Chapters The dark night is filled with silence. The moon light glistens off the tall pine trees. The wind whistles softly through their branches is the only sound that plays. Then Apple Jack looks up to the moon and smiles at its beauty.
“Well,” she says with her thick but sweet southern drawl.
“I see that the moon is full tonight”. She looks down at the small piece of parchment paper that was given to her less than two hours ago.
“now, where da’ heck are ya’ twilight?” she says looking around in the think dark forest, expecting some kind of answer from the shadows.
“Can’t see ah’ darn thing”. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a lantern and lights it. The light illuminates the area causing the shadows to run from its power, like mice running from the door opening. The pure silence of the forest wasn’t anything new to Apple Jack. But being this deep in the forest, there shouldn’t be this much of it. Suddenly the silence is broken. A loud high pitched scream echoes through the woods. Causing all the nearby animals to flee.
“Id’ know that scream anywhere,” she’s right, its Fluttershy’s scream. She quickly lifts the lantern to light up the area more trying to see anything moving around in the woods. She hears rustling from her left side; she looks over to that side and sees something moving. Out jumps Fluttershy, who looks white as a ghost. She hides behind Apple Jack.
“Oh, apple jack I am so happy to see you.” Fluttershy says with her soft but winded voice,
“please I need your help”. Apple jack turns to look at her yellow timid friend, who usually reluctant to do anything with the dark forest.
“what do ya’ need my help fer?” she asks her friend.
“Apple jack,” Fluttershy began, “twilight sent me a letter to help her out in that old castle up on top of paradise hill, and I’m too afraid to do it alone”. Huh, now that’s weird, I’ve got the same letter from Twilight, I hope she’s ok. Apple jack thought.
“All right, I was going that way anyway. I got the same letter”. She says to her scared friend.
”let’s get going ok?” Fluttershy looks to her. “Oh ok.” She says, scared and quietly.
“Where did you say you were going?” Applejack asked, hoping that the answer she had received in her letter wasn’t true. “In the letter she sent me, she said she was in the…the” she gulps trying to catch her breath; it sounds like she is slightly choking on her own throat. “She said that she was in the Dark Horse Castle.” Apple jack cringes at the name. Dark Horse Castle? Now why would twilight be there? I’ve heard that that is an unsafe place. Dangerous in fact, The Dark horse Castle is the oldest building in all of Equestria, its falling apart more each day. “What in tarnation is Twilight doing there?” Fluttershy looks at her friend, as if she’s searching her mind for any information she can give about her question.
“Before she left she said that she was off to do an important task for the Princess. But that’s all she told me.” Apple Jack gives her a nod in acknowledgment. She raises the lantern high, trying to light up as much of the surrounding area that she can,
“Come on Fluttershy let’s go and find twilight.” Fluttershy gives a small squeak, indicating her fear but acknowledgement of her friend’s request.
“Ok, Apple Jack.” She says with sheer terror in her voice. The two walk in the direction of Dark Horse Castle, its tall walls can be seen, even through the thick tree branches and of the dark of night. It lay dormant and menacingly on top of a barren hill surrounded by the dark forest that protect it. Before the great and mighty Canterlot was created, Dark Horse Castle was the kingdom of Equestria. It was ruled by a great king and queen, before the rule of the Alicorns, back then it was called Purity Castle, after its bright and clean white walls. But in its later time, when the Alicorns came to take over, they burned the castle giving it is new and devilish new name, Dark Horse Castle. As Apple Jack and Fluttershy walk through the think and dense forest, they hear sounds all around them, from the hoot of an owl, to what they believe is hoof steps behind them. Keeping ever so stable, Apple Jack hides her fear, for Fluttershy’s sake. If she saw her being afraid then she would dart back to Pony Ville and leave Apple Jack to face the castle, alone.
“What was that? Who’s there?” Fluttershy would say to the sounds, they would stop but there would be no response. Then a whole new one would come and take its place. As they walk even the very ground beneath their hooves seems to change. The trees slowly become more barren, looking like twisted burnt skeleton hands reaching to the hill with on top lay the castle. They walk up the hill looking up at a menacing castle, and the angle they are at didn’t help. It seemed to be waiting and looking down upon them. Fluttershy crowds closer to Apple jack, fearful that the castle would just reach down and gobble her up. Apple Jack is not bothered by Fluttershy seeking aid and comfort, she wishes she could do the same but Fluttershy is scared enough and she needs to be strong for her.
“Well, here we are.” Apple jack says, chokes on her words but swallows them back down. “Dark Horse Castle.” The large structure stood before them, the very atmosphere didn’t feel right. It seemed that you were being watched from every angle, from darkened window and crack in its structure. The large front door was busted down on one side, exposing the large courtyard full of burnt and broken stands that once held the most delicious cuisine of the time. Apple jack takes a second to close her eyes and imagine the courtyard full of eager ponies, just like when apple season comes around back home at Pony Ville, all the gentle banter between them, trading and just keeping up with events. She opens her eyes to once again see the saddened, burned and destroyed courtyard. They continue to walk into the castle, the ground rattled with the ashes of either; wood, clothes or the ones that could not get away from the fire; Apple Jack hoped that she was only walking on the remains of burnt wood, nothing else. Before them stood the large heavy steel door that leads into the castle itself. Taking a deep breath, Apple jack reaches for the door handle, griping it tightly in her hoof. Well, here we go. She thought quietly to herself. Turning the handle the door makes a large creek and clang as the gears on the inside of it start to move and release the bolts holding the door shut. As the door opened she raises the lantern again, lighting up the darkened hallway, looking at the old stone walls, barren of anything but the bricks their made of. Fluttershy cowers behind Apple jack hesitant to enter the castle, even with her brave friend,
“Huh, it ain’t that bad, just dark sugarcube.” Apple jack says to Fluttershy to reassure her. Fluttershy gives a small smile, but it quickly fades when they hear a loud crash from inside the castle. They stare down the long hall, looking at the large darkened abyss at the end of the hall, Apple jack begins to walk into the hall, with her friend very hesitantly, following behind. As they walk down the hall, the atmosphere changes even more than it did when they walked up to the castle. They suddenly feel light headed, but as if their heads are being crushed. To Apple jack, the pain is unbearable, she glances over to Fluttershy, who is still scared but doesn’t seem to be suffering from this sudden change. Apple jack feels a bit wobbly, feeling the pressure increase around her head, she starts hearing sounds, whispering voices, growling, and walking. She stumbles and falls to her knees, the noises get much more intense, and the world around her starts to darken, then very faint and distant she can hear Fluttershy’s voice.
“Apple Jack! Are you ok?” as the faint distant words reach her ears, the world returns to normal, the darkness fades and all the sounds stop, except the pounding of her heart in her chest. She looks up to see her yellow worried friend, standing over her holding out a hoof.
“What happened?” Apple jack asked. She takes Fluttershy’s offer and her friend helps her up.
“I have no idea, but you fell down.” Fluttershy said with concern. Apple jack stands up holding her head. “There were all kinds of things I was hearing. Like voices, and other sounds. I just don’t know what to think of it.” Apple jack said as she looks around and lifts up the lantern. They continue down the hall without another word. Something about this place just gives Apple jack the chills. It makes her uncomfortable. Suddenly there is a loud metallic bang also the hall becomes even darker. They turn around and notice that the door has slammed shut. They run to it and try to open it.
“It’s locked!” Fluttershy yells as she tries to push the door back open. “
We’re trapped!” Apple jack grunts as she tries to help Fluttershy get the door open.
Chapter two: Ascend Into the Darkness
Fluttershy screams as her and Apple Jack pound and kick at the door, both wishing it would open. But all their frantic kicking and screaming are to no avail. The door doesn’t budge. Fluttershy glances at Apple Jack, who now is looking at the lantern on the floor.
