The Mad Mane Six.

Chapter 4

   Big Mash jolted and spilled a bit of the batter he had made. The reason was the shrill and unnatural scream that still echoed in his ears. Whatever just entered the castle had just tripped all the alarms for the first prison area where the stallions were. That was even worse.
   He looked around for his secret stash of potion that he snuck out of Riplight's labs. He checked underneath the island and found it, the shrink potion. It had a label and under it was a clear warning. 'Do not use this at any point, and that means you, Big Mash. -Riplight-' Big Mash smiled at the warning. He had looked at it a thousand times, and every-time he smiled at it. Not that he heeded it, of course.
   He grabbed it and opened the oven to reveal a perfectly cooked beef steak. He figured it would be done by now. He quickly found a large leak proof container and placed Riplight's food inside it. He then took one more glance towards the apple fritter batter and found it ruined. He accidentally knocked paprika into it when he jolted. Mental kicks were given.
   He kept the potion at the ready when he opened the door a looked out. Nothing, nothing at all. He sighed in relief at that prospect. He exited the room quietly and began to make his was to Riplight's room. He wanted escorts her to the safe room, one of his favorite things. It always seemed to be minorly annoying, but appreciated. That and he wanted to see her blush.
   He made his way slowly but surely, keeping a eye out for whatever got into the castle as well as the stallion's that broke out of their cells. One in particular had a issue with him. He hoped he never run into him without bars between them. Course, he had a potion that will definitely make things easier.
   Then he wondered why he wanted a shrinking potion in the first place. Maybe that was the enchantment that Dreaxie had placed on him to try to make it easier to catch him, or it was maybe the threat that he could be shrunk in the first place. Whatever it was, it didn't sit well with him. Among other things, including Dreaxie.
   What was with obsession with shrinking and devouring ponies anyway. What was the appeal to it anyways? The worst part was what Gearhead said about her being a Succubus type nightmare. That kinda scared him even more considering she seem the be obsessed with capturing him.
   He was lost in thought as he tried to wrap his mind around the problems of his life, and more strangely, the ideas and obsessions of Dreaxie. It wasn't his fault, he was enchanted by a spell. Unfortunately, it did distract him.
   Suddenly he heard a chuckle behind him. He turned to see a strange humanoid Nightstallion in a straitjacket with a top hat and a gentleman's walking stick. It pointed towards the area behind him, and like anyone, he looked. Nothing but a closet, and then a chuckle. When he looked back to ask what he was chuckling about, he found that the strange figure was gone, but a note was placed when he once stood. It read as such.
  'Strange to find such interesting characters in a land that has no direct sunlight. I like you, so I'm gonna help you, even if you can see what's happening to your mind. Hide, and you'll find what you want to.
Sincerely, Madness the gentleman.'
The note was as strange as the thing that left it. Then he decided to check the closet.
It was a broom closet, nothing more. Why was this a thing, he asked himself mentally. Then he heard galloping, he turned to see Riplight and Applethorn, running towards him, looking, frighteningly enough, terrified. "Get in there!" Riplight yelled at him.
   He didn't waste time finding out what they were running from, he just did as he was told. Riplight and Applethorn then joined him, which wasn't the most comfortable thing, considering how small the room was. Riplight then cast a spell that allowed them to see what was outside the closet, but obviously didn't let what was outside to see what was inside. No sooner than she did that did a stallion appear to be running down hall, stopping only when he noticed that his quarry disappeared. He seemed annoyed.
   "Urg, I almost had them! Where did they disappear off to?" The stallion spoke, anger and frustration pulled through his voice. He looked back, as if he left something behind. That was a mistake that he soon paid for as MadJack leapt out and tackled him.
He quickly kicked her off and then stared at his attacker. He smiled at the prospect of fresh meat as she clamored up clumsily. "Say, your that new arrival, aren't you? You got a pretty face, that's for sure. Wonder what you could do with it." Said the stallion. Riplight hissed but did so quietly, as to not attract the attention of the one she feared more.
   The stallion the charged at MadJack and she responded by doing what she had mutated to do. Her face opened up to a sort of blossom that had a fleshy tone to it and false eyes, which the stallion seemed to be hypnotized by. He followed them as she tilled her head side to side. A slight look and there was a dart that MadJack launched into the stallion's chest. He promptly fell over and MadJack the proceeded to devour him, starting with the back end and then wrapping the petals of the death blossom around his face.
   The sight was disturbing, even more so to what was happening at the surface of MadJack's body. It hinted that the stallion inside her digestive tract wasn't having fun. It crawled and squirmed with every twitch. She then expelled her victim, who was a skeleton with semi-digested organs writheing the rib cage. MadJack then left, seemingly ravenous and uncoordinated.
   "Can someone tell me what just happened. Why did my sister just melt that one? I thought she didn't need to eat." Said Big Mash.
   Riplight looked at him and said,"She does, and she needs a mare specifically, to replace the organs that have failed. Isn't that what you said Applethorn?" Applethorn just nodded. Big Mash looked annoyed, but understanding.
