Chapters Keep away from Pumpkinhead,
Unless you're tired of living,
His enemies are mostly dead,
He's mean and unforgiving,
Laugh at him and you're undone,
But in some dreadful fashion,
Vengeance, he considers fun,
And plans it with a passion,
Time will not erase or blot,
A plot that he has brewing,
It's when you think that he's forgot,
He'll conjure your undoing,
Bolted doors and windows barred,
Guard dogs prowling in the yard,
Won't protect you in your bed,
Nothing will, from Pumpkinhead.
"Please state your name for the recording."
"Violet Daisy."
"Can you explain how you are involved with this mess?"
"Roseluck is my sister."
"The one in this picture, can you identify her?"
"This one with red hair."
"Do you know why we brought you here then?"
"Because something happened?"
"That is correct."
"Wait what happened?!"
"We believe she was involved with last month's murders."
"What? Roseluck murder someone.... that makes no sense at all!"
"Ma'am we are very sorry to say that she might have done them."
"What proof do you have!?"
"..."
"Well?!"
"Let's show her the tapes."
One month earlier
"Well Rose I gotta say your flower shop is by far the best in all of Equestria." Lily said with up most pride at her sister's store. Roseluck knew how to make every flower grow up to be a majestic garden. Rose blushed heavily, she was the extremely shy one of the three sisters. But where Rose was silent, the flowers spoke the loudest. Lily wrapped her sister in a loving hug. "Rose you really know how to make a garden beautiful, you know that right?"
"Lily stop it your making me blush." Roseluck trying to break away from the hug said back. Rose loved when one of her sisters visited. They were all she had left in the world, both of them. But they had lives to live. "I just try to make the best of what I have to work with."
"And it becomes art, Rose you are too modest with yourself. The ponies of Canterlot want you to open move there and open a shop, they all agree that you have the greenest hoof in the whole world!" Lily beamed at her older sister. Effectively earning a new blush from her sister. "But I have to ask how is your coltfriend?"
"Oh Raven his doing great, mater of fact he should be here any minute now, and you can say you met him. Oh and remember since he got his wings replaced he's a bit jumpy." Rose smiled, knowing this will be the first time one of her sisters ever met her stallion. "So please don't scare him, please?"
"I won't I promise!" Lily exclaimed. They both returned to the living room. Chatting about Lily's life and how she was doing. Then the knock on the door came, Rose couldn't help but smile.
"Come in." Rose said with glee about her. Raven stepped inside. His black and gray mane swayed in the breeze, the ash grey coat made him stand out from the crowd. His wings were attached to his back by metal rods, it was very clear that he was in a very horrible accident. "Raven you're home and I want you to meet some pony who always is supportive."
"Alright so who is the mystery pony..." Raven cut himself off when he saw Lily sitting on the couch. She waved to him, Raven was shocked to see her. "Lily is the mystery pony. Haha oh dear sweet Celestia I thought you meant your father or something. But where are my manners, welcome to our wonderful adobe Lily."
"Thank you and so your the one Rose always talks about." Lily said teasingly, Rose couldn't help but giggle when Raven turned at her with the most confused look ever.
"She does huh? Well hopefully she leaves out the part where I... no I'm going to say because that will be a surprise." Raven said as his hoof rubbed the back of his neck. Roseluck shot him a look of "what are you talking about". Raven slowly moved away from his mare with a look of worry. "Its a surprise and I'm not telling until the time is right."
"Fine." Roseluck groaned sitting back down on the couch. But before she could react Raven leaned in fast, kissing her. She returned the kiss. "You know for a huge pain you're adorable."
"And I'm all yours." Raven chuckled. Standing up he walked to the kitchen. "Do you girls want any drinks?"
Lily spoke up quickly. "Tea would be very much appreciated, please and thank you." Tea was always a high sought after drink, very soothing to have. Raven began to pour the liquid in three cups as carefully as possible, trying to spill any of said tea.
To Raven Shadow the scene before him was a beautiful sight, his marefriend and her sister laughing. They shared stories of what each of them has done since the last time they saw each other. Some questions were directed at him and he answered truthfully.
"So Raven, how does a good looking stallion like you end up with my goofy sister?" Lily giggled only to be hit on her shoulder by Rose.
