//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 - Inferno // Story: Ponycalypse // by pizzafryer //------------------------------// Walking along the corridor Dash got rid of her cloth that she elegantly threw everywhere behind her. “It was a stupid idea.” she commented. “Yeah.” said Fluttershy with an unamused face. “Hey, check it out!” Dash shouted. “What is that?” Fluttershy got scared. “ You can win fifty bits on the Ponyville derby.” Dash said as she examined the notice board. “We totes win it with Scoot.” It didn’t interest Fluttershy too much at all, slowly continued walking the inside of school, sharply listening to every little noise. Something was strange to her, unnatural, too depressing, but not the usually school-like one, it was something entirely different. The constant feeling she knew what it is, but cannot recall it right now. “Y’know, The Cloudsdale school a lot better than this! A castle in the air compare with this.” The place affected Rainbow, too. “Yes, it is! A castle in the air.” said the shy Pegasus. “Hey, look at this.” Fluttershy turned to her and saw as Dash went to the fire extinguisher. “I always wanted to try this out. you don’t see these things in Cloudsdale.” with this she unhung the bottle. “Dash, Please, don’t be stupid right now. This thing is serious. Something is really not right this place. Do you not feel it?” she asked, the shaking and uptight vanilla colored Pegasus. Dash didn’t pay any attention to her, she pulled out the safety pin with her teeth. “Oh, dude, it’s gonna be fucking rad. But… how does it work? Do I need to stand on two legs and put it under shoulder while the pipe is in my mouth, pushing the valve down with my other hoof? Or two ponies are necessary to use this thing?” “Dash, put it back where you found it!” Fluttershy told to her like a strict mother. Dash was taken aback. “Okay.” then she took the bottle back to its place. “Good, and now go in front of me! Twilight is in trouble. We’re not here to horsing around.” “What do with this?” she put up the safety pin from the ground. “Put it back in the bottle!” Fluttershy ordered her. Dash unhanged the bottle, again, and with her mouth and her two hooves attempted to put back the pin. Unsuccessfully. “It doesn’t fit in.” Dash muddled with the pin. “Let me help.” Fluttershy said. The place where the pin was originally was not there anymore. “Just hang it back, no pony is going to notice it.” “Wait, I guess, I figured it out where is the whole. When I pulled it out the mechanism moved away. If I push handle then the holes are in the same level again, so I can put it back normally. “ “Wait, you moron!” Fluttershy shouted, but she was too late. Dash pushed the handle again on the extinguisher, again. Fluttershy was covered with foam from tail to mane. Dash skied on her ass along the corridor till a wall stopped her. She shaked the foam off herself and hurried to Dash. “Are you okay, you disaster?” she said as she flew next to her. “It.Was. Awesome.” Dash said, feeling dizzy and stunned. “If they don’t hear this, then nothing. They’ll here soon and catch us.” Fluttershy said. “What do we do?” “You two?” they heard a voice next to them. *** It was Princess Luna, with a dumbfound expression on her face. “We came to save the day, and/or Twilight. Then the stars.” she said, still dizzy. “It is a very dangerous situation. Go away, right now! We got this.” “Why?” asked Fluttershy. “Yuhu!” came the voice behind Luna from a bright, slightly glaring alicorn as it climbed out of her hideout behind Luna. “Oh, nice to meet you.” Fluttershy got scared from the unknown pony. “Hi!” said Dash. “My name is Pree.” she stepped forward slightly push aside Luna meanwhile. “My sidekick is right, little fillies have nothing to do, here. It is an official alicorn business. Go now to your homes.” “I have already graduated from high school.” said Dash, whom Fluttershy helped on her feet meanwhile. “Then Civils. It is not the point.” Pree said. “Well, who’re you anyway?” Rainbow asked. “As I already said, my name is Pree. Legendary alicorn, even epic writers are envy of my heroic deeds and beauty. I am in official business here, on behalf of the alicorn council.” “I have never heard about you ever in my life.” said Dash unbelieving of the former said things. “Go to t-“ Luna would say something, but Pree put her hoof in her mouth. “So, where are you two doing here, exactly?” Pree asked with