06. Chapter One: "Lost Memories in the Desert Sands" Part 4
Chapter One:
“Lost Memories in the Desert Sands”
Part IV
It took a little while for me to struggle out of Sunset’s grip; she was far stronger than me, but as nice as it was to be held, it became too much. “Okay, Sunset,” I said, patting her on the shoulder. “Thanks. I don’t really understand, but… thanks.”
“Sure thing.” Sunset pulled away from me and fixed her hair. “You’re my friend; that hasn’t changed.”
I nodded in understanding, then realized something as I looked in the mirror with Sunset. “Uh oh. I think some of your makeup rubbed off on me.” I pointed to an orange stain on my chin.
She looked herself over in the mirror and groaned, then pulled out a compact. She dabbed something on it, then groaned again when trying to apply it didn’t work. “Crap. I’m out.”
“I think the pharmacy has some,” I said.
“Cool, I’ll get some later.” She jabbed a finger at the door. “Let’s get out of here before I give anyone ideas.” I was smiling and standing up before I even knew it. Thirty seconds past a freak-out, and here she was, charming and confident. I couldn’t manage that at my best.
We stepped out into the oppressive heat and walked over toward the mess hall. Sunset led us into that building’s shade. She glanced around, then sighed. “Have you seen Trixie yet, today?”
“No, I don’t think so. She wasn’t at breakfast.”
“Ghhg.” Sunset shook her head, glowering. “I saw her first thing this morning, sneaking around near the music shed. I tried to convince her isolating herself was dangerous, but she just wouldn’t listen.” She glanced over at me with a tiny smile. “I owe her a lot. Um, indirectly. Can’t help worrying about her, I guess.”
I didn’t know what to say, but Sunset seemed fine. We stood in silence for a little while, and I found myself squinting up at the huge, blue sky. I remembered the broken, crumbling road, the one we’d woken up on.
“Where do you think we are in the world, Sunset?”
Sunset shook her head. “Who knows? The stars are the same as back home, so we must be in the northern hemisphere, but… there are so many deserts we could be anywhere. My money's on us still being in the Amareican Union though. Probably closer to Canterlot than any other big city, not that it helps us.”
“Probably,” I agreed, looking out at the desert, which lacked even any distinct flora visible outside the fences. If I’d spotted cacti I could be certain we were in North Amareica, but the succulents in the garden area were from all over the world.
Thinking about the succulents led me to thinking about the ferns in the office area, which led me back to Pear Butter. I let out a weary sigh. “Sunset, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
I looked at her and reached out for her hand, taking it for reassurance while I put my words together. “Do you… have any idea why Pear Butter is so mad at me? I tried to talk to her about it and she all but accused me of planning to murder Big Mac or something.”
Sunset scowled, though it wasn’t directed at me. “No, I don’t, and it pisses me off. More than that, it worries me. She’s acting a lot like… well, a lot like some of the blackeneds in the last game were acting before they hurt someone.”
I froze. “You don’t seriously think she’s planning to–”
“She might. And that’s why I told you before, I’ll keep you safe.” Sunset squeezed my hand. “Stay away from her, okay? She’s bad news.”
“Fine by me,” I replied, squeezing back in return. “I’ll be better off if I never see her–”
CRASH!
We both exchanged terrified looks. “What the hell was that?” Sunset blurted.
“W-we should go see!” I said.
The two of us ran into the Mess Hall at once, braced for a horrific sight.
And we saw one alright.
Zephyr Breeze, trapped under the massive table...
Moaning from his bruises like a little baby.
“Oh god! Oh lord in heaven! I’m dying… Zephyr Breeze, done in before his time… Flutter Butter… Come to me… I want to see you one last time…”
“Oh for–what happened?” Sunset asked as she started helping Zephyr up.
I looked around the room, spotting Derpy and Big Macintosh standing nearby. Derpy was rubbing her hip and had an embarrassed look on her face while Big Macintosh glared at both Derpy and Zephyr on the floor. At Sunset’s question, Big Mac turned and pointed at Derpy. “Her.”
A red bloom suffused Derpy’s cheeks. “Um, so, I was talking to Zephyr and Big Macintosh about dancing and I wanted to show off one of my dance moves, so I… did. And I bumped the table the wrong way with my hip and the leg just broke off.”
“And it landed on me!” Zephyr whined as he was dragged up by Sunset. “It crushed me like beauty school crushed my dreams.”
“Quiet,” Big Macintosh ordered. “You and Derpy are gonna help me fix this table.”
Zephyr’s mouth fell open in shock. “Wha–but, but Big Mac, you see these bruises, right? I can’t do hard labor like this! I need to rest and recuperate.”
Big Macintosh grabbed Zephyr by the front of his shirt and dragged him over to a closet on the far side of the room. “You’re helpin’. Get the tools.”
