Chapter 5
“It's alright Octi, I got you.” The lake water sloshed about as Pinkie helped Octavia onto the shore. “Come on, the street's not far, just walk slowly.” Pinkie wrapped Octavia's arm around her shoulders to help her sister walk, ignoring the cold water that soaked her in return.
“P-Pinkie...” Octavia muttered through quivering lips, her breath visible in the cold air.
“Octi, you're freezing! How long were you in that water for?! You're losing too much body heat, we have to get you inside, now!” Pinkie's words were urgent, as she could feel just how cold Octavia was. Octavia struggled to find the words, unable to believe what was happening.
She had found her sister, she had found Pinkie! But her body was freezing, her mind still recovering from the cold, and from the hellish battle she had just endured. Everything still ached from being tossed around and sliced open, and her mind was a hazy fog. She only just barely felt the warmth of Pinkie's body against her.
“Just stay awake for me Octi, I know a place nearby where you can warm up!” Pinkie insisted, trying to keep Octavia awake. The gray mare had felt her eyes drooping; her adrenaline had worn out and she felt herself slipping out of consciousness. However, the jostle of Pinkie's body and the insistence of her voice was the motivation she needed to keep herself awake.
As her hooves numbly walked alongside her sister, she couldn't help but notice that her surroundings seemed... Whiter than before. They were quickly approaching the place that Pinkie had insisted they could warm up in, and before the creaky metallic doors opened, Octavia swore she saw something small and white float across her vision.
O O
O
“Here you go Octi, drink up.” Pinkie said, offering a comforting smile and a cup of warm cocoa to the gray mare who was now wrapped up in several warm blankets and sitting on a rather comfortable silk pillow.
“Oh, uh... Thank you, Pinkie...” Octavia said, reaching a still shivering hoof out to take the mug before looking down at it. It was exactly as she remembered her sister making it; whipped cream to the point of hiding the cocoa and decorated in multi-colored sprinkles. The warmth of the mug in her hooves felt wonderful on their own, so without hesitation she brought the cup to her lips and took a sip.
After everything she'd been through over the last two weeks, and the horrors she'd been a part of that day, the drink was like heaven itself going down her throat. The drink immediately brought warmth back to her chest and face, and the chocolatey sweetness brought sanity back to her mind. It was a drink that was sent from the heavens to deliver her from her torment, and her sister was the angel that had given it to her.
“Oh sweet Celestia...” Octavia exhaled softly, just letting the warmth of the drink bathe over her. It was such a simple thing but it meant the world to her. She opened her eyes to look at her sister, the pink mare sitting on her own cushion just a few feet away. As Octavia licked her lips of the cream that no doubt had stuck to them, she couldn't help but take in how Pinkie looked.
It was just so vastly different from anything Octavia was used to seeing her sister wear. It was Pinkie, so of course she had worn various outfits for various parties before. Octavia had seen clown outfits, outfits themed by the decade, and even formal wear for 'fancier' parties Pinkie had thrown. But this outfit felt...
None of the words that came to mind were words she ever thought she would think about Pinkie.
Seductive? Sultry? Sexy? ...Slutty?
A skin-tight red leather jacket that matched her heavy eye-shadow and earrings. Her hair was straight and covered half her face, giving her eyes a smokey, seductive look to them. Around her waist and flank was a thin, flimsy, see-through pink skirt that did nothing but accentuate her curves and bring about teasing imagery about her back end. On top of that, each hind leg was wrapped with fishnet stockings that stopped just short of her rump, framing it and giving it a bit more push to make it look more 'plush'.
In every sense of the word, it looked like Pinkie was dressed to seduce, and that it didn't matter who she seduced.
“So... Octi... What were you doing in the lake like that? And where'd you get that huge gash on your back?” Octavia's thoughts slammed into a wall the moment she heard Pinkie's worried tone. She looked up at her sister, who despite the new look, was giving her a look that expressed genuine worry and care.
Octavia mentally kicked herself for having thought of her sister so crassly. There was likely an explanation for Pinkie's current look. After all, her hair didn't go flat unless she was upset about something.
“I, um...” Octavia muttered, trying to put her words together. “I'm... Not even really sure how to explain. I don't know if I even CAN explain! I just...” She shook her head quickly. “Pinkie, what's going on with the town? Where IS everypony? Why is there fog everywhere? Why are there monsters walking the streets?!”
