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Chapter 5: "Sights n Sounds"

"Hey ____!"

"Howdy ____!"

"____ you look marvelous!"

With the sun high and skies clearer then ever made this day excellent for celebration. ____'s mood would rise whenever someone would come in, although not many ponies had made it yet things were in full swing.

She was glad that she was able to hand out all her invitations on time, especially to Rainbow Dash. Moving was always tough especially if it was by your lonesome. That's why ____ thought it would be a great idea to invite her to the party!

"Thanks everypony! I was wondering, anypony seen Rainbow Dash?"

It had been over an hour and a half and still no Rainbow Dash, ____ realised that some ponies couldn't make it, but Rainbow Dash had promised she would come.

"Rainbow Dash? im'a sorry ____, I don't thing I know rightfully who that is."

Rarity picked this moment to join the conversation.

"You know, Rainbow Dash, she moved here recently"

"Tha blue one?"

"Really AppleJack, there are many blue pegasi in Ponyville."

"Sorry ____, I haven't seen her, great party though!"

Mouthing her thanks ____ trotted outside, peering down either side of the road she searched for any combination of blue and feathers.

She found none.

Wondering back to the party ____ realised that it was really quiet, this confused her, was everyone playing the quiet game? Don't they know Fluttershy can never be beat?

"What the.."

Entering the party the rooms sat empty, streamers, balloons and all the snacks left around the house, as if they had all got up and left without a word. The only sound that could be heard was a phonograph that was stuck playing a happy little tune that would skip back to the start every eight seconds. With no chatter to drown it out it seemed sinister.

"Hello? Anypony?"

This was all very weird, where did everypony go? ____ searched the room to find no trace of anyone ever being there, besides the missing food.

Turning around she gripped the door, it wouldn't budge. Holding it tighter she pulled harder.

"Why wont you open!?" falling backwards she rolled onto her stomach.  Eyeing her hoof she glumly realised she had pulled off the handle. Standing up ____ dropped the ground and  waddling through the party, it seemed to go on forever, Cake, drinks, teddy bear, presents, mixture of food, cake, drinks, teddy bear, presents, wait a minute...

Quickly turning around ____  could no longer see the door, but more cakes, drinks and party decorations, as far as the horizon. Spinning around there seemed to be no stop to the party land, one huge room, forever filled with party.

The cute background sound had become louder and more threatening, it thundered through the land vibrating its surface, it knocked over drinks and presents.

Pinkie looked to the sky for its source, it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Looking back at the ground the floor had turned to checkers, and  darkness began to creep into ____'s vision.

It hurt.

Running from the darkness did not good, it was not a physical being she could run from, it was everywhere. It clawed and burned her flesh, galloping though the madness she became less and less aware of her surroundings. ____ ran slower and slower, she couldn't get away from the darkness, it was consuming her. With what little strength remained she stumbled down a set of stairs.

Somepony was here, she was pink, sitting, faced away from her. ____ needed to save her, forget the party! ____ shouted out to her, but she said nothing, her voice made no noise. Tears of fright painted her cheeks, her vision became blurry.

Blood began to drain from pinkie mouth and nose, she tried to ignore them, brought down to her knees she slowly dragged herself to the pony, her cutie mark was scratched out with ink. ____ tried to shout out to the pony again. Nothing happened.

The pony slowly turned to face her, she had no eyes.

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John woke with a gasp, Running on adrenaline her eyes began to focus. Righting herself she stood and scanned her surroundings. She may have stood up too fast. Holding her head she watched the pretty colours, they eventually withdrew.

"About time yer woke."

Turning to the disruption showcased Sign, he sat next to a tree silently reading, or was. Walking over, John looked Sign over, the early morning rays shone on them both, partially blocked by the tree.

"Why wouldn't you wake me?"

"I've learned from experience that wakin somepony aint a good idea." Getting up he continued.

"But since your awake, might as well get movin."

"What about breakfast?"

Sign continued to walk.

"Don't worry, I already ate."

Throwing his book back into the small cart he rounded its front. He whistled a small tune while hooking himself back onto the cart.

"No, I mean what about my breakfast?"

"Plenty of pears left, help yer self."

Sign turned to face her, just to look away the next second.

"Damn girl! You stink worse then my ex-wife! Take that coat off yer done slept in it!"

Johns face flushed. How dare he! I smell fine! Stomping to the back of the cart she muttered to herself. Not wanting Sign to hear, not that she was scared of him or nothing, just he was supplying her with pears.

She learned she liked pears.

John jumped up onto the back of the cart and wrestled with the hordes of trash, producing her prized pears she settled down.

The clouds hung heavy this morning, the winding road once again seemed to stretch on forever, to the ends of the horizon.  The abysmal scenery seemed artificial, it too branched out further then the eye could see, all was quiet. Once again, their journey into the alien reaches started with one step.

