The hours swept by, conversation flying this way and that, food was devoured, stories were exchanged, laughs were had and even a few pictures were taken. Apparently I had become something of a celebrity due to this little incident. One particular mare, a maroon-coated lady with curly hair and a cutie mark of assorted berries that went by the name Berry Punch even felt me up. Naturally, I stiffened up at this, a heavy blush breaking over my features and I politely asked her to

“GET YOUR HOOF OFF MY ASS!!!”
All in all, it was a fun little get-together with my friends. Even Flutter Shy took to Alice with a glee I hadn’t seen in her before. Apparently the only other instance of such a quick connection was when she met Twilight’s assistant and roommate, Spike. Joy was palpable in the air. This new Corner was laden with new beginnings. New possibilities… A fresh start… A beautiful thing…
Unfortunately, like all good things, it had to end. Upon the setting of the sun, I found myself standing beside dear Flutter Shy. Her face was set outward, but in the corners of her eyes, she was examining me rather closely. Her subtly was quite amiable. Almost anyone would have missed it…

“She’s really nice,” the timid pegasus stated matter-of-factly. “Harmless even.”
I smiled despite myself and adjusted my glasses.

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?”
Those beautiful teal eyes set on me in a way that rivaled a pointed look from Alice.

“It still bothers you… Doesn’t it, Sebastian?”
Only Flutter Shy could ask such a question… She knew the answer, it was obvious, but she still wanted to make sure…

“Yeah… It does… I still see her sometimes… Hear her voice…”
I couldn’t look at her now… Not when my eye was beginning to mist up. I didn’t cry in front of people… Even Rainbow Dash had her back turned to me when I… Did what I did…

“It’s okay. It’s over now, Sebastian… You did what you had to. You’re still a good man. You don’t have to let it bother you anymore…”
This set me just a bit on edge.

“I don’t let it bother me, Shy. It just does,” I said, turning my head away from her eyes.

“Flutter Shy, when you kill someone you love, it sticks with you… No matter what… I don’t care if she was insane, she was still Pinkie Pie. Our Pinkie Pie. Our party pony… Our friend…”
That did it. The tears began to roll down my face, but I did my best to keep my voice level.

“Do you know what I saw down there?”
I awaited a response, but none came. I took this as a prompt to go on.

“I saw my dear friend in a state I had only seen a mad man. She had killed… Dozens… Hundreds, maybe… She kept them as decorations… As trophies… Even foals… She was indiscriminant and completely oblivious to the pain she was causing… She thought of it as a game! The longer she could keep her victims alive while harvesting their insides, the more fun it was. She liked hearing the cries they let out. She found joy in watching them squirm…”
Something within me shifted. Realization resounded through my mind and sent a hard shudder down my spine. I had to squeeze my fists shut hard enough to draw blood just to keep from letting on that I was coming apart at the seams.

“The mare I saw with the hacksaw wasn’t our Pinkie… No… It was someone else… That was… It was… ‘Pinkamena’…”
Yeah… Yeah, what other explanation was there? Pinkie Pie was happy, beautiful, youthful, and over-zealous. That pony had her face, but it couldn’t have been her… The real Pinkie was one of the best friends anypony could ask for. Her generosity was only rivaled by that of Rarity’s. Wait a minute…

“Rarity’s missing.” I said, stating the obvious.
I threw a quick glance over my shoulder, taking in those around me. There was Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash arguing over who had stronger leg power… Twilight Sparkle was entertaining Alice with a few spells… Flutter Shy was standing to my right… Where was Rarity? That high-society unicorn would simply die for an opportunity to mingle with the daughter of the world’s wealthiest firearms manufacturer… And yet… She’s not here…

“I have to go.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned quickly, crossed the courtyard behind Sugar Cube Corner, all but bulldozing my way out the front doors and broke into a full-on sprint down the sidewalk. I had to see her. I had to make sure she was okay. That nothing horrible had befallen the lovely dress maker. Nothing was gonna stop me… Nothing at all… I pushed the pace as hard as I could, ducking, dodging and weaving my way amid the semi-crowded streets of Ponyville. The sun was setting, and for some reason I felt like I was running out of time. Upon reaching the Carousel Boutique, I braked hard, almost tearing up the cobblestone beneath my feet, but I managed to stop myself before blowing the door down. Without hesitation, I began pounding on the door, on the verge of tears once again. These tears, however, were not of pain, but of fear.

Open the door! Open the door, damn it!!

“RARITY! RARITY!!!! LET ME IN!!!!” I pleaded at the top of my lungs. An answer didn’t come soon enough, so I took a step back and readied myself to ram into the door.
Just as I was about to hit the frame, the barrier opened… I came tumbling in to the shop like an idiot and tumbled into a set of mannequins. Upon righting myself, I looked about, spying the mare I was looking for with an incredulous look on her face.

“Rarity!” I cried, all but pouncing the snow-coated diva.

“Sebastian! What on earth are you doing here!? Get off! This is so unseemly!!” she demanded.
In my elation, I hadn’t realized two things: One: That I was laying on top of her, clutching her by the flanks, and grinding my cheek against hers. Two: She was bleeding. Once I had collected myself and obliged her orders, I took noted of the rather odd scratches that marred her perfect features.

“Sweet Celestia, what happened to you?” I asked, using my shirt to wipe the blood trailing down her face from her left eye. She didn’t even wince at it… That was odd. Normally, Rarity would be on the verge of a mental breakdown if she stained her coat with anything at all… Hm…

“Oh, just a little tussle with Opal. She’s outside now.” Rarity replied ruefully.

“A tussle? Over what?” I asked, looking over her disheveled visage. Perhaps she was in the middle of working…?

“Oh, it was nothing, but you must get out! You cannot see what I’m working on! Not yet!”
With this, Rarity quite literally shoved me out the door and locked it behind her. She was stronger than I expected, that was for sure… I had seen that same hurried demeanor only a few weeks after I moved into town. She had a big order to fill, and had been up all night furiously stitching and cutting fabric for somepony by the name of Hoity-Toity, whoever that was… Maybe she was just doing the same thing? Maybe I was just paranoid… Yeah, that had to be it. I turned my attention to the sun as it finally disappeared over the horizon. For some reason, Equestrian sunsets put me at ease.

Aw crap. I totally left everypony hanging at the opening earlier!! That was so selfish… I have to make it up to them… Dinner! Dinner at… At um… What was that restaurant called…? Hay Stack? No, Oat Garden? Whatever, I just need to get back. Alice probably went home… Better start there and make some calls…