AND THEN!

by KorenCZ11

Rating: teen
Tags: Thriller, Original Character, Mystery, Spike, Horror, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe
Length: 5684

The mind is a powerful force. Memories plague us and drive what we do as we move on in life. Ideas are dangerous. So dangerous that sometimes... they come to life.

PROPHETIC VISION:

To begin, a young colt makes a mistake. A dead dragon revives from his tomb and serves justice to all his fellows. The radio claims a blue sky in the middle of the night. A pair of adults succumb to the ideas of a child.

AND THEN!

And then! is based heavily on Paranoia Agent by Satoshi Kon.

(This story takes place in the same universe as Sometimes they call me Super, but only references to things within that story, and the events of this story do not lean on it. Reading Super is not required to understand this.)

Published 2017-08-06 16:00:06 UTC
Last updated 2017-08-06 16:00:06 UTC

Out of the blue

“Today is a beautiful day outside, wouldn’t you agree Mister Static?”

The radio blares from the colt’s skateboard as he rolls along the park sidewalk.

“Absolutely Mister Boom. Puffy nimbus clouds all around, bright sun, blue skies, and the prefect temperature to go outside and enjoy Celestia’s light.”

The radio fades out as the colt rolls away. It’s about time. I don’t come out here on my lunches just to listen to drivel like that.

“Geez, the street is crowded today.”

Tell me about it Mister business Stallion.

“Tell me about it. It’s about time Manehattan started thinking of a new kind of public transportation. The subway is great and all, but the city has become so populated now that it’s just not enough anymore.”

Ha! Jinx! The pair of office worker ponies walk out of earshot.

“So, have you heard the story yet?”

Gossip? Surely I haven’t Miss Office worker mare, please continue.

“What story?”

I asked it first.

“Oh, so you haven’t huh? They’re saying that there’s a new attacker running around these days.”

Is that so? Tell me more, Mare A.

“Come on! This is Manehattan! You’d be hard pressed to go a day without an attack, let alone a new assailant. Power Ponies running around left and right, new heroes show up in the morning and fade away over night. I mean, how long has it been since the last time one of those super morons ended up dead in an alley way?”

Doesn’t mean it doesn’t make for a good story with the right… exaggerations, Mare B.

“Yeah, sure, that does happen a lot, but this one is different.”

Different? How so?

“What about it?”

Can you just be quiet and let her speak, Mare B?

“Well, it goes like this: The other day, a pair of ponies were attacked just after sunset.”

“What’s your point? That happens all the time.”

“Will you just shut up and let me finish?”

I’ll say.

“As I was saying, The sun had just gone down and the streetlights had come on. This stallion, some faceless thug with nothing better to do than try to rob a convenience store with his weird powers, was caught in the act by a local super. Uh… What was his name? Iron tail? Yeah, he wasn’t just an unknown, I think it was that Iron tail guy.”

Hmm… Iron tail… A Super who came around shortly after Red Hoof, the First Hero, died well more than a decade ago. I believe his career was littered with a few big time successes, him being at the top of the food chain, so to speak, before Red Hoof’s successor came along and took that title from him.

“You mean the guy who got beat up trying to take down that one gang?”

Beat up doesn’t even begin to describe it. He was hospitalized for months after that. It’s a wonder that he ever decided to get back into the game after the whole 'monsters terrorizing the city' thing a while back. I suppose old habits die hard.

“That’s the one! I heard that wasn’t so much of a fair fight though, but that’s not the point. The point is, this was an accomplished super, one of the ones who’s really done something for the community and had a respectable reputation.”

“Oh. So you’re saying it wasn’t just some rando.”

I would hope more ponies knew his name. Sure, it’s not like he was a big player in the last event, but still…

“Right! I think he can turn his whole body into steel or something, hard dude to beat up you know? But just as his fight was about to go down with this thug, they started to hear the sound of wheels rolling.”

Rolling?

“Wheels?”

“Yeah, wheels. Like, think the sound of a skateboard as it’s rolling along.”

“Oh, so like that kid that just passed with the radio?”

How could you hear that with his radio as loud as it was?

“Just like that. They both turned to look toward the sound, when there was a flash of gold and bam! Knocked unconscious.”

Iron Tail? Knocked unconscious? Just like that?

“Iron tail? The metal guy, knocked out. Just like that?”

Stop speaking my thoughts Mare B!

“Just like that.”

Hmm… now that is an interesting story…

“I can’t believe something like that happened. Are you sure this was legit?”

“It came from the horse’s mouth.”

Heh.

“That’s derogatory.”

So is your face.

“But true none the less! There was a conference held after he woke up, and that was his account of the story. They interviewed the thug too, and he said the same thing. Apparently, they aren’t going to arrest the thug because he got caught before he could really do anything.”

Yes, but did Iron Tail get paid for stopping him from getting violent? Or does that not count because of the unknown?

“Wow, talk about a get outta jail free card, am I right?”

“You’re telling me.”

“So… do they know what this… ‘attacker’ looked like?”

Asking the real questions. Good job Mare B. I’d prefer not to make something up, but if I have to…

“I don’t think so… It was dark, and supposedly the pony just left as soon as they came. It was like… they just passed on by after nearly killing two ponies.”

Damn.

“That’s… unsettling.”

“Yeah. Oh shoot! I’m sorry, my lunch break is just about up, I’ve got to go.”

Of course you do. Mare A, you attractive, successful business pony. Back to your place in the machine to feed the world its constant status quo.

“Okay, that’s fine. I’ll see you later Graphite!”

A name to remember.

“Same to you Ringer!”

A name to forget.

That’s right, run a long back to your holes, little mares. Just another pair of cogs in the machine of this big concrete monster. Not a day goes by where I don’t despise it, yet I can’t be bothered to leave. What a hypocrite you are, Rising Climax. This attacker though… that’s interesting enough to write a story about…

“Hey Climax!”

Here comes the pest.

“Yes, Interrobang.”

It would be rather nice if he could just hear my tone of disdain for him, yet he’s just so loud and annoying that he couldn’t hear anything but himself. It’s like talking to a wall with him.

“So did you hear!?”

If you didn’t cause my hearing to degrade every day, then possibly.

“Not with you yelling in my ears like that!”

Pegasai like myself have more resiliant ears than other ponies since our bodies were built to take the high winds in the sky. Interrobang is loud enough to rival gale winds, something a simple columnist like myself cannot face.

“Oh, sorry, my bad. It’s just your story, it’s amazing!”

That’s right you little scum. Suck me off a little harder, and I might actually like you.

“Is that so? Well, I’m glad you like it.”

Of course he likes it. Click-bait garbage like that is just for ponies like this little cog.

“How did you come up with an idea like this? I mean, some dragon kid with a bat running around beating ponies is just… just so out there! You don’t think this’ll offend somepony do you?”

There are many times in a day where I’d like to roll my eyes as hard as possible. I don’t usually do it, but this was a special case.

“You act like I care if I offend somepony. Let them twist their tails. Who cares if one of the grand total of twelve dragons in Equestria gets mad at some small time writer’s work. As a matter of fact, I’d be honored that my story made it that far. Goddess knows they deserve it…”

Stop it. If you think too hard, you’ll remember…

“Well… then you might just be that way already my hetero-chromatic buddy! Take a look at this!”

What? Interrobang passed me his phone with my story from the website I work for on it. I scrolled down to the social media bar and practically dropped my jaw.

“You’ve got to be… What the hell?”

Millions of views and counting. I’ve never written anything so popular.

“You’re telling me! The reason I came to you in the first place was because the chief wanted to talk to you about it. She says we could have a series on our hooves. Climax? Where are you going?”

This is sickening. It’s making my stomach turn. This can’t be real.

“I… need to use the bathroom. Tell Megaphone I’ll be there as soon as I get out.”

Goddess, this isn’t really happening is it? All I did was over hear a story… This kind of work shouldn’t be that popular! I… I didn’t even spend hardly any time on it! I wrote it in a day! This… this isn’t my best work, I didn’t even care! Oh goddess, if this is my meal ticket…

“Follow up she shays. Do another one she shays. You want more popular garbage like this!?” Hic. It’s dark and blurry outside. Maybe I over did it…

“Umm… Sir, are you alright?”

The fuzzily unclear bartender asks. As if he cares about my well being. Or mine for that matter.

“What do you want, you cog!? Get me another one! I’ve got all the m-money ta blow that I could ever drink away!”

We’re actively yelling at bartenders? Oh Goddess, I am so drunk.

“I’m sorry sir, but we’re not allowed to serve you any more alcohol.”

No more? No more!? I slammed my wooden pint on the table, Goddess knows that I’m not strong enough to actually break the cup.

“That’s right, you’re just another facehless piesh of da machine! You do what they tell you ‘cause you can’t think for yourshelf in the big concrete box, now can you!? Don’t think you’ll shee me again! Take your filthy bits! Who cares anymore...”

I tossed about fifteen bits on the counter, that was probably what I owed. I think I drank five, maybe less. I’m not in the mind to do math right now.

The crickets chirp and the road wobbles around me. The sidewalk swerves and angles away from the center of my vision with every three steps.

“Why is it sho empty around here? Iths only midnight, the bars sh- ugh…”

A sound draws my ears. My head swerves with them, and I lose my balance, letting my butt fall to the ground. I struggle to keep my eyes open. There are two figures under a street light in the darker part of the road. I’m far enough away from the bars for light to be scarce around this residential area.

“Give me the money!”

A mare? Probably just another whore. This is the red-light district after all.

“Keep your hooves off me bitch!”

Ah, I know what this is. He never planned to pay her to begin with. Just a pair of malfunctioning cogs in need of removal.

“I gave you an hour, and now you owe me for it! Don’t make me call my daddy!”

How threatening. Oh no, her ‘daddy’ is going to come get me.

“Who now? You mean your pimp? Yeah, call him, see if he can do anything to me.”

One of the figures got bigger. I think it has more limbs than before. It’s real red now too. Is it a lobster? Hah! A Lobster. That sounds almost like…

“You think, you’re the only one who can do somethin’ special, don’t cha? They call me dominatrix for a reason! On your knees!”

The smaller figure’s eyes suddenly started to glow with an intense white light, it was blinding. I felt something rising in my throat. The larger figure slowly fell to the ground until he’d prostrated himself before the smaller one.

“Give me the money you owe me! You know what? Give me all your money. Pompous assholes like you don’t deserve to have it.”

Ugh, this is making my head even worse. But… isn’t this all… too… similar?

“You cheating bitch!”

The larger one’s...claw? Reached for a bag that jingled with a metallic sound. The light was too intense and it started to spill out of me.

“Shit! Is somepony there? Later loser! I better not see you around here anymore, or you’re really gonna get it!”

That sound again… what is it? I know I’ve heard it before… why is it so familiar?

“Don’t think I’ll let you get away with this!”

“Aaah!”

A loud clang rang through the air. Something metallic spilled all over the ground. Clack, clack, clack, clack.

“Woah, wait a minute! What the hell are you!?”

Crack! Clack, clack, clack, clack… What was that sound? My head is pounding, I can’t think straight. Eww. I smell awful. I need to go home and shower.

“What the hell is all that racke- Oh, goddess! What the hell!? Somepony call an ambulance!”

“I can’t believe it happened again!”

The mares from the other day are back, and it looks like the pretty one is mouthing off about something.

“Happened again? What are you talking about?”

This mare. She needs to get out of my head. Only one of many, I suppose.

“Geez Ringer, you are way behind. The kid struck again!”

Kid…?

“Like the one from that popular story that’s been going around for a week now?”

“Yeah, the little Spiker!”

No…

“That’s the one. So... wait, you’re telling me he was the kid from the first one?”

It can’t be…

“I think so. It’s weird. I honestly thought it was a rumor at first, but now that it’s happened again, I guess it’s not.”

Was it not a rumor if two ponies were involved? But… there’s no way…

“Well, what happened this time?”

“You read the story right?”

“I wouldn’t know the name if I didn’t.”

“Oh, point taken. So, oddly enough, it was almost like that story came true. In a back alley, just past the red-light district where all the good bars are, these two power ponies got into an argument. One of them was supposedly the missing filly that was kidnapped by that trafficking ring a while back.”

No, I made that up!

“Just like in the story!?”

“Mmhmm. But the weirder part was the other guy. This earth pony stallion, not only did he go by the name ‘the crimson prince’ like in the story, but they found him in a transformed state where he had all of this red lobster shell-like armor. The guy even had the pincers!”

But… how!? I… ponies can’t… No, that’s not true, those monsters from a while back proved that… but… but…

“Who knew there were Power Ponies like that out there?”

“As it turns out, they were both admitted to a near by hospital for a head wound after a local went outside to scold them for being loud. But get this! They both said that they were attacked by a young wingless dragon on skates with a gold baseball bat!”

“You’re kidding!”

“No, this is totally what happened! Look here’s the story.”

This can’t be real. This absolutely, cannot be real. It was all just random crap that came to me in the middle of the night. Ponies like that don’t exist. He… he died years ago!

“Eek, what a scary face.”

I could see Mare A’s phone from my view under the park tree. He looks just like how I described him in my story… The armored lobster pony…

“Report says that since he got hit in the head so hard, something went wrong with his brain, and now he can’t get out of that state. Ponies are calling him the Lobster.”

“Aww. Poor guy.”

“You know that he didn’t pay the prostitute, and that’s why they got in the argument in the first place, right?”

Another argument between a pair of misshapen cogs… Did I…? Or… did he?

“Ah. Figures. Well, whatever. Sucks to suck I guess.”

“True. Honestly, I think it’s scarier knowing that there’s some kid out there who can knock a guy like that’s brain loose.”

He… he can do well more than that, Mare A…

“Gee, I didn’t even think about that. Way to put ideas in my head.”

“It’s not like you knew in the first place. How you miss such a big story like that is completely unbelievable to me.”

“You know I don’t keep up with stuff like that. Ah, well my time is up, and I have to get back. See you next week?”

“You know it. Bye Ringer.”

“Later Graphite.”

Maybe I should just go home? Tell everypony at the office that my lunch made me sick… and sleep this strange dream away…

“You’ve done it again Climax! Six million views! Our site traffic is through the roof, and our papers are selling like crazy! How do you come up with this stuff?”

And here comes the other loud presence in my life, my boss. Is it so hard for you to be at a normal level indoors? Or does that cutiemark of yours prevent that?

“Huh? What the hell are you on about?”

“The story you sent me yesterday!”

I… sent a story in? No…

“I don’t remember sending you a story Megaphone.”

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me too much. There were spelling errors everywhere, so I could bet you were smashed. That aside, after I edited it, it was even better than the first one.”

Better than the first one? Oh goddess, he didn’t…

“Link me to the page. Did you make any changes?”

“Oh, no, I don’t think so. All I did was fix the errors. I’ll send it after I get back to my computer.”

This can’t be happening. All I remember from that night was feeling sick and going home! Did I stay up and write another piece of that stupid story? No, I couldn’t have… if somepony wrote a story… it was him…

“Heeeeeey Climax!”

The mosquito in my ears never leaves! Broken cog! Why can’t you be replaced next!?

“Oh, goddess, why do you have to yell in my ears every time you’re near me!”

“Woah, geez, cool it. I just came to congratulate you again on that story. This little Spiker kid is pretty messed up, don’t ya think?”

He’s not the reason he’s ‘messed up’ in the first place…

“I’m pretty sure believing you’re a warrior of justice and running around beating ponies half to death is considered ‘messed up’ by most ponies standards. It was just supposed to be a creepy story about some schizo.”

I never thought it would turn out like this…

“Well, the second part is definitely even more crazy than the first. I mean-”

“Sorry to interrupt, but can I talk to you for a minute Climax.”

Megaphone? What are you doing back so soon?

“You were just here, what do you…?”

Megaphone pointed her hoof at the main office’s door and there were a pair of well dressed stallions standing there, waiting impatiently.

“Ah. I see.”

“So, you’re mister ‘Destined Pen’ is that right, Rising Climax?”

The younger of the two asked.

“Uh, yes sir.”

“Why Destined Pen? With a name like yours that’s already so suited to what you do, I figure...”

The older stallion, a relic of the last age. An old cog. I wonder if it still works?

“It’s an… anonymity thing. Sometimes… you just don’t want to be yourself online, mister uh…”

You say don’t want to, but in your case, it’s not always you, now is it?

Be quiet! I don’t have time for you right now.

“Oh, right. I’m Detective Open Book, and this here is my partner, Deputy Case Closed.”

“Quite a pair of names yourself.”

“We get that a lot. As the detective was saying, your online alias has been causing quite the commotion lately.”

I’ll say.

“We’d like to know what gave you the idea for your story, in the event you haven’t guessed why we’re here yet.”

“You mean the one that was published last week?”

The officers looked to each other, then to me. What does that look mean? Wait… Megaphone was going about a story I sent… last night…

“Unfortunately, no.”

“There was a case of assault and murder this morning.”

“Almost identical to the ones in the story of yours that was published last night.”

What!? How!? I shook my head.

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember much of that story, I was very intoxicated when I wrote it. What happened?”

They looked at each other again.

“This morning, at around three am, A couple was attacked by your little Spiker character. The two were a pair of power ponies out on a date like any other couple. However, when a certain topic came up, they began to fight with each other, disturbing the area. There weren’t many other ponies around, and when their powers started to clash, most of them ran away...”

And then! That’s when Spiker came… at the moment the argument turns into a heated fight, he rolls in brandishing his gleaming golden bat in the streetlight, raised high and bent and twisted from use. To the stallion, he deals a deadly blow, cracking his skull and killing him instantly. The mare survives being hit, but only just so.

“Oh Goddess…”

“Ah, well that’s reassuring to see.”

Reassuring? Why is that Detective?

“What?”

“Your reaction. The way you write is so…”

“Cynical. Pessimistic. Almost with a negative view toward your own kind. Misequinthropic, if you will.”

True, all of it.

“Thanks Case. We thought you were some kind of heartless individual because of it.”

“Oh… I see.”

I can’t say I don’t under stand why. If I didn’t write the story, and he did… then that makes a lot of sense…

“So… you’re saying you don’t even remember writing the story?”

“That’s correct Deputy.”

“Hmm… That’s not good. How about the first one then? What was your… inspiration for this ‘little Spiker’ character?”

“I… I don’t know, it was just an idea that popped into my head… I… I’d overheard these mares gossiping while I was out to lunch, and they talked about this case of assault… the idea for the story came from there, I swear.”

Why am I getting all worked up here? I haven’t done anything wrong! It wasn’t me!

“Woah, calm down there Climax, we’re not accusing you of anything. We don’t know of many ponies who could move like that on roller skates to begin with, save for maybe Marevelous, but last I checked, she was a heroine and far stronger than this dragon kid.”

I’m pretty sure the model super heroine is about as far from Sp- … little spiker as it gets…

“Goddess bless that mare. She does too much of our work for us.”

“Not something you should say out loud Deputy, but I suppose it doesn’t hurt to tell the truth, ha! In any case, this has been informative enough for today. If you happen to publish another story, send it to us before it goes out, alright?”

How can you be so enthusiastic!? He’s out there! And soon… soon, he’ll come back to me…

“These are mine and the Detective’s contacts. Please let us know if you think of something.”

“We’ll catch that kid, and stop this madness.”

You can’t stop it… you’re just another cog… it would take a real hero to stop this…

“Have a good rest of you day Mister Climax.”

“Uh, thanks, you too officers.”

Who knows if I’ll ever see them again?

“I can’t believe this is happening”

“Why not? I know that the shit you fed everypony else isn’t true.”

“But! But it’s not a lie!”

“Hmm, pretty sure that’s the lie, actually.”

“Keep your mouth shut!”

“Funny you say that, of all ponies. But, I don’t really care all too much. It makes you think back doesn’t it?”

“No, no, no.”

“Back when we were in school, and there was that one classmate…”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up! You can’t keep doing this! Stop writing!”

“Stop? Ha! You must be joking. I’ve never had more money before in my life. You think I’m just going to ‘stop’ when all I have to do make up some more garbage to feed everypony working the machine to get rich? No, I don’t think I’ll be doing that.”

“We got ponies killed last time! You can’t write another death!”

“Oh, but I can! The ponies won’t accept it if nopony dies after little Spiker has gotten so much stronger!”

“I will stop you!”

“You will do nothing. As a matter of fact, I think it’s time you had a nice, long rest, don’t you?”

“Don’t do this! Please...”

“Today’s top story, it seems that little Spiker has struck again. A pair of power ponies were found murdered this morning with the same wounds that the last eight victims of little Spiker had. Their names were Catchy Ringer and Hatched Graphite, two mares who were last seen arguing just before the attack after leaving a restaurant in a heavily populated area. It’s unknown how little Spiker seems to keep avoiding being seen, but an eye witness has submitted a drawing of what she believes to be little Spiker. He wears-”

A long sleeve hoodie, and his bat is bent like a back leg. He carries it in his left hand while he’s skating, and his roller blades match it in color, both being gold. The dragon himself is has violet scales with long green ‘spikes’ that run from the top of his head to the tip of his tail along his back. He wears a hat with six buttons on it, however nopony ever sees him long enough to make out what’s on them, and hides his face at the same time.

“And that’s all for today’s top story. On to the weather…”

“You killed those mares!”

“And what about it? They were just… ‘cogs in the machine,’ weren’t they?”

“You can’t just remove pieces just because you want to!”

“But we didn’t, now did we?”

“That’s a lie and you know it!”

“I beg to differ, but I’m tired now. It’s not good to be up all night writing, after all...”

“You scum! How could you!? Don’t you go back to sleep, I swear I’ll kill you!”

“Hey! Oh… Mister Climax? Are you… alone?”

Damn it! Why is the proprietor here?

“Yes ma’am, I apologize for being so loud… I was… in a heated online game.”

“Ah, I see. Well, you have visitors waiting for you in the lobby. They have badges, so…”

“Oh, of course. Thanks for coming to let me know.”

“So… is there something you wanted to tell us, Mister Climax?”

What if the officers suspect me? This is all your fault!

Your point? Who cares anyways? They could never prove the truth.

“I suppose an apology would be in order. I should’ve sent you that story before I published it.”

“Either way, I don’t think we could’ve stopped it had you done so. The times of death for Miss Catchy Ringer and Hatched Graphite occurred at five twenty and five twenty one am, just five minutes after your story was posted.”

That’s right little cogs. Spin in place until you wear yourselves out…

I refuse to allow this to continue.

You don’t have a choice.

“On the subject of your story though, we were very interested to see a few words in it that haven’t been yet present in your previous works.”

What did you add this time?

That’s a surprise for everypony!

“Oh? Um… what would that be?”

“Well, for starters, you gave little Spiker lines.”

He spoke!?

“Yes… right after he kills Hatched Graphite, he looks, and I quote, ‘at the reader’ and says ‘I’m coming to see you, old friend.’”

How did… you didn’t!

Guilty as charged♥

“I-Is that so? Huh, I um… I don’t remember making my story so… meta, he-he.”

“I see. In any case, I had Deputy here look into your past a little, and we found something interesting.”

My heart beat started to move faster. My legs tightened and my wings were ready to spring open on a moment’s notice. They’re going to find out! There’s bound to be somepony out there who remembers!

That’s true, but it shouldn’t matter in the long run.

“You were friends with an unusual individual back in your first year of middle school.”

We weren’t friends.

We will be when he says the word. Soon the second story will go out.

You did what!?

“His name was-”

“Don’t say it! If you say it, he’ll come! He wrote two stories last night!”

“He? Mister Climax, why are you-”

“I have to run!”

As soon as I stood to leave, the deputy’s eyes began to glow with a strange color. I could feel a pressure coming from him. He’s… he’s the second!

“Oh… Oh no… you! Deputy you’re… you’re a power pony! I can’t be near you!”

“Shit, he’s flying away! Deputy, after him!”

“Yes sir!”

“I told you, you should take a nice long rest...”

“Shut up! This is all your fault! You brought him back into this world, and you want to get yourself killed!”

“You say the strangest things. Why would I kill myself? I love living! It’s so exciting! The ponies get so enthralled to read about the deaths of fictional characters turned into reality! The cogs can never realize that they hate being part of the machine, so when something frees them, to allow them to think for themselves, they latch on to it with everything they have! Death, violence, conspiracy, mystery, they love it all with all their hearts!”

“That isn’t fair! You don’t know that and you’re killing innocent ponies doing it!”

“How innocent are these Power Ponies, really? Everypony sins, and for those with powers to abuse, it’s even easier! We don’t need them in our finely oiled machine, they’re just like defective parts!”

“Who cares if they’re misshapen cogs!? If they’re broken, then what are we!? You can’t decide who lives and who dies just to suit your own ego!”

“We are Gods! We have the power to decide, and because of that, we can decide!”

“Climax, halt! Stop now and come peacefully!”

He’s got a gun!

“No! Don’t come near us, you’ll die!”

“Shut up! That’s right officer, shoot me! I’m the one you want!”

“What the? Climax, what’s wrong with you?”

Oh no. That sound. The sound is back. It’s coming! He’s approaching!

“Officer, get away from the ground! Protect your head!”

“Hahaha! It’s almost time! The story goes out at noon!”

The clock tower struck noon. Ding! The first bell is loud, but the rolling grows under it. Ding! The fourth bell is loud, but the rolling is just as loud. Ding! The seventh bell is half as loud as the rolling, the sound is beginning to drown out everything. Ding! The tenth bell is barely audible underneath the rolling. It’s so close, but we’re flying down an alley! He could come from any direction! The last bell tolled. The thirteenth bell- No! That wasn’t a bell!

The officer collapsed to the ground. Little Spiker had bashed his skull in from behind, rolling along the wall as if gravity was optional. The blood flying off his bat, the deputy’s body flopping along the ground in a heap, little Spiker threw his bat at me. It smashed into my wing and broke it, taking me out of the air immediately. I crashed hard into the wall, but thankfully, my landing was buffered by somepony’s garbage.

“Ugh… what ha- Aah!”

“Why hello there!”

“S-s-s-”

Spiker put a claw over my lips.

“Shhh… we know who I am. You’re the center of this story. Remind me again, how many ponies am I talking to? Oh right, you aren’t alone in that little head of yours, now are you? Are you the green eye, or the blue one? I wonder... What was the other one’s name again? Destined Pen?”

“Ha! I see you still remember me! Still sour about the whole, killing you thing?”

“Why are you provoking him!?”

“No, no, no, I don’t care about that anymore! I came back because you asked me to! Isn’t that right? You wanted an interesting story, so I made it so. Hmm, I suppose it was the blue eye I could never trust. Then again, it was the same eye who spurned me that brought me back, now wasn’t it?”

“That’s right! It was me, I did it! Now finish the job! Get rid of this fool so I can be myself and myself alone!”

“You were planning to kill me!? I’m the original, you can’t do this!”

“You keep saying I can’t, but look at what all I’ve done so far! We’re talking to a dead pony, aren’t we? I wrote it so! And you’re the second victim! Spike will kill you, and then I’ll have my own life! Your destiny has been scripted! Do it Spike!”

Spiker formed a large grin showing his blade like teeth and forked tongue.

“Sorry boss, I’m afraid that’s not how it works.”

“W-what?”

“Unison? Well, that’s a special sound to hear from a pony with two voices. You see… you used me too many times. And now that I’m in the minds of all these ponies… I… can be myself.”

“You’re… you’re real now?”

“That’s a good question! But let’s just forget about that. Why should you even trust what you’re seeing? What was the phrase you used to describe me earlier? Some schizo? That fits you better doesn’t it? I agree with Pen, however I have my own opinions too. I think… you both deserve a nice long rest.”

Spike picked up his bat, raised it high above his head…

AND THEN!