//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Mental Trigger // by Crimsonn12 //------------------------------// “Holl-..." '… I'm... a monster...' “Hollow...” '… a Freak.' “Hollow... wake u-..." '... a murderer...' "WAKE UP!' I jolted awake, gasping for breath as I frantically got to my hooves, twisting my head around in a hasty attempt to make sense of where I was. I could've sworn my heart was about to beat right out my chest. 'Oh... right, Canterlot.' I sunk to my haunches, whimpering quietly as I glanced around the familiar barred cage that was my prison cell, the memories of the last few days coming back to me as my confusion is gradually replaced by depression. It was a few days since my arrival in Canterlot, enough for hope to abandon me; but not enough to answer my questions... 'What happened that day... why did I have to strike against that stallion? T-That isn't like me at all...' The colour red kept flashing through my thoughts as I lost myself in them, constantly reminding me of both my audience with the Princess; and my murder. 'What did the Princess see? How did she control my emotions so freely?' Staring blankly at the wall with a somber expression, I barely noticed the guard standing at the doorway to my cell door. "Hollow... are you alright?" a voice from my cell entrance snaps me out of my saddened state, a voice that I recognized all too well. "M-Mimic?" I wearily mutter, moving my gaze to my cell door, where a grey day guard was stood at... and not Mimic. Shaking my head to clear whatever hopeful thoughts that were beginning to emerge, I let out a small sigh. I almost dismissed the guard, turning my gaze down to the cell floor in disappointment, figuring my mind was just playing tricks on me 'Of course it wouldn't be him, there's no way...' "Hollow, c'mon bud... look at me." but that voice, it was unmistakably Mimic's. "He's... he's in Ponyville." I muttered defiantly, sparing the guard a single glance who now looked... almost concerned for me. 'Murderer...' I visibly flinched as Ponyville was brought to mind. "Listen, I'll explain everything on the way out of here, but now we have got to get out of here." my ears twitched as I began to hear the unmistakable sound of my cell door unlocking, causing me to snap my head up in alarm and back up against the wall, staring at the guard in fear; my heart beating louder and louder with every fearful breath I took. "Y-you aren't him..." I shout in alarm, before being instantly muffled by the guards black, hairless hoof... "Don't raise your voice. This place echoes." the guard whispered out harshly, taking a quick glance behind him before staring right at me. 'That's not him...' despite the lingering sense of doubt, I found myself relaxing, slowing down my breathing and nodding slowly to show that I understood, eyes locked on the hoof in question. "Now... I'm going to remove my hoof, don't yell out. Understand?" he slowly mutters, earning another slow nod from me. Grinning in satisfaction, he slowly removed his hoof, obviously trusting in the fact that I will do as I say. 'It has to be Mimic.' "B-but how?..." I weakly muttered, building up the courage to step away from the wall and towards the waiting guard that called himself Mimic, eyes locked on the carapace-like appendage that was Mimic's birthmark, so he liked to call it. "I'll explain everything on the way." he speaks out, glancing out my cell door at to the dungeon entrance expectantly, muttering "They should be here by now..." "They?" I ask him from my position behind him, having been convinced for the time being that this was somehow indeed my friend Mimic. Perhaps it was hope speaking, but I felt confident. "I... brought a few friends, don't panic when you see them." Mimic tells me uncertainly, his eyes still locked onto the dungeon entrance. I remained silent, unsure of how to respond to his cryptic message as I watch the dungeon door alongside him, putting my trust in this stranger that calls himself Mimic for the time being. After what seemed like forever, the faint sound of hoofsteps could be heard approaching the dungeon door; and when I looked at Mimic in alarm, he only nodded back to me, stepping out of the cell and heading towards the dungeon entrance, just in time for three more Day Guards to enter the dungeon, all unicorns... 'Something's not right...' Panicked thoughts began to overtake me, and I started to back away a small step. Mimic must've noticed this, as he gave me a small reassuring glance, nodding with a confident smile... it comforted me somewhat, and I felt myself relax. "Hollow, meet my... friends." He tells me with some hesitation, gesturing towards the three day guards with a hoof before turning to face me completely, a sad smile on his face. Timidly nodding, I manage a small smile towards the three stallions standing near the entrance, to which they return, exactly as I had... I wish I weren't so blind to the facts back then. Seemingly satisfied with the greetings, Mimic tapped me on the shoulder, nodding towards the dungeon entrance of which the 3 white stallions stood guard "Cover is that we're temporarily moving you to a more confined area for further questioning. With any luck we won't run into either Princess..." Mimic trailed off, muttering something along the lines of "... lest she see through the disguise.". Like the foolish colt I was, I didn't think much of that sentence. "Follow and let me do the talking." He tells me, shoving me gently and nodding towards the door, to which I eagerly walked towards, immediately flanked by 2 day guards with the third at the front and Mimic behind. It didn't take long for us to run into a few guardsponies; with them asking Mimic what exactly I was doing out of my cell, to which he masterfully gave lie after convincing lie, never breaking a sweat, until we finally got to the courtyards... "Halt!" A voice rang out from behind our little group, causing Mimic to flinch and mutter a quick curse before turning to face the voice in question "What are you stallions doing with the prisoner? I gave you no orders to move him." The owner of the voice in question was a rather large day guard, bulky silver armor covering the majority of his lower body with sun emblems adorning either side of his flank, the sign of a high ranking Royal Guard. "We received orders to move him to the alternate holding cells for questioning, sir, the Princess-" Mimic began, but all too soon abruptly stopped speaking, his eyes growing wide as he took notice of the pony behind the Royal Guard in question... "What is this about me?" The soothing voice of Princess Celestia rang out, stepping beside the Guard, of whom wore a small smirk "I had a feeling you would come for your friend, here." Letting out a small whimper, I shied away from the scene, ears falling flat as Mimic stood himself protectively in front of me. "Hollow..." he slowly muttered, never taking his eyes off the Princess "stay calm.", slowly inching the pair of us back towards the gardens, into the sunlight. We didn't get far enough. The moment the stallion saw us backing away, he sneered and charges forward, swinging a hoof right at Mimics face. Half expecting my foalhood friend to be pushed back for the impact, I yelled out in alarm, before jumping back in fright as Mimic suddenly erupts into green flame just as the captains hoof connects. "M-Mimic?" I worriedly ask, petrified with my eyes locked onto the scene that was set before me... the guardsponies hoof had connected, but it wasn't with the day guard that was Mimic. Instead, a dull black, carapaced pony... bug was stood there, blocking the hoof with his own sleek, holed appendage. "Hollow..." the thing muttered, groaning a bit before suddenly being slammed in the gut as form of feint by the guard captain and doubling over. "My friend." he speaks up louder, a hint of pride in his voice as his jagged horn glows a sickly green colour, cold emerald flames beginning to lick around my body. Too blown back by the events, I didn't react to the flames, my eyes locked on the scene before me... this thing, who called me his friend, protected me. I didn't know how to deal with my conflicting thoughts... The last thing I see of the halls of Canterlot before the green flames consume my vision, is 3 more bug ponies join the fight, one slamming into the occupied guard from the side, and Mimic getting up and charging. 'Mimic... what are you?'