//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Silent Ponyville 4 // by SamRose //------------------------------// According to the hotel map, she had entered into the Ballroom, where many grand events had likely taken place long ago. The floor, walls, and ceiling were made of cement, aged and stained from wear. She grimaced as she saw roaches scurry away from the light of her lantern, hiding in the darkness of the room. The air was stale, with a hint of rusted iron lingering in it. Stepping further into the room, she came to a stop near the middle, her lantern illuminating a large red circle drawn on the ground. The red circle held an intricate design, consisting of a large outer ring that contained runic symbols and writing, while three smaller circles sat in the middle. The symbols had clearly been drawn with blood, and while it looked arcane, Octavia couldn't for the life of her decipher it's meaning. As an earth pony, magic had always been beyond her. “Alright, I'm in the Ballroom... Now what?” She asked herself, looking around the empty room. There was furniture wrapped up in white cloth around the edges of the room, but that was it. There were no clues, no riddles, nor anything for her to pick up. It was just an empty room. “So... Wait. Was all of that for nothing!? The riddles, the gems, the monsters, just... It all led to an empty room!?” Octavia grit her teeth as she felt her anger bubbling. The world wasn't just leading her around in circles now, it was actively wasting her time. “NGH! I hate this place!” With nothing else to do, she decided she'd at least check out the hallways on the other side of the room to see if anything had changed before she left the hotel. When she stepped through the door and her hoof touched down on metal grating, she realized something had changed. A bottomless pit was now visible through the ringlets in the ground, the walls had been replaced with rusted sheets of metal, the ceiling was cement, and everything looked like it had been stained with blood. “W-What...” Octavia gasped in shock at the sight, looking around, unable to believe what she was seeing. The world had changed in the blink of an eye. “What's going on!? The ballroom should exit out into the hallway! This should be somewhere I've already been, not... Not THIS!” She looked around desperately for a clue as to what had happened. Panic was starting to set in and her heart was thumping loudly against her chest. It was then that she noticed on the ceiling was a sign with two arrows. One was pointing at the door she had just left saying 'Ballroom', the other pointing across from it that said 'Pool'. This was the same hallway as before, but it had been transformed. Something had changed it into this nightmare of metal and blood. “I-I have to get out of here.” Octavia stepped back, the panic fully taking over. “This- This place isn't safe! I have to go!” She flipped on her heels and tried to push the door she had just walked out of open, desperate to leave the hotel. The door was jammed shut, refusing to let her in. Her eyes widened in horror as she stepped back from it, each of her steps causing the metal grating to creak loudly. She fell to a sitting position, staring in disbelief. “Okay... Okay, calm down Octavia...” Octavia lifted her hooves and hugged herself, her body shaking from the panic. “T-There has to be a reason for this... There, there has to...” She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as she held herself. “You just... You just have to find a way out. You'll be okay. You'll be okay...” She took several deep breaths, taking control of her panic and calming it down. The fear she felt was still there, but she was at least able to function again. “You're accustomed to hardships Octavia, you can make it through this.” She shook her head, taking one more deep breath before standing back up. “This is no different from when you moved to Manehatten. Just handle everything one hoof at a time...” Stepping forward, she found that the path to the pool that had been previously blocked off was now completely open. She swallowed her nerves and stepped into the dark pool area, instantly feeling the cool chill of the night air rushing down on her. This area at least had solid cement for ground, which instantly felt safer to walk on. Her lantern then illuminated the empty pool that sat in the middle of the courtyard. What had likely once been pool chairs were scattered around it, now just rusted metal meshes of their former selves. The pool itself had a splatter of blood down towards the deep end, right in front of what looked like a giant mural. Stepping in from the shallow end, she walked the length of the pool and held her lantern up to examine the image. It was a picture of a female pony, faceless, with a book open as if she was reading aloud. Golden lines stretched out from underneath her to a large, thin rectangular dent in the wall, that looked like something was supposed to placed in it. Possible multiple somethings. Just looking at it made her realize what it meant. “Search the area, find the clues, solve the riddle... I'm sensing a pattern here.” Octavia grumbled, turning around and making her way back. “But what is it all for?” She wasn't sure if she was making any progress on finding Pinkie or Bellamena. She wasn't even sure if she could save Ellie at this point. She was doing everything in her power just to survive, and that was going to have to be enough. Octavia hesitated a moment, staring down at where the metal grating met the solid concrete. Being able to see through it and not see any bottom was incredibly unnerving. If the metal couldn't hold her weight or if it broke for any reason, she would be sent tumbling down into that abyss. And Celestia knew how long it would be before she died from hitting the bottom, if she even ever did. One hoof hesitantly tested the strength of the metal, then another, then another. One in front of the other she began to make her way through the transformed hotel, the metal grating seeming to hold her weight. She just had to pray that it stayed that way. At the end of the hallway the path opened up to her right, with the bars that had previously blocked her path now to her left. Her path to the front lobby of the hotel was now blocked off, and the inaccessible area from before was now open. “No easy way out of this it seems...” She murmured quietly, turning to continue down the dark hallway. What would have once been Room 107 appeared to her left, though the door had been replaced with a thick slab of metal. The door lacked any kind of handle and had been welded to the metal frame around it. A single look at it told her there was no way she was getting inside. At least she could tell from a glance the room was blocked off, rather than having to test each door one by one. She stepped further down the hall, approaching the next room when she was stopped by the hiss of her phonograph. In the dark ahead of her she could hear a familiar squelching sound and hoofsteps clanging against metal growing closer. A Licker was heading straight for her. Not wanting to confront another of those hideous abominations so soon, she quickly swiveled her lantern around to take a look at Room 108's door. Though this one was also a thick slab of metal, it had a clearly marked handle and looked like it might open. She ran up to the door and tried the handle, giving it a shove and finding that it did open up for her. The door let out a loud, rattling creak as it opened, and the Licker let out its own screech at the noise before picking up its pace. She shoved her shoulder against the door, quickly sealing it shut behind her as the noise of her phonograph instantly died. She pressed her ear against the door to see if she could hear the Licker, but it seemed nothing could get through the thick metal door. Since her phonograph was silent she assumed she was out of harm's way. With that comfort in mind she turned around and lifted the lantern up to look at the