Hemochromatosis

by Partycannon_

Rating: mature
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mystery, Suicide / Self Harm, Tragedy, Horror, Death, Alternate Universe
Length: 1087

Rust is formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen mixing in the presence of blood.

Twilight's skin turns into rusted flakes.

This story is competing in the Category Three Horror Contest for the Psychological category.

Published 2024-10-09 13:30:00 UTC
Last updated 2024-10-09 13:30:00 UTC

A Long Day

I am unwell. I am aware of this because of my best friends. There is something wrong with my brain. Not that my thinking is faulty, no, my mind is physically rotting inside of my head. My friends wanted me to see a doctor but I don’t want to spend my last days inside of a hospital. As they spoke in worried tones my eyes wondered to the statue, a figure of a mare holding a flag. The large decoration was made from iron, ‘Fe’ on the table of elements.

Flakes of rust break away from the statue. It isn’t uncommon to see the chemical reaction that results in rust. All it needs is iron, oxygen, and water. Fe, O, and H2O on the table of elements. Despite seeing it a thousand times before, this time, it made me stop and think. Time slowed and the shouts of my friends became unintelligible.

Isn’t it strange? I wonder why time is so cruel, or is it the chemistry that binds everything the torturer? The decay of our bodies, our minds, all the rotting, a product of reactions. I watched a drop of H2O fall from the dark sky and land on the very tip of my muzzle.

BANG, BANG, BANG.

My soaked head rotates to the door, my fur drenched in a liquid. The wooden door to my tree was locked, the door blocked with a table and a chair as a barricade, thrown together in a hurry.

BANG, BANG.

“SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!” I scream, bearing my teeth. I turn back to my table I sat in front of. Vials of water, corrosion, and small chunks of iron fill the desk. I can’t think, not with the sounds.

“uoyplehsutelesaelpiwt”

“NO! GO AWAY NOW!” Wrapping a vial of acid within my magic hue I hurled it at the door. It broke over the chair and ate at it slowly.

“tsaeltaekipsekatsutel”

My babysitter and I stood facing one another, the wooden shelf holding us. She was made from chiseled morganite, a beryl crystal. I was made of magnetite, one of the main iron ores. We spoke without moving or changing.

“We learned about reactions in class today.”

“That’s an important lesson, do you want to know my favorite reaction?”

“What is it Cadance?”

“The element of love and loyalty makes-”

“Marriage!”

“Yep, you got it right… But why is your face all crumpled up sweetie?”

“Well, there is something I don’t understand.”

“That might be a first, what is it?”

“They said that iron plus oxygen plus water makes rust.”

“That’s correct.”

“But, in ponies there is iron, oxygen and water. So why doesn’t the iron rust?”

“That’s a smart question, let me answer it with a question. Why do you think our blood is -”

Red, the room danced in red. I slowly removed the scales of the child dragon. The skin of the creature ripped with every scale taken. Ichor ran down its body to the feet, finally the red liquid fell into the bucket.

It was difficult getting more iron without turning into flakes. The droplets of H2O only grew louder, hurting my ears as they rang with blood. Thankfully I boarded each window with C, H, and of course; O.

“Alright Spike, I’m going out to see my friends. I’ll be back soon.” I echoed through the wooden tree.

“Cool, have fun.” Spike cheered as he ducked his small head into the room.

“I doubt- Y-Yeah, of course.” I faked a smile.

“COME ON!” I yelled. The green and purple head floated above the bucket as I tried to squeeze the ball.

“Twilight… Y-You’re scaring m-”

“Hey, uh, Twilight. You home?” BANG, BANG.

“Oh, hey Pinkie. What do you mean?”

“Well, you didn’t show up to my party and I was-”

“Pinkie, you’re such a goofball.” I snicker slightly.

“Come on in. You don’t want to miss your own party do you?”

“Um, okay…”

“Hey girls Pinkie finally arrived.”

A streak of rainbow formed at the ceiling of my room. I tasted Fe in my mouth, warmth and adrenalin rushed through my body. My eyes focused on the blur of colors, pouring energy into my horn.

Finally it took a sharp turn, now heading directly towards me. I spent the rest of my power to force the pony to a stop, now within my magic it started to yell.

“ESAELPIWT”

I lifted the pony up and with all my might slammed it into the floorboards.

BANG, BANG, BANG.

“SHUT UP!”

“punepodrauglayorehtsti”

“Finally, I made it!” I smile while holding the vial in my hooves.

“Twilight… Darling, you need to go to the doctor.”

“NO! NO! NO! NO! YOU WILL NOT STOP ME, I NEED TO FIX IT!”

Constant pain ran up my body. Constant unending shocks, delivered by the ponies wearing gold. Water, H2O rained heavily across my beaten fur. I look up, the tree, mostly made from carbon, now replaced with carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen, and nitrogen. Otherwise known as fire.

I jolt awake, something doesn’t feel right about today. I look around, my room is the same as it’s ever been. I spotted Spike still asleep at the foot of my bed, everything seemed normal. Why am I getting a bad feeling about today?

“yhwthgiliwt” The rainbow painted floor asked.

“gnorwodIdidtahw” The bleeding dragon questioned.

I took the vial within my magic from my hooves and tilted my head to the side. I levitated the glass above my ear and slowly began to pour the green liquid. This was going to cure everything.

I slowly open my eyes. Nurses and doctors around me frantically move about, I hardly heard them.

“Stay with us, you need to stay awake. Twilight? TWILIGHT?”

“Yo! Twilight, good to see you.” Rainbow called, waving to me.

“Hey, I was wondering when you were going to show.” Spike smiled.

“W-What is this place you two?” My two friends looked at each other and then back to me.

“I think you are smart enough to figure that out on your own.” The flyer smirked.

VROOOM, a loud horn went off.

“Guess that means it’s time to go, come on Twilight.” My assistant waved me over.

“But, there are still things I need to do, I can’t just-”

“Twilight, come on. It’s like what you always say when you pull out those huge books. Things change.” Rainbow said, landing next to me.

“Things change…”

Author's Note

Thank you for reading :twilightsmile: