>a glob of melted ice cream falls from the cone and splatters on your rear leg
"Shit fucking damnit."
>you hastily wolf down the rest of the ice cream, resulting in more globs splattering in more places
>with the fuzzy hair on your now-free forelegs, you vigorously rub out the offending ice cream globs from your coat
>now your forelegs feel all sticky
>but at least you can't really see the ice cream anymore
>you sigh
>now you're just sitting on a hot park bench without any ice cream
>and your legs are all sticky
>you hop down to the ground and begin to walk home, hoping to get a bath in or something
>force of habit compels you to try walking bipedally
>force of gravity compels you to fall flat on your face
>you groan
"Shit. First time that's happened in a few weeks."
>but that's not even the worst of it
>based on the direction you're facing, you were trying to walk to your old house
>the one you had to get rid of when you went from a six-foot biped to a two-foot baby horse
"Fuck, man."
>adjusting to life after the accident has been a very bumpy process
>your tiny body is racked by a huge sigh
>then you get up
>and make your way to Twilight's house
>great, brown spots of soft dirt have adhered themselves to the ice cream residue on your coat
>but at least your legs don't feel quite so sticky now
>wrapped up in melancholy and dirt as you are, it's no wonder she takes you by surprise
>in a past life, you'd called her your marefriend
>that life had ended when she told you, "Sorry, Anon, but you're just not the man I fell in love with!"
>even though she was breaking up with you, that joke had been the first time you'd laughed since the accident
>of course you're still friends with her
>how could you not be friends with her?
>how could anyone not be friends with her?
>she rises, seemingly from the earth itself, in a flash of pink light
<"Hi, Anon!"
>once you're finished flinching at the sudden motion, you return the greeting as naturally as possible
"Hey, Ponks."
<"Doing anything right now, Nonny?"
"Well I was about to-"
<"Great! Come on, I wanna show you something!"
"No, hang on, I'm all covered in-"
>a pink tail lowers itself to entangle you in its intricate frizz
>and Pinkie dashes off with you helplessly in tow
>you're freed upon the wooden platform of Ponyville's train station
"You wanted to show me the train station?"
>Pinkie giggles
<"No, silly. We've just gotta meet someone here before we can go see the thing we've gotta see."
"All right, two questions. First of all, what even is this thing we've gotta see?"
>Pinkie twists her neck unnervingly around til her face is suspended upside-down before yours
<"It's a surprise!"
>you lightly tap Pinkie's nose til her face has floated away to a more comfortable distance
"All right, then who do we have to meet? Is that a surprise too?"
<"Oh, just my dad."
>the stern gaze of Pinkie's dad fills your brain and causes you to visibly cringe in fear
"Wha- why would you want me to meet your dad again? You know… he knows that we're, you know, not a thing anymore, right?"
<"Oh, sure, I told him all about that. Don't worry, Anon, I'm sure he'll act a lot less scary now that we're just friends. And, you know, now that the accident happened…"
"Yeah, yeah, I guess."
>Pinkie Pie squints at the sky and licks her lips
<"Now, based on the position of the Sun, the strength of the wind-current, and the vibration of the tracks, my dad's train should be pulling in right… about…"
>without warning, a big black steam locomotive screeches into the station and stops on a dime
<"Now!"
"Goodness fuck, how do you do that?"
<"Language, Nonny! You know how my dad gets about that."
"Boy, do I."

>Igneous Rock Pie glides through the crowd of ponies like a folksy specter
>the flight of the wraith comes to a halt before you and Pinkie Pie
>Pinkie's frantically waving hoof is all but invisible now, save as a blurry, pink fan-shape
<"Hi, Dad! I brought Anon along, hope you don't mind!"
>Mr. Pie nods
^"Good day, Pinkamena. Is Anonymous, then, the friend you mean to take with you to the house?"
"Huh? What house?"
>Pinkie nods vigorously
<"Uh-huh!"
^"Then no, I don't mind. I'm sure Anonymous still has the strength, where it counts, to keep you safe."
"Whoah, safe? Hang on, Pinkie, Mr. Pie, I wasn't counting on anything dangerous. I'm not exactly the man I used to be, you know."
>Pinkie guffaws
>but if her father appreciated the wordplay, he doesn't show it
^"Oh, it's nothing so bad as that. Just an old, crumbling house. As long as you've still got your good sense about you I'm sure you'll be quite well. By the by, I was sorry to hear of your accident."
"Yeah, it's fine. Look, I still don't really know just what it is I've been dragged into here."
^"Why, I wonder that Pinkamena didn't tell you."
<"It was gonna be a surprise!"
>Igneous Rock Pie allows himself to smile with genuine warmth at that
^"Ah. Of course it was. Well then, don't let's keep your friend in suspense any longer."
>Mr. Pie retrieves a set of keys and a roll of paper from his bag
^"There we go. The keys to old Blanche's house, and a map that ought to tell you how to get there."
>Pinkie takes the items and stores them within the depths of her poofy mane
^"The short of it, Anonymous, is this: A distant cousin of ours, one Blanche Pie, has recently passed away, and her house has passed into my possession."
<"And Mom and Dad say I can have the house!"
>Igneous nods
^"Yes. The house is just outside of Ponyville, in the Everfree Forest, and I'm afraid that it's a bit far from the rock farm to do me and the missus much good. Besides, it's about time Pinkamena owned some land."
>Pinkie Pie's chest is so swollen with pride that you think it's about to burst
>and Igneous is looking fondly upon her
>but you're still confused
"So, wait, you've had a cousin living just outside of Ponyville this whole time, and I've never heard of her?"
>Pinkie shrugs
<"I didn't know about her til today either. I hear she mostly kept to herself."
^"Cousin Blanche was, well… a long time ago, there was a Pie by the name of Flint. Flint Pie travelled for many years among the nomad herds of Zebrica, and returned to Equestria somewhat… queer. He took his family into the Everfree Forest, and after that he was said to have become rather disreputable. Respectable Pies haven't had much to do with Flint's line in many generations, but since old Blanche Pie was the last of that branch, I don't suppose there's any harm in letting slip the secret now."
>Pinkie Pie is all but bouncing now
>"Ready to go, you guys? Because I'm ready to go! I've never been more ready to go! I was born ready! Ready like-"
^"My apologies, Pinkamena, but I must return home now. There's still a great deal of chores to do before autumm really sets in, and my train should be arriving…"
>another train screeches to a halt in front of the station
^"…Now."
"So that just… runs in the family, huh?"
>Pinkie pouts
<"Aw, all right. See you at Hearthswarming?"
>Igneous smiles in his usual, glum fashion
^"Of course, dearest. I'll see you at Hearthswarming."
>the frizzy pink pony brightens up immediately
<"Okay! Bye, Dad!"
^"Farewell, Pinkamena. And, Anonymous, I trust you'll do what it takes to keep my daughter safe."
"Yeah, sure, totally."
>Pinkie doesn't stop waving til Igneous' train is long out of sight
>then she smiles ecstatically at you
<"Ready to go Anon? Because I'm-"
>you stuff your hoof in her mouth
"No. I'm not ready. I've been all covered with sticky shit this whole time, and I really don't want to go waltzing through the woods like this."
<"But you still wanna come, right?"
>she giggles
<"I'm gonna need those big, strong arms of yours to keep me safe from the monsters, you know."
"I don't have big, strong arms anymore."
<"Sure you do. On the inside, where it counts."
"Look, if it'll make you happy, I'll come visit this old house with you. Just let me take a bath real quick. What do you say we meet up by the forest in, say, an hour?"
<"A whole hour?!"
"Oh, it's still early in the day, you'll be fine."
<"Fine! An hour it is. Ooh! I can't wait, has it been an hour yet?!"

