The Pens of Fate [20] (Saga Remastered) {September 13, 2024}

Note from the Author

This book contains and mentions sensitive material relating to mental illnesses, several personality disorders, suicide, suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress disorder, rape, murder, death, alcoholism, self-harm, and depression. Reader discretion is highly advised, and it is important to practice self-care during and after reading. There is foul language, substance abuse, multiple types of abuse as well. Some of the events, people, and timelines are based on true aspects of my life, so keep a clear mindset.

P.S. Sorry for the ghosting and my disappeance. (again) Quick summary of my rebuilding bridges with my family, we learned that my birth mother stole money from me. Not an excuse for leaving my "children" on a page turner I know, but I will maybe one day in write that woman in all that void coloring glory for you all. As writers, we are able to create justice and perfect revanage without blood spill in the real world. (Shocking coming from a writer of murder and horrors like myself) Well, back to the stories...

Zach and Tina stood and stared in horror at the gruesome scene in the maze. Victoria’s head was spiked through Lason’s sword arm while bits and pieces of him were scattered on the ground. Zach’s eyes became a pair of darkened rudies due to a growing demonic rage inside of him until the thought pulled him to his senses. Without saying what’s on both of their minds, Zach started running down the maze, leaving Tina in the dust. Tina looked around the carnege and realized the same thing that he did; Victoria’s and Lason’s bodies were the only ones there that weren’t masked cult members, meaning that the others could still be alive. But for how long? Tina didn’t want to think about that question’s answer... 

Dan’s and Grace’s footsteps echoed through the maze as they ran for their lives. It felt like Dan’s heart would pop out of his chest. It seemed like fear was all that kept him alive at this point as the thoughts of Maddie ending up like poor Victoria made his stomach flip. Grace's eyes bolted around in their sockets, looking for a way out. She had to find Vivienne before that murder did. They got separated from the others when Lason started to cut the masked figures down and the leader in the wolf mask actually morphed into a wolf and grabbed Victoria by her head with her jaw. Grace and Dan lost the masked figures and the rest of the group, but when they turned around to make sure, they saw two pairs of glowing red eyes coming from the shadows of the bushes. Zach and Tina ran up to them and Dan let out a sigh of relief, “You guys are okay!” Zach nodded, “We’re fine, but Ethan didn’t make it. Where are the others?” Zach asked Grace. Dan and Grace exchanged glances with each other, “We don’t know,” Grace spoke with a worried look in her eyes, “But Arther is,” she couldn’t bring herself to say it. He’s dead. He’s realy dead. As those thoughts filled Grace’s mind, the tears flooded her eyes, “Addie said that we would be okay! SHE SAID THAT REAL PEOPLE CAN’T BE KILLED HERE!” Zach wrapped his arms around the trembling girl as Tina looked at Dan, “Why would Adaline lie?” Zach couldn't answer that...

Across the story world, in an unknown location...

The blue pegasus woke up in a cold sweat as the memories of her strange nightmare of a factory and insane hospital that was more like a prison. “Get it together, Rainbow Dash,” the mare muttered to herself as she stood up from her resting place under a tree. Rainbow Dash shook the remaining feelings of uneasiness and anxiety off as she took to the sky. Flying always seems to calm her nerves. Between her nightmare and an unsettling amount of odd rumors going through Ponyville and Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash couldn’t think straight. The rumors involved one of her closest friends, the Element of Laughter, an earth pony named Pinkie Pie. Why would somepony hurt Pinkie Pie? Why spread lies of her being sick? The thoughts raced through Dash’s mind as she headed towards Pinkie’s bakery. When Rainbow Dash got in front of the SugarCube Bakery, a familiar gray mare with a purple mane stood outside the little shop. Rainbow Dash walked up to the older sister of Pinkie Pie, “Maud Pie, what brings you off of that rock farm,” she questioned Maud Pie. Maud Pie was the exact opposite of her younger sister when it came to their expressions, while Pinkie had a brightness engraved to her everything while Maud had a dry demonor and a neutral expression, but this was different. Maud had a grave look in her eyes that was out of the norm for her. Maud explained in her usual monotone voice, “I have to check on Pinkie. Have you heard that she’s not doing well at this moment?” So, the rumors were true, Dash thought to herself as she started to look through her blue feathers for Pinkie’s invitation and little ticket. When the pink earth pony first moved to Ponyville and opened her bakery, she made everypony take a ticket for any and all orders. Nopony ever really asked why the numbers had never changed since when they first received them years ago. 