“...Monsters?” Pinkie asked confused, tilting her head. “I don't know what you mean by 'Monsters'... But as far as the fog goes, it's a weather screw-up, from what I've heard. Apparently there was an accident at the cloud-making factory and the resulting spill of their experimental clouds ended up covering the whole town. Apparently the pegasi are having difficulty clearing it, but they expect that it should vanish on its own within a day or two.” Pinkie shook her head. “It's a little annoying, but nothing we can't deal with. As for where everypony is...” She gently shrugged. “I assume they're just hiding in their houses. No point in going outside if you can't see five hooves in front of your own face.”
Octavia could only stare in bewilderment at her sister's answer. It seemed far too mundane an answer for everything she had experienced that day. There was no way she had imagined it all either. The Spitters, the Lickers, that Masked Mare, she hadn't just imagined all of it!
“Octi? You're shaking...” Pinkie asked worriedly. Octavia's eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at the mug she was holding, noticing the shuddering of her own body. She gingerly placed the cup down, before wrapping herself tighter into the bundle of blankets.
“T-There really aren't monsters out there?” She asked quietly, fearfully, afraid of the answer to the question. “I-It's just a weather accident? Nothing more?”
“Are you seeing monsters Octi?” Pinkie asked, getting up from her pillow and drawing closer to her terrified sister. “It's okay to tell me what you've seen, I promise! I only want to help.” Pinkie lifted her hoof up and placed it against Octavia's cheek, lifting the mare's face to look up at her.
Octavia's tired eyes beheld Pinkie's cheerful smile. Even through the make-up and the sultry gaze, Octavia couldn't help but see the kind, happy sister that she had always known and loved. It didn't matter why she looked the way she did, she would always be Pinkie Pie.
She opened her mouth to speak, to answer, wanting to express all the troubles she had faced in such a short time... But her mouth fell back closed. Shades of magenta hair filled the edges of her vision, flat, silky smooth hair that was normally a bright, vibrant pink and as curly as it was poofy.
Her sister was dealing with her own worries, her own troubles, and as the older sister it was her job to help Pinkie feel better. It was her sworn obligation as the eldest of the Pie sisters to be the responsible one, to be mature enough to handle her own problems, so that her sisters could look up to her and depend on her.
Octavia swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, and gave her sister an answer that she was willing to believe herself.
“I... I've been having nightmares, Pinkie...” Octavia closed her eyes, leaning against Pinkie's hoof. “Awful, horrible, relentless nightmares. I haven't been able to sleep because of them. I tried changing my diet, relaxing before bed, I even tried one of your 'home remedies' involving a handstand in a shower, and so far nothing has really worked...” She gently shook her head before opening her eyes again. “I came to Ponyville because I remembered that you had been suffering from terrible nightmares as well, and that you'd solved them.” Octavia sat up a little, gripping the blankets tighter as she looked away from Pinkie.
“They've also caused me to sleep walk... A-And I think that's how I ended up in the water. It was... It was a nightmare of a terrible, awful cage made out of steel and blood and... A monster attacked me in it. I-I must've fallen asleep on the way here and... Walked right into the lake.” Octavia tried to chuckle softly at the silly imagery, almost willing to believe the story herself. “That was silly of me... But now that you're here, we can get rid of my nightmares. I just need to use the same solution as you, and I'll be alright.”
“Are you sure that's all?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head questioningly.
“I-I am...” Octavia stammered back. Pinkie just stared at her for a moment, before offering a soft smile.
“Alright, I believe you Octi.” Her sister offered lovingly, pulling Octi into a hug. “I'm sorry you've been having such awful nightmares sis, but I'm here for you now. We'll go see Twilight right away, and she'll help you get rid of those nasty nightmares in no time at all.”
Octavia felt a weight on her chest grow lighter at Pinkie's words. For the first time in a long while, a genuine smile appeared on her face. She leaned into the hug and gently squeezed her sister back in return.
“Thank you Pinkie... Forgive me for being such a burden on you.”
“Oh don't be silly. What else are sister's for?” Pinkie said happily, giving Octavia one last squeeze before pulling back from the hug. “Though you still need to warm up first and finish your cocoa, and I need to go get this place ready to open as well. Aaaand probably leave a note for the person coming in after me as to why I'm not here. My big sister comes first after all.” Pinkie softly chuckled.
“Huh?” Octavia blinked in confusion. “Ready to open? You work here?”
“Well yeah, how else do you think I got in?” Pinkie chuckled, before moving across the room. “Let me just go get things set up, then we can head off to Twilight's.” With that, Pinkie left the room, leaving Octavia on her own.
