CHAPTER 9

Hello again, everypony. Sorry I'm about a day late with this one. I had other duties to attend to, and couldn't devote as much time to writing as I wanted. But here it is, submitted for your approval. I hope you all like this one, as the plot thickens just a little, and an old character makes an appearance...maybe... Enjoy, and please review.

I was walking down the dark street, fog blocking what little moonlight there was to see by. The town was empty this time of night, everypony already asleep, safe in their beds. I couldn't remember why exactly I was here, except that I was compelled by something deep in my mind to make this journey. As I walked on, even the occasional gas lamp did little to fight off the gloom. I heard a set of hooves hurrying down the street nearby, any chance of seeing the pony eliminated by the shroud of fog.

"Hello?" I called instinctively. There was no answer. I told myself that it was just somepony rushing home. I walked on until I finally came to my destination...the bakery.

I stood outside the building, looking up at the facade of the place that had been a dark cloud over so many for so long. For several minutes, I just took it all in. Why had I come here? I searched myself for the answer, but all I could find was the nagging urge to go in and find the answers that had troubled me all this time. I turned the knob and pushed open the door. The dark void of the interior beckoned to me, and I stepped inside. Darkness overtook me, and It felt like I had gone to sleep. When I next opened my eyes, I was laying on a hard surface in a dimly lit room. I started to sit up, but found that I couldn't move. I tugged at my wrists, but was met with the familiar sensation of rope. It took me a few second to realize that I was tied to a table or something. Before I could even begin to try and figure out what had happened, the terror began.

"Hi!" A frighteningly familiar pink face said, suddenly looking down on me, making me jump. "I've been waiting soooooo long for you!" The murderer who had haunted my dreams for so long walked away from the table I was tied to, and turned to stare at me with interest. I tried to stay calm, but my heart was racing, and I began to breathe hard. I struggled against the restraints that had me bound to the table. Of course she had tied the ropes well, and there was no escape. i fought panic now.

"No..." I choked. "You're dead! I killed you!"

"Sure you did, silly billy." Pinkie answered. "You killed a me, and I felt it. But I'm okay now."

"Then I'll have to try harder next time..." I stated, trying to sound like I wasn't scared to death.

"Okay...gooood luck with that." The killer said with a shrug. She turned around, and when she turned back, she had a large cleaver in hoof. "But just so you know, I still want you to help me make a special batch of cupcakes." The lump in my throat just got bigger. "Soon as Dashie helps me of course."

"You ain't touching Dashie." I said angrily. "And I promise you...I'm gonna send you back to Hell where you belong."

"Awww..." She said in a pouting tone. "I didn't like Hell. Sure I had a lot of parties, but I only had me to throw them for. I love talking to me, but I get kinda boring after a while." She stepped toward me, intently examining the edge of the knife.

"Well...I can think of a couple more things you can do with yourself." I growled.

"Why do you have to be so mean?" Pinkie asked. "All I want is your organs. I mean, you're gonna be dead soon, and you won't need them, sooo..."

"This isn't real." I stated. "It can't be. You're...you're just a dream! You're a nightmare!"

"Oh don't be silly." Pinkie stated, coming closer. "Real is only how we see the world." The next thing I knew, Pinkie Pie was standing over me, holding the large knife like a surgeon. I watched in horror as she began to slowly bring the knife down toward the center of my chest.

"Get away from me!" I shouted. "Stop!" I watched the tip of the knife descend closer and closer to my chest. I couldn't believe it. My life was about to end. I was going to die, and it was in the same place that I had just started to live. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't end like this. I couldn't do this to Dashie...to Budder.

"BEGONE!" A booming voice commanded. There was a bright light that forced me to squeeze my eyes shut. When I opened them again, I was in a white void. Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie, and the table were gone now, and Princess Luna was standing before me.

"Drake...are you okay?!" Luna pressed fearfully. "I arrived as soon as I could..." She gave me a hug and stepped back, watching me with a worried look on her face.

"I think so, milady..." I whispered. I heaved a sigh of relief. "So this was just a dream, huh?" I looked around. "I thought so...well...I was hoping so, at least." Luna looked at me sadly.

"It's strange, Drake." She replied. "I would have been able to get to you sooner, but this...it did not feel as it were a dream. It took me a moment to realize what was happening. This is rather frightening, my dear friend."

"You're telling me..." I commented as my heart rate slowed. "For a second there, I thought I was gonna be killed. I was starting to run out of smart-ass remarks."

"Drake...this is serious." The blue alicorn said. "You have to be careful. I do not know why, but have a bad feeling about this now. Promise me you will watch out for yourself and your family."

"I will...you know that..." I said. "Are you saying...milady...was this a vision or something?"

"I wish I could say..." Princess Luna answered. "But only time can tell. You must awaken now, Drake. You are needed."

"Thanks you for saving me." I said with a nod.

"Of course." She smiled a little. "I am always there for the ones I care about. Just like you." It was my turn to smile now. "Wake up, Drake...wake up."

I awoke to the sound of knocking at the bedroom door. I wiped my face with my forehooves, trying to wring away the remnants of sleep, and climbed out of bed. The caller knocked again, and from the rapidity of their rapping, I knew already that something was wrong. I walked to the door, unlocked it, and opened it. There stood Twilight, a look of fear in her purple eyes. Behind her was a police officer, who immediately took a deep breath when he saw me. Something was terribly wrong, I could sense it. Then, Twilight spoke.

"Drake...you have to come with us right now." She said in a trembling voice.

"What is it?" I asked nervously.

"Lieutenant, there has been a...murder." The officer said simply. I looked back at twilight, who nodded sadly. My heart started pounding, and my mouth felt dry.

"Shit..." I whispered. "It's not...there, is it?" I asked, hoping the answer was no.

"Yes." Twilight said softly. I had a momentary flashback from the dream I had just had. Shaking it off, I threw my hat on my head and rushed out of the room, buckling my sabre on as I went.

When I arrived at the bakery, there was already a crowd of onlookers, all demanding to know what had happened as they were held at bay by a couple of city police officers. One look, and it was obvious that everything in this little town had just gone to Hell in a handbasket. Yellow tape was strung over the doors and first-floor windows, and an officer stood by the door to keep the townsponies out. I pushed through the crowd with Twilight and the policepony until I was at the front of the mob.

"Drake!" My sister's voice called. I turned to see my sister, Dashie and Scootaloo standing nearby, at the front of the crowd.

"Sis, you and Scootaloo stay here and help these cops keep the public out." I ordered. Budder nodded. "Dashie, come with me...if you're feeling up to it."

"I ain't lettin' you go alone." My marefriend returned. Together, and with the officer and Twilight close behind, we entered Sugarcube Corner. Even I wasn't prepared for the grotesque sight that lay before me.

It was apparent that a city worker, judging by the yellow helmet and tool belt by the door, had come to assess the building before the demolition the next day. What had happened next was the mystery, but the end result was obvious. He was laying upon the counter on his back, dead. As I drew closer, I could see that his throat had been cut, and his abdomen was sliced open. His intestines and probably more were gone. I suddenly got a really bad case of deja vu, and my stomach tied up in knots. My mind told me it was probably a copycat killer, but my instincts told me otherwise.

"We uh...we found him this morning." The officer said. "He was here to inspect the building. When he didn't report back to the foreman by ten thirty, he went in to find his worker...and he did...and called us..."

"I guessed that much." I stated. I looked away from the body and swallowed hard. "I guess the question is who did it..."

"Drake..." Dashie whispered. "I don't like this..."

"Neither do I." I replied, putting a foreleg around her. "Kinda...brings back old memories..." I left it at that. I took a deep breath and sighed. "Alright officer, get the M.E. In here. I want a full series of prints collected. Tell the coroner I'll be there later today to examine the body with him. Until then, get every officer you can here. I want this building searched from top to bottom. Understood?"

"Yessir." he replied.

"Come on, sweetie..." I said. "I hate to say it, but it looks like we have work to do."

So ends the turning point of the story. Told you it would get much darker. I know this chapter raised a myriad of questions...who killed the stallion? Was it a copycat killer? Was it Pinkie Pie? If so, how is she back? I will try to have the next chapter written out by Monday evening, so as not to keep you on the edge of your seat too long. Until then, thanks for reading, everypony. -Drake