"Well believe it or not she hooked me, I was passing through Ponyvile and well she asked for my name. Well the rest is history." He chuckle with a red tint on his cheeks. "No she snatched me up quickly too."
"Well to be fair you were handsome and very kind." Rose responded with a rather large smile. She always knew how to lighten the mood. Raven always wondered how such a wonderful mare like Rose fell in love with him was something he couldn't fathom. He was considered a freak of nature: he was unnaturally taller than most ponies but still shorter than Celestia, metal replacement wings, and his eyes were unnaturally blood red. Many ponies just scoffed or shied away from him. But Rose was there to show him kindness, which he returned fully. Rose smiled with a deep red color to her cheeks as Raven stared at her with awe. "Besides if everypony knew how nice you really are, I might not have you."
"You two are really cute." Lily said setting down her cup of tea. "But I should get going, I have my own shop to contend with. But it was very lovely to meet you Raven."
"Nice to meet you too Lily." Raven Shadow smiled warmly at Rose's sister as he wrapped Rose in his hooves giving her a warm and loving hug. Lily waved good bye to the happy couple and shut the door. "Well now that she's gone do you think I could get my birthday present a day early?"
Roseluck looked up at Raven with a hint of lust hidden in her dazzling emerald ocean eyes. "Well you have been a good boy so..." she finished her sentence with a kiss. Raven's eyes lit up like fireworks. What was about to happen couldn't be described as sex, no it was an art made with the most pure and strongest emotion that would ever exist, it was love. Raven returned Rose's kiss with the passion that could match the power of the sun .
......
Lily walked alone in the street feeling safe and secure within Ponyvile. That is until a bag was draped over her head, cutting out all the light the street lamps. Lily heard voices mock her and taunt her, the situation felt like a bad dream and she wanted to wake up. Unfortunately this wasn't anything but real, she felt her legs wobble from underneath her form. The loud and gruff female voice terrifide poor Lily, while the more feminine voice soothed her.
"Let's get this sack of dung to the spot where boss said he'd meet us at." The loud voice whispered trying to be as quiet as possible. Lily could only guess what was going on, but at the same time she didn't want to know either.
"Well he said he'd meet us in an hour, it is quite a walk. Let's us go then." The softer voice answered back. Lily whimpered within the brown sack that she wore without choice.
.....
"Hey Rose?" Raven called from downstairs. His question reaching his lovely marefriend. "How would you feel if I said we might go to the night club down the street?"
"You mean the one owned by Vinyl?" Rose called back to Raven, her voice as sweet as heaven's melody. Nothing could ever hold them apart, princess Cadence would be truly proud of these two. Roseluck always looked passed the freak and see the stallion who was alone for most of his life and to be apart of his happiness was possibly one of the greatest things Rose could ever experience.
"Well yeah." Raven said coming up the stairs. His heavy steps gave away his path, Rose only waited for him. Turning the corner he came from behind Rose, wrapping his hooves around her again. Rose turned to accept this embrace and to return the hug. "I love you."
"I love you too." Rose smiled in Raven's coat, when she broke the hug Rose brought Raven down and gave him a light peck on the cheek. "So we are going?"
"Only the best for you baby!" Raven smiled with a cocky grin.
.....
Lily was brought somewhere, somewhere very far from Ponyvile. Terror was evident in her form, she shook with fear. Still being held by her captors, Lily silently cursed herself for not putting up a struggle or fighting back. Now she was helpless.
"Get that sack off her." A posh voice commanded.
"Yes sir." The softer voice answered back. Once the sack was taken off Lily's head she was nearly blind by the light that shot right to her face. Slowly her eyes refocused to her surroundings, Everfree forest. She looked over to see who held her captive for so long. Trixie and Gilda the griffon. "Its done."
"Good now to business then, you common filth have no respect for your betters." Lily now knew who those two leader was now. Blueblood, the snobish unicorn prince. Everything had to be his way. "I do hope you know how to beg for my forgiveness."
Lily stood her ground so to speak. Mom and dad always said stand up to bullies... but they never said anything about a prince. Lily's brain went on the fritz. She froze up with both confusion. Blueblood trotted closer to the frozen mare, with almost a skip in his step. Lily's body fought against her will, she wanted to run and hide. But instead her body released her bladder fluids. She felt the warm feeling stretch down her legs.
"How pathetic she urinates all over herself when frightened." He sneered at her.
