimes he got in this weird mood where he would rather reply with one-word answers. Applejack guessed this was probably one of those times.

"So...what's up?" she said. Big Macintosh didn't answer. "Do you need something?"

"Nope," Big Mac replied.

"Okay..." Applejack said. "Do you...have something to say?"

"Yup," Big Mac said.

"Okay...can you say it, then?"

"Nope."

"Um...so, do you want me to, like, guess it or something?"

"Eeyup."

"Fine," Applejack sighed. "Does it have somethin' to do with...like...apples or somethin'?"

"Nope," Big Mac replied.

"Okay...um...does it have something to do with Pinkie Pie?"

"Eeyup."

"Okay...so...you want to say that you're sorry about what happened?"

"Nope."

Applejack laid back down and turned away bitterly.

"Gee, thanks, Big Mac," she muttered. "Real supportive. I'm shocked at you."

"Nope!" Big Macintosh exclaimed.

"What?" Applejack snapped. "What do you mean, 'nope'? You're acting like a dick, don't blame me for being mad at you!"

"NOPE, NOPE, NOPE!" Big Mac shouted.

"What?!" Applejack demanded. "I don't understand what you want from me, Big Macintosh!"

"Nope!" Big Macintosh said.

"Okay," Applejack sighed. "So...wait. You mean to say, you ARE sorry about what happened, but that isn't what you came in here to tell me?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed.

"Oh," Applejack said. "Well, then. It would've been a lot easier if you would've just told me that a long time ago. So...I guess I'll just keep on guessing, then...um...is it about Twilight Sparkle?"

"Yup," Big Mac said.

"Okay...something about how I'm mad at her for killing Pinkie Pie?"

"Eeyup."

"You don't think I should be?" Applejack asked.

"Nope," Big Mac replied.

"Okay...wait. You mean, 'nope, I should still be mad at her,' or 'nope, I shouldn't be mad at her anymore?'" Applejack asked.

Big Macintosh thought for a second.

"Yup," he said finally.

"What? The first one?" Applejack asked.

"Nope," Big Macintosh said.

"Okay, the second one!" Applejack said.

"Yup," Big Mac said.

"Okay..." Applejack said. "So...you're sayin', I should stop being mad at Twilight. But, Big Macintosh...you realize how hard that is, don't you? I mean...she killed Pinkie Pie."

"Yup," Big Macintosh replied.

SUDDENLY TWILIGHT SPARKLE WAS AN ALICORN!

Applejack sighed. She knew her big brother was right...even if it was difficult.

"You're right, Big Mac," she said. "All this hatred...it just ain't right, y'know? We all make mistakes. Even something horrible like what happened...she didn't mean it, Twilight...it was a terrible, horrible mistake, but she is still a good pony, and...if we all stop bein' friends with Twilight, then we're not losing just one friend, but two. We can't just let Pinkie's death tear our friendship apart, it...it's not what she would have wanted! Big Mac...thank you. Thank you for showin' me what I was doing to the magical friendship that I hold dear!"

"Yup," Big Mac said, and he turned to leave. But as he approached the door, he stopped, and turned back to his sister. Applejack looked at him in puzzlement for a moment, but she quickly understood.

"O-one more thing, Applejack?" she said.

"Yup," Big Mac nodded.

"Good luck, and stay strong?"

"Eeyup," said Big Mac, and he winked and turned to leave. Then he tripped and fell over a toy that was lying in the doorway.

"Ow, FUCK!" Big Mac shouted. "MOTHERFUCKER! APPLE BLOOM, YOU NEED TO FUCKING PICK UP YOUR SHIT!"

Applejack watched her elder brother stagger out of the room, and she sighed heavily, laying back down and turning to her side. She really did want to forgive Twilight, it was just so hard...at any rate, she didn't want her friend who was an alicorn princess to get hurt. She just hoped...that everything would turn out for the best.

Applejack neighed quietly and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes and found something very odd; she was laying on the floor (plus she was an alicorn which she didn't remember being the day before).

"Oh me, oh my!" Twilight Sparkle said. "The floor's not for sleeping on!"

