The Chrysalis Effectby ChromeRegiosChapters?????????????????????????????????----------(Shining Armor’s perspective)---------- “H#Y!” the wriggling mass of flesh burbles, “G$Hsy%3whY&Xtr1p%3?” “SK%guj!%~? &YGo^#1sGjisKIREs5#OsK473?” “H#h#. K$5GiVe52fdf%^#CADA+CE. HI#~TG^Sk5tI#GR3NSTLY.” Three such creatures sit around the table in front of me, slurping filthy sludge from their cups as they trade whines, growls and sounds that I can’t describe. “H#YiST50ST3rngTHzTOVEN#V4rBNSK1^pkzb4?#?!” “adN. tTH79HRRM3N1S&8$RZ20SnoW$dyz??!?$$” “L1ttKnD6FScRed. ;k’ azS8L35fff^$%kn1JZ.” By listening carefully, I’m able to grasp the gist of their conversation and respond when it’s required of me. This is necessary to avoid arousing their suspicion. However these creatures may look, they are my friends, apparently. I wish that I could still deny it, but I gave up on that a long time ago. Night after night, I went to sleep praying for an end to this nightmare, only to wake each morning to the same twisted hellscape as the day before. I know now that I have to blend in, that I have to act like one of them. Such has been my life these past three months, and so it will remain until the day I die. “B&UWRbl;;/tO2jUtSK#N6@@@” “NTv9yd1ff:*fMS76;4%73#411&^#anG2St!@@” Judging by its tone, this one must be that guy… my best friend, but I don’t remember its name. And the one next to him, squealing more than the others, is probably Cherry Blossom. Which means the one next to me is Cadance, though I can no longer see any trace of her once-attractive features. I try my best to ignore the rotten stench of excrement that issues from her quivering flesh. “MVFKNfgda#@%mf@*Fmckxvzm#@SDFzxcv32!!!!” “GRGHRGWn6Td2Ca15#0m3cHnSKT888###” “W#BTT?IfW6MKN3LTsk62bFN%@%#$%#!GDF” Everything has changed. Well… almost everything. By some cruel trick of fate, my relationship to the world alone remains the same, as if an insane architect took the blueprints of my life and rebuilt it out of blood and gore. These monsters and I were part of the same college club. We studied together, ate together – we even went skiing together every winter break. Now these are now but painful memories of days that will never return. If only no one recognized me, I might have been able to disconnect myself from the world. It would have been comforting, in comparison, to believe that I had been abducted by aliens, or that I had stumbled through a gateway to hell. But no, this is beyond a doubt the city where I was born and raised, the society that I was part of for twenty years. Save that I, and I alone, can no longer see it that way. The world as I knew it is gone. I have no place to call home. “SDJsdafj3t493074t34#$(fjdkfa###” “TYK#^t3m4T34,Rg4533j&Ig45uje@@@” “F$Gf43HG#*$G#G3G#G834g43g8FM^^^” Anyway, I can tell that whatever they’re talking about is of no importance to me. I decide to keep quiet while pretending to listen. But just then… “hEy, SHiniNG,” one of the flesh-beast says as it swivels it’s bloodshot eyes towards me. “WhAt dO yOU THinK?” “…..About what?” I try desperately to suppress my loathing and behave normally, but my hoarse voice ruins the attempt. “UH, wE’rE TAlkING about THIs Year’S skI TRiP. YOy’Re COMiNG ToO… RiGHt?” A slimy hole near the top of the creature writhes nauseatingly as it vomits some semblance of words. That must be that guy’s face – or what I would have seen as such three months ago. Unable to stomach the sight of it, I avert my eyes and give a neutral answer. “I don’t know.” “YoU have oThEr pLAns?” “Not really.” These were my closest companions. My friends. One of them had even wished to be more. How many nights have I spent crying in loneliness, lamenting the friends who no longer exist? In three months my tears ran dry, and now there is only loathing left in me. Surrounded by hideous creatures that I can only assume are my best friends, Cherry and Cadance, I spend each day trying to act as I always have. If I fail at this, I’ll surely be sent back to the hospital. Only this time, I’ll be locked away forever. No matter what, I won’t let that happen. “I mEAn… iT’s Not like physical activity COulD Affect YoUR InJuRIeS, RIght?” “I’m not sure. I’ll ask the doctor during my check-up.” That’s it. I can’t look at them or bear their screeching any longer. I jump to my feet, desperate to escape. “hEy, SHiniNG!” A spray of stingy slime from the cilia around its voicebox flies at me. I tried to cover myself, but it’s too late to keep the slime from splattering across my face like the yolk of a rotten egg. I’m about to lose it. I want to grab a chair, a desk – anything within reach – and use it to smash the life out of this creature, ending it all. I barely suppress the impulse. I mustn’t let on that something’s wrong. However they look to me, this is their world. I’m an outsider here. “Like I said, today’s my check-up. I’ve got to go.” Struggling to put on a smile, I reach into my wallet, pull out the first bill I find, and put it on the table without even looking at it. I don’t care about the change. I just need to get out of here – now. “Later,” I mutter hastily, and flee the cafeteria. I’m not crazy. ----------(School Cafeteria)--------- ---------(Your Perspective)--------- “Hey,” says Cherry, “why don’t we go somewhere we can skate for this year’s ski trip?” Cadance frowns at the suggestion. “Skate? But why go to a ski resort to skate?” “Haha. Give her a break, Cadance. It’s all she talks about these days.” You support Cherry with a laugh. Her impromptu suggestions are nothing new, and it’s your role as her boyfriend to provide back up. You’re a good match for each other, Cadance thinks. Sometimes it makes her jealous. “I mean, she’d seriously never gone skating before I took her the other day.” “Hey! Is it really that strange?” “Now many people start skating in their twenties, you know,” you say as you take a sip of your coffee. “I was scared when I was little. Those shoes looked like big knives! But you picked it up just like that? That’s pretty amazing, Cherry.” “It’s a lot like skiing. You keep your weight forward and use the angle of the shoes to steer,” you instruct a bit. “He made it sound so easy; I figured I should give it a try. And it was fun!” So it was a date. Cadance feels a stab of envy. You and Cherry enjoyed your time together, as normal lovers do. That’s certainly not something that should arouse jealousy. It’s just that her luck in love has been bad. “Oh… well, I want to see Cherry skate too.” Cadance keeps her voice upbeat, trying to cover up her internal conflict. She knows that it’s wrong to envy her friends. She too would be spending time with the man she admires, if not for the terrible tragedy that befell him. His real misfortune. Her “bad luck” doesn’t begin to compare. “So, how about it? If we make the next ski trip a skating trip too, it’ll be twice as fun!” Cherry said with a huge smile on her face. “But you can skate at a skating rink, can’t you? Why go all the way to a ski resort?” “I don’t want to skate indoors. I want to skate outside, on a late or something,” Cherry figures. “That sounds fun, but won’t it be crowded?” While speaking, Cadance sneaks a sideways glance at the young man sitting next to her. Although the conversation has involved only three people so far, there are in fact two couples at the cafeteria table. Cadance’s boyfriend – though there’s still some doubt over whether he could be called that – is beside her, as expressionless as a statue. “Hey, Shining. What do you think?” You ask the one sitting across you, who is as silent as a library. Perhaps you sense Cadance’s pain, is your usual quiet and considerate way. “…..About what?” The cause of Cadance’s distress – Shining Armor – responds to your sudden query with a vague, mumbled question of his own. “Um, we’re talking about this winter’s ski trip. You’re coming too… right?” You speak gingerly, as though probing a tumor. A few months ago, you would hesitate to rebuke Shining for his attitude. Your long acquaintance has forged a strong and honest friendship. But now… “I don’t know,” Shining responds bluntly, his downcast eyes and sullen demeanor making clear that he has no desire to break his silence. “You have other plans? “Not really.” Even you, Shining’s best friend, can’t communicate with him as before. What hope does Cadance have of breaking through his shell? The scars left by the events of that late-summer day are still deep all these months later. Each one of the four bears them, not just Shining. “I mean… it’s not like physical activity could affect your injuries, right?” “I’m not sure. I’ll ask the doctor during my check-up.” As though that answer drained the last of his patience, Shining bolts out of his chair. “Hey, Shining!” Even you can’t keep your voice from rising as you try to stop Shining Armor from leaving. Shining reacts swiftly, throwing his hand over his face as though to shield himself from something terrifying. Maybe some spit flew inadvertently from your mouth, but that sort of thing happens during everyday conversation. Shining’s reaction is beyond the pale. “Like I said,” Shining snaps, making no attempt to relieve the discomfort of his friends, “today’s my check-up. I’ve got to go.” Even as he tosses money on the table to pay for his coffee, he acts like he’s touching something filthy. “Later.” Shining stalks out of the cafeteria, almost as if he’s running away. Cloaked in heavy silence, the remaining three lower their gaze to the table, where the abandoned hundred dollar bill sways forlornly. Shining’s coffee is untouched. I can’t take this anymore,” Cherry says with a sigh, but you shook your head reproachfully. “Shining just needs a little more time,” you say to her as you look at Cherry with an assuring gaze. “But it’s been three months! What’s with his attitude?! I feel like I’m going crazy hanging around him!” “Hey, I don’t understand what he’s going through either. I don’t think any of us can.” You look down at the table again. “Can you imagine losing your whole family like that? That’d screw anyone up.” You sigh at that thought. “It could have happened to anyone,” you remind yourself about that terrible day, as if that news you’ve heard was only yesterday. A tractor trailer flipped over on the highway, crushing the family’s car into a twisted scrap. They said it had been difficult to tell the bodies of Shining’s parents and her sister apart. For a while, it had looked as if there was no hope for Shining either. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was able to leave the hospital and return to a normal life. “He was worse when we went to see him in the hospital, remember? He was terrified of us, like he didn’t know who we were. He even had to be tied to the bed, he freaked out so bad. I’m just glad he’s made it this far.” “There’s still something strange about him. What’s with the way he looks at us? It’s like we’re not even human!” “Cut it out, Cherry,” you say forcefully, probably less out of empathy for your friend that out of consideration for Cadance. While your kindness makes her happy, Cadance also knows that she mustn’t take advantage of it. Shining is the victim, just as you said. He’s the one who most deserves sympathy. Cadance’s feelings for Shining Armor are her problem, and no one else’s. She doesn’t blame Shining for not giving her an answer after she worked up the courage to ask him out. In fact, she thinks even more fondly of him for his serious consideration of her feelings than she would have had he treated their relationship casually. Apparently, the fact that Shining did not reject her was enough to make them a couple in yours and Cherry’s eyes. They’ve had plenty of fun at Cadance at Shining’s expense since. The truth of it, though… is that he still hasn’t given her an answer. After revealing her feelings for him, Cadance didn’t see Shining again until a week later, and then she could only stare at his broken body through the window of the ICU. And when he was finally released, after fifty days that seemed an eternity, he was somehow different. She’s starting to doubt that he even remembers what she confessed to him before the accident. Now winter is coming, and her feelings hang forgotten in the cold, lonely air. ---------(Hospital)--------- Dr. Chrome Regios has never had a troublesome patient. “Has there been any change since your last visit, Mr. Shining Armor?” “No, nothing to speak of.” His voice is hard and flat, his words tossed carelessly into the air. It’s like he’s speaking to himself in an empty room. Chrome is a surgeon, not a psychiatrist, but even she can sense the thickness of the wall he has erected between himself and the world. “Any nausea, dizziness, or hallucinations?” “No.” While Shining Armor appears to be looking at Chrome, his gaze is actually aimed a fraction down and to the side. He’s only superficially engaged in the conversation, when in truth it does not interest him in the slightest – perfect rejection. Realizing that she can’t interview him like this, Chrome sighs and sets her chart aside. “Mr. Shining. The procedure you received at this hospital was the latest in experimental neurosurgery. We explained this before, didn’t we?” Treatment of subdural hematoma through the use of micromachines, a procedure available in Canterlot exclusively here at the C University Science and Medical Center, had been the only way to save Shining Armor from a cerebral contusion that should have been fatal. “With any experimental treatment, there’s always the risk of unexpected complications.” “Of course.” Shining Armor’s lips twist slightly in what might be a bitter – or mocking – smile, but it’s gone before Chrome can discern its meaning. “Normally, I would never say anything to frighten a patient… but there have been reports of serious neurological disorders post-surgery. We must continue to monitor your condition carefully.” Hence these weekly check-ups. If only he would take then a little more seriously. “How was last week’s MRI?” Shining asks abruptly, as if to catch Chrome off guard. MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging – is a way for doctors to examine the brain in detail without opening the patient’s skull. Surprised by Shining’s uncommon technical knowledge, Chrome recalls his profile. “Oh, that’s right. You’re a medical student, aren’t you?” From what Chrome learned, Shining Armor was once a C.A.T participant and was aimed to be a policeman, but she didn’t know why he’d suddenly decided to switch to his course of study to medicine three years earlier. She never really probes into the personal lives of her patients outside of the main conflict she’s at currently, especially when she’s only been reading his file and only learned about his switch of studies from his friends. “The kind of anomaly you’re worried about should show up on the MRI, right? Did you find anything?” “…..No.” “There was nothing – not the slightest hint of abnormal activity. For a procedure with such a low rate of success, the results have been nothing short of miraculous. However, something still bothers Chrome. She can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something beneath his guarded exterior – some terrible weight on his soul, perhaps. But if it is an inorganic problem, then there’s nothing she can do as long as he refuses to explain it. “I’m fine, doctor. I’ve lived on my own for three months without any problems. What could go wrong now?” “Please, you know that continued observation is required after these difficult surgeries. You have to trust us a little more.” Shining sighs. “I suppose you’re right. I do want to trust you, Doctor. Can I come to you with anything?” “Yes, of course,” Chrome answers, smiling to cover up her irritation. Shining Armor asked exactly the same question during last week’s visit. “Well then, let’s pick up where we left off. Have you learned anything about Dr. Moonlight Shadow?” “……” Unable to answer, Chrome hardens the mask of her smile. As before, the patient is inquiring about someone whom he has no business knowing. “If you don’t mind me asking, what does Dr. Shadow have to do with your treatment?” “You just told me to trust you, and now you’re keeping secrets?” Chrome is used to patients treating her with hostility during her life as an alchemist and a doctor. After all, some degree of paranoia is natural when dealing with someone who holds your life in her hands. In Shining Armor’s case, however, she doesn’t see the shortsighted impatience that other patients exhibit. His demeanor is perfectly calm, almost like a detective questioning a suspect. “He left this hospital some time ago. I never had any contact with him myself.” “Do you know why he left?” “Yes, I believe it was personal,” Chrome answers smoothly, her earlier hesitation is gone. Having decided at the outset to lie, she has no trouble doing so with a straight face. “But why do you keep asking about Dr. Shadow? Do you know him?” “Did you know that the doctor has gone missing?” “No.” Chrome realizes that her answer may have been a little too quick. She should have acted more surprised. “I’ve recently become close with a relative of his. It was her who asked me to find him.” A relative? Chrome considers this with a frown. “I didn’t think Dr. Shadow had any relatives.” “Oh, who told you that?” “I… heard it from a nurse,” Chrome replies, remembering that she just claimed to have had no contact with the man. “I see. So the doctor was famous enough for nurses to gossip about him?” “He was an unusual man, I hear.” “But no one knows why he left the university?” “Ngh…” Chrome falls silent, knowing that this isn’t a topic she can brush away with a smile. Shining Armor seems to have finally grasped her mood; however, as his strangely stiff tone softens a little. “Doctor, I absolutely must find Dr. Shadow. There’s a girl who’s lost without him. Can’t you help me?” “Isn’t this something the police should handle?” Although she makes it sound like the most obvious thing in the world, the suggestion is actually a risky gamble. If Moonlight Shadow’s disappearance becomes a police matter, then the university will be investigated. Everyone who was involved in the incident will be at risk of exposure. And of course, that includes Chrome herself. She knows, however, that Shining Armor is unlikely to go to the police. First of all, his excuse is obviously a lie. They already made sure that Shadow had no relatives who might come looking for him, which is why they could bury the truth of what happened. But then… how did Shining Armor, a mere patient, learn about Moonlight Shadow? “I’d be happy to help, but there’s been no word from Dr. Shadow since he resigned last April. I can only assume that he’s gone on an extended vacation.” “……I see.” Expecting resistance, Chrome is surprised when Shining Armor backs down. She’s still worried about his condition. And the mysterious link between his and Moonlight Shadow is only making her more uneasy. But as long as he doesn’t open up to her, there’s nothing she can do. After a brief pause, Chrome writes “Progress good” on Shining Armor’s chart for today. “About next week’s appointment. How does four o’clock again sou-“ Before she can finish, Shining Armor is gone. ----------(Hospital Hallway/Streets)---------- ---------- (Shining Armor’s perspective.)---------- It looks like someone sprayed the walls with pig guts from ceiling to floor. What color should the walls of a hospital be? White, of course. And to the creatures of rotten flesh shambling around me, I’m sure this hallway looks just as white as it should. I know, intellectually, that the walls are white. I know that the flesh beats are really human. I’m the one with the problem, and it’s because I’ve accepted this, that I’m able to lead something to approaching a normal life. Even if my university’s medical department is nowhere near as good as Canterlot University’s, I’m still a medical student specializing in neurology. I have a basic idea of what has happened to me, though it’s hard to believe. This isn’t a pathological condition. It’s probably some form of Agnosia unlike anything that has ever been studied before. The flesh-beast called Chrome Regios said that other patients had developed neurological disorders after receiving the same treatment I did. So I guess I’m just another failure. It makes me want to laugh in that know-it-all doctor’s face. That said, I don’t blame the doctors who operated on me. After all, I do owe them my life. I know as well as anyone how low the chance of success was, and that I had no other hope of survival. I was unlucky. That’s all there is to it. The point is that my condition isn’t treatable. Just like someone adapting to a hearing aid or wheelchair, I have no choice but to adapt to this nauseating scenery. Streets bloodied like an insides of a person’s stomach, poles like a twisted parts of intestines, sky as dark as a bottomless well, blood and guts everywhere I look that resembles buildings, plants and such is truly like hell on earth for me. Of course it’s hard. It wasn’t easy to resign myself to this fate. But now there’s more than just despair. Even for me, there’s a glimmer of hope. Keeping my eyes on my feet to see as little of this horrifying world as possible as I hurry home. (Streets) I live in a quiet suburban neighborhood, in a house that’s much too large for me alone. My parents, even unluckier that I was, died in the accident three months ago. I couldn’t even go to the funeral for being in intensive care. I had to sell my father’s business, but at least that left me with the house and enough money to live on for a while. Of course I’m sad, but the accident had took more from me than my parents. In fact, being on my own has probably saved me. If they were still alive, my parents would never have allowed me to live with some strange girl, after all. (Shining Armor Residence)---------- “Welcome home!” As I open the door, a bright voice greets me from the kitchen. The voice is beautiful and clear as a bell – human. Its sweet sound washes the day’s cacophony from my memory. “I’m home, Alice.” Even the patter of feet coming down the hallway is music to my ears. Nowhere else in the city can I hear such footsteps. Only in this house, with Alice, I’m so privileged. “You’re late. I was a little worried.” “Sorry. I had to stop by the hospital today.” “Oh, that was today?” In her smile – in the inquisitive tilt of her head – is everything that I have lost. Since my accident, this girl is the only person I’ve met – perhaps the only person in the entire world – who does not trigger my cognitive disorder. True, her skin seems too white, and the color of her eyes and hair is probably different in reality. But even so, her form is undeniably human. And it’s not just her appearance and her voice, but also her… As I bend down to take off my shoes, Alice wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me gently into her tiny bosom. Her skin truly human, not cold or slimy, and from her hair wafts the sweet fragrance of a young girl. In the entire world, only Alice is pleasing to my five senses. And what’s more, she smiles at me – embraces me. She knows that she is my salvation, and for some reason is happy that I need her. If I had not met Alice – If I had been all alone in this twisted, filth-ridden world – I would no doubt have succumbed to madness. It is no exaggeration to say that Alice alone is keeping me alive. “What did you do today?” “I worked on the living room. The painting’s half done! And now I’m making your dinner like I learned from the TV.” “Sounds good.” “it’ll take a little longer. Can you wait?” “Sure. I’ll do some more work in the living room.” After I see the humming Alice off to the kitchen, I step into the living room. I realized one day that if the natural colors of the world were sickening, all I had to do was paint over them with colors that seemed pleasant. I went to the hardware store and bought every color of paint I could find, then Alice and I tried different combinations until we found one that worked. After painting the bedroom from ceiling to floor, I was finally able to get my first goodnight’s sleep since the accident. Then we first started on the living room, Alice, unsure what to do with the curtains, just painted carefully around the windows. Without a moment’s hesitation, I tore the curtains down and painted over the glass itself. There’ll never be anything out there that I’d want to see, and as long as we keep the storm shutters closed the neighbors probably won’t think anything of it. “Dinner’s ready!” Alice called out. “Can you bring it here?” As she enters the living room with a tray of food, Alice sniffs the air. “The paint smell doesn’t bother you?” Now that she mentions it, I suppose the smell of paint thinner must be building up in this closed room. It doesn’t really bother me, though. There are far worst smells outside. “Does it bother you, Alice?” “No, I’m fine if you are.” Alice sets the food on the table. Unfortunately, either its color nor it’s smell is at all appetizing. Not that food elsewhere is any different. “Thanks, Alice.” As has become routine, I steel myself and methodically transport the food into my mouth. The taste is as gut-wrenching as I expected, but it’s not Alice’s fault. I’m sure she made it exactly like the cooking show said. It’s just that my taste buds can’t accept it. “It’s not good?” She asks hesitantly. “Well…no…” Lying won’t make Alice happy. She knows about my condition. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make something different tomorrow.” “Sorry. You always go to the trouble of cooking but I…” “It’s fine. If I keep trying, maybe I’ll find something you’ll like.” In my current state, eating is nothing more than an unwelcome duty. As much as I hate it, I need food to survive. If I stay alive, then perhaps one day, as Alice says, I’ll be able to taste something delicious again. I met Alice, didn’t I? “Aren’t you going to eat?” “No, I already ate.” In all the time we’ve been together, Alice has never once eaten with me. I don’t know why she refuses to do so. It makes me a little sad. Still, I’m not about to push the issue, not when she’s putting up with all the problems I have. “By the way, I asked about your father again.” “About Dad?” Doctor Moonlight Shadow, Alice’s father, is her only relative. Alice has asked me to unravel the mystery of his disappearance. “They still wouldn’t tell me anything. I get the feeling they’re hiding something.” “I see…” I expected Alice to be a little more dejected. “You haven’t given up, have you?” “No,” Alice responds with an unreadable expression, “it’s not that.” She gives a little shake of her head, then smiles at me once again. “Thanks for all you’re doing for me, Shining…” “It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me.” I thanked her for the mean and set my utensils down next to the perfectly clean plate. As wretched as the taste was, thinking of the care that Alice put into it gave me the strength to finish every bite. “Is it bathing time?” “Yeah. Will you wash my back again?” “Sure!” Ever since Alice moved in, it’s been like having my own wife. --------(--------Alice… Why are you so good to me? “Ahh…haaa….” Alice’s slender hips bounced up and down with an insatiable hunger, each decent thrusting my manhood deep into the embrace of her hot, tight womb. “Yes, yesssss! Ahh… hot… deeper!” Who could imagine that her seemingly incorruptible body would ever glisten with the hot sweat of passion, or feast on pleasure with such bottomless lust? Alice, my darling Alice. Is this really what you want? Why do you go so far for me? What am I, that you can give yourself to me body and soul? “More, Shining! Harder! It’s so deep… ahhhhhh!” Is this merely sympathy? Do you pity me, the exile from society? Is that enough for you to surrender yourself to such mad desire? Are you so lusty? “Yesss… please… give me more… more! I’m… going crazy… uhhhh!!!” Her eyes, as she gazes down upon me, are devoid of twisted or sinful desire. There are only the melting flames of ecstasy. Her beautiful, carnal moans and undulating body seem impossible, dreamlike, and I can’t help but wonder if even the pleasure that’s burning me from head to toe is but an illusion. Needing to touch her, to reassure that she’s real, I raise my hands to her small breasts and seize them like my life depends on it. “Ah!” Alice convulses, screaming like an animal. As I roll her sharp, pink nipples through my fingers, she throws her head back and gasps for air. “Ahhhhhh, yes! Shining… I’m going to pieces!” Alice is here. She’s with me, now. Only in this moment is her existence certain. I can believe only when I’m joined with her. “Shiniiiiing… Inside… Please, come inside… I want you in me…” I nod and accelerated the pace of my thrusts. Alice’s gasps rise in pitch as her mad dance of passion reaches its peak. “I’m coming!!! Shining! Together… Togethreeeeer!!” No matter what cruel fate might await me, Alice, there is nothing I fear more than losing you. “Aaaaahhhhhh!!!” As Alice climaxes, convulsing and wailing, I surrender to her tight embrace and unleash my boiling seed into her womb. “Aaaahhhh… So hot… Shining….” Alice collapses atop me, still smiling, and I wrap my arms around her. The feeling of her soft, sweat-soaked skin and the warmth emanating from her body reassure that she is still here. “…….Shining? Are you crying?” I realize that my cheeks are wet with tears. “Why, Alice? Why do you go so far for me?” “Shining…” “I don’t understand it… I don’t, but I’m losing myself to you more every day. I can’t live without you, Alice.” I wrap my arms tighter around her, praying that out bodies will melt together and never again be apart. “Tell me, please. What must I do to keep you with me? How can I repay you?” “Keep holding me,” Alice whispers into my chest. “I want you to make love to me. I want to stay like this forever. I won’t leave you, Shining Armor.” “Why? Why me?” “Because you’re all alone,” She says softly, gazing up into my eyes. “All alone… just like me.” The sorrow in her voice resonates with my own. There is a deep loneliness in her eyes, a loneliness from which now springs boundless affection. “You’re all I have. In the whole wide world, only you will embrace me. My precious, Shining Armor.” Now I know. No matter what horrors this world unleashes upon me, All I’ll ever need is Alice. ----------(The next day…).---------- ----------(Classroom)---------- Cadance is determined to talk to him today. Nothing will happen as long as she hesitates. It will only prolong her suffering. The time has come to show courage once again. Cadance’s fourth period on Thursdays is biology. This is her one chance to see Shining Armor. As a required course with many students, the lecture is held in a large hall that can seat well over two hundred. But since the room is usually only half full, it is rarely difficult for Cadance to find the seat she wants. Cadance prefers to sit near the center, where it is easiest to hear the professor. Most of the students congregate in this area for the same reason. Shining Armor usually sits beside her, although given the ambiguous state of their relationship, she knows better than to take this for granted. Still, she tries to save a seat whenever possible. The classroom isn’t crowded today, so Cadance is able to set her bag on the seat next to her without inconveniencing anyone. But when the professor arrives at the usual time to start class, there is still no sign of Shining Armor. After waiting for about ten minutes, Cadance scans the room furtively. Shining is there, sitting alone in the far back corner. Did he miss Cadance when he came in? No, he couldn’t have. And besides, no serious student would willingly sit so far away from the front. Feeling miserable. Cadance slides her bag back over to herself. ----------(After Class)---------- Shining is out the door the moment class ends. Cadance barely manages to catch up to him before he disappears down the hallway. “Shining Armor!” Shining Armor jerks at the sound of his name. You would think she just screamed at him. “What?” He turns to her and asks reluctantly. Now that they’re face to face, Cadance is painfully aware of how much weight Shining Armor has lost. His sunken eyes and protruding cheekbones are a far cry from the features familiar to her. She wonders whether he’s under a lot of stress, or perhaps not getting enough nutrition. Maybe it’s both. He definitely looks tenser than he should – afraid, even though of what she can’t imagine. His eyes move restlessly from point to point, and he refuses to look Cadance in the eye. It hurts to see Shining Armor this way. What could have changed him so? Today, she reminds herself, rekindling the flame of courage in her heart. “Um, I want to talk to you about something. Do you… have some time?” The courtyard is empty and silent. No one is willing to sit and chat in the cold November air. “So what is it?” Don’t you remember?! Cadance almost blurts the question, but manages to keep her composure. “You’ve been acting strange lately. I’m worried about you.” “Well, a lot’s happened.” He smiles like it’s nothing, but even that seems stiff and forced. He’s even standing precisely one pace farther away from her than he used to. “Is that really all?” “What more do you want?” Cadance manages to keep from flinching at the harshness of his tone. “It’s like you’re struggling with… something.” “Ngh…” Rather than an answer, Shining Armor grinds his toe into the dead grass at his feet. Fearing that her determination might flag, Cadance lets the words come as they may. “It’s like there’s a terrible weight on your shoulders, and it’s slowly breaking you. That’s how you look to me.” “Oh really,” Shining mutters through clenched teeth, no longer trying to deny it or chance the topic. This is an even clearer signal of rejection than his prior evasiveness. But Cadance’s determination is strong. Today, at least, she won’t back down. “Its times like these,” she implores, trying to convey the sincerity of her feelings for him, “That you need your friends.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I Feel rEAlLy bad ABoUT Your PareNTs. But yoU’RE Not aLONE. You Have yOUr BeST FRiEnD [Your Name], aND ChErRY, anD… you HAVe ME.” Cadance can no longer stop the words pouring from her lips. She fears that if she doesn’t unleash the feelings pent-up inside of her, they will be lost forever. “I THiNk wE cAn HlElP you. SO You DoN’T hAVe To Deal wITh IT alL bY YOuRSELf. EVEN iF We caN’t DO aNYthIng, just TALking To Us mIGht make you Feel bETTer. I Want tO help YOu! wE aLl DO! SO please, tell M—“ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Stop it!” Shining Armor shouts, silencing Cadance’s entreaty. She promised herself that she wouldn’t back down, but Shining’s expression is terrible enough to shatter her resolve. The look in his eyes is not anger, or any other warm-blooded emotion. It’s hate – murderously cold hate. “Come to think of it, I never gave you an answer, did I?” He remembers… He remembers, yet still he’s treated her so coldly. That’s all the answer she needs. If his words stab any deeper, she might as well die. “I never saw you in any special way before. When you asked me out, I wasn’t sure how to respond. I didn’t know how I really felt about you then.” “Shining…” “But now I can give you an answer. I’ve had plenty of time to think it over, you know. I hate you, Cadance. I don’t even want to look at you.” Don’t cry, Cadance tells herself, but too late to stop the tears pouring from her eyes. “I suppose it’s too much to hope I never see you again. We do go the same school. So just make this the last time you speak to me, okay? Your voice makes me sick.” “How can you be so cruel?” Cadance whispers in shock and despair, to which Shining Armor twist his lips into a malevolent smile. “You should really try thinking for yourself once in a while. I bet you were just egged on by Cherry and my so called best friend [You] weren’t you? Well, you can play at love all you want, but leave me out of it. Even after shedding tears in front of him, she absolutely refuses to let him hear her cry. And disgrace would be preferable to breaking down here. So… she runs, fleeing breathlessly from the courtyard with Shining Armor’s cold smile at her back. At that same time… Two girls who were watching and eavesdropping nearby witnessed and heard everything those two were talking about…Maud and Pinkie… one of Candance’s classmates in History. Pinkie felt sorry for the rejection and humiliation that Cadance had gone through after trying to help that no good person… “Gosh… who in the world is sadder than Cadance right now?” She asked her sister beside her who was watching idly at the guy and gave a snort. “Me… watching this,” she replied, then turned and walked away. Pinkie wasn’t sure what to do next, but to follow her sister to their next class… this wasn’t their business to begin with. Not even her cheery mood will ever get Cadance to smile at this point… So for now, she leaves it be. Cherry was the first to catch sight of Cadance and Shining Armor leaving for the courtyard. Reluctant to interrupt then, but still unwilling to leave them alone, You and Cherry ended up watching the whole thing from the shadows. “That asshole...” Throughout the exchange, Cherry was clearly itching to jump out and punch Shining Armor in the face. Knowing her temper, you kept a firm hold of her arm until the end. If he hadn’t, she might very well have done it. Shining Armor leaves after Cadance, his every step seeming to take an act of willpower. You sigh heavily into the once more empty courtyard, but the bitter taste in your mouth will not go away. “What’s wrong with him?” Even you can’t forgive Shining’s treatment of Cadance. However, the first thing that he feels is confusion, not anger. You had known Shining Armor since long before college. Shining was never this cruel before. There’s no question now that the accident changed him. “Are you just gonna let this go?” Cherry asked you, looking quite disappointed that she hasn’t intervened earlier. “I don’t want to, but what can we do?” “Something besides watching!” Cherry shouts, her face red with fury. “I won’t be satisfied until I give him a piece of my mind.” “That won’t make Cadance feel better.” You sigh at her. “But it’ll make ME feel better!” Cadance and Cherry are best friends, just like you and Shining Armor. In fact, it was the relationship between you and Cherry that brought the other two together. Cherry’s anger is only natural. “I’m going to talk to him alone. You don’t have to come.” “You serious?” “Take care of Cadance for me, will you? She’s probably really hurt. She’ll need someone to be nice to her after she’s done crying.” “Wait, shouldn’t we change jobs?” You asked, hesitantly, since you knew you’d be better of talking to Shining. But Cherry thinks otherwise. “You know how I am. If I try to comfort her, I’ll end up making it worse.” You smile at that fact. “Yeah, you’ve got a point.” “Hey!” “Anyway, just go easy. Okay?” Ending the conversation before Cherry’s mood gets any worse, You head off to find Cadance. --------(Shining Armor’s perspective)----------I feel awful, miserable – but also refreshed. I’ve finally crossed the line. I knew it would come crashing down like this sooner or later. Having become unable to feel anything but disgust for other people, there was no way I could hope to maintain the relationships I’d had before the accident. Today’s incident will definitely get back to Cherry and [You], and everyone will be convinced I’ve had a major change of character. Honestly, I don’t care anymore. At least I probably won’t be committed for this. I just need to avoid acting any stranger than I already have. If this puts a rift between me and the others, good. The thought of all the stress I’ll avoid brings a smile to my lips. I’m fed up with them sticking their noses into my life. It’s like they don’t care that they make my gut turn just by being near me. I’ve been terrified of them until now, but today I struck fear into one of them. In that sense, it’s something of a relief… but I’m not entirely without remorse of what happened. The person I just demolished with the verbal equivalent of a nuclear bomb used to be my friend Cadance. Even is my senses don’t believe it, my mind accepts the theory. I don’t have any particular grudge against Cadance herself, and I didn’t want to hurt her. In retrospect, perhaps I should have just ignored her outsight. Cadance was an attractive girl. I certainly didn’t think badly of her. To be honest, though, I was annoyed when Omi and his boyfriend tried to stick us together. It felt like they were toying with me, and Cadance seemed totally oblivious to the fact that she was dancing to their tune. Her cluelessness was irritating. Still, I knew that none of them meant any harm. Back then, I didn’t have any reason to hurt others just to get my way. If having a casual relationship with Cadance would keep out circle of friends together, I was willing to make that compromise. Now, however, there’s no room in my heart for such forbearance. If merely talking to someone is an ordeal, then how can I be expected to show them kindness? Who am I, Fluttershy?! These ruminations have left me exhausted. I want to return to Alice as soon as possible, but thinking about the packed trains and crowded downtown streets between here and home saps my spirit. Catching sight of a bench, I sit down and close my eyes to the horrors of the world. I can’t do anything about the stink or the noise, but at least I can calm my nerves enough to rest…. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I regained consciousness in the Canterlot University hospital ward, the world was as dark as it is now. I had not yet recovered my sight, even though my eyes and optical nerves were undamaged. It must have been an aftereffect of the accident. Blindness was a shock, but now I know that my suffering then was nothing. After all, my senses of hearing, touch, taste and smell were all fine at the time. The real horror began when my sight returned. The one small mercy was that I was able to come to terms with the accident and my neurosurgery while still blind. I panicked when I first saw the nightmarish hospital and the bloodcurdling shapes of the doctors and nurses, but I soon guessed the cause. It chills me to think of what have happened if I had recovered my sight along with my consciousness. Suddenly awakening in what can only be described as hell, I would no doubt have lost my mind instantly. Soon, my disorder spread throughout my sense of touch, taste and smell. As it turns out, sight exerts tremendous influence over the other senses. The taste of my food, the feel of my bed sheets, the fragrance of my get-well flowers – all became as unbearably foul as my eyes said they should be. Eventually, when even the doctors’ voices became unrecognizable as human, I decided to kill myself. I didn’t believe for a second that I could live in this new world. At least, not until I met… Alice. One night, while thinking of a painless way to die, I found myself succumbing to sleep. Drifting between the nightmares in my dreams and the nightmares of the reality, I didn’t notice her enter my room. The next time I knew, there was a face staring down at me from next to my bed. The face was not covered in pus, or slime, or earthworm-like feelers. It had smooth white cheeks, round eyes, a lovely little nose – all things I had never expected to see again. The face was that of a girl, about roughly fourteen years old, undeniably human and positively glowing with beauty. “Ahh…” I sighed in admiration, savoring the first peace and joy since regaining my sight. She had not expected such a reaction, apparently. “Aren’t you afraid of me?” She asked. Looking at the clock, I saw that It was exactly three in the morning – no time for a young girl to be alone in the hospital. Perhaps she expected me to mistake her for a ghost. But I would not have cared if she had been a ghost. Either way, she was a godsend. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” “My name is Chrysalis… But you can call me Alice.” She said with a bright smile. “I’m looking for my dad.” I assumed that she was the daughter of a late-shift doctor or another patient. It was unusual, but not unthinkable for such a girl to be wandering around the hospital. “It’s no fun if you’re not scared.” “Wait!” I cried, desperate to keep her from leaving. It was only after she turned around that I realized I hadn’t thought of what to say next. “Well?” Her beautiful eyes drew me in, healing my soul to its core. Through the white haze clouding my mind, I struggled to form a coherent sentence. “I shouldn’t do this to a girl, but you’re the only one I can ask.” No longer concerned about propriety, I let the words come as they willed “Will you let me hold your hand?” Alice looked confused at first, but then she smiled like she’d just found a new toy. Her smile was brighter than my memories of the sun. “You’re strange,” She said holding out her slender white hand. “No one’s asked me anything like that before.” Ever so carefully, as though catching snowflakes, I placed my palm against hers. I could feel her human warmth and the softness of her delicate fingers. She was there, just beyond the palm of my hand. Thinking back on the joyful tears I shed then, I know that this is the moment I was saved from my fate. “This is the first time in weeks that I’ve touched someone and felt them as human.” “…huh?” “I can’t touch anyone else. I was in an accident, and as a side effect of the surgery, I can’t see people as human anymore.” “Hmm… how mysterious. You’re interesting,” She said, winding her fingers gently around mine. “can I come back tomorrow night?” “Yes, if course! But isn’t that dangerous?” “Don’t worry,” She replied. “The night belongs to me.” And so, our rendezvous began. Alice came to my room every night at three a.m., skillfully taking advantage of the duty nurse’s shift-change. I was astonished to learn that she was living inside the hospital. “It’s so big that I never run out of places to hide,” She said, answering my surprise with a nonchalant smile. She had been living in the suburbs with her father, she told me, until one day he’d suddenly stopped coming home. After she got tired of waiting for his return, Alice had decided one night to sneak into the hospital he’d worked. And there she’d lived for over two months, searching for his whereabouts all the while. “Don’t you have to go to school?” “No, Dad taught me everything I need to know. I’m really smart.” She was a strange girl. On one hand, she looked and talked like an innocent child. On the other, she was remarkably self-reliant, and at times exhibited a sharp intelligence and deep knowledge that many may have found unsettling. I didn’t care. Alice was the only other human in a world gone mad. Her existence meant far more to me than the standards of society. “Aren’t you worried you might get caught?” “Nope! I don’t have to worry about food here and it’s a lot of fun than staying in Dad’s house by myself.” She claims. “I looked through the patient list and found the ones who have mental problems, specially a patient named Screw Ball…” Alice continued, grinning mischievously. “Sometimes I sneak into their rooms late at night and scare them. Even if the raise a fuss, no one believes what mental patients say, they just brush it off as a bad dream.” Her confession reminded me that the hospital was famous for its ghost stories. Who could have imagined that there was actually a real girl impishly roaming these hallways? “So that’s why you came to my room the first time?” “Yeah, sorry. Are you mad?” While her pranks were hardly praiseworthy, I couldn’t bring myself to scold her for the very thing that had brought us together you shouldn’t do it anymore. Will you come and talk to me instead?” Yeah! That’s more fun for me too!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With extreme care, I was able to conceal my sensory disorder. It was glaringly obvious that the doctors had no way to cure me and the fact that I had undergone a still-experimental procedure made me even more cautious. As a medical student, it was easy for me to imagine how the doctors would react if they discovered that I was exhibiting such unusual side effects. I was not about to become a guinea pig, a mere specimen to be examine with clinical detachment. And so I hid my discomfort and loathing behind a mask of normalcy, convincing the doctors that any signs of stress were merely a result of hospitalization. Alice was my support. Looking to her nightly visits gave me the strength to endure my daily torture. Hope can make an enormous difference in a patient’s progress. With the aid of my secret nurse, I recovered at a pace that left the doctors stunned. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the last night before my release, I summoned my courage and asked her, “Are you going to stay here forever?” “Yeah, I couldn’t learn anything about my dad, but it’s not like I have anywhere else to go. I guess I’ll stay as long as I can hide.” In other words, she had no reason to stay. “Why not stay with me?” I asked timidly. The question took all the courage I had. “Huh?” “My family’s gone, so I have plenty of room! You won’t need to hide, and it’s not a bad place to live!” “You want me… to live with you?” I was too afraid to ask her what she thought of that, so I hastily offered a deal. “In exchange, I’ll help you look for your father! I’ll find him no matter what!” “I think that’s gonna be hard,” Alice said, looking a little embarrassed. “Dad probably did something bad and had to leave the hospital. We can’t get the police involved. You’ll have to be as discreet as possible.” “I’ll do whatever it takes! I…” Unable to control myself, I finally spoke the truth. “I can’t be apart from you.” At first she looked bewildered, but after a few moments of silence, she said, “Give me a little time.” That night, she left my room earlier than usual… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the day of my release, I managed to smile as I accepted the hideous, foul-smelling celebratory bouquet. The flesh-beasts calling themselves Cherry, Cadance and my [You] came to pick me up. Though they had come to see me many times during my stay, it never got easier to see my friends changed so horribly. My sudden tears of despair drew suspicion, but I managed to explain them away as tears of joy. While we walked to [Your] car, I looked desperately for Alice amid the grotesque scenery. Even as we drove away, I kept watching the hospital fade into the distance, praying for a last glimmer of hope. But Alice never appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After my [You] and the others dropped me off, I paused a while to regard my surroundings. I had lived my entire life on this block, in this house. There was no other place that I could call home. But it was no longer anything that I remembered. As I walked up the path to the front door and took in the yard where I had spent my childhood, I could feel those memories being defiled by the twisted, festering shapes around me. Inside the house, I found nothing familiar, nothing to offer me comfort and warmth. What I had once called home was now a whole other world. “I have no home,” I whispered with a smile of self-pity. There was one last stop to make. One last nail to hammer into my coffin. I stepped into the room that had cradled me from childhood. The walls were papered with human entrails, the bed a tangled mass of worm flesh. But one of that mattered. There, curled up on the bed like an abandoned cat, was Alice. As I stood there in shock, she looked up at me and in a tiny, weak voice she said, “Can I really stay?”. I responded by sweeping her into my arms, embracing her tightly so that she would not escape. Alice did not resist. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When she arrives at Shining Armor’s house, Cherry first takes a deep breath to calm herself. Her anger doesn’t vanish entirely, of course, but at least now she can hear herself think. While waiting for a response from the intercom, she looks over the patch of yard that she can see from outside the gate. Even Cherry isn’t normally one to complain about other people’s housekeeping, but this is going too far. The grass is growing wild, and there are piles of dead leaves scattered everywhere. It doesn’t just look untended. It looks like an uninhabited ruin. It’s still light out, but every window has its storm shutters tightly sealed. Cherry guesses that they’ve been closed since morning. What kind of life is Shining Armor leading? Even if he’s living alone, he can’t neglect his housework forever. And is it just her imagination, or does something stinks like rotten meat? It couldn’t be coming from the yard, could it? There’s still no response, so she presses the buzzer a second time, and a third, and a forth. Finally, after this had gone on for over ten minutes, Cherry loses her patience and opens the cover of the intercom. As she expected, the power had been disconnected. Perhaps Shining had a good reason for shutting out of the world, but Cherry can only see it as a lack of respect for others. Her anger rekindled, she pushes the gate open and stomps through the yard to the front door. Given the state of his intercom, she doubts that Shining will respond to a knock, so Cherry decides to simply open the door and go in shouting. And if the door is locked, she’ll just have to… *Click* Surprisingly, the doorknob turns easily in her hand, and the enraged Cherry finds herself throwing the door open wider then she intended. Her nostrils are instantly assaulted by a choking stench. What’s that smell?! As Cherry stands petrified on the threshold, the cowbell hanging on the inside of the door chimes loudly. A moment later… “WeLCoMe HOMe!” Cherry can’t believe her ears. The voice she just heard could not have been human, yet its intonations were too complex for any animal she can imagine. “Is someone there?” she calls out to the end of the hallway from which the voice came. There’s no response. Instead, she hears the sound of something soft and wet flopping its way deeper into the house. “Ngghh…” Finding it difficult to place a meaningful image to the voice she just heard, Cherry stares blankly at the empty vestibule. There’s nothing there. – Not even any indication that Shining had been inside the house recently, which can only mean that he’s still outside somewhere… The house should be empty… But then, what was that voice just now? Her anger had vanished as if it were never there. Nevertheless, Cherry sets feet into the hallway, leaving the door open so that the cowbell won’t ring. The floor creaks, setting her nerves on edge. Cherry herself isn’t sure why she’s acting like a burglar, but something tells her to make as little noise as possible. The potency of the stink inside the house makes the whiff she caught outside pale in comparison. It’s sickening, like rotten fish guts. Has food been left to spoil in the kitchen? She hears a bubbling sound up ahead. Stepping gingerly on the creaking floorboards, Cherry makes her way to the end of the hallway. She finds rooms to both sides of her – one lit, the other dark – and chooses to look into the lit room. It’s the kitchen, lit by what must be the only window in the house not covered by a storm shutter. The sound she heard was the pot boiling on the stove, and on the chopping board next to it laid a butcher’s knife and some half-diced carrots. A perfectly normal household scene, with the light of the setting sun making everything the color of decomposing fruit. Something’s wrong. Who was cooking here? And where did they go? “Is anyone here?” Cherry calls, regretting it immediately as she realizes that her voice is shaking. As her words echo vainly through the silent house, she begins to feel foolish and defenseless. Suddenly she feels something cold seeping through her pantyhose. She timidly reaches down to touch her feet. Her fingertips come away covered with a viscous, olive green slime, like the filthy water from a tank long clogged with algae and dead fish. The whole floor is covered with it. It must me the source of the stench. Cherry now wishes that he hadn’t left her shoes in the entrance landing and just wore them inside, manners be damned. When she looks back ruefully the way she came, she realizes that her current position is not visible from the entrance. This kitchen must be where that strange voice came from. *gurgle…* The next room is probably the den. As she expected from the closed storm shutters, its pitch black inside. Cherry wants nothing more than to flee this house, but that would mean turning her back to the darkness. And that, she simply cannot bring herself to do. Moved by some irrational compulsion, Cherry sets foot into the den. It’s too dark to see anything, and the stink is far worse than before. She slides her hand along the wall, feeling for the light switch. Finding it much sooner than she expected, she flips it on like it’s her last hope. As soon as she turns on the lights… her eyes met a scene she’ll never forget. Colors. Colors!! So many colors! The purple of entrails, the brown of rotten met, the crimson of fresh blood, the yellow of fat – these colors, and more that cannot be described, cover every inch of the room in maddening array. The colors say all that needs to be said about the painter’s hatred, malice and insanity. Cherry’s legs give out from the shock, sending her to the floor. Slime immediately soaks through her jeans, its cold tendrils creeping up her legs, crotch, and… HER NECK! Her hand flies to her neck, where it is greeted by another drop of chilly slime. Above her, something is dripping down on her head. Making perhaps her worst decision of her life, Cherry looks up. The predator clinging to the ceiling, poised to leap upon its prey – she sees it in every detail. Her mouth and nose are sealed before she can scream, and her belly is torn open as something enters to feast on her innards. By the time she feels any of this, Cherry has already gone mad. ----------(Shining Armor's Perspective)---------- I bit the bullet and tried to take the train, but the rush hour crowds were so bad that I had to get off halfway and walk. I’m running pretty late. Is Alice worried? I hope she’s not mad. When I entered the yard, I realize that the front door had been left wide open. Light from the living room is seeping out into the hallway, and I hear what sounds like someone smacking their lips. There’s also a tantalizing fragrance in the air. Is it Alice? I consider calling out to her, but decide to enter in silence instead. Something smells strange, though not unpleasant. The aroma is quite soothing, in fact. It reminds me of Alice’s hair. At first, I’m surprised by what I see in the living room. The floor is covered with what looks to be some kind of grass – probably the source of the herblike smell – and there are fruit or vegetable-like balls of varying size scattered everywhere. “Alice?” “Ah!” Alice turns around, her eyes wide with surprise. She then looks away sheepishly, like a child caught at some prank. “What are you eating?” “This is, um, well…” She stammers, so flustered that I suddenly feel bad for sneaking up on her. Remembering that she has never eaten in front of me before, I realize that she must be quite embarrassed. “Can I have one?” I scoop up the closest fruit-thing and pop it into my mouth, ignoring Alice’s attempt to wave me off. It has a strange texture, soft and pliable, like a peach or a pear. When I bite into it with my back teeth, a succulent juice fills my mouth, combined with a sharp, strong fragrance. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. “How did you make this? What did you use?” “It wasn’t hard… I just took it apart and melted it a little to make it easier to eat. It’s practically raw.” “Oh?” I pick up a different lump, this one consisting of fruity flesh around a hard core. Tearing a chunk off in my mouth, I find that it has a similar taste to the last one. “Hey, are you okay? That’s a…” “Yeah, even I can eat this. In fact, it’s good!” “Really?” At first, Alice looks dumbstruck, but then she burst out laughing. “So this is what you like! Now I feel stupid for going to all that trouble.” “Is this what you always eat, Alice?” “Yeah, though it’s been a while since I’ve had one so big. I usually catch them in the nearby park.” There’s an impressive nature preserve not too far from here. I’ve never heard about fruits like these growing there, but – well, of course. They only look like fruits to me. They’re really something else. “Sorry, I already ate the best parts.” Alice looks down at the left overs. “That’s okay. There’s always next time, and now we can eat together.” “Yeah!” Alice seems happy. I’m happy too, of course. Eating with someone is much more fun than eating alone, and it makes the food taste better too. “There’s still plenty left. It’ll keep chilled for two or three days, though it won’t taste as good.” “Then we’d better start putting it away.” Sealing the small fruits in tupperware and the large ones in pots and bowls, Alice and I store the remaining food in the refrigerator. Thinking of tomorrow’s dinner fills me with anticipation. I feel that, little by little, I’m starting to regain the joy of living. Alice will guide me. With her, I can live on. ??? True Scary Stories *Hospital Edition* By, Scootaloo… Chapter 4: The Monster in the University Hospital. A research student relates his Shocking experiences at Canterlot’s most prestigious Hospital! Will you believe him or not? Strange things started happening at the hospital around the end of last spring. It began with patients waking up in the middle of the night, screaming. They all spoke of terrifying nightmares, and many of them had to be sedated. Some patients even transferred to other hospitals because of it. The weird thing was that they’d all had exactly the same dream – a dream about some horribly disgusting monster staring down at them from their bedside. But the really strange stuff started happening after that. There used to be a lot of stray cats around the campus, looking for scraps from the students. One day, the cats suddenly disappeared, and it wasn’t that they’d stopped coming. It was more like they’d vanished from the area entirely and then people stopped walking their dogs around. According to rumors, the dogs were refusing to go anywhere near the school. Eventually, things started going missing in the hospital. Organs, to be precise. Transplant organs kept disappearing from storage. Some people came close to losing their jobs over it. And it wasn’t just two or three times that it happened. They tried to keep it from the research students, but we heard that it was a lot worse than that. People started saying that there was something living in the hospital. The janitors would find strange messes that could only have been made in the middle of the night – traces of something that had crawled down the hallway, or weird stains that seemed to be caused by something dripping through the ceiling. The late-shift nurses talked about hearing strange noises on the same nights that patients woke screaming. There’s one last story, one you can never mention inside the hospital. One day, the obstetrics department went crazy. They said that a newborn had disappeared in the night. If that were true, the police would’ve come and it would’ve been all over the news, but they say the “big shots” managed to make it all go away. It’s just a rumor, of course. These strange incidents suddenly stopped towards the end of summer. Now there are almost no patients complaining of nightmares, and the cats have started coming back to the campus. But still… what happened in the hospital that summer? Even now, just thinking about it give me the creeps… *beep… beep… beep…* *Your call cannot be reached, please try again later… * *Your call cannot be reached, please try again later…* “Nothing…” “Ngghh…” This is the third day in a row that you and Cadance haven’t been able to get in touch with Cherry. There’s no sign that she returned to her apartment, and even her family doesn’t know anything. Her parents have already filed a missing persons report. “Well, you know her. She’ll probably just pop up somewhere like nothing happened.” You said, trying to hide the fact that you’re as much as worried as she does. “I hope so,” Cadance replies with a gloomy expression. She’s worried about Cherry, of course, but the incident with Shining three days ago must still be weighing on her mind as well. Cadance hasn’t seen Shining since then, and Shining hasn’t made any effort to approach her or you. Four people used to meet in this cafeteria between classes, but now there are only two. “Hey,” She looks at you. “Let’s keep thinking. Isn’t there somewhere Cherry might have gone?” “No,” You answered evasively. “I already checked everywhere.” It’s a lie, of course. You know where Cherry planned to go that evening, but you don’t want to bring Shining up in front of Cadance. Your awkward silence is mercifully broken by the bell signaling the start of the next period. “Well, I’ve gonna go.” “…… Yeah.” If you’re not mistaken, Cadance supposed to have class next period too, but she just sits there, staring off into space. Unable to come up with anything to say, you leave the cafeteria reluctantly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Both Cherry’s disappearance and Cadance’s depression worry you, and both problems lead back to the exact same place. What the hell is Shining doing? When Cherry went missing, the first thing he did was question Shining. After all, the last time he’d seen her was just before she stormed off to give Shining a piece of her mind. Shining responded with unequivocal denial, and acted like he hadn’t the slightest idea why Cherry has gone to see him. Perhaps that was only natural, as he was unaware that Cherry and you had witnessed him reduce Cadance to tears. Did Cherry even make it to Shining’s house? She had been riding a wave of emotion when she’d left, and might have calmed down and changed her mind halfway there. Or perhaps she ran into trouble on the way? You concluded – or, more accurately, convinced himself – that one of these possibilities was the truth, subconsciously denying the one remaining possibility: that Shining Armor was lying -- that he had met Cherry, and was involved with her disappearance. When questioned by the police, You told the truth about Cherry’s destination only up to the train station, maintaining that he had no idea where she’d planned to go after that. He wanted to cooperate with the search, of course, but Cherry couldn’t have made it to Shining’s house. Shining Armor said so himself, didn’t he? In that case, he’d told the police everything they needed to know. Not wanting to get the still-fragile Shining involved, he forced himself to accept this flimsy logic. But the conflict had built up inside of him without his notice, leaving unanswered suspicion to fester in his mind. You’re deep in thought, paying no attention to your surroundings, but perhaps that is what allows you to catch sight of your friend’s back through the crowd of milling students. “Shining?” At first, you assumed that he’s headed to the lecture hall, but it soon appears that he is instead going home. Strange thing is… medical students have required courses in the afternoon. Though you’re initially supervised, your hesitation lasts for only a second. You follow your friend, taking care to stay far enough behind that you won’t be noticed. Shining wasn’t going home, as became obvious when he boarded a train heading in the opposite direction. Your next guess was that he was going to see his doctor at the Canterlot University Hospital, but shining rode straight through the closest station. Where is he going? At first, you felt ashamed for tailing your friend like this, but your conscious fell silent as Shining’s actions grew more mysterious. The stranger it gets, the closer you felt to discovering the truth behind Shining’s sudden transformation. Any knowledge would be welcome, no matter how slight it is. Even you are beginning to thinks that there must be more behind Shining’s change than the accident alone. You want a more satisfying answer, one that will help you decide whether Shining can still be trusted… or not. Shining gets off at a small station in a nondescript suburb of Ponyville. You followed, trying not to lose sight of him amid the other disembarking passengers. The area is quite desolate, with only a small bookstore, a convenience store, and a market in front of the train station. It’s easy for you to keep Shining in view. Though you knew this neighborhood was carved out of the Stallion Ridge Mountain foothills, there are still steep inclines and wooded areas remain that escaped assimilation. You’re amazed that such a quiet place exists less than an hour out of central Canterlot. Shining seems to know these streets. He moves quickly and purposefully through the suburban community, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Before long, Shining reaches a house. Without ringing the bell or even knocking, he opens the door and vanishes inside, leaving you to wonder how Shining can treat the house as his own. After waiting to see if Shining comes back out, you approached the gate and checked the mailbox for a clue to who ever lived in there. Moonlight Shadow, it reads. You never heard of anyone by that name among Shining’s acquaintances. Next, your attention is drawn to the thick was of leaflets sticking out of the small slot. This coupled with the general dilapidated feel of the place, suggest that it has been abandoned for some time. A small playground about two blocks away provides an adequate vantage point from which to watch the front of the Moonlight Shadow residence. Fortunately, it does not appear to be the sort of house that has a rear exit. You settled down on a bench to begin your stakeout. I should’ve brought more smokes. One hour passes, and then another, but there remains no sign of movement around the Shadow residence. Soon, twilight settles upon the neighborhood as it slowly gets darker ever minute it passes. After your one pack of cigarettes ran out, the stakeout became a battle against mounting impatience. You killed time by redialing Cherry on your cell and sending her short text messages, but your efforts are futile, as you knew they would be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the sky begins to turn deep blue and the streetlights came on, Shining finally emerges from the house and heads back towards the station with the same hurried stride. After some brief consideration, you decide that right now, investigating the house is more important than tailing Shining. You rang the doorbell just to make sure. After the expected silence in response, you checked around you to make sure no one was watching and turns the doorknob. The door is not locked… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~(Shadow Residence)~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The moment you entered the house, stale air thick with mold and dust fills your nostrils. It’s the unmistakable smell of a house that has long lain untouched. There is also a faint hint of something else in the air, something reminiscent of damp sewers and fetid cisterns. Flipping the light switch does nothing. The power must be cut off… You use your cigarette lighters smallish-flashlight to illuminate the immediate area. In the thick dust covering the floor, you see several brand-new trails of footprints that could have been made by shoes – Shining Armor’s. You decide to follow suit and dispense with courtesy. You enter with your shoes on. ???You followed Shining Armor’s footsteps to the second floor, where you begin to catch the scent of paper in the stale air. It’s the smell of old books, instantly recognizable to anyone who had worked in an antique bookstore or library…. Which in fact the Mystic Den and the Canterlot Grand Library. The first room, was some kind of a child's room... but it was different. there seems to be a foul smell coming from the bed itself! By the looks of it, something brown was smertched all around the sheets and pillows that's already dried up. it's the same stench only found in dumpsters and rancid sewers. You can't bear this and wen't on to the next room. The second room has numerous stacks of boxes. Peeking inside one of them, you saw several canned goods like tuna, sardines, meat loaf, and corned beef, anything in cans are there. You think that whoever lived here doesn't seem to want to leave the house. But why is it deserted then? It makes you wonder... what happened to the occupants of the house? The third room is empty. Nothing is inside, but a single chair in the middle of the room facing the door. You don't know why, but there's something about this room that makes your body quiver in fear. The hairs on the back of your head stood on end. You wanted to run and get the hell out of the house, but you have to stay and investigate... otherwise, you'll end up with nothing and looking for answers about Shining Armor would be just a waste of time. The fourth room seems to be locked... go figure. But there's a hole on the door enough to peek through it. Peeking in, you see a small light emitting next to what appears to be a window. It's all black inside so the only thing that indicates daylight was that small hole on the other side of the room. Upon looking at it, you noticed something was moving there! You squinted a bit to get a good look, but as you do the light turned red, and it seems to be moving towards you! Jerking back, you stumbled on the floor and moved back a little. What was that?! Was someone there? Is it Shining Armor? No, he saw him leave! But who is that? Looking at the door closer, the door seems to be nailed shut. it's a good thing too... whoever is inside there will never get out... you moved on without looking at that door's hole again. The fifth room on the second floor turns out to be a study, its towering shelves packed with such a vast number of books that you fear for the stability of the floor. As a medical student yourself, you’re able to discern at a glance that this study belongs to a medical professional, and a high-level one at that. Judging by the content of the books, a smorgasbord of technical volumes far beyond a simple student’s understanding, the owner’s interests lie more with medical research that with clinical practice. Shining must have spent most of his time here. The scattered dust suggests that he was searching for something, and the contents of the desk drawers are in obvious disarray. A small pile of books stacked on the side table catches his eye. Being next to the desk, they must have been the most frequently read. Their nature could shed some light on the character of the person who worked here. You frowned at that as you examine the three books. These aren’t scientific texts like the rest, but old, leather-bound western tomes like the sort you would fine in a rare book store. The titles are meaningless to you. “Traite des Chiffres” appears to concern semiotics, but “Ars Magna et Ultima” is some kind of treatise on divination? And there’s the “Voynich Manuscript”, which looks like some sort of picture book. When you pages through it, you found that the text is utterly incomprehensible. Maybe it’s some kind of cipher. Whatever they are, they clearly have nothing to do with medicine, refuting your earlier guess that this “Shadow” was a doctor. Looking down, you suddenly noticed the glint of something black and metallic underneath the chair. A pocket-sized flashlight, quite out of place among all these dusty books. Shining must have brought it in. With relief, you exchanged your lighter for the flashlight. Its tiny body emits a powerful white beam that casts away the darkness. Your courage restored, you decide to explore the rest of the house. (Stairwell) “….Hmm?” You noticed something strange, something that was not visible in the lighter’s weak flame. The slime! Dark, oily stains are everywhere. The stains are especially thick around the doorknobs and stair banisters, like someone grasped them with hands wrapped in greasy cloth. Looking closer, you see places where the slime was splashed low on the walls, almost as if a wet mop was run violently across the floor. “U-uh?!” Could Shadow have made these marks? If so, how? You begin to feel sick as you imagine a man shambling through the house with slime dripping from his body. (Bedroom) Finding the bedroom next to the study, you checked the closet on a hunch. You discovered two empty suitcases – not what one would leave behind when going on a long vacation. A sudden chill ran through you. Whoever was living here is still somewhere inside the house. Suppressing the urge to flee, you went back downstairs to check the first floor. If you find a corpse, you’ll have to call the police right away. You might get away with trespassing if you report it first, but if they find the body later, it’ll be awfully hard to explain your fingerprints all over the house. (Den) The flashlight reveals the den to be covered in even more slime than the rest of the house. The sofa looks as though it was dredged from the bottom of a swamp. (Kitchen) In the kitchen, you took one look at the sink and decided not to get any closer. You don’t want any more fuel for your imagination. (Bathroom) You reached the door to the bathroom. A common scene from TV dramas flashes through your head – a body with slit wrist floating in a bathtub full of water. And wasn't there a movie where a hit-man disposes of his victim in a bathtub filled with lye? You braced yourself for the worst and open the door slowly, and then shine your light into the ceramic bathtub that appears from the darkness like a white ghost. Bones! So many bones! Bones black with dry flesh and blood! You put your one hand against the wall to steady yourself as your legs threaten to buckle. Something is wrong, you realized as you try desperately to get your thoughts in order. The bones are too small, and there are far too many of them! They aren't human. After taking several deep breaths to calm yourself down, you enter the bathroom and examine the tub. The bones are piled atop each other like fallen leaves. They appear to be from small animals, perhaps cats or dogs. Even so, the quantity is mind-boggling. How many bodies would it take to produce this many bones?! Bones have all been separated from one another, so it doesn’t look like bodies were just thrown into the tub and left to rot. Each bone is covered with deep grooves – marks left by teeth biting through flesh. Your sanity won’t let you consider the possibility that a human could have done this. The owner of this house must have kept some sort of carnivorous animal as a pet, giving it the bones of small animals to eat and disposing of the remains in the bathtub. But why not dispose of the leftovers properly? They could have just been thrown out with the garbage. Or was there something keeping him from leaving the house? The relief you felt when you realized that the bones weren’t human is once again under attack. In the first place, what the hell was Shining Armor doing here?! “What’s wrong?” A voice suddenly said from behind you. “Huh!?” You whirled around, your light revealing Shining Armor’s expressionless face. “You’re trespassing” “S-so are you,” You replied, barely managing to speak over the pounding of your heart. Shining pushes past you and looks into the bathtub. He doesn’t even flinch at the sight of the bones. “A friend of mine lives here. I’m just running an errand.” “What? Who’s this friend?” When did you meet them?” You don’t want to believe that the old, friendly Shining Armor could have had contact with the denizens of this house. “I’ll introduce you one of these days,” He says, turning to leave without even a glance at you. “I owe her my life.” “Hey, Shining!” You ran after Shining Armor as your heart finally beats normally again. “Wait, is this friend of yours the reason you've been acting so strange?” Standing in the entrance, Shining glares coldly at you over his shoulder. The utter of emotion in his eyes gives you pause. “You followed me, didn’t you?” “Ugh…” You swallowed. What can you say? “You’re starting to bother me. Don’t do it again.” “….Fine.” Shining walks away without another word, leaving you along in the entrance. Up until this very moment, concern for your friend was still at the forefront of your mind. Now, however, that concern is swiftly giving way to a growing sense of dread. Does the Shining Armor you knew no longer exist? Was the person who just stared you down an impostor wearing Shining’s skin? You began to believe that it might be so. ???----------(Shining Armor residence)---------- What a nuisance. Why does he insist on interfering? If he only spoke with me to exchange pleasantries, even I could bear it. But now he’s sticking his nose into my business just to satisfy his curiosity? That friend is a perfect example of someone who thinks that it’s always good to take an interest in other people’s affairs. He probably thinks that he’s doing me a favor by prying into my personal life. He couldn’t be more wrong… If he keeps this up, I might have to find some way to deal with him. Like Alice said, I have to keep my search for Dr. Shadow a secret. He could ruin everything. I didn’t have time to fully investigate the Shadow residence today. At this rate, it will probably take several days just to go through the study. Alice didn’t believe that I’d find anything to help with the search, but I think there’s still a lot to explore. Who knows what I’ll discover? The problem is him. He knows about the house now. Will he make things difficult? “ExCusE ME,” A hair-raising voice calls as I’m about to pass through my gate. Suppressing a shudder, I put on a fake smile and turn to face the writhing mass of rotten flesh that is staring at me with bulging eyes. “GOOD EVeniNg. aRE YOu just GeTtIng hOME?” “Yes, I am.” Ah, of course. This is my next door neighbor Mr. Cake, a middle-aged baker – I think -- who spends all day at home while his wife works. I haven’t had much contact with him since the accident. Why is he suddenly talking to me now? “HaVE yoU gOttEN usED to lIVIng alOne?” “Yes. Thank you for your help.” “I know it mUSt be vEry dIFFicUlt, bUT yoU’rE still YOuNg. YOU HAVe To tRY to MoVE oN With YOuR lIfE.” “Yeah…” What is this? Did he stop me just to deliver a lecture? “WIth SUcH A BIG HOusE, it MUst Be hARD To Take CaRe of EVErytHiNg By YOuRSeLF.” “Yes, I suppose it is rather difficult.” “WhY noT hIRE A caRETaker? DIDn’T your fAtHEr have onE?” “I’m still a student. I can’t afford the expense.” “I SEe…” The flesh-beast undulates foully, as though it still has something to say. The sight of it is driving me close to the edge. “EvEN SO, doN’t YOu ThiNk yoU sHOuld at LEasT tEnd TO your yArD? I’d Be HAppY To Help.”. “No, thank you. I’ll manage on my own.” Now I get it. He’s worried that the unsightliness of my house might diminish the image of his own. Damned snob. I flash a token smile, and then retreat behind the safety of my gate. I can feel Cake’s eyes boring into my back all the way to the front door. Why won’t everyone stay out of my life!? I just want to live together with Alice, alone where no one will ever bother us. Mr. Cake sighs in annoyance as he watches the neighbor boy retreat into his house. What’s with the attitude? Even while talking, he kept his eyes averted, as if to avoid looking at something repulsive. Has he always been such an unpleasant young man? No, of course not. When his parents were still alive, he had been a normal youth – a little shy, but sensitive and caring. The unfamiliarity of living alone must be causing him undue stress. If this continues, he might start to develop some serious mental problems. Or is it too late already, Mr. Cake wonders as he gazes wearily at Shining Armor’s yard. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Even during dinner, Mr. Cake can’t shake the neighboring house from his mind. “What’s wrong, honey? You look like something’s bothering you.” Mrs. Cake asked, looking at her husband a bit worried. “Yeah… I saw the young man from next door today.” Mr. Cake replied, looking over her as he takes a plate of mashed potatoes. “Shining Armor?” “I just had to say something about his yard.” “I know. I wish he’d at least do something about that smell.” The stink coming from Shining Armor’s house grows worse each day, and the family is at its wits’ end. “Could there be a dead cat in his bushes? He must notice the smell coming from his own yard.” “He couldn’t be leaving garbage out there, could he?” “Surely not.” “No, I wouldn’t put it past him. Who knows what he’s doing in there all day with the storm shutters closed. What kind of life he’s leading?” “Did he go crazy?” Carrot Cake, their daughter asked as she leans over her father. “Now, Carrot Cake, you mustn’t say things like that.” “But I think he is!” Pound Cake said out loud, as he kept chugging a glass of milk. “Honestly, with the way things are going, I’m starting to wonder if he’s gone paranoid or something.” Mr. Cake sighs at the thought. “Will he be alright?” “Unless he gets help soon, who knows?” The seconds crawl by, each tick of the clock compounding my agony. When I returned from the Shadow residence, I was greeted by a silent empty home. Alice had vanished without leaving any clue as to her whereabouts. It isn’t rare for her to go for walks at night. I’ve often gone with her. However, such outings always take place in the middle of the night, when no one is around, and never last for more than two hours. Right now, it’s five in the morning. Soon the sky will begin to show the first light of dawn. Even if she left right before I returned, she’s still been gone for almost half a day. I can’t sleep. I can only wait in anguish. I tried to distract myself by painting more rooms, but I couldn’t concentrate on the work. If I had known this would happen, I would have left the Shadow house sooner. I wish I hadn’t wasted time on him. If Alice doesn’t return… The thought makes me want to tear out my hair. After its long absence, the terror of true loneliness is too much to bear. At last, the cowbell chimes and Alice’s long-awaited “I’m hone!” rings out from the bottom of the stairs. As I jump out of my bed in relief, all of the stress that has built up through the night is released in a wave that threatens to sweep me off my feet. “Ahh, so tired,” Alice sighs as she climbs the stairs. “I knew the trip would be hard.” “Alice! Where have you…” My question trails off as I notice the thick bundles of paper that she’s carrying under her arms. “What are those?” “Your medical charts and surgery records. I went back to the hospital today.” Alice drops her bundles on the floor, sending paper flying everywhere, then pulls her favorite cushion over and collapses into it, stretching luxuriously. “You walked all the way back from the hospital in the middle of the night?” “Sorry,” She says, skillfully gathering the scattered papers together. “I meant to come back sooner, but there were so many files to go through. So I decided to just bring everything. It was so heavy!” Maybe it’s just the exhaustion, but I don’t understand a word Alice’s saying “What are you planning to do with all this?” “What do you mean? I’m going to study it, of course,” She replies holding the MRI photograph after another up to the light. “I’ll have plenty of time to go over it here.” At first I think she’s just playing around, but the occasional mutters of “Ah, better check this one,” “Oh, I see,” “Well, that was silly of them,” And the like as she separates photos into a growing pile beside her make me think that this might not be a joke after all. “Do you understand this stuff?” “I learned a lot from Dad!” She flashes me a grin, then returns to the papers. “Hmm… so that’s how it is. No wonder it can’t be fixed.” “….It can’t?” “Not by a human doctor.” I can’t tell is she’s being serious. “Even for me, it’ll probably be tough,” She says offhandedly, even as her hands continue to shuffle papers. “I’ll have to experiment first.” Watching more closely, I realize that her eyes are scanning each page rapidly – so rapidly, in fact, that I was unable to notice it at first. Is it possible that Alice, a young girl, is actually reading my charts? “Hey, Alice.” “Yeah?” she answers coolly, looking up from the charts. “I’m tired. Let’s go to bed.” “Sure,” Alice replies with a grin, “If that’s what you want.” Alice tosses aside the papers she was sorting, then leaps on me and begins to tear off my clothes. “H-hey!...” “Come on, just once before bed. Okay?” Contrary to her appearance, Alice’s appetite for sex would put any adult to shame. You could even say it’s a little unnatural. She’s not just passionate; she also has unlimited stamina, making me wonder where her slender body gets all the energy from. Never satisfied with letting me feast on her to my heart’s content, she always uses me to pleasure herself until I’m forced to tap out. “Hey, Alice. Don’t you think it’s unhealthy to be doing this every day?” “Huh? Are you sick, Shining?” “No, not me. My body is all grown up. But you’re still…” “Ah… Ahaha, don’t worry!” She laughs playfully as she pushes me onto the bed, the familiar sweet sensation of her weight and skin rendering me helpless. “But I’m worried! We haven’t used any contraception.” To my astonishment, Alice is completely uninterested in safe sex. She doesn’t just eschew protection; she even insists that I ejaculate inside of her. Surely she must know the risks… which can only mean that she wants to get pregnant. “Shining…” she whispers, staring straight into my eyes. “You don’t want me to have your children?” How can I respond to that? “it’s not that. Your body is too small. Pregnancy is a serious burden, you know?” “That’s not really something you have to worry about…” Alice seems unsure how to reply, but not because she doesn’t understand what I said. Rather, the bemused look on her face makes it seem as though I’m the one not getting it. “But I know you’re just thinking of me,” she says suddenly, her smile glowing with innocence. “So I’m happy!” By the time I break the spell of her angelic smile; Alice had undone my belt and is removing my pants. “C-come on, Alice…” “Relax,” she says teasingly as she bares my crotch and wraps her slender white fingers around my penis and testicles. “Tonight, I’ll do it so you don’t have to worry.” The feeling of her willowy, unblemished fingers embracing me is enough to fill me with twisted ecxtasy and draw out my male instinct. “Uh!” Seeing my response, Alice brings her face to my groin and lovingly wraps her lips around the head of my penis. “Ah!” My hips jerk involuntary at the unexpected, intense shock of her sucking hard on such a sensitive area. “Did that hurt?” She asks, looking timidly at me as she soothingly strokes my shaft. “No… I’m fine.” Where did Alice learn how to pleasure a man so well? I can’t believe the precision and skill of her ministrations. Her sinuous fingers are like snakes coiled around my manhood, their sensual undulations drawing desire forth from my loins. As if all ten fingers weren’t enough to drown me in pleasure, next she adds her lips and tongue. “*Lick*… *Slurp*…” The mind-blowing pleasure from this new stimulation instantly threatens to push me over the edge. A damp heat different from that of her womb presses down on me from all directions. Looking down. I see my lust filling