The Night Shroud

Chapters

Departure
A pleasant walk through Ponyville
New faces
Neither the first, nor the last.
Remember Me

Departure

A loud whining noise sturs me awake from my restless slumber. I groan, slamming my hoof on a blaring alarm clock, and it releases a pitiful creak before going silent. As content as i am with simply drifting back to sleep, the uncomfortably warm air of an early Las Pegasus morning urges me to reconsider.

I open my eyes and blink rapidly, taking in my surroundings. Dirty wavy wallpapers greet me, followed by an empty cobweb-ridden bookcase. I should probably get some books, more to fill the empty space, rather than for reading. I don't really have much free time on my hooves. My gaze drifts to a newspaper laying on a table in front of me, a headline catches my eyes and i smirk.

"NIGHT SHROUD STRIKES AGAIN"

Underneath the bold words is a picture of a white coated stallion with a short blue mane laying on a bed. Red streaks stained his fur, his abdomen peppered with numerous stab wounds. His muzzle was held in place by a faint grey glow of magic, facing the camera. His blank eyes were full of shock, and his jaw was agape. "Boo" was writen in red letters on a pillow next to the pony, and a black hooded figure was standing near the bed, white ghost mask was looking at the camera. A bloodied knife was held near the figure's face by the same grey magical glow. I read the small text underneath the picture.

"Photo found by investigators at the crime scene, Neigh Las Pegasus Hotel."

I don't bother reading the article, the paper is a few weeks old, besides, I'm pretty caught up with the news. Being a reporter has its perks.

I look down and recognise the old patched up recliner i fell asleep on. I get up with a sigh, popping my joints as i stretch my legs. A piece of fabric falls off the back of my recliner, but i ignore it, yawn, and make my way to the apartment's bathroom.

As I step into the aformentioned room, the dingy wet carpet -who puts carpet in the bathroom?- brushes my hooves, reminding me of the night's events and souring my mood immediatly. I lean on the sink, turn the tap on and splash cold water onto my face.

The chilly feeling washes away cobwebs from my head, and I levitate a towel to dry my face. As it flies towards me, imbued with a grey aura, I scowl. It's stark whitess is marred by a large red blotch smack in the middle. Maybe getting more books isn't a bright idea.

I watched a yellow coated mare enter her home and close the door behind her, and groaned. Not because i was sad to see her go, i'll get to that in a minute, but because i was geting tired.

Tired of this Luna forsaken city! Las Pegasus was stunning to visit, sure, perfectly fit for wasting your hard earned bits in one of the casinos or bars. It was not, however, accomodating for the good old art of stalking. There was nary an unlit spot in the whole city, which made sticking to the shadows quite the ordeal. Hiding in plain sight was a much better option, one that i predominantly used in towns like this one. One that i couldn't resort to right now, seeing as my task here was much more than simple stalking. Thankfully, this particular street on the outskirts of the city had its streetlamps shattered by a hooligan.

Convenient, isn't it?

I shook my head and focused on what's important right now: getting inside the house. It wasn't particularly hard, given the fact that i've studied the plans of the house for a little over a week now. I've known the ins and outs of the house like it was my own. I even made a replica of the front door key, in case i needed it. I wasn't planning to use it though.

Rather than approaching the front door, i sneaked into the backyard, stopping momentarilly to look at her through one of the windows. The mare approached her stove and put the kettle on, preparing to dine on some insta noodles. That gives me around 10 minutes of free reign over the second floor, which is more than enough.

How do i know that? Well, Golden Glow follows her schedule to a tee, and over the last month i've had more than enough time to learn it. From her morning chariot ride to the university, to her return from the evening shifts in a local bar, i knew it all.

I gently opened the door, making sure it made no noise. Sneaking past the couch i saw her turn on the tv, providing me with noise coverage. Not that i needed it, the custom made, magically enchanted boots cost me a fortune, but they long have proven their worth. Making virtually no noise, i stepped over the second to last step, the creaky one.

The hallway to my left had two doors, one leading to a bathroom, the second to her room. It wasn't a big house, but it still wasn't cheap. Of course, i knew how she affored it. Mommy and Daddy sent her a heavy sack of bits each month, covering rent as well as other expenses.

The funny thing is, this month Golden Glow's been working the evening shift at a local Fryn' Chips. Maybe they had a falling out and reduced the sum. Maybe the cost of education went up. Or maybe, just maybe, their little princess owed money to the wrong kind of ponies.

I entered the bedroom and looked around. A dingy metal bedframe, an unkempt bed, and a bedside table with a bottle of sleeping pills on it. She's been having troubles sleeping recently, but these tablets really helped her enter Luna's embrace. Call me a doctor, because tonight I'm going to cure her insomnia.

Permanently.

I looked at the opposite wall, and saw a half-closed closet. A little cliche, but it'll do. After all, nopony's going to see the process itself, they want to see the result. It is unsurprisingly spacious, containing a couple of dresses here and there. Can't say i blame the mare, clothing does cost a fortune these days. I made my way to the back of the closet and made sure my way to the closet door is clear. I sat there, held my breath and counted the seconds. She should've been almost up the stairs by now.

Creak

Yeeup.

The mare in question entered the room with a tired expression on her face, and a bottle of wine encased in a yellow aura following her closely. Not a big fan of wine, to be honest. I'm more of a cider guy. The mare gently sat on her bed, unkorked the bottle and chugged straight from the tap. Damn, with habits like these I'm practically doing everypony a favor. She finally tore away from the bottle after a few seconds, and sighs. She closed her eyes, and relaxed on the bed, putting the bottle on her bedside table.

The perfect moment.

I gently tugged at the second to last stair.

CRE-E-EAK

She opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow. She's about to dissmiss the noise as a normal house noise, when her door slameed shut.

THUD

She jumped from the sound, and looked at the door intently. "H-hello? Is anypony there?" She said to nopony in particular. Her magic enveloped the doorknob and locked the door. She sat on her bed, looking around frantically.

Too little too late, kid.

I burst through the doors of the closet and jumped onto the bed. She stared at me with wide eyes, too shocked to react. I relished in the attention before going in for the kill. She landed on her back, and my knife thrust towards her abdomen. I leaned closer to her and she put her front hooves against my shoulders, trying to push me away. Mere inches separated blade from flesh when her magic enveloped the blade and started battling mine. As i expected, she wasn't particularly skilled, would've taken me, at worst, ten seconds to overpower her. And yet, she managed to surprise me.

She lets go.

Her hooves slowly dropped to the bed as the knife penetrated. She winced when i yanked the knife out and stood back. I wondered where this is going. Annoyingly, she didn't scream or cry, she didn't plead or threaten.

She just laid back on the bed, looking pained, but content.

Bitch.

What a fucking BITCH!

I did all this work, and what did i get? This piece of shit.

I wanted to tear this whorse limb from limb until she screamed, or begged, or-

No.

Keep it cool.

I looked her in the eyes.

"Sun above, mare"

She looked up at me with hazy eyes.

"you're pathetic."

"Died the way she lived." I sigh. "Being a waste of time and effort."

I growl and run a simple cleaning spell on the towel. Blood, as well as dirt and grime are separated from the now pristene-looking towel, and i throw the the filth into to the toilet. Flushing it down, I look into the mirror. A tired, grey coated pony with a short-cut, dark grey mane is looking back at me with a hint of annoyance in his blue eyes, and a sour look on his muzzle.

I stare into his eyes intently, waiting for him to blink. I've been playing this game with myself for quite some time now, but I don't think I'm getting better at it. With each passing minute my hope for victory diminishes as my eyes start to water. Something black, thin and spider-like crackles in the corner of the bathroom behind me, breaking my concentration as the sound startles me. Finally, I blink and chuckle to myself. "Well, hot damn handsome, you've won again." I flash a million bit smile, and begin my grooming routine. Can't stall any more, I guess.

My horn glows and a grey aura engulfs my whole body. Each strand of hair stands straight as i channel magic into the spell. A patch of hair on my chest slowly turns to a baby blue color, and gradually spreads to the rest of my coat. A few white strands appear in the blackness of my mane, and after a few seconds of intense spellcasting, my mane is a stark white. Finally, i get to the hard part. I concentrate, and prepare for the inevitable.

A white-hot searing pain eats away at my flanks, and i bite my lower lip to not make a sound. I watch as my cutiemark, depicting a set of cards and a magician top hat is replaced with another. An image of a typewriter slowly fades in onto my coat, and i let out a sigh of relief as the pain stops.

I look into the mirror, at the pony standing in front of me, and I smile. Time to take on the day.

Whatever I saw in the mirror isn't there when I depart.

I enter the building of "Las Pegasus Daily" and smile as i go past the guard, sitting at the reception table. "Morning, Prim Watch" I wave my hoof at him. "how's your day going?" The brown coated earth pony with a light orange mane waves back and chuckles.

"Uneventful, although I'm pretty sure you know that. Do you know waht time it is?" I shake my head. He checks the wall mounted clock. "It's six in the morning!" I open my eyes wide and pretend to be surprised. "What in the world are you doing here this early, Note?" I chuckle awkwardly and scratch the back of my neck.

"I just wanted to get my story on the editor's desk asap." I explain, gesturing to my saddlebags, and his features darken.

"Another murder?" I nod solemnly and pin my ears back, trying my hardest to look saddened. "Oh Tartarus, i really hoped the hotel was the last one... Still, what's the rush? Cloudy won't be here for a good hour."

"My sister from Canterlot is etting married this weekend!" I beam, lightening the mood. Upon hearing the words Prim smiles and pats me on the back. "She's invited me, of course, but i still need to buy the present, the suit, so much to worry about!" I smile widely, and the earth pony nods.

"You got that right! I remember my wedding preparations being quite hectic, and i was married in Throttingham! Can't imagine how stressful it is in Canterlot..." He gets lost in the happy memories for a moment. I cough. "Sorry, sorry, let's not keep your sister waiting." He says as i approach the elevator. "Wish her a happy marriage from me!" He yells as i step into the open elevator.

"I sure will!" I yell back as the door close. I press the fifth floor button and let my mask slip just a little as i let out a big sigh. Prim wasn't a bad pony by any means, I'm just not a big fan of small talk at six in the morning. Of course, my sister isn't getting married. I don't even have a sister, one that i know about, anyways. Still, i will be heading towards the Las Pegasus train station after i finish my little incursion.

I've got one more thing to take care of before i move onto greener pastures.

The doors open with a ding and i exit the elevator, heading to my office. The corridors are empty, not a single soul is on this floor. Or so i thought. Just before i open my office door, i hear a mare's voice call out to me. "Note!" I fiddle with the keys quicker. "Witty Note!" She's getting closer. "Witty, get the cotton out of your ears and talk to me!" I roll my eyes and put on a friendly expression before turning to face the mare.

"Witty Note, long time no see!" She says and hugs me with surprising amount of force. I wince from the unexpected contact and ponder whether or not killing her right here and now is worth it.

"Quill Stroke, we see each other every day." I say, begrudgingly returning the hug. "What are you doing here so early?" I ask, and the cream colored mare lets go.

"I... i fell asleep at my table." She says, blushing. "What about you?" She quickly changes the theme.

"Just wanted to leave a story for Cloudy." I say, and get a silly little idea. "Say, I'm going out of town on family busines in... about an hour, so i can't sit here and wait for her to arrive!" I make the best puppy eyes i can muster.
"Can you do me a favor?" She raises an eyebrow.

"What kind of a favor?"

"Can you deliver this article to Cloudy Sky?" I levitate a few pieces of paper and hover it in front of her face. It wasn't my best work, i've been pretty frustrated last night. Weeks of effort, and she has the audacity to be so passive. I make a mental note to send a few picture to her parents, but it's just not the same...

"Hmm..." She puts a hoof to her chin and thinks about the favor. "I'll do it," I smile widely. "on one condition." Just like that, my smile falters.

"What kind of condition?"

"You tell me how know you write your stories so fast." She gives me a sly look, and takes a step towards me. "I haven't heard of any murders happening lately." She wispers into my ear. I smile back.

"A little bird in the LPPD told me." She gasps. "A little bird by the name of Hard Case." I finish, and she sweeps my notes away under her wing.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She practically jumps from the excitement. "I knew you had an informant! I can't believe you finally told me who it is!" I almost feel sorry about what I'm about to do.

