Live or Die. Make your choice. - Jigsaw Killer
Disorientation is not always a pleasant experience. Disorientation after drinking a lot of cider is fun; Disorientation after waking up in an unfamiliar place is terrifying. That terrifying feeling is exactly what Pinkamena Diane Pie was feeling as she started to wake up from her slumber. Her eyes opened but she saw nothing. It was completely dark; not a spec of light was anywhere for her to see. She slowly struggled as she tried to pick herself up from, what felt like, a tiled floor. Every part of her muscles ached and complained as she commanded them to move. It felt as if she hadn't moved them for some time now. She managed to get herself up and immediately started to enter a state of panic as she had no idea where she was and as she was engulfed in darkness. Her mind was spinning, and her breathing increased tremendously; it echoed all around her.
“It sounds like you're finally up.”
With that, some of the room's lights lit up while others remained dead. Pinkie Pie covered her eyes as the sudden burst of light hurt them. She slowly allowed herself a view of the room and saw that it was, what appeared to be, an old clinic room. The room, relatively spacious, was in decay as papers lined the floor and as the paint of the wall chipped and cracked from old age. There were broken tables and reclining chairs, along with a broken mirror over a wooden cabinet. The entire atmosphere of the room gave Pinkie Pie an uneasy feeling. She now knew what was around her, but she was still puzzled on where she was.
“It's your lucky day, Pinkamena Diane Pie.”
Pinkie Pie looked all around to find where that mysterious stallion voice came from. There was nopony else in that room but her. She looked up and saw a speaker attached to the corner of the wall. She also spotted a camera on the other side of it; its red light was lit, indicating that it was on and that she was being watched.
“You may not believe me,” the voice continued. “But this truly is your lucky day. You've been given another chance at life.” Pinkie Pie wasn't sure about trying to communicate with the voice. All she really wanted to do was get out of the room and find a way back to her friends. She then proceeded to walk to the only door in the room and try to find out where she was.
“Whoa! Where are you going?” the voice called out to her. She got to the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. She started to rattle the handle in an effort to try to loosen the door.
“Hold your horses there,” the voice stated. “Before we can go anywhere, we have to get you started off. First things first, you're going to have to put on that earpiece over there at the cabinet.” She looked over her shoulder and saw the earpiece he was talking about. Pinkie Pie hesitated at first, unsure what to do. The entire situation was just too confusing for her. Where was she? Who's that stallion talking to her? But, the most important question on her mind was: Where were her friends? Pinkie Pie's friends were everything to her and now she doesn't know where they are.
Pinkie Pie walked over to the cabinet and picked up the earpiece. It had a small microphone attached to it which meant that she could talk to the mysterious stallion. She placed it on her right ear and fixed it to stay on. She looked up at the broken mirror in front of her and saw that her mane was perfectly straight; her face was slightly smudged.
“Is this damn thing working?” the voice asked in the earpiece. Not giving the stallion a vocal response, Pinkie Pie simply nodded.
"Good," he said. "Only you can her me when I talk to you through this piece. And believe me when I tell you this but, it's for the better. Alright, now that you can hear me, head out of the room so we can have a little chat." The door made a clicking sound and it slowly opened up. Pinkie Pie looked at the door with a feeling of uncertainty.
The Stallion said that they were going to have a talk when she got out of the door. That meant that she would be able to get some answers to her questions.
"Hold up a minute," the Stallion spoke. "I forgot something. You might want to check the cabinet. I left a present for you there."
A present? Pinkie Pie thought.
She went back to the cabinet to see what he was talking about. She opened the cabinet to find that there was a harness neatly folded up with a tape-on bow attached to it.
"Who knows? That might come in handy for you. Put it on and head out so we can talk." The harness had four insertions that were meant for Pinkie Pie to put her legs into each individual one. The harness also had a few zippers and straps so she could put or attach items in them, kind of like a light backpack. She hooked the harness around her body and snapped it on. It hugged her body nicely.
She walked to the door, opened it and saw a lightly lit hallway. She crept out of it slowly, being ever so cautious of what might be around. Once out into the hallway, the door closed, leaving her standing there with a shaking feeling.
"Alright," the Stallion voice started. "Let’s talk about what is going on and how you got here. Head down the hallway and go out to the exit."
As Pinkie Pie hesitantly started walking, she asked him, “How do you know my name?”
“I'm glad you asked,” he responded. “I am the all knowing being of everything that is and always has beepphh...” The Stallion started laughing. “I'm sorry,” he said still chuckling. “I can never bring myself to say that. Truth be told, I have here a file telling me your name and a brief summary of what you did.”
He coughed a bit before he continued.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie; found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in prison for the predetermined murder of Lovely Pedals..."
Lovely Pedals. A name Pinkie Pie had learned to hate over the last couple of months.
"I didn't kill her," Pinkie Pie interrupted him as she continued walking.
“..., a pegasus citizen at Detrot." the stallion continued. "Now, I read the reports and I've got to say, what you did to her was grade A material."
"But I didn't kill her," Pinkie Pie said as she raised her voice a little.
"It was so gruesome...," he continued without stopping. "...that the City of Detrot sentenced you their infamous maximum security prison, where you would rot for 40 miserable years."
"I didn't kill her! I've never killed anypony!" Pinkie Pie screamed. She stopped walking due to her anger getting the best of her. She knew very well that she had nothing to do with that mare's death. She had been falsely convicted of a crime she was never around. While in prison her first two months, she had grown to hate that name. She felt bad about hating her, but she still couldn't stop her anger. The death of Lovely Pedals had ruined her life.
“Whatever happened, happened. Right now, you have to worry about what is going on right now.”
“What do you mean?” Pinkie Pie questioned, still standing.
“Well, if you were paying enough attention, you would have already realized that you're NOT locked up in a maximum security prison.”
He's right, Pinkie Pie thought. Then, how is it that I'm here?
The stallion answered her unspoken question. “I made some arrangements that gave me the opportunity to break you out of that hell hole. I payed off an official to drug you and make it look like you died from sickness. I used that 'death' and had some of my stallions pick up your unconscious body from the official.”
“And who exactly are you?” Pinkie Pie questioned.
“Hmm. Let's see now. All you need to know is that I go by The Director. If you wanna call me that, you are more that free to do so.”
“The Director? Why The Director?”
“I'll explain in a moment. But for now, head to the end of the hallway so you can see exactly where you are.”
Pinkie Pie looked down the hallway and saw a double door exit. Each step she took echoed all around her. She reached the end of the hallway and opened the doors. Immediately, she was engulfed with fresh, night air. However, she became utterly confused when she looked around and saw city building, roads, and carriages. There was litter everywhere, graffiti lined most of the walls, and many windows and objects were smashed. It was as if there had been a huge riot.
“Whaa...” Pinkie Pie mumbled as she tried to take in everything she was seeing.
“Pinkamena Diane Pie! Welcome to Ponyhunt! Smile at the cameras, they're everywhere.”
“Ponyhunt?” Pinkie Pie's confusion and fear reached another level.
“Right, let me explain. Ponyhunt is this excellent, real-life film I've orchestrated where the star, that's you, survives as long as they can,” the Director explained.
“Survives?” Another level reached.
“As we speak, there are a bunch of scumbags running around with only one objective; Finding you and killing you.”
“What?!” Pinkie Pie screamed in shock. “Why do they want to kill me?! I didn't do anything wrong! I didn't kill her! I never touched her! I..... I.....!”
“Quiet down! Do you want them to find you right away and ruin the fun?” the Director said rather frantically. “They don’t know who you are or what you did, and, frankly, they don't care what you did. They’re hunting you down for fun, for sport. And if you let them find you, they’re going to cut you up.”
Pinkie Pie was panicking as she wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. Ponies are hunting her down? That's insane! “I..... I...... I.....” struggled as she tried to make words.
“Calm down Kid,” The Director simply said. “There is a way to get out of this mess.”
She started to calm down and a smile of hope creased onto her face. “There is? What?”
“Why, it very simple Kid,” he said. “Find them yourself and kill them all!”
Pinkie Pie stood petrified as she heard what The Director had just said. Kill them all? Killing actually living ponies? She began to tremble and shake immensely.
“Wow, I've really got you shaking now,” The Director said with amusement. “Bad news for you, we have to get the show on the road now. Walk down the street until you find a big open area. At the end of the area, there is a wire mesh gate that will let you continue and move forward. And don't worry. As a beginner, I'll let you know when somepony hunting you down is around. My gift to you. Get a move on now! Go!”
Pinkie Pie had no choice but to listen to what he said and started walking. If what he said was true, ponies are lurking around ready to kill her. She's a sitting duck if she stayed there. She forcefully commanded each leg to move forward. Every fiber of her being was trembling in fear. She didn't want to die, and she also didn't want to kill anypony. Why is this happening to her? Why did she suggest going to Detrot? Why did that pegasus have to die while they were in town? Why was she accused and where did all that “evidence” come from? Why?
She continued walking down the road while also trying to open building doors in hopes of hiding in them, but all of the ones she tried were locked. With dread, she eventually made it to the clearing The Director had talked about. The area was about as wide as a hoofball field, but it wasn't as long; it also had a concrete floor instead of a hoofball field’s grass floor. There were many carriages parked all in disarray, making it hard for her to find the gate she was told about. She made a couple of steps inside the area before The Director started talking to her through the earpiece.
“And now, things will start to get interesting,” he said.
“Why?” she said as she started looking all around. She had an idea what he talking about.
“There is a hunter in that area. I can't say where, but he's around.”
Pinkie Pie started to panic and dashed to the first carriage she could get to and hid under it. Her breathing was picking up, and she was trying real hard to calm herself down. She looked out from under the carriage to see what was around. Nothing from her left, nothing from her right. She made a daring move and dashed to the next carriage she saw and hid under that one as well. Once again, she looked around, saw nopony, and dashed to the next carriage. It was working really well for her. She continued that movement until she spotted the gate that was going to let her out. She made one last check to see if anypony was around and bolted to the gate. She ran full speed to it, ready to quickly open up the gate and run away from the hunter nearby. Before Pinkie Pie knew it, she hit the gate hard, causing it to make a loud smacking noise. She rubbed her face to try to relieve the pain from the smack. She looked more closely at the gate and saw that the gate had a lock on it.
“There you are!” a voice said from Pinkie Pie's right.
When she looked, she saw a stallion with a red ski-mask and a harness similar to the one Pinkie had charging straight at her only a few hooves away. Pinkie Pie let out a scream of terror and immediately ran for her life. With the hunter behind her, she ran through the lot of carriages and dashed left and right and in between them, hoping that she can lose the hunter. She quickly hid under one of the carriages when she felt she had gained enough distance.
“Now look what you've done!” The Director said in Pinkie Pie's earpiece. “Not only were you stupid enough to not think about the gate being possibly locked, but you also went along and let one of the hunters spot you.” Pinkie Pie was breathing heavily. Her heart was racing from the terror; her adrenaline was still rushing, pushing her to run out again and keep running until she hit the end of the world. She heard hoofsteps and quickly covered her mouth. She even covered up her eyes, like a child does when they think that there is a monster under their bed.
The lightly green colored hunter began to speak out loud, “Ah, come on! Let Lucky just kill you and save both of us some time.”
Pinkie Pie heard the stallion walking slowly, strolling around looking for her.
“Lucky knows you're around here. Lucky can smell your fear. It's only a matter of time before Lucky gets you.”
He walked slowly about, looking for his game. His hoofsteps grew louder and louder. Each time he took a step, Pinkie Pie shut her eyes tighter and tighter. Each time the steps grew louder, Pinkie Pie got closer and closer to crying.
“Found ya!” the hunter said as he yanked at her hind legs, dragging her out from under the carriage. Pinkie Pie screamed and started to kick her attacker. She managed to kick him in the face which made him stumble back a little. Pinkie Pie took this opportunity to try to run again. The hunter lunged himself at her and tackled her to the ground belly first. She quickly squirmed under him and managed to get her back on the ground instead of her belly. She lashed out at him, throwing as many punches as she could. She needed the hunter off of her so she could run again. The hunter grew angry and stepped his front right hoof on Pinkie's neck, chocking her. He put more and more weight onto his hoof, squeezing on Pinkie's throat harder and harder. Gasping for breath, she used all her might to buck him with her hind legs. He flew back and landed on his back then rolled onto his belly. Instead of trying to run again, Pinkie Pie threw herself onto him, trying her best to keep him down. Her body had made the decision to jump on him, not her mind. She leaped before she thought. He quickly sprinted up and lashed around to try to get Pinkie off his back. She held onto the hunter's neck trying to stay on him. If he can't get her, then he can't hurt her. Wanting her off his back, the hunter threw himself back and landed on Pinkie. Pain coursed through her body, and she still held on. She shut her eyes in terror; her grip unknowingly got tighter and tighter until she was eventually using all her might. In her mind, Pinkie Pie repeated to herself over and over again, I don't wanna die. The hunter was trying his best to remove Pinkie Pie's grip off of his neck. He grew weaker and weaker as her grip grew stronger.
Time seemed to slow down for Pinkie Pie. It felt like she had been holding on to him forever.
Pinkie Pie heard a laugh in her earpiece. “Hey kid! You can let go of him now. It’s been over six minutes since he stopped moving,” The Director said with a hint of a chuckle in his voice.
She opened her eyes and noticed that The Director was right, the hunter stopped moving. Letting go of him, she pushed him off of her. His rag-doll body hit the floor with a loud, hard thud. With his body facing up, Pinkie Pie got close and saw that his eyes were wide open, and his neck had been crushed from her grip.
“Oh no,” Pinkie said with something stuck in her throat. Tears soon ran down her checks.
“Hahaha!” The Director laughed with excitement. “Fillies and Gentlecolts, Pinkamena Diane Pie has just lost her innocence!”
She just killed a pony. The Element of Laughter, whose destiny and sole purpose in life is about spreading joy and happiness to other ponies, just took the life of somepony. She broke down to the ground, buried her face in her forelegs, and started crying even harder. The hunter was about to kill her, but she still didn't feel right killing him. She felt like she was choking.
“Come on, Kid! You had no choice but to kill him! That Hoof was going to gut open with that knife attached to his harness,” The Director stated.
She still didn't feel right killing him. She was still crying really hard. She felt horrible. She felt sick to her stomach.
“Oh will you stop crying already! I've got bad news for you. There's another hunter on his way.”
Pinkie Pie's head bolted up. “Another one?!” Her sorrow was quickly replaced by fear.
“That's right. Get the knife from the hunter you just killed and hide before the other one gets here.”
“Why do I need the knife?” Pinkie asked.
“Just go and get the damn knife! He's almost there!”
She bolted to the body and found the knife attached to his harness. Pinkie looked at stallion she just killed and started to feel horrible again. She looked over at his flank and saw his cutie mark, a horseshoe and a four-leaf clover. If Pinkie Pie recalled correctly, his name was Lucky, but that wasn't the case anymore.
She grabbed the knife, attached it to her own harness, and bolted under the nearest carriage, which was just a few hooves away from the dead hunter.
“Alright Kid,” The Director started. “Listen to me closely and, for the love of the gods, don't interrupt. The guy you just killed was a wimp; very weak and utterly useless. I purposely put him on patrol there so I could see if you have what it takes to survive.”
He set him up? Pinkie Pie thought.
“You have the strength, but you don't have the will to kill a pony,” he continued. “You have to get over your guilt and hesitation when killing one of these hunters if you are going to survive. It's either them or you.”
“But it's still doesn't feel right,” Pinkie Pie said.
At that moment, she heard hoofsteps nearby. The other hunter The Director was talking about was already there.
“If you don't kill them, then they are going to kill you. Simple as that,” The Director replied. “I already see the other hunter, and he's about to walk to the area you are in.”
The hoofsteps grew louder.
“Here's what I want you to do Kid. That hunter is a lot tougher than the one you just killed. If you give him a chance to attack, you won't have a chance against him. He's going to see the dead hunter, and, when his back is turned, quietly sneak up behind him and execute him with that knife you have.”
Pinkie Pie didn't say anything. The hunter was already walking in front of the carriage she was under.
“Huh?” the hunter questioned as he started walking to the body.
“Go Kid!” The Director exclaimed. “Sneak up behind him and kill him. When he realizes that the other hunter is dead, he's going to call reinforcements. He has to die before he does that. Go now!”
Pinkie Pie crawled out from under the carriage and started to slowly creep up behind the hunter. She didn't like this one bit. She didn't want to kill another pony, but what The Director said made sense.
The hunter was now in front of the dead pony.
“Hey Lucky! Wake the hell up,” the living hunter said as he kick his dead companion.
Pinkie Pie was only a couple of hoofs behind her target, who wore a similar harness but a different colored ski-mask.
“Get your knife ready, Kid,” The Director told her.
Pinkie Pie did so. She detached the knife from her harness and held the handle in her mouth. Slowly she crept up behind him. She still didn't want to do this. She still didn't feel right doing it. But, they way things seemed, there was no other solution.
“Damn it Lucky! Wake up!” the hunter said as he was trying to wake Lucky from an everlasting slumber.
Pinkie Pie was now directly behind the hunter. She took the knife out of her mouth and got it ready.
“Alright Kid. Take him out.”
With the blade aiming down, Pinkie Pie raised the knife over her head. But, she just couldn't make herself drive the blade down into the hunter. Her mind wouldn't let her. It wasn't right killing a pony.
“Oh crap,” the hunter said. At that point, he noticed that Lucky's neck had been crushed. The realization of his comrade's death put him on alert. He started turning back to go get some help, but, when he did turn, he was met with the sight of a pink pony holding a knife above her.
Time stopped. Terror washed over Pinkie Pie. She just got spotted. If he attacks, she's dead. Her heart was racing. She really really didn't want to die. She wanted to live.
As time resumed itself, her mind shut down and her body took over, and, before the hunter could even realize what that knife was meant to do, she brought the knife down on the hunter. Her blade implanted itself into his eye. Without a second to spare, he let out a shout of agony, reeled backwards, and laid on the ground, kicking and screaming as he cried blood.
Pinkie Pie looked at her blade and saw that it was coated with the blood of the hunter.
“Kid! You need to shut him up!” The Director exclaimed. “If ponies hear him wailing, then there is going to be more hunters on their way to see what's going on.”
He was right. Pinkie Pie trotted over to the screaming hunter. Her mind was no longer in control; her body was the one taking action. She tried to stab him in the heart, but his kicking and flailing prevented her from doing so. Frustrated, she blindly drove her knife down on the hunter, allowing it to hit anything it pleased. The blade embedded itself into the throat of the hunter. He gurgled as blood filled his mouth. Pinkie Pie took the blade out and backed away from him. A stream of blood poured from his neck and washed down his brown coat.
There he laid, gurgling and holding his throat as he slowly bleed to death. Pinkie Pie stood there watching, observing what she had just done. A pool of blood quickly surrounded itself around the dying hunter. Slowly but eventually, he stopped moving. Another pony dead. Another life taken by Pinkamena Diane Pie.
“Wow Kid,” The Director said. “You didn't even give him the joy of a sweet and rapid death. That's cold. I like that.”
She left him there to die a slow and gruesome death. It was not just a simple killing; it was also torture. Pinkie Pie's mind had suppressed itself, but was slowly operating again.
She felt hallow. She felt she was no longer Pinkamena Diane Pie. She sat down and tried her best not to think of what she had just done.
“Impressive,” The Director complimented. “I was more than sure you were going to start balling your eyes out again like you did when you killed the first Hoof.”
She didn't respond. She just sat there, staring into space, as if in a trance.
“Well then,” The Director continued. “That stallion actually came from the locked gate you’re suppose to go through. It should be unlocked now. I’m glad he came though. I was able to get a taste of your killing capabilities. You did good, but you need more practice.”
She still didn't respond.
“Sorry to be that guy, but you have to keep moving. There are plenty of more chumps for you to chew through. Head your way to the gate.”
Pinkie Pie stayed seated for a couple of seconds before she got up and walked to the blood-soaked body of the stallion she just killed. His cutie mark was a dollar sign.
What else was there for her to do? It was best for her to just continue.
Reaching the gate, she pushed the gate open lightly. A dark alleyway stood in front of her. She has no choice but to keep moving and survive whatever twisted things pop out. She has already taken the lives of two stallions. How many more is she going to have to take? What more is she going to have to do? With those questions in her mind, she walked into the dark alleyway, towards whatever was lying in wait for her.
“There is a lot more fun to be had. The night's just beginning, Kid.”
Author's Note
More hunters means more blood to spill. Murderous times are coming.
