Trigger Happy Equines

The group left the store soon after, some carrying various items out. Pinkie Pie had grabbed a rubber ring with a pink graffiti pattern and was already in the process of blowing it up as she walked towards the hotel. Inky was carrying a crate of beer on her back and a bottle of rum in her mouth, which had her struggling until Dr. Scalpel offered to help out, levitating the crate with ease. Dish Panner and Maribelle each held large straw bags filled with fruit and vegetables, Yoko behind them carrying a massive bag of rice and several packets of frozen dumplings. Elsie and Mesmer each took large bottles of water and Copper took some bags of pretzels and savory snacks. Button had tried to sneak out with a jug of cider but was quickly caught by Maribelle and ordered to put it back. Nobody else took anything. Dopple and I decided it would be best not to speak of our discussion for fear of sending everyone else into a panic. Spirits seemed to be generally quite high given the circumstances, and we didn’t want that to fall apart. I suspected for most of us here, the true ramifications of our situation had yet to truly dawn on them.

Monobunny declared that the tour was finally over, and that he’d only show up when necessary. In a flash he scurried away out of sight, leaving us to our own devices. Shetland decided that we should all meet up in the dining room on the first floor, to which everyone agreed. Now that we understood our situation it was time to discuss our options and fill our stomachs. Upon entering the dining hall there was a hurried discussion between certain members, with the fear of murder in the air. The food was the main cause for concern.

“Poison the food?” Dish Panner scoffed, looking offended. “I would never do such a thing!”

“All things considered,” Shetland said, hoofing through the various bags, “we can’t be too careful. You can take offense to it if you want but I say we shouldn’t allow just one of us go in the kitchen alone, especially if you’re cooking for a group of us.”

“Maribelle was going to help,” Dish Panner said.

“That’s still a bit of a risk,” Shetland replied. “We need at least three.”

“I’ll stand watch,” Dr. Scalpel offered.

“And I’ll help!” Yoko beamed, motioning to his own food stash. “I’m actually a pretty decent cook, I’ll have you know. I’ll whip up something special in no time!”

“Okay,” Shetland said. “Four of you can keep an eye on each other. That way there’s no chance of… anything untoward happening.”

Dish Panner tutted. “I still don’t know what you’re fretting for. It’s not like we’re going to find rat poison lying about in a kitchen. But fine, four of us working will get things done quicker.”

The four self-appointed cooks went through into the kitchen area while the rest of us took our seats on one of the cherry-red leather seating and similarly colored stools. Added to the checker-tiled floor and rounded tables it looked very much like a classic diner. Even the entrance doors were made of glass with bronze-coated handles across their entire width. I sat in the corner nearest the kitchen and was quickly surrounded, Dopple taking the space to my right, Copper to my left and Button one space further, with Pinkie and Inky taking the nearby stools. I had to contain my anxiety at being in close proximity to so many mares. Copper in particular was rather close, and now that I was sat next to her I could appreciate just how lithe and curvy she was. Not that Dopple was all that bad either, especially with her silky white mane. Steady on, I told myself, feeling my heart race faster.

“Who wants beer?” Inky declared, holding up a can bearing Monobunny’s eerie resemblance. “Catch ‘em before they get cold!”

“Oh, me! Me!” Button cried, holding up his forelegs.

Inky looked around her and turned back to Button. “No, Button!” she said loudly, shaking her head while smiling mischievously. “You absolutely cannot have any alcohol, and that is final!” She winked at Button and handed him a beer can, holding a hoof to her lips to call for his silence. Pinkie was struggling not to burst into giggles.

“Oh thank– I mean, oh, what a shame,” Button said, winking back. “It’s fine. I won’t drink any beer then.” He pulled the tab – the can emitting a faint hiss – and took a large gulp. He smiled for a moment, then scrunched his face up in disgust and swallowed. “That was horrible!” he said, sticking out his tongue. “That’s what adults like? Ugh… I’m never drinking beer ever again!”

“Eh, you’ll grow to like it,” Inky said, chugging from a can of her own. “Any of you want one? Copper? Dopple? Greyscale, was it?”

“Um, yes,” I answered.

“Good going!” Inky said, pushing a beer can towards me. “At least someone’s up for letting their mane down.”

“Oh, um, thank you,” I muttered, deciding not to mention that I’d only answered ‘yes’ to say that she’d got my name right, not that I wanted anything to drink. Feeling Inky’s eyes on me I opened the can and took a sip. It was surprisingly decent.

“All this talk of murders and whatnot,” Inky began, sliding a can to Pinkie, “is going to get us nowhere. We should all relax, make the most of what this place has to offer then all band together and high-tail it out of here!”

“Agreed!” Pinkie said cheerfully, the two mares pushing their cans together as a toast.

“Isn’t that overly optimistic?” Copper said. “Putting your trust in complete strangers?”

“Maybe,” Pinkie replied. She tapped her chin thoughtfully and smiled. “But I have a secret weapon that I can rely on at such a time: my Pinkie sense.”

“Pinkie sense?” Copper repeated back, confused. “If you mean your own intuition then you’re being delusional. Gut feelings and instincts can be wrong all the time, and you’re more likely to remember the times you just so happened to be right and forget all those times you were wrong. It’s equine nature.”