cunning grin. “Hey, what is this? You can’t treat our friend like this!” Dash got angry with her. “Friend?” Pree had taken aback.” Luna, do you know these urchins?” “Yes, I do. And do not dare to do this again!” Luna warned her angrily. Pree doesn’t even pay any attention to her. “What are you two doing here? You might be on the demon site.” “Did you two come for that?” Dash asked. “We are here for that, too, and steal back the book from it, and Twilight’s magic power.” “Ain’t the world small?” Pree smiled devilishly.” It is so moving. Brave, enterprising youth that are caring for their community’s welfare. Splendid! Come with us, and together I am sure can help to your friend.” “Did you go insane?” Luna spoke sharply. “Look at them! They would take their life on risk to help their friend. The magic of friendship has never let us down yet. I say, they will be big use if we bring them with us. Anyway, you would not be able to send them home. They’d stay here, wherever you say them. “ Pree lectured Luna as if she would had to explain the most trivial thing to an anyway stupid child. Luna had to admit she’s right. Again. She really could not send the two ponies home, if once they are here, Determined to help. Frankly, she could, but did not want to use violence on her subjects and friends. Suddenly sharp sound felt the corridors, like two object at the same time hit the ground. The first one was Dash’s hoof as hitting on Pree’s head, the second one was Pree’s head as hitting on the neighboring wall. Fluttershy and Luna was dumbfound. “You little shit!” Pree shouted. She apparently was uninjured. She didn’t even wail from pain, like the hits didn’t hurt her, only its motion energy effected on her. Well, yeah, she and Rainbow was not playing in the same league. “It’s good we are in school, because I’m gonna teach you the lesson now!” Pree was about to unleash her magic power, when she noticed it didn’t happen. The pure energy did not pervade her horn. However, she felt a strong squeeze on it. She looked up and saw a dark blue glow surrounded her horn. It was Luna. She hold down Pree with angry expression. “It is not too heroic hurting the weaker. You bring shame upon alicorns.” She struggled, but Luna pushed her down to the floor. “Learn to show some respect toward others. You must use your power and not abuse with. you’re supposed to show example.” “Who asked you?” Pree was still struggling. “I have had enough of your back sass for this day, too. I guess, you and I have a totally different opinion about what brings shame upon alicorns. Because starting a war with more ten-thousands victim is much more elegant, isn’t it? Do you think just because you came back as a prodigal filly, and some pony like you makes everything change or that you are better than anyone? “I cannot erase my past, those are my demons I had to face. The question is, did you? I moderate myself for the sake of the case, but I won’t let you take yourself out on any of my subject or friends. Darkness is my domain, bear it in your mind.” Luna release Pree from her hold. During the scene Fluttershy noticed something. It was a school day, school time, she was waiting for seeing a teacher to shout out from a classroom to keep quiet, or a filly who was going to the toilet, a janitor or anything. But… nothing. Strange. Saddlebags and books are still everywhere. The alicorns “hornfight” was not a usually or quite event, especially on corridor with so dead silence like this. The silence, she thought. It is too unbroken. It was a long time she last time went to school, but she was certain of there should not be that quite. “Um, excuse me.” she said timidly to the two alicorns. “What?” Pree said. “What day it is?” she asked. “Wednesday.” she got the one word answer. “Is it a school-day?” “Yes, it is. What’re you getting at?” Pree asked. “Where are the ponies?” another question. The audience went to silent thinking. “I’m sure they got a day-off because of the yesterday rain.” Dash said. “Did you often get rain break in school?” Pree was teasing her. “I saw bicycles and scooters outside, so it must be a school-day.” Fluttershy replied. The group went silent for some moments. “Let’s check out a class room!” said Dash finally. With that they open in one of the closest classrooms. It was totally normal, organized, too. “Do you see any suspicious?” Dash asked. “I’ve never attended school, so I have no clue if I do.” Luna