This is neato! Fleurry gave me this awesome-cool quill that never runs out of ink and writes down everything I say. I could say ‘sassafras’ and— look look, it wrote it! Sassafras sassafras sassafras! I wonder how many words it knows. Let’s find out!

Chimichanga. Albatross. Balloons! Party favors? Cake cake cake! Jumping Jacks. Zap-Apple Jam. Incision. Cherrychanga! Streamers? Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Ooooh, it’s gooooood. Let’s see… slaughter. Laughter. Master? Monster. Monster-vonster-bo-bonster! Claw… uh… oh, vivisect! Hold still, you’re giving me some ideas. Oh, scream, that’s a good one! Blood, cut… what’s a harder word for cut? A-ha, excision! Oh, that’s some good inspiration there. Let’s see… spleen, lungs, heart, eye, tongue, liver, lower intestine—

---

It’s not my fault, okay? If he didn’t want me to lose my quill he shouldn’t have let me cut him open. I mean really, how was I supposed to know stomach acid would damage the thing? Besides, he didn’t knock. Rude! But Fleurry gave me another after I promised to clean up the mess, and she promised she’d make this place off-limits to castle staff so that I wouldn’t be disturbed. Which is good, because I get distracted easily.

I’ll have to ask Uncle Fine if they can wash the blood off the paper. Oh, I hope he doesn’t get mad! He said this book was super important.

I have to make Uncle Fine happy. He’s always working so hard and making him smile isn’t easy. Like how right after I was born…

I don’t want to remember that. I think I better stop here.

—unsigned, presumed Surprise the Pegasus, Book of Shadows XLVIII

May 13, C.Y. 1007

Fine pulled the curtain aside and watched the light snowfall. The carriage rocked wildly along the largely unused path, the trees and mountains hidden from view thanks to the darkness. He leaned back in his seat and thought on his orders again. His presence here was nothing short of confusing. He’d been the Mane Archon – in the same capacity as Hoofknife had been – for a mere two weeks. That his first major command from Celestia was a mere gopher job mystified him. He couldn’t complain, seeing as he already knew what kind of job she could have given him, but it was still odd.

The ride had been long and quiet, bumps aside. The air had grown thin with altitude and the trees were spread out at this point, far from the thick foliage at the hoof of the mountains. The road barely qualified as such, largely due to the need for it to remain untouched by regular ponies. Had Fine not known ahead of time about the team that walked the path on a monthly basis clearing major obstacles, he’d find it a minor miracle the road was usable at all. Still a rough ride, though; they wanted the road passable, not comfortable.

At last the carriage rolled to a stop. Fine adjusted his knife and pushed open the door, not interested in waiting for his drivers to do it for him. Stepping out into the snow, he took a look at his surroundings; nothing but darkness, sparse trees and rock. He could see what appeared to be a steep drop just within visibility. He shivered in the cold and tugged the collar of his jacket up against the wind.

One of the drivers, a red earth pony with a wild orange mane, approached him while the other worked on pulling the torch from the carriage. “If you’ll follow me, sir?”

Fine nodded and let the mare lead him towards the drop. They paused by the road and waited for the other mare – a green earth pony with a brown mane – to join them with the torch. They walked along the cliffside, Fine occasionally glancing at the seemingly bottomless darkness below. Most ponies would have been nervous at such a sight. Fine found it curious at best. The mare with the torch didn’t seem so excited about it, keeping well away from the edge.

They eventually came upon a slope going along the side of the cliff, which they carefully descended. It was wide enough for three ponies to walk side-by-side, but the uneven ground, low visibility and occasional gust of wind convinced them to walk single file without even having to discuss the subject. The green mare all but pressed her body against the rocky wall of the cliff. Fine used his magic to take the torch from her; one less thing for her to fret over.

The incline twisted and turned around the cliff for a while, occasionally doubling back beneath where they’d already walked. Fine had no way to tell the time in the dark, but he guessed that they’d been walking an hour by the time they reached the bottom. There was a lone pine tree standing beside the cliff, and the red mare knocked on it as if it were a door.

Silence greeted them, save for the biting wind. Fine adjusted his collar again and glanced down the steep cliff once more. Still nothing but darkness below. How far up were they?

His ears perked to the sound of a bird somewhere above them.

“Sounds like a woodlark,” the red mare said.

“I-In Equestria?” the other asked, her eyes flitting between the tree and the cliff. “More like a crane.”

“Whatever you say.”

Fine listened to the exchange in stoic silence, lifting his hoof to the green mare’s shoulder. She gave him a brief, grateful look before turning her attention back to the darkness.

A crunch filled the air, making all three ponies flinch at the abrupt sound. With much grinding and shaking, the big boulder by the tree began to rise up the cliff. Fine couldn’t help but smile; it was a pretty good illusion, that rock. He might have thought differently if he’d seen it in the bright daylight, but for now he was pleased with the craftsmanship.

A dark passage lay behind the boulder, which the three quickly filed into. The rock began to descend, and they waited quietly for it to hit the bottom and enshroud the trio in darkness. A moment’s pause, then a lamp ignited from a hook on the ceiling. Fine peered at his surroundings, easily making out holes in the walls where some kind of trap undoubtedly lay, just waiting to be triggered. No poisoned arrows or gas or flames this time, though; the wall opposite the boulder slid down, revealing a tall, thin pegasus in a blue officer’s uniform. He had a face that would have fit in perfectly amongst the rocks outside.

The pony turned his black face directly to Fine Crime. “The Mane Archon, I presume?”

