The streets of Colt Town were alive with the sound of movement and construction. Everywhere one looked, members of the Fortress guild were dashing back and forth, carrying decorations and other Halloween supplies.
Commander Firebrand was on a raised platform, calling out orders to his teammates as they dashed around the place.
"Alright, Keyframe, we need more pumpkin heads by the south caves! Golden Fox, Toonkritic; Take these bats, and hang them from the main building."
"You got it!" Golden Fox said as he saluted Firebrand before flying off.
"Excellent! I want this to be the best looking haunted town this Halloween." Firebrand said.
"Wait..." Toonkritic said "don't you mean 'Nightmare Night'?"
"No, I mean 'Halloween'. Nightmare Night is in July. This is October."
"Then why aren't we waiting for Jul-"
"Because I said so. NOW GET GOING!"
"Okay, okay, fine." Toonkritic grumbled as he grabbed the bag full of bats and flew up to the top of the main building where Golden Fox was.
Firebrand turned to his partner.
"Doc, how's that Dispenserporter coming along?"
The Fortress Guild's unofficial leader stood up from the glowing dispenser he'd been working on.
"Well, it has been difficult." he said "But with a few more adjustments, I'm sure we can get your idea of a Dispenser that teleports the items across the map to work."
"Awesome!" Firebrand cheered.
Then he noticed something.
"Hey Doc, have you seen Ink Rose anywhere? I haven't seen her since this morning?"
Dr Wolf stroked his chin, letting his thoughts run back through the day.
"Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Miss Rose myself. Then again, I haven't seen Silver Quill, Miss Kim Possible or AnY either. It's possible they might know where she is."
Firebrand groaned as he rubbed his temples.
"They'd better. I swear to God, if Anthony kidnapped them as some lame scheme to mess with us on Halloween, I'm going to melt him down and wear him as my armor."
Dr Wolf blanched.
"Uhh... you mean melt down his robots, right?"
"I know what I said."
Ponythulhu yawned as he got up from his couch. He had just been enjoying a nice cup of tormented screams in his Ursa Major footsie pajymas (life-sized, of course) and reading the Tartarus Times when the phone in the kitchen had started ringing. Shuffling over to it, he picked it up with one of his mouth tentacles.
"Hello?"
"Hi dad. How are you?"
Ponythulhu blinked in surprise. The voice sounded... different than what he was used to.
"Silver? Is that you?"
"Yeah."
On the other end of the phone, Silver Quill was in his demon form as he chatted to his dad. He had found a secure location within Colt town to talk to his father, he didn't want the others to know about his true form. He had almost given it away twice now, though the first time it happened , everyone thought it had been a dream, and the second time had been brief enough that they all thought they had just been seeing things (And most of them where too preoccupied with Stephanie scaring the nonexistant pants off of them.
"What's wrong with your voice?" Asked Ponythulhu. "It sounds all echo-y. Do you have a cold?"
"Sorry dad." Silver Quill said "But YOU try talking in this super machismo voice every single day without your voice getting a little scratchy when you try and talk normally."
On the second sentence, his voice reverted back to the deep tone that his mortal friends were familiar with.
Ponythulhu laughed.
"Alright son, I understand."
"Anyway," Silver Quill said, returning to his normal voice. "I just wanted to call you up and wish you a happy Halloween."
Ponythulhu smiled widely.
"Well thanks son. Are you sure you can't come over this evening?"
" Sorry dad, I've got plans with my friends."
Ponythulhu sighed.
"That's a shame. Your mother and I are meeting the rest of the family in Limbo. Strife is bringing Mortis and the kids along and we even managed to coax Nyarlotrot out of his workshop for once!"
Silver Quill blinked in suprise.
"Nyarlotrot? That grumpy old bastard? How'd you pull THAT off?"
Ponythulhu chuckled.
"It's a long story. Still, it would be nice to have the whole family there for once."
"Yeah, sorry dad. Like I said, I'm already booked this evening."
"I understand. Oh! I almost forgot. Your Aunt Pandora asked me to tell you to tell that Unicorn friend of yours she really likes his "dispenserporter" idea. And to tell that Pegaus she's looking forward to the next chapter of "Dragon Queen"."
"Will do- wait. Aunt 'Dora's read Ink Rose's story?"
"She's the Goddess of Imagination son. Of course she has."
"That makes sense."
"Oh! And one last thing, I was talking to the Flying Spaghetti Monster the other day. He said you apparently owed him so-"
*Click!*
Beeeeeeeeeep!
"Phew!" Silver Quill said as he wiped his armoured brow with the back of his talon "Dodged another bullet!"
"HEY SILVER QUILL!! YOU DOWN HERE?!"
