Theater of The Damned

by Chemtest

Leverage

—(Apple Bloom)—

I almost stifle a yawn as I go into the next room, but this one is special. Not just a two room with a chamber, but this one is connected to another full room. I see a pony tied up in rope, hanging above a pool of razor blades. I sigh, and look over at the obligatory orb, “So, what’s the story for this?”

The pony appears on the orbs as usual, “Zesty Gourmand, a food critic. Now, I have nothing against critics who do their job properly, but she is corrupted. Her words cut into the hopeful chiefs just because they aren’t the same. The words cut just like the razor blades the chiefs use later those nights. Now, she will experience the pain her remarks cause.”

I nod, “Yeah, so how do I save her?”

The pony nods over to the wall, “There’s a switch there, will stop the cord. But, I haven’t taken good care of it, let it rust because I could care less, just like she with her words. But, I have provided a crowbar to help you. You have one minute to unstick the lever before the crowbar will disappear. Starting as soon as you pick it up.”

I nod, and rush over to the crowbar. I try to lift it with my hooves, but end up fumbling it around. I finally get it in a good grip and rush over to the lever. I see the orb explode out the corner of my eye, but I’m to busy. I jam the crowbar into position, and push down on it.

I can see the crowbar start to bend under my force, but the switch starts to slowly move upwards. I see the rope outside still falling, so I increase my force.

I almost get the lever free when a single resounding noise comes from it.

*Crack!*

The lever got unstuck all right, but it isn’t attached to the wall anymore. The lever cracks from the wall, and goes flying against the room. All the while, I’m sent crashing to the floor from the backlash.

I land, facing the other room where the cord lets go entirely. The lever was the thing controlling speed, but now it’s on free fall. So, the pony ends up crashing into the pool of blades. Disappearing under the surface, the only evidence she was there is the blood on the top layer of razors.

I just sit there as another orb rolls out. The pony takes one look at me, “Well, my dear, you’ve reached the end.”

I look at the pony, actually surprised, “You said there were three more traps left. That was only one.”

I can hear a door open near me, and hear the ponies voice from two differnt locations, “I’m in a generous mood my dear. Now, pick yourself up, you look tired. I’ve just prepared tea, come enjoy it.”

I look over at the door to see the pony in the mask. Stallion, and very old, looking around the same age as Granny. His presence exudes nothing but peace. I trust him, he hasn’t harmed me yet. I get up, and follow after him as we trudge through the halls, “So, you’re going to explain all of this?”

He simply continues walking, “Yes, but over tea. I know that this experience will make you twitchy, I know that personally. Tea will calm you down, and allow you to listen better. Also, it’s been a while since you’ve drank something, you must be parched.”

We enter a room, this one clean and with a table in the center, “You seem quite nice for a murderer.”

He uses some magic to pull out my chair, and we sit at the same time, “I’m not a murderer, I only kill those who kill others. Just like your sister.”

I tilt my head, “You know about Applejack?”

He nods, before holding up an orb, “So sorry, but I have something to do first. I told Ms Sparkle not to keep investigating, ‘ponies will die’ I say. She still insists on doing so.”

—(Twilight Sparkle)—

I flip through the pages with almost reckless abandon, but careful enough so I can read it. It’s been three hours since the delivery, and it’s nearing night.

*Knock, knock, knock!*

I shout at the door, “We’re closed!”

The pony could care less, and kicks in the door. In walk two ponies carrying some type of bag between them. They place the bag on my table, and stand on either side, “What is the meaning of this!?”

The bag is opened from the inside, and I can see a mad smile coming out of it. The pony inside the bag sticks out his two hooves, each holding knives, and stabs them into his two partners. He uses the leverage from their bodies to raise himself up and out. His two friends collapse, dead, and he casually wipes the knives on their fur, “Only bad thing about knives, they’re so hard to clean! If not for these two willing volunteers to clean their own blood, I’d have rusty knives in a week.”

I stand up from my seat, shouting at the messy pony, “Who the tartarus are you?!”

The pony looks at me, the white makeup on his face splotchy and his green hair dirty. The pony licks his lips, where scars representing smiles are, “I’m what happens when things go wrong. Somepony killed, oh you better believe the murderer was inspired by me.”

I point my horn down at him, “I’m ready to fight back!”

He licks his lips again, “Oh, there’s no need for that. It’s been three hours, and only two have died.”

I back up slowly, “I am the most powerful mage in town, I could beat you! You stand no chance against my magic!”

The pony smiles, “Oh, magic? You wanna see a magic trick?” The pony takes his knife, and shoves it into the table.

I shout at him, “My table!”

The pony puts a hoof on the back of his head, and licks his lips one more time, “I’m gonna make this knife disappear.”

He pushes his own head down, onto the knife. He falls over, the hilt sticking out of his head. An orb rolls out of his pocket, and the pony appears on it, “Was it worth it, Sparkle? Letting these ponies die?”

I glare at him, “We won’t stop until Apple Bloom is safe!”

The pony reaches over, and picks up his orb, “Oh, then you can stop now.” He turns the orb around for me to see Apple Bloom sitting at a table, takeing a sip of tea, “Unharmed, safe, and about to be returned. She is about to learn the why of things. But you, Sparkle, you wasted so many lives. You don’t deserve to hear it from anypony but her mouth.”

The orb is then smashed down on the table, and the orb on my floor shatters the same.

I hear little footsteps coming down the stairs, “Hey, Twilight, what’s with all the noise?”

I turn around, “No wait!”

Spike sees the state of the room. He takes a long look at it, before spinning in his heel and marching back up, “Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope. All the nope’s from Nopeville in Nopeworld.”

—(Apple Bloom)—

I sit across from the pony, taking a calming sip of tea, “So, you said you weren't a murderer?”

He nods, “Tell me, did you look at their eyes?”

I nod, “Pinkie’s green, Roseluck’s red, Cheese’s blue, what about it?”

He shakes his head, “It would take an observant pony to realize one fact. That’s not their eye color. Pinkie has blue, Roseluck green, Cheese green.”

I think back on Pinkie and Roseluck, and realize he’s correct, “What are you saying?”

He looks right at me, “The eyes are the window to the soul, but what if there’s no soul? All these ponies I’ve ‘killed’ were illusions. Just mist made to look like a pony, and speak like one. Nopony died here. Their ‘death’ is like the death of a book character. It may seem real from a perspective, but when you realize it’s a book, you know it’s fake. This was all a test, and you passed with flying colors.”

Comments

[Zapper Frost]

He looks right at me, “The eyes are the window to the soul, but what if there’s no soul? All these ponies I’ve ‘killed’ were illusions. Just mist made to look like a pony, and speak like one. Nopony died here. Their ‘death’ is like the death of a book character. It may seem real from a perspective, but when you realize it’s a book, you know it’s fake. This was all a test, and you passed with flying colors.”

1. Ahh so that's what the hint meant, I wasn't sure but I had a sneaking suspicion
2. Are the ponies who died outside the Theater illusions too?
3. Nice batman reference

[Chemtest]

9199688
This is the one line I didn’t do a Batman reference, what are you seeing here?

[Zapper Frost]

9199711
I know it is I just didn't feel like quoting another line

[ShadowDreamer]

Spike sees the state of the room. He takes a long look at it, before spinning in his heel and marching back up, “Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope. All the nope’s from Nopeville in Nopeworld.”

He took that surprisingly well