The Pit

Chapter 17 - It begins

I woke up early the next morning. Vanilla was already awake and sitting on the side of the bed. I sat up, “Is something wrong?”

She glanced at me and turned back, “I thought I told you to be safe.”

I hugged her, “I want you and Misty to be safe. If it means throwing myself in harms way so be-”

She shrugged my hug off, “Just be safe...”

I lifted her chin up with my hoof to look at her, “I love you, Vanilla.”

She began to tear up, “Then why don’t you just stay here with me?!”

I stepped back, “I-I-”

She got up and quickly ran over to hug me, “Please just don’t leave me... Please...”

I was kinda surprised. Is she supposed to have mood swings like this? I hugged her back, “I’ll be back. Don’t worry.”

She let go and left out the door with me. She walked into Misty’s room as I continued to walk to the church. I saw Storm with Kage and Kynes already awake and talking. I walked toward them and Kage noticed me, “Ah! Good morning, Digi.”

I smiled to hide away my feelings about the conversation with Vanilla, “Good morning. So when do we leave?”

Storm looked outside through the hole in the roof, “Soon,” he looked back down to us, “now, actually. Are you ready?”

Kage and Kynes nodded and then they looked to me. I scratched my head, “I guess I’m ready, too.”

Storm began to walk toward the back of the building and lifted a steel lid off the ground revealing a hole.

More sewers. Great.

Storm looked back up at us, “You’re going to have to get used to traveling like this with me. We’ll be using them a lot to get to places during the day.”

Storm began to climb down while Kynes looked at me and Kage and shrugged, “I guess we should wash more from now on, then.”

Kage began to climb down, “Or smell like shit?”

Kynes chuckled and climbed down after Kage, “Or smell like shit.”

We followed Storm through the sewers once again, this time traveling a much longer distance. We stayed silent for awhile until Kynes brought out a box from his coat pocket and took a cigar out of it.

I looked at him, “You took the cigars?”

Kynes looked at me as he lit it up, “Of course I did! They’re amazing. No to mention they clear up this horrible smell.”

Kage looked back to Kynes and held his hoof out, “Could you give me one?”

Kynes handed him one and lit it for him as Kage placed it in his mouth, “Thanks.”

Kynes nodded and put the box away, “No problem.”

Storm looked back at them both and shook his head, “We’re almost there.”

We walked down a few more tunnels and eventually reached a ladder. Storm looked toward us, “This will take us into an alleyway. Inside that alleyway will be an entrance to a theatre. Big Don will be talking to an assassin in there about you, Digi.”

Kage looked sceptical, “How do you know that for sure?”

Storm turned to Kage, “I followed him around last night after you all went to bed. He’s furious about the murder of his son. He found out late last night, and now he wants you to pay for it, so he hired an assassin. An assassin he always turns to in time of need. He was told to meet him at the theatre in the morning.”

Kage nodded, “Ok. Let’s go.”

Storm turned back and climbed up the ladder. Kynes climbed after him, “I hate plays.”

Kage chuckled, “I’m sure we’ll make it more interesting.”

When we reached the top, Storm turned back around to us and pulled out his samurai sword, “Yes we will.”

Storm opened up the door to the opera house which lead into a dark, maybe moody, hallway with fancy red wallpaper. It seemed like no pony was guarding it or the guard just left. Probably the latter.

Storm let us in and we could faintly hear the sound of a play. He closed the door and walked into a dark room on the left side of the hallway we were currently in. We followed his lead and knelt down.

He whispered, “Ok. We have to make sure no one spots us. If they do, Big Don is going to be escorted off the premises. Don’t attack anypony unless you absolutely have to. Do you all understand?”

We all nodded. Storm stood back up and put the steel blue visor over his face, “Let the show begin.”

Chapter 18 - Act 1

We all walked out of the room and into another hallway which had stairs. We followed Storm up the stairs and through a door. It lead out into a granite floor lobby with stone columns. There were a few ponies standing around in the lobby. Most of them looked like bodyguards for Big Don.

We all quickly ran into a small wooden room that held costumes for different scenes and settings. Storm looked at all of us, “This play is set in the colonial era during a war. Look for costumes to fit that setting. We’ll gain entrance to the theatre by pretending to be some of the actors.”

