It was morning, the sun was up and shining and the once dark house was bright. Sunset Shimmer sat up in her bed and stretched her arms. A knocking came from her door.
“Come in.” She said and in came all her friends, dressed in their casual attires.
“Good morning, Sunset!” Pinkie Pie said happily.
“How are ya doin’, sugar cube?” Applejack asked.
“You look a whole lot better.” Rarity commented.
“I am.” Sunset replied. “I feel great.”
“Dr. Werdegast’s treatment sure did the trick.” Rainbow Dash commented.
“Good morning.” Werdegast said appearing behind the girls and walked into the room. “I trust you have slept well.”
“Oh yes, very well.” Sunset replied.
“Excellent.” Werdegast said pleased.
“Pardon me.” Poelzig appeared and entered the room. He wore a very well manufactured suit. The suit was almost entirely dark colored but the large cuffs and lapels were light colored. He looked like a very fine gentleman. “I came to inquire after the health of my charming guest. I hope you are hungry, I had a great breakfast prepared for you all.”
“Oh, thank you so much, sir.” Rarity said gratefully.
“Once Sunset is ready we’ll be right down.” Pinkie assured.
As Poelzig began to leave, he stopped and cast one last passionate look at Sunset. Werdegast noticed this and turned a confused look to the red and yellow-haired girl, then he looked back at Poelzig with a very disapproving expression. He knew what his enemy thinking and he wasn’t going to stand for it. Soon enough, both men left to allow Sunset to get dressed.
At the dining table, everyone sat in their seats finish and satisfied with their meals.
“That was delicious.” Pinkie said rubbing her tummy.
“I must learn how to make that.” Rarity said.
“Well, Vitus.” Poelzig got up from his seat and said to his old friend. “I think you and I have some business to take care of.”
“Yes.” Werdegast angrily agreed and got up from his seat as well and left the dining room.
MEOW! A noise came from inside the room. Everyone turned to see a black cat licking up a bowl of milk.
“Oh, you have another black cat.” Fluttershy happily assumed.
“No, actually.” Poelzig said. “I only had one.”
“Wait, did you replace the one Werdegast killed?” Twilight asked confused.
“No.” was all Poelzig said and he left the room.
The seven girls were still confused. If he didn’t have a second black cat, and he didn’t replace the one he lost, then what does it mean? Then they remembered what he said about the Black Cat being deathless. Deathless as Evil. Soon their confusion turned to nervousness as they stared at the dark creature who stared back at them with creepy green eyes. Even Fluttershy felt uncomfortable being around the animal now. Slowly and carefully, the girls left the dining room not taking their eyes off the ominous feline.
Werdegast and Poelzig had left the dining room and were now in the living room. They stood around a small table with a chess board on top.
“Are you worried, Vitus?” Poelzig asked.
“About myself? No. The girls? Perhaps. Especially Sunset.” Werdegast replied.
“Oh, you’re interested?” Poelzig asked intrigued.
“Maybe.” Werdegast replied sternly.
“I thought so.” Poelzig said taking a seat at the small table. “Well I’m not. Only spiritually.”
“Spiritually?” Werdegast asked doubtfully.
“Tonight is the dark of the moon. We shall gather and… You’d better come, Vitus. The ceremony will interest you.”
“Don’t pretend, Hjalmar. There was nothing spiritual in your eyes when you looked at that girl. You plan to keep her here.”
“Perhaps.” Poelzig admitted stroking the black queen piece of the chess board.
“I intend to let her go.”
“Is that a challenge, Vitus?”
“Yes, if you dare to fight it out alone.”
“Do you dare play chess with me for her?”
“Yes. But not just for her, for all of them. I will even play chess for them – provided if I win, they are free to go.”
“You won’t win, Vitus.” Poelzig arrogantly declared. Werdegast took his seat at the small table across from Poelzig and they started playing their game.
Meanwhile, the girls were standing on a balcony looking out at the beautiful scenery. Lots of green trees and huge mountains in the background surrounded the hill the house was built on.
“Ta think this place was once one big battlefield.” Applejack said amazed.
