//------------------------------// // Gingerbread // Story: Lunatics // by GottaLovePinkiePie //------------------------------// Tricky hadn't known you could feel like a gingerbread pony. Still, that was exactly what she felt like now. A stiff, broken piece of old gingerbread. With a fever. How fitting that she found herself in a burning hot, dimly lit room, with only one small opening in the ceiling. She suspected it was a manhole cover, she could occasionally hear hooves and carriages passing overhead. Optimistically, she had tried rising to her hooves every time they approached, screaming her lungs out for help, but nopony would respond.. Maybe they just couldn't hear her, maybe they didn't care. Maybe, they were scared. Her bloodshot eyes stared up at the small streak of light that lit up her prison, a single drop of sweat rolled down her face. How many days had passed? Three? She couldn't be sure, who knew how long she'd been out cold. Her breathing was light, her ribs ached whenever she moved, but she doubted they were broken. The chains around her hooves rattled. She bitterly looked down on them. Why they had chained her up in a cell was a mystery, she wasn't going anywhere, obviously. Not that she would have anywhere to go. Tricky bitterly scoffed. Isn't this irony at its best? She was exactly where she wanted to be, where she needed to be. She was, finally, home. With her family. What a wonderful occasion, shouldn't she celebrate? Her gaze fell to the metal door that stood a few meters or so in front of her. Stupid door. During her time in the room she'd decided that she hated that door. Why? She didn't really know. It just seemed like a suspicious door, a really, suspicious door. There's no trusting that door. Maybe it would open inwards first, but then suddenly, it might decide that it will open outwards. Mean door. Maybe it won't open at all. She had never seen it open. It was just, forever closed. A lifeless giggle echoed through the small room. Tricky didn't know where it was coming from, until she noticed her own shortage of breath. As soon as she understood she was the one laughing, she stopped. Ahm feeling sooo weirrrd. She raised her hoof to her face, and gently moved it closer and closer, so than her eyes crossed. She giggled. Maybe ahm going crazzzy?, she thought, smiling to herself. At least she would be occupied with something in this hellhole. Her hoof dropped to the ground, the chains rattled monotonically. The feverish feeling made the tip of her hooves numb. Or maybe it was the heat. A lone rational thought rose in her mind. Maybe... I'mmt mad? Maybe, I'm beein' drugg'd. She scoffed. That was probably it, she, an innocent little pony being held against her will in a prison like some criminal mastermind, chained to the wall. Her heart dropped. A murdererrrr 'nd a liar? ...Sounds 'bout arrright. The voice inside her head sounded drunk. Is it even possible to narrate your own thoughts like a drunkard? She pondered on that thought for a second before collapsing from thinking too hard. Waves of guilt seeped into her gut, everything from the murders to the lies. She even felt guilty for trusting Blaze. Blaze. Stupid stupid stupid Blaze. Traitor. That's right, the drunk voice slurred. He's arrreal son of a hose... Horrrse. He probabably knew who you werr befrr you did. How's that frr lying, eh? Tricky stared at the stone wall a few centimeters from her head. Then, she banged her forehead against it as hard as she could. A quick, but mortifying pain flashed through her head. Tricky could feel a scream leave her throat, her eyes pressed shut. As quick as it had come, the pain left her panting on the floor like she'd just risen from the dead. Tricky opened her eyes, everything swam in and out, the small light faded and returned. She laid there, panting, wondering what had made her do that. As she tried to sit up in a straight position again, her head cleaved into two. "AH.... FUUUUUUuudge." Stars swam in her eyes, she had to blink numerous times before the manhole returned into her eyesight. "What the fudge." She whispered under her breath. The sudden sound of more rattling chains, not her own, made her head twist to the vile door. Creaking, the door opened wide (inwards she noted to