Applejack and Rainbow Dash ran around the corner of the building, stopping to catch their breath.
“Dash, I reckon we need to get back to our friends,” Applejack said between gasps. “Something ain’t right.”
“They should be just around the corner of the next building,” Rainbow Dash managed to get out between her gasps as she tried to catch her own breath.
Still gasping herself, Applejack just nodded in reply. After a few more heavy breaths they started to make their way down the sidewalk to the next corner.
“Hopefully Sunset managed to catch up with the rest of our friends,” Applejack said. “If she has, we tell them about what we saw and figure this out. If she hasn’t, we get our friends out of here and try to find her.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Rainbow Dash replied as they rounded the corner.
What they saw froze them in their tracks. Four statues dressed in various guises staring at the same point.
“This can’t be them,” Rainbow Dash weakly said between heavy breaths as they both approached the statues.
“It has to be. Pinkie is still holding our bags,” Applejack replied winded.
They both continued to stare at the statues until Applejack put her hand on Rainbow’s shoulder.
“We have to find Sunset,” Applejack said, “I reckon she will know how to fix this.”
“Hello my ladies,” A strange voice greeted them from behind. “Fix what if I may ask?”
They both spun around, taking defensive postures as if preparing for a fight as they faced the stranger merely a few feet away.
“Who are you?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with who I am. You two are clearly worked up over something. Just take a long, hard look at yourselves,” The stranger said as they raised a mirror facing them.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but look at the handheld mirror that looked to be set in a stone handle as the reflection in it made its way up their bodies to their faces.
____________________
I was wondering where my friends were. They had told me to catch up with them in front of the haunted house hanger outside of town once I was off of work. Rainbow Dash and Applejack had described it as the best traveling haunted house in the world. However, now that I was finally there my friends were nowhere to be found even though their cars were the only other ones in the parking lot. What was concerning me was that none of them were answering their phones. They had assured me that they would be here and if they weren’t outside, to call them. What was especially concerning was that their phones were going right to voicemail. They never had their phones off.
Where are you girls? I thought to myself as I sat down on one of the benches outside of the warehouse. A vibration from my backpack grabbed my attention. I pulled out my message journal and opened it to the new message that had been left inside.
Dear Sunset,
I hope I am not interrupting you by sending this message but I wanted to ask you something. I know you told me about the group trip you were planning with your friends to the haunted house so get back to me when you can.
Your good friend, Twilight Sparkle
I pulled out a pen and wrote a reply.
Hey Twilight,
I am waiting to hear from them at the moment. To be honest, I am a bit concerned because they aren't answering their phones. Their phones go right to voicemail, which is very unusual for all of them. There is bad reception out here though so I may just be overreacting. What was it that you were wanting to ask?
Your friend, Sunset Shimmer
I closed the journal and put it in my lap. I then checked the time. 7 pm on the dot. Nearly 30 minutes had passed since I had arrived. I frowned as I looked over my shoulder to the warehouse. It was an old military hanger on a long-abandoned base. The outer walls were a dull steel with an aged look gained from time. The only door on the front had the same old look to it with its only window blacked out.
Above the door was a white billboard with bright orange words on it that looked vastly out of place relative to the building it was attached to due to its much cleaner look. The billboard read; ‘Welcome to Tartarus. The largest traveling haunted house in the world!’ I started to consider the possibility of my friends already being inside when the book in my lap vibrated again. I opened the book to find Twilight’s response.
Dear Sunset,
The business I want to talk with you about isn’t suitable for a quick discussion. It is a rather important matter and something you are going to want to have time to think about. I don’t want it to distract you from your time tonight.
As for your friends, I am sure that they are fine. If you haven’t checked inside I would go ahead and do so. They may already be inside the haunted house.
Have fun, Twilight Sparkle
With that encouragement I grabbed my backpack, opened the door and walked inside, keeping the journal in my hands. The moment the door closed behind me my phone beeped. I took a quick look at it and noted that the signal had been lost.
That is likely why they weren’t answering. They can’t get any reception in here. I thought to myself with some relief as I smiled. I took a quick look around the room and found that no one was there. I took a moment to update Twilight.
Hey Twilight,
It seems that you may have been right. I stepped inside and my phone instantly lost its signal. I may have been getting concerned over nothing. Thanks for the positive assurance.
Your friend, Sunset Shimmer
I then took a quick look around at the signs in the lounge for directions on where my friends might be. I spotted one that said bathrooms/changing rooms.
“They have to be there,” I said as I went off in the direction that the arrow on the sign had indicated.
