In This Town

by iLikeMuffins

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Human, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Other
Length: 32218

Pinkie Pie, an ordinary girl living an ordinary life with her friends, stumbled across something deep in the forest that could've probably changed her life forever.

Pinkie Pie is an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. Living with her relatives in a small town, she attended a school, where she met four people whom she considered her best friends.

After a girl by the name of Twilight Sparkle transferred to her class, and in order to deepen their friendship, Pinkie decided to show her around the forest. As they travel deeper into the forest, Pinkie stumbled across something that could've probably changed her life forever. And most likely so, all the townspeople's life.

Published 2016-01-20 23:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-09-04 16:18:28 UTC

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Just what are you looking for?”

Ah, I see you've arrived. At the same time as yesterday too, coincidence? I honestly didn't thought you would come back to hear more of the story. Most kids nowadays don't really appreciate my story-telling as much, but I'm quite fine with that, since I mostly tell them short simple stories.

Come on in. I bet you know where the reading room is, for you've been here before. Take your pick on which seat you'll choose this time. As usual, any will do just fine.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Where are you trying to go? We're quite deep into the forest as it is!”

“Psh! Don't worry so much, worry-wart!” Pinkie said playfully.

Twilight for one, isn't in the mood for fun and jokes. They had been in this forest for who knows how long now? “It's already almost five, Pinkie. We've been walking for two hours! I don't think you even know where we're going,” Twilight shouted. If she was a volcano, she would've erupted by now.

“If you want to turn back and go home, go ahead,” Pinkie said as she stopped in her tracks. She turned to Twilight, “I'm not forcing you to come with me if you don't want to,” she said calmly.

“But I don't know my way back,” Twilight said, “I'll probably be lost in the forest before I could even reach home.”

Pinkie shrugged at her, “All you've done until now is complain about how long we've been walking, where are we going and how tired you are.”

Twilight scratched her head, embarrassed with what she had done, now that she was being told about what she'd done. She didn't even realized she was complaining.

“Well, if you want to head back home, nobody's going to stop you. You just have to find your way back. But for me, I want to know what hides in the forest,” Pinkie said as she turned away from Twilight and continued walking deeper into the forest.

Twilight had to think fast. If not, she would be left alone, and she would either have to walk back the way she came from or chase after Pinkie. Both options were bad, since she didn't know where to go, and chances are she'll get lost. Twilight quickly ran after Pinkie before she was out of sight, and she stayed close to her. If she would be lost in the forest, she would rather be lost with somebody, and not alone.

“What are you trying to gain by going deeper into the forest?” Twilight asked out of curiosity.

Pinkie shrugged, “I don't know, really. I just feel like there's something deep in the forest which I've have yet to discover.”

The answer Pinkie had given was the same one she'd said to Twilight when she was going to leave her. Twilight shrugged it off and decided to just follow wherever Pinkie was going. “Let's just hope whatever you're finding for is worth the walk,” Twilight said.

“Who knows,” was the reply Twilight got from Pinkie.

Pinkie, who was taking the lead, was determined to reach the deepest part of the forest, no matter how long it took. But it's true she has to return back home, or else her uncle and auntie would be worried.

Pinkie stopped walking. She spotted something from afar. “Did you see that?” She turned back to Twilight.

Twilight tilted her head to one side, confused with what she meant. “See... What?”

Pinkie pointed to the shining white light coming from afar, “That!” She said excitedly.

“It's a light?” Twilight squinted her eyes as she took a good look at it.

Pinkie ran towards it without saying anything, making Twilight chase after her at full speed. “Hey, hold up!” Twilight shouted.

Pinkie ignored her friend, who was practically out of energy and was about to be left behind. She kept her eyes on the light, getting closer and closer, she was almost there... Just a little more, and...

☽ ♕ ☾

Twilight fell to the ground, out of breath. “How can that girl have so much energy after walking without breaks for so long?!” Twilight asked herself between breaths. She looked at the direction where Pinkie ran to, “Should I go after her? Or should I just stay here?”

She picked herself off the ground, dusting away any sand that stuck onto her skirt. “Guess I'll just go after her... Wherever she went,” she said under her breath, only loud enough for her to hear. She walked in the direction where Pinkie ran to, the light. She spotted the light, still shimmering from afar. “If I go to where the source of the light is, I'll be able to catch up with her.”

☽ ♕ ☾

“Ouch!” Pinkie groaned as she rubbed the back of her head. She had fallen. Pinkie looked up from where she had fallen, and noticed that she was in some sort of hole? She stood up and found a tunnel. Unsure and curious in where the tunnel will lead, she walked to the tunnel.

The tunnel was lit with torches. Pinkie was quite surprised that the torches could last this long. She took one torch and detached it from its handle and walked into the tunnel. She noticed there was a few writings and scribbles on the wall, but she didn't pay much attention to it.

After a few minutes of walking, she found herself standing in front of a huge wooden door. She pushed the door open and she found herself in some sort of laboratory. The laboratory was filled with large tubes, each tube had some weird creature frozen inside of it.

Pinkie stopped when she found an old-looking book sitting atop a desk. It was the only book there. She blew the dust off the book and saw the word ‘Diary’ written on it. Using her free hand, she opened the book and read what was in there. Inside the book was filled with many records of whatever if found in the forest. Such as a five legged rabbit. The book said that the rabbit was scientifically mutated.

Pinkie smiled, she had discovered something new, something interesting. She placed the book inside of her bag and continued searching through the place. She looked at whatever was contained inside the tubes, and noticed that they looked like monsters? Or, that's what Pinkie thought they were.

Whatever was in the tubes, Pinkie didn't want to know.

She continued searching the area, carefully examining whatever she found. She found some sort of machine sitting in the darkest corner of the place. She walked towards it and found a ripped off note stuck onto the machine. It reads ‘Do n... P...’ Pinkie didn't thought it was important, so she left it as it is.

The machine had many buttons of different colors. Red, blue, green, yellow, you name it. Pinkie pressed on all of them, but none of them worked, which disappointed her. But she noticed that there was one button which was enclosed in a box which she have yet to press.

She opened the box and pressed on the button.

The ground began to shake, and she could hear rumbling and cracking noises. “What's happening?!” She exclaimed as she ducked underneath the machine. “An earthquake?!”

All of the tubes trapping whatever creature is in it opened and melted the ice off the creature, freeing them. The creatures gained conscious after a few seconds and escaped the place.

The wall opposite of Pinkie begun to move, revealing a hidden room. Pinkie was horrified by what she saw, the creatures and all. She wasn't sure if it's a good idea to go out now. “What happens if there's still one creature lingering?” She kept asking herself.

She was terrified, yes. But she was, at the same time, curious.

She carefully and quietly sneaked to the hidden room. Nobody... Actually, nothing had spotted her, and she would like to keep it that way. “Whatever they are, good or bad, I hope I don't cross path with them...” She told herself.

Inside the hidden room were many computers, all of them hung on the wall. Sitting on the desk was a tape recorder and a tape. The tape recorder was spoilt, and doesn't look like it could be used. Written on the tape was ‘Recording #7’. Pinkie kept the tape in her bag.

She looked in the drawers for anything else, but all she found was another book. The cover was red in color and had a golden six pointed star symbol on the front. The book looked extremely old. Pinkie didn't even check what the contents were and kept it in her bag, wanting to speed up things and get out of the place.

With that, she had explored everything that was in wherever she was. She hurried back to where she came in from, but noticed that the tunnel looked different from the previous time she walked pass it. At the end of the tunnel, she left the torch behind and found another wooden door.

She slowly pushed the door open and walked in it. She found herself back in the forest, at the same exact spot where she had been before she fell into the hole. She looked at the ground, there wasn't any hole to be found.

“Was that all a dream?” She questioned herself.

She took off her bag and found the two books and the tape sitting in it, “It couldn't be a dream... So... What exactly happened?”

“Pinkie!” She heard a voice, it belonged to Twilight. Twilight was out of breath, and she slowly walked towards Pinkie, “You have... No idea how much... I went through...” She said between breaths as she fell to the ground beside Pinkie, “To find you.”

Pinkie laughed at the sight of her exhausted friend, “You have no idea what I've just went through!” She said excitedly, forgetting everything she was terrified of from before. All the fear flew into the clouds, as if it had never existed in the first place. “But... I'll tell you tomorrow. We better head back now.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Twilight looked furious. “We just got here, so extremely deep in the forest, and what do we find? Nothing!”

Pinkie smiled at her, “Not exactly,” was all she said.

Twilight let out a sigh, “We have to walk back, do we?” She asked.

“Yup,” Pinkie nodded.

“Urrghhhhhhh...”

☽ ♕ ☾

“Well, it took us longer than expected, but we're here, back home,” Pinkie said, standing proudly with her hands on her waist. She turned to look at her exhausted friend, “You really should work on your stamina.”

Twilight glared at Pinkie, “Who's at fault here?”

Pinkie giggled, “Guess it was me.”

“It's nearly seven, I'll be heading home now,” Twilight said. “I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow.”

Pinkie nodded her head and waved at her friend. “Be safe.”

Twilight laughed as she walked away, “I think it's you who has to be safe. Well, see ya anyway.”

Pinkie shrugged it off and walked back home. She walked back up to her room and fell onto her bed, “Hello Gummy,” she said as she stared at her guppy from her bed. “I have a slight feeling that staying here may not be as boring as I thought it would.”

The only response from the fish were bubbles... Nothing more.

“I came across all these weird creatures, they were frozen. I'm not sure if they're dangerous or not, but I kinda... Released them,” Pinkie let out a short nervous laughter, and it slowly faded. “Yup. I have a feeling we all are about to die.”

Pinkie shook her head, “No, Pinkie! No negative thoughts!” She said to herself. She took her bag off and took the two books and tape out. She opened the one with the six pointed star. Inside were magic incantations of all sorts, like the simple levitation spell. There are even some magic circles... “Gonna avoid that, magic circles, from what I know, are bad in every way,” Pinkie said to herself as she flipped across all the pages containing magic circles.

Most of the magic incantations are hard to pronounce, and screwing up isn't an option, because if you do, you might say the wrong incantation instead... Which could be extremely dangerous.

Pinkie moved on to the diary. She opened it up and started on the first page.

‘December 26, I just moved here, and I got to say that the forest has been somewhat bugging me in a way. Well, how should I put this? At night, the bushes seems to rustle even more than during the day, and from time to time, I would hear some cracking and other weird noises coming from the forest. Howling too, can't forget the howling.’

That was the first entry to have been ever written. “When's it written?” Pinkie questioned herself, though she will never get an answer, for she doesn't know. The first few entries were short, but once she reached entry number fourteen, that's when it got longer.

‘January 19, I found something in the forest. Mushrooms! At first glance, they look like normal mushrooms, but at night, they glow. I took some back to my home to examine what's in it to cause it to glow. Was it some sort of radiation that somehow mutated it in a way? I don't really know until I find out what's in it... I also don't think it's best if anyone ate it... They smell like rotten cheese.’

“Glowing mushrooms huh,” Pinkie smiled at the sight of the word ‘glow’. She planned it out in her head, she's heading back to the forest tomorrow to get some of those mushrooms. There are loads of mushrooms in the forest, so it could be any one of them. “All I have to do is go out at night, then I'll be able to save the trouble of picking all of them,” she told herself.

She rethought the idea of heading out at night, “Uncle and Auntie Cake wouldn't be too happy about this...” She said, thinking of all the possible outcomes if her relatives found out she sneaked out at night. Or in the worst case scenario, she would be eaten by whatever creature is now lingering in the forest.

“Day it is!” Pinkie exclaimed to herself, throwing the thought of heading out at night. Well, she hopes the creature doesn't like the sunlight and are nocturnal instead, so she wouldn't have to meet them in any way.

☽ ♕ ☾

She woke up at seven, as usual. She kept both the books into her bag, wanting to show it to her friends and rushed downstairs. Today's breakfast was toast, and Pinkie gobbled them up without stopping to drink the hot chocolate. “Bye, I'm heading to school now!” She waved to her relatives and rushed out of the house.

She was the first to arrive in her class, and she waited for the others to slowly come in as time passes. When she saw Twilight, she rushed towards her and dragged her to the hallway.

“What's up with that?” Twilight questioned.

“Remember yesterday?” Pinkie asked, excitement could be seen in her eyes.

Twilight nodded her head, “Of course I do.”

“Well, I found something. Actually, three things,” Pinkie said as she dug into her bag and pulled up the book with the six pointed star on it. She placed the book on Twilight's hands before closing her bag.

Twilight stared at the book and back at Pinkie, “It's a book.”

“Not any book,” Pinkie said, flipping the book open for Twilight to see.

Twilight's eyes widened as she read what was in there, “It's a grimoire...” She looked back at Pinkie with a very serious expression, “We shouldn't be messing around with this. This isn't something we kids shouldn't mess around with, it's dangerous,” she closed the book in her hand and handed it back to Pinkie.

“Well... Even if I don't mess around with it, I may have let some creatures into the forest?” Pinkie let out a short nervous laughter.

“You used the grimoire, didn't you?” Twilight let out a sigh.

“No, I didn't, I promise you that I didn't,” Pinkie said before Twilight would misunderstand anymore things. “Yesterday, when we've separated from each other, I fell into some weird hole, which led to some old looking laboratory. The laboratory was filled with these large tubes where the creatures were frozen inside of it...”

“Then how could it escaped?” Twilight asked.

“I'm may or may not have accidentally pushed a button that had a note written on it, and now that I think about it, the note may've said ‘Do Not Press’.” Pinkie smiled at Twilight.

Twilight slapped her hand on her face and pulled her hand slowly til' it fell off her face, “You've got to be kidding me.” She grabbed onto Pinkie's hand and dragged her back into the classroom, where everybody else was waiting for them.

“Why'd you rush off like that?” Rarity asked, having a worried expression on her face. She examined Pinkie from head to toe, “You could've fallen and injure yourself.” She turned to Twilight, “Same goes to you.”

Twilight leaned close to Pinkie's ears, “This better be kept between us. It's dangerous for them to know,” she whispered before turning to Rarity, forcing a smile upon her face. “Oh, hello, you must be... One of Pinkie's friend,” she said, extending her hand out, “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

Rarity took Twilight's hand, and the both of them shook on it, “And my name is Rarity,” she said. “Would you like to join us for break later? We would love to get to know you better,” Rarity asked, pointing to four other girls.

“Sure,” Twilight replied. She gave Pinkie one last glare before heading to her seat.

“So, what have ya been talking about out there?” Applejack asked.

Pinkie shrugged, “Oh you know, just telling her to be more confident in herself and make some friends.” She wasn't the best at lying...

“I see. Well, she's gonna have one heck of a time, I gotta say,” Applejack laughed. “With Rainbow 'round, she wouldn't hear the end of her... So called ‘adventures’.”

Pinkie laughed and took her seat next to Twilight. She looked over at Twilight, but all Twilight did was put a finger in front of her mouth, telling her to keep shut about what they had went through yesterday. Pinkie just nodded her head, and that's when the bell rang.

The teacher walked into the classroom, books in her hands. “Good morning class, lovely morning we're having today, am I right?” She asked as she walked towards her seat in front of the blackboard. She placed the books down on her desk and opened up a book, “Let's take our attendance now.”

“Fluttershy?”

“Here.”

“Derpy Hooves?”

“Right here.”

And this continued on until every one last student of the class was present. “I hope you all did your homework for yesterday,” the teacher said.

A few students begun whispering among themselves, but it slowly faded away after a while.

“Uh... Twilight,” the teacher called out.

Twilight stood from her seat, “Yes?”

“Can you please help me collect all the books from the students for yesterday's homework?” The teacher asked.

Twilight nodded her head and held her homework in her hand as she walked pass everyone's seats as they handed her the homework. After collecting all of the books, she placed the stack of books on the teacher's desk before heading back to her seat.

“Thank you,” the teacher said before facing the whiteboard. “Now then, for today's lesson, we'll be learning about fractions!”

Most students groaned, and some even fell off their seats.

The teacher ignored the everybody's sufferings and begun her teaching until break arrives. “And that's it for now,” the teacher said, standing proudly in front of the blackboard.

Everybody rushed to the cafeteria and sat in their own specific group of friends. This time, Pinkie sat with her friends, along with Twilight, who was invited by Rarity. They talked about their hobbies and what they've done in their previous school, the normal stuff. Twilight would look at Pinkie from time to time and glare at her if she had to. Pinkie just nodded her head at Twilight whenever she does that.

☽ ♕ ☾

“That's the end of today's class,” the teacher announced. “Remember to do your homework for today, kids. If not, you would have to stay back late!”

Everybody begun to pack their belongings, and Pinkie rushed out of the class after she was done packing, waving to her friends goodbye. She took her time and walked back home.

“Welcome back, you're early today,” said Auntie Cake as she saw Pinkie walking into the house, which was also a bakery.

“Yup,” Pinkie said as she walked up the stairs, “But I'll be heading out after I leave some things.”

“Okay,” Auntie Cake said.

Pinkie went into her room and placed her bag onto the floor. She took the two books out of her bag and placed it in another bag, which was mostly used for traveling. She carried the bag, and off she went, back to the forest.

“I knew you'd be here,” Twilight said, her hands crossed, and her feet was tapping the ground.

Pinkie was shocked and surprised by Twilight, “Whoa! Twilight? What are you doing here?”

“The question I should be asking is... Why are you here?” Twilight asked. “Didn't you already experienced enough adventure yesterday?”

