//------------------------------// // Shadows Ch. 17 The Nightmare // Story: The Shadows Saga // by Tagshadow //------------------------------// Tag opened his eyes but immediately closed them again. Why do I have to get up? He asked. Because you have work today. Book answered in a bored voice. Of course, wouldn’t want to keep Rarity waiting. Tag sighed and climbed out of bed. He trotted downstairs and opened the fridge; there were two apples inside. He ate them quickly and trotted outside. The streets were deserted compared to other days. What’s going on? Tag asked anxiously. I don’t know. Book said in the same bored voice. Tag raised an eyebrow. What’s with you today? He asked. I’m just tired. Book said. Tag was unconvinced but said no more. He started trotting towards the Carousel Boutique. ---- “Good morning Tag!” Rarity said happily as she opened the door. Tag looked at her. “How did you know I was here? I haven’t even knocked yet.” He said. “It’s time for you to be here so I thought I would wait for you.” Rarity said smiling. Tag followed her inside and upstairs into her inspiration room. “What are we going to do today?” Tag asked as he looked at the messy room. “I don’t know if you recall but Fluttershy asked us for several quilts yesterday and we must get on that if we are to get them done.” Rarity explained and started to pull out some assorted fabrics. “And I assume that you will teach this as we go?” Tag asked. “Yes.” Rarity said and started to instruct him. ---- It was mid afternoon before Tag noticed something was off. “Rarity?” He asked hesitantly. “Hmm?” He could tell she engrossed in her work. “Why are you sitting so close to me?” It was true she was sitting rather close to him, almost on him. “Isn’t that what a mare does in the company of her coltfriend?” She asked him. Tag’s face went bright red. “C-Coltfriend?” He stuttered. “Considering what happened last night I believe it is a safe assumption that we are a couple.” Rarity said simply. “But you’re making sound so casual!” Tag exclaimed. “It happens every day, it’s just a part of life.” Rarity explained. “I guess but… I’m kind of new to this whole… ‘Couple’ thing.” Tag sighed. “Well it’s normal. It’s called cuddling.” She explained and snuggled up to him. Tag felt even more uncomfortable then before. “Still… shouldn’t we be working?” He asked uncertainly. “I think it’s time for a break, don’t’ you?” She asked seductively. Help! Tag thought desperately. Hmmm? Book asked uninterested. ---- Tor opened his eyes, he was in a dark room… at least he thought it was a room. He couldn’t see the walls. He stood up and looked around, no walls anywhere. “Hello Tor.” Said a familiar voice behind him. Tor spun around and was met face to face with himself. “Silver? Is that you?” Tor asked disbelievingly. Silver nodded. “Yes, it’s good to finally meet you in pony.” He said. “Ageed… but how is this possible? Aren’t you stuck inside Torais?” “Yes, but I am meeting you inside your head, I’ve been here for awhile.” Silver explained. “I’ve had time to look around and found something that might interest you.” Silver closed his eyes and a door appeared next to Tor. The door was gray in colour and covered in chains, there was a padlock on it. “This is all of the memories from the war. I am sure that Open book has found Tag’s memories and I thought this should be brought to your attention.” Tor peered at the door. “All of them? I don’t know…” Tor trailed off. “To be honest, you’re unconscious and will be so for sometime. I think that this is a suitable way to pass the time.” Silver said. “I guess I don’t have a choice then. I assume that I should insert my horn into the lock?” Silver nodded. Tor put his horn into the circular hole and heard a loud click. He stepped back and the chains clattered to the floor only to quickly turn into dust that disappeared. “Are you ready?” Tor asked. “I’ve been ready for a long time. What’s important is that your ready, the things behind this door will probably have negative effects on your mind.” Silver said. “Right, of course.” Tor looked at the door for a moment before he pushed it open. “Let’s just get this over with.” He muttered and stepped inside followed closely by Silver. ---- Tag ran through the streets of Ponyville trying desperately to get away from the mare chasing him. “GET BACK HERE TAG!” Rarity bellowed as she followed him unwaveringly. “Sorry!” Tag called behind. “I think it’s a little early for that sort of thing!” Tag rounded another corner and into a darkened alley. He looked at the dead end ahead of him and spun around, Rarity was standing at the entrance with a crazed look on her face and a riding crop floating nearby. Tag’s eyes bugged out. “Come to momma!” She said as