Everything Burns

4:30 AM

They can see me...

For the last week, part timer Michael Afton had to endure crippling darkness and the many demons that hid within it. The incandescent light from the light bulb above him and the glowing icons on the computer on his desk were the only source of ambient light that he had in this small office. A small metal fan was the only source of fresh air he had gotten in the nights that he worked here. His only friendly company was a small white and pink animatronic bear named Helpy who sat atop his PC and instructed him through his daily duties.

Michael knew that Helpy's words and personality were programmed in, but he enjoyed the friendly company regardless. He pat the bear on the head with genuine affection as one would a beloved pet. It was a strange job, offered by a man that seemed oddly familiar to him, but he didn't mind. Someone had to do it. Given what he knew what was about to happen there, it didn't matter in the slightest. The conditions were something that he could have cared less about. His family was here, and he had to deal with them properly.

He picked up Helpy and for a moment and saw a flash of a familiar toy from his past in the animatronic. Gold fur, black eyes with beady white irises, and a deep violet bow tie. It made him think back to darker times that he could not fully recall all the time. The years of his life before he woke up in the hospital with amnesia.

All he could find in his mind's eye were images and fragments. Short little scenes of memories that seemed to happen to somebody else. A stranger that he couldn't recognize, yet was familiar. Scenes of a happy diner, filled with parties and happy children that ran around playing tag, drawing pictures, and eating greasy pizza around giant robotic animals that sang and danced. A dirty yellow rabbit suit that his father often had around with him. A house filled with many monsters and nightmares that stalked the hallways that oozed with lies and evil. A closet that hid a tiny plush fox. A bed where his plush friends would talk to him.

One image in particular that he would always come back to was a Crying Child, playing with his best friend, a Fredbear doll that he would often talk to. The Crying Child was often bullied by his brother and the dolls were the only escape that the Child had. His visions would always end with the image of a giant body of golden fur and a massive set of teeth closing around his skull, followed by pain and darkness.

A knocking of metal on metal came from the left hand vent next to his cramped office. Forcing him to quickly shut off the computer and shine his powerful taser flashlight into the inky black abyss, his only defense against anything that dared to come forth.

For a minute he waited and stared into the nothingness.

Silence was no comfort. Not in this place. It would never be.

Each time this happened during the week, he could almost feel lifeless breathing going down his neck that made his skin crawl. He would always turn around to face whatever would be there. Always, there would only be the emptiness of the locked door behind him, and an icy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Keeping a grip on his flashlight, he turned his computer back on and played a sound in one of the vent junctions on the opposite end of the building. Hoping to draw away anything that might be lurking inside.

He let down his guard for a moment and looked at the child drawings on the wall behind his computer. Wondering who they belonged to and who might have drawn them. One of them was of a tiny blonde girl with green eyes, hugging Lefty Blackbear. It was crudely drawn with a crayon, but still well enough for a child. A few drops of condensation from the walls of the vents had dripped into a few of the drawings on the wall, but this one had been left untouched. Almost like it was reminding him of someone special.

"El," Michael said to himself dreamily. "I hope you are still there somewhere."

El. It was one of the few things he actually remembered from before. Not much, but still something. It was the nickname he would give his sister sometimes. They would sometimes play in her room with the many stuffed animals their father had brought from work. They were fun times.

He didn't remember the day his sister disappeared very well. How could he? Michael was only a little boy when it happened. Even though it was earlier in his life where the memory gap didn't intrude upon him. All he recalled was how upset he felt and the sound of his parents fighting. Then his mother just left the house without another word.

Focusing on every sound around him seemed to make all of the memories flood back into Michael's mind. Despite him trying to block them out. He tried to concentrate only on the metal fan in front of him as he continued with his nightly duties. The memories would always intrude upon him when he was least expecting it. It was an unpleasant feeling.

Suddenly, the loud noise of an advertisement from one of the restaurant's sponsors on the computer spooked him. Making him nearly jump out of his skin as he tried to silence the advertisement before it drew anything closer. With his hands all sweaty and clammy from apprehension, he dragged the mouse to the corner and shut down the ad. It was just a random local toothpaste company that had given him extra money to advertise there. At the expense of his sanity and patience. When it shut off, he found that his hands were violently shaking. He had to breathe deeply for a moment and focus to stop.

He had once been told by his father that his sister was trapped somewhere, but still alive. It made him happy at first, if he had only known how much would have changed when the truth was revealed.

Much to his eternal torment, he went to the Sister Location his father had detailed. Indeed, he finally found his lost sister. Unfortunately, what made her the girl he had once loved, was gone forever. Through her, Michael discovered everything. Every lie, every deceit, every drop of blood that had been spilled by his family. Even something new about himself that became the saving grace he needed to cheat death. Everything that led him here, to this little office.

One day he found a little job. Not retail, but a pizzeria with a familiar name, offered by a familiar source.

Through the week, he had been directed by a man with a familiar voice that always spoke through a recorded cassette tape. Salvaging old robots that always felt familiar, cleaning the many rooms and lavatories, buying supplies, and attractions.

Looking at his glowing digital watch, he could see it was 5 in the morning.

'Almost morning,' he thought. 'Did I really expect anything else?'

A thumping and shuffling of metal bending and collapsing in on itself echoed through the vents. Like some animal stepping across the roof of a car, bending the exterior slightly. Michael couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Suddenly, off in the darkness of the right vent, he could hear the familiar laughter of a voice he knew very well. A voice he had hoped that he would hear again in the next life. The voice like always was calm and gentle, but with an underlying tone of deceit and hostility that he always heard from someone else in his family.

"You played right into our hands." the voice said.

Michael's breathing became shallow as he started to well up with sadness and a strange joy at hearing the voice again.

"Hi El," Michael greeted the voice. "Its great to hear your voice again. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy. Despite everything. I hope you remember me this time."

The female presence didn't even seem to acknowledge what he said as it sighed with euphoria and a sickening lust.

"Did you really think that this job fell out of the sky just for you?" she continued. "No. This was a gift. A gift that daddy gave to us. Yes, I know who you are. I figured it out a long time ago. You gathered them all together in one place. Just like he asked you to. All of those little souls. In one place. Just for us. A gift. Now we can do what we were created to do. And be complete. I will make you proud daddy! Watch. Listen. And be full!"

Suddenly, the intercom just above his computer fizzled and started up, seemingly coming to life without warning. The same familiar voice Michael had heard through the cassette tapes spoke up. Just like always, the voice was calm and tired, but confident. As if the man it belonged to was about to do something that he knew had to happen.

"Connection terminated. I'm sorry to interrupt you, Elizabeth, if you still even remember that name, but I'm afraid you've been misinformed." the male voice on the intercom said.

“I know that voice. From long ago. You are Mister Henry,” the female voice replied with hatred. “Daddy always told us you were trouble.’