"WHAT?!- I mean uh... YEAH, JUST HOLD ON A SECOND!"
Silver Quill hurriedly transformed back into his hippogryph disguise. Red and black chitin being once again replaced with downy white and brown feathers. He blinked a few times as his sight adjusted to only having two eyes.
It was just in time too, as Commander Firebrand came running round the corner.
"There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you. What're you doing down here?"
"Just calling my family, why?"
"...Silver, you DO know that there's a phone in the main office, right?"
Oh, well EXCUSE ME for wanting some privacy! Hmph!"
Silver turned his beak up in a way that even Rarity would call melodramatic.
"Okay! Okay! Fine, I'm sorry!" Firebrand said. "I was just asking. So, have you seen Ink Rose anywhere around here?"
Silver Quill raised an eyebrow
"Ink Rose? If you wanted her, then why aren't you running around like a maniac looking for Ink Rose?"
"Silver, this is not the time to be getting analytical. Just answer the question."
"Well... I haven't seen her since this morning, maybe she's still in her room?"
"What? That makes no sense. It's four in the afternoon, why would she still be in her room?"
"Beats me, but I haven't seen her at all today."
Firebrand sighed.
"Okay, fine. I'll go see if she's still in her room."
***
Okay, breathe Ink, breathe...
Ink Rose lifted her hoof. She could feel it shaking, feel herself trembling. Slowly, fighting every instinct within herself, she placed it down in front of her.
A bead of sweat rolled off her snout.
O-okay... good. N-now, you're going to walk to the door. ...you're j-just going to walk outside and-
'KP was unmoving. Standing completely still in the middle of the room. She couldn't see them, couldn't hear them. Blood dripped from the ruined sockets of her eyes. from the throat where she had screamed herself mute. Ink Rose was trembling, she couldn't do anything. She couldn't help KP. It was like she was trapped, frozen, her muscles being held in place by invisible hands. She felt the cold hill of the hands fading away, felt herself able to move, maybe she could help KP. Maybe her friend was still ali-
Blood splattered the room, as a TV moniter crashed upon KP. Crushing her in a second
Ink Rose screamed. Covering her head with her forehooves as she collapsed on the floor of her room.
"There. That should get your spirits all nice and down again."
"No... no... not again."
Ink Rose couldn't help it, couldn't help the terrified shudders as the memories of that... horrible creature came back to her. She remembered it's taunts, how it trapped them in it's realm, tortured them and killed them. She remembered her own turn. Feeling the rose grow inside her, unable to breathe as it spread throughout her lungs. Suffocating her until she felt the agony of thorns growing to the size of swords within her. Snapping her ribs as they burst out of her chest, stomach and back. She remembered trying to scream for help from her mangled throat as she was left to bleed to death in a dark void.
"I... I'm not scared... I'm not scared of her."
She heard a giggle.
Of course you are, silly. Everyone is afraid of me. It's what make you all so much fun to play with.
"No. Y-you're not real... you're just m-my imagination."
What does it matter whether or not I'm real? You're still scared of me. You're so scared that you can't even leave your room anymore, can you?
"I'm not listening to you. You mean nothing."
Poor weak little Anya. Too much of a coward to face her fears. Just like you were too much of a coward to save your friends.
"Sh... shut up."
KP needed you Anya. She was screaming, BEGGING for you to help her. But you just stood there and WATCHED. I was at least having fun watching her die, what was your excuse?
"I-I couldn't move. You trapped me-
Lethal Aurora laughed.
Oh, you silly little pony! I love how much ponies try to make excuses for themselves. The only reason you couldn't move Anya, was because you were SCARED. You could have saved KP anytime you wanted, but your own cowardice kept you back. And now it's stopping you from even leaving your own room because you think, no, you KNOW that I'll be waiting for you.
"No! That's not true!"
Well... maybe. I do so much prefer watching ponies waste away in terror like you are. Even if some of them are wasted in the first place.
"I'm not listening to this!"
But you are. And you should be. You don't deserve to be alive Anya. You should have made that sacrifice, and let KP live. She at least makes people happy. All you are is a burden on your friends and family. A selfish and worthless coward who couldn't even lift a hoof to save her own friend.
"Shut up!"
How long do you think they'll put up with you Anya? How long untill even Firebrand realises how much happier he'd be without y-
I SAID SHUT UP!!!!!!!
Ink Rose screamed at the top of her lungs, the last syllable ending on a choked sob as her knees buckled again. The tears were uncontrollable. She couldn't stop them. Couldn't stop the tremors that made her curl her body up like a child. Hugging her knees to her chest. Wings wrapped protectively around herself.
"...Ink Rose?"
No...
Slowly, she lifted her head. There, standing in the doorway, was the last person she wanted to see.
"...Firebrand?"