We all looked through the clothes and found our costumes. Kynes wore an old wool suit while Kage and I wore soldiers uniforms. Storm dressed in a captain's outfit. He replaced the fake sword with his own. He looked at all of us, “Ready?”

I looked back and picked up a maid's costume really fast and put it in the back of my pants. It looked like it would be nice on Vanilla. I looked back at them and blushed slightly, “Ok. Ready.”

Kynes smirked and shook his head. Storm nodded, “Right. Let’s go.”

We walked out of the room and Storm lead us to a back stage entrance. A pony let us in thinking we were actors. We quickly ran to the side of the stage where we were met by other actors. This brought back memories of Equestria and one of the things I used to be a part of. Acting.

I’ve kind of missed it. The stage. The lights. Entertaining ponies. The director of the play walked up to Kynes, “You’re due on stage now! We’ve been waiting for you! Do you know your lines?”

Kynes opened his mouth wide, “Uhhhh...”

One of the stage crew ran over to us, “We need him on stage now.”

The director gestured for Kynes to go out, “The crowd awaits.”

Kynes was rushed out onto the stage as we all watched him from the back. Kage chuckled, “This’ll be good.”

A mare wearing a dress began the scene, “So I see you’ve finally arrived, Mr. Brick.”

Kynes looked around and saw the ponies in the audience waiting for him to act. He gulped and tried to pretend he knew his lines, “Yes. In the nick of time, too.”

The mare nodded and walked closer to Kynes, “Indeed. The soldiers wish to reside on the estate, but I don’t think they should be allowed here,” the mare pulled Kynes closer to her, “what do you think Mr. Brick?”

Kynes gulped and looked away, “I think they should. They are in need of a place to stay.”

The director nodded, “It wasn’t quite what was in the script, but I like the adlib.”

The mare looked down, “I guess you’re right. I’ll tell them.”

The stage went dark and Kynes walked off stage back to us, “That was nerve racking.”

I smirked, “You did good.”

Storm looked at Kynes, “Did you see Big Don?”

Kynes facehoofed, “I completely forgot. I didn’t even look for him.”

Storm shook his head, “That’ll be fine, but I have to go and find the actor who was really playing Mr. Brick. We don’t really want main roles.”

I remembered this play. It‘s called “The Golden Brick” and is about a pony who shows kindness to both sides of the war and gets them to stop fighting for a day. Storm was also dressed as a main character in the play.

I turned to Storm, “You should also find a pony dressed as you acting the part of Captain Shell.”

Storm turned his head slightly, “You know this play?”

I nodded, “Yes. I acted as Mr. Brick.”

Kynes looked at me, “Maybe we should switch places.”

Storm shook his head, “Forget about it. I need to go and find the characters we are acting as.”

He walked off as I whispered something to him to make sure no pony else heard, “Make sure you come back. You have a part coming up.”

Storm nodded and hurried to the actor’s dressing rooms. Kage looked at me, “So when do we head out on stage?”

I chuckled, “We head out with Storm. We’re background characters. Right now they’re getting the next scene set up.”

Kynes shook his head, “How did this turn into us being actors from us having to kill Big Don?”

I paused. Kill. That word still didn’t sit right with me. Death. It just doesn’t seem right.

Kage scratched his head, “I don’t know, but we have to go with the plan.”

I saw Storm run back toward us, “Is the play starting up again?”

I turned to him, “Soon.”

Kynes chuckled nervously, “Did you... uh... kill them?”

Storm shook his head, “No. There is no need to spill their blood. They did nothing wrong. I simply knocked them out.”

Kynes nodded, “Yeah... good.”

The curtains opened and the stage lit up. The director walked toward us, “Ok. You’re up Captain Shell and soldiers.”

We all walked onto stage. In this scene Captain Shell was supposed to hear news from the mare that they were allowed to stay on the land.

I pointed my hoof to where Storm was supposed to go. He nodded and sat down in the chair behind a desk. This really did feel good. To be back on a stage.

I smiled and Kage tapped me, “Look for Big Don.”