herself), revealing an unknown stallion with a ridiculous moustache. And Blaze. Tricky burst into laughter. Her body shook, even a few tears of happiness escaped her eyes. The stallions looked at each other, confidence silently inflating. She took the chance to shakingly rise to her battered hooves, doing her best not to wobble, all whilst laughing menacingly at them. "Well well well... Look at what the cat dragged in." She hissed in an animalistic voice. Her head was spinning, but she didn't let her steps betray her balance. This was not the time to play lady in distress. This was the time to get even. Blaze stared at his friend, guilt hidden behind his stone faced expression. He didn't even know if he was allowed to call her that anymore. Truthfully, he never had been. It had been a farce since the beginning. But it had been real for him, in a twisted sort of way, but still. He really did have some serious problems when it came to treating mares right. Tricky didn't look well. Her forehead was bleeding, her mane now dirtied, fell down over her ice cold and mad-looking eyes. She smiled viciously at him, and he didn't doubt for a second that she would even hesitate before killing him on the spot. And he was right, Tricky launched herself forward, teeth grit in a furious growl and bloodshot eyes fixed on his throat. What she would have done if she'd reached him, he didn't even dare to imagine, but the hefty chains around her hooves pulled her back. Tricky fell to the ground, only a meter from her prey. Snarling, she rose again, Blaze stared at the thick chains holding her back, suddenly grateful for whoever put them there. "Oh, the coward won't see me without chains and a babysitter? Pathetic." She spat the last word into his face, Blaze felt the sticky liquid flow down his temple. He calmly wiped her spit of his face, careful not to let a single expression show. "Hi Tricky. Nice to see you too." His stone-cold monotone voice took her off guard, she'd wished that he'd come to apologize, beg for forgiveness, just so that she could rub his treachery in his sorry little face. Instead, a seemingly uninterested crook stood before her, listening to the frivolous hatred of his victim. Tricky scuffed at him at turned her back to the visitors. As nonchalantly she could, she returned to her dark corner, making sure to hide her expression in the shadows. "I should've known." "You couldn't have, we made sure of that-..." "- You were like a gift from heaven, a savior. So goddamn cliché, of course it wasn't real!" Tricky's face appeared in a small streak of daylight, outlining her wretched expression of anger. He could see a single tear glinting on her cheek before the heat of the cell took it hungrily. Blaze sighed, and turned to his mute companion. "Leave us for a minute, will ya'?" The guard hesitated, but backed out of the cell. Blaze stared at Tricky, now creeping towards him like a cat in the night. Her eyes glowed in the dark, ripping through his soul like dragon's teeth. He could feel his heart being wrung out of his chest, the sight of his friend hating him so purely... It seemed like a century ago when he'd met the innocent mare at the edge of the forest, a true miracle. A prayer come true. His voice shook as he began explaining. "Look... It was no accident that we met, in fact, I had been sent out to search for you-" "How did you find me?" Tricky rudely interrupted, she was now lurking in another corner of the room, surgically observing every move he made. "That's not important," Blaze spoke into the shadows. "the thing is-" "Of course it's important. I need to learn how to differentiate from scum like you from normal ponyfolk.” Tricky appeared in another streak of light, a forced smile taped across her features. "I was just sent out to find you, gain your trust,-" "Mission accomplished." "-and get you back. They didn't tell me any of the details." he spat out the words in her direction, the cool facade he’d held up when entering the room was slowly melting away in the heat. She snorted, and started pacing back and forth in the confined space. "Who are They anyway?" Tricky asked him as she turned around in the dark. "Why all the questions?" Blaze responded, irritation filling his voice. "Well that's the