Before the rest could play, the tape flew from my pipbuck towards Pepper. It bounced off her hooves before I realized that I was the one who had thrown it. The confusion etched across her face wasn't enough to break the awkward tension between us. I stared at the pipbuck as if wondering how it had managed to fool me into thinking the voice I heard was that of one of my dearest friends. I wanted to smile and forget about the situation the recording was presenting me, but I couldn't. The cruel joke had drilled deep into my heart. Bolt Chaser would have never done this to another pony. He wouldn't have even stood for the notion.

Yet, here is the proof that you're wrong.

I finally managed to ease my glance towards the mare in front of me. The glare on her face hid only a slight hint of sympathy. After a few seconds, though, even that bit of compassion had melted away. Our stares locked onto each other, remaining incessant and without blinking. My denial and heartbreak were met by her unforgiving eyes. I was hurting, but the look she gave me made me feel terribly guilty.

"You don't believe it, do you?" She finally said.

I hung my head, squeezing my eyes shut.

"You don't believe one of your friends would do anything like this, right?" She continued. "But it doesn't matter to you. You only believe what you want." The tape slid towards me. "Listen to the rest when you get the guts, keep the blasted thing for all I care. When I find the bastard who took me, I'll find some other thing to shove down his throat."

Rage quickly smothered the sadness like a thick tarp. No, that wasn't Bolt. She was doing this to torture me. It wasn't real. It was just another experiment on a plant or technology or something. It had nothing to do with her. I felt tears well up in my eyes, but they were nothing but liquid anger escaping my soul. She was lying to me. That was all the wasteland did; it tortured ponies with lies and deceit.

"I'll get my hooves on him, somehow. When I tear his wings off, I'll make sure he dies a slow and painful-"

Before she could finish, my rage moved my body towards her at lightning speed. I tackled her, sending us rolling down the stairs. Each step we hit echoed with creaks and bangs. I didn't care if my burns were flaring, she would keep her mouth shut about my friends! My mind wouldn't believe she was telling me truth. With all the strength I could muster, I fought to keep her in my grasp on the way down. She dodged my stomps and shoves, pushing me off of her. Finally, we neared the bottom step. I found an opening and took it. My good hoof caught her throat as she laid on her back. I kept her forelegs down with my back hooves. I pinned her to the aluminum floor as her neck muscles struggled under my hoof. I could feel her choking and gagging.

"You're a liar!" I screamed in her face, spittle flying from my muzzle. The heat in my own face was like fire licking away at my hide. "You've done nothing but lie! This hellish place keeps me at an all-time low, and you're no different! You're a part of the wasteland, Pepper! You're like a parasite that continually sucks the happiness from me!" I pushed my hoof further. I couldn't control myself. A tiny voice in my head kept telling me to stop before I killed her. It was silenced by another wave of anger. "It wasn't enough that I had to pathetically fear for my life every second. No, you brought my friends down, too! Bolt Chaser is dead! Gone! You'll never get your filthy hooves on him because he's never coming back! Nico may have betrayed you, but the pegasi I knew were born in a place where honesty and loyalty prevail!" I could have sworn my voice started to become deeper, almost demonic. "I'll make sure you never speak badly of them, again! I'll make sure Equestria pays for what they've done!"

Okay, wait. Where did that last part come from?!

She choked and gagged, squirming under me. Every time her horn lit up to fight back, I pressed harder, keeping her focus from her magic. I screamed again, shaking my head. A burst of pain shot through the back of my eyes. I was suddenly blind to everything. All I could do was feel Pepper losing her battle against me. It felt... good. I wanted to see her die under me. She took everything from me, and now she would pay.

Stop! No! She didn't do anything to me!

"Sienna! Stop!" I heard Nico's voice over the dozens of loud whispers in my head. I tried to look around, but I still couldn't see anything but maroon.

How long have I been here?

I realized what I was about to do, so I moved my hoof.

Only to have it stay where it was.

Wait, why can't I move? What's happening?!

