Hide and Seek in the Dark..

View Online

The grey stallion in the straight jacket struggled violently as the workers at the asylum pinned him down for his testing session. Most of the time he would laugh and cry in unison as they stuck treacherous needles into his neck and legs with odd fluids that seemed to make his head throb, spin and sometimes even swim. He tended to try and nip the workers whenever he had the chance, so the only solution was to force a muzzle over his mouth she that he wouldn't bite. By the looks of his teeth, other ponies assumed that they could damage a ponies fur and skin severely.
The way his eyes glowed in his dark room was just plain disturbing. If anypony was daring enough to step in and stare into those eyes it would make you feel as if you had seen hell yourself from your very own. They would leave as soon as they had come and wouldn't be seen in his room ever again.
To this day, his testing sessions are full of muffled screaming and tears of agony streaming down his face, yet he seemed to enjoy the pain. Not only was he screaming, he was laughing madly! the workers grew tired of holding him down continuously, so they strapped him down on a metal bed that seemed new and untouched until that current time.
As his testing doctors back was turned Match Box looked around the dull white room that had excruciatingly bright lights shining from the ceiling that had tampered with his vision most times he was there. It was two days a week he was due to testing. When his Doctor turned back around, he grew uneasy as he saw a new fluid that was ready to enter his tender body inside of a clean syringe.
"Now, now Match Box... calm down," his Doctor told him as he seemed to notice the glance of unease and possibly hatred, "I know that you don't like this session, but it is my job and it must be done. Now, this will be over fast if you don't struggle and behave."
The doctor knew that Match Box hated him, and he couldn't deny that he didn't feel the same way towards him, but he still couldn't help feel a little sympathy for the stallion, even if her had been thrown in the loony bin like all the other unfortunate patients in the facility.
Match Box huffed angrily as his doctor always did this to try and calm him down, which always failed. Not paying attention as to what he was doing, Match Box knocked his head back hard on the the metal bed. From the sudden pain that he felt on his leg, he tensed up which only made it worse causing him to scream under his muzzle. The doctor frowned, his orange eyes staring at the emerald green eyed stallion that was strapped down and had pure hatred clear in his eyes.
"Well, sorry! you tensed up."
The doctor proceeded to removing the syringe out of Match Box's leg and into a waste bin. Soon after, more pain aroused as peroxide was applied to the area where the needle was placed, searing and eating away at him. Match Box had a devious desire to get unstrapped off the metal bed and out of straight jacket, having his muzzle removed just so he could beat the living hell out of this doctor, but it was too bad that he couldn't because of the restrictions.
Soon after his testing was over, some workers dragged him down the hall back to his dark room. They removed his muzzle and threw him onto the ground, locking the door afterward so he would not have the opportunity to escape. But whenever he did somehow appear outside of his room grounds, the workers were so confused as to how he got out when he was behind a metal door with advanced locking, and the most mysterious part was he couldn't possibly use his hooves because they were restrained under his straight jacket and tight sleeves.
The stallion with a mix of blue and grey in his mane looked down to the darkened floor under him, and it felt cold, as if it were ice, practically. After a few moments of silence, he broke it by laying on his back and clacking his hind legs on the hard floor like a drum. Apparently, one of the guards outside in the hallway found it disturbing and knocked hard on the door, usually known as a sign of giving somepony a warning to be quiet. Disappointed of his fun being spoiled over an annoyed stallion, he scooted himself up in a corner of the room smiling psychotically, his eyes glowing temptingly as he stared at the door where the guard had recently been.
John, the lead guard of the Asylum, lazily sat in his office and was listening to calming music. His tranquil moment was disrupted by a loud alarm and knew exactly what was going on, frowning.
"Again!? this is the fifth time this month that he's tried to escape!" he stared at his silent guards, Tom and Ryan, the two other ponies who seemed to be uneasy about this situation again, his light green eyes giving them the signal to follow.
As they entered the well lit hallway towards Match box's room, it was clear that he wasn't there, and the only thing John could do as a reaction was sigh.
"Dammit..." he muttered.
Just as he said that single word, Match Box grinned darkly in his hiding spot and broke the light switch to the hallway. His laugh echoed creepily, which of course made Tom's spine shiver fluently as the lights immediately shut off and the hallway went dark, much like Match Box's room. As the guards searched around in the room, John spoke up,
"Alright buddy, it's okay. We won't hurt you," he said with a sarcastic tone as his eyes flared in anger as to having to go through this again. "If you don't pose as a threat...
"I wonder how he got out this time..." Ryan wondered aloud, trying to adjust his eyes to the dark.
No wonder why Match Box enjoyed being in the dark. He had been in the dark for so long he had adjusted to it, just like it was his environment and his own reality. Tom shrugged as Ryan looked over towards the black and white spotted unicorn stallion. John looked back at Ryan and looked angry under his mask,
"Shut up, rookie! do you want him to stay hidden and escape!?" Match Box giggled as he just couldn't resist but eavesdrop on the clueless guards, and Ryan's eyes widened in response.
"Uh J-john... I think he noticed our presence already..."
John face hooved and sighed, talking without even looking back at Ryan, "You think I didn't know that, dumb ass?"
Ryan accidentally burped and covered his mouth as a dark figure zipped past behind Tom causing his grey hair to stand on end,
"I'm scared..." Tom said, shaking in fear as his dull red eyes went wide.
John saw it too and nearly gave Ryan a heart attack as he got his attention, "Sh*t! Ryan, get out the net!" he called before sighing and reconsidering it a bit, "and possibly a shot gun too.." Tom looked over at John and walked slowly away from where he was standing over next to Ryan.
"You're going to kill him? b-but the boss needs him alive!"
John gave Tom a death stare and stamped his left hoof, "he's used to pain! remember, sh*t for brains?" he rolled his light green eyes and continued, "I'm just going to shoot him in the hoof if anything goes wrong."
Match Box peered halfway at the guards from his hiding spot as his emerald green eye flashed and he disappeared in the shadows, leaving Tom frightened,
"DID YOU SEE THAT!?" he exclaimed loudly, his tone shaky and scared.
John's stare grew dull as he glanced over at Tom, "Tom, if you're too scared, you can get out of here, then!" his tone turned from annoyed to sarcastic.
Tom flashed an angry glance at the leader of the group, "I'm not scared!" He lied, hoping he would be left alone, only to be told he was going to be bait again.
"Why am I always the bait? remember last time? I almost got killed!"
Match Box smiled wickedly to himself at that "wonderful" memory, too bad he got knocked off and then had a penalty for two weeks in a lighted room, and they actually doubled his tests to four days for those two weeks.
"Oh, so now you thought I was that stupid not to throw him off of ya now!?" John yelled, Tom starting to feel panicked.
"NO!!!" Tom yelled back, but louder then John himself.
As Match Box put on an innocent look, he stepped out of hiding and smiled, friendly like, "I'm sorry I tried to escape... I was... erm.. bored is all!" he said, flicking his right ear contently.
John laughed and then had a serious face,