“That would be me.” Fine stepped forward and bumped the stallion’s waiting hoof. “Here to pick up Celestia’s asset.”

“Patient Practice, Head of Security. Welcome to the House of Eyes.” He turned to the mares and gestured down a long hall. “You two can wait in the visitor’s lobby until we’re done. Hot coffee, hot chocolate, food, feel free to whatever you like. Don’t try the pepper balls from Nildia unless you really like your food hot.” He turned and gestured to Fine. “Shall we?”

They walked through a wood-paneled corridor, past a guard booth where four burly ponies watched them with undisguised scrutiny. At Patient’s nod, the guard at the window pressed a button under the desk, unlocking the door before him.

“Y’know, I used to be an Archon.”

Fine nodded as they passed through a large room and made for an elevator. “Retired three years ago. Busted knees after a long fall, ended your field career.”

Patient looked back with a curious expression. “You looked up my record?”

“I like to know who I’m working with.” He grimaced as he recalled scouring the archives back in Canterlot. “Couldn’t find much about your inmate, though. Just a name and a list of crimes.”

The stallion nodded as he punched a button on the elevator, which began to rise. “Hoofknife wanted the records on all the major research centers to be contained at the centers themselves to minimize the risk of said records being uncovered.”

“I’m going to fix that,” Fine said, tapping his knife as he scowled at the wall. “I need better access. I’m planning to set up a magical storage method for more reliable information delivery. Not sure how to do it yet.”

“If you can make it work, it’ll be worth it,” Patient admitted. “I remember having hell trying to get reliable information just because of the hoofwork required to get the files I needed for a mission. Talk about a mess.”

“Been there, done that.” The elevator stopped, and Fine followed Patient out. They were now in a long corridor of natural stone lined with white, metal doors. Fine didn’t bother to examine the cells as he passed; he had no interest in knowing what these researchers were doing to their inmates. Knowing Celestia, it probably wasn’t something for the betterment of ponykind.

“So what can you tell me about the prisoner?”

“You’ll be surprised.” The officer pulled out a small notebook from a pocket of his uniform and began flipping pages between steps. “She’s young, and I mean young. They caught her four months ago, amongst the bodies of her victims and coated in blood. Doesn’t deny that she did it, and bucking terrified of doing it again. Which she has, several times since she got here.”

Fine cocked an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to make sense?”

Patient paused before one of the doors, sat and flipped a little faster through his notebook. “Ever heard of a Bloodmane?”

Fine’s breath caught in his throat. He stared at the officer, trying to process what he’d just heard. Patient didn’t notice until he found the page he was after and glanced up. “Uh… you okay?”

“Open it.”

The stallion titled his head but did as he was told, pressing buttons on a panel by the door. A small pink crystal above the panel began to glow and blinked when he touched it; the sound of a lock touched Fine’s ears.

Fine reached up to stop Patient from opening the door, looking the officer in the eye. “How long since her last kill?”

It seemed Patient understood the situation, for he stepped back as if Fine were a viper prepared to strike. “Six days.”

“Three weeks between?”

Patient audibly swallowed, his eyes wide. “G-give or take a day or two.”

Fine nodded, his eyes on the door handle. “Any experiments performed on her?”

Patient shook his head. “Not yet. The researchers didn’t think she was old enough to withstand the experiments.” He hesitated and averted his gaze. “Not out of the kindness of their hearts, the bastards.”

Sucking in a deep breath, Fine nodded and pushed open the door. The interior was white and padded. The first thing he spotted was the urinal in the corner. Not seeing any sign of the prisoner, he carefully stepped inside. No sign of her against the wall or on the bed. The lighting was painfully bright, created by some kind of gemstone in the ceiling.

She had to be in the corner he couldn’t see, the one the door blocked. Not knowing if the prisoner was dangerous, Fine took no chances; he turned to face the door and stepped back, the knife at his throat encased in a preparatory magic aura. Reasonably sure he could defend himself, he sidestepped… and his jaw dropped.

It was a filly, a tiny ball of pink. She was huddled in the corner, face buried in her hooves and shaking all over. She was so… small.

For a long time, he could only stare. When he at last managed to move, he turned his eyes on Patient, who was watching him with head low and ears folded back. Fine’s lips worked, but at last he managed to silently mouth “How old?”

Patient mouthed back, “Seven.”

Seven. The number pierced Fine’s heart like a knife; he’d been the same age for his first time. He could still vividly recall his uncle’s face as the blade found his heart. If things had happened slightly differently – if he’d not had the presence of mind to flee from the authorities – would he have ended up in a padded cell like this one all those years ago?

What was Celestia planning to do with this foal? Something she wanted him privy to, no doubt. Was this… some kind of message?

Fine swallowed, soothing his dry throat. He gestured to Patient to remain in the hall and began to approach the filly. Slowly, so very slowly, he crouched down a few paces away. “Hello there.”

The filly gasped and seemed to squeeze deeper into the corner. “Go away!”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.” She sobbed into her fetlock. “D-don’t wanna hurt you.”

“You won’t.”

“I will!” The filly shook her head frantically, her straight mane hiding her face. “I’ll m-make you bleed. D-don’t like blood. Please, go away.”

He shushed her, crawling just a little closer and reaching out. “I know. It’s scary. So much blood, so many screams.” He touched her head and she flinched, but she couldn’t move any farther away. He began stroking her neck. “You don’t know why you do it, or why you can’t stop it. You want to, you want to so badly.”

