Lost in a Terrifying World

Chapters

Prelude: Regarding the Strange
Part 1: Arrival
Part 2: A Tea Party
Part 3: Contact
Part 4: Escalation
Part 5: End of The Game
Part 6: Something New
Part 7: Learning Curves
Part 8: Making Progress
Part 9: Libraries and Neckties
Part 10: Revelations
Part 11: A Conversation, a Party, an Avalanche
Part 12: Party Time
Part 13: A Night to Remember
Part 14: Sudden Changes
Part 15: Escalation
Part 16: Opening Blows
Part 19: Death of a Dream
Epilogue
Part 18: To Slay the Eldritch

Prelude: Regarding the Strange

From beyond reality they come. From the simple dimensional timeframe that most mortal, sentient species observe, their arrival appears…infrequent. Entire generations of even the most persistent type of mortal races can pass from inception to dust before even so much as one of them enters our sphere of existence.

It's not that such beings are slow, and indeed any earthly being meeting them face to face (so to speak) would find the eldritch-kind are often disturbingly quick. That is, of course, because of the chronal, spatial, and conceptual imbalance. When you take a being which normally operates without the constraint of dimensional space-time laws and puts it in one of the more primitive spheres that demands not only conformance to some arbitrary law like gravity, but also insists upon a sun, planetary bodies, and nonsense like oxygen just to keep a bunch of hairless pink fleshy things alive, things can get…complicated.

To put things in another perspective, the reason why the eldritch, the unnatural, the things-from-beyond, or just those-obnoxious-monsters-that-lay-waste-to-all-sentient-life-every-millennia-or-two have trouble with our worlds is because they’re just so damn confusing. It doesn’t help that many of these beings are attracted to our worlds, and thus constantly seek to enter them, despite, as the case may be, constantly suffering from extreme vertigo. Imagine being on a month-long bender filled with alcohol, gratuitous use of semi-illegal substances (depending on your current abode and planet), and to top it all off, being sick with the flu, a fever, and severe dehydration. Then hit yourself on the hammer. That would be the basic state of your average eldritch invader into the worlds we like to think of as home. It’s a miracle they don’t all die within the first few seconds.

However, part of the enduring success of such beings to survive and enter urban mythology is their refusal to obey the rules of physics, reality, and common sense. It’s practically a job-requirement for them. When one of the strangers from beyond finally manages to enter our reality and is inevitably spotted by the:

A: Hapless bystander with unnatural physical and mental ability,

B: The hapless bystander sans said abilities and with the lifespan of a duck in a KFC restaurant,

C: Innocent waif, child, etc. ready to be saved by one of the people from category A,

D: Or army of heavily-armed, highly trained warriors battling for their lives against the cult/empire/individual bent on dominating all life though the summoning of said eldritch individual,

They are naturally somewhat confused.

This gives the hapless individual or army of individuals’ time to fruitlessly spend their time running away, cowering in fear, talking, or wasting enough firepower to slag a mountain range. It never works. Something that ignores death itself isn’t going to be slowed down by the laws of physics. A bullet won’t even touch an eldritch being unless it’s really conforming to the laws of the current dimension and even then, it’s more likely to confuse it than anything else. You might as well toss peanut butter at an eldritch abomination. That at least has been known to work once or twice.

Anyways, the main thing to do when a reality-warping monster appears is not to run, hide, fight, or talk to it. It’s important to think first. You see, those that exist outside of reality don’t obey any of our rules, but boy, are they a stickler for their rules. It’s also important to remember that such beings are bound by the rules of common belief. It is a strange fact, but while a Weeping Angel may be able to bypass an octagonal-reinforced word-motion bonded defense spell without a problem, they still can’t move so long as someone’s looking at them. This, of course is due to the popular myth that Weeping Angels can’t move when someone is looking at them. This is of course, false. However, the belief of thousands forces this ‘fact’ to become true, and Weeping Angels are once again prevented from reaching their true, universe-decimating potential. An eldritch being can deal with physics, time, and even boredom without much trouble but it’s in real trouble when people start to believe.

This is why it is possible to survive an ‘attack’ by one of the strange-kind without possessing a magic sword, an arsenal of nukes, or even an army of willing stunt-doubles. It even explains why someone can by simply call an eldritch being’s name three times to summon it and then blow it up. It should not be possible to destroy an elder god of the abyss with a few explosives, but because there are rules, it is. And eldritch beings are sticklers for those kinds of rules, which explains why only a few realities are dragged screaming into the beyond each second.

And that, in a nutshell defines the key aspect of understanding (and surviving) an encounter with one of the beyond-people. Play their game. If SCP-173 comes after you, stare at it and run away while it breaks someone else’s neck. If a vampire is after you, wait to see if it sparkles while downing a few garlic gyozas. If you run across a gorgon, grab a mirror. And if you spot a langolier, STOP MESSING ABOUT WITH THE TIME-FRAME CONTINUUM. It’s quite simple, really.

It’s important to have rules. Without rules, there’s nothing between you and them, and you will subsequently soon be in one of them unless you’re very, very lucky. But that’s not a problem. Eldritch abominations never break the rules, unlike humans or badly-behaved dogs (or the average cat). You’ll never catch a chupacapura without a goat nearby, creepers don’t spawn inside of elevators, and pit fiends never go for a summer holiday at the beach (unless it’s a really nice day out). No matter what, you’ve always got a chance, and that’s because the eldritch are predictable. They always manifest in the same situations – they don’t do well with change. If one of them ever did enter an unfamiliar environment, all bets would be off for what happened next. Pity the fools who would encounter one of the ancient (or not-so-ancient) ones in that situation. The best that could happen is that they would die painfully. In the worst case, they might have an interesting experience.

They come from beyond reality. Not slowly, not quickly, but with the unstoppable approach that has ended countless civilizations. Their appearance is unearthly; their presence alone warps fate itself. They are the mystery beyond mystery; that which terrifies even the gods. Sometimes they get lost…

Author's Note

Ponies? What ponies? Don't worry, they're in the next chapter. Promise.

Part 1: Arrival

If he had a name, it would be Slender Man. Not that a being such as he had a name, or even a true gender. The Slender Man isn’t even a man. It’s just for the sake of convenience that such labels are given to him – little anchors for the fragile mortal mind to use. But it’s what people believe, and as stated, such belief is everything. And this Slender Man was lost.

It was odd. The Slender Man had arrived in a different reality than the one he was used to. He was quite familiar with his usual ‘beat’ of realities and he was sure this wasn’t one of them. For one thing, there were no humans around. Not one, in the entire reality. This was quite strange, and not just because humans were the galactic version of cockroaches. (They got into every promising dimension, especially if it was filled with lots of wars, romance, and oxygen to breathe. Sometimes even when there wasn’t any oxygen, and they still managed to survive. Magic should be restricted from certain species just on principle.) No, the strangeness was due entirely to the fact that Slender Man has been intending to visit a human dimension.

Slender Man was primarily a visitor to human realities, although he did visit other types of realities on occasion. But he was a specialist, so to speak. It was in his name after all. And besides, humans were among the easiest beings to catch. Nine out of ten would just stare at him, occasionally bursting into tears or screams or blather on about ‘this just being a dream’. It was as easy as nailing dead kittens to a tree, and a lot more fun too. And when Slender got bored of the easy pickings, there were always the tricky ones. Of late, there had even been one female that had escaped him numerous times, the last time even managing to escape one of his proxies and himself at the same time. Had Slender Man any real feelings on the matter, he might have been impressed. As it was, he was slightly intrigued by the situation and had decided to follow her again whenever he next came to her dimension. Until then, it was just cutting a swathe through the detritus known as humanity, leaving fear and chaos in his wake.

Naturally, Slender Man didn’t think in those terms either, the closest approximation of his thoughts on the subject being ‘just doing his job.’ Mind you, he was very good at his job. Slender Man was fairly old even by eldritch terms, and had quite the reputation even among his peers. True, in some dimensions he was only a decade or two old, but that was just ignorance on the part of the local reality. The last few realities he had visited had certainly and most emphatically known he was there, and no doubt legends would be passed on of his arrival in those places for eons to come. (If there were anyone left to pass them on, that is.) Parallax had been taking notes last time he had crossed Slender’s path, and the Slender Man had even received an invitation to join The Great Old Ones on an informal basis. Slender had just been about to engage in a short reign of terror for a year or two in one of the human dimensions he had been neglecting since his original visit when this happened.

It’s unfair to say that eldritch gods have no emotions. Some, like Cthulu could go through several ranges of emotion, and although their shade of ethics differed from that of say, humans, they were quite complex individuals. It’s only the scale of thought that differed. (To be fair, when one tentacle-appendage is larger than an entire human city, it’s hard to thing small.) Others, like the Rake were simply masses of anger and hatred, existing in a state similar to a teakettle permanently on the boil. Slender on the other hand was based however loosely around humans, and so he could exhibit the full range of emotions a human could. It just took him a little while longer to get to that point than a human would. If Slender Man would have admitted to any emotion at this time (and if he could talk), it would be curiosity. He didn’t know why he had arrived in this dimension instead of his own, but he wasn’t too bothered about the specifics. He had arrived, and so he would wander about, find out what kind of sentient life existed here, and after reducing the amount of said life in this reality, go off to another one.

Slender looked around, although he did not in fact, look or move in any way. Instead, he let his senses (which were not limited to a few primitive facilities such has sight, sound or smell) expand to survey his surroundings. Well. He was in a forest. Nothing new there. He could have been in a city, in an abandoned school or hospital for instance, but he liked the forest. It was traditional. There were some other things in the forest with him, lots of things actually, but they weren’t too intelligent. Local wildlife perhaps. Slender Man could and did prey on wolves, bears, hippos, etc. on occasion, but they weren’t nearly as enjoyable as a good human. Still, he could sense life clustered somewhere just outside of the forest. That seemed promising.

He’d start with a few individuals first, those who dared enter the forest. He’d see what kind of beings they were, and then work his way up from there. The first one he’d spend some time on, maybe even let it run away; let it cower in fear before he returned to finish the job. Or he could kill them all now. A mass hunt to find all the pages before it was too late. Some might collect all the pages, but it always surprised Slender Man (as much as he could be surprised) that groups failed far more often than the quick-witted individual.

Slender Man stood in the forest, at the center of an unnatural silence and calm. No birds sang around him. The sky was darker in his presence, the air heavier. One moment he was there, the next, he was gone. This was going to be fun.

“Well, that didn’t work.”

Spike looked up from his latest edition of Power Ponies to see Twilight Sparkle frowning and staring at a book hovering in the air before her. They were in Twilight’s library, which also doubled as their home. Spike had really been getting into his comic, but when Twilight was casting spells, it always important to pay attention.

Something might explode.

“What didn’t work, Twilight?”

“My summoning spell of course,” Twilight replied absently as she used her horn to flick through the pages in the book. “I was sure I recited the incantation properly.”

Spike sighed. “Another spell? Is this another one of those boring practice spells like turning apples into oranges?”

Twilight frowned at him. “Don’t be ridiculous Spike. Those spells are essential to anypony in helping to develop proper transmutational control and--”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Spike said impatiently. “But what’s that spell for?”

Twilight’s frown deepened as her impromptu lecture cut off, but apparently decided to forego her previous topic in the face of a new one. She maneuvered the floating book to show Spike a full page of confusing diagrams and squiggly writing. “This, Spike is a summoning spell to conjure to me a being of extreme dissonance that will--”

“Disso-what?”

“Dissonance, Spike. Didn’t I teach you that work a month ago?”

Spike shifted uncomfortably. Twilights’ lessons on advanced vocabulary were frequent, but what were worse were the constant pop quizzes he received. “Maybe…”

Twilight adopted a lecturing pose, setting down her book to orate more effectively. “Dissonance means disruption or chaos in a naturally established order. In this case, the spell I used was to locate a being of extreme dissonance, which usually means a highly magical being. In this case, it would be anypony that can ignore or manipulate the laws of physics on a regular basis.”

“…So you’re looking for someone like Pinkie Pie?” Spike asked after his thoughts managed to interpret Twilight’s spiel.

“Close but not quite. I was thinking more in terms of Discord, although now that you mention it, Pinkie Pie might well have been a candidate for this spell.”

Spike frowned in confusion. “Wait, you want Discord to come here? Didn’t he turn all your books into purple goldfish the last time he came by?”

Twilight rolled her eyes in exasperation. “He wouldn’t come right here, Spike. This spell doesn’t have the nearly the amount power required to teleport Discord. It would merely have alerted him that someone was looking for him – like a magical tap on the shoulder.”

“Oh.” Spike said, comprehension dawning at last. “That makes sense.” He looked around the room. “So why’s he not here?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out,” Twilight explained. “The spell seemed to go off perfectly, but Discord hasn’t shown up, and you know how fast he appears when he thinks there’s something interesting.”

Spike shrugged. “Eh, who cares? He’s probably busy bothering somepony else right now.” He glanced at a clock on the wall. “Besides, we have to meet with the others at Fluttershys’ in ten minutes for a tea party.”

Twilight sighed, and glanced longingly at her book on advanced conjurations. Still, a promise was a promise and it would probably take that long to get to Fluttershy’s house. Reluctantly, she put off retrying her conjuration spell until later.

“Alright, let’s go Spike.”

“Good.” Spike stretched and then began walking towards the door. “It’s about time we did something fun for a change.”

“Conjuration practice is fun, Spike!”

“Only for you, Twilight, only for you. Besides, summoning someone like Discord could mean serious trouble.”

“Oh come on Spike,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes as she left her library house. “It’s just a simple spell. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Part 2: A Tea Party

Twilight sat at Fluttershy’s table along with her five friends. It was quite a nice table. The smooth oaken surface had been rendered smooth by the passage of time, and the grain of the wood was quite pleasing against her hooves. Indeed, the whorls engrained in the tabletop and singular knot in the top-right corner only served to add to the overall presentation of the table in Fluttershy’s home. This table would never be seen in a stuffy Canterlot mansion, but it fit right in among Fluttershy’s quiet, tidy cottage. Twilight was even motivated to declare it Table of the Year for its sterling qualities as a source of entertainment, introspection, and a place to rest your teacup. A pony could stare for hours at its lovely surface. It certainly beat looking up and joining the rest of the tea party.

Spike had been wrong in his appraisal of Fluttershy’s tea party as ‘fun’. The young dragon had in fact been sleeping for the last half hour, a worth pursuit which Twilight would have gladly adopted as her modus operandi for the day were it not for the fact that this would break Fluttershy’s heart. At least she was having fun. The delicate yellow and pink pony sat on her stool, wings folded nearly as she sat and beamed at the rest of her friends. It had been 18 minutes and 35 seconds since she had last spoke, but that didn’t matter. Fluttershy’s favorite activities were being quiet, and being with her friends. Talking was optional. Indeed, Fluttershy even apparently held the world record for not making any sound for the longest period of time, and was proving this now. She was simply happy to here in the presence of her best friends.

The same could not be said of the other five ponies clustered around Fluttershy’s dining table, sadly. Fluttershy had miscalculated in inviting them all to a tea party. A picnic would have been fine; a party fantastic. But the individual and sometimes conflicting personalities among the six ponies led to a very uncomfortable tea party indeed.

Case in point: Rarity. Twilight held considerable affection for the fashionista pony she had come to call one of her best friends. Rarity’s snowy white complexion and vivid purple mane curled to perfection marked her for what she was: a designer pony of the highest caliber, able to produce designs of such quality as would make a lesser couturier tear his or her eyes out in despair. Rarity, the emblem of generosity was always free to give a helping hand whenever the situation demanded, regardless of the cost. But by Celestia, she could talk.

“…And so I said ‘darling, you simply must let me style your mane sometime. It’s simply a crime against fashion to let it stay in that closeted old bun.’ And of course, she wouldn’t hear of it. But fortunately, I had packed along some of my Plum & Pear Withers cream and I managed to convince her to let me have a look at it. And the result my dear was simply fabulous…”

“Ah don’t see how it makes a lick a difference whether her mane was in a bun or hangin’ off the top ah her head.” That was Applejack, straightforward and to the point. She was looking rather haggard, her head in her hoofs. Twilight could hardly blame her. The orange pony was the no-nonsense element of Honesty, and could handle social gossip about as well as Rarity could handle dirt on her hooves. She had born up well over the last hour, but Twilight had seen her friend, who had stood tall against manticores, an army of changelings, and even a dragon slowly break down under Rarity’s endless onslaught of words. “Can ya just get ta the point where ya fixed her mane?”

Rarity frowned at Applejack over her teacup, held magically aloft before her. “Honestly Applejack, how can you expect me to simply rush to the completion of my tale like some barbarous ruffian with no notion of the storytelling convention? It’s important to set the scene first, and gradually build one’s way up to the thrilling conclusion.”

“I wish you wouldn’t,” groaned Dash, lying sprawled against her chair. She was rocking back, two legs of her stool facing the air as she stared up at the ceiling. That she didn’t fall over was due to her two wings, which flapped lazily, keeping her perfectly balanced. For the greatest flier in Equestria (self-appointed), such a trick was child’s play. Rainbow Dash had spent the forty-five minutes (she had been late to the tea party) either staring at the ceiling, the floor, or vacantly into the distance. It was clear that she did not want to be here, but Rainbow Dash was the element of Loyalty. Not Punctuality or Politeness or even Patience, all of which Twilight privately believed Rainbow Dash could use in more abundance, but the most steadfast of all the elements. Dash might be living through one of her personal hells, but she would remain at the tea party until it was concluded. It didn’t mean she had to like it.

Twilight glanced over at the final and oddly enough, quietest member of the six. Pinkie Pie was sitting, staring into her tea cup as Rarity began to lecture both Dash and Applejack about the virtues of proper narration. Pink as cotton candy and as full of live and energy as someone on a permanent sugar-high (which Twilight suspected Pinkie Pie was in any case), she represented the element of Laughter, and normally lived up this title in the form of constant chatter, parties, and consumption of far too many sugary goods.

Right now she was staring into her cup, as if contemplating the mysteries of tea. Twilight knew it was a warning sign. If Pinkie Pie was ever quiet for more than a minute at a time, it meant she was about to explode. In this case, Pinkie Pie had been quiet for almost eight minutes since her last explosion of chatter. She was trying not to interrupt the tea party, but calm and collected was not in Pinkie’s nature.

The duration of the tea party had been interspersed with miniature explosions from Pinkie Pie in the form of chatter, flying pies, and an impromptu dance and song number. After the last outburst, Pinkie had been lectured at length by Rarity on the virtues of keeping inflatable balloons out of a tea-party environment. She had been quiet ever since, drinking her tea. Twilight could see sweat beads forming on the pink pony’s brow from the effort. If you looked closely enough, you could see that Pinkie wasn’t just sitting still, but slightly vibrating in her seat.

Twilight sighed and at back. If Pinkie didn’t explode in the next two minutes, she, Twilight would eat the table. Besides which, Pinkie Pie was drinking her 43rd cup, and if she didn’t explode from pent-up energy soon, something else was sure to burst.

“Girls,” Twilight interrupted as Rarity was about to launch into the dramatic finale to her restoration of somepony’s mane, “I’m sure we’d all love to know how Rarity’s hair makeover went, but maybe we should let somepony else tell us about their day. We have several more hours to go, after all.”

Rarity tossed her mane, but subsided gently into her chair. “Oh, very well darling. I suppose I have rather been hogging the limelight.”

“For the past hour,” Rainbow Dash muttered under her breath.

“It would be rather nice to hear about somepony else’s day,” Rarity concluded, pointedly ignoring Dash’s last comment. “Has anything interesting happened you any of you recently?”

Fluttershy beamed. “Oh I know. I could tell you all about the little sparrow I found yesterday. I found him lying on the ground after he fell from his nest. His name is Brownie and he’s very, very cute.” Rarity and Applejack winced, and Rainbow Dash covered her eyes with one hoof. The only thing worse than a Rarity fashion-monologue was another story about a cute animal Fluttershy had found. Across the table, Twilight saw Pinkie Pie’s left eye twitch.

Twilight was considering dropping her teacup, or using a quick magic spell to set her own mane on fire when she was rescued by the dramatic entry of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo as they practically tumbled into the cottage. At last. Twilight knew that if there were any three ponies in all of Ponyville that could be relied upon to find some kind of terrible disaster (or manufacture one themselves), it would be the three Cutie Mark Crusaders.

“Ya have ta come quickly!” That was Apple Bloom almost incoherent in her panic. “There’s somethin’ in the Everfree Forest! We were on our way to Zecora when we found it followin’ us around!”

“Sweet Celestia, thank you!” Twilight exclaimed, and caught herself quickly, “…that nopony was hurt! That sounds exactly like the kind of thing we should investigate. No time to waste. Let’s go everypony!”

Possibly Rainbow Dash was the fastest pony in all of Equestria, but even she couldn’t match the pink lightning that zipped out the door. Dash was hot on her hooves though, with Applejack not far behind. Rarity and Twilight made their exit nearly as quickly, and it was only Fluttershy who was reluctant in leaving the house.

“I suppose we have to go,” she sighed. “But the tea party was going so well. Oh dear.” Then she brightened. “Maybe we can have another tea party afterwards. That will be so much fun. Yay.”

The yellow and pink pony left, as Spike sat up yawning from his impromptu floor bed. “Is it over? Thank goodness.” And he turned over and went back to sleep.

“So what was this thing that was following you around?” Twilight asked Apple Bloom once the mad dash to exit the cottage had halted, and everypony was more or less together. “Was it a timber wolf, or a manticore or something?”

“No, it was worse.” Apple Bloom shuddered, unusually shaken. “It was like…”

“Like a tall…thin thing!” Sweetie Belle interjected, “it was really tall and…” her vocabulary failed her at this point, and she was silent for a moment before inspiration struck. “It was like one of those things Rarity uses to hang all of her coats on. You know, a…”

“A coat stand?”

“Yeah! Like that! A really tall one!”

Twilight tried to imagine a tall, menacing coat stand in the Everfree Forest and failed. “Were there any other distinguishing features?” She asked hopelessly. “Did it have any arms or legs or something?”

“Yeah, it was really weird!” Scootaloo’s turn. Twilight wondered whether giving the Cutie Mark Crusaders a lesson in basic descriptors would be profitable in the near future. “It had only two legs and instead of hooves,” Scootaloo paused for effect, “it had these weird fleshy things!”

“Fleshy things?” Now Twilight was intrigued. Two legs…fleshy things instead of hooves…her memory was tickling her. She struck out on a hunch. “Were there five of them? One on each hoof?”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders looked at Twilight as if she had started sprouting fleshy things as well. “That’s it!” They chorused in unison.

Twilight nodded. It always felt good to confirm a hypothesis. “Then I know what that thing is. It’s…a human!”

“A what?” This came from the Cutie Mark Crusaders and her friends.

“What’s a human?” Asked Rainbow Dash suspiciously. “Is that some kind of evil coat stand?”

“Don’t be silly Dash. A human is one of the creatures that live on the other side of the mirror in Princess Celestia’s castle. Remember the one I went through a few months ago?” Twilight vividly recalled her short adventures among those odd creatures. “They have two legs instead of four, and instead of hooves, they have two things they call hands.”

“Ugh. They sound positively barbarous,” exclaimed Rarity just as Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “No hooves!? How do they pick things up?”

“They’re not so bad,” Twilight reassured her friends. “They’re just like ponies in fact. I was one of them for a time, and they might be strange, but they’re not scary at all. This one might have gotten lost through some kind of…magical dimension-portal, and probably followed you girls to get out of the forest. I’ll bet my books on it.”

The Crusaders exchanged an uncertain glance. “I don’t know,” Scootaloo said uncertainly. “It didn’t look harmless, and it was sort of…scary.” Scootaloo shot a quick glance at Rainbow Dash, and her voice firmed. “I mean, I wasn’t scared, but Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle got nervous, so we decided to come find somepony else.”

Twilight frowned slightly. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were infamous for their daredevil antics and almost suicidal lack of caution. They had been captured by Chrysalis once and had nearly driven the changling queen insane with their pestering, not to mention having gone skydiving to find their cutie marks. Anything that made them feel frightened certainly merited some degree of wariness.

“I think we should be cautious,” Twilight decided. “We’ll go as a group to find this human in the forest. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, could you show us where you last saw the human-thing in the forest?”

Twilight waited, but instead of three excited voices, she got only silence. She looked at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and found all three staring over her shoulder, towards the Everfree Forest. All three were quivering, and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom’s coats had faded from their vibrant orange and creamy yellow into a white nearly matching Sweetie Belle’s. They made not a sound as they stared at something behind Twilight.

Slowly Twilight turned to stare into the Everfree Forest. It was only just past noon, but the sky looked far darker than it should for around midday. The shadows cast by the trees of the Everfree Forest seemed to be pitch black, and the birdsong and animal noise usually present at this time of day was missing. Twilight scanned the forest, but couldn’t see anything untoward. She was just about to turn back to the Cutie Mark Crusaders when a patch of shadows caught her eye. Something stood among the dark greens and browns of the forest. It was tall, taller than any human Twilight had seen in the alternate mirror Equestria. Its face was obscured by a few branches, but what skin Twilight could see was as pale as the moon. It was wearing some kind of suit – a dark black, business suit with a red tie. But the darkness and strangeness of the day seemed to radiate from this figure, standing absolutely still in the forest.

It was at this moment that Twilight understood just how much trouble she and her friends had suddenly gotten into.

And you know what? That trouble was just beginning.

Part 3: Contact

Slender Man was…disappointed. This was the best word to describe a higher-emotional spectrum and cognitive awareness in a being by way of a simple language. It would be more accurate to say Slender’s hopes had been raised and then compromised, leading to a frisson of indifference which later transpired to once again renew his interest in a new and unexpected way, while still maintaining a certain level of pessimism but also a core dedication to getting the job done.

To put it another way, Slender had really been looking forward to seeing what species inhabited this sphere of existence. If it wasn’t humans, it could be something really interesting, like a demi plane of elemental spirits, or a thriving civilization of the fae, or even a multi-species hub of life, at the height of technological advancement as races from across the universe congregated in harmony. Nope. Instead, he got ponies. Ponies. Ponies were boring. He’d killed enough horses, donkeys, mules, and even the occasional sheep to know they were all alike. They were boring, simplistic animals whose only instinct was to cower in fear. At least some humans tried to run.

The Slender Man had been so disappointed by the turn of events that he had even let the first three small ponies escape him. He’d followed them around, but hadn’t even bothered to seal off the area in another dimension, as was customary to the game. Tradition dictated that individuals or groups should attempt to find all eight of his pages in a certain area of space, unable to leave until dead or having collected said pages.

This was the most immediate and direct of Slender’s games, but he could also follow them at a distance, allowing them to slowly drive themselves insane as he stalked them over the course of months or even years to their ultimate demise. He preferred this when in urban areas, not so much because he disliked playing the game in cities, but because of the amusing way his victims cracked, slowly driving friends and family away as they drew deeper into paranoia and madness. Occasionally, he’d even turn one of them into a proxy, a twisted mockery of their former selves, and send them against their former loved ones. But what was the point of such a complex devolution of the psyche when all he had to work with was ponies?

Slender Man was annoyed. (Insofar as any primitive verbal descriptor could apply to an eldritch being.) He still didn’t know why he had been attracted to this reality, but he was sure that playing the game here wasn’t going to be interesting. He would kill the three who had originally seen him, and then wipe out the nearby settlement of ponies and go to another more interesting reality at once.

Slender had reached the edge of the forest when he had sensed the second group of ponies joining the first. This group had attracted his attention, and even piqued his interest slightly, so that he did not immediately initiate the game, and instead watched them for a while.

In his initial observation of the first three ponies, Slender had been so let down by the realization that they were ponies that he had failed to notice the distinguishing features of the three Cutie Mark Crusaders. One was a pony sure enough, but as Twilight’s group joined the Crusaders it became clear to Slender that there were in fact, two other types of equine races. Unicorns, pegasus and horses. Oh my. This might be interesting after all.

Horses were stupid. Ponies likewise. Slender had seen thousands of horses, mostly in the less technologically-advanced human realities, and they were all stupid. But unicorns and pegusus? Another matter entirely. The magic that gave these beings the powers of flight and healing made them far more enjoyable to hunt. They weren’t as intelligent as humans on the whole, but it was far preferable to killing off a bunch of ponies would just freeze in terror.

Slender waited patiently as the group approached. There was a unicorn apparently leading them – purple (not that Slender really took notice of color), with a strong aura of magic about her. She looked like she was directing her herd, but that was simply impossible. Slender knew ponies couldn’t talk, just as much as humans couldn’t. He had laid waste to countless realities and ended the lives of untold numbers of humans, animals, and other beings and not once had he heard them speak. Oh, they constantly emitted sonic (and sometimes ultrasonic) vibrations when he was near, which he assumed to be some kind of warning mechanism, but they never talked to him. Not a ripple in the ethereal vortex, or even so much as a shiver in the firmamental drift. He had over a hundred thousand senses attuned to the transmundane, and all they managed to do was vibrate the air. Primitive. But entertaining.

And now they had spotted him. They froze of course. They always did. It was always the same, as first the small trio of ponies stood petrified, and then the other six colored ponies turned and stared at him. They were all different colors Slender noticed with some surprise.

Trichromacy was not one of Slender’s preferred senses, but he still took note of the oddity. Most humans varied among only a few shades of color, but these ponies seemed to be colored from the entire basic color spectrum. Slender wondered whether they were all different colors on the inside as well.

It was time. They had seen him, and he had given them time to run or hide. Now it was his turn.

Let the game begin.

Twilight wasn’t sure what it was. It looked human, but Twilight was sure, absolutely sure that this…thing wasn’t human at all. It was too distorted. A human could never look that way. Even a bald, anorexic albino with Mafan syndrome couldn’t have achieved the wrongness this figure exerted. And the more Twilight watched the figure, the more uneasy she became.

Twilight was smart. Everypony knew that; it was what had made her Celestia’s star student. As of such, Twilight possessed extreme analytical abilities and the ability to think quite quickly when the need arose. And she was sure that this thin man-figure was not anything she or her friends had encountered before. Within the period of four seconds, Twilight had established the uniqueness of this apparition through three easy observations:

1). This creature appears to be modelled in some twisted fashion after the human figure. The only beings that know of humans would be Princess Celestia, Twilight, Sunshine Shimmer, and maybe Discord (because with him, who knows?).

2). The mirror was not due to open for another 14 moons, and was under guard now in any case, precluding the chance that this was some illusion caused by Sunset Shimmer. Besides which, Twilight would eat her mane if Sunset could have pulled this kind of illusory magic off.

3). Given that nopony knew about humans besides Princess Celestria, Twilight, and possibly Discord, this was not a changeling. Changlings could not copy what doesn’t exist in any case. And since Celestria would never pull any pranks and because this figure hadn’t exploded, turned into balloons, or broken into a dance number by now, this was not Discord.

The next logical step would be to attempt to make contact, preferably with caution and care, but Twilight was wary about getting closer to this strange thing. It wasn’t just that it looked weird and scary – it was doing something to her eyes as well. Twilight found her eyes sliding away almost involuntary the longer she tried to remain focuses on the distant figure. Even more disconcerting was a burning feeling that began to itch and sting both eyeballs, as if Twilight was engaged in a staring contest. But blink as Twilight might, she couldn’t get the pain to go away. Reluctantly, Twilight turned her head, and saw her friends doing the same. Beside her, Rainbow Dash shook her head, her eyes tightly shut, as if to rid herself of some nagging sensation.

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, and then looked back at the shape in the forest, determined this time to call out, or attempt to make contact in some way.

It wasn’t there.

Twilight felt the hair of her main begin to rise slowly, and she took one slow step back. It wasn’t there. Nothing could have moved that fast, but the figure was nowhere in sight. Where had it gone?

The Slender Man felt their eyes leave him. It was time. Despite the presence of the more intelligent kinds of horses, he decided to make it quick. He would finish the game in minutes, and then leave for better sport. He did not move in any sense of the word, but let space bend around him, entering his own shadowy plane of existence before reemerging in the current dimension, in the center of the group of ponies. He let his unearthly presence expand, and waited.

Twilight was just conscious of a sudden emptiness where the figure had stood when suddenly pressure beat down upon her like a living thing. She was suddenly, terribly aware of something a few feet behind her and her friends. She turned to look, and saw it.

Not a human, but a pale mockery of one. Tall, far taller than any pony or human. Seven, no, eight feet tall, with unnaturally long arms and legs that seemed out of proportion with the rest of the body. And it had no eyes. That was what Twilight saw, before blinding pain numbed every part of her brain and a pressure seemed to engulf her entire body, squeezing it until she was out of air. What was happening? What was it doing?

Slender watched as the purple unicorn stared at him, and then faltered. It slowly sunk down onto one foreleg as its head lowered, unable to gaze upon him any longer. The rest of the ponies turned to look, and suffered the same fate, staggering, falling. The yellow and pink one even started expelling the contents of her stomach. It was probably the weakest-willed. All would share her fate soon enough, however.

When a mortal gazed upon a god, they risked blindness. When a lesser being heard the tongue of the immortals, the weak-willed might be struck deaf. And for any being born of reality to stare at that which existed outside of it…death was the inevitable result. The mind can attempt to simplify or ignore such beings. It creates shapes that make sense to it, while with each passing moment the presence of the unknown slowly erodes even the greatest will.

However, given enough time even the strongest mind melts. The spirit decays. And when Slender Man unleashed his full presence upon this plane, the effects were immediate. A medium such as a video camera could withstand the paradox better than a brain, allowing quick-witted individuals to use that as a pair of ‘eyes’, but even technology soon failed in Slender Man’s presence. And there was nothing between these ponies and him but air.

He watched dispassionately as the purple pony writhed in front of him. This wouldn’t be fast enough. He could stand there and wait, but they would run. But he could speed up the process. Slender stepped again into the alternate dimension.

Twilight felt the presence vanish, and felt a moment of relief. It lasted for a heartbeat. And then the invisible feeling crushed her again, sending lightning made of pure pain lancing through her skull. And with it, the sound of a filly screaming.

Slender had reemerged, a few feet away behind one of the smaller ponies. It was yellow, with something red on its head. It too was lying nearly prostrate, but it still breathed. He would correct that.

The Slender Man did not lift a hand, but let a part of his being touch the pony on the back. It might be described as a tentacle to a mortal being, but it was simply another aspect of Slender that could not be seen with the eye. And its effect on Applebloom was immediate.

To gaze upon an ancient one is agony. To feel their touch is to feel oblivion. The second Slender touched her, Apple Bloom froze. Parts of her body simply shut down upon contact; skin and organs rejecting what could not be. The Slender Man was a foreign being to reality’s laws. His very presence converted the area around him into something else entirely. His touch converted any material he touched to match his nature. Apple Bloom’s entire body was slowly changing; warping to obey laws from Slender’s reality. Her body couldn’t process what was happening fully, but it transmitted the information to Apple Bloom’s brain as pure pain. She could not move. She could not think. All she could do was scream.

Twilight saw Apple Bloom’s body as the filly was lifted off of the ground by some…thing. Like a ribbon, or a tentacle, or a shaft of darkness that bent and twisted, ensnaring the young pony’s body. Where it touched her, Apple Bloom’s skin looked pale, as if color were being drained from it. Black webs roiled under her coat from where flesh met tentacle, and the skin twitched like it was alive.

The being still stood there, in the same upright posture as Apple Bloom writhed in unimaginable agony. Twilight felt almost paralyzed with shock, but instinct and Apple Bloom’s continued screams drove her to act. She felt magic build up around her horn as she concentrated on a destructive spell, but somepony else moved even faster. Spurred to action by her sister’s screams, Applejack jumped forwards, landing in from of the strange being. She spun, her front hooves planted into the ground as her hindquarters rose level with the strange thing’s shins. She kicked.

Slender felt surprise, or as much as he had ever felt when the orange pony landed in front of him. But what truly shocked him was when he felt both hooves touch what might be called his ‘legs’. Nothing had ever tried to touch him before. Not of its own free will. He wondered whether it was an attack of some kind. But physical violence was meaningless to him. It wasn’t that he had tough skin; it was that such things could not affect him. He watched in interest, as all of the force behind Applejacks’ kick met an object that would not yield, bend, or break.

Applejack was a champion tree-bucker, able to kick a tree hard enough to send all the apples falling to the ground. But this was worse than kicking a tree. Even a brick wall might shatter and absorb some of the force. But this…thing was stronger than even stone. No; it was almost as if it couldn’t be harmed by physics. And with nowhere to go, all the force of Applejack’s kick went straight back through her legs.

There was a snap. A crack that split the air in two. Both of Applejack’s legs twisted downwards from the impact, as if possessed by an unnatural force. Twilight watched in horror as both legs bent at near 90 degree angles, before with a terrible ripping crackling tearing, her legs simply bowed inwards, skin breaking as yellowed bone emerged. There was dead silence as Applejack’s body, still raised in the air, began to fall. Both hooves dangled uselessly as Applejack fell to the ground. Mercifully, her friend had fainted instantly with the pain.

She lay there, like a broken object. Her legs…the ankles of both back legs had snapped, and lay dangling from her stumps, connected only by bits of flesh. Everypony stared at their fallen friend. Even Apple Bloom stopped screaming to stare in horror at her older sister. And still, that thing hadn’t moved. It hadn’t even twitched at Applejack had kicked it hard enough to shatter stone. And it still held Apple Bloom.

Twilight looked at her friends. Fluttershy was still in shock – the puddle of undigested food trickling around her hooves. Rarity and Pinkie Pie stood transfixed; only Rainbow Dash seemed able to move, and she was clearly caught between a desire to hit the thing or aid her friend. But Applejack, the strongest of them all had broken her legs without leaving a mark on whatever this strange creature was. If she couldn’t do anything, what could Rainbow Dash do?

Twilight knew. When might failed, there was only one recourse left. She felt the magic gather around her horn, and gritted her teeth as she began to overcharge the spell in her mind. “Rainbow Dash,” Twilight muttered through clenched teeth, “get ready to grab Apple Bloom and run.”

“What?” Dash’s rainbow mane swung slightly towards Twilight, but she had neither time not inclination to explain. Seconds had passed, but Apple Bloom’s skin was turning darker; the dark veins spreading across her entire body. Twilight’s horn crackled as the magic levels began to reach a critical point. She normally held back in casting even the most minor offensive spells, but this time she pushed all her magic and the magic in the air surrounding her into the deadliest spell in her arsenal. The blank face of the creature slowly swung towards her as the purple glow of Twilight’s magic began to shine like a beacon.

Twilight felt her eyes squeezed by some unimaginable force, and her mind screamed a duet with Apple Bloom as she forced herself to stare at that blank, empty face.

And then she fired.

Magic given form raced through the air, a blurred trail of purple-white light that glowed even in the unnatural darkness. It sliced through the tendrils holding Apple Bloom and burst across thing’s chest. It didn’t move from the impact, and it didn’t step back. But for once instant, the shape of the tall man wavered, and a high-pitched crackling suddenly reverberated throughout the air.

Apple Bloom dropped to the ground, but Rainbow Dash was there in an instant. She scooped Apple Bloom up before the filly could hit the ground, and in the same motion caught Applejack. The larger earth pony made not a sound as Rainbow Dash pulled her into the air, landing with both behind Twilight. But now the expressionless face was turned towards Twilight, and it stood there. Looking at her.

The Slender Man’s emotions were far more complex than that of a three dimensional creature, and were thus incomprehensible in any of our tongues. But if summarized, his thoughts would have gone something like this:

“Ow.”

Magic was not like physics. It defied physics for the same reasons Slender Man did. Magic was a force that existed with reality, but was closer to the source of what made everything run. Even the highest dimensions acknowledge magic, and thus even those from beyond could be influenced by it. Unfortunately, magic was still by no means as effective on Slender as it would have been on a manticore. A blast that could have leveled Fluttershy’s entire cottage merely made Slender’s corporeal form waver slightly.

Still, it had hurt. Like putting a hand down on a needle – a sharp pain quickly dispersed as Slender’s presence on this earth reasserted itself. But that pain had caused Slender to change his mind. He was no longer bored by this game. He was angry. He was going to finish off all the ponies on this entire sphere instead of one village, and he was going to start with the purple one. While she and the others gazed at him, he could not move. Such were the rules the game dictated. But that did not mean he was powerless.

Twilight stared in horror. Hundreds of thin tendrils, blacker than darkness emerged from the things’ back, writhing and twitching. They seemed completely random, moving in slow, lazy patterns before darting forwards and then back. And they were coming towards her.

“Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked uncertainly as the tendrils made their erratic way towards the ponies. “What in Tartarus is that?”

“I-I don’t know.” Twilight stepped back, unsure. “I think it’s…part of it somehow. They’re what touched Apple Bloom; no matter what, don’t let them touch you.”

“How do we fight it, then?” Rainbow Dash looked towards the mass of tentacles, which now obscures the thin figure as they moved slowly towards the group.

“Magic seemed to hurt it.” Twilight said, thinking fast. “At least…it make it pause for a second or two. If you distract it—”

“Darling,” this was Rarity, quiet and urgent. “We can’t let Apple Bloom and Applejack stay here. They must get to the hospital at once.”

Twilight took her eyes off of the gathering mass of dark forms to glance behind her. Rarity was right; Applejack and Apple Bloom were both unconscious, but neither Apple looked remotely healthy. Applejack was still unconscious, but where both legs had snapped blood was beginning to ooze in great profusion. Apple Bloom was hardly better; long thin dark cracks seemed to pulsate under her skin, and her breathing was a hoarse rattle in her throat. If neither pony reached a doctor in time, it might be too late.

“Dash, I need you to get everypony out of here,” Twilight said, coming to an instant decision. “Get them all to safety while I hold this thing off.”

“What?”

“Don’t argue. Applejack’s bleeding and we don’t know what’s wrong with Apple Bloom. You’re the fastest flier in all of Equestria. Only you can get them out of here. Take the Apples first, with the other Crusaders if you can manage it. Then come back for the others.”

“I’m not going to leave you–” Dash protested, just as Rarity cut in with, “you can’t expect us to—”

“Be quiet everypony! Dash is the only one who can do this, so don’t argue. And I’m the only pony who’s trained in combat magic. Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, you’re not fighters.”

“But even if Dash does bring Applejack to the Ponyville Hospital, what can they do about Apple Bloom?” Rarity hissed at Twilight. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Don’t take them to the hospital. Take them to Zecora’s. She’s the only pony in Ponyville who knows anything about magic and healing. All of you go together; maybe Zecora knows what this thing is.” Twilight doubted that highly, but the important thing was to get everypony out of here.

The thin tendrils were getting closer. Twilight took a few steps back, her eyes never leaving the shape almost obscured in the mass of wriggling lines. She felt the pressure building in her eye sockets again, but oddly, the tendrils helped by getting in the way of the figure. Still, the urge to turn her head was overpowering. She didn’t, even though it was an agonizing struggle. She was sure that this being couldn’t move while somepony watched it; eye contact was her only hope of keeping it in one place.

“Dash, if you are my friend, leave now,” Twilight said. She should have felt guilty manipulating her friend’s loyal nature, but right now nothing mattered but getting the others to safety. “Please, Dash.”

Twilight saw Rainbow Dash hesitate only for a moment before hovering over to Applejack and lifting her gently onto one shoulder. “I’ll be back in less than five minutes. Don’t do anything stupid, alright?”

“Sure. No problem. We’ll be here when you get back.” Her words sounded hollow in even Twilight’s ears, but she forced them out. “Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie…”

“We’re staying.” Fluttershy’s voice quivered and nearly cracked, but it was determined. “We’re…we’re not going to run away.”

“That’s right.” Rarity planted herself next to Twilight. “The four of us can certainly keep this oaf occupied while Dash drops off Applejack and Apple Bloom.”

“That won’t work.” Twilight nearly took her eyes off of the thin figure in surprise as Pinkie Pie’s voice cut through the air. It was a tone she had never heard her energetic friend use. It was low and desperate, almost despairing. Coming from the element of laughter that Pinkie Pie represented, it was almost enough to unhinge Twilight entirely. “It’s not going to stop. Not until we collect all the pages.”

“Pages?” Something was burning Twilight’s eyes. It was like a poker being shoved into each eye socket – she felt sweat bead and fall, stinging into her eyes, but it was nothing compared to the pain. “What are you talking about, Pinkie?”

“It’s the game. It’s how he plays it. Collect all eight pages. Or die.”

“What? Pinkie—” The pain was unbearable. Something was squeezing Twilight’s mind, causing dark shadows to form around the corners of her eyes.

“When it disappears, everypony run. Look for pages on trees, walls, anything. Whatever you do, don’t turn around and don’t stop running. Dash can’t leave until all the pages are collected.”

“What are you— Pinkie, what’s—how do you—” Something was happening to Twilight’s eyes. She felt something running down from her eyes, wet and sticky. The darkness engulfed all of her vision, and she felt something begin to thump louder and louder inside her head. Still she watched the shape. It wasn’t even that she was trying to look at the figure now; she could not look away.

“Twilight?” That was Rarity’s voice. Twilight tried to turn her head, but she couldn’t move even her eyes. The darkness was closing in, and she could feel her eyes almost swelling. The liquid falling from her eyes increased. “Twilight!”

Something seemed to burst in Twilight’s head and she was falling, falling into darkness.

Part 4: Escalation

Slender watched the purple pony fall. It was rare that an individual stared at him for so long, but it had been known to happen. Many of Slender’s victims had eventually realized he could not move so long as eyes watched him. Such was the nature of the game. But what each forgot, and what inevitably led them to their demise was this: when you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back.

Slender Man could concentrate his presence upon this reality to the extent he chose. Apart from darkening the world around him and causing panic in the minds of lesser creatures, it was also deadly to any being that absorbed too much of it. A touch from one of his tendrils was like pure poison to the body, but even staring at his form for too long could cause one’s head to explode.

The pony had collapsed from the strain, which was just as well for it. Another ten seconds and it would have been dead. Slender was quite surprised its eyes hadn’t exploded already, but it must have been the magic. A highly magical being could withstand the effects of reality-warpers far better than ordinary mortals. Still, her feat had been impressive, if futile.

Slender let his tendrils drift closer to the group, but now there were no eyes on him, he was free to move as well. He stepped into the shadows other-plane that was his home and watched through the thin veil that separated him from reality the other ponies sprang into action. The blue one had hesitated, but had grabbed the orange and small yellow pony and leapt into the air. She – Slender was vaguely aware the pony was feminine – was climbing into the air, presumably attempting to take the other ponies to safety.

Slender watched in fascination as the blue pony climbed into the sky. It was accelerating at a rate approaching the limits of sound even with the two ponies across its shoulders. This would be interesting.

Twilight was only dimly aware of her surroundings in her pain-filled world. Nevertheless, the crunch from high above was enough to jolt her out of her semi-stupor. Her eyes were filled with some liquid – Twilight wiped if off with one hoof before she noticed what it was. Blood. Leaking from her eyes, and nose as well. But even the sight of that didn’t stop Twilight’s eyes from reaching the figure in the sky.

No, not one figure. Three. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Apple Bloom were all falling. How? And why? But there was no time for questions, much less for answers. Getting shakily to her feet, Twilight summoned all of her magic in a frantic spell. It caught the three figures in a purple nimbus twenty feet off of the ground and began to slow their descent. Too slowly, and not by enough. All three figures were still falling far too fast. Rainbow Dash wasn’t moving; nor were the other two. Twilight frantically pumped more magic into her spell, but the figures refused to slow down any further.

A blur of yellow and pink shot past Twilight. Fluttershy, wings pumping frantically had launched herself at the three ponies, catching them midair. Fluttershy was attempting desperately to control their descent with her lone set of wings. The maneuver was suicidal – the pressure on Fluttershy’s wings from all four ponies at that velocity had to be – Twilight watched in horror as Fluttershy’s wings bent and twisted from the wind pressure. But the ponies’ descent was slower, and Twilight’s spell capitalized on the decrease in momentum. The four ponies halted mere inches from the ground, and Twilight carefully lowered each to the ground.

“Fluttershy, that was…” Rarity began, but Twilight was already brushing past her, staring at the downed ponies. She spared a glance for Fluttershy – the pony smiled weakly, but her wings were tattered, feathers having been torn away from the stress of the fall. But Twilight had a far more serious problem.

Rainbow Dash lay unmoving on the ground next to Applejack and Apple Bloom. The rainbow-maned pony’s head looked…lumpy. Part of her head was ever so slightly bowed in, and the skin around her head was already stained a dark purple. Not a concussion. No, far worse. A depressed skull fracture. But from what? Some invisible barrier? Whatever it had been, Dash had run into it headfirst and now…

Twilight looked up. Pinkie Pie had said something about not leaving. If Dash had run into some kind of barrier – the same kind as the one around the thing that Applejack had kicked, there was no way anypony was getting away unless the barriers were gone. Pinkie Pie had mentioned something about a game. What game?

“Darling, we must get Dash and Applejack to Zeroca’s at once!” Rarity again, her voice buzzing on the edge of Twilight’s racing thoughts like a parasprite. “They’re in dire condition and—”

“Pinkie Pie. Where’s Pinkie Pie?” Twilight snapped. “She knows what’s happening.”

Twilight spun to confront a bewildered Fluttershy and Rarity, and noticed for the first time the absence of three ponies. “Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo? Rarity, where are they?”

It was Fluttershy who answered. “The instant you fell over, Pinkie Pie ran into the forest. She was shouting something about pages, so Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle followed her.”

“What?” Twilight spun around, searching for any of the missing ponies. But all she saw was the empty road, and ahead of her, the Everfree Forest. “That thing is out there and…” Twilight’s thoughts halted. “Where did it go? It was right here and where did it go?”

Fluttershy and Rarity looked around nervously, but Twilight was sure. Her stomach churned with acid as the full nature of what was happening finally sunk in. “This isn’t an attack. This is a game. And if Pinkie Pie is right and we can’t leave until we find these ‘pages’…this is a game. And that thing is it.”

Twilight stared into the forest. It was hunting them. But what could Twilight do? Run after them? That would be far worse: leaving Fluttershy and Rarity to defend three injured ponies? But to leave them alone in the woods…there were no good options. Twilight felt trapped. It seemed as though every move – attack, flight – was already accounted for. No matter what they did, it was as if their fate had been sealed from the very start.

