Hi there, I'm Pinkie Pie! I'm walking to my home at Sugarcube Corner in Ponyville after my best friend Twilight Sparkle asked me to leave her house! Why did she ask me to leave, you ask? Because I brought a vampire into her house, silly!

WHY did I bring a vampire into her house, you ask? What's that? You say you didn't ask? You say you've ... read the previous chapter already? I have like, no idea what you're talking about, so I'm gonna tell you anyway!

I brought a vampire into her house because someone or something is making it so that all my friends are having sex with monsters while under the influence of some kind of mind control or brainwashing! It started with Fluttershy with Sunset Shimmer turning into a lamia creature, and went on to Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, in that order!

Fluttershy and Sunset have since started dating after their encounter on that one fateful day. Everypony else harps on them, saying things like “hypnotized mind-control sex is no basis for a relationship” and “Fluttershy should have turned Sunset in the minute she had the chance” and “how do we know Fluttershy isn't hypnotized right now?” but I'm gonna ignore all that! I think they look cute together.

Have you ever seen them cuddle under a tree? I have! And they looked sooooo cute together! Well, at least until they yelled at me that I was interrupting their “couples' time.”

Oh, I didn't explain why I brought a vampire to Twilight's library, did I? Well, I can tell, based on what happened to Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, there is some kind of mysterious guiding force that's causing all this to happen!

So I figured either Twilight or myself was next, and I thought I would make Twilight's life easier by bringing a vampire into her library and make it so that she had her “turn” and then whatever guiding force is causing this to happen would go to me, and then it would leave us alone!

… unless it went into a cycling loop and just started over with Fluttershy again. Huh. I may not have thought out this as well as I thought I had!

I continue bouncing on my way to Sugarcube Corner. I end up not paying as much attention as I should to where I'm going, like I sometimes do. And wouldn't you know it, I bump into something and end up tumbling face-first to the ground, where I get a face full of zebra chest fur.

“Oh. Hi, Zecora!” I pull myself out of Zecora's chest with a pop and offer to help her up. “What are you doing out here in Ponyville?”

“I was going to visit little Apple Bloom, but by the time I arrived, she had retired to her room.” Zecora said, in her normal rhyming talk, looking over her shoulder at the direction of Sweet Apple Acres with a touch of disappointment on her face. I got the feeling she was looking forward to seeing Apple Bloom.

“Aww.” I pat her on the shoulder. “Don't worry, Z! I'm sure Apple Bloom will have plenty of time to spend with you later! Oh, and, uh, I'm sorry about bumping into you, teehee!” I tense my legs and get ready to resume bouncing towards my home, but Zecora stops me, placing her hoof on my shoulder. My, how the tables have turned!

“Pinkie Pie, wait.” Zecora said. “I am glad you were up and about. You see, I wanted Apple Bloom to join me in the Everfree to help me pick herbs and sprouts. Perhaps you would be willing to take her place?”

I gasped. “Spending a day with you picking out plants in the Everfree Forest? That sounds great!” I stretch out my leg and pull Zecora into a tight, tight hug. “You and I hardly ever hang out together! This is will be a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better!”

Zecora lifted my leg off herself and moved away. “Wonderful! With you near, this trip won't go to waste as I feared!”

“Whoo-hoo! What are we waiting for? Let's party!” I pull out some noisemakers and confetti, tossing the confetti everywhere.

Zecora raised her eyebrow at me. She cleared her throat. “Yes, you put on quite a show, but the day is short. Come. Let us go.”

I follow Zecora into the Everfree Forest, my tail bobbing as we pass the through trees and the foliage. We're going on an adventure! Well, okay. I guess helping Zecora pick plants for her potions isn't really an adventure, even if it is in the Everfree Forest. Zecora lives there, so I'm pretty sure she knows her way around enough to minimize the chances of running into something nasty. But even if we do, you just gotta remember to giggle at the ghostie! Er, wait … or would that be chortle at the creepy? Um, no, not that either. Aaah, why isn't there a word for laughter that starts with “N”?

