It Came From The Factory

Chapters

A New Ritual
Recognition
Taking Control
Web Of Lies

A New Ritual

Ever since the closing of the old factory just outside of Ponyville's limits, ponies have started spreading rumors of what happened that caused it's closing and what now dwells within. Former workers claim that a pony's work stress got the better of him and he committed suicide inside the factory, and they say that his ghost now haunts the place. On the other hoof, many say it wasn't suicide. Some ponies say that that stallions death was caused by another pony, the one who now guards the factory. Some simply say that a demon guards it, and those who believe in its existence claim that it's a super powerful alicorn that stands ten feet tall and abducts all who dare come near the factory, and brutally murders those who can't escape. Nopony has ever seen it to believe it or lived to tell the tale. Now, many of these rumors are false, though some are not far off, but there is one pony who knows the truth about the factory and it's horrible story.

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It was a bright, pleasant, mid-summer day in Equestria. Ponyville was abuzz with ponies out for a stroll, doing some shopping, or just all in all enjoying the weather. Thunder Tail, a tall, young, white pegasus, was walking through the town looking at different displays and stands here and there. He stopped for a moment and pushed some of his black mane out of the way of his face with a hoof. He let out a long breath and continued walking. He spotted a stand about ten yards to his left and trotted over to it. Looking from left to right looking at the various objects that were for sale at the stand, he noticed a watch that was only thirty bits.

"Can I help you?"

The voice of a mare greeted him warmly. He looked up to see a rose red pony with a purple mane on the other side of the stand. She smiled at him and Thunder Tail smiled back.

"Um, yes actually, this watch looks nice."

The mare looked at the watch that Thunder had pointed a hoof at and nodded.

"Alright, that'll be thirty bits sir."

"Ok."

Thunder put the required amount of bits on the stand and the mare pushed a box that now contained the watch in front of him. He opened the box and carefully slipped on the watch, examining it after he did so.

"Cool."

"It looks good on you."

"You think so?"

"I certainly do."

Both ponies smiled at each other, and Thunder Tail looked at his new watch and decided to continue the conversation.

"Hey, does this have the right time?"

"It might, you may have to check when you get home."

"Alright, that shouldn't be a problem. Thank you."

"My pleasure."

The two ponies smiled again, and Thunder Tail decided to make his move.

"Hey, if your not busy later, I was wondering if, well, you'd maybe like to, I don't know, go have some dinner together or something?"

The mare was quite surprised with Thunder's haste, but smiled at him none the less.

"Actually, I don't get off work till later, I was going to eat here. But, if you wouldn't mind coming back at around nine I wouldn't mind some company on the walk home."

Thunder smiled as did the mare before him, and he nodded awkwardly.

"I think that would be nice. I'm Thunder by the way. Thunder Tail."

"I'm Amethyst Rose. Lovely to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise."

Amethyst held out a hoof towards Thunder and it was soon met by his own. The two nodded at each other, and Thunder turned to leave. He kicked off into the sky, leaving behind nothing more than a cloud of dust and a starstruck earth pony. Amethyst Rose brushed a fluff of purple mane out of the way of her face and giggled to herself.

"Well, he seemed nice. Kinda cute too. I don't remember seeing him around town, maybe he just moved."

She stopped talking to herself when another pony walked up to the stand.

——————————————————————

It was darker out now, as the clock had just struck nine. Amethyst Rose was closing up her stand and packing stuff into assorted bags to carry back to her house. She looked up at the moon and sighed softly, then hung her head down again and continued packing. She did this action again minutes later, and was about to do it again when suddenly a gust of wind and the sound of hooves on ground came from behind her. She smiled before turning around, and was met with the face she was hoping for.

"Hello Thunder Tail."

Thunder Tail smiled back at Amethyst Rose, then nodded as he responded.

"Good to see you again."

"Ditto."

"Need some help with your stuff?"

"Oh, yes thank you. If you could grab those two bags right there that would be much appreciated."

"No problem."

The two smiled at each other once more as Thunder Tail trotted over to the pile of luggage and put the two bags on his back.

"Well, shall we be on our way then?"

"Sure, my house isn't too far from here, maybe a ten minute walk or so."

"Alrighty, onwards then."

The two began their trek, and as they left a cold air blew through the night, and Thunder Tail disregarded his eyes fluttering briefly.

——————————————————————-

"You're joking. He had a chance at being on the Wonderbolts and turned it down?"

"Well, turned it down, failed the drug test, whatever you wanna call it."

The two ponies burst into laughter at the statement, Thunder Tail knowing very well of its truth. They had started telling each other about themselves, and the conversation had drifted into an old friend of Thunder.

"Yep, Ol' Bolt sure was something. Jeez, he'd take any dare you'd throw at him. This one time in Vanhoover, me and this pony we met up with, forget their name, we dared Mickey to dive into North Luna Ocean and yell that a princess was trying to drown him."

Amethyst nearly fell to the ground laughing at this point, and as she recollected herself she looked up to see Thunder Tail chuckling.

"That's not all is it?"

"Nope. There was some huge party going on. We were invited but Bolt just wanted to blow it and get wasted, so we decided to get kicked out. You know, have some fun with it. So once ponies started noticing what he was doing and the fact that me and the other pony were with him they, um, well, they called security and we ran."

This time there was no holding back her laughter, and Amethyst Rose was soon on the ground rolling around and laughing like a little filly. Her bags had fallen to her side when she fell, and some of the various items had fallen out.

"Oh, oh my. Good lord that's funny. What did you do then?"

Thunder walked over and put the spilled goods back into their respective places, giving Amethyst a chance to collect herself.

"Well, we had to stay at the other pony's house for that night, we got hammered and played twister. A combination I am avoiding for the rest of my life."

"I bet."

The two still giggled as they walked, and Amethyst didn't even notice when Thunder had stopped and put a hoof to his head. Amethyst stopped when she noticed his absence, and turned to see where he was. She saw that he was just standing still holding his forehead with a hoof.

"Thunder? Is something wrong?"

Thunder Tail's eyes flutter as he looked up and fluttered again as he put his hoof down.

"Um, y-yeah, just a little headache. Happens all the time, I've put meaning to get that checked out."

"Well not to play doctor but I think I might know what to do, I have some stuff inside my house if you'd like me to try?"

Thunder looked up to see a quite clearly blushing Amethyst Rose.

"Wow, you're not very subtle are you?"

The blush increased with Thunder's joke, and the red pony hung her head. Thunder walked up to her and lifted her head, parting some of her mane with a hoof.

"It's alright."

Both ponies turned red, and Amethyst turned to continue the walk. She trotted on, and Thunder Tail followed until another headache stopped his movement. Amethyst stopped after no longer feeling his presence by her side. She looked back to see the still pegasus once again clutching his head.

"Thunder? Are you alright?"

Thunder Tail's eyes fluttered open, then closed, then open again. He looked at the mare to his side and then his eyes fluttered again. He kicked off into the sky and shot out of sight in seconds, leaving nothing but a trail of dust and a befuddled mare.

"Now what the hell was that all about?"

Amethyst Rose stood staring at the sky for a moment, wondering about the stallion. She eventually shook it off and continued her walk home after re-packing her things.

"I mean, maybe it's just some sort of mood swing. Maybe he got nervous. Either way."

Amethyst Rose reached her house and quickly got inside. She discarded the bags at the door and walked down the hall to her bedroom. She flopped on the bed and look out the window. The wind had picked up.

"What a day."

She stood up and quickly stretched before climbing in under the covers. She let out a long sigh as she got comfortable for the night. Watching through the window was a sky blue pegasus sitting on a tree branch.

Now fool! Now is the time! Strike quick, or else we will retaliate!

"No, no no no. It's wrong!"

There is no wrong. Just knock. One...Two...Three.

"But, but."

Now!

The Pegasus's eyes fluttered and shot open as he leapt from the tree branch and landed at the front door of Amethyst Rose's house. He knocked three times and waited. Amethyst Rose wasn't in a very deep sleep and was awoken by the knocks at the door.

"Who in the hell? It's like midnight for Celestia's sake."

She stood up and walked over to the door, but when she opened it, nopony was there.

"Alright, if this is some sort of prank I ain't havin' it!"

She slammed the door and turned around only to receive a sickening blow to the head with a blunt object. She fell to the floor and with blurred vision she could make out the dim figure of a pegasus.

Amethyst Rose awoke in a dim lit room, head pounding. She was lying on what felt like a smooth floor, staring at the ceiling.

"Ugh, what the hell?"

She tried to move her hooves but to her surprise they were strapped down to the table she was on.

"The fuck? Okay, this is not right."

She tried to move her head, also strapped down, and she started becoming frantic.

"Anypony! Can anyone hear me!?"

The light above her flicked on, as did a few others, lighting up the room around her. It took her until now to take in the smell. It smelled of cleaning supplies and chemicals, which was slightly unnerving to her.

"H-hello?"

Her voice was weak and fearful. She could out move her head on the sideways axis, and she only saw the two walls and the ceiling that were made out of concrete.

Is this some sort of bunker?

"Is anypony there?"

A door behind a section of darkness creaked open, filling the room with light. The figure of a pegasus was standing in the doorway, head facing the floor.

"H-hello?"

The figure looked up, but the face was covered by darkness. It walked into the room, closing the door and shutting out more light.

"Hello?"

"Hello there Rose."

This pony's voice was a little high but very grim. It was a voice that was almost familiar to Amethyst Rose, but at the same it sent a sickening chill through her body.

"H-how do you know my name."

"Oh, I think you need not worry about that. I thought you would worry more about why you're tied down, but I guess I'm just different."

"What the hell is this?"

The figure walked around to the back of the table. Amethyst could feel it's presence, and heard it struggling with something.

"Damn, this fucking lever."

The table suddenly thrust upwards and angled forwards, keeping Amethyst at about a forty-five degree angle.

"There was go, jeez."

Amethyst Rose's heart was pounding, who was this pony? Where was she? Why were they doing this?

"Who are you?"

"Could you, not? Please? It makes this whole thing so much easier if you are silent."

"But-"

"Atatatatatata! Silence."

Amethyst gulped. This pony was clearly insane. That or this was the best prank anyone had ever pulled on her.

"Have you seen my scalpel? I also lose it for fucks sake."

"S-scalpel?"

