//------------------------------// // 1. Kill Your Darlings // Story: The Crazed Axe Murderer of Pony Canada: Pinkie Pie's Terrifying Tales: Sunny Starscout's Terrifying Tales // by SigmasonicX //------------------------------// A cold wind swept through Maretime Bay. The festivities of Nightmare Night had ended, leaving the streets empty of living souls, except for the shadows. Most were surely caused by decorations flapping in the wind, but every once in a while, one could see out of the corner of their eye something that didn’t quite seem to make sense. The kind of shadow that was never there when you turned to look. This time of year, even the Crystal Brighthouse formed a foreboding silhouette against the starry sky. And it was there that one of the oldest pony traditions continued: the Nightmare Night story. Granted, it was a tradition that had some hiccups. Sunny Starscout’s father was, to her knowledge, the only one in Maretime Bay who liked to tell little colts and fillies scary stories from the past, and when she tried to continue his legacy, it was tough to get any interest. Given that, it warmed Sunny’s heart to see so many foals gathered before her. And of all three pony races, at that! She really had to thank Pipp again for streaming about it. Sitting up front, an earth pony filly named Seashell waved her hoof. “Sunny, can you start already!” Sunny giggled. “My, aren’t you excited.” Seashell’s friend, a unicorn filly named Peach Fizz, clarified. “We want to hear Pipp’s story, but she said we have to hear yours first!” Glory, a pegasus filly who was friends to both of them, said, “Yeah, we want Pipp!” The crowd grumbled in agreement, with some scattered, “Pipp Pipp Hooray!”s. Sunny sighed. She flipped her father’s storybook to the correct page. It wasn’t enough to just enthrall the foals with her story. She also wanted to be educational. And for that, she needed a story from the distant past. “The story you’re about to hear is one recorded from one of the Guardians of Harmony herself.” Sunny paused, seeing that the foals had all quieted down. Perhaps she had more authority over them than she realized. Slowly moving her hoof to the side, she continued, “It starts on a Nightmare Night very similar to this one…” Nightmare Night arrived in Ponyville once again, and three fillies found themselves before the merchant of nightmarish tales, Pinkie Pie. Shadows cast on her face, she declared, “Welcome, my adorable friends! In today’s tale, I’ll tell you about the time I baked a pie and—” “Pinkie!” yelled Sweetie Belle, excitedly waving her hooves. “No more baked goods!” “And yes, Rarity told the same mannequin story again!” Scootaloo angrily declared. Getting up on her haunches, Sweetie raised her front legs up and said, “I want a story with blood! Gore! Death!” Calmer than the others but still fairly agitated, Apple Bloom said, “Yeah Pinkie, like none of your stories so far actually had anyone get hurt for real. That cake was just feeding people, and even Applejack getting her head cut off wasn’t a big deal. It’ll probably be for your own good if you have a more gruesome-like story.” Pinkie raised an eyebrow. “For my own good?” Apple Bloom cringed and motioned her head toward Sweetie Belle, who was waving her hooves wildly. Pinkie stuck her tongue out. “Ohh, gotcha. I actually do have the perfect story for you! It’s called… The Crazed Axe Murderer of Pony Canada!” Sweetie immediately shifted back to her normal sweet squeaky self. “Oh, that sounds good!” Apple Bloom scrunched her face. “Wait, Pony Canada? You mean like Vanhoover?” Pinkie smiled. “No, silly, I mean Pony Canada! It’s a big wonderful little frozen wasteland filled with wonderful creatures full of wonder! Exactly the sort of place Fluttershy would beg to take the students of the School of Friendship on a field trip to!” Scootaloo waved her hoof. “Wait, is this something that actually happened, or is it one of your alternate dimensions?” Pinkie playfully rolled her eyes. “Of course it actually happened… in an alternate dimension! And it could happen here too, if we aren’t careful! But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here’s what happened when the School of Friendship went to Pony Canada, land of the Crazed Axe Murderer…” “So,” Sunny said as she broke from the story. “I just want to mention that this story-within-a-story format was common back then, along with real figures appearing in fictional stories. Another example of this is how the old Daring Do legends prominently featured Rainbow Dash, even though we know Daring Do herself is a completely fictional character that never existed. And about Pony Canada, while we can find references to Vanhoover elsewhere, that isn’t the case for Pony Canada. The name itself is quite unusual, as we have no clue as to what a Canada is, let alone why