Panicking and with a foggy mind, I staggered backwards away from the twitching corpse, dropping the bloodied metal onto the wooden floor. The point stabbed the wood and stuck up and the pool of blood washed over the blade and onto my feet. My balance was unstable but I never fell. Instead, I spun around, almost slipping on the blood. Gentle clicks sounded in the library from the clock, spurring me to move faster.
Time, mother's gonna be here soon, right!? Where is she? She was here before! I killed someone! I killed him, in the neck, with a knife, and his blood is coating our wooden floor, probably staining mother's bed, and my own bed is trashed. And he killed Featherweight, and bathroom where we take the pissing and showers and personal crap, I thought.
Without stopping, I slammed into the door frame of the bathroom, smelling the scented candle over the blood on my body. Lotus Corniculatus scented candle with a black rose shape, bright flame, and placed directly in the centre of the sink. Looking to the right, the bathtub was covered by the shower curtains, and I hesitated.
A draconic silhouette was cast onto the curtains with a menacing loom, blood dripping off the arms. A purple claw reached forward and dragged across the curtain, scratching the surface before gripping the fabric. A quick tug, and the monster slid the curtains across. The tub was completely empty . . . save for a small note on the wall:
"Spike, do not use bathtub. Just trust me on this one. Love, Twilight."
The monster . . . me, looked at the tub for several seconds. It's empty. Nothing in there, not even a trace of a body. Just Twilight's antics at play, meaning that I just killed someone for no reason. Then again, this isn't the first time, is it? I blinked, rubbing the back of my head. I stepped out of the bathroom, shivering as I hyperventilated.
"It's not?" I whispered to myself.
I ignored the question, feeling tears welling up the more I thought about it. Instead, I began to cry from the other fact at hand: I fucking killed someone. I ran up, skidding against the ground and falling into the pool of blood next to the now-lifeless Halcyon Blind. I ran to Twilight's bed, grabbing the blood-spattered blanket and yanking it off along with the sheets. Twilight's mattress was untouched by the blood, thankfully.
"Okay, time to dispose of this, and I know where," I said.
Quickly, I placed one end of the blanket on Halcyon Blind, tucking an edge under his foreleg. I began rolling him, covering him up with the blanket. The blanket also had the bonus of soaking up some of the blood, but by the time I finished, it was almost completely soaked. It wouldn't do, so I ran around and grabbed another thick blanket, wrapped up the corpse and soggy blankets and prepped the body. A quick mop job and the floor was cleaned. The smell of iron still haunted the air.
Picking up the roll, I hoisted it over my shoulder, grunting as I supported the corpse. Without the blood in his body, he was much lighter but the blood that was on the blanket assaulted my nose with the smell. The questions flooded back into my mind.
Will I get away with this? Why did I say that it wasn't the first time? How did I know the Death Note's name? I mean, I'm 100% certain that it is. I shook my head, coming down from my initial panic. I was still hyperventilating as I processed the situation.
My mother is going to abandon me. Rarity did, my mother will too. I mean, I actually killed someone! I slit his throat, and for what? Because he lied to me? No, that's wrong. He was going to kill me . . . but he never tried to. I just lunged at him. What would she say if she saw me now? What would Princess Celestia say? What would Applejack say? Oh god, no, I'm going to go to jail. Or, no, I'll be executed by the Princess! Or by Twilight, or Rarity. Well, this was their plan, wasn't it? I'm a dragon, that's why they hired Halcyon. They sent him here to kill me so they don't have to do it, but now that I've killed him, they can frame me. THEY LIED!
Growling, I snapped back to reality, almost tearing the door of the library off the hinges. Doing a quick check outside, nopony was in the immediate area. The sun had set, making it dark enough to do this run. I dashed out into the streets, keeping to the sides as I passed by the buildings. The body continued to remind me of its presence with the smell. With each breath, I could practically taste it, magnifying the situation in my mind. The severity tripled and my breaths became more erratic.
