Ponycraft: The Maw of Insanity

It had turned to night at Berry's house, and Cannonbolt and Carees were laying down in the 2 beds in the guest room, while the mares headed upstairs to their room. Once the coast was clear, they were free to talk about the subject they so desperately wanted to speak of on the way back.

“...I think they like us, Carees.” Cannonbolt said, staring up at the ceiling.

“If you're saying that in the way that I think you mean when you say “like”, then I couldn't agree any more with you.” Carees said, with an expressionless face.

“I can see why, too. You got Ruby's personality, an' I got Berry's. I dunno what to think o' it, though.”

“To be honest, I'm quite flattered. However, I don't know whether to let her have me or not, because believe it or not, that could make problems. Oh, and trust me, Yogg-Saron is watching us, and he's going to take those problems to advantage.”

Cannon closed his eyes. “Aye, I'd believe that. Well, if we do let 'em have us, we'd be in for quite the journey, eh?”

“We would. Question is, do we want to? Action did always make me excited for adventure.”

“...Carees, lad... I'm a dwarf hunter, I'm addicted to action! I can't live without it! Life don't last forever! Let's make the most out of it. Whaddya say?”

“...If she wants me, she can have me. I've never been in a relationship anyway. It's not really as awkward as one might think, either. I mean think of all the pairs in Azeroth. I've seen a gnome and night elf couple once.”

“Well, we HAVE been transformed into the natives here, so I presume it ain't that big of a deal. But if they really want it... I say they have to come get it.”

“Yes, indeed. They got to work for it, and I bet they're arguing about it as we speak, but that's their conversation, not ours. Prepare, Cannon. Tomorrow is going to be a very, very long day.”

“I hear ye there. Well, g'night, lad. Best of hope ol' Yogg don't haunt yer night fantasies!”

“Same to you, Cannon. See you in the morning.”

They turned off the lights and started to fall asleep. However, Carees was right about the mares, and they weren't quite going to sleep yet. The lights were still on, and Ruby and Berry were ready to have their girly argument.

“Y'know” Said Berry. “You need to work on your subtlety.”

“W—What do you mean?” Berry asked, nervously.

“Oh come ON, girl! At the forest entrance. It couldn't be MORE obvious that you like Carees. You were as subtle as a thunderstorm.”

“But... I....” Ruby was clueless about what to say.

“But you nothing. I almost face-hoofed when you started blushing. If you don't want somepony to know you have feelings for them, you gotta play it off! Is this the first time you've had a crush on somepony?”

Ruby was almost sweating. “I... umm... W-- why is it your business to be involved in this?”

Berry sighed. “Because you were a complete floozy! He obviously knows, as Cannon probably know my feelings, but you made it so obvious it hurt.”

“Wait, you like Cannon?”

Berry face-hoofed. “Wow, for being Ruby, you sure didn't catch on to almost anything there. Talk to Cannon and tell me he is not the funniest pony around.”

“Is that all you see in somepony you like? How funny they are?”

“Pshh... no. I look at their personality and looks as well. If they fit what I like in a stallion, then I'm all over it. You obviously were impressed by Carees' stories and... admittedly... masculinity. If you want him, go get him! If you really feel like he's your stallion, then you're the one that's gotta make him yours. Oh, tell me “but I don't like him” and this conversation will loop.”

“Nngh... j-just why are you so interested in my feelings toward him?”

“Cuz, you don't have any experience with this situation and I gotta teach you, or you're never getting anypony the easy way.”

“Nnngh!... But I'm scared... What if--”

“What if nothing. Take a chance or don't take one. A date is a date! I'm asking Cannon soon, maybe even tomorrow!” Berry said confidently.

“I... I'll try... what do I say? It's so nerve wracking...” Ruby's heart was beating incredibly fast.

“Do you want him? Because if you do, you'll do anything. Imagine this: you and him--”

“This is so awkward.” Ruby interrupted.

“No. Shuddup. Imagine, even if it is awkward. You and him are in a grassy, green field watching the sun set. Suddenly, he puts his arm around you and kisses you on the cheek. Now tell your best friend honestly, how star-damned bad do you want that?” Berry wasn't letting up at all with the bashful comments.

“...MMPH... eh!-- bad...” Ruby said admittedly, head under her pillow. Under the pillow, her face turned to the color of her hair, and her heart felt as though it was shot.

“That's what I thought. You don't think I'm nervous? I'm nervous as heck! Just... don't show it. I know you're blushing under there, miss anxiety.”