she started to creep closer waving the crop menacingly. Tag pushed up against the wall trying desperately to get away. “Can’t we just settle this like normal ponies?” He asked distressed. “But we’re not normal!” Rarity said with a crazy grin. “And we should solve our problems in abnormal ways!” She was getting maniacal. Tag suddenly got an idea; He put his face down in defeat. “Fine.” He said sullenly. Rarity stopped. “Really?” She asked in surprise. She pouted. “Aaaw, I prefer when they run.” Tag’s eye twitched but he got up and trotted out of the alley. Rarity was right behind him. “Sorry about this.” Tag said and tripped her, as she fell he galloped towards the library. Tag pushed open the door with his shoulder and skidded to a halt in the middle of the library floor. He closed the door quickly and took a seat, he let out a breath he was unaware he had been holding. That was terrifying… He thought and shuddered. I don’t know why you resisted. Book said casually. I’d have gone for it. Tag was silent for a moment. Okay, what is wrong with everypony today? You’re being a jerk and I was almost raped by Rarity with a freaking riding crop! He tried to calm himself down. He heard Book let out a bored yawn. “AAAAARRRGH!” Tag yelled. “Who’s there?!” Came a loud voice, Tag clamped his mouth shut. Oh… please let Twilight and Spike be normal, pleeeease. He thought and replied: “Twilight? Sorry, I’ve been having a hard day!” He called; he saw a purple blur and red eyes right in front of his. Tag let out a surprised yelp and fell down. Twilight stood in front of him with a crazy smile on her face and bloodshot eyes, her mane was a mess and she let out the occasional giggle. Tag looked at her in concern. “Dear Celestia! Are you all right?” He asked as he got to his hooves, Twilight put her face right in front of his. “All right? I’m a-okay! Why wouldn’t I be all right? Nothing can go wrong when you’ve got this many books around! Tell me, have you read your textbook of the day?” She asked motioning around the room. “Uh… Sure! Of course I have! Why wouldn’t I read my… uh… textbook of the day!” Tag said smiling nervously. Twilight squinted at him and her smile disappeared. “Oh really? Which one?” She asked accusingly. Tag fought for an answer. “Spelling for… foals?” He said uncertainly. Twilight’s smile returned in an instant. “Great! Just making sure.” She said and began to prance around the room putting books away and picking new ones. Tag inched back toward the door and began to open it slowly. “WAIT!!!” Twilight screamed and Tag jumped. “Spelling for foals isn’t a real textbook!” She cried. “Sorry about that! Gottagonowbye!” Tag tossed the words behind him as he started to gallop away from the library and the furious mare yelling obscenities after him. ---- Tag only slowed down when the Sugar Cube Corner was in sight. He stopped on the front step and hunched over fighting desperately for breath. Isn’t friendship wonderful? Book asked as Tag gasped for air. “Excuse… …me?” Tag huffed. “Excuse you? Why would I want to do that?” Came a familiar voice. Tag jumped up and prepared to run but stopped, he turned around and looked at the pink pony behind him. “Hiya Tag! What’s up?” Pinkie asked. Tag sat back down. “Oh nothing Pinkie, it just seems that Rarity and Twilight have gone CRAZY!” Tag said. Pinkie looked at him inquisitively. “What do you mean ‘gone crazy’?” She asked. “I don’t know, does Rarity usually turn into some sort of devious sex fiend with a fetish for whips every few days?” Tag asked in exasperation. Pinkie laughed. “Oh Tag! You know just how to make me laugh! That’s how Rarity usually is!” She said happily. Tag just stared at her for several minutes without saying a word. “What?” She asked. “I swear that this is not the same Ponyville I’ve been in for the past few days,” he said simply. “I just don’t believe it.” Pinkie put an arm around his shoulder comfortingly. “You don’t have to believe it! You just have to live it!” She said. Tag sighed. “I don’t know… Pinkie? Do you have anything to drink? All this running is getting me tired.” He asked. Pinkie stood back up. “Come on in! I’ve got just the thing you need.” She said and ushered him inside. Tag sat at a table in the kitchen as Pinkie ran around getting things together. “I’ll make you a glass of my patented Pinkie Punch!” She said as she poured several liquids into a glass, she stirred them around to make a glass of perfectly pink fluid. She placed in front of Tag and sat across from him. He downed it in one thirsty quaff. “Thanks Pinkie, I really needed that.” Tag said and wiped his mouth. Pinkie said nothing. “Pinkie?” Tag asked uncertainly. Pinkie said nothing still but looked at him expectantly. Dear Celestia