… “snicker” is spelled with a “N.” … Close enough. Snicker at the nasty. There.

But we're still gonna have so much fun together! Just like all the other times I've had fun with my friends in the Everfree Forest. Only this time, I'll be doing it with Zecora instead of Twilight or any of the girls! But I've always so much fun with them, so why shouldn't I be able to do the same with Zecora?

Well, okay. I guess running from dragons and manticores and things isn't really all that much fun … it's … what is it? It's exciting, is what it is. Yes, Zecora and I are going to have lots of excitement! Lots and lots and LOTS of excitement … picking … plants.

Oh, just you wait! You'll see! We're gonna go out and have the most exciting time picking plants EVER! And yes, I realize that's not a very high bar! We're gonna pick the most exciting plants from the most exciting parts of the Everfree Forest! Even if Zecora is my guide and takes care to keeps us away from anything too dangerous. Say, I wonder if I could convince her to take a risk and go on a detour?That way, we can spend more time together before we have to say goodbye! Oh … but then she might not be able to pick up everything she needs in time. Oh, what to do?

“PINKIE PIE!”

I come to a halt, my hooves scooting in the dirt and creating a track, building up a pile.

“The Everfree Forest is a maze. So to avoid getting lost, I suggest you snap out of your daze!” Zecora snaps at me, glaring and furrowing her eyebrows. Heh. Furrowing! Furrowing is a funny word.

Oh, but this is no time to be laughing. Zecora's still glaring at me.

“Okay, okay.” I tell her. “I'll try to pay more attention to where I'm going. Teehee!” I try to lighten the mood a little with a giggle.

Zecora continues to glare at me. Eventually, she pulls away and turns back onto the path, her expression lightening up.

I follow her, bouncing along the path. I think I'll get a few more bounces in, then I'll switch to walking. Even though it seems like it sometimes, I am not made of elastic materials. I have to take a break from all this bouncing up and down sometime, you know!

I hop along on our merry way, oblivious to the fate that's about to befall me. As I'm coming down from a bounce, one of my front hooves lands on a rock and throws off my balance.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” I cry out, my hooves sweeping across the dirt as I scramble to regain my footing. But no matter how hard I try, I can't get myself balanced in time, so I end up learning sideways until I fall and go tumbling down the side of the path, rolling down on a slope. As the world flips upside down and rotates around me, I can make out brief flashes of Zecora coming over to the edge of the slope, reaching out her hoof to grab me, but it's too late for her to do anything; looks like I'm going for a ride!

Well, I did say I wanted to go on an adventure, didn't I? Though this isn't quite what I had in mind …

“Oof! Aah! Ow! Oh!”

I shout as I tumble down the slope, rolling uncontrollably. And not in a fun way, either. In a pointy, pokey, lumpy way. Clouds of dirt and dust are kicked up in my wake, until I reach the end of the slope and finally come to a stop in front of some peaceful-looking bushes.

The bushes were peaceful, but the huge manticore which came out from behind definitely wasn't. It snapped its jaw at me, trying to make me its meal for the day. I wasn't too keen on letting that happen, so I ran up the nearest tree, climbing up to the top and going as high as I could. I wrapped my legs around a branch and hang from it, my weight pulling the branch down.

I looked down at the manticore. He was pouncing on the tree, digging his paws in. Evidently, he had forgotten he had wings and could fly. I hope he didn't remember for a little while.

The manticore tried to climb up the tree to chase me, but his claws couldn't find any purchase on the tree's bark. Thinking I was safe for now, I looked around the tree which was generously providing me with safety from the manticore's clutches. I saw a cute little birdie making its nest in the tree. It didn't even look monstrous or anything, just a normal birdie! Hi, birdie.

Forgetting where I was for a moment, I reach a hoof to say hello to the birdie. The bird looks at me like it thinks I'm crazy. Like it wants to say “Umm ...” but birds can't speak! Well, unless they're parrots, I guess.

I hear a creak which reminds me of my precarious positioning.

“Uh-oh.” My eyes widened as I see my reaching for the bird is causing the tree branch to pull down.

The tree branches pulls lower, and lower, almost depositing me straight into the manticore's mouth. The manticore rears up and prepares to take a big bite out of me, but just before it snaps its jaw down, the tree branch bounces up, catapulting me away into the distance, leaving the manticore without its meal as its teeth came down on thin air … and me without a clue where I'm going.

I fly through the air, my mane and tail billowing as the air rushes past them. All I can do is sit tight and hope I land somewhere relatively harmless. More harmless than in a manticore's jaw, at least.
Eventually, my momentum begins to run out, and my body arcs downward. Closing my eyes as I brace for impact, I fall downwards and make touchdown with something hard and bouncy, as I feel it sink before it bounces back up again, and I can hear splashing around me. Did I land in water?

Taking my hooves off my terrified eyes and opening them, I see I've landed on a raft.

“What? Who just leaves a perfectly good raft lying around out here? I mean, at least take it with you and use it for firewood or something! Maybe use it as a decoration for your next party! … If you're even somepony who has parties. But why wouldn't you?”

Before I can get too far off into yet another ramble of mine, I hear a creaking noise. I turn around and I see the raft is tethered in place by a twine rope tied around a rock. And the rope was breaking, being stretched to its limit by my weight on the raft. The rope wasn't designed to hold the raft while there was a pony on it, it would seem.

I hunker down on the raft and crawl towards the rope, reaching out to grab before it snapped. It creaks and creaks and squeaks, the rope being pulled tauter and tauter, until the thin, worn portion of the rope holding it together snapped just before I can reach, severing the rope in two and sending the raft downstream, the rope around the rock falling uselessly into the water.

“No!” I shout, desperately pulling up my end of the rope, bundling it up in my hooves. I inspect it, sliding it through my hooves. I'll have to cut the end off, but I think I can salvage it and use it for something, maybe tie the raft to another rock so I can get off.

Before I can do that, though, I need to get the raft to stop. I might need to make it into a lasso and toss it. I wish Applejack were here. She's good with rope and lassos.

Setting the rope down on the raft, I get down and put my hooves in the water, trying to peddle the raft backwards. It's no use. The current is too strong for my hooves to fight against. Maybe if I had an oar, I could fight against it, but without an oar or a paddle, I'm as good as stuck on this raft.

Well, I suppose I could hop off and swim to land. But the current is pretty strong, and I am in the middle of the Everfree Forest. Who knows what could be lurking in the water? So … I guess I'm stuck seeing where this raft takes me.

The raft ride was pretty peaceful, compared to the day I've been having. Every so often, I would whip around at the sound of something splashing in the water, but it would just be a fish jumping out of the water. At least before it went back into the water and I heard a gulping sound as the poor fish was eaten by a bigger fish or some other aquatic monster.

There's always a bigger fish.

I get worried for a minute as the raft tilts over the edge of a small waterfall. Nothing too big, but still worrisome. But the raft flows with the water and floats over to the bottom of the river without tipping over. Hoo!

The raft continues to float, though its beginning to slow. I think the current may be less strong once you get past the tiny waterfall.

The raft keeps floating until it shifts to the side and bumps against a patch of grass, coming to a complete stop. Oh, finally, dry land at last!

I climb off the raft onto the patch of grass. For a moment, I consider getting down and kissing the grass, but I don't think my day has been that bad … yet. Besides, it's not like I was on the raft for days on end, like in one of Twilight's adventure books.

Looking around to see where I was, I can't help but notice a huge golden wall in front of me, with the tree tops providing a roof. It's massive, and it has a trapezoidal entryway with no door, with a golden step leading it up to the entrance.

I decide to go in. After all, it's clearly not a natural formation, so somepony had to have built it. And for them to have built it, they must be a civilized society, right? I mean, I can't think of any birds who would build their nests this big and this … shiny. I bet Rarity would like to know the contractor who built this place! She would so go for having a solid gold entrance built just for her.

