Red wasn't a very emotional person. He thought that if you showed a stranger what you were feeling, you gave them the advantage. But, in the moment he was in, he couldn't care less. "Oh look, you actually have emotions, what a surprise..." Fuck off. "You have no idea how much I wish I could. So, when are you leaving?" Tonight. "Really? Why not now?" Because, not only would I rather prefer to leave when it's dark, I don't want to risk being followed. "Good point, after all, you just wouldn't forgive yourself if another innocent got hurt, would you?

Later, when he was sure that Fluttershy was asleep, Red got up from the couch, grabbed the sword that Nightmare had made, and quietly walked out the door. Or, at least, as quiet as someone only able to use one arm and had to carry a sword at the same time could be. Once he closed the door, he turned back to the forest. "Wait, we're seriously not going back there? Right?" Sorry Nightmare, I know you just left, but I need to hide for a while. "Fine, I suppose I can handle another few weeks in there..." As Red walked toward the forest, he noticed a shadow pass over him for a moment. He looked up, but saw nothing.

Shrugging, he entered the forest. As he walked along the path the had taken to get to the ruins, he heard Nightmare and Broken talking. Hey, what're you two talking about? "Nothing of your interest, trust me." Once Red got to the bridge, he saw that something was different about it. It was nearly destroyed. Something big must have tried to cross here. "Well, that's one option gone..." Hm, what makes you say that? As Red turned to go back the way he came, he felt a chill go down his spine. He snapped back to the bridge, and saw that it was somehow repaired.

"What..." "The..." Fuck?

Uh, Nightmare... "Don't even ask, I have no idea how this could have happened..." If you say so... As Red walked across the bridge, he felt like he was being watched. He looked over his shoulder, but there was nothing. I'm not just paranoid, I know something's watching, probably the same thing that repaired the bridge. Shuddering, Red made it to the other side. He looked behind him again, but he still saw nothing.

Once Red saw the ruins, he saw something that made his blood run cold. A lone pony, standing at the entrance. Unnaturally tall, and with no facial features that Red could see, it reminded him a lot of something he knew.  Are you fucking kidding me? This world has one too? "What do you mean by that?" Wait, you don't know what, or rather, who, that is? "No idea..."

That is probably this world's version of a monster I knew. The monster's name was Slenderman. "Wait, that's sounds familiar..." As Red looked at the lone pony, tilted it's head. "Yes, now I remember, the legend of Slendermane..." Red shook, knowing just what that thing was capable of, or at least some of what it was capable of. As Red moved toward the stairs, he never took his eyes off the pony. Then, suddenly, as Red blinked, the pony disappeared. "Remember what I told before the final fight with your brother, mate. Don't be afraid of your own kind. You'll only end up afraid of yourself."

When Red made it to the entrance, he couldn't keep his hands from shaking. He stepped inside. It was noticeably cleaner than the last time he was here. As he walked, he noticed that the inside of the ruins was actually colder than the night air outside. He just kept walking forward. He couldn't bring himself to move his body in any other direction. As he opened a set of double doors, he saw that there was a fireplace, with a fire already going. He noticed that there were two chairs. One was closer to the fire, so he took that chair. Glancing at the other chair, he realized with a shudder that he wasn't the only one in the room.

The fire had warmed Red a considerable amount. When he looked at the other chair again, he saw that the pony he had seen before was in the chair. Instead of feeling terrified, he felt, somewhat, reassured. He hadn't been torn in half, so that was a plus. "Remember, mate. You were able to kill your brother, you should be able to kill this one too, if need be." As the silence in the room dragged on, Red heard Nightmare and broken talking again. Okay, seriously, what are you two talking about? As he thought of the question, the pony at the chair had gotten up, and was walking toward Red.

Red glanced at the pony before returning his gaze to the fire. "Tell me, what brings you to these ruins?" As Red continued to look into the fire, he answered, "Trying to get away from civilization. What other reason would I have?" As he said that, the pony stopped a few feet away from Red. "A good reason. But, I think that's only part of the truth." "Hm, could be, but I'd rather keep that to myself, if you don't mind." As soon as Red finished that sentence, he felt another chill go down his spine, despite being near the fire. "Oh, I do mind. Now, tell me, what are you, and what are you doing in my forest?"

"What makes you think it's your forest?" Red asked. As he felt yet another chill go down his spine, he heard, "Didn't you see the note? It's not like you could have missed it, not with that mind of yours. Always looking at the smallest detail. You never let anything escape your attention, do you?" Red looked at the pony, "How would you know that?" "Your little friends aren't the only ones who knows what goes on in that little head of yours."

"Wait, that means..." "He knows what we've been saying the entire time we've been in this castle." Red's eyes widened. And what in the hell were you two talking about? "Um, nothing?" Tell me. Now. As Red stared into the fire, he grit his teeth. The two voices in his head, the ones who knew exactly what was in his head, had been talking behind his back. Of course, Red shouldn't be surprised. Broken was insane, and he only met Nightmare.

But he was still furious. And he would find out out what they were saying while he wasn't paying attention to them. Next Chapter: Voices Part II Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 53 Minutes