what was in that drink!? Tag thought in horror. I don’t know. Book said in his bored voice. Tag quickly got up from the table and tried to get to the door but his hooves failed him. He was on the floor looking at the ceiling and then Pinkie came into view. W-why… me…? Tag asked. I don’t know. Book said but Tag was already gone. ---- Tag came awake suddenly and violently, his stomach killed. He tried to move but found that leather straps restrained him around his hooves. He tried to undo them with his magic but found that he was unable to use any magic at all. What happened? He asked. But he heard nothing. Book? Still no answer. Tag looked around, the room was fairly dark but he could make out a nearby table and on it was Tagia. Not good! Tag thought. He heard a maniacal yet familiar laugh from the darkness. Really not good! Pinkie stepped out of the shadows with her usual happy look. “Good to see that you’re finally up!” She said gleefully. “We can finally start the party!” Tag was terrified. “Pinkie? What’s going on here?!” He shouted and Pinkie smiled in response. “Funny, that’s almost exactly what Rainbow Dash said!” She said eerily. “Please tell me that this is all just a scare! Please tell me that you’re just going to let me go and we’ll all be happy friends again!” Tag asked desperately. Pinkie frowned. “Aren’t we already friends?” She asked curiously. “Not if your going to cut me up, no!” Tag cried. Pinkie shrugged. “Oh well, it’s just that your number came up. I was hoping there would be no hard feelings. Let’s do this.” She clapped her hooves and a bright light blinded Tag. As his eyes adjusted he looked around the room. Aside from several skulls and a banner made from tanned hide there was one feature that really drew his attention. “Rainbow Dash? What are you doing here?” He asked in disbelief. Rainbow Dash said nothing; she was expressionless. Pinkie trotted over to her and gave her a hug. “Do you like her? I think that she’s my best work!” She said as she pushed Rainbow Dash around. Upon closer examination Tag could make out stitches along her entire body. “Dear Celestia NO!” He yelled and pulled frantically at his binds, he felt one loosen slightly and pulled harder until Pinkie punched him in the stomach again. “HEY! I need you to be calm if I’m supposed to get my aim right this time!” Pinkie scolded. Tag went dead silent. “That’s better!” Pinkie said and pulled the cloth off of a nearby table to reveal a set of surgery tools. Tag said nothing still but he could feel the panic begin to build. Pinkie gripped a bone saw and brought it to Tags’ horn. In one swift movement Tag put all of his fear into a pull of his hoof, he felt the strap give and struck Pinkie in the side of the face. “What are you doing!? That’s not what’s supposed to happen!” She exclaimed and slashed at Tag with the saw. He dodged and ran around her, grabbing Tagia off of the table as he charged the door. He ran up the stairs out of what was apparently the basement of the Sugar Cube Corner and into the darkening streets of Ponyville. ---- Tag stopped on the outskirts of Ponyville and looked around, he strapped Tagia onto his foreleg. You’d think that I would learn not to trust anypony anymore. He thought as he felt Tagia’s teeth dig in lazily. I wouldn’t know. Book said. I think we’re near Sweet Apple Acres, maybe I could hide in the barn for while. Hopefully I can avoid Applejack… or Big Macintosh. Tag shivered. Don’t want to go against Big Macintosh. Tag started towards the farm. It was completely dark by the time Tag got to the farm but he could make out the outline of the barn and trotted towards it. As he drew closer he could see a faint line of light from under the door and heard a muted noise on the other side. Curiosity got the better of him and he put his eye to the door. He quickly stepped back in horror. OH DEAR CELESTIA AND LUNA AND ALL THAT IS GOOD IN LIFE! What? Book asked curiously. Tag took another peek. Oh my… is that Big Macintosh? … And Applejack. Tag confirmed. And they’re… that can’t be healthy… Yep. Tag said simply. My life cannot possibly get any worse. As he thought those words a long wail of pleasure emanated from the barn sending Tag racing into the night. ---- Tag stopped in the middle of an apple orchard to catch his breath. I can’t keep this up for much longer; it’s a good thing that I don’t have many more friends to mess me up. He thought. Just Fluttershy and Tor. I hope that they’re normal at least… not likely. Let’s go visit Fluttershy next. Book said. Why do you care all of a sudden? Tag asked. This is starting to get interesting. I actually want to know what happened to Fluttershy and Tor. It’s an amazing feeling. Dear Celestia if you weren’t’ the only