You take a deep breath and run a hand through your hair. This is crazy. You're crazy. But it would save the lives of your friends. And the life of the filly in the basement. That's worth it, isn't it?

It has to be.

"We are only going to get one shot, so let's make it count," you say, not looking Twilight or Fluttershy in the eyes.

Your feet are automatic as you walk towards the classroom. Twilight and Fluttershy keep your pace as you push the door open. The classroom is empty, the shards of glass on the floor undisturbed from when you last exited.

"Show yourself."

The paint on the walls peels off like dead flesh and flies into the air like burning paper. The room's temperature plummets and your breath comes out in the form of misty, white vapors. The clapping of hooves fills the room.

"Congratulations. You showed the little brats to the other side. I bet you feel like you accomplished something special. Don't you?"

Where was her voice coming from? You search the room, but find no sign of Gertrude. Fluttershy breathes heavily, her body viciously shaking. Twilight wraps a hoof around her. The yellow pegasus coughs and loses her balance.

"Fluttershy, are you okay?" asks Twilight.

Her coughs become louder and more pronounced as she begins to cough out a black liquid onto the floor. Then, in a strong burst, it pours out in a steady stream. Fluttershy goes white as the black mass writes on the ground like a pile of maggots within a decaying corpse. The steam ceases and she collapses on the ground, motionless. The liquid slithers across the floor to the other side of the massive hole in the floor.

It bubbles and boils, expanding and contracting on the floor. First it forms a body, then hooves, then a head, then finally grows the long, silver mane of Gertrude. Her body seemed just as real as yours or Twilights, having a physical form to her deep black eyes and sharp, jagged teeth. The sun begins to rise from outside, providing a minimal amount of crimson red light for the room. Twilight charges her horn for a magic strike.

"Now, now, now. We can't have that," she mutters.

Gertrude raises a hoof, and Twilight is sent flying through the classroom door.

"Twilight!" you call out, turning to your friend.

The front door opens wide and the purple unicorn flies through it, landing roughly on the yellow grass outside. The door slams shut as you return your attention to the spirit.

"You've came all this way, yet still I have the upper hand," the poltergeist mocks. "It's almost pathetic."

A small white filly is raised up out of the hole and hangs in mid-air.

"Were you looking for this little one? She has been crying for days. She'll probably dehydrate soon. Isn't that a shame?"

"What do you want?" you growl.

"You know exactly what I want," she says coolly.

"Let the filly and the pegasus go. I'll stay."

Fluttershy slowly starts getting to her feet, her underside covered in cuts and broken glass.

"Anon... no..." says Fluttershy weakly.

"It's what has to be done," you mutter, not turning to her. "She wants a host. And I'm the one she wants."

Gertrude smiles and licks her lips.

"Then it shall be done."

You take a step forward.

"One more thing…" she says with a smile.

A tingling sensation envelops your feet, and then unbearable pain shoots through your legs. Looking down, your shoes have vanished, giving your feet zero protection from the jagged shards of glass from earlier. She smiles a malevolent smile and swings her hostage like a pendulum.

"Just come to me, and she is free."

You take another step, as the unbearable pain racks your senses. Blood marks your footsteps as you cross the floor one step at a time. Tears collect in your eyes and you clench your teeth. This was the only way to make sure that everyone got out safe. You didn't belong in Equestria anyway. It all made sense. Fluttershy tried to raise herself to her hooves, struggling to keep her balance. She looked on helplessly, watching her love endure terrible pain to ensure that she and Annie got out safe.

"Yes... that's it... almost there," Gertrude toys with you. "Don't you want to save their lives? Don't you want to be the hero?"

When you reach her, you drop to your knees, unable to take the pain anymore.

"Good boy."

Gertrude takes the little filly and places her on Fluttershy's back. The front door swings wide open. Twilight tries to charge in, but is blocked by an invisible force.

"No!" Twilight screams.

You look up at the unicorn with a feeling of helplessness. It had to end this way.