"You think I'd be dumb enough to believe that?" John was silent for a few seconds and said something else, "I strapped a bomb to your straight jacket! you try anything funny, I will detonate it without any hesitation! that's a warning!"
"Oh my... when did that happen?" Match Box asked, having his evil smile spread across his face instead of the innocent act he tried that didn't seem to work like the first few times.
Tom's left eye twitched, "Are you frickin' serious?!" he said.
Ignoring Tom, John went on, "Heh.. not too long ago..."
Match Box was impressed with John as he stepped forward on his hind legs. How the hell was it possible for a pegasus in a straight jacket to even have that kind of strength to do that?!
"If I may, can I ask a quick question?" he sent the guards backing up a little as John growled in frustration,
"Oh, hell no! I've seen way too many movies to know what would happen next! Ryan, hand me the shotgun!" he yelled as the purple earth pony did as he was told.
John cocked the gun with his unicorn magic as he stepped forwards toward Match Box, sending the careless patient a few steps back.
"Oh, come on! I won't do anything! I swear! can't you take a joke?" Match lied as he giggled to himself.
John squinted his eyes, knowing he was clearly fibbing as his head turned towards Tom, "Why don't you give him number 54?"
Tom's head tilted, clearly forgetting what is was, "Um... sir, what was number 54 again?" seeing how he wouldn't get an explanation, he decided not to badger his boss further.
John grew frustrated, "Well, you better remember! Now do it!"
"B-but sir!"
"I said now!"
Tom sighed, giving up and he walked over towards Match box and kicked him down to the cold ground, feeling sorry that he did it. He whispered into Match's ear when he lowered his body down to his level, "don't worry, I'll get you out of here."
John sighed, shaking his head as he stared at Tom coldly, "That wasn't it..." he said, smacking Tom over the head hard with his baton, causing the black and white spotted unicorn to cough up blood.
When Match Box hit the floor, he was shaking badly and he had a smug smile across his face when he saw that.
"What now?! you guys got me! we gonna play the needle game again?!" he asked excitedly with a hopeless expression as the masked pony walked toward him, kneeling down now,
"No... we're here to tell you you're getting rehabilitated," he explained to the grey stallion.
Match Box only laughed and twitched his right eye, "Aw... fine! not like it'll help! just like the petty medication I was given that failed on me!"
John seemed confused at this as he blurted out, "What medication? didn't you hear the news?"
Match Box tilted his head and shifted his eyes staring up at John, "Heh. I guess they wanted to keep that private.. and what news?" he questioned curiously in a dark tone.
"Oh, nothing... except that we couldn't get anymore medicine for any other pony because somepony decided to destroy the pharmacy!" he said, sounding pissed off again, "someone lit it on fire! they said they saw a figure with blue hair... and to a known fact there was so much blood at the scene!"
As Match box heard this he snickered and looked back up smirking, "Oops!"
John rolled his eyes clearly knowing it already was Match box as he stared back at Tom and Ryan, "You two, leave! I have some unfinished business to take care of."
"Uh... yes sir!" Tom said hastily, pushing Ryan out with him back to the office.
Match Box blinked, "I bet you're wondering how I pulled that off..."
John blinked back as his stare became more calming,
"Do you not remember me yet?" he smiled under his mask and confessed something, "my name really isn't John...."
He pulled off the mask, and to Match's surprise, he laid there on the ground absolutely dumbfounded. "Say what?"
"I'm someone you might know from the past!" he said, hinting Match Box.
Match box yawned, "Guessing games are boring..." he whined, kicking his back hooves against the hard floor.
John gave up and shook his head, closing his eyes, "Don't you get it? I'm Flash! your older brother!"
Match box's eyes widened as it hit him right in the head, "B-but how? I... I thought... W-why are you...?"
Flash silenced his brother and went on to a different topic, "I remember as I watched you kill our mom and dad..." he said, looking away and then back at Match box, "I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES!!!" Flash exclaimed, hoping it would do something to his brother.
Match Box laughed madly which made Flash back up a few steps, obviously creeped out, "I know! you didn't think I saw you out of the corner of my eye?"
Flash's emerald eyes glimmered as if he was telling his brother how idiotic he was, "Do you not remember that my cutie mark is based off speed?" he informed his brother directly.
By the amount of fluids I've been injected with... You would have thought I have forgotten already... Match Box thought to himself, growling in disappointment,
"Mom and dad named me Flash due to how fast I was... I also put a decoy there so that I could escape..."
Match flicked his tail angrily, "Be grateful that you got out alive. You were lucky..."
Flash noticed his reaction and quickly looked away from Match's glowing demented stare, it seemed to creep anyone out. "Why did you do it Match?" his tone changing to a disappointed voice.
Match Box smiled dementedly and responded coldly, "Because... I grew tired of their help... they failed..."
"How? they took good care of us and you know it!" Flash said, unhappy with his response as his brother grew silent and looked down with a depressed expression on his face.
After what seemed like forever, Flash broke the silence and finally said, "Heh.. we had good times back then, huh?"
Match Box nodded slowly and responded sadly, "Yeah... too bad I'm in here though due to my instability..."
Flash frowned and apologized, "I'm sorry for yelling at you... this place really can make you go insane..." he said as he carefully walked a few hoof steps forward and sat down by Match Box's side.
"Mmm... it's okay... I'm used to it," he told Flash.
"Now, that is the younger brother I know and love!" Flash said with a happy flair to his voice as he hugged Match Box.
"Well, now I wish that I could hug back..." he said gloomily as his brother laid a drink on the floor.
"Here! this might help since I can't bust you out of this place... I... snuck it in just today."
Match Box's eyes lit up to the caring offer but quickly suspected it could be a trap, "What's in it...?"
"Just a pina colda. Don't worry, I didn't put anything odd in it. I swear! I'm your brother!"
His eyes grew clouded with fear as he had a thought, "What's going to happen now?" Match box asked, forgetting the drink.
Flash smiled at his brother's innocence,
"They're going to check you out tomorrow so you can get out of your little fantasy world in that dark room. Er... Just so... ya know... get a taste of reality to get you back to your old self!" Flash said hoping his brother would understand, "-and since you have no where to go do you want to stay with me?"
Match box nodded, saying nothing but smiling back calmly, "Eh. I still wonder why Tom wanted to bust you out. I guess no one told him about the news. Well, until a few minutes ago, at least."
Anxiety rose inside Match as he gulped, "Are they sure they wanna... well, I mean... uh..."
"OH! I forgot to tell you! they were also doing this tomorrow because they are afraid you'll get a bright idea and let the other patients roam free..."
Match could not believe his ears, "Tch... why the hell would I want to help those sorry souls...?"
Flash nodded in agreement, "Sometimes they can be morons and come up with strange theories of a patients thoughts..." he put his mask back on and stood back up, "I have to go. See you tomorrow, bro... If anyone asks, say I was giving you 'the stare'."
Match box was about to say goodbye until he remembered, "WAIT! I can't be out in the hallway all night!"
Flash stopped dead in his tracks and turned back, "Oh... let me help you get to your room then."
"Okay..." that was all Match had said as he was lead to his dark room, the door locking behind him as he fell down on the hard, icy floor, uncaring as to if it hurt or not as he drifted off to sleep for the first time in five days..