>at long last, you break away from Pinkie Pie and make it to Twilight's house
/"Hey, Anon- whoah! What happened to you?"
"Lost a fight with an ice cream cone. I'm gonna take a bath real quick. Also, I'm heading out to the Everfree with Pinkie after that, apparently she's inherited an old house out there."
>Twilight looks up from her paperwork
/"You're heading to the Everfree with Pinkie?"
"Yeah."
>Twilight sets her quill down apprehensively
/"I don't know if that's safe, maybe I should go with you guys."
"Oh, would you quit worrying? I'm your fuck-up, not your foal, remember?"
>Twilight's ears flatten even as she grins sheepishly
/"Of course, but… you're my friend, too. I'd be worried about this even if the accident never happened. Really, you guys should take me along; there's all kinds of monsters in the Everfree, you know."
"Pinkie and I are both adults… or, I'm as old as an adult, anyway. We'll be fine. Besides, don't you have that big presentation in Canterlot to prepare for?"
>Twilight looks at her mountain of paperwork
>then sighs
/"Okay, if you say so. It's just… I'd feel terrible if something happened to you before I figured out how to fix the accident."
"Hey, until you do figure it out, I've still gotta live, don't I? Anyways, I'm meeting Pinkie in an hour, so I've gotta start drawing that bath now."
/"All right. Have fun, Anon."
>Twilight returns to her furious note-taking
>and you clip-clop up the stairs to the bathroom
>force of habit compels you to lock the door behind you
>even though you don't normally wear clothes anymore
>it takes a bit of finaggling to turn the faucet with your hooves
>but you're getting good at this sort of thing
>and a torrent of steaming water - already hot from the spells Twilight has cast on the piping - bursts forth from the spiget
>you're careful not to fill the tub all the way up
>you did that once, out of habit
>and your tiny filly body nearly drowned for it
>these things are built to lap at a full-grown mare's chest while she's standing, after all
>you used to think that was too short
>but now, you cut off the stream while the tub still appears hardly full at all
>and you clamber over the edge
>only to make an ungraceful splashdown in the water
>the hot water creeps through the layers of dirt and ice cream and hair for what feels like a minute before it finally contacts your skin
>the weat heat makes you sigh
>makes you crave for more
>so you close your eyes and plunge your head beneath the waterline
>water cascades noisily from your mane as you surface
>the water on your head rapidly cools to a brisk contrast against the waters of the steaming tub
>finally, you reach up for a bar of soap and begin scrubbing it against your forelegs
>the white suds rapidly turn brown and fall into the water, turning it brown too
>once your forelegs are rinsed clean, you move on to the somewhat trickier task of getting your hind legs clean
>and so on and so forth, until there are no more sticky, brown spots in your coat
>you'd like to wash your mane, too, as long as you're in here
>don't tell Twilight, but you don't, strictly speaking, do this whole "bathing" thing every single day
>so you reach up for Twilight's special, scented oils
>and you pour what probably constitutes a little bit too much of these on top of your head
>then you gather up some fresh soap-suds and mix them in with the oils
>and because you're feeling extra wasteful today, you turn the faucet back on and rinse your head under that
>it's better than dunking your head under that brown water, after all
>satisfied of your cleanliness at last, you pull the plug and watch the bathwater spiral down the drain
>then you climb out of the tub and spread your towel on the floor
>you've found the easiest way for you to dry off nowadays is to roll in the towel, rather then rub it against yourself
>once you're dry enough, you look up at the mirror
>clean as a whistle
>not for long, of course, if the Everfree Forest has anything to say about it
>but you look good enough for a date with Pinkie
>no, it's not a date
>you can't go on dates anymore
>it's…
>you know what, shut up
>about ten minutes later, you can be found approaching the Everfree Forest
>you're about twenty minutes early
>but you guess, correctly, that Pinkie Pie will be waiting there for you all the same
<"Ugh, finally! Are you ready to go yet?"
"Yep. Pull out that map, let's see where we're going."

>some ten minutes into the walk, the bright noonday Sun is filtered to a dusky, dim glow by the dense foliage above
"Are you sure you can read that thing?"
<"Sure can. We are still on course! Why do you ask?"
"Mostly due to those holes you poked in it."
<"Oh that's fine, Nonny, I can still read it."
"And the fact that you're using them as eyeholes and wearing the map like a Halloween mask."
<"Pfffft, how else am I supposed to see where I'm going, you silly filly? Oh, left turn here."
>Pinkie executes a smart left-face on the dirt path and continues her march into darkness
"You know what? Okay."
<"Okay!"
"Okay."
<"O~kay~!"
"Okay."
<"Okey dokey!"
"Uh-huh."
<"Yup!"
"That's fine."
<"Nonny?"
"We're lost, aren't we?"
<"Just a tiny bit."
"Lemme see the map."
<"No! Hang on, if I can just…"
>Pinkie pulls the map from her face and scans it carefully
>following that, she squints up at what's visible of the Sun through the forest roof
>finally, she licks her hoof and holds it aloft
>she smiles, apparently satisfied with something
<"Come on, this way!"
>and then
>she bounds into the treeline
"What? Not through the fucking brush!"
>you scamper as far into the foliage as you can go
>but ultimately your advance is halted by a big patch of brambles
"Pinkie Pie! I'm not tall enough for this shit anymore!"
<"Geez, you were always so needy."
>a pair of pink hooves reaches down to hoist you out of the brush
>and in the clearing you've reached stands a great, stone mansion
>or, it's mostly stone, anyway
>the center of the house is comprised of an intricate tetris-work of flagstone
>the wings immediately adjacent to that seem to have walls of cobblestones, tastefully set within their mortar frame
>beyond those lie a few brick walls, with here and there a brick bearing the seal of Ponyville brick-makers
>then there's a couple wooden portions with peeling paint
>finally, the outermost - and smallest - wings of the manstion appear to have been dried from mud
>the mansion is clearly in a state of disrepair
>broken windows
>chipped walls
>crumbling bricks
>yet for all this, there's not a single vine or patch of moss clinging to those appealing stone walls
"Pinkie Pie, are you sure about this?"
<"Totally. This is where the X on the map is. See?"
"No, I believe you. What I meant was, are you sure about living here?"
>Pinkie Pie shrugs
<"I dunno about living here, but it'd be a pretty good party spot."
>Pinkie grins
<"Think about it, Anon. There are. No. Noise laws. In the Everfree Forest. We can get as loud as we want!"
>you hate to cut Pinkie's excited fantasies short
>but at this moment, a dark-cloaked figure appears from around the corner of the house
"Whoah, calm down. There's someone over there."

