//------------------------------// // The Undead Asylum // Story: An Invite To The First Flame // by Michael Hudson //------------------------------// First thing first: take stock. Pinkie had on a loose shirt, slightly baggy pants, and, most importantly, arms and legs to have those sorts of things fit better than they might on her old body. It wasn’t like the sort of human-thingies that Twilight had told her about from the world across the mirror, but instead she still had fur. On top of that, she even had hooves! It was still quite different though. Long, a little gangly, and not quite as… firm. The muscles moved a bit more, and she quickly found out that she could make her fingers bend back, stretch, and properly hold things she might not have been able to before, like the broken sword beside her! She scooped it up, feeling the weight in her hand. It wasn’t much, not to her at least, and a few swings reminded her of any time she helped try to make anything. Yeah, she just had to think of it like a hammer in her mouth, and the motion almost felt natural. “Not like I’m gonna need it of course.” Pinkie threw the stunted weapon behind her as she leapt up, part of the layer of dust on her peeling off, with the rest following after as she patted herself down. “I know this is only a four star hotel, but you would have thought the maids would still have the decency to come by every once in a while.” She waited a moment for a response, but only the echo of her own voice and the sounds of something stomping nearby met her joke. Pinkie simply shrugged it off. The pink mare normally made jokes to herself, and if she really thought it was a winner, she could always tell Fluttershy later and get her to smile. “Or…” Pinkie’s eyes swiveled over to the sleeping body beside her. Something appeared to be glowing on it, attracting her to whatever may be on it. After a moment warring with herself, Pinkie reached out to it. Maybe it had the key to her cell, and she could get them both out then! Pillage corpse. Pinkie’s face paled as she heard the words in her mind, a key and a ring appeared in her hands. She instinctively knew that the key would let her out, while the words Old Witch’s Ring came to mind from the oddly warm band of metal in her palm. And she knew the man on the ground wouldn’t- “Haha… he. Nice joke, sense. I’ll just keep these warm until I he wakes up.” She kept her eyes down as she unlocked the door, striding through the dimly lit corridor that led out of her cell. It was a mean joke, and normally her little abilities refrained from doing such things to her. Instead they liked to warn her about actually funny things, like pushing Twilight and her on an adventure that lit her friend’s mane on fire. That was a good o- “Ah!” Pinkie tripped over her feet as she accidentally stepped forward, putting herself over a pool of water. It wasn’t by any means the first time Pinkie had fallen to somewhere because of being distracted, and like the rest, since she was alone, she shut her eyes, focused, and- Splash! Pinkie blinked, her body hurting a little bit from crashing into the shallow pool, her face not having flattened like it should upon such an impact. Or, for that matter, her gravity having turned off like she had wanted. She was starting to think she gave up more than the ability to gallop for hands, and that the deal may not have been even. After getting herself out of the water, squeezing her hair to wring out the water, Pinkie playfully raised her fist to the sky. “I’ll get you, whoever you are who did this!” And again, no response came, even from the pink man in the corner of the room. There was only silence here, and the first chills of her position set in. Or, it was the water. “W-well, maybe I won’t if you tell me where I am.” She waited a moment, listening for a response, before weakly saying, “Please?” She stood there, wet, cold, and beginning to feel a nagging feeling of… something. Something she couldn’t remember, but it was important. It was why she was here, and why she was a- ’Maybe that nice man is waiting for you ahead?’ Pinkie looked up, the black cracks in her vision slowly fading away. “Y-you’re right brain. I have a new friend waiting for me, and the two of us can get back to Equestria, easy peasy. Yeah… that’s what I’ll do.” Her movements were slowed now as she moved from the platform. She didn’t even consider talking to the sad, little being in the corner of the room. It hadn’t noticed her, so it probably wanted to be left alone. That was all. She would give it its privacy. She forced her way up the ladder, the one part of her equine anatomy causing issues, as hooves don’t grip rungs very well. At least, not yet. She could feel some of her old ability to cling with them, so maybe with time she wouldn’t have to just pull herself up. Fortunately, when she got to the top and looked forward, her pain eased slightly as the flame she saw in the middle of the courtyard called to her. It was small, licking at the base of a sword that was stuck in the ashes of an almost dead fire, but she bet she could bring it back to life. She didn’t know how she would, but she could. She knew it. And, as her and touched the sword, and she sat at the fire that slowly made it’s way up the blade, sparks of the new flame circling around her, she felt at ease for the first time since she’d gotten here. The tension in her muscles faded, her mind cleared, and she was content, even if just for a moment. Standing from it, Pinkie knew she could make it. She charged up the steps ahead of her, forcing the giant doors open before her. They wouldn’t stop her, not when she could see through them to another set of doors. Doors she bet led out. She just had to run to them and- She barely stopped in time, looking up as a huge demon fell from the rooftop. It was easily ten times her size, with a brown, red-ish tinge covering most of its body. It had a white belly, sure, but she doubted it was anything more than it having not been touched by the flames of whatever level of Tarturus it came from. Its meaty thighs, four times as thick as her whole body, bent to cushion the impact of the fall. While its arms, small for a creature of its size, wielded a brutal axe that covered half the width of the great hall she stood in. It wasn’t fluffy like Cerburus, or anything else that she had fought. Its skin was rough, jagged, bumpy, and drool slid from its jaws. It looked hungry as it stared at her, and Pinkie’s mind short circuited for a moment. The cracks were coming back. She couldn’t fight this thing, not on her own… Pinkamena blinked from within her cage, having felt every alarm go off in her other’s head. It was indeed terrifying, but she could feel Pinkie getting ready to fight it. Was she insane? They would die, and that’d be it. No continues, no more games… Her eyes darted, trying to find something. If she could find a solution, like she did to Pinkie’s breakdown only a few minutes ago, she wouldn’t need to come out, and she wouldn’t have to worry about how she would get back in. Yes, if she found a solution… ’There!’ Pinkie’s eyes swiveled to the side, spotting an open door. If she could get there, she would be safe, as that door looked barely large enough for her, let alone this colossal monster. Yes, that would do until she got with her new friend and they could make a plan. She sprang forward, her legs pumping as fast they could. She wasn’t exactly used to running on her legs though, and felt herself starting to be thrown off balance. Her hooves were the problem, as they acted as a wide platform to launch herself from, much like when she was a horse, but her center of gravity was much higher, and she found herself diving forward, her instincts kicking in as she got ready to tumble like she did for any fall she saw coming. And then, the demon’s first swing came down. Pinkie couldn’t change her direction, as she was still in the middle of her roll, about to come in contact with the ground again as the axe came closer and closer to her. She shut her eyes, bracing for impact as her hands touched the ground and she began to roll. And nothing. She simply kept going, and the axe never touched her. Pinkie blinked a few times, her head trying to comprehend what had just happened, before the demon’s loud, harsh roar reminded her of what she was doing. She was back on her hooves in an instant, and this time focused entirely on the running. If she continued in a straight line she would- She slammed into the right wall of the little hallway at full force, her body shaking from the impact. Much to her surprise though, she figured she must have still had some of her natural defense in order not to have broken something. Pinkie backed up, her vision swimming for another moment, before her back touched cold bars. A glance over her shoulder showed the demon in its room, just standing there now, with a barrier between her and it. Well, her, it, and any part of this place she knew. “Not that that’s a problem for a Pie! These stones have to lead somewhere, and I’m gonna find where!” She grinned, feeling her spirits lift at the declaration, until she heard a grunt from behind her. A reminder of what was in this land. “And hopefully it doesn’t lead me to another one of those.” Still, Pinkie Pie wasn’t in as bad of spirits as she had been before. She was getting a handle on her body, she still had a goal, and it appeared that she had some special abilities, even if they weren’t her old ones. All in all, things could be worse, especially since she