The Judge Mental Game..

View Online

"This can't be right... where the hell am I!?" the mad stallion shouted, shaking in fear as his hooves took him in endless circles.
He himself was in a dark room full of laughter and voices that he could not understand at all, and when he tried to cover his ears it only grew louder which made his thoughts much harder to hear and cause his head to throb badly.
"Just shut up already!" he yelled, stomping his hooves over and over in his anger.
In his dreams, better described as nightmares, he had, strangely, no straight jacket at all. It seemed like he didn't need to be restricted because there was always nopony but him in his nightmares.
Just as he was about to be tortured even worse than he already was, he jolted awake as he heard a loud knock on his door. Match box whined tiredly and banged his head against the hard wall, thinking to himself. I just wanna sleep more... but that nightmare.. damn fluids that they inject me with... he fell back asleep, ignoring the second series of knocks and the and the door opening, causing a creak.
"Hey... rise and shine, buddy!" Flash said, happier then yesterday as he came in with Ryan and Tom behind.
The half asleep stallion opened his demented eyes and groaned, "I wanna sleep more..." he said annoyed, hearing his brother sigh.
"Fine..." Flash said, closing the door and walking over to grab a bucket with his magic and then going into the bathroom to fill the old bucket with ice cold water.
Ryan tilted his head, "Sir, what is that for?" he asked, as Tom just stood there face hoofing himself.
Flash said nothing and walked back into Match's room, splashing the water onto the dry patient causing Match box to scoot to the corner.
"ARGH!!! WHAT THE HELL!?" he yelled, now soaking wet.
He shivered as the ice cold water seeped through his straight jacket, hair and fur. Tom and Ryan came in, surprised by the yelling.
"What's going on!?" Tom asked, confused as Flash glared at him, making him look down.
"No dumb questions. You should observe before asking next time."
Tom nodded, "Y-yes sir... sorry sir."
Ryan snickered a little and stared over at the soaking wet stallion who sat before them, "You're getting your lucky little flank hauled out of this place today!" He said, sitting in the ice cold puddle of water.
The stallion known as Match Box smiled and twitched his eyes, thinking to himself happily, 'Thank god...' Just as his thoughts trailed him off into his own world, he felt a collar being brought around his dark grey neck and heard the latching of a leash. He was about to question the one who did the action, but couldn't because his muzzle was put back on. Match Box frowned and was dragged out of the dark cold room, flicking his tail angrily.
Ryan smiled and whistled, "Hey, Match Box! Guess who your gonna visit!" He said as Match's made muffled growl noise, which didn't intimidate him much, "You're gonna go visit the boss with us!"
"B-but what if he tries to attack the boss!?" Tom said, worried, "Whine! Whine! Whine! Blah! Blah! Blah! Have you forgotten he can't? He's restrained, idiot." Ryan said, rolling his eyes in the process.
Flash stopped and smacked Tom and Ryan, "Will you two shut up!? You two morons fight like a bucking married couple! I swear..." He yelled, his eyes glowing with anger, "I can't have a silent moment with you two can I?"
The rest of the way was silent; no fighting, yelling or hitting anypony what so ever, even when one deserved it. As they finished their small journey to the boss's office, Flash knocked on the door and waited for the signal to walk inside. Once Flash got the approval, they all went inside. Tom closed the door behind them as he dragged Match Box to the front of them all. The snapping of the leash was heard again as it was removed from the collar he was forcefully dragged with. The dark grey stallion looked pissed as his eyes flashed. His brother walked over next to him and whispered quietly into his ear softly, unheard.
"Bro, you gotta watch yourself... try not to be like this. Act happy or something so you can get out of here." Match Box nodded and smiled under his muzzle, acting like the happy stallion he wasn't.
Flash cleared his throat and spoke up, "Mr Adoms! We have brought Match box just like you requested, sir!" He said, walking in between Ryan and Tom as the boss turned around in his spinning office chair, eating a doughnut which looked like honey glaze.
"Yes, I vanted to ze him." Mr Adoms said in his strange accent that sounded funny to everypony in the room.
He was a Pegasus with a moustache and he wore an appropriate sized top hat that made him have the boss attitude stereotype look. His body was the color green, his mane and tail were orange and it looked like he was having a balding problem due to his old age. That explained why he wore the top hat in the first place. The boss of the whole facility didn't bother to notice he had left over glaze from his doughnut, but yet Flash and Match Box noticed easily and began to giggle their asses off like no tomorrow. Mr. Adoms tilted his head and sighed, "Vat's so funny?" He asked.
Flash stopped giggling and nudged Match to stop immediately. Right when the grey stallion stopped, he turned his head around behind him fixing his eyes on something that seemed interesting, even though he thought that it was just another hallucination from the damn fluids in the syringes.
"Absolutely nothing, sir!" Flash lied as he looked at his boss in the eyes seriously.
Mr. Adoms walked over to Flash and smirked, "Okay zen. It's been well over 2 years since Match box has been here, and I have decided something," He said, turning his back away from the group, "Since zis little trickster keeps getting out... some vorkers here are very concerned he vould try to let out others in the facility."
Match box rolled his eyes as he turned around, 'Such morons in this world...' He thought to himself as he sighed under his breath to the accusation. He'd rather drop dead then help the others in this idiotic psycho house.
"Vell, have a good life now, Match Box! Bye-bye!" The boss said, trotting back over to his seat and humming a tune.
The restricted stallion waited for a few moments as Ryan and Tom removed the muzzle, straight jack and collar carefully off of him. Match box's eyes widened as his hooves felt more comfortable out of the contraption he wore that had restricted him for so long.
Tom then touched the grey, blue haired stallion's shoulder and spoke, "Okay, follow me I'll escort you to the door to get out." He ordered with an uneasy smile.
Match box shook his head just as he was about to walk out of the office, "Psh... I know where the exit is... I'm not stupid.."
"Actually, you have to escorted out. The workers at the front desk will think you're trying to escape." Tom said, opening the door for Match Box, following closely behind.
As they both passed the front desk with nods of approval, the doors opened and Match Box, not realizing the burning sun at first, flinched as he covered his eyes quickly, "Damn sun..." He remarked with a huff of anger.
Tom ran back inside and passed Flash. Without a word, he walked outside and stood next to his brother with a small sack of bits. Placing them down in front of Match, he smiled and patted his younger brother's head, "Here's some money if you get hungry or something..." He said with a smooth, friendly tone in his voice, "Also, I want you to meet me near the cafe at 4:30 PM. My shift ends around there." The unicorn stallion said as he was just about to turn around to head back inside.
Match nodded and waited till his brother was gone. After Flash went back inside the asylum, he picked up the pouch and gloomily walked all the way into Ponyville. As he walked along the active streets of the town, he receiving looks of fright and hatred. He himself looked down to the ground gloomily. Match Box made his way slowly over to AppleJack's apple stand with the pouch dangling from his mouth, and he placed the pouch of bits on the ground for a little bit.
Blaze eyeballed Match Box and rolled his eyes, "Momo, take a look at this. Match Box has returned..." He said, whispering as the lime green pegasus gasped.
"Really, Blaze?" She said as she noticed his presence over at the apple stand.
Lyra and Bonbon were sitting together on a bench in town and looked away from Match box as they whispered about him.
AppleJack seemed very uncomfortable and uneasy as he approached, and she finally breathed in deepily and said, "Um... h-hello! What bri-... BRINGS! You to o-our fine apple stand today?" She said as her sister Applebloom's eyes were as big as a deer caught in headlights.
Match box backed up three hoof steps and sighed.
"I just wanted to buy an apple..." He said, not surprised from Applejack's reaction when he approached.
The orange farm pony nodded and shakily dropped the apple in front of the stallion, "O-one bit please, sir... I mean..." She said, face hoofing and gulping nervously, "Just give me one bit..." Match nodded and forked over the bit with a sad expression on his face as he made his way out of town, holding the apple he bought along with the pouch of bits into the Everfree forest.
He sat down under a tree and carelessly ate his apple, unaware of the timber wolves that lurked deep in the woods and apparently wanted to sneak up on Match and maybe viciously murder him. As he spat out the seeds from the apple, his head turned around and noticed the eyes of one of the timber wolves. Match box showed no fear and stared directly at the pair of glowing eyes dementedly as he smiled.
Rainbow dash was flying above the Everfree forest as usual since she was clearing the sky today for AppleJack's apple tree orchard. Due to the amount of rain that happened for two or three days, Sweet Apple Acres was soaked with rain water and it needed the sun to soak it up. The cyan pony was flying into clouds and laughing, having the time of her life, just when she noticed a grey stallion down below being trapped by timber wolves, "That pony needs help!" Dash exclaimed.
Match box threw his apple core onto the ground and frowned, "Screw this..." He said, just as a timber wolf thought they trapped the stallion he flew upwards, leaving them all dumbfounded and his pouch of bits behind.
He passed by Rainbow dash, not caring to see who he passed by as he landed on a cloud and sighed.
"Stupid forest creatures..." Was all Match could say.
Rainbow Dash tilted her head, looking down from where Match box had launched himself away from and she turned her attention to the male pegasus that was lazily laying on a cloud, shaking her head, confused, "Was that...? Nah, it couldn't be."
The rainbow maned pegasus flew off, confused and out of view of anything living and breathing in that area.
Flash stood in front of the cafe impatiently as he sighed, "He's late..."
Right when he said that, he saw his brother trotting forwards with an apologetic look on his face.
"Oh, god Flash! I am sorry. I got into... let's just say, trouble earlier." Match Box, explained looking to the ground, embarrassed.
Flash blinked and smiled, "Mmm... it's okay! I understand. Now, here's what's gonna happen.. I'm gonna help you get a job somewhere! I don't know where yet but you and I both know you're staying with me, my wife and two children-..." his explanation was broken off by a gentle and friendly sounding voice.
"Oh, um... hey, Flash. I was wondering if you cou-..." Fluttershy was broken off by her quick glance of Match box which spooked her and she quickly ran behind Flash, shaking.
The male unicorn sighed and looked behind him, "It's okay, Fluttershy. He won't harm you."
Match box looked away from them both and frowned even more, "Everypony has been like this all day..."
"Fluttershy! I am sorry to say that I can't help you with whatever it is today... now! If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to my brother... sorry." Flash said, feeling guilty.
When the yellow, pink haired pegasus mare nodded she walked away slowly and cautiously from the two.
"Hey Match... maybe I could reason with the others that you won't hurt anyone."
"Heh, heh... yeah, right like these worthless ponies need to be reassured that I've grown soft in only a few hours of being here! This place sucks... and always will..." Match box snapped as a tear streaked down his face and dropped to the ground.
Flash shook his head and nudged Match upwards, "Let's just go to my house... okay?" the brown unicorn said as his brother nodded.
They both walked side by side away from Ponyville and towards Flash's house...

Fun, Games and Poison..

View Online

As Flash and his younger brother Match Box walked in the faint sunshine, a cool, brisk breeze blew softly into Match's mane, causing him to shudder and whine as his wings stretched out in fear. As night began to near, the sun started to lower and the moon proceeded to emerge from the horizon.

Match's older brother Flash glanced behind him with worry, soon turning back to look forward as he had been before. A feeling of unease still lingered in Flash's chest, but the negative emotions lifted as soon as he started to think of other things. Memories of his wife and kids fought the feeling away, but other thoughts clouded them and the worry returned just as soon as it had left. Disturbing images of future consequences would have even been hard for the most sane pony in the world, let alone Flash.

The older brother shook his head and sighed as he trotted on with Match slowly tailing behind. Before Match knew it, he was right in front of a lovely, pure-white house with dark green shutters. A plain door was visible, along with something rectangular next to the bottom frame.

Near the door was the most welcoming welcome doormat that anypony would want to get their hooves on by sight. Standing on the mat would be another thing that ponies would do alternatively, so as he stood on the mat, Match Box deemed it the fluffiest and best doormat he had ever felt, not that it was much of a big deal in the first place.

"Let me just find my key so that we can get inside," Flash said calmly as he rummaged through his pockets.

Trying not to fall over from the imbalanced weight on only three legs, his hoof pace started to quicken as he searched for his key. After nearly a whole minute, he realized that he had no luck of finding his key in his pocket.

"Wait a moment... I might have a spare under the door mat..." he said to his brother and himself.

Match Box, who was barely listening, was focused on something else. His tired eyes were directed upon a cloud that looked like a bottle or similar-shaped object. Match Box didn't understand whatsoever anymore, it was too strange.

"Flash? Do you truly think they made the right choice to let me go?" the pegasus said faintly, shaking fearfully before falling into a sitting position while sulking, "W-what if I hurt somepony?"

Flash frowned and placed a hoof on his younger brother's shoulder before speaking his mind, "Listen, Match. There are more ponies in this world, far more dangerous then you! The guards were just concerned that you would let the others escape, they didn't want to risk it!"

"Flash..."

Flash responded and tilted his head in concern, "Yes?"

