Amiss Fortune

by Amiss

Rating: mature
Tags: Adventure, Tragedy, Alternate Universe, Sad, Dark
Length: 4962

A dark and tragic poem-story about a place few ponies dare know of...

Amiss Fortune is an average earthpony who one day stumbles upon a dark secret that has been hidden from public views for many years, and explains how somepony must finish his work and make up for his damning mistake that threw Equestria into a land of insanity…

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-04-22 00:12:04 UTC

2. Regret and Poor Choices...

The air was quite dry

And the birds void of the sky

I was on a hill near Canterlot

feeling the wind pass by

I sat there with Carol Belle

A beautiful green mare

Counting and watching the clouds

As they moved about the air

"Look at that one"

Carol turned and said to me

"It looks like a parasprite

"Or at least that's what I see"

"It looks like a rock"

I said with a sarcastic tone

And to my words

I got a laughing groan

"Don't be difficult"

She said as she lay there

The sunset was upon us

And illuminating her hair

"We should probably head back"

I said getting ready to go

"It is getting dark,

"And soon the path won't show"

"I guess..." she sighed

And joined me by my side

We started back for Canterlot

As the last light began to hide

**********

Around ten minutes later

While we were heading back

We came upon a building

Just a simple little shack

The building looked abandon

So we just started passing by

But were frozen in our tracks

When from it came A cry

"GET THE BUCK OFF OF ME!"

Came the troubled shout

Followed by the sound

Of a sickening snap ringing out

The air was dead silent

And we just stood there in shock

Until a loud banging emerged

From the other side of the door's lock

We quickly ran away

And returned to the city

And told the police what happened

But they either laughed or stared at me

"You guys are just sleep deprived"

Came a policepony's voice

I demanded to see the chief

Them not giving me another choice

I was lead to a room

With a large brown earthpony

"Well, what do you want?"

He finally said to me

"There was a murder"

His eyes raised as I spoke

"Out in the fields"

My voice a nervous choke

"Did you see it happen?"

He sighed and said to me

"Well, no..." I replied

"Then what did you see?!"

"I heard a pony call for help

"As something did attack

"It was by an abandon building"

At this, his attention snapped back...

"What did you see there?!"

He quickly yelled at me

"The place was locked up,

"There was nothing I could see"

He sat studying me

Before snapping "just leave"

At the turn of this conversation

I this did relieve..

I quickly left that place

And with me Carol Belle

The sudden hostility there

Meant I could not dwell

We were almost home

When I saw it there

A shadowed earthpony figure

As it would just stare

We passed by him (?)

And safely got inside

But from the creepy pony

We would be there to hide

I locked all the doors

(As well as windows too)

The pony had been watching us

I knew it to be true...

I lay in my bed

Still worried and awake

The events of this night

Caused me to shiver and shake

It was barely past two

When it caught my eye

A shadow on my window

As it passed on by

I looked to Carol Belle

And found her still asleep

I needed to investigate

So towards the window I did creep

Out the glass I saw

The shadowed figure at my door

It was writing a note

That it left upon the floor

The figure then turned

And escaped my sight

And that was the last I saw of it

On that damning night

I slowly crept to the door

And retrieved the note

And studied the words

The figure had wrote

you are in great danger

And I wish it was not true

But you know too much now

So I was sent after you

but I am tired

Of unjustly ending lives

I realize there are higher

Goals for which one strives

you must get out of here

I can buy you some time

I do this for redemption

For you've committed no crime

I dropped the note

That warned of my demise

And quickly glanced around

But nothing met my eyes

I slowly backed up

Feeling quite terrified

And felt little sanction

In going inside

I woke up Carol Belle

And told her what I knew

And by the looks of it

She was worried too...

"But where can we go?"

Came her soothing voice

"I am not quite sure...

"But we haven't got a choice..."

We collected

What little things we had

Forcing Carol to do this

Made me feel quite bad

I scanned our surroundings

And nothing entered my sight

So Carol and I

Set out in to the night

We walked along the sidewalk

With nopony else about

When my ears were met

With a loud shout

"Stop right there!"

Came the bucking sound

In shock I stopped walking

And quickly turned around

Several policeponies

Stood there in the street

Then ran up towards us

And with no kindness we did meet

"Somepony is after us."

I quickly made clear

but as they approached

I felt some faint fear...

"Then come with us

"And bring your mare too

"We have some questions

"We must ask of you"

Unreluctantly I complied

And with me, Carol Belle

Not knowing that my actions

would be delivering us to hell

The last thing I heard

Before a paralysis spell hit me

Was the scream of Carol Belle

The fate chose what I'd be...