For a brief moment I caught a glimpse of Pepper staring up at me in horror while she strangled. As quick as it appeared, my vision disappeared once again. I tried to scream for help, but nothing came from my muzzle. Then, I saw my reflection in her watery eyes. It was hard to see the details, but I could make out the murderous smirk on my muzzle. You know those horror stories about the ponies with glowing, red eyes when they turn evil? This was almost worse.

They were red, but then they turned orange. Then, orange to yellow. Yellow to green. Green to blue. Blue to violet. Finally, violet, back to red. I had never seen anything like this. My irises were changing the colors of the rainbow. It was pretty, but terrifying. But, the smirk was what I couldn't ignore.

Stop smiling! This isn't right! Stop it!

"Stop it!" I heard myself say in a mocking tone. Pepper's movement slowed.

Pepper! Fight back! Knock me out or something! Please!

Time slowed as I no longer felt her moving. I wanted to cry or scream, but any noise I could have made was caught in my throat. I tried to force my hoof away from her, but it wouldn't budge. All I did was laugh. The chuckle bounced off every wall in the building, turning my blood to ice. The small laugh grew into a maniacal howl.

Suddenly, a body slammed into me, sending me rolling until I hit a wall. Pain erupted into my side, sending waves throughout the rest of me. I gasped for air. I could finally see, although it was still blurry. I was suddenly weakened so much, I crumpled into a ball.

Oh no. Pepper!

Shakily, I looked over to see her still lying in the same place I had pinned her. Nico stood over her, worried and terrified. He put an ear to her chest. I saw my father walk up beside him. I heard Nico ask him something, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. It was so muffled. My senses were fading away. I closed my eyes while Daddy performed CPR.

This is it.

Nico would never forgive me. Pepper would forever hate me. My father would surely be disappointed, as with everypony else. I had tried to kill another innocent pony.

My head was pounding. Somehow, I had lost control over my body. I thought back to when I tore through that group of raiders. I thought I was in control, then, but the more I thought about it, the more similarities I found. I wasn't really in control.

Yep. No different. You killed them in cold blood, just like you did with Pepper. Good job.

"No... Th-they deserved it. Pepper didn't deserve... this." I whispered.

You lost control of your anger, just the same. How weak!

"I-it's not true. Not... true!" I whimpered.

Did you really think you could save the world? Make a difference? You're nothing but a whiney coward. A nuisance. Now, look at what's happened. Look! You can't go back to the Enclave, you're losing the only friends you had, and you'll die alone and scared. Pathetic!

I could have sworn the laughter I was hearing was right in front of me.

Sienna is a cry-baby! The voice sang.

"Please, stop..." I covered my ears and dug my chin into the floor.

Sienna is a scaredy-cat!

"No. S-stop!"

Sienna is a-

"I said, STOP!" I slammed my hooves on the floor, making everyone jump and look at me.

More anger welled up in my chest. I felt something similar to a small shockwave moving through me. For a moment, I saw the same maroon tint, but I quickly shook my head and pushed it away. Once I opened my eyes again, I noticed the two stallions looking at me. Confusion and worry covered their features. Another thing joined those emotions: Fear. It wasn't immediately noticeable, but I could see the way their body language reacted to me.

I looked away from them in disgust and hurt, staring at the small dents under my hooves. The aluminum had been engraved in the shape of horseshoes, under my own. The resentment was quickly taken over by an insufferable sadness. Tears streamed down my face.

What is happening to me?

"Sia..." The tan, unicorn stallion cautiously came closer to me.

I snatched away my gaze, unable to look at him.

"I-" He began to say. His voice was so soft. "I just want to know what happened." He was speaking in a condescending way. I hated that. More than anything, I hated it when I was spoken to like a foal.

I deserved it.

"She... wouldn't stop. Kept saying... horrible things. Sh-she said Bolt Chaser..." I hiccupped.

"What did she say?" There it went again. I was getting annoyed.

"She said h-he took her. She's lying! That tape," I pointed towards the top of the stairs. "had a recording on it. She said it was logs about experiments th-they were conducting on her."

Even though the top of the stairs were a good distance, he managed to grab the recording in his magic and brought it towards us. He went on to inspect it, turning it over a few times. This time, he was silent. I didn't know what he was thinking, and I probably didn't want to know. It was probably best to keep my muzzle shut.