room she just entered, and grimaced at the sight. It looked like some kind of torture room; chains and shackles were hooked up to the walls, whips and rods were hung up, butcher hooks hung from the corners, and a flat bed covered in blood with straps sat in the middle of the room. It was a gruesome room meant only to harm other ponies. “What kind of a madman creates such a place...” Octavia said with disgust, pushing down bile she felt rising in the back of her throat. Something glinted from the light of her lantern, and she stepped closer to the table to investigate. In the center of the pile of blood was a tile with a beautiful picture drawn on it. Picking it up to take a better look, she saw that the picture was rather intimidating. It depicted a white pony looming over a cage in which a much younger pink pony had been locked inside, while an oven was cooking behind him. “...It looks like it's the right size to fit into the mural...” She spoke hesitantly, not wanting to keep the scary looking tile. She just had to trust her instincts on this one, quickly pocketing the tile into her saddlebag. “The sooner I get out of here, the better.” With the torture room offering no other clues in her search, she went back to the metal door and gulped down her apprehension. She grabbed the handle and pulled it open with a bit of effort, the door loudly creaking as it opened. Her phonograph was silent for the moment and she stuck her head out to ensure the coast was clear. The Licker was nowhere in sight, so she closed the door behind her and continued her way down the hall. Turning another corner and passing by two more closed doors, she came to a stop in front of a door that stood out in the metallic hell. It was a wooden door, with fancy engravings carved into it like some sort of ViP room. The door had a golden faceplate on it that had rusted with age, labeling the door 'Room S102'. It was the nicest door she had seen since she'd entered Ponyville that day, so it had to mean something. She stepped up to the door and tried to open it, finding the door was locked tight. Octavia furrowed her brow at the door, wondering if she had to wander around until she found the key. Given her track record she would likely have to, but it was at least worth trying the key she had. Pulling out the silver key, she placed it in the door's lock and turned it. The door let out a click, opening up for her as the key vanished into a pile of ash. “Oh!” Octavia said in surprise, not having expected that to work. “So this is the room? I wasn't actually expecting to find it... Here...” She turned her head to look back at the hall of metal, rust, and blood that somehow was dangling precariously over a bottomless pit. A beautiful ornate door like this just didn't fit in with this hell of a landscape. Taking a deep breath to steel herself for anything, she pushed the door open and walked inside. The inside of the room was surprisingly okay, given the nature of where she was. It was once a fancy hotel room, with beautiful drapes lining the windows and walls, a gorgeous bed made of fine silks and plush pillows, several soft sofas and chairs around a small table, and even a small kitchen area for brewing tea or snacks. All of it had worn down with age, covered in a coat of dust and scratches. Most of it looked unusable now, any metal having rusted over, or the cushions having lost their lift. The room also stank of stale blood, a scent she was starting to get used to. Her eyes wandered over towards the bed, instantly spotting the source of the smell. A Licker was dead on the sheets, its tongue hanging over the edge of the bed, laying in a pool of its long-since rotted blood. “At least it's not a threat...” She murmured to herself, though she still didn't feel very comfortable around it. She stepped towards the body first, lifting her lantern to look at it. The creature was paler than its other counterparts, likely due to the severe blood loss it had suffered from. There was a long gash that ran from between its legs and up to its bulbous head that had clearly been the cause of its demise. A folded letter was placed just underneath its head She carefully grabbed the letter and pulled it out from under the body, watching it carefully for movement. When it remained still, she took several steps back before looking at the envelope in her hoof. It had a bit more weight to it than she expected a simple letter to have, so she quickly tore it open and pulled out the letter. Hey darling! I'm so glad we got to spend such a wonderful day together! You really were such a sweetheart! I know that thing you wanted was a little more expensive than usual, but I do so hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Our time together always seems so short, but I'm glad I was able to take all of your stresses away~ I hope I'll get to see you again soon sweetie~ And if you ever need a helping hoof to ease those troubles of yours, you know where to find me~ Yours truly, Pinks~ The letter had been finished with an exaggerated kiss in bright pink lipstick. This was clearly a response letter to the stallion that had been so desperate for her sister's attention, and this letter... She didn't want to believe it was written by her sister, but... The hoof writing matched. A little more flowery than what her sister would write, but it had all the same trappings. Is' dotted with circles, that way she curved her Ss', the spacing, everything about it. And of course, the name signed at the bottom and the pink lipstick... Octavia felt her stomach churn at the thought of her sister doing something like this, of her being involved in this! Pinkie was a sweet, gentle, and caring soul who loved everyone around her! She wasn't some two-bit floozy who went around using her body for- for THIS! The letter crumpled in her hoof. This was completely unacceptable! She wasn't going to stand for this! She was going to get to the bottom of this and find out who was tarnishing her sister's good name! Pinkie Pie was the sweetest, kindest, most loving pony she had ever known, and she would let no one destroy her reputation! “...Huh?” Octavia blinked in surprise, reaching a hoof up to her face. She wiped away a tear that had fallen, staring at her hoof in confusion. “...What?… Why am I...” She shook her head and wiped her face again, brushing the tears away. She didn't have time for this. She had to find her sister. Tossing the letter away she checked the envelope once again, reaching in and pulling out two things. The first was a rather plain looking bronze key, the other was a business card. “The Satin Saddle, hm?” Octavia glowered at the business card. It had a silhouette of a mare posed provocatively next to the name, with curvy little lines all over it. “If I make it out of here I have some questions for them.” She stuffed the key and business car away in her saddlebag and made her way for the door. There was a fire burning inside of her now. She wasn't going to let this world stop her from finding her sister. The hallway was still empty so she continued on her path with purpose in her step. The hallway came to an end this time, though metal bars blocked her path going right, and the only way forward was the stairwell that led up to the second floor. The stairs let out loud, creaking groans with each hoof step, as if they were threatening to break under her weight. Each step was just a sheet of metal precariously attached to the walls, and through the cracks of each step she could see down into the infinite abyss. It didn't take long to reach the top of the stair, stepping onto the second floor of the hotel. Despite the fact that she knew the first floor was below her, she couldn't see it through the grating that still made up the floor. “...Perhaps it's not as bottomless as I thought.” She murmured under her breath. “Though I'm not sure if that's better or worse...” Room S203 was the first door to her right at the top of the stairs, and its door was... Remarkably normal. It wasn't a slab of metal or an ornately decorated door like the last one. It was just an ordinary wooden door, just like one she would find in her apartment building. Curiously drawn to it, she stepped up and pushed it open, walking into the new room. She stopped with a gasp at what she saw.     