"I'm s-scared..." Match Box replied as he shook, looking like he was about to fall over and cry like a little lost foal.

"It's okay. Life is scary at most times, but we must cope with what life burdens us with," Flash said as he sighed and leaned his head against the front door, "You know what... I feel it's time I told you about Iron Thorn."

"Iron who?" Match said, confused. His eyes grew curious while his ears slightly tilted upwards.

"Iron Thorn: he's our fifth brother and the most mentally deranged pony in the whole Asylum. I was told that he brutally murdered five or six other ponies that were guards there. Once, he even bludgeoned a pony to death with a rock until his guts just..." he paused, stopping himself before he got into greater detail.

All of the describing made Flash feel nauseous and sick inside, his will to continue disappearing. He wasn't even close to the gruesome and disturbing parts yet, but if he couldn't go on to say the start, saying the end would be impossible.

Match's eyes widened in surprise and seemed like he would try to bail, as if he was going to back up a few hoof steps, but he didn't. Instead, he stood still with a terrified expression across his face, "P-please continue..." he urged his older brother as he desperately wanted to know the rest of the details.

Flash breathed in some fresh air and decided to continue since Match wanted to know so badly, "W-well... we had to restrain him more then you already were... with chains... shackles... ropes... stuff like that, you know how it goes. Anyway, he somehow managed to break out of his restraints and took the door down. H-he... attacked our newest recruit who we couldn't help... a-and murdered him within seconds..."

Match Box kicked his back hooves in frustration and turned his back away from Flash moments after, "I don't understand this sh*t! Why is our family full of insane lunatics?"

"A curse, maybe?"

"Yeah... maybe..."

If only they were bucking real... but curses are only old pony tales, moron... Match thought to himself as he smirked devilishly before turning around. His tail flicked and his right eye twitched angrily in unison.

Just as Match Box was about to say more, a crack of thunder made him jump in fear. The bolt scared him into falling on his back in the grass as droplets of clear water splashed upon his whole, uncovered body.

"Gah! I've had quite enough of getting wet for one day!" he yelled out, remembering what happened in the morning with the whole ice-cold bucket of water incident, which still seemed to annoy him.

"Match, come on. Let's just get inside..." Flash urged, opening the door so that Match Box could be the first inside since his brother wasn't so big on getting wet, along with the fact that he didn't want to anger him any more than the day already had.

Flash led him into a darkened room, Match slowly following close by. As the lights flicked on in the small, yet empty-looking kitchen, Match Box looked around with a blank expression, even though he desperately wanted to show how impressed he was of Flash's home. Flash stood behind him, waiting patiently until he was far enough from the entrance until he could enter as well.

As the Flash walked in, he didn't hear any activity bustling about in the house, so he assumed everypony in the household was sleeping.

He turned his attention to Match, who was still curiously inspecting his surroundings, until his concentration was broken by Flash's question, "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm fine. I had an apple earlier," Match replied contently, yet in an emotionless tone.

Flash shook his head and thought to himself, Will there ever be a time where you're going to be happy?

"Match Box! You must be tired, right? Follow me to the guest room!" he called, a little harsh, but took the lead, uncaring towards how Match would have reacted. All he heard was a gloomy sigh and slow hooves following behind.

Looking behind, Flash saw the grey pegasus hanging his head down, looking at the floor instead of what was in front of him. Match Box didn't look happy, not in the slightest.

When Flash opened the door to another completely different room that Match Box would be sleeping in, he reached for a light switch so that he could see in the dark. He switched on the lights, when all of a sudden the bright glow died after just a few seconds of use. He tried to turn it on again, only to have the same reaction.

"Well, darn! The power went out. Damn storm..." Flash cursed under his breath as he lit a candle and went to the doorway, "Goodnight, Match. Sleep well."

"T-thank you Flash..."

Flash's ears shot upwards as he turned around with a smile, trotting towards Match and giving his younger brother a hug.

As Match felt Flash's embrace, he shook a little and couldn't help but have a tear sparkle and fall with a splash on the carpet. He sniffled and smiled, as did his brother.

"Like I said before, goodnight Match Box," he said once more making his way to the door, and right at that same moment Match looked away quickly so his brother wouldn't see him crying.

"Um... yeah. N-night..."

Right when the door closed, Match Box walked over to the window and opened it so that he could poke his head outside and look at the stars.

The ponies that were unable to see for the past two years in his pathetic life would have never thought that they would miss the sight of the night sky... or so he thought. With a sigh, the stallion closed his eyes and wondered to himself, Is he even gonna be able to help me at all? Or am I going to end up being a failure and being submitted back to the asylum?

He shivered before closing the window and descending from the frame to lay down on the bed that was literally calling for him to sleep upon. He hadn't realized how tired he was, and with a yawn, sleep took place.

The next morning, Match Box awoke to feel something rather heavy on his chest, and when his eyes finally adjusted to the morning light, he saw a pair of pale sea green eyes staring back at him. The heavy weight was caused from a living organism standing on top of him.

"Hello there, mister! What are you doing here?" to Match Box's surprise, it sounded like it belonged to a little filly.

His eyes widened as he leaned forward and off of his bed. He rubbed his eyes, seeing a little colt to the right side of the bed. The filly still sat on his stomach, smiling as if there was no tomorrow. The colt jumped upon the ground and lifted his hooves next to Match's head.

The filly had a chocolate-brown coat and pale, sea-green eyes. Her coat blended into a pure, creamy color near her back. The filly was a unicorn since a horn protruded from the center of her forehead.

"Uh..." was all he could make come out of his mouth at that exact moment since he was surprised at the sudden wake up call.

"Milkshake! I wonder if he speaks Spanish! That could be why he isn't replying to you," the pumpkin-orange-colored colt said to the filly that who was supposedly named Milkshake.

Match box shook his head softly and finally spoke, "I'm pretty sure I speak pure English..." he replied as Milkshake stepped off of him and onto the floor next to the colt.

"Well then, since we got that covered, what's your name?" Milkshake asked enthusiastically.

"Match Box," he replied to her as his tail covered his cutie mark, since the stallion didn't want to have to explain that his cutie mark was based on his smoking habit, "How about you two?"

"Well, my name is Milkshake! And this would be my brother Pumpkin Pie!" she exclaimed to Match Box with happiness.

A small smile formed on Match's face as he couldn't stop thinking of the fact that he was once their size too. They were absolutely adorable in so many different ways. "It's very nice to meet you then!"

Pumpkin Pie then curiously tilted his head and stared at Match, "Why are you here though? Aren't you a stranger?"

"I'm actually your father's brother," Match Box said suddenly without hesitation.

With a gasp, Milkshake's eyes widened and she squeaked cutely.

"Daddy never told us he had a brother! So does that mean you're our uncle?!" she said excitedly.

As the Stallion nodded, Milkshake and Pumpkin smiled and hopped around excitedly for a few seconds, "Milkshake, let's go get breakfast! Come on, Match Box!" Pumpkin Pie quickly motioned Match to follow the two foals.

A moment later, the three of them arrived in the kitchen, standing in the doorway smiling.

"Morning, mom!" Milkshake and Pumpkin Pie said in unison.

A lemon-colored mare looked up and flicked her left ear curiously. "Kids, who is that?" she asked, pointing at Match Box.

Right at that moment, Flash walked in yawning as he pushed his way through the entry towards his wife Lemon Sour, "Lemon, this is my brother, Match Box. Match Box, this is my wife, Lemon Sour!" he said, smiling before nuzzling Lemon and licking the tip of her nose. "I see you've already met the kids."

"Well, I see that Flash hasn't mentioned me until now," Match Box said before smiling.

Lemon Sour giggled joyfully before replying, "Well, Match Box, would you like to join us for breakfast?" she asked as she put a single egg on each plate and started to cook another one for Match Box since she didn't expect another pony to eat with them.

Match Box smiled happily since he was finally going to be eating real food instead of that mushy grey crap they made him eat back at the asylum. The food that he had been given to eat there had a dull taste to it so he had forgotten what it was like to have something with more flavor and such.

As the whole family sat at the table eating their eggs, Match Box settled down in between Milkshake and Pumpkin Pie.

"Hey, Match Box! Wanna play a game with us later? Like, when you've settled in a little?" Pumpkin asked as his smoke-gray eyes gleamed in joy.

Match looked a little closer at Pumpkin's eyes and smiled, He's got his father's eyes! he thought.

"Sure! I would love to!" he replied happily to the children who then speedily finished their breakfast and ran to their rooms.

Match Box wondered to himself what game they were going to play later. Even though the foals were in a completely different rooms, their giggles could be heard from the dining table.

After having a short nap in his room, Match was awoken by a loud knock at his door. He jumped out of his bed and fixed his messy, tangled mane. He opened the door a few minutes later to find Pumpkin and Milkshake smiling. "Hi, Uncle Matchy! Ready to play?"

"What are we going to play?" Match Box asked remembering now as he twitched his right ear.

"Hide and seek!" Pumpkin Pie said, quicker then Milkshake.