"You are not here to receive a gift, nor have you been called here by the individual you assume. Although you have indeed been called. You have all been called here into a labyrinth of sounds and smells, misdirection and misfortune. A labyrinth with no exit, a maze with no prize. You don't even realize that you're trapped. Your lust for blood has driven you in endless circles, chasing the cries of children in some unseen chamber always seeming so near, yet somehow out of reach. But you will never find them. None of you will. This is where your story ends."

"And to you, my brave volunteer, who somehow found this job listing not intended for you: although there was a way out planned for you, I have a feeling that's not what you want. I have a feeling that you are right where you want to be. I am remaining as well. I am nearby. This place will not be remembered, and the memory of everything that started this can finally begin to fade away, as the agony of every tragedy should."

"And to you monsters trapped in the corridors, be still and give up your spirits. They don't belong to you. For most of you, I believe there is peace and perhaps more, waiting for you after the smoke clears. Although, for one of you, the darkest pit of Hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting, William."

"My sweet little Charlotte, my little Puppet Master, if you can hear me, I knew you would return as well. It's in your nature to protect the innocent. I'm sorry on that day, the day you were shut out and left to die in the cold, no one was there to lift you up into their arms the way you lifted others into yours. And then, what became of you. I should have known you wouldn't be content to disappear, not my daughter. I couldn't save you then, so let me save you now. It's time to rest; for you, your Marionette, and for those you have carried into your arms."

"Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, Foxy...and you as well my old partner in gold. Yes, I know you are there. I've always known you were there. Watching from the darkness just out of eyesight. You and my Charlotte have watched over everything since this nightmare began. All of you. Thank you for fighting the good fight, and giving my daughter friends when she was alone. Thank you for harboring all of the children. For protecting their souls from HIS wrath. Go to your paradise of light in peace my children."

"This ends for all of us. End communication."

Michael smiled as the intercom once again shut off, leaving him in silence, comforted with his coming death. Knowing that everything was finally brought to a proper close. He was with his family. As he wanted to be.

A cacophony of tortured voices roared and screams echoed throughout the building. Some were incoherent and illegible, speaking names of past loved ones and lost experiences they never got to live. Two voices screamed higher than the rest, their rage burning like the fire of a billion suns. Cursing the names of the people that finally ended their reign of darkness and terror.

The building gradually became hotter and hotter until it burst into flames, creating one final fire that burned everything living and non living inside. Their dying screams would never be heard from anyone, save for the demons they would have to meet after the fire was gone.

6AM arrived that morning in the town of Hurricane, Utah as it always has and always would. It was the first day of November. The air was beginning to get crisp and cold, carrying a gentle nibbling breeze that blew through town. The leaves on all of the trees were falling asleep, turning bright shades of gold, yellow, and crimson red as one last show for the earth before winter. Small droplets of rain were steadily falling from the sky, coating the ground in a thick layer of dew and moisture that cleaned the air of all impurities. This morning, it was a good sign, as the rain almost seemed to aid in purifying a burning building that seemed to reek with something foul. Something that only Halloween the night before could only bring to a once heavenly town.

As the Hurricane Fire Department arrived on the scene, the building was already crumbling to the ground. Pieces of the blackened walls fell off piece by piece, like a set of dominoes that was taking it's time. Crimson red flames with golden flickering ribbons of heat danced all around like an ethereal ballet. The rain falling from overhead made the flames sizzle and sputter as smoke rose up out of the air and mixed into the clouds. The fire crews waste no time in trying to put out the fire, not knowing if it contained anything living. This was just another non-descript warehouse to them that had been built a month prior. A building that was meant to be neither noticed nor payed attention to. The building had been payed with in cash from a man that nobody could seem to properly identify.

Many children walking to school with their parents saw the fire and felt as if they were drawn to it. It was a feeling that none of them could explain. They all felt a tightness growing in their chest in the sight of the crumbling building. Like they just witnessed a close friend pass on and leave without saying goodbye. A friend that they had lived with, laughed with and played with for years and was like family at times. The name of the friend though, was something that started to fade away. So they all moved on with their day, as they should have. Content with their happy lives that they were lucky enough to have. Blissfully unaware of the horrors that the fire and rain was finally destroying forever.

One child however, gave one last look at the building. For many years to come, he could have sworn he saw four lone ghostly figures, almost transparent to his eyes. Standing alone by a field, just outside the perimeter of the fire. They appeared to be children, not much older than he was. Three boys and one girl. All four of them did not seem to be there entirely. Only he alone was able to see them as adults of all sorts walked around the rubble and didn't even seem to notice that they existed at all. It confused him as he tried peering over to get a better look at all four of them.

The girl had curly golden blonde locks that went right over her ears with a red ribbon that bounced over her shoulders. Around her neck was a tiny white bow that somehow enhanced her looks overall. She wore what used to be a bright pink dress. Now tattered and ripped, as if something had torn it to shreds deliberately. Her eyes were a bright blue, like calm seawater around a tropical island. The child next to her was a short, lanky boy with a flushed face and freckles. Messy bright red hair stuck out the top of his head that looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks. He wore a simple green shirt and khaki shorts that barely reached his knees. The boy next to him was a stocky african american child, slightly taller than the others. His neat dark hair draped down his back that went over a dark lavender shirt that fit him snugly. His tight tattered jeans almost appeared to be a size too small for the boy as they constricted his legs. The last child seemed to stand out more than the others. As if the world itself begged for him to be noticed by creation. He was a little boy of medium build with his hands in his pockets. Dark brown eyes, almost black in the cloudy day that poked out from behind a forest of equally dark brown hair. His black shirt with two lone grey stripes hung loosely, covering the waist of his short blue trousers.

Walking by with his parents, he could almost see the four ethereal children moving their lips silently. As if they were speaking but with no audible sound. It confused him, but before he could sneak away to get closer to them, his father snatched him up and continued with him on the way to school.

"So that's the end of it." the stocky boy said simply. "The Purple Man is finally gone."

"So are the other two who were there." the girl said sadly. "Even after all they did to try to help us."

"That's the way things go," the skinny boy replied.

"That one security guard who found our clues in that haunted house is still alive." the lavender shirted boy said. "What was his name?"

"Mark. The funny man who screamed and cursed a lot." the little girl replied with a giggle. He gave himself a funny nickname too. "Multiplier" or something like that."

The black shirted boy walked over to something that he spotted by the perimeter of the rubble that was once a building. It was almost hidden in the tall grass that covered the edge of the concrete that divided the property from the field.

"What is it Gabriel?" the girl asked.

Reaching down and picking up the piece of metal, his ghostly fingers clenched as he realized what it was. A spring lock. The other children scowled at the piece of metal as if it was something they hated. Of course, it once belonged to someone. Someone they despised. Even though his eternal inferno was sealed, the piece of metal still seemed to ooze with his malice and his evil. In an odd way however, this little spring lock and many others like it were part of what led to their salvation.

"I had hoped all of him burned away or was at least smashed to pieces. No dice I guess," the lanky boy said.

"It was thanks to those girls that this could finally happen," the black shirt boy finally said.

"Where are they anyway?"

