//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Hide and Seek // Story: Just the Three of Us // by Lynked //------------------------------// Vinyl shifted in the doorway, her hoof on the handle. “Alright Trixie, one more time... what?” Trixie sighed. They were in position, just behind the closed door. Vinyl looked to Octavia and Rarity, receiving weak nods from either of them. Trixie looked them over. “You know,” she said, “Trixie is getting annoyed. How can you not understand this?” “Yes, Vinyl, tell us how your simple mind works,” Octavia said with a snort. Rarity simply sighed and watched as Trixie got between them and the door. “You shall run from Trixie, all the way to the station, where you will get on the tracks and retrace the train until you find the bodies. Make sure you three don’t get in the way of the others, and watch out for changes in behavioral patterns. There’s three heads on your shoulders, and Trixie thinks that this may cause some... odd effects. Now are you ready?” Vinyl bit her lip, but was quickly knocked by Octavia. “Yeah, I guess. And you promise I won’t get get blasted. Cuz at the wedding, Pinkie picked up Twilight and... it hurt.” “You will not get blasted, now get out of Trixie’s house!” She yanked the door open, and bucked Vinyl on the flank, booting her out into the cold. She stumbled forward, kicking the snow around. With a glance over her shoulder, and a glare from Trixie, she planted her paws down and charged forward. She darted out of the yard, and Trixie was quick to leap from her home, shouting, “Run you beast! The great and powerful Trixie shall turn you into a rug!” “She’s pleasant,” Rarity muttered as they sped down the street. Ponies on either side screamed, gasped, and leapt out of the way. Mothers clung to their foals and others scrambled into houses on either side. Vinyl smirked and galloped onward, a white cloud trailing behind her. Trixie was fast. Very fast. Octavia glanced behind them to see that she was right behind them. “By Celestia, how strong is this mare? We’re flying, how is she keeping up?” “Get out before Trixie cooks you!” she shouted. Vinyl could see the station ahead, with the train still docked and still. She sucked in deeply, pushing off and leaping forward. She turned at the station, darting towards the woods and running ahead. Suddenly, a blue streak grazed her side. All three mares gasped and scowled as the forest grew close. Behind them, Trixie, her voice fading, yelled, “Trixie will not hold back next time! Do not return!” Vinyl slowed down as the sound of the panicked town was left behind. The screams faded, and so did Trixie’s shouting. They panted as she slowed to a trot, and eventually a brisk walk. The track was the only think to slice through the treeline, and they stuck to it carefully as they continued. The woods around them stretched on forever, Vinyl noted. “What a flank,” Vinyl said with a frown. She stopped and inspected her side, running a hoof over a small strip of cut fur. Rarity grinned. “Indeed she is.” Vinyl turned back around and started walking again, the snow crunching with every step. “We wouldn’t even be here if you two hadn’t flown off the train.” “Oh, well excuse me for being poisoned and fainting while we were crashing!” Octavia said, shaking her head at Vinyl. “Okay, okay, chill out.” Rarity sighed and looked to the sky. Grey clouds blotted out the sun as soft flakes of snow slowly drifted down. The wind was hard, tossing their manes as it pleased, and the ground was cold on Vinyl’s paws. “It’s rather easy to ‘chill’ out here,” she said, breathing out a plume of steam. Vinyl sidestepped onto the tracks and nodded. “Yep, it’s cold. But hey, this fur helps,” she said with a smirk, holding her head high. Octavia rolled her eyes. “I was perfectly happy on the train.” They walked on in silence for a while. “So,” Vinyl said, “what kind of ‘behavioral changes’ was she talking about?” “I’m not sure,” Rarity said, licking her lips and thinking. “Maybe we’ll get angry or something? We are a dog, right? And she did say that the changes were belated, so...” Octavia gasped, and both Vinyl and Rarity faced her. “What?” “M-my body! Thank