Oh yeah. I’m not here to act, even though I wish I was. I glanced over the room and eventually saw Big Don sitting in the balcony overlooking the stage. Why is it always a balcony with him?

I looked at the pony sitting beside him who was the assassin, I’m guessing. He had a...

My heart stopped. Eyes widened. Everything went silent, “Th-that can’t be.”

Kage turned to me and spoke, but I could barely hear him, “What?”

Storm looked at me and Kage. He looked to see what I was looking at. I couldn’t believe what I saw.

It was a pony I’ve seen before. A pony with a scarlet coat and an orange, ruffled short mane. Memories of him came flooding back. I killed him. I saw that blade pierce through him.

My mouth slipped out his name, “Crimson Tear...”

Chapter 19 - Tears and flames

Storm stood out of his seat. He pulled out his sword and ran toward the edge of the stage, jumping off of it. He sprouted wings and flew up to the balcony. So Storm was a pegasus? I had no idea.

His blade pierced through Big Don. It was over. He was dead, but I wasn’t too worried about him anymore. I was worried about... The Butcher.

Kynes watched in awe, "Well that was quick."

Crimson Tear turned to Storm and grinned, “Hello.”

Storm quickly took his sword out of Big Don to slice the other pony down, but Crimson Tear had already tossed him off of the balcony and into the crowd.

All the ponies scrambled for the exit, but Crimson Tear jumped down and blocked it, smirking at them, “Why do you all want to leave? The show must go on!”

He pulled out the very same blade he used to try and kill me. The same one I thought I killed him with. The ponies began to run away from The Butcher, but most of them didn’t make it away in time. They were torn to shreds. Blood splattering everywhere while in the middle of it all was a pony laughing. Laughing at the death.

I looked away, but turned back and began to walk toward Crimson Tear. I wasn’t going to let him do this. Kynes looked at everything going on, “What the fuck?!”

I stepped into a puddle of blood. I began to smell its coppery scent. The pieces of ponies laid around me while Crimson Tear stood in the middle of it all staring at me, “Well well. Look who it is.”

I still couldn’t believe it, “H-how are you still alive?”

He smirked, “Yes. You did do quite a number on me,” he ripped off his shirt and showed the giant scar from when I stabbed him, “yet I’m still here. How is that?”

I gulped. Storm stood back up and scratched his head. Kage just looked confused while Kynes was still trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Crimson Tear laughed, “This time you brought some friends,” he pointed to Storm, “one of which being a demon hunter.”

I glanced over at Storm and turned back to Crimson Tear, “How did you know that?”

He laughed loudly and the ground at his feet caught fire, “I’m a demon, Digi! You couldn’t tell?! Wow. You really aren’t very smart, are you?” he grinned.

Kynes threw his hooves up, “Oh come on!”

I stepped back as he came closer to me. Deja vu. Just like last time, but now Storm jumped in between me and the crazed pony.

Storm looked back at me, “Get your friends out of here.”

I looked at him. There was no way I was going to run now. I was not going to leave Storm, “No. I stay with you.”

Crimson Tear laughed, “Good. More ponies I get to kill.”

Kynes walked up beside me, “Fuck it. Let’s just do this.”

Kage followed him, “What he said.”

Storm turned to us with an angry look, “What is the difference between you and I?”

Kynes shrugged, “A captain's coat?”

Crimson Tear lifted his blade and it came down on Kynes, but Storm blocked it with his own sword and looked at him, “A weapon!”

Kynes fell back and Kage nodded, “He’s got a point.”

Storm blocked some other attacks from Crimson Tear as Kage, Kynes and I ran away to try and find weapons. Kynes picked up two pistols from a bodyguard Crimson Tear killed, “Lucky for me.”

I looked around, but didn’t find anything. I saw Kage pick up a steel pipe on the stage for the scene background. I turned back to look at Storm. Every attack was being blocked.

So he was a demon? They look just like a regular pony. How is that possible? I thought they were from another plane of existence. Maybe they were. Maybe their world wasn’t that much different than our own.

Kage ran toward the fight and joined in as Kynes shot at Crimson Tear. Even though the demon took a few hits from the bullets and from the pipe, it didn’t seem to phase him.