“...fine…”
While Sunset scowled at Zephyr, Derpy pulled me slightly aside, her face still redder than a tomato. “Wallflower! I really messed up.”
“What were you really trying to do?” I asked her. “You weren’t dancing for no reason.”
“...I… might’ve…been trying to…seduce Big Mac? Just a bit?” Derpy held her finger and thumb up an inch apart, then dropped her hand as she doubled over with a sigh. “Oooh, why am I even bothering? He won’t even look at me.”
I glanced over at Big Macintosh, who seemed more concerned with glaring at Zephyr and the broken table than Derpy. “I… I’m not into guys, Derpy, I can’t tell you what he’s thinking. Maybe ask Rarity? I think she likes guys as much as she likes girls.”
Derpy looked up at me, smiled, and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right, sorry, Wallflower. I uh, I’m just…” she trailed off, tapping her fingers together.
“Why are you trying to seduce him anyway?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Just that lonely?”
“Kind of,” Derpy admitted. “And… I feel safer around him. He’s really big, he’s got those muscles… he could keep me safe. I need that right now… it’s scary around here.”
That I understood perfectly, so I smiled back. “Well, good luck.”
“Thanks,” Derpy smiled back.
Sunset and I walked away from the table, Sunset shaking her head. “I never could stand Zephyr Breeze, but jeez… Even for him this is pretty bad.”
“I still don’t get how the table fell on him,” I replied. “What was he doing, laying under it?”
“He does that, actually,” Sunset said. “Something about it helping his feng shui.” She rolled her eyes. “Please don’t ask me to try to recreate how he mispronounces it.”
As we headed for the Mess Hall doors, they opened up, and I took a worried step back when I saw who had entered.
Vignette Valencia. Still with that same smirk as always, like she knew something we didn’t. She sauntered right up to me, swaying those hips, her lips slightly parted, her eyes drooping just a little, for what I presumed she thought was maximum seduction. “Hello there, Wallywall,” she said in a breathy voice. “Mind if we speak in private?” She leaned in closer, her voice becoming even huskier. “Alone?”
Sweat ran down my face and palms as my mouth dried out. “I, um, I um…well, I…”
Sunset shoved her way between us, pushing Vignette away with one hand to the chest. “No. Absolutely not!”
“Uh, Sunset…” I said.
“Oooh, I suppose you really are laying a claim to her, aren’t you, Sunny?” Vignette cooed with a wide smirk. “Can’t let any other girl get near your precious Wallywall, am I right?”
“Fuck you, Vignette, I’m a married woman,” Sunset sneered.
Vignette held a hand up to her mouth and laughed. “Oh, right, silly me. How could I forget? You and Rarity are so close…oh, wait, what’s that? She hates you and says you’re sick and need help?”
Sunset grit her teeth, her right hand balling up into a fist. “That’s none of your business. Now back off and leave Wallflower alone.”
Vignette rolled her eyes. “Maybe instead of playing the white knight you could let Wallywall decide? Hmm?”
“It’s okay, Sunset, I want to hear what she has to say,” I said, tugging on her arm.
She gave me an aghast look. “No! I told you, I’m going to keep you safe.”
“Look, we’ll be just outside, we’ll even be in sight of others.” I poked my head out. “See, there’s Fluttershy and Sour Sweet. We’ll stand where they can see us.”
Sunset frowned, working her jaw for a moment before finally sighing and nodding. “Alright, alright, just… be careful, okay?”
Vignette grabbed my hand before I could respond. “We’ll be done before you know it,” she said, then dragged me outside and along the wall of the building till we were as far away as possible from Fluttershy and Sour Sweet while still visible.
“H–hey, let go of me!” I said, tugging my hand out of her grip. “I don’t like being dragged like that.”
Vignette shrugged. “A lot worse could happen to you if you keep hanging around Sunset Shimmer.”
I eyed her warily. “What do you mean?”
Fluffing her hair, Vignette replied. “It’s really quite simple. I told you before, Sunset’s one of the six Equestrians. Everyone knows it. She’s a complete freebie; I’m honestly surprised she’s still alive. Like I said before, I wouldn’t kill her, but you think Trixie would hold back? Or what about Pear Butter? She sure seems aggressive lately; she was threatening Shining Armor to his face in front of all of us just yesterday.”
Arching both eyebrows, I replied, “So what? Didn’t you say she had natural charisma? That people liked her and respected her?” I thought back to that encounter and my words turned nastier. “And didn’t you imply I was expendable?”
“Oh, did I say that? My bad, Wallywall,” Vignette said with a distinct pout to her lips. “That was before I remembered how much I liked being your friend. Before you forgot me, I mean; that upset me just a skosh.”