Pinkie would specify that it’s Pony Canada. Apple Bloom’s reaction indicates that this is indeed a fictional location, or at least a very obscure one, but we can’t use that to rule out that it ever existed. In fact, some ponies have made it their life’s mission to find Pony Canada and…” Sunny could sense the eyelids of the foals before her closing. She held her book up again. “Anyway, we start Pinkie’s story of the Crazed Axe Murderer of Pony Canada…” The Frozen North. Considered by many to be a wasteland not conducive to pony habitation, it was in fact full of life if one dared to venture into the cold. In the light of the setting summer sun, a group of creatures hiked through the snow. Fluttershy stopped to take a deep breath, and then released it contentedly. “And here we are, students. Behold, the wonder of nature!” Three students followed behind her. Silverstream the hippogriff wore a thick coat—albeit with wing holes—and excitedly took pictures of the snow with a portable camera. Ocellus the changeling shivered under her many layers of scarves. Yona the yak, however, chose not to wear anything, protected by her thick fur. She was tasked with carrying everyone’s luggage on a sled behind her, and the weight was hefty indeed, though she was up to the task. Also with them were teachers Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Starlight Glimmer, and Trixie. All wore coated saddles, hats, and scarves. Rainbow hovered in the air. “OK, this is nice and all, but why did all of us come here?” Starlight sighed. “I really thought more students would sign up.” Trixie shivered as she rolled her eyes. “Even with the ‘teacher of the month’ leading this, I wouldn’t want to go to this nightmare realm unless I was forced to. Which Trixie was, to be clear.” Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, this might seem rough for us ponies, but take a look at all the animals before us!” Pointing ahead, everycreature could indeed see several figures ahead: tall ones munching on the bits of grass poking through the snow, and small ones waddling along in groups. Through chattering teeth, Trixie said, “Well, I see a bunch of deers, but we could see those at home.” Starlight shook her head. “Trixie, the plural of deer is deer.” Fluttershy jumped between them. “Actually, Trixie is right in this case! Those aren’t regular deer, but rather they’re dears! D-E-A-R-S!” At this, one of the dears approached, and at this proximity, they could see that not only did it have a shining coat and intricate antlers, but it was also wearing a fancy bowtie. Rarity gasped, holding her hoof to her chest. “Remarkable! These dears really are just darling!” Fluttershy giggled. “No, those aren’t darlings, those are darlings!” Rarity gasped as a group of three ducks touched down near them. The dears galloped away, as though leaving the stage for the next performers. The unicorn watched in excitement as the darlings shook their white wings and pulled out large and unique hats from under them, which they daintily placed on their heads so as to not mess up their purple hair feathers. When they gave a musical quack, Rarity giggled in excitement and pranced in place. “Such style! Such glamor! Truly these are the definition of darling!” Fluttershy smiled. “I knew you’d enjoy it.” Silverstream took a picture of the darlings, and when they posed, Rarity nearly fainted. Trixie scoffed. “Big deal, Trixie wears her hat better than anycreature could.” As Silverstream continued taking pictures, more darlings approached, until there were seven total, each with its own fashion. “It is pretty remarkable that they all look like Professor Rarity,” said Ocellus. “Perhaps all definitions of style eventually converge on her.” Yona shrugged. “Not yak style.” “Alright, we’ll have time to look at the animals later,” said Starlight. “Right now, we should get all of our things into the cabin.” Rarity drew her eyes away from the darlings at last. “Yona, please be gentle when you put my things in our—” The unicorn turned to where Starlight indicated and found a large wooden cabin in the middle of the snow field, with a dingy outhouse right outside, “—accommodations. Starlight, dear, are we seriously staying there?” Ocellus pulled out a book and leafed through it. “I actually have to agree with Professor Rarity here. Staying at an abandoned cabin in the middle of nowhere seems risky. See, this story here shows we can often encounter crazed axe murderers in them.” She presented the open book to Starlight. Starlight scoffed. “I set it all up yesterday. It’s hardly abandoned.” Trixie waved her hoof. “Ah, but that means it’s been abandoned since yesterday!” “That isn’t how it works, Trixie!” Starlight replied with her hoof to her forehead. “Look, I completely cleaned the cabin yesterday, and Applejack even helped me install an indoor