Chapter Two: What Lurks In The Depths Part 3
Chapter Two:
What Lurks in the Depths
Daily Life Part 3
I paused outside of Adagio’s cabin door, hand raised ready to knock. My stomach churned, filled not so much with butterflies but entire flocks of birds with pointy beaks. I remembered what Twilight said. About how people in dangerous situations end up bonding faster than usual. I wasn’t even sure how I felt about Adagio. Do I love her?
I don’t know. Probably too early to tell. I like her. I know that. And we had a good time. But how did Adagio feel? I knew she was angry. Upset. I was the first one she actually ever cared about. And she thinks I betrayed her. Yeah, no wonder she’s angry. I’d be pissed too in her situation.
Sunset what’re you doing? You’re just trying to delay this. Get it over with, girl.
Right. Okay. I took a few deep breaths, then knocked on the door three times. Very soon after, the door opened up just a crack, and Adagio peered out. When she saw me, her eyes filled with malice and the cold promise of slow, excruciating death. “What?” she hissed.
“Can we talk?” I asked plainly, struggling not to break down in panic at the look she was giving me. All those alarm bells from my pony instincts rang anew, blaring like mad.
Adagio’s lips rolled back, showing her teeth. “No.” She started to close the door.
I threw my arm in the way. “Adagio. Seriously. Let me talk.”
Hissing and muttering under her breath, Adagio spun and moved away, letting me open the door. “Fine.”
Once I entered, she slammed the door shut behind me and quickly locked it, then abruptly kicked me in the stomach and body slammed me onto the bed, holding me down with one arm across my chest. It was so fast I couldn’t react or do anything other than grunt in sudden pain, gasping for air. A knife was at my throat before I could even blink. “You’ve got about two minutes before I use you as my ticket out of here!” Adagio snarled.
I coughed and spluttered, trying to get any kind of air in. The cold touch of the knife sent fresh frissions of fear flickering from my spine. “Adagio,” I gasped, “I think you’re overreacting.”
Adagio pressed the point of the knife deeper into the flesh of my neck, drawing a bit of pink blood. “Try again.”
“I can’t talk like this,” I said, struggling to speak with any real clarity. “Let me go, please.”
With a grunt, Adagio removed the knife and released me, backing up out of my reach. “Don’t sit up,” she warned. “You can talk from there.”
Okay. This is going even worse than I expected. That’s fine. I’m sure she’s not stupid. Just don’t piss her off further. Just be blunt. She values honesty over niceties. “I’m not dating Trixie,” I said simply.
I could barely see her from my laying down position, but I noticed her wave at me to sit up, so I did. “Then what did I see?” she asked, relaxed by only the slightest of hairs.
One hand shot up to my neck, wiping at the trace of blood. Fortunately she’d barely nicked me. “I agreed to be her friend.” At the widening of Adagio’s eyes, I immediately added, “Just her friend, nothing else!”
Adagio flipped the knife over in her hand, over and over again, as she stared at me quietly. She didn’t speak, just stood there, her other hand on her hip, her weight on one leg. Then, ever so slowly, she set the knife down on the dresser, came over to the bed, and plopped down, hissing through her teeth. “I’m an idiot,” she muttered.
“Yeah, a bit,” I agreed, flashing her a sympathetic grin. She didn’t smile back, so my own faded. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re kinda new to all this. I’m sorry if I worried you.”
Adagio shifted on the bed till she faced me, and roughly shoved a hand my way. After a moment, I took it, carefully, in mine. “I’m sorry too,” she grumbled. At least this time she was able to say the words more easily. “I should’ve… asked.” She laughed bitterly at herself. “You’d think I’d know how this works. I messed with pony’s heads often enough to know better.”
I tried not to flinch at the implications of that. She’s trying to be better, Sunset. Don’t let it get to you. “You’re new to this. It’s different when you’re in a relationship.”
“Are we?” Adagio whispered.
Good question. “Do you want us to be?”
Adagio looked away, her bushy orange hair swishing. She released my hand and took several deep breaths. Then she turned back to me and placed her hand in mine again. “Yes,” she admitted, with a sour expression on her face. Her voice turned low and grumpy, more like sour gripes than fine wine. “I… Sirens don’t really care about each other, the way ponies do. But you cared about me. I… I liked it more than I thought I would.”
“Aww, are you saying you love me?” I blurted before I could get hold of my god-damned stupid idiot mouth. Why did I say that? God, Sunset, do you have a death wish or something?
Adagio’s expression went blank. Pink filled her cheeks and spread up her face till she was practically steaming at the ears. Her teeth bared anew as she growled wordlessly, started to remove her hand, then stopped just as suddenly. “Love is a… strong word,” she said between grinding teeth. “I… I like you. That’s all. For now.”
“I like you too, Adagio,” I quipped, trying out a small smile to see how she reacted. She grumbled, rolling her eyes, but she seemed okay with it. “I’m sorry I scared you with Trixie. We were just talking about the p--I mean, about her, and--”
“Hold on,” Adagio interrupted, narrowing her eyes at me in suspicion. “What were you talking about?”
“Uh… aheh...heh…” I scratched the back of my head as Adagio’s eyebrows rose up and her mouth twisted further and further into a deep frown. So I told her about the photograph, and that we were trying to keep it quiet.
“Smart,” Adagio commented once I finished. “Tiara’d accuse you of being the traitor if she saw that.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” I admitted, sighing. “I still dunno if I believe Monoponi when he says there is one.”
“Eh, he’s probably telling the truth,” Adagio shrugged. “Like Wallflower said, not much reason to lie when the truth hurts just as much.”
You’re not wrong. “Anyway, Adagio, listen, I’m glad we worked this out. I’ve gotta go for now. See you later?”
For the first time since she saw me with Trixie, a smile appeared on Adagio’s face. It was small, sure. Uncertain. Shaky. But it was a smile. “Sure.”
Feeling a bit daring, I raised her hand to my lips, kissed it, then gently set it down, and got up to leave. From the corner of my eye as I left I saw Adagio lift the hand I kissed up to her mouth and touch her own lips to it. My heart soared at the sight. Yeah. I think I’m starting to fall for you, Adagio, I admitted, if only to myself.
I didn’t care if it was stupid, or unreasonable. Because it totally was. I didn’t know if I could trust her. For all I knew, her whole thing about being a siren? About being from Equestria? It could be an act. Hell, she could be the traitor. It’d make sense. Worm her way into my good graces, get me all trusting of her, she stays by my side every trial till she eventually reveals herself… and Monoponi is Equestrian…
But no. I took that line of thinking and threw it out into the sea. She was sincere. She had to be. Who could fake the way she acted when I kissed her? When I touched her? When I… well. If she was acting, then she sure had me fooled. So she wasn’t acting. It was that simple.
I made my way to the stores, purchased the supplies needed, and made my way back to the theater prop shop. It wasn’t the largest shop I’d ever worked in, more suited to smaller set pieces, furniture, and costumes than manufacturing, but it was well stocked with most of what we needed, and well organized too, albeit with plenty of dangerous tools. Hammers and screwdrivers aplenty, heavy wrenches, some power tools, a nailgun or two, table saw, even the large rolling step ladder laying against the wall next to the saw… yeah, there were plenty of tools for murder here. But then, there were plenty of tools everywhere. A freaking pencil could kill someone if you used it right. Not much point worrying about it.
I was a little surprised to discover Rarity was present, in the middle of getting Trixie’s measurements. Apple Bloom was already at work drafting out the plans for the box trick on one of the two drafting tables. “Oh, there you are, Sunset,” Trixie said as she held up her arms for Rarity. “Trixie thought you’d be back sooner.”
“Sorry, my errand took longer than I expected,” I said, setting my purchases down. I started sorting them out to put away with the other things till they were needed.
Apple Bloom grabbed a piece of paper out from under her stack and handed it over to me. “When ya get a minute, could ya look this over? This is mah plan for the safety box.”
“Sure.”
Rarity finished up with Trixie and scribbled down her notes on a small notepad. “Alright, Sunset, if you don’t mind, darling, I’d like to take your measurements too.”
I looked up, confused. “Mine? Why?”
Trixie burst out into a wide smile. “Trixie thinks you would make an excellent assistant for her show! ...and Apple Bloom won’t do it.”
Apple Bloom shrugged. “Sorry. Ah ain’t good with small spaces. Ah ain’t ashamed of that.”
“Uh, I don’t know, Trixie,” I said hesitantly, my mind flashing back to images of the angry Adagio I’d only just managed to calm down. “What would I even be doing?”
“Oh, not much,” Trixie answered, whisking a hand through her hair and posing dramatically. “You’d just have to stay by Trixie’s side, do as Trixie requests, and most importantly, be the ‘victim’ of the origami trick! Trixie cannot do it without someone who already knows how it works, and Trixie would rather not spoil it for anyone else.” Her eyes swelled up like a puppy’s, her lips curling into an adorable pout as she held up her hands in a pleading gesture. “Please Sunset? For Trixie?”
Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I answered, “Alright, I’ll do it. Please tell me you’ll keep it professional.”
Trixie’s jaw fell open and she puffed herself up, one hand clapping to her breast. “Trixie is affronted! Trixie would never be anything but professional with her assistants!” She dropped her hand and put on a smug smirk. “Besides, you’re not Trixie’s type.”
“What is, a mirror?” Apple Bloom quipped, sniggering.
I snorted, trying not to laugh too hard. “Ooh, burn,” I said.
“Laugh if you must,” Trixie said elegantly, sticking her nose further up into the air in an exaggerated way. “But Trixie will own it.”
That got us all laughing pretty hard, even Trixie. Girl’s got a sense of humor. She’s fun.
DING-DONG BING-BONG
We all froze in place. A brief moment of terror gripped my body as we all turned to face the screen hanging over the prop shop’s table saw, where Monoponi appeared, his usual snifter of brandy resting squarely in his magic.
“Attention all passengers! Exploration time is over! Please report to the bridge deck, immediately!”
His announcement doused the last embers of our good mood. “Oh what does that boorish lout want with us now?” Rarity groused as she rolled up her measuring tape and placed it in her pocket. “Sunset, I’ll have to measure you later.”
As a group we trudged out of the theater, forming up with other strays from the library and game corner as we made our way to the bridge deck. Some people muttered to themselves, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo engaged in quiet whispers to each other, but otherwise we all stayed quiet.
Once we formed up on the bridge deck, Monoponi emerged onto the balcony, choosing to step outside the tower door this time instead of just teleporting in. He stood before us, silently surveying the crowd. “So, I see you’re all here,” he mocked. “Have fun exploring the ship?”
“No, not really,” Rainbow Dash grumbled under her breath.
“What was that?” Monoponi held up a hoof to one ear. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
“No, not really!” Rainbow repeated, squeezing her hands closed and adopting a defensive posture.
Monoponi doubled over at that, letting out a moan. “Oh, that’s such a shame,” he said. “Your Captain put so much hard work and effort into preparing those new venues for you. So many hours, cracking my hooves, breaking my back, wearing my feathers down to nubs, all wasted… oh what a world…”
Her usual sneer firmly in place, Diamond Tiara spoke up, “Oh stop it. No one buys your sob story act.”
“Oh ho!” Monoponi shot up to attention, one hoof squarely at his head in a salute. “Yes ma’am, leader ma’am! Your Captain is here to serve you, ma’am!”
For a moment, Tiara seemed to consider that, as if she actually believed him. Then her sneer twisted even further. “Please. I’ve heard better subservience from my estate’s pool boy!”
“Aaaaaiiiii!” Monoponi squealed like a stuck pig, shrinking down to cover his head with his forehooves. “Have mercy!”
“This is really gettin’ old,” Apple Bloom groaned, slapping a hand to her forehead.
“Seriously, just quit messing around,” Flash griped, crossing his arms over his chest. “No one’s interested. If you’ve got something to say, just say it so we can move on with our lives.”
Monoponi instantly adopted his usual confident stance. “Oh, fine. So! Now that you’re finished exploring, your captain has a brand new activity for you all! Yes! You guessed it! It’s time for your next motive!”
“What?!”
“Oh come on!”
“Here we go again…”
“Hey!” I spoke up over everyone else. “There’s no point in giving us another motive! No one’s going to fall for it!” I didn’t believe my own words, not anymore, but it was worth a shot.
“Yeah!” Trixie seconded. “Trixie won’t hurt another soul aboard this ship!”
“You’re not gonna get us to do a thing!” Scootaloo agreed.
And as I expected, Monoponi retorted, “Oh? Ohoho? Are you sure about that Sunset? Hmmm?” Monoponi held up a hoof to his mouth. “Upupu, Timber disagrees with you! He fell for the memory motive. He wanted to know all about his sister so badly. Don’t you remember?” He cackled once more. “Oh wait, maybe you don’t! Maybe your memory loss is so bad now you can’t remember what you did five minutes ago!”
“I remember things just fine,” I groused in response.
Diamond Tiara held out her hand in a gesture that screamed for obedience, and pronounced, “As our leader I’ve already taken steps to prevent another murder! You can present us a motive, but it won’t change a thing. We won’t hurt each other anymore. Not on my watch.”
Monoponi snickered. “How noble. Strong words from a coward who falls to pieces the moment anyone shows any spine!”
With a quick beat of his wings Monoponi hopped off his balcony and slammed to the deck right in front of Tiara, who immediately reared back, screaming in panic as she fell to her butt with a pained grunt. Monoponi opened his mouth a touch, drool dripping from between the sharpened teeth as he inched closer and closer to Tiara’s face. Tears streamed from Tiara’s eyes in droves as she screeched at the top of her lungs, trying to scoot herself back on the deck only for the hem of her pants to get caught in Monoponi’s magic grip. His jaws opened wide, and shot for Tiara’s throat, and she screamed all the louder.
Then just as abruptly Monoponi disappeared in a flash of crimson light and a pop of air, reappearing atop the balcony. “Case in point,” he said with satisfaction.
To my dismay I saw more than a few people looking at Tiara’s weeping form with amusement. Applejack even started laughing. With a disgusted snort I surged forward and helped Tiara struggle back to her feet. “Are you okay?” I asked her quietly as she dabbed at her eyes with her jacket.
When she saw it was me who was helping her, Tiara’s face twisted up in scorn. She rammed her elbow into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. “Don’t touch me!” she snarled.
Ow. God. Not again… ugh… I shuffled back, managing to just barely stay on my feet as I clutched my aching stomach. I gasped for air, wheezing as I managed to draw some into my lungs. No one bothered to help me, though I noticed both Trixie and Adagio fire sad looks my way.
“Eyahahaha!” Monoponi chortled. “Such incredible leadership skills you’re showing there, Diamond Tiara! After all, what else inspires more confidence in a leader than seeing her knock her own subordinates around? Ahahahaha!”
“That’s enough!” Fluttershy thundered, all frowns and disappointed glares. “If you’re going to give us a motive, then just give us a motive!”
Monoponi demonstrably shrugged. “As you wish! Now then, this motive comes in two parts! The first is a classic. A well trodden path. Secrets!” Monoponi extended his wings out and stood on his hind legs. “Yes, secrets! But not just any secrets! Your most personal secrets! Your shames, your hidden desires, your darkest acts! But because it would be boring and trite to just hoof you your own secret, I’ll be switching it up! Each of you will get one other person’s secret, via Monopad. And before I send them, let me make one thing very clear: You are not to share these with each other! Allow me to make that official!”
A flash of his horn later and our Monopads were sent a trilling. I withdrew mine and turned it on, unsurprised to see what popped up.
Rule #20: The secrets for Monoponi’s motive are not to be shared, implied or otherwise! No kissing and telling!
“Keep in mind that includes telling others whose secret you have!” Monoponi added with a dark sheen reflecting in his eyes. “Of course, nothing prevents you from trying to peek, upupupu.”
“So what’s the second part?” I inquired as I lowered my Monopad. “If we don’t kill someone in twenty-four hours, you’ll share our secrets with the world?”
“What? No! What kind of copycat crook do you take me for, Sunset?” Monoponi replied, stomping one hoof onto the balcony with a clang. “I have more creativity than that! No no, the second part, well, that’s the really fun part! But first, let me give you… the secrets!”
More than one person cradled their Monopad carefully, hiding it from other’s view. A few of us, myself included, stepped further away from others, giving ourselves more space. With a twirl of his head Monoponi’s horn lit again, and our Monopads beeped. I opened up the message, and my mouth fell open in shock.
Monoponi’s Secrets!
BEATRIX “TRIXIE” LULAMOON
“Poor Trixie was abandoned as a child by her father, so he could seek his fortunes as a celebrity magician. She still pines for him to this day, as her long-lost hero.”
“Lulamoon?” I whispered. “Then, that book she had, that was…” My eyes turned to Trixie, who’d already switched her Monopad off and was staring at the deck. I started to step forward, to say something, only to sense a cold burning pair of eyes drilling into my back. I whirled and searched for them, but whoever it was had already stopped looking my way.
“Enjoying the secrets, everyone? I’m sure you are,” Monoponi mocked with a chuckle. “After all, I haven’t even mentioned the best thing about these secrets. Remember the traitor?”
Everyone’s eyes shot up from their Monopads instantly, fixed up at Monoponi, mine included. “You don’t mean…” Rarity mumbled.
“You didn’t forget that one of you is a traitor, did you? I sure hope not. Because that’s their secret! One of you now knows who they are. And you can’t even tell anybody about it! Ahahahahaha!” Monoponi fell onto his side and rolled over, shaking with mirth. “I hope you’re prepared to commit a murder, because you better hope the traitor doesn’t find out who you are and kills you first! Ahahahahaha!”
Tension roiled along the deck like a churning ocean in a category-five hurricane, all froth and movement, twisting our guts up until they were knotted up like the strings of a corset. Suspicions rose as everyone turned on each other, staring at each other, all stepping back and preparing, as if someone was just going to wig out and throttle them. Even the sisters, Sweetie Belle and Rarity, and Apple Bloom and Applejack were wary of each other now. Only Rainbow and Fluttershy seemed to trust each other, but only just.
The only person in the crowd not casting distrustful looks my way was Adagio. She alone stood like a rock in the storm, impassive and unmoving, unwilling to yield. And yet, somehow, that didn’t fill me with confidence. Quite the opposite. It scared me. My worries that her feelings for me were just an act crept up on me again like a plague, infecting my mind, my thoughts, my being, until I was afraid. Terrified, even.
She already threatened to kill me, I realized. What if that wasn’t a mistake? What if it was just a warning, a preview? What if she really had picked me for her victim? I don’t want to die!
My mind raced as I considered, just for the briefest of moments, striking first. I could get away with it. They trusted me to run the trials. I could easily guide them to the wrong conclusion. Then I’d win, and I’d live, I’d escape, and all it would cost is… all it would cost is…
I slapped myself in the face, once, twice, thrice, each time harder than the last. What is wrong with you, Sunset?! You’re giving in! This is what he wants, remember?
I summoned up the image of my former self, the way I once was, and drew upon the strength that image suggested. She might’ve been a complete bitch, that old Sunset, but what she wasn’t was weak. She wouldn’t give in to the whims of someone like Monoponi. She’d refuse to bow down. I needed that conviction, that belief in myself.
I drew myself up, twisted my mouth into a stoic frown, crossed my arms, and faced Monoponi. “Oh?” he murmured as he saw the complete change in my stance. “What’s this now? I thought you were scared, Sunset. Scared just like the rest of them.”
I arched a solitary eyebrow. “You said there was a second part to this motive, Monoponi,” I said, my tone steady and unwavering, untouched by fear. “What is it?”
For a moment, he didn’t answer. Then he rumbled with laughter once more, his eyes flashing crimson. “Oh Sunset, you are such a treat. Very well. The second part to your motive, you idiots, is simply this.” He struck that familiar pose, aping Celestia herself as if he was raising the sun. “I have a puzzle for you all to solve! The first person to answer my puzzle will get a fabulous prize! What is the puzzle? What is the prize? Well you’ll just have to speak to me privately to find out! Maybe it’ll be useful. Who knows? You won’t, till you try! Just keep in mind, it’s first come, first served!” He dropped the pose. “If you want to speak to me, just call out for me. But only when you’re alone! I won’t appear if there’s even a chance someone else might overhear!”
A fabulous prize. Sure. It’s probably just another tool for murder. Maybe I should try to answer the puzzle as soon as I get back to my room. It was a good idea. That way I could keep anyone else from claiming it.
But then again, maybe not. There was no way to know ahead of time what the puzzle was. It probably related to the secrets, but which secret? Whose? And how?
No. I’d have to wait, till I was more certain I’d have the right answer. For all I knew the puzzle could be “What is Monoponi’s favorite kind of dessert spoon?” or something equally inane.
“And now that I’ve presented you with your motive, I wish to bid you adieu, and bonne chance! I’ll be waiting.” Monoponi’s horn lit up once more, and he vanished in a flash of light.
Everyone dispersed, heading off to their own tasks, but more slowly, as if the motive were weighing heavily on their minds. Which it probably was. I waited till most had gone their separate ways before catching up with Rarity, who’d wandered in the direction of the outdoor lounge. “Oh, Sunset!” Rarity said as her breath quickened. She held a hand up to her breast. “You startled me.”
“Sorry,” I apologized quickly, giving her a sheepish smile. “I know everyone’s on edge right now. So I figured maybe now was a good time to go ahead and get those measurements?”
“Of course, of course darling,” Rarity replied as she withdrew her measuring tape. “Please, just stand still. This shouldn’t take long.”
She fussed over me as she extended the tape, taking one measurement after the other in rapid succession. Every time she had to touch me she muttered an apology, and soon enough it was done, and she’d scribbled down her last note. “There we go. I’ll meet with you later to start modeling the dress. Perhaps around 7:00, in the theater?”
I nodded my ascent, and we parted ways. I made my way back towards the theater prop shop, so I could get to work on Trixie’s request. As I walked, thoughts about the motive rolled through my head. What could my secret be? Who would be most tempted by the motive? Who is the traitor?
Well, my secret, that much was easy. It was almost certainly the fact that I was a pony. Knowing Monoponi, he’d portray it in a creepy way, like “Sunset is an alien to this world,” or “Sunset is not human.” Something like that. It’d make me look like the traitor, for sure.
Everyone was tempted by the motive. If even I’d wavered, surely someone was going to break. Maybe while she was measuring me, Rarity thought about strangling me with that tape. I had no way to know.
The traitor, who knew. Adagio… I really shouldn’t count Adagio out of the running, not yet. Not after what I saw on the deck. I had no idea where she went. She was the first to leave.
Which reminded me to start tracking people on my Monopad. I’d grabbed a notebook from the store the other day, so recording would be easy. I took a moment while passing through the food court to stop and break out the pad. Turning on the map, I noted that most people had opted to head to their rooms. Trixie and Apple Bloom were in the prop shop. Adagio, though, was on the first floor of the library, along with Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Interesting. Twilight was there too, poking around the third floor, with Flash. Sweetie Belle was also on the third floor of the library, on the other side from Twilight and Flash. Rarity was in the fabric store. And finally Scootaloo was in the game corner.
I wrote that all down, noted the time--3:45 PM--and then moved on. I’d try to check at least every half hour or so, and keep notes.
The mood was grim as I arrived back at the shop. Apple Bloom worked silently alongside Trixie, making modifications to a draft plan. Neither looked up at me, so, with a shrug, I went over to the plan Apple Bloom asked me to check and sat down at the other draft table.
We worked quietly for a good half hour before Trixie suddenly blurted, “We should get the swords now.”
I just avoided tearing the paper in half as my pen jerked in my hand. I set it down, and said, “Trixie, I’m even less sure this is a good idea. The motive--”
“Forget the motive!” Trixie interrupted, throwing out a hand in a plaintive gesture. “Trixie thinks her show is more important than ever now. Trixie doesn’t want everyone to feel sad, or worried. Trixie wants everyone to feel happy.”
“That’s what Pinkie wanted with the party, though,” Apple Bloom pointed out with a sigh. “And Tim--”
“TRIXIE KNOWS WHAT TIMBER DID!” Trixie screamed, the force of her shout almost bowling the two of us over. “Trixie is not stupid! Trixie knows someone might use her show to hurt someone, okay? She knows!” Tears streamed down her face as she cried out. “But Trixie just wants to help make things better, the only way she knows how. Trixie knows magic. And magic makes people smile.”
With a helpless shrug, I said, “Trixie, I get where you’re coming from. I’m just worried.”
Trixie set a hand on my shoulder, wiping away her tears with the back of the other. “Trixie understands. But trust Trixie. Trust she knows what she’s doing.”
“Well, if that’s so,” Apple Bloom said, nodding in understanding, “then we’d better go get those swords in a jiffy. Ah can measure ‘em once they’re back and then we can build the safety box. Ah’ll make sure it’s got a lock.”
Before we left, I turned on my Monopad and jotted down everyone’s new locations. Most hadn’t shifted, though Rainbow had left the game corner and was meandering through the cabins, while Adagio was now on the second floor of the library. Sweetie Belle was pursuing books on the third. And Tiara, she was in the game corner, oddly enough.
It was just as well, since she’d said she wanted to chaperone. So we made our way there, and met up with her, finding her beating the crap out of a whack-a-mole game. Sweat coated her clothes, stains all over her jacket. Her hair was a right mess. “What’re you three doing here?” she grumbled as she threw down the mallet and wiped her brow.
Briefly, Trixie explained her plan, and the need for the swords. “Are you sure you really need real swords?” Tiara questioned, doubt etched across her features.
“Yes, Trixie is certain. Besides, if Trixie were going to use them to hurt others, do you think Trixie would be stupid enough to buy them with witnesses?”
Tiara snorted, but shrugged. “Alright. I’ve got plenty of tickets from this stupid game anyway.”
That’s convenient. I almost forgot about the tickets. Judging by the looks of surprised relief on Trixie and Apple Bloom’s faces, I wasn’t the only one.
We approached the prize counter, and waited for Trixie to decide which kinds of sword she wanted, since it turned out there was quite a large selection. “Hmm, how about… you!” She said, pointing at a trio of Qilin dao swords, rather than the katanas I’d been expecting. Tiara had just enough tickets to purchase all three, so she fed them into the machine, and dialed in her purchase. It was just like a vending machine, complete with claw reaching, grabbing the swords, and laying them carefully on the counter.
I picked up one, feeling the heft in my hand. It wasn’t as heavy as I’d feared it would be, at most a couple of kilos. Trixie ought to be able to carry all three in her box without any problems. “What do you think, Bloom?” I asked, handing it over to her.
Apple Bloom took the sword and weighed it, slowly swinging it around. “Yeah, Ah oughta be able to make somethin’ to hold these, no problem.”
Together, the four of us took them back to the shop. Well, three of us carried swords, and Tiara loomed over us like a prison guard. Once we arrived, she took up a position leaning against a nearby wall, and just watched, not saying a word.
While Trixie busied herself with readying various smaller tricks, Apple Bloom and I together started on the safety box. We opted for a very simple design, using slabs of wood nailed together, and an interior liner of thick leather taken from the prop shop supplies. It took us less than an hour to finish the box, and to top it off we used a padlock I’d bought at the sporting goods store to lock the box, handing the key to Trixie. For good measure Bloom had taken the opportunity to use some rope to craft a pair of handles for the box to make it easier for Trixie to carry.
Trixie thanked us and, with Tiara following as a chaperone, took the swords back to her cabin. Bloom and I got started on the primary trick box, but before we could get very far I realized the time. “It’s almost 6:30,” I said, setting down the sander in my hand.
“We could use a break anyhow,” Bloom agreed.
We made our way quietly to the promenade. The hard work had left me feeling thoroughly tired, but satisfied. Building something with my own two hands held a satisfaction I rarely found with other pursuits, and it had helped ease my worries about the motive. It was a useful distraction, anyway.
But as we joined the others for the meeting, the tension slipped right back in, as if I’d left the door open by mistake during a cold winter’s night. Although we were ostensibly supposed to be talking, most of us stayed quiet, eating in relative silence. It was only briefly broken by Trixie announcing she was going to hold her show tomorrow, right after dinner, at 7:00, for forty-five minutes. “You sure we don’t need more time to practice?” I asked her.
“Nonsense,” Trixie said reassuringly. “Trixie has performed everything she intends to perform many times over. There is little need for Trixie to rehearse. And as for your part, Sunset, Trixie will show you all you need. Trixie has already made guides on the stage and everything for you.”
“What’s Sunset gonna be doing?” Scootaloo asked as she lifted a spoonful of soup to her lips.
Trixie made several dramatic hand gestures in my general direction. “Sunset will be my lovely assistant on stage, helping Trixie in whatever she needs help with.”
“Speaking of which, darling, I’ve had the most lovely idea for your dress,” Rarity spoke up after swallowing a mouthful of salad. “I was thinking a long, flowing dress of scarlet silk, off the shoulder, with just the slightest of trains, enough for effect without getting in your way. Are you going to be wearing heels, or flats? I believe both are available in the sporting goods store’s shoe section.”
“Flats,” I responded immediately, grimacing in disgust. “I hate heels. I always trip when I walk in those things.” And I will never understand the human obsession with making women wear them in formal situations. Not even ponies wear heels, and we don’t usually wear clothes at all.
“Hmm. Pity,” Rarity responded with a frown. “Heels would work better with this type of dress. Ah well. I’ll make do.”
“Wait, the store has heels?” Flash inquired, his eyebrows raising, his mouth twisting into a confused frown. “Why would a sporting goods store have heels?”
Rarity shrugged. “I have no idea, but it does.The promenade shops are eclectic. Like a thrift store.”
“Or a warehouse,” Rainbow quipped. “I’m still finding new stuff in there every time I go in.”
After dinner, I spent a good hour and a half with Rarity fussing over me as a model before she let me go. The rest I spent with Apple Bloom, who’d done some work while I was gone, and together we managed to just finish working on the trick box and table display by the time the nighttime announcement chimed.
Before bed I took a long, good hot soak in the shower. I never did get the chance to change out of my tracksuit and had been wearing the thing the whole day, and it reeked. So did I, actually. But the hot water washing over my muscles helped soothe the aches, and a good scrubbing with soap took care of the rest. The shower did let me get a good look at some of the bruises I’d picked up lately. I had several all over my body courtesy of Adagio’s… enthusiastic lovemaking, but the real shiner was my belly. It was dual layered, the original kick from Adagio’s boot plus Tiara’s elbow lining up perfectly, almost making my stomach look like a practice target.
Fortunately the water helped with that, just like the rest, and as I fell into bed, I took one last look at my Monopad, noting down the time as 10:30. Most were in their cabins, Apple Bloom and Twilight were just leaving the library, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were finishing up with some late night exercise on the bridge deck, Adagio was leaving the theater, and Tiara was--
The screen of my Monopad abruptly blanked out. “What the heck?” I tapped at it, puzzled as it just as suddenly turned back on. For some reason, no one’s icons were showing up on the map. I briefly switched to various other apps on the pad, but everything else worked fine. Just no one’s icons appeared. “That’s… weird.”
Too tired to really care what it meant, I shrugged, set the pad aside, and switched off the light. I dozed for a while, waking with a start sometime after midnight, and checked the pad again. This time everyone’s icons showed up exactly like they should, all fourteen of us in our cabins. Mumbling to myself as I noted things down on my notebook, I went right back to sleep, this time straight through to morning.
Stats
Page generated in 0.027 seconds
Total duration
1,027 users online
1,302,040 hits today, 1,960,719 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
One of the students now knows who the 'traitor' is...hoo boy...
Ok not gonna lie this SCREAMS to be the blacken will be Tiara.
So secrets with a twist. This will be interesting.. though I’m more worried for Trixie 😣 and everyone else. What are the secrets of the others? What will the victims secret be? And the blackened secret?..guess next chapter might give answers because.. if the pattern is right then the victim will be shown next chapter
Mmm... this is all gonna be important.
I hope you'll eventually tell us what everyone's secrets are... some of them are gonna be goooood.
10566314
Well. That's what Monoponi says, anyway.
10566327
10566384
Some secrets will be revealed through the course of the story, yes, though possibly not everyone's. Any that don't get revealed in the story itself, I'll probably post on one of my blog entries.
Man this is intense. I don’t know what the exact format will be, but if it is exactly like last chapter we’ll get our victim next time.
So Adagio was giving Sunset such a hard time because she was jealous of her and Trixie. Wow, talk about Yandere. Glad Sunset managed to clear that up before she did something she couldn’t take back.
This motive was pretty suspenseful too. A lot of people seem to be distancing themselves now, heck even siblings are beginning to distrust each other. It is interesting that someone knows who the traitor is now, but we don’t know who. What adds to it though is the traitor themselves doesn’t know who is on to them now. Unless it turns out to be something like the traitor didn’t even know they were a traitor until now, like Red Arrow from Young Justice, but that might be a bit of a stretch.
I think my money for who could be the potential victim right now is either Trixie or Diamond Tiara. I kinda hope it turns out to be Diamond Tiara since she has been beating up Sunset a lot. But we’ll need to wait and see.
Adagio has yandere issues.
usually she would end up hurting Trixie for her love *bleh* but this works too.
Is Sunny a traitor?
Great chapter! My guess is that Tiara will strike next but then again, I could be wrong. I really wonder what everyone’s secret could be. I have a feeling that Rarity received Sunset’s secret because of her hesitant reactions when she was measuring Sunset. To me, she was scared that she’ll upset her or something. But then again, everyone else is on edge.
Also, I totally get you and Sunset with heals.
Oh god, the closer Adagio and Sunset get, the more worried I get for both of them. I know I said this already, but romance in Danganronpa NEVER ends well.
I mean, probably pfft
...I'd probably react the same, honestly. CotLM made pony DT likable, but EQG Diamond Tiara never even had that development. And even if she had, the memory wipe removed that.
Ah, going with the whole "Jack Pot is Trixie's father" thing?
I'm starting to suspect that Adagio herself MIGHT be the traitor and not even she remembers it.
And now one of these two is probably going to happen:
1. Bloom or Rarity dies, Trixie is framed as the blackened, Tiara is the culprit
2. Tiara dies, Trixie is framed, Bloom or Rarity is the blackened
Now this is very wonderful story, I must admit that future MLP is not usually something I happen to like in these stories, but the well written writing and interesting plot made me make an exception for this one.
I can’t help but wonder if Junko’s Video of Dispair would have been created as well, considering this mastermind is trying to keep it authentic with his own spin on things. I could think of a few ways that Monoponi could use it to get at Princess Twilight. For instance using it to corrupt Sunset into an ultimate despair would be a very good way to get under her skin. While I do not believe this is how the story would progress, I believe it would be a very interesting sub plot, in where twilight has to find a way to reverse the conditioning and hunt Sunset down before she does anything big, evil villain wise.
I am interested to see what happens next with this story.
So till next time,
SonicDJM
Tiara was after SOMETHING in the arcade. I'm predicting she'll fall victim to the old "get murdered while attempting murder" thing. By, eh, let's say Applejack.
Or it's a double fake-out, and Trixie's so obvious as victim everyone's meant to eliminate her as a possibility.
Oh, and it doesssss seem likely Rarity got Sunset's secret, but it's probably how awful she was as a bully, not being a horse.
I'm calling it: Diamond Tiara will either be the victim or the blackened. Either way, I don't see her making it out of this chapter alive.
I don't want to call out guesses this early, but usually a murder is going to happen usually by the person in charge of the the blueprints and such.
I would think its pretty clear that Apple Bloom will be the one causing the murder by utilizing a trap to impale someone during the magic show and to try to pull off an alibi so that no one can suspect her. The reason is from the secrets, i'm pretty sure that Apple Bloom will be fussing over being so embarrassed about the one secret Apple Bloom doesn't want anyone to know about that could really get to her, desperately to the point of planning a murder.
You may never know when someone doesn't want to find out about their secrets.....
All I'm gonna say is Scootaloo sure does love the game corner. I'll recycle my joke from last chapter and guess that the Super special awesome fantastic totally wow prize is A pointy stick, but has some sort of context that makes it more lethal than an RPG launcher
10566867
Yes, I decided to take the Jackpot angle for this story, mostly because it makes too much logical sense. The guy looks exactly like an old dude version of Trixie, is also a stage magician who performs in Las Pegasus. If he's not her dad, it's a really bizarre coincidence.
10566423
10566429
There's a reason for her acting a bit yandere beyond the usual characterization of such people as overly possessive. It will be touched upon more at a later time, but it has to do with her being a siren. Or at least, my headcanon about how MLP sirens work.
10567141
Firstly, thank you! It always makes me happy to hear that someone's enjoying my story. Secondly, I believe you're talking about something from the DR3 anime, yes? I actually haven't seen much of it beyond a few clips here and there, mostly because I've been waiting so I can watch it together with my husband. He still hasn't played SDR2. I will say as such that's not really a direction I was intending to go, buuuut that would make for quite the interesting story in its own right. It'd have to be set in a different storyverse than this one though, because Monoponi's not really about the despair thing as much as Monokuma is.
10566723
Thank you. And I'm glad I'm not alone in my pain.
10567759
10567893
That's quite the interesting thing you've both picked up on there. I like the way you're both thinking.
10568553
)
. And for a while I thought that was how the three Equestrian villains died, Monoponi showed them the video that brainwashed them into killing themselves for some reason. Looks like I was wrong on that one.
Firstly, Your welcome, I’m glad that I was able to make someone’s day by complementing their story.
Secondly, yes I am referring to the DR3 anime. I will be honest, I don’t watch a lot of anime, but this one was one of the few that I absolutely fell in love with. It is very well done and goes the extra mile with character development. I did not realize that you did not watch it yet, so I will try to be as spoiler free as possible.
The DR3 anime is split into three parts: Despair arc, Future arc and Hope arc. Despair arc revolves around class 77 of hopes peak and shows all the events that lead up to the first game. Future arc shows the survivors of class 78 working to fix the world after the events of the first game. And Hope arc is less of an arc and more of an extended show finale to the anime.
I really do encourage you to watch the anime, as it is very important in understanding the world outside of hopes peak and gives crucial insight into many of the different characters, both alive and dead.
If you would like a little spoiler about what the Despair video is, I will put it down below as a spoiler for a brief description:
The despair video is a video created by Junko that brainwashes the viewer into becoming a despair obsessed maniac, by warping their minds to be more like Junko. (Terrifying thought, is it not?
But yeah, that video could explain a lot in your story, a lot more than you might believe actually. For instance, there was another video besides that one that was called.... (actually, better put a spoiler tag for this one) Junko’s suicide video, which does exactly what it sounds like
But I am glad that you liked my suggestion, I do hope I get to see a story like that someday, but I can wait as long as I need to for it.
See you in the next chapter,
SonicDJM
Adiago is the traitor and she's planning on killing Sunset, current theory along with this all being Discord. On the other hand I am still not convinced there is a traitor, yes the truth can hurt more then a lie but a lie can still hurt.
ooh love this twist on the metaphor
augh, but it's the classic misunderstanding thing!
yandere moment
oof, it is a lot to ignore, though!
oof, that is my thoughts exactly!
well at least Adagio is very good at understanding the minds of sociopathic villains haha
aww, mine would too!
oof, and Adagio is the only other character from Equestria!
ahahaha Apple Bloom is on FIRE!
aww, this gives me an idea! Trixie actually being autosexual and taking that concept seriously with dignity, that'd be fun!
hehe, her awfulness is a lot more fun when it's directed at someone who is worse
aww dangit, it was such a sweet moment of empathy!
ooh, is Sunset's secret something awful even she forgot?
aww, it's always nice to see Sunset derive inspiration from the drivenness of her old self
sacrilegious!
that would be pretty xenophobic on the humans' part, so yeah...
aww yeah, that is not a good pattern to follow
sus!
oh yeah Sunset is definitely not the heels type, but i could've sworn pony Rarity does and i love it when she does
video game mechanics are fun
oof! that does emphasize just how painful of a hit that must have been
i like to imagine this as Monoponi making sure Sunset doesn't have too much information to solve the murder that is probably gonna happen now
SUNSET YOU CANT FIX HER
You said it was Scootaloo who was in the game corner a few paragraphs prior. Hopefully this detail isn't important, haha.