O   O O     “So, this will be your place.” A gruff older stallion said, pulling a string to turn on the light. The tiny little apartment was barely anything to speak of. The living room, bedroom, and kitchen were all smashed together into a single living space. Only the bathroom had the decency of being its own room, and even that barely had room for the shower and toilet inside of it. “Rents cheap, but rent is still rent. Given how pathetic your deposit was, I take it you don't have any steady work yet.” “N-No sir, not yet.” A much younger Octavia muttered, feeling the old stallion's intimidation. “But I plan to start job-hunting right away! I'll have your first rent payment at the start of the month, no problem!” “You better.” He said with a grunt turning for the door. “I got too many ponies trying to be freeloaders as it is. If you don't got the money then I'm kicking you out.” “O-Of course! I won't let you down!” Octavia blurted out just as the older stallion closed the door behind him. Octavia was now all alone. She turned around back to face it, looking at the cramped, dingy little apartment that was apparently hers now. “Alright Octavia, this is it. This is your chance at starting a new life.” She affirmed to herself, nodding with a hopeful smile. “Manehatten, the city that never sleeps. I'll make my talent shine bright here! This town won't know what hit it!” It was a prideful boast to be sure, but one that failed to hide the nervousness and anxiety that filled the young pony's heart.     O   O O     “This is... My old apartment...” It had seen better days, but the layout was exactly the same. A small, one-room, economically designed apartment that had everything crammed together into one tiny space. All of the furniture was torn to shreds and scattered everywhere, dust and grime covered the walls and counters, and stains mired everything. But she could never forget the sight of the first place she had ever lived away from home. “What... What's this doing here?” She gaped in confusion, stepping further into the room and looking around with her light. She spotted an old torn up concert poster she had put up as inspiration, that bad stain from where she had spilled coffee, the dent in the wall from where she had run into it, and even the position of the furniture had been where she left it. There was no doubt in her mind that this was her old apartment. “How... How is this even possible?” Confusion and worry filled her, until her hoof stepped on something that crinkled. She turned and lifted her hoof, looking down to see one of Pinkie's old letters laying on the ground, next to what appeared to be another one of the tiles. She took a step back before picking up the crumpled paper from her careless hooves and read it. Hey Sis! I JUST got your letter from Manehatten and I HAD to write back RIGHT AWAY! I know your special talent sent you to that city, but I miss you already! Everything feels so lonely without you around, but I'm going to be a big girl, just like you told me to be! But when do you think I'll be able to visit you? I want to see where you'll be living from now on! I want to throw you a big surprise party there too! It's not exactly a proper home until you've had a 'Congratulations on your New Home' Pinkie Party there, right? I certainly couldn't imagine living somewhere that I hadn't thrown a party at yet! I know you could do it though... I miss you so so so so SO MUCH! You HAVE to let me visit soon! And make it a Pinkie Promise! And when we do meet up again, I promise I will have so many amazing stories to tell you! I'll make a lot of new friends, so I won't miss you as much, and I'll work super hard for the Cakes so you don't have to worry about sending me money! I just... I miss you Octavia. Please write back to me soon! I want to write a letter to you everyday so that you know I love you as much as you love me! Your bestest sister in the whole wide world! Pinkie Octavia felt something sharp tug at her heart reading the old letter again. She had almost forgotten about the constant letters Pinkie would send her back during those days, back when Manehatten had been so terrifying. They had been a source of comfort, to know that what she was doing was the right thing, that she would make it through her Manehatten days alright. She folded the letter up carefully, not wanting to damage the precious memory any more than she had, before slipping it into her saddlebag. “I will find you Pinkie. I promise you, I will.” Picking up the tile next she examined it curiously. She could see on it two young ponies, a pink one and a gray-blue one, with an older dark-gray pony walking away from them in the background. The three of them appeared to be in some kind of wooded area, though the two younger ponies looked as if they were lost. She clearly didn't have enough pieces to understand how they went together yet, so she slipped the tile into her pack before giving her old apartment another look over. “Is this is what happened to it after I left?” She wondered to herself. “It's been so long since I've been here...” Though despite how many memories the apartment held, she needed to keep moving on if she wanted to find her sister. Certain she had found everything of value she made her way back out into the hall. The loud ringing of her phonograph broke out the moment her hoofs touched metal, her head whirling to see a Licker approaching from the edge of her light. It loudly squelched as its muscles moved around its bulbous head, its tongue quickly sliding out. Octavia's eyes widened in shock, quickly stepping back to put distance between her and the creature. The Licker's tongue fully extended from its mouth, flicking through the air, looking for its prey. Pinkie flashed in her mind, her innocent younger sister, her smile so bright. She imagined her sister trapped in this town, cornered by one of these creatures, just like she had been. She saw its tongue slithering across Pinkie's body while she cried out in pain. She saw Pinkie's blood being splattered against the wall, as this creature had its way with her. Anger replaced rationality, rage consumed her instincts. She was not going to let this world have its way with her sister! The Licker screeched loudly, its tongue flailing wildly as it found its prey. Octavia rushed forward, quickly drawing the knife to bear down on the creature. The fleshy tongue came crashing down against the metal grating as Octavia just barely dodged it, letting out a battle cry as she slammed the knife down into the Licker's head. A piercing screech filled the hall as the Licker flailed its body. The thick tongue flicked through the air with incredible speed, slamming into her chest with a powerful thud. The air instantly escaped her body as she was tossed through the air, slamming into the hallway wall. Pain soared through her body as she held herself up against the wall, so much so that even breathing caused her agony, with each heavy breath ripping through her lungs like a knife. She grit her teeth and glared death at the monster, watching its body slosh around as it turned to face her. Octavia refused to let it have its way, and pushed off the wall with a fierce cry, rushing straight at the creature again. The tongue came crashing down, this time striking her back with its full unrelenting force. Octavia screamed from the pain, but used the moment against the creature. Her hoof rushed up and wrapped around its neck, while the other came up, grabbed the knife, and stabbed it back into the creature. The knife let out a sickening squelch as it pierced the monster's flesh, it echoing alongside the loud scream from the Licker, and a cry from Octavia. Blood splattered everywhere