ACT 3: FINALE.

"Get up…"

I kept my eyes closed and remained motionless under the bed.

"I won't repeat it again…"

I rolled out of it as I fell onto my hooves. My eyes remained closed, and I was only imagining finding some way, some path back to orchestra practice… I would find Vinyl and we could escape together.

"Step forward." That unfamiliar voice quoted.

Due to the bruise I had received earlier, I wasn't able to fully open my eyes. And after much thought, I obeyed with intrigue as I took a few slow, stiff steps, wondering where that voice was coming from.

"That was quite a spectacle, but ultimately pointless. Even in pain, you still find creative ways to disgrace our family name. Now, raise your head."

Afterward, I lifted a hoof and placed it on my neck. That necklace, half metal and half magic, that they had devised for me, was sealing and snapping into place. As soon as it was placed, I could feel an enormous tingle of magic coursing through my body, and the true despair of my situation sank completely.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that my father was the one responsible for placing it on me. I even believed that my mother would be hurt enough to avoid any reprimand from him. I didn't know what I should do next. I knew that within my few thoughts, she would return the blow I had dealt her earlier.

"We didn't expect it would come to this. But my beloved's methods turned out to be somewhat… ineffective. She will be recovered soon enough to continue your training. And I suggest you stop antagonizing us now, if you don't want a worse punishment than this. You should already know that we can both track that necklace and can use it to generate a powerful magical charge through your nerves."

As an example, his horn flashed, and the device around it had activated. To demonstrate what would happen the next time I disobeyed them.

Stumbling, I lay on the ground, suffering in exquisite agony. My hooves numbed by the hundreds of electric shocks, which stunned me from my brain down to my spine.

With the sharp internal burning sensation throughout my windpipes, I felt a severe repulsion as I tried not to regurgitate all the bile pouring out of my mouth… And as sudden and severe as it was, the burning sensation faded as quickly as it activated, leaving me breathless and my body completely paralyzed.

I was definitely unprepared for what was coming after I'd held my position with the wrong idea, imagining that he wouldn't dare hurt me again.

"We thought you'd have more sense than this. You truly disappoint us. We've given you everything, we've sacrificed everything! All of this, we've done so you'd be able to play… Years of schooling, dozens of instruments, countless tutors, the best music theory experts money can buy… And yet, you refuse to stay put." My father quoted, his voice threatening.

As I lay inert on the floor, tears began to stream down my face. And even if I arrived with Vinyl… What good would it do now? Would she, or Lyra, know anything about the use of this necklace?

"Now, behave yourself and apologize to your mother. For this occasion, we'll escort you to the orchestra for practice tonight."

I heard his footsteps and as best I could, watched him leave during his calm and unrepentant walk.

After what had happened, my mind was tormenting me now. All the thoughts I had in my head confused me more than the necklace would have. Stubbornly, I believed there were plenty of opportunities for a hasty escape.

The only thing I had, given my meager salvation, was to go to the chef. But it wouldn't do any good to go to him and tell him something specific about this situation... And now I was condemned to suffer thanks to this necklace.

Like the seal of a punishment I would endure for the rest of my life, my sanity was heightened every time I imagined the future times they would activate it. And in less time than I could have imagined the worst, my mother returned.

She looked terrible, with a few sharp wounds and other small tears on her face. Seeing her at first gave me some satisfaction. But I wasn't in a good enough state to say a few words and sarcastically ask her what those wounds felt like.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Go ahead, insult me now." She said as she stood in front of me.

She spat in my face after that order, so I tried my best to stand up. I faced her as best I could, searching for the right words to convey my feelings. But the dysphoria and tremors, were of no help in trying to hold my ground.

"I gave you an order... Do it." She emphasized.

I tried to remain as firm as possible while making awkward, but not at all fearful, eye contact with her; and the time didn't extend for long before I opened my mouth. Her horn flashed briefly, and a sensation of a thousand cuts spread across my skin, sending me exponentially into convulsions. Choked and dejected, I coughed and moaned resentfully.

"Y-you're too much of a coward to f-face me without m-magic." I responded in a nonthreatening tone, knowing I wouldn't be able to do anything to defend myself.

From the floor, I had looked up just in time to see her walk, and then she proceeded to hit me hard in the head. I had rolled to the side and couldn't react. My body came to a complete stop the instant I hit the legs of my bed.

After that terrible blow, I went through stages of sudden numbness in my neck the moment I turned my head to try to move. I couldn't get a steady vision as the dizziness had worsened. And I knew then that it would be even more useless to try to fight, or to do anything to escape.

"Uhm, you don't seem to have any energy... Now sit down." She yelled as she backed away from me.

I closed my eyes and sobbed until she sent another shock of pain through my chest. My nerves alerted my brain as I was compressed under several tons of high blood pressure. This time, it felt like I was being forced through the eye of a needle... And I remained even more immobile as I screamed in agony.

"Sit down... Now." She'd replied, and as far as she was concerned, she was happy to see me suffer.

With one of my greatest efforts, I managed to give a small, weak lift and slam myself firmly onto the ground. I had never felt so humiliated, and so much pain in my entire life. And it was then that I began to ask myself something important amidst all this wave of suffering: Was this my life controlled from a safe distance by my cowardly parents? Was I destined to know pain and forced servitude?

"Good girl… Now get up."

However, it was impossible for me to even move from the position I was in, because every movement in my tendons caused intense pain as I moved my entire body from the ground. But I would have gained the chance to reach Vinyl and free myself. If I waited long enough, maybe—just maybe—the puppeteer would come to rescue me again.

So, without repercussions, and after obeying her, she threw a rotten apple she took from a hidden saddlebag, and it turned to mush on the ground.

"This new necklace has many interesting features. I enjoy discovering each one of them, so go ahead, test my patience again… Now, swallow."

Fearful but disgusted, I force-fed the rotten mush and whispered while keeping my eyes on the ground. But the feeling of nausea suddenly approached as I swallowed the last rotten bit, regurgitating the mush immediately.

I was stunned to see that liquid spilled on the floor, and my annoyed and disgruntled mother slapped my nose afterward. Blood spilled onto the floor as I tried to look her in the eyes to beg her to stop. She noticed my gaze.

"P-please… Stop… If I-I behave, c-can I sleep?... A nap?" I replied sadly as I tried to inhale some air.

"Well… I think you've learned your lesson now. You know, I'm tired of the servants having to lock your room at night… I'm tired of everyone constantly asking me about my gifted daughter, and I'm tired of everyone asking me how it feels to have so much talent in the family. If only they knew how spoiled you really are… If only everyone knew what it feels like to have a disobedient animal like you. But I just hope that next time, you don't force me to take any other special measures… You've got me fed up… You even disgust me just by looking at you."

Still motionless and defeated, I looked at the clock, and there were still several hours left until practice. The moment I glanced at the witch, my sanity clouded my thoughts completely as I saw her standing in front of me… Firm, satisfied, and with a cruel advantage.

The only way out, given my limited possibilities, was to be completely submissive to her, sacrificing the last blossoming seed of conscience, which had withered within my consciousness. After a while, she paused unexpectedly, testing whether I would say something that would offend her. Of course, I didn't have the motivation to do so either. Not even the energy to utter even a single word.

Seeing his wrinkled face as best I could, our silence was heartbreaking given my expectations, since I had incurred that suffering myself after what happened.

"Turn over."

Without a second thought, I proceeded to roll onto my back on the floor like a carpet. At this rate, I could easily die in two ways: one from embarrassment or the other from several more shocks.

"Play dead."

I relaxed my body completely, realizing too late their strange but cruel intentions. My muscles seized up as I felt thousands of magical needles piercing my skin once again. As if a butterfly had been pinned to a corkboard, I felt the blockage in my motor neurons released, allowing me to enter ecstasy again.

"Now, sit properly."

Slowly, I dragged myself into an upright position, suffering from vertigo as I held my head upright, unable to stop myself from trembling from the sharp pain.

My mind now doubted the veracity of her strange but twisted help... Had I really been that disobedient?... Had I misinterpreted her intentions all these years?... She wouldn't hurt me if I behaved... She would love me if I behaved.

"Now tell Mommy that you love her."

"I-I love you, Mommy... P-please... Forgive me." I responded as best I could.

"I won't forgive you, but you can have your nap. If I hear any noise or you falling out of bed for any reason, you'll go back to sleep outside."

"Yes-yes, ma'am..." She left the room, slamming the door loudly.

I walked slowly to the bed and climbed into it, burying myself under the sheets afterward. The sound of the door slamming made me shudder so much that I tried to cover my ears with every pillow I could find. But the sharp pain made me unable to fall asleep.

It was at that moment that I was blaming myself for many things. Specifically, I was mentally unstable and wanted to see not only her dead but also her... My father was also responsible for touching an unnecessary spot that caused her to hurt me. Just when things were about to end, he and the butler came in to interrupt my task.

I felt horrible and regretful after imagining that last scene... That moment where I would finally have been able to... Pay for all the years of suffering. The uncertainty was heightened by all that weight as I felt another sensation of pain completely aggravate my neck.

I had no choice but to try to calm down. I sobbed softly and ended up crying myself to sleep, wishing I knew how I would make them feel... Proud. After several minutes, the resentment faded as I managed to remember the few wonderful moments I had throughout my life.

Many of them related to my friends... And before I finally fell into a deep sleep, I knew that things were somehow... going to get worse. I tried and tried to ignore it all... To delve into the darkness of my mind.

Hours passed... Or maybe minutes passed... Maybe dawn had broken... Or so I thought. I even thought I had opened my eyes as soon as everything around me became clear as I observed several fleeting visions.

Everything definitely indicated that I was dreaming. But the memories I saw were so blurry and blurred that I didn't know what to think at that moment.

I couldn't remember much of what I had seen at first... But... There were several things that were finally redeemed... Those visions! It wasn't just my friends who had been present during all those fantasies... It wasn't just Vinyl who was present in the same way... My family and my parents.

I wanted to go into denial... A complete and utter denial.

Everything that had seemed like a delusion turned into something beautiful and radiant. My mind spun so fast as I remembered the few fun times I had after I started hanging out with my friends. It wasn't just Lyra and Bon Bon that I had a lot of fun with... But Vinyl too.

And those memories felt sweet and pleasant... That whole fantasy seemed to be different with alternate versions of my friends and family. Everyone's life had changed completely, and doubts ran through my mind as I remembered that spark, those wonderful memories.

And they moved quickly while I was wandering in my thoughts. But the unexpected had passed as a final flash dazzled my vision... And finally, I ended up being flooded with an endorphin of memories in view of what I had gone through throughout a fictional life... I never knew how much time had passed!