......
Outside the night club Raven and Rose waited and waited. Raven would never dare to go to a place like this alone, but he was never alone as long as he had Roseluck. The bouncer at the door finally waved them to head inside, which they complied quickly.
The club was full of energy from all sides. Ponies danced their problems away, others sat at the soft couches that were scattered around. The pair made their way over to one with no ponies sitting there. Rose kept looking back at the dance floor like something was missing. Raven caught this as a sign she wanted to dance with him. He sighed in defeat, he figured what could happen? The dance floor lit up with the beats, some of the wubs came to fast to dance with. Then finally a slower song was played. Rose moved gracefully on the dance floor, everyone of her limbs were a careful and delicate opera of physical language. Her mane and tail swayed with her movements, catching the eye of every single stallion. They each called and whistled as she flowed with the music, she was lost in the sea of beats. Raven tried to keep up with her but wasn't nearly as graceful. The rhythm matched Rose's body, Raven's feet caught him and his body fell forward. When Raven fell hard onto a table spilling drink and splashing the poor ponies sitting there. They each laughed at this because it was so unexpected.
.....
"Please let me go if I did anything to upset you I'm sorry!" Lily begged Blueblood, hoping for any mercy the prince had. His answer broke the poor mare.
"You aren't getting out of this forest alive. No one is going to hear you so scream all you want my little pony." His words were laced with venom.
Dancing wasn't Raven's best quality, no his best quality was giving most of his attention to the one who deserved it most. His dear Roseluck. Roseluck just moved with the grace of all heaven, Raven's own angel before him. She never took her eyes off him as her hooves lightly touched any part of the floor. Many a stallion were awe struck, until they witnessed Raven put his hooves around Rose with a smile that showed her how proud he was. She returned his smile with pride. Vinyl jumped down to the happy couple, whooping for them.
"Wow you two took control of the dance floor!" Vinyl shouted at the pair, her voice barely making it over the wubs. "Gotta say never saw you too in here before."
"Oh yeah we just said why not?! And here we are." Roseluck confessed shyly with the cutest giggle. "It was really my coltfriend's idea."
"Oh really?" Vinyl asked still making sure to still hear what the happy pair had to say. After trying to listen to them for about four minutes, she led them to a quiet room. "Well its always great to see new ponies enjoying themselves here, I mean that's why I opened this place."
"Well it's a really great place." Raven added.
"Yes it is." Roseluck smiled at her coltfriend.
.....
"Bring out the knife I'm going to make this worm learn some manners!" Blueblood shouted to his two cronies before him. Lily shook even harder at the cold words, and a knife? What was that about. A sharp cold flat item touched her neck, her breathing quickend at an unusual rate. That was met with cold laughter, the knife was dragged from her neck to her chest. Blueblood's eyes were lit with some wild passionate fire, the blade reached her stomach. Blueblood kicked out Lily's feet so her back would be on the ground exposing her softer belly.
"So when we gonna get paid?" Gilda groaned with boredom.
"After the deed is done, as much as I hate getting my hooves dirty.... I do enjoy making them pay." His sentence ended with a sinister laugh. The blade was hanging over Lily's teets, the wicked curve seemed hungry for the feast yet to come. "Beg your betters for their forgiveness!"
Trixe mocked the poor helpless earth pony with cruelest intentions, her smile was in the very least disturbing. The more disturbing thing was, her hoof in this pony napping. The blade touched Lily's soft fur, the cold metal made her squeek in discomfort. Blueblood was certainly have a great time turtoring the poor mare before him, running the blade up to her neck and back to her hind quarters. Lily froze when the sharp edge made a circle around her cutie mark.
.....
"You know I've never met anypony as tall as you, well maybe Celestia might be taller than you." Vinyl joked.
"She is. I met her when I was in the hospital, gotta say not by much." Raven chuckled back. Roseluck was laying her head on his broad shoulder, she giggled when he would share a funny story about himself. Like how Celestia met him and was shocked by his height. "The look on her face when I stood up was priceless, she really couldn't say I was one of her "little" ponies."
Vinyl barely made any noise as she gasped for breath. "Oh my goo hahahahahahahahaha oh haha god that was funny."