her tiny mouth, stretching the graceful lines of her cheeks and jaw so far that I fear she might break. The sight makes me worry that she’s pushing herself too hard, but her tongue continues to devour me like a kitten desperately sucking on her mother’s teat. As I watch, I begin to feel like I’m violating Alice’s innocent, unsullied face. The feeling of breaking a taboo further increases my perverted ecstasy. In every man lurks the dark desire to spoil that which is beautiful. Alice’s bewitching body, able to drive me mad every night, is perfectly designed to draw out such savage lusts. “Alice!” I can’t hold it anymore. I’ll come any second now. But where?! When the moment comes, what will I do with this thing in Alice’s mouth? “H-hey, wait, I’m going to…” I try to pull out, but Alice doesn’t let me. She grabs my thighs and doubles the intensity of her sucking, as if she’s trying to pull me even deeper into her throat. I’m worried about her, but my body is at its limit. As irresistible waves of pleasure sweep away my willpower, I unleash my pent-up seed deep into Alice’s throat. What have I done?! I feel panic rises within me. Regardless of the situation, I shouldn’t have ejaculated into her mouth. What if she chokes on it? Alice, however, pays no heed to my distress. Still clinging to my waist like a predator unwilling to relinquish its pray, she starts swallowing effortlessly like someone dying of hunger. “----*Gulp* ----*Gulp*---“ What is she swallowing? The answer is obvious – every last drop of the passion that I just disgorged into her mouth. This is the first time I’ve ever had a girl do this to me. To be honest, I’m speechless with shock. I’ve always been prejudiced against fellatio, thinking it to be something that perverted sadistic men force women to do. But Alice… “Mmm… pwah! Hehe, that was good, Shining.” She looks up to me, answering my confusion by smiling like she just pulled the greatest prank of her life. Her small tongue darts out from her lips to lick away the last milky remnants around her mouth. That tongue was just licking my… The thought sends a worrying jolt of pleasure to my brain. “See? You don’t have to worry if I do it like this.” “Ah… Well…” That’s hardly the problem, but I have no idea how to respond. “Hey… Was it bad? It didn’t feel good?” Hearing the sudden nervousness in Alice’s voice, I hastily stammer, “O-of course it felt good.” In fact, it felt so good that I thought I’d go crazy - -but I can’t say that, can I? “But Alice, you didn’t have to swallow it.” “What? But I want it!” Suddenly distraught, Alice clings to me like a child who’s just had her candy stolen. “I want every last drop of it. I want it inside me.” “I-inside you?” So Alice really does want to bear my child? I’m… not averse to the idea. I still think it might be too early, of course, but there isn’t much point worrying about my reputation now. Assuming that Alice and I will be left alone, I even welcomed it. However, that only explains her appetite for normal sex. I still don’t know why she wants to swallow, of all things, during fellatio. Well, I suppose that what’s “impure” or “taboo” differs from person to person, and I can’t simply apply normal values to Alice. “….. You don’t like it?” She gazes up at me pleadingly. How can I resist? “I do… I like it. As long as you’re okay with it, so am I.” Alice smiles with relief and burrows contentedly into my chest. “I love you, Shining,” she purrs softly. With her body draped over mind, I become even more aware of how light and delicate she is. Can this tiny girl and I really live as husband and wife? I feel a pang of self-loathing at the question. How can I still be afraid after all that’s happened? Alice’s feelings are so earnest. How can I not accept them? I need to resolve once and for all to rid myself of the useless trappings of morality. Alice and I are all that matters. There’s no point in worrying about what others think anymore – although I suppose I should still talk to Alice’s guardian, of course. I need to find Dr. Shadow as soon as possible. By the time I drift to sleep in exhaustion’s comforting embrace, all doubts about Alice’s actions have vanished from my mind. Whatever the case, all that matters is that she’s returned to me. -----------(Canterlot Hospital *Outside*)----------- That evening, a stranger just arrived in Canterlot University Hospital, wearing a dark yellow undershirt and a Camo-jacket with a badge that looked like an open book with two pages on display, short black hair, and a twenty six year old army private named, Lieutenant Insurance Policy, A.k.a Icy Lance . Shining Armor’s former classmate from the 3rd Infantry Academy and a Corporal in his current regiment before he transferred to being a Medical Student. The two weren’t really that close, but they were the best specially while in the training courtyard, where Shining was first at the targets, while he himself was second. Shining was on the top of his game, which is why Lance didn’t understand why he’d quit the team and decided to become a Medical Student instead. After he heard about his accident, Lance thought of visiting him for once, He tried calling Shining’s best friend, which oddly keeps forgetting his name, but didn’t respond an hour ago. Surely he’s asleep or busy with something… As he stepped through the door of the University, he noticed that it was open and not locked… “The security here seems to be slacking, can’t say I’m surprised due to the lack of criminal ratings in the area.” He said to himself, as he proceeded through. At the reception desk, he spots a nightshift lady, and asked which room Shining Armor was in, and surprised that he was already released three months ago. “Well, that’s a bit of a downer…” He sighs and thanked the lady for the answer. He stepped outside and tried calling that guy again… still no response. Maybe he’ll try tomorrow at school where he heard that Shining was going… He guessed that his new friends, Cherry and Cadance are there. Though he’d not be surprised if those two got together already, since Shining kept telling him through text that, that girl liked him, but he can’t answer her for what she had confessed a long time ago. He grinned and just laughs silently at that thought. He walks off, in search for a place to stay for the night… “I’m bushed!” he yawns. ----------(Cake Residence)--------- Two o’clock – for Mr. Cake, this is the most fulfilling time of day. After seeing his wife and kids off, taking care of the morning chores, and eating a leisurely lunch, it’s finally time to sit down at his little bakery in his basement. He’s not particularly the most famous baker, and he would only hold a sale himself in front of the house, due to his injured back, if he were hurting for money. However, he usually makes pastries for his wife to be sold off at their bake shop. Sure, he can make those at the bake shop himself, but he prefers to do it in home. Nothing beats the ambience of a home while working. Alongside the profits his wife earns while selling pastries, they’re able to pay their mortgage, send their kids to school, and still have plenty left over. Mr. Cake’s life is perfect – leisurely and absent of want. He loves his house, considering it the symbol of his success. When he mows the lawn, polishes the windows and floors, and cleans the kitchen, toilet, and bath, he feels the same joy as he does when washing his own body or baking bread and decorating… well, cakes! As his name implies, he’s good at making, mainly cakes. Just as he knows the length of his fingernails and the time since his last mean, he also knows everything about his home’s condition: the status of every door, the freshness of every flower, the amount of ice in the ice tray – every last detail. This is his pride, and when he sits on his basement, where he usually do his baking, smelling the scent of newly baked goods and knowing that each element of his house is in perfect order, he feels the ultimate satisfaction. While trying to find the right combinations to make the sweetest meringue, he suddenly feels thirsty, but soon remembers that there isn’t much orange juice left in the refrigerator. In fact, it’s also about time to stock up on bath additive and powdered soap. He could get everything at the supermarket when he goes to shop for dinner, but it will probably be quite heavy. Now then, there should I leave off to go shopping? As he ponders this dilemma, he heads upstairs to the kitchen. Just then, a breath of air tickles the back of his neck, bringing him to a halt in the middle of the hallway. A breeze – impossible. Every window in the house is closed. Mr. Cake shut them himself during his morning cleaning. Mr. Cake enters the living room, searching for the source of the breeze. Something stinks! It’s the same pungent smell of fetid swampland that emanates from Shining Armor’s house. The window facing the yard next door is open, its curtains billowing loosely in the gentle breeze. There’s a hole in the glass next to the lock. It looks strange, like it was melted by some chemical instead of broken. Someone must have reached through the hole to unlock the window. Mr. Cake stands paralyzed, his heart pounding with anger – and fear. He listens carefully, but hears nothing. Perhaps the intruder had already finished his business and left... but a burglar wouldn’t have left the room untouched, would he? Maybe he heard Mr. Cake coming and hid… somewhere nearby. Mr. Cake realizes that his still-moist butter knife is in his right hand. He must have forgotten to put it aside before going upstairs. He stares numbly at the knife for a moment, and then decides that it’s not enough protection. Instead, he grabs the ashtray sitting on top of a table. Make of thick solid glass, its big and heavy enough to serve as a weapon. The home that he thought of as part of himself now seems utterly alien. Keenly aware of the thumping of his heart, Mr. Cake looks around the living room and sees little that could be used as a hiding place. The intruder must have gone either to the guest room or through the dining room to the kitchen. The kitchen is close to the stairs. If there had been movement, Mr. Cake would have noticed it when he came up… which means the guest room is the most likely place. He shuffles over to the guest room door and prepares to slide it open. But what is that stench? Could the breeze alone carry something so foul? It’s as if the odor is coming from inside the room. He readies his ashtray and throws open the door. The straw-matted, Japanese-style room is empty. There is a closet, but no one could fit in there. The intruder already left. Mr. Cake relaxes, the exhaustion of sudden relief coming over him. And that is when something seizes his ankle. The instant he freezes in shock, his leg is yanked out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor. Stars explode behind his eyes as his head smacks against the door rail. The hand – is it can even be called that – wrapped around Mr. Cake’s ankle extends all the way back to beneath the living room sofa. There are barely five centimeters between the sofa and the floor, but the intruder is able to hide in that tiny space. It can’t possibly be human. “AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Before the screaming, Mr. Cake regain his footing, countless hand-like appendages seize his arms and legs, rendering him helpless. “CALm down. DOn’t BE sCarEd.” A hideous voice burbles in his ear as something cold and soft crawls atop him. Mr. Cake can’t even scream, his terror is so great. “iT wON’t HUrT. Don’T bE sCarED. IT WOn’T hURT.” Thin, tube-like appendages penetrate his ears and nose, wriggling deep into his skull. Right before the sensation drives him mad, Mr. Cake loses consciousness. ----------(Canterlot University Hospital *Chrome's Office*)---------- “She’ll be here in a moment, I’ll go and get back to my OJT now,” Mari, a nurse student who’s also your classmate is taking her on-the-job training here at the university, was directing you through the hallway into an office. “Okay, thanks… I’ll see you in class next time.” You said to her, then continued your conversation with the others. “Hold on, wait… so let me get this straight.” Lance said, while looking at you. Lance had finally received your call this morning, and told him about Shining’s condition, and his outright strange behavior in the past days. He can’t believe it himself, but you’re about to ask the person who knew Shining’s current condition all too well… “Just wait, hold that thought for now. She’s here…” You hushed him down, as the person you’re waiting for came in. “Thank you for taking the time to see us,” You said, your humble nod conceals your surprise at the doctor’s youth. Even without her light makeup, she wouldn’t look a day over thirty. She must be quite talented to be a leading neurosurgeon at such a young age. “Don’t mention it. I was hoping somebody like you would come along.” Her friendly smile has none of the coldness one might expect from her sharp, refine beauty. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dr. Chrome Regios, Shining Armor’s attending physician. “This is Cadance, and I’m~” “I’m Icy Lance, Ma’am…” Lance cuts you off, just as you were about to say your name… The mood was broken already, you decide to continue the conversation without mentioning your name to her. When you arrived at the Canterlot University Center and asked to see Shining’s Doctor, You, Cadance and Lance had been prepared for rejection. You hadn’t expected the ease with which their request was granted. “You say you want to know what’s wrong with him. Well, so do I.” “’I’m sorry?” Chrome sighs. “He didn’t come in for his checkup two days ago. I tried calling his home, but there was no answer.” Two days ago… the same day Shining was searching that abandoned house. You frowned, wondering what was important enough for him to blow off his appointment. “What is he like at school?” “He’s… totally screwed up.” Seeing Cadance’s shoulders jerk out of the corner of his eye, you regret not choosing your words more carefully. “Well, based on what this guy said… I don’t need any proof to know what he went from boon to a loon.” Lance added, making Cadance shudder even more. “Since the accident, he’s been like a completely different person. We have no idea what to do. So we thought that talking to you might help.” You said, hoping that she would. “Are you medical students too?” she asks out of nowhere. “Huh? Well, yes.” You answered. “Not me… I’m a Lieutenant in the 3rd Infantry divition of the Canterlot Army.” Lance corrected. “I see… well, would you like to see his charts?” “You’d really show them to us?” You replied, incredulous. Dr. Regios regards you silently for a moment, then sighs and says, “Someone wanted to see them – and without the hospital’s permission. His files were stolen from the archives two nights ago.” “What?!” you all shouted in unison, astonished at what she had just said. She stares hard at all of you, and then shakes her head with a tired smile. “Well, it doesn’t look like you three were involved. That’s a relief.” “O-of course we weren’t! “ Lance said, his voiced raised a little. “However, the culprit must have had an interest in his condition – or wanted to erase his records. Either way, I can only assume that it was someone close to him.” “I see…” An ominous thought flashes through your mind – it couldn’t have been Shining Armor himself, could it? You look at Dr. Chrome and find her staring right back at you, her expression grave. You realized that she must be harboring the same suspicion. “What do you think? Do you have any idea who among his associates might have done it?” Perhaps Dr. Chrome didn’t have anyone in mind when she asked, but your thoughts immediately fly to the eerie house to which Shining led you. “I don’t really know what their relationship is, but there’s someone called Shadow, probably a doctor or a…” You stop speaking as you see the dramatic change that has come across Dr. Chrome’s face. “….You knew Dr. Shadow?” “Do you know when and where Shining first encountered that man?” “No, that’s what I’d like to know. Just who is this Shadow?” After remaining silent for some time, Dr. Chrome looses a heavy sigh. “Alright. It’s not like you couldn’t find out on your own easily enough. Moonlight Shadow was a doctor teaching at this hospital. He was dismissed over six months ago, however, following certain incidents.” “What incidents? What did he do?” Lance asked, simply curious now. “I can’t say anymore. And anyway, it has nothing to do with your friend.” You had no argument with which to answer Dr. Chrome’s flat rejection. However, you can’t shake the feeling that this Shadow person is the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding Shining Armor. “Doctor,” You said, making up your mind. “Shining might be… involved in a crime.” At this sudden declaration, Lance, Cadance and Dr. Chrome raise their eyebrows. “What do you mean?” “A friend of ours went missing after going to see him. Shining denies any involvement, of course.” You said with the utmost urge to say your findings. “You mean… Cherry?” Cadance stutters. You’re unable to bear the shock in Cadance’s face. “Sorry, Cadance… I couldn’t tell you.” “Well, that does it! Let’s hunt down that piece of turd!” Lance pounds his fist together, already in a state of his feeling for a hunt. Dr. Chrome is frowning, her expression even more serious than before. But you pressed on. “Right now, this Shadow seems to be the center of Shining’s attention. If we know who he is and what Shining’s looking for, we might start to see the whole picture. Please tell us, doctor. Just what happened at this hospital?” Lance grins. “Spoken like a true detective.” Dr. Chrome hesitates for some time, refusing to make eye contact, bit she finally shakes her head. “I’m sorry. This is not a decision I can make on my own.” “Doctor…” “Give me some time. I’ll do my own investigation now that I know how far this has gone.” “Please.” You are out of options. All that’s left is to trust this young doctor. It’s frustrating, but a friend’s rights only go so far. “Let’s exchange cell phone numbers. I’ll call you if I learn anything, and you call me the moment anything changes.” “Alright.” Lance was still itching for a fight. His violent nature nearly took him earlier, but still has that feeling… He thought for a moment then decides. “Alright Y’all… I’d better get going. I need to do something. Call me too if anything changes.” He turns then leaves the premises. You and Cadance looked at him before he disappears on the other side of the door. (Later that day...) ---------------Cake's Residence------------- What the… What happened to me? Cake’s consciousness returns slowly, as though rising from a bog. He’s cold… no, hot. Something itches, like tepid tongues and cold slugs crawling over his skin. What the hell’s going on? Timidly, he opens his eyes. “Wha…” It’s everywhere… The thing that attacked him in the living room – it’s everywhere! Terror shatter’s Cake’s sanity. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!” He throws off the thing lying atop him, but his wild flailing sends him crashing to the floor. But is it really the floor? The long, wriggling fibers of what should be the carpet are winding themselves around his fingers. The floor is made of worms. He tears his limbs free of the worms and tries to stand, but loses his balance and tumbles to the floor again. The worms immediately swarm over his body. Where the hell am I?! Where did that thing take me?! Mr. Cake crawls across the worm-ridden floor towards the exit from the pulsating room. When he gets outside, however, all he can see is blood, bile, and rotten meat. There is no place to run. “What is this?!” Most terrifying of all, this hellish place has the same layout as Mr. Cake’s house. In a half-mad daze, he wanders through the nightmarish mockery of his home. In the small room where his little personal bakery should be, he finds an oven made of bones displaying a blood-soaked tray with muffins from within. Like some cruel joke, everything is exactly where it should be in Mr. Cake’s Basement. “Dammit, let me out!! Let me out of here!!” Howling, Mr. Cake lashes out against everything within reach. The oven breaks to pieces, driving shrapnel into his fist. He feels the pain, but does not wake from the nightmare. If this isn’t a dream, then what is it? When his strength gives out, Mr. Cake falls to his knees, sobbing. For the first time in his life, he prays to the gods, Celestine and Lunar. *Creeeeeaaaaaakkkkk!!!* The sound of the door opening and closing grates on his ears. ”Downstairs… the front door? Someone else is here?” “wE’RE hOmE!” Mr. Cake trembles at the bloodcurdling sound. It’s that thing again; the monster has returned. “DadDY, wE’RE hoMe! WhERe’s DiNnER?” “OH, hE’S nOt HeRE? dID hE go ShOPpinG?” “WhEN CaN wE EAt?” Mr. Cake hears the sound of something slimy sloshing its way up the stairs. Even as he cowers in terror, he slides his trembling hand across the floor and grabs one of the bones from the broken oven. The tip of the bone is nice and sharp. If he does it in both hands and puts his weight behind it, he might be able to use it to defend himself. “HonEY, aRe YOu hoMe?” The monster’s growls are getting closer. Holding his breath, Mr. Cake presses his back against the wall next to the door. The pounding of his heart is like thunder in his ears, so loud that he fears the creature might hear it. He knows it will eat him if it finds him again, but it’s all he can do to keep from crying. At last the door creaks open. “HONEy?” Mr. Cake leaps on the creature as it enters, fear turning his roar into a high-pitched scream. The flesh-beast is covered in sludge and vile juices, but before horror can paralyze him, Mr. Cake brings his bone-stake stabbing it down. KKKSSHHHUUUK!!! The monster screams as the stake pierces its chest and punches through to the other side. It falls back writhing in agony. The sight of its pain sets Mr. Cake’s blood on fire. I can win. I can kill it! If I finish it off before it enters my head again, I’m safe! Mr. Cake grabs the bone and twist with all his might. The monster convulses and gurgles. Its trembling tentacles reaching up as through begging for help. “Die! Die! DIE!!!!” Mr. Cake knocks it to the floor, and then brings his heel crashing down on its flopping body again and again. With each stomp, its groans and spasms grow weaker. When the monster at last stops twitching, Mr. Cake, panting hard, tears the stake from its corpse and rises to his feet. “…DadDY?” something squeals. Mr. Cake turns around to see another, smaller monster peeking out at him from the stair landing. There’s still one left. His despirate, rage-filled attack both exhilarated him and gave him a taste for violence. This one will be easier; it’s smaller and weaker. Grinning maniacally, Mr. Cake raises his stake and moves towards the second creature. The monster flees screaming down the stairs. Not about to let his prey escape, Mr. Cake roars and gives chase. The thought that killing the monsters might end this nightmare feeds his savage bloodlust. “NO, DaDdy! nO!!” When the monster trips and falls in the dining room, Mr. Cake leaps on top of it and brings the stake crashing down. His bloodlust unsated, he pulls it free, then drives it again into the monster’s flesh – once, twice, thrice, and more -- until there’s nothing left but shredded, pulverized meat. Eventually, the only sound in the house is Mr. Cake’s heavy breathing. Unknowingly noticing that there was one more left there and saw everything he did. It silently slipped away through the front door, escaping his wrath. He has slain two monsters and fails to notice the last one, but the nightmare shows no sign of ending. Mr. Cake staggers to the front door and goes outside. “Haha…hahahah. Ahahahah~” The sky, the city – everything has gone mad. Twisted shapes, nauseating colors, stinking air. There’s no escape. No end to the nightmare. The last remnant of Mr. Cake’s sanity vanishes like dust in the wind. “Hi, mister.” Mr. Cake turns around to the sound of a young girl’s voice. She is standing in front of the house next door, wearing a spotless one piece over her pure white skin. In the midst of this filth-ridden world, she alone glows with beauty. “How do I look to you, mister?” “You’re… very cute.” Mr. Cake feels a sudden black lust rise within him. “Really? Then the experiment might be a success!” Mr. Cake walks up to the strangely jubilant girl and brushes his hand against her long, smooth hair. “Such a lovely girl. You must be the only one in the whole world.” “….. Mister?” She looks up at the man towering over her, perhaps disturbed by his hungry stare. “How about we play a game, little girl?” “Okay, but what are we going to do?” A grin parts Mr. Cake’s lips and he replies, “Everything that will please me, of course.” With that, he grabs the girl’s collar and tears the front of her dress wide open. Shock and fear twist the lovely girl’s delicate features, stimulating Mr. Cake’s sadism. Even after killing those two monsters, the embers of violence still smolder in his heart – and now they have new fuel to burn. “I like your expression, girl. Won’t you show me an even prettier one?” “No… No!” The terrified girl flees into Shining Armor’s house. Mr. Cake runs after her, feeling the joy of the hunt. “No! Stay away!” Even in desperation, she has no hope of outrunning an adult. Mr. Cake charges down the hallway and catches up to her in the kitchen. He grabs her arm from behind and wrestles her to the floor before she can resist. “L-let me go! Why? Why are you doing this?!” “Like I said, because you’re too cute!” Enjoying the sensation of her thin arms struggling futilely against his grip, Mr. Cake uses his weight to hold her down while ripping off her remaining scraps of clothing. “No, I don’t want this! Stop!” Mr. Cake stares at the smooth body of the girl flopping beneath him, entranced by her cherry-like nipples, soft yet tight belly, and narrow waist. The thought of violating such an immaculate body amid the horrors of this twisted world is irresistibly erotic. Mr. Cake runs his tongue over every inch of her stomach and chest, as though preparing to eat her whole. She stiffens and whimpers at the sensation. “It isn’t… supposed to be this way…” Her tear-choked voice satisfies Mr. Cake’s lust for conquest. This nightmare has violated him, but now he is able to visit the same torment on this innocent girl. Where he was the victim, he is not the victimizer. The release he feels is intoxicating. His manhood is ready and waiting, so he frees it from his pants. As he playfully prods the girl’s tightly-shut slit with it, she finally starts crying in earnest. “No! Stop! I’m Scared! Shiniiiiing!!!!” “Ahaha, I haven’t even done anything yet.” Putting his mouth close to the sobbing girl’s ear, Mr. Cake whispers, “If you’re this scared already… how will you scream when I put it in you?” “Sto---“ Staring into her wide-open eyes, Mr. Cake drives himself deep into her body. The girl screams in pain as he forces himself through her still-dry slit. Mr. Cake is surprised by her lack of hymen, but even more so by the sensation of her inner folds – much too welcoming for such an immature-seeming girl. “Oh my, you’re awfully used to men. You look cute, but you’re really a dirty little girl.” “No more… Don’t hurt me…” “No,” Mr. Cake smiles, “I think I have to punish you for being so naughty.” Mr. Cake begins to move inside her, each violent thrust forcing a cry from her lips and tears from her eyes as her head jerks in agony. Soon she loses the strength to resist and goes limp, concentrating instead on enduring Mr. Cake’s cruelty. Yet she states tearfully, pleadingly into Mr. Cake’s lust-flamed eyes as he pounds mercilessly into her flesh. “Why… Why aren’t you gentle?” “Because you’re adorable!” Mr. Cake roars, his breathing wild with passion. “You’re too pretty not to hurt! Too beautiful not to break!” The girl’s choking gasps, the despair in her eyes – they only intensify his ecstasy. “Help… Help me… Shining…” (20 minutes earlier) (Shining Armor's Perspective) As always, the sights of the city grate on my nerves. Today, however, I don’t feel as much hatred as I usually do. I have grown more accustomed to my condition, but that is not the reason for today’s high spirits. My search for the Shadow house has finally borne fruit. When I pulled all the drawers out of the desk in the study, I found an envelope stuck between the desk and wall. It must have fallen off the back of the writing tray. Inside were three outdoor photographs. I couldn’t recognize the scenery due to my condition, but I’m pretty sure that they show three buildings. Scrawled on the back of each photo was an address: Star Junction, M Village; Torchwood Prefecture, S Town; Seashore Prefecture, H Town. None of the names is familiar, so they must be way out in the country side. The photos are all dated more than ten years ago. I don’t know why they were taken or what they mean, but maybe Alice will be able to make some sense of them. In any case, this is something that even Alice missed while she was living in that house. I wonder how she’ll react when I show her what I’ve found. Alice… I want so badly to see her. The thought of her waiting for me speeds my footsteps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I step through the gate, I see that the front door is wide open again. This is the second time this had happened. Upon entering the house this time, however, the sound of Alice crying chills my blood. “Help… Help me… Shining…” And it’s not just her. I also hear a low, wet grunting. There’s no time to gawk around and figuring out what that was. I race down the hallway, propelled by a terrifying premonition. A monster is in my house, and it’s raping Alice! The filth oozing from its body spreads across her skin as it drives itself with animal ferocity between her weakly trembling thighs. The monster forces its grotesque penis deeper and deeper into her, each brutal thrust warping her vagina in clearly painful ways. Each time the beast moves, Alice’s sobs becomes cries of agony. She looks at me with tear-filled eyes and calls my name in a weak, breathless voice. “S-shining… help…” Rage erupts inside me like black lava. The monster stops gorging itself on Alice’s body and turns its head to look at me. Surprised by my own composure, I slip past it and went to grab a weapon in the kitchen, anything! There I found four kitchen tools, I need to think fast! I took the butcher knife off the knife rack, its sharp and swift handling can cut even the most though meat with one swipe, let’s see if it can cut this bastard to pieces. Without a moment’s hesitation, I slash at the monster’s face. ???It screams and staggers away from Alice. My attack must have blinded it, because it flails its tentacles wildly as it tries to drive me away. My bloodlust still unsated, I calmly seize one of the appendages and plunge my weapon twice more into its quivering flesh. The weapon drives through its body, injuring it even more with fascinating ease. Each strike sprays my face with its blood. As I carve the monster to pieces and mutilating it, savoring its hideous screams, my mind is finally consumed by rage. No mercy. I’ll see this monster suffer for what it’s done to Alice! I give myself to the fury, howling at the top of my lungs as I slash, bash and crunch. Even after the flesh-beast stops moving, I keep on stabbing it’s flesh and bones until I realize that it can no longer feel pain. Cursing myself for killing it so quickly, I jammed the knife into the floor, snapping it in half. When my thoughts finally regain some cohesion, I find myself still digging the broken knife into the floor. The monster is gone, but pieces of it are scattered everywhere. I stop hitting into the tile, and in the sudden silence I hear Alice’s faint sobs coming from a corner of the kitchen. “Alice!” I pulled the cowering Alice into my arms. She stiffens in fear at first, but as soon as she realizes it’s me, she clings to my body and cries. “Shining… Shining! I was scared… so scared!” I don’t know what to say. I can only keep holding her. This should never have happened to Alice. Everything in this twisted world is to blame – yes, including myself. I couldn’t protect her. If I’d been here, then maybe I could have prevented this. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” she says again and again in a voice choked with tears. Not wanting to hear that from her, I pull her head into my chest. “Don’t say that, Alice! It’s not your fault!” I try to reassure her, but she shakes her head vigorously in denial. “No, it is. I did it.” I don’t understand. What is she saying? “You did… what?” “I messed with his brain,” She answers, glancing at the dismembered monster with her swollen eyes. “I made the inside of his head the same as yours. I made him see the world like you do.” It takes me some time to understand the meaning of Alice’s words. “What? But… how?” Finally regaining her composure, Alice responds to my confusion in a low voice. “I can do stuff like that. I can change the bodies of other living beings. I’ve had this ability since I was born.” I was speechless. I don’t know what to say next, but to just listen. “Every organism is different, so I have to study them in detail before I know how to change them. By doing some research, I figured out what happened to your brain. So I wanted to see if I could do the same thing to someone else.” “But… why?” “I thought that if everyone were like you, they would all… be kind to me.” My heart aches at the loneliness in her voice as she confesses her sorrowful wish. “But that man… he wasn’t kind at all. He said he wanted to hurt me, break me, and he…” She starts crying into my chest again, unable to say any more. I gently rub her back while trying to get my jumbled thoughts together. What is Alice, that she can do such a thing? The answer is beyond me. However, there is one thing that I can answer, here and now. Alice is mistaken. “You think that I’m kind to you because of the accident?” “Yeah,” she nods sadly I smile and shake my head. “You’re wrong. That was only the beginning.” She looked at me with a confused face, not getting what I meant. “Our relationship is the sum of so much more. The time you and I have spent together – those days, those experiences, are what made us what we are.” “Shining…” “You’ve been there for me Alice – sharing my pain, giving me hope and joy. That’s how you became so important to me. See? It’s harder than you think.” Alice is still crying, but now her tears feel warm in my chest. “Yeah, I understand. I finally understand.” Her smile shines through her tears. “I only have you, Shining. There will never be anyone else.” Now more than ever before, I feel the depth of the bond between us. And I’m sure that Alice feels it too. I wrap my arms tightly around her and seal her lips with mine. Alice responds, winding her arms around my neck as our tongues desperately seek each other’s warmth. At this moment, Alice is my whole world, and I am hers. The Earth turns for us alone. Of course. I still haven’t told her something very important. I don’t know why I’ve never said it before – perhaps because it was always so obvious. However, I should put it into words at least once – this oath of mine. “Alice… I” “Wait.” She stops me with a finger against my lips. “Before that, Shining, tell me one thing. What do you want?” “What do I… want?” Alice nods, staring into my eyes with unusual solemnity. “Like I said, I can affect the bodies of living things in a way that nothing else can. And now that I’ve learned how to manipulate human brains…” Alice pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing. “I can turn you back to normal.” “….What?!” Until now, that hasn’t even been in the realm of possibility. “I just have to do the opposite of what I did to that man. It’s… really simple.” I replay Alice’s words in my head to be sure of their meaning. “So tell me, Shining. Do you want to return to your old like? Do you want to take back what you lost in the accident?” “I…” (Want it all back) (Don’t need it anymore) ???“Well, of course,” I answer without thinking. “If it’s possible to go back, then I want to… I think.” I’ve never wondered if there could be any other answer. I stopped dwelling on this question a long time ago, and if I’d been asked before I met Alice, I wouldn’t have hesitated. But what about now? What does it mean to wish for the past, and what could it do to me and Alice? As soon as these questions occur to me, my true feelings become unclear. The hurried answer I just gave her was less certain than I thought. “Oh… Yeah, of course you would.” Alice smiles softly, her expression an unreadable mixture of what seem to be sorrow and relief. Seeing it fills me with sudden unease, as though I’ve just wounded her deeply with my careless words. “Hey, Alice, I…” “It’s okay, Shining. Don’t say anymore.” Alice silences me with another kiss, and thrusts her tongue into my mouth with even greater passion than before. As the sweet softness of her tongue clouds my mind, I begin to feel an urgent need to say what she prevented me from saying – to speak those most important words. “Alice…” I can’t speak, for some reason, my mind if hazy. My consciousness is slipping away as the euphoria from her kiss spreads to my entire body. “Sleep well, Shining,” I hear Alice whisper softly from far away. “Don’t worry. When you wake up, it’ll all be over.” Wait. I have to tell you something before I sleep… just one thing… My efforts are meaningless, however, as oblivion calls me into its embrace. ********** When I awoke, the first thing that greeted me was a terrible stink. Mr. Cake’s body covered in flies, and I could smell the rotten stench that you would expect from a corpse. The night had ended, but Alice was nowhere to be seen in the morning light. Aside from the blood-covered floor, the kitchen looked the same as it had before the accident. In the den, however, the colors that had been so soothing the day before now served as a stark reminder of what a distant world I’d been living in. Despite knowing that it would be futile, I wandered the house searching for Alice. For almost an hour, I tried in vain to deny reality. Then I called the police. When the operator answered, I couldn’t stop myself from crying. It had been such a long time since I’d heard a human voice other than Alice’s. ********** As became clear later, Mr. Cake had murdered his family before I killed him. Unable to give the police a satisfactory explanation, I was arrested for all three murders. And when they found the remains of Cherry Blossom in my house, a fourth was added to the charges – along with one count of mutilating a corpse .What it bothered me, was the Cake’s had two children, there should be four in their family. Two of the children, the wife and Mr. Cake himself. What happened to their other child is a mystery to me and the police. During my interrogation, I told them everything exactly as it had happened, in every detail. The detectives didn’t believe me, of course, but the psychiatrist who came later did. He had me moved from the jail to a much cleaner white room. That’s right. This room looks just as white to me as it does to everyone else. In the end, they declared me incapable of answering for my actions. Everything that had happened to me was real, but part of a reality incompatible with the rest of the world. So the doctors gave me a tiny space all to myself, a place where I could live in my own reality. I’m sad that I wasn’t believed, but I know that it couldn’t be helped. In this world, reality is what the majority says it is, and I had the misfortune to step outside of that box. The walls of my room are undeniably white. That, at least, I can be thankful for as I live out the rest of my life here. Everyone said that there had never been any girl named Alice. Well, so be it. Alice probably was never part of their world. But why shouldn’t I be able to hear Alice’s voice here, in my room? This is my world, after all, a continuation of the very real time that we spent together. ********** How long did I wait with such thoughts floating through my mind? One night, I woke to the sound of something crawling down the hallway. The sound would not normally have woken me, but I must have had a premonition that night. Sleeping lighter than usual, I had waited for her arrival – and so I knew instantly that it was her. “Alice?” *gurgling* She did not answer, but I could feel her outside my door, struggling with some internal conflict. “Why won’t you let me hear your voice?” *gurgling* After a long silence, something small slid through the narrow bars of my peephole. It was a cell phone, the screen already showing a notepad with freshly-entered text. “My voice will sound strange to you” I couldn’t suppress a chuckle at Alice’s uncharacteristic display of shyness. I don’t care about that at all,” I said, sending the phone back through the bars. “I just want to hear you – see you.” After a short pause, the phone returned to my side. “Please, let me stay the Alice you remember.” “…..Okay.” I’d started to suspect that it might be so. In the hell my eyes had made of the world, Alice alone had looked normal. I’d thought that she was somehow unique. In truth, however, she had probably been a different kind of “unique” that I’d imagined. It wasn’t that my senses hadn’t distorted her appearance, but that she had been so unusual as to seem normal to my twisted mind. Alice’s true form was something other than what I had known. Now, however, I could see her as she really was. But Alice didn’t want that, and it was not for me to question the workings of her heart. I just had to accept that girls need to keep some things private. “I tried to say something to you that day. Do you remember?” I slid the phone back to her. “I was hoping you’d forgotten.” I smiled wryly at the text on the screen, wondering if she really thought me so heartless. “How could I forget?” No one was listening, but still – it would have been embarrassing to speak the rest aloud, so this time I typed it into the phone. G, H, I J, k, l M, n, o T, u, v D, e W, x, y M, n, o T, u I slid the phone back through the slot. I could sense her trembling outside my door. I couldn’t see her, or hear her – but still, I knew. Alice was crying. “I was ready, you know.” Perhaps my words offered no comfort, spoken so late. Even so… I was ready. I had wanted to return to my old life, true, but I would have abandoned that wish for Alice. I know that I would have gone with her, hand-in-hand, as far as we could – even to the most forbidden of places. Alice, too, must have known that I was prepared – and because she knew, she stopped me from saying those words. If I had spoken that oath, there would have been no going back. “I’m sorry. I was a coward.” Seeing those words on the screen, I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. I hadn’t hesitated; you would have found the courage.” “I was afraid of you. Of how you were changing because of me.” “it’s no one’s fault.” Alice couldn’t bring herself to take everything from me, and I couldn’t bring myself to give up everything for her. We were too weak to find happiness. “What will you do now, Alice?” “I’ll keep searching for my dad. He’ll know how to send me back where I came from.” “I see. You do want to go home, don’t you?” A short time passed with no words or messages exchanged. I wonder how many times in that brief silence “yes” and “no” changed places in her mind. “Yeah” When the phone finally returned, the characters on the screen seemed strangely uncertain. “Well, I hope you find your father.” “I’ll do my best.” The time had come for our parting. She had chosen her path, and I had given my blessing. There was nothing more to be said. “If you change your mind, I’ll always be here. You can come see me whenever you want.” “I will thank you. Goodbye, Shining Armor.” I read her final message and returned the phone to the other side. “Goodbye, Alice.” She gently slapped my door in response, and then I heard the sound of her sliding off down the hallway. And I was left alone in the silence of the night. ********** Ever since that day, I have been waiting. Perhaps Alice really did return to where she came from. Perhaps she’s still wandering today, looking for her father. It must be hard. She must be lonely. When she can no longer stand being alone, she will surely return to me. I’m the only one who will comfort her, and whisper sweet things in her ear. And so I wait. Dreaming of her face and her voice, I wait. Forever, in my white world… (The End) ???Today, of all your classes were in the morning. *Ring ring ring… ring ring ring… ring ring ring….