’Hurry, he’s coming!’ The lavender alicorn flew past her two friends. She turns to her shoulder every five seconds to check if they’re still being followed, while also making sure her dear friends are still behind her.
A yellow pink-haired pegasus was carrying her injured friend on her back. Blood flowed down her right brow, her wings beating as fast as they possibly could to keep her up in the sky. ‘It’s okay Rainbow, you’re okay, you’re okay!’ She whispered those words to her mare-friend’s ear. She wasn’t even sure if she could hear her but if she did she was too tired to even nod her head. The shy-Pegasi’s whole body was crying out for relief, pain filling her back and legs. But she couldn’t stop—No! Not while it was still following them.
‘Fluttershy lookout!’
Time went slow as the shy Pegasus turned her head to see a black blur speeding straight towards her and in impact, everything went black.
15 Hours earlier
“Ugh, Twilight can you shine your horn? I can’t see anything!”
“Oh, yes of course. Hold on... and there we go!”
A light grew bright within the lavender’s horn. Besides her was her cyan friend who was a bit blinded for just a second but once her vision returned she could see now. Not too far from them was a shy timid pegasus leading them as they flew over the clouds. They were heading to a place where they last heard from one of Fluttershy’s close cousins. "Night-wing Asylum," it was called. Going back a few days earlier Fluttershy would visit the asylum for one reason and one reason only.
To see her closest cousin. No one understood him more than she does and how lucky he was to have her by his side. He likes to paint every day and he made many that were stunning, he would also write letters on what he learned from her and told her his thoughts and improvements. It was hard spending time with him from all the stares she would get from every pony that worked there:
Some of the ponies that were there were, "Creepy," as she would describe it but besides that everything went well. Except on that day.
Every day after the shy-pegasus finished all of her chores she would sit in her cottage, watching her mailbox from her window. Waiting for the next mail to be delivered. But when she checked she found the box... empty? Strange, she thought to herself but thought of it as a coincidence so she waited the next day. And the day after.
And the day after that and it went on like a spinning wheel moving at a fast pace. Finally, her mind began to wonder, wonder turned into confusion, confusion turned into worry. Something wasn't right and Fluttershy knew it.
"You know," she shrugged. "You two didn't have to come with me. I could've just gone on alone."
"And let you go off to someplace to Celestia knows what, without knowing you'll be okay? Not a chance Fluttershy!" Argued Rainbow.
"Rainbow's right Fluttershy. We're in this together and besides, if the place is as creepy as you say it is, you're gonna need some backup." Twilight affirmed Fluttershy while giving her a confident smile. Fluttershy looked at her friends as they both gave various nods of confirmation, and she let out a sigh of defeat before turning her head back to them.
"Well, um, alright then. If you're sure about tagging along then, I won't change your mind." Fluttershy approved. On they went, they continue their flight towards their destination. It seemed that where they were heading was pretty far away from their town and as they went further, the sun was already setting and the moon was taking its toll.
As time went on none of the three said a word. The only thing they heard was the flaps of their wings and the wind blowing across their ears. After a while, Dash broke the silence between them and asked. "So how close are we?"
Twilight turned her head at Rainbow while tapping her chin, "Hmm, well we should be there by now, or maybe we must've got off track---
"I see it!" shouted Rainbow.
Twilight whipped her head back around instantly. As the three ponies pass through the clouds the building came into view. Almost all the lights inside were on, from the top floor to the bottom, the parking lots were empty and no security guards were nowhere to be seen or found. The place looked... almost abandoned? How come there are no guards nearby are they all inside? Or maybe they just went home---No, no they couldn't have, they would have to leave someone in-charged for the night shift to keep watch on every prisoner inside.
What could've happened after Fluttershy left? She hoped her cousin is okay, for Celestia's sake. "It's quiet. Kinda too quiet if you ask me. Rainbow pointed out. "Fluttershy, weren't there any guards here before you left?" she asked looking at the timid pony.
"Um, yes, there was but I don't see why they're not here?" The shy pony responded, scouting the area for any ponies that may or may not still be around.
Twilight stared at the two double doors at the front of the building then pointed with her hoof, "Well we'll find out once we head inside. Come on." The lavender took the lead and the two followed. As they made their way towards the entrance they stopped, before entering Twilight politely knocked on the door and cleared her throat. "Hello?" she called. "Is any-pony here? My name is Twilight Sparkle, these are my friends, we just came to see if, 'Gibble Flutter,' is alright. So can you let us in please?"
Silence. No pony had answered nor had they come.
"Maybe they didn't hear me?" she proposed.
"Or maybe they're asleep?" said Fluttershy.
"Oh for crying out loud we don't have time for this!" Tired of wasting time Dash passed through Twilight lifting her hoof and pressed it against the door.
"Rainbow we shouldn't---
Her words cut short when dash pushes the door, it opened slow but halfway enough for them to look inside. The cyan pegasus enters before the other two followed behind. As they went they scan the place closely: like outside no pony was anywhere, no employees on their computers nor guards standing on duty. The only sound they heard was computers and telephones still running. Lights flickering on and off. This was getting more strange and weirder for Fluttershy than she thought, and if she had to be honest. She was starting to get a little afraid.
But it'll be fine she's with her friends after all. As long as she's with them everything will be okay.
"Alright girls, let's split up." Twilight said, causing the timid and rainbow pegasus to turn their heads at her with bewildering expressions.
"Huh?" Said Rainbow.
"Huh?" Said Fluttershy.
"It's a risky idea I know but I'm sure we'll find more of what's going on if we split. So here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna go check in one of those offices while you two head down the hallway, maybe we'll find out what happened by looking into one of those security cameras." Twilight explained before rolling her body around and head down the right side of the hall. "Call me if you find anything!" she told them, her figure getting smaller as she walked deeper into the hall.
The two mares were left alone in the lobby. Dash looked at the shy pegasus before staring down at the hall. "Well, you heard her, come on Fluttershy." The shy pony nodded to her command then followed her down the hall.
She didn't know why and she didn't mention it earlier. But she had this uneasy feeling that someone or something was watching them; all she could hope now was that her little theory was wrong and maybe she was worrying too much. She hopes that's the case.
Rainbow and Flutter walked slowly down the hall, knocking over empty boxes and pieces of paper that got caught on their hooves. The timid pegasus turned to her shoulder looking back at where they came.
"You think she'll be okay? I mean, do you think it was a good idea to leave Twilight alone?" Fluttershy asked Dash not taking her eyes off the ends of the hall.
"Don't worry Fluttershy; she can handle herself," Rainbow said looking at her friend. "While she does her part we should do ours too. Now let's hurry and find this security room, so we can find out what the hay is going on here."
"Oh, um, right," Fluttershy said rolling her head back in place.
As they continue their stroll down the hall. They did a check-in each different room one by one: the first room they entered was an empty bathroom. When the cyan mare pokes her head in, she sniffed the air and a foul odor slapped her across the face, only for her to throw a hoof over her nose. "Ugh what is that smell?!" She said pulling her head back. "Definitely nothing in there, let's check somewhere else Fluttershy."
Rainbow backed up and shuts the door before entering deeper into the hallway with Fluttershy following behind. They made their next stop to another door when Rainbow pulled the nob it didn't budge. Then she tried again but all of her attempts seem to fail. "Um, Rainbow?" She called.
"Yeah?" She responded.
"Um, I think it won't open because it needs a key; We won't be able to get in by brute force so. Maybe we should find it first before we go in." Fluttershy explained to her mare friend while pointing it out with her hoof.
"Right, heh heh, probably should've thought of that," Rainbow said rubbing the back of her nape in embarrassment.
"Well might as well look for it then." Rainbow rolled her body around facing another door. She stared at it then looked at her shy friend before clearing her throat. "Alright Fluttershy, I'm gonna go back down in the hall to check on those other rooms. See if it's in there I'll let you take this one." She stated to Flutters. The cyan pegasus turns and leaves the timid pony alone where she still stands, she watches as her friend got smaller as she strolled further down the hall.
"W-Wait." She quivered looking at the door before her. "You want me to find it... alone in there?"
"You'll be fine Fluttershy, if anything happens just call me, okay?" Rainbow assured her friend then continued her walk down the hall.
Fluttershy just stood there. Alone, no Dash or Twi with her. She could feel her body shivering in fear but she wasn't gonna let that stop her; there was nothing to be afraid of, absolutely nothing. They're the only ponies around and the guards were nowhere around the perimeter or in the lobby, however, that's the least of her worries. What she's really worried about is what's still or not in their bars. Could they still be there? Or maybe... maybe they got out?! No---this was no time for her to think about this; what matters right now is for her to find her cousin, and hope to Celestia he's okay.
Fluttershy pushes the door that was already opened. The room inside was dark, the screen from the computer was the only light source within the room. Fluttershy enters the room taking slow steps carefully. As she took another step her hoof landed on something flat, she looks down and saw what looked to be a blue document folder with papers spilling out of them.
Curiously, she took the folder in her hoof studying it closely. Then without thinking, she opened it then started reading the words written on the file:
Monday | April 5th
I'm not stupid. I'm not like all those other ponies who think nothing's wrong here when the truth is there is! How do I know? Well, get this: I was just walking down heading back to my desk when suddenly I heard someone screaming... screaming! I was scared but also worried because I knew who that was. The next day I found my friend still alive in his cell... but that's not what scared me. It's not what made my stomach flip either! My friend... his jaw, his jaw was gone and his skin. Oh, sweet Celestia, his skin looked pale! What is happening... who's doing this!?
Fluttershy closed the folder and dropped it on the floor. She shook her head then smacked both her cheeks with her hooves slowly composing herself. "T-They're not true, none of them are. He said it himself, this was a good place nothing other than that. I-I mean, there has to be a misunderstanding... right?" Fluttershy's hooves slide off her cheeks before landing back down to the floor. She moved forward then began exploring the room.
Box after box, drawer after drawer, she found nothing but broken pencils, old laptops, and phones but still no key. She then checked on one of the shelves, standing up on her forelegs tapping her hoof underneath the wood to find any secret spots it might've been hidden. A sigh of disappointment escapes her lips finding it empty. When she got back down her eyes notice something shiny to her right. Her head turned following the light, she raised her right hoof to move the box to the side, once she did her eyes blinked in curiosity. It was... a camcorder? The corder was made from black hammered metal, the small lens jutted out on a highly polished brass looking cylinder, finished at the end with a rim of more black metal. Two dials, a strap to extend its length and a button poked out from the top.
On the backside of the camcorder was a small square-shaped hole to put in new batteries when dying. Fluttershy studied the small cam, tilting her head looking at the back of its quality. She's seen many ponies carrying cameras; some from photographers whenever they take pictures of many intense, sad, funny, or any kind of a situation they're in. Some used for documentaries which she has seen with her friends. She takes the camera in her hooves to get a better look. 'I wonder if it still works?'
Testing her small theory: she moves her hoof to the top button before gently pressing it. The camera made a 'beeping' noise. Then she flipped the small screen to the side, static fills till it cleared, facing the door she entered. She wrapped the strap around her neck tightening it so it doesn't slip off of her. "Well, I guess it's just you and me now, little guy." She said to her new small corder.
On she went, she continued her search. She takes a turn then sees a table with another monitor and keyboard. Then her eyes caught something shiny on the table, and when they looked down. There it was. "The key... I found it!" Fluttershy shouted taking the key into her teeth. She exits the room marching towards the door, carefully pushes it through the keyhole before turning it and the nob. With one hoof she pushes the door open, but she didn't want to go in.
Not yet---Rainbow must know.
"Rainbow I got the door open!" She called down the hallway, the silence was the only response as she stood there waiting. This time she repeated herself a bit louder, hoping that Rainbow would hear her this time. "Rainbow, can you hear me? I got the door open! Do you hear me?!" Fluttershy's shouts were unanswered. Worry and fear began welling up in her. Are they too far from her to hear? Could they be far deeper in the hall? Well, she won't know just by standing & waiting, as afraid as she is, she's gonna have to go down there.
Fluttershy gulped before strolling out of the hall, leaving the door to the security room open. As she was out of the entrance she makes her way straight to the next hallway, where she last saw Twilight go into. Before entering she stopped: her eyes slowly moving from the green carpet as it stretches out to the long square shape tunnel. Except this tunnel had no lights; all were out leaving the tunnel in total darkness. The poor timid mare wishes she had a light or a lantern that could.
Wait! She thought, struck with realization, Light!
Why didn't she think of this before?! She grabs her camcorder to her hooves, flips the small screen before her eyes, her eyes locked on the button on the right. "Please work." She whispered in her thoughts. Right as she said that her eyes closed while inhaling the air; then finally she gently presses it.
Beep
When it was safe, her eyes opened carefully, then they blinked, astonished at what she was seeing: the whole was glowing green, she could see everything through the dark now, then the shy mare let out a collective sigh. This camera was the best; she was really glad she brought it with her. "Thank you," she said. "For now on, I'm gonna call you..." Fluttershy paused, tapping her hoof on her chin. She began thinking a few names for the little corner: some she thought of were already taken, others sounded a bit down low and were not something she would use. After her minute of thinking, she announces.
"Cami. I'll call you Cami." She smiled, slowly caressing her new small friend in her hooves. Cami sounded charming to the shy pony; it was easy to remember and not too long or hard to forget. She took her first step and walked down the hall: Wherever she moved the camera, her head follows. But she kept it straight, keeping herself focused. Soon she caught in the corner of her eye, a door that was left open, and when she turned her head. Her eyes shot up. There they were: Twilight and Rainbow standing, their heads facing up, it seemed they were looking at something. But what?
"Um. Twilight, Rainbow?" When she called them, none of them moved from their spots or even responded. She steps in, walking beside her cyan friend. "R-Rainbow--" The shy mare's words were cut short. Her breath was caught in her throat when she saw Rainbow and Twilight's faces: both of their eyes widen, their pupils shrank in dot sizes, and their bodies were shaking in fear.
Whatever they were seeing, had to be very serious. The shy mare slowly turned her head in their direction, once she found the source, her eyes widen, her lips trembling then her ears dropped in the back of her head. Fluttershy only wished to Celestia, she didn't lookup. Dangling from the ceiling was one of the missing guard ponies that worked in the asylum: The stallion's eyes were poked out and were as empty as a shell, its jaw hung open along with its tongue sticking out, the uniform was torn off along with its coat, leaving its head as the only remaining fur. Whoever did this to him, must've taken that much force to tear it almost clean off.
The poor mares didn't even want to play that horror of imagination in their heads.
Blood drip, and drop down to the wooden floor, leaving a big puddle. When the lavender bookworm decided she had enough, she cleared her throat before asking in a hushed tone. Her eyes were still locked on the corpse. "Fluttershy... remember when I said: Not to be afraid of every little thing?"
The timid mare was too terrified to reply; so she nodded her head as an answer to her question.
"Well, consider me very afraid." Twilight admitted.
"W-Why the heck..?" Stuttered Rainbow, not knowing how to take it all in. She has seen many corpses in horror movies; many of them were fake and were just part of the effects of those films. But this wasn't a movie, nor was it a dream that she could just wake up from, this was real, and it's happening.
"Alright girls," she said. "Here's what we're gonna do: We are gonna leave this place, and we're gonna head straight back to ponyville. We got to warn the others, everyone back in town about this."
Fluttershy removed her eyes off the gruesome sight then looked at her lavender friend. "B-But Twilight? What about my cousin? We can't just leave him here, right?"
"Don't worry Fluttershy, we'll come back for him I promise." She said to the shy mare. "But right now, I don't think it's safe for any of us to be here. I mean whoever did this to him might still be here right now. Do you want to stay here while whoever Celestia's name it is, is still around?!"
When Fluttershy was about to argue, something caught her eye. An outline of their body was gone but she could've sworn somepony was standing with them. "Hey... where's Rainbow..?" she quavered.
Twilight looked to where her cyan friend was standing, only to find nothing there. When she notices this, she blinked a few times then rolled her body around moving her head from side to side. "Rainbow? Rainbow, where did you go?!" When no response came she repeated in a near shout when she was going to say it again, she then heard hooves running down the hall outside of the room.
They both turned and saw their cyan friend outside of the room. Panting, breathing heavily; before the two could utter a word out by asking. "Where did you run off to?" The blue mare cut them off, shouting.
"We have to go, RIGHT NOW!" She swooped in to grab the hooves of her friends. The three of them were back at the lobby when they all were heading straight from where they came in. But stopped when they notice something odd. The doors were closed? They weren't like that before they came in. But were they closed? "What the hay?!" Cursed Rainbow as she attempts to pull the doors open.
"Rainbow calm down. Tell me what's wrong?" She questioned her frantic friend.
"There's no time to talk about it, Twilight! I'll tell you when we get to ponyville. If I can just get this stupid door open---"
The rainbow pegasus's words were cut shortly: all three of the mares felt something small pierce through their neck. The blue pegasus was the first to collapse to the floor and passed out. Then the lavender fell face down next to her, the shy mare was the only one standing. But as she felt her energy fading rapidly. She too fell belly down to the floor. Still conscious she saw the outline of a pony walking towards her view: everything was blurry now, so it was hard for her to see his face. But she was awake enough to hear his voice.
"I'm sorry girls, I wish I could let you go. But you can't leave, not yet. There's so much here that you have to witness! We're gonna play a little game: it's called 'Find the truth,' it's quite simple really. All you have to do is find the truth, accept the gospel and all the doors will be open before you."
Fluttershy's eyes started to get heavy. She was able to pick up the last few words from the voice before the drug could knock her out. It was those two words that she wasn't ready to hear.
Let the games begin