“Uh-huh.” I rolled my eyes, forcing myself to distrust her. She was all over the place but it all just felt so genuine and natural and perfect. “Okay, so what does any of that have to do with Sunset? Like you said, she has natural charisma. She’s a leader. Why would anyone take her out?”
“Why indeed?” Vignette’s grin only widened, even as I noticed out of the corner of my eye Fluttershy heading right for us, a look of concern on her face. “Well, it’s really quite simple. You see–”
“Um, excuse me,” Fluttershy said, looking at the two of us. “Are you okay, Wallflower? You seem uncomfortable around… her.” Her expression darkened considerably as she glared at Vignette.
“Yeah, I’m good, Fluttershy… thanks,” I said.
“It’s just as well; you should really hear this too, Fluttershy.” Vignette’s eyes flashed with amusement. “Or should I say, Flutter Butter?”
“Don’t call me that,” Fluttershy snapped. “It’s bad enough Zephyr does it.”
Vignette held her hands up. “No need to be snippy. I get it.” Letting her hands fall, she continued, “So, as I was telling Wallywall, it’s dangerous to be around Sunset Shimmer. We all know she’s a pony, and being a natural leader–not to mention what was it Monohuman called her? The Ultimate Survivor? Well, all that says to me she’s a prime target to take out. Not only would someone get off scot free as a Pure Blackened, but they’d remove the single largest impediment to anyone else murdering and getting away with it.”
“What?” Fluttershy gasped. “What are you saying? That killing Sunset will make it easier to kill others?”
“Exactly what I just said,” Vignette nodded. “If she really did survive some previous killing game, then she must know how the trials work. She must’ve tracked down evidence, figured out culprits, and had them executed. So if anyone wants to get away with murder around here, taking her out would be a good first step.”
“But listen to what you said!” I argued. “She survived another game. That means she’s good at surviving, too.”
“Under the best of circumstances, maybe,” she replied breezily. “Too bad she’s clearly a huge nervous wreck.”
“But Shining Armor’s a cop,” I said. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to kill him first if that’s what people are worried about?”
Vignette snickered. “Oh, I agree. The smartest move would be for someone to kill Sunset, get away with it, then the next person could kill Shining Armor. Two largest threats removed, and whoever killed him would likely get away with it. Assuming he’s not a pony too.” She reached out to set a finger under my chin. “Very good, Wally… you’re even smarter than I thought.”
“Oh I don’t like this,” Fluttershy said, looking askance at us both. “We really shouldn’t be talking about who should kill who or how to get away with murder. What if one of us actually d–does something?”
“Oh, that’s interesting, how you included yourself in that statement,” Vignette said with a wide shit-eating grin. “Planning something, are we? Hoping to bank on your innocent and shy demeanor to keep people unsuspecting?”
Fluttershy squeaked and hid her face in her hands. “Oh my goodness, no! I couldn’t bear the thought of even hurting someone, let alone k-k-killing them!”
“Leave her alone, Vignette,” I groused. “And get to the point already.”
“I thought I’d made my point clear, but fine,” Vignette said. “If you keep hanging around Sunset, you’re likely to get killed as collateral damage. Or a witness. There’s nothing in the rules saying we can’t kill more than one person at once, and if you keep hanging around Sunset, why… some people might start suspecting you’re a pony too.”
I shivered at the thought. “But I’m not a pony,” I said. “I know I’m not.”
“Do you now?” Vignette eyed me with a sly smile. “Well, if that’s the case, you really should heed my advice. Stick with me, and I’ll protect you, Wallywall.” She leaned in closer and whispered her next words. “Maybe even do more, if you’re interested.”
I took a huge step back. “No thank you.”
She shrugged, crossing her arms. “Hmph. Suit yourself. But you’d still do better under my protection than you would staying around Sunset.”
“I really don’t think that’s a fair way of putting it, Vignette,” Fluttershy countered. “Sunset shouldn’t be left alone, but there’s safety in numbers. The more people around her, the less likely someone might… try to hurt her. Or anyone else with her.”
“True enough…but I still think you’d be better off sticking with me and not her, Wallywall.”
I had to admit, some of what Vignette was saying… were good points. Sunset attracted attention wherever she went; she stuck her nose in people’s business, she shouted, she tried to figure things out…and Vignette was right that she was a pony. If anyone would be a first target…
But she was also my friend! I didn’t want to just abandon her either!
“Err, well…”
“Excellent!” Vignette positioned herself directly between me and Fluttershy, arms around each of our shoulders, and led us to a nearby table.
“Hey! But Sunset’s…”
“Sunset’s got terrible taste in color coordination; she just happens to have very easy colors to work with,” Vignette interrupted, plopping me and Fluttershy down in chairs. She deftly sat across from us, grinning. “Whereas Fluttershy and myself are experts.”
“Oh!” Fluttershy blushed heavily. “I’m not. I mostly just. I mean I do like colors. But.”
“Mm-hmm,” Vignette agreed, sounding amused and like she wasn’t even listening, in equal measure. “But poor Wallflower here needs help. Which, naturally, two shades of green and a brown? It’s a challenge. She’s lucky we’re here.”
I tried to argue, but she was insistent, and Fluttershy seemed to have a genuine interest in it, too. “The most important rule is: you just can’t be sloppy,” Vignette lectured. “For instance, Fluttershy and I. Most people would think our skin tones are very similar. But those people would be dead in a dungeon, if I had my way.”
Fluttershy, who had started to nod, froze when Vignette reached the end of her sentence. “Um. I that might be a little much…”
“Life is a little much, but point taken,” Vignette mused with unearned sageness. “All I’m saying is, little differences can be enough. You and I certainly could never share our makeup, right?”
“Oh no,” Fluttershy agreed, seriously. I wondered if they forgot I was there.
“I’m a much citrussier yellow,” Vignette opined. “Fluttershy’s more of a milky daffodil. I’d look like a neon sign in her makeup, and she’d essentially turn green if she wore mine.”
“Oh, I still think you’d look lovely…” Fluttershy complimented.
“So would you, Miss Perfect Hair,” Vignette complimented back. “God, I hate your hair, it’s so perfect.”
They yammered back and forth and it was so embarrassing I couldn’t even listen, much less worry about Sunset.
But thankfully, it wasn’t too long before the doors to the Mess Hall slammed open, revealing Sunset heading for us, huffing a little from exertion. “There you are,” she said, holding my hand briefly, giving Fluttershy a polite nod and a glare to Vignette. “Have any of you seen my pad? I think I lost it somewhere.”
“No, I haven’t,” I said, reaching into my pocket to check if mine was still there, which it was.
“Nope,” Vignette and Fluttershy chorused.
“Damn. I know I had it with me when I left my room this morning,” Sunset sighed. “I feel like I just turned around and it was gone.” She glanced suspiciously at Vignette, who simply smiled back. “I’d have come sooner, Wallflower, but I was looking for it. I don’t like the idea someone might have stolen it.”
“It’ll turn up,” Fluttershy said, giving Sunset a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I’m sure you just left it somewhere.”
“Hope so,” Sunset said. “At least there’s no rule about it this time…”
“Wait, what?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Nevermind. So did you ask Wallflower what you wanted to ask her, Vignette?”
Vignette smiled softly. “I did, in fact. Want to hear what it was?”
“Um, I don’t know if that’s a good idea…” Fluttershy said, reaching out a hand, only to have it pushed back down gently by Sunset.
Sunset eyed Vignette suspiciously. “Fine. What is it?”
“Oh, nothing much, just telling Wallywall how she’d be much safer if she stuck with me.” Vignette’s smile grew wide. “Because with me, at least, she won’t be mistaken for a pony and killed when you’re inevitably taken out by someone who wants to escape.”
Sunset stared at her for a moment before barking a laugh. “Okay, you know what? I’ll give you that one, Vignette. That’s actually kind of nice of you, in a backhanded way.”
Vignette’s eyes widened momentarily and she took a step back. “...oh. That’s not what–”
“Not what you expected I’d say?” Sunset suggested with a small grin of her own. “I had a hunch this is what you were after. And hey, points for at least pretending to give a crap about Wallflower. I doubt you really do, though.”
Despite her bravado, something seemed off to me about Sunset. I looked at her for a moment and realized she was pale, her skin almost clammy. “Sunset, are you alright?”
“Huh?” She looked at me in confusion. “Yeah. Overexerted myself a little looking for my pad, but I’m okay.”
“You look pale.”
“It’s true, you do,” Fluttershy added with a growing look of concern. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Oh, yeah,” Sunset said, waving it off. “I didn’t get a lot to eat for breakfast… I’ll make up for it at lunch.”
Fluttershy reached into her bag and pulled out a bottle of water. “Here. Drink this at least.”
“Oooh, you sure you want to drink that?” Vignette said, her grin becoming malicious. “That could be poisoned.”
“No it isn’t!” Fluttershy snapped.
“I trust Fluttershy,” Sunset said in turn, taking the bottle and drinking a swig of water.
I cringed and watched her, but she didn’t double over or start moaning in pain or turning funny colors, so it was probably fine. “See?” she said. “Now shut up about people killing me, Vignette.”
“Of course, my bad,” Vignette said, though her grin showed she wasn’t the least bit apologetic.
The four of us headed past the stage in the general direction of the dorms, while we kept up an uneasy conversation. Vignette and Sunset wouldn’t stop eying each other, as if each was waiting for the other to pull something. I was ready to just take Sunset somewhere else altogether when Rarity happened to walk by.
“Rarity!” Sunset said, smiling at her. “Hey uh, how’s it going?”
Rarity grit her teeth and kept walking, refusing to look at Sunset.
Sunset spread her hands out. “Oh come on, you’re not even going to look at me now?”
I felt more than saw Rarity’s sudden twitch, and braced myself just in time as she whirled about. “Why should I speak with you, Sunset Shimmer? All you ever do is yammer on about this fantasy of yours where we’re romantically involved.”
“It’s not a fantasy!” Sunset screamed back, her mouth twisting in a nasty snarl. “For fuck’s sake, Rarity, what do you take me for?”
“What do I take you for?” Rarity squeezed her fists by her side, leaning forward as her voice raised. “What do I take you for?! A deranged lunatic, that’s what!”
“Deranged lunatic?” Sunset repeated. “Do you even know what that second word means? No, nevermind, of course you don’t, because you don’t remember anything. Listen to me, Rarity. Your memories were messed with. That’s why you don’t remember us being together.”
Rarity gasped, then gasped again, holding a hand up to her breast in shock. “Oh. Of course. What was I thinking? Obviously my mind must’ve been messed with, and I should be falling all over you and worshiping the ground you walk on!”
“Uh…” Sunset took a step back, her snarl turning into an uncertain frown. “I wouldn’t put it like that–”
Rarity took a step towards Sunset. “Have you ever considered for one moment, darling, you might be the one who’s in the wrong?”
“What?” Sunset breathed. For some reason she raised her left arm, once again staring at it. “I… but… Rarity… you don’t understand–”
“I understand perfectly that you. Are. Crazy! Now get out of my sight!”
Sunset reeled back, falling over as if she’d been slapped. Tears formed in her eyes, but she managed to hold them back. “...fine. If that’s how it is,” she whispered, and ran off towards her dorm room.
“What the hell, Rarity?!” I cried as I gave her a fierce glower before heading off after Sunset.
She was much faster than me and made it up and into her room well before I could even enter the building. I had to stop and catch my breath on the stairs for a couple of minutes before I climbed up the rest of them and knocked on her door.
“Go away!”
“Sunset, it’s me,” I said.
There was no response for a moment, then the door slid open. “Come in.”
I entered, Sunset swiftly shutting the door behind me, and sat on the edge of her bed. She sat down next to me in a huff. Somehow she’d kept back her tears and her face remained dry, though her eyes were a bit red. She looked at me for a moment, then edged over to me and opened up her arms.
I invited her in and hugged her, letting her rest against my shoulder silently for a little while, just listening to her heartbeat and breathing. When she let go, she looked at me with gratitude. “Thanks for coming after me… I needed that.”
“I could tell,” I replied, giving her a wan smile. “Rarity was over the line.”
“Maybe.” Sunset sighed and looked at her hand, right where a wedding band would be if she had one. “Maybe not. I swear, so many things feel so… confusing! Things don’t add up the way I expect, Rarity doesn’t remember we were together, I just… it’s like this was all designed to fuck with me, and I don’t appreciate it one bit. And the more I think I’ve figured it out, the less that adds up, until I feel like I’m going insane.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so instead I just said, “Maybe you should leave Rarity be, if she’s going to act like that. If she has lost her memory, there has to be a way to restore it. I should know.”
She looked me right in the eye for a moment. “There is. Or there was. I don’t… remember how it works.” She looked at her hand. “And it needs my magic… which hasn’t been working since we got here. At least, I think it needs my magic.”
Nodding, I replied, “Okay, so we get your magic working and then maybe we can–”
A knock at the door cut me off. “Excuse me… Sunset, it’s me, Rarity. May I come in?”
“What?” Sunset gasped. She backed up from her seat on the bed and looked at me. “Can you see what she wants?”
Shrugging, I got up and answered the door. “What is it?”
Rarity took a step back, briefly startled before she wiped it away with a smile. “Oh, yes, Wallflower. Is Sunset inside? I need to speak with her.”
Glaring, I replied, “If this is just so you can yell at her some more–”
“Not at all, darling,” she said, holding up a hand. “I’m… actually here to apologize, if I may.”
I held the door open and let her in, watching Sunset stiffen on the bed, while Rarity’s movements were jerky and hesitant. “Hello, Sunset. I… I want to apologize for how I reacted just now. It was uncalled for.”
Sunset looked around the room helplessly, eyes swirling with mixed emotions. When it became clear she was unable to respond, Rarity sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.
“If I may offer an explanation?” she ventured. I felt a rush of irritation, but she noticed and quickly clarified. “An explanation, not an excuse. No matter what, I was an absolute brute to someone I care about. Sunset deserves better, and I am truly sorry.”
Sunset still looked completely petrified, but she murmured, “I’ll hear you out.” This seemed like a bad idea, but I couldn’t bring myself to interject.
Rarity sighed in relief. “Thank you. Sunset, I know what you remember, and what you… believe… about us.” Sunset winced at that phrasing, but Rarity continued with only a slight pause. “But please, consider my perspective. What I remember and believe. In that context, your behavior felt very similar to… to experiences I’ve had in the past. Once in college and once last year, with men who have not taken no for an answer, and who have left me quite terrified.”
Sunset began to frantically argue, but Rarity pushed forward. “And I am ashamed of allowing myself to act on those feelings. Like I said, this is an explanation, not an excuse. I trust you, and I respect you, and you deserve far better than for me to treat you as if you were dangerous.” She raised her eyes to Sunset, fearful. “Do you think you could forgive me?”
Sunset’s tension slipped away, replaced by a happier semi-smile. “Yeah, of course, Rarity.”
Rarity smiled back and took a deep breath, face practically drowning in relief. “Oh, thank goodness. It was terribly insulting to be called The Ultimate Drama Queen. I would hate to prove that vile thing correct by immediately driving away a good friend.”
Honestly, I was shocked this had gone so well. But then Sunset leaned in, probably to go for a hug, and Rarity instantly scootched away. “Sunset…”
Sunset stared at her, dismayed. “But…”
“I need to say something, Sunset,” Rarity said. “Please, I need to say this.”
Sunset clenched her fists, and I was afraid she was about to get angry. But instead, she just said, “Okay.”
Rarity smiled in thanks. “Darling, I don’t know anything about what’s happening,” she admitted carefully. “But I need you to listen to me. I feel as if I’m on the razor’s edge of going mad. Do you understand that? I am centimeters away from falling completely apart.”
Sunset hugged herself, looking terrified, but she gave a tiny nod. “Yeah. I get that.”
Rarity nodded back. “So I cannot accept what you remember, and what you believe to be true. I’m not capable of it.”
“Rarity…”
“I know it hurts you, and I am sorry about that, too. But I need you to…” Rarity’s eyes were steel, but her voice was breaking. “Sunset, if you’re right, my wife has divorced me or… or worse. Everything I know has been ruined because of an insane nightmare I don’t even remember. I need it to be a delusion, or some horrible spell, or a lie, or… or anything. I’ll go mad, do you understand? I’ll be lost.”
Rarity always scared me. She was always just so together, so poised, so… above me. But at that moment, I felt such overwhelming pity for her, I almost started crying. Because the look on Sunset’s face was obvious. Even if I wasn’t inclined to trust Sunset, it was just plain that she loved this woman. This was no delusion, no lie. Poor, poor Rarity was pushing away the truth.
“What can I do?” Sunset asked.
“Just let the subject of your interest in me drop.” Rarity didn’t look like she was pleading, but I knew she was. “I know what I remember. We are dear friends, but that is all.”
Her lips thinned, but Sunset nodded all the same. “All right.”
“Thank you,” Rarity said. “Darling, whatever happens…” she interrupted herself by shaking her head and simply repeated “Thank you.” They both sat there for a moment, looking away from one another.
The door opened up again, this time revealing Vignette carrying a board game. “I assumed this brief silence meant your serious, personal conversation was over!” she announced. “I found this game in the admin building and I’m totally bored. Want to play it?”
Sunset scowled at her. “Seriously, Valencia?”
“Seriously,” Vignette said, grinning that incessant smirk of hers. “Come on, I thought you loved games.”
“...doesn’t mean I want to play something with you,” Sunset sneered.
I let out a slight sigh. “Sunset, Vignette is just trying to be friendly. She’s not your enemy.”
“Tell that to her,” Sunset grunted.
“I, ah, wouldn’t mind playing a game myself?” Rarity offered, but Sunset scowled.
“Hey,” I said gently, reaching out to set my hand on top of Sunset’s. “I know she’s not your favorite person around here, but she’s right.”
“...fine,” Sunset relented, standing up. “But only because you asked me to.”
After talking it over for a moment, we decided to take it back outside and play in the plaza, where there were a couple of picnic tables sitting outside with benches. Vignette insisted on a particular table close to the entrance of the admin building (something about the ‘dynamic energies’ appealed to her). It took us a bit to learn the rules, as none of us had played this particular game before, but soon we were moving steadily and having fun. It was nice to watch Rarity and Sunset chat amiably for once, instead of shouting at each other.
I spent more time watching people walk to and fro and listening to the breeze than I did paying attention to the game, so I was naturally losing. Not that it mattered much to me; it was nice to be outside, and playing this board game left me feeling a bit of normality in this otherwise abnormal situation we were stuck in.
I did keep an eye on my pad, noting an hour had nearly gone by, when all of a sudden I started hearing something else. “Hey, you guys hear that?” I asked as I turned my head, trying to determine where it was coming from.
