Assistant to a Taxidermist

Chapters

Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Prologue

Spike woke with a splash of freezing water on his face. He coughed, his eyes slowly opening. In front of him was a pony he knew well. “Hey, Spiky,” the bubbly baker greeted. “Have a nice nap?” At the end of her words, she made a popping noise to emphasize the ‘p.’

“Huh?” Spike mumbled, glancing around. He was in a very dark room with only one spotlight somewhere above him. There was a foul odor that emanated from his right, but no matter how far he turned his head, all he saw was darkness. He was bound to a mostly upright table, with duct tape clinging to his wrists and ankles. His throat felt sore as he croaked, “Where… am I?”

“In the basement,” Pinkie replied plainly. Her eyes were staring daggers into Spike, but her mouth smiled softly. Any other pony would’ve thought she was delighted, but the bondage he found himself in said otherwise. “Say, wanna play a game?”

He hesitated. “A-A game?” he stuttered. He glanced around the room again, straining his eyes in hopes of seeing what was around him. All he saw were outlines of bizarrely shaped furniture, which gave him no clue as to what was about to happen. Gulping, he asked, “W-What kind of game?”

“A fun one, silly,” Pinkie giggled. She bounced out of sight, causing Spike’s heart to race. He heard squeaks of four small wheels coming towards him to his right. As it creaked to a halt just out of his view, Pinkie bounced back in front of him. “So, word around town says you got together with Rarity right before she disappeared,” Pinkie sang. “Is it true?”

Spike’s eyes went wide. “W-Woah hangs on a minute,” he stammered. “A-Are you saying you think I’m the reason Rarity’s been missing?”

Manically laughing, Pinkie assured, “Of course not! I was just wondering how it felt. I know you’ve been pining after her for quite some time.”

A bit of his anxiety was eased. “O-Oh,” Spike replied, smiling. “Well, uh, i-it was f-fine, I guess.”

“Just fine?” Pinkie questioned. “Not super-duper-overly-fantastic-mazing?”

“Uh, I-I mean, yeah, it was,” he gulped, “great. Uh, so, how’d y-you find out, exactly?”

Bouncing out of view, Pinkie explained, “Rarity came by right after! She was really tired after your fun together.” She giggled. “She even fell asleep in the middle of eating. Say, mind if I turn the lights on? I mean, the spotlight’s fun and all, but I think I need to see a bit more before we start our game.”

With that, the lights flicked on. Spike winced at the sudden brightness, but as his eyes opened, his heart stopped. Surrounding him wasn’t a bunch of furniture. Instead, there were a giant collection of taxidermy ponies in various poses. Some were in groups, like a dentist with a patient. Others were separate, like a pale-yellow stallion reading a book. In the center of them stood a large piece. There was a stallion with his head seemingly bashed in. Blood, which Spike hoped was fake, trailed to the hooves of a pristine white unicorn with a purple mane, connecting the two.

“Like what I’ve done?” Pinkie asked, bouncing over to the taxidermy Rarity. “It really takes a lot of effort to do this, you know. But, in the end, it’s worth every bit of it.” Pinkie seemed to be entranced by her horrific works, staring off into space. Shaking her thoughts away, she locked eyes with Spike again. “And the best part? You get to be a part of it!”

Spike’s pupils shrunk to pinpricks as he stared in horror. “You see, Rarity here wanted you to join her along with this guy,” Pinkie explained, pointing to the bashed-in head. “She was really enthusiastic about it too. You should have seen the passion in her eyes. It’s funny, you know? All my other assistants would just scream, but not her! No sir. She was laughing with joy the whole way through. Shame I can’t work with them forever… but oh well!” Bouncing right in front of Spike, Pinkie leaned her head in, her eyes crazed as she said, “Now I’ve got you! And from what Twilight’s said, you’re the best assistant around!”

“P-Please! L-Let me go,” Spike cried. “I-I-I promise I won’t tell anypony! I swear!”

Pinkie shook her head as her smile turned upside down. “Let me make this more clear,” Pinkie huffed. “I never wanted to play with you. I never wanted to use you in one of my masterpieces. To put it bluntly, you don’t deserve the honor. But, that being said, one of my best-est friends and greatest assistant requested that you join her, and I’m not going to disappoint her.” Backing away and taking a deep breath, Pinkie let her mouth form a smile again. It was as if a switch was flipped in her brain. Once again, she had the happy deminer she almost always had. “Now. Let’s get started!”

Gulping hard, Spike watched Pinkie walk over to a metal cart. The cart contained a few clear bins full of items. Pliers, wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, and more were piled in one of the bins haphazardly. Another, marked with a biohazard symbol, held a collection of old, rusty syringes full of strange liquids.

There were also items outside the clear bins. There was an external battery with two clamps hanging from it, a gallon of water, and a stiff towel. However, what caught Spike’s eyes most was a skinny burgundy box. It had fancy golden letters printed on its top, but he couldn’t quite read it.

“Ooh,” Pinkie remarked. “I see you found my very special present for you!” The word special made his skin crawl. “Here! I’ll open it!”

Spike’s heart began racing in anticipation. What was in that box? A knife? Somepony’s flesh? Knowing Pinkie, it could’ve been a deflated balloon for all he knew. Finally, the lid was removed, revealing a bunch of rods. All were relatively thin, barring the one to the far right.

Confusion swept over him. He remembered seeing them before. Back when Twilight was in Canterlot, she studied for an exam on medical instruments, and he had seen a photo of something similar in the book she was reading. He remembered it had something to do with sound.

“Like what you see?” Pinkie asked, her smile widening. “I had them delivered by hoof just this morning! Funny enough, it turned out Mr. Cake actually had the same thing in his drawer. Kinda wish I didn’t spend the bits on it now, but oh well! Ready to test them out?”

Whatever was going to happen, he knew he didn’t have a choice. He closed his eyes and prepared for whatever was going to happen.

His heart fluttered as he felt a hoof press down on his cock. His cheeks blushed. Is she trying to… jerk me off?

Giggling, Pinkie laughed, “You really like this, don’t you?”

He could feel his member getting hard. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so-

Suddenly he felt a burning sensation on the tip of his cock as a cold rod began pushing down onto it. He twinged as he felt the rod slowly push into his urethra. His arousal quickly turned to intense pain. He screamed, his whole body trying to jerk away. The pain just got worse, but he couldn’t help it. Something instinctual was telling him to move.

The rod continued to sink in for what felt like ages until it finally slowed to a halt. The burning continued. Blood began oozing out around the rod from a lack of lubricant. It dripped down onto the floor, amusing Pinkie more than the screams. She giggled maniacally, watching Spike flail about. “Please,” Spike pled, “take it out! Fuck- it hurts! PLEASE!”

Pinkie only giggled. “Oh, Spike,” she mocked. “It’s supposed to hurt. If I wanted it to be pleasureful, I would’ve used lube first.”

Even with lube, this would hurt, Spike thought. Tears began flowing from his eyes, making his cheeks raw. “Please! I beg you! I’m sorry, okay? Just please, MAKE IT STOP!”

More excited giggles came from Pinkie as he thrashed in his bonds. “Just you wait, Spiky! We’re not nearly done yet!” Pinkie bounced over to the metal cart and glanced over the contents until her eye caught a rusty scalpel. “Ooh! This looks fun!” Picking it up in her teeth, she trotted back over to Spike.

Spike’s eyes locked onto the scalpel. He could feel sweat pour down his forehead. “P-Please,” he cried. “I can’t take any more of this! I said, I’m sorry!”

Giggling, Pinkie lowered the scalpel towards Spike’s testicles. He tried to squirm away, only to be stopped by her hoof. “Hold still,” Pinkie warned, her mouth firmly gripping onto the handle of the scalpel.

He whaled as he began to feel the blade cut into him. He tried to move out of the way, but Pinkie’s firm hoof held him still. He felt more blood trickle down the bottom of his ball sack and drip off of him. Adrenaline began to kick in, but still, the tape held firm.

Pinkie pulled back to see her handiwork… only to be surprised by what she saw. She had cut through his testicles, yet there was still a thick bit of skin left holding it together. “Wow,” Pinkie remarked. “Didn’t know dragons had such thick skin!” Giggling, she continued, “Guess I’ll have to get the big guns!”

She bounced away, only to return with a bloodstained combat knife. “Now this’ll work wonders,” she exclaimed, moving back to Spike’s balls. In one quick motion, she slit through the sack, causing his testicles to dangle out of the sack.

Shrieking at the top of his lungs, Spike clenched his fists together as his body convulsed. The immense pain only worsened as Pinkie tapped one of them with her hoof. She giggled with glee, tapping the other.

She began hitting them over and over again, watching them swing back and forth. Spike felt cramps and bruises from around his groin, adding to the fire he felt in his urethra. His legs shook as blood trickled down them. Finally, when she’d had her fun with them, she sliced through the thin strands holding them, neutering him.

The pain overwhelmed his mind. His brain gave in, and he fell unconscious. Suddenly, he felt a burst of energy, forcing his mind awake once again. He gasped, his reddened eyes shooting open. He saw Pinkie pull out a needle, chuckling to herself. “Not time to say goodbye yet, Spike!”

Fresh tears began flowing down his cheeks as he cried out in anguish. “Please… Stop this…” His voice had become hoarse from all the screaming, so his cries were mere whimpers.

Pinkie ignored his pleas, bouncing to her cart again. “Hmm,” she hummed, rubbing her chin. “What next?” Her eyes scanned the contents of the cart. Pliers were what caught her eyes first. “Ooh! These would be fun! Hey, Spike? When’s the last time you went to the dentist?”

