> The Longest Night
>  by spideremblembrony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 15 years ago...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It has to die. He glanced up from his desk. A small candle burned at the corner of the table, illuminating the wall before him in an orange glow. The wall in front of him boasted a picture of a stallion, a mare, and a young colt.


The light of the sun shined in the background. A picnic blanket beneath their hooves was perfectly flattened against the grass. Smiles gripped their faces, but he knew better. Those smiles were false. They were brave faces one would put on in the face of danger. As if to convince others, or himself, that nothing was wrong. They were just a normal family with nothing interesting, and certainly not horrifying, about them.



But of course, that was hardly the truth. There was evil in their family. Evil in their blood. And it laid within the crib only a few rooms away. It laid there in the dead of the night, waiting for its mother’s embrace.



She can’t know. She can’t. He leered towards the knife at the edge of his desk. The sharpened blade almost started glowing in the dim light of the candle near it. It was such a simple tool. Yet, it seemed that it would save the world from the terror that he knew would plague it. And he would use it.



His trembling hoof reached out for the handle. A cold rush slithered up his arm as his hoof lightly touched it. He exhaled a deep breath.



It’s just a child, he repeated to himself. But we have to! The world might depend on it! Like two children, his mind bickered back and forth. He had spent months agonizing over his decision, but, in the end, he knew that the moment was inevitable. The moment he knew he had to kill it.



It seemed like only hours ago the child had been so docile, as if it was unable to harm a fly. It seemed at peace. It was smiling and the tone in its voice brought about a sense of tranquility that would fool even the most doubting of hearts. Hearts, such as its mother's. She was buying into such tricks and was being played with emotionally. A little angel, she called it. An angel, as if it was some divine creature sent forth by the heavens themselves to answer the prayers of the parents he was given unto.



And while it did answer their prayers, he knew better. It had come from the heavens, but it was by no god that they worshiped or a benevolent god. This god enjoyed the misery of others. This was a god whose only purpose was to watch others suffer, to point and laugh as ponies struggle throughout their lives in the hopes of leaving a mark on the world in their limited time.



Violent, ravaging, and uncontrollable, the child had become a cycle of anger that seemed to have no cure. He looked down at his front hoof as it sat upon the table. Teeth marks shined in his skin. The creature had dug them into him, simply because it could. It wanted to kill him. He could see it in the creature’s eyes.



She would deny these things and believe that he was merely blind or was merely irrational. Irrational?! I’m saving the world!



He glanced over to the photograph once more, examining its eyes. The eyes seemed to be staring at him. Green pupils that pierce through his own eyes and slithered into his soul, like some damned thing. He glared back at the picture, as if he demanded it to stop staring at him. However, the eyes continued to stare. He clenched his teeth together, a small whisper escaping his teeth. “Stop looking at me.”



The eyes continued to hold their ground. Its indomitable will seemed to mock him as they continued to stare. Mercilessly, they taunted him, telling him that there was nothing he could do to stop them. They would always see him, always glace into him like a window into his heart, his mind, and his soul.



His ears could only take so much of their insults. He gave a roar as he raised his hoof. With a swiftness that would rival a lightning bolt, he smashed his hoof into the picture. The crackling sounds of glass reached his ears, echoed by the rumbling of the wall behind the picture frame.



The picture swayed back and forth as if it was in slow motion. The eyes were distorted by the swinging and the cracks in the glass, which covered its face. The frames movements became slower and it lost momentum. It stopped, tilted to its left side. He looked for the eyes, as if he wanted an omen for the work he was about to do for the world.



A spider web formed at the breaking point of the picture, centering on its face. The eyes were gone. Then let Celestia’s will be done! His hoof wrapped around the knife and gently raised it off of the table.



As if the darkness beckoned him, he braved the shadows that lie beyond the blaze of the candle. The knife grew heavier with every step, as if gravity was opposed to such a monstrous thing as the death of a child. He felt that it was his own will fighting against him, but he knew what needed to be done. This was not a question of what he wanted, but a question of what was asked of him.



It has to die, he reminded himself. He took another step forward to the where the doorway should be. The darkness coated the room in its impenetrable veil, blinding him. He should have been handicapped. It should have had an advantage. But he was not so foolish. He had perfectly memorized the number of steps he would need to come to the child’s crib. To the door of office. Seven steps.



The plan needed to be perfect. He couldn’t afford it not to be. The fate of the entire world depends it on! He took another step, completing his seventh. The door would be in front of him, the knob just short of his right foreleg. He waited a moment, listening down the hallway. The mare couldn’t find out what he was doing. There was nothing he could do to persuade her and she would surely try to stop him.



But he knew this was the right choice. Nothing could stop him from saving everypony. His ears listened intensely for any sound. The silence engulfed him as much as the darkness had. Not a sound from the walls, the floor, the air, or even the night birds was heard at all. There was nothing to hide his movements, should he make a mistake.



He continued raise his hoof and placed it firmly on the doorknob. His warm hoof shivered abruptly by the cold touch of the metallic knob. Nearly giving out a panicked yelp, he quickly silenced himself. He had not expected to react to the knob as he did. A slow, deep breath filled his lungs as he began to clear his mind.



Turning the knob after several moments, he pushed his way into the hallway. The door lightly squeaked, forcing him to stop after creating a small opening, one with just enough room for him to wiggle into the hallway. It seemed like the entire house was against him. Every movement he made seemed to cause an earthquake beneath his feet and a thunderclap in the air.



As careful as he was, he felt he might as well have been banging pots and pans. Does the house not realize what is at stake here?!



He shook his head violently, trying to clear his thoughts. His mind began to visualize the hallway. It stretched for several yards, with several set of doors at either side. There was a table and vase to his left only a few feet from the doorway. Two steps to the center of the hallway and forty more until he was directly in front of the door where it lie. Forty steps?! he shrieked  to himself. How will I make it that far without making a sound?!



He stood in the center of the hallway as his mind contemplated the wisdom of performing the task. It would be difficult not to be discovered in forty steps with how much noise he was making. Every step felt as if he was a dragon trying to tiptoe his way past a busy market, but if he did not perform the task at hand, it would destroy them all.



No matter what the risk, he knew it had to be done. He took his first step towards his destination. Carefully, he waited for a sound to pierce the darkness. Nothing came. It was silent as the night itself. He smiled and took another step. Again, it was an unadulterated step with nothing to break the calm. A series of steps followed with stillness reigning supreme over him.



Thirty-nine. Another step forward.  Forty. He turned to his left and his mind began to paint the picture of horror in front of him. The door led to its room.



Suddenly, his breathing became more rapid. The knife nearly fell out of his hoof by the shift in weight. Silence was replaced with the booming sound in his chest. His heart felt as if it were ramming against his rib cage.



I have to do this quickly. He reached up for the doorknob ignoring his thundering pulse. He leaned against the doorway, slowly revealing the small room on the other side. His heart seemed to beat louder than before. Every breath he took felt as if he were gasping for air. That is what it was capable of, even when it was asleep.



If it was awake, it would have been impossible. He glanced into the darkness. Why, he did not know. There was no need to see. The darkness only covered him, shadowing him and his work. He took a single step into its room, taking a deep breath as his hoof tapped the ground. He could not afford to make a sound. The opportunity had presented itself and he couldn’t waste it. 



Another step forward, another silent echo. His heart seemed to slow down, as if the deed was already done. Confidence bloated in him like an infection. He moved forward, taking several steps. The crib lie only a few feet away, of that he was sure.



The knife shook in his hoof, as if it were anticipating the taste of blood.



Suddenly, an orange light came into the room, illuminating the crib with the thing tucked tightly into bed. He twisted his head to see a mare standing at the doorway, a candle in her hoof. Her widened eyes and open mouth indicated that she found the knife in his hoof. “What are you doing?” she asked.



No! I can’t let you stop me from saving the world! He lunged at her, the knife stead in his hoof. A cry was unleash from his throat that caused her to back away, her eyes widened as if they were to burst from her head. The force of his body colliding with her’s knocked them both to the ground. He stood over her, the knife raised over his head.



The knife dove for her, but the mother quickly caught his hoof. She pushed as hard as she could, but could only slow his descent. He moved his free foreleg onto the butt of the knife, pushing down with all his might. The knife inched closer and closer to the mare’s eye. In mere seconds it would be over.



Then a small cry came from behind him. A cry that shook his body and froze it in place. It was its cry. The thing that should not be awoken from its slumber was finally awake.



With his body frozen, the mare struck him in the forehead with one of the toys scattered across the floor. His vision blurred as he felt a cold liquid run down the side of his face. The voice had come so unexpectedly, catching him off guard. He would not make that mistake again. As he took a moment to collect himself, the mare tackled him to the ground, her falling on top of him. The mare revealed the knife in her hooves.



His mind raced as she stood over him with the knife in her hoof. He struggled against her, blocking the knife as best he could. His forearms bled with every attack, the blood running down his legs. Finally, he caught her foreleg with the knife and started to drive her back.



Then the tiny voice entered the room. A series of mumbles and grunts that seemed to speak of very little intelligence. They froze his body again. 


The world is doomed, the father had finally come to the realization. He had failed. With that moment, the mare had raised the knife and in a split second, his eyes closed, condemning the world to its fate.
	
> Winter's Mansion (Present Day)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The walls of the house stood high above the five ponies as the sun peeked just over the roof. The orange and purple sunset seemed to illuminate the house as they trotted down the road. The dark blue roof seemed to shine in contrast with the twilight sky, while the trees, with their orange and yellow leaves ready to fall at the Running of the Leaves, seemed to mimic the night sky, either out of envy or something else. The group took in the spectacle. It looked like something out of a painting.  

Scootaloo looked up to the mare standing next to her. “Wow, Miss Cheerilee!” she cheered. “That place is huge!”

Apple Bloom leapt next to her. “Yeah! It’s bigger than my house and the barn put together!”

The two story building towered over them, with dozens of windows extending to both sides. At the center of it all was a grand entrance with a large path, as if to show them the way to the front door.

Cheerilee smiled as she and her three students trotted down the road. “Yes. It is quite impressive.” She turned to the pure white mare beside her. “It certainly was nice of you to invite us to your home, Mrs. Winter.”

The mare returned her smile. “Of course, Cheerilee. I thought it would be a wonderful chance for us to catch up.” She pointed to the large mansion at the bottom of the hill. “And this place has a lot of history to it. I was happy the day I purchased it.”

Cheerilee raised an eyebrow. “Is that why you wanted me to bring some students?”

Mrs. Winter smiled and nodded. “Yes. You are a teacher, aren’t you?” Cheerilee nodded. “I thought it might be fun for the children to learn a thing or two about this place.”

Sweetie Belle leapt in between them, giving a squeal of joy. “I can’t wait to get in! It’s going to be so much fun!”

Scootaloo made her way beside Sweetie Belle. “Come on, you two! I’ll race you down there!”

As if someone had fired a shot into the air, the three Cutie Mark Crusaders darted down the hill, laughing and giggling as each attempted to outrun the other.

“Girls!” Cheerilee called after them, but they continued down the hill, as full of life as ever. Cheerilee smiled. “Children sure are something else, aren’t they?”

White Winter was silent. Cheerilee turned to her and noticed that she was just standing there, staring intently at the house. She turned back, hoping to spot whatever she was looking at, but could only see the sunset.

She turned back to her. “Mrs. Winter? Are you alright?”

Mrs. Winter turned to Cheerilee as if she had broken out of a trance. “Oh, I’m sorry, Cheerilee.” She smiled. “I was just lost in thought.” She took several steps forward. “Come on, we don’t want to lose the children.”

Cheerilee smiled and nodded as she followed Mrs. Winter. The early morning hours of their hike had taken their toll on her. It was a long way out of Ponyville, but the travel had been good for her. If anything, the view they were able to partake in was breathtaking. The various species of plants and wildlife were always a pleasure to see, especially since many of them weren’t often seen in Ponyville.

Cheerilee could see her students enjoying themselves throughout the hike. Not that she didn’t either, but there was just something gnawing at the pit of her stomach. Why would Mrs. Winter contact me after all these years?

It was strange to hear from her old foalsitter after all this time, and even stranger to be invited to her house for the weekend. However, she wasn’t about to let her weekend of being waited on go to waste. She blamed weariness for her doubt and continued down the path.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The doors creaked open as Mrs. Winter thrust them forward. The front foyer was a gigantic room with a bright chandelier hanging pompously above them, illuminating the room with a bright orange that mirrored the sunset. The ceiling seemed to be much higher than the top of Apple Bloom’s barn, and the room could easily house half of it. Across the room was a large table, surrounded by several pieces of furniture.

Sweetie Belle ran towards a small chair and crawled onto it. “Wow, this is great!” Her body was treated to a comfortable seat as she sunk into it, giving a deep sigh. “This is the best chair I’ve ever sat in.”

Scootaloo looked up at the ceiling, her eyes wide with wonder. A high ceiling with a large staircase to their left stuck out in her mind, as if screamng for their attention. “Wow, this place is so much bigger on the inside.”

Apple Bloom gave a smirk. “You read too many comic books!”

Scootaloo glanced over to Apple Bloom, her eyes narrowed. “I do not!”

Cheerilee made her way to one of the sofas, her mouth hanging open. “This place is truly magnificent.” She turned towards Mrs. Winter. “It’s larger than you said it was.”

Mrs. Winter smiled. “Of course. I said there was room for all of you. We have the entire weekend to ourselves.” She made her way to the center of the room at the head of the table.

“I’m glad you could convince these young girls to come, Miss Cheerilee,” Mrs. Winter stated. “I heard you girls were the flag carriers for Ponyville.”

Sweetie Belle nodded, leaning forward in her seat. “Yep! We were the best flag carriers ever!”

Mrs. Winter gave a chuckle. “Well, I’m happy you three are here. It’s nice to see the flag carriers of Ponyville in my home. You three are quite famous.”

As pride started to envelop Scootaloo’s body, she heard a slight rumbling coming from next to her. She looked over to Apple Bloom, who only replied with a slight smile. “Sorry, I guess I’ve got my sister’s appetite.”

Cheerilee looked over to Mrs. Winter. “It was a rather long walk. And I think the children are a little hungry, Mrs. Winter.”

Mrs. Winter smiled. “Not to worry, supper is almost ready.” She made her way to the other side of the room to the large staircase, ascending to the top floors. “Why don’t I give you a tour of the house until then? When we have supper, you’ll get to meet my son.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Son?”

Mrs. Winter raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong, Miss Cheerilee?”

Cheerilee shook her head. “No, I’m sorry.” She looked at the ground. “I just didn’t know you had a son.”

Mrs. Winter smiled. “A wonderful little colt. He loves to play with other children.” She turned to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “I’m sure he will have a lot of fun playing with you three.”

Scootaloo smiled as she turned to her fellow crusaders. “This is going to be great! We have somepony to show us the whole house and all the cool things we can do here!”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement.

“Come along, children.” Cheerilee said as she followed White Winter up the staircase. “Let’s not be rude to Mrs. Winter.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders leapt from their perch on the sofa and started their way up the staircase, not far behind Cheerilee and Mrs. Winter.

Mrs. Winter started to go over the history of the house, but Scootaloo was hardly paying attention. Her mind wandered as she kept eyeing the house in wonder. She felt a combined sense of awe and fright.

She looked around the hallways. Each contained mysterious marble statues of a pony, standing straight and looking down at an object in its hooves. She tilted her head and leaned forward, and saw the image of a mare with a gentle smile looking down upon the small creature in her hooves. A feeling of warmth and tranquility flowed over her, like she had just received a smile from her own mother.

However, as Scootaloo turned her gaze towards the item in its hooves, the face that greeted her removed any sense of peace. Its eyes pierced at her like knives digging into her skin. A fierce frown was on its face, as if it disapproved of anypony looking upon it.

Scootaloo took a step back, unable to take her eyes of the disturbing face before her.

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom called from down the hallway. “Come on!”

As if snapping out of a trance, she turned back to the group, gathered just a few yards away. Mrs. Winter made her way past the others and faced one of the statues. She smiled as she turned to Scootaloo. “Curious little one, aren’t you?”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “I was just admiring the statue.”

Mrs. Winter looked at one of the statues that seemed to be lined up and down the hallway. She seemed entranced by it, almost as if the room and everything around it had disappeared. “This is Cuba.”

Cheerilee glanced over at Mrs. Winter. “I don’t think I’m familiar with that name.”

Mrs. Winter didn’t even look at her, but continued to stare intently at the statue. “She is the protector of children. The legends say that she was completely devoted to them and would do anything to protect them.”

Try as she might, Scootaloo couldn’t help but glance up at the still image of the child in the statue’s hooves. Why would Mrs. Winter have something so… scary... in her house?

“You sure do have a lot of these statues,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

Mrs. Winter finally turned her head and smiled at Sweetie Belle. “I’m a bit of a collector.” She continued down the hallway. “Shall we continue?”

The others followed as she continued to move through the mansion. It felt to Scootaloo as if the house stretched on for miles, with doors littered across the hallway.

“This place is so big! How do you not get lost?” Apple Bloom asked.

Mrs. Winter turned her head and smiled. “You get used to it after a few years.” She turned to her left and opened one of the doors. She turned to the Crusaders. “This room will be yours, girls.”

The Crusaders poked their heads into the room, and smiles came across their faces as they glanced around. The mattresses of the beds were longer and wider than all three of them put together and yet there were one for each of the Crusaders. The curtains that covered the windows seemed to be the finest in the land. Scootaloo thought that even Rarity might be a little jealous of the shining silk.

Three suitcases stood inside, one at the foot of each bed. She had heard Mrs. Winter talking about having a pony bring their stuff up to the house, and she wondered what had happened to him. He seemed really nice, even though he never once looked them in the eye... or said a word... in fact, he seemed out of place.

Scootaloo approached her bed and placed her hoof on it. It wasn’t quite as soft as she had imagined it to be. She thought that her old bed back home was softer, but it was nowhere near as large as this one was. She leapt onto it, hoping that it would change her mind, but the bed felt lumpy and somewhat stiff, almost like a soft wooden board.

She looked around the room as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle tested their beds. She looked back to the doorway where Cheerilee and Mrs. Winter stood. Mrs. Winter took a step forward. “I hope everything is to your liking.”

Apple Bloom turned and nodded. “This is great! We get our own bedroom!

Sweetie Belle smiled. “With huge beds!”

Scootaloo laid flat on the bed, hoping that it would finally be more comfortable, but it didn’t change anything. She looked over at the window and saw several small marks against the wall, as if it had been slashed at by something. As she looked around the room, more scratches caught her eye. Curiosity grew within her as she watched them.

Upon closer examination, red spots were found deep within the cracks. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt a surge of discomfort flow through her. She blamed it on the hunger and moved on.

She took another look around and saw several spots in the room that had been painted over. She only noticed because the spots were a slightly different shade of dark purple than the rest of the walls. She wondered what could have happened to cause the wall to be repainted so many times.

Maybe it was Mrs. Winter’s son. Scootaloo thought. Maybe he just liked to roughhouse a little too much.

Scootaloo turned her attention to Mrs. Winter, who gave her a smile. “I’m so glad that you girls are excited about your stay.” She glanced over to the other Crusaders. “I’ve told my son about you for weeks, and he’s so excited.”

Sweetie Belle jumped up and down on her bed. “When do we get to meet him?”

Cheerilee narrowed her brow and took a step forward. “Sweetie Belle, don’t jump on Mrs. Winter’s bed!”

Sweetie Belle stopped in her tracks, lowering her head. Mrs. Winter placed her hoof on Cheerilee’s shoulder. “It is quite alright, Cheerilee,” she assured. “It’s good to see she has energy. My son doesn’t like it when they’re boring.” Cheerilee raised her eyebrow and gave a surrendering sigh. Mrs. Winter took a step forward. “I’m going to take Miss Cheerilee to her room. We will be back shortly.” She gave the three a smile. “In the meantime, why don’t you three make yourselves at home?”

The three Crusaders nodded. With that, Cheerilee and Mrs. Winter disappeared through the doorway. Scootaloo turned to her friends and smiled. “Is this going to be the best weekend or what?!”

Apple Bloom leapt back onto her bed. “It sure is! We’ve got a huge house to play in and explore!”

Sweetie Belle skipped to her suitcase with joy. “Yeah! And find our special talent!”

Scootaloo thought about the son that Mrs. Winter kept mentioning. She wondered what kind of cutie mark he would have... or if he even had one? “Maybe we could have her son help us?!”

The girls continued to dig out essentials from their suitcases: toothbrushes, small pillows and blankets and anything they would need to help them enjoy themselves.

Scootaloo dug through the bottom of her suitcase and pulled out a small book, the latest Daring Do adventure. She had been reading the books for a while, but was ashamed because she thought that Rainbow Dash would think she was a bookworm for reading them. She remembered her heart leaping with joy when she discovered that Rainbow Dash loved them as much as she did. Maybe more. She couldn’t wait to finish the latest book and talk about it with Rainbow Dash.

Scootaloo noticed that Apple Bloom had brought a small picture of her family. She placed it on the nightstand next to her bed.

Sweetie Belle seemed to have a lot of nonessential clothes within her case. “Do you really need all those clothes?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle smiled. “Just a few necessities.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. She couldn’t help but think of Rarity as she continued to examine her suitcase. Rainbow Dash would have probably said something about how ‘they were staying two days’ and that ‘she didn’t need all those clothes’. She thought about saying something, but gave it up. Nothing could be done about it anyway, unless Sweetie Belle was willing to throw all her clothes out the window.

Time continued to pass. Silence lingered in the room for several minutes. Sweetie Belle was sorting her clothes again while humming a tune. Apple Bloom sat on the edge of the bed, her hind legs swinging back and forth as if she was waiting for something.

A dreariness set in as Scootaloo glanced at the clock again. Five minutes?! she moaned to herself. Not wanting to spend another few minutes in boredom, she picked up her book and flipped to the latest chapter.

As she read through the pages, her mind couldn’t help but think about the day she and her mother had purchased the book. It was the first day of release. She was jumping up and down all the way to the bookstore. And when they finally received the book and made their way out of the bookstore, Rainbow Dash stood just outside to greet her.

Rainbow Dash had explained how it was the best book ever and how excited she was that Scootaloo was finally going to have the chance to read it. It only fueled the fires of excitement within her.

The only time she could put it down was when she was forced to by her mother, usually for dinner or sleep, but this was her weekend and she was going to finish this book so she could tell Rainbow Dash how she liked it. And with Mrs. Winter and Miss Cheerilee taking as long as they were, it seemed like she would be able to finish it.

“Hey, Scootaloo.” Apple Bloom’s voice broke her concentration. Scootaloo peeked out from behind the book covers. “Do you think that there was something weird about those statues?”

Scootaloo’s mind blanked out for a moment, completely forgetting about the book in front of her. “Well, a little…”

Apple Bloom lowered her head. “I just think they were … kind of scary.” There was a pause, as if nopony knew how to answer. “Don’t you think?”

Silence came over them. Moments passed before the three went back to what they were doing. Scootaloo tried to regain focus on her book, but found herself thinking instead about what Apple Bloom had brought up.

Every moment she found herself distracted, she shook her head, as if trying to dispel the thoughts from her mind. Finally, she gave in and glanced over at the nearby clock on the wall. Twenty minutes?!

Scootaloo glanced out the window for the first time since they arrived in the room and noticed the first signs of darkness overtaking the sky as the sun slowly disappeared over the horizon.

“Miss Cheerilee and Mrs. Winter have been gone a long time,” Apple Bloom pointed out.

Sweetie Belle sat up on her bed and turned towards Apple Bloom. “Well… maybe they’re talking to each other. I mean, they are old friends.”

Apple Bloom’s stomach began to rumble as she held it tightly. “But I’m starving.” Scootaloo noticed her stomach doing the same thing for a while, but she thought that Miss Cheerilee would be back by now. “They said dinner would be soon, but it feels like it’s going to be later than sooner.”

Scootaloo leapt off her bed and made her way to the door. “I say we just go find the dining room and see if we can get a head start on dinner.”

Sweetie Belle bit her lip and glanced to the back wall. “I don’t know, Scootaloo. Shouldn’t we wait here for Miss Cheerilee?”

Scootaloo shook her head and smiled. “Relax, they’ll find us. Mrs. Winter knows the house, remember?”

Apple Bloom stood straight up on her bed. “But we don’t. We could get lost.”

Scootaloo chuckled. “Don’t worry, all we have to do is get downstairs. How hard can that be?” Scootaloo placed her hoof on the doorknob. As she started to turn it, it stuck. Scootaloo pushed forward on the door, but it refused to budge. Scootaloo raised an eyebrow and pushed on the door even harder, but it still refused to move.

“Looks like it’s going to be pretty hard,” Sweetie Belle quipped.

Scootaloo turned back to them, bead of sweat gripped her face and slithered down her neck. “Girls, this isn’t funny! The door won’t move!”

Sweetie Belle’s smile dropped from her face as she leapt off her bed. “Really?”

Apple Bloom marched to the doorway and placed her hoof on the doorknob, shaking it as hard as she could. Apple Bloom pushed on the door again, but again, the door would not budge.

Scootaloo tried putting all of her weight against it, but still it refused to give. Sweetie Belle finally approached the door, pushing against it as well. The three continued to push against the door, but no matter how long they did, it would not move.

Scootaloo turned around, an eyebrow raised. What the hay is going on? Why is the door locked?

“Hello?!” Sweetie Belle cried. They waited for a response, but nothing came. It seemed as if the entire house was still and silent. Scootaloo perked her ears again, hoping for a delayed response. Nothing.

“Miss Cheerilee?!” Sweetie Belle cried. “Mrs. Winter?!” Silence again reigned supreme. The slight creaking within the walls overpowered every sound around them, save for Scootaloo’s heart pounding against her ribcage.

Scootaloo shook her head, trying to dispel her paranoia. “Maybe we should just stay here and wait for them to get back.”

Apple Bloom made her way to the other side of the room. “Stand back, girls.” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stepped out of the way, leaving a clear path between Apple Bloom and the door. Apple Bloom rushed at the door with all her might, her body slamming into it with a crack. However, the door stood strong and it flung Apple Bloom to the floor.

Apple Bloom slowly got up and shook her head. “I thought that would work.”

Scootaloo made her way to the same spot that Apple Bloom had started. “Maybe if we all hit it at once.” The Crusaders nodded in agreement. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle made their way to Scootaloo’s side and prepared themselves to charge.

Scootaloo looked to her left and right, seeing an approving nod from each of them. “Okay. One… two… three!” With that, their legs darted for the door, pouring everything they had into their charge.

As their bodies rammed into the door, it burst open with a thunderous crack. The three tumbled to the ground just outside their room.

Scootaloo was the first on her feet. She took a quick look around her, scanning the hallway. It was much darker than she remembered. She wasn’t sure if it was the sunlight finally setting over the horizon or the overall feel of the place.

The hallway gave off a melancholy feel as she absorbed every detail. The statues from before seem to be staring at her with disapproving eyes. She avoided their glance, trying to keep herself calm.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle started to look around them, their bodies shaking as Scootaloo had before. She wasn’t sure which one of them was more afraid. She wouldn’t have been surprised if it was herself.

It’s just a prank, Scootaloo convinced herself. A prank to scare us. Yeah, that’s it. Scootaloo placed one foot down the hallway, trotting back to the where she though the staircase was. Her mind may have thought it was nothing more than a cruel prank, but her body was hardly convinced. Her face felt as if sweat was pouring off her. Her legs were shaking as she marched down the hall, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom not far behind.

Her ears then caught a small sound in the distance. It sounded like somepony coming their way, but there was something off about it, almost as if the pony was hurt. Sounds of normal trotting would be followed by two really quick steps as if the pony was almost tripping, but caught themselves mid fall. It happened every few seconds.

Scootaloo stopped in her tracks, causing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to do the same. Apple Bloom made her way to her side. “What is it, Scootaloo?”

Scootaloo's head sunk into her chest as she stuttered. “Do… Do you girls hear that?”

Apple Bloom glanced down the hallway, her ears perking straight up. The sound slowly came into the hall. Sweetie Belle took several steps back. Scootaloo almost joined her, when suddenly they heard another sound.

A clunking sound filled the air around them, as if something big was coming down the hall. Three repeating steps, followed by a fourth that felt rushed, almost as if it was trying to catch up with the other three.

A moment later, a stallion… a very large stallion slowly limped his way into view. He stopped. Slowly, he turned his head towards the Crusaders.

Two yellow eyes peered at them through the strands of green hair littered with black filth. His mouth hung open, revealing a row of teeth. Black muck stained parts of his face like he had been in a coal mine and had never bothered to wash up, except around his mouth. His skin was a slight tint redder than his orange body.

The expression carried on his face was blank, as if he wasn’t sure what to feel. Yet, his eyes continued to pierce at them, as if he was looking straight through them.

Silence filled the air as the Crusaders stared down the stallion in the hall. Scootaloo could only hear the thundering in her heart as it beat faster and louder than it had ever beat before.

Scootaloo looked down at his hooves to see a long pointed knife, with a rusted handle that barely stood out from the large hoof that carried it.  The blade had spots of red stained on it.

Scootaloo’s heart felt as if it was going to break out of her chest and run for its life. Like a well-rehearsed choir, the girls let out shrieks of terror, as their legs started to carry them far away from the mysterious stallion.

The mysterious stallion’s hoofsteps became faster and his panting grew closer.

The three girls raced down the hallway, their panicked breaths overpowering any other sound that might be heard.

As she placed one hoof in front of the other, Scootaloo felt her hind leg slip on the rug and cause her to tumble to the ground. Her sight blurred for a moment as she turned her head. The stallion was gaining on her and would be on top of her in seconds. She needed to move quickly to avoid him. She glanced to her left and noticed a slightly open door.

She dove for it, closing the door behind her and locking it, taking in a deep breath afterward. She glanced around the room and found that she had hidden in a bathroom. It looked like it hadn’t been used in a while. Everything looked spotlessly clean, but there didn’t seem to be any sign of usage.

Suddenly, the door vibrated with a thud, as if it was hit by something heavy. Scootaloo screamed as she leapt as far away from the door as she could. Frantically, Scootaloo searched the room for an exit.

Aside from a small mirror, a large bathtub, a toilet and a shelf that could be pushed around, there was nothing in the room to help her escape. She felt as if she were trapped as the door thundered once more.

Scootaloo glanced upwards to see the ceiling, covered in movable tiles that led to the rafters. There was more pounding at the door as she made her way to the side of the small shelf and started to climb it, placing each of her limbs in the cubbies, pushing bottles of perfume, toothpaste, deodorant, and other supplies out of her way as she climbed.

The door burst open as the massive pony slithered inside the bathroom. Scootaloo climbed faster, ignoring her pacing. She reached the top of the shelf and slid open the ceiling tile. She started to climb inside when something heavy wrapped around her hind leg. She looked down and screamed as the huge stallion started to pull on her hind leg. Scootaloo struggled against him, but he was far stronger than she was. The stallion pulled himself up to Scootaloo’s flank, the knife in his hoof raised as if preparing to strike.

Scootaloo pulled back with one of her legs and delivered a swift buck to the stallion’s face. The stallion let go of Scootaloo’s leg and fell to the floor below. Scootaloo took the opportunity to climb into the rafters and scurry over the ceiling tiles.

The thundering echoes of her every movement pounded in her ears, joining the bombardment of sounds that were already driving her crazy. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her lungs were taking in rushed breaths.

She turned her head as a rustling was heard from behind her. She looked back to see the pony climbing up to the rafters. Scootaloo, her mind blacking out for a moment, smashed her hoof against the ceiling tile just in front of her, causing it to split down the middle and plummet to the floor below her.

Now in full realization of what had happened, Scootaloo leapt out of the rafters and down to the floor. She took a look at her surroundings. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but she would take anything to escape this pony. She found herself in what looked to be a laundry room. Small stacks of clothes littered the floor near a large straw basket with a lid. Without a second thought, Scootaloo dove for the straw basket and opened the lid as she slipped inside. It was just big enough to hold her.

She curled up as tightly as she could as she heard the rafters thunder above her, most likely due to the large weight of her assailant. She attempted to look through the strands of straw to see her opponent, but the strands were so thick and woven so tightly together that the only things that could pass through them were strands of light.

The heat began to climb in the small basket. Her breathing became even more rapid. She held her breath out of fear of being discovered, but she couldn’t stop her heart. Her heart continued to beat in her ears, like a drum being beaten as hard as it could. Please don’t find me, she silently pleaded with whatever deity was listening. She plead countless times, attempting to quiet her heart with her own willpower.

Sadly, it didn’t seem to happen. If anything, it only became louder, as if to signal exactly where she was. As if her heart had turned on her.

She sat as quietly as she could, taking in a few breaths every few seconds. It seemed like an eternity since she entered the box. An eternity since she was chased by that thing… That pony… or what she thought was a pony. Maybe it was something else. She had never seen a pony act like that.

Minute after minute passed. Her body began to sweat due to the heat the basket was giving off. She knew she couldn’t stay here. But what if he’s right there?

Scootaloo perked her ears up as high as she could, listening to every sound in the room. Nothing. Not even an insect was buzzing. She focused her hearing again, desperately trying to ignore every other sound that could possibly be in the room in search of that monster. Again, there was no sound.

Finally, she gathered as much courage as she could and poked her head out of the basket. She slowly looked around the room, taking in as much detail as she could. The room was empty, save for the laundry, the basket and herself.

Scootaloo let out a deep sigh of relief. It was the first time in minutes since her breath had made a sound. As she climbed out of the basket, being careful not to make a sound, she soon had a horrifying realization: My friends! What happened to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?

She wracked her brain, attempting to remember the last moment she had seen them, but the only moment she could remember was they were running for their lives from the disfigured creature. Scootaloo wondered if he was why Cheerilee and Mrs. Winter had been gone for so long. What if he got to them?

She made her way to the doorway, realizing that she needed to find her friends and get out of this house.
> Alone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moon shined through the windows of the creaking house. Every sound, every crackle in the air was like thunder booming in her ears. They came from all around her, ticking and tocking, banging and snapping, like a series of clock pendulums that followed her every step. Her heart pounded against her chest as her breathing became faster. The squeaking of the floor beneath her did nothing to calm her nerves. She felt her knees buckle every time she heard a creak beneath her hooves.

It was only minutes ago that a "thing," as Scootaloo called it, had chased her into a laundry room. She managed to hide from it, but it was still out there, somewhere, whatever it was. It could find Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and the adults. She needed to find them first.

She tiptoed around the hallway, keeping her hooves as quiet as she could. She measured every step, gently placing a hoof against the wooden floor, desperately making sure not to make a sound. The noise around her was already making her uneasy, and she didn’t want to add to it. However, her attention would slip once or twice, causing her to trot casually as if nothing was wrong.

Once the sound of a clop hit the air, her body froze as her head looked around. She examined the hallway, looking down as far as she could. The dark hall made it difficult for her eyes to spot anything in the distance. She perked her ears up, trying to focus her hearing through the noise in her head and all around her. She thought she had heard another hoof step. It was only for a moment, but she could have sworn there was somepony else.

Her heart began to pound again. What if it’s him?!

She nearly screamed, but the cry was silenced, like something had wrapped around her throat to keep her from screaming for help. Her ears opened up again, trying to pick out the sound. She waited in the hallway, ears focused on any sound that would be picked up. However, for several minutes nothing came except the usual sounds that surrounded the hallway.

Scootaloo took a deep breath. Just my mind playing tricks on me. She turned around and continued down the hallway, passing several doors as she slowly marched through.

Her heart was still pounding against her ribcage, dreading the moment she would run into the mysterious stallion. She shook her head, trying to banish him from her mind, but how could she? His cold stare as he looked upon her with those blank yellow eyes, glaring at her as if she was some immoral thing. It had the shape of a pony, but that’s all it seemed to have.

Maybe if I can get out of here, I can get help! Scootaloo thought. She looked down the hallway, daring to trot into that darkened area where only a few feet in front of her was visible. Her ears focused intently on the hallway, listening to whatever sounds that might give away the thing following her. She received only silence. Not a creak, not a clop, not a single sound. Scootaloo wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but she had a job to do regardless. She put one hoof in front of the other, making her way steadily down the hallway.

The hallway seemed a lot longer than when she had previously walked it. In fact, it seemed to be growing longer and longer with each passing step, as if it wanted her to never leave. But that couldn’t be. Could it? Scootaloo wondered. As the darkness swallowed her, she thought about running down the hall, just to escape the darkness. But what if the stallion heard her? He would hunt her down like an animal... and if he caught her… Scootaloo tried not to think about it.

Instead, she focused on the hallway.

As she moved through the darkness and back into the hall, she came upon a familiar room. She peered inside the room and saw it was the room that Mrs. Winter had set up for them. The luggage from the floor was missing. Every scrap of clothing was gone. Every tool, book, or picture she or her friends had brought had been taken out of the room, with no evidence of where they could have gone. Could the stallion had taken them? If so, why? Why would a killer need their stuff?

Scootaloo decided to ignore it. She continued down the hall, coming to the row of statues. They seemed more frightening this time, as if they were watching her as she passed. She couldn’t help but glance up at them, only to turn her gaze back down the hall a second later.

Every time she looked up at the child lying in the statue’s hooves, she couldn’t help but feel that there was something familiar about them... something very familiar. She thought it was just her nerves getting to her, but she knew she had seen that face before.

She kept moving until she finally came upon the staircase. She almost cheered for joy as excitement filled her body, but her nerves seemed to stop her, as if it were a reminder that there was still somepony out there who wanted to kill her. A reminder that she was all too grateful for.

Stepping down the stairs one at a time, Scootaloo carefully monitored every movement she took, trying her hardest not to make a sound. The stairs were so creaky that it was impossible to do so, unless you could fly down. However, her wings wouldn’t let her; even if she could, she imagined she would be no better than Fluttershy trying to fly in this situation. Her wings clamped against her body like a vice, as if they were afraid to leave her side. If they were separate living entities, Scootaloo wouldn’t have blamed them.

She made her way down the last step and to the main hall, where she had last seen everypony. The room was exactly as it was before. The sofas still looked as inviting and as comfortable as ever. It gave her the illusion that she was safe, but she knew the truth: she wasn’t safe, not even close. And unless she found her friends, neither were they. The only way she knew she could help them is if she found help. Maybe I can find Rainbow Dash or Princess Twilight! Or Princess Luna! Her hooves couldn’t help but rush to the doorway. Placing herself in front of it, she grabbed the handle tightly and pulled.

The door refused to move. Again, she pulled as hard as she could, letting out a small grunt. The barrier in front of her was immovable. She let go of the door knob. Locked! I should have known!

She grasped the door handle once more, pulling with all her might. Again, nothing came from it. She threw herself against the door, but it didn’t seem to budge. Instead, her side began to tingle in pain. This door was much heavier than the one for their room, and after a few moments, she gave up on her efforts. Getting through was impossible.

Scootaloo looked to her left and spotted a nearby window. Maybe I can get out through one of the windows. She thought as she made her way to the windowsill. Spots of dirt clung to the outside of the glass, much like a stain on a carpet. Even before setting her eyes on the dirt stained windows, her heart sank. Metallic bars stretched all across the inside of the window, like a cage. She was locked in here, as if she as some sort of criminal.

She wrapped her hooves around the metal bars and pulled with all her might. Grunts filled the air as she continued to struggle against the metallic bars that kept her trapped. However, after a few moments, the bars stood as firm as ever, and Scootaloo gave up.

There didn’t seem to be any hope for escape. Her heart raced as the realization hit her: she was stuck in here with a killer. Tears streamed down her face. She sunk to her knees and let out a soft squeak, as she whimpered in the dark. What if I die in here?! I’ll never see my mom again. Or Rainbow Dash. The horror within her caused to curl up on the ground, unable to do anything but weep.

Moments passed as her whimpering filled the entryway around her. She wasn’t sure how long she had been crying, nor how much time had passed since she lost track of Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. All she knew was that she needed to find them. If nothing else, she wouldn't be alone anymore.

She picked herself up off the ground, wiping the tears from her eyes, and up the stairs she went. The various clicks and ticks of the house assaulted her ears once more. They caused her to jump or glance in the direction of their source, but there was nothing there. She wasn’t sure if she was comforted by that or even more frightened by it.

On the one hoof, she knew that the stallion was not where she was afraid he was. On the other, she still had no idea where he could be. Which frightened her more? The seen killer or the unseen one?

As she continued down another hallway, rows upon rows of doors tempted her with rooms to search. She thought about entering them, hoping to find clues as to where her friends were. Admittedly, her fears got the better of her. She was constantly afraid that if she opened a door something or somepony would spring out and cut her open. Maybe it was just her nerves getting the better of her, but she wasn't about to take the risk.

A screeching sound hit her ear as she passed by one of the rooms. She stopped for a moment, paralyzed. Her ears perked up again, listening intently for any sound that came from the room. There was no other sound, but the room was enticing, like Scootaloo was being drawn to it. She glanced over at the door. It was unlike any of the doors in the building. Instead of the standard brown door with nothing to distinguish it from the others, this one was a bright blue with white clouds painted on it.

As she continued to examine the door, she noticed more wear on it than any other. Scratch marks were embedded deep into the wood, breaking the illusion the painting was trying to portray. Cracks were scattered throughout, as if something heavy had hit it. Scootaloo reached for the door knob.

What am I doing? I need to get out of here! She paused. Maybe she was right. She couldn’t open that door.  However, her thoughts went back to the front door and the windows. She was trapped, and there was no way to escape. There was only finding everypony else and hoping they might have an idea. Ignoring a voice in the back of her head, desperately crying out to her to run away from the door as fast as she could, she turned the door knob and pushed the door open.

It creaked as the room slowly revealed itself. There were various garments scattered across the floor, some ruffled and thrown in a pile, others torn to pieces. Toys littered the floor; tops, yo-yos, paddle balls, dolls, building blocks and dinosaur playthings were strewn all over as if they were simply thrown about. Some of them looked damaged. She saw yo-yos that were broken in half, dolls and dinosaurs missing body parts...

She looked over at the small bed at the other side of the room.

Placing one hoof in front of the other, treading carefully through the maze of toys and clothes, she made her way to the bedside. At the top and bottom of the bed frames were long chains and shackles, short enough to restrain any pony trapped within its grip. The wooden frame looked as if the shackles had rubbed against it for years. Most, if not all, the paint was completely wiped away, and wooden splinters stuck out like the needles on a cactus. Near the center of the wooden pole, where the shackle had to have had the most contact, she saw that the pole was slightly thinner than the others. It was as if the shackle was rubbed against it for a long time.

Who would do this to somepony? Scootaloo wondered. She looked down towards the bed. It was an awful mess: the pillow was nowhere to be found and the blanket was tied in a knot. The smell of urine and blood came to her nostrils as she lowered her head to the various red and yellow spots that traveled up and down it. She pulled her face away, gagging.

When she recovered, she looked back towards the bed. Puncture marks were scattered all across the bed, red marks around and inside them. It was as if the mattress itself was bleeding.

Her mind filled with terror, and she swore she could hear the cries of some frightened pony struggling and screaming against the restraints. In an attempt to keep her mind off of the image, she focused on another part of the room. Scratches were scattered all across the wall, digging into the bright blue paint and offsetting the horrid scene around her. It was like it was trying to hide something with its bright colors and pleasant images of clouds and flowers.

However, anypony could see that it did nothing. There were cracks in the walls, as if something was pounding against it, and paint scraped off the walls revealed their original dull brown color. Scootaloo took in every detail her eyes could pick up. This was a child’s room.

She looked back at the bed. The smell reminded her of why she looked away as it continued its attack on her nostrils. She took in a deep breath and held it, hoping to dispel the smell for a short time. She had not noticed how small the bed was before. It was a bed she could easily crawl into, a bed that would just fit someone her size. This bed was used on a child... and so were the restraints.

Why? What pony could do this?

Her heart pounded against her chest as she took a step back. Suddenly, something slammed at the door behind her. She leapt forward in terror, a screech coming from her lungs. She listened at the door as another slam shook it.

There was another slam, almost causing the entire room to quake. It was then that she realized who it was. Her heart thundered against her chest as her breaths became more and more rapid, and her mind found it difficult to catch up with her body. By the time her she had thought to go to the door in the back of the room, she found her body was already there. She turned her head for a second and saw the horrid face of the stallion slowly inching towards her, the knife in his hoof.

For her, it might as well have have been a lifetime. His yellow eyes pierced into her violet ones, as if they were looking straight through her. It petrified her. Her mind went completely blank. Before she knew it, she found herself outside another hallway, a door closed behind her. The door vibrated with a loud crack, as if the stallion behind her was smashing his body against it.

Scootaloo looked around her, seeing another open door. After another thunderous crash echoed from the room behind her, Scootaloo sprinted down the hall and through the door. She found herself in what she thought was a small office. There was a desk, but it was too small for her to scrunch under and hope to be safe. There was a curtain, but she was afraid her hooves would stick out and she would be seen. Finally, she spied a closet. She rushed over and shut herself inside.

She slithered behind a set of jackets hung all in a row, creating an imaginary barrier against the stallion. She looked through a small crack in the door, wondering if the stallion was coming. As she examined the room once more, she noticed the door had been left wide open. She almost made a move to close and lock it. However, as a single hoof appeared in the room, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her lungs stopped moving, for fear that even a single breath would lead to her doom.

She couldn't take her eyes off the room, not even for a second. The stallion scanned the room as he limped inside.

He walked up and down the room, occasionally turning his head. Moments passed as the stallion moved back and forth.. back and forth... back and forth. Scootaloo remained as still as possible, but her heart roared in her chest, as if demanding that she make a run for it. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to burst from the closet and run as fast as she could while he wasn’t looking. She wasn’t sure how far she would make it.

The stallion suddenly turned around and limped his way to the hallway. Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her attacker slip behind the doorway. She lightly tapped her head back against the closet, taking in another sigh of relief. Suddenly, something fluttered in front of her, and she let out a scream.

The sound of the stallion’s hoofsteps then reached the room once more. He stepped inside once more, looking for the source of that sound. She backed into the corner of the closet, keeping her eyes focused on the small crack. Shivering, she curled up into a ball, tears running down her face.

It took all her strength to keep from whimpering or making a sound. She caught the stallion giving a quick glance under the desk across from her. This is my chance! I’ve got to run! Her mind screamed at her. She instinctively placed her hoof over her mouth, as if she had said it out loud. She wasn't sure why she thought that. Perhaps her fear was winning out.

Gathering her willpower, she had started to her feet when he suddenly turned around, his horrible eyes aimed straight at the closet. Did he hear me?! Did he see me?! She once again curled up in a ball, tears coming down her face faster than ever now. She wanted to whimper, wanted to cry out for somepony to save her. Why not? If I don’t, I’m dead. That thought shattered every thought in her mind. I’m going to die… She repeated to herself. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.

She thought about her mother. A mother who would take her in her hooves and give her warm hugs. A mare who would comfort her when she was scared or angry. The gentle whisper of her voice was overpowered by the clopping of his hooves on the floorboard. They were like thunderbolts striking into her mind, as if to cut her down.

Celestia, please help me! She begged, knowing that she might be her only hope for any kind of salvation.

A cracking sound echoed through the room, and Scootaloo feared it might have originated from her spot. However, the stallion had turned away from the closet. Silence filled the air around them until another crackle was heard. Scootaloo’s ears focused enough to realize that it was coming from the hallway. Something was just outside. The stallion slithered into the hallway, disappearing behind the door.

Scootaloo wasn't sure how much time had passed. Moments felt like hours. She dared not move a muscle, nor make a sound, nor even breathe. It was as if all her bodily functions had shut down for fear of attracting his attention. The only exception was her heart, which felt as if it was traveling at a thousand miles per hour. With a pair of wings, it could perform its own Sonic Rainboom.

Finally, Scootaloo slithered onto the ground, tears soaking her cheeks. She whimpered, as she thought about Rainbow Dash. What would she have done if she was in her position? Rainbow Dash probably could have fought back, found her friends, and gotten out alive. But not Scootaloo. She was too frightened. Anytime she wanted to fight back, her courage failed her. She imagined what Rainbow Dash might say if she found out she was a coward.

She could almost hear her voice saying that she wanted nothing to do with her. Saying that being afraid was “uncool”. However, a small ray of hope shined in her memories, unearthing the first moment Rainbow Dash took her in as not only her pupil, but as a surrogate sister.  She closed her eyes and looked back at that moment.

“First time, I heard those stories… I got scared too.”

The first time she heard those words, Scootaloo was convinced, more than ever, that Rainbow Dash was the best pony in all the world. There was nothing that could stop her. Those words made her feel a little better. The memory helped her feel safe.

However, at the same time, this realization made the pain more unsettling... the fear more unnerving. This wasn't some spooky story that Rainbow Dash told by a campfire to make everypony listen twice to everything around them. This was real. Somepony, out in this house, wanted to kill her. The image of her surrogate sister was replaced by his eyes, eyes that were so full of hate and anger...

Why does it want to kill me? Scootaloo whimpered, as tears continued to roll down her face. I haven’t done anything to anypony. She accidentally let out a small cry and didn't even notice. A whirlwind of thoughts and emotions plagued her, causing her to doubt everything she once believed in. Was this some sort of punishment for some past crime? What crime could she had committed that could possibly justify her murder? Maybe it was just a cruelty beyond her imagination.

She opened her eyes, the salty tears still drenching her face. At the foot of the cabinet was a folded piece of paper. She thought back to a few moments ago... the moment where she was nearly killed because something jumped out at her at the most inopportune time. Stupid paper, she screamed. She picked it up, wondering what was so important about it. She slowly unfolded it and started from the top.

“My name is Doctor Viridian.

If anypony is reading this… It means that I have failed. I failed to kill the child that I have unleashed upon the world. No… it is not a child. It is a monster.  I have unleashed a horrible monster onto the world and it will kill everything it comes across.

It has no reason to hate. It simply does. This was proven to me even at his young age. It was or rather, still is, incredibly violent. It is destructive. It scratches up his room, breaks his toys, and intentionally hurts other ponies.

I’ve tried to reason with it, but it grows even more violent... more aggressive... more unstable. Its mother won’t lift a hoof to stop it. She claims that I am not thinking rationally. But you must believe me when I tell you... it has to die.

If I have succeeded than this note will be destroyed, but if you are reading it, then I have failed. You, who are reading this, must kill it. You have to. You must save the world from its evil.

Save the world

Save the world

Save the-”

Scootaloo stopped reading and looked down where Viridian’s ‘save the world’ was written several more times. It was scribbled all over the page, in the margins, even on the back. Ink was scratched across the back of the page so thick it was illegible. Whoever this Dr. Viridian was, he seemed as scared as she was. The question was why? What kind of monster could this thing have been if it had terrified its father so much?

Scootaloo closed her eyes, took a slow, deep breath, then let it out. She repeated the process, trying to clear her mind.

She had to stay focused. As tempting as it was, panicking had done her no good thus far. She had to think. What would Rainbow Dash do?

Rainbow Dash would just charge and use her speed to kick that pony’s flank all the way into next Tuesday. Rainbow Dash would fight it and win.

She was not Rainbow Dash, however. As much as she would like to, she couldn't just fight her way through the situation. There was nothing she could do. What could she do?

As if her mind was trying to find her an answer, a memory began to play before her. It was the night where they had camped out in the woods. The night Rainbow Dash officially took her under her wing. They were making their way back to the campsite. Scootaloo looked up to her mentor as she returned her glance with a smile. Scootaloo bit her lip as she gathered what courage she could to ask Rainbow Dash an important question, one that had lingered in her mind for quite some time. "Um... Rainbow Dash?"

Her mentor turned her head. "What's up?"

Scootaloo stopped and fiddled with a rock on the ground, as if trying to distract herself from the conversation she was about to bring up. She silently scolded herself for being a coward. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth. "I know you said you got scared of those stories, but..." Scootaloo paused, not sure where to continue with her question. She didn't know if she would receive the answer she wanted. All she knew was that the question lingered in her mind, like a cat desperate for food, and it would not leave until it had its fill.

"Have you ever been scared before?" Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow. "I mean, really scared. Like so afraid, that you wouldn't be able to do anything." She didn't want to say anything about flying. She didn't want Rainbow Dash to know that she might never be able to join her mentor in the sky. She wanted to believe that there was some hope that would grant her wings the ability to take off. But somehow, she knew it was futile.

Rainbow Dash made her way to Scootaloo's side and placed her hoof on her shoulder. Their eyes met for a moment as Rainbow Dash smiled. "I used to be." Scootaloo was silent and still, hanging on every word Rainbow Dash spoke. "Remember when I told you about my first Sonic Rainboom?"

Scootaloo nodded. How could she forget? It was the coolest moment of her life. The pony she looked up to, more than anypony, was the only one who could perform the legendary Sonic Rainboom. She screamed with delight after hearing that news.

"Well, I was scared I wouldn't be able to do it."

No way! Scootaloo thought to herself. She couldn't find the voice to say it. Instead, she kept on listening.

"I was afraid I was going to blow it and ruin my chances of becoming a Wonderbolt. The pressure, kind of, sort of, got to me."

"What happened?"

"Well, you heard about how I saved Rarity with that Sonic Rainboom, right?"

Scootaloo nodded. In another moment that impressed her more than anything, Rainbow Dash not only performed the Sonic Rainboom, but saved Rarity and the Wonderbolts in the process. Scootaloo was shocked beyond words when they didn't make her a Wonderbolt on the spot. "Yeah, how did you do it?"

Rainbow Dash gave a nervous smile and rubbed the back of her head. "The truth is." A beat passed. "I don't really know."

Scootaloo looked down towards the ground, not expecting that kind of answer. However, much to her delight, Rainbow Dash continued. "I just saw Rarity in trouble. I knew I had to do whatever it took to save her. I guess my mind and body just did what it needed to do to save my friend."

Scootaloo looked up and tilted her head. "But I thought you said you were scared."

Rainbow Dash gave a nervous smile and glanced around her as if somepony was paying attention. "No, not scared. Nervous maybe, but not scared." She shook her head and smiled. "The point is, I just, I don't know, didn't see how scared I was once Rarity was in trouble. All I saw was that I needed to protect my friends, whatever it took."

As the memory began to fade, Scootaloo begged for it to come back. She wanted to be comforted by images of her mother, her friends, her Rainbow Dash... anything to escape the house of horrors she found herself in. Anything to forget that she was locked inside a closet waiting for a killer to find her. She curled up in a ball as more tears began to fall. She tried to look beyond her fear, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw a pair of dead yellow eyes staring straight back at her.
> Deceiver
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	How long had it been since she was separated from the others? A few minutes? An hour? Sweetie Belle couldn't tell. All she knew was that she was all alone in this big house, with somepony hot on their trail.

“Scootaloo! Apple Bloom!” She called out to the hallway in a whisper, terrified to go any louder. Wait! Why am I bothering? For all she knew, it could have attracted the attention of the pursuing pony. She decided stealth was the best option in her search for the others.

She looked around to familiarize herself with the surroundings, but the darkened hallway looked like all the others before it. There were the same dark brown walls that seemed to stretch for miles. There were no paintings or any definitive markers. There were just doors that appeared every few yards... and those statues of the mare and her child.

As Sweetie Belle examined them, she realized how just how unsettling they were. The statues were glaring at her, as if they were whispering to her... taunting her...

"We’re going to get you... we're going to get you... we're going to get you..."

Sweetie Belle was on the verge of collapsing into a crying wreck, and it would take every ounce of strength she could muster to keep moving forward and fight back her tears. The tears gathered in her eyes until her emotional dam finally burst. They flowed down her cheeks like a river down a canyon. Her bottom lip trembled, and her throat almost unleashed a little squeak.

She wiped a tear away from her cheek, stopped and set herself down. She took several deep breaths. It’s okay. I’ll find the others soon. She repeated to herself  There was no way to know if she was truly convinced or just playing off of a false hope.

Several moments passed as she simply sat on the floor in front of the statues, trying to collect herself. After the fifth or sixth repetition, she was able to pull herself together. Sweetie Belle stood up once more and continued down the hallway.

She wandered the seemingly endless corridor until she came upon a staircase. The long purple rug continued down the steps. As she examined the ground, she noted some red spots on the carpet below her. She felt a shiver up her spine the likes of which she had never felt before. The spots were dried, but there was something deeply unsettling about them. They weren’t juice spots. They were too dark for that.

Sweetie Belle gulped and slowly tiptoed her way downstairs, the various clicks of the house in sync with her hoofsteps. As she reached the platform halfway down, she stopped. Her ears to the wind, Sweetie Belle hoped to hear if anypony was around. She prayed it would be somepony she knew, somepony who would help her... but there were no other sounds. There was just her breathing and her heart pounding against her chest.

The last ten feet of stairway were as uneventful as the first, and she couldn’t tell if that was good or not. She guessed that if it got her away from that stallion, it was okay.

As she took another look around, she noticed a large ballroom with several doors on the other side. The ballroom floor was gold-colored paint on a perfect vinyl surface. There was not a single scratch, tear or any wear to mar the floor at all. It was almost as if it had never been used.

She took a quick look behind her. A door stood before her, and a smile almost spread on her face as she quietly made her way to it. Grasping the doorknob in her hooves, she began to turn it. The knob didn't move. She pulled against the door, shaking it repeatedly as her heart started to sink. The door was now a barrier; if she wanted to leave she needed to use the staircase. She had hoped that the door would lead to the front entrance, but now it seemed that it was no longer an option.

Sweetie Belle looked around the ballroom, noticing a grand piano.

Inching over to the piano, she wondered how she was going to get out of this as she spied several windows, moonlight shining through the dirty glass. The metal bars on the inside seemed to glow from the natural light. No matter how she looked at them, the gaps between bars were far too small for her or anypony else to wiggle through. There had to be another way.

Standing before the grand piano, Sweetie Belle noticed a small portrait on top. Climbing onto the seat, she examined the picture. It showed a younger White Winter, a young colt in her hooves and a stallion standing next to her. However, his head appeared to have been torn from the picture. She took another look, she noticed that the line where the separation began wasn't the crooked line of an accidental tearing, but a straight one, as if applied with scissors or a knife. The removal of the stallion was most definitely not an accident.

It was at that moment that a sound came from a nearby door. Sweetie Belle didn’t move. She didn’t want to. Her body stiffened up as she heard the series of clops a few feet away. Moments later, she had moved from her spot on the piano seat, her mind racing as her heart beat more and more, faster and faster.

The door seemed to creep towards her as she put one hoof in front of the other. The hoofsteps had become louder and louder still, and were uneven, as if the pony was walking with a limp. She placed her hoof against the door and pushed it open.

The door opened to a small pantry. The fridge stood several feet from the doorway, its door wide open. A few feet away, there stood a stallion, picking up a knife from a set that hung upon the wall. The stallion turned toward the opening door, his gold eyes boring into her soul.

Sweetie Belle screamed as she darted back to the ballroom, her heart thundering against her chest. Searing pain spread through her ribs. She couldn't tell if it was from her lungs expanding and contracting from her heavy breathing or her heart rapping at her chest.

Sweetie Belle dashed through the nearest doorway to find a large kitchen, one that looked more at home in a restaurant than a house. She made her way to a row of ovens, and hid behind one as the door slowly creaked open, and the peculiar hoofsteps of the stallion filled the room.

She curled herself up as tightly as she could, hoping that he would just give up and go away. Hoofsteps tapped against the floor, growing louder and louder. Sweetie Belle knew she couldn't stay in her little hiding place.

With every bit of caution she had, she stuck her head out from behind the oven. Four rows of stainless steel bars stood between her and the stallion who wandered the far end of the room, looking from left to right in search of his prey.

He didn't seem to notice her. Taking advantage of his ignorance, she quickly looked around the room. There was only one exit, but fortunately, he was rather far away from it. Now’s my chance. Sweetie Belle drew herself into the prone position and began to slowly crawl across the floor.

She moved with care. Not a sound was made. It was as if she was moving on air. As she snuck across the floor, a small mouse came to her side. The mouse tilted its head and made a loud squeak, causing Sweetie Belle’s heart to sink. She quietly moved her hoof and pushed against the mouse gently. “Shoo, go away,” she whispered.

The mouse made another squeak, the sound roaring against Sweetie Belle’s ears. Perhaps she was exaggerating,, but she might as well have been for the good the noise did her. The stallion’s hoofsteps were drawing closer, growing louder with every passing second. Sweetie Belle turned around and started to move back towards the oven.

She closed her eyes and imagined the stallion coming around the corner, slithering down the path like a snake ready to strike that helpless mouse in a maze. That’s all Sweetie Belle felt like: a mouse in a maze.

Sweetie opened her eyes and crawled around the next corner, moving as quietly as possible. The hoofsteps were now on the other side of the exposed kitchen table. As it was covered in pots and pans of every shape and size, she hoped it would mess up the stallion’s line of sight and force him to move all the way around. By then, hopefully she would be long out of the room. She slid one hoof in front of her, staying as far away from the table as she could.

Suddenly, a hoof broke through the pots and pans, causing them to topple to the floor in an symphony of bangs and clangs. Sweetie’s scream joined in as the hoof came dangerously close to her as it tried to grab her front leg.

As the stallion struggled through the bottom of the table, knocking over more pots and pans, Sweetie dashed forward, sprinting as fast as she could towards the door. As she ran through the doorway, she felt her heart booming against her chest. It didn't stop her legs, no matter how much discomfort it caused her. She just wanted to lie down... just for a few moments... but he wouldn't let her. She needed to lose him, and fast.

Her legs carried her up the staircase as the stallion burst through the door of the kitchen. As she reached the top of the stairs, hundreds of doors appeared on both sides. She wasn't sure which one of them she should or could trust, but she knew she definitely couldn’t trust what was behind her. She opened the first door she could find and quickly hid inside, neglecting to take in her surroundings.

She was leaning against something heavy and hard, and there was barely any space for her to get herself inside and shut the door, forcing her to look through the keyhole. She tried to move further from the door, but her flank hit something, preventing her from going far. Could they make a room any smaller?

All she could do was kneel down and hope that the stallion simply walked by. Moment after moment had passed before the stallion finally appeared at the top of the stairs.

Sweetie Belle's body shivered as she closed her eyes and prayed to Celestia. The clopping against the wooden floor continued, the sound feeling as if it was closing in on her much like this room.

As the seconds rolled by, the sounds began to disappear. Her ears were slowly consumed by the silence. She breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she was safe, at least for the moment.

Sweetie Belle sat in her sanctuary for a long time. How long? She didn't know. All she knew was that she was alone, and in this situation that was both a blessing and a curse. He was still out there, wherever he was, and her friends were still out there with him.

Tears streamed down her face as she thought about her parents... her sister... she wanted them to be right next to her. She would have given anything to have a pony nearby that wasn't trying to hurt her... Scootaloo, Ms. Cheerilee, Apple Bloom... even Mrs. Winter wouldn’t have hurt. At the very least, she wouldn't be alone.

It was a while before Sweetie Belle was able to gather what little courage remained, and she slowly opened the door to her hiding spot. As she looked down the hallway, she found it was as empty as it had been before. A sigh of relief escaped her as her heart began to slow itself down. Closing the door as quietly as possible, she caught a glimpse of why the room had been so small: it was stuffed with cleaning supplies, like the janitor closet she had seen at school.

Sweetie Belle continued down the hallway, watching her hoofsteps. A slight creak sounded at her feet, causing her to wince in fear. She slowed her pace more, taking care not to be heard, but it seemed that the house was against her as it squeaked and creaked with her every step... almost as if it wanted the stallion to find her.

As Sweetie Belle approached the end of the hallway, a figure leapt out from the shadows, brandishing a weapon and yelling like a madpony. Sweetie’s only response was a high-pitched scream...


***


Scootaloo sat alone in the dark closet. She couldn't help but keep looking at the note she found. The writing was frantic, as if he had written it in a hurry. And what about this ‘mother’? Was whoever she was watching him?

And 'save the world?' Was this pony really that evil? Was it really that destructive? She was afraid to find out and even more afraid to step out of her little corner of the house. However, the reality of her situation soon set in: Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Ms. Cheerilee and Mrs. Winter were still out there. She needed to find them, tell them about the note and the get as far away from here as possible.

After several minutes of waiting and listening, Scootaloo finally entered the room just outside her sanctuary. Her hooves creaked against the wooden floor, causing her to shiver and freeze in place. Despite her fears of being caught, she decided to press on, hoping that he wasn’t near.

Scootaloo tiptoed her way into the hall and looked both ways. The darkened hallways didn't reveal much, save for the occasional statue that littered the hall. There were no paintings hanging above them and the only other things around were doors every few yards. She wasn't sure what was inside any of them, and she didn't really care unless what was inside were her friends, safe and sound.

If they’re alright, they' re probably searching for me as well. I just hope I find them soon.

She continued down the hallway, stopping every few moments as she was bombarded by various sounds. Crackling noises tickled her eardrums more than any sound in the house, making it hard to tell what was just the house settling and what was truly something near her. She would have given anything for a lantern, or even better, a unicorn. At the very least with a unicorn, she wouldn't be alone anymore.

Suddenly, there was creak from the hall, and Scootaloo froze in her tracks. It’s him! I just know it is! Slowly, the creaking grew louder. Scootaloo glanced around her, looking for something to fight back with, and her eyes settled on an old umbrella sitting on the floor at her feet. It wasn't a great weapon, but it was at least something.  She took the umbrella in her hoof and made her way to the corner of the hallway, where it turned into another.

Scootaloo got her breathing under control as she listened intently for any sign of the stallion. If he came, she would hit him hard and run fast. She wasn't sure how much it would slow him down, but hoped that it would be long enough to get away. The steps grew closer and closer...

Soon, they were at the other side of the wall. It was now or never. Scootaloo leapt from the cover of the wall, yelling at the top of her lungs. She was met with a loud, high-pitched scream.

This scream brought her back to reality. She came to her senses and saw a white unicorn, flat on her blank flank and trembling in terror. Scootaloo instantly dropped her umbrella. “Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle laid silent. A relieved smile came across her face. “Scootaloo!” She leapt to her feet and embraced her friend. “I thought something bad had happened to you!”

Scootaloo returned the hug, smiling and eyes flickering with tears. “So, did I. I thought that something bad might have happened to you and Apple Bloom.”

Sweetie Belle drew away for a moment. “Wait… you haven’t seen Apple Bloom?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No, I thought she was with you.”

Sweetie Belle lowered her head. “I haven’t seen her since we got separated.”

Scootaloo could tell by the look on her face that Sweetie had been through as much Tartarus as she had. Maybe I shouldn't ask her about it. I wouldn’t want her to ask. “What about Ms. Cheerilee or Mrs. Winter? Have you seen them?"

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “I haven’t seen them since the last time we saw them.”

The two foals exchanged worried looks as Scootaloo’s heart sank. The only ponies who might be able to help them, and they were nowhere to be found. And what fate had fallen Apple Bloom? Scootaloo prayed to Celestia she was with somepony.

“We have to find her, now!”

Sweetie nodded. The Crusaders began to march through the hallway. As they put one hoof in front of the other, Scootaloo looked back at Sweetie Belle. She didn't know why. There was nothing she wanted to say or ask her; maybe she just wanted to make sure she was still there.

Distracted, Scootaloo smacked her head against a wooden table, knocking it and a vase to the floor. The sound of ceramic shattering was like a siren through the silence. It seemed like it would be carried throughout eternity.

Finally, it stopped, and the air around them was still and pure again. Scootaloo couldn't even hear her own heartbeat. A moment later, reality set back in. Her heart began to rumble against her ribs once more, pounding in her ears.

She turned back to Sweetie Belle, who was shaking as she slowly turned to look. Only the darkness greeted them. It was a few moments before Scootaloo found her voice. “We should probably get out of here.”

Sweetie turned her head and nodded. The two tiptoed their way down the hall and left the area as quickly as possible, knowing that any moment, the stallion they feared could have heard them.


	***


It felt like hours since Apple Bloom had last seen her friends... since they were chased down the hallway by that madpony. Since then, she had been left alone. As she wandered the house, she would occasionally call out to her friends, hoping they would respond. Alas, her calls would go unanswered.

Oh, I wish my big sister were here. She’d know what to do.

As she moved on, her thoughts began to shift between her family and friends. She could have sworn that they had all turned the hallway together. She played the memory back in her mind, time and time again. Every time she did, however, it seemed as if one or two details would change.

Sometimes they would all turn the corner, sometimes they kept running straight before doubling back... it all happened so fast, her mind kept filling in the blanks.

She knew one thing was for certain: she had to find them... if they were even still alive.

A shiver ran up her spine as she thought about what might have happened to her friends. The stallion might have caught them. They might be dead. Apple Bloom shook her head violently, trying to dispel the horrific images in her head. She focused instead on the hallway in front of her. It seemed to stretch for miles, though it couldn’t have been more than a few yards.

As she passed by one of the rooms, she saw a small glimmer of light shine through the crack at the bottom of the door. She almost cracked a smile, hoping that it might be somepony she knew. She placed her hoof on the door and slowly opened it. As she poked her head through the small opening, she noticed a pure white mare standing by the window, looking out as if in deep thought.

Apple Bloom smiled. “Mrs. Winter!”

The mare turned around, her mouth open slightly. “Oh, Apple Bloom! What are you doing here?”

Apple Bloom ran over to Mrs. Winter, neither noticing nor caring about the tears forming in her eyes. “It was horrible. There was this stallion and he was carrying a knife and he was chasing us and-“

Mrs. Winter gently shook her head. “Calm down, child.” Apple Bloom took in a deep breath. Tears ran down her face, as a gentle sob emerged from her lips. “Why don’t I get you a drink to calm you down?”

Apple Bloom sniffled as she nodded her head. Mrs. Winter gave her a smile. “You just sit on the sofa and make yourself comfortable. I'll be back in a moment.”

The green sofa that lay directly to her left looked far more comfortable than her bed. Apple Bloom climbed on it and got comfortable as Mrs. Winter disappeared behind a door at the other end of the room. Sitting in that sofa became a near impossible task. She was filled with terror. She didn’t want to be in the room by herself as she wasn’t sure what could happen. If the stallion was still after them, he could appear at any moment.

She looked up at the window and noticed the bars across it, as if to prevent anypony from jumping out of it. Why would Mrs. Winter do that? She was surprised she hadn’t noticed it before. Perhaps she was distracted by the size and majesty of the house. However, as the night wore on, it seemed to have faded away. All that was left was a dark, empty mansion that seemed to terrify rather than comfort.

She looked away from the window to a corner where another of those statues sat. It was the same statue that they saw in the hallway as they entered the house. As she looked closer, the figure in the statue's forelegs became clearer. It looked familiar, but she couldn’t place where.

A few seconds later, Mrs. Winter appeared from the other room with a small Hay-C juice box. She smiled as she made her way to Apple Bloom’s side. “Here. This will calm you down.”

Apple Bloom took the juice box without hesitation, ignoring the statue for a moment. The little straw had already been pushed in for her. As she sipped her juice, she thought it tasted like the best drink she ever had.

Mrs. Winter sat in the seat across from her and smiled a reassuring smile. “Now, child, tell me what happened.”

Apple Bloom took her lips off of her drink and frowned as it all came back. “Well, me and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were waiting for you and Miss Cheerilee…” She paused. She glanced around her as if she were looking for something. “Wait, where is Miss Cheerilee?”

Mrs. Winter shook her head. “Don’t worry. You’ll see her soon. Now, continue.”

Apple Bloom looked down to the floor. You’ll see her soon? What the hay does that mean? She took another sip of Hay-C. As the liquid slithered down her throat, she couldn't help but notice a very peculiar taste. It was something she couldn't quite put her hoof on, but it sure didn't taste like the drink she was having.

Maybe it's just my imagination. She looked up at Mrs. Winter, who was still wearing her usual smile. There was something odd about it. Why would she continue to smile like this? And where is Miss Cheerilee?

“Well, while we were waiting for you, somepony locked the door.” Mrs. Winter didn’t move. Her eyes only blinked as her smile remained rigid on her face. It looked as if Mrs. Winter wasn't listening or just didn't care. Either way, Apple Bloom didn’t like it. “We…”

Before she could finish, Apple Bloom shrieked in pain. She felt like her brain was on fire, filling her thoughts with agony as her vision began to blur. It was as if she suddenly had the worst headache in the world. She took another sip of her drink, hoping that it would help.

She took another look at the statue, and it hit her. Her eyes widened as the face of the creature within the statue’s forearms came to her mind. It bore a resemblance to the stallion chasing them. The shape of the eyes... the shape of the face... they seemed to match his perfectly.

Wh-why would Mrs. Winter have a statue of that stallion?!

Apple Bloom slowly turned toward Mrs. Winter, who sat silently on the couch, still smiling. Her vision had become blurry, and her head began to spin. “I don’t… feel very good,” Apple Bloom moaned, hoping to get some attention out of Mrs. Winter. Instead, Mrs. Winter did nothing.

Drowsiness and fatigue set into Apple Bloom’s body. She collapsed on the sofa, fighting to keep her eyes open as long as she could. She managed to do so long enough to see Mrs. Winter’s expression change from loving and motherly into a scowling, prosecuting glare.
> Revelation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The halls were silent once more as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo wandered the house. The light of the moon through the windows was the only comfort offered. Scootaloo looked at the moon, hoping for a miracle. I wish Princess Luna could see or hear us. She’d get us out of this in no time.

Their ears perked up, listening for any and all sounds: a crackling of the walls, the ticks in the floor as they moved on by, the slow, almost inaudible breaths they took... a pin could drop and somehow, they would pick it up. Scootaloo was dead certain of it.

However, doing so made their situation much less comfortable, as Scootaloo would love nothing more than to talk to Sweetie Belle. It didn't have to be about anything important... it could have been about that colt that Sweetie secretly liked or about the new Daring Do book. She honestly didn't care what they talked about. She just wanted to escape the thundering silence... but she didn't dare raise her voice. The stallion they feared could hear them, and they needed to hear him. They couldn't afford to miss any sound due to excess chatter, so alas, the hallway remained silent.

As they marched through the hall, door after door greeted them, seeming to just beg to be opened. Scootaloo swore she could hear them taunting her, mocking her for not taking a chance. Scootaloo stopped in front of one, simply staring at it.

“Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle said, causing Scootaloo to turn back toward her friend. Scootaloo glanced down at her hooves and back at the door, torn on what to do. “What is it?”

Scootaloo reached for the doorknob and placed her hoof atop it. Sweetie Belle rushed up and grabbed her foreleg. “Scootaloo?! What are you doing?” Sweetie whispered.

Scootaloo glared at her. “We aren't going to find Apple Bloom or anyone else by just wandering the hallways.” Scootaloo could see the tears welling in Sweetie Belle’s eyes, and could only imagine the fear going through her head. Actually, she didn't have to. She knew it all too well. “We need to search the rooms and hope that they're inside.”

The two were still for a moment, as one waited for the other to make the first move. Finally, Sweetie Belle silently surrendered, and released Scootaloo’s foreleg. Scootaloo looked at the doorway, taking in a deep breath. Her heart began to race once more as she slowly turned the knob. The door creaked open, revealing a small library with rows upon rows of books stacked on each of the four different bookcases.

The floor was littered with shredded paper. There were books opened with numerous pages torn out, and books whose covers looked as if the players in the last Canterlot Open had put on their golf cleats and done a Gene Nelly tap dance number upon them. However, there was nopony else in the room. Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief and closed the door before they moved on.

They searched room after room after room, but there was no Apple Bloom, no Cheerilee, no Mrs. Winter to be found. There was no way to escape, either: like the rooms on the lower floor, the windows were barred, as if somepony wanted the house to remain locked away.

Resuming their trek through the labyrinthine house, they came upon a large hallway with several windows at the far side. Once again, the windows were barred, along with their possible escape route. However, Scootlaoo noticed something as she looked out: on the grounds just outside there was a little hut, surrounded by a large fence. A light flickered through the hut's small window.

Scootaloo turned towards Sweetie Belle. “Maybe there's somepony there.”

Sweetie Belle lowered her head. “What if it’s the one chasing us?”

Sweetie Belle looked back outside and was silent. She was thinking the exact same thing as Scootaloo. Scootaloo couldn't help but notice her body language: shaking hooves, slight sweating down the back of her neck... Sweetie Belle was just as frightened as she was. A few moments later, Scootaloo spoke again. “But what if it’s Apple Bloom or Ms. Cheerilee?”

Sweetie Belle looked away, but the point was made. She sighed in surrender. With a nod of her head the two made their way down the hall, looking for the stairs.

Minutes ticked by. The fillies moved as quietly as they could. The hallways seemed to be nothing but rows upon rows of doors that led to various rooms, many that looked like they hadn't been used in ages. For a moment, Scootaloo gave up searching for the stairs and began to wonder about Mrs. Winter’s house.

She said she had lived here for years, but it doesn’t look like somepony could live here comfortably. And what about all the strange rooms? All the damage, like the books in that library. How could she not notice? I know it’s a big house, but still... She flashed back  to the moment before the nightmare began... about the last time she saw Mrs. Winter and Ms. Cheerilee. And what about her son? We haven’t seen him yet. Could that pony have gotten to him? Or… what if…

“Scootaloo...” Sweetie Belle’s voice snapped Scootaloo out of her trance. She turned to see Sweetie Belle pointing at the wooden staircase they had been looking for. “I’d thought we’d never find it.”

Scootaloo momentarily cracked a smile. She wasn’t sure if Sweetie Belle was genuinely trying to lighten the mood or if she was trying to hide her fear. Either way, she would welcome any distraction.

I’m really glad I found Sweetie Belle. A relieved breath escaped her as the two made their way down the stairs. They were so close to each other that they found themselves constantly bumping into one another on their way down. Maybe it was just to remind each other that they weren't alone, and that, if nothing else, they at least had each other.

As the fillies reached the last step, they found themselves back at the ballroom. Sweetie Belle was shivering worse than before. Scootaloo looked at her. “Sweetie Belle, are you okay?”

She was silent. She didn't move. She didn't whisper. She didn't even breathe. A moment or two had passed before...

“Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle blinked as if she had snapped out of a trance. “What did you say, Scootaloo?”

“I asked if you were okay.”

Sweetie Belle nodded, but failed to smile. “I’m okay.”

Scootaloo wasn't convinced, but decided to let it go. With what they had been through, she wasn't sure she wanted to put any more pressure on her, nor did she herself want to be pressured. They made their way through the ballroom to the row of doors Sweetie Belle had seen earlier. They picked one through an old, tried and true decision maker...

"Eeny, meenie, miney, moe..."

They went through the door to find yet another empty hallway with a series of windows. There was a single door at the end. Sweetie Belle poked her head up to the window and looked outside. “Scootaloo, it’s just right there.”

Scootaloo made her way to the door and tried to open it. It wouldn’t budge. She tried again, summoning every bit of strength her tiny body could muster, her teeth clenching as she put her back into it.

“Locked?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No, it’s stuck.” She tried one last time, and she finally surrendered. The door had won.

Sweetie Belle made her way past Scootaloo and stood before a small crack in the wall, just large enough to stick her tiny hoof through. She felt around, touching the cold grass. “How are we going to get there?” Sweetie Belle asked, pulling her hoof back inside.

Scootaloo put her hoof on her chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. Moments passed, but nothing came to mind. She let out a frustrated grunt as she looked at the crack. “If only this hole was just a little bit bigger.” She angrily bucked the wall with her hind leg.

A loud cracking came from the wall. The two fillies took a step back in shock as a small portion of the wall began to crumble, leaving a larger hole to the outside.

Sweetie Belle had a smile of pure joy on her face. “Scootaloo, you did it!”

Scootaloo was in shock. "Yeah... I guess I did."  The pair made their way to the newly created hole. Scootaloo got into the prone position and crawled through the hole. Her body rubbed against the rocks, cutting her as she moved. She winced, looking down at her forearm as it rubbed against one of the jagged rocks. A tiny scratch had marred her body, but there was thankfully no blood oozing from the wound.

Exiting the hole, she stood up and waited while Sweetie Belle passed through. She couldn't help but look up at the moon. The heavenly body shined pure and bright over her, as if it were spotlighting her presence. It was almost like this was a stage play and they were all just actors immersed in their roles. I wish this was a play, Scootaloo thought. At least then I'd know we’d get out of here alright.

Sweetie Belle finally emerged from the hole and stood up straight, shaking the dust off her white coat. The two fillies looked around for a moment. The shack stood several yards ahead, a single tree keeping it company in the confined space that separated one part of the house from another. It was like yet another hallway, and the house just seemed to be openly mocking them at this point. They were so close to the outside world and freedom. It was the proverbial carrot on a string: the outdoors were dangled in front of them, offering the possibility of escape. However, when they tried to take that chance, they remembered the insurmountable fence around them, and the chance was jerked away from them.

Scootaloo focused on the small shack in front of them. The light was continuing to flicker off and on. Perhaps it was meant to draw something to it, like a signal for something... like a lighthouse in a storm.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle slowly made their way towards the shed. The sounds of the children of the night echoed in their ears, drowning out all other sounds around them. It was almost as if the birds and night creatures were trying to keep them from hearing anything else, like they had become malevolent.

A small gust of wind blew through the trees, causing Scootaloo to stop and look around. The rustling of the trees echoed through the night, adding another sound to the cacophony of noise around her. She felt her breathing become more violent. After a moment, she shook her head and tried to calf herself down. Keep it together, Scootaloo.

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle’s voice came from the hut. Scootaloo turned around to see Sweetie Belle standing on her hind legs, looking into the window. “It’s Apple Bloom!”

The instant those three words left Sweetie Belle's mouth, Scootaloo was there, peeking inside the shack.  Apple Bloom was imprisoned in a small steel cage, her face laid across her foreleg. Her body was moving as if she were sobbing heavily.

“Come on, we’ve got to get her out of there,” Scootaloo said.

The pair made their way to the door and pushed it open, the door creaking on its rusty hinges. A whimpering sound met their ears as they stuck their heads through the doorway.

“Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom greeted them with a smile, tears still running down her face. “Thank Celestia, it’s you!”

“Apple Bloom, what happened?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“It was Mrs. Winter!”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “Mrs. Winter?” While it wasn't as surprising as it probably should have been, she could still barely believe what Apple Bloom was saying. However, after all that had happened tonight, it was possible. Her mind was racing as she tried to decide what to believe. The sincerity of Apple Bloom’s voice, however, seemed to make up her mind for her.

“She put me in this cage and told me that her son would be here soon!” Apple Bloom gave a loud sob. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

“Don’t worry, Apple Bloom! We’ll get you out of there.” Scootaloo said as she looked around the hut. She soon noticed a small silver key lying on a table on the far side of the room. With one quick movement, Scootaloo grabbed the key and rushed over to Apple Bloom’s cage.

“Hurry, I don’t know how long it will be until he gets here,” Apple Bloom begged.

“How long has it been since Mrs. Winter left you here?” Sweetie asked as Scootaloo struggled with the lock.

Apple Bloom shook her head. “I don’t know. A long time?”

The lock finally clicked and the door squeaked open. Apple Bloom trotted out, embracing Scootaloo. “Oh, thank you for saving me!” She rushed over to Sweetie Belle, giving her a tight hug. “I thought I was a goner for sure!”

Scootaloo wanted desperately to smile. She desperately wanted to say it was going to be okay. However, they still had a huge problem. “We’re not out of the woods, yet. We still need to find Miss Cheerilee.”

Sweetie Belle’s ears drooped. “And we have to find a way out of here.”

Apple Bloom’s smile vanished from her face. “You haven’t seen Miss Cheerilee, either?”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shook their heads. The three stood silent for a few moments before Scootaloo moved to open the hut door. As she reached for the knob, the door began to open.

The familiar face of the stallion stood just outside the doorway.

Scootaloo's mind went completely blank as she pushed herself against the door. The door vibrated and slowly opened, her tiny body no match for the strength of a fully grown stallion.

A piercing scream left Scootaloo's mouth as her friends rushed over to the door, pushing against it with all their might. Their combined strength forced the stallion outside. Unfortunately, the door was still slightly ajar... a crack small enough for the stallion to put his hoof through.

Sweetie Belle screamed as the hoof slowly approached them, ready to grab them, to drag them away to face horrors unknown by any living pony. Apple Bloom seized the opportunity: she reached up and sank her teeth into the hoof, biting hard enough to draw blood. A loud, guttural roar emitted from outside the door as the hoof was yanked outside.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders quickly slammed the door, their enemy safely outside. Scootaloo smiled. “Good work, Apple Bloom.”

She spoke too soon. There was a violent pounding, like a battering ram had slammed against the door. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle put their backs into it, as the door was rammed again, shaking the Crusaders violently. Scootaloo had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before the door was reduced to firewood.

The stallion rammed the door again, causing the three to jerk forward. Scootaloo glanced towards the small window at the far side of the shack. It seemed to be their only way out. “Keep him out for as long as you can!”

Sweetie Belle glanced at Scootaloo, still pushing with all her might. “What are you doing?!”

Scootaloo ran to a small crate at the corner of the room. She managed to push it just under the window. “Getting us out of here.” I hope.

Finding a smaller crate, she placed it on top of the larger crate. The ramming at the door echoed into the room again, followed by Apple Bloom crying out “He’s gonna get in!”

Scootaloo pushed a large chair over and placed it on top of the small crate, creating a small ladder to the window. When she stood on top of the chair, she could just reach the window. Pushing it open, she felt the pleasant night's breeze on her face. She turned back to her friends. “Come on!”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rushed towards the makeshift ladder and began to climb it. Just as they reached the bottom crate, the door toppled to the ground, their tormentor framed in the doorway.

Scootaloo leapt out the window first, landing hard on the grass. Her body felt a slight tingle of pain that soon dissipated. She looked up as Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came soaring after her. The two flying fillies tumbled to the ground, grunting in pain as they got to their feet.

Scootaloo took a hold of their hooves and pulled them forward, leading them towards the hole they entered from.

Scootaloo could hear the stallion’s hoof steps gradually move toward them.  Scootaloo quickly dove into the hole and crawled through as quickly as possible, ignoring the feeling of the rocks scratching her skin.

Once Scootaloo had made it through, she turned around to see Apple Bloom, scurrying behind her. Sweetie Belle emitted a piercing scream. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked back to see Sweetie Belle struggling to escape the hole. They had soon found the problem: the stallion had his hoof around her hind leg, and was trying to pull her back.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom wasted no time: they reached for their friend, their front hooves latching securely on to Sweetie Belle’s as they pulled with all their might. Sweetie Belle whimpered as tears swam down her face. Her hind legs flew wildly as they fought against the stallion’s grip.

As the stallion raised his blade, a stray kick from Sweetie Belle’s hind leg found its way into the fiend's face. The sudden pain caused the stallion to release Sweetie Belle, which in turn forced Scootaloo and Apple Bloom backwards to the ground, Sweetie Belle in tow.

The stallion was quick to his feet. He stuffed his hoof through the hole, attempting to grab his elusive prey. He leaned against the wall, reaching as far as his massive body would allow him. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get any closer.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders backed against the far wall, staying well out of reach of the stallion's flailing hoof.

After a few moments, the stallion pulled his hoof back. Through the hole, the Crusaders could see the stallion hobbling back to the other side of the garden, as if he didn't realize there was a door nearby or he knew he couldn't get through. Either way, Scootaloo was relieved.

Sweetie Belle crumpled to the ground in a tight ball, her sobs filling the small hallway. “I … I wanna go home…”

Apple Bloom sniffled as well, tears flowing down her face. She tried to speak, but nothing came out but more whimpering. Scootaloo fought back her tears, but it was a lost cause. All three had reached the same conclusion: they may never make it out alive. They'd spend the rest of their lives, however long they had, running in fear.

The cherry on the horse apple sundae? Mrs. Winter was involved. Mrs. Winter, who had seemed so motherly... so kind... so sweet... she was now their enemy. All of it hit Scootaloo with the impact of a wrecking ball. She sunk to her knees beside her friends, the tears flowing freely from her innocent eyes.
> Whatever It Takes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Cutie Mark Crusaders lay in a shell-shocked heap upon the mansion floor. Minutes ago, the true horror of their situation had fully set in: not only was Miss Cheerilee still missing and the crazed stallion still on the loose, but they had learned that sweet and motherly Mrs. Winter was in fact a cold-blooded psychopath. And she was as deadly as the stallion.

Minutes had passed before Apple Bloom stood up. She must have realized that laying there and crying was not going to help them. At least, that is what Scootaloo figured. “Come on, girls," she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "We got to find Miss Cheerilee and get the hay out of here.”

Scootaloo placed a comforting hoof on Sweetie Belle’s trembling shoulder. She sniffled, but nodded in agreement. After helping Sweetie Belle to her feet, the Crusaders made their way down the hall and back into the labyrinthine corridors of the Winter house.

The girls made it back to the ballroom and took a look around, monitoring the room as if expecting the stallion to appear at any second. None of them made a sound. They all knew what could happen if they did not take the stealthy approach. After a few moments, Apple Bloom started to push forward towards the staircase, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo at her hooves. One by one, they trekked upstairs to the long hallway.

“Maybe we should search the rooms, too,” Apple Bloom suggested. Scootaloo had mixed feelings about the idea. One one hand, it was their only shot at finding Miss Cheerilee alive. On the other hand, if they ran into Mrs. Winter or the stallion... it was too horrible to think of.

There was no protest as Apple Bloom opened the first door she saw and poked her head through it. When she was sure it was safe, she turned to the other Crusaders, nodding her approval. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed her inside.

The walls were covered in old newspaper clippings. Scootaloo tried to examine them, a difficult task considering the only light source was the light from the hall. Suddenly, the room was bathed in a bright orange light. Scootaloo turned to see Apple Bloom turning on one of the lamps. “Apple Bloom, shut it off!” She said in a hushed whisper.

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow in confusion. “But how are we supposed to see?”

Sweetie Belle facehoofed, shaking her head in dismay. “But what if somepony is around? They might see the light.” The realization hit Apple Bloom like a two-by-four to the face, and she shut the light off.

Scootaloo's attention returned to the clippings, and began to read one...

Missing filly: Aurora Glow, age 6. Last seen in Ponyville Market.

Scootaloo glanced at the date of the story: it was three years ago. She started reading the others, and her blood ran cold. The victims... they... they were all children.

Missing colt: Copper Coin, age 8. Last seen in Canterlot Gardens.

They were all around the Crusaders’ age... They were all missing... They were never recovered...

Missing fillies: Angel Heart and Merry Field, ages 7 and 5 respectively. Last seen in White Tail Woods.

She was haunted by the faces of those children... she could swear she heard their screams... their death throes...

Missing filly: Star Crystal, age 4. Last seen at the Ponyville Museum.

She could hear them... the voices of the children... they were overwhelming... "I want my mommy... Please let me go... No... NO..."

Missing colts: White Noise and Golden Slumbers, ages 5 and 8 respectively. Last seen leaving Sugarcube Corner.

The clippings felt as if they were leaping off the wall and pushing them against her face for how much of an impact they had on her.

Are these… trophies?!

Scootaloo fought back the urge to vomit as she slithered to the floor. She looked in despair at the shadows of more and more clippings... clippings that were rendered indecipherable thanks to the darkness. It was a mercy that arrived late, as Scootaloo already knew what they would say: a child went missing... and they were never seen again.

As the images flashed through her mind, Scootaloo found herself thinking... thinking about how many fillies and colts were lured into this house, just like them... thinking that they were safe and going to have fun.  She thought of how many ran screaming at the sight of that horrible stallion... of how many of them begged for mercy... of how all their cries fell on deaf ears as the knife was brought down... down... down...

Apple Bloom rushed to Scootaloo’s side and helped her to her feet. “Hurry, this way,” she whispered.

She didn't know why she said that, but Scootaloo was thankful for the distraction. The Crusaders moved to the far wall and scrunched together. Hoofsteps echoed from the hallway into the room. Scootaloo listened closely to the sounds: the steps were normal. No limping. She put her front hooves together and prayed to Celestia that it was the pony she thought it was.

The steps grew closer... closer... closer... a shadow appeared at the doorway, seeping into the room. A moment later, it vanished. It was as if it didn’t have time to deal with a slightly opened door. A moment later, Sweetie Belle braved the silence and marched towards the doorway. She poked her head out slightly, pulling it back in a second later. Horrified, she turned to her friends. “It’s Mrs. Winter!” she whispered, her eyes widened.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom gave a sigh of relief. “Good thing she didn’t spot us,” Scootaloo stated.

Sweetie looked back out the hall and then back to her friends. “We need to follow her.”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened. Apple Bloom took a step forward and shook her head. “Are you crazy?” She asked. “Why would we follow her? She locked me up as if I belonged in a zoo.” Those words shook Apple Bloom severely. Her tears ran down her cheeks like the liquid rainbow in Rainbow Falls.

Sweetie Belle bit her lip. “But girls, she might be the only one who knows where Miss Cheerilee is.”

Scootaloo looked down at the floor. Sweetie Belle was right. If Cheerilee was near, Mrs. Winter was the only pony who would know of what happened to her. She placed a comforting hoof on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. There was a sniffle as she nodded and made her way to Sweetie Belle’s side.

The Crusaders poked their heads out the door as Mrs. Winter continued down the hallway,  turning a corner and disappearing from the Crusaders' sight. When they were certain she wouldn't see them, the Crusaders tiptoed to the end of the hallway.

Snaking their heads around the corner, they saw Mrs. Winter, trotting as if there weren't a care in the world... like she was just some normal mare taking a stroll down to the market. How could any pony be so… like this… towards all this bad stuff? Scootaloo wondered.

Mrs. Winter stopped at the third door on the left and opened it. She marched inside and disappeared from sight once more, the door closing behind her.

The Crusaders gently marched towards the doorway.  As they stopped in front of the door, Scootaloo looked into the keyhole, hoping to scout out the room before simply bursting in. Unfortunately, only a small portion of the room was visible. A small candle was burning in the corner of the room. A single chair sat perfectly against the fireplace. As she looked over at the fireplace, she spotted Mrs. Winter.

Mrs. Winter reached for something.  The next thing they knew, a loud rumbling noise echoed all around them. Scootaloo leapt backwards in fear, but she caught her voice before it could let out any sound. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle made their way to her side. “What was that?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo shook her head. “I don’t know.”

The rumble was heard once more, but this time it was followed by a heavy pounding, as if there were something settling in the room. Scootaloo made her way back to the keyhole and looked through it. The room was exactly the way it was before, save for a lack of Mrs. Winter.

Scootaloo looked at the others. “Mrs. Winter’s gone!” She whispered.

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Gone? How?”

Scootaloo shook her head as she stepped away from the door. “I don’t know, but she’s not inside anymore.”

Apple Bloom made her way to the door and had a look. After a moment, she turned to the others. “Maybe we should go inside and look.”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle silently agreed. Apple Bloom slowly pulled the door open, and the three poked their heads inside. There was a large window in the middle of the room, curtains drawn. A large ceramic pot sat in a corner of the room, and at another, one of the Cuba statues gave a intense glare at them. It almost felt like the actual stallion staring them down. 

Their search yielded no other door in the room, no other exit that Mrs. Winter could have taken to leave. “Where do you think Mrs. Winter could have gone?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind the walls. “Oh, Cheerilee, everything is going rather well tonight.”

The Crusaders stopped in their tracks. The voice was Mrs. Winter’s, no mistaking it. Paranoid, they looked around, but there was nopony else around. Scootaloo felt her pulse rise once again as they remained still, as if any sudden movement would expose them.

After a moment, Sweetie Belle finally moved toward the walls. She examined one of them, she let out a small gasp. “Girls, its Miss Cheerilee!” she whispered.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom ran to Sweetie Belle's side. At the far edge of the wall, a small vent stuck out only a foot away from the chair. Through the vent, the fillies saw Cheerilee. Their teacher was alive, but that was her only blessing. Her eyes were closed, her breathing slow and her front hooves were hoisted in the air by rusty chains connected to equally rusty manacles.

Slowly, Cheerilee's eyes began to open. “So, finally awake?” Mrs. Winter asked as she stepped in front of the dangling Cheerilee. 

Cheerilee slowly twitched forward. “Winter… do what you want… with me…” Cheerilee took a deep breath every time she spoke. “But… leave the children… alone.”

The chains continued to rattle as Cheerilee weakly struggled against them. Mrs. Winter marched in front of her, a syringe filled with a light blue liquid in her hoof. “Getting your strength back?”

Cheerilee took in a deep breath and once more struggled against her bonds. As the Crusaders glanced down at Cheerilee’s hooves, the manacles clamped against her hooves dug into her skin, drawing forth streams of blood. The streams trickled down her body.

Scootaloo wanted nothing more than to burst through the vent and rescue her... an urge that took all her willpower to fight. They had to get past Mrs. Winter... and then there was that stallion. He was still out there, and the Crusaders had no idea how to find him. She took in a deep breath and continued to watch.

Mrs. Winter shook her head and sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t have that.” She grabbed Cheerilee’s foreleg and stuck the needle inside. Cheerilee winced, her eyes closed tightly, a single tear running down her face.

Mrs. Winter smiled as she gently pulled the needle out. “There. That will keep you from fighting back.”

Cheerilee's breathing intensified as she looked Mrs. Winter in the eyes. “Please… leave the children alone…”

Mrs. Winter shook her head in mock despair. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Cheerilee.” She turned back towards the wall. “I’m afraid the children are dead.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened. Only silence followed, as if those words were taking their time to sink in. “Dead?”

Mrs. Winter turned, a smile on her face. “My son is such a good boy... though he does like to rough house a bit... and sometimes his toys break.”

Toys?! Scootaloo's mind screamed. Is that why we’re here?! To entertain her son?!

Mrs. Winter approached Cheerilee. “Oh, I hope he had a fun time tonight. Did you know it’s his eighteenth birthday?”

The Crusaders looked at each other, the gears turning. Scootaloo thought about it. She's keeping Miss Cheerilee alive for some reason... Her son's eighteen... oh, sweet Celestia. She's going to be... Scootaloo felt ill and unclean. The looks on the faces of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom showed that they had reached the same conclusion. The sooner we get Miss Cheerilee out of there, the better.

“He’s been so excited. He’s going off on his own soon.” Mrs. Winter lowered her head and frowned. “He’ll be out in the world.” She said as tears flowed down her cheeks. “I’m going to miss him so much.”

Mrs. Winter wiped away her tears, her hooves shaking. She took a deep breath, as if trying to collect herself,  then smiled and looked back up at Miss Cheerilee. “But tonight, he will enjoy himself and be in the company of his mother.” She placed her hoof on Cheerilee’s cheek and smiled. “Good bye, Cheerilee. I did enjoy our friendship for as long as we had it.”

Cheerilee didn’t move. She didn’t speak, or give any kind of response. She hung there, broken beyond belief.

Mrs. Winter made her way to the far end of the room, where the Crusaders couldn't see her. Scootaloo couldn’t bear to think of that stallion leaving the house and wandering Equestria. Nopony would be safe.

Sweetie Belle made her way past the fireplace, looking at the wall above her. A set of keys hung there, just out of hooves' reach. Sweetie Belle turned and smiled at her friends, her look asking whether or not she should grab them.

Scootaloo nodded.

However, as Sweetie Belle reached for the key ring, the walls roared once more. The wall behind the fireplace opened backwards, revealing a staircase behind it. Scootaloo quickly dove for the ceramic pot, hiding behind it. She looked over to see that Apple Bloom dart behind the statue.

Scootaloo took in a small breath and held it as tightly as she could. She dared not pull her head up, and dared not to see where Mrs. Winter was. An eternity seemed to pass as the sound hoof steps trotting up the staircase filled the air. Scootaloo still did not look up.

A few minutes later, there was the rumbling sound of the wall closing. There was the sound of hoofsteps approaching the door. Scootaloo watched as Mrs. Winter left the room without another word. She waited a few moments before she shot up from her spot on the floor and made her way to the fireplace.

Maybe there’s some kind of secret to getting down there. She looked over as Sweetie Belle emerged from behind the curtains. She made her way to the side of the fireplace, where a candlestick base stuck out of the wall. 

“This is what she pulled on when she got up here,” Sweetie Belle said. “I think this is how we’ll get down there.”

Scootaloo nodded as Apple Bloom joined them. Sweetie Belle reached up, grabbed the old candlestick holder, and gave it a yank.There was a small click. The room shook slightly as the rumbling began. The fireplace opened, revealing the staircase.

The Crusaders rushed downstairs, their eyes taking in every single detail of this chamber of horrors. Knives of all shapes and sizes were hung all over the walls, and all were shining as if they had never been used. A sink lay to the left of the stairs. the basin stained a light red. Chains were strung from the ceiling, all leading to their teacher. The fillies ran over, checking her for any sign of life. “Miss Cheerilee.” Apple Bloom whispered.

Slowly, Cheerilee’s eyes opened. A slight, weak smile spread across her face. “Girls… you’re safe.” She took a deep breath, and resumed. "Thank Celestia..." Her weakened state made it difficult for the poor mare to speak.

Scootaloo took a look to her left, and saw a small hoofstool just a few feet away. She looked up at Cheerilee. “Don’t worry, Miss Cheerilee. We’re busting you out of here.” 

A slight shake of the head was her response. “No… you have to leave… you have to … get out of here…”

“Not without you, Miss Cheerilee,” Sweetie Belle replied as she made her way to Scootaloo’s side. The two pushed the stool next to Cheerilee. Sweetie Belle gave the keys to Apple Bloom, who climbed up to the manacles holding Cheerilee prisoner. While Apple Bloom tried to find the right key, Scootaloo took a minute to look at Cheerilee’s body. Her chest moved little as she drew in each and every slow breath, almost as if she were asleep. She then noticed that Cheerilee’s hind legs were shaking like Fluttershy if she were forced to speak in public. Scootaloo could neither begin to, nor bear to, imagine what Cheerilee had gone through during the course of the night. However, they knew it would be worse for all of them if they didn’t try to escape.

The tumblers moved and the locks gave way. Cheerilee tumbled to the ground as the Crusaders made their way around her. “Come on,” Apple Bloom whispered. “Mrs. Winter might come back at any moment.”

Cheerilee took a small breath. “Girls… you have to go… go without me…”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No. We aren’t leaving you. Either we all get out or none of us do.”

“Please, Miss Cheerilee,” Scootaloo begged. “Just get up.”

Cheerilee placed one hoof in front of her. Slowly, she started to rise to her feet. Her face was a show of agony as she moved. She toppled to the ground before getting to her fourth leg. She took in several deep breaths before she tried to speak. “I’m… sorry… I can’t even stand…”

Apple Bloom approached Cheerilee’s head and pulled it up as high as she could. “Then, we’ll just have to carry you out.”

Apple Bloom laid Cheerilee’s head against her back and turned to the other Crusaders. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded as they made their way to Cheerilee’s hind legs, placing each side of her lower torso against their backs.

Scootaloo winced as the dead weight hung at her back. As they slowly made their way toward the stairs, a feeling of doubt grew in the pit of Scootaloo’s stomach. How are we going to get her out of here? All the doors are locked and the windows are barred. And if we run into Mrs. Winter or her son, how will we protect her?

Despite her doubt, she continued to place one hoof in front of the other, keeping up with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

They made their way up the staircase, one step at a time. Her mind shifted to the key ring they found. There were several keys that either they hadn’t tried or found didn't fit the chains that held Miss Cheerilee. The front door key might be one of them. She looked over at Sweetie Belle, who was carrying the keys in her mouth.

Eventually the group found themselves at the top of the staircase. Scootaloo set Miss Cheerilee’s hind leg down as she made her way to the door, slowly opening it a crack. She looked down the corridor, searching for any sight or sound of their pursuers. No sign, thank Celestia. With a nod to her friends, she declared, “All clear.”

Scootaloo returned to her spot and helped to pick up Cheerilee once more. The group slowly made their way through the door and into the hallway, struggling all the while with the dead weight. After a few yards, Scootaloo could see a staircase ahead leading to the lower floors. She smiled. The weight on her back was starting to get to her, and beads of sweat were rolling down her face.

Just down those stairs! And we’re home free! Scootaloo declared.

As if on cue, the group heard hoofsteps coming from downstairs. The sounds caused them to freeze in place, their ears perking upwards to catch everything. A pure white mare came into view, her eyes wide with rage. “What are you doing here?!” Mrs. Winter screamed. She took off up the stairs, a look of murder in her eyes.

Apple Bloom quickly dropped Miss Cheerilee and rushed towards Mrs. Winter, ramming her as hard as she could. Mrs. Winter staggered backwards for a moment, but quickly reclaimed her balance. “Run!” Apple Bloom shouted. However, before they could move, Mrs. Winter swatted her hard at the wall.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo dropped Cheerilee and rushed at Mrs. Winter. Sweetie Belle dove for the left, trying to get to Apple Bloom. Scootaloo ran straight for Mrs. Winter, hoping to buy time for Sweetie Belle.

Mrs. Winter was quick for an older mare, bucking Sweetie Belle in the torso before she could reach Apple Bloom. Scootaloo rammed into Mrs. Winter, but this time, she stood her ground. Scootaloo bounced off her harmlessly and toppled to the ground.

Mrs. Winter stood over her, a look of triumph on her face as she brought her forelegs down on her neck. Scootaloo flailed like a worm on a hook. Her lungs begged her to breathe, but Mrs. Winter wouldn’t allow it. Black spots filled her view. Blurred images slowly began to darken. She felt her legs going numb. She knew that in a moment, the rest of her would go as well.

Suddenly, with a cry normally reserved for a warrior princess, Cheerilee lunged at Mrs. Winter, shoving her back. This time, Mrs. Winter tumbled down the staircase, crashing and thudding her way down.

As air finally reached her lungs, Scootaloo hacked and coughed, her vision slowly normalizing. Life began to flow once more through her body.

She looked at Miss Cheerilee, who had collapsed. She barely moved, save for her slight breathing. What force possessed Cheerilee to hurl Mrs. Winter down that flight of stairs?  Moments ago, she couldn’t even stand, let alone shove anypony. Scootaloo wracked her brain, trying to process what happened. It finally hit: despite all the pain and all the weariness, she only saw Scootaloo in trouble... and would do anything to protect her.

Apple Bloom rushed to her side and gently shook her. “Miss Cheerilee! Miss Cheerilee!”

Scootaloo looked over to see Sweetie Belle rubbing her side, trying to ease the pain. As she examined the stairs once more, she saw Mrs. Winter slowly getting up, a look of pure hate burning through her blood-streaked mane and face.

Scootaloo quickly made her way to Cheerilee’s side and picked up her foreleg. Apple Bloom joined her and they began to drag her towards a nearby door. Sweetie Belle caught on and opened the door as the fillies slipped into the room, the unconscious Miss Cheerilee in tow. Closing and locking the door, they listened as the hoofsteps echoed from the hallway

“You little brats!” Mrs. Winter’s voice roared all around them. “I know you haven’t gone far! Not with Cheerilee!”

Scootaloo knew Mrs. Winter was right. They couldn’t get very far. The only way they might get out of the house alive was to leave Miss Cheerilee behind, and no matter how much she wanted to see her mother, Rainbow Dash or her other friends, she couldn’t simply leave Cheerilee. Not even if that was Cheerilee wanted. If they took the time to hide her, there was no guarantee that she would be safe for as long as it took for them to find help. Definitely not in a house of killers.

Apple Bloom looked at them, heavy breaths escaping her lungs. “What do we do?” she whispered.

“If we run, she’ll see us,” Sweetie Belle pointed out.

Scootaloo looked down at the floor. “And if we stay here, she’ll find us for sure.”

A sniffle came from Apple Bloom. Tears were streaming down her face. “I wish Applejack was here. She’d know what to do.”

“Or Rarity,” Sweetie Belle’s eyes began to pour tears as well.

Scootaloo couldn’t help but do the same. Or Rainbow Dash.  What would Rainbow Dash do? She closed her eyes, rewarded with the vision of her mentor and surrogate sister. So strong... so brave... and yet, she wasn’t even close to her magnificence. Rainbow Dash would have found a way.

Dash's voice reached her ears, almost leading her to believe she was right there with her. ”All I saw was that I needed to protect my friends."

A moment of silence filled the air around Scootaloo as she took in everything that had happened. Rainbow Dash focused on her task to save her friends. Only a few moments ago, Cheerilee focused on her task to save them. And now, it was her turn.

	”Whatever it took.”

Rainbow Dash would make sure her friends would get out safely.

That thought sparked something within her. Her mind restated what Rainbow Dash would do, solidifying her mission. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked towards her friends. Whatever it takes, then. “I’ll rush out there and try to draw her attention away from you, while you escape with Cheerilee.”

Her fellow Crusaders' mouths dropped. “You can’t be serious?!” Apple Bloom nearly shouted.

“What if you get caught?!” Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo gave a slight smile. She thanked Celestia that they couldn’t hear her heart. It would have betrayed her confidence. The thought of her getting caught had reached her mind, but if Rainbow Dash would risk her neck to protect her friends, she would do the same. She repeated to herself the line that she hoped would give her courage. Whatever it takes.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll just run really fast and catch up with you.”

Without another word, Scootaloo poked her head out the door. Mrs. Winter was only a few feet away, looking in the opposite direction. If Scootaloo made too much noise too soon, she would spot where they were hiding.

She gently tiptoed out of the room, keeping her eyes fixed on Mrs. Winter. As she moved toward the staircase, the floor creaked beneath her hooves. Oh, horse apples, her mind screamed.

“There you are!”

Mrs. Winter glared at her, her hooves clopping against the floor at she rushed towards her.

Scootaloo waited until Mrs. Winter was nearly on top of her, pretending to be paralyzed with fright. Only half of it was true. As Mrs. Winter came within hoof’s length, Scootaloo ducked underneath her hooves and dove behind her, her legs picking up speed. She didn’t bother stopping, nor did she bother looking behind her. Mrs. Winter’s hoofsteps made it very clear she was both tailing her and coming on fast.

Heavy panting echoed in her chest. Her heart continued to race her feet, as if to see which could move faster.

Scootaloo spied a ladder in the dark that seemed to go up to an attic. She made her way to it and climbed it as fast as she could. As she did so, she caught a quick glimpse of Mrs. Winter, still in pursuit.

Reaching the top, she found a place covered in dust, much like snow covering the land. There was everything from old paintings to furniture that looked like it had been torn to shreds. As she ran, the floor creaked and rumbled at her every step, but her ears hardly paid attention; she just had to get away. She hoped that she would find a place to hide and escape.

Her legs took her to the end of the long, cluttered attic, standing in an open area, creaking all around her. She looked around, hoping for a way out. No exit presented itself. She turned and saw Mrs. Winter, a psychotic smile on her face, slowly trotting towards her. She was savoring her fear.

Mrs. Winter took a giant metal candlestick from one of the boxes nearby and held it tightly in her hoof. “Now, don’t struggle. It will only hurt for a moment.”

Scootaloo backed away as far as she could go. Her mind pleaded for an opportunity to get out. Then, as if the house had heard her pleas, the floor crumbled underneath Mrs. Winter’s front hoof. Mrs. Winter struggled against the floorboards, trying to free her leg, but it seemed in vain. Scootaloo found her moment and dashed straight forward, ready to dodge Mrs. Winter.

However, as Scootaloo passed her, the mare grabbed her tail, stopping Scootaloo in her tracks.

A moment of silence passed, the shock still hitting Scootaloo as the entire floor beneath them gave way. Scootaloo’s mind went into a frenzy, as her limbs instinctively reached for the edge of the floor.

Her hooves grabbed the edge, preventing her from falling, but she couldn’t pull herself up. She looked as best as she could behind her, and saw Mrs. Winter on the other side of the gap.

Mrs. Winter climbed up to the floor once more and stood straight up. She bent her knees, giving Scootaloo a death glare as a slight sneer spread across her face. “I’ve have enough of this nonsense!”

Scootaloo tried to climb up and run, but she didn’t seem to possess the strength. Whether it was fear or a true lack of strength, she couldn’t tell. Oh, if only I could fly.

She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable, for Mrs. Winter to pounce like a panther and rip her to shreds. Suddenly, there was a crumbling sound and then an animalistic scream. As Scootaloo opened her eyes, she saw Mrs. Winter plummet into an unknown part of the house, deep into the darkness. Her screaming eventually stopped, and was replaced with a sickening smack as her body hit the ground. Then... there was silence.

Mrs. Winter didn't make a single sound. She would never make any more noise, nor would she ever hurt another pony ever again. She was dead.

Scootaloo attempted to pull herself up, when the floor piece she was holding onto snapped. Gravity took over and Scootaloo began to fall. Her mind went blank as she saw the tiny shards of wood start their descent with her. Her life began to flash before her eyes...

However, before she could even fall a foot, she felt something wrap around her hooves. Scootaloo looked up to see the faces of her friends. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle.

They grunted and struggled as they pulled Scootaloo up from the pit to safety. After Scootaloo placed her hooves on the solid floor, she wrapped them around her fellow Crusaders. “Thank Celestia for you two.” Tears were running down her face. “But,” she sniffled. “I thought you were going to get out with Miss Cheerilee?”

Apple Bloom shook her head and smiled. “And leave our best friend behind? That’s not something Applejack would do.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Or Rarity.”