“Why… yes, it sounds like… guitar music?” Rarity questioned. She glanced around; there was a small window near the place where the admin building connected to the mess hall, which seemed to be where the music was coming from. “But I thought Pear Butter was holding sessions.”
“Weird,” Sunset commented. “Maybe she’s just taking a break in the Mess Hall?” I looked in that direction; yes, maybe the music was coming from that direction? It was hard to tell.
Vignette smirked at that. “Maybe. Or maybe someone stole the keys to the music shed from Juniper and is messing with us.”
“I thought there weren’t any other acoustic guitars in the music shed,” I pointed out.
“Oh?” Vignette shrugged. “Guess that must’ve slipped my mind.”
Then just as abruptly as it began, the guitar music stopped. Shrugging, we returned our attention to our game, but less than five minutes later, Big Macintosh and Derpy walked up to us from the Mess Hall.
“Hey guys, it’s almost lunch time,” Derpy said. “Do we know who’s gonna make lunch today?”
“Oh damn, it is, isn’t it?” Sunset asked, her stomach loudly rumbling. “...maybe I should do it.”
“Hang on.” I looked Big Mac and Derpy in the eye. “You guys were fixing the table, right? Did you ever see Trixie?”
“Nope,” Big Macintosh shook his head. “Table’s fixed though.”
“Yeah, I haven’t seen her anywhere,” Derpy said.
A cold chill filled me. “No one has since breakfast,” I said. “Someone should’ve seen her come out of the Mess Hall at some point.”
Rarity gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. “You… you don’t think?”
Vignette rubbed her hands together. “Oh, did we lose one already? And here I was so convinced it’d be Sunset…”
Sunset jumped out of her chair, accidentally knocking the board game over in the process. “No way. I’m not losing Trixie! Not again! Come on, guys, we’ve got to find her. Now!”
The rest of us got up and joined her in heading for the Mess Hall. “Trixie?!” Sunset called out. “Trixie, where are you?!”
I poked my head into the kitchen briefly, but saw nothing. “She’s not in here,” I said as I came back out.
“This way!” Sunset pointed to the far hall.
We all ran as fast as we could to the break room first, tossing the door open, startling Cranky Doodle who dropped his mug of coffee on the floor where it shattered, spilling everywhere. Cheese Sandwich, who was still in there, also dropped his soda in shock.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Cranky bellowed.
“Cranky, Cheese, have either of you seen Trixie?” Sunset demanded. “Well, have you?!”
Cranky grunted. “No, I haven’t. I’ve been in here all day, listening to him talking no matter how many times I ask him to leave.”
Cheese nodded. “I’ve been here since breakfast. I haven’t seen her since then either.”
“Oh god,” Sunset gulped. “Alright, check the offices!”
We headed down the hallway, poking our heads into the empty offices one by one. The closer we got to the office at the end though, the more I began to dread, as we kept finding nothing, nothing, nothing.
When we reached Pear Butter’s office, I realized the white noise machine wasn’t on. The door was ajar.
“Oh shit, oh shit, not Trixie, please not Trixie, not again,” Sunset whispered. She’d frozen at the door, unable to push it open, and everyone else following us didn’t want to move either.
So I pushed open the door.
And what I saw…
… left me completely stone cold inside.
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And the first domino have fallen let’s see how this goes.
edited: nvm, you already linked it my B. Lmao.
People are so gonna try to scapegoat Sunset would they. Though Wallflower could be suspicious too.. shit. Hope you're not gonna to that V3 Trial where the Culprit heads the trial herself
Oof. Poor big mac.
The first has fallen! The first has fallen!
Pear Butter was not who I'd expect to be the first one to be killed. But then again, these things are unpredictable.
Trixie has been absent a lot, but then she isn't likely to get killed or kill anyone anyway.
I literally have no clue what or why would that happen. (except for that body discovery photo. The table's contents are quite interesting. There's a bloody yellow flower which probably fell off of her head. The are some things like a makeup bottle, an apple, papers and a little ball which I assume to be one of those therapy balls that glows when you bounce it on the ground (I've had one of these as a kid). So, nothing really out of the ordinary.
The most logical reason I could think of for getting herself killed is just knowing too much. She was acting pretty aggressively odd almost everytime we met her.
Too bad she obviously has had too much regret… Big Mac would be devastated! Hope he doesn't lose all hope. Family is quite literally everything for him. Also Derpy needs you!
Anyway, onto the investigation!
Well my initial guess of the culprit was wrong, but I still believe that the true culprit is identifiable by whoever is consuming water like their life depends on it, because it does, because they took a bag of ice from the pantry. I was a bit dirty and used ctrl-F to find the word "water" which I initially overlooked. You said that Fluttershy SNAPPED when Vignette suggested the water was poisoned, which seems a bit off for her, unless it was really important for Sunset to drink that water. And she also seemed off when she was consoling Sunset about the missing Monopad. Overall she reminds me a bit of how Sweetie Belle was acting in In Harmony's Wake. And I guess Sunset's makeup can be used as facepaint if someone wanted to disguise themselves as Sunset. Clearly it's important in some capacity that I can't quite get. Suffice to say that IT COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN YOU Ultimate Doormat Fluttershy.