3. A Corrupted Mind

The sun was shining

And a smooth wind graced my fur

I saw Carol trotting happily

and I moved to join her

We conversed in joy for hours

or that's what it would seem

Until a loud rumbling

Awoke me from my dream...

my eyes shot open

But my limbs would not respond

The paralysis spell must still be active

(Of which I was not fond...)

my eyes slowly adjusted

To the strange dark

But the horror that I saw

Would leave a mental mark

Bloodied bodies of ponies

Lay all around me

This wretched gore filled sight

Was so hard to see

I shut my eyes tight

And tasted my own bile

But came to my senses

After a long while

I realized I was moving

And reluctantly looked around

To find my immobile body

Was not on solid ground

I was on a track

That ran towards a large flame

I had to get off of this

Or it would be my end game

I struggled very hard

But was frozen still

Then I remembered Carol Belle

And that enraged my will

I had to find her

But feared it was too late

But I must save her

Or at least know her fate

I slowly got to my hooves

And stumbled on my way

All about this room

Were dark walls of grey

I tripped over a detached forehoof

and a snap came from my side

Passing out from the pain

I thought that I had died...

**********

My next time being awoken

I saw a "familiar" face

It was of the dark figure

And my heart increased in pace

"Don't make any noise"

The stallion whispered at me

the dark outline of a small room

Was all that I could see

"Where the buck am I?"

I asked, lungs screaming in pain

But all I was returned

Was him telling me to shut up again

"You're in Hell..."

He said after a long while

"Please enjoy your stay!"

He added with a grim smile

His mane was red and black

and did not look well kept

This dark blue stallion being friendly

Seemed difficult to accept

He sat silent

Before letting me know

"My name is Night Shade,

"But they call me Shadow

"Well, I'm Amiss Fortune"

I said after some thought

He chuckled and replied

"Well, who is not?"

I ignored his attempt

To lighten up the mood

My pain wasn't just from my ribs

For my stomach was void of food

"They think you are dead,

"So let's keep it that way

"You will be silent and listen to me

"If alive is how you wish to stay."

"Who is 'They'?" I asked

Wanting to know what this was about

He just turned and looked at me

Saying "you haven't figured it out?"

"There is a 'project',

"Of which few ponies know

"For it exists in such horror

"Where pony thoughts choose not to go"

"The idea was to be immortal

"To live life without fear

"But they bit too much off

"And their goal is nowhere near"

"Instead they made a disease

"that infects one's mind

"That amplifies their last thought

"Leaving rational thinking behind"

"Yet they continue testing

"Instead this damn place

"Ignoring that the outside world

"May develop a case..."

I was shocked and startled

At this bucked up news

All this was hidden

From all public views

"How long was I out?"

His answer brought me fear

"Mindless or asleep?

"For the first has been half a year

"Where is Carol Belle?!"

I stuttered in full fright

"I'm afraid she wasn't as lucky"

He said, avoiding my sight...

My mind filled with emotion

No longer capable of full thought

But I promised, no matter the pain

She wouldn't be forgot

The small room filled with choked sobbing

As tears flooded my eyes

I had managed to live

But she met her demise

Shadow heard something

And quickly turned his head

He pulled me to the floor

Before pushing me under a bed

The door of the room opened

And in came a unicorn

Her Pissed off expression

Hid my thoughts that were forlorn

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Came her enraged yell

She held a knife to Shadow's throat

With a telekinetic spell

"Give me a damn reason...

"You shouldn't end up like the rest

"You are given so much here

"Yest still my rules you test"

"Get your ass back to work!"

She barked, lowering the knife

"If you buck up one more time...

"I will end your pathetic life..."

She then left the room

And Shadow too did go

I was stunned and had many things

I still wished to know

One question was,

Where was I?!

Then the important one...

Is this where I die?...

A few hours passed

Ill content with what I'd accrued

I carefully left the room

In search for some food...

After exiting the door

I was in a long grey hall

And was startled when I heard

From a speaker, a loud call

"All security ponies needed"

Came the voice's shout

"In lab D-4,

"The subject has gotten out!"

I panicked and stumbled down the hallway

Feeling very weak

Until I found a sign

For which I did seek

Partially relieved

I was in F-2

But I also found out

This place was bigger than I knew

I heard somepony coming

And quickly passed through a door

But did not notice

That the room had no floor...

I hit the chipped stone ground

And felt my hooves crack

It was quickly evident

I would not be going back

The pain of my body

Was now too great

To the point that

I would have welcomed fate...