said. “You told me you were teaching.” Pree asked, still sulking in her voice. “In university.” Luna answered. “That’s different.” Dash smelled the air. “Hey, do you smell this?” The others smelled around, too. “Semolina pudding.” Dash answered the question before anyone else could say anything, and went to one of the tables where stand a bowl on it. “O, man, it’s totes cold already. “Who eats semolina pudding for breakfast?” Pree asked baffled. “I like semolina pudding.” Fluttershy said. “It used to be my favorite after the fruit soup.” “I liked that, too.” Dash said. “Are you enjoying the nostalgia? Let’s move before you two will want to report in the class. Or Professor Luna gives a class.” said Pree bitterly. She hold her head in a way her head and spine was in a line. Horses can express their emotional state by how they hold their head. Pree was as downcast as her posture. “Alright, let’s go then.” Dash and Fluttershy left their semolina pudding. They went out the dreary corridor. They checked out every room, but found nopony. They just reached one of the end of the school when all four of them had recoiled. “Jeez, it’s stinky.” Dash said, covering her nose with her hoof. “It’s going to be here somewhere.” Luna declared. “I think it’s gonna be in the gym class room. This horrible smell comes from there.” said Fluttershy with tearing eyes, burying her nose in her hooves. They all four stand in front of the gate to the gym classroom. “Oh my gosh. What can be so smelly? What could it be done in there. Please, for anything that good and sacred one of you go in there and flush it down already!” Dash turned to the alicorns. “It is not “that” dash.” Luna said. “It is blood and death.” They still stand quietly looking at the door. “Who’ll go inside first?” Fluttershy put forward the question. “We have Pree the lionheart. She will!” Dash proclaimed. “Why would I?” Pree countered. “You are the demi-god. Hell, you want us, normal ponies be!” “She’s right.” Said Fluttershy. “She’s got a point.” Said Luna. “Well, I don’t go inside there.” Pree claimed. “Why be so pussy now?” Dash asked. “Go ahead, it is your big chance.” Luna said. “I don’t feel like it.” Pree said under her nose. “Where the hell did they find you? You, Luna, can I be an alicorn, too? You all set the bar quite low.” Dash told her. “Pree, listen to me.” Luna started. “I know, you are sulking now, feeling hurted your ego, but it is a very serious business. The fate of our world depends on it, and it is our responsibility stop this thing. If It’ll all be over, we are gonna be real legends. De for this, you must get over your pettiness, and do what you have to do. If we fail now, there’ll be no one to brag to.” “Hmm, alright. But I am not gonna go in there first. You little ones stay outside. We adults go and wrap this up.” With it, the two alicons opened the door to a crack. While the other part of the building there was natural light, until in the whole gym classroom was covered with thick darkness. All windows were covered with something unknown, but it totally kept out any light. The only light source was the one they invited inside by opening the door. Deeper in the room the atmosphere was only almost bearable, there was even air to breathe. Inside there you could believe you are in the actual hell. A place where absolute nothing could stay alive, but nothing can die actually. Hardly hearable otherworldly noises, hiss and dropping echoed in the room. It came across as even the room was screaming in its pain. They went deeper and deeper literally by inch by inch. Luna felt something wet and tacky on her leg. She ignored it, then next step the floor swallowed her leg. She looked at her leg, and only her more than thousand-year long experience stopped her to run away immediately. She stepped in to a little filly, at least, it was one once. It had flesh and bone was so rotten, it easily broke and ripped under her weight. ade her more scared that the corpse of the filly was missing at random parts, and its legs were bent to unnatural directions. The most terrifying was the horror and pain that frosted on her opened eyes. An internal pain, that won’t end even after the death. She’s gonna remember that for the rest of her life. Come on, Luna, she encouraged herself. If you don’t, then you will see much more filly like that! It’s your duty to bear it with a stomach. She turned to Pree’s direction. She was petrified. Motionless, speechless…lifeless. Luna wanted to say to her, but she didn’t dare. She looked into the direction where the alicorn’s eyes stuck. It was a silhouette of a form at the end of the room, but it was impossible to see anything clearly. The two alicorns mustered enough courage to lit up their horns, but they were careful to not be lighter than a candle light. The floor was covered with blood. The walls and even the ceiling was covered with rust or clotted blood. As they headed for the only tangible figure, they saw more and more of it. It was a little colt with brownish fur with a propeller beanie on his head. He was sitting in the middle of giant blood puddle, gazing to the opposite wall. He was barely moving, like he was only went sleep while sitting. Even his snuffing was hearable. He must be alive. They hopped. As they went closer and closer, the sound of snuffing mixed with something else. It was too rhythmic and monotonic. It was like a compound of the rhythm that yaks and lambs use. When they reached the edge of the blood poodle, Luna halted. In a situation like this it would be a huge rashness to simply just walk there. This…this is too simple. Darn, infuriating noise! “What now?” Luna’s heart almost jumped out of her chest. Pree was that. “You’re standing there for a half minute now.” “I don’t like it.” She started. “If there is that kid, then where is the demon or the book? I am gosh darn sure it was here, set its nest, the only question is that weather it’s still here or not. If no, we’d better get our job done as soon as possible, before it’s back.” “And if it’s here?” Pree jumped out of her skin. Tried to look every direction at once. “Then that’s bad. We’re in great danger.” Pree went dead pale. “You think so?” “Imagine! You are at home. Somepony breaks into you house. But what do you do if you know someone, in short time, is gonna try to break into you?” Pree tried to explain to Luna. “Umm, if I knew in advance, my house was gonna be broken in in short time, then… I’d set a trap.” Pree sat down and totally broke under the pressure. The trembled and took deep breaths. Luna grabbed her and pushed down to the ground, covered her mouth with her hoof, just in time, to prevent her to scream. “Calm down! You have a panic attack! Breath slowly, otherwise you’re gonna faint form hyperventilation for me.” Pree was trembling under Luna. “Organize your breath! Pull yourself together.” After some moment Pree calmed down enough. “Are you here again?” Pree noded. “Good.” Luna said. “I am going to let you go now. Do not do any stupid things!” Pree slowly stood on her legs. “Screw up the whole council! Why don’t we come here and kill this bastard all together? They send two of us here to a meat grind, plus those two starveling titches outside.” Pree was at the edge of crying. A demon cannot be killed. That isn’t even our job, either. We only have to recover the book, with we can send it back to the hell. Our only chance.” Luna said. “Then What the darn are we waiting for, to get it back? Anyway, I cannot see nor it neither the book. It might change its address. Bug out of here!” ghastly cried the glowing pony. Luna didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say, her mind was still on this strange noise that just didn’t want to stop. “Can you hear it, too?” asked, Pree. “Yes, it is the prelude of my funeral march. I don’t want to hear its rest.” She was on point of going ahead, but she knew, in this whole room the safest spot is next to Luna. “Not that. It’s here. Firstly, I thought it was only snuffing, but as if somepony was talking, really quiet.” As she moved around her ears, Luna tried to track down the source of noise, but she could not locate it. “What? What are you talking about? What snuffing? Listen, you went nuts from the too many moons. I am not staying here for any moment!” she shouted trembling. When she mustered enough courage to run away, Luna got her. “You stay here. I must save…the world. It is our duty. From ponies to everything.” The muscles of the two ponies clashed to each other, but finally Pree lost. “But then why are you standing here like a statue? Go ahead! You are the great strategist. Why did you bring you with me? Tell us what to do!” she scrolled Luna for not having a solution. Luna was thinking for a moment. This whole atmosphere is getting more unbearable. The problem is with the place itself, it effects on you. Luna, in this