All Pinkie got was another whimper. Shrugging, she plucked the pliers off the table and bounced back to Spike. She sat on her haunches, picking the pliers up with her hooves. “Open wide, Spiky-wiky,” she ordered.

Spike clenched his mouth shut to the point where it hurt.

“Now, Spike,” Pinkie scolded. “If you don’t open your mouth, I’m gonna have to pry it open. And from what Minuette told me, that’s not very fun.”

He thought through his options. Maybe if I comply, she’ll be gentle, Spike thought. Then again, she just mutilated me. What do I do? Gulping, Spike cracked open his mouth. He shook with fear as the pliers came closer. This is gonna hurt, isn’t it?

As Spike squeezed his eyes shut, Pinkie clamped onto one of his fangs. Using all her strength, she yanked the pliers towards her, causing the tooth to rip out of his mouth. Blood spewed out his mouth, making Pinkie giggle. “One down, one to go,” Pinkie informed.

Spike whaled from the new source of pain. He could taste the salty warm blood filling his mouth. His stomach groaned as some of the blood trickled down his throat, forcing him to swallow. Despite this, he kept his mouth open. He wasn’t going to take a chance and make Pinkie mad.

He braced for the next tooth to be pulled. He felt the hard pliers hit the surface of his tooth. They clamped down, and in a quick motion, yanked the other fang out. Fresh blood filled his mouth. The immense pain, combined with the metallic flavor of his blood, made his stomach writhe. A cascade of blood and vomit poured down his mouth and chin.

Giggling again, Pinkie hopped over to the cart again. As she searched for another way to torture him, Spike cried to himself. His voice seemed distorted a bit now that his fangs were gone. His throat and cock burned equally now, his head beginning to feel light. Blood still was trickling down his legs and onto the concrete floor. If it weren’t for the urethra sound stuck in him, he’d have most certainly peed himself by now.

To think he honestly thought Pinkie was inviting him to a party. Him. Nopony ever invited him to a party. At least not without his oh so special sister. He gritted his blood-covered teeth. And to think that Rarity, somepony who he had dedicated so much time to, would reject him. Somepony who he loved and cherished each and every day ever since he met her. The thought made his blood boil. Ungrateful bitch.

Pinkie bounced back, holding a needle full of green liquid. “Whelp,” she said, staring down at the needle. “It’s sure been fun playing with you, but I think it’s about time to wrap things up.” Pinkie bounced over to him and stuck the needle into his left arm. Slowly, she pushed the plunger down.

Spike felt the fluid seep into him. He whimpered. “Aw, don’t worry, Spike,” Pinkie cooed. “Soon, this’ll all be over. Then I get to turn you into a brilliant art piece! Won’t that be fun?” His scales began itching, driving him mad. He squirmed on the table, trying to scratch as best as possible.

“Say, I’ve gotta ask. Did you really think you had a chance with Rarity? I mean, no offense, but you weren’t exactly her type.”

“F-Fuck you…” he muttered. The itching ceased, but an invisible flame replaced it, engulfing him. As his heart began racing, his vision became distorted. The walls began flowing in an unnatural direction, and the world began to have a green tint to it.

Pinkie’s brow furrowed, and her smile dropped. “Hey,” she scolded. “That’s not a very nice thing to say. We had so much fun together, and you insult me?” Pinkie huffed, crossing her forelegs as she sat on her haunches again. “You’re lucky to even be here.”

Spike scowled as his vision worsened. Breathing had become difficult, but fortunately, whatever Pinkie injected him with numbed the pain him his mouth. Everything else, though, continued to increase in intensity. “Fuck you,” Spike repeated with a bit more emphasis.

“You know what? I’m done playing.” Pinkie stood and sauntered over to the cart again, grabbing hold of her combat knife again. Making her way back over, she leveled the knife across Spike’s neck. Without hesitation, she made a giant slit through his throat.

Spike felt the wind flow out of him. He tried his best to continue to breathe, but he couldn’t. He felt his chest tighten up and his heart stop. “So much for you being the best assistant,” Pinkie muttered.

His eyelids felt like stone, and he was forced to close them. He felt his mind drift to unconsciousness. The world around him floated away as a pleasurable tingling covered his body, taking all the pain he felt. Light began flooding his eyes, despite them being closed. His thoughts became incoherent, jumbled colors, that evaporated in seconds. Soon the colors were gone, and nothing remained.

Author's Note

Thus starts the sequel to Rarity Has a Bad Day! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. It was certainly fun writing it, though a little nauseating (which wasn't helped by me being sick again :pinkiesick: ). Thank you so much for reading, and have a lovely day! :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 1

Yawning, Twilight took a sip of her bitter coffee. She had been up all night grading papers. Worse, her assistant hadn’t returned from the party he was going to, meaning she had to grade them all by herself. Worse still was that her assistant hadn’t returned that morning either, likely implying she was working alone for all of that day.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened, that’s for sure. Two weeks prior, back when Rarity was still around, he left for three days straight on a quote, “business trip,” whatever that meant.

She was beginning to get tired of these bouts of absence, but seeing she had responsibilities waiting for her, she didn’t have time to dwell. Sighing, she levitated her schedule to her, along with a quill and ink jar.

Suddenly three fast-paced taps came from her office doors. “Come in,” she said, popping her head up. The door to her right swung open as a shaking Gallus walked in. He looked like he had run a mile. Sweat poured down his head, his wings fidgeted, and his chest heaved. “Gallus? Is something wrong?”

He didn’t say anything. Instead, he walked up to the chair in front of her desk and sat down nervously. His eyes darted all around the room, trying to lock onto something. Taking a deep, shuttering breath, Gallus stuttered, “I-I need to t-tell you s-something.”

Twilight straightened her back and slid the schedule aside. “Is something bothering you?” she asked, her concern growing. “Do you need me to get Starlight?”

“I…” Gallus seemed to be hesitant. “No… No, I-I have to tell you f-first. J-Just in case…” He nervously scratched his foreleg, still trying to avoid eye contact. “T-Twilight, I… I-I did something really b-bad.” Gallus paused for a few seconds, tapping his claw on the side of the chair. “I-I was scared, a-and I didn’t want to get in any trouble and I…”

Twilight took another sip of her coffee as she tried to read him. “You were scared?” she asked. “About what?”

“I-I…” Gallus took another shuttering breath before explaining, “J-Just hear me out, o-okay? D-Do you remember what happened with S-Sandbar?”

A bad feeling sunk into Twilight’s stomach. She remembered coming into his dorm. She remembered how the needle in his foreleg still clung to his skin. She remembered the awkward conversation she had to have with his parents after he was revived. She sighed. “Do you have something to do with that?” she asked.

“W-Well… S-Sandbar wasn’t the o-only creature taking d-drugs.” He shifted in his seat. “Ocellus and I, we… W-We don’t do that kind, b-but… w-we take drugs ourselves for f-fun… C-Can I get a glass of water?” he asked. Twilight levitated a small plastic cup to a water cooler, pouring him a glass. She levitated it to him, and he took a sip. “T-Thanks,” he muttered.

“So you and Ocellus have been doing drugs on school grounds, I take it?” Twilight asked, her face growing stern.

“Y-Yes,” Gallus stammered. “B-But there’s more to it… Ocellus and I were… caught. S-Spike took a photo of us taking them, and he threatened to show them to you.” Twilight’s eyes widened. Don’t tell me… “W-We were scared of being expelled, s-so we told him we’d do anything he asked…” Damn it, she thought. Does that mean his business trip was blackmailing Gallus and Ocellus?

“Spike blackmailed you?” Twilight asked, leaning forward. She tried to keep her face as expressionless as possible, hoping he couldn’t read her sudden anxiety.

Gallus didn’t respond, staying quiet for a few seconds instead. His nervousness became somber, only to wrack up again as he continued. “H-He told us t-to meet him in the alley near Sugar Cube Corner. What he told us to do, I... I can’t live with it any longer.” Gallus began crying, his body shaking like a broken laundry machine.

Trying to keep steady nerves, Twilight asked, “Well, what did he tell you to do?”

Sniffling, Gallus answered, “H-He told Ocellus t-to turn into a trash bin… a-and he told met-to… l-lure Rarity into the alley… and… h-hold her d-down…” He held his head in the palms of his claws, crying loud sobs.

Twilight stared at him in disbelief. Her whole world felt as though it were spinning. That means… Oh, Celestia, she thought. Spike… My adoptive brother and number one assistant raped somepony? And… Rarity probably disappeared soon after! Does that mean… Realizing she was jumping to conclusions, she shook her head and continued pressing. “Gallus, what exactly did he do to Rarity?”

“What do you think he did to her?” he spat, his eyes finally locking onto hers. “He fucking raped her! Mounted her and fucked her while we held her down!”

The sudden outburst caused Twilight to flinch, her ears pinning backward, and her pupils shrinking. Holding up a hoof, Twilight said, “C-Calm down, Gallus. What I was asking was what he did with Rarity after he,” Twilight shuttered, “raped her.”

Taking a few more breaths, Gallus softly answered, “We just left her there, in the alley. She figured out it was him, despite the voice changer he wore, but he didn’t stick around. He just left her there, crying. A-And then we parted. T-That’s all.”

“S-So she was alive?” Twilight asked. Thank Luna, he didn’t murder her.

As Gallus nodded, Twilight took a shuttering breath. So she disappeared after Spike… after Spike raped her. A lump in her throat forced her to swallow. Rarity wouldn’t want to leave Sweetie Belle for good, so she likely didn’t kill herself. But that still leaves the mystery of where she went… She glanced around the room, trying to collect her thoughts.

