They dragged me for eons. When they stopped, we had arrived at another office door. It was styled after a laboratory, shiny, clean, and unique. They opened the door and shoved me inside. There sat Taskmaster Fera, writing something down in her large document book, just beside all her curious looking alembic tools and other odd items. She had one particular tool in her office next to a mask, attached to a skull. I looked closer to see that the threading in the mask was loose. The tool looked like an odd pair of tweezers, but smaller and made of some sort of black onyx.

“Oh,” Fera said, “I didn’t see you with the other unicorns, how are you, sweetie?”

I was shocked at the sincere kindness in her voice. “I’m… I’m good?”

“Good to hear it! Were you a late comer from from the badlands plantation? I’ve tried to persuade them into building an actual train station there instead of those silly caravans. What is your name, err… number, dear?”

There was no hesitation in stating it, “#20443, ma’am.”

“Well, it is nice to meet you. I’d give you the normal introduction, as the other unicorns under my teachings, but I see a more personal greeting is in order here. I am Taskmaster Fera. I’ll be in charge of showing you, and the other unicorns, how to achieve success in the future of your magic skills. The others are in training right now, but I’ll be needing to show you some stuff before I send you there.” Fera grabbed something from her desk drawer. It was a small crystal gem. “With these gems, you can empower your magic abilities inside them and use them for later reserve, or as tools for when you are not around. Watch!” She blasted the gem with her magic, illuminating it with a purple aura. I had no idea what she would say when she saw that I wasn’t possessing any magical abilities. I hoped she would have a lot to show me about this and then just send me off to bed before I needed to show her. She then placed the gem into a jar, and shook it. The jar became a lantern, lighting the room in a purple light. It was interesting, for some, but for somepony like myself, it was dull. I wished I could use it though, just so I would feel more like a unicorn, and less like a failure.

A knock at the door, an overseer entering the room.

“Excuse me,” Fera said, “I’ll be right back, sweetie.” Her kindness was becoming unsettling.

As soon as the door closed and they had left, I went straight for the strange, onyx tweezers. I had no idea how to use it at first, but I knew where the threads were. I pulled at the first, mostly clipping some of it. It took me a bit to understand how it worked, but as soon as I did, I was pulling about every thread out, but left about three in so that the mask would stay on my face. There was no pain or blood, as the holes were like piercings, and the skin just grew around the threads. It felt good to have air enter the piercing holes. It was cold, but invigorating for the soul in ways that I can’t quite describe. I would’ve torn the whole mask off if there was a way to see myself, but even in the reflective crystalline walls, nothing came back but in blur. It was disappointing, but I accepted the fact that my face would never be known to me.

I went back in front of the desk and sat down, waiting for Fera to come back, but she never did. The Preceptor entered the room, and sat down in her desk. I did not speak, fearing his wrath. It was he who spoke first, eventually.

“It’s about time for the carnival act, little one. I hope you don’t disappoint. You proved a good laugh back in the showroom.” I said nothing. “Are you mute, filly? Speak! For the next act is for those with deafened ears!” I didn’t know what he meant. I hated the way the preceptor spoke. He kept his ranting up for a bit before he ordered two overseers to come and get me. They dragged me out into the hallway again and took me towards a doorway far down the hallway. The two spoke to each other, saying how the stage was filled already and that they didn’t like missing as much as they have already. They didn’t say what was going on out there, only that it was exciting for them. I was afraid.

I wanted to take off my mask in front of the Taskmasters as soon as I got out there. I wanted to make the unharmable bleed. I wanted to die a little bit too. I didn’t want it to end though, its a confusing feeling, like you’ve given your all but you just need to rest for a bit so you could get back up.

As we came closer to the doors, I could hear some screaming, but nothing too bad. I didn’t know what to expect out there, but I was ready for it, even if I was frightened. Every challenge so far, I’ve overcome. From the near death experience, to the boiling skin, watching the older star pony melt away, watching my best friend die, the rape. Whatever they had next, could only go so far. I would fight it, and whether or not I win, it doesn’t matter, as long as I resist them. My silence would be amplified by the many.

The door was right in front of us now. The overseers put me down to open the door, and I did not run. I could’ve, but even if I got far, there was little point in running when fighting is necessary. The enlightment of death was coming quickly, I could feel it.

Author's Note

Sorry, I had already written the last chapter and the gap was hard to write. I don't like this chapter at all, but its better than the other gap chapters I wrote.