//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Silence // by Taranasauruso_o //------------------------------// Entrances usually weren’t so painful.     Usually, there’d be the initial pain, from head butting the other pony, but after that, it was pretty much easy going.   Still, the Doctor mused, his mind still somehow functioning through the searing pain that shot through his body. It could be worse. Around him, colours whirled and mixed, tumbling in some form of hypnotic dance. They stretched below him in an infinite spiral, and he couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated. He felt gravity slowly take hold, pulling him downwards towards the swirling colours, and he closed his eyes, letting out a soft sigh.   He dropped like a stone, crashing down into the invisible floor that separated him from his imminent death. Shaking slightly, he pushed himself to his hooves, glancing around at the odd surroundings. Everything seemed to shake, as if an uncontrollable earthquake had just shattered through the area. After a few seconds of rumbling, the shaking stopped, and the world around the Doctor had changed. He was in a rolling field, surrounded only by grass and hills. He breathed in a lungful of air, smiling contently. The scent of apple grass filled his nostrils, and he relished it, breathing a deep sigh.   “Right,” he started, straightening his tie. “Time to get the gist of this place.” He spun, a lopsided grin eating away at his face, and gasped. Taking a step forward, he squinted at the forest that loomed behind him. The large trees seemed to beckon to him, as if they were calling out his name, their branches waving him inside. He strode towards the trees, his smile never once faltering. A cool chill ran down his spine as he crossed the thresh hold, and he shivered in response, giggling slightly. He cleared his throat, glancing around, before continuing inwards.   Around him, the peaceful sounds of the field slowly ebbed away, only to be replaced by loud echoes and what seemed like distant crow cries. Below the canopy, the harsh sun from the field seemed to disappear, and the world around him was filled cold, harsh darkness. The make-shift path that he had been following curved in and around the trees, a seemingly random path leading him towards whatever his destination was supposed to be.   Lifting his screwdriver from his pocket, the Doctor shone the light out into the gaps between the trees. Beyond was, well, more trees. And after that? Trees. The Doctor shook his head, sliding the device back into his pocket. “I don’t know what I expected.” Turning back the way he had been travelling, he felt himself stop dead. The path from before had disappeared, the small pebbles that had made up the way seeming to melt into nothing. He spun on his heel, his hooves pulling at his mane. “no.” He started, leaping forward towards the closest edge of trees. “No no no no no!” He slammed his hoof against the trunk of a tree, his eyes still searching frantically for any signs of an exit. The forest seemed to gloat at him, as if it had tricked him, and trapped him inside. The trees themselves seemed to be cackling with silent, maniacal laughter. The world pounded and spun in his head as he turned left and right, his hoof slowly slipping down the trunk of the tree.   He dropped backwards onto his rump, dust from the ground spraying out from where he sat. He hung his head, his ears drooping, and lifted his hooves to his face. Closing his eyes, he let out a quiet sigh, his voice breaking. The forest around him was silent, the trees made not a sound.   And then a scream cut through the serenity.   ****   “H-hello?” The pasture from before was back, the crops withered and dead. Rarity stood in the centre, her mane dishevelled and hanging around her face like a wet towel. A pattering of rain poured down from above, giving the area an almost morbid look. The foals from before were gone, only the distant echoes of their laughter proof that they had ever existed at all. Rarity felt herself shudder, turning away from the field, and looking towards the far end of the clearing. There, nestled under the branches of an old oak, stood a small farmstead. An oddly familiar farmstead.   The single story house itself was simple, yet practical. The paint on the outside had long since decayed, leaving only small specks of red splattered across the walls. A simple porch swung around the front side, a table and chair sitting on the edge. The eaves hung from threads, as if they had been knocked out of place by the sheer force of time itself. From the large oak a destroyed tire hang, its rubber decayed into nothingness, and held aloft by a single strand of rope.   The sound of bells filled the air again, and Rarity turned to face the source of the sound, her eyes searching. The foals ran past her again, their mane’s streaming behind them in the non-existent wind. Rarity felt a cold chill ran up her back, her shoulders twitching as she watched them. They seemed to ignore her, as they pranced along the trail that led to the front of the house. As Rarity watched, she could see their mouths move in unison as the skipped, as if they were talking at the same time. It was then that their voices floated into earshot, and Rarity gasped. They were singing.   