Maud Pie continued while looking back at the bakery before them, “Pinkie Pie is actually suffering from a disease that has been in the Pie family for years. Now that Pinkie Pie is twenty-seven years old, the disease has gotten worse.” Rainbow Dash found an uneasiness in her stomach, “What kind of disease are you talking about, Maud?” Maud’s expression didn’t waver as she explained, “Have you or the other ponies noticed that Pinkie Pie acts inappropriate for some of the environments around her? Well, it's due to the disease. It's a mental disorder called schizophrenia and there's not much research on the disorder.” Rainbow Dash felt like Maud just pulled the ground out from under her hooves,“What do you mean Pinkie has schizophrenia?” Maud sighed, “Look, I know that she’s your friend but this is my little sister. It hurts me more to say that she is dangerous now more than ever. If you can, then please don’t see her right now, I’m trying to get a doctor to escort Pinkie Pie to a specialty place.” Rainbow Dash thought back to her nightmare of the mental hospital and felt chills run down her spine. Rainbow Dash nodded and watched Maud turn and head towards the train station. I can’t lose Pinkie…

Rainbow Dash felt that her loyalties lie with her friend no matter what is said about her. Pinkie Pie was a bit odd but she would never hurt anypony, Dash thought to herself as she opened the bakery’s door and entered. The bakery had its usual disarray present; baking tins filled with cupcake batter and mixing bowls of different colored frosting. The pink earth pony was watching the cupcakes bake while she giggled to herself. She had not yet noticed the blue pegasus in her kitchen. Rainbow Dash watched as the pony’s curly mane deflated like a balloon, as it had done in the past whenever Pinkie Pie was sad or angry. Pinkie Pie started to mutter something to herself, unaware of the pair of listening ears, “What do you mean that the number 87 is up to die? You said that about 85, you silly filly. You are skipping 86. She's not that much of a problem, I mean if you clip her wings she won't be.” Rainbow Dash froze in horror as the pony in front of her wasn’t the same Pinkie Pie. This Pinkie Pie had lime green eyes instead of the baby blue eyes that Rainbow Dash had always seen before. Rainbow Dash started to back up slowly before the fake Pinkie Pie could see her, but she had accidentally bump into a baking rack that had been filled with cupcake tins of batter. CLANG and metal thuds echoed through the dimly lit bakery. The pink mare bounced up, her mane returned to the curly mess it was before as she excitingly claimed aloud, “Dashie! You came! You can help me with these cupcakes now!” Pinkie’s eyes were once again a beautiful blue but Rainbow Dash could not help but feel an uneasiness in her gut as the pink mare continued to hop around her. Pinkie Pie stopped to grab the invite and Rainbow Dash’s ticket. That's when Rainbow Dash saw the green in Pinkie’s eyes again. Rainbow Dash’s eyes weren’t being tricked by the poor lighting in the bakery, these eyes were the same green eyes that the other patients in her nightmare… 

Dash felt a sharp sensation in her head as she tried to reach to check her head for any injuries, but something held her limbs in place. Rainbow Dash’s eyes adjusted to the darkness around her. There was a dessert table with a bloodstained table cloth and a black frosted cake with a huge knife sticking out. The cake was bleeding which sent chills down Rainbow Dash’s spine. Pinkie Pie stood in front of the cake, holding a too big of knife for sweets...