* On your way to meet Cadance for lunch after your final lecture, you suddenly get a call in the middle of the hallway. Without thinking, you reached to your belt for your new camera-phone, but curses when you realize that the ringtone is coming from the old phone in your bag. You haven’t transferred your contacts list yet, and calls still come to your old phone from people who don’t know the new number. When you finally fish the phone from your bag, the name you see on the display sends a chill up your spine. Shining Armor. Why now? What does he want? It’s hard to be happy about a call from Shining after the incident at the Shadow house. “Hello?” “Hey. You’re done with class for today, right?” “Yeah…” Of course Shining know that you’re free on Thursday afternoons. “I need to talk to you about something. Can you come to the parking lot?” “Now?” “Yeah, I’ll be waiting.” Shining hangs up without another word. What’s gotten into him? What does he want? You wonder as he sticks the phone into your jacket pocket. This sudden change is disturbing after a week of Shining avoiding both you and Cadance. Maybe he’s finally ready to talk – in which case, you should probably consider this a good thing. However, you can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Did I keep you waiting?” “Nah.” In the parking lot, you find Shining leaning against the fender of your Accord. The last time you met was in the darkness of an abandoned house. This is the first time in over a week that you’ve spoken face-to-face in the light. Perhaps that is why you sensed something strange in Shining’s expression. You’re not sure what, exactly, but something has changed. “I think I told you before that I’m looking for information on a man named Shadow.” “Yeah, I got that.” “Well, it’s starting to get more complicated. It looks like I can’t handle it by myself after all.” Shining seems more relaxed than before. He used to be tense all the time, like he was terrified of something, but now his expression is calm. He’s even wearing what resembles a sheepish grin. “I need your help, friend.” Nevertheless, some instinct is telling you that Shining’s changes are not for the better. “Why the sudden change of heart?” You asked, keeping your expression neutral to conceal your suspicion. “You’re interested, aren’t you?” Shining responds coolly. His smile, unreadable as ever, offers no glimpse of his true motives. “You searched Dr. Shadow’s house after me. It’s a waste of time for us to look for him separately. We should team up.” You stared at him silently, having second thoughts of doing this with him or not. Why? Why does he sense malice, thick and viscous, lurking behind Shining’s smile? “Anyway, I need your car today. Mind driving?” “… I guess not.” Shining’s car was destroyed in the accident, so you’re not surprised that he needs a lift. You unlock your car and gestures for Shining to take the passenger seat, then got behind the wheel and starts the engine. “Well? Where are we going?” “Torchwood Prefecture, near Fillydelphia Heights.” “Torchwood?” You can’t believe your ears. “Here’s the address,” Shining says, handing you a photo with an address on the back. “We need to find this building.” He seriously expects to be driven over a hundred kilometers and back? You don’t know whether to be angry or impressed. “If we leave now, we should get there by evening, right?” “…Yeah, maybe.” You sigh heavily, tapping the steering wheel as you calm yourself down. Now that you come this far, the only thing you can do is see your friend’s craziness through to the end. “Is this a vacation home or something?” “Probably. Dr. Shadow should be there.” You’re not looking forward on meeting the owner of that creepy house, but you felt even more uneasy about letting Shining go alone. It looks like you just have to grin and bear it. “We might not get back until night.” “Sorry for the trouble.” “…Don’t mention it.” You drove out of the parking lot, leaving the rest of what you’d thought to say unspoken. Shining’s smile seems wrong somehow, like an expressionless mask glued to his face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cadance finds herself sitting alone in the cafeteria, searching for a familiar face as her lunch cools on the table in front of her. She was hoping to see her remaining friend [You] today, but he must have had other plans. That wouldn’t be at all unusual. Normally, Cherry and Shining would pick up the slack. But Cherry and Shining aren’t here anymore. Cadence puts down her spoon, her appetite ruined by the lack of company – and by the anxiety eating at her. Cherry is missing, Shining had turned on her, and she has no idea why. If her certain last friend [You] was here, she could count on him to distract her with some idle conversation. Now that she’s all by herself, Cadence becomes keenly aware of how little tolerance she has for loneliness. She begins to feel paranoid, like the whole world is plotting to take from her everything that she cherishes. What’s going on here? Where has Cherry gone? Is Shining really unrelated to her disappearance? Or is he the key to this mystery, as her friend [You] and Dr. Shadow suspect? Cadence recalls the events of last Thursday. Alone and without an outlet for her pain after Shining verbally eviscerated her, Cadence was lucky enough to run into [You]. Although he could hardly make her problem go away, his kindness was a comfort. At the same time, Cherry was on her way to Shining’s house… and she hasn’t been heard since. Cadence has only been aware of Shining’s connection to Cherry’s disappearance since yesterday, when her friend [You] revealed the truth during their visit to the hospital. What if… A new possibility occurs to her, a reason for why Cherry suddenly decided to visit Shining. What if it hadn’t been a coincidence that Cherry ran into [You] that day? What if [You] and Cherry had known what transpired between her and Shining, and had decided to act separately? Cherry might have seen the confrontation in the courtyard; she might have been eavesdropping. It’s not unthinkable. Cadence was petrified. As the idea formed in her mind, Cadence feels as though something is tearing apart her body from the inside. It’s only a possibility, but if it’s true… then whatever happened to Cherry is Cadence’s responsibility too, isn’t it? She sighed sadly. Cadence clutches her head, groaning in agony. The food on her tray is now cold – not that she would have eaten it anyway. Despite her frustration and anxiety, Cadence is unable to act on her own. She has never been good at adapting to challenges, and no one would ever call her proactive. She hasn’t the slightest idea how to respond to this situation. If Cherry were here, she would probably tell Cadence to think positive and trust her instincts. Cadence has always depended on her best friend’s energy; now that Cherry is gone, Cadence realizes just how weak and useless she is. She can only sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of self-loathing. *Breep-breep-breep! Breep-breep-breep!* The sudden ringing of her phone pulls her back from the brink of despair. It’s a text message. There’s no title, and the sender is… “Cherry!?” Cadence cries out in shock. The message itself is even more baffling. “If you want to know about Shining Armor, come to his house alone. Tell no one.” The message bears no trace of Cherry’s personality, but Cadence can’t deny that it was sent from her phone. She takes a deep breath to calm herself before typing her reply, taking care that excitement doesn’t cause her fingers to slip. *Beep… beep..beep…* “Is that you, Cherry? Where are you?” *Beep… beep… beep.* Cadence presses send. The screen shows that her message was received. As she waits for a reply, her mind fills with questions. Is someone else using Cherry’s phone to send text messages? If so, why to her? Something suddenly occurs to her. She and Cherry have exchanged countless messages over the years, many of which contained the sort of embarrassing confessions that close girlfriends share. At times when her feelings for Shining grew too strong to contain, Cadence often put them into words for Cherry to read. Did Cherry put a password on her phone? Even if she had, the person who sent the message was obviously able to unlock it – which means that whoever it is has full access to her history. “Do you want to know about Shining Armor?” Cadence reads the strange message one more time. Whoever sent it must believe that Cadence has an interest in Shining. *Breep-breep-breep! Breep-breep-breep!* The phone rings again, startling Cadence, but she quickly recovers and looks at the screen. There’s no title, and the sender is still Cherry Blossom. “I’ll tell you everything when We meet. Come alone. Tell no One.” It’s not Cherry. She would never try to scare Cadence with such a mean-spirited prank. Anxiery has brought Cadence almost to tears. Her mind isn’t made to deal with something like this. Who is using Cherry’s phone and promising to reveal Shining’s secrets? Who!? Cadence desperately want’s advice from [You] – from anyone. She even starts to dial [Your] cell, but a sudden suspicion stops her. The sender might be somewhere nearby, watching her at this very moment. A cold chill runs down her spine as she looks furtively around the cafeteria. “Come alone. Tell no one.” The lifeless characters on the screen are like a knife against her throat. However. Cadence clutches her phone and forces her heart to stop pounding. Isn’t this cowardice exactly what she hates most about herself? Doesn’t she want to know what she’s capable of? Doesn’t she want to do more than sit and wait? Cadence realizes that her hand is shaking. How easy it would be to just give in to her cowardice, to convince herself that Cherry and Shining are beyond her reach. That is what she truly wants. Even if it means abandoning dignity and loyalty, she wants to flee from the unknown. But she also knows that even escape is beyond her. Cadence understands herself well. She knows that no matter how far she runs, regret and self-loathing will consume her after everything else had fallen apart. In the end, Cadence is unable to overcome her cowardice alone. She lacks both the willpower and the courage to run. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At that same moment, Icy Lance happens to pass by the school when he notices Cadence coming out of the school in a hurry. It was mid afternoon, and school wasn’t over just yet. She seems in a hurry. “Hey, Cadence! Where are you going?” he asked in full curiosity. Cadence seems to be startled by the sudden call of her name. She looks at Icy with such suspicion, she hesitated for a while to talk, and then tells him. “I’m… going somewhere.” She stammers. “Going somewhere?” Icy raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t really explains a lot you know, I need details.” Cadence shook her head and walks off. “It’s something personal. I can’t tell you, please… leave me alone.” And with that, she ran off disappearing as soon as she turns the corner. Icy seems to think that her actions seems to be sketchy, but he thought about that it may be the issue about her and Shining. Thinking that, that may be the ‘personal’ thing she meant, he shrugs it off and heads instead towards the university laboratories to investigate by himself about the guy in question… Shining Armor. ???Author's Note I know it's late, and I know some don't care, but I really in off of my head of idea's on how this will go on, let alone my other stories, so... please bear with me and enjoy this new chapter as much as I enjoy writing it~ ??? The afternoon silence is somehow forbidding. A stink is in the air, the stink of garbage left out to rot. Even this perfectly normal residential neighborhood seems ominous to Cadence in her current state. She feels like she’s standing in the middle of a necropolis, as if everyone is the houses around her is dead. Cadence pushes her fear aside and ogresses the buzzer on Shining Armor’s house’s front gate. Shining wasn’t in class today. Is he home? He couldn’t have sent those awful messages, could he? She doesn’t even want to consider the possibility, so she forces the unwelcome thought out from her mind. There’s no response from the intercom. Cadence doesn’t know, of course, that Cherry stood in the same spot one week ago, staring at the silent intercom with the same confusion that Cadence is experiencing now. She, however, is not forced to wait as Cherry was. *Beep, beep, beep, beep… Beep, beep, beep, beep!* The phone in her pocket rings, catching her off guard making a loud gasp escape from her mouth. It’s another text message from Cherry’s phone. “Come in. The door is open.” Cadence looks around quickly, a shiver running through her as she realizes that she’s being watched. Searching fearfully for her observer, Cadence spots movement out of the corner of her eye. On the second floor of Shining’s house, a tightly-drawn window curtain just fluttered. The person who sent the messages is inside the house. Only now does Cadence realize that every other window has its storm shutters closed. No matter what happens inside, no one will ever know. This time, she nearly gives in to the intense urge to flee. But the terror she feels towards her invisible watcher is stronger, and will not permit her to turn her back upon the open window. She has nowhere to run… or is there? Cadence burst into tears, unable to take a single step. The phone in her hand rings again, demanding that she enter. She steps through the gate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When she enters the house, an overwhelming stench assaults her nostrils. It was like… a combination of swamp water mixed in with skunk secretion and hormones. The house was dark, even though it is the middle of the day. Shining must be out, as his boots were not in the vestibule. However, Cadence catches sight of a different pair stuffed behind the shoe cupboard. They look familiar, so she pulls them out of the shadows for a closer look. As soon as she recognizes them, her mind tries desperately to deny reality. They are identical to Cherry’s favorite boots. Cadence has seen her wearing them many times before. But that doesn’t mean Cherry is here, she tells herself. They might belong to someone else, someone who bought the same shoes from the same store. There’s no way Cherry could be here… is there? In a sudden flash of clarity, Cadence presses the most frequently used speed-dial button on the phone still in her tightly clenched fist. The phone dials Cherry’s number. It takes only a second for the signal to reach the nearest relay station, and then… *Brrreeeeeppp….. Breeeeeppp…. Breeeeeppp…* A familiar ringtone echoes through the house -- the unmistakable sound of Cherry’s phone. It’s coming from the second floor. Someone must still be up there in the room with the moving curtains. Cherry’s phone rings for just a few moments… and then it stops, as whoever is holding it realizes Cherry’s intentions. For the first time, Cadence feels the definite presence of her formless guide. “Who’s there?” She gathers her courage and calls out into the house, but there’s no response. Whoever it is must not want to be seen. Swallowing hard, Cadence walks down the hallway to the staircase. Maybe it’s Cherry. Maybe it’s Shining. Surely it’s just the two of them playing a prank on her. [You] might even be here with them. Cadence’s mind fills with comforting images of her friends. She needs to believe that there is still hope. Otherwise, she could not take another step. “Is that you, Cherry? Shining, are you there?” As she climbs the stairs one at a time, they creaked loudly; giving a very nerve cracking ambiance of something might come out unexpectedly. Cadence calls out in a voice choked with tears. When they see her sobbing, they’ll probably laugh at her. Let them; it would be the happiest moment of her life. She just wants this torment to end. She tries to move faster, but her trembling legs will not let her. With each agonizing second that passes, she begs for release from this nightmare. After climbing for what seems an eternity, Cadence finds herself standing in the second floor hallway. No sound greets her. There’s only the gloom, brimming with silent malice. “Cherry? Cherry, are you there?” She shuffles forward, calling out in a weak voice. “Come out already, please… I can’t take this anymore.” The door in front of her is half open. It must lead to the room that overlooks the front gate. Cadence watches helplessly from a corner of her mind as her body, seemingly move of its own volition, slowly opens the door. With a creaking ominous sound echoes the house while the door opens, she peeked inside. The room is empty. The damp, stinking air clings to Cadence’s skin. “Please… stop this…” She is at her limit, unable to take a single step more. Her spirit had been utterly crushed. Perhaps this is the moment her tormenter was waiting for. Something grabs Cadence’s arm from behind – something flexible and strong, like slime-covered rubber. As the thing binds her limbs, fingerlike appendages tear roughly through her blouse and force their way inside. Cadence screams at the top of her lungs, amazed that she still has the strength to do so. Responding to her distress, primal energy surges through her body as she flails wildly to free herself. However, the grip of the thing behind her remains unbreakable. With escape impossible, Cadence can only scream louder as something cold and wet slips under her bra and wraps itself around her breast. She is helpless to resist as the invader squeezes her breast and sucks at her nipples, which have gone stiff with fear under the horrifying onslaught. Her ears are filled with the sound of something slimy sliding over her skin. As the loathsome assault on her breast continues, the unimaginable terror threatens to drive Cadence utterly mad. Her throat is already raw from screaming, and now she can’t even breathe as she struggles desperately against her attacker. Tendrils slither continuously, until suddenly, the thing releases its grip on her breasts and pulls out from under her bra. Cadence falls to the floor, unable to support herself on her unresponsive legs. The creature that grabbed her is still here, lurking in a dark corner of the room. She can feel it watching her, but can’t bring herself to turn around. She knows full well that seeing it will likely destroy the last vestiges of her sanity. From close by comes the beep of buttons being pressed… from a cell phone! Cadence hears a cheerful electronic sound, terribly out of place in this room, and sees the phone in her hand blink coldly. A new text message has arrived. She is powerless to stop herself from reading the characters on the screen. “You’re pretty, and your breasts are so big and soft. I bet they’re good for attracting males.” Now she has her answer. The messages from Cherry’s phone were sent by the thing that just mauled her breast. “God…” Cadence curls into a tiny, sobbing ball, unable to raise her voice or even move. “Oh god… please save me…” The creature makes a burbling sound. Cadence somehow understands that it is laughing at her. “That must be how you tempted Shining. You tried to steal him from me, didn’t you? Thief!” Something cold seizes Candence’s ankles, then travels up her legs until it has covered her entire lower body. Some primal female instinct tells her exactly what is going to happen. She will be raped, powerless to resist a fate worse than death. “Stop…” She pleads feebly, even though there is no hope that the inhuman creature will be merciful. “Please… not that…” She hears its burbling laughter again. The thing is enjoying her sorrow – her despair. Cadence no longer has the strength to resist the monster on top of her. She is only able to shiver in revulsion as the cold, slimy thing covers her body. Her sight grows dim as her mind sinks deeper and deeper into a black, swamp-like abyss. Her breasts are toyed with, her nipples are sucked on, and a weight pushes itself between her legs – but it all seems to be happening far away. “I won’t kill you.” Though her mind is now barely functioning, Cadence hears a voice whisper to her inside her head. It is a voice of a young girl, sweet and sinister, with the cruel innocence of a child gleefully plucking the wings from butterflies. “Instead, I’ll let you share in our happiness. Rejoice, Cadence. We’ll love you to death.” The soft voice is a stark contrast to the unyielding strength that drives irresistibly into Cadence’s core. The pain is sharp and savage, greater than anything she has ever felt before. It should be unbearable, but there is no longer enough left of Cadence’s mind to recognize it as pain. Oh… While she stares blankly at the thing slithering deeper and deeper into her body, an idle thought floats through her fading consciousness. “I’ve… never been kissed… have I…” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In his deep sleep while in bed of the school infirmary, Icy Lance suddenly woke up in cold sweat. He doesn’t know why, but he has this feeling of something terrible had happened. “Are you awake?” Chrome’s voice called out from the other side of the curtains, her silhouette is clearly seen. “Y-yeah… I must have dozed off.” Icy said, rubbing his back neck. Icy was doing research about Shining’s condition. All he found out, was his mind is kind of, reprogrammed. Some of the details were classified, and cannot be shown to others other than Chrome. “You’ve been up all night… not surprising if you slept during your reading.” Chrome stood up from her desk and went over to him, tossing Icy a bag of chips. Icy looks at the chips and tilts his head. “What is this, snacks?” “That’s dinner.” Chrome said, as she goes back to her desk, looking over some more documents. At that point, Icy looks at his wrist watch and didn’t realize that it was almost eight in the evening. He went at the university at around seven in the morning to ask about Shining Armor, and yet he slept here for about ten hours. He must have been really tired from reading several of Shining Armor’s medical reports. “That’s nice… Isn’t there anything else to eat?” “Sorry, that’s what I currently have here.” The doctor munches on a bag of potato chips. Never would Icy have imagined that a doctor like Chrome would settle for just mere chips, and not a full course dinner. Something healthy and notorious, not junk food. With no other choice, Icy ate the only thing he got. “Well, what do we do about these now?” He points to the stack of papers next to him. “Let’s pack it in for the night,” Chrome simply said and files the papers to the cabinet. “We’ll continue this next time.” “Right… and what about Shining Armor?” Chrome looks at him, and then said. “There’s nothing much to know about his condition at the moment… I need to know more to see if my hunch about his condition is true.” “And what hunch is that?” “That’s for me to find out and for you to know later.” Chrome took her car keys from the drawer then steps out of the office. “You better head home; I’ll call you if there’s anything new.” After which, Chrome leaves as Icy sat there for a while, thinking about his friend. How could he help him? What was wrong with him? With enough problems he accumulated today, he can’t think straight despite having slept for ten hours. He decided to go home and have his mind at ease before retiring to bed again… ???It has begun to snow by the time they pass Red Mountains on the Winterflow Motorway. “I hope the roads aren’t snowed out,” you started. In the passenger seat, Shining Armor is gazing out of the frosted window in silence. He’s been this trancelike state for almost an hour now. Taking advantage of his inattention, you stare unabashedly at Shining Armor from the corner of your eye. You still don’t understand the danger signals that you’re getting from him. Shining has stopped avoiding you, and he’s even looking you in the eye when he talks. So, why does he seem even more distant now than he did when he was trying to push his friends away? Shining’s posture is noticeably relaxed, but his gaze never wavers, not even for a moment. It’s as though he’s focused on a clearly-defined future that he has chosen to bring about, one that has no place for the needs or wants of others. Right now, Shining Armor is complete. You can’t help but feel that beneath his black exterior is a core of solid steel that no one can touch. “About Cherry,” You said suddenly, trying to gauge Shining Armor’s reaction. “It’s been a week since she disappeared, and we still haven’t heard from her.” “Oh,” Shining replies curtly, still staring into the distance. “That’s not good. I wonder what happened to her.” Shining’s tone is completely emotionless. You might as well have asked him about the weather or the condition of the mountain roads near their destination. “I asked you before, but you’re sure you don’t have any idea what happened to her?” “No clue,” Shining Armor answers, in exactly the same tone that he used when you first questioned him following Cherry’s disappearance. Your eyes narrow. “It’s like you don’t give a damn.” “That’s not true.” Finally Shining show some emotion. He sounds hurt, like he can’t believe you could think such a thing. “She disappeared on the way to my place, didn’t she? Of course I’m worried.” Sudden frustration wells up inside you. If possible, you’d like nothing more than to beat the secrets out of Shining Armor’s head. You’re worried sick about Cherry. To have your concern brushed off so coldly would be unbearable coming from a complete stranger; but from Shining Armor, who was your best friend, it’s… Shining Armor never used to be this callous. Even if you tried to interrogate him, he’d probably never find out what changed him so. If Shining Armor were still just hiding inside the shell he’d erected around himself after the accident, you might have been about to get some answers out of him. With this sly, evasive Shining Armor, however, there’s nothing you can do. Shining Armor will never reveal his true intentions – not to anyone. All that’s left, then, is for you to discover the truth on your own. “Cherry was going to talk to you about Cadence, you know.” “Oh?” Shining smiles bitterly at the mention of Cadence’s name, perhaps feeling sympathy for her pain, to you, however, it seems like pity, the sort one directs at an ant or worm. “I wouldn’t know what to say. To be honest, it’s been hard to talk to her after what happened.” Unbelievable. If Shining’s feelings for Cadence were really this cold, then he would have rejected her when she first confessed to him. But he didn’t – or at least, the Shining before the accident didn’t. Once again, you can’t help to wonder if this guy who looks like your friend is really a different person who only possesses the memories of Shining Armor. The snow has stopped falling when you got off the west torchwood pass interchange. This area must already be getting a lot of snow, however, as the nearby mountains are covered in white beneath the trees. By the time you turn off the highway and enter the mountains, road conditions are already bad enough for you to regret having forgotten tire chains. Nevertheless, you continued to power your accord up the precarious slopes with only a road map to guide you. In places like this, an address isn’t enough to pinpoint a location. Your only choice is to drive every road, including private roads that aren’t even on the map, while searching for something that matches the photograph. “Who would buy a home in a place like this?” “It’s far from prying eyes. That must be why Dr. Shadow chose it.” The more he hears about Shadow, the less you want to meet him. Shining is the one who spots the narrow road half-hidden in the trees. It’s practically an animal trail, overgrown with weeds that are tall and strong enough to withstand the weight of the snow. “Is this really a road?” You stopped the car and stick your head out of the window to stare into the dark forest, but you can’t see where the path leads through the tightly-packed trees. “How does it look to you?” Shining hands you the photo, which compares to the mountain ridges visible beyond the trees. “Yeah, it’s definitely the right angle.” “Let’s check it out.” Shining’s tone is as flat as always, but there is a quiet intensity in his voice that leaves no room for argument. Although you’re worried that your car suspension won’t be able to handle the terrain, there’s no turning back now. You shift into the second and started down the frozen road. The sun sets early at high altitudes. As the car creeps up the mountain path, you catch a glimpse through the trees of the gradually darkening sky. Black clouds rolling slowly into the horizon, darkening the sky and blanketing the air with cold winds and harsh colors. The forest is completely still, with no sound save for the rumble of the Accord’s engine and the crackle of snow and bush beneath its tires. Shining Armor is once again staring silently through the front window. In the ominous silence, you feel the same faint chill that you felt when standing before Moonlight Shadow’s suburban home. It feels wrong, as though you’re traveling deeper and deeper into a world not your own. After some time, a blocky shape suddenly appears amid the trees, standing out against the twilight sky. Oddly, you remembered his sister for a moment there. they were such good family together until that horrific day came… It was a shame. And a loss. With an eerie aura, you turn off the engine and compare the structure in front of you to the picture in your hand -- a perfect match. Before you can tell Shining Armor, however, your silent friend is already out of the car. “Hey!” Realizing that it’s pointless to call to him, you shook your heard, grabs the flashlight from the glove compartment, and followed Shining Armor across the snow-covered yard. The photo must not have been taken recently, as the old, run-down cabin before them has clearly been left to the mercy of the elements for some time. The front door seems to be locked, but Shining Armor kicks it down without a second thought. You just watched, knowing that nothing you could say now would matter. What the heck? Is all what you could say at the moment. All of the windows are shut with heavy curtains, and the gloom inside is thick and stifling. Shining turns on his own flashlight and starts rummaging through the cabin without any regard for its owner’s privacy. You’re reluctant to do the same, but it is obvious that this mountain retreat has been abandoned for a long time, just like the house in Ponyville. There’s no point in being considerate now. You went to search a different room. Soon after entering the cabin, however, you soon realize that their search is meaningless. There’s nothing inside but the bare necessities of life. Some rooms are even completely empty, save for a thick layer of dust on the floor. Of what few pieces of furniture are present, more than half appear to have never been used. There’s an empty chest of drawers without a single scratch or handprint. But bearing the telltale signs of mold and moisture damage. The condition of the cabin is eerie, though in a different way than the filthiness of the house in the city. It’s like someone put together a mockup of a home than left it to decay. The only signs that anyone lived here are found in the toilet, the bath, the kitchen, and the bedroom. It appears that the cabin was never used for anything but eating and sleeping. Beneath the darkened sky, the snow itself seems to glow with a cold, white light. The scene is like something out of a fairytale, but to you, it serves only as an unpleasant reminder that you had stepped outside of the reality that you knew all too well. Next to the front porch is a plain wooden door half buried in the ground. It’s locked, of course, but you don’t see any reason for restraint after what Shining Armor did to the front door. The door offers surprisingly little resistance to your heavy kick, breaking open to reveal a set of concrete stairs leading down into a pitch-black basement. You sigh as you did this. You’d prefer to leave such a forbidding place to Shining, but it’s not like you can just ask him to take your place. You descend into the chilly darkness, the beam of your flashlight leading the way. There turns out to be nothing in the basement but a storage room and a boiler, exactly what one would expect to find in an isolated mountain cabin. The few packages on preserved food sitting on the shelves have long since passed their expiration dates, and the boiler doesn’t appear to have been used in ages. You guessed that Shadow’s mountain home has been abandoned longer than the house in Ponyville. Was Shining simply mistaken when he said that Shadow might be here? Or was he lying from the beginning? Now sure what to do next, you go back up the stairs and walked around the outside of the cabin – and there you find the backyard. It’s in much worse condition than the front yard, having been mostly reclaimed by the forest. It must have been neglected even when the cabin was still in use. The remnants of a tool shed lie in the yard, the mushrooms growing on it speaking to how much time has passed since its collapse. Next to the rotten logs, however, stands a square of stone that has not yet succumbed to the elements. Looking down on it reveals to be a well that has no bucket or pulley, and when you look closely, you see that the water was long gone. It’s probably less than ten meters deep, depending on how much mud is piled up inside. Your search of the cabin has proved to be useless and revealed nothing of interest, inside or out. You start to lean on the edge of the well, and wondered why Shadow bought this remote home deep in the mountains, and what he was doing here. As far as you can tell, there’s no sign that more than one person ever stayed here. “It’s far from prying eyes.” Shining’s words play back in your head. Could this have been some sort of secret refuge, a place to remain hidden from the world? That would explain why there’s nothing to suggest that whoever lived here did anything more than eat and sleep. You suddenly remember the doctor you met yesterday at the C University. Maybe she’d know something about this. You took your phone and calls up the newly-stored number. There’s barely a signal, but it manages to get through. Your hopes are soon crushed, however, when your call goes straight to Dr. Chrome’s voice mail. You considered calling her back, but realizes that it would be hard to talk to her with Shining Armor around. Shining would not at all be pleased to learn that You and Cadence went to see his doctor. You decided that you’d better tell the doctor what you can while you’re alone. “Hello, It’s me, the guy with the girl yesterday that came to see you? Thank you for telling us what we need that time.” You left a clear and concise message, explaining that you went with Shining Armor to Shadow’s mountain retreat, giving the address, and asking for confirmation that the property belongs to Shadow. “I’ll talk to you again when we return to Canterlot, bye.”After hanging up, you think back to your visit to the hospital. Is Dr. Chrome actually investigating like she said she would? Her reluctance to speak of Dr. Shadow is weighing on your mind. You’ve talked to Cadence about it on the way home, but you both were unable to decide whether the doctor could really be trusted. Speaking of which, how is Cadence doing? You haven’t seen her today lately. You didn’t say a word to her about your trip to Torchlight. She might be worried, specially so soon after Cherry’s disappearance. Thinking to check up on her, you dial Cadence’s number… and are surprised when it rings longer than it usually does. Did she forget her phone somewhere? Just as he’s about to give up, the call connects. The first thing you hear is a strange sound. It’s not signal interference, but some kind of wet, distorted noise – like the voiceless groans, or perhaps sobs, of someone far away. No… That’s exactly what they are! The person on the other side is crying. “C-Cadence? Is that you?!” “Who’s… there…” There’s a response, but is it really Cadence’s voice? It’s too twisted with agony for you to tell. Panic surges through you like a blast of electric flow as you realize that something is terribly wrong. “It’s me! Is that you, Cadence? Where are you?!” After a short period of nothing but pained moans, words start coming through the speaker one by one, as though each takes an act of will. “I was… attacked… by a monster… and now… there’s something wrong… with my body!” “What? What happened?! Are you alright?!” Cadence must be delirious, because you can’t understand a thing she’s saying. Her gasps and wheezes, however, are enough to tell him that she’s in unimaginable pain. “I’m rotting away… my skin is… melting! My ear just… came off…” She’s not making any sense! You feel despair seize your heart in an iron grip. What’s happening to Cadence now, a hundred kilometers away? Only her voice gives any hint of what’s she’s going through. There’s nothing he can do for her. “Help me… please! This… isn’t how my fingers… are supposed to look…!” “Calls the cops, Cadence! Call for help!” “No! I can’t… let anyone see me… like this…” Cadence suddenly breaks into a violent hacking cough, as though trying to expel something filling her throat. “Cadence!” You scream into the phone, his reason overwhelmed by unimaginable horror. Which is why he is unable to react when the phone suddenly knocked from his hand, and also why he didn’t notice Shining Armor sneaking up on him until it was too late. “What the—“ Shining seizes your lower jaw with his right hand, cutting off your angry shout. You can hardly believe the strength of the smaller man’s grip. Your biggest mistake was leaning back against the pit. There is nothing to grab onto as Shining pushes you backwards over the edge. You can only flail your arms vainly against the air as you crashed down deep into the bowels of the mud-ridden pit. ???On that terrible day when I first opened my eyes after the accident, what would my answer have been? When I think back on this many years from now, will I wish that my answer today had been different? It doesn’t matter. Here, at this moment, there is no doubt in my mind. “Who was that?” I asked Alice, looking at the unidentifiable pieces of the monster. “….The man living next door. I don’t know his name.” “Oh, so it was Mr. Cake.” He was hardly a stranger. We’ve been neighbors for as long as I can remember. I’d go so far as to say we were on good terms before the accident. And now I’ve killed him with my own two hands. I feel little. Mr. Cake, the kindly baker who lived next door, is but a distant memory. The pieces of meat around me belonged to a creature whose mere existence was nauseating. Only by killing the vermin could I find relief. He complained about my yard being filthy, the swine. It doesn’t matter what Alice did. He wasn’t worth keeping alive anyway. These are my honest feelings. My hands are wet with another man’s blood, and yet I am utterly calm. Now I know what I lost in the accident. Alice says that I can take it back, but I know that I cannot. It is gone forever, like the life of the man called Cake. “Hey, Alice… No doctor could possibly fix my condition, you know.” “…..Shining?” “You can do what no human is capable of. You’re not human, are you?” Alice looks away, her expression unreadable. Everything is monstrous and loathsome in my eyes – everything but Alice. I thought that she was somehow unique. I was wrong. I see her just as I do everything else – as something other than what she really is. But why should that surprise me? Alice is part of my world, just as I am of hers. It doesn’t change what we are to each other. I stand and walk over Cake’s dismembered corpse. “I read this novel once, about a man who recovered from an accident only to find that he could no longer see the world as it was. Kind of like me.” I finally realize that even though the stench of these monsters’ flesh turns my stomach, their blood and guts smell pretty good. In fact, I know this fragrance quite well. “He saw people as rocks and robots as beautiful women. And so he fell in love with something that wasn’t remotely human.” I took the cleaver, pick up a piece of Cake’s body, and start removing the skin and tendons. Ahh, just as I thought. The stuff underneath is exactly the same as what Alice and I have been eating. Hey, this looks pretty good. Let’s eat it.” “Shining…” “Oh, sorry. You’re in no mood for that now, are you? Now that it’s dead, though, meat is meat. It’d be a waste to throw it away. We should get it in the fridge.” “Is that… alright with you?” “Sure,” I answer easily. There is no longer any room for doubt in my mind. “Also, his wife and daughter are probably next door. They might cause trouble when he doesn’t come home. We’d better hunt them down before they go to the police.” “Is that… really what you want?” Alice asks again, this time with a trace of fear in her voice. I guess I still haven’t convinced her of my sincerity. “So at the end of this novel, the man who fell for something inhuman gives up his own humanity for the sake of their love. A happy ending, don’t you think?” “Shining…” “You’re all I need now, Alice. Nothing else matters as long as we’re together.” Tossing the cleaver and meat aside, I pull Alice into my arms once more. “I can say it now… can’t I? Alice… I love you.” As Alice wipes away the tears flowing from her eyes, I can no longer see any hint of fear in her face. “I don’t want you to regret this. I don’t but…” I have sworn my oath, and Alice has accepted it. We have nothing to fear now. Alice will never need to cry again. “I can’t help it. I’m so happy. I guess I’m pretty selfish, aren’t I?” “I don’t mind. I’ll always indulge your selfishness, Alice.” Filled with contentment, we exchange a smile and set to task of cleaning the room. A single person produces a lot more meat than I expected. Speaking of which, I seem to remember doing something similar before. “About his wife and daughter… I think he killed them. I heard their screams. But their son escaped…” “Well, that makes things easier.” “What about the other child?” Alice asked, probably wondering if we should find him or not. “He’s no longer a liability.” I answered. “He probably won’t go back there since he saw his father did that, right?” “You’re probably right…” Alice shrugs the thought off of her mind. After we finish here, we should go gather the meat from the Cake’s house. That should be enough to hold us for a while, and we can use their refrigerator to store what won’t fit in ours. It’s all coming together. Alice and I will be just fine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I think I recognize this picture.” After we finish our labors and get to bed, I show Alice what I found in the Shadow’s house. “It looks familiar. Yeah, I’ve definitely been here.” The photograph that Alice has selected is the one with a Torchwood Prefecture address on the back. “That’s… a house, right? I see trees and… mountains?” “Yeah. Wow, Shining, you can see pictures now?” “A little.” At the outset of my ordeal, I had to depend entirely on my sense of distance to decipher what I saw. The houses in front of me, the mountains far behind them, the clouds high above – only distance and scale told me what they were. Photographs and other flat images used to be nearly impossible to make out. Recently, however, I’ve gotten better at understanding what things are by their shape. I know what the mountains and sky look like, for instance, and how to tell them apart from buildings. Each of the three pictures shows a similar scene – a lone house in the middle of a thick forest. “Dad called it his retreat. He said that no one would find us there.” “Hmm” Judging by the address on the back of each photo, they probably are excellent places to hide from prying eyes. But why three? The dates are pretty old, and it seems odd that they were all taken within a few days of each other. Maybe he was scouting properties, looking for the perfect location for his hideaway. Alice recognizes only one of the houses, so that must be the one Shadow picked. Checking the location on the roadmap of the Torchwood area, I find that it’s about three hours out of Canterlot by car. “Do you think your father will be there?” “I tried calling him, but he didn’t answer. I don’t think he’s there.” “But he might have stopped by recently.” The way I see it, our only hope of finding Shadow is to follow whatever lead we have, no matter how small. The probability that his hideout will yield useful information may be low… but it’s not zero. “I think I’ll check this place out tomorrow.” “Do you have to?” Alice pouts. I wasn’t expecting her to object. “Isn’t it far?” “It’ll only take about half a day to go there, check it out, and come back.” “I have to stay home by myself while you’re gone?” So that’s what it is. Slightly exasperated, I smile and rub Alice’s head. “Be a little patient, okay? You want to find your father too, don’t you?” After a brief silence, during with her expression is hard to decipher, Alice looks up at me and says, “Hey, Shining… let’s forget about Dad.” “Huh?” That’s the last thing I expected her to say. “Forget about him? But he’s your father. Aren’t you worried?” “Not anymore,” Alice says, coming closer to feel my warmth. “I have you now. I call him Dad, but he’s not really my father. He thought me a lot, and probably loved me in his own way… but you’re kinder and warmer.” Alice’s words make me happy, but I also hear the loneliness in them. “Are you really alright with that?” “Yeah. You don’t like it being just the two of us?” “I do… but I also want to meet Dr. Shadow.” Having finally figured out how to explain my feelings, I continue, “I want to get to know you better. If there’s someone who knows more about you than I do, I have to meet them. “Oh….” Alice doesn’t seem upset, but she does tilt her head quizzically, as though my thoughts are strange to her. “And I also want to… Yeah, I’m going to check it out tomorrow.” Another plan has started to form in my head, one separate from the search of Dr. Shadow. If I find the doctor there, great; if I don’t well… I think I can find another use for his mountain retreat. “I know you’ll be lonely, Alice, but try to bear it for a little while.” “Okay,” she nods, and then looks questioningly into my eyes. “Shining… You really want a family and also friends, don’t you? More people you can spend time with?” “Well, that would be more fun, yeah…” Fearing that Alice will start sulking, I hurriedly add, “But don’t get me wrong. Even if I could have lots of friends, you’ll always be special to me.” “I know. Heheh, thanks.” Giggling, Alice rubs her cheek against mine. “I’ll find something to make you happy – something just for you.”