A soft lullaby floated through her head, and Rarity let out a soft sigh, the tenseness in her chest evaporating. She followed behind the pair as they sang, her eyes half closed in a dream-like state. She began to hum in time, her voice joining in perfect harmony with the pair as she trotted close behind them. As she reached the front steps of the house, a gust of wind blew against her, lifting her mane up. The foals seemed to float away with the wind, their bodies dissipating into thin air. Rarity stopped, looking up at the house, and gulped.   She composed herself, mentally steeling her body for whatever could be inside, and pressed her hoof to the steps. Almost instantly she felt a wave of nausea wash over her, and the door to the house swung open, revealing the sight of a small filly. She glowed an odd white, and her puffy mane was speckled with different shades of purple. She was almost transparent, as if she wasn’t all there. Her eyes widened, and she beamed, lifting her forehooves out and beckoning. Rarity spun, looking behind her, to see the other filly from before climb the steps and embrace the youngster. The two turned, and then faded into the damp backdrop.   Pushing her way past the door, Rarity entered into the main hall of the house, her hooves scrapping against the uneven floorboards. The wallpaper inside had long since faded, its once cheery yellow now a morbid grey. Paintings hung askew on the walls, their pictures lost to time. Two doors spanned along the left side of the hall, and the right side of the hall was dominated by a large stair case. At the far end was a steel door with a complicated looking locking mechanism. She trotted forward, her hooves making loud thumps as she crossed the wooden floor.   Pushing forward, the door gave way to a large living room. A decayed couch dominated the furthest wall, and a pair of bookshelves stood either side, their tattered tomes destroyed beyond repair. A window stared out into the fields on the right of the room, its views unobstructed despite the rest of the clutter in the room. Decaying toys and pieces of wood littered the floor, giving the room a feeling of unkemptness, as if whoever had lived here had been gone a long time. The left side of the room held only a door, with a piece of paper attached to it.   Rarity turned her nose up at the mess, taking care to avoid the debris as she made her way over to the door. A gust of wind lifted the note from its place, and it fluttered in the breeze, its gentle swaying the only noise in the eerie house. Carefully, Rarity pinned it down with a hoof, and she stared at the crudely drawn poem that had been hastily scrawled down on the parchment.   Once a man, now a mouse His only option, to hide in his house A place of love, now a cage None shall be spared from the Timelord’s rage   The verse seemed to strike a chord in Rarity, and she hastily folded it up, and slipped it into her mane, for later. Turning her attention back to the door, Rarity reached out with her magic, and twisted the knob. The door let out a loud groan as she pushed, its bottom scuffing against the wooden floor. Peeking around the door, Rarity had to stifle a gasp, turning her head away from the room momentarily. Like the area before, rubbish and scraps of wood littered the floor, giving the room an unkempt look. But, tucked away on the back wall sat a decayed couch, its fabric destroyed, and the wooden supports all but rotted away. Lazed across the right hoof rest, was the decayed skeleton of a long gone occupant, its skull grinning wickedly in the darkness.   The two foals sat, their rumps seated in front of the skeleton, and looking up towards him. Every few moments their heads bobbed, as if agreeing with something only they could hear. A cold chill ran down Rarity’s spine, and she shivered in response, the hairs on her neck standing on end. The two seemed not to notice Rarity, or the deceased pony’s state, instead listening intently to the silence of the room. Then, as if on cue, the two burst up and spun towards Rarity, their faces streaked with smiles. They leaped towards her, evaporating into the air as they ran. Nothing stirred on the cold floor, the objects clearly untouched by anypony in countless years.   The rest of the room was obscured by darkness, with only a thin streak of light illuminating the far end of the room. Dry heaving, Rarity backed out of the room, and fled to the hallway. Slamming the door shut, she slumped down, her chest heaving, and banged her head against the wood. Tears stung the corners of her eyes, and her deep breaths were hitched by soft sobs. After a few moments, she breathed out a deep sigh, and stood to her hooves, glancing at the second door down the hall. It seemed to stretch in front of her endlessly, as if reaching the door would be a momentous task on its own.   After a few steps, Rarity reached out with her magic, grasping the handle and turning it, pushing open the door right as she reached the threshold. Instantly the sound of distant laughter filled her ears, and the smell of freshly baked pastries filled her nostrils. She breathed in deeply, a content sigh etched on her lips, and floated into the room. All the surfaces seemed to glow, and the view outside the window seemed to fade, as if a white cloud of fog covered the glass surface. A kitchen counter gleamed the most, its top completely spotless. A large sink in the corner of the bench top was filled with clear, sparkling water, and the reflections danced on the roof, swirling patterns fading in and out of eyesight.   