Now that Pinkie had mentioned it, she really hadn't paid any attention to where it was that Pinkie had dragged her to. Her eyes scanned the room and took notice of the particular decor of the room, most notably that there were several vanities set up across the room, each with a small velvet pillow before it and their mirrors individually decorated. Each station had several drawers with hints of clothing sticking out, and several assortments of makeup on top of them. In another corner of the room there was a clothing rack that contained all sorts of clothing very similar to the type Pinkie was wearing, and some even more revealing than that.
“Is this... Some kind of performance theater?” Octavia murmured out loud, looking at the décor and trying to figure out where she was exactly. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but she got the feeling this wasn't a very... 'High Class' establishment, for lack of better words. She might've been able to shake the feeling that something was off if it was just the vanities, but the type of clothing they had hanging from the rack...
Octavia shook her head and picked up her mug of cocoa, quickly draining it of its contents. While she would have normally been content to sit there and enjoy the warm drink, she had a sinking feeling in her gut that something wasn't right. With her drink gone she shed the blankets and grabbed her saddle bag.
Stepping out of the room she felt anxiety hit her throat as she entered a fairly dark hallway. She had no idea where she was, and the last few hours of her life had taught her to be wary of new locations.
There were a couple of doors lining the halls, with one end of the hallway leading to a turn that exited out onto the main-floor. The door she had just stepped out had the words 'Dressing Room – Employees Only' on it. At the other end of the hallway was a large 'exit' sign which had been the way they came in, so Pinkie must've gone the other way.
Moving down the hall didn't give her any more comfort. The doors she passed were labeled things such as 'VIP – Shower Room' and 'VIP – Velvet Room'. There were several variations of those 'VIP' rooms, which caused Octavia to gulp down a lump in her throat.
“No... No this couldn't be... Pinkie would never...” Octavia's steps sped up, quickly reaching the end of the hallway, pushing through a door of string beads that spilled out into the main room, before she stopped in her tracks.
It was a large, open area with seats set up around a main stage. The stage was long with a circle end and a pole sticking out of it into the ceiling. The chairs were all turned to face the stage, especially the center, with smaller tables and seat set ups spaced out around the room as well. There was a bar with a locked up liquor cabinet, an area with a DJ's booth, and hallways that led to private dance areas.
No matter what way Octavia looked at it, she couldn't see anything but a strip club.
Octavia jumped in her skin as music started playing across the club. It was a slow, jazzy song that was meant to be played in time with one of the female performers on stage. Next the lights began to flicker and strobe, changing colors, and moving about in short circles, before returning to normal. The music quieted down and Pinkie walked out from behind the DJ's booth, before looking up in surprise to see her sister.
“Oh! I wasn't expecting you to come out here...” Pinkie chuckled softly, almost embarrassed. “I wasn't going to take long to make sure everything was in order, honest. You could've just waited for me...”
“Pinkie... This is...” Octavia was at a loss of words. “This is where you work?”
“Um... Yeah, I kinda do.” Pinkie softly chuckled, embarrassment clearly in her voice. “Sorry I never told you... It's not exactly a place you're proud to tell your family about, you know?”
Octavia felt numb. She couldn't believe what her sister was saying. This wasn't like Pinkie, this wasn't like her at all! She wasn't... She wasn't like this!
“B-But... But you said you were a 'Party Pony Extraordinaire'! That's not what this is at all!” Octavia shook her head, still refusing to believe what her sister was saying. “You plan and throw parties! People pay you to help them throw parties!” Something clicked in Octavia's head, and her mouth curved into a desperate, worried smile. “Th-That's what this is, right? The club just asked you to help them set up for their performances! That's kind of like a party, right?”
Pinkie's expression fell a little, though her smile didn't fade. She turned, looking away from her older sister, but Octavia couldn't tell if it was out of shame or something else. The low jazz swaying in the background was slowing down as the last song was coming to an end, fading out as Pinkie made her way up to the stage. She hopped up onto it and walked over to the pole, looking up at it.
When the song ended, Pinkie stood up, wrapping a hoof around the pole and resting her forehead against it. Octavia wasn't even sure what she was seeing, but then the next song began to play. A low, thumping pop song began to waft through the room, and Pinkie's eyes slowly opened in rhythm to the song.
Her head flew back, letting her hair cascade against her back, as her eyes gave a sultry look over to Octavia. Her hips cocked forward, then back, and forward again as her leg lifted up to wrap around the pole. In beat with the music she began to dance with the pole, jutting, gyrating, spinning, swishing her hair back and forth so perfectly, and always extending those sultry eyes.
Octavia couldn't take her eyes off the performance, her eyes widening in shock at the display. Pinkie wasn't just good on the pole, she was amazing. When the beat would shift so too would her form, when there was a lull in the song she would drag out her action. Her eyes were smokey and hot, enhanced by the crimson eye shadow. Despite the shock even Octavia could feel her temperature rising from the display, unable to pull away from Pinkie's erotic display.
Pinkie's jacket slipped down her shoulders and she closed her eyes, silently moaning as if the act was pleasurable. Octavia couldn't help but swallow, her body beginning to shake as she watched. The world felt warm and everything was spinning. Was this really her sister? Was this really what she did for a living? Had she really been so blind to this every time she had visited?
The song felt painstakingly long, but finally the display was coming to an end as the song winded down. Pinkie gave one last twirl on the pole, before cascading her hair with a flick of her head, and gave Octavia one last sultry look as the music ended.
Octavia's mouth hung open in shock, her lips quivering, trying to say something, anything to what she had just seen. At some point she had fallen into a sitting position and her vision had grown blurry. Her head fell forward, too ashamed to continue staring at her sister. She stared at where her hooves met the ground, emotions welling up, the confused turmoil in her head leaving her shocked and dazed.
“And that's why I hadn't really told you...” Pinkie spoke up, hoping off the stage, though her voice no longer had that happy chirp to it. “I figured you'd react this way.”
“But WHY Pinkie!?” Octavia begged, lifting her head up to look at her sister. Tears were welling in her eyes, threatening to spill over. “Is someone blackmailing you? Are you being threatened? Do you need the money that badly? I thought- I thought I was working so hard for you to NOT have to sell your body like this!”
Pinkie looked away from Octavia, her bangs covering her face, though Octavia could swear she heard her sister's teeth clench.
“Have you ever considered that I enjoy it?” Pinkie asked, a quiet anger building in the back of her voice. “That maybe I like entertaining ponies? That I like it when they look at me like that? That it makes me happy to know I've made their night better?”
Octavia's eyes widened in shock, her mouth dropping open again. What could she say? What was there to say? She felt a tear streak down her cheek as she lowered her head. “I just... I just wanted what was best for you...”
“I'm not a CHILD anymore Octi!” Pinkie yelled, slamming her hoof on the ground as she glared at her older sister. “If I want to be a stripper, then I have every right to be one! It's my choice!”
Octavia just went silent, staring at the ground as her tears fell. She was a failure, wasn't she? She was a failure of an older sister. Pinkie was right, but somehow, she couldn't help but blame herself too. Maybe if she'd been there for Pinkie she wouldn't have turned out like this. Maybe if she had stayed in Ponyville then she could've helped Pinkie see another way.
Maybe she should've just trusted Pinkie to begin with. That knowledge just made it worse...
Pinkie hesitated on her spot, lowering her head. “Octi... Look... I'm sorry I snapped at you. I never wanted you to find out like this.” Pinkie’s voice was solemn as she turned around, walking away from Octavia. “I'm almost done setting up though, just... Wait a moment more, then we can head to Twilight's.”
Octavia didn't lift her head, just staring at the ground. Her mind felt numb, as the tears silently fell from her face.
She'd failed as a sister, she'd failed as a daughter. Pinkie was free to make her own decisions as an adult, but it didn't stop Octavia from feeling so wretched inside.
She wasn't sure how long she stared at her hooves for.
Long enough for her tears to dry up at least.
Long enough for Pinkie to tap her on the shoulder.
“Hey, I'm all done now.” Her sister tried to give a smile of comfort, but even Octavia could tell things were going to be awkward for a while. She finally sniffed and wiped her face, shaking it a little before nodding her head.
“R-Right... Let's get to Twilight's...” She was able to murmur.
Pinkie's smile picked up a little at that and the two of them made their way towards the front entrance of the club. Pinkie stepped out first, and the moment she did a blast of cold air struck Octavia's face. Utterly confused, she walked out behind Pinkie, only to stare completely dumbfounded at the sight before her.
It was snowing in Ponyville. The ground was covered in a layer of frozen water, and it seemed that the fog had only gotten worse as a result.