>the dark figure scoops some sort of powder from a sack hung about its neck and scatters it along the walls
<"Oh, I know her. That's Zecora!"
"Is it?"
>when the figure notices you, you make out her face and see that it is indeed Zecora
_"Anonymous I see, free as a bird. I take it you've come to say the Z-word?"
>Pinkie gasps
<"Anon!"
>geez
>you let the Z-word slip one damn time
>and then another time
>and maybe like a dozen more times
>and now all of the sudden it's the only thing the local zigger expects you to say
"Wha- no! Not today, Zecora. I'm just here with her."
>the zebra sees the pink pony at your side and relaxes
>but why does she tense up again?
_"Ah, and my friend of pink. Here to see old Blanche's house, I think?"
<"Uh-huh! My family wanted me to have the house, and now I'm here to have a look-see."
"Hey, zi- Zecora, what's that stuff you're throwing around?"
>Zecora takes another scoop of the black dust and scatters it about
_"Old Blanche Pie knew the magicless magic of the Zoodoo tribes. I'm here to clear out all the bad vibes."
"Bad vibes?"
<"Magicless magic? Is that kinda like my Pinkie Sense?"
>Zecora, faced with both of your questions at once, gives the higher priority to Pinkie's
>the old zebra's nostrils flair at the mention of Pinkie Pie's sixth sense
_"Yes… then in Pie blood runs the magicless magic. I wish you'd turn back now; I fear an end somewhat tragic."
<"Pffft, tragic? This isn't a play, you silly willy!"
"Yeah, why are you acting so spooky, stripe horse?"
>Zecora moves a little closer to you before spreading more of the black dust
_"A maker of zombies and zuvembies was Flint Pie of old. He taught his family that blackest art: the Zoodoo practice bold."
<"Okay, I've seen zombie movies, but what's a zuvembie?"
>your hoof crash-lands on your forehead
"Oh, geez, this is another one of those things where something in Equestria is just like something from back home on Earth but with a bad pun in the name. I know what this is."
>Zecora silently spreads more dust
>Pinkie Pie looks at you all askance
"See, back on Earth there was this thing called Voodoo. And when they wanted to make a zombie they'd give a guy some stuff to paralyze him and then they'd bury him alive. They'd dig him up later and the guy would be brain damaged, see? He'd be servile but aggressive, and the damn Voodoos would pretend like the guy was the living dead. It's twisted, to be sure, but there's nothing magic about it. Let alone magicless magic, which doesn't make any fucking sense to begin with."
<"But what's a zuvembie supposed to be?"
"Oh, it was the same fucking thing but always a woman. I think they supposedly had some kind of magic powers that regular zombies didn't."
>Zecora shakes her head
_"The zuvembie is the steed of Yigballa, the spotted snake. Each one is a mare or filly he takes."
"I'm kinda surprised the concept of steeds exists in this world."
_"It is not wise to speak of such things to pony-folk. I only ask you to go home now; this is not a joke!"
"Oh, calm down. We just wanna look around."
<"Well… I was kinda hoping to spend the night."
_"No!"
"Shut up, zigger."
<"Anon!"
"Ah, sorry. Just slipped out. Anyway, why would you want to spend the night? It's probably all drafty in there."
<"Well how else are we supposed to find out all what's wrong with the place? It's what my dad said to do, anyway."
>old Zecora shakes her head
_"My leave of you I now take. The place is clean now, I hope for your sake."
>with that, the striped mystic disappears into the woods
>Pinkie Pie grins at you
<"Come on, Nonny, let's check it out."
>and check it out you do
>the two of you spend hours looking into every room of the mansion
>by the time you're done, the sky is dark
"Well, I guess we are spending the night. No way are we traipsing through these woods after dark."
<"There's that good sense Dad was talking about it. You know what this means!"
"Does it mean slumber party?"
<"Slumber party!"
>by the dim Moonlight filtering in through the old windows, the two of you make your way to the master bedroom in the center of the house
>no sooner are you there than Pinkie Pie is bouncing up and down on the bed
"All right, what are we doing first, Ponk pony? Scary stories, spin the bottle, truth or dare-?"
<"Slumber!"
"Huh?"
>a pair of pink hooves siezes you and pulls you close to Pinkie for a tight hug
"Please no."
>but Pinkie is already snoring dramatically
>and, nuzzled into that warm pink chest
>so familiar to you
>yet new too, this being the first time you two have cuddled like this since you became smaller than her
>it's a safe, warm, cozy feeling
>and soon you've drifted off to sleep too

>that night, you relive your first day as a filly
>you're flopped outside of your old home
>moping
>before you know it, a pair of local fillies is standing over you
>an orange one
>a teal one
>both with glossy, black manes
>just like yours
>the orange one opens her mouth
~"Hi, are you new in town?"
"Not really."
>the teal one cocks her head
~"Really? I don't think I've seen you before."
"Remember that big monster that lived in this house?"
~"Sure, we were here looking for him."
"You're looking at him."
>the two of them look at each other
>the orange one's eyes widen
~"Oh…"
>the teal one leans in a little closer
~"Are you sad because you're not big anymore?"
"Yeah, kinda. Among other reasons. Anyways, why were you looking for me?"
>the orange filly shuffles on her hooves a bit
~"Our cat got stuck in a tree. We were hoping you could get her out."
>the teal filly inhales
~"I guess that's not gonna work now. Sorry to bother you."
>the pair of them walk off
>but you sit up
"Wait, hang on. I used to be pretty good at climbing trees when I was your age. Let's see if I can't help you get that cat back."
>the orange filly smiles
~"Really?"
"Yeah, sure."
~"Thanks! I'm Orange Float."
~"And I'm Aqua Marine."
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Anon."
>in the end, you had to get Twilight to teleport the damn cat out of the tree
>but Orange and Aqua were pretty good friends with you for a while after that
>the dream changes scenes now
>Orange Float and Aqua Marine stand before you again
>their manes don't look quite so glossy
>their eyes look tired
>this was the day they moved out of town
~"Hello, Anon."
"Hey guys, what's up?"
~"We are moving to Dodge Junction today."
"Oh, shit. How long do we have?"
~"We are leaving now. Goodbye, Anon."
>and the two of them walk away
>they acted so strangely that day
>but you always chalked it up to them being tired from packing, and upset about the sudden move
>you haven't seen them since
>the dream ends when a void of cold air appears between you and Pinkie Pie
>your eyes flutter open to see your companion climbing out of bed
"Pinkie? What's up?"
>a long, low whistle blows through the house
>Pinkie's ear twitches at the sound of it
>and without a word
>Pinkie Pie walks out of the room

