The Pony Dreadfuls Rise Again

by No one is home

Shadow of the Rainbow: Let the Sun Shine In

Ponies don’t generally believe in curses. Magic, even dark magic works by rules. Magic works by precise application of energy. Curses work by mojo, charma, and other such superstitious “nonsense”. Machinery can come to life with the proper application of magical energy. A building, a structure, place, does not become cursed simply because of the gravity of evil committed there. Things happen because of reasons. I have to believe that.

I have to believe that! The implications of a “curse” maintained by the animosity of restless spirits who were grievously wronged… it is too personal. The victims get to rest. This is the way the world should be. This case was becoming too personal. I was now dealing with two fragments of a hive mind, only one of which I had on a leash. Both had become suddenly agitated in the extreme. I noted that they both responded to the same stimuli unseen by the rest of us. I concluded, that despite their clear independence, some portion of the Nopony’s hive mind was still in play.

I have to focus on the case. So I address the two degenerates as sternly as I dare, knowing well I am in a room with a viper, “Well whatever that is about. We have a case in front of us. So please focus on the here and now, not what other fragments of yourself are doing where-ever they are in Equestria, do not worry, I can assure you we WILL be looking into that at a later date.”

My client’s mouth snaps shut like a trap and I receive a hateful but surprised glare as she realizes how much she has given away. I turn to my own pet abomination, “Tell me, what does the Dutchess know about this case.”

“Don’t work like that, boss,” the thing chuckles like a hoof scraping a black board, “not anymore anyway. I can only pick up on the loudest thoughts and feelings. And… Alie… you’re actually afraid?”

“We should go to the factory so you can see for yourself,” the ill reputed mare snarls.

I hold back a sigh of relief, for the moment I have the situation defused.

-=-=-=-=-

“So Iam”, Lighting Dust spoke in a casual, dry tone, “your sister…”

“We are not siblings,” Dutches Amiss snapped, “We are a cascading series of near infinite versions of a single individual that exists throughout the multiverse!”

“Fine,” The mare huffed, “okay, Iam, your twin sister decided to build a whore house in a factory where filly labor was historically sextually exploited. Am I the only one thinking, ‘This is how you get an evil curse’?”

“Curses are superstitious nonsense,” the detective huffed, “Magic works on scientifically observable principles of energy manipulation, not random hauntings and hokum pokum.”

“You have clearly never met a certain goat, Detective,” the manic degenerate giggled, “He does the best card tricks. And trust me you do NOT want to cross his hokum pokum…”

“It’s a strip club, not a whore house,” Amiss snarled.

“We both know there was going to be both a whore house AND a drug den in the back, Allie… Heh back alley…” Iam chuckled at it’s own joke.

“Why are we even walking to the factory boss,” Dust said with a roll of her slightly greyed eyes, “Unlock Flank Stain’s in-universe locks and we can just stop being here and start being there…”

“Under no circumstances will I consider unlocking that thing’s connection to the nothing,” Skrye snapped.

“You’re going to want to rethink that detective,” Dutchess Anon Amiss whispered fearfully, “I hate Iam Noone. I resent that any version of me ever fell to such undisciplined degeneracy. And I called your unit because I needed him specifically.”

-=-=-=-=-

This is stupid. The new boss is stupid. I ain’t smart, but even I can see how they’re playing him. This ain’t gonna end pretty, but then niether did I. As much as I hate that stupid thing, it’s sister is worse. By a lot. At least Iam is straight forward. It’s an evil, drug abusing degenerate that looks at me like… I don’t even know. Like I’m the unwilling object of a game of Buck, Mary, Kill, where I’m in all three slots. It makes my skin crawl. But it’s always been right out in the open. With its sister… it’s like walking in the shadow of sin.

“I don't’ like this boss,” I speak my mind, “I’ve worked with Iam long enough to know its games. I ain’t some super smart detective, but I know enough to see when we’re being played.”

“Your wagging tongue reminds me of a place in North Trotlanta where I used to get the best tacos,” I don’t know what the fuck she’s talking about, but I hear the implied threat.

“No one but me gets to call Dusty a cow, Alias,” It’s almost protective snarl crawls across my spine like hooves on a blackboard. Knowing what I know about humans and cows… I have to fight the urge to gag.

-=-=-=-=-

If the factory had been an imposing shadow at a distance, it became a looming menace as we approached. I began to notice the houses first. Too many houses nopony lived in. Other nice upscale houses converted to tenaments for the city’s most desperate. This wasn’t a curse.

“This can’t be a curse,” did I say that out loud?

The block surrounding the factory itself was more dead than any graveyard. No grass grew, not so much as a cockroach stirred. Post boxes in homes long abandoned held letters no pony bothered to collect before they left. Yet there was no sign of civil strife, no sign of mass exodus. I suspect in some of these homes I would find meals left uneaten. It was as if they had all fled in terror… one house at a time… over a long period of time…

“At the time I thought it was the deal of a lifetime,” the Duchess' words rang hollow in my ears as something grabs my attention, “I actually own all of this.”

Graffiti.

It was clear no one ever came here. No living thing had touched this place since it had been abandoned. What creature doesn’t loot an abandoned house, but leaves graffiti?

“Alias you stupid bitch!” the thing wailed as we approached the factory’s outer wall. “What did you do?!?!”

The mural was almost childish. A giant cartoon sun proclaimed the cheerful message, “Behind the clouds it’s a bright sunny day!”

I couldn’t tell you why, but the blood froze in my veins.