I step inside the entrance, and its like I've been transported to another world. There's sand everywhere! It's like a desert! I didn't think there was any sand in the Everfree Forest! There are more huge golden walls, too big to climb over.

I look to my right and to my left, looking for signs to lead me to signs of life. Not seeing a huge difference in either path, I start with the one on the left, galloping to the end of the wall, where I turn a corner made of more golden wall.

“Huh.” I wonder as I walk inside the area created by the two walls. I wonder why there are so many of them?

Before I get to wondering too much, I heard a hawkish screech come from overhead. I turn around and see a gigantic eagle dive-bombing at me with its talons outstretched.

I jumped to the side, dodging the eagle, brushing up against its feathers as it passed. Its talons skidded through the sand as it flew by. It flew up into the sky and turned around, aiming to make another pass at me.

I glared at it. I wasn't about to let this overgrown buzzard make me a snack. Especially not after I'd already escaped a manticore today!

I turn around and dig my hooves into the sand, working them with the feverish pitch of a jackhammer. I dug and I dug until I raised up a nice, big pile of displaced sand.

The eagle screeched again and divebombed once more. But I was ready for it this time. Rearing my back hooves up and waiting for the perfect moment to strike, I bucked the pile, kicking a cloud of sand into the eagle's face and eyes.

The eagle shrieked, flapping its wings wildly without any idea where it was. It couldn't see. It turned around and flew off into the sky, trying to find a safe place to land where it could shake the sand out of its eyes, making the wise decision not to mess with me anymore. I almost feel bad for it, but no pony messes with a Pie family member unless they want a face full of rocks!

So I didn't have rocks. I had sand. I worked with what I had. Give me a break. It's not like a boulder is going to come right by for me to lift and hurl at hostile creatures.

Unless Tom the Boulder decides he wants to make a cameo appearance.

I put my hoof over my eyes to keep the sun out as I survey the landscape, trying to determine what it is up with this weird place. First, there's the gold walls. Second, there's the sand. Third, there's a random eagle from nowhere trying to eat me.

Wait … walls … sand … random attacks by wild animals.

Oh no, I'm in a maze, aren't I? A magical maze hidden inside the Everfree Forest. I wonder who put it there? I'll bet it was Discord. Or maybe Star Swirl the Bearded.

Well, if there's one thing I've learned about mazes in my life, it's that the best win to beat them is by heading straight to the center! Which sounds silly now that I think about it, because wouldn't you want to get OUT of the maze?

Well, except for my case, because I'm separated from the only zebra with enough knowledge to get me back home and completely lost.

So, into the center of the maze I go!

Whew! That took awhile, but I finally made it to the center of the maze. I got into a fight with a living cactus and some other plants along the way. I think I interrupted their beauty sleep. I tell ya, picking out all these needles by myself was not fun.

But I'm here now, in the center! Surely here will have the answers I seek! Or something philosophical like that.

I enter the entryway to the center. There's more sand, what looks to be a temple, I'm guessing, and a weird creature resting at the bottom of the stairs to the temple. It's odd. I've never seen or heard of anything like it, and given that I know everypony in Ponyville, that's saying something!

It looks like a lion. Its got yellowish fur, a long tail with a tuft at the end, and big, strong paws. What makes it odd is that it has a pony's head instead of a lion. A mare's head, with short dark hair, wearing a gold band on its head and a necklace, and reddish lips, kind of like Applejack's.

I walk up to the creature, wondering if I should say hello.

The creature wakes up, opening one of its eyes at me. It yawns, standing up and stretching its legs. It shakes the sleep from its head and focuses its gaze at me.

“Greetings, traveler.” The creature says to me. “I am The Sphinx, and I bid you welcome to the center of my maze.” The Sphinx bows to me. “You've done well to get this far. However, am I take it that you've lost your way within the maze?” She gives me a knowing glare.

I shrug, biting my lip. “Eehh … you could say that.”

The Sphinx laughs. “There is no need to be so shy about it, my dear traveler. Those who visit the maze looking for the treasure often get lost.”

“Treasure?” I ask.

“Yes. The treasure within the temple.” The Sphinx gestures its paw at the temple. “Many have come seeking to take the treasure and rob the temple of its riches. All have failed. I have been assigned to guard the treasure. It is my job to guard the treasure from the unworthy and stop them from taking it. So, traveler, why do you want the treasure?”

“Uh … that's all a very fascinating story, but I'm not here for any treasure.” The Sphinx raises her eyebrow at me. Something tells me she doesn't hear that often. “You see, I'm kind of … lost, and I just want to get back home.”

“Not here for the treasure?” The Sphinx rubs her chin. “Lost, you say?”

“Uh-huh.”

The Sphinx continues to rub her chin. “Very well. Normally, this is how I keep trespassers out of the temple, but I suppose for you, I can make an exception. Answer my riddle, and I will guide you out of the maze.”

“You will?”

The Sphinx nods. “Yes. Provided you can answer my riddle.”

I sit down, ready to concentrate. “Hit me.”

The Sphinx clears her throat.

“With a sharp beak and an eye for greed.
And a diet of carnivorous need,
It flies on two wings, but its body has seven appendages,
Its back is coated in fur, but its front has feathers
Between earth and sky its breeding does occur,

What am I?”

I scratch my head, having no idea what the answer is. Let's see … a beak, a carnivore, an eye for greed. A dragon? No, dragons don't have feathers. Do they? I'll have to ask Spike when I get back.

A beak, a beak, wings, feathers …

“Is it a bird?”

The Sphinx smiles and shakes her head. “No. But you are close.”

Ah, okay. So it's not a bird. Um … sharp beak, eye for greed, carnivorous, feathers and fur, earth and sky. Between earth and sky its breeding does occur … what does that mean? I …

Oh...

Um …

Err …

Ah …

Well …

“I GIVE UP!” I shout, pounding my hooves into the sand.

The Sphinx gives me a look, and she appeared to be quite pleased with herself. “Do you really, now? Do you really give up? Are you sure?”

“I ...” I hesitate, weighing my options at this point. I sigh. “Yes. Yes, I really give up. I can't figure it out.”

“I see. Then in that case, you will be stuck inside the maze, wandering for the rest of your days.”

I tilt my head. “Couldn't I just go back the way I came?”

The Sphinx shakes her head, smirking at me. “Now, what kind of maze would it be if it were that easy? No, no, I'm afraid the maze is enchanted. It will rearrange itself in time, preventing you from finding your way out. I, however, have heightened magical senses. I know where everything is in the maze at all times.”

I collapse onto my haunches. “So I'm gonna be stuck here forever!?”

“I'm afraid so, yes.”

I bite down on my lips, trying to resist the urge the cry. So I'll never see Zecora again. Or Twilight or Fluttershy or any of my other friends! Gasp! I'll never throw a party for Princess Celestia again! I-I-I .. I might never see my family on the rock farm again.

The Sphinx looks at me. She almost seems … moved.

“Then again ...” The Sphinx scratches her chin. “I suppose, since you aren't here for the treasure, I could … bend the rules.”

I sit upright, paying close attention. In an instant, my eyes dried up.

“Provided you agreed to my … conditions.” The Sphinx walks towards me. “After all, I can't just lead you out of here for free … it's against the rules of the maze's magic, you see.”

“I understand.” I nod. “What are your conditions?”

The Sphinx places herself right in front of me, a smile on her face. She wraps her paw around my chin.

“Have sex with me.”

I blink, not sure I heard her correctly. “Do whaaa?”

“It's been so long since I had any … release.” She tells me, walking around me and seductively rubbing her tail along the side of my body. “I'm sure they don't teach you this in magic kindergarten, but guarding ancient treasure from thieves can be … very lonely.”

I nod. “Yep, yep.” After all, I hate being alone, too. Although … I suspect what I mean by “alone” and what she means by “alone” are two verrrry different things.

“What do you say?” The Sphinx asks. “Will you do it?”

I rock my head. I don't know … using me for sex before she helps me out of the maze seems a little wrong. But then again, because of magic mumbo-jumbo rules, I have to give her something before she can help me out …

Ooh! Maybe I can use my party cannon and throw her a big party. Happy 50th anniversary of guarding treasure! Oh …

Oh … no. I don't have my party cannon on me. I must have dropped it when I tripped.

… what are you talking about? It's a fifty-pound cannon? How could I have just 'dropped' an entire cannon when I tripped, let alone carry it in the first place?

You don't know me very well, do you? I do stuff like that all the time!

Now, let's see … either have sex with the Sphinx, or risk the chance of being lost in the maze and never, ever seeing my friends or family again.

Well, when you put it that way, what I have got to lose?

“Okay. I'll do it.” I say.

“Excellent.”

I stretch my legs out across the sand, coming closer to her. She moves her paw towards my hoof, and I retract without thinking about it.

“You're hesitant.” The Sphinx says.

“No! Well, okay, maybe a little bit. Sorry. It's just … we barely know each other, we only just met, you're a sphinx and I'm a pony …”

“I have something that I think can help with that. Something to make you relax.” The Sphinx says.

“Oh? Like a massage?”

The Sphinx chuckles. “Something like that, yes.” She reaches towards her necklace, flicking it with her paw.

“Go for it.” I tell her.

She pulls her necklace up off her neck and bundles it up in her paw. She drops it down, letting the circular ornament of the necklace dangle. She holds it up to my face and swings the necklace back and forth in front of my eyes.

“Focus on the necklace.” The Sphinx tells me. “Keep your eyes on it.”

“Okay.” I focus my eyes on the necklace, watching it swing back and forth. My eyes move with it, traveling from side to side.

“Keep your focus on the necklace.” The Sphinx encourages me. “Ignore anything that would distract you. Focus on the necklace … and on my voice.”

“Okay ...” I say, still focusing on the necklace. I'm starting to feel a little tired. She was right. This is relaxing! The necklace is eye-catching. Attention-grabbing. Why, I might almost say … hypnotic.

“Your eyelids are getting heavy.” The Sphinx says. “You're beginning to get very sleepy.”

“I'm … beginning … to get … sleepy.” I repeat. The more I hear the words, the truer they sound. I am getting sleepy, aren't I?

“Your eyelids are getting soooo heavy … so very, very heavy, that you can barely lift them.”

She's right. I make a slow blink of my eyes, struggling to lift my eyelids up once I'm done. They're so heavy. Ugh, I feel so sleepy-headed.

“You're feeling sleepy. Very, very sleepy.” The Sphinx says. “I imagine a nap sounds good, doesn't it?”

Yes, yes it does. A nap does sound good. What's up with me? My thoughts feel sluggish. It's like my brain is slowing down. I'm not used to feeling like this. Normally, my head is racing with thoughts, and not all of them make sense. But now … I just want things to make sense. Like sleeping. Sleeping made sense. I'm tired. I'm sleepy. I should go to sleep. See? It makes perfect sense.

“You're going to go to sleep now.” The Sphinx says. “You're going to close your eyes … and sleep.”

Yes. Sleep. Sleep sounds good. I'm going to … yawwwn … I'm going to close my eyes now. I'm going to go sleepy-bye.

“When I snap my fingers,” The Sphinx says, “you will wake up. You will have a momentary lapse of memory. You will shut out almost everything and become completely devoted to me. When I am done with you, you gain your memories back and lose your devotion.”

I unconsciously nod, hearing her words even though I'm sound asleep.

“You know, traveler … it's just occurred to me you haven't told me your name.”

“It's … “ I mumble out. “Pinkie … Pie.”

“Pinkie Pie … that's a cute name. Very well, Pinkie Pie. On the count of three … one, two, three.”

The Sphinx snaps her fingers, and my eyes snap open. I stand still. I feel … numb, almost. I … don't remember where I am or how I got here.

All I know is that The Sphinx is my mistress, and I exist to please her.

The Sphinx places a paw on my cheek. “Hello, servant.”

“Hello … mistress. How may I serve you today?”

The Sphinx strokes my chin. “Please me. Please your mistress.”

I nod. “Yes ma'am.”

I press my my hoof her into chest before moving it up and flicking her chin, teasing her. I place my hooves around Mistress Sphinx's cheeks and lean in, giving her a kiss directly on the lips. I hear her moan, and she puts her big, strong paws on my shoulders, kissing me back. She pushes her paws, forcing me down onto my back, lying in the sand, kissing me passionately back, using her paws to keep me pinned.

She inserts her tongue into my mouth. Her rough, feline tongue bounces around inside, beating my soft pony mouth with its rough exterior. She forces the tongue down into my throat, sliding it around, licking the inside of me.

Eventually she gets tired of this and pulls her tongue out, lifting her head up and looking down at me to see what I'll do next.

I raise up, sticking my tongue. I bury my muzzle into her chest and start to lick. Her furry lion fur doesn't taste so good, but I don't care. Pleasing Mistress Sphinx matters more than my personal comfort.

As I'm licking, I raise up my hind legs and wrap them around her tail, using my legs to rub her tail up and down.

“Ooh ...” Mistress Sphinx moans. “Yes, yes, That's it. Don't stop, Pinkie Pie. Please don't stop.” It would appear her tail is quite the sensitive spot.

Mistress, you needn't worry. I have no intention of stopping.

I continue to lick her chest while also rubbing her tail with my legs. Vigorously rubbing her tail with my legs. I withdraw my tongue and stick my mouth onto her chest, blowing a raspberry into.

Mistress Sphinx lets out another moan. She wraps her paws around my neck and falls to the side, pulling me along with her so that we're facing each as we lie down, side by side, in the sand.

Mistress Sphinx pants and pants. Her tail whips about, pleased with my efforts are pleasuring her so far. But I can see that it's not enough. For either of us.

She flexes her tail, taking out from between my legs and … proceeds to stick it in the area between my Cutie Marks, giving me an intense pleasure. I have no idea how to react to it, so I do the first thing that comes to my mind; I do the same thing to her, stuffing my poofy tail inside of her body.

“Ooooooh!” Mistress Sphinx moans, a blush forming on her cheeks. We continue to pleasure and stroke each other in this way for awhile, the blush on Mistress Sphinx glowing brighter and brighter.

Mistress Sphinx raises up her paw, panting between her words. “Pinkie Pie … I want … us to … finish with each other, at the same time. So when I snap my fingers … I want you to have your release, and then I want you to be freed from your trance.”

“Yes, Mistress ...” I say, my hypnotized mind not really understanding the implications of what she's saying.

“One, two, three ...”

Mistress Sphinx snaps her fingers.

I let out a scream, overwhelmed with sexual pleasure. Mistress Sphinx screams with me, our voices merging into one, a single voice of pleasure and excitement.

This feels unlike anything I've ever experienced before. No wonder Rarity is always looking for a boyfriend!

I wonder … if I could come here again … and if … The Sphinx and I … could … maybe ...

No. No, it would never work between us. I'm too energetic. She's too … far away, out in the middle of a maze in the middle of the Everfree Forest. It just – it just wouldn't work.

Once we're done experiencing our respective releases, The Sphinx rolls away from me and stands up.

“I formally release you from your trance.” The Sphinx snaps her fingers, and the memories of what my life was like outside the maze return to me.

“Thank you, Pinkie Pie.” The Sphinx says, panting. “I didn't realize … how much I needed that.”

I chuckled awkwardly, still a little embarrassed about the whole arrangement. But I'm glad I could help. I'm glad I could make her happy, even if this isn't what I normally have in mind when I talk about making ponies happy.

“You're welcome.”

“Now, as promised, I will lead you out of the maze.”

The Sphinx, true to her word, guided me out of the maze, back to the entrance I came in through. I waved her goodbye as I walked down the golden step. She waved back before turning and going back inside the cave.

I walk to the edge of the water. I look down at the wooden raft, its presence reminding me of one tiny little important thing.

I still don't know the way home.

Hmm. I wonder, if I hurry, if I could go back into the maze and catch The Sphinx and get her help in getting home, too? Though I imagine I'd have to let her hypnotize me again first …

“Pinkie Pie!”

I turn and see Zecora in a kayak down the stream, paddling towards me. She pulls up to the side of the raft, digging her oar into the shore, using it to keep her boat still.

“I am very glad to see you alive. When I couldn't find you after your trip, I was afraid you might in the ground lie.”

I hold my hoof to reassure her. “No worries, Zecora! You can't get rid of me that easily.” I climb into her boat. “So, do you know the way home from here?”

Zecora nods. She unhooks her oar from the shore and begins to row the way downstream.

“By the way, I must know.” Zecora said. “What have you been up since that slope laid you low?”

“Oh, you know.” I wave my hoof dismissively. “Just doing what I do best. Making friends!”

Zecora nods. As our boat floats downstream, she casts her gaze to the side and she sees the entrance to the maze. Her eyes widened, and she looks back at me. She raises a hoof up towards the maze entrance.

“Yes.” I answer, already knowing what she's going to ask. “Yes, I made friends with The Sphinx inside the maze.”

Later in the day, after Zecora's managed to get me back to Ponyville, I went to the square to grab a bite to eat. After everything I went through today, I needed some ice cream!

My friend Twilight Sparkle was there, as were Shining Armor and Cadence and Discord. Shining Armor had an ice bag over his head, for some reason, and Cadence seemed reluctant to talk.

Anyways, I told them all about the day. Between mouthfuls of my banana split, of course.

When I was done, Twilight Sparkle gave a curious look at me.

“So, Pinkie Pie, what was the Sphinx's riddle?”

“The Sphinx's riddle?” I hold up a spoonful of my ice cream.

“Yeah. I'd like to know if I could have figured it out.”

“Uh … I think it went something like … 'With a sharp beak and an eye for greed, And a diet of carnivorous need, It flies on two wings, but its body has seven appendages. Its back is coated in fur, but its front has feathers. Between earth and sky its breeding does occur.”

Now Twilight Sparkle gives me an odd look, like she can't decide if she's concerned or wants to laugh at me.

“R-really?” Twilight ask. “You couldn't figure that out?”

“What?” I ask, shoving another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. “And you can?”

“Yes, actually.”

“Hang on, Twiley.” Shining Armor raises his hoof. “I'm confused, too. Before you get too hard on Pinkie Pie, I can't figure it out either.”

“Well, that's because you're dense.”

“Discord! Be nice.” Cadence smacks Discord on the head.

Twilight looks around the table between Shining Armor and myself. “Really? Neither of you can figure it out? With a sharp beak, fur AND feathers, an eye for greed … it's a gryphon. The answer to the riddle is a gryphon.”

I blink, taking this in.

Oooooh. Of course. The answer is a gryphon! Of course it is!

Realizing how easily I could have gotten out of the maze if I could have just figured that out for myself, I bang my forehead on the table, wrapping my hooves around my head.

Duh.

Author's Note

Not sure I got Pinkie Pie's sense of fourth-wall leaning humor I got quite right. Because she doesn't break the fourth wall to the extent some fanfiction makes her out to, she just kinda turns to the camera and gives a sort of wink-wink nudge nudge kind of thing.

It was my intent that Pinkie Pie is not completely wrong with her theory that something is causing all the mind control happenings going on. Specifically, it's Discord, having been influencing events outside of just one rigged bet with Cadence. This was an idea I had late into writing this story so that next chapter, where Discord is a bit more of an important player, his appearance has a bit more finality to it than it otherwise would have. The build-up to the end.

Obviously it did not work out that way.