I looked around again and saw a hatchet in an “In Case of Fire” case. Kind of fitting for the occasion. I broke the glass and took it out. This’ll be good as anything I guess.

I ran toward Crimson Tear, jumped over Kage and jammed the hatchet right into the demon's head.

I did that like it was an instinct. I guess this place really has changed me.

Everything stopped. I heard no more gunshots, steel hitting steel or thuds of a pipe. All I heard was silence.

Silence and then laughter. A deep laughter.

I turned around and saw Crimson Tear still standing. Laughing, “Another good attack, Digi. Maybe you should be the demon hunter.”

Storm sliced his blade through Crimson Tears side and fire spurted out of the wound. The demon continued to laugh, “I grow tired of fighting. I just want death. I want violence, Digi. Bloodshed.”

He walked slowly toward me, the hatchet still buried in his skull, embers falling out of the wound. Kynes shot at him. The fire began to spread as he laughed, “Do you understand, Digi? I want bloodshed. I want you all to just die. All of you pitiful ponies.”

Claws began to grow out of his hooves. He began to grow hands and feet. Horns sprouted out of his head and Kage began to beat on him again. Crimson Tear grinned at me, “As you can see, I’m definitely not a pony like you, Digi. No. I’m different like my eight brothers and sisters. We simply act like you all to fit in so we can have our way with you.”

Storm sliced through him again. The demon closed his eyes, “I grow tired of this. My sister will deal with you, Digi. Expect a visit from 'The Thorned Rose.'”

The demon sprouted wings and flew onto the balcony while Storm flew after him. Storm Attacked him, but Crimson Tear blocked it, “Stop this! I know what you really are, demon hunter.”

Crimson Tear threw Storm down into the puddle of blood and left, tearing the hatchet out of his skull.

The fire was spreading quickly. I hadn’t really noticed because of the fight. Kynes looked at the guns he picked up and dropped them. They were out of ammo. He ran over to me, “Before
I even ask what the hell just happened, how the hell do we get out of here?”

Storm stood up, “We go out the front then go back to the alleyway to enter the sewers.”

Kage ran toward the exit, “Sewers sound better than this place.”

I followed them out the door and we were met by even more dead ponies on the floor of the lobby. Crimson Tear just cleaned the whole place out leaving no survivors... except us.

All these ponies had a life, but now it was taken away from them in one instant. This shouldn’t happen... but it did.

Storm yelled at me from the door that lead to the alleyway, “Digi! Get over here!”

I snapped out of it and ran toward them. We quickly ran out of the building. Kage still held onto the pipe he picked up. Storm uncovered the lid to the sewers and quickly climbed down, while we followed close behind.

The smell of burning ponies were replaced with the smell of sewage. Kage and Kynes coughed as I stared at Storm.

I breathed heavily, “Who is The Thorned Rose?”

Storm coughed slightly, “Her name is Ecstasy.”

I shook my head, “Strange name,” I quickly remembered what Crimson Tear said to Storm, “wait... What did Crimson Tear mean by 'I know what you are?'”

Storm turned around and paused for a second, “We should get back to the church.”

Storm began to walk through the sewers and we followed. What did Crimson Tear mean? What was The Revenant?

Chapter 20 - The show must go on

We made it back to the church, leaving the stench of the sewers behind. Kynes scratched his head, “So can anyone tell me what the hell happened back there?”

Storm turned to us, “The demon Bloodshed. Violence is all he’s after. He just wants a quick kill, that’s why he didn’t want to fight us.”

I nodded, “So who’s Ecstasy?”

Storm looked at me, “She’s the demon Lust.”

Kage stepped forward, “Wait wait wait. We all beat the shit out of Crimson Tear or whatever. He should have died.”

Storm turned around, “Demons are different from us. They must be killed by holy items.”

Kynes looked at Storm’s sword, “What’s that then?”

Storm threw it on the ground, “A normal blade. I don’t waste the power of my holy sword on normal scum.”

Kage scratched his head, “Power?”

Storm walked up to the tower of the church, “Yes. My sword holds power that slowly deteriorates. I must go and meditate on the proceedings of today. I will be back shortly.”

