Chapter 1: The dark beginning
The little white unicorn struggled against the restraints as the pegasus quickly flew around, creating a small circle of powder around the little pony, meanwhile when the circle was complete the young zebra stepped forward. “What do you think you’re gonna do?” asked Sweetie Belle angrily her voice seemed deeper and somehow like a terrible roar.
The zebra didn't look at Sweetie Belle, from his bag he took a blue powder and blew it into the air “Patine de sofo, keishyesnadora abate” the unicorn chanted.
“Shove it up your a-hole ya cock sucker!” yelled Sweetie Belle.
“Be silent!” ordered the zebra as he flung a liquid onto Sweetie Belle who immediately began to scream and struggle in her restraints like an insane pony in a straint jacket.
“Zenorendedouh obo katashi copo terente” chanted the Zebra.
“Rarity” Sweetie Belle pleaded to her sister “stop him it hurts!”
Rarity looked confused and scared as she looked to the zebra “you have to stop!” she screamed “you’re killing her!”
The pegasus put a hoof up to silence Rarity “you have to understand we’re fighting for her soul!”
3 months earlier…
“My, my it really is filthy down here” said Rarity as she magically swept the dust and dirt off the floor of the rarely used room below the Carousel Boutique, Rarity knew that long ago when the Boutique belonged to the town the room served as a storage facility for unneeded city items (spare desks, bookshelves, inkwells, etc) but never expected it to be so cluttered and filthy.
“Hey Rarity” called Sweetie Belle as she took inkwells off a bookshelf and putting them in a bin to be recycled. “What are you gonna do with all this stuff?” she asked.
“Oh I’ll probably go through, give away a few things, sell others, throw away the junk, and perhaps keep the gems if there are any” said Rarity.
Suddenly Sweetie Belle spotted something on top of a bookshelf “pretty curtains” she remarked clamping her jaws and pulling. “Uh they’re stuck” she said trotting backwards and pulling with all her might!
As the little unicorn pulled and pulled she failed to notice that the bookcase was starting to lean forward! “Sweetie Belle no!” said Rarity pulling her sister to safety just in time as the bookcase came crashing down on where the little pony had just been with a crash. “Sweetie Belle you need to be careful, what if that bookcase had fallen on you? what do you have to say for yourself young mare?” asked Rarity strictly.
“Door” said Sweetie Belle.
“Door?” asked Rarity looking to where the bookcase had been and seeing that there was indeed a doorway into a whole other room! “I was never aware this was here” said Rarity looking at the doorway, it was large and somehow seemed darker than the rest of the wall one couldn't see in the room but one could clearly see a line of some kind of white powder from one side of the door to the other in a line. Rarity carefully went forward “now what would somepony do with this?” asked Rarity scooping up a bit of the powder breaking the line! Suddenly there came a great gust of wind from inside the mysterious room, ice cold wind that nearly blew both Rarity and Sweetie Belle back before vanishing.
“What was that?” asked Sweetie Belle as she timidly hid behind Rarity.
“I’m not sure, stay behind me” said Rarity as she ignited her horn and cautiously trotted forward. As Rarity entered the room she was filled with a sudden feeling of dread like she was heading into the mouth of a horrible creature. The room must’ve been fairly large as Rarity wasn't able to see anything till she was a few steps in, Rarity took a deep breath before creating more light with her horn illuminating the whole room. The room was about the same size as Rarity’s kitchen and the walls and floor were all stone grey, unlike the rest of the Carousel Boutique this room had absolutely no windows in fact the only way to see the outside world was through that doorway. However even though Rarity had no knowledge of this room it seemed to have been in use though not recently, there were a few scattered objects in the room, very old bottles and cans, a few aged chairs one would see outside, a tattered hoof chair, several bins ranging from tool boxes to cardboard boxes, and though Rarity could tell the room had a few more items she led Sweetie Belle out deciding to fully explore her find later.
“Look Rarity we got a postcard!” said Sweetie Belle hoofing the postcard to Rarity.
“It’s from mother and father” said Rarity “Having a wonderful time in Fillydelphia” Rarity read “missing you both, be home soon.”
“Will they be home soon?” asked Sweetie Belle “they’ve been gone a really long time.”
“Oh Sweetie Belle” said Rarity giving her sister a sympathetic hug. It was true that Pearl and Magnum had been gone for over a month on an extended vacation, Rarity knew Sweetie Belle missed them very much but also knew they were due back any day now. “They’ll be home before you know it” said Rarity.
“You promise?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“I promise” said Rarity with a smile. Suddenly this tender moment was broken up by a hissing sound one that Rarity knew but rarely heard. “Opal?” said Rarity following the noise to the living room, sure enough there was Opal hissing on the couch, she had her claws out and seemed to be hissing not randomly, but at something, something that couldn't be seen. Rarity decided that Opal was simply in one of her hissy fits and knew from experience that Opal was best left alone. Soon enough Celestia’s sun gave way to Luna’s moon. Rarity and Sweetie Belle had dinner and said their good nights before heading off to their rooms in the boutique, as she went upstairs Rarity heard Opal was still hissing and seemed to be getting louder. “Perhaps I should take her to the vet tomorrow” Rarity thought to herself. Rarity thought she felt a slight chill as she got into bed which was odd considering the weather Pegasus called for a lovely spring night. However chills aside Rarity got to sleep. It was very late when hooves began to cross the Carousal Boutique, it was dead quiet as the creature snuck across the darkened halls before it reached its destination, behind the door was the slumbering designer, the creature slowly crept across the room to the bed, it raised a hoof, and then it spoke “Rarity?”
Rarity took off her night mask and used her magic to turn on the lights, there was Sweetie Belle looking timid “what’s wrong dear?” she asked.
“Can I sleep with you?” asked Sweetie Belle “I kept hearing things and I couldn’t sleep.”
“It’s just the wind Sweetie” said Rarity calmly.
“Can I just sleep with you?” Sweetie Belle demanded looking on the edge of tears.
Rarity was surprised, it’d been years since Sweetie Belle requested to sleep with out of fear of things that go bump in the night, in fact Rarity assumed her sister stopped believing in such things years ago, yet there she was looking terrified, Rarity scooted over and invited Sweetie Belle to come up. Sweetie Belle smiled as she hopped up and curled up next to Rarity. Soon the two sister were asleep.
The two ponies, a unicorn mare and an earth pony stallion exited the gym after a long night of dancing. The night had been a gift from Celestia for the two ponies they’d been voted prince and princess of the dance on a write in campaign, the cheap dress that Honey Duke had ordered from Canterlot had been mixed up with a much more expensive and extravagant one and she wouldn’t need to send it back to correct until tomorrow, and the Junker wagon which Tackle was borrowing from a cousin had been in an accident the previous day and while the Junker was in the shop his cousin had borrowed a much newer cart which he allowed Tackle to use this evening he even volunteered to pull it. When the couple arrived at the dance they moved with more grace and rhythm then either thought the other was possible of and somehow they won Prince and Princess of the dance on a write in campaign. Now that cold wind seemed to send the two off, they got in the cart and Tackle’s cousin took them off. “I heard Night Sky passed her Equestrain history test with flying colors” said Honey Duke.
“Yeah” said Tackle as the clicking of the wheels began to pick up “and I finally got first string in Hoofball” he said.
“I know that Tick-Tock got that internship working in the clock tower” said Honey Duke.
“And Peach Fuzz got the job at the barber shop” said Tackle the cart seemed to be shaking now. “But Geo…” he began.
“Ummm Tackle aren’t we going a little fast?” asked Honey Duke.
Tackle looked and indeed they were going very fast, his cousin seemed to be going as fast as possible. “Good point” he said “hey slow down!” he called to his cousin.
Whether Tackle’s cousin heard him or just didn’t care he kept going fast even gaining speed! As they entered the town several ponies had to get out the way as the sped through like a bull out of control! “Tackle!” Honey Duke said over the shaking of the cart “this is dangerous!”
“Hey dude knock it off you’re scaring her!” Tackle shouted at his cousin as the cart entered the mountain area.