"What happened to you, Sia?"

That question caught me off guard. "I-I don't know. I was just so... so angry..."

"No, I mean you used to be so good-hearted." He did it again.

"I'm sorry!" I cried. "Please, I'm sorry! I-I... Pepper is dead and it's all my fault!" I wept.

"She's unconscious, but she will be fine. S-Sia, I'm not angry at you." Nico stepped a little closer, trying not to get too near. "I'm sorry if it seems that way, I just... I wanted to know what happened, okay?"

Why did he have to speak to me like that? He was acting as if I were a mental patient who just had a breakdown. I don't know how to explain it, but a part of me wanted him to be angry. I wanted him to yell at me and tell me it was not okay. I wanted for him to hit me with the reality of what just happened. That way, I could hear from another pony. At least, it wouldn't be such a clouded memory, then. I hadn't noticed my tears stopped.

"Sia... It's okay. You didn't mean to... hurt her." He took a step forward. "Right?"

"N-no, I did mean it. I'm a m-monster!" I cried.

"Don't say that. You're a good pony. You're good, you just... made a mistake. I-it's okay, though. We'll talk about it when Pepper-"

"I am not good!" I screamed. "She is not going to talk to me! She's the only one who doesn't see me as some problem foal! Now, it's over." I looked down.

"That's not true. She will forgive you. Just apologize and-"

"Stop patronizing me!" I boomed. It was coming back. The anger was swelling into a giant lump in my chest. "I have mental issues that I need to correct, Nico! I am unstable! Just say it! Say I'm an unstable mare! I was a coward! Afraid of my own shadow, before I got here! Now, I stand up for myself, but at what cost?" I pointed to Pepper. Her breathing was back to normal, but she was still unconscious. "I did this. I killed, before, Nico. What if it goes too far and I kill an innocent pony?"

"It was an accident! You didn't mean-"

"Shut up! Just. Shut. Up! I told you, I did mean it!" I heard whispers, again. I was repeating everything they were saying. "I did mean it, but it wasn't my fault." My tone changed, almost instantly. "She lied to me. She tried to accuse Bolt Chaser of foalnapping her! She has said some insulting things to me that are unforgivable! Hated me, just because I am a pegasus! In the short time I have known her, I've felt unsafe around her. I almost slept with my eyes open! How can she hate me so much when she's only known me for a day?"

"She did no such thing! Just because it's hard to trust somepony in the wasteland doesn't mean she hated you!" Nico yelled.

I looked at him. I could feel a brazen smile forming on my muzzle. "Look at you. Now, you want to be honest? What happened to 'poor Sienna' or 'it's not your fault, Sienna'? Do you finally see me for what I am? You're wrong, anyway! She did do those things! And you know what else? She took you from me! She blamed you for her being taken! She never loved you, I loved you!"

Why did I say that? Oh, Celestia, just stop talking!

His eyes grew big. "Y-you... hated me, though. You said you... hated me for what I did."

"I should hate you! You tore my heart to pieces, Nico! Then, when Pepper came back, I saw how happy you were. I tried to accept the fact that you would choose her over me, but I wanted to be selfish, for once! You were supposed to love me!" I knew what I was saying, but I couldn't control it. The maroon was creeping up, again. I wanted to fight it. I wanted to take it all back!

I turned to see Daddy watching me. He seemed to be in shock. I felt so much guilt. So much shame. I wanted to die. I wanted somepony to shoot me so I wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. I started smiling that wicked smile, again.

No! No! Do not hurt him! Leave my father alone!

"You!" I heard myself say. "You left me! You left when I was only a foal! Fleeing to this place, and for what? To run a stupid bar? It's no wonder you and Nico were close friends. You're exactly the same!"

No! I don't mean it! Stop, right now!

I fought as hard as I could. Something had taken my body from me. This time, it was apparent. It was like watching through a dark, red screen and my eyes were the cameras. I had to get out!

"You're all worthless!" I screamed. Or, rather, my mouth screamed.

That's it!

