//------------------------------//
// They Leave Me Here 
// Story: The Castle 
// by Discombobulated Soul 
//------------------------------//

I Whimper and tug madly against the collar they've attached to my neck, but my efforts are all for naught. The guards continue marching in formation with me in the middle, the leader Holding my leash in his mouth. I have to practically run to keep up with their insane stride and none of them so much as look at me the whole time. 

We walk straight through Canterlot, through the busiest streets possible. It's almost as though theY're parading me around, showing me off to the locals like some kind of trophy. 

I catch sight of other ponies from between the guards' legs and I cry out for help. Every time I do, they shrink away, averting their eyes as though I'm some hideous creature. I even catch sight of some parents covering their foals' eyes and ears, ignoring their questions entirely as they scurry away from us. 

Canterlot slopes upWards the closer we get to the castle and I can swear the sky is getting progressively darker, too. Clouds are starting to gather and I can almost hear the faint sound of tHunder as we grow closer to our destination. FinallY I catch sight of the imposing structure, my pupils shrinking in shock of its sheer size and grandeur. 

Panicking, I zap the leash in half with my magic and bolt away, running for all I'm Worth. This is the last chance I have to be free, to get away from that menacing castle and the horrors within. 

I can scarcely hear the guards shouting at me and beginning to give chase, so loud is my breathing and so hurried are my hoofsteps. Luckily, I'm well-practiced at avoiding pursuers, even ones double my height, so I am able to duck out of sight into an alley. 

Somepony's there with me and I gasp in surprise. 

"Rarity!" My voice is hoarse and I'm panting Heavily in efforts to regain my breath. My unicorn friend stares at me with an unreadable expression, her features mostly hidden in the shadows. 

"Twilight, you've been chosen."

I shake my head in anguish and fear, staring desperately at the aspiring seamstress while frantic thoughts rush through my head. 

"What does that mean, Rarity?! What can I do?"

The unicorn suddenly sniffs, as though she's trying and failing to hold back tears. 

"Nothing, Twilight. Celestia has chosen you. You must go to her."

Rarity finally steps into the light and I stifle a scream. She's crying blood and her eYes have been replaced by inky black pools of nothing. 

Absolutely nothing. 

"I'm sorry, darling. Truly sorry."

Her body suddenly shudders, wracked by massive convulsions as she crumples to the floor, screaming the most bloodcurdling scream I've ever heard and she's splitting at the seams and she's dying she's dying right before my eyes as she crumples inwards in a bloody mess of sinew and gore but she's still. Screaming. 

WHY IS SHE SCREAMING?

I dash out of the alley, gasping and crying with shock and grief and the image of my former pony friend is still in my head and it won't. Leave. 

The guards catch me, of course. They bring me straight to the castle gates, and this time they make sure to place an antimagic ring on my horn. One of them unlocks the gates and we trod through the desiccated courtyard as one unit. 

Once they toss me into the castle's foyer, they leave, but one is left to close the enormous door behind me. 

"Good luck, kid."

He says, and then the door is closed. 

I'm all alone. 

My friends are gone. 

They didn't come with me. 

And, echoing through The Castle...

I hear a deep, malicious laugh.