The boy stood straight and closed his eyes for a moment, as if he was concentrating on something important. The other children have seen the boy do this before, just not in their current forms. They were waiting for a few others who were supposed to to join them when they all finally passed on. Just like always though, the two in particular were never bound to any rules. Let alone their own. It was something they had grown used to by this point. They became like family, albeit under hellish circumstances not under their control.

"Where are you two? Its time to go home. Everyone is waiting for us."

For a few minutes, all the group could hear was the wind, the rain, and the distant sound of the fire trucks that had already arrived on the scene of the fire. Then, somewhere off in the distance, just at the edge of the woods, a lone empty golden bear suit appeared there, writhing silently in the dirt. Followed by the sound of a little girl laughing. Its mouth hung open lifelessly, and yet a haunting voice spoke with a commanding presence.

"...No."

"No? What do you mean no? We've been waiting for this for years! We're free!" the blonde little girl exclaimed.

"Don't...need...us...anymore...but...another...place does." it said

"What? where?"

"Charlotte dreamed...and found... a paradise...with monsters...demons...and angels."

"Where is she Cassidy?" Gabriel asked, a bit more forcefully than he probably meant to.

The suit stopped writhing for a moment, its barely visible white eyes darting around. As if it were thinking.

"I...sent her...there. But...she can't do it...alone. She...needs...THEM."

"What should we do?" the little girl asked the others. "We can't just leave her behind!"

The next two words that came out of the suit were words that they have heard before. Words that led to everything that had happened. The words came out electrical and broken, like they were being spoken through a barely functional walkie talkie.

"S...
A...
V...
E...
T...
H...
E...
M..."

Next Time: New Life

New Life

View Online

7:00 PM

The sun was slowly starting its descent below the horizon, casting a long shadow over a bustling town. Many cotton-like puffs of cloud dotted the sky, making a light show of bright pinks, reds, and oranges. It was always a fantastic sight for those that lived here. The wind was mild today as it blew golden leaves off of their branches and into the air as they danced in the sky, flying to and fro. Taking them off to some faraway place that only the sky itself would know. The sun still carried a few long rays of light that came to rest over a town in the middle of this paradise. Along the road into this particular paradise, one could see a rustic wooden sign, painted blue with yellow emboldened letters.

WELCOME TO PONYVILLE

The growing town of Ponyville was getting ready for its first Autumn Solstice Fair. It was a creation by the country's newest princess. Each princess had their yearly celebration which marked the season, so it was only fitting that she should create one as well. The day was getting closer to evening time, yet this didn't stop anyone as they all were busy setting up intricate decorations and building many booths and tents for the attractions and vendors. Many of the ponies that were to set up were not scheduled to arrive until later in the week, but the Princess and her friends wanted everything to be ready when they did. Even the princess herself was in the middle of the town, holding a clipboard, keeping track of all of the ponies, blueprints, and decorations that were quickly being set up.

Princess Twilight Sparkle had been at this for a few days now. Ever since she had received the letter of confirmation from Princess Celestia, the unofficial High Queen of Equestria, Twilight had been in a nonstop rush to make everything perfect. All of her friends and neighbors had pitched in to help with the preparations for the event. Which was set to kick off at the end of the week. It was a daunting task for all involved to be sure, but they were ready for anything. Unfortunately, some were handling the rush better than others.

Prince Kenbroth Gillspotten Heathspike, or just Spike to most, had it harder than any pony else during the preparations. Spike was always a very dutiful assistant ever since he could walk and speak. He had been up longer and had worked harder alongside his adoptive sister Twilight to meet each of their tight deadlines during this whole debacle. He didn't mind helping to an extent, but now, the constant pushing and sleepless lonely nights were starting to get to him. Being the number one assistant to a Princess was turning sour for the young drake. Especially without any friends his age to share his troubles with.

"Streamers?" the alicorn asked.

"Check," the drake flatly replied.

"Confetti Poppers?"

"Check."

Banners?"

"Check!"

"Royal flags?"

"Check, check, and double-check," he groaned. "And annoyance and irritation I will add to the checklist as well."

Twilight rolled her eyes and patted the drake on the head.

"I know you don't like organizing stuff in the evening like this, but it's important. Everything at this festival must be perfect." Twilight said. "It's my first solstice fair as a Princess. I've been given official jurisdiction over the Autumn season and the Twilight Skies and I want to make a good impression."

Spike looked at her with a tired, pleading face, hoping to talk some sense into her.

"Twilight, you've been up for three days straight without a wink of sleep! You have five days to set up the festival. It’s supposed to be our movie night. Why don't you come home and let's take a break? I've been up for at least two days without any sort of break! My brain is mush from all of this."

Twilight felt a pang of guilt when she looked at Spike and just noticed how rough he looked. His eyes were baggy and his scales upon further inspection were grimy and dirty from the nonstop work.

“I'm sorry Spike but this is too important. You go ahead without me and pick a movie. Then get to bed by 10. I'll be back home around midnight."

Spike felt frustration begin to well up in his throat as the alicorn just went back to her checklist and kept looking around. He wanted so desperately to say something to address his feelings about everything. It gave him the urge to use a new word which he had heard their friends Rainbow Dash and Applejack say when they thought he wasn't listening.

"This princess stuff is all you ever focus on nowadays," Spike grumbled.

"What was that Spike?"

"Nothing."

The drake dragged himself away toward the castle and looked back at the mare and the rest of the girls. He thought about asking any of them if they would like to hang out at the castle and relax. Unfortunately, it seemed that many of them were already busy with their tasks. Most of them anyway.

The resident farmer Applejack and the resident baker Pinkie Pie were overseeing shipments of baking supplies for the many confectioneries that were to be made at the festival. Applejack kept herself busy by lugging around the more bulky crates and sacks that the other worker ponies were having trouble with. Mosquitoes and moths seemed to be attracted to her as the earth pony kept swatting them away with her hat.

Pinkie Pie tended to the large inventory as she zipped around, placing labels on everything. She kept inventory by writing short entries down in her notebook. If someone other than her were to look in her notebook, all would find was a garbled mess of abbreviations, numbers, and acronyms. She wrote in a silly complex language that only her bubbly brain could comprehend. Yet it was strangely efficient enough for her to keep track of everything. Every so often, the pink mare would scare the worker stallions into working faster with her manic personality.

She comedically got into their faces and started stretching her eyeballs into theirs.

“Why is she staring at me?” the worker colt whimpered.

“Focusing,” she whispered sinisterly.

Her eyes stretched like bubblegum as the terrified workers tried backing away from the advancing madmare.

Applejack grabbed Pinkie by the mane with her mouth whenever one of her outbursts came up and smacked her on the head with a knock.

"Knock it off Pinkie, the colts are doin their job just fine." she deadpanned.

“They need the proper motivation,” Pinkie replied slyly.

Rainbow Dash, Ponyville's resident goof off and weather pony was lounging around by the cider barrels, much to Applejack's dismay. She was trying to get into one of the barrels, eager to sneak a drink for herself to enjoy before the other guests of the festival could.