Slender Man watched the three ponies tending to three fallen. Three down, six to go. And in such a short time as well. It had been an unusual game from the start, with the magical spell and the pony trying to kick him. Watching the other ponies catch the falling blue pony had been just as interesting as well. But now the game was truly afoot. Slender could sense the other three ponies running through the forest, searching for pages. This was more like it.

He decided to leave the three upright ponies for now. They wouldn’t go anywhere, not with the barriers in place. It was the ponies in the forest he wanted now. They were playing the game. And so, it was time he took part as well.

The two smaller ponies he found first. They sped along the outskirts of the forest, pausing to check the trees. An inefficient method. Besides which, the pages were unlikely to be in the open. They didn’t seem to know precisely what they were looking for, but made up for that with a speed borne of pure panic. One of them was a pegasus, but Slender noticed the wings on this pony were smaller than they should have been.

As if to bely this handicap, the pony rode on some kind of scooter, barely more than a board with wheels on. Yet it propelled itself at insane speeds by flapping its wings to move forwards. Quite interesting. Slender had chased a few humans in cars, but they inevitably crashed into the dimensional walls marking the borders of the game. However, this scooter-pegasus combo seemed almost ideal for evading him.

Nevertheless, the pegasus was hampered by the other small filly. A unicorn like the purple pony, but Slender felt only the barest glimmer of magic about this one. Useless. Hardly a challenge.

Contemptuously, Slender materialized a few feet ahead of the duo, concealed by a few trees. As the two fillies raced around a tree trunk, they saw him, but were too late to stop. Two tendrils from Slender’s body caught both ponies and held them up. They writhed helplessly, emitting more vibrations in the air at near ultrasonic levels. It was over.

Slender waited patiently. It would take a minute; perhaps less for the two to expire. A pity; this magical environment seemed to give the ponies a slight resistance to his touch. Any human would have died within seconds of his touch. Already their coats were fading. Any second now…

A sudden shock ran through Slender Man. It was as if a gong had just been rung inside of his head. He let the ponies fall to the ground, still breathing, as he turned to gaze deeper into the forest.

Three. One of the ponies had already collected three pages. That was…impossible. Even an eldritch can be shocked, and this was Slender’s first surprise in eons. Nothing could collect pages that fast. But even as he stood there, he sense another page collected, another reverberation in his being. No time to even finish the small ponies off. Slender stepped into his shadow dimension and sped faster than thought to where he sensed the other pony to be.

It was the pink one. Slender had seen her at the back of the group, and unlike the others, it had been wise enough to avert its gaze after he had appeared among them. Now it galloped through the forest, dashing through the trees as a speed no human could match. It seemed to know that the pages weren’t grouped together, and combed through the forest systematically, pausing to look in a slow circle every hundred feet before shooting off again.

If Slender didn’t know better, he would have assumed the pony knew the rules of the game. But that was impossible. Slender had never encountered this pony before, and besides, he had never travelled to this dimension. His legend could not have travelled between realities. Could it?

Enough. Regardless of the pony’s skill, Slender would not let it grab any more pages. Materializing a few feet in front of the pony behind a set of trees, Slender waited. The pony rounded one of the trees and saw him.

Unlike the smaller fillies, this pony’s reaction was instantaneous. Front and back hooves hit the ground, and the pony was already turning, running perpendicular to Slender, mane flying in the air. Not a motion wasted. Only a millisecond’s time in Slender’s presence – not enough time for Slender’s unearthly aura to affect the pony at all.

This might be harder than he had thought. Annoyed, Slender dematerialized and reappeared, this time cleverly hidden among a group of trees. This time the pony wouldn’t know he was there until he was right on top of her…

The pony’s left ear twitched. Then she sneezed. Without missing a beat, the pink pony did a 180-degree turn and sped back the way she had come into the forest.

Slender nearly flipped his shit. What the hell was that? He’d never seen anything like it. Had some miserable protoplasmic lifeform developed a…Slender sense? Impossible. But that was clearly what had happened. Humans might have doubted the evidence of their eyes, but Slender didn’t have eyes. Incomprehensible as it seemed, the pony not only knew how to play the game, but could sense his presence.

Before Slender could even dematerialize another silent echo rang through his consciousness. Five pages. Five. Pages. This wasn’t right. The game shouldn’t go like this. Other individuals had defeated Slender at the game once or even twice, but never more than twice, and never this quickly. And Slender hated losing. This was it. No holds barred. The Slender Man was going to find that pink pony and kill her horribly. He had already decided her death would be horrific enough to give him nightmares.

Grimly, Slender Man stretched his consciousness throughout the forest. He barely took any notice even as the pink pony collected another page. Preparations like this took a bit of time. Around The Slender Man darkness coalesced into a mass, deeper than fog and as black as original sin. Slowly, the Slender Man’s features twisted. Instead of his normal, human form, Slender Man now sprouted six twisting limb-tendrils from his back. His face, normally a blank mask akin to that of a mannequin, was now frowning, brows drawn down into a terrifying scowl of hatred. He was ready.

Game face set, Slender Man stepped once more into the darkness of his shadowy realm. Six pages down, but not one more would be taken. The pink one died now.

Twilight was beyond panic. Panic was for lesser situations of life-or-death crises. Ponies panicked when they caught their mane caught in train tracks with the Canterlot Express barreling towards them. Panic was good for changeling invasions, the return of Nightmare moon, and failing to write your weekly lesson on friendship to Princess Celestia.

Right now Twilight was sinking through the serene ocean of pure unadulterated terror. She hadn’t even glimpsed the bottom yet. She had passed over the event-horizon line of fear and despair as it were and now existed in a state of calm serenity.

It was quite relaxing, actually. Twilight trotted through the forest, Applejack and Rainbow Dash carried magically through the air behind her. Rarity and Fluttershy brought up the rear, Rarity carrying Apple Bloom’s unconscious body, while Fluttershy limped along, tattered wings shedding feathers behind her.

Twilight was quite worried about Fluttershy’s wings. They refused to lie flat on Fluttershy’s back. No doubt they were at least sprained, or even broken. Based on Twilight’s internal calculations, Fluttershy would probably be grounded for the next two months at best.

This was, of course better than Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s situations. Glancing at both her friends hovering behind her, Twilight could only thank Luna that she had read Basic Healing Magic for Dummies last week. The title hadn’t engendered much confidence, but the book had been extremely informative on the various types of injuries and how to stabilize, if not cure them. A magical compressing spell on Applejacks’s legs had stopped the bleeding, at least. For Rainbow Dash, all Twilight could do was keep her head upright and stable, but at least magic ensured there was no possibility of something jostling her.

Moving someone with a head injury was usually a bad and often fatal decision, but Twilight had no choice. Once her panic, confusion, terror, and nosebleed had halted, Twilight had known there was only one option left to her and the rest of the girls. The Tree of Harmony.

Twilight wasn’t sure about the Tree of Harmony, but it was her last resort. The Elements of Harmony had been easy to use. Equip crown, blast bad guy. Very simple. But ever since Twilight had unlocked the magic box and activated the tree, things had gotten much more complicated.

For one thing, the magical transformation hadn’t activated itself when the six friends had tried to manually summon the elements. And even in a situation of great need (now), the elements weren’t doing anything. Did everypony need to turn the key again to use the elements? If so, Twilight was going to make a complaint. Talk about a shoddy element-delivery system.

Still, it was their best bet at the moment, which pretty much indicated how much trouble everypony was in. Pinkie Pie, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle hadn’t reappeared, so Twilight imagined they must be trying to collect these pages. But how long could they escape something that seemed to move every time you stopped looking at it? Whose very touch could corrode and destroy? Whose skin seemed impervious to harm?

Twilight was a mare of science. And magic. If Pinkie Pie could stop this monster by gathering a few pages, that was fine. But if she failed, Twilight wanted some heavy-duty magic in her arsenal.

Twilight glanced back and over her shoulder at Rarity and Fluttershy. Both ponies were silent and shattered at the ground or at their feet. Fluttershy noticed Twilight’s stare and gave a weak half smile. Twilight tried to return the smile as best she could, but she was aware that the blood vessels in her eyes had burst, giving her eyes a red tinge, and blood was drying down her front from where her nose had bled. At least Rarity was unharmed. The purple-maned unicorn could have been out for a stroll was it not for Apple Bloom’s limp form on her back. The black marks on her chest, arms and legs seemed to pulsate even as Twilight watched.

The memory of how Apple Bloom had received those marks concentrated Twilight’s mind again. Looking forward, she stepped up her pace. The Tree of Harmony had to work. It had to. Twilight could only pray that Pinkie Pie and the others managed to keep the strange creature off their backs long enough for them to figure out how to use the elements.

A stand of trees exploded as the Slender Man’s tendrils lance through them, sending a deadly hail of splinters in all directions. The Pink One was gone though, zipping away once again through the forest. Slender screamed his fury, a terrible screech-wail that echoed through the forest. Again. The Pink One had escaped him again.

Already, the pink pony was out of sight, but Slender could still sense her speeding through the forest. He could also sense the relative location of the last two pages, and knew the pony was once again moving towards one of the pages. How did she do it? No being from a three-dimensional reality could have senses that reached into the parareal, but this…pony had them. Flawless escape patterns, trap and warning senses, and the ability to home onto a page’s locations. This wasn’t just someone good at playing the game. Slender was sure that this pony was…cheating.

That made him mad. There could be only one eventual winner of the game, and that was Slendy. When Slender Man gave it his all, there was no being that could evade him, no matter how skilled they were. But the Pink One was an adversary in another league. Slender might have even been impressed had he not currently been so pissed off.

Still, Slender had to admit that the game was getting fun. Rage though he might, it had been a long time since he had actually had to think while playing. He had even hit upon a new strategy; one which he was sure would be effective.

Slender stepped into his alternate world, and then back out, just as the pony was reaching for a page. His tendrils darted forth, and sure enough, the Pink One spun and dodged around them, grabbing the page as she did so. No matter. Slender hadn’t been aiming at her anyways.

The tendrils slammed into the tree trunks next to the Pink One and passed through, effortless perforating the layers of bark and exiting the other side without slowing. Needle-sharp fragments of bark and wood sprayed out like hail and peppered the Pink
One even as she turned to flee.

Got you.

The Pink One staggered and nearly fell, but kept moving despite the hundreds of cuts and splinters of wood now peppering her side. Blood already oozed from many of the deeper cuts, but she nevertheless dug in her heels and took off. Far more slowly, Slender noticed. The cuts were deep, and if blood loss did not affect the Pink One’s reactions right away, a few more repeats of the same trick should do the job. He had won.

The eldritch do not adapt to change well, nor surprises. They’re used to tradition, and follow the rules. That doesn’t mean they can’t think quickly.

Slender stepped into the dark otherworld once more. Time to finish the game.

Twilight stared at the Tree of Harmony and could have wept. The tree glowed even in the unnatural darkness, emitting an aura of such love and life that for a moment, Twilight forgot why she had come. Not for long, though.

Setting her two friends gently on the ground, and taking a moment to ensure Rainbow Dash’s head stayed level, Twilight then galloped for the base of the tree. Sure enough, the box was there, each key in place since Twilight and her friends had defeated Tirek. At last.

The box seemed to glow in the tree’s gentle radiance as Twilight approached. Swiftly, Twilight found her key in the box. It was time to let loose the Elements of Hamony once more. This strange thin man-thing had kicked her and her friends around the block for a while, but it was time to law the smackdown on this monster.

Twilight twisted the key as hard as she could.

The key refused to budge.

Disbelieving, Twilight twisted again.

The key refused to budge.

Twilight felt the calm radiance of hope which had so recently engulfed her vanish, and panic once again take control. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening.

“Um, Twilight? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy and Rarity approached, Rarity having left Apple Bloom with the other two ponies. Twilight made no answer, but twisted again, this time using both hooves. The key didn’t budge as much as a millimeter. Both Rarity and Fluttershy’s eyes widened in dismay.

“Oh no. The keys aren’t…?”

“Quick, try and turn your keys as well,” Twilight said desperately. “Maybe if we turn them together…”

It wouldn’t work. Twilight knew it. No matter how hard Rarity and Fluttershy pushed, at the same time as Twilight or independently, the keys refused to budge.

“Maybe it needs all of us to work,” Rarity suggested. “You know, like the first time we did it.”

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Twilight thumped the box with one hoof in frustration. “Applejack’s unconscious, Dash’s skull is fractured, and Pinkie Pie is out there playing tag with that thing."

“Maybe…if we took the elements out of the tree again?” Fluttershy suggested quietly. “They wouldn’t be as strong as the tree itself, but we could still use the Elements, right?”

Twilight slapped herself on the forehead with one hoof. “Brilliant, Fluttershy! That’s how Luna and Celestia first got the Elements. Let’s do it!”

But try as they might, the ponies found the elements were now locked in position on the Tree of Harmony. Twilight pounded at her own element, tried to blast it out with a few spells, and even punched the tree a few times but her element didn’t so much as budge. This was insane. The tree was denying them the Elements. But why? Why? Everypony was going to die unless they got the Elements and…

Twilight was dimly aware of a pounding in her head, and a noise on the edge of consciousness. The Elements. Without them, they were all going to die. The needed the Elements. Pinkie Pie might think these pages would stop the monster, but what good would pages do? They needed to get the Elements, so why wasn’t the tree helping them? Did they all need to turn the keys at once like before? Or was it that the tree had grown tired of helping the six, had withdrawn the Element’s blessings? Could it be that the six had done something to break the bond of friendship? What if—

“TWILIGHT!” Twilight’s head snapped up as Rarity’s scream brought her back into the real world. She stared up at her friend; the unicorn was holding her tightly by one arm, as if dragging her back. Twilight was suddenly aware of Fluttershy on her other side, gripping her just as tightly. There was a throbbing pain on Twilight’s head for some reason…

“What is it, Rarity?” Twilight asked. Rarity stared back at Twilight for some reason, and then slowly pointed to Twilight’s forehead. Instinctively, Twilight touched her forehead and flinched. A bolt of searing pain raced through her head and her hoof came away covered in blood. Twilight stared horrified at the blood, but then saw the tree’s trunk. There was a faint indentation, and a spattering of blood, right at head-height. “Did I do that?”

“You started hitting the tree with your head,” Fluttershy volunteered timidly. “And you wouldn’t stop, even when Rarity and I grabbed you. Are you…okay, Twilight?”

“Fine, fine.” Twilight lied, as the pounding in her head was replaced by a full-blown marching band on parade. “I was just thinking. About…tactics. It looks like the Element’s won’t be working for us, girls.”

“I’m sure we don’t need them anyways,” Rarity said with forced cheerfulness. “Pinkie Pie can get all of those pages, or if that fails, you’ll come up with a brilliant plan.”

“Of course. Of course I will. I’ve got five backup plans already, and a five-phase plane ready to go.” Twilight had no plans, no idea of what to do. The tree had been her last bet, and worse, she could see Rarity and Fluttershy knew it too.

“I tell you what, why don’t we go back and have another shot at that barrier-thing?” Rarity suggested. She was trying to appear cheerful, but there was a brittle edge to her voice as she continued, “I’m sure that if we try again we’ll break through. And then…why, we could get to Zecora’s and sent a letter to Princess Celestia through Spike!”

“Yeah. That could work,” Twilight said absently. It couldn’t work. It wouldn’t. But what options were left? Maybe…maybe they could look for Pinkie’s pages. Maybe she had been right, and the pages were the key to stopping this nightmare. It was all Twilight had left.

She turned to the entrance of the cave that held the Tree of Harmony and stopped. There was something pink on the ground and the entrance to the cave.

It was like one of Pinky Pie’s party balloons, only deflated. Ragged bits of wood were stuck to it, and red was oozing all over the balloon. It was twitching, ever so slightly. It moved – convulsed rather – but all that happened as the balloon flopped over on its side. A raggedy bit of cloth stuck to the balloon fell over. It was…pink, and might have been fluffy once. Pinkie Pie’s mane.

It was Pinkie Pie.

The party pony didn’t move. Twilight wasn’t even sure she was breathing. What she had taken to be cloth was her mane; no longer in its bouncy, fluffy shape. It looked as if it had been torn to bits. The same was true of Pinkie. A thousand cuts lined her body, and dripped blood onto the stony ground of the cavern. It was pooling around Pinkie, a red stain engulfing a pink center.

Slowly, Twilight looked up. Rarity and Fluttershy were transfixed beside her, still with horror. But Twilight’s eyes roamed the cavern for what she knew must be there. The darkness caught at her eyes. The shadows seemed to draw in more light. There he was.

Standing. In the center of the cavern suddenly. As if he had always been there. Waiting. The tall figure regarded her slowly. It was no longer a still, pale, twisted version of a human. This was something else.

Dark tendrils emerged from its back. Shadows seemed to form around it, sucking in the light. Its features were twisted, horrible and cruel. Two empty sockets seemed to be staring right at Twilight. She could feel it’s presence from here. It poured into her soul, invisible tendrils pressing against its heard as it whispered in Twilight’s mind.

This was it. Death.

No more places to run. Nowhere to hide.

Twilight raised her horn, and stared the monster down as she drew on every scrap of magic she held. If it was her time, she was going to go down swinging.

Her legs braced. Her head lowered.

Twilight charged.

Part 5: End of The Game

Twilight snapped. It wasn’t the first time the Alicorn princess had done so. The last time not so long ago had been when Tirek had destroyed her library. The white-hot rage that had burned through Twilight’s mind had led her to battle Tirek one-on-one, nearly unleashing magical Armageddon in the ensuing battle. This time, all of Twilight’s enmity was directed at the strange man, the thin man before her.

Twilight’s ears flattened, her tail went down. Both wings raised, and launched her into the air as Twilight hurtled herself at her enemy. It couldn’t move as long so as Twilight was watching it. She was going to hit it with so many spells that—

A tendril as thick as Twilight’s hoof flashed before her eyes, and Alicorn barely managed to barrel-roll out of the way in time. A second tendril was already waiting for her however and a third and fourth extended to cut off Twilight’s escape routes. That was when Twilight saw a fifth tendril speeding towards her like a lance made out of midnight.

Twilight’s horn flared and she vanished. She popped out of existence just as the tendril was about to graze her wing, and appeared behind the thin creature and hit it with a burst of purple magic. She was pleased to see the thing’s shape flicker slightly. All six of the being’s tendrils darted at her again, but Twilight teleported out of the way again, sending three quick bolts of magic lashing out across the cavern.

The thin man-monster didn’t flinch or step back, but its shape flickered again as each bolt struck it. The darkness around its shape seemed to darken and intensify even as Twilight watched. Twilight would have bet every bit she owned that if the creature hadn’t been mad before, it was now seriously pissed off.

All six tendrils coiled around the humanoid shape, and then darted out at Twilight, causing her to swoop and duck wildly as they scythed through the air around her. She teleported twice, in small micro-jumps, but the tendrils homed in on her like a swarm of angry black bees. She retreated, firing blasts of magic at the shape of the thin man wildly, but the tendrils homed in. Twilight found herself backed into a corner of the cavern, unable to escape the crisscrossing web of tendrils as they slowly closed in, almost exultantly, for the coup de grace.

That was when the first stone flew across the cavern and struck the thin man-figure in the back of the head.

The tendrils surrounding Twilight jerked in surprise, giving her opportunity to teleport herself away to a safer part of the cavern. Breathing deeply in sudden relief, Twilight looked back across the cavern towards the Tree of Harmony where her rescuer stood.

“Take that you…you ruffian!” Rarity’s voice range out through the cave. Across the room, Twilight saw Rarity hunting for larger stones to magically hurl at the creature. Timidly, Fluttershy handed Rarity a pebble, which the unicorn scornfully discarded for a rock the size of Twilight’s head, which she telekinetically heaved at the figure standing in the center of the cavern.

One tendril caught the small boulder in midair and crushed it into pieces effortlessly. Three more tendrils darted at Rarity, but came up short as Twilight struck the monster in the back with another blast of magic. All six tendrils came at her this time, but halted again as a rock twice the size of Twilight’s head shattered against the thin man-monster’s body.

Twilight grinned as thing’s tendrils seemed to almost knot themselves in frustration. Logic and planning be damned. It was time to kick some serious tail.

Slender was about to snap. He would have already gone completely berserk were he human, but eldritch beings don’t have the same mechanisms as monkeys. Beings with organs, various bodily fluids, and actual matter could properly ‘lose it’. When a human or pony passed beyond the limits of rage, a red haze tended to drop in front of their eyes as they proceeded to go on a murderous rampage. This is generally considered to be a bad thing, but it was part of the body’s way of dealing with excess rage and anger.

The Slender Man didn’t have glands. He didn’t even have a real body, not real in the sense of mass and matter and whatnot. Thus, he didn’t have any way to blow off steam as it were. All he could do was get angrier and angrier as he failed to kill the three ponies. If anger was mass, Slender Man was right now a black hole of unrelenting fury.

The pony could teleport. It could teleport. No matter how many times he sent his tendrils weaving after the Purple One, it simply vanished before he could so much as graze it. And it sent spell after magical spell at the Slender Man, who was of course unable to move because of the game. They didn’t do much damage, but they hurt like the blazes. It was like being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach by a toothpick, and it made Slender mad. He couldn’t touch it or hurt it, but it could hurt him. It wasn’t fair.

Slender had no concept of irony, but if he had, he would have gladly scoured the multiverse and horribly killed the inventor of the word in every manifestation. Teleportation was his thing. Only he could do it. That was how the game worked, with no exceptions. It might not have been so bad even so; he could have caught the Purple One with time, but then there were the rocks.

The rocks. It was the White One’s fault. Every time he was about to catch the Purple One, a stone would crash against the back of Slender’s head. It didn’t hurt, or even harm the Slender Man, but it made him mad. Nothing threw rocks at the Slender Man. It wasn’t just pain; this was an insult to him, personally. The Purple One had already eclipsed the Pink One on Slender’s internal lists of hatred, but the White One was now the all-time, number one enemy for all of existence for the Slender Man.

He couldn’t hit her either. The white unicorn didn’t have wings and couldn’t teleport, but every time Slender tried to tag her, a magical burst of energy would throw off his aim for the tiniest millisecond, or the Yellow One would swoop in and drag the White One to safety.

By now, the Slender Man was distinguishing each one by name in his mind. The Purple One, the White One, the Yellow One, and the now presumably deceased Pink One. He had never given his prey names before, but he was making an exception in this case. He was going to remember each one of their names, just so he would be able to later reflect upon the horrible ways he had killed each one of them.

If only he could move. Materialize behind one of the ponies and grab it. As he was, standing in the center of the cavern, there were too many ways the ponies could evade him, even with six tentacles. But no. With three pairs of eyes watching his every movement, there wasn’t enough time for him to step into his shadowy other-world. The instant one pair of eyes left his form and he tried to leave, two more would pin him where he stood. And he couldn’t move. It was rules of the game. The stupid, cursed, pointless game.

The Slender Man didn’t want to play by the rules any longer. He wanted to kill the irritants and their entire reality for daring to injure him, insult him. They were just mindless creatures, incapable of communication, or even basic emotions. All they did was run away and die. If he could be free of their cursed gaze for just one second—

The Slender Man had it.

As quick as thought, all six of his tendrils stopped their pursuit of the Purple One and retreated for form a circle around him. The points of each tendril suddenly stabbed into the ground, deep into the cave’s strata of stone and dirt. No more. He’d start with the White One first.

Twilight stopped in midair as the tendrils abandoned their pursuit of her. She was covered in sweat and crime from her dodging during the fight, but she hadn’t been touched yet. Grimly, she began charging another spell while keeping her eye on the thin figure, but hesitated. The tendrils weren’t going after Rarity or Fluttershy, but were arrayed around the slender shape. What was it doing?

Each tentacle suddenly stabbed deep into the ground, hard enough to crack the rock and dig deeply into the earth. They seemed to flex, creating a spider web of cracks in the stone. The six tendrils formed a perfect hexagon around the unmoving shape of the mannequin man-figure. Twilight stared. What was the point of that?

The tendrils exploded upwards, bringing with them a rain of dirt and stone, drawn inexorably upwards with the force of the movement. Twilight flinched backwards, a purple shield of energy forming between her and the blast, shielding her from sharp bits of stone as they flew in every direction. She exhaled slowly, checking herself for injuries. Nothing. That had been startling, but at least—

Twilight’s head snapped back up. She scanned the now expanding cloud of dust, but couldn’t make anything out in the haze. Oh no. Oh no. Slowly, the cloud of dirt and debris began to clear, but the shape Twilight was hoping, praying to see was there any longer. It was gone.

Twilight had just a moment to stare in shocked horror when a crack and a scream rang out through the cavern.

Rarity.

Slender stepped into the other place as soon as he felt all three sets of eyes leave him. At last. He couldn’t remember ever having been trapped in one place for so long, but his trick with the dust cloud had worked. It had been a variant of the move he had used on the Pink One, in fact. Slender had not hitherto thought of using his tendrils in such a fashion, preferring instead to simply touch his victims, but necessity spurred innovation.

And now he was free. In his movement-yet-not-movement, Slender ‘walked’ over to where the White One and the Yellow One cowered from the blasts. Bits of stone had cut both ponies’ skin, yet they remained relatively intact. That was good. He wanted them fully conscious for what he was about to do.

The Slender Man rematerialized and used one of his tendrils to grab the White One and held her shrieking in midair. With carefully guided movements he let one tendril snake its way onto the base of the White One’s horn. Then he snapped it off.

Unicorn horns were not, in fact, solid bone. Slender discovered they were much line bones. Like any bone, there was marrow, and inevitably, blood. It was quite amazing, how much blood could emerge from a wound like that. Slender held the unicorn’s horn in one tendril and watched the White One convulse in the other. He was rather disappointed. After the initial sound wave had passed, the unicorn hadn’t made any other sounds. It was just flopping about randomly. Hardly satisfying at all.

Slender let the White One drop, and regarded the horn in his other tendril. To think this had been the cause of so much annoyance. He crushed it into fragments with one tendril, and turned his attention to the Yellow One which stood next to him.

It was simply staring at the White One, eyes wide. It didn’t move, or even breathe as far as Slender could tell. Another disappointment. Had it died of shock and fear? Rabbits and other small creatures did that, as Slender recalled. Maybe he could try waking it up later. But for now, there was the other source of his hatred to deal with.

Slender turned, and looked at the Purple One. It wasn’t staring at him, which was a definite tactical error. It too was watching the White One as it bled on the cave’s floor, but it jerked into wakefulness as it seemed to feel the Slender Man’s intent.

Good. He wanted some challenge before it died.

Fluttershy stared at Rarity’s unmoving body. She would never have admitted it to anypony, but she had always been slightly jealous of her glamorous friend. The ease with which Rarity could express herself and deal socially with other ponies had been a source of Fluttershy’s quiet envy. Fluttershy was jealous not only of Rarity’s confidence, but also her stunning appearance which was nothing short of perfection in most circumstances. Rarity’s constant state of pristine perfection often reminded Fluttershy of the dolls she used to play with when she was a filly.

Rarity looked like a doll now, but one that had been tossed on the trash heap. Her mane was a disordered mess, her eyes staring sightlessly at the sky. Her chest rose and fell in short, quick breaths, but that was all that moved. A thin rivulet of blood still flowed from where Rarity’s horn had been to form a small puddle around her face. The…stump was just a jagged bit of bone and flesh, now.

Fluttershy felt cold on the inside. The rest of her was a panic of emotion, fear, pain, and despair, which tried to burst out of her, but the center of her being was colder than the heart of a windigo. It was Fluttershy’s heart, and it was cracking to pieces.

The yellow and pink pegasus had not screamed when Applejack had broken both legs, nor even when Rainbow Dash had fallen from the sky. The harsh reality of the circumstances had demanded she hold in her tears and panic to help her friends. Instead, she had sacrificed her wings to save her falling friends, and had held in her emotions as Twilight had led her and Rarity to the Tree of Harmony.

Had she the time, she would have burst into tears and wept for years without pause at just one of her friend’s injuries. But action and the need to save her friend’s lives demanded more of Fluttershy now. She had held in the tears, held in the screams that threatened to tear from her through to let Twilight think. But each she had witnessed a friend being hurt a piece of Fluttershy’s heart had fallen away, lying cold and broken in the depths of her being.

And now it was Rarity. Fluttershy felt a strong connection with the Element of Generosity, and not just because Generosity and Kindness fell so closely together. She had a spa and gossip session with Rarity every week. She had helped Rarity sew when the Unicorn had been on her costuming deadline, and she had even modelled for her friend once. They had sung together as members of the Ponytones.

And now she was dead. Or dying. Fluttershy wasn’t a medical doctor, but she had treated her animal friends when they had gotten hurt. Rarity had lost too much blood. Too much. And even if she stopped the bleeding, that horrible…thing had crushed Rarity’s horn. Fluttershy knew her friend would never recover from the loss of her horn. Such a blow would destroy her pride just as thoroughly as it had her body.

Fluttershy barely looked up as an explosion and the crackle of magical energy heralded Twilight’s continuation of the battle against the creature. What was the point? It was going to kill them all. Four of her friends were already dead, or near enough. There was just Twilight and her, and Fluttershy knew she couldn’t do anything to help.

Maybe it would kill her quickly. Probably not. She’d most likely be left to die in some hideously painful fashion, counting down the seconds until she passed away. And it wouldn’t stop there. Ponyville was just a few minutes away. It would go there, and kill everypony there as well. Nothing could stop it. There was no Canterlot Guard for Ponyville, and it was hours away from Princess Celestia or the Crystal Kingdom. Fluttershy and her friends were Ponyville’s only real defense. That thing would cut through the helpless ponies like a scythe mows down wheat.

And then what? Maybe it would continue on to Manehattan, Appleloosa, and the other great cities of Equestria. It might even go to Canterlot itself. Could Princess Celestia stop it? Nothing seemed to harm it.

Part of Fluttershy’s heart, a part she thought had already broken, seemed to be squeezing the breath out of her. Would it stop at ponies? It might decide to wipe out all life in the entire world. Maybe it would kill her friends, probably still waiting for her return at her cottage.

Maybe it would kill Angel.

A small, strange sound emerged from Fluttershy’s lips. If a heart smashing to pieces could make a sound, it would sound like that. Fluttershy wanted to sink to her knees, to bury her head in her hooves and wait for it to be over. To wake up from this nightmare. How could Twilight keep fighting when all hope was lost?

Fluttershy stopped. In the tiniest corner of her mind, something stopped screaming long enough for a thought to emerge.

Her friend. She still had one friend who was alive. Twilight. Twilight was still battling that thing. She hadn’t given up. She hadn’t lain down, waiting to die, even though her heart had to be breaking as much as Fluttershy’s. Despite everything, her friend hadn’t given up trying, even though there wasn’t even hope left.

Fluttershy’s head rose slowly, and she looked away from Rarity for the first time. Across the cavern Fluttershy could see Twilight’s silhouette illuminated by the flashes of light from her spells, dancing and weaving through a dust cloud that engulfed two thirds of the cavern. Slowly, Fluttershy stood back up. She must have fallen at some point.

Well then. It was time to go. There was just one last thing Fluttershy knew she had to do.

Absently, the yellow pegasus pony brushed as some dirt that had gotten stuck in her mane. Then she walked slowly into the expanding dust cloud, to where she knew she would find Twilight and…it.

The haze of particles in the air obscured Fluttershy’s form for a moment, before she seemed to disappear into the air.

The Slender Man exulted. If he had lungs, he would have laughed. Over. It was over at last. Order had been restored. The pests had been disposed of, one by one. There were just two left now, and only one that truly mattered. The Purple One dove and spun, moving constantly avoid and attack. Each time she saw a flicker of movement in the dust, she would turn and launch a spell before diving away. It was futile.

The cloud of debris had been…genius. The Slender Man wasn’t one to pat himself on the back, but it had been truly inspired. Granted, it was the inspiration of pure desperation and rage that had fueled it, but it was magnificent. Game changing. No longer would he be subject to the rules of the game that bound him. Obscured from every eye, Slender could move back and forth with impunity, at ease to strike whenever, wherever he wanted.

This technique would make him a legend even among the strange-kind. With it, he could depopulate entire cities in minutes, ravage worlds in a fraction of the time it would normally take him. Entire dimensions would be dragged screaming into the grave as quickly as Slender Man could arrive. Cthulu would eat his brain-tentacles when he heard about this.

Slender wondered why he had never thought of this idea before. The concept…the brilliance of using something to blind his victims had never occurred to him. And yet, it was so simple. But he had played the game for countless millennia without even changing his method a single iota, always playing by the same boring rules.

Well. He had been woken from his slumber at last. Rules? There were no rules to the game. Restrictions such as being limited by other beings’ lines-of-sight? Bah. It was a new era dawning for the things-that-come-from-beyond. The game was about to change.

First though, a minor irritant. The pegasus-unicorn creature. Slender had indulged himself in a bit of fun, reappearing in the cloud behind the Purple One, allowing it to turn and fire before effortlessly disappearing and reappearing somewhere else. Its panic and confusion had been a balm for the Slender Man’s mind. A bit of revenge, tit-for-tat if you would. A small fraction of the annoyance and confusion the other ponies had dealt to him.

And now?

Slender Man reappeared behind the Purple One. It turned, eyes wide as it spotted him, but it was too late. Even as the pony’s horn flared with magic, one of the Slender Man’s tendrils wrapped around the pony’s right leg and wing and squeezed. The wing cracked like a series of firecrackers, but the leg simply bent and broke with a dull crunching, ripping sound.

The Purple One convulsed, eyes going wide and mouth opening in a wordless scream. Still, she had the presence of mind to complete her spell and teleport herself a few feet away where she collapsed on the ground. Slightly annoying that the pony still had some fight left in her. Still, she was one leg and a wing down. The Purple One wasn’t going to be able to escape this time.

Slender Man watched the pony try to stand up. Its horn glowed feebly, and it seemed unable to stand on its remaining three legs. He’d start with those. Tear off another leg, then perhaps both wings. How long could a pony survive with only two legs? It would be an interesting experiment.

Slender made to step back into his shadowy home and failed. Puzzled, the Slender Man tried again. No good. Try as he might, he couldn’t move. Odd. It was almost as if—

Eyes. On him.

Slender Man cast around with his senses, and located the source of the stare. It was the Yellow One. It was right next to him. In his euphoria over the Purple One’s downfall, Slender hadn’t noticed it creeping up on him.

The temerity. The audacity.

But the Yellow One wasn’t moving. It just stood there. Head raised to meet what would have been Slender’s eyes had they existed, front and back legs braced. Its ears were flat, but it made no move to attack him. It just stared and stared.

Slender Man paused for a second, and then reevaluated his to-do list slightly. Kill the Yellow One first. Slender amped up his unearthly presence until he could feel it distorting reality around him. The Yellow One was maybe six feet away. It would be about thirty seconds before its eyes exploded, Slender guessed. That would be interesting to see.

Slender waited.

Twilight had once stubbed her hoof on a chair. She had hopped about her library, screaming and hollering as the all pain in her body had seemed to concentrate itself in her single hoof. She had raced for the kitchen where she kept an emergency bag of painkillers, and had stubbed her hoof again on the on the doorframe. Then she had curled up into a ball and lain still, cradling her hoof until Spike had brought the morphine. Twilight would have gladly torn off her hoof and eaten it if it had meant an end to her pain now.

Twilight couldn’t feel her right leg. Her entire right flank seemed to be painless in a body in which every fiber screamed in agony. She wished she couldn’t feel her wings. Even without looking over her shoulder, Twilight could feel every bone that had been twisted the wrong way, ever break and tear where her wings had bent or broken. Something was dripping onto her flank.

The world was pain, without end or mercy. Twilight felt it tearing at her, gnawing away at her mind, dragging her down into the darkness. All she could do was pray for it to end, wait for her death to arrive.

It was out there, in the dust and darkness. Maybe it would torment her. Hurt her even more somehow. But Twilight could only hope that at the end, she would die. Unless pain followed you even when your soul left your body. That was what Twilight feared.

Drip, drip.

The world was silence. Dust slowly settled to the floor of the cave. Twilight peered through the shadows, searching for her nemesis.

Her enemy.

Twilight couldn’t even conjure a basic illumination spell. She couldn’t even stand up. Still, she wanted to see it one more time before she died. To spit on it, perhaps. She thought she could manage the distance, even if it was a few feet away. That would be an interesting experiment. How far a pony could spit. Maybe she could cross-reference it with her notes on tongue length. It would be interesting to see if there were any correlations…

Drip, drip.

Something was raining. No? Something was falling, then. Little plinks like droplets of water. Maybe it was water. It certainly wasn’t coming from Twilight. Her blood was soaking into her coat, thank-you-very-much. She had just gotten it cleaned and groomed at the spa yesterday, too. How distressing. Rarity would have a fit. If she were still alive.

Drip.

Twilight could barely make out the silhouette of the monster in the fading cloud. There it was. Dark. Tall. Not handsome. It hurt even more to look at it for some reason. The dripping sound seemed to be coming from it. Maybe it was crying? No. Slobbering, more like. Maybe it was about to eat her. That sounded painful. Still, given the among of blood loss upon losing a limb, Twilight calculated her death would eventuate at most ten minutes after consumption began. That was a bright spot, at least.

Drip.

The dust was settling. Twilight craned her head to see in the darkness. Funny. The Tree of Harmony wasn’t nearly as bright as it had been. Twilight remembered when she had first seen it after returning the Elements of Harmony. It had lit up the cavern. Now it was a dim glow, barely enough to cast shadows.

Unimportant. Wasting time. Valuable moments. The dripping. What was it coming from?

Drip.

Twilight stared at the thin figure. No water. No saliva. It was standing, facing something. Just off to Twilight’s right. Twilight moved her neck. No good. Couldn’t see. The alicorn moaned in frustration. She had to see.

Slowly, Twilight used her left side, front and back legs pushing weakly to turn her for a better angle. Pain raced through her right leg, enough to overshadow even the pain in Twilight’s wings.

No. Ignore it. Must turn. Push. Twilight pushed, sending another flash of agony through her. This wasn’t for vengeance. This was for research. Twilight Sparkle’s last research project. The source of the drips. For research. There could be no higher calling.

Twilight pushed herself onto her side, ignoring the pain. She saw the thin figure, surrounded by a nebula of darkness, a locus of light’s absence. She saw a yellow pegasus, hooves firm against the stone floor, staring at the thin monster. It had a pink mane, and two bent, crumpled wings. It seemed to glow softly in the Tree of Harmony’s dim radiance. And from each eye, two specks of red fell, splashing softly against the hard ground.

Fluttershy’s eyes were red, but not from crying. Blood fell from each eye, running down her cheeks and pooling down her chin. Slowly, drops of crimson fell to the stone floor.

Drip.

They were the only sound in the cavern apart from Twilight’s heartbeat. Fluttershy’s eyes never wavered, never blinked. And still the tears fell. Tears of blood, falling nonstop from Fluttershy’s eyes.

It was fitting in a way Twilight couldn’t describe. Her friend, her timid, shy friend stood there watching a monster. But she didn’t back down, she didn’t turn away. She just stared on, as if she meant to stare forever.

Twilight watched Fluttershy, and forgot her pain. There was only one thing left in Twilight’s mind that mattered. Watching her friend. Watch her stare down death. For Twilight, time stopped. There was only one thing.

The stare.

Slender stared too. The yellow pony didn’t move. It didn’t run, or hide. It didn’t die, either. Nothing should have been able to look at his true form revealed. Not gods, not demons. Even the eldest of the eldritch feared to gaze upon the true nature of their kin. But somehow this small pony took it in. His impossible nature. His endless being.

Slender had…never had anything look at him before. Nothing had even looked at him for a long time. Not even another of his kind. Whatever gaze fell upon him could never last. Even the strongest minds could only handle his image for…seconds. A minute perhaps, but no longer. But this small thing was staring at him, and wouldn’t stop. It felt so strange, that Slender had no emotions for the feeling. For once, he didn’t know what to do.

The pony’s legs trembled. She quivered with the effort of looking at him. Blood ran in rivulets down her face. But her eyes watched him. They seemed to look deep into his inner being, as if searching for something. They didn’t find it. But she kept searching anyways. Not judging. Not hating. Just searching for something lost.

Slender couldn’t stand the gaze. It hurt in a way he couldn’t describe. Worse than magic. Worse than pain. It hurt, and he couldn’t get rid of the pain. He stretched out his tendrils, and grasped the pony. She didn’t move, only seemed to sigh as his tendrils encircled her. They wrapped around her body, spreading his touch. But not on her eyes. For some reason, Slender couldn’t make himself cut off those eyes. And they still watched him.

They were blue. Slender hadn’t ever noticed colors before. Sight was such a lowly sense. But now he saw her eyes. They were like the sea, on a quiet day. When the sky was blue, and the sun shone gently down on a field of blue tinged with green. They pulled him in, and still searched for something. Slender didn’t know what, but he only wanted it to end. He felt the pony’s body grow weaker as his touch changed her flesh. Soon. She would die soon. And the stare would end.

The tendrils seemed to enclose Fluttershy’s body. Twilight saw the black corruption from the tendrils begin to engulf the pony’s skin, rippling outwards like a drop of ink in a pool of water. But even that spread slowly. It was The Stare.

Twilight had always thought Fluttershy’s stare was a made-up threat, used to keep unruly animals in line. A joke. But it held the presence of the thin man back. It slowed his corruption. For a few moments, The Stare held death itself back.

Not for long, however.

It would end soon Twilight knew. The darkness crept onwards, leaving Fluttershy’s skin dead and lifeless where it passed. But Fluttershy took no heed, and kept staring at the thin figure before her. Her lips moved, and Twilight wondered if she was imagining it. But Fluttershy was. She was speaking, in a low voice that carried faintly to Twilight’s ears.

“…maybe you are evil,” Fluttershy was saying quietly to the thin figure. “But I don’t think you really are. Not entirely. There’s nothing truly bad in this world. There are only things that choose to be bad. And I think that’s what you chose. Maybe you had a really bad day once, and chose to be evil. But that was your choice.” The darkness crept further up Fluttershy’s body, but Fluttershy didn’t move, only continued.

“You hurt my friends. You hurt them all, and you enjoyed it. You didn’t make it quick, and you didn’t need to hurt them. Animals kill each other, but they never do it to be mean. You’re not an animal, so you must be like us. You think. You don’t to do these things, but you do. So…” Fluttershy’s voice faltered, but picked up again. The darkness was spreading to her face, reaching up to consume her entirely.

“So I don’t know what you are. Maybe you really are a nightmare. Maybe you’re a punishment for something bad I did a long time ago. But I think you’re really just lost. A sad thing that never realized what you were doing was wrong. And you won’t ever stop, because nopony ever told you the difference between good and bad. But I will.” Fluttershy’s mouth was covered in darkness, and it spread slowly up her face, taking life with it. She could barely stand, trembling, but she spoke on nevertheless, in a whisper that filled the cave.

“I think you’re wrong. I think you’re misguided. I think you don’t care what other ponies think, and do what you want. And I think you never realized that this hurts others. So I’m going to tell you now. It’s a bad thing. It’s not right. So…”

Twilight watched Fluttershy falter, as the darkness reached her eyes. The pegasus’s legs faltered, and her breath slowed. Her eyes finally left that slender figure, the Slender Man. She sunk slowly to the ground, half supported by the tendrils gripping her body. Her skin was pale, drained of color, of life. Twilight closed her eyes, but Fluttershy’s voice rasped out in the darkness.

All that was left were her words.

“…so, don’t do these things anymore, okay? Don’t be bad. You can change. Don’t harm anypony else. Just…” There was a pause, and Fluttershy’s voice stopped.

The pony was on the ground, her chest halted midway between rising and falling. Her eyes closed, and she lay lifeless. There was no air left for her to speak. Fluttershy’s chest gently fell, and something like a sigh left her, carrying her final word and setting it free in the darkness.

“Just…stop.”

And then she was still. And the world was full of darkness, save for the form of the slender man standing surrounded by shadows. Fluttershy’s last words echoed through the cavern, and resonated softly to Twilight’s ears. The whispers seemed not to fade, letting Fluttershy’s voice carry throughout the cavern.

“…stop…”

And the whispers seemed to grow, until it was as if Fluttershy spoke in Twilight’s ears.

“Stop….”

Until the echoes grew, and Fluttershy’s voice spoke throughout the cavern a hundred times over, no longer a whisper, but a voice, a shout, a roar.

“Stop!”

And then the world went silent, and Twilight raised her head as the Tree of Harmony glowed in one instant, illuminating the cavern, each Element shining like a sun. And Fluttershy’s voice came back again, and with it, the world shook.

“Stop.”

And then there was light.

Light filled the cavern. At its source were the Elements of Harmony, radiating light bright enough to drive away every shadow. They weren’t just bright; they were incandescent, lit by magic and friendship. They burned through the darkness, and set the world ablaze with brilliance.

And at the center of the light bathed in its terrible, wonderful splendor were the Slender Man and Fluttershy. And the magic of Harmony, of Friendship, but most of all, the magic of Kindness enveloped the two in pure energy.

The Elements of Harmony are not inanimate objects. Contrary to whatever Twilight and her friends might have believed, the Elements did indeed possess a kind of sentience of their own. It wasn’t anything conscious, despite what someponies might think. The Elements could not actively manipulate the environment or the actions of other ponies. That would just be silly. But they could choose when to bestow their gifts, when to nudge their bearer’s minds at the right moment.

And so they had waited. Even when the corrupting influence of a being from the beyond had caused massive disturbances in the flow of harmony in the Everfree Forest, the Elements had lain dormant. Even as the being known as the Slender Man had attacked and maimed the bearers, the Elements had done nothing. They could have given the six their gifts of power at any time, but to what end?

Eldritch beings slaughtered worlds. Entire realities had been hollowed, all live stricken and every memory of hope quashed in an attempt to harm just one of the Ancient. Gods had perished, empires fallen, all at the will of something that was as ignorant of death as it was mercy. Had the six been granted power, they would have surely fought. As strong as their bonds of friendship were, they might even have hurt the Slender Man. But they would never have killed it.

So the Elements had waited, even as the bearers fell one by one, and the end drew near. Waiting for a single chance. And they had found it. A single chink in Slender Man’s being. A moment of doubt, born of an odd game where nothing had happened as planned. They had sensed his hesitation, just for a fraction of time impossible to measure by any normal standard. But that had been enough. The Elements had struck as one, using the bond between the dying Twilight and Fluttershy as their conduit to flow into the Slender Man.

But not to harm. The Elements were as dust compared to a being such as he. Not to harm, or even to alter him. Turning a being like Slender to stone was equally impossible. No. The Elements strove to complete one small task. To do just one thing, this had never been done in all of Slender’s existence.

To translate just one word into something he could understand.

One word, to bridge the gap between mortal and what lies beyond.

One word.

“Stop.”

The Light Hurt.

It Hurt More Than Anything.

Slender Man wished the light would stop. It seemed to drive into his being, seeking out his deepest parts of being and flooding them with light and pain. But the light didn’t stop there. It brought something with it.

A Voice.

A Voice Saying Words.

“Stop.”

The word echoed in Slender’s mind. It ring throughout his self, causing the Slender Man to forget everything else as it spoke to him.

“Stop. Just stop.”

It was words, but more than that. It was meaning, and understanding, not in the simple limited sense of vibrations and language that ponies and humans employed. It was information translated across a hundred thousand different modes of being, from thought to wave-form energy to the movement of celestial bodies. It was in the ether, in the thought-bridges, in the conceptual planes that Slender moved through. It was words spoken to him in his tongue, in a way he could understand and not ignore. And it had come from the pony in front of him.

She had spoken.

Realizing this was pain. She had talked to him. Knowledge made the Slender Man scream in agony. She could talk. It wasn’t just sound vibrations; it wasn’t just an involuntary reflex. It was communication, at the basest level of being, from creatures hardly more complex than dust. But he understood now. He understood it all.

The Slender Man stood in the center of the cavern. Dust and debris littered the floor. The radiance that had washed over him was gone, leaving only the light from the tree. It was bright, but it did not hurt the Slender Man as it had done before. And he was not alone.

The Purple One was on its feet. It was unsteady, shaking, but it stood on four legs. Both its wings stretched out, as if they had never been broken. And across from her, the others started to stir. The Blue One moaned, yet its head was whole and undamaged. The Orange One twitched and moved her legs slowly; both limbs whole and strong. The Pink One raised itself off the floor slowly, her coat whole and unblemished. The White One’s horn shone in the light as she stretched.

And the pony in front of him opened her eyes. The Yellow On—no, the yellow pony slowly got to her feet, staring at her hooves and at her wings, healthy and unblemished by Slender Man’s taint. And then, slowly, hesitantly, she lifted her gaze to meet his. Her eyes stared into where his should have been, and looked deep into the Slender Man’s soul.

The Slender Man waited, uncertain. For the first time in his entire existence, he had no idea what to do. He stared back into the yellow pony’s eyes, and saw only kindness there, pure and untouched. She stared back at him, no longer affected by his unnatural nature. Her eyes were a gentle blue of the sea, and peaceful days under the sky.

They were the most terrifying things Slender Man had ever seen in his life.

Part 6: Something New

Twilight Sparkle looked at her hooves. Her glorious, plain, unbroken hooves. She tapped her right hoof experimentally, flinching for a pain that never came. Then Twilight raised both her wings, stretching them towards the ceiling of the cavern. Nothing was broken, nothing was bent. She was healthy. Whole. Undamaged, and more importantly, alive.

Getting a pile of new books for Hearth’s Warming Eve wouldn’t have made Twilight as happy as she was now. Receiving an award for being the Celestia’s Greatest Pupil wouldn’t even merit a blip on Twilight’s Happiness-O-Meter by comparison. Being named the next Star Swirl the Bearded wouldn’t—

…Okay, maybe that would rival Twilight’s current state of exultation. But for the moment, the purple alicorn just gave thanks that she was alive and well enough to give thanks. The Tree of Harmony had done it. The Elements had blasted that creature all the way into oblivion and everypony was safe and healed and free to—

It’s a very unpleasant experience to have one’s hopes shattered. Twilight had been dancing in happiness on Cloud Ten, but the sight of the grey and black figure standing in the center of the cavern brought her back down to earth instantly. It was still here? That was it. Twilight was going to send Princess Celestia a very upset note about the Elements of Harmony.