"Not really I just pointed out some facts." Raven smiled setting his head on Rose's. The way they looked was beyond words. Vinyl noted the way they looked and ushered them out the back so they wouldn't have to deal with the noisy club and its patrons. The couple walked with the dj as she led them away, both giving blissful looks. "Did you have fun baby?"
"Yes I did. I had a lot of fun, thank you Raven." Rose finished her sentence with another kiss. One he returned with as much passion. "Vinyl thank you for allowing us to join in the fun here."
"Oh it wasn't a problem, you guys come back anytime!"
....
The blade slipped deep into Lily's stomach, inching it's way deeper and closer to her spine. Her screams were defining, Trixe and Gilda had to cover their ears to protect themselves. The blade severed veins and arteries, if the wound didn't kill Lily the internal bleeding would. Blueblood hacked into the now wounded mare, his marks oozing crimson.
"Ready to beg for my forgiveness yet?" Blueblood mocked as his blade made a new mark on Lily's shoulder. Blueblood was a sadist, he loved nothing more than the misfortunes of the weak and poor. Lily's tears mixed with her blood as they ran down her face. The blade was his instrument of pain, it gracefully danced along her teets. With cruel heart, the blade sunk into the mare. Blueblood pulled the knife upwards, the screams echoed for hundreds of feet.
"Please... show.... mercy..." Lily choked out. Blueblood's knife was pulled from the mare's stomach with a sickening slurp.
"You did beg for it... so I'll grant you mercy." He sneered, his words dripped with the venom of hate. The blade was brought to Lily's throat. "The mercy of a swift death seems in order."
The knife cut easily into Lily's soft skin, the edge tore open her trachea. Within a minute she was drowning on her own blood as it flowed into her lungs. Her breathing quickened, feebly trying to hold whatever breath she could get. The crimson fluid raced faster into the expanding air sacks. Time slowed as each vein poured blood, Lily knew she would die soon and was at peace with it.
.....
"Raven I had a really great time tonight. You know how to make a girl feel special." Rose admitted while making her way up the stairs. Her flank wiggling as she walked, teasing her love struck coltfriend who eyed her plot with sweat dripping from his brow. He knew he would be having one of the greatest nights of his life.
Blueblood and his cronies received help disposing the body in town square, the horrid scene looked to be straight out of a horror movie. Trixe and Gilda wanted to out of here as quickly as possible, but Blueblood's other partner wanted to admire the handy work. Shade was just as horrible as Blueblood maybe even a little more. Shade placed the body in a pose, then took some pictures. His dark laugh was only out weighed by Blueblood's. The body would be discovered by some downtrodden pony who would probably vomit right there on the spot.
"Can we fucking go already?" Gilda groaned, tired from the night's events. She kept shooting Shade a hateful look as he took his pictures. "I want to go and have some dinner!"
"Her luck ran out. And I must have this as a picture for my collection." Shade retorted with an unusually calm tone. "The beauty of her death should be shared with everypony."
"Okay you've got your pictures now we can go and let's go, and as agreed here is Trixe's payment and Gilda's payment, Shade let's head back to the palace." Blueblood's posh voice commanded.
..... (The next morning)....
Rose slowly made her way down stairs to fix up breakfast for her now twenty-eight year old coltfriend, many ponies thought it weird that Rose was four years younger than Raven and they shared the same bed. Rose didn't care, what her and Raven had was extraordinary. She loved every second of it. The flower shop was in town square so a lot of ponies had deal with Raven. As she started to make the pancakes something caught her attention, something or somepony on the bench that is. Rose forgot about the world around her, deciding to investigate who or what was outside. The walk seemed to take hours, when in reality it was only a few minutes.
"Excuse me are you alright?" Rose called. No answer came. Stepping closer Rose noticed it was Lily. "Lily? What are you doing out here? I thought you'd be in Manehattan by now."
Rose's voice was suddenly caught in her throat the moment she saw the crimson pool beneath her sister. Rose ran to her sister's side, only to see the extensive cuts, bruises, and open wounds along Lily's stomach. Rose did the only thing she could. "LIIIIIIIILLLLLLLYYY!!!" Her scream was loud enough to wake up half of Ponyvile .
Raven awoke from the loudest scream he had ever heard in his life. When he noticed Rose wasn't in the house he ran as fast as a bat out of hell. His hooves hitting the floor, and in this brief moment he was the greatest athlete alive. Whatever Rose had screamed about Raven would be there to help in any way he could. What he found even Raven could not expect.