"Rainbow! Get away from those barrels!" the farm pony snapped. "I don't want to find bits of your mane and tail in my cider like last time."

"Oh come on! Just a little mug? A little bitty one?" the pegasus pleaded. "Your cider is like heaven's nectar!

"No! It needs to be aged and opened fresh for the festival" Applejack replied with a stomp. "I'll let you have one of my reserves later."

"Awww, you're no fun," the pegasus groaned. "Maybe I can convince Berry Punch to lend me some of her stash..."

When Rainbow tried speeding off, Applejack bit down on her tail, which comically stretched a bit before stopping the pegasus in her tracks.

"Oh no, ya don't! I loaned that diluted reserve to her to help with her alcoholism. You'll only encourage her addiction. That breakup did a real number on her."

"Mare's gotta mourn AJ," Rainbow replied sympathetically.

"Like that time you drank an entire keg of my apple beer and set Soarin's house on fire?" AJ remarked. "How is igniting clouds even possible?"

Rainbow just stared off into space with a satisfied and goofy expression.

"Yeah, that was great."

The last two of their motley group of oddballs, Ponyville's animal caretaker, Fluttershy, and the lovely fashionista Rarity were nowhere to be found. He had hoped that he could ask Rarity back to the castle for a private movie night, but only found disappointment in that option.

Deciding to clear his head before heading home for the evening, he took a scenic route back to the castle, through the Cottontail Woods that ran adjacent to the Everfree Forest. The trail was a popular date spot or galloping path for the health nuts. It wasn't a very long walk. Only fifteen minutes at most to reach the peaceful secluded area. The trees were starting to shed their Summer color and gain the rich gold, red, and yellow colors that one would expect in Ponyville around the fall season.

All around he could hear the sound of frogs and crickets singing their songs. It was comforting at the very least. To let him know that he wasn't alone out here in the darkening woods. He could occasionally hear the stray sounds of rustling in the trees, but he knew that there were only squirrels, birds, foxes, raccoons, and the occasional bobcat. All of those things he could handle fine without being hurt. Many of those animals had already been befriended by the local ponies. Particularly their resident animal caregiver Fluttershy.

He didn't want to go in any particular direction. With his souring mood, he just walked in a random direction and kept walking as he thought. Not caring about the possibility of getting lost.

He knew that he could handle things alone, but he could already guess that his adoptive sister wouldn't approve of his little leisurely stroll. Spike knew well enough that she loved him. Before. It wasn't often spoken, but her actions proved it well enough. Unfortunately, as of late, the dragon had been so caught up with the many royal duties and tasks of his sister, the two barely had enough family time anymore. Even more now, she was becoming cold and distant as she worked herself ragged. The alicorn would often refuse to rest for any reason or even eat for long periods of time. All of which was affecting their relationship seriously.

'I know she's busy but is making time for something fun so hard?' the dragon thought as he trudged along.

The feeling of wet leaves beneath his feet was a little uncomfortable, but at this point, he didn't care. He haphazardly kicked over a large mushroom that was in his path, hoping to relieve a bit of stress. His mood was in a marsh of disappointment and sadness, mixed with a little bit of frustration and anger. He had mood swings like this before when certain new things came into their life or when he destroyed something by accident. Even with his greed growth, there had been words thrown and hurt feelings in the aftermath of the incident. This time, however, it felt like things were starting to fester.

Shadows created by the trees were growing larger by the minute as the trees seemed to become more sinister. The night was looming closer as the twilight sped on by. Normally other fillies and colts his age would be afraid of the dark during these late hours. Spike's reptilian eyes helped him see better in the dark than his equine companions, so it didn't really bother him. At this particular moment, however, he was so caught up in his thoughts that he wasn't paying much attention to his surroundings.

He didn't notice a dark long figure laying in the dirt up against the nearest tree to him. Spike stepped, hoping to step on soft leaves and grass. In the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something with dark blue legs before he tripped on something soft. It wasn't hard like a rock or the root of a tree. The young drake stumbled and rolled a couple of feet into a bush where he went face-first into the branches.

At first, he didn't move, almost in disbelief from how much distress the world seemed to be giving him at that moment. To him, it almost felt like being kicked while he was down on the ground. Metaphorically, so to speak, given his current situation. The scales on his face protected him from any scratches that the branches might have caused and thankfully he had closed his eyes before they would be jabbed out. His mouth unfortunately was full of mossy, leaves which weren't as good as the ones served at the local cafe. He spat them out indignantly and pushed himself out of the bush, hoping to get a good look at whatever had interrupted his nighttime walk.

He turned around and got within sight of the place where he had tripped. What he saw by the tree frightened him for a moment in the dull lighting of the forest. The visage of some strange bipedal fleshy demon with oddly colored skin and appendages. Making him stumble back onto his hindquarters again. Mud was kicked up into his eyes for a moment, as he did his best to blink out the offending irritants. If his new encounter was dangerous, he needed to see what he was dealing with.

After a moment, Spike was able to see again as his eyes adjusted better to the darkness of the forest once more. He stared at the form laying up against the tree unsure what to make of it. Its face was shadowed and darkened, giving it a sinister look at first. It appeared to be some sort of hairless monkey wearing clothes and shoes.

Suddenly, a memory sparked into his head. He and Twilight have seen a creature like this before, just not the same kind. Their exploits beyond the mirror in Canterlot High, meeting the "humans" who were alternate versions of their friends.

'It must be a human.' Spike thought. 'How did it get here?'

The human wasn't moving and Spike had feared the worst. Warily, Spike picked up a stick and slowly made his way over to the sleeping form of the human. Upon further inspection, Spike could tell that this human was a girl from the long brown hair, soft face, and sloping shoulders. She seemed to be close to teenage, though he couldn't tell the exact age. He reached over and poked her in the shoulder, hoping for something to happen. It seemed to work as she moved, but only slightly. Watching her chest, he finally saw that she was breathing very shallow breaths.

She was wearing many odd items of clothing that Spike couldn't make heads or tails of. A green button-up long sleeve shirt and a white undershirt with many old stains. It was faint, but Spike could smell some spots of blood-soaked permanently into her clothes. Her "legs" were covered by some strange blue pants made out of an equally strange material. Her shoes were large and bulky with steel tips at the end. They were probably navy blue but in the lighting, they appeared to be jet black. They had long laces going in and out of separate holes, giving maximum support up to the ankles

Spike looked around as if he was expecting someone to show up. But nobody ever did.

A million thoughts went through his head, wondering who she was and what she was doing in Equestria. Each and every conclusion was more absurd and unlikely than the last.

"She's probably hurt..." Spike said out loud.

He kneeled down by her and placed two claws where her throat was, hoping to find a pulse. Twilight taught him to do so thanks to a book in Gryphon First Aid techniques using claws and talons. It was a little strange feeling delicate, soft hairless skin up against his rough, hard scales, but he soon managed to find a pulse up by her carotid artery. It was faint, but still noticeable enough to not be too alarmed.