Light blue eyes, bloodshot and shining from tears, peeked through the wall of pink mane. He offered her a sad smile.

“Nopony understands, do they? They tell you it’s not your fault, that you did nothing wrong.” He paused to collect himself, rubbing his own eyes with a fetlock as memories came back like a wound with the scab ripped off. “But you feel wrong, don’t you? They don’t know the horrible, terrible pleasure of it, the pleasure that makes you feel sick and hate yourself afterwards. You can’t help thinking that all the monsters out there – the creature under the bed, the boogie pony in the woods – they’re nothing. You feel like you’re the worst monster of all.”

A tear fell down his cheek. Fine was short of breath. The filly finally sat up, staring at him with wide eyes.

“And all you want to do is disappear.” He stared at his hooves. “Go far away so that you’ll never hurt anypony again. M-maybe if you didn’t exist, then the nightmare would be over. But you always wake up… and…”

The filly barreled into him, clutching her small legs around his neck and sobbing. He ignored his own tears and held her close, rubbing her back and listening dutifully as she let it all out. He sat up and cradled her in both legs, his breathing slow and controlled to keep himself from breaking any further down that he already had.

He remained there for some time, wallowing in his bloody memories and waiting for the poor filly to recover. When her crying was at last reduced to a few mere sniffles, he patted her head and asked, “Can you tell me your name?”

She sat back in his hold and looked up at him, face streaked by dried tears. She wasn’t smiling, but at least she was calmer. “I… I’m Pinkie Pie.”

“Hello, Pinkie.” He smiled. “I’m Fine.”

“Hello, Fine.” She hunched down and rubbed her tiny hooves together. “Are y-you… a monster too?”

He huffed a weak chuckle. “Yes, Pinkie, I’m a monster too.”

Her eyes went to her hooves, prompting her mane to fall over half her face. “Are… are they going to lock you in here with me?”

He smiled and nuzzled her. “No, my little pony; I’m taking you out of here.”

She looked up, eyes wide. “B-but.. but I might hurt somepony.”

Fine cocked his head. “Do you like it here?”

Pinkie shook her head. “They’re not nice here, but if I leave… I don’t want to hurt ponies anymore. Mommy and Daddy… They… Th-they wouldn’t want me to…” Her little lip trembled and tears reformed in her eyes.

A distinct horror filled Fine. He swallowed down the nasty taste in his mouth and shook off the sensation, raising the filly so he could look into her eyes. “Somepony very important wants to meet you, Pinkie. How would you like to see Princess Celestia?”

“The princess?” Pinkie gaped at him, then covered her mouth with both hooves and frantically shook her head. “I don’t wanna hurt the princess!”

Fine chuckled at that. “Pinkie, if you could hurt the princess I would be very impressed. I promise you, there’s no way you could hurt her.”

Pinkie kept her hooves over her lips, eyes as big as saucers. “Are you sure? Really sure?”

“I personally watched the princess defeat an entire army by herself. Yes, Pinkie, I’m really really sure that you won’t hurt her.”

The filly leaned forward, her voice shaking. “W-will you stay with me? All the way there?”

“Yes.” Fine offered his warmest smile. “I promise.”

Pinkie chewed her lip and glanced at the open door. Fine could almost see the gears turning in her tiny head. At last, she nodded. “Okay, I’ll go. Maybe the princess can fix me. Can she fix me?”

Fine managed to hold his smile, but only barely. Though his heart ached, he kept his voice as steady as he could. “I hope so, Pinkie.

“I really do.”

“That’ll be eight bits.”

Fine hoofed over the funds before taking the bags in his magic, floating them alongside the one already in his possession. “Much obliged.” Tonight’s dinner acquired, he left the small restaurant and made his way back to the inn. Night had long ago fallen and the world was quiet. The stars twinkled overhead and Fine made no attempt to hurry, enjoying the darkness and the sound of the snow crunching beneath his hooves.

It was truly a pleasant evening, even with the chill of winter. The little village was well decorated for the coming of Hearth’s Warming, with holly wreaths and red ribbons and brightly-lit lamps everywhere he looked. Fine had nothing for or against the holiday and had to admit that, for such a quaint little backwater, the villagers had done a great job decorating. It seemed Mellow Falls was full of festive ponies. Almost every soul he passed offered a grin and a “Happy Hearth’s Warming!” greeting.

Fine tried to remind himself that he had nothing to be happy about, but the pleasantness of the town was infectious and he was smiling as he walked through the inn’s front door. Inside was a lively scene as a horde of earth ponies chattered around frosted mugs and seasonal food. There was laughter, music and no shortage of good cheer. Fine had been nervous at first, seeing as he was a unicorn in what was clearly an earth pony town, but the racial tensions of much of Equestria didn’t mean much here. That or everypony was in too good of a holiday mood to care.

In either case, it made Fine’s life easier, and he wasn’t about to complain. He made his way up the stairs, bags floating over his shoulder. At the top he found his two mare drivers huddled against the wall and appearing very interested in one another. They were putting on such a good show that Fine wondered if it wasn’t an act after all, especially considering it was their idea.

“Ladies. Anything interesting, other than one another?” He levitated one of the bags closer to them as he approached.

“Not a thing, boss. Filly’s quiet as a mouse in there.” The green mare – Roxy, he now knew – took the bag in her mouth.

“And nopony’s even come upstairs since you left,” the red one – Fire Fox – said. “You get extra pickles on mine like I asked?”