Kynes turned to me, “I think I’m going to go and clean myself.”

Kage began to walk to his room, “Yes. I must wash myself from the shit of the sewers.”

Kynes followed Kage while laughing, “Yeah. That sounds about right.”

I walked off to my own room. I wanted to let Vanilla know I was ok. I didn’t want her to worry. I actually wish I could stay with her, but I knew I couldn’t. I felt as if I needed to go.

I opened the door and saw Vanilla sitting on the bed. She glanced at me, “Hello, darling. Misty’s out in the courtyard playing with Blue...”

I walked toward her, “Are you ok?”

She looked up at me, “I’m sorry the way I acted earlier today.”

I sat down beside her, “Don’t be. I understand how you feel,” I kissed her on her forehead, “I love you.”

She smiled, “I love you, too... I... have something to tell you.”

I tilted my head, “What is it?”

She scooted closer to me, “I think I may be...” she looked down, “pregnant.”

I was surprised and scratched my head, “A-are you sure?”

She held my hoof, “Not completely, but it feels like it... I... don’t know if I can do this, Digi... I don’t even know if I do a good job with Misty,” she looked down, “I don’t think I’m a good mother figure.”

I pulled her closer to me, “Don’t say tha-” she began to cry against my chest, “Wh-what’s wrong?”

She looked up at me, teary eyed, “I’m not meant to be a mother.”

I held her closer to me, “Maybe you’re not meant to be a mother,” I kissed her neck, “but I think you’ll still be a good one. Hell, I think you are a good one. Misty really loves being around you.”

She cried on my shoulder and snuggled closer to me. Pregnant? With my child? This only gives me more reason to hunt down the evil in this place... and get both Vanilla and Misty off this damned island.

The maids costume I picked up from the theatre popped out slightly and Vanilla saw, “What’s this?”

Vanilla pulled it out and showed it to me. I blushed, “I thought you would look good in it.”

She smiled, “You want to see me dressed in it, darling?”

I scratched my head, “Yes... I would.”

She wiped her eyes, “Maybe later.”

I smiled, “Ok. You should rest for now if you really are pregnant.”

She looked at me and smiled, “How about you rest with me?”

I blushed, “I think I should go spend some time with Misty and Bl-”

Vanilla pulled me down onto the bed, got on top of me and kissed me, “You can always go and visit with them later,” she picked up the maids outfit, “I’ll go ahead and try it on for you.”

Vanilla walked into the bathroom with the maids costume. She seems to be having very large mood swings. I guess she really might be pregnant.

She walked out a little while after she put it on. I could only blush. She looked at me with alluring eyes while walking slowly toward me, swinging her hips, “From what I can tell, you like what you see.”

She pushed me down on the bed and got on top of me. I think it’s pretty clear what happened next.

*~*~*

I was getting dressed as Vanilla laid in bed. It was enjoyable as always.

Once I was dressed, I turned to look at Vanilla. She was already fast asleep, breathing softly. She looked so fragile. So cute.

I walked out of the room and continued toward the main building. Misty and Blue already came in from outside. They were both laughing, unaware of what had happened out in the town earlier today. Unaware that all those ponies had died.

Misty spotted me, “Digi,” she ran toward me and hugged me, “me and Vanilla missed you.”

I smiled, holding back a tear. I needed to get this filly off of this island. I needed to get them both out of here, “I missed you, too, Misty. What have Blue and you been up to?”

Blue walked over chuckling, “We’ve just been playing out in the courtyard. She’s quite the hider.”

Misty smiled and laughed, “Yeah! We played hide and go seek. Blue didn’t have a chance. I’m a champion at that game.”

Blue scratched his head, “She really is. Quite the finder, too.”

I hugged Misty, smiling, “Good job.”

She hugged back tightly, “Can we play a game later?”

I smiled, “Sure.”

I ruffled her mane playfully. I’ll make sure I spend some time with her... at least I’ll try my best to. With demons now out looking for me and Storm keeping something hidden from us all, the main thing I have on my mind is getting Misty and Vanilla out of here, like always.

I will get them off of this island. I’ll make sure they get out of The Pit.