"Yeah, you know, little knife-ish thing, real sharp, perfect for, oh, say, dissection."

"Dissection!?"

"Yeah, I dabble. Oh! I probably left it in the storage room, silly me, excuse me!"

The figure trotted out of the room and the door slammed behind it. Amethyst Rose's breathing started becoming heavy, and she started frantically trying to escape her straps.

"Fuck, fuck, come on, I gotta get the fuck out of here before-"

"What was that?"

The mares sentence was cut off when the figure entered the room again. He seemed to be pushing a medical cart of some sort.

"Alright, everything seems to be in order here. Scalpel, hammer, spikes.."

The pegasus continued his list, and every word made Amethyst panic even more. She again tried at breaking herself free from the straps, but once more to no avail.

"Hey hey hey! Don't try to get out, you may damage those, I worked hard on those. The best way to do this is just to relax, just breathe."

"How the fuck do you expect me to relax!?"

"Shshshshhhhh. Quiet. Relax."

The figure used his wing to pick up a hammer and walked towards the table.

"Hmm, where should we start? Ah, I know."

The pegasus twirled the hammer as he walked back to the cart and pushed it over right beside the mares side.

"The kidneys sounds like a good place, does it not?"

"Kidneys!?"

"Yeah, you know, waste filtering organ, ya have two for Celestia's sake, I'm sure you can spare one."

Amethyst Rose starting crying softly as the realization that this was no prank and that she was most likely going to be brutally dissected by this maniac hit her.

"Aw, c'mon, don't cry. Here, I'll give you a shot so that it doesn't hurt. That sound good?"

Amethyst just looked the opposite way and continued crying. The figure shrugged and grabbed a needle with his other wing.

"Since I'm feeling nice today I'll give you the shot, mmkay? Mmkay."

The pegasus stabbed the needle into Amethysts side and she yelped from the pain.

"There were go. Now, I'm going to need you on your back to get to where I need, which means I'm gonna need to loosen these here."

The figure started loosening the straps, starting with the back hooves and moving up.

"Don't go running away on me now."

The figure chuckled as he loosened the head strap. Amethyst quickly backhoofed the figure and flopped off the table. She got to her hooves and ran out the door. She found herself in a long hallway, and she quickly ran left. The hallway was well lit and reminded her of a hospital.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Amethyst turned her head but saw nothing. She ran into something and fell onto her back. She looked up to see a white coated pegasus standing over her.

"Th-thunder?"

"Was that your attempt at an escape?"

Thunder Tail raised a hoof and brought it down across Amethysts face, knocking her out.

______________________________

Amethyst Rose awoke with a small scream. There was a large tingling in her side, and she tried to move but was strapped down again. The lights were now on fully, and the door opened and Thunder Tail walked in.

"No point in hiding myself, you ruined the suspense by tring to escape. I just killed the last pony who tried that stunt. You should consider yourself lucky, now you can spend more time with me! How fun! Oh, by the way, I already took your kidney. Only the one, figured I'd let you keep the other."

The pegasus grinned and then laughed as he walked back to the cart.

"Now. Watch this."

He picked up the hammer and walked over with a spike in his mouth.

"Thish ish only going to hurt a lot."

He transferred the spike to his wing and held it above Amethysts left front hoof. He raised the hammer and drove the spike through the limb and straight into the table. Amethyst screamed in pain and Thunder just laughed.

"Now, look here."

He loosened the strap and took it completely off. He waved it in front of the panting mare.

"Look, see?"

Amethyst simply closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. She just wanted this whole thing to be over. She just wanted to either get out or be killed painlessly.

"Why are you doing this? Why?"

"Why? Hell, I don't know. I'm just doing as I'm told."

"Wh-what?"

"Ah you'd never understand. Next spike!"

The pegasus drove the second spike through Amethysts right front hoof and again she cried out in pain.

"Alright. I think two should be fine. You really won't be going anywhere."

The pony laughed to himself as he walked back to the back of the table and set it to a one hundred and eighty degree angle again.

"Okay. I'll do the removal of the cutie mark later-"

"What?!"

"Hey, it's rude to interrupt! Jeez. Anyways, yes. Removal of the cutie mark. But first, I think I'll go with some good old fashioned-"

"What is the point of this Thunder? How could you be so innocent one moment and then be like this the next? Why the torture?"

The mare spoke through tears of pain and lack of understanding. Thunder frowned and walked over to the table.

"Ya know, I thought this could've been a nice, jolly old time, but you just have to complain. Jeez, if I wanted this much bitching I wouldn't have killed that last pony, good gosh they wouldn't shut up. But you, I guess I'll just do something else with you."

The pony angrily walked back to the table with a roll of duct tape in his wing. He pulled a large portion off the roll and held it above Amethysts mouth.

"Don't wanna be tortured? Fine. Not my problem."

"B-but I w-was j-"

The tape was placed over her mouth, restricting her speech. Thunder Tail smiled as he took in a deep breath.

"Ah, silence. I missed ya. Now. What I'm going to do is a little more unorthodox. We're going to play a game! Isn't that nice? Yeah, alright, so, I'm gonna just push you over there, I'm gonna be over here, and, well you'll see."

The pony flipped a lever on the wheels of the table and pushed it up against the wall opposite of the door. He pulled the back lever and set the table so that it sat almost at a ninety degree angle. Thunder Tail walked back to the cart and rummaged around for a bit.

"Ah, here they are."

He set a few small axes on top of the cart and Amethysts eyes shot open. Thunder Tail picked up an axe and twirled it as he walked to a place about three metres directly in front of Amethyst.

"Well, so sorry it had to end like this Amethyst, just know that I did like you."

He chuckled grimly as he raised his wing and chucked the axe towards the mare. Amethyst closed her eyes and looked to the side. The axe hit the table beside her left rear hoof, just barely missing her. She looked forwards at the disappointed stallion.

"Damn, a little off."

He picked up another axe and aimed higher, letting the axe leave his grasp once more. This time he was closer. The axe hit Amethysts right front hoof, and she tried to cry out but the tape stopped a lot of noise from escaping. The sound of the bone cracking and splitting was gut wrenching, and she could now feel the blood running down her body and looked to see it dripping onto the floor.

"Ah dammit, I forgot the damn trough. Fuck, now I'm gonna have a mess to clean up. Whatever, let's just end this."

Thunder Tail picked up the third and final axe, and he aimed for a long moment before throwing the axe at Amethyst Rose for the last time. The axe impaled itself deep into Amethyst chest, but her body was in too much shock for her to feel the pain. She could barely breath and her eyes started flickering open and closed.

"Finally."

Thunder Tail walked over and looked the mare in the eyes. He sighed for a second and ripped the axe out of her body. Blood shot up and onto his face, wings, and hooves.

"Well, it was nice having you here. But alas, your time is up."

Blood now covered the floor around the two, and Amethyst Rose was hardly even awake. Thunder Tail raised the axe, the blood shimmering on the blade.

"Goodbye Rose."

He cruelly brought the axe down on the mares skull, ending her life at last. He stood back and admired what he had done.

"Gosh, I wish she would've had the guts to stick around longer. Oh well. If I'm gonna move her to the incinerator I'm gonna need to put a trough on there."

He looked at the body for another moment and thought. He suddenly perked up as a wicked idea struck him. He grimly chuckled as he walked back over to the table.

"I think it's about time we begin a new tradition. Maybe we deserve a little recognition? I'm a big fan of getting what I deserve."

He took the bottom straps off, as well as the head strap, and he walked back to the cart and took a large crowbar.

"Anda one."

He stabbed the crowbar in between the spike and Amethysts left front hoof, and he pulled back on it and freed the hoof from the table. The weight of the body mixed with the impaled axe caused her other front hoof to rip apart and her body crumpled to the floor. Thunder Tail burst into a maniacal laughter and fell onto his back laughing.

"You stupid freaking pony. Oh gosh that was funny."

He stood up from the puddle of blood he had laid in and picked the body up with his wings. He dragged it through the factory to the outside. The night air was crisp, and the gentle breeze blew his mane into his face.

"Hey, stop it."

He ran a hoof through his mane, the blood patting it down and staining it faintly. He flew over to the town hall and to the nearest outside light post. He let out a sigh as he heaved the body upwards and strapped it by the neck to the post, using the straps from the table.

"I'll have to get new straps but I can get those real easy. Alrighty, lookin' good. Just one more thing."

______________________________

Lyra woke up and stretched briefly before walking out to the living room where Bon-Bon was already awake.

"Good morning sleepyhead."

"Morning. Anything interesting happen?"

"No, nothing yet."

"Good, I just wanna have a norma-"

Suddenly, Vinyl Scratch burst through the door and stood panting slightly in the doorway. The other two mares quickly looked towards the door to see what was happening.

"Vinyl? What the hell?"

"You gotta come see this. Like, now."

Lyra and Bon-Bon looked at each other for a second and shrugged. Lyra yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Alright fine, but let's not take too long, kay?"

"Trust me, this is something you'll want to see."

The three ponies quickly galloped towards town hall, Vinyl leading. Lyra could see that a large crowd was formed around one of the streetlights near it, and she could hear shouting.

"Over here!"

Vinyl waved them over to a rock that had a view over the crowd. The three climbed it and at the top was Octavia with a pair of binoculars.

"Hey Tav, I got Lyra and Bon-Bon."

"Excellent. You two have to see this. It's insane."

"What is it? Everypony sure seems excited."

"See for yourself."

Octavia passed the binoculars to Bon-Bon, who laid down and looked at the crowd through them.

"Umm, I don't see anything."

"Look up."

"Ok. Umm, I still don't-"

Bon-Bon gasped before dropping the binoculars. Lyra's eyes opened and she quickly levitated the binoculars to her face and looked where Bon-Bon had been looking. She soon found what the others were talking about.

"Oh, oh my-"

"Isn't that absolutely insane? I mean somepony was murdered!"

Vinyl took the binoculars in her magic and looked at the sight again. A red earth pony with a purple mane strapped by the neck to a post. The handle of the axe the was embedded in her head read
Careless love
It was written in what she assumed was the mutilated pony's blood. She lowered the binoculars and looked to Octavia.

"I really hope that they catch whoever did this."

"I know. I can't believe that there's a murderer loose in Ponyville."

"Me neither."

Octavia looked to her right to see Lyra hugging a weeping Bon-Bon and stroking her mane. Octavia stood up and faced the group collectively.