“I ordered it,” he said as he walked by for his room. “Whether you got it is up to the cooks. You two go have ‘fun,’ I think I can take it from here.”

Fire Fox winked and followed Roxy to their room next door. “I’ll take that as an order. Fun shall be had! Hope the walls are thick.” She stuck her tongue out at his raised eyebrow and giggled as they disappeared into their room. Fine couldn’t resist a small smile; compared to how anxious and serious they’d been around him when this trip started, now they were downright playful. It was good to know he could handle his job and be friendly with those under him. Hoofknife had never been good at that.

He entered his room, closing the door quietly behind him. He glanced around, taking in the small but cozy space and the big bed. In the corner was a simple desk, on which a pile of scrolls and letters lay; Fine’s work from earlier in the evening. He smirked and went to put his two bags down on the desk, brushing aside the paperwork to make room.

He turned about and surveyed the place a second time. No pink filly. He pretended to keep looking, making his way to the bed. He stopped right beside it and raised his eyes to the ceiling.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think there was a monster under my bed.”

A pink filly burst from under the bed and wrapped her hooves around his leg. “You’re back!”

He grinned and patted her head. “Of course I am. I said I would be.”

Pinkie looked up at him with a hurt expression. “B-but you were gone for so long!”

“Only for an hour.” He lifted her in his magic and set her on his back. “C’mon, I brought some food.”

“An hour? That’s like… like forever!” She hugged the back of his neck as he approached the desk. “I was scared.”

“Fire and Roxy were just outside.”

Pinkie only tightened her hold. “I could have hurt them…”

Fine paused to consider that. Should he say what he wanted to? What was worse, knowing that the next vision was inevitable, or not knowing when or even if it would come next? He glanced back, but couldn’t see Pinkie due to her hold on his neck. “Pinkie, do you know what a week is?”

The filly pulled her face out of his mane and snorted. “Your mane smells funny.”

“That’s because it’s dyed.” He picked her up with his magic and set her on the desk. “Now, do you know what a week is?”

“Seven days.” Her muzzle wrinkled up and she rubbed it as if it itched. “What do you mean, ‘died?’ Can a mane be hurt?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “It means I changed its color. My mane is normally red, but I make it black.”

“Oh.” She cocked her head a bit too far to the side and nearly fell over, legs waving as she righted herself. “Why?”

He grinned and flicked his mane at her; it tickled her muzzle and made her giggle. “Because my special gift is hiding, and having a black mane makes that easier. Now—” he sat and leaned forward, “—do you know how long it’s been since you last hurt somepony?”

Her smile collapsed and she bowed her head, her mane forming a wall between her eyes and him. “N-no…”

“Ten days.” He tilted her chin up and tried to smile for her. “That means you have another eleven days before you’ll want to again. We’ll meet the princess before that time.”

“Eleven days?” She thought on this, not losing her long face. “H-how do you know?”

He tapped his chest. “Because I’m a monster too, remember? I’ve been a monster for a lot longer than you, and I know how it works.”

She bowed her head once more and turned her face away, fully concealing it behind her mane. “I don’t wanna hurt anypony.”

“Neither do I.” He petted her mane as his magic opened one of the two bags on the desk. “Let’s eat, hmm?” A pair of oatburgers rose from the bags, one much smaller than the other.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Neither am I.”

Pinkie was silent for a while, but at last turned around and took the small burger in her hooves. She ate slowly, her mouth moving as if on auto-pilot. Fine watched her far-off stare, the burger dry and tasteless on his tongue. Silence ruled the room and he was loathe to interrupt it.

Pinkie set her half-finished meal down and felt at her stomach. Fine wondered if he wasn’t about to have a small mess to clean, but the filly sucked down a deep breath and seemed to shake off whatever had come over her. She looked up at him with big, hopeful eyes. “Do you think the princess can fix me?”

Fine froze mid-chew. Four days he’d been waiting for that question to come up again, and he still hadn’t figured out how to answer. “I… uh…”

Eyes going to her hooves, Pinkie kicked at the table and muttered a half-hearted, “Momma said not to talk around food.”

He dutifully swallowed. “Pinkie… I…”

“She can’t, can she?” The filly sighed and looked away. “She can’t fix me.”

Fine sighed and began stroking her neck. “I don’t know. Pinkie, I don’t even know why she wants to see you.”

Pinkie sat and pushed against his hoof, almost like a cat. “M-maybe she wants to be a hero.”

He cocked his head. “A hero?”

“That’s what Celestia is, isn’t she?” Pinkie raised a hoof to stare at it. “Princess Celestia, Hero of Equestria. I’m a monster. Heroes… hurt… monsters…”

Fine thought his heart might have snapped in two. Before he knew what he was doing, he’d grabbed the filly up and was hugging her to his chest. His legs shook and it took everything he had not to start crying.

“You’re not a monster, Pinkie.”

“But—”

“You’re not a monster!” He tightened his hold, her tiny gasp seeming disproportionately loud in the quiet room. “You’re just a poor, unlucky filly. Celestia’s not going to hurt you because you are not a monster.”

Pinkie squirmed in his grasp. “Y-you’re hurting…”

“Sorry!” He held her at leg’s length, barely noticing the tear trickling down his cheek. “Sorry, Pinkie.” He stared at her sad eyes, her deep frown, her face so empty of energy. Another crack ran through his heart. “I’m so, so sorry.”

She squirmed and tried to reach for him. “Please don’t cry. It’s not your fault! I don’t mind being hugged.”