Those of us who've watched the MLP TV show have the advantage of knowing that Equestrian Pear Butter is dead, so the blackened killed a human. I guess it would be pretty boring if someone made a correct guess right away.
MUAHAHAHAHA! THE FIRST VICTIM! Ooh, I can't wait to see this play out! Although that doesn't look like how the first death in the other story happened... or maybe I don't remember. Hmm.
Sunset and Vignette are sus, though... both talking about makeup. But they're both too important to the story to be the blackened already...
Let’s get this ball rolling!
This is gonna be sooo awesome!
Man oh man. Are first victim is Pear Butter. Big Mac isn’t gonna take this very well
As for are first blacken. I’m thinking it could be Trixie as no one has seen her. But, i really hope I’m wrong as that would hurt Sunset a lot
Wow, I knew the first victim was coming up but I didn't expect it to be Pear Butter! She seemed like she was being set up as a major character, but I guess that was just for this one chapter. Poor Big Mac is going to be devastated.
I am glad Rarity and Sunset were able to come to somewhat of an understanding after Rarity has constantly rejected Sunset. Though now that Pear Butter is gone, it felt like Vignette could be one of the main antagonists with the way she kept talking down about Sunset and who would probably be targeted for a killing.
Though Trixie's disappearance is also concerning, since a lot of people are probably going to be suspecting her now. Looks like investigation is next and then trial, unless another twist is pulled on us and Pear Butter turns out to be an Equestrian and her killer gets to get off scott free.
Oh. I forgot about the pink blood.
I wasn't sure who would be the first to go as everyone was wearing a big "Kill Me!" sign on their back. This will definitely get everyone nettled now, if they weren't before.
Looking forward to the investigation and being utterly wrong about who the killer is!
There's a 99% chance the bit about makeup colors is going to end up being critical to the case.
Hmmm. I know I'm jumping the gun a little, but, here is my speculation.
Pear Butter was killed with some sort of blow to the head. I am presuming there are no firearms available (if there are, pardon my faulty remembery) so it has to be some sort of impact. The flower with the blood trail, well, how could it get into the blood? The flower looks intact, so it wasn't damaged on impact. It's just sitting there on the desk.
Can't figure out the bloodstain on the desk yet. It's only been a few minutes. Head wounds are known for profuse bleeding, so, where is it all? Maybe the 'head wound' is a distraction from the real cause of death. I'm no detective. I'm too much like old Cranky. Can't speculate on the whodunnit.
Will await next week's episode. Thank you for making me think. It might even work.
11498216
I don’t think (Unless DewDrops pulls a BIG 180 surprise) is from Equestrian. As in canon both her and her husband are sadly dead in canon
But who knows. I could be wrong and Dewdrops will pull one her famous 180 twist surprises on us
Hooo boy, first time I'm able to read one of these stories as it updates, so it's going to be interesting to try and solve it myself. I've kind of narrowed down my suspicions already, but the evidence [especially as this is a first trial] will try and help with that.
Howdy, hi~!
Oh, look. Wonder who did that picture :P? (Also sorry for sending ref pics of myself being dead and tied up for your approval XD). Silliness aside, Pear Butter was not whom I expected you to murder off first, but I realized it was the best option since it throws a wrench into finding out what the hell is up with her hatred of Wallflower. Creates some excellent dynamics going forward as so many characters are tied to her. All the little pieces already on display are really great and looking forward to how it all comes together in the trial.
Oh interesting!
I sorta predicted this. The minute I heard "The pads can record and play audio loudly" and "Pear's guitar can be heard from outside her office" I knew she'd either be the victim or killer.
I normally don't comment as I read, but I like your work and want it to do well.
Rule of Danganronpa #1 for those who don't know: "If they seem important right off the bat, they're going to die."
Given that pony Pear Butter is long dead, it's more than likely this PB was the human version, meaning we have a Gray Blackened on our hands. Part of me wants to say it's Shining Armor partly because of the friction he and PB were having. Trixie's been avoiding everyone, so I don't think it's her. Vignette and Sunset have both been raising warning flags like crazy, but given the events of this chapter, it's probably not them. Then again, both are wearing makeup and they both seem pretty important... Some could say too important...
Also, cool to see more artwork for this series!
Huh. Well, I suppose my initial concerns will be answered soon enough.
So! Someone definitely stole Pear's Monopad to play music in various places; no one has seen Trixie since breakfast; it would absolutely break Sunset right off the bat--- I have to guess Trixie. Unless of course she's already dead...