"Oh, one more thing." I say, opening the door and entering my office. She looks at me with beaming eyes, ready to absorb more information. "That little bird loves coffee." I close the door, and hear her squeal from exitement. I wait until i can no longer hear her hoofsteps, before busting out laughing.

Hard Case had a heart attack a few years back, and he is prohibited from drinking anything even slightly caffenated. Of course, the good detective isn't my informant, just somepony i've kept my sights on just in case.

"That'll be a fun trip to the LPPD." I say to myself, collecting the newsapapers from my office and cutting out certain articles from each one.

My articles.

I put the into folders and getly tuck them into my saddlebags. I'm done in a matter of minutes, and I'm ready to head out.

"To where though? Canterlot?" I speak to nopony in particular. "It's a good place for stories, but the price of living isjust too much." I continue musing. Just as I'm about to leave the office, a wall mounted map of Equestria catches my eye. There, near the capital resides a quaint little town.

"Ponyville." I mutter. "Close to the capital with prices low enough to rent a home." My smile spreads from ear to ear as i remember a fun little fact about the town. "And is the current abode of Princess Twilight Sparkle and her lovely friends." I tremor as a thrilling feeling grips my heart.

Before close my office doors forever, i place a single letter onto the table.

"I hope you liked my stories--I enjoyed bringing them to life. Don't worry, I'm not done." – Witty Note.

A pleasant walk through Ponyville

"So that's where you're from!" Pinkie Pie says, taking a break from stuffing her mouth full of pink cupcates with blue frosting. "Now that I think about it, you do look like somepony from Manehattan! Say, have you ever been inside the Statue of Friendship? I've heard some spoooky rumors about it!" I nod, taking a bite out of a chocolate banana muffin. She knows how much i love these things, and while those aren't her favorite, she offered to make them just for me. What a sweetheart.

"Yep, I've been inside the statue, like a dozen times." I lie, savoring the banana taste in my mouth. Mare, those are to die for. And maybe somepony will. It's been a week since I moved into Ponyville, and its rustic charm has been getting to me. I've been feeling so lazy lately, so much so, I haven't added any new names to my journal! Not that I have a schedule for this sort of thing, it's just the faster I begin, the sooner I'll be done with it. Pinkie Pie lights up at my answer.

"Oooohh, can you tell me what's inside? Please, pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?!" She leans over the table until our noses are inches apart. I flinch at the sudden closeness and move back a little. Not an unexpected turn of events, one of the first thing I've learned upon arrival is that around Pinkie, personal space was a non-existent concept. I was more embarrased than startled, how did she take me by surprise? Usually I'm the one who surprises ponies. Shouldn't have put my guard down. She sees my reaction and backs down.

"Sure, I'll tell you" I scratch my chin. Now's the time to test a silly little thing. I look around, lean closer an whisper conspiratorilly. "if you can keep it a secret." Suddenly, she looks very serious.

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." I raise an eyebrow at that. I remember that saying a little differently.

"I take it that's a yes?"

"It's a Pinkie Promise, silly!" She says with a grin."Nopony can ever break it!" Her smile drops faster than a wonderbolt performing a corkscrew dive. "Nopony." She looks at me with a frightening amount of determination in her eyes.

"Hmmm, alright I'll tell you. But I'm trusting you here." I lean closer and whisper into her ear. "At the heart of the statue, is a ball of cotton candy hung up by chains, I've seen it with my own eyes. They only let the Royalty in though." Her eyes widened.

"But how did you get inside? Did the princesses let you in?!" Hook, line and sinker. I smile slyly before replying.

"I snuck in." Her jaw drops to the table and she stuffs another sweet into her mouth before closing it.

"Your secret is safe with me." She says, zipping her mouth and throwing the imaginary key out the nearby window. I hear a metal ting, as well as the sound of a very disstressed cat. I don't even bother rationalising it. I nod, and hear the jingle of a bell, indicating a new customer has entered Sugarcube Corner. She turns her head at a wierd angle, and slides me a bag of ground coffee beans. "Sorry, gotta go! Hope you enjoyed your stay!" And now we wait. If the guards don't come knocking at my door in a week or so, then the so-called 'Pinkie promise' isn't bullshit.

And If they do?

I heard Appleloosa's lovely this time of year.

I hum in aggreement and grab my order. I've grown accustomed to starting my day with a cup of coffee, gives that extra oomph in the morning that carries me through the day. Something I've really needed the past week. Despite not making any nightly visits, or any visits in general, I've been feeling pretty beat. Despite the fact I've had pretty much no luggage on me, apart the saddlebags, my daily clothes and a bag of bits, moving in is a pain in the rump! The house was pretty cheap, which worried me a little. It cost me a little over a month's worth of rent back at Las Pegasus. To be fair, rent there was quite high, even for the shithole I was staying at. 500 bits a month and for what? Leaky pipes, no air conditioning and walls as thin as a leaf. That last part was the worst.

Still, the mayor assured me that proximity to the local forest lowered the price, and not the condition of the cottage. I was a bit skeptical at first, but a quick talk with the locals confirmed that they are, indeed, scared of the forest. As to why they are scared? Get this, because "the weather is not controlled by pegasi" and "the animals tend to themselves". You mean just like any other forest out there? Unbelievable. I get up and exit the building, mentally making a note to ask Pinkie the recipe.

My thoughts return to our conversation. It wasn't a complete lie, I did visit Manehatten about a year ago, and I was inside the Statue of Friendship. By the time I left though, it wasn't cotton candy that was hung up by chains, that's for sure. I smile at the warm memories. That particular one was in the papers for months! My smile fades as I remember Golden Glow. I shake my head. No, not thinking about that failure. It's no use thinking about something I can't fix! Think about something I can. For example, the killer of a headache I've been getting. I still need to buy a bed, and maybe some other furniture. Maybe I'll just get a sofa large enough for sleeping.

Heading to the local furniture store I remember that things do, in fact, cost money! Money I might not have. I levitate the bag of bits out of my pocket and open it. To my surprise, quite a hefty sum remains, maybe hefty enough for a trip to the market later. Still, 200 bits isn't exactly a fortune. As for the origins of the money... Stealing is such a harsh word for describing what I did at Golden's house... Harsh, but accurate.

Walking through Ponyville is so much different from the big cities, so free, so refreshing! No more rubbing shoulders with passerby, no more checking for pickpocketers... No more blending in with the crowd. Can't win them all, I suppose. I stop in front of the furniture store, Quills and Sofas. What an odd combo. I enter the establishment and hear a ding above my head. A stallion with an light-amber coat and a brown mane is leaning on the counter, seemingly counting his proceedes for the day. His ears perk up when he notices me, quickly closing the cash register.

"Welcome to Quills and Sofas, my name is Davenport, how can I help you?" He smiles and looks at me, his gaze lingering on the light-gray coat I'm wearing. I study him from his pistachio colored eyes and neatly styled mane, to his cutiemark depicticng, quite amusingly, a feather and a chair. His formal looking shirt, combined with his overall appearance gives me an impression of a very business-oriented and level-headed pony.

"Are you looking for something specific, or just browsing?" He doesen't look athletic per se, but he isn't tons of fun either. His posture, combined with the way he handles himself gives him away as a salespony. "Uh, sir? Are you alright?" I look away from his body to his muzzle, and see it wearing a worried expression. It seems I have stared a little longer than was socially acceptable. Again. Whoopsie-daisy.

"Ahem, sorry for that, I have a nasty tendency to daydream. I am, in fact, looking for something specific. A sofa, to be exact." A warm smile graces his features and he ushers me deeper into the establishment.

"Ah, yes, our namesake! We have a wide variety of materials, from jacquard" He motions to the sofa to my right. 250 bits, ouch. "to silk!" He motions to the one on my left. I don't bother looking at the price. "If something catches your eye, just tell me!"

"Oh, I know what'll catch my eye. Something within..." Let's test my luck. "a 100 bits price range." He furrows his brows, and scratches his chin. I hope I don't have to haggle-

"I think I've got a sofa that's right for you!" What. He's giving up so soon? No, of course he isn't. He probably has a raggedy one that's been here for generations. Shouldn't get my hopes up just yet.

No way. There's no way in Tartarus I've got such a good deal out of the guy. 120 bits (including delivery) for a decent looking couch, that's practically a steal! Such a steal, that I just had to ask something.

"So, whose body do I have to dig out of this one?"

Judging by his shocked expression, he is less than amused. Nevertheless, after assuring him that it was a joke, "you've got a weird sense of humor!", I've managed to seal this steal of a deal. I've still got no idea whether this fella is altruistic, stupid, or somewhere in between. I refuse to believe he made a profit on that sale. I wonder if I should add this Davenport fella to a whitelist. Davenport... What kind of name is that? Then again, I'm one to talk...

Anyhow, the sofa will be delivered this evening, and in the meantime I need to do something. Given my unexpected surplus of funds and my need for sustenance, I decide to hit the local marketplace. As I make my way to a street filled to the brim with various tents and stands, I notice the amount of odd looks I've been getting. What's going on? Could they have recognised me from one of my articles? Unlikely. I did take photos, but my face and body were thoroughly concealed, not a strand of fur peeking through.

Did I do something during my stay here to attract attention? I doubt it. I was mostly busy with the local mayor, filling out paperwork, signing signatures and most irratatingly, completing a survey. "Ponyville resident information survey." That was the most boring and, at the same time, most infuriating hour of my life. Why in the name of the Sun do you need to know which side do I prefer to sleep on? My working theory is that the whole test is some sort of cipher, and based on the answers they decide what caste you belong to. Or maybe I'm being paranoid.

My last guess, is that the attention I'm getting has something to do with the outfit I'm wearing. Ponies, especially in small towns like this one don't wear a lot of clothes. I'd happily follow this unspoken rule, but the thing is, for some ungodly reason, when I go out in public without any sort of cover I feel... exposed. I've no idea where I got this little quirk of mine, and I'm not planning to go to a shrink to find out. Of course, that would be a problem if I was trying to stalk somepony while wearing layers of clothing.

Emphasis on 'would'.

I quickly found a workaround for this problem. Impersonating somepony else seemed to do the job quite well, so well, that I created Witty Note! He's been plenty helpful these past few years, both in concealing my identity, and helping me get out in public without looking like a wierdo. I'd wake up and become Witty Note, and at the end of the day, in the privacy of my own house, he would disappear. He never went on gigs though, that right was mine and mine only. Me and Witty did a lot of great things together.

And we'll do so much more.

Still, if I wanted to stay here awhile, I couldn't just disquise myself every time I left home. It was very draining, nevermind painful. I also couldn't go out naked, so I found a middle-ground. An ashy jacket that covered most of my body, leaving anything below my knees exposed. It wasn't as protective as the usual shroud I employed on my night outings, but it did the job well enough.

Shrugging off the wierd looks I approach a stand selling carrots, from the looks of things. A mare with a pale yellow coat and and a ginger mane was staffing the shop, she smiled as she saw me approaching. I look over her wares and notice something that makes my heart skip right there and then. No! Appearances must be maintained! Plus, I don't want her to overprice it. I wear an indifferent expression on my face as I look over her other wares.

"How much for a carrot?" I ask, desperatly trying not to look at the bottle.

"2 bits per carrot." She says with a smile.

"I'll take 5, please." She nods and begins preparing my order. "Say, is that bottle of carrot juice for sale?" She chuckles.

"Of course it is, mister-" She stumbles, waiting for me to answer.

"Note. Witty Note." She puts a bundle of carrots on the counter, and extends her hoof.

"Carrot Top," Huh, fitting name. I shake it with a smile. "always good to see a new face around here, hope Ponville's treating you well!" I chuckle.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. And yes, the town's been quite nice!" I put the carrots in my saddlebags. "Now, what about that carrot juice?"

She perks up. "Ah, yes, it's 12 bits per bottle, and you can order a crate of 10 bottles each week." The second option is a bit pricey, but I can definently afford a bottle from time to time.

"I think i'll just buy one for now." She nods, and puts the bottle on the counter. I levitate a dozen of bits her way, and she puts them away.

"No problem, the option's always there. Enjoy your drink!" She waves at me as I take the bottle with my magic and move to the edge of the street.