He smiled, knowing it was a weak display. “You’re a good kid, Pinkie Pie, and don’t let anypony tell you otherwise.”

She rubbed one hoof over the other and bowed her head once again. “Am not.”

He set her down and tapped her on the head. “Don’t argue with your elders. Now… you think you can finish that burger off?”

She felt at her stomach, glanced at the burger and blanched. “I don’t think so.”

“Well, that’s okay.” Fine levitated some paper napkins from one of the bags and used it to wipe her face, earning him a frown from a scrunched-up muzzle. “What? Not sharing the bed with a dirty filly.”

She pointed at his chest. “What about you?”

He glanced down and saw that he had ketchup and a bit of lettuce in his fur. He chuckled and wiped it off. “That’s your fault.”

“Is not.”

“Is too.”

“Is not.”

“Is too.”

Pinkie crossed her hooves and stuck her tongue out at him. He returned the favor and crossed his eyes for good measure, his effort rewarded with a small giggle. “Now, before you go to bed…” He pulled the remaining bag closer to them. It was smaller than the original and decorated with a mix of colors. “How much do you know about the Mare in the Moon?”

The filly tilted her head at the bag, then looked up at him with an uncertain gaze. “Umm… the big shadow on the moon?”

He nodded. “Do you know what she is?” Pinkie shook her head. “She’s a dream weaver.”

“Weave?” Pinkie raised her hooves and studied them, wiggling them a few times in imitation of something. She looked up at Fine again, confusion plastered on her face. “Like Momma with her cloth?”

“Not quite.” The bag opened and Fine pulled out the reason it had taken him an hour to get supper. It was a wooden ponyquin, with a solid body and legs that dangled from strings. The head and wings bobbed on springs and its mane and tail were wool. It had a long rubber horn and a dark blue coat of paint.

The doll floated to Pinkie, it’s little legs clacking together, and Pinkie gaped at it. “For me?” He nodded, and she took it tentatively in her hooves. The head bobbled as she turned the doll to look at its every angle.

“I noticed you have nightmares.”

She abruptly clutched the doll close, hunching over it and avoiding his gaze.

“It’s okay.” He petted her mane once more with a patient smile. “Nopony can blame you. I had a lot of nightmares when I was a colt.” Best not mention he still did. “That’s why I’m giving you the doll. It’s her.”

She peeked through her mane with wide eyes. “The Mare in the Moon?”

He nodded, his smile broadening a touch. “If you keep her close, she’ll watch over you and help you have better dreams. That’s her job, you know.” He had no intention of telling her about the real Mare in the Moon, either; the filly had enough trouble without knowing her doll also represented the Queen of Nightmares.

He wondered if he’d get to meet her. Now that he thought on it, it seemed very likely. One more thing to not look forward to.

“What’s her name?”

He blinked, taken out of his reverie by the question. “Name?”

Pinkie nodded, still holding the doll close. “It’s not really ‘The Mare in the Moon,’ is it?”

His smile came back. “It’s Luna.”

“Luna.” Pinkie held the doll out, its head bobbing and legs clacking. She studied its wooden, blue face. “Will you help my dreams, Luna?” She turned her head and lifted her ear attentively. After a second she yawned and clutched the doll close again. “I hope so. I don’t like the bad dreams.”

Fine stroked her mane one last time before lifting her up in his magic. “Come on, little miss. Bed time.”

Pinkie made no attempt to argue as he tucked her under the covers, but when he turned for the desk he heard her shifting to face him. “Are you gonna work?”

He paused, the pleading in her tone like glue on his hooves. He glanced back and saw her watching him, half-buried in covers and only her eyes and mane visible around the doll. They stared into him, big and blue and oh-so full of hope. He forced himself to look to the desk, at the small pile of scrolls and letters. He’d already canceled the spell, so he’d receive no more tonight. He had mission reports to review, status updates, orders to issue…

Barely holding back a groan, he used his magic to blow out the lamp above the desk. “No, Pinkie. Not tonight.” He turned back to the bed and slipped under the covers. She nestled against his chest before he even had a chance to settle, burying her face in his fur with a tiny smile.

Fine brushed a hoof through her mane and cursed himself.

If only he knew what Celestia had planned for the foal…

Pinkie’s quiet voice broke the silence. “I don’t like it here.”

Fine followed behind Fire Fox, carefully picking his way over the snow-covered ground. “I know.”

“It’s scary.”

He smirked. “I’ve seen worse.”

She shivered and tugged at his mane. “Do we have to be here?”

“Eeyup.” Fine climbed carefully over a fallen log, then turned to help Roxy across. The earth pony clearly didn’t need it, but seemed to appreciate the offer anyway. Their breaths rose as steam in the chill air.

Pinkie grumbled something under her breath. “Why’s the princess way out here, anyway?”

“I have no idea.” He glanced back to see Pinkie pouting between his shoulder blades, her hooves crossed as she sulked. She wore a small brown coat, purchased in nearby Ponyville. He kept his smile in check until he was safely looking forward once more.

His smile abruptly faded, for they were now in a small clearing. In the center, open like the mouth of a great worm, was a substantial hole in the ground. Celestia’s chariot was just visible behind the bare trees on the opposite side of the clearing, and a pair of pegasus guardsponies stood at attention by the hole.

They saluted as Fine approached. “Sir, the princess said to join her inside.”

Pinkie’s little hooves landed on his forehead as she worked for a better view. “A-are we going down there?”