“No,” Pinkie answered. Twilight raised an eyebrow and stared at her straight in the eyes. “Well, yes. But! There are some few interesting things in the forest I want to check out for myself,” Pinkie said, quickly digging her bag for the diary. She flipped the diary open and found the page of where the glowing mushroom is.

Twilight walked closer to take a closer look, “Glowing mushrooms? Sounds like something out of a fantasy novel.”

“Maybe it is, maybe it's not. We couldn't be so sure until we find it out ourselves,” Pinkie said, putting the book back into her bag.

“We?” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Who said I was going along?”

Pinkie extended both her hands, “You're here, which means you either want to come along, or you're trying to stop me.”

“Trying to stop you,” Twilight quickly said.

Pinkie silently stared at Twilight and backed away a few steps. She pointed to the sky and quickly faced the same direction she was pointing, “Look! A one eyed bat!” She exclaimed.

Twilight crossed her arms and looked at Pinkie, “Yeah, not going to work.”

“I'm serious, a one eyed bat!” Pinkie exclaimed, still making the same pose she was making from before.

“As I said, not going to...” Twilight's voice trailed off as a one eyed bat casually flew pass her. Twilight's jaws hung wide open, and her eyes were stuck onto the bat. “Okay, maybe they do exist after all, but it could be a defect,” Twilight said, turning back to Pinkie, but she was gone.

Twilight grumbled to herself, “That sneaky little...” She looked at the forest and quickly chased after Pinkie, “You're not leaving without me!”

“Oh, so you decided to join me in my adventure after all?” Pinkie looked back without stopping.

“No, why would I?!” Twilight shouted.

“Then why're you trying so hard to chase after me?” Pinkie questioned. “Hold that thought.”

Twilight didn't say anything for this round.

“You actually do want to join me on my little adventure, but you don't want to admit it!” Pinkie laughed.

Twilight rolled her eyes, she didn't think it was even worth trying to reason with the girl. “Sure, think whatever you like,” she said.

The both of them slowed down, not wanting to exhaust and drain their energy too fast. “Well, where are we heading?” Twilight asked, giving in to whatever Pinkie's trying to do or find.

“Deep into the forest,” Pinkie replied.

“How deep exactly?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie shrugged, “I don't know... Probably as deep as yesterday?”

Twilight let out a sigh, “Okay then.”

Pinkie led the way, as she did the previous time the both of them went into the forest. They stopped from time to time to take a break, but never more than five minutes. “Look, a mushroom!” Pinkie pointed to a fungus growing out from a log. “Do you think this is the glowing mushroom?”

“The book said it smelled like rotten cheese, and this thing doesn't smell anything like rotten cheese,” Twilight said.

Pinkie was utterly disappointed, but that didn't kept her from continuing her search for the glowing mushroom. “Well, onwards!” She exclaimed, leading the way.

Twilight followed Pinkie from behind as she reads a book she brought along for entertainment. Because journeying through the forest may get boring after a while. Twilight was even more surprised by Pinkie not being bored after an hour in the forest.

“Another mushroom!” Pinkie exclaimed as she rushed towards the mushroom, sniffing the air around it. “Nope, not this one,” she said before joining up with Twilight once more.

This went on for an hour.

“Aren't you getting bored?” Twilight asked.

“Not at all,” Pinkie answered.

“Why are you so determined to find all these weird things anyway?” Twilight asked, curious to know.

“I don't know myself,” Pinkie answered. “Maybe I was bored with my ordinary life and wanted some excitement.”

“From the looks of it, even without all these, you look quite happy with your life the way it is,” Twilight said.

Pinkie shrugged and tilted her head from right to left, “Mhmm... I seem that way, but really, I'm bored as heck.”

Tapping noises can be heard around them. Pinkie and Twilight both stood frozen in their spots. “What's that?” Pinkie asked quietly.

“How would I know?” That was all Twilight could say.

The tapping noises sounded like the noises coming from a horseshoe, and whatever it was, it was extremely close to them. Pinkie flinched as she felt a shot of hot air hit her neck. “Maybe if we stay still, it'll go away,” Pinkie whispered.

Twilight glared at Pinkie, “It never works.”

“It's worth a try though!”

The tapping noises came to a sudden stop, and then a howl.

“It's not even a full moon!” Pinkie whispered. “Much less, night!”

“Does your book have anything to say about this?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie quickly dug into her bag and opened the book. She flipped through the pages, scanning through the words as fast as her eyes could go. “Timberwolves,” she said under her breath.

“Timberwolves?” Twilight asked, slowly walking towards her friend.

“They're like wolves, but are instead made out of wood,” Pinkie read. “No matter how hard I've tried to tear it apart, it'll somehow bring itself together back again. I have yet to find any weaknesses that this creature may have.”

“Your book isn't helping!” Twilight whispered, but she wanted to shout at her.

The tapping noises were now gone. Pinkie let out a sigh of relief, “They're gone...”

“Think again,” Twilight said, pointing at the creature that was ahead of them.

It was a small pack of Timberwolves.

☽ ♕ ☾

I know, I know, I shouldn't end it here, now that we've proceeded deeper into the story. But I have a life too, you know? Can't stay locked up here telling stories all day now, could I?

I apologize, but, you won't be able to come over for a few days... Four days, at most. But I promise you that after those four days, you'll be able to hear from me again. No, I won't be dead. I'm not going anywhere. Some old friends are paying me a visit, and I couldn't spend all my time telling you stories while they're having whatever fun they're having without me.

Don't worry, you could even give me a call if you're worried. I'm just kidding with you, kid. Run along now, don't waste anymore of your precious time with a person like me.

Yes, I remember my promise. Yes, I won't forget it. Geez, you're making sure I keep that promise, and don't you worry your precious little head about it, when I make a promise, I keep it.

Farewell for now. Yes, we'll see again after four days.

Author's Note

☪ I promise you that whatever is written underneath the chapter and number has nothing to do with the story. At least... Not yet.
And... I have no idea where this story is heading. No idea whatsoever.
I don't even know what am I doing...

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Sometimes the secret is just right in front of us, but we just don't know it.”

Four days have passed, and just as promised, I'll continue on with the story. Have you been waiting for me all these time? Well, wait no longer, for I am here. I have always been. As usual, you know the drill, come on in and take a seat.

Would you like anything to drink? Maybe some tea? Or would you rather have coffee instead?

☽ ♕ ☾

“Why... Just why did I have to let her drag me into this?” Twilight thought to herself as she helped Pinkie up. “This is no time for fun and games, you hear?” She said, firmly holding onto Pinkie's shoulders. She pointed to the pack of Timberwolves, “We're surrounded, and our only way of escape is probably heading deeper into the forest. But we would have to run, and I'm not good at that. So listen up, find some sort of weakness before my legs die off!”

Sweat was falling off of Pinkie's forehead as she held onto the book tighter in her arms. “I don't think I'll be able to find their weakness,” she said softly.

Twilight rolled her eyes and grabbed Pinkie by her wrist and ran deeper into the forest while being chased by the Timberwolves. “What is one thing that wolves hate?” Twilight asked.

“I don't know, aren't you the smart one?” Pinkie asked.

“They're technically not wolves, and even if I am the smart one, I've known nothing of wolves!” Twilight shouted, which was a bad thing, for it attracted more Timberwolves towards them. Twilight noticed the increase of Timberwolves, “Oh boy.”

“This may or may not be a bad idea, but I think we have to split up,” Twilight said.

“In this situation?!” Pinkie asked, eyes filled with terror.

“We got no time to complain,” Twilight said.

Pinkie let out a sigh, “Okay, we'll split... On the count of three.”

Twilight had to take the chance, though her stamina may not be the best, and she'll most likely be the first to die, she still had to take the chance. If at least one of them escapes from this place, they could warn the townspeople of what lingers in the forest and probably ban anyone from going in.

“One.”

They could hear the Timberwolves howling as they ran after them. They don't look like they'll stop anytime soon.

“Two.”

Twilight could see a fork in from where she was, “Which would I pick? Which would she pick?” She questioned herself, wanting to pick the one on the left. But what happens if Pinkie picked the same one?

“Three!”

Twilight didn't care, she went to the one on the left, while Pinkie went to the one on the right. Seems like the Timberwolves had split themselves into two groups in order to hunt the both of them down. Twilight turned to see three Timberwolves chasing after her.

“This isn't good,” Twilight told herself, “This isn't good at all.” She was slowly getting tired, and losing strength. Her legs felt numb, and she could collapse at any moment. “Come on, Twilight, hold in a little longer,” she told herself as she forced herself to pick up the pace.

She twisted and turned, walking behind trees and passed the bushes. She doesn't care if her shirt got dirtied or her shoes got muddied. She remembered how dogs aren't able to chase after their prey all that well if they zig-zagged. “Maybe that'll work against those Timberwolves,” Twilight thought.

So she did. She tried to find some space for her to run behind the trees, and probably zig-zag her whole way to wherever she's going until she loses the Timberwolves. She looked behind, the Timberwolves looked as if they were having a hard time keeping up with her, and Twilight let out a sigh of relief.

She couldn't stop now though. She had to lose them completely if she wanted to live, so she continued what she was doing, zig-zagging as she ran through and deeper into the forest. Unsure of what lies deep in the forest, she continued. Afraid yet running for her life, she continued.

Remembering what Pinkie had told her about what other creatures she had accidentally freed, she gulped. “Oh please, let there not be another creature as bad as this... Or worst...”

Her legs were giving away, and she was on the verge of collapsing. She forced herself to keep running, even though her body couldn't take it anymore. She looked behind from time to time, “Only one left. Just one more.”

She stopped behind of a big humongous tree and waited for the Timberwolf to sniff her out. She quietly and carefully walked away from the Timberwolf and continued running when she thought she was far from the creature.

She looked behind as she continued zig-zagging through the forest and noticed that the creature had stopped chasing after her. Twilight slowly came to a stop and collapsed onto the ground. “Never... Doing that... Ever again,” she said between breaths.

She dragged herself under a tree surrounded with bushes and hid inside one of them. “Thank goodness that I was able to lose them all,” she let out a sigh of relief. She could feel her heart still pumping fast from all that running.

She looked down at her wristwatch, she was running for nearly half an hour. She was surprised too. She laid against the tree and curled herself into a ball, “I think mom and dad would be worried about me,” she whispered to herself. “It's already seven.”

☽ ♕ ☾

Pinkie was resting on a branch of a tree. She looked down at the Timberwolves who were sniffing around the area for her, but was unable to find any trace of her. They linger around the tree Pinkie was on for a while before leaving.

Pinkie was holding her breath throughout this whole time, and she finally let all the air out and begun normally breathing. She slowly stood up and held onto a vine that was sticking out of the leaves coming from the tree. She tugged onto the vine, to make sure it was holding onto something before slowly climbing down the tree.

Pinkie didn't say anything. She didn't even think about anything. Other than the fact that the forest which she once knew as safe was now dangerous and deadly, and not to mention, filled with unknown creatures.

Pinkie let out a sigh as she slumped onto the ground. She stared at her hand, it was extremely red, and had a few cuts here and there. “Auntie Cake and Uncle Cake would be so mad at me,” she laughed softly, “I'll never hear the end of it.”

She took her handkerchief out of her bag and some strands of grass and tied the handkerchief onto her hand which had the most cuts. While sitting there, she decided to take a look at the diary.

She decided to add a few notes to the entry where they spoken about the Timberwolves. ‘Hide in the trees when chased by them, they won't notice you,’ she wrote. She turned the pages and begun reading.

Though she wasn't the type of person who would spend most of her time reading, she was interested to find out what other weird creatures were once in this forest, or is now in the forest. Some had weaknesses, while most have yet to be discovered. There's even a three eyed deer with six legs around this forest for all Pinkie knows.

‘March 12, The deeper I go into the forest, the more weirder things get. Every creature would be much more stranger. Everywhere I look, it looked as if something had hit this place with some sort of magical spell? From what I see, there are floating islands, which I'm afraid it may fall, but it didn't. It defies the law of physics and gravity. People won't believe me if I told them, but there may be even more stranger things deeper into the forest which I have yet to discover.’

Pinkie looked up at the sky, though she could barely see it, due to the trees blocking the view, but she was able to see that the sky was getting dimmer and dimmer. It was already pass seven.

Pinkie kept the book in her bag and stood up. She scanned the area for any dangerous-looking creatures and walked back from where she came after she thought the area may be safe. “I hope Twilight's doing alright,” she mumbled to herself, remembering that she and her friend had separated from the Timberwolves.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Pinkie's not back yet,” Auntie Cake said, pacing around the room. “She usually comes back home before seven!”

“Calm down, honey, she could be at her friend's house, having a sleepover,” Uncle Cake said.

Auntie Cake shook her husband's shoulders, “She doesn't go anywhere without telling us beforehand!”

“Why don't we call her friends? Maybe she's at one of their houses,” Uncle Cake said, gently pushing his wife away as he walked towards the phone. He held up the receiver and begun dialing the number of Rarity's house.

“Hello?” A high-pitched voice was heard at the other end.

“Hello, this is Mr. Cake from the town's bakery. May I speak to Rarity?” Uncle Cake asked.

“Rarity! There's someone called Mr. Cake on the line, and he wants to speak with you!” Whoever was at the other end shouted, which caused Uncle Cake to push the receiver away from his ears before he goes deaf.

“Yes, hello? This is Rarity,” Rarity said.

“Hello, I'm Mr. Cake, Pinkie Pie's uncle,” Uncle Cake said. “I was just wondering, is Pinkie together with you?”

“No,” Rarity replied. “She's not with me. Why'd you ask?”

“Well...” Uncle Cake turned to his wife for help.

“Just tell her,” Auntie Cake mouthed.

“She's missing,” Uncle Cake said.

“What?! Missing, you say?!” Rarity exclaimed. “When did she gone missing?”

“She left the house after leaving her bag here,” Uncle Cake replied, “She didn't tell us where she was going.”

Rarity, who was on the other end of the line was extremely worried for her friend. “I'll contact her other friends... Maybe they had seen her somewhere,” Rarity said, trying to help them search for Pinkie.

“That's very kind of you,” Uncle Cake said.

“She's also my friend,” Rarity said before hanging up.

“What did she say?” Auntie Cake asked.

Uncle Cake shrugged, “She had not seen Pinkie, and she's not over at her place. She told me that she'll contact her other friends to see if they had seen her.”

“I'm very worried,” Auntie Cake said.

“I know, dear. Me too,” Uncle Cake added.

On the other hand, Rarity was doing whatever she could to find Pinkie. She phoned every single person Pinkie had a conversation with, even if it meant randomly dialing phone numbers in order to find which number she had to call.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Which way did I go?” Twilight questioned herself as she stood in front of another fork in the forest. It didn't look familiar, and Twilight swore that it wasn't there before. Or maybe she had taken the wrong turn? Everywhere looked the same to her, so she didn't know if she was going the right way or not.

“I think... Right,” she said to herself as she chose the right path. As she walked, she could hear the owls hooting, and she swore that she could see some of them had glowing eyes, though she paid no mind to it.

The sky was getting darker and darker, and she could see the ground glowing as she walked. She stopped and took a closer look at the ground and spotted the mushrooms Pinkie was so desperate to find. Twilight plucked one out, “It really glows,” she said as she looked in awe at it. “Not to mention, it also stinks,” she tossed the mushroom onto the ground and moved away from it.

Twilight stared at the glowing mushrooms for a long while before sitting onto the ground. “Guess I could take some with me back home,” she thought to herself as she dug into her bag and took out a small container. She plucked about four to five mushrooms and placed it in the container before closing it and putting it in her bag. “Now that's done,” she told herself as she wiped the dirt off her hands using a leaf.

“Now back to finding my way back home,” she said as she continued walking in whatever direction she was walking in from before. She didn't know where she was going or where it'll lead her. But there's no helping her if she stayed at one spot.

As time passed, she noticed her surroundings becoming brighter and brighter as she continued walking. She looked down at her wristwatch, “It's around eight, shouldn't it be dark?” She continued walking though, paying no mind to her surroundings, thinking that I may've been the thousands of glowing mushrooms growing in the area.

The further she went, she noticed the trees were slowly becoming shinier, and crystal-like. She stopped walking and looked around her surroundings, “I don't like this... Not one bit of it,” she mumbled.

She picked up a broken branch on the ground, it was as hard as a rock and looked like a diamond. “This would cost a fortune,” she whistled as she examined the branch. “If the townspeople were to find these things, I bet the town would be the wealthiest town in the whole world!”

She decided to keep one... For research purposes.

She continued walking further into the forest, unsure where she was heading. The ground began to look more crystal-like, along with everything else. The animals there too, they were crystallized? Twilight stared at the owl that was sitting on a crystallized tree, “Is it alive?”

The owl twisted its head and stared at Twilight, hooting at her before it flew off.

Twilight fell back to the ground, “Wahh!” She exclaimed. Her eyes wide, and extremely surprised with what she saw, she stayed on the ground for a while before she regained her sanity. She picked herself up, “That scared me...”

She let out a sigh, “This isn't good for my mental health,” she mumbled before preceding heading further down the forest, still unsure in what lies ahead.

The place where she was at was shining and bright, as if it was in the middle of the morning. The crystal kept sparkling, and sometimes the light got into Twilight's eyes. “Troublesome,” she said under her breath as she had to block one side of her eyes from the shining light. She doesn't know where the light came from, but she had a slight feeling it came from the moon.

Seconds passed, minutes passed. What seems like forever passed, and Twilight wondered how long it has really been, as she constantly checked her wristwatch. Time to her seem to move slower. She felt as if she'd been in the forest for hours, but in reality, it had only been a few minutes.

“Are you lost, little child?” Asked a voice.

Twilight turned around immediately to see whose voice does it belong to, but nobody was there. She walked cautiously as she continued, avoided anything that was on the ground.

“Don't be afraid.”

It was that voice again, this time, louder than ever. “Who are you?” Twilight asked, trying to sound as brave as she could.

“I'm...” There was a short pause. “Someone, you can say. Even a something if you like.”

“What do you want from me?” Twilight questioned.

“Nothing, really,” the voice was now echoing in her head.

Twilight shook her head, “How can the voice be inside of my head?!” she questioned herself. Her eyes darted from the left to the right, and right to the left. “Then why are you talking to me? Now of all times? If you have nothing you want from me, then leave me alone.” She tried sounding brave once again.

“Hm... I thought I would offer you my help in getting out of this forest,” the voice said.

Some black colored goo can be seen floating around Twilight. Twilight stared at it with a disgusted look on her face, “You're certainly a thing, that I can say.”

The voice laughed. “Do you want to get out of here or not?”

Twilight thought about it for a moment. “What's the catch?” There's always a catch in these sort of things.

“The grimoire,” the voice said.

“The grimoire?” Twilight repeated.

The black goo transformed into the grimoire that Pinkie had once showed Twilight, and the grimoire was floating in the air. “Yes, that's right. The grimoire,” the voice said. “I want the grimoire.”

“It's not with me,” Twilight said.

“But it's with somebody else,” the voice said. “Your friend. Pinkie Pie, is it?”

Twilight didn't say anything.

“I'll transport you to your friend, but if you want to get out of the forest, you would have to get the grimoire from your friend and pass it to me,” the voice said. “Kids like you shouldn't meddle with things you shouldn't know about.”

Twilight crossed her arms and was in deep thoughts. “If I bring you the grimoire, you'll transport us both back to town?”

“Yes,” the voice replied. “I'll even add up a little bonus and erase everyone's memories of your disappearance for the night. They won't even know you've went out.”

Twilight glared at the black goo, for she had no idea where the voice was coming from. “Fine, it's a deal,” she said.

The black goo melted to the ground and retreated back into the woods. “Close your eyes,” the voice said.

Twilight did so. She didn't know what was happening, but in order to get out of here, she had to give the grimoire to whatever creature that thing was.

“Twilight?” A familiar voice.

Twilight opened her eyes, she was standing right in front of Pinkie. “What?” Twilight was dumbfounded. How did she suddenly poof right in front of Pinkie? “This has to be a dream, right?”

“How'd you find me?” Pinkie asked.

“I don't really know,” Twilight said. “Should I tell her about the black goo thing? And the voice?”

“Well, no matter. The good thing is that we're back together!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Hey, Pinkie... You still have that grimoire with you, don't you?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie tilted her head to one side, “Of course I do,” she replied.

“Can you hand it over to me?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie backed away a few steps, “Why?” She asked, holding onto her bag tightly in front of her chest. “You told me I shouldn't mess around with it...”

“Yes, I know!” Twilight said. “I'm just... Well... Interested?”

Pinkie eyed her friend. “I'll... Hand it to you once we get out of here,” she said.

“This isn't going as planned,” Twilight sighed. “She's smarter than she looks... What a surprise.”

“It's getting pretty late,” Pinkie said, looking up at the sky. “I don't think we'll be able to return back to town at this rate. We won't even know where we're going! Not as if we knew where we were heading to begin with...” Her voice trailed off.

“I may know a way back to town, a shortcut, you can say,” Twilight said with a smile on her face.

Pinkie looked at Twilight confusingly. “What may that be?” Pinkie questioned.

“All I need is the grimoire, then we'll be back in town as if nothing ever happened,” Twilight said.

Pinkie glared at Twilight as she held her bag tighter than ever. “And you're suggesting we're going to use the grimoire to teleport ourselves back there?” She questioned. Inside of her heart, she really wanted to try it out, but something isn't right. Twilight was against the idea of the grimoire from the beginning, so why does she accept it now? Something has to be wrong.

“Well, that would be the easiest way back,” Twilight said, agreeing with her friend as she nodded her head.

Pinkie looked down at her bag then back at Twilight. “I don't think that would be a good idea. It's not safe. One screw up, then we'll be dead,” Pinkie said with a serious expression on her face. “Let's just camp for the night, you're not thinking straight.”

“You're the one to talk,” Twilight rolled her eyes and sat beside a bush opposite of Pinkie. She kept an eye out on Pinkie, waiting for her to sleep so she could snatch the grimoire away from her and get out of this place.

Pinkie, at the same time, was thinking the same. She waited for Twilight to sleep before she slept. She had a feeling that Twilight may be up to something... Something extremely bad, and worse than using a grimoire.

☽ ♕ ☾

...

Author's Note

☪ I feel like the past two chapters are a little rushed, don't you agree? Also, a friend of mine pointed out to me that the story kinda sounds like Gravity Falls, and I have to admit that it does. It wasn't intentional though.

Still don't know where this story is going.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“Don't you ever feel like you want to leave everything behind?”

...I'm silent because I see many things. What, you ask? Like a running refrigerator. Those things give me the willies. Not to mention, they take away all of your food that you've stored inside of them, as if it were theirs to begin with.

I ain't joking with you. I'm serious. In this place, anything could happen.

☽ ♕ ☾

From the looks of it, it was still night. Probably around two or three in the morning.

Twilight was wide awake, and she knew Pinkie was too. “What's she thinking about that's allowing her to stay up this late?” Twilight thought as she bit down on the nails. “I've got to get that grimoire somehow...”

“Can't believe she's still awake,” Pinkie thought, not wanting to look at Twilight. The both of them knew that none of them were asleep, and they weren't planning on sleeping anytime soon. Pinkie clutched tightly onto her bag in her arms, “What would she need the grimoire for? First, she was against it. Now, she wants it?”

“Something doesn't seem right. People wouldn't change their mind that easily,” Pinkie was lost in her thoughts. She kept questioning herself on what would Twilight need the grimoire for, and why did she suddenly changed her mind about it after just a few hours?

Twilight let out a sigh, and Pinkie could hear it. Twilight mumbled something under her breath, though Pinkie couldn't make out the words she was saying. “She must be complaining,” that's what Pinkie thought.

“Okay, I've had enough,” Twilight said, standing up.

Pinkie turned to her friend, “Of what?” She asked, glaring straight at her.

Twilight crossed her arms, “I need the grimoire because it'll be able to bring us back to town as if none of this ever happened,” she said.

“Yeah, and I've told you I ain't handing it to you until we reach back home,” Pinkie said.

“Yes, I know. I understand,” Twilight said, grumbling as she did. “There was this black goo-looking thing... It said it could bring us back to town if I gave it the grimoire,” she admitted.

“Black goo-looking thing?” Pinkie raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. It's not a joke. I'm serious I saw it,” Twilight said, pointing at Pinkie before she could say anything, “And no, I wasn't daydreaming.”

Pinkie opened her mouth, but shut it immediately after she opened it. She thought about what to say next before opening her mouth once again. “So, you agreed to it?” She asked.

“Kinda,” Twilight shrugged. “There wasn't anything about what would happen to us if I didn't give it the grimoire though... So we should be safe.”

Pinkie slowly nodded her head. “Yeah...”

“I want to go home as much as you do, so please just cooperate with me and just hand over the grimoire, will you?” Twilight asked, extending her hand towards Pinkie.

Pinkie stared at the hand and slapped it away, “I don't know what this goo thing is, but if it wants the grimoire, then I'm not giving it.”

“Stop being so stubborn!” Twilight shouted.

“I'm not!” Pinkie yelled back, standing up with her arms holding tightly onto the bag. “Whatever creature you spoke to wants the grimoire. The grimoire may be dangerous. Actually, grimoires are dangerous, in a way.”

“That's why we shouldn't have it! The thing said so itself, we shouldn't meddle with things we shouldn't know about,” Twilight said, closing in on Pinkie.

Pinkie shook her head and backed away. “No,” she said. “If we give that creature what it wants, it could destroy the world or something. I don't know about you, but I rather pick life against death.”

Twilight stopped and stared at Pinkie. She let out a sigh. “Guess you're right,” she said. “But I still want to go home to my parents.”

“And we will,” Pinkie said, still backing away. It could be a trick for all Pinkie knows, to gain her sympathy then snatching the bag away from her grasps once she'd loosen her grip.

Twilight fell onto the ground and curled up into a ball, “I really miss them.”

“And I miss mine,” Pinkie added.

“I want to go home.”

“So do I,” Pinkie replied.

That was the first time Pinkie ever saw a person cried in front of her. Pinkie didn't know how to react or how should she comfort her. So all she could do was sit by her side, keeping a good distance from her, still not trusting her fully. “We'll find our way out of here, without the help of that creature.”

“Will we though?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie kept silent. She couldn't promise her friend anything.

☽ ♕ ☾

It was morning, and as usual, the children were preparing for school and heading to class... Except a few, who met up at Flutershy's house near the forest.

“Pinkie's gone?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, since last night,” Rarity nodded her head. “I'm really worried about her... What would we tell the teacher?”

“We just say she caught a cold or something,” Applejack suggested.

“Twilight's disappeared too,” Rarity added.

“She caught a cold too,” Applejack said.

“Two people catching a cold after just one day?! I bet the teacher won't even believe in that sort of sorry excuse,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Then what would yer suggest?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and stood proudly, “They fell and injured themselves.”

“That's what yer suggesting?” Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash blankly.

“Girls, girls,” Rarity stepped in between of Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “This isn't time for a silly fight. Our friends have disappeared, and we had no idea where they could've gone. Should that be what we should be worried about?”

“True,” Applejack agreed.

“Uh, girls?” Fluttershy called out softly. “I think I may know where they could've gone,” she said with a soft smile across her face as she pointed to the forest, where a white bunny was sitting on the grass, pointing into the forest.

“The forest?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow.

Fluttershy nodded her head. “Little Angel here told me that he'd seen Pinkie and Twilight heading into the forest last night.”

“Angel?” Rarity joined in, as confused as Rainbow is.

“Oh, right,” Fluttershy looked at the ground. She turned to Angel, the bunny, and motioned it to come to her. The bunny ran towards Fluttershy, and she held the bunny in her arms, “Meet Angel the bunny,” she said.

The three girls crowd around the bunny and stared at Fluttershy, dumbfounded.

“So... What ya trying to tell us is that... This little bunny told ya that he'd seen Pinkie and Twilight heading to the forest?” Applejack questioned.

Fluttershy nodded her head without saying a thing.

“Okay, it's official, Fluttershy's gone nuts,” Rainbow Dash said.

Rarity nudged Rainbow on the shoulder as hard as she could, making her lose balance for a little while. Rarity glared at Rainbow after she'd found her balance. “If the bunny said he'd seen them heading to the forest, then I trust it,” Rarity said.

Fluttershy smiled at Rarity.

Applejack shrugged, “Meh, it's worth a shot. That's the only lead we have anyway.”

Rainbow Dash glared at the bunny, and she felt the bunny glared back at her. The both of them had some sort of staring contest until Rarity walked in between them, preventing them for staring their eyes out any longer. “We shouldn't waste anymore precious time and begin searching for them,” Rarity said.

“What about school?” Fluttershy questioned.

“Oh... Right...”

“Just tell them we got injured and it'll all work out fine,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack rolled her eyes, “So the four of us suddenly got injured out of nowhere?”

“We'll attend classes, and search for them after school, okay?” Rarity said.

The three other girls nodded their heads, and begun making their way to school.

Class begun as usual, but without Pinkie and Twilight. “Do any of you know what happened to the two of them?” The teacher asked, but nobody replied.

Rainbow Dash had the urge to raise her hand, but got a glare from Rarity instead.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Today's class felt as if it lasted longer than usual,” Rainbow Dash grumbled as she stretched her arms in the air. “I don't feel like doing anything after this.”

“Ah, ah, ah. Remember that we still have to search for Pinkie and Twilight?” Rarity reminded.

“Maybe they've already head home or something,” Rainbow Dash said.

“I would've gotten a message from Pinkie's relatives if they did.”

The four of them didn't took long to reach the entrance of the forest. Fluttershy was the first to walk into the forest, followed by Applejack, Rarity, and lastly, Rainbow Dash. “Angel said he'd saw them walked deep into the forest in this direction,” Fluttershy said as she pointed to her front.

“Great! An adventure!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, rushing to the front.

“I thought you didn't want to do anything?” Rarity asked, crossing her arms.

“That was before, now is now,” Rainbow Dash said with a laugh.

“Don't mind her, she's just being her,” Applejack said as she slowed her pace and patted Rarity on the shoulder.

“I do suppose you're right,” Rarity nodded her head, agreeing with whatever Applejack was saying.

Rainbow Dash ran ahead of Fluttershy, “See ya guys later!” She stuck her tongue out as she dashed deep into the forest, leaving her friends behind.

“It isn't safe!” Fluttershy shouted, but all that came out was a soft squeak. But it was too late, she couldn't even see Rainbow Dash no longer. “Oh...”

“It's fine, Fluttershy,” Rarity said, patting her friend on the back.

“It'll be her fault for losing her way,” Applejack laughed. “Ah even bet she'll come back running to us after a while!”

“Let's just keep going. If we go now, we'll catch up with her,” Rarity said.

Fluttershy nodded her head, and the three of them continued walking, clueless to what lies deep in the forest, and yet to see what Pinkie and Twilight had seen.

☽ ♕ ☾

Rainbow Dash slowed down her pace and looked behind. Her friends were nowhere to be seen, and nobody was chasing after her. “Haha! They couldn't even catch up with me!” Rainbow Dash laughed proudly. She wasn't even tired from all that running. “Guess I'll wait for them here,” she said as she sat on the ground and laid against a tree.

While waiting for her friends to arrive, she looked around her surroundings. She looked up and could barely see the sky, “No wonder it's dark around here, the leaves from the trees are blocking all the sunlight!”

Rainbow Dash was getting bored as she waited. Every second was a pain to her, and every minute felt as if she was grounded for a week. “What's taking them so long?” Rainbow Dash questioned, even though she only had been waiting for five minutes. She stood up and walked around in circles, “Where are they?” She grumbled.

After a minute of circling nothing but a stump, she fell back down to the ground and let out a long, loud sigh. “I'm bored!” She shouted, her voice barely made any echo through the forest. Should've expected that, since it's an open area, after all.

“I wonder what silly things Pinkie and the new girl is doing?” Rainbow Dash questioned. “Knowing Pinkie, they may be swinging around vines from trees to trees, pretending they rule over the forest or something.”

Who knows what's Rainbow Dash is thinking about inside her brain.

“Yep. Swinging from trees to trees using just one mere vine... Like that guy from the movie... What's his name again?”

Nobody knows what was going on in Rainbow Dash's head.

“Oh right! It was Ta–”

Nobody. Nobody at all.

“Couldn't you at least contain your excitement for later? You're making us use up all of our energy before we could even start the search!” A familiar voice shouted. It belonged to Rarity. “You'd be surprised by how loud your voice is.”

“Took you long enough,” Rainbow Dash said as she stood up and dusted off invisible dusts that was on her jeans.

“Please... If you don't mind, please don't run off like that again... It's... Uhm... Not safe for you to enter alone,” Fluttershy said softly, almost in a whisper.

“Ya heard the girl,” Applejack said as she nudged Rainbow Dash on the shoulder. “Don't take off like that. Who knows what would happen to ya if we ain't able to find yer.”

“Yeah, sure. Whatever,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Now that we're here... What should we do?”

“I suggest we split up to search for Pinkie and Twilight,” Rarity suggested.

“But uhm...”

“Sounds like a great plan, Rarity!” Applejack nodded her head.

“It's not...”

“I'll pick this way then,” Rainbow Dash said, already getting a head start.

“Then I'll go over here,” Applejack said, picking the middle path.

“As for me, I'll go this way,” Rarity said before the three of them went to their own direction.

“Uhm... Uh... Guys...? It's not safe to go alone...” Fluttershy whispered. But the three of them already went away. Fluttershy let out a sigh, “Guess I'll go my own way...”

Fluttershy picked the path just in between Applejack's and Rarity's and begun her search from there. From time to time, she would hide behind bushes and trees and even curled herself up into a ball as she used her hair as a shield.

“They're just forest animals, Fluttershy... Remember that they're more afraid of you than you are of them,” Fluttershy kept telling herself that inside of her mind. She always loved animals, and she would be more than happy to meet them. The small, cute and cuddly ones. She wanted to make friends with a bear if she could, but she doesn't think she could handle it just yet.

“Another one of you pesky little kids.”

Fluttershy quickly hid inside of a nearby bush. “W-who... Who's there?!”

Whatever it was, the voice let out a sigh. “The first failed me, then comes a cowardly one. What's up with you kids nowadays with forests?” The voice questioned. “I don't understand how you humans work. First you're scared, second you're curious. Make up your mind, will you?”

Fluttershy whimpered inside of the bush. She was so afraid that she couldn't think of anything to say.

The same exact black goo which Twilight had met with slid in front of Fluttershy, and as if it had eyes, it stared straight at Fluttershy. “Ahhh!” Fluttershy screamed as she jumped out of the bush and fell onto the ground.

The voice let out a laugh, amused by Fluttershy's reaction, “You're so much more better than that Twilight girl. You show more emotion.”