“Fluttershy,” she begins “we need to find a way out of here. But we must find Twilight. She probably has the key or some kind of spell to get us out of here.” Apple jack looks back to her friend, who gives her a quick nod in agreement. Apple Jack reaches down and picks up the lantern; they turn to face the dark hall once again. For a moment they just stand there staring into its dark abyss, it seems to call to them, to continue further. An audible gulp comes from Fluttershy, preparing herself to move along down the darkened corridor. Apple jack takes it as a motive to move. She starts to move down the hall feeling Fluttershy’s presence very close to her. Even though Fluttershy is easily frightened, it brings some bit of comfort to Apple Jack; she’s not facing this alone. They reach the end of the hall, seeing a door that leads into another section of the castle, the doors on the inside of the castle are made of a dense wood, that somehow managed to survive the fire, in fact the inside entire inside of the castle seems to not even look remotely has been affected by fire.
“Now, that’s quite strange.” Apple Jack says while dragging her hoof across the surface of the door, feeling to see if what was before her wasn’t an allusion of her mind. “This here place doesn’t even look like it’s been in a fire.” Fluttershy nods in agreement, feeling the walls. Apple Jack opens the door. As the door opens a large gust of cold wind hits Apple jack and Fluttershy, the sheer cold shuttered Apple jack to the bone, causing her to feel like a bare skeleton in its cold grasp. Shaking off the cold trying to use the warmth from the lantern she continues on into the room. From what she can gather it looks like a study; book shelves, a desk with paper scatted across the top.
“Wow,” says Fluttershy, as she drags her hoof on the dust covered book shelf. “Nopony has been in here for a while.” Apple Jack nods.
“Ain’t that the truth?” Apple jack walks over to the desk to examine it. Looking at the papers on top, but she notices something. The writing, it’s very familiar. That’s Twilight's writing! Apple Jack thought to herself as she looked at it more carefully.
“Hey, Fluttershy, come here.” She says. She walks over and then looks at the paper that apple jack is reading. “Hey, that’s Twilight's writing!” she says. Apple jack began to read it out loud.
I’ve been in this place for weeks, the more time I spend here, the worst things become. It’s a very strange place. Sounds that don’t even seem to be remotely possible are made. Hoof steps, growling, coughing, laughing, even screaming can be heard throughout the property. The shadows hide secrets; if I go anywhere I’m more then positive to bring a lantern with me. I've been having terrible headaches and I can’t explain why or where they come from. When the dark of night falls upon this place, it changes, the dark hallways are darker, and seem to go on forever. I feel as if I’m walking to my death every night, even when I have to walk to the restroom. Just something about this place, is just wrong. Apple jack glances over at Fluttershy who looks even more pale than normal. It seems that apple jack isn’t the only one that has felt the way she did. “I wonder where she could have gone.” Fluttershy says trying to think of the possibilities her friend could be in such a large place. Apple jack looks over to Fluttershy and says, “From what I could gather from this here note, I don’t think I could find out, but let’s keep looking.” They turn to go out the door they came, they stop dead in their tracks when they see a dark shadow seem to move out of view of the door frame, as if it was watching them but didn’t want them to know. Fluttershy starts to hyperventilate, apple jack raises the lantern to see better, the hall way is clear. “Wh-wh-what was that?” Fluttershy asks with labored breaths. Apple jack walks slowly to the door trying not to make any noise. She peeks out the door frame and the lantern illuminates the hall, not a sign of any thing in there. Cold, quiet and barren just like when they walked in it earlier. She looks around, first to her left, then to her right, and then she looks down. On the floor lays spattered drops of dark red blood, it was covered on the top of a cupcake, white frosting with red sprinkles on it. There also seemed to be strands of pink hair lying around it. Apple jack shudders at the idea of how and why it was there. “No, it couldn’t be.” She begins. She reaches down and picks up the strands of hair, and gives it a sniff. It smelled just like cotton candy. “Pinkie.” She looks around the hall even more, was that shadow Pinkie? And if it was what is she doing here and why didn’t she come to talk to us. Something isn’t right. Fluttershy walks over to Apple Jack.
“What’s wrong AJ?” Fluttershy asks, “It looks like you’ve seen a ghost.” It’s true apple jack face had no color, as if it was washed off her face. She looks around trying to process what is going on. Was that Pinkie? My dear friend? Is she avoiding us? And why would she, this place is to scary and creepy for somepony like her to just run through all by herself. She shakes her head, gathering her thoughts, and then she speaks to her yellow friend.
“I think Pinkie Pie is here,” she shows Fluttershy the strands of pinkie hair,
“we have to find her.” Fluttershy eyes widen, in shock that Pinkie would be here.
“Ok, let’s go find her.” She says hesitantly. They start down the hall looking for any sign of Pinkie Pie, Twilight, or anypony inside the castle. They quickly walk down the halls, looking down open doors and long hall ways. “I don’t see anything.” Apple jack says to Fluttershy quickly. Fluttershy doesn’t respond. Apple jack turns around and looks to Fluttershy, who is standing staring intently down a hall.
“Fluttershy?” Apple jack turns around and slowly walks over to Fluttershy “what is it sugarcube?” Fluttershy still stares down the long hallway, as if something is staring back and she can see it, Apple jack turns to see what it is Fluttershy is staring at. They both stand there speechless as they stare at angel, Fluttershy’s bunny, at the end of the hall eating a piece of celery.
“Angel bunny? What are you doing here?” Fluttershy asks out loud, slightly leaning in to see her bunny better. Angel lifts his ears and looks at apple jack and Fluttershy, looks at them trying to figure out what they’re doing there.
“Angel?” Fluttershy asks again taking a step forward. As soon as Fluttershy moves angel takes off to the side in to the dark,
“Angel!” Fluttershy yells as she barrels down the hall after him, running out of the light provided by apple jacks lantern and into the darkened hallway. She reaches the corner where her bunny was sitting she turns to the direction he was and let out a blood curdling scream.
“Fluttershy!” Apple Jack screams as she runs down the hall after her. She reaches Fluttershy. “What is it sugercu-“she doesn’t finish her sentence because of the sight before her. In front of both Fluttershy and Apple Jack, with her back to them, sat Pinkie Pie. The ground beneath her was riddled with blood, her body was skinny, boney, covered in cuts, scares, and bruises and her ribs are exposed. Her mane and tails mane is falling out and ragged and a mess. There also a large metallic collar protruding from her neck.
“It’s ok, you can smile now.” Pinkie says with a creepy voice, which seemed to echo in its self, but not in the hall.
“P-P-Pinkie?” Fluttershy says choking on her words. Pinkies head slowly turns to look at them, and when they see her face the horrid sight is brought into full view. Her face was sinking in, blood running down from her eyes like tears. She looks at them with her empty bloody eye sockets; she spreads a smile, with torn parts of what is left of angel stuck in her jagged, broken teeth.
“Hey, girls.” She says with a long hiss when she speaks. “I can make you smile too.” She tells them in a playful creepy way.
“RUN!” Apple jack says her and Fluttershy run down the hall at full speed not looking back. Apple jack trips and falls down, the lantern crashes and rolls behind her. She turns to grab the lantern and sees the new twisted pinkie running after her with a full on sprint.
“Come back, let me taste you!” Pinkie screams as she barrels down the hall.
“Ah, Pony feathers!” Apple jack yells as she picks up the lantern and rises and runs down the hall, hearing the running hoof steps of Pinkie right behind her. Her heart racing, lungs expanding and contracting as fast as they can to support her full on sprint, she watches her friend Fluttershy take a turn at the end of the hall. In Apple jacks mind she calculates when and how she’s going to take the turn. She takes a quick glance behind her to see how close the living nightmare is behind her. With her twisted smile, Pinkie is slowly gaining up to Apple jack, the chains on her legs clattering around. With each stop of her hooves, Pinkies cuts leak out the darkened and goriest blood, looking like dark red paint oozing out of a stabbed paint bucket. Apple jack takes a hard turn at the corner, moving out of Pinkies path. She turns to look back, seeing Pinkie try to perform the same move. She tries to make the same quick turn, but as soon as she pivots she tumbles, Apple jack seeing and hearing Pinkies ankle snap and twist. The bone exposed and bloods spurting out, she lets out and roars of pain but quickly stubbles to get her balance again, but by the time she’s standing, Fluttershy and Apple jack are out of sight.