She recalled the strange request Spike made to enchant his gem-encrusted bow tie and felt a twinge of guilt herself as she realized what he really intended to use it for. “Right,” she said, finally. “Gallus, head back to your dorm. If you aren’t there when I arrive… I’m calling for Royal Guard assistance.”

“U-Understood,” Gallus croaked. Slowly, he sauntered out of her office. Twilight leaned over to her phone, dialing the number to Starlight’s office. The phone rang once, twice, three times. Finally, Starlight picked up.

“Hey, Twilight,” Starlight droned. “Need something?”

Twilight’s voice shuttered as she answered, “I-I need you to send Ocellus to her dorm. If you can’t find her, inform me immediately.”

“Uh, okay,” Starlight agreed hesitantly. Her seemingly tired voice became alert as she asked, “Twilight, is something wrong?”

“I…” Twilight looked over to her schedule. “I’ll tell you during our lunch break.” Without another word, she hung up the phone, only to dial another number.

***

Pinkie dumped the pile of organs and muscle down onto the pile she had collected. The pile reeked of rotting meat. Flies covered the surface, flying around and picking at their banquet. “Sheesh, I really need to clean this up,” Pinkie muttered. She looked over to her bloody shovel and sighed. “Guess I should get it over with now…”

Begrudgingly, she walked over to the shovel and picked it up in her mouth. Walking over to the massive pile, she stuck the head in, scooping a large amount out of the pile, and dumped it into a large, blue, plastic bin with wheels underneath.

I wish I had some help, she thought. It’s no fun having to do this all alone… But I can’t get any help. Even if I promised not to use them in my art projects, they’d just scream and try to run away.

Her eyes watered as her mane deflated. I mean, I love working on my art, but… I’m so lonely… Sighing, she dumped one last scoop of rotten meat into the bin and set the shovel down. If I could just talk to somepony while I work, maybe this would be more fun.

And I don’t wanna grab some random killer of the streets, she thought as she wheeled the bin over to the furnace. I wanna have a friend help me. Without care, she dumped all the bin’s contents into the machine and flicked the on switch. The meat burst into flame, filling the room with the horrid smell. She recoiled a bit before slamming the metal door shut.

None of my friends would wanna help me, she thought. Fluttershy would just curl up and cry… Applejack would tell on me in an instant… Twilight and Starlight would probably turn me to stone… Even my Dashie wouldn’t wanna help me…

As she dragged her hooves over to the small shower she set up in the basement, an idea intruded into her head. What if I could force somepony into helping me? She turned the faucet on, causing water to rain down onto her blood-covered mane. If I could just find some way to force somepony into helping me, then maybe…

Her eyes widened, and a smile crept onto her face. I could have a friend be my forever assistant! The gears in her mind began turning. In fact, I could have two friends help me! All I’d need to do is kidnap one and use them to get the other’s help! It’s the perfect plan! But wait. Who would I get?

As Pinkie began running shampoo through her mane, she began to think of her options. There’s Applejack and Apple Bloom… Nah, one of them is too young. Dashie and Fluttershy? Maybe… No. Dashie’s creeped out by this stuff, and Fluttershy would be too scared to do anything…

Pinkie gasped as she thought of another combination. Twilight and Starlight! That’s it! Twilight would be the best-est forever assistant out of everypony! She’s even a princess! And seeing how close she is to Starlight, it would work perfectly! Her smile grew again as she imagined all the fun she and her soon to be assistant would have.

***

Starlight opened one of the large double doors to the library. Please tell me she’s in here, she thought. As she glanced across the room, she spotted one of Ocellus’s friends, Yona, reading a thick book while sitting on a bean bag chair. Maybe she knows where Ocellus is. Smiling, she trotted over to Yona, who looked up as she approached.

“Hello, counselor pony,” Yona greeted in her choppy ponish. “Does pony need something?”

“Yes, actually,” Starlight affirmed. “Twilight asked me to send Ocellus to her dorm, but I can’t seem to find her. Do you know where she is?”

Yona’s brow furrowed. There was a small break of silence before Yona answered, “Yona do know something, but… Ocellus told Yona not to tell…”

Starlight’s eyes widened. This really is bad, she realized. “Ocellus told you not to tell me where she was?” Starlight asked.

“Well, not exactly, but…” Yona stared off, squinting her eyes as if she were trying to read something far away. “Ocellus told Yona not to tell headmare where changeling is, and counselor works for headmare, so Yona do not think changeling would want Yona telling councilor either…”

Shit. Time for a different approach. “Yona, I need to know where Ocellus is,” Starlight sternly ordered. “She might be in a lot of trouble if I can’t find her. You need to tell me where she is.”

“Trouble?” Yona asked. “Yona do not want friend to be in trouble!” She stood up with haste. “Ocellus told Yona that changeling was going to apple farm, but please don’t get changeling in trouble,” Yona pleaded. “Yona don’t want to lose another friend…”

Sighing, Starlight soothed, “I’ll try my best to keep her out of trouble. I promise.”

“Pinkie promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Starlight chanted, making sure to do the motions correctly.

“Thank you,” Yona whispered. “Yona will not forget pony’s kindness. Yona promise.”

Chuckling, Starlight began walking towards the library’s exit. “No problem Yona. Have a good weekend!”

“Pony have a good weekend too,” Yona shouted as Starlight exited the library.

Starlight hastened her pace as she trotted through the school’s halls. Why is Ocellus trying to run away? And what did she do, anyway? It’s not like Twilight caught her in the act of doing something. After all, if she did, she’d be able to catch Ocellus immediately, right?

Running, she passed through the school’s entrance. She trotted into town, looking around to see if she could catch Ocellus on her way. “Hey Starlight,” a bubbly voice exclaimed. Starlight skidded to a stop, turning around to see Pinkie bouncing up to her. “What’s the hurry? Are you playing a game of tag? Ooh, can I join? I love tag!”

Starlight was left speechless as she stared into Pinkie’s joyful eyes. “N-No, I-I’m just looking for Ocellus. Herd she was heading to Sweet Apple Acres. Did you see her by any chance?” Starlight asked.

“I did, I did,” Pinkie exclaimed. “In fact, I can take you to her if you want!”

“You know where she is?”

Nodding profusely, Pinkie explained, “She said she was looking for something she lost near the Crusader’s Clubhouse. Ooh, I know! Let’s have a search party! Just you and me! It’ll be so much fun! Aaand we’ll find Ocellus more quickly with two eyes! Or would it be sets of eyes?” Pinkie asked, rubbing her chin.

It would be easier finding her if I had some help, Starlight thought. “Alright,” Starlight agreed. “But we need to hurry. No detours.”

“Got it. Super serious detective Pinkie is on the case,” Pinkie informed, saluting. “Follow me!”

The two passed through the town at a fast but reasonable pace, Pinkie choosing to bounce the whole time. As they walked, while Pinkie rambled on and on about something, Starlight continued to ponder the situation. Why did Twilight seem so nervous? And why does she want me to send Ocellus to her dorm? Wouldn’t it be easier to just have me take her to my office?

Before Starlight knew it, Pinkie shouted, “We’re here!” Looking up, she saw the now abandoned clubhouse. Ever since ponies began disappearing from Ponyville, Applejack stopped allowing her sister to roam around the town unsupervised, and after Rarity went missing, Sweetie Belle’s parents did the same. That only left Scootaloo, who didn’t have any reason to go to the clubhouse if her friends weren’t going to be there.

“Right, let’s get searching,” Starlight ordered. As she began strolling to a small bush, Starlight reminded, “We’re looking for a changeling, so she could be anywhere. Keep your eyes open.”

“Got it,” Pinkie replied.

Starlight searched the branches of the bush, looking for small, discolored bugs. Fortunately, Ocellus had a lot of trouble changing her colors, so unless she transformed into either a pony or an inanimate object, she’d stick out like red paint on a blue canvas. Starlight groaned as she saw a normal ladybug crawl by. “This is going to take forever,” she complained.

“Hmm,” Pinkie thought. “Maybe you should rest on it?”

Shaking her head while continuing to search through the bush, Starlight explained, “Pinkie, we don’t have time! Besides, where would I-” Starlight felt a heavy object ram into her skull. She instantly collapsed to the dirt below her. Starlight’s ears rang as she struggled to look up. Above her was a pink mare holding a shovel right where her head was.

As her eyes slowly closed shut, she heard Pinkie’s cheery voice echo in the distance. “Nighty night, Starlight!”

Author's Note

A much calmer chapter for sure. I've decided to make a few alterations to the story's direction, and have since swapped Spike's tag for Starlight's, seeing how big of a role she plays compared to Spike. I've also changed the first chapter to the prologue and have named this as the first chapter, though nothing's changed within the chapter itself. Anyway, I'll try to have another chapter out soon, so stay tuned! :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 2

Groaning, Starlight sluggishly turned to her side and cracked open her eyes. A cool glow covered the room. The floor was a pale green, similar to the inside of an avocado, but the paint had slowly started chipping, exposing the floor’s natural color. Though her ears rang, she heard the faint sound of crickets far in the distance. Where am I?

As she lifted her head, she suddenly got a stabbing headache. “Ugh,” she grunted, lifting her hoof to her head. When her hoof made contact with her horn, she froze. She felt the cold metal of a magic diffuser.

Magic diffusers weren’t uncommon. In fact, they were about as common as hoofcuffs. Many sex shops sold them, and prisons had crates full of them. However, seeing how she was in an unknown location that was most definitely not a prison nor jail, she felt uneasy.

I’ve been kidnapped, she realized. “Somepony help,” she shouted. “Somepony! Anypony!” All she heard was the crickets’ singing.

Wait, she thought. Pinkie! Her memories came back to her in a flash. She remembered searching for Ocellus and how Pinkie offered to help, and how she was lured to the Crusaders’ Clubhouse and knocked unconscious.