She sat up, noticing that she had a very painful ache in her back. She grunted in pain and rubbed her back with her hoof. When she opened her eyes, she froze, taking in what she saw. There was knocked-over furniture and broken glass all over the house. She confusedly attempted to think back to the previous night...and then sudden remembrance struck her.

"Oh, no-the drugs!" she exclaimed. "H-how much did I take? What have I done?!"

She got up, and rushed over to Spike, who was unconscious on the floor.

"S-Spike?" she said. "Wake up!"

He woke up with a jolt, and suddenly screamed when he saw her, scurrying away from her.

"N-no, please don't hurt me!" Spike exclaimed. "I-I can't take anymore abuse!"

"Spike, I'm not gonna hurt you!" Twilight swore frantically. "I-I'm sorry! I-I just made a mistake! I...I'm sorry..."

"Okay, I forgive you, just...please, stay away!" Spike pleaded.

"Spike, come on!" Twilight said. "I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?! I'm sorry! I won't drink anymore, I...I won't do DRUGS anymore, just, please..."

"I believe you!" Spike said desperately. "Just please, get away from me!"

"Dammit, Spike, I'm NOT GONNA HURT YOU!" Twilight Sparkle yelled, throwing a lamp at him. It barely missed him, and he yelped and ran downstairs. Twilight stood there for a second, thinking about what she'd just done, and then began to run after him.

"Okay, Spike, that was an over-reaction, I'm sorry..." she looked around frantically for Spike, but saw him nowhere. "Spike? Spike, where are you? Hey, uh, listen, um...I'm sorry...? If, uh...if you come out now, I'll let you eat all the ice cream you want!"

She listened for any kind of a response, but she heard none.

"I'll let you eat all the...anything you want! Really, anything! You name it! Hell, you can eat the whole Celestia-damn HOUSE if you want!"

She still heard no response.

"I'll, uh...I'll let you hit me back! I'll let you...I'll let you wreck the house! Oh, wait...I already did that," she said, looking around her. She felt tears begin to sting her eyes, and then she heard a knock at the door, and she hurriedly wiped her eyes. She stumbled over to the door and opened it. There were two familiar ponies standing there.

"Why, hello, Twilight Sparkle!" one of the ponies said.

"Oh...Mr. and Mrs. Hooves!" Twilight said. (Not related to Dr. Hooves or Dr. Whooves or however you spell it). "What...what brings you two here?"

Mrs. Hooves was the first to speak.

"Well, Twilight," she began, "I just wanted to say, we heard about Pinkie Pie. And, we'd just like to say we're terribly sorry for what happened!"

"Oh," Twilight said, her eyes dropping horsishly to the ground. She appreciated the concern, but she did not wish for the pity of others. "Well...thank you, Mrs. Hooves. I appreciate your concern."

"Yeah, well, whatever," Mr. Hooves said. "What my wife and I would like to say, Twilight, is...well, we heard all about how you...put Pinkie Pie down. And, well, we just think, if you were able to shoot one of your best friends, well...you're a better horse than both of us."

Twilight sighed.

"N-no, Mr. Hooves," she said. "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to say, but really, no good came out of what I did. It was not a brave act, or a courageous deed, or whatever, it was a MISTAKE. It was a mistake, and it has haunted me every day since."

"Yeah, well, we all have our opinions on the matter," Mr. Hooves said impatiently. "Listen, the thing is...well, my wife and I were sort of wondering if you'd do us...well, a favor."

"A...a favor?" Twilight repeated, confused.

"Yes," Mr. Hooves agreed, "a favor. You see...we have a problem."

Mr. and Mrs. Hooves stepped aside to reveal Derpy was sitting behind them.

"Hey, Twilight!" Derpy said retardedly. "I know you!"

"Yes, dear, she knows you too," Mrs. Hooves said, a tear in the corner of her enormous cartoon eye. "Now, Twilight..."

She could not bring herself to finish her sentence. She began to sob, and took out a handkerchief, blowing her nose and wiping her eyes frantically.

"Go on, Darlene," Mr. Hooves said, softly and encouragingly. "Tell her. It will be okay..."

"Well..." Mrs. Hooves said between sobs, "our little Derpapabeth, Celestia bless her...she's such a sweet child, but...well...sometimes I wonder if we can...handle her anymore."

"What," Twilight said, disgusted.

"M-Ms. Sparkle," Mr. Hooves said quickly, "what my wife is trying to say is...well, our daughter Derpy is...well...how you say...retarded. And, retards don't belong in Equestria. She's a burden to us, and to society. But we could never bring ourselves to hurt our little daughter! We were thinking...given your, shall we say, uncanny ability to...keep your stomach in these kinds of things...maybe you could, uh..."

"You want me to shoot Derpy."

"Yeah, we want you to shoot her," Mr. Hooves nodded.

"Okay," Twilight said. "what the fuck. Do you have any idea the kind of emotional anguish I've had to suffer through since what I did to Pinkie? Do you know how much I've been through ever since then? And, on top of everything, now what I did somehow constitutes the fact that I'm supposed to do everyone's dirty work now?!"

"Twilight says smart words sometimes," Derpy said. "What do they mean, Mommy?"

"T-Twilight, please, it must be done!" Mr. Hooves insisted. "It's Equestrian law that the disabled must be put down in this manner, and, well, Derpy is mentally disabled...that counts, right? At any rate, we're prepared to offer you fair sum of money for this act...how about twenty bits? That's a lot of money to kids your age, right?"

"FUCK YOUR TWENTY BITS!" Twilight shouted. "Your Celestia-damn twenty bits don't even pay for the DRUGS I bought last night! Do you honestly think I want your filthy money?! You're paying me to SHOOT your own DAUGHTER?! I don't CARE if it's the law, it's WRONG, and as a princess, I'm going to do everything in my power to change that law, except not really cause I'm too depressed and I'm pretty sure Princess Celestia wouldn't let me oh wait I'm a princess now."

"Well...well you know what?!" Mr. Hooves puffed, taken aback from this pony's outburst. "Fuck you too! You won't shoot our daughter? We'll do it ourselves! Ungrateful brat...come on, Darlene."

As they walked away, Twilight Sparkle slammed the door in anger. What was wrong with ponies these days? She let her frustration out in a deep exhalation of breath, plopped herself down on a chair, and buried her face in her hooves.

"Why does this shit have to keep happening to me?" Twilight bitched. "Why must I continue to be reminded of that day? Ever since that day, my life has been nothing but pain, and misery. I can't see myself ever being happy again...it just makes me want to...to..."

Twilight stopped and bolted upright in her chair, trying desperately to fight off the dark thoughts that were slowly infiltrating her mind.

"N-no!" she gasped. "Come on, Twilight...think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts...uh...well, hey! Look on the bright side! At least...at least Spike's still here to keep me company!"

She noticed Spike, who was cowering under a chair.

"Spike! Hey, buddy! Come here and give me a big hug!" she exclaimed, opening her hooves for him. Spike just yelped and scrambled away. Twilight sat frozen for a second, then sighed and dropped her hooves to her sides.

"Well, uh..." she said, still desperate to find something positive in her mind. "Hey! At least now I can just...uh...sit here and enjoy the peaceful silence! Yeah!"

She sat smiling for a moment, until a gunshot sounded from outside, followed by a female pony screaming "OH MY CELESTIA FREDERICK SHE'S STILL ALIVE DO SOMETHING' followed by a male, shouting "DON'T WORRY, HONEY, JUST...HERE! HIT HER WITH THIS!'. Then there was the sound of a blunt object hitting a screaming pony and a mother screaming tearfully. Twilight sighed heavily and buried her long face in her hooves.

Meanwhile, Spike was upstairs, packing all his little dragon things.

"I...I can't stay here anymore," Spike muttered to himself. "Twilight….that's not even Twilight anymore. She's a...a monster now, and….I have to leave. Hopefully, she doesn't notice me leave…."

He crept down the stairs as quietly as possible, peeking at Twilight Sparkle. He saw her sitting in a chair, her face buried in her hooves. For a moment, a feeling of empathy and sorrow came over the little dragon. For a moment he wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but then...he remembered. He remembered all the pain, all the abuse….he couldn't do it. He carefully tiptoed out the door, and was gone for good. Twilight Sparkle…..was truly alone.