In one of my first visions, I had been allowed to go out to dinner, and they bought me gifts for many holidays. I was impressed and somehow... discouraged.

In other cases, my father allowed me to conduct many of the important and renowned orchestras throughout the kingdom, making me the best cellist in all of Equestria Kingdom. I was also able to compose great symphonies with my mother.

She was like an expert tutor in the art of music theory. She would come into my room to teach me how to play all kinds of instruments, from the smallest to the heaviest, including, among many of them, an oak piano with the treble clef imprint.

From a very young age, she guided me and taught me everything she knew… Like a true mother, and she loved me very much. She… Loved me… Cared for me.

But she made me feel somehow… Sad and terrible.

And in the last details I remember, everyone was wearing rudimentary, casual attire… Everything was very different!

I knew that the only thing that had happened differently wasn't just behaving well with them… It wasn't just obeying their orders in a way that didn't warrant any particular punishment.

My entire family had changed completely! My parents accepted me as an earth pony… However, my worries hadn't dissipated in the slightest. I could see a full life with everyone. With my friends around me… With my lessons well learned… With many possibilities within my reach.

Everything brought me a certain bittersweet calm, and I found peace again when I realized I had managed to earn my cutie mark when I was accepted to audition for the Canterlot Royal Orchestra.

Everything was wonderful, yes, but… I knew that in all those visions, the chef wasn't in any of them. I tried not to downplay it since I felt so bad for him… However, my thoughts turned to another wave of beautiful visions, completely distracting me. The satisfaction of feeling good without taking my worries about my family seriously somehow managed to keep me euphoric again.

I could feel my heart beating with joy as I observed that in one of my last fantasies, Vinyl and I were together… From the perspective of others, the relationship I had with her felt not only different… Everything I saw made me feel worse, and doubt ran through my mind.

Fear and intrigue had returned as I remembered the pain my parents had caused me over many years.

All of that… I couldn't help it, and it hurt inside to admit it… But I knew they weren't just lies. They were a mirage… A fraud.

It was… It was torture to dream of those false illusions.

When I tried to think things through, I felt a deep darkness cover me completely. I was heartbroken every time I saw Vinyl's face again. And it didn't just make me feel distressed in the same way… I felt suffocated, and those shadows kept me from seeing clearly.

Those beautiful visions I saw became glimpses of my harsh and dark present… In the worst moments of my resignation. Where all my misfortunes approached in the worst possible way.

Now I felt beyond anguish… I tried to ignore what I saw… I tried to ignore it all.

I even tried to push those dark moments out of my mind, and I knew soon after that everything had turned into a nightmare. From that moment on, I knew the puppeteer wanted to torture me, but I tried to resist his control.

And the torment of those memories, which I was destined to witness… In one of the darkest moments of my entire life… Everything I had to go through since the day I got my cutie mark… Everything I had to endure to be at this point.

No return… Without the slightest hope of being able to make a change. It all happened in a flash I hadn't been able to perceive again. But my hope of returning to Vinyl was more than steadfast, and I didn't want to waver and let negative thoughts contaminate my mind.

But my parents… I knew in that instant what was clear and concise… The necklace wasn't the only thing that was shattering my mental and emotional stability. I was just living proof of it.

To see if I could endure all the pain they caused me. They never wanted me to do anything in return to make them happy, or even make them proud. To try to get a single smile from their faces.

Since I was born, I was blinded by a goal that didn't exist. Without a purpose to fulfill, trying to overcome something I wouldn't be able to achieve with any of them. Their self-denial and expectations were sublimated by their hatred and resentment.

It was more than clear!... The signs were evident in the mistreatment… In their lack of education… In their commitment… In their affection… In their love.

Of course, it couldn't have been more obvious… My mother's cruelty and my father's delicate servitude turned into fury had completely aggravated each other. Since I'd known Lyra all this time… Since I'd learned about the art, theories, and concepts of music.

Even since I'd managed to learn to dodge those adversities that stood in my way… My life. Their attitudes changed drastically during the span of my escapes.

The disobedience… The wastefulness… Their lack of care. The fact that I was an earth pony!... I was just a tool to them... It wasn't fair!... They never loved me as their daughter.

They never bothered to put on a legitimate symbol of concern, and every time I stumbled, they never took the time to stop and help me back to my feet... They never gave me any legitimate symbol of parental affection or care.

The paid servitude and the trials of a trial I couldn't understand or interpret... Everything I did... Everything... To come to nothing. Without a result or outcome I could ever reach.

But I know they shaped my life, even though they might have done it with the wrong approach. I was finally sorry for myself for trying to think things through. And I knew soon after that my mind was playing a cruel trick on me.

I couldn't stop the tears from shed to determine what was to come... I was suffering... I knew what fate would hold for me. And with my heart beating rapidly, I knew death would come for me… I wanted to finally wake up from that nightmare!

Someone was knocking on my door… I was back in reality. In the dark… gray and cruel reality. However, my deep torment had ended, and somehow I managed to feel some relief.

"My lady wake up… It's time for your practice." Replied my butler, who was standing outside my room.

Sleep gave me enough rest, and I quickly got out of the covers to hurry and get ready. I waited for a short time so I could see him, patiently at the door, but he never arrived. It seemed like had only come to give me the warning to wake up.

Once I was ready, minutes had passed, so I decided to go out and look for him. During my journey, I remained alert as I walked down that dark hallway trying to find him.

In less time than I expected, I managed to hear some noises along with some voices in the kitchen. I wanted to peek inside to see if the chef and the butler were there chatting. I approached slowly, cautiously, as I weakly opened the door.

Inside, I bumped into my parents as they chatted at the table. I didn't know their purpose, but as soon as I looked in, they immediately turned around and wanted to do their bidding. I felt forced to obey, forced to comply with whatever they demanded.

"You're right, honey." My father said.

"Octavia, come in! You're just in time... Lie down on the floor face down." Mother's had said shortly after.

Because of my submission, I was led to obey their orders, and without complaint, I lay down as she ordered under the table, listening to them talking back and forth.

Now I was like their pet... The terror of being electrocuted again had completely taken over me. With the pain that had persisted before, I didn't feel the need to move a single muscle in my body.

The minutes passed quickly as I thought about many things about that fateful dream I had. I admit they weren't a good refuge, but those bittersweet thoughts calmed my mind in an ineffective way. Before long, footsteps were heard.

I knew one of them was close while another had left when I heard the door open and close.

"Octavia, you can turn around now." My father said.

"Father, can I eat something before we go?" I said distressedly as I tried to get up.

"Finish the sandwich on the table and join us downstairs... We'll be waiting for you." He said as headed for the door.

My eyes followed his retreating path until I fixed mine on a crispy wheat sandwich. Even in pain, I got up and hurried to finish the sandwich they'd left. It wasn't until I'd finished it quickly and was about to leave to get my things ready… However…

An uncomfortable feeling ran through my body as I perceived an unpleasant smell. I had forgotten that the electric shocks had also obstructed my sense of smell, and as I ate, my physical features felt a little better.

I even tried to locate the source of that aroma. I managed to reach it slowly, but in such a way that it led me to the closed oven. I had to cover my nose as I approached, and as soon as I was finally close, I found myself standing… And curiosity overcame my instinct.

At first, I didn't want to open it for certain reasons and consequences, as I imagined seeing some kind of animal or spoiled food.

But if the chef wasn't here and my parents and the butler were the only ones in the mansion, I figured I could pin the scent on them and perhaps free myself from their control for good.

The idea sounds crazy or... Why would they "murder" the mansion's cook?... Could it be that they already knew that he was secretly feeding and helping me?... Of course, by me making that supposed discovery they would probably have been forced to make a drastic decision to do something worse to me, and thus keep quiet about what I would soon see.

From that point, I heard my mother screaming in the distance, and the necklace began to glow with a faint light. I often hesitated over the idea of opening or leaving that oven locked. And the intrigue, for the moment, won out.

To this day, I regret making that horrible decision, but one way or another... I needed to unravel things. I wanted to get rid of all the doubts running through my mind... And then... I opened it.

The... The chef... He was dead.

His corpse was pale, his entire body twisted and numb from the small, compressed space. It was a sight I'd like to completely forget. Several body parts were split and rotten, a dark shade of color I couldn't distinguish.

I was repulsed by the sight, and nausea quickly set in. I vomited the sandwich I'd eaten and sobbed softly to avoid any proximity, or an inadvertent call from my parents.

When I opened my eyes to turn to the wall, the necklace gave me another instant shock. My mind was stolen without any further movement within my consciousness afterward. At one point, I confirmed that they already knew the Chef had my back for whatever reason.

Whether or not I dispelled those notions made me feel extremely guilty, and indirectly, I was also responsible for what had happened… Then the atmosphere became suffocating because of the aroma, which made me overthink several things to avoid clouding my judgment… Why make such a cruel and unspeakable decision?

Blame them and then have them deny they were responsible. Just thinking about it made me hate to continue obeying their every command… But the necklace was my greatest dominator in those moments of desperation, and trying to do anything would result in a futile attempt.

I didn't know what to do next until another electric shock woke me from my stupor. With my mind racing, I closed that traumatized oven while I looked at the door and left, pretending I was fine, trying to imagine a million times that I hadn't seen anything at all.

I ran, reaching the main part of the hallway. My parents, the instrument, and the butler were waiting for me. My mother's horn glowed, and I knew she was the one activating the torture device.

They all gave me awkward, disapproving glances, and later the trio would escort me, making sure I didn't escape this time.

"Remember... If you even think about taking a step out of line, I can fry every single neuron in you. Your mother has begged me countless times to end your life, but it's only by my grace that you're still alive. The only thing I despise more than you is admitting my father was right. I won't give him the satisfaction of having it over my wife. Even if it means I have to throw you alive off the cliffs of Canterlot." My father warned.

I tried to choke back my tears, not just because of his warning. Images of the chef kept flashing through my consciousness, and I was so distraught that I wept freely now.

The chef's fate was sealed, and I was a slave to another, one I didn't know if I was truly condemned to. A fate my parents had planned for me at birth. Just as I had seen in that dream, the visions of their disapproval dispersed in a flurry… And it had all turned into a real nightmare.

I wanted to free myself in some way that I couldn't imagine could be worse than this. I wished with all my might that the music would haunt me or the puppeteer's strings would help me. I would give anything to be rid of them once and for all.

I would even avenge the chef's death if it meant leaving everything in my life behind and starting over, no matter how I did it… I might even restart my own life. I was so desperate for help that I didn't know what to think to calm my sanity.

Just imagining some possibilities of escape only made me feel more miserable than ever. But maybe if I behaved, I could be his daughter again… Perhaps it wasn't the invisible hand of fate that would save me from my mother's fury or my father's blatant sarcasm or unbridled disdain.

