CHAPTER 1 SEAL

POV: Twilight

"How did I get here?" I said, looking down at my hooves. One minute I was classroom 3-9 of Kastville Academy, cleaning up the remnants of the Summer Sun celebration that was being held at the school. The sound of thunder and lightning cracked through the dull sound of rain. I gasped as I heard the noise. "I remember!" I looked to my side and saw Pinkie Pie. She was laying on the floor, unconscious. I rushed over to her. "Ack!" I cried. I appeared to have twisted my hoof and I fell flat on my face as I tried to stand up. "Hey! Pinkie!" I said, shaking her.
"Ugh? What?" She said, her eyes opening. "Where am I?" She said.
"I don't know," I said. "We did that charm, then that earthquake happened and we ended up here." Pinkie stood up and looked around. "Where is this this place? It looks sort of like a school. The tables and chairs are quite small so it could possible be a primary school." Pinkie said.
"Yeah." I agreed.
"Well!" Pinkie said. "No time to dawdle! Let's get out of here!" She said. They headed out the door of the classroom and into a hallway. The hallway was long and dark and the ceilings were unnaturally high. There were many cracks and holes in the wooden floorboards. It was too dark to see down them so we decided it would be best not to fall down them. "Hey, Twilight?" Pinkie asked.
"Mm?"
"Where's your horn?"
"What?!" Twilight felt her forehead and her horn was absent. "Hmm, that's odd. Must be some kind of spell like Discord put on us."

"Ta da!" Pinkie said happily. "The exit!" She said. We had come to an exit. The door was wooden and had glass panels on it. Beyond it, a forest of dense trees could be seen. Pinkie Pie was bouncing around happily but I noticed something odd about the door. I reached out to turn its handle but gasped. I felt nothing but a flat surface. The handle was simple painted on. So were the panes and the forest beyond. I fell back. "No, no, no!" I said. "We're trapped!" I cried. Pinkie stopped.
"What do you mean? The exit's right here, silly!" She said, giggling.
"No! It's not a door! It's just a wall with stuff painted on!" I said. She felt the handle and gasped too.
"You're right!" Pinkie said. "Oh well, we'll just have to find another way out!"

"Eek!" I cried, jumping back. "A... A d-dead b-body!" I said, shaking in fear. Pinkie just laughed.
"Oh, don't be silly! It can't be real, look!" She prodded the corpse that lay slumped in the chair, its back towards us with her hoof.
The corpse was rotten and much of the flesh had been eaten away. The was a huge hole in the skull where the bone had caved in and embedded into the skull. "See? It's fake!" She said.
"Pinkie, it wouldn't have made a difference if it was real or fake, it wasn't going to move either way!" I said. "I-I just want to go home." I said. Pinkie's expression changed suddenly from happy and bouncy to sad and solemn. She sat beside me and put her arm round me. I began to tear up. "Look, don't cry, Twi. We'll find everypony else and get out of here, ok?" I nodded silently. I heard something behind me and I froze. "You will never see your friends again..." The voice said. We spun around and gasped as we saw a blue flame above the rotting corpse. "Aaah! A ghost!" I sat up and ran to the door of the classroom, but it was locked.
"You will never see you friends again..." The spirit repeated.
"Who are you?" Pinkie asked.
"I am the spirit of someone who died here." The spirit responded.
"What do you mean, 'we will never see our friends again'?"
"I sensed 9 spirits enter this school simultaneously recently." Rarity, Blue, Cheerilee, Green, Trixie, Pinkie, Scootaloo, Red, and me.
"This school exists in a nexus of closed spaces. While your friends may be in the same place, as long as they exist in a different closed space you will never meet. However, some things may leak through the spaces, but never ponies." The spirit said.
"So it's like, different dimensions?" Pinkie said.
"Precisely," the spirit replied.
"What's more, anyone who dies in this place feels the pain they felt at the moment of death for all eternity. Ahhhh, why did I have to die like that?" The spirit moaned as the light of the flame faded away into the darkness.

"Ugh!" I cried as a stumbled to the floor.
"What's up?" Pinkie asked.
"My leg, Twilight replied, "I think I cut it or something." She said.
There was a lot of blood. I just stared. I had never seen my own blood before, let alone anyone else's. "Well, we'll just have to find you somewhere to rest. I'm sure that leg'll heal up in no time!" I smiled. I was amazed at how Pinkie had remained so positive even in horrible events like this. She was so much stronger than me. We turned a corner and we were met with a horrible sight. Blood, guts and intestines were splattered against the wall beside us. I turned away and was almost sick. The stench was overwhelming. The sound of a fly buzzing was heard over the trickling sounds of blood as it dripped from the ceilings. It was as if somepony was hurled from one end of the corridor to the other at superpony speed. It reminded me of the melon throwing competition we had at school. Only with equine beings as the melon. "Pinkie..." I muttered through rasping breaths. "Let's not split up from now on, okay? We have stay together."

We arrived at the medical room of the school. We slid open the large doors and entered. The room had a creepy atmosphere, even considering the area outside it. There were two beds lined up next to each other beside a curtain. Multiple cupboards lined with shelves of strange looking jars stood against the wall. Pinkie didn't seem to be perturbed about the strange air of the room and just bounced right in. "Well, sit down here, Twi and I'll join you in a sec." Pinkie said, gesturing to the bed closest to the wall. The bed was hard and uncomfortable but I was happy just to get some rest and to lie down. I was surprised by the lack of dust on the beds. I expected there to be a thick layer of it. I was still trying to get that horrible image of that body being splattered against the wall. I felt sorry for whoever it was but also sort of happy for them. Their death must have been quick and painless, and thinking back to what that spirit had said about the people dying here felt that pain for eternity, at least the pony wouldn't have much pain. Pinkie hurried around, searching all the cupboards and cabinets for some bandages or anything to help soothe the pain. Luckily, most of the bleeding had stopped. Pinkie returned empty hooves and crawled into the bed beside me. "Sorry I couldn't find you anything." She said as she got comfortable. "So," she said, in a manner that suggested that we were just having a casual chat. "What do you wanna do when we get out then, Twi?" Pinkie asked. "I'm sure you're just 'bursting' to find Green! Eh eh eh..." Pinkie giggled.
"Hey!" I said, feeling myself going bright red. "What's that mean to mean?"
"Ohh, don't try and hide it Twilight! I've seen the way you look at him! When you get back together it would be the perfect opportunity to pronounce your undying love to him!" Pinkie said. I grinned. Just as I was about to reply, we heard a scream. "Big brootthherrrr!" It was faint, but there was no denying who it was.
"Scootaloo!" I cried and I sat bolt upright. Pinkie climbed out of the bed.
"Don't worry, Twilight. I'll check it out and I'll be right back, okay? Don't try and come after me, I promise I'll be back." She said. I mumbled in agreement and lay back down. I really didn't wasn't to be left alone in this dark and creepy room but my leg stung too much to even stand. The pain only seemed to intensify after entering the medical room.

I lay on the hard bed and tried to sleep. Every time I turned towards the wall, I felt that feeling that eyes were boring into my skull from behind. I turned over again and let out a scream. A black silhouette of a pony was visible, its limbs and head distorting wildly.
I heard the sound of giggling and I just stared at the silhouette. My eyes widened, I froze, and my hair stood on end as I heard a voice. "Let's all go on a school trip during the summer holidays..." The voice said slowly. "Eek!" I jumped out of bed, not caring about my hurt leg and ran to the door. I gasped. Countless strands of dark, black hair covered the door rooting it in place. "Is this... Hair?" I said, taking a step back. I looked back to the silhouette, only to realise that it had gone. I heard a scratching coming from a desk in the corner of the room and gasped as I realised that the scratching sound was actually a quill. It was writing in red book, as if somepony invisible was writing with it. "H- hello?" I asked quietly.
"Llia is my pride and joy." The same, slow voice said. "She'd do anything for me. I don't think she even recognises me anymore. But I still love her with all my heart." The scratching stopped and the quill fell out of the air and landed on the book. Cautiously, I stepped over to the desk. The book snapped shut and I jumped back. "Llia... Have you come to find me?" The purple silhouette emerged from the book and ran towards me. I screamed and ran towards the exit. I tore and tore at the strands of hair, tears in my eyes. 'Please, please, please!' I thought over and over again. I froze, feeling a presence right behind me. Slowly, I turned and saw two massive, bloodshot eyes staring down and me. "Llia..." It said. My blood ran cold and I smashed into the door with all my might. It burst open and I fell into the corridor. The silhouette faded away. It seemed bound to the Infirmary.

I lay on the floor, panting and gasping. I threw up on the floor and remembered the pain in my leg. It stung as I thought about it. I heard hoofsteps running down the hall and I snapped upright, but it was only Pinkie's figure which emerged from the darkness. "Twilight!" She said. "I heard your scream and came right back! Are you okay? What happened?" Pinkie asked. I rose slowly from the floor, but I was not glad to see her. In fact, I was angry at her. She had left me alone when I promised we'd stick together. That ghost in the medical room was the most horrifying thing I had ever seen. Just seeing Pinkie's face quelled my shivers. I just wanted to grab hold of her and cry my eyes out. And that's what I should have done. But instead... "Just leave me alone! Do you have any idea how scared I was?" I said angrily.
"I-I'm sorry, Twilight. Come on, let's find a way out of here!" Pinkie responded.
"What's the point? We're all gonna die in here anyway! There's no way out!" Perhaps it was Pinkie's presence, but all the fear in me suddenly turned to anger. Nothing good could have come out of lashing out at Pinkie like this, but I couldn't stop myself. "Just go away! I don't see how you're always laughing and smiling, saying everything's going to be okay when it's not! I hate it!" There was silence for a few seconds while the impact of what I had said to Pinkie sunk in. "Twilight..." Pinkie said, tears in her eyes.
It hit me. I knew I had to apologise! "Pinkie... I'm s- *cough* *splutter* *hack*." I fell to the floor, coughing and choking.
"It's okay, Twilight. If I'm that much of a bother to you then I'll leave." Pinkie turned and began to walk away.
"No! *gag* *splutter* wait!" But it was no use. Pinkie had already gone. I collapsed on the floor. Some outside force had made me lash out at Pinkie, and there was something in my throat stopping me from apologising. I reached my hoof into my mouth and found something. I pulled. And pulled. But it just kept coming. "Wha- is this... Hair?!" The long, black strands of hair was stretched though my whole body, through my intestines , through my windpipe. The hair lay across my hooves and I was almost sick again. Was I just... Not allowed to apologise? Suddenly, the whole school started to shake violently. It was like the earthquake we had experienced in the classroom earlier. I fell the the floor, unable to keep my hoofing. "Eek!" I screamed as a large piece of wood fell from the ceiling and smashed through the floor just beside me. I curled up and cried. I didn't know how long it would be until this earthquake ended, but I didn't care. I wondered if I would be crushed by a falling piece of debris.

I opened my eyes. The earthquake had stopped. I sat up, and all hope drained from my body. There was a large hole in the ground, blocking the way that Pinkie went. "No..." I said. I realised with a jolt of horror that if I was a few meters forward I would have fallen into the seemingly endless pit. I sat up. "Pinkie?" I called out. No answer. "Pinkie? I'm sorry about what I said!" Still nothing. The school was completely silent. I sighed. "Well, there's no use just standing here doing nothing. I need to find something to let me cross." I said.

I walked into the classroom 1-C. For some reason, the air in this room felt lighter. "Perhaps Green has been in here..." I said to myself as I wandered around the classroom. I then remembered that this was the classroom I first awoke in this place with Pinkie. I tripped on something and fell flat on my face. "Ouch!" I moaned. I looked at the thing I tripped up on. It was a wooden board. Hope rose in my stomach. Perhaps I could use this to cross that gap and follow Pinkie! The board didn't look too sturdy but it might just support my weight. I would have used my horn but that wasn't an option. I lugged the heavy board over the the gap and dropped it, panting. I placed it across the gap. It just about reached the other side. Cautiously, I walked over the board, almost losing my balance, but I managed to make it across. I ran along the corridor, knowing that Pinkie had to be nearby. I came to a staircase and I stopped dead in my tracks. There was a wire, stretched across the base of the stairs. It looked like piano wire. I placed my hoof against the wire and recoiled immediately. "Ouch!" I said. Beads of blood leaked from my hoof and dripped onto the floor. "Ack! That's sharp..." I muttered. It was a cruel place to put a trap. If I hadn't noticed the wire and walked straight ahead... I shuddered at the prospect. I carefully ducked under the wire and walked up the stairs. At the top of the stairs I was only two doors. One of them was boarded up but the other door was open. I walked into the open door and saw that I was in a bathroom. There was five wooden stalls. I froze again as a loud sound broke the silence. It was a loud bang, and it was coming from one of the stalls. Bang! Bang! It was as if somepony was kicking the door. I located the stall in which the sound was coming from. "Um... Hello? Is anyone in there?" I asked. There was no answer. I swallowed, then opened the door. There was nothing inside. I sighed a sigh of relief and took a step back. The banging had stopped now, but I still wondered where Pinkie had gone. I turned, but I felt a breeze from behind me. I turned back around and felt the cold air. I located the source and saw a crack in the wall behind the toilet. "Hm? What's this?" Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a door. I pushed the wall back and it swung to reveal a ladder and a passage downwards. I took a step back. I had no idea what was down there, but there was still the idea that Pinkie was down there. I gathered my courage and climbed down the ladder.

"Ahhhhh!" My hoof slipped on one of the poles and I fell. Luckily, the floor was only a few feet from where I fell. "Ouch!" I fell on my back as I hit the floor. "Ugh... My ankle..." My ankle was seriously hurting. I could hardly stand up. I appeared to be in a cavern. It was very dark and from what I could see, it was small as well. I looked all around but there didn't seem to be any exits. I felt my way around the whole cavern, but there was no exit. I sat down at the foot of the ladder. I tried to climb it but I just fell straight off. I was completely trapped. I collapsed. "No... Please... Let me out!" I screamed. It was stupid of me. I should have known that this place was dangerous. And now I was trapped. I knew I was going to die of starvation in here. I started to cry, but there was a voice from behind me. It didn't sound evil. It was the voice of a little filly. "There there." She said comfortingly. "Don't cry." I turned around and saw the filly. She was very young. She had long, black hair that fell over her eyes and she wore a red dress. "Are you a ghost?" I asked. The smiled. "Yes, but don't worry. I won't hurt you." Something about the girl's presence calmed me.
"Can you help me?" I sniffed. The filly paused, then responded.
"Yes. I'll extract all you painful memories for you." She said.
"Th-thank you!" I said gratefully. Suddenly, the girls expression changed, from an innocent look, to a demonic, evil grin.
"But that's only because painful memories are the tastiest!"

I awoke outside the girl's bathroom. "Ugh... What happened?" I said as I stood up. Bang! "Eek!" I jumped. It was that banging again. Again, I walked into the bathroom again. The second stall from the left creaked slowly open, the same stall where I found the passage. I walked over to it again and I was shocked at what I saw. "N-no..." I gasped, taking a step back. There was a thick wooden beam stretching above all of the stalls. Tied to it was a rope, and that rope was tied into a noose. And a neck was inserted in the noose. Pinkie's neck. Her eyes were bulging and her mouth was hanging wide open. "Noooo!" I screamed.
"Tw-i..." Pinkie's voice gasped.
"Pinkie!" I yelled. "You're still alive! I'll try and get you down!" I looked around, but I had no idea what to do, and all the time, Pinkie was dying. "I know! I'll try and push you up!" I reached out and pushed Pinkie's hooves upwards. The noose loosened and she was gasping for air. "*gasp* *wheeze*." Pinkie spluttered. Somehow or another, I had managed to untie the noose and get Pinkie down. I carried her out of the stall and propped her up against the wall. "Pinkie! Pinkie!" I called. She was still gasping for breath and coughing and spluttering wildly. Her eyes were still wide with fear. "Aaahhhhh!" Pinkie screamed and she stood up.
"P-Pinkie? What's wrong? It's me, Twilight!" I called. Pinkie ran out of the room and towards the stairs. "No! Pinkie! Watch out of the-." I stopped mid-sentence as the sound of her hoofsteps stopped after a thud. "No..." I ran down the stairs and stopped. Pinkie lay at the bottom of the stairs. Blood was dripping from that sharp wire from before. I fell to my knees, Pinkie's severed head laying on the floor beside her corpse. "No... Noooooo!"