“You can’t hide forever! I will find you!” they hear her yell as the run into a room, slamming the door shut behind them. For a moment there was nothing but silence, the only sound was the light panting from Apple jack and Fluttershy, trying to catch their breaths. Finally Fluttershy breaks the silence,
“Was that really Pinkie?” Apple jack looks over to her friend, who now has tears running down her cheeks. Apple jack can feel her eyes swell and tear up. She closes her eyes tightly, trying to fight off the tears. She gathers herself, sets the lantern down and walks over to her friend, now letting out a quiet gentle sob. Apple jack places one hoof onto her shoulder, Fluttershy’s eyes, full of tears and sorrow, looks at her friend. Apple jack gives her a reassuring smile, Fluttershy feels her heart beat slow softly, and feels the ends of her mouth spread to a smile. Before either of them can say a thing, there is a pounding on the door.
“Girls…I know you’re in there!” Pinkies voice creeps through the door, scratching at their ears. Apple jack gestures to the couch, telling Fluttershy to hide under it. She nods and quickly and quietly dashes to the couch and slides herself under it. Apple jack runs to the closet and closes the door behind her, but not fully, just enough space that a crack allows her to see into the room. She left the lantern in the middle of the room, giving it a yellow hue. She hears the door creak slowly open. The sounds of hooves clicking against the hard stone floor, the sound of the broken hoof dragging with its chains right behind it.
“Hide and seek, hide and seek.” Pinkie begins to say with a slight singing voice. “Oh where, oh where could my friends be?” Apple jack feels her heart stop when the monstrous nightmare form of her friend comes into her view. A large twisted smile spread across her mangled face, a large piece of a sharp rock lodged in her cheek, with slow oozing blood rolling down her face. Apple jacks body tenses up; she feels as if her body was frozen where she stood. She even starts to hold her breath, watching and waiting for this monster in her view to do something. Pinkie slowly looks around the room, the smile not leaving her face. Her gaze finally meets the closet; she stares at it as her smile grows. Apple jacks heart is now beating faster than she’s ever felt it go before. Pinkie takes one step toward the closet, Apple jack starts to fear the worst.
“Ready or not…” Pinkie Pie says with her demented voice, singing it like a game. She gets up closer to the closet door. “Here I-” suddenly, her words stop abruptly, from being hit in the head by a vase. It shatters and the remains clatter and crash to the floor. Pinkie turns around to see Fluttershy standing there, frozen like a deer in the headlights.
“Come!” Pinkie screams loudly at Fluttershy, before Apple jack can do anything, Fluttershy runs out of the room, with Pinkie chasing right behind her. Apple jack jumps out of the closet, she frantically looks around the room. No sign of Fluttershy or Pinkie. She picks up the lantern and runs out into the hallway. Looking around, every direction, every angle. Nothing. She never noticed the silence of the hall, because she had Fluttershy’s quiet whimpering or breathing to comfort her, but now she was alone. Alone in the darkness.
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Chapter three: the Eyes Hidden in the Shadows
Apple jack stood there for a minute, staring into the darkness that surrounds her. The only sound was the beating of her heart; she couldn’t fight back the tears. Her friend, gone.
Fluttershy, she…she saved me. Scared, fearful, timid Fluttershy…saved me. Her own thoughts sink into her heart, making it heavy. She collapses to her knees, crying softly, watching as her tears hit to floor. As the tears fall she hears something behind her, walking up. The hair on her back stands straight up. A heavy cold chill runs down her back and wraps itself around her.
Oh dear sweet Celestia. She thought to herself, she’s back. Pinkies coming for me now! Her shoulders tense up. She prepares for the worst, to turn around and see those jagged teeth of that demented smile inches from her face. She gathers her thoughts.
If this is the end, I’m not going down without a fight! She leans down, picking up the lantern and quickly turns around, ready to face her fears. The lantern swings from side to side within her grasp. But instead of what she sees in front of her is not what she expected to see. Instead of the twisted mangled remains of what used to be one of her close friends, stood Rarity, healthy and alive. Aside from the fact that her mane was a tangled un-brushed mess, she was in a completely healthy condition.
“Rarity!” she yells as she embraces her friend in a tight hug.
“Apple jack, darling!” Rarity says back, with her elegant accent, returning the hug. “It’s good to see a familiar face, well one that isn’t a living nightmare.” They both let out a small chuckle, even both knowing it was a little bit of a grim joke to laugh about, but it was better than being terrified to death of it.
“Rarity, what are you doing here?” Apple jack asked as she attempts to fix Rarity’s mane. “Darling, I’m here because I got this.” She pulls out of a piece of paper.
Twilight’s letter! She must have sent one to each of us. She must really need our help.
“That’s the same reason I’m here.” Apple jack explains, “I got that letter too, so did Fluttershy, but she just ran out of the room being chased by…” she fails to finish the sentence, choking on her words and emotions. Rarity looks to her friend, her hat covered her eyes but she can see the tears slowly running down her cheeks, as she quietly weeps. Without a single word rarity walks over to apple jack and places one hoof on her shoulder. Apple Jack raises her head to look into Rarity’s; Rarity gives her a reassuring smile. Still fighting the tears, Apple Jack returns with a small smile.
“Ok, let’s go.” She says as she exhales loudly. The two of them continue down the hall, there are no sounds except their own hoof-steps, Apple jack constantly looks around. Trying to find any sign of her friend Fluttershy. Nothing. Not even her screaming, whimpering, or even breathing.
I really hope she got away from her. Apple jack thought to herself. The image of Pinkies twisted smile as she walked toward the closet was burned in her brain, engraved on the back of her eyes. No matter what, she just couldn’t shake the image out of her head. She glances over to Rarity, she’s thankful that she’s not alone, but worried about the possibilities of what is happening to Fluttershy.
What if Pinkie caught her? Did she get away? Is she alive, or did she get killed? All these questions were bouncing around in her skull, slowly giving her a head ache. She snaps out of it when she notices that the lanterns light were dimming down. The darkness enclosed around them more, reaching for them with is claws. Soon they’d be in its clutches, being its next victims. She gives the lantern a shake, the fire inside flickers and waves back and forth, and then it starts to dim more.
I’ve done everything I can, but simply I cannot escape it. The darkness finds me no matter where I hide; this place is full of mysteries, filled with dark secrets. Doors flying open or locking on their own. The longer I stay the worst the activity gets. Now I’m starting to see things. The horrors of this place, there slowly driving me insane. I see what seem to be other ponies but, they look different. I can’t get a good look at them because as soon as I see them, I get a splitting head ache, and they disappear or I black out. And in my blacked out state I hear them, whispering into my ear an unrecognizable language. I must finish my research, before this place claims me as its own. I feel as if something is watching me even as I write this, I know that if I don’t finish soon, I’m not leaving. This place that has become my place of research will become my grave. Apple jack looks at the last sentence in horror. She sits there staring at those words, will become my grave.
Apple jack looks at the last sentence in horror. She sits there staring at those words, will become my grave. Who wrote this? What happened to him? Other ponies? He must mean like what happened to Pinkie! She looks around the room. The chandelier above the table begins to swing back and forth, a whirlwind forms around her. The papers flying the room, knocking her hat off her head, and blowing out the remaining light inside the lantern. The room falls into darkness, the whirlwind stops. Looking around she can barely see in front of her in the pitch black darkness. She hesitantly gets up and starts to walk forward; she picks up her hat and places it back on her head. Stepping into the dark hall way she looks around trying her best to see the thick darkness in the castle. As her eyes adjust to the dark the hall becomes a little more clear and easier to see in. she continues down, looking in every direction she can, the longer she was in the dark, the heavier she seemed to feel. As if more and more weight is being put on her as she walks. Her heart is racing and her head is pounding. Looking at the portraits on the walls they begin to look fuzzy and she starts to lose her balance. She tumbles to the ground; she pulls herself slowly forward and notices a small box behind a fallen old painting. She crawls to it with all the strength she could muster. Pulling the box out she opens it and inside is a match, this brings a small smile to her face. Using the wall she pulls herself back up, and reaches for one of the wall mounted torches and pulls it out. She lights the match and sets the head of the torch a flames lighting up the hall. Suddenly her head ache begins to fade away; her heart beat begins to slow. She sits under the burning torch, trying to gather her scrambled thoughts. The fatigue and exhaustion begin to set in, her eyes slowly get heavy. She tries to shake off the feeling of being tired. She knows she can’t fall sleep here, it’s too dangerous. She gets the energy to stand, rubs her eyes and shakes her head more.