Most of the time, he would just immediately refer to Twilight in this instance, but seeing as she wasn't there to offer her advice, Spike was on his own. It was a new feeling. A little unpleasant but also a little refreshing. Spike wasn't used to making big decisions on his own, but seeing as he might not be able to find the girl again if he left, Spike decided on the best option in his head. He knew what he wanted to do.

A few minutes later, Spike was dragging along the human girl on a giant branch filled with leaves that he had found near the tree. It was thankfully large enough to hold her as he dragged it back through the forest. His eyes were now fully adjusted to the darkness as he found the main trail that cut right through to the open.

"You're a little heavy aren't you?" Spike asked the unconscious human. "Though you probably wouldn't appreciate me saying that. I can't just leave you alone in there, not with Timberwolf season starting. Lugging you along is easier than dealing with a grouchy Twilight I guess. I’m probably gonna have to show you to her anyway.”

It took him an hour to trudge his way down the main trail, especially with a heavy human. His arms screamed for relief as he felt more blood and lactic acid being pumped into his arms and legs. The cold air of the night was thankfully keeping him awake, despite how tired he was. With everyone still busy in Ponyville Square dealing with the preparations for the Festival, Spike had nobody to interrupt his progress and panic due to his new companion. The dirt path stopped at a point as Spike finally came out to Cotton Tail Meadow, which was only a mile from town. Every now and then, the young drake had to stop for a moment and sit down, trying to catch his breath and let his arms and legs catch a break. Despite the effective use of the tree branch, he was still having a rather difficult time trying to drag the human a couple of miles to reach his home.

There was just something about this girl that he was drawn to. She had a strange presence about her. It was almost like a calming presence one would find with a parent or a family member. Like an aura of calm. Her soft face and thin mouth looked like they were about to curl up into a smile but never did. She just felt like she would be comfortable to be around. He didn't feel any such romantic attraction that he would feel for somepony like Rarity. Spike just had a feeling in the back of his head that he could loosen his tongue around her and let out his darkest secrets to the human.

Spike prayed that this wasn't an indication she was some evil creature that tempted unwary people with her wiles.

His thoughts went to the many comics where an unwary knight or superhero was caught off guard by an alluring temptress that drew them in before gobbling them up to head first. Perhaps he was already caught up in some hallucination and the girl would spring to life and drag him away to some dark dreamworld!

‘I collect too many comic books’ he groaned internally.

It felt like an eternity of his muscles burning and his lungs screaming for more oxygen, but he soon made it to the edge of town. He could see the lights still on in the square just beyond a line of buildings blocking his view. The decorative lights that were set up in the Square were so bright, they could be seen for miles. It was a beautiful sight, yet Spike had something else to tend to.

"Alright Miss, let's see if I can't get you home and into a bed without being spotted," he said to the human behind him. “A lot of ponies here are pretty paranoid about new things. Those Flower Sisters are like avoiding plague victims, From a distance, there’s a lot to be admired, up close, you have problems.”

As he continued, he didn't see the human toss in her sleep, nor did he see the inky black thin figure with limbs like tendrils and a face like porcelain with rosy cheeks, wrapped around her back. Staring right into the back of the drake's head, smiling silently...

An endless void was the only thing that she had. Floating endlessly without a body to occupy. The last thing Charlotte remembered, the sound of the person she loved most in the world. Her daddy. Then, unbearable heat and light that melted her body and finally killed her. After forty years of pain, she was finally free. When she was finally released from her new form, she had thought she would be in Heaven with her friends and family. Everything would be as it should have been. All that was stolen from her so long ago would be returned. It was not. Something was keeping her here. She could neither see, nor hear, nor feel, nor smell anything. She couldn't tell how long she had been here. In a strange way though, she almost accepted this place. A creature of shadow, returning to an endless abyss. Silence would be her eternity

Then suddenly, a familiar voice entered into her head. It was the voice of a girl. One of her best friends as a little girl.

"They...still...need...you," the voice said. "You...deserve...a second...chance."

"Why?" Charlotte asked the voice.

"Hurricane...is safe. The others...are safe...and free. But...another place...with children...need you."

"Where?"

"...a special place...paradise. Filled...with angels. Angels in danger...they will need US...they need...the FOUR...

"But...daddy," Charlotte replied.

"It's okay honey," another voice chimed in. "Its okay."

"Daddy?"

"Go with her. Go to the paradise I could never give you. They need you more than I do. I spent 40 years waiting, I can wait a little longer for you to come home. My sweet puppet master."

She thought for the longest time as sadness, hope, disappointment, and uncertainty all danced in her head. What did she want? She now had the chance to choose her own fate. Without any monstrous instincts or evil men to tell her what to do.

"Okay."

Charlotte then felt warmth as a blinding light greeted her sight, filling her with so much joy that she felt like she was going to explode. The light became brighter and brighter until she lost all sense of consciousness and felt new life returning to her. And a new form to call her own...

Far from town, just at the edge of the Everfree Forest, the animals were finally going to sleep. With bellies full of food and water from their foraging that Autumn demanded every waking day. Curled up in their nests, burrows, caves, and ponds, fast asleep. However, something else was stirring in the darkness. Just under a thorny thicket that obscured anything from sight. A literal maze of vines, leaves, and thorns, covering a large tree with large roots that bulged upwards. Anything normal and living would have a hard time getting into this thicket. Let alone getting out. Four dark forms lay there in the shadows. Massive, mighty, and kind. Old beasts who were known throughout the land where they came from. Now, they were forgotten by time. Believed to have been turned into scrap and burned. In a twinkling of an eye, one of their heads twitched violently to the side.

Another of them twitched as their lanky arm flailed around on the ground. If one were to see these movements, one would think that they were dead bodies with remnants of electrical impulses making them jolt and convulse.

In the darkness, the largest muscular figure began to wake up as his systems booted up for the first time in decades. New feelings and thoughts came to him. All familiar, but at the same time, very alien to him. Sensations that he never felt came to him for the first time. The smell of dirt and trees in his nose, the sound of wind in his ears, and the feeling of rocks under his prone form. His eyes were the first things to turn on as two glowing orbs in his body lit up. They scanned everything around him, taking in information and analyzing his surroundings.

He looked down at his massive arms, wondering if he could move again. He noticed that he was not the same as he once was. His arms were more slender and proportionate, but they looked more muscular and powerful than they were before. They were still segmented, but he couldn't see his endoskeleton anymore. Now at the place where fur stopped, there were metal joints that were the same size and circumference as his arms. His legs had changed as well. They were still fairly the same size, except they looked more sturdy and strong. The calves and thighs bulged out as if they were built for speed.

Pointing his eyes as far downwards as they could go, he found that his bulky torso remained for the most part. Except it looked more slim and fitting.

His eyes darted back up as he realized something. Thought. Realization. Feeling. Power. Life. Things that were never programmed into him before, suddenly he felt all alight in every inch of his body. He was alive. Properly. Looking around in his head, he tried to sense the presence of his longtime occupant. Gabriel. But, he couldn't. He was alone, with a body of his own to control. It confused him. Confusion was also a new emotion he didn't know how to handle.

The only thing he could think of doing was finding his friends.

Bringing feeling into his neck servos, he felt a power source and motors whir to life as he turned his head to the left, wondering if he could see anything else.

He was up against a tree, under a tangle of branches, vines, and thorns. Though he wasn't alone. Two other figures were there with him in the dark. Figures that he knew very well. They were his partners. His family.

A yellow hen and a blue rabbit. Bonnie and Chica. They had changed as well. More slim and powerful like him, all of their body parts fitting together perfectly like living things. With congruent metal joints that connected the arm without revealing the endoskeleton. Chica had a more slim feminine form but still had the size of a dangerous machine. It reminded him of a Toy sister Chica once had long ago. Her torso was not unlike the forms of the buxom fit adult women who watched the children in their restaurant. The color of their fur was something he couldn't identify properly in the dark. He remembered that they had another member of their family. A rather cantankerous member of the family.

Turning his head to the right, he found his other brother. A red fox with an eye patch and a sharp metal hook at the end of his right arm. Foxy. He was still fast asleep as well. All of his systems had not yet reactivated. Foxy had also changed, though not as much as the others.

All of his furs looked brand new, without any holes or rips to speak of. He had a little bit more muscle in his body with the new metal joints but retained the lean form he was designed with. His jaw looked like it was a proper part of his body instead of a jutting metal mouth with a small patch of fur attached to the chin like it was before. Foxy's ears were more solid and had joints of their own if rather small ones. They most assuredly had the ability to pivot and move. Something none of them could do before. If Foxy had these, he and Bonnie must have them as well.

Pushing new feeling into his arms, he lifted one of them. Feeling every electrical impulse and circuit commanding his limb to move. He stared at his arm for a moment, flexing it and moving his fingers as he clenched them into a fist a few times. They moved fluidly without the rusted motors and servos he once had in the restaurant. They whirred quietly with each movement like a well-oiled machine should. Lifting his other arm, he did the same until he was satisfied. Wanting to try out his powerful new legs, he willed impulses down as new feelings came into them. His feet he moved first, wiggling them in circles and flexing his massive segmented toes.

He decided to finally try to get up onto his feet for the first time in years as he made himself lean over to the left without disturbing his still sleeping sister. He stretched out his left arm to prop himself up and moved his legs to the side as he pushed himself upwards, like a piston. At long last, he was finally up on his feet and taking in his surroundings. He didn't know what time it was, but his internal sensors told him that it was closing in on midnight. He reached out to the wall of the thicket and pushed away from the vines and branches, which gave way to his strength very easily.

A small ray of bright light streamed into the thicket and into one of his eyes. It wasn't a blinding light like the sun or a flashlight. It was the gentle cold light of the full moon, smiling down at him from the dark blue sky. Its light shone through the edge of the forest effortlessly.

Ripping and tearing more branches away to make the hole bigger, he finally made a hole big enough for him and the others to squeeze through. The dry wood snapped and crackled like little firecrackers under his weight and raw strength. He peered through as his optic sensors scanned every new thing in sight. The trees, the plants, the grasses, and the ground. Taking in more and more for his new internal databases. He stepped out and walked in one particular direction for a bit. Against the many new sensors on his fur, he felt a breeze coming through the trees which he walked towards.

He came to the edge of the trees where it opened up into a clearing. A dark meadow was before him that rolled and sloped every which way. In the distance, a bright group of lights stood out against everything else like a beacon. It was a tiny town. With wooden buildings that appeared to be from medieval ages long past than the modern ages of technology and industry. Over the wind, he could faintly hear the sound of rowdy voices in the town. In his chest, he felt a familiar feeling that made him wish to investigate whatever was making the people in the town so merry. Something in his chest clicked on and played a familiar tune. The Toreador March had been a part of his identity for ages. He stepped out into the meadow towards the town to investigate, laughing his mechanical laugh that echoed into the night sky...

The First Night

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By the time Spike had made it within the final stretch of street, he knew that he was going to be sore and tired for a week. A part of him hoped that he would be showered in rewards like some kind of gilded hero, but no dice. What he was doing was the right thing and he knew it. Whoever this woman was, she was lost, hurt, and alone. Spike wanted to be the one to help her any way he could. The castle was in sight and all the windows were dark, but it wouldn't be like that for long. He preferred to reveal the human's presence slowly so as to not start any sort of panic. Certainly, his friends would be the first to know, but he didn't know when he would reveal her to them either.

"Sooner, rather than later I guess," he mumbled thoughtfully to himself.

In the distance, he could still faintly hear the sound of ponies in the town square still working on the Autumn Equinox Celebration preparations. That was his motivation to move faster and beat the crowd coming home. The newly paved road to the castle was a bit easier to walk down than the lumpy forest floor covered in roots, thorns, and sharp rocks. Twilight had the main stretch of Ponyville paved to make traveling safer and easier for travelers, merchants, and residents. Using a special mix of cobblestone and concrete. The roads still looked rustic enough to belong to a farming town like Ponyville, but modern enough for convenience.

"I wonder if I'm gonna be any stronger after this?" he asked the unconscious girl. "I've been wanting to start working out for a while, but geez, I picked one heck of a way to start with you."

Suddenly, he heard the distinctive sound of trotting hooves coming down the street. It was loud and bold as if the hooves belonged to either a big pony or an incredibly strong pony who put great force in their every step. Spike began to panic and looked around for a hiding spot to hide himself and the human girl.

"Gosh darn it, Apple Bloom! Where did you get off to?" a voice with a familiar southern twang called out.

'Applejack! Crud!' he thought worriedly.

Looking to the side of the street, he found a narrow alleyway with three tall tin trashcans filled to the brim. They would have to do as he ached even more and rushed towards the alley with the human in tow. He inwardly kept saying "sorry" to the human for the rough ride as he pulled her around the cans and knelt down. Just as the golden earth pony had come into view, he tried to stay as quiet as possible.

"I know I heard something over here! Apple Bloom, if that's you, come on out! It's well past your bedtime!" she exclaimed sternly.

He began to sweat as he heard Applejack's footsteps approaching and leaving repeatedly.

"If ya don't get home in the next fifteen minutes little miss, I'm gonna be steaming something fierce!"

Spike tried crouching down lower but cringed when he felt himself stepping in something slimy and slightly stringy. An old banana somepony halfway ate and missed the can while trying to throw it away. He nearly yelped in disgust but held his hand up to his mouth and his face heated up from holding in his breath. Applejack continued moving around the street, carefully checking every potential hiding place and listening carefully. After a little bit, she was starting to get antsy and decided to move on somewhere else.

"I guess I was just hearing things. Maybe I'll check their little treehouse," Applejack said.

Spike then started to let out a quiet sigh of relief, believing that he was in the clear for the moment. Unfortunately, as he was getting uncomfortable in his current crouching position, he tried shifting his footing. Not seeing a small empty soda can hiding in the shadows that had fallen out of the trash. Stepping on it, the aluminum can made a big crunching noise as it slipped out from underneath him. The slickness of the disgusting old banana propelled him forward face-first into the trash cans, knocking them all over with a bang and sending them flying into the streets.

When Twilight and the others had set up the stages and the podium for the upcoming festival, most everyone was allowed to head home for the night. The other attractions could be continued on first thing in the morning when everyone was fully rested and full of energy. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were the last of their friends to part from Twilight for the evening, wanting to look for their respective wards before turning in. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had been exploring the town, doing their usual tomfoolery, and hadn't reported back to them to come home. So naturally, they were starting to get concerned. Applejack was wandering the main streets of town and heard somepony talking nearby. She had assumed it was Apple Bloom and her friends.

What she didn't expect however is when three big crashing trash cans drew her attention back to the same spot, that Spike would be there instead. He looked exhausted and hurt. Covered in trash, dirt, and leaves and smelling like sweat and a number of other unpleasant things.

"Spike? Consarn it, I thought you were Apple Bloom!" she snapped.

"Hi Applejack." he awkwardly greeted as he weakly lifted his head.

"What in tarnation are you doing hiding behind a trash can in the middle of the night?"

"Uhh, trash diving?" he pathetically offered.

Looking at him up and down, she didn't even have to be the Element of Honesty to tell Spike was hiding something from her. Applejack noticed the splayed-out figure on the branch he was clutching tightly and started to get concerned.

"What the heck is that?"

Applejack got closer as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the alleyway that blocked out the moonlight. The figure Spike was holding on to looked familiar but she wasn't sure why. Its form she was familiar with though, hands, flat face, hair only on the top of the head, and covered in strange clothes. The strange mounds on the chest signified she was female as well.

"Sorry, I was hoping to keep her a secret until tomorrow morning," Spike groaned. " You know, so nopony panicked. I think she's a human. Like from that weird mirror world, but not exactly.

The earth pony shook her head at the little drake unamused at his dishonesty but understood the situation. She had remembered the odd meeting with her counterpart from Canterlot High and their odd appearance. She smiled held out a hoof to help the dragon up onto his feet and patted him on the head. Honestly, part of her hoped Twilight would be proud seeing him be so chivalrous.

"I am a little insulted you would think I would make a fuss about this and I'm disappointed you tried hiding her from me, but I get it," she replied kindly. "Where did you find her?"

"Cottontail Woods," he replied, brushing himself off. "She looked like she was in bad shape, so I wanted to bring her back home."

"Then we better get her into a bed before I head off to find Apple Bloom".

Spike looked back up at the earth pony and smiled back in gratitude.

"Thanks, Applejack," Spike said.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Your intentions were good, but your methods were a little sketchy. Just ask for help next time, you hear?"

Spike nodded understandingly.

She looked over the human-looking for any concerning injuries. Leaning over towards the girl's lips, she felt a barely noticeable breath coming out of her nose. From looking at her she almost seemed to be dead. Pale and very still. Her lips were curled in a way that appeared to be almost at the point of smiling but not. Placing a hoof on her throat, she felt a pulse and nodded hopefully. Like Spike had relayed to her, the girl was in some kind of trauma-induced state of unconsciousness. This was a job more for somepony like Nurse Redheart, but Twilight would have to do for the time being.

"Only know a little about first aid and injuries from working on a farm, but she's right knocked out. No wonder all that shaking and dragging hasn't woken her up yet." Applejack said. "I only hope it's not permanent."

She grabbed the branch in her steel hard teeth and dragged the human out of the alley. Thankfully a bit easier this time with a pony that pulled, crushed, lifted, and pushed well more than her own weight on a daily basis. As soon as she was out into the street with the branch, she turned and looked at Spike out of the corner of her eye. He was exhausted, stressed, and he looked like he was on the verge of tears, but he kept it in. He didn't need any scolding, as she could tell he had gotten enough of that from Twilight for the past week.

"I'm proud you're being that word that Rarity always uses to describe you," she awkwardly complimented.

"Chivalrous?"

"Yeah, that. But please don't wander off alone like that again. Will you promise to tell Twilight what happened? Cause if you don't, I will."

"I know, I know. I promise. She's gonna find out anyway," Spike shrugged in resignation.

He held his hands behind his head in a thoughtful way and stared blankly off into space. Wondering what was going to happen the following day.

Applejack gave him a concerned look.

"Tell you what? Maybe tomorrow, I'll come back to the castle and you can talk to me about what's going on between you and Twilight. Deal?"

"How did you--" Spike started.

He stopped himself though, realizing what mare he was speaking to. The dragon smiled tiredly at the earth pony and nodded.

"Thanks, I'd like that."

They made their way down the street more quickly this time and closed in on the castle. Soon they came up to the main walkway as the darkened shadow of the massive structure towered overhead. The crystals seemed to sparkle in the moonlight as light danced to and fro in the various magical polygonal growths. Spike didn't know why, but the castle seemed somewhat intimidating that night. As he approached the massive doors inside with Applejack in front of him, for a moment, he heard something strange.

The creepy echoing laugh of a little girl. Like it was coming out of a broken walkie-talkie. He whipped his head around, looking for anyone else nearby. The street was empty. Only the posters and banners announcing the festival on every lamp post and street sign. It was the posters Twilight had insisted on having her picture taken for. Not for some ego boost, but more for posterity's sake. One of the posters caught his attention though. Just for a moment, the sign on the lamp post nearest to the castle had the image of a dirty golden bear with no eyes. He couldn't read what the words said from that distance. As soon as he blinked, it went away and it returned to the image of Twilight waving. He shook his head and stared intently at the poster, not sure if he had been hallucinating or not. He definitely saw something.

"Spike? You alright? Come on, let's get this girl inside and on a bed," Applejack exclaimed through her teeth.

He looked back at the poster but dismissed it as exhaustion getting to him as he helped Applejack pry open the massive doors and head inside his home. Cold wood and crystal on his claws was a welcome feeling after walking through miles of mud, muck, and moss. Looking forward to feeling it on his feet and walking across their heavenly woven carpets again. Though Spike did notice that he felt strange like something was watching him from close by. He only hoped like always that it was his overactive imagination.

Applejack crossed the doorway into the castle and scrunched her face.

"I don't know why, and call me crazy, but I think this little miss just got a few pounds too light all of a sudden." Applejack noted, "You didn't happen to see her drop anything she was carrying did ya?"

The doors acting on their own weight slowly closed behind them, but as they did, something thin and whispery slithered into the castle and into the shadows, staring intently at Spike with an empty black smile and a porcelain white face.

The bear had left the forest behind and had found his way onto a grassland, with rolling hills and waves of grass as far as he could see. At the top of one of the highest hills, he could see the small town in the distance. While he continued walking, he looked up at the rising moon. The night was still young and slowly moving high across the sky while he had walked, his optics picked up much in the darkness. The moon was so bright that he barely needed them, though he kept to the shadows, making forward progress to see what this small village had to offer.