He laughed, noticing his sister was a little irritated, "No fair! I was gonna say it!" Milkshake said as she playfully pounced on her brother.

Match Box chuckled a bit and stood in front of the two foals, smiling more then he ever had in his life.

"Okay, so this is how it's gonna go! I'll count and you and Pumpkin hide!" Milkshake explained before running off to count.

Match nodded and looked over towards Pumpkin Pie and smiled, "Come on, let's go hide!"

As the pumpkin colored colt nodded without a word, the two walked around the house until they found a closet to hide in.

"Hey Pumpkin! In here!" Match instructed as the colt ran into the closet and he closed the door instantly.

Afterwards, they both silently waited in the dark, hoping that they wouldn't be found in their hiding spot.

"Match?" Pumpkin whispered quietly.

"Yes?"

"May I call you Uncle Matchy?"

"Of course you can!" the grey stallion said while nodding until they both heard the hoof-steps of Milkshake close by.

"Where are you two?" Milkshake asked loudly, trying to test how smart Match Box and Pumpkin Pie were. "Are you here?" she then opened some curtains and to her disappointment, they weren't there. She looked around some more and eventually passed the closet.

Match Box then leaned in and whispered to Pumpkin Pie, "Think she'll find us?"

"I don't know..." he replied honestly.

After a while, Match Box was thinking of something which made him giggle, which of course was heard by Milkshake. She smirked, Finally! I found them! she thought to herself as she snuck closer towards the closet door.

"Oh my, I wonder where they could be...?" She said sarcastically as she whipped open the door scaring the living daylight out of Pumpkin Pie and Match box.

"HI! AREN'T YOU JUST ADORABLE! BYE!" Match Box oddly yelled in fear as he got up and ran out of the closet with Pumpkin trailing behind.

"Uh, okay..." Milkshake tilted her head and giggled. "Okay! Now, Pumpkin Pie! You're counting next!"

Pumpkin then nodded and walked off to count. "Matchy! Let's go hide in the attic!" Milkshake exclaimed as she bounced happily.

Match then, without a word, followed the filly to the attic and made their way upwards.

Milkshake looked around and switched the light on with her magic and giggled, "Hide in that crate! I'll hide in this box."

After hiding for a while they finally heard Pumpkin's voice from downstairs they stayed as still as possible. He was speaking with a stallion.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Pumpkin?" Flash asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

"Have you seen Match Box and Milkshake?" he asked his father, hoping that he knew.

"Last time I saw them, they were in the attic," Flash replied to his son as he patted Pumpkin's head.

Flash then walked away while his son climbed to the attic and searched for his family members. After a while of searching, he tiredly sat on a crate which was being used by Match Box. Pumpkin decided to rest and laid down on it's rough surface.

Match Box needed to feel the cool air due to the small space in the crate, and not realizing that Pumpkin was on top of the lid, he hopped out and sent Pumpkin into a picture frame causing the glass to break and cut the colt.

The grey stallion gasped as he ran over towards the wounded orange-colored colt and checked him from top to bottom. He noticed that Pumpkin Pie had a piece of glass wedged into his hoof and blood was seeping from beneath it.

"Oh my gosh! Pumpkin, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Match Box, said covering his face in shame.

I'm an idiot! I screw everything up! he thought to himself as he saw that Pumpkin tried to walk but kept falling down because of his injury.

"Stay here, Pumpkin!" Match box urged as he ran down out of the attic to find his brother.

"Flash!" he yelled.

Flash heard the yelling and ran out, alarmed, and met up with his brother in the hallway. "What's wrong? What's with the yelling?" he asked Match Box, sounding calm but worried at the same time.

"P-Pumpkin g-got hurt!" he exclaimed, falling into Flash's arms as he cried, "And it's all my fault..."

"WOAH! Match, calm the hell down! Tell me what happened!"

"W-well, he was on top of the crate and I didn't know and he fell into a painting and it broke and- Oh Faust... I'm an idiot!" Match Box yelled, running out of the house.

After a while, Match Box leaned against a tree that was a few feet away from the house. He lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth as he thought to himself about the incident: that was, until his older brother Flash joined him and frowned at the sight of him smoking, but decided to ignore it.

"Oh, hi Flash..." Match looked away from him and created a sad expression.

"Listen, Match Box! I'm not angry with you!" Flash said, hoping it would help the situation.

"I know... I'm just stressed..." Match Box replied as a puff of smoke came out of his mouth from the cigarette.

"Why?!"

"I just... don't feel... normal..."

"Are you still thinking about the asylum, Match?"

Match Box nodded, "I guess... I'm just used to it... and now... I have to deal with this sh*t..."

"Match, you have us. Now, come on! Let's go get some dinner!" Flash suggested happily. "Also.. Pumpkin Pie is okay! Lemon Sour is tending to him. I would've helped but she told me to come find you.. so I could inform you that he was okay."

Match rolled his eyes and turned back towards his brother, "Give me a minute... I'm kinda busy..." he said smoking some more, but to his surprise Flash had snatched the cigarette away from his brother's mouth and stomped on it.

"No, Match! Stop trying to smoke the pain away! It's not gonna help you!"

Match Box then growled and stared at his brother dementedly, "It calms me though you idiot!"

"There are better ways to calm yourself down! Get inside right now!"

That night after everyone was asleep Match box laid down in his bed before feeling very light headed, a few minutes later he fell onto the floor with a loud thump waking Pumpkin pie up while he shook violently on the carpeted floor.

Pumpkin Pie knocked on Match Box's door, "Uncle Matchy? You okay?" he asked tiredly.

"Y-yeah, b-but can you get your father please?" Match stuttered as he got up from the floor.

Match could hear a muffled conversation coming from the end of the hallway, then the clopping of hooves becoming louder as they neared the room that he stood in. The door swung open to reveal Flash in the doorway. Without a moments hesitation, he entered the room, tired and worried.

"Match, what's wrong?!"

"F-Flash! I'm not feeling so go-" before he could finish his sentence, Match Box collapsed to the floor and started coughing up blood while also staining the carpet.

It was as if he had a horrible disease or medical problem, and his thoughts trailed to a stop when he finally blacked out.

Match Box woke up in the hospital with a headache and wondered what had happened the night before, only to see his brother sitting beside him with a worried expression.

"Flash! What happened? Where am I?"

"It's okay, the doctor will explain everything," Flash said as he held Match's hoof.

A few minutes after waiting, the doctor came in and explained his diagnosis to the young stallion who sat, shocked. He couldn't believe what he was being told.

"So somepony tried to poison me? But who the hell could have..." his sentence was broken off by a figure in the window. He stared curiously only to find that the figure had been alarmed and had bailed from the scene.

Who was that? Was that the one who poisoned me? Match Box wondered to himself as he ignored his surroundings and fell asleep into deep thought...

Drunk and Almost Mugged...

View Online

In the cold wintry morning of Ponyville and other areas in Equestria. An 8 year old colt who was orange colored, his mane and tail were creme colored as he had cocoa colored swirls patterned in his mane; ditto with the left side of his eye. His older brother had awoken from his slumber, yawning and descending from his bed he had the scent of eggs waft in his nostrils. Grabbing his black square framed glasses and placing them upon his face behind his blurred eyes. Trotting in where his little brother was, cooking eggs for them to eat for breakfast.

"Are those eggs?" The older brother replied to the colt he lived with.

The little 8 year old colt nodded and turned his head toward his older brother, "Yup! Do you want some?!" He asked before turning around to concentrate on his cooking once more.

"Um... sure.." His older brother had a troubling expression upon his face, "Creme... where did you get those eggs now that I ask.."

"I uh... found them..." Creme responded quickly, he didn't want his brother Poison Luck to think he was a thief. He had taken the eggs from Fluttershy's chicken coop when his brother wasn't there and Fluttershy was sleeping.

"Hmm... okay."

Creme Soda smiled cheerfully relieved his brother had bought the lie, "So! How has everything been?!"

Poison Luck sighs and rolls his eyes, "Wouldn't ya know? You live with me for Celestia's sake!"

"Is it okay not to ask?" Creme replied with a hint of hostility trapped in his tone like a bird trapped in it's cage.

"Um.. no of course not. It's okay!"

"Okay then Poison."

Poison Luck made a hissing noise to himself as he bonked his head with a hoof, "Idiot!" He hissed under his breath. Afterwards he chuckled and ruffled Creme's mane, "So whatcha been up to squirt?!"

Creme Soda looked up towards the ceiling and thought for a few short moments, "Mmmm... Nothing really... I don't know.." His older brother took a seat and Creme served him the eggs. Taking a bite of the eggs Poison widens his eyes surprised.
"Are they good?! I tried my best."

"Um.." Poison started as he rose from the table remembering he had to go do his job. "..yeah they're good."

"Thanks!" Creme Soda then trotted to the table and gave his older brother a hug for his compliment on his eggs. "You're the best brother ever!" He gushed hugging him harder in his grasp.

Poison had coughed as his little brother squeezed him harder. "T-thanks. That means a lot.. oh god! To me." He finally got his breathing back when Creme let go of him. Poison patted his head and smiled, "Listen.. I'll be back tonight. I'm going on a job."