“Come on, Twilight's is this way.” Pinkie nodded her head before walking off. Octavia snapped out of her thoughts and quickly caught up with her sister, feeling her body starting to shiver. She hadn't packed for the cold weather at all, and Pinkie at least had her jacket to keep her warm.
“Pinkie, why is there snow? It's the middle of fall!”
“Fall?” Pinkie asked, turning to her sister confused. “Are you sure you didn't hit your head? It's the first snowfall of winter, on schedule as intended.”
Octavia opened her mouth to protest, but quietly closed it as her eyes wandered up towards the snow. White specks of flaky snow continued to gently rain down from the heavens, and Pinkie wasn't disturbed by it at all.
For a moment she wondered if she really was that screwed up in the head, if she had imagined everything that had happened. The pain in her limbs and back told her otherwise, but nothing made sense anymore.
The more they walked, the more Octavia expected one of the monsters to appear from around a bend or a corner, or to be wandering the middle of the street. Silence was the only answer her anxiety got, and the more she looked around, the less she saw.
“Pinkie, are you sure everypony is just locked inside their homes?” Octavia asked, hoping the answer would calm her nerves.
“I guess so. I mean I can't blame them, not only can you not see where you're going but now its cold too. Better to bundle up and ride the fog out, am I right?” Pinkie chuckled with her usual kindness and charm.
It was an attitude that could convince Octavia of anything. She swallowed the anxiety in her throat and silently followed along.
The silence of their walk was only broken by the crunching of snow under their hooves. Octavia hated the silence, but wasn't sure what to say.
“S-So... Pinkie...” Octavia spoke up, unsure of how to broach the subject, but desperately wanted anything other than the silence. “How did you... You know... Get started doing...” Octavia tried to find the words to say the job, but they got caught in her throat.
“...Are you sure you want to talk about it?” Pinkie looked back at her sister.
“I um...” Octavia swallowed nerves building in her throat, “I guess I just wonder... How you came to know you liked it, I guess? I... I would feel better knowing it really was something you enjoyed and chose to do as opposed to... It being something you had to do.”
Pinkie looked at Octavia for a moment before turning away and going quiet. The crunching of snow seemed louder than ever as Octavia waited for a response.
“I'm... Sure you've noticed this Octavia, you're a beautiful mare.” She glanced back at her older sister. “The look stallion's give you when they see a mare they like and want to be with?”
“Y-Yes... I've had my fair share of suitors.” Octavia milled over the words. “Not all of them the most upstanding or reputable of ponies either, but that's mainly why I never really picked up dating. No one's ever particularly caught my eye.”
“Heh, high standards I suppose.” Pinkie shook her head a little. “I'm sure you'd make some stallion very happy Octavia.”
“I... Don't know about that.” Octavia chewed her lip nervously. “But, what's that got to do with your job?”
“Well, as you know, I spent most of my early years throwing parties and making friends. As you can imagine, I was very popular.” Pinkie chuckled a little. “And when you're a cute, popular mare... Stallions notice you.” Pinkie paused as she spoke the next sentence slowly. “They ask you out, they take you on dates, they try to make you their girl, they have sex with you. That's what guys do after all. They see a girl, they want to have their way with her.”
A knot formed in Octavia's chest, not liking where this conversation was going.
“And in a way... I kind of liked the attention, you know?” Pinkie laughed a hollow laugh. “But again and again they wanted me all to themselves, to hog me, to claim me. They said they loved me, when all they were doing was thinking with their second heads. And if I had said 'I love you' to one, and not the other, wouldn't that have hurt so many others? So many boys wanted me, but to pick one would be to make all the others sad.
“So... I never settled. That didn't make the guys any happier though. For a while they tossed around nasty words, some even calling me the town slut. And it hurt but... It was kind of true too.” Pinkie shook her head.
“So, rather than let it destroy me, I decided that I liked it and ran with it. If I was going to be a slut anyway, I was going to enjoy it. The attention, the desires, the sex, all of it. Once I'd made my decision, I walked into the Satin Saddle and demanded they hire me as a dancer.” This time Pinkie genuinely laughed.
“One of the prettiest mares in all of Ponyville walked into a strip club and told the owner she wanted to dance for him. Can you imagine the joy on his face Octi? I should've taken a picture.” Another giggle from the pink mare.
“I can... Only imagine, Pinkie.” Octavia tried to chuckle herself, though it still felt weird to accept it as real.
