//------------------------------// // Subject 174: Sky Mission Part VI // Story: Interviews With Equestrians // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// I woke up and found myself tied up as well. Though I wasn’t gagged. I sat in the middle of the room on a table. Now that heinous presence from before was most definitely here with us. And there it was. Or rather, there she was. A unicorn mare with an orange-brown coat, a two-tone gold mane, and sunflower cutie mark appeared out of the darkness. She looked just as aged as Jackpot. But her eyes were not a normal color. She had an odd shade of demonic yellow with an abnormal aura. This mare was under some sort of control. “...At last, I can finally have my revenge…” she said as she stepped up to me. “Revenge?” I asked as I subtly tried to break free of the chains. It wasn’t much use unfortunately, so I had to at least hear her out. “What are you talking about?” She turned to face me with an annoyed glare. “Isn’t it obvious? Oh that’s right. You don’t comprehend who I am just yet. But since I’m about to finally take back what I want, I suppose I can indulge you.” She tilted her head with the slightest amused grin, “Do you know much about old monsters from the Grogar era?” Let’s see, there were loads. So many that I couldn’t exactly think of a specific one in the heat of that moment. For one thing, she looked like a regular mare with just a bit of an evil magical aura. So I simply ventured a guess. “A bit. But I have a feeling that you are one. Care to give me the time of day, ma’am?” I said with the best smirk I could muster, though it was more like a nervous smile. “Well in truth, I’m not actually the being you see before you. I’m actually in control of this body--using it as a vessel for now. Ever heard of a Mimic?” she leaned against the table I was strapped to. A red flag went off in my head. I knew what those were. The demonic treasure chests that could take the shape of objects. But that was the keyword: Objects. Mimics were never known to be able to take the forms of other ponies and living beings. How was this possible?! “I have,” I replied with a careful scowl, “I know that they can copy the shape of any object that they come in contact with. But just how were you able to do the same thing with the body of a mare? Is it akin to changelings? Is the real mare hidden away somewhere?” She giggled to herself and continued. “Well...not exactly. See, I’ve actually taken control of her real body. There is no ‘copy’ in this instance. It’s something far more sinister than what the changelings were ever capable of.” Then she looked up at the restrained unicorn stallion on the wall. “So for my first move, I’ll be helping her take revenge on that old bastard you see up there. Living the life of luxury while his lover and child live on their own with no real memory of him. It makes me sick.” From above, Jackpot gave an anxious, muffled scream into the ropes that kept him from speaking. I was equally confused. There were no records of Jackpot ever having a family. So to say “Wait a minute. Just who are you? Or rather, who are you taking the appearance of at the moment?” “His one-and-done shotgun lover, Spectacle. He has a daughter named Trixie Lulamoon.” My eyes nearly popped out of my head and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I didn’t think it was true, but he really was part of a dysfunctional family. But how? Why? I couldn’t just accept one side of it. I needed answers. “Okay...at least allow him the chance to speak,” I requested, “I don’t have much to go off of with just one side of the story. The least you could do would be to offer him that opportunity.” The mare known as ‘Spectacle’ scoffed and stepped away from me for a second. “Fine. I suppose it won’t hurt to hear what pitiful excuse he could have.” With a flash of her horn, the ropes were parted which allowed Jackpot to speak. “Agh! Whew…” the older stallion caught his breath, and made his case, “Alright, alright look. How can you be so sure? I don’t even know a…’Spectacle’ or a ‘Trixie.’ Trust me, I’ve been around quite a long time and have met tons and tons of fans! Surely, logically, I’d remember if I--” CRASH! The mare used her horn to magically levitate, and throw a nearby vase into the wall next to Jackpot. It missed him by a few inches. “You lie!” she cried out, “Either that or you’ve gone senile!” She then used her magic to grasp a set of pictures. One of the pictures was of her sending Trixie off to the magic academy in Canterlot. “Do you see! That’s your daughter! Same coat color, mane color, eye color! But no...you couldn’t resist sleeping around with whoever you wanted and now look what happened. You disgust me, Jackles.” One of his ears twitched at the last thing she said.His confusion melted and became soft, genuine heartbreak as he spoke. “Wait a minute...only one mare called me that. Could it really be you? I never thought I would have had a kid...is she still--ack!” But before he could say anything else, the ropes were applied once more. Spectacle scoffed again, and turned away. “It’s too late to suddenly feel concerned. You should have kept a better lid on your overactive nature. But now, I’m going to finally take back what you stole from me: The relationship with our daughter.” Part of me felt a tad sympathetic, but I was still largely confused as to why I had to be tied up as well. Also, just how much influence did the Mimic have over her? Because if there was a way to sever the connection...I could save her and destroy that beast. For the moment, all I could do was play along. “Ahem. Excuse me. What I’d like to know is exactly why I’m restrained?” “Oh that’s simple,” she waved her hoof at me with a small laugh, “You see, I’m going to torture him. How?” She flashed a warm, yet creepily inviting smile at me, “I’m going to show him all of what he’s been missing ever since he left me!” This was not good. I could only pray that Corkscrew would finish his song and come to my aid soon. I did not want to know what she meant by that. “Um...I’ll have to decline.” “I’m sorry, but did I give you a choice?” she tilted her head with a smug expression on her face, “Unless of course, you’re willing to reveal the location of Cozy Glow. Then I’ll let you both go free.” I grimaced hard--almost hard enough to send quakes through my jawline. “...Never. Do whatever you please to me. I won’t ever tell you where she is.” “Oh well,” she looked down at the ground with a disappointed frown at first, but then immediately swapped it out for a more excited, dare I say, lustful smile, “Guess we’ll have to do this the hard way!” Some sacrifices were necessary.