    "We better go get to the other mares and get all of us into the safe room. I hate to deny my sister something that is vital to her, but right now, I don't think she's in the right mind to choose, much less care. Let's get moving, I still don't want to run into Butcher Block." He said to them.

   They quietly walked to the basement, and found that the stallions that broke out must not have cared about revenge, for they hadn't seen another one. Big Mash gave sigh of relief when they got to the basement and saw that all the mares were there and seeming had no new signs of injuries or damage on them. They did seem scared however.
   Riplight and Big Mash went through and quickly unlocked all of the cages, including the one that had gone crazy. Once that door was opened, however, she ran out, bum-rushing Big Mash in the process and getting loose in the process. She ran towards the door that lead to the great hall and got caught a huge red and grey stallion with pink eyes.
   Big Mash's eyes got wide and he started to sweat bullets as he watched the stallion snap the mare's neck. The mare then got tossed aside and her body turned into darkness. It suddenly gave Big Mash a sobering reminder.
   Riplight gently body checked him to get his attention. "Get the others into the safe room. I'll handle him." Big Mash then snapped out of his daze and did as he was told. Unfortunately, no one saw that a mare that was a mother get separated from her child and knocked out in a cell as the others rushed and pushed her put of the way.
   Riplight then faced Butcher Block as he gave a twisted smile. "You always knew how to rile up the other males. Sad that you decided that you just couldn't change your mind though, we could have used the help." Riplight commented.
   "Your only saying that because I'm free. Admitted most of the guys were too cowardly to deal with you personally, but your just nothing. How anyone could even believe your a princess, much less a queen. I am just, unimpressed." He said it all with a egotistical voice and grin.
   Riplight's grin is more like a scowl at that point. Powerless, he said. She had power. And she was more than willing to show it. She the began to pluck feathers from her wings, which immediately replaced them, and lined the up to her sides. Butcher Block just smiled.
   "That's what your gonna use, feathers. Gonna tickle me to death? Don't worry, I'll make this quick." And he pounced at her. She then let the feathers loose. They all hit their mark, and in the end, Butcher Block looked like a pin cushion.
    Riplight walked towards the stallion , who coughed on blood that flowed through his lungs and throat.
   He smiled at her, as if he had won. It was annoying, to say the least. She definitely wanted to cut that grin away. She was about to.
    "Wipe that grin off, it's unbecoming of a dead stallion." She then began to pull her a knife  out of his chest, and he responded by grabbing and pulling her ear close to him.
   "Take a deep breath, cause when you finish exhaling, your friends are gonna be dead, with your knifes in them..." He whispered to her as he turned to Darkness. Poor timing to gasp.
   The fog filled her lungs and began to work itself into her blood stream. She panicked as soon as the transformation began to take hold. Body temperature rose, breathing quickened, and she tasted blood. She wanted more, and not her own either.
    Her eyes glew as she turned towards the safe room door. Big Mash looked at her and she saw him mouth a 'oh no.' Blood began to pour for her eyes and mouth as the sadist in every Nightmare suddenly reared it ugly head. She wanted to feed, and kill, and maim, and she had plenty of victims for it, all locked in a room, helpless.
   She walked forward with a twisted sense of regal appeal a smile plastered on her face and a smooth walk, like that of a queen. That was what created her nickname, the Gore Queen. It was also why she hated when she was called as such. At this moment, however, was all about the kill, and how to savour it all.
   It was at that moment that a particular mare came in. "Leave them alone!" She shouted at Riplight before she rammed her head into Riplight's. The blow did more that stun or divert,  it caused something in Riplight to snap away.
   Riplight the started fighting with a unseemly foe, herself. She flailed all around and shouted. "Not again, I'm not going to do this again. I won't kill my friends again!" She cried as she fought against the virus. She wasn't winning, however. Not yet.
   She rolled on the ground and struggled as to defeat the urges to kill. It was difficult, for she had repressed them ever since the incident 3 years ago. This time was going to be different, she was going to be stronger. That was then that she heard her saving, and damming, voice.
   "Strength is given to those who ask, but I could do more, I could absove the urges you have. I'll ask once more, to save them, to save yourself, let us merge. Pride ended me in my strife, do not let it do the same to you." Riplight had heard that voice before, the same one that asked her the same question years ago. This time she allowed herself to accept the proposition. That moment, she felt power beyond belief.
   She stood up stronger than ever and started talking in a voice that was kind but lofty. As if violence was something to be snubbed. "Do not worry, for the suffering is over, and the day is won. The Goddess of Pride is here." Afterwards, Riplight's eyes turned back to normal.
   She then turned to look at the mare who had prevented a massacre, but not with the joy she wished. That option had been crushed by a scalpel, which was lodged in the mare's chest. Riplight saw a steady river of red stream from the wound. The mare then looked, as if she didn't feel the sharp metal object that had started to drain life from her. "That's new..." She said before she proceeded to collapse.