>Pinkie! What the fuck are you doing?
>the words fail to get past your throat
>you want to get up
>to tell Pinkie that she's being a dumbass
>to tell her that this whistler in the dark can mean her no good
>but your legs are just as paralyzed as your lips
>seconds drag on
>minutes crawl by like glaciers
>you are still
>even your lungs refuse your order to panic
>and your breathing is slow and even
>the only part of you that's behaving as it should is your heart
>in the absolute stillness of the night, its frantic pounding is a rhythm that vibrates in your every nerve
>and with your eyes glued to the open door
>you see Pinkie Pie reenter the room
>but what's that in her mouth?
>whatever it is, she lays it down upon your pillow, mere inches from your face
>it's long and thin and flaccid and
>spotted
>Pinkie Pie shuffles off to the other side of the bed
>snuggles back under the covers
>and lies still
>the spell is broken, and you bolt upright
>the thing upon your pillow
>it's a dead snake
>in the silver glow of the dim Moonlight, its scales appear as the brightest ivory
>but scattered across its length are dozens of pitch-black speckles
>upon the serpent's head is a crescent-shaped gash
>a bite mark, evidently the cause of its death
>slowly, you turn around to get a look at Pinkie Pie
>in the merciful white glow of the Moon above, it's hard to make out specific colors
>but your companion's muzzle is definitely darker than the rest of her
>her chest rises and falls peacefully
>does she even know?
>you imagine, for a moment, the smile of Pinkie Pie
>stained with red

>well, you're not going to leave her like this
>Pinkie's father charged you with protecting her
>and that includes protecting her smile
>she shouldn't have to know that this even happened
>but what to clean her up with?
>the bedsheets are obviously out of the question
>and Pinkie's hermit relative didn't exactly leave paper towels laying around
>the fuzzy texture of your foreleg becomes sharply sillhouetted in the silver light
>that could work
>gently, you brush your foreleg across Pinkie's face
>she inhales and twitches at the contact
>but only a little bit of the sticky fluid gets picked up by your coat
>this isn't going to work
>maybe if you could just…
>you lie down and eye Pinkie's face from up close
>then, you stick your snout beneath hers
>and nuzzle up from underneath
>the sound of stretching limbs stampedes its way over the sheets
>and Pinkie yawns
<"Anon? What are you doing, you silly filly?"
"It's cold."
>a single giggle weakly bursts from the sleepy pony
<"Auntie Pinkie will keep you nice and warm."
>you hold still for a minute
>two minutes
>and then
>deep, soft breaths of sleep tickle your ear
>you hold your breath
>and pull out from underneath Pinkie's head
>you can't really see what's left of the dark stain on the underside of her head
>but your own head now feels sticky where it touched her
>cleaning up the rest of Pinkie Pie's face isn't quite as hard
>in a perfect imitation of affectionate nuzzles, you wipe your face and mane over her snout til it's the same shade of pink as the rest of her
>once or twice she giggles in her sleep at the tickly sensations
>but she doesn't wake up again
>satisfied as you can be with your work, you turn to the snake
>you don't want to put that thing in your mouth
>but you'll have to if you want to get it out of here
>so you pick up the cold serpent and creep from the room
>down the dark stairs
>through the black hallways
>in the back of your mind, you're afraid you might meet the whistler in the dark
>but rationally, you know that it was must have been the wind, whistling through a broken window
>Pinkie sleepwalking right after you heard it was probably a coincidence
>as for her fucking murderizing a snake with her bare teeth?
>well, people do weird shit when they're sleepwalking
>right?
>hell, Pinkie does weird shit when she's awake
>but even as you rationalize, your imagination conjures monstrous images
>gaunt, yellow equine figures resembling old mares
>with crackling skin and patchy coats and moldy hooves
>damn that Zecora
>the thought of being surprised by a zombie in the dark has haunted your nighttime expeditions ever since the first time you were little
>you sure didn't need to hear that old zigger rambling on about the living dead today
>and you sure didn't need to catch Pinkie sleepwalking like that tonight
>finally, you make it outside
>the snake is tossed unceremoniously into the brush
>and now you're cold and alone in the dark woods
>and your face is sticky
>wasn't there a stream around here somewhere?
>yeah, you can hear it
>it's right over there
>you plunge your face into the freezing water and scrub at your coat with your hooves
>it takes a long time for that sticky feeling to get out of your face
>in fact, you're still washing up when a sickly Sun's rays filter through the forest canopy

>Pinkie Pie comes walking out of the house, rubbing her eyes and yawning
<"There you are, Anon! I couldn't sleep without my slumber-buddy you know!"
>if Pinkie Pie is aware of what happened last night, she shows no signs of it
>in the dull yellow light of the early morning, you can assess how well you cleaned her up
>there's no discernable trace of the stain upon her face
>her nose might be a slightly darker shade of pink than the rest of her
>but that could just be from the nippy autumn morning
>or maybe you're just imagining it
>Pinkie giggles
<"What are you doing, Nonny?"
"Oh, me, I'm just, uh…"
>you splash a hoof-full of stream-water into your face
"I'm roughing it, you know? Taking a bath in the great outdoors and all that. Do I look dirty to you?"
>your face still feels sticky
>Pinkie splashes into the creek and leans close in to your face
>you're sure she'll notice the matted, stained hairs on your face, body, and mane
>Pinkie shakes her head
<"You look fine to me."
>Pinkie grins
<"Actually… I dunno. You might need to RINSE OFF a little more!"
>a pink foreleg splashes a tidal wave of creek-water directly into your face
>you yelp and retreat for the shore
>when Pinkie Pie is finished laughing at that, she notices that you don't seem so amused
<"What's the matter? Don't wanna splash me back?"
"Ah, I guess I'm just tired."
<"That's what you get for getting up so early, you silly filly."
"Yeah, I guess."
>with the Sun shining overhead
>and Pinkie Pie smiling in front of you
>it's easy to believe that last night never happened
>there's no trace of the stain on Pinkie
>there's apparently no trace of it on you, either
>and when you glance over at the spot where you tossed the snake…
>you can't see any sign that it was ever there
>of course, it could have just settled under the brush
>or some animal might have taken it
>or maybe…
>maybe it slithered away
>a violent shiver erupts from the back of your head
>in an instant, Pinkie Pie is at your side, a pink foreleg draped comfortingly over your shoulders
<"Nonny? Are you cold?"
>you lean into Pinkie Pie's warm side and nod
"Uh-huh. I guess fall is really starting now."
<"Yeah! Isn't it great?"
>Pinkie's bizzarely-prehensile mane wraps around your torso and drops you off on her back before she stands up and begins to prance around
<"Soon all the leaves are gonna turn orange and then we'll get to dress up for Nightmare Night and then winter will come and Hearthswarming and…"
>Pinkie's excited rambling about holidays quickly degenerates into an incoherent monologue about the various months of the year
>yeah
>clinging to her back like this
>it's easy to say that last night never happened
>it was all just some kind of bizarre dream
>clearly you're the one who was sleepwalking, and that's how you ended up by the creek
>you smile and bury your face in the fluffy pink mane
>it smells like sugar and bubblegum
>you could just close your eyes and…
<"Whoah, you are sleepy, huh?"
"What? No! I'm just-"
>Pinkie cuts you off with a giggle
<"Come on, let's get you home so you can go to bed. Granny Pie always told me that growing filles need eight hours a day!"
>you know she's teasing you with the whole "growing filles" thing
>but you can't seem to care right now…
<"Wow. You're even too tired to pout."
"Fuck off."
<"That's more like it!"