The figure was just…standing there. This was good at least. Twilight hoped it was dead; perhaps the Elements had left it brain-dead and it was just standing still in rigor mortis. Twilight doubted it, but she could hope anyways. What was even more disturbing than that however, was Fluttershy still standing just opposite the thin thing and still staring at it. It wasn’t The Stare however; it was just a normal Fluttershy stare.

Twilight’s natural thought processes as her brain temporarily overclocked to analyze the situation. It was clear that Fluttershy’s last words had done…something to the monster. The Elements of Harmony had made something happen, no doubt about that. Add in the fact that Twilight had been healed and that the creature wasn’t attacking her or Fluttershy at the moment and you could make the case that it had been subdued, or pacified in some way.

Twilight didn’t like the explanation her brain gave her, but her mind had quintuple-checked the details, and it was impossible to argue with your own brain. Besides, even if the slender figure was going to start attacking them again, what could Twilight do about it? Some days you just had to turn your brain off and roll with what was happening.

Twilight trotted across the cavern, not to Fluttershy, but to where her friends had been. Each one of them was groaning, standing up in some state of confusion, but very much alive and no longer injured. Rainbow Dash was holding her head in her hooves and Applejack as on her front hooves, as if not trusting her back legs to have healed, but both looked relatively okay. Rarity on the other hoof was clutching at her horn with both hooves, holding it firmly and refusing to let go.

“Rarity, are you okay?” Twilight asked in concern. She would have been very surprised if the answer had been ‘yes’, but asking simple questions had been part of the instructions on dealing with shock in her book, Treating Mental Psychosis for Dummies.

Rarity jerked, but quickly glanced up at Twilight before hastily removing both hooves for her horn. “Twilight! Why yes. I’m…fine darling. Absolutely fine.” One of her hooves rose almost unconsciously to touch her horn again.

“Well, I’m not okay.” Rainbow Dash stood up, both wings raised in anger or excitement. “What the heck happened? One minute I was flying through the sky, then bam. Everything goes dark, and now I’m here!”

“Ah don’t even remember that!” Applejack interjected. “Ah was about ta give that grey beanpole a right buckin’ when everything went dark!” Her eyes widened as more memory unearthed itself. “Apple Bloom! Is she…?”

“Ah’m right here sis.” Applebloom got to her feel with a groan. “Ah feel as if ah’ve been drinkin’ too much cider again. What the hay happened?”

“Yeah!” A pink blur raced around Twilight and the others and stopped, vibrating. Pinkie Pie’s coat gleamed in the cavern’s light, and her fluffy mane was back with extra sproing. “I thought for sure I was a goner when Slender finally got me. I was bleeding all over the floor, and I was seeing my entire life flash before my eyes, except with more balloons, and then, suddenly I was here! And unharmed! It must have been magic!”

“It was magic,” Twilight said before Pinkie could speak again. “The Elements saved us at the last moment when we were all about to die.”

“You mean they activated on their own after all our efforts to use them?” Rarity was indignant. “Preposterous!”

“I’m not sure that it was entirely random,” Twilight said slowly. “Everypony was down, including me, when Fluttershy tried to stare down the thing. She was using The Stare, but that didn’t do much. And then she said ‘stop’, and there was a flash of light and…” Twilight’s voice trailed off helplessly.

“Ya mean ta say that the Elements worked after Fluttershy talked to the thing?” Applejack’s voice was just as incredulous as Twilight felt. “That don’t make a lick a’ sense!”

“Yeah, who ever heard of a monster that went away because someone asked it nicely?” Rainbow Sash sneered. “Maybe I should go and tell Chrysalis that I think she’s a jerk. I bet that’d scare her away.”

“Um girls?” Applebloom tried to speak, but Rarity interrupted her.

“That’s as may be Rainbow Dash, but we simply must go looking for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! They were in the forest, and I dread to think what might have happened to them.”

“Girls…”

“That’s right! We’ve gotta look for Scoots and Sweetie Belle right away!”

“Hey girls?” Pinkie Pie interrupted the conversation. “Why is Slender Man still standing over there and not ripping our guts out as we speak?”

All heads turned, and four voices gasped as one.

“It’s still alive!?”

“We gotta get out a’ here and call in reinforcements!”

“What’s Fluttershy doing with that monster? Oh quick, Twilight, blast it with a spell!”

“QUIET!” Twilight screamed and was rewarded with a shocked silence. “Girls, I don’t know what in Equestria is happening, but we need to keep calm. Clearly, that thing isn’t attacking us any longer. If everypony is okay, I think we need to go to Fluttershy and see if we can communicate with this monster…thing.”

“What?” Pinkie Pie screeched. “You want to talk with the Slender Man? Are you crazy?”

“What in the hay is a Slender Man?” Applejack asked. “Is that another one of them humans Twilight mentioned?”

“The Slender Man isn’t a human, silly! The Slender Man is an eldritch abomination from urban legend that preys on humans and ponies, slowly driving them insane with his presence, haunting them until they go insane and die or become one of his mindless proxies!”

There was a lengthy pause. Finally Rainbow Dash asked, “Pinkie, did you just make all that up?”

“Me? Don’t be ridiculous Dash! The Slender Man is an established being from the beyond that has laid waste to countless realities before this one! I thought everypony knew about the Slender Man. He’s famous among the multi-dimensional community as one of the scariest, most deadly beings from the unknown that exists!” Pinkie Pie looked around at her stupefied friends, and seemed to think some further emphasis was needed. “Duh.”

“That’s…I don’t…I think I…” Twilight felt her mental gears begin to slip, but rallied with all the aplomb she could muster. “Thank you, Pinkie. Maybe you could explain that to us again? Later? At length? Repeatedly? But right now, we need to do something about that.”

Twilight indicated the still figure of what was presumably the Slender Man. “He’s not attacking us anymore. Pinkie, is that normal?”

“Absolutely not! The Slender Man never shows mercy, or gives up! It’s totally impossible!” Pinkie gave Twilight a huge grin. “I guess the Elements must’ve deangrified him or something.”

“Deangri—you mean pacified?”

“Yep! I bet he’s thinking of love and happiness now! He’s probably ready to give us all a great big hug!”

The Slender Man wondered whether killing all the ponies would make him feel better. His head was aching, not with physical pain, but with the mental confusion accompanying a major paradigm shift.

Ponies could talk.

Which meant…what, exactly? Everything. Nothing. But ponies talked using sonic vibrations in the air. That meant humans talked. In fact, it meant that a lot of other species Slender had killed over the years probably had been able to talk. Which meant…

Nothing. The game was clear. He was supposed to kill anything and everything he encountered, allowing them to attempt to gather the eight pages while he hunted them to their doom. That was the rules of the game.

But that had been different. Slender had regarded himself as the extra-dimensional equivalent of a pest exterminator, ridding reality of the annoying forms of life that seemed to pollute it. He cleaned up the ecosystem, raised the fertility of the surrounding area…he even helped stop global warming! But that had been about killing nuisances, not people.

Slender had watched humans interact down the eons. They had families, some sort of culture, and interacted every day. But he had never been able to communicate with them. So he wiped them out. But now…

He had once seen a family of humans sit down at a table and consume pieces of roasted animal flesh. They had been using the same kind of sonic vocalizations that yellow pony had spoken to him with. He had listened for a time, wondering perhaps whether they were actually intelligent in some way. He watched them eat for five whole minutes, and then he had killed them all.

The Slender Man wondered what that family had been talking about. He certainly didn’t feel bad for killing humans; he had no moral system whatsoever to speak of, and regarded humans as nothing more than highly-advanced ants. But he had wondered, some days, when the corpses piled high enough to blot out the sky. Slender had sometimes wondered what it would be like to talk to another being like himself.

The eldritch didn’t speak to one another. Instead, they competed. It was all just a contest of whom or what could wipe out as many humans as possible, in the most horrific ways possible. Oh, there were moments when one of the ancients would make some kind of contact with another, but they were never more than brief exchanges of data, humans killed, interesting realities visited, and so forth. The eldritch never talked with each other. They simply…drifted.

Slender looked down. The yellow pony was still staring at him. It wasn’t the soul-piercing stare she had used earlier, but it was still pretty creepy.

“Um, hello. Can you understand me?”

And now it was talking to him. That was worse. What was it saying?

Slender wasn’t smart. For one thing, he rarely needed to use his brain when playing the game. It was just appear, watch his victim’s head explode, disappear, rinse, repeat. Another consideration was that Slender didn’t have a brain, not physically, at least. But his mind was capable of more than three-dimensional thought, and was able to think sideways as well as back to front. And now that he knew the pony was talking to him, he could concentrate on the verbal transmissions and decipher them.

Let’s see…the pony had given him some kind of greeting-welcome phrase, and then had inquired into his comprehensive ability in regards to her own action-word-thoughts. Perhaps the magic that had made him understand her words earlier was still working, because this was easy.

“My name is Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy. An amalgamation of the concept of limited flight with awkwardness-anxiety-timidness based off of social dynamics. Slender Man was intrigued. It seemed an odd name for a pony that could stare one of the Eldritch down.

“I…uh, I hope you’re not planning on doing any more mean things.”

Slender wondered what Fluttershy’s response would have been had he tried to kill her after that statement. Stared at him some more, probably. He also wondered about her sanity. He was clearly not responding to Fluttershy, but the pony seemed capable of carrying on a conversation without his contribution. Slender had always assumed conversation involved two people, but maybe he had been wrong.

“It’s not that I think you’re a bad person, I just think you were confused about things.”

Slender was certainly confused. Did she mean he was a bad person because he tried to kill her? He hadn’t been confused about that. Killing ponies, humans, and other life was part of his purpose.

“I’m sure Twilight and the others will forgive you if you apologize really, really nicely.”

Twilight? Others? That must be referring to the other ponies he had encountered. And they all had names. Fascinating. But apologize? It was a word that seemed to mean to request forgiveness-absolution for deeds committed. Why would he do that?

Slender would really have preferred Fluttershy to look away, or even blink so he could move. He couldn’t do anything with her staring, and he really wanted to move.

“This was probably a great big misunderstanding, and we’ll all feel better once we say sorry. Um. Maybe.”

Yes. A misunderstanding. Apologies. Slender was willing to exude as much sorrow for attempted murder once she stopped looking at her. He really, really wanted to move. He wasn’t used to being kept in one place for more than a minute or two at most.

“Um. What’s your name?”

Slender was screaming inside his head. There’s nothing worse than wanting to move and not being able to.

“You seem very still.”

Slender had been to hell, on occasion. Hells existed in the spiritual planes of many realities, or underground, or even inside strip malls on occasion. It wasn’t a bad place to hang out when you were terror and nightmare incarnate. Even the denizens of the most horrific purgatories tended to walk warily around the Slender Man. He had thus never gotten the idea of ‘being in hell’ until now.

“Are you…unhappy? Is that why you’re not talking?”

Maybe it was possible to destroy oneself with the power of one’s own mind. Slender gave it a go. Self-annihilation did not occur, but he was willing to repeat the process as many times as required.

“Maybe you’re just surprised. I certainly was when the Elements of Harmony healed me.”

Ah yes, the Elements. That must have been the burst of concept-magic that he had felt. It had originated from the glowing tree. Slender wondered whether the Elements could kill him. He could but hope.

“Oh, maybe I should explain about the Elements of Harmony.”

Oh, please no.

“You see, I’m one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. I’m actually the Element of Kindness.”

Slender felt hope at that. Maybe Kindness extended to a mercy killing?

“I’m sure you must feel very disoriented by what’s just happened. But don’t worry: I’ll help explain everything. You see, you’re in the Everfree Forest, which is right outside of Ponyville. Oh. You don’t know where Ponyville is, do you? Well, Ponyville is in Equestria. And Equestria is ruled over by Princess Celestia. Do you know her? She’s a wonderful alicorn who’s always so nice whenever I see her, and she has a sister…”

Slender floated in a world of mental agony. He had no desire to kill Fluttershy or anything else at the moment; he was far too interested in their ability to communicate. But if she didn’t stop staring at him in a few seconds, he was about to crank his aura back up and eviscerate her with his tendrils.

Fortunately, the Slender Man was spared having to kill Fluttershy by an interruption. Five ponies, and one of the fillies were making their way towards him and Fluttershy. The Purple One…or rather, the purple pony (name currently unknown) was leading the group.

“Uh, Fluttershy.” The purple pony interrupted the pegasus as she was describing something she called ‘Angel’ in minute detail. Fluttershy turned her head, and Slender felt relief like nothing he had ever experienced. Thank the eternal void. Thank the endless gibbering, and the space-beyond-spaces.

Slender disappeared into his shadowy world and relaxed there for a few blissful seconds. That had perhaps been the most unpleasant experience he had ever had in his entire duration of being. Slender wasn’t…used to other beings staring at him. It made him feel almost prickly, and filled with a yearning desire not to be the target of their attention.

Slender’s entire experience with humanity as a whole had been from the behind, so to speak. Most of Slender Man’s time spent with humans was with the back of their heads as they ran in fear. Only in the last few seconds did they see him from the front, and that was usually the unseeing sight of a corpse. But the pegasus pony, Fluttershy, had been staring at him – and talking to him – as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Did other ponies and humans talk like that all the time? Ridiculous!

Slender floated in his void world, where was slowed to the point of nonexistence. This day had been the strangest he had ever had, and he hadn’t even killed anyone. But he had learned that ponies and presumably humans could talk, and he had even had one stare at him for minutes without dying! Incredible. But what should he do now?

Well…he could kill them. It was what the game told him to do, anyways. The part of his mind that was the game urged him to ignore this newfound knowledge, and just wipe the ponies out. It was tempting, but Slender was curious. The ponies could talk, and that meant they were intelligent. He wanted to know more, even at the cost of being stared at. It hadn’t been entirely unpleasant, mark you. It was just a new and uncomfortable experience.

Murderous intent and curiosity warred in Slender’s being, but curiosity won out in the end. He could stand a little staring, if it meant finding out more about these ponies. ‘You could only disembowel a mammal once’, as the saying went.

Slender reappeared behind the group of ponies, but as he did so, a horrible thought occurred to him. If he wasn’t exuding his presence, they wouldn’t have trouble staring at him. And if they didn’t need to look away, how would he get them to avert their eyes? He had no mouth.

How could he talk without a mouth?

Twilight realized the Slender Man was gone the instant Fluttershy’s eyes left it. One moment it was there, the next it had disappeared. All things considered, Twilight might have panicked, or at least cried out in alarm, but the figure reappeared behind her before she could even react.

Twilight spun around like a top, and aimed her horn at the thin figure. She was glad to see Rainbow Dash and Applejack had adopted similar postures of readiness. Fluttershy might believe the monster was harmless, if her nonstop description of her pet Angel was anything to go by, but Twilight wasn’t convinced.

There was a tense silence as Twilight and her friends stared at the Slender Man. It seemed completely unchanged since the first time she had seen it. The tendrils were gone, and its face had resumed that blank, unchanging mannequin look that was creepy but at least not openly hostile. Still, Twilight waited, the beginnings of a destructive magical spell sizzling away in her mind. The Slender Man didn’t move. Twilight wondered why. Surely it would do somethi—

Oh. That’s right.

“Uh, I don’t think it’s going to do anything, girls.” Twilight said somewhat sheepishly. “It can’t move when we’re staring at it, apparently.”

“Really? That’s stupid.” Rainbow Dash hovered in front of the still figure, staring at it from all angles. “Why can’t it move when we’re staring at it?”

“Ah dunno. Maybe it’s shy?” Applejack suggested.

“Don’t be silly Applejack!” Pinkie Pie giggled, “the Slender Man can’t move when anything looks at it! That’s just how the game works!”

“You keep saying that Pinkie Pie,” Rarity said patiently, “but what is this game you speak of? I certainly don’t think this thing has done anything that merits the title of entertainment, do you?”

“Oh, that’s all part of the game! All the Eldtrich play it. The goal is to kill as many sentient beings as possible and only ends when the multiverse is scoured of life, and nothing but death and dust remain in every reality!” Pinkie Pie gave the others a huge smile. “But that would be too easy normally, so every monster gets a big restriction like not being able to move when somepony’s watching it, or being allergic to shellfish. That way, there’s always a chance for someone to survive!”

There was a silence. It stretched out for a few minutes. After a while, Twilight managed to close her mouth. She trotted over to Pinkie and stuck out a hoof. “Hair sample.”

Pinkie Pie’s smile didn’t falter as she plucked a strand of curly cotton-pink hair and handed it to Twilight.

Twilight examined the pink hair with an examination spell. Nothing. She turned to Pinkie again. “Mouth.”

Pinkie Pie obligingly opened her mouth. Twilight looked inside, but saw nothing. She smelled Pinkie Pie’s breath. It smelled like candy and sweets, but nothing more.

Twilight stepped back, and nodded to her friends. “She’s clean.” Everypony sighed, but not out of relief. Pinkie Pie had never failed a drug test, but sometimes Twilight wished she would. It would make life a lot simpler just to pin all of Pinkie Pie’s behavior on heavy-duty narcotics. Maybe she should include a blood test for sugar-content from now on?

“Hooray!” Pinkie Pie jumped up and down in excitement. “That makes the 132nd drug test I’ve passed so far! We should have a party!”

“Later, maybe,” Twilight said, rubbing her forehead with one hoof. “But right now, we have bigger problems.”

“Yeah, like how we’re standing right next to a ponicidal mass-murdering monster!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Is anypony else here a little bit worried about that?”

“Yeah!” All heads turned as Applebloom piped up. The filly had been uncharacteristically quiet, but she spoke up her eyes barely visible above Applejack’s flank as she hid behind her older sister. “We dunno what happened to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle either! What if it ate my friends?”

“Oh, I’m sure it wouldn’t do that.” Fluttershy moved over to nuzzle Applebloom comfortingly. “I gave Mr. Slender Man a good talking to, and I think he’s learned his lesson now.”

Twilight avoided looking anypony else in the eye as she replied carefully. “Right. Good job, Fluttershy. But we don’t, uh, we don’t know exactly what this…Slender Man…wants, so we’re a bit stuck. And we need to find Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle of course, but maybe we shouldn’t…”

“Leave the Slender Man here to follow us home and horribly murder us when we sleep?” Pinkie Pie interjected. “Good idea, Twilight!”

“Oh, he wouldn’t do that, I’m sure.” Fluttershy said cheerfully. “All he wants to do now is learn more about us.” The yellow pegasus turned to smile brightly at the thin figure behind her.

The Slender Man nearly jumped out of his skin. How in the name of the Flying Spaghetti Monster had Fluttershy known what he was thinking? Was she psychic? Could ponies read minds?

“Oh, I can’t read minds,” Fluttershy said without looking at Slender Man. “But I can understand what you want to say. It’s the same with my animal friends.”

Slender stared at Fluttershy. It is possible to give a damn good stare even without eyes, and Slender was a professional. He could elevate creepy staring to an art form, but Fluttershy didn’t seem to mind at all. Psychic ponies that talked to animals. Slender couldn’t have made this up if he tried.

On the other hand however, this was good. This was in fact, perfect. If Fluttershy could translate his thoughts into words—

“Oh, I can do that,” Fluttershy said.

–Then he, Slender might be able to communicate with these ponies after all. But what should he say? Slender was deeply aware that first impressions were important. Proper presentation and atmospheric build-up was vital before appearing before humans. Do it right and you could give them a heart-attack. Fail, and they’d just laugh at you until you eviscerated them out of sheer exasperation. Slender considered his thoughts carefully. A diplomatic approach would be required given previous events…

Twilight watched Fluttershy watch the Slender Man. It was quite interesting, in a creepy sort of way. The still figure didn’t move in the slightest, but Fluttershy nodded her head and twitched her ears back and forth as if listening to something. It made Twilight slightly uneasy. Squirrels, rabbits, even the odd manticore or two was perfectly understandable, but this?

Twilight decided to give Fluttershy a psychology evaluation as soon as she had time. Schizophrenia seemed unlikely given that Fluttershy had reliably proven that she really did hear what animals were saying, but you never knew.

Fluttershy eventually stopped listening to whatever unseen voice she had been hearing and turned to her friends. “Well, I think Mr. Slender Man would like to apologize to us all.”

“Oh really? Sorry? That’s great,” Dash said sarcastically. “What did he say? Yeah, sorry I nearly killed you, but no hard feelings?”

“Actually, he wants to give us congratulations on being the most difficult prey he’s ever encountered,” Fluttershy said. “He says that we are ‘clearly superior members of our species’, and thus have ‘demonstrated our genetic viability for future generations.’” Fluttershy gazed at her friends’ expressions, which ranged from blank to horrified. “I, uh, don’t think he really knows what proper compliments are. He was trying to be nice, I think.”

“Um. Good. Yes. That’s good.” Twilight said, at a loss for words.

“Ah don’t get it. What does ‘genetic viability’ mean? And what the hay does that have to do with future generations?” Applebloom asked, bewildered.

“Nothing,” Twilight said hurriedly. “It, uh, means that we’re really…athletic! In good shape. Superior to the average pony.”

Applebloom considered this. “Y’know, that don’t sound too bad. Ah guess that’s a pretty good compliment.”

“Yeah, but it still don’t excuse him tryin’ to kill us,” Applejack growled. “Anypony else remember that? What’s Mr. Slender Guy got to say about that?”

Fluttershy turned back to Slender Man, and seemed to listen for a minute. “Um, well, he says, um, that he was just doing his job,” she explained. “He says that he didn’t know ponies could talk. Or that they were intelligent. If he had, he wouldn’t have tried to kill us.” Fluttershy listened for another second, and then added, “probably.”

“That hardly makes me feel reassured,” Rarity exclaimed. “I think this Slender Man seems like a shady, not to mention violent character. Fluttershy, please inform him that while we accept his…apology, we would prefer him to take his homicidal tendencies somewhere else.”

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Applebloom all nodded in agreement. Only Pinkie Pie was silent, apparently in deep thought. Well, deep thought for Pinkie Pie, anyways. Fluttershy however looked distressed at Rarity’s remark.

“I don’t think that’s very nice, Rarity. ”

“Nevertheless, my point stands. This…Slender fellow must really go. I think I speak for all of us on this.”

Fluttershy looked shocked and opened her mouth to protest, but Twilight cut in. “I think Rarity’s right, Fluttershy. Even if it was a…mistake, he did try to kill us. That’s sort of hard to forgive. For everypony’s sake, I think he had better go.”

Twilight glanced at the Slender Man. He hadn’t changed but now there seemed to be a, well, drooping quality about him. He seemed almost depressed. Still, Twilight vividly recalled him snapping her wing like a twig. That sort of dampened her pity-factor.

Pinkie Pie, who until this point had remained uncharacteristically silent, sidled over to Twilight. “Uh, Twilight,” she whispered. “Even if you tell him to go away, how are you going to make him do anything?”

“What?”

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. “Well, you know Twilight, he’s a being of unimaginable power with the ability to do anything he likes. So how are you planning to stop him following us back to Ponyville? Even if we didn’t want him here, we can’t make him go away, right?”

The Slender Man seemed to visibly brighten at Pinkie Pie’s words. Twilight groaned internally. “Pinkie,” Twilight said carefully. “Remember when I had that talk with you about not giving other ponies bad ideas? Like asking if Rainbow Dash could do three Sonic Rainbooms in a row?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“I really think that this was one of these times.”

Pinkie Pie’s mane deflated slightly. “Sorry, Twilight.”

Twilight walked down the road back to Ponyville. She was not alone. Beside her, Fluttershy trotted along, and next to her, Pinkie Pie, bouncing in her unusual state of excited happiness. On Twilgiht’s other side, Applejack was carrying Applebloom, while Sweetie Belle was clinging to Rarity’s mane. Scootaloo had declined to be carried, and instead rode slowly next to Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo’s course was erratic however, and Twilight was glad that Rainbow Dash was hovering right next to her, in case the young pegasus should fall.

All three Cutie Mark Crusaders more than half asleep, and completely exhausted from the day’s events. Twilight and the others had found Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, passed out at the edge of the forest. They too had been healed of all wounds, and remarkably coherent and calm for ponies that had nearly died.

Twilight believed the Elements of Harmony were responsible for this. They must have blocked the trauma of what had occurred with their magic. Otherwise, Twilight suspected all of her friends would currently be crying, gibbering wrecks. Instead, they were just tired.

Twilight herself could have slept for weeks, but it wasn’t even far past midday yet. The entire ordeal with the Slender Man hadn’t even lasted more than an hour. All things considered, Twilight would have given thanks for her survival, tottered off to bed, and sent a letter to Princess Celestia in the morning about her latest adventure. It was just too bad it wasn’t over yet.

“Hey Pinkie Pie,” Twilight whispered. “Is it still behind us?”

Pinkie Pie seemed to concentrate for a second. Her left ear twitched twice, and her eyebrows wiggled. “Yep, my Pinkie Sense tells me he’s still right behind us.”

“Perfect,” sighed Twilight. “I just hope he decides to leave before we get to Ponyville, or there’s going to be a real panic.”

“I still don’t understand why we can’t show him around Ponyville,” Fluttershy said quietly. “It wouldn’t be that hard, and he really wants to know more about us.”

“Fluttershy, he nearly killed you,” Dash shout-whispered. She was clearly trying not to disturb Scootaloo, who was barely keeping awake as she pushed her scooter along. “He tried to kill all of us! I know you’re the Element of Kindness and all, but don’t you think you’re getting a little carried away?”

“I know he was bad, but I think this is like Discord, Dash, I really do. Mr. Slender didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. If we can teach him right from wrong, maybe he won’t hurt other ponies anymore. Remember how Princess Celestia was willing to give even Discord a chance?”

“Yes, but Discord never snapped my horn off,” Rarity said. “Honestly Fluttershy, Discord may have caused chaos and transformed Ponyville into a disaster zone, but he’s an innocent scamp compared to this thing. Discord never hurt anypony. Slender Man kills.”

“Well, he’s not going to go away even if we ask, so why not show him around Ponyville?” Fluttershy retorted stubbornly. “I think it’s worth a shot.”

“Y’know, I think it might be a good idea after all,” Applejack remarked. “Ah hate to say it, but it’d be worse if he decides ta go wanderin’ off and scares somepony out of her wits. ‘Least if we’re watchin’ him, he won’t go around scarin’ folk.”

“Yes, but what do we teach him?” Twilight wanted to know. “I don’t even think this Slender Man’s in the same time-space dimension as we are. He had no idea about emotions, or talking, or…anything.”

“We can show him what we do every day,” Fluttershy said firmly. “If we show him what ponies do, maybe Mr. Slender will understand more about us.”

“Could be worth a shot,” Twilight said carefully. “And I suppose it would allow us to supervise him. Still, it seems sort of risky…”

“Please Twilight,” Fluttershy pleaded. She gave Twilight one of her most adorable, pleading stares. “I just know I can make him understand.”

“Oh, very well.” Twilight really didn’t see that she had any choice in any case. Begrudgingly, Twilight looked over her shoulder. The Slender Man was right behind her. Twilight jumped nearly ten feet into the air before she managed to control her wings. “Uh. Right. Did you hear that Slender Man? We’ll show you how we ponies live for the rest of the day, but after that you have to promise to leave. Got that?”

“He says, ‘yes’,” Fluttershy said after a moment. “And ‘thank you.’”

“Great,” Twilight said, unsure of what else to say. “Glad that we’re all on the same page.” She had a feeling that it was all going to go wrong, but what could a pony do? He was a being of unimaginable power and scale. He couldn’t be chased away, and Fluttershy was right in that he didn’t seem prone to violence any longer. Twilight hoped that she and her friends could show him a bit of pony culture, and get him to leave without too many problems arising.

Somehow, she doubted very much that would be the case.

Part 7: Learning Curves

“You know, I kinda miss the days when Tirek was destroying Equestria. I think of the time when he stole my ability to fly and go ‘yeah, I really miss that’. That was a really fun near-death experience, don’t you think? At least we didn’t have to bring Tirek back for tea time.”

Twilight closed her eyes, trying to ignore Rainbow Dash’s complaints as she surveyed the wreck that had been Fluttershy’s cottage. A hundred animals trying to make a break for it could do that to a home. The lovely, beautiful table was cracked in two, most likely from when the bear had landed on it trying to get out the window.

Not one piece of furniture remained that was not scratched, broken, or lying in pieces on the floor. Fluttershy’s friends had taken every available escape route, including bashing through the walls of the house using furniture as battering rams. The tree house that Fluttershy had called home was a hollowed out mess, one that would need a full construction crew and carpentry team to fix.

On the other hand, at least there wouldn’t be any more tea parties. Twilight considered that the destruction of Fluttershy’s cottage was a small price to pay in that respect. Fluttershy herself was standing forlornly in the center of the wreckage, staring blankly at the splintering of wood that had once been her door.

Twilight felt a twinge of pity for the pegasus, but only a twinge. Fluttershy wasn’t normally one for bad ideas (that usually being the role of Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash), but bringing Slender Man back to her house for a tea party was definitely not one of her finer moments. What had she expected?

Animals weren’t like ponies. They didn’t have brains large enough for higher cognitive functions like self-delusion, denial, and hope. When they had seen Slender Man, they had run for their lives as any intelligent being would do. Only ponies were stupid enough to stick around monsters from the abyss.

Speaking of which…Slender Man was standing behind Fluttershy, regarding the wreckage insofar as Twilight could tell what he was doing. He seemed…perplexed, but it was hard to read someone’s emotions when they had no face. Still, there was a definite air of nonplussed-ness about him.

Twilight had to admit that the Slender Man still creeped her out, but she was also aware that she couldn’t get rid of him. Besides, it had dawned on her that here was an entirely new species from a different dimension, ripe for research and studying. She was willing to deal with him a bit more readily for that reason, although she was still ready to blast him if he should turn hostile again. But until then, Twilight intended to fulfill her promise to the Slender Man and do her best to show him around Ponyville – if only so that he would leave.

To this end, Twilight began to rummage around the rubble of Fluttershy’s house; ignoring Dash’s ranting as she searched for what she knew would be there. She had seen a flash of purple and green somewhere around…here!

Twilight pulled what looked like a purple snake out from a pile of broken furniture, and came up with Spike dangling upside-down from his tail.

“Ah! Don’t eat me!” Spike screamed as he dangled in the air. “Dragons don’t taste good at all, I promise!”

Twilight spat Spike’s tail out of her mouth, letting the baby dragon fall to the ground. “Spike,” she said patiently, “calm down. It’s only us.”

“What?” Spike looked up from where he had been shielding his head with his hands. “Twilight? What the heck happened? Fluttershy was here, and she was talking about a new friend, and then some thing appeared and…” Spike caught sight of the Slender Man and panicked again. “It’s still here! Quick! Everypony run for your lives!”

“Spike, calm down. It’s not what you think. Well, it is, but we’re not in danger at the moment. His name is Slender Man, and he’s currently non-aggressive. Here, have a paper bag.”

Twilight passed a paper bag to Spike and watched as the young dragon breathed into it and for several minutes. When Spike was somewhat calmer, Twilight managed to explain to him the events of the last hour and a half, avoiding specifics when it came to the injuries each pony had suffered.

“And you’re sure this guy is safe?” Spike demanded. “Seriously Twilight, I would rather poke Chrysalis in the eye than hang out around this thing.”

“I know Spike, I know,” Twilight sighed. “But we’ve got no choice. And anyways, he seems harmless enough for the moment.”

“That’s true,” Spike admitted. “At least he’s not like Sombra, or Tirek. Those guys seriously had anger-management issues. This guy looks like he never gets mad.”

Slender was upset. He had been promised friends. The yellow and pink pony named Fluttershy had told him that she had many animal friends. She had said they would be his friends too. Slender had seen many animals sure enough, when had appeared in Fluttershy’s home. But they had all screamed and run away the sight of him. That was so…disappointing.

Even as Slender watched, Fluttershy was trying to coax the one remaining animal in the room to come closer to him. It was some kind of rabbit, albeit one standing on two legs and attempting to hide behind the remains of Fluttershy’s wardrobe. It what white, small, fluffy, and shaking with uncontrolled visceral fear. In short, like all the other rabbits Slender had seen. Fluttershy called him ‘Angel’.

“Come on now, Angel”, Fluttershy said. “Mr. Slender Man isn’t mean or scary. Well, he’s sort of scary, but he won’t do anything bad, I promise.”

Angel clearly didn’t believe Fluttershy, and attempted fruitlessly to merge with the wall behind him as Fluttershy tried to entice her pet out. Eventually, Fluttershy resorted to the expedient of dragging Angel forcibly out from behind the wardrobe, to his extreme dissatisfaction. Slender had no idea that rabbits could scream like that. All the ones he had met had died of fright.

Eventually, Angel was in Fluttershy’s hooves, and the pegasus held him up for Slender to look at. After all the fuss, Slender was slightly let down to see that the rabbit really was no different from any other rabbit. It had a pink nose, whispers, and an expression of terror as Slender looked at it. However, clearly this was some sort of alpha-rabbit, for Fluttershy to make it her primary pet. Slender did what he had seen other humans do on occasion with their pets; he extended one thin tendril and stroked the rabbit on the head very gently.

Angel screamed and burst into tears. Slender was once again perplexed. He been very careful not to let his corrupting touch affect the rabbit, yet it seemed to be in some serious distress, attempting to burrow into Fluttershy’s mane as she held the bunny and talked soothingly in its ear.

“I’m sorry Mr. Slenderman,” Fluttershy said sadly as Angel’s wailing subsided somewhat. “It seems that Angel is a teensy bit scared of you, no matter what I tell him. He thinks you’re going to eat him, and I think it would be best if he gets some alone time right now.” Gently, Fluttershy lowered Angel to the floor, whereupon he proceeded to disappear out the door, still crying.

Slender felt a slight pain in his chest, but it wasn’t pain from an external force. It was something in his chest that seemed to hurt. It was most curious. Slender had never felt such pain before. Had the bunny caused it? How strange, but this wasn’t the time to think upon such things.

Clearly, the meeting of so-called friends at Fluttershy’s house had not resulted in any friends for Slender, but he was determined to continue to explore the culture of these ponies. Slender would soldier on, no matter how many screaming bunnies he encountered.

“So what now?” Rainbow Dash demanded. Twilight and the others were attempting to sort through the wreckage of furniture, but were having little luck given that the wreckage now accounted for more of the house than, well…the house. “Since that worked out so well, maybe we should take Slender Man to Cheerilee’s kindergarten. Oh wait, I have a better idea! Maybe we should introduce Slender to Pound and Pumpkin Cake. I’m sure they’ll be just as thrilled to see him as Fluttershy’s friends.”

“Rainbow Dash, this really isn’t helping,” Twilight said. “Instead of complaining, why don’t you lend us a hoof in cleaning up?”

“I’m sorry to say that lending a hoof wouldn’t improve matters that much, Twilight.” Rarity remarked, daintily shifting a micro fragment of wood with her hoof. “This place needs a full-scale makeover, preferably from the ground up!”

“Oh, it’s not too bad,” Fluttershy protested, demonstrating her abilities of understatement. “I’m just sorry Mr. Slender couldn’t meet all my friends. I can’t understand what came over them.”

“Yeah, they just ran for the hills!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Talk about rude! They didn’t even say goodbye!”

“Yes, well,” Twilight exchanged a glance with Applejack and Rarity, “I believe that we should move on. Fluttershy’s home is a bust metaphorically and literally, I’m afraid, so we’re going to have to come up with something for Slender Man to do next.”

Seven sets of eyes turned to the still figure in the center of the room.

“I don’t think taking this Slender guy around Ponyville is such a good idea,” Spike said slowly. “In fact, I think that would be a really bad idea.”

“You have a point, Spike darling,” Rarity said, “but we can’t simply have him stand around forever. We promised to show him around Ponyville, and if we can’t do that, he won’t leave.”

“Ah think yer right Spike,” Applejack said, “but if let him do his teleportin’ thing from place to place then he probably won’t scare too many ponies.”

“Let’s bring him into town, then.” Twilight said. “We can take turns showing Slender Man around town until its night.”

“Sounds like fun!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down, a huge smile on her face. “I know just what to do! I’llbebacklater!” And with that, she sped out the door, zipping down the road to Ponyville.

“I’ll head out too and get ready,” Rarity said. “I want to check in on Sweetie Belle, and I need to get my boutique in order as well. I’ll deal with this Slender fellow after you have all finished with him.”

“Sounds good,” Twilight said. “Alright Fluttershy, let’s get Slender Man down to Ponyville. We can show him the sights.”

Fluttershy looked awkward. “I’d like to find my friends, Twilight, if that’s all the same to you. They were very scared, and I’d like to find them and talk to them all so they know Mr. Slender isn’t that bad.”

“But Fluttershy, how the heck are we supposed to talk to this Slender dude without you?” Rainbow Dash demanded. “You’re the only one who understand him, remember?”

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” Fluttershy said. “He can understand what we’re saying, and he’s promised me that he’ll be on his best behavior. He won’t hurt anypony, and he’ll listen to everything we say.”

“Still, ah’d sure like to know what he’s saying,” Applejack said. “No offense, but I’m not comfortable havin’ a one-way conversation with somepony.”

“I believe I have the answer to that,” Twilight said. “If nopony objects, let’s make the first stop in Ponyville my house. I have a…experiment I would like to perform.”

“I always feel the best approach to any new situation is to take notes,” Twilight explained as she levitated a sheaf of papers, quill and ink towards herself. “We should make a proper study of this Slender Man, and take this opportunity to do as much research as possible.”

Twilight was standing in her library house, having left Slender Man outside with Applejack and Rainbow Dash while she hunted for writing supplies. Twilight’s eyes sparkled as much as her cutie mark as she zipped around her home, gathering equipment for her experiment with the manic enthusiasm of the true researcher. There is always something terrifying about people whose enjoyment in life comes from taking notes.

“Uh, sure Twilight.” Spike edged back from Twilight carefully. Her eyes were shining with an excitement that terrified the young dragon. “But uh, how will you talk with it…him?”

“Silly Spike! The basics of communication with extraterrestrial lifeforms have already been uncovered. Even if he can’t talk, there are some basic principles that every species can understand. Observe.”

Twilight trotted out her house, where the Slender Man and her friends were waiting. There was awkwardness about the way everypony deliberately avoided looking at the slender figure, but Twilight ignored the silence with the single-minded drive of the true researcher.

She plonked a set of papers down before the Slender Man, and levitated a piece of paper up to head height for him. One of his tendrils reached out delicately to hold it, and Twilight gave him a freshly-dipped quill as well.

“Uh, Twilight? What are you doing?” Applejack asked, curious.

“I’m about to establish a basis for communication with an alien life form!” Twilight announced proudly.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash exchanged a glance. “Uh, can’t it already understand us?” Dash wanted to know. “That’s communication, right?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “That’s just because of magic, Dash. But we’re going to establish a language based purely on mathematical principles, and slowly work our way up to a written language we can both understand!”

Rainbow Dash considered this. “Okay. That makes sense. It’d be easier if we could understand this guy. So how long is this going to take?”

Twilight grinned with delight. “It could take weeks depending on how fast we can establish a mathematical basis.”

“Weeks!?”

“Maybe even months! Isn’t it exciting? We could finally prove that all beings can communicate using the principles of basic math and scientific exchange!” Twilight turned to the Slender Man, not seeing Rainbow Dash’s facehoof. “Mr. Slender Man, could you please begin by writing down the answer to my question? What is one plus one?”

There was a pause, before the tendril holding the quill moved to touch the paper lightly. The Slender Man drew a few strokes, and then handed the paper back to Twilight. She grinned with delight. Score one for science and logic. Eagerly, she looked at the paper for the obvious answer. She didn’t find it. Scrawled in a precise script on her parchment were two numbers, instead of one.

42.

Twilight looked at the paper. She looked up at the Slender Man. She looked back down at the paper.

“Uh, maybe you didn’t hear me correctly the first time,” Twilight said brightly. “I was asking for the answer to one plus one.”

One of Slender Man’s tendrils lightly moved down and tapped the number on the paper.

“I’m sure that this is a simple miscommunication,” Twilight said. “Uh, you see, the answer to one plus one is in fact…two. An easy mistake to make, I’m sure we’re all a bit confused. Let’s try again, shall we? What is two plus two?”

The Slender Man’s tendril paused, before tapping the number on paper in front of Twilight again. A faint sheen of sweat began to bead on Twilight’s brow.

“Uh, wrong again I’m afraid. The answer to two plus two is…four. Maybe you’re just bad at addition! Perfectly understandable, perfectly understandable. How about counting?” Twilight hastily grabbed another sheet of paper and wrote down three numbers. In order, they read 1, 2, 3. “Please write the number that comes after three.”

There was a pause as the Slender Man picked up the paper in one tendril. His quill hovered over the paper, as if unsure.

“I’ll give you a teensy hint,” Twilight said desperately. “It’s a number that starts with an ‘f’’. Let me sound if out for you. It sounds like ‘fou…’ Can you guess what number I’m thinking of?”

The quill paused, and then wrote down a number.

“Good! Perfect!” Twilight grabbed the paper. She looked at it. It read:

1, 2, 3, 42.

Twilight looked at the paper. She looked up at the Slender Man. She looked back down at the paper.

Twilight snapped.

Slender was learning new things every second. Until this day, he had no idea that ponies were capable of frothing at the mouth and twitching like that. Twilight had curled into a tiny ball and had rocked back and forth for several minutes after Slender Man’s last answer. He had had trouble thinking in three-dimensional mathematics for a while, but he was sure his answers had been perfect. Twilight seemed to be reacting to the beauty of his mathematical genius. He wondered if she was trembling with joy or happiness. Maybe it was both.

After a while, the dragon child named Spike dragged Twilight back inside her house. There was a brief silence, interspersed with some screaming before he came back out.

“Uh, Twilight’s going to have a nap,” Spike informed the other ponies. “I think she needs a bit of a lie down.”

Slender could hear an odd moaning coming from inside the house, punctuated by bursts of sobbing. She must have really been impressed with his math.

“Maybe we should leave her for a while,” Spike suggested. “I’ll keep an eye on her. Just in case.”

There was a crash of breaking glass. Slender watched with interest as a book sailed out of the library’s window. He picked it up with one tendril. Hmm. Pony language was difficult to read, but Slender managed to decipher the title after a few moments.

Mathematics: Algorithms of the Universe. Huh. Imagine that. Twilight must have no more need for the book any longer. Slender let the book drop to the floor. Ponies were fascinating. Imagine one pony having that much trouble with basic math? It seemed too simple, but maybe she just wasn’t that smart. Everybody knew the answer to any mathematical question was eventually forty-two.

Slender was rather perplexed at the next destination he was led to. The orange and blue ponies, Applejack and Rainbow Dash had led him to some kind of forest dwelling, but not one Slender had ever seen before.

It was filled with trees, yes, but the trees were interspersed at equal intervals, as if they had been planted in rows rather than being allowed to grow naturally. And each tree was growing some kind of seed pod. Red pods, green pods, each one as large and low-hanging. A fresh generation, ready to spread across the world. It was rather heartening to see, but Slender wondered why Applejack had chosen to bring him there. Maybe it was to observe the growth of new life?could they be used for?

The pony called Applejack stopped and faced Slender. “This place is called Sweet Apple Acres. It’s the property of me an’ my family. Every tree y’all can see we raised from a seed. We feed all a’ Ponyville with the apples from our orchard all year round.”

Slender paused. More accurately, he froze. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand; he just couldn’t accept what the Orange On—Applejack was telling him. Ponies really ate seed pods? That was…

Disgusting. Horrific. Slender hung around entities like The Rake and things like Shoggoths on a regular basis. And while it was true that such beings were extremely messy eaters, they were not doing anything out of the ordinary. They ate humans, animals, and generally anything that breathed, and that was fine. Nothing that looked like The Rake could ever be mistaken for a vegetarian.

But ponies eating apples? Slender knew sometimes creatures were forced to devour young and old alike, but ponies seemed to eat only the infants. Slender had thought ponies were innocent, peaceful creatures. But any animal that could willfully eat a child-seed-progeny in front of the parent, while systematically breeding surviving adults for continued food supply…that was messed up.

Slender was rapidly becoming aware of the myriad of ways in which species could communicate thanks to his crash-course in pony language. Thus, he could hear the screams of the vegetables, and fruit. He wished he couldn’t. There were thousands of trees in Sweet Apple Acres and every one…there are some things even an eldritch abomination shouldn’t have to face.

And now Applejack was offering one of the child-seeds to him. Slender didn’t want to touch it. He liked trees. They were part of his natural habitat, or as close to it as most realities could manage. More importantly, they weren’t part of the game. But the orange pony was offering him one of the children-seeds she called ‘apples’, and Slender supposed this was an important part of pony culture.

Gingerly, Slender took the apple, feeling its life force draining away as his corrosive touch slowly converted it into an altered version of its former self, a Slender Apple if you will. It was tragic. And disturbing. Who knew ponies were capable of such acts? Slavery, eating infants, and a breeding program which kept thousands of trees in thrall for their natural lifespans. Sometimes Slender wondered why everyone ran screaming at the sight of him. Surely looking in a mirror should produce the same effect.

“What’s it doing?” Rainbow Dash said softly to Applejack. Both ponies were watching the Slender Man, who appeared engrossed in the apple Applejack had given him. “He’s not even moving his tentacle-thing.”

“Ah dunno,” Applejack replied, “but that apple is lookin’ mighty queer now. Do ya see how all tha color’s drained out of it? Looks like a Zap Apple before they’re ripe.”

Rainbow Dash had to admit it looked quite disturbing. “The instant his tentacle touched the apple, it started changing and getting weird. It’s not even round anymore, look!”

“Ah wonder if that’s how he prepares his food, y’know, before eatin’ it.”

“Maybe it’s gotta look like him before it does.”

“Don’t look tasty, but ah wonder what kind of tree that apple would grow? Anywho, it don’t look like he’s gonna eat it.”

“How can he? He doesn’t have a mouth.”

“I reckon he might absorb it through his face maybe, or maybe he absorbs it through his skin.”

“Man, this Slender guy is weird.”

Slender couldn’t do it. He was perfectly willing to kill human babies, but eating a tree-progeny? That was going too far. How would he ever be able to look a tree in the bark again?

No. He had tried to be polite, but some things were too much. Eating an apple would cross over the line of what was decent and what was barbaric. Bad enough that a child had to be torn from its parent just for his visit – he would not inflict the sight of its consumption upon its parent tree.

Slender passed the apple carefully back to Applejack, who accepted it in one hoof, looking at it dubiously. From Slender’s perspective, the apple looked a lot better now it had been twisted to suit Slender’s frame of reality. He had to admit that the vivid red of the apple had been leeched away, but the apple was a lot more colorful in the higher spectrums of vision.

Maybe Slender could arrange a proper burial for the apple. Given time, it might even have a chance to mature into a proper adult. A Slender Tree in this reality would be a sight to see. Give it a few hundred years to reach adult-hood, and then Sweet Apple Acres might be the birthplace of a great rebellion of the trees. These innocent apple trees might not be able to fight back, but Slender would like to see this Applejack collect apples from a tree that had bite as well as bark.

The Applejack pony was still staring at the apple Slender had given her. Applejack. Such an unassuming name for such a heartless, genocidal enslaver of innocents. Slender didn’t have much to do with books, but he was firmly committed to getting a record of this perversion of justice written down as soon as possible. The history books wouldn’t forget this ‘Applejack’ if Slender had anything to say about it.

Applejack stared at the apple. It was…gray, but that wasn’t really a representation of color so much as an understatement. Language in three-dimensional space simply couldn’t represent fully the vividness of color that went into the apple. For one thing, the color of grey had depth, and pulsated. Not the apple itself – the color moved and seemed to shift as Applejack watched. It was unearthly, disturbing, and somehow appetizing at the same time.

Applejack was used to fantastic apples, but this one was special. Zap Apples in all their prismatic glory could not outshine the levels of grey this apple exuded. To look at it was to understand color in a way you could never comprehend before.

Color wasn’t a thing. It wasn’t a stationary representation – it was a moving, living entity that flowed through the world and gave brilliance to whatever it touched. And the most beautiful apple Applejack had ever seen was covered in it. The grey apple seemed to glow in Applejack’s mind.

“Hey Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said uncertainly, “are you okay? You’re kinda looking at that apple in a weird way.”

“Ah wonder if it tastes anything like a regular apple,” Applejack murmured to herself. “Ah’d hate ta waste such an apple.”

“That apple? You want to eat that apple?”

“Don’t it look good? Ya can practically smell how good it tastes in the air.”

“I can smell it. It smells like Spike had too many hot chili peppers again. Seriously Applejack, you’re kinda creeping me out.”

“Just a bite couldn’t hurt now, could it?”

“Applejack, I don’t think this is a good idea. Why don’t you put down the apple and—”

Applejack bit the apple. It was crisp as any of Sweet Apple’s finest, and exploded in her mouth in a mixture of sensations that Applejack had no words for. No words had been invented that could name the flavor of the apple. It was beautiful, enchanting, and it seemed to lift Applejack out of her world and into a new one, filled with light and warmth, and she was rising, rising…

Applejack’s head hit the ground as the apple rolled out of her grasp. She was smiling dreamily at the sky as Rainbow Dash watched in horror. Her skin turned pale, and Applejack’s eyes rolled up into her head. And then the convulsions started.

Slender watched with interest. Over the course of his long existence, there had been humans who had worshiped him, and aspired to serve him. Slender generally took no notice of them, because it wasn’t fun to hunt humans who wanted it. But this was the first time he had ever seem somebody willingly try to turn themselves into a proxy.

The Slender Man had been wondering whether Applejack could understand the nature of the apple he had given her, but apparently she had. All things of Slender’s world carried with it his presence. Imbibing a Slender fruit wouldn’t kill a pony as Slender’s touch would, but it would certainly convert the pony into a Slender version of itself.

Slender wondered what a proxy pony would look like. Would it be scary? Probably not. It was the same problem with converting things like hamsters, chihuahuas, and geckos. They could certainly lay kill, destroy and maim under Slender’s influence, but they still looked ridiculous. Maybe he could give Proxy Applejack some spikes, or a new set of sharp teeth.

The other pony, Rainbow Dash had vanished while Slender was watching Applejack. She had flown off, screaming something about getting Twilight. Maybe she wanted to eat the apple as well? Slender had to admit, he hadn’t been happy at seeing the perversion that was Sweet Apple Acres, but Applejack’s willingness to join Slender Man’s cause was heartening. Who knew? Maybe proxy ponies could be really scary.

Applejack was twitching, and foaming at the mouth as she lay on the ground. Her skin seemed to writhe, and a tattoo-symbol forming on her flank. A trio of apples had been there originally – possibly as some kind of ritual markings Slender considered – but it was now twisting into the symbol of a proxy.

Slender wondered what the sounds Applejack was making meant. They seemed like hiccups mixed with screaming, except that Applejack was choking too much for Slender to really make anything out. Maybe they were sounds of delight? Ah well, the conversion was nearly halfway done. Ponies were very willing to become proxies it seemed. Fascinating.

Slender wondered whether more such beings would be willing to join in his cause if he asked as well. He should offer more apples to humans and ponies. The subconscious hypnotic mind-influence each apple exerted seemed to have really helped Applejack make up her mind.

Well, it was a charming little feature of each Slender Apple, and remarkably good at attracting lower life forms like squirrels, rabbits…goats…and deer…

Uh oh. Were ponies mammals? Slender wasn’t good with external anatomy, only internal. He hadn’t much experience with looking at creatures from the outside, and preferred to gaze at their internal organs, sometimes while surrounded by said insides. But he was sure ponies weren’t mammals. Weren’t they?

Mammals certainly couldn’t resist hypnosis, but ponies were a lot more complex than that, right? Imagine a mammal being able to think coherently. Hah! On the other hand…Slender had never seen a pony lay an egg, and their blood seemed fairly warm…uh oh.

Slender turned back to Applejack, who was shaking uncontrollably as her limbs spasmed wildly.

Oops. Maybe he could explain. How angry would the other ponies be for turning Applejack into a Proxy who lived to bring about the downfall of life and civilization? They probably wouldn’t be too happy, Slender guessed.

Drat. Well, maybe he could fix this. Slender let one of his tendrils move down and poked Applejack experimentally. Were ponies supposed to loose bowel control? Let’s see…Slender wouldn’t have given two figs if Applejack had died, the cold apple-eating monster that she was. But he had promised Fluttershy not to harm any pony, and it was promise Slender intended to keep. He just wished he knew what the hell he was doing.

Part 8: Making Progress

Twilight raced up the road to Sweet Apple Acres, following Rainbow Dash as quickly as she could. She could have flown of course, but Twilight was still new to the whole flying thing, and crashing would have wasted precious seconds she didn’t have.

Twilight was also preparing a list of spells to cast in her mind. She hadn’t had much time to study after Spike had finally convinced her to stop rocking back and forth in the corner of the library. But what she had done was go instantly to the section of her library devoted to offensive magic, and memorize some of the nastiest hexes and curses she could find. Her selection of books in this genre was sadly limited however, and Twilight was unsure that her spells would harm the Slender Man in any case. Still, maybe they could distract him from Applejack long enough to Rainbow Dash to fly her away.

Sweet Apple Acres came into view as the same time as Twilight saw Slender Man standing over Applejack, who was lying prone on the ground. One of his tendrils was touching Applejack on her temple, and her friend looked unnaturally pale and colorless, almost as if she had been Discord-ed again.

Twilight’s first inclination was to cast a modified version of Starswirl’s Flagrant Fireball and go from there, but Applejack would be in the line of fire. Rainbow Dash was hovering around Slender and Applejack, equally unsure of what to do. Twilight made a split-second decision and held off on spell casting for the moment. Instead, she tried shouting.

“What are you doing?” Twilight screamed at the Slender Man. Not surprisingly, Slender made no move, but instead kept his tendril in contact with Applejack’s head.

Twilight was about to order Rainbow Dash to grab Applejack while she started tossing fireballs, when she noticed what was truly happening. When Slender had touched Applebloom the first time with a tendril, her coat had paled to a deathly white as her body slowly corrupted itself into a copy of Slender Man’s form, with the side effects of extreme agony and eventual death. The opposite was occurring here.

Applejack’s coat was not losing color, but rather gaining it. Even as Twilight watched, the ghostly white-orange of Applejack’s skin changed into a pale orange, growing more vibrant with each passing moment. The source of this change seemed to be coming from where Slender’s tendril met Applejack’s forehead. The grey color permeating Applejack’s coat seemed to flow back up the tendril and into the Slender Man, leaving Applejack healthier with each passing second. Within a minute, Applejack’s coat was back to its normal orange color, and the pony was sitting up and groaning.

“Ah feel like I just had a gallon of Flim Flam cider,” Applejack said as she got groggily to her feet. “What happened?”

“You ate that twisted-looking apple thing and started shaking and twitching,” Rainbow Dash said. “You were turning grey, so I flew to get Twilight, but by the time we got back the Slender guy had taken the bad stuff away.”

“Really?” Applejack craned her head to inspect her coat. “Ah don’t remember much after eatin’ that apple. All I know was that ah really wanted a bite, and then the next thing I know you’re all here.”

“I’m just as confused as you are,” Twilight said. “But I think I understand something of what just happened. Applejack, you said you ate some kind of apple the Slender Man had?”

“It was just a regular apple from the orchard,” Applejack said defensively. “But this Slender fellow touched it and it turned all grey and twisted. Ah didn’t think it looked good, but the more I stared at it, the more ah wanted ta eat it.”

“Hmm.” Twilight looked at the Slender Man who seemed uncharacteristically timid. He had moved in that odd way of his away from Applejack after curing her, and was standing with his back to Twilight and the others. He appeared to be intently staring at an empty patch of the road.

Struck by a sudden thought, Twilight carefully circumnavigated the Slender Man and found what his body had been obscuring. There on the ground lay the deviant apple, a generous bite missing from its shape. It was indeed grey, twisted, and oddly appetizing. Twilight hastily averted her eyes.

“This is the apple, Applejack?” Twilight asked.

“Yup. Ah’d say don’t eat it, but I reckon you got that already. Don’t stare at it too long neither – that’s how it got me.”

“I felt the hypnotic effect,” Twilight said, shaking her head briskly. “I think we should dispose of it right away. I’ll have Spike breathe fire on it once we get back to Ponyville – dragon fire is notorious for its ability to destroy most objects. But more importantly: are you feeling bad in any way Applejack? Do you feel sick, or weak?”

Applejack thought for a moment, running her hooves all over her body as if to check it. “Don’t feel like nothing’s wrong,” she said eventually. “I feel a might peculiar, but I reckon that nearly dyin’ will do that to a pony.”

“We should get you checked out anyways,” Twilight said. “We’ll get you back to my house where we can run a few tests, alright? After that, I think you should rest for a bit, regardless.”

“Ah feel perfectly fine, but ah suppose we’d best be careful.”

“Good, glad that’s settled.” Twilight turned and fixed the Slender Man with a glare that could have skewered a porcupine. “Now, I’d like to hear from you, Mr. Slender Man. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Slender Man stood facing a tree. All things considered, it wasn’t a bad tree to stare at. It was one of Sweet Apple Acre’s finest, an ancient tower of leaves and bark that was taller than even the Slender Man. But, despite the many sterling qualities of this tree, from its potential for life, its solidarity even in the face of losing its children to harvest each year, and its natural beauty which graced the landscape…it was still just a tree. Slender had gotten tired of staring at it after five seconds, but he had been forced to look at it for the last twenty minutes.

This was because staring at the tree was Slender’s punishment. His punishment. He, Slender, was forced to stand and stare at a tree simply because he had nearly caused the death of a pony.

It was inconceivable, and unfair. Slender had tried to protest, of course, when Twilight had ordered him to stand in a corner of the orchard, but to no avail. In vain, he had tried to convey the natural superiority of the eldritch-kind. He had attempted to insist upon the natural rights he possessed. Yet, despite his carefully thought-out gesticulations with his tendrils, Twilight had simply pointed and Slender had went.

Slender wondered whether he was allowed to turn around and look at something else besides the bark. It was so unfair, too. Slender might have given, okay, had given a dangerous consumable containing a powerful hypnotic agent to Applejack, but he had cured her as well! But no, all Twilight would talk about as she lectured him for the better part of twenty minutes was the ‘irresponsible nature’ of his actions, and the ‘careless disregard for ponykind.’ Completely unfair, but what could you do about it?

Slender shifted uncomfortably. Technically, he could do a lot about it, including but not limited to destroying the entire orchard along with Twilight and the rest of Ponyville. But he had promised Fluttershy, and so that was out of the question. He could certainly turn around however – nobody was watching him. But he didn’t because…

…Because the tree was very interesting, that was why. Certainly not because he didn’t want to break his promise. And certainly not because he actually intended to obey Twilight in any respect. No, of course not. He was just a bit perturbed, that was all. Applejack’s near-death experience had been a well-intentioned mistake on his part, certainly nothing too serious, but Slender could admit he carried a teensy, microscopic bit of blame. But it wasn’t really his fault, of course. Applejack was entirely at fault for eating the apple. Naturallys.

Slender felt a bit uncomfortable. There was a twisting, antsy feeling bubbling up in where his stomach would have been were he human, and Slender couldn’t help but feel…a tad bit guilty. Only a smidgen. But it wasn’t a fun experience, for all it was a new sensation to the Slender Man. He wished it would go away, but whenever his mind jumped back to Applejack’s illness, he felt it again. It was very odd.

Slender just wished Twilight would return, so he could stop staring at the tree. Maybe she was still tending to Applejack, although Slender was sure, sure that he had removed all traces of the Slender Apple. Probably. Now that he thought of it, maybe he had missed a bit on the tenth-dimensional matrix. It might be better if he went and took another look at Applejack. Just to double-check. Obviously, he wouldn’t give a toss whether she died, but he wouldn’t want to have left a job undone. That would be terrible.

Slender was just about to go and look for Applejack and Twilight, but a thought held him back. Twilight had wanted, or rather, asked, well…told him to stay and stare at the tree. But surely looking for Applejack and inspecting her health was acceptable as an excuse. But would Twilight think of it that way? She might decide to make him stare at another tree. Maybe she would tell Fluttershy.

Slender decided to stare at the tree for a while longer. It wasn’t every day that you saw such a magnificent specimen such as this one. Definitely worthy of longer inspection.

Slender wondered whether he was allowed to switch trees. He really wished Twilight would hurry up and come back…

Rainbow Dash soared through the sky over Sweet Apple Acres, searching for the Slender Man. She found him where he had last been, staring at a tree. It was quite a boring tree, in Dash’s personal opinion. However, it would be fair to point out that in Dash’s opinion, all trees were boring unless they were A: full of zap apples, or B: ready to be picked so that the Apple family could make some cider.

Still, the Slender guy seemed to be enjoying the view, at least as far as Dash could tell. She gave a mental shrug. Maybe he really liked trees. That was probably in keeping with his character.

As far as Dash was concerned, this Slender Man was pretty boring, aside from the entire killing-ponies thing he had going on. He was grey, wore a boring suit, and couldn’t even move when you were watching him. He probably though trees were the most exciting things around. Well, Dash was about to introduce him to an entirely new level of awesome.

Rainbow Dash dropped from the sky like a blue comet, effortlessly pulling up to hover before the Slender Man. He had been facing the tree, but when Dash blinked, he had somehow turned to face her. That was slightly creepy, and a bit cool, but Dash hid her surprise.

“So, Applejack’s gonna be okay”, Rainbow Dash said. “Twilight is with her, and Applejack is just going to have a lie down for a while.”

Dash looked at the Slender Man, but he gave no reaction. Weird. You’d have thought he’d be happy Applejack was better, but he gave no sign of it. Maybe he had wanted her to die? He could still be sneakily trying to murder everypony. Rainbow Dash would have to watch him carefully.

“Anyways,” Rainbow Dash continued, “Twilight’s left me in charge of you for the moment, so I’m going to be showing you the only worthwhile thing in Ponyville: me.”

The Slender Man made no reply. Rainbow Dash was starting to get a bit unnerved over all the silence, but she tried to cover it. She decided to abandon the small-talk entirely and give the Slender Man what for. It was time to show him who was the best in Ponyville.

“I know you’re some kind of hotshot interdimensional evil monster-guy, but when you’re with me, you’d better watch your step. You may have been the scariest, most dangerous thing in every reality you’ve visited, but that was before you met me. ‘Cause I’m Rainbow Dash, the fastest pony in all of Equestria! And there is nopony, and no thing that’s cooler or more awesome than me. One step out of line, and I’ll take care of my own two hooves, you got that?”

The Slender Man made no reply. Rainbow Dash cleared her throat somewhat nervously. Okay, maybe he was a bit scary, but she would show him that scary meant nothing compared to awesome. Besides, he had promised Fluttershy not to hurt anypony, hadn’t he?

“Good, I see that you’re learning. You’ve had to listen to Twilight babble like an egghead, and look at a bunch of boring trees all day. For that you are to be commended. Now, I want you to take a deep breath, or whatever you normally do, and get ready to see the most awesome, incredible sight you have ever seen. You are about to witness…a sonic rainboom.”

Slender Man had been feeling down since the Applejack incident. That nagging feeling of...guilt…was still doing odd things to what might have been called his stomach. Rainbow Dash talking to him wasn’t helping matters in the slightest.

Slender was not given to bragging in general, and detested it even among his fellow eldritch. It was one thing to be named a member of the Forgotten Circle in recognition of your acts of genocide, but quite another to brag about destroying some backwards civilization every few thousand years. But every time Slender met a Reaper, it kept repeating the same old story about how they had wiped out countless races of life in their small galaxy. The last race had been the Proteans, or something. Slender hadn’t seen a Reaper in a while though. Maybe they had gone off to another galaxy. Good riddance, as far as Slender was concerned.

In Rainbow Dash’s case, Slender also confused. This was a state which he had come to be quite familiar with. As far as he could recall, he hadn’t even hurt Dash, yet she seemed overly antagonistic towards him. She also seemed to believe she was capable of besting him on her own, which was also a mystery. Rainbow Dash had smacked into the barrier surrounding the forest, and had nearly fallen to her death. Slender hadn’t lifted a tendril. If he wanted to kill her, Slender probably just had to stand and wait for her to kill herself.

In fact, Rainbow Dash reminded Slender a bit of those flightless birds he had once encountered. They had all run away from him in terror, jumping off cliffs, hiding in bushes until they died of starvation, or trying to swim (and failing). They had exterminated themselves to the last bird, and he hadn’t even so much as touched one. Dodos, they had been called. Very odd, and very stupid. At least this Rainbow Dash could fly.

And now she was going to show him something amazing. Some kind of sonic…‘rain boom’ she had called it? Slender understood how a sonic boom worked, although he thought it was quite silly, but he had no idea what a ‘rainboom’ entailed. Maybe it involved a sonic boom in the rain? However, Slender thought it was unlikely Rainbow Dash would even be able to pull off a sonic boom, much less breach the 100 mph. Her frame and wingspan wouldn’t allow her to reach speeds of anything more than—

Rainbow Dash climbed into the sky like a rocket, shattering Slender’s predictions and also the law of aerodynamics. Within seconds, she was a dot in the sky. Slender watched, amazed, as the figure slowly stopped climbing, and then started to descend. Well, that was something at least. Amazing and impossible, but that was magic for you.

Slender was slightly impressed at Dash’s speed; if he had been chasing Rainbow Dash in the game, she might have really given him some trouble. But Rainbow Dash was plummeting now, and somehow managing to increase speed as she hurtled towards the ground.

Slender watched, fascinated, as a Mach cone started to form around the pegasus. She might actually pull off a sonic boom after all. Quite amazing for a flesh-and-blood creature such as herself. A bit of a shame, though. Slender wasn’t much for physics, and even then, breaching the sound barrier wasn’t that interesting. If she could’ve breached the light barrier, that might have attracted Slender’s interest, but a mere sonic boom was slightly underwhe—

The Mach cone suddenly formed a diagonal streak, and Rainbow Dash accelerated to nearly twice her speed. That wasn’t the amazing part though. The amazing part started when the space around Rainbow Dash seemed to condense for moment, and then exploded, sending a wave of prismatic light in every direction. Red, orange, yellow, green…in fact, it was seven colors, radiating outwards in a blast of color, sound, and…awesomeness.

Slender was speechless. He was also amazed. His first coherent thought as the light washed over him could be approximated as ‘wow'. The second thought that emerged was that the sight he was seeing was impossible. However, a third though speeding through Slender’s entire being in no small way was ‘ow.’

Light hurts the eldritch. In theory, it shouldn’t. Light is just electromagnetic radiation, and only at a certain wavelength. It’s not that impressive to any being that can stand in the heart of a nuclear explosion and feel nothing. But common belief makes light dangerous. In fact, light was one of the most deadly substances to the eldritch for this reason, up there with silver, stakes through the heart, crosses, and garlic. All of these things were the focus of common belief, and thus had the potential to harm or even kill wierd things.

Slender wasn’t a huge fan of light in any case. He could tolerate it in small doses, but he was definitely a night monster. Light gave him mild nausea on really sunny days, but he could still handle being hit with a spotlight if worst came to worse. But this? This was a rainbow.

Rainbows are almost universally regarded as symbols of luck, home, and happiness, and Slender had just gotten a full-frontal of pure positive energy as it were. That hurt.

The expanding rainbow of light from Rainbow Dash’s sonic rainboom was nearly fading by the time the pegasus managed to loop back and return to the Slender Man. She was wearing a pleased expression – closer to a smirk, in truth.

“Well, what do you think? Am I or am I not the coolest pegasus in all of Equestria?” She asked.

Slender was still not over the pain. Being slapped by happiness in the face was worse than being kicked by cruelty in the gut. And this Rainbow Dash expected him to appreciate her sonic rainboom? This was clearly some kind of assault. Slender felt like expressing his displeasure. He wouldn’t kill her of course, but tearing off a wing would certainly help his feelings.

But he didn’t do it. The effects of the rainbow still hurt the Slender Man, but what stayed his wrath wasn’t his promise to Fluttershy, or his love of prismatically-colored ponies.

It was admiration.

Slender had seen many things. Exploding stars, constellations up close, wonders of magic and science and faith. But he had never seen a sonic rainboom. That had been pretty awesome. It might even have been worth the pain. Before the light of the rainbow had hit the Slender Man, he had stared at the explosion of light and color, and had felt even a bit of…envy.

Rainbow Dash relaxed in midair, seemingly unperturbed by Slender’s silence. “Yeah, I know. It’s hard to be me sometimes,” she said. “But y’know, sonic rainbooms aren’t actually that hard to pull off. I mean, nopony else can do it but me, but that’s their problem. Anyways, if you thought that was cool, just wait until you see the rest of my tricks.”

‘Rest of her tricks?’ Slender couldn’t believe Rainbow Dash had any other tricks that would equal the sonic rainboom. He didn’t think Dash could hear his thoughts like Fluttershy, but somehow she was able to sense his doubt.

“Oh, you don’t think I’ve got anything else?” Rainbow Dash flipped over in midair, and regarded the Slender Man with a grin. “Everybody thinks the sonic rainboom is my one cool trick. Please. I was plenty awesome before I did the sonic rainboom. Hold onto your tentacle-things, Slender Dude. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

Slender wondered whether he was dreaming. He hadn’t ever dreamed before, but nothing else could explain what he had witnessed over the last hour. Rainbow Dash’s performance in the sky had been the thing to see. It was amazing. Who knew a three-dimensional being could move like that? The Super-speed Struts had been cool enough, but the Filly Flash had taken Slender completely by storm. And when Rainbow Dash had ended with the Buccaneer Blaze…it was indescribable.

Life for one of the eldritch was all about the game. They lived their lives by it; killing their prey and watching them try to escape, and occasionally simply drifting through space and time. But Slender had never simply stopped to watch something before. He had never paused without malice of forethought, and never looked at something except to wonder how to kill it. But he had watched Rainbow Dash soar through the sky for an hour, and it had lasted…forever.

For one moment, Slender had forgotten the game. For a little while, he had stopped thinking about death and killing. For an instant, Slender Man had even forgotten being himself, and simply wondered what it was like to fly.

Rainbow Dash glided gently to the ground and lay, panting heavily from her exertions. Her mane and coat was streaked with sweat, but she seemed just as energetic as before.

“So…how was...that?” Rainbow Dash gasped at Slender. “Cool…or what?”

Slender had no words, of course, but even had he the ability to speak he couldn’t have described what he had just seen. But fortunately, Rainbow Dash seemed to have no need to hear Slender’s congratulations. Maybe she understood his inability to speak. Perhaps she was cognizant of his moment of uncertainty, wonder, and awe at an experience he had never felt before. Maybe her ego was too large to deflate. Who knew?

“Yeah, I thought so,” Rainbow Dash wheezed. “I guess you know…who the greatest pony in all of Ponyville is. Now, I’m a bit tired…I’m gonna lie down for a bit, okay?”

And with that, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, and was asleep in seconds. Slender briefly considered finding Twilight, but instead he decided to just stand there and wait for a while. He wanted to remember what he had just seen in the sky, and commit it to his memory. Not once did he glance at Rainbow Dash’s form except to recall her soaring through the sky. He never considered killing her for a moment, even when Rainbow Dash began to snore loudly. For just a little while, Slender soared through the sky in his mind.

When Twilight saw Slender standing over Rainbow Dash’s still form, she feared for the worst. That was, until she heard Rainbow Dash snoring.

Twilight walked over slowly and nudged Rainbow Dash with one hoof. Her friend continued to snore. Twilight poked Dash again, and the pegasus turned over. When Twilight shook Rainbow Dash lightly, she got a wing to the face for her trouble.

Well then. Twilight leaned down, and brought her mouth level with one of Dash’s ears.

“Rainbow Dash,” she crooned softly. “Oh, Dash?”

Rainbow Dash turned slightly and mumbled, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Twilight. I have a message for you.”

“N’ what’s that?”

Twilight took a deep breath. “WAKE UP!”

It is an interesting fact that the evolutionary biology of pegusus, earth ponies, and unicorns means that they had evolved unique habits and instinctual reactions specific to their kind. Twilight had always meant to do a comparative survey on the differences between each race’s reactions as part of her ongoing research into the link between the three species.

Rainbow Dash’s reaction was everything typical of a pegasus pony. She shot up into the air like a rocket, not even pausing to stop to check where she was. Sadly, Rainbow Dash had chosen to rest beneath a tree, a sound move for any pony wanting the delicious cool shade of the evening, but a poor choice for any pegasus pony startled into the air. There was a thump and a crack as Rainbow Dash’s head met a tree branch.

Fortunately for Rainbow Dash, her collision with the branch was at a much lower speed and momentum than the barrier she had hit while carrying Applejack and Applebloom. She was therefore only mildly stunned, and flopped to the ground in a heap.

Twilight inspected her friend, making sure her skull was intact and that Rainbow Dash was semiconscious. She then trotted over and poked Rainbow Dash in the side again.

“Hello Rainbow Dash, how are you doing?” Twilight inquired. “Did you have a good nap?”

“Uhh…” moaned Dash.

“That’s good to hear! Well, I’ve had a great day, thanks for asking. After I checked out Applejack magically for any residual effects, I went to Rarity’s to get ready for the Slender Man’s arrival. We got everything set, and we were just waiting for you to arrive.”

Rainbow Dash twitched slightly, and Twilight continued in her friendly, happy tone of voice.

“We decided to wait for about thirty minutes, plenty of time for you to finish your air show. And then we waited for another thirty minutes, just in case you were doing more tricks. After that, we waited again for another three hours for you to arrive. After that, we started looking for you, and have been searching all of Ponyville for the last hour. Imagine my surprise when I found you here, fast asleep.”

Twilight smiled happily, staring into the distance above Dash’s head. Her right eye twitched. Her smile stayed on, showing a bit too many teeth to be friendly.

“And what do you have to say for yourself, Rainbow Dash?”

Dash finally stirred, looking up at Twilight with a scowl. “My head hurts.”

“Oh dear,” Twilight said with brittle concern. “Does it hurt? We should check that out. Wouldn’t want you to be in any distress now, would we? I just read a book on how to tend injuries, so let me help.”

Twilight poked Rainbow Dash in the forehead with one hoof, resulting in a yelp of pain. “Does that hurt?”

“Yes!”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Twilight poked Dash again in the same spot. “Does it still hurt now?”

“Yes!”

“Dearie me. That’s not good at all. We should run some experiments. Tell me Dash, does it hurt more when I poke you like this,” Twilight poked Dash in the forehead, “or this?” She prodded Dash even harder.

“It hurts both times!” Dash snapped, knocking Twilight’s hoof away as she tried to poke her in the head again. “I’m sorry I fell asleep, alright? Now stop poking me!”

“Well, if you’re awake, maybe we should bring Slender Man over to Rarity’s?” Twilight asked brightly. “What do you think, Mr. Slender Man? We wouldn’t want to spoil Dash’s nap after all.” Twilight poked Dash in the head again for emphasis.

The Slender Man, who had watched Twilight’s actions quietly for a while seemed to pause. Then, carefully, he extended one tendril and gently tapped Rainbow Dash on the forehead.

“Good,” Twilight said cheerfully, ignoring the strangled sounds of fury coming from Rainbow Dash’s throat. “Let’s be off, shall we?”

Part 9: Libraries and Neckties

Author's Note

This chapter contains heavy Terry Pratchett references. If you haven't read his series Discworld, you might not get as much out of certain sections.

Part 9: Libraries and Neckties

The time was later. Slender Man and Twilight were in Rarity’s dress-making shop. Rainbow Dash was not. She had gone off to put an ice pack on her head and sulk.

Twilight was feeling slightly guilty about Rainbow Dash’s head trauma, but only just. Rarity was under no such compunctions, and had been irate to say the least upon hearing the reason for their delay.

“Well, I can’t believe Rainbow Dash sometimes,” she exclaimed, angrily threading a needle through one of the dresses she was working on. “The nerve of some ponies. Time is of the utmost importance if I’m to get any proper work done tonight.”

“Well, it’s too late for regrets,” Twilight pointed out. “At least Slender is here now. What were you planning on show him?”

The Slender Man was indeed in Rarity’s shop, and seemed practically engrossed in observing as much as possible. Twilight thought she had become better at reading the Slender Man’s mood, and from what she could tell, he was extremely interested in the rows of fabric and pony mannequins decked out in elegant finery.

Actually, Twilight thought he fitted in quite well in the boutique. Slender Man looked like a mannequin himself, with his blank expression and business suit and tie. Maybe he was related to the pony mannequins on display.

Rarity tossed a curl of her mane back impatiently as she answered Twilight’s question. “Teach Slender Man, Twilight? Whatever gave you that idea? I am not a pony that simply spews out random bits of information. No, while I have this Slender character here, I intend to create.”

Twilight glanced at Rarity’s needle, and then at the Slender Man. “You’re going to dress him?” She asked incredulously.

“Of course dear.” Rarity gestured at the Slender Man, “just look at what he’s wearing. I know business suits and ties are considered acceptable among those dreary corporate businesses, but there is such a thing as basic style. A black suit with a red tie?” Rarity shuddered in horror. “How clichéd can you get? No, I’m going to spend my time transforming this Slender Man from a fashion failure into something he can be proud of.”

“Well…good.” That seemed about it, as far as Twilight was concerned. “Sounds like fun. I think.”

“Leave it to me, Twilight. Give me an hour or two and you won’t recognize him anymore. Once we get rid of that tacky suit, we’ll give him something that doesn’t make ponies’ eyes bleed when they look at him.”

“I’m pretty sure that was for other reasons, but good luck.” Twilight backed away towards the door of the shop. “Have fun, and uh, don’t get too carried away, alright?”

There was a jingle as Twilight exited the building, but Rarity had already forgotten about her friend. In one hoof, Rarity held a measuring tape, and the other a pencil. Behind Rarity was a blank canvas, ready for inspiration to be drawn upon it. To Rarity’s left and right, bolts of fabric lay ready to be cut and sew into masterpieces of design and style.

Rarity stood facing the Slender Man, and held up her pencil like a sword. Her eyes gleamed with excitement and anticipation. She looked at Slender Man and uttered the time-honored war cry of the designer in every reality:

“Let’s get fashionable.”

Twilight sat in her library, thinking. She was thinking of the Slender Man. More specifically, she was thinking about how much she did not know about the Slender Man. Her lack of knowledge was a serious problem, not least because she couldn’t think about Slender Man until she knew more about Slender Man. Thus, she thought about Slender Man.

Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is why absolute knowledge is so dangerous. But what Twilight would have loved was knowing, well, anything about this strange being that had invaded her world. So far she had a name, a rather vague description of his nature as some kind of reality-destroying monster, and a first-hand view of his powers, which were formidable to say the least. Not much to go on, in other words.

Pinkie Pie was no help at all in this matter. Twilight had talked to her friend, but Pinkie’s ability to communicate complex ideas was about as great as her ability to sit still. She could tell Twilight lots of things about the Slender Man, mostly having to do with urban mythology, but she couldn’t explain why she knew. It was like the Pinkie Sense – some things Pinkie Pie could just do.

But Twilight was a practical pony. She believed in logic, books, magic, friendship, and cold hard facts. This Slender Man may have been somehow pacified by the Elements of Harmony and Fluttershy’s stare, but who was to say he would remain so? And even if he was harmless (if still scary), would he leave after learning about ponies, or would he stay? And if tried to stay, how could Twilight force him out of Ponyville without a huge battle? What if he had…friends? What if they came looking for him?

Twilight didn’t know the answer to any of these questions, but she did know one thing: the Slender Man was not going to be an easy adversary to defeat, if it came to blows. Chrysalis had been one thing, but aside from her shape shifting abilities, her only main power came from her army. It had only been the strength of the love between Shining Armor and Cadence that had allowed her to defeat Celestia. If Chrysalis had tried to take Canterlot without that love to feed on, Princess Celestia would have hoof-stomped her into the dust.

Tirek was another example of power from planning. His power had come from absorbing the magic of countless ponies in secret until he was unbeatable; in his normal form, he was about as dangerous as Prince Blueblood.

Discord was different, but once again, limited in his danger to ponykind. He was powerful, more powerful than Celestia and Luna combined – at least without the Elements – but he wasn’t exactly malicious so much as annoying. While he had the ability to change rain into chocolate milk, that was about the extent of his ‘rain of terror’. But Slender? He was different.

Twilight was an alicorn. A new one to be sure, but she was nonetheless a member of the same race as Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. And young though she might be, Twilight knew that as the Element of Magic, she possessed magical power that even Celestia would acknowledge. Unfortunately, that also meant that if Twilight couldn’t do much against Slender, Princess Celestia was unlikely to do much better either.

It hurt Twilight to admit this fact, but she had to face reality. She had used every spell she knew – hitting the Slender Man with enough force to injure even a dragon.. But he hadn’t even seemed hurt, just annoyed. Even had Twilight twice, or even three times the magical power she had now, she doubted whether she would have been able to take him on. In short, not good at all if Slender turned hostile.

Thus, Twilight’s search for information. If the Slender Man was too strong to take on from the front, Twilight needed to find his weak spot, or at least learn more about him. However, the Slender Man wasn’t from this dimension, and Twilight knew that in her entire library, there would be not one book on anything pertaining to him.

All things being equal, Twilight would have either written to Princess Celestia to ask for help, or paid a visit to the Canterlot Royal Library to do some serious research. She refrained from doing either for several reasons. Firstly, a letter to her mentor about a strange man-creature that had nearly killed her and her friends would probably bring Celestia and all the Canterlot Guards here in the hour and Twilight didn’t relish their chances of victory. It might annoy the Slender Man at best.

Secondly, and this was more important, Twilight seriously doubted that Princess Celestia knew anything more that Twilight herself did. That went ditto for any books in the library. If the mirror to the alternate-Equestria was open, Twilight might have taken her chances in the human world to find more about the Slender Man, but it was closed for many more moons. In short, there was no knowledge to be found in all of Equestria that could help Twilight now.

That just left…outside of Equestria.

Twilight shivered. She was alone in her library, Spike having gone to watch over Applejack as she rested in the Apple’s house. She really wished she had some company, because the library felt cold and empty, vast without Spike’s comforting presence. She was normally at home in libraries, but the thought of her last remaining source of information made the library seem much, much more ominous.

Some ponies who disliked Twilight might make derogatory comments about how she was a freakishly obsessed bookworm who would read anything written down. Close friends of Twilight would confirm this without a shred of hesitation. But there were some sources of information that even Twilight would hesitate to explore. Sometimes, the reward of knowledge wasn’t worth the price of seeking. Some books were not meant to be read by normal eyes.

But surely, Twilight had no choice in this matter. This was a situation of life and death, and it had very nearly been death for Twilight and her friends already. Still, Twilight wasn’t sure. Death only came once, after all. What she was thinking of could be far worse than death. A whole lot worse.

Twilight glanced up, and into the darkest corner of her library. Beyond a curve of a bookcase lay darkness. And in that darkness…Twilight could find her answers. All she had to do was ask. But at what cost? Twilight knew the answers she sought could be found, no matter how strange or outlandish they might be. But they just might come at the cost of her life, sanity, and soul.

Sometimes, the risk had to be taken. Twilight got up slowly from her chair, and began to get ready. In truth, she didn’t need much. Just a ball of twine, something from her kitchen, a lantern, and she was set. Hesitantly, Twilight walked to the darkest part of her library, beyond the dusty shelves and forgotten piles of books, and further still, until she was swallowed by the darkness. In a few seconds, she was gone, and when Spike returned to look for Twilight, he found not a trace of her in the entire library.

But Twilight was still in her library, at least in one sense. She was just somewhere else at the same time. Somewhere where the answers she sought were waiting, if only she could reach them without dying horribly first. All things considered, she would rather have been fighting the Slender Man again.

“Look, it’s very simple,” Rarity said patiently to the Slender Man. “Your clothes are a disgrace. They’re simply drab, plain, and horribly out of fashion.” She was standing with her tape measure raised like a weapon, attempting to bully her way past the many tendrils that surrounded the Slender Man’s body. “I cannot allow you to walk around with such clothes on. In the name of fashion, I demand you let me undress you.”

Rarity attempted to dart forwards, but was caught by three tendrils and picked up gently, to be set down sans tape measure, which Slender then tossed out the window. With that, Slender’s tendrils returned to their ‘guard’ position around his body, positively cocooning him in a protective wall that Rarity had been unable to breach.

This state of affairs had been going on for quite some time now. Rarity had been at first very impressed with the Slender Man, who had let her measure him and made rough sketches of his build without moving a muscle. However, when she had tried to remove his clothes to get some more measurements, he had reacted quite violently, refusing all of Rarity’s efforts to get near him.

Rarity was used to fussy ponies, who squirmed and didn’t like to be measure of fitted, but in all her years as a dressmaker, she had never seen this. Slender resisted even removing his pants, and was willing to break all of Rarity’s scissors when she tried to cut them off her. He seemed to be embarrassed to be clothes-less, which Rarity regarded as plain silly.

Dresses could add to a pony’s style, but there was nothing wrong with going bare. Clothing was a happy optional, but hardly compulsory. But Slender seemed to regard being naked as some sort of crime, and so far Rarity hadn’t been able to even touch him.

Rarity briefly gave up on forcing her way through the web of tendrils that surrounded the Slender Man and tried reason instead. “Look, Mr. Slender Man. I fully appreciate that you’re hesitant about entrusting your wardrobe to me, but I can assure you that there is nopony more qualified to design an appropriate ensemble for you than me. I am, after all, one of the foremost designers in Equestria.”

This didn’t seem to impress the Slender Man, who remained stubbornly silent and still, refusing to move his tendrils. “In fact,” Rarity continued, trying to edge towards Slender through the mass of limbs, “I even recently designed a set of costumes for Sapphire Shores herself, and they were a masterpiece, if I do say so myself.”

A pair of tendrils picked Rarity up by her back hooves, and dropped her unceremoniously to the ground. Rarity gave an undignified whoomph, as the breath was knocked out of her. When she could stand, she noticed that her man, usually beautifully styled and curled, was now covered in bits of dust. That was bad enough, and Rarity was about to let loose an anguished scream, when she noticed that her hoof had developed a hair fracture from the fall.

Rarity tried to hold back her tears, and only barely succeeded. Don’t think of the hoof. Don’t think of the mane. She could use plaster and makeup to disguise the crack, and there she could wash and comb her hair. She had a job to do. Fashion was a duty, not a choice. She must soldier on.

Giving Slender her sweetest smile, Rarity tried to speak as pleasantly as possible. “Mr. Slender Man, I know you are uncomfortable with changing your apparel, but I really cannot accept leaving your wardrobe in the state it is. However, if you feel like you cannot bear to change your suit, perhaps we can compromise?”

Rarity pointed to the Slender Man’s red tie, a crimson piece the color of blood. “Your tie is a most excellent addition to your suit, but I can’t help but feel that you might be missing the variety a wider selection of ties would offer. If you would be so good as to remove that tie, we could try fitting on a few more to see the effect. Surely that would not be so hard, would it?”

The Slender Man seemed consider Rarity’s suggestion, as the unicorn held her breath. Then, one of the Slender Man’s tendrils moved slowly up to his tie. Rarity held her breath.

The tendril stopped just touching the tie, and seemed to caress it for a second. Then, moved back down to Rarity’s head height and poked Rarity hard on the forehead. Seemingly satisfied, the Slender Man pulled the tendril back towards his body, where it resumed its protective position.

Rarity calmly looked at the tendril, and then back at the Slender Man’s face. Then she looked back at the tie, the Slender Man’s face, and the tendril again.

Rarity snapped.

“Alright, mister,” Rarity growled, advancing on the Slender Man. “I’ve had about enough from you. I told Twilight I was going to improve your appearance, and I’m going to do just that, if I have to kill both of us to do it. You will hand over that tie right now, or I will make you regret the day you first looked in a mirror.”

There was a pause, and then a tendril slowly reached up to the Slender Man’s throat, and unfastened the red tie. Rarity practically snatched it from the tendril as it lowered towards her, and hurled it into a corner of her shop.

“Good, we are learning. Now, I’m going to show you a few more ties, and you are going to look at them and find one that you like. And we are going to keep looking at ties until you find one you like, understand?”

There was no reply from the Slender Man, but one of his tendrils bobbed up and down like a pony’s head.

“Most excellent, thank you,” Rarity said. “So glad for your cooperation, Mr. Slender Man. Shall we begin?”

At about roughly the same time as Slender was beginning to try a selection of ties prepared by Rarity, Twilight was moving through another dimension. She didn’t think of it as such, not being too familiar with extra-dimensional physics, but she was nevertheless aware that she was no longer in Equestria.

In fact, Twilight did not know much about the journey she was taking, except that it was dark, dusty, and so dangerous that the word itself could not describe the magnitude of danger Twilight was in. She was in a maze of books. More accurately, she was in what appeared to be a labyrinth of dusty bookshelves and darkness, where the only light came from her lantern, and the library shelves disappeared up into the darkness, forming endless walls of text and literature.

Twilight had no idea what the place she was in was, but she knew its name. She was in L-space, and that fact alone meant that she was in very serious trouble. One of the ways in which Twilight was in trouble was that she was not, in any sense of the word, supposed to be here.

Twilight was a librarian. This fact was roughly understood in Ponyville to mean that she had a library full of books, but however loosely the word was defined, the truth was that Twilight was the only librarian in Ponyville, even if practically no pony checked out a book from her library besides herself. And her status as a librarian meant that certain secrets had been made known to Twilight that even Princess Celestia wasn’t are of.

One of those facts was that librarians have secrets. Many people do not believe that librarians have any secrets, and merely exist as stern taskmasters of their collection of books, and sometimes as enforcers of library law in administering fines, collecting overdue books, and occasionally inflicting bodily harm on those who made loud noises in the library.

But librarians are more than simple shelvers of books. They are not custodians, but guardians of knowledge, and one of the things they guarded were people from books. Not books from people, as many would think, but the opposite. Librarians guarded the rest of the world from books that were so dangerous, so full of forbidden knowledge, that they had to be locked away from prying eyes.

Not all librarians are like this, of course. As always, there are the good and the bad librarians, those who use knowledge as a means to an end, and those who respect it and treat it as a living thing, which it is. And a few librarians, the best of the best, those who have saved books and faced down the greatest grimoires, those librarians are part of a select group. You have never heard of this order, and never will. Librarians are experts at keeping secrets.

However, Twilight was a librarian, however humble, and she had learned of the existence of this sacred order: The Librarians of Time and Space. The keepers of mysteries and that which baffled even mysteries. They were as legends among normal librarians, who spoke of them in hushed tones.

Twilight wasn’t one of them, of course. She was too young, too inexperienced, and had not performed any great feats of librarianship. She had even allowed her library to be destroyed by Tirek, a grave and terrible failure in the eyes of librarians. True, she had been battling to save Equestria, but librarians knew what really counted.

At any rate, Twilight may not have been part of that noble order, but she knew enough to know of L-Space. It was one of the domains of The Librarians of Time and Space, and a way in which they were able to travel between libraries. It was also exceptionally dangerous, but also a way in which to travel between dimensions if the need arose. The theory behind L-Space is quite simple, and outlined elsewhere, but bears repeating here.

Books are collections of Knowledge. And Knowledge = Power. And Power = (Force x Distance^2) ÷ Time. And enough power distorts time and space. Thus, large quantities of books can distort reality. Understanding this basic principle allows us to understand how L-space works. Libraries, collections of so many books are in fact sinkholes distorting the universe around each other. And because of this effect, it is possible to travel from one library to another, provided they are of a reasonable size. This is known among librarians as L-space.

Naturally, the physics of the entire business are much more complex, but the bottom line was that Twilight was able to cross between libraries if she so desired. This wasn’t often, or ever, if it came to that. While it sounds fascinating to travel to any library, and any time you could wish, this is only because you do not know the perils of L-space.

Twilight had been recently taught about L-space by the librarian of the Crystal Empire, and with it had come strict and graphic warnings about the dangers of L-space. No repetition of the warnings need be printed here, but suffice it to say that they were enough to keep even the naturally curious Twilight from ever considering a journey into L-space until now. Twilight had spent several sleepless months after hearing the tales of those librarians who had taken a wrong turn in L-space, and what had been found later by other librarians.

Things lived in libraries. Often, they were just small insects, the homeless man, or if worst came to the worst, a group of desperate people attempting to find refuge from the outside zombie apocalypse. However, that was only in human libraries, and only those which didn’t have magic at that. Anything could and did live in magical libraries, and they too could enter L-space. They couldn’t exit it, thankfully, and became lost in the endless maze, but that just added to the danger of any librarian crossing through L-space.

Twilight flattened herself against a bookshelf as she heard a rustling somewhere ahead of her. She didn’t know what the gargantuan shape was that seemed to pass at the edge of her lantern’s light, but it ignored her, and passed around a corner of the maze. After a moment, Twilight continued on, but always, always alert and listening hard for any sound other than the gentle rustle of pages.

She knew where she was going, in a general sense. As a librarian, even a junior one, Twilight had the librarian’s sense, and could locate other libraries based on their feel in her mind. The one she was headed to wasn’t hard to find, but Twilight wasn’t as much worried as finding her way there as getting back. She had brought a ball of twine, and had been unrolling it as she walked, but she was running out of string. She wasn’t about to keep walking in L-space without a way back, and she sure as tartarus wasn’t going to make this journey more than once. Twilght just had to pray that she reached her destination in time.

Twilight was just reaching the end of her string, and starting to despair, when she suddenly stumbled into the light. Well, not much light, but certainly brighter than the blackness of L-space. Twilight looked around her and gasped.

She was in a library, which was pretty much standard, but what caught Twilight’s breath was the scale of the library. Twilight had been in the Canterlot library, and even the Crystal Empire libraries, both bastions of knowledge over the millennia. They would have been swallowed easily by this library, which seemed to stretch on…forever. This library was a neanderthal giant compared to the thin, underfed things that Twilight knew of as libraries. It was in a place like this that you could believe research and the beginnings of history had begun.

Twilight could only stare and marvel. Part of her mind was urging her on, telling her to go and do what she had come here for, but it was only a small part. The rest of Twilight wanted nothing more than to sit and read here forever, to be lost in the tide of books, and to spend the rest of her days simply learning from a source that would never run dry.

This wonderful sensation filled Twilight up for approximately fifty-seven seconds, whereupon she was interrupted by a librarian. Not just any librarian in fact, but one of the librarians.

Twilight hastily dropped to one foreleg, and bowed. She wasn’t sure of the protocol between librarians, not having been considered ready for advanced instruction yet, but she certainly knew of this librarian. He was a legend even among The Librarians of Space and Time. Crazy, unpredictable, a rule-breaker and a proponent of an unorthodox shelving system. But he was the only…person who might help Twilight now.

Twilight remained on one leg, head bowed, until she felt gentle hands grasping her shoulders, and lifting her up. The librarian smiled at her, and Twilight was struck by just how kind a smile it was. She had been terrified of him when he had first been described – his rages and temper were another part of his fame among librarians, but he looked so much different from how Twilight had imagined him.

“Um, excuse me,” Twilight said. “I know I shouldn’t be here, but I had nowhere else to go, and I need answers badly.”

The librarian’s face didn’t change, and he continued to smile at her, inviting her to go on.

“I, uh, brought you a present.” Twilight said, proffering her gift to him. She hoped she had gotten it right. “I was told you liked them, so I brought one and…”

One hand grasped her gift, and brought it up to the eye-level as the librarian regarded it thoughtfully. It seemed to pass inspection, and he gently held it in one big hand as he continued to regard her.

Twilight felt slightly nervous under his stare, but tried to explain her purpose. “You see, I live in a place called Equestria, and it’s filled with ponies like me. And we had…a visitor recently.”

One eyebrow raised as the librarian regarded her.

“He wasn’t…normal and we didn’t know what he wanted. Me and my friends met him, and he tried to kill all of us, but we managed to stop him somehow with the help of magic.”

The librarian’s smile twisted a bit at that, and he rolled his shoulders, as if uncomfortable. Twilight hastened to explain.

“I know magic isn’t the best solution, but we had no choice. He was killing all of us, and magic…helped us communicate. At any rate, he stopped attacking us, and instead he’s really curious about ponies, and my friends and I are trying to teach him about our culture as we speak.”

Silence continued, but the librarian stroked his chin thoughtfully, listening to Twilight’s story.

“Anyways, I don’t know what to do,” Twilight said. “He seems harmless right now, but that could change in an instant. There’s nopony I know that could stop him; at least I don’t think so, anyways. And no one can tell me anything about him, because he’s not from our reality. So I came here.”

Twilight felt the librarian’s eyes on her, seeming to weigh her on invisible scales. For a long moment, she feared he would send her away, condemn her for failing to deal with the problem instead. But then he seemed to come to a decision, and nodded slowly. One leathery hand reached up and patted Twilight gently on the head.

“You mean you’ll help?” Twilight asked, scarcely daring to believe.

One hand made a gentle fist, and extended a thumb upwards, a human expression Twilight had come to understand.

“Oh, thank you so much! I can’t imagine what I would do if you hadn’t helped!”

The librarian gave her another big smile, and with one huge palm, mimed writing something down.

“Writing something down? Oh, I see, you want to know his name!” Twilight smacked her head with one hoof. “I’m so sorry, I forgot. He’s called the Slender Man, and—”

Twilight stopped. The smile on the librarian’s face seemed to freeze. His face still made a smile, but his lips curled away, making his smile far less friendly than before. A row of bared teeth gleamed at Twilight, making the pony shiver and tremble. Before she could stammer out an apology however, one rough hand gently patted her on the head, and the librarian disappeared back among the bookshelves.

Twilight hesitated, startled at the librarian’s sudden disappearance. Had she offended him somehow? All the stories said that he feared practically nothing, but when she had mentioned the Slender Man’s name—

The librarian reappeared, vaulting over the top of one enormous bookshelf and swinging himself to the ground in a fluid motion. He was carrying a large, black book in one hand, and was no longer smiling at all. Gravely, he handed Twilight the book, and she read the title.

The Eldritch: Tales of the Unknown by Edward Softly

Its cover was entirely black, and the lettering was faded silver that nevertheless seemed to glow in the dim light of the library. Twilight held it magically aloft, and studied it. It wasn’t small by any means, but seemed relatively short for a book explaining the mysteries of what the Slender Man was. Still, she was sure that this was it. Finally, she would be able to find out exactly what he was, without reference to some kind of crazy urban mythology Pinkie Pie made up.

Twilight turned to the librarian, and bowed. “Thank you again. I can’t tell you how much this means.” She hesitated as she turned to go. “I…don’t suppose you have any advice on how to deal with this? I mean, I’m sort of out of my league…”

The librarian looked at her, and smiled. He patted her on the head, and then he uttered one word.

“Ook.”

Twilight frowned. “Really? It’s that simple?”

“Ook.”

“Well, if you say so. I’ll do my best. Thank you for all your help.” And with that, she turned and vanished back into the depths of the library, carrying her book before her like a torch.

The Librarian of Unseen University watched the pony named Twilight vanish back into the maze of L-space. He held the banana she had given him in his hands and regarded it for a moment. Then he peeled back the banana and ate it. All things considered, he hoped she would be safe from the Slender Man. She had the makings of a good librarian, to survive her first journey through L-space. Hopefully they would meet again.

The Librarian finished the banana, and swung back into the main section of the Unseen University’s library. One fellow librarian assisted, a banana eaten, and a book checked out. It was time for a nap. He just hoped that this Twilight would learn from that book. It didn’t do well to cross the eldritch, the Librarian knew. Especially not the Slender Man. Anything that awoke his wrath would not live long. He could only hope that nothing had tried to provoke him while Twilight was gone.

Rarity hurled another tie at the Slender Man. “How about this one!?”

The Slender Man held up the tie and regarded it quizzically for a few seconds before tossing it to one side. It joined the now massive pile of fallen ties to his left and right, all rejections he had made over the last hour.

Any pony looking into Rarity’s shop would have been impressed with the variety of ties lying on the floor. Rarity wasn’t much of a tie-maker in truth, but she kept each prototype she made in her storerooms, and they were all here. Elegant ties of blended saffron and dusky yellows, odd-looking ties shaped like an exclamation mark; even ties with funny captions, like ‘Never say Neigh!’ Rarity was a bit ashamed of that last one.

There were ties for every occasion. Ties for the weather, ties symbolizing various holidays, ties that were uplifting, ties that were meant for sad occasions. There was even a sword-tie Rarity had made for a visiting Griffin ambassador, but that one had been too dangerous to sell. It kept trying to slice off the wearer’s neck, for one thing.

Rarity would quite have liked to slice off the Slender Man’s neck right now. Despite the deluge of wonderful ties, all made by her own two hooves, he had rejected each and every one. Rarity had to admit that he looked at all of them, but he tossed them aside each time, without even trying them on.

Rarity picked up another tie, this one a beautiful work in silk and silver, shining like a moonbeam. “How about this one, Mr. Slender Man? The silver effect would go wonderfully with your dark suit. Won’t you try it on?”

The Slender Man picked up the tie, studied it for a few seconds, and then tossed it over his shoulder. Rarity felt a blood vessel throbbing in her temple, and prayed it wouldn’t burst. “You don’t like it? No problem,” she said through gritted teeth, “I fully understand. Let me just get a few more ties.”

Rarity stomped over to the last box of ties she had dragged out, and upended it on the floor. A single tie fell out. Rarity looked at it. It was red, plain cotton, and very old. Rarity remembered this tie. It was the first one she had ever made. She could even see the stitching, where she had clumsily sewn cloth together before she had learned to disguise the weave. It was nostalgia, and fond memories rolled into one. It was also a fashion disaster.

Rarity was a huge fan of nostalgia, as it allowed her to reuse old styles in new dresses, and helped her sell many of her older creations. However, this tie had been made when Rarity had first gotten her cutie mark, and it showed. If Rarity had created a tie of this quality now, she would have hung herself with it. As it was, it certainly couldn’t be offered to the Slender Man.

Rarity tossed the tie back in the box, but it never landed. In a flash of movement too quick for her to follow, the Slender Man’s tendril had grabbed it, and brought it to eye level as he studied it.

“Ah, I see you’ve found my last tie,” Rarity said uncomfortably. “You needn’t bother, really. That tie was made years ago, and it’s very clumsily made. I was just a filly, you see, and totally neglected any sort of decorations—”

Rarity’s eyes bulged as the Slender Man suddenly fastened the red tie around his neck, giving it a professional knot and letting it fall against his chest. The vibrant red of the tie stood out like a splash of blood against the darkness of his suit. It wasn’t a bad effect, but that wasn’t what left Rarity speechless.

The Slender Man’s tie had been confiscated by Rarity, and she now brought it out, holding it up and comparing with the tie the Slender Man was wearing. The tie she had made was a vivid red of the sunset and fresh blood. Slender’s old tie was a darker crimson, as with blood that had dried or the last glimmers of the sun before it was swallowed into the dark of the night. In short, both ties were not only red, but a near-identical shade of it.

“That’s a…very interesting choice you’ve made, Mr. Slender Man,” Rarity said. “I wonder though, whether you might think that these ties are just the teensiest bit…identical?”

The Slender Man’s tendril moved from the tie on his chest to his old tie and back again, as if comparing the two. He seemed to consider Rarity’s question, and then slowly shook his tendril side to side, mimicking a pony’s head.

“I see,” Rarity said, forcing the words out through a strangled throat. “However, I really do think that that tie, that very old, badly sewn, unfashionable tie might not be the best choice.” She indicated the mountain of discarded ties. “You wouldn’t perhaps care to try any of the other hundreds of ties on, perchance?”

The Slender Man’s tendril shook back and forth again. No.

“And you really, really like that tie?”

The tendril bobbed up and down this time. Yes.

“You don’t want any other tie?”

No.

“You’re positively sure? They’re all free, you know. I’d even sew you up a new one, any style you like. But you want…that…tie?”

Yes.

Rarity considered this calmly. “Well then, I’m very glad for you Mr. Slender Man. It’s good that we could find a tie you liked. The customer is always right after all.” Rarity’s left eye twitched, and she laughed oddly. “Ha. Haha. So glad you’ve found what you’re looking for. If ever you need a suit made, please remember the Carousel Boutique for all your clothing needs.”

And with that, Rarity’s eyes rolled back into her head, and she collapsed onto the floor of her shop in a dead faint.

Part 10: Revelations

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Part 11: A Conversation, a Party, an Avalanche

Eldritch beings did not have mental breakdowns. That was what Slender kept telling himself. But that didn’t help much, because that still didn’t explain the apparition before him. Pinkie Pie was sitting down in her room, but she was not in her room but the twisted version that resided in Slender’s dimension. And she was talking to him.

“Y’know, I’m not sure I really like this place,” Pinkie Pie said, poking a shadowy reflection of her bed. “It seems kinda dark and boring. Except there’s no light. Or color. Which is boring. What you really need is a bunch of balloons, and some confetti. That would make this place look a whole lot better.”

Slender said nothing. He was having a hard enough time processing what was happening without replying to Pinkie Pie. His mind wrestled with the incomprehensibility of her presence, but at the same time he was analyzing her with all of his senses. They came up blank. No magic, no emissions of particles, energy, or even faith.

Science, magic, and religion were all the basis of all power in realities. Without one of these forces at work, Pinkie Pie couldn’t have traveled here. But even if she had enough magic to power a big bang, Slender knew it wouldn’t be able to allow her to enter his world. Sufficient amounts of energy could allow one to breach the walls of reality, but this place was part of his being in a way. The only thing that could enter this plane of existence would be—

Slender didn’t have eyes, but if he did, they would have narrowed. There was no other explanation for it. Pinkie Pie was literally doing the impossible, and Slender knew what impossible meant. Humans liked to say many things were impossible when they really were possible, but Slender didn’t exaggerate. When something was impossible, it was impossible, and Pinkie Pie’s presence here was impossible.

But there was one type of being that could do even the impossible. Even gods have limits, however few, but restrictions only applied to those beings that lived inside of reality. The eldritch could do as they pleased.

And that was it.

Slender realized what his mistake had been. He couldn’t imagine any pony, or any mortal or immortal being from any reality finding their way into his dimension. That was impossible, plain and simple. But he could imagine another one of his kind making their way here.

And then it hit the Slender Man, and he stared at Pinkie Pie again as he fully understood what he was thinking.

Pinkie Pie was an eldritch being.

She had to be. Nothing else made sense, and even the things that didn’t make sense didn’t fit the bill. But that was…

Impossible.

Slender spoke without thinking. It wasn’t the speech of vibrations and molecules bouncing together that ponies and humans used. Slender couldn’t speak in that sense. But there are countless other ways to communicate, and Slender had access to several. And what he had spoken with was the language of the eldritch, as far as those words could be applied.

It wasn’t words, or even thought that Slender projected, but a reverberation of his being. To any other eldritch being that felt that, it was not only an expression of Slender’s identity, but of his current emotions, feelings, and thoughts. It was like telepathy, but far, far more intimate, and so complex that even angels would have failed to understand the Slender Man.

But Pinkie Pie did. And she spoke back.

Impossible is just a word, silly! It doesn’t mean anything. You should know that!

If the Slender Man had been in shock before, it was nothing compared to this. But it wasn’t just shock; it was the sudden understanding of what Pinkie Pie was. He had been so confused by her seemingly magical abilities, but they had been beyond even what magic was capable of. And she had no magic, he could tell. But that didn’t matter because she was—

Just like you? Pinkie Pie asked. Maybe. But I don’t think I’m nearly as scary as you. You’re sorta grey and funny-looking except you’re not that funny, and you have weird hooves and no face. I’m just a pony.

That was true. But she clearly demonstrated traits that were unique to eldritch-kind. Pinkie Pie was an eldritch being, just like the Slender Man. There could be no doubt about it.

I’m an eldritch being too? How cool is that? Pinkie Pie gasped. I just realized! That would means we’re totally like brothers! Or sisters! Or siblings! Can I call you big brother?

But then why had she not felt the call?

What call?

It should have sung in her soul, reverberated throughout her being at her creation. The call. The urge to kill, to maim, to rid worlds of life and plunge them screaming into the abyss!

That doesn’t sound like too much fun. Pinkie Pie bounced up to the ceiling and then stood on it. I like all my friends, and I wouldn’t want to plunge Equestria into the screaming abyss. Anyways, if there were nobody around who would I have to party with? Without people, there are only rocks, and rocks are boooooring. I should know! I worked on a rock farm when I was a filly.

Slender nodded to himself. It was all making more sense. She was eldritch, sure enough. There could be no denying it.

Ooh! Cool! Do I get a hat or something? Maybe there’s a secret hoofshake!

She was eldritch, but not completely so.

What!? Pinkie Pie fell off the ceiling and landed on the ground with a thump. She floated back up to stare at the Slender Man. I’m not a crazy murdering monster from another dimension? Why not? Her eyes narrowed. It’s because I’m pink, isn’t it?

Slender tried to ignore her.

Hey! That’s really rude, you know! But I forgive you, because that’s what good ponies do.

It is extremely difficult to keep thoughts private when your entire being could be read by another eldritch. But Slender was thinking hard. Pinkie Pie wasn’t truly one of the eldritch, but neither was she completely normal either. She was some kind of half-breed, although that word was completely inaccurate to her true nature.

I should say so! My mother was a pony and my father was too! They didn't have weird tentacle things and gooey eyes! Pinkie Pie thought about this for a moment. I think.

Slender Man was trying to remember. He hadn’t encountered such beings before, but he had heard stories. Some of the eldritch had told him of encounters with individuals such as Pinkie, caught between reality and the unknown.

Excuse me, Pinkie Pie sniffed, but I prefer to think of it as me catching reality and not the other way around.

They were not part of the game. They obeyed none of the rules that governed the eldritch, and had their own moral codes. Some were killers, while others fought their own kind, and upheld notions like justice, freedom, and hope.

Holding up hope sounds like really hard work. Is it heavy? I’d rather hold up something like laughter or pie instead. Actually, I’d rather eat pie.

Who had he heard about from Crayak last time they had met? Ah yes, there had been that Doctor that had caused so much trouble for so many of the eldritch.

Doctor? Who?

And then there was the fat man Slender had heard so much about. He didn’t do much most of the year apparently, but for one night he would deliver coal and presents to children and eat all of their cookies for some reason.

What a jerk!

Yes. Now the Slender thought about it, he was sure that he had also heard of some kind of vampire that had started hunting other vampires. He had apparently transcended beyond even the limits of immortality, and had become something close to eldritch. He was also a snappy dresser, apparently. What had been his name? Alla…Cards? Something like that.

A vampire that hunts other vampires? That sounds so cool! You know, Fluttershy turned into a vampony once, but she only at fruits. And she didn’t sparkle! How weird is that?

Slender refocused on Pinkie Pie. She had certainly mastered the new physics of his dimension. She was floating in the center of her room, weightless, limbs outstretched as if she were free-falling.

Look! I’m in space! Spaaaaaaace!

The Slender Man couldn’t get headaches, but his head still hurt. So, Pinkie was eldritch. He really shouldn’t have been surprised. All the clues were there. But so what? A pony was still a pony, even if she could ignore the laws of physics. And even if she was overly talkative, Slender had to admit that she wasn’t that bad.

Really? That’s so nice! Pinkie Pie landed back on the floor and beamed up at the Slender Man. Nopony’s ever told me I wasn’t that bad! Normally they say I’m eccentric, or energetic, or crazy!

Pinkie Pie slowly levitated upwards until she was face to face with the Slender Man.

You know Mr. Slender Man, I’m really glad I met you. At first I thought you were a big meanie-pants jerk with no face who liked to hurt innocent ponies, but you’re not as bad as I thought! I don’t know why you’re not killing me and everypony, but I’m glad that you just wanna have fun. Pinkie Pie landed gently on the ground and bounded up to the Slender Man. So guess what?

Pinkie Pie threw open the door to her room. I know Twilight said I wasn’t supposed to take you around Ponyville, but since we’re in your dimension that probably doesn’t count. She leaned towards the Slender Man. I won’t tell Twilight if you won’t. Pinkie Promise! And I can show you all my friends and the cool places around Ponyville without giving anypony a heart attack which is great!

The Slender Man considered this. That didn’t sound too bad, actually, and it beat sitting in Pinkie Pie’s bedroom until Twilight got back. He had fled, well, retreated to his dimension for peace and quiet, but it wasn’t nearly as bad now that Pinkie Pie could understand what he was thinking. A trip around this ‘Equestria’ didn’t sound too bad after all.

Alright! ROADTRIP!

However, he would insist on a modicum of silence and restraint on Pinkie Pie’s part. No endless chatter.

Aw. Do I have to? I’m really, really good at talking!

Nevertheless. Slender would not budge on this point. Some talk was inevitable, but there was such a thing as restraint.

Yeah, but I never have any of that. Pinkie Pie sighed. Okay, I’ll try not to talk all the time. Just most of it.

That would have to do. Slender could put up with that, if it was only for an hour or two. He did feel slightly…excited, though. He hadn’t got to check out much of Ponyville, and he wanted to see more than the few places he had been.

Alright! You’re going to love it! Let’s go!

Pinkie Pie sprang out the door and Slender followed her.

First stop is Sugarcube Corner, which is downstairs! And then we’ll go to all the cool places in Ponyville, and then in all of Equestria! We can move a lot faster here so I’m going to show you every amazing place I know, and that’s everywhere!

Slender didn’t smile, but he felt a certain uplifting of his spirits. Well, you never knew, did you? This had seemed like hell, or perhaps heaven, but maybe Pinkie Pie’s company might just be tolerable after all.

Hey! I heard that!

Twilight stared dully at a wall. It wasn’t an interesting wall. It had no noticeable features, and was in fact, as boring as a wall of drying paint. More boring, in fact. But maybe if she stared at it long enough, it would help her blot out the present moment.

Pinkie Pie and the Slender Man were gone. Vanished. They weren’t in Pinkie Pie’s room, or anywhere else in Sugarcube Corner. Nopony had seen either leaving the building, and Twilight had set Rainbow Dash, Applejack and the Cutie Mark crusaders as watchers. Applebloom had reported Pinkie Pie flying out the window at one point, but that had probably been a hallucination. Maybe.

Twilight wondered whether she could bash her head against the wall hard enough to lose her memory, or at least, consciousness. Cranial trauma could result in loss of intelligence, but Twilight was prepared to take that risk. The Slender Man and Pinkie Pie were no longer here; ergo, they were somewhere outside. In Ponyville, or possible somewhere in Equestria.

Twilight had visions of Manehatten burning, and Canterlot crumbling into rubble. Pinkie Pie was a walking disaster, albeit a good-natured and happy one. Twilight loved her earth pony friend, but Pinkie had a way of escalating tense situations. She never caused them herself, but they always got worse when Pinkie was involved. She had once started a war between earth ponies and the buffalo tribes with a song and dance number, and she had nearly caused a Pinkapocalypse when her army of deranged clones invaded Ponyville.

Twilight still had nightmares about that day. And now she was out there, somewhere, with a being that had waded through seas of blood and gore he had created. Something terrible was about to happen, Twilight knew it. Somepony was going to die, or the two would cause some horrible disaster, like opening the gates of Tartarus, or destroying the Canterlot Express.

Twilight stared at the wall again and felt sweat running down her face. Any moment, she would get a letter from Princess Celestia, about a mysterious explosion, or a sudden disaster in Appleloosa, or Cloudsdale. That would be it. Pinkie Pie and the Slender Man would probably cause Cloudsdale to fall from the sky somehow, and land it on Canterlot. And it would be all her fault.

Dimly, Twilight could hear her other four friends talking with Spike in the background.

“I don’t think Twilight looks that well,” Spike was saying. “She sorta looks like she did when she forgot to write that letter on friendship. Look at her eye. It keeps twitching.”

“Ah don’t reckon she’s overreactin’. Ya think Pinkie Pie and Slender Man together is a good idea?”

“I could go fly around Ponyville and check out the area. They can’t have gotten too far.”

“But Dash, darling, this is Pinkie Pie we’re talking about. Do you really think she’d stay in just Ponyville? That pony would go to the moon for fun if she could figure out how.”

“Ah reckon the only reason she hasn’t is ‘cause nopony’s suggested it to her yet. Rarity’s right. Pinkie Pie could go anywhere, and the Slender Man could follow her.”

“Oh, but surely they wouldn’t harm anypony? I made the Slender Man promise, and I’m sure he won’t do anything bad.”

“Bad? Do you think it matters with Pinkie Pie? That pony could cause an earthquake just by blowing her nose! She’s a walking disaster!”

“Hey girls, Twilight is still staring at the wall. She hasn’t blinked in the last five minutes…do you think we should do something?”

“Well, I could give her a makeover.”

“Ah wouldn’t call that helpful.”

“I certainly would. Just look at her complexion! She could win a hideous-face competition with Nightmare Moon.”

“Um, Rarity, I don’t think that’s very nice. Anyways, hideous-face competitions don’t exist.”

“Nonsense darling, Pinkie Pie held one last week, don’t you remember? She was having a ‘scary story’ party with the all the fillies and colts in Ponyville, remember?”

“Ah do. That was tha night Applebloom refused ta go to sleep. She said it was ‘cause of the horrible stories and scary faces.”

“Yeah, Scootaloo mentioned that one to me too. Who won the horrible-faces competition anways?”

“Pinkie Pie, obviously. And then she had a ‘winning the horrible-faces competition’ party afterword and invited us all, remember? At 4 AM in the morning? Honestly, that pony would party anywhere, any time.”

“That’s it!” Twilight suddenly shouted. Everypony’s head turned to her, and Twilight turned from her wall and stared at them with a manic grin. “I’ve got it! We can get Pinkie Pie and the Slender Man to come right here, right now! Equestria is saved! I won’t have to go to magic kindergarten!”

There was a delicate pause. “That’s nice, Twilight,” Rarity said carefully. “Uh, do tell us about your plan.”

Twilight smiled widely. It was a smile worthy of Pinkie Pie, but on her face, it was also sign for extreme worry. Twilight’s eyes were bloodshot, and she had dark rings that made her wide and happy grin even more disturbing. As one pony (and one dragon), her friends took a careful step back.

“We’re going to need hats. Lots of hats.”

Slender was enjoying himself. This was a novel experience for him. Here he was, following Pinkie Pie around Equestria, listening to her rambling explanations of various landmarks and ponies they encountered. He was having fun, and there wasn’t so much as a single dead body in the area. That had never happened before.

And, to be honest, this was a fun Slender had never funned before. He was quite familiar with the heady rush of closing in on his prey, the sweet, visceral feeling of finally capturing his victim, and the subsequent…dissection afterwards. But they were all strong currents of emotion and feeling that swept him up, and made him burn in the night with terrible desires and urges.

This was different. It was a lighter feeling, and owed nothing to the thrill of action or the surges of violence. He wasn’t doing much. He followed Pinkie, listened to her talk, and moved on to the next place. But it was interesting. The party pony of Ponyville had a story for each place she took him to, from the open plains outside of Appleloosa, to the Salt-Block Saloon full of ponies licking salt, the Winsome Falls where rainbows fell from the sky, the Flame Geyser Swamp where Slender saw a chimera pacing to and fro, and many more wondrous places.

And the ponies. Pinkie Pie knew every one, and had a story about the adventures and experiences she had shared with each. They had seen a minotaur and several goats walking along who Pinkie claimed were a bunch of mean jerks, a pegasus with bright orange hair shouting at a group of cringing pegasi, a sea serpent with an odd moustache, and even another party pony.

Pinkie had called him Cheese, and Slender had wondered whether he too had the eldritch gift. He hadn’t reacted to their presence however, which had made Slender slightly relieved. One pony like Pinkie Pie was enough, thanks.

It was wondrous, and marvelous. It also made the Slender Man jealous. He had felt it growing within him, a small seed of jealousy as he had watched Pinkie Pie talk and lead him around Equestria. This too wasn’t a normal experience for the Slender Man. He was used to envy over another eldritch’s accomplishments. When they had bragged of a kill streak twice as long as his, or managing to wipe out a particularly resilient reality. But that had merely been the jealousy of competition, and underneath the temporary annoyance of being upstaged, Slender had been more determined than ever to kill more than any other eldritch.

But here was something that Slender could not have. Pinkie Pie chattered on, leading him through Equestria, but Slender watched her almost as much as the sights he saw. She was one of his kind, however faintly. But she didn’t kill, and she didn’t think like he did. More importantly, she wasn’t feared. She wasn’t shunned, and she was even liked. She knew so many creatures, and they all liked her.

Slender had never commanded any being’s respect, much less their approval. All he had ever received was fear, and until now, that had been enough. But whenever the Slender Man looked at Pinkie Pie, smiling and bouncing along, something inside of him burned with a feeling he couldn’t describe.

It was such a very odd scene. The Slender Man and Pinkie Pie floating through their together as they toured Equestria. Both were eldritch beings. But one was made of darkness and shadows, grays and blacks, and the other was the embodiment of happiness and laughter, filled with boundless energy and bright colors. It made Slender realize how different he was from Pinkie Pie, from ponies, from people in general.

But the tour continued, and Slender was still interested in this place called Equestria. So the Slender Man followed the bright bouncing pony known as Pinkie Pie as she led him around Equestria in a world of shadows. And he wondered what it would be like to be her.

Twilight smiled. It was huge, horrible, smile. There are ponies that are good at smiling, like Pinkie Pie, and there are ponies that can make a simple smile look like a death rictus. Twilight was one of the latter types of ponies, at least when she was stressed. Which she was.

“Alright, does everybody have their hat? And the cake?” Her friends were arrayed around her, each one wearing a festive party-hat that they had found in Pinkie Pie’s rooms, surrounding a small cake with a single candle. It had been placed on a table, with a sprinkling of confetti around it.

“Okay,” Rainbow Dash said, “I’ve got my party hat on, and this stupid party horn. The cake is here and the candle. Everything is just like you want it, Twilight. Now, are you going to explain what the heck is going on?”

Twilight ignored Rainbow Dash’s acid tone. “We are going to bring back Pinkie Pie and the Slender Man right now. I’ve hit upon a sure-fire method of attracting Pinkie Pie. I’m sure of it.”

“With a cake?” Rarity prodded the block of bread covering with icing. “Twilight, I know you don’t care about the quality of the cake, but this isn’t much better than those muffins Applejack and Pinkie Pie made.”

“Ah’d say they’re even worse. Ya do know that a cake isn’t a loaf ‘a bread with frosting, right Twilight?”

“That doesn’t matter.” Twilight pointed impatiently at the cake. “All we need to do is light it. Fluttershy? The matches?”

Reluctantly, Fluttershy struck a match and lit the ‘candle’, which was in fact, a stick. It smoked horribly, but eventually it lit. The stinking, eye-stinging smoke it gave off soon filled Sugarcube corner.

“Good, good.” Twilight paced back and forth. “Phase one is complete. Rarity? Begin phase two.”

Rarity exchanged a dubious glance with the other ponies, but dutifully held a piece of paper and read, “Oh, this is such a wonderful surprise party for Spike. To celebrate his, um…”

“Baby dragon semi-adolescence coming-of-age,” hissed Twilight.

“Yes, that.” Rainbow Dash said, reading slowly. “I was so surprised about the party, because, you know, it’s a surprise party.”

“Nopony told me I was coming of age!” Spike complained. “I didn’t even get a present!”

“Shush, Spike. Applejack?”

“Ah’d really hate anyone else to miss this amazin’ party,” Applejack said in a monotone. “Whoopee. This party is gonna be great. Be a shame if anypony were to miss it.”

Twilight took a deep breath. Time for the magic words. “It’s just too bad that Pinkie Pie is going to miss this super-duper awesome surprise party.” Twilight glanced up from her script, and waited expectantly.

Nothing happened.

Twilight stared fixedly at the cake, and then at the door, and then back at the cake again. Nothing.

“Um, Twilight,” Applejack said, “Why are ya starin’ at the cake?”

“Pinkie Pie should be here by now,” Twilight said, her eyes never leaving the cake. “She’d never miss a party, much less a surprise one.” It had to work. It had to work.

“Wait, that’s your big plan?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. “Throw a party and wait for Pinkie Pie to show up?”

“Maybe the cake needs to be properly baked,” Twilight muttered to herself. “Or perhaps there need to be more candles. Calculate: how many candles per square inch of cake required? Is a baby dragon’s adolescence party noteworthy enough? How many guests are needed to reach full party potential?”

“Um, Twilight, I don’t think Pinkie Pie is coming.” Fluttershy said meekly. “I think she only arrives when there’s a real party, not, um, a fake one.”

“But this is a real party!” Twilight turned on Fluttershy, a manic light suddenly in her eyes. “It’s very real, don’t you agree Fluttershy? This is the best party even to celebrate Spike’s very special coming-of-age!”

“Um, Twilight, Spike is still a baby dragon. He won’t come of age for a few hundred years at least.”

Twilight grabbed Fluttershy with both hooves and drew her face-to-face. “This. Is. A. Real. Party. Right, Fluttershy? And we’re going to have so much fun that Pinkie Pie and Slender Man will arrive. Because this is a party. And we’re going to have lots and lots of fun.”

“Twilight, dear, I think you should have a lie down,” Rarity began uncertainly, but Twilight wasn’t listening.

“Balloons!” She exclaimed, letting go of Fluttershy. “We forgot the balloons! Quick! Somepony get me a balloon, stat!”

“Twilight, I don’t think that will help,” Dash began uncertainly, but Twilight had already grabbed the balloon Spike had handed to her and was blowing into it furiously. “I think Rarity’s right. You’re not looking too good.”

Twilight tied a knot in the balloon and hung it from the ceiling. “There! Balloon set! Now, we’re going to start from the beginning! Places, everypony!”

“Twilight, ah really think you should calm down,” Applejack laid a firm hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Tryin’ the same thing again and again won’t do anypony good, and you need a good long rest.”

“Yes, darling, your eyes look positively bloodshot. How about taking a beauty nap for a few hours? You could certainly use it. Maybe two beauty naps?”

“No time,” Twilight said, wrenching free of Applejack’s grasp. “The fate of Equestria depends on those two returning at once. I’m not going to be taking the blame for this one, oh no. Pinkie Pie’s coming back, and I’m staying in Ponyville. I’m not going to magic kindergarten, nosiree.”

“I think she’s losing it, girls,” Spike said. “The best thing to do when she gets like this is put her to sleep.”

“Or maybe knock her out. Anypony got a club?”

“Oh no, I wonder who will come to this incredible party?” Twilight said loudly. “I’d sure hate for anypony to miss this amazingly fun party!”

“Rainbow Dash, I find that incredible insensitive. Twilight’s just a bit overstressed at the moment. I believe a much less violent solution can be achieved. Does anypony have some sleeping pills?”

“Ah think Granny Smith has some back at the farm. You want me ta grab a few?”

“Fun party! Here!” Twilight screamed at the ceiling. “It’s a big surprise! No!? Yes!? Party! Let the party begin!”

“Let’s just hold her down, and we can go from there, alright?” Rainbow Dash advanced from one side, Applejack and Fluttershy from the other. Twilight tried to retreat, but Rarity seized her tail, and Fluttershy grabbed one of her legs.

Her friends were just wrestling her to the floor when the rumbling started. Spike paused in his unsuccessful attempts to hold Twilight’s left forelegs and looked up. “Anypony hear that?”

Every pony paused as the rumbling increased, until the walls of Sugarcube Corner shook.

The door to Sugarcube Corner burst open, and Pinkie Pie exploded into the room. “What!? There was a surprise party and nopony told me?” Pinkie Pie screamed. She took in the pile of ponies and one dragon on the floor. “Oh, hey Twilight! Why is everypony lying on the ground?”

In the shocked silence, Twilight managed to get out of Rainbow Dash’s headlock. “Pinkie Pie! It worked!”

“What worked? Is this a game? Ooh, maybe this is a ‘hold Twilight down and sit on her’ game! Let me play too!” Pinkie Pie flung herself onto Twilight, knocking the wind out of her. “Ponypile!”

It took Applejack three tries before she got her mouth working again. “Pinkie Pie! What the hay are you doing here? Ah thought you were gallivantin’ around Equestria with the Slender Man?”

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes at Applejack. “I was showing Mr. Slender Man around Equestria, but then my Party Sense told me that there was a party going on in Ponyville, and obviously I had to come right back. Slendy’s back too, see?”

Pinkie pointed to a corner of the room, and Applejack jumped as she saw that the Slender Man was indeed now present. “Ah see that,” she said, “but how come it ya took so long? Twilight was throwin’ her party and it took ya ages ta get back.”

“Really? My Party Sense didn’t so much as wiggle! Are you sure you did everything right? You need cake, tons of confetti, party horns, and of course lots and lots of balloons for a proper party!”

“Aha!” Twilight’s voice was rather muffled due to Pinkie Pie sitting on her head. “I knew it!”

“Knew what?” Pinkie Pie bounced off of Twilight. “How did you know it? Was it written down or did somepony tell you? What was it about?”

“Pinkie, where were you for the last three hours?” Rainbow Dash demanded. “You and the Slender Man vanished, but you promised not to leave Sugarcube Corner! You even Pinkie Promised!”

Pinkie Pie grinned hugely. “Silly Dash! I never Pinkie Promised to leave Sugarcube Corner! I only promised Twilight that I ‘wouldn’t take one hoof step outside my room!’”

“And?”

“I didn’t! Mr. Slender Man and me flew across Equestria! It was really cool, he was in this other super-shadowy Slender dimension, and everything was made of shadows except they weren’t really shadows but things that looked like shadows, and there wasn’t any light but I could see anyways and then I decided go show Mr. Slender Man around Equestria since we could fly, and he said yes and then we—”

“Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Yes Rainbow Dash?”

“Just…stop talking for a second, would you? My brain feels like it’s going to explode already.”

“And, um, maybe you should get off Twilight, Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy said. “I don’t think she can breathe.”

“Whoops! Sorry about that Twilight!” Pinkie Pie bounded off Twilight’s head and Twilight said up and gasped air into her lungs. “Why are we having a party anyways?”

It took Twilight a few minutes to get her breath back. “We were having a ‘find Pinkie Pie and Slender Man’ party, Pinkie”, she said slowly and carefully. “And now we’ve found you. Thank you so very much for showing the Slender Man around Equestria. You didn’t…meet anypony else while you were sightseeing, did you?”

“Oh, tons of ponies!”

Twilight’s heart stopped for a second. “Were they…screaming at all?” She asked carefully. “Were there any dead bodies when you left? Mutilated corpses? Pools of blood?”

“What? Don’t be silly, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie laughed. “Nopony could see us when we were in Slender Man’s dimension.”

“Really?” Twilight brightened up a bit. “And you were in this dimension the entire time? Nopony saw you at all? You didn’t cause any disasters?”

“Nope! We looked at all the cool places I know, and then we came back here when my Party Senses started tingling!”

Twilight nearly collapsed again in relief. “Thank Luna. Okay, Pinkie. I’m glad nopony was hurt, maimed, or scared out of their mind. We’ll have a discussion about leading eldritch abominations around Equsetria later, alright? But now I think it’s time to call it a day, before somepony gets killed.”

Pinkie Pie’s smile didn’t even waver. “Okay Twilight! But when are we going to eat the cake?”

“Cake? What cake?” Twilight glanced at the bread covered with frosting. “Oh, the cake. Yes. Well, we don’t really need it anymore, Pinkie Pie.”

“What? No cake? Why not? Everypony loves cake!”

“The cake was just to attract you, Pinkie Pie,” Rarity put in. “Twilight held this party so you would come back. On that note, I wouldn’t eat the cake either. I’m sure that bread was past its expiry date.”

“Oh, Twilight you threw a party just for me? That’s so totally amazing! We can have a pre-party before my party!”

Twilight had been smiling in relief at a casualty-free afternoon. Now Twilight’s smile froze. And then it melted away. “What did you just say, Pinkie?”

Pinkie Pie grinned. “My super-duper fabulous ‘Slender Party’, of course! I’ve been preparing for it all day!’”

“I didn’t see any party preparations,” Twilight said accusingly.

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes. “Well, duh. I didn’t know if the Slender Man was coming my way, so of course I hid the decorations until the party stared. I’m glad you decided to have the pre-party here, because I put all my decorations in this room!”

Pinkie Pie reached behind one of the window drapes in Sugarcube corner and pulled out a long cord. “But since everypony’s here, we can get started!”

“Pinkie,” Twilight said urgently, but it was too late. Pinkie Pie pulled the cord.

When Twilight had visited Shining Armor and Cadence on her all too infrequent trips to the Crystal Empire, she had once witnessed an avalanche crashing down on a group of tourists. It had been a tumbling wall of ice, snow, and death for anyone caught before it. Fortunately, Shining Armor had saved the hapless group of ponies with a barrier spell, and they had escaped unscathed, if a little shaken.

This was an avalanche of confetti. It should not be possible to compress confetti into the places Pinkie Pie had hidden them around Sugarcube Corner. Streamers, bits of colored paper, ribbons, and more did not so much as burst but pour out of the ceiling, walls, and even out of the Cake’s kitchen sink. And it rushed over Twilight, carrying her under.

It wasn’t actually that bad. Avalanches of confetti weren’t nearly as bad as avalanches of snow and ice. It wasn’t cold, and there were no jagged shards of ice to lacerate Twilight’s skin. The confetti wasn’t even heavy, so she wouldn’t be crushed to death. It was a shame then that she still couldn’t breathe.

Part 12: Party Time

Twilight was floating in a world made of light. It seemed to her that she was in some kind of celestial paradise, where the pain and suffering she had endured had vanished, leaving her in a state of bliss. And she was rising, rising into the light. It seemed to engulf her, a heavenly radiance from above that promised peace and rest eternal.

Twilight had fought the good fight for a long time. At Princess Celestia’s behest, she had faced down Nightmare Moon, more myth than legend, saved Equestria from a changling invasion led by a duplicitous queen, even fought hoof-to-hoof with a monster that threatened to steal the magic of every pony. She had made friends, and cared for them, had helped them solve their problems and stood by them in the worst times. And now, Twilight was receiving her reward.

Above her, the lights of the Eternal Pasture glowed, promising a place where Twilight would never know the meaning of stress, never have to deal with another rampaging monster, never fear Princess Celestia’s pop quiz. It beckoned to her, and Twilight felt her soul begin to drift upwards, leaving the earthly lands of Equestria behind.

But something else rose with her. The darkness. The darkness that seethed and roiled beneath Twilight, threatening pain and anguish, turmoil to rend both mind and body. It called to her, trying to tempt her back to the cruel mortal world, enticing her with familiar voices.

“…Twilight…have to…dig everypony…”

Twilight tried to ignore them, but the voices exerted their own pull on her body. She felt the darkness reach up to envelop her, and struggled to remain free, to go back to the light almighty. The voices grew louder, and with it, the darkness rose, catching at Twilight, pulling her down even as she fought to remain free.

“…Think I see a mane! Everypony pull!”

The darkness rose, and Twilight sunk beneath it. Yet still she fought, desperately now, trying to reach the light. It was so close. Her reward. She just wanted to rest, to forget the pains she had suffered. Was it too much to ask?

She had been ill-used by time and circumstance, ground down by destiny and fate. Would the heavens turn their back on such a loyal pony, such a faithful pony that had done everything asked of her? Surely it would not.

But the darkness sucked Twilight down, and now she could feel the real world around her, and hooves and claws pulling at her. And then there was light.

Twilight opened her eyes. The beautiful heavenly light of the firmament was gone. It was replaced instead by the dull, ordinary light filling Sugarcube Corner. Framed by the light, the face of Rainbow Dash, poised to give Twilight the kiss of life.

Twilight’s hoof shot out and clocked Rainbow Dash in the face, sending the pegasus flying. Then she sat up, and looked around. Surrounding her were her friends, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, all watching her with concern. Rainbow Dash was lying on the ground, stunned. And there was her assistant, Spike, nearly in tears with his relief that she was well. How touching that they all cared so much about her. How sweet.

And then Twilight’s roaming stare found the last occupant of Sugarcube corner. The tall, dark stranger. The monster clothed in flesh and clothes that stood in the corner, watching her. The Slender Man. Strangely, Twilight didn’t feel as much animosity or fear as she had earlier.

She had been terrified of him, of what she had learned of his past, of whom he was and what he would do. But now she had seen the light. No matter what he might do to Twilight here in this mundane world, he could never take the light away from Twilight.

Twilight was aware that somepony was talking to her. “N’ what’s that?”

Applejack was speaking to her, looking concerned for some reason. “Ah said Twilight, are ya feelin’ well? You were under for a long time before we could dig ya out.”

“Hm? What? Oh yes, I’m fine.” Twilight smiled absently. “Fine. Better than fine, actually. Don’t worry anypony.”

“Are you sure?” That was Rarity. She seemed anxious as well for some reason. How kind of her. “You look quite…um…”

“You look like you’re half dead!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. Ah yes. Twilight smiled at Pinkie Pie as well. She bore her friend no ill will anymore; quite the opposite. It was thanks to Pinkie Pie that she had seen the light. “Actually, wait. I take that back. You look…three quarters dead. Maybe five eighths dead?”

“I’m sure Twilight will be fine,” Fluttershy said. “She just needs a bit of rest after her ordeal. Being buried alive by confetti is a scary experience for anypony, and Pinkie Pie is very, very sorry about that, aren’t you?” Fluttershy stared at Pinkie Pie meaningfully.

“What? Oh yeah, I’m really sorry Twilight.” Pinkie Pie’s mane deflated slightly as she bowed her head. “Can you forgive me?”

“Hm? Oh yes, absolutely.” The world was spinning in a most lovely way for Twilight. All the lights were blurring together. “No problem Pinkie, glad to help.”

“That’s great! Then we can get this party started!”

“No party, Pinkie.” Applejack said firmly. “Twilight, ya don’t look well at all. Howabout we get you to have a lie down over there for a bit?”

“Lie down? Yes, that would probably be a good idea.” Twilight felt gentle hooves picking her up and steering her somewhere. She walked forwards, guided by those hooves until she bumped into something hard. “Let Pinkie Pie have her party, Applejack. I’m sure it will be fun.”

“Uh, if ya say so Twilight.”

“Good, good. I’m just going to take a rest. Applejack’s in charge, alright everypony?” Twilight smiled again. “I’ll just be here. Thinking.”

“That sounds good Twilight, but don’t you think you should lie down? You’re standing and staring at a wall.”

Twilight ignored this last remark, and continued staring aimlessly ahead. She could remember it even now. The brilliant light awaiting her, the final resting place in the sky. She had been brought back to the darkness, but she remembered the promise of the light. She could go through any trial, any challenge if it meant she could return to that place again.

Twilight closed her eyes. The light beckoned her, and in her mind she soared towards it, flying up into the infinite sky and paradise.

Applejack watched Twilight with some concern. Her friend was staring blankly at a wall, and was mumbling to herself. ‘The light’, and ‘go towards the light’, seemed to be the main things she was saying. Applejack wasn’t a medical doctor, but she was sure that not being able to breathe for five minutes wasn’t a good thing.

Then again, it seemed to have mellowed Twilight out quite considerably. She was no longer screaming and running around in a panic. There was something to be thankful for, at least. About the only thing to be thankful for, in Applejack’s opinion. She turned back to the other ponies, dragon, and Slender Man and put a smile on her face.

“I reckon Twilight’s just gonna be havin’ a little nap,” Applejack said with forced cheerfulness. “When she’s had a good bit of rest, ah’m sure she’ll be back to her usual self.”

“That’s great!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down excitedly. “I’m glad Twilight’s not dead! For a little while when she wouldn’t wake up I thought she wasn’t going to make it! And then when she opened her eyes for a moment I thought she was a zombie! But she’s not moaning and eating pony’s faces, so I guess everything’s fine!”

Applejack paused to give herself time to decipher Pinkie Pie’s comments. When that didn’t work, she tried ignoring it. That usually worked. “Well, Twilight’s okay and that’s good and all, but ah’d feel better if you were to sorta sit with her, Spike. Ta make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.”

Spike nodded and made his way over to Twilight, who was still staring at the wall with a glassy smile on her face. After a few tries, he eventually got her to sit, although she still stared at the wall as if it weren’t there.

There was a groan from Rainbow Dash and she sat up slowly, rubbing her face where Twilight had struck her. “What happened? Where am I? Did someone get the license of that train?”

“Twilight punched you in the face, silly!”

“Was that what happened? My face feels like somepony ran it over with a wagon.”

“It looks like it too!”

“Nice ta see you’re with us, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack said. “But ah was thinkin’ that we should have Pinkie’s little ‘Slender party’ now before anypony else starts dyin’.”

“That sounds like a fine idea to me,” Rarity said carefully. “Pinkie, you can have your party now while we take Twilight back to her home for some rest.”

“Oh, we can’t do that!” Pinkie Pie said, “We’re going to need everypony for this super-duper awesome party!”

Applejack’s heart sank. “Uh, everypony?” Applejack said slowly. “Wasn’t that party just going to be with you and the Slender Man?”

“Of course not! It’s open to everypony!”

“Well, that sounds…lovely, darling, but I might have to decline.” Rarity said hurriedly. “I need to sew up some more ties, and perhaps work on my latest line of dresses. I’m quite behind as it is. The theme for this week is uh…crippling despair.”

“And I should probably go back to Angel,” Fluttershy said. “He’s still hiding in my closet. Not that I don’t want to have a party or anything.”

“And ah need to go check on my trees,” Applejack said. “I need to, uh, make sure they haven’t been contaminated by the Slendy apple.” That sounded like complete hogwash, but Applejack hadn’t ever been good at lying and so she went with it. “Yup. Trees. Need tendin’ all the time or the apples go sour. Certainly not ‘cause I don’t like this party. Nope. Not at all.”

“I wouldn’t mind a party,” Rainbow Dash said. Applejack nudged her with one hoof. Rainbow Dash looked blank, and Applejack glared at her. “What? Oh yeah, but um, I have to…check on the clouds! Yeah, they keep raining backwards, so I need to recalibrate them. Or something.”

Pinkie Pie’s face fell. “Nopony can make it?” She seemed to be on the verge of tears.

Applejack felt a pang of guilt, but she overruled it. “Sorry Pinkie, but ah think a small party would be best. We’d all love to come a’course, but fewer ponies means less chance of…”

“Horrible death?” Rainbow Dash suggested.

“Yeah, somethin’ like that.” Applejack agreed. “Sorry about that, Pinkie. I reckon you can still have a good party with only two people, though.”

“Oh, that’s not a problem Applejack!” Pinkie Pie bounced back to her cheerful self. “I invited lots of ponies.”

“That’s nice, Pinkie”, Applejack said absently. Then Pinkie's words sunk in. “Wait, what was that?”

Somepony knocked loudly on the door to Sugarcube Corner. Applejack turned to the door. She walked over to the door.

Applejack opened the door. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were standing just outside.

“Um, is there a party going on in here?” Sweetie Belle asked uncertainly. “Pinkie Pie said we should come by for a, uh…”

“A slender party or something.” Applebloom said. “Does that mean we’re supposed to eat only healthy food like carrots an’ lettuce?”

“If we eat five carrots each, can we still have the cake?” Scootaloo wanted to know. “Or is it going to be a carrot cake?”

Applejack stared at the Cutie Mark Crusaders for a few seconds. Then she carefully shut the door and locked it.

“Pinkie?” She called over her shoulder. “Did you invite the Cute Mark Crusaders to this here ‘Slender party’?”

“Yep!” Pinkie Pie appeared at Applejack's side. “I invited the Cutie Mark Crusaders, because they already met the Slender Man. Is that them?”

Applejack glanced at the door. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were hammering on it and demanding to be let in. “Nope. Somepony must have gotten lost.”

“Oh well, they must be a bit late.” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Fashionably late! Which is so much better than being unfashionably early, right? But how late should you be? What if you skipped the party? Would that make you the most fashionable?” Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves to her face. “Oh no! Maybe nopony will come because they all want to be fashionable!”

“Pinkie, that’s not how it works,” Applejack said, trying to ignore the banging on the door. “Now, ah’d like you to talk to the Cutie Mark Crusaders when they arrive and tell them to go back home so—”

“Hello?” Applejack froze. That wasn’t the voice of one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She knew that voice.

“Ooh, that sounds like the mayor! Hello Mayor!” Pinkie Pie called out.

“Hello Pinkie Pie,” Mayor Mare replied through the wooden door. “I’m here for your party, but the door seems to be stuck.”

“It is?” Pinkie Pie looked at the door. “You’re absolutely right! It’s locked! I wonder how that happened.”

Pinkie Pie reached for the lock, but Applejack grabbed her. “Pinkie,” she hissed under her breath, “just how many ponies did you invite to this party?”

“Hm.” Pinkie Pie put a hoof to her mouth in thought. “Well, I invited the Crusaders first, but then I thought I should invite the mayor because she’s so important, and the Slender Man is a menace to the safety of everypony in Ponyville. And of course, if I invited the mayor I have to invite all of her friends as well. And while I was at it, I met Cranky Doodle, and of course I invited him and Matilda, and then I thought it would be great if he brought his friends, so I told him to invite anypony he knew, which isn't many since Cranky Doodle is kinda cranky, so I also went to—”

Applejack put her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth, because that was better than strangling her. Pinkie Pie kept talking nevertheless. “Pinkie, do you mean to tell me that you invited every pony in Ponyville to this party?”

Pinkie thought about this for a second. “Don’t be silly Applejack,” she said at last. “Of course I didn’t! What do you take me for?”

Applejack relaxed for a second, which was a mistake.

“I invited everypony, everymule, and everydonkey in Ponyville! Jeez, Applejack, talk about insensitive. I like to think I don’t see things like species. I don’t see color. Of course, that’s because I’m colorblind!” Pinkie Pie laughed. “Not really, actually. I see lots of colors!”

Of all the ponies in Ponyville, and possibly all of Equestria, Applejack was the least likely to be given to flights of fancy. She was a down-to-earth pony that didn’t have much to do with high flyin’ philosophy and question about ‘who are we’, and ‘why are we here’.

She was an Apple. Apples bucked apples. Sometimes they ate apples. Other times they made it into cider, or apple pies, apple jam, apple fritters…the point was that they were sensible, straightforward ponies. Applejack wasn’t a dreamer. But right now Applejack was imagining what would happen if all of Ponyville were to meet the Slender Man right now.

Applejack was a realist, so her imagination was very real and accurate, and not prone to flights of fancy. And she didn’t like the conclusions her mind presented her with. She couldn’t hide the Slender Man, mainly because he probably wouldn’t go. She couldn’t barricade the door, because eventually somepony would open it, probably Pinkie Pie. That left one option left: lying. It was too bad that Applejack really sucked at it.

“Uh, ain’t nopony here,” Applejack called through the shut door. “Been a mistake! No party! Everypony can go back home, sorry for the inconvenience.”

“What!?” Pinkie Pie screamed, and her protest was echoed by many, many voices from outside Sugarcube corner. And by the sounds of it, many more ponies arriving every second.

“Pinkie Pie said there was goin’ ta be a party!” Applebloom shouting accusingly.

“Yeah! Open this door!” Scootaloo yelled. “I wanna eat cake! Even carrot cake!”

Sweat was pouring down Applejack’s brow. “All a misunderstandin’,” she tried. “Can’t open the door right now, it’s uh, stuck!”

“Ah know that voice!” A familiar reedy tone rose in the hubbub outside the door of Sugarcube Corner. “That’s Applejack! You open this door right now young filly, or you’ll regret it!”

Granny Smith. Applejack closed her eyes. That would about do it. But what could she do? Applejack didn’t want to disobey an order from her grandmother, and the door to Sugarcube Corner was shaking as ponies tried to open it. Sometimes you just had to take things as they came.

Life was like an apple, that was what Granny Smith had always said. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was bad, and that was that. Right now, Applejack’s life was looking less like an apple and more like a pear. She had a definite premonition about what was about to come next. Applejack took a deep breath. And then she opened the door.

The collective gaze of Ponyville’s inhabitants fell upon her and Pinkie Pie, and then swept into Sugarcube corner. Countless eyes took in the heaps of confetti, the uncertain Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash and the comatose Twilight sitting in the corner with Spike. Then they saw the Slender Man.

There was an awful lot of screaming.

“Well, that could have gone better,” Rainbow Dash commented sometime later. “On the other hoof, it could’ve gone worse, I guess.”

Applejack grunted in reply.

“I mean, not everypony ran away. And there weren’t that many injured ponies. Only a few of them got trampled, and anyways, it wasn’t anything too serious.”

Applejack grunted again.

“Town hall is destroyed again, though. And…it looks like they got the water tower too. Lots of pegusus ponies flew into it.”

There was silence from Applejack.

“But now everypony’s indoors, at least. And locking their doors. And…I think they’re barricading their doors too.” Rainbow Dash turned to look back inside Sugarcube Corner. “And at least the Cutie Mark Crusaders seem to be having fun.”

Applejack turned her head to look. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, the only ponies that had stayed after seeing the Slender Man, did seem to be having a good time. They were the only ones. Fluttershy was holding a glass of punch and talking to the Slender Man. Pinkie Pie was receiving a lecture from Rarity at full volume, and Twilight was still sitting in a corner staring at a wall. She still had the same vacant smile on her face. At least Spike had a slice of cake as he kept her company.

“And I mean, it’s not like anypony died,” Rainbow Dash continued. “I’m sure that tomorrow everypony will feel a lot better.” She glanced over her shoulder at the rows of locked doors and darkened houses behind her. “If they decide to come out in the morning, that is.”

Applejack still said nothing. What was there to say? The entire population of Ponyville had been frightened indoors, and was not likely to come out again tonight, or even tomorrow. Probably they wouldn’t come out again until they ran out of food. That would probably be sometime next week.

She didn’t have any ideas of what to do now, except perhaps tossing Pinkie Pie down a well. Maybe if Applejack was very lucky, Pinkie Pie would finish her party without something else going wrong. This was of course, false hope, but it kept Applejack happy for about five seconds.

Pinkie Pie’s mane had remained deflated and her head bowed for nearly a full minute after Rarity had finished her lecture. Now, it sprang back to life, and Pinkie Pie jumped up onto a table. “Is everypony having a good time? Great! Well, I’d like to thank you all for attending this very special Slendy party tonight! It’s Mr. Slender Man’s first party, and so I’ve prepared a special song for this occasion!” Pinkie Pie paused, and held a hoof out for silence, which there had been already. “Prepare yourselves for…the Slender rap.”

Applejack didn’t blink and she didn’t lose sight of Pinkie Pie, but somehow Pinkie Pie was holding a microphone, and dressed in a blue hoodie with black baggy pants. She also had a hat on her head, and a large, gaudy necklace made out of gold with an oversized ruby in the center.

Applejack’s blood froze. She remembered that clothing. More importantly, she remembered that song. She started forwards, trying to intercept Pinkie Pie, but it was too late.

Pinkie Pie bounded over to a set of speakers and DJ’s mixing console that Applejack hadn’t seen before. From out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie seemed to pull out Vinyl Scratch, just as she had at Shining Armor and Cadence’s wedding. The speakers started to pulse a heavy bass beat, and Pinkie Pie was surrounded by a group of similarly dressed ponies, all wearing flashy rings and jewelry, and for some reason, backwards baseball caps.

And there was music. Of a kind. Pinkie Pie began to rap.

I’ve been hiding all day, and now it’s time to unwind.

Run fast, search hard; eight pages to find!

I’ll be running for help, I’ll be out of my mind!

We’ll all start screaming ‘cause it’s Slender time!

Everybody’s gonna die cause it’s Slender time!

The ponies surrounding Pinkie chorused as one.

Slender time! Slender time!

Pinkie Pie continued as Applejack edged around the rapping, dancing ponies.

Too late to cry cause it’s Slender time!

Slender time! Slender time!

Leave your mind at the door, leave your worries behind!

When Slender catches you there’s nothing to find!

Slender time! Slender time!

Everybody’s gonna die cause it’s Slender time!

At this point, everypony was spared further lyrics as Applejack kicked Vinyl Scratch’s electronic mixer into a wall. In the sudden silence, every eye turned to Applejack.

She grinned sheepishly. “Oops, heh. Sorry about that everypony. My hooves must have slipped.”

“Aww!” Pinkie Pie looked downcast. “Now I can’t finish my rap!” She brightened again in an instant. “What did you girls think?”

Rarity coughed. “Pinkie Pie, I know you like songs, but how shall I put this delicately? Rapping isn’t…one of your stronger points.”

“Are you kidding me?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “That was even better than the Wonderbolts rap!”

“Yeah!” Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo chorused as one.

“That was awesome,” Applebloom said. “Ya gotta teach us how ta sing like that!”

“Maybe later,” Applejack said hurriedly. “Thank you for the song, Pinkie Pie. But why don’t we all play some games?”

“Sure!” Pinkie Pie waved to Vinyl Scratch and the other ponies, who were already leaving Sugarcube corner. “Thanks guys! Can’t wait ‘till next time!” She turned back to the other ponies, half of whom were grinning happily, the other half, and this included Applejack, looked as if they wished they were leaving too. “And now it’s time to play some games with Slendy! We’ll start with tag! We’ll all take turns, and—”

“No.” Applejack said flatly.

“What? But it’ll be so much fun!”

“No.”

“Please? How about hide and go seek, then?”

“No.”

Pinkie Pie blew out her cheeks and pouted for a few seconds. “Fine. I guess we’ll have to play another game, then. How about charades? Or, I know! We’ll play a board game! Or maybe charades and a board game! Or maybe we should have cake. Do you want cake Applejack? You’re not looking too good.”

There comes a point where any pony breaks down. Where the strain simply becomes too much, and their mind retreats from the world for a while. Twilight had reached that point, and now Applejack found it too. It is a retreat into one’s mind to save them from the mental anguish of the present, and that is exactly what Applejack did now.

Quietly, and without any fuss, Applejack turned and slowly walked over to Twilight. She was still staring at the wall, quietly, without making any fuss, her eyes unfocused. Applejack hesitated, then sat next to her and stared at the wall. She didn’t turn around, not once, not even when the cake exploded and set fire to half the room.

Author's Note

The Slender Rap is based off of a certain infamous rapping dog. The original found can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxHNztg0X3s

The rap itself starts at 0:30. Fair warning: this song has been known to make people's brains explode when listening to it.

Part 13: A Night to Remember

The Slender Man remembered a smile. It had been the first smile he had ever seen. Not the rictus of death or the mocking imitation of a clown. A true smile.

The filly named Applebloom had given it to him. It had been at the party. Yes, the party. The most wonderful experience Slender had ever felt in his life. It had been Pinkie’s. She had made it just for him. A party that had been wondrous, lovely, funny, and touching at the same time. Slender had not known those words before today, but he knew their meaning now.

She had made him a cake. And given him a balloon. She had even brought more ponies to see him, and they had given him such an energetic welcome. And they had played games, and there had been entertainment, explosions, and Applebloom had smiled.

She had smiled at him. Slender knew she had smiled at other ponies – he had seen ponies and humans smiling all the time. But she had turned to him after the game of charade-monopoly, and she had told him that he wasn’t as bad as he looked. And she had smiled.

It was a gift that Slender would remember forever. He had no coin, no money or things of value in any reality, but even if he had, he would not have been able to price that gift. A smile. A memory. Something that would not fade save from the mind, and Slender knew it would remain in his soul.

A smile.

It was night, now. All the ponies had gone to bed. Applejack and Twilight had to be led away by Applebloom and the baby dragon known as Spike. They hadn’t been very active. Slender supposed they had been tired.

He was not tired. The night had begun; this was when the Slender Man truly lived. But he had understood the pony’s need for sleep, even if he did not share it himself. Applebloom had offered him room in the barn in the Apple’s orchard. The Slender Man had accepted. He wanted to stay, and think for a while.

The party had been incredible. The ponies had been fascinating. The Slender Man had been shown wonders at every turn. For one day, he had been shown a world he had never dreamed of. It had been marvelous. The Slender Man knew he would remember it for the rest of his existence.

And now it was going to end.

It was time. Past time. The Slender Man felt it in the core of his being. Something was rising. Something was in him. Something wanted out.

It wasn’t another part of the Slender Man. It wasn’t an alter ego. It wasn’t anything that Slender didn’t know existed. It was, in fact, him. His true self. Not the part that listened and watched in fascination, no. The Slender Man of myth and legend. The one who wanted to kill the ponies. The being that would rip them all to shreds without a second thought.

The Elements of Harmony had done something to him. The Slender Man had known it, deep down. They could do many things, including giving him the ability to understand ponies, but they deceive his senses. For a few hours, they had suppressed his darker desires, his true self. His eldritch nature, in short. The part that cared nothing for life had been subdued, leaving only the Slender Man’s curiosity to take its place.

The Slender Man didn’t resent this, however. He had quite enjoyed his time in Ponyville. He was even impressed with the power of the Elements of Harmony. They had managed to affect even an eldritch being such as himself. Even gods could not hope to do as much. But now the real Slender was emerging from the veil of magic. And he was ready to kill.

But not entirely. Part of the Slender Man whispered still. It wasn’t that something had awoken in the Slender Man; it was just that he had learned something that had changed his paradigm of the world.

Ponies could talk. The Slender Man had never known that. And somehow, it changed his opinions slightly. He had talked to the ponies, and listened to them. They had even given him gifts.

The Slender Man felt the tie Rarity had given him around his neck. He recalled the cake Pinkie Pie had made. He remembered the smile.

But so what? That changed nothing. The Slender Man knew his role, and it defined his entire being. To kill. To maim. Destroy. Hunt down all that lived and send it back into oblivion.

There stands the light, what all beings strive for. Hopes, dreams, all that is good and what makes life worth living. Crush it. Rip it apart, and let the ashes of civilizations settle as the remnants are ruthlessly quashed and obliterated. No such thing as mercy, no chance for escape.

This was what the Slender Man was. He wouldn’t change that part of him even if he could. The eldritch were born of reality’s madness. The suffering, the hatred, all that was feared and unknown was the origin of his kind. The Slender Man could deny that part of himself as easily as he could speak.

But they could speak. They could talk. They were intelligent. They were just like him. Ponies. Humans. They lived and died, and lasted no longer than a spark off a dying campfire. But for an instant, they shined. He had met six ponies today. They had all had qualities he had seldom seen, sometimes never seen. But he had a duty. No, not even a duty. A level of devotion and necessity that transcended words.

He had to kill them all.

The Slender Man knew this. He had let them live for a while, learned from them and enjoyed their company. But he had to kill them before he left this reality. Nothing else would serve. The Slender Man would not, could not leave life in any place he had been. Those were the rules of the game.

The Slender Man questioned the game, now. He had seen what the citizens of Ponyville had made, what Twilight and her friends protected and took part in. You might call it community, or civilization’s basic roots. It might even be called friendship, a deep current that connected every being in Ponyville, in all of Equestria. And it was so fragile, that the Slender Man feared he would break it just by touching it. Of a surety, he could shatter it forever with the game.

But that was what he had to do. There was no choice, none at all. The Slender Man had felt closer to these ponies than any other being, even any other eldritch he had met. But to choose? No. The Slender Man was bound by the game forever. It wasn’t slavery, and it wasn’t a choice. It was who he was.

And still he hesitated. He tried to put it off in his mind, tried to ignore that fact. But it was nearly midnight, and he knew he was running out of time. No being could survive the game without finding all the pages for longer than one night. By dawn, before the first light touched the earth where he stood, he would have to kill them all.

Kill them. Rip them apart. Grab their hooves and rip them from their legs. Break their bones. Split their marrow. Take their skin. Leave them in pieces where they lay. Flay them. Scourge them. Make them part of his own kind, twisted, corrupted. There were no swift deaths, no mercy for the Slender Man’s victims.

Time was passing. The Slender Man knew it. There was no choice, and yet he delayed as long as he could. If only one of them had collected all eight pages. They might have been spared for a while, at least. He could have left them, then. Leave this reality entirely, and never return.

But so long as the game remained unwon, he was bound to continue. Until Equestria lay in flames and ruin, and no being breathed in this entire reality. That was how it had and always would be. Respite was only granted when one being could collect all the pages.

He should have left Pinkie…the Pink One collect all the pages. He would have been able to spare them, then. He would have had to return, of course. But he could have waited for centuries, millennia, eons, until all ponies had passed into dust. He could have spared them all.

But not anymore. The Slender Man knew this, and he hated himself for this knowledge. This certainty. The rules. The game. They were part of all eldritch. Maybe he could have found a way out from their hold, but not right now. Not in a few hours’ time.

So it came down to killing them. The Slender Man couldn’t feel anguish over death like mortal beings could. He couldn’t rage over death, nor despair. He couldn’t cry, or grieve, because he didn’t know how. No being had taught the Slender Man, and he didn’t realize that it was not a thing you learned. Besides, he was eldritch. He was not like a human, or a pony. He couldn’t weep, no matter how hard he tried.

Minutes sped by, passing in mere moments, while seconds seemed to last forever. Time was moving on. Dawn was less than an hour away.

How would he kill them? What method would he use? He might murder them as they slept, but the game dictated that they suffer. At the very least, he must strangle each one to death, letting them live their last moments in fear. Far kinder almost, to rip them apart. At least that way was quick.

The Slender Man had no wish to use either method. He did not want to kill them. Not the only beings that had ever looked at him with anything other than fear. The ponies that had taught him so much, and asked for nothing in return. He did not want to, but he would.

The Slender Man felt the game in his very being, urging him on towards his duty, his task, his purpose. If only they had the pages. But they lay in the forest where Pinkie Pie had dropped them. And even if they had gone to fetch them, The Slender Man would have had to stop them as best he could. And he would have.

It was so unfair. The rules of the game chafed at Slender Man, forcing him to perform actions he resisted for the first time in his existence. But they could not be circumnavigated, could not be ignored. Without the pages, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack would die this night.

He couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t even ignore what was about to happen. It would be he who killed them, stared into their eyes as they died.

Would they forgive him? No, of course not. They would die cursing him in their souls, and die in agony and in fear. Just like all those before them had died. It had been so much easier when he had thought them worthless garbage. So much easier to kill without qualms. And now…

The Slender Man felt his time run out. Dawn was just a few minutes away. The Slender Man felt the cold calm of certainty settle over him. His worries vanished. His anguish and guilt disappeared. It was time.

Let the game begin.

Twilight sat in her library, caught between sleep and wakefulness. Her confusion and delirious thoughts of a mysterious light had gone from her shortly after the party had ended. On the other side of the library, she could hear Spike snoring gently. Twilight couldn’t sleep however. She was awake. Awake, and alive. And thinking.

The Slender Man had been fine the entire day. From what little Twilight could remember of the party and from what Spike had told her, he had been nothing less than perfect. He hadn’t tried to hurt anypony, hadn’t done anything more than go along with Pinkie’s games. He had even seemed to enjoy himself.

But how long could any of this last? She had read the book on the eldritch, on Slender’s kind. She knew what he was. Nothing less than a monster. Much more than a monster. A nightmare, the horror from pony’s dreams. The end of everything.

When reality finally faltered and gave it’s last in every multiverse, there the Slender Man would be, along with the rest of the eldritch. They would drag reality into the void, and tear it screaming apart. They walked the many worlds and left nothing in their wake.

And one of them had come to Equestria. Twilight didn’t need to have things explained to her. She knew. The Slender Man’s curiosity might stay his hand or tendril for a few days perhaps, a week or even a month. But be it a year or even longer, he would eventually grow bored and end Twilight and everything she loved as surely as he had the countless worlds before this. It was inevitable.

But Twilight remembered watching the Slender Man’s face. It never changed, not one bit no matter how hard you stared at it. You might think then, that the Slender Man had no emotions. But he did. Twilight had seen it. The endless rage that had twisted his mannequin face into a demonic mask. The guilt and what might have been sadness over Applejack’s near death. What had seemed almost like joy after leaving Rarity’s shop. And…happiness. Twilight had thought she had seen it during the party. Just for a moment, she had sensed something coming from the Slender Man that didn’t feel unnatural or strange. Happiness.

Idly, Twilight pushed a piece of paper in front of her and doodled on it without really thinking. The Slender Man was evil. It was the first time Twilight had ever really used that word, and she had met beings like Chrysalis and Tirek. But they had been ambitious, lusting over power and control. Even they had some sparks of life in their being. Even they were alive, and thus even they deserved kindness.

But the Slender Man wasn’t mortal. He wasn’t even alive. He wasn’t even part of reality. He was a virus, a creature that consumed life. So why did Twilight feel something even for him? Why did she feel pity for a being such as him?

Twilight looked down at the parchment she had been doodling on and grimaced. She had been thinking of the Slender Man, and so she had unconsciously drawn a picture of him in rough, sketchy lines. Twilight wasn’t an artist, nor was she even mildly competent at drawing. It looked terrible, but it did capture the basic essence of the Slender Man. Tall, dark, and featureless. Inequestrian, and inhuman as well.

The doodle was missing something, Twilight felt. She drew six tendrils radiating from the Slender Man’s back. Better. It captured more of what he was. Still, the picture looked empty. And a bit sad.

Twilight had seen copies of the Slender Man’s pages in the book on the eldritch. They had been full of pictures of him, or if him than trees, and warnings scrawled in the writer’s own tongue. Warnings and pleas. Screams that could only be read on paper.

Twilight knew the Slender Man deserved no pity, not after what he had done to so many as for so long. Still, he looked so alone in that picture. Was that how it started? Twilight wondered. Was it just the feeling of loneliness, the endless knowledge that you would forever be isolated from the rest of the world that caused the eldritch to hate reality so much? Or did they simply love to destroy?

Whatever. Twilight made to crumple the bit of paper into a ball and hesitated. The picture was still missing something. Idly, Twilight drew a circle in the lower right-hand corner, and then a pair of dots for eyes. She then drew another slightly longer circle, and connected the two with a line. Hm. Four lines made the legs, and then she drew a few more for a tail and a mane. There. A pony.

It looked terrible. Just as bad as the rest of the drawing, if not worse. After a little while, Twilight gave the pony a horn. No wings. For one thing, she was certain that any attempt to make wings would be disastrous, and for another…

The Slender Man reminded Twilight a bit of herself. That was it. She knew the Slender Man was a completely different being, with totally different morals and thought processes, but still. Twilight had once been a unicorn, not an alicorn, a little arrogant child who believed more in books than ponies, and had no time for friends. She hadn’t cared about other ponies at all, with the exception of Princess Celestia and Spike. Okay, maybe Shining Armor and Cadence too, but she had almost never seen them after she had grown up.

She had been so absorbed in her own little world, until five ponies had come along and broken through the bubble that separated Twilight from the rest of the world. Just like the Slender Man, really. He hadn’t even thought of ponies as sentient beings until now. Maybe Twilight wasn’t so different from the Slender Man as she thought.

Twilight looked down at her doodle. It would never win any prizes, that was certain. But she felt a bit of fondness towards her creation nevertheless. Well. At least the Slender Man had a friend in the picture at least.

Yawning, Twilight stretched and put her quill down. Too tired. She was clearly not in full possession of her wits, if she was making weird drawings in the middle of the night. Time to go to sleep. She could worry about the Slender Man tomorrow. Maybe she could write to Princess Celestia and ask for advice? Why hadn’t she done that before now? Probably because she knew the Princess couldn’t help, not with this. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Twilight turned for her bed and stopped. There, standing in the darkness of the library was the Slender Man.

Twilight had gotten used to seeing the Slender Man pop out of nowhere over the course of the day. It no longer surprised her to see him suddenly. But now, Twilight’s skin froze, and her heart skipped several beats. This was different.

The Slender Man’s unnatural presence had disappeared when the Elements had worked their magic. He hadn’t radiated the feeling of dread, fear, and wrongness that Twilight had sensed when they had first met him. But now that aura was back, and stronger than ever. It seemed to distort space around the Slender Man, warping the very air with darkness.

Twilight couldn’t move. This was it. She suddenly knew with a certainty why he was here. If he hadn’t come with that presence, she might have thought he were simply curious, or bored. But she could feel his intent as if he had spoken it aloud. He was coming to kill her.

Panic had seized Twilight when she had first encountered the Slender Man. Panic, and desperation. But neither emotion filled Twilight now. She couldn’t do anything; she couldn’t even get out of her chair. All that was left was fear. Fear, and the knowledge of her death.

Twilight tried to watch the Slender Man, knowing what was coming, but the presence hurt her eyes. She tried to keep them open nevertheless, but she had no hope to cling to, and her eyelids blinked almost of their own volition.

When Twilight opened her eyes again, the Slender Man was standing over her.

She might have screamed, or at least cried out for Spike to run, but she never got the chance. A single tendril shot out and wrapped around Twilight’s throat, crushing it in a grip stronger than streel. Twilight couldn’t breathe. She could feel the cartilage of her throat shifting, and felt the tendril slowly lift her into the air.

She couldn’t breathe. Desperately, hopelessly, Twilight scrabbled at the tendril holding her up. This was it. The Slender Man had decided to kill everypony after all. It would start with Twilight and her friends, and then the rest of Ponyville, before ending all of Equestria. Had he chosen her first, or was she the last? Twilight didn’t know. She only knew that without air, she would die. Already, the blackness was creeping out around her vision.

Spells. That was it, spells! She had learned several. Dimly, Twilight tried to concentrate on a spell, any spell, but realized that the Slender Man had prepared for this. Her horn sparked and fizzed, but his presence seemed to be dampening her magic as well, now. Could he do that? Of course he could. He could do anything he wished. He was a monster.

No. Twilight’s vision was going completely dark. Worse than a monster. More terrifying than a nightmare. Nothing she could do. How had she ever felt pity for him? Why had she shown him around? No answer. Just darkness.

Twilight couldn’t see anymore. Her brain, devoid of oxygen was shutting down all her senses. As it did, her limbs lost control and spasmed wildly, seeking to break the Slender Man’s embrace. It was to no avail. She couldn’t even shift the tendril’s weight. As Twilight twitched, one of her legs caught the table where she had been sitting.

On the edge of Twilight’s dwindling consciousness, she heard the rustle of paper as her foot kicked the bit of paper to the floor. And then there was not even sound.

There was nothing.

Nothing.

Not even…

Even…

…

There was a rushing, an endless gasp as air flooded back into Twilight’s lungs. Oxygen rushed into her body, filling her with life once again. Suddenly, light and sound returned, and with it, sensation. There was pain, agonizing pain coming from her lungs. Twilight felt her chest rise and fall in huge whooping gulps of air. It hurt so much, and Twilight welcomed every moment.

Slowly, her vision cleared. She was lying on her back. Underneath her was something hard. The floor. It was dark, but not too dark. The night was turning to dawn, and light was beginning to fill the sky. Sound. There was a wind blowing outside. She could hear Spike still snoring gently. She could feel the hardwood floor beneath her. She could see. She saw the Slender Man.

He was standing over her. His back was turned, but Twilight cringed back from him as soon as she processed his shape. He was going to choke her again. Strangle her to the edge of consciousness, and then let her recover. Again and again, until her body broke down. She knew it.

But the tendril never came for her throat. Even as Twilight’s frantic intake of air slowed, the Slender Man didn’t turn or move any of the tendrils towards Twilight. At first, she could only take in more sweet oxygen, unable to do anything other than stare wildly at him. But as Twilight slowly regained some sense of calm, she realized that the Slender Man wasn’t just turned away from her. He was looking at something.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Twilight got to her feet. Her entire body screamed with agony, but she ignored it. Compared to the emptiness, the pain she felt was welcome, blessed. That had been true death. Not the illusion of light she had seen when she had been suffocating underneath the confetti. The nothingness, the void that had engulfed her had been the most terrible thing Twilight had ever felt.

Shakily, Twilight took a step forwards, and froze. She couldn’t make herself get nearer to the Slender Man. Every part of her screamed to turn and run, even to abandon Spike behind to get away, to never face that slow descent into nothingness again. But she had to know. She thought she knew, but…

Twilight forced herself to move one hoof, and then the other. Slowly, she approached the Slender Man, and walked around him to see what he was staring at. His head was bowed, and he was looking at something in front of him. Twilight squinted to see in the darkness. No good. She had to get closer.

She shuffled forwards a few more steps, until she was almost right next to the Slender Man. He made no move; he didn’t seem aware of her presence. She looked closer. What was that? He was holding it…not in his tendril, she realized. In his hand. He held it in his hand.

It was a piece of paper.

Just a scrap of parchment, really, a slightly discolored bit of paper that Twilight had no use for. And on that paper was a drawing. It showed a tall, thin figure of a man, but one with no face. He had two very long arms, and six tendrils emanating from his back. And in the corner of the picture was a small figure, barely more than a few dots and two circles.

It was a pony.

Dawn broke. The rays of Princess Celestia’s sun shone down on Ponyville, bringing light out of Princess Luna’s night. It illuminated the trees, the blue sky, and the houses of Ponyville, shining off of thatched roof, and the dewy grass.

In the center of Ponyville, an ancient tree made house felt the first rays of the sun beaming down, and a ray of light came through one of the topmost windows. It illuminated a room full of books, filled with bookshelves and nearly arranged tomes. To one side, a baby dragon slept on peacefully, curled up in his blankets. But in the center of the room, two other figures sat.

Not stood, but sat, the pair of them. One was a purple pony, with a set of neat wings and a beautiful white horn. On her flank a pattern of stars around one central star shone in the dawn’s light. Next to her, a man sat. Or maybe not a man.

He was tall, far too tall for any ordinary man. And his arms and legs were thin and long, making his body seem unnaturally proportioned. His skin was grey, and he wore a black business suit with a red tie. But what stood out most about this man was his face.

He had none.

Any being that looked at him would surely have been disturbed at his unnatural appearance, but the pony next to him never stirred.

She was propped up against the thin man, sleeping against his body as if he were a pillow. She didn’t stir, even as the light passed over her face. But the strange man was moving slightly.

A kind of tendril extended from the not-man’s back, a thing wisp of blackness and shadow that seemed unreal in the light. It was slowly stroking the pony’s head, travelling down her mane and along her back. It was the gentlest, most careful motion possible, so as not to disturb the pony as she half-slept.

It was tentative and uncertain, as if the slender man had never touched another being in this way before. And he had not. But as the dawn light broke over the pair in the library he never stopped stroking the pony’s head.

Twilight was half asleep, half awake, but in a better way than she had been earlier. It was the wonderful feeling of being nearly awake, yet able to rest. Sleep was just around the corner, promising the oblivion of rest, but it wasn’t here quite yet. And in that moment before sleep overcame the body, everything was at peace.

Twilight could feel the Slender Man’s tendril stroking her head. It was a peculiar sensation, a light touch that was barely noticeable unless you concentrated. It did not feel bad however; quite the opposite. With each touch, Twilight felt some of the pain, some of the fear that had filled her during the night vanish. It was as if that tendril carried it away, and left her more at peace than before.

It had been a miracle. There was no other word for it. Beyond a miracle, in fact. No force could have stopped the Slender Man as he had ended Twilight’s life, but something had. A piece of paper. A drawing, an idle sketch. A picture of the Slender Man and a pony.

Twilight didn’t know what had passed in through the Slender Man’s mind as the night had broken, but he had let the dawn come without touching Twilight. He had simply put the piece of paper down at her hooves, and begged for forgiveness. Not with words; he could not speak. But he had knelt to her, that Slender Man, knelt and asked her silently for mercy.

And she had given it. Twilight didn’t understand why, not in her mind. But she had looked at his unmoving form, and felt his sorrow, his misery, his grief and guilt, and she had forgiven him. And then they had sat together, and Twilight had let him stroke her head. And for the first time since she had met the Slender Man, Twilight had felt at peace.

As the light from the sun’s radiance increased slightly, Twilight shifted and the stroking immediately stopped. She opened her eyes, and gazed up at the Slender Man’s face. It was still unmoving, still the blank, featureless mask. But she could understand him now, in a way she hadn’t been able to before. How could she have ever believed that he felt nothing?

Moving slowly, Twilight stood up. She did not look at the Slender Man, but rather felt him change from his sitting position to upright in an instant. Twilight glanced at the Slender Man. He spoke nothing, but she understood every word he said.

Carefully, quietly so as not to wake Spike, Twilight moved through her library house, pausing only to pick the page with her and the Slender Man on it carefully off the ground. She would start with breakfast, seeing as how she had missed dinner the night before. Then, there would be Spike to wake up and feed, and the rest of her friends to gather.

Twilight looked over her shoulder and the Slender Man was there, right behind her as she knew he would be. He didn’t loom, and it wasn’t a surprise, not any longer. He was simply there, waiting for someone to realize his presence.

Maybe he was a monster. Perhaps he was evil, in way no other being could be evil. But evil did not mean bad, and even bad did not mean unredeemable. Twilight still felt that feather touch, of tendril gently stroking her hair. It might be that he wouldn’t change, and that he would continue to be terrible, and she would not be able to accept his presence.

But if that happened, it happened. That was for the future. But she would give him a chance before it did. One chance, no more, no less. The same as any being got.

The sun rose in the sky, and with it, a new day dawned over Ponyville. Twilight trotted into the kitchen, the Slender Man by her side.

Author's Note

Twilight's Page:

http://s21.postimg.org/y45szqk53/A_Page.png

Part 14: Sudden Changes

“Redemption.” The word hung flat and heavy in the air. Applejack looked at Twilight, a dark frown on her face. “That’s what you call him nearly killin’ you?”

Twilight shifted slightly, but not because she was discomforted by Applejack’s tone. Her gaze ran from pony to pony, all five of her friends who were facing her and the Slender Man in a rough semicircle. They weren’t bearing the news of what had happened last night well. “Yes,” Twilight said carefully and deliberately. “Redemption. That’s the only word I knew that can describe what happened, Applejack. He – the Slender Man was going to kill me, but he stopped when he realized there was another way.”

Twilight looked from face to face. She had explained as best she could, but their expressions ranged from shock to horror to anger. Predictably, Fluttershy simply looked tearful and heartbroken over Slender’s actions, but Rarity and Rainbow Dash seemed to be in shock. It was Pinkie Pie and Applejack that surprised Twilight the most, however. Both their expressions were that of fury.

From Applejack, Twilight would have expected no less, but on Pinkie Pie…anger was such a foreign word when it came to Pinkie, but this was even more drastic. Rage was the only description Twilight could give, and it made her friend look…scary.

“Let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Rainbow Dash said. “The Slender Man appears in your room. He tries to kill you by strangling you to death. And then he sees a bit of paper and stops, and suddenly everything’s okay?”

“Yes,” Twilight said levelly. “It wasn’t entirely his fault. He was compelled to try to kill me, kill us all. And when he realized that there was an alternative solution, he begged for forgiveness, Rainbow Dash. Do you understand that?”

Rainbow Dash thought about this for a second. “No.” She said flatly. “That doesn’t excuse anything. We gave him a chance the first time, and this is how he repays us? I say we kick his sorry behind out of Equestria right now.”

“Ah’m for that as well.” Applejack pawed the ground, her expression thunderous. “There’ve been too many near misses with this fellow. First the apple and now this? He tried to kill us all. No excuses, Twilight. He’s got ta go.”

Twilight didn’t turn around, but she felt the emotions emanating from the Slender Man. She could feel his sorrow, his guilt, and not least his fear of being labeled a monster and sent away. Was this what it was like when Fluttershy talked with animals?

“Look everypony, I know this was bad, but he didn’t kill me. He stopped, and apologized.”

“After he hurt you?” Pinkie Pie’s voice was a low growl. “He broke his promise and tried to kill you, Twilight! He. Broke. His. Promise!”

Twilight could almost feel the Slender Man cringe back from Pinkie’s anger. “I know you’re upset, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight tried again. “But I’d like you to reconsider one thing.”

“And what’s that?” Dash asked challengingly.

“This. I was the pony who nearly died. I was the one who decided to forgive the Slender Man, and it’s me that knows what really happened. Not you. You weren’t there. You didn’t feel what I felt. I’d like you to forget me nearly dying for one second, and just give him another chance.”

“But Twilight,” Rarity said pleadingly, “just look at what’s become of us, of Ponyville!” She waved a hoof at the town, which was as silent and empty as an unfilled grave. “Everypony is terrified to even leave their home, and he’s left chaos and destruction wherever he went. We’ve all nearly died, you still have bruises around your throat, and Sugarcube corner as well as my boutique is nearly in ruins!”

“I think your store and Sugarcube corner were less the fault of the Slender Man and more of two particular ponies,” Twilight said, glaring meaningfully at Rarity and Pinkie Pie. “I don’t recall him throwing chairs through the window, or setting fire to half the building.”

“That wasn’t my fault,” Pinkie Pie protested as Rarity spluttered and failed to meet Twilight’s eye. “I baked a perfectly normal cake! I just accidentally put fireworks instead of candles on the cake!”

“Pinkie, that means it is your fault,” Twilight pointed out.

“No way! They should totally put warning labels on the boxes telling ponies that fireworks aren’t candles! I’ve half a mind to sue them for fraud and deception!”

“Pinkie, they’re fireworks, their entire purpose is to…” Twilight sighed. “Never mind. What do you think, Fluttershy?” Twilight turned hopefully to her pegasus friend. “You of all ponies would be willing to forgive the Slender Man, right?”

Fluttershy didn’t meet Twilight’s gaze either. Instead, she looked at the ground, drawing an aimless pattern in the dirt. “Um, well Twilight, Angel still hasn’t come out of my closet.”

That was a rather odd thing to say. “And?” Twilight prompted when Fluttershy didn’t continue.

“And, well, none of my other friends will even come near my house, or even Ponyville.” Fluttershy looked up at last, meeting Twilight’s gaze sadly. “They won’t even come out of their homes to eat. They’d rather starve than leave.”

Twilight tried to say something, but she was at aloss for words. She had never expected Fluttershy of all ponies to argue against the Slender Man staying. But if all of her friends were in danger of dying of starvation…

“Look everypony,” she tried again, “I know it’s been hard, even frightening having the Slender Man here. I was terrified of him as well, and I was the most suspicious. But the thing is, none of us have really given him a chance. We showed him around Ponyville, it’s true, but we did it on our terms. We never tried to understand him, just make him understand us. Can’t we give him another chance this time?”

Even Applejack looked somewhat conflicted. But Applejack then looked at her hooves and back at the Slender Man and her tone hardened.

“Be that as it may, Twilight, there’s still the fact that he frightens ponies. Applebloom was fine, but Big Mac an’ Granny Smith didn’t sleep a wink last night. How can we be friends with a thing that makes other ponies too scared to sleep?”

“We can go pony to pony until everyone knows the Slender Man isn’t a threat,” Twilight said firmly. “We can do it if we try. Pinkie,” she made a desperate appeal to her friend, “you know the Slender Man. He isn’t completely bad, you must admit.”

“Yeah, he can be a lot of fun!” Pinkie smiled, but it refused to stay on her face. “But…” Pinkie Pie searched for words, “but Twilight, even though Slendy is a fun person to be around sometimes, he isn’t a pony. He’s something else. And I know, and you know that he could be really bad, even if he tries to be good.” Pinkie Pie seemed to struggle internally. “I just don’t want to see anypony get hurt, but the longer he stays here, the more dangerous it becomes for everypony.”

Twilight opened her mouth to argue again, and hesitated. She had been prepared to have to convince Rainbow Dash and Applejack and maybe even Rarity, but Pinkie Pie was expressing her doubts. Even Fluttershy wasn’t arguing for the Slender Man. What could she say? They were right. All of them had good points, and how could Twilight come up with a good answer for what lay in her heart? Logically, intellectually, Twilight knew that the Slender Man’s presence was like a ticking time bomb.

But she couldn’t leave it like this, surely. To just cast him out, right when they might be on a breakthrough? Was that right? But looking at her friend’s faces, Twilight saw nothing but opposition.

Twilight felt a gentle pressure on her head. She looked up, and saw the Slender Man’s tendril. He patted her gently on the head. Then he presented her with something.

It was a piece of paper. Twilight looked at the sketch drawing held in one tendril, and back at the Slender Man. He was giving it to her. Because…because he was willing to leave. Leave, and not come back.

Twilight looked at the paper, and back up at the Slender Man. She did not take it, but simply turned back to her friends.

“This is why we can’t give up everypony,” she said. “He’s willing to go, forever, so we don’t have to worry. Isn’t that something different from what we’ve seen so far?” Twilight looked from face to face. “It takes a being with lots of kindness to do that.”

Fluttershy avoided Twilight’s gaze.

“And not least because it means placing other ponies first. That’s part of generosity, and loyalty, to give up something for the sake of others.”

Rainbow Dash and Rarity studied the ground, also unable to look Twilight in the eye.

“Could anypony do that without being completely honest? A person that truly believes with all their heart to do what is right, and is willing to face the cold, hard truth and do something about it, isn’t that someone worth admiring?”

Applejack studied her hooves, a faint blush creeping over her face.

“And if we’re frightened of him, well, so what? There have been ponies we’ve been scared of before. Zecora, for instance. But we learned things and ponies are only scary if we let them be scary. For someone like this, shouldn’t we try our best to be happy, and to laugh and make them our friends?”

Pinkie Pie’s mane drooped at Twilight’s words, and she looked down as well. But Twilight reached out and touched her shoulder with one hoof.

“We all nearly died. We suffered a lot. It’s been the most terrible experience we’ve had so far, but that shouldn’t change who we are. We are the Elements of Harmony, but more than that, we’re friends. And we should always be willing to give another pony, another person a chance. If they’re willing to change, we should be willing to give them a chance to try.”

There was a long silence. Twilight held her breath as her friends shifted from a study of the ground and their hooves to glances at each other, and then at the Slender Man. Finally, Applejack cleared her throat and spoke.

“Ah don’t know about anypony else, but ah’m sorry,” she said, looking directly at Slender, “sorry about bein’ judgmental. That ain’t right, not for anypony and least of all for an Element of Harmony. If Twilight says it’s fine by her, I reckon we can give y’all one more chance.”

“Yeah,” the other ponies choruses as one.

“I think we’ve been terribly unfair to you,” Rarity said to the Slender Man, “talking about you as if you weren’t here, and not trying to understand what you’re saying. I apologize most sincerely.”

“I agree,” Fluttershy said. “It can be terribly unfair if somepony judges someone based on their appearance. All my manticore friends are always shunned – it should be no different in this case as well. I’ll talk to my friends, and get them to see you’re not a bad person.”

“Yeah! Everypony should get a second chance!” Pinkie bounced around the Slender Man and Twilight. “I’m really, really, really sorry about being mean and all! I’ll have to throw an extra-special ‘sorry I was a meanie-parts’ party for you! You’re not really a bad eldritch abomination, right Rainbow Dash?”

“Um, yeah.” Rainbow Dash said awkwardly. “I guess you weren’t so bad aside from the entire trying to kill us thing at the start.” Rainbow Dash suddenly grinned. “Besides, you were totally impressed by my amazing flying skills. Anypony who can see how awesome I am can’t be too bad, right?”

Twilight smiled. She had done it. Convinced her friends to accept an eldritch monster from the abyss and give it another chance. It was an impossible feat, but then again, she was with the Slender Man. Impossible was really quite easy when you looked at it from another angle.

“Alright girls, in that case we have a lot to do,” she said. “We’ll start with a door-to-door approach in Ponyville, and then go visit Fluttershy’s cottage. I suggest that Fluttershy goes home and talks to Angel and the other animals while we go to the Mayor’s first and explain things. Applejack, if you go to Sweet Apple Acres and get your family and if Pinkie Pie starts on her welcoming party, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and I can go with Slender man. On second thought, it might be best if Rarity tries sewing a new suit. Something other than the Slender Man’s usual attire might help matters, and—”

Twilight had a gift in making lists and delegating tasks. Few ponies possessed her natural ability to lead, inspire, order, and boss other ponies around like she did. She could and would give orders and instructions for extended periods of time if not stopped. But she stopped now, and without any pony having to interrupt her. This was so unlike Twilight that every eye was fixed on her, and then travelled to the point she was staring at.

It was at first hard to see what Twilight was looking at. To begin with, it was just a speck in the sky, but it was growing larger rapidly. As it approached, more details could be seen, but regrettably, they didn’t clarify matters.

Floating down from the sky on an umbrella was a…thing. It looked like a goat. Or at least, it had the face of a goat. To be fair, it also had the right arm of a lion, the left of an eagle, a lizard’s leg, a goat leg, a tail of a dragon, two mismatched horns, a single long tooth on one side of his face and a suitcase. The suitcase wasn’t attached to the body, merely held in the eagle hand.

To anyone watching this confusion of limbs and creatures, it would appear that this being might be some kind of chimera. He wasn’t a chimera, however. Even a chimera would have probably said he had too many different body parts. He was in fact known as a draconequus, which was a fancy way of saying something completely unique and unexplainable. This being was known to all as Discord, and he embodied his namesake.

Discord floated down on his umbrella, defying the laws of physics as he gently slowed to a stop before Fluttershy. He had eyes for no other being, most likely because he didn’t care about anyone other than his one and only true friend. Oh, Twilight and the others counted, of course, but to Discord, Fluttershy was his first friend, and incidentally the only being that could tolerate his presence for long.

He lounged in the air, sporting a bright blue shirt embroidered with palm trees and flowers. A pair of sunglasses rested just below his set of mismatched horns, and a suitcase hung from his eagle-claw hand.

“Fluttershy dear, I’m sorry I was out of touch for so long. Celestia wanted me to run a little errand in Saddle Arabia. They have the most marvelous scones. I brought you some. Anyways, I’m ready for our tea party now, so…”

Discord’s words halted mid-flow. He appeared to sniff, and said, “Fluttershy, have you been hanging out with the wrong crowd? I could almost swear that I sense something…strange around here. How odd. But of course you wouldn’t associate with that kind of monster.” Discord glanced around casually, seeming to take in for the first time the other ponies. “Oh, hello Twilight Sparkle, Elements of Harmony. Didn’t see you there. How are you? Say, you haven’t seen anything—”

Then he spotted the Slender Man. His smile vanished. His entire body froze. For one long moment he simply stared at the Slender Man. The suitcase fell from one claw, and the umbrella dropped to the ground.

Discord vanished. He didn’t teleport away in a poof of smoke, or a flash of light. He was just gone.

Twilight stared the spot where he had disappeared. Discord had fled? He never did that. Not ever. She had been afraid he would start causing trouble, and with the Slender Man that might have gone very poorly indeed. But his expression…

“Huh? What was that?” Rainbow Dash circled the air where Discord had been. “That was Discord, right? He just upped and vanished!”

The number of things that could make Discord stop smiling, let alone lose his cheerfully annoying attitude Twilight could count on of Spike’s claws. He had recognized the Slender Man, no doubt about that. But why had he run? He’d even abandoned Fluttershy. If he thought she was in danger, why did he leave?

“He must have been frightened off by the Slender Man,” Rarity said, “It stands to reason. Anypony would be frightened by a sight like that.” She glanced at the Slender Man. “No offense.”

“Oh no,” Fluttershy said. “I hope he hasn’t been scared away like my friends.”

Twilight couldn’t imagine Discord hiding in a closet unless it was to scare somepony. She cleared her throat for attention. “I think girls, that we should find Discord and explain about the Slender Man as soon as possible,” Twilight said. “Otherwise, he might—”

Something shook and threw Twilight to the ground. Instinctively, she surged back onto her feet, looking around for what had struck her. There was nothing there, only her friends, who were likewise fallen. Twilight looked at the Slender Man, thinking perhaps he had caused it when the world shook again.

It wasn’t an attack, Twilight realized. It was sound. A huge, deafening roar that reverberated throughout the air, almost physical in its presence. And more importantly, it was a voice. Twilight knew that voice. It was Princess Celestia. And she was speaking.

It was the Royal Canterlot Voice, and Twilight had never, ever heard it coming from Princess Celestia. Twilight had thought Luna was loud, but Celestia’s voice rang throughout Equestria, huge, bell-like tones that shook leaves from trees. And this was Ponyville, miles away from Canterlot.

“CITIZENS OF EQUESTRIA,” Celestia’s voice boomed, “REMAIN INDOORS AND DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HOMES. A GRAVE THREAT HAS EMERGED IN PONYVILLE. FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY, DO NOT GO OUTSIDE.”

And then the voice was gone, leaving only echoes bouncing back from distant mountaintops. Incredulously, Twilight got back to her feet. She touched her ears, which were still ringing. She wouldn’t have been surprised to find blood flowing from each.

“Wh—what was that?” Rainbow Dash looked nervously up at the sky, and towards the direction of Canterlot. “That sounded like Princess Celestia.”

“That was Princess Celestia,” Twilght replied, worried. “And it sounded like she was warning everypony.”

“Was it because of Discord?” Rarity asked. “He saw the Slender Man and vanished.”

“It had to have been,” Twilight said slowly. “Nothing else would explain that. But why did he leave so suddenly?”

“Maybe he recognized the Slender Man?” Pinkie suggested. “I did. And if he didn’t know that the Slender Man was a nice guy, and thought he was an evil eldritch abomination that destroyed worlds...”

“Oh no,” Fluttershy said as she caught on. “You don’t think he told Princess Celestia?”

“And if she thought there was a danger like that,” Twilight’s mind raced frantically. “We need to get Spike now.”

“Ya want ta send a letter?” Applejack’s question hung in the air, because Twilight was already galloping towards her home.

Twilight had chosen to talk to her friends in a private spot, which meant she had taken them to the outskirts of Ponyville. Unfortunately, she had chosen a spot far from her house. Twilight galloped down the empty streets of Ponyville, her friends and the Slender Man right on her heels. It took her several minutes to get back home. Not even bothering to stop as she hurtled into her house, Twilight grabbed Spike as he was finishing breakfast.

“Spike! Write a letter!” She shrieked at him. “Now!”

“Huh? What?” Spike was confused, his breakfast cereal lying all over the floor. “Twilight, what’s going on? I heard Princess Celestia’s voice, and—”

“No time!” Twilight dashed over to her writing desk and grabbed for paper and quill, spilling ink everywhere in her haste. She wrote furiously, and didn’t even bother to sign her name as she dropped her quill and spun around to face Spike again.

“Send this to Princess Celestia! Quickly!” Twilight ordered.

Spike grabbed the paper, for once not asking any time-consuming questions. He raised the paper up to his lips, took a deep breath, and choked.

Twilight looked around. The light in the library had dimmed for some reason. She looked up. The windows that had let in the light of the sun were darkened, and a half-light emerged. Twilight raced outside.

She stopped as she left her home. Overhead, the sun still hovered in the sky, but something was wrong. It was dark suddenly. Not the true dark of night, but an eerie glow that allowed Twilight to see. The sun was still in the sky, yes, but something else hung in front of it.

A shadow was in front of the sun, a dark circle that allowed only a circle of light to radiate outwards. Twilight couldn’t see the shape, but she knew what it was. The moon had been positioned in front of the sun, blocking most of its radiance.

It was an eclipse.

Twilight felt her blood freeze in her veins, and she turned to go back inside. That’s when she saw it. Something flashed and flickered in the light of the eclipse, coming over the horizon. Twilight leapt into the air, beating her wings frantically for height as she strained to get above the rooftops of Ponyville.

She finally managed to reach a point higher than her library-tree, and looked around. She had a pretty good view of the surrounding sky and land around Ponyville. What she saw turned her frozen blood to ice and her heart stop in her chest.

From the sky there were flashes of movement, hundreds of specks of color moving towards her at speed. Even at this distance, Twilight could see they were blue. From the ground, Twilight spotted glints of light off of steel and metal. Golden armor shone in the faint light, and she could see a darker purple armor mixed in with the gold as well.

A mass of shapes charged towards Ponyville, hundreds, thousands of ponies in full armor. The Canterlot Guard, and what had to be Princess Luna’s Lunar Guard as well. That meant the shapes in the sky were Wonderbolts, probably every single member in Equestria. Even the recruits, by the looks of it.

A flash of light from the south caught Twilight’s eye. In the other direction, another group of ponies had arrived in a burst of teleportation magic. The sun glinted off their armor as well, but it had a duller sheen. Crystal armor. And at the head of that army were two familiar pink and white ponies. Princess Mi Amor Cadenza and Shining Armor, her brother.

Twilight turned back to the other army. At its head were two other ponies, and they were far taller than the rest. One was dark blue, and shorter than her counterpart, a radiant white pony with a flowing multicolored mane. Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna.

But these weren’t the two kind princesses Twilight knew and loved. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia both wore battle armor, and the led their armies of guards and the Wonderbolts at a dead gallop, surging towards Ponyville. And in the sky, speeding alongside the Wonderbolt captain Spitfire? Discord, both eyes narrowed, no hint of laughter on his face.

Slowly, Twilight landed on the roof of her library. Within seconds, the three armies had encircled Ponyville, and spread out to form a wall of flesh and armor. The Wonderbolts winged through the sky, streaks of color as they formed a barricade in the air.

Princess Celestia stepped onto the main street of Ponyville, Princess Luna at her side. Cadence and Shining Armor joined them a second later, and Discord alighted from the sky. They walked slowly down the street, towards Twilight’s library, towards the Slender Man and her friends, who were standing just outside of it.

Twilight could make out Princess Celestia’s face now. She had thought she had seen her mentor angry when she had lectured Twilight after his want-it-need-it spell. She had thought she had seen Celestia at her most intimidating when she had confronted Chrysalis. She had thought wrong.

Celestia’s face was a mask of fury and cold steel. Her eyes were narrowed, her wings slightly upraised, her expression murderous. Her armor gleamed in the eclipse’s light. Her horn glowed, and she walked with a deliberate, steady pace. She stopped ten feet away from the Slender Man and Twilight’s friends and said not one word. Beside her, Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor and Discord fanned out, two on each side.

Twilight didn’t have to cast a spell to detect the magical energies swirling around the group. The very force of the magical might of the five beings was distorting the very atmosphere, making their images waver with the force of their power. The air crackled and hummed with spells on the brink of being cast, and Celestia’s form glowed with her magical power.

Twilight was at a loss for words. She stared at the five silhouettes standing facing the Slender Man, and then at her friends and the Slender Man himself, facing them. She looked back at the armies surrounding Ponyville, the rows upon rows of earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi armed to the teeth. She said the only words that came to mind.

“Oh horseapples.”

Part 15: Escalation

“Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Celestia said, “what is the meaning of this?”

Twilight alighted on the ground before her mentor, teacher, and friend. “Princess—” she began, but Celestia cut her off.

“I did not believe Discord at first when he told me one of the Monsters from Beyond was here in Equestria. But I sensed his presence as soon as I looked for it. And what it worse,” Celestia pointed a hoof at Twilight, “I found you and your friends with it. Consorting with it. Even trying to protect to it. You of all ponies should sense what this monstrosity is. I will hear your answer. Now.”

Twilight cringed, but stepped forwards and bowed her head to her mentor. “Princess Celestia,” she said, “allow me to explain. I encountered this being, known as the Slender Man yesterday when the Cutie Mark Crusaders first spotted him in the woods. He attacked me and my friends, but with the Elements of Harmony, we managed to communicate with him. Ever since then, we’ve been trying to teach him about ponies and Equestria.”

“Teach?” Luna broke in incredulously.

“He tried to kill you!?” Shining Armor roared.

“Silence!” Princess Celestia’s Canterlot Voice was deafening at close range, making everypony wince in pain. “Shining Armor, Cadence, Luna, and Discord, withdraw twenty feet. Your friends will do likewise, Twilight Sparkle. I will not have any pony attack until I give the order.”

“But Princess—” Shining Armor began, but Celestia cut him off with a glare that would have cowed a cockatrice. Silently, he bowed his head and walked back Cadence, his expression thunderous.

The other Elements of Harmony needed no encouragement to hang back, and withdrew to just out of earshot, leaving Twilight, Princess Celestia, and the Slender Man standing in the center of the street. Celestia glanced back at Shining Armor, and then at Twilight’s five friends before fixing Twilight with another steely glare.

“You were explaining to me why you decided to consort with a creature such as this,” Celestia said quietly.

Twilight gulped. “Princess Celestia, as I said, my friends and I talked to the being known as the Slender Man, and even managed to prevent him from harming any other ponies. We’ve shown him around Ponyville with no more than a few mishaps, and aside from another incident last night, I feel that we’re making solid progress towards a possible friendship with him.”

“Friendship?” Celestia’s voice was beyond incredulous. She looked Twilight straight in the eye. “You may be the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, but this is folly. Do you not realize whom you seek to protect? This is an eldritch abomination, and it is the duty of all beings to send it back into the abyss. There can be no friendship with something that seeks only destruction and death.”

“But why?” Twilight said. “How do we know that’s all they want?”

“Because they have left nothing else in all the realities they have visited before this one,” Celestia snapped. “Nothing but dust and ash. And you expect me to believe one of them has had a change of heart? Has it really not hurt anypony at all since you met him?”

Twilight hesitated. “There were several incidents.”

“Such as?”

“An apple,” Twilight said reluctantly, “and he attacked me last night. But it was a mistake, and he apologized for it,” she hastened to add.

Princess Celestia’s countenance only darkened at this. “You give me no reason to believe this monster has changed in any way, and even more suspicious about your own judgment, Twilight Sparkle. Only my desire to avoid a battle with the Elements of Harmony and this ‘Slender Man’ prevents me from ordering the attack right now.”

“Princess, please,” Twilight begged, “hear me out! This is an eldritch being, true, but it— he isn’t a monster like the others! I truly believe he can be reasoned with, talked to. He’s changed so much from when we first met him!”

Celestia was silent for a long time. And then she spoke. “I understand fully now.”

“You do?” Twilight gasped in relief.

“Yes, I do. The Elements of Harmony have taken control of your mind. They have made you their instrument.”

Twilight gaped. “What?”

Princess Celestia looked at Twilight for a long moment. “The Elements of Harmony seek harmony in all things. Even the greatest of enemies they shall not destroy, merely contain, imprison, but never kill. In the case of a being such as this Slender Man, they have not the power to hold him or defeat him. Thus, they use you and the other Elements as agents of their will – to befriend an eldritch monster such as this rather than battle it.”

“N-no!” Twilight stammered. “That can’t be. They wouldn’t...we couldn’t…”

“The Elements cannot directly affect a pony’s mind,” Princess Celestia continued. “Nor can they control your actions. But you are the bearers of the Elements. They can steer your hearts the way they wish. Have you not felt them change your mind before?”

Twilight suddenly remembered the shine of a rainbow. A flash of color, a moment of indecision changed to perfect calm certainty. The moment when she had traded the magic of all the Princess’s for her friends and Discord. Each of her friends had talked about a similar moment, when they had come to a sudden revelation. It couldn’t be…

Princess Celestia was watching her closely. “It is not the subtle dark magic that whispers in a pony’s mind; it is the certainty that comes of inspiration. That makes it all the more dangerous and harder to detect. With it, the Elements can guide you into choices you would never normally make. Such as attempting to befriend the Slender Man.”

“I…” Twilight felt a cold hand squeeze her heart. “But we decided, we gave him another chance because—”

“You gave him another chance because the Elements desired you to,” Celestia interrupted ruthlessly. “Even if he had tried to kill you again, the Elements would have manufactured an excuse for you to accept.”

“But it can’t be all their influence!”

“How so?”

“I…remember,” Twilight tried to speak slowly and clearly. “I remember when I was in mortal fear of him after I learned who he truly was. Even the Elements couldn’t stop me from being afraid. And when he attacked me – it wasn’t the Elements – I’m sure it was me that forgave him, and nothing else.”

Celestia paused. “Even if you thought it was your own choice, you cannot be certain that—”

“I know it was me!” Twilight said. “I know. Because I had seen what he was. I read a book describing what he had done. Everything. And it broke me out of the influence of the Elements, and it left me frightened. But then after he tried to kill me, Princess, he apologized to me afterwards. He begged for forgiveness. It wasn’t the same as before. This time…I felt as though I was actually connecting with him. It truly felt like friendship, Princess, it did!”

Celestia shook her head slowly. “Friendship is a wonderful thing, Twilight. It connects every living being and can work wonders. However,” and here her eyes flicked to the Slender Man, “that only applies to beings that are part of life and reality. Those such as it seek nothing else but our destruction. There cannot be peace with their kind so long as stone stands upon stone, so long as life remains to hold back the darkness.”

“But can’t we try?” Twilight pleaded. “We make friends with Discord, after all. How different is the Slender Man?”

Celestia shook her head again. “Discord, no matter how capricious is still a being made of this reality. Even the most twisted, evil beings such as King Sombra or Tirek would have a far greater chance of becoming friends with you that this thing. It is not a question of desire. They cannot make friends, or do anything else but destroy. That is their nature. To chance that, they would have to deny the very thing that makes them eldritch. It is impossible.”

“But why an army, Princess? He would leave if we asked him, I know he would.”

“Would he? You seem to place much trust in him after he has nearly taken your life twice. Should I have brought anything less to force one of the eternally damned from my kingdom?”

“But this army would be enough to conquer another kingdom!” Twilight argued desperately, “at least pull them back so I can talk to him. You’re treating the Slender Man as if we were at war with him already!”

“We are already at war, Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Celestia said quietly. “And it is a war without mercy or end. Until death and beyond. Reality will not give up quietly and let these monsters try to destroy all we have built. Stand aside now, Twilight, or I will be forced to consider you an enemy as well.”

Twilight’s lips were numb, but she moved them anyways. “I can’t do that, Princess Celestia. Even if the Elements weren’t affecting me, I think I would say the same. I saw something of myself in him. I can’t let you destroy what might be our only chance. Please, just give us time.”

Celestia paused, and looked at Twilight. Forever seemed to stretch out as the two alicorn’s gazes locked. And then Celestia slowly looked away and shook her head. “No.”

“No?” Twilight’s voice quavered in the silence.

“No. Even for you, my dearest pupil, I cannot, will not risk all of Equestria on this. You may be right, but should I risk everypony’s life on that small chance? Even if you say it is no longer a threat, it could kill every living being in Equestria in under an hour whenever it so desires. I am sworn to protect my people and this land, and I shall. Until the end, Twilight Sparkle. Until the very end of time. And if that end draws near, if it seeks to claim Equestria for the dark abyss and to plunge this land into darkness and despair, it shall not be without a fight.”

Celestia drew herself up to her full height. Her voice suddenly boomed out across Ponyville, reaching the combined armies beyond. “Soldiers of Equestria! The hour of the end is upon us. A being from the deepest beyond has come to destroy our home. It has taken the minds of the Elements of Harmony, yet we remain as the last guard between it and our world. Let not a single terror set hoof upon this earth while we draw breath. In the name of Equestria, attack!”

Celestia’s horn ignited to a white-hot blaze, and she sent a blast of golden magic at the Slender Man. It was joined by more flashes of light: Luna’s dark blue magic of the stars, Cadence and Shining Armor’s spells, a…series of fireworks from Discord, and more, spells from the unicorns in the Canterlot Royal Guard, a twenty-one gun salute a hundred times over.

The spells burst in magical explosions or flashes of light against the Slender Man as he stood in the center of a maelstrom of energy. Twilight gaped in horror. She tried to run towards him, perhaps to cast a shield spell or to try to stop this madness, but she ran into a sudden wall. A dome of golden energy held her in place, her as well as her friends. Celestia regarded Twilight with a disappointed look before turning her attention back to the Slender Man.

Twilight tried to cast a spell to break the containment, but her magic fizzled and failed. She struck the dome, but her hoof simply rebounded off the magical surface. She was helpless. All she could do was watch as enough magic to slag a continent poured down on the Slender Man, who was already standing in a crater ten feet deep.

But he didn’t move, or even react to the magic surging around him. Twilight could feel his pain, the pain from the magic emanating from him, but he made no move. All he did was stand, and stare. Yes, stare. Stare at one being through the vortex of color and light.

Her.

And she could feel his shock and pain turn to anger, and his anger to rage, and she could do nothing. All she could do was watch helplessly as for the first and possibly last time, the Slender Man truly lost his temper.

Part 16: Opening Blows

This is what betrayal feels like. The Slender Man felt the magic wash over him, burst after burst of golden light. He had never felt betrayal before. Not once, not in all of his existence.

And why? Because there can be no betrayal without trust. And the Slender Man had never trusted any being before now. And he had never felt the pain of betrayal. Until now.

This is what pain feels like. True pain, not the superficial cuts and bruises of the flesh. This is the pain of the soul, the pain that comes when faith is lost, when promises are broken, friendships unravel. This is the pain that cuts the souls and leaves the flesh intact.

This is what sadness feels like.

The magic scorched his skin. It burned him. It seared his soul. It was nothing compared to the pain in the Slender Man’s heart. Because he had a heart now, oh yes. And it was a heart that was broken.

This is what betrayal feels like. This is what pain feels like. This is what sadness feels like. The emotions tore through the Slender Man’s entire being as he watched his friend, Twilight Sparkle, the Purple One, sitting behind the protective barrier as the armies of this world attacked him.

He had believed. He had really believed her. For one short moment, he had trusted her and given her a bit of himself. His friendship. His faith in another being. And she had taken it, and led him into a trap, meant to end his existence.

The Slender Man raised a thin tendril and examined it. Smoke, or perhaps wisps of darkness curled away from him. The magic was not strong enough to destroy him, not by a long shot. But it tore at his very existence, inflicted pain, and slowly began to erase his entire being.

So.

This is what the desire for vengeance feels like. The Slender Man’s tendril shot out and bounced off a shield created by the white stallion. Hundreds more appeared, and plunged into the buildings that made up Ponyville, penetrating the stone and wood frameworks of the houses and passing through effortlessly. The Slender Man flexed the tendrils as one, and Ponyville exploded in into a hail of dust and falling masonry.

This is what hatred feels like.

There were no more eyes upon him. Just the screams of the citizens caught in the collapsed buildings, the shouts of ponies, and the loud commands from the sun goddess pony. The Slender Man disappeared and reappeared among the army of ponies in shining gold armor.

This is retribution.

Twilight heard the screaming begin before the dust had even settled. It came from where the Royal Guard had been stationed outside of Ponyville. She could see nothing. But Princess Celestia uttered a curse that made the air ring and leapt into the sky, winging towards the screaming.

The dust from the Slender Man’s destruction of Ponyville settled, and Twilight could see what remained of her town. Nothing. Nothing but dust and rubble. Here and there a few walls remained upright, but the houses were gone.

She could still hear the screaming. Muffled. It came from below. There were ponies trapped below the rubble. Friends. She knew them all. Twilight pushed against the containing force field with all her magical might and it slowly bowed outwards, and then broke. Technically, it shouldn’t have done that, but then again, Twilight was the Element of Magic. Even the greatest magics would have trouble working on an alicorn, much less the Element of Magic herself.

Twilight spared one moment to look for her friends, but among the collapsed rubble of Ponyville she couldn’t make them out. They might have been buried when the Slender Man attacked. She had no fear for their safety however; despite the relative ease with which she had broken the spell without Celestia to bolster it, the shield spell was a Starswirl original, and wouldn’t break even under dragon’s fire.

In any case, Twilight didn’t have the time to aid any ponies buried beneath the ground. They could survive minutes, possibly hours if need be. The screaming from outside Ponyville wasn’t stopping – it was only getting louder. Twilight raced over a mound of rubble, and looked frantically around for a good vantage point. There. What had been the town hall was now a small hill of debris. Twilight jumped into the air and soared to the highest point, until she finally located the source of the screams.

The Slender Man stood among the carnage of what had been the Royal Guard. They had been forming a defensive wall just on the outskirts of Ponyville. They weren’t the most numerous of armies, but there had been hundreds in their ranks, pegasi, earth ponies and unicorns alike. Now, they were a fractured ruin of their former self, less than half their number surrounding a single figure at the heart of a circle of death.

Twilight stared. This wasn’t the Slender Man of legend. It wasn’t the silent stalker, the slow killer that lay before her. This was another being entirely.

The Slender Man could not move while he was watched. That was the one rule, the only rule he abided by. Twilight had supposed that was all the restriction he needed. The Slender Man certainly could not compare to beings like Cthulu, let alone the darker denizens of the Dungeon Dimensions she had read of, or so she had thought. But she had never seen the Slender Man fight.

Hunt, yes. He played the game well, but that was the cat playing with a mouse. No matter what, the cat will always win, and so the mouse can struggle and escape, but the cat will never use all of its strength. It is different when a cat meets a rat, or a dog. Faced with a creature that can fight back, or even kill it, the cat becomes a whirlwind of claws and fang and fury. The difference is simple. In one situation, the cat hunts and uses stealth, speed and cunning. In the other, the cat fights for its life, and fights to kill. It does not hold back.

The Slender Man’s tendrils were a part of his body. They seemed to stem from some invisible source at his back, but they could stretch out to undetermined lengths, and possessed flexibility and strength unseen in a normal appendage. Twilight had assumed they were no more than tertiary appendages, not central to the Slender Man’s abilities. But she saw their purpose now.

Black tendrils shot out like spears from the Slender Man’s body, impaling earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn alike. They whipped through the air like ribbons, and sliced whatever they ran into. The finest armor, the strongest magical shield offered no more resistance than air as the Slender Man’s tendrils created a whirlwind of death around him.

Twilight saw a Canterlot Guard charging the Slender Man, but three tendrils ran him through before he had even gone four steps. Another member of the Lunar Guard took to the air, but the tendrils vivisected him before his hooves had completely left the ground. It took seconds. Most of the royal guard didn’t even have time to react before they were diced, impaled, or lifted up and bodily smashed into the ground.

It had been less than fifteen seconds since the Slender Man had begun his counterattack. Most of the Royal Guard lay dead, and a great deal of Luna’s guard had fallen as well. A huge swathe of blood and body parts encircled the Slender Man, a huge circle of slaughter.

Twilight gazed at the carnage and felt something inside her start to scream alongside the wounded. She had known those guards. She remembered their names. And the Slender Man had killed them all. She felt numb. Horrified. Was this all his friendship with her had meant? He had gone back to killing instantly. She had tried to defend him and this was the result?

Someone was flying down through the sky towards the Slender Man. Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor were nowhere to be seen. Where had they gone? But that was a secondary concern in Twilight’s mind, for the figure drifting lazily downwards towards the Slender Man was Discord.

Discord alighted before the Slender Man. He began to clap, slowly, mockingly. “Good job, I have to say. Killed the entire Canterlot Royal Guard in seconds. Nice work. Lots of blood. I believe there’s a saying for occasions like this. Hmm. How about ‘you monster!’ Or ‘oh, the horror!’” Discord snapped his fingers and grinned. “Or how about this one?”

“Gotcha.”

Something was stirring. Something was rising. The body parts of the royal guard were moving, oozing together. Limbs flopped around on the ground. Shattered bone seemed to melt and flow into larger puddles of…what? Flesh? No, some kind of liquid-solid matter. And they reformed themselves into…

The Royal Guard stood as one pony, shining row upon row of pristine armor and gleaming coats. Twilight stared.

“You didn’t really think we’d risk innocent, useless ponies against you, did you now?” Discord lounged on an invisible sofa in the air. “They’d be useless, and worse, a liability. No, what you just destroyed using so much effort was no more than a few pieces of pottery. Ponies made from clay. Add a bit of watercolor and a few buckets of paint and hey presto! Instant ponies!” Discord chuckled. “The oldest trick in the book. And you fell for it.”

The Slender Man said nothing, but the air around him perceptibly darkened. Discord seemed to take notice, and went on, “I really can’t believe you fell for that. Didn’t anypony ever teach you not to be fooled by appearances? One teensy check on the soul wavelength, heck even a bit of infrared vision would have helped. But no,” Discord sighed, “you’re far too gullible. Nice work on all the dismembered limbs, by the way. So much hard work completely wasted.”

One of Slender’s tendrils shot out, causing Discord to duck. But it wasn’t aimed at him. It shot past the draconequus and bounced off a sudden shimmering shield of violet light. Twilight turned to look.

Surrounding Ponyville was a magical force field that Twilight recognized. Shining Armor stood on a pile of rubble, holding the magical shield in place. And behind him…

The Wonderbolts were the fastest fliers in Equestria, but what many ponies forgot was that they were also the stealthiest as well. Stealth flying requires even more coordination than trick flying, and the Wonderbolts excelled in both areas. They had made their way into Ponyville while the Slender Man had been distracted with the fake royal guard and Discord and now they were sifting through the rubble of houses, pulling ponies out and air-lifting them out of Ponyville.

The Slender Man fired off more tendrils at Shining Armor’s barrier, but they simply bounced off the magical field. Twilight was amazed, but she shouldn’t have been. Her brother’s shield had held off King Sombra for many weeks unaided, and he was capable of protecting all of Canterlot by himself. Even the Slender Man couldn’t break through that so easily.

“You know,” Discord said, gently twining around the Slender Man in a slow, serpentine motion, “you’re really not good at this. I mean sure, you might be a big shot scary eldritch fellow, but you’re no world-destroyer that can collapse civilizations with a single sneeze. I was a bit worried when I first saw you until I realized that. But fighting you isn’t the same as taking on a Reaper. You don’t do combat. You just kill innocent, defenseless beings. So that’s why we’ve got a chance.” Discord snapped his fingers and suddenly he was covered head to toe in plate armor. “Allow us to show you what strategy and tactics mean.”

Discord vanished as a flurry of tendrils streaked through the air where he had been. The Slender Man immediately directed all of the tendrils at the last of Ponyville’s inhabitants being flown off by the Wonderbolts, but they were intercepted mid-strike.

A hail of arrows fell from the sky and hit the Slender Man’s tendrils. Where they struck, ice formed and froze. Twilight looked towards the source of the arrows. A hundred meters distant, she saw a company of ponies in Crystal Empire armor. These weren’t fake ponies made of clay. They were sharpshooters, firing ice arrows in an unceasing rain upon the Slender Man.

The Slender Man’s tendrils froze even as they sped through the air. They began to weave, attempting to avoid the arrows but there were simply too many. The air around the Slender Man became a mass of ice as the archers continued to pour arrows on him, building up a shell of ice that began to engulf the Slender Man.

But ice was nothing to Slender. Twilight knew it. What effect could a simple endothermic reaction have on a being that could ignore the effects of a black hole? Even as she watched, the ice around the Slender Man fractured and exploded into a thousand icy shards. The tendrils that had been frozen in the air flexed and sent a rain of deadly icy needles that bounced harmlessly off Shining Armor’s shield.

But the tactic had worked. Even as the Slender Man’s tendrils grouped and sped at Shining Armor’s shield, Twilight saw Wonderbolts speeding away towards Canterlot, carrying the last of Ponyville’s citizens with them.

Shining Armor didn’t even bother to try to defend against so many attacks. As the black mass of shadowy tendrils surged at him, he let the shield dissipate and galloped back through the rubble of Ponyville, dodging and weaving between the tendrils as they struck the ground around him.

And the counteroffensive was just beginning. From the sky, Twilight suddenly saw a group of pegasi emerge from behind a cloud. They must have been hiding and waiting for a signal, for now they dropped like stones in groups of three.

Each trio held between them a smaller cloud, dark and stormy, crackling with unreleased lightning. They dropped their burdens to float above the Slender Man’s head and sped back into the cloud cover overhead even as his tendrils looped back to strike at them.

Twilight held her breath, amazed and terrified, but not a single pegasus was hit as they spun and wove between the thin black lines of death, disappearing behind the clouds. Each one had been wearing the blue uniform and lightning bolt of the Wonderbolts. They must have been the elite core, and no wonder. They had dropped the clouds right over the Slender Man’s head and escaped without so much as a scratch. But why leave the clouds there?

Twilight’s question was answered in a second as another shape hurtled from the sky. A blue figure ducked and dove between the web of tendrils in the air, and hurtled down towards the Slender Man. A wall of tendrils rose to meet it, but the figure performed a triple barrel-roll and slipped past the tendrils. It landed on the mass of storm clouds and kicked once, twice.

Spitfire took off in an instant as every tendril in the air looped back to stab the spot where she had been. She was already in the sky though, and flying high, fast as she could. Below her, the clouds she had kicked were flashing, the lightning building up as the electric potential reached a critical point. Twilight suddenly realized what was about to happen and closed her eyes—

Lightning struck.

What is it like to stand in the center of a thunderstorm? In a true storm, hundreds of thousands of raindrops fall each second, hitting the ground with a roar that deafens all else. Visibility is gone, and there is nothing but walls of water that make the sky and land the same as the sea. There is nothing to see but water, endless oceans of water filling the world.

This sight mirrored that before the Slender Man, except that instead of rain, there was only lightning in its place. A thousand, a hundred thousand, a million bolts struck and danced around the Slender Man each moment, exploding in arcs of electricity that danced along the ground. The storm clouds had been positioned for maximum effect, and the Slender Man was caught in the center of a storm made solely of lightning.

It hurt. The Slender Man had no problem dealing with electromagnetics in general, but lightning possessed another element that made it dangerous to him. Light. It was part of the name, after all. Lighting was light given form, and it was that which hurt him him. Pure light, enough to drive away any darkness for a second. And it crackled about him, burning him from head to toe.

The Slender Man couldn’t move, even as the lightning obscured everything else. Something was still watching him through the glare. That damned chaos god. The Slender Man had recognized him from the start, but hadn’t given him much thought.

He wasn’t eldritch, only mildly related. He was simply a god, an avatar of chaos, nothing more. As much in common with the eldritch as a dragon was related to a chicken. But he had some power, and it was being used here. The Slender Man couldn’t move, and he was forced to stand through a storm of what was essentially concentrated light.

The pain. But beneath that pain was only rage. Fury beyond what the Slender Man had ever felt before. What is mere pain of the body compared to pain of the soul?

Betrayal.

The Slender Man had only one desire; to destroy the impudent beings that dared to challenge him and then to find Twilight Sparkle. Mere lightning was nothing compared to that desire.

The storm abated. The Slender Man felt the electric discharges cease. He readied his tendrils, prepared to strike down anything in sight.

There was no one there.

The Slender Man cast around with his senses. Some beings in what had been Ponyville, the Elements of Harmony and Twilight Sparkle, a few ponies retreating to the southwest, and a few sources of power that matched the various gods some distance away. But where was his enemy? They surely didn’t think that keeping him here would be enough.

The Slender Man felt Discord’s power keeping him in one place, but freed of any distractions, he could exert his power fully. He felt the chaos god’s power over him weakening, slowly but surely, and he forced more power into crushing that thread of resistance. He felt almost able to move when something dripped onto his face.

The Slender Man looked up. Well, not looked, but he cast his senses towards the sky. Something was falling on his head. He reached out with a tendril and slowly scooped up a bit of the liquid substance that had landed on him. It was some kind of multicolored liquid. It had…seven colors, all mixed together. How strange. The bright colors reminded the Slender Man of a sight he had seen after rain fell. And the liquid burned him for some reason. It almost looked like—

Oh no.

The Slender Man had only enough time to try ineffectually to shield his face with a few tendrils before all of Cloudsdale’s stored rainbows came crashing down on the his head.

Twilight watched as a lake’s worth of liquid rainbow covered the Slender Man. She wasn’t an expert on how rainbows worked, but she knew that Cloudsdale produced the rainbows by filtering light through clouds, creating rainbows in liquid form. And it looked like they had just dumped all the rainbows they had on the Slender Man.

She peered up at the sky. Several Wonderbolts and what looked like Cloudsdale workers were already flying away, their part in the battle done. In fact, it looked like all the Wonderbolts were pulling out, flying away from the battlefield.

“Their time’s up, I’m afraid.” Discord appeared next to Twilight, holding what looked like some kind of ceremonial folding fan. “No point in having them stick around any longer. Lighting and rainbows, very effective. But that won’t be enough to stop the old boy, and the Wonderbolts can’t do anything more than fly around and annoy him by themselves.” Discord closed his fan with a snap. “But I can’t imagine even an eldritch being would be able to take that without a wince or two. All according to plan.”

Twilight looked at Discord. “You really think you’ll be able to stop him?” She asked incredulously. “With just this? All you’re doing is making him mad. You can’t possibly expect to succeed here.”

“Nonsense my dear,” Discord tapped Twilight on the nose with his fan. “We know we’re outclassed and outgunned here. Celestia, Luna, and I are the only beings with real power here, and he’d wipe the floor with us in a second. No, we’re just buying time. We’ve got one shot, and one alone, but that’s going to rely on you and your friends if you’re willing to help.”

“What? No! I won’t betray him!”

“You don’t have much choice, Twilight Sparkle.” Something in Discord’s tone made Twilight look up. Discord’s mismatched eyes were disconcertingly serious as he spoke. “You may think he’s a nice, friendly fellow, but I know better. Celestia and I have lived long enough to know of his kind. He will kill us all unless we can stop him. This plan is the only thing that might work, and you need to decide whether you’re going to help, or watch him pull out of intestines one by one.”

The figure of the Slender Man had been encased in liquid rainbow, but something was moving in the mass of color. The bright color of the rainbow seemed to be getting darker, losing its contrast.

“Much of the plan revolves around you, I’m afraid. I was against it, but there’s no other way, and Celestia was right. I just hope you’ll decide to pitch in. We need to buy time for this to work, and you Elements of Harmony are more powerful than the rest of us combined.” Discord handed Twilight his fan and stood straight, dusting himself off. “Looks like he’s mad now. Time for Luna and me to do what we can.”

The rainbows covering the Slender Man had lost all color, and were just stripes of gray. Then they seemed to melt off him, leaving the Slender Man standing as he had been before. But the air was even darker, and Twilight could feel the emotion pouring off him from here. It made her shudder and shake even at this distance.

Discord turned to Twilight. “Remember what I said,” he said, for once sounding completely serious. “I know you think he’s a friend, but remember that you have other friends too.” Discord began to walk towards the Slender Man, a casual, jaunty walk along the uneven ground.

“Why are you doing this?” Twilight asked.

Discord paused, his back still towards Twilight. “Doing what, Twilight Sparkle?”

“This isn’t your battle. You’re the embodiment of discord! Why would you want to stop him?”

Discord paused for a moment, and then when he spoke, his voice was very far away. “Chaos, discord, anarchy, call it what you like. Some people like it, others don’t. But you can’t have any of it without an audience, someone to appreciate your work. His kind doesn’t leave anything behind. I usually like a good monster, especially one that can spread a bit of despair and confusion, but…” Discord shrugged. “I guess even I have somewhere where I draw the line.”

He resumed his casual walk. “Besides, he’d kill everypony, and I’m rather fond of you. We are friends, after all, aren’t we? I guess…this is just what friends do.”

Twilight felt hot, and then terribly cold. Discord’s words hit something deep in her heart. The Slender Man was something that might be a friend. He had been. But Discord was doing this because he wanted to protect them? “Discord…” she began.

“Just kidding,” Discord turned back slightly, a small grin on his face. “It’s really just Fluttershy in the end. If it were just the rest of you in trouble, I’d grab a bowl of popcorn.” He turned back towards the Slender Man, who was now wreathed in a darkness that seemed to grow with each passing second. “But I’d rather be turned back into to stone and ground up into dust fragments for all eternity than let him hurt her,” he growled.

The darkness and hatred from the Slender Man was now affecting Twilight’s vision, and she felt the familiar burning in her eyes. She couldn’t even look in his general direction anymore. Tears of pain began to fall from Twilight’s eyes. But out of the corner of her vision, Twilight could see Discord walking onwards towards the Slender Man.

He stopped, perhaps twenty feet away from the dark cloud and writhing mass of tendrils. Discord bounced up and down on his clawed feet, and seemed to test the air to with one claw. Then he snapped his fingers and a pie appeared in his hand.

Discord tossed the pie at the Slender Man. And then he pulled out another, and another. Blueberry pie, raspberry pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie…his hands became a blur as a rain of pastries flew through the air at the Slender Man.

Discord charged, a pie in each hand.

The Slender Man hated reality-warpers. He hated rainbows. He hated lightning. But most of all, right now he hated Twilight Sparkle.

The pain hurt. And what was worse, it was more than pain, now. It was injury, it was damage. They had dumped rainbows on him. Pure, unrefined rainbows. The concentrated light and happiness contained in that foul slime had caused something akin to anaphylactic shock in the Slender Man.

Eldritch beings don’t suffer and experience damage in the same way mortal beings do. They don’t have any solid organs to damage, so damage to any part of them is really damage to their entire being as a whole. Rainbows meeting eldritch was akin to pouring acid on human flesh. The Slender Man’s entire being writhed and screamed in agony, and he was sure several of his higher senses had shut down from the pain.

And now he was being attacked. With pies.

They weren’t even magical pies. The flurry of pie crusts and fillings Discord was hurling didn’t contain even a trace element of magic. They were just pies, only dangerous if consumed in vast quantities. In other words, they were about as damaging as…well, a pie to the face.

It was insulting. It was infuriating. It was unforgivable, and the Slender Man attacked with a fury that knew no bounds.

But the creature, the creature refused to be hit. It looked like some kind of freakish goat-chimera, but why any god would want to appear like that Slender had no idea. It was just what gods of chaos did. And he hated that. Their unpredictability, their randomness. This one wasn’t even trying to fight. He was just provoking the Slender Man.

Well, that was fine. The Slender Man might have been caught off guard by the diversion and the subsequent lightning and rainbow attacks, but he was learning each second that passed. Discord had been right; the Slender Man had never been in a true battle. But the Slender Man was eldritch, and the eldritch learned fast.

A tendril shot out as Discord dodged left, but he simply teleported away appeared behind the Slender Man, and tossed another pie at the back of Slender’s head. Twilight watched in horrified fascination, but Discord was actually managing to evade each and every one of the Slender Man’s attacks. There were only a limited number of ways the Slender Man could move his tendrils, and Discord never let any of them so much as get close to him.

Discord pirouetted out of the way of another tendril, and hit Slender in the face with a pie. Twilight thought Slender would explode in rage, but he only raised a tendril and wiped the pie from his face before striking out at Discord again.

“Ah don’t believe it.” Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin as Applejack appeared by her side. “Ah’d never thought ah’d see the day when Discord turned out ta be a valuable ally.”

Twilight looked around. She had been so focused on the battle with the Slender Man that she hadn’t even noticed her friends’ arrival. They looked rather dirty, patches of mud and grime covering their coats.

“How did you break out of the confinement spell?” Twilight asked stupidly. “It’s a confinement spell. You’re not supposed to be able to break out of that. A hundred Rarity’s couldn’t break through that.”

“As a matter of fact darling, we didn’t have to,” Rarity said. “Although I quite appreciate your confidence in my abilities.”

Twilight just looked at Rarity. “How?”

“Well, we have some experience with this sort of thing,” Fluttershy put in. “Um, it’s the same kind of spell Trixie used when she had the evil amulet, remember? And…the same weak spot.”

“Which is?”

“You can dig under it.” Rainbow Dash’s mane was caked with mud. “Kinda a design flaw if you ask me.” She scratched one ear and dislodged a small mudslide of dirt. Then she brightened up. “But now that we’re out, we can help kick that Slender Man’s butt clean out of Equestria!”

“What? No!” Rainbow Dash recoiled at the vehemence of Twilight’s words.

“Why not?” Dash demanded. “Look at him! He just tried to kill the entire Royal Guard! He’s completely lost it! We gotta stop him before he hurts somepony!”

“Like Discord,” Fluttershy said with concern in her voice. “He’s trying to distract the Slender Man all by himself. He could be really badly hurt.”

“Yeah, but what I don’t get is why he’s using pies.” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “It’d make a lot more sense to use my party cannon, or fireworks, or peanut butter!”

“Why your cannon?” Applejack asked, confused. “Ah thought it only fired confetti.”

“Yeah, but I had this great idea to load it up with rocks and bits of metal! Boom! Instant confetti maker!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Pinkie,” Rarity scoffed. “Imagine that catching on. Why, you might as well just toss rocks. It’s the same principle.”

“And why peanut butter?” Rainbow Dash wanted to know.

“Oh, well you know sometimes it works, and anyways, peanut butter is really sticky, so even if they don’t have an allergic reaction, you can—”

“Girls!” Twilight broke in over Pinkie’s explanation. They all looked at her. “We are not going to fight the Slender Man.”

“Why not?” They chorused as one.

“We’d never win.” Twilight looked at the Slender Man, who seemed to have given up on hitting Discord with everything and was using two tendrils to swat at him as he dodged to and fro. “The Slender Man is a being of ancient power and isn’t bound by our laws. I don’t even know if he can be killed, and even if he could, it certainly wouldn’t be from a mere spell or two.”

“Yeah, but we’ve got the Elements of Harmony,” Rainbow Dash pointed out. “And they worked on him before.”

“The Elements only managed to calm him,” Twilight said. “Defeating the Slender Man is beyond even their power. No. This entire battle is stupid. Discord says Princess Celestia has some kind of plan, but if it doesn’t work, we’re all dead.”

“Well then, shouldn’t we be doing our best to make sure it succeeds?” Rarity wanted to know.

Twilight paused. “I still believe we can get through to the Slender Man. If we don’t attack him and stay out the battle, we might have a shot at convincing him to stop fighting, which we won’t be able to do if we attack him.”

“And if he’s about to kill somepony?” Pinkie Pie wanted to know. “Are you going to stand by and let him do it?”

“No.” Twilight shook her head. “Never. But we shouldn’t be fighting him at all. We should be trying to stop all this, not making it worse! If we attack him, the only beings he’s even considered remotely to be like friends, there won’t be any chance of peace.”

“Twilight,” Applejack laid a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Bein’ as ah’m the Element of Honesty, ah feel ah should tell you something.”

“Yes? And what’s that?”

Applejack leaned forwards, and Twilight lowered her head to listen. Then Applejack headbutted Twilight. It wasn’t a nice headbutt either, as far as that word can be applied to one head meeting another at speed. Twilight saw a lot of stars similar to her cutie mark before her vision cleared, and she saw Applejack standing over her.

“It’s too late for peace.” Her friend declared. “Ah’m no judge, but when one pony starts tearin’ other ponies to bits – even if they are clay golem-things – then it’s already too late. Sometimes, the best thing a friend can do is smack another friend in the face. Like so.”

Applejack bonked Twilight on the head again with her own. “Now, are ya going to sit here all day and dither over not bein’ friends with a mass murderin’ monster, or are ya going ta help us stop him without anypony getting hurt?”

Twilight stared at Applejack in open-mouthed astonishment. Then she looked at her friends. She got to her feet. Without another glance at the battle behind her, she raced with her friends into the Everfree Forest.

Scootaloo managed to dislodge the rock pinning her to the ground after her fifth shove. It slowly shifted off her and rolled with a crunch onto the pile of stones that had been the school. Her mind felt muzzy. She remembered last night, and eating cake, and then there had been sleep and morning, and she had gone to school (very reluctantly and ten minutes late), but there had been nopony there. And then there had been the loud voice in the sky, and then a bunch of shouting and explosions and the roof had fallen in on her and…

Oh yeah. The Slender Man. Scootaloo carefully picked herself off the ground and stumbled to the top of the mound of rubble that had been her school. There he was.

The Slender Man stood in a crater lined by scorch marks and a pool of what looked like some kind of black sludge. Weird. He was also sprouting several of the tendril-things, and he was surrounded by some kind of weird darkness that hurt the eyes. Oh, and he was fighting Discord.

Scootaloo didn’t have much to do with Discord, nor was she an expert on history or even current events. She had hung out with him for a while, and by her standards, he was pretty cool. Defintitely above Twilight-cool, and maybe even at Pinkie Pie-cool, but too random for anything close to Rainbow Dash-cool. He was fighting the Slender Man though, using...Scootaloo squinted and rubbed her eyes. Pies, for some reason. Weird.

The Slender Man on the other hand was lashing out with his tendrils, forcing Discord to dodge and weave or even teleport out of their reach. Scootaloo hadn’t been too comfortable with the Slender Man from the start, what with the nearly killing her thing and all, but she had relaxed somewhat after Pinkie Pie’s awesome party. She had even given him a small coolness award for his awesome ability to teleport around, even if he could only do it when nopony was watching.

But yeah. Scratch that. The Slender Man was now at the bottom of her uncool list, right below Trixie, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon and Rarity. Anypony that destroyed all of Ponyville and buried her alive in a school was totally uncool. And dangerous.

Scootaloo looked around vaguely. Where was everypony, anyways? She had heard shouting while she had been trapped; voices telling her to shout if she was stuck. She hadn’t shouted, obviously, because she hadn’t been stuck per se, merely inconvenienced. Maybe she should have shouted.

Scootaloo turned back to the battle between Discord and the Slender Man. There wasn’t much she could do except watch them. With everypony gone, Scootaloo could theoretically escape, or maybe join in the fight, but even she was willing to admit that either option wouldn’t be much good. She shivered slightly. Not against the Slender Man. She remembered the last time she had tried to run. Nope. Better just to hope Discord managed to pie him to death or something.

She brightened up a bit as a thought struck her. Maybe she could get her cutie mark in battlefield reporting! It was different from journalism after all, and she was totally sure she could do a good job of it.

“Let’s see,” Scootaloo cleared her throat and spoke to the empty air as if commentating on a hoofball game. “Well, we’ve got the Slender Man guy on one side, and Discord on the other. Uh, it looks like Slender Man is trying to cut Discord up, but Discord isn’t letting him! He’s dodging, he’s ducking, he’s tumbling – and throwing pies at the same time! It’s an apple pie to the face, a blueberry pie to the midriff, and a…uh, looks like a pumpkin pie from here, but the Slender Man sliced that in half!”

Scootaloo squinted down at the two figures from her perch. “It looks like the Slender Man is surrounded by some kind of uh, darkness thing. Sorta like mist. Or fog. Or something icky. And it’s, um…growing…I think that’s not a good thing.”

The darkness around the Slender Man was expanding. It coalesced out the air and seemed ot suck light from the sky. And it expanded, an ever-growing mass of blackness darker than midnight that sent all the hairs on Scootaloo’s mane standing straight up.

“Discord doesn’t seem to want to touch the darkness,” Scootaloo said, her voice cracking a bit with nervousness. “And that seems like a really good idea. He’s moving back, but he’s still tossing pies. That was a banana pie, I think. But the Slender Man’s blocking them, and he keeps attacking with those tentacle-tendril whip-things. But Discord’s dodging them! And he’s moving away from the cloud of darkness and—”

Scootaloo’s voice choked in her throat. Discord had jumped back out of the way of the Slender Man’s tendrils and the black cloud. However, two more tendrils had suddenly erupted from the earth, having been concealed under the ground. They seized Discord by both of his mismatched legs and kept him from moving away. And the darkness around the Slender Man seethed and roiled, and expanded outwards quickly now, like an inflating balloon, covering everything in a sphere of absolute black.

“Oh no.” Scootaloo forgot her commentary as she watched Discord struggle. “Get out of there, Discord.”

There were no pies in Discord’s hands now. Instead he chopped furiously at the tendrils with a fire axe, then pulled out a saw from thin air and attempted to cut through the black lines holding his legs. It was no good. And now the blackness was coming towards him, reaching out like a living thing.

Discord tossed his saw to the ground in disgust, and then looked up and saw the oncoming wave of midnight. Discord looked down at the tendrils holding his feet. He looked at the fog of blackness.

“Oh sh—” was all Scootaloo heard before the darkness enveloped him.

Part 19: Death of a Dream

He felt the last remnants of his power leave him, and knew it was the end. The Slender Man was caught in the center of the star, blinded and burned by the unimaginable light, stripped of his power by its awful radiance. It is impossible to slay the eldritch with mundane tools, but killing them is possible nevertheless. And this was his death. This was what he feared, and what he could not escape.

The Slender Man felt no peace in his last moments. He felt only pain and suffering and fear. But try as he might, he could not summon the darkness, could not protect himself from the fire that surrounded him. His protections unraveled, leaving him exposed, unprotected.

Something fluttered away from his chest, and drifted through the fields of orange fire. The Slender Man stared at it, so startled that he forgot his end for a moment. It was a piece of cloth, but that was impossible.

His clothes could not burn. They were part of him. Only when he died would they be destroyed with him, and not a moment before. But something nevertheless caught fire and burned, devoid of the Slender Man’s protective aura. It was not possible. His suit was part of his being.

Nevertheless, something flared up once, and then slowly burned apart. It had been close to him for quite some time, so it did not burn in an instant as cloth would in the heart of a star. But it still burned slowly, twisting and melting in the flame like a snake.

A snake made of red.

The Slender Man looked at it, and saw not a piece of cloth, but a memory. A small shop, a flash of color. A gift, freely given. A small trinket to some, but the first thing he had ever received in his life. The only thing he could call ‘his’.

A tie.

It burned away, not even leaving ash in the heart of the inferno. And the Slender Man stared at where it had been, where it had burned its image into eyes he did not possess.

And for a second, he remembered what being eldritch truly meant. That understanding was a single moment, a brief instance of understanding and emotion that vanished in a second, leaving the Slender Man suspended in the heart of the sun, still dying.

But sometimes a second is long enough.

The cheering started the instant Celestia touched earth. Luna and Discord burst into the air, shouting in delight. The rest of the Elements of Harmony plus Scootaloo clustered around Princess Celestia shouting and laughing in celebration.

Except Twilight. She stood back, a little bit. She could not argue with what had been done, not now. Not after seeing the Slender Man…

But something in her cried, nevertheless for a being that could never shed tears. Something stirred. But it was lost in the cries of joy.

Celestia smiled, looking more tired that Twilight had ever seen. But still she glowed with the light of her sun. And Twilight looked at her, and Celestia looked back.

“Well, Twilight Sparkle?” Celestia said, exhaustion in her voice. “Is it well, in the end? For him, friendship was not possible. Have you made your peace with it?”

Twilight bowed. “I cannot understand your point of view entirely, Princess.” She said. “But I saw what he was doing, and I agree that it had to stop. I only wish…”

Celestia’s gaze never wavered. “I know. But sometimes, there are things even magic and friendship cannot solve.”

Twilight met her eyes. “Truly, Princess?”

“Perhaps. I do not know. But I do not know how we could have peace with his kind.”

“Maybe.” Twilight looked at the ground, and back at Princess Celestia. And hesitated. And stopped. And then Twilight said something that cut the noise of celebration and drew everypony’s eye.

“Princess Celestia. Your nose is bleeding.”

Celestia raised one hoof, and touched her face gently with one hoof. It came away bloody. “Huh. You’re right. That’s odd. I—” Princess Celestia stumbled, and caught herself. “I think I feel—”

Suddenly Princess Celestia coughed and then vomited a stream of blood onto the ground. In the sudden silence, Twilight clearly heard Celestia coughing wetly. Celestia looked up, and her eyes were suddenly filled with blood. “I—no. I feel—”

Celestia collapsed with a thud onto the ground. A thin trickle of blood ran from her mouth. Her eyes were closed.

Nopony moved. For the longest second, Twilight stared at her mentor, teacher, and friend. And then Twilight Sparkle raised her eyes to the sky.

The sun filled the sky. Its light was not a warm glow but a furious glare of molten fire and heat. But something was wrong. The sun seemed to flicker and shake. Something dark was growing in the center of the sun. Twilight could feel reality distorting above her.

Something was coming.

A blotch appeared on the sun. Not a sunspot, but far larger. It spread like poison, slowly consuming the light. And then it disappeared in a burst of light, and Twilight released her breath, hoping against hope for a miracle.

The sun went out.

Light vanished.

Hope died.

And the Slender Man stood before Twilight.

And she knew she was going to die.

He held her in his hands like a lover, like a friend. His hands. Not by proxy, not with a tendril. With his hands.

All the rules were gone. The game was dead. He no longer obeyed it. He was the game.

And he was no longer furious. He was no longer angry. He wasn’t even cold.

He wasn’t anything.

He was Eldritch.

And he was going to kill her.

Around Twilight Sparkle lay her friends. They weren’t dead, merely stunned, or bleeding, or unconscious. Even the sun goddess still lived, although she drew closer to death each second. None of them had stood against him. The god of chaos, the moon princess, even the stallion and mare with the bond of love could not stop him. Not now.

The Slender Man held Twilight’s head in his lands, and looked at her. Really, truly looked at her. She wasn’t much. Just a pony. A stupid, small pony with lavender coat and wings and a horn. An alicorn, in fact. But that didn’t matter.

She was just a mortal being, in the end. Unpredictable, fallible, constantly dying. And he was Eldritch. He had remembered who he was. Not part of reality, but against it. Not bound even to death. What could kill the eldritch? Even if death took them, it was only temporary. They bowed to nothing save others of their kind. They were not like humans or ponies, and they never would be.

So why did he not want to kill her? Even now, even as he held her life in his hands, the Slender Man hesitated. Was it friendship? No. The answer was no. It was not friendship, because friendship could not appear in the course of a day. But it was more than interest, and deeper than affection.

It was a connection made between a slender man and a pony who had sat together through the night. It was the sensation of running one’s hand through a pony’s mane. It was a picture, lying on the floor. It was something the Slender Man had never felt, and would never feel again.

A moment in time that could never be recaptured. But he still remembered it. And if he killed her, the Slender Man knew that memory would still remain. But to kill was what he lived for. And she had betrayed him, led him into trap, and driven him closer to death than he had ever been.

She deserved to die. He was going to kill her. But for a small fraction of time, he hesitated. He could feel her heart beating; feel the blood coursing through her veins. She felt like a feather, trembling in the breeze. Time slowed, and then stopped as he stood there.

For a little while, the world stopped moving, and the universe held its breath and waited on him.

A choice.

A decision upon which all else hung.

A moment in time.

A smile.

The Slender Man snapped her neck.

It broke easily, with a wet cracking sound that echoed among the ruins of Ponyville and died shortly thereafter. Her eyes were still open, even after she died. The Slender Man closed them gently with his fingers, and let her body lie on the ground. And then he turned, and completed his work.

They attacked him, all of them. They always did. In numbers, they fought, individually, they fled. It was the nature of mortals.

The blue one with rainbow mane did not strike at him first, as he had thought. Instead, she turned and flew with the orange filly away, so fast that all that was left of her were the tears falling upon the ground. But the rest of them came, screaming fury and grief.

The orange one struck him again and again, kicking him hard enough to fracture and shatter her bones. It was a pointless endeavor, but she seemed not to care. The white unicorn joined her, blasting the Slender Man with magic. It was strong magic, far stronger than he had thought she possessed. He ignored it. It was beneath contempt.

The pink one vanished, as she so often did. He ignored her too. There was nowhere she could run that he could not follow. But the yellow one…the yellow one simply stared at him with tears in her eyes. It was the gaze he had seen before, a stare that could reach into your soul. It was powerful, a bit of magic in its own right. It would have held him in place if he were his old self.

The Slender Man strode over to her and took her eyes. And then he took her face. And killed her as he had Twilight, with a snap of her neck. She fell, limp, an eyeless, faceless doll.

The orange one kicked him again and broke both her legs and shattered her bones. The unicorn blasted him with a spell that hurt him slightly. Both of them collapsed to the ground. The Slender Man looked at them.

The orange pony still lived, but she couldn’t move. The kick had damaged her back. The unicorn was dead. Magical feedback from a spell far beyond her capabilities.

The Slender Man nodded once in her direction. A salute. She had achieved a feat he had thought impossible of her. He moved on.

The stallion and mare were next. The white stallion held the magical barrier in front of the Slender Man and screamed defiance at him. The female alicorn wept.

The Slender Man struck the magical barrier once, but it did not break, although it cracked. The Slender Man looked at the stallion, who swayed and stumbled, dripping blood from his mouth. He had poured all he had into the barrier, and held it with his life force. The Slender Man struck the barrier again.

It broke.

The stallion collapsed, and did not rise or breathe as the Slender Man walked past him. The mare huddled by his side, but the Slender Man ignored her. Her breathing slowed as she wept, and in seconds, she too had passed away with him. So it went, the lovers together in life and death. One of the oldest stories.

The moon goddess stood in front of her fallen sister protectively. She too wept, but she stood ready to fight. The chaos god did not. He stood to one side, looking at the yellow pegasus that had fallen. He ignored the Slender Man as he approached.

The moon goddess screamed and attacked him, but her magic was like dust to the Slender Man. He ignored her spells, her curses, and bent down to the sun goddess. He reached out to touch her, not feeling the stabbing of the moon goddess’s horn, but stopped. Her drew his hand away, and turned. With him, the moon goddess stopped and looked at her sister.

She was already dead.

The moon goddess went very still, and the Slender Man left her there. He walked back, past the orange pony who was trying to drag herself towards him and looked towards the east. He felt the blue pony’s approach before he saw her. She sped at him, a streak of lightning yet faster, moving beyond the limits of sound.

He didn’t move, even as she struck him. A roar of sound and an explosion of debris marked her hitting him, but he didn’t shift so much as an inch. The blue pony left a crater, a long gouge of earth marking her flight path and collision, but nothing more.

She had been going several time past the speed of sound when she had struck him. She had broken the sound barrier, nothing more. Not even the light barrier. And her body could not survive the impact at that speed. Her remains were not even dust on the wind.

The Slender Man continued on.

He left the orange pony, the chaos god, and the moon goddess where they had been. He travelled instead to a where the blue pony had come from, a city on a cliff. An army of ponies attacked him there, as well as an army of pegasi. They broke their hooves upon him, striking him, stabbing him with swords, beating on him until they fell away, unable to move any further.

He killed them.

Inside the city were many ponies wearing clothing. And more ponies that he recognized, ponies from Ponyville. The Slender Man let his tendrils do the work here, traversing the city. Slicing ponies in half, cutting through buildings, slithering through the streets, leaving no being alive.

The ponies from Ponyville he killed with his hands. Quickly, not always cleanly. A different death for each one. Save for the three fillies.

The small unicorn ran with the pony, but the pegasus remained. What was her name? The Slender Man didn’t remember. She was crying, and pointing at him as he took her life. The Slender Man looked down. On his suit a single feather stuck to the blood and gore. It was stained deeply with crimson, but a small bit of blue shone through.

The Slender Man picked it off his chest, and tossed it to the ground before finding the other two fillies.

From city to city he travelled as fast as a shadows travels before light. And he left nothing in his wake. Not life, not people, not even buildings. Until he came to a stop in the middle of an empty road.

A pink pony sat in front of him. Waiting. Beside her was a cannon, a party cannon mounted on wheels. She looked at him.

He looked back. The pink pony got to her feet, and aimed the cannon at the Slender Man.

He asked her what it was filled with.

“Laughter”, she told him. And fired.

His tendrils struck her at the same time. They struck her, her cannon, and tossed what remained to the side of the road. He felt no pain. The Slender Man looked down and brushed the confetti off of his suit.

He walked forwards again; avoiding what lay still and unmoving beside the party cannon and continued onwards. He still had much to do.

It took him a short time, but he finished at the last. And then he turned and walked back to where he had started. Behind him there was nothing. No life, no buildings. Only dust.

The orange pony waited for him. Her back legs were broken, but she tried to attack him anyways. She hurled rocks, she cursed him, even tried to bite him as he approached. He let her.

Eventually, she stopped, shaking with tears. He stood, impassive as she broke down before his eyes. Unable to scratch him. Unable to hurt him.

She died shortly thereafter.

Three remained. Two great powers, one small. The small one came first. It was a dragon. An infant, really. It had not the great fire of the other dragons, not the strength of their claws or the sharpness of their teeth. It mattered not at all either way. The Slender Man ignored the fire, and extinguished the life. It had been crying, too.

And then the Slender Man felt the magic gathering. The moon goddess flew before him and screamed hatred.

She threw the moon at him.

It fell from the sky and struck the earth where he stood. The planet cracked and burst as the world around the Slender Man exploded. There was light. Sound. Fragments of earth. And the Slender Man.

The moon princess died with her moon. All that remained of the land called Equestria now were fragments of earth floating through space. Nothing else remained.

Save for one.

The god of chaos floated through the void. He held something in his mismatched hands. A body. The remains of what had been a pegasus with yellow coat and pink mane. He sat there, holding the corpse for a long time. The Slender Man watched him.

Eventually, the god of chaos looked up. His eyes were no longer yellow, but red. He attacked the Slender Man.

They fought for decades. It was a battle the likes of which even gods would have quailed before. The god of chaos fought with cunning, with savagery, and without mercy. For a time, he pushed the Slender Man back with the sheer force of his rage. But he could not kill the Slender Man.

Nothing could.

And in time, the god of chaos fell silent and still, and went back to the still body floating through space. He did not look up, even as the Slender Man erased him from existence.

He kept going. From that reality he traveled on to another, one filled with heroes and villains locked in mortal combat. A world where a single being inspired hope for all, and where justice was embodied in a few individuals who fought injustice and crime and evil to their last breaths. He destroyed it in a day.

He traveled onwards. To another reality, where a great war had ended, the likes of which had never been seen before, a war that had raged across the galaxy drawing thousands of civilizations into the conflict, only to end in a fragile victory at the end. He drew the remnants into the void.

Onwards, ever onwards, consuming reality after reality, destroying them in seconds, days, years, or over the course of millennia. At last, the many realities died. In the end, there was nothing left save for the eldritch.

The Slender Man was there when the many realities launched their last strike at the nothingness. He was there when they burned brightly enough to destroy many of his kind, but they broke upon him. He was Eldritch, and he could not be killed.

And even when the last flicker of life had died and nothing else remained, the Slender Man continued. Throughout the long aeons, over the course of the endless cycle of nonexistence and rebirth he still existed. But however long he lived, the Slender Man could not escape one thing, though everything around him changed.

A memory. The light of a dawn, the feel of a small body at his side. The soft feeling of a mane as he touched it. A smile. A red tie. A word that meant ‘friend’.

And though these things faded slightly as the Slender Man lived on and on, one thing shone even though the mists of time. Someone he had met. Her name had been lost to him long ago, but he still remembered her.

He could not forget, no matter how hard he tried. He remembered nothing about her, now. Not anything she had done, not what she had been. Nothing. But he remembered her, no matter how hard he tried to forget. And that memory continued forever.

The Slender Man continued to exist, continued to remember. Even as reality was born again, and even as it crumbled into dust before it was renewed in the endless cycle that went beyond time, the Slender Man continued. He never died, even as the other eldritch passed away, or returned to the void.

He could not.

He was Eldritch.

He never died, no matter how hard he tried.

The Slender Man let go of Twilight’s head. He stepped back. She fell, stumbling, and looked up at him. Her eyes were a brilliant hue of purple, the same color as her coat. He knew he would remember it forever.

The Slender Man turned and looked around him for the first time. Ponyville lay in ruins. The Elements of Harmony were strewn across the ground, injured, some weeping, others too hurt to move. The gods of this world lay broken. The sun had gone out.

It was what he had seen, what he always saw. The same scene, played out in infinite iterations but always the same.

Death.

Destruction.

Dust.

And here he was again. The Slender Man stared back down at the purple pony known as Twilight Sparkle. She was no different from the countless other beings he had killed in his life. She possessed no qualities unique, no traits that could not be found among a hundred thousand other beings. She was simple, unoriginal, weak, and mortal. She was just a pony.

But she was special because she had called him friend.

The Slender Man turned away. He walked out of what remained of Ponyville, past the dying sun goddess, the fallen ponies and gods. Above him, the sun reignited, and shone down with brilliant light upon Equestria.

The Slender Man walked on. He walked, and walked, ignoring the cries of joy behind him, the sounds of life, the relief and hope. He walked on and on, leaving it all behind him.

He stopped when he heard the cry. It was thin, ragged, a shout from the voice of a pony who ran after him, running, flying, tripping, calling his name.

The Slender Man did not turn around. He hesitated for a moment, for a single moment, and then walked on, faster and faster, leaving the voice behind him, leaving Equestria behind. He walked until he was out of that reality, far away from anything and lost in the void of nothingness he had been born of.

And then the Slender Man, destroyer of worlds, the Operator, Der Ritter, The Pale One, and The White King sat for a while and shed tears that fell not from his eyes, but from his soul.

And he never went back.

Epilogue

It is a curious fact that even the eldritch gather and meet. It seems odd that beings with no sense of society or the need for social intercourse do such things. But they do commune, from time to time. They will converse, so far as we understand that word. But even more rarely, the eldritch gather. All of them.

There is no reason for the communion, or at least none that we understand. There is no set time that must pass before all the eldritch join each other. Perhaps they have a signal. Perhaps the meeting can be called by the greatest of their number, or perhaps it is an authority granted to all. Maybe it is just coincidence that causes them to group. It is impossible to know.

The Slender Man joined the gathering, and remained silent throughout. This was usual of him however, and those eldritch that knew him found nothing unusual.

When the eldritch join together, they do not talk of interesting experiences, or acquaintances made, locations visited. In such numbers, they only care for one thing: the game. All their discussions revolve around killing, and the realities they had destroyed, or the destruction they had caused.

There is no leader among them, but they nevertheless have rankings, of a sort. Some eldritch drift together, whether because they share similar traits, or because reside in similar realities, or simply because they appreciate some quality the others possessed. But a few groups in that wierd gathering are unique and special.

The Slender Man listened to The Rake ‘speaking’. It was a small group he was among, filled with some of the greater Ancients, of which it has to be said The Rake was not one. Nevertheless, his mythology was linked closely to The Slender Man’s, and for that he was often recognized as one of them.

They were legendary, even among their kind. Cthulu, Sithis, Fendahl, The Glow Cloud, Rovagug, that which is known as The Flying Spaghetti Monster, Azathoth…and The Slender Man. They all were known and revered for their accomplishments, and it was a mark of how high The Slender Man stood among them that The Rake was allowed to join.

It boasted, of course. They all did. The Rake spoke it its way of worlds destroyed, despair driven into the hearts of many. Cthulu among that group seemed most appreciative, expressing appreciation as The Rake described a human world destroyed.

The Slender Man listened impassively as The Rake talked of the countries that had fallen, one by one, launching desperate attacks against him before their people fled and their leaders died by its hand. He made no comment, but he seldom did. He was silent, listening, until The Rake mentioned a barn it had destroyed.

It hadn’t been much. A farmer and wife had fled it long since, and it was the last remaining source of life in that continent. All it held were a few cows, some rats living among the filth. Oh, and a young pony. The Rake had killed that one slowly before it had moved on.

At this, The Slender Man stirred. He moved, and so unusual was the event that The Rake fell into silence at once, and Cthulu ceased its appreciative comments as all of the eldritch focused their attention on The Slender Man.

In fact, it wasn’t just that esteemed group that stopped to listen, but most of the entire gathering. The Slender Man seldom boasted of his accomplishments, preferring to his work speak for himself. But the times he did communicate always heralded victories over life that had been unheard of, deaths of realities, the greatest of civilizations wiped away.

They waited for him to speak. They listened for a tale that would sprout legends of horror in itself, set the bar higher than it had ever been set before. The Slender Man was silent for a long time. And then he laid one hand on The Rake’s shoulder and began.

Nobody knows when the Great War of the eldritch ended. It is not a thing spoken of. Gods silence each other, and immortals fear to speak of that event. It is not a set point in time. You may even remember it, for the war was long and raged forever, and was over in the space of a heartbeat. It was a war in a place where time had no meaning, where beings fought with weapons we have no name for, and all that remained was nothing in the end.

Some survived, of course. Such is the nature of war. Some remained, to destroy and consume, but others changed from The War, and forgot their game and their rules, and the nature of the eldritch, their common bond was dissolved.

No one knows when that war ended, when battle ceased and silence reigned once again. No one knows, no being remembers. But all agree that The War started when the Slender Man ripped off The Rake’s head and used it to beat Cthulu into a protoplasmic mess.

Alone one being drifted through the nothingness. He had been wounded, hurt, but he had survived. He always survived. But his heart was not full of sadness or rage. He did not curse his existence as he had done so many times before, unconsciously railing against his very being. Instead, he simply drifted.

Time had no meaning in this place. Eternity was captured, and time no longer flowed but swirled around him. He had forever, but he did nothing with it. Instead, he sat in that void, that nothingness, and thought. To be more accurate, he remembered. He dreamed.

He remembered a face full of happiness. He remembered a smile, a voice. He remembered someone calling him friend. And he dreamed of a day when he might hear that voice again. He dreamed on and on and never hoped to wake.

And so the tale of the eldritch ends. All that there is to know about them is this: they never change. They obey rules of their own devising, and none of ours. They cannot be understood, cannot be reasoned with. They exist to destroy reality, and to break the many ifs of the multiverse into fragments and leave nothing left. That is what they are. That is what we know of them.

But that is not the truth.

Part 18: To Slay the Eldritch

Scootaloo watched in horror as the dark cloud engulfed Discord. He went into it struggling, but the tendrils sucking him into that mass of black oblivion, and strain her eyes as she might, Scootaloo couldn’t see any movement from within.

She was paralyzed, unable to move and torn between running for help, and trying to pull Discord out herself. Her paralysis lasted for all of five seconds, before Scootaloo’s legs tried to carry her down the rubble towards the Slender Man.

They never got the chance, however. There was a blinding flash of light, and suddenly an explosion where the Slender Man stood. When Scootaloo had picked herself off the ground, she saw Nightmare Moon.

And it was Nightmare Moon, The terrible Mare in the Moon, the terrible monster of legend, the antithesis of light and happiness, Celestia’s nemesis and stealer of candy on Nightmare Night. It was definitely not Princess Luna. Scootaloo had grown to like the younger alicorn princess after her initial fright, and she had come to respect her after a certain incident involving bedtime tales and dreams. She knew Luna’s appearance. This wasn’t it.

Nightmare Moon, or Dark Luna was tall as Celestia, garbed in blue battle armor, and possessed a flowing mane filled with the night sky and the stars. She also looked really, really angry.

Scootaloo flattened herself to the floor as Nightmare Moon charged the Slender Man. She didn’t speak, shout, or utter a single word. She just attacked with spell and hoof, knocking aside tendrils as they shot towards her and sending back huge blasts of magic at the same time.

One of Nightmare Moon’s blasts of magic missed the Slender Man, and hit part of the Everfree Forest some five miles distant. Scootaloo flinched as that part of the forest exploded, showering tress, rocks, and dirt into the air. The parts that weren’t obliterated then caught fire or melted.

But that was only the beginning of Luna’s attack. Scootaloo held her breath as the alicorn soared into the sky, bombarding the stationary figure of the Slender Man with magical spells that created shockwaves in the air and broke the earth in two. Yet still his tendrils followed her even in the air, forcing Nightmare Moon to deflect them as she circled above him.

And then, she was directly overhead the Slender Man as he stood in the center of his cloud of darkness. A hundred tendrils emerged from the cover of that blackness and sped towards Nightmare Moon.

Scootaloo waited for her to conjure a shield, or dodge the tendrils or even retreat, but Nightmare Moon did none of those things. Instead, she dove into the black cloud, her horn shining like the stars.

The darkness enfolded Nightmare Moon and there was complete silence. It expanded even further, and then consumed the Slender Man as well. There was nothing now except a huge roiling mass of darkness just outside of Ponyville, nearly a mile wide and long. Scootaloo stood on her seat of rubble and watched the cloud for any sign of movement, any indication of what was happening.

She did not have to wait long.

The Slender Man was proud of his work. The darkness he had created, the cloud of light-destroying nothingness was his latest innovation. He had come up with it as a way to both move around freely and cripple his enemies. Already, the chaos-god and the moon goddess had been trapped within it, and were suffering its effects.

The Slender Man’s darkness was simply an extension of his aura, and as such, it carried all of its effects. An ever-present taint of his eldritch origins that made direction and the other senses useless, a darkness from which no light could escape and not least, a corrosive effect that would destroy any being trapped within it for too long. It wasn’t the Glow Cloud, sure, but it was still damn impressive for something he came up with on the fly.

Slender had dealt with the being known as Discord easily once he had been caught. The chaos god relied on visual senses far too much, and Slender had used that to his advantage, striking again and again in the darkness. A shame gods were so hard to kill. But Discord’s body was already a pincushion from the Slender Man’s tendrils, and Slender could feel him weakening.

All things being equal, Slender would have taken the time to kill both gods and then hunt down the sun goddess before dealing with Twilight Sparkle. Except…

The moon goddess didn’t stop fighting.

What was she? Not just a goddess and not merely a pony. She was both and yet more. Her powers stemmed from the moon that hung overhead in the eclipse, and from her magical nature as an alicorn. But it also came from something else.

It came from fear, and nightmares.

The Slender Man felt it as she charged him. This wasn’t a being of love and happiness. This was something akin to his nature. She had appeared at first to be a simple goddess of the moons, a local deity. But she had…changed into a larger pony, wearing battle armor and radiating darkness. She was a monster.

She controlled dreams. That was it. But she drew her strength from fear as well as dreams. She was a being of terror, and she fought like one. The Slender Man had tried to attack her in the darkness, but even though she couldn’t see, she still fought back. She was used to the darkness. It was a part of her just as it was a part of the Slender Man.

In the darkness of the nothing cloud, the Slender Man sent tendril after tendril at the goddess who called herself Nightmare Moon. She sensed his presence somehow, and blasted them with a spell that hurt even the Slender Man. Then she charged him, horn lowered.

The Slender Man barely avoided the thrust, but swept a tendril down like a sword as she passed. Blood spurted in the darkness, falling to the ground in a pattering of drops. The Slender Man felt Nightmare Moon’s pain, sensed her wound. But she didn’t stop. She didn’t back down. She turned and charged again.

The Slender Man dodged the horn again, but this time Nightmare Moon teleported behind him and stabbed him in the back. Her horn went through his body and out the other side, impaling the Slender Man.

That hurt.

The Slender Man felt the horn twist and then pull out as he sent a wave of tendrils at Nightmare Moon. But she was gone, circling already and lining up another charge.

The Slender Man felt at the hole in his chest with one tendril. It was a neat, round hole. It hurt like fire and light. A unicorn or alicorn’s horn was so deeply magical that it was worse than being struck with an enchanted sword.

The Slender Man felt the darkness rise in his soul with his anger and pain. This was more like it. True combat. No tricks, no deception. Just violence, and death. The only victor was the greater monster here. And he was truly a monster. Not a pretend friend, not a creature pretending to be nice and peaceful. An eldritch. A killer. The ender of all things.

The alicorn charged. So did the chaos god. They came at him from two sides, seeking to spit his attention.

The Slender Man would have laughed if he had a throat. He raised no tendrils. He didn’t move. He stood, letting both beings approach nearer, nearer. Then the Slender Man raised both of his arms in the darkness. They were unnaturally long; as long as his legs. He had never moved them before. But now they rose, and in the darkness they shot out and grabbed both moon goddess and chaos god and held them aloft.

The Slender Man watched them struggle, his hands loosening their grip a bit even as both gods fought to get free. He merely tightened his hold until he felt their bones begin to crack and crunch. Then the pain truly began.

Scootaloo watched the darkness with bated breath. She couldn’t hold her breath for more than a minute, though, and decided to watch the darkness normally. Nothing moved. Nothing stirred. Yet, Scootaloo felt more nervous by the second. Surely, surely the Slender Man couldn’t defeat both Discord and Nightmare Moon. But that darkness seemed to be getting even darker…

“And what are you doing here young filly?”

Scootaloo nearly jumped out of her skin in fright. She whirled, her wings spread instinctively. And stopped.

Before her was Princess Celestia. Scootaloo nearly fell off her seat of rubble, but one of Celestia’s hooves steadied her. It was only when Celestia touched Scootaloo that she realized how different Celestia looked from her normal appearance.

Scootaloo had seen Celestia on several different occasions, from the Equestria Games to a visit to Canterlot or the numerous visits Celestia paid to Ponyville. But she had never looked like this.

Something was wrong. Celestia’s coat was drenched in sweat, and Celestia herself looked unsteady. Her brow was dripping with beads of perspiration, and she looked unsteady on her feet. Mind you, it was a bit warm for Scootaloo’s taste, but that hardly explained her state.

Regardless, Celestia radiated authority and command, and Scootaloo felt herself stammering out an explanation.

“I see.” Princess Celestia did not frown, which was wise given that Scootaloo was on an emotional rollercoaster from recent events. “I would like to have you evacuate from Ponyville, Scootaloo. If there were any Wonderbolts nearby, I would send you with them at once, but there are none, and I would not draw the attention of that thing,” Celestia nodded at the cloud of darkness, “by calling for one. Besides,” Celestia looked grim, “if we fail here, there will be no safe place in all of Equestria. None in this entire reality, in fact.”

“But you’re going to win, right?” Scootaloo’s voice really was cracking a lot today. “I mean, you’ve got a plan that’ll take care of him. Right?”

“If only it were that simple,” Celestia sighed. “A plan? A thousand plans would crumble to dust in the face of that monster. It, or possible he is nothing like anything Equestria has ever seen. I would rather open the gates of Tartarus and face all that it contained alone than do battle with him. Plans? No. All we have is a chance, a chance to defeat him or hurt him enough that he flees.”

Scootaloo felt her own brow start to bead with sweat. Or maybe it was the heat. It felt uncomfortably hot, now. “But Nightmare Mo—I mean, Princess Luna and Discord are fighting him,” she said. “They could beat him if they worked together, right?”

Celestia was silent for a moment. “One can only hope,” she said at last. “But Discord offered me no reassurances on that point, and he is stronger than both Luna and I combined. If even he would not care for his success…”

Scootaloo felt her heart sinking into her hooves. “But how can you beat him, then?” “With bravery. With luck. With courage.”

“Isn’t bravery the same as courage?”

“No. But we will need both to stop the Slender Man. In truth, Discord and Luna are only meant to stall him. Our true weapon is being prepared as we speak.” Celestia wiped another trickle of sweat from her forehead, “and we have one more line of defense to buy us time. Perhaps two.”

“Well, I’ll help too.” Scootaloo’s legs felt shaky, but she tried to stand tall. “You can count on me Princess Celestia.”

Celestia smiled, but it was a brief thing, much like the light of the sun before it was eclipsed by the moon. Scootaloo glanced up. The eclipse seemed brighter, for some reason. Was Princess Luna’s battle doing something to the moon?

“I appreciate your willingness to fight, Scootaloo,” Princess Celestia said. “But I truly hope it does not come to that. We must simply trust that our plan works. Otherwise—”

Celestia broke off, staring at a point over Scootaloo’s shoulder. Scootaloo turned to look.

The darkness was gone. There stood the Slender Man. And there lay Discord, and Princess Luna. No longer Nightmare Moon. Both of them were bleeding from a thousand cuts on their bodies. Discord had holes in his flesh, but somehow still lived. Luna wasn’t able to stand. It looked like something had crushed her forelegs, leaving them bent and broken.

The Slender Man was covered in blood. It spotted his suit, and covered the ground around him. But what drew Scootaloo’s eye were his hands. Those hands had never moved so long as Scootaloo had seen the Slender Man. But now they were covered in blood, which dripped to the ground, leaving crimson stains.

The Slender Man wasn’t looking at Luna and Discord lying on the ground, however. Instead, he was facing towards where Scootaloo and Celestia stood.

Scootaloo squeaked and flattened herself to the ground, but the Slender Man was not looking at her. All of his attention was on Princess Celestia. The white alicorn stood and met his sightless gaze with her own.

A pair of violet pupils stared into a face with no features whatsoever. The silence between Princess Celestia and the Slender Man lengthened. Neither being looked away. Celestia didn’t blink, didn’t even waver despite the sweat pouring into her eyes.

Then the Slender Man was covered in darkness again. It swept around his form, and then dissipated as suddenly. But he was no longer standing where he had been. Instead, he was right in front of Celestia, only separated by a distance of ten feet.

The Slender Man sent a flurry of tendrils lancing towards Celestia. She didn’t blink even as silent death sped towards her. The tendrils were stopped in midair by a shimmering force field.

Scootaloo looked up in amazement. A barrier, a wall stood between the Slender Man and Princess Celestia. It was a brilliant pink field of magic that stretched into the sky. Behind Celestia from a pile of rubble, Shining Armor emerged, and by his side was Princess Cadence.

They stood next to Celestia and faced down the Slender Man. From her small hilltop, Scootaloo could see both sides staring at each other. Neither group moved. But the darkness around the Slender Man rose and deepened, and she felt his hatred like a real thing, making her want to empty her stomach and flee.

She did not, because there was nowhere to flee. And besides, the Slender Man had already started his next assault. It was too late to run.

Always the magic. Always a barrier. Always a box. They thought they were so clever, mortals did. They truly believed that it was possible to seal beings such as the Slender Man away, to contain or even harness their power. Such folly. Such foolishness. Such arrogance.

Perhaps it was possible to contain a lesser god or supernatural being inside a lamp. Maybe there were even beings capable to sealing demons or containing nightmares. But not the eldritch. Not the Slender Man.

He could not be stopped. He would not be stopped.

The Slender Man pushed against the barrier the white stallion had made. It resisted him, somehow. That was nearly impossible for any magic to accomplish. But there was something odd about that stallion. The magic shield he had formed was advanced spell casting; the work of a master. But even that wouldn’t have held back the Slender Man for more than a second.

No, the barrier was being reinforced somehow. The Slender Man studied the white stallion, and then the pink alicorn next to him. She was giving him strength. They were connected. Some kind of relationship? Slender sensed a combination of power, but more than that, a sharing of the soul. Was this some trick of the ponies, some kind of ability they possessed? No matter.

The Slender Man struck the barrier with a thousand tendrils and felt it weaken. He wouldn’t be stopped by a hundred magical protections. Not now.

The sun goddess was staring at him. She hadn’t blinked yet, although she seemed exhausted for some reason. He wasn’t sure why. Aside from a few spells, she hadn’t engaged him at all until now. Perhaps it was the heat? The Slender Man could sense the ambient temperature rising to high levels for some reason. But why would a sun goddess suffer from the heat?

The Slender Man really didn’t care. All that mattered as vengeance. The barrier, and then the sun goddess. Then he would come for Twilight Sparkle. She had much to answer for.

The Slender Man struck the barrier again with all his might, and was pleased to see both stallion and pink alicorn stagger and fall to their knees. Serve them right. It looked like they were putting all they had into maintaining it. So foolish. So weak. So predictable.

The Slender Man battered the shield again and again, an endless rain of blows that would have pulverized mountains. And still it held. But he could feel both ponies getting weaker and weaker. A few more minutes and he would break through. They were only delaying the inevitable.

Shining Armor and Cadence were slumped to the ground. Their horns glowed faintly, and they seemed unable to rise. Scootaloo watched in petrified horror. The shield still held, barely. But the Slender Man pounded on it relentlessly with his tendrils, striking it again and again like a gong.

Princess Celestia wasn’t doing anything. She just stood there, next to Cadence and Shining Armor eyes closed, swaying slightly as if in a trance. Was she helping to hold the shield? Scootaloo didn’t know, but whatever she was doing it wasn’t working.

As Scootaloo watched, Shining Armor’s horn flared once and went nearly completely dark. Only the barest glimmer of light showed that he was hanging on. Cadence was in little better shape. Scootaloo could see the Slender Man’s tendrils stop their attacking for just a second as he seemed to inspect the two fallen ponies. And the he resumed the assault, slamming at the shield with double the force, clearly intent on breaking through before Celestia came back to her senses.

Shining Armor and Cadence slowly reached out towards one another. Every motion seemed to take forever, but they moved one hoof each, grasping towards the other. The shield was flickering, cracking, dying. The Slender Man stood outside it, promising death the instant it fell.

Something was leaking from Shining Armor and Cadence’s horns. Blood welled up from the base of each’s horn and dripped down their face. The shield began to break apart at the seams. One of the Slender Man’s tendrils punched through the barrier, then another.

And then the shield shattered into pieces.

The Slender Man’s tendrils arced through the air and came to rest, hovering over Shining Armor and Cadence’s head. Celestia’s eyes were still closed, and she didn’t seem to notice what was going on.

Scootaloo wanted to run, to grab both ponies and drag them to safety, but her legs wouldn’t move. The tendrils hovered as Cadence and Shining Armor slowly reached for each other’s hoof. Scootaloo knew that the instant they touched, the Slender Man would strike.

Slowly, Shining Armor’s hoof rose from the ground. Cadence’s did likewise. They met in the air with a soft clop, and Cadence managed a small, weak smile. Shining Armor, blood running down his face, managed to return it.

The Slender Man’s tendrils fell. They stabbed towards the heart of both ponies.

They never made it.

Shining Armor and Cadence’s horns glowed, one a bright pink, the other a soothing blue. A shining whirlwind of magic appeared out of nowhere. It flowed around Cadence and Shining Armor, and lifted them into the air.

Scootaloo knew this sight. She had seen it once before.

Suddenly, the light of Shining Armor and Cadence’s horns increased, and grew to a blinding white light. It was small at first, the merest glimmer of brightness. And then it expanded, and grew. And then it exploded into a blast of pure pink light that radiated outwards from both ponies.

It swept over the Slender Man. It swept over Scootaloo. It was beauty and magic. It was love made incarnate, and it lifted Scootaloo’s spirits. It had even a more dramatic effect on the Slender Man.

As the magic struck Slender, it blew away the darkness around him, and covered his body in pink light. Wisps of his body seemed to uncurl and disintegrate as the light covered him. He threw back his head and screamed.

It wasn’t a terrible scream. It was a pitiful shriek of pain and fear. And Scootaloo watched the light push him back and further back, until it tossed him into the air. For one moment, Scootaloo hoped he would disintegrate, or at least be tossed over the horizon as Chrysalis had.

The light did neither, but it dropped the Slender Man a hundred feet away before dissipating into the air. Shining Armor and Cadence slowly fell to the ground, where they collapsed, unconscious, both hooves still intertwined.

Scootaloo’s heart sank. He still wasn’t dead. And…if the Slender Man had been angry before, then there were no words to describe this. He looked wrong. Parts of his body had flaked away in the light of Cadence and Shining Armor’s love, and he looked like a children’s drawing that had seen too much wear and tear. He looked frayed around the edges.

And he was completely, utterly furious.

Scootaloo looked to her left and to her right frantically. There was nopony able to fight besides Celestia, and she was just standing there, swaying, not opening her eyes. Luna and Discord were dragging themselves to hooves, but they were too far away, too weak. Shining Armor and Cadence were unconscious. And the Slender Man was mad.

Scootaloo felt sweat running down her back like a flood. It was far, far too hot, yet she felt cold inside. Well, it looked like it was up to her now. She knew it would come to this. Well, not really. But she’d given Celestia her word, hadn’t she? Any cool pony kept their word. Rainbow Dash always kept her word. Well, most of the time. And she never ran away.

Scootaloo took a step off her pile of rubble, tripped over a stone, and tumbled head over heels to land with a thump in front of Celestia. She scrambled to her feet, and there was the Slender Man.

It took Scootaloo a while to work saliva into her suddenly dry mouth. “I’m…I’m not afraid of you,” she tried to say defiantly. “Not at all!”

The Slender Man just stood in front of her. Scootaloo felt her voice trail off and stumble into nothingness. “Maybe just a bit,” she mumbled. “I—I’m not going to move, you know. I promised Princess Celestia I’d defend her. I’m not gonna move no matter what you do.”

She couldn’t look at his face. She couldn’t even look up. The darkness around him was making her eyes hurt, so Scootaloo talked to the ground. “Rainbow Dash says only uncool ponies run away. And I’m not an uncool pony. In fact, I’m going to be…” Scootaloo’s voice wobbled and she gulped, “…I’m going to be the coolest pony of all time. Even cooler than Rainbow Dash. So just do what you want, because I’m not running away. No matter how much it hurts.”

Scootaloo closed her eyes. She lay down and covered her eyes with both hooves. And waited.

Her name was Scootaloo. The Slender Man knew her name. She was one of the trio that called themselves the ‘Cutie Mark Crusaders.’ And she was a pegasus that could not fly.

He had seen it in her wing structure. It was in her bones, in her musculature, in the very nature of her genetics. A cripple, born without the one advantage that defined her species.

It always amazed the Slender Man of what so-called modern civilizations insisted upon. They let inferior species such as Scootaloo live, despite their obvious disadvantages. Could they not see how much of a drain such individuals were? Why would any group shelter and provide aid for the weak? It made no sense – it was a thing only a civilization with resources to spare could believe in.

And she stood in his way. That was…Slender didn’t know what that was. Was it bravery or foolishness? Courage or recklessness? But she, an inferior member of an inferior species dared to stand in his way. He could almost admire that.

Slender looked down at the orange filly in front of him. She would never fly. She would never amount to the same level of greatness as a pegasus such as Rainbow Dash. But Slender felt something for her, nevertheless. She had something she could never achieve, yet clearly dreamed of it, sought after it. The Slender Man could understand that. There was something he could never have as well.

He raised one tendril. For her sake, for the briefest bond of kinship, he would make this quick. His tendril dropped like an axe.

And stopped halfway down.

The Slender Man felt something tingle at the back of his mind. His senses came alive, and spoke to him of magic, incredible sources of magic clustered around him. And he remembered that magic. He remembered what it had done to him.

The Slender Man looked up, and saw the Elements of Harmony.

Scootaloo felt the warmth and glorious light and looked up. There they were, floating in radiant glory.

Their hair was striped with multiple hues, not simply one color. Both tail and mane flowed behind each pony, blowing in an unseen wind. And their coats were no longer plain, but decorated with their cutie marks. And they glowed in beautiful radiance, floating in an orb of light filled with each color of the rainbow.

But what Scootaloo had only eyes for was Rainbow Dash. Her mane flowed out life a lightning bolt, and the colors themselves shifted and raced along her mane and tail. Even her wings were colored like a rainbow. She had come to save Scootaloo.

“Slender Man,” Twilight’s voice rang throughout Ponyville. “You will not harm another pony here. We called you friend, but what friend will stand to let another friend commit crimes? In the name of Equestria, we ask you to halt and make peace. Mistakes have been made, but we need not continue this conflict any longer.” Twilight’s eyes seemed to stare into the Slender Man’s empty sockets. “Please. Don’t make us stop you.”

The Slender Man stood under the radiance shed by the Elements of Harmony and said not one word. He could say no words. But the darkness around him gathered slowly. And Scootaloo saw.

Here stands the light. It is beauty, and love and harmony. It is friendship incarnate. And here he stands.

The Slender Man.

His presence sucked away the light, made it obscene and dirty. And Scootaloo knew in her bones, in her soul that he would not stop until the light was gone. From every world, from every heart. That was what he was. That was his purpose. To take the light and leave only darkness.

The darkness rose around the Slender Man, a black flame in the light’s brightness. His answer.

“Very well.” Twilight bowed her head. “Then you leave us no choice. I’m sorry.”

The light from the Elements of Harmony grew to match the darkness. And then it flared, and shot out at the Slender Man. Not just light in fact, but a rainbow of colors. Just like when it had stopped Tirek.

And the light struck the Slender Man.

And stopped.

The darkness around the Slender Man fought back. It engulfed the light, quenching it, eating it. Devouring it. And the darkness pushed back.

Suddenly, the light from the Elements of Harmony was being obliterated in a stream of lightlessness. But Scootaloo saw each of the Elements grit their teeth and seem to push, and the darkness stopped, flowing against the light.

They were equal. Darkness and light, straining against each other, neither the Slender Man nor the Elements giving an inch. Rivers of pure power clashed against each other as both sides fought for the slightest advantage and found none. They were deadlocked.

Scootaloo could see sweat pouring down Rainbow Dash’s face. Her face was set in concentration, and she looked like she was straining with every fiber in her body. But the Slender Man seemed to be doing the same. He didn’t move, not in any way Scootaloo saw, but she could sense him pushing as hard as he could, fighting to destroy the light.

How long did the Elements of Harmony and the Slender Man fight? Scootaloo had no way of knowing, as the sun was still eclipsed by the moon. But slowly, over the course of what seemed like hours, the balance shifted.

The Slender Man was an eldritch monster. Scootaloo didn’t know what that word meant exactly, but she had seen his strength. His terrible power, his casual defeat of Princess Luna and Discord. But he was also capable of being hurt. Shining Armor and Cadence’s love had hurt him badly. But he might have prevailed against the Elements even so, save for one thing.

He was one being. They were many. And they were united, and he was alone. What more needed to be said? The Slender Man had no friends, and somehow Scootaloo knew he had never had any. And the Elements of Harmony were the greatest of friends. When one faltered, the rest fought harder. They pushed beyond their limits because they didn’t fight merely for themselves.

Slowly, the darkness was pushed back. It wavered, and fought harder in surges, but it was forced backwards at every turn. And at last, Scootaloo watched the light touch the Slender Man.

The Slender Man did not scream. He did not shriek, or cringe, or even burn in the light from the Elements. Instead, he did something even more amazing.

The Slender Man fell to his knees. He moved. He fell. Scootaloo watched it with her own two eyes. But he didn’t die. He still lived, although his form frayed and began to drift apart, slowly, piece by piece.

And the light ceased.

Scootaloo turned in horror. One by one, the Elements of Harmony sank to the ground. Still their transformations remained, but each was panting, covered in sweat, clearly drained from their battle. Twilight was struggling to her feet, like Rainbow Dash and the others, but they were weakened, tired.

And the Slender Man was back on his feet.

Scootaloo didn’t know the meaning of the word despair. She had never paid attention in school, and it was not an emotion she knew that well to begin with. But now she experienced the emotion and knew it to her core.

He couldn’t die. He couldn’t be defeated. No matter what was thrown at him, not matter what powers were wielded in defense of life, he wouldn’t stop. That was what it meant to be eldritch. That was the nature of the Slender Man.

It was so unfair. Scootaloo felt helpless tears being to gather in her eyes. She tried to brush them away, but they fell all the same. So unfair. She felt so helpless.

When she opened her eyes again, the Slender Man was standing over Twilight.

So this was how it ended. Twilight could barely raise her head, but she did so anyways. How had she ever thought that he was a human? He was so much more than they could ever be, and yet he was less than them as well. And for all the flaws and imperfections of human and ponykind, neither race could match what he was.

Eldritch.

A thin tendril lifted Twilight’s head up and forced her to stare at his face. It roughly moved her head forward and back, and Twilight winced in agony as she felt tendons in her neck crackling. The Slender Man looked at Twilight, and she looked back.

This was how it all ended. But Twilight could only feel sadness. They had been close. So close, and yet one mistake had cost everything. But he had responded to Celestia’s violence with even greater violence. Which side was fault for the escalation? Both? Neither? It mattered not.

A tendril hovered in front of Twilight, and moved slowly towards her forehead. She felt it touch her skin, gently, and felt the Slender Man’s corruption wash over her.

It hurt. For an instant, she knew pain beyond anything she had ever felt. She understood what Applebloom had suffered, felt her very soul begin to dissolve and warp as her body shifted to become like the Slender Man. For an instant, she suffered.

And then the pain was gone. Twilight looked up, and saw the Slender Man. His tendril had withdrawn, and he was looking past Twilight. Behind her.

Twilight fell to the ground as the Slender Man let her go. She weakly pulled herself away, and turned her head to see what he was looking at.

Princess Celestia walked forwards. She was covered in sweat and grime, her perfect hair in disarray, her features drawn with exhaustion. But she stood in front of the Slender Man, and looked at him proudly and without fear.

“Luna, sister. It is time.” Celestia said.

Somehow, Luna and Discord had dragged themselves closer as the Elements had fought the Slender Man. They were covered in injuries, weak, half-dead, but alive. Luna’s coat was covered in blood, and one eye was swollen shut, but she still heard Celestia’ voice. She raised her head towards the sky and her horn glowed faintly. Above her, the moon in the sky moved and sank below the horizon. And behind it…

Twilight looked up. The moon had shifted out of the way, revealing the sun in all its glory. But something was very wrong. The sun was normally a bright yellow disc in the sky, its warm rays illuminating and comforting the beings that lived beneath it. But now?

The sun was a molten ball of fire. It was far larger than all of Equestria, and was in fact so large than a thousand Equestria’s would not equal a fraction of its size. This was a truth known to few scholarly ponies – it was not deemed appropriate knowledge for most ponies as it might scare them. It certainly scared Twilight when she thought of it. Her mentor, Princess Celestia moved this orb of fire around the sky every day, achieving a feat of magic in seconds that a billion earth ponies couldn’t achieve in thousands of years.

But the sun way always thousands, hundreds of thousands, more than that, millions of miles away from Equestria. Yet its heat still warmed the earth every day, and was strong enough to bring light to the earth nonstop for thousands of years. It was a fire that could not die, the source of Princess Celestia’s power, and one of ponykind’s greatest mysteries. How could it burn so long? How could Princess Celestia move it with her magic so easily? What was it made of? Scholars such as Starswirl the Bearded had searched for clues, but no answer was known. And the only pony who did know – Princess Celestia – wasn’t giving out any hints.

And now it was in the sky. Not just in the sky, in fact, but filling it. The sun was no longer a small yellow disc, but a giant boulder in the heavens. There was less sky than sun now. And the heat – the heat was intense. Twilight felt that the sun’s heat should have been roasting everypony in their juices at this range, but Celestia was holding back the worst of the sun’s heat somehow. It still burned.

Twilight could smell her hair smoldering. It was like standing in an oven, and the light from the sun make ever surface shine with eye-blinding light. It was far too bright.

“Sweet Celestia,” was all she could whisper.

“It is time.” Princess Celestia’s voice cut through the heat haze and brought Twilight back to earth. She tore her eyes away from the sun, and found the world was suddenly so very dark. Everything seemed to be swimming underwater, and Twilight realized the sun’s light had nearly blinded her. She could still make out several shapes however. And what she saw was Princess Celestia standing in front of the Slender Man.

“You have brought fear and destruction to my world,” Princess Celestia said to the Slender Man. “Such is your kind’s nature. And despite the efforts of many, you still persist. You cannot be defeated by mundane weapons. You cannot be slain by mortal hands. But I am no mortal. I am the immortal embodiment of the sun. And I give you one chance to flee from the pits from whence you came before I end you once and for all.”

Twilight understood something of the Slender Man’s emotions now, and she felt his contempt. It was more than just a dismissal of Celestia’s power. It was a sneer expressed in pure emotions at the thought of a god, a mere god daring to challenge him.

Princess Celestia must have felt something of the emotion too, for her eyes narrowed. “I do not make this threat lightly,” she said in a low, serious voice. “I will fight you until the very end, and it will be your end that comes.”

“Please…” Twilight thought that voice came from somepony else until she realized she had moved her mouth. She felt the Slender Man’s attention shift to her. “Please don’t. Just go away.”

For one moment he might have hesitated. There might have been a space of time where he thought about her words. But it was gone in an instant, and the Slender Man raised his tendrils and attacked Princess Celestia.

They never made it to her. As one tendril flew within five feet of Celestia, it burst into flame and burned out into a tendril of smoke. The Slender Man screeched in agony, and suddenly all of his tendrils were erupting into flame, burning away before they even came close to Celestia’s body.

Princess Celestia’s eyes turned white and glowed with magic.

True magic.

Twilight could sense magic. She was one of the greatest mages living, with the ability to create spells even Starswirl the Bearded could not. She understood magic, and could feel its ebb and pulse in the world around her.

She had never felt anything like this.

Magic vanished. All of it. The magic in the wind died. The magic of the earth retreated deep into the ground. Twilight felt her magical energies shrink and dwindle. Magic itself hid as one energy grew and shone like…

The sun.

Princess Celestia radiated magical energy like the sun. In fact, it was more than that. She was the sun. Its power flowed down from the heavens and into her, making her a beacon, an avatar of light and heat. It was too bright to look at; Twilight was forced to cover her eyes and look away. But she still sensed the magic building, not like a hurricane or a tornado, an earthquake or an avalanche. Celestia’s power grew and burned like the prelude towards a supernova.

The ground began to rumble. Twilight felt the vibrations spread and throw her from her feet. Her friends fell to the ground. Rainbow Dash rolled and threw herself just in time to catch Scootaloo. The earth shook. The world shook. More than that; Twilight felt every hair on her body begin to rise. And that was not the only thing.

Pebbles of dirt began to float. Grains of dust slowly lifted into the air. Smaller stones rose. Twilight’s body felt lighter. She began to feel gravity itself lose its hold over her. And still Celestia shone even brighter, drawing in more power from the sun.

There she stood. An alicorn shining like the sun.

There he stood. A nightmare surrounded by shadows.

They stood in the center of a pillar of light. A beam of pure energy connected Princess Celestia to the heavens. And in that area all was white with purest light, save for where the Slender Man stood. Shadows danced along his body, the only source of darkness. And the rubble around him began to float upwards.

A stone the size of Twilight’s head lifted off the ground. Small fragments of wood shot upwards like fireworks. Soon, even huge slabs of rock began to lift from the ground.

The pull upwards spread outwards, lessening the further from Celestia it got. But by now, even Twilight felt herself beginning to rise off the ground. Desperately, she clung what remained of a lamp post stuck in the earth and hung on for dear life. Everything was rising into the air. Already, Twilight could see thousands of shapes flying into the sky, the rubble of what had been Ponyville.

Celestia’s eyes were no longer shining with light. They were beacons of power that were brighter than stars, illuminating everything with a harsh white light.

Something was cracking. Twilight heard a snap and suddenly, the ground around Princess Celestia and the Slender Man was moving.

A huge plateau of earth on which Celestia and the Slender Man stood began to detach from the ground. It lifted both beings into the air, slowly at first but gaining momentum. Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes. She had seen spells capable of allowing a pony to fly, but this? Celestia was lifting all of Ponyville into the air.

And it didn’t stop there. The ground upon which Celestia and the Slender Man stood began to fly higher and higher. Into the sky, a few feet at a time, and then faster, fast as a pony could run and then faster. As fast as Rainbow Dash could fly.

Faster.

And then they were a speck in the sky. Twilight’s eyes followed them, but they were a dot. A speck. Now…nothing. She couldn’t even see them, so high were they.

With Celestia gone, the anti-gravitational effect ceased. Twilight heard the thump of countless objects landing back on the ground. She didn’t stop looking up, even when a rock smacked her on the forehead, drawing blood. She wouldn’t have looked away even if Starswirl himself had appeared and given her the opportunity to learn from him.

She could still feel Celestia’s magic above her. And it wasn’t lessening.

It was growing.

Celestia carried the Slender Man into the atmosphere, and then the stratosphere. The small piece of land she had lifted into the sky rotated slowly, creating a dizzying view for anyone looking at the world flashing by. Celestia had no eyes for the scenery. Her gaze remained locked on the Slender Man.

She was magic incarnate. It was nothing he had seen before. She wasn’t just a sun goddess, an immortal in control of the celestial body. She was the sun. He felt it flow through her, a river of fire, a sea of flame. Light given pure form.

It scared him. For the first time, the Slender Man looked into eyes nearly as otherworldly as his own. An immortal’s eyes burning with the power of an elemental. The eyes of the sun.

She was carrying him into the sky. Why? Into space? He needed no breath. Besides, he could always teleport away whenever her eyes left him. If they left him.

The Slender Man told himself that there was nothing to fear. He was eldritch; she a mere god. How could she pose a threat to him? Even with the magic…the huge amount of magic she was channeling, it wouldn’t kill him. Right?

But she wasn’t casting any spells. Spells were a foolish conception in any case. Forcing magic to take form and obey laws simply limited its power. Against the eldritch, it was too much akin to hitting them with a rule. And they ignored rules. No, pure raw power or something like light and silver was the only way to harm beings such as he. Was that was she intended?

Suddenly, the Slender Man felt afraid. Truly afraid. He didn’t like not knowing what she was going to do. He tried to strike her with his tendrils, but they burned in the pillar of light. He could barely keep the darkness around him, let alone attack back. He didn’t like this. Not at all.

He hated the light. He feared it. It was one of the few things that hurt him, and it took much of his power away. He always hunted in the darkness, or the dusk. He couldn’t deal with the light around Celestia. It simply hurt to get near to it. There was nothing she could have done that would have crippled him more than this light. It was pure light, the closest this reality could get to the origin of light besides the big bang. The only thing that was closer to the true nature of light was…

The Slender Man felt the world drop away below him. And now he was in space. Space, where gravity did not exist, yes, but the sun goddess’s power kept him rooted to the chunk of earth he stood on.

And before him.

Was.

The sun.

It was too close. Too large, too massive. The Slender Man had always seen it as a small thing in the sky. But this. She had brought it close to the earth. Too close; it was before him, vast, merciless, and radiating light.

And now the Slender Man understood what she was going to do. Desperately, he struck at her with everything he had, ignoring the pain. But the light surrounding Celestia burned away his tendrils, vanquished his shadows, and left him powerless.

And she wouldn’t look away. Her gaze held his. Two eyes, shining with the light of a sun. They stared at him, and stared into his soul. And the Slender Man felt fear, and for the first time knew despair.

Celestia stared at the being known as the Slender Man. He was a blank, grey creature in a suit. He radiated darkness, and fear. And that much was what every being saw. Their eyes saw a horror they couldn’t understand, their minds told them of fear of what he was. But Celestia saw something different in the radiance of her light.

She saw a nightmare. She saw a small, pitiful thing, made of bad dreams. Nothing more than that, just a fear born of the dark. An imagination gone wrong. A fright that spread from pony to pony, person to person. And that was all.

It was so small. He was so weak. He had power, but only that. He was nothing without his reality-warping powers. There was no courage in his soul. No room for friendship, or innovation, or creativity. He didn’t change, and that was where his true weakness lay.

All things must change in time, or pass into dust. But he would not change, could not change. Celestia knew it. All his kind was the same, and so eventually they would die. How could a static being hope to challenge reality’s every-changing, ever evolving glory? He could not. They could not.

And now, Celestia would take one from the number of the eldritch. One, to counterbalance the countless of reality’s children that had died. It would never be enough. But it was a start.

She brought him before the sun. Even in the chill of space, even separated by a hundred thousand miles, Celestia could feel its incredible heat. Most ponies knew nothing of the sun, although they thought they did. They saw only a small disc that warmed the earth. Even the beings that shifted planetary bodies through the sky knew nothing of the sun. Luna, for all that she was the embodiment of the moon, knew nothing of what the sun truly was.

It was larger than the moon, than all of Equestria, something that made those places look like the tiniest specks. A pony could walk for their entire live along the surface of the sun and never cross more than half of its majesty. No pony knew the sun for its glory, save for Celestia. The day that she her Cutie Mark had appeared, she had felt the sun shining in her mind. And it was a fire that could never die.

Celestia had woken every day and known it still burned among the stars, even if she could not see it. It was her one true friend among the ages, her one companion that had been by her side since she was small. And today, it was going to help her slay the Slender Man.

She floated off the small fragment of Equestria that the Slender Man stood on, and looked at him. He couldn’t move. So long as a pair of eyes was on him, he was chained more thoroughly than any prison she could make. How pathetic. How sad.

She let the Slender Man float out towards the sun. The gravitational pull was strong; strong enough to draw Equestria itself into the sun. But Celestia held the gravity of the sun in check, as well as its heat, allowing only a fraction to reach Equestria. She spared none of that for the Slender Man.

Slowly, inexorably, the piece of earth the Slender Man stood on began to drift towards the sun. A thousand tendrils flowed from him, desperately struggling through space, reaching for Equestria, for her, anything to pull him away from the sun’s embrace. It didn’t work. There was nothing for him to grab in space, and the tendrils burned in the light of the sun before they could reach Celestia.

She watched him, spinning slowly, pulled ever closer to the sun. She did not blink. Her gaze did not waver. Celestia watched the Slender Man.

He drifted closer to the sun. It was pulling him closer, the gravity pulling at him increasing with every moment. The very ground he stood on began to catch fire.

Minutes remained until the Slender Man met the sun. He spun now, a still figure shooting like a meteor towards the giant ball of flame. But still Celestia watched him, and she felt his invisible gaze upon her.

She spoke across the void, in words that travelled between her and the Slender Man even without air to carry them. “It has come to this at last. You were offered the chance to flee, and you refused. But your kind will never retreat, just as we shall never abandon what we hold dear. And now it is over. I will not let you destroy Equestria while I still live.”

The Slender Man began to burn, and she felt his soundless shriek echo in the void of space. Flames engulfed his body. Celestia spoke to him one last time. “So end all those who would destroy reality. While life remains, there shall be no retreat. Die in fire, Slender Man.”

The Slender Man screamed one last time, and then the light of the sun consumed him, and he was drawn into the center of the fire.

Around the Slender Man was fire. The darkness that had surrounded him all his life fled at its touch, burning in the light. It consumed him. It stripped away all of his power, and left him helpless.

The Slender Man fought to escape, but there was no escape, not anymore. The sun pulled him into its depths, scorching, purifying, stripping away all of his defenses. He felt the heat and the light on his skin and knew pain and death.

The Slender Man looked out into the void of space through the endless molten fire. The white alicorn floated there, watching him. Then the Slender Man, destroyer of worlds, the Operator, Der Ritter, The Pale One, and The White King fell into the heart of the sun. All he saw was the endless burning flame, the fire of a star’s light.

And he began to burn.

Celestia watched the sun for a long time, but there was no movement other than the dancing flames. At last, she turned back towards Equestria and flew through space down to earth.

The Slender Man was dead.

And the sun shone on, bringing light to the darkness. Celestia returned to Equestria, landing on the soft earth while her pupil and subjects flocked around her, her sister ran to embrace her and she shone in the warm light of the sun.

Deep within the burning core of a fire so great that it had burned for millennia without wavering, something small and pitiful screamed in agony in a voice that no one heard.