Still charging along, Tackle’s cousin looked back at his cousin, his eyes were completely white like a zombie pony, he let lose a roar one that sounded in-pony. Tackle only just realized that this was not his cousin as the cart sped off a cliff, It hung in the air for a moment before falling to the earth like a stone Screams filled the air, and then… the sound of cracking wood and something else, the screaming and the ponies to whom it belonged had been silenced, for good!
Rarity woke with a start, Sweetie Belle was sleeping peacefully next to her. Rarity looked around her room, it was still night though not for long, Celestia would raise the sun in an hour. Rarity took several deep breaths and then laid down next to her sister, her dreams though short were free of tragedies and mysterious ponies.
Twilight’s lessons with Sweetie Belle and the other crusaders were really paying off, now Sweetie Belle was able to magically pour her own cereal in the morning, though sometimes Rarity still had to get it started or give her sisters magic a little boost. But today Sweetie Belle managed on her own, which gave Rarity a little more time to put her tea kettle on the stove and prepare a meal for her precious pet. As Rarity removed the cat food from the cabinet she looked around “That’s odd” she said. Opal seemed to have a sixth sense about food, whenever Rarity began to prepare a meal for the feline Opal would always come running and purr against her leg, yet today the cat was nowhere to be seen, even when Rarity put in a little tuna in the food dish as a treat Opal was nowhere to be seen. “Opal!” she called as she put the dish down “Opal breakfast!” she called again “Opal?” she called a final time. “That’s odd” she repeated.
“I’ll find her Rarity” said Sweetie Belle getting down from the table. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty” she called.
“Oh Sweetie Belle you’re a dear” said Rarity ash she went to work with her own meal, light steam was coming out of the kettle now.
“Here kitty, kitty, kitty” Sweetie Belle called as she looked through the living room. Now the steam from the kettle was getting thicker. Sweetie Belle continued to call for Opal as she looked behind and under each piece of furniture until all that was left was the chair behind the window. “Here kitty, kitty, kitty” the little pony called the steam was now shooting out of the kettle, “kitty, kitty, kitty” Sweetie Belle continued, the kettle was now beginning to whistle lightly, “kitty, kitty”, now the kettle was whistling loudly and Rarity magically removed it and poured her morning tea, “kitty, kitty” said Sweetie Belle as she turned her head to look behind the chair, Rarity’s morning tea had just touched her lips when she heard the scream.
The tea cup fell to the ground “Sweetie Belle!” Rarity called rushing into the living room, she found Sweetie Belle crying and ran to her side “what’s wrong dearest?” she asked.
Sweetie Belle shakily raised a hoof and pointed ahead. The feline’s tiny body was almost completely still save for a tiny twitch in one of her paws, her body was as cold as an iceberg, and her eyes were completely blank! “Oh my goodness Opal!” screamed Rarity.
“I just don’t understand it” said Fluttershy as she helped Rarity’s catatonic pet onto her couch “Opal’s never shown any signs of seizures and there certainly would be before she had one this bad.” It’d been three days since Opal was found by Sweetie Belle and Rarity, after staying at the vet for a time Rarity decided that Opal could use some fresh air so Fluttershy agreed to house the cat for a while. Opal did seem to get some color back but she still seemed paralyzed. Opal’s seizure had upset Sweetie Belle greatly, the little filly once so vibrant and energetic had become withdrawn and quiet, she’d also spent the last few nights sleeping with Rarity, even during the day Sweetie Belle seemed to stay close to her sisters side. Rarity attributed this sudden regressive behavior to Sweetie Belle feeling abandoned by their parents who were indeed leaving on more and more trips lately, so many in fact Rarity’s guest room was now more like Sweetie Belle’s second bedroom. Clearly Sweetie Belle thought that as she was getting older her parents felt less of a need to take care of her so she was acting younger to gain attention. Rarity fully intended to have a talk about her theories with her parents when they returned but first she’d deal with Sweetie’s inability to sleep in her own bed. That however would take place this evening and before that Rarity had plenty to do, a group of hired ponies were coming over to help her clean out the room in the basement.
As the ponies at Ponyville elementary ate their lunch most were quick and ate as a starving pony would, however one little filly wasn’t eating at all in fact she’d fallen asleep in her food “Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo called.