bathroom, so Rarity, you don’t have to use the outhouse.” Applejack nodded. “Personally, I’d have preferred teaching the kids how to rough it, but Starlight insisted.” “See, Applejack was with me, so we know there isn’t anything to worry about. Now come on, let’s head in.” The group walked toward the cabin, but Applejack looked around in frustration. “Hold on. Anycreature seen Rainbow Dash?” “Oh, not since she asked why we were here,” replied Fluttershy. When a darling stopped next to her, she pet it. “Do you think she went off somewhere?” Applejack groaned. “She better not have. It’s getting dark and she’ll freeze out here.” “Yona found her!” the yak called out. “Or at least, found something.” “Well which is it?” Applejack replied. “What do you see?” “Well, uh,” she said, looking back with a sweat. “Maybe teachers should see themselves.” Everyone gathered to Yona’s side, and they all gasped. The snow around it was red, with a still-warm liquid pooling underneath it, drenching its rainbow mane. Its eyes were wide and it had a sideways expression of frozen shock. It was Rainbow Dash’s head, rolled onto its cheek, with bone and flesh visible in its base. After a moment to register this, the students and a fair number of the teachers screamed. Then Silverstream took a picture. “Wow, Rainbow Dash is dead already, huh?” asked Apple Bloom. “Scootaloo, you OK with this?” “Huh?” the pegasus filly replied. “Oh, yeah, I’m sad Rainbow is dead, but you know, makes sense the axe murderer would kill the coolest one first. Plus, there were way too many characters, so it’s good that some are dying now.” “Yeah,” Sweetie Belle followed up. “There was Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, Starlight, Trixie, Applejack, Pinkie, Yona, Ocellus, Silverstream, probably others I’m forgetting.” “Oh that’s all of them, but you made a tiny mistake,” Pinkie replied. “You listed me, and I’m not in the story!” The Cutie Mark Crusaders all looked at each other, and said in unison, “Oh, so you’re the axe murderer.” Pinkie blinked. “What? No, why would you think that?” “It’s obvious, ain’t it?” said Apple Bloom. “All your friends are there but not you? Seems really sus to me.” “But Twilight isn’t there either,” Pinkie replied. “Well Twilight wouldn’t be an axe murderer,” Scootaloo replied. “She’s more a mad scientist type.” Pinkie shrugged. “Well, I can’t argue with that. Let’s continue the story and you’ll see it definitely isn’t me.” “Sure, Pinkie,” the Crusaders said together sarcastically. Pinkie waved her hooves. “Anyway! The ponies, yak, changeling, hippogriff, and darlings find a gruesome sight before them, but Trixie isn’t so sure…” Trixie scoffed. “Oh please, you’re telling Trixie that all of you fell for this? You all talk about axe murders in Pony Canada of all places, and then Rainbow Dash’s head conveniently pops up here.” Shaking, Fluttershy replied, “You’re saying this is a prank?” “It does make sense,” Rarity replied. “This is the same Rainbow Dash that vomited cake batter on everycreature that one Nightmare Night—not including me, of course. There’s nothing she won’t do for a prank. Actually, Ocellus dear, tell us about that book you’re reading. What’s it called?” Ocellus warily held up her book. “It’s, uh, Daring Do and the Various Axe Murderers of Abandoned Cabins.” “Aha!” Rarity declared. “Daring Do! Of course Rainbow would know about that!” Trixie gasped. “And if she knew you were reading that, she could have set all this up!” She raised a hoof triumphantly. “Detective Trixie solves another case!” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Darling.” She got a quack in reply. Starlight groaned while gritting her teeth. “This is ridiculous! Rainbow should know better than to frighten us like this. Let’s split up to go find her. Trixie, Applejack, Rarity, you go help the students set up in the cabin. Fluttershy and I will look for Rainbow.” Fluttershy squeaked. “Why—oh right, wings. Oh Rainbow, I hope you’re alright.” “She won’t be once we find her,” Starlight said with a grimace. “Principal Glimmer, Yona thinks we should look too!” the yak called out, taking off the sled’s harness. “Better if more creatures look.” “I’ll go too!” said Silverstream. “Ocellus, you come too, since both of us can fly.” “Better let them,” said Applejack. “You know how determined they can get.” Starlight rolled her eyes. “Fine, but thirty minutes at most. And stay where the teachers can see you.” With that, everyone split up. Night approached quickly, and by the time the search party reconvened, there was just a sliver of light above the horizon. Fluttershy flew down to the students and other teachers. “None of you found her?” Applejack shook her head. “‘Fraid not. If you didn’t find her either, then she’s in some real danger.” “Or, she snuck into the cabin when we weren’t looking,” Trixie