Scootaloo smiled. For the first time since her longest night started, she had a feeling that somehow, everything would be okay.
> Escape
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way back to where Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had hidden Miss Cheerilee, and Scootaloo couldn’t help but feel that the nightmare was almost over. The only matter left was escape. She turned to Sweetie Belle as they made their way down the hall. “Sweetie Belle, you still got that key ring we found?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I left it with Miss Cheerilee. I didn’t want to lose it while we followed you.”

Scootaloo wanted to hug her friend out of sheer joy. It took every ounce of restraint to play it casual, as if this was just a walk in the park for them. They finally reached the closet where Cheerilee lay and dug her out.

They gently dragged her from her hiding place, Scootaloo wincing as the dead weight fell into her hooves. She had forgotten how heavy she was, but thankfully Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were there to help.

Cheerilee was still unconscious. Save for her slight breathing, you could hardly tell she was still alive. The stuff Mrs. Winter injected her with seemed to have drained her strength. The Crusaders picked her up and made their way down the long staircase.

They hobbled down the steps, careful not to make any noise, as they yet again found themselves near the ballroom. The exit can’t be too far now. The happiness generated from that thought gave Scootaloo more strength than any amount of adrenaline could. She felt as if she could carry Cheerilee all by herself. She could almost see Ponyville now... Sweet, wonderful Ponyville. The first thing I’m going to do is run home and… Well, perhaps the first thing would be to get Mrs. Cheerilee to a hospital, Scootaloo debated with herself. She then decided the next thing would be to tell somepony like Twilight about the house and what happened.

We're safe now. Mrs. Winter is gone.

Scootaloo's tempting of fate was punctuated by the sound of the door behind them opening. Her surge of energy and optimism left as silently as it came.

They turned, and they saw him. Standing at the doorway, knife in his hoof, was the stallion. His face was as blank and emotionless as ever... except for his eyes. Those golden orbs radiated pure hate, and were trained on the Crusaders. They swore they could feel them boring into their souls.

The Crusaders' piercing screams filled the air as they ran to the nearest door. They didn’t bother to look back. They couldn't dare to. Time was the one thing they couldn't afford to waste, definitely not with an unconscious mare to carry.

They struggled to keep Miss Cheerilee on their backs while they ran as fast as they could, and were doing well considering the amount of dead weight slowing them down. However, even if they had to do without Miss Cheerilee, Scootaloo knew the results would be the same. He still wouldn't be that far behind.

As the three made their way through the door, Sweetie Belle tried to quickly slam it behind them. A single hoof slipped through the door before it could close.

The Crusaders threw down Cheerilee as they rushed to push the door closed. They pushed with all their might against their larger, powerful opponent, but the door continued to open slowly. His hoof was flailing wildly, searching for his prey. A piercing scream left Sweetie Belle's mouth as he nearly grabbed her horn.

Scootaloo continued to push with all her might, hoping to force the psychotic stallion back, it seemed to be a wasted effort. He wasn't going to slow down, not even for a second. He stuck his head into the room, smiling a psychotic smile.  As Scootaloo looked around her for something, anything to help her stop the stallion, she saw Apple Bloom rush back from a nearby table. She was carrying a glass bottle in her mouth, filled with an amber liquid.

Apple Bloom swung her head in a way that would make a headbanger at a hair metal concert proud. The bottle collided with the stallion’s exposed face and shattered, the liquid splattering all over the stallion’s hair and face along with shards of broken glass. The stallion roared with pain and withdrew into the ballroom. Wasting no time, the Crusaders finally slammed the door and locked it.

A moment later, something heavy crashed against the door. Scootaloo knew that the door could only take so much punishment before it became kindling. A pungent aroma soon filled the air, possibly from whatever liquid was in the bottle. Scootaloo had smelt it before; it was a liquid she was too young to drink, not that anypony would let her with all the anti-drinking rallies at school. She turned to Miss Cheerilee, still out cold on the ground. If we get out of this, I promise I’ll pay more attention in class!

The girls took a moment to examine the room. It appeared to be a living room; fine curtains were set against the window, a set of chairs set against one another. A large bookshelf was set against a wall near the door. Several small candles littered their surroundings, adding an almost warm and inviting orange glow to the place. The illusion was soon shattered by the sound of the door taking another thrashing behind them. Sweetie Belle made her way to the curtains.

“Sweetie Belle, what are you doing?” Scootaloo asked. 

Sweetie Belle ripped the curtains from their resting place. “Trying to buy us some time!”

Scootaloo looked over at Apple Bloom. “Let’s get Miss Cheerilee away from the door.”

The two knelt down and quickly picked up Cheerilee by her front hooves. As they dragged her to the other side of the room, Scootaloo couldn’t help but glance at the next room. She nearly leapt with joy when she recognized it: it was the foyer. They were back where they started! She turned to Sweetie Belle, who by this time had pushed a chair over to the bookshelf and climbed to the top, her curtain in tow.

The door shook again, sounding like a cannon had discharged in the room. The door had enough: it fell to the ground, the hinges broken. The stallion trotted into the room, the knife blade glistening from the candlelight. The stallion was bleeding from the shards of glass in his face, his psychotic smile made ten times scarier by the light cast across his face by the candles. He raised the knife and licked his lips in anticipation...

With a warrior's cry, Sweetie Belle tossed the curtain over him. It worked: the stallion's awkward movements caused a quick entanglement. As the stallion struggled and fought against the curtain, the fillies heard the knife clatter to the ground. His blind struggle sent him into the side of the bookshelf, the force of the blow sending Sweetie Belle to the ground.

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rushed over to Sweetie Belle’s side, helping her to her feet as the stallion continued to struggle against the curtain. He rammed into a table, knocking a few candles to the ground. In seconds, the curtain had caught fire. The fire began to ride up the curtain, enveloping it in a coat of red and orange.

The Crusaders darted back to Miss Cheerilee and picked her up once more. They slowly moved toward the front door as smoke began to billow from the room. Scootaloo looked back at Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie Belle, the keys! Hurry!”

Sweetie Belle set Miss Cheerilee down and ran  to the front door, forcing Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to hobble the rest of the way up. She ran through the rows of keys, placing one into the keyhole. It didn't work. She grunted in frustration as she picked up another key and tried again.

The remaining Crusaders stopped at the door as Sweetie Belle tried another key. She screamed in utter frustration as it didn't fit, and tried forcing it in. Scootaloo looked back to see the door behind them. The stallion hobbled through it, his coat and mane now engulfed in flames.

How is he still moving?! What kind of monster is he?! Scootaloo asked herself.

“Sweetie Belle, hurry!” Apple Bloom begged.

“I’m trying!” Sweetie Belle screamed as she put in another key in the slot. It didn't fit. She looked for another key.

Scootaloo felt her heart racing again. It can't end this way, it just can't. We've come so far... so close... Please, Celestia, please... don't let us die like this...

“I got it! Let's go!” Sweetie Belle shouted as the door creaked open. Hope flowed through Scootaloo's veins as she and Apple Bloom rushed to Miss Cheerilee's side, dragging her once more. This time, they made their way safely through the doorway, and Sweetie Belle slammed the door.

The relief turned out to be temporary, as the doorknob started turning. Sweetie Belle threw her body against the door, pushing with all her might in a valiant effort to keep the stallion contained. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom rushed to her side, attempting to assist.

The door thundered against the Crusaders, accompanied by loud roaring. The force momentarily sent them flying, but like a yo-yo, they ran back and held it against the stallion. Celestia help us all if we fail. Scootaloo thought. Nopony will be spared. How many ponies will die if he gets out?

The cycle continued for several moments. The fillies were sobbing in fear, but kept at it. They cried out inside for somepony to help them... Spike, Pinkie, Derpy... hay, even Diamond Tiara would do.

Moments later, the pounding stopped. The three waited. Scootaloo’s ears perked up, taking in any sound that could possibly come from inside. There was nothing. There was no pounding. No hoofsteps. Not even the slightest hint of breathing. The evil was gone forever. We did it, Dr. Viridian. We saved the world. The monster is dead, just like you wanted. Scootaloo's relief gave way to grief. Grief for those who weren't so lucky. Aurora Glow... Copper Coin... Angel Heart... Merry Field... Star Crystal... White Noise... Golden Slumbers... you've all been avenged. May you all rest in peace.

The door grew hot, and the Crusaders backed away instinctively. An orange light was emanating from the crack at the bottom, and was soon followed by a small flame. The flame began crawling up the door. Black smoke billowed through the cracks, rising into the night sky.

Scootaloo took in a deep breath, and felt her body grow heavier. It was as if all the land in Equestria had been placed on her shoulders. She collapsed, her eyes slowly closing. She tried to move, but her limbs felt as if they were encased in the strongest, heaviest steel imaginable. All she could do was lay in the dirt. She couldn't even look up to check on her friends. She couldn’t think of anything. She couldn’t do anything. All she could do was close her eyes and drift.

Just five minutes... you'll feel much better...


***


The chirping of the summer birds was what hit her first. It was such a pleasant sound... it was almost welcoming. The ground had become softer than she ever thought it could. She could no longer feel the dirt against her face... instead, the feeling was warm... cozy...

Scootaloo’s eyes snapped open to the sight of a white room. She looked down at herself and saw a white sheet covering her body, save her front hooves and, of course, her face. A ray of yellow light came from her left, where the sounds of birds emanated. She saw a pair of blue jays flutter around the oak tree outside the window. Was it all a dream?

“Scootaloo!” A familiar voice hit her ears. Scootaloo turned to see a pale blue Pegasus standing in the doorway, tears rushing down her face. She gave a relieved smile as she ran to her side, embracing her in her hooves. “Oh, my baby!”

“Mom!” Scootaloo cried, as tears ran down her face like a river. For the first time in a while, they were tears of absolute joy. She wrapped her hooves around her mother as tightly as she possibly could, as if she could lose her at any moment. She smiled as her mother’s hoof gently stroked her mane.

“Good, she is awake." Another familiar voice came from the hallway. Scootaloo saw the princess of the night herself. Luna smiled as she closed the door behind her.

“Princess Luna!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

Scootaloo’s mother turned around and bowed her head. “Princess Luna, what are you doing here?”

Luna’s smile vanished. “Scootaloo, we need to talk.”

Scootaloo’s heart sank. “About what?”

Luna made her way to Scootaloo’s side. “Last night, I had entered the dreams of you and your friends. What I saw was...” she stopped mid sentence, shaken. Scootaloo trembled like a leaf. If something could spook Luna, of all ponies, it was serious. “Disturbing.”

Luna turned towards the window, looking out at the sun. “There was a mare and a stallion. The three of you were so scared... so frightened.”

Scootaloo looked down at her hooves. The reality hit her with the force of a Sonic Rainboom.

“I sent my Royal Guard to find the three of you.” She turned back to Scootaloo. “They found you and your teacher, Cheerilee, unconscious outside of a burning building. You were all taken to this hospital. Your friends and teacher are all receiving medical attention.”

So… it wasn’t a dream?!  Those words hit her like lightning from the heavens. It was… real… She let out a sniffle and tears poured down her face. Her mother drew her in close as she continued to weep.

Luna lowered her head and closed her eyes. She slowly made her way to the door. “I can see this will take some time.” With those words, Luna left, the door closing behind her.

	It wasn’t a dream… Scootaloo reminded herself. It was … a nightmare. The longest nightmare I’ve ever had.

Her sobbing echoed, wandering into the hallway. Anypony who saw Scootaloo that day would speak of how she was shivering in fright, buried in her mother’s forelegs as tears slid down her face and seeped into the bedsheets. The sun had finally risen and vanquished the longest night of her life... but what had happened during the course of it had left her a broken filly. She opened her eyes and looked into the beautiful day, wondering if she would ever be the same.

How could it be the same? How could anything be the same with what she had seen... what she had been through... what they had all been through? How could they go back to the way things were before, just chasing cutie marks and laughing with their school friends?

She closed her eyes. As the darkness enveloped her, the eyes of that stallion appeared... those golden orbs of pure hate... the kind that only appeared in nightmares. She quickly opened her eyes, returning to reality as a soft sob escaped her.

The nightmare was over... but the scars it had left would never truly heal.
> Epilogue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“There's nothing to be ashamed of, Scootaloo.” Mrs. Starlight responded, her voice nothing but pure, motherly compassion.

For three months, the Crusaders would go through the same routine. The three of them would come to Mrs. Starlight's office, sit in the same wooden chairs and talk about what happened, repeating the same tired stories. Details would get mixed around, however.

Scootaloo thought back to one particular session. Sweetie Bell recalled how she wound up in a kitchen, fighting for her life with only a stove to save her... or how she managed to lock him in a freezer, the door of which he took off with his incredible strength.

Scootaloo could barely keep the events of the night straight. Her mind was so flooded with horrible memories that it became impossible for her to make sense of any of them.

“What you three went through is nothing short of horrifying,” Mrs. Starlight explained. “It’s no wonder you're all still having nightmares.”

“Apple Bloom, you’ve been awfully quiet.” Mrs. Starlight turned to Apple Bloom and gave her a caring smile. She sunk her head into her chest and shifted in her seat. "Is there anything you would like to say?”

Apple Bloom’s gaze shifted to her hooves. Silence filled the room. After a few moments, Starlight finally spoke. “Apple Bloom?”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “No.”

Starlight simply nodded. “Well, if you feel like you need to say anything, please do.” She almost sounded like Celestia or her own mother. Maybe that was what she was supposed to sound like, but she did it very well, at least in Scootaloo's eyes. “That’s why we’re here, to help one another.”

Sweetie Belle bit her lip and leaned forward. “Mrs. Starlight?”

Starlight turned and gave a smile. “What is it, dear?”

“My sister’s been acting strange around me,” Sweetie Belle confessed.

It was no surprise. After the heroes of Equestria had heard of what happened, they, Celestia, Luna and Mrs. Starlight had sworn each other to secrecy. Only they and the families of those involved knew of the horror that occurred that night. Scootaloo didn’t know about anypony else, but she had heard a news report about something happening at the Winter house. There were no names named.

However, that didn’t stop their siblings from acting strangely when they were near. Applejack and Big MacIntosh, for the past several weeks, had accompanied Apple Bloom wherever she went. They never let her out of their sight, not even for a second. Even when Apple Bloom had to use the restrooms, Applejack would always insist on coming in with her, even if she didn’t need to use it.

Sweetie Belle had stayed with her parents for almost two months. When Rarity was around, she would let very few ponies interact with her, not even the colt she secretly liked. Sweetie had tried to explain that most of the ponies weren’t out to get her, but Rarity wouldn’t hear of it.

Rainbow Dash had secretly been following Scootaloo, as well as the Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. It was as if she were their guardian angel.

Scootaloo realized that these ponies just wanted them to feel safe, but she didn’t want to be treated like a victim. That feeling was only a painful reminder of what she had gone through. She wanted to be treated like a normal filly.

Of course, there was also Cheerilee. She had been on a sick leave for a month after the incident. Scootaloo didn’t see her, but Apple Bloom had told her she had been around Sweet Apple Acres several times. Even as she stood before the class her first day back, she acted a little differently. She was almost paranoid, jumping at little things and easily surprised by tiny sounds. She hid it well, though. Not many students noticed. Just a certain three.

“Have you told her how you've felt?” Mrs. Starlight asked. Sweetie nodded, but said nothing. “Sweetie, your sister is only worried about you. She loves you and doesn’t want to see anything else happen to you.”

Sweetie sighed. “I know, it’s just… I don’t want to be protected like this. All the time. I just want to go out and play.”

Sweetie Belle had taken the words out of Scootaloo’s mouth.

“I know you're all upset about all of this, and you have every right to be,” Mrs. Starlight started. “But they're scared, just like you are. I know they're coping with it as best they can but you need to let them know that it isn’t helping you by restraining you.” Mrs. Starlight gave a slight smile. “Can you do that for me?”

Sweetie simply nodded. Apple Bloom finally found her voice. “The nightmares?”

All eyes were on Apple Bloom, her eyes squinting, tears welling. “Will they ever go away?”

Mrs. Starlight took a deep breath. She thought for a moment before answering. “They might. Only time will tell. Sometimes...” She paused, as if she wasn’t sure what to say to them. Silence filled the room once more. Scootaloo looked at the ground, anticipating the answer. She knew what it was. They all did. All that Mrs. Starlight needed to do was spell it out. “Sometimes, they never go away.”

With that, Scootaloo closed her eyes. Again, she saw his eyes. Those yellow, hateful eyes. The eyes that would never leave.