>you have a vague recollection of getting back to Twilight's house
>somebody tucked you into your bed
>and…
>did somebody kiss you on the forehead?
>it's hard to remember now
>you're back at the creek in front of the Flint-Pie mansion
>Orange Float and Aqua Marine are there too
>they look even worse now
>they're so skinny, you can see all their ribs
>they're not acting normally at all
>they speak of changes in form
>and they speak in perfect unison
~"Once, you were a boy."
"What?"
~"Once, you were a boy."
"Well, okay. Sure."
~"Then, you were a man."
"Of course. That's the way it goes."
~"But you came to another world, and there the accident happened."
"Yeah."
~"And now you are a filly."
"Are you getting at something here?"
~"Have you given any thought to what your next form will be?"
>you suppose you have
>though you've never thought about it in exactly those terms before
"Well, I suppose that either a cure will be found and I'll be a man again, or not and I'll eventually grow into a mare."
~"And after that?"
"What?"
~"What happens after that?"
"Well hopefully there is no 'after that'. Getting to be two species in one lifetime is more than enough for me."
~"But there is an after that. You will die, Anon. Your body will return to dust, and your mind will return to the distant spheres which noone yet living may know."
"I- yeah. Sure, I'll die some day. That's the way it goes."
~"What if it didn't have to go that way?"
>you frown
"But how else could it go?"
~"You could stick around for a while."
"What do you mean by this?"
~"Stick around for a while."
>expression returns to Orange and Aqua's faces
>they are again the happy fillies who cheered you up, once upon a time
~"Stick around for a while."
>Orange bounds playfully at you and chants it
~"Stick around for a while."
>Aqua splashes and giggles and screams it
~"Stick around for a while!"
>something is moving in the brush
>when it realizes that you see it, it rises up to its full height
>it's an old mare
>she's tall and thin
>her coat was white, once upon a time
>but now it's dirty and dried and yellow-looking
>she grins with long, flat teeth
>and she mouths the words in unison with your friends:
~"Stick around for a while!"
>a great, white snake with black spots rears up behind her and towers over the trees
>it speaks with a voice you can feel rather than hear:
~"Stick around for a while, Anon!"
>in averting your eyes from the snake's horrible gaze, you look down the stream
>and the water is red with blood

>a hoof gently prods your side
>your eyelids flutter open to the sight of Twilight's troubled face
>the fuzzy blankets draped over your body are soaked with sweat
>your face is cold
/"Anon? Are you all right?"
>you blink
/"Anon?"
"Uh…"
>she brushes a wet lock of mane out your face
/"Bad dream?"
"Twilight…"
>Twilight withdraws her hoof as though she's pricked it on something
/"I know, I know. You're not my foal. Sorry, I… should have just let you sleep. Pinkie made it sound like you'd been up all night."
>your purple benefactor retreats to the door and opens it
"Twilight, wait."
>and she pauses in the doorframe
"Thanks."
>she smiles
/"I'll be downstairs working on my presentation if you need me."
>Twilight slips out of the room
>and gently shuts the door behind her
>your head begins to sink back into your pillow
>your eyelids begin to close
>but…
>no
>hell fucking no
>with effort, you throw the covers off of you and roll out of bed
>you've clearly been having some crazy fucking nightmares
>the source of the dream-imagery is obvious enough
>the spotted snake
>the zombie in the bushes
>it's from those damn zigger superstitions Zecora was spouting off yesterday
>all that nonsense about
>what did she call it?
>Yigballa, the spotted snake
>and the Zoodoo tribes
>all you need is a way to view this shit rationally
>once you understand the myths, the nightmares your brain has been making up from them should stop
>fortunately, you live in a library
>so you head downstairs to check out some books

>Twilight looks up as you trudge into the library proper
/"Anon? You need something?"
"No, I'm just looking for a book."
/"Can't get back to sleep?"
"Yeah. Something like that."
/"Oh. Sorry."
>Twilight scribbles out a few more notes on her papers
"Twilight, it's fine. It's not even noon yet, I can just sleep at night like everyone else."
>the five worst things about living with the accident, ordered by severity:
>1: being two feet tall
>2: not having thumbs
>3: existential crisis over whether or not you count as a tranny
>4: the breakup with Pinkie
>5: Twilight apologizing all the time
>Pinkie's friends ended up becoming your friends
>you liked all the girls, to be sure
>but you never realized how close you'd grown with them
>not until they started growing distant
>Twilight in particular is especially hard to talk to now
>the accident was, after all, her mishap
>that's why she was the one who let you move in with her when you couldn't keep your house
>but living with her only makes the gap between you that much more noticeable
/"Right. Sorry."
>you begin scanning the bookshelves for something that might help you
/"What book are you looking for?"
"I'm just looking for anything about Zoodoo."
/"Zoodoo?"
"Yeah."
/"Oh, so you're the one who left out 'The Secrets of Zoodoo.'"
>you blink
"I didn't leave any books out."
/"Well somebody left it out last night."
>Twilight shrugs as she pretends to look over some notecards
/"Maybe Spike got it out."
"Yeah. Maybe. Is it still out?"
/"Uh-huh. Right on that table over there."
>you head over to the table
>a thick volume is open to its last few pages, right at the very tail-end of the glossary
>a few definitions catch your eye
>"Zombie: Said to be the living-dead creations of certain Zoodoo shamans. The practice of zombification is highly persecuted in modern Zebrica, but explorer Flint Pie portrayed zombies as a fact of everyday Zoodoo life in his travels in the 700th Year of the Sun. Zombies were said to be creatures with no free will, who would serve and protect their creators with diligence and ferocity."
>"Zoodoo Spots: On certain holidays of the Zoodoo herds, the zebras are known to adorn themselves with white paint in such a way that their stripes appear only as black spots. This is said to be in honor of Yigballa, the Spotted Snake (see: Yigballa)."
>"Zuvembie: Though similar in some respects to the zombie, the zuvembie was not, as is comonly supposed, merely the female equivalent of the zombie. Like the zombie, the zuvembie was said to be a creature of the living-dead, created by secret Zoodoo rites. Unlike the zombie, however, the mare or filly selected for zuvembification had to participate in the secret rituals of her own free will. The zuvembie could be created by a Zoodoo shaman, or by another zuvembie, as these creatures were said to retain their free will unlike zombies. The zuvembie was said to be able to control dreamers, the recently dead, and zombies with audial cues. Though the zuvembie retained her will and intelligence, it must not be supposed that she could pass for a living zebra. The zuvembie was unable to speak through her own body, and she found satisfaction only in the corruption and harm of the living. Like zombification, zuvembification is highly persecuted in modern Zebrica."
>well
>it's easy to see why Zecora is so afraid of the old Flint-Pie home, if she really believes in this stuff
>but where is the entry about Yigballa?
>you flip back a page
>you see the illustration of Yigballa before you read his definition
>it's photo of a crude hoof-painting upon a stony cave-wall
>but what it depicts is clear enough:
>a great white serpent that towers above the trees
>speckled with black spots along the length of its body
>and with a bleeding, red crescent-moon upon its head
>a sweep of your foreleg sends the volume flying across the library
>Twilight all but leaps up out of her seat
/"Anon?! What's wrong?"
>you stumble backwards, away from the direction the book went sailing in
"I'm… I'm going outside for a little bit."

