//------------------------------// // Chapter 49: The Dark Descent, Part 6 // Story: Le Retour // by k12314 //------------------------------// CHAPTER 49 (Listen to this) I crept into the lab, and it was very tidy, unlike the areas I was in before. The test tubes and beakers were lined up neatly, each filled with one substance or another. There were flecks of blood here and there on the floor, but it was otherwise spotless. I heard a door a few rooms away slam shut, and I knew I wasn't alone. "This isn't gonna end well... Stephano, give me strength." I patted the golden statue in my chest pocket, and carried on, turning on my lantern. I went into the next room, and I saw a purple blur run through another door, a bone-chilling laugh echoing through my ears. "Was that Twilight?" I looked around, and only saw a few crates, and barrels. I stared at the barrels for a few seconds and scowled, but carried on. The only door was the one Twilight had run through. I felt myself start to sweat, but I went in anyways. "You're following me, huh?" The voice echoed everywhere. I had no idea where she was. I didn't even see a blur. I was in a long hallway, with two doors on separate ends, a fancy rug stretching along both ways, the walls a golden brown. It looked safe enough, but it was obvious that it was otherwise. I headed to the left, deciding to follow the ancient rules of mazes: Always stick to the left. "So, I'm about to see Twilight... Luna dammit. I'm not sure I'll even survive this encounter." I was about to continue the thought, when I heard a loud explosion, and the ceiling above me collapsed. I just barely rolled out of the way. My ears were ringing, and my head was pounding again. I went to get up, but froze when I saw a pair of purple hooves in front of me. They disappeared after a few seconds, but I stayed on the ground for almost a minute, thinking she might still be nearby. "I've been watching your every move, Kyle. What, did you think I was oblivious to the fact that you're here? What do you take me for, a fool? Oh, but I'll enjoy making you better..." I stood up, and rubbed the back of my head. "Oh... Why're you doing this, Twilight?" "Well, why don't you wait there for me? I'll be there to pick you up momentarily." (Stop the music, listen to this now) I heard her laughter again, and the sound of hoofsteps echoing from the door at the other end of the hall. I had no time to run, and nowhere to hide, so I just turned off my lantern and huddled into the corner, holding my knees, silently crying out of fear. "Please no... Please don't let her see me... I don't wanna die... Please no..." I was terrified. Panic had taken over, and I had no control over myself. All I could do was weep and mumble like a frightened little child. I was going to die, and that's all there was to it. I felt my heart sink even lower when I heard the other door open. "Oh Kyle~... Where are you~? I just want to help you... Come on out! Don't make me look for you. I promise I'll make your surgery much less painful if you give yourself up now..." Her low, demented giggle made me shake a bit. "Oh no... Please don't see me please don't see me please don't see me please don't see me!" But, as luck would have it, instead of coming my way, she turned and went into the door I'd entered the hallway from. I stood up, and stayed at a crouch, slowly making my way to the end of the hall, hoping that I didn't so much as make a single sound, lest Twilight hear me and catch me. "Stop hiding from me!" I heard the sound of wood being smashed, and I assumed Twilight was destroying the crates and barrels in the room I'd passed through, thinking I'd either climbed into them, or hidden behind them. Luckily, I hadn't thought of that. "Where are you?!" "Anywhere but here!" I made it to the end of the hall, and went to open the door. It slowly made a creaking sound, and I froze in fear as I heard Twilight's knowing giggle come from behind me. "So, thought you could sneak by me, huh?" I slowly turned around, terrified of what awaited me... (Stop the music) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Third Person) Twilight fell onto her haunches, shocked and appalled at the twisted version of herself she'd just seen. "He... But... If this is Kyle's mind, that means he thought of me like that... What's wrong with him?!" Rainbow put a reassuring hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Hey, maybe Torrentican made him think of those kinds of things? You know how twisted he is..." Twilight swallowed hard, and nodded. "Y-Yeah, that has to be it. There's no way Kyle could think of anything as twisted as this! I mean, I'd never do anything to anypony!" Rainbow nodded. "I know. Now just calm down. I mean, it's not that bad! Kyle hasn't gotten hurt, and I bet he won't do anything too stupid. It'll be fine, Twilight." Twilight took a deep, shaky breath, and nodded in agreement. "Right. He wouldn't try and outright attack a crazy unicorn trying to hunt him down. I hope." Rainbow looked back to the scene unfolding. Kyle and... THAT version of Twilight were talking, Kyle seeming to have something dawning on him, like he'd figured out everything, and why all of this was going on. "I hope so too... Well, he's not being attacked or anything. Maybe he talked some sense into you?" Twilight nodded violently, a big smile on her face. "Yeah! I bet he did! Why, I'm sure any second now, he and I will start walking straight for an exit!" She was somewhat correct. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (First Person) (Listen to this) "Twilight... Please, just tell me why you're doing this..." I kept staring at her. She wasn't changed, but I could see the evil and insanity brewing behind her eyes. Something had driven her insane. It had to have been The Shadow. it had taken her mind, and twisted it into a mere shell of it's former self. She was a madness-driven killer now, devoting her life to changing her friends. She looked completely normal, asides from the blood staining her coat and mane, both of which were messy and tangled. "You have to have a reason!" "You want my reason?" Twilight's insane smile and tone faded to seriousness. "I've seen my friends try and fail so many things, and it broke my heart every time. I wanted to make them stronger. To make them better. And that's what I did! I mean, look at them now! You already saw Fluttershy and Applejack, they're perfect now! Stronger, faster... Better. They were weak, and I made them strong. I only want to do the same to you. I want to help you! Think, if I do this to you, how much easier would it be to beat Torrentican?" I almost considered it, but I knew I was in my mind. It wasn't real. I shook my head, and furrowed my brow. "I won't subject myself to you just to beat him. I need to do it myself... Although, I would accept help from my friends. My real friends. I'm just locked in my head now. You're not Twilight. You're a sick, twisted visage of her." Twilight glared at me, and hit me right in the nose. She didn't break it, but it hurt. "Is that real enough for you?! Would you listen to yourself? You're turning down one of the greatest offers you could ever receive! Well, it's not really an offer. Either you come quietly, or I make you come with me. Which do you choose?" I contemplated this, and then, an idea formed. "Alright, I'll come quietly." Twilight smiled, her anger fading. "Ah, so you see my reason... Well then, come with me." I followed her through the door, and into a pitch black room. "That's right, you think you've got me, Twilight... But you have no idea what's coming."