Four years had passed since the events in Ponyville.  Life had returned to normal, save for a few faded fliers posted with the words WANTED printed in bold letters with the faces of all the ponies that had committed the crimes.  After the six had disappeared following the escape from jail, it had taken two days for the police to search the bakery where everything had started.

Inside was clean and orderly, the tables were all lined up together forming a long buffet table, and in the middle of the table was a large platter of cupcakes, each one with yellow frosting and a small piece of candy that looked like a bunny.  Above the door the police noticed the banner, made out of pony hide and with the words ‘Life is a Party’ written in blood.

The police passed word of the events to neighboring towns and cities until practically all Equestria new about The Bloody Mares, as they were soon called.  

Times were not easy for they group.  They weren’t cut out for life outside city limits, and the wild proved to be more than they could handle, slowly killing them off one by one.  They started out fine as a traveling group, moving at night and sleeping resting and playing during the days, hiding in caves when they could.  Inside one cave they found a sleeping dragon and decided to have a taste.

Minkie was killed by a bite that cleaved their limbs off and disemboweled her when she went to ‘pull the lucky dragon tooth,’ quickly learning that dragons are much more flexible than they look and stronger than any pony could ever be.   With a lucky strike the rest of them stabbed the dragon in the head, not wasting any more time having fun.

Not wanting to waste anything she collected her friend and ground her into a batch of sweets, candying a few bits for her own pleasure later.

The dragon it turns out was almost inedible and ruined two whole batches of desserts because the mares were so sure the product would be amazing.  Derpy, it turned out, was allergic to dragon and chocked to death after eating a muffin in one bite.  They had a distasteful view of all dragons now, which is not uncommon in the world they live in.  

Inkie was lost when she tried to win a swimming race across an average sized river between she and Pinkie and was carried away by the current.  She was too proud to admit she was a poor swimmer.

Seeing their sister drown as Pinkie raced to save her with her own limited swimming skills steeled their nerves to the inevitable loss of life and friends that happens.  

Blinkie had gotten into an argument with Pinkamena over why Inkie died, accusing her of the death, saying she just wanted more ingredients.  Lunging at Pinkamena with a knife, only to be quickly overpowered and stabbed in the neck Blinkie fell into shock.  Wasting no time to laugh or have fun Pinkie went to work.

Blinkie was still alive when Pinkamena started carving her up.  Applebloom just sat and kept watch as her big sister peeled the still trembling flesh from Blinkie, her voice drowned out by blood that was filling her throat and lungs; suffocating her.  It was only them now.  

1.

‘The traveling bakers’

She wore a light brown cloak covering her whole hide, which was unusual given the time of year, early summer, but it was dismissed as being a personal style.  A dark pink color mare she kept her Pegasus wings under her cloak and her mane was flat and well cared for and it accented her warm and kind smile.  She wore a necklace that clacked and knocked under her cloak but it was hidden except for the brown tie string.

She and another mare - a yellow pony in her teens with a cutie mark of two apples on top of each other and a baker hat - were pulling an older looking covered wagon that obviously doubled as a very small house for the duo.  It bore a hand painted sign that, in red letters with red balloons, read “The Traveling Bakers”

They were beginning to be known as a great baking duo that sold great desserts at really low prices!  No one knew where they were from but it was obvious they weren’t doing what they did for the money, but more to see the joy in others faces as they nibbled their treats and confections.  They were always happy and joyful, doling out joy, jokes and compliments with every purchase.

Traveling from town to town and the occasional city in a rout that brought them to the same cities around the same time people began expecting their brief return; typically lasting only a few days before disappearing in the middle of the night.  

Traversing between towns had given the mares some confidence as they carried out their dark work.  The teenage pony looked up at her friend after a while of walking for most of an evening, seeing another blossoming berg ahead.  “Pinkamena, what are our supplies like?  I know we’re low on flour, Suge, but we got enough secret ingredient for this town, right?”

“Yeah,” the pink pony replied from under her cloaked head, “We’re good but we’ll need to make a withdraw before we leave town for supplies traveling.”  Her natural smile having become a nature frown, her brow slightly furrowed and her eyes half open; a darkness in them that made her into a new pony.  She decided they would camp out before entering the small town ahead.

Climbing into the worn looking wagon she smiled as she looked around at their small home.  It was tight, but home.  There was a small area stacked with a small oven and stovetop, surrounded by fire resistant cloth made from an unfortunate dragon they had crossed a while back.  Killing her had been a challenge and proved almost too much for the six.  