“So they had me learn the trade. How to serve the guests, how to dance the pole, how private dances worked, the whole thing. And the more I did it... The more I loved it.” Octavia could hear the chipperness in Pinkie's voice now. “I set my own terms Octi. They come to see me, I entice them, make them happy, and then my job is done. They can't touch me unless I want them to. I spread happiness to all those guys who want me, and they all get a fair share of me, because now it's my job. I'm in control of my body and who touches it.
“I'm in complete control.”
Pinkie's last words on the subject hung heavy in the air. Octavia had long since lost her voice, knots forming in her throat at anything she might have tried to say. She just followed Pinkie along quietly, letting the things her sister had said settle in.
She didn't have long to let the conversation simmer though, before Pinkie chirped up happily again.
“Oh! Twilight's house is right up ahead!” Her sister picked up the pace, almost vanishing into the fog.
“Ah! Pinkie! Don't go too far ahead!” Octavia called out, picking up her own pace to keep up with her energetic sister. In short order, a familiar oak tree that sat in the middle of the town appeared through the snow and the fog. Octavia remembered it from when she used to live here, it was the public library of the town. And if she remembered correctly from Pinkie's letters, Twilight had moved in, turning the library into a home.
“Twilight! Are you home?” Pinkie called out, knocking loudly on the door.
Silence returned them. Something felt wrong about the silence, Octavia could feel it.
“Twilight? Hellooooo?” Pinkie called out again, knocking a little harder this time. The door creaked, opening a little from the knocking. “Huh? She left the door open?”
“I-It is a public library, right?” Octavia swallowed her anxiety again, her ears perking up to try and hear any sounds, particularly of the static kind. “Maybe someone just didn't close it properly from their visit?”
“I guess so...” Pinkie sounded unconvinced. “I'm going to check and see if Twilight's inside.”
With that Pinkie pushed the door open again, calling out into the library as she hopped inside. Octavia followed along, closing the door behind her.
The first floor of the library was just as she remembered it, walls of books with a stairway that led deeper inside. It hadn't changed at all since the last time she'd visited.
“Twilight!” Pinkie called out, her voice echoing throughout the empty building which caused a chill to run down Octavia's back. Like the rest of the town, it was too quiet. “Huh... That's weird... It's a little early for her and Spike to be out and about. Where'd they get off to?”
While Pinkie made her way up the stairs Octavia made her way to the center table. The way the town was covered in fog, the way not even a mouse stirred, it made Octavia believe she was still in the hellish landscape of her nightmares. But without the monsters around, and Pinkie actually with her, was that true? Had that hell actually been real?
Octavia came to a stop in front of the table, noticing just how much dust had collected on it, as if no one had been there in ages. She ran her hoof against it, wiping a line of dust clean from the table and looking at her hoof. Judging from the pile up, the library could've been abandoned for years.
She was starting to get the sinking feeling that everything really had been real. And that maybe Pinkie was just...
Her thoughts stopped as her eyes wandered across a book that lay on the table. Curious, she walked over to it and wiped the dust off the cover, reading the title.
“Dreams, a Psychological Understanding?” Octavia read the words out loud, having done so unconsciously. Why did the book sound familiar? She could've sworn she'd never heard of this book before in her life, and yet something about it was calling to her.
Her hoof reached out for the cover, ready to open the book.
“I can't find her anywhere!” Pinkie called out, coming down from the stairs and catching Octavia's attention. “Not even a note on where they might have gone! I wonder what's going... Oh? Did you find something?”
Pinkie quickly stepped over, looking at the book on the table, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Oh! You found the book!” Pinkie said with a smile. “Remember? In my letter I mentioned Twilight used a book to help me! This was that book!”
“This one?” Octavia furrowed her brow at the book. Something felt off about it, her memory fuzzy and a slight headache forming in her forehead just looking at it. Was there something about this book? She lifted her hoof and placed it on the cover, flipping it open.
CRACK
Octavia and Pinkie jumped in their skins, a loud crash echoing from the door. Immediately the phonograph in Octavia's bag began to ring wildly and Octavia's heart sunk.
Another thunderous crack echoed out through the library and the front door showed hideous, visible cracks from the strain. It wasn't going to hold.
“Pinkie! RUN!” Octavia screamed, followed by the sound of the door crashing down.
Through the dust of the door breaking bore a large head slithering into the room, a metallic mask attached to the face of a pony with no ears and an impossibly long neck that was wrapped in barbed wire. The scarred, tanned mess of a leathery hide it called a body rubbed up against the roof of the doorway it had beaten down, cracking it with the mere size of its presence.