“Twilight?” Fluttershy picked herself back up from the ground and walked slowly, yet cautiously, towards the black goo. “Did you just say Twilight?”

“Sure did,” the voice said. The black goo just melted to the ground, forming a black colored puddle. The puddle began to show a picture of what looked like Twilight. “Twilight, the girl who failed to meet my request.”

“Request?” Fluttershy questioned.

The picture faded away, returning back to darkness. “Nothing you should know of,” the voice said, avoiding the question. “Say... You're searching for them, right?” The black goo was changing its shape, forming a shape of a... Person? Or what it looked like a person.

“Let's make a deal.”

☽ ♕ ☾

“Rise and shine, sleepy head,” Pinkie called out as she shook Twilight awake.

“What time is it?” Twilight asked, still half asleep.

Pinkie looked up at the sky, she could barely see it, but it was still there. “Looks like it's around ten, probably?” Pinkie replied.

Twilight rubbed her eyes and looked at her wristwatch, “It's way pass ten. It's already eleven.”

“How was I suppose to know that?” Pinkie questioned.

Twilight pushed herself off the ground, holding onto a nearby rock for support. Her leg hurts, probably from all the running she did. “Isn't there anything here we can eat?” She asked, realizing none of them had eaten since yesterday night.

Pinkie shrugged, “Don't think so, but we could find something to eat.”

“Like what?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie raised her arms in the air, “Mushro–”

“No.”

“Then what would you suggest?” Pinkie lowered her arms and pouted.

Twilight looked up at the trees, “This is a forest, there should be some fruits growing here,” she said as she looked down at the bushes, “Or berries,” she added. “And maybe we could even find a lake or a river nearby and get some water from there.”

Pinkie was surprised. Twilight was acting as if everything that happened last night was all just a dream, and it never really happened. “Are you feeling better?” Pinkie just had to get that question out of her head. “Thinking straight now? Doing fine?”

“Better than yesterday, to say the least,” Twilight said, her head lowered to the ground. “I'm sorry about how I acted yesterday. It was really selfish of me.”

Pinkie shook her head, “I think if whatever that happened to you happened to me, I would do the same, so don't sweat about it.” Pinkie walked in front of Twilight and gave her a playful pat on the head, “Patty pat-pat!” And she began to laugh.

Twilight couldn't help but smile. “Come on, we gotta find something to eat before we die here,” she said, taking the lead this time.

“Yes, sir! I mean, ma'am!” Pinkie saluted before following her friend from behind. “I've never would've thought you would actually take the lead this time.”

“Eh... It takes a few things off my mind,” Twilight said. “It distracts me from thinking too much about what I want to think about, you can say.”

Pinkie just nodded her head lightly.

“This place is weird,” Pinkie spoke out loud.

“Sure is,” Twilight agreed.

“What other weird and strange things do you think we may come across next?” Pinkie questioned, waiting for Twilight's reply.

Twilight thought about it for a moment. “Certainly not that black goo thing,” Twilight said. “And hopefully, something that is not out to get us or eat us. Basically speaking, nothing dangerous and life-threatening,” she added.

Pinkie laughed for a short while, “We faced against the Timberwolves and somehow outrun them. I bet we'll be able to handle a few more strange, dangerous creatures.”

“And get torn to pieces before we could even run away from them,” Twilight added.

“That's morbid.”

Twilight shrugged, “Your fault for saying that first. Also, it's your fault for dragging me into this. I'm blaming you for everything.”

Pinkie pouted, “Meanie.”

“Odd, isn't it?” Twilight questioned after a few minutes of silence. “There's not one sight of fruits nor berries around here...”

“True,” Pinkie agreed.

“I now wonder if we would even be able to find a single piece of fruit in this place,” a Twilight said, beginning to lose hope. “No matter wherever we go, we couldn't seem to find anything. Not even a single fruit!”

“Maybe the mushrooms are edible?” Pinkie suggested.

“I'm not touching those things,” Twilight said.

Pinkie was already reading the diary, “It said that the mushrooms in the forest may look and smell bad, but it somehow tasted delicious,” she said. “We should give it a try.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and grumbled. “Fine,” she gave in.

The both of them stopped near a small patch of area where they'd spotted a bundle of mushrooms standing out. Twilight plucked the mushrooms and sniffed it, “It stinks,” she complained, holding it far from her nose.

“Just suck it and eat it,” Pinkie said, putting one in her mouth.

“How can you be so sure that they aren't poisonous?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie, with her mouth full, and unable to answer, she held out the diary and showed her the page where it talked about the mushrooms. “Mushrooms which are purple in color are edible and tastes like grapes, surprisingly. Red tastes like cherries. Do not eat the green ones, they're poisonous. If you're touching them, wear a glove...” Twilight read it out loud. There were more, but Twilight had already more or less memorized which mushrooms are good and which ones are bad.

“Interesting,” Twilight said, staring at the mushroom she had on her hand. She put it inside her mouth and quickly chewed it. As the book had said, it tasted like cherries. “Fascinating,” Twilight said after swallowing the mushroom. “Never thought mushrooms would taste like fruits.”

“I know right?!” Pinkie exclaimed, already had a handful of mushrooms. “I brought a box with me, we could store these and eat them when we need to,” she said as she placed them inside the box and put the box inside of her bag.

“Good idea,” Twilight nodded her head and gave Pinkie a thumbs up.

“Well, we have to find our way out of here, somehow,” Pinkie said.

“Indeed we do.”

☽ ♕ ☾

That's all for today. It's already quite late, don't you think? Been sitting on this couch for more than an hour just to tell you this story, and I'm not even close to the ending yet! Geez, my legs are numb! I can barely feel them!

Oh, right. I found something, a note. Found it in my mailbox this morning, thought you may like mysteries and stuff, so here you go. It's some sort of cryptogram, I bet you can solve it. Don't worry about me, I've already solved it, so keep it for yourself. Been getting loads of these ever once in a while, my bin's filled with them!

Now then, I wish you a safe trip home. Come back within a week. I'm quite busy tomorrow, and the following day, and the day after... Have to pay a visit to my friend's place and take care of their kids. Haha! Part time babysitter. Boy, will I be a great babysitter... Actually, no. Honestly speaking, I'm not good with kids. Never was, never will be. So... Those kids are in for a playdate with hell.

☽ ♕ ☾

A note with a cryptogram written on it was given to you.
19-16-9-11-5

A simple code, even a kid could solve it.

Author's Note

☪ The cryptograms would just keep getting harder and harder. It won't always stay the same. I enjoy the cryptograms. It's fun! It's your choice wether or not you want to decipher the cryptograms or not, for they don't really relate to the story. But if you wish to do so, go ahead. It may or may not tell you something that has yet to come.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“We sleep, we dream, and when we wake up, we face reality.”

Why, yes. Of course. I expected you. Just so you know, I had a terrible time with the kids. Allow me to repeat that... An absolute terrible time. But enough about me, my personal life will always be kept with me, and there's nothing for you to know about me. At least, not yet. Until the time comes, my friend, then will I only answer all your questions.

As usual, come in and take a seat.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Let's make a deal.”

That was the only thing Fluttershy could remember after waking up and finding herself together with Rainbow Dash. “What happened?” She questioned, sitting up and looking around her surroundings. The both of them were in some sort of cave? The cave was filled with sparkling gems that was stuck onto the walls and ceilings, as if they were stars in the night sky. “What is this place?”

“Nice to see you're finally awake,” Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and smiled at her proudly. “I found you collapsed on the ground while searching for Pinkie and Twilight. The forest was big, and I never thought I would've come across you, but I did!”

“Where are we?” Fluttershy asked.

“Somewhere in the forest,” Rainbow Dash replied. “I couldn't carry you forever, you're too heavy, so I decided to drop you off here while I watch over you.”

“That's very nice of you,” Fluttershy let out a smile.

Rainbow Dash laughed and patted Fluttershy on the back, “Don't sweat it!” She exclaimed. “But don't try too hard next time, okay? I don't want to see you collapsing onto the ground every now and then.”

Fluttershy laughed, but something was still on her mind. “What happened to me before I collapsed? What happened to me before Rainbow found me?” These were questions that filled Fluttershy's head.

“Take some rest, you'll need it. We'll continue with the search after a while,” Rainbow Dash said.

Fluttershy just nodded her head and laid against the cave walls. “What was that black goo thing? ...and how does it know about Pinkie and Twilight being lost?” She kept questioning herself. “What sort of favor does it want from me? Did I make the deal with whatever creature it was? If so, what kind of deal did I make?”

Rainbow Dash snapped her fingers in front of Fluttershy's face. As if she snapped out from a trance, Fluttershy blinked her eyes several times before looking up at Rainbow Dash's face, staring at her confusingly. “You were thinking too deep about something... Is something bothering you?” Rainbow Dash asked, sounding a little concern.

“N-no!” Fluttershy quickly replied. “Nothing's bothering me. Nothing at all.”

Rainbow Dash eyed Fluttershy for a while before nodding her head, “I see... Okay then,” that was all she told her. Rainbow Dash stood up and pointed at the entrance of the cave, “There's a small river nearby,” she begun. “I finished drinking my water, so I'm going to go there and refill my bottle,” she said, shaking her empty bottle at Fluttershy's face.

“Be safe,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Will do,” Rainbow Dash nodded her head before walking out of the cave, leaving Fluttershy all alone.

“I think I should keep this a secret for now...” That was what Fluttershy told herself. Fluttershy stared up at the gem-filled ceiling and let out a sigh. “Where are you?” She mumbled to herself, questioning Pinkie and Twilight, as if they were right beside her. But they weren't, so she was questioning no one in particular.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms!” Pinkie sing-sang as she twirled and spun around the path in front of Twilight. She was taking the lead now. “Green mushrooms, blue mushrooms, spiky rock candies! Oh so yummy, my most favourite treat!” She continued.

Twilight wasn't paying any attention to whatever Pinkie was singing, or what the lyrics even were. She doubted it made any sense. “Hey, Pinkie?” Twilight called out.

“Poisonous mushrooms are no good for you, but the ones that tastes just like cherries are certainly pretty tasty!” Pinkie continued to sing, ignoring Twilight's call. She was either too caught up in her musical singing, or she was... Just being Pinkie.

“Pinkie!” Twilight repeated, this time, she spoke louder than the previous one, breaking Pinkie's rhythm and tune.

“Yes, Twilight?” Pinkie asked, a smile across her face. She was enjoying every single second of whatever she was doing in the forest.

Twilight just rolled her eyes and stopped after her eyes focused on Pinkie. “I would like to read the diary,” she said without hesitation.

Pinkie raised an eyebrow and eyed her suspiciously.

“No, Pinkie. It's not what you think it is,” Twilight said. “The goo thing said it wanted the grimoire, not the diary.”

Pinkie crossed her arms, both her eyebrows were raised. “What if you're lying?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight let out a sigh. “You know what? Forget it,” she said, walking pass Pinkie. “We still have to find a way out of this forest, and we have no idea where we are. Plus, I bet our families are worried sick back home! They may even have contacted the cops! Think we've been kidnapped, murdered or whatnot.”

“Maybe we could ask somebody for directions?” Pinkie suggested.

“Like who? There's nobody but us in the forest,” Twilight stopped in her tracks and turned to Pinkie.

“Or maybe... Something?” Pinkie rephrased her sentence as she pointed to something that was minding its own business in the forest close to them. Whatever it was, it doesn't seem like it had noticed them yet.

Twilight walked towards Pinkie and stared at whatever creature Pinkie was pointing at. “Just what the heck is that?” Twilight questioned, eyes wide. “That's not normal!”

Pinkie laughed, “Everything isn't normal in this forest. I thought after the Timberwolves incident, you would get used to seeing loads of abnormalities in this forest.”

Twilight glared at Pinkie, “Yeah. Maybe I'll get used to it if you shared the diary with me for once?”

“You've never asked,” Pinkie said.

“I did.”

“When?” Pinkie tilted her head.

“Just now.”

Pinkie shook her head, “Don't remember.”

Twilight didn't even bother arguing back. “Either she's acting dumb, or that she has a memory of a goldfish.”

“But since we're here, we might as well take the chance to ask whatever creature that is where we are!” Pinkie said, already walking towards the creature.

The creature had a body of an eagle and a head of a snake. The neck was long, about eight inches.

“Hello,” Pinkie said, waving at the creature. “My name is Pinkie, and I was wondering if maybe you know the way out of the forest?”

The creature flapped its wings at her and hissed.

Pinkie nodded her head, “Uh-huh. Okay.”

“What in the universe is going on?” Twilight questioned herself as she watched Pinkie talking to the creature.

“Thank you!” Pinkie waved at the creature and walked back to Twilight.

“What did it say?” Twilight asked, hands crossed in front of her chest.

“That it's hungry,” Pinkie replied.

Twilight raised her eyebrows, “Okay...”

“And the exit is nowhere to be found,” Pinkie added.

Twilight went silent. “Nowhere to be found?” She repeated.

Pinkie nodded her head. “We're trapped here. A barrier was enforced around the forest. Whoever enters it will never be able to escape.”

“You've gotta be kidding me,” Twilight said, not wanting to believe it.

Pinkie shrugged, she looked calm as ever. “Nope,” was all she said.

Twilight slid onto the ground, “What will happen to us? To our families? We'll be trapped here forever!”

“We could use magic to break the barrier,” Pinkie suggested, holding the grimoire in her hand.

Twilight looked at her, “I thought you didn't want me touching that?”

“Being in the forest is fun and all,” Pinkie shrugged, “But I rather be resting in my warm and cozy bed than spending my whole eternity living here. Plus, I rather pick life over death anytime! Who knows what lurks in the forest?” She pointed to the snake-headed eagle that she'd spoken to moments ago.

Twilight nodded her head, it was true. They could've died anytime, yesterday too. The last time could've been just luck.

“We'll use magic to get out of here,” Twilight said, nodding her head once more.

“But we can't mess it up,” Pinkie said, opening the book, flipping through the pages. Something was different about the book. This time, the words were all written in weird symbols that she had never seen before in her life. “Huh?”

Twilight stood up and stood beside of Pinkie. “What's wrong?” She let out a sigh.

“The words... I don't understand a thing! They weren't like this before,” Pinkie said, pointing to the book.

Twilight looked at the book, it was indeed written in symbols, but for some odd reason, Twilight was able to understand them. Twilight snatched the book away from Pinkie and flipped through the pages. “Huh... I don't know how, but I'm able to understand everything that's written in here.”

“What..?”

Twilight didn't know how to explain it, so she ignored her. “Okay, in order to break a barrier that's made of magic, we have to gather some few things...” She read through the book. “And we have to draw out this circle,” she pointed to the picture of the magic circle that was drawn into the book.

“Couldn't we just draw the magic circle, say whatever we need and get out of here? What do we need the ingredients for anyway?” Pinkie questioned.

“They're needed to draw the magic circle,” Twilight answered.

“Oh.”

“Let's get to it then,” Twilight said, closing the book in her hand.

“What do we even need?” Pinkie questioned.

“I've got it all memorized,” Twilight smiled proudly as she pointed to her head.

Pinkie glared at Twilight. “She could at least tell me.”

This time, Twilight was taking the lead. She would turn her head every now and then to make sure Pinkie was following her, and she wasn't distracted by everything in the forest.

Twilight, without telling Pinkie what they needed to collect, collected the ingredients without Pinkie knowing. The ingredients were surprisingly simple, and can be found nearly everywhere in the forest, such as a poisonous mushroom and a moss from a rock.

“Just one more to go,” Twilight thought to herself as she collected a rainbow crystal from the ground.

Pinkie, on the other hand, was admiring the trees. There were weird patterns on the trees, “Hey, Twilight!” She exclaimed. “Don't you think these patterns on the trees mean something? As if it's telling us something?”

“I highly doubt so,” Twilight answered. “I mean, look at all these trees. Every one of them have patterns on them.”

Pinkie's face was touching the tree, and she slowly petted it. “Hush... She doesn't mean it,” she whispered.

Twilight was weirded out by Pinkie's behavior, but she decided not to question it. “We have one more thing to find,” Twilight said.

“Will you tell me what it is this time?” Pinkie brighten up.

“In fact, yes!” Twilight said, nodding her head. She opened the grimoire and flipped to the page she'd bookmarked using a sticky note. “It says here that we need something that belongs to the place where we want to go,” she said.

“Wait. Hold up. I thought it was some sort of magical spell to break the barrier?” Pinkie questioned.

“Breaking a magical barrier requires powerful magic,” Twilight said. “So... We're teleporting out of here.”

“We're making a portal?” Pinkie asked.

“Uh... More or less,” Twilight shrugged. “Making a portal back home is much more easier and simpler than breaking a barrier. And since this is our first time using magic, making a portal would be kinda hard... But we have to try.”

Pinkie searched through her bag and took out an old music box. “We could use this,” Pinkie said, “As the last item thingy.”

Twilight took the old music box out of her hand, “This look ancient!”

“It's from my great, great, great grandmother, who got it from her grandfather, who got it from his wife, who got it from her aunt, who got it from her sister's boyfriend, who got it from his mom, who got it from her uncle on her birthday, who got it from his great grandparents, who got it from their parents, who got it fro–”

“I think I get it,” Twilight cut her off. She then put the old music box into her bag. “We'll have to find a place to draw the magic circle. A big clean place.”

“We passed a clearing moments ago, let's go there!” Pinkie suggested.

“We wouldn't be able to draw the circle properly with all the grass and all,” Twilight said, “We would need to find a place with a stony floor. That'll be much more easier.”