thing keeping me alive I would have left you with Pinkie Pie. Tag thought angrily. Book laughed, it was a pitiful effort. But I guess you’re stuck with me. He said evilly. Tag sighed. I guess I should at least check on Fluttershy to see if she’s normal or not. He thought and began to limp in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. ---- Tag could tell that it was early morning by the time he could see the cottage on the horizon, Tag put his head down and watched the ground pass his hooves as he limped slower and slower. Can’t… …possibly… …get… …any… …worse… Tag repeated the phrase over and over until his head smashed into the door of the cottage. Tag sat down hard and rubbed his head in deep pain. In the background he could hear Book laughing. Oh man that was best! He said between fits of giggles. Shut… …up… Tag thought weakly. He heard the door open and looked up to see Fluttershy staring at him with a concerned look on her face. “Oh my Tag! Are you all right?” She asked galloping up to him and helping him get to his hooves. Tag squinted at her as if to make sure she was real. “…Yeah, I’m okay I guess.” He said hesitantly. Fluttershy didn’t look convinced though. “I don’t think so, why don’t you come inside.” Fluttershy said and started pushing him gently towards the open doorway, Tag didn’t try to resist; he felt calmed by the presence of the yellow pegasus. He slowly limped inside leaning of Fluttershy lightly. Tag sat in the middle of the main room, he felt slightly light headed. He could hear Fluttershy in the kitchen making something. Eventually she came into view holding what looked like a bowl of hot soup as she flew slowly over to him. She placed the bowl in front of him. “Here, this should help with your headache.” She explained and motioned for him to eat it. Tag looked at the soup with a scared look on his face. “Are you sure that this will help?” He asked hesitantly. Fluttershy gave him a curious look. “Of course, why wouldn’t it?” She asked. “It seems that everypony is going crazy, Rarity tried to so something that I shall never speak of, Twilight nearly killed me for not reading my textbook of the day, Pinkie Pie tried to cut my into pieces because ‘my number came up’, Rainbow Dash got gutted and stuffed by Pinkie and I won’t even talk about Applejack!” Tag said in exasperation. Fluttershy seemed slightly afraid. “Oh my that sounds horrible!” She said. “I assure you that there is nothing in this soup that will cause you to come to harm.” She reassured him. Tag looked at the soup and tried to lift the spoon with his magic, his headache spiked and he lost his concentration. The spoon clattered back into the bowl causing Tag to double over in pain clenching his head between his hooves. Fluttershy was at his side in an instant hugging him and making comforting noises. The pain died down enough that Tag realized what was happening. He jumped away from Fluttershy and pointed an accusing hoof at her. “I know what your up to! You trying to get close, then you’re going to try and get me, just like the others!” He said, stepping back. Fluttershy gaped at him with a horrified look on her face. “Tag! Please calm down! I didn’t mean anything!” She said trotting over to him worriedly. Tag pushed her back. “NO! Not this time! Nopony’s going to get me!” He said and galloped out the door. Fluttershy flew to the doorway and watched Tag ‘s retreating figure. “Darn it.” She said to herself. “I was so close.” ---- Tag was outside the house, only one pony remained, Tor. I’m going to find this out. He thought grinning to himself. Tor’s been here for less then I have, he must have noticed changes, and then they’ll ALL believe me. He giggled like a madpony. I think I should e worried about this. Book said to himself. Tag’s eye twitched. Worried? Why would you be worried Tor’s gonna be my proof and then it will all go away! Tag giggled again. Yeah, worried is definitely right. Tag wasn’t listening. He pushed the door open slowly; the front hall was dark. Tag crept into the dark living room and up into the dark second floor. He stood outside of Tor’s room. The moment of truth! He thought gleefully as he pushed open the door. Tor stood in front of the window looking out into the dark sky. “Tor! Brother! Sooooo good to see you!” Tag said giggling again. Tor shook his head. “I can see that things did not work out this time.” He said. Tag stopped giggling. “What do ya mean ‘didn’t work out’? I feel perfectly fine!” Tor shook his head again. “We can’t have this now, can we?” Tor quickly drew Torais and pulled back the string; white light quickly formed to create an arrow. Tag took a step back. “W-what are you doing with that?” He asked. Tor sighed. “Starting again.” He fired.