"Just go, Fluttershy."

"No! We can't leave you," she calls back.

"JUST GO!"

Fluttershy walks towards the door, but stops to turn back.

"Anon, I-"

With a wave of Gertrude's hoof, Fluttershy is pushed out the door to the classroom, and it is slammed shut behind her.

"Oh, what a shame. I'm sure she didn't have anything important to say," Gertrude says. "Now then, it's time for some fun... And trust me, I'm going to enjoy every second of this…"

The red light from the rising sun spills into the room, mixing hues with the blood that covers the ground. She raises you up into the air and slams you down on the teacher's desk. Your head cracks against the wood and your vision goes white. A ringing fills your ears as she grabs a shard of glass from your foot and twists it.

"I'm going to make you suffer, the same way that the world made me suffer."

You grit your teeth, not trying to give her the satisfaction of your screams.

"This world is not fair. I'm only giving you what we all deserve. You might even thank me one day. There are no happy endings."

She pulls the shard of glass from your foot and moves to your side, angling the shard over your heart.

"You're mine."

The door to the hallway bursts off the hinges and flies into Gertrude. She's taken by surprise and it hits her head on. White light pierces the red and fills the entire room. The walls become solid white marble and the windows disappear. All that remains is the hole in the center of the room, filled with a dark, swirling substance that twisted and turned. The six fillies, bathed in white light burst from the doorway. Behind them stood twelve fully grown stallions and mares.

"Gertrude!" Robin cries, stepping forward. "We would like to have a word with you."

The six fillies charge at Gertrude and jump on her.

"You little brats! Get off of me!"

She punches Summer in the face and throws Glitter on the ground.

"How dare you treat our children this way!" says a feminine voice from the adults.

Twelve adult ponies stand in the doorway and gallop into the room. A few of the males pick up Gertrude and hold her steady.

"Get her, Papa!" exclaims Summer.

Joy's mother walks up to Gertrude and gives her a deadly stare.

"How dare you hurt our children? How dare you cut their lives short out of your own selfishness?"

"No... Don't!" Getrude screams.

"There's a special place for ponies like you," Joy's mother growls.

The fathers, shrouded in white, slowly drag her to the black pit in the middle of the room.

"Please! NO! Anywhere but there!" Gertrude screams.

"You brought this on yourself," another mother says.

With a strong throw, she's thrown into the endless void and is enveloped by the substance. The black muck pulls at her flesh and breaks bone as she cries for help. Her piercing scream fills the room until she is pulled under the waves of liquid, a sole hoof reaching out for help.

"Have fun in Tartarus," mutters one of the fathers.

Another one of them spits into the black void. The parents exit one by one back into the afterlife, and each of the fillies come up to hug you. The pain and burning in your feet slowly fade away as your wounds mend themselves.

"Thank you, girls. Thank you," you choke out.

"Thank you? You helped us!" Summer says.

You return their hug and the girls smile and laugh. Sitting up, you smile at Robin, who returns just as strong of a smile.

"I told you that I would make it up to you," Robin says.

"Yeah. Yeah you did."

Standing back up, you walk with the fillies towards the door.

When you walk through the door, you find yourself outside the house, looking directly at Twilight and Fluttershy.

"Anon!"

Fluttershy flies at you and wraps herself around you.

"Don't worry, Shy. I'm not going anywhere."

Twilight walks up to you questioningly.

"What happened? The entire house went white after Fluttershy came out with Annie."

You look back at the house, and see the six little fillies smile and wave through the shattered windows.

"I think, Gertrude got what was finally coming to her."

Twilight smiles and nods. The sleeping filly rests quietly on Twilight's back.

"Let's head back to town. We got one heck of a story for the Princess, and this little one has a family to go home to," you say.

The girls nod, as the four of you begin the return trip to Ponyville in the light of a brand new day.

Author's Note

Unanswered Question

Six Lives Cut Down in Anger

Silent Voice Asks 'Why'