   Riplight started to head towards her and then got tackled and pushed into a cell. Riplight then got up to look at her attacker and saw that it was MadJack, who was starting to unfurl her face petals. The fight with Butcher Block had attracted her attention, and it wasn't the kind that Riplight was looking for. Riplight the saw that the cell gate that for the cell she was in was still intact, unlike many of the others.
    She looked at the mare one more time and knew that she had to do something. She the decided to bum rush MadJack but a shadow then closed the gate on her, causing her to hit the bars. The world around her suddenly was fuzzy as she had sustained a concussion. She then saw that a figure stood in front of her with a familiar voice that still echoes through her head. "Silly Princess, you can't save them all. You cheated me out of a body, but I'll return it with a murder made by your own friend. Also, I'm far from death, so long as I have a harem and a hive to be reborn. Good bye for now Riplight Jackal, it's been swell." She heard it say and laugh as it left.
   Her focus then returned with a vengeance as she looked around to see MadJack still trying to get at her. Riplight saw the mare and tried to get as close as she could to her. "Hold on, I'm going to figure out a way to get us all out of this." She said to the mare, "Hold on Lemon Drop, your gonna get through this."
   Lemon Drop looked at her weakly, her blood was flowing away. Riplight looked around and tried to find a way to unlock the gate. She looked up to see Big Mash trying to unlock the safe room, but he wasn't going to do that easily. He would be out of time before he could get it open. He and the others were better off in there anyway.
   She thought it was hopeless at that point, but she then got hope and help from a unexpected source. MadJack reeled when she got tackled by a certain burning stallion. It allowed Riplight to blast open the gate with a spell, launching the door to the other side of the room. She then ran out to Lemon Drop. Blood was everywhere, and it's stench was more disgusting than intoxicating as it had been before.
   "Hold on, I'm going get the wound patched up." Riplight started, but Lemon stopped her. Lemon then said, weakly, "it won't help, I've lost to much blood. You've saved me too many times already, you even gave me a name. Let me do something for you this time, just promise me you'll take care of Orange Grove. She'll need a mom, and I can think of no one better."
   Riplight didn't like that answer, but if there was one thing Lemon Drop was good at, it was making up her mind. Lemon then stumbled up and looked at Riplight, who was dumbfounded. She then walked toward MadJack  and meekly pulled the scalpel out. The fresh gush caused MadJack to go insane and bash the Burned Doctor off. Lemon closed her eyes as MadJack pounced, the death blossom openned.
   It was over, and Riplight sat, covered in the blood of another. It always ended like that. Why did it end like that. She got up, fuming, and walked to the Doctor. He could only sit up sorely, he didn't take the hit very well.
  "What in Celestia's name are you doing here, you could've got yourself killed." She said to him. He looked astounded, of all the ones to be angry at, he was her target? "I had it taken care of, and now it got this mess to clean up!"
   He just looked at her for a moment, trying to figure out what was happening. He just saved her and tried to save Lemon Drop, but she was angry at him. Suddenly, as alarming as it was unexpected, she hugged him. He was expecting a knife at that point, but found none.
   She then let go and looked at him, then walked towards the safe room and helped Big Mash open the door. It took some effort, closing it was easy, but it was hard to open, as Riplight had designed it. Big Mash then walked to the dumbfounded Doctor and said, "you did good, I was expecting you to cut and run, why not."
   Riplight answered for him, "because, why would he abandon the ones that helped his friend, unless she's more. Come on, we need to get MadJack up, and these mares some rooms, no more cells." She said in addition. One of them limped, so she assisted. Big Mash woke up MadJack.
   "What, what's going on, why am I here in the dungeon? I was just in my room a few moments ago." She said dazed and confused, but otherwise in a seemingly better mood.
   Riplight looked at her and Applethorn. She looked down and then back, finally saying, "I think there is something that you and your sister need to talk about, hopefully it will prevent what happened from happening again." MadJack then looked at her sister and tilted her head. Riplight just left. Guiding the mares to their rooms.
 
   Riplight entered her room once more. Big Mash then promptly visited her after she took a moment to stare at her burnt mirror. "So, is it over? It the Gore Queen finally gone?"
   She gave a sigh, and that was her answer. Knowing that, he decided to not push that issue further. He the said," I'm gonna go get my apple fritters fixed, and I'm gonna leave this right here for you. After everything, your gonna need to eat something."
   He then left the Tupper-ware container that had the steak in it. He the began to leave, but stopped before he exited and said,"Try to feel better Rip, you tried your best, we all did." He then left, leaving her in her prison of thought.
   "If you only knew what I did in the past, you wouldn't say such kind and painful words. I'm so sorry, Sugar Belle, and I wish you were here for him. It's my fault that you died that day, three years ago. My knife, my kill, my damnation..."
   She then looked out the window towards relics that she loved, even in their dilapidated states. She heard the screams, the blasts. And said, as she did when this began, "the sun and moon shall rise once again."