with each stab, staining the metal a richer red. The creature began to stumble and the tongue grew slow, until finally the creature's body fell with a thud. Octavia panted heavily, crouched low over the creature's body. She slowly withdrew the blade, watching as the color drained from its body and the blood dripped through the grating. The Licker was dead. The second one she had killed. She put the knife away in her bag and stepped away, only for her chest roar in pain. She cried out, collapsing on her sides, holding onto her chest, feeling like every breath might be her last. Her body shuddered from the pain as her breathing grew ragged and shallow, trying desperately to figure out what was wrong. There was so much pain, she couldn't handle it! A fire was ripping through her and she needed to stop it. She reached a hoof desperately into her bag, looking for anything that might stop the pain. Her hoof landed on the bottle she had gotten from the vending machine and quickly pulled it out. If this 'Health Drink' really did what it claimed to do, then she needed it right now. She ripped the cap off with her teeth before chugging the contents down hungrily. The taste of bitter herbs with a hint of strawberry began to wash over her mouth as she swallowed every last drop. When the bottle was empty she pulled her lips off with a loud gasp and shuddered, tossing the empty bottle aside and waited for the effects to kick in. It would be several seconds before a gentle warmth filled her lungs. Her breathing grew steady and the pain began to fade from her mind. She could still feel it there, but it seemed the drink wasn't lying about being a pain killer. Some of her strength was even returning, as she was able to push herself to stand. Her body gently shook, but the pain was at least tolerable now. “Bastard....” Octavia hissed, glancing over at the dead monster with a glare. She spat at the creature in disgust, then picked up her lantern and continued her way down the hall. She focused on keeping her breathing steady as she walked, passing by another sealed door before coming upon room S201. This door was made of the same thick metal as Room 108, so she figured nothing happy could be behind it. Pressing her hooves against the door she shoved it open, the door loudly screeching in protest to her arrival. Something in the room skittered across the darkness, causing Octavia to jump. She lifted her lantern quickly, looking around for what had just moved. The room's walls and floor were made with thick metal, while what had to be broken furniture covered in stained white tarps were placed all around the room. It looked as if long ago someone had wanted to move into this room, but something had gone terribly wrong and rather than throw everything out they had just wrapped it up in the sheets. A faint whimper escaped from one of the darker corners of the room and she swiveled the lantern in its direction. “Who's there!?” Octavia called out. “GO AWAY!” A little filly's voice cried, immediately dashing out of the corner she had been hiding from to another. The filly's familiar coat and mane passed through her lantern as she rushed behind a piece of furniture. “Ellie!” Octavia cried out in elated surprise. “Oh thank Celestia you're alright! I've been looking everywhere for you!” Ellie's tiny head half poked out from behind one of the broken pieces of furniture, glaring at Octavia. “Liar!” Ellie accused. “You haven't been looking for me at all! You just stumbled in here on accident!” “I-I didn't know where you were! I had no choice but to check all of the rooms, you could have been anywhere!” Octavia stepped forward, trying to explain herself. “I swear, I've been looking for you! It's dangerous for a filly to be wandering here alone! There are monsters wandering the halls out there! I need to get you out of here before something bad happens to you!” “My mom told me never to talk to strangers, and you're being really strange right now!” Ellie glowered, still refusing to come out. “I haven't seen a single monster! How do I know YOU'RE not the monster!” Octavia let out a groan of frustration at this filly. “Aren't we past the whole 'not talking to strangers' speech at this point? This is our third time meeting! And of course I'm not a monster! Monsters want to hurt innocent fillies like you, and I don't want that at all!” “I don't believe you!” Ellie declared, ducking behind the cloth, disappearing from sight. “Prove you're not a monster then!” “Prove it!?” Octavia balked at idea. “How am I supposed to prove that?” “That's for you to figure out! I'm not traveling with any monsters!” Ellie let out a huff of annoyance from her hiding spot, her mind seemingly made up. Octavia let out a groan of frustration, taking a hoof and running it down her face. She didn't have time to play games with Ellie, not if she was going to get her out of this hotel and to safety. What in Equestria could she do to convince Ellie that she wasn't a monster? “You've got a really beautiful voice sis. How come you don't sing more?” Octavia's eyes slowly widened as the words of her youngest sister crossed her mind. That was right, long ago she had done something special for her sisters. Closing her eyes, she took in a soft breath, and began to sing. “In a dream so long ago, of flowers in warm moonlight, foals would play the day away, in perfect harmony. A land so rich and beautiful, was very far away. Those who got to see its grace, were those truly blessed. Fields of gray and rock and dirt, stretch beyond that dream. To those who fall and lose their dreams, they come to call this home.” Her voice grew quiet as the last note of the song lingered in the air. It had been so long since she had last sung the piece, having long since given up on adding her voice to her music. Her passion was to the classical pieces that she performed, and adding her voice to them had never felt right. The sound of cloth shifting caught Octavia's ear and she lifted her head to look up at Ellie who was now standing out in the open. Her brow was furrowed, as if she was confused in thought, but she had come out of her hiding spot. Octavia couldn't help but offer her a gentle smile. “Was that satisfactory?” Octavia asked curiously. “...You've got a nice voice...” Ellie murmured, seeming to be thinking about it deeply. “...Alright fine, I'll go with you. But don't start acting weird okay!” She huffed, stepping up closer to Octavia. “Adults always act weird around kids and I hate it!” “I'll do my best Ellie, though your safety will be my top priority. If I tell you stay behind me or get to safety, you listen to me, alright?” Octavia stated firmly, making sure Ellie understood the severity of the situation. “Ugh, already acting weird.” Ellie huffed. “I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself!” “I'm being serious Ellie. It's not that I doubt your ability to take care of yourself, but I don't want you to get hurt either. So just do as I say until we get out of here, okay?” Octavia reaffirmed her position to the filly. “Fine, fine. Just lead the way already.” Ellie rolled her eyes, growing impatient with her adult companion. “Thank you, that's all I ask.” Octavia said with a relieved sigh, turning back towards the door. “It's safer for us to stick together, so let's head out.” With Ellie in tow, Octavia pushed the door open and re-entered the metal hallway. She quickly glanced around for danger before making her way down the walkway. Ellie stuck to her side as they wandered through the hallway, the sound of their hooves loudly echoing against the metal. A cold draft wafted through the hall as Octavia paused, turning to look to her left. The metal wall broke off, revealing the large dark hole that seemed to lead into the abyss. The tear into the open expanse extended out along the rest of the hallway, giving the hallway a soft breeze. “Do you think anyone would care if we went swimming?” Ellie asked curiously, sticking her head out over the edge of the walkway down into the abyss. Octavia couldn't see anything past the pitch black abyss, but one story down she would be looking at the pool area of the hotel. “Well, even if no one cared, there's no water in the pool at the moment.” Octavia said with a shake of her head, reaching out to the little filly and pulled her back a little. “Also don't stand so close to the edge, it'd be dangerous if you fell off.” “I wasn't going to fall! Even I know better than that.” Ellie scoffed with a roll of her eyes, before continuing forward. Octavia just shook her head and quickly followed after the young filly, not Letting her out of sight. The door to room 209 came into view and Octavia came to a stop in front of the door as Ellie kept walking. “Ellie, wait.” Octavia spoke up, causing the filly to turn her head confused. “I'm still looking for my sisters and I found a note that said they might be here. I need to check the rooms for clues that might lead to them.” “Ugh, fine. I guess I'll just follow you wherever you go.” Ellie was clearly annoyed, but complacent as she turned around and walked back up to Octavia's side. Octavia gave her a nod and a smile before grabbing the metallic handle of the door and pushing it open. The room was smaller than the others had been, with aged wood making up the floor and walls. There was a torn apart small metal bed pressed against the wall, a broken dresser on the other, a small toilet next to it, and between them on the other wall was a large window covered in bars. The room felt strangely familiar to Octavia. On one hoof it felt like it was supposed to be someone's personal bedroom, with the aged wood and the bed and dresser. On the other, the toilet and the metal bars made it feel like a jail cell. It was as if the two rooms had been merged into one. “Hmm, I don't see anypony.” Ellie said, giving a quick look around the empty room. “Seems that way. I'd still like to search it real quick, as somepony may have left a clue.” Octavia explained, stepping further into the room. “Fiiiiiiine.” Ellie exasperated, moving over to the bed and hopping on top of it. She let out a childish sigh and flopped over on it, staring up at the ceiling while she waited for Octavia to finish up her boring adult stuff. With there being nothing obvious near the bed Octavia turned her attention towards the dresser. There was nothing on top, so she grabbed hold of the top drawer and pulled it open. Inside she found one of the square tiles just like the others she had found. This one depicted an older gray mare closer to the front, who looked clearly angry and agitated at two younger ponies playing behind her. It was the same pink and gray-blue fillies as before. Having found what she was looking for, she quickly stuffed it into her saddlebag and gave the room a once-over. She couldn't shake the feeling that the room was familiar, but with nothing springing to mind, all she could do was head on out. “Did you find what you were looking for?” Ellie asked curiously, having noticed Octavia put something away into her bag. “I did, and it should hopefully help lead me to my sisters.” Octavia said with a nod, making her way out of the room. “Let's keep moving.” The empty hallway felt colder now, the night's chilly air washing through the open half of the hallway. It made Octavia feel uneasy, this whole world did, but the chill of the air only made everything feel more ominous. They passed by another sealed door, and were approaching the next room when Octavia's phonograph began to ring. She froze on the spot, her eyes widening as she heard the familiar sloshing begin to approach the two of them. Her heart jumped into her throat and her eyes snapped down to Ellie, who was just continuing forward, unaware of the danger that was heading straight for them. “H-Hey!” Ellie cried out in surprise as Octavia rushed forward, scooping the little filly up into her hooves. She rushed forward just far enough to reach the door to Room 207 and slammed her shoulder against it. The door gave way with a loud clang as they stumbled inside. The Licker let out a loud screech in response to the loud crash, only fueling Octavia's adrenaline. She rammed her shoulder against the door again, slamming the heavy metallic door shut. She pressed herself against the door hard, ensuring it would stay closed if the monster tried to force its way inside. Her phonograph had died down the moment she closed the door, but with Ellie there she wasn't going to take the risk if she didn't have to. “HEY! LET GO OF ME!” Ellie thrashed violently against Octavia's grip on her. One of the little filly's flailing limbs struck against a tender spot on Octavia's chest, causing the mare to his in pain and let go of the filly. Octavia quickly wrapped her hooves around her torso, wincing as she watched Ellie bounce to the center of the room, turning to glare at her. “What was that about!?” Ellie yelled, glaring at Octavia. “You said you wouldn't be weird!” Ellie stomped her hoof, huffing in anger. “I'm sorry! But there was a monster right in front of us!” Octavia shook her head, still reeling from having her chest kicked. “I had to get us out of danger and fast!” “Monster? I didn't see any monster!” Ellie huffed, stomping her hoof. “You're just making things up!” “Didn't you hear it? It knew we ran in here and cried out at us!” Octavia pointed at the door in disbelief. “If I hadn't brought us in here it would've attacked us!” “Liar! This is why I don't like adults! They're nothing but liars!” Ellie growled. Octavia opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when she noticed the room they had entered. It was a fairly large room with cement for the walls and floor, but it was littered with large gray rocks everywhere. In the corners they were stacked up high and spilled out towards the center. Ellie blinked and turned around to look at the room as well, the two of them staring at the strangeness of it. For Octavia though, the shape of the rocks only brought back memories.     O   O O     The heavy rock fell into place with a heavy thud, finally at its destination. Octavia leaned against it, breathing heavily as her mane fell in front of her face. Her fur was coated in a layer of sweat and the muscles in her limbs were burning hot. Harvest day was fast approaching for the farm, and that meant there was still so much work left to be done. Most of the rocks needed to be rotated across the field, while others needed to be placed into their final position. The biggest of the rocks to be harvested all needed to be placed into their final positions before the end of the week, so that they can finish their development and be sold for a profit. It was hard, back-breaking work, but if the farm was to stay afloat it needed to be done. “Excellent work Inkantessa.” The gruff older stallion spoke up, stepping over to her. Octavia lifted her head just enough to see him through a part in her bangs, giving her father a weary smile. “Thank you Father.” Octavia said with a gentle shake of her mane, pushing herself off the rock to stand on her hooves again. “The harvest is turning out well so far, if we can move just a few more of these today we'll be ahead of schedule.” Her father said, turning to the large rock and gently tapping it with his hoof. He gave it a nod and turned back to her. “The next rocks I need you to move will be the three large rocks over in the west field and take them to the east field. After that we can call it a day for today and get some dinner.” “Yes Father.” She spoke with exhaustion not looking forward to dinner. You could only eat Rock Soup so many times before you started to crave something else. Their conversation was interrupted by the laughter of foals, the two of them turning to look towards the noise. Pinkamena and Bellamena were out in the fields playing some kind of game together, chasing each other around the fields without a care in the world. “Well, those two certainly look like they're having fun.” Their father said, looking at his two youngest daughters with a loving smile. Octavia couldn't help but stare at them, at the way the two of them played so care-freely, the way they didn't care at all that Harvest Day was fast approaching. They had time to play even though there was so much hard work to be done. Even though she had to work until she was about to pass out, and they just got to frolic and play in the fields. “Alright, back to work Inkantessa. The rocks won't turn themselves.” Her father said stoically, turning to head back to his section of the field. “...Yes Father...” Octavia murmured in return, tearing her eyes away from her sisters to stare at the ground. She grit her teeth and ground her hooves into the dirt, before slowly making her way towards the next set of rocks she had to turn.     O   O O     “Who likes rocks this much?” Ellie asked, tilting her head in confusion. Octavia opened her mouth to speak, before closing it again and shaking her head. Why had she remembered that memory just then? Why was she remembering home right now? There were far more important things to be dealing with. “Hey, isn't this one of those things you were looking for?” Ellie spoke up again, holding up one of the square plates that had been resting in the middle of the room. Octavia blinked in surprise looking at it, before quickly nodding her head. “Y-Yes, I was looking for those, thank you.” She gave her thanks quickly before walking over and taking the square tile from the filly. This tile depicted the pink and blue-gray filly standing in front of a house with its door open, and a white stallion was greeting them at his front door. She tucked the piece into her bag, wondering just how many more pieces she was going to have to find. “So we found what we needed in here right? We can go now?” Ellie asked with a tilt of her head, growing impatient. “I don't know if that monster is still out in the hallway...” Octavia murmured, turning back to look at the door. “I'll check to see if it's safe.” She rested her hoof against the handle of the heavy metal door and took a deep breath, calming herself before pulling it open. With the door open a crack she peaked out enough to listen and only heard the silent breeze of the chilly air. “It seems to have moved on, we should be able to keep searching now.” Octavia said in relief, opening the heavy metal door the rest of the way. She wasn't sure which direction the Licker had wandered off, but as long as it wasn't in their path they should be alright. Ellie followed behind, though not nearly as closely this time. The hallway made another turn and the two of them followed it, coming to stop at the next door they found. It was two metal doors with no numbering over the door, and a heavy bloodstain splashed between them. It wasn't a door to a hotel room like the others, causing Octavia to swallow some of the tension in her throat. “Stay close to me Ellie.” Octavia ordered, bringing her hoof up to the door. The little filly scampered behind the older pony, and watch as the door was noisily pushed open. The sounds of hissing steam echoed around the room as a sudden rush of warmth escaped through the door. Octavia winced as the door opened completely and her lantern lit up the room, revealing a room full of huge, twisting, turning pipes that all connected to a gigantic boiler on other end of the room. The pipes rattled and creaked loudly, steam occasionally escaping from where the pipes were connected. The faces on the boiler were jumping back and forth, with the pressures varying wildly from the lack of maintenance. “Well this place has seen better days...” Octavia murmured as she stepped in closer, Ellie following behind. The metal door swung close behind them and instantly the room started to warm up from the heat of the steam escaping the pipes. “It's so hot in here!” Ellie complained. “Do we have to stay here?” “It'll only be for a moment Ellie, I promise.” Octavia reassured the young pony, before walking up to the machine. It was clearly going haywire, with the pressure constantly rising and then immediately falling, the steam bursting out anytime it rose too high. It caused the room to feel like a spa and sweat was already starting to trickle down her neck from it. Her ear twitched at a unique sound though, as if something was rattling around inside of the machine. Something must've broken loose and was causing the machine to go crazy, which would explain the fluctuating dials. There were a few crank handles on the boiler that likely indicated how much water was to flow into the machine, how much steam was to be released, and how hot to make the water. Getting the machine to stop seemed simple enough, her father had taught her how to take care of one back when she still lived on the farm. She gripped one of the handles and began to turn it, the wheel noisily grinding metal as it spun. The hissing of the boiler began to quiet down with each passing second, the dials on the machine calming down and the needle settling at the 'no-pressure' end of the meter. She kept turning until the machine was just buzzing with a gentle hum. It was calmed, but it wasn't off, she would need to finish turning the other handles to do that. She wrapped her hooves around the next one and began to crank that one next. CLANG Octavia stared in horror as the wheel had completely snapped off of the machine, now resting in her hooves as the snapped end jiggled inside the machine. Suddenly the machine roared back to life, steam hissing loudly as the meters rocketed up to maximum pressure. The machine started to inflate and grow, screws popping out as boiling hot steam began to spew from every crack and escape point they could find. “WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Ellie screamed, backing away from the roaring machine. There was no time to try and stop the machine from bursting, when the handle snapped any device regulating the pressures inside the boiler had snapped as well. Octavia turned on her heels and ran straight for Ellie, wrapping the filly with her hooves and covering the young ones body with her own. An explosion of steam and heat burst from the boiler as the boiling hot steam flooded the room in an instance. Octavia screamed in pain as the heated water burned her flesh and fur, scalding her from head to hoof. The agonizing burning felt like it lasted forever, before the heat in the steam finally began to dissipate. She panted heavily, sucking the heated fumes of water into her lungs with each breath, trying to shake off the pain from the burns. “Let. Go. Of. ME!” Ellie cried, pushing away from Octavia and finally breaking free of the older pony's grip. Octavia didn't have the strength to struggle, just shuddering as she leaned over, letting Ellie escape towards the door. The young filly swiftly pulled the door open and rushed out into the hallway, the steam rushing out behind her. Water dripped from Octavia's mane and fur as she took in her heavy breaths, just trying to recover. She had known what she was doing, so why had it ended so badly? The handle had been sturdy enough when she had grabbed it, and even then it shouldn't have exploded when it snapped, so why had it... Her eyes spotted something lying right next to her, something that hadn't been there before. It was another one of the square tiles, this one depicting a small pink pony running from a burning building. She lifted her hoof, wincing in pain and picked up the tile before putting it away in her saddlebag. A loud, piercing scream rang out from the hallway, causing Octavia to snap her head up instantly. Ellie had just screamed, she was in danger! “ELLIE!” Octavia cried out, quickly getting to her hooves and rushing forward, bursting her way through the double doors and back into the hallway. She skidded to a halt just short of the ledge, looking around left and right desperately for the little filly. “Wha-AAAAAAAAAAAAA-!” Something struck Octavia from behind, lurching her forward. Her hooves slipped from the hallway, her screams echoing around her as she fell through the darkness. Her body landed hard with a crunch as sticks and leaves broke her fall. Her eyes opened wide as she stared up at where she had fallen, seeing Ellie sticking her head out from over the ledge of where Octavia had just fallen. “I told you not to be weird! And all you've done is be weird! This is why I hate adults!” Ellie angrily huffed, and pulled her head back before the sound of her hooves could be heard running off. “ELLIE! WAIT!” Octavia cried, reaching her hoof out to try and stop the filly, but her hoofsteps vanished into the darkness. Octavia stared in disbelief, unable to believe that Ellie had really pushed her off of the second floor. She groaned as the twigs and leaves were starting to dig into her sensitive flesh and rolled off of the bush, landing on her hooves. She had landed back on the first floor, right next to the empty pool. She shook her body of some of the excess water, shuddering as pinpricks of pain cascaded over her. Every part of her body was aching and the fire in her lungs had reignited. Each breath was like swallowing needles, but she couldn't stop now. She considered trying to track down Ellie for a moment, but realized that not only was she in no state to chase after the filly but that she had no idea where she had gone. “I'm just going to have to trust her that she really can take care of herself...” Octavia murmured to herself, giving her head a shake before turning to look at the pool. It was the same as it was when she had found it, though now she had the tiles that fit into the mural. She made her way to the deep where the mural stood and fished out the five tile pieces she had found while traveling through the hotel. The image of the mural depicted a mare telling a story, so that had to mean the tiles were meant to go in order. Each of the tiles did show a progression of events, so she used her best judgment and started placing them in the order that seemed to make sense to her. There was just enough room in the mural for the fifth tile to click into place. Once the final tile was in place she stepped back and waited for a moment to see what would happen. It was then that she heard a gentle mare's voice speak up, as if reading a story to her children.     “Once upon a time there was a young Mother with two children. The Mother despised the two children, as they had ruined her life. One day she grew tired of caring for them, and planned a trip into the woods. She took them deep into the woods, and then abandoned them to their fates. Lost and scared, the children wandered the woods aimlessly, until they found a kind stallion that took them to his house. However, he was not as kind as he claimed, for he was actually a monster. He locked one into a cage, and cooked the other in his oven. The stallion got careless when he went to cook the second child. He found himself in the oven, while they ran away.”     A chill ran down Octavia's spine as the voice faded. It was... A story that sounded all too familiar. Part of it was obviously a retelling of an old fairy tale passed down to young foals as a warning to not trust strangers... ...And the other part was a reflection of her sister's past... “What was that supposed to accomplish?” She murmured, noticing that nothing had changed with the mural. No door opened up nor did it drop any item for her to pick up. As far as she could tell, the whole point of collecting the tiles had just been to listen to the story. She let out a sigh of frustration before turning around to make her way out of the pool, before freezing without having taken a single step. The bottom of the pool had completely disappeared, an infinite abyss expanding out before her. “What happened to the floor!?” She cried out as she immediately recoiled, pressing herself against the mural. There was only a small strip of floor left, barely enough for her to stand. She turned and reached up for the edges of the pool, trying to grab them to lift herself out. Her hooves were woefully out of reach however, and even jumping wouldn't get her high enough. The deep end of the pool was just too far up for her to get out. “Oh no! Oh no oh no, what do I do!?” Octavia began to panic, twirling around in place. She was stuck! Her only options were to wait for someone to come rescue her, stay there until she starved, or risk jumping into the abyss. Something in her mind told her there was no way the first option was happening, she didn't have the patience for the second option, and that meant... She sat on the thin bit of floor and stared down at the infinite abyss, feeling dread churning in her stomach. It really was the only option that made sense, but she didn't like it one bit. It would've been better if the floor had just crumbled with her on top so she would've just fallen and gotten it over with. Instead the world had to be cruel and was forcing her to jump. She swallowed the nervous tension in her throat and stood up, staring down at the infinite abyss that threatened to swallow her whole. “This is a stupid idea, this is probably the stupidest idea I've ever had.” Octavia said with a shudder, her hooves moving awkwardly on spot. She grit her teeth, closed her eyes, and jumped forward with some effort. Wind and darkness rushed up around her, as she disappeared into the inky abyss.     O   O O     Water washed up against her hips, slowly waking her. She didn't even know when she had lost consciousness, just that the world was coming back to her. She lifted her front hooves, realizing that her front half was laying in a pool of inch high water, and her back legs had fallen into a deeper trench. She let out a groan of pain and effort as she hoisted herself onto the platform, before looking around. It was a square, metal cage with the bars shooting up into the infinite darkness above her. She couldn't see where they stopped, nor could she see anything beyond the bars. Behind her was a ramp leading down, with a grate covering what looked like the source of the water. Outside of the bars she could see a veritable ocean surrounding her, the rest shrouded in darkness. A metallic grinding caught her ears and she swiveled her head to the bars on the opposite side of the cage from her. The bars were moving up, creating a pony-sized doorway that looked like they were forming an exit. She froze after her first step towards it when she heard the sound of metal scraping against metal. A sound she had heard somewhere before. From out of the darkness came a creature she remembered, one she had seen in her nightmares. A mare, standing on her hind legs covered in thick metal, a bloodied and torn white smock around her hips, a metal collar boring into her neck, and a thick metal mask covering her head framed by her curly pale-blonde locks. Dragged behind her was that gigantic, inwardly curved scythe, and the memory of it what it could do. “No! No what are YOU doing here!?” Octavia cried out in panic, stepping back as her hoof slipped into the deeper water. She looked back for a second, before snapping back to the Masked Mare that now stood before her. The bars that had opened up to let her in now closed shut behind her. The two of them were trapped together in that cage. Metal hoofsteps echoed around Octavia, as the Masked Mare began to make her way towards her. Metal and water sloshed about as the scythe was dragged along the ground, her purpose and intent clear. She was headed straight for Octavia. “No! NO STAY BACK!” Octavia screamed, her hooves picking up and rushing across the cage in an attempt to keep the distance between them. The Masked Mare simply turned and followed Octavia, drawing closer with each step. Octavia rushed into a corner of the room, coming to a stop with nowhere to run. She looked desperately around the arena, but there were no gaps in the bars, no space to keep distance between herself and the mare. She turned around, eyes widening in horror as the Masked Mare placed both hooves on the handle of the scythe, turning