“We are indeed.” He turned to Roxy and Fire Fox. “You two should probably stay out here. Why don’t you show our friends here your clever deception technique?” The two mares shared wicked grins as he turned back to the hole.

“Do we have to?”

Fine used his magic to pick Pinkie up and hold her with one leg, all so he could look her in the eye. “Don’t you worry, little miss, I’m right here.” Yet even as he smiled for her, his stomach was cutting flips. He so desperately didn’t want to proceed, but Celestia’s orders had been clear. He knew he couldn’t resist the instinctual, magical force that was already tugging at his legs.

Somehow, he managed to hold back. He wouldn’t be able to for long, but he fought the urge and watched Pinkie, who was hiding behind her mane once more and staring at the cave. She nestled against his chest and shivered. “The princess will be nice?”

Goddess, but he hoped so! “Of course she will.”

Pinkie looked up at him with those big eyes he wished weren’t so filled with hope. Why the buck did Celestia make him deliver this foal? If she did anything to Pinkie, he’d…

He’d what? Give her dirty looks? Think murderous thoughts? There wasn’t another option, and that made him feel all the more pathetic. His legs were starting to wobble with the need to enter the hole.

“Okay.” Pinkie puffed out her chest, squared her small shoulders and stared down into the darkness. “I’m ready.”

“Good girl.” Fine breathed a sigh of relief as he at last let his legs take over. He began to descend, only mildly surprised to find a shallow incline just inside. The path curved along in a steady circle, the world never going completely dark. Soon he felt a wave of warmth come over him. It could only be due to some spell of Celestia's.

It was only a few seconds before they entered the cavern. It was broad and tall, but not empty; the place was filled with a variety of plants, some of which literally glowed. It was bright enough to make most of the cavern visible, including the wide, mirror-smooth pool at the center of the cavern. There, staring at the water with an intense focus, was Princess Celestia.

Pinkie gasped. “Is that her?”

Fine barely managed to keep his grimace at bay. “That’s her.”

“She looks so… pretty.” The filly gained a broad smile. “She must be a good pony.”

Fine kept his jaw clamped, determined not to respond to that declaration. He busied himself with getting Pinkie out of her coat, for now it was too warm for such a thing. He kept his distance from the princess; though her horn wasn’t glowing, he suspect disturbing her concentration right now would be a bad idea.

Pinkie had other plans. “What’s she looking at?”

“Hush.”

Celestia’s eyes flicked their direction and a soft smile formed on her lips. “Hello, Fine Crime. I see you’ve completed your mission.”

Fine sat and readjusted his hold on Pinkie, who squirmed against his grasp. “One filly, as requested. You wouldn’t mind telling me what you intend to do with her?” Please let it not be something barbaric. He eyed the pool and hoped he wasn’t about to see Pinkie drowned in it.

“But of course.” Celestia finally turned, leaning forward and offering the foal a playful smile. “And you must be Pinkamina.”

Pinkie gasped and bounced as best she could under Fine’s hold. “You know my name. She knows my name!”

The princess laughed – a startlingly pleasant sound compared to what Fine was accustomed to. “Come now, Fine, release the poor thing and let her expend some energy.”

The order was given, and Fine dropped Pinkie before he could register the need. She hit the floor running and within seconds was bouncing circles around the princess. “The princess, the princess, I get to meet the princess!”

Celestia turned her beaming smile on Fine, who was watching her in much the same way a bear observes a predator near his cubs.

He blinked; had he really just made that comparison?

“Was she this energetic all the way over?” Celestia asked as the filly made her tenth lap.

“No,” he confessed, his mixed emotions killing any force his voice might have held. “She was… pretty quiet, actually.”

Pinkie abruptly stopped before Celestia and looked up at her with big blue eyes. “Princess, can you fix me?”

Celestia cocked her head and leaned down, her smile still smooth and elegant. “Fix you? Do you need fixing?”

The filly bowed her head and scuffed the cave floor. “Uh-huh.”

“Well.” Celestia sat up straight once more and looked to Fine, her smile suddenly more like a smirk. “I can certainly try.”

Pinkie squealed and began bouncing laps around her once more. Fine, however, felt a lot more subdued about this idea. He approached slowly, his eyes going from Celestia to the pond. He could sense some kind of lingering magic in those waters. “What are you going to do? Pinkie.” He tapped his hoof, and the filly promptly ran to his side, pressing against his leg with a broad smile and purring like a kitten.

Celestia raised an eyebrow, her smirk broadening. “She likes you, I see.”

Knowing there could be no hiding the truth, Fine merely sighed and nodded. “You didn’t choose me to bring her here for no reason. Please, at least tell me what’s going on.”

“You are correct, of course.” Celestia turned to the pool, her manner serene once more as she stared at the waters. “I discovered this place a few decades ago, and I’ve been trying to unravel its secrets ever since. I think I know enough to try a certain experiment, one for which little Miss Pie is perfectly suited.”

Fine curled his hoof around Pinkie, who was listening with rapt attention. “You mean she’s a test subject. A lab rat?”

“I have every reason to believe she won’t be hurt. If anything, this may be the happiest day of her life, past or future.” She glanced over at Fine’s scowl and sighed. “I know, you find that hard to believe. I’m being sincere this time, Fine.”

Fine glanced at Pinkie, doubt eating away at him. “You’re sure she won’t come to harm?”

“I can’t say with absolute certainty what will happen,” Celestia admitted, turning to him once again, “but I am sure that she will be fine, Fine. Pinkie?” The filly’s ears perked. “Would you come here, please?”