???----------(Shining Armor’s perspective)---------- “H#Y!” the wriggling mass of flesh burbles, “G$Hsy%3whY&Xtr1p%3?” “SK%guj!%~? &YGo^#1sGjisKIREs5#OsK473?” “H#h#. K$5GiVe52fdf%^#CADA+CE. HI#~TG^Sk5tI#GR3NSTLY.” Three such creatures sit around the table in front of me, slurping filthy sludge from their cups as they trade whines, growls and sounds that I can’t describe. “H#YiST50ST3rngTHzTOVEN#V4rBNSK1^pkzb4?#?!” “adN. tTH79HRRM3N1S&8$RZ20SnoW$dyz??!?$$” “L1ttKnD6FScRed. ;k’ azS8L35fff^$%kn1JZ.” By listening carefully, I’m able to grasp the gist of their conversation and respond when it’s required of me. This is necessary to avoid arousing their suspicion. However these creatures may look, they are my friends, apparently. I wish that I could still deny it, but I gave up on that a long time ago. Night after night, I went to sleep praying for an end to this nightmare, only to wake each morning to the same twisted hellscape as the day before. I know now that I have to blend in, that I have to act like one of them. Such has been my life these past three months, and so it will remain until the day I die. “B&UWRbl;;/tO2jUtSK#N6@@@” “NTv9yd1ff:*fMS76;4%73#411&^#anG2St!@@” Judging by its tone, this one must be that guy… my best friend, but I don’t remember its name. And the one next to him, squealing more than the others, is probably Cherry Blossom. Which means the one next to me is Cadance, though I can no longer see any trace of her once-attractive features. I try my best to ignore the rotten stench of excrement that issues from her quivering flesh. “MVFKNfgda#@%mf@*Fmckxvzm#@SDFzxcv32!!!!” “GRGHRGWn6Td2Ca15#0m3cHnSKT888###” “W#BTT?IfW6MKN3LTsk62bFN%@%#$%#!GDF” Everything has changed. Well… almost everything. By some cruel trick of fate, my relationship to the world alone remains the same, as if an insane architect took the blueprints of my life and rebuilt it out of blood and gore. These monsters and I were part of the same college club. We studied together, ate together – we even went skiing together every winter break. Now these are now but painful memories of days that will never return. If only no one recognized me, I might have been able to disconnect myself from the world. It would have been comforting, in comparison, to believe that I had been abducted by aliens, or that I had stumbled through a gateway to hell. But no, this is beyond a doubt the city where I was born and raised, the society that I was part of for twenty years. Save that I, and I alone, can no longer see it that way. The world as I knew it is gone. I have no place to call home. “SDJsdafj3t493074t34#$(fjdkfa###” “TYK#^t3m4T34,Rg4533j&Ig45uje@@@” “F$Gf43HG#*$G#G3G#G834g43g8FM^^^” Anyway, I can tell that whatever they’re talking about is of no importance to me. I decide to keep quiet while pretending to listen. But just then… “hEy, SHiniNG,” one of the flesh-beast says as it swivels it’s bloodshot eyes towards me. “WhAt dO yOU THinK?” “…..About what?” I try desperately to suppress my loathing and behave normally, but my hoarse voice ruins the attempt. “UH, wE’rE TAlkING about THIs Year’S skI TRiP. YOy’Re COMiNG ToO… RiGHt?” A slimy hole near the top of the creature writhes nauseatingly as it vomits some semblance of words. That must be that guy’s face – or what I would have seen as such three months ago. Unable to stomach the sight of it, I avert my eyes and give a neutral answer. “I don’t know.” “YoU have oThEr pLAns?” “Not really.” These were my closest companions. My friends. One of them had even wished to be more. How many nights have I spent crying in loneliness, lamenting the friends who no longer exist? In three months my tears ran dry, and now there is only loathing left in me. Surrounded by hideous creatures that I can only assume are my best friends, Cherry and Cadance, I spend each day trying to act as I always have. If I fail at this, I’ll surely be sent back to the hospital. Only this time, I’ll be locked away forever. No matter what, I won’t let that happen. “I mEAn… iT’s Not like physical activity COulD Affect YoUR InJuRIeS, RIght?” “I’m not sure. I’ll ask the doctor during my check-up.” That’s it. I can’t look at them or bear their screeching any longer. I jump to my feet, desperate to escape. “hEy, SHiniNG!” A spray of stingy slime from the cilia around its voicebox flies at me. I tried to cover myself, but it’s too late to keep the slime from splattering across my face like the yolk of a rotten egg. I’m about to lose it. I want to grab a chair, a desk – anything within reach – and use it to smash the life out of this creature, ending it all. I barely suppress the impulse. I mustn’t let on that something’s wrong. However they look to me, this is their world. I’m an outsider here. “Like I said, today’s my check-up. I’ve got to go.” Struggling to put on a smile, I reach into my wallet, pull out the first bill I find, and put it on the table without even looking at it. I don’t care about the change. I just need to get out of here – now. “Later,” I mutter hastily, and flee the cafeteria. I’m not crazy. ----------(School Cafeteria)--------- ---------(Your Perspective)--------- “Hey,” says Cherry, “why don’t we go somewhere we can skate for this year’s ski trip?” Cadance frowns at the suggestion. “Skate? But why go to a ski resort to skate?” “Haha. Give her a break, Cadance. It’s all she talks about these days.” You support Cherry with a laugh. Her impromptu suggestions are nothing new, and it’s your role as her boyfriend to provide back up. You’re a good match for each other, Cadance thinks. Sometimes it makes her jealous. “I mean, she’d seriously never gone skating before I took her the other day.” “Hey! Is it really that strange?” “Now many people start skating in their twenties, you know,” you say as you take a sip of your coffee. “I was scared when I was little. Those shoes looked like big knives! But you picked it up just like that? That’s pretty amazing, Cherry.” “It’s a lot like skiing. You keep your weight forward and use the angle of the shoes to steer,” you instruct a bit. “He made it sound so easy; I figured I should give it a try. And it was fun!” So it was a date. Cadance feels a stab of envy. You and Cherry enjoyed your time together, as normal lovers do. That’s certainly not something that should arouse jealousy. It’s just that her luck in love has been bad. “Oh… well, I want to see Cherry skate too.” Cadance keeps her voice upbeat, trying to cover up her internal conflict. She knows that it’s wrong to envy her friends. She too would be spending time with the man she admires, if not for the terrible tragedy that befell him. His real misfortune. Her “bad luck” doesn’t begin to compare. “So, how about it? If we make the next ski trip a skating trip too, it’ll be twice as fun!” Cherry said with a huge smile on her face. “But you can skate at a skating rink, can’t you? Why go all the way to a ski resort?” “I don’t want to skate indoors. I want to skate outside, on a late or something,” Cherry figures. “That sounds fun, but won’t it be crowded?” While speaking, Cadance sneaks a sideways glance at the young man sitting next to her. Although the conversation has involved only three people so far, there are in fact two couples at the cafeteria table. Cadance’s boyfriend – though there’s still some doubt over whether he could be called that – is beside her, as expressionless as a statue. “Hey, Shining. What do you think?” You ask the one sitting across you, who is as silent as a library. Perhaps you sense Cadance’s pain, is your usual quiet and considerate way. “…..About what?” The cause of Cadance’s distress – Shining Armor – responds to your sudden query with a vague, mumbled question of his own. “Um, we’re talking about this winter’s ski trip. You’re coming too… right?” You speak gingerly, as though probing a tumor. A few months ago, you would hesitate to rebuke Shining for his attitude. Your long acquaintance has forged a strong and honest friendship. But now… “I don’t know,” Shining responds bluntly, his downcast eyes and sullen demeanor making clear that he has no desire to break his silence. “You have other plans? “Not really.” Even you, Shining’s best friend, can’t communicate with him as before. What hope does Cadance have of breaking through his shell? The scars left by the events of that late-summer day are still deep all these months later. Each one of the four bears them, not just Shining. “I mean… it’s not like physical activity could affect your injuries, right?” “I’m not sure. I’ll ask the doctor during my check-up.” As though that answer drained the last of his patience, Shining bolts out of his chair. “Hey, Shining!” Even you can’t keep your voice from rising as you try to stop Shining Armor from leaving. Shining reacts swiftly, throwing his hand over his face as though to shield himself from something terrifying. Maybe some spit flew inadvertently from your mouth, but that sort of thing happens during everyday conversation. Shining’s reaction is beyond the pale. “Like I said,” Shining snaps, making no attempt to relieve the discomfort of his friends, “today’s my check-up. I’ve got to go.” Even as he tosses money on the table to pay for his coffee, he acts like he’s touching something filthy. “Later.” Shining stalks out of the cafeteria, almost as if he’s running away. Cloaked in heavy silence, the remaining three lower their gaze to the table, where the abandoned hundred dollar bill sways forlornly. Shining’s coffee is untouched. I can’t take this anymore,” Cherry says with a sigh, but you shook your head reproachfully. “Shining just needs a little more time,” you say to her as you look at Cherry with an assuring gaze. “But it’s been three months! What’s with his attitude?! I feel like I’m going crazy hanging around him!” “Hey, I don’t understand what he’s going through either. I don’t think any of us can.” You look down at the table again. “Can you imagine losing your whole family like that? That’d screw anyone up.” You sigh at that thought. “It could have happened to anyone,” you remind yourself about that terrible day, as if that news you’ve heard was only yesterday. A tractor trailer flipped over on the highway, crushing the family’s car into a twisted scrap. They said it had been difficult to tell the bodies of Shining’s parents and her sister apart. For a while, it had looked as if there was no hope for Shining either. It was nothing short of a miracle that he was able to leave the hospital and return to a normal life. “He was worse when we went to see him in the hospital, remember? He was terrified of us, like he didn’t know who we were. He even had to be tied to the bed, he freaked out so bad. I’m just glad he’s made it this far.” “There’s still something strange about him. What’s with the way he looks at us? It’s like we’re not even human!” “Cut it out, Cherry,” you say forcefully, probably less out of empathy for your friend that out of consideration for Cadance. While your kindness makes her happy, Cadance also knows that she mustn’t take advantage of it. Shining is the victim, just as you said. He’s the one who most deserves sympathy. Cadance’s feelings for Shining Armor are her problem, and no one else’s. She doesn’t blame Shining for not giving her an answer after she worked up the courage to ask him out. In fact, she thinks even more fondly of him for his serious consideration of her feelings than she would have had he treated their relationship casually. Apparently, the fact that Shining did not reject her was enough to make them a couple in yours and Cherry’s eyes. They’ve had plenty of fun at Cadance at Shining’s expense since. The truth of it, though… is that he still hasn’t given her an answer. After revealing her feelings for him, Cadance didn’t see Shining again until a week later, and then she could only stare at his broken body through the window of the ICU. And when he was finally released, after fifty days that seemed an eternity, he was somehow different. She’s starting to doubt that he even remembers what she confessed to him before the accident. Now winter is coming, and her feelings hang forgotten in the cold, lonely air. ---------(Hospital)--------- Dr. Chrome Regios has never had a troublesome patient. “Has there been any change since your last visit, Mr. Shining Armor?” “No, nothing to speak of.” His voice is hard and flat, his words tossed carelessly into the air. It’s like he’s speaking to himself in an empty room. Chrome is a surgeon, not a psychiatrist, but even she can sense the thickness of the wall he has erected between himself and the world. “Any nausea, dizziness, or hallucinations?” “No.” While Shining Armor appears to be looking at Chrome, his gaze is actually aimed a fraction down and to the side. He’s only superficially engaged in the conversation, when in truth it does not interest him in the slightest – perfect rejection. Realizing that she can’t interview him like this, Chrome sighs and sets her chart aside. “Mr. Shining. The procedure you received at this hospital was the latest in experimental neurosurgery. We explained this before, didn’t we?” Treatment of subdural hematoma through the use of micromachines, a procedure available in Canterlot exclusively here at the C University Science and Medical Center, had been the only way to save Shining Armor from a cerebral contusion that should have been fatal. “With any experimental treatment, there’s always the risk of unexpected complications.” “Of course.” Shining Armor’s lips twist slightly in what might be a bitter – or mocking – smile, but it’s gone before Chrome can discern its meaning. “Normally, I would never say anything to frighten a patient… but there have been reports of serious neurological disorders post-surgery. We must continue to monitor your condition carefully.” Hence these weekly check-ups. If only he would take then a little more seriously. “How was last week’s MRI?” Shining asks abruptly, as if to catch Chrome off guard. MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging – is a way for doctors to examine the brain in detail without opening the patient’s skull. Surprised by Shining’s uncommon technical knowledge, Chrome recalls his profile. “Oh, that’s right. You’re a medical student, aren’t you?” From what Chrome learned, Shining Armor was once a C.A.T participant and was aimed to be a policeman, but she didn’t know why he’d suddenly decided to switch to his course of study to medicine three years earlier. She never really probes into the personal lives of her patients outside of the main conflict she’s at currently, especially when she’s only been reading his file and only learned about his switch of studies from his friends. “The kind of anomaly you’re worried about should show up on the MRI, right? Did you find anything?” “…..No.” “There was nothing – not the slightest hint of abnormal activity. For a procedure with such a low rate of success, the results have been nothing short of miraculous. However, something still bothers Chrome. She can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something beneath his guarded exterior – some terrible weight on his soul, perhaps. But if it is an inorganic problem, then there’s nothing she can do as long as he refuses to explain it. “I’m fine, doctor. I’ve lived on my own for three months without any problems. What could go wrong now?” “Please, you know that continued observation is required after these difficult surgeries. You have to trust us a little more.” Shining sighs. “I suppose you’re right. I do want to trust you, Doctor. Can I come to you with anything?” “Yes, of course,” Chrome answers, smiling to cover up her irritation. Shining Armor asked exactly the same question during last week’s visit. “Well then, let’s pick up where we left off. Have you learned anything about Dr. Moonlight Shadow?” “……” Unable to answer, Chrome hardens the mask of her smile. As before, the patient is inquiring about someone whom he has no business knowing. “If you don’t mind me asking, what does Dr. Shadow have to do with your treatment?” “You just told me to trust you, and now you’re keeping secrets?” Chrome is used to patients treating her with hostility during her life as an alchemist and a doctor. After all, some degree of paranoia is natural when dealing with someone who holds your life in her hands. In Shining Armor’s case, however, she doesn’t see the shortsighted impatience that other patients exhibit. His demeanor is perfectly calm, almost like a detective questioning a suspect. “He left this hospital some time ago. I never had any contact with him myself.” “Do you know why he left?” “Yes, I believe it was personal,” Chrome answers smoothly, her earlier hesitation is gone. Having decided at the outset to lie, she has no trouble doing so with a straight face. “But why do you keep asking about Dr. Shadow? Do you know him?” “Did you know that the doctor has gone missing?” “No.” Chrome realizes that her answer may have been a little too quick. She should have acted more surprised. “I’ve recently become close with a relative of his. It was her who asked me to find him.” A relative? Chrome considers this with a frown. “I didn’t think Dr. Shadow had any relatives.” “Oh, who told you that?” “I… heard it from a nurse,” Chrome replies, remembering that she just claimed to have had no contact with the man. “I see. So the doctor was famous enough for nurses to gossip about him?” “He was an unusual man, I hear.” “But no one knows why he left the university?” “Ngh…” Chrome falls silent, knowing that this isn’t a topic she can brush away with a smile. Shining Armor seems to have finally grasped her mood; however, as his strangely stiff tone softens a little. “Doctor, I absolutely must find Dr. Shadow. There’s a girl who’s lost without him. Can’t you help me?” “Isn’t this something the police should handle?” Although she makes it sound like the most obvious thing in the world, the suggestion is actually a risky gamble. If Moonlight Shadow’s disappearance becomes a police matter, then the university will be investigated. Everyone who was involved in the incident will be at risk of exposure. And of course, that includes Chrome herself. She knows, however, that Shining Armor is unlikely to go to the police. First of all, his excuse is obviously a lie. They already made sure that Shadow had no relatives who might come looking for him, which is why they could bury the truth of what happened. But then… how did Shining Armor, a mere patient, learn about Moonlight Shadow? “I’d be happy to help, but there’s been no word from Dr. Shadow since he resigned last April. I can only assume that he’s gone on an extended vacation.” “……I see.” Expecting resistance, Chrome is surprised when Shining Armor backs down. She’s still worried about his condition. And the mysterious link between his and Moonlight Shadow is only making her more uneasy. But as long as he doesn’t open up to her, there’s nothing she can do. After a brief pause, Chrome writes “Progress good” on Shining Armor’s chart for today. “About next week’s appointment. How does four o’clock again sou-“ Before she can finish, Shining Armor is gone. ----------(Hospital Hallway/Streets)---------- ---------- (Shining Armor’s perspective.)---------- It looks like someone sprayed the walls with pig guts from ceiling to floor. What color should the walls of a hospital be? White, of course. And to the creatures of rotten flesh shambling around me, I’m sure this hallway looks just as white as it should. I know, intellectually, that the walls are white. I know that the flesh beats are really human. I’m the one with the problem, and it’s because I’ve accepted this, that I’m able to lead something to approaching a normal life. Even if my university’s medical department is nowhere near as good as Canterlot University’s, I’m still a medical student specializing in neurology. I have a basic idea of what has happened to me, though it’s hard to believe. This isn’t a pathological condition. It’s probably some form of Agnosia unlike anything that has ever been studied before. The flesh-beast called Chrome Regios said that other patients had developed neurological disorders after receiving the same treatment I did. So I guess I’m just another failure. It makes me want to laugh in that know-it-all doctor’s face. That said, I don’t blame the doctors who operated on me. After all, I do owe them my life. I know as well as anyone how low the chance of success was, and that I had no other hope of survival. I was unlucky. That’s all there is to it. The point is that my condition isn’t treatable. Just like someone adapting to a hearing aid or wheelchair, I have no choice but to adapt to this nauseating scenery. Streets bloodied like an insides of a person’s stomach, poles like a twisted parts of intestines, sky as dark as a bottomless well, blood and guts everywhere I look that resembles buildings, plants and such is truly like hell on earth for me. Of course it’s hard. It wasn’t easy to resign myself to this fate. But now there’s more than just despair. Even for me, there’s a glimmer of hope. Keeping my eyes on my feet to see as little of this horrifying world as possible as I hurry home. (Streets) I live in a quiet suburban neighborhood, in a house that’s much too large for me alone. My parents, even unluckier that I was, died in the accident three months ago. I couldn’t even go to the funeral for being in intensive care. I had to sell my father’s business, but at least that left me with the house and enough money to live on for a while. Of course I’m sad, but the accident had took more from me than my parents. In fact, being on my own has probably saved me. If they were still alive, my parents would never have allowed me to live with some strange girl, after all. (Shining Armor Residence)---------- “Welcome home!” As I open the door, a bright voice greets me from the kitchen. The voice is beautiful and clear as a bell – human. Its sweet sound washes the day’s cacophony from my memory. “I’m home, Alice.” Even the patter of feet coming down the hallway is music to my ears. Nowhere else in the city can I hear such footsteps. Only in this house, with Alice, I’m so privileged. “You’re late. I was a little worried.” “Sorry. I had to stop by the hospital today.” “Oh, that was today?” In her smile – in the inquisitive tilt of her head – is everything that I have lost. Since my accident, this girl is the only person I’ve met – perhaps the only person in the entire world – who does not trigger my cognitive disorder. True, her skin seems too white, and the color of her eyes and hair is probably different in reality. But even so, her form is undeniably human. And it’s not just her appearance and her voice, but also her… As I bend down to take off my shoes, Alice wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me gently into her tiny bosom. Her skin truly human, not cold or slimy, and from her hair wafts the sweet fragrance of a young girl. In the entire world, only Alice is pleasing to my five senses. And what’s more, she smiles at me – embraces me. She knows that she is my salvation, and for some reason is happy that I need her. If I had not met Alice – If I had been all alone in this twisted, filth-ridden world – I would no doubt have succumbed to madness. It is no exaggeration to say that Alice alone is keeping me alive. “What did you do today?” “I worked on the living room. The painting’s half done! And now I’m making your dinner like I learned from the TV.” “Sounds good.” “it’ll take a little longer. Can you wait?” “Sure. I’ll do some more work in the living room.” After I see the humming Alice off to the kitchen, I step into the living room. I realized one day that if the natural colors of the world were sickening, all I had to do was paint over them with colors that seemed pleasant. I went to the hardware store and bought every color of paint I could find, then Alice and I tried different combinations until we found one that worked. After painting the bedroom from ceiling to floor, I was finally able to get my first goodnight’s sleep since the accident. Then we first started on the living room, Alice, unsure what to do with the curtains, just painted carefully around the windows. Without a moment’s hesitation, I tore the curtains down and painted over the glass itself. There’ll never be anything out there that I’d want to see, and as long as we keep the storm shutters closed the neighbors probably won’t think anything of it. “Dinner’s ready!” Alice called out. “Can you bring it here?” As she enters the living room with a tray of food, Alice sniffs the air. “The paint smell doesn’t bother you?” Now that she mentions it, I suppose the smell of paint thinner must be building up in this closed room. It doesn’t really bother me, though. There are far worst smells outside. “Does it bother you, Alice?” “No, I’m fine if you are.” Alice sets the food on the table. Unfortunately, either its color nor it’s smell is at all appetizing. Not that food elsewhere is any different. “Thanks, Alice.” As has become routine, I steel myself and methodically transport the food into my mouth. The taste is as gut-wrenching as I expected, but it’s not Alice’s fault. I’m sure she made it exactly like the cooking show said. It’s just that my taste buds can’t accept it. “It’s not good?” She asks hesitantly. “Well…no…” Lying won’t make Alice happy. She knows about my condition. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make something different tomorrow.” “Sorry. You always go to the trouble of cooking but I…” “It’s fine. If I keep trying, maybe I’ll find something you’ll like.” In my current state, eating is nothing more than an unwelcome duty. As much as I hate it, I need food to survive. If I stay alive, then perhaps one day, as Alice says, I’ll be able to taste something delicious again. I met Alice, didn’t I? “Aren’t you going to eat?” “No, I already ate.” In all the time we’ve been together, Alice has never once eaten with me. I don’t know why she refuses to do so. It makes me a little sad. Still, I’m not about to push the issue, not when she’s putting up with all the problems I have. “By the way, I asked about your father again.” “About Dad?” Doctor Moonlight Shadow, Alice’s father, is her only relative. Alice has asked me to unravel the mystery of his disappearance. “They still wouldn’t tell me anything. I get the feeling they’re hiding something.” “I see…” I expected Alice to be a little more dejected. “You haven’t given up, have you?” “No,” Alice responds with an unreadable expression, “it’s not that.” She gives a little shake of her head, then smiles at me once again. “Thanks for all you’re doing for me, Shining…” “It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me.” I thanked her for the mean and set my utensils down next to the perfectly clean plate. As wretched as the taste was, thinking of the care that Alice put into it gave me the strength to finish every bite. “Is it bathing time?” “Yeah. Will you wash my back again?” “Sure!” Ever since Alice moved in, it’s been like having my own wife. --------(--------Alice… Why are you so good to me? “Ahh…haaa….” Alice’s slender hips bounced up and down with an insatiable hunger, each decent thrusting my manhood deep into the embrace of her hot, tight womb. “Yes, yesssss! Ahh… hot… deeper!” Who could imagine that her seemingly incorruptible body would ever glisten with the hot sweat of passion, or feast on pleasure with such bottomless lust? Alice, my darling Alice. Is this really what you want? Why do you go so far for me? What am I, that you can give yourself to me body and soul? “More, Shining! Harder! It’s so deep… ahhhhhh!” Is this merely sympathy? Do you pity me, the exile from society? Is that enough for you to surrender yourself to such mad desire? Are you so lusty? “Yesss… please… give me more… more! I’m… going crazy… uhhhh!!!” Her eyes, as she gazes down upon me, are devoid of twisted or sinful desire. There are only the melting flames of ecstasy. Her beautiful, carnal moans and undulating body seem impossible, dreamlike, and I can’t help but wonder if even the pleasure that’s burning me from head to toe is but an illusion. Needing to touch her, to reassure that she’s real, I raise my hands to her small breasts and seize them like my life depends on it. “Ah!” Alice convulses, screaming like an animal. As I roll her sharp, pink nipples through my fingers, she throws her head back and gasps for air. “Ahhhhhh, yes! Shining… I’m going to pieces!” Alice is here. She’s with me, now. Only in this moment is her existence certain. I can believe only when I’m joined with her. “Shiniiiiing… Inside… Please, come inside… I want you in me…” I nod and accelerated the pace of my thrusts. Alice’s gasps rise in pitch as her mad dance of passion reaches its peak. “I’m coming!!! Shining! Together… Togethreeeeer!!” No matter what cruel fate might await me, Alice, there is nothing I fear more than losing you. “Aaaaahhhhhh!!!” As Alice climaxes, convulsing and wailing, I surrender to her tight embrace and unleash my boiling seed into her womb. “Aaaahhhh… So hot… Shining….” Alice collapses atop me, still smiling, and I wrap my arms around her. The feeling of her soft, sweat-soaked skin and the warmth emanating from her body reassure that she is still here. “…….Shining? Are you crying?” I realize that my cheeks are wet with tears. “Why, Alice? Why do you go so far for me?” “Shining…” “I don’t understand it… I don’t, but I’m losing myself to you more every day. I can’t live without you, Alice.” I wrap my arms tighter around her, praying that out bodies will melt together and never again be apart. “Tell me, please. What must I do to keep you with me? How can I repay you?” “Keep holding me,” Alice whispers into my chest. “I want you to make love to me. I want to stay like this forever. I won’t leave you, Shining Armor.” “Why? Why me?” “Because you’re all alone,” She says softly, gazing up into my eyes. “All alone… just like me.” The sorrow in her voice resonates with my own. There is a deep loneliness in her eyes, a loneliness from which now springs boundless affection. “You’re all I have. In the whole wide world, only you will embrace me. My precious, Shining Armor.” Now I know. No matter what horrors this world unleashes upon me, All I’ll ever need is Alice. ----------(The next day…).---------- ----------(Classroom)---------- Cadance is determined to talk to him today. Nothing will happen as long as she hesitates. It will only prolong her suffering. The time has come to show courage once again. Cadance’s fourth period on Thursdays is biology. This is her one chance to see Shining Armor. As a required course with many students, the lecture is held in a large hall that can seat well over two hundred. But since the room is usually only half full, it is rarely difficult for Cadance to find the seat she wants. Cadance prefers to sit near the center, where it is easiest to hear the professor. Most of the students congregate in this area for the same reason. Shining Armor usually sits beside her, although given the ambiguous state of their relationship, she knows better than to take this for granted. Still, she tries to save a seat whenever possible. The classroom isn’t crowded today, so Cadance is able to set her bag on the seat next to her without inconveniencing anyone. But when the professor arrives at the usual time to start class, there is still no sign of Shining Armor. After waiting for about ten minutes, Cadance scans the room furtively. Shining is there, sitting alone in the far back corner. Did he miss Cadance when he came in? No, he couldn’t have. And besides, no serious student would willingly sit so far away from the front. Feeling miserable. Cadance slides her bag back over to herself. ----------(After Class)---------- Shining is out the door the moment class ends. Cadance barely manages to catch up to him before he disappears down the hallway. “Shining Armor!” Shining Armor jerks at the sound of his name. You would think she just screamed at him. “What?” He turns to her and asks reluctantly. Now that they’re face to face, Cadance is painfully aware of how much weight Shining Armor has lost. His sunken eyes and protruding cheekbones are a far cry from the features familiar to her. She wonders whether he’s under a lot of stress, or perhaps not getting enough nutrition. Maybe it’s both. He definitely looks tenser than he should – afraid, even though of what she can’t imagine. His eyes move restlessly from point to point, and he refuses to look Cadance in the eye. It hurts to see Shining Armor this way. What could have changed him so? Today, she reminds herself, rekindling the flame of courage in her heart. “Um, I want to talk to you about something. Do you… have some time?” The courtyard is empty and silent. No one is willing to sit and chat in the cold November air. “So what is it?” Don’t you remember?! Cadance almost blurts the question, but manages to keep her composure. “You’ve been acting strange lately. I’m worried about you.” “Well, a lot’s happened.” He smiles like it’s nothing, but even that seems stiff and forced. He’s even standing precisely one pace farther away from her than he used to. “Is that really all?” “What more do you want?” Cadance manages to keep from flinching at the harshness of his tone. “It’s like you’re struggling with… something.” “Ngh…” Rather than an answer, Shining Armor grinds his toe into the dead grass at his feet. Fearing that her determination might flag, Cadance lets the words come as they may. “It’s like there’s a terrible weight on your shoulders, and it’s slowly breaking you. That’s how you look to me.” “Oh really,” Shining mutters through clenched teeth, no longer trying to deny it or chance the topic. This is an even clearer signal of rejection than his prior evasiveness. But Cadance’s determination is strong. Today, at least, she won’t back down. “Its times like these,” she implores, trying to convey the sincerity of her feelings for him, “That you need your friends.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I Feel rEAlLy bad ABoUT Your PareNTs. But yoU’RE Not aLONE. You Have yOUr BeST FRiEnD [Your Name], aND ChErRY, anD… you HAVe ME.” Cadance can no longer stop the words pouring from her lips. She fears that if she doesn’t unleash the feelings pent-up inside of her, they will be lost forever. “I THiNk wE cAn HlElP you. SO You DoN’T hAVe To Deal wITh IT alL bY YOuRSELf. EVEN iF We caN’t DO aNYthIng, just TALking To Us mIGht make you Feel bETTer. I Want tO help YOu! wE aLl DO! SO please, tell M—“ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Stop it!” Shining Armor shouts, silencing Cadance’s entreaty. She promised herself that she wouldn’t back down, but Shining’s expression is terrible enough to shatter her resolve. The look in his eyes is not anger, or any other warm-blooded emotion. It’s hate – murderously cold hate. “Come to think of it, I never gave you an answer, did I?” He remembers… He remembers, yet still he’s treated her so coldly. That’s all the answer she needs. If his words stab any deeper, she might as well die. “I never saw you in any special way before. When you asked me out, I wasn’t sure how to respond. I didn’t know how I really felt about you then.” “Shining…” “But now I can give you an answer. I’ve had plenty of time to think it over, you know. I hate you, Cadance. I don’t even want to look at you.” Don’t cry, Cadance tells herself, but too late to stop the tears pouring from her eyes. “I suppose it’s too much to hope I never see you again. We do go the same school. So just make this the last time you speak to me, okay? Your voice makes me sick.” “How can you be so cruel?” Cadance whispers in shock and despair, to which Shining Armor twist his lips into a malevolent smile. “You should really try thinking for yourself once in a while. I bet you were just egged on by Cherry and my so called best friend [You] weren’t you? Well, you can play at love all you want, but leave me out of it. Even after shedding tears in front of him, she absolutely refuses to let him hear her cry. And disgrace would be preferable to breaking down here. So… she runs, fleeing breathlessly from the courtyard with Shining Armor’s cold smile at her back. At that same time… Two girls who were watching and eavesdropping nearby witnessed and heard everything those two were talking about…Maud and Pinkie… one of Candance’s classmates in History. Pinkie felt sorry for the rejection and humiliation that Cadance had gone through after trying to help that no good person… “Gosh… who in the world is sadder than Cadance right now?” She asked her sister beside her who was watching idly at the guy and gave a snort. “Me… watching this,” she replied, then turned and walked away. Pinkie wasn’t sure what to do next, but to follow her sister to their next class… this wasn’t their business to begin with. Not even her cheery mood will ever get Cadance to smile at this point… So for now, she leaves it be. Cherry was the first to catch sight of Cadance and Shining Armor leaving for the courtyard. Reluctant to interrupt then, but still unwilling to leave them alone, You and Cherry ended up watching the whole thing from the shadows. “That asshole...” Throughout the exchange, Cherry was clearly itching to jump out and punch Shining Armor in the face. Knowing her temper, you kept a firm hold of her arm until the end. If he hadn’t, she might very well have done it. Shining Armor leaves after Cadance, his every step seeming to take an act of willpower. You sigh heavily into the once more empty courtyard, but the bitter taste in your mouth will not go away. “What’s wrong with him?” Even you can’t forgive Shining’s treatment of Cadance. However, the first thing that he feels is confusion, not anger. You had known Shining Armor since long before college. Shining was never this cruel before. There’s no question now that the accident changed him. “Are you just gonna let this go?” Cherry asked you, looking quite disappointed that she hasn’t intervened earlier. “I don’t want to, but what can we do?” “Something besides watching!” Cherry shouts, her face red with fury. “I won’t be satisfied until I give him a piece of my mind.” “That won’t make Cadance feel better.” You sigh at her. “But it’ll make ME feel better!” Cadance and Cherry are best friends, just like you and Shining Armor. In fact, it was the relationship between you and Cherry that brought the other two together. Cherry’s anger is only natural. “I’m going to talk to him alone. You don’t have to come.” “You serious?” “Take care of Cadance for me, will you? She’s probably really hurt. She’ll need someone to be nice to her after she’s done crying.” “Wait, shouldn’t we change jobs?” You asked, hesitantly, since you knew you’d be better of talking to Shining. But Cherry thinks otherwise. “You know how I am. If I try to comfort her, I’ll end up making it worse.” You smile at that fact. “Yeah, you’ve got a point.” “Hey!” “Anyway, just go easy. Okay?” Ending the conversation before Cherry’s mood gets any worse, You head off to find Cadance. --------(Shining Armor’s perspective)----------I feel awful, miserable – but also refreshed. I’ve finally crossed the line. I knew it would come crashing down like this sooner or later. Having become unable to feel anything but disgust for other people, there was no way I could hope to maintain the relationships I’d had before the accident. Today’s incident will definitely get back to Cherry and [You], and everyone will be convinced I’ve had a major change of character. Honestly, I don’t care anymore. At least I probably won’t be committed for this. I just need to avoid acting any stranger than I already have. If this puts a rift between me and the others, good. The thought of all the stress I’ll avoid brings a smile to my lips. I’m fed up with them sticking their noses into my life. It’s like they don’t care that they make my gut turn just by being near me. I’ve been terrified of them until now, but today I struck fear into one of them. In that sense, it’s something of a relief… but I’m not entirely without remorse of what happened. The person I just demolished with the verbal equivalent of a nuclear bomb used to be my friend Cadance. Even is my senses don’t believe it, my mind accepts the theory. I don’t have any particular grudge against Cadance herself, and I didn’t want to hurt her. In retrospect, perhaps I should have just ignored her outsight. Cadance was an attractive girl. I certainly didn’t think badly of her. To be honest, though, I was annoyed when Omi and his boyfriend tried to stick us together. It felt like they were toying with me, and Cadance seemed totally oblivious to the fact that she was dancing to their tune. Her cluelessness was irritating. Still, I knew that none of them meant any harm. Back then, I didn’t have any reason to hurt others just to get my way. If having a casual relationship with Cadance would keep out circle of friends together, I was willing to make that compromise. Now, however, there’s no room in my heart for such forbearance. If merely talking to someone is an ordeal, then how can I be expected to show them kindness? Who am I, Fluttershy?! These ruminations have left me exhausted. I want to return to Alice as soon as possible, but thinking about the packed trains and crowded downtown streets between here and home saps my spirit. Catching sight of a bench, I sit down and close my eyes to the horrors of the world. I can’t do anything about the stink or the noise, but at least I can calm my nerves enough to rest…. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I regained consciousness in the Canterlot University hospital ward, the world was as dark as it is now. I had not yet recovered my sight, even though my eyes and optical nerves were undamaged. It must have been an aftereffect of the accident. Blindness was a shock, but now I know that my suffering then was nothing. After all, my senses of hearing, touch, taste and smell were all fine at the time. The real horror began when my sight returned. The one small mercy was that I was able to come to terms with the accident and my neurosurgery while still blind. I panicked when I first saw the nightmarish hospital and the bloodcurdling shapes of the doctors and nurses, but I soon guessed the cause. It chills me to think of what have happened if I had recovered my sight along with my consciousness. Suddenly awakening in what can only be described as hell, I would no doubt have lost my mind instantly. Soon, my disorder spread throughout my sense of touch, taste and smell. As it turns out, sight exerts tremendous influence over the other senses. The taste of my food, the feel of my bed sheets, the fragrance of my get-well flowers – all became as unbearably foul as my eyes said they should be. Eventually, when even the doctors’ voices became unrecognizable as human, I decided to kill myself. I didn’t believe for a second that I could live in this new world. At least, not until I met… Alice. One night, while thinking of a painless way to die, I found myself succumbing to sleep. Drifting between the nightmares in my dreams and the nightmares of the reality, I didn’t notice her enter my room. The next time I knew, there was a face staring down at me from next to my bed. The face was not covered in pus, or slime, or earthworm-like feelers. It had smooth white cheeks, round eyes, a lovely little nose – all things I had never expected to see again. The face was that of a girl, about roughly fourteen years old, undeniably human and positively glowing with beauty. “Ahh…” I sighed in admiration, savoring the first peace and joy since regaining my sight. She had not expected such a reaction, apparently. “Aren’t you afraid of me?” She asked. Looking at the clock, I saw that It was exactly three in the morning – no time for a young girl to be alone in the hospital. Perhaps she expected me to mistake her for a ghost. But I would not have cared if she had been a ghost. Either way, she was a godsend. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” “My name is Chrysalis… But you can call me Alice.” She said with a bright smile. “I’m looking for my dad.” I assumed that she was the daughter of a late-shift doctor or another patient. It was unusual, but not unthinkable for such a girl to be wandering around the hospital. “It’s no fun if you’re not scared.” “Wait!” I cried, desperate to keep her from leaving. It was only after she turned around that I realized I hadn’t thought of what to say next. “Well?” Her beautiful eyes drew me in, healing my soul to its core. Through the white haze clouding my mind, I struggled to form a coherent sentence. “I shouldn’t do this to a girl, but you’re the only one I can ask.” No longer concerned about propriety, I let the words come as they willed “Will you let me hold your hand?” Alice looked confused at first, but then she smiled like she’d just found a new toy. Her smile was brighter than my memories of the sun. “You’re strange,” She said holding out her slender white hand. “No one’s asked me anything like that before.” Ever so carefully, as though catching snowflakes, I placed my palm against hers. I could feel her human warmth and the softness of her delicate fingers. She was there, just beyond the palm of my hand. Thinking back on the joyful tears I shed then, I know that this is the moment I was saved from my fate. “This is the first time in weeks that I’ve touched someone and felt them as human.” “…huh?” “I can’t touch anyone else. I was in an accident, and as a side effect of the surgery, I can’t see people as human anymore.” “Hmm… how mysterious. You’re interesting,” She said, winding her fingers gently around mine. “can I come back tomorrow night?” “Yes, if course! But isn’t that dangerous?” “Don’t worry,” She replied. “The night belongs to me.” And so, our rendezvous began. Alice came to my room every night at three a.m., skillfully taking advantage of the duty nurse’s shift-change. I was astonished to learn that she was living inside the hospital. “It’s so big that I never run out of places to hide,” She said, answering my surprise with a nonchalant smile. She had been living in the suburbs with her father, she told me, until one day he’d suddenly stopped coming home. After she got tired of waiting for his return, Alice had decided one night to sneak into the hospital he’d worked. And there she’d lived for over two months, searching for his whereabouts all the while. “Don’t you have to go to school?” “No, Dad taught me everything I need to know. I’m really smart.” She was a strange girl. On one hand, she looked and talked like an innocent child. On the other, she was remarkably self-reliant, and at times exhibited a sharp intelligence and deep knowledge that many may have found unsettling. I didn’t care. Alice was the only other human in a world gone mad. Her existence meant far more to me than the standards of society. “Aren’t you worried you might get caught?” “Nope! I don’t have to worry about food here and it’s a lot of fun than staying in Dad’s house by myself.” She claims. “I looked through the patient list and found the ones who have mental problems, specially a patient named Screw Ball…” Alice continued, grinning mischievously. “Sometimes I sneak into their rooms late at night and scare them. Even if the raise a fuss, no one believes what mental patients say, they just brush it off as a bad dream.” Her confession reminded me that the hospital was famous for its ghost stories. Who could have imagined that there was actually a real girl impishly roaming these hallways? “So that’s why you came to my room the first time?” “Yeah, sorry. Are you mad?” While her pranks were hardly praiseworthy, I couldn’t bring myself to scold her for the very thing that had brought us together you shouldn’t do it anymore. Will you come and talk to me instead?” Yeah! That’s more fun for me too!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With extreme care, I was able to conceal my sensory disorder. It was glaringly obvious that the doctors had no way to cure me and the fact that I had undergone a still-experimental procedure made me even more cautious. As a medical student, it was easy for me to imagine how the doctors would react if they discovered that I was exhibiting such unusual side effects. I was not about to become a guinea pig, a mere specimen to be examine with clinical detachment. And so I hid my discomfort and loathing behind a mask of normalcy, convincing the doctors that any signs of stress were merely a result of hospitalization. Alice was my support. Looking to her nightly visits gave me the strength to endure my daily torture. Hope can make an enormous difference in a patient’s progress. With the aid of my secret nurse, I recovered at a pace that left the doctors stunned. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the last night before my release, I summoned my courage and asked her, “Are you going to stay here forever?” “Yeah, I couldn’t learn anything about my dad, but it’s not like I have anywhere else to go. I guess I’ll stay as long as I can hide.” In other words, she had no reason to stay. “Why not stay with me?” I asked timidly. The question took all the courage I had. “Huh?” “My family’s gone, so I have plenty of room! You won’t need to hide, and it’s not a bad place to live!” “You want me… to live with you?” I was too afraid to ask her what she thought of that, so I hastily offered a deal. “In exchange, I’ll help you look for your father! I’ll find him no matter what!” “I think that’s gonna be hard,” Alice said, looking a little embarrassed. “Dad probably did something bad and had to leave the hospital. We can’t get the police involved. You’ll have to be as discreet as possible.” “I’ll do whatever it takes! I…” Unable to control myself, I finally spoke the truth. “I can’t be apart from you.” At first she looked bewildered, but after a few moments of silence, she said, “Give me a little time.” That night, she left my room earlier than usual… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the day of my release, I managed to smile as I accepted the hideous, foul-smelling celebratory bouquet. The flesh-beasts calling themselves Cherry, Cadance and my [You] came to pick me up. Though they had come to see me many times during my stay, it never got easier to see my friends changed so horribly. My sudden tears of despair drew suspicion, but I managed to explain them away as tears of joy. While we walked to [Your] car, I looked desperately for Alice amid the grotesque scenery. Even as we drove away, I kept watching the hospital fade into the distance, praying for a last glimmer of hope. But Alice never appeared. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After my [You] and the others dropped me off, I paused a while to regard my surroundings. I had lived my entire life on this block, in this house. There was no other place that I could call home. But it was no longer anything that I remembered. As I walked up the path to the front door and took in the yard where I had spent my childhood, I could feel those memories being defiled by the twisted, festering shapes around me. Inside the house, I found nothing familiar, nothing to offer me comfort and warmth. What I had once called home was now a whole other world. “I have no home,” I whispered with a smile of self-pity. There was one last stop to make. One last nail to hammer into my coffin. I stepped into the room that had cradled me from childhood. The walls were papered with human entrails, the bed a tangled mass of worm flesh. But one of that mattered. There, curled up on the bed like an abandoned cat, was Alice. As I stood there in shock, she looked up at me and in a tiny, weak voice she said, “Can I really stay?”. I responded by sweeping her into my arms, embracing her tightly so that she would not escape. Alice did not resist. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When she arrives at Shining Armor’s house, Cherry first takes a deep breath to calm herself. Her anger doesn’t vanish entirely, of course, but at least now she can hear herself think. While waiting for a response from the intercom, she looks over the patch of yard that she can see from outside the gate. Even Cherry isn’t normally one to complain about other people’s housekeeping, but this is going too far. The grass is growing wild, and there are piles of dead leaves scattered everywhere. It doesn’t just look untended. It looks like an uninhabited ruin. It’s still light out, but every window has its storm shutters tightly sealed. Cherry guesses that they’ve been closed since morning. What kind of life is Shining Armor leading? Even if he’s living alone, he can’t neglect his housework forever. And is it just her imagination, or does something stinks like rotten meat? It couldn’t be coming from the yard, could it? There’s still no response, so she presses the buzzer a second time, and a third, and a forth. Finally, after this had gone on for over ten minutes, Cherry loses her patience and opens the cover of the intercom. As she expected, the power had been disconnected. Perhaps Shining had a good reason for shutting out of the world, but Cherry can only see it as a lack of respect for others. Her anger rekindled, she pushes the gate open and stomps through the yard to the front door. Given the state of his intercom, she doubts that Shining will respond to a knock, so Cherry decides to simply open the door and go in shouting. And if the door is locked, she’ll just have to… *Click* Surprisingly, the doorknob turns easily in her hand, and the enraged Cherry finds herself throwing the door open wider then she intended. Her nostrils are instantly assaulted by a choking stench. What’s that smell?! As Cherry stands petrified on the threshold, the cowbell hanging on the inside of the door chimes loudly. A moment later… “WeLCoMe HOMe!” Cherry can’t believe her ears. The voice she just heard could not have been human, yet its intonations were too complex for any animal she can imagine. “Is someone there?” she calls out to the end of the hallway from which the voice came. There’s no response. Instead, she hears the sound of something soft and wet flopping its way deeper into the house. “Ngghh…” Finding it difficult to place a meaningful image to the voice she just heard, Cherry stares blankly at the empty vestibule. There’s nothing there. – Not even any indication that Shining had been inside the house recently, which can only mean that he’s still outside somewhere… The house should be empty… But then, what was that voice just now? Her anger had vanished as if it were never there. Nevertheless, Cherry sets feet into the hallway, leaving the door open so that the cowbell won’t ring. The floor creaks, setting her nerves on edge. Cherry herself isn’t sure why she’s acting like a burglar, but something tells her to make as little noise as possible. The potency of the stink inside the house makes the whiff she caught outside pale in comparison. It’s sickening, like rotten fish guts. Has food been left to spoil in the kitchen? She hears a bubbling sound up ahead. Stepping gingerly on the creaking floorboards, Cherry makes her way to the end of the hallway. She finds rooms to both sides of her – one lit, the other dark – and chooses to look into the lit room. It’s the kitchen, lit by what must be the only window in the house not covered by a storm shutter. The sound she heard was the pot boiling on the stove, and on the chopping board next to it laid a butcher’s knife and some half-diced carrots. A perfectly normal household scene, with the light of the setting sun making everything the color of decomposing fruit. Something’s wrong. Who was cooking here? And where did they go? “Is anyone here?” Cherry calls, regretting it immediately as she realizes that her voice is shaking. As her words echo vainly through the silent house, she begins to feel foolish and defenseless. Suddenly she feels something cold seeping through her pantyhose. She timidly reaches down to touch her feet. Her fingertips come away covered with a viscous, olive green slime, like the filthy water from a tank long clogged with algae and dead fish. The whole floor is covered with it. It must me the source of the stench. Cherry now wishes that he hadn’t left her shoes in the entrance landing and just wore them inside, manners be damned. When she looks back ruefully the way she came, she realizes that her current position is not visible from the entrance. This kitchen must be where that strange voice came from. *gurgle…* The next room is probably the den. As she expected from the closed storm shutters, its pitch black inside. Cherry wants nothing more than to flee this house, but that would mean turning her back to the darkness. And that, she simply cannot bring herself to do. Moved by some irrational compulsion, Cherry sets foot into the den. It’s too dark to see anything, and the stink is far worse than before. She slides her hand along the wall, feeling for the light switch. Finding it much sooner than she expected, she flips it on like it’s her last hope. As soon as she turns on the lights… her eyes met a scene she’ll never forget. Colors. Colors!! So many colors! The purple of entrails, the brown of rotten met, the crimson of fresh blood, the yellow of fat – these colors, and more that cannot be described, cover every inch of the room in maddening array. The colors say all that needs to be said about the painter’s hatred, malice and insanity. Cherry’s legs give out from the shock, sending her to the floor. Slime immediately soaks through her jeans, its cold tendrils creeping up her legs, crotch, and… HER NECK! Her hand flies to her neck, where it is greeted by another drop of chilly slime. Above her, something is dripping down on her head. Making perhaps her worst decision of her life, Cherry looks up. The predator clinging to the ceiling, poised to leap upon its prey – she sees it in every detail. Her mouth and nose are sealed before she can scream, and her belly is torn open as something enters to feast on her innards. By the time she feels any of this, Cherry has already gone mad. ----------(Shining Armor's Perspective)---------- I bit the bullet and tried to take the train, but the rush hour crowds were so bad that I had to get off halfway and walk. I’m running pretty late. Is Alice worried? I hope she’s not mad. When I entered the yard, I realize that the front door had been left wide open. Light from the living room is seeping out into the hallway, and I hear what sounds like someone smacking their lips. There’s also a tantalizing fragrance in the air. Is it Alice? I consider calling out to her, but decide to enter in silence instead. Something smells strange, though not unpleasant. The aroma is quite soothing, in fact. It reminds me of Alice’s hair. At first, I’m surprised by what I see in the living room. The floor is covered with what looks to be some kind of grass – probably the source of the herblike smell – and there are fruit or vegetable-like balls of varying size scattered everywhere. “Alice?” “Ah!” Alice turns around, her eyes wide with surprise. She then looks away sheepishly, like a child caught at some prank. “What are you eating?” “This is, um, well…” She stammers, so flustered that I suddenly feel bad for sneaking up on her. Remembering that she has never eaten in front of me before, I realize that she must be quite embarrassed. “Can I have one?” I scoop up the closest fruit-thing and pop it into my mouth, ignoring Alice’s attempt to wave me off. It has a strange texture, soft and pliable, like a peach or a pear. When I bite into it with my back teeth, a succulent juice fills my mouth, combined with a sharp, strong fragrance. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. “How did you make this? What did you use?” “It wasn’t hard… I just took it apart and melted it a little to make it easier to eat. It’s practically raw.” “Oh?” I pick up a different lump, this one consisting of fruity flesh around a hard core. Tearing a chunk off in my mouth, I find that it has a similar taste to the last one. “Hey, are you okay? That’s a…” “Yeah, even I can eat this. In fact, it’s good!” “Really?” At first, Alice looks dumbstruck, but then she burst out laughing. “So this is what you like! Now I feel stupid for going to all that trouble.” “Is this what you always eat, Alice?” “Yeah, though it’s been a while since I’ve had one so big. I usually catch them in the nearby park.” There’s an impressive nature preserve not too far from here. I’ve never heard about fruits like these growing there, but – well, of course. They only look like fruits to me. They’re really something else. “Sorry, I already ate the best parts.” Alice looks down at the left overs. “That’s okay. There’s always next time, and now we can eat together.” “Yeah!” Alice seems happy. I’m happy too, of course. Eating with someone is much more fun than eating alone, and it makes the food taste better too. “There’s still plenty left. It’ll keep chilled for two or three days, though it won’t taste as good.” “Then we’d better start putting it away.” Sealing the small fruits in tupperware and the large ones in pots and bowls, Alice and I store the remaining food in the refrigerator. Thinking of tomorrow’s dinner fills me with anticipation. I feel that, little by little, I’m starting to regain the joy of living. Alice will guide me. With her, I can live on.
??? True Scary Stories *Hospital Edition* By, Scootaloo… Chapter 4: The Monster in the University Hospital. A research student relates his Shocking experiences at Canterlot’s most prestigious Hospital! Will you believe him or not? Strange things started happening at the hospital around the end of last spring. It began with patients waking up in the middle of the night, screaming. They all spoke of terrifying nightmares, and many of them had to be sedated. Some patients even transferred to other hospitals because of it. The weird thing was that they’d all had exactly the same dream – a dream about some horribly disgusting monster staring down at them from their bedside. But the really strange stuff started happening after that. There used to be a lot of stray cats around the campus, looking for scraps from the students. One day, the cats suddenly disappeared, and it wasn’t that they’d stopped coming. It was more like they’d vanished from the area entirely and then people stopped walking their dogs around. According to rumors, the dogs were refusing to go anywhere near the school. Eventually, things started going missing in the hospital. Organs, to be precise. Transplant organs kept disappearing from storage. Some people came close to losing their jobs over it. And it wasn’t just two or three times that it happened. They tried to keep it from the research students, but we heard that it was a lot worse than that. People started saying that there was something living in the hospital. The janitors would find strange messes that could only have been made in the middle of the night – traces of something that had crawled down the hallway, or weird stains that seemed to be caused by something dripping through the ceiling. The late-shift nurses talked about hearing strange noises on the same nights that patients woke screaming. There’s one last story, one you can never mention inside the hospital. One day, the obstetrics department went crazy. They said that a newborn had disappeared in the night. If that were true, the police would’ve come and it would’ve been all over the news, but they say the “big shots” managed to make it all go away. It’s just a rumor, of course. These strange incidents suddenly stopped towards the end of summer. Now there are almost no patients complaining of nightmares, and the cats have started coming back to the campus. But still… what happened in the hospital that summer? Even now, just thinking about it give me the creeps… *beep… beep… beep…* *Your call cannot be reached, please try again later… * *Your call cannot be reached, please try again later…* “Nothing…” “Ngghh…” This is the third day in a row that you and Cadance haven’t been able to get in touch with Cherry. There’s no sign that she returned to her apartment, and even her family doesn’t know anything. Her parents have already filed a missing persons report. “Well, you know her. She’ll probably just pop up somewhere like nothing happened.” You said, trying to hide the fact that you’re as much as worried as she does. “I hope so,” Cadance replies with a gloomy expression. She’s worried about Cherry, of course, but the incident with Shining three days ago must still be weighing on her mind as well. Cadance hasn’t seen Shining since then, and Shining hasn’t made any effort to approach her or you. Four people used to meet in this cafeteria between classes, but now there are only two. “Hey,” She looks at you. “Let’s keep thinking. Isn’t there somewhere Cherry might have gone?” “No,” You answered evasively. “I already checked everywhere.” It’s a lie, of course. You know where Cherry planned to go that evening, but you don’t want to bring Shining up in front of Cadance. Your awkward silence is mercifully broken by the bell signaling the start of the next period. “Well, I’ve gonna go.” “…… Yeah.” If you’re not mistaken, Cadance supposed to have class next period too, but she just sits there, staring off into space. Unable to come up with anything to say, you leave the cafeteria reluctantly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Both Cherry’s disappearance and Cadance’s depression worry you, and both problems lead back to the exact same place. What the hell is Shining doing? When Cherry went missing, the first thing he did was question Shining. After all, the last time he’d seen her was just before she stormed off to give Shining a piece of her mind. Shining responded with unequivocal denial, and acted like he hadn’t the slightest idea why Cherry has gone to see him. Perhaps that was only natural, as he was unaware that Cherry and you had witnessed him reduce Cadance to tears. Did Cherry even make it to Shining’s house? She had been riding a wave of emotion when she’d left, and might have calmed down and changed her mind halfway there. Or perhaps she ran into trouble on the way? You concluded – or, more accurately, convinced himself – that one of these possibilities was the truth, subconsciously denying the one remaining possibility: that Shining Armor was lying -- that he had met Cherry, and was involved with her disappearance. When questioned by the police, You told the truth about Cherry’s destination only up to the train station, maintaining that he had no idea where she’d planned to go after that. He wanted to cooperate with the search, of course, but Cherry couldn’t have made it to Shining’s house. Shining Armor said so himself, didn’t he? In that case, he’d told the police everything they needed to know. Not wanting to get the still-fragile Shining involved, he forced himself to accept this flimsy logic. But the conflict had built up inside of him without his notice, leaving unanswered suspicion to fester in his mind. You’re deep in thought, paying no attention to your surroundings, but perhaps that is what allows you to catch sight of your friend’s back through the crowd of milling students. “Shining?” At first, you assumed that he’s headed to the lecture hall, but it soon appears that he is instead going home. Strange thing is… medical students have required courses in the afternoon. Though you’re initially supervised, your hesitation lasts for only a second. You follow your friend, taking care to stay far enough behind that you won’t be noticed. Shining wasn’t going home, as became obvious when he boarded a train heading in the opposite direction. Your next guess was that he was going to see his doctor at the Canterlot University Hospital, but shining rode straight through the closest station. Where is he going? At first, you felt ashamed for tailing your friend like this, but your conscious fell silent as Shining’s actions grew more mysterious. The stranger it gets, the closer you felt to discovering the truth behind Shining’s sudden transformation. Any knowledge would be welcome, no matter how slight it is. Even you are beginning to thinks that there must be more behind Shining’s change than the accident alone. You want a more satisfying answer, one that will help you decide whether Shining can still be trusted… or not. Shining gets off at a small station in a nondescript suburb of Ponyville. You followed, trying not to lose sight of him amid the other disembarking passengers. The area is quite desolate, with only a small bookstore, a convenience store, and a market in front of the train station. It’s easy for you to keep Shining in view. Though you knew this neighborhood was carved out of the Stallion Ridge Mountain foothills, there are still steep inclines and wooded areas remain that escaped assimilation. You’re amazed that such a quiet place exists less than an hour out of central Canterlot. Shining seems to know these streets. He moves quickly and purposefully through the suburban community, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Before long, Shining reaches a house. Without ringing the bell or even knocking, he opens the door and vanishes inside, leaving you to wonder how Shining can treat the house as his own. After waiting to see if Shining comes back out, you approached the gate and checked the mailbox for a clue to who ever lived in there. Moonlight Shadow, it reads. You never heard of anyone by that name among Shining’s acquaintances. Next, your attention is drawn to the thick was of leaflets sticking out of the small slot. This coupled with the general dilapidated feel of the place, suggest that it has been abandoned for some time. A small playground about two blocks away provides an adequate vantage point from which to watch the front of the Moonlight Shadow residence. Fortunately, it does not appear to be the sort of house that has a rear exit. You settled down on a bench to begin your stakeout. I should’ve brought more smokes. One hour passes, and then another, but there remains no sign of movement around the Shadow residence. Soon, twilight settles upon the neighborhood as it slowly gets darker ever minute it passes. After your one pack of cigarettes ran out, the stakeout became a battle against mounting impatience. You killed time by redialing Cherry on your cell and sending her short text messages, but your efforts are futile, as you knew they would be. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the sky begins to turn deep blue and the streetlights came on, Shining finally emerges from the house and heads back towards the station with the same hurried stride. After some brief consideration, you decide that right now, investigating the house is more important than tailing Shining. You rang the doorbell just to make sure. After the expected silence in response, you checked around you to make sure no one was watching and turns the doorknob. The door is not locked… ~~~~~~~~~~~~~(Shadow Residence)~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The moment you entered the house, stale air thick with mold and dust fills your nostrils. It’s the unmistakable smell of a house that has long lain untouched. There is also a faint hint of something else in the air, something reminiscent of damp sewers and fetid cisterns. Flipping the light switch does nothing. The power must be cut off… You use your cigarette lighters smallish-flashlight to illuminate the immediate area. In the thick dust covering the floor, you see several brand-new trails of footprints that could have been made by shoes – Shining Armor’s. You decide to follow suit and dispense with courtesy. You enter with your shoes on.
???You followed Shining Armor’s footsteps to the second floor, where you begin to catch the scent of paper in the stale air. It’s the smell of old books, instantly recognizable to anyone who had worked in an antique bookstore or library…. Which in fact the Mystic Den and the Canterlot Grand Library. The first room, was some kind of a child's room... but it was different. there seems to be a foul smell coming from the bed itself! By the looks of it, something brown was smertched all around the sheets and pillows that's already dried up. it's the same stench only found in dumpsters and rancid sewers. You can't bear this and wen't on to the next room. The second room has numerous stacks of boxes. Peeking inside one of them, you saw several canned goods like tuna, sardines, meat loaf, and corned beef, anything in cans are there. You think that whoever lived here doesn't seem to want to leave the house. But why is it deserted then? It makes you wonder... what happened to the occupants of the house? The third room is empty. Nothing is inside, but a single chair in the middle of the room facing the door. You don't know why, but there's something about this room that makes your body quiver in fear. The hairs on the back of your head stood on end. You wanted to run and get the hell out of the house, but you have to stay and investigate... otherwise, you'll end up with nothing and looking for answers about Shining Armor would be just a waste of time. The fourth room seems to be locked... go figure. But there's a hole on the door enough to peek through it. Peeking in, you see a small light emitting next to what appears to be a window. It's all black inside so the only thing that indicates daylight was that small hole on the other side of the room. Upon looking at it, you noticed something was moving there! You squinted a bit to get a good look, but as you do the light turned red, and it seems to be moving towards you! Jerking back, you stumbled on the floor and moved back a little. What was that?! Was someone there? Is it Shining Armor? No, he saw him leave! But who is that? Looking at the door closer, the door seems to be nailed shut. it's a good thing too... whoever is inside there will never get out... you moved on without looking at that door's hole again. The fifth room on the second floor turns out to be a study, its towering shelves packed with such a vast number of books that you fear for the stability of the floor. As a medical student yourself, you’re able to discern at a glance that this study belongs to a medical professional, and a high-level one at that. Judging by the content of the books, a smorgasbord of technical volumes far beyond a simple student’s understanding, the owner’s interests lie more with medical research that with clinical practice. Shining must have spent most of his time here. The scattered dust suggests that he was searching for something, and the contents of the desk drawers are in obvious disarray. A small pile of books stacked on the side table catches his eye. Being next to the desk, they must have been the most frequently read. Their nature could shed some light on the character of the person who worked here. You frowned at that as you examine the three books. These aren’t scientific texts like the rest, but old, leather-bound western tomes like the sort you would fine in a rare book store. The titles are meaningless to you. “Traite des Chiffres” appears to concern semiotics, but “Ars Magna et Ultima” is some kind of treatise on divination? And there’s the “Voynich Manuscript”, which looks like some sort of picture book. When you pages through it, you found that the text is utterly incomprehensible. Maybe it’s some kind of cipher. Whatever they are, they clearly have nothing to do with medicine, refuting your earlier guess that this “Shadow” was a doctor. Looking down, you suddenly noticed the glint of something black and metallic underneath the chair. A pocket-sized flashlight, quite out of place among all these dusty books. Shining must have brought it in. With relief, you exchanged your lighter for the flashlight. Its tiny body emits a powerful white beam that casts away the darkness. Your courage restored, you decide to explore the rest of the house. (Stairwell) “….Hmm?” You noticed something strange, something that was not visible in the lighter’s weak flame. The slime! Dark, oily stains are everywhere. The stains are especially thick around the doorknobs and stair banisters, like someone grasped them with hands wrapped in greasy cloth. Looking closer, you see places where the slime was splashed low on the walls, almost as if a wet mop was run violently across the floor. “U-uh?!” Could Shadow have made these marks? If so, how? You begin to feel sick as you imagine a man shambling through the house with slime dripping from his body. (Bedroom) Finding the bedroom next to the study, you checked the closet on a hunch. You discovered two empty suitcases – not what one would leave behind when going on a long vacation. A sudden chill ran through you. Whoever was living here is still somewhere inside the house. Suppressing the urge to flee, you went back downstairs to check the first floor. If you find a corpse, you’ll have to call the police right away. You might get away with trespassing if you report it first, but if they find the body later, it’ll be awfully hard to explain your fingerprints all over the house. (Den) The flashlight reveals the den to be covered in even more slime than the rest of the house. The sofa looks as though it was dredged from the bottom of a swamp. (Kitchen) In the kitchen, you took one look at the sink and decided not to get any closer. You don’t want any more fuel for your imagination. (Bathroom) You reached the door to the bathroom. A common scene from TV dramas flashes through your head – a body with slit wrist floating in a bathtub full of water. And wasn't there a movie where a hit-man disposes of his victim in a bathtub filled with lye? You braced yourself for the worst and open the door slowly, and then shine your light into the ceramic bathtub that appears from the darkness like a white ghost. Bones! So many bones! Bones black with dry flesh and blood! You put your one hand against the wall to steady yourself as your legs threaten to buckle. Something is wrong, you realized as you try desperately to get your thoughts in order. The bones are too small, and there are far too many of them! They aren't human. After taking several deep breaths to calm yourself down, you enter the bathroom and examine the tub. The bones are piled atop each other like fallen leaves. They appear to be from small animals, perhaps cats or dogs. Even so, the quantity is mind-boggling. How many bodies would it take to produce this many bones?! Bones have all been separated from one another, so it doesn’t look like bodies were just thrown into the tub and left to rot. Each bone is covered with deep grooves – marks left by teeth biting through flesh. Your sanity won’t let you consider the possibility that a human could have done this. The owner of this house must have kept some sort of carnivorous animal as a pet, giving it the bones of small animals to eat and disposing of the remains in the bathtub. But why not dispose of the leftovers properly? They could have just been thrown out with the garbage. Or was there something keeping him from leaving the house? The relief you felt when you realized that the bones weren’t human is once again under attack. In the first place, what the hell was Shining Armor doing here?! “What’s wrong?” A voice suddenly said from behind you. “Huh!?” You whirled around, your light revealing Shining Armor’s expressionless face. “You’re trespassing” “S-so are you,” You replied, barely managing to speak over the pounding of your heart. Shining pushes past you and looks into the bathtub. He doesn’t even flinch at the sight of the bones. “A friend of mine lives here. I’m just running an errand.” “What? Who’s this friend?” When did you meet them?” You don’t want to believe that the old, friendly Shining Armor could have had contact with the denizens of this house. “I’ll introduce you one of these days,” He says, turning to leave without even a glance at you. “I owe her my life.” “Hey, Shining!” You ran after Shining Armor as your heart finally beats normally again. “Wait, is this friend of yours the reason you've been acting so strange?” Standing in the entrance, Shining glares coldly at you over his shoulder. The utter of emotion in his eyes gives you pause. “You followed me, didn’t you?” “Ugh…” You swallowed. What can you say? “You’re starting to bother me. Don’t do it again.” “….Fine.” Shining walks away without another word, leaving you along in the entrance. Up until this very moment, concern for your friend was still at the forefront of your mind. Now, however, that concern is swiftly giving way to a growing sense of dread. Does the Shining Armor you knew no longer exist? Was the person who just stared you down an impostor wearing Shining’s skin? You began to believe that it might be so.