“It is beautiful, but I think I’d like to go soon.” Sunset said.
“Is something the matter, dear?” Rarity asked.
“Something just doesn’t feel right.”
“Our host, Poelzig, and Dr. Werdegast have been very nice to us.” Fluttershy said.
“Yeah, and those two get along quite well.” Rainbow commented. “Friendship is a truly awesome and magical thing.”
“But that’s just it, I don’t think they’re friends.” Sunset said suspiciously.
“What are you talking about?” Rainbow asked confused. “Haven’t you seen the interations between those two?”
“I have.” Twilight said. “But you have to know how to read between the lines. During my years at Crystal Prep, I learned how to tell when people mean what they say and how to tell what they’re really saying. I happen to agree with Sunset; I don’t think Werdegast and Poelzig are really friends. In fact, I think they hate each other.”
The other girls were starting to grow a little suspicious themselves after hearing Twilight’s opinion. “Well, my Pinkie Senses are still tingling. They’re telling me something terrible is about to happen.” Pinkie added.
“Perhaps it’s all that mumbo-jumbo about the Black Cat.” Rainbow said still trying to think positively. “It’s got us all spooked.”
“You mean that black cat?” Spike said nervously pointing his paw at the closed sliding door behind them. They all turned to see the black cat from the dining room on the other side of the door staring at them ominously. All the girls felt shivers going down their spines and backed away from the door as much as they could. After a moment of staring, the dark feline walked away.
“Look at us, we’re catching the doc’s phobia of felines!” Rainbow said. “That can’t be the same cat he stabbed last night!”
“Poelzig said he didn’t have another one.” Fluttershy said nervously.
“He also said that the Black Cat was deathless.” Pinkie added.
“Girls, I really think we should leave.” Sunset told them nervously. All the girls looked at each other and had an unspoken agreement. It was time to go.
Back in the living room, Werdegast and Poelzig were still having their chess match when the girls came down to ask him if they could leave.
“Pardon us.” Fluttershy said softly and nervously. Poelzig turned his attention to the girls.
“Please don’t think we don’t appreciate your hospitality, Mr. Poelzig.” Rarity said politely. “But some of us are still quite shaken up from the accident you know and feel we need to head on to Griffonstone. If you could sent us to the bus stop, I’m sure we can find our way from there.”
“But of course.” Poelzig replied with a smile. “I shall be sorry to you go, but if you young ladies think best.” His majordomo approached the chess table and awaited his orders. “I want you to take these women to the nearest town.” He said. The majordomo headed to the garage to get the car ready. “Now you realize of course that this is against the advice of Dr. Werdegast, and you will have to assume the full responsibility.” Poelzig lied, this earned him a raised eyebrow from his chess opponent.
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Rainbow said confidently.
“Then we will go on with our game.” Poelzig dismissed them and resumed his game with Werdegast. Then his majordomo returned from the garage.
“I’m sorry, sir. The car is out of commission. It will take some time to repair it.” He informed his master.
“Oh, ladies.” Poelzig called to the girls. “You see, I… I use the car so seldom myself. I’m afraid you all will just have to be patient.”
“Can ah take a look at it?” AJ asked. “Ah’m pretty good at fixing things.”
“You may try if you’d like.” Poelzig gave her permission and the cowgirl headed to the garage.
“Then may I use your telephone?” Rarity asked. “I’ll telephone the hotel we’ve made reservations to and ask them to send a car.”
“Of course, of course. Take her to the telephone.” Poelzig ordered his majordomo who led her to Poelzig’s office. The other girls went up to their bedrooms to pack their things. Poelzig gave Werdegast a sly smile before resuming the game.
In the office, Rarity was having trouble with the phone; there was no ringing. She tried hitting the buttons but still got nothing. Then she took a good look at the floor and noticed that the wire had been cut. Growing more suspicious, she left the office room and started heading up the stairs to join her friends.
“Did you get the hotel?” Poelzig asked her as she started up the stairs.
“No, the phone’s dead.” Rarity said in disappointed tone as she continued up the stairs. Shortly after, Applejack appeared and was heading up the stairs. She looked just as disappointed as Rarity.