said smugly. “Honestly, I can’t believe none of you thought to have someone stay there to catch her.” “I didn’t hear you suggest it before,” Rarity snapped back. When Trixie glared back at her, Fluttershy intervened with waving hooves. “Everyone, let’s calm down. No need to ruin our excursion into nature. Let’s just look at the beautiful sunset.” The creatures all sat and took a moment to look at the horizon, with all its myriad colors. “Speaking of Sunset,” said Trixie, “where is Glimglam anyway?” Fluttershy blinked and looked back over the group. “Oh, I didn’t even notice. Maybe she found Rainbow and is taking a while to bring her back?” Silverstream hummed and looked around, then suddenly laughed and snapped a picture. “Found her! She buried herself into the snow to look for Professor Dash! I didn’t think our principal would do something so silly!” Fluttershy’s face fell. “Buried herself in snow?” “Yeah, like when you bury yourself in sand on the beach. You can only see her head!” Fluttershy shot up. “Well, it’s about time we got inside, don’t you all think? Come on, let’s hurry!” Rarity blinked. “But darling, what about Starlight?” She got a quack in response. “Starlight’s a big filly, she can handle herself!” Fluttershy said much louder than she intended. “Now come on, move, move, move!” Startled, everyone complied and moved toward the cabin. Yona veered off and Fluttershy flew in front of her. “Yona, go to the cabin!” Yona tilted her head. “But all our luggage is on the sled.” “We can get it tomorrow!” Fluttershy then went behind Yona and pushed her to no avail. “Well, if teacher say so,” Yona said, with a confused look on her face. She then walked to the door. Once everyone had gathered in front of the cabin, Fluttershy nearly knocked the door off its hinges as she kicked it open. “Everycreature, inside now!” Not wishing to argue, the entire group filed into the dark building. First Silverstream, then Rarity, then Yona, then Applejack, then Trixie, then Ocellus. Then for good measure, Fluttershy flew back and shoved in a group of darlings before slamming the door behind her. “At this point, I just want you little fillies and colts to think about all the different races sitting in that room together,” Sunny said wistfully. “An earth pony, unicorns, a pegasus, and even species we don’t see around today: a hippogriff, yak, and changeling! Oh what I’d give to be there with them. Well, hopefully without all the murders.” One colt raised his roof and Sunny nodded at him. He asked, “What’s a hippogriff? Is it like a hippo?” Sunny shook her head. “No, but I can see why you made that mistake. Supposedly the Guardians of Harmony got confused the same way. In fact, they’re part pony, part bird.” “Isn’t that just a pegasus pony?” asked Glory as she flapped her wings in demonstration. “Nope, hippogriffs were shaped like ponies, but they had talons on their front legs and had beaks.” “Oh, so like a pony and a bird (bleep)ed?” asked Seashell. Sunny and indeed the entire room gasped, with some foals going, “Ooo.” Her eyes wide and breathing quickly, Sunny said in her best attempt at a calm voice, “My goodness Seashell! Where did you learn that language?” The picture of innocence, Seashell said, “Pipp said it in one of her streams once before taking it down, but I saw it, and then I looked it up online.” Sunny gritted her teeth. Pipp. Peach Fizz leaned toward Seashell in excitement. “You looked it up? What does it mean?” Now finding herself the center of attention, Seashell’s face was full of smug self-confidence. “It means—” “Well that’s enough of that!” Sunny said, reaching forward. “That isn’t, uh, something to talk about in polite company. Anyway, we still have to learn about the axe murderer! The story continues as such…” The inside of the cabin was warm but dark, with only the faintest bits of light filtering in from the windows. This was enough for the students and teachers to just barely sense each other’s presence, but it was impossible to get a real sense of the room. “Could someone please hit the light switch?” Rarity asked. “I can’t tell head from tail in here.” “Don’t worry, I know where it is,” Applejack replied. “Though, uh, not quite sure where I am.” “While you’re doing that, could you please lock the door?” said Fluttershy, her voice losing much of its previous urgency. “I forgot to do that when coming in.” Applejack grunted. “Oh yeah, I was meaning to ask about that. So Starlight gave you a key too?” Fluttershy hummed. “What do you mean?” “Well I mean, I’m pretty dang sure I locked up when I came here before. And it’s a strong lock too. So it was a mighty big surprise you just kicked it open like that. You unlocked the door, right?” Fluttershy shivered. “It—it was supposed to be locked?” “Well if you didn’t lock it, I guess Starlight must’ve. Oh, found the