He eventually reached the edge of the town, walking into another small forest. He trooped through it, scaring away any and all animals that crossed his path. His walk took him closer and closer to the town, and in the distance, he could see what looked like a red farmhouse as well as a huge tree near the center of the town. But another building that caught his attention was a red schoolhouse near the forest--or at least it looked like a schoolhouse from the books children at the restaurant used to look through. He idly remembered conversations about an elementary school near his old home. And the book had said that's where little girls and boys went to learn, so his best chance of finding a child to entertain was there. All the windows were dark and it was late, so obviously there were no children there as of yet. The children would not be awake to meet him yet. Mildly irritating, but to be expected waking up in the middle of the night like always.

Looking off down towards the town, lights were starting to come on, and the town square was lit up brighter than any other place. Which meant people were there. Children and....adults.

Not caring, either way, the bear tromped forward and instinctively began to aimlessly wander the school grounds. Winding and waving slowly through the trees, feeling the autumn wind blowing across his fur, he scanned every inch of the schoolyard. Finding children here was a fool's errand, somehow he knew this, but he cared not. Taking in every rock, every branch, every toy, and piece of playground equipment, he melted away into the darkness, hiding amongst the plants, and began searching for children to play with. Or intruders to destroy before they could have a chance to hurt them.

Suddenly, a small light came on down the hill just on the outskirts of town. A tiny little two-story house separated considerably from the others. Two distinct voices came over his new enhanced ears. Female. One older and two much younger. The two younger voices were tiny and delicate. Just like the many precious little girls who sang with him on stage so long ago. The older voice was a little strange. Well-meaning and sweet, but disjointed and clumsy.

"Mom! You shouldn't be staying out this late! Don't you remember what happened last time?"

"I know, but you know that your father and I were helping the Princess. It's very important!"

"If it was important, she'd be doing more of it herself."

Children, his new brain rationalized.

As he saw this, his powerful new ears picked up sounds that were miles and miles far off into the distance, all coming from multiple directions. Sinister laughter in one far-off location. The kind he had heard before. From the kinds of men Gabriel and the other souls despised. Brigands, thieves, grave robbers...murderers. They were all the same in the bear's eyes. Another sound was one the bear knew if only briefly. Growling, chuffing, and barking coming off from the forests and hills. Wild animals, though these calls were strange. Like being blown through carved wood instead of flesh and bone. A third sound from even farther away was even stranger. A faint rumbling of earth and rock being scratched away was accompanied by scraggly chattering. The voices he could not make out.

New emotions for one such as him provided the bear with very little wants and desires. At least none as of yet. One familiar emotion rose up that he knew his soul partner Gabriel feel ever so often. Anger. Anger at the many new dangers in this place.

One sound, however, made the bear feel rather warm. Special. Something familiar from the past.

A bubbly rambunctious adult voice in town. From a woman. Though just like in the house closer by, he could not tell of her present form. She was screaming, shouting, and rambling in a light-hearted manner. A security guard he knew at his old restaurant did that a lot. Mike or Mark were the names that came to mind in his memory banks. Though these thoughts were unimportant to him at the moment. Wherever he and his family were now, this was a good place. A friendly place. A safe place. Without a spirit influencing his every thought and action, he knew what HE wanted and what he wanted to do.

Bringing up his new prime directives, only one mattered more than all the others. No doubt a message left behind in his coding from their friend in gold. It gave him purpose as he began to wander through the night, intent to meet the inhabitants of this place and protect its children. Whoever or whatever they may be.

Miles away back in the glen of thorns, two more figures had awoken from their slumber and were slowly acclimating to their new bodies and senses. The hen and the rabbit. Everything was so strange and new. Confusion and fear were the first things they had felt. The absence of their soul partners was palpable. Coming to grips with their new sentient minds without them was a rather traumatic experience to say the least. Neither had a previous mind of their own to draw a personality from. For some reason though that the hen could not fathom, she felt an aching in her chest that gave way to even more new unpleasant but necessary emotions.

They voicelessly interacted with one another as best as they could, gesturing and asking each other questions neither knew the answers to. Even interacting with one another was a new concept. As they were only generally aware of each other's presence in their previous lives. Trying to make sense of themselves, they prodded themselves, curiously noticing the clear physical differences from their previous lives. The hen investigated her more feminine features. Streamlined arms and legs, a bulky but slimmed hourglass figure, and powerful fingers that look like they could rip through steel if they wanted to. She gazed over at her "brother" and took in his new form as well.

For one reason or another, she could vaguely recollect what their previous bodies had looked like. Chunky, garrish, and quite ungraceful. Her bionic lagomorph family member resembled that of an older teenage boy like the ones who came into the restaurant with those, jerseys and red "balls". Jocks, she believed was the proper term. His ears pivoted and segmented, giving his nonverbal communication a bit more depth.

Looking down at their other brother, the red fox who had curiously been the only one to not awaken from his slumber. The hen knelt down silently and held the fox's cheek gently, not knowing why, but feeling right while doing it. She was rather worried as she shook him a few times, trying to bring him to. Her new scanners did a diagnostic and found nothing mechanically wrong with him. The only conclusion the hen could come to was whatever had pushed the spark of life into all of them, was still dormant inside him. She could only hope that his mind would wake up soon.

Deciding to allow him to sleep for a little while longer, she turned her attention to the new entrance to the cave where their missing brother had gone.

Moonlight poured through the opening their brother had made for himself to escape the grove of thorns and vines. The hen and the rabbit exited through, curious of every new sight and smell that graced their senses. The forest was unusual but nothing they were unfamiliar with. It was near a clearing where they soon found a small town on the other side of a meadow. Their brother most assuredly had gone there. Children were always a weak spot for them.

Looking to the rabbit as he looked at her, they had a silent unspoken agreement to walk in separate directions in some instinctual need to find their brother. Turning their heads back toward town, they found themselves staring intently at it, not knowing why. There was a special aura about it. Friendly, welcoming, warm. Parts of the town were still dark but the center districts were all alit with bright lights. A new bodily feature revealed itself to them as they struggled to get a closer look. Their optics containing several thousand mirrors and apertures zoomed in to the town. Neither had a close enough vantage point to see the village's inhabitants, but the buildings themselves were something of an interesting marvel. Primitive, yet somehow contemporary.

The hen's eyes were drawn to a building that looked as if it was made of candy and gingerbread. Something inside her instinctually pulled her in that direction as she exited her zoom function and began walking forward. The rabbit in turn walked off in a separate direction towards a destination of his own choosing, a farmhouse, painted as red as blood. Or apples. Apples more than likely.

Behind them, the fox's head began to click and whir as it wildly twitched from side to side. His whole body violently spasmed a few times and stopped. His head lifted up and turned on, glowing red in the dark.

Within only a moment's notice, the fox was up on his feet in a flash and gone like a shadow in the night.

Next Time: The Four Children

The Joy of Recreation

by Spettro138

Everything Burns

New Life

The First Night