Her heart began racing as she began to worry about what might happen to her. Spike, Rarity, and all those other ponies all disappeared without a trace. If Pinkie really was the pony behind it, there was no telling what would happen to her.

Starlight looked around the room again. She appeared to be in a kennel that had a lock hooked onto it. Outside the kennel, she spotted a small wooden podium along with a few chairs and a bookshelf shoved in the corner of the room, near the wooden door. The door itself had a heart shape cut into it for a window.

A bit of hope gleamed in her eyes. I’m in the Crusaders’ Clubhouse! The clubhouse wasn’t too far off from the beaten path, meaning if she shouted loud enough, somepony might hear her. “Somepony help,” she shouted at the top of her lungs. Silence. She shouted again. “Help! I’ve been kidnapped! Please! Somepony! Anypony! Help!”

She shouted, her voice hoarse, yet not a single pony came. Why is nopony hearing me? It can’t be that late, can it? She looked around for some way to tell the time and came across a small clock on one of the walls. A little past five. Judging by the dark sky outside, she guessed that it was five in the morning. That can’t be right, she thought. If that were true, then that would mean I was out for… 20 hours?

Her eyes scanned the room once more, desperate to find something that could help her escape. In the corner closest to her, she saw a trash bin with a needle inside it. The needle had been emptied, which clued her in. Pinkie must’ve drugged me while I was unconscious. No wonder it’s so late!

Near the bin was a lit candle, only the flame didn’t burn a warm orange glow. Instead, it was a frosty blue. It blended well with the moonlight that shined in.

Starlight felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. Different colored flames meant the candle was enchanted, and she had a guess as to what enchantment was cast onto that candle. “Nopony can hear me,” she concluded, her eyes watering. “Nopony will find me…”

***

Licking the envelope, Pinkie sealed it shut. Giggling, she picked the letter up in her mouth and bounced down the stairs from her room. Mr. Cake smiled from the counter as Pinkie made it down to the shop floor. “Morning, Pinkie,” Mr. Cake greeted. “In a hurry?”

Pinkie nodded profusely. “I’ve gotta deliver this letter,” Pinkie explained, showing the letter to Mr. Cake.

Looking the envelope over, Mr. Cake noticed it was a plain white envelope with nothing on it. “Wow, Pinkie,” Mr. Cake remarked. “That’s… very… uh… professional! You applying for another job?”

Shaking her head, Pinkie leaned next to his ear and whispered, “I’m looking for a new assistant.” She glanced around the empty shop, eyeing any places where ponies might be hiding.

“An assistant?” Mr. Cake asked. “Why would-”

“Shhh,” Pinkie scolded. “It’s a secret!” She winked, pulling away. “Anyway, I’ve gotta go. Tell Dashie I said hi,” she shouted as she bounced out the door.

Mr. Cake rolled his eyes, chuckling to himself. “That mare’s gonna be the death of me,” he joked.

Pinkie bounced away from Sugar cube corner, humming a peppy tune. She bobbed her head side to side as the song played in her head. “Hey, Pinkie,” a rough but high pitched voice greeted. Turning towards the voice, Pinkie saw Scootaloo skidding to a stop on her scooter. “Whatcha got there?”

“A letter,” Pinkie answered.

“For who?”

“Oh, silly,” Pinkie said, patting Scootaloo’s head. “I can’t tell you that. It’s a secret!”

“It is?” Scootaloo asked, pulling away from Pinkie.

Nodding, Pinkie affirmed, “Yep!”

Scootaloo eyed the letter, seeing how plain it looked. “Are you delivering it for somepony else, then?”

“Y-Yep,” Pinkie lied. “A-Applejack wanted me to give this to somepony. Speaking of which, she said it was urgent, so I’d better get going. Good seeing you, though!”

“Great seeing you too,” Scootaloo shouted as Pinkie bounced away, waving goodbye.

Pinkie felt a bead of sweat pour down her forehead. Whew, that was a close one, she thought to herself. Better be more careful next time. In the distance, she saw her destination. Twilight’s castle. Maybe I can get there before she leaves!

With that thought, she dashed through the streets, nearly knocking down a few ponies as she ran. She zipped past building after building, running by the now-abandoned boutique. Wonder what Sweetie Belle’s up to now that Rarity’s gone, Pinkie pondered.

Finally, she approached the castle, only to feel an ear flop, an eye flutter, and a knee twitch. Gasping, she dove into a nearby bush, hiding inside. Just as predicted, the castle door swung open.

“I can’t take another fucking problem this month,” Twilight muttered to herself. “I swear to Celestia, if one more pony goes missing I’m going to hang that damn detective! ‘Doing our best’ my ass. How fucking hard is it to look for one kidnapper? I mean, there should be a trail, right?”

Pinkie watched as Twilight passed the bush. As Twilight’s ranting went silent, Pinkie poked her head out, seeing Twilight far away. Breathing a sigh of relief, she crept out of the bush and sneaked to the door of the castle, laying down the direct letter on the golden stairs. “Right. Now all I’ve gotta do is meet up with Starlight,” she muttered under her breath.

With a kick in her step, Pinkie bounced back the way she came, a wide, almost eerie smile growing on her face. She passed Sugar Cube Corner and headed in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Fortunately for her, not many ponies were out and about that day.

While she paraded through the streets, Pinkie saw a new poster added to the collection of missing ponies. Only, this one wasn’t a missing poster. It was a wanted poster. The poster read, “Wanted: Spike. Reward: 500,000 bits. IF YOU SEE THIS DRAGON, DO NOT APPROACH! CONTACT ROYAL GUARD IMMEDIATELY!”

Pinkie giggled at the sight. Reaching the outskirts of Ponyville, Pinkie saw Applejack slowly walking towards her direction. “Howdy, Pinkie,” Applejack greeted. “Lookin’ for me?”

Freezing, Pinkie’s mind began to panic. If I tell her, I’ll look suspicious, she thought. “No, I-I was just… uh… going for a walk.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. Pinkie could easily read the skepticism on her face. “Uh huh,” Applejack breathed. “Pinkie, you know that ain’t safe right now, right? Royal Guard said yer only ‘sposed to go out if ya got business doin’ so.”

“Oh, well I-I just figured that my Pinkie Sense would keep me out of harm’s way,” Pinkie nervously lied.

There was a moment of quiet before Applejack asked, “Pinkie, is there somethin’ ya wanna tell me? Ya look nervous.”

“I…” Pinkie thought on her hooves. “I am having trouble with something, but I can handle it! Just need to clear my head a bit… which is why I’m on this walk! Y-Yep! Just clearing my head!”

A small, caring smile came on Applejack’s face. “Why didn’t ya tell me?” she asked, chuckling. “If ya need any help, I’d be happy to lend a hoof.”

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you for that… After all, your workload is gigantic now. I wouldn’t feel right accepting help right now…” Though Pinkie frowned, inside, she was giddy. It’s working!

“I do have a lot on my plate,” Applejack agreed, “but it ain’t so bad that I can’t help my friend.”

Damn it, she cursed. How do I get her to leave me alone? …Wait! I know! “Well, the thing is, I kinda need some bits,” Pinkie explained. “I spent all this week’s salary on party supplies and I just realized I need a new mount for a badger Fluttershy gave me, but I don’t have any bits to buy the wool I need.”

Applejack remembered the day she introduced Pinkie to Taxidermy. Pinkie came into the barn when she was working on mounting a deer head and asked a billion questions. It was a bit annoying at the time, but she was happy to introduce a new hobby to her friend. “Is that all?” Applejack asked. “Shoot, I could just give ya the supplies. After all, we’ve got plenty of the stuff.”

“You’d do that for me?” Pinkie asked, smiling softly.

“Corse. I’ve got some errands to run, so why don’t ya come by later an-”

“Or I could just wait for you back at the farm,” Pinkie suggested. “I’ve got nothing else to do anyway.”

“Well, it’s gonna be a while,” Applejack informed. “Heck, it might take all day, knowin’ who I’m dealin’ with. You sure you wanna wait that long?”

“I don’t mind. And like I said, I’ve got absolutely, positively nothing to do today anyway!”

Rolling her eyes while still smiling, Applejack conceded, “Alright then. Just be careful. Call fer help if ya come across any trouble. I’m sure Mac’ll hear ya.” With that, Applejack waved a hoof and strolled away. Whew! Another close one!

Pinkie bounced off into Sweet Apple Acres, following the same path she took Starlight the day prior. With a wide smile on her face, she approached the clubhouse. Finally, she thought. Wonder if Starlight’s awake yet. I did give her a big dose… Did I use too much? Nah. I’m sure it’s fine.

Trotting to the door, Pinkie pulled a small key out from her mane, sticking it into the newly installed lock. With a click, she creaked open the door. Immediately, as she entered the magical field holding in noise, she heard Starlight cower. “P-Pinkie,” Starlight spoke, her voice surprisingly soft. “P-Please. D-Don’t hurt me.”

Giggling at the thought, Pinkie shook her head. “Of course I won’t, silly! Not unless you make me, anyway,” she affirmed. She bounced over to a small wooden podium shoved into a corner. “You look thirsty. Wanna drink?”

Pinkie lifted a small cup of water from the podium, carrying it over to Starlight. It was apparent to her that she had been crying for hours. Her eyes were red, yet they were almost dry at this point. Her pupils were shrunken to pinpricks, and her lips were cracked. She shook violently.

“Drink up,” Pinkie ordered as the cup was lifted to Starlight. Without hesitation, Starlight stuck out her tongue and pushed her muzzle as far out as she could. It wasn’t too far, seeing how small the gaps were between each bar, but it was enough for her to drink.

