//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The House on the Hill // Story: Minds over Machines // by Sputnikmann //------------------------------// Ponyville was a relatively compact village. It has been growing recently, due to the massive tree-shaped crystal castle on what was the edge of the town, but for the most part, getting around was simply, as everything was within walking distance. But there’s always an exception to a rule; an outlier, one thing that isn’t like the others, something that doesn’t belong. Ponyville’s outlier was simply known as the House on the Hill. It was perched on the hill to the north of the village, on the way to Canterlot. For the most part, it was a normal house, even built in the rustic cottage style that Ponyville was known for. But everypony knew that there was something wrong with that place. Whenever somepony went to investigate, they always came back dying of fright, as if they’d seen a ghost. They say that it was surrounded by a steel fence about halfway down the hill, that everything goes silent once you enter the property, as if the fence completely blocks off the outside world. The house itself was told to basically extrude dark energy, and was guarded by a giant metal monster. They say that some that have investigated never came back to Ponyville, and that those that did had vowed never to return again. With that in mind, one could probably imagine Ditzy ‘Derpy’ Doo’s nervousness towards having to deliver a parcel there. She looked to her boss. “A-a-are you sure you have the right address?” she stuttered. “Apparently.” Air Mail said. “It’s a first, but whoever mailed this is wanted this delivered to the House on the Hill.” Derpy gulped loudly. “I was afraid you were gonna say that.” She said. “Wait, there’s no name on it?” She looked over the package she held in her hooves, which she discovered, did indeed not have a name for who sent it. It was a large box, much larger than most ponies ever get delivered. She shook the box, ignoring the ‘Fragile’ stamp on the side. It rattled inside, sounding almost like a foal’s shaker toy. And it had to have been a metric ton. “Well, they did mention that in the letter for us he-or-she sent with the package that due to certain… personal matters, he-or-her could say where he-or-she lived.” Air Mail said. “And he-or-she also added an extra hundred and fifty bits for the confusion.” Derpy sighed. Of course it came down to bits, it always came down to bits. “I’m not even sure how I’m supposed to carry it the whole way there.” She said. “It weighs a ton.” Mail shrugged. “Well, ask for help if it overencumbers you on the way there.” She said. “You’re a likable mare, I’m sure somepony would be willing to give you a helping hoof. Now go on, get that parcel delivered! Time is-“ “Money. Yes, Ma’am, I get it.” Derpy said, lower her head in defeat as she lifted the package with all her might and flying slowly out the door. Saying that making her way through the bustling streets on Ponyville with such a massive parcel went smoothly would’ve been an absolute lie. As she’d expected, the weight of the parcel made it almost unbearable to carry. It left her so unbalanced she had actually almost knocked a couple ponies down, the accidents prevented by them moving themselves out of the way. Ponyville knew that Derpy was usually a clumsy pony, and had learned that the best way to avoid catastrophes was to avoid her whenever she was doing something. Whenever Derpy came close to hitting somepony, they nonchalantly moved out of her way before going back to their business. Derpy was confident that she could make it at least to the edge of the town when she left the post office, but was now reconsidering whether that was true or not. Slowly but surely, her wings began to falter as she began to tire out from the package’s weight. Even as strong as she was, which was not very strong anyway, she could feel herself succumbing to gravity as she was pulled towards the ground. Before she could come to a safe landing, her wings gave way about twenty feet in the air, resulting in her dropping like a stone. She sighed as she struggled to regain consciousness, but knew that even if she did survive a drop from this height, she’d probably lose her job and most likely her ability to fly. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, and prepared herself for the inevitable fate that was calling her. But, after a few seconds, she realized she wasn’t falling. And not in that she’d survived the crash, since there was no ground supporting her. She slightly opened one of her eyes, and found herself surrounded in a magenta aura, levitating her about a foot off the ground. In front of her stood a purple Alicorn, a worried expression plastered on her face. “Hello, Princess.” Derpy said shyly. “Nice weather we’re having today.” Princess Twilight smiled, happy to see Derpy doing fine. “Well, other than the raining mail ponies.” She said with a laugh. Derpy laughed with her. “How did you even know I was falling?” she asked. “You almost knocked me over back in the shopping district.” Twilight said. “I thought you might have some trouble, and followed you in case anything happened. Lucky I did, apparently.” “Yeah…” Derpy sighed. “This package is a lot heavier than anything I’ve ever delivered before. I was having some trouble carrying it.” Twilight took the parcel into a separate aura and inspected it. “There’s no name on it.” She stated. “What’s ‘The House on the Hill’?” Derpy gave Twilight a confused look. “You’ve never heard of it?” she asked. “No, why?” Twilight asked. “Is there something wrong?” Derpy shook her head. “There’s not anything terribly wrong about it.” She said. “It’s just a really creepy cottage on the hill outside Ponyville. There are a lot of rumors that go on about it, but I’ve never gone there myself. I’m sure it’s just an urban myth, like the Mirror Pool was supposed to be.” “Well, that would explain why I’d never heard about it.” Twilight grumbled. She lowered Derpy to the ground, who thanked the Alicorn with her charming smile. “Why don’t I come with you? You obviously can’t carry this… whatever it is on your own.” Derpy smiled. “I wouldn’t want to bother you, Princess.” She said. “I’m sure you have some royal duties to attend.” Twilight shook her head. “Why do you think I was in the shopping district?” she asked. “I’m not like Princess Celestia or Luna, I don’t have many important things to do other than watch over the map in the throne room. Derpy bounced happily up and down. “Well, I’d love to have your company, Princess.” She said gleefully. Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile and lowered the bouncing Pegasus down to the ground. “Please.” She said. “If we’re going to be taking a friendly walk together, no formalities. Twilight is fine.” Derpy smiled. “Ok, Princ- I mean Twilight.” She said. She lifted herself two feet of the ground and slowly started moving forward. “Come on, I’ll show you the way.” Taking a quick second to re-inspect the parcel in her magical grasp, Twilight followed Derpy with to the edge of the town. “Ok, lead on, Miss Doo.” With Derpy merely leading Twilight in the direction they needed to go, it didn’t take long for them to reach the base of the infamous hill that the house was perched on. Twilight recited the myths about the House that Derpy had told her on the here, and compared it to the real life counterpart. As she’d been told, about halfway up the hill was a fence, too tall for even a large Stallion like Big Macintosh to climb over. It was a chain-link fence, like the ones they use for the toddlers in a Canterlot daycare, but had foreboding barbed wire around the rim and knotted in with a few rows of chain-links. From this distance, it just looked like a standard house whose owner just wanted to be left alone. But Twilight knew that you shouldn’t judge something by the way it looks. “Well, that’s not very welcoming.” Derpy said as the duo approached the fence gate. “I was told it had a fence, but this just looks… scary.” Twilight nodded in silent agreement. “Come on.” She said at last, opening the gate and walking in. “Let’s deliver the package and see who exactly lives here.” Derpy swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded silently before slowly following the Alicorn. As soon as they passed the fence line, all noises seemed to stop themselves. The birds they heard outside had fallen quiet; every hoofstep on the gravel path seemed to echo in the complete silence. ‘Just like the myths say.’ Twilight noted. As they approached the house itself, it appeared much larger than it had from the gate, casting a shadow over them. Twilight looked to Derpy, who was shaking profusely and hiding behind her. “You want me to knock?” she asked. Derpy smiled nervously and nodded rapidly. “T-t-that’d be nice.” She said. Twilight slowly approached the front door, the wooden boards that made up the porch creaking under her hooves. Grabbing the knocker with her magic, she pulled it back, slammed it firmly on the door, and repeated twice more. For a moment, there was complete silence. Neither Twilight nor Derpy said a word, both of them subconsciously holding their breath. After the moment of silence, there came the sound of a heavy hoofstep from inside the house, then another, then another. ‘The house is said to extrude dark energy.’ Twilight recited, mentally adding to the matches between life and myth. She swallowed audibly. ‘…and is guarded by a giant metal monster.’ The hoofsteps were loud now, probably just behind the door. Slowly, the door handle turned from the inside. The two ponies took this differently. Twilight prepared several defensive and offensive spells. Derpy hid behind Twilight. The door began to open, agonizingly slowly. Twilight closed her eyes and charged her horn, Derpy shook some more. “Can I help you two?” came a polite, gentlecoltly voice. They looked into the doorway to see what appeared to be a massive metal, bipedal creature, painted to make it look like it was dressed in a tuxedo. Twilight brought the package in front of her. “Package for the owner?” she said nervously. The creature inspected the box Twilight was offering before stepping out of their way. “Ah, yes.” It said. “This way, please. My master has been expecting this for quite some time now.” Twilight looked at Derpy, who looked back, before both entered the house; the metal creature closing the door behind them.