John bit down upon the pears, one by one they were dined upon, they were her bliss. Finishing her breakfast she removed her jacket placed upon the cart floor. She planned to rest over it when crunching was audible from underneath. Sitting up John fished through her jacket, producing a plain plastic bag.

"Oh yea, I still have these.."

Looking into the plastic bag she took notice of the brown clumps of mush, one now converting into crumbs. She was still oblivious to what these things were, certainly they were pretty weird and they smelled like nothing shed seen before, although that wasn't much. Not wanting to mess with them too much she put them to the side.

"Lookey here, stop number one."

John turned to the sound of Signs voice, just over the distance lay the peaceful buildings, just far enough so that the looming clouds could be seen behind them.

"Is that it?"

"It is, well one of the them anyway, not what you were expecting?"

It certainly was astonishing, compared to that small village This place was huge. Even from such a distance, it left John speechless. She caught herself staring off into its expanse.

"One of the stops? What do you mean?"

Sign stopped just to face John.

"Didn't I tell yer? Its not just this stop, I have other places I need to get to too."

"Oh.."

"have you been there before?"

The question caught John off-guard, being somewhere like that before? She couldn't imagine it.

"No, I haven't. What's it like?"

"Dunno. Haven't been there myself, s'why I'm traveling there."

"Your sight-seeing?"

"That, and other things. We also gotta get you to the hospital remember?"

Glancing down she observed her forearm, it stunk. Really badly, the alcohol and blood mixed to create a foul scent. The bandages smelt even worse, she really hadn't smelt anything like it. She wondered if this is what corpses smelt like.

It had also begun to recreate a heartbeat, she could feel it whenever blood would pulse though it. It hurt slightly but she was more disturbed by it then harmed.

The travel from then on advanced quite swimmingly, despite the thought of the dreary clouds producing rain and the gripping boredom that John seemed unable to distance herself from.

Approaching the entrance was actually pretty easy, not that anyone said it was hard, she thought they would at least have been a gate or something. Nope.

Crossing from dirt to cobblestone jutted the cart all over, John tried to stay in for longer but the jumping of the cart provoked her to become ill. Stepping off the cart she almost collapsed, she had spent most of the morning sitting down, needing to stand up caused her to stumble.

Stretching her legs she trotted, as fast as one could with three legs back over to the cart. Walking beside Sign they passed by many things, 'things' would include a fountain, a pharmacy, grocery shops and many small vendors selling various things. Someone had gone far enough to try and sell buttons, just buttons.

Suddenly Sign stopped and looked in Johns direction. It was hard to tell what Sign was thinking, due to his extremely filthy goggles, they weren't tinted, just extremely stained. It made it impossible to see his eyes.

"Im'a gonna need to get goin now, I'll still be around for about a day or two then I'm off, just don't get ahead of yerself. Hospitals down that way"

He nodded down a particular road, then trotted down the opposite way.

John had made sure to retrieve her jacket, but she didn't get up and go right away, she wanted to observe the scenery here first. Although this place was immensely bigger, it was much more silent. No murderous ponies around either. That was a plus.

She calmly advanced down the road, soaking in the scenery as she approached the Hospital. The cities pallet was incredible, houses of white and light blue, shrubbery and trees marked many corners, Chatter amongst the ponies and sometimes a griffin or two merged into an ambient. Foals played small games with each other.

John wanted to play with the foals.

Priority's ruled above all, she once heard someone say. At least she thought so. The doors chimed as she entered its interior, many battered and bruised ponies were scattered around. On chairs, lying down and waiting in line.

It seemed she should line up, she didn't know what for though, she expected to just walk in and for something to happen, but she didn't know what that was supposed to be. The Inside of the hospital seemed more drab then outside, all the walls were the same cream colour as the ceiling. The floor was the only visually interesting part, but that wasn't saying much. Just a few carpets and patterns.

The line quickly diminished as the other ponies took their seats, reaching the counter John didn't know what to expect, what she got was different to anything she could have conjured up. She was met with an expressionless face, it stared expectantly at her. John wouldn't make eye contact, the clerk became impatient and started.

"Can I help you"

Her voice seemed very distance, like she would wear a 'I wish I wasn't here' badge to work, she would also sigh after every sentence.

"Yea, uh.. My, leg?"

John lifted her leg up and showed the stone her leg. It sighed and began to write rapidly onto a piece of pink paper. Ripping it she handed it to John. There was a number Printed on it and a doctors name scribbled next to that.

"Next!"

John was pushed out the line as a very muscular pony began to rant at the clerk.

Deciding it was best not to get in anyone's way she sat down virtually isolated from everyone else.

She didn't know what she was supposed to do, get a number and wait? She didn't get their logic. As if answering her call, a doctor trotted into the room.

"Number 212!"

Said number stood up and shuffled after the doctor. Seemed simple enough, But how long was she going to have to wait for? Glancing down at her card she sighed at her realisation.

"Number 260? What a joke..."

She wondered if they sold snacks here, she could use a pear.