“Huh, wha?” Said Sweetie Belle as she awoke half her face covered in pudding.
“Ya okay Sweetie Belle ya been fallen asleep all day” said Apple Bloom concerned for her friend.
Sweetie Belle yawned and wiped the pudding from her face with a napkin “I’m sorry guys I just (yawn) haven’t been getting much sleep.”
“Ya otta look in ta that it can’t be healthy!” said Applebloom,
“Yeah” Scootaloo agreed “so I was on my scooter” she continued her story “I came to a hill… I swear I was air born…. For like two seconds but…”
Sweetie Belle tried to listen to her friend but her eyelids were very heavy and soon she found hers elf drifting off. Sweetie Belle stood in a place where she was surrounded by darkness on all side the only figure, or so she thought. “Hello Sweetie Belle!” said a voice.
The ponies came a half hour late but they were ready to tackle the basement room. “You may find the room downstairs and to the right” Rarity instructed.
“Anything in there worth keeping mam?” asked one pony he wore an orange vest over his brown coat and a hammer and nails served as his Cutie Mark.
“That is a matter which I have no knowledge of, till recently I was unaware the room even existed” said Rarity. “Just sort everything and see what you can find.”
“Whatever lady” said the other pony he too wore an orange vest over his grey coat and a large black mallet for a cutie mark. And the two workers headed downstairs and slowly entered the room.
“It feel cold in here to you?” asked the hammer pony.
“What do you want from me?” demanded Sweetie Belle.
“Want?” asked the voice it was high pitched like a fillies voice and yet there was something darker in the tone “I want nothing but to be your friend Sweetie Belle.”
“Why would I want you as a friend?” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Because I would never abandon you as they have” the voice hissed.
“No one’s abandoned me!” Sweetie Belle insisted.
“Really?” asked the voice “so your parents have always gone on long vacations?”
“Well they’re coming back!” said Sweetie Belle though her voice had less depth to it.
“Of course” said the voice “but then after a few weeks they’ll be reading some travel magazine and want to head off somewhere else.”
“That’s not true” Sweetie Belle insisted though she knew she was lying as that was precisely what’d been happening the past few months, why her room in the Carousal Boutique was beginning to feel more like her bed room then her room in her own house.
“And” the voice continued “a sister who cares more for fashion then her sister”
“That’s…” Sweetie began but memories of the events leading up to the Sisterhooves Social swarmed in the little ponies mind.
“And” the voice went on “have you ever asked yourself what would happen if both your friends got their cutie marks first? Will they stand by you or leave you to your misery?”
“I…” Sweetie began, as it slept Sweetie’s body shed a tear. Suddenly Sweetie felt the voice’s concentration falter, like it had suddenly sensed something. “So sorry” said the voice “but I’ve got a small rodent problem to tend to.”
The two ponies worked by the light of a small lantern in the center of the room. And now that there was more light in the room the ponies could see what they were working with the room was about as wide as the library room of the Golden Oaks library, the floor was cluttered with beer cans, wine bottles, and other litter, there were also a few old boxes, a tattered chair, and one very large poster on the wall of the upper right corner and under said poster was more of the white powder Rarity and Sweetie Belle had found.
“Gee looks like the little lady’s got a wild side” said the hammer and nails pony as he picked up a beer bottle.
“She said she’s never been down here” said the black mallet pony.
“Oh yeah, remember our last job for that Berry pony? I’m sure all that whisky really was for a friend” said the hammer and nails pony. “It getting cold in here to you?” he added.
“Ah all our basement jobs are cold don’t be such a foal” said the mallet pony.
“Yeah but not this cold” said the hammer and nails pony.
“Could just be the house” said the mallet pony.
“Yeah” said the hammer and nails pony uncertainly “if the place is this cold the lady might be looking for a little heat at night if ya know what I mean” he said with a grin “maybe I could supply” he added with a grin.
“Yeah but you ain’t got to big a supplier” said the mallet pony “ow!” he shouted. “Ya don’t need to get rough we’re on a job ya know!”
“What are you talking about?” said the hammer and nails pony.
“You hit me!” said the mallet pony.