thing with amnesia, you don’t remember anything." Tricky’s smile had grown so disturbingly large that it seemed to stretch out her face. If looks could kill... "Look, darling-" "DON'T call me that." her voice shook. If it was anger or sorrow, Blaze couldn't tell. "... As soon as I met you I started regretting the whole thing. But I couldn't call it off either. You know, I almost wished you'd died there in the hospital. It would've been better than awaits you here." "Wow, thank you for that. If it’s consolation to you, I almost did. More than once!" Her shriek echoed off the walls, the taunted voice of his friend screamed furiously at Blaze over and over again. "I HAD No choice... Please try to understand. Once I got to know you... It was the hardest decision I have even had to make." Blaze pleaded with his former friend. "Oh right, because you are just the innocent puppet forced against your will?" she replied condescendingly. "YES!" Blaze screamed. Tricky paused to stare at him, heart-broken and a look of utter disbelief in her eyes. “How, would you, YOU FILTHY BASTARD, BE AN INNOCENT BYSTANDER?” Blaze looked down. Tricky’s head was on fire, she was so tired. Tired of running, lying, tired of taking his shit. “YOU were the ONLY friend I had… Doesn’t that count as something?” Blaze bit his lip. “I WORRIED ABOUT YOU! I FELT HORRIBLE FOR LEAVING YOU BEHIND IN PONYVILLE, YET HERE YOU ARE, PLOTTING MY KIDNAPPING AT THE SAME FUCKING TIME!” Tricky’s furious voice echoed in her prison, the words empowered the feeling of helplessness and injustice that was boiling over in her head. “D-... Do you remember when we were out in those woods? I was ready to leave, but you, OOOH, THE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, were there. You comforted me, told me it was all going to be okay… You even hugged me-...” Her voice trailed off into a tiny whisper, the tears burned in her eyes. Desperately she searched for any sign of confirmation in Blaze’s expression, but his frozen expression told her nothing. “Huh… I guess that was all a bunch of shit then.” His betrayal stung like a bee in her heart, all this time, she’d been holding on to a false hope. She could feel her face turning into a wretched grimace. Blaze’s head hang low, every word she spoke cut through him, but he remained silent, scared of what he might say. “LOOK AT ME YOU BASTARD!” Blaze shut his eyes tight, as if trying to shut out her voice, but the endless echo in her prison haunted him. “OH NOW YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY??? NO MEANINGLESS WORDS OF CONSOLATION?” Silence. “Well then… You know I’d love to stay and chat… No, actually, I fucking hate you.” Tricky bit her lips in irritation. She wanted him to suffer like she was suffering, she wanted to make him feel the anger that burned in her. “Just… Just buck you.” Blaze finally looked up, but Tricky had her back turned towards him. He couldn’t make out her expression, but her sobs echoed together with her dying screams. Tentatively, he took a step forward, his heart wanted so badly for her to be happy… But instead, she turned around, fury burning through her eyes, a psychotic grimace of hatred etched into her face. “PISS OFF THEN ALREADY!!! WHY DON’T YOU GO LOOK FOR YOUR PARENTS, HUH?” Blaze’s heart crashed to the ground. That was one step too far. One. Too. Far. “WHY DON’T YOU SHOW THEM WHAT A HEARTLESS DICKHEAD THEY GAVE THE WORLD??? WHAT THE HELL COULD BE HARDER THAN CHOOSING TO SAVE YOUR  ONLY FRIEND’S LIFE?” “I NEVER WANTED TO BE YOUR FRIEND IN THE FIRST PLACE. I HAD MY OWN PROBLEMS TO FIX. I NEVER WANTED TO DEAL WITH A FREAK LIKE YOU.” The two stared at each other, listening to the echoes of their displaced voices shouting back at them from the walls. Blaze bit his lip, he felt his eyebrows soften. The silence of the room stretched out, darkened, the air itself seemed to hold it’s breath. In the dim light, he could see Tricky’s eyes. He could see as the life died away, the last thing holding her together had finally been ripped away. A panic took an excruciating grip around his heart. “I-I didn’t mean to… I-... I’m sorry darli-” Tricky fell to the ground. Her head bumped against the stone floor, a river of sadness soundlessly poured out on the floor. Blaze