I wondered again and again… What had my parents suffered to give me that gift of musical talent? Imagining using their generous gifts against me suddenly seemed immoral and wrong. It wandered in my mind for so long that the trip to the orchestra was too short. I proceeded to follow my father obediently and fearfully to practice and perform my music.

I wish I'd done more than recount the heroic moment I defeated him... But there wasn't, because he'd necklaced me twice afterward. At the end, as I marched back to him and the orchestra conductor as they chatted, Lyra dragged me to stage left.

"Come on, Octavia! I'll get you out of here… What the hell did she do to you? You look really bad… You look terrible." She commented, expressively but grumpily.

"Please stop! No… I won't leave." I replied as she dragged me.

"But you have to! We were so worried when we noticed you skipped practice again…" she emphasized.

"No… I don't care." I interrupted her, raising my voice immediately.

"What's going on here?!" My father shouted as he approached with the conductor.

"Conductor, who is this mint-colored pony?..."

"Her name is Lyra Heartstrings, sir…" The conductor replied, looking submissively at my father.

"Well, Lyra Heartstrings… In the name of the Canterlot Royal Lyric Orchestra, you will dismount my daughter and head home. Your practicing services are no longer required here, so I recommend you never return."

"What!?... Who the hell are you?... I can't just be banned by a bully!" Lyra spat out words filled with equal parts venom and malice at my father as soon as he gave her a sarcastic look.

"You insolent young woman… Don't you know who I am!?... I own this entire place. I own every hall and orchestral venue in Canterlot. I hired the conductor and the judges who chose the musicians, so I own you… So now leave before one of the cops on my payroll prosecutes you and you go to jail for obstructing the law and avoiding my orders." My father warned, his tone of voice menacing yet benevolent.

I looked up from the floor for the first time that night as I looked into Lyra's eyes. She wept in deep silence as she stared into my bruised left eye. She was my first friend, the first ray of sunshine in my life... And perhaps I would never see her again.

She turned, her lyre floating nearby, and left through the back door.

"I'm so sorry, Lyra..." She sobbed as she said that sentence.

"You're not as stupid as you look..." My father emphasized as he left with the conductor to a distant spot.

As the last few minutes passed, my father led me away with the other musicians, near the main exit while chatted with what appeared to be a unicorn tutor.

"I almost wanted to tell my beloved wife to take it easy... Almost until..."

"Sir, the conductor of the orchestra wishes to speak with you now." The butler interrupted him.

I watched as my father went to speak to him while my mother chatted with a pegasus playing a custom violin. I glanced at the door and saw Lyra peeking out. She said something to a pony outside that I couldn't make out, and a second later, she waved a pair of purple sunglasses.

I wouldn't fall for her trick... I was a good pony now.

"My lady, you'd better go with your friends, even if it's just to say goodbye... I'll cover for you." the butler said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

"No, please... I know it's a trap..."

"You won't get another chance like this again... Please, let me see you smile, even if it's just for one last time." We looked at each other, and then she smiled at me.

I had my doubts, but seeing him smile was enigmatic. I smiled back, thanking her, and walked as quickly as I could toward the back exit of the orchestra hall.

As soon as I stepped outside, everyone approached, and I was surprised to see not only Vinyl and Lyra, but Bon Bon as well.

"Octy... Thank Celestia you're okay! The guards didn't let me near your property." Vinyl emphasized, worried.

"It's fine... Thank you for everything, and I appreciate all of you, but I need to behave now..." I replied in a way that emphasized my words.

"You saw Vinyl! They've done something horrible to her; just look at her eye... We can get them to open an arrest warrant if she gives her testimony!"

Vinyl's horn leaned closer as she examined me, and I could feel a sickening tingle in my head as I glanced at the necklace.

"There seems to be something strange about this necklace..." She emphasized as she walked away for a moment.

"Oh… I think I know exactly what's going on…" Lyra said, approaching expectantly as she activated her horn to focus on the device. I was quickly hit by a shock wave, which made me fall to the ground groaning.

"For the love of Celestia!... This is the most vile thing I've ever seen…" Lyra reacted.

"What is it?" Bon Bon asked worriedly.

"It seems this thing is protected by an aura of pure magic, and I can't even move it from its spot…" Lyra replied as the three friends looked at me, fallen from the ground.

"I'm a bad pony… I-I don't want to be a bad pony anymore… The necklace is… Helping me." I explained, not bothering to get up.

"Damn it, Octy, listen to yourself!... I don't know how we'll do it, but we'll try to get into your mansion... Meet us at the entrance to the utility room in two hours, and then we'll find a way to get that damn necklace off you." Vinyl replied, angrily but determined.

"Okay… But if this rescue attempt fa-fails… I don't want to see any of you ever again… I don't want you to get hurt…" I replied dejectedly as I tried my best to stand up.

When I got up, I turned around and walked with the butler, who had been waiting for me to finish. I saw my friends worried and didn't bother looking back at them. He led me back to my parents, and we all walked home shortly after.

I followed them all in awkward silence as my father carried my cello, rather thoughtful considering his disdain for me. After all, it was his reward for my submission… But I didn't care anymore.

Halfway through, I thought about those possible last words from Vinyl. A little while later, I clearly heard the clinking of hooks along the sidewalk as they followed us… They were so close… Could they… Help me fight?... I didn't even dare acknowledge their presence lest they do something stupid and punish me on the spot. I ignored them and concentrated as best I could on the music.

On a specific, grand orchestral piece that had formed in my head during that day. It was my dirge and the sound called, 'The Sanguine Sonata'... It would be my ultimate masterpiece; the eternal song that everypony would know even decades from now... The sad and nostalgic song written by Octavia Melody... A great composer who would have died after writing it.

Oh, what a poor, tortured, yet brilliant soul to compose such a masterpiece. Historians would wonder why it took so much depression to create something so beautiful and timeless... So much so that Princess Celestia would still cry when she heard it.

Putting those thoughts aside from my aforementioned piece of music, we arrived at the mansion... Early enough or late enough... I didn't care when.

Inside, my parents would escort me to my room. I didn't want to wonder why, even though their suspicion was evident as they frowned when they glanced at me out of the corner of their eyes… And finally, I found myself sitting on the floor in front of them once we arrived. Just the three of us… The necklace and my cello.

"I was looking forward to this very moment! I told you it was a good idea… Look how well my little one is behaving now…" my mother said with a slight sarcastic tone.

"Yes… I know… But we just have a small problem… The butler has told me about an escape plan, so your mother will punish you accordingly, and your friends won't see you during the scheduled times." my father emphasized, suppressing his urge to look angry.

I quickly shot a furious glare at the butler, who was waiting intently to close the door. He moved his hand away without showing any sign of guilt or regret... And once again I was betrayed for trying to believe that someone else actually cared about me.

"So... Do you have any intelligent comments you want to make? Do you want to tell your father about his small penis now?" my mother mocked in an annoyed but sarcastic manner.

"Octavia, we love you very much, but you haven't had any orchestra practice for three whole days... So I have a very, very special weekend planned for you... I'm going to find out exactly how much pain it takes to make an earth pony faint, and then I'm going to do it to you again on the hour, every hour until orchestra rehearsal on Monday... That should guarantee your loyalty." my mother emphasized with a wicked smile.

As I digested her threat, I heard the butler slam the door in a way that completely scared me because of the noise. I jumped in fear for a moment, and they both laughed lightly.

"And let's not forget the gift your father gave us… He's given all the servants on duty the entire weekend off! Now it's just the three of us, and no one will dare come and interrupt us… And you could even say we gave special treatment to the chef who brings your food, so you won't see him again either."

"At your mother's word, we also discovered you were conspiring with him behind our backs. I can't allow another earth pony to interfere with our…"

"I KNOW YOU GAVE HIM SPECIAL TREATMENT, AND IT WAS TO KILL HIM BEHIND MY BACK!" Fearful but needing to give them my final reprimand, they were both stunned by these words.

But I knew I had made a grave mistake, and upon further reflection, I received an immediate shock, doubled by my mother's magic afterward.

"Margaret… STOP NOW!" my father shouted.

"No… GET OUT OF THE WAY, I'LL DO IT!" She knows it now; she was already making me suspicious, seeing how long she was taking… I knew I should wait for her outside.

"DO YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE MY PARENTS EARN OUR DISTRUST NOW?" my father emphasized furiously while panting to be able to shout.

"They also had their reasons for leaving us out of her inheritance… They know your unfortunate daughter is the only talented one in our family…"

"What the hell are you talking about?!... What about my talent?!... This little animal is your daughter too… I'm not listening to you, leave me alone…"

"I didn't want to put it off, but that day the doctor gave me the results and I saw the DNA analysis… Here's the evidence, and I know very well it's not mine… But you must understand that keeping her alive is the only way to guarantee our income." my father said while holding a sheet of paper with his magic.

The intensity of the shocks was diminishing, while my mother looked at that sheet of paper in detail.

"Are you implying I'm a bitch? Ha! Look at that man complex you gave me… You didn't even dare to touch a hair on this filth because…"

"I don't want you to start messing with me with that again… Now let her go… NOW!"

My father shouted. The moment he saw my mother's embarrassed remorse, he began to struggle against her in absurd attempts at forced thrusts. She didn't know how to respond while he had his horn on, so I sobbed after he deactivated his magic.

I lay there on the floor, suffering, while another nosebleed began. In their struggles, she exclaimed...

"LET GO OF ME! WE CAN'T LET HIM LEAVE HERE NOW… DID YOU HEAR, YOU LITTLE WRETCH!?... YOU'RE GOING TO DIE HERE, AND I DON'T GIVE A SHIT IF HIS PARENTS WANTED TO LEAVE YOU THEIR FORTUNE… ADMIT THEY WERE RIGHT TO DISTRUST ME… DAMN IT, THAT MONEY WAS BELONGING TO US… BUT I ENDED UP PREGNANCY WITH A STUPID EARTH MARE!…"

My father hugged the crazed pony in a desperate attempt and lit his horn. Apparently, he had cast some kind of spell on her to calm her down.

"Look at me... Look at me carefully... Try to calm down, okay?"

She gasped for fresh air as she sighed to calm herself. And once everything calmed down, she stepped outside for a moment, and my father approached while I remained lying on the floor.

"Now you know... You know the whole truth now... I am not your father, I never was. All this time, you were more than just a drop of oil spilling into a glass of water... Before you were born, Margaret and I had a real love.

I had to get some miserable pony from somewhere in the lower reaches of Canterlot so I could try to start a family and get what was rightfully mine.

I didn't love her... If I had wanted to, I could have killed her in her sleep... But as time went on, it had all become more than just a financial deal... She was a ray of sunshine in my life... Unique and attractive. But thanks to you, that spark is gone.

You tainted our relationship years ago." She wanted us to abort you, and I agreed, but I told her what was happening with our money afterward. She was furious, but all this time I was applying a certain calming spell, bringing her to her senses, keeping her at bay while being manipulated. All this time, it was difficult to make her notice.

I knew that too much of this spell would fuel her feelings of frustration and intrigue… And my plans were fraught with conflict, but we didn't have time, so we had to show them the truth somehow. Then I had to scatter some of my money. A lot of it to try to simulate a job well done, at least, so my idiot parents would know that your talent had been appreciated by us.

And on their last visit, you hadn't arrived, and they made me aware of their disbelief. It was the final sign… The sign that our money was lost… And you know what the worst part is?... Do you know what I think?... We didn't just give a pound of flesh… Everything has its price, and I spent a lot to keep that pound alive.

I think it's only fair that we get it back tenfold for your miserable disappointment in us. After not just months, but several years, I'll finally enjoy watching us slowly get rid of you.

My heart broke and my emotions had become null after hearing his words… I confirmed that the events of my dream had been a harbinger of a storm that was about to break out. I didn't know how to react afterward, and all I did was lie on the ground, staring blankly… staring at nothing but nothing.

My whole life… It would have been nothing more than a deception, and the visions of my dream abruptly returned. My studies… My learning… My friendships. Their facade ended up turning into something I wanted to deny… Again and again… And again.

All of this to emphasize her dark plan. With that charade, I felt even more confused and guilty, trying to clarify in my mind everything that was going to happen. And without the shame it represented... I also explained to myself how and why my mother tormented me for so many years.

All that suffering I'd incurred finally took on its terrible meaning. It didn't take long for me to waver with the bad idea and soon afterward to learn that I was now in danger. I even believed they were brazen enough to avoid thinking that killing me would be the only easy way out to lessen their frustration.

I knew they were idiots, but if I sensed otherwise... Why did the whole truth have to be revealed now? Why kill the chef too? I would be skeptical, a certain level of accepting and embracing what they had been telling me and teaching me since I was a little filly.

Not in a way that conforms to their lessons, but certainly for the bad servants… Those ponies and servants with whom I had minimally managed to establish a certain bittersweet level of trust. Especially for their small lessons… How I should conduct myself, behave, reject, and make several of my future decisions.

And getting here… He had to ruin everything. First with my revenge… Now with his revelation. Everything was very different from the same perspective.

My brainwashed mother would have been more than determined. Her selflessness was more than present at this point… I wanted to find myself calm… I wanted to imagine their disposition and believe they would regret it. But "my father" was smiling… In a sinister and sadistic way as he looked at me dejected.

I knew nothing would change. Mercy and mercy would be of no use, but I wasn't afraid. Even if they managed to complete their mission, they would probably have the notion of living a different life without me… A life where both of them, sooner or later would meet the same fate as me. Soon everypony would find out what happened here. The consequences would lead to a series of events where they could even end up in Tartarus itself.

Understanding and imagining those fictional moments where their hooves would be buried in the ground managed to regain some of my sanity. But unfortunately for me, fate approached, so that death itself would open the door. And the second and final omen was about to be fulfilled. I thought a lot to clarify things, even trying to ignore the negative idea of what would soon befall me.

Everything happened so fast… When my mother had instantly recovered, my father tied me up with a rope, while I was stunned after a short but strong electric shock. I foolishly believed that tensing my jaw muscles and closing my eyes could somehow prepare me for the next pain to come.

It could have been profound regardless of all the reasons or the type of torture instruments they would use to do their meticulous work. Their limits had been surpassed, and deep within me, I knew there was no turning back.

Fear closed my mind, and sadly, I left my body completely vulnerable… A grave mistake. Without the puppeteer, I was just a bad pony about to serve her sentence.

For the first wave of pain, I received a few continuous blows while my mother delivered them with her hoof. Each sensation of pain made me shudder when she finished with the final blow to my collarbone… Subsequently, she now had control of the magic.

When my vision cleared, I saw what must have been a bucket full of water brought by my father. But the second wave began with a bath of said liquid, but it was flammable… And the test ended up being that of a lighter. My mind was overwhelmed as the fire consumed me.

I screamed in agonizing horror and quickly tried to roll over to smother the flames, thrashing uselessly on the ground, simultaneously gasping for fresh air. If Celestia weren't a goddess, I imagined this is what it would feel like to have her sun visit her.

How could I possibly put into words what it felt like to have every cell in your body screaming at your brain, while it warns you it's being burned alive? How could I possibly count the endless network of nerves flickering between unbearable heat and cold inside all my organs?

"Do you know what we sacrificed for you?... I thought you'd have enough sense to listen to our reasoning... I thought you were smart enough to function without me pulling your strings, but you're going to die knowing you were always manipulable." My mother retorted.

I had to endure wave after wave of unimaginable torment. Between each assault, each one worse than the last... To obey, to not stay still, or to move to try and escape... It would be useless to do anything. Afterwards, everything had happened so slowly... And so many things had happened... But all kinds of things that, to this day, I prefer to forget everything I went through.

Given all the experiments they'd performed, the sight of the chef's corpse was overwhelming, and the suffering I'd endured is one of the only things I don't like to remember. I didn't even know how or why I was still alive... I couldn't understand how I managed to survive under all that storm of suffering.

The sheer number of experiments they'd performed surpassed the sight of the chef's corpse, and the suffering I'd incurred is one of the only things I don't like to remember. I didn't even know how or why I was still alive... I didn't understand how I managed to survive under all that storm of suffering.

But remembering the most important thing... The apathy and submission I'd felt for half of all those painful sensations... They were being replaced by hatred and blind rage. It was building up inside me, burning in my chest and making my vision redden... Fury... My only goal was to end the suffering.

"Where's your unicorn whore now that you need her?... She's probably gone to fuck the first stallion that came out of the bar... Hell! She could have grabbed the first cock she could find." my mother mocked, sinister and mocking.

"You mean nothing to her… You mean nothing to anyone, and everyone uses you as their puppet…"

"No… I-I'M NOT ANYONE'S PUPPET!" I retorted, screaming with my last breath.

"That's exactly what you are, a useless earth pony who needed us to hold her to keep her out of the fields harvesting wheat."

The magical device on my neck was blocked, and my brain ignored it due to the blind rage it was possibly building up... The puppeteer's entity or the one I was hiding. I was still dazed, even despite the protests of my muscles and the few broken bones I had.

The wretched opportunity to move was impossible for me to overcome as they continued. I narrowed my eyes as my heart raced critically, and they exchanged a satisfying look, before I felt a new surge, only I could no longer feel the pain.

All that emotional charge I felt in one way or another slowly fueled my need to end this agony... And it was then that I heard the music starting again... It was loud and angry music that filled me with courage.

That ancient habit of being their servitude exploded like a bomb in a matter of seconds. All the drops of tears that my eyes spilled onto my face came out like a waterfall, and it wasn't from physical suffering. Because of that surge, I began to shed some blood.

I felt repulsive to myself and imagined all the things I had to go through to get to that point… My patience and my courage… Everything had collapsed and returned indefinitely, like a huge wave in a stormy environment in the middle of the ocean.

Memories of my night with Vinyl… Memories of my three friends… Moments from my early childhood. All the emotions surged so many times that I couldn't tell if fear and sadness had even appeared.

When the time came to give them back their full burden, I was still inert, and my consciousness was growing fainter and fainter… I was about to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The happy life I had always wanted… The anger and the pain… They would end here! But now they were next… them.

They concentrated, and another jolt hit me, and my brain felt like it was melting with each impact. All my emotions managed to flank me, and I still remained motionless. The room was darkening, and I heard chains that rattled loudly every time they hit each other.

I couldn't bear all that emotional weight, but I made no effort to move from where I was. I forced myself to half-open my eyes to see not just a strand of gauze and some small, sharp spikes... What I saw was nothing more than a dozen pointed hooks with several wrought-iron chains.

Some kind of dark aura magic was being summoned right before my eyes. The darkness and all the gloom were caused by those chains blocking all light from the fireplace, and my parents had quickly noticed.

They looked around in confusion, unable to see them, but they were able to see the shadows cast by them. Like the shadows of trees on a rainy night, the shadows flickered around them, increasing their bewilderment.

I smiled slowly as I felt one of those hooks effortlessly pull the torture device from my neck. The puppeteer seemed to be gaining strength from my fury as time slowly passed… And the tempo increased in the music that only I could hear.

The chains seemed to sense my thoughts… My emotions. I wasn't sure if they and I shared a common enemy… Or if they were obeying me.

But somehow now the time had come to repay them for all the suffering and hell they had put me through. Shaking my head as best I could… For the first time in my life, my parents looked at me with a fear of a different change.

Perhaps they had some knowledge of what I knew was coming for them… Surely they knew the entity that was being summoned since I had heard a murmur from that treacherous pony while I watched his lips move in his panic attack.

They both quickly cast all kinds of protective spells… The chains attacked, breaking through their weak barriers and bursting them like bubbles, and I even watched as they recoiled back in horror… And the traitorous pony fled as best he could, but the invisible chains stopped him in his tracks.

And my mother began firing spells and tried to throw all kinds of furniture at me while I was still on the ground. The chains blocked the projectiles as soon as the hooks finally reached them…

Her screams… Those first heart-rending screams, and seeing the blood spilling… were when I realized this was finally happening. I was about to see my revenge fulfilled, and I felt terrified, but somehow, satisfaction overcame my emotions as I watched my mother being grabbed like a toy by one of the chains.

In a short moment, they would begin their work. One of the ultra-sharp hooks untied me from the rope, but I still couldn't stay on my feet, and my intrigue dominated my body, forcing me to remain on the ground.

Moving every muscle was the hardest part of all. Every movement I made in my forearms caused me considerable pain. The external pain I'd received didn't let me notice the difference. My body still hurt enough, and I couldn't see anything around me. It was hard to distinguish what was happening, but it was then that I began to observe them. Several small hooks... They were all aimed at me.

But I didn't see that they were aggressive. One by one, they pricked each other as best they could while my body was paralyzed. With each hoof pricked, I received a kind of adrenaline rush through my veins. As happens with several annexations, I gained strength to finally move after all the previous suffering I had endured.

They separated from my body in a matter of seconds, disappearing instantly. As I lay on the floor, I looked to my right, trying my best to get up. Once I was on my feet, I went through several emotional phases as I finally contemplated that stark scene.

The nausea had set in at the exact moment I saw them with all possible clarity... They weren't just dying... They were... Tearing... Destroying... Mutilating!

When I felt the need to vomit, I decided I didn't want to see what had happened after observing what was possibly a gouged out eye. It exploded like a water balloon, splattering blood all over my face, and I felt sickened.

Out of horror, I decided to hide under the bed with the energy I had regained and listened to the sounds of chains and hooks. All the agony I heard in their voices made me feel an unpredictable remorse.

At first, I wanted them to stop... It no longer seemed fair to listen to those cries of mercy. After a momentary silence, I peeked out and quickly regretted it.

The chains had finally touched the small parts of their bodies. My eyes closed again, and I had hidden myself again.

The chains rattled together, filling the room with their echoes. The loud popping sounds of what were likely their joints popping out of the socket made me shudder. The music, despite its furious glory, did nothing to hide the remorse I was feeling.

I had always imagined certain death would be peaceful. I imagined seeing livid bodies in a coffin at a funeral. I had even experienced it a few times before, and I had no words to describe what was happening.

I wanted the chains to hurry up and end it all once and for all. As soon as the minutes passed, I saw my mother in my first glimpse… And I took the morbid opportunity to grab one of the magical chains and gag her.

I was dying... I... I was killing her!

It wasn't an invisible force... The chains would be obeying me!

I instantly let go as I entered another period of panic... What was I supposed to do?... My sentence had been sealed as I imagined all the consequences... Everyone would think I had killed them.

If someone were to catch me, I would never see Vinyl again. I can't describe how fast my heart was beating... After all... I could finally be free! She would help me escape, and I wouldn't have to endure torture in a dungeon.

Overthinking things, my father's screams brought me out of my deep thought. I heard something splashing on the walls, but I didn't dare look at what it was. It was then that I heard a drumbeat begin. First, bass drums, followed by snares... Then a variety of other percussion instruments.

They did their best to protect me from the shattering of what I can only assume were bones… I was shaking furiously… Was I going to be the next victim?… Could I stop the chains if they came for me?

"Stop… please, stop…" I whispered, choking on the deep cries I was making.

I kept hearing the jingling of the chains… And finally, the sound died away. I finally realized that my revenge was finally over. I waited until the music and the jingling of the chains stopped… And then I came out from under the bed.

The chains finally disappeared. I approached them after the puppeteer entity stopped its work. It was a dream turned into another cruel nightmare, but they had learned their lesson in the end.

I took stock of the scene in front of me as best I could while my face was pale. I didn't know if this was real... I assumed they were gone and I'd be free... But... why did I feel so worthy? If I was supposed to feel free, shouldn't I feel happy?...

All I had to do was figure out what had happened. It was just a matter of walking out the door and no one would see me. Yet my legs refused to move as my mind struggled to process their deaths. The puppeteer I considered my benefactor had murdered them just as I had secretly desired for so long... After years of suppressing my emotions and feelings in an attempt to change.

However, they went through a horrific process... Was it the chains that killed them, or my own desire for revenge?

I teetered on a conclusion I didn't want to reconsider... Did I murder them? I'm no better than them, in fact... I would have been even worse than them... My own parents... Me? Had I really killed them?

For a moment, I lay atop their corpses, my fur now bathed in blood. I wanted to be free at any cost, but at any cost… This was too expensive. I didn't want it this way.

I never liked this… But it's okay, I was just angry. I didn't want to kill them, but even if I hadn't, would it even matter?

It was them… Or me.

Even the chef had been avenged as well… But my pride was overridden by various prejudices, and many doubts ran through my mind every time I turned to look at the door. Whether I felt empty or victorious, it was done. I was finally free… I had my freedom!

I stood up and stood paralyzed in place as if I had also died. I tried to see if there was some kind of rag to remove those stains. And after a long time, I decided to stay, trying to ignore what had happened.

The minutes continued… Everything was completely empty… Silent and calm.

My parents… The music… The chains and the hooks. Everyone had abandoned me. I felt more alone than ever in my life.

I wanted to leave the place once and for all. Determined as I walked with what strength I had left to the door to leave, the hallway was starting to shake, and I didn't feel the nausea coming on.

I coughed, and the vertigo had returned. Then I started to stumble backward.

I needed to leave before someone found me here with all the remains… I needed to find Vinyl… I needed… to breathe. I needed… her.

"Octy?... Octavia?" While I was hyperventilating, I thought I heard a voice, calling for my attention.

I looked around frantically, only to find myself awkwardly standing in the middle of the hallway. I lost my balance and fell with a blow to my head, finally unconscious.

(FLASHBACK)

"Listen to me… She left me no choice, just leave me alone! And I'm not going to accept the deal. The young woman may have already figured it out… That entity can manifest itself of its own volition."

"So you think the pony might be able to activate that hidden ability?"

"I can't say for sure, but the fact that you see her as a threat is pretty stupid and wrong."

"Listen, Mr. Rosenford, I have no idea how much trouble you've gotten yourself into throughout your life, but even your own daughter could have seen you as a threat..."

"And how can you be sure?! The fact that she agreed to the deal without knowing she'd be trapped is no excuse for you to see her in the wrong light..."

"Colluding under the guise of covering up Octavia's curse... Don't make me laugh! You helped her escape!... Reprimanding her behavior will be the best course of action in this kind of situation."

"Miss Margaret, this is not the time to be making threats..."

"Doctor, I suggest you don't address my wife in that manner."

"Thank you, dear! The Earth ponies think they're right about us all..."

"For the love of Celestia... The doctor is being a witness... It's because of things like this that I regret having her filthy money..."

"Well, go air the fields like a peasant mule so you can see what it means to work under the constraint of being a disgusting inferior..."

"Keep quiet, or I'll have to call security right now! Octavia may not have discovered her ability yet... As Rosenford mentions, she may be going through a terrible ordeal, not just because of the way she's being raised. Keeping your distance may be optimal in these kinds of situations, but what I can recommend in this serious situation is to be negligent enough so that she's unaware of what she might do... Of course, I can't ask you to change your attitude toward her.

But that doesn't exhort both of you to check her mood, and if the mistreatment persists, it could become worse than harmful."

"I even wanted to check her mood the last time I interacted with her, and helping her get out while she's socializing with others keeps her stable to a certain extent..."

"To the point of letting her fall under the influence of alcoholism... You know nothing." Your methods of punishment are more inappropriate than a pony of her own kind trying to fit in with our own society… And I want to make one thing clear…

If I have to punish her to the point of breaking her, I will do so with pleasure, even if it means she ignores her own nature and ceases to recognize herself! And thank you very much for wasting our time."

"And let's also make one thing clear, Rosenford… I will relieve you of your position as staff chef. If I see you lurking on our property, I will make sure the guards on my payroll show you no mercy if you attempt any improper action."

"If I weren't in this position during working hours, you wouldn't believe what I could do to you!… Damn… This is worse than I imagined."

"For those reasons, we need Octavia to know the danger she's about to put herself in… They may have already restricted my access, but I have a spare key tucked away in a corner outside."

"It might be a good idea, but I wouldn't recommend it… I'll try to contact every pony who interacted with her. If you saw any of their faces, I can have them locate her if you describe her to me in detail.

As soon as I have the information, I'll be in touch as soon as possible. In the meantime, don't do anything reckless."

(CONTINUE)

I managed to wake up… Which wouldn't have surprised me, but everything was dark. Then I tried to look around at everything and began to realize where I was. It was Vinyl's apartment, which meant I'd done it… I'd made it… I was safe.

She noticed my stiff movements and started to approach…

"Vinyl… How? How did I get here?" I said, gravely, worried.

"Relax… You had a traumatic night, but we're safe now." She replied calmly.

"No... I don't want that to happen again... I need to write something down!... Where's paper and pencil?"

"To pass what?" She responded, dismayed.

"The hooks... The-the chains... Don't you understand?!... I killed them!" I had gotten out of bed as quickly as I could and was starting to search the entire room. The trash around me made it hard to see clearly.

"It's okay... We don't have to talk about it right now. Look! I got tickets to Ponyville..."

"No-It's not okay... If I don't write something down, they'll kill you too!" I exclaimed aggressively.

"Octy, you need... You need to calm down!... Look at me, just look at me." Vinyl approached, sad but indifferent.

"I want you to take these sleeping pills. Rethink the next words as best you can... Then repeat them calmly." He emphasized as he grabbed some scattered medicine from the trash.

"Fuck the music… Listen… We're going to bed, and you'll feel better in the morning."

After trying to think it over calmly, I repeated those next words. I immediately swallowed the pills with a glass of water, then lay back and waited for sleep to come back.

However, I wondered why Vinyl had helped me after what had happened. After some thought, I realized I didn't want to leave her anymore… never again. She truly was an exceptional mare.

When I briefly reopened my eyes, that's when I saw the hooks return. It wasn't enough for them to inflict such horrors on a mare as she looked expectantly up above. And now they didn't want me to sleep… they wanted me to resume composing.

They attached themselves to me, two per limb and two on my face. The puppeteer wanted to guide me by a pen and parchment, but I was dead weight at that point. I didn't care how hard they pulled me, and I had even become numb to the world, so I wanted nothing more than to try to sleep.

Then I realized I looked pretty ridiculous clutching the floor. And then Vinyl repeated, distressed, that I should go back to sleep. I didn't want to write any music that night, and yet, she was on top of me with a worried expression on her face.

She and the entity's strings fought for control of my body, so they both had the courage to wait until I stopped convulsing and let myself be grabbed. I didn't care who she would do it with.

She kept trying to make me vomit up the pills so I would react. I tried to utter some comforting words to her, but at that point, I found I couldn't move a single muscle in my body... The puppeteer now had complete control of the situation.

Despite my unwillingness to compose, I walked with the entity's will and remained paralyzed facing the wall. When I least expected it, I began composing 'The Sanguine Sonata' on the wall with a pen. By the time I noticed, and after several attempts to dissuade me from my task, Vinyl had given up and gone back to sleep.

I'd been writing for a long time, and once I'd finished my homework, I joined her, regaining control of my body just in time to faint from exhaustion seconds later.

The next day, I'd woken up late. I got out of bed to walk to her living room, and it seemed as though she hadn't even slept, so she brought me a wheat sandwich and orange juice. I wasn't sure if it was too early or too late.

"Hey Octy! You scared me for a while… Are you okay to talk about what happened now?" she asked, excited but worried about wanting to know what happened. She sat next to me and was able to guide my head to her shoulder.

I nodded as best I could, shaking my head. Thinking about other things, I let my mind wander for a while. There I was, sitting next to her, about to try to sort out all the things I'd been through.

The food and the juice could wait… I just wanted to feel safe by her side, even if it was just for a few more minutes.

"Look… I'm not mad at you. I don't know how it all happened, but… They're gone now! They were evil, we know that. But… What exactly happened?"

"They… They tortured me… They wanted to kill me. I learned a lot of things during the process. But… I'm sorry, Vinyl. I understand if you don't love me anymore, but I feel like I can't talk about it right now." I replied, trying to hold back my tears.

"What? No… Of course not. Look, I have no idea what could have happened. But I need to tell you something that happened… We saw a pony right outside the mansion while she was looking for you, just like us.

I managed to see you… You were starting to faint. She claimed to be a close friend of your chef, so with her help and a hidden key, we managed to get in. If it weren't for her, everything would have ended badly… And whatever you went through… Whatever happened. It won't change the fact of how I feel about you."

Then she stared at the Sonata I wrote on the wall for a while, letting her words sink in. When I heard her talking about an outside pony wandering around the mansion… It made me feel so worried, but somehow I wanted to let that problem go away completely. As long as Vinyl was by my side, nothing bad could happen.

"I need to know just one thing… How did they die?... When we arrived, it was just you… Them… That pony… Us."

"I… I just wanted to take off that damn collar they put on me! I wanted them to suffer… To know how I felt… I tried! I didn't know what to do. It was the hooks… The chains… The music! I was so broken, and I don't know why… But I would never hurt anyone else!" She was crying freely again, so she waited to catch her breath and let her words die down.

I assumed she knew a pony couldn't have committed such an atrocity with her bare hooves. I even wanted to believe she didn't see that horrific scene in my room.

"Listen… There's something else I should tell you about as soon as we entered your mansion… That pony who accompanied us turned out to be a forensic psychiatrist. When we split up to get to you, she ran into… A terrible moment when she got to the kitchen. I don't know how I can tell you this, but your chef…" I placed my hoof over her mouth, seeing that she wanted to burst into tears.

"I know… I felt wronged and terrible when I saw it… I vomited because of how disgusting that scene was… But I know who was responsible, just like you do. I went through too much for him to be involved, and in the end, I managed to avenge him… I'll never forget it."

He mistreated me just like the rest, but he didn't do it for the sake of making me suffer... My father was the one in charge of giving the orders! To me, he was like a long-lost father who cared for me and fed me during the darkest and most monotonous moments of my time in that gilded cage." I looked up to tell him how much that meant to me.

"I understand… I can't be evil enough to judge and try to blame others for their actions… But your parents were the embodiment of pure evil… The pony didn't want us to get closer, but Lyra insisted. And when I saw their corpse… I wanted to look for them… I felt so angry, I was so blinded that I searched everywhere… Until I came to a small bedroom and well… I try not to remember what happened. I wanted to confirm if you were responsible, but the way you're telling me… Damn, this is so strange…"

By the time I tried to clarify what I saw, the others had followed me... And let's just say that Bon Bon ran away in terror, and Lyra quickly went to comfort her. It was then that that pony... Somehow managed to figure out what happened. I wanted to ask her, but she had left immediately... It all happened so fast!"

Determined, when I wanted to emphasize and finally clarify what had happened… But out of nowhere… The cursed puppeteer made another of his cruel and unexpected appearances. The clinking hooks were large enough now, and they would manage to impale her without her even noticing.

She screamed in desperation, pleading with them not to do anything wrong.

"O-Octavia?"

She looked around in confusion while I reeled from my nerves at what I was seeing on the ceiling. My whole life, I had nothing… Then I had everything. Only for the entity to try to snatch away the last thing that kept my sanity stable.

Vinyl was my ticket out of here. And I was barely able to understand my emotions for her after the horror I had witnessed the day before. She began to back away, the hooks following her, and clearly, I couldn't grasp the danger she was in.

I wasn't sensitive enough to make an immediate decision. And my last resort was to run at full speed, tears streaming down my face. As soon as those hooks followed me, I headed for the door with what little vision I had and didn't look back.

"I'm sorry, but I have to knock… If I don't, they'll kill you too." I screamed as I stepped aside so I could run, away from her.

I fled through the door of her apartment. I ran and ran as fast as I could down the street, letting myself be guided only by the sound of the music.

I didn't know where they were leading me, but the sound grew louder and louder every time I approached the Royal Orchestra grounds. Along the way, I thought I saw or heard a particular pony... But I ignored it as the music grew even louder.

When I arrived, I couldn't find a fixed entrance, so I decided to enter through the back door. That enormous door was open, and I had no trouble entering, since there was no one there.

When I placed a single hoof inside, I had completely surrendered my body to the puppeteer. It was less painful that way since I didn't feel those strings guiding my movements while he performed his corresponding bodily interactions.

The entity took advantage of its time to find a cello made of dark but rough wood. I headed to the middle of the stage, my stiffness lingering… Then she started to play.

All I could hear was my music, and all I could see were bloody stains… I was corrupted.

I still felt desolate as I mentally replayed those images of my parents' scene, clouding my judgment and perspective… Even my previous nightmare didn't lessen the fall into my dark thoughts in the same way. It was just a… Ghost? A spirit?

Vinyl found me in the orchestra room some time later. It could have been a few hours, or just a few minutes… My mind never allows me to measure time every time the puppeteer took control of the situation.

She would have followed me the entire way, and I would have completely ignored her. My stupor ended when I realized that I was now continuing to play my masterpiece in that lonely, secluded place. I smiled at her face… She was crying, moved!

She was rambling on about something I couldn't quite hear. I hated seeing her cry, but knowing she hadn't given up on a lost cause was so painfully endearing.

After a short while, I suffered when I saw her afterward. Her face… lit up. Wrinkled and choked with tears and heartbroken sadness. Even after I'd escaped to protect her… she refused to let me go.

Walking in defeat while displaying deep sadness, she approached slowly as she climbed onto the stage.

"Octy, are you... still there?"

With the enormous hooks, I gagged her mouth, and amidst the weak words, I responded as best I could, nodding my head to her anguished question.

"Oh, thank Celestia!" She hugged me, crying into my shoulder.

Her gesture interrupted my rhythm, and I remained supported by the strings, allowing the composition to resume. When we least expected it, she fell to the floor with a deafening crash from the instrument.

I flinched when she felt it, but there was nothing else I could do about it… I was just ensuring our safety while I continued with the melody.

However… It was nice to feel her touch. Her wet tears spilling onto my skin… I wondered if this would be the last time I'd ever hold her.

"Octy, come on! Just talk to me, I can't stand this! Do you hate me?…"

She was in a deep silence now. Explanations could have waited until the puppeteer vanished.

"Just say one damn word! I don't want to do it, but I'll have to go home and beat myself up to get you out of my mind." She said this while lying down.

"What do you want from me?! Just say it and I'll do it!"

It just so happened that the tempo of my piece increased as the silence built between us... The rhythm and what a single piece meant.

But she couldn't face what was happening at that moment. I saw the suffering and the tears spilling down her face... It seemed as if her judgment had clouded, and she sobbed softly as she continued.

We were both completely desperate to see if I showed any sign of life. Moving while I was manipulated in my position was impossible. But within that storm of thoughts, calm came to me as I remembered, for one last time, those best moments I had with her.

The entity didn't appear during those visions. The bloody thoughts in my head dissipated, the sad feeling between us spread further and further, and my heart pounded as I stared into her eyes.

I shed even more tears, and my performance stopped… Everything had fallen silent in the middle of the stage. The ropes left me like a motionless rag doll, and the hooks remained still in their positions.

The place and its surroundings felt heavy as time passed. It felt uncoordinated and uncomfortable… But… 'The Blood Sonata'… It didn't end.

Everything had turned into something completely different. It was even worse, even though it was a gratifying piece I had composed. When I tried to look at it, I saw it silenced.

The puppeteer had never let me go… He was the one who had the most control at that moment.

I was deep in my thoughts, desperately screaming for help while smiling the most pathetic smile possible… Faking a happy face to hide that suffering once again, unable to make any clear difference.

My conscience was begging for mercy; I wanted the entity to release me from the hooks completely.

"Octy… That was a really… good song… I'm sorry, I messed up…" He had stuttered on the spot and then sobbed aloud.

He laughed nervously, waiting for any kind of response while holding his breath.

"No… You didn't mess up!" He was thinking in such a way that I thought I had screamed at him with emotion.

I tried to cheer myself up at the top of my lungs, still lost in the euphoria of my memories. And so I started the song again.

"Please… Stop playing… Talk to me!" she is shouted, exasperating now.

I could feel my joints aching and pierced by the curved needles dripping with blood, as the threads guided me to force an even bigger fake grimace… Interrupting another attempt at playing again.

My attempts to move away from the cello were what stopped my chances of finishing the Sonata. Vinyl made sure we made eye contact.

"Octavia... Put down the cello... Let's go to Ponyville!" She reached for the bow and strings as she watched me approach the stage again. This time in a hurry and more worried than ever.

However, the strings made me slap her in the face the moment she came closer. She stood there in stunned silence for a minute as the entity resumed playing.

"Let me know what's going on... I don't know what else I can try!"

"Vinyl?... Can you hear me? No! This is all wrong! Vinyl!... Vinyl, help me!" I screamed internally as I pulled the strings with all my might, but I still couldn't move. I focused on her voice and her eyes.

"Please… Tell me you love me… Tell me we can be happy…"

"Yes… Please, Vinyl!… Look at me… It's not me!… You have to help me fight it!… Look into my eyes!" I thought about every word… The entity had never let me go and looked at me directly.

"No… Don't choose the music over me…"

I felt the strings tugging at my lips as the strings lifted again, forcing the fake smile even more… The pain was terrible. The mental screams of my agony deafened the music I was composing.

I tried to beg the entity for mercy so it would release the strings… Several times… But, defeated and exhausted from making its final effort… It turned around and began to walk away. Then it turned its head to the side and spoke for the last time.

"I… I'm sorry, Octy… I don't know what I did to make you hate me, but I know I'll always love you…" I began to watch her walk slowly toward the exit.

Those pleas intensified… My face was wet from the enormous amount of tears I was shedding, and for that moment, I put all my energy into breaking the strings.

Although my interventions had become completely useless, with the little freedom I had to look one last time… She was gone… And in a matter of seconds… I could feel something pulling at my joints, and despite all my struggle, I couldn't even finish the sonata a third time in mid-note.

But finally, the moment came when the strings had let go!... It was the perfect opportunity to try to run… To try to chase her… To try to change things. It was the last right thing I probably would have done.

If it weren't for the pain in my joints, which had affected me... My heart was beating slowly. The aggravating sensation intensified to such an extent that I fainted slowly, while my vision darkened, my body felt heavy.

Playing was exhausting, and with the little energy I had left after what happened in the apartment, I was very exhausted. It was at that moment that I heard a kind of deep voice inside my head, or so it seemed... And that's when I finally fell unconscious.

Something heavy was heard in the distance... I couldn't even notice the source of that sound, but it was either a dream or a completely cloudy and dark vision... I couldn't see anything either. But the noise grew closer and closer, and I was very disconcerted.

In a brief mental intervention, for a second I had thought I had finally managed to wake up. But everything was still dark, with a bright flash pointing toward the center of a small corner.

I thought I had woken up hours later in the orchestra hall. I regained my strength and, in a desperate attempt, ran as fast as I could toward the possible source of that light. I didn't know what to do, but I was in some kind of nightmare, or so I thought.

Then I quickly noticed that the surroundings seemed to repeat themselves in an infinite loop every time I ran... A lot of time had passed. Once I was in that center, I slowed down with what little vision I had.

In the distance, I managed to see the silhouette of a pony without a mane or tail... It had a horn, which made me think I'd seen some kind of strange unicorn. Soon the silhouette approached, and that's when I knew everything could have gone wrong.

That thing seemed completely dark. I couldn't make out anything about its appearance, but after what had happened, I surely knew who it was. When my perspective cleared in a matter of seconds, that silhouette spoke.

"Octavia..." It replied in a deep but sinister voice.

At first, I thought that thing was a demon or a supernatural amorphous creature… But I already had an idea of who that creature was when I heard it mention my name.

"I don't think we've ever met before, but I suppose you already know who I am…"

"I imagine you're that infernal torturer… Isn't that so?" I replied with a serious, sarcastic tone.

"Oh… Please, you should already know that at most I have a name… Or rather!… You had already renamed me after that infernal puppeteer… That being who has been studying and observing your every move all this time."

"And what is it you want?… Haven't you already felt the satisfaction of making me suffer to separate me from my loved ones?" I asked sadly but threateningly. I expected all kinds of responses, but what he said next left me bewildered and silenced.

"Loved ones?... Do you think they truly loved you?... You learned your lesson yourself... You took the initiative to not believe in anyone for so many years."

"How is it possible that you know?" I cried, bewildered now. I wanted to stifle my cries to learn more about it.

"Listen, that's not what matters now... You may see me as a monster now, but you know what?... All this time, you were the one who managed to harm the lives of everyone you've ever interacted with."

"It's a vile lie!... There's no way you can prove anything!"

"A vile lie? Let me summarize it for you: because of you, a friend of yours was banned from the orchestra, two ponies had to be injured, and your parents ended up dead. After you watched your beloved walk away, it was your final rebuke that made you open your eyes."

"But what do you mean, dead?... You're the one who killed them!... My parents didn't deserve to die that way!" My attempt to numb my suffering had completely broken down. I lay there while those visions of their bloody deaths played out endlessly.

"I don't think you've fully grasped it yet... As your rage grows, the forces within this dark, gloomy space steadily gain strength. The reason should have been obvious, seeing all the signs... The hooks... The threads... The chains. Ever since you got your cutie mark, I've appeared in your life as a warning... That mark on your flank easily represents my identity, given my musical comprehension and reading skills."

And if you hadn't gone up to the attic that day, you wouldn't have to be dealing with this burden... I did you a favor, damn it!... Your parents wanted to kill you." The puppeteer replied, his voice deepening.

"I would have preferred to die right then and there… But how did you manifest? Are you some kind of ghost or something?" He asked hesitantly as he tried to breathe deeply and calm himself.

"I didn't expect to answer that kind of question, but representing my origins is too long to explain in detail, so I'll try to be brief for this one occasion… At least so you can calm down and broaden your perspective and focus…" He replied, making the entity look somewhat bewildered.

"That chef who worked for your father has a lot to do with my appearance, having used forbidden magic with an alicorn amulet for many decades now… In one of the most wasteful moments of his life, he used his own daughter as bait after kidnapping her from her own mother, trying to conjure a certain magic that would allow him to correct all the mistakes he had made throughout their relationship… But the poor little girl had to pay a high price." In exchange for the charity of that greedy steed.

He didn't want to reveal that identity after his life had completely changed. Good fortune came his way... He gained the affection he had longed for, and he was even granted the opportunity to obtain the job your father had given him in that luxurious mansion, which allowed him to escape the few bad moments he had endured in a short period of time."

"And what happened to her?... With the chef?... My parents?..." I asked worriedly.

"Whatever you have in your head to try to answer those questions, it's your duty to try to digest them no matter how you do it... But it goes without saying that the little girl had to be trapped in that attic for the rest of her final days when the curse fell.

That's right!... The benefited pony had to pay a high price... A life that completely and completely shattered his life in return."

He wanted me to free her, but I'd already warned her of the consequences of accepting my conditions... Let's just say the little pony had no idea what was going on... But once, I watched her.

She was terrified... Bewildered, and somehow feeling betrayed by her father. That mansion you used to live in was nothing more than that unfortunate pony's old home. All those attempts your chef made to cover up the truth proved futile... And it wasn't until she died without being fed for a long time.

That steed suffered after her loss. He couldn't access the attic to try to rescue her because of a malevolent rune... We sealed a deal that had never been broken. Insomnia and guilt reigned in his mind for several days, and he considered suicide when he learned that his wife had died in a tragic accident.

But it wasn't a matter of days until your parents bought the property… With the sole condition of making him even richer… But in his last moments of despair, knowing what awaited him in that gloomy space of his feelings… He accepted the deal without a second thought… But we already know how it all ended. He was stabbed by your mother once he was murdered to cover up the whole truth, not only to try to reveal as a witness the anonymous dealings that had been going on behind your family's backs… He, just like them!… They already knew of my existence!… But they both tried to ignore that fact completely.

There was even another pony involved, so she tried her best to arrange some counseling classes… Sessions which consisted of trying to reveal my origins and trying to find out if I was present in your home… But sooner or later, they both did their best to ignore that fact completely.

They were determined to hide everything and suspected that I had moved in with you… The mark on your flank was a small but crucial piece of evidence. Even that outside pony's suspicions were heightened… But your parents, stubborn as they may have been, made every effort to keep the topic of my existence a secret, without letting her know about the family dealings you endured.

They wanted you to ignore the facts, even though both of them didn't, in order to see you safe and sound... That day you climbed into the attic and fell down the stairs... I wormed my way into your consciousness. I wanted to see the world... I wanted to see everything that had happened over those fateful years... That cutie mark you have is the ultimate representation of your musical ability... You could say I gave it to you!

But the way they treated you… It disgusted me… I hated seeing their faces… From your point of view, we both share that deep resentment… But the one who had complete control over the situations… It was you…"

I tried my best to digest the words the puppeteer spoke. I was silent for a moment until a question completely unhinged me.

"And why did you kill them like that? Why did you take me away from Vinyl?"

"I had nothing to do with everything that happened with you and her in that last moment when she walked away… It was all a test to see if you would try to stay strong, or if you would completely lose control. I've proven my theory, so I'm simply disappointed… However, your music soothed my soul… Forcing yourself to write those scores and musical notes was what calmed me down at a certain breaking point.

I learned so much from them thanks to you… That's why every time you failed to compose, I felt more overwhelmed… Listening to those songs repeatedly… 'The Blood Sonata'… This last one was the best compared to other musical works you'd composed. Your determination and skills are what strengthen my existence. Even with time, you managed to see how things worked… And I have to admit you've done well… I must give you a point for that."

"I'm simply confused, but after everything that happened… I don't know what to expect now." "I've lost everything, and I don't have any words to emphasize." I replied disappointedly, my mind going blank.

"Well, not everything, really... It's normal for you to process everything I told you... You have me... You have the music... But! We can make some kind of deal, you and I..." He explained excitedly, but I was afraid to look at him as soon as I saw him make a strange but ugly smile.

"Explain yourself..." I emphasized, scared but determined.

"This will definitely go against my principles and even against my very nature... But I can leave you alone without making an appearance for the rest of your life if you manage to finish playing 'The Sonata'... I can't promise you much... But I know you won't fail... And regarding everything that happened... You have to forget everything around you so you can focus. You don't have to do it for me... Do it for you... And if it's any consolation, I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble."

Don't consider this goodbye, but rather a 'see you later'... I'll trust you to do everything possible to try to change things."

After that dark vision, I woke up confused on the ground, back in reality. Those words left me shattered… I had a lot to think about, but after that contusion, I decided to look for Vinyl.

However, something was stopping me… I ended up remembering the puppeteer's last words… 'You have to forget everything around you so you can focus.'

When I tried to rethink that sentence… A pony was standing in front of me, seeing her approaching, moving away from the darkness. She didn't seem to be someone I knew, but somehow she seemed familiar.

"Hello, Octavia!... I've been looking for you everywhere…" She emphasized as soon as she glanced at me.

"Who are you?... I was… I was just composing for tonight's practice…" I replied nervously.

"There's no need to hide your nature, my child… I only came to help you… I know what you've been looking for… I know where you're going, who you're looking for…" You want to find... I've met several of your late parents' employees... I met your friends too, but I need you to hear me out before you leave...

"Excuse me?... Are you the chef's friend?... What do you want from me?" I asked curiously, trying to get an answer to what the entity had said earlier.

"Calm down... I want to talk to you about what's happening with the curse you're carrying." She responded calmly but uncertainly, seeing how she noticed my reaction.

"How do you know that...?"

"The detector on the anti-magic necklace I designed automatically detects the emotional sensation you've been carrying during that heavy burden. Its features create a kind of bond that nullifies other magical effects... That entity violated it before the object broke..." She emphasized in a dissatisfied but concerned manner.

"Do you mean you designed that instrument of torture?!... How dare you..." I responded angrily, but somehow, I was surprised to learn that she knew everything that was going on.

"I know… But I didn't do it with the purpose of making you suffer… Your parents manipulated me, just like they did you… They made me believe that your condition was in a perfect state of mind… But the detections of my horn, made me believe the opposite. When I called them the day before, your mother's condition looked deplorable, so my suspicions that your father bewitched her… They turned out to be not wrong.

My initial purpose was to create said device to monitor your stress control, but not to overdo it... That time I saw Mr. Rosenford, the cook in this case, I was saddened by your condition... I warned him not to try anything that would lead to a terrible outcome. But I see that your curse took justice into its own hands."

After hearing his small revelations… I was briefly shocked. My father's revelation, or the entity's, caught me off guard. But this one somehow even moved me a little, having met not only the first three ponies who interacted with me… but also after mentioning the name of the late chef.

"I suppose I should apologize… For having pushed myself too hard at work, everything could have been prevented, and nothing serious would have happened." So now I know you have the need to go after Vinyl… But at this point, when you were unconscious, she went far away from Canterlot… But I can help you with…"

"You can't possibly know anything… I need to go after her, I'm sorry, but I must…" I interrupted her rudely, but at that moment, she froze me with her magic, directing me at exactly the right moment to the exit door.

"Dear… Given my profession, it's abundantly clear that my searches are never flawed, or well… Not all the time in your case… Feel angry or happy with me. I don't care, but I need you to know that getting out of here is not a priority… The guards have issued an arrest warrant for your name… And that's why you must come with me, if you don't want to be brought before me for an act that YOU supposedly committed."

Hearing those last words, my mind was reeling, so my motivation to find Vinyl quickly disappeared after remembering not only that phrase from the entity... Somehow, I believed the words of that mysterious mare. She seemed to know me, even my friends... My parents... The entity... Even the chef!

I was hesitating too much at that moment. After justifying her testimony with the idea of knowing too much at this point, it left me thinking about everything I went through to get to know her. And rethinking the situation... Nothing mattered to me at all... And somehow, she ended up convincing me, so I felt remorseful and indifferent to myself.

My subconscious made me observe not only that last moment when Vinyl had left... I saw the last blurry memories of blood. Remembering seeing the chef's corpses and those of my parents... Many times.

When I was thinking about the worst of things, out of nowhere, tears began to spill down my face... And then I let out a heartbreaking scream. That doctor let me go and gave me a hug to try to calm me down and ease my frustrations. Even without the threads, I remained inert, knowing what was happening... What would happen. Later, I remembered what happened during my last escape, when that mare rescued me.

Helen, as that psychiatrist called herself... I'll never forget that name... She explained the processes to me, what I should and shouldn't do next.

I hesitated, thinking too much about the situation I was in, and I couldn't fully listen to the process. I managed to succumb to the problems and finally let myself go. I felt unstable under all the mental images.

All I wanted was to play to distract myself and get away from them completely. Before we left, I explained what was happening with the curse and how it could somehow... be dispelled. However, at first, she didn't believe me, but as soon as I mentioned the terrible processes I went through to mitigate my condition and what would happen if I didn't play the cello... She was able to make sense of them and suddenly changed her mind, leaving, saying she was going to do some surveillance.

When no one was around and I was standing... With enough sanity to approach and go up on stage... After my reaction time, I prepared to play the entire 'Sanguine Sonata' for one last time.

And strictly speaking, I managed to pass the test afterward, and the puppeteer somehow... abandoned me, just like her. Freeing me from any kind of permanent control, I had my doubts, though, as the last few minutes passed in that abandoned place, I didn't perceive the entity at any specific moment. I stared at my headphones shortly afterward, and they were completely intact.

I watched my flank, I even tried to look at myself to notice if anything wasn't out of place... And the only thing I could point out, was seeing that my Cutie Mark never disappeared... I didn't want to rethink that problem but the fact that the mark remained made me doubt the veracity of its disappearance too much. I proceeded to frantically look at the ceiling but I couldn't see anything at all... I looked around for another few minutes more... But everything was empty and silent!

And that was when… I truly felt free.

After freeing myself from that terrible torture I suffered, in part because of my parents… Knowing that the puppeteer wouldn't return made me breathe a deep but loud sigh! Although I wasn't happy about it, after some time, I decided to look for Helen. Walking out the back door, I saw her crying, as my composition could be heard outside.

"Ignore me… Is it done?… Did the entity disappear?"

"When I put down the instrument, I looked at my hooves for a while. I also looked around, and it seems like it did, but my cutie mark is still there. If it really vanished, why isn't my flank blank?"

"I suppose the mark on your flank will remain as a cursed memory. Once I receive a certain catharsis, cases like these are very rare to identify, but anything can be possible when it comes to controlling certain problems related to magic. Anyway, being out of the ordinary, it's a relief to know it's dissipated… But let's try not to drown ourselves in a glass of water by finding out other things now. We'd better go before someone comes snooping around here."

Afterwards, we both got into a small, not-so-conspicuous carriage. We set off, while I turned around to see the orchestra's place, receding into the distance. Given my convictions, I wanted to confirm with Miss Helen if she'd give me the opportunity to go to Lyra's apartment. I wanted to go with her, or with Bon Bon, to tell one of them what had happened. However, Helen flatly refused, as the situation must not be revealed for my safety.

Without complaint, we arrived at our destination, a place almost remote from the rustic surroundings of Canterlot, where she invited me to her home for the night. Staying in one of the rooms in her small compound, many of my thoughts had become subjective but concise. Now that I was free, I could rest easy, but my nerves grew as I imagined what could have happened with the full weight of my life.

Placing myself at the moment of my supposed father's betrayal and reflecting in an instant on the stories of the entity's revelations didn't allow me to reflect on everything that had happened if I had done things right. However, that fear had diminished as the days passed, so from one moment to the next, I went to the doctor under a private court and reported on everything that had happened.

I felt uncomfortable since my father's friend, 'Swift Script,' was the judge. At first, the pony looked at me with suspicion, but the evidence was becoming clear. And it wasn't just my parents who had to pay with their lives.

One of the witnesses turned out to be Butter... my former butler! He looked haggard and in dire financial straits. The moment I saw him, I felt sarcastically cheerful... although the moment he greeted me during recess, he seemed very sorry for what he'd done. As I approached one of the tables to pour me a glass of water, he leaned closer.

"My la... I mean, Octavia."

"Hi, Butter... I mean, Frank." I replied in the same level of sarcasm voice.

"Listen, I know you're not happy about seeing me hanging around these places… But I wanted to apologize. I indirectly caused your parents' deaths, and believe me… Mr. Eliot's orders were questionable… I just… I want you to understand that I did it all for money."

"You're admitting it yourself!… But you know what? I don't intend to lower myself to my mother's level at this point… I don't want any resentment to remain between us. I just want you to know that I'm grateful… Not for everything that happened after the tragedy, mind you!… You were always the best help when I needed you."

"I don't need to take a small share of your praise... I recognize that what I did was terrible by these standards. You know, Rosenford wasn't a bad friend either, but the orders were too strict. Our entire staff felt threatened on other grounds when you were mentioned. If we refused orders or didn't obey them, your father would immediately retaliate. Snitching on you guaranteed me the opportunity to earn a big promotion, but... I don't think I need to go into detail about everything that comes with that background. You've experienced it firsthand, and I don't feel like an apology is enough... I hope you win your case." She unexpectedly began to tear up when she looked at me head on.

"It's okay… There's nothing to worry about! I really appreciate it, and I hope we can meet again soon in a situation that isn't as awkward as this one." He was laughing a little when we made eye contact.

"At least we agree on one thing…" She replied, holding back her tears amidst her small chatter.

After a few hours, the legal advice wasn't as terrible as we both expected, and due to a lack of other evidence… We ended up winning the case! I wanted to ask the doctor how she managed to pay for the service to summon him in such a capacity… And her answer left me speechless… My uncles!

The court received the inherited money in their name… With no signs or opportunities to reach an agreement, or to find out why they had helped me when my parents died because of me. It turns out Helen cleared things up with them privately… She somehow managed to convince them, and they gave her the opportunity to keep all the money so she could manage it… Finally, my freedom was hailed!

With time, and managing to save some of my savings, I had a small opportunity to buy another cello… So I decided to leave, but not before saying goodbye to her. I left her the rest of the inherited money as a gift under her care. She tried to intervene to help me, but I rejected her offer.

I was asking too much, since she gave me shelter, food, and, above all, help with my release, so I didn't want to seem abusive. She was like a mother to me, and I felt bad about her leaving me… But I had to return to the path of music, and throughout that process, I had to pay a high price to avoid upsetting my mental stability.

For a long time, I struggled to maintain my sanity… without it overflowing every time I thought about everything that had happened… Everything I had to suffer… What I had to pay… to get here.

And after that experience, I was able to think about many things, only to forget others as the years went by… My musical practices and my life… That was my life now. With what happened, all those close to me died, and others withdrew completely. After that, the rumors spread… And I finally learned that the mare… moved to Ponyville.

I tried to search for her in those corners shortly after, but I never found her. I remember that along the way, I managed to meet a particular donkey… This one called himself Cranky, and he was searching for his beloved just like me… Although he was exhausted, he decided to stay in that remote town to lodge in a small cabin and rest after exploring the entire kingdom of Equestria.

His hopes weren't entirely dashed or broken… Which gave me the opportunity to think things over.

The time I spent desolate, trying to forget her… It was impossible for me to forget that mare! And with the necessary willpower, I completely forgot all the bad experiences I went through to become who I am today.

And those last emotions vanished in less time than I could have imagined when I gave up during the search… I no longer wanted to know anything about my previous life and never had the chance to search for it again afterward… But my friends… Lyra and Bon Bon… I will never forget them!

Something inside me… A fragile feeling… had completely broken. It wasn't just my courage that allowed me to remain steadfast in the face of all the adversities. The majority of the problems life had dealt me… Throughout my career… Everything had been witnessed, corrected, and somehow… Everything would have returned to normal in the years to come.

I never knew what became of the mansion… Of my so-called home… With the experiences of that dark past. Even with that previous life, as well as with the ponies who were present to forge it, destroy it, and in a way… Repair it.

And in all that wave of feelings, the emotional problems faded, and everything went unnoticed every time I composed… From that moment on, I learned my lesson. I was no longer the same pony… In that instant, I no longer recognized myself.

From that point on, I had changed completely… After all… I fulfilled the wishes my parents would have wanted me to fulfill. I had even become as cold as them… And since that fateful day… The day she abandoned me. It was the day I truly became… A puppet to her fame.

(EPILOGUE)

"Here is your seat miss, the concert will begin soon."

"Thank you…"

That light-furred unicorn took a seat and waited for the cellist to come up on stage. It wasn't long before the elderly composer reached for her cello and prepared her bow.

As she approached, she was wearing a faded red bow tie, accentuated by her black hair streaked with gray. Her wrinkled face conveyed the great wisdom and experience gained from a long life in the musical world.

The composer's purple treble clef was just as the mare would remember it. She then proceeded to sit on the stage and quietly began her number. The mare recognized it instantly, as it was the most famous and tragic work ever created by any composer.

It was the 'Sanguine Sonata' the last cello sonata the composer would compose. After all these years, the mare still cried when she heard it… And for another 70 years, Octavia had no rival on the cello, nor any composer who could match her talent.

At least she was happy standing on stage with her instrument. And even from so far away, the mare could see her wide smile… Octavia was crying, because she was so moved by her music on stage and performed flawlessly until there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

The unicorn got up from her seat and left before the interval. After all this time, the song was still too painful to finish listening to… And at least Octavia had lived a happy life… A life… Without Her.