Turning away from the hypnotic swirls, Rarity came snout to snout with another mare, who seemed to be leaning towards Rarity. She let out a small yelp, backpedalling, and fell backwards onto the floor. Instinctively, her hooves shot up above her head, as if they provided some sort of protection. After a few tense moments of silence, Rarity lowered her outstretched limbs, and peeked back up at the mare from before. She had moved over to the kitchenette, something floating in front of her. The same unearthly glow surrounded her, as it had the two foals, and she seemed to be ignorant of Rarity, opting instead to focus on her non-existent task. Shaking her head, Rarity stood, before creeping her way around the opposite end of the counter, until she was face to face with the mare.   Instantly, a feeling of Déjà vu washed over her, and Rarity shivered, her eyes squinting at the mare. She’d seen her before... somewhere. Her mind seemed to wash out, and she tilted her head, her eyes unfocusing. Why couldn’t she remember? Shaking her head, she turned away, and her gaze dropped down to the floor, where a pair of fillies sat huddled over something she couldn’t see, their bodies shielding her view.   Then, they vanished, and in their place sat a small piece of paper, yellowed with age. She lifted it up with her magic, grasping carefully and lifting, as not to break the decaying paper. A small picture of a purple haired filly sitting next to two taller ponies sat in the centre of the parchment, while a small list ran down the side, scrawled in almost unreadable hoof-writing. She squinted, and then gasped, dropping the paper and backing away.   It was a list of names.   Opaque Unique Belle   “Rarity” she breathed, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. She turned away from the paper, her hooves scrambling for purchase. She needed to get out. She spun wildly, and cantered towards the exit, only to find the door gone, and in its place a blank wall. She spun towards the other side of the room, and her eyes met more emptiness. She turned in circles, searching frantically for some kind of escape, but was met with denial every turn. While every second, that melody played, slowly getting louder and louder, until it blanked out all other sound and pierced her ears with its menacing cries.   And Rarity screamed.   ****   The Doctor tore through the trees again, his ears pointed forwards and a grimace on his face. Small twigs and branches slapped against him, cutting into his thin flesh and sending shots of pain through his body. But he ignored them, instead focusing on the task at hand. There will be time for pain later.    Ahead, he could see a light source, growing ever larger as he cantered towards it, his hooves sending clods of dirt flailing out behind him. His screwdriver buzzed in his mouth, sending out short, shrill beeps every few seconds as he clamped down with his jaw. He swung around another trunk, his eyes locked firmly on the end of his path. Darkness surrounded him as he galloped, clinging to the edges of his vision as he fought to stay ahead of the incoming tide. With one last push, he leapt out from the cold, and into the light, his hooves dropping out from under him.   He collapsed, his chest heaving, onto the grass, burying his muzzle into the ground. After a few moments, he lifted himself to his hooves, his jaw loosening around his screwdriver. He ran his hoof back through his man, taking in his surroundings, his mouth still gaping. A small field surrounded him, rows of crops stretching out to the other edge of the clearing. As he scanned, another cry pierced the air, and he turned towards the source, his eyes frantic. A small homestead stood, nestled in the arms of a large oak. A flash of purple caught his eye, and his gaze fell to the largest window on the side of the house.   He took off, his hooves pounding down in a frenzy as he ripped his way through the high fields. He crashed through the front door, the wood slamming into the wall with a dull thud. He leaped over the debris that covered the floor, and pulled open the second door in the hallway, falling into the room beyond. Rarity sat in the centre, her mane drooping over her face. The Doctor made his way towards her, his hoofsteps cautious and silent. He stopped just short of her, his hoof reaching out towards her.   “R-Rarity?”    Her head shot up, revealing her puffy, bloodshot eyes. Her mouth dropped into a frown, and her eyes welled with tears. She leapt forward, throwing her forehooves around his neck, and pulling him into an embrace. Her tears flowed into the crook of his neck, and he squeezed her, his hooves wrapping around her in a tight hug.   “Wh-what i-i-is this pl-place?” she sobbed,  pulling back slightly to look into his eyes. “There wa-was th-this monster an-“   “Shhhhh.” the Doctor held a hoof to his lips, and squeezed her with the other. He looked up to the rest of the room, his face serene. “I have no idea where we are.” He trailed off, his eyes returning to her face. “But we’re going to find out.”   She moved away from him, wiping away her tears with a hoof. After a few moments, she looked back up, a small smile on her lips. “Yes... I-I suppose we are.”   