Creme's smile faded as his head went in a downward position, "Okay... see ya later then.."

Match Box and Flash trotted and approached the house a few days later from the hospital. Match yawns and fixes his eyes on his older brother.
"So... do you think the doc wants me to take is easy for a while?" He asked casually, being relieved he didn't have to in there anymore. He really was so glad because he wouldn't have to eat the food there anymore; unless he somehow got into another accident and had to go back there for another long while.

"You tell me. Can you walk alright?!"

Right when Flash had said that Match Box immediately walked a few hoof steps forward. He stumbled a bit before regaining his balance.

"It seems you'll be fine then." Flash said as he helped him a little when Match Box had stumbled at that moment. He nodded at Flash for thanks before replying. "What time should I be back Flash? I don't want to.... worry anypony."

Flash gave his younger brother a strange stare, for he was surprised at Match's sudden outburst of wanting to go somewhere. "Be back from where? Where are you going?"

"Just going into town.." He protested with a flick of his dark and light blue short striped tail.

"For what?!"

"Nothing really.. I just need to think for a while."

Flash inhaled and then exhaled, "I suppose.. but as long as I go with you. I don't want you to hurt yourself... or others..."

The dark grey pegasus and the brown unicorn trotted together in a content manner in the town of Ponyville near the shopping areas. Match Box looked around warily and nervous, his brother Flash noticed right away and he gave him a look of worry.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing... I'm fine!"

"You sure you don't wanna talk about it?!"

Match had flattened his ears annoyed as he changed the subject about the weather instead. He surely did not want to share what was bugging him deep down inside his soul, which he found useless anyways. "Hasn't it been very cold lately?!" He blurted out while his smile quivered nervously upon his face.

"Uh... yeah?" Flash responded confused how they got to the subject of what was bugging him to the weather. Flash shook his head His mind works in mysterious ways...

"I hate it... it makes my feathers cold.." His eyes grew darker for a moment before returning to it original emerald green state.

Match's older brother sighed and took off his coat giving it to him, "Uh.. here take this." He had helped Match Box put on the coat. The coat was a black leather coat that their father used to wear when they were only little colts.

"Thank you?" Match Box replied as a confused expression formed quickly.

"I don't need it, it used to be our father's coat."

When he heard that it was his father's coat, Match suddenly got depressed as he wore the coat, "Oh.... yeah.... I remember......"

"Oh also... take this. You need this more than I do." Flash had a hint of humor in his tone as he levitated a bottle of Scotch Whiskey from the coats pockets, he gave it to Match and smiled smug like.

"How come this?!" Flash didn't say a word as he awaited for Match Box to make his decision. After a few minutes of thinking this over the emerald green eyed pegasus shrugged and started to drink a little from the bottle Flash had bestowed upon him.

Many minutes had passed when Match started to feel different. He felt happy and bubbly. His brain couldn't think clearly but he knew it was functioning like it should, so he had no argument about it.

"So.. uh what now?!" Match broke the silence not realizing he had forgotten what they were going to do. He then randomly snuggled the Whiskey bottle which looked like only a quarter of it had been drunk.

Flash cocks his head to side and regrets this instantly, "We were going to the store remember?"

"Oh.. yeah! I forgot for a minute there! Heh heh heh..."

"Had a little too much already eh?" Flash was entirely amused as Match denied this because of his lust for the alcohol.

"Nope!" He replied with a friendly tipsy giggle.

The brown unicorn smiled and nodded, "Alright then. Come on." As they trekked again to the toy store Flash opened the door to their destination. "What were you going to buy?"

"I have no idea..: Match stood there with a dumb look on his face.

"Then why are we here?!" Flash asked while face hoofing.

Match Box tapped his chin when his face suddenly lit up, "Because I need to get something!!" The stallion almost fell over when he laughed. Flash stood there near him trying not to laugh at this whole scene his tipsy brother was causing.

"Yo! What's that?!" He asked pointing at a regular sized box on one of the shelves in the store.

"It's a box.."

"Oh, T-then what's that?!" Match pointed at another box but it was larger then the first one he asked about.

"That's a bigger box."

"Boxes are weird!!!"

Frustrated, Flash put a hoof on his brother's shoulder, "Come on. Let's find your thing.

"What thing?!" Match Box asked giggling even more, he even hiccuped. How ridiculous he was and he didn't realize it.

"The thing you were going buy...!"

"I don't remember crap!"

After a few brief shortstops he suddenly remembers and drinks a little more of the Scotch, even if he wasn't supposed to the store clerk seemed to take not mind in seeing this. They just some how.. ignored it. "I think... I think it's this way!!" He finally said, running down the aisle like a little colt who took no mind of his actions. When the stallion skidded to a halt bubbly and tipsy like he swayed a little as he stared momentarily at the box that he was going to buy for Flash's kids. Pretty much a Christmas present for them. He shakily pointed at it hoping his older brother would carry it for him, he seemed to be getting worse and more hilarious by the minute as the Scotch affected him.

"Okay." Flash looked at his brother and then at the box he was pointing at, he picked it up with his magic gently as they made their way to the store counter.

"What's inside that?!" Match asked before almost falling over once more. Match Box was officially at the rank of drunkard.

"You're the one buying it... you tell me?!"

"Meh... I don't know!" His words slurred a tad bit and Flash could hear this too. "Let meh look!!" The dark grey stallion then proceeded to open the box. When he opened he laughed, "OH!!!" At that moment Flash snatched it away from Match Box.

"You could get in trouble for opening stuff in the store!"

"Rules are stupid!!" Match Box replied with hostility and humor in his voice, he had completely not even took a care or consideration to what Flash had just told him.

Flash brushed some of his mane out of his face, he huffed and responded in annoyance, "I want YOU to stay right HERE! Just do NOTHING! While I pay for this." When Flash saw his younger brother nod obediently, he smiled and left Match Box alone for a bit. After a few seconds Match Box stared up at the white stained ceiling that looked like when it rained it may have dripped inside the store. Then his head quickly was in the direction of the glass door. Thinking his face became confused,

"What am I doing here?!" He asked himself before gingerly and drunkenly staggering out into the cold, there was some snow on the ground but Match didn't seem to care. When ponies were drunk they didn't seem to care if they were in pain, cold or maybe sad?

Singing to himself he trotted into an empty alleyway and drinks what's left of the whiskey.
"Hmm.. I wonder what I'm going to do... I am so bored as hell right now!" A salmon colored mare told herself, she was laying on her back on top of a building roof. She seemed to be wearing a yellow ribbon around her right front leg near her hoof.

Match Box whistled before suddenly falling over, he was so drunk from drinking the whole bottle he couldn't seem to walk right, "Flash!!! I fell and gotta boo boo!!" He yelled before laughing himself silly that his sides began hurting from the amount of laughter he was letting out by himself in an alleyway.

The salmon coated mare shot up her ears in bewilderment, "Who the hell was that?!" She then got up from her laying down position and looked down from the roof top she laid upon a few seconds ago.

"SANTA!! He's flying in the sky on Christmas Eve!!!" Match Box yelled out, he suddenly passed out on the cold and disgusting ground.

The mare known as Ribbon Silk smirked mischievously, Seems another drunkard has come to get mugged.. heh.. Ribbon calmly climbed down from the roof and landed one foot away from the drunk stallion in the leather coat. Prodding her hooves at his sides she responded with a very stern and serious tone, "Hey drunkard! Wake up!!"

Confused Match woke up, "Huh..?" He solemnly looked up and saw the mare, "H-hi there! You're pwetty!" He smiled stupidly.

"Um.. thanks?" She replied confused at this drunk stallion, he was acting so loopy. But who could blame him? He was drunk and he had no idea what he was doing!

"I like your hair! It's so blonde!! And.. uh.. dat cutie mark looks so cute on your flank!" He noticed that the mare blushed a little hiding her ribbon and glitter cutie mark with her long blonde tail. Match Box noticed a bird was flying above them in the sky away from the alleyway. "LOOK! UP IN THE SKY!!! A thing is flying up thar!!" Match had pointed at the bird like it was the "thing" that mattered the most. "Since when do those things fly?!"

Ribbon was starting to think this whole mugging thing was a bad idea, never in her life had she encountered anypony this drunk before! Maybe a few tipsy stallions but not one who fell over and thought a bird was the big thing to stop and drop everything to watch how useless it was when everypony sees birds everyday!

"Holy CRAP!!! It landed over there!!!"

"Um...."

Match Box had suddenly stood up and leaned against the bricked wall that was nearest to him for support so he wouldn't fall over again.

What the f*ck is he doing?! When she was about to go near him he had stumbled over to her and briefly smacking her flank. Ribbon squeaked and backed up from him.

"Oops! My hoof slipped." He responded, he then fell over and laughed, he pounded his hooves on the ground. Match was absolutely dying. After his laughing fest had ended he stared at the mare goofy like. "Hey lady! May I ask?! Whatcha doing?!" Before she could responded he randomly changed his expression to a smirk, "You're really sexy. May I kiss you?!"

Ribbon Silk's face was now flushed red, she could not believe he actually had the nerve to ask her that. "Yes! I mean no!!" What am I doing?! Well he is kinda cute.. what am I saying?! He's drunk! I was going to steal all his money!!!

"You're funny!" Match Box said as he laughed hysterically, he was entertaining himself.

Ribbom sighed and before she could slip away from all this awkwardness the dark grey stallion had suddenly made her fall over. She looked up and saw that he was on top of her; in an alleyway!!. When no action was made Match Box began to kiss the mare. Ribbons salmon cheeks were starting to turn rosy red as he did not stop. Sided from the whiskey taste in his mouth she seemed to enjoy this.

For minutes that have past in this moment Match didn't stop until he heard his brother Flash call out for him.
"Match!! Where the heck are you?! Come out here this instant!! I don't wanna deal with your drunken ass!!!"

Match Box broke away the kiss and got off of the salmon mare, "Oh my gosh!! I'm coming Flash!!!" He ran towards the call and tripped in front of his brother, "HI!!!"

"Where were the f*ck were you?!"

"I went over to that magical alleyway! And I met a pretty princess! Her dress was poofy." He gave Flash a smug and drunk expression. Not believing Match because of his drunken state. "Her butt was also round like a beach ball!!!"

"Okay! You've had way to much buddy!" He then used his magic to take hold of the empty bottle that Match held onto. They both had a tug of war match over the thing. Winning Match Box growled at Flash, holding the whiskey bottle more firmly.

"NO! It's mine!!"

"Fine.."

"Where are we going next?! Candyland?!"

"No.. we're going home! You're going to bed! You're drunk!"

"But Flash!!" Match Box whimpered, giving him the puppy dog eyes, "If I go to bed now! I'll miss the fairy that gives out free dental floss!!

"Just come on!!"

Changing as if nothing had happened at all the drunk pegasus put his hoof around Flash's neck, "Oh okay! I'm only going because you're my brother!!"

Holding the bottle they departed from Ponyville and made their way home. Match had of course fallen over many times on the way. Match Box paid no mind to what was going to happen if he entered the dream world...

Nightmares and Snow...

View Online

As the two stallions walked to Match Box's room, the dark grey colored pegasus ran in climbed on top of his bed. He began to jump on it while laughing.
"FLASH! LOOK!! I'M BOUNCING!!!" He yelled while giggling with each bounce. It really wasn't a smart idea of him to do because of the amount of alcohol he had consumed. If the whiskey didn't settle well from this he was sure to blow chunks all over the carpet floor and maybe the soft cotton covers of the bed.

"Yeah.. yeah... that's great Match.. no wait that's fantastic!!! Now go to bed!" Flash responded. His tone of voice sounded just like their father's when he had told him to slip into bed. It was bossy and he knew it, but Match refused to sleep.

"BUT! I don't wanna! I wanna visit Wonderland! I wanna pet that creepy kitty!!!"

Match Box's older brother grunted before responding, "Okay! You can in dream world! Alright?"

"NO!" Match shook his head as he kept jumping and laughing like a maniac.

As little hoof steps tiredly trotted down the hall to the commotion, it was but Pumpkin Pie who came in yawning and looking confused as ever. His smoked shaded eyes tiredly staring up at his father's matching eye's.
"Dad? Can I have some warm milk? I can't fall sleep.." He said yawning that he almost looked like he could sleep anywhere at this moment.

Flash nodded and then smiled, he was getting an idea of how he could make Match fall asleep. When he had trotted out Match continued to bounce on the bed and Pumpkin was too tired to respond to this. Momentarily Flash returned with two glasses of warm milk. He handed one over to his son Pumpkin.

"Here you go Pumpkin." He replied while smiling until he fixed his eyes on his brother who paid no mind to anything!

Getting Match Box's attention; he shoved the glass at Match Box, "Here.. drink this."

"Why?! Did you put anything weird in it?!" He asked Flash as his goofy expression faded and changed into a serious and up and down look as he stopped jumping on the bed. Kind of like what parents did if the were trying to see if their kid was lying or just to scare them to fess up.

"No. It's just milk.. now drink it!"

"Hmm... okay! But if there is! I will end you..." Match threatened as he drank the warm milk. What seemed like minutes Match started to feel drowsy from the warm milk he had drank. He fell over onto the floor and fell asleep. Sending Pumpkin Pie back to bed, Flash's horn lit up picking up Match Box and slipping him under the covers and tucking him in.

"Goodnight Match." At this for a response to Flash; Match only flicked his ears in his sleep. He could hear him but he thought it was only part of a dream.

"You're more sane than I am.." There was a long pause with his words and he took in deep breaths while thinking in unison. "...and all our brothers..." Without anymore to say he walked out of the room leaving Match to sleep peacefully.

The next morning... or so it seemed.. Match box had woken up with a blistering head ache. But.. it didn't feel all that real as well. Yes it felt normal for him to be in bed under the covers... and YES it felt normal that he was in his room that he fell asleep in last night. Feeling strange though he knew something was off about this all. Turning his head forward his eyes met a salmon coated mare that he had met before on his "drunk adventure". With an eye twitch he saw she was on top of him. She had a seductive look upon her face that looked like it could turn any stallion on in an instant.

Confused as ever she had winked at the dumbfounded pegasus.

"How did you.. what?! HUH?!"

With a cute giggle she silenced him and got in his face. Their snouts touching one another's. "So you like my flank don't you?" At this sudden point Match Box blushed and stuttered.

"Uh.. w-well.. um.."

Right before his eyes he noticed that the mare's face began to melt as it transformed into a demonic figure with giant spider like fangs and 6 eyes. The vile creature drooled on him and made a loud screeching noise. Hiding his face and breathing fast it had faded away.. his bed disappeared and a new strange voice filled his ears, sending shudders down his spine. It was as if he could impossibly touch the sound of the voice.

"So... we finally meet brother..." This voice was dark and low that Match quivered violently. His body getting weaker to the sound.

"W-what do you want from me?!" He stammered. Match's mind and heart raced. He had no idea what was happening so his instincts to cower were taking effect.

"What do I want from you?" The figure had stepped out of the darkness that had seemed to crowd around Match Box while he was distracted by everything else; it seemed he hadn't noticed. This figure had dark black fur as black as the night sky. His eye's, the color of flowing blood from all that once lived and his giant hooves that looked like it could smash a pony skull within seconds of impact.

Fear flooded Match as the figure walked closer towards him. He had crouched and hid his face under his hooves as the huge shadow towered over his small dark grey figure. Daring to look up he made a guess of who it was. Iron Thorn?!

"This is what i want from you little Match Box..." Iron Thorn said with a loud demonic like laugh that caused Match to shiver. "I want... YOUR SOUL!!!!"

When Match Box heard this he stood up and growled at Iron, "NO!! I will not allow you to do that!!!" Right after his fearless response his head grew heavy and bubbly causing him to pass out on the cold floor. His eyes fluttering till Iron's figure was blurred and all he saw was darkness as they fully closed.

Match Box had woken up once more but only to find himself upon the most intimidating thing he feared most... the examination table that he was strapped down on when he was at the asylum for his testing. Freaking out at once he grunted, whined and struggled as his breathing quickened. He was hyperventilating, his hooves strapped down tightly, his hind legs spread apart awkwardly and strapped down as well. Hanging his head he stared around him as his eyes widened to see a familiar area... he was inside the asylum! But he didn't have his straight jacket on he was only strapped down, that was it.
"Gah!! I HATE THESE THINGS!! GET ME OFF THIS TABLE!!!" He shouted before a muzzle was placed on his snout. It was the same exact one he used to wear to prevent him from biting the doctor or any others that worked there.

"QUIET!!!" Iron boomed like a cloud of lightening and thunder. He walked over to the strapped down and helpless stallion with a smirk as he placed his huge black hoof on Match's shoulder. "I'm here to help you brother... Look! Somepony is here to "visit" you.." With a puff of black smoke Iron had disappeared to leave this special guest alone with Match.

Match Box had squinted his eyes when the "guest" had arrived. He noticed something familiar and he was afraid to guess who it was. When this pony was visible to Match's eyes, they widened and fear flooded him once more but this time worse. NO!! Anypony but him!!! Not him!! PLEASE?! LUNA!! CELESTIA!! HELP ME!!

When the familiar olive green pony approached Match, he was being looked at all around. It was his old testing doctor whom he despised greatly. But his doctor looked different.. he had scars on his face possibly from patients that he thought may have attacked that vain stallion for many good reasons when he had left the asylum for rehabilitation.

With a snicker the doctor had ripped the muzzle off the stallion painfully causing him to growl and cry out,

"GOD DAMMIT!!" He said through gritted teeth. He then froze his muscles up when he saw this stallion have a scalpel. Flicking his tail he struggled even more but could not break away from the table.

"Heh.. you must be asking why I have this in my hoof right?!" He smiled and twitched his left eye with humor hoping Match would smile as well, but he refused to. "Well.. I'm going to cut you open!!!! And put your organs on my wall!!"