I closed my eyes and willed myself to pull through. It was like being suffocated by thick, black smoke. I don't mean wispy smoke like you get from cigarettes. I'm talking about the kind of smoke that fills the skies after burning piles of rubber. The other entity fought back, too. It was a battle that no one could see. A war that was only felt. I wanted a panic attack to come, so at least I could feel my body. I couldn't even feel myself breathing anymore. For a brief moment, the wine-colored tint vanished. Only for a second, did I see Nico and Daddy staring at me in sheer terror. Something was wrong about the vision, though. They weren't eye level with me. They were below me! I had to look down to see them! Maroon filled my eyes, again. I couldn't be hovering on my own. My wing was featherless!

"What's ...ppening?" I could barely hear my dad yelling over the commotion in my head. It didn't help that he was a little further away.

Nico looked around. The light illuminated from me was new. "Her eyes... They're changing color!" He replied.
He continued to speak, but any sound was changed to a loud buzzing noise. It was similar to the buzz of a faulty fluorescent light. It would have given me a headache, if I could feel it. A loud rumble suddenly thundered. It wasn't outside, though. The thunder came from inside my head. It sounded distant, but close. That's when it happened. A pain, unlike anything I could imagine, shot through my torso. It was enough to connect me back to my body, but only long enough to let out a gut-wrenching scream.

"Sienna! Oh, goddesses, what the hell is wrong with her?!" Nico screamed.

I heard the clanging of hooves to metal. The closer they came, the worse the pain got.

No! Don't come closer! It's hurting me!

My very soul was being sucked out of my body. It's the only way I could describe it. My throat was burning, my heart was on the verge of stopping. I was so cold. Did someone turn on a freezer? I couldn't tell. The numbing chill slowly migrated down my spine. I hoped my backbone wouldn't shatter.

Then, the feeling of being literally torn in two overcame me. There was pulling. Ripping. I was being pulled away from myself! I couldn't even scream, I was in such shock. I was falling away from the screens that were my eyes, descending into a dark place. All I could hear was the faint buzzing that would have drove me insane.

Suddenly, the pain stopped. I couldn't hear anything but a deadly silence. I thought I felt myself looking around, but I was pretty much disembodied. It was so strange. I tried to take a deep breath, but I wasn't breathing. There was no need. I felt... nothing. Absolutely, nothing. Not even my emotions could be sensed. It was just black, all around. It felt like I was part of it, somehow. I was there, but I wasn't, either.

Where the hell am I? What happened to me? Why can't I do anything?

My voice was heard all around me. I didn't say anything, physically, but I could control what words were said.

Nico! Daddy! Pepper...

The louder I "yelled", the louder the echo sounded.

Where are you guys? Hello?

Again, nothing but an echo.

I have to get out of here!

Somehow, I managed to move forward. Well, I wouldn't say move. More like the environment around me moved, depending which direction I wanted to go. I still felt nothing. No breeze, no floor, no emotions, no need to breathe. If I could feel anything, it probably would have been fear. It couldn't have been a dream. You still see and feel things in a dream. Was I dead?

I traveled forward for a few more minutes. Though, it seemed like hours. Was time a thing, here? Soon, I was starting to doubt I was even moving. That is, until I felt a small light in front of me. That's right, I felt it. The warmth was so subtle, at first. I moved towards it. Where else was I supposed to go?

Hello?

No answer.

I didn't know what color the light was, just that it was there. Gravity seemed to pull me towards it. Wait. The light moved towards me. No, that can't be right. I had no idea what was happening, only that I could feel the slight heat growing. Slowly, but it was growing.

Are you... alive?

It was a stupid question, but I didn't think anyone would be there for me to be embarrassed by it.

Green. I could see green! The blackness around me turned into emerald. It still seemed to be a void, though. As it changed color, I surged forward, unwillingly. Warmth changed to cold. Whatever I had turned into, started forming into another body. The strangest part was my eyes forming, again. It was easier to see the color. Like I wasn't imagining it, anymore. I could see green.

Hel-

"-lo?" I felt my mouth move! I grabbed my face, feeling for my nose, then my mane. Everything was back! Except, I wasn't burned. I didn't have any injuries. My clothes were gone, too!

I breathed a sigh of relief. I can breathe! "Now that I can speak... Where the hell am I?!"

"Sienna?"

A voice came from in front of me. I focused my gaze towards the silhouette. I could barely make out who it was.
"What are you doing here, dahling?" She asked.

I perked up, relieved. "Rarity?"

She finally solidified a couple of yards away. Her smile was so welcoming, I couldn't help but run to her and grab her in a hug.

"Thank Celestia, you're here!" I cried.

She wrapped her forelegs around me. "It's good to see you too, dear. What on earth happened to you? One minute, I was watching a fight and the next thing I knew, my view was disrupted. I was afraid something bad has happened!" Rarity held my hoof. "Are you alright?"

I thought for a moment. My memories of what happened after my fight with Pepper were cloudy. Why couldn't I remember?

"I... I don't know what happened. The last thing I can recall is yelling at Nico and... and..." I trailed off.

Oh, no.

"Rarity, something is wrong with me! I got so angry and I lost control of myself! I've been saying awful things to Nico and to Daddy! M-my vision turned red and... and... I just don't know! I can remember pain and feeling like I was being torn in half-"

"What did you say?" She planted her hooves on the floor... or whatever was below us.

I pulled my ears back. "Like I was b-being torn in half... It was-"

She bit her lip, worried. That wasn't good.

"Is there any chance you may have...noticed your eyes changing color, too?" She said, quietly.

I stared at her. How would she know about that?

"I think Nico or my dad said something about it. Why?" I secretly didn’t want an answer.

Rarity's expression switched to concern, then mild anger. She stomped her hoof. "Pony feathers! I knew this would happen! Why didn't I look into that spell a little more?" She paced back and forth for a short time, before she turned and saw my confusion. Looking away for a moment, she sighed.

"R-Rarity... What's wrong?" I asked.

I saw her bottom lip quiver. "Sia, dear, I'm so sorry this has happened to you. Y-you see...This may be my fault." She rubbed her neck.

My eyes widened. What?!

"It must have been the spell. Remember when I said you were the only one who could use the necklace's power since you were the first to put it on? Well, in order to make that happen, I had to connect the stone to a small part of the wearer's soul. It wasn't enough to have a large effect, though. Or, rather, it wasn't supposed to have that much of an effect." She explained. "Something has polluted the magical connection between you and the necklace. It has found a way to use the jewelry to keep your body and mind separate." She gulped. "I think it may have control over your body."

"Wait, you're telling me that I'm somehow part of the necklace, now? L-like you?" I asked. My throat felt like it was closing. "Someone or something has my body?!"

"Well, yes and no. Your soul is connected to it, but once the necklace was removed, you were supposed to stay in your body." She continued. "That's how it's supposed to work, anyway."

"But, I'm not in my body!" I whimpered. I gripped her shoulders and shook them. "You gotta help me! I-I can't stay like this!" Could I not feel panic attacks? I normally would have been on the verge of having one, by now. I was scared, but no physical signs were there.

She stared at me, sympathetically. "I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll try my best, dahling. First, we have to figure out what exactly happened. Let's see if we can take a peek of the outside, shall we?"

The beautiful unicorn flashed a comforting smile before she lit her horn. The green glow did little to stand out against our similarly-tinted surroundings. It didn't take much effort for her to form a large sphere with her magic. It hovered between us, slowly gaining its form. The white glow warmed my face. At least I could feel temperatures. The magic around her horn faded away, leaving the sphere. I felt like I was about to stare into a crystal ball...

All stats: 0

New Perks!
Ghostly - If you get your body back, all skill levels will be raised 5%.
??? - ???

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Kkat for this amazing universe!

I have returned! Told you I wasn't cancelling the story. I am super duper sorry for the extended absence. A lot has happened since I uploaded my last chapter. Well, I think that's an understatement. I have added a new member of my family. That's like... creating a life.

Thank you guys so much for your patience! I am truly grateful to be a part of this awesome community! Thanks for reading!
-AP