“I understand,” Pinkie said, shrugging. “You’re not convinced. Nobody is at first, but they learn soon enough.”

Our conversation was brought to a brief halt as Dish Panner came out of the kitchen looking distressed. “There’s no cutlery in there!” she cried. “I can’t even chop an onion if I don’t have a knife!”

“Uh, th-there were some at the MonoMart,” Reph stuttered.

Shetland walked to the center of the room, shaking his head. “No. Nobody is going back to the MonoMart, especially not for a knife. We’re all sticking together until at least eight o’ clock, past the store’s opening hours. Are you absolutely certain there isn’t one in the kitchen?”

“Not even a potato peeler,” Dish Panner replied. “You’re welcome to look.”

Shetland followed Dish Panner into the kitchen and exited soon after, confirming that there were indeed no dangerous utensils to be found. “Once we’ve had something to eat,” he said, addressing everyone, “we’ll discuss our plans.”

“What plans?” I heard Copper whisper. “We can’t even get through the exit door.”

“That may be so,” Pinkie said, “but I’m confident we’ll be out of here in a jiffy. I have friends in pretty high places, and once they realize I’m gone they’ll all coming running. That creepy little bunny rabbit won’t know what hit him!”

“Right,” Copper said, rolling her eyes. “The cavalry will be here any minute.”

I sipped casually on my beer, unsure what to say. Between Pinkie’s optimism and Copper’s pessimism, I felt more inclined to believe in the latter. But at the same time, it didn’t hurt to have a little hope. I was already enjoying myself more than I had the past month. Even with my social anxiety and the burden of my pitiful life being known to everyone, there was something nice about being sat in a dining hall, surrounded by others who were in the same boat. It felt comforting to know that I wasn’t alone anymore.

Yoko soon emerged from the kitchen carrying a massive serving bowl of rice topped with peppers, dumplings, and red sauce. He sat down at one of the other tables, nudging Reph and Sanscript out of place with his girth. He rubbed his hooves together and began to dig in, loudly scarfing down the meal.

“Excuse me!” Elsie chided. “I thought you were making food for everyone? You even said you were a good cook!”

“I was bluffing,” Yoko said, his cheeks puffed with rice. “Sorting out meals for a group this size would take too long and I’m starving!” He tore through another mouthful. “Maribelle said they’d be finished soon.”

Within a few minutes Dr. Scalpel began levitating an assortment of bowls from the kitchen and placing them on each of the three tables. There was a selection of rice, vegetable medley, fruit salad and boiled roast potato wedges coated in pepper. Next, we all received a plate each with which to dish out our meal. With the delicious offerings in front of me I only just came to realize how hungry I’d been all this time. I dished myself up some potatoes and assorted veg and bit precariously into a roasted carrot. It was delicious. As if zapped by electricity I delved into my food without abandon, my adoration of the flavor expressed in short, approving hums. I couldn’t have even dreamed of eating such exquisite food in my old life. This was a blessing! My senses were singing! I was alive!

I reached for the bowl of fruit salad and finally awoke to my surroundings. Pinkie was engrossed in her own meal but Inky, Button, Copper and Dopple were staring at me with mixed expressions. Button seemed wary, Inky looked amused, but in Copper and Dopple I saw a hint of… pity? I blushed, suddenly overwhelmed by the attention. “W-what? Do I have something on my face?”

Inky shook her head, grinning. “No, nothing like that.”

I still didn’t understand. I looked at Dopple. She’d turned by this point and was eating silently.

“I sincerely apologize,” I heard Dish Panner say from the adjacent table. “I could’ve made a far superior meal for us all, but without any proper utensils and meagre variety we were tremendously limited.”

“It’s fine,” Sanscript replied, levitating an apple chunk into his mouth.

“No, no it’s not fine,” Dish Panner said defiantly. “I’ve torn apart dishes that were light-years ahead of this tripe! I should have realized, should have planned ahead, but no, all we have is this bland, pathetic excuse for food. Ah… no offense, Maribelle. Your help was still greatly appreciated.”

“We shall do much better next time,” Maribelle said cheerfully. “I just hope Officer Shetland allows us the proper equipment. Excuse me for one moment.”

Maribelle came over to our table and set next to Button, giving the colt a welcoming hug and reminding him to eat up so he could be big and strong. I didn’t listen to anything else. The realization had struck another blow to my soul. The food I was eating wasn’t anything special at all. That was okay; I was elated to eat something I found so unbearably tasty, even if by normal standards it wasn’t much. The difference was that everyone knew. They could tell just by watching me. They already knew I was the Ultimate Nobody with no redeeming features, but now they could piece the rest of the puzzle together, what little there was. They pitied me. They found me amusing. They looked down on me. And there was nothing I could do to push back the tide. Surrounded by fourteen in a busy dining hall, I was ever so alone. I felt like crying.

“Okay, everyone,” Shetland said, standing in front of the entrance doors and gesturing with his hoof for quiet. “As you’re all aware we’ve been dropped into a very precarious situation.”

“No shit,” Copper whispered.

“I expect many of you are tremendously afraid. After all – and I won’t beat around the bush – Monobunny wants us to commit murder.” The low mumblings from others fell eerily silent. “He wants us to kill each other, offering the supposed prize of freedom to anyone who can complete his task without being found out.” Shetland stamped one hoof angrily. “We cannot let him get away with it.”

“S-so we all gang up on him?” Reph asked.

Elsie sighed annoyedly. “That’s what I’ve been wanting to do this whole time but I keep getting told it’s dangerous. We should strike!”

“No,” Shetland said. “Even with all of us combined it could be too risky. Something tells me he’s even more deadly than he lets on. And what’s to say he’s even alone? With all these cameras around there could be someone waiting in the wings to take us down, even if we did subdue him.”

Dopple and I exchanged worried glances. We’d already deduced the existence of multiple Monobunnies.

“We need a different approach,” Shetland continued. “Starting tomorrow morning we work together to find an escape route. I know we tried that exit door earlier with no success, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a secret way out!”

“Can you be sure?” Reph asked hopefully. “I mean, w-we’re in a dome made of stone! What way out is there?”

“I don’t know. But if we want any degree of success we must work together.” Shetland closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath through his nostrils. “I have dedicated my life to saving others and this situation is no different. More than anything, no matter what, I want to save as many innocent lives as I possibly can. It is my life’s work, my sworn duty. I guess it is what earned me the supposed title of Ultimate Police Officer.” He grew deadly serious as he spoke. “I’m not asking you all to believe in one another completely; that would be an impossible ask for a bunch of strangers. You’re all thinking it: ‘I can trust no-one.’ ‘Anyone could be a killer.’ And you’re not wrong in thinking those things, but even so we must work as a team and end this twisted game.

“From now on we function as a unit. We take every precaution necessary to prevent any potential murder, regardless of the inconvenience. We develop a regime that allows us the utmost level of safety and in doing so, work towards finding a way out. We keep track of each other. We look out for each other. We find the flaw in Monobunny’s plan. And most importantly of all…” He paused for a moment looking to each of us. “We keep calm. We don’t panic. We tell each other about any suspicious activity, however trivial it may seem. Dish Panner?”

The earth pony mare was startled to attention. “Yes?”

“I know you spoke about bringing cooking utensils into the kitchen, but for now we’ll have to make do without. Not until we have a system in place that we can all agree on.”

“I understand,” Dish Panner said, nodding.

“Tomorrow morning,” Shetland continued, “we’ll all meet here at eight o’ clock so we can discuss this further. I have ideas, but I’m looking for all your input as well. For now we should avoid being alone as much as possible.”

Button timidly raised a hoof. “Um, I have a question. Where can I go to the bathroom? I haven’t seen one since we’ve been here!”

“Not to worry,” Pinkie said. “When I peeked into my room earlier, I’m pretty sure there was a bathroom. I assume it’s the same for everyone.”

“My room is just opposite this dining hall,” Shetland said. “I’ll let you use mine. I’m not comfortable letting you wander off. The same goes for everyone else. At least for the moment, we shouldn’t split up.”

Shetland escorted Button to the bathroom, leaving his room door wide open and standing where he could be seen through the glass dining room doors.

“Shetland makes me hopeful,” Pinkie said cheerfully as she sipped beer.

“Oh I see,” Inky said, grinning mischievously. “You’ve got the hots for the muscle-bound officer! I knew he was your type!”

Pinkie shook her head. “No, that’s not it. I really think he’s a great leader for us. We need someone like him.”

“I know he talks the talk,” Copper said worriedly, “but can we really trust him?”

“I do,” Pinkie said matter-of-factly. “That speech he made about wanting to save others more than anything? He meant every word of it. I can tell whenever someone’s lying and he definitely wasn’t.”

Copper sighed. “You can just tell, huh? Talk about being naïve.”

“It’s Pinkie sense,” Pinkie retorted. “Ever since I was young I had these odd sensations and premonitions. I could sense if something was about to fall out of the sky and various other things. As I’ve gotten older I’ve honed my senses and… voila! I can always tell if someone is lying. Also, I can usually detect what someone’s deepest, most heartfelt intentions are, and so I can tell for sure that Shetland is true to his word. Protecting the innocent means everything to him. So long as he’s around this should be plain sailing!”

“I don’t believe you,” Copper said, standing up. “I can’t tell if you’re messing with us or you’re just crazy. Whichever one it is, I’m not interested in continuing this conversation. Excuse me.” Copper walked away from the table and sat beside Dish Panner, her back facing us.

“How rude!” Inky said. “Just what is her problem?”

“She was lying,” Pinkie said, smiling. “She doesn’t believe me one hundred percent, but she’s still worried that I can read her mind and learn all her secrets. But I can’t read minds at all, I just know when someone’s being dishonest.”

“That’s amazing!” Inky exclaimed. “Oh, oh, do me! Try and guess if I tell the truth! Um,” Inky rubbed at her temples. “Maribelle! Ask me who I like!”

The earth pony mare looked confused for a moment. “Oh, um… Who is it that you like?”

“Well.” Inky began to blush, her lips pulled into a tight grin and her forelegs curled up around her. “There’s this really gorgeous mare with a bouncy pink mane who I can’t get out of my head. I brought a bunch of beer from the MonoMart so we could get drunk together and maybe, I don’t know…”

“Nope,” Pinkie said, smiling. “You like Sanscript. You don’t even like mares.”

Inky’s jaw dropped and her two hooves began to tremble in place. “But how did you…?”

“I don’t think I even needed Pinkie sense for that one,” Pinkie chuckled. “I saw you checking him out earlier. Also, you’re a lousy liar.”

Inky shook some more and then hung her head in defeat. “Okay, you’re right.” She quickly looked over her shoulder in Sanscript’s direction. He was sat in the corner talking to Mesmer and Elsie. “Do you, you know, think he likes me?”

“I don’t know,” Pinkie answered. “I could ask him if you like.”

“No! No, you can’t do that!” Inky protested. She rubbed her hooves together nervously. “I don’t get it. I normally go for the punk rocker, living-on-the-edge kind of guy. But Sanscript has this kind of smug, scholarly vibe that just gets me. I feel like he’d give me a lecture on classic literature and then throw chalk at me when I can’t answer his question, and then he’d book me in for detention and I’d be all like ‘what am I supposed to do, sir?’ and he’d be all like ‘you need to learn your lesson!’ and then he’d push me over the desk and take a wooden ruler and say ‘this is what stupid, dirty mares like you deserve!’ and then he’d spank my flank over and over and I’d…” Inky quickly jolted back to reality as an awkward silence set in. I looked away, too embarrassed to meet her gaze. She gulped. “Oh, sorry. Guess I got carried away.”

Button returned from his bathroom visit, resting against Maribelle because he was ‘too tired’ despite looking awakened and fresh. As Maribelle consoled him my thoughts turned to what Pinkie had said. I wasn’t at all convinced in this mystical ‘Pinkie sense’, but it was apparent that the mare had an intellect and awareness that belied her foalish nature. On Shetland, I could understand her reasoning and belief in him, and it made complete sense if he was truly the Ultimate Police Officer. The only thing I couldn’t understand was her optimism. Even with the guidance of a great leader, could we really find an escape route? Assuming Monobunny – or whoever had masterminded this ordeal – knew what they were doing, there would be no way out whatsoever. As for Copper, I felt Pinkie might have been bluffing. Copper had every reason to be skeptical and it was merely Pinkie’s word against hers.

I considered the unicorn-specific rule pertaining to the banning of spells beyond simple levitation. For starters, I’d read about all manner of special horn clasps that prevented the user from casting spells. Given the scope of the dome and everything inside, plus our capture, it should be easy for someone so rich and powerful to obtain a few horn clasps to prevent potentially powerful magic users from breaking out. Instead, as Monobunny had put it, he was relying on the feeds from the security cameras to detect if someone was using an illegal spell and punish them by severing a limb. It was a far, far riskier alternative than simply preventing the act in the first place. It almost seemed like he wanted someone to try breaking the rule, offering that little glimmer of hope and freedom, a chance to strike back, a terrible oversight by the mastermind that would be their downfall… Only to then be cut down. The only way to know for sure was for one of the present unicorns – Mesmer, Elsie, Sanscript or Scalpel – to test that theory. It would be a huge risk.

I looked around the room. Everyone was either in high spirits or seemed relatively calm. Was it because reality hadn’t sunk in yet, or were they truly hopeful that this was all just a minor setback? We’d only been stuck here a few hours; would we still be this way if we were stuck here for days? Weeks? Months? How long before someone snapped? Everyone had their limit. Not to mention, I was at the bottom of the barrel. Who could feel all that guilty about slaying the Ultimate Nobody? I took another beer from the table. If the dome was to be my tomb then I might as well enjoy myself while I had the chance.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Maribelle,” Inky began, “what the deal is with your getup? You one of those gothic lolita types or does your hubby have a huge maid fetish?”

“I don’t know what you mean by that,” Maribelle said calmly. “This is traditional clothing in my country. Do you not like it?”

“Of course I like it!” Inky exclaimed. “It looks great on you! Plus, you’re positively stunning. You must get a lot of attention, huh?”

“I guess so,” Maribelle said. “I get lots of requests.”

“What!?” Button cried, looking horrified.

“Oh-ho! I knew it!” Inky said, winking. “You really get around?”

Maribelle nodded. “I get requests from all over Equestria. Lots of families want me to take care of their homes and look after the little ones. It’s hard work – a lot of cooking, cleaning, washing, preparing – but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. Playing with the foals, reading them bedtime stories, going for walks with the dogs and travelling across the country…” She sighed contentedly and smiled. “It’s just wonderful.”

Pinkie snorted with laughter, spluttering her mouthful of beer. Button wiped at his forehead and fell back into his seat with relief.

“N-no,” Inky stammered. “I meant you must get a lot of attention from stallions. I mean, you surely have a boyfriend, right?”

Maribelle’s face turned a stark shade of beetroot and she began toying with her mane. “No,” she said meekly. “Of course not. I would never have time for that.”

My heart quivered as I watched the slender, beautiful mare instantly turn into an adorable, innocent creature. I felt a sudden impulse to throw my forelegs around her and hold her tight, to feel her warmth and run my hoof down her back caringly. Thankfully, or not so thankfully, I didn’t have the guts to move even an inch closer. It was an aggravating sensation.

“You can’t be serious,” Inky said, her mouth agape. “A mare like you is single?” She sighed and put a hoof under her chin. “But you’re so sexy!”

Maribelle burned an even brighter red and hid her face behind her hooves. It was so cute it made my chest ache. “Th-thank you,” she stammered.

“Or… Do you have someone back home waiting for you?” It was clear Inky wasn’t letting this go despite Maribelle’s obvious embarrassment. “Come on, you must have had some kind of romantic experience?”

“W-well…” Maribelle’s lip quivered. “It’s not something I ever talk about, but there was one special pony whom I loved very much.” She straightened herself up. “I haven’t seen him since that night. I still think about it to this day.”

“Okay!” Inky exclaimed. “Now you’ve got to spill the beans. What happened on this special night? It’s best we all get to know each other, right?”

“Inky,” Dopple said, stepping in. “I don’t think you should be pressuring Maribelle like this.”

“No, it’s okay,” Maribelle said, lightly shaking her head. She had stopped trembling. “It’s something I’ve kept to myself for some time, and it’s such a fond memory, perhaps I may overcome my fear if I relive it once again. Inky is right, we should get to know each other.” She exhaled deeply. “His name was Lance Good-Thrust.”

The group froze. “Um…” Inky smiled awkwardly. “Is that a joke, or–”

“I had watched him from afar for many moons,” Maribelle continued. “I first met him when he moved to the area, only a few doors down from my house. I liked him straight away. He was so kind and confident that I got flustered whenever I was around him and didn’t know what to say. I wanted to spend more time with him but was too nervous to ask for his company. When I look back, I think he was just as nervous as I was but did his best to hide it.

“Once, I was at my local market buying some fresh bread when he called my name. He was with his family and wanted to introduce me. He said I was his ‘friend,’ and suggested we see each other again. I was overwhelmed. He invited me to an upcoming festival, one in which everyone takes part in a dance. I was so excited and spent the next two weeks looking for something to wear, and eventually I settled on a pink silk dress.”

Maribelle’s face grew sullen. “I never went to the festival. The night before I came down with a terrible fever. My mother took care of me, and while I begged her and begged her to let me go she forbid me from it. I was in a dreadful state, so it was for the best. Still, I had waited for what seemed like forever and now my chance was gone. I was so disappointed that I cried myself to sleep that night. It was the worst feeling in the world.

“I didn’t see him again for a while after that. I began to think that he was avoiding me, that he thought I had rejected him. I would walk past his house and think of knocking but I was too scared. I tried to forget all about him, but it did not work. I would lie awake at night whispering his name to myself, hoping that somehow he could hear me.

“About a month later I was invited to a friend’s birthday party. She was quite rich, and her family had a big farmhouse that they used for gatherings. I went along and discovered that many from the town had been invited. It was all too much for me and I found myself drowned in a sea of ponies. I milled around the buffet tables and accidentally knocked into someone and spilled her drink. She and her friends got angry with me, started calling me names pushing me around. One of them threw her drink in my face and ruined my dress. They all laughed at me, so I ran away. I ended up in a barn, hid myself behind a stack of hay and cried my eyes out. More than ever I wanted Lance by my side.

“Then, something amazing happened. I heard someone come inside, I opened my eyes and there was Lance, standing in front of me! He had been at the party the whole time! ‘Maribelle!’ he said. ‘I saw what they did to you.’ I couldn’t control myself. I ran towards him and threw my legs around his neck. We fell into the hay and he ran his hoof through my mane, telling me everything was going to be okay. I kept apologizing to him for missing the festival, telling him how much I had wanted to see him. ‘It makes me so happy for you to say that,’ he said. ‘But I have some bad news.’ It turned out he was due to move to another city far away the very next day. I cursed myself for having wasted so many chances. Now he was moving away and I might never see him again.”

Maribelle sighed deeply, enraptured in her memory. I had only just noticed that the room had gotten remarkably quieter. At some point, many from the other tables had begun listening in on Maribelle’s story.

“After all the time we spent wanting to be with one another, this would be the last time we were together. I guess it was a gift from the heavens. If he hadn’t seen me at the party we might never have met again, so I am eternally grateful for that. Against all odds we were finally completely alone, and our feelings spilled out of us. We lay down in the hay and spoke of all the things we had wanted to do together, the places we wanted to go, the things we wanted to see. We constructed imaginary dates and trips around the world together. But the night was drawing near and our time together was about to end. We had to make the most of it.”

Inky whistled approvingly. “I’m guessing I know what happened next.”

A tear formed in Maribelle’s eye. “We spread out some hay to make it more comfortable and threw ourselves onto it. He was ever so gentle. And then we… We…” Maribelle closed her eyes and smiled. “We held hooves and watched the sun set.”

Nobody spoke for several seconds. Finally, Inky said, “And then?”

“Well, we each had to go home after that. It was getting late.”

More awkward silence. “That’s it?” Inky asked. “No smooching? No hanky-flanky?”

“Well of course not,” Maribelle said. “We were only nine years old at the time.”

Pinkie erupted into giggles while Inky stared blankly into space. I couldn’t help but do the same. A smattering of chortles could be heard throughout the room. Dopple instead applauded softly. “That was a wonderful story, Maribelle,” she said. “Very heartwarming.”

Pinkie contained her giggles and coughed to hide them. “Yes, I agree. It couldn’t help but, erm, laugh with joy for you!”

“Thank you,” Maribelle replied. “But it also pains me. I never saw him since that day.”

Button’s face was contorted into a monstrous scowl. He slammed a hoof down on the table ragefully. “He… held her hoof! If I ever find him, I’ll… do something!”

“I think he’d like you very much,” Maribelle said, ruffling Button’s mane. “You remind me of him a little.”

“I do!?” Button perked up instantaneously. “Wow. That’s the best news I’ve had all day!”

“Ugh,” Inky groaned, leaning her head back dramatically. “I was getting so into it, too! What a disappointment.” She turned to Pinkie. “What about you, Pinkie? Surely you’ve got some juicy stories of your own? You strike me as a real dark horse!”

“Nope,” Pinkie said cheerfully. “No stories of any kind.”

“Oh, come on! You’re totally bluffing right now; my Inky sense is telling me!”

“My lips are sealed,” Pinkie said, drawing a hoof over her mouth like a zip. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“But that’s…” Inky trailed off, thinking for a moment. “That’s not fair on Maribelle, right? She told us all a personal story of her own and gets nothing in return! Tell you what, I’ll tell you a story of mine so we’re even.”

Pinkie shrugged. “I’m not interested.”

“Oh, come on, you so are.”

“I tell you what,” Pinkie said. “To make it up to Maribelle for listening to her story, I get to tell her and only her. It’ll be our little secret, so you can’t tell anyone, especially Inky.”

“But that’s no fair!” Inky cried.

“Too bad, that’s my deal.” Pinkie crossed her forelegs.

“Well I’d love to hear your story,” Maribelle said, pressing her hooves together eagerly, seemingly oblivious to the tone of the conversation. “Is it a lovely story? A touching story? I will honor your wish to keep it a secret, you have my word.”

“Good.” Pinkie hopped down from her stool and slid under the table like a serpent, slipping into place at Maribelle’s left side. She put her mouth to Maribelle’s ear, covered it with a hoof, whispered something inaudible and the leapt over the table to her original seat, grabbing another beer can in one swift motion. I was taken aback by her impressive athleticism, but my attention quickly moved to Maribelle who was blushing more than she had the entire evening.

“Pinkie,” Maribelle began, sweat dripping from her forehead. The sight began to make me hot and bothered too. “That is quite a story but… I had no idea you would do such a thing! I understand now why you would wish to keep it a secret. Just as Inky said, you are truly a dark horse! I will try not to judge your actions for I am an open-minded mare, but Pinkie, in the name of Sol, did you not go to confession after such things?!”

“What?” Inky blurted. “What did she say?”

“I could never repeat such words!” Maribelle exclaimed. “I think I would faint if I even tried. I feel as if my innocence has been washed away in a tidal wave!”

“Darn it,” Inky said, planting her head on the table in frustration. “Now I really want to know.”

“Well too bad,” Pinkie said jovially. “A secret is a secret.”

“Well if you really want to know!”

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice and saw Monobunny standing in the doorway, his sadistic grin just as disturbing as it had been before. When had he come in? I said inwardly. There was only one entrance to the dining hall, so the only possibility I could see is that he’d been waiting in the corridor this whole time, ready to pounce.

“What is it, you freak!?” Elsie blared, holding up her dinner plate like a shield. “I thought you said you were leaving us alone!”

“I never said I wouldn’t pop in and say hi! I want to leave you alone as much as possible but sometimes I have no choice but to intervene!” He hopped towards our table, everyone’s eyes still warily trailing him. “Ink Slinger, didn’t you just say you wanted to know Pinkie’s secret?”

“Uh, yeah,” Inky said nervously.

Monobunny clapped his paws together gleefully. “Well today is your lucky day! I mean, aside from being kidnapped and thrown into a killing game, of course.” He somersaulted onto the table effortlessly and pointed a paw in Pinkie’s face. “I heard what you whispered to Maribelle! Your deepest, darkest secret is exposed!”

“No! No!” Pinkie cried, exasperated. “That’s not true! You couldn’t have! Nobody else at this table even heard me!”

“So what? That doesn’t mean I didn’t hear you. I hear everything in this place!” Monobunny turned to everyone. “So does everyone wat to hear Pinkie’s big secret? Well here we go!”

For a moment nothing happened, until suddenly everyone recoiled as a screeching sound blared in our ears. I tried holding my hooves over them in an attempt to silence it but to no avail. I couldn’t even place where the sound was coming from. Quickly the screech turned to static, and I heard a familiar voice.

“Well I’d love to hear your story.”

It was unmistakably Maribelle, though her voice was distorted somewhat, as if it were coming from a speaker. Despite this, I could see no such device anywhere in the room.

“Is it a lovely story? A touching story? I will honor your wish to keep it a secret, you have my word.”

Her words followed what she’d said barely a minute ago, not skipping a beat. Looking to Pinkie, it seemed she had figured out what was to follow and was shaking like a leaf.

“Good.” That was Pinkie’s voice.

“No! Don’t do it!” Pinkie cried. “Please!”

But there was nothing she could do. I braced myself, waiting for an earth-shattering revelation. There was another noise, this one presumably Pinkie moving beside Maribelle. And then her voice, just a little quieter than before.

“I had sex with my friend’s brother and never told her.”

The static receded. My head stopped ringing. Everyone looked at each other, then to Pinkie, who was now sobbing into the table with her hooves pulling at her mane, gasping erratically.

“That’s what you said, is it not? Pu-hu-hu-hu-hu! You can’t keep these things from me!”

“You there, Greyscale,” Mesmer called. I turned to attention. “You were sat right next to her when she spoke, weren’t you? Did you hear what she’d said?”

I shook my head. “No. She was too quiet. I couldn’t make it out.”

“So that settles it,” Mesmer said, his brow furrowed. “Even the quietest whisper isn’t safe. I don’t know how it’s possible, but whatever the case, it means we can’t formulate a plan in secret. Whoever is behind this can watch and listen to everything we do. This poses a real problem. It means they can anticipate anything we come up with.”

“Now hold on!” Shetland interjected. “We don’t know that for certain!”

“Come off it,” Mesmer said sternly. “I know you’re trying to remain hopeful and keep us all together but that doesn’t mean shutting out the facts just because you don’t want to believe it. That sort of thinking will only hurt our chances of escape.”

Shetland went to speak but froze, the words catching in his throat. He snorted in frustration. “Fine,” he said. “We take this new information into account.” He returned to his seat, visibly disgruntled.

Pinkie was still sobbing wildly. I could hardly believe that someone so upbeat and cheerful could devolve into a quivering mess in mere seconds. “I had sex with my friend’s brother and never told her.” It was quite a secret, no doubt, but I couldn’t understand her reaction.

“Pinkie,” Dopple said, her voice low and soothing. “Why are you so upset? You already told Maribelle. What difference does it make if everyone else knows?”

“It’s not that,” Pinkie croaked, rubbing at her eyes. “I mean, it’s really embarrassing for you all to know that I’d do such a thing, but that’s not the problem.” She looked towards one of the security cameras positioned just above the kitchen door. “It’s because I know my friends are either watching this, or are going to watch this, and I feel terrible! Maribelle was the first pony I ever told. I thought of it as a way of getting it off my chest, but I didn’t want my friends to know!” She banged her hooves against her head angrily. “I’m a bad pony! Such a bad pony! And a bad friend!”

“Pinkie, calm down!” Inky cried, grabbing onto Pinkie’s hooves to stop her. “Whatever the situation, I’m sure your friend will forgive you.”

Pinkie’s head sprang up. “You’re right. I need to apologize!” She leapt down from the stool and in front of the kitchen, locking eyes with the security camera. “Applejack! Applejack! I know you can hear me! I’m so, so sorry!”

“Applejack?” Copper muttered. “Who’s that?” She shook her head. “Whatever. I knew this mare was crazy anyway.”

“It was a moment of weakness!” Pinkie cried. “I said, ‘good morning,’ he said, ‘eeyup,’ and one thing just led to another. I couldn’t control myself! I fell madly in love! Oh Applejack, I should have told you! We had a secret meet-up spot in a shed near the edge of the farm! Remember that time we were baking pies together, and I had to leave to run a last-minute errand? That’s where I went! And the other time Big Mac went missing for two hours at the family gathering? That’s where he went! And when we told you we were both going off to prepare something special, and you assumed it was for your upcoming birthday? That’s where we went! And that time you thought you’d misplaced that can of whipped cream? That’s where it went! Oh, the things we did! Remember when Applebloom couldn’t speak for a whole week? She’d snuck into the shed while playing hide ‘n’ seek with Sweetie Belle, and Mac and I had no idea! We were at it for nearly three hours! We went through all the positions! He pinned me up against the hay bales and ate me like a tub of ice-cream! Applejack, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“That is amazing,” Inky said with the utmost seriousness.

“Wait a second,” Scalpel said. “What makes you think this friend of yours is listening?”

“Oh, I’m sure all my friends will see this,” Pinkie replied sullenly. “They’ll know what a terrible pony I am.”

“But how?” Scalpel asked. “Pinkie, if you know more than you’re letting on you need to answer us.”

“Well let’s just say I have friends in pretty high places,” Pinkie said, slowly calming down. “If anyone can save us from this place, it’s them. I bet they’re already looking for me, or they’ve already found where I am and are planning to bust me out! Which means this footage will be used for evidence, and there’ll be no hiding from the truth. Applejack is bound to find out.”

“You really think your friends will save you?” Monobunny let out an ear-piercing laugh. “I have nothing against you living in hope, of course. In fact, I relish it! It makes the eventual despair that much more delectable.”

“You!” Pinkie stormed over and squared up to Monobunny, staring daggers into his eyes. “You’re just messing with us!”

“Of course I’m going to mess with you, but I’m so much more than that! I’m your guide! Your host! The master of this game!”

Pinkie pushed out her chest. “You know what? I bet you’re scared.”

“Scared?”

“Yuh-huh,” Pinkie said, grinning. “I bet this is all an act and really you’re just scared that my friends are going to ruin your plans! Nobody can stop them!”

Rather than retort back in his usual manner, Monobunny hopped from the table and began pacing back and forth in the center of the room, tapping his chin pensively.

“What’s the matter?” Pinkie taunted. “Cat got your tongue?”

“I’m just thinking,” Monobunny said quietly, averting everyone’s gaze. For some reason it was scarier to see him like this. “I’m wondering whether I should tell you. Oh, what to do, what to do?”

“Tell me what?” Pinkie said. “It’s not like I’ll believe you, anyway. Your lies are getting old.”

“Hey!” Monobunny stormed angrily towards Pinkie and grabbed her keycard, pulling her face close to his. “You can say whatever you like to me but never, ever, call me a liar! I’ve told you once and I’ll tell you again, I refuse to lie! Honesty is everything to me! I vow to only tell the truth no matter what! Only through honesty can absolute despair be reached! A despair based on lies is nothing but a horrible cop-out! I would never stoop to such lamentable tactics! Honesty is the best policy!”

Monobunny released Pinkie from his grasp and stomped back to the center of the room. “You know what? I’ve come to a decision. I’m going to let you in on a very crucial piece of information. I don’t normally do this, so you’d better appreciate it!” He took a deep breath. “Pinkie, I can confirm with absolute certainty that your friend Applejack…”

“Yes!?” Pinkie cried. “Applejack is what?”

Monobunny paused for several seconds, seeming to enjoy how much we were hanging on his every word. “Applejack is indeed watching you at this very moment!” Pinkie gasped loudly. “She heard your confession. Every word. And do you know what her reaction was?”

Pinkie leapt to him, grasping at his paw pleadingly. “What? What did she say!?”

“Pu-hu-hu-hu! I’m afraid that’s all the information I’m willing to give. I’ll tell you what, though, I’ll make you a deal, Pinkie. A special one just for you. If you kill someone here within the next twenty-four hours, I’ll show you her reaction. Oh, if only you knew.” Monobunny burst into a fit of giggles.

“I would never do such a thing!” Pinkie cried.

“That’s your loss,” Monobunny said with a shrug. “And now I’m done here. Until next time!” In a flash, he scurried out of the dining hall to leave us with our thoughts.

“Pinkie,” Scalpel began, slowly approaching the mare who was now on the floor, breathing heavily and quivering. “Does this give you a clue as to what’s happened here? If Applejack is watching us, what could that mean?”

“I don’t know,” Pinkie said blankly. “It could mean anything.” She slowly stood up and traipsed gloomily back to her seat, not meeting anyone’s gaze. Her hooves were shaking as she lifted her can. She tipped it back and beer spilled down her neck.

“I have to ask,” Dopple said, “was Monobunny telling the truth?”

“I don’t know,” Pinkie said. “My Pinkie sense isn’t working on him at all. I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s like he’s not even alive. I can’t pick up on anything. But if he is telling the truth and Applejack is watching us…” She sighed. “I have a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. We need to find a way out of here as soon as we can.”

After some consoling Pinkie had begun to smile again, quipping that ‘Monobunny is just messing with me’ and ‘no point in worrying about it’ and ‘I just need a good night’s sleep and I’ll be right as rain.’ It was an obvious façade. The atmosphere in the room quickly grew thick and icy in the wake of Pinkie’s mood shift. She had been the most expressive, most extroverted and most gleeful pony present, and now she had been shaken to her core. It was enough to disturb anyone.

Shetland had called for tomorrow’s meeting to take place at 8:00 am in the dining room. Everyone agreed. With not much left to say and the energy of the room drained, we all headed to our rooms and swiped in using our individual keycards. I stepped inside my room and quickly closed the door behind me.

The room was sizeable, but bare. Along the back wall was a bed, duvet and two pillows. There was a wooden desk and chair with a desk lamp and digital alarm clock plugged into the room’s only two sockets. The curtains were a plain cream color while the walls were a brilliant white. There was also a small bathroom with a shower and a built-in wardrobe with merely an extra pillow, extra duvet and a few grey towels with my name sewn into the fabric. On the wall over the bed was a clock that showed the time to be 9:46 pm, and of course, security cameras that provided a view of every available inch, even the bathroom. I used the toilet, just about able to overcome my fear of being watched during such a private moment. I considered it didn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things.

I turned off the light and flopped into bed, my exhaustion having caught up with me. I tried to make sense of everything I’d learned, everything there was to think about, but my head was spinning. I still felt as if maybe this was all a dream and I was about to wake up in any moment. But it was real. I knew that. In the end I fell asleep quickly, clinging to the duvet as an imaginary voice told me everything was going to be okay. I was blissfully unaware of the horrors that the next day had in store.