???----------(Shining Armor residence)---------- What a nuisance. Why does he insist on interfering? If he only spoke with me to exchange pleasantries, even I could bear it. But now he’s sticking his nose into my business just to satisfy his curiosity? That friend is a perfect example of someone who thinks that it’s always good to take an interest in other people’s affairs. He probably thinks that he’s doing me a favor by prying into my personal life. He couldn’t be more wrong… If he keeps this up, I might have to find some way to deal with him. Like Alice said, I have to keep my search for Dr. Shadow a secret. He could ruin everything. I didn’t have time to fully investigate the Shadow residence today. At this rate, it will probably take several days just to go through the study. Alice didn’t believe that I’d find anything to help with the search, but I think there’s still a lot to explore. Who knows what I’ll discover? The problem is him. He knows about the house now. Will he make things difficult? “ExCusE ME,” A hair-raising voice calls as I’m about to pass through my gate. Suppressing a shudder, I put on a fake smile and turn to face the writhing mass of rotten flesh that is staring at me with bulging eyes. “GOOD EVeniNg. aRE YOu just GeTtIng hOME?” “Yes, I am.” Ah, of course. This is my next door neighbor Mr. Cake, a middle-aged baker – I think -- who spends all day at home while his wife works. I haven’t had much contact with him since the accident. Why is he suddenly talking to me now? “HaVE yoU gOttEN usED to lIVIng alOne?” “Yes. Thank you for your help.” “I know it mUSt be vEry dIFFicUlt, bUT yoU’rE still YOuNg. YOU HAVe To tRY to MoVE oN With YOuR lIfE.” “Yeah…” What is this? Did he stop me just to deliver a lecture? “WIth SUcH A BIG HOusE, it MUst Be hARD To Take CaRe of EVErytHiNg By YOuRSeLF.” “Yes, I suppose it is rather difficult.” “WhY noT hIRE A caRETaker? DIDn’T your fAtHEr have onE?” “I’m still a student. I can’t afford the expense.” “I SEe…” The flesh-beast undulates foully, as though it still has something to say. The sight of it is driving me close to the edge. “EvEN SO, doN’t YOu ThiNk yoU sHOuld at LEasT tEnd TO your yArD? I’d Be HAppY To Help.”. “No, thank you. I’ll manage on my own.” Now I get it. He’s worried that the unsightliness of my house might diminish the image of his own. Damned snob. I flash a token smile, and then retreat behind the safety of my gate. I can feel Cake’s eyes boring into my back all the way to the front door. Why won’t everyone stay out of my life!? I just want to live together with Alice, alone where no one will ever bother us. Mr. Cake sighs in annoyance as he watches the neighbor boy retreat into his house. What’s with the attitude? Even while talking, he kept his eyes averted, as if to avoid looking at something repulsive. Has he always been such an unpleasant young man? No, of course not. When his parents were still alive, he had been a normal youth – a little shy, but sensitive and caring. The unfamiliarity of living alone must be causing him undue stress. If this continues, he might start to develop some serious mental problems. Or is it too late already, Mr. Cake wonders as he gazes wearily at Shining Armor’s yard. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Even during dinner, Mr. Cake can’t shake the neighboring house from his mind. “What’s wrong, honey? You look like something’s bothering you.” Mrs. Cake asked, looking at her husband a bit worried. “Yeah… I saw the young man from next door today.” Mr. Cake replied, looking over her as he takes a plate of mashed potatoes. “Shining Armor?” “I just had to say something about his yard.” “I know. I wish he’d at least do something about that smell.” The stink coming from Shining Armor’s house grows worse each day, and the family is at its wits’ end. “Could there be a dead cat in his bushes? He must notice the smell coming from his own yard.” “He couldn’t be leaving garbage out there, could he?” “Surely not.” “No, I wouldn’t put it past him. Who knows what he’s doing in there all day with the storm shutters closed. What kind of life he’s leading?” “Did he go crazy?” Carrot Cake, their daughter asked as she leans over her father. “Now, Carrot Cake, you mustn’t say things like that.” “But I think he is!” Pound Cake said out loud, as he kept chugging a glass of milk. “Honestly, with the way things are going, I’m starting to wonder if he’s gone paranoid or something.” Mr. Cake sighs at the thought. “Will he be alright?” “Unless he gets help soon, who knows?” The seconds crawl by, each tick of the clock compounding my agony. When I returned from the Shadow residence, I was greeted by a silent empty home. Alice had vanished without leaving any clue as to her whereabouts. It isn’t rare for her to go for walks at night. I’ve often gone with her. However, such outings always take place in the middle of the night, when no one is around, and never last for more than two hours. Right now, it’s five in the morning. Soon the sky will begin to show the first light of dawn. Even if she left right before I returned, she’s still been gone for almost half a day. I can’t sleep. I can only wait in anguish. I tried to distract myself by painting more rooms, but I couldn’t concentrate on the work. If I had known this would happen, I would have left the Shadow house sooner. I wish I hadn’t wasted time on him. If Alice doesn’t return… The thought makes me want to tear out my hair. After its long absence, the terror of true loneliness is too much to bear. At last, the cowbell chimes and Alice’s long-awaited “I’m hone!” rings out from the bottom of the stairs. As I jump out of my bed in relief, all of the stress that has built up through the night is released in a wave that threatens to sweep me off my feet. “Ahh, so tired,” Alice sighs as she climbs the stairs. “I knew the trip would be hard.” “Alice! Where have you…” My question trails off as I notice the thick bundles of paper that she’s carrying under her arms. “What are those?” “Your medical charts and surgery records. I went back to the hospital today.” Alice drops her bundles on the floor, sending paper flying everywhere, then pulls her favorite cushion over and collapses into it, stretching luxuriously. “You walked all the way back from the hospital in the middle of the night?” “Sorry,” She says, skillfully gathering the scattered papers together. “I meant to come back sooner, but there were so many files to go through. So I decided to just bring everything. It was so heavy!” Maybe it’s just the exhaustion, but I don’t understand a word Alice’s saying “What are you planning to do with all this?” “What do you mean? I’m going to study it, of course,” She replies holding the MRI photograph after another up to the light. “I’ll have plenty of time to go over it here.” At first I think she’s just playing around, but the occasional mutters of “Ah, better check this one,” “Oh, I see,” “Well, that was silly of them,” And the like as she separates photos into a growing pile beside her make me think that this might not be a joke after all. “Do you understand this stuff?” “I learned a lot from Dad!” She flashes me a grin, then returns to the papers. “Hmm… so that’s how it is. No wonder it can’t be fixed.” “….It can’t?” “Not by a human doctor.” I can’t tell is she’s being serious. “Even for me, it’ll probably be tough,” She says offhandedly, even as her hands continue to shuffle papers. “I’ll have to experiment first.” Watching more closely, I realize that her eyes are scanning each page rapidly – so rapidly, in fact, that I was unable to notice it at first. Is it possible that Alice, a young girl, is actually reading my charts? “Hey, Alice.” “Yeah?” she answers coolly, looking up from the charts. “I’m tired. Let’s go to bed.” “Sure,” Alice replies with a grin, “If that’s what you want.” Alice tosses aside the papers she was sorting, then leaps on me and begins to tear off my clothes. “H-hey!...” “Come on, just once before bed. Okay?” Contrary to her appearance, Alice’s appetite for sex would put any adult to shame. You could even say it’s a little unnatural. She’s not just passionate; she also has unlimited stamina, making me wonder where her slender body gets all the energy from. Never satisfied with letting me feast on her to my heart’s content, she always uses me to pleasure herself until I’m forced to tap out. “Hey, Alice. Don’t you think it’s unhealthy to be doing this every day?” “Huh? Are you sick, Shining?” “No, not me. My body is all grown up. But you’re still…” “Ah… Ahaha, don’t worry!” She laughs playfully as she pushes me onto the bed, the familiar sweet sensation of her weight and skin rendering me helpless. “But I’m worried! We haven’t used any contraception.” To my astonishment, Alice is completely uninterested in safe sex. She doesn’t just eschew protection; she even insists that I ejaculate inside of her. Surely she must know the risks… which can only mean that she wants to get pregnant. “Shining…” she whispers, staring straight into my eyes. “You don’t want me to have your children?” How can I respond to that? “it’s not that. Your body is too small. Pregnancy is a serious burden, you know?” “That’s not really something you have to worry about…” Alice seems unsure how to reply, but not because she doesn’t understand what I said. Rather, the bemused look on her face makes it seem as though I’m the one not getting it. “But I know you’re just thinking of me,” she says suddenly, her smile glowing with innocence. “So I’m happy!” By the time I break the spell of her angelic smile; Alice had undone my belt and is removing my pants. “C-come on, Alice…” “Relax,” she says teasingly as she bares my crotch and wraps her slender white fingers around my penis and testicles. “Tonight, I’ll do it so you don’t have to worry.” The feeling of her willowy, unblemished fingers embracing me is enough to fill me with twisted ecxtasy and draw out my male instinct. “Uh!” Seeing my response, Alice brings her face to my groin and lovingly wraps her lips around the head of my penis. “Ah!” My hips jerk involuntary at the unexpected, intense shock of her sucking hard on such a sensitive area. “Did that hurt?” She asks, looking timidly at me as she soothingly strokes my shaft. “No… I’m fine.” Where did Alice learn how to pleasure a man so well? I can’t believe the precision and skill of her ministrations. Her sinuous fingers are like snakes coiled around my manhood, their sensual undulations drawing desire forth from my loins. As if all ten fingers weren’t enough to drown me in pleasure, next she adds her lips and tongue. “*Lick*… *Slurp*…” The mind-blowing pleasure from this new stimulation instantly threatens to push me over the edge. A damp heat different from that of her womb presses down on me from all directions. Looking down. I see my lust filling her tiny mouth, stretching the graceful lines of her cheeks and jaw so far that I fear she might break. The sight makes me worry that she’s pushing herself too hard, but her tongue continues to devour me like a kitten desperately sucking on her mother’s teat. As I watch, I begin to feel like I’m violating Alice’s innocent, unsullied face. The feeling of breaking a taboo further increases my perverted ecstasy. In every man lurks the dark desire to spoil that which is beautiful. Alice’s bewitching body, able to drive me mad every night, is perfectly designed to draw out such savage lusts. “Alice!” I can’t hold it anymore. I’ll come any second now. But where?! When the moment comes, what will I do with this thing in Alice’s mouth? “H-hey, wait, I’m going to…” I try to pull out, but Alice doesn’t let me. She grabs my thighs and doubles the intensity of her sucking, as if she’s trying to pull me even deeper into her throat. I’m worried about her, but my body is at its limit. As irresistible waves of pleasure sweep away my willpower, I unleash my pent-up seed deep into Alice’s throat. What have I done?! I feel panic rises within me. Regardless of the situation, I shouldn’t have ejaculated into her mouth. What if she chokes on it? Alice, however, pays no heed to my distress. Still clinging to my waist like a predator unwilling to relinquish its pray, she starts swallowing effortlessly like someone dying of hunger. “----*Gulp* ----*Gulp*---“ What is she swallowing? The answer is obvious – every last drop of the passion that I just disgorged into her mouth. This is the first time I’ve ever had a girl do this to me. To be honest, I’m speechless with shock. I’ve always been prejudiced against fellatio, thinking it to be something that perverted sadistic men force women to do. But Alice… “Mmm… pwah! Hehe, that was good, Shining.” She looks up to me, answering my confusion by smiling like she just pulled the greatest prank of her life. Her small tongue darts out from her lips to lick away the last milky remnants around her mouth. That tongue was just licking my… The thought sends a worrying jolt of pleasure to my brain. “See? You don’t have to worry if I do it like this.” “Ah… Well…” That’s hardly the problem, but I have no idea how to respond. “Hey… Was it bad? It didn’t feel good?” Hearing the sudden nervousness in Alice’s voice, I hastily stammer, “O-of course it felt good.” In fact, it felt so good that I thought I’d go crazy - -but I can’t say that, can I? “But Alice, you didn’t have to swallow it.” “What? But I want it!” Suddenly distraught, Alice clings to me like a child who’s just had her candy stolen. “I want every last drop of it. I want it inside me.” “I-inside you?” So Alice really does want to bear my child? I’m… not averse to the idea. I still think it might be too early, of course, but there isn’t much point worrying about my reputation now. Assuming that Alice and I will be left alone, I even welcomed it. However, that only explains her appetite for normal sex. I still don’t know why she wants to swallow, of all things, during fellatio. Well, I suppose that what’s “impure” or “taboo” differs from person to person, and I can’t simply apply normal values to Alice. “….. You don’t like it?” She gazes up at me pleadingly. How can I resist? “I do… I like it. As long as you’re okay with it, so am I.” Alice smiles with relief and burrows contentedly into my chest. “I love you, Shining,” she purrs softly. With her body draped over mind, I become even more aware of how light and delicate she is. Can this tiny girl and I really live as husband and wife? I feel a pang of self-loathing at the question. How can I still be afraid after all that’s happened? Alice’s feelings are so earnest. How can I not accept them? I need to resolve once and for all to rid myself of the useless trappings of morality. Alice and I are all that matters. There’s no point in worrying about what others think anymore – although I suppose I should still talk to Alice’s guardian, of course. I need to find Dr. Shadow as soon as possible. By the time I drift to sleep in exhaustion’s comforting embrace, all doubts about Alice’s actions have vanished from my mind. Whatever the case, all that matters is that she’s returned to me. -----------(Canterlot Hospital *Outside*)----------- That evening, a stranger just arrived in Canterlot University Hospital, wearing a dark yellow undershirt and a Camo-jacket with a badge that looked like an open book with two pages on display, short black hair, and a twenty six year old army private named, Lieutenant Insurance Policy, A.k.a Icy Lance . Shining Armor’s former classmate from the 3rd Infantry Academy and a Corporal in his current regiment before he transferred to being a Medical Student. The two weren’t really that close, but they were the best specially while in the training courtyard, where Shining was first at the targets, while he himself was second. Shining was on the top of his game, which is why Lance didn’t understand why he’d quit the team and decided to become a Medical Student instead. After he heard about his accident, Lance thought of visiting him for once, He tried calling Shining’s best friend, which oddly keeps forgetting his name, but didn’t respond an hour ago. Surely he’s asleep or busy with something… As he stepped through the door of the University, he noticed that it was open and not locked… “The security here seems to be slacking, can’t say I’m surprised due to the lack of criminal ratings in the area.” He said to himself, as he proceeded through. At the reception desk, he spots a nightshift lady, and asked which room Shining Armor was in, and surprised that he was already released three months ago. “Well, that’s a bit of a downer…” He sighs and thanked the lady for the answer. He stepped outside and tried calling that guy again… still no response. Maybe he’ll try tomorrow at school where he heard that Shining was going… He guessed that his new friends, Cherry and Cadance are there. Though he’d not be surprised if those two got together already, since Shining kept telling him through text that, that girl liked him, but he can’t answer her for what she had confessed a long time ago. He grinned and just laughs silently at that thought. He walks off, in search for a place to stay for the night… “I’m bushed!” he yawns. ----------(Cake Residence)--------- Two o’clock – for Mr. Cake, this is the most fulfilling time of day. After seeing his wife and kids off, taking care of the morning chores, and eating a leisurely lunch, it’s finally time to sit down at his little bakery in his basement. He’s not particularly the most famous baker, and he would only hold a sale himself in front of the house, due to his injured back, if he were hurting for money. However, he usually makes pastries for his wife to be sold off at their bake shop. Sure, he can make those at the bake shop himself, but he prefers to do it in home. Nothing beats the ambience of a home while working. Alongside the profits his wife earns while selling pastries, they’re able to pay their mortgage, send their kids to school, and still have plenty left over. Mr. Cake’s life is perfect – leisurely and absent of want. He loves his house, considering it the symbol of his success. When he mows the lawn, polishes the windows and floors, and cleans the kitchen, toilet, and bath, he feels the same joy as he does when washing his own body or baking bread and decorating… well, cakes! As his name implies, he’s good at making, mainly cakes. Just as he knows the length of his fingernails and the time since his last mean, he also knows everything about his home’s condition: the status of every door, the freshness of every flower, the amount of ice in the ice tray – every last detail. This is his pride, and when he sits on his basement, where he usually do his baking, smelling the scent of newly baked goods and knowing that each element of his house is in perfect order, he feels the ultimate satisfaction. While trying to find the right combinations to make the sweetest meringue, he suddenly feels thirsty, but soon remembers that there isn’t much orange juice left in the refrigerator. In fact, it’s also about time to stock up on bath additive and powdered soap. He could get everything at the supermarket when he goes to shop for dinner, but it will probably be quite heavy. Now then, there should I leave off to go shopping? As he ponders this dilemma, he heads upstairs to the kitchen. Just then, a breath of air tickles the back of his neck, bringing him to a halt in the middle of the hallway. A breeze – impossible. Every window in the house is closed. Mr. Cake shut them himself during his morning cleaning. Mr. Cake enters the living room, searching for the source of the breeze. Something stinks! It’s the same pungent smell of fetid swampland that emanates from Shining Armor’s house. The window facing the yard next door is open, its curtains billowing loosely in the gentle breeze. There’s a hole in the glass next to the lock. It looks strange, like it was melted by some chemical instead of broken. Someone must have reached through the hole to unlock the window. Mr. Cake stands paralyzed, his heart pounding with anger – and fear. He listens carefully, but hears nothing. Perhaps the intruder had already finished his business and left... but a burglar wouldn’t have left the room untouched, would he? Maybe he heard Mr. Cake coming and hid… somewhere nearby. Mr. Cake realizes that his still-moist butter knife is in his right hand. He must have forgotten to put it aside before going upstairs. He stares numbly at the knife for a moment, and then decides that it’s not enough protection. Instead, he grabs the ashtray sitting on top of a table. Make of thick solid glass, its big and heavy enough to serve as a weapon. The home that he thought of as part of himself now seems utterly alien. Keenly aware of the thumping of his heart, Mr. Cake looks around the living room and sees little that could be used as a hiding place. The intruder must have gone either to the guest room or through the dining room to the kitchen. The kitchen is close to the stairs. If there had been movement, Mr. Cake would have noticed it when he came up… which means the guest room is the most likely place. He shuffles over to the guest room door and prepares to slide it open. But what is that stench? Could the breeze alone carry something so foul? It’s as if the odor is coming from inside the room. He readies his ashtray and throws open the door. The straw-matted, Japanese-style room is empty. There is a closet, but no one could fit in there. The intruder already left. Mr. Cake relaxes, the exhaustion of sudden relief coming over him. And that is when something seizes his ankle. The instant he freezes in shock, his leg is yanked out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor. Stars explode behind his eyes as his head smacks against the door rail. The hand – is it can even be called that – wrapped around Mr. Cake’s ankle extends all the way back to beneath the living room sofa. There are barely five centimeters between the sofa and the floor, but the intruder is able to hide in that tiny space. It can’t possibly be human. “AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Before the screaming, Mr. Cake regain his footing, countless hand-like appendages seize his arms and legs, rendering him helpless. “CALm down. DOn’t BE sCarEd.” A hideous voice burbles in his ear as something cold and soft crawls atop him. Mr. Cake can’t even scream, his terror is so great. “iT wON’t HUrT. Don’T bE sCarED. IT WOn’T hURT.” Thin, tube-like appendages penetrate his ears and nose, wriggling deep into his skull. Right before the sensation drives him mad, Mr. Cake loses consciousness. ----------(Canterlot University Hospital *Chrome's Office*)---------- “She’ll be here in a moment, I’ll go and get back to my OJT now,” Mari, a nurse student who’s also your classmate is taking her on-the-job training here at the university, was directing you through the hallway into an office. “Okay, thanks… I’ll see you in class next time.” You said to her, then continued your conversation with the others. “Hold on, wait… so let me get this straight.” Lance said, while looking at you. Lance had finally received your call this morning, and told him about Shining’s condition, and his outright strange behavior in the past days. He can’t believe it himself, but you’re about to ask the person who knew Shining’s current condition all too well… “Just wait, hold that thought for now. She’s here…” You hushed him down, as the person you’re waiting for came in. “Thank you for taking the time to see us,” You said, your humble nod conceals your surprise at the doctor’s youth. Even without her light makeup, she wouldn’t look a day over thirty. She must be quite talented to be a leading neurosurgeon at such a young age. “Don’t mention it. I was hoping somebody like you would come along.” Her friendly smile has none of the coldness one might expect from her sharp, refine beauty. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Dr. Chrome Regios, Shining Armor’s attending physician. “This is Cadance, and I’m~” “I’m Icy Lance, Ma’am…” Lance cuts you off, just as you were about to say your name… The mood was broken already, you decide to continue the conversation without mentioning your name to her. When you arrived at the Canterlot University Center and asked to see Shining’s Doctor, You, Cadance and Lance had been prepared for rejection. You hadn’t expected the ease with which their request was granted. “You say you want to know what’s wrong with him. Well, so do I.” “’I’m sorry?” Chrome sighs. “He didn’t come in for his checkup two days ago. I tried calling his home, but there was no answer.” Two days ago… the same day Shining was searching that abandoned house. You frowned, wondering what was important enough for him to blow off his appointment. “What is he like at school?” “He’s… totally screwed up.” Seeing Cadance’s shoulders jerk out of the corner of his eye, you regret not choosing your words more carefully. “Well, based on what this guy said… I don’t need any proof to know what he went from boon to a loon.” Lance added, making Cadance shudder even more. “Since the accident, he’s been like a completely different person. We have no idea what to do. So we thought that talking to you might help.” You said, hoping that she would. “Are you medical students too?” she asks out of nowhere. “Huh? Well, yes.” You answered. “Not me… I’m a Lieutenant in the 3rd Infantry divition of the Canterlot Army.” Lance corrected. “I see… well, would you like to see his charts?” “You’d really show them to us?” You replied, incredulous. Dr. Regios regards you silently for a moment, then sighs and says, “Someone wanted to see them – and without the hospital’s permission. His files were stolen from the archives two nights ago.” “What?!” you all shouted in unison, astonished at what she had just said. She stares hard at all of you, and then shakes her head with a tired smile. “Well, it doesn’t look like you three were involved. That’s a relief.” “O-of course we weren’t! “ Lance said, his voiced raised a little. “However, the culprit must have had an interest in his condition – or wanted to erase his records. Either way, I can only assume that it was someone close to him.” “I see…” An ominous thought flashes through your mind – it couldn’t have been Shining Armor himself, could it? You look at Dr. Chrome and find her staring right back at you, her expression grave. You realized that she must be harboring the same suspicion. “What do you think? Do you have any idea who among his associates might have done it?” Perhaps Dr. Chrome didn’t have anyone in mind when she asked, but your thoughts immediately fly to the eerie house to which Shining led you. “I don’t really know what their relationship is, but there’s someone called Shadow, probably a doctor or a…” You stop speaking as you see the dramatic change that has come across Dr. Chrome’s face. “….You knew Dr. Shadow?” “Do you know when and where Shining first encountered that man?” “No, that’s what I’d like to know. Just who is this Shadow?” After remaining silent for some time, Dr. Chrome looses a heavy sigh. “Alright. It’s not like you couldn’t find out on your own easily enough. Moonlight Shadow was a doctor teaching at this hospital. He was dismissed over six months ago, however, following certain incidents.” “What incidents? What did he do?” Lance asked, simply curious now. “I can’t say anymore. And anyway, it has nothing to do with your friend.” You had no argument with which to answer Dr. Chrome’s flat rejection. However, you can’t shake the feeling that this Shadow person is the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding Shining Armor. “Doctor,” You said, making up your mind. “Shining might be… involved in a crime.” At this sudden declaration, Lance, Cadance and Dr. Chrome raise their eyebrows. “What do you mean?” “A friend of ours went missing after going to see him. Shining denies any involvement, of course.” You said with the utmost urge to say your findings. “You mean… Cherry?” Cadance stutters. You’re unable to bear the shock in Cadance’s face. “Sorry, Cadance… I couldn’t tell you.” “Well, that does it! Let’s hunt down that piece of turd!” Lance pounds his fist together, already in a state of his feeling for a hunt. Dr. Chrome is frowning, her expression even more serious than before. But you pressed on. “Right now, this Shadow seems to be the center of Shining’s attention. If we know who he is and what Shining’s looking for, we might start to see the whole picture. Please tell us, doctor. Just what happened at this hospital?” Lance grins. “Spoken like a true detective.” Dr. Chrome hesitates for some time, refusing to make eye contact, bit she finally shakes her head. “I’m sorry. This is not a decision I can make on my own.” “Doctor…” “Give me some time. I’ll do my own investigation now that I know how far this has gone.” “Please.” You are out of options. All that’s left is to trust this young doctor. It’s frustrating, but a friend’s rights only go so far. “Let’s exchange cell phone numbers. I’ll call you if I learn anything, and you call me the moment anything changes.” “Alright.” Lance was still itching for a fight. His violent nature nearly took him earlier, but still has that feeling… He thought for a moment then decides. “Alright Y’all… I’d better get going. I need to do something. Call me too if anything changes.” He turns then leaves the premises. You and Cadance looked at him before he disappears on the other side of the door. (Later that day...) ---------------Cake's Residence------------- What the… What happened to me? Cake’s consciousness returns slowly, as though rising from a bog. He’s cold… no, hot. Something itches, like tepid tongues and cold slugs crawling over his skin. What the hell’s going on? Timidly, he opens his eyes. “Wha…” It’s everywhere… The thing that attacked him in the living room – it’s everywhere! Terror shatter’s Cake’s sanity. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!” He throws off the thing lying atop him, but his wild flailing sends him crashing to the floor. But is it really the floor? The long, wriggling fibers of what should be the carpet are winding themselves around his fingers. The floor is made of worms. He tears his limbs free of the worms and tries to stand, but loses his balance and tumbles to the floor again. The worms immediately swarm over his body. Where the hell am I?! Where did that thing take me?! Mr. Cake crawls across the worm-ridden floor towards the exit from the pulsating room. When he gets outside, however, all he can see is blood, bile, and rotten meat. There is no place to run. “What is this?!” Most terrifying of all, this hellish place has the same layout as Mr. Cake’s house. In a half-mad daze, he wanders through the nightmarish mockery of his home. In the small room where his little personal bakery should be, he finds an oven made of bones displaying a blood-soaked tray with muffins from within. Like some cruel joke, everything is exactly where it should be in Mr. Cake’s Basement. “Dammit, let me out!! Let me out of here!!” Howling, Mr. Cake lashes out against everything within reach. The oven breaks to pieces, driving shrapnel into his fist. He feels the pain, but does not wake from the nightmare. If this isn’t a dream, then what is it? When his strength gives out, Mr. Cake falls to his knees, sobbing. For the first time in his life, he prays to the gods, Celestine and Lunar. *Creeeeeaaaaaakkkkk!!!* The sound of the door opening and closing grates on his ears. ”Downstairs… the front door? Someone else is here?” “wE’RE hOmE!” Mr. Cake trembles at the bloodcurdling sound. It’s that thing again; the monster has returned. “DadDY, wE’RE hoMe! WhERe’s DiNnER?” “OH, hE’S nOt HeRE? dID hE go ShOPpinG?” “WhEN CaN wE EAt?” Mr. Cake hears the sound of something slimy sloshing its way up the stairs. Even as he cowers in terror, he slides his trembling hand across the floor and grabs one of the bones from the broken oven. The tip of the bone is nice and sharp. If he does it in both hands and puts his weight behind it, he might be able to use it to defend himself. “HonEY, aRe YOu hoMe?” The monster’s growls are getting closer. Holding his breath, Mr. Cake presses his back against the wall next to the door. The pounding of his heart is like thunder in his ears, so loud that he fears the creature might hear it. He knows it will eat him if it finds him again, but it’s all he can do to keep from crying. At last the door creaks open. “HONEy?” Mr. Cake leaps on the creature as it enters, fear turning his roar into a high-pitched scream. The flesh-beast is covered in sludge and vile juices, but before horror can paralyze him, Mr. Cake brings his bone-stake stabbing it down. KKKSSHHHUUUK!!! The monster screams as the stake pierces its chest and punches through to the other side. It falls back writhing in agony. The sight of its pain sets Mr. Cake’s blood on fire. I can win. I can kill it! If I finish it off before it enters my head again, I’m safe! Mr. Cake grabs the bone and twist with all his might. The monster convulses and gurgles. Its trembling tentacles reaching up as through begging for help. “Die! Die! DIE!!!!” Mr. Cake knocks it to the floor, and then brings his heel crashing down on its flopping body again and again. With each stomp, its groans and spasms grow weaker. When the monster at last stops twitching, Mr. Cake, panting hard, tears the stake from its corpse and rises to his feet. “…DadDY?” something squeals. Mr. Cake turns around to see another, smaller monster peeking out at him from the stair landing. There’s still one left. His despirate, rage-filled attack both exhilarated him and gave him a taste for violence. This one will be easier; it’s smaller and weaker. Grinning maniacally, Mr. Cake raises his stake and moves towards the second creature. The monster flees screaming down the stairs. Not about to let his prey escape, Mr. Cake roars and gives chase. The thought that killing the monsters might end this nightmare feeds his savage bloodlust. “NO, DaDdy! nO!!” When the monster trips and falls in the dining room, Mr. Cake leaps on top of it and brings the stake crashing down. His bloodlust unsated, he pulls it free, then drives it again into the monster’s flesh – once, twice, thrice, and more -- until there’s nothing left but shredded, pulverized meat. Eventually, the only sound in the house is Mr. Cake’s heavy breathing. Unknowingly noticing that there was one more left there and saw everything he did. It silently slipped away through the front door, escaping his wrath. He has slain two monsters and fails to notice the last one, but the nightmare shows no sign of ending. Mr. Cake staggers to the front door and goes outside. “Haha…hahahah. Ahahahah~” The sky, the city – everything has gone mad. Twisted shapes, nauseating colors, stinking air. There’s no escape. No end to the nightmare. The last remnant of Mr. Cake’s sanity vanishes like dust in the wind. “Hi, mister.” Mr. Cake turns around to the sound of a young girl’s voice. She is standing in front of the house next door, wearing a spotless one piece over her pure white skin. In the midst of this filth-ridden world, she alone glows with beauty. “How do I look to you, mister?” “You’re… very cute.” Mr. Cake feels a sudden black lust rise within him. “Really? Then the experiment might be a success!” Mr. Cake walks up to the strangely jubilant girl and brushes his hand against her long, smooth hair. “Such a lovely girl. You must be the only one in the whole world.” “….. Mister?” She looks up at the man towering over her, perhaps disturbed by his hungry stare. “How about we play a game, little girl?” “Okay, but what are we going to do?” A grin parts Mr. Cake’s lips and he replies, “Everything that will please me, of course.” With that, he grabs the girl’s collar and tears the front of her dress wide open. Shock and fear twist the lovely girl’s delicate features, stimulating Mr. Cake’s sadism. Even after killing those two monsters, the embers of violence still smolder in his heart – and now they have new fuel to burn. “I like your expression, girl. Won’t you show me an even prettier one?” “No… No!” The terrified girl flees into Shining Armor’s house. Mr. Cake runs after her, feeling the joy of the hunt. “No! Stay away!” Even in desperation, she has no hope of outrunning an adult. Mr. Cake charges down the hallway and catches up to her in the kitchen. He grabs her arm from behind and wrestles her to the floor before she can resist. “L-let me go! Why? Why are you doing this?!” “Like I said, because you’re too cute!” Enjoying the sensation of her thin arms struggling futilely against his grip, Mr. Cake uses his weight to hold her down while ripping off her remaining scraps of clothing. “No, I don’t want this! Stop!” Mr. Cake stares at the smooth body of the girl flopping beneath him, entranced by her cherry-like nipples, soft yet tight belly, and narrow waist. The thought of violating such an immaculate body amid the horrors of this twisted world is irresistibly erotic. Mr. Cake runs his tongue over every inch of her stomach and chest, as though preparing to eat her whole. She stiffens and whimpers at the sensation. “It isn’t… supposed to be this way…” Her tear-choked voice satisfies Mr. Cake’s lust for conquest. This nightmare has violated him, but now he is able to visit the same torment on this innocent girl. Where he was the victim, he is not the victimizer. The release he feels is intoxicating. His manhood is ready and waiting, so he frees it from his pants. As he playfully prods the girl’s tightly-shut slit with it, she finally starts crying in earnest. “No! Stop! I’m Scared! Shiniiiiing!!!!” “Ahaha, I haven’t even done anything yet.” Putting his mouth close to the sobbing girl’s ear, Mr. Cake whispers, “If you’re this scared already… how will you scream when I put it in you?” “Sto---“ Staring into her wide-open eyes, Mr. Cake drives himself deep into her body. The girl screams in pain as he forces himself through her still-dry slit. Mr. Cake is surprised by her lack of hymen, but even more so by the sensation of her inner folds – much too welcoming for such an immature-seeming girl. “Oh my, you’re awfully used to men. You look cute, but you’re really a dirty little girl.” “No more… Don’t hurt me…” “No,” Mr. Cake smiles, “I think I have to punish you for being so naughty.” Mr. Cake begins to move inside her, each violent thrust forcing a cry from her lips and tears from her eyes as her head jerks in agony. Soon she loses the strength to resist and goes limp, concentrating instead on enduring Mr. Cake’s cruelty. Yet she states tearfully, pleadingly into Mr. Cake’s lust-flamed eyes as he pounds mercilessly into her flesh. “Why… Why aren’t you gentle?” “Because you’re adorable!” Mr. Cake roars, his breathing wild with passion. “You’re too pretty not to hurt! Too beautiful not to break!” The girl’s choking gasps, the despair in her eyes – they only intensify his ecstasy. “Help… Help me… Shining…” (20 minutes earlier) (Shining Armor's Perspective) As always, the sights of the city grate on my nerves. Today, however, I don’t feel as much hatred as I usually do. I have grown more accustomed to my condition, but that is not the reason for today’s high spirits. My search for the Shadow house has finally borne fruit. When I pulled all the drawers out of the desk in the study, I found an envelope stuck between the desk and wall. It must have fallen off the back of the writing tray. Inside were three outdoor photographs. I couldn’t recognize the scenery due to my condition, but I’m pretty sure that they show three buildings. Scrawled on the back of each photo was an address: Star Junction, M Village; Torchwood Prefecture, S Town; Seashore Prefecture, H Town. None of the names is familiar, so they must be way out in the country side. The photos are all dated more than ten years ago. I don’t know why they were taken or what they mean, but maybe Alice will be able to make some sense of them. In any case, this is something that even Alice missed while she was living in that house. I wonder how she’ll react when I show her what I’ve found. Alice… I want so badly to see her. The thought of her waiting for me speeds my footsteps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I step through the gate, I see that the front door is wide open again. This is the second time this had happened. Upon entering the house this time, however, the sound of Alice crying chills my blood. “Help… Help me… Shining…” And it’s not just her. I also hear a low, wet grunting. There’s no time to gawk around and figuring out what that was. I race down the hallway, propelled by a terrifying premonition. A monster is in my house, and it’s raping Alice! The filth oozing from its body spreads across her skin as it drives itself with animal ferocity between her weakly trembling thighs. The monster forces its grotesque penis deeper and deeper into her, each brutal thrust warping her vagina in clearly painful ways. Each time the beast moves, Alice’s sobs becomes cries of agony. She looks at me with tear-filled eyes and calls my name in a weak, breathless voice. “S-shining… help…” Rage erupts inside me like black lava. The monster stops gorging itself on Alice’s body and turns its head to look at me. Surprised by my own composure, I slip past it and went to grab a weapon in the kitchen, anything! There I found four kitchen tools, I need to think fast! I took the butcher knife off the knife rack, its sharp and swift handling can cut even the most though meat with one swipe, let’s see if it can cut this bastard to pieces. Without a moment’s hesitation, I slash at the monster’s face.
???It screams and staggers away from Alice. My attack must have blinded it, because it flails its tentacles wildly as it tries to drive me away. My bloodlust still unsated, I calmly seize one of the appendages and plunge my weapon twice more into its quivering flesh. The weapon drives through its body, injuring it even more with fascinating ease. Each strike sprays my face with its blood. As I carve the monster to pieces and mutilating it, savoring its hideous screams, my mind is finally consumed by rage. No mercy. I’ll see this monster suffer for what it’s done to Alice! I give myself to the fury, howling at the top of my lungs as I slash, bash and crunch. Even after the flesh-beast stops moving, I keep on stabbing it’s flesh and bones until I realize that it can no longer feel pain. Cursing myself for killing it so quickly, I jammed the knife into the floor, snapping it in half. When my thoughts finally regain some cohesion, I find myself still digging the broken knife into the floor. The monster is gone, but pieces of it are scattered everywhere. I stop hitting into the tile, and in the sudden silence I hear Alice’s faint sobs coming from a corner of the kitchen. “Alice!” I pulled the cowering Alice into my arms. She stiffens in fear at first, but as soon as she realizes it’s me, she clings to my body and cries. “Shining… Shining! I was scared… so scared!” I don’t know what to say. I can only keep holding her. This should never have happened to Alice. Everything in this twisted world is to blame – yes, including myself. I couldn’t protect her. If I’d been here, then maybe I could have prevented this. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” she says again and again in a voice choked with tears. Not wanting to hear that from her, I pull her head into my chest. “Don’t say that, Alice! It’s not your fault!” I try to reassure her, but she shakes her head vigorously in denial. “No, it is. I did it.” I don’t understand. What is she saying? “You did… what?” “I messed with his brain,” She answers, glancing at the dismembered monster with her swollen eyes. “I made the inside of his head the same as yours. I made him see the world like you do.” It takes me some time to understand the meaning of Alice’s words. “What? But… how?” Finally regaining her composure, Alice responds to my confusion in a low voice. “I can do stuff like that. I can change the bodies of other living beings. I’ve had this ability since I was born.” I was speechless. I don’t know what to say next, but to just listen. “Every organism is different, so I have to study them in detail before I know how to change them. By doing some research, I figured out what happened to your brain. So I wanted to see if I could do the same thing to someone else.” “But… why?” “I thought that if everyone were like you, they would all… be kind to me.” My heart aches at the loneliness in her voice as she confesses her sorrowful wish. “But that man… he wasn’t kind at all. He said he wanted to hurt me, break me, and he…” She starts crying into my chest again, unable to say any more. I gently rub her back while trying to get my jumbled thoughts together. What is Alice, that she can do such a thing? The answer is beyond me. However, there is one thing that I can answer, here and now. Alice is mistaken. “You think that I’m kind to you because of the accident?” “Yeah,” she nods sadly I smile and shake my head. “You’re wrong. That was only the beginning.” She looked at me with a confused face, not getting what I meant. “Our relationship is the sum of so much more. The time you and I have spent together – those days, those experiences, are what made us what we are.” “Shining…” “You’ve been there for me Alice – sharing my pain, giving me hope and joy. That’s how you became so important to me. See? It’s harder than you think.” Alice is still crying, but now her tears feel warm in my chest. “Yeah, I understand. I finally understand.” Her smile shines through her tears. “I only have you, Shining. There will never be anyone else.” Now more than ever before, I feel the depth of the bond between us. And I’m sure that Alice feels it too. I wrap my arms tightly around her and seal her lips with mine. Alice responds, winding her arms around my neck as our tongues desperately seek each other’s warmth. At this moment, Alice is my whole world, and I am hers. The Earth turns for us alone. Of course. I still haven’t told her something very important. I don’t know why I’ve never said it before – perhaps because it was always so obvious. However, I should put it into words at least once – this oath of mine. “Alice… I” “Wait.” She stops me with a finger against my lips. “Before that, Shining, tell me one thing. What do you want?” “What do I… want?” Alice nods, staring into my eyes with unusual solemnity. “Like I said, I can affect the bodies of living things in a way that nothing else can. And now that I’ve learned how to manipulate human brains…” Alice pauses and takes a deep breath before continuing. “I can turn you back to normal.” “….What?!” Until now, that hasn’t even been in the realm of possibility. “I just have to do the opposite of what I did to that man. It’s… really simple.” I replay Alice’s words in my head to be sure of their meaning. “So tell me, Shining. Do you want to return to your old like? Do you want to take back what you lost in the accident?” “I…” (Want it all back) (Don’t need it anymore)
???“Well, of course,” I answer without thinking. “If it’s possible to go back, then I want to… I think.” I’ve never wondered if there could be any other answer. I stopped dwelling on this question a long time ago, and if I’d been asked before I met Alice, I wouldn’t have hesitated. But what about now? What does it mean to wish for the past, and what could it do to me and Alice? As soon as these questions occur to me, my true feelings become unclear. The hurried answer I just gave her was less certain than I thought. “Oh… Yeah, of course you would.” Alice smiles softly, her expression an unreadable mixture of what seem to be sorrow and relief. Seeing it fills me with sudden unease, as though I’ve just wounded her deeply with my careless words. “Hey, Alice, I…” “It’s okay, Shining. Don’t say anymore.” Alice silences me with another kiss, and thrusts her tongue into my mouth with even greater passion than before. As the sweet softness of her tongue clouds my mind, I begin to feel an urgent need to say what she prevented me from saying – to speak those most important words. “Alice…” I can’t speak, for some reason, my mind if hazy. My consciousness is slipping away as the euphoria from her kiss spreads to my entire body. “Sleep well, Shining,” I hear Alice whisper softly from far away. “Don’t worry. When you wake up, it’ll all be over.” Wait. I have to tell you something before I sleep… just one thing… My efforts are meaningless, however, as oblivion calls me into its embrace. ********** When I awoke, the first thing that greeted me was a terrible stink. Mr. Cake’s body covered in flies, and I could smell the rotten stench that you would expect from a corpse. The night had ended, but Alice was nowhere to be seen in the morning light. Aside from the blood-covered floor, the kitchen looked the same as it had before the accident. In the den, however, the colors that had been so soothing the day before now served as a stark reminder of what a distant world I’d been living in. Despite knowing that it would be futile, I wandered the house searching for Alice. For almost an hour, I tried in vain to deny reality. Then I called the police. When the operator answered, I couldn’t stop myself from crying. It had been such a long time since I’d heard a human voice other than Alice’s. ********** As became clear later, Mr. Cake had murdered his family before I killed him. Unable to give the police a satisfactory explanation, I was arrested for all three murders. And when they found the remains of Cherry Blossom in my house, a fourth was added to the charges – along with one count of mutilating a corpse .What it bothered me, was the Cake’s had two children, there should be four in their family. Two of the children, the wife and Mr. Cake himself. What happened to their other child is a mystery to me and the police. During my interrogation, I told them everything exactly as it had happened, in every detail. The detectives didn’t believe me, of course, but the psychiatrist who came later did. He had me moved from the jail to a much cleaner white room. That’s right. This room looks just as white to me as it does to everyone else. In the end, they declared me incapable of answering for my actions. Everything that had happened to me was real, but part of a reality incompatible with the rest of the world. So the doctors gave me a tiny space all to myself, a place where I could live in my own reality. I’m sad that I wasn’t believed, but I know that it couldn’t be helped. In this world, reality is what the majority says it is, and I had the misfortune to step outside of that box. The walls of my room are undeniably white. That, at least, I can be thankful for as I live out the rest of my life here. Everyone said that there had never been any girl named Alice. Well, so be it. Alice probably was never part of their world. But why shouldn’t I be able to hear Alice’s voice here, in my room? This is my world, after all, a continuation of the very real time that we spent together. ********** How long did I wait with such thoughts floating through my mind? One night, I woke to the sound of something crawling down the hallway. The sound would not normally have woken me, but I must have had a premonition that night. Sleeping lighter than usual, I had waited for her arrival – and so I knew instantly that it was her. “Alice?” *gurgling* She did not answer, but I could feel her outside my door, struggling with some internal conflict. “Why won’t you let me hear your voice?” *gurgling* After a long silence, something small slid through the narrow bars of my peephole. It was a cell phone, the screen already showing a notepad with freshly-entered text. “My voice will sound strange to you” I couldn’t suppress a chuckle at Alice’s uncharacteristic display of shyness. I don’t care about that at all,” I said, sending the phone back through the bars. “I just want to hear you – see you.” After a short pause, the phone returned to my side. “Please, let me stay the Alice you remember.” “…..Okay.” I’d started to suspect that it might be so. In the hell my eyes had made of the world, Alice alone had looked normal. I’d thought that she was somehow unique. In truth, however, she had probably been a different kind of “unique” that I’d imagined. It wasn’t that my senses hadn’t distorted her appearance, but that she had been so unusual as to seem normal to my twisted mind. Alice’s true form was something other than what I had known. Now, however, I could see her as she really was. But Alice didn’t want that, and it was not for me to question the workings of her heart. I just had to accept that girls need to keep some things private. “I tried to say something to you that day. Do you remember?” I slid the phone back to her. “I was hoping you’d forgotten.” I smiled wryly at the text on the screen, wondering if she really thought me so heartless. “How could I forget?” No one was listening, but still – it would have been embarrassing to speak the rest aloud, so this time I typed it into the phone. G, H, I J, k, l M, n, o T, u, v D, e W, x, y M, n, o T, u I slid the phone back through the slot. I could sense her trembling outside my door. I couldn’t see her, or hear her – but still, I knew. Alice was crying. “I was ready, you know.” Perhaps my words offered no comfort, spoken so late. Even so… I was ready. I had wanted to return to my old life, true, but I would have abandoned that wish for Alice. I know that I would have gone with her, hand-in-hand, as far as we could – even to the most forbidden of places. Alice, too, must have known that I was prepared – and because she knew, she stopped me from saying those words. If I had spoken that oath, there would have been no going back. “I’m sorry. I was a coward.” Seeing those words on the screen, I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. I hadn’t hesitated; you would have found the courage.” “I was afraid of you. Of how you were changing because of me.” “it’s no one’s fault.” Alice couldn’t bring herself to take everything from me, and I couldn’t bring myself to give up everything for her. We were too weak to find happiness. “What will you do now, Alice?” “I’ll keep searching for my dad. He’ll know how to send me back where I came from.” “I see. You do want to go home, don’t you?” A short time passed with no words or messages exchanged. I wonder how many times in that brief silence “yes” and “no” changed places in her mind. “Yeah” When the phone finally returned, the characters on the screen seemed strangely uncertain. “Well, I hope you find your father.” “I’ll do my best.” The time had come for our parting. She had chosen her path, and I had given my blessing. There was nothing more to be said. “If you change your mind, I’ll always be here. You can come see me whenever you want.” “I will thank you. Goodbye, Shining Armor.” I read her final message and returned the phone to the other side. “Goodbye, Alice.” She gently slapped my door in response, and then I heard the sound of her sliding off down the hallway. And I was left alone in the silence of the night. ********** Ever since that day, I have been waiting. Perhaps Alice really did return to where she came from. Perhaps she’s still wandering today, looking for her father. It must be hard. She must be lonely. When she can no longer stand being alone, she will surely return to me. I’m the only one who will comfort her, and whisper sweet things in her ear. And so I wait. Dreaming of her face and her voice, I wait. Forever, in my white world… (The End)
???Today, of all your classes were in the morning. *Ring ring ring… ring ring ring… ring ring ring….* On your way to meet Cadance for lunch after your final lecture, you suddenly get a call in the middle of the hallway. Without thinking, you reached to your belt for your new camera-phone, but curses when you realize that the ringtone is coming from the old phone in your bag. You haven’t transferred your contacts list yet, and calls still come to your old phone from people who don’t know the new number. When you finally fish the phone from your bag, the name you see on the display sends a chill up your spine. Shining Armor. Why now? What does he want? It’s hard to be happy about a call from Shining after the incident at the Shadow house. “Hello?” “Hey. You’re done with class for today, right?” “Yeah…” Of course Shining know that you’re free on Thursday afternoons. “I need to talk to you about something. Can you come to the parking lot?” “Now?” “Yeah, I’ll be waiting.” Shining hangs up without another word. What’s gotten into him? What does he want? You wonder as he sticks the phone into your jacket pocket. This sudden change is disturbing after a week of Shining avoiding both you and Cadance. Maybe he’s finally ready to talk – in which case, you should probably consider this a good thing. However, you can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Did I keep you waiting?” “Nah.” In the parking lot, you find Shining leaning against the fender of your Accord. The last time you met was in the darkness of an abandoned house. This is the first time in over a week that you’ve spoken face-to-face in the light. Perhaps that is why you sensed something strange in Shining’s expression. You’re not sure what, exactly, but something has changed. “I think I told you before that I’m looking for information on a man named Shadow.” “Yeah, I got that.” “Well, it’s starting to get more complicated. It looks like I can’t handle it by myself after all.” Shining seems more relaxed than before. He used to be tense all the time, like he was terrified of something, but now his expression is calm. He’s even wearing what resembles a sheepish grin. “I need your help, friend.” Nevertheless, some instinct is telling you that Shining’s changes are not for the better. “Why the sudden change of heart?” You asked, keeping your expression neutral to conceal your suspicion. “You’re interested, aren’t you?” Shining responds coolly. His smile, unreadable as ever, offers no glimpse of his true motives. “You searched Dr. Shadow’s house after me. It’s a waste of time for us to look for him separately. We should team up.” You stared at him silently, having second thoughts of doing this with him or not. Why? Why does he sense malice, thick and viscous, lurking behind Shining’s smile? “Anyway, I need your car today. Mind driving?” “… I guess not.” Shining’s car was destroyed in the accident, so you’re not surprised that he needs a lift. You unlock your car and gestures for Shining to take the passenger seat, then got behind the wheel and starts the engine. “Well? Where are we going?” “Torchwood Prefecture, near Fillydelphia Heights.” “Torchwood?” You can’t believe your ears. “Here’s the address,” Shining says, handing you a photo with an address on the back. “We need to find this building.” He seriously expects to be driven over a hundred kilometers and back? You don’t know whether to be angry or impressed. “If we leave now, we should get there by evening, right?” “…Yeah, maybe.” You sigh heavily, tapping the steering wheel as you calm yourself down. Now that you come this far, the only thing you can do is see your friend’s craziness through to the end. “Is this a vacation home or something?” “Probably. Dr. Shadow should be there.” You’re not looking forward on meeting the owner of that creepy house, but you felt even more uneasy about letting Shining go alone. It looks like you just have to grin and bear it. “We might not get back until night.” “Sorry for the trouble.” “…Don’t mention it.” You drove out of the parking lot, leaving the rest of what you’d thought to say unspoken. Shining’s smile seems wrong somehow, like an expressionless mask glued to his face. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cadance finds herself sitting alone in the cafeteria, searching for a familiar face as her lunch cools on the table in front of her. She was hoping to see her remaining friend [You] today, but he must have had other plans. That wouldn’t be at all unusual. Normally, Cherry and Shining would pick up the slack. But Cherry and Shining aren’t here anymore. Cadence puts down her spoon, her appetite ruined by the lack of company – and by the anxiety eating at her. Cherry is missing, Shining had turned on her, and she has no idea why. If her certain last friend [You] was here, she could count on him to distract her with some idle conversation. Now that she’s all by herself, Cadence becomes keenly aware of how little tolerance she has for loneliness. She begins to feel paranoid, like the whole world is plotting to take from her everything that she cherishes. What’s going on here? Where has Cherry gone? Is Shining really unrelated to her disappearance? Or is he the key to this mystery, as her friend [You] and Dr. Shadow suspect? Cadence recalls the events of last Thursday. Alone and without an outlet for her pain after Shining verbally eviscerated her, Cadence was lucky enough to run into [You]. Although he could hardly make her problem go away, his kindness was a comfort. At the same time, Cherry was on her way to Shining’s house… and she hasn’t been heard since. Cadence has only been aware of Shining’s connection to Cherry’s disappearance since yesterday, when her friend [You] revealed the truth during their visit to the hospital. What if… A new possibility occurs to her, a reason for why Cherry suddenly decided to visit Shining. What if it hadn’t been a coincidence that Cherry ran into [You] that day? What if [You] and Cherry had known what transpired between her and Shining, and had decided to act separately? Cherry might have seen the confrontation in the courtyard; she might have been eavesdropping. It’s not unthinkable. Cadence was petrified. As the idea formed in her mind, Cadence feels as though something is tearing apart her body from the inside. It’s only a possibility, but if it’s true… then whatever happened to Cherry is Cadence’s responsibility too, isn’t it? She sighed sadly. Cadence clutches her head, groaning in agony. The food on her tray is now cold – not that she would have eaten it anyway. Despite her frustration and anxiety, Cadence is unable to act on her own. She has never been good at adapting to challenges, and no one would ever call her proactive. She hasn’t the slightest idea how to respond to this situation. If Cherry were here, she would probably tell Cadence to think positive and trust her instincts. Cadence has always depended on her best friend’s energy; now that Cherry is gone, Cadence realizes just how weak and useless she is. She can only sink deeper and deeper into the abyss of self-loathing. *Breep-breep-breep! Breep-breep-breep!* The sudden ringing of her phone pulls her back from the brink of despair. It’s a text message. There’s no title, and the sender is… “Cherry!?” Cadence cries out in shock. The message itself is even more baffling. “If you want to know about Shining Armor, come to his house alone. Tell no one.” The message bears no trace of Cherry’s personality, but Cadence can’t deny that it was sent from her phone. She takes a deep breath to calm herself before typing her reply, taking care that excitement doesn’t cause her fingers to slip. *Beep… beep..beep…* “Is that you, Cherry? Where are you?” *Beep… beep… beep.* Cadence presses send. The screen shows that her message was received. As she waits for a reply, her mind fills with questions. Is someone else using Cherry’s phone to send text messages? If so, why to her? Something suddenly occurs to her. She and Cherry have exchanged countless messages over the years, many of which contained the sort of embarrassing confessions that close girlfriends share. At times when her feelings for Shining grew too strong to contain, Cadence often put them into words for Cherry to read. Did Cherry put a password on her phone? Even if she had, the person who sent the message was obviously able to unlock it – which means that whoever it is has full access to her history. “Do you want to know about Shining Armor?” Cadence reads the strange message one more time. Whoever sent it must believe that Cadence has an interest in Shining. *Breep-breep-breep! Breep-breep-breep!* The phone rings again, startling Cadence, but she quickly recovers and looks at the screen. There’s no title, and the sender is still Cherry Blossom. “I’ll tell you everything when We meet. Come alone. Tell no One.” It’s not Cherry. She would never try to scare Cadence with such a mean-spirited prank. Anxiery has brought Cadence almost to tears. Her mind isn’t made to deal with something like this. Who is using Cherry’s phone and promising to reveal Shining’s secrets? Who!? Cadence desperately want’s advice from [You] – from anyone. She even starts to dial [Your] cell, but a sudden suspicion stops her. The sender might be somewhere nearby, watching her at this very moment. A cold chill runs down her spine as she looks furtively around the cafeteria. “Come alone. Tell no one.” The lifeless characters on the screen are like a knife against her throat. However. Cadence clutches her phone and forces her heart to stop pounding. Isn’t this cowardice exactly what she hates most about herself? Doesn’t she want to know what she’s capable of? Doesn’t she want to do more than sit and wait? Cadence realizes that her hand is shaking. How easy it would be to just give in to her cowardice, to convince herself that Cherry and Shining are beyond her reach. That is what she truly wants. Even if it means abandoning dignity and loyalty, she wants to flee from the unknown. But she also knows that even escape is beyond her. Cadence understands herself well. She knows that no matter how far she runs, regret and self-loathing will consume her after everything else had fallen apart. In the end, Cadence is unable to overcome her cowardice alone. She lacks both the willpower and the courage to run. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At that same moment, Icy Lance happens to pass by the school when he notices Cadence coming out of the school in a hurry. It was mid afternoon, and school wasn’t over just yet. She seems in a hurry. “Hey, Cadence! Where are you going?” he asked in full curiosity. Cadence seems to be startled by the sudden call of her name. She looks at Icy with such suspicion, she hesitated for a while to talk, and then tells him. “I’m… going somewhere.” She stammers. “Going somewhere?” Icy raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t really explains a lot you know, I need details.” Cadence shook her head and walks off. “It’s something personal. I can’t tell you, please… leave me alone.” And with that, she ran off disappearing as soon as she turns the corner. Icy seems to think that her actions seems to be sketchy, but he thought about that it may be the issue about her and Shining. Thinking that, that may be the ‘personal’ thing she meant, he shrugs it off and heads instead towards the university laboratories to investigate by himself about the guy in question… Shining Armor.
