Chapter - 1 - The Hitchhiker
The night is cold, and the full, luminescent moon hangs beautifully in the sky amongst the twinkling stars. Deep within the Everfree Forest, one travelling magician tugs her carriage down a long, dirt path. The only sounds to be heard are the scuffling of fallen leaves being blown by the chilling breeze, and the chirping of crickets hidden beneath the grass. Combined with the utter absence of another living soul, these sounds would normally unsettle just about anypony. This mare, however, has grown accustomed to such an atmosphere. The harsh breeze nearly blows the mare’s violet, magician’s cap off her head as she angrily tries to hold on to the brim. Even though she managed to save her hat, the wind has managed to blow out the lantern hanging from the top of her carriage, eliminating her only source of light. “Great,” she groans. Pulling off her cap, she creates a small orb of light at the tip of her horn. It’s nothing compared to the light of her lantern, but it’s enough to see what’s nearby. She undoes herself from the harness, and walks around to the door to the carriage. A sudden rustling in the trees catches her attention, and she turns to see a pair of yellowish, glowing eyes high up in a nearby tree. Curiously, she watches them as they tilt and teeter like how an animal examines something unknown to them. The mysterious creature continues to hold its gaze until it caws like a crow. Assuring the mare’s suspicions, she disregards the encounter.
“Excuse me?” somepony asks from behind her, causing her to jolt and yell in fear. Standing before her, she finds a young stallion dressed in a striped shirt, blue vest and green backpack. His gray coat of fur and dark-brown mane make it slightly difficult to see him through the darkness. From the mare’s scream, he also reels back in fear with a terrified shriek.
“What’s the matter with you?!” the mare accuses.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t know what that light of yours was. I figured it was just a firefly until I got closer and saw it belonged to you.”
“Well, now you know. Now, go! Off with you!” The mare shoos him away with her hoof before opening up the door to her carriage and stepping inside.
“W-Wait!” the stallion calls from outside the carriage. “My name’s Knick Knack! What’s yours?” The mare pops her head out from the doorway and glares directly into Knick Knack’s eyes, instilling him with fear.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie hasn’t the time for introductions! Especially not for the likes of no-good, hitchhiking lowlifes such as yourself.” She pulls back into the carriage, rummaging through her things.
“Okay, first of all, you kind of just introduced yourself, even though you said you had no time for it. Secondly . . . ouch.” Trixie hops back out from her carriage, using her magic to levitate a book of matches.
“Are you trying to sass The Great and Powerful Trixie?” she intimidates.
“Oh, uh—no! N-No ma’am.”
“Good. Now, don’t try to convince me you’re not some sort of hooligan. Trixie knows one when she sees one.”
“Alright, you’re right.” Knick Knack submits. “I’m sorry.”
“Sure you are. Trixie can tell you’re a lout just by those hideous rags you’re wearing. Just what is with your get-up anyhow?”
“Well . . . what’s with yours?”
Trixie gasps. “You dare mock Trixie’s uniform?!” She flaunts her starry, violet cape. “This outfit speaks volumes! It’s Trixie’s signature look that anypony would recognize with just one glance!” She turns away from Knick Knack, stomping her way back to the front of the carriage. Nervous and reluctant, Knick Knack follows her as she continues her rant. “You clearly mustn’t have a single clue as to who you’re speaking to! If you did, you might just be a bit more respectful!” Trixie strikes one of the matches from the box, and relights the lantern. Illuminating them in a bright, warming glow.
“You’re right.” Knick Knack attempts to diffuse the situation. “I shouldn’t have said that; I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Well, perhaps you do have some sense after all; but that isn’t saying much.”
“Please, just let me explain.”
“By all means, enlighten Trixie.”
“I’ve left my home, and have been wandering for days.”
“. . . Go on.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go, and I don’t really have a plan. I’m just walking, and whatever happens . . . happens, you know? Normally, I wouldn’t even think of asking anypony of this, but I really don’t want to sleep in the grass on such a cold night like this. So, and I don’t expect you to after the things I’ve said, but do you think you could. . .” Knick Knack hesitates as he digs his hoof nervously at the ground. “Maybe let me ride along with you? Just until we reach the closest town, building, farm—anything.” Trixie sighs as she rolls her eyes. “If not, then that’s okay. I’ll just turn back around, and I’ll be outta your mane.” Trixie groans as she notices the bird from earlier perch itself on a nearby tree, making her feel slightly uncomfortable by its glowing gaze.
