The Toy Castle epilogue (Novelization) (Writer: SqueakyFriend)

The Toy Castle, epilogue

Those Left Grieving


The dull shades of the forest looked almost grayscale, and the white sunlight felt harsh after so much time with artificial lamps and shade. Snowcone squinted up at the sun as she took it all in. The natural hues and sounds around her, the biting cold wind, the muddy soil under her numb hooves.

Behind her the crack in the castle was no more, and she didn’t care to look back. She was out. Bloody, wounded and exhausted, but free.

And alone.

There was no sign of her herd - it would make sense for them to be closer to the front gates, but it still left Snowcone somewhat uneasy and she soon began to search.

She followed the fence, her good ear twitching as she listened for the familiar sounds of fluffy babbling, and didn’t have to walk far before she found Mint. The minty-green foal was shivering, yet trying her best to keep five chirpy babies warm on her own.

“Whewe am Bwuey?” Snowcone was almost scared to ask, laying down and wrapping herself around the foals to keep them warm. Mint looked up, eyes shining with relief.

“Bu-Bwuey wen’ tu find hewd,” the foal explained. “Said tu wait wif babbehs…”

Snowcone could already hear the distant babbles of other fluffies, and soon her herd was within sight. Snowcone unwrapped herself from the babies and stood, moving aside a step to allow the mothers access to their children.

“Sno’cone!” she heard small, familiar voices, and was flooded with relief as she saw both Bluey and Rusty among the approaching fluffies. The foals hugged onto her, Rusty near tears as he saw her ruined state.

Most of the mares went for the foals, sniffing out which babies belonged to them, while some of the other fluffies gawked at Snowcone. Asking what had happened, if her wounds hurt, if she needed hugs. Her sister did both, hugging Snowcone close with Mint still in her hooves.

As things were winding down and Snowcone had been given some more space to recover, though, a pink mare named Rosie approached her. She had been moving back and forth, checking everyone else’s babies, but carried none of her own. “Whewe am west of babbehs?”

All Snowcone could do was shake her head. “Nu make it. Babbehs …” Her gaze sank to the floor. “Aww othew babbehs take fowevah sweepies.”

“Bu’… but…” Rosie looked around as if someone could disprove it, but the only ones capable of doing so were the little foals and their faces said enough. “But dat nu am faiw! Wosie haf fouw babbehs! Why nu save any??”

But she’d tried. She had! It had just been bad luck that all of Rosie’s were among those killed. Snowcone raised her head to try and explain, but was met with a sharp hoof right to the snout. “Why nu save Wosie’s babbehs?!”

In an instant Rosie was shoved back, the blue toughy Ron stepping between the two with a sharp glare. “Nu am Snowcone’s fauwt!” he scowled. “Snowcone save wots of babbehs! Mowe dan Wosie ow anyone!”

“Yeah!” another mare cut in, hugging her foals close. “If nu fow Snowcone, nu mummah haf any babbehs!”

“B-But…!” whimpered Rosie. “Wosie wan babbehs back! Wan evewyone back!” It was clear she was outmatched in this situation, another fluffy even bopping her, and she tearfully backed down.

Ron gave Snowcone a hug so tight it hurt. “Nu wisten tu meanie Wosie. Thank yu fow saving Won’s wastest babbeh.”

But even if she was the only one to act out, Rosie wasn’t the only fluffy in mourning. She could see it in her sister, snout buried in Mint’s fur as the foal told her of Reddy’s death to a monster. She could see it in a peach mare hugging her mate, sobbing over the loss of their only child, a gray baby Snowcone had never even caught sight of. In the tear-filled relief of a mare whose litter had shrunk from three to one.

Even with all her efforts, Snowcone had only managed to save half of the herd’s children. All because of Wawa, of that terrible sky-blue fake fluffy, standing in a sea of corpses with his infuriating smile. Even dying hadn’t undone the damage he’d caused.

Snowcone’s sister was helping her clean up when the herd’s smarty walked over. He seemed so young and innocent compared to the brown smarty, now. Snowcone could easily imagine him in the same situation as that blue unicorn, trying to tend a long-dead herd.

“Am Snowcone gud tu move?” he asked. “Smawty know Snowcone am huwt and tiwed, but nu can west at castwe again. Hewd needs tu move as soon as possibwe.”

“Snowcone am otay,” she confirmed. It was just a heavy heart, blood-filled aches. She had rested for a few minutes, so she should be good to go, right? At least for a while, until they were a safe distance away.

As the herd picked itself together, starting to move and leave, Snowcone couldn’t help but glance back at the castle. It stood there, colorful and bright, as though nothing bad had ever happened. A disgustingly cheerful trap.

She walked with slow steps, flanked by her herd to ensure she wouldn’t fall behind. The offers of wishes came back to her thoughts. Bringing the dead back, giving her ‘anything’. Soothing the grief of those who’d lost their children.

If she wanted a second attempt, another chance to save everyone, would the castle hear her wish?

It was a thought she dared not voice, lest it come true. But the castle remained where it was, tall and inviting, as Snowcone turned and walked away.


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16 Likes

Reading this whole story I DEFINITELY caught vibes of this game:
download (1)

5 Likes

I THOUGHT YOU CUT THAT SHIT OUT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL!

Bookmarked. This is a wonderful story and one that I will read again, but I am left with questions. How and why was the castle created? How did Wawa get there? How did the Munchy Munsta get there? There are tons of opportunities for back stories. Snowflake’s experience is only one story. Each of the castle denizens could potentially have their own, but like all good stories it can stand on it’s own merits. Well done!

3 Likes

Great series! Definitely has the same dreadful feeling like Corpse Party. And the cursed wishes those fluffies made were so cool. Love it all!

2 Likes

Not gonna lie, I’d be terrified and Snowcone was so brave. On the other hand, if it was a game, I’d wish for the castle to disappear and never hurt anyone again

3 Likes

Ooh, that’s a good wish. Quite sacrificial (after all you’d disappear with the castle), but good!

Poor Snowcone got a very quick trial by fire, bravery-wise. Good thing she had a ‘friend’ to guide her at the start!

Little side stories like that are always great! Heck, just the story of whatever fluffies enter next, now that Wawa’s gone and replaced with the Starved Smarty, could be interesting.

(I may or may not have considered writing a Wawa side story.)

Inspired by one anime, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica, so i can’t take full credit
(edited)

Also i love Wawa so much, it was sad to see him die, I was hoping he’d change sides, even though I knew he wouldn’t

1 Like