Chapter Two: An Unsteady Tone

"..You?

It is you..."

A voice could be heard quietly, carried by the moaning winds.

"You who chose to cut the bonds of fate. You who have become the catalyst for the arrival.. You will experience my hell."

A fluorescent shadow appeared before Fluttershy's bedside.

"Now let us see how this one fares under extreme mental stress..anguish..hate."

The winds began to howl, and a peculiar aura came about Fluttershy's bed.

"One by one..starting with you." the figure said quietly..

After a time, the voice fell silent. Only one sound could be heard, Fluttershy's labored breathing. It had been done, the bonds tied and their fates sealed. Her return would be soon.

Still as a fresh corpse, Fluttershy laid silent. Her chest still, nay a breath could be heard. This would be her curse. Her nightmare.

As the night went on, silence broke as the sound of dripping water could be heard.

"nnngguh.....no".the sounds of a muffled voice echoed softly.

It was Fluttershy's voice. She had awoken to find herself what appeared to be a holding cell. Chained tightly to the many metal fixtures lined along the back of the cell's wall, she began to panic.

"Where am I? Where and what is this place..? I can ask questions later, I have to free myself." Fluttershy thought to herself as she wrestled with her chains in an attempt to free herself.

It was no use. The more she struggled to free herself the tighter her bonds became. The sound of loud rattling chain could be heard echoing throughout the dark, dampened hallways. Not thinking, she had drawn the attention of a nearby guard. Whoever had brought her to this place was coming for her. They knew she was conscious. The sound of footsteps could be heard slowly approaching, as if descending down a stairwell. Too dark to see, a figure approached the cell.

"I see you're awake. It is time, you will come with us." said the figure, snapping his finger as if to summon assistance.

Two more shadowed figures appeared from what looked to be a fluorescent rift and unlocked the door to the cell.

The young pony, scared, backed into the corner of the cell slowly as the figures approached her. Almost in tears, she let out a loud weep as the figures took their final steps toward her.

"Take her." commanded the first of the three shadowed figures.

"What? ..No, stay away from me.. Stop.. stop!" she pleaded, but the figures paid no mind.

From a satchel one of the shadowed figures pulled a rope and tightly tied the already immobile Fluttershy's legs tightly to one another. Struggle as she might, the three shadowed figures were easily able to overcome her. Helpless, Fluttershy found herself being carried away through the dark catacombs.

As they traveled, a dim light began to shine throughout the catacombs. Able to finally see, Fluttershy began to look around as best she could to gather a feeling for where she had been taken. As far as the eye could see, wet stone and cold steel. You could tell some of the cells hadn't been properly cared for, as the remains of several different bodies were scattered about.

"Let me go! I want to go home! I don't know what I've done but plea--" the still crying pony was interrupted abruptly.

"Shut the hell up already you loud mouthed twit!" said one of the shadowed figures in anger. "Maybe this will put an end to your incessant crying." the dark figure reached for his satchel and pulled out a needle, filled to the brim. The shadowy figure stabbed Fluttershy directly in the flank and pushed the plunger in. She could feel her consciousness fading quickly. Seconds passed, and only the sound of footsteps could be heard once more. The struggling pony had fallen silent. Like obedient soldiers, the shadowy figures continued onward without a word.

Having reached their destination, the three entered a room. Unlike the previous setting, this room had been maintained. The floor had been done in black and white tile. Books lined the shelves on the wall and there was but a single desk with a chair, turned to face a large window that displayed a dark, starless night sky.

"So, what will you have us do with this one?" asked the first of the three figures.

"I suppose you can just leave her there." a figure motioned a hand toward the corner of the room. "I'm going to have some fun with this one before she goes!" said a cheerful, strangely toned voice.

"Hee hee, she just doesn't know what she's in for." the voice said aloud, chuckling to itself. "You three can leave now. Your duties have been fulfilled!"

"As you wish.. Pinkamena."

"..."
"Wake up you!" said a voice from across the room.

The voice was coming from the chair at the desk in the middle of the room. Still barely able to move from the medication and the restraints that held her, Fluttershy lifted her head enough to look over in the direction that the voice was coming from as the chair slowly spun around.

As sad as Fluttershy was to see it, there she sat. Pinkie Pie was sitting before her. Straight, bubble-gum pink hair with eyes that were almost demonic they appeared so empty.

"Pin.. Pinkie Pie!?" exclaimed Fluttershy. "What are you doing here? Are you doing this? How.. how could you?"

