Dashing Through Paranormalities

by gapty


Epilogue

Rainbow ran, dodged, and with a swing of her sword, dealt the final blow.

“KO!“

On the screen, Rainbow’s avatar did a victory dance as the final score was shown.

“How?” Sunset threw her controller away. “I was so close!”

Rainbow grinned. “Just admit it, Sunset. I’m the best.”

“Never! Rematch!"

“As many as you wish!”

They restarted the round. Their other friends were busy with their own things at the slumber party in Rarity’s room: Pinkie Pie and Twilight were playing a board game — the latter taking it too seriously and calculating the best probabilities for any decisions, but still losing — and Applejack was talking with Fluttershy regarding farm animals. As far as Rainbow could hear, apparently some animal flu was currently a problem, but it was getting better.

Rarity, however, was on her own at her sewing machine, working on an outfit despite her friend’s concerns. The “just a minute, darlings, then I’m finished” had dragged for the whole party by now, and no persuading helped to get the designer off her work.

At last, the doorbell rang.

“Pizza’s here!” Pinkie exclaimed and immediately ran away, leaving Twilight, deep in thoughts, alone before the board.

Rainbow lost the next round, leaving the score even as they sat down to eat. Only Rarity remained at her desk.

“Take a darn break, Rarity,” Applejack groaned. “We agreed to this to distract ourselves from the preparations!”

“Just a few more,” the designer muttered.

“That’s it!” Applejack stomped up to her and pulled her chair away.

“Hey! Ugh, fine.” Rarity finally stood up and took her pizza box.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. Sure, it was a good thing that Rarity tried to get the outfits done for the school play’s deadline, as it was way too close, but they met up specifically to relax.

As they ate, they chatted a bit about the past weeks, until inevitably the upcoming play was mentioned.

“I still don’t get why it took them so long to figure out our previous play was an SCP,” Twilight said. “Now we’re in this mess of stress with the new one.”

“I agree.” Rarity nodded. “They’re amateurish and ineffective.”

“For ineffective they keep us in check way too well,” Applejack responded. “At least we haven't performed it yet. Wouldn’t want to imagine what it’s like to suddenly attack any of you. Or hang someone.” She shuddered.

“These ‘scissor events’ are honestly getting annoying.” Sunset put down her pizza box. “You start to fear every little thing in your day. A car driving way too slowly, an animal somewhere in the water, an object you can’t remember if it had been there before… I don’t know about you, but I get paranoid about anything now.”

“I agree,” Fluttershy added. “They all seem like they want to kill you. Like seeing the scary shadow of a cat… I’m just happy my powers helped to figure out that these were… these things.”

“SCP-3718.” Twilight adjusted her glasses.

“These reflections were something,” Rainbow said. “But yeah, even I start to think twice before touching anything.”

“Honestly,” Rarity sighed, “I think the scissor events are killing attempts.”

It was suddenly silent, as each of the girls processed what Rarity just said.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“Exactly what I said. Whatever is causing these SCPs to come to us is trying to get rid of us.”

“But didn’t we say that it was Equestrian magic doing that?” Sunset asked.

“And what guarantee do you have that it was the correct information?” Rarity asked. “Do you want to know how many ‘fashion encounters’ I had at the boutique I’m working at already? If it weren’t for my power, I wouldn’t be sitting before you.”

“But what would want to kill us?” Sunset asked.

“I don’t know, but remember what they said: The SRAs worsen the scissor events, despite neutralising our powers. So it’s not Equestrian magic doing it, but something of the opposite.”

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy muttered.

“I don’t like how it makes so much sense,” Rainbow said. “Explains all the monsters that have chased me.”

“And yet we still don’t know how we knew of a future scissor event,” Twilight said, before she sighed. “That scavenger hunt-plan was a complete failure.”

“Absolutely.” Rainbow nodded. “But I still can’t shake off the feeling that we had worked with someone before.”

“Oh, I agree. That third hard drive is still missing.”

“Well, Sunset could touch other students and figure out who.” Pinkie grinned.

“No!” Sunset balled her fists. “I won’t read other’s memories unless it’s necessary.” She sighed. “Also, students are already taking their distance from me. I know they don’t mean bad, but it still feels like they fear me reading their minds.”

“Granted, our powers are scary,” Applejack said. “I get worried about accidentally crushing someone’s hands.”

“You can at least control it,” Pinkie replied, “while I have to watch what I throw. And I like throwing yummy stuff!”

They giggled, but remained silent for a while, as they finished up their pizzas.

Rainbow thought about the revelation that Rarity had shared. Was there really something else that made these scissor events, trying to kill them? What was it then, and why? What was so special about them that it wanted them gone? And then why…

“Wait, if, whatever it is, wants to get rid of us, then doesn’t it mean it wants to kill other Canterlot citizens too?”

“That’s, uhm…” Twilight scratched her head. “That seems to imply it.”

“But why?”

“Well, with us,” Sunset said, “I’d said because of Equestrian magic; that’s at least what we have, but for others?”

“Who knows at this point,” Applejack sighed. “Everything’s a mess, nothing is normal anymore, and anything can kill you just because.”

“And science is more like a suggestion,” Twilight muttered. “What natural laws are real anymore?”

“Hey, let’s not start an existential crisis because the world turned upside down.” Rainbow stood up. “We’re the Rainbooms, the most awesome group of friends that has ever existed, and no matter what was thrown at us, demons…” She glanced at Sunset and Twilight. “Uhm, no offense.”

“This won’t stop, will it?” Sunset rolled her eyes, but smiled.

Rainbow continued.

“Sirens, magically possessed objects, a magical storm, SCPs trying to kill us, an international secretive organisation—”

“Foundation,” Twilight corrected.

“No matter what, we survived it, we got on top of it, and we always won! And whatever it is that wants to kill us, we’ll defeat it too!”

“Woohoo!” Pinkie cheered and took from her hair a party popper. The next moment, everyone had confetti in their hair. “Let’s go, Rainbooms!”

The others smiled, before joining in.


Despite being offered to be driven home, Rainbow had decided to jog back instead, as to combine it with her morning sport routine. Canterlot City was busy even this early in the morning, as many went shopping or went out on the weekends.

Despite it being close to autumn, the temperature was pleasantly warm, with a light breeze; the perfect weather for jogging. She enjoyed the moment, as her mind was recalling the last night at Rarity’s house. Despite the serious talk, she’d managed to cheer her friends back up, and they’d had a relaxed time — something that she wished would become common again.

However, as if the universe wanted to bring her back to the harsh reality, she heard a small child scream. Immediately she turned and ran towards the direction of the voice.

At a playground she saw a small group of girls, each probably not older than six years old. One was holding something in her hand, waving it around and shouting something about it.

When Rainbow got nearer, she could see that the object were… 3-D glasses?

“I tell you! There are monsters!” The girl shouted. “Look through it!”

“I don’t see them,” another girl replied.

“Because they’re invisible! These glasses show you them!”

This was definitely another Scissor Event. She gritted her teeth recalling Rarity’s theory. Who in their right mind had the intention to harm these little children?

“Hey, you found it!” Rainbow said and approached them. “I thought I lost it for forever.”

The girls looked at her in confusion.

“These 3-D glasses. They’re…” She thought for a second. “They’re a gift from my mum. Yeah.”

“Are these monsters real?” The girl who had the glasses asked curiously.

“Erm, no. They’re a special effect.”

“Ooh.” The girl put the glasses on. “They’re scary!” She giggled.

Rainbow bit her lip.

“Alright, give me that.” She ripped it from her and ran away, ignoring the screaming of the children.

After turning around an alley, she stopped and took out her phone, calling the Foundation.

“Describe,” a female monotone voice replied.

Rainbow rolled her eyes from the woman going straight to the point.

“3-D glasses, white cardboard frame, blue and red glasses. A child said she sees monsters through them.”

Clacks of typing on a keyboard were heard.

“Seems like SCP-178. Safe to touch, just don’t wear it. Bring it to the usual location.”

“What happens if I wear them?”

“You already know, just don’t.”

“But I want to know, and the girl who wore it was safe.”

Rainbow smiled when she heard a groan. Usually the Foundation barely told them what the SCPs did, only how to safely interact with them, but Rainbow could play the “dumb, curious girl”, making the woman describe them at least shortly.

“You see creatures that can attack you, do you understand? Just don’t risk it.”

“Ugh, fine,” Rainbow acted annoyed and hung up. It wasn’t a big reveal what the glasses could do, but she guessed that in this case, there wasn’t much to begin with.

As she was about to go, she suddenly saw a hooded person watching her. Taking a closer look, she recognised the visible face immediately.

“Derpy?” she asked in surprise.

“So, you work with them?” Derpy crossed her arms.

“Well, we… Wait. You do know about them!”

Derpy got closer.

“Yes, I do. Happens if you can’t forget anything.”

Rainbow walked a few steps back when Derpy got too close. Derpy’s face was serious, if not even angry. Rainbow hadn’t seen her like that before, which made it even more surprising for her.

“You can’t forget?”

“And in return I get a migraine from inhaling their gas. Awful deal, if you ask me.”

“So that means,” Rainbow stepped forward, “that you do remember that you’ve worked with us!”

“Yes, we did work with you. I felt bad for needing to betray our deal, but I guess in return you turned your back on us.”

“Turn our… What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, aren’t you Loyalty?” Derpy made sure to emphasise her Element in a mocking manner.

“You mean us working with them? They gave us no choice, and besides, these scissor… space rifts are becoming more dangerous.”

“They surely are.”

“See? To keep everyone safe, we notify them of any appearing SC… anomaly and they tell us how to handle them.”

“Should have just destroyed the portal,” Derpy replied. “I’m tired of spending the rest of my life worrying for others' lives.”

“Actually, it’s probably not Equestrian magic causing the space rifts.”

Derpy laughed. “Do you really think that? Do you want to know when it started? When Twilight turned into Midnight Sparkle. Right after she opened all these rifts. They never stopped, just became invisible. From that moment on, I had to fear for others lifes, spending sleepless nights outside trying to stop these anomalies. I knew how horrible and dangerous they were, and I was all alone in trying to stop them. I went crazy trying to save everyone’s life, as I also tried to stay hidden from the Foundation.”

How did she know what they called themselves? This was the question that jumped to Rainbow’s mind, but she saw that right now it wasn’t the time for that.

“Why didn’t you ask us for help?” she asked instead.

“You?” Derpy groaned. “Do I really have to explain why? At least, I have others now who help me out.”

“Do you have a possibility of predicting the space rifts?”

Derpy pointed at her right eye, which, as Rainbow noticed, was the whole time staring at the 3-D glasses. A quick waving of the object made the eye follow it.

“Annoying ‘feature’, at least it saves lives now,” Derpy commented.

Rainbow scratched the back of her head. Seeing Derpy not only so serious, but also angry with a hateful expression at her was… weird, somehow. She was always so cheerful, carefree and happy, but seeing her mask fall made Rainbow realise how much of it was probably just an act to not draw any attention to her. How much worry did she have on her shoulders?

“Derpy—”

“It’s Muffins.”

“Right. Muffins, hear me out: You and the Foundation could work together, don’t you think? I mean, I don’t like what they do to us and our city, but if you fear to get overwhelmed with the space rifts—”

“Sure, Rainbow, why didn’t I think of that before?” Muffns rolled her eyes. “I would be thrilled to become the new anomaly they study and do experiments on!”

“But didn’t you say yourself that you want to save lives?”

“I do, and I know for a fact that once they figure out that I can see the space rifts, we’re all going to be locked up in cells alone to contain this ‘Friendship’ magic, making the space rifts more dangerous. I’d rather be in freedom and working with my group in secret than with them who treat D-Class personnel worse than lab rats.”

“D-Class?”

“Humans on which the SCPs get tested on.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened.

“What?” Derpy raised her eyebrow. “Didn’t you ever wonder how they know so much about all these SCPs? How else would they know that these creatures you see through that can physically hurt someone?”

Rainbow gulped. Somehow, she didn’t consider it, but considering that they always knew what could happen in the worst possible scenarios—

“And do you want to know how they make you or any of us to spill out anything we know? They make you watch a D-Class getting electrocuted until you tell them everything. ‘Stronger empathic nature’, he says, that disgusting face of Charge.” Muffins clenched her fists. “I keep the memories of the woman’s screams to remind myself why I’ll never work with them.”

Rainbow stared to the ground, processing everything Muffins had told her. This couldn’t be true; she couldn’t work with an organisation so cruel, and yet, she felt in her gut that what Muffins told her was true.

“How… How do you know about it?” Rainbow closed her eyes.

“My father worked with a friend of his there and had to take me with occasionally due to my mother’s health. They gave me amnestics afterwards, but as I said, I can’t forget.”

“If you,” Rainbow sighed. “If you don’t want to risk being found, why do you tell me everything then? What if—”

“Because I’m done with this crap!” Muffins shouted.

Rainbow backed up, as she watched the girl catch her breath.

Suddenly, tears formed in Muffin’s eyes and she fell on her knees.

“Sorry,” she muttered.

Rainbow looked around. Somehow, they were still alone in this alley. She slowly approached Muffins and put a hand on her shoulder.

“You shouldn’t be.”

“I should. I’m sure you had no choice, but—” Muffins sniffed, “I blamed you instead. I turned my back on you myself, and—”

“You did what you had to do,” Rainbow said. “And much more. You sacrificed yourself and used your abilities to save others’ lives, despite becoming overwhelmed by it.” She kneeled down and pulled her into a hug. “I’m proud of what you did.”

Muffins exhaled and wiped her tears away.

“I just want it to stop.”

“Me too,” Rainbow sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“I said you shouldn’t—”

Before Rainbow could finish her sentence, Muffins pulled a syringe out of her pockets and rammed it into Rainbow’s stomach.

“What—”

“You’re too good. You would fight against them knowing what I know.”

Rainbow felt her mind going dizzy, as she fell to the ground.

“But—”

“Don’t worry, once you wake up, you’ll have forgotten our conversation.”

Muffins stood up and was about to run away, but stopped and turned around.

“Thank you, Rainbow. Thank you for your words, and also for your courage against the anomalies.”

It went black before Rainbow’s eyes.


When Rainbow woke up in her room and looked at the time, she gasped in surprise. It was already past twelve? Since when?

A sudden headache gave her a possible explanation: Memory erasing. It still happened occasionally, although it was probably more of a collateral damage when they had to release the gas from the sewers. Nonetheless, it would at least explain how she couldn’t recall coming back to her home from Rarity’s house.

Curiously she picked up her phone and checked through the messages, but when she found nothing, called Twilight.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Twi,” Rainbow greeted. “Say, do you remember this morning?”

“I do. Why do you ask?”

“Guess something happened in my region that they had to release their gas. I have no idea how I got home.”

Rainbow walked to the window and watched through it, but found nothing unusual.

“I’m… sure there was nothing today,” Twilight replied. “I would have noticed it.”

“Really? Eh, whatever. Time to memorise my speech as the fairy.” She rolled her eyes. “I still have no idea why I agreed to the role.”

She heard Twilight chuckle.

“Hey, don’t laugh! You’re the old lady!” She was about to turn away from the window, but something caught her eye. “Huh, what is Sunset doing here?”

“Sunset?” Twilight asked. “What do you mean? She’s with me.”

Rainbow rubbed her eyes and looked through the windows again.

“Oh, must have been my imagination. Anyway, see you on monday!”

“Sure, bye!”

Rainbow watched one more time outside. How could she falsely see Sunset’s hair? You don’t simply mistake her bright colours for anyone else’s.

When her headache notified itself again, she sighed and walked out of her room to the kitchen for Aspirin. It was probably just the amnestic’s side effects again.


From the bushes, a head from a person appeared, looking at Rainbow’s window.

“Just wait a bit longer,” it said. “Soon, I’ll save you all from her.”