1

There we were. Six mares, including myself, were strapped onto tables in what seemed to be a mansion. The only source of light came from the single dangling bulb from the ceiling that flickered sporadically. The tables were arranged in a ring such that we faced each other, and by the expression on the other ponies' faces I knew that they were as clueless as I was. Who the other five ponies were, I didn't have the slightest clue.

It was a desolate building, abandoned for the dusty cobwebs to dominate the rotted wood ceiling and the crumbled walls. Disturbingly, there were also bones scattered on the floor that matched the pictures I've seen in my books of pony biology.
This was no place for somepony like me to be. I am Twilight Sparkle, top student at the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns. I remember like it was yesterday: the graduation ceremony, the after-party, and the... the what? I closed my eyes, hoping that this was all some horrible nightmare; I couldn't remember what happened afterwards, only a blinding flash of white light.

"Welcome to the Mansion!" A deep booming voice echoed throughout the room. The voice came from a small black box at the center of the circle. "You may be wondering why I have gathered everypony here." The voice chuckled. "We're going to play a game."

A game? If this was one of Spike's pranks again, it wasn't funny at all.

"The rules are simple: survive."

I looked into the fearful eyes of the other ponies, well except for the yellow one who was bawling over herself.

The voice continued. "There are no exits to this mansion. You may try to escape, but nopony has been successful. However, I will allow you all to return home if you manage to complete a simple task. Please direct your attention to the front of the room."

We all turned our heads to the large metallic door in the front. Deadbolts littered every inch of the door, and I knew that it would be impossible to break the locks even with my magic.

"That door there is the only way in and out of the Mansion. It is absolutely impenetrable: magic, cannons, and even rainbooms will have no affect on it, so don't bother trying. It will only open once you complete my challenge. The challenge is to find me. Once I am dead, the door shall open."
I was sure that whoever these mares were, that we would work together to find this monster.

"Oh, before this recording ends, here's my only hint: I am in-fact one of the mares in this room. Good luck." With that said the box exploded and left behind a puff of black smoke.

Then, the straps that restrained us to the tables loosened setting us free. We immediately stepped away from each other. Nopony knew who the kidnapper was, and I wasn't about to trust some stranger with my life.

The rainbow maned pony spoke first. "Alright, which one of you freaks brought me here?" She was obviously the hot-headed one of the bunch, but a part of me respected her boldness.
The white pony gasped, "Freak? Oh, dear, don't be so rash with petty insults."
"And who do you think you are?"
"I am Rarity," the white pony lifted her chin into the air and flicked her royal purple mane, "and I will not droop to your levels of such unfashionable speech."
"Well I'm Rainbow Dash, awesomest pony in Equestria, and I'm sooooo sorry for being rude, your fancy-pancyness."
"You should be, I am a lady and I des- wait, was that sarcasm?"

"You sure like funny words," cheered the pink pony who now skipped circles around the white pony, "do you want to hear some other words? Like kumquat, or pickle barrel, or, or, or maybe chimicherrychanga! I have no idea what that is!"
"Hold on there partner," the orange pony interjected, "Ah' think you've been hit a little too hard on yer noggin' when you've been brought here." She grabbed onto the pink pony's head, as if she could stop the mysterious skipping noises that came with each hop.
The pink pony simply giggled, "Hey there! Stop hoggin' my noggin'!"
"Ah' should introduce myself, too, I suppose," the orange pony held a hoof out, "Applejack's mah' name, applebuckin' is what I do best."
The pink pony stopped momentarily and wrapped herself around Applejack's hoof. "Pinkie Pie's the name, and partying is my game!"
Applejack winced at the last word. "Ah' just hope that this whole shenanigan we're in isn't your game."

Then something warm wrapped itself around my hindleg. My initial reaction was to scream, but I turned and saw that it was only the whimpering yellow pony. I immediately felt pity for her.
"It's going to be fine," I assured her, holding her closer to me, "we just need to work together and-". Then I remembered the warning in the last chapter of Criminal Psychology: Defining a Killer. The killer is always the one least suspected. I thought against my instincts and gently pushed the yellow pony away from me. "I think we should be careful of who to trust."

"P-Please don't leave me alone," the yellow pony pleaded, "I'm F-Fluttershy and I-I." She advanced towards me and the floorboard under her creaked. She leaped into the air and bounced off to the ceiling.

"Good job scaring her," Rainbow Dash said, laughing on the floor.
I snapped at her, "Don't make fun of her! We're all afraid, even you!"

Ha. I'm never afraid of anything!" She hovered to the center of the room and obnoxiously puffed her chest out. "I'm the bravest pony you'll ever know!"
"I never knew that mules could be brave," said Rarity, chuckling softly behind her hoof.
"Care to say that louder?"

I ignored the two as they bickered, again. Instead, I trotted to the pile of broken furniture where Fluttershy landed. "Are you alright, Fluttershy?" I saw that a bleeding tear across her flank.
"Y-Yes," she said as she rubbed her wound. "I think I am."

If I'd know any healing spells, I'd help the poor mare for sure. Then I hoofed myself on my face for not realizing the obvious fail-safe spell: teleportation. I gathered the magical energy from my horn and attempted to warp out of this madhouse. But nothing happened. This was the first time a fail-safe spell... failed! Whoever brought us here must have blocked magical powers. But that magic is far beyond my own expertise.

"Great job there, egghead!"

I rolled my eyes. Rainbow Dash's boldness was beginning to become an annoyance.

"Don't worry sugarcube," Applejack said, "don't let that pony get to ya'."

It was nice that somepony was decent enough to be honest. "Thank you, Applejack."

"As for you, miss Rainbow Dash," Applejack shouted, "back where I come from in Ponyville we don't tolera-"

"You're from Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash interrupted.

I too was excited. I was from Ponyville, but I couldn't recognize either of them. My heart skipped a beat. Why did I think I was from Ponyville? I've never even heard of the place. I've lived in Canterlot ever since I was a filly.

Rarity spoke up, "I don't think I've seen that ruffian in Ponyville before." She pointed in Rainbow's direction. "Trust me."
Pinkie Pie leapt up into the air, "I know everypony in Ponyville. In fact, I made a song about all my friends in Ponyville!" She then broke out into song.
"Not now, Pinkie." I said, holding a hoof to her mouth.
She bounded away and continued to make circles around us. "Oki-Doki-Loki!"

This was strange. Ponyville was a small village where everypony knew or at least heard about everypony else, but I don't even remember stepping a hoof outside of Canterlot. Still, that name was too familiar. "Now, girls, we all happen to live in Ponyville but we don't remember each other."

"Yea," exclaimed all the ponies, except for Fluttershy who said something inaudible and nodded. What does this all mean?

Rainbow Dash jolted back down to the floor, "Well, I've got a perfect explanation."

"Oh, please do tell us all," said Rarity.

"I've seen everypony in Ponyville when on flight duty, and I've never seen any of you. You all are lying, simple as that."

"What? Are you accusing me of stooping to the level of a... scoundrel? I would never lie to anypony."

"Well, what do you think could have happened? Magic?" Rainbow Dash continued to laugh, but everypony turned to face me.

"Well..." I said, nervously, "memories spells are complex, and can only be casted by the top tier unicorns. It's possible, I suppose, and I guess it's the only explanation we've got so far."

"Mystery solved!" Rainbow Dash said as she flew right in front of my face. "You're the one who brought us here. So you're the one we have to kill to get out of here?" She slammed her hoof against my neck, pinning me against the wall.

"What? N-No. How could you say th-"
"You thought it would be some fun game, didn't you? You and your freaky magic? You said that memories spells require strong magic. Who's the strongest unicorn here? Obviously not that thing over there."
"Please, no, I didn't d-"
She spat in my face. "Well, the joke's on you," she pressed harder, "once you're dead, that door will open right up. Just watch everypony!"
I begged for her to stop, but only a gurgling sound came out of my mouth. The room began to become dim as I lost the energy to move my legs.

Then she released me, and I fell to the ground gasping for air.

"Git off her!" Applejack yelled. My vision began to come back and I saw her wrestling Rainbow Dash onto the floor.

"You want to escape, or not?" Rainbow Dash retaliated with her hoof, striking Applejack on the cheek.

The two mares took turns to strike, until Applejack turned and bucked her on the side of her head. Rainbow Dash fell and landed on the floor unconscious.

I was still on the floor, unable to move from that near death experience. I wheezed heavily, trying to breathe, but I couldn't. I saw Fluttershy and Rarity come to my side and lift me away. And then, I fainted.

I regained consciousness, but I refused to open my eyes. I just had a terrible dream that I was trapped in a Mansion in somepony's sick and twisted game. I remembered that the rainbow pony had tried to kill me, right before blacking out. But that was a dream; it had to be. I felt a warm blanket on top of me. I was home, and I was safe. I opened my eyes.

This was not my home. A dim lamp with a half-melted candle lit the room from my nightstand. The room was ornate, but definitely long abandoned due to years of unkempt wear. Eerie half torn portraits of ancient ponies, some missing heads, decorated the walls.

"Are you alright?" Fluttershy stood by my side and stroked my mane. "Not dizzy are you?"
I lied. "I'm fine. Thanks Fluttershy."
"When I saw how Rainbow hurt you I just... I just..." she cried on my shoulder, "I just felt so horrible, that I couldn't do anything."
Was there anything that this mare didn't cry about? "It's fine, Fluttershy, everything is safe now."

"Not yet, it isn't." Rarity stood on the other end of the room, holding an empty bottle. "No water or food, and I don't expect our little captor to provide five-star dining."
Pinkie Pie, strangely, lay in the corner silently. She rocked back and forth, and giggled at herself. Her mane was no longer fluffy, but perfectly straight and a slightly darker shade of pink. She turned to stare at us, and I saw that her eyes were wide in hysteria. She whispered 'cupcakes' repeatedly before turning back to the corner to laugh.
"What's with her?" I asked Rarity.
Rarity leaned close to my ear and whispered. "I'm not sure. I think she might need sugar, or at least that's what she said a while ago when she was a bit sane."
"CUPCAKES! NOW!" bellowed Pinkie Pie.
"Alright, Pinkie, we'll go get some cupcakes." She turned to me with a worried expression. "We're going to explore the Mansion to find something to eat. Nopony's sure if this is some prank gone wrong, so we'll need to wait it out for a little while. Stay here and rest, dear."
"No," I grabbed her hoof, "I'm going too."
"You really shouldn't, I don't wa-"
"I'm going." I lifted myself out of the bed and wobbled onto all fours.

"If you insist." She turned to the other ponies, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. "Alright everypony, we need to gather food if we want to survive here for a while. We'll split to cover more rooms. Give me just one moment."

It was then when I noticed that Applejack and Rainbow Dash were missing. "Where are the other two?" I asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, Applejack locked Rainbow up in one of the rooms she found, so that she won't do anything to hurt anypony." She paused. "I don't think she meant to do those things to you, miss.. umm."

"Twilight. Twilight Sparkle."

"Please forgive her, Twilight Sparkle."

Maybe if Fluttershy trusted Rainbow I could too, to an extent. "Alright, Fluttershy, I'll try."

"It's just that I have this strange feeling that I remember her, but not really. When I try to remember, everything is just clouded in my head like a fog. It makes me so angry that I can't remember it makes me want to scream." She inhaled and whispered something. "Does this ever happen to you?"

"Yes!" I nearly jumped out of the bed.

Fluttershy took two steps back from my excitement. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm the one to apologize," I said as I rest my head back on the mossy pillow. "But about the memories. Can you remember anything at all from what you did yesterday?"

Again, her apologetic voice arose again, "No... I'm sorry. But there's really nothing worth remembering anyways."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see," she rubbed her hooves across the floor nervously, "I-I live at the border of Ponyville, and it's quite lonely. I've lived in my cottage ever since I was a little filly, and nopony ever passes by unless they have to go through the Everfree Forest."

"Don't you have any friends?"

"No. It's just me and my critters. I've never had a chance to talk to many ponies either," she paused to play with her mane, "but, I would like to have friends."

I was surprised why would anypony avoid a kind mare like her. "Do you want to be my friend?" I held out my hoof. She was too kind to hurt anypony, and I knew that she wasn't the one that trapped us here.

But, before she could respond, Rarity returned with a semi-fashionable bag hanging from her mouth.

"Let's go, everypony. Meet back here in an hour, and make sure to watch your back." Her eyes darted to Pinkie Pie, "one of us is might be a killer."

I forgot about that. One of the five mares is lying to me. I just hope that the responsibility to end her wouldn't fall on me: I didn't have the will to kill anypony.

We all exited the room into a long hallway. Rarity handed us each a lantern and a saddlepack. Then, we scattered in random directions. As I ran further away from them, their lights faded away into the darkness. The Mansion was now completely silent.

I cantered down the endless hallway, passing by rusted doors. Eventually, I came to a dead-end. I turned to my left and I placed my hoof against the nearest door, and it immediately fell over. I covered my ears as the slamming noise echoed in the hallway for ages. I aimed the light into the room, finding that it was a large washroom. I entered cautiously and assured myself that there was no danger. The smooth stone tiles were cold as ice, and my hooves began to freeze in fear.

"It's okay, Twilight, there's nopony else here."

I heard the dripping sound of water from somewhere in the room. I placed the lantern on the top of a counter, next to one of the rusted sinks in the row. I turned the tap, but nothing came out from the faucet. Broken. But, the steady sound continued. I ventured past the sinks and peered around a corner to find a shower curtain. The sound seemed to come from that general direction, probably from the tub. I grabbed the lantern and hastened myself, feeling overwhelmingly lucky that I managed to find something to quench my extreme thirst. I grabbed the curtain and pulled it aside.

The dripping sound was not water. Inside the tub was the flank of a pony, the other half hanging from the ceiling. The pony's eyes were gouged out, and black blood seeped out of them. Intestines hung down like ivy and rot with the pile of organs below. I turned my head to vomit into a nearby toilet, but when I did I saw two bright blue eyes staring at me from its basin.

I dropped the lantern, and the fire sizzled out. I began screaming for help while wildly trying to find the exit. I ran into walls, and then stepped in something soft and moist. I didn't need the light to know what it was.

I concentrated all my remaining magic to illuminate the surroundings. My horn sparked with purple magic and I caught a glimpses of unspeakable things. Around me were the bodies of several ponies and all sliced into pieces. I turned away and the darkness returned. I backed away from the bodies and ran into a wall. My horn sparked again, and I saw that crude drawings of prancing ponies decorated the walls in blood. Something warm dripped onto my snout. My horn flashed once more as I stared upwards, where several ponies hung from the ceiling with barbed wire around their necks. I heard the panting of a creature somewhere in the darkness. That's when I lost my mind.

"Buck, buck, buck!" I knew that the Mansion was no joke. Somepony really did want us dead.

Instinct took over as I ran frantically. I somehow found the exit to the hallway and ran out screaming. Off in the distance was a faint light. It was somepony else! Was it Rarity? Fluttershy? The only thing I could do was to gallop towards the light. Exhausted, I fell down onto the carpet in front of the light. I tilted my head, and I could clearly distinguish the pony who held the lantern: Pinkie Pie.

She grinned like a maniac and stared directly at me, inches away from my eyes. Her pink mane was now splotched with red streaks, and her body was covered in equally red splatters. She brought her hoof, dripping with something thick and red, and licked it. I became nauseous once again. She brought her hoof to my face. "Try it Twilight. It's delicious." I wanted to scream, but I was out of energy to do anything. Then there was a scream from the other end of the hallway. Pinkie Pie ignored the sounds and continued to lick her hooves clean.

The light from her lantern dimmed out, and everything became black.