>the Sun manages to keep the back of your head somewhat warm
>but the wind makes the rest of you pretty chilly
>it's official then
>fall has started
>yesterday was probably the last warm day of the year
>walking through town, you even pass by a home that's already putting up Nightmare Night decorations
>a little prop gravestone
>with a little green plastic hoof stuck in the ground in front of it
>the mare who lives there pauses in the middle of hanging up a fake cobweb to wave at you
>"Like my set-up, kid?"
>it takes you a moment to realize that she's speaking to you
"Y-yeah. It's pretty spooky, all right."
>she laughs
>"Last year I got six foals to run away from the house before they'd even asked me for candy. Let's see if you're not one of them this year."
>eventually, your synapses fire to tell you that the mare is bantering with you
"Pfft. As if."
>"We'll see."
>you toddle off without responding
>funny how you can't seem to hold your head up, even though it feels so light
>the dirt road beneath your hooves bears no trace of your aimless journey upon its cold, hard surface
>you don't dare to think
>"Look! Mom, look!"
>a little yellow pegasus filly is pointing at a single red leaf upon an oak tree's lowest-hanging branch
>but looking up it for more than a few seconds is too much effort for you
>you don't dare to feel
>your hoof contacts the ground in a strange way
>your leg doesn't like that, and buckles under your weight
>"Whoah, hey Non, you good?"
>that sounded like Rainbow Dash
>you open your mouth and nod and keep walking
>"Anon! Anon, hey- Hey! Careful with that raincloud! No- here, let me do it."
>the streets are alive with happy, colorful ponies
>a hundred conversations swirl in the air around you, all careful to avoid your trudging form
>clearly you're still pretty tired
>maybe you should just go home and take another nap
>no
>never mind
>you don't dare to dream
>you especially don't dare to dream
"Ugh."
>you shake your head
"I'm just being dramatic."
>coincidences do happen, of course
>hell, it doesn't even have to be a coincidence
>maybe you happened to glance at that book, open to that page, before you left yesterday
>after all, who knows how long it was sitting out?
>but it wasn't open to the Y-page
>it was open to the Z-page
>of course, a light air current is more than capable of flipping a single page
>from there, there's only one question left to bother you
>who left the damn thing out in the first place?
>before you can come up with an answer for this, you trot head-first into a pink leg

<"Oh, who was that? Sorry!"
>you rub your scalp and look up to see a pink pony with a solid sheet of paper taped to her face
"Pinkie Pie?"
<"Anon! Hey! I tried not cutting holes in the map like you said, but I keep bumping into things."
"Wait, you're not going back to that house, are you?"
<"I sure am! And this time, I'm ready-"
"Holy shit Pinkie you can't go there alone!"
<"Huh?"
>Pinkie peels the map from her face and looks askance at you
>then she smiles
<"Oh, I see what's going on here."
>oh no
>what does she know?
<"You wanna come with, huh?"
"What?"
<"Blanche asked me to come alone, but I'm sure if I put in a good word for you she'll let you come. Hang on."
>you notice that Pinkie has brought a small wagon as she un-harnesses herself from it
>it's filled with purple cloths and white candles, with a fold-up table peeking out from beneath and a shining crystal ball nestled on top
"Blanche? As in your dead cousin?"
<"She prefers the term differently-living. Don't worry though, I won't tell you used the D-word."
>Pinkie Pie takes up the crystal ball and squints into it
>and from somewhere
>a long, low whistle sounds
>even as you whip your head in the direction the whistle came from, you know full well what you're going to see
>nothing
>maybe there was a fleeting shadow
>but maybe that was just your imagination
>you look this way and that way in a frenzy of energy that you didn't have mere minutes ago
>who knew that an ordinary Ponyville street had so many buildings?
>so many places where weird, yellowed figures could be lurking, even in broad daylight?
<"Anon?"
>Pinkie has looked up from the crystal ball just in time to see your little panic attack
<"Are you okay?"
"I- yeah. Just imagining things, I guess."
>the friendliest pony in Ponyville smiles brightly
<"Blanche says you can come. She said she'd really prefer if I could come alone but then I told her all about how safe you make me feel but then-"
"That's good, Ponk pony. Yeah, I should definitely go with you. Just let me let Twilight know I'll be out overnight-"
>Pinkie shakes her head
<"Sorry, Nonny, Blanche says we have to go right now. Or at least I do. You could maybe catch up with me after you're-"
"Nah, that's fine. I can come now. Wouldn't want you to have to spend a second alone in those spooky old woods without me, you know?"
<"Awww. See? You do have big, strong arms on the inside!"
>this time, you take the map
>and you get to the old Flint-Pie mansion without getting lost
>without Zecora in the front lawn to regale you with zebra legends, you realize just how quiet the clearing around this house is
>the front door is too small for Pinkie's gear to get in
>but you find a pair of wide, stone double-doors in the back, set within the central flagstone portion of the building
>they swing open with difficulty
>but they let the wagon inside without any trouble
>the room you've entered isn't one you found in yesterday's exploration
>that's probably because the only apparent way in or out of the place is that big set of double-doors that leads outside
>that and a few barred windows, set far too high for any pony to reach them
>there doesn't seem to be any way to get directly into the rest of the house from here
>with a few dramatic flourishes, Pinkie Pie has the table set up with a purple tablecloth and the the crystal ball
>a few more and she's decked out with a royal cloak and a jewel-set turban
"So, uh, I never asked, but what exactly are we doing out here?"
<"Uh, a seance, duh!"
"A seance?"
<"You know, when you talk to ghosts."
"I know what it is, but why?"
<"Well last night, I had a crazy dream. My cousin Blanche was asking me to come back today to talk to her. Now I thought it was just a silly dream but today when I got back home I heard her talking to me through the crystal ball and I knew it was real and I got ready to go right away because I mean how many ponies get a chance to really bond with their long-lost differently-living distant cousin and then you showed up and-"
"I think I remember what happened after that, thanks."
<"Nonny, you've been acting kinda weird today. Are you all right?"
"Me? I'm good."
>Pinkie lies on the ground to be eye-level with you
<"It's okay to be scared, you know. Ghosts are pretty spooky, after all."
"No, I'm not- It's not that. It's just- uh, when are we starting this seance?"
>Pinkie giggles
<"Well we've gotta wait for it to get dark out, silly-head."
"Oh. Right."
>you frown
"Wait, if we've gotta wait for it to get dark out, why did we have to get here right away?"
<"I dunno. You can ask Blanche when we see her."
>outside, a roll of thunder tumbles across the countryside
>and inside
>you wait