“Did not!” said the hammer and nail pony.
“Ya yea did!” said the mallet pony “OWWWWWWWWW! Something’s scratching me under my vest!” he added now getting worried.
“Oh come here and let me see ya big foal!” said the hammer pony as the mallet pony removed his vest, both ponies were shocked. The mallet pony had several large and deep cuts that seemed to have come from claws of some kind, what was really shocking however was these cuts were much more then random shapes, no they were letters spelling out a message:
GET OUT!
“Okay something freaky is going on!” said the hammer pony. Suddenly something rocketed across the floor at the two ponies narrowly missing the hammer pony’s back hooves before smashing into the wall with a crash!
“What the Tartarus was that?” asked the mallet pony.
“Looked like one of the wine bottles” said the hammer pony “must’ve rolled across the floor” he said reasonably.
“Never seen anything move that fast on its own” said the mallet pony.
“So what do you think there’s something else down here?” asked the hammer pony.
“All I’m saying is something weird is going on” said the mallet pony.
“Well go turn up the lantern if you’re so scared” said the hammer pony mockingly.
The mallet pony didn’t want to admit he was afraid but went to turn up the lantern anyway, he reached out a hoof when suddenly the entire lantern burst into flames which vanished as quickly as they came! Then came the laugh, the sinister laugh it sounded not unlike the laugh the villain Tirek laughed when in his weakened form yet this one was hollow sounding like that of a weakened animal.
“Who’s there?” asked the mallet pony.
“Me stupid” said the hammer pony.
“No something else is here” said the mallet pony at that moment the laugh returned.
“Okay now I hear it” said the hammer pony “come out here!”
Only more laughter filled the now pitch-black room.
“Come on” said the hammer pony “come out and fight us face to face!”
The laughter subsided but now there was a voice, which didn’t seem to come from any one corner of the darkened room but rather from the darkness its self “face to face?” it repeated “why not.”
Rarity was deep “in the zone” when she heard the screaming, she ran down stairs and found the two stallions running from her house as fast as they could screaming all the way! “Now what’s going on?” demanded Rarity as the two stallions strapped themselves to their cart.
“Lady we quit!” said the hammer pony.
“Quit!” Rarity repeated angrily “now you stop right there, I paid you two good money and I expect…” she began when suddenly she found a large sack of bits in front of her.
“Take it back, we don’t care find some other suckers!” said the mallet pony. Rarity was about to say that this was much more then she paid but the two ponies were already off.
Rarity didn’t have much time to think over the workers strange behavior as soon Sweetie Belle came home with yet another note from Cheerilee saying that Sweetie Belle had been sleeping in class. “Darling” Rarity said to Sweetie Belle “we need to take care of this now!”
“But Rarity!” Sweetie Belle complained as her sister tucked her into bed as Luna’s moon hung over the boutique “I don’t want to sleep in here.”
“Now Sweetie Belle dear you need to get over this fear of the dark” said Rarity.
“I’m not afraid of the dark, I’m afraid of what’s in the dark” Sweetie Belle corrected.
“Sweetie Belle I can assure you there is nothing in the dark” said Rarity as she finished tucking in her sister and sat on the sleeping bag she’d arranged just beside Sweetie’s bed “now we’re both going to sleep in your room Sweetie Belle and you’ll see there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of” said Rarity, Sweetie Belle could only hope she was right.
Somehow Sweetie was able to get to a peaceful sleep and soon Rarity followed suit. However late into the night Sweetie was awoken, she couldn’t explain why, she was asleep one minute and wide awake the next. Sweetie Belle glanced out her window and saw that the moon was in its third hour position after midnight so it was three hours after midnight. Suddenly there came a creaking, Sweetie Belle looked and saw her closet doors opening and as she stared into the dark corridor she knew something was staring back! It came out of the closet slowly and gracefully, it was smaller than Sweetie Belle, its eyes shone in the moonlight as did its dark coat, it was smiling a smile that seemed to shine with starlight, it moved carefully over Rarity and soon was right in front of Sweetie Belle, it opened its mouth and uttered a single word “hi.”
“Okay now you roll” these were the words that awoke Rarity from her slumber. “Three” said Sweetie Belle happily as she moved the piece on a board game “okay you have to send one of your ponies home or skip your next turn.”
“Darling” said Rarity as she watched Sweetie Belle talk to the thin air opposite her “whatever are you doing?”
“I’m playing with my new friend” said Sweetie Belle happily.
“New friend?” asked Rarity.
Sweetie Belle nodded “Mare.”
Sweetie Belle’s new friend came up a lot over the next two days, at first Rarity asked her sister why Mare would be called such and asked if Mare had a name like most ponies. Sweetie Belle responded in a rather annoyed voice that “no, her name is Mare!” At first Mare seemed like a normal imaginary friend but Sweetie Belle soon began to tell Rarity very specific things about Mare, Mare was a filly younger then Sweetie Belle, Mare had been trapped in the basement room until recently, Mare claimed not to know why only Sweetie Belle could see her, and Mare liked Sweetie Belle very much. Rarity was becoming more concerned for Sweetie Belle than ever, though it was true that Sweetie Belle was now perfectly comfortable in her own room the little filly seemed to have some kind of obsession with Mare. At this point Rarity could only hope that Mare was just a phase Sweetie Belle would soon grow out of, her parents were due back tomorrow and Rarity was sure that once things got back to normal Sweetie Belle would forget all about Mare. In celebration of her final night with her sister at the boutique Rarity made a feast of all of Sweetie Belle’s favorite things but rather than shovel her food down in the manner she usually did Sweetie Belle just slowly scooped up her food.
“Darling are you alright?” asked Rarity.
“Fine” said Sweetie Belle simply.
“I noticed you didn’t go to “Twilight time” today” said Rarity.
“Mare doesn’t want me to hang out with Twilight anymore” said Sweetie Belle.
“I see” said Rarity “and does Mare have a reason for this?”
“Mare says she doesn’t want me around her!” Sweetie Belle repeated clearly annoyed.
“Alright, alright” said Rarity “I suppose you’re looking forward to sleeping in your own bed tomorrow.”
“Yeah right” said Sweetie Belle.
“And what’s that mean?” asked Rarity.
“They’ll come back, they always do, then in a few weeks they’ll be off somewhere else!” said Sweetie Belle angrily “they don’t care” she added.
“Sweetie Belle that’s an awful thing to say” Rarity scolded.
“Well it’s true!” said Sweetie Belle angrily as she got to her hooves “I’m going to my room!”
“I suppose you’re going to go play with Mare right?” asked Rarity angrily.
“Mare had to do something tonight!” said Sweetie Belle.
The two unicorns, Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles were riding home in a cab after a long vacation. “Should be in Ponyville any minute now” said Hondo.
“It’ll be nice to get home and see the girls” said Cookie. “Dear do you think we’ve been neglecting Sweetie Belle?”
“No” said Hondo “well maybe a little” he admitted.
“I think we caught a little midlife” said Cookie “we were so eager to go out and see the world we forgot about our world.”
“You’re right Cookie” said Hondo “well no more, this weekend we’ll take Sweetie Belle to her favorite places” he declared.
“We’ll let her have one of those crusader sleepover at our house” added Cookie
“And no more trips for a while and the next we go on we do it as a family” said Hondo.
“Ummm honey aren’t we going a little fast?” asked Cookie.
Hondo looked and indeed they were going very fast, his cousin seemed to be going as fast as possible. “Good point” he said “hey slow down!” he called to the driver.
Whether the driver heard him or just didn’t care he kept going fast even gaining speed! As they entered the town several ponies had to get out the way as the sped through like a bull out of control! “Hondo!” said Cookie over the shaking of the cart “this is dangerous!”
“Hey knock it off you’re scaring her!” Hondo shouted at the driver as the cart entered the mountain area.
Still charging along, the driver looked back at Hondo and Cookie, his eyes were completely white like a zombie pony, he let lose a roar one that sounded in-pony. Hondo only just realized that this was not the same pony from before as the cart sped off a cliff! It hung in the air for a moment before falling to the earth like a stone screams filled the air, and then… the sound of cracking wood and something else, the screaming and the ponies to whom it belonged had been silenced.