“I’ll have you know, the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t simply do favors for others.”
“. . . I understand.” Knick Knack lowers his head as his ears droop down.
“Lucky for you, Trixie is in a ‘kind’ mood tonight.”
“Is that a yes?!” Knick Knack’s eyes light up with excitement.
“For the time being, but—” Knick Knack hugs and squeezes Trixie with all his might, causing her to squirm. Using her magic, she forces Knick Knack to let her go as she levitates him by his backpack. “But! There are rules that Trixie must put into place.”
“Like what?”
“First, no more of that. Trixie doesn’t need your filthy hooves dirtying up her cape.”
Knick Knack chuckles. “Sorry about that.”
“Secondly, and most importantly, you are forbidden from touching anything in Trixie’s carriage.”
“Got it.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yup.” He smiles.
“Trixie needs you to say it.”
“Say what?”
“What she said.”
“What did she say?”
“What? Did you forget? We just spoke of it.”
“And she said. . ?”
“She said to not to touch anything!”
“She who?”
“Trixie!”
“Okay, hold on. . . Why don’t you just say ‘I’ said not to touch anything? Wouldn’t that be less confusing?” Trixie groans as she releases her magical grip on Knick Knack, allowing him to hit the ground with a thud.
“Trixie could very easily change her mind!”
“Okay, okay! Please, don’t let her change her mind!”
“Then enough games, and agree to Trixie’s terms!”
“I, Knick Knack, agree to Trixie’s terms; and will not touch anything in her carriage.”
“Good. Now, was that so hard?”
“No, Miss Trixie,” he says in a condescending manner.
“That’s better. Now, go! Get inside! Trixie doesn’t have all night.” Knick Knack shuts his eyes, and lifts his head up as he purposely walks slowly to the carriage in the hopes of striking another one of Trixie’s nerves. She agonizingly watches him take his time, and her patience quickly runs out. “Here, allow Trixie to assist you.” Trixie’s pinkish aura of magic envelops the entirety of Knick Knack’s body, lifting him up as he continues to walk in place. He opens his eyes, and is shocked to find himself in midair. He looks to Trixie with a nervous smile, as she looks at him rather dubiously.
“I was . . . I was just playing around.”
“Trixie said she has no time for games.”
“Right. Yes. . . I-I can’t believe that slipped my mind. Won’t happen again.”
“However, Trixie will make an exception just this once.”
“Huh?” Before Knick Knacks’ eyes, a pinkish glow materializes in the shape of a gigantic tennis racket. “Oh . . . that’s what you mean.”
“Trixie supposes it’s her serve, hm?”
“Just . . . please, be gentle.” Trixie winds up the racket, and Knick Knack cringes as he prepares himself for the imminent pain. With one swift whack, Knick Knack screams as he flies into the carriage, causing it to rock back and forth from the impact. “Nothing had better be out of place in there by the end of this little trip, because if Trixie finds something has moved just an inch, you can expect worse than that coming your way in the future.”
“Understood,” says Knick Knack with his voice muffled due to his face pressed painfully against the wall. Trixie closes the carriage door, and returns to her harness. The crow in the tree suddenly flies off, infuriating her as she had nearly been startled a second time by it. Hooked up to the harness, Trixie proceeds to pull her carriage down the pathway further into the forest.
Chapter - 2 - A Frightening Sight
Helpless and fatigued, Trixie continues to lug her carriage through the woods. However, it isn’t the trip that has drained Trixie of her energy and weakened her mental state. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re a travelling magician?!” Knick Knack asks.
“Trixie already has . . . many times.”
“I thought you were just trying out your Nightmare Night costume!”
“Nightmare Night isn’t for another month. Why would anypony be wearing a costume ‘this’ early?”
“You never know! Maybe you’re just really into the good old Nightmare Night spirit! I know I am. It’s probably my favorite holiday.”
“Well, isn’t that just wonderful?” Trixie says sarcastically as she rolls her eyes.
“What about you? What’s your favorite holiday?”
“The day you stop talking. That will be a holiday all on its own.”