"What's the matter? It's just me. We're friends, remember?" said Pinkamena. "Unless.. You don't want to be my friend?"

"No..no that's not what I--"

"Do you know what happens when someone doesn't want to be my friend?!" interrupted Pinkamena menacingly.

"Pinkie.. what have you become?" asked Fluttershy, quivering in fear.

"What have I become? Ha. I haven't become anything. I've always been here! I've always been waiting. I knew you'd come along eventually. She told me you would. She did tell me never to let you leave, you know!" said Pinkamena with her head tilted to one side, smiling in an odd manner.

"She? Who is she?" asked Fluttershy.

"Now that wouldn't be any fun now would it?" said Pinkamena, giggling aloud. "I cannot simply tell you. I will however tell you this. If you want to leave this place, only you can make a way out. Even I can't get out of here. She simply doesn't allow it. But with all of that said, let's have some fun. Shall we?"

Pinkamena approached the still immobile Fluttershy in a menacing manner. Standing over the pony, she began to kick Fluttershy repeatedly.

"You know if I let you go she'll be angry with me." said Pinkamena, still kicking away at Fluttershy.

"Please.. Pinkie.. stop.. it's me! Please, you're hurting me!" exclaimed Fluttershy, gasping for air.

"It's because of you that this is happening, because of you that I have to be here, like this." exclaimed the pink pony in a blind rage. "Stop..? Sure. I'll stop. I would never want to hurt you." she said, slowly leaning down in Fluttershy's direction.

Pinkamena slowly ran her hoof under Fluttershy's neck, and held her head up to face her.

"Do you know how long I've been here now? Why, I've lost count. So many hours, so many days, so many years! It almost excites me thinking about the many days of solitude!" said Pinkamena in an upbeat tone. "Do you think you'll get out of this?" asked Pinkamena, staring deeply into Fluttershy's eyes.

"I..I don't know. I don't even know what this place is. I don't know what I've done to end up here." replied Fluttershy, unsure of anything that was happening.

Pinkamena had a seat beside Fluttershy, untied her hooves and sat her into an upward position. Still feeling drugged, there was nothing Fluttershy could do but sit and watch. Pinkamena leaned against Fluttershy and began to rub her hoof down Fluttershy's exposed underside.

"You're here because of it. It led her to you. You made a wish you were never certain of to begin with while your emotions were vulnerable. She intervened, and here you are! She won't stop until your mind belongs to her."

"I've been here for so long, there's no hope for me. But you, you can get through this. Take the things that have happened tonight and never forget them. Keep your friends close, she will target them and use them against you at every opportunity. She's crazy like that!"

Pinkamena's hoof had reached the tip of Fluttershy's clitoris. She began to rub slowly up and down. The pink pony leaned over and gave Fluttershy a hug. Her body as cold as ice and as empty as her eyes. Fluttershy suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness from this entity..

"Hehe, you know you have a lot ahead of you.. You might just not come out of this in one piece! You'll need to be careful. She'll be watching you." said Pinkamena.

"nnnnnggghhhh...." groaned Flutter, her eyes growing heavy quickly. "Tell me more.. Exactly where is here? Who is she? Why me?" she asked, struggling for her words.

"Simply because you were vulnerable, silly. She needs you now. That's why you've been trapped here! This is your creation. This is your mind. Crazy huh? You should keep in mind though, just because this is your mind doesn't mean there aren't other cards in play. You aren't solo up there anymore girly. Just be careful when you go to sleep."

"It's time for you to go. I will handle her. You have to put an end to this place. It doesn't belong here. Hell, I don't belong here! No one should have to exist in a place where time stands still. It isn't fun. And everyone knows if it isn't fun, it isn't Pinkamena!"

"This is the first of many. You've been warned. The rest won't play so nicely!" Fluttershy could hear the sound of Pinkamena's voice fading into the distance.

"..."
*bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep*

The sounds of an alarm filled the room. Fluttershy awoke quickly with a deep gasp as if to take her first breath in days.

"No.. it couldn't have been..?" Fluttershy quickly arose from her bed, grabbing her alarm clock. It was noon again. The clock's alarm had been going for hours.

".. I have to go see Pinkie Pie! I need to know she's alright after that.."

"...."
"Now now.. what did I tell you about letting her go like that?"

The sound of a blade being drawn could be heard as the Pinkamena Fluttershy had encountered took her final breath.