Removing her cloak she shook side to side slightly, feeling the material rub against her hide, the material of her old dress, made from cutie marks.  She looked a lot like her older sister Inkie now.  She had adopted her persona for traveling, trying her best to not be too excitable, lest she be caught.

She slid the custom dress off and set it on a mannequin, lightly brushing her cheek against the material it, taking a step back when the scent hit her, making her smile.  It smelt of blood, albeit slight: memories of her secret life flooding her memories.  Her last memory was of surrounding Fluttershy, all her sisters holding the Pegasus pony down, as she cut her friend open.

No games, no playing, no fun.  She had her chance the last time.  Her screams filling the bakery, as she watched her internal organs being removed and handed among the other ponies, she was given a shot of adrenaline into her beating heart to keep her awake.  They removed everything except her lungs and heart, to keep her alive as long as they could.

Fluttershy could still talk, weakly, and squeaked for mercy, receiving laughter instead.  They took a knife and removed her wings while she entered shock as little Babs Seed stood in the shadows watching, shocked at the horror in front of her.  This was more than she could handle.  And she tried to escape out the front door.

“STOP HER!”  Pinkie remembers calling out, as Derpy and Apple Bloom bolted for the tiny mare and tackled her, lifting her up and snapping her neck she dropped her to the floor.  “Oh wells, looksin like we don’t be playing with our newest friend now!  Bye bye, Babs,” Derpy said, as she looked at the mare gasping her last breaths, fear in her face as she faded, “What have I done,” she gurgled as her last words.

“She was stronger than that I thought.” Gruffly Applebloom said as she ran over to join the fray of carnage.  Another shot into Fluttershys still beating heart, making it race as blood left her body faster than they wanted.  Her eyes rolling up from overdosing on adrenaline she heard her old friend Pinkie say the last words she would hear, “Life is a party, and you can’t get away from a great party like this!” her cheerful voice fading into eternal silence.  

Turning Fluttershy into a large batch of cupcakes they left behind: and Babs into a small cake they took with them was the last time they would see their homes, they left late at night and took a long way around and through town, knowing the streets would be empty.  They walked past their old homes and lives and left taking only a small cart, pulled by Inkie, with a few baking supplies, knives, torture tools, straps and their cake.  

Shaking her head and hearing her necklace of unicorn horns clacking brought her back to the moment.  Pinkamena walked over to a large dresser with stickers of fun things decorating it.  She opened a drawer and took out a piece of candy, with an eye in it.  

She looked at it and said, “I’m keeping my eye on you, watch out for me too, Derpy.”

“I am watches over you, sister.” She cooed in a mocking voice, but a little shaky too.  

“Me too, Sis,” She exclaimed in a different voice, reaching into the drawer removing a candied piece of meat. “I’ve got you in my heart.”

Thanks Minkie!  I love you too.  

Her voice excited and bubbly as she held a conversation with her candied friends.  

Standing guard outside Applebloom listened in on another one sided conversation of her only remaining sister in blood.  She looked at the ground thinking of how they lost the others.  

It wasn’t a fun way to die, and none of them were happy with that.  All the other sisters died unhappily and boring:  There wasn’t any party, no fun, no sharing of jokes or games like when they were back in Ponyville.  Since then it had been three years they were alone.  They only had and needed each other, but the work was still lonely, and often she would cry to herself.

Applebloom often remembered her sister Applejack and the fun they had, and how even though Applejack was about to die, the love she gave to Applebloom was forever etched into her heart; but she’d never admit this to Pinkamena, out of fear what would happen.  

Looking back to her flank she rubbed the false colors off her real cutie mark and remembered how she got it.   The last words she knows her sister heard, “I Love you Apple Jack, bye bye.”  It made her heart ache now, but then it was just game.

Pinkamena often heard Applebloom crying and dismissed it, not as weakness but as her strength for them both, since Pinkamena wouldn’t cry:  not for pain or for death, she wouldn’t allow it.  She had to honor her playmates that way.  

Pinkamena was doing this for years before she let Derpy join in, even.  She can do it alone, she was sure.  Applebloom didn’t mind killing baking and eating/selling their playmates so she reasoned it was her lot in life.  Taking a bit of a blanket that was draped over the back of the wagon she covered her flanks and laid down, getting comfortable, listening to her sisters talking in the wagon, she smiled and drifted off to sleep.