The filly grinned and started to move, but Fine’s leg held her back. She blinked and looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Fine?”

The command was there, even if she didn’t outright say it. With a growl, Fine released Pinkie, who promptly walked for Celestia, albeit at a more subdued pace.

“Thank you.” Celestia beamed at the filly, who sat before her and had to lean way back to get a proper view of the alicorn. “Now, Miss Pie, I am going to do something to you, and it is going to feel a little strange. Tell me, can you swim?”

Pinkie glanced at the smooth surface of the pool, then shook her head. “There was a river near my… my home.” Her ears flattened as she looked at the ground. “Momma said I’m too little to swim with my sisters.”

“That’s okay. I’m going to hold you in my magic, if that’s alright.” Celestia lowered to her knees so she could look the filly in the eye. “I’m going to have to put you under the water, but please don’t be afraid. It will only be for a moment, and you’ll be perfectly safe. I promise.”

Hunched low and chewing her lip, Pinkie eyed the pool. “Is it deep?”

“Yes. I promise not to let go.”

The quietest of whimpers escaped the filly. Her fretting eyes turned to Fine who, despite his anxiety and fast-beating heart, nodded to her. She turned her eyes back to the water.

Her voice was a whisper so low Fine almost didn’t hear it. “I’m not a monster, am I?”

Celestia’s eyes went to Fine, who shook his head with an imploring look. The princess smiled as she turned her attention back to Pinkie. “No, Miss Pie. You are no monster.”

Pinkie gasped and Fine thought he saw a tear run down her cheek. She trembled as she stared at Celestia for a little while. At last she nodded. “O-okay, Princess. I trust you.”

“Thank you, Miss Pie.” Celestia gave her a little nuzzle. “You are a very brave little pony. Are you ready?”

“I… I think so.”

Celestia stood and lifted Pinkie in her magic. As she floated the filly over the pool, Pinkie began to squirm. Her eyes turned to Fine, pleading, imploring, but she didn’t say anything.

“It’s okay, Pinkie,” Celestia called. “We’re right here. I’m going to lower you now.”

Fine watched, heart in his throat, as Pinkie dropped gradually for the surface. He could already see the water shimmering with some unknown magic. “Celestia… what’s going to—”

“Be silent, I must concentrate. Stay right there.”

His lips sealing of their own accord, Fine couldn’t help but think she sounded a lot more like the Celestia he knew at that moment. It wasn’t a comforting notion, but he tried to smile to Pinkie as her hooves touched the water. She pulled her legs up with a yelp. “It’s cold.”

Celestia said nothing and Fine, despite his best attempts to force something out of his throat, did the same.

Pinkie’s body was half-submerged in the pool, which glowed bright enough to illuminate the entire cavern in shifting light. The filly began to squirm. “I-I don’t like this. I’m scared!”

Fine’s legs couldn’t move, or else he’d have stepped closer. His lips remained closed, otherwise he’d have called some reassurance. Pinkie looked to him, her pretty blue eyes wide and her legs kicking beneath the water, and he silently begged Celestia to let him comfort the child. The fact that he couldn’t swim probably wouldn’t have stopped him from diving in.

The water reached Pinkie’s chin and she tilted her head back, breathing in gasps as panic filled her. “P-please, I don’t want to—” The water rose over her face, and she was submerged.

Silence. Horrible, lasting, mind-numbing silence. Fine watched as a pink blob squirmed beneath the mirror-like surface of the pond, his own breath coming in shallow gasps. He looked to Celestia; her eyes were set on the pool with an intense focus, her horn shining with enough brightness to rival the pool’s ethereal glow.

Seconds passed. Panic began to worm it’s way into Fine’s mind as the filly remained submerged. He fought against the enchantment holding him back, silently begged Celestia to pull Pinkie out, yet he didn’t budge an inch. The pink blob thrashed beneath the water, only making his fears that much worse.

She was drowning. She had to be drowning! Fine closed his eyes and strained; his leg began to move forward. Not enough, he wasn’t strong enough! His mouth gradually opened, his jaw aching with the effort. “Ce… le… sti… a…”

The pink shape’s movements slowed. Tears streamed down Fine’s cheeks as he realized what he’d done. All the little talks, all the encouragement, those big blue eyes begging for acceptance. He cursed himself for growing so attached when he had known along that something like this was probable. How could he have let himself raise Pinkie up like that only to cut her down now?

“St-st-stop…”

He closed his eyes against a bright pink flash, a wave of magic coming over him. Splashing met his ears, and when he looked up he saw Pinkie, sputtering and soaked. She broke into sobs as soon as she’d cleared her lungs, hanging limp like a rag in Celestia’s magic.

She wasn’t alone. As Pinkie floated back to the edge of the pool, she was accompanied by a second filly, as white as snow with a curly, blonde mane and tail.

“Come, Fine,” Celestia called, her voice quiet. “Take a look.”

He did, approaching at a trot as he watched Pinkie. The two fillies, one sobbing and the other unconscious, were laid side-by-side as Celestia observed them. Fine knelt down to pet Pinkie’s mane. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry I made you go through that.”

Her sobs reduced to mere hiccups, Pinkie looked up at him. She rubbed her soaked face and pulled away from his touch. “Wh-who are you?”

Fine’s eyes widened.

“W-where’s mommy? I wanna go home!”

Fine, caught between uncertainty and the sting in his chest, looked up to Celestia in search of answers. Though as calm as ever, her raised eyebrows gave away her uncertainty. The princess leaned down to study Pinkie, who shivered and tried to back away from the two adults. “Do you not remember what just happened?”