“Let's find a rocky mountain! Maybe a cave? If it's a cave you want, then I've been to one before! I'm not sure if it's even considered as a cave? But it's underground, so it could be? I don't know! But it has a flat surface, so it can be used to draw a perfect magic circle!”

“Where is it?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie shrugged, “I don't know.”

“Then how do you know about it?”

“I've stumbled across it by accident. I fell into a hole, and found this tunnel that led me to some sort of laboratory. That's where all the creatures were kept in tubes... And that's also when I've released them...” Pinkie's voice trailed off.

Twilight raised her hands in the air and turned around, “Great! Let's continue on our little adventure!” She exclaimed. She was clearly done. Done with everything. Done with Pinkie. Done with this. Done with her life... Not really. She wasn't quite done with everything and her life.

“Let's get a move on,” Twilight said, looking back at Pinkie.

Pinkie nodded her head and followed Twilight. They were so close to getting out of the forest, but they still had so much to do before they could escape.

☽ ♕ ☾

Applejack was running for her dear life. “What in tarnation did I got myself into?!” She questioned herself. She turned to look back, just to see more joining in. “Oh come on! That ain't fair!” She yelled.

Apples that were as big as horses, with six spider-looking legs, three at each side were chasing after Applejack. But that wasn't all. There were gnomes riding on the apples. “Charge!” The gnome with the longest beard shouted.

“Ya'll been saying that for once every five minutes now!” Applejack shouted back.

All the rest of the gnomes cheered. “We'll feed you to the apples. I bet you'll be a great meal for them” said one of them.

How did it came to this? It's simple. As Applejack was walking in the forest, minding her own business, she accidentally stepped into gnome territory. And after that, she found herself running away from fifteen gnomes on creepy-looking apples. “I'll never see apples the same way ever again,” that was what she thought after looking at one of the apples.

The apples were the size of a horse, as I've said. Other than the six spider-looking feet... It had eyes and mouth. The eyes glowed, and changes depending on their mood. If you look into their mouth, all you can see is darkness, as if there was a void inside of those things. Can't forget the teeth. Their teeth is as sharp as a butcher's knife, and can seem to cut through anything. Anything at all.

“Name one thing ah've done wrong,” Applejack shouted.

“You've invaded our village!” Shouted a gnome.

“Invaded? More like terrorized!” Corrected another gnome.

“What? Ah've done none of those things!”

The gnome with the longest beard chuckled, “That's what they all say.”

“I didn't even know I was in yer village!”

“Trying to act innocent? It's not going to work, human,” the gnome said.

“Doesn't look like I could reason my way outta this,” Applejack let out a sigh. “What if I helped ya do something? Will ya let me off if I did?”

The gnomes whispered among each other before the gnome with the longest beard shouted, “Stop!”

Applejack stopped running, and the gnomes had stopped chasing her. Applejack turned to the gnomes, and the gnome with the longest beard got down off his apple... Or whatever they called those things. Due to him being a gnome, he fell to the ground instead.

Applejack tried her best to contain her laughter.

The gnome picked himself up and walked slowly towards Applejack, keeping a good distance between the two of them. “You've said you'll do something for us right?” The gnome asked.

Applejack nodded her head, “In return that ya'll never bother me for this round.”

“Hmm...” The gnome had his hand under his chin. He turned back to the group of gnomes, and back at Applejack. “We've been having this little problem for as long as we gnomes can remember...”

“And what's that?” Applejack questioned.

“Food!” The gnome raised his tiny arms in the air.

“Food?”

“Yes! We gnomes don't like to go out from our home to find for food, since we're basically the lowest in the food chain... So we want you to find food for us!” The gnome said.

“How many?” Applejack asked.

“A good amount for us all to survive a week,” the gnome answered.

“Why a week?” Applejack questioned.

“We can't tell,” the gnome said, shaking his head.

Applejack shrugged, “Okay, that's fine with me. Ah'll help ya find for yer food and make sure it'll last a week, as ya've said.”

“I'll send Steve with you,” the gnome said, looking back at the group of gnomes. “Steve, get out here, you lazy chump!” The gnome screamed.

Steve fell off his ride, but he quickly picked himself up and scrambled to the gnome's side, “Yes?”

“Keep an eye on this human, make sure she gets a week's worth of food for us. If you see her slacking, feel free to kill her,” the gnome said.

“Yes sir,” Steve said.

Steve was different from all the other gnomes. For some reason, he didn't have a beard, and his hat was smaller than any of the others.

“We'll leave him with you...” The gnome glared at Applejack before walking back to his group. “We'll kill you if we have to,” he warned before leaving.

Applejack looked down at Steve. “Well, nice to meet ya,” she said.

Steve looked up at Applejack and hissed at her.

“Yeesh, fine. If ya don't want to be friendly, ya should've said so,” Applejack backed away a few steps. “Anyway, ah'm gonna get started on finding yer food now... How many gnomes are there in ya village?”

“Twenty-six,” Steve answered.

“That's a small number,” Applejack said.

“Most have died,” Steve added.

Applejack went silent. “I'm sorry,” she apologized.

“It's fine. They were all stupid anyway,” Steve shrugged, and he looked at Applejack. “Now, get to work before I kill you!”

Applejack shrugged and began searching for food. Berries, fruits and vegetables. Anything that's edible and healthy, really. After a few minutes, close to an hour of search, she had already found two handful of food. “Can we head back to yer village first? I can't carry all of these all the time if ah'm gonna gather a week's worth of food,” Applejack said. She didn't brought her bag with her, and she wished she did.

“Fine,” Steve said, keeping an eye at Applejack. “Follow me, and don't wander off.”

After a few minutes of walking, the two of them were back at the village. Applejack received many glares from the gnomes, but she ignored them and placed the berries in the middle of the village before heading back out in search for more food.

“That's not even worth a day,” Steve said.

“Ah'm trying, okay?” Applejack gritted her teeth.

From time to time, Steve would comment on how lazy or useless Applejack is at finding her way around the forest in search for food. He was slowly getting onto Applejack's nerves, and she had the urge to punch him in the face. Steve, on the other hand, was enjoying his time insulting Applejack at every way he could. He was clearly bored and had nothing to do.

“You're so slow. At this rate, you wouldn't be able to collect a day's worth of food for a few days!” Steve said.

“Then why don't ya help me?” Applejack asked.

“Why should I?” Steve questioned.

“Then won't ya shut yer trap?” It wasn't a question.

“I could kill you anytime, you know?”

“Yer tiny, I bet my hat that I could defeat ya without much work,” Applejack laughed.

Steve didn't argue back, for it was indeed true. Without his group, he's useless, and it would take a lot of effort to kill Applejack if he did it alone. “Fine, I'll shut my mouth, but you better speed up on your work,” Steve growled at her.

Applejack nodded her head with a proud smile on her face. She felt good after telling the gnome off. It's not much, but she felt as if she'd won a race.

Hours had passed, and so far, Applejack had only found half a day's worth of food. “Where do you even find all yer food up till now?” Applejack asked, grumbling to herself as she did. She was getting tired of this.

Steve shrugged, “I don't know myself. The boss goes out with the elites every once in a while to gather food, while the rest of us gnomes stay back in the village.”

“Have ya'll ever tried planting yer own crops?” Applejack questioned.

“That's... No. We haven't. But that's a great idea!” Steve said, nodding his head. “I should tell this to the boss.”

“Just remember to give me credit,” Applejack said with a smirk.

“Yeah, sure. If I remember,” Steve said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. “Stop chittering chattering and get back to work!” He yelled.

Applejack shrugged it off and continued her search for berries and whatnot. She still hadn't forgotten about her search for her friends though. It's just that... It wasn't a good time to find for them yet.

“This is going to be a long day...” Applejack let out a sigh as she payed attention to her surroundings, making sure she didn't missed any berry bushes or fruits hanging from a tree.

☽ ♕ ☾

Rarity wiped her sweat off her forehead using a handkerchief that she'd brought with her and let out a sigh as she sat on a stump. She was so extremely tired that she didn't even bother if there were dirt or mud on it. “This is... Much more exhausting... Than I've expected...”

She's been walking in the forest for who-knows-how-long, and was separated from her friends. Without any reception in the forest, she had no clue where she was going, and how was she going to get back home. She looked down at her feet, her shoes was all muddy, and the ends of her dress had dirt and mud stuck onto it.

Rarity shivered at the sight of it, “Once I find my way back home, I'm going to have to make sure I take a nice, long, warm bath!” She told herself. She couldn't stand being dirty and covered in mud. A mud bath is an exception... Since... Well... It's for her complexion, and the mud the spa provides for her is much more different than the mud in the forest. Even though the both of them are... Mud.

“I wonder how's Sweetie Belle doing,” Rarity imagined her little sister playing with her friends in the house. She giggled at the thought of it, then she remembered how she tried cooking breakfast for her, but burned the food instead. Those were good times.

“Why am I remembering all of these now?” Rarity wondered.

All the good and bad times she had with her family replayed in her mind. Some were long forgotten, but she found it odd how she was able to hear everything and remembered everything so clearly. Even the faces of the people in the background, she could see them all.

She remembered a saying that said when you're about to die, all your past memories would play in your mind, as if you're watching a movie, but instead, it's your life.

She wasn't dying, she could clearly see that. There was nothing around her that's going to kill her. At least, that's what she thought.

Rarity didn't thought much about it and shrugged it off. She looked at her phone, it was already dark. “Sweetie Belle must be preparing for bed right about now,” she whispered to herself as she looked at wherever she was.

This place, compared to her home, was... Well... Horrifyingly dirty.

Rarity smiled as she took out something from her handbag. It was an inflatable tent. She pulled on a handle, and the tent inflated in just mere seconds! She walked into the tent and took out her sleeping bag from her purse and arranged it neatly in the tent. Her shoes and dress was clearly dirtying the tent, but this was no time to complain. She needed her beauty sleep.

She snuggle herself into her sleeping bag and stared at the top of her tent before closing her eyes and dozed off to sleep.

☽ ♕ ☾

Rainbow Dash found herself in a bright white abyss. There was no sky, there was no ground, nothing. Just a white endless space. “Anyone there?” She called out, only to hear her voice echoing in the space. She felt as if she was falling, at the same time, she felt as if she was floating.

“Who's there?” A voice questioned.

Rainbow Dash frantically looked around, trying to find for the source of the voice. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember who does it belong to. “I'm here! I'm Rainbow Dash!” She exclaimed.

She waited for the voice to reply back to her.

“Oh, it's you! Rainbow Dash,” the voice said to her, happy to hear that it's her. It seems that there's a delay in between each message. “I'm Twilight, remember? The new girl?”

“No wonder her voice sounded familiar,” Rainbow thought to herself. She looked around the white space for Twilight, “Where are you?” She questioned.

“Not sure... I'm in a white endless space. There's nothing here,” Twilight replied.

“Same,” Rainbow Dash said. “We've been searching for you! Where exactly are you?”

“Deep in the forest... Somewhere,” Twilight answered.

Clearly that the both of them were somewhere in the forest, but none of them knew exactly where. “Well, hurry up and find us! Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity and I separated in order to find for both you and Pinkie. Fluttershy's with me, but not sure about the other two.”

“Easy for you to say, this place's huge!” Twilight exclaimed, her voice echoing in the space.

“Oh? What's this?” Pinkie's voice can be heard.

“Pinkie? What? Huh? What... How?” Twilight stammered, didn't know what to say.

“I don't know, Twilight. I don't know,” Pinkie said. If you could see her right now, she's shrugging.

“Hey Pinkie! Nice to hear you're still alive!” Rainbow laughed.

“You wouldn't believe what happened! We got attacked by a Timberwolves!” Pinkie exclaimed, “We outran them, of course.”

The white space was slowly changing into something... Rainbow was unsure of what it's changing into. “Hey, is your space changing?” Rainbow questioned.

“You mean as in colors are fading into the walls?” Pinkie questioned.

Rainbow nodded her head, even though the others can't see her. “Yeah.”

“Mine's doing the same,” Twilight said.

A green grassy field formed under Rainbow's feet, causing her to land gently. She looked around, and she immediately knew where she was. The entrance of the forest. She spotted Twilight and Pinkie standing at the entrance and ran towards them, “How did you get here?” She questioned.

Pinkie shrugged, “Don't know.”

Twilight observed her surroundings, “We're dreaming, that I can say for sure. But the question is... How could we be dreaming the same dream?”

“Don't sweat the details, Twilight. You'll burst your brain!” Pinkie giggled as she took Twilight's glasses off her. “Relax for a while. It's a dream,” she said as she twirled her way towards the town.

“She's right, you know,” Rainbow said, looking at Twilight.

Twilight grumbled and squinted her eyes. Her vision isn't very good without her glasses.

“It's a dream, Twilight!” Pinkie reminded.

Right. It was a dream. Which means, Twilight could do whatever she wants. Twilight imagined another pair of glasses, and it appeared right in front of her. She took the glasses and wore it, then glared straight at Pinkie. “If you ever do that in real life, I'll break your bones,” she threatened.

Pinkie laughed, she doubt that Twilight would actually do that to her.

Rainbow shrugged, “Might as well enjoy this. It won't last.”

☽ ♕ ☾

Fluttershy was awoken by the light shining from outside of the cave, which was reflected directly at her by the gems. She moved away from the light and saw Rainbow sitting at one corner of the cave, writing something on the walls using a gem. She slowly approached her, “What are you doing?” She questioned.

“You're awake?” Rainbow continued writing whatever she was writing on the wall.

Fluttershy noticed that there were a few drawings here and there, with words written underneath them, such as ‘lake’ and ‘berries’. It was a map... Though it was poorly drawn. “Trying to find a way back home?”

“Well... Yes and no,” Rainbow replied, tossing the gem onto the ground before she stood up and stared at her masterpiece. “I've met with Pinkie and Twilight.”

“How?” Fluttershy questioned. She was eager to hear the answer.

“In my dreams,” Rainbow answered.

Fluttershy frowned. “Rainbow... I think you just dreamt of them.”

“No. Our dreams were... Connected somehow? I don't know how, Twilight's finding an answer for it,” Rainbow Dash tried explaining it the best she could, but she noticed she didn't have enough details or information to actually explain the whole thing to her friend. She scratched her head, messing her hair, “Gargh! This is so frustrating!” She shouted. Explaining things wasn't really what she does best.

Fluttershy patted her friend on the back, “Calm down,” she said. “We'll find for them.”

Fluttershy didn't know why was Rainbow Dash so frustrated over whatever she wanted to tell her, but she decided to keep her mouth shut and let Rainbow be... Rainbow. Even if she cared for her friends and worried about the others, there's one question that had been stuck on her mind for as long as she could remember.

“Did I make a deal?”

☽ ♕ ☾

Hey, kid. I got something important to tell you. Well, it may not be that important, but if you want to hear the end of this story, then yes, it is sorta important. I have to go over to the next town to solve some business issues, so I probably won't be back for three days at most. Think you can wait for me till I come back?

What? Why're so surprise about me having a job? Don't tell me you thought I was some sort of shut-in person who does nothing with their lives other than telling stories? I told you before, I have my own life too! That's very rude of you to think that, you know?

What am I working as? That's not important for you, now is it? Well, fine, if you really want to know... Psyche! You thought I would tell you?

Geez, calm your head. I'll tell you everything about me once we're done with this story, okay? I haven't forgotten about my promise with you.

Oh, that reminds me. Another one of these cryptograms was sent to me. It's fun to solve them when you've got nothing better to do.

☽ ♕ ☾

You've received another cryptogram.

13-9 25-9-5 26-11-18-3 11-25-6 13-3-11-19-12

I've told you the clue during your third visit. Remember it. Dig deep into your memory if you have to.

Author's Note

☪ I don't want them lingering in the forest more than they've already had. It's dragging onto too many chapters. Well... All I can say is that I hope you like a slow build story, because I think this is one of them.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Everything everywhere is in shambles.”

Yes, I'm back! Happy to see me? No? Well, too bad. Just seeing you here clearly tells me that you are!

How was my business trip? ...tiring. I had to deal with loads of paperwork on the first day, meeting on the second, and rushed through the projects they've given me on the third day as I have to jumble up my time to pack my belongings.

What business was I dealing with? Hm... I won't tell. Yes, I do know you hate me for keeping a lot of secrets from you, but I don't really have any reason to tell you what you want to know, now do I? At least, not now... Yes, I do agree I'm a living example of mystery, thank you for your compliment! I'm flattered, really.

But let's just get on with the story. Tea or coffee? ...water, huh. That's fine with me, are you sure you're fine with that? Okay then, water it is.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Applejack had disappeared too?” Sweetie Belle, the younger sister of Rarity asked with a worried expression on her face. “Rarity disappeared just the same day your sister did!”

“What if it's some sort of sign?” Scootaloo questioned.

“If so, then what sign will it be?!” Sweetie Belle panicked, running around in circles. “First Pinkie and Twilight, now Applejack and Rarity? Where could they disappeared to?”

“Don't forget about Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy,” Scootaloo added.

“Yes, and them too!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “What if they were kidnapped? What if they were murdered under someone's house? What if... What if?”

“Hush it,” Applebloom growled. “Ah bet they're just fine. My sister's a grown up, Ah bet she knows what she's doing.”

“They're all just... I don't know, fifteen or sixteen?” Scootaloo shrugged. “That's technically not an adult age.”

“Shush it!”

“Come on, kids, it's time to go back in now,” Ms. Cheerilee said as all the other children ran back into the classroom.

“Well, time for class,” Applebloom said, heading back first, and was followed by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

Ms. Cheerilee eyed them and had a sad expression on her face. She knew what happened to both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom's older sister, and about Scootaloo's distant cousin's disappearances. She didn't know what she could do to cheer them up, but she did pity them for having their loved ones disappearing on them without a trace.

☽ ♕ ☾

“We could be the next ones in line for suddenly disappearing from this town for all I know!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“We could...” Applebloom trailed off.

The three girls heard laughing coming from behind them. It was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, the two richest girl in the town. The both of them are childhood friends and came from a rich family, they could even be considered the ‘princesses’ of this small town.

“Well, wouldn't that be nice if they suddenly disappeared?” Diamond Tiara said in her snobbish, high-pitched, annoying voice. “Wouldn't that be... Awesome?”

“I agree with you. That would indeed be nice!” Silver Spoon nodded her head in agreement.

“What's the name of your little group again...? ‘Crusaders’ was it?” Diamond Tiara asked, leaning against Applebloom's shoulder.

Applebloom inched away from her and glared at her, “Mind yer own business,” she said.

“I am,” Diamond Tiara backed away.

The three crusaders hated both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. They hadn't done anything to them, but the both of them had caused them miseries throughout their own school year.

“What's this?” Silver Spoon looked at Sweetie Belle's dress. “Did you buy that from the dump or what?”

Sweetie Belle said nothing but glared at Silver Spoon. “Just so you know, my sister is an amazing designer! You'll probably be the most ugliest person alive if it wasn't for her dresses!” That was what Sweetie Belle was thinking.

Scootaloo just rolled her eyes at them and crossed her arms. She didn't cared for their insults. It kinda numbed her. “Yeah, I bet all you've ever done was polishing tiaras and shining spoons,” she said, scoffing at them.

Diamond Tiara gasped, she was clearly insulted. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Scootaloo said.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both had smiles on their faces. The both of them covered their mouths with their hand and tried their best to suppress their laughter.

“Why! I...!” Diamond Tiara was out of words. She couldn't think of a comeback. “Ugh!” She stomped her feet on the ground and marched out of the classroom, “Come on, Silver Spoon, we've got nothing with these... Lousy no-talents.”

“Wait for me!” Silver Spoon exclaimed as she chased after Diamond Tiara.

After they've left, the three crusaders broke into a laugh. “You should've seen the looks on their faces!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “They were lost for words!”

“Ah couldn't believe ya did that, Scoots. Ah'm surprised!”

“So was I,” Sweetie Belle nodded.

The crusaders went silent for a while. “Let's get out of here,” Scootaloo suggested, as the others nodded their heads in agreement before packing their bags and walking out of the school building. “So... How are your family coping with things? About one of their family member disappearing and all?”

“Big Mac said that Applejack should be fine,” Applebloom said, a little unsure. “But we ain't sure if she really is or not. Haven't heard any reports from nobody.”

“This should really be on the front newspaper cover. 6 missing teenagers,” Scootaloo let out a sigh.

Sweetie Belle looked away, “Mom and dad is... Well... More protective over me now that Rarity had disappeared. They feared that one day, without their knowing, I may disappear from this world without a trace, just like my sister...”

“That happens when one of your family member suddenly disappeared,” Applebloom said, patting her friend on the back to try and comfort her.

“They wouldn't even let me visit you guys anymore!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“Then we'll just visit you, at your place,” Scootaloo said, trying to stay positive.

“That's a great idea,” Applebloom nodded her head.

Sweetie Belle looked over at Scootaloo, “How about you?”

Scootaloo looked confused. “What about me?”

“How are you coping with things?” Sweetie Belle questioned.

Scootaloo let out a sigh, “Grandma isn't taking it all that well, but I'm fine,” she forced a smile.

“Are yer sure? Ah mean, Rainbow Dash is like a sister to ya,” Applebloom said.

“Yes, I'm worried for her, at the same time, I wonder if she's alive...” Scootaloo's voice faded off. “But I'm fine, really. I'm sure Rainbow will come back home safe and sound, same with your sisters!”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other before looking back at Scootaloo. “You're right, they'll come back home as if nothing ever happened! And life would go back to the way it was,” Sweetie Belle said, her voice squeaked at the end.

Applebloom nodded her head in agreement, “Then maybe we could meet at the Sugarcube Corner and celebrate their return.”

“Sugarcube Corner... Sounds nice,” Scootaloo smiled, nodding her head.

☽ ♕ ☾

Applejack had been forced to work overnight without sleep until she'd gathered enough food for the gnomes. As she was washing her face in a nearby lake, she could see dark circles underneath her eyes from her reflection. “Ah look awful,” she let out a sigh as she got back to work, with Steve following behind her, of course.

“You'll never be able to find enough food,” Steve kept saying.

Applejack was too tired to care. “Yeah, whatever ya say,” she said.

Steve, on the other hand, was getting bored. Applejack didn't react to every single insult or discouragement he threw at her. “You're no fun,” he mumbled.

“Ah ain't suppose to be,” Applejack yawned.

Her steps were getting sloppier, and whenever she picked up any food she found, she would take her time and pick it up. Sure, she heard Steve complaining and whining, but she didn't cared. All she wanted was to get this over with and get some day's worth of sleep.

“How does your home look like?” Steve questioned.

“Filled with nature as far as the eye can see,” Applejack was spouting nonsense. The town was indeed surrounded by nature, but was not filled with nature. She was too tired to think straight. “Home's pink and made out of nuts, dang critters always tried to eat them.”

“That's interesting.”

“Nah, it's not. They showed this stupid TV show called ‘Gnomeville’ where all the gnomes were literally just garden gnomes, and the guy who owns the gnomes just narrates his life with gnomes throughout the whole series,” she didn't even know what she was talking about anymore.

“Gnome... What?”

“He got a child name Rocky, and he's a jerk. He goes 'round town murdering every sign poles he sees and eats glass shards for dinner,” Applejack let out another yawn before continuing. “And let me tell ya, his wife ain't all that sweet. She terrorized about seventeen gnome gardens.”

Steve flinched. “That's... Savage!”

“Ah know. But that's how life is for the Crabble family,” Applejack shrugged. She spotted a fruit hanging from a tree and pointed at it, “Look! A fruit.”

“Go get it,” Steve said.

Applejack leaned against the tree and sat on the ground, “Too tired. Wake me up in... Tomorrow.”

Steve ran towards her and shook her shoulders, “Wake up, human! You've got a job to do!” He shouted.

Applejack shut her eyes, “Ah've got a name, ya know?”

“I don't care about your stupid name!”

“It's Applejackalope...”

“What the heck?! That's a stupid name! Better call you human than that!” Steve yelled.

“That's an amazing name,” Applejack mumbled before she fell asleep.

Steve crossed his arms, “Dang it! Wake up!” She screamed at the top of his lungs, “I'll annoy the heck of you till you open your eyes!”

☽ ♕ ☾

“Did you hear that?” Pinkie stopped in her tracks, she could've sworn she'd heard tiny screaming coming from the forest.

“Hear what?” Twilight questioned.

“Tiny screaming,” Pinkie answered.

Twilight went silent for a while, “Nope,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe you've imagined it,” she added.

“Maybe,” Pinkie said as the both of them continued on their trail.

Honestly speaking, none of them knew where their heading, but ever since they've found a dirt path, they've been following it ever since. “Where do you think it'll lead us to?” Pinkie asked curiously.

“Maybe something terrible? Horrible? Something that would be engraved into our minds?” Twilight listed a few of them. “You know, I'm quite surprised we haven't ran into anything dangerous... Other than the Timberwolves from last time.”

Pinkie laughed, “I'm quite surprised myself too!” But she stopped laughing after a while. “Don't jinx us, Twilight. Just... Don't.”

“I'm not, I'm not,” Twilight said, raising her arms in defense. “I'm just saying.”

“Don't do that too,” Pinkie said seriously. “I've done that one, and it jinxed me after a few minutes or hours.”

“That's just a coincidence,” Twilight chuckled and rolled her eyes.

Pinkie saw something ran pass them, and she quickly grabbed Twilight's shoulder to stop her. “What's wrong?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie placed a finger in front of her mouth, “Shh...”

The same ‘something’ ran pass them once more. It was too fast for their eyes to catch up.

“What's that?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie shrugged. “I'm not sure, but it had this pointy thing on its head,” she whispered as she pointed to her forehead.

“The diary must have something about it, right?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie quickly took the diary out of her bag and flipped through all the pages to find what seems relevant to the creature they saw. “A unicorn,” Pinkie said under her breath. Her eyes sparkled and a smile was spread wide across her face. She pulled a Twilight by her shoulder and shoved the book into her face, “A unicorn, Twilight! A unicorn!” She exclaimed silently.

Twilight pushed the book away from her face, “It's harmless, right?”

“It says here that it's more or less harmless, but will attack anyone and anything if it ever harms it in any way,” Pinkie read the book our loud.

“Let's not go near them,” Twilight suggested.

“But, Twilight... They're unicorns! Plus, it says here that they're magical!”

The last word caught Twilight's attention. “With the help of the unicorn's magic, we may be able to get out of this place and fully break the barrier around the forest... How hard is it to convince a unicorn to help us though? Most importantly, do they even have enough magic to break the barrier?” Twilight's thoughts was all over the place.

Pinkie waved her hand in front of Twilight, “Earth to Twilight?”

Twilight snapped her fingers, “We'll meet the unicorn,” she said.

Pinkie threw her arms in the air and begun singing and spinning. “We're going to meet a unicorn, so beautiful and fair. Much prettier than a maiden in distress, and far powerful than a wizard. A combination of both, a unicorn!” She sing-sang.

Twilight wasn't even sure how Pinkie came up with all these weird songs right on the spot, but she wasn't going to question it. “Where did the unicorn head to?” Twilight questioned.

“There's two of them, one of them went over there, while the other went there,” Pinkie said, pointing to two different directions. “Take your pick.”

“Right,” Twilight answered without much hesitation.

“Right it is! For right is always right!” Pinkie said as she strolled towards the right path.

Twilight followed her from behind, reading through the grimoire as she did. She was impressed by how many different types of magic circles there are, and how many magical artifacts can be found in the forest if you've searched the right places.

“Over there,” Pinkie dragged Twilight towards her and hid behind a tree as she pointed to the unicorn resting on the grass. “Isn't it beautiful?”

“Yeah, sure,” Twilight said. Honestly, the unicorn looked like a horse with a horn stuck onto its head, so to her, it looked more or less similar to a horse. “Well, I got some questions to ask that unicorn.”

“Don't you know unicorns are cautious around humans?” Pinkie held tightly onto Twilight, not letting her go. “You have to gain their trust before they even speak to you.”

“How can I do that?” Twilight questioned.

“Leave it to dear old Pinkie!” Pinkie pointed at herself proudly. “If making friends was a skill, I would be number one!”

“Just keep telling yourself that, Pinkie,” Twilight chuckled. “Just keep telling yourself...”

“It's true! I'm the most lovable and kindest person in town!” Pinkie exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. She pointed to Twilight, “I'll show you... I'll prove it to you that I'll gain the trust of this unicorn in mere seconds.”

“Okay then,” Twilight smirked with her arms crossed. “Prove it.”

Pinkie's eyes were locked at Twilight, “I will.” She turned away from her and walked quietly and slowly towards the unicorn that was standing before them. The unicorn noticed Pinkie and stood up immediately, ready to run. “Please don't go,” Pinkie whispered, loud enough for the unicorn to hear, “I'm not going to harm you, I promise. See?” She raised her hands up in the air, showing the unicorn that she got no weapon on her.

The unicorn let out a breath and glared at the bag Pinkie was wearing.

Pinkie took notice and stopped at her tracks and placed her bag on the ground. She opened the bag to show what was in the bag, “See? No weapon, no nothing. Just a book and some other stuff,” she said.

The unicorn's gaze fell onto Pinkie, the unicorn doesn't seem to fully trust her just yet.

Pinkie slowly took a step forward, “If you want me to stop, just take a step back,” she said in a hushed voice.

The unicorn glared at Pinkie, but then allowed her to walk towards it. Pinkie smiled and petted the unicorn on the head. She felt the touch of the unicorn's silky mane, “Wow, you have such beautiful soft hair!” She giggled.

If the unicorn could speak, I bet it would say a thank you.

“I know you don't fully trust me yet, but is it fine if a friend of mine come to meet you?” Pinkie questioned politely.

The unicorn stared at her suspiciously.

“Don't worry, she's like me. Lost in the forest with nothing more than harmless items,” Pinkie reassured.

The unicorn thought for a long while before nodding its head.

Pinkie looked back at Twilight, who was still hiding behind the bush, “You can come out,” she called out.

Twilight walked towards Pinkie and stopped beside of her.

Pinkie glanced over at her friend with a proud smile on her face, “Told you so,” she said.

Twilight rolled her eyes, “Sure, whatever,” she said in defeat.

“If you don't mind us, can my friend ask you a question?” Pinkie asked the unicorn.

The unicorn nodded its head, while Twilight flipped through the grimoire, which she now claimed it as hers. She stopped at the page where she'd previously bookmarked and stared at it for a good while before closing it back. She looked at the unicorn, “Hello,” she said, waving her hand at it.

“Well, my name is Twilight Sparkle, a pleasure to meet you,” she continued. “The question of mine is that... If you could, do you mind breaking the barrier that's surrounding this forest?”

The unicorn's horn began to glow a warm blue. “A barrier?” The voice was coming from the unicorn. “I don't remember a barrier being placed on this forest.” The unicorn's horn glowed as the unicorn spoke.

Pinkie's mouth was wide open, and Twilight could tell that she was screaming happily on the inside.

“Neither do any of us,” Twilight said, referring to Pinkie and herself. “We've just been into this forest twice. This being our second time. The first time, there weren't any barrier, but it seems like there's now a barrier placed around the forest, making us unable to return back to where we came from.”

The unicorn looked away for a moment. “The barrier can be broken,” it said. “But what's in it for me?”

“Right... Everything has its own price,” Twilight grumbled silently to herself.

“Anything!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Pinkie!” Twilight glared at her.

Pinkie covered her mouth, “No, I mean... What would you want?”

“I want...” The unicorn trailed off and went silent for a while. “A rainbow crystal.”

“A rainbow crystal?” Pinkie tilted her head to the side.

Twilight remembered where she'd last been to one part of the forest where everything was crystallized. “Pinkie, I think I may know where to find one,” she said with a smile.

“Where?” Pinkie questioned.

“If memory serves me right, once we return back to where we camp last night, we have to take a turn to the left, and find a rock that's been covered in moss from top to bottom...” Twilight begun telling the directions and explained to Pinkie how she found the place.

“Okay!” Pinkie exclaimed, looking at the unicorn. “You got yourself a deal.”

“Hold up,” Twilight stopped. “How will we be able to find you after we obtained the rainbow crystal, as you've requested?”

“Don't worry, I will be there,” the unicorn said before the glow on its horn faded away, and the unicorn ran back into the forest.

“Well then, let's continue on our little adventure!” Pinkie said, taking the lead this time. She pointed back to the direction from where'd she came, “Onwards!”

Twilight rolled her eyes, “This is going to be another long adventure... I can feel it,” she mumbled silently to herself.

“We're still young, not many people get to experience what we're experiencing right now, you know? Most of them don't even know these creatures exists!” Pinkie said.

“You can hear me?” Twilight questioned. “From this distance?”

“I have great hearing skills,” Pinkie said.

Twilight clapped her hands, “Good for you,” she said. “Does that mean she heard everything I've said under my breath up until now?”

“Onwards to another adventure, off to find a rainbow crystal,” Pinkie begun to sing. “For a unicorn whose horn glows blue, and suddenly disappearing without a clue.”

“Seriously. How does she make up all these songs right on the spot?!”

☽ ♕ ☾

Lucky for you, it just so happens that I have a free day tomorrow! Aren't you happy? You get to hear me go on and on about this story for an hour or so. You better be glad, kid. I can stop this whenever I want, you know?

Now, you might think since I've got a free day tomorrow means I'm going to spend my whole time telling this story, right? Too bad for you, I'm not! I you should keep this in mind whenever you're around me, kid... Never get your hopes up. I'll break and crush them easily. But I got to say... I'm surprised. You visited me for six times straight now, without missing a day, and always on time. What are you? A magician? Well then, I'll walk you out of the house.

When will your next visit be? Hm... Four days. Anyways, farewell! Hope to see you in four days time, kid!

Author's Note

☪ The crusaders have finally made a part in the story! I won't tell you anything, for that'll bring spoilers, and it's no fun if I've told you what they'll do, so you'll have to be patient and find it out yourself.

A friend of mine read this, and she went all, “The title should be ‘Trapped in the Forest’, ‘Escape From Forest’, ‘Facing Magical Abnormalities At A Young Age Is Scary, Run For Your Lives, You Don't Want To Get Eaten By Gnomes’.” I'm not even going to question her.

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“Why are you seeking for answers to what you don't even know?”

Hello, hello. You're 0.01 second late, but that doesn't matter now, does it? Come on in. Oh, by the way, it's my sister's birthday today! I've made her a gift, all neatly wrapped with a pink ribbon on top, her favourite color, and stuffed it inside of her mailbox at 3am in the morning. I'm sure she'll love the gift I've sent her!

What is it? It's a heart! No, not those paper cutout ones. A literal heart. What? It's not disgusting, it's how I show somebody I care! Well, I did some sort of murdered an innocent rabbit... But... Uh, let's forget about that.

Run away if you'd like, but knowing you, you won't, won't you? Hah, knew it. You want to hear the end of the story, don't you? We're not even close to the end. I'll go prepare something for us to drink, some tea perhaps? No? Coffee then? Water? Seriously? Again? You need some taste in your life, kid. Give tea a try, coffee too, maybe? Okay, fine, fine... Water it is.

Oh, by the way, don't look under the couch. I forgot to dispose of... Well, you know. And yes, I did purposely put it under the couch you've chosen since day one. Choose a different one if you'd like!

☽ ♕ ☾

“I really have to take a shower once I get back home... I stink!” Rarity grumbled as she walked uncomfortably through the forest. Some mud had gotten into her shoe. “Why does the forest have to be so extremely muddy?”

Her hair was a mess, leaves were stuck on it, and whenever she tried to take them off, it hurts. Something was holding the leaves and her hair together. Honey? Sap? She didn't know. Her once cleaned dress was now covered in mud and dirt, and looked as if she'd gotten it from a dump.

“I regret my decision to come in here,” she mumbled to herself.

“Another one of you kids! Oh, bravo for me! I've found another!” A voice cheered.

Rarity turned around to see who it was, but saw nothing. “I must be imagining things,” she told herself.

“Nope, you're wide awake. I'm not an illusion either. I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere!” The voice exclaimed.

Rarity didn't know where the voice came from, but the voice sounded as if it was coming from inside of her head. “How is this possible?”

“It is.”

Rarity was extremely surprised that it could know what she was thinking. She searched the area frantically, “Where are you?”

“Up here,” the voice was can be heard from up in the sky. “Down here,” now it was coming from the ground. “North, south, east and west,” the voice continued as it can be heard circling around Rarity. “Lastly, in your head.”

“Leave me alone!” Rarity screamed.

The voice laughed, “If your voice was any higher, I bet you could break a glass window or something!” Soon after, the voice had stopped laughing, and the tone in its voice sounded serious. “Look here,” the voice said before rephrasing itself, “No. Listen here.”

Rarity silenced herself.

“I know where your friends are. And I know what your desires are,” the voice said. “All of your friends are scattered around the forest, like mice lost in a maze. Some are in trouble, while some are heading towards trouble. And you, on the other hand, want to avoid these ‘trouble’ am I right?”

Rarity slowly nodded her head.

“From what I can see, you're a mess,” the voice laughed, as if it was mocking Rarity. “But I could fix you right up...”

“Fix me right up?” Rarity questioned.

“Well, yes! You want to go home, do you not?”

Rarity looked away, she did indeed wanted to go home. “Of course,” she said.

“Hm... Let's say that I'll transport all of you home, if only you do me a little favor?” the voice asked.

Rarity backed away, this doesn't sound good. She had a bad feeling about this.

“Scared?”

“Of course I am,” Rarity glared at nowhere in particular. She had a feeling whatever was talking to her could see her. “Not everyday will a voice without a physical body will talk to you, you know?”

The voice laughed. “Most would be running in fear. But somehow, you and your little friends did not. Why is that?”

“How would I know,” Rarity shrugged.

The voice went silent for a mere while, “Do you want to make a deal with me?”

“I'm sorry, but I don't make... Deals,” Rarity said.

“You're just like that nerd girl! Smart! But you're smarter!” the voice laughed. Rarity noticed that the voice had been laughing a lot. “Since I've failed to make a deal with you, there's nothing more for me to do with you. See ya around!” And with that, the voice vanished and never came back.

“See me around...” Rarity repeated it in her mind over and over again. She had a feeling that she might come across whatever that voice was someday soon, in the future. “What a creep,” she said with a disgusted expression on her face. “If you can hear me, don't bother showing yourself ever again! Or talk to me, in fact!” She shouted to the forest, hoping that the voice could hear her.

She crossed her arms and glared at a deer nearby, “What are you staring at?” She hissed at the deer before it ran off.

She continued her search without much of a problem. Except, she did complained about how dirty the place is every now and then. From time to time, she would take her phone out from her purse to check the time.

“The battery's almost dead,” she let out a sigh as she stared at the percentage of her phone. It said ‘15%’. She kept her phone back into her purse and held her stomach, she was hungry. She looked around the area for anything to eat. Berries, fruits, whatever she could find that's edible.

“If I'd knew I would be lost in the forest for more than a day, I would've packed more sandwiches,” she thought to herself. Her stomach was now grumbling.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Check this out!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she pointed to an old broken down hut in the middle of the forest.

“What's a hut doing here?” Fluttershy questioned.

Rainbow Dash shrugged, “I don't know, but I doubt anybody lived there. Hey, this gave me a great idea, let's go loot the place!” She exclaimed as she ran excitedly towards the hut.

“H-hold on!” Fluttershy squeaked as she tried her best to keep up with her friend. Fluttershy stopped beside of Rainbow Dash and held her shoulder, “What... What if something's in there?”

“Are you scared?” Rainbow Dash smirked.

“Well... No? Yes? I...” Fluttershy stammered.

Rainbow Dash let out a small laugh before dragging Fluttershy into the hut. Everything in the hut looked broken down and old. “Whoa...” Rainbow Dash looked around the area. She searched through the bookshelves, only to find books of ancient history and folklore. “Meh, boring,” she said as she tossed them onto the ground.

Fluttershy pointed to one of the books that were different from any other, “Look at this one.”

Rainbow Dash walked towards Fluttershy and stared at the book she was pointing at. The book had no title and no author, and had three golden diamonds at the front cover of the book. Rainbow Dash opened the book and flipped through the pages, she couldn't understand a thing that was written in there.

“What's this? This doesn't even make any sense!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, tossing the book to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy looked at the book and closed it, staring at the cover. “Maybe it's important?”

Rainbow Dash shrugged, “I don't know, maybe it is, maybe it's not. I'm not keeping it. It's boring when you don't understand a thing.”

Fluttershy kept the book inside of her bag and followed wherever Rainbow Dash was heading. They were walking down a spiral stairs, leading to the basement. “Creepy and scary,” Rainbow Dash had a smile on her face, “Cool! I like it!” She had always been the type for adventures.

Fluttershy, on the other hand, was shivering non-stop. “I-i-i don't think it's... A... G-good idea to g– Eep!” Fluttershy hid behind of Rainbow Dash when she heard something fell onto the ground.

Clank.

“I think we should go back!” Fluttershy quickly said.

Rainbow Dash laughed, “Maybe it's just a rat. Nothing to worry about,” she said as she continued walking down the spiral stairs.

Clank.

“I really don't...” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Don't worry about it, Shy. I'm here, okay?” Rainbow Dash said.

“I know... But I do–”

Footsteps.

“Somebody's there, Rainbow! Somebody's there!” Fluttershy screamed as she shook Rainbow Dash by her shoulders.

“Fluttershy! Calm down!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she was being shook back and forth, “Let me go!”

More footsteps. Much more louder. They're coming closer.

Fluttershy stopped and she froze at the spot.

Rainbow Dash let out a sigh as she looked at Fluttershy, “Don't do that again.”

Fluttershy didn't speak.

Rainbow Dash waved her hand in front of Fluttershy's face, “Hello? Earth to Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy raised her hand, pointing to something behind of Rainbow Dash. Her mouth shivered, and all she said was, “Monster.”

Rainbow Dash turned to look behind, and she fell onto the steps. She looked back at Fluttershy, who was still frozen in fear. “Should've listened to her, that's what Rainbow thought to herself.

The creature that stood before them was covered in darkness, and only their eyes glowed in the dark. “Who dares to step into my territory?” The creature said in a deep, loud voice as it echoed in the room.

Rainbow gulped, “We're gonna die. We're gonna die. We're totally gonna die.”

☽ ♕ ☾

“This had been on my mind for a while now... Actually, it's been on my mind since yesterday,” Twilight started.

Pinkie spun around and stopped to face Twilight. “What is it?” She questioned.

“Remember how Rainbow, you and I shared the same dream last night? Don't you find it odd how we're able to share that one dream? I mean, it doesn't make any sense!” Twilight exclaimed, waving her hands in the air. “People don't normally share dreams, and if they do, there's only a 0.000000001% chance!”

“That's a lot of zeros,” Pinkie whistled.

“But that's not the case,” Twilight said.

Pinkie tilted her head, “Then what is?”

“What's up with last night? With all the cannons and streamers? Floating bubble shaped nuggets, balloons with creepy faces drawn on it, chicken riding a scooter, and how in the world did you load those cannons with PEOPLE?!”

“Psh! It's a dream, Twilight. Anything could happen!” Pinkie said.

“Yes, I know. But PEOPLE STUFFED IN CANNONS?! What's going on in your mind, Pinkie?” Twilight flicked Pinkie's forehead with her finger. “You're one of a kind, Pinkie... One of a kind. I don't think I'll be able to understand you the way you want me to.”

Pinkie laughed as she rubbed her forehead, “You don't have to if you don't want to!”

Twilight let out a sigh. “Well, anyways... We're here,” she said, pointing to the crystallized part of the forest.

Pinkie ran in front of Twilight and examined the area, “Ohhh, shiny!”

“Yes, yes. Let's find that... Rainbow crystal, was it?”

Pinkie nodded her head.

“Yeah, let's find that and give it to that unicorn,” Twilight said, already searching the area.

“We don't even know how it looks like,” Pinkie said.

Twilight shrugged, “It's a rainbow crystal. Find a crystal that's rainbow-colored.”

Pinkie stood still and observed her surroundings. The lights reflected on the crystals were making the crystals looked as if they were rainbow-colored. She squinted her eyes, “Yeah... Find for a rainbow-colored one...” She mumbled. She turned to Twilight, “All of them look rainbow enough for me, couldn't we just pick one and give it to her?”

“Ah... It's not that easy,” Twilight said, sighing as she walked towards Pinkie. She laid her hand on her shoulder, “Listen here, Pinkie. This is like some sort of trade. Two parties must have the exact thing the other party request for, and if one of them doesn't have the thing the other party wants, then it's cancelled. Something like a deal, if you'd like to call it.”

“I see! Okay, I got it!” Pinkie exclaimed, giving Twilight a thumbs up.

Twilight walked pass Pinkie and begun looking around the crystallized forest for the rainbow crystal. “I wonder if it's a rare crystal?” Twilight questioned herself.

“Maybe,” Pinkie shrugged as she followed Twilight from behind, searching the right side, while Twilight was searching the left side. “I don't see any rainbow crystal here. Other than one colored ones,” Pinkie said as she picked up a blue crystal. She then picked up a green one and looked at it for a good while.

Twilight turned to her, “Pinkie, stop wasting time.”

“This may be a silly idea,” Pinkie said as she scatter around, finding all six different colored crystals. “But what happens if we combine all six colors to one crystal?”

Twilight placed her finger under her chin. “That might... Actually work,” she said. “Pinkie, you're a genius!” She exclaimed as she placed both hands on both sides of Pinkie's shoulders.

“I know I am!” Pinkie laughed proudly.

Twilight turned away from her friend and begun pacing around. “The question is... How do we combine all the colors from six different crystals to one?” She begun mumbling to herself. “We could melt them, but we got nothing to melt them with...”

“How about using some fire magic?” Pinkie suggested.

“One wrong move and it could melt this whole forest down,” Twilight said, shaking her head. It wasn't a good idea. “Even burn the rest of the forest,” she later added.

“Oh...”

“Does the diary say anything about rainbow crystals?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie placed the crystals on the floor and took the diary out of her bag. She begun flipping through the pages, searching for an entry that tells anything about rainbow crystals. “Ah-hah! Found it!” She exclaimed, pointing to the page.

‘September 12, I've returned to the crystallized part of the forest to find out what had caused part of the forest to turn into crystals. Honestly speaking, it's magical. I have yet to find anything that may or may not cause the forest to turn into crystals. The funny thing is that some crystals are bendable, but are hard as rock. Why is that? I brought some back with me in order to analyze it. What they're made of, and how are they the way they are.’

“This got nothing about the rainbow crystals,” Twilight said.

Pinkie shushed her and begun reading through the book.

‘There are multiple colored crystals in the forest, from red to purple. My sibling believed that something could be made using these crystals. I kept telling her that nothing could be created, and we should leave the crystals, but she insisted I bring them back... So I did. Surprisingly, it did made something stunningly beautiful. A rainbow crystal. We've tried everything to cut it, burn it, smash it and destroy it, but not even a scratch was made.’

“So... The rainbow crystal isn't something to be found, but something to be made,” Pinkie said quietly.

“I thought we've already established that?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.

Pinkie let out a nervous laughter, “I didn't thought it was true.”

“From what I read and see, it's more or less true.”

‘The rainbow crystal was kept by my sibling, who refused to show it to the world, saying that some selfish people may learn to make it for themselves and create a weapon of mass destruction to rule the world. I laughed at the idea of that. Who in the world would do that? My sibling kept the steps to make the rainbow crystal hidden somewhere... I'm not too sure where, but I have to say, wherever she kept it, she kept it good.’

Twilight flipped the diary off of Pinkie's hands.

Pinkie looked at Twilight with her eyebrows raised high. “What was that for?!”

Twilight clapped her hands together and walked towards the diary, picking it up and handing it over to Pinkie. “All we have to do is find wherever this guy's sibling kept the steps in making a rainbow crystal, and we're out of here. Should be simple, right?”

Pinkie glared at her before opening the diary once more. She flipped through the pages, in search for more answers.

Twilight turned back to her, “What are you doing?”

“Maybe whoever wrote this found the thing later on?” Pinkie shrugged.

“Whatever you say, do what you want,” Twilight let out a sigh.

Pinkie did what she did.

‘November 30, I'm so stupid. The paper was kept in my sibling's shoebox. Who would've thought? I'm taking it away and keeping it somewhere else. I need it for... Research purposes. I'm heading back to my lab with this.’

The next page has a few burnt parts.

‘November 31, phew! My goodness, I'm never doing that again. Don't ever mess with mutant lava creatures. Ever. I thought it was a good idea to rid myself and my sibling of that rainbow crystal by throwing it into a lava, but no. It doesn't work. That lava creature now has an amazing crystal for an eye. It sparkles too! You know, I shouldn't be writing this in the middle of crisis.’

Part of the paper was burnt, and was unreadable.

‘December 1, yesterday was an adventure. Luckily, the paper is still with me... It's not here! I swore I brought it back with me! Oh shoot, where is it? I need it! Did I left it back at the lab? Dang... I would have to get through that lava creature once more... Urgh.’

“Found anything yet?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie flipped through the other pages before answering. It looked to her that from that day onwards, whoever wrote the diary did not return back to the lab, and failed to retrieve the paper. “I think I may've found where they kept the paper at,” Pinkie smiled.

“Where is it?” Twilight asked.

“The laboratory!” Pinkie exclaimed, tossing the book into the air and caught it in her arms as it fell. “But problem is, I have no idea where it is!”

“Woo... Another adventure! How exciting,” Twilight said sarcastically. She then crossed her arms, “Well, where did you last fell into the laboratory?”

“When we're separated from each other,” Pinkie answered.

“Do you think we can recreate the scene and make you fall into the laboratory again?” Twilight questioned.

Pinkie thought of it for a while. Honestly, she didn't know.

“This whole place is weird and strange. It's filled with abnormalities, as you've said. Magical stuff too,” Twilight pointed to the grimoire. “So maybe if we separate from each other, you'll fall into the same place you've fell into the previous time?”

“Maybe... It's worth a shot,” Pinkie nodded her head.

“Okay then, guess we better get running,” Twilight said.

“Why?”

“Because that's what we did before. Chased by Timberwolves, separated from each other and got lost in the forest separately,” Twilight answered.

“Right... But we're not being chased by any Timberwolves right now.”

Twilight shrugged, “I don't think it really matters if we're chased by Timberwolves.”

“If you say so,” Pinkie said.

“On the count of three, we split,” Twilight said, readying herself to run.

Pinkie did too, but she was running from the opposite direction from where Twilight was heading to.

“One.”

“You sure it will work?” Pinkie questioned.

“This place is magical and stuff, many things happen without a warning,” Twilight said.

“Two.”

“True,” Pinkie agreed.

“Three!”

And the both of them took off in different directions.

☽ ♕ ☾

Applejack had a great sleep. Nothing disturbed her, nobody disturbed her... Well, except for Steve, cause' he's just doing his job. Keeping an eye on her and make sure she didn't slack off, like she did. Looks to me that Steve isn't doing a great job.

Applejack whistled, she was in a great mood. In just one day, she had already collected three days worth of food for the gnomes, with the help of Steve's direction and a few forest animals. “Gotta say, we're finding loads of berries and fruits than yesterday!” Applejack exclaimed.

Steve coughed and cleared his throat. It still hurts from screaming. “Well, yeah. I'm surprised you collected this much with all the slacking you did yesterday. Boy... My throat hurts,” he said while rubbing his neck.

“Yer fault when ya think yer can wake me up with yer noisy screaming,” Applejack laughed. She had been using her hat to hold the berries and fruits up till now, and she gotta admit, that made her food collecting days much more easier.

“I don't like you,” Steve hissed. “Quickly finish up the job and leave, will you? I would be more than happy to not see your face ever again.”

“Ah wish ya ill tidings before ah leave. Don't ya worry,” Applejack snickered.

Not much talking was done between Applejack and Steve. Just bickering and insults. They stopped by the gnome village whenever Applejack's gathered enough food, and she'll leave the food in a silo the gnomes had built. Things was progressing really well in her opinion.

“If ah keep this up, ah could leave the gnomes to whatever they're doing after tomorrow,” Applejack thought to herself as she continued searching for berries and fruits.

A few hours passed, and she had found something. A wagon. Applejack walked closer to the wagon and inspected it at all sides, “It doesn't look like it's been left here to rot,” she said. The wagon looked brand new. “Could somebody else be here?” She looked at Steve.

Steve shrugged, “Many people come and go.”

Applejack took a peek inside the wagon and found a pile of berries and fruits. “Whoa, check this out!” She motioned Steve to look inside the wagon.

Steve slowly walked to her, “Why? There's snakes in there?” He asked jokingly. When he joined Applejack and saw what's inside the wagon, his mouth was wide open. “Whoa! This could last us for more than a week!” He exclaimed happily. “Let's take it!”

“What? No! That's stealing,” Applejack said, crossing her arms.

“Nobody's using it, it's practically out here for grabs,” Steve said, already taking the berries and fruits out of the wagon. “Come on, you don't want to stay here any longer than you've already have, right?”

“Stealing's still bad,” Applejack glared.

“Not listening to you,” Steve said as he walked away into the forest. “I'm going to bring this back to the village. You stay there and make sure nobody takes the food.”

Applejack rolled her eyes at him, “You'll get in trouble.”

“No. It's we'll get in trouble. You're in this too,” Steve said before disappearing into the forest.

Applejack took her time and look inside of the wagon. The wagon was filled with boxes of fruits and berries. But something else caught her eyes. A book. The book had a dark blue colored hard cover and a golden cloud symbol at the front cover. Below the symbol were words... Of some sort. Applejack couldn't make them out, they were already faded.

Applejack opened the book, but all the words were scribbled out. “What in tarnation is this suppose to be?” She questioned herself as she flipped through the pages. Everything in the book was scribbled out, and can't be read. She couldn't even make out a single word behind all the scribbles. She closed the book and looked at the cover at every angle, “Could there be some sort of secret?”

As she was handling the book, a piece of paper fell out of it. She picked it up. Words were written at the top left, saying ‘Rainbow Crystal’. Applejack raised her eyebrow when she read that word. The paper had a step-by-step instruction on how to make a rainbow crystal of your own.

“Rainbow crystal? The hay's that suppose to be?” Applejack questioned as she stared at the paper.

“I'm back!” Steve called out.

Applejack stuffed the paper back into the book and put the book inside a backpack she'd found on the wagon. “How fast,” she said.

“Of course. I know my ways around this forest, from short-cuts to long-cuts, you name it!” Steve exclaimed. He walked to the wagon, “Pass me more of those berries,” he said.

Applejack carried the backpack and eyed Steve, “Why're ya so willing to help me now?”

“I'm not. Don't get me wrong. These food can last us gnomes for weeks! This is an opportunity that can't be wasted! Plus, it could get me promoted!” Steve said.

“Ah see,” Applejack said, crossing her arms. “So, yer going to take all these back to the village yourself?”

“You're still coming with me,” Steve said.

“Wouldn't it be much better if ya found some sort of deer to pull the wagon?” Applejack pointed to the saddle and rope tied around the wagon.

“Great idea!” Steve clapped his hands. “I'll get right to it!” And he walked back into the woods before coming back with a deer. “Meet Jeffrey,” he gestured to the deer.

Applejack raised an eyebrow, “Jeffrey?”

“Me and him go a long way. Am I right, Jeff?” He nudged Jeffrey, the deer, on the hoof. “Well, Jeff, if you would be so kind as to help a dear old friend, could you please help drag that wagon back to my village?”

The deer said nothing and walked to the wagon.

Applejack stared at the deer, then back at Steve. “What?” She questioned.

“Saddle him up, duh!” Steve said.

Applejack let out a sigh and did as she was told. “Do ya think the owner will kill us if he or she saw us stealing their wagon?”

“Most likely, yes, but it doesn't matter,” Steve replied.

A few minutes ride and their back at the village.

“Brought ya a week's worth of food, as we agreed,” Applejack said.

The gnome with the longest beard walked towards her, “Yes, and you can leave.”

“Not even a thank you?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, sure, thank you,” the gnome said.

Applejack let out a smile and she walked back into the forest. Once she'd reached deep enough in the forest, or far from the village, she took out the book she'd found from her bag and took a good look at the paper. “Rainbow crystals, huh? Wonder what those are.”

She then looked at the pages of the book, “Couldn't understand a darn thing with this!” She growled.

☽ ♕ ☾

Hey, listen here. I'm going to change the promise a bit. Remember me promising you about telling you everything you want to know after I'm done telling the story? Well... I want to change it a tad bit. Instead of me telling you answers after I finished telling the story, I will tell you everything you want to know, from informations to answers, during my own time.

What do you take me for? Of course I'm not breaking the promise. It's just been changed! So, technically it's not broken, because you'll still get everything you want from me answered and told.

No, you don't have to tell me your questions. I already know what they are, and I'll answer them during my own time. Expect some answers from me after a few visits or so. Who knows when will I answer your question? Only I do, and I promise you, I will answer whatever you want to know from me honestly without a lie.

Oh, that wasn't what I wanted to tell you. The thing I wanted to tell you was that I'm going to end it here for now. Some kids in town requested me to tell them a story of fairytales, and they're coming for a visit tomorrow, and the day after that and so on. I'll call you once I'm free, then we'll continue with the story.

What? You thought you were the only one who asked for a story? Don't be silly, you're one of them, not the only one. Now, that's all I have to say and tell for today. Go on, run along. Your friends are waiting for you outside. Yes, I've called them. Told them you wanted to murder somebody. They sound excited.

Just messing with you, kid! Don't take me so seriously! But really, your friends are outside, go join them.

Author's Note

☪ I'm going on hiatus for a while, probably weeks, maybe months, who knows? Not going into detail on why I'm going on hiatus, but I bet all, if not, most of you all will know the reason. Reality and stuff, it's harsh, ain't it? Well, until then, the status would be changed to ‘hiatus’.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“I'm everywhere.”

It's only been an hour since I've called you, and here you are, standing in front of me on my doorstep. You're sweating all over, did you rush your way here? You should really take your time, kid. Nobody's going anywhere. Unless you're meaning me, then yes, I'm going everywhere.

What do I mean by that? That's for me to know and for you to find out. But really, don't you remember the change in our promise? It was more of a deal, but then the word ‘promise’ has a nicer ring to it. What's my deal? Well, you wanted answers, and I told you I'll give you answers... When I feel like it, that is.

What's in return for me after I've given you the answers? Why'd you ask? ...well, I couldn't give you any details just yet. But, you'll find out sooner or later. Depends on how fast you can catch up. Either way, I'll just tell you someday, but not today.

Anyways, enough of this and come right in. I cleaned the reading room, so don't worry about it. The smell was getting to me, it stinks. I'll prepare something cold for you to drink, you look like you need it. Some soda, perhaps? No..? Water again? Really? Man, kid... You need some taste in your life, and I mean it!

☽ ♕ ☾

“It's been days since they've disappeared,” Applebloom let out a long sigh. “Weeks, actually.”

Sweetie Belle patted Applebloom on the back, “Come on, cheer up, Applebloom! They'll be back!” She exclaimed, forcing a smile upon her face. “I hope...”

The crusaders have never been so gloomy and sad in their whole lives. After Applebloom's and Sweetie Belle's sisters have disappeared, their parents and family have told them to be more cautious, and have not allowed them to leave the house without any guardian. As for Scootaloo, she had to skip a few days of school in order to take care of her grandmother, who had fallen ill a few days after Rainbow Dash had disappeared.

“By the way, how's your grandmother?” Sweetie Belle questioned.

“Pale,” was all Scootaloo said.

Sweetie Belle's forced smile faded away, and she looked away as she frowned. “I see...”

Nothing was as it was ever since their loved ones had disappeared.

“What do ya suggest we do?” Applebloom questioned with a sigh. “Our sister's gone, yer cousin's gone... We tried to contact the police, but they found no trace of them... It's a lost cause!”

“Yeah, it is,” Scootaloo mumbled, looking away.

“We should look for them,” Sweetie Belle suggested.

“How do you suppose we do that?” Scootaloo asked.

“Well...”

“We don't even know where they could've gone,” Applebloom added.

Sweetie Belle leaned against the wall and let out a sigh, “Yes, I know that... Of course I know that! How could I not know that?” She shouted. “It's just that... All we've done ever since they've disappeared was sit here in our clubhouse and be all depressed and stuff. We've never tried to help search for them.”

“What can we do about that?” Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle, “Your family doesn't let you go out alone nowadays.”

“I know, but I could sneak out,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Sneak out...” Applebloom repeated silently.

“Sneak to where?” Scootaloo questioned.

“I don't know? To the last place they were seen or something!” Sweetie Belle waved her arms in the air. “We could go to their school and ask if any of the students there seen where Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had gone to after school.”

Applebloom snapped out of her depression and snapped her fingers with a bright smile across her face, “That's a great idea, Sweetie Belle! Why haven't we thought of that before?!”

“We did, but we just weren't in the mood to discuss about it,” Scootaloo mumbled.

Applebloom placed her two hands on both sides of Scootaloo's face, “We're going to question their classmates, find out where they're at before they've disappeared into oblivion, and we'll sneak out and search for them,” she said.

Scootaloo pulled her face back and rubbed her cheeks, “That hurts, you know?” She grumbled. She wasn't really in the mood of the whole ‘sneak out’ thing. But she did want to see Rainbow Dash again. “I'm in.”

“Then I'm in too!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“Not like we've got a choice,” Scootaloo chuckled, looking at Applebloom.

“Nope, ya don't got any choice!” Applebloom laughed.

“If I get caught, I'll blame it on you,” Scootaloo poked Applebloom on the cheek.

Applebloom laughed and pushed Scootaloo till she fell to the ground. Sweetie Belle joined in and tackled Applebloom. It's been so long since they've last laughed and played like this.

☽ ♕ ☾

As Rarity wandered in the forest, with nothing more than a dead phone, she had miraculously bumped into Applejack. Honestly speaking, she'd never thought she would bump into any of her friends in the forest, but she was glad she did.

“Applejack, thank goodness you're alright!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Rarity? Boy, you sure look...” Applejack looked at Rarity's attire. She was a mess. “Different...” Applejack forced a smile.

“Indeed I do,” Rarity let out a sigh. She turned to Applejack, “But you, my friend... You're not as dirty as I am. How?” She questioned.

Applejack shrugged, “I don't know myself.”

“This forest is awfully muddy, I have to say,” Rarity growled.

“Muddy? It wasn't muddy,” Applejack said.

“For me, it was!” Rarity shouted. “Just look at this!” She gestured to her dress and her shoes, “I have never ever in my life have seen myself covered in so much dirt!”

Applejack couldn't help but laugh.

Rarity crossed her arms and glared at Applejack, “Oh, very funny,” she said sarcastically. “How would you feel if you're covered in mud?”

“Ah've been covered in more mud than ya can ever imagine. Ah've been born in a farm, after all,” Applejack shrugged with a smile across her face.

“Right... I've forgotten about that...” Rarity said silently, only loud enough for her to hear. “Anyway, have you found Pinkie and Twilight yet? I honestly would love to get out of this place as soon as possible.”

“Nope,” Applejack shook her head.

“Marvelous,” Rarity said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

“Ready to make a deal with me?” It was that voice again.

“No, I'm not going to make any deals with you!” Rarity screamed, stomping her feet on the ground.

Applejack backed away, “Whoa, Rarity... Calm down.”

Rarity looked over at Applejack, “You can't... Hear that?”

“Hear what?” Applejack raised an eyebrow.

The voice laughed inside of Rarity's head. “You're the only one who could hear me, so if you suddenly scream or shout like you did back there, people would think you're insane!”

Rarity rolled her eyes. She knew whatever was talking to her could clearly see her. Applejack didn't know what she was doing in the slightest. “Rarity? Are ya okay?” She asked.

Rarity smiled at her, “Why, yes. Of course I'm fine! Is anything the matter?”

“Nice acting skills,” the voice continued to laugh.

Rarity couldn't help but find the laugh extremely annoying. “You sure do laugh a lot, do you?”

“How nice of you to take notice of that.”

“No... It's just that, you're acting a bit different from before?” Applejack said.

“Different? How can that be?” Rarity questioned.

Applejack shook her head, “Doesn't matter,” she said. “Well, let's just continue our search.”

“Sure. You lead the way!” Rarity exclaimed.

Applejack nodded her head and walked ahead of Rarity while she followed from behind.

“Are you really sure you don't need my help?” The voice questioned. There was a hint of boredom inside of its voice.

“I'm extremely sure I don't,” Rarity said between her teeth as silently as she could. “I've made it clear that I don't the last time we've met.”

The voice let out a sigh. “I'm in need of some entertainment.”

“Find it somewhere else,” Rarity whispered.

“I did! But it requires some time before... Well, you know. Like when you charge something, you have to wait before it's fully charged!” The voice exclaimed. “So while waiting for that to be done, I'll be here, watching you.”

“Why don't you go mess with someone else?” Rarity questioned, she was getting really irritated.

“There's only one more person to mess with other than you,” the voice said, “And she doesn't really entertain me all that much.” The voice let out a yawn.

“Is anything wrong?” Applejack asked, turning her head to face Rarity.

Rarity raised her hands, “Nope, just thinking out loud!”

“If ya say so,” Applejack shrugged at her before turning back to face the front.

Rarity growled to whatever was talking to her, “Leave me alone.”

“When I want to.”

“Leave. Now.” Rarity said in her thoughts.

“Nope.”

“What will it take for you to leave me alone?” Rarity questioned.

“Glad you asked... It's simple, really! All I wan–”

“No deals,” Rarity said aloud.

The voice let out a sigh, then it mumbled something. It let out another sigh before it begun talking once more. “Rarity, Rarity, Rarity... All I want is a simple deal, is that too much to ask?”

“Yes,” Rarity replied.

“It's just a deal. Simple, right? All you gotta do is sign a contract with me, then a deal is made!” The voice exclaimed.

Rarity heard somebody snapped their fingers. It wasn't Applejack, it wasn't her. Everything around Rarity became black and white, and everything froze, as if time had stopped. Rarity was the only one in color, and the only one that's moving.

“What?” Rarity looked around the place. “What did you do?” She lowered her voice.

“A simple time spell,” the voice replied. “Now that time's frozen, we can talk normally, can we? Nobody here to judge you, nobody here to think you're crazy. We're all alone here in this empty world!”

“It's not empty though. There's still trees, bushes, animals, Applejack, my friends, and not to mention me,” Rarity said, placing her hands by her waist. “I'm not willing to make a deal with you, no matter how irritating you are,” she glared at the sky, not knowing where or what to glare at. “Undo the spell, make everything move again. I'm not making a deal with you. End of conversation.”

The voice let out a sigh. “Do you really?”

Rarity tilted her head in confusion.

“Do you really not want to make a deal with me? To go home, back to your cozy bedroom, take a warm shower, and continue on with your life?” The voice asked.

“Don't listen to him, Rarity... It's just trying to lure you in,” Rarity told herself.

The voice chuckled. “Fine, I'll let you live the way you want. But let me tell you something interesting,” the voice said before snapping its fingers, bring color back to the world once again, and making everything move.

“Time here works differently than back at your home. One day here could be a week there.” And with that, the voice said nothing else.

“What're standing there for?” Applejack called out.

Rarity shook her head and blinked a few times before turning to Applejack. “Huh?”

“Come on, we got people to find!” Applejack motioned her to follow her.

Rarity nodded her head and walked towards her. “Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts,” she said.

“Don't sweat it. Just tell me whenever yer gonna think 'bout something again,” Applejack said.

Rarity just nodded her head from behind, even though Applejack couldn't see her.

☽ ♕ ☾

“Who dares to step into my territory?” The low voice echoed in the small room.

Rainbow turned around and pushed Fluttershy up the stairs as quick as she could, “Run!” She shouted in Fluttershy's ears.

Fluttershy snapped out of it and nodded her head. She was still shivering, and her movements weren't as smooth, but she ran up the stairs as fast as she could with Rainbow Dash following her from behind.

The monster roared, causing the walls to shake. “Keep going, Shy! Keep going!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

The monster was now chasing after them, causing the stairs to rumble. The walls were shaking so furiously that some even fell out. “Eep!” Fluttershy squeaked as one of the bricks fell in front of her.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and kept pushing her friend upwards, “This is no time to be scared of a brick! We got better things to worry about! And that is hiiiimmmmm!”

The stairs were crumbling, and the monster was gaining on them.

“The floor...! It's falling apart!” Fluttershy screamed.

“You think I didn't noticed?” Rainbow Dash shouted as she tried to regain her balance. Once she did, she pointed to Fluttershy, “Keep going, Fluttershy!” She shouted.

“But!”

“No buts!” Rainbow Dash growled.

Fluttershy nodded her head hesitantly and ran up without stopping. She looked back from time to time to see Rainbow Dash running after her. Once they've reached back to the hut, they quickly ran out of the hut and hid in the forest.

The monster was on the loose. The hut collapsed on the monster, but the monster broke through the broken roof and walls and roared, causing the ground the shake momentarily. Steam was coming out of the monster's nose as he marched furiously into the opposite side of where Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash was.

“Do you think it'll find us again?” Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash was out of breath and was breathing heavily. “Maybe? But... It'll probably kill us the next round,