it to face her. Octavia screamed, ducking down at the last moment as the scythe came slicing at her, avoiding decapitation by inches. She screamed in sputtering, panicked cries as her hooves tried to find traction with the metallic ground, the water sloshing so strongly that it made it difficulty to carry herself away. She ran past the mare, just hoping to put some distance between the two of them. Pain erupted from the base of her tail as it was suddenly caught, her hooves slipping and her upper body crashing down hard against the floor. Her eyes opened in panic and turned around, seeing that the Masked Mare had stepped on her tail as she had run past, catching her on the spot. The Mare's mask tilted, the blood splatter in the shape of an eye turning to gaze at her prey. The Mare tilted her scythe once more, lifting it up and slamming the blunt end down against Octavia's side. A scream of pain escaped Octavia, as she instantly curled up from the horrific pain. Her breathing was on fire and her mind was reeling from the trauma. Her hooves wrapped around her body as her entire being shook, unable to comprehend what was going on anymore. The Masked Mare's heavy footsteps drew closer, Octavia's eyes widening the moment she noticed the Mare was standing over her, her presence bearing down. Her hooves scrambled to get away, but were to slow to stop the Mare's next attack. Thick, heavy metal rushed forward and slammed into Octavia's chest, all of the air escaping her lungs instantly. The Masked Mare had kicked Octavia, sending her tumbling across the arena and skidding to a halt. Octavia's mind was spinning, her eyes unable to keep focus on the enemy that stood before her. Blood dripped from her mouth with each panicked, burning breath, and her entire body felt like it was succumbing to shock. She could barely process the pain, let alone what was happening. The Masked Mare was approaching again, she knew that much. If she laid there, she'd be killed. That monster would tear her down without hesitation, she would put an end to everything. She'd never know what happened to Pinkie, to Bellamena, to Ellie, to this town, or even herself. She would be cut down, and then everyone she ever cared about would be next. She grit her teeth, pushing the pain and terror into the back of her mind as best she could, standing up despite the shaking and weakness. She pulled out her knife, the only defense she had. She brought it up, facing the Masked Mare growling in anger. The Mare seemed undisturbed by the display, and continued to walk forward. Octavia let out a battle cry, rushing forward with what strength she had, lifting the knife up and swinging it down hard against the Masked Mare. Her hoof slammed hard against metal, and Octavia screamed in pain, the knife falling from her grip. She looked up in terror, seeing that the Masked Mare had simply raised one of her hooves and caught Octavia's attack. The grip tightened against her foreleg and Octavia screamed again, wrenching at her hoof and trying to break it free from the Mare's grasp. The Mare simply tilted her head, looking at Octavia as if she was a curiosity, as if she was wondering what the pony had been thinking. Metal scraping against metal echoed in Octavia's ears as the scythe was pulled forward. Octavia felt tears rolling down her cheek as she screamed, watching as the scythe was brought up and curled around her body. The Masked Mare looked at Octavia, watching the pony squirm and flail as they tried to escape the grip that had trapped her. The tip of the scythe came down against Octavia's back and was dragged down slowly across it. Octavia's scream pierced the air as the searing sensation of her flesh being cut open flashed hot across her mind. Blood trickled out of the open wound and the slow, torturous pain continued as she was sliced all the way down to her flank. The last inch was punctuated by the scythe flicking, sending the blood it had pooled flying as Octavia writhed in pain, crying out for the torturous pain to end. The Masked Mare pulled Octavia's arm back, before swinging it forward and letting go of the struggling mare. The force of the toss sent Octavia flying, the pain skyrocketing through her body. Octavia laid there, curled up in the water, sobbing from the pain. Every fiber of her being was crying out in pain and she couldn't even stand anymore. The metal crashing of the Mare's metal shoes echoed around her as they drew closer. She was barely able to comprehend it, she just wanted it all to end. Octavia weakly lifted her head, looking up at the Mare that stood over her, her presence bearing down. The weak pony could only shake, tears continuing to stream as she hiccuped and sobbed. “Please...” Octavia begged, squeezing her eyes shut, “Please... I just... I just wanted to see my sisters...” She lowered her head, squeezing her hooves around herself tighter. If the Masked Mare heard her, it made no reaction. The scrape of metal was the only response Octavia received, as the Mare grabbed the scythe with both hooves once more, readying to strike. Octavia squeezed her eyes shut, curling up into her ball as tightly as she could, and awaited for death to come. She waited, but the strike never came. Hesitantly, she opened one of her eyes and looked up at the imposing Mare. The Masked Mare wasn't looking at her anymore. It was looking off into the distance, as if distracted by something. And that was when she heard it herself. A siren, blaring ever so quietly in the distance. The Masked Mare seemed to be listening to intently, as if it was the most important thing in the world. After a moment, the mare turned and began to walk away. Octavia couldn't believe what she was seeing, but the Masked Mare was actually retreating. A wave of realization about how close to death she had just been washed over her, and her entire body began to shake. Water splashed against her back and suddenly her pain was on the front of her mind again. The cold water was overpowering her and the sound of it rushing around her caught her attention. The water level was rising, and fast! Octavia felt her panic return as she struggled to slosh against the rising waters, but in a matter of seconds it had overwhelmed her. The water rushed up and past her head, rising higher and higher until she couldn't even see the surface anymore. Air escaped from her lungs as suddenly everything was swirling around her. She couldn't breath, she couldn't see anything, she just flailed her hooves, begging and pleading for air, for it to just all end. Air suddenly filled her lungs as she let out a sharp gasp, her head surfacing from the water. Her hooves flailed so desperately they must've brought her to the surface. Her eyes looked around frantically and spotted a shoreline not but a yard or two away. She swam as quickly and desperately as she could in the direction of land. Her hooves felt dirt and gravel under the water as she reached the shore, rushing as quickly as she could out of the water and onto dry land, collapsing with a heavy thud into the dirt as the energy in her body left her. She only just now realized how freezing cold the water had been, though the air wasn't much better. She panted heavily, her mind reeling from everything that had just happened. Had she really escaped from that awful hell? Had she escaped that sadistic mare with her life? How had she ended up on the shore? So many questions filled her mind, trying desperately to distract herself from the pain. “Hey, is someone there?” A familiar voice called out from above her. Octavia's eyes shot open, lifting her head and looking up. Standing by a railing that overlooked the lake was a pink mare, with straight dark-pink hair and shimmering blue eyes. She wore a red leather jacket, heavy red eye-shadow, and a red pearl earring, but that voice and that face... Octavia wouldn't confuse them for anyone else in the world. “...Octavia?” Pinkie Pie's eyes widened in shock at the sight of her injured, waterlogged sister.