Slowly, Pinkie poured the water down Starlight’s throat, causing her to take greedy gulps at the refreshing liquid.

“Wow, you really were thirsty,” Pinkie commented as the last of the water was drained. “Guess I should’ve brought more. Oh well,” Pinkie shrugged.

Starlight’s stomach grumbled. “Please… Let me go,” she croaked.

“Sorry, but no can do,” Pinkie replied, sitting down in front of Starlight. “If I did, Twilight would never accept my offer.”

“Offer?”

Pinkie nodded but didn’t say anything. Instead, she walked back over to the podium, picking up a small brown bag. She bounced back to Starlight, setting down the bag and opening it. Without warning, she poured the bag down onto Starlight, causing a cascade of popcorn to hail down on her prisoner. “Hope you like popcorn,” Pinkie mocked.

***

Twilight entered the small Royal Guard station and walked right up to the receptionist. “I would like to speak to the chief detective. Is he here?” she asked, bluntly.

The stallion at the desk nodded, replying, “He’s in his office, first door to the right.” Taking a bite out of a doughnut, he continued to talk while chewing. “Said nopony was allowed in, but I’m guessing you’re going in anyway,” the stallion swallowed, “right?”

Twilight stormed off to the detective’s office without answering him, not bothering to knock before she entered. Inside was the chief detective, sipping on some coffee while looking over a file.

Detective Sweet Pickles was his name. A middle-aged, brown pegasus who typically would wear a white, button-up shirt and tie. Initially, he was stationed in Canterlot, though he transferred to Ponyville once he heard how much trouble the Royal Guards were having. “Hello, Pickles,” Twilight greeted, taking a seat down in front of him.

Looking up, the detective smiled. “That’s detective Pickles to you,” he joked. Setting down the file he was reading, he pushed his cheap black desk chair back. “Guessing you’re looking for a progress report, right?” He stood up, walking over to a whiteboard. “Well, to summarize, we’ve got a lead. And it’s all thanks to you, princess.”

The whiteboard had a bunch of photos on it, with magnets holding them up. Twilight recognized a few of them. Rarity, Spike, Lyra, Minuette, and Starlight. “Thanks to me?” Twilight asked.

“You bet,” Detective Pickles affirmed. “Take a look at the board. Now, notice anything strange?”

“Uh, no, not really,” Twilight replied.

“Then let me spell it out for you. Every single one of these ponies are unaccounted for. Not a single bit of evidence of where they are. Not a single body’s been found either. Don’t you find that odd?”

“I… guess?”

Sighing, the detective explained, “It’s because everything’s been burned.”

“Burned?”

“Turned to ash and dumped somewhere, likely spread far away by the winds,” the detective explained. “Now tell me something. Who on this board can create fire from absolutely nothing, anywhere they want, without suspicion?”

It didn’t take Twilight a second before she rolled her eyes. “Detective, Gallus explained that Rarity was left unharmed. It has to be somepony else.”

“You honestly believe that?” The detective chuckled to himself. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. There’s no way in Celestia’s name that gryphon’s telling the full story.”

“Detective, you’re forgetting he’s the one who outed Spike.”

“So? He’s an accomplice. He probably didn’t wanna get in that kind of trouble.”

“Then why would he tell me anything at all?” Twilight asked. She could feel a tension headache growing in her skull.

“Look, it’s the only lead we’ve got so far, and it’s a solid one at that,” Detective Pickles explained. “I know it isn’t perfect, but we’re trying the best we can.”

“Best you can,” Twilight scoffed, spite emanating from her words. “You don’t even have a motive!”

“We’ve got a motive for Rarity,” the detective offered.

Groaning, Twilight stood up from her chair. “I’m heading back home. If you find anything, feel free to call me,” she said as she stormed out of the detective’s office.

Leaving the station, Twilight dragged her hooves along the dirt road. How much longer is this going to take? she wondered. My citizens are disappearing, and they can’t even find out why? There’s gotta be some sort of explanation.

In the back of her mind, she knew it wasn’t that easy. The Royal Guard had been investigating the disappearances for months without a single lead. There didn’t seem to be a pattern between victims, either. It was just random.

No bodies were found either. They knew there had to be bodies, seeing how many ponies the kidnapper had racked up, but there was no sign of them. They had thought about a cannibal for a short period of time, though the sheer volume out ruled that possibility. So it didn’t come as a huge surprise to her when she heard about the incineration theory.

As the gears in her brain began to turn, Twilight slowly strolled back to her castle. However, her thinking was interrupted when she saw a plain, white envelope rested on her doorstep. Levitating the envelope with her magic, she stepped inside her castle, closing the door behind her. “Wonder who sent this,” she pondered aloud.

Author's Note

Second chapter is complete! Sorry for the delay. The holidays took up more time than I thought they would. Hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for more! :raritywink:

Chapter 3

The envelope’s contents were laid out on the crystal desk in her room. She stared at them in disbelief. The envelope contained a few things. Along with a note demanding Twilight meet this mysterious sender in the alley near Sugar Cube Corner, there were a series of photographs.

The first showed Starlight knocked out, lying on the ground. No landmarks were shown, just grass and a bush. The second was also taken outside, with Starlight lying next to a syringe. Finally, there was a photo of a bloody combat knife.

She feared that Starlight had been killed and that this was somepony taunting her; however, as she read through the letter, she found out something different. The letter read as follows:

Dear Princess Twilight,

I have Starlight. If you wish to see her again, come to the alley on 32nd street tonight at 1:00 AM. Come alone, and tell nopony. If you do not comply with my demands, there will be grave consequences. I’m watching you.

Yours truly, the kidnapper.

Violently shaking, she looked over to a small, digital clock. 12:43 AM. Not long before, she needed to leave. Why does this pony want to meet with me, she wondered. She began going through scenarios.

She pictured herself in Rarity’s position. Being raped by that scaly creep, she called her brother. Being tortured, in her case, endlessly. Shuttering, she stood and swallowed her fear. It isn’t him, she reminded herself. It’s somepony else. Probably somepony you don’t know, too. Then she came to a terrifying realization. If she didn’t know who it was, then she had no way of predicting what would occur at all.

As her body continued to shake, she let her emotions get the better of her. A heavy cascade of tears poured down her face. She let her head fall to the desk, cushioning the fall with her forelegs. She buried her face deep in them, trying to wish away the world around her.

Once the crying had slowed, Twilight slipped out of her chair. She dragged herself out of her bedroom and down the vast, desolate hall, quaking the whole way.

She saw the foyer growing closer. Before that day, that foyer had grown to be a joy. Now it only rang the bells of a cemetery. She could feel it. She wasn’t coming back home after this. She knew this was the last time she’d see her castle for many years to come.

Reluctantly, as she came into the foyer, she opened the large door to the outside. “Goodbye everypony,” she whimpered.

Stepping out into the dark night, Twilight wasted no time. She picked up her pace, not wanting to be late. If she were, Starlight would be in danger. Fortunately, she wasn’t too far from 32nd street, so it was a simple jog there.

When she arrived, she saw Sugar Cube Corner, its entrance facing the alley. The bright streetlights only seemed to emphasize the dark world around her. She shivered, trying not to think of what could be hiding in the darkness. “Wonder if Pinkie’s asleep,” Twilight wondered, hoping her mind could be distracted by the question posed.

“Nope! Still awake,” a peppy voice shouted.

Twilight yelped from the sudden noise. She could feel her heart skip a beat. Looking over to the source of the noise, a pink friend popped out of the dark abyss. “Sweet Celestia, Pinkie! Don’t scare me like that,” she scolded.

Giggling, Pinkie apologized. “Oops! Didn’t mean to scare you.” She bounced and bounced around Twilight, a smile that nearly tore her cheeks apart pasted on her face.

Twilight glanced around to check if anypony was near. The streetlights’ glow prevented her from seeing much beyond it, so she saw only silhouettes. Thankfully, none seemed to be alive. “You can’t be here, Pinkie!”

“Why not?” She asked, tilting her head to the side. It was at that moment that her eyes lit up. “Wait. Is it because of the letter?”

“I-” Twilight froze. She rolled back exactly what Pinkie said. ‘Is it because of the letter’…

Pinkie giggled, amused at Twilight’s confusion. “I was the one who sent it, silly,” she chipperly informed. “Of course, I didn’t include my name since I figured there was a teensy-weensy chance somepony else might steal it and find me.”

Twilight’s jaw seemingly unhinged on its own. No… No, that can’t be! “Y-You’re the kidnapper?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yep indeedy,” Pinkie affirmed. “Thanks to me being friends with so many ponies, it’s really easy! Though I will admit, covering my tracks has been a little bit harder recently. You know, since everypony’s on edge.”

Pinkie Pie was one of the most friendly ponies she knew. She was a better friend than herself. Twilight knew something had to be wrong. Maybe a rogue changeling was impersonating her? Either way, she needed an explanation. “But… why? W-Why are you k-kidnapping ponies?”

“I can show you,” Pinkie offered nonchalantly. She gestured to Sugar Cube Corner. “Afterall, you’re not telling anypony, right?” Her words were almost playful, adding to Twilight’s confusion.

A pit fell into Twilight’s stomach as she remembered the photos Pinkie had sent her. ‘If you do not comply with my demands, there will be grave consequences.’ Those were her words.An image of Starlight being hacked into pieces flashed through her mind, causing her to wince. “O-Okay,” she agreed. “J-Just don’t hurt Starlight.”

“Of course I won’t,” Pinkie assured. “I mean, unless Starlight forces me to, but what are the odds of that?” With a shove, Pinkie opened the doors to Sugar Cube Corner. A small bell chimed, and the two entered. Inside, all the lights had been turned off, save for a small sliver of light coming from the basement door. Sure enough, Pinkie walked over to it. “Down this way, Twily!”

The door creaked open, and the two entered. There was a small storage space, with stairs leading down next to it. The stairs were shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the ceiling of the small room.

Despite her mind begging her not to follow, Twilight descended the stairs with Pinkie. Every step was like putting a hoof in the grave. There was a surprisingly pleasant scent coming from the basement: a cleaning solution, no doubt.

Typically, this smell wasn’t one Twilight hated, though seeing she was with a supposed kidnapper, she was fearful that they had just cleaned up a body. This is a nightmare, she assured herself. You’re asleep. You fell asleep after meeting with that dim-witted, pea-brained detective.

Once the two had made it to the bottom, Pinkie flicked a light switch. Twilight shielded her eyes to protect them from the harsh light, only to slowly move her foreleg down to observe the room.

Her heart stopped. Corpses greeted her. So many she lost count. Each of their bodies was taxidermized, their eyes and teeth replaced with rather convincing fakes. If it weren’t for the large scars and the fact that they weren’t breathing, she would have thought most of them to be alive.

Scanning them, her eyes locked onto the corpses set in the center of the room. Rarity, Spike, and some stallion she didn’t recognize. It appeared to be one cohesive scene. Rarity standing triumphantly above Spike, jabbing a bloody steak knife into his chest. Behind the two was a stallion with his head intentionally bashed in. Spike… Rarity…

Laughing, Pinkie walked over to a table. A table that held an unconscious Trixie. Oh no… “Over here,” Pinkie sang. She pictured herself in the table as she stared at Trixie’s peaceful face. Pinkie took note of her hesitation and chuckled. “Come on, Twily. Over here.”

The table was not the kind one would eat at, but rather a table used typically in bondage. It was angled to show the room to the poor soul that was strapped to it. Crimson and even a small bit of muddy brown near the bottom third stained its surface.

Twilight gulped and shakily walked over to Pinkie. She could see the grin on Pinkie’s face grow wider and wider with each step she took. She stopped about two feet before the table and Pinkie. “W-What do you want with me?” she whimpered.

“I want you to be my assistant, of course,” Pinkie explained. Without giving a moment to process, Pinkie gave an order. “Alright! Now the first step is waking her up. This is an easy one. All you’ve gotta do is splash that bucket of water on her face, and she’ll wake up!”

Twilight looked over to the metal bucket and levitated it. She clenched her eyes shut. She knew this was going to lead to Trixie’s death, but she had to do it. Otherwise, Starlight would die. I can’t let that happen, she decided. Lifting it above Trixie’s head, Twilight flipped the bucket over.

A cascade of frozen water poured down onto Trixie, causing her eyes to shoot open. She gasped for air, coughing. She shivered as she looked up directly, meeting the eyes of a frightened Twilight.

“T-Twilight? W-Where…,” Trixie asked, glancing around the room she found herself in. Her eyes caught on the taxidermy ponies. Twilight looked over to Pinkie, who just giggled.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Pinkie greeted. She shoved Twilight aside, attempting to meet Trixie’s gaze. Twilight backed up a bit, observing from a third perspective. Trixie’s eyes were bloodshot, and her pupils were of differing sizes.

“W-What’s going on?” Trixie asked, her voice quivering. “W-Where am I?”

Pinkie looked over to Twilight expectantly. “Y-You’re in S-Sugar Cube C-Corner,” Twilight choked. “S-She… S-She’s…” Unable to complete her sentence, Twilight began crying softly to herself.

“We’re gonna have lots of fun today, right Twilight?” Pinkie chipperly asked. Twilight remained silent. Shaking her head, Pinkie repeated her question through gritted teeth, still smiling. “We’re gonna have lots of fun today, right Twilight?”

Sobbing, Twilight muttered, “I don’t want to do this…”

Pinkie’s mane deflated, and she rolled her eyes, scowling. She stomped over to a cart placed near Trixie, pulling out a bloody combat knife. “Your my assistant,” Pinkie reminded. “If I ask you a question…” With one whip, she flung it straight into Twilight, causing Trixie to flinch. “You answer it.”

Her eyes shot open. She gasped in pain. The knife had lodged itself into Twilight’s chest, causing blood to spew out of her. In her weakened state, she struggled to pull out the knife with her magic.

She collapsed to the floor, her mouth pouring out blood. She felt an inferno burning in her lungs. Her head grew light, and her eyes blurred. She reached for her neck, coughing up more blood. Taking one last gasp, she collapsed.

For a mere second, everything went dark. She felt nothing at all. Not even the ground she lay on. Then a magenta glow engulfed her vision, and the world faded back to her. She gasped, swallowing the remaining blood in her mouth. Her eyes flung open again, glancing around the room.

This was a first for Twilight. She knew Alicorns regenerated once their body was damaged enough, but she had never came even close to dying before. Her death may have lasted mere seconds, but the tole on her body was far greater than she could have imagined. Her legs were barely able to stand, her ears rang an incessant screech, and her horn burned from the inside out.

With her chest now sealed shut again, Twilight pulled herself up, remembering what had happened. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Twilight conceded. “Okay… We… We’re going to have,” she gulped once again, uttering, “fun.”

Pinkie’s mane inflated again, going back to its usual frizz. “We’re going to have lots of fun,” she corrected. “Ready to get started, Trixie?” It amazed Twilight to see the sudden switch in emotion. She did have sudden changes in emotion, but usually, there was a transition of some kind.

Looking over to Trixie, Twilight saw her body shiver. “P-Please! D-Don’t do this,” Trixie begged, staring at Twilight and her still blood-coated chest. “I-I’m not an alicorn! I-I’ll die!” A loud, bubbly laugh echoed through the basement. Trixie locked eyes with Twilight. “Twilight, please! Help me out here,” Trixie begged.

“I-I,” Twilight stuttered, looking over at her manic friend. “I can’t! S-She has Starlight!” Looking back at Trixie with teary eyes, Twilight apologized, “I’m sorry…”

Something shined in Trixie’s eyes. “Starlight,” Trixie muttered. There was a long pause before Trixie looked over to Pinkie. Her brows furrowed, a vein bulging out of her tense forehead. “You,” she shouted, glaring daggers into Pinkie. “What did you do to Starlight?”

Her laughter slowing, Pinkie began shuffling through a box set on the cart. “Answer me,” Trixie shouted. All sense of fear was gone. A fire flickered in her eyes. “If you hurt her I swear to Celestia I’ll-”

“You’ll what?” Pinkie retorted. “Cry? I mean, that’s pretty much all you can do now.” Picking up a bloody combat knife, Pinkie walked over to Trixie, sitting down. Spitting the knife into her two forehooves, Pinkie continued to mock her. “Those drugs I laced in that cookie prevent you from using magic. You’re helpless!”

Pinkie began laughing maniacally. This is a game to her, Twilight realized. She thinks this is funny! Looking over to Trixie, she saw her struggle against her bindings. “The great and powerful Trixie will break from these bonds and rip you to pieces!”

“You know what your problem is?” Pinkie asked, tossing the knife between her two hooves. “You’ve got a really big ego. A really, really big ego. I mean, you constantly talk about how great and powerful you are, but you’re not really that powerful. I mean, even I can do more magic-y stuff, and I’m an earth pony! You really gotta be more… Uh…”

Pinkie looked over to Twilight expectantly. “H-Humble?” Twilight suggested weakly.

“Yea! Humble! You really gotta be more humble.” Shaking her head, Pinkie giggled, “But, hey! I can overlook a little boasting. I mean, my Dashie does it all the time! Which is why I brought you here! Just because you’re flawed doesn’t mean you can’t be immortalized.”

“Immortalized? Are you crazy?” Trixie shouted, her left eyelid twitching. “You’re going to kill me you psycho!”

Giggling, Pinkie replied, “Duh.” Pinkie finally stopped shifting through the plastic bins, pulling out a large sewing needle and a spool of yarn. “Hey, Twilight? I need you to hold Trixie’s mouth shut. Can you do that for me?”

Twilight’s eyes were pinned to the needle tip. “W-What are you…” Twilight’s words trailed off as she pieced together what would happen. I have to do it, she reminded herself. Starlight needs me. Lighting up her horn, she grabbed hold of Trixie’s jaw.

There was a loud clack as Trixie’s teeth collided with each other. Trixie began screaming as Pinkie approached, holding the thread in her mouth and the needle on top of her hoof. “Let’s get this party started,” Pinkie exclaimed, muffled by the thread.

Sitting down, Pinkie spat the thread out into her other forehoof. “Twilight? Could you thread this for me?” she asked. “I’ve done it before, but it’s a bit hard seeing how I’m not a unicorn.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, she let her actions speak for her. Twilight levitated the end of the thread and threaded the needle faster than Pinkie could blink. Satisfied, Pinkie let the thread drop to the floor, picking up the now threaded needle in her mouth.

Pinkie stood up again, leaning over Trixie. Carefully she aimed for the corner of Trixie’s sealed mouth.

A muffled scream echoed through the basement. A small trickle of blood oozed down Trixie’s cheek, along with a fresh stream of tears. Pinkie didn’t stop. After threading the needle through, she made a direct b-line to the bottom lip, poking through it as well. Then, she moved to the upper lip again, poking it about a half-inch from the previous hole.

Over and over, Pinkie poked through Trixie’s lips. Blood began staining her maw. She struggled to get away, but Twilight’s magical grip held her in place. Soon, Pinkie finished sewing her mouth shut. “Aaand… done,” Pinkie declared, snapping the remaining thread off.

Trixie gave a muffled shout, though it was unclear what she screamed.

“Hmm,” Pinkie thought aloud. “What to do next… Oh! I’ve got it!” She sat down, still holding the needle in her mouth. “Twilight, could you hold her hips steady?” Pinkie asked.

Her eyes grew wide. “Y-Y-You want me to… to h-h-hold her h-hips?” Pinkie simply nodded. “I-I…” She stared at the tip of the needle. Suddenly, another picture of herself popped into her head. She pictured Pinkie pinning her down, sticking the needle into her labia. She shuttered. Using her magic, she grabbed hold of Trixie’s hips.

“MMMMH-MMMMH-MMMMMMMH,” Trixie objected, sweat beginning to pour down her head. There was a tsunami of tears that cascaded over Trixie’s cheeks, her misshapen pupils both shrinking considerably. “MMMMMH-MMMMH-MMMMMMMMH!” In a swift motion, Pinkie jabbed the needle through.

The way Trixie’s face tensed made Twilight’s heart stop. She nearly fainted as blood poured down Trixie’s thigh. A shrill but muffled shriek entered her ear, only to be outweighed by the sudden appearance of a pungent odor.

Trixie’s face grew red hot as not only blood poured down, but so too did warm urine. “Oops,” Pinkie commented, giggling. “Guess I went a little too far again, huh? Hey! That just gave me an idea!”

As Pinkie bounced back over to the cart, Twilight stared in horror. The needle and thread dangled from Trixie’s labia. It was drenched in blood, dripping down onto the stone floor. Twilight swiftly pulled her hoof back as she felt a cool liquid touch it. A cruel mixture of urine and blood had pooled to where she was standing.

“Hey, Twilight?” Pinkie called. “Could you flip Trixie upside down? I kinda need her head near the floor for this. Oh! And angle the table up a smidgemeter as well.” Reluctantly, Twilight took a step towards the table, shuttering as her hoof splashed in the pool of fluids.

She tried to avoid the fluids as much as possible, taking large but careful steps towards the table. Eventually, she made it to the side of the table, noticing two cranks were attached to it, along with a boatload of gears and pistons. Using her magic, she managed to rotate the table on its head after struggling for a bit.

“Thanks, Twilight,” Pinkie said, bouncing over to her. She backed away, not wanting to get splashed more than she needed to, and noticed what Pinkie was carrying. Balanced on her back were two things. There was a jug of water, about a gallon to be specific, and a towel. Is she going to clean up?

Unfortunately, Pinkie shot down Twilight’s question as she pulled the towel off her and onto Trixie’s face. “Say, Twilight, I’ve got a question,” Pinkie asked. “Why do they call it waterboarding? I mean, I’m using a bucket and towel, not a board! I get the water part, but shouldn’t it be water-toweling?”

Twilight wasn’t going to answer, but then she saw the blood now trickling up Trixie’s belly and decided otherwise. “I-It’s because of the incline platform they’re typically on,” Twilight explained. “T-Though there are questions as to the origin of the word.”

“Oh! I get it!” Pinkie lifted the jug above Trixie’s head. “Ready for the show?” she asked. Without warning, she began pouring the water down onto the towel.

Immediately, Trixie began trying to move away, though her efforts were futile. Pinkie kept the water pouring right on her face. She screamed out, “MMMMMH-MMMMMMH!” Her chest heaved at an alarming rate. She squirmed, pleading in muffled screeches.

Contrasting with Trixie’s frantic jerking, the jug drained sluggishly. Every second felt like a minute as Twilight silently begged for this to end. Finally, the jug was emptied and tossed away. She saw Trixie hacking and gasping for air as Pinkie removed the wet towel.

“Whew,” Pinkie remarked, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “Now this was fun!” Twilight’s ears perked up. ‘Was.’ Is it over? Is she stopping now? Twilight watched as Pinkie walked back to the cart, hanging the wet towel over the side. “You know, you’re one of my best-est guests yet, Trixie! I kinda wish I could go on, but I don’t think there’s enough wax in that candle left for a full hour.”

Twilight’s attention was drawn to a small candle she managed to look over. It was lit with a blue flame that hid in the corner of the room. Sure enough, the candle was near its end. Looking back, she saw Pinkie walk up to Trixie. Something was resting on her upturned forehoof. “Time for the grand finally,” Pinkie announced.

Sitting down, Pinkie grasped the resting object with her two forehooves. A bloody syringe. By the looks of it, Pinkie probably grabbed it from a trash can. Twilight could only imagine what was in that syringe.

Pinkie pushed the plunger down, the liquid draining into Trixie’s foreleg. A mere 10 seconds later, Trixie began squirming. This time, however, her squirming was different. She was pushing her body against the board, seeming to make attempts to scratch herself.

There was a twinge of curiosity that grew in Twilight’s mind. “W-What did you inject her with?” she dared to ask.

Looking over to her newfound assistant, Pinkie smiled brightly. “It’s a Pie family recipe! Just boil some parasprites and then add star spider venom. Mom and dad used to use it for rat poison, since we had an abundance of parasprites and star spiders in the area.”

Parasprites. Twilight had researched them after the infestation in Ponyville. It turned out parasites were worse than she realized. Not only would they destroy plants and crops, but if consumed by smaller creatures, they could kill in an instant. Fortunately, their bright colors typically deterred creatures from eating them. As for star spiders, Twilight knew very little. She knew their venom was deadly, but that was about as far as her knowledge went.

Trixie began squirming more erratically. Whimpers pushed through her sealed lips as more tears flowed. A minute went by. Then two. Near the end of minute three, she began to move more sluggishly. Finally, Trixie fell limp, the muscles in her face relaxing.

“Aaaand done,” Pinkie announced. Looking over to the terrified Twilight, she chipperly asked, “So, how’d you enjoy your first time being my assistant? Wasn’t it fun?”

Twilight looked over to the corpse on the table. With all the stress that occurred, her brain couldn’t handle it anymore. Without answering, Twilight fainted onto the pool of fluids.

Author's Note

So I figured I'd use this space to give you a little insight as to this story's creation.

Originally, this story wasn't focused on Twilight. In fact, it was focused on Pinkie as she hunted down Spike and Rarity's mugger. This plot was scrapped due to a lack of intrigue, and replaced with the one you see today.

Another fun fact was that during the planning phase, the story's title was "Nope, Pinkie Pie". This was a reference to a meme about taxidermy (Nope, Chuck Testa).

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as well as these small, fun facts. Be sure to stay tuned for more! :yay:

Chapter 4

Twilight brushed through her damp mane. She stared at her reflection. Though she looked tired, nothing was seemingly wrong with her anymore. Nopony will know, Twilight assured herself. You're not a bad pony. You just got caught up with one. You're doing this for Starlight.

A light knock came from the door, causing Twilight to fling into the air, yelping. "Oops! Didn't mean to scare ya, dearie," Mrs. Cake yelled from the other side of the door. "Just wanted ta check up on ya."

"I-I'm fine," Twilight croaked, her chest heaving. "I-I'll be out in a minute!" Setting down the brush, Twilight took one more look at her image in the mirror. To her horror, she spotted a small spot of blood on her foreleg.

The faucet turned, and water began to flow out. Twilight frantically began trying to scrub it off. After she was sure it was gone, she took another peek. It hadn't come off. She tried again, this time using even more soap than last time and using the hottest water she could get from the faucet. Still, the tiny blood spot stayed.

T-That's impossible, Twilight thought. She began combing through all the possibilities. Maybe it's a scar? No, the regeneration would've erased it. M-Maybe it's some sort of curse? No, Trixie couldn't even cast magic, let alone put a curse on me. Oh, what could be causing this?

Another small knock came from the door. "Uh, princess?" Mr. Cake asked wearily. "Are you coming out any time soon? I-I don't mean to rush you, but Pinkie's left for work, and the store's about to open."

"J-Just give me a moment," Twilight begged, still staring at the bloodstain. Why won't it go away? She wondered. Looking over to the medicine cabinet, an idea popped into her head. She opened the door, levitating out a bandage, hastily applying it over the bloodstain. There! Now nopony will see.

Satisfied, Twilight stood and walked out of the bathroom. As she entered the hall, she noticed the time was 8:30 AM. If I hurry, maybe nopony will notice… She bolted down the stairs and entered the storefront of Sugar Cube Corner.

"Oh, hey there, princess," a rough voice called. Twilight froze and turned to see an all too familiar face.

"D-Detective," Twilight greeted, her clean forehead being stained by sudden sweat. "H-How nice to run into you! You getting doughnuts for everypony?"

"Actually, not quite," the detective responded. "We got another report about a missing pony. Trixie Lulamoon. She was spotted somewhere around here, so here's hoping we can find her."

Her muscles tensed. I can't let him find out! If he does, Pinkie'll kill Starlight! "Y-You mean somepony went missing here? As in Sugar Cube Corner?"

Thankfully, Detective Pickles shook his head. "Nah, nothing like that. See, she was spotted near the edge of the financial district, so I figured I'd question some of the store owners. See if they know anything. Speaking of which, I'd better get on that. I'll call if we find anything."

"Oh, um, alright then. I'll… talk to you soon," Twilight said wearily. She backed out of Sugar Cube Corner, letting the detective question Mr. and Mrs. Cake. "It'll be fine," Twilight muttered. "They don't know anything."

Twilight began running toward the school. The school was on the far end of the town, opposite to Sweet Apple Acres. Thankfully, the financial district was near the center, so it wasn't the furthest trot.

Soon she saw the stone bridge leading up to the school's entrance. She slowed her pace, seeing Applejack and Rainbow near the entrance. "I'm just sayin' ya'll should be a little more careful now."

"I'll be fine, Applejack," Rainbow assured. "I'm the fastest, strongest, most toughest mare in all of Equestria! Hell, I'm a Wonderbolt!" Applejack rolled her eyes, and Rainbow glanced over to Twilight. "Oh, hey Twi. What's up?"

"J-Just headed to my office," Twilight nervously replied. "What about you two?"

Applejack groaned. "Rainbow here thinks it's a good idea to take Crusaders campin' despite a killer bein' on the loose."

"Oh come on," Rainbow complained. "We'll be fine! Besides, it's the perfect time of year!"

"I thought camping happened mostly in the middle of summer," Twilight chimed. Rubbing her chin, she pondered, "I suppose it isn't the worst time to-" She froze. Her eyes grew wide as she spotted her hoof. A thin streak of blood on the tip of her hoof appeared.

"Uh, you okay, Twi?" Applejack asked, looking over to Twilight. "Somethin' wrong?"

Twilight couldn't keep her eyes off her hoof. B-But I washed and washed! I-It wasn't there when I left, was it? "Twilight?" Rainbow asked, concerned. "You're looking pretty pale. You're going to be okay, right?"

Can they see it? Twilight wondered. Is it.. just in my head? Looking up, her eyes locked onto the two. "I-I need to go," she said, pushing past them. She ran inside, making sure not to place down her bloodstained hoof.

She raced through the halls, seeing the double doors to her office. She threw the doors open, slamming them behind her. She flew over to her desk, pulling open a drawer. "Come on, come on! There's gotta be something here that can cover this!"

Soon, she had emptied everything in her desk and began searching the room itself. Nothing caught her eye—no bandages to cover it. No cloth, no handkerchief; nothing in that room would help her. "No no no! T-This can't be happening!" She felt her heart pounding, the world around her going dark. A small ringing screeched in her ear.

The screams and cries Trixie made replayed in her head. She felt cornered, trapped, even. She could feel eyes burning into her. "Princess of friendship," a voice mocked. "Please! She's no better than Sombra."

"I-I didn't have a choice," Twilight pleaded. "S-She has Starlight! What else was I supposed to do?" She heard Pinkie's manic laugh. She smelled the metallic odor of blood. Her mouth felt dry, her eyes taking up all the water out of her body. Tears flowed down her face, her chest tightening up. She breathed faster and faster, not a single breath calming her.

She violently shook her head, pressing against her temples. The laughter she once thought friendly mocked her. She clamped her eyes shut and screamed, "I did everything I could!"

"Wait, is that what's bothering you?" a rough voice asked. Twilight dared to open her eyes, meeting with rose-colored ones. "Twilight, whatever you're worried about, I'm sure you did fine."

"R-Rainbow? W-W-What are you doing here?" Twilight asked.

"You looked scared, so I went after you," Rainbow explained. She looked down at the pile of assorted items on the floor. "What's this stuff doing on the floor?" Slowly, Rainbow picked up a few of the books Twilight had thrown down and began reshelving them.

"Ugh," Rainbow complained. "How can you read such boring books? Bright's Guide to Dusting? Who needs a guide to dust stuff?"

As Rainbow looked at the final book she was holding in her foreleg, she raised an eyebrow. "What's this?" She looked over the cover. "Taxidermy 101: A Guide for New Taxidermists," Rainbow read. "Hey! Pinkie does taxidermy! Maybe I should get her a copy as a present."

"You can have that copy," Twilight sheepishly said, covering the bloodspot with her other hoof.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "You're giving me your copy? But, why?"

"I-I have another copy in my castle," she lied. I never want to read that book again! "Besides, you deserve to get your girlfriend something special. That book is really hard to come by right now."

"Well, thanks," Rainbow replied. She held it out in front of herself, examining its cover with fine precision. This was undoubtedly going to be an excellent gift to her girlfriend. "You know, I don't think I've seen Pinkie at all today."

Twilight's ears perked up. "Wait. You haven't seen her at all? But I thought she was coming here." What if she was arrested? If Pinkie is arrested, then Starlight'll starve! I'll never find her in time!

"Guess she's skipping her summer class. Wonder where she is," Rainbow pondered, tapping her chin.

***

Starlight looked up from the cage floor she lay on as the door squeaked open. Sure enough, her captor bounced in. However, she didn't have any food for her. Her stomach grumbled. "Goooood morning, Starlight," Pinkie sang.

"Please let me go," Starlight pleaded. "I just wanna go home…" Her stomach grumbled again. She ran a hoof down the bars surrounding her.

"You know, if I were going to let you go, I probably already would've," Pinkie retorted. She trotted up to Starlight, sitting down in front of her. "I really should be at the school right now, but I figured I'd come and give you a little visit first. Hey! Wanna play a little game?"

Although her stomach felt sour, and her mind said no, she nodded her head. Better to comply than to make her angry, she thought. "Perfect," Pinkie exclaimed. "Alright, so here's how the game works. I'm going to give you a name. All you have to do is guess if I've killed them or not."

Sitting as upright as she could in the cramped kennel, she asked, "What happens if I get it wrong?"

Giggling, Pinkie said, "Nothing, silly. I mean, it's just a game, right?" Tapping her chin, Pinkie hummed. "Okie doki! We'll go with three rounds! The first name is… Maud!"

Starlight's face scrunched up a tad. Is Maud dead? I mean, I can't remember seeing a poster, but… what if Pinkie killed her last night? The sound of Pinkie's peppy whistling backed her thinking, building the suspense. "… She's alive," Starlight answered.

A bright smile grew on Pinkie's face. "Correct-a-mundo!" Pausing to think for a moment, Pinkie gave another name. "How about Lyra? Is Lyra dead?"

The name itself was enough to make her cry. If she had tears left to cry, that is. She remembered the nightmare that ensued. She was the first mare to disappear and the third pony overall.

Lyra's spouse, Bon Bon, walked the streets, knocking on each and every door she could find. When she ran out of doors, she repeated her route. It only stopped when she herself disappeared from Ponyville. "… She's dead."

Pinkie giggled. "Yep! She was fun too. She even taught me how to play the lyre. Hey! You know, now that I think about it, her name sounds kinda like her special talent, huh? That's so cool!" Breathing out a sigh to calm herself, Pinkie continued. "Alright, last one. Let's go with… Trixie! Is Trixie dead?"

Her pupils shrunk to pinpricks, her heart fluttering. Trixie? Starlight's fur stood on end, her body quaking. No. No, she has to be alive. She has to! Her eyes scanned Pinkie's face. A sick grin greeted her. As she felt the world collapsing around her, she shouted, "NO!"

"Is that your final answer?" Pinkie asked with her sing-song voice. With the way she was literally vibrating, Starlight could tell she was giddy with excitement.

"I…" Starlight bit her tongue. She felt her heart pounding like a drum. "She's… She's…" There was no denying it. There was only one reason why Pinkie would be so eager to hear her answer. She choked on her words as she uttered, "Dead?"

The smile on Pinkie's face nearly split her head in half. A mad cackle echoed through the clubhouse. She fell to the floor, clenching her stomach. On and on did she laugh, not even bothering to grace Starlight with words. Finally, she spat, "Dead! She's dead! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Staring at the mad mare on the floor, Starlight felt water hit her cheek. Somehow, more tears flowed. Trixie was gone. She was alone once again.

***

Steam spewed out the kettle's spout. A leafy green scent flooded her nose. Sighing, she walked over to her makeshift countertop and poured the green liquid out into two small ceramic cups. "Tea's ready," she said plainly.

"Thanks," A rough stallion's voice spoke. Leaning back in his chair, he asked, "So, you're boyfriend went missing a month ago, right?"

"Yes," the mare spoke. It was almost unsettling how calm the mare was. There was almost no emotion at all.

"Any idea where he might be?" he asked, taking a sip of the tea the mare offered.

"No," she answered, her eyes squinting.

Smirking, the stallion commented, "You sure aren't one for conversation, are you?"

The mare's teal eyes were unmoved. "Can I go back to my work now?" she asked. "I found a large mineral deposit and was about to examine it before you came here."

"Is that so?" the stallion asked, the smirk not wavering. Reaching into his saddlebag, the stallion pulled out a file, sliding it towards the mare. "Well, I'm afraid that's gonna have to wait, sweetheart." As the mare picked up the file and opened it, the stallion continued, "I think you know more about this than you're letting on."

Teal eyes locked onto the papers within. "Is that so?" She asked.

"Turns out this isn't the first time you've been around a series of kidnappings," the detective reminded. "There was another series of killings back in your home town, remember?"

Her teal eyes moved back to the detective. There was a long, unsettling pause before she replied. "My grandfather was arrested for that."

"Yeah, well…" The stallion trailed off, taking another sip of his tea. "Call it a hunch, but I think he might've been covering for somepony."

"And you suspect me?" The mare asked, her voice still as monotone as always.

The stallion shook his head. "Not necessarily. All I'm asking for is a little cooperation. Just a little bit. That's all."

The mare squinted and sternly suggested, "If you aren't blaming me, you're blaming my sister, correct?" Taking a sip of her own tea, the mare glared at the stallion. "If you're blaming me or my sister, I won't cooperate."

Huffing, the stallion stood. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Well, can't blame me for trying. See you around, Maud," he said, walking towards the cave's exit. "Oh, and feel free to keep those files. We've got plenty of copies." As he left, he looked back one more time. Maud sat there at the dining table, watching him with a glare.

Guess it's finally time I told Twilight about this, he thought. Least she'll get off my back a little. Hope this ends well.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long. I know this one was a short one, but it's pretty much set up for what's to come. I do hope you liked it. If you did, please stay tuned for more! It might take a while, but there are still many chapters to come.

Thank you for reading and have a lovely day! :twilightsmile: