Clabberwocky

by insanedoomy

A blood curdling tale of a seemingly innocent encounter between Rainbow and Twilight.

I wrote this humorously and out of sarcasm, grimdark isn't my thing.

Equestria is a dual sided world. There are colours all around and feeling of goodwill on the surface. But as you dig deeper, the land becomes dull and hateful. Within the first world existed our friend Twilight sparkle. It also just so happens upon this day that our friendly neighborhood Rainbow Dash was trotting home with this very pony.

"So, anyway, that's when I realised that I had actually written the clause wrong. Just that comma, and…"

"Okay, okay. Enough." Rainbow interjected, "You've got your head too mashed up in books. It's time we do something fun for once."

"Well, according to the books, we are having fun. My studies show that talking about our interests is a sign of enjoyment."

"No, no. Fun isn't that. Fun is fun." Rainbow continued. "You know what? I have to show you so you can have fun the right way."

"Sure, that'd be rad." Twilight chimed.

"Never say rad again."

Rainbow pushed herself through Twilights door and trotted downstairs to the library.

"So? What are we doing?" The purple mare skipped with excitement.

"Just sit down and listen. What games do you know?" Rainbow inquired.

"Well, in school I learned this really great way to organize books in all sorts of ways!" Twilight excitedly responded, "I call it… Bookinization!"

"That name is almost as lame as the game. We need to do something, something awesome. Something dangerous." Rainbow's eyes darted to the left as her eyebrows lowered.

"But-"

"No buts! You know, maybe I should just leave." Rainbow responded, annoyed.

"Aw, come on. Okay, okay. What did you have in mind to do?"

Dash had a mischievous glint in her eye as she began to walk across the room towards Twilight. She stared the mare down and exclaimed, "Alright, we're going to play an amazing game called… Clabberwocky. I didn't just make it up either. All you do is sit down..."

Twilight sat on the bottom step. "Like this?"

"Fine, fine. W-wait. Your missing something." Rainbow ran out of the room and grabbed a piece of heavy purple cloth. "Put this on."

"Where? What do I do?" Twilight asked.

"Just tie it over your eyes, like you're playing pin the tale on the mare." Rainbow's voice was thin and harmless.

Twilight did as she was asked. "Are we having fun yet?"

"Oh, almost." Rainbow's words were weighted from an exuberance still unknown to Twilight. "I'm going to take off for a second. You don't move, okay?"

"Can I take off the blindfold?" Twilight asked.

"I thought you said you wanted to have fun! Leave it on."

Rainbow joyfully trotted up the stairs and out of the door, her destination unknown to poor Twilight.

The purple pony sat upon the cold bottom step of her library. Nearly laughing with excitement she tapped her hooves to a tune she used to hear when she was just a filly. She never could remember the words, but the tune was a favourite of hers. Suddenly, she heard a patter of feet.

"Rainbow, is that you? Are we ready?"

There was silence except for another faint trot. With every second, the noise came closer and closer. The door to the stairs slowly opened.

"Twilight? What in Celestia's name are you doing?" The voice came from Spike. His words were hesitant, as if he didn't really want to know what was going on.

"Oh, it's just you, Spike. Rainbow and I are about to have some fun. This is a game she was talking about called… Faberjockey, or something."

"Why are you blindfolded?" Spike again asked with an awkward tone of voice. His thoughts were going in dark places.

"Well, silly, this is how you play the game!"

"But where is Dashie?"

Twilight couldn't answer that question, but she didn't want to lead Spike to believe that she wasn't fun. "Well, if you have to know, she is, uh, hiding. It's like hide and seek!"

"So you just sit there?"

"Yep!"

"While she hides?""Uh-huh!"

"With a blindfold on?"

"You got it! Wow Spike, have you played this game before?"

"No, and I don't intend to. That sounds so boring." Spike had the inflection of an annoyed teenager.

"Suit yourself. I'm sure having fun."

"Well, I have to go help Rarity… do… stuff, so I'll see you later Twilight." Spike dashed up the stairs and out of the house. He was met by Rainbow on her way back to the cottage.

"Hey, Spike. No time to talk. Me and Twilight are playing Madderlocky! You can't join in though, it's for ponies only. Sorry."

Spike was relieved. "No, that's fine. I have to go help Rarity."

"With what?"

"Stuff."

"What type of stuff? Wait is it abo-"

"Excuse me, Miss nosy pony." Spike interrupted. "If you must know I need to go do the things and stuff that need to be done. So if you will so pardon me, I must be off." Spike stomped away, not noticing he was headed in the opposite direction of his said destination.

Rainbow's eyes glittered. She dragged the burlap sack she had brought down to Twilight's library. As the bad hit each stair, it's unknown contents jingled inside like a tinny bell.

"Rainbow!" Twilight shouted joyfully. "This is going to be so much fun. So where were you?"

"Just around, gettin' the things to play the game with. Sorry I took so long, it's just that you need some really cool stuff to play. Okay, now stand over there." Rainbow pointed to the front of Twilight's fireplace.

"You know I'm blindfolded, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Rainbow took Twilight by the arm and led led to the marble fireplace. It was still warm to the touch, though the fire that once resided there had long since been smothered.

"Ok, now here comes the hard part of the game." Dashie ran over to her sack and pulled out a thick fiber rope. "Now put your hands up, and count to ten."

Twilight's hands rose, and she counted to the said number in her mind. "So what now?" Her voice cracked with excitement.

"Now comes the fun part." Rainbow pulled out her rope and tied Twilights hooves to the bar above the fireplace, then sealed the rope in place with a powerful pull from her teeth.

"Uh, Dashie?" Twilight asked, both happy and nervous. "What are you doing now?"

"We're playing the game," Dashie reassured her. "Seriously, if you want to do this right, you have to stop nagging me. I know what I'm doing. Just relax and enjoy the fun."

"Okay, fine." Twilight answered with a false grin. She was nervous, but didn't want to appear "uncool" to Rainbow. Twilight was up on two legs. Her flank pressed against the grate of her fireplace. Part of her tail crumpled down into the soot of the ousted fire. She was pleasantly warm, though not completely comfortable due to the rope shackles. Her thoughts began to wander. "No, I've know Rainbow dash for such a long time. She knows how to have fun." she thought to herself. "Whatever her game is sure is odd. But I have to trust her, she is my friend."

Rainbow pulled out a second rope and began to tie Twilight's hind hooves together.

"Is this all really necessary?" Twilight began to sweat, partly from the physical heat of the fireplace, and partly from the thoughts of her racing mind.

"I'm not even going to answer you anymore." Her tone was almost defensive. "And one last thing: no cheating. You can't use magic, and I can't use my wings. That wouldn't be fair to the game."

Twilight's ears perked up. Rules were her territory. "Okay! Oh, I know a spell to prevent me from using spells for some time! Should I use it?"

Rainbow's ears perked up as well. Her eyebrows slanted in slightly, and her eye once again contained a mysterious glint. "That would be perfect! Boy, you should be a rule-writer, or something!"

"I know, I just love rules!" Twilight's confidence was back. She concentrated on her incantation, and with a sparkle of her horn, the spell was preformed.

"I can also use a spell to prevent you from using your wings, if you want this to be totally fair." Twilight gleamed.

"Uh, I don't think that will be necessary. I give you my humble word that I will not cheat, my dear Miss Sparkle," said Dash in a pseudo transatlantic-accent.

"Whatever you say." Twilight still had confidence in her friend. "So, can we get started?"

"Yeah, sure. Now here comes the dangerous part!" Rainbow dug into her sack and subsequently revealed a hammer and a hoof full of nails.

"This game is safe though, right?" Twilight asked, fully unaware of the circumstances. Her voice was completely steady.

"Don't you know what dangerous means? Don't worry, it will be fun." Rainbow grasped the nails firmly while wielding the hammer with the other. "This is how the first game works. I have these sort of… darts here. I'm going to throw them, and see how close I can get them to you without hitting you. Wherever they land, wherever they land, they get hammered in.

"Woah, woah!" Twilight began to shiver. "No way I am playing that game!"

"Relax, you big filly. I'm the best shot in all of Equestria. I promise I won't hit you. Just a little added consequence never hurt anybody!"

"I hope you don't prove that wrong today…" Twilight needed to have confidence in her friend. How could she write to Celestia about friendship if she had denied her own friend a game of supposed fun? "Alright, if you are sure. I guess it couldn't hurt." Sweat rolled down the back of her neck.

Rainbow's face contorted and twitched for a moment before she regained her calmness. Her eyes still retained a malicious glint. Her hooves began to shake. She lay everything down besides a lone dart, weighing it in her arms. The metallic thorn had significant weight to it, and despite it being heavily rusted, the point was still as sharp as a razor. Rainbow squinted one eye shut and stared at her target with the other. Rainbow aimed just above twilights left arm, into the wooded wall behind her. The gleams of sweat on Twilights body were now visible. Rainbow wound back her arm, took a breath, and threw the dart.

The fraction of a second from when the dart was thrown to when it hit seemed like a multitude of eternities to Twilight. She could hear Dashie throw the dart, and it whistle with speed. Her heart felt like it was about to stop and her blindfolded vision got even darker. She could hear nothing but that of her own breath.

Shhhnnng! The dart hit its mark, nearly half an arms distance from Twilight. It embedded itself into the wood with a thud. "Wow, that was certainly a shot, I guess. I can't see but it didn't hit me!" Twilight's voice was quavering with fear. "But I think I've had enough fun, how about we stop for today?"

"Are you kidding? That was a terrible shot. I have to get closer."

"But, I just am afraid-"

"You're AFRAID?" Rainbow was perturbed. "Twilight, which pony always manages to save your behind when your in trouble?"

"Well, that doesn't mean-" Twilight was cut short."Just trust me! I can't believe you're getting so upset over this little game. Are you my friend or not?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then trust me."Twilight didn't have the strength to respond. Every ligament in her body was shaking and her teeth uncontrollably chattered. The fireplace suddenly felt much hotter than it did before.

"Alright, rules say I've gotta hammer in the nail." Rainbow took the hammer with her teeth and pounded the dart quickly into the wall with several clicks. She then happily trotted back to her original line of fire.

"Alright, you'll feel the wind on this one!" Rainbow pulled her arm back, and grinned when twilight grunted and attempted to free herself.

"I don't want to play this game anymore!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Stop, it'll be -"

"Seriously, stop! Want to stop playing this game right now! Take off this blindfold! Please. I'm not going… to play this."

"Oh, my. I was hoping it wouldn't come down to this. But fine. I'll fix this. Be right back." Rainbow once again trotted to her burlap sack and began to dig through it.

"Thank Celestia! Geez, Rainbow Dash. You really had me scared there."

Rainbow didn't respond."So, you are letting me go now, right? Don't tell anyone about this, I don't want them to think I'm not fun. It's just, I got so scared. These games aren't my thing. I'd rather just sit down and read a book."

Rainbow didn't respond, the only sounds were metallic clangs and shivers coming from her burlap sack.

"Well, you better let me go now… I really have to do some research… Rainbow?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"Getting some stuff."

Twilight's body stopped shivering. It now was akin to a block of ice. She was frozen in fear, not knowing whether she was being let free or sent into more flames.

The metallic rustling stopped and the sound of trotting hooves came nearer and nearer to Twilight.

"It's time we play this the quiet way.

Rainbow crept behind Twilight and whispered in her ear, "I've been meaning to hang out with you more, Twilight, but I never had time. I'm not letting you ruin this… fun we're having.

Twilight began to scream.

"Oh, real mature you foal." Rainbow took another cloth and wrapped it around the struggling unicorn's mouth, then tied it with a forceful pull. Now all that could be heard were faint calls for help.

"See? This is only hard if you want it to be." Rainbow patted Twilight on the cheek. "I still can't believe you're such a filly. These games are harmless."

"Mmmph mmmph"

Dashie clapped with amusement. "So, where did we leave off? We were one for zero, right! Lets do this!" Rainbow climbed back to her original line, and picked up another dart. This nail was much heavier, and the tip was ragged with rust.

"Wait 'till you see this shot!"

Dash took her stance, lined up the projectile with her target, and wound her arm back. The shot was thrown like a bullet, and a fraction of second later found its mark. The nail grazed Twilight's mane as it made it's way into the wall. "Woah, did you see that? Oh, never mind, I forgot." Dashie trotted over to hammer the dart into the partition.

Twilight was crying now, her head hung downward while the strand of hair that was ensnared by the dart was pulled in the opposite direction. Muffled whimpers pierced the stale air. Dash grinned with satisfaction.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll get a better one next time."

Dash took another dart, this one smaller than the others, but razor sharp.

Twilights mind was lighting itself ablaze. She felt rage and discomfort, but above all fear. She could faintly see through the thick black blindfold the shape of a Pegasus.

Rainbow's wings extended for balance as she leapt onto her hind legs, arm drawn back. Her tongue slipped out in concentration while she selected her next target. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, heha." Rainbow whispered to herself, excitedly.

There was whistle. And then a thump. The dart had missed its mark and embedded itself into Twilight's upper thigh. She screamed through her gag with terror as warm blood began to rush to her knees.

"Well, I guess I broke that promise. Hope you can forgive me." Rainbow began to cackle. "So, rules are I hammer this in. Wherever it lands."

As Twilight saw the dark figure through her blindfold approach her, she tried to scream more in fear. Her heart began to skip, and her vision was filled with colourful dots.

"Jeez, I really was off." Rainbow prepared the hammer in her mouth.

Twilight gasped for air. She began to choke on her own saliva while tears streamed down her face. Sweat glowed around her face, and in one final breath she tried to beg for mercy. Rainbow swung her head with a jerk. There was a small "click" as the first blow was delivered to the nail. Twilight shivered and squealed in pain while begging for mercy.

"Sorry Twilight, you of all people should know we have to play by the rules. No matter what."

ClickAnother shot of pain rose up to encapsulate Twilight's entire body. Blood spurted onto rainbow's flank. Dash grimaced and tried to rub it off her coat.

"Woah, not cool."

Twilight needed to speak to her friend. She needed her to take the muzzle off.

"hnnnnn, tnnng dnnnn thnnnng onnff mnnnnne!" She motioned to her mouth.

"Oh, really? So you're not going to be a foal and scream this time?"

Twilight nodded.

"This is your last chance. I'm trusting you to be a big mare this time." With a single harsh movement of her hand, Rainbow removed the gag and blindfold. Twilight gasped for air.

"Why?" This was the only word Twilight could make out before having to catch her breath again.

"Well, you were the one who asked to have fun, silly."

"I don't want to do this anymore." Twilight sobbed.

"No, once you start the fun, the fun doesn't stop." Rainbow's eyes widened farther than possibly imagined. She shoved herself in front of Twilight, and stared in her eyes.

"It never stops." Twilight began to choke on her tears while Dash gave a look of disapproval. "Stop your sniveling. We don't have to play this game."

Twilight felt like her soul had been lifted. Her ears pointed and her eyes dilated. "Really? We can st-"

"Yeah, we can stop. This game. That's because I have a much better one in mind." Twilight's spirit once again fell, along with her head. She stared down at her wounded thigh, which was beginning to coagulate around the shaft of the nail. Tears washed her blood down to her hoof where it then dripped to the floor.

"We need to up the ante! If you thought this was exciting, just wait for the next game." Twilight no longer felt like she was in reality. Her basic thought processes were shut down. All she could focus on was the searing pain of the nail ripping through her flesh.

Rainbow pulled an axe out of her bag and held it awkwardly between her front hooves. "This is where things get, interesting."

Twilight no longer believed in this reality. This was a dreamscape to her; a figment of her dreaming mind. Nopony deserved to be in this state of agony. Dash slowly ran the side of the axe up to Twilight's cheek. The cold metal sent shivers up her mane, while she felt the blunt edge of the shiny silver tool. Rainbow reversed the edge of the axe, and forcefully pushed the wood grain down Twilight's side. Tiny splinters embedded themselves in the pony's epidermis. Twilight could do nothing but sob. The splinters opened tiny wounds which then beaded with small drops of blood.

"This isn't really the game yet, but I thought I'd be fun anyway."

Twilight moaned. Rainbow threw the axe down with a metallic clang. She stuck out her tongue and ran it up Twilight's side, collecting the droplets of blood in her mouth. The purple pony was now covered in a slimy mess of reddened saliva. The prickling pain was almost too much to bear.

"What do I have to-" Twilight was cut short by her own self as she choked.

"Speak up, pony, I can't understand you!" Rainbow snorted, spraying the collected blood and splinter mixture into Twilight's terrified eyes.

"How can… I make this stop? What do you want?" Twilights chest was moving at an incredible rate in attempt to catch her breath.

Rainbow let out a chuckle. "You have to win the game."

"…How?" Twilight coughed.

"You can't silly. Only I can. That's what makes this game so much fun." Dash ran over to her previously discarded axe and held it in her curved maw.

"This game is called 'This axe fucking hurts.' I'm going to swing this at you, and you have to dodge it.

"How am I supposed to do that while I'm tied up?" Twilight croaked.

"I don't know, surprise me."

The Pegasus drew back her axe, and swung. The blade missed the unicorn completely, instead grazing metal fireplace grate, creating sparks that leapt into the ashes. Dashie swung again, this time making her mark. The blade sliced through Twilight's left arm. The cold steel penetrated her muscle, and stopped when it hit bone with a satisfying "crack". Shocks of pain emanated from the impact, almost like an electrical storm. Blood spattered in sequence from the messy incision. Rainbow tore out the axe and threw it at the wall, where it clattered to the ground.

"You aren't so good at this game, are you?"

Twilight gurgled in pain. Dash inspected the deep, throbbing wound. She took her hooves and grabbled the top layer of bloody purple skin, and began to peel it back. Twilight screamed as she felt the fibers between her arm snap and peel away. Rainbow grunted as her hooves slipped on the slimy flesh and hit Twilight in the face. Blood began to gush from the dismembered skin.

"Oh, we can't have you be leaving so soon, Twilight. You need to stick around." Rainbow returned to her bag, reappearing with a bottle of liquor and masking tape.

"I'm going to fix you up." Dash began to pour the alcohol down Twilights arm. The liquid slowly oozed to the gash, filling in Twilight's bloody crevices. A burning sensation spread throughout her entire body. Her lungs no longer could keep pace, and her face turned bright red. Twilight bit her tongue with such a pressure that it became a half severed mess. She began to cough on the warm flowing blood that entered her throat. Dash took out the roll of masking tape, and dramatically ripped of a piece with her mouth. She began to wrap the tape around Twilights mutilated arm in attempt to stop the spurts of blood from putting Twilight into an early sleep. Dash finished up her handiwork and lay the tape gently on the gound. It didn't work as well as she had hoped, but Twilight would be around for quite a while longer.

Twilight was in hell. Her pain was indescribable. All she tried to think about were her parents, her old life- the life before she came to Ponyville. Twilight tried to think about her mother, singing her favourite betime tune to her. She tried to imagine the other ponies, she tried to imagine then coming to her rescue. She tried to tune out the pain. But she was in for a rude awakening. Twilight felt a bitter sharp pain in her other thigh. Twilight squealed once again while blood was splattered all over the floor. Dash used the corner of her axe to make a series of incisions to Twilight's flank. She hastily cut at her leg, feeling the tears of muscle fibers as she ran her blade across in several directions. After minutes of agony, her artwork was complete. A cloud with a lightning bolt was now engraved on Twilight's flank. Dash admired the living engraving. The wound was pulsating every second with a fountain of bodily fluids.

"EYHHHHHHHHIIIII!" Twilights screams were in vain. The pain pulsed throughout her body. Her muscles cramped up and her eyesight began to droop in and out. Rainbow peeled of the interior skin of her engraving, and inspected the muscle fibers underneath. Dash came back wielding a spoon.

"Hey, you look just like me now, Twilight."

"Dash, just please. Stop, help me…" Twilight faded for a split second.

"Shut up, you stupid mule. I'm tired of all your complaining." Rainbow took the spoon and slid Twilight over to the side. She forcefully stuck the utensil into the exposed muscle of Twilights flank. With a flick of her wrist, she tore at the fibers and scooped out a mass of pulsating red goo. Twilight had no strength. Her eyes clouded over, though she still felt every ounce of the pain. Dash went in for another scoop, with as much poise as if she were enjoying a bowl of ice-cream. She plunged the spoon deep into the pony's side, pushing hard until she felt bone. Dash ripped upwards once again, and splattered the ceiling with Twilight's insides.

"It's time we turn up the heat." Rainbow's voice was no longer recognizable.

Rainbow pushed Twilight out from her shackles and threw her into the ashes of the once-great fire. Rainbow trotted back to her axe while Twilight made unavailing attempts to escape.

"Hey, don't move. That's cheating." Rainbow reappeared with the axe in her teeth.

"Please, Rainbow, don't hurt me anymore. Just let me go!" Twilight whimpered. Rainbow ignored the plea of mercy, and drew the axe back. Her eyes focused on the broken unicorn's, and with a swing, she hit her target. It wasn't Twilight, but the fallen fireplace grate. Sparks flew, and instantly caught the fuel below it. The innocent fixture burst into flames, Twilight still half inside.

Twilight's skin began to crackle under the intense heat. Her tears sizzled as they touched the hot embers. Dash stuck the tip of her spoon into the flame and left it on the ground. Twilights mane flew up in flames and the back of her neck bubbled with boils. Soot and ashes flew into her eyes, making them burn. But that pain was none in comparison to her newly lost side. Twilight tried to escape, but her leg muscles were no longer connected. Rainbow could see the newly disconnect fibers in her legs unavailingly contract. Twilight's wounds began to cauterize in the intense heat.

"Rainbow, make this stop. I'm begging you!" Twilight coughed and gasped for air, "I don't care what, just put me out of this misery!"

"You'll go when I want you to go, mule." Rainbow jeered, both hatefully and somehow amused.

Twilight lay motionless in the fire.

"Why did you do this, Rainbow?"

"I thought you wanted a fun time."

"This is… I'm not even…" Twilights voice was scratchy and deep. She began to become sleepy from smoke inhalation. She began to feel sleepy. She felt her mind let go, she felt a release. The darkness began to close in around her.

SPLASH!

The fire was out. Twilight began to regain consciousness. Her mind snapped back to reality- a cold slap in the face. She stared at Dashie, who was standing above her with a wicked grin. In her left hoof she spotted something glowing orange.

"Ughhhhhhh"

"Ughhhhhhh" Rainbow mocked. "I'm Twilight Sparkle and I can't play a simple game without crying." Twilight's vision slowly faded in. Shapes became more defined. The bleeding had stopped, except for in her mouth. The orange glow came closer and closer. It began to touch her eye socket. Twilight screamed in agony. Rainbow took the red-hot spoon and began to nudge it under Twilight's eyeball. She shoved it deep, hearing various important things break. She then smashed the end of the spoon down upon Twilight's chest, dislodging the unicorn's eye from its correct spot. It flew across the room before landing on the ground and rolling underneath the curtains. Twilight lay there, staring at Dash with one eye. The other socket was twitching while different muscles tried desperately to find the other half of Twilights lost sense. Twilight began to fade again.

"No, no. Twilight, stay with me. We didn't finish all of our games! We need to do something fun." Rainbow's attempts were futile, and the unicorn slipped closer and closer to death. "Twilight! I'm sorry, come on, be a good sport!" Rainbow's mouth was pointed in two directions, and her eyes vibrated.

With a final gasp of air, Twilight slipped away.

"NO, COME BACK." Rainbow was screaming at the corpse. "THIS WAS JUST A GAME, THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." Rainbow began to twitch with insanity. She fell over onto her side and her legs convulsed and twitched while she foamed at the mouth. "THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." In a last effort of strength, Rainbow dragged herself by her front hooves to the mantle. With a glance of her hoof, the fire poofed into life again. Rainbow lay still in the fire.