saw another one of the weird pink guys that seemed to populate this place, and this one even seemed to actually react to her being there. “Hi!” Twang. Her eyes tracked the arrow surprisingly well, watching the long, white shaft make its way to her. A quick side step was all it took to avoid, but… “Hey, that’s very rude, mister. Now, why don’t you put that-” She rolled, akin to what she’d accidentally done back with the demon, avoiding the next arrow with a simple ease. Looking up though, she saw it already nocking another arrow. It looked almost like her, what with being a thin, gangly, pink thing, but it wasn’t anywhere nearly as friendly, and the narrow hallway would made getting to him even harder so they could actually talk. ’If I even want to talk to the meanie head still.’ Pillage Corpse. Pinkie glanced to her left, spotting another sleeping body that had a white glow coming off of its chest. Oddly enough, despite claiming to have something to borrow, it appeared to be about as naked as the day it was born. “So what could-” Pain. A sudden pain in her shoulder that made her freeze more by the fact that she hadn’t seen it coming, rather than the damage that she could tell it did. Instinct forced her into the room with beside the corpse, with Pinkie only now even noticing the side room that gave cover from her annoying friend. She glanced at the arrow in her shoulder, surprised that the use of those muscles didn’t bring even more pain with it. Pinkie figured it was part of this world’s magic, and the arrow responded quickly, it suddenly fading away being a fairly big ‘yes’. “He really shouldn’t do that to strangers, no matter how creepy this place is.” Pinkie rubbed her shoulder, the pain already gone in everything but her mind, before turning to the body. It was still just sitting there, a white, ghostly light coming from its chest. She didn’t want to have to borrow from another sleeping person, but it did help her if she thought of this guy as a friend of the archer. She reached out to it, doing as she had back in the cell, and seeing a cracked, wooden shield, a simple hand axe, something called a pyromancer’s flame, and a fireball cross her eyes… but she didn’t feel like they were anywhere on her. She began to pat herself down, before her eyes widened. Pinkie reached up, and, with a delighted squeal, pulled the shield out of her hair. Apparently not all of her abilities were gone after all. Next she pulled out the hand axe, rolling her eyes at the weapon, before causing it to seemingly vanish. She didn’t need to hurt anyone after all. And then, there was the flame she pulled out. It sparked with life as the curious magic seemed to imbed itself into her palm. It flooded her with warmth, immediately attaching itself to her as its home. Pinkie smiled at it, happy to have such a kind power to call a friend. She even felt like she could harne- Boom! Pinkie blinked, her face black for a moment before she shook her head and cleared it away. From what she had seen, she had just erupted in a giant ball of fire, and could tell she no longer could use the flame in her palm. At least, not for something like that again. “Still, you’d make an awesome party trick with that, wouldn’t you?” The flame lightly danced around Pinkie’s palm, as if delighted at the thought. However, Pinkie then heard the clang of a metal arrowhead against stone, and with a sigh brought her shield up. She would at least be able to protect herself until she got to it now. And so thud after thud, step after step, Pinkie got ever closer to the creature, with only light pangs of pain running down her arm with each arrow that slammed into her shield before dissolving away. It wasn’t his fault though. This was a scary place, and she just needed to show him that everything was a-okay. Before she could say that to him though, he ran off again, fleeing into a side path that was at the top of the corridor. To say the very least, Pinkie was getting a little tired of this, especially as she wasn’t even holding a weapon. She came completely in peace! Luckily, when she caught up with him this time, yet again in a stone corridor, though this one was far worse lit, and closed in from the top on the two of them, he didn’t run. He didn’t stop either, which was plenty annoying, but he would definitely hear her now. Pinkie glanced over her shield, smiling broadly at the pained being. She could now see just how frail it looked, its skin taut over its bones. She could count his ribs, see his funny bone, and his eyes… they held very little laughter in them, if any. Still, that wouldn’t stop her from trying. “Um, knock knock?” Thud. “Oh, I get it, not a fan of those. I can get that. Well, how about this. A unicorn, an earth pony, and a pegasus all walk into