Octavia had seen this monster before, staring at her through Pinkie's window and again looming over her in the apartment. Now it was unrestrained, freed of any boundaries blocking its way to her. A tall, masked stallion.
Its heavy iron-covered legs slammed down into the library, cracking the floor with each step. Its body rubbed against the doorway, cracking from the sheer weight and the pressure. The whole building seemed to shake from its entrance, and finally when it had slipped all the way inside the doorway caved in, crashing down into a pile of debris that blocked the only way in and out.
“W-What is that thing!?” Pinkie cried out in terrified panic, backing away, uncertain of what to do.
“I said RUN PINKIE!” Octavia shouted again, rushing up to her sister and giving her a hurried shove. Pinkie stumbled a moment, staring at her sister bewildered before noticing Octavia motioning to the stairs. Pinkie quickly caught on and turned around, racing back up the stairs as fast as she could.
The elder sibling was not far behind, having paused only briefly to stare at the creature in horror. Her hooves slammed against the staircase, watching Pinkie's tail disappear into the second floor as she desperately tried to follow suit.
A hiss and a crash roared through the library as the monster's head barreled into the staircase, causing Octavia to let out a horrified scream. She tripped on her own hooves trying to stop, tumbling off the side and back down to the first floor with a hard thud. She felt wood and debris crash down around her, most of it pelting her coat.
Her mind was spinning as she lifted her head, looking up to see the long-necked monster pulling its head out from the top of the staircase. The entrance to the second floor had collapsed in as well, and now she was trapped on the first floor with it.
Just her and the monster.
She was grateful Pinkie had managed to get away, but that still left her in mortal peril. She stumbled as best she could, her hooves threatening to slip out from under her, as she quickly clambered over the debris and to the other side of the room.
The wail of the phonograph hammered into her ears as she turned around, facing the creature as it turned to stare at her. Her breathing was heavy and her heart was thundering in her chest. The creature looked like it was slow and lumbering, but it had surprising speed when it wanted. She bit down on her lip, hard enough to draw blood, trying not to let her panic and terror control her thoughts and actions.
The monsters were real. This whole horrid town was real.
Then she'd killed monsters before. She just had to fight.
She reached into her bag, intending to pull out her knife to fight back. Her hoof paused, then scrambled through the pack and her eyes went wide with realization.
She'd dropped the knife in the last fight. It had gotten washed away when the cage filled with water.
She was defenseless.
Her eyes snapped forward in realization that the monster was barreling down upon her. Her hooves finally reacted to her thoughts and she barely managed to avoid its head slamming down on where she had been standing, a loud crack echoing through the room as dust was flung up into the air.
She rushed her way around the room, as the creature lifted and turned its head to face Octavia once more. She stepped back, feeling the wall stop her and winced in realization that she was once again caged with something horrible. Only this time she wasn't sure she was able to fight her way out of this.
The creature was huge, far too huge for her to realistically harm it with her bare hooves. Not to mention all of its legs were wrapped in thick and heavy metal! What was she supposed to do against something that towered so far above her!?
The huge neck was twisting in her direction, she had but moments to move again. Her mind raced with options, thinking about what she could possibly do. Bait it into hurting itself? Find some kind of opening or weak spot? Make it break a hole in the wall for her to escape through?
She kicked off her back hooves and raced across the room as the head came crashing down where she had been standing. The bookshelf that had been directly behind her shattered into a shower of splinters and dusts, books flying in every direction as they scattered across the library.
Octavia panted heavily as she watched the creature, it pulling its head out of the debris and turning to look at her. It could track her easily and it didn't show an ounce of exhaustion. She could keep dodging, but that would only do her well for so long, at some point she was going to run out of steam!
No, she needed a plan, she needed to think of something, she had to-
“LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!” Pinkie screamed out, jumping out from somewhere Octavia couldn't see and landing on the monsters head. Octavia stared up in horror as her sister wrestled with the creature's face, all the while it thrashed and in silent protest at her.
“PINKIE!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Octavia screamed in return. She was certain Pinkie had gotten away, was somewhere safe away from the monster! Now she had flung herself face first into danger!
“Saving you! What does it look like!?” Pinkie grunted, trying not to be flung away from the tremendous force. Her hind leg kicked against its neck, scraping against the barbed wire digging into its flesh. She let out a cry of pain as the sharp metal cut into her leg, blood spilling out down onto its neck.