"I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. We'll all be fine."

"Yeah, yeah she's right."

Lyra looked Bon-Bon in the eyes and held her still.

"We're gonna be OK sweetie."

"We are?"

"I'm sure of it."

The two hugged again and Octavia whispered something in Vinyl's ear. Vinyl nodded and cleared her throat.

"Hey, if you gals would like to come over, Tavi and I were planning a little party for tonight."

The two mares shot Vinyl a look and she quickly fixed her statement.

"Oh, we had planned it before we knew about this, don't worry. You in or out?"

Lyra and Bon-Bon looked at each other again before smiling and turning back.

"We're in."
To Be Continued

Recognition

Thunder Tail woke up with the birds chirping and the sun shining through his window. He raised his head and looked around, seeing spots of red on the floor, on his bed, and on himself.

"Oh fuck. Oh nonononononono not again! Fuck, fuck!"

He scrambled out of bed and ran into the bathroom. He immediately scrubbed at the blood stains that coated his body, only being able to get them out of his coat.

"Shit. What the hell am I gonna do?"

He looked in the mirror at the red spots that showed up here and there in his black mane. Letting out a sigh of worry he walked into the living room and flicked on the TV.

"...scene here is quite grim, as it is apparent that murder has taken place here in Ponyville."

Thunder Tail shot his gaze to the TV and stared at the newspony reporting the murder.

"Local shop owner Amethyst Rose disappeared last night and was found dead by a pony this morning who reported it to the proper authorities."

"Oh my, I remember."

Scenes of the murder flashed through Thunder Tail's mind as he watched the news story. The reporter walked over to a pegasus and levitated the mic towards him. The black coated stallion brushed some bright blue mane out of his face and spoke.

"Yeah, I mean I was just out early for a little flight, and I came across what from above looked like somepony just sitting against a post, but jeez, when I flew down there I just about passed out."

Thunder Tail quickly turned the news off and ran over to the door. He opened it and almost ran outside but stopped when he saw a white unicorn mare standing there.

"Um, hello?"

"Hey, I'm sendin' out invites for a party that I'm throwing tonight. Address is on there, hope to see you there. Oh, and if you could maybe take some of these and pass them out to some others, that'd help me a bunch, thanks. Love the highlights by the way dude."

She levitated a few invitations into Thunder Tail's face and he took them. The pony turned and waved as she walked away and towards another house after.

"Party you say?"

Thunder looked down at the invitation and thought. He suddenly remembered what the pony had said about his hair, and he decided to walk into town knowing that he had a cover-up.

"Party, I wonder why anypony would be partying at this time."

He shuddered as he walked towards town. He brushed some of his 'highlighted' hair out of his face and continued. When he arrives at the town, he sees another pegasus walking by with some apples.

Hmm, that doesn't seem like too bad of an idea.

He turned left and headed to where he thought he remembered seeing an apple stand. When he approached the stand, there were four ponies in line. He sighed and waited for the line to move.

"Next."

He walked up to the stand and was met with the face of an orange earth pony. She smiled and put a hoof on the table.

"What can I get you sir?"

"Um, I guess I'll just take ten apples."

"Sure thing."

The pony put a few apples in a basket and put the basket on the counter top.

"That'll be eighteen bits sir."

"Sure, just a sec."

"Alright, sure, just a second here."

As Thunder Tail reached into his saddlebag, he accidentally knocked one of the invites out. He picked it up and put it back in the saddlebag. After he put the required bits on the table, he thought about the invitations.

"Hey, you free tonight?"

"'Scuse me?"

"No, not for, a date or anything. There's this party going on and I was given some invites to pass out. You want some?"

"Sounds like a fun time! Ya got at least six invites?"

"Yeah, I have exactly six actually."

"I'll take 'em! Hope to see ya there partner!"

"Alright, cool, see ya there."

Thunder Tail put the apples in his saddlebag and started walking away from the stand. He starting daydreaming slightly about how crowded the party was going to be, and what kind of music would be played, and all the other things that could possible trigger anything.

"Ah whatever, I'm sure nothing bad will happen. I gotta get back home and clean my room up anyways."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure that going to this party is a good idea Twilight? I mean, who knows what could happen. What if the murderer is there?"

"Calm down Spike. Nothing will go wrong. And we've known Vinyl, or rather DJ-Pon3 for a long time. I'm sure she'll throw a great party, everypony will have fun, and nopony will get murdered."

Twilight put the book she had been reading before Applejack arrived with her invitation back in its place. Spike rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to protest further, but was interrupted.

"Spike. You aren't even going to be at this party."

"That's what I'm worried about! I won't be able to know if anything bad has happened until it's too late!"

Twilight Sparkle looked down at the worried dragon and smiled.

"Alright. I won't drink tonight, I'll keep my wits about me. And I'll do as much socializing as I can to try and get a good read on who's there."

"Alright, just be careful."

"No worries Spike. I can even get the rest of the girls to help me if that would ease you?"

"I guess getting a few of them in wouldn't be bad."

"Great."

Twilight smiled and started towards the door, Spike following.

"Everything will be fine. We're all going to have a good time. I'm sure it'll be awesome! Music, maybe dancing, friends, and there's probably going to b-"

"Ahem."

"Oh, right, sorry Spike. Maybe you could get some help re-organizing from the crusaders? I don't think they'd be allowed at this party anyways."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Well. I'll be back in a few hours. I'll talk to Rarity and see if Sweetie Belle can help."

Twilight walked away from her castle and off towards the boutique, where all of them were meeting up.

Everything will be fine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thunder Tail held a long exhale as he stood at the doorstep to the house where the party was. Looking down at himself, he saw nothing that could possibly cause suspicions.

It'll be fine.

He knocked on the door and stepped back a bit. After only a few seconds, the door opened and a grey mare poked her head out.

"Oh, hello."

"Hello. I got the invite for a party here?"

"Oh, yes, come in."

Thunder Tail walked through the doorway as Octavia held the door open. The atmosphere that met him when he walked into what he assumed was the living room. The poppy electronic music lulled softly, the lights were dimmed slightly and a disco ball hanging from the roof reflected the light perfectly.

Pretty nice setup.

"Just make yourself comfortable."

Octavia walked past Thunder Tail and over to the kitchen area where Vinyl was standing. They talked momentarily and Vinyl walked towards the living room, spotting Thunder Tail on her way.

"Hey! You made it!"

"Yeah, I did."

"Sweet man, just make yourself comfortable, snacks are on the island in the kitchen, and so is the alcohol."

Vinyl chuckled and nudged Thunder Tail, who joined in. As Vinyl walked away, Thunder seryeved the rest of the room and looked for somewhere he could sit down. He spotted a couch that was unoccupied and decided to sit their afterwards.

Might as well grab a drink first.

As Thunder Tail walked to the kitchen, he could hear that Vinyl had gone and opened the door for more guests. Trying not to start a conversation, he grabbed a red cup of what he assumed was some generic beer and took a sip, covering his face.

"Just make yourselves comfortable."

Thunder Tail used his peripheral vision to eye up the group at the door. He choked on his drink slightly when he saw the ponies that had just walked in.

"Thanks Vinyl."

"No problem Twilight."

Holy shit! Princess Twilight and her friends? Wait a minute, I gave that one the invites. Oh man, I may have just dug my own grave.

He refilled his cup quickly and looked back over to the couch. There was only space for two ponies, and now one of the spaces was taken by a pink maned pegasus.

Dang. This is probably going to be awkward.

Slightly nervous, Thunder Tail took a swig of his beer and walked over. He sat down on the couch and looked in front of him, not daring to look at the other pegasus.

"Hey, excuse me."

As the timid voice spoke, Thunder Tail was forced to turn and look.

"Do I know you from somewhere? You look really familiar."

For reasons unbeknownst to him, Thunder Tail was frightened. This mare obviously wouldn't hurt a fly, but her words struck him with fear.

"Uh, I wouldn't think so."

"Are you sure? I feel like I've seen you before?"

"Hmm. I don't know. I don't recognize you."

Thunder Tail tried to mask his nervous face with another drink of his alcohol, but when he lowered the cup he saw an upsetting look on the other ponies face. A face as if she had just caught him in the middle of a crime.

"That's where I've seen you! You were buying that watch from the pony who was just-"

"Fluttershy! C'mon! Come dance with us!"

Rainbow Dash, somehow already mildly intoxicated, took Fluttershy by the hoof and dragged her away. Fluttershy kept her eyes glued to Thunder Tail as she was dragged into the crowd. Thunder Tail blew a breath out and took another drink of his beer. He let out a long exhale and looked up at the ceiling.

"Troubled?"

"What?"

Thunder Tail shot his gaze towards where the voice had come from, and was met by a red coated stallion with a blonde mane.

"You looked troubled man, maybe need something to calm you down?"

"Wha..what?"

"Here."

The stallion levitated what looked like a rolled up piece of paper and lit the end. He put the unlit end to his mouth and breathed in deeply. After holding the breath, he let out a large puff of smoke.

"Here, have some of this, slows ya down. Been doing it for years, I'm as slow and calm as a sloth."

Thunder Tail took the item in his wing and put it to his mouth. Taking in a deep exhale, he could tell something was bound to go wrong. His eyes flickered, and he let out a puff of smoke.

Trying to repress us with drugs. Foolish! You think your street meds can heal you!? Kill the sloth, like you endedlust, wrath and glutton! Go now!

Thunder Tails eyes flickered again and he stumbled off the couch. His motor skills were impaired slightly, and his vision was cloudy. Making his way to the kitchen, he saw Vinyl look at him.

"Yo, dude, you alright? You ain't looking do good."

"I'm, f-f-fine. I just gotta go home and lay down."

"You need a walk home?"

"I'll be good."

Vinyl was concerned, but Thunder Tail started speaking again before she could protest.

"Thanks for the party, it was cool. I'll seeya 'round."

Thunder Tail wobbled out of the room and towards the door. Fluttershy and her friends were dancing in the middle of the room, and Fluttershy noticed the other pegasus walking out and left the group to follow. Upon leaving the building, Fluttershy felt a strange cold. It certainly wasn't this cold when they had left for the party, and it shouldn't have gotten this cold this quick.

"Maybe I should ju-"

Fluttershy was cut short by a sharp, sudden pain in the side of her head. She could only see and feel the damp grass below her before passing out.

Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes, but closed them again when the pain struck her. Her body was almost void of anything except pain. She couldn't feel anything except the horrible sensation in her head. Eventually, she braved through it and opened her eyes. Her pupils immediately dilated.

"Whe-where am I?"

She looked around at the dimly lit room she found herself in. The concrete floor was stained with blood, there was a small table with several blade objects upon it, and there was a larger table with an unconscious pony on it. All illuminated by a single hanging light. The pony on the table slowly opened his eyes.

"Ugh, what the?"

The pony looked at the straps that held him down to the table and began frantically thrashing around.

"H-help! Somepony!"

In his attempt to escape, he caught a glance of Fluttershy sitting in the corner.

"Hey, hey you! Help me!"

Fluttershy tried to get up, she tried to move, but with the overwhelming pain, she hadn't noticed that she was tied to a pole in the corner.

"I...I can't!"

"What? What do you mean you can't? Please, you gotta hel-"

The stallions words were cut off by the sharp creak of the only door in the room being pushed open.

"I remembered the trough!"

A small section of bloody metal was slammed down onto the ground in front of the stallion on the table. The stallions eyes shot wide open and his pupils dilated. He looked up at the shadowy figure that had spoken.

"Wh-what?"

"Ugh, the last pony I had in here made a mess. See this on the floor? Ugh, terribly hard to clean. Trough was forgotten, now I have it, all is well."

The figure moved around to the back of the table and pulled a lever, turning the table forty five degrees so that it was parallel to the floor.

"Look at that, the lever actually worked! I'll be!"

"What..what are you gonna do to me?"

"Correction, with you."

"What?"

"Let me explain. Your choices, your life choices, are...wrong. I'm not judging you, that's just the way it is. So, what do I do with bad ponies? I stop them. I make them, and everypony else know what they did was wrong. So, basically, we're just gonna have a gpod old time together."

The figure smiled after concluding, revealing a set of shimmering white teeth that jumped out from the blackness. The stallion became frantic once more, continuing to thrash around.

"Hey! Stop! For crying out loud, I just fixed those, and if ya go and break one I'm going to be quite upset! And wouldn't that just ruin the fun?"

"Wait a minute...I-I recognize that voice. You were that dude at the party!"

All of a sudden, lights flipped on, basking the room in a warm yellow glow. The figure now stepped into the stallions line of sight.

"Well, I guess you've gone an dtaken the element of surprise out of this, thank you very much for that. Jerk. That's kinda my whole thing, y'know?"

Thunder Tail pushed a small metal cart into the stallions view, a frown on his face. He started digging around in the middle rack of the cart, eventually pulling a small scalpel and a roll of duct tape out.

"I guess we'll just do this the old fashioned way. Since you seem hellbent on ruining our fun time."

"What? N-n-no, I wa-"

"No, no, it's fine! I understand! Nopony wants to stick around and have fun with me, that's fine!"

Thunder Tail took the duct tape and put a long strip across the stallions mouth, then smiled at the silence that followed.

"Never get sick of that. So, tell me..wait a minute, what am I doing? I have questions for you!"

Chuckling as he walked over, Thunder Tail used his wing to rip the tape off the stallions face. The stallion cried out from the pain, and cursed under his breath.

"Ha! You think that's painful? Oh, you aren't going to last nearly as long as anypony else who's been in here. Sad. Unfortunate. Weakling. Anyways, do you know what decisions got you here?"

"W-was it the party?"

"Ah, close. What were you doing at the party?"

"I, partying! What do you mean!?"

"No no no, there's something specific."

"I...I drank, but-"

"So close. Try again, I think you'll get it this time."

The stallion closed his eyes and thought for a second.

"Was it the drugs?"

"Aha! He has done it! I really hate to be a walking PSA, but come on dude, you should've known that that shit messes with you. Anyways, yes, let's begin. Often times I wish I had a wheel to help me decide what to do first, there are just so many options! But, I guess we'll just do some basic...wait! I got an idea! Be right back!"

Thunder Tail practically danced out of the room, waving the scalpel about as he trotted away. When the door closed, the stallion looked over to Fluttershy.

"Help me! You've seen what he's about to do, you gotta stop him somehow!"

"How?"

"Any way!"

Fluttershy started forcing herself through the pain, trying to escape her ties. Tears began to form in her eyes, but she continued to attempt her escape.

"I got it!"

Fluttershy held her right front hoof out in front of her, the feeling slowly returning to it.

"Good! Get the others!"

Fluttershy was able to simply slide her other front hoof out of the tie, but the rear ones were tied rather tight.

"I'm back!"

The door was flung open, and Thunder Tail walked back in, holding a small bottle-like device in his other wing.

"I think you'll find this pretty fun, watch this."

Thunder Tail put the scalpel on the floor and turned a dial on the bottle. A very faint hissing could be heard before he clicked the trigger and a thin beam of fire started shooting out.

"Blowtorch!"

Smiling maliciously, Thunder Tail held the blowtorch so that the fire was engulfing the sharp blade of the scalpel. After around twenty seconds, he pulled the blowtorch away and looked with satisfaction at the red-hot blade.

"Ah, that'll do nicely. Hmm, how am I gonna pick that up though. Should've thought about that. I know! I'll just use some pliers or something, I'm sure I've got a pair."

He walked back over to the table, looking over and noticing Fluttershy on his way. His smiled widened as he lowered the hoof he had raised.

"Hmm, perhaps I'll get a two for one deal?"

He moved his wing onto the bottom rack of the cart and pulled out another metal object that Flutterhsy couldn't identify. As Thunder Tail walked towards her, she closed her eyes and curled up into the corner.

"Well, I see you've managed to escape your bindings. Admirable. But futile."

Thunder Tail untied the knots that constrained Fluttershys rear hooves and motioned for her to stand up. The pain and the fear combined kept her glued to the floor.

"Ah, motivation is needed perhaps? That's why I grabbed this."

Fluttershy heard a small click, and looked to see Thunder Tail aiming a pistol right between her eyes.

"Try to run, stay on the floor, or anything else that's stupid, the trigger gets pulled. Now stand up."

Running on nothing but fear now, Fluttershy pushed herself up and onto her hooves. She wobbled slightly in place and Thunder Tail smiled.

"Good. Now, come here."

Using his free wing, Thunder Tail grabbed hold of Fluttershy mane and pulled her over to where the scalpel laid, still red hot. Thunder Tail threw Fluttershy down onto the ground beside the scalpel, evoking a small yelp of pain from the mare.

"Now, pick it up."

"Wh-what?"

"Wasn't speaking in riddles. Pick it up."

Fluttershy looked at the knife. The discoloring ran all the way down to the end, but it was fainter there. Either way, she knew that if she picked it up, it would be incredibly painful. But he knew that as well.

"I...I can't."

"Oh, I think you can."

Thunder Tail walked over to the stallion at the table and aimed the gun at his left rear leg.

"Well, I'll give you ten seconds to do it, or this little leg ain't gonna be the same again."

"Oh for the love of Celestia, please pick it up!"

"C'mon then. Ten. Nine. Eight."

Fluttershys whole world was fading around her. She couldn't think straight, she couldn't move. She just stared at the scalpel on the ground.

"Three. Two. One. Aaaaaaand zero."

The minute Thunder Tail ended his sentence, he pulled the trigger. The stallion screamed in pain as the bullet ripped through his leg and into the table.

"You bitch! Pick op the fucking knife!"

"Woah there mister, I don't think you should be talking. I'm sure you wouldn't do it if you were in her position. Anyways, ten seconds, next leg. Ten, nine, eight."

Fluttershy took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She had to do it, or the stallion would keep suffering. As she opened her eyes, she reached down with her right wing and picked up the scalpel. The searing pain instantly coarsed through her wing and all the way to her abdomen. She screamed in pain and dropped the instrument, dropping to the floor. On the verge of passing out, Fluttershy looked at her wing through tearful eyes. It was now partially branded with the elegant design on the side of the scalpel. Something about the scene was missing, and she looked up. Thunder Tail had stopped counting and was now smiling.

"Well well, look who did it! Good job sweetie, honestly didn't think you had it in you."

Fluttershy sat and whimpered on the floor. Tears cascaded down her face and onto the floor as she weeped. So desperately did she want this to be over, but she knew that and at would sooner come than a way out. Thunder Tail walked over and pointed the gun at her head.

"C'mon sweetie, you ain't done yet. Pick it up, and stab him with it."

Thunder Tail motioned towards the table with the gun as he spoke. Fluttershy Looked up to see that the stallion was looking towards her, but his eyes were slowly closing.

"N..no."

"No?"

"No. I won't."

Fluttershy pushed herself upwards in an attempt to make her rebellion plausible. She looked Thunder Tail dead in the eyes, but he merely laughed.

"That's cute, really, you thinking you have a choice. Well, let me give you an ultimatum. You can swap places with that pony over there, or, you can just give up and do what I say. So, which is it?"

Thunder Tail stepped back a bit and looked towards the table.

"How'd you like to be Ponyvilles next landmark?"

Fluttershy was now standing up. Pain was still coarsing through her as she thought about her choices.

"W-w-where d-do I have to....st-stab him?"

"Hmm. Good question. Hadn't though of that. Uhhh. Hmm. Right about here."

Thunder Tail pointed the gun at the stallions side and gently poked it. Fluttershy immediately thought of a plan and acted upon it. Driving away all thoughts of pain, she grabbed the knife and jabbed it straight into Thunder Tails wing. He screamed and dropped the gun on the floor as Fluttershy pulled the knife out and threw it across the room. Using her uninjured wing to pick up the gun, she ran out the door and slammed it behind her.

"Fuck! Ah, my wing!"

Thunder Tail walked over to the cart and put his two front hooves onto it. He panted for a minute before hearing something behind him.

"A-aren't you gonna go after her?"

"Her? No no no. She won't last a second outside of this room. You think I haven't thought of this? Think it hasn't happened before? Try and take a guess at how many traps are set everywhere around out there. Go on, guess."

"I-i-i don't know!"

"Hundreds. This place is more likely to crumble into pieces before she escapes. Anyways, since I've moved on from the pain, we can get started here. And since I know you won't last long anyways, I'll just make this quick and get you outside."

Thunder Tail grabbed a large axe from the cart and walked over to the table.

"Goodbye."