I open the bottle and let the sweet aroma of freshly squeezed carrot juice fill my nostrils. A single drop of sweet ambrosia enters my mouth.

"Flurry, stop!" Is all I hear before the bottle and I are engulfed in a golden aura. A foal flies past me, an array of things levitating in her wake. I watch in horror as the bottle tilts and spills its contents on the ground. Whoever's foalsitter, they've just signed their death sertificate. A purple alicorn with a violet mane flies past me, following the foal and pleading for it to come back.

"sigh At least i know who's the foalsitter is." It's at this point i notice the fact that i'm moving. Just like the rest of the things engulfed in the golden aura.

I hate being carried like that.

I fly past the Sugarcube Corner, and notice a couple of ponies being in the same predicament I am. Hey, I'm pretty sure that's Carrot Top right there! Alright, time to get myself out of this mess. I concentrate on overpowering the yellow aura with my own. It feels... wierd. Like i'm trying to push a mountain out of the way. I channel all the magic I have into the spell, yet the aura doesen't even flicker. Before I begin pondering infanticide, a purple aura overtakes the golden one, and I'm gently lowered onto the ground. A purple alicorn rushes past me with a quick sorry, carrying the purpetraiting foal in her magic.

I take a breather and shake my head. What's wrong with parents these days... Letting their little alicorn fillies running around- Wait.

An alicorn filly? Do these even exist? Nevermind, I should get going before a manticore decides to munch on the locals or something. Marching down the dirt road in the general direction of my humble abode I can't help but think. First thing's first, I need a job. The local gazette's hiring, and even though the pay's probably lower than I've come to expect, the prices around here are a far cry from those in Manehattan or Las Pegasus.

On the opposite side of the road, sitting on a bench I see a pair of earth ponies chatting. One of them has a pale yellow coat and a raspberry mane, as well as a rose for a cutiemark. Her friend has with a grayish raspberry coat, light amber mane with pale amber highlights, and a cutie mark of three lilies. I'll call them... Rose and Lily, not very creative but it is a WIP. As I walk past them, I make sure a carrot falls out of my saddlebag. I walk all of five steps when I hear a mare's voice call out to me.

"Hey, stop, you dropped your carrot!" Bingo. I turn around and see Rose trotting towards me, carrot in her hoof. I fake surprise, and walk towards her.

"Oh my! How could I have lost that?!" I she hoofs me the lost vegetable, and I put it away into my saddlebag. "Thank you miss..."

"Rose." 1/2, nice. "And no need to thank me, it's what any good pony would do!" She says with a soft smile. "Besides, it was my friend Lily who noticed your loss!" I'm on a roll!

"Well," I chuckle, "thank your friend for me, Rose." I say and turn around. "See you later, Rose." There's a pause before she replies.

"Uh, sure, see you later too mister!" I walk of her line of sight and look around. It's not that late, but the sun already began setting down. For a mid-august evening the streets are surprisingly empty. I steady my breathing and crouch behind the tree. Peeking out of my cover, i notice that the two ponies are very invested in whatever they're talking about, and pay very little attention to their surroundings. I creep from one tree to another until i'm close enough to hear their conversation.

"For the umpteenth time, Lily it's Hypéricum perforátum, not Hypéricum perforátus!" Rosa argues, pointing at something on the bench. I peek high enough to see that the object is, in fact a small book, opened on a page depicting a plant with small yellow flowers. The other mare huffs.

"But my friend from Canterlot's Medical said it's pronounced perforátus! And doctors study old ponish, remember?" I presume that Rosa rolls her eyes, although i can't exactly see it from this angle.

"Was it Scarlet Cross? The same stallion who had to retake the old ponish exam twice?" Her ears twitch and perk up all of a sudden, and i quickly hide behind the tree. Better safe than sorry.

"You know he's a good doctor, he just has problems with languages! I'll have you know that he's graduated the top of his-" He friend replies, stopping mid-sentence. "Rose, is everything okay? Did you see something?" She says in a concerned voice.

"I- i don't know." Her friend replies in a hushed voice. "I don't think so, it's just... I've got goose bumps all of a sudden." She paused and looked around. Probably. I'm not psychic. "M-maybe we should go home." I could actually hear her gulp.

"O-okay, it's late anyways..." They get up from the bench and begin trotting away. I make sure to wait for the hoofsteps to move a bit from my hiding location, before trailing after the pair. Following the two through the dimly lit streets of Ponyville, i notice something peculear. While Lily's mainly focused on comeforting her friend, Rosa's constantly on the lookout. Fascinatingly, her gaze often drifts close to my cover, and although i'm fast enough to hide before she notices me, it happens far too many times to call it a coincidense. I've met ponies like her before, the kind that simply know when they're being watched. They're trickier to follow for sure, but the pay off is far more satisfying. In my experience, they always get paranoid, to the point of drifting their friends and loved ones away, making them easy pickings.

And their face when I confirm that they weren't paranoid for nothing?

Priceless.

Soon enough we approach a closed flower shop, before I begin to wonder why the've decided to come here, Lily pulls a key from inside one of the potted plants near the door and opens it. Putting the key back into the pot, she reassures her friend that everything's fine, and says her goodbyes and closes the door, but not before lovingly pecking Rose on the cheek. So they're in a relationship? Such good material for a story!

Surprisingly, Lily lives quite's the way away from her fillyfriend's house, so it takes me an additional half an hour of careful and prescise stalking before we get to her abode. Her house is not unlike the other buildings i've seen her, although it resides on the outskirts of this town. Ten minutes away from my house, actually. I shake my head in dissapointment as she picks up a key from underneath a particularly creaky board on her porch, opens the door, and enters her house.

I make sure nopony's watching and make my way to my house, just in time to meet a very tired looking group of delivery ponies.

Well, this evening sure been productive. The sofa is actually quite soft, and very comfortable to lay on. Definently beats the recliner i had back in Las Pegasus. I sip on a glass of water and levitate my favourite journal i always keep away from prying eyes. It's a small miracle that this house has a basement, especially one with a big ol' padlock. I still think its a good idea to cast a perception filter on the door, even a low level one... Later. I'll do it later. For now, I make myself comfortable couch and open the journal. Sifting through the myriad of filled pages fills me with warm memories, and i soon enough i find an empty page. I reprimand myself for chewing on a expensive-looking iron pen that i've yanked some time ago from a particularly snobbish pony, i levitate it closer to the paper's creamy surface i begin my work.

Rosa, appr. age 23. Place of residence:"Le fleuriste de Rosa" flower shop. Wary of observation. Possible love interest: Lily...

New faces

"Alright. Breathe in, breathe out. You can do this." I move through the darkened halls of a castle, its layout both familiar and foreign at the same time. Moonlight shines through the mosaic windows on the sides of the hall as i pause at a corner. I carefully lean over the corner and scan the corridor before me for any signs of life. Empty, perfect. Moving through the shadowed hall the only sound that grazes my ears is one of my own breathing and the rustling of cloth, i relish in the silence of this place and my mind wanders.

"Why am i here?" I pass another corridor, empty as the last. Out of the corner of my eye i see a metallic shine coming from my right. I look at the source and see a sharp tactical knife with a black handle hovering steadily beside me.. Its business end is stained in red. Right, right. I think i remember now. What i don't remember however, is going on a gig so unprepared. I've got no clue who my soon-to-be victim is, i don't know their routine, don't know where they are...

Come to think of it, i don't know where i am right now. "It's definently a castle of some sorts..." I tap the knive's sharp edge against the floor. Yep, that's marble, not crystal. I hear something creak right around the corner, and quickly scamper to the nearest shadow. Stupid, stupid, stupid! That's a rookie mistake, it doesen't matter where i am if i get found! I hold my breath and concentrate, trying to hear if anypony's coming my way. A minite passes in tense silence as i slowly creep towards the corner, ready to pounce at the first sight of a pony.

Nopony comes, however, and i peek out of the corner to assess the situation. A corridor, similar to the previous ones greets me, but something's... off this time. A slightly ajar door is visible on the left wall, right beneath a window.
A thick black fog rolls out of the door, covering the whole hall. As i walk towards the door fog begins to cover my vision, yet i begin to hear... something. Straining my ears, i can catch what sounds like snippets of conversations.

"No! ..ease... ..st... ...ve ...me... al..." A stallion's voice pleaded. "Don't ...w... ...t...!" Cold Fog seeped through the fabric of my shroud and licked the fur on my ears.

"I'm .s...y ...for... y... .w. ...od." A confident mare voice repled. "No ...er ..y." Mist spread past my ears and trickled down my neck, sending shivers as it went. My ears felt like they were plugged, making it harder to make out what was being said. I felt cold spread through my whole body, the Black Fog enveloping me completely. I couldn't see anything past my muzzle, including the door. I took a step forward.

"AAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH"

A deafening pained scream fills my ears as i collapse on the floor. I cover my ears in an attept to silence it, but it doesen't help. I squeezee my eyes shut and bang my head against the marble floor, but find myself unable to move. A strangely familiar taste of ash and blood enters my mouth as the noise overwhelms my senses and i scream.

I wake up with a scream, drips of cold sweat trickling down my forehead. I look at the wall-mounted clock and groan. Five in the morning? A perfect time for a wake up call. Shaking my head i get up, and move to the kitchen. "Might as well make myself useful." Turning on the stove i put the сezve on. Not the first time i've been woken up this early by a nightmare, then again i've never been too bothered by them. After all, you can't have a nightmare if you never dream! That means i'm still in the dreaming business, hell yeah baby! A small headache buzzes in the back of my head, not bad enough to make me go back to bad, but enough for me to wish i had aspirine right now.

I move to the small bathroom and begin my morning routine. Okay, let's set the game plan for today. First thing first - get my daily dose of caffeine. Second thing second - get a better look at Lily's house. I doubt she's up right now, but that's for the better. I should be done by around eight, which leaves me just enough time to visit the local gazette. I made sure they were hiring, and a steady job is definently what i need at the moment. And last but not least, see if a local pharmacy has some aspirine. I hear the invigorating smell of coffee all the way from the kitchen. I move to the kitchen and pour myself a cup of joe. I open the kitchen window and let the cool morning air rush in and mix with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. I close my eyes and breathe in the sweet mixture, my headache fades a little. This day is going to be good.

I approach Lily's house slowly, making sure to not make any noise. I avoid stepping on the carefully decorated front lawn and hide under one of the house windows. I listen carefully and hear a pony enter the room. Maybe she wanted a glass of water? I hear a click of a lightswitch, and i'm just fast enough to bolt to safety as he window bursts open. I peek from behind the corner and see Lily lean out of the window with a content smile. She takes a deep breath, clearly enjoying the morning air. Her light amber mane is a little disheveled, but otherwise she looks ready to take on the day. She opens her eyes and takes in the scenery, and i hide behind the corner in time to avoid her gaze.

Sweet Celestia devourer of pastry she is up. It's 5:40 and this mare is already up. I hear the clutter of pots and pans from inside the house, and a flavor of freshly cut fruts reaches me through the open window. Yeah, write that down: she's a morning pony. One more reason to gut her like a fish. Not now, of course, i've already made plans for today.

Half an hour drags by as i wait for her to leave the house, meanwhile writing down every little detail of her routine.

Breakfast 5:40-5:45....

...Coat and mane brushing 5:46-6:10....

...Leaves for work at 6:11.

I hear the door close shut with a creak and wait a second or two before peeking around the corner, to watch her frame disappear behind a nearby building. I look around to make sure nopony's watching and sneak to the front door. Checking under a floorboard i am greeted by a small silver key. I pick it up with a sigh and open the door.

Upon entering the kitchen i notice the abundence of plants. All sorts of them, from flowers to small trees, and even a few of those that eat insects, are potted and placed all over the room. The fridge has a number of papers stuck to it, most of them being a to-buy lists. One of them however catches my eye, so I move closer to read it. "

'Anniversary on 31/10, do not forget!!!'