a bar. Celestia says ‘Maybe you three should watch where you’re going!’” Thud. “D-Don’t you get it, because Celestia is an alicorn, while the three literally walked into the b-” Thud. “Okay, fair point, you’re not from Equestria. It’d be hard for you to get that one. Oh, I know, a classic!” Thud. “Will you- No, Pinkie, just stay calm. Besides, he has to laugh at this one. It’s a classic after all!” Thud. “...Okay, s-so why did the chicken cross the road?” The thing nocked its next arrow, “Togettotheotherside!” pulled back, “It’sfunnybecauseyouthinkit’ll besomething-” Thud. Smack! “Will you stop i-” Pinkie’s eyes widened as a gout of flame erupted from her palm, encasing the things skull as it let a wail of pain and stepped back. With its next step it fell, and Pinkie watched as a few, small, white sprites made their way to her, and filled her soul meter that she now noticed in the bottom right of her vision. Pinkie blinked a few times, putting the flame away, or trying to, but finding herself holding the axe again. When she tried to put it away, the flame that made her- The axe came right back, and it could have just as easily- She began to run, the voice in her mind telling her to get to her new friend. If she could get there, everything would be okay. She could cry about the corpses she kept seeing, have a heart to heart, feel like she’s at home, ignore the fog, and everything would be- Pinkie never saw the iron ball as it smashed into her. She rolled back, flung by it, and feeling brickwork rain on her as the ball crashed through the wall behind her. This one hurt. It hurt a lot in fact. Nothing was broken, sure, but Pinkie knew she was possibly in danger now. If she got behind the new hole the ball made though, maybe she would be safe. Maybe things would be- She blinked, at first not believing what she saw. He was there, finally. The same, armored face that had let her out of that horrible cell. The one she’d been looking for, and he was just lying there on his own pile of rubble, the light above him streaming down like rays from Celestia. Pinkie scrambled to him, grabbing his hand as she smiled again, ready to finally be with another person, be able to tell jokes, and… Blood. His hand was bloody, a jagged gash went across his breastplate that oozed out more blood, and from how she could hear his breath, it came in slowly. The knight looked at her, and she could tell how tired he was by his voice, even if it sounded happy. “Oh, good. One of you did indeed make it out. That… That’s good.” Pinkie tried to say something, but she couldn’t. The black cracks were everywhere. They called to times long past, and yet also to come. Called to what lay within. She just needed to hear something good again. “D-don’t worry, you don’t need to say anything. Just… I want you to hear me out, please. I did what I did for a reason, but it will all be for naught if no one knows why but me.” Pinkie shook her head, clinging to the nice voice, and denying what some of the words truly meant. “Good. Now, in my family, there is a prophecy that a chosen undead shall escape from the Asylum in the north, and then ring a great bell in order to lift the curse of all undead. So, when I found myself here, I tried to release as many as I could, until that foul beast got me.” He breathed in, ragged and hard. It was almost uncomfortable to listen to, bu Pinkie just kept telling herself that it would be okay. She would even get something soon to help them both, and then everything would be okay. The knight brought out a small, orange flask from his pocket, holding it up. “N-now, take this. It’s an Estus Flask, an undead favorite. It should be able to heal any wounds you get, so keep it near.” Pinkie moved to give him the flask back, but he seemed to almost read her mind. “No, don’t waste it like that. I-I never was the chosen one, and I’ve been trying to fix this for so long that I can feel it coming soon. Hollowing. If… If that happens, I’ll even attack you, so please, before… before that happens…” He took one more, long breath, and, with his final exhale whispered, “Get out of here.” Pinkie didn’t stare at him. Pinkie didn’t watch as his souls came into her. Pinkie didn’t grip the Estus Flask with all her might as two tear tracks came down her face, in equal parts sorrow and fear. No, Pinkamena was the one left to do that, now all alone in the asylum that not even Pinkie could smile at. She didn’t know what to do. She never knew what to do. She just had worked on a rock farm, never even earning her cutie mark before Pinkie took her rightful place as the owner. What was she supposed to do? Pinkamena glanced back to the body of what was supposed to be their friend, staring at it for a long moment before finally taking a sharp breath