moment felt nothing, but grateful for her older sister for that millennials they lived together because after Celestia Luna didn’t break down even in the gate of hell, looking at the pure evil. I know there is the solution in front of my eyes, but what? She asked herself. “Hey, Commander Bib! Houston, got a problem? Earth to Luna!” Pree dragged her out of her thinkings. “What do we do, boss?” “Okay, if that thing is not here, then I must act right now! If it was here it would attach on us already.” Pree speculated. “I say, it’s not home, so I’m off!” “But what about the kid?” Luna asked. “I can’t leave here.” “Then pick it up, gosh darn it, and bring it with you!” Pree got more and more anxious. Luna horn started to glow and tried to lift up the little colt. But she couldn’t. “What the?” asked herself. She tried it again. Another fail. If we believe the presumption of magic theorists, and the unicorns stories about telekinesis, then it’s a feeling like having invisible hands with which we can grasp and hold objects. If it’s true, then Luna felt as if she was trying to grasp a greasy fish. “Hurry!” Pree urged her. “I can’t!” That replied confused. “That’s it! I’m fed up with you! And they say you’re the best princess form the three.”Pree had just walked into the blood poodle, and went to the little colt. “No! Stop! What are you doing?” Luna tried to stop her, but it happened too quickly, by she perceived what happened Pree was already next to colt. “You poor bastard, I was such a fool, to think you’re gonna be useful! You know, after our little adventure I think I’m even more better than before. At least, I am not afraid to get my hooves dirty. I should be the best princess. I’d not have to wear a bib for it.” Pree was standing next to the kid, and poked it: “Are you okay, kiddo?” The head of the colt rolled down and loudly splashed in the blood. Pree couldn’t bear anymore, she puked. “Pree get back here immediately! We’re out of here!” Luna ordered. “Don’t gotta say it twice!” But Pree saw something on the lap of the colt. He tightly hold it. Something big, black old. A book! The book! “Luna!” she shouted to her. “I found it!” “What?” Now Luna was totally nervous. “The book. The kid has it.” she said happily. Oh, fucking shit, then it was either a trap or the demon actually not here. Please, please let it be the latter one. “Come here, now!” Luna shouted to her worried. “One moment! It stuck. His legs holding it so tight. And I cannot use magic on it.” Pree tried to set the book free from the holding of legs with bare hooves. She did it, but together with the kid’s legs. “ Pree scared from this, and fall on her back into the blood. When she stood up she had the book. “I got it. And now get the fuck out of here.” Pree was about to go to Luna, but she could not. “Huh.” she didn’t understand. Her two back legs and one of the front ones did not move. She could use the other one only because she was holding the back with it. The others got stuck into the blood. “What sort of magic is this?” She was scared. The carcass of the little colt, suddenly moved next to her. Slowly the blood like mud swallowed his head then his body. It was totally gone, but the blood poodle could not be deeper then few centimeters. Pree felt she started slowly sinking. The blood by inch and inch pulled her down, like the dead colt. Fear of death and horror was reflecting from her face. “Luna, help!” she shouted. It was an actual trap. And she can be thankful only to her luck and instincts to avoid the blood. The inaudible noise was starting to get louder and louder. It wasn’t snuffling. It was chanting. The demon has been doing it on its language all along. It was prepared. “Help!” Pree cried as the blood already was over her withers. Luna could no longer hesitate. She flew up, in the air she tried to avoid touching the blood anyhow. She took the book from Pree, and grabbed her free hoof and pulled it with all of her strengths. It only slowed the sinking down, but she was invariably swallowing the loudmouthed alicorn. “Help me already and pull me out of here!” Pree was crying desperately. “I’m trying.” Luna struggled. Suddenly two new hooves grabbed Pree’s free hoof. A blue and a yellow furred pegasus’. Fluttershy took over the book to the ponies with much more routing with physical work can do their job more efficiently. Without result the things didn’t get better. Pree remained time for only one last