Author's Notes:

Let the game... begin

The pack of automotive vehicles stayed huddled together as they drove out on the open road. Thankfully, with no traffic, they were making great time and there was almost no sign of anything bad around. The only concern was that their trip was taking them far away from Canterlot, and they had no idea of where they were even going. The coordinates that they were tipped were real coordinates, that they could tell, but they were a bit scared as to where this trip was going to take them.

After half an hour of driving, everyone's tires skidded on the gravel and stones, grinding to a halt. Their eyes looked to where their trip had taken them, and everyone was in immediate shock. What they were expecting was maybe an open field, an old farm, at least a haunted house. That's not where they were taken to.

Before their eyes, standing tall as some of the factories they had back in Canterlot, was a giant, disgusting, decrepit, and completely abandoned steel mill; parked right in front of a mountain. It was nothing like they had ever seen before. They saw abandoned places in films, shows, and even in pictures, but never before had they had the opportunity to be near one up close. It looked worse than they could have imagined it to be. Several pieces of windows were either gone, boarded up, or completely shattered. The paint that was once there was now nothing but left in peeled remains. Plants and moss grew around the remains, making it look more disgusting than it was.

"Oh, I have a bad feeling about this place..." Vinyl shuddered.

"This isn't about the disgusting state, is it?"

"No, I'm just scared to even step inside," Vinyl replied, a hint of shakiness in her voice.

"Girls, it's going to be fine. But just in case... you got your masks?"

Lyra pulled up her hood, covering her entire head but her eyes exposed. Vinyl slipped a white mask to cover her nose and mouth, and purple tinted glasses to cover up her eyes. Octavia... well she just put on sunglasses. Bon Bon hid herself in another mask, just like Vinyl. Amethyst put on a red headband to keep her hair up and standing (along with some hair gel to make it stick up like a mullet) and she wore a neon blue visor to match her shoulder-padded jacket and parachute pants. Last ones left, Trixie and Starlight just took small masks to cover up their noses and mouths. But they knew it wasn't really going to hide their faces. The Markless knew who they were.

"Okay, why are we wearing masks again?" Starlight asked.

"We don't need trespassers knowing who we are," Bon Bon replied.

"But we're the only ones trespassing, and The Markless knows us."

"At this point, we might as well prepare for any contingency," Trixie shook her head. "Now, you said you had a weapon with you?"

"Huh? Oh right! Hold on."

Starlight dug into the back of the car, behind the seat she sat in. Carefully, she pulled out what appeared to be a wooden looking stick, with two sharp ends to make a staff.

"A stick?" Bon Bon asked sounding less than thrilled.

"Yeah! I'm good with twirling, and I know how to fight with these kind of weapons. I call this, The Staff of Sameness!" Starlight said, grinning under her mask. Then just for fun, she twirled the staff around in her arms, making it spin around like a pair of helicopter blades preparing for lift-off. Not dropping, not even letting go, she twirled that staff with an iron grip.

"How's that?" Starlight asked, holding it carefully in her arms.

"Perfect! Now," Trixie said, flipping out a few shiny cards in her hands, "Lets go inside and find where we're supposed to meet this Markless person or whatever he is. But keep a lookout."

Huddling together, the girls all kept their eyes on everything, everywhere. They moved like one single army, bracing themselves for anything that would be on the horizon. They knew they couldn't be alone out here, and they didn't want to bet on the possibility of being by themselves. Their weapons stayed out and they kept pointing them at every direction, looking for anyone who could be nearby, and to also show how brave they were.

"You think we're the only ones out here?" Bon Bon asked.

"I sincerely doubt it. The Markless could have some friends by his side."

"What if its a her?" Lyra asked. "We don't know who it may be."

"Either way, I have definite belief we're not the only ones out here."

Their footsteps crunched on the hard gravel, and bumped into a few stones along their walk. With no other entrance that they could see, the walked right into the giant gaping doorway. It was as big as the front of their school, with two doors that could have slide open or closed by control. When they walked in, they could see the interior of the place was just as disgusting.

Parts of machines including random pieces of metal sheets were all scattered about on the ground. Several tubing and coils dangled from the ceilings, disconnected from the sockets they needed to be hooked to. More peeled paint, faded signs, broken glass, graffiti art, it was all there.

"Okay, so, where do we even go now?" Octavia asked. "There's no way to tell where to go now."

Trixie took a few steps forward, but as she looked down she stopped. She raised a hand for everyone to stop moving, and she pointed down. There were a few white painted arrows on the ground, all of which were freshly painted. Trixie looked to where the arrows were pointed, all of which led straight to a single dusty and broken table which somehow was standing.

With precaution, Starlight extended her staff out and poked the desk. For all they knew, the Markless could have rigged the table with some traps or devices. But it didn't seem like it was happening. There was no effect on the staff, and it didn't look like the table was standing on any traps or underneath any possible traps.

"Welcome."

Everyone jumped at the distorted voice that spoke above them. Looking up, they could see where the voice came from. The speakers on the PA system where the sources of the call.

"Hello girls. I want to play a game..."

"Don't say that, that's creepy!" Vinyl shuddered.

"We're already talking to someone who's creepy enough as it is!" Trixie snapped. "Alright, so what's your game!?"

"Patience, Miss Lulamoon. We'll get to it soon. But more importantly... who is that new girl with you?"

Trixie's heart sank. "Oh, uh... she's... uh..."

"Starlight Glimmer."

"What!? How do you know my name?" Starlight freaked out.

"I know more than any of you could imagine."

"Well if you don't mind, why are we in an abandoned steel mill?" Amethyst asked.

"Its simple. This place had been abandoned for a long period of time. No one used it, no one wanted it... just sitting here, left to rot and become nothing more than a forgotten memory..."

The girls now understood why. This place was so disgusting that was practically inhabitable. But maybe not for a psychopath.

"Alright, well, we're here now. What's your game you want us to play so badly?" Trixie huffed.

"Its a simple game my little friend. Don't worry, it'll be fun...."

"You're not going to be using people against us, are you!?" Lyra growled.

"They kind of are already," Bon Bon shrugged.

"Before we begin, I want to reiterate I have no intentions of harming those three girls. I thought I made that clear to you all, but apparently you girls are so dense you aren't even hearing me."

They let out a few scowls and huffs.

"Here's how this game will work. See the cards on the table? I've laid six out. Six intended for each of you... but since there's now seven of you, and I think one of you will have to take an extra with you. But I'm sure that won't be an issue."

Trixie shook her head. "No. Then what?"

"I've put some puzzles and riddles on your cards. What you need to do is solve the riddles that have been given to you, and go from there. Don't worry though... I've made sure the riddles fit into each and every one of you. Your personalities, your knowledge, your beliefs... they will all fit into the game."

"Seems a bit odd, but go on," Vinyl shivered some more.

"Your riddles are going to take you all around the entire steel mill, including the mine that's in the mountain. Solve the riddle, find the place you need to be, and I will be giving you your first puzzle. Solve that puzzle, and you'll move onto the next riddle."

"What if we can't solve a particular puzzle you give us?" Starlight asked.

"You girls are intelligent, I know you can solve those puzzles. An infant, could solve those puzzles. But that's besides the point. You'll know when you get to the challenge. Complete all the challenges I've laid out for each and every one of you... and you'll get your friends back. First girl to finish all the riddles will be allowed to set those girls free."

The girls were expecting challenges that were asininely difficult, but it didn't sound like it would be. Simple rules, maybe a simple challenge. Shouldn't be too bad.

"I'll allow you girls to contact each other so you can keep on how everyone's handling the challenge. But be warned... I will be listening. And if I find out that you're trying to call for help, the game will be over. And you'll never get your friends back..."

Trixie gulped. "O-Okay..."

"Good. Now I'll let you get right to the game. Fair warning though... be careful. This place may be the setting I picked for you all to play, but I must warn you, you might see some very interesting things in here..."

"Wh-What does that mean!?"

Trixie expected a reply, but she never got it.

"Uh, hello? Markless? Hey! What do you mean!?" Still no reply. Defeated, she sighed, "I guess that means he's not gonna talk to us right now."

"But what did he mean by seeing interesting things in here?" Octavia asked.

"Bad guys are going to be vague, we'll just have to find out on our own," Lyra shrugged.

Everyone's eyes adverted to the table. Indeed there were some cards, and on each and every one of them there were labels for their names on each one of them.

"I guess this means we'll have to split up then?" Amethyst asked.

"I think so. But what about Starlight?" Octavia asked, raising a brow. "What should she do?"

"She'll be coming with me. Besides, I think I've got some catching up to do with her, and she may need to know a few things."

"Well... alright, if you say so. Just keep your eye on her, okay?" Vinyl said.

"I will. Good luck girls."

Everyone grabbed a piece of paper, taking the first riddles given to them. A quick read, and everyone dashed off to the first places they needed to be. Now Starlight and Trixie were on their own.

"Okay, so, lets do this."

Trixie picked up the paper. Flipping it over, she read off the first clue.

Every place of work has its perks
And every place has its jerks
Look for the common place
Where every employee shows their face

Starlight snapped her fingers. "That's easy, the office!"

"Well, how do we know that's true?"

"One way to find out. Come on, lets go see if its still standing."

"Right with you!"

And Starlight and Trixie were off on their first riddle. What a stroke of luck, an easy riddle. But it seemed almost too easy to be true... The Markless couldn't have started them off with some easy like that, right? Or were they intentionally making it easy to start?

Little did they see, but The Markless viewed everything. Sitting at a desk, with a few TVs and computers set up, they could look through on the screens with different shots of the mill. Hidden away were a few spy cameras that The Markless prepared so they could monitor the game. And it was only the start.

"Good luck my little ladies. It'll only get harder as it goes on... like all games do."