There was Lily, she bore a large number of cuts. Her throat was sliced open by a very sharp object, her lower quarter was hacked and slashed. Her teets were brutally cut into. Lily's stomach was just a gaping wound. Roseluck couldn't stand. Raven held her in his loving embrace as tight as he possibly could trying to comfort the grief stricken mare. But to no avail, Roseluck was in her own little world trying to cope with the sudden reality shattering new development.
The medical officials told Roseluck that foul play was involved. The feeling in the air was more than just sadness, there was a hint of two other emotions: despair and a deep dark rage. The sky took on a fitting theme of the day's events played out, the weather team's rain storm was timely. The bright sunny day became dark and somber. Roseluck and Raven Shadow were locked away in their home as the day progressed with a snail's pace.
"Rose? Sweet heart please talk to me? Hit me yell, scream, shout... please say something?" Raven whispered to the distraught mare who began to slowly shut down to the world. "I'll make you some tea... I love you."
As Raven made his way to the kitchen he could hear his dear sweet Rose weeping. Raven felt defeated beyond any form of pain could bring him. The water boiled as Raven waged an internal war with himself, one side make those whom wronged his life pay for what they did to his beautiful mare, and the more rational side told him to be there for Rose. With his mind now in an uproar, Raven let out a general guttural animalistic growl. The air around him became colder as he fell deeper into his rage, only to notice Roseluck coming down the stairs. His rage fled as the angel moved closer to him, and wrapped him in the tightest hug seeking him to comfort her. Raven held her there as she cried into his grey coat, casually stroking her mane. "Rose... I'll make things right. I'll get the investigation into full gear and we will find whoever did this and bring them to justice."
.......
(Afternoon)
Raven Shadow slowly moved down the market streets, careful not to bump anypony he didn't want to. With the next week's food bought he turned back to home before being stopped right in the street by a strange and other worldly looking pony.
"There is somepony who can help you if you wish."
"Um who are you?"
"Deep in Everfree there is an old witch, she goes by the name of Plague Fear. She can help you."
"Plague Fear? What are you talking about?"
"Take the path to Zecora's but don't stop until you found an old cabin under a large oak tree. That's Plague Fear's home she will be able to help you with your mare's justice."
"Who the hell are you?! You don't make any sense at all! You know what go fuck yourself! I'm outta here." With that Raven Shadow turned towards his and Rose luck's house and began to trot away. "Crazy ass, Plague Fear? What kind of name is that? Justice? Hmmm maybe I could go have a look." Raven thought aloud to himself. Within minutes he was back home. The house was unnervingly quiet, that wasn't a thing but Rose was here so shouldn't there be at least some noise. Raven set the food on the kitchen counter listening for any noise. None.
"Rose baby girl, everything okay?" Raven called out. No response. "Rose, you sleeping?" Slowly Raven walked upstairs. Still no noise. He peeked his head into their bedroom. His eyes widened and his pupils shrunk. There on the floor was Roseluck laying in a pool of her own blood. Raven ran to her side, that's when his eyes caught the glint of the razor blade. She was cutting herself while he went out for food. Shock and horror flashed on his face. Picking her up in a quick motion, he laid her on his back ever so gently. With her on him, he slowly made his way towards Ponyvile hospital.
.....
At the hospital
"Raven Shadow you got her here in great time, any minute longer and she would've surely died. She is a truly lucky mare to have have a stallion like you."
"So Redheart will she be ok?"
"Yes she is already making a full recovery. The cuts were deep, but nothing we couldn't fix."
"Thank Celestia... so when will she be out and about?"
"Hard to say, I would have to guess maybe two days maximum. Then she should go to a therapist."
"Well I should get back to the house so I can take care of the shop." Raven Shadow commented turning to the exit. His eyes held fresh tears as he remembered the day's events. Slowly he made his way outside. His sweet Rose tried to kill herself! That crossed too many lines for Raven, his anger never subsided from earlier, it only grew in intensity. The bizarre thing to Raven was how they did the brutal murder, to him it look like a message. But would there be a way to know who? Then like a ton of bricks a solution slowly formed in his head. That mysterious mare from the market had said something about somepony named Plague Fear. Maybe this Plague Fear character could help him.