watched in horror as she curled into a ball, her soulless eyes stared straight forward, the tears gleamed in the small streaks of sun that warmed her face. Blaze rushed forward, but as soon as he’d lifted his first hoof from the ground, Tricky raised her’s. “Don’t.” “Ih- I’m so sorry, I just-... they…” Blaze gasped for air, he felt tears welling up in his eyes. She was lying there, by his feet, and still it felt like she was worlds away. “Just let me help you up darling…” “DON’T!” her head jerked up from the ground, her eyes fixated on his, but she didn’t glare. Her eyes were just… empty. A sigh shook her ribcage. “I can do it myself.” she muttered. Whilst at all cost avoiding eye contact, she rose to her hooves. Blaze gawked in the doorway, panic-stricken and helpless. “Please understand… they hold my life in their hooves. They have my fiancée locked up somewhere, all alone. I haven’t even been allowed to see her for years… I-I just wanted to get her back.” Tricky stood motionless under a single streak of light, she spiritlessly stared at him whilst he poured out his heart in front of her. “That was the deal… I give them the girl, and they wipe away the debt. I-I’ll see Millie again.” A weak smile flashed across his face, momentarily showing a glint of pure happiness and hope. Millie… It was all going to be over. Tricky continued staring emptily at him. Eager for her to understand the position he found himself in, he pushed forward. “Do you know what it’s like? Missing somepony like that? Do you know what it’s like to love someone, so passionately, that you’d sell your soul to the devil for them?” Tricky’s gaze crashed to the ground. She could practically see the cannon-ball sized hole in his chest, still bleeding. How could she care? "Your fiancée?" Blaze remained silent, waiting for her to continue. After a few awkward seconds, she looked into his eyes. “Millie… Was it?” Her voice was more high-pitched than usual, a warning undertone of sarcasm clinged as she spoke.”The one and only you wish to spend the rest of your life with, your soulmate. The one you traded my life for.” Blaze furrowed his eyebrows. His basic instincts were losing their minds, the strange voice she spoke with, the way she stared at him… “You know, it’d be funny if it wasn’t so pathetic!... Oh, I’ll laugh anyway!” Tricky’s body shook in a empty, sadistic laughter. Her wide open eyes expressed no kind of happiness whatsoever, a single tear trickled down her pale cheek. Blaze, now fearing for her sanity, backed away. “Tricky-...” “SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” her barbarous sneer vanished and her face contorted into a mask of pure anger. “... Or the next thing coming out of it will be your teeth.” Blaze’s jaw fell to the floor, completely speechless, he watched in terror as Tricky silently crept closer and closer to him, the streaks of light occasionally lighting up her face. Blaze stood his ground, unwilling to move back and give her the satisfaction of scaring him. “Tricky…?” His voice shook slightly, she approached him like a predator at the sight of prey. Move Blaze, get away from her! His mind screamed. He knew she was going to attack him, but his legs wouldn't’ respond. As if they wanted to hear what she had to say.  Tricky straightened herself from the ground. He let her study him, not that he could have stopped her anyway. Her bloodshot eyes seemed to stay just a moment too long on his throat, but she blinked and looked up from under her eyebrows. A murderous glare glinted rapidly in her eyes. Oh Celestia… The warm gusts of her breath dried the tears on his face as he closed his eyes for a second and took a deep shaky breath. "You're a fool." Blaze felt her warm breath vanish from his face, making way for the suddenly cold compact air. "Wha… What do you mean?" His tongue felt like sandpaper, a wild panic sprung life into his heart, which had started beating harder and faster than ever before, as if it wanted to make the best of the little time it had left. Tricky laughed sadistically. The sound echoed off the walls, attacking Blaze from every direction, making him shrink to the floor in a terror he was trying to ignore. "They didn't tell you, didn’t they. About Mille?." She looked back at him, pouting in feign innocence.. "T...tell me what?" He could feel his insides melting. Didn’t tell me what? What was happening, what happened to Millie? She turned back towards him, and with every word she stepped closer to his shaking body. "That she’s dead..." She let out a self-contented sigh. "I know that for a fact. Since. I. killed. her. Darling." At that moment Blaze felt his legs go numb, the world around him seemed to stop to silently observe his shock. All the oxygen in the room had vanished, or he’d forgotten how to breath. All he could see was the smile on Tricky’s face widen in sadistic ecstasy. "I beat her. I beat her until she was pleading for her life. I beat her, as she begged to see you for one, last, time." Her voice became thin and high like a foal's whilst she approached him. He couldn't take his eyes off her pouting lips, he stood there, frozen in place as she continued her tale of horror: "... And then, I snapped her neck, like a stick. I looked into those pretty green eyes as she died..." She ended the phrase with a sneer, as if proud of her barbaristic actions. Blaze could feel his heart shatter like glass inside him. The small pieces dove into his insides, making them burn like hell. No... No... No no no... Tricky stretched out her head so that her muzzle was only centimeters from his. "And guess what?" She whispered to his horrified eyes. "I. loved. it." Tricky snarled those last words at him, the mad eyes and gritted teeth reappeared. The psychotic mare threw herself forward with the help of her wings, fury burning inside her. Her small sharp teeth sank into his ear, Blaze fell forward with a scream as the chains jerked Tricky back to the floor. She landed on her back and was immediately back up on her hooves, diving down on her prey. Her back legs, hooves and teeth sank deep into Blaze's body, the madness of the moment deafened her to his screams. YOU TRAITOR, I TRUSTED YOU, YOU FUCKING LIAR I’LL RIP YOUR TONGUE OUT WITH A PLASTIC FORK!!! HOW DARE YOU?!?!?! YOU BLOODY DICKHEAD, I’LL MAKE YOU WISH YOU DIED IN YOUR MOTHER!!! WHY DON’T YOU GO JOIN YOUR FUCKING ASS FAMILY IN THE GODDAMN GRAVE?!?!?!?! “GET YOUR HOOVES OFF ME!!! HE DESERVES TO MEET HIS PRECIOUS GIRLFRIEND.” Tricky shrieked in blind rage as the guard ripped her off the barely breathing Blaze. She twisted and turned in his grip, but he quickly spun and bucked her into the wall. If she had been in full strength, she might have been able to dodge it, but the long days and lack of food had destroyed her. The guard carried on his assault while she could see, out of the corner of her eye, Blaze lying on the floor. As silent as she was. For the next couple of minutes all that could be heard was the sound of the guards hooves stamping onto Tricky. Tricky desperately gasped for air, her broken lungs burned by the mere effort. Everything around her swam in and out of her eyes. She could feel the tears flowing down her cheeks, the bitterness that seeped out of her heart like blood, the fury and sorrow exploding like atomic bombs in her head. The guard left her lying in her own pool of blood on the floor. Between her swollen eyes, she saw Blaze’s battered figure bending down over her. Another pitiful whimper escaped her broken body, pleading for help. The image of a dark room with a swinging lamp flashed through her head. The shape that was Blaze lifted a hoof from the ground, and poked at her. She wanted to scream in agony, but instead a mouthful of blood was puked up. Blaze turned around on the spot and walked out of the room. Without another word, the door slammed shut. Tricky lay still, the blood drying into small spikes on her coat. Murderer Killer. She could feel the empty hole in her chest wither away, until there was nothing inside her at all. Just a shell without a soul. There had never been a pearl in that shell to start with. Her numb soul was worthless. A small streak of light warmed her face, she moved her eyes to the manhole cover. Through the small holes she saw the happy sun shining like any other day. Tricky stared at it, the warmth kindly healing her wounds, oblivious to the horror she was capable of. Unconditional love, she thought as sobs shook her battered body. I guess love was too much to ask for... Darling.