Celestia!” She jerked forward, but Vinyl kept her slow pace. “Chill Octy--” “Not the nicknames,” she hissed. “Not again.” “Fine, fine,” Vinyl said, stepping off the tracks and heading to the lump of snow. The mound was raising and lowering slowly, and was surrounded by indents in the snow. As Vinyl approached, the three mares bent down and inspected the tracks. “Wolf tracks,” Vinyl mumbled. “My body had better be alright! I swear on Vinyl’s life, if they’ve done something to it--” “Would you hush!” Rarity said, glaring. Then she blinked slowly and paused. “I-I’m sorry for that. I must be tired.” Octavia sneered and looked back down to her body. “Vinyl, get digging.” Vinyl’s tongue flopped out and she pounced on the lump, chunking away the snow. The others gasped as their faces planted in the snow, but Vinyl paid them no mind. She was panting with a smile, carving out Octavia’s body from the snow. Soon, the limp, grey body was uncovered, though it was pale and barely breathing. When Octavia and Rarity finally plucked their faces from the ground, they saw the body’s condition, and after a curse from Rarity, they focused on it. “Hey, Octavia,” Vinyl said, nudging her. “You’re kinda cute when you’re sleeping.” Octavia didn’t push her away, but she did frown. “Vinyl, that’s me that you just said that about. Now use your paws and get me up.” Vinyl smirked. Her horn lit up, and Octavia’s body floated up from the snow. Vinyl brought it in front of her and ran her hoof over it, then placed it on her back. “You’re really cold,” she said. “Oh really? I didn’t know snow could do such a thing,” Octavia said. “So where are we off to? Trixie said to put the body somewhere,” Rarity said, looking behind them. Vinyl scuffed the snow. “Yeah, I forgot. Hey, you guys hungry? I saw a squirrel over there.” She pointed off into the forest. Octavia leaned over and bit her ear, and the three of them yelped. Vinyl huffed. “Won’t be doing that again, will you?” “Stop bickering!” Rarity snapped with a scowl. “Oh, um, oh my...” Vinyl and Octavia exchanged glances. “So where to?” Vinyl asked. “I’m not sure. I suppose we could just run it back to town. I’m sure your friend is home. Just... be careful. I’ve taken too much damage already,” Octavia said. “Maybe we should warm it up,” Vinyl said, lifting Octavia’s body off her back. “Vinyl, no. No, bad Vinyl,” Octavia said, giving her a harsh stare. Vinyl whimpered and lowered the body again. “Now let’s go. We can run back there and drop it by her house, then run back here and get Rarity.” “Now hold on, why shouldn’t we get my body as well? Why make two return trips?” she asked. “Because it’s important to get my body to safety,” Octavia said, frowning. “Oh, and I’m not important? Vinyl, go get my body.” Vinyl blinked and stepped forward. Octavia’s jaw dropped. “No, Vinyl, take my body back to Trixie!” She shrugged and turned around, heading back down the tracks. “Vinyl!” Rarity said. “Go find my body!” Vinyl frowned and turned around again. The arguing continued for minutes, and Vinyl began to get dizzy. Soon, though, something caught Rarity’s eye. While Octavia was scolding Vinyl yet again, Rarity bent down at picked up a short stick in her muzzle. “Hey, Vinyl,” she said, whistling. “Fetch!” She snapped her head and tossed the stick ahead of them. Vinyl’s eyes locked onto it. She panted and wagged her tail, spinning around and dashing off after the stick. Octavia screamed. “No! Bad Vinyl! Don’t scare me!” Vinyl rolled her eyes as she closed in on the stick. The snow was cold beneath her paws, and the wind was hard against her fur. She threw her hooves forward and skid to a stop, bending down to get the stick. Just before she bit into it, it lit up and flew forward. Rarity grinned as they were off again. ~~~ As Vinyl growled and gnawed on the stick, swatting it with her paws and laying on the ground, Octavia and Rarity inspected the indent in the snow that outlined Rarity’s body, right down to her curly mane and horn. “I-I don’t understand, my body should be right here...” she said with quivering lips. Octavia’s eyes were following a set of wolf tracks. “They were here too... “ “Mmm, hey guys,” Vinyl said, still chewing on the stick, “have you noticed how weird it is to feel three heads? Like, I can feel your mane blowing. It’s really weird.” “Vinyl dear,” Octavia said with a sarcastic smile, “You’re adorable as a pet, but it’d be much better if you just bit the stick.” She shrugged. “Okay.” Rarity whined loudly. “This is terrible. We have to go find me! I won’t be in the hooves of such ruffians!” Octavia looked deep into the forest, scanning it intensely. “I don’t know... what will we do with my body?” “It can wait!” Rarity snapped, baring her sharp teeth. “Whoa, Rarity, calm down,” Vinyl said, snapping the stick in two. Rarity growled. “I cannot, and will not, calm down until we find where my body has been taken,” she said. “Well we still gotta get her off my back,” Vinyl said, looking between her and Rarity to Octavia’s body. It was sprawled on her back, still breathing slowly. “I agree, let’s take me home. I’m sure I’m cold,” Octavia said. “As if I am not?” Rarity said, staring daggers. “Guys, I’m getting hungry. Can we, like, run back to Trixie’s house and get something to eat?” Rarity scoffed. “You’re always hungry.” “Yeah, so?” Octavia sighed. “Rarity, you’re outvoted.” “I can’t believe I’m stuck with you two selfish ponies! Vinyl, don’t be a tool! Go get my body!” Rarity said. Octavia brushed her cheek to Vinyl. “Hey now, don’t yell at her for caring about a pony.” Vinyl smiled and nuzzled her. “Aw, thanks. You stuck up for me.” She backed up and raised her eyebrow, saying, “Don’t get used to it.” “Since when are you two friends?” Rarity asked, frowning. Octavia sneered. “We aren’t ‘friends’, but she’s certainly the lesser of two evils.” “She’s a practical dog right now!” Rarity said. “Yes,” Octavia said, nuzzling Vinyl lightly, “But she’s my dog. Isn’t that right? Yes it is. Yes it is.” Vinyl closed her eyes as a smile grew on her lips and heat filled her cheeks. “Oh, I see what you’re doing. Dearie, two can play at that game. Vinyl,” Rarity said, whistling. Vinyl looked at her blankly. “Want a treat? I bet there’s a tasty...” She shuddered. “...squirrel, in there. Big and juicy, and all you have to do is go get my body. Sounds good, doesn’t it?” Vinyl slowly nodded. “Fabulous.” Vinyl stood and threw her paws forward, ducking low and stretching. All three of them yawned widely. She looked into the forest as she came back up, looking deep into the snowy, misty rows of trees that stretched on into a vast whiteness. Snow had begun to fall harder now, and the wind was picking up. The grey clouds above grew thicker and thicker, and darker and darker. “Vinyl! Vinyl, listen to me,” Octavia said, stopping her just before she entered the forest. She leaned over and put her muzzle just behind Vinyl’s ear, nipping lightly. Vinyl’s eyes rolled up and her tongue lolled out. “I’ll do it again if you get back to town,” she said, pulling away. “Besides, you think catching a squirrel is going to be easier than just getting food from Trixie? Hardly.” “But, you, Vinyl!” Rarity whined. But it was too late, and Vinyl had turned around and was darting back down the tracks towards Trottingham. ~~~ “So,” Rarity said as they sat on the edge of town, hidden away behind a tree. The body laid next to them. “That blunderous mare didn’t even tell us how to get back into town. This is perfect, if you ask me. Just perfect.” “Oh quit it,” Octavia said, “We’ll figure something out. Vinyl?” “Huh?” She looked away from squirrel that was running up the tree. “Yeah?” “Can you howl?” Octavia asked. When Rarity gave her a questioning look, she simply grinned. Vinyl shrugged. “I dunno.” “Well try it,” she said. Vinyl shrugged and tilted her head up. She sucked in a deep breath, and forced it out. A successful howl echoed out, scattering the birds from their nests and eliciting a few light gasps from the town. “And what will this accomplish?” Rarity asked as Vinyl’s head lowered and the howl died. Octavia ignored her, peering past the tree at the station. It was silent, and she could see nothing through the train’s windows. The town seemed empty as well, and the shutters of the small, quaint cottages were closed. Then, in the distance, the clop of hooves grew