Come on Apple Jack; don’t let some old castle beat you! She reassured herself. Before she could even start to move, she hears a sound from down the hall. She looks to the end where the sound came from. In the darkness stood a figure, but the strange thing about this figure is that it’s standing on its hind legs. Apple jack leans in, to get a better picture of it. She can tell it’s a pony. But had something wrong. It starts slowly walking to her, the loud sound of clanking of chains. As it approached closer, apple jack can see the same large metallic collar that Pinkie wore, but this is a different one. It’s not Pinkie, who is it? The monster is now about ten feet away from the edge of where the fire light reaches, but that’s enough for apple jack to see what, or more specifically, who it is. Blood seeping down her bony body, ribs exposed. The light blue coat she had been matted, balding, even torn. The spot where she had wings is torn open; her wings are stripped to nothing but bone. She looks to Apple Jack with the same empty eye sockets that pinkie had. Apple Jack is heartbroken to the sight. Rainbow Dash is one of them. Apple jack stares at this monster that stares back with those empty, soulless eye sockets, she’s frozen in her dead gaze. Rainbow Dash has a grin slowly appear on her face, with a slight demented chuckle that followed. Her head slowly turns to look at something behind Apple Jack. The hairs on Apple jack start to stand on end when a cold gust of wind hits her back as she hears one of the doors behind her creak open. A low growl rumbles from the same place, she turns around slowly to see another living horror. It looked like a walking mouth, with the sharpest and jagged fangs for each tooth. It’s a pale yellow stallion. No eyes, no eye sockets. Its head and down its back is split open. But Apple Jack realizes that that split is a large mouth. Its teeth covered and stained in blood. She’s in-between these two living nightmares, one just so happened to be her friend. Without thinking Apple jack runs the closed door across from the torch she sat under. With all her might, she bucks the door down and continues to run through the dark hall.
“COME BACK!” booms the twisted and evil voice of Rainbow Dash, with a growl from the other creature. Apple jack keeps running, not turning back to see if she was being followed. The monster continues to gain on her; she can hear him getting closer. His hoof steps getting louder and closer, she can hear him panting and growling. She can feel its labored breathing as it slashes at her causing her to fall and break through one of the large wooden doors. The beast stops at the door as she tumbles down a large stair case. She reaches the bottom, beaten and bruised. She looks back up the flight of stairs to the monster; her eyes grow heavy as she blacks out.
Chapter four: the Gaze from No Eyes
She opens her eyes slowly, staring into the pitch black that is completely surrounding her. Head is pounding; she feels her forehead and feels the warm liquid that is smeared on it. Apple jack brings her hoof to her face and sees he blood on it. She takes a minute to figure out what happened. She looks back up the flight of stairs she fell down, nothing. She uses the very little energy she had left to stand, her legs wobbly barely holding her up. She takes a step forward toward the stairs, and feels a sharp pain shoot up her leg when her hoof connects to the ground.
Darn, I’m pretty beat up, but I must go on. She thought to herself. Trying to ignore the pain, she continues to make her slow walk to the stairs, the darkness seems to reach for her, getting closer as she makes progress up the stairs. Her head is starting to kill her. The pain from the head ache gets stronger and more painful. It causes her to stagger as she walks but she pushes on. She takes a second to stop about half way up the stairs; she turns to look behind her. Its empty, nothing down there but what seems to look like a dark abyss into the darkness. She shakes her head and continues to walk, the top of the stairs getting closer. She hears a loud crash from behind her. She quickly turns and sees that about half of the stone steps have just collapsed; she gasps and uses any remaining energy to run up the rest of the stairs. She reaches the top step to suddenly feel the very step under her give out. She jumps up into the hall as she hears the rest of the stairs crash to the floor. Panting hard and groaning from the pain, she stands and looks back to the door, it looking like in that room is nothing but black, like staring into the empty eye sockets of Pinkie’s eyes. She turns away from the room and looks around and sees down the long hallway the torch she lit earlier. She continued to walk to the torch,
Some form of light, I need to get to it and see the damage of what happened to me the best I can. She thought to herself as she walks slowly and painfully down the hall. She can barely see in front of her own eyes, but she continues to walk, staring at the torch waiting for her at the end of the corridor. A loud but very distant screams echo throughout the halls, chilling applejack to the bone, she couldn’t recognize who’s it was. But even though she didn’t know whose it was, it got the job done.
This place is still full of whatever those…things are. She continued and another scream is heard in the halls, but this one was close. Very close. She freezes as she sees Pinkie walk across the opening at the end of the hall; she was dragging behind her a freshly killed philly, a young little child. The head of the philly was completely turned the wrong way, she snapped her neck and now it hangs, rolling around by its own, no longer connected to the spine. Apple jacks heart stops from the sight of pinkie, she’s even worse than before. Her skin was now peeling and falling off, she looked like a walking skeleton with skin on, she barely has any remaining hair on her head. The large rock that was lodged into her face was gone, only leaving a gaping hole showing the inside of her mangled mouth. The view of her and the dead philly disappear from apple jacks sight as pinkie walks by the entrance of the hall. Apple jack has no choice but to continue toward that spot, there’s nowhere else to go, she keeps walking toward the torch, hoping that pinkie was gone. She gets closer the light, and closer to where pinkie was. She takes a deep breath and swallows her sudden urge to vomit, the stench of rotting flesh and meat filled the air, making apple jacks stomach do flips and make her sick. She slowly leans her head in, she looks right, then she turns her head to the left, seeing pinkie only twenty feet from her, she’s tearing apart the dead philly and eating her. Apple jack gags at the sight, almost losing her lunch. She looks down to the ground, trying to get the image out of her head; she notices something she didn’t before. The ground was wood on this floor, and the spot before her was weak and falling apart. She creeps around it making sure that she doesn’t step on it and fall through. The sounds of the philly being eaten stops. Apple jack looks over to see pinkie staring at her, a smile spreads across her face. Apple jack can’t move, it’s as if the stare froze her to stone, her eyes locked to where pinkies should be. Pinkie slowly rises to her hind legs.
“AJ?” pinkie says with her old normal voice, tears forming from her empty eye sockets. “Help me…” she says to apple jack, she tries to pull pinkie up, she smiles to her friend that is trying to save her, but her arm tears from her body and she falls to the sharp wood and hard stone floor below. She hits it with a hard thud and the sound of breaking bones and tearing flesh. Apple jack quickly looks down at where pinkie feel, she lay there motionless, impaled by a large wooden spike, dead. Apple jack looks more closely, seeing that she still had a smile on her face, on that actually looked sweet, her eyes closed and has a small smile on her face, not showing her teeth. Apple jack weeps softly.
Is, is it possible to save them? She stared to think, before she fell, she changed. It was the old pinkie. I could have saved her. Apple jack weeps more, looking as her tears fall down on her friend. I can try to save Rainbow. I must. She gets up and wipes the tears from her cheeks, taking a deep breath. She begins to creep around the hole in the floor carefully, not wanted to meet the same fate as pinkie, she gets past the hole and walks by the torn body of what was left of the philly. She does her best not to look at it, the sight was too gruesome. But she did feel the puddle of blood running from the mangled mess under her hooves. Disgusted but she continues to walk. Her eyes have gotten used to the dark, she can see quite a distance in front of her, and she doesn’t have the lantern to give her away. She begins to think
Whose scream was that earlier? The one that wasn’t the little philly? She seemed to be far away but something happened to her. Wait a minute. Where’s Rarity? I haven’t seen her since I went into the room where the lantern died. She quickens her pace, looking down every hall and every open door. Before she can realize, she was at a full run. Looking everywhere for her friend.
“Rarity!” she yells out. “Rarity! Where are you!?” she continues more and runs into two large doors. “Huh, what’s this?” she asks herself as she pushes the large heavy doors open. They swing in to the large room, launching dust into the air, causing apple jack to cough and to use her hat to fan it out of her face. As the dust clears she gets a better view of the room, a large auditorium. They would hold plays and musicals in theaters like this. Everything in the room was covered in dust; the tables, floor, window seals, chairs and even the curtains on the side of the stage. A large crack in the ceiling was letting in the light of the moon, it casted on the stage, in its light you can see the dust particles slowly drifting in the air. Apple jacks eyes follow the light from the ceiling to the dust covered stage. Behind one of curtains she sees something move. Before she could get a good look at it, she can hear some soft singing.
“Huh?” she starts walking into the theater, toward the stage. The closer she got to the stage, the easier she could hear the singing. She stops at the stairs that lead up onto the stage to listen to the song.
“Hush now…quiet now…it’s time to lay your sleepy head…” she hears faintly,
Fluttershy! She’s alive! Apple jack gets excited from the relief that her dear friend was ok. She quickly runs up the steps and to the curtain she saw something move. She pushes it aside with a smile to see only what she wishes she didn’t. Her face of pure happiness is shocked into horror.
“No…” she says breathless.
“Hush now…quiet now…it’s time to go to bed…” Fluttershy sang as she sat on her hind legs, her voice echoing within itself. She has a small smile across her face, and blood running from her empty eye sockets, down her cheeks and onto her collar and to the floor. Her body has a bloody cut of an X on her chest and on her cutie mark on each side, her wings have been torn off her body. Apple jack begins to tear in horror.
No, dear sweet Celestia, not her too…not Fluttershy! Her eyes drift down to Fluttershy’s front hooves which were holding the next horror for apple jack to see. Lying in her hooves was the severed head of rarity, blood dripping from her mouth, tears still fresh in her eyes. Her headless body a few feet from Fluttershy.
“Shhhh…it’s ok. Your fine now.” Fluttershy says to Rarity’s severed head. She keeps petting her head, singing to it softly, and then stops. She slowly turns her head to look at apple jack. Her eye sockets lock to apple jacks eyes. The head of rarity is released from her grasp and rolls on the floor and into the puddle of her own blood. Apple jack begins to take a few steps back and bumps into something, she quickly turns around to be face to face with rainbow dash. She bares her sharp broken teeth to Apple Jack, letting out a small growl. Behind her stood a large group of the monsters that where the same as the one that chased her earlier. She quickly reacts by turning and kicking Rainbow Dash; she flies and knocks over a few of them. She runs for the entrance, past the monsters and the now enraged Rainbow dash.
“KILL HER!” Rainbow Dash barks to the beasts, they growl and begin to run after her.
“YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE ME!!!” Apple Jack hears echo after her, she quickly turns around to see the large group of the monsters chasing her, being led by Fluttershy and Rainbow dash flying right behind her. She keeps running, terrified of what is coming for her. She runs straight into a room and hides best as she can.
Oh no, I’m done for. I’m dead, I’m so dead. She thinks to herself as she hears the monsters run by, then silence. Suddenly she hears two ponies walking outside the door.
“I know she’s here.” Says Rainbow Dash in her gruff raspy voice. “I can smell her.” An evil creepy chuckle comes from Fluttershy.
“Come out apple jack, are you scared? Boo hoo you big baby.” She chuckles more.
“I think I know where she is,” rainbow dash says as she walks closer to the room apple jack is hiding in, she begins to panic. She’s out in the open, she can’t hide she’s to exposed.
“Come on out you wimp you.” Rainbow dash says as she steps one hoof in the door, right next to Apple Jack.
This is it, I’m dead…
Chapter five: the Monster in the Light
Apple jack holds her breath as she watches the beast that is rainbow dash walks into the room, she does her best to scoot as close to the corner as possible. Hugging the wall, she gets a view of Rainbow dash’s back, seeing what was left of her wings in better detail. She stares at the boney wings, seeing them covered in blood and thin skin pieces.
She’s gotten even worse; it seems they decompose quickly over time. She thinks quickly, looking around. She notices the book case next to her. She smiles softly as she gets an idea. She grabs one of the books and tosses it into the hallway, starting Fluttershy and she runs towards the sound, thinking that was Apple Jack. This gives Apple Jack her chance, she tackles Rainbow Dash and they both crash onto the table in the room. She grabs the back of Rainbow Dashes head and starts bashing her head against the floor, hearing the cracking of her skull and teeth. In her mind she does everything she can to forget that its Rainbow Dash and that is just a mindless, emotionless monster. She grabs one of the broken legs of the table and uses it to bash Rainbows head more, she keeps hitting her harder and harder until she stops moving. Apple Jack stands there and stares at the blood drenched, broken table leg in her hooves. She’s panting hard; she used a large amount of energy to take out her former friend. She tosses the table leg aside to see the damage that she caused to Rainbow Dash, looking down at the battered remains of her. Her head was split fully open, her blood and brains pouring out on the floor, shattered teeth lying next to her mouth on top of a small puddle of blood.
Why? Why did this happen to us? She thought as her eyes fill with tears.
My friends…Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. Am, am I the only one left? She at a full cry now, her tears landing on the dead corpse of Rainbow and her puddle of blood.
All my friends. Dead and gone? Why? Dear Celestia, why? She covers her eyes with her blood covered hooves, trying to hold back the tears. She quickly raises her head.
No. Twilight can still be alive, I must find her, and I must. She stands up, turns around to leave. She steps out of the room and stops. She turns to look at Rainbow Dash one more time.
“I’m sorry.” She says aloud, “I will find her, and we will get out of this here hell hole.” She tips her hat and runs off down the hall, tears softly rolling down her cheeks. She runs into another room and looks around quickly, she notices on the desk there’s a lantern full of oil.
Thank Celestia! She lights the lantern ad picks it up with her mouth. “I knew that I’d find you-“a creepy soft voice echoes from behind her. She quickly turns around to see Fluttershy standing at the door frame. “It wouldn’t be hard to find you, just follow the smell of blood.” She says with an evil smile. Apple Jack freezes and stares at the beast in front of her. Fluttershy begins to slowly walk toward Apple Jack, smiling softly. She looks at Apple Jacks, still freshly covered with Rainbow’s blood.
“Now I have you-” she says looking down at Apple Jack smiling evilly. She tries to stand but Fluttershy stomps her back down by her weakened ribs, Apple Jack gasps for air as Fluttershy pushes her back down. She can feel her weakened body start to slow again, the fatigue was setting in and was fighting her hard, also with the added strength of Fluttershy, who’s pushing down on her brittle bones.
There is no way I’m a going to get up with Fluttershy holding me down, think Apple Jack, think! She looks to Fluttershy’s hind legs.
It’s my only chance. Using the very little strength she has she lifts one of her hind legs and tries to kick her back legs, she can’t reach. Fluttershy notices what she’s trying to do and lifts up her hoof and slams it back down on her; an audible crack is made by the few breaking ribs.
“Ahhhh!” Apple jack screams in agony, the pain shooting through her body. She looks to her lamp with tears in her eyes from the agonizing pain. She grabs the handle with her teeth and with the swing of her head the lantern follows the path and cracks Fluttershy across her head. A loud clunk and crack is heard by Fluttershy’s skull, she stumbles off of Apple jack, and she stands. Her legs wobbly and weak, she can barely hold herself up. Fluttershy continues to stager, she shakes her head trying to gain her balance again. Apple jack can feel the inside of her chest in searing pain, her some of her ribs are broken. She turns to leave the room, limping towards the hallway once more. She takes a look back towards Fluttershy, who now was gathering her balance and starting to see clearly, she sees the gash in her head from the lantern hitting her. Thick, syrup like blood slowly rolling down her face. Apple jack makes it to the hall trying to run but cant, she uses everything she’s got to run but she quickly loses her speed and energy. Her head pounded hard in time with her pounding heart, which made her chest be filled with pain. She can hear Fluttershy not far behind, her talking and her hoof-steps.