“Do you hear that, Vitus?” Poelzig said with a smug smile. “The phone is dead. Even the phone is dead.” Werdegast just glared at him.
All the girls met together in one bedroom to discuss the recent events they had witnessed.
“The phone was dead, or rather, cut to make sure no one could use it.” Rarity informed.
“Ah found the problem with the car. But what was wrong with it is something that could only had been done on purpose.” Applejack informed as well.
“Oh dear!” Fluttershy exclaimed fearfully. “What’ll we do now?”
“I guess we’ll have to go on foot.” Rainbow suggested.
Everyone knew that would be a long and hard journey, but they felt they had little choice left. “We’ll have to leave some of our baggage here in order to travel light. The main thing is to go and go quickly.” Twilight instructed them. They only gathered the things they would need, put on their coats, exitted their rooms, and started down the stairs.
Back down stairs, Werdegast and Poelzig’s chess game of fate finally came to an end.
“Check-mate. You lose, Vitus.” Poelzig triumphantly declared much to his opponent’s disappointment.
The girls reached the bottom of the stairs where they found Poelzig and Werdegast waiting for them.
“We’re leaving.” Rarity announced.
As the girls walked toward the door, they noticed that everyone in the room were watching them; Werdegast, Poelzig, the majordomo, the maid, and even the black cat. The girls’ fear began to rise and they quickened their pace. They reached the door only to find Thamal blocking their way.
“Pardon me, but we’re leavin’.” Applejack approached the tall man and told him.
“So open the door.” Rainbow also approached and demanded.
Suddenly, Thamal grabbed both girls by their throats and lifted them kicking and struggling off their feet.
“What are you doing?!” Rarity demanded fearfully, but she and Twilight were silenced when the maid put chloroform soaked napkins our their mouths at the same time.
AJ and Rainbow passed out from the lack of oxygen and Thamal released the two now unconscious girls from his grasp. Before Sunset could react, the majordomo grabbed a little box from a nearby table and knocked her out with a blow to the head. Fluttershy turned to flee, but her path was blocked by the black cat. The feline hissed viciously at her, and in her eyes it was more like a demon than an animal. She let out a shriek before fainting. The majordomo held a barking and struggling Spike by the scruff of the neck. Werdegast could only watch helplessly with pity as the innocent girls would now be forced into the horrible business he had with Poelzig.
“Take Miss Shimmer back to her room.” Poelzig instructed his servants. “Put those three in a separate room.” He referred to Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy. “And take the three rowdy ones and the mutt down to dungeon.” He referred to AJ, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Spike.
The majordomo put the angrily barking Spike in a nearby cupboard and locked it. The sounds of the pup’s barking, banging, and scratching against the wood could still be heard. Thamal carried Twilight under his right arm and Rarity over his shoulder while the maid carried Fluttershy and the majordomo carried Sunset. They placed Sunset back in her room and the other three girls in the adjacent room. Poelzig followed them up the stairs and locked the rooms. He then followed his servants back down the stairs to deal with the rest.
“I hope you won’t carry this too far, Hjalmar.” Werdegast told his old friend who just smiled at him.
The majordomo unlocked the cupboard and took out the still barking and struggling Spike. Thamal carried Rainbow Dash over his left shoulder and AJ under his right arm while the maid carried Pinkie Pie and the majordomo carried Spike. They all went down into the secret room Poelzig had taken Werdegast last night and down the spiral staircase. Spike’s angry barking echoed throughout the room.
The majordomo opened the door to an empty room and threw the purple pup inside. Spike quickly got to his feet and ran toward the door, but it closed shut before he could reach it. “No! Twilight! Rarity! Sunset!” he yelled in panic as he desperately clawed at the metal door whimpering. Things didn’t look good.
The majordomo, Thamal, and the maid came to what looked like another steel door, but there was a button on the right wall. The majordomo pressed it and revealed an opening to a rotating metal room. Thamal and the maid placed the three unconscious girls inside and left. The majordomo pressed the button again causing the room to rotate again. The exit disappeared behind a stone wall and the three girls were trapped a dark and inescapable prison.