The Doctor nodded to her, before turning back to the door. He pushed it open, and stepped out into the hall, motioning for her to follow him. She stepped through with a nod, and small laugh came from her throat as she stepped over the threshold. The Doctor closed the door, before turning towards the end of the hall.   “So,” he started, running a hoof down the metal edge of the doorframe. “Any idea what’s behind here?”   Rarity shook her head, her mane now flowing freely around her as she shook. She moved up to look at the large lock on the door, her horn glowing. After a few moments, she stopped, and turned to face her friend, a frown on her face.   “My magic isn’t doing anything, like I – or rather my magic – can’t touch it.” Her horn flashed again, as if to prove what she had just said.   The Doctor leaned down to look at the mechanism, as Rarity pulled the small note from earlier out from her hair.   “Doctor, can you make any sense of this?” She hoofed it to him, and he accepted it, scanning through the short verse.   “There are three separate parts to this poem, and three separate locking mechanisms,” he stated, hoofing in the first section of the riddle. “The first mechanism is easy, ‘once a man, now a mouse’, the writer of this could only be referring to one pony.” After a few seconds of blank staring from Rarity, he rolled his eyes, before sighing. “Me, obviously.”   “Oh, yes, because that is obvious,” she poked out her tongue at him, and he returned the gesture, before turning back to the paper.   “A house, his house.” He pondered for a moment, his hoof tapping against his chin. “Well, the poem is still relating to me, and I only have one house so.” He hoofed in the next answer, before turning back to the paper. “’A place of love, now a cage,’ what could that...” He stopped, his eyes wide, before turning and slowly typing in a word. A click resounded throughout the room, and the door swung inwards, revealing a black void beyond.   “What was it?”   “Something that your dreams shouldn’t know,” The Doctor stated, giving her a cold look, before turning, and walking to the edge of the hole. “Well,” he started, straightening his tie. “Geronimo.”   He stepped forward, and Rarity jumped after him, her hooves reaching out as if to catch him. Instead, she smashed into him as his hoof came into contact with solid ground. The two sprawled forwards, dropping onto a seemingly invisible surface. Before either could say anything, the door slammed shut behind them, plunging the world into an empty darkness. Rarity clung to the Doctor, her hooves digging into his sides as he stood, letting out a small grunt.   “Hey, ease up on the vice there Rarity,” he said, his voice strained. The mare complied, her grip loosening as she stood next to him, her hoof still touching his back. Silence surrounded them, as if it pounded in their eardrums. Rarity shivered, sending the feeling into the Doctor, who giggled in response. At this, the room lit up, a large, red light appearing from nowhere and illuminating a previously unseen figure. Its shadow stretched over the pair, the outline glowing faintly orange.   “Who... are you?” the Doctor called out, his voice echoing around the pair. A laugh responded the question, bouncing off the walls around them. The Doctor gulped beside Rarity, his usual smile fading from his face.   “Really, have you forgotten me so soon?” The thing shook, before it lifted up, the front side of it still shrouded in darkness. “Ah, but it has been time, hasn’t it? I doubt you would even remember my name, let alone what I represent.”   The Doctor stiffened beside Rarity, and she felt herself freeze too, as the shape slowly morphed. It shrunk in size, until it was smaller than Rarity, before stepping forward into their vision. Sweetie Belle stood on the invisible surface, her face contorted into a twisted smile.   “Hello sister,” she mouthed, her voice dropping an octave. Rarity took a step back, lifting a hoof to her face, her eyes wide with shock. “Oh, why so surprised?” The filly’s voice jumped then, until it was the same pitch as Sweetie Belle’s. “It’s just me, Sweetie Belle!”   The Doctor pushed out a hoof in front of Rarity, his voice low and even. “Rarity... that isn’t Sweetie Belle. That’s... that’s.” He trailed off, his hoof pressing into her.   “Oh go on Doctor,” the filly spat, her voice filling with venom. “Tell your friend who I am.”   The Doctor turned away from the creature, and faced Rarity, whose wide eyes locked with his. “Rarity, this is Ze’Lacor, a parasite, from the planet Yrak-Qot.” His tongue clicked as he pronounced each name, giving an oddly foreign sound to the title. “And she has been posing as your sister for the last twelve years.”   Rarity turned back to look into the cold, empty sockets of the creature. Her lip trembled, and she backed away slowly, her eyes popping out of her sockets.   The Doctor turned back to look at the creature, his eyes hard. “Why are you here?”   The creature didn’t break eye contact with Rarity, her devilish smile stretching across her face.   “I said why are you here?!” The Doctor screamed, spittle flying from his mouth as he leaped in front of the filly. She slowly looked up, until her eyes made contact with his.   “To save her life.” She pointed towards Rarity, a growl growing in the back of her throat.   “From you.”