//------------------------------//
// Something Is Here 
// Story: The White Mare with the Red Eyes 
// by flawlessvictory20 
//------------------------------//

As your eyes fluttered open, you noticed the sudden darkness in the room. When you tried to move, your movement was restricted.

‘What the –?' you uttered.

As your eyes adjusted, you found yourself in what looked like an old storage room. A light was fixed above your head as your limbs tied tightly on the chair. The room was filled with old wares (discarded cleaning supplies/tools, dilapidated boxes, etc.) The smell in the air filled your nostrils with the pungent aroma of mold and old wood. As you looked around, you see any doors or windows.

‘Where in Equestria am I?'

You struggled against your bindings to try and free yourself. While you rock your chair back and forth, a sudden cold aura shrouded your body, which halted your actions. You heard what sounded like hollow hoofsteps walk toward you. Your eyes widened as you saw Ready step into the light with Flambé next to her.

"Ms. Ready? Flambé? What's going on here?! Why am I tied up like this?" you queried.

It was then you noticed the cold and stoic gaze the three gave you. There was no emotion in their eyes. You could sense the ill intent the two had in store for you.

"M-Ms. Ready?" you spoke a bit afraid.

"You just couldn't leave it alone could you?" Ready bitterly hissed.

"Let what alone?" you asked in confusion.

"Don't play dumb with us!" barked Flambé. "We told you to leave things alone, but you insisted on meddling!"

The two slowly crept toward you.

"It seems our next course of action is clear…" Ready spoke, malicious intent laced her words.

"Wait…stop! You can't do this! Ponies will find out that I'm missing and come looking for me," you declared hoping that'd be enough to hinder what they had planned for you. To this, the pair darkly chuckled.

"Isn't that what the last couple said to us, Flambé?" rhetorically asked Ready.

"Yes, and the funny thing is…" Flambé spoke before she leaned in until she was inches away from your face. "No one…ever…comes…"

You felt your body succumb to the eerie chill that ran throughout your body. It soon became clear that these mares had no intention to let you leave or even to let you live. They began to circle you; horns illuminated that held items in their aura that eluded from your vision.

“Please…I don't know what I did…but, please…let me go…” you pleaded. “I won't say anything…I swear!”

Your pleas were met with deafening silence as you looked to see the mares that look at you with malicious glares now backed away from you with faces as white as snow.

“What? What is it?”

Before they could speak, you looked down to the floor.  To your shock, it began to expand and contort to undefinable shape. Against your better judgment, you decided to look behind you. You were greeted be a formless apparition that hovered just inches above your head.

‘W-What in Celestia's name is that'

A banshee-like screech filled the room, and with your arms being tied the deafening noise nearly too much to bear and you struggled to maintain consciousness. Without warning, the formless mass dove down and consumed your very being. You tried to scream, but no words could escape. It what then you felt a multitude of hooves drag you down into the depths of darkness. Still bound to the chair, you were helpless to resist.

‘Not like this…please…I don’t wanna die…” you cried as the very warmth drained from your body. ‘[]iSomeone…anyone…help me…’

You then heard a distorted and reverberated voice whisper in your ear.

“I wonder…are you a moth or are you a flame?” it spoke.



You awoke from your dream with a jerk. With shortness of breath. You look around to see that you were in your room. In a panic, you ran to the bathroom to wash your face. As the water ran and you dosed your face with water, you felt your body tremble.

‘What is going? What was that dream just now?!’ you spoke completely rattled. ‘What was that thing?! Why was I being held against my will?’

Your mind raced as steadily tried to calm your nerves, to little success.

‘Just what could it all mean?’ you pondered.

“I wonder…are you the moth or are you the flame?” spoke a voice.

You shot immediately and looked around the room.

“H-Hello?” you called out. “Is someone there?”

The response was a deafening silence. You timidly made your way out of the room and inspected the area. Nothing had been changed or moved, but you knew someone or something was in here.

“You’re quite an interesting…?” the voice continued to whisper.

You looked around as you tried to locate the source of the voice.

“Who’s there? Show yourself?” you demanded.

You only heard it reply with an eerie laugh that echoed throughout the room.

“So bold~[/]”

With a mixture of fear and annoyance, you slowly backed away to the door.  As you reached the door, the laughter had increased to deafening volumes. Able to bare it anymore you grab your voucher and head out of the room. As you sat in the hallway, you notice the voice and the laughter had ceased.

‘Why is this happening to me?!’ you lamented. ‘What have I done to deserve this?!’

You quickly made your way away from the room and down the hall. As you turned the corner, your eyes fell on to the storeroom.

‘This all because of that room’ you analyzed. ‘Whatever’s in there has got to be behind this. And I’m gonna get to the bottom of this.’

You then made your way down the hall to the door. As you gaze the decrepit door, you tried the handle. Sure enough, it was locked. Determined to solve this mystery, you then bent down to look through the large keyhole. As you did a cold breeze of air passed through it to gently caress your eye. You shook the sudden chilling sensation to proceed with your investigation. To your surprise, it was a hotel suite, no different than how yours looked, but a little more unkempt and dirty looking.

‘But Ready said this was a storeroom?] you thought. ‘Why would she lie?’

While you continued to inspect what you could see of the room, you spotted a unicorn mare in the corner. Her coat was as white as snow and her long, flowing ivory mane cascaded down her slender frame. Though her back partially to and her bangs blocked part of her face, you could tell she was a very alluring mare.  As you stared at her in confusion, you tried to reason why Ready would lie?

‘Maybe it’s a celebrity, and there's an illusion spell was placed to keep away the paparazzi?’

You became emboldened and dare to try and knock on the door but quickly decided against it. While immersed in trying to figure out who she was, the mare sharply turned her head to the door which immediately made you jump back and fall to the floor. You quickly made your way down the hall, afraid she might’ve spotted you spying.

As you made your way past the front desk, you saw Ready busy organizing the room keys. You wanted to ask her about the mare in the room but didn’t want to out yourself as having gone against her explicit orders. As you looked around the lobby, you noticed an indigo earth pony mare sleeping on one of the loveseats. The look so peaceful as she slept, and you have to admit she was rather cute. As you walked past her, you heard the mare speak in a distorted voice.

“It’s rude to peek into a mare’s room y’know~.”

Your head quickly snapped to the sleeping mare.

“E-Excuse me?” you retorted.

She said nothing. Though she looked to be still sleeping you knew you heard her just say something. As you made your way over to the mare, you listened to her lightly snoring.

‘Did I just imagine it?’

You shrug it off and head for the exit.

“Have a fun time!” spoke Ready with a smile.

With a nervous chuckle, you smiled back headed for the restaurant.