I held her close to me for several moments before slipping the harness onto her frail frame. I gave a quick tug of the rope which was met with a slow accent up into the caring arms of the white-coated stallions. Once out of the harness and back on Mother Earth, they took down my statement. After what felt like a short eternity, the hoard went still. My gaze drifted up to see what it was about only to have my jaw hit the floor.

“Princess Celestia.” I stated in awe.
Her eyes were set upon me in a way that both entranced and intimidated me. Her multicolored mane flowed beautifully behind her in her resolute stride. What was she going to do? Was I in bigger trouble than I thought? Was something-
The white-coated princess suddenly embraced me. My whole body tensed up so tight, I felt as though the muscles were separating themselves from the bones. She stood there for several moments, but finally drew back. The blush that broke over my face was so fierce, it could be seen even though my fur could usually conceal it.

“The people of Equestria owe you a great debt. Is there anything at all we can do to repay you?” the princess asked genuinely.
After a few moments of thought, I looked to the frail, weak, half starved pony that was Rarity.

“Rarity… Sweetie Belle-”

“I know. I know what you had to do.” She cut me off, her eyes a tad hollow from her recent experience and knowledge that her sister was more than happy to allow her to be made into a dress.

“I’m sorry…” I uttered the words almost breathlessly. Twice had I mangled a family… First of Apple Jack… Now of Rarity… I turned back to the princess, looking her directly in the eye with new resolve.

“Three things. First… Keep Rarity’s eyes shielded from what’s upstairs… Second… Don’t tell Apple Jack that her sister was alive. Third… Give me a lighter and don’t interfere…”
The gorgeous pegasus-unicorn pony nodded and gestured to the guards. They all filed out with her, one stopping to hand me the lighter I’d requested. The design on the side of the Zippo he handed me was a blood-spattered biohazard on a yellow background. Fitting…

“What are you gonna do?” he asked.

“Burn it.”
It wasn’t long before I had the entire basement engulfed in an inferno that started with Pinkie’s corpse and spread to the dry hides on the walls. The wooden ceiling would be next… My pace going up the stairs however was nonchalant. Careless, even. As I re-entered the bakery above, all was as I left it. The blood stains, the broken filly… All was well. The tongues of the flames below had already caught the drapes above, and the smoke was already rising. I had only gotten thirty meters from the place when the first wall collapsed. In a snap decision, I turned about to watch what I had done. The flames reached high into the night sky, lighting the clouds above. Tiny embers, the souls of those who’d lost their lives within, rose up into the endless night sky beyond the stars into the Pearly Gates.

“May you rest well.” I mumbled to them as they disappeared.
My gaze lingered upon the blazing structure for several more minutes, but a shroud within the inferno caught my eye. It was small… Head at a strange angle… Scootaloo… Her mouth gaped at me and an ear-splitting, earth-shattering, dimension-rifting scream erupted from the burning figure. As a last ditch effort, a final, desperate attempt to kill me the poor filly bolted toward me, waving her arms. She was fast, even though her muscles were disintegrating right off of her. I didn’t even move, though. Not even a flinch. My face stayed perfectly blank, almost pitiful. As I expected, she flopped over only five meters from me. She curled up and shriveled beneath the flames that were working their way through her body like a dead insect. I felt sorry for the little one… Never got a chance to live…

“Requiem in pace…” I offered truthfully, giving the sign of the cross.
As I turned away from the blazing structure, I began singing a low tune.

“Attend the tale of Pinkie Pie….Her mane was pink, her movement spry…….”