close. Octavia grinned wryly, turning back to Rarity and winking. Vinyl’s ears perked up, and she jumped to her paws, baring her teeth and growling. Her nose shot up, sniffing rapidly. “Bite it. I’m gonna bite it,” she said, shuffling in the snow. Octavia glared at her. “No, Vinyl, you’re not.” Rarity rolled her eyes. “I say we let her. Especially if it’s--” Vinyl gasped. “I know her. Trixie. I know her smell.” She leapt forward, fumbling in the snow as she ran around the tree and pounced the approaching mare. Trixie grunted, kicking her roughly and sending her to the tree. She rolled onto her stomach and stood, brushing the snow out of her fur and picking up a long, slim blade that had been knocked from her mouth. She then slammed her hooves onto Vinyl’s shoulders, pressing their noses together. She paused there for a moment, then slowly backed off. “Vinyl? Octavia and stuck-up? You three gave the town a heart attack. Trixie almost skewed you with silver!” Vinyl was panting. She leaned forward and licked Trixie’s cheek, causing her to grimace and back away. “Don’t mind her,” Octavia said. “She’s docile. Though watch out for Rarity, she bites.” “Excuse me? I’ll show you biting,” Rarity said. She leaned over and clamped down on Vinyl’s ear. She and Octavia yelped, and Rarity simply turned red. Releasing Vinyl’s ear, she huffed. “Do not insult a lady.” Octavia coughed. “Tramp.” “I’ll do it again...” Vinyl growled at her. “I can bite too.” Trixie sighed and sat down. She glanced over her shoulder, and after finding the streets still calm and empty, turned back around. “Where are the bodies of Rarity and Octavia? Trixie needs to get them to a fire.” Octavia bit her lip. “Well, we found my body. It’s behind the tree.” Trixie’s eyebrow shot up. “And what about hers?” “My body has been stolen,” Rarity said, frowning. Vinyl chuckled, but was quickly knocked for it. Trixie closed her eyes and rubbed her head. “By wolves?” Rarity nodded. “Trixie thought as much. She is surprised that you found Octavia’s body. Come, you’ve scared everypony in town senseless. A howl so close is normally followed by an attack.” Vinyl stood and went behind the tree, coming back with the body on her back. “They promised me food.” Trixie couldn’t help but give a little laugh. “Yes, Trixie has food. Now come, quickly. Trixie has yet to announce that the town is safe.” Vinyl, with a bounce to her step, followed swiftly as Trixie lead them back to her home. It was a tedious venture, as Trixie had to keep Vinyl hidden by taking her around the town, but they made it to her back door eventually. When they were there, Trixie stopped them. The snow was getting heavy, and the wind blew hard. The three mares looked to each other, then to Trixie, whose hoof was on the door handle. She was chewing on her lip and staring blankly at the snow. “While you were gone, Trixie found the whereabouts of a friend.” She opened the door, and let them slip into the warmth of the house. Vinyl took the body down the hall and into the living room. Trixie stepped ahead and nodded to the far wall, where a fire was roaring in a brick fireplace. She nodded to it, and Vinyl levitated the body to the hearth. “So, food? I’m hungry.” “Wait Vinyl,” Rarity said. She turned to Trixie, who walked to the hearth and began tending to Octavia’s body. “What about my body?” Trixie sat and rolled Octavia’s body onto its back. “Trixie thinks that your body is fine.” “Really?” she asked, her face alight with a smile and starry eyes. Trixie flushed red. “No. Trixie lied to make you feel better, but she realizes that that was wrong. Trixie thinks you have been eaten.” Rarity coughed. “W-what?! I’m going to devour you if we can’t get my body back! These two are so... so... uncouth! I shall not be stuck with them forever!” “Trixie can do nothing for you if it is gone already! And if it is not, then you will help Trixie for Trixie to help you. It is late, and this is good. Trixie wants you to leave at dark,” she said, standing up. “Her name is Colegate, and she has the supplies that Trixie needs. And she may help you with the... head issue.” There was a pause. “I’m hungry~!” Vinyl whined, stomping her paws.