I went into the women’s room and started calling for my friends as I walked through the doorway. The bathroom was silent in response. One side of the bathroom had a series of lockers separated by a bench in the middle of the walk path. The other had toilet stalls. The room ended in a few shower stalls. As I got to the end of the room I saw Applejack’s hat sitting above one of the lockers. I stopped as I got to it. I sighed and looked around in the otherwise empty bathroom.
“Where are you girls?” I asked no one in particular as I turned and made my way back to the lounge.
Back in the lounge, I looked at the only other sign in the otherwise large empty room. It only listed the $5 cost of entry with the warning that the stone statues inside the haunted house were not to be touched. It hung above the only other door that didn’t lead either outside or to the changing rooms. With no other option, I decided to make my way to the door. Before I got to the door the journal vibrated again. I open the door, walking through it as I read the message.
Dear Sunset,
That is good to hear. Anything I can do to help a friend. I am sure your friends are fine. You just need to find them. Enjoy the night and get back to me when you have the time.
Your friend, Twilight Sparkle
I looked up from the journal to find myself in the middle of a street of what looked like a set split into two different time periods. The first set of buildings, two small city blocks wide, was a more modern group made of cinder blocks. The second group of buildings looked like it came from the old west. Three streets ran the length of the set going the entire length of it with small alleyways splitting each block. At the fourth alleyway, the set abruptly changed from the modern cement buildings to the western buildings. The end of the middle street, that I came out on, ended up in a western saloon with a prominent clock overtop the saloon sign.
The modern area was lit up with street lights at each corner. The street lamps on the second set of alleyways flickered occasionally. The street lights even closer to the western set of buildings flickered even more with the last set the worst as they barely stayed on, blinking in and out in various ways struggling to stay lit. Beyond the street lights, the only other lights were from the light in the bus stop styled overhang that surrounded the door that I just walked through, occasionally placed lanterns on the walls along the western section, the saloon sign, the clock face and light from inside the saloon itself. A few scattered doors also showed a hint of light peeking through from underneath.
To the left, under a street light, near the corner of next street over, stood six grey figures. I started to approach them. As I approached the silhouettes started to look rather familiar so I called out to them, “Girls? Is that you?”
There was no reply. I slowly picked up my pace as I got closer. I smiled as I got close enough to recognize them.
“Girls!” I called out. Shortly after I called out the second time my smile fell away as I quickly realized that none of them were responding, or moving at all.
“Celestia please, no,” I started to run the short remaining distance to the statues as concern grew inside me.
“Girls! No, no, no, no. Celestia please, no,” I cried as I arrived at the greyed out statues.
Looking them over I was sure that it was them. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were gathered together frozen with looks of curiosity on their frozen faces. Just to the side of them were Rainbow Dash and Applejack with looks of confusion on theirs. The geodes were even hanging around their necks. Not knowing where else to turn, I opened up the journal once more.
Twilight I found them. They have been turned to stone
As I finished the final letter I couldn’t stop myself from breaking down into tears in front of the statues of my friends as I closed the journal. Quickly, the journal buzzed indicating a reply. I opened it.
What? Are you sure?
Twilight’s doubt hurt, only feeding my pain and panic. Shakily, I penned a reply.
Yes I don’t know what to do Is there anything you can do to help please
I collapsed onto the ground, dropping the journal, as I started to cry, “Celestia, please.”
“Sunset?” I heard Twilight call.
“Twilight!?” I cried with a burst of joy as I leapt to my feet. Turning toward her and still seeing the grey statue the sudden burst of joy immediately evaporated as confusion flooded my mind. “Twilight? But how?”
“The journal, Sunset.”
I turned back to the journal lying open on the ground.
“Twilight?” I said as I looked at the page through my tear blurred vision. On it was a basic drawing of Princess Twilight moving around.
“I’m sorry I’m not the human Twilight. You said that they are stone?”
“Yes. I don’t know what could have caused it or how I could even undo it. Please, I don’t know what to do.”
“Clearly there is some form of magic at work. I don’t even know what it might be though. If we can figure it out I am sure that we can undo what has been done,” Princess Twilight paused. “Are you alone?”
“What?”
“I think I heard some footsteps. Are you walking around or is someone there with you?”
I froze trying to listen for a sound. Not hearing anything outside of the buzz from the flickering lights, I picked up the journal and slowly turned around. A few feet in front of me stood someone in a grey overcoat with an oversized hood hiding their face. In one hand was a stone circular object with a stone handle.
“Who are you?” I asked as I approached him. “What happened to my friends?”
“Sunset? Who is it?”
You don’t need to concern yourself with all of that,” the stranger said as they started to raise their hand that held the stone object. Before they could pull away, I reached out for their open hand and touched it with mine.
“Sunset?”
I felt my body tense with theirs as I tried to read their mind.
____________________
Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were right in front of me.
“Hello ladies,” I heard myself, as the stranger, say. “Do you have any idea how nice you look tonight? Just take a long, hard look at yourselves.”
I watched in fear as my hand with the round stone object raised it to their faces. Sunset? I was horrified as I watched them turn to stone. What made me sick is that I could feel myself, or rather the stranger, smile at the result. I could feel my actual self shatter inside at what I just saw happen to my friends.
No. I thought to myself as the stranger turned away.
____________________
The scene shifted. This time the four were already there frozen. Next to them were Applejack and Rainbow Dash talking to each other sounding a bit winded as the stranger approached. Sunset?!
“We have to find Sunset,” I heard Applejack say. “I reckon she will know how to fix this.”
“Hello my ladies,” I heard the stranger say. “Fix what if I may ask?”
They both spun around, jumping back and taking defensive postures as if preparing for a fight.
No. I thought. Run. Please.
“Who are you?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with who I am. You two are clearly worked up over something. Just take a long, hard look at yourselves,” The stranger said as they raised the stone object to their faces.
No. I thought again as I watched in terror. Please, run. Run. Don’t look! Run! Sunset!
I watched in horror as they too turned to stone once the stone object was level with their faces.
NO!
____________________
“Sunset! Are you ok?”
“You turned my friends to stone!” I spat at the stranger as I took a few steps back. “Change them back!”
“They what? How?” Twilight asked as the stranger stood motionless in place.
“The stone object in their hand. They said a phrase as they raised it to my friends' faces and it turned them to stone.”
“Sunset, run.”
I took a glance at my friends frozen in stone. I turned back to see the stranger raising the stone object as I heard Princess Twilight shout, “Sunset, run!”
Without hesitation I turned and ran for the door I entered this Celestia forsaken place through, pulling the open journal to my chest as I went.
As I ran I heard Twilight say, “Sunset, I will find out what I can about that stone object that turned your friends to stone. Hopefully, there will be something about reversing its effects. When I find something I will let you know and then I will head over there to help. In the meantime, do whatever you can to stay away from them and do not look at that object.”
I reached the door breathing heavily. I tried to turn the handle only for it to not budge at all.
Buck. I thought as I took a look at the journal. Seeing that Twilight’s sketch wasn’t there anymore I closed the journal and started to run for the far street corner. On the way, I snuck a look over my shoulder just long enough to see that the person wasn’t running after me. They were just walking instead. Because of that, they had yet to reach the middle street as I rounded the corner of the next street down. I made it around the corner and stopped to catch my breath. I leaned against the wall and quickly assessed the situation.
I have to stay away from them. I don’t know how close they have to get to be able to turn me to stone. Staying in the lit area would make it easy to keep an eye on them and keep my distance but it also could allow them to corner me easier. I then looked down the street at the darkness provided by the western-styled area. On the other hand, in the darkness they could walk right by me and never even notice. I started off for the darkness provided by the western side. Time for another Flanksy escape act. Don’t worry girls. I’ll be back.
I eventually got to a run as I crossed the street to the far side. I entered the first western-style building that was dark. Immediately I slipped into the shadows and, as quietly as I could while breathing heavily, made my way down the buildings going between them via the shoulder wide alleyways that split them until I entered one that was dimly lit and had a set of stairs. I went up the stairs and took a quick look around. The top of the staircase ended at a wall forcing you to turn into an open room about the size of a small ballroom. At the other end of the room was a hallway and a stairwell that went up right above the other set of stairs. Skipping the hallway I climbed the next set of stairs. The third story was dark. It, however, ended in an open doorway to an open balcony that continued to the corner, rounded the corner and ended at a lit doorway on the side of the clock above the saloon.
With a clear view of the entire street before me and no sight of the stranger I stopped and took a seat. At that moment, the full force of what I had just gone through hit me. I couldn’t help but start to cry. I did what I could to keep my crying as quiet as possible as the thought of my friends being stone forever ran through my mind. I didn’t want to lose them. Not like this. However, I had no idea what to do or how to undo what had been done to them. The thought of my friends being gone was overwhelming.
Pull yourself together. Just stay evasive until Twilight gets back to you with more. We will come up with a plan then.
After the brief pep talk, I wiped the tears from my eyes as I got up. I removed the backpack from my back and put the journal in it. I slung the backpack back onto my back and started to make my way along the balcony to the door on the side of the clock while looking out over the set that was on the ground before me. I froze when I saw movement in the street at the other corner of the western buildings. It was the stranger, still holding the stone object. I watched in silence as they made their way into the building on the corner. Shortly thereafter I heard a metallic door slam. I let go a sigh of relief and continued to the door that led to the clock. I opened it and stepped inside. Just as I closed the door behind me I froze when I heard an intercom crackle to life with a masculine voice.
“Ok, you weird little girl.”
Oh, no you did not.
“I have all night to find you. The only door out for you is locked so you can’t leave. You can’t call for help. There isn’t anywhere you can go inside where I won’t see you because I have my security cameras watching this place.”
Buck.
“So enjoy your time running around all you want. When I decide to I will come after you and I will add you to my collection just like I did those other girls.”
Collection? What collection? This disgusting--
“Your ‘friends’ I think you called them? Don’t worry. You will join them soon enough. Until then? Make yourself at home. And please do try to enjoy your stay. It will be the last thing you will ever get to do before you join them.”
I was seething mad as the intercom cut off. As much as I wanted to do something to that creature I knew I couldn’t. I had to stay away from him. The only good news I had is that it looked like he was going to give me the space to do what I wanted for the time being. My bigger concern was how much coverage did the security cameras actually have and what type were they?
Well, if any of them are IR there is nothing you can do so just move around under the assumption that they aren’t. Don’t get careless or reckless. Stick to the dark like you are.
The room I was in was mostly filled with the mechanics of the clock. There was a light shining onto the back of the clock from the floor. On the other side of the room was another door. With no other way to go, I went to the door and opened it. Like the side I had just come from, it was a balcony that wrapped around the corner to a third-story room. I made my way around the balcony making sure to keep in the dark as much as possible. This side was a near mirror copy of the other side. There was an open doorway leading into a hallway. Like the other side, it was dark. Too dark to see much in the hallway as there was no dim light from the second floor.
I carefully took my time walking to the stairs and then down the stairs to the second floor. Rather than turning and trying to find the stairs that went right to the first floor, I continued down the hallway before me. The hallway was short and it led to another large room that had some flickering light entering it through the windows via the street lights further up. The street lights were no help in lighting up the far end of the room as that stayed completely dark. I got as close as I dared to the windows as I passed by them trying to get a look at this side of the fictional town.
I stopped at the last window, walking up to it making sure to stay in the shadows. Looking back at the saloon that dominated the far end I recalled the metal door I heard close earlier. It was on this side of the saloon and had to be on the first floor. I was curious to see if I could see where it was. Looking inside the first floor of the building along the side of the saloon I couldn’t see the metal door. Knowing looking any further would require either going down there or peeking my head out of the window I instead started backing up away from the window while staying against the wall. As I took my third step back I felt something touch my right shoulder.
“AAAHHH!!!” I let out before I could cover my mouth.
I froze in place listening for either the sound of the metal door or a sound from behind me. After waiting for some time with no sound at all I mentally cursed myself for being so careless as to scream. I pulled out my cell phone. Using its locked screen as a dim light to illuminate the dark corner, I slowly turned around. In front of me was a statue similar to my friends. Someone reaching out for something they would never reach.
Their collection. I thought to myself in horror.
Looking closer I noticed not only that the texture of the statue was more grainy than my friends were but that some parts were also missing. The right hand reaching out wasn’t entirely there, the nose was missing, an ear was missing, as was a chunk of hair above where the ear would have been, part of the chin had also fallen away.
My heart sank. Is this what will happen to my friends?
Using the dim light from my phone to guide me, I made my way out of the corner. Almost next to the statue was a hallway with a do not enter sign across it at waist height. I carefully snuck underneath it and walked down the hallway until I found myself at a metal door. It wasn’t locked so I opened it up. Inside was a dimly lit room with dozens of statues of other people in various conditions. From only missing a few parts to just torsos and legs only to small stumps sticking out of piles of dust. Not seeing my friend’s statues I gasped as tears started to run down my face.
Celestia no. Please. This can’t be their fate. This can’t be what happens to them.
I rushed out of the room and slowed down as I entered the dark hallway. I made my way under the waist level sign at the end of the hallway and kept going looking for the stairs that went down to the first floor. I found it and quietly went down it. There was a bright light shining from around the corner at the bottom of the stairs. As I got to the bottom I looked back behind the stairs to the source of the light. The light was shining on the metal door that I thought that I had heard earlier. It was a metal door with a security label on it. The handle of the door had an id scanner next to it on the door.
When I saw the door a fire of rage erupted inside of me from what I had just discovered. I wanted to make this person pay for what they have done. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t at the moment. Instead, I put my thoughts back into my friends. I turned and headed away from the door.
I will make you pay for what you have done.
I made my way through the buildings, stopping when I came across an incomplete wagon wheel. I looked back in anger in the direction I just came from and pulled off a spoke. It was as thick as a baseball bat however not nearly as long. I glared back again at the direction of the door.
I will make you regret all of this.
I turned around and continued through the transition from western to modern cinder block buildings. I kept going until I finally got to a building from which I could see the statues of my friends across the street. They were under the same lamp post, in the same positions, that I had left them in when I ran.
My building anger dissolved when I finally saw them again. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you girls sooner. I won’t leave you again until I have to.
With that in mind, I started looking for an adequate spot I could watch over them from as I waited to hear from Twilight. Finding another set of stairs in the corner of the building. It led to a second-story room that wasn’t well lit. I walked up the stairs. The room was relatively dark as the only light was from the street lamps that came in through the window. It was otherwise wide open with no other way in or out outside of the stairs. The room even had a closet from which I could hide in the dark while still watching over my friends.
I took my backpack off and pulled my journal out. I opened it up so it wouldn’t vibrate and then covered it with my backpack to reduce the light signature when Twilight did eventually respond. As I waited for Twilight to respond my mind raced through various thoughts. From the times that I had up to this point with my friends to what I was hoping I could still get to do with them to what it would be like without them. All of the thoughts brought tears. There was nothing else that I could think about that replaced those thoughts in my mind no matter how hard I tried.
Eventually, a purple glow came from under the backpack. I looked at my phone for the time before checking the message. It was 10:23. I wiped the tears off of my face. I was ready to get my friends back.
Sunset,
I hope you are safe and can read this. I have found some information on what I think this mystery object is. If what I have found is correct it is a cockatrice mirror. It was an experimental object made in ancient Equestrian times by a unicorn trying to recreate the effects of the stare of a cockatrice. They made it with the intention of it being able to undo the effects of a cockatrice on those unfortunate enough to fall under its gaze. To be sure that it would work they also gave it the ability to turn living objects to stone so they could test it. It was stolen from the unicorn who made it and it was never heard of or seen since. As you know it would only work with a certain phrase. The good news is that it will also undo what it does. The bad news is that it requires another certain phrase and there is nothing that I have found indicating what that phrase might be. It gets worse. The mirror wasn’t entirely successful as intended. It couldn’t change anything back after sunrise of the following morning that they were first turned to stone. You have to get that mirror from them in some way and you have to do it before sunrise or your friends will be stuck that way forever.
Looking at my friends and thinking back to the other statues from earlier tears started to slowly fall down my face again. I penned a reply.
Twilight there is more. I found more statues of others. They aren’t complete. Some are nothing more than piles of dust.
A reply came quickly.
I’m so sorry to hear that. I fear what is happening is that the magical effect from the mirror is wearing off over time due to the lack of thaumic energy on your end causing them to eventually crumble to dust. With that news, I am going to have to ask you to destroy that mirror if you can’t get it from them. They must not be allowed to be able to keep using that mirror, no matter the cost. I am sorry.
If the mirror is damaged will it still work?
I am afraid that is not likely. If it is damaged it is unusable and your friends will be lost for good. If you cannot take it the mirror must be destroyed. I am sorry. I will be there as soon as I can. Starlight and Spike will still be over here. If they find anything more they will message you.
I looked at my friends through my now blurred vision. Destroying that mirror is not an option to me. I will not lose you. I will set you free or I will die trying. I started to think of how I could get that mirror. An idea came to mind. I couldn’t help myself as I smiled. No more running and hiding like Flanksy. It is time to go on the attack.
____________________
My entire plan hinged on me catching the mirror before it hit the ground. It was the only part of it that concerned me. Everything else I was confident about. I had brought down the statue that had scared me before to the first floor to the dark room beyond the stairwell in front of the security door.
It was of a thin framed woman who had a bit of a swollen belly. I had put my shirt, pants, and shoes onto the statue. I had set it to look like I had fallen asleep. It was enough in the light that the stranger would see it fairly easily after walking past the staircase by the door but enough in the dark to mask that it wasn’t actually me. After setting it up I simply waited, with my makeshift bat in hand, in the dark corner of the room right by where the stranger would enter the room.
It wasn’t too long until I heard the click from the metal door followed by the squee of it opening and then the click of it closing. The sound of footsteps then started to echo. They got louder and louder as the stranger approached. I readied myself just in case he knew I was hiding in the shadows of the corner. I watched his long shadow on the floor slowly enter the room next to me with each louder step. I could feel myself starting to sweat as the shadow grew along the floor. As his body entered the room I was holding my breath, ready to swing. The stranger paused after taking a few steps into the room.
“Hello, you weird little girl.”
I stood in the corner frozen, both scared and filled with rage-fueled adrenaline as my heart pounded in my chest.
“Time for you to wake up,” he said as he took a step to the statue.
As he took his second step I swung with what I was hoping was enough force to knock him out without killing him. The spoke hit the side of his head with a crack and bounced off. He instantly started to collapse. I lunged for the mirror in his right hand as soon as I could after the impact. I managed to grab it just before it hit the ground as the rest of the body landed with a thud. I pulled the mirror out of his hand and stood back up.
“Time for you to shut the buck up,” I said glaring down at the body now sprawled out on the floor.
Keeping the mirror next to me, I checked for a pulse. After I found one, I took the shoelaces from his shoes and used them to tie his hands and feet together. I noticed a card with a metallic strip hanging from a lanyard around his neck as I was tying his hands.I then took my clothes off of the statue and put them back on me. I dragged the body of the stranger back to the door. I took the lanyard off of the body and approached the door.
Let’s hope this works. I thought as I swiped the card through the scanner on the door.
A green light lit up and the door unlocked with a click. I pulled the door open.
It was a security room with a wall of security cameras above a desk at the far end. None of which were IR cameras. That made me smile a little. Most of the cameras were either in the lobby or, disturbingly, in the bathrooms. There was a leather swivel chair in front of the desk with a small microwave on top of a small refrigerator on one side of the chair with a small freezer with a small, portable kerosine stove top on the other side of the chair. Bookshelves with unmarked books lined the rest of the walls heading to the door.
I searched the room quickly for any weapons or sharp objects. I only found a butter knife, a steak knife and a pair of scissors. I took all of them and some duct tape from the room. After some time and effort, I got his unconscious body into the chair and used an excessive amount of duct tape to tape him to the chair. Confident that he was not going anywhere soon, I waited for him to regain consciousness. I needed information.
After less than half an hour, the stranger stirred and groaned as he came too. I was leaning against the door and had the chair facing the monitors. He struggled against the tape, jerking the chair about in his struggle, getting nowhere before I finally spoke up.
“You aren’t going to be going anywhere so you might as well stop trying.”
The chair stopped moving. I let a few seconds pass before I spun the chair around. As soon as his eyes met mine he was glaring at me. I glared right back.
After a brief staredown I finally spoke up, “I want information and you will give it to me. You can either be cooperative and give it to me when I ask or I will force it out of you.”
His facial expression did not change. After a moment I continued.
“I know what this mirror does and I know that you have to say a certain phase for it to work. What do I need to say to change my friends back?”
The stranger only offered silence to go with his glare in reply.
My voice dropped as anger filled it, “I won’t ask again. What do I need to say to change my friends back?”
Still no reply.
“Fine. By force it is.”
I reached out to his hand and touched it. I felt our bodies tense.
____________________
Immediately it was a fight as I struggled to enter his mind and read his thoughts. The struggle was exhausting. Even more concerning is that every memory I tried to forcibly access in his mind seemed to suffer as he fought back, getting more and more faded the more we struggled. When I tried to go back to a few of those places to try again later in the struggle it was as if the memory was incomplete, or even gone, on the occasions where I really tried to force access.
____________________
I gasped as I pulled back. Sweat falling down my brow. Meanwhile, he groaned in pain. In the past, a dark part of me would have savored what I just did to him. Were it not for the fact that I was trying to find a way to help my friends it would have still been satisfying as it quenched my built-up anger. That was likely to never fully go away but now wasn’t the time for revenge.
I needed information to save my friends and I needed to know if he knew what I wanted to know. He wasn’t willing to let me look. He was willing to fight until he lost his memories so I had to soften his resistance.
Taking a moment to look around the room, my eyes found their way to the books on the shelves. They settled on a large book at the end. The evil inside of me gave me an idea. I picked the large book up. It was rather heavy. I smirked as I turned back to him. His face now a mix of anger and pain.
“You leave me with no other choice.”
Book in hand, I swung again for his head. This time, I swung as hard as I could. The spine of the book impacted with a thump. His head tilted to the side before falling over as he fell unconscious once again. With him now unconscious, I put the book back before I reached again for his hand. This time I only felt my body tense up.
____________________
I entered, and to my relief, there was no resistance. I started running through their memories as fast as I could. Many of them were horrifying reminders of what I was trying to undo. Not knowing how much time I had I tried to go as fast as possible in search of what I specifically wanted to know. Some memories I saw showed more than I really wanted to learn about this stranger, whose name was ‘Thanatos’, his history and the history of this place of horrors.
His father raised him alone claiming that his mother had passed away giving birth. Thanatos didn’t believe his father, always wondering where his mother had gone when he was younger. His father always repeated the same thing. Thanatos stopped asking despite his doubts. His father taught him that this place was home and work. He watched his father turn people to statues using the mirror and then helped his father move the statues around when he got old enough to help.
When Thanatos was just starting to help he asked his father why they did this. His father claimed it was a necessity. When Thanatos would push the issue his father would take them to the office, grab the very book Sunset had hit him with, open it and read the history of this place. His father explaining what, why and how he was doing what he was while also telling Thanatos that he was going to have to do this himself one day.
“It is my duty,” his father would say, “it is going to eventually be yours when you get old enough to take over.”
This had been something that the family had been doing for centuries, ever since the first member found the mirror and used it. His father would go on reading but would always stop with several pages left. When Thanatos would encourage his father to read on his father would say that the last chapter was for him to read himself when he turned 21. When he eventually did turn 21 his father gave him the book and told him to read the last chapter. His father then left the office and told him that he would be waiting in the saloon.
The last chapter contained a set of instructions, mostly on how to run the place without getting caught by local authorities based upon what had worked in the past. What caught Thanatos’ attention was what to do with the person whom you had chosen to give you one child at a certain age.
As soon as possible after the birth of the child, they were to be made into a statue if they were the woman. The other parent was to be turned to stone when the child turned 21. Thanatos finally had his answer to what happened to his mother. Enraged, he chased down his father in the saloon and turned him to stone without hesitation. He never found out which statue was his mother. He had been running this place alone since believing that it was his duty while wondering the entire time which was his mother.
I kept moving through the rest of the memories as fast as I could looking for what I wanted to know. After a long search, I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I decided to get out.
____________________
I looked at my phone to see the time once I got out. The last time I checked the time it was just after 2 am. That was before I interrogated him. It was now 2:57. Twilight would be here any minute and sunrise was in two hours. We didn’t have time to go through these books to look for the phrase to save my friends. My only realistic hope was that Twilight, Starlight or Spike would have the answer.
I was waiting at the bus stop door with the remains of the wagon wheel when Twilight opened it and came in. Before the door closed I stuck the wheel between the door and the door frame to keep the door open. I then turned to Twilight. She had a concerned look on her face.
“Hey, Sunset,” Twilight said as she gave me a hug. “Are you ok?”
“That really depends on if you brought some good news,” I admitted as we released the hug.
“The phrase to turn your friends back?”
I nodded, hoping that would be a yes. The hesitation from her only served to grow my concern instead. The drop of her head and the following shake felt like a dagger to my heart. I let out a sigh as I dropped my head and closed my eyes. A hand fell on my shoulder.
“That doesn’t mean that Starlight or Spike might not have found something in Equestria.”
I raised my head to look at Twilight. She had a hopeful smile. I forced a smile back.
“Do you have the mirror?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t have it?” I said as I pulled the stone mirror out of my backpack.
“I was hopeful that you would,” Twilight smiled as she took the mirror and turned to the statues of the girls.
“That is them over there?”
“Yes,” I replied as I was pulling the journal out of my backpack.
As I followed Twilight over, I wrote to Starlight and Spike.
Were you two able to find anything more on the cockatrice mirror?
Sunset.
As we got to the statues I got a response. What I read caused my heart to sink.
Sorry Sunset, but no. Best of luck.
“They found nothing,” I said dejectedly.
“I feared as much,” Twilight said looking back at me. “Maybe we can figure it out based on what the other phrase is. What was it?”
“Just take a long, hard look at yourself.”
“Hmm,” Twilight hummed as she looked at the mirror before holding it out to the six statues and said. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.“
Nothing happened. Twilight kept holding the mirror out to them as she then said, “Open up your heart of stone.”
Still nothing. Twilight and I went back and forth trying various phases with none of them working. Eventually, we stopped when we ran out of ideas. We had tried everything we could think of to no avail. I looked at my phone. There were less than 20 minutes to sunrise. We were almost out of time and we had nowhere else. I started to cry as I fell to my knees.
“I’m sorry Sunset,” Twilight said as she put a hand upon my shoulder. “I don’t know what else to try.”
“There has to be something else.”
“We have tried everything. We even asked for ideas from Starlight and Spike. None of it worked. I’m sorry.”
“But there has to be,” I cried out. “we are almost out of…”
I paused as a thought hit me. I looked at the mirror in my hands wondering if the idea would work. I finished my sentence with a hushed, “time.”
“Yes, but we have tried everything--”
“No. We haven’t,” I looked at Twilight through my blurred vision, who looked back at me with a confused face. “We have been thinking about the first phrase in a literal sense in that they were frozen to stone and we have been trying to think of phrases from that perspective.”
“Well, yes,” Twilight said, still confused.
“What if long literally means time and we have been ignoring that? As in frozen into stone for a long time. Isn’t that what we are trying to reverse?”
“Of course!” Twilight said. “We just need to think of a phrase to undo that change.”
“We need a specific phrase though.”
“One that goes along with the first phrase.”
The first phrase ran through my mind. Just take a long, hard look at yourself. Another phrase then ran through my mind. I turned to the statues of my friends and held up the mirror.
“Here goes nothing,” With everything in my body hoping that this would work I said both phrases together. “Just take a long, hard look at yourself. Knowing that you can change in time, awake and set yourself free.”
Immediately the stone mirror shone a light unto my friends. Princess Twilight and I gasped. Color started to return to my friends as the stony appearance that once covered them faded away. One by one they started to fall over as their appearances returned fully to normal. Twilight and I ran between them catching each of them before they hit the ground. As I gently laid the last one down on the ground I finally let the joy inside me erupt.
“It worked! We saved them!” I cried as I leapt to Princess Twilight.
We fell to the ground as I tackled her. She hugged me as I began to cry uncontrollably in her arms. She held me, letting me cry over her shoulder until I was spent.
“Better?” Princess Twilight asked with a smile as I finally pulled myself off of her.
Looking at her through my still teary vision I said, “Yes, thank you. For everything.”
With a relieved smile she said, “Anything for a friend.”
I looked at my friends as I wiped away the tears from my eyes. Watching their bodies slowly rise and fall was a great relief.
“We probably should get them to a hospital to make sure that they are ok,” I said.
“There is one more thing we need to do here before we leave though,” Twilight said with a sudden and serious change in tone. “Where is this stranger?”
I picked myself up off of the ground and then offered my hand to help Princess Twilight up, “Let me take you to him.”
She took my hand and got up. The thought of payback entered my mind as I started to make my way to the metal door. The walk to the security door was silent. When the door came into view we both froze as the sight that greeted us. The wooden structures immediately around the door were on fire as flames were licking out from underneath the gap at the bottom of the security door.
I stood there in shock at the sight before me until I finally said, “He was in the room through that door.”
After a moment of silence Princess Twilight finally said, “Let’s get our friends out of here before this fire gets to be dangerous to them.”
The fire was consuming most of the western section of the town as Princess Twilight and I dragged the last two out of the building. We also grabbed everything that belonged to the six of them from the restroom before we left the building for good ourselves. I made a call to emergency services reporting the building fire as Princess Twilight helped each of my friends as they started to gain consciousness. After I got off the phone Princess Twilight approached me.
“I will be taking the mirror back with me,” She said. “We cannot let what actually happened here to become known. This would create a very negative view of Equestria to the eyes of the humans of this world. We need to introduce ourselves to them on a better foot than an incident like this.”
I nodded, “How are they?”
“They all lack some color and they look very tired.” Twilight observed. “Other than that they look ok. I can’t say much more than that not knowing this body. Better to be safe and take them to the hospital anyway.”
“Don’t worry. I will get them there. You should make your way back to Equestria to avoid confusion over two Twilights.”
Princess Twilight nodded, “You will be ok?”
“Yes,” I said as I gave Princess Twilight a hug. “Thank you again. For everything.”
Returning the hug she said, “Any time. I’ll message you soon asking about how they are doing.”
We released our hug. Twilight grabbed the mirror out of my backpack and started to walk down the street before she waved down a passing taxi. It pulled over to pick her up. Before she got in she gave me one last wave. I waved back and she entered the taxi. Shortly after, it started to make its way to the school.
I could hear sirens approaching in the distance as I watched the taxi disappear. The hangar was starting to have flames escape the outer walls as the fire roared and crackled. I turned back to my friends. I let out a sigh of relief as they all looked at me and gave me weak smiles and waves. I could only smile back as I took in the sight of all of them. I got them back and it is the greatest feeling I could imagine at the moment. As I finished that thought a wave of fatigue hit me, encouraging me to join my friends on the ground. Too tired to resist I let myself collapse onto the ground with them.
With what energy I could muster I said, “It is so good to see that you girls are ok.”