light switch.” “Applejack, wait, don’t!” Fluttershy shouted. “Huh? Why not?” Fluttershy paused. “Uh, I’d rather not say.” Applejack’s voice gained an edge of frustration. “So what, do you plan on having us sit around all night in the dark?” There was another pause, followed by a meek, “Maybe.” “That sounds amazing!” declared Silverstream. “Let’s party it up in the darkness! Professor Dash won’t be able to stay hidden for long if she knows we’re raising the roof!” “Darling, you’ll trip and break your beak!” Rarity said. A quack came from nearby. “Over a dead body,” Fluttershy added under her breath. Applejack groaned. “I’m turning it on!” The room lit up, making Fluttershy screech and cover her eyes. “Please, no one tell me what’s in here, I don’t want to know!” Applejack laughed. “Well what do you know, exactly how I left it.” Fluttershy slowly peeked between her hooves, then hesitantly stood up straight. “Oh.” They were in a lounge area just big enough for all seven of them (plus six darlings) to walk around in without bumping into each other. The walls and floor were all wood. To the left was a rug, a couch, and a door. To the right was a fireplace with chairs on either side. In the center was an open hallway that, from the entrance, they could see led into a kitchen. Scattered throughout the lounge were tables and cabinets. Silverstream snapped a picture. Trixie rolled her eyes. “Well, so much for whatever all that was. If you don’t mind, Trixie will go get Starlight now.” Fluttershy dashed in front of the door. “I do mind, Trixie! It may not be so bad here, but none of us can go out there! It’s dangerous!” Rarity lifted her hoof to her chest. “Good heavens, Fluttershy! Don’t tell me you really think there’s somecreature of an axe murdering sort out there!” The pegasus nodded defiantly. “I do think that, and I think they got Starlight!” “Oh come on, Fluttershy,” Trixie said with a huff, “first of all, there’s no such thing as axe murderers.” Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Well I wouldn’t go that far.” Trixie continued, “Second of all, do you really think somecreature with an axe could take out Glimglam? It’s an eldritch spell gone wrong or bust!” Now this got Fluttershy to sag a little. “I admit, it is hard to imagine, but if they caught her by surprise…” She regained her stance as she pressed against the door. “Still, none of us are leaving!” As Fluttershy, Rarity, and Trixie continued bickering, Applejack turned to the students. “Well, while we’re sorting all this out, why don’t y’all check out the bedroom?” Ocellus and Yona looked around warily, but Silverstream smiled obliviously. “Of course, Professor! Come on, let’s go!” the hippogriff said as she blithely pulled the other students. Somehow she managed to pull both of them into the hallway, but then Ocellus slipped away. “You two go ahead, I want to look around here some more.” Silverstream let go and shrugged. “Suit yourself. Yona, while the teachers are distracted, there’s something I wanted to try with you.” Yona blinked, now distracted from Fluttershy’s fears. “Oh, sure.” Silverstream and Yona went into the bedroom on the left side of the hallway, and Ocellus only had a second to see inside before they slammed the door shut. The changeling glanced back into the lounge, where Fluttershy still adamantly blocked the exit while the other teachers argued with her. Meanwhile, the darling ducks she brought with her waddled absentmindedly near an unlit fireplace, uncaring of all the loud noises. Ocellus turned back to the hallway. Opposite of the bedroom was a kitchen with a counter, a sink, and even a refrigerator. She supposed Professor Applejack and Principal Glimmer filled it with food earlier, but she didn’t feel like eating at the moment. A window above the sink showed that it was already dark. Not even a yak could stay out there for long. She hoped the missing ponies were alright, but she was still a child of Queen Chrysalis’s reign, and she knew to consider the worst case scenario. Rainbow and Starlight were dead. They were murdered. And whatever killed them could kill them too. Ocellus’s wings stiffened in alert. Something in the air was off, telling her that this cabin wasn’t safe, but she couldn’t tell exactly what. If this were a changeling hive under Pharynx’s command, this feeling would be cause enough to burn the place down, but she knew this would be a tough sell to the others. Plus, it had to be safer than outside. Right? The changeling walked down the hallway, reaching the back exit. She peeked out the window, seeing nothing but white snow and a black sky. She tested the doorknob, finding it locked but rather fragile. She frowned, looked around, then headed back to the kitchen. Seeing that the teachers were still arguing, she yanked the refrigerator out from its nook with a grunt, unplugged it, and then, with a shove of her head, slid it against the door. There was another door in the hallway just past the kitchen. Opening it, Ocellus found a room with a bookshelf, a single couch chair, and a desk with a small machine—a tape recorder. This must be a study. Ocellus sat gently in the chair and examined the desk more closely. There was a tape inside the device. Did Starlight leave this? Maybe there was something on it that could tell them what was going on. She needed to get as much information as possible before she alerted everyone to the danger they were in. After rewinding to the start, she pressed play. The tape buzzed, then quickly settled into a clear ambient sound. Then to Ocellus’s surprise, a male voice spoke. “This is Professor Knowledge Quill. Date of recording, June twenty-second, twenty twenty three. Five o’clock PM. In my wanderings through the wastes of Pony Canada, I have discovered this abandoned cabin. It is well stocked and should suffice for my research.” Ocellus scrunched her brows. Who was this? His voice had the same quality as Princess Twilight when she was discussing one of her research papers, except with twice the smug self-confidence. Also, wasn’t that yesterday? The same day that Starlight and Applejack set up the cabin? It really doesn’t take long for a cabin to become abandoned, it seems. The recording continued. “The thesis I seek to support is that a pony can live off the land in Pony Canada for a week without risk to health, and this place will prove quite helpful for that. Some might say this doesn’t count as living off the land, but ‘finders keepers’ is a well established rule of nature, as my previous thesis has shown.” Ocellus’s brows scrunched further. “End of day one, I am still quite fit and healthy physically, although I fear I overindulged myself on the stocks of food stored in the refrigerator. Mentally… I suppose for completeness sake, I should mention one thing that unnerved me. When I came across this cabin, I tried the front door only to find it locked. I went to the back door, which was also locked. However, when I circled around, I tried the front door again and it opened quite easily. I can only imagine it was unlocked all along and just got stuck, but it sticks in my mind regardless. Could this be the start of madness? I will continue to note my feelings toward the door in further recordings. End of log.” The door was unlocked? That’s what Professor Fluttershy mentioned before! Ocellus leaned in attentively. The next recording started shortly. Quill had a notably hushed tone to his voice. “Date of recording, same day, eleven PM. The bed was quite comforting, and yet I found myself waking easily to a noise outside the cabin. No, not even a noise, but a hint of a noise. Perhaps nothing at all, really. There are no dangerous fauna in this region, and yet I find myself oddly unnerved. I can’t help but think, is there something watching me from outside the window? Even with the minimal light I have on, it’s impossible to see far outside; by the same token, anything outside can see me quite easily. “But I must dismiss those thoughts. The only creatures around here are dears and darlings, and they’re hardly threats. And if there were ponies out there that hadn’t frozen to death, then they’d respect my ‘finders keepers’ rights. I’ll take a walk around the cabin to clear my thoughts. End of log.” The next recording started with haggard breathing, sending a chill down Ocellus’s spine. After the professor took a moment to somewhat calm his breathing, he said, “I-I saw them. Eyes in the window, out of the corner of my vision, and a fleeting shadow when I turned to look. There’s something out there in the cold. I’m sure I had already locked the doors, but I dare not peek out of this room and check. I’ve already blocked the window with the bookcase”—Ocellus glanced up to confirm this was still the case—“and I suppose I’ll stay here until morning. Logically, more likely than not it was a curious dear, given how tall it was in the window. Still, better to be cautious now and investigate later.” There was a pause. “On the subject of doors, I mentioned before the mystery of the locked front door. My mind can’t help but connect that figure outside with this, even though—” Knowledge Quill suddenly went quiet, with only the moments of captured breaths confirming that it was still recording. Ocellus heard something else, however. She turned up the volume. It was hard to tell what was part of the recording and what was an audio artifact, but she could swear she heard… footfalls? She then heard shuffling noises, which she imagined had to come from the professor, though he didn’t say anything. Then slow creaking noises. Was he opening the door? Was he really going to check for himself what those noises were? There were soft hoofsteps, drifting further away, and then silence. Then a scream. Not from the recording, but from right outside the door. The changeling fell out of her seat in shock, her heart pounding as the noise echoed. That voice was unmistakable: it was Professor Rarity! Ocellus pulled the study door open and immediately met with a ghastly sight. Rarity shook with her mouth agape and her eyes bulging, her chest compressing as though still attempting to scream with empty lungs. The professors were further back in the hallway, and Silverstream and Yona were opening their door, but Ocellus couldn’t tell what expressions they had, because she was focused on what was in front of her. The refrigerator door was open, and on the ground in front of it was the head of a unicorn, rolled onto its side just as Rainbow’s was. Her heart sank. This had to be Knowledge Quill. Was his head in the refrigerator even as she moved it? Her stomach convulsed and it took everything to not throw up. A sharp intake made Ocellus focus on Rarity again. The unicorn breathed quickly with loud gasps as she backed away. “We-we can’t…” she said under her breath as she panted. She brushed up against Fluttershy, she spun with a start. Ocellus couldn’t see Rarity’s expression, but Fluttershy jumping back in fear was enough of a hint. Loudly, she yelled, “We can’t stay here!” Suddenly, Rarity galloped toward the front door, knocking aside the ponies in her way. Applejack reached a hoof out to no avail. “Rarity, wait!” Rarity struggled with the door knob before undoing the lock and trying again. Cold air blasted in as the door opened, but Rarity rushed out regardless. “Stop, Rarity!” Fluttershy shouted. Before she could even finish the sentence, there was another rush of wind and the unicorn collapsed in the snow, rearing her head back. And then her head tumbled. Off of her neck, down her back, and into the cabin. It fell onto the wooden floor horn-first, then fell onto its side, staring at those inside in unending fear as blood crept up her fur.. For endless seconds, no one could move. Finally, Trixie acted, using her magic to first fling the head outside the door, and then slam the door shut. Then Applejack ran and locked the door. From there, everyone acted quickly, covering the windows with what shelves they could move, and they all formed a circle in the main room, facing outwards. All anycreature could do was breathe as they warily watched every shadow. They were trapped in a cabin with a crazed axe murderer outside, with several of their friends already dead, and even if they escaped, there were miles of frozen desert all around them. But this wasn’t the time for despair. This was the time for action. Gulping, Ocellus gathered her courage and stepped outside of the circle. She turned to face everyone, narrowed her eyes, and said, “I know what to do.” “And it’s time for a bathroom break!” Pinkie Pie declared. “Another one?” Sweetie Belle said with a frown. Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Technically, I don’t think she had one tonight.” Pinkie closed her eyes and stuck her tongue out. “I haven’t had one since our last story!” Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “What, you mean since last year?” Pinkie nodded her head. “Yup! And that’s why I really need to go now!” Sweetie sighed. “Alright, fine, you have permission to go.” Pinkie scrunched her brows. “I wasn’t asking, but sure!” She zoomed away, leaving the Crusaders alone. “So she’s definitely the killer, right?” asked Apple Bloom. “No question,” said Scootaloo. Sunny put her book down. “And that’s a good moment for us to have one too, don’t you think?” The foals all looked at each other, and then in unison, shouted, “No!” at Sunny. “Fewer breaks means Pipp gets more time for her story!” said Glory. The others all shouted in agreement. Sunny smiled, with hints of sweat forming on her forehead, and waved her hoof. “Settle down everypony! I’ll just continue the story, then.” Queen Opaline, the regal fire alicorn of ages past, impatiently tapped on the armrest of her throne. “Misty, I really don’t need you to describe their bathroom breaks or lack thereof in your report. Remember, you’re supposed to be bringing me information about what these ponies know of their past! These Nightmare Night stories are a window into their culture and can serve as hints toward their weaknesses.” She slouched. “Also, a simple yes or no on, ‘Am I in their stories?’ would have sufficed.” Misty nervously shuffled. “Well, you see, because I was watching from the window the entire time, then came straight here for the report, I brought it up because…” There was a pause, then Opaline groaned. “Are you serious? Alright, fine, fine, go use the bathroom.” Misty jumped up. “Thanks! You’re the best!” She then galloped away. Opaline shook her head and sighed.