After half an hour, I arrived at Ghastly Gorge. I like how the first instinct I had upon killing him was to hide the body . . . like a child hiding the bedsheets after he wet the bed. Actually there was no goddamned comparison here. The severity of my failure far outweighs pissing the bed. I'll still be reprimanded and scolded by Twilight, I'll be in trouble and get my punishment. The only difference is that the town of Ponyville will hang me by my nerve endings and stab my body until I rot. The thought made me shiver and all the more determined to hide my mess. This was a poorly thought out plan but at the moment, I felt like I could outsmart Twilight.
I came to the edge of the gorge and took a quick peek over the edge. A sloped edge with a hundred foot drop. A thick fog caressed the area and the crickets and owls kept me company, filling my mind with enough background noise to spur me into getting the job over. I threw the body onto the edge of the gorge, hoping it would roll down and out of my life. Of course it didn't. It remained atop the curve, causing me to groan.
Then hoofsteps sounded behind me. My entire body froze up and a chilled feeling went down my spine. Someone followed me out there, and the mystery only increased my panic.
I killed him.
I ran forward without a second thought and stopped in front of the roll of blankets. I placed my foot on it and kicked off to roll it down . . . except it unrolled as it did. As the body rolled down, the blankets unravelled and I just stared with wide eyes and fear. The moonlight refracted through the fog allowing me to see the event. The blankets finished unravelling, and there was no body, no blood or any sign of a mess. I leaned back, falling onto my rear.
"Who's there?" a voice asked from behind.
That voice . . . I know that voice. Turning around, I was facing Halcyon Blind.
"Hey, friend. I thought I saw you come out this way," he said, smiling at me. "I thought you were gonna off y'self out here."
Looking at him, I confirmed it. It was actually him, not some duplicate. That grin, the wings, the stance; it was him.
[*][*][*]
There was still blood on my body, somehow. The bathroom of the library still had the scented candle burning away as I washed myself. It was useless, though. The blood on my hands would not come off regardless of the soap or scrubbing. It was there and plaguing my mind just as the events of recent days have.
Glancing up in the mirror, Halcyon Blind was standing in the doorway, smoking a cigarette while sporting his usual neck twitch. Watching him twitch, something bugged me. He wasn't hostile towards me. He never once said that he killed Featherweight, just that he was gone. He merely took out a knife and held it up. He wasn't threatening, he just looked like it. I thought he was a threat, and attempted to kill him.
Then again, this isn't the first time, is it?
. . .
It's not. It's not the first time.
Halcyon had subtle movements, but his glance was directed at me. Half-lidded eyes, a gentle smirk, and the instant I thought that line, he nodded his head like a mind reader. His expression wasn't one of contempt or hatred. It wasn't that of a criminal. It wasn't the look of a threat. It was the solemn look of a victim as he lived with it.
"I know who you are." My lip quivered.
The pony whose name is written in this notebook shall die.
"I know . . . who you are." Tears welled up in my eyes.
I'm going to kill every stallion that threatens my Rarity.
"I k-know . . . w-who you a-are."
Murder. It was murder, Rarity.
"You aren't a stupid Dragon, Spike. You're smart, far smarter than anypony I know," a female voice spoke out.
I looked around but never found the source of the voice. Halcyon Blind slid to the ground, his breathing becoming more erratic.
"Dreams are how we sort out the truth, and it is my job to ensure dreams are pleasant. But to one who shuts out the truth, they are but a nightmare."
. . .
I cried. Against Twilight's bed, I cried. Tears flowed without halt as did my memories and emotions. Looking at my basket, which wasn't destroyed, I pulled it closer to me. Halcyon Blind was gone . . . because he wasn't Halcyon Blind. I killed Golden Shutter, that's all there is to it.
Pulling out the pink research journal, I flipped the pages to the end. The last page with Twilight's penmanship, it had the blank where the killers name would go. I reached for a pen, but stopped. This isn't how I write in notebooks. Instead, I poked my chest with my claw until blood coated the tip, and I wrote one little name down on the page.
SPIKE THE DRAGON
MURDEROUS MONSTER
[*][*][*]
Twilight's bed was soft, and I'm glad I woke up in it. It was much better than my crummy ol' basket, which was tucked away nicely. The bed Twilight bought me wasn't paid for, regardless of what she said. She just had the order form as well as the money ready to go. It ships today, but unfortunately, we're gonna have to hold out on it.
Grumbling, Twilight rolled off the bed, stretching with audible cracks in her spine. A moan escaped her lips as she finished, scratching her messy hair as she proceeded to the bathroom. I would have panicked had last night not occurred, probably.
"Spike, we should do something fun," Twilight shouted from the bathroom.
Grumbling, I rolled off the bed, hitting the floor face first. I shook it off and staggered down the stairs to the lower part of the room before stopping, sitting down on the bottom step.
"Like what?" I asked, yawning. Another restless night . . . but that's about to change.
I noticed my body had shrunk back down to it's typical size. Well, not really. I was inches taller than when I started growing. Not enough for anypony but me to notice it, or maybe I was just slumping. Either way.
"A picnic. We haven't had one with the girls in forever. You, Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy, your girlfriend and I." A spit followed by a running sink. "Maybe this weekend, we can just sit down and have a good time. No world crisis, no freakouts or breakdowns. Just fun for the heck of it."
I nodded my head, smiling. "In a few years, we should go someplace. Far away. Our friends could come, and so could your parents. Everypony could come, and we'll have a grand adventure. Lots of laughing, playing, mystery and discovery. An unyielding bond, deepening between us. I may not depart for this journey the same time as you guys, but I'll catch up. We can talk about the good old days."
Tears rolled down my eyes. It was hitting me hard to say this, and I knew why. I leaned against the stairs, ignoring the bad feeling radiating from my spine. Several clopping sounds headed my way, clicking against the wood like a gentle symphony. Twilight sat down on my lap and leaned forward, hugging me.
"Spike, I'm a little tired, do you mind if I have a quick nap before getting up for the day?" Twilight said, squeezing me tightly.
"Only if you leave my internal organs intact, mother," I coughed up jokingly.
She giggled, and let out a deep sigh. "I love you, Spike. Say we go on this journey of yours, will you promise to write every day until you depart?" Twilight asked, smiling up at me.
I sat up, holding her as she yawned, slowly falling back asleep. "I'll write a letter a day, detailing the pain I feel until I leave. Endless adventures in a world of endless possibilities."
Twilight was already snoring by the time I finished. She must be exhausted, or maybe she's not used to getting up this early. I caressed her cheek, brushing the hair out of her eyes. Quietly and gently, I lifted her up, carried her back to her bed and gently set her under the sheets. Looming over her, I leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek.
"I've gotta go for a while, and I won't be back until I depart for the journey, okay?" I said quietly, allowing my steamy tears to fall onto her face.
Quickly, I grabbed the pink notebook, taking a glance at the cover.
THIS NOTEBOOK IS PROPERTY OF TWILIGHT SPARKLE
I gently set it on the bed next to her pillow, and looked over to the door. So much time has passed since it all started. All of this madness and horror. The nightmare never ended because the psycho was still at large . . . but this story will end peacefully for the heroes.
Downstairs, I cooked a nice breakfast for Twilight before I left. Simple, but I put all my effort into it. There was something about creating that just appealed to me. Be it food, art, letters or whatnot. Creating was better than destroying . . . and giving is better than taking. It's wrong to take a life, and now I'm going to give something back. Stepping to the door, I glanced around the room, taking in the gentle, oak-scented atmosphere. It would be a long time until I saw this again, and maybe it's for the best.
[*][*][*]
Ponyville . . . Looking at it, I see a beautiful town full of loving ponies and great friends. Big adventures, tons of fun. None of that is for me, though. I can't do it, because I'm not one of the loving ponies or great friends. I am a dragon, a monster, and I will outlive everyone here. Silently, I bid the morning town goodbye. For how long? I don't know, but there is no way I would just sit back and accept this.