The house was as empty and cold as Raven's mind, except for his one bright spot in his life. Roseluck. How Raven wept for his beloved. His mind spun in a downward spiral, until he decided to make a little visit to Plague Fear.
.....
The path was long and rough, Raven was positive one of the many predators would attack him. Minutes turned to hours. Raven's legs were growing sore with every step. The fog began to roll in adding the creepy setting to an already creepy forest. Raven's nerves began to pull him back to Ponyvile, but his will kept him moving forward. In the distance he heard the wolves of the forest.
The Witch, the forest, and the graveyard
The cold breeze brushed through Raven Shadow's mane, blowing leaves across the almost hidden path. The forest grew quieter as he ventured further into the Everfree. His eyes always scanned for potential predators that might take a snap at him. A fog began to roll along the forest floor, Raven steeled himself to keep going. He was on a mission and nothing would stop him now.
Until the howls of timberwolves cried out in the forest. Raven kicked it into high gear, his legs carried him as fast as they could. The branch sticking out of the ground almost like it was meant to be there tripped poor Raven. He tumbled forward hitting his head on the dirt and the rock. His body still rolled down the hill, he couldn't stop to get a hold of anything as his body hit tree roots and many other rocks. Down he rolled. The largest rock at the bottom of the hill stopped the body out of Raven's control, with a sickening thud. Raven's eyes opened very slowly and his mind was flooded by the pain. There before him was a old cabin, on the porch was a pony. The pain became too much for him, his mind shut off for awhile.
.....
Raven's head rang with agony, deciding against better judgement he sat up. Immediately regretting the idea. The first thing Raven noticed was he wasn't out in the forest, instead he was in the very cabin he blacked out in front of. The cogs in his head began to turn. The old mare must have pulled him inside. His eyes shifted around the nearly black room to try to spot anything out of the ordinary. Nothing to his left. Turning his head right, Raven was surprised to see the old mare watching him with surprisingly cold and lifeless eyes. She slowly made her way towards him, a glint of madness deep within her eyes. Raven couldn't help but begin to back away from the disfigured creature that might have once been a mare. His breathing quickened as her face drew closer.
"Who are you?" Her voice sounded like a wasp nest that was kicked. Raven Shadow was taken back by the harsh voice directed at him. "Boy, I said who are you?"
"Raven Shadow ma'am, I was told you can help me." Raven's voice shook as he spoke nearly at a whisper.
"Ain't no help for a broken Nopony. Ain't no help for a stallion who won't do anything 'bout it either." She mocked.
"I made here didn't I?!" Raven retorted with rage. Earning a quick glance from the half dead pony before him. "My marefriend tried to commit suicide because somepony murdered her sister! I will not stand idly by and allow that to happen!" Raven shouted again.
"Easy killer, I know why you're here."
"You know?"
"Course I do... ponies don't seek out me without good reason." She turned away from Raven with a knowing smirk. "I can only offer you one thing... but its got a terrible price."
"I don't care I'm doing this for Roseluck." Raven spoke with confidence heavy in his voice. "I can't live another day worrying if she's going to try and kill herself."
"And you believe that with what I can do for you will help?"
"At least somewhat, can't you like use your power to point out the killer or something like that? I mean an old unicorn like you must know some really great magic."
"No I can't "point them out", but I do know a spell that can help you."
"Ok anything I need to do to help?"
"Yes. Go to the very center of these woods and you'll find an old graveyard. In the very back of it you'll find a grave, dig out what's in there and bring it back to me and I'll have it all ready." Plague Fear smiled a extremely wicked grin. Raven Shadow had to do a double take, for a split second he could swear he saw jagged pointed teeth. Slowly Raven backed away from the dumbfounding image he just saw. "Take a shovel, you'll need it."
.......
Once outside, Raven grabbed the shovel in his mouth. Very very carefully his moved the item onto his back, the daylight faded. Luna's moon shone brightly where the tree canopy didn't over lap. The path was surprisingly clear in the dark, as though he had walked it many times over. Going deeper into the forest was almost a suicide run, but to Raven's surprise the deeper he traveled the less predatory sounds could be heard. Dread filled Raven Shadow's body, but his determination willed him onward.