Tears came from my eyes

As my body hurt all about

I had no hope in fighting it

So I let them come out

A little while passed

Before I heard a slight groan

And I was startled

Realizing I was not alone

A dirty pink mare

Sat in the corner of the room

Something was off about her

And her presence seemed to loom

"You have had better days?"

She laughed and said to me

"To figure that out,

"I don't need to see..."

She turned her head at me

And I swore it to be lies

But this mare before me

Had removed her eyes...

"What happened to you?!"

I said in sudden shock

And almost instantly

I wished I hadn't talked

"Everypony is so judgmental"

She plainly said

"But I aim to fix that

"By MAKING them use their head!"

"It is so great!

"A wondrous way to be

"You are happy with everything!

"Just look at me!"

I started moving back

My bloodied hooves raking the floor

I fought through the pain

And my whole body was sore

"See? You try to leave me!

"I have been nothing but kind!

"Don't worry, I can fix you

"So you see with just your mind!"

With that she was upon me

With a sharp rock in her jaws

Her damaged hooves cut my sides

Feeling more like claws

I struggled against her

But gasped in shock

As she missed and made my shoulder

Embedded with the rock

I kicked her off me

And saw the rock still there

Where it was lodged

There was a bloody tear

"I am just helping!"

She loudly screamed

I was going to die

Or that is how it seemed

I looked about the room

And saw my wretched prize

Now there was a chance

I would not meet my demise

A metal bed frame

Sat broken and near by

The protruding jagged piece

Is what caught my eye

I felt her hoof

As it connected with my head

I had one chance at this

To spare me from being dead

She was now bleeding

And as we fought it got on me

If I bucked this up

My life would be the fee

I brought up my leg

Knocking her into the bed

The jagged metal impaled her

But she still was not dead...

"I-I was helping you...

"To be a better pony..."

Her tone became soft

"I wanted you to be happy..."

"I just...wanted...

"I... tried..."

Then her breath stopped coming

And with that she died...

I had just killed a pony?!

The thought contested my head

Because of my actions

She now was dead

She tried to cut my eyes out

I quickly reasoned

But I would never come to terms

With what I had done

Covered in her blood

I fell to the ground

With a warm tingle

Then icy darkness all around...

4. Infected

Once again I awoke

Still in the damn room

Knowing it was very likely

This would be my tomb

I was surprised to find

All my pain had gone away

Though I felt I must’ve been out

No longer than a day

My body was thick with blood

That was not there before

Then I vomited when I saw it

Laying on the floor

The mare long since dead

Was now torn apart

With teeth marks all about her

I felt heavy beating in my heart

Then I realized

What may have happened to this soul

For I was sickened to discover

That I now felt full…

My eyes went wide

And I looked around

The walls were stained with red

And the same was for the ground

I glanced to my shoulder

Brushing away my hair

And saw in ill surprise

That the rock was still there

Except I’d healed around it

And my skin was now full

Blood no longer flowing

For my body had sealed that hole

I was still confused and horrored

But started moving about

For despite what I had been through

I just had to get out

The only visible way

Was from where I had fallen

But I had no clue

How I would get up again

I sat down in thought

How do I get out of here?

And how could I have e…

The lack of knowledge brought me fear

And that is when I saw it

A displacement in the wall

Directly underneath

where I did fall

I slowly walked towards it

And by the bloodied mess I did pass

And tapped my hoof against it

To find it made of glass…

“They were watching her…”

I softly said out loud

And realized there must be a room

There where the darkness did shroud

I slammed my hoof against it

But to no avail

This could be my exit

So I could not fail

I could find nothing useful

So I could break the barricade

But then I did find something

And my morale did fade

I looked to my shoulder

And knew I’d likely be a fool

Then in my teeth I grasped

My new makeshift tool

I quickly jerked my head

And the rock ripped out

The burning of my shoulder

Caused of me a pained shout

I expected it to hurt

But no as much as it did

I collapsed in sudden pain

In which I wanted to be rid

I remembered the words of Night Shade

(Or I guess Shadow)

And started piecing together

What little I did know

“They made a disease

That infects one’s mind”

But the connection was missing

For there was a thought I could not find

What happened to me?!

Had I really eaten that mare?!

I didn’t want to think of it

For I didn’t dare

“Magnifies the last thought”

This went against what I was told

For I swear the last thing I remembered

Was that dark and cold…

But I had thought of food…

Before what happened here

I continued thinking

Though the truth I did fear

How did I heal?

I asked but then knew

“The idea was to be immortal”

Well, that was partly true

But with that came

Another damning thought

That meant I was infected

Though falsely hoped I was not

But then came

Confusion rather than fear

For Shadow had told me

I’d been ‘mindless’ for half a year

But I had awoken

Not just one time but two

Could I fight the virus off?

(I hoped that this was true)

I looked back to my shoulder

And found nothing different

The wound was not healing

And I had hope of what that meant

I got back to my hooves

And readied the rock

The event of flying glass

Made me back up in shock

I had made a small break

And started smashing the rest away

For in this wretched place

I would no longer stay

After what felt like an hour

It was big enough to fit through

I had no idea the danger

And knew that to be true

Once in the room

(Which was black as night)

I saw a sign aside the glass

That read ‘Crystal Sight’

I felt a sort of sorrow

As I looked back to the mare

She was once like me…

Before getting locked in there…

My sadness turned to anger

At those who made it so

I would pay them back for her

For this I did know

I stepped into the hallway

With very limited sight

For the only illumination

Came from each emergency light

This hall was similar

To the one I’d been in last

But I found some differences

Pretty damn fast…

All the doors were locked

And held on some a note

In large black lettering

A warning somepony wrote

“Condemned” or “Infected”

Was on most of the doors

And everywhere I wandered

Dried blood covered the floors

I came to a staircase

Or that’s what the label said

For two large metal doors blocked me

Informing that the power was dead

I started looking around me

Until it caught my eyes

A sign that pointed me

Towards my blessed prize

It was labeled “backup generator”

So I tried to make it start

But of course, “buck me”

It was missing a part

Finally catching a break

I saw it upon the floor

And hoped it would be enough

To get me through that door

The generator started up!

And I smiled at the sound

But quickly stopped

As loud clicks came from all around

My heart had trouble beating

No longer feeling like I’d won

I cursed and was angry

At what I had just done

Maybe they’ll be friendly

I tried to lie

But I knew

I would likely die

Every door slid open

And dozens like Crystal Sight

Flooded into the hallways

And they began to fight

I ducked under a table

To keep them from seeing me

Swearing at myself

How foalish could I be?

Not only these ponies

But had myself to face

Remembering Shadow’s words

“Outside may have a case”

Now they were freed

And here they moved about

And I was the one

Who had let them out…

5. A Loose Bond

I cowered under the table

As two ponies entered the room

They appeared uninfected

And I had sealed their doom

“We need to get out of here!”

A sea blue stallion said

“If we stay much longer

“We will soon be dead…”

They went about the room

And collected things from the floor

Then they took the objects

And barricaded the door

Then the white stallion saw me

As I lay there

His face snapped to worry

And he could just stare

“There is one in here!”

He quickly yelled

Then grabbed a detached pipe

Which in his teeth he held

“I am not like them!!!”

In panic I replied

And if the blue one hadn’t been there

I surely would have died

“He isn’t attacking us…”

The sea blue one said to him

But he quickly replied “look at his shoulder”

And my chances became slim

“He is infected

“And will turn like the rest”

His voice held deep sadness

Yet still came out quite stressed

“Before you…kill me…

“Please answer, where am I?”

The white was startled at my obliviousness

For I could see it in his eye

“How could you…

“Not know of this place?!...

“Unless… you didn’t work here…”

Then sudden sorrow crossed his face

“Inkwell and I have been down here

“After they sealed off this floor

“We tried rebuilding the generator

“To open up the door”

“How did you get here?”

He then said to me

I didn’t want to delve into memories

For the gore that I would see

“I don’t remember”

I said but he paid no attention

He stood there staring at me

About something he would not mention

“My name is cloudy skies

“But I think I know of you…

“You’re Amiss Fortune?

“Is this true?”

I answered him, “yes but why?”

As blood dried on my skin

I barely could block out

The loud fighting din…

“You were their best success

“The best hope of which they knew…”

Then he softly said

“I’m sorry for what happened to you…”

At that very moment

I heard running on the outer floor

Then the sound of a massive crash

As debris flew from the door

The door then flew open

And a red unicorn walked in

But unlike Crystal Sight

I saw in her only sin

She gave disgusted looks

To each of us

Before saying, “you dirty earth ponies

“Always causing a fuss…”

She looked about the room

And turned to me her face

“You inferior species…

“Must be put back in your place…”

With that she grabbed the pipe

From the mouth of the stallion

And swung it to his head

And his life was surely done…

She turned to Inkwell

And laughed in a chilling voice

I had to act now

It was my only choice

I threw myself into her

And we both then fell

However, not long after

The pipe was back in her spell

I heard my ribs crack

As the pipe brought with it pain

My breathing slowed down

And refused to gain

I tried to fight her

And connected my hoof with her head

It wasn’t enough to stop

And my wounds would leave me dead

Then I heard it

Another loud crack

As a large piece of wood

Struck her back

Inkwell had chose to help

Avoid meeting my fate

But the blood in my mouth

Made me fear it was too late

The wood struck again

This time on her head

And I knew it was likely

I too would soon be dead

“You need to leave now

I struggled to tell the pony

“It soon won’t be safe

“You’ll have to leave me”

“What are you saying?!

“You will not turn!”

I knew it was unlikely

But my body did burn

“I will have to

“To avoid my death…”

Darkness started coming

And staggering hit my breath

After a while of convincing

Inkwell agreed to leave me

Both for his safety

And to avoid what he may see…

I did not want to do this

But could feel each broken bone

But to survive I had to

And I was glad to be alone

I closed my eyes tightly

And moved towards the dead mare

My body was in pain and disturbed

At what I’d do there

Reminding myself

It was this or be dead

I slowly lowered my mouth

And consumed the crimson red

But it didn’t work

I didn’t fall from my thought

I expected that survival

Was a war that could be fought?

In blind anger I stood up

And paced about the room

Then I looked to the mare…

SHE HAD CAUSED ME THIS DOOM

I started striking the body

Why? I could not tell

But was then reminded

Of poor Carol Belle

What was I doing?!

Then realizing my thoughts were not my own

This was the very reason

I had to be here all alone

But how was I aware?

Of my actions now

But the darkness overtook me

Before I finished asking “how?”

*****

I awoke again

To find a familiar mare

A strange feeling overcame me

For Carol Belle was there…

“I thought you were dead!”

To her I cried

Despite what had happened

I was joyous to be reunified

“Let me help you up”

She said as she came near

With every hoofstep

Her presence vanquished my fear

She helped me to my hooves

And I caught her in embrace

“I am so glad to see you”

I said nuzzling her face

“How did you survive?

“And how did you find me?”

No matter what the answer

I was as happy as could be

“Sorry, but I don’t know”

She replied quite forlorn

We needed to get moving

Though our alliance was just reborn

We started to leave

With dull pain in my side

The pain came with breathing

Each time I tried

The halls were very silent

But had new bodies on the ground

And the walls had a fresh coat

Of red “paint” all around

We found the large doors

That was now open

And was relieved to hope

Inkwell had escaped then

“Did you see a blue stallion

“Before you found me?”

Carol just shook her head

Making me wonder how he’d be

We slowly climbed the staircase

Avoiding pools of red

“Do you hear that?”

Carol then said

A soft eerie laugh

Came from below

Who or what made it

I wished not to know

We quickened our pace

But were quiet as could be

And were relieved

When a door we could see

We went through the doors

Without looking back

Though the place we had entered

Was almost pitch black

We crept through the shadows

Hooves clicking on the moist ground

And only stopped

When we heard a muffled sound

Light was before us

Protruding from the corner

Carol started towards it

But I stopped her

“Do you see that?”

I asked pointing at the floor

Fresh blood flowed from the corner

As evidence of recent gore

We approached cautiously

Filled with many a worried thought

I peeked about the corner

But hoped I had not

Countless bodies of ponies

Who lay bloodied and dead

Had slash markings

From hooves to head

They had been cut apart

That just had to be

For the deep gashes

Were from a weapon I could not see

Then I saw the blood

Suspended in the air

Sharp metal wires hung about

About as thin as a single hair

I tasted bile in my mouth

As I picked up a lone limb

How did I get this way?

Doing things so grim

I tossed it at the wires

But they cut it quite clean

“What the buck?!” I cursed aloud

Why was life so mean?!

After some pointless time

Carol and I returned to the black

I hated very much

How we had to backtrack

We wandered in the darkness

Looking all around

But found no type of exit

Until hearing a faint sound

“We have movement at blockade E”

Came the muffled announcement

Along with the other words

Hope is what it sent

I looked closely at the wall

(From where the sound had came)

To find it worn and breakable

And Carol concluded the same

We searched around the hallways

But were frozen in fear

For we found several “ex-ponies”

Wandering very near

One of them held

A metal rod in her mouth

But the act of obtaining it

Could easily go south

We needed to break through

Or face doom as a choice

I forced myself to walk up to them

Then I cleared my voice…

1. The Letter of the Lost

This is quite important

And so you read this now

The question I will be answering

Is the simple one "how?"

I must warn you though

My words may agitate your head

But you cannot complain to me

For likely I am dead

It all started

On a summer day

When my mistake damned this land

And threw it's lives away

My name is Amiss Fortune

And my actions are as such

And I am sorry in advance

And cannot apologize too much

So I'll start at the beginning

And hope that it is true

That my work can be completed

By somepony like you...