“Ohhh where did you go? I saw you come out here.” She says playfully and trying to sound kind. Apple jack knew better, and she left her lantern off. In the dark she couldn’t see her, and she knew that.
I need to keep going, she might not find me, and that will give me time to find Twilight. She feels her throat horse and dry. She hasn’t had anything to drink all night, and then she started to wonder. How long have we been here? It feels like it’s been days! I must have been, and I wouldn’t be able to tell, this castle is darker then the night outside. She begins to look around for any other sources of light; cracks, windows, doors, anything that would give her a small glimpse to the outside world. She stops to listen, Fluttershy is gone. She turns around to look and sees nothing but the long dark hallway she’s been walking in. she feels her head ache get worse so she turns the lantern on. The light floods the hall with light, giving her a much better view of it. She takes a look around, a pile of stone bricks on the floor under a large hole to the next floor. It must have gave out and crashed down here. She notices a room to her left, the door was closed. She walks over to it and gently places her hoof on the handle and twists it slowly, then pushes the door open. It drifts slowly open showing another small study, but it was a mess. The desk had all its drawers pull out and thrown around the room, all the papers are scattered all over the room. There seems to be blood on some of the papers, on the floor, and the desk. As if whoever did this was hurt, but not too bad, it was only drops. Then one the desk, with the pen used to write it stabbed through it, was another note. Apple jack sets her lantern on the desk next to the note.
This place is dangerous, all the doors in and out have all shut and locked, I’ve been looking all over the castle for the keys. I can’t find them anywhere, I’m trapped! And that’s not the worse part, I feel as if I’m going mad. I keep hearing voices, voices telling me terrible things to do, or terrible things that will happen to me. If you find this note, I’m in desperate need of help. Please help me. Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle.
“She’s alive! I just know it, she has to be. “She says quietly to herself, she looks down at the small blood trail, it lead from the door to the desk, a small puddle of it was under the desk. That must be where she was writing it, then it leads toward a knocked over wardrobe. Apple jack walks over to the wardrobe, setting the lantern down in front of it. She gathers her thoughts and prepares herself for the worst. She grabs the handles and opens the doors quickly. It’s empty, nothing inside, no blood puddles or drops either. She takes a step back and looks at the trail more carefully; she notices that under the edges of the wardrobe there is a drop of blood that was half covered by it.
She went behind the wardrobe! But then where? She looks at the wardrobe, and then gets under it to see how heavy it was. It wasn’t that heavy, even in her weakened state she could lift it. She grunts as she lifts it up with her hind legs. She gets it up and against the wall and sees a small passage.
Twilight, you’re smart sugarcube. She grabs the lantern and crawls into the small hole as she gets herself fully in the wardrobe crashes down and blocks her inside.
Chapter Six: Descend into Madness
Apple jack crawls through the narrow long passage way. The further she went in the claustrophobic vent, it seems to grow in size but the walls feel as they close around her. The further she goes, the more she feels the walls start to grip her in their clutches. She has to twist herself at an angle to just continue.
Gosh darn it Twilight, how did you even make through this? She thought to herself with a disgruntled groan. She sees the end of the passage coming closer; it puts a smile on her face.
Finally, I can get out of this tight spot. Then there is a loud rumbling, the very walls of the castle begin to shake. A loud crash is heard from behind Apple Jack; she turns to look and sees the passage starting to collapse on itself. She quickens her pace, pulling herself through with her front hooves. She can feel the crashing of the passage coming closer as the exit beckons for her. With all her might she pulls herself out of the passage as it finishes collapsing on itself. She falls to the floor, landing on the hard stone. She screams in agony as she lands on her broken ribs. She can feel them crack and shatter more inside of her. Biting down hard on the lanterns handle, tears roll down her face. The pain is becoming unbearable. But she knows there’s nothing she can do; there is no way for her to tend to her wounds. She pulls herself up, trying to stand. With a slight limp she continues, down the small hallway filled with pipes. She takes a closer look at one of the pipes, its rusted, hard metal.
They must be used to transport water. She realizes, touching it with her hoof, she looks and notices that there is a turn into a brightly lit hallway. She gasps and quickens her paste towards the hall, it providing her with some sort of comfort.
Lights? That must be Twilight in there! Ohhh thank Celestia! She quickly turns the corner and sees just an empty hall, filled with lit torches mounted on the walls, and a ton crates, desks, and rooms. No sign of any living creature. She lets out a small sigh, still wondering what has happen to her possibly last friend. She takes a few steps to suddenly hear a loud crash of metal and stone, then the sound of water. The lights go out and she’s in darkness. Feeling the sudden cold gush of water fill the hall, half way up her legs. She lights the lantern once more, filling the halls with her light, it bounces off the water and projects its waves upon the walls.
“What in tarnation?” she’s says to herself as she squints to look around the now flooded hall.
One of the pipes must have givin’ out , she thought as she starts walking through the water. Probably nothing more than that. Her hooves splashed with each step, it echoed through the long windy hall way. As she walks it seem that her splashing has gotten louder, twice as loud in fact. She stops and listens, the splashing continued. She turns back quickly and sees the hall still empty, nothing was behind her. She looks back forward, trying to see in the darkness, the splashing was getting louder. Getting closer. She sees the water splash up, as if something was walking through it but there was nothing there. The splashing stopped, she hears a small growl. Then franticly the splashing was moving towards her, she quickly and without thinking, jumps up on a large crate. The splashing stops a few feet from where she was standing. Her heart pounds, which causes her pain but she doesn’t really notice it, because she continues to look at the water, wondering what is in there. She can still hear its growls, and it shifts through the water, she watches as the water moves with the invisible creature. She quickly realizes,
It’s not safe in the water, but it can’t harm you if you’re out of it. This puts a small smile on her face, finally a monster she can easily deal with, or in her mind, not to deal with. But then she remembers her injured body. The state she’s in can make it hard for her to jump from box to box. She clenches her chest, she knows how much pain that would cause her, but she also knows that this creature would tear her to shreds if she got down. And she isn’t gonna let herself die up on that crate, so she’s going to muscle through the pain, she’s already doing great.
“Ok, apple jack, you can do this. What was it that Pinkie used to say?” she says quietly to herself. “Ah, that’s it, I must in her honor.” She begins to sing softly to herself.
“It’s not very far, just move your little rump. You can make it if you try, with a hop…” she crouches, getting ready to jump, “skip…” she takes a gulp. “And jump!” she finishes as she jumps across and lands on the edge of the crate she aimed for, she feels her hind legs land in the water. A loud roar is heard and the splashing comes barreling towards her. She scrambles as she tries pulling herself out of the water, but she feels as her flesh at her legs tear. She screams in pain as she pulls her legs out and to up to her. She takes a look at her legs, on one of them she has three deep cuts going across the back end of it. She stands up, her leg in pain. She knows that even with the pain and injuries she has, she must continue through, find Twilight and find her way out. She glances down at her cuts, sees that they are bleeding. She looks to the next closest crate, its way to far for her to jump, even in her fully health state. She takes a look back, to where the creature was last standing; the water was still flowing like something was there. She knew it was waiting for her to dip even a small part of her in the water. She takes a deep breath, and suddenly jumps into the water and runs as fast as she can through it. She bleeds from her fresh cuts, but continues. With each step the pain bounces from top to bottom. Causing her to be in unimaginable pain, she wants to cry but fights the tears back with sheer terror of what is after her. She reaches the crate and jumps up onto it. She turns and the splashing stops. Breathing hard and filled with pain she takes a moment to relax. She looks down the other end of the hall. She sees the exit, calling to her. The whole way there has no surfaces for her to get out of the water, the only way she can get through it is a mad dash from where she is to the exit, and she can’t stop on the way. She gathers her thoughts and any of the last bits of strength, and prepares to run with all her might.
She glances down at her reflection in the water, and she can swear she can see them. Seeing her friends; Pinkie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash standing by her side. She can’t help but shed a tear to the sight, to only look up to her sides and see nothing there. She wipes the tear and jumps. Her hooves break the surface of the water with a loud and wet splash, before the monster even realizes that she has entered the water she’s sprints towards the door. Now enraged the monster chases closely behind her, she can hear its growls and snarls as the splashes echo behind her. She pants hard as she runs, causing her chest to be in severe pain. She gets closer to the door and a pain filled smile spreads across her face when suddenly a large splash appears in front of her.