Closer to the center of the forest, Raven noticed the change in the plant life. Where the tree line was thick and so full of life, here was the exact opposite. The trees were shrunken husks, there were no bushes, and every step was a unhealthy crunch of dead leaves and twigs. How eerie this part was. But as Raven walked forward into the graveyard with a steeled resolve.
Each grave held their lettering and some wore with time.
One read "Here lies Twisted Star."
"Fear the unknown." Another had written on it. The graves held ponies that lived interesting lives, but they all ended in the dirt. This grim reminder sent chills down Raven's spine. There it was, the grave Plague Fear spoke of. It had old dead pumpkins growing out of the ground, vines covered the tombstone. Seeing the grave, he dug with that shovel. With each downward strike Raven drew closer to what the witch had spoke of. His shovel banged against a hard surface.
"Please be what I need for this Celestia damned "ritual"." Raven Shadow groaned with distaste. Jumping down into his newly formed hole Raven opened the box his shovel hit. "Luna's sweet flank! This is fucking ugly, that crazy ass witch wants this. Well who am I to judge? I sought her out so oh well."
"This is what she wanted? Damn Plague Fear! Ahhh fuck it, come here you "thing" let's get you where you need to be." Raven Shadow said as he hoisted the corpse of the being he was asked to get. A few grunts came from him as the rotten body was heavier than he thought. Raven stole a glance back at the shovel laying underneath a layer of upturned earth. Shaking his head at the thought of carrying it would be the straw to break the camel's back. Swallowing as much pride as he could Raven began his long trek back to the shack.
The woods slowly reformed into the natural state of Everfree, the sounds of animals soon filled the air. It was a tranquil lie. Raven could feel eyes looking over his body, as though he was being sized up. Pushing himself into a faster walking pace Raven began to run like nothing else mattered. With the dead body upon his back shaking, threatening to fall. What seemed like hours to the poor stallion of running, he made it back to the cottage in great time.
"Here... is... what... you... asked for." Raven gasped for air as he slowly to a complete stop before Plague Fear.
"Good, good. Take it inside."
"Aren't you supposed to do things with the dead outside?"
"I said take it inside boy, I've done this to know how." Her raspy voice echoed in his ear drums.
"Yes ma'am." Raven just wanted the corpse off his back for good. "Where do want me to set it down at?"
"Put it on the table facing up, we need this to be right." Plague Fear sneered at the naive pegasus. He quickly took a second to glance at said table, still had food on it. This old mare was just disgusting. But Raven complied with her wishes and set the body facing up. Only now he did really see it. The body was misshapen and horribly disfigured, its mouth look as though something ripped it open in a horrifying scream. The chill ran down Raven's spine as all the mind numbing features were clearly seen.
"Sit down and hold out tour hoof." Raven obeyed. "This will cost a terrible price."
"I don't care what the price is."
"Its gonna cost you your very soul boy."
"Will Roseluck and I still love each other?"
"Yes."
"Then do it, I don't want her sister's killer running free while Rose tries to live a normal life."
"What do you want?"
"Lily's killers dead! I want them to pay for causing so much pain!"
"They will suffer, but you'll suffer the worst. So be this declared with the blood of the wronged." Plague Fear drew a knife and pushed the blade into the soft skin of Raven Shadow. His blood seeped out of his cut, Plague Fear gathered up the blood in one of her cups. Raven watched her as she poured the blood into the creature's mouth, it began to breath. Raven was in awe at the sight before him.
The flesh mended, the rips in the skin closing with an vigorous pace. The creature stood to it's towering height, well over ten feet. Raven stared in fright as it stared back. It's lifeless eyes met his terrified gaze. It let lose a blood curdling screech causing Raven Shadow to cover his ears to protect himself from the noise. With two massive steps the beast was let lose upon the world.
"What is done can't be undone."
"But ya can't be serious, a monster lurking out in the forest that can't be killed? That don't exist!" Applebloom said as she listened to Granny Smith's story.
"Ah tell ya it's out in those woods. Wait'n for a wrong deed strong 'nuff to wake it."
"Granny ah don't see how it could just wait that long!"
"Yeah it would be a corpse or something." Sweetie Belle added.
"Well I think it's cool to be like unkillable!" Scootaloo exclaimed with excitement. Then the sound of the an animal or the wind mixing into a terrifying sound. The girls looked to Granny Smith for comfort only to see her eyes wide as dinner plates.
"It walks again."