He lifted the axe into the air and brought it down on the stallions neck before he could protest. Thunder Tail stepped back, seeing the blood run down the table and onto the floor.

"Forgot the trough again. Whatever. It doesn't matter. Let's get this sloth into his tree."

Fluttershy hobbled through the dark hallways of the factory. She looked left and right for any sort of way out, but couldn't see anything. She was stopped short when she ran into a rust metal railing. When she looked over the edge, she could see a light, and what looked like an exit.

"Is, is that an exit sign?"

The faint red glow gave her hope, and she felt around her immediate area for a set of stairs. After a minute of searching, she found a rusty set of stairs to her left.

"Hopefully these take me down to the exit, I need to get out of here and tell the others. Not to mention tend properly to my injuries."

Fluttershy slowly descended the stairs, now level with the exit. She started galloping towards the door, but as she grew closer she noticed that it's features looked oddly flat and blurry. She stopped in front of the door and put a hoof to it. It was painted onto the wall.

"It's...fake? But, why is the exit si-"

Fluttershys sentence was cut off by the floor below her sliding to the side in a flash, dropping her down into the dark room below. She landed on the floor with a splash, followed by a groan. The water was up past her left eye, which made her want to push her head out of it. She put her front hooves on the ground next to her head, and pushed her head out of the water. The pain got to her, and her legs gave way. Her head hit the water again, and her eyes closed.

Taking Control

Fluttershy snapped awake, spitting out the water that filled her mouth as she coughed. Through blurry eyes, she looked around at her immediate surroundings. It was dark, damp, and cold. She needed to get dry, she'd surely succumb to hypothermia otherwise. As she pushed herself up, she groaned and collapsed as the pain coarsed through her body.

"I...need to get out of here. I need to tell Twilight and the others."

Forcing herself through the pain she felt, she was able to get to her hooves. Looking around, she saw three close walls and something at the end of the corridor.

"That might be a way out! But, what if the floor is trapped again?"

Worry overtook her, and she hesitated.

"No. I have to get out of here."

A small bit of fake confidence was enough to make her lift her right front hoof and place it further in front of her. Shakily making her way down the hallway, she saw that there was a door at the end of the hallway, with a small amount of light coming from the space between it and the floor. Fluttershy hesitated, but gently pressed her ear up against the door. After a few seconds of hearing nothing, she put her hoof on the door, and slowly, very slowly opened the door.

"Hello? Is anypo-"

She gasped at the sight that met her as she fully looked at the room. Bodies lie piled atop each other in the center, surrounded by a caked pool of blood. Turning away was all Fluttershy could do to keep from vomiting, but when the scent hit her, she ended up vomiting in the blood-stained corner to her left.

"What... what happened here?"

She looked at the bodies, many were almost fully decomposed, but there were a few near the top that were fresh. The gagging feeling returned, and she turned and regurgitated again. After wiping her mouth, she looked up and saw a hatch in the floor above.

"Maybe I could get out through there? But, I don't think I can fly with this wing."

Fluttershy grimaced at the scorch marks across her wing, and heaved a heavy sigh. But as she looked back up past the bodies, a dark idea came into her head. Fluttershy took a few steps and hesitantly looked up at the top. Vomiting once again threatened to happen, but she swallowed it and placed a hoof on a skull in the pile. The skull caved under the pressure, and Fluttershy once again had to hold back vomiting.

"Maybe I can use my good wing to help go faster."

She unfurled her left wing and used it to boost herself up. About halfway up, a head that she placed her hoof on snapped off, making her lose her grip and fall to the floor. When she opened her eyes, the head was staring back at her. She screamed and scrambled to her hooves again, losing her lunch once more.

"Ok, I have to do this."

Fluttershy again began her climb up the mound of deceased ponies, this time making it all the way up. Looking at the hatch, she figured she could open it by pushing it open, like any other hatch. When she pushed it, it clicked and swung open, almost knocking her off of the pile. She regained her balance and climbed out of the room.

"Now to get out and get to Twilight."

"And, and that was the thhhird time I saw Discord naked."

"Alright Rainbow Dash, just go to bed, I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Rarity is cheating on AJ, I just know it."

Twilight frowned at Rainbow Dash's near hundredth ridiculous comment of the night as she helped her into the spare bed in her castle.

"Goodnight Rainbow Dash."

She turned out the light and closed the door behind her, hearing no response or protest from the mare inside. A sudden knock at the door startled Twilight, as it was nearing two in the morning.

"Who could that be?"

As Twilight approached the door, the knocking came again, panicked and hurried this time. She opened the door to see a blood coated pegasus with a pink mane.

"Flu... Fluttershy?"

"Twilight, thank Celestia, you need to listen to me, right now. I know who the killer is! I saw him at the party, we need to go tell everypony!"

"Fluttershy, calm down for a second."

Twilight wrapped a wing around Fluttershy and led her to the map room. They sat down in two chairs that faced each other and Twilight sighed. Fluttershy was visibly shaking, and her breathing was rapid and off-time.

"Fluttershy, what happened? From the beginning."

"When we got to the party, I sat down beside a pony that seemed really familiar, and just when I pointed it out to him, Dash dragged me away to dance. Later, I saw the same stallion leaving the party, and I followed him. When I got outside, I got hit in the head, and passed out. I woke up in the factory, and he..."

Tears were steadily streaming down Fluttershys face at this point, and she looked down and sobbed. Twilights brain was reeling, she couldn't make sense of anything Fluttershy was saying.

"Fluttershy, I think you should stay here, get cleaned up, we'll get to the bottom of this tomorrow."

"M-maybe that is a good idea."

"Wait, Fluttershy."

"Yes Twilight?"

"Why do you have a gun?"

Fluttershy looked at where Twilight was pointing. She had almost forgotten that she had been holding the gun in her right wing the whole way there.

"Maybe we should make that first thing tomorrow."

Thunder Tail dragged the body through the dilapidated hallways and into the room where he threw the corpses into the room below. When he walked in, he noticed that the hatch was open.

"Wait a minute."

As he tossed the body into the room below, he jumped down and landed facing down the hallway. After a brisk walk down it, he looked up to see that his trap had been activated.

"Hmm, maybe that wasn't as effective as I thought. Really should've gone for spikes. Ah well, next time I guess."

He sighed and closed the hatch. As he walked back into the body room, his eyes started fluttering. He closed them and held a hoof to his forehead.

"Ugh, my hea-"

His eyes widened, pupils dialating, and his mouth dropped wide open.

"What....what...."

Thunder Tail was speechless. His legs started feeling weak, and he felt as if he needed to throw up.

"Did...is....is this what I've done?"

He looked around at the mass of corpses in dismay.

"How...how do I get out of here?"

Thunder Tail threw the stained brush into the garbage and tossed some tissues over top of it.

"I have to stop this, I can't keep letting this happen."

He took a deep breath, still keeping his front hooves on the edge of his bathroom sink. He looked up in the mirror, seeing the lines and marks from age, stress, and his ever so tiring 'second personality'.

"Alright, enough is enough. I'm ending this."

He coughed into his elbow and walked towards the front door.

Just where are you going?!

"I'm not listening anymore!"

Really? How about now?

Thunder Tails ears were met with a shrill ringing that brought him to his knees.

"Make it stop!"

He fell backwards, hitting the button on his stereo. By the time his head hit the floor, an upbeat metal song started playing directly beside his ears at near full volume.

"Jeez!"

He shot up and turned the volume down. After a few seconds, it came to him.

"If I can drown it out, I'll be fine."

"Thank you sir, have a good day."

Atlas, a stocky, blue coated unicorn put the bits that he had just received in the cash register and smiled. He looked up to see his employee Fair Wheather, a pegasus mare with a blonde coat and black and deep orange mane.

"Hey Atlas, when am I getting my pay stub, I know you know they don't just grow on trees."

"You'll get your money when I get it to you."

He slammed the register shut and stared daggers at his employee. Fair Wheather scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"You know, if Equestria was run by ponies like you, there wouldn't be an Equestria anymore."

"And what makes you say that?"

"I say that because ponies like you take all the money from the ones who work to earn it! We wouldn't be able to live, and then society would cease to exist! Ha, it's even worse on you, nopony comes into this crapfest anyhow."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Well, how's about you start working on commission instead of fixed pay?"

Fair Wheather's mouth dropped open, and Atlas smiled.

"That's what I thought."

Fair Wheather closed her mouth and gulped as the door opened and the bell rang.

"Oh look, there's a customer. And if I were you, I'd try hard and make that sale, just in case I do decide to put you on commission."

Fair Wheather turned around and walked over the pony who had just walked in. He was a tall, white coated pegasus with a black mane tinged with red.

"Good day sir, can I help you find something today?"

His movements were choppy and quick, almost twitchy. As he looked at her, he cleared his throat.

"Yes, actually. I need a stereo system, or a boombox, or anything like that."

"Ok, well, this one is a lovely model; brand new, CD and radio. Only 200 bits."

"Ah, lovely. I'll take it."

Thunder Tail gave Fair Wheather a small bag of bits and walked out with the stereo. Fair Wheather smiled and turned around to meet Atlas. Atlas sneered, snatching the bag from Fair Wheather

"Hey!"

"I told you you were working on commission now, here's your cut. Oh, and you have to go throw the garbage in the dumpster."

Atlas took a few bits from the bag and tossed them on the floor. Fair Wheather sneered and walked closer to Atlas.

"Listen bud! I don't need this crap, and I sure as hell don't need you! And I'll be taking my full pay!"

Fair Wheather snatched the bag of bits from Atlas and ran out the door.

"Fine then! I don't need your sorry flank working here anyways!"

Atlas turned around in a huff and levitated the bag of trash sitting beside the counter. He muttered to himself as he dragged the bag outside, pushing the heavy metal door with such force that it hit the brick wall or was attached to. There was a large section of chain link fence around the small back lot, the only ways in being the door from inside and a smaller one at the back. As he tossed the bag into the dumpster, he smiled.

"See, I don't need her."

He chuckled as he went to open the door to go back inside, but his smiled soon faded.

"Locked? I didn't even-"

His ears perked up as the disregarded sound that had been lingering seconds ago became apparent quickly. He turned around to see a tall white pegasus with a boombox beside him.

"Hey, how'd you get in here? That gates usually locked."

"Blind too?"

"What?"

The pegasus chuckled as the noise from his boombox momentarily ceased, and he raised his wing, brandishing a crowbar. Atlas had no time to react, as the music started again and Thunder Tail brought the weapon down on Atlas' head.

When Atlas came to, he could barely open his eyes from the immense pain in his head. He could barely feel anything on the left side of his face, and feeling was weak throughout the rest of his body. Using his functioning senses, he tried to grasp what was happening. All he was met with was the smell of cleaning chemicals and the sound of a door opening.

"Hello? Who's there? I'll have your flank for doing this!"

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Thunder Tail chuckled as he twirled the bloody crowbar near the ground. He pressed a button on the boombox that was sitting on the floor, starting a loud heavy metal song, and walked towards where Atlas was sitting.

"What do you mean? What's going on here!?"

"I'm just giving an example of what happens to such sinful ponies. It can be... deadly. But, only if I'm accurate I guess."

Thunder Tail raised the crowbar high in the air, and smiled as he brought it down into Atlas' left rear leg. Atlas screamed in pain, and his stomach wretched as he felt the curved weapon pulling the bones out of their places.

"Hmm, wasn't dead on, but this will do."

Smiling and almost giggling, Thunder Tail grasped the crowbar with his hooves and pulled down on it, slowly ripping Atlas' femur out of place. The thought alone made Atlas want to vomit, but the reality, the feeling of blood running down his leg, the scraping of metal on bone, and the intense pain, all combined to breach his tipping point. The small amount of his eyes that could be seen disappeared, and his head flopped over to the side.

"Oh no, you're not copping out on me like that."

Thunder Tail lighty sang along to the song as he walked over to the table and grabbed a syringe.

"This should do it."

He walked back to the limp unicorn and jabbed the needle deep into his chest. As he pushed the plunger, Atlas' eyes opened. He took several deep, panicked breaths before slowing down.

"There we go, welcome back."

"You're a fucking pyscho."

"Yeah yeah, I've heard them all. Psycho, maniac, madpony, crazy. Heh, one mare even called me bananas. Can you believe that? You're dying words, 'you're bananas', like fucking come on."

"Why are you doing this? Why!?"

Thunder Tail stopped picking at the dried blood on his coat and looked at Atlas.

"Let me ask you something. Why are you who you are? Hm? Answer me that."

Thunder Tail grabbed the crowbar, still jammed in Atlas' leg, and pulled. As Atlas screamed, the bone finally was ripped from him, and Thunder Tail was sent falling backwards. His head hit the floor, the crowbar falling beside him along with several bone fragments. He put a hoof to his head as his eyes fluttered. He slowly pushed himself off the ground, eyes closed.

"Ah, what the... Oh no."

He looked behind him at the stallion struggling to escape his restraints.

"Holy shit!"

Thunder Tail ran over and started unbuckling the restraints. Atlas tried to look at the other stallion, but his vision was far too hazy to make out anything distinctly.

"What? Who, who are you? Get away!"

"Sir, I'm trying to help you!"

"You did this, I'll have you dead when I get out of here!"

Atlas broke free from the last restraint before Thunder Tail was finished, and pushed him to the floor. Atlas staggered out of the room as Thuner Tails head hit the ground. His eyes rolled back into his head for a moment, before soon fluttering and shooting wide open. Thunder Tail sprung to life, instantly jumping back onto his hooves. Raising a hoof to the back of his head, he felt the blood that was slowly dripping out.

"Well, it seems we have a fighter this time. Too bad he won't be able to get far."

Thunder Tail calmly walked past the boombox, grabbing it in one wing and the crowbar in the other. When he walked into the hallway, he saw a thick blood trail leading down the right hallway.

"Hmm, finally somepony goes this way."

He chuckled as he followed the trail, dragging the crowbar behind him. His ears perked up at the sound of someone banging on a door, and his grin widened.

"Ready or not, here I come."

Atlas heard the words, and turned around just to see the tall figure standing in the doorway, merely a shadow.

"Well well well, almost escaped did ya?"

"You know, why don't you fight me yourself! You jumped me, I was tied up, and you have a crowbar! Fight me like a real stallion."

Thunder Tail broke into a hyper, almost foalish laugh at Atlas' attempt. He threw the crowbar to the side and set the boombox down at his side.

"Now that is a good one. Alright, let's do it. Come at me."

Atlas took the opportunity to throw himself at Thunder Tail with all that he could. Thunder Tail reacted quick enough to grab the boombox and swing it at Atlas, hitting him in the side of the head. Atlas fell to the floor, roughly half a metre from the crowbar. He started crawling towards it, but Thunder Tail stepped on his hoof before he could get to it.

"What happened to no weapons, huh?"

"You...hit me...with a fucking boombox!"

"Heh, I guess that does violate the guidelines. Alright, give it a shot slugger."

Atlas levitated the crowbar and swung it at Thunder Tail, who dodged it.

"Aw, come on, you gotta do better!"

Atlas grunted and swung the crowbar at Thunder Tail, again missing, and cutting open the side of a barrel. The green-tinged liquid spilled onto the floor, slowly moving closer to the fighting stallions. Atlas swung once more, and Thunder Tail ducked and kicked Atlas towards the puddle. Atlas landed face down in the puddle, and Thunder Tail walked over.

"Well, gotta say, you put up a damn good fight. I respect that."

He picked up the crowbar and looked down at the other stallion. Atlas was gagging on the small amount of liquid that he had injested as he twitched on the ground. Thunder Tail smirked and his work, and started backing up out the door.

"You know, I actually have an idea. I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, if you can. Feel free to try man, go for it."

Atlas sat on the floor, eyes closed, steadily breathing the pungent fluid around him in and out of his mouth. After an amount of time he couldn't remember, his eyes shot open.

"Jeez, almost lost ya. Anyways, I'm back."

Atlas looked at the weapon that the pegasus brandished. It was the crowbar, but both ends were hooked and had small hooks on them, and there was a joint in the middle of the bar.

"Admiring my work? I taught myself some pretty basic metalworking skills, you know, welding, grinding, cutting, all the same sort. Now, let's get you somewhere everypony can see you."

"Ready to go?"

"Yes. But, what about Rainbow Dash?"

Twilight looked towards the room where she heard loud snoring from the cyan pegasus.

"Yeah, I don't think she's up to going with us."

Fluttershy shrugged and started towards the door. Both mares stopped, their ears perking up when they reached the door.

"Do you hear that Twilight?"

"Sounds like there's a mob out there!"

"What do we do?"

Twilight closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. With a quick motion, she flung open the doors and exhaled. When she opened her eyes, she saw what could've easily been everypony in Ponyville.

"What's going on here?!"

"We know that Fluttershy's in their!"

"And she's the killer!"

"We saw her running through town with a gun last night!"

"And she had blood on her fur!"

"Everypony calm down!"

Twilight stepped closer to the crowd. She looked at all of the faces, mixtures of anger and fear upon them.

"Listen to yourselves! Do you hear what you're saying? This is Fluttershy, she wouldn't hurt a fly if it had prevoked her! She was a victim, she's not the killer. The only reason she has a gun is because she needed it as part of her escape. I know it may look bad from the outside, but look on the inside. Do you really believe what you're saying is true? Or do you all just want somepony to blame?"

Multiple ponies in the crowd bowed their heads, knowing that Twilight was right.

"Well what do we do then?"

"Fluttershy and I are going to see what we can do, you are all ordered to resume your normal lives. Report any suspicious or abnormal activities, along with sudden dissapearances or changes in somepony's character. Now go."

"Do you think we'll have any luck Twilight?"

"I sure hope so. Let's just check as many stores as we can. Ask for employees suddenly quiting or their performance dropping."

As they entered the first store, they were met by a pegasus mare with a blonde coat walked over.

"Hello, anything I can help you with today?"

"Yes, we were wondering if you've seen anything, weird lately."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, we're trying to track down the pony that's been, you know."

"Oh. Oh, I see. Well, I, I haven't really seen anything. As far as I'm concerned, everyone's been just as weird as usual."

Twilight and Fluttershy looked at each other, then back to the mare.

"Well, um, if you see anything, you know, suspicious, just find us."

"Will do. Hey, you may wanna check the electronics store just a block down from here. I used to work there, and somepony told me they didn't open today."

"We will, thank you."

"No problem. Good luck."

Twilight and Fluttershy both waved at the mare as they walked out of the building.

"So, should we just skip the rest and go over to that store?"

"Well, it's our only lead so far, I think we should."

"She was right, place is still locked up."

Twilight prodded the lock on the door with her hoof, then put it to her chin.

"Maybe there's another door?"

"Good idea Fluttershy, let's go check the back."

The two mares turned around and started towards the back of the store. When they reached the chain link, both gasped and stopped dead in their tracks. There was a small pool of blood in the center of the compound, and a trail leading through the small door in the fence and into the grass.

"He's already been here. We need to stop this now, if we don't, more and more ponies will die. Come on."

Twilight motioned for Fluttershy to follow her, and the two started running back towards the first building they had checked. When they entered, the same mare as before met them.

"Anything?"

Twilight sighed and looked at Fluttershy, then to the mare.

"We need you to answer some questions for us."

"Did anypony come in? Buy anything?"

"Well, just before I quit, I sold a customer a boombox. Never seen him before, figured he was new around here. He, he was acting kinda strange, now that I really think about it."

"Weird in what way?"

Fair Wheather moved around in her seat and let out a sigh before speaking again.

"Well, his movements were really choppy, and twitchy almost. Like he just drank nine gallons of coffee. But we was so calm, and monotone."

"What did he look like?"

"Tall, pegasus, black mane, weird red and white coat-"

"Red and white?"

"Yeah, looked kinda weird, it was pretty faded looking. I don't know much else, he wasn't around for long."

Twilight nodded and looked down at the table for a moment.

Could it be her? No, Fluttershy saw what she saw, she went through what she said she went through.

"What, what did your boss look like?"

"Pff, nothin' like this guy if that's what you're saying. He's fatter, and his mane is shorter. The other guy was almost kinda cute, but he just had some freaky mannerisms."

"Well, what happened after he left?"

"My boss started being an ass, I told him that I quit, then I left. I was sick of that greedy bastard, I honestly think he had it coming, as bad as that sounds."

Fluttershy nodded to Fair Wheather and looked at Twilight.