“MM-HMM-HMMPH!”  Ruby kicked as she was holding the pillow so tight to her face it barely let her breathe. A groaning “mmmmmh...” Followed after she was done having a nervous spasm.

“I'm making you do this, Rubes. I'm not letting this opportunity for you go to waste. First relationships are hard. People joke about you, go “awwww!” when they learn your relationship and never shut up about it...”

Ruby was on the verge of crying out of nervous terror.

“...but then again you get to have the best times of your life with a person that you hold closer to you than almost anyone! It's one experience that shouldn't be missed for anyone. Not even the people you hate most. I can't believe I'm saying this, but not even Porky deserves that.”

That made Ruby come out of her pillow shell. “WHAT? Porky deserves every kick in the balls there is!” She yelled angrily.

“Not that one. Everyone deserves someone, no matter who it is. Who knows? The man CAN live forever...”

Ruby was still angry. “Then he deserves the fattest, meanest, ugliest thing alive!”

“And you deserve Kreese.” Berry said.

“His name is Carees, Berry.” Ruby corrected.

“That's what I said, Kreese.”

“No! 'kah-reeze”!

“Yes, I know! Kreese!”

“...Forget it.” Ruby turned to her right.

“Heh, whatever. I expect you to ask him tomorrow, or I'll tell him myself the next day.”

Ruby gasped and started to beg, as her heart died. “OH, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT! That's embarrassing!”

“Are you gonna tell him tomorrow, then? Because I don't want to have this certain conversation again.”

“I... nngh! Ugh... umm...” Ruby didn't know what to do.

“Well, if ya don't tell him, he's gettin' told. Good night! See ya in the mornin'!” Berry chanted. She giggled to herself inside.

“Y-yeah... good night... if you can call it good.” Ruby said, putting her covers over her head. She quickly fell asleep.

___________________________________________________________________

“Gyah! Huh? Where am I?”

Ruby woke up alone, in absolute darkness. Darkness, darkness, and more darkness. The only thing other than darkness was nothing. That's how dark it was. As she stood up, she noticed the only thing that she was standing on was darkness, unsurprisingly. She called into the vast, never ending blackness.

“H-hello? Anybody there?”

Ruby's call was absorbed by the darkness.

“ANYBODY?”

She heard her voice echo endlessly. It echoed and echoed. Even it's echo echoed.

She heard a whisper, but was unclear what it was. She starting walking.

“W-who's there?” Ruby called.

The whisper continued. Ruby started trotting.

“A-alright-t-t.... time to trot awaaaay from the creepiness.”

The whisper grew louder, almost clear. She started running.

“Running! Running away from the living terror!”

Ruby.... Ruby.... Ruby.... the whisper was saying. Ruby was sprinting now, eyes closed.

“W-what are you? What do you want? Leave me alone!!” Ruby yelled. Not looking, she crashed into something. Something rather slimy. She looked at her paw first to see snotty goo on it. She looked up to see a terrifying beast. A beast nearly indescribable by looks. It didn't look fearsome, it was fear itself. With a echoing voice, the fear responded.

“What am I, you ask? Some call me “The Beast of a Thousand Maws”. Others call me “The Fiend  with A Thousand Faces”. What am I truly? I am your worst nightmare.”

“AH! GET AWAY!” Ruby yelled, she turned to run from the beast, but as she ran away, the beast grew in size behind her, rather than shrinking due to the angle of distance.

“Away? There is no away. There is only me. I am your evil in your mind, yet I am your closest ally. I am the one to provide strength...”

Ruby tripped as she looked back to see the fear bigger than even the greatest of titans in any story or mythology.

“...The strength known by the name of madness.”

Tentacles came out of the darkness and grabbed Ruby, the lifted her up to the beast. Ruby wasn't even a speck compared to it.

“Are your friends truly your closest allies?” Asked the beast.

Ruby was still brave enough to speak up. “Of course they are! They are the only ones I hold dear, cretin!”

“Tonight, prove me correct, you were rather in a fight with your “closest ally”, Berry Punch?”

“H-How do you know that? Also, it was just a small fight, nothing big!”

“What if it wasn't. What if it was a fight that affected your friendship? Just pretend.”

“Okay, so what if it did?”

“A thousand deaths, or Berry Punch?”

“W—WHAT?” Ruby asked, scared.

“Chose. A thousand deaths, or a dead Berry Punch? A thousand innocent lives, or your “best ally”?”

“AH! W-What kind of question is that?”

“You pick a thousand deaths. Why did you kill one thousand lives for your friend?”

“WHAT? I didn't pick either!” Ruby shouted. This was bad.

“Your conscience tells me other wise. You chose a thousand deaths. Your city's population has depleted one thousand, but your friend is safe. Is she truly your best ally? Or have you just killed a thousand of your friends as you lose a war beside her? That is for you to decide.”

“NO! I can count on her for anything! She's saved me in my dire times!” Ruby denied the beast.

“Has she? Is she close enough to never upset you? Always there to cheer you up?”

“Of course she is? Why shouldn't I believe in her?”

“You're right, Ruby. She would never tell a certain male anything you wish he didn't hear from her... would she?”

That caught her off guard. Ruby felt a cringe inside her. The beast was winning this argument, and she knew it.

“Th-that isn't as important! She's just trying to give me the best experiences in life. She wants me to put effort into my life. Nothing is wrong with that!” She said, shaking.

“Best experiences? If you agree her ideas of best experiences is embarrassing you for her amusement, then you are correct. She is giving you the best experiences.”

“SHUDDUP! You're nothing but a nightmare! Why am I listening to you?”

“I am your nightmare, but I am also the conscience in the back of your mind. You may not know your friends as well as you think! Soon, you will see! But for now it's time to wake up. Go on, Ruby. Wake up! Ruby! Wake up! WAKE  UP YOU'RE SCARING ME!”

“NYAH!” Ruby spring up and was breathing heavily and looked over to see her friend, scared to death. She gave a sigh of relief and crashed back down on her bed.

“RUBY! Are you alright!?” Berry was breathing almost as heavy as Ruby, she got half way onto her bead and laid a hoof on her shoulder.

“I... I don't know if I'm fine after that... whatever it was. Auugh...” Ruby moaned as she noticed hoof-steps. The door opened.

“Lassies! Be everything alright? Me ears heard yelpin'!” Cannonbolt said as Carees followed him into the room.

“I think poor Ruby here went to Hell and back in that dream she just had. What happened? You were kicking, making scared sounds and saying things like “She IS my friend!” over and over again.”

“This isn't good. In fact, this is the worst possible thing that can happen.” Carees put grimly.

“What!? What's happening to my best friend?” Berry asked.

The question was ignored as Carees walked past her and approached Ruby, who was hiding by putting her face to the pillow, quietly crying. As he put a hoof on her shoulder, she looked up to see his face. She stopped crying.

“Ruby, whatever you do, don't give in. Deny him. His words are full of lies. He's just trying to get to you. Be strong.”

“I... I didn't believe him... he was lying... he asked me... a question. A question that he read in the back of my mind for the answer.”

“Who did!? What question!? I'm confused!” Berry began to be impatient. Cannon put a hoof on her to settle her down.

“Settle, lass. Ye find out soon 'nuff.”

“I do need to know that question. What did the horror ask of you, and what answer did he read?”

“... H-he.... asked me... Ngh... to m-make a decision... bet....between one thousand deaths or.... Berry Punch's life...” Ruby could hardly speak.

“WHAT!? That bastard! He wants me dead, don't he? NNGH!” Berry became furious. She stomped on the ground with pure anger.

“Lass, hold. And ye answer he read was...?”

The room fell silent. There was a huge anticipation of the answer, and Berry's heart was beating faster than a speeding hedgehog. Either answer was bad.

Ruby took a huge gulp and closed her eyes. Tears came out as she said the words. “... A thousand deaths.”

Everypony looked shocked. They would have been shocked at either answer. Berry's heart dropped in speed, but hadn't returned to normal.

Carees looked intrigued rather than surprised. “Interesting. May I ask, poor girl, why you chose this? As much as it hurts, I need an answer.”

All eyes were on Ruby. She was being stressed to her limit. Cannonbolt spoke up.

“Berry, lass, let us leave these two, Ruby got 'nuff stress on 'er. I explain everytin' to ya downstairs. C'mon. You too, Cuddles.”

The two headed downstairs, whereas cuddles gave one final look and whimpered. He headed out the door to meet up with his master downstairs after Carees told him to go, politely. With his claw, Cuddles shut the door behind him. He wasn't a dumb animal. He knew what was going on.

“Alright. Now, Ruby, you can trust me, I've seen this before. Please answer. Why did you pick a thousand deaths?” Carees had a very serious but understanding face on, and nothing could move it.

“I-- well... I... I know I can count on Berry. If we work together, we can fix whatever problem caused those thousand deaths. He's wrong, Carees. He told me Berry isn't truly my friend.” Ruby was still shaking, but calming down.

“Why would he say that?” Carees asked, puzzled at what the beast was trying to do.

“He said a friend would never do anything to hurt another friend and then proceeded to say Berry was going to--” Ruby stopped dead in her words, forgetting who she was talking to for a moment.

“She was to do what? Come on, tell me. It could mean your life. I need the absolute truth.”

Ruby never hesitated more in her speech. “She was... going to.... going to tell...you...that.........”

Carees was trying his hardest to get to the bottom of her secret. “Tell me what? Why me?”

Ruby blushed as her heart exploded. “She.... was going to.... TellyouthatIlikedyouifIdidn'taskyououtonadatetommorrowday!!!” Ruby instantly hid under her covers and covered her face with her pillow.

Carees moved his face, but not his emotion. “She was to do this whether it was content with you or not?”

An “mmhmm” came from the pillow.

“First of all, I'm flattered. Second of all, that was just his opportunity to get to you. Don't let him succeed. You're a strong girl, and I want you to prove that to him.”

The pillow spoke again. “So you're not freaked out the greatest power in the universe wants to ask you on a date?”

“As I said, I'm flattered. Hmmm... I see. I have come to a conclusion.” Carees said, in a lot happier tone.

“A conclusion of what?” Ruby asked. There was only one conclusion he could make.

“You've denied the beast of insanity. That's braver than vanquishing some stupid firelord in my opinion. Your bravery is admirable. Very admirable. For being victorious over a brave battle with insanity itself, I accept.”

“Accept what?” Ruby had a feeling she knew what he meant.

“A date. A relationship. With bravery like yours, you aren't easily stopped. You persevere through even the God of Madness himself! I like that in someone. If they don't give up easily, I don't give up on them.”

“...You're kidding.”

“Read my mind. I can bet the moon that I am not joking.”

Ruby smiled for the first time that night. “Thanks. I'm still scared though...”

Carees spoke up bravely. “I'm going to be sleeping in this room the rest of the night. I'm going to make sure nothing bad happens to you.”

“Wait a sec! You mean your going to sleep... with ME???” Ruby blushed so hard the blush was purple.

“Yes? Trust me, when you share a bed with a dwarf every night, sharing a bed with the ultimate power in the universe seems like heaven. Go on, scoot over. I'm not gonna do anything dirty, don't worry. I'm not that type of person.”

“Y-yeah I know... it's just... your sleeping... with me...” Ruby said, her face red as an apple. She scooted over, making way for the handsome stallion. He crawled in and made himself comfortable.

Ruby was trying her hardest to play it off. However, her thoughts kinda sounded like this:  Holyshitholyshitholyshitholyshitholyshit.

Hoof-steps were coming up the stairs once more. What was Berry going to say when she saw them in a bed together when she walked in the room? Unfortunately, there was one way to find out. The door creaked open and Ruby was sweating like a.... horse.

“Hey, Ruby I figu-- D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Cannon, look how cute that is!” Berry had the most enjoyable look on her face that could ever be imagined.

“What be so-- well I'll be! Ye two look like ya be a new wedded couple! Ahaha!”

Ruby was blushing, sweating, and thinking of how much she wanted to kill everything that had life at that very moment. Suddenly, Berry grew an evil like smile and looked at Cannon.

“Well, if they're doin' it...” She grabbed Cannonbolt's hoof.

“'Ey! What are ye... oh dear.” Berry was dragging Cannon over to the empty bed. Ruby and Carees couldn't help but giggle with a hoof over their mouths.

Cannon was thrown into the bed as Berry hopped in with him.  Berry quickly covered them both with the warm, fuzzy covers.

“What in the name of ale have I gotten myself into?” Cannon asked himself. Berry answered for him.

“You've gotten into bed with a girl that dreams of making out with you. Deal with it.”

That was the breaking point. Carees and Ruby broke out laughing and couldn't stop. Cuddles was at the doorstep jumping up and down with excitement, quietly roaring as he always does. Ruby and Carees were laughing so hard they hadn't noticed they had curled up on each other, hugging. As soon as they noticed, the backed away with blushes on their face.

“HAH!” Berry laughed. “See what love can do to ya? Well, g'night you two.” She looked over to Cannonbolt and said with a seductive voice “Good night, Cannon. Mmhmmhmm.”

Cannon replied with a sigh. “Good bye, peaceful dreams... actually you're quite warm! Hah! Could get used to this! But enough talkin'! That be for tomorrow! Good night!”

With that note, the night ended with peace. The beast had failed to turn Ruby to his side, but many more attempts by the beast were inevitable. It was time to prepare for those attempts.