Pinkie’s eyes darted between them as she trembled, a pool of water forming beneath her and her new… twin? “W-w-where am I? Please, c-can I go home? I want my granny!”

With a sigh, Celestia fired a thin beam of light, which enveloped the filly’s head. She fell asleep almost immediately. “Perhaps her memories have been split as well.”

“What happened?” Fine nudged Pinkie, but she just slept on. He turned his attention to the new arrival, examining her white fur and curly mane… and something else. Using his magic, he pulled on the alien object, which outstretched to reveal itself as a long, thin appendage attached to her side. “What the…”

“Now this is a surprise.” Celestia touched the bony limb tenderly. “I expected many things, but nothing like this.” At Fine’s questioning look, she added, “It’s a wing, Fine. Featherless, but a still a wing. The child is a pegasus.”

The new filly squirmed and yawned, catching their collective attention. She wriggled onto her barrel and stretched. Her eyelids opened, revealing startling violet eyes. They locked on Fine and she grinned. “Hello, Uncle Fine!”

He blinked. “What did you—”

She leapt into him, holding tight to his neck and nuzzling his fur. She was startlingly cold. “Can we play?”

Fine, caught between vexation and kindness, sat back and held her protectively. “Umm… maybe in a little while.” He looked up to Celestia, who was staring at the white foal as if it were an alien. “Could you please explain to me what just happened?”

“Something between a perfect result and an abject failure.” Her eyes flitted between the filly and the sleeping Pinkie. “I used the intrinsic powers of the Mirror Pool to separate the Bloodmane part of Miss Pie’s mind from the rest.”

Fine’s hackles rose and his breath caught. “Y-you mean… this filly is pure Bloodmane?” Celestia nodded, and he release a long, slow breath. He looked down at the tiny pegasus in his hooves, who continued to snuggle against him with a fond smile. He realized that he had a very real monster in his possession. “B-but… why is she a pegasus? Why can’t Pinkie remember me?”

“I anticipated side effects,” Celestia admitted, reaching forward to touch the new filly’s featherless wing, “but this is far beyond my predictions. It is likely that some of Pinkie’s memories were transferred over along with the Bloodmane disorder. As to the wings… your guess is as good as mine.”

“I want to play!” The white Pinkie whined and tried to shake Fine, which she was actually able to do despite her size. “Please?”

“Little one?”

The filly turned to look up at Celestia just as another yellow light struck her, and she promptly fell unconscious on Fine’s shoulder.

Fine looked to Pinkie, then the pool, then at the filly in his arms. His gaze went to Celestia. “You were planning on doing this to me, weren’t you?”

The princess rubbed her chin with a contemplative frown. “It was a possibility, but I didn’t want to do it without running a proper test. I was hoping for faster results, but I think we need to study this new filly for a little while and gauge her behavior. There could be other side effects waiting to make themselves known.”

“A proper test?” Fine scoffed as he adjusted his hold on the filly. “I hardly think you care about my safety.”

“In your case I make an exception.” Celestia gave him a wicked smile. “It’s not easy replacing a Mane Archon from scratch, you know, and I have some big things in mind for you.”

Fine raised an eyebrow. “Thanks, that makes me feel so much better.”

“Control is another issue.” Celestia leveled a frown at the filly. “As much as it would amuse me to unleash a living, breathing embodiment of wanton murder upon the public, my intentions with this project are for something that can be managed and commanded, and as of now there’s no way to know if our little monster fits that bill.”

“ ‘Little monster.’ ” Fine sneered. “You want to weaponize this filly, don’t you? Create a whole army of mindless murderers to further assure your control?”

“Close.” Celestia considered Fine carefully, her scrutiny making him fidget. After a while she nodded as if coming to a decision. “I want you to keep this filly near you in the castle for now. Perhaps she can be of use to the Archons, and that will give us ample opportunity to study her.”

Fine groaned and rubbed his temple. “You want me to play the role of ‘Daddy’ now?”

“Need I remind you that you are a Bloodmane yourself?” Celestia waved dismissively at him. “That makes you the most qualified pony amongst my staff to care for the foal and not end up in a bodybag. You’re also in the best position to make use of what I hope will be some formidable skills, while taking advantage of the Archon’s natural veil of secrecy. And of course—” her smirk returned, “—the filly is already fond of you.”

“Guess I don’t have a choice.” Fine sighed, not looking forward to the months ahead. He looked upon Pinkie, still sleeping soundly between them, and his fear jumped back into his throat. “What about her?”

The princess shrugged. “I don’t care about Miss Pie anymore; she has served her purpose. Leave her here, drown her, send her to an orphanage, whatever you want. I couldn’t care less.”

Fine glared, but she brushed it off and walked by him with an imperious posture. “Deal with Miss Pie, then send our new friend ahead to Canterlot.

“There’s one more thing for the two of us to do here before we head back.”

Author's Notes:

The Trixie vs. Equestria universe is technically an alternate timeline of the No Heroes universe. In No Heroes, Pinkie shared Fine's Bloodmane illness but managed to cure herself very early on in her life. I decided it made sense to keep this aspect in general for the Trixie vs. Equestria universe, but with a small twist. Thus I came up with one of the Order's members: Surprise. Showing how Surprise came about was something I've been looking forward to for a long time.

The next three chapters are the home stretch for Fine's major part of this story.

Character Ages:
Fine Crime: 19
Pinkie Pie: 7