“You know, I’m somewhat of a travelling performer myself.”
“Of course you are. What are you? A mime. . ? Oh, never mind. That would require you to stay quiet.”
“Close! I’m a clown! I just had my first gig today at a children’s party.”
“. . . That is just too fitting.” The night seems to be never-ending, and to Trixie, this trip is taking its toll on her. Knick Knack’s consistent, belligerent and idiotic conversations are verging on unbearable; but after a while, he suddenly grows quiet. Realizing she’s gained a moment of silence, she takes a sigh a relief to appreciate the absence of Knick Knack’s voice. Trixie has never truly appreciated the subtle sounds of the forest as much as she is now. The chirping crickets, the hooting owls and rustling leaves help put Trixie’s mind at ease. Then, she spots a glimmer of hope just ahead: the shape of a shadowy building. Happily, Trixie picks up her pace as she approaches the mysterious structure. She pulls the carriage up to the building, and reads the sign hanging from the roof that appears to have the words ‘Toy Shop’ written in colorful, blocky letters. However, the sign is so old that its color has faded, and the paint is chipping away to reveal the wood underneath. The condition of the sign matches up with the condition of the rest of the building. Chipping paint, windows caked in dust and cobwebs strung up in every corner and crevasse. “Well, this’ll have to do.”
Trixie makes her way around the carriage, and opens up the door to reveal Knick Knack has fallen asleep on the floor. Seeing her opportunity for some sort of payback for the headache he’s given her, she uses her magic to lift him up and carefully lay him down in the grass. Quietly, she grabs an old, metal pail from her carriage; and finds a puddle of icy cold water to fill it with. With Knick Knack still out cold, Trixie looms over him whilst levitating the bucket over his body. She dumps the entire bucket of water over him, and he springs to life with a yelp as he scrambles to his hooves. “Drowning! Help! Shark!” He yells as he darts like a startled animal searching for a threat. Upon noticing Trixie with the dripping pail, Knick Knack fills with embarrassment.
“Enjoy your rest?” She asks.
“I was, until everything started flooding!” Knick Knack shivers as the icy wind blows across his fur. “W-What did you do that for?”
“Trixie wasn’t about to waste her breath by calling you to wake you up, so she figured this method was a bit more fun.”
“F-Fun for you maybe.”
“Oh, quit complaining. A little water never hurt anypony. Besides, this is where our journey ends.”
“What do you mean?” Knick Knack turns, and his heart sinks to the bottom of his chest as he lays his eyes on the ominous building before him. “Are . . . are you serious? This place looks like it’s been abandoned for years!”
“Perfect! Then that means you can stay here for as long as you please.”
“N-No way! I’m not going in there!”
“Well, that’s too bad.” Knick Knack turns to see Trixie has already strung herself back in her harness, and he rushes over to her.
“Trixie, please, don’t make me have to go in there,” he nervously negotiates. “T-Take me to whatever’s up next. I don’t care what it is, just not this place!”
“What’s the big deal anyway? It’s just an old toy shop.”
“Hear me out.”
“Like Trixie hasn’t been doing enough of that already.”
“I’ve read plenty of horror novels, comics, and seen enough horror movies to know that there’s nothing good waiting for me in there! That place literally spells out: Haunted!”
“What happens in books and movies is all just a fabrication, and there’s absolutely no such thing as hauntings. Not only that, but didn’t you say Nightmare Night was your favorite holiday? Shouldn’t you like horrifying things?”
“I do, but that doesn’t mean I want to in a scary situation like that! I really don’t think you got a good look at the place. Go ahead, just take another look.”
“Trixie has seen it, and you have nothing to worry about.”
“Will you at least just . . . walk in with me? I really don’t want to go in there by myself.”
“Let Trixie think it over. . . No.”
“B-But why?!”
“Because that wasn’t part of our agreement.”
“Well, how was I supposed to know you’d drop me off at the spookiest place in the forest?!”
“Hmm. . .” Trixie taps her chin with her hoof as she thinks to herself. “Well, if you really are that afraid, would you like to hear Trixie’s advice to you?”
“Yes! Please!”
“She suggests that you. . .” Trixie clears her throat. “Grow up.” She then turns away, and Knick Knack helplessly watches as she trots along down the path with her carriage. Realizing that she won’t be turning back around any time soon, Knick Knack trembles as he approaches the dingy shop. Lying in the grass, he notices a wooden sign that appears to have fallen over. He picks it up off the ground to reveal the words: ‘Unicorns Stay Away!’ written in red paint. Confused, he drops the sign back to the ground as his eyes are caught by a green light emanating from the shop. He looks up to see a neon ‘open’ sign has suddenly begun flickering in the window. Taking a breath and nervously adjusting the straps of his backpack, he walks up to the door.
“He honestly wanted Trixie to walk in with him,” Trixie says to herself as she walks down the path. “What does Trixie look like? His mother? That stallion must be out of his mind.” The wind howls, and the constant chirping of crickets ceases, confusing Trixie. “His behavior is that of a child’s. He’d do best to take Trixie’s advice and act his age. Only a child would be afraid of an old, empty building.” Wolves howl in the distance, sending a chill up Trixie’s spine. “I-It’s ridiculous. There’s no such thing as ghosts—” A twig snaps, putting Trixie on high alert. “O-Or monsters—” The bushes rustle and shake, causing Trixie to freeze in place. “I-It’s all nonsense. . . Right?” With the sound of wings flapping, Trixie’s eyes widen as she watches a pitch-black crow descend and perch itself in a nearby tree, and stares at her with its luminescent eyes. It caws at her, and her knees start to become weak. Believing it to be the exact same bird from before, she wonders why it’s following her. Before she could ponder the thought for too long, a blood-curdling scream erupts in the distance, filling Trixie’s body with a rush of adrenaline and fear. She unhooks herself from her harness, and gallops at full-speed back down the path from where she came. Leaving her carriage behind, she can see the abandoned toy shop as her heart races. She tears open the front door to the shop, and rushes inside as she slams the door shut behind her. Pressing her back against the door, she finds a moment to catch her breath and allow her heart some time to settle.
“Trixie! You’re back!” a voice calls out, but as Trixie scans the cob-webbed room, she finds nopony.
“Who said that?! Show yourself?!”
“Up here!” Trixie looks up, and sees Knick Knack clutching onto the chain of a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. “. . . So, what’s up? Besides me I guess.”
“How did you get up there?”
“There’s a monster in here, I tell you! I swear I saw something moving, then I heard this weird, creepy music. So, I climbed up here to hide! You need to hide too!”
“Wait, was that you that screamed?”
“Yes! Now, hide! Here, I’ll make some room on the chandelier for ya.”
“No, thank you. How about Trixie finds out what dastardly fiend is lurking in here herself?”
“Trixie, please! Don’t be a hero!” Trixie leaves the door, investigating the room. Line from the front to the back of the store are shelves stocked with tons of different kinds of toys. She can see wooden figurines, soft dolls, playsets and more. The floor tiles are mostly cracked and chipped from age, as well as caked with dust and grime. The ceiling is decorated with hanging models of cardboard clouds and miniature statues of pegasi in midflight, as well as hot-air balloons and wooden marionettes of ponies all with their own unique paint-job and clothing. Trixie spots one stray toy with its back leaning against one of the displays. She approaches it to get a better look, and is perplexed by its pathetic design. It’s a soft doll in the shape of a pony made with a faded cloth. It has no unique features other than haphazard, button eyes and a big smile that stretches out a bit too far to look even remotely normal. Using her magic, she picks it up off the ground. A ring-pull hangs from the doll’s back, and with one long pull of the string, a cheerful jingle plays from within the doll. “There it is! That’s the song I heard!”
“Would you care to come down and take a better look at your ‘monster’?” Trixie mocks.
“What are you talking about?” Knick Knack pops up from behind her.
“What—? How did—?”
“Ah! There it is! That’s what I saw!” He fearfully points at the toy.
“So, you ran and hid from a toy, did you?”
“You don’t understand! That thing was moving all on its own!”
“Sure it was.” Trixie drops the doll to the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust. “Doesn’t seem to be much of a monster anymore now, does it?” Trixie’s eyes widen as Knick Knack clutches onto her forelegs.
“I still can’t believe it! You came back for me! What changed your mind?”
“Well,” Trixie pulls her legs free from Knick Knack’s grasp. “Out of the kindness of Trixie’s heart, she decided to check up on you since you seemed so adamant about entering the shop.”
“Great! I’m so glad you’re back!”
“And she will now see her way out.” Trixie turns and approaches the door.
“She said what now?” Knick Knack’s hopeful smile vanishes.
“Since there’s clearly no monsters, ghosts or ghouls, then you should be confident enough to stay here on your own.”
“I. . . Well. . . I guess.” Knick Knack rubs the back of his head. Trixie tries to turn the knob, and appears puzzled as to why it won’t turn. “What’s wrong? Is it locked?”
“It must just be jammed.” Knick Knack continues to watch Trixie struggle with the knob. Frustrated, she gives up on it.
“Does this mean we’re trapped?”
“Not a chance.” Trixie turns her back to the door and kicks it with her hind legs. The entire store rattles, but the door appears unaffected.
“Maybe we should stick together for a while, and try to find another way out.”
“Uh, no. Trixie is leaving right this instant, and a simple door isn’t going to stand in her way!” Trixie’s horn glows, illuminating the shop in a pinkish aura. A beam of light shoot from the tip of her horn towards the door. Unexpectedly, it bounces off of it and ricochets all around the shop. Both Trixie and Knick Knack drop to the floor as the beam bounces off the walls, until it pierces a doll resting atop one of the shelves. They cautiously lift their heads up, and notice the doll’s burnt, smoking midsection left behind by the beam of magic.
“Okay. . . Let’s not try that again.”
“That’s impossible! No surface is strong enough to reflect a spell such as that!” Trixie angrily get back to her hooves.
“Like I said, let’s just stick together and try to find another way out.”
Trixie growls. “Alright! Fine! Let’s get this over with. Surely this place has a back door that—” She pauses, noticing that the doll she dropped to the floor is suddenly missing. “Where did that toy go? Trixie could’ve sworn she left it just over there.”
“You mean it’s gone?!” Knick Knack panics as he hides behind Trixie trembling in fear. “L-Look!” He points to the floor. “W-What are those?” Trixie approaches with Knick Knack not too far behind, and inspects the strange marks on the floor.
“Are these . . . tracks?”
“You see? I told you!”
“It looks like they lead all the way to the back of the store.” As Trixie tries to follow the tiny tracks, she can feel Knick Knack tugging on her cape.
“Please don’t tell me we’re actually following them.”
“Well, that’s too bad, because that is what Trixie’s doing.”
“Well, I think Trixie should ‘not’ do that!”
“If there’s a door out of here back there, you bet Trixie is going to go and find out.”
“Fine, then at least take this.” Knick Knack holds out an old, wooden baseball bat he found within the store.
“For what?”
“For protection.”
“Ha! Against a teeny-tiny toy? You must be joking.” Trixie takes the bat and tosses it across the room as she proceeds to follow the tracks.
“Gonna follow the tracks, and not take a weapon. . . This isn’t going to end well.” He mutters to himself as he catches up with Trixie following closely behind her. “Trixie, I know this is real-life and all, but we shouldn’t try to act like stereotypical, horror victims.”
“What in Equestria are you blabbing on about now?”
“I’m just saying that characters in horror stories always make dumb decisions. Like, oh I don’t know, following mysteries tracks without a weapon to defend themselves with! So, maybe we should take note of that and try to make rational decisions from here on out. Because, you know, I kind of enjoy living.”
“Trixie isn’t even going to waste her time trying to understand what it is you’re talking about. All she knows is: the faster we find that back door, the faster she’ll be free from the likes of you and your nonsense.” The both of them halt upon reaching the end of the tracks. They do in fact find a back door, and drawn in the center of it with red markings is the word: Freedom. From the last letter of the word, the red mark continues down the door. Their eyes follow the red line all the way to the doll resting with its back up against the door and a red crayon sitting beside it.
“And there it is—I’m done. It’s time to turn around.” Ignoring Knick Knack’s advice, Trixie approaches the door. “What are you doing?!”
“It’s clear somepony is trying to pull a prank on us, so Trixie’s going to get to the bottom of it.” Trixie twists the door handle, and a loud clank erupts from within the walls.
“Oh, that’s bad.” From underneath them, the floor gives way, and the two of them scream at the top of their lungs as they plummet downward into the dark abyss below.
