~ Alice Pony Sacrifice ~
(Listening to the song first is recommended, but not necessary.)
“This is going to be so awesome!” Rainbow Dash laughed as she flew a few feet ahead of the others.
Twilight laughed as well, at a quick trot to keep up with her friend.
“I have to admit, I am surprised that the Princess has invited us to stay at the castle overnight, but I’m not complaining!”
Rarity gave a breathy giggle, “Oh my goodness, we’ll have the best seats in all of Equestria for the Summer Sun Celebration this year! Right here in Canterlot too!” Rarity gave another breathy giggle, “I am so excited I can hardly breath!”
“Well you have to breath silly filly, or you won’t be able to see the festival at all!” Pinkie said sensibly, prompting the others to laugh.
“Yes Pinkie, I know.” Rarity replied lightly, before exchanging a glance with Fluttershy and Apple Jack, at which point they all started laughing again.
*****
Shortly after midnight, and after a long pillow fight, the girls were curling up to go to sleep. Coupled with all the excitement, their exhaustion from traveling caused them to fall asleep almost the second their heads hit the pillow.
Outside the window in the royal gardens, a certain white statue seemed to glow slightly as a dream began to weave itself before their slumbering eyes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rarity looked around the dark clearing, that she had found herself in. “Hello? Anypony there?” She called out as she started to look around.
“This place is horrid.” She muttered to herself as she stepped through the dense underbrush, occasionally wheeling back in disgust as she stepped in mud or on a large bug. “Ugh! This forest seriously needs a good gardener.”
As she looked around though, her heart sank a bit. She was longing to see a familiar figure, but all that met her eyes were shadows, bugs, half-dead plants, and skeletons-
Rarity screamed, nearly tripping over her hooves as she backed up as fast as possible, away from the white bones and skull that seemed to stare at her. After regaining her composure, and her heartbeat’s normal rhythm, she carefully made her way back over to it.
“Poor soul.” She muttered, as walked around it carefully. She didn’t recognize what animal it belonged to, although it seemed to be some sort of large tailless monkey, but it was unmistakably sentient… The armour that lay rusted over the white bones, and the sword still desperately held onto, half drawn, was proof enough of that to her.
Rarity shifted slightly looking at the sword. The way the neck was bent, the way the ribs were caved in… Time hadn’t done that, whatever had caused it to lie there in the first place had. Hating herself a little for it, she took the sword from the skeleton’s hand.
‘You don’t need this anymore, and I very well might. You’ll have to forgive me.” She said softly as she took the sword from its rusted sheath. The silver was, for the most part, clean and bright. The sheath had taken all the damage wherever it had covered the blade, and the sword was still sharp.
With a shiver, Rarity continued on through the woods, trying to find a way out into the sunlight… Provided there was any at all. Her hooves clacked loudly against the hard-packed path, the only sound she could hear, aside from her own heartbeat.
When a figure finally stepped into sight, she gave a huge sigh of relief, and ran forward to greet them. “Oh! Hello there! I’m Miss Rarity. Could you help me ple-“ Her voice cut itself short as the figure turned towards her.
It was more skeleton than pony, rotting flesh clinging to sunken bones, mouth agape, each breath exhaling in a creeping hiss. And it was coming towards her. Forever towards her. She stepped back again and again, and it walked towards her at the same pace. When she finally got up the courage to turn her back on it and flee, another one appeared before her.
‘S-stay back!” She snapped desperately. The sword’s sheath struck the ground as she levitated the sword before her. They still came.
Without thinking, frightened and wanting an escape, she swung the sword at them, cutting them both neatly in half. Instead of hitting the ground as inanimate corpses though, they burst into glittering red gems and fluttering rose petals. Rarity stared at them in disbelief. The monsters were gone, and in their place, was this beautiful array of gems and roses.
Just as she was about to breath a sigh of relief, a dull roar erupted from her left. She span to face another monster, slightly different from the others, but this time she did not note the details, she simply cut it down without a seconds thought. It as well burst into rubies and vibrant rose petals. As it fluttered to the ground before her, she smiled to herself.