in. She was wrong. She knew what she needed to do. She needed to get out of this damned place, get back to Equestria, and get Pinkie back, hopefully before than. Yes, that would work, and if she made sure to do nothing that would upset Pinkie, show that she could be in this world, she would get her out faster. Or, so she hoped at least. Pinkamena slowly poked her head out from behind the wall, taking in what was there. Up the stairs was one of the pink things that lived around here. From how they behaved, she guessed they might be hollows. She could relate, if she was honest, but they still posed a problem, as he would be in the way of her getting through. On the other hand, when she glanced through the bars to her right, she could see the courtyard they had been at before, including the small bonfire that laid there. It called to her, and she could feel the pyromancy flame on her hand glow at the sight of it. How to get there wasn’t really clear though, and she had another problem to deal with. Her attention back to the hollow, and the door behind him, she thought back to the archer. He hadn’t been fast by any means, and his movements were clumsy, unlike a practical contortionist like her. Yeah… yeah that could work. Pinkemena launched herself from behind the wall, charging up the stairs at the hollow. A quick step to the side as it swung at her with its broken sword, and she was at the door, the key she needed already out. Stepping through that, she saw… light. The outside. The sky was cloudy, gloomy, and fitting all things considered. The cold breeze that blew through her reminded her of the wounds Pinkie had taken, forcing her to wince as she stepped forward, dodging another swipe. She wasn’t really thinking at this point, but just processing as she took a sip from the Estus Flask. It was oddly spicy, with a hint of orange in it which sent waves of warmth and energy through her. She could feel her body mending, the cuts closing, and like she could actually take a hit. Not that she wanted to fight. In fact, she thought as she glanced back at the edge of the ramparts, she would jump off if it wouldn’t probably kill her. No, she had to keep going, dodging more hollows as she tried to get by. Duck a sword, squeeze past an arrow to get by a broken wall, and dash through the fog that led in before they got too clo- Pinkamena blinked, able to feel the fog wall behind her. She couldn’t go through it now. She couldn’t go anywhere, she assumed. Not this time, which was a problem when a giant demon was staring straight at her. Think Pinkamena. Pinkie Pie isn’t coming out if you screw up here. You’re just going to die. What are my options? What can I do? Do I… A brief sigh escaped Pinkamena as she looked down from her balcony. The demon had noticed her now, and was probably getting ready to jump up here. Then she would either get smashed, or be down there, where she would also be smashed. There simply wasn’t a way out. At least, one Pinkie would approve of. It’s a monster though, so even if it’s a life, it keeps us alive. For a moment, the flame in her hand turned black, just as she stepped off of the balcony. She fell, aiming directly for the demon’s head. Her fingers tightened around the axe in her hand, before letting it go. It wouldn’t be useful here. It just wasn’t the right tool. She landed, her feet and weight pushing it off balance. If she wasn’t the acrobat she was, she would have easily fallen right off. Pinkamena was going off instinct though, her eyes shut as she focused. This was a big rock. In order to get the chore done, it had to be broken, no matter how pretty, special, or al… Pinkamena grit her teeth, unable to finish the thought as she raised her left hand, and shoved it through the demon’s eye socket, the heat on her arm growing by the second. Even though she lacked any uses of her pyromancy at the moment, she could still do this. When the deed was done, and smoke drifted from the demon’s head, the two fell to the ground. Or, more so, the demon fell and Pinkamena was thrown, crashing along the ground as she slowed down. She didn’t care though. Not right now. Not about the key she just got, or the weird thing called Humanity that was supposedly in her hair. No, she merely stared at her now bloody palm, trying to figure out just what she had done. What they’d done. One out of necessity, but far more brutal because of it, and another out of pain and frustration, ending it in a moment of anger. Which one was worse didn’t matter to her now, not by any means. No, there was something far more important. Could she do it again, and how often would both of them have to do this to get home? What should Pinkamena seek or put trust into first? 1)Her Hopelessness 2)Pure Faith 3)Knowledge 4)Silent Comfort