Well, that's interesting. What kind of anniversary is timed at Nightmare Night? Guess i have two months to find out. The room on the first floor wasn't anything special, a cheap tv, decent sofa and enough potted plants to feed a stallion for months. In addition to all that, the wallpapers depicted you guessed it, rows of roses arranged in a pretty pattern. This mare really loves flowers. Walking up the stairs, i find myself in a narrow corridor. Two doors were on the opposite sides of it, and i decided to check the left one. I gently opened the door, and entered what looked like a bedroom. Flowery wallpapers adorned the walls, a small drawer stood beside the bed, an alarm clock and a photo depicting Rose standing on top of it. How cute.

I carefully opened the drawer which was full of books on botany, gardening, and other plant related things. Among them, one book stood out however. A blue book with a small lock laid beneath all the others. I cast a quick spell on the lock, and it opened with a satisfying click. I opened the last page and notice that it has yesterday's date.

'Dear diary, today was great! Me and Rose spend a lot of time together, and i think i have a pretty good idea what to give her for the anniversary! She kept talking on and on about the new edition of "Equestria's Flora and You", and i bet my saddlebags that's what she wants. There's just one thing that bothers me. She looked awfully jumpy this evening, and said somepony was watching us. I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary, but made sure she got home safely.

I'm going to ask Twilight if she can order one for me. I'd do it myself, but i don't think it'd arrive on time, there's quite the rush to get thes-"

A sound of a door opening startles me out of the pleasant read, and i hear a pony mutter something about leaving a bag behind. I hold my breath and put the book into the drawer, hoping i didn't make too much of a mess. I scan the room and notice a small saddlebag in the corner. I hear the sound of approaching hoofsteps and glance at the window. Closed, and i don't have enough time to run to it. Hoofsteps stop just behind the door, and with nothig else to do, i sprawl on the floor, and hide under the bed. I hear her mumble "where" about a dozen times as she walked through the room. From my hiding place i could see her bag clear as day, something the earth pony couldn't say for herself. She finally stopped her pacing, and stood in front of the bed.

Alright, what are my options? Best case scenario, the forces that be intervene and she notices the bag, and leaves the bed, and most importantly me, alone. Then i will be free to bang my head against the wall for making the rookie mistake of entering the house without knowing her routine. If she does look under the bed, then i'll have to make it the last thing she does in her life. Can't have such a simple mistake stain my good name, right?

I slide the knife out of its sheath with a touch of magic, and ready myself for a possible attack. I see her crouch, and in a last-ditch effort to save myself from the tedious task of cleaning blood out of my fur, i tilt a bookshelf above the bag just enough for one of the books to fall.

"Eeep!" The earth pony jumps a little from the unexpected sound, and looks straight at the saddlebag. "There you are!" she grabs it and bolts out of the room. I hold my breath until i hear the door snap shut, and wait a few more minutes before crawling out. That was close, STUPID close, might i add. I should've followed her instead of breaking and entering, but hindsight is 20/20 i guess. I scamper out of the house and hurry home, i need a good cold shower.

Play it cool, play it cool. Just smile and answer every question as politely and truthfully as possible. I keep telling that to myself as i approach the HR department of "Ponyville Chronicles". I've been employed at a myriad of newspapers, both big and small. Many things differed: faces, names, working enviornment, yet many things stayed the same. Bosses who are perfectly fine with a newcomer's strange work history as long as he keeps pumping out article after article for a below-average salary. Acquaintances, a dangerous deception. Workplaces that are filled with them, strangers who happen to be sitting next to eachother, five days a week. A distant familiarity that grows from habit. Whatever they like to do on evenings and weekends, is presumed to be commonplace. The blanks are filled in with assumptions and one forgets how little they know, until proven otherwise.

This one seems to differ little from my previous workplaces. The ponies here are a bit more friendly, but i'm fairly certain this friendliness will evporate the moment they realise i'm not just a guest or a passerby, but a fellow coworker. I smile and pass a group of coworkers chating near a water cooler, and hear bits of conversation. "Do you know why Photo Flash quit his job?" A petite mare asked the others. A choir of uncertainty was a reply from the group, until a burly stallion spoke up. "I helped him pack his stuff, and, naturally, i asked why he wanted to move all of a sudden. He kept telling me about greener pastures and whatnot. Not sure how true that is though." He shrugged.

Ah, yes, Photo Flash! A nice kid overall, a bit too skittish in my opinion. He did move onto greener pastures. After all, once you find a raccoon's head stapled to your bedside alongside with a note, you kinda have to. Nevertheless, the situation was resolved favourably for the both of us. I'll get the job, and he gets to get out of his comfort zone. A win-win, if i do say so myself.

I finally stand in front of the office doors. I take a deep breath and knock on the wooden frame and wait for an answer. "Come in." A gravely voice replied. I open the door and walk in, trying to look as confident as possible. "You're here for the job interview?"

"Yes." I reply and the stallion motions towards a seat opposite of him.

"Please, take a seat." I nod and do as he says, all the while carefully observing the pony. A slightly curled chocolate-colored mane with golden streaks obscures one of his mint green eyes. His copper coat, along with a yellow jacket, complimented his mane quite well. He looks at me intently before finally speaking up. "The name's Written Quill, but if you want this job, you should already know that." You have no idea how well i know that, buddy. "Now, tell me about yourself."

"Well, i'm Witty Note, nice to meet you! I've moved into Ponyville just above a week ago, and i'm currently looking for a job." His face remains stoic as he leans on the table and stares me directly in the face. "I've worked at a number of newspapers before, from Trottingham's Courier to Las Pegasus Daily!" He raises an eyebrow.

"My-my, that's a big track record you've got there. Large and quite... erratic, i must say." I hear an accusation in his voice. "Mind explaining that?" Alright, let's go for something a bit more emotional.

"Of course. You see, ever since the day i've got my cutiemark i've felt that something was missing in my life." I raise my hoof to my head in a dramatic fashion. "I moved from town to town searching for something to fill the emptiness i felt. Yet, no matter how many cities i've visited, nothing helped me fill the void inside. Until my good friend Golden Glow, bless her heart, advised to move to a smaller town." I shed a single tear. "I've been her just a week, but it feels like i've been reunited with a small part of me that was missing all my life, and... and..." I sniff, trying to sound genuine. "I'm sorry, i-"

"WAAAH" The stallion scoops me up in a hug and begins bawling into the fabric of my coat, obscuring his face and leaving me to stare at the wall with a befuddled expression. The fuck? Never took him for an emotial type."That was sob the most beautiful thing i've ever heaaard?"

"It was? I mean, ahem, of course, uhm-"

"You're hired! sniff You're hired." He lets go of me and wipes the tears away with a handkerchief. I beam.

"Thank you sir, i'm honored to join your crew as a..." I pause, and look at him expectingly. He seems to have collected himself, looking at me with a soft smile.

"Writer, Mr. Note. Nd before you ask, you can start immediately." I look at him surprised.

"I'd love to, but... What am i to write about? I doubt there's much going on here in Ponyville." He waves his hoof around.

"Write about little things! Take a stroll through the town, maybe somepony lost her alligator again, or the three little cutie-mark seeking rascals got into trouble helping colts and fillies as usual, i'm sure something will come up sooner or later!" He encourages me while shooing me out of his office. "Now go on, bring me a feels-good story!"

I stand in the empty hallway when the door closes behind me and i grin. "That couldn't have gone better."

I've been walking around Ponyville for about two hours now, searching for a good story. Sadly, just as i predicted, nothing happened so far. No, let me specify. Nothing interesting happened so far. Despite what Quill said, i doubt he'll be satisfied if i actually gave him a story about Pinkie's alligator. Instead of mulling about my failure to find a compelling narrative, i reminisce on what i've said earlier. While most of what i said to my boss was a lie, i did feel strangely... at ease in Ponyville. Perhaps the charm of a quiet town has been lulling me in a sense of security. I'd love to just live here, but... I can't. I just can't. I know what i do, and i know that, eventually, i'll get bored of this place. In my ruminations i stumble upon somepony, causing the both of us to plummet to the ground. I groan and open my eyes, surprised when i see a mare laying on the ground in front of me.

Her coat was a soft pink in color, adorned in a green vest with a golden badge pinned to its chest. Her short blonde mane doesn't obstruct her horn and electric blue eyes. I look at her flank and see the same golden badge for a cutiemark. She's beautiful, gorgeous, and... And she's a cop. Just my luck. The one time i see somepony i like, they are detrimental to my goals, shame. Still, buddying up with a pony of the law can be benificial, and i'm not one to waste opportunities. I clear my throat and focus on an outstretched hoof pointing towards me.

"Need a helping hoof?" I grab her hoof and she hoists me up with surprising ease. She's quite strong for a unicorn.

"Yeah, thanks. Can't believe i didn't see you there." I say, collecting a wallet that's fallen out of my pocket.

"You should be looking where you're going, mister." She smirks as i dust off my clothes. "You're lucky you ran into good ol' me, and not somepony the likes of Iron Will." Literally who?

"Yeah i guess so." I look around, and notice that we're both standing near a quite large tree. As i finish examining the tree, i notice her beginning to trot away. "Hey, wait up!" She stops and looks back at me as i catch up to her.

"You wanted something?"

Alright, time to absolutely demolish her. "Can I follow you? Because my parents always told me to follow my dreams." Her muzzle scrunges up for a moment, and she erupts with laughter. Is that a bad thing? I wait patiently for her to finish.

"Ha, aren't you a charmer!" She resumes her trotting and i follow. "Sure you can, if you've got nothing better to do." I raise an eyebrow.

"What does that supposed to mean?" She stops in front of another tree and her horn glows with a tender green color.

"That means if you're looking for an exciting story, you ain't finding it here." She casts a gaze towards my chest. "Don't think i've missed the camera draped over your neck, journo."

"Pff, exiting? Please, i bet my flank that nothing exiting ever happens here." She does a 180 turn and stares at me with a conspiratory stare and a sly grin.

"Listen here, kid, you don't know what you're talking about." She moves closer. "You don't know this town, wierd thing happen on weekly basis." Our muzzles are almost touching. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Hell. Yeah." She outstretches her hoof.

"It's settled then, if something exiting happens, let's say within a week, then your flank is mine for a day."

"And if the opposite is true?" She sighs.

"Then my flank is yours for a day." I like my chances here.

"You've got yourself deal, miss-"

"Seabelle. Seabelle Binknit. And no "missing" around me,-" I grab her hoof and shake it.

"Witty. Witty note."

"Hey, Seabelle." We've been walking along the edge of the Everfree for what seemed to be hours. Long enough for the sun to begin setting, and for the temperature to start dropping.

"Yeah, Witty?" She said, shaking a little from the cold evening of early september.

"Remind me what are we doing here?" I say as she stops in front of an opening in the forset. She humms.

"Define here." Her horn lights up, illuminating the small path ahead of us.

"Here as in 'about to walk into a deadly forest at night'. That's here." I look at the road leading further into the forest. It doesen't look safe in the slightest, but it does look promising. All sorts of things tend happen in dark forests.

"We're looking for Mr. Wiskers." She says, concentrated on the road ahead.

"Who?" She groans in responce. She's told me about the cat before, but i'd like to test my waters. Besides, pissing ponies off is fun. Sometimes.

"Pipsqueak's cat! I've told you about it a dozen of times already, Discord's beard, you're thick." We move deeper into the forest, the canopy of leaves obsucring both the night sky, and the path behind us.

"Should i take that as a compliment?" I hear her snort as we get over a collapsed oak tree. It seems to be rotting, its putrid smell causing me to gag a little.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Note." She looked closely at a pawprint on the ground.

"I should get my mind out of the gutter? Need i remind you who said, and i quote 'your flank is mine for a day'?" She turns to me and rolls her eyes.

"You're the one who proposed it."

"And you accepted!"

"Shush!" She raises a hoof in the air, and listens in for something. "Shut it for a second and listen. Don't forget, we're still in the Everfree." I follow her advice, strain my hearing. Sound of cracking sticks stands out against the quiet backdrop of the nighttime forest. The cracking closed on us, soon followed by the sound of scratching. The two of us turn towards the source, and my eyes grow wide. A creature with the body of a lion, a scorpion's tail, and a pair of dragon-like wings is grinding its sharp talons on a nearby tree. It seems distracted enough not to notice us. We slowly backpedal away from the thing, keeping our eyes on it. Alright, it doesen't seem to notice us, we're good, we're good. Just get out of the forest, check for aspirin again, and go to slee- CRACK

Shit. I feel my right hind hoof stand into something slimy, and as i shift my wight it gives in. I look back and see my leg wedged inbto the rotted oak tree. Please, Please, Please for the love of all things holy, don't hear-

"Shit." I turn my head to Seabelle, who is watching the beast staring directly at us. She keeps her gaze on the creature, and speaks up, her voice barely above a whisper. "Alright, wanna hear the plan?"

"I'm all ears."

"No matter what happens, follow me, don't look back, and don't trip." The second she finishes a deafening roar erupts form the creature and we bolt. We barely dodge a swipe from its claws, and a tree behind us falls down.

"SHITSHITSHITSHIT-" I duck just in time to avoid a deadly stinger from piercing my barrel. "WHERE ARE WE GOING-" Another sting comes too close for comfort as i feel something brush past my tail. "THE TOWN IS THE OTHER WAY!"

Seabelle gallops beside me, picking up and throwing whatever her magic touches at the thing. She jumps as the scorpion tail sweeps the ground underneath her. "I KNOW A SOMEPONY WHO CAN HELP!"

"WITH A GOD DAMN DEMON?" I narrowly avoid slamming face first into a willow. She weaves through the trees, probably trying to confuse the beast.

"THAT'S NOT A-" The thing wiffs a hit. "DEMON!" She ducks behind a tree branch which promtly slams into the persuer's face. "IT'S A MANTICORE!"

"SAME DIFFERENCE!" In our mad rush to escape, we finaly break through the canopy and find ourselves in a small clearing of sorts. In the middle of it grows a large tree, with a... door and... windows... Does somepony live in a- "FUCK" A claw manages to scratch me, but just barely. That scratch is enough to elicit a yelp of pain. Alright, escape now, questions later.

"ZECORA!" Seabelle yells, and the door opens. I see a figure emerge from the doorframe, but fail to get a good look at her, as i hear the police pony yell- "DOOOOOOWN!"

I do as she says and hit the ground harder than an aloholic hits his wife. A glass bottle flies over my head and impacts the manticore head on. It yelps, and by the sound of it, drops to the ground. I turn to see it, all the while crawling away. The monster is laying on the ground like a cat, seemingly fast asleep. Finally, my back impacts the tree and i let a sigh of relief. "Jesus Christ that was close." As Seabelle approaches, a voice from my right startles me.

"You two escaped a sure demise, yet i must ask, who is this 'Jesus Christ'?"

"Yeah, who's that? Never heard an expression like that." Seabelle adds. I turn my head towards the first voice, and see a zebra standing in the doorframe. She looks worried, and her worry increases as she looks at me.

"Do i have something stuck in my mane?"

"A wound like that is not a jest, you need a bandage and a rest." She beckons the two of us to enter the house, and i ,although usnteadily, get up on my own. Cold wind brushes against my back right leg, and i feel a chill go down my spine. I swear, if that thing tore my clothes, i'll-

"Hey" Seabelle lights her horn and small sparks appear with a snapping sound in front of my muzzle. "Note, are you alright? How many coins do you see?" A coin- no, two coins- no, three golden coins appear in front of my eyes. Yes, three- or maybe four coins dangle in front of me like a carrot on a stick.

"Uh, three! Did i get that right?" Judging by a concerned expression on the mare's face i was wrong.

"Alright, you do need a patch up, let's get you into the cabin." She makes an attept to make me lean on her, a damn good one, but i refuse.

"Nah, nah, i'm fine. I can walk." It try to push her away and walk on my own. I make a full two steps before the world turns into a spiral and i begin falling. Thankfully, the cop is here to catch me.

"No way i'm letting you walk like that." I struggle for a second before giving up on the idea and letting her guide me to some kind of a cot inside the tree. I hate to not be in control, but there's not much i can do in this situation.

I close my eyes for what feels like a second, and feel a haze drift over my consciousnes. Strange memories come with it. Those of chases and roaring mechanical apparatuses, of fishooks and gates, of the hunters and the hunted. It's oddly comforting, all things concidered. Through the haze i make out something about bleeding, and stitches, and i'm sure i've heard at least one joke about my flank. I don't know for how long it goes on, but eventually the black fog around my mind dissapates a little and i see a smiling, if stressed Zecora in front of me. I hear Seabelle sigh in relief on my left as Zecora brings a flask to my mouth.

"You've took a blow, a grievous one. Drink this so the healing is begun." She gets up and prepares to leave. She interrupts me before i say anything. "Roots and herbs i must collect. As for the cat - he's resting on that bed." Without another word, she exits the house and shut the door behind her. I look around and see Seabelle approaching me with a flask. She want to say something, but i go first.

"Well, we found the bloody cat, didn't we?" I say with a weak smile, one that she returns. She hooves me the flask. Expecting another potion i open it, and a scent of alcohol hits me. "What's the occasion?"

"We did find Whiskers," She pets the cat with her magic who purrs in responce. "and we got you an exiting story!" She says with an innocent smile. I open my mouth without thinking, the haze from my mind still not comepletely gone.

"Hell eyah we di-" I stop as her smile turns into a shit-eating grin.

Oh.

Oh no.

"And that means your flank is mine, journo."

I take a big sip from the flask.

God help me.

Neither the first, nor the last.

I plop onto the chair at my worktable and stare at the open page of my notebook, mug of coffee in hoof. I sip on the hot liquid and feel a wave of energy slowly spread through my body. I put the mug on the table, right beside three small pink pills. I hope i won't need them, but better save than sorry.

She comes home at around nine pm, eats dinner and tends to the plants in her room for about an hour. If i arrive at eight, it'll give me more than enough time to-

knock knock knock

Sun above, please tell me its not who i think it is.

"Witty, its Seabelle, open the door!" I've never been so sad to be in the right. Maybe if i'm quiet she'll go away. "I know you're there, Witty, open up!" Aight, there's still a way out of this situation. One that works less and less as time moves on.

"Can you please leave? I'm having a killer headache right now!" I lie and hear a sigh from the other side of the door.

"That's exactly the reason why you need to see a doctor!" There she goes, just as expected.

"I'm telling you for the umpteenth time, i'm not going to the hospital!" I reply a little too loudly. Turning my gaze back towards the notebook i see a bright red outline of spider-like claws swirl around the lit candle on my table. Just my luck. I guess that wasn't a lie after all. The knocks grow louder as i pick the pills up with my magic and down them with a hefty sip of coffee. "What's the big deal anyway? Everypony gets headaches from time to time."

"Not for days on end!" I roll my eyes as the black fog whirls around the kitchen table. "You know what they say, Witty. Once an accident, twice a coincidence, three times a pattern."

"So what? I've had a traumatic accident a few weeks ago, i'm just stressed, that's all." I close my eyes and something cold brush past my muzzle. Taking a deep breath, the smell of ash and rust fills my lungs.

"I'm just worried about you." My ears perk up at the sound of her now calm voice. "You've been couped up in that house most of the week. You rarely get out, and when you do, forgive me for being blunt about this, you look like shit!" I can practically see her shaking her head. "It's not healthy."

I feel a metallic taste form at the base of my tongue. "So what do you propose? Go to a hospital?" I snort. "You know i don't like doctors."

"How about a stroll through the town then? Clear your head, buy groceries, get some exercise, after all!" A faint pang of hunger hits me at the mention of food, and i wonder: when had i eaten last? Was it this morning when i was rummaging through my medical cabinet? Or was it last night, after following that stallion down the street? I can't remember clearly.

"I'll get you a hayburger." Silence falls upon my humble abode, one that is broken with a soft flicker of my magic and a click. I open the door and keep looking at my notebook as i feel her gaze burrow into the back of my head. I take a sip of coffee and close the notebook as she trots up to me. I make a 180 and see-

A bald headed face stare at me with its unblinking gaze. Its bloodshot eyes are forcibly kept open by metallic gear, the same one holding it's mouth in a maniacal smile. The metallic bonds covering its head sparkle with electricity as it thrusts its hoof towards me, and i scream. I flinch and fall off the chair as the touch sends a wave of electricity coarsing through my body. A laugh echoes through my mind, getting louder and louder with each reverberation until all i hear is deafining cackles-

smack

"Snap out of it!" I blink and find myself face-to-face with a concerned and slightly unnerved Seabelle. I rub an aching spot on my cheek and find it is hot to the touch.

"Did- did you just slap me?" She lets out a sigh of relief and sweeps away a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.

"Oh thank Celestia, i though you were having a stroke for a second there!" She outstretches her hoof and i flinch instinctively, much to my dismay. The hell was that? "Witty? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, i'm just fine and dandy." I say with a healthy amount of snark, trying to get up without faceplanting into the nearest solid object. I lean on the table and down the rest of my morning coffee. "Fi~i~ine and dandy." I put the now empty mug on the table and feel a bout of dizzyness overtake me. I grip the table edge to prevent any unnecessary brain damage via blunt force trauma, and wait for my guest's responce. She looks me over from head to tail with a concerned expression.

"We're going to the hospital."

The teal-colored walls of the doctor's office do little to calm my nerves as a stallion with a light amber coat lights up his horn and the back of my head feels tingly all of a sudden. The tingling slowly spreads to my forehead and lingers for a few moments. The doctor writes something on his clipboard and returns to his table. "Well, Mr. Note, i've got good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?" Ugh, this bullshit. I sit up, a dull headache making the action more trouble than it's worth.

"Spill it, i don't have all day."

"The good news is that you didn't have a stroke." He writes something on a receipt and levitates it to me. "The bad news is that you're having a migrane." I pay the piece of paper no mind as i get off the bed and head towards the exit, all the while trying to keep a straight face.

"Gee, thanks doc, without your professional help i never would've guessed i have a headache!" My escape is halted by a certain blonde cop. She stands between me and the doorframe with an enticingly stubborn expression on her face. The moment i step to the right or left she mirrors my moves. You wanna dance? Let's dance. "Let me through, Seabelle, i'm done here."

"No you're not. Not until you stop being a jackass and listen to Dr. Greymare." Alright, let's think about this for a second. The door's blocked, and as much as i would like to smack her over the head with something heavy and bolt, i might as well bash my head against the wall. The bloody headache won't let me concentrate, thus stopping any attempts to magic my way out of this dead in their tracks. The open window's looking good right now, it's a two story drop at worst, and with the right positioning... Still, it's too risky. If i screw up the landing i might break something, and i'm not going to chance staying up to a month in the hospital. Or i could power through the next five to ten minutes of my life and be done with it. The path of least resistance it is then.

I close my eyes and sigh before turning around and facing the doctor. "Just make it quick would you?"

"Please, take a seat. It won't take long, i promise." He says with a warm smile, gesturing to the cot. I do it, but make sure to keep the pony in my line of sight at all times. Once i'm comfortably seated, i turn to Seabelle for a moment, giving her my best 'don't think you've won' look. She rolls her eyes and motions for me to look at the doctor.

"Right, so where were we?"

"As i was saying, you're suffering from a migrane." He took out a pack of small pink pills from his drawer. "And by the looks of things you've been for some time." He hoofed the pack to me. "For how long?" I take the pack and put it away into my black coat. Never leave home without it.

"You could say it's not my first rodeo," I say smugly. "I've been using Ibuprofen for... about two years now."

"Two years?" He said in a surprised tone. "The migranes must've caught you offguard at least once, how come you never went to a professional?"

I put my hoof to my chin. "I've made a little rule for myself: if things begin to look foggy, or i see bright red lines superimposing themselves over everything else, pop a pill or two and it'll be fine." Greymare nodded.

"What you've been experiencing is called an aura. They appear a few hours before a migrane atttack, it is advised to watch out for them to have enough time to get home and rest." So i've been doing a pretty good job, eh? "Do you remember any standing-out moment after which the migranes began?" I went back to two years ago. Where was i at the time? What was i doing? My muzzle scrunches up as i try to remember anything but just... can't. A year ago? Taking a trip from Baltimare to Manehattan. Three years ago? Working a nine to five job at a local Neighmart. But the closer my memories get to the two year mark, the less coherent and more foggy they become.

"Nothing outstanding comes to mind..."

"What about Tirek? That was around two years ago, right?" Seabelle's voice echoes from the general direction of an exit. The stallion levitates a book from a nearby shelf and opens it on a seemingly random page.

"The subject hasn't been researched terribly well, but there has been an increase of brain-related injuries in unicorns ever since the draining." He frowns. "The effects are numerous, and they differ from pony to pony..." He turns to me with a concerned look. "Where were you two years ago?" I open my mouth trying to think of anything convincing to say. I want to lie, lie through my teeth that i was in Manehattan, or Roseville, or any other city with too many ponies to track me down. I want to, i really do. But that's not what i say.

"I was in a town." Wow, just wow. That's the best i can come up with? He'll believe that in a jiffy!

"Does that town have a name?" I put a hoof on my forehead and press hard against it, trying to remember. What am i trying to remember? Why am i trying to remember?

"I'm not sure." I close my eyes and try to picture my way through the country. The earliest town i can remember is Roseville, and i'm pretty sure that's not it. The more i think about the town, the worse my headache gets. An inquisitive voice brings me out of my thoughts.

"Can you point it out on a map?" I look at the table and see a small map of Equestria sprawled on top of it. I try to focus on it, but only see whirling black fog obscuring every detail, to the point that the map looks more like a pool of ever shifting tar. I gaze into its blackness and a sudden calmness washes over me. The headache subsides a little, and i get a feeling that if i touch it, i'll feel better. My hoof is mere inches away from the black abyss.

"There?" Graymare's voice brings my attention to the doctor, making me look away from the map. He looks at me with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know." I reply, trying not to look at the table. "Can't see a damn thing, it's all foggy to me." I scratch the back of my head. "What was i pointing at?" The doctor fixes me with a concerned expression.

"The Celestial sea." His expression grows more worried by the moment. "You really can't see it?"

I rub my eyes and look at the map once again. I'm greeted by the same ever-shifting fog, and i look away before i'll want to touch it again. "No, only some kind of swirling mist."

Greymare humms and rummages through his drawer and places a piece of paper on the table. He writes something for a moment and stamps the paper, making me worry. "What are you doing?"

"Approving you for further examination." No. "Your condition concerns me, and i recommend further testing, including an MRI scan, among other things." Oh no you don't. I gather my strengh and stand up. I'm a little wobbly, but otherwise good to go.

"We're done here." I ignore the piece of paper Greymare's trying to give me and head to the exit door. Seabelle is still standing there, blocking my way. I doesen't look like she moved at all during my talk with the doctor. Her muzzle has the same stubborn expression, one that i feel i'll get tired of seeing in due time. I frown. "Seabelle, you're blocking my way."

"Yes."

"And i need to go through here, so be a dear and move." She stays still, unsurprisingly. "Why are you not moving?"

"Because you're going to follow what the doctor said." She says simply, like it's the easiest thing to do. I sigh and close my eyes. "It's for your own good, Note." She adds in a soft voice. That phrase makes my eye twitch. Alright, let's play pretend.

"Seabelle." I put on my most pitiable face. "I'm having a really bad headache and i'd wish to go home to rest." She doesen't look convinced. "Can we schedule the examinations in advance? I'm really not feeling good right now." She fixes me with an appraising gaze, and after a few seconds her stubbornes cracks. She looks somewhere behind me, probably at Greymare.

"Can we schedule them for next week, doctor?"

"No problem, get some rest. I'll mail you the papers later today." Seabelle thanks the doctor and steps away. I rush to get out of the room, not caring about how or why he knows my address. I'm not going to to this hospital ever again.

I need to get home.

My head hurts as i slam the door behind me, mumbling something along the lines of 'thanks bye' to Seabelle. God, that mare's too nice for her own good. I shuffle past my worktable, not sparing my notebook a glance. I can't work right now, not like this. The dark fog envelops everything around me, making it hard to know where i'm going. I approach. . . something. I hope it's a couch, but i'm not entirely sure. I bend down and try to feel the object, but lean too much and stumble, plummeting towards it.

I'm falling. Falling for much longer than i'm supposed to. Much longer than what seems possible. I try to look around, find some point of reference, but i only see the shifting black mist all around me. The mist whirls and moves towards me, and soon enough i breathe it in. The smell of ash and blood enters my nostrils as i close my eyes. My head feels like an inflated baloon full of small glass shards, ready to burst at any moment. I feel my body becoming heavier and open my eyes. The void around me seems to take shape, the black fog bleeds into solid objects that move past me at running speed. I blink, it feels like sandpaper scraping against my eyes.

The world around me has finally taken form. Grimy white walls are peppered by spots of falling plaster. Windows open and slam shut from the biting cold winds, each noise like a pinprick going trough my eye. Medical beds are stacked on top of eachother, dirty and decrepid just like the walls around them. I stumble over a wheelchair, its restraining belts are open, the seat is stained by something dark, dry and putrid.

I barely manage to stay upright, each movement sends waves of pain through my head. The chair falls down, making a louds cluttering noise that echoes down the halls of this asylum. Dread fills me as i freeze and listen carefully for any noise. I shouldn't have done that. Mortal fear grips me as i hear something approach from down the hall. Something is coming, and i know what that something is, i know that i know.

But i can't remember.

I run in the opposite direction, not caring about the mess i make along the way. My legs feel heavy and each step feels like the floor is made of pins and needles. I feel a pang of sharp pain in my stomach, and grab my belly. Something trickles down my hooves as i continue to run. Hooves. No, not hooves. Claws, like those of a griffon. I hear a sickening laugh from somwhere close behind me. Too close. I jump through a glassless window, banging my back hooves against the window frame loudly. I land on my back hooves and continue running. Why am i running on two hooves? The thought grazes my mind, but is stamped out when something blunt strikes between my shoulder blades.

I let out a pathetic scream and drop to the tile floor. My head impacts one of the tiles and shatters it, along with my skull. The baloon pops. Something warm and sticky trickles down my face as try to focus and do something. Do what? What can i do? I don't know. As the ringing in my ears fades i hear a single guttoral voice command me.

"Crawl."

And i do. I crawl and crawl as the laughter above me gets louder and louder. Jolts of electricity surge through my body, firing up every nerve inside of me. It's like i'm crawling on top of glass shards, surrounded by barbed wire. When the pain becomes unbearable and my body grows cold i hear a noise. A hum, to be specific. A low, echoing hum. For reasons that evade me the noise invigorates me.

And i crawl.

I crawl past the doorframe and see a sight that brings tears to my eyes. A hatch, the source of the noise. An open hatch, spewing black fog from the inside. Cold, numbing comfortable fog. I push through the pain and grab at the edge of the hatch. Dark mist grazes my arms and the pain slowly goes away. With the last of my strengh i pull myself up to it and tumble down into its foggy depths.

Black fog envelops me, making the pain dissapate. The laughing fades away too, and i close my weary eyes.

Finally at peace.

I don't know for how long i've been asleep, but when i wake up it's already dark outside. I've managed to reach my couch, but i wish i hadn't. It's wet and smells like Tartarus. I curse under my breath, today's definently not my day. Cleaning it up I've lost prescious time, time i could've used to do something productive. I need help with these headaches, that's for sure. I take a sip of freshly brewed coffee and frown. Not enough sugar. I carefully levitate a spoon of sugar into the cup and stur it. The pain doesen't come, that's a good sign. Help. I need help.

But where from? I sit down at my worktable and open my notebook. I'm not going to the hospital, not a chance in Tartarus. Maybe traditional medecine? Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I need a proffesional though, somepony who knows what they're doing. Zecora? Maybe. She's the only one i know who deals with herbs and potions, and her hermit lifestyle may shield me from prying eyes and uncomfortable questions. All this can wait, however. I look at the wall-mounted clock and smile.

It's half past eight.

I've got enough time, if i'm quick enough.

Approaching Lily's house i can't help but feel a little nervous. It's not that i'm unsure of my success, on the contrary - i'm sure i'll make quite the impression on this little town. It's just. . . I hope what i've got in mind for her lives up to my standarts. It sound lovely in plan and on the paper, but you know what they say.

No Plan survives first contact with the enemy.

I enter the house effortlessly, the location of the key hasn't changed since my last visit. Good to know the ponies here are complacent, shame it won't be that way for long though. I move to the bedroom on the second floor and check my bag.

Rope. Check.

Camera. Check.

Knife. Check.

Photos. Check.

Pins. Check.

A flask of animal blood. Check.

Paintbrush. Check.

Alright, let's do this. I take the photos out of the bag, dozens of them, all depicting the same raspberry-coated earth pony going through her day. Here's her making morning coffe, going to work, talking to customers, going back home, lying in bed - you get the idea. I carefully pin them to the wall opposite of the exit, one you can't help but look at when you enter. I step back to admire my work and tsk. The wall's a bit more barren than i hoped, but it looks fine overall. Nevertheless, i've got more work to do. I take out the flask and place it on a nearby bedtable, along with the brush. I dip the latter into the former and carefully trace lines on the wall.

'I SEE YOU'

A bit cliche, i'll admit, but that'll definently get her blood pumping. I brought a bit too much blood, it seems, more than half the flask is full by the time i finish. Time to get creative, i guess. I move to the bathroom and look at the mirror. A white mask stares back at me, it's expression forever frozen in a silent scream. Sunken black eyes stare at me, holes in them coverd by black fabric, thick enough to block the color of my eyes, but not enough to obscure vision. I push the brush against the reflective surface, excess droplets of blood trickle down into the sink.

'TAKE A BREAK, I DON'T MIND ;)'

That'll do. I move back to the bedroom and leave the door ajar. I place the flask on top of it, rigging it to fall on the first pony who opens the door. I exit the room very carefully, holding the trap still with my magic, don't want to get dirty too early. I go down the stairs and hide behind the sofa, crouching down a moment before the door opens and i hear a tired sigh.

"Home sweet home."

I watch her prepare a meal with mild amusement, but the longer i watch, the more interested i become. Her movements are more sluggish than usual, her mane more frazzeled, her face more annoyed. Did i miss something? I swear, if something juicy happened on her workplace today and i missed it. . . She lazily pokes her salad with a fork, not really interested in the dish. I squint and look at her unfocused golden eyes. Yep, she's definently bothered by something. She finaly gives up and moves the dish further away from her. Growling with irratation she faceplants into the table. "Why do you have to be so difficult?!"

A-hah! So somepony's being difficult, that's interesting. I really ought to visit her flower shop tomorrow, maybe Rose knows something about it? She gets up and puts the untouched salad into the fridge, sighing dejectedly. Sheesh, it must've been a really bad day. She usually eats her fill, even when she's tired.

Maybe a bad customer? I move to the side of the couch that she cannot see as she makes her way towards the staircase. No, something so trivial couldn't have disturbed her so much. She vanishes around the corner and i follow herup the staircase. It doesen't matter now, i'll figure it out later. I lean out of the corner just in time to see her approaching her bedroom door. I ready my camera, this is going to be good.

She opens the door and has no time to react as a large glass worth of blood spills onto her. She's about to scream when she notices the collage of photos along with red bold letters. She starts hyperventilating, then heaving and after coming out of her stupor - rushes to the bathroom. I creep up to the bathroom door and hear her dry heave, i assume, into the toilet. So she hasn't eaten all day, huh? How much did i miss? I step into the bathroom as she looks up at the mirror, and i see it.

Fear.

The way her eyes constrict into pinprics, the paleness of her face, the shaking in her legs.

She's afraid, alright.

I move into the bathroom and raise my knife. I'm ready for everything she could throw at me. The prayers, the bargaining, the threats. Instead, she surprises me. She clutches chest and drops to the floor, not dead but definently in pain. Is. . . Is she having a heart attack? That's a first. I squat beside her scrape my knife against her back. She yelps and tries to move away, but once again clutches her chest. I put the tip of my knife under her chin and move it upward, forcing her head to go with it until we're face to face. Or face to mask, i suppose. I revel in the pain in her eyes before speaking.

"That's it? You're just gonna lay there and take it?" Her eyes water and she tries to avert her gaze. "Come on, you're no fun!" I flick her nose with the edge of my knife and she flinches. "Where's the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline rush?" She's begins to cry, all the while inching her way to the door. I step on her back with enough force to keep her pinned, but not enough to break something. "You *have* to try harder than that!" All i get in responce are her silent cries. Maybe she just needs proper motivation? I sit on her back and aim my blade between her sixth and seventh right rib. Let's see if this'll be enough.

My knife sinks into her flesh, eliciting a painful scream in responce. "That's what i'm talking about!" She squirms and cries from under me. "And we're just getting started!" I yank the knife out and prepare for another stab when all of a sudden-

KNOCK

Shit. Who would be here at this hour? Maybe they'll go away if i just wait.

"Lily! Lily, it's Rose! Listen, i'm sorry for what i said, can we talk please?" The faint voice is coming from the first floor, and judging by how muffled it is, from behind the front door. The earth pony beneath me is still for a moment, but she begins her thrashing with enewed vigor. Hello~, so you do have it in ya to be a fighter. I'm barely able to keep her down, actually. Damn the earth ponies and their natural strengh! A grey aura surronds her, subduing her thrashing somewhat. I takes a lot of power to keep her pinned like that, bit i'm sure i can do it until Rose goes away.

"Rose! Hel-" I stuff my hoof into her mouth.

"Keep it quiet, don't ruin the fun!" She's insisting on doing the opposite as she bites my hoof with all her might. I yelp and instincevly yank the hoof away. It hurs like hell, even through my leather boots. She uses my moment of weakness and hollers with all her might.

"ROSE! I'M HERE! HEL-" Her scream devolves into a gurgle as i cram my knife into her throat.

"Sorry girl, no chances." I grab her by the mane and perch her head up with my riht leg, levitating the camera in front of us. "Smile for me." I flash a few pictures for my collection and hide it in my coat.

"Lily? Listen, if you don't want to talk right now it's fine, i get it, but let's sort everything out tomorrow? How does that sound?" The faint voice coming from the outside stops for a moment. " Sigh I'll take it as a yes."

I wait for a good little while to make sure the pony from the outside is far away from here and check on my victim. The poor Lily is long gone by now, her eyes glazed over, all color drained from her face.

"Well" I get up and yank the knife from her throat. I twist the water tap on her sink and clean the knife in the water flow. "I'd say that went rather well!" I levitate the dead body out of the bathroom and onto the bedroom's, well, bed. I stab into her torso a dozen times to make it look personal before making an inscision on her abdomen.

I carefully levitate her guts out, making sure not to tear them. Alright, now's the time to see what'll break first: the ceiling lamp, or the insides. I tie the guts around her into an improvised noose and fix it to the lamp. The moment of truth comes when i let go of the whole contraption and hold my breath. Seconds pass in anticipation as the body swings from side to side, finally coming to a halt after a few minutes.

I snap a picture.

"You'll be the kind of headlines that ponies don't forget."

Remember Me

I thrash and turn on the small couch of what I generously call my living room, not 100% awake, but not asleep either. While not exactly conducive to a good night's rest, it's either that or another nightmare-filled night, so I concider the former a small blessing all on its own. In this semi-lucid state waking up is oddly harder for me than normal, each attempt at waking as exhausting as trudging through waist-high snow for miles on end.

My limbs are filled with soothing warmth, the air smells like petricor mixed with an oddly ashen smell, akin to one of a still smoking bonefire. The crackle of burning wood reaches my ears, accompanied by familiar muffled voices that, while unintelligible, bring with them a promise of hope and companionship. A smile makes it's way onto my face, one I'm not sure as to the origin of.

Through the crackle of the fire and the noise of conversation, another sound creeps in, slowly growing in intensity until in trumps all others. Snapping and cracking of chitinous insect limbs, the impatient gnawing of mandibles, the deep otherwordly groan than weighs down your entire existence, followed by the smell of blood and rust. A chill runs down my spine as low, guttural whispers surround me on all sides, an oppressive hymn of thousands of voices, drowning out all thought.

Heat drains from my body as I start to shiver uncontrollably, a panicked scream dies in my throat as the feeling of pins and needles stabbing into my body spreads alongside the thin black chitinous appendage wrapping around my body. It seems to have noticed my squirming, as it starts to convulse in anticipation.

I'm not sure what it's waiting for.

I'm not sure how much time passes, but at one point the voices synchronise, the deafening cacophony melting into a single, horrifyingly coherent, but nonetheless unintelligeble voice.

Y̸̆ͥ͑ͬ͗̑̈͌̀͟͢͠͝҉̥͖̼̣͜ͅͅơ̶̧̡̲͙͚͍͓̣͛̄̂̾͊ͬ̂ͫ͘͘͜͝ų̍̃ͧͩ͑̔̅̆͏̴̴̶̡̮͕̜͕̰́͜ͅ ḩ̵̷̺̻̜̹̤̺̋́̔̿̊ͥ̐ͪ̕͟͠͞͠ą̴̉͋̓ͥ̾̔̾͐̀͜͡͝͏̶͎̺̙̭̙̬v̵̵̢̡̨̓̌͑͐̐̓ͤ̉͟͏͉̬͔̪̯̼͜ȩ̴̨̥̝͔̮̪̜̒̓̄͋ͣͭ̑ͩ̕͞͡͞͝ ťͭ͒̓̋̓̔̋͠͏͟͏̵҉̱͚̣̫̲̟̕͟o̴̢̢̼̣̫̳͎̗̎͒̏̌ͯͨͧ̿̀̀͟͢͢ rͧͦͧ̎͆̈͛̒҉̶̷̸̵̨̗̖͇̯̝͈͜͞ẽ̶̵̸̛̼̣͙̤̺͚̏̊ͦ̍̆ͤ̓̕̕͟͟m̶̨͗̓ͬ̑̽̓͛́̚͘͢҉͓̳̟̠̰͞͝ͅe̶̫̻͈͎̭̪ͬ̿͗̄̒ͤ͆̒̀́̀͜͞͡͡m̶̧̛͙͙̭̯̹̗͂͐̃̈̄ͪ̌͛́͟͟͞͝b̷̶̢̡̛̗̬̭͚̱̼̿ͮ̒̆͋̓̓ͧ́͟͠ę̨̧̘͕͉͍͉̯̔̾͊̐ͧͯͭ̀̚͟͜͡͝rͫ̑̇ͣͦ̾̔͌̀͢͏̶̨̧̥̭̘̺̺̪́͞.̷̴̸̵̸̶̼̹̫̱͚̘̋̌͋̓̍̄ͩ̚̕͜

I jump awake when white-hot pain sears through my head, falling silently onto the wooden floor, staying as silent as possible, as every little sound reignited the fires inside of my skull. A single ray of gold caresses my face, warmth spreading from the point of contact onto the rest of my body. The pain subsides letting me crack one eye open, the warmth of a rising sun greeting me.

Maybe Seabreeze was onto something.

Sounds of the morning forest follow me throughout my trek to Zecora's hut, having a somewhat calming effect where it not for my knowledge of what roamed these woods. Getting almost mauled to death isn't the best first impression, I must say. Still, becoming something's lunch is leagues better than living through whatever happened this morning, and apart from going to a hospital, which was an obvious no-deal, Zecora was my only choice.

"A hermit zebra shaman being my best option... Where did my life go so wrong?" I say out loud to nopony in particular, chuckling a little at myself.

T̶̡̡̠̣̜̞̽ͫ̍ͨ̂̇́͠w̸̒̓̂̑ͧ̑͘͝͞͏̟̠̻͉o̿̓ͨͨ̐͐͜҉҉̶̡̬̼̜ͅ ȳ̵̴̶̲̺͍̈́ͩ̿͛̌̀͞ͅȩ̴̱̰̺͔ͥ̋ͩ͋̽̐͡͠͞ą͙̞̟̠̎̉̓̄͂ͯ́̕͟͡ŗ̐̓͊̿͛͑͝͏̨̟̮̠̫̕s̶̸̵̨̜͎̯͖̆̊ͩ͌ͯ̿͜ ḁ̶̶̢̛̲͎̺̓̒̾̿ͨ̓͝g̷ͥ́ͤ͑̋̚͏̛̜̥̜̝͘͟o̿͆̉̐͂ͤ҉̢̳̫̺̘̕͢͝

I whip around, my eyes darting across the bushes and branches, across the foliage, across the entirity of the forest all around me. I squint and furrow my brows as the forest suddenly grows silent, an uneasy atmosphere settling over the Everfree.

"Fuck it."

Sometimes trusting your gut feeling is a good idea, ask your cave pony ancestors that survived almost exclusively due to a fight or flight responce, so, honouring the traditions of the ancients I take off in a mad dash along the trail, hopefully towards Zecora's hut.

A few minutes later I find myself standing in front of Zecora's tree hut, panting and out of breath, but nonetheless alive. The rush of chase, while completely unfounded and somewhat reversed from what I usually experience, feels oddly nostalgic, and I find myself growing a tad giddy at the thought of having escaped some kind of predator, imagined or not.

"I'm going crazy, aren't I?" I say mostly to myself, taking a deep breath.

"While your thought patterns are bizzare, I don't think you've yet gone too far."

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!" I yell, staggering back and barely keeping myself from tripping over any tree roots. My gaze travels to the origin of the voice, a striped figure looking down at me with a pensive expression. I breathe a sigh of relief, my heart slowing down its embarracingly rapid pace to a more acceptable rate. "Ever thought of wearing a bell?"

"Have you?" She asks with a tilt of her head.

"I like the element of surprise." I say with a small smile, one that I hope looks innocent enough.

"Your tongue hasn't dulled since we last met, I take you've met little to no threat?" She says, turning her back to me and trotting towards her tree home.

"Apart from freaking myself out, the way here was clear." I reply in as cool voice as I can muster, following the mare into her humble abode. I can't help but flinch just a little as the door shut behind me, the sound reverberating in my head in waves of pain. Just as I begin to rub my forehead, Zecora turns to look at me with a thoughtful expression.

"You're free to visit me in any season, but I feel like you're here for a reason." She noted, stirring something in the big cauldron in the middle of the room.

"Should've known you're psychic." I remark dryly, looking around Zecora's peculear abode. Countless bottled concoctions of all colors of the rainbow line the wall-mounted shelves, accompanied by small pouches of Sun-knows-what. Another notable, if creepy, detail are the dozen or so exotic masks hanging on the house's walls.

It kind of feels like their eyes are following me.

I shake my head to shake off the feeling of being watched, which proves to be a terrible idea, as hundreds of tiny shards of glass bounce off the insides of my skull. "But you're right, I'm not here for a friendly visit." I say with a wince, sitting down on a wood sofa carved into the tree itself, generously provided by my host, who nods to communicate she's listening.

"For as long as I remember, each time I fall asleep ends with either a nightmare, or a complete blackout until morning." I begin with a sigh, closing my eyes to help gather my thoughts. "Furthermore, at least once a month I have to completely isolate myself at home, or risk having a migrane somewhere in the open." My breathing is steady, the sound of boiling water and crackle of burning wood a somewhat relaxing background noise. "Ever since I came here, the situation have worsened, and seeing as I will not go to a doctor, you're my only choice." I open my eyes, focusing on the intently listening zebra, and utter three words I never thought I'd say.

"Please help me."

The words leave a bad taste in my mouth, a sickening feeling in my guts as the zebra looks at me with a thoughful expression. Finally, after a good five minutes of waiting, the internal debate Zecora's been having has seemingly come to an end, the zebra standing up with a silent nod.

I watch her take firm and deliberate steps towards one of the shelves, closely studying the multicolor bottles. Enough time passes in total silence to make her next words sound like thunder on a silent night.

"Ever since you first came to my abode, I gathered you are very odd." She began in the mesmerisingly accented voice of hers, picking up a dull-grey colored bottle.

"It is a rare occurance indeed, to see so many spirits take heed. They speak of foreign thoughts inside, of something else that here resides."

She approaches me with concoction in her grasp, and lightly taps my forehead. "The foreign force is memory tied, locked in your head for freedom it vies."

A low buzz resonates angirly in the back of my mind in responce to her words, making me frown. "Does this have anything to do with my nightmares and migranes?" The question comes out more irritated than I intend it to.

Zecora uncorks the bottle, placing it besides me. "The lock was damaged in a way, it started slowly to decay. It holds less power than was meant, which is the cause of your torment." She finishes, approacing her cauldron and grabbing a wooden spoon hanging over it on a piece of rope.

"So you're saying I have amnesia... How does that equate to the other stuff I told you about?" The question is genuine, but it seems to annoy Zecora to some degree.

"Loose memories invade your mind, they poison it, make it run wild. If there's a way to help you out, we need to break the lock, no doubt!" She scoops a bit of green goo from the cauldron, adding it to the dull grey mixture.

"That seems counter-productive..." I mutter, nonetheless finding myself agreeing with the mare. "Can you 'open' the lock insead of breaking it though? Breaking sounds kind of... painful." I add, not thrilled at the prospect of 'breaking' anything inside of my head. Broken enough, to be honest.

To my dismay, but not surprise, Zecora shakes her head, corking the bottle and violently shaking it, the mixture turning an orange color.

"The key has cracked no going back, no way around the lock." She replies, handing me the bottle. "Drink this every night before bed, to welcome locked memories into your head. Once enough of them breaks through, you will be free from what ails you."

I take the bottle into my grasp, squinting at the small air bubbles that float within the mixture. "Should I down the whole bottle, or..."

"One third of it per night is right, take any more and you'll be sore." She says calmly, cleaning the spoon and putting it on its respective place. A beam of light fighting its way through the thick canopy of the Everfree breaks me out of my observation, reminding me that I have a job.

"Right, thanks for everything, Zecora, but I think I'm getting late for my job." I say, getting up and stuffing the bottle into one of the many pockets of my jacket. I hear a hum of acknowledgement as I make for the exit, shutting the door behind me.

"That's one problem hopefully taken care of."

Whoever concieved the concept of waiting in line deserves to be publically executed. I don't think I'm exagerrating when I say that everypony hates waiting in line, no matter the age, sex, tribe, or upringing. You take even the most patient pony and ask them to stand in line, soon enough they'll turn into a psycopath.

Perhaps I'm not the best example of this given my hobbies, but I stand to reason that in an enviornment like that, even the nicest pony in all of Equestria would begin to get on one's nerves. Case in point: the butter coated, pink maned pegasus next to me has been talking about bunnies for the past half an hour. Now, don't get me wrong, I like cute bunnies as much as the next guy, but holy cungadero I am seriously considering strangling her right here, right now.

"Not all bunnies are like that, of course, Angel's just a special case, is all." Fluttershy finally finishes with a small smile, her expression as kind as always. I sighn inwardly in relief, and look behind the mare, seeing the pony in front of her go into the Princess' office. Great, only one more pony between me and an interview with the newest 'Royal Highness'. Sun knows why Ponyville Chronicles want an interview with the mare, seeing as she's been the town's resident for, like, five years at this point, but I'm not one to ask questions when an easy job presents itself.

Something springs to the forefront of my mind, and I can't help but ask. "Miss Fluttershy-"

"Please, just Fluttershy." The pegasus interrupts, taking me aback. "All my friends call me that." She says with a smile.

Well, she's definently more asserive than I remember. Remember? The tartarus I'm on about, I just met her half an hour ago! I'm probably confusing her with somepony else.

"Right, Fluttershy, I hope it's not too rude to ask..." I begin, shaking my head to get rid of my earlier thoughts. "...aren't you friends with Princess Twilight?"

"Yes, she's one of my best friends!" The pegasus replies with a smile.

"If that's so, why are you waiting in line? Can't you, like, walk right in? Or talk to her off-work, so to speak?" Seems like an obvious answer to me, to be honest.

"Oh, I'm just holding the place in line for my friend, he's supposed to get here any second." She replies softly, taking a look at the wall-mounted clock.

A friend, eh? I wonder who that-

"Fluttershy, dear!" An almost familiar voice eminating from the wall-mounted clock assaults my eardrums as I pin my ears to my head. "I'm back from my weekly spring littering!" The voice continues, somehow louder now.

I turn to look at the source of the noise, and my eyes almost pop out of my sockets at the sight before me. A mish-mash of different animal parts emerges from the wall, the clock hands turning into literal hands, the round body of the clock stretching to form the vaguely oval-shaped form of the creature, a head popping atop its newly formed neck.

"I can't thank you enough for staying in line for me!" The creature says, approaching the pegasus and confining her into a tight hug, one that Fluttershy reciprocates. "Someone cleaned up extra-hard in my house to day, so I had to put double the effort to remedy that!" He exclaims, letting the happy-looking pegasus go, the mare flapping her wings idly as he lowers her to the ground.

"I'm glad you were successfull in doing... whatever it is you did, Discord!" Fluttershy responds, stumbling a little as she no doubt tries to think what exactly oddly-shaped friend did. "But I'm afraid Angel bunny's due his massage, and I don't want him to get any rowdier than he already is." She says with an apologetic smile, earning a hand (claw?) wave from this Discord fella.

"No need to apologise, my dear! I know how irritating that bunny could get, so I understand your hurry."

"See you at the tea party, Discord!" The yellow mare chirps, giving one last goodbye hug to her friend, before trotting towards the stairs leading to the exit.

"Looking forward to it, Fluttershy!" He says with a dopey smile, his expression silly enough to make me stifle a giggle. The action seems to be a grievous error on my part, as the creature turns to me with a slightly irritated expression. The predatory smile that splits his face does little to calm my nerves.

"Oh me oh my, who do we have here?!" He stretches towards me at impossible speeds, draping his clawed hand over my shoulder. "Jed, ol' pal, long time no see!" He exclaims, giving me a mildly painful noogie as I try, and fail, to break free of his iron grasp. "Let me get a good look at you!" I yelp unintentionally as Discord grabs me like a cat, and holds me in front of him.

"Those royal sticks in the mud sure did a number on you!" He says in a somewhat saddened tone, although his face remains as cheery as ever. "You look nothing like I remember..."

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, the name's Witty Note." I say, wiggling in his hands to no avail. "You got the wrong guy, cap'n."

Suddenly he burst into laughter, unceremoniously dropping me to the ground as he grabs his stomach.

"W-Witty Note?" He wipes a tear from his eye, breathing heavily. "How'd you come up with that?!" He shakes his head and waves his hand at me. "Nevermind, it's more funny this way."

An awkward silence falls upon us as I clear my throat and look away from him, a small detail putting me on edge.

There's no sound. No noise of conversation, of hooves click-clacking against the crystal floor of the castle, no ticking of the clock.

Nothing.

I look around and notice that the world seems a little more faded than usual, the colors more bleak, the otlines of objects less pronounced.

Just as I'm about to ask him what's going on, Discord fixes me with a soul-piercing look that brings up a familiar feeling of dread the origin of which I can't place, like being looked at by predator unfathamobly more powerful than you, all the while having no way to run, nowhere to hide.

I look into his impossibly old eyes and scream as the infinite black abyss stares back at me, all of creation, life and death, heat and cold, light and dark, every moment of history, condensed into a single point right at its center. All of creation bursts out towards me in a disorienting cavalcade of shapes and colors, thoughts and dreams, concepts and spur of the moment descisions invade my mind, sweeping it away like a tidal wave.

But something refuses to let go.

I shut my eyes and backpedal until my back hints the cold crystal wall, my heartbeat overpowering all other sounds but for one.

Snapping and cracking of chitinous insect limbs.

The impatient gnawing of mandibles.

The otherwordly groan than weighs down your entire existence.

"I see my sister refuses to let you go." A voice reaches me through the hellish soundscape around me, as I dare not open my eyes. Discord tsks, tapping what I suspect are his claws across my scalp. "She was always awfully possessive, I suppose..." He sighs, retracting his claws. "I'd have hope she'd grown out of it by now, but some things never change, it seems."

Something grips my chin, and I feel hot breath on my face.

It smells like chocolate milk and cotton candy.

"I'll be frank with you, my boy. When I first noticed you all those years ago, I thought you'd make a hilarious prank, for both my sister and these little ponies." He begins in a serious voice, one that sounds unusually ominous coming from Discord.

"But I have to say, you surprised me." My breath hitches as I feel sharp claws scratching at my scalp. "You turned out to be worth far more than the initial appraisal." Pictures flash before my still closed eyes, pictures that I recognise, each and every one from an article I've written. "You're more apt at spreading chaos than I initially thought, so let me clear some things up." His voice turns steely as he forces my eyes open, and I can't help but look at the pools of yellow-red that stare into my soul.

"What you do in your spare time is no business of mine. Your motives, however righteous or vile do not interest me. Your fate, by and large, holds no importance to me. But there is one thing that does."

His fingers snap, and a familiar smell of ash and blood enters my nostrils.

"You lay a hoof on Fluttershy, and my sister's realm will look like heaven in comparison to what awaits you. Capiche?"

"Y-yeah." I croak, not able to ignore the myriad of hands grasping at my back.

"Glad to hear!" Discord's face changes within a moment, his cold, foreboding expression breaking into a wide smile. With a snap of his fingers the world around me returns to normal as I find myself breathing heavily on the cold crystal floor. I blink away the tears from my eyes, and when I'm calm enough to look around, the hall is empty.

I stand up and dust myself off, not really thinking about my actions. I approach the crystal door to Princess' office, tapping on it firmly. Seconds pass as I hear irritated muttering approach the other side of the door, the passage opening to reveal a decently tired and thoroughly miffed purple pony princess.

"Haven't Spike told you all I'm done for the-" She stops abruptly as she takes notice of my person, her tired eyes growing wide as dinnerplates for a moment. A hint of familiarity passes over her features, one that is quickly replaced by worry and pity.

"Are you feeling well?" She asks, ushering me into her office as I remain unresponsive, my movements almost mechanical as I take a seat on one of the, thankfully not crystal, chairs. I close my eyes for but a second, and when I open them a cup of hot tea and a bite of chocolate lays on a table in front of me.

I blink away the bleariness that lingers at the corners of my eyes and search for the reason of my arrival. Twilight Sparkle was currently sitting across the table from me, a worried expression on her face. Noticing my movement, she speaks up.

"Eat the chocolate, you'll feel better." She says with a small smile.

I do exactly as she says, the chocolate melting in my mouth as I wash it down with a cup of hot tea.

All I taste is ash.

"What happened to you?" She inquires, a mix of compassion and academic interest on her features. I open my mouth, and the words I say pour out of my mouth automatically.

"I was sent her by Ponyville Chronicles for an interview. I'm not feeling all too well right now." Is all I say.

"Oookaay..." She gets out of her chair and sits in front of me, taking a closer look at me.

She frowns as she looks me in the eyes.

"Have you met a certain draconequus as of late?"

"Can't say I have." I'm not sure what that word means.

"Right." She says, taking her seat at the table once more. "Do you have your questions written somewhere?" She asks, rubbing her eyes in an irritated manner.

"Yes." I grab a small blocknote from the confines of my jacket, rip a page with planned questions out of it and hand it to her.

She gives me an odd look but takes the paper nonetheless, skimming through its contents before putting into into her table.

"I'll be sure to write you a reply with all the answers you want, Mr-"

"Note." I interrupt her.

"Mr. Note. But as of now, I think it'd be best If you went home and got a good night's rest." She says with a small smile, taken aback by my intervention. "How does that sound?"

"Lovely." I remeber the potion Zecora gave me, and the promise of relieve that came with it. "That sounds lovely."

I vaguely remember my walk through the dimly lit streets of Ponyville, my encounter of Seabreeze and the bitter-tasting concoction washing down my throat as I hit the couch, senslesness claiming me at record pace.

I'm falling through the death and decay of the void, hitting the muddied ground hard with a noisy splat. Looking around I see dead vegetation and smell the rot permeating the premises all around me. Shacks made of rotten wood and old boats that ran aground surround me on all sides, forming a labyrinth of vile and disgust.

I wander the revolting maze for hours on end, my bipedal body growing weary with each step, until I finally stumble at the horror that's hidden at the labyrinth's center.

A bloodied, rusted metal hook hangs from a hoof-made wooden perch, the mere sight sparking a long-forgotten terror deep within me.

I scream as a figure made of flesh and mud springs from the ground in front of me, her sharp claws digging into my chest.

I black out as the figure picks me up, and begins to walk in the general directio nof the hook.

Author's Note

A dead fic brought to life? You bet your ass it is!

For anyone still interested in this, I've already got this story's rough draft to it's ending, so I won't abandon it this time!

Most likely. :moustache: