Shock - Part 2

"Hah..." he took a breath in and slowly creaked open his eyelids to see he was in a basement. No, not just any basement but the literal meaning of a horror basement. There was blood everywhere, guts could be seen laying in random piles on the ground. The lightbulb above him flickered annoyingly in bursts; he couldn't move so all he could do was look around in a panic. Suddenly he heard a voice from the dark.

Hush now... It's alright... said a voice beyond the darkness of the room and next he could hear the hopping of small feet and many other sounds. He figured that whomever captured him really loves animals. Motion Reflux couldn't figure out who is was because his mind became blank after passing out. Then a yellow pony with the eyes of a destructive catalyst walked past the shadowy darkness.

"Hey there, ninny-colt." she said as she extended the blade from a sheath beneath her left hoof, brushing the blunt edge of the blade against his belly. "Nice of you to finally wake up." she finished as he pulled away, leaving a slight cut. His hearing continued to slowly return to him as he began to hear the crying of ponies. His vision came back to focus afterwards and he could finally see slightly more past the shadows of the room. He looked around to see a staircase leading up to a door and then as he turned his head he saw ten to twenty prison cells. He looked closer at a few of them and noticed blood on the cell bar doors.

Swiftshock pulled beside her a cart with a tray, the tray full of sharp, blunt or toothed steel objects. There was a second tray in the middle slot of the cart that had a box full of small syringes filled with a unknown substance. She immediately pulled out the box and flung open the lid, taking out a syringe and smiling, "This adrenaline shot will keep you awake." Then she swiftly jabbed the needle of the syringe right into one of his forelegs, the adrenaline being pumped quickly into his body until the needle was pulled out after it was emptied fully. It wasn't too big of a syringe of but it sure still hurt a lot for him.

Swiftshock turned her head and her right ear perked up like she began hearing something. Then she turned her body and looked at the empty space beside her and muttering, "I know, I know! I'll get to it..." then she turned back to Motion Reflux, wide awake and listening to her mutters. He managed to catch the slight tinge of glowing red eyes in the darkness but the most mysterious thing is that he felt steps moving away from him that were whispy and ghost-like.

"Now where was I..?" she smiled, she picked up a sharp bonesaw and ran a hoof across its blunt side, "These bonesaws are for cutting bones, but for you..." she looked up at him, her red eyes glowing from the reflection of light against them, "I'm just going to give you some lovely cuts on your legs to make sure you don't run away". A scream could be heard in the background of this fiasco and she turned, frowning towards where the sound originated and mumbled to herself, "One of my animal friends must've got into one of the cells..." she turned her view back to him and continued, "They have a peculiar habit of eating the dead ponies that I leave here~"

She positioned the bonesaw against his left leg and pressing the toothed edge against it, puncturing his leg slightly. Swiftshock slowly and gruelingly pulled the bonesaw across his leg, leaving a large incision and pulling it away so that she didn't completely cut off his left leg. Throughout this experience Motion Reflux growled and shouted in pain, even if it wasn't that big of a wound the toothed edge of the bonesaw made it hurt more than just a straight blade cutting through his leg. Swiftshock stepped back and giggled innocently and as she was about to create a second incision on his right leg she suddenly stopped her foreleg's forward movement as if somepony was holding her back.

She turned her head towards an empty space beside her and shouted in protest, "Let me slice him! He deserves this doesn't he?!" and she struggled and tried to flail about her foreleg though it wouldn't budge as if it was being gripped tightly so after a few moments she sighed and dropped the bloody bonesaw onto the ground, stepping back with her hair dropping over her face. He felt the movement of a ghostly figure again but it was coming closer, seemingly stopping right infront of him. Then he felt a hoof touching his chest like it was inspecting him, then Swiftshock looked up towards Motion Reflux and nodded like she was answering to a question.

A black mist...

It all happened in an instant but the figure of a stallion appeared, he was slightly transparent and was completely black; his eyes were glowing a bright red and his mane and tail were tattered and cut. The dark figure pressed its hoof tightly against Motion Reflux's chest and began to speak without opening his mouth, "Hello there... my name is... Soothing Song..." and as he spoke there were small gaps, "I... come from... Equestria... as you did..."

Pieces of the puzzle slowly began to fill in, an Equestrian in Skyfell who is kidnapping ponies? It sort of made sense to Motion Reflux as he listened. "I... sang songs... songs that... touched hearts... calmed ponies..." he paused, "I came to... Skyfell... when I was little... I met her..." his eyes glew a brighter tinge of red, "Here... they shown no... no kindness...". Swiftshock began to slowly tear up in the back and Soothing Song continued, "I... was murdered here... no one cared... no one paid attention... except her... no one here deserves... kindness... except for... her..."

He stepped away, "Leave... now... you are from Equestria... you don't... belong here... I'm giving you... this one chance... or you'll be next..." he turned away and disappeared in a mist of black smoke. Swiftshock stepped around the smoke and untied Motion Reflux from his binds, saying, "Say a word about this and I'll certainly come after you next, weak minded colt". He dropped like a heavy stone onto the ground from the angled bloody steel table he was bound onto, the pain shooting up from his leg to his whole body. Motion Reflux managed to get up and limp slightly, he then slowly hovered upwards and quickly flew out the door.

The pain kept shooting up his spine; he couldn't hold his wounded leg in place while flying but his stupidity kept him flying back quickly to the castle. He hid behind a bush making sure no guard was around to see him and then snuck his way into the castle and back into his room, already finding a couple of bandages laying on the table with a note.

Dear Motion Reflux,

I hope there are no hard feelings about almost slicing open your leg so I left you a few bandages on your table. It isn't a bad wound from my view and my tools were completely clean so it shouldn't be affected with any infections. Just wrap a couple layers of bandaging over it and it should be okay. I also left you another muffin on your bed and I promise you that it's not drugged this time! Think of this as a goodbye note from Soothing Song as well.

Love,

Swiftshock~<3

There was a large pink heart right beside Swiftshock's name signalling to him that she's completely changed her personality. "This must've been what Snowfall meant by a disorder with her personality" he thought to himself loudly as he put down the note and picked up a bandage roll with his hooves, quickly wrapping his openly-cut leg with one layer, then another layer and finally a final third layer. The pain was still in his leg but it wasn't as bad anymore and he could partially walk normally without limping again; he gently flapped his wings and hovered towards the bed, sitting on the edge of the bed and picking up the muffin that was left for him. He inspected it carefully because he felt it still could be another trap but he decided it was okay, removing the small covering on its lower bread and throwing it immediately into his mouth to devour it quickly.

He rubbed the bandange that covered his wound and sighed, this was a stupid idea in his mind and he knows it but he has to stop Swiftshock and Soothing Song from kidnapping anymore ponies and killing them, he knew how it felt to be there and he knew it wasn't right. His loyalty to finishing the job that Snowfall put upon him had a part in his idea to continue on. Swiftshock wasn't evil on her own part he figured and also believed that she was being controlled by Soothing Song for his plan of revenge.

Knock, Knock...

His attention turned to the door and he stood up, hovering towards it and then opening it to see Princess Snowfall waiting outside. "P-Princess..?" he stuttered, trying to hide the bandage underneath his wing. She asked, "I'm just here to see how you're doing, Motion, you seem distant as of today and I'm wondering if you have any leads on the case." she stepped into the room, waiting for a response. Motion Reflux looked around for a second and returned his view to the princess, replying, "Not any leads yet...", the princess raised an eyebrow and he continued, stuttering slightly, "I'm a-also doing fine, t-thanks for checking though!" he faked a smile and sat back down on his bed.

"I see..." she said concerningly, turned around and walking out the door before turning her head back to him and saying, "Come see me if you need anything.", she turned her head away from him again and walked back to the main hall. He thought that his white lies were being taken in by Snowfall but she actually saw past them without letting him know. She let him do what he wishes to fix this problem and she knows that he'll fix it entirely. Her strapped on magical device stopped glowing as she reached into the main hall.

He looked out the window of his room, the snow wasn't falling so furiously so he decided to go out for a walk. Carefully he got up from the bed and started to slowly walk, being careful not to injure his wound much further. He walked out the castle and walked to a park near the Western District Tower. To his surprise he saw a familiar blue earth pony hopping around though her expansive happiness wasn't really transmitting to anypony around her. She looked over to him and smiled, making a mad dash towards him faster than he could ever fly and she stood tall in front of him, saying happily, "Hi Hi, Motion!~" she pat his head with her hoof.

Motion Reflux rolled his eyes and smiled, "Hey Plusle, what are you doing around here?" he began to trot along a path and she followed beside him and answered, "I'm just hanging about, silly! I can't really think of any other reason except that!~" she hopped high into the air and landed onto his back, sitting. "Ha-Hey!" he complained, "Don't sit on my back!" he snarled but she giggled and said, "Don't get yourself all knotted up just because I'm sitting on your back, Flux~"

He took in a deep breath and sighed heavily, at least she was nicer than everypony else in this crazy city. She was so abundant with energy that it was finally emitting to him in a happy manner, giving him some brightness to balance out the dim days he's been having since he's arrived in Skyfell. She jumped off his back with a flip and landed perfectly, giggling afterwards and saying, "It's been fun, Motion, but I've gotta get going now, see you later!~" she waved goodbye and he returned the gesture by waving back to her as she walked away.

Motion Reflux took in a soft breath and then continued on, a repeating question murmuring within his mind...
How do you kill something you can't touch...?
He stopped in front of the castle that he had unknowingly been walking back to and tapped his chin with a hoof, pondering what the answer could be.

As if time could tell, it was already getting dark once more unnoticingly to him and he looked around in surprise realising the time. He went into the castle and was stopped when he saw Snowfall talking to a unicorn. This unicorn was white like Princess Snowfall, her mane was magnificently longer than any style he's ever noticed and her cutie mark was a green twisting circle behind a gentle white flower. Her eyes were a soft blue and from what he could hear from the distance he could tell she spoke very gentle-like.

The unicorn signalled with her eyes to the princess that Motion Reflux was behind her; she nodded her head and they both separated immediately. Princess Snowfall greeted him happily, "Evening, Motion, how is everything going?" and she smiled; she then yawned slightly, "Please speak quick though, It's almost time to sleep."

Motion Reflux tilted his head and asked, "Who was that unicorn that just left?" and she quickly responded, "That was my niece, Soft Spoken" she sat in front of him and continued, "She loves to speak her mind about matters in the city, be it at the top of the towers towards the district platforms. I don't think you've been to the top yet, have you?" and he shook his head in reply that he hasn't and she spoke once more, "You should visit up there some time, it is one large platform above the clouds that holds all the middle-class and lower-class homes and ponies; it has parks and even environments contained in small biospheres up there..." she yawned once more and stood up. "I must now get to sleep, have a nice night Motion." she finished as she hopped up and flew to her room on the upper floor.

"Visit the top platform..?" he thought to himself aloud before yawning and making the decision that he should get some sleep himself. He turned towards the left wing of the castle and entered through the door, trotting to his room quickly and leaping onto his bed. "I hope Swiftshock and Soothing Song don't find out that I'm still staying in Skyfell yet..." he yawned loudly and thought to himself, "I still need to figure a way to free her from him..." he then fell asleep, snoring softly on the bed with his body splayed out awkwardly across the bed.

===
Let me tell you a tale,
of a young colt who lost his life,
of prejudice and hate of his origins,
of the loss his friend endured for years on end,
of his return to exact vengeance,
of his peaceful tone but aggressive feel.

Let me tell you a tale,
of a young pony who lost her friend,
of hate and guilt for her people,
of flight and finding of her feelings,
of her obedience to a ghastly creature,
of her nefarious tone but kind feel.

Let me tell you this tale,
that she found her friend dead in front of her doorstep,
of a note she found that showed a symbol of rebellion,
that the symbol had shown a different story of reality,
of a reality that was lost within knowledge and books,
that knowledge and books can become fakes and lies.

This tale of Kindness,

This tale of Anger,

This tale of Vengeance,

This tale of Thundering Kindness.

Rebellion... the word echoed in his head as he slept, the time passing by quickly as he slept as it moved from night to morning. He opened his eyes and stretched, turning his head to the side to see a unicorn sitting and staring at him. "W-Woah!" he fell back off the opposite side of the bed, his legs hung loose into the air and his back contacting the ground. He lifted his head up and took another look, "Are you the princess' niece..?"

"Yes I am." she spoke gently, "My aunt must have already told you my name, but allow me to introduce myself in person. My name is Soft Spoken, niece of Princess Snowfall and next in line to the throne of Skyfell." she bowed and then stood up once more, her expression was almost monotone but she always had a soft smile on her face. Her mane and tail were blissful and long and colored bright blue with a strike of white. Her fur was also just as white as the princess and her eyes were soft blue like the last time he had seen her. He got up and looked at her, his bandaged leg stinging quite a bit from the surprising fall off the bed.

He rubbed his eyes and said, "Well, It's nice to meet you Soft Spoken, my name is M-" she interrupted him, "Motion Reflux, yes, my aunt has already told me quite enough about you." he sighed and she pondered, "May I ask you a question, Motion?". He nodded lightly and she asked, "What is with the bandage on your left leg there?"

He stepped back, looking at his wounded leg and trying to think up an excuse, "U-Um... I fell! Yeah! Somepony knocked me out of the sky as I was flying and I hurt my leg!". She was examining him as he was speaking and then she leapt over the bed and landed beside him, her muzzle close to his ear as she whispered, "Next time, don't get cut up by somepony." her horn shimmered slightly and then she walked around him, her tail brushing against his neck and then she exited the room.

What a strange encounter to him, his lie was looked right passed and she seemed to find the truth faster than he could think of a fake excuse. She was a unicorn but he didn't know if she was an advanced level unicorn that can access the minds of other ponies. The way she spoke to him during their talk was in a very charming tone, something seductive behind those gentle words. He shrugged them off and ignored them, looking to her only as a friend right now.

He looked around his room, wondering what he'll be doing next. Maybe he could find Soft Spoken and hang out with her a bit more, or maybe he could visit the Western District and maybe bump into Plusle again. That... or maybe he could confront Swiftshock in the Northern District.

Pondering, he figured that the latter should be left until he knows how to beat Soothing Song so he decided that he would go visit the library in the Western District to study up on ghosts and then maybe see if he can hang around Plusle afterwards. He walked outside and stretched a bit more, the snow coming to a halt for the day revealing even more details about the city. He looked over to the Southern District Tower and was able to see it was boarded up and locked with a note in front of it.

He flew to the Southern District Tower's door and read the note and it said: ALL RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN DISTRICT PLEASE USE WESTERN DISTRICT TOWER TO ACCESS TOP PLATFORM, SOUTHERN DISTRICT TOWER IS UNDER HEAVY REPAIRS. then he looked up the scaling of the tower to see large cracks against it as well as it slightly tilting with no balance on each fissure.

Turning around, he took one last look at the crumbling tower before he headed off to the Western District Tower; once arriving he scaled the tower by flying up it to the first platform and landing on it, walking into the library that stood on the opposite end of the platform. He looked over to the front desk to see the librarian unicorn still reading through books in a continuous loop but all he could do is roll his eyes and find the book he needs by himself.

Sifting through one of the large bookshelves, he spots a dark black book; he flies up to the book and pulls it out, landing back on the ground and sitting as he begins reading through the book. He skims through the book that he thinks is going to hold the best knowledge of ghosts but only comes out with knowledge that ghosts aren't real or figments of a greater imagination.

He sighs and puts the book back on the large shelf, quickly exiting the library. What he didn't notice was the librarian unicorn eyeing him as he exited, her attention away from her books for once.

"I guess the only two options now is to run away or fight." he looked down, thinking aloud, "I'll fight if I have to, even if I die I don't want to disappoint the princesses..." he turned to look off the edge of the platform, leaning against the railing and staring off towards the Northern District's third platform. His task now was to try and fight the ghastly being but without any knowledge of how to even hurt the ghost but he knew his time was running short by now.

He jumped off the edge and soar towards the ground, landing softly on his hooves and watching around him cautiously in fear of a surprise attack. Quickly he trotted back into the castle and into the left wing then into his room, finding a note stabbed onto the table. He looked at it in slight fear and read it.

Dear Lead-brained colt,

We see that you haven't left so now we're coming for you.

Unless you want to make this easy, then meet us at sundown on the third platform where my house sits and we will be waiting outside. Either way, you will die a slow and painful death.

Yours Truly,

Swiftshock