“So, beau~ti~ful…” She giggled to herself. “I think I’ll make the whole forest much more beautiful…”
As she strode deeper and deeper into the forest before her, she struck down every monster the second she saw one. Before long, a glittering path of gems and vibrant roses trailed behind her, brilliant against the darkness. With every step she made it grow, no longer even looking at what she was cutting down to make it. As she walked by a river, she might have startled at her reflection, had she looked at it. For in place of her three azure jewels, a red spade now clearly laid in place of them.
As she neared the centre of the forest, humming to herself, the rose bushes she passed began to shiver. By the time she turned to look at what they had done, they had entrapped her in a cage of thorns… There was no one left to hear her scream.
The first Alice was a wrathful woman of the spade,
And righteously she held a sharpened blade within her hand.
Never hesitating to slay all within her way,
Creating paths of blood that followed her through Wonderland.
Deep into the darkened forest,
Alice walked the line,
Captured and imprisoned as an embodiment of sin.
If it were not for the murderous wake left behind,
No-one would have suspected she had ever been.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“G-girls? Are you there?” Fluttershy called softly, as she walked around the empty town. “Is anypony there?”
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard shouts and laughter suddenly break the silence. Her ears swivelled forward towards the echo, soon spotting a small prick of light in the distance, where the sound was undoubtedly coming from.
Timidly, she began to make her way towards it. Her heart was pounding, and she felt that the whole place was wrong. Her fears began to melt away as she stepped out of the darkness and into a brilliant street lamp’s light.
A glittering festival lay in the city square before her. A stage sat in the middle of the square, and a band was striking up a merry tune. Banners and ribbons decorated the nearby buildings, creating a brightly coloured border to the festivities within. Ponies were dancing and laughing, the whole area brightly lit and decorated. Their joy was contagious, and Fluttershy found herself smiling along with them.
It wasn’t long before a young colt spotted her, and grabbed her hoof with a brilliant smile. “C’mon Miss, come join us!”
“Oh! I would love to, but are you sure its alright?” Fluttershy asked quietly as she followed the colt into the square.
“Of course it’s alright! Everyone is invited!” The colt laughed.
Fluttershy returned his innocent smile, and joined the party. It was so easy to get caught up in the festivities. There were games and food and music. Everypony wanted to dance, and everypony wanted to laugh. They all had something to bring to the party though, and she had nothing. It began to bother her.
“I wish I could help somehow. I mean, it was so nice of you to let me join, but I didn’t bring anything.” She told one of the mares that was working at the food table.
“Well, everyone has a talent right? I’m sure you could do something with that!” She said boisterously, grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh, well, yes, that’s true. But my talent is more with animals, you see…”
“Is that so? It sounds like you have a lovely voice though! Why don’t you sing for us? We don’t have a singer yet!”
“I-I don’t know… I’m not sure I have the courage to sing for all these ponies…” Fluttershy stuttered softly.
“C’mon! Give it a try!” A couple stallions laughed, pushing her up on stage despite her protests. “I’m sure everyone will LOVE you.”
A flicker of something, twisted grins, swirling shadows, reaching skeletons, shrieks and screams- Then nothing. Fluttershy blinked. What was she thinking of? A group of friendly ponies stood before her, looking up hopefully and lovingly. She returned their smiles a little timidly.
“I really don’t think I can do this… I just don’t have the courage.” She said after a minute. “And I really should be trying to get back to my friends.” She felt bad when she saw their faces sink in disappointment.
“Awwwh, just consider it a favour for us! We want to hear you sing, come on!”
The crowd agreed with the one colt’s voice, and soon they were cheering as one. “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy flushed at their cheer, and she cleared her throat to try and sing for them.
Their chant gave her the courage she needed, and her voice was soon rising and falling with the melodies of an old folk song she had heard many years ago. As she finished, the ponies stood before her, enraptured by her song. A long minute of silence passed, before a loud applause erupted from them.
“Keep going!” One of them called above the racket.
She beamed at the praise, before continuing, finding herself caught up in the praise. Song after song. When she finally stopped, her voice hoarse and tired, they cheered louder and louder.
As she climbed off the stage she was bombarded with praise. Ponies called her “The Rose of Music”, and she found herself taking great pride in the title. As they pulled her into the festivities again, she found herself being asked by many of them to sing at their party or festivity. Caught up in it all, her friends began to drift from her mind. Everyone wanted to hear the lovely yellow mare with the pink hair and the pale blue diamond cutie mark sing.
Fluttershy learned their songs to sing for them. The melodies were different and strange, with twisting notes and beats. They were well-loved within Wonderland though, and she did her best to please them. Festival after festival, party after party. She became a famed singer with the land… Until one day…
Everything was as it had been so many times before. Except this time, they watched her impassively, uncaringly. There were even a few “boo” s, before the crowd began to walk away, muttering insults; and she found wrath stirring within as angry tears bit at her eyes.
“YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE ME!!!” She screamed angrily at them, and the crowd turned back towards her, as from her lips spilled a dark melody.
A pleased smile twisted onto her lips as they watched her with frozen smiles and broken grins. They were hers once again. What did it matter if they looked at her with sunken eyes, crazed smiles? They were hers once again.
As her voice rose for the high pitched bridge, everything was suddenly silenced by a thunderous bang. As she fell, a man with a twisted smile leered back at her. Her body hit the stage, blue roses falling around her as cheers were heard all around for their “Rose of Music”, and the girl they praised smiled back with her last breath… Even as the pony inside finally realized that everything had gone wrong, and silently screamed for help.
The second Alice was a fragile girl of the Diamond,
The broken echo of the lies within demented words.
She sang her twisted melodies to all of Wonderland,
Creating the image of the sick and the disturbed.
Deadly yet so beautiful, a voice just like a rose!
Was shot by a madman, who silenced her to death.
A single rose bloomed in her place, with no music composed.
With twisted grin, this dieing girl lay breathing her last breath.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rainbow Dash’s wings struck a steady beat as she flew through the skies, searching for her friends. “TWILIGHT! FLUTTERSHY!” She yelled, trying to spot them from her point in the clouds.
“PINKIE PIE! RARITY!” Rainbow flew lower, trying to recognize her friend’s bright colours against the brown and black of the world below her. “APPLE JACK!” She called desperately as she flew through empty orchards. Nothing.
Rainbow Dash landed roughly on the damp cobblestones of an empty city. As cheers reached her ears though, she turned to see a group of ponies not too far away, gaping and grinning at her. A little wary, she made her way over to them.
“Uh, Hi. You guys wouldn’t have happened to see my friends would you? I really need to find them, uh, one’s kinda this tall-“ She got cut off by the oldest of the group, who breathlessly said.
“We’ve seen no-one but the blue angel that graced our skies!”
“Huh? Blue Angel?” RD repeated, looking confused.
“Why you, of course!” The stallion admonished. “You're no doubt the most beautiful, graceful, amazing flyer we have ever seen!”
Rainbow glowed at the praise. “Well of course, I am awesome. Why, back home, I won the Best Young Flier competition… By a landslide, might I add.” She boasted, and the crowd ‘Ooohed’ and ‘Aaahed’ at her story.
“Oh, do show us!” A few begged.
“I really should be looking for my friends… But I guess one quick performance can’t hurt!” She added as she caught their eager, hopeful looks. They cheered as she took the skies again.
Rainbow shot past the crowds, spinning past a few large clouds, leaving them to dance in her wake, did a gliding trot by the young ones, before spinning upwards to do the trick she had showed Trixie. As she skidded to a halt in front of the initial group, the raindrops struck her, causing the rainbow halo around her to erupt into existence.
“And that’s why they call me Rainbow Dash!” She declared, and the group darted up to her, all eager to ask questions and praise her.
She more than enjoyed their attention, but her friends were foremost in her mind and after a few minutes she began to slip from the crowd.
“Really guys, it’s been great, but I really have to find my friends. They might be in trouble.” There were disappointed ‘Awww’s and many sad sighs.
“I’m really sorry, I would love to show more of my tricks for you, but, I’m known as the Element of Loyalty for a reason. I can’t leave them hanging.” She apologized, backing away from the crowd.
“We understand but, maybe if you spoke to the nobles and other performers, you would be able to gather news of your friends. An entire group looking would be much faster than just you, even with your skills yes? You are still only one pony. You could miss them by a hair.” An older stallion told her, as he trotted by her side to try and keep up.
Dash hesitated. He had a point. ‘Wellll…” She started. “ I guess it would be a good idea to ask around.”
He positively glowed with the grin that spread across his face, and he quickly escorted her over to the many groups that still wanted to meet her.
She boasted, she showed off, and when she had their complete attention, she asked about her friends. Sure enough, she did hear a little something. A yellow mare with a pink mane was seen in a nearby town. They didn’t know which town, but it was something. It was enough to encourage her to keep asking.
Crowd after crowd, one pony after another, she soon had a following. All willing to get her whatever she liked, and more than willing to help her look for her friends.
In return, she was more than willing to provide performances for them. Her following grew with every show she did. Soon, she got confirmation about the mare being Fluttershy, who had last been seen in GlitterGone. RD did a literal backflip at that news, and immediatley headed out.
When she reached the town, she was surprised to find it filled to overflowing with ponies just begging for a show. Rainbow sweatdropped a little at their request. “I appreciate it, really… But I want to find Fluttershy…” The crowd would hear nothing of it.
The stallion she had become friends with, Silver Rabbit, suggested that if she performed for them and charmed them with her skill, they would no doubt be willing to help her find her friend. Especially since Fluttershy was supposedly a performer here as well.
“In that case, I guess it wouldn’t hurt, eh?” She asked loudly, and the crowd deafeningly agreed.
She went over-the-top for that one, topping it off with a Sonic Rainboom, hoping just a little bit that it might catch her friend’s eyes, where-ever they were. As she landed, the group swarmed her, grinning and bombarding her with praise and adoration. It took a while to calm them down enough to ask them about Fluttershy. They immediately led her to an old stage that had a beautiful blue rose bush, with a single brilliant rose blooming, in the middle of it.
Rainbow Dash walked up to it in confusion. “I don’t get it. Where’s Fluttershy?” She asked, as she stepped carefully around the bush. Her eyes widened at a small plaque at the base of the bush. She had to kneel down to read it, and as she did, her breath caught in her throat.
“F-f-fluttershy’s dead?” It was all she managed to squeak out. Tears poured down her face, and pitying murmurs began to raise from the crowd.
Silver trotted up to her side and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder.
“All is not lost. There is good news as well. They wish for you to become their queen.”
“W-what?” Most of his words could barely penetrate the sorrowful fog surrounding her mind. The last sentence, however, shot through it. “Q-queen?!”
“Yes. The people listen to your every command.”
“Why would I want to be their Queen!? Fluttershy’s d-dead… And who knows what happened to the others! I have to find them, now!”
“Don’t rush off without thinking, Rainbow! You found her too late, yes, but that was with the resources of a celebrity! Imagine what you could do with the resources of a Queen!”
Rainbow’s eyes widened as the possibilities began to sink in. Silver smiled and continued.
“You would have armies at your disposal! You could have one track down your friends and bring them back with full royal escort… And use the other to track down and destroy poor Fluttershy’s murderer.”
The last one solidified her resolve. She nodded sharply, and the crowd cheered. As she was swept up in it, a parade forming within seconds, only one thought was in her mind. I’ll avenge you Fluttershy… And I won’t let anything happen to any of the others.
She was crowned Queen the next day. Within minutes of gaining the crown, she did exactly as Silver had suggested. It took just one day before they came back with news of Rarity. Rainbow cried in horror when they said she had fallen to the curse of the Black Forest and was entrapped.
“What do I do?” She screamed, the question directed at no-one. “Always… I’m always too late!” Her back hooves slammed into furniture, sending it flying and breaking it. “What if I fall too? Who will protect the others…” She whispered, horror creeping in. That thought plagued her for nights, denying her sleep. There was no more news of her friends. And the nightmares just got worse.
After one particularly bad night, she got up to pace, paranoid and unable to lay still. “I’m useless…” She hissed, tears making tracks down her already matted fur.
I can give you the power you desire. A dark voice whispered.
Rainbow’s head snapped up, searching for the voice that had spoken.
I can defy the cursed fate you and your friends have fallen into.
This time she seen where it came from. The cracked mirror on the far side of her room. She walked carefully over to it, her hooves clicking out a nervous rhythm against the marble beneath her. As she reached the mirror, she looked nervously at her reflection who leered at her with bright eyes and a sweet smile.
Come here… So I can give you what you need. It called sweetly, and Rainbow Dash obeyed, hopeful of seeing her friends again.
As she reached it though, the sympathetic smile turned cruel, and its eyes flashed. Rainbow shyed away, as shadows erupted from around the cracked mirror. She couldn’t flee, within seconds the shadows wrapped around her, choking her and blinding her.
The next thing she knew, she was within the mirror, looking out at herself. The her outside, turned in a slow, proud circle, admiring what she had gained. Rainbow’s eyes widened in horror as the double realization that she had been tricked, her body stolen and that she was trapped, hit.
“Thank you so much, Rainbow Dash… I’ll make good use of this.” The blue mare before her laughed, and as she strode out, the brilliant green clover on her flank was the last thing Dash seen, before darkness closed in on her forever, not even her screams capable of leaving the mirror.
The third Alice was an innocent dare-devil of club,
An enchanting, graceful figure in the world of Wonderland!
She charmed the people of the land to her every beck and call,
A peculiar country answering to each command.
So she rose up to the throne to be the country’s queen;
Consumed by paranoia of her own impending death.
Soon the Queen succumbed to a dark and nightmarish dream.
Disguised in kindness, loathing fate, she secured her regime.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Pinkie!” Twilight sighed, as her brightly colored friend eagerly joined the tea party which they had come across.
“Oh come on, Twi! This is just a silly dream anyway! Let’s have some fun!”
“A dream?” Twilight repeated, looking around again. They had walked through the woods which had consisted of flowers made of bubbles, wacky trees, and the occasional glowing cat. Yep. She would believe this was a dream.
With a chuckle she joined Pinkie underneath the trees, and had tea with her. Maybe they were having the same dream… If that was even possible. Pinkie was humming happily. A tea party might not be the sort of thing Pinkie normally did, but a tea party was still a party.
“We’ll stick together and have a blast! I mean, I‘ve never been in a dream like this before! I can’t wait to explore!” Pinkie beamed.
Twilight found herself agreeing. “I have to admit, I’ve never had a dream like this either. You’re right Pinkie! What’s the fun in just waiting to wake up? This is a world only we can see! Let’s see all of it!” She grinned at her curly haired friend. “Shall we start now?”
“Ooooh! Yes! Definitely!” Pinkie bounced out of her seat and over to Twilight. “Let’s go… That way!” Pinkie said radomly, before charging off in that direction.
Twilight laughed, before following her. They traveled through a forest with a glittering path, and a city with blue roses, as well as many other places as well. Part of Twilight wanted to look for the way out, but if it was just a dream, then what was wrong with just recklessly going through? It would only last for a short time anyway.
While in a field of candy flowers, (Which Pinkie was indulging in quite a bit) a messenger pony came up to them to hand them an envelope. Twilight opened it carefully, to find that it was an invitation to the royal castle. As she unfolded the letter to read it, a playing card dropped to the grass at Pinkie’s hooves.
“Oooh, the ace of hearts! Neat!” Pinkie said slowly, trying to sound mysterious. “But, Twi, isn’t the Ace of hearts usually red? This one’s gold!” She asked innocently, and Twilight shrugged.
“I don’t know, maybe gold is just the Queen’s favourite colour… Now that I think about it, an Ace holds a meaning… But I forget what it is… Its on the tip of my tongue…”
“Awwh, it doesn’t matter Twilight! C’mon! Let’s keep going! And then we can go see the Queen!” Pinkie said, hyper as ever, as she bounced around Twilight. Twilight laughed, before following her friend deeper into the world before them…
And as this passed two friends walked in the woods…
Partaking in tea underneath the trees, they’d never part.
They found an invitation to the Queen,
It was the Ace of Hearts!
The fourth Alice was a duo of Curiosity!
Both were lost and could not find the book where they began,
And so they ran through countless open doors so recklessly…
A scholar and a jester running wild in Wonderland.
A laughing earth pony, a witty unicorn!
But they had strayed too far into Alice’s Wonderland…
They were never woken from their terrifying dream.
Forever they would wander this twisted fairyta-
“NOW WAIT JUST AH DOGGONE MINUTE.” Apple Jack yelled, cutting off the song just as it was trying to end. “They are NOT going to “forever wander”, ya hear me?”
To say that Discord was startled would be an understatement. ”Why aren’t you dreaming? You should be dreaming.”
“Hello. Element of Honesty. Not one ta get dis-ee-llusioned, now am I?”
“Hmm. Dangit that makes sense.” Discord muttered. “Five out of six ain’t bad though.”
“Ooooooh, no ya don’t. Yur gonna let all five of them out right now.” Applejack snapped, stomping a hoof for punctuation.
“And why should I? What can one little silly orange filly do to make me, the great overlord of chaos, petrified or not, let her little friends out of his Wonderland?” Discord sneered.
“I can go to Princess Celestia-“
“Oooooh, I’m terrified. I’m gonna get the Queen of Goody-four-shoes scolding me.” He interrupted, his voice ladent with amused sarcasm.
“Now let me finish. I can go to the Princess, and get permission to take a pickaxe to your statue and put a hole where your-“
“OOOKAY! One big dose of wake-up juice coming RIGHT UP!” Discord interrupted loudly, snapping his fingers.
As the world went right to AJ’s eyes, Discord’s power receding from the room to leave it as it had been when they fell asleep, she heard her friends stir and sit up.
“Oh, girls! I just had the most horrible dream!” Fluttershy whispered timidly.
“Thank you.” Applejack said, hiding a smug smile, getting a disgruntled “hmph” in return.
“What’cha say Aj?” Rainbow asked as she sat up, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes.
“Nothin’ RD. I think yur still dreamin’.”
“That’s possible. I like this one better though.”
“Ugh! I had the worst dream possible!” Rarity said, her voice ladent with disgust.
“I think I can top that actually.” Rainbow grumbled, before sleepily walking over to Fluttershy and giving her a hug.
“Oh! Rainbow, you ok?” Fluttershy asked worriedly and Rainbow just laughed.
“Yeah I’m fine ‘Shy, just needed to do that, that’s all.”
“To be honest, I don’t think I can go back to sleep after THAT nonsense.” Twilight grumbled.
“I’ll second that!” Pinkie said loudly from across the room where the balcony doors lay.
“How’d she get over there?” Dash muttered.
“But we don’t have to go back to sleep! Look! It’s almost dawn! We can get ready for the festival!” Pinkie said excitedly, pointing out at the lightening sky.
The girls quickly got to their hooves and got ready, nightmares forgotten in the frenzy of getting ready, the joy of being together and the promise of a new day.
*****
Picture done by Foxinshadow (Seriously go check her out, it was her gorgeous piece of art that inspired me to write this.)
Original English Lyrics To Alice Human Sacrifice done by Rockleetist (I may have quirked them, but she is the root of the awesomeness. She has many, many, MANY other great songs, and I encourage you to take a listen. Why not start with this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR6g0auvcJs)
Characters belong to Hasbro and this story to ME! Cloudedguardian! And if you steal it, I will sick Discord on you >:D
Thank you for reading!