???Author's Note I know it's late, and I know some don't care, but I really in off of my head of idea's on how this will go on, let alone my other stories, so... please bear with me and enjoy this new chapter as much as I enjoy writing it~ ??? The afternoon silence is somehow forbidding. A stink is in the air, the stink of garbage left out to rot. Even this perfectly normal residential neighborhood seems ominous to Cadence in her current state. She feels like she’s standing in the middle of a necropolis, as if everyone is the houses around her is dead. Cadence pushes her fear aside and ogresses the buzzer on Shining Armor’s house’s front gate. Shining wasn’t in class today. Is he home? He couldn’t have sent those awful messages, could he? She doesn’t even want to consider the possibility, so she forces the unwelcome thought out from her mind. There’s no response from the intercom. Cadence doesn’t know, of course, that Cherry stood in the same spot one week ago, staring at the silent intercom with the same confusion that Cadence is experiencing now. She, however, is not forced to wait as Cherry was. *Beep, beep, beep, beep… Beep, beep, beep, beep!* The phone in her pocket rings, catching her off guard making a loud gasp escape from her mouth. It’s another text message from Cherry’s phone. “Come in. The door is open.” Cadence looks around quickly, a shiver running through her as she realizes that she’s being watched. Searching fearfully for her observer, Cadence spots movement out of the corner of her eye. On the second floor of Shining’s house, a tightly-drawn window curtain just fluttered. The person who sent the messages is inside the house. Only now does Cadence realize that every other window has its storm shutters closed. No matter what happens inside, no one will ever know. This time, she nearly gives in to the intense urge to flee. But the terror she feels towards her invisible watcher is stronger, and will not permit her to turn her back upon the open window. She has nowhere to run… or is there? Cadence burst into tears, unable to take a single step. The phone in her hand rings again, demanding that she enter. She steps through the gate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When she enters the house, an overwhelming stench assaults her nostrils. It was like… a combination of swamp water mixed in with skunk secretion and hormones. The house was dark, even though it is the middle of the day. Shining must be out, as his boots were not in the vestibule. However, Cadence catches sight of a different pair stuffed behind the shoe cupboard. They look familiar, so she pulls them out of the shadows for a closer look. As soon as she recognizes them, her mind tries desperately to deny reality. They are identical to Cherry’s favorite boots. Cadence has seen her wearing them many times before. But that doesn’t mean Cherry is here, she tells herself. They might belong to someone else, someone who bought the same shoes from the same store. There’s no way Cherry could be here… is there? In a sudden flash of clarity, Cadence presses the most frequently used speed-dial button on the phone still in her tightly clenched fist. The phone dials Cherry’s number. It takes only a second for the signal to reach the nearest relay station, and then… *Brrreeeeeppp….. Breeeeeppp…. Breeeeeppp…* A familiar ringtone echoes through the house -- the unmistakable sound of Cherry’s phone. It’s coming from the second floor. Someone must still be up there in the room with the moving curtains. Cherry’s phone rings for just a few moments… and then it stops, as whoever is holding it realizes Cherry’s intentions. For the first time, Cadence feels the definite presence of her formless guide. “Who’s there?” She gathers her courage and calls out into the house, but there’s no response. Whoever it is must not want to be seen. Swallowing hard, Cadence walks down the hallway to the staircase. Maybe it’s Cherry. Maybe it’s Shining. Surely it’s just the two of them playing a prank on her. [You] might even be here with them. Cadence’s mind fills with comforting images of her friends. She needs to believe that there is still hope. Otherwise, she could not take another step. “Is that you, Cherry? Shining, are you there?” As she climbs the stairs one at a time, they creaked loudly; giving a very nerve cracking ambiance of something might come out unexpectedly. Cadence calls out in a voice choked with tears. When they see her sobbing, they’ll probably laugh at her. Let them; it would be the happiest moment of her life. She just wants this torment to end. She tries to move faster, but her trembling legs will not let her. With each agonizing second that passes, she begs for release from this nightmare. After climbing for what seems an eternity, Cadence finds herself standing in the second floor hallway. No sound greets her. There’s only the gloom, brimming with silent malice. “Cherry? Cherry, are you there?” She shuffles forward, calling out in a weak voice. “Come out already, please… I can’t take this anymore.” The door in front of her is half open. It must lead to the room that overlooks the front gate. Cadence watches helplessly from a corner of her mind as her body, seemingly move of its own volition, slowly opens the door. With a creaking ominous sound echoes the house while the door opens, she peeked inside. The room is empty. The damp, stinking air clings to Cadence’s skin. “Please… stop this…” She is at her limit, unable to take a single step more. Her spirit had been utterly crushed. Perhaps this is the moment her tormenter was waiting for. Something grabs Cadence’s arm from behind – something flexible and strong, like slime-covered rubber. As the thing binds her limbs, fingerlike appendages tear roughly through her blouse and force their way inside. Cadence screams at the top of her lungs, amazed that she still has the strength to do so. Responding to her distress, primal energy surges through her body as she flails wildly to free herself. However, the grip of the thing behind her remains unbreakable. With escape impossible, Cadence can only scream louder as something cold and wet slips under her bra and wraps itself around her breast. She is helpless to resist as the invader squeezes her breast and sucks at her nipples, which have gone stiff with fear under the horrifying onslaught. Her ears are filled with the sound of something slimy sliding over her skin. As the loathsome assault on her breast continues, the unimaginable terror threatens to drive Cadence utterly mad. Her throat is already raw from screaming, and now she can’t even breathe as she struggles desperately against her attacker. Tendrils slither continuously, until suddenly, the thing releases its grip on her breasts and pulls out from under her bra. Cadence falls to the floor, unable to support herself on her unresponsive legs. The creature that grabbed her is still here, lurking in a dark corner of the room. She can feel it watching her, but can’t bring herself to turn around. She knows full well that seeing it will likely destroy the last vestiges of her sanity. From close by comes the beep of buttons being pressed… from a cell phone! Cadence hears a cheerful electronic sound, terribly out of place in this room, and sees the phone in her hand blink coldly. A new text message has arrived. She is powerless to stop herself from reading the characters on the screen. “You’re pretty, and your breasts are so big and soft. I bet they’re good for attracting males.” Now she has her answer. The messages from Cherry’s phone were sent by the thing that just mauled her breast. “God…” Cadence curls into a tiny, sobbing ball, unable to raise her voice or even move. “Oh god… please save me…” The creature makes a burbling sound. Cadence somehow understands that it is laughing at her. “That must be how you tempted Shining. You tried to steal him from me, didn’t you? Thief!” Something cold seizes Candence’s ankles, then travels up her legs until it has covered her entire lower body. Some primal female instinct tells her exactly what is going to happen. She will be raped, powerless to resist a fate worse than death. “Stop…” She pleads feebly, even though there is no hope that the inhuman creature will be merciful. “Please… not that…” She hears its burbling laughter again. The thing is enjoying her sorrow – her despair. Cadence no longer has the strength to resist the monster on top of her. She is only able to shiver in revulsion as the cold, slimy thing covers her body. Her sight grows dim as her mind sinks deeper and deeper into a black, swamp-like abyss. Her breasts are toyed with, her nipples are sucked on, and a weight pushes itself between her legs – but it all seems to be happening far away. “I won’t kill you.” Though her mind is now barely functioning, Cadence hears a voice whisper to her inside her head. It is a voice of a young girl, sweet and sinister, with the cruel innocence of a child gleefully plucking the wings from butterflies. “Instead, I’ll let you share in our happiness. Rejoice, Cadence. We’ll love you to death.” The soft voice is a stark contrast to the unyielding strength that drives irresistibly into Cadence’s core. The pain is sharp and savage, greater than anything she has ever felt before. It should be unbearable, but there is no longer enough left of Cadence’s mind to recognize it as pain. Oh… While she stares blankly at the thing slithering deeper and deeper into her body, an idle thought floats through her fading consciousness. “I’ve… never been kissed… have I…” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In his deep sleep while in bed of the school infirmary, Icy Lance suddenly woke up in cold sweat. He doesn’t know why, but he has this feeling of something terrible had happened. “Are you awake?” Chrome’s voice called out from the other side of the curtains, her silhouette is clearly seen. “Y-yeah… I must have dozed off.” Icy said, rubbing his back neck. Icy was doing research about Shining’s condition. All he found out, was his mind is kind of, reprogrammed. Some of the details were classified, and cannot be shown to others other than Chrome. “You’ve been up all night… not surprising if you slept during your reading.” Chrome stood up from her desk and went over to him, tossing Icy a bag of chips. Icy looks at the chips and tilts his head. “What is this, snacks?” “That’s dinner.” Chrome said, as she goes back to her desk, looking over some more documents. At that point, Icy looks at his wrist watch and didn’t realize that it was almost eight in the evening. He went at the university at around seven in the morning to ask about Shining Armor, and yet he slept here for about ten hours. He must have been really tired from reading several of Shining Armor’s medical reports. “That’s nice… Isn’t there anything else to eat?” “Sorry, that’s what I currently have here.” The doctor munches on a bag of potato chips. Never would Icy have imagined that a doctor like Chrome would settle for just mere chips, and not a full course dinner. Something healthy and notorious, not junk food. With no other choice, Icy ate the only thing he got. “Well, what do we do about these now?” He points to the stack of papers next to him. “Let’s pack it in for the night,” Chrome simply said and files the papers to the cabinet. “We’ll continue this next time.” “Right… and what about Shining Armor?” Chrome looks at him, and then said. “There’s nothing much to know about his condition at the moment… I need to know more to see if my hunch about his condition is true.” “And what hunch is that?” “That’s for me to find out and for you to know later.” Chrome took her car keys from the drawer then steps out of the office. “You better head home; I’ll call you if there’s anything new.” After which, Chrome leaves as Icy sat there for a while, thinking about his friend. How could he help him? What was wrong with him? With enough problems he accumulated today, he can’t think straight despite having slept for ten hours. He decided to go home and have his mind at ease before retiring to bed again…
???It has begun to snow by the time they pass Red Mountains on the Winterflow Motorway. “I hope the roads aren’t snowed out,” you started. In the passenger seat, Shining Armor is gazing out of the frosted window in silence. He’s been this trancelike state for almost an hour now. Taking advantage of his inattention, you stare unabashedly at Shining Armor from the corner of your eye. You still don’t understand the danger signals that you’re getting from him. Shining has stopped avoiding you, and he’s even looking you in the eye when he talks. So, why does he seem even more distant now than he did when he was trying to push his friends away? Shining’s posture is noticeably relaxed, but his gaze never wavers, not even for a moment. It’s as though he’s focused on a clearly-defined future that he has chosen to bring about, one that has no place for the needs or wants of others. Right now, Shining Armor is complete. You can’t help but feel that beneath his black exterior is a core of solid steel that no one can touch. “About Cherry,” You said suddenly, trying to gauge Shining Armor’s reaction. “It’s been a week since she disappeared, and we still haven’t heard from her.” “Oh,” Shining replies curtly, still staring into the distance. “That’s not good. I wonder what happened to her.” Shining’s tone is completely emotionless. You might as well have asked him about the weather or the condition of the mountain roads near their destination. “I asked you before, but you’re sure you don’t have any idea what happened to her?” “No clue,” Shining Armor answers, in exactly the same tone that he used when you first questioned him following Cherry’s disappearance. Your eyes narrow. “It’s like you don’t give a damn.” “That’s not true.” Finally Shining show some emotion. He sounds hurt, like he can’t believe you could think such a thing. “She disappeared on the way to my place, didn’t she? Of course I’m worried.” Sudden frustration wells up inside you. If possible, you’d like nothing more than to beat the secrets out of Shining Armor’s head. You’re worried sick about Cherry. To have your concern brushed off so coldly would be unbearable coming from a complete stranger; but from Shining Armor, who was your best friend, it’s… Shining Armor never used to be this callous. Even if you tried to interrogate him, he’d probably never find out what changed him so. If Shining Armor were still just hiding inside the shell he’d erected around himself after the accident, you might have been about to get some answers out of him. With this sly, evasive Shining Armor, however, there’s nothing you can do. Shining Armor will never reveal his true intentions – not to anyone. All that’s left, then, is for you to discover the truth on your own. “Cherry was going to talk to you about Cadence, you know.” “Oh?” Shining smiles bitterly at the mention of Cadence’s name, perhaps feeling sympathy for her pain, to you, however, it seems like pity, the sort one directs at an ant or worm. “I wouldn’t know what to say. To be honest, it’s been hard to talk to her after what happened.” Unbelievable. If Shining’s feelings for Cadence were really this cold, then he would have rejected her when she first confessed to him. But he didn’t – or at least, the Shining before the accident didn’t. Once again, you can’t help to wonder if this guy who looks like your friend is really a different person who only possesses the memories of Shining Armor. The snow has stopped falling when you got off the west torchwood pass interchange. This area must already be getting a lot of snow, however, as the nearby mountains are covered in white beneath the trees. By the time you turn off the highway and enter the mountains, road conditions are already bad enough for you to regret having forgotten tire chains. Nevertheless, you continued to power your accord up the precarious slopes with only a road map to guide you. In places like this, an address isn’t enough to pinpoint a location. Your only choice is to drive every road, including private roads that aren’t even on the map, while searching for something that matches the photograph. “Who would buy a home in a place like this?” “It’s far from prying eyes. That must be why Dr. Shadow chose it.” The more he hears about Shadow, the less you want to meet him. Shining is the one who spots the narrow road half-hidden in the trees. It’s practically an animal trail, overgrown with weeds that are tall and strong enough to withstand the weight of the snow. “Is this really a road?” You stopped the car and stick your head out of the window to stare into the dark forest, but you can’t see where the path leads through the tightly-packed trees. “How does it look to you?” Shining hands you the photo, which compares to the mountain ridges visible beyond the trees. “Yeah, it’s definitely the right angle.” “Let’s check it out.” Shining’s tone is as flat as always, but there is a quiet intensity in his voice that leaves no room for argument. Although you’re worried that your car suspension won’t be able to handle the terrain, there’s no turning back now. You shift into the second and started down the frozen road. The sun sets early at high altitudes. As the car creeps up the mountain path, you catch a glimpse through the trees of the gradually darkening sky. Black clouds rolling slowly into the horizon, darkening the sky and blanketing the air with cold winds and harsh colors. The forest is completely still, with no sound save for the rumble of the Accord’s engine and the crackle of snow and bush beneath its tires. Shining Armor is once again staring silently through the front window. In the ominous silence, you feel the same faint chill that you felt when standing before Moonlight Shadow’s suburban home. It feels wrong, as though you’re traveling deeper and deeper into a world not your own. After some time, a blocky shape suddenly appears amid the trees, standing out against the twilight sky. Oddly, you remembered his sister for a moment there. they were such good family together until that horrific day came… It was a shame. And a loss. With an eerie aura, you turn off the engine and compare the structure in front of you to the picture in your hand -- a perfect match. Before you can tell Shining Armor, however, your silent friend is already out of the car. “Hey!” Realizing that it’s pointless to call to him, you shook your heard, grabs the flashlight from the glove compartment, and followed Shining Armor across the snow-covered yard. The photo must not have been taken recently, as the old, run-down cabin before them has clearly been left to the mercy of the elements for some time. The front door seems to be locked, but Shining Armor kicks it down without a second thought. You just watched, knowing that nothing you could say now would matter. What the heck? Is all what you could say at the moment. All of the windows are shut with heavy curtains, and the gloom inside is thick and stifling. Shining turns on his own flashlight and starts rummaging through the cabin without any regard for its owner’s privacy. You’re reluctant to do the same, but it is obvious that this mountain retreat has been abandoned for a long time, just like the house in Ponyville. There’s no point in being considerate now. You went to search a different room. Soon after entering the cabin, however, you soon realize that their search is meaningless. There’s nothing inside but the bare necessities of life. Some rooms are even completely empty, save for a thick layer of dust on the floor. Of what few pieces of furniture are present, more than half appear to have never been used. There’s an empty chest of drawers without a single scratch or handprint. But bearing the telltale signs of mold and moisture damage. The condition of the cabin is eerie, though in a different way than the filthiness of the house in the city. It’s like someone put together a mockup of a home than left it to decay. The only signs that anyone lived here are found in the toilet, the bath, the kitchen, and the bedroom. It appears that the cabin was never used for anything but eating and sleeping. Beneath the darkened sky, the snow itself seems to glow with a cold, white light. The scene is like something out of a fairytale, but to you, it serves only as an unpleasant reminder that you had stepped outside of the reality that you knew all too well. Next to the front porch is a plain wooden door half buried in the ground. It’s locked, of course, but you don’t see any reason for restraint after what Shining Armor did to the front door. The door offers surprisingly little resistance to your heavy kick, breaking open to reveal a set of concrete stairs leading down into a pitch-black basement. You sigh as you did this. You’d prefer to leave such a forbidding place to Shining, but it’s not like you can just ask him to take your place. You descend into the chilly darkness, the beam of your flashlight leading the way. There turns out to be nothing in the basement but a storage room and a boiler, exactly what one would expect to find in an isolated mountain cabin. The few packages on preserved food sitting on the shelves have long since passed their expiration dates, and the boiler doesn’t appear to have been used in ages. You guessed that Shadow’s mountain home has been abandoned longer than the house in Ponyville. Was Shining simply mistaken when he said that Shadow might be here? Or was he lying from the beginning? Now sure what to do next, you go back up the stairs and walked around the outside of the cabin – and there you find the backyard. It’s in much worse condition than the front yard, having been mostly reclaimed by the forest. It must have been neglected even when the cabin was still in use. The remnants of a tool shed lie in the yard, the mushrooms growing on it speaking to how much time has passed since its collapse. Next to the rotten logs, however, stands a square of stone that has not yet succumbed to the elements. Looking down on it reveals to be a well that has no bucket or pulley, and when you look closely, you see that the water was long gone. It’s probably less than ten meters deep, depending on how much mud is piled up inside. Your search of the cabin has proved to be useless and revealed nothing of interest, inside or out. You start to lean on the edge of the well, and wondered why Shadow bought this remote home deep in the mountains, and what he was doing here. As far as you can tell, there’s no sign that more than one person ever stayed here. “It’s far from prying eyes.” Shining’s words play back in your head. Could this have been some sort of secret refuge, a place to remain hidden from the world? That would explain why there’s nothing to suggest that whoever lived here did anything more than eat and sleep. You suddenly remember the doctor you met yesterday at the C University. Maybe she’d know something about this. You took your phone and calls up the newly-stored number. There’s barely a signal, but it manages to get through. Your hopes are soon crushed, however, when your call goes straight to Dr. Chrome’s voice mail. You considered calling her back, but realizes that it would be hard to talk to her with Shining Armor around. Shining would not at all be pleased to learn that You and Cadence went to see his doctor. You decided that you’d better tell the doctor what you can while you’re alone. “Hello, It’s me, the guy with the girl yesterday that came to see you? Thank you for telling us what we need that time.” You left a clear and concise message, explaining that you went with Shining Armor to Shadow’s mountain retreat, giving the address, and asking for confirmation that the property belongs to Shadow. “I’ll talk to you again when we return to Canterlot, bye.”After hanging up, you think back to your visit to the hospital. Is Dr. Chrome actually investigating like she said she would? Her reluctance to speak of Dr. Shadow is weighing on your mind. You’ve talked to Cadence about it on the way home, but you both were unable to decide whether the doctor could really be trusted. Speaking of which, how is Cadence doing? You haven’t seen her today lately. You didn’t say a word to her about your trip to Torchlight. She might be worried, specially so soon after Cherry’s disappearance. Thinking to check up on her, you dial Cadence’s number… and are surprised when it rings longer than it usually does. Did she forget her phone somewhere? Just as he’s about to give up, the call connects. The first thing you hear is a strange sound. It’s not signal interference, but some kind of wet, distorted noise – like the voiceless groans, or perhaps sobs, of someone far away. No… That’s exactly what they are! The person on the other side is crying. “C-Cadence? Is that you?!” “Who’s… there…” There’s a response, but is it really Cadence’s voice? It’s too twisted with agony for you to tell. Panic surges through you like a blast of electric flow as you realize that something is terribly wrong. “It’s me! Is that you, Cadence? Where are you?!” After a short period of nothing but pained moans, words start coming through the speaker one by one, as though each takes an act of will. “I was… attacked… by a monster… and now… there’s something wrong… with my body!” “What? What happened?! Are you alright?!” Cadence must be delirious, because you can’t understand a thing she’s saying. Her gasps and wheezes, however, are enough to tell him that she’s in unimaginable pain. “I’m rotting away… my skin is… melting! My ear just… came off…” She’s not making any sense! You feel despair seize your heart in an iron grip. What’s happening to Cadence now, a hundred kilometers away? Only her voice gives any hint of what’s she’s going through. There’s nothing he can do for her. “Help me… please! This… isn’t how my fingers… are supposed to look…!” “Calls the cops, Cadence! Call for help!” “No! I can’t… let anyone see me… like this…” Cadence suddenly breaks into a violent hacking cough, as though trying to expel something filling her throat. “Cadence!” You scream into the phone, his reason overwhelmed by unimaginable horror. Which is why he is unable to react when the phone suddenly knocked from his hand, and also why he didn’t notice Shining Armor sneaking up on him until it was too late. “What the—“ Shining seizes your lower jaw with his right hand, cutting off your angry shout. You can hardly believe the strength of the smaller man’s grip. Your biggest mistake was leaning back against the pit. There is nothing to grab onto as Shining pushes you backwards over the edge. You can only flail your arms vainly against the air as you crashed down deep into the bowels of the mud-ridden pit.
???On that terrible day when I first opened my eyes after the accident, what would my answer have been? When I think back on this many years from now, will I wish that my answer today had been different? It doesn’t matter. Here, at this moment, there is no doubt in my mind. “Who was that?” I asked Alice, looking at the unidentifiable pieces of the monster. “….The man living next door. I don’t know his name.” “Oh, so it was Mr. Cake.” He was hardly a stranger. We’ve been neighbors for as long as I can remember. I’d go so far as to say we were on good terms before the accident. And now I’ve killed him with my own two hands. I feel little. Mr. Cake, the kindly baker who lived next door, is but a distant memory. The pieces of meat around me belonged to a creature whose mere existence was nauseating. Only by killing the vermin could I find relief. He complained about my yard being filthy, the swine. It doesn’t matter what Alice did. He wasn’t worth keeping alive anyway. These are my honest feelings. My hands are wet with another man’s blood, and yet I am utterly calm. Now I know what I lost in the accident. Alice says that I can take it back, but I know that I cannot. It is gone forever, like the life of the man called Cake. “Hey, Alice… No doctor could possibly fix my condition, you know.” “…..Shining?” “You can do what no human is capable of. You’re not human, are you?” Alice looks away, her expression unreadable. Everything is monstrous and loathsome in my eyes – everything but Alice. I thought that she was somehow unique. I was wrong. I see her just as I do everything else – as something other than what she really is. But why should that surprise me? Alice is part of my world, just as I am of hers. It doesn’t change what we are to each other. I stand and walk over Cake’s dismembered corpse. “I read this novel once, about a man who recovered from an accident only to find that he could no longer see the world as it was. Kind of like me.” I finally realize that even though the stench of these monsters’ flesh turns my stomach, their blood and guts smell pretty good. In fact, I know this fragrance quite well. “He saw people as rocks and robots as beautiful women. And so he fell in love with something that wasn’t remotely human.” I took the cleaver, pick up a piece of Cake’s body, and start removing the skin and tendons. Ahh, just as I thought. The stuff underneath is exactly the same as what Alice and I have been eating. Hey, this looks pretty good. Let’s eat it.” “Shining…” “Oh, sorry. You’re in no mood for that now, are you? Now that it’s dead, though, meat is meat. It’d be a waste to throw it away. We should get it in the fridge.” “Is that… alright with you?” “Sure,” I answer easily. There is no longer any room for doubt in my mind. “Also, his wife and daughter are probably next door. They might cause trouble when he doesn’t come home. We’d better hunt them down before they go to the police.” “Is that… really what you want?” Alice asks again, this time with a trace of fear in her voice. I guess I still haven’t convinced her of my sincerity. “So at the end of this novel, the man who fell for something inhuman gives up his own humanity for the sake of their love. A happy ending, don’t you think?” “Shining…” “You’re all I need now, Alice. Nothing else matters as long as we’re together.” Tossing the cleaver and meat aside, I pull Alice into my arms once more. “I can say it now… can’t I? Alice… I love you.” As Alice wipes away the tears flowing from her eyes, I can no longer see any hint of fear in her face. “I don’t want you to regret this. I don’t but…” I have sworn my oath, and Alice has accepted it. We have nothing to fear now. Alice will never need to cry again. “I can’t help it. I’m so happy. I guess I’m pretty selfish, aren’t I?” “I don’t mind. I’ll always indulge your selfishness, Alice.” Filled with contentment, we exchange a smile and set to task of cleaning the room. A single person produces a lot more meat than I expected. Speaking of which, I seem to remember doing something similar before. “About his wife and daughter… I think he killed them. I heard their screams. But their son escaped…” “Well, that makes things easier.” “What about the other child?” Alice asked, probably wondering if we should find him or not. “He’s no longer a liability.” I answered. “He probably won’t go back there since he saw his father did that, right?” “You’re probably right…” Alice shrugs the thought off of her mind. After we finish here, we should go gather the meat from the Cake’s house. That should be enough to hold us for a while, and we can use their refrigerator to store what won’t fit in ours. It’s all coming together. Alice and I will be just fine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “I think I recognize this picture.” After we finish our labors and get to bed, I show Alice what I found in the Shadow’s house. “It looks familiar. Yeah, I’ve definitely been here.” The photograph that Alice has selected is the one with a Torchwood Prefecture address on the back. “That’s… a house, right? I see trees and… mountains?” “Yeah. Wow, Shining, you can see pictures now?” “A little.” At the outset of my ordeal, I had to depend entirely on my sense of distance to decipher what I saw. The houses in front of me, the mountains far behind them, the clouds high above – only distance and scale told me what they were. Photographs and other flat images used to be nearly impossible to make out. Recently, however, I’ve gotten better at understanding what things are by their shape. I know what the mountains and sky look like, for instance, and how to tell them apart from buildings. Each of the three pictures shows a similar scene – a lone house in the middle of a thick forest. “Dad called it his retreat. He said that no one would find us there.” “Hmm” Judging by the address on the back of each photo, they probably are excellent places to hide from prying eyes. But why three? The dates are pretty old, and it seems odd that they were all taken within a few days of each other. Maybe he was scouting properties, looking for the perfect location for his hideaway. Alice recognizes only one of the houses, so that must be the one Shadow picked. Checking the location on the roadmap of the Torchwood area, I find that it’s about three hours out of Canterlot by car. “Do you think your father will be there?” “I tried calling him, but he didn’t answer. I don’t think he’s there.” “But he might have stopped by recently.” The way I see it, our only hope of finding Shadow is to follow whatever lead we have, no matter how small. The probability that his hideout will yield useful information may be low… but it’s not zero. “I think I’ll check this place out tomorrow.” “Do you have to?” Alice pouts. I wasn’t expecting her to object. “Isn’t it far?” “It’ll only take about half a day to go there, check it out, and come back.” “I have to stay home by myself while you’re gone?” So that’s what it is. Slightly exasperated, I smile and rub Alice’s head. “Be a little patient, okay? You want to find your father too, don’t you?” After a brief silence, during with her expression is hard to decipher, Alice looks up at me and says, “Hey, Shining… let’s forget about Dad.” “Huh?” That’s the last thing I expected her to say. “Forget about him? But he’s your father. Aren’t you worried?” “Not anymore,” Alice says, coming closer to feel my warmth. “I have you now. I call him Dad, but he’s not really my father. He thought me a lot, and probably loved me in his own way… but you’re kinder and warmer.” Alice’s words make me happy, but I also hear the loneliness in them. “Are you really alright with that?” “Yeah. You don’t like it being just the two of us?” “I do… but I also want to meet Dr. Shadow.” Having finally figured out how to explain my feelings, I continue, “I want to get to know you better. If there’s someone who knows more about you than I do, I have to meet them. “Oh….” Alice doesn’t seem upset, but she does tilt her head quizzically, as though my thoughts are strange to her. “And I also want to… Yeah, I’m going to check it out tomorrow.” Another plan has started to form in my head, one separate from the search of Dr. Shadow. If I find the doctor there, great; if I don’t well… I think I can find another use for his mountain retreat. “I know you’ll be lonely, Alice, but try to bear it for a little while.” “Okay,” she nods, and then looks questioningly into my eyes. “Shining… You really want a family and also friends, don’t you? More people you can spend time with?” “Well, that would be more fun, yeah…” Fearing that Alice will start sulking, I hurriedly add, “But don’t get me wrong. Even if I could have lots of friends, you’ll always be special to me.” “I know. Heheh, thanks.” Giggling, Alice rubs her cheek against mine. “I’ll find something to make you happy – something just for you.”