The creature shuddered at the contact with the blood, calming its thrashing and coming to a stand still. Octavia stared frozen in place, as Pinkie hesitantly looked down at the creature.
“Look, I don't know what you are or where you came from...” Pinkie spoke calmly, trying to reason with the creature, “but if you leave right now, no one has to get hurt, okay?”
Silence filled the library at Pinkie's question, Octavia couldn't even hear her heart beat. The creature wasn't moving, and Pinkie looked just as confused about the situation as Octavia was. Several moments passed, and with the creature not moving, Pinkie opened her mouth to speak again.
Its neck snapped violently, twisting and cracking as it went flying back into the wall.
“PINKIE!!” Octavia screamed in horror as Pinkie was crushed against the wall, air escaping her lungs. Pinkie’s eyes went wide in shock, her blood splattering against the wall that cracked from the impact. The creature moved its head forward, and Pinkie's body slowly peeled from the wall, crashing down to the floor.
Octavia's hooves moved to her mouth, unable to believe what had just happened. She couldn't move, her whole body was shaking. Her shaking breath caught in her throat when she saw her sister move, twitching against the ground and groaning, trying to push herself up.
The creature turned to look at Pinkie, its entire body turning to face her.
“NO!!” Octavia screamed, “YOU LEAVE HER ALONE!” Scrambling to her hooves she grabbed a fallen piece of lumber from the debris and rushed straight for the creature, slamming it straight into one of the metallic slabs it called legs. The wood shattered, splintering into pieces that flew off in every direction. The creature's leg moved, kicking back and striking Octavia hard in the chest.
Her breath left her as her chest felt like it was caving in, her body slamming into the wall. Pain seared her mind as she hit the ground with a thump, her hoof clutched against her chest as she gasped for air.
Her vision was blurring but she forced her head up, her eyes focusing on Pinkie. The Pink mare looked up in return, looking at Octavia. The two stared at each other as the monster loomed over Pinkie. There was nothing either of them could do, and Pinkie just gave Octavia sad smile, before mouthing the words ‘I’m sorry’.
Everything fell silent as the monster's heavy hoof came crashing down on top of Pinkie. Blood splattered out from underneath, coating the library floor crimson.
Octavia’s eyes widened as everything froze around her.
Pinkie was dead. She had just watched her sister be crushed to death by a monster.
The world felt numb. She could barely register the tears streaming down her face, or the heavy thuds of the monster now turning its attention upon her.
She didn't move, or even flinch, when its head came down to face level with her. The faceless, metal mask with a blood splatter against its mouth stared straight into her soul.
A dull thud struck her, and at first she didn't know what had happened. Then her head slowly looked down, and saw a fleshy tendril, the same color as the monster's flesh, sticking through her chest.
Her hoof moved slowly, lifting up to try and touch it, before the appendage was pulled out.
Blood spewed out everywhere, a large hole now in the middle of her chest, having pierced straight through her heart. All control of her body was lost and she crumpled over, staring up at the masked creature.
The appendage slither back over to its body, as it tilted its head to look down at her.
That was the last thing she saw as her vision faded to black, her life escaping her.
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Is this just a sequel, or is also based on 'Silent Hill 4: The Room' ?
9664328
While Silent Ponyville 1, 2, and 3 had inspirations based on the Silent Hill of the same number, Silent Ponyville 4 draws its inspirations more from Silent Hill 1 and 2, and Silent Ponyville 1. I still haven't played The Room yet, and a friend of mine long, long ago actually wrote a 'The Room' styled Silent Ponyville. You can find that one here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/9901/silence-of-ponyville-the-shop
Wow that ending was dark. did you really just kill pinkie pie or is she the "maria" of this story. If so i'll have to brace myself for more pinkie pie deathes. I wonder what will happen next to Octavia.
9664489
If one day you are bored you could try watching a walktrough, you get more or less the story and can skip walking half a hour to resolve a puzzle...
9664489
I read those two stories. I think they didn't get much love because the first one, The Silence of Ponyville, is a mystery drama, and not a real Silent Hill story.
I strongly recommend both of those stories. Even though the first one is a bit dry, and the second one has a somewhat unsatisfying ending, which you already know about if you read the first story.
But The Shop is a true Silent Ponyville story, with appropriate game mechanics in it, puzzles, exploration, and monsters. Highly underrated, it needs more love.
Damn! I did not see that coming!
So, Octavia did a little side work to keep herself independent. The entertainment industry never changes does it?
Damn...
.