Chilling Wasteland Stories to Tell in the Dark

by MuseoSansPony

CUDDLE BUNNY (By Chokfi)

About one year before the war came to its final moments, Lapine industries made an announcement in the press. They wanted to audition both a pony and a rabbit for the role of their company mascot. They didn’t make any specifications as to the pony, so it was a free for all when it came to failing actors and ponies that tried to take the role. One of these ponies was Lucky Charm.

Lucky was a little filly, having lived all her life in the shadow of her mother and father. Both were famous in their own right. Her mother, Natural Charm, was an actress, and her father, Chanted Charm worked in arcanotech. Both were always very busy.

Lucky had just gotten her cutie mark, a shooting star, and her mother had insisted that it meant she was going to be great for the limelight. Lucky went along with her mother’s wishes, but not because it was her dream. The filly just wanted to spend time with her mother. She’d failed every audition near instantly thus far.

When the call for a mascots came out, Lucky was excited. She wouldn’t get the part, but her mom would spend time with her. So they went to Lapine Headquarters, with Lucky dressed up in a pair of bunny ears. She held her stuffed animal, Cuddle Bunny. It was speckled brown, a patchwork of fluff, and was her favorite thing. Lucky wiggled, sitting in her seat for hours as pony after pony was rejected.

When it finally came to be her turn, one of the stallions came to get her. “Lucky charm?”

“Yes, that’s me…” She replied, staring up at him. As she got up she dropped Cuddle Bunny.

She followed as he gestured for her to come with him, going beyond the large intimidating white doors. As she walked along she heard a commotion behind her.

“You can’t come in here, only one at a time.”

“But that’s my daughter!”

“Sorry ma’am.”

Lucky tried to look back, but the doors were closed with a loud clang, and she couldn’t see anything but the two uniformed ponies standing by it. She was led to the stage, in front of three judges. None of them seemed like creatives. All three seemed to be scientists.

“Alright, Lucky, show us your routine.” The first said, seemingly bored. It was an orange pegasus mare with her mane tied up in a bun made out of braids.

Lucky did her best, but most of the things she’d prepared seemed blank in her mind. All she remembered to do was a little dance.

“Alright, fine. That’s enough.” The second, an earth pony stallion who’s coat seemed to be extra long, said. It covered him, leaving only his face in view. “Bring out the other subject.” Lucky turned around, trying to see what was happening. What was brought out was a small white rabbit. “Now we’re going to need you to stand still.”

Lucky tried her best to stand still, but she shivered in place moving too much for the interview apparently.

“Hold her.” The third doctor said, a unicorn whose face was hidden behind a white mask. Two uniformed guards grabbed her shoulders and held her still, as the unicorn levitated a syringe over.

First the Syringe was stabbed into the bunny, but it didn’t seem to be injecting anything. Instead extracting a sample of red blood. In the glass of the Syringe the blood mixed with an odd clear fluid. The rabbit squirmed, seemingly in horrible pain. But soon it was Lucky’s turn. She couldn’t move, even when she tried, so she just watched the syringe approach her. It was injected into her shoulder.

After this, Lucky felt woozy, passing out right there. When she woke up she was no longer in the chamber. She was instead in a very small room. A very small room with walls made of chicken wire. She was in a cage! As she stood up a sudden sense of oddness filled her, something felt wrong. She tried to look around, but it was too dark.

Lucky flung herself against the wall of her cage, again and again, causing a raucous loud noise to be made around her from other cages. Eventually she crashed through, an alarm beginning to blare as she ran from room to room.

She found a vent, and she pushed her way inside, managing to wiggle her way out. It was nighttime outside, so she ran and she ran and she ran. Eventually finding a river and seeing her own face, crying out in horror.

---

Natural was nervous about not being let inside. She was worried about her daughter. Maybe she had been too strong, trying to insist that she go into acting. She just wanted her daughter to be happy. She scooped up Cuddle Bunny and dusted him off, knowing Lucky would miss him.

It took hours, but nothing happened. Soon all the other ponies in the room were ushered away. She tried to knock, but she was told to go away… Eventually they stopped answering. When the clock turned seven, armed guards came to grab her, escorting her out of the building. She was sent home.

“Oh Chant, I don’t know what to do!” She said to her husband, calling from the office. “They didn’t send her back.”

“I’ll investigate. But I can’t go now.” Chanted replied.

Natural stared at the phone, Cuddle Bunny in her hooves. “This is our daughter! You can't just-” The phone was cut off. She slammed it back on it’s dock and went to sit in the living room. That’s when she heard the scratching. Something was in her yard.

When she opened the door she saw it. The creature seemed almost like a pony, its hind legs hideously extended. It’s ears long and drooping down to the floor. It’s body seems beyond all comparison. It said two words, horribly distorted. “CuUuddle… BUuuUnny…”

Author's Note:

More from the author: https://www.fimfiction.net/user/170467/Chokfi