<"I spy with my little eye… something… grey!"
"Is it the walls?"
>Pinkie gasps
<"That's it! How did you know?"
>you sigh
<"Pinkie, don't you think it's dark enough by now?"
>you can hardly make out your companion as she looks up at the barred windows
>a flash of lightning reveals that she's rubbing her chin in thought at your question
<"Yeah, I guess. Help me get the candles lit, it's time for a ghost party!"
"Great. Where'd you leave the candles?"
<"Right over… oh, I can't see anymore."
"Here, lemme help you look."
<"Were they over here? No. Over here? Nope. Hm…"
>your hoof lands on a small, slick cardboard box
>the rest you crashes onto the hard, unforgiving flagstone floor
"Found them."
<"Woo! Let's do this!"
>there are three white candles on the purple-clothed table
>one for Pinkie Pie
>one for you
>and one for anyone else who decides to drop by, as Pinkie put it
>you light your candle with a match, and then light the other two candles with yours
>Pinkie zips into the orange candle-light and grins ominously
<"Tell me, Anon. Do you believe in ghosts?"
"I dunno."
>her hooves wave and undulate over the crystal ball
<"Do you believe, little Nonny, that it's possible for the living to commune with the dearly differently-living?"
"The what?"
>Pinkie rolls her eyes
<"You know, the D-word. The once Blanche doesn't like?"
"Oh, the dead."
<"Anon!"
"Right, yeah, yeah, sorry."
<"Do you believe, little Nonny, that it's possible for the living to commune with the dearly differently-living?!"
>you're aware that a peal of thunder is currently rolling through the woods
"I dunno. I hope not."
<"So you want me to fail?!"
"Well, no, it's just-"
<"Then what if I told you, Anon, that I spy with my little eye something white?"
"Something… what?"
<"What would you say to that? What is it I'm spying with my little eyeing?"
"Something… white?"
>Pinkie's grin gleams yellow in the waxen light of the candles
"So you see…"
<"Yes?"
"You see… your cousin…"
<"My cousin who? Who do I see?"
"You see… your cousin… your cousin Blanche Pie?"
<"And what if I told you, Anon, that I see her standing right behind you this very minute?!"
"You… y-you…"
>Pinkie's smile becomes a slight smirk
>your heart is in your throat
>your neck feels rusted stiff as you crane it to look behind you
>but you look behind you
>and you see…
>nothing
>when you look back at Pinkie, she's somewhat deflated
<"Aw, I thought for sure something would happen if you got scared enough."
"Wha- you fucking assclown! Making shit up like that!"
>Pinkie stifles a snicker
<"You did get pretty scared though."
"Can we just do this normally?"
>Pinkie shrugs
<"All right, all right. Here, gimme those hoovsies."
>you reach as far across the table as your stubby filly legs will reach
>Pinkie reaches the rest of the way, and places her hooves on top of yours
<"Now, be very quiet, Anon, and gaze into my crystal ball. Any spirits of the differently-living around here! Feel free to give us a call!"
>it's a rare moment when absolute silence falls over you in the presence of Pinkie Pie
>even in her sleep, she tends to talk and giggle
>but not now
>now she gazes with a quiet intensity you've never seen before into the crystal ball
>so you do the same
>not sure what to expect
>with your eyes focused in one spot, your vision begins to de-focus
>you're aware of the small hot-spot where your skin comes closest to the candle
>the warm, comforting pressure of Pinkie Pie's hooves upon yours
>the tipping-tapping sound of the rain outside
>and
>though you're sure it's just a trick of the light
>something odd happens in the crystal ball
>the dim moonlight from the barred windows plays against the natural blue of the ball, producing a blur of teal
>and next to that, the glow of the candles sets an indistinct, orange shape
>the teal and the orange dance and lap at one another
>and the sounds that surround you, both inside the room, and outside the room
>they fade into static
>like a dead radio station
>but through the static…
>is it a voice?
>a stallion?
>"My little Orange Pie and Aquamarine Pie are deathly ill."
>holy shit
"Did you hear that?"
>Pinkie blinks
<"Hear what?"
"That voice."
>your companion frowns and flicks her ear a few times
<"I didn't hear anything."
"Huh. Must've imagined it."
>you shake your head and look back into the ball
>and you look
>and you look
>but you can't seem to make out those same figures of orange and teal
>you certainly don't hear another voice
>you're not sure how long you've been looking when Pinkie yawns
<"Anon?"
"Yeah?"
<"I'm bored."
"You wanna be done?"
<"Uh-huh."
>Pinkie lets go of your hooves
>you look up at the barred windows, which are still letting in occasional flashes of lightning
"Man, getting home in this weather is gonna suck."
<"Getting home? You wanna walk through the Everfree Forest on a dark and stormy night? Are you loco?!"
"Well, I mean, I just don't know if it'll be safe here."
<"Aw, are you still scared?"
"What-no, I'm just-"
<"Don't worry, Nonny."
>Pinkie blows out the candles and scoops you up in a tight hug
<"Auntie Pinkie Pie will keep you nice and safe!"
"Wait, shit!"
>all in one instant, Pinkie flops onto the floor and begins snoring
>just like last night, Pinkie's warm and soft chest lulls you into a calm
>and soon, you're asleep too

>you're flopped out on the front porch of your old house
>an orange filly and a teal filly
>staring into your face
~"The earth is full of small particles of nutrients and moisture."
"That's kind of a weird thing to say."
~"These particles are consumed by the grass."
"Sure. Can you get out of my Sunlight now? I'm trying to mope."
~"The grass is then consumed by cattle."
"That's real neat."
~"And cattle are consumed by men."
"By… how did you know-? Oh, you're Orange and Aqua, aren't you?"
>they stare and do not respond
"Sorry I didn't recognize you. You just look kinda… haggard."
>a patch of Aqua's scalp flops onto the porch inches away from your face
"That's… gross. You two should really go see a doctor."
~"But what consumes a man?"
>you scratch your head for a moment
"Oh I know this. Circle of life shit, right? I die, and the earth breaks me down into those little particles of nutrients and moisture."
>the fillies standing over you both smile
~"His seven thousand coils make up the land and the hills."
>the scene changes
>you don't seem to be anywhere anymore
>but you can see into Pinkie's parents' home
>Igneous Rock Pie is staring into a dark corner
^"No. I will not allow it."
>the darkness makes no response that you can hear
>but Mr. Pie carries on as though it's said something
^"You should have considered that before you stood at death's door."
>Mr. Pie stamps his hoof
^"I am. When you pass, the Pie family can move on without all of your… queerness."
>the darkness seems to grow… cold
^"I tell you I am glad of it! That I have lived to know that the curse of your ancestor will not plague my descendants is to be relieved of a great burden."
>now Mr. Pie all but shouts
^"Then take one! Only be sure it's not one of my daughters!"
>Mr. Pie looks down
^"I know that she has the gift. But it waxes so weak in her that I know she'll be the last."
>Igneous looks up
^"But… what if there were another? One who is even better suited?"
>the cold blast from the shadow in the corner eases up a bit
^"There is one that I know of with absolutely nothing of the taint of magical magic about him."
>you're not sure where your stomach is
>but it feels kind of ill right now
^"Of course not as he is now. But a simple change in forms is no great task for you, is it?"
>Mr. Pie's eyes squint shut
^"I cannot force you to take him, but I must ask. If it is at all possible, spare my daughter!"
>Igneous Rock Pie nods his head
^"Once he understands that it's either him or her, he will make the right choice. I am sure of it."

>all at once, everything goes dark
>something warm and fuzzy is draped over your body
>your eyes flutter open
>you're in your bed at Twilight's house
>she's standing by your side, brushing your mane out of your face with a tender hoof
"Twilight?"
/"Anon… I'm so glad."
"What happened? I don't remember…"
/"Pinkie Pie carried you home two days ago. You just wouldn't wake up. The doctor came by and said you'd caught brain fever."
"Brain fever? Is that real?"
/"It's the reason why you'd been acting so strange. Paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations are all common symptoms when your brain starts to swell up like that."
"My brain was swelling up? That's pretty gross."
>Twilight smiles
/"Yeah. It sort of is."
>you sigh
/"So none of this shit was real then."
"No. You were just sick."
/"Thank fucking goodness."
>Twilight leans down and nuzzles your cheek
"Twilight…"
>and she jumps back
/"I know, I know. Not my foal. Just a dear friend who I care for very much."
"I know. I'm sorry, Twilight, I shouldn't push you away like that."
/"Hm?"
"I said I shouldn't push you away like that. I'm sorry."
/"You're apologizing for something? You might still be sick after all."
"Eugh."
>Twilight smiles
/"You must be pretty hungry. I'll bring you some soup."
>Twilight is about to head out the door
>but she pauses
/"By the way, that book you were reading…"
"What about it?"
/"I've seen that snake before."
"What, in your studies or something?"
/"No. It was… during the accident."
>you try to say something
>but the words just don't come out
/"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. I know you're still upset about the accident and you're probably still a little sick and-"
"Twilight, wait! What… what happened?"
>Twilight looks down and shuffles her hooves
/"It was… while I was casting the spell. I thought I saw a snake that looked just like that one. Smaller, of course, and only for a second. But it distracted me long enough for things to go wrong. Anon, I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this. I'll just go get your soup."
"No, Twilight, stay. It's okay."
>your benefactor pauses in the doorway, obviously feeling vulnerable
>but you try your best to sound comforting as you choose your next words
/"Twilight, the accident wasn't your fault."
>Twilight gasps
>then smiles
/"Anon, that's sweet of you."
>then her smile grows wider
>and her face cracks like ceramic
/"But trust me."
>a shard of purple hide clatters to the floor, revealing the yellowed-white fuzz beneath
/"It was."

>you awaken, shrieking and flailing
>somehow, you manage to scramble to your hooves
>Pinkie Pie lies still and silent on the floor
>except for the subtle rising and falling of her chest, you can almost believe that she'll lie there forever
>still, it's troubling that she didn't wake up after all that racket you made
~"She's fine, Anon. The mistress put her into deeper dreams so that we could talk."
>in the dim, grey light
>you see a pair of fillies
>you can't tell in this darkness
>but if you had to guess, you'd say that their colors are orange and teal, respectively
"But I'm not really talking to you, am I?"
>your old friends don't respond
"I was never really talking to you, was I?"
>they're so still, the both of them
>you begin to pace
>their heads turn to follow you as you go this way and that
"No… this is just another dream, right? None of this is real, it can't be."
~"The distinction between dream and reality isn't as clear as you think. Reality leaks into your dreams, and you take your dreams with you into reality."
>you stop to glare at them
~"However, you may be interested to know that you're not asleep right now."
>a small, luminous form slithers from a dark corner
>and as it passes by her, you catch a glimpse of her
>you ignore the fillies, and appeal directly to the yellowed-white mare in the corner
"So it's me or her, huh?"
>her mouth moves
>but the sound comes from the fillies behind you
~"You could leave now. The mistress remembers her promise, but she would prefer her kinsmare."
>leave her?
>you glance at the sleeping pink form of the nicest, prettiest, most vibrantly alive creature you've ever known
>you imagine her smile marred with long, flat teeth, dripping with red life
>you imagine her laugh, stifled for good
"What does she know?"
~"Nothing, for the mistress remembers her promise. However, if she knew it was between her and you, she would come willingly."
>you grit your teeth
"And what if I got help? What if I got Twilight Sparkle to blast you out of existence?"
~"If you leave this room without the mistress' kinsmare, the mistress will take her. If you try to wake her and leave together, the mistress will rend your flesh from your bones, and then take her all the same."
>your mind is racing for a solution
>friendship lasers
>a cure
>something
~"Once a mare is taken, there is no cure but destruction. And do not expect that she will resist long enough for you to return with help before the mistress has her."
>beads of cold sweat trickle down your face
"No possibilities, huh?"
~"Not one."
>the serpent is coiled up next to Pinkie Pie now
>looking at her
>and looking at you
"Just… give me til morning. Please."
>the creature in the corner stares unblinking
"I'll go with you. Just give me til morning."
>the creature who once was Blanche Pie whistles
>a section of flagstone is lifted up from beneath, revealing a trapdoor
>the zombies, the zuvembie, and the spotted snake all descend through the stony floor
>the flagstone grinds back into place
>Pinkie relaxes, and begins sleeping in her usual fashion
>mumbling something about cupcakes and periodically licking her lips
>you lie down and worm your way inbetween her forelegs
>the pink pony sighs in her sleep and pulls you closer
>you never stopped loving this mare
>not even after the accident
>even now, she's still making your heart race
>even when she sleeps, she feels so warm
>so soft
>if you could just stay like this forever…
>outside, the rain gradually slows to a halt
>and
>too soon
>much too soon
>the pale light of the morning Sun filters in through the trees
>through the barred windows
>casting its awful light upon the walls and floor
>Pinkie Pie stretches and yawns
<"Morning, Nonny. Sleep good last night?"
>fuck
>you still fucking love this mare
>so fucking much
"Anon?"
"Y-yeah. Yeah, I slept all right."
>she smiles a warm, sugary smile and ruffles your mane with a velvet-coated hoof
<"That's good."
>she giggles
<"No need to worry Twilight again."
"Yeah. Wouldn't wanna do that."
>Pinkie stands up and stretches again
<"Welp, no ghosties here!"
"Nope. No ghosts."
>Pinkie's grin grows wide and bright
<"That means next time we come out here, Nonny, we're gonna be setting up for a PARTY!"
"Sounds like fun. When you wanna do it?"
<"Probably nightmare night. It's still pretty spooky here, after all."
>with a few flourishes, Pinkie gets the seance set-up re-packed inside the wagon
>you realize you've been spacing out when you see that the doors have already been pulled open
<"Anon? Hello? Equestria to Anon? You coming?"
>with the doors wide open
>and the morning light streaming in
>it's easy to suppose that last night was just another crazy dream
"Yeah. Yeah! I'm coming!"
>you all but gallop for the door
>but something happens that makes you skid to a halt
>a snake
>a single, white snake
>speckled with black spots
>slithers into the room
<"Oh hey there, little guy. That's not where you belong!"
"Hey Pinkie."
<"What's up?"
"Why don't you go on without me?"
<"Huh? Why? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong. It's just…"
>the spotted snake stares into your eyes
"I'm just gonna stick around for a while."