cry before the blood swallowed her head, constantly holding the hooves of her friends until she could until they had to let go of her not to touch the blood that could pulled them down as well. “Poor pony. It was savage even for to her.” commented Dash. “I am glad you always know when you have to disobey my order.” Luna was happy. “It would be a good theme for a friendship report.” “At least, she didn’t die for nothing.” Dash said. “Yeah.” Luna could not say more. “Even if she was a huge asshole, and the world became a better place with her death, but she was still one of us.” Dash and Fluttershy looked at her sympathetically. “Let’s get out of here.” Luna told them. “But why? We have the book. Quickly, send this thing back to the hell.” Fluttershy said. “I can’t.” Luna replied. “What!” both pegasuses were taken aback. “You’re only joking with us, ain’t you?” Dash asked in disbelief. “I haven’t spoken or read in ancient horse for seven-thousand years. I can’t, and I have no time to dust off my knowledge right now. I thought you could, because you summoned it here in the first place.” “I was jabbering, to impress the mares.” Dash said. “If I try it again, I may bring an other abomination on our head, that might even worse than this one.” Luna sighted: “Our only hope is: Twilight. WE must get the book to her!” with this they headed toward the door. Luna halted and jerked back the two pegasuses. The door slammed closed, just in front of their nose. If Luna didn’t pull them back, it would have chopped their head down. “It isn’t over yet.” She said. “It would’ve been a cheap adventure, if we’d got away with it with only Pree’s sacrifice.” Dash said sarcastically. Something started to emerge from the blood poodle that swallowed Pree some minutes ago. Soon a six meters tall figure appeared; covered with so much blood it was impossible to recognize it. Luna conquered her fear, prepared to what otherwordly monster will show up in front of her eyes. The front was huge, even if it was not for a dinosaur, for a small pony sure it was. AS the blood dripped from it like its skin was waterproof, the figure turned into a neat, snow-white little filly, like the one they “invited” in the middle of Twilight’s library, destroyed Dash’s and Fluttershy’s night, but Its size was huge. Strangely, it didn’t look scary at all, in fact, it was expressly cute. Its face showed joy and happiness. As Luna directed some light toward it and saw it was holding something in its arms. It was Pree, who was in an incredibly worn-out condition, like the all orifice of her body was teared up, she was covered with her own blood. But she was still alive and breathing. Luna and the other could not imagine what she could go through in the half-minute since the blood sank her. “That stupid monster,” Dash thought.” Why can’t this leave us alone? What does it want now? Why is it so happy? WE have the book.” “If it was not death trap, only an attempt to get a hostage, then it has pretty bad taste. Yeah, ponies are kinda devoted, she guess she was incapable of making this sacrifice if it was Fluttershy or Luna, end of the world or not…. We’re lucky it choose the weakest link among us.” The filly’s face suddenly disfigured. It opened up like a flower, its mouth was full with thousand of needle pointy teeth and bit off Pree’s head, and threw the body to the next wall. Then it gave out an unworldly howl. It looked at the three ponies with great hatred. It as if it could read all of their thoughts, realized Pree was an invaluable hostage. The demon stepped into its own trap. It felt as if they made fool of itself, by intentionally sending this slumber. It, of course, was not intentional at all. “As far as I see, we gotta stand up against it.” Dash said. “Girls, it was a great honor to being your friend.” she kissed Fluttershy’s lips. Fluttershy as soon as woke up from the kiss effect, asked Luna: “Can’t you blow up the door, or something?” Luna was confused: “It can work. At least I can move even the moon.” She unleashed her full power against the door. Only a nearby mountain stopped the door that flew like a cannonball. “Blast-off!” Dash shouted. They ran on hot hooves. Thanks to Luna’s trick, they didn’t even have to blend, because there was a dead straight line in front of them, as Luna destroyed every obstacle. Three ponies ran as fast as they could, in a mortal hurry back to Twilight. Behind them, the ambassador of hell.