Oh no! It’s another one! She thought quickly. Before she could get around it she feels the strength of its hit toss her into the wall. She hits it with a loud thud; the impact knocks the wind out of her as she gasps for air coughing up blood. She lands back in the water and hears them coming to finish her off. She pulls herself up onto a floating plank of wood. Hunched over in pain, the impact most likely broke even more of her ribs. Possibly even cut her lungs, she takes a breath.
No, I can still breath, my lungs aren’t punctured. If they are it’s not too bad. She slowly rises, she almost falls in due the lack of balance on the plank. She looks over to the water as the creatures shift through it, growling and snarling at her. She knows that they want her dead; she looks around trying to find anything that would distract them. She breaks off a piece of the wooden plank she’s standing on and tosses it as far away from her as she can, it hits the water with a loud splash, the monster charge towards it, reaching it in a matter of seconds. As soon as they reach it she jumps off and runs to the door. She opens it as fast as she can hearing them approach closer to her, their roars echoing off the walls in to her ears. She gets the door open and quickly runs through and slams the door behind her. She can feel them slam against the door, their claws scratching the door and then silence. The only sound is her labored breathing and the pounding of her heart. She leans against the door facing the flight of stairs before her. They seemed to lead to a large room; she pushes off the door, still holding the lantern in her teeth. She gives it a shake, she hears that almost all of the oil inside is gone; she turns it off for the time being. Apple Jack sits there for a minute, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. Then when she has gained enough sight to where she can see, she begins to move again.
Chapter Seven: The Path Less Traveled
Chapter Seven: The Path Less Traveled
Apple jack proceeds forward, hearing her hoof-steps echo throughout the greatly large room. For the first time she’s in a room of the castle that has light. The many torches and large chandelier would have provided enough light but also the room had very large windows that reached from one foot above the ground and continued up to what seems the be the endless ceiling having the moon light shine inside. For reasons she could not explain the eerie room provide her with a comfort she hasn’t felt since she and Fluttershy where together. Then she begins to remember Fluttershy, still wandering around this living nightmare of a castle, a torn up and angry beast out for blood. With all that has happened she becomes less and less sure about the possibility that Twilight is even alive, everything else that has happened has proven her other suspicions wrong.
Would this one be any different? Am I just going to come all this way to find nothing but the dismantled and unrecognizable remains of my dearest friend? Or will I be confronted with a living nightmare form of her? She takes a look back to the way she came, looking and thinking. Well it’s for sure I am not going that way again, and besides that be pointless, I barely got out of there alive. She begins to look around the large room; it was designed with the most beautiful carvings that Apple Jack has ever seen. Even more luxurious then the castle in Canterlot. The carvings on the walls are amazing, the long vines with ivory leaves snaking their way down the pillars, they reach down and wrap around the edges of a large fountain, one much taller than her. The sound of the water gently running through it was calming; it reminded her of the water chutes back home. She spreads a smile as she slightly drifts to her memories of her family farm, the sun beams warming her face, the fresh air blowing gently through her hair. Home. That was her goal, if possible find Twilight and go home. There was nothing more she wanted in the entire world than to be out of that castle. She snaps out of her daze and continues to explore the room, to her this was the nicest part of the castle, but she knew that things were not over. She’s just in the eye of the storm; it will soon be back on her, unleashing hell. She starts walking to one side of the room, towards a closed door. As she gets closer she sees that it’s not fully closed. She peaks in and sees a hallway that is pretty well lit.
Strange, has someone been here? Could it have been Twilight? She pushes the door open and walks into the lit hallway. She quickly notices the blood on the floor, confirming her suspicions. She has been through here! She leans down and places her hoof on the blood, its dry.
“Darn, she was here at least this morning. But she’s gone now.” Looking around the hall, trying to see any other signs of Twilight, then she suddenly gets an un-easy feeling. Someone or something is watching her, she freezes in her place. Slowly she looks behind her, it’s clear. Then she turns to look down the hallway. Her eyes widen in fear and shock. When she thought her fears and hardships where over, standing at the end of the hall was Fluttershy, her teeth bared blood and saliva dripping down in long wet strings from her crooked smile. She’s starting to rot away, it’s obvious. Her hair is nothing but a gray pinkish clump of what it used to be. Her fur is matted and covered in dirt and what Apple jack guesses is the remains of animals and other monsters. She slowly tilts her head to the side, not breaking her stare or her nightmarish smile. She lets out a small, bone chilling giggle as she starts to move toward Apple Jack. With each step Apple jack can see the struggle she has to make to continue forward.
She’s weak! I could get around her, or, if necessary, kill her without much effort. She thought as she gets up. As Fluttershy approaches closer Apple jack begins to conjure up some ideas. She sets down the lantern and prepares herself for a fight to the death against the twisted horror that was the remains of her friend. She takes one last look at her, looking at her now yellow-green fur, her few clumps of hair on her head, the empty sockets that once held her beautiful sky blue eyes. And with that thought of her eyes, Apple jack remembers her friend, sitting in a small meadow, singing with the animals. Not as the horrific nightmare she is now, but how she used to be. Apple jack sees that she’s about to be attack and readies herself. She can still see her as she used to be, smiling with her animals, showing the world the un-known joys of pure kindness. Fluttershy jumps to attack her, she quickly turn around and kicks her with all her might. The moment her hooves impact her chest she feels the breaking and cracking of bone. She flies back a few feet and lands on her back. She lets out a scream of anger and pain, she quickly gets back up and grabs Apple jacks hind leg and lifts her off the ground and slams her against the wall. She lets out a loud gasp of pain as she impacts the wall,
how can she be so strong? My ribs are surely broken to bits now. Apple jack kicks her face to make her release her from her grasp. Fluttershy stumbles back and bleeds more from her face, broken teeth fall and hit the floor, and Apple jack takes this moment to grab the lantern again and hit Fluttershy across the head, causing her to fall. With no remorse she begins to hit her more with the lantern on the head, it begins to dent and crack. Her face breaks open more with every blow, the lantern smashing her face and leaking oil on her. Her face now smashed and her body weakened, apple jack stands up and looks at Fluttershy below her. She starts to walk away when she hears Fluttershy moan and try to get up again. She looks back at her and lights her lantern, without another thought she throws the lantern at Fluttershy, the glass crack and releases the fire upon her oil covered face. Soon Fluttershy is engulfed in flames. The screams of her pierce her ears, the pure pain and agony of her death slowly brings Apple jack to tears. She hears the thud of her body o the floor and then silence. She glances over to her, now a charred and still carcass. She stares at her remains for a while. Her eyes full of tears and her heart filling heavy. She takes a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts.
Well, I guess that’s it then. All that’s left is me and Twilight, that is, if she’s still alive. She turns away from the twisted remains looking down the hallway. “That must be where Twilight went. I’m going to get to the bottom of this. If she’s alive or not.” She says shakily to herself. She starts down the hall, trying to get further away from the deed she just committed. The last moments of her death keeps playing over in her head, from the scream to the last look on her face as the flames engulfed her. It causes Apple jack to be filled with more regret and sorrow.
Why? Why did it have to be like this!? Why!? She collapses to her knees and her head sinks down in sorrow and pain, her tears hit the floor. Then she hears a faint sound piercing through her tears slightly.
“Huh?” she stops sobbing and listens as she feels her tears slide down her cheeks. She hears it again, a little bit louder this time, a scream. And hears,
“Some pony! Anypony! Help me!” she gasps in joy and quickly stands, and without thinking yells back
“Twilight!”
Chapter Eight: How it All Ends
Apple Jack sprints down the long hallway, her hooves impacting the floor hard making the sound echo. As she runs she calls out more,
“Twilight! Twilight were are ya’?” looking down every hall, every open door, seeing nothing. She runs past another hall and looks down the corridor; the large double door at the end has light leaking out from under it. She quickly runs down towards the door, panting and gasping for air, her lungs must be exhausted but she pushes on. When she reaches the door it seems that a heavy feeling falls upon her, the silence concerned her. She quickly pushes the doors open, the swing open with a loud thud as the hit the walls. Apple jack lights the lantern, knowing she’s going to use the last of the oil. It illuminates the very large hall, similar to the one she found Fluttershy in, but this one didn’t have a pristine stage, the one it has is collapsing and giving out, but standing at the end, looking back at her stood Twilight, alive and well.
“Twilight! Oh thank heavens your alright.” She says with a relieved sigh, as she begins walking over to her, Twilight begins to laugh loudly. The laughter chills Apple Jack down to her bones, she freezes where she stands.
“Hehehe, it’s a big surprise that you found me AJ.” She says with a disturbing low tone. “I was thinking my friends weren’t going to get you, disappointing that they didn’t.” Apple Jacks eyes widen with fear and shock.
“Y-You’re the one that did it…you’re the one that killed our friends?” Twilight begins to laugh louder and more manically.
“YOU’RE THE MONSTER! YOU KILLED OUR FRIENDS!” she yells at her, “all we did was try to come here and help you, you sent us all a letter to help you-“Twilight interrupts her,
“It was the only way to get you all to come, write a fake letter that caused you to all come here, to fall into my little game. A new experiment.” She steps down and looks at apple jack. “I’m so glad that it worked! Well almost, you’re the only thing left to finish in this experiment. If you just DIED like I wanted you to, this would be all over, and I can report my finding to the princess.” Apple Jack begins to charge at Twilight, but is immediately stopped, caught in her magic’s grasp.
“No, no. no need for that.” She throws Apple Jack, she crashes to the floor. She screams in agony and pain.
“Dohh...Sorry did that hurt?” she chuckles as Apple jack tries to stand. “Well, I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Twilight teleports behind her and kicks the back of her leg, right on one of her gashes, she screams in pain again. Twilight begins to laugh when she is kicked hard in the chest; she flies back into the wall behind her. She hits hard against the wall and coughs trying to catch her breath. She glances up to see Apple jack charging her again, this time she didn’t use her magic in time, Apple jack uses the speed and power from her charge to strike Twilight in the face with her front hooves, and this sends the back of twilights head into the wall, cracking her skull. She lets out a gasp of pain and then kicks apple jack off her with her hind legs. She crashes to the floor and is engulfed with pain.
“AHHHHH!” she screams as a loud audible crack is heard, she rolls over on her stomach and tries pulling herself up, then is pushed back down on her broken ribs.
“Oh-ho-ho you’re not going anywhere!” Twilight says as she presses down more with her hoof. The pressure of her hoof seems to be a ton to Apple Jack she cannot fight it. “I was going to make your death quick but now I want you to suffer!” she congers up a dull rusty knife, she slowly and with pressure cuts her cheek, making her blood slither down her cheek and drip off the end of her jaw, it splats to the floor.
“Heh, where should I start? Hmmm….”Apple Jack thrashes and tries to kick Twilight off of her, this angers Twilight. “I’ll start by taking out those pretty green eyes.” She says with a creepy smile. Apple Jack struggles and tries to move away from the blade as it gets closer to her, inching its way towards her eye.
“NO!” she yells and then bites the knife and throws it back at Twilight, it flies through the air and stabs her in the shoulder. This causes her to get off of Apple jack and stumble back, before she could do anything she’s kicked dead straight in the chest and flies backward, tumbling to the floor. She stands back up, feeling the blood from her cut rolling slowly down her shoulder down to her hoof. She glances down towards the cut and sees that the knife went in deeper, cutting away at deep tissue. Her magical aura appears around the handle and the sound of tissue tearing is heard as she pulls the knife out of her arm. The farther the blade is pulled out, the more blood pours out onto the floor, Twilight slowly raises her head and looks at Apple Jack with her evil twisted grin, holding the knife with her magic.
“That wasn’t very nice AJ.” She begins to charge after Apple Jack, she quickly looks around and runs to a wooden crate and kicks it as hard as she can towards Twilight, but she teleports to dodge it. Apple Jack gasps as the blade of the knife slices across her side, causing her blood to roll down her side and to her stomach. Twilight tries to stab her but misses and the knife gets lodged into another wooden crate, Apple Jack bucks the handle of the knife, separating it from its blade. Apple jack tackles her and slams her hoof into her face, throwing her head to the side and hits the floor. She does it again, Twilight looks up at her, her bleeding teeth bared in anger staring at Apple jack then her magic aura glows around her horn.
“NO!” is the thing Twilight yells before the large rock crashes down on her head, smashing her skull, killing her instantly. Apple Jack stands above the corpse of her last friend, she begins to walk away from it slowly, towards the large door that was behind Twilight, opening it and follows it halls. She walks slowly and painfully through the hall, looking out the windows to the outside world, the sun now shining into the empty halls. She stares at the large doors she slowly walking to, seeing the light from the outside world shining in from the cracks. She pushes the large doors with her fading strength, and stands there feeling the warmth of the sun’s rays on her beaten face. She continues walking, through the ever free forest, farther and farther from the nightmare of the castle. After all that she’s been through, she was actually happy to be inside the ever free forest. Seeing it from inside the living hell hole of that castle made her miss it. She feels safer anywhere other than that place. She continues and then emerges out from the ever free back onto the farm she stares at her home and smiles. Big Mac glances over to her and gasps.
“AJ!” he runs to her as she collapses on the ground and blacks out. She wakes up a few hours later on the couch of her living room, looking at her sister Apple Bloom, her Brother Big Macintosh, and her grandmother Granny Smith. They all waited for her to wake from her slumber.
“Apple Jack, you’re ok!” Apple Bloom yells as she hugs her tears running down her cheeks,
“Why, of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?” she asked to her sister, who is now crying into her chest.
“We thought we lost you.” Granny Smith began, “you’ve been missing for weeks!” The amount of time that her grandmother told filled her with shock.
Weeks? How could have I been gone for weeks!? I never saw the passage of night and day, I never had a drink of water or an ounce of food.
“W-w-weeks?” she stuttered, “I was gone for weeks?” Granny Smith and Big Mac nod,
“Eeypu.” Big Mac adds.
“Where were you, anyway youngin’?” Granny asks her.
“That doesn’t matter Granny, I’m here and safe now.” She says with a smile, “can I go into my room? It’s getting late and I would love to sleep in my own bed again.” Later that night she tosses and turns in bed, her dreams filled with the horrors of the castle. Making her re-watch the deaths of her friends, the twisted laughter or screams of agony. She gasps in horror as she wakes up from her dream, panting and sweating. Her hooves rise to her face as she begins to weep, her tears rolling down her cheeks. She glances over to a framed picture next to her bed, showing her and her dear friends smiling and being together, she stares at it and smiles to the memory of that day, then it fades as more tears roll out, she’s now knowing that her friends are gone. She grabs and hugs the picture tight, crying loudly holding it against her chest. Her cries and sobs were too loud for her to hear the door creak open. She holds the picture close as she glances up to her door opening her tears blur her vision, all she sees is somepony standing at the door frame.
Who is that? Too short to be Big Mac, to tall to be Apple Bloom, and he or she doesn’t look like Granny Smith. She can’t make out who it is; she wipes the tears from her eyes and then her heart races.
“No, not you! Y-y-you’re supposed to be-“ her scream echoes through the house, Apple bloom jumps out of her bed to the sound, waking her from her dream.
“AJ?” she asks as she rubs her eyes. She gets up and walks over to her door, bumps into it in her half dazed state. She opens her door and walks down the hall towards her sister’s room, she notices her door was partially open, she pushed on the door. It creaks and squeaks as it opens,
“Apple Jack?” The door fully opens and gently hits the wall, Apple Bloom is frozen where she stands as she stares in her sisters room, for there, hanging from one of the beams was Apple jack. Her neck in a noose. Her eyes fill with tears and then they lock onto the dark figure standing in front of her dead hanging sister, it slowly turns it head. She then realizes that the body isn’t a shadow, but was burnt. Fluttershy turns and looks at her,
“Shhhh….she’s sleeping”
THE END.