Sluggishly dragging my brazen body through the crusty dirt roads of Ponyville morning towards a particular building. Spotting a fashionista's boutique, I gave it a side glance, passing it as I continued onward. Within seconds, I noticed a presence behind me, none other than the fashionista herself. She wasn't getting closer but she was behind me, meaning she was cautious about approaching me. That's fine. How did I know it was her? Simple. Elegant hoofsteps, genius. She was easily 50 feet behind me, only audible due to the silence.
Upon settling my stride towards a building, my mind realized there was no turning back now. I stopped just outside of the doors and turned around, only to realize it wasn't the fashionista. She was further back, just a white dot in the horizon. This was Halcyon Blind.
No, it was Golden Shutter. He gave a solemn look, smiling sadly at me. I reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, and it touched. There was only coldness from the touch, and it pained me to the heart.
"Everyone makes mistakes, friend. Just sleep on it," he said.
"Hello, Spike," a female voice sounded behind me.
Turning, I saw Rarity with a set of saddlebags on her body. A quick glance back to the right, Golden Shutter shook his head.
"Hello . . . Rarity, I'm sorry that I can't stand to chat, but I'm busy. There's something I have to do," I said quietly.
She awkwardly shifted her hooves, kicking the ground. She couldn't find the words to speak, so she just looked up at me, smiling.
"No matter, I'm simply going to Canterlot. I'm . . . sorry for last night. So I guess . . . I'll see you around, then," she said, her voice cracking.
She took a step forward, I took one back. She looked at me, somewhat hurt and I glanced back to Golden. He looked through the doors of the building and I grit my teeth. Ignoring my doubt, I stepped forward and embraced Rarity in a hug.
"We're all gonna take a big, long journey sometime later. Our friends, Ponyville, Equestria. Better plan as soon as possible, don't want you running out of love and beauty before then," I said.
"Ah, a journey sounds so delightful. Just a grand adventure of fun and love," Rarity whispered. Our embrace ended, and she smiled at me. "I'll see you when I get back?"
I looked at her, opening my mouth to speak before closing it, smiling. "I hate goodbyes, so . . . take care," I said, turning away.
"Goodbye, Spikey-wikey. Even though I don't act like it, I love you. Please remember that," Rarity's voice said, growing quieter as she walked back.
And that was all I needed. All the motivation I needed to go through with this. Stepping into the building, I approached the desk in a quiet room with some activity. A Royal Guard stood behind the desk, mindlessly stamping papers. He looked up at me, waiting for me to speak. Once more, I glanced outside the doors. I saw Golden Shutter nodding at me, holding up a mug of coffee. A gentle smile defined his face, and I nodded at him. I turned back to the guard, exhaling heavily. I looked at him, gulped, and spoke.
"I'd like to report a murder."
[*][*][*]
Gentle tugging at my weakened arms led me down a short, white hallway. Two Royal Guards escorted me throughout the building before stopping at a door. Quickly, their horns lit up and the doors opened.
"We'll need to get this on record," one of them said.
I shook my head. "Later, I need to sleep." I stumbled into the temporary holding cell, falling onto the bed. I haven't had a proper sleep since the vacation . . . but even then, I had some trouble, didn't I? "This is . . . all we can do right now," I mumbled.
"Oh, your highness," the guards said, bowing.
I lazily glanced out the door, watching as Princess Luna strolled into the cell, a casual stride and solemn expression. I averted my gaze, just waiting for her to do her business.
"The night is mine, and anything that happens under its dank cloak I shall witness. I am not our sister but a recluse," she said. I rolled my eyes to the best of my ability before growling. "I know what you wish for, but to execute you is nothing but pitiful revenge." She looked around the room, biting her lip while I struggled to stay awake. "It's been a year since my nephew died. I'll just leave it at that," she said before exiting the cell, closing the door.
I yawned, feeling sleep—proper sleep—coming for once. My eyes stopped responding as they fell to the intoxicating drowsiness along with my body, regardless of my uncomfortable sitting position on the bed.
"I just wanted to protect Rarity."
THE UNICORN'S NOTEBOOK
Written By Arby Works