"I guess we're-"

At that moment, Apple Bloom burst through the door, panting.

"Y'all gotta come see this!"

Twilight and Fluttershy both stood up, but Apple Bloom ran out the door before they could ask her what was happening. All three mares started out the door, then simply followed where everyone else was rushing to. Their fears were soon realized when they saw a mutilated body hanging from a tree. He was strung up by the neck by some sort of makeshift metal noose, two ends of a crowbar jabbed into his neck, and there was a note stapled into his forehead. Twilight levitated the note to herself and read it aloud.

"I'm back again, and I'm not stopping. This makes four in this place, but there were others, and more will come. You'd better watch yourselves, you wouldn't want to end up like him."

Web Of Lies

Fair Weather expelled the remaining contents of her stomach into the toilet and wiped her mouth. She moved to look at herself in the mirror through slightly clouded vision. She could see the stress wearing her down. He knew her, he saw her, she was definitely his next target.

"J-just.. just c-calm down. O-ok, I-I didn't see him for that long, m-m-maybe he has b-bad memory."

Fair Weather batted her mane out of her face with a hoof, then let out a deep sigh before backing away from the sink. As Fair Weather exited the bathroom, she looked at the way here home was kept. Her normally clean floors had random items strewn about, and all the windows she usually kept open for fresh air were shut and locked up tight. Her whole house was locked up. She curled up on the couch and stared at the blank television screen.

"This shit's so crazy. I can't believe this is even happening."

A knock at the door prompted a small yelp and a jolty, quick motion upwards. She slowly walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. It was princess Twilight Sparkle and her friend. Fair Weather opened the door and motioned for Twilight and her friend to come in.

"What's going on?"

Fair Weather was visibly shaking, which Twilight and Fluttershy both noticed.

"We think that it may be a good idea for you to move. Temporarily."

Twilights words hit Fair Weather like a train.

"Move? Wh-why?"

"It's a type of witness protection we do. You're identity will be temporarily changed, and you'll be moved elsewhere for the time being."

"What? What about her? She actually got abducted, why isn't she moving?"

Twilight looked at Fluttershy, then back to Fair Weather.

"She's under the royal guards protection. And mine."

Fair Weather sighed and ran a hoof through her mane.

"That's ridiculous. Where would I even be going?"

"ManeHatten."

"Well, suppose I have always wanted to go there. When is this?"

"It would be best for you to be out of here by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!? Jeez, I don't get any warning?"

Twilight and Fluttershy both bowed their heads slightly, and Fair Weather sighed again.

"Alright, whatever, I'll start packing."

"Well of course I feel horrible about it Spike, but it has to be done, there's no way she won't be a target soon."

"Well, don't you think ManeHatten is a little unreasonable? Why not Cloudsdale?"

"A, that's predictable, B, it's too close, and C, he's a pegasus too, he would just fly up there if he knew."

Twilight finished putting away the stack of books that Spike had been holding and sighed.

"What if he goes there?"

"He wouldn't. There's no way he'd be able to get on a train without being noticed, and nopony would walk or even fly all the way from here to ManeHatten."

"But what if he does? He's clearly psycho, I'm sure he wouldn't mind a long flight if he had a motive."

"But what motive does he have? If anything, we need to be protecting Fluttershy the most."

Twilight led Spike into the map room as she spoke, and put both front hooves up on the map.

"ManeHatten is a good place. Populous, far away, and there are lots of places to hide."

"Well, what if he heard something and he's already there?"

"We have somepony waiting to pick her up from the train station and walk her to her new apartment. With any luck, we'll catch him in a few days and she can come back."

A knock came from the door, startling Twilight. She wasn't expecting anypony. When she opened the door, she was met by a pegasus stallion, with a black mane and a blue coat.

"Hello?"

"Hi there. I'm StarSet, I'm visiting Pnyville. I was wondering what this big place was, but somepony told me it was your castle. I must say, it's an honor to meet you."

That stallion bowed a little after speaking, to which Twilight smiled.

"Oh, well, welcome to Ponyville. You know anypony here?"

"I had a friend who came here before. He played a little show here in Ponyville, him and his band."

"Oh, cool."

"Yeah, him and I are gonna be meeting up soon. Well, I should go, it was a pleasure meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you, have a good stay in Ponyville."

"Thank you."

The stallion turned and started walking away, leaving Twilight to close the door and look at Spike.

"That was weird, I swear I remember that name."

"From where?"

"I don't know, but what I do know is, that name isn't new to Ponyville."

Starset walked up to the train station in Ponyville and sighed.

"Well, shame it has to come to an end so quick."

As he walked up to the ticket booth, he looked over at some of the ponies waiting for the train. There were only a few, which was surprising considering the time, the train would arrive soon. He spied one, a pegasus mare with a blonde mane covered by a large hat, and a face slightly hidden by mirrored sunglasses.

"One ticket to ManeHatten please."

After taking his ticket, StarSet walked over to the line, getting as close as he could to the blonde-maned pegasus.

"Hey."

The mare jumped a little when he spoke. She turned around and looked at him through her sunglasses.

"H-hi."

"May I ask you something?"

"S-sure?"

"Why are you wearing those if it's almost night time?"

The mare moved her sunglasses down further on her muzzle and looked at the stallion.

"Well, I have sensitive eyes. And the hat is just part of my style."

"Okay, reasonable answers."

The mare turned away from StarSet as the train slowly pulled into the station. All the ponies waiting for the train boarded, but the mare took a few deep breaths before boarding.

"Hey, are you alright?"

StarSet looked at the mare again, and she looked back.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. Just nervous."

"First time going to ManeHatten?"

"N-no. I just haven't been, back home, in a while."

"Oh, ok. Well, there's no need to be nervous."

As StarSet put his hoof on the mares shoulder, she jumped slightly again and rushed onto the train. StarSet shrugged and started walking onto the train.

"Weird. Whatever, won't be my problem."

Fair Weather screamed out in pain as another spike was driven through her leg. Tears rolled down her face as the pegasus grinned at her and laughed.

"While the Weather is wair, I figured you could get out more, what's the fun in being stuck inside with me? Get it? The Weather is Fair?"

He laughed again and wound up for another hammer strike. As the spike broke through her skin and bone, Fair Weather screamed out again.

Fair Weather snapped awake. She looked around the train car, but didn't see anypony else.

"Jeez, that was vivid."

She looked at her leg, but saw that it was still clear of any marks. As she let out a sigh and leaned back, she noticed that her hat and sunglasses were missing.

"Shit, Twilight told me to wear those."

Fair Weather stood up and looked out the window, seeing that it was darker out now.

"We got far."

"Not far enough it would seem."

Fair Weather yelped and turned around to see a pegasus stallion with a white coat and a black mane. He threw off Fair Weather's hat and glasses off, and smiled at her with that same sickening grin from her nightmare.

"H-how, how did you?"

"If princess Twilight was stupid enough to fall for that, why wouldn't the ponies riding the train be?"

Thunder Tail quickly jumped over to Fair Weather and held a soaked rag up to her mouth. Fair Weather let a small scream out before she eventually passed out. Thunder Tail dragged the body behind him over to the end of the train car, and carried it off into he night, leaving the train to continue on towards ManeHatten.

Spike noticed how nervously Twilight was pacing and sighed as he stood up.

"Its ok Twilight, I'm sure she got there perfectly fine."

"But you don't know that, anything could have happened."

A knock on the door prevemted Spike from retorting.

"That's Rainbow Dash, she has the news from the ManeHatten messenger. I guess we're about to actually find out."

As Twilight took a deep breath, she opened the door to reveal her cyan friend, not flying, but standing before her. Her grim look gave Twilight an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Rainbow Dash?"

"The guy said that she didn't make it to ManeHatten, she wasn't even on the train."

"What?"

"But wait, there's something weird."

Rainbow Dash ran into the castle and threw some things from her saddlebags onto the map table. Twilight slowly walked into the room as Rainbow Dash was laying out various papers.

"What's all-"

"The train schedules and stuff, I got Rarity to help me."

"Ok, well what's going on? What's so weird?"

"Look at this, the stallion that was escorting her did a head count, and he matched it with the number of tickets for that train route. They don't match, there are two ponies missing from the head count."

"She was kidnapped?!"

Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight and nodded with a frown. Twilight raised a hoof to her chin for a moment, and then perked up.

"He was on that train."

"What? How? Everyone knows what he looks like, it's all over town, and all over the news, how could he have even gone near the train station without someone seeing him?"

Twilight didn't have an answer for that. She looked down to the floor in contemplation, going over everything that had happened since this began. From the first murder to where they were now, nothing seemed to be out of what could be called ordinary. Then, a memory, from just a day ago.

"Wait a minute, StarSet!"

"What?"

"About five years ago, there was a show here, and the headlining bands singer was named StarSet."

"And?"

"And, the stallion that came to my door yesterday said that he was new to town, and that his name was StarSet. But, if that name was already here, then that means that he was disguised! And I believed it!"

"So, he's suddenly a master of disguise now?"

"I think so, and that means that he could be anyone, anywhere."

Fair Weather opened her eyes and looked around slowly, left and right. Her head was pounding, and she felt nauseated. Her breathing was seemingly being regulated by the mask over her face, with added another level of creepy.

"Ugh, what the-"

She stopped herself short when she looked up, or rather down, and saw a large array of spikes pointing towards her.

"Fuck."

She looked up and saw her wings and legs bound by a length of rope that went all the way to the ceiling. The second rope however only seemed to wrap around her neck.

"Oh shit."

Then, lights from below her flicked on and pointed at her. She heard a small chuckle and looked to see an upside down pegasus walking towards her.

"Hello there. Don't I have the best timing?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! What did I even do?"

"Its not about anything anymore. It used to be, but it seems like everpony's getting better. More are escaping, or at least making a good attempt. I feel as if I'm slipping. Well, you, I'll do something different with you."

He walked over to a small computer that was sitting near the edge of his platform and opened up a tab that showed the local news.

"In five hours, I'm going to broadcast your execution live for all Equestria to see."

The grin that grew on his face as he turned to face Fair Weather again sent a sickening chill all throughout her.

"So, I think I'll come back and start the broadcast in a few minutes, I have something to go get."

As the other pegasus walked slowly out of the room, Fair Weather started becoming frantic.

"Fuck, ok, calm down. How long does it take for somepony to die if they're upside down? But how long have I been here already? Fuck."

She looked at the rope around her body, at how it was digging in and leaving marks.

"How am I gonna get out of this?"

"So, what's this plan of yours again?"

"We're going to go get everypony, we'll go to Canterlot, and we'll order that the factory be destroyed with no second thoughts."

"Twilight!!"

"Ugh, what now?"

Rainbow Dash and Twilight both ran into the room that Spike was in and gasped at what they saw on the tv. Thunder Tail was adjusting a camera that was pointing at Fair Weather.

"Hello everyone. As you can see, I have the factorys next victim. Now, I'm not going to kill her yet, but when I do, you'll all have a front row seat."

As the stallion rambled on, Twilights heart dropped. Rainbow Dash walked forward a little and looked at Twilight.

"Got a plan B?"

"Clock's ticking."

Thunder Tail maliciously laughed and walked out of the cameras view. Fair Weather tried to escape from her bindings, but her attempts were futile. Thunder Tail sat down on the small stool by the computer and closed his eyes.

"Only a matter of time. If you were somehow to escape, if suggest you get at it."

"You're sick! You hear me? You're fucked up in the head!"

Thunder Tail sighed and stood up. He looked at the tab to confirm that he was still live, and when he did, he stood in front of the camera again.

"Hello again Equestria. So, recent events have led me to this decision. I'm moving up the time, to two hours from this moment, and I'll be doing some in between, such as-"

Thunder Tail slammed his right wing down on the desk and grabbed something that was sitting on top of it. He turned around quickly, and in one swift motion, threw it at Fair Weather. Fair Weather screamed in pain as the knife dug deep into her abdomen just above her left rear leg. As the blood slowly ran down her body and onto her face, Thunder Tail smiled.

"There, just a taste. That's all for now, I have something big to prepare for."

As the pegasus walked off screen, Twilight wiped the tears from her eyes. It was wretched watching something so horrible happen right in front of her. Rainbow Dash coughed and pushed herself off the wall, closer to Twilight and the TV she was staring blankly at.

"What do we do now?"

No response came to Twilight. She couldn't think of anything to say, let alone muster the mental strength to say it. Then, something on screen.

"Wait, do you see that?"

"What?"

Twilight pointed atbth e screen, specifically at the hanging mares left rear leg.

"The knife cut the rope, I think she can move a little!"

The mare wriggled in her place and tried to move her left wing. When the rope around it filly split, she stretched it out. Twilight and Rainbow Dash heard some muttering, then gasped as they saw the wing reach for the knife.

"She isn't..."

"I think she is."

Fair Weather softly spoke to herself through gritted teeth as her wing grasped the handle of the knife.

"C'mon, just do it. C'mon."

She closed her eyes and made sure her grasp was firm, then slowly started forcing the blade out of her body. She cursed out loud as the pain grew, but continued removing the weapon. When the serrated edge caught on something, it cause so much pain that Fair Weathers vision became cloudy.

"C'mon, I gotta do this."

She re-adjusted her grip and took a deep breath in through the oxygen mask on her face. As she closed her eyes again, she pulled as hard as she could on the knife. There was a twinge in her leg, and she now felt short of breathe from the immense pain. She looked up at the blood dripping down from the item in her wing.

"She's got it, she can escape."

"Let's hope."

Twilight and Rainbow Dash watched the mare slowly cut the rope with the knife, holding their breath.

"Wait, the second rope, what about it?"

"Huh?"

"The second rope, it's tied around her neck! When the rest snap, she'll hang herself!"

"Oh shit."

Rainbow Dash looked back at the TV with panic as the mare in screen continued to cut away the rope around her. Just as there were only a few left, Fair Weather reached up and grabbed the rope around her neck with her free wing. She started shifting her body, swinging gently at first but gaining momentum. She had the blade of the knife poised at the edge of the last strand of rope. The moment her body was close to the platform, Fair Weather brought the blade through the rope and up to the one that was now her noose, and cut it almost through. The weight being forced in one direction snapped the remainder of the now frayed rope, and Fair Weather fell to the platform floor.

"She did it!"

Fair Weather looked up slowly at the camera, and lifted her head up. She put one hoof on the ground, then the other, slowly pushing herself up. When she went to move her left rear leg, she cried iutbin pain and fell back down. She looked back and saw the blood rapidly draining from it.

"Fuck, gotta make this quick."

She pushed herself up and stood in front of the camera.

"Citizens of Equestria. Stay in your homes. Lock your doors, and keep the blinds shut. Don't trust anypony you don't know, and keep on constant guard. Until you hear further, don't do anything else, and stay indoors!"

Her message out, Fair Weather grabbed the camera and threw it into the hole behind her. She turned back and tossed the computer off the desk, falling almost to the floor afterwards.

"Now to just get out of here."

She pushed herself up once again and started looking at the few doors around her.

"He went out that one, so no. That one has a lock on it, and I don't see a key, so I guess that one."

She started walking towards the simple wooden door that she prayed led to the outside, or at least somewhere safe. As she reached for the doorknob, she heard something behind her, and jumped behind some crates. Her breathing was heavy, but she tried to slow it quickly as she heard hoofsteps enter the room.

"Hmm, sooner than I expected. Good for her. Wish she hadn't thrown my camera however."

When she heard the chuckling pony exit the room, she peeked around the crates, and saw that he was gone. Taking the opportunity, she quickly ran up to the door and started trying to open it.

"Locked? What? No! Come on, come on, please open!"

"Missing something?"

Fair Weather turned around in an instant, and saw Thunder Tail standing behind her. He had a small necklace with multiple keys around his neck, and he looked up at her through his parted black mane.

"So, I see you've escaped your bindings? Good, good. One fatal mistake though, would you like a guess?"

Fair Weather drew her knife, but didn't move. She couldn't, the fear overpowered the adrenaline. Thunder Tail maliciously chuckled and started towards her. Within seconds, her kicked the knife from her grasp and pinned her to the wall.

"Your first mistake, was not killing me when you pulled the knife just now."

Before Fair Weather could do anything, Thunder Tail moved his grip, and slammed her head against the wall.

"Well what do we do now?"

"I don't know. With our only source of information as to what's happening inside gone, what can we do now?"

Twilight stopped pacing for a moment and looked down to the floor. Rainbow Dash stood up and walked over to her.

"What if... what if I checked it out?"

"What?"

"I can just fly up to the roof and look around inside a little. There's gotta be a way in from the roof."

"Dash, I'm not sure if you know what you're getting into. He is clearly insane, we have no way of knowing what could be in there waiting for you. And besides, if anything happened to you, I could never forgive myself."

Rainbow Dash hung her head slightly and sighed.

"I guess you're right. But there's gotta be something we can do!"

Twilight raised a hoof to her chin in thought. After a few quiet seconds, it dropped.

"This requires thoight beyond me. Spike!"

"Yes Twilight?"

"Prepare a letter."

As Spike readied his paper and quill, Twilight sighed.

"Dear Princess Celestia."

"All prior options have been tried, or are no longer available. I am now requesting your guidance on the matter. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

"What now sister? It sounds as if there is almost no possibility for us to assist in the matter."

"Do not worry Luna, there will be a way. Though it is not obvious now, it will make itself obvious soon."

Celestia moved from her position on the throne and walked down the staircase. Luna followed close behind, still concerned.

"But what if it shows itself too late? It sounds like there isn't much time-"

"And too much has happened already. I know where you're going sister, and I agree. Twilight Sparkle will find an answer, as she and her friends always do. But for now, we can only hope that the solution comes to them soon."

"I hope you know what you're doing sister."

Celestia stared out the window in the direction of Ponyville. She let out a long sigh, but didn't move.

"I don't, but we also know the risks of the possible options."

"And those are?"

"Twilights first plan was to destroy the building immediately. Since then, a hostage has been taken into the factory, and we cannot risk civilians. Sending in anypony alone would be a deathtrap, and-"

"Wait, then why not send in a group?"

Celestia perked up at the end of Luna's sentence, and quickly looked to her.

"Prepare the carriage to Ponyville, and assemble some guards."

As Fair Weather opened her eyes, she saw Thunder Tail sitting in front if her, looking solemn, almost bored.

"Ah, you're awake."

"What do you want from me? Why can't you just let me leave!"

"That's a good question. Why can't I? Well, let's start with this. It's fun. You entertain me."

"You're so fucked up."

Thunder Tail chuckled and stood up. He walked slow circles around Fair Weather, occasionally running his hooves along her head or through her mane.

"Lemme say this, and I mean it in a good way, you're a crazy bitch. And I like that. It's good material for me to work with. I gotta credit your resilience sweetheart, it's one of the better things about you. Probably why you're still here. I like it. I put you through hell and back, and you come back almost unscathed. Pretty fucking good. But, you know what the definition of insanity is?"

"N-no."

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing, over and over, and expecting a different outcome. You, you try to escape every time, and yet, you're here. You think I'm insane?"

He chuckled and pushed Fair Weather over on her side, so that she looked down in the pit that she was just before hanging over. It was now empty, no longer having spikes in it. But, instead of a computer desk, there was a large machine that almost resembled a wood chipper.

"Alright sweetie, time to have some fun!"

He put his right front hoof on her side and smiled before kicking her into the pit. Fair Weather wad able to break some of the fall with her hooves, but couldn't lessen it with her wings, as they were tied to her body. Her vision was blurred when she looked up at Thunder Tail. Thunder Tail pulled a lever that started moving a large metal grate over the pit. The bars were wide and had quite a bit of space in between, but not quite enough to fit between.

"Here, cut yourself free."

A medium sized knife hit the ground in front of Fair Weather, and she immediately cut her wing bindings free.

"Every seen one of those music videos where the room fills with water during the song? Well, here's something like it."

Thunder Tail chuckled as he hit two buttons on the machine and it loudly sprung to life. For a few moments, nothing happened. Then, a horrible crunching noise, accompanied by the machine bogging down slightly. Fair Weather looked up, and raised her wing just before the flow of blood hit her. A feeling of pure disgust came over her, and she immediately lost her lunch on the floor.

"What the fuck!?"

"Hope you like drowning in blood!"

Thunder Tail laughed maniacally as he threw another body onto the conveyer and watched it enter the machine. He looked back at the huge pile of decaying bodies he had moved into the room and chuckled.

"Its gonna be a long, bloody day."