Commander Firebrand was in shock as he looked at Ink Rose. She was a mess, her fur was matted with sweat, trembling constantly as she wrapped her hooves around herself. Her eyes were bloodshot, raw from crying, with pupils almost invisible.
He was at her side in seconds.
"Ink Rose, what's wrong? What happened? Are you hurt?"
Ink Rose let out a laugh that sounded fake even to Firebrand.
"Oh, d-don't worry about me.. I-I'm fi-"
"Ink Rose, please. Don't brush this off, talk to me."
Ink Rose struggled to her feet.
"It's nothing Firebrand."
"Anya, plea-"
"I SAID IT'S NOTHING!!!"
Firebrand recoiled. Anya's face was contorted into a feral growl. Her teeth were clenched.
...Then the anger faded. She saw the hurt on Firebrand's face, and her eyes widened in fear and sorrow.
"Josh! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
Told you! I didn't even expect it to be so quick either. Now you've lost him, and you're stuck alone with ME!
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sor-"
Ink Rose's words stopped as she felt Firebrand wrap his hooves around her and pull her into a hug. He held her close as her body shook from fear, as she wept in terror.
"I can't do this anymore... I can't do this..."
"Shh... It's okay Ink Rose, It's okay, I'm here."
Ink Rose felt the cold chill fading away, being replaced by a comforting warmth that made her feel safe, secure. She nuzzled Firebrand, wanting to feel more of it. The presence in her mind, the horrible memory of Lethal Aurora was fading away. The room felt somehow brighter.
The two of them stayed like that for a long time, just being there with each other.
Eventually, Firebrand pulled away, reluctant as he was to do so, and looked Ink Rose in the eyes.
"Anya. Please. Tell me what's wrong."
"I.."
Ink Rose hesitated. The fear was keeping the words in her throat.
No. I should trust him. I DO trust him.
"R-Remember about two years ago? When some of us were taken by that evil version of Mage?"
Firebrand nodded. He had heard the stories, vague as they were. Apparently, some of the analyst ponies had been kidnapped by an evil demon inside Aurora Mage that called itself "Lethal Aurora". The thing had tortured them and killed them one by one for it's own amusement. Mage had been able to save them and restore their life, and Lethal Aurora had been killed. He didn't know much beyond that however. Mage had been incredibly tight lipped, and everyone else seemed unwilling or unable to give more information.
"I.. I was one of the ponies she took."
Firebrand's eyes widened in shock.
"What?!"
"I... I've never felt so helpless in my life. She toyed with all of us, she killed my friends, she killed ME, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. It- it was horrible."
Ink Rose felt Firebrand pull her into another hug as her body shook from more fear-induced sobs.
"Every year... Every halloween... I keep thinking about her. I keep thinking about that day. It- I'm just so scared!"
Firebrand let her cry, let her empty out her emotions. He wasn't leaving her for anything. Anthony C's army could be attacking right now for all he cared. SHE was his priority.
As the sobs faded, he let her pull away, making sure she was alright for now.
"Have you told Dr Wolf about this?" he asked
"No! I-I can't!"
"Anya, you know Dr Wolf can help you."
"You don't understand Josh. If I talk about it... then I'd have to remember it... ALL of it. I'd have to THINK, of every. Single. SECOND I spent in that Hell! I can't do that Josh! I don't WAN'T to remember! I want that thing out of my mind!! I don't understand, why is it me!? Why am I the only one affected like this?!"
"You're not."
Firebrand and Ink Rose both turned to look at the doorway. AnY and KP were there. Both looking as bad as Ink Rose did. The same matted fur, the same eyes that were raw from crying.
"AnY! KP! Oh... Oh Celestia, how could I have been so selfish!? You were hurting too and I- I never tried to help you-"
"And I never tried to help YOU either Ink Rose." AnY said. "Or KP, or anyone else that Witch got too."
"Wait?" Firebrand said "You two were taken by Lethal Aurora too?"
"Yeah..." KP said. Her voice was shockingly quiet. Somber even. "It's not something I like to talk about, or think about."
"Me either." AnY said. "But Firebrand's right, Ink Rose. Dr Wolf CAN help you. He's helped all of us before. It's what he does."
"B-but what if I can't deal with it? What if I can't be helped?"
"You CAN Anya." Firebrand said, moving to her side. "And you know I'll be there for you."
"We all will." KP said. "Besides, I think I need Dr Wolf's help myself."
"Me too." AnY said. "We should all go see him tommorow."
"Okay," Firebrand said. "Are you alright with going outside Ink Rose?"
"I... I don't think I can do that just now."
"Alright then." Firebrand said, holding her close as she nuzzled the top of her head against his shoulder.
"We'll stay here then."
-