"Just go away!! This isn't real!!! This isn't real!!!" Match Box told himself as he kept staring at the doctor who wished to do what he wanted to Match Box. Laughing loudly the doctor's orange and scary stare met Match's frightened emerald green stare as he placed the tip of the scalpel's blade to his chest.

"Well... it's time for Surgery!!!"

Knowing this might be the end of him, Match Box's heart rate and anxiety level raised to a maximum. Never in his life had he been this terrified before. When the scalpel pierced his skin, he tensed up and saw little spots of blood squirting out. The scalpel digging deeper in Match's chest the stallion began screaming bloody murder as the sharp blade traveled all the way down. Blood gushed and trickled out of him like mad as he cried and screamed louder and louder as the pain became agonizing. It was too much! Too much for him to handle in one sitting!!

He had finally snapped back into reality and began to scream as loud as he did in his nightmare he just ended.
Moments later Flash came dashing inside Match Box's room with a worried expression that somepony was attacking him. He had a kitchen knife in his mouth as the door flung open. Dropping it onto the carpeted floor he went over to the huge quivering lump.
"Match are you okay?! I heard you from me and my wife's room down the hall!! Hell we could have heard you through the whole entire house."

"FLASH!! HE'S COMING TO GET ME!!!"

"Who's coming to get you?!"

"THE DOCTOR FROM THE ASYLUM!!"

Flash had pulled the covers off of Match Box as he placed a hoof on him. Feeling how bad his body shook, Flash had never seen Match this bad before. "Listen. No pony is going to get you. Okay?"

"NO! SOMPONY IS GOING TO GET ME!! I JUST KNOW IT!!" Match wouldn't stop yelling. He was so scared to death he hadn't realized he was screaming this loud in the first place.

"It was just a dream come on.. You know I wouldn't let anypony hurt my little brother!"

Match had then begun to sob as he scrambled to his hooves leaving the covers messy and ruffled; hugging Flash, he couldn't stop quivering and his heart wouldn't stop furiously beating. Flash feared Match's heart would stop if this kept up.

"It's okay. Now go back to sleep okay? I need to go to sleep but I can't if you keep having nightmares." Thinking of a solution he patted Match's head, "If it makes you feel better. You can sleep on the couch."

"No!! He'll find me there!!!!"

"Okay then..."

"I.. I don't wanna go back to sleep!" Match's ears shot up as lightening and thunder cracked causing him to jump in his brother's arms. "SEE?! HE'S HERE!!!!"

"Just sleep on the couch.."

"No!! NOT THE COUCH!!!!"

Flash then dropped Match and grabbed his brother by the shoulders and talked to him to confront him, "I don't understand what you're going through... but you gotta let it go."

Match then reacted and got angry. His blood boiled as he snapped like twine, "Let it go...? LET IT GO?! HOW THE HELL CAN I?!" He said in a growled tone as he pushed Flash away from him, his older brother had fallen to the floor.

"Look Match Box! I'm just saying that it's better to think of the present then the past." Flash was fearless through this whole process Match was putting together.

"OH NO!!! DON'T GIVE ME THIS CRAP!!" He yelled at Flash, his eye color glowed coldly as he twitched angrily. His angered mouth slowly forming to a bare grin "So Flash.. tell me..." Match Box said grinning psychotically now just like he used to when he was trapped in the asylum.

"Tell you what?!"

Match then laughed softly before it climaxed louder to a mad cackle. "What other idiotic thing are you going to tell me?!" While smiling tears began to streak from his eyes as he rambled on and on at Flash, "That mom and dad aren't dead?! That I didn't kill them?! THAT I WASN'T IN A DAMN ASYLUM FOR TWO DAMN YEARS?!"

Thinking really cleverly and quickly Flash pointed and acted surprised, "LOOK IT'S THE DOCTOR!!!"

Match Box instantly bought it and searched behind him, his back turned from his brother. "What?! Where?! I don't see him!! YOU LIAR!!" Before the angered stallion could turn around Flash noticed the empty whiskey bottle that Match had polished off hours beyond hours ago. He picked it up with his magic and quickly smacked Match directly in the head to cause him to be knocked out. Falling to the floor Flash drops the empty bottle relieved, bothered to not even pick him up, he left the unconscious stallion to sleep on the plush floor.

The next real actual morning, Match Box awoke. Feeling the sore from when his brother conked him on the head with a glass bottle, he saw it was dropped next to him and a few inches away he saw the kitchen knife from when Flash dropped it to confront him. Getting up he grunted negatively.

"What the heck was I doing on the floor?" The pegasus whispered to himself in a confused manner. A few brief moments pass before a frown forms on his face and his head just.. droops. Match slowly was remembering last night. Recoiling the thoughts away his hooves dragged the sulking and sorrow filled stallion out to the kitchen. His older brother Flash was making breakfast.

Flipping the eggs over and getting toast out of the toaster and onto a plain white ceramic plate, he stopped cooking and looked up at Match Box with a friendly filled smile.

Surprised from this, his ears fell down as he felt really sickened with himself.

"About last night.." He started nervously.

"Don't worry about it! Like I said, it's better to think about the present than the past." Flash replied with a reassuring smile.

"No... it's not a "don't worry about it" kind of thing.... what I did last night scared me.... I thought I was going to hurt you...."

Flash then levitated a plate over toward the counter so Match could get his breakfast, "Again, don't worry about it! It's fine. Now have some toast and eggs!"

"..... I've lost my appetite...." Match Box groaned under gritted teeth while pushing the plate away. Grabbing his lighter out of his left wing and a pack of cigarettes in the right. He trotted out of the house.

Following him Match was sitting under a naked tree in the yard. His flank in the snow with closed eyes and a resentful expression as his smoked away his troubles. Flash trotted over to him and sat down against the frozen bark.

"Don't take it away...." Match replied making his brother jump.

"I won't. But it's not really smart to smoke under a tree."

A bored expression appearing on his face, his eyes fluttered open as he turned his head to the right towards his brother. "Fine.. then let's move away from the tree." Match Box and Flash rose and moved a few feet away from the tree. When they stopped in place and sat back down; sparkly snowflakes began to fall from the clouded sky.

"Oh great! Just great!! ANYMORE CRAP YOU WANNA PLACE UPON ME UNIVERSE?!" Match yelled angrily at the snow falling sky.

"Don't be silly! Snow is great!!"

"I hate it.."

"Oh? really?" Flash replied smugly as he rolled up a snowball with his magic and chucked it at Match Box.

Surprised the pegasus' wings shot out from the coldness he felt, "Gah! My feathers are cold!!"

Rolling up another ball of snow with his horn he had humor in his tone as he tilted his head into and 'Oh really?' way. "Come on! Are you just gonna be a party pooper or are you going to fight like the little colt you are and have a snowball fight?!" Match shifted his eyes while spitting out the cigarette and stamping on it so it would not blaze anymore.

"Well..." He said unsure.

Flash looked worried and frowned as his brother looked down to the ground. "W-well what?"

"Heh.. WELL BRING IT ON!!" Match yelled before quickly rolling up a snowball with his hooves and chucking it at Flash with a playful smirk on his face.

Flash was hit with the cold white ball of snow and laughed before quickly making a move to hide behind the metal trash can, "HA HA!! I have a barrier!" He said even though he was getting hit with snow still. As Match quickly went behind Flash's little trash can fort he attacked him with a whole bunch of snowballs hitting his brother Flash with the cold white packed in tiny flakes.

Suddenly Flash shot up and smiled a big grin upon his face, "HA HA! Well I can do this!!" He yelled jumping up a few feet in the air trying to do some kind of trick but failed to as he face planted into the cold snow not moving.

Panicking Match had a concerned expression upon his face as he poked Flash's shoulder, "Are you okay?!" Before Flash could respond as he got up he noticed his two kids watching them with confused and surprised faces leaving Match and Flash embarrassed for acting so childish with snowball fighting.

Laughing playfully Pumpkin Pie sprung up and screeched, "COOL!!! Can me and Milkshake join in?!!" He asked getting a goofy expression from his sister and waiting for nods of approval from their dad and uncle.

Flash shrugged as he turned to his brother. Both their eyes meeting. "Could they?"

"I don't know Flash. You're the father here! Not me! I don't mind if they do but you're their parent." Match Box replied flicking his left ear and looking back at the two kids who were now giving them both a puppy dog begging kind of look.

Eventually sighing and smiling Flash nodded and laughed.

"Heh. Why the heck not?!"

Excited gasps from both Milkshake and Pumpkin rang in perfect unison as they both made up their own snowballs and threw them at their dad and uncle. Match Box and Flash yelped and ran away from the two rascals looking for shelter as the foals gave chase, laughing and screaming behind them.

Match remembered the good old days from his childhood with his brother. It really was something he truly loved to remember... but his mind really never could get over what he did after those good times faded.... I'm such a mess... He thought to himself quietly as another snowball pelted him and made him laugh...

What's real?

by Dubstep Tree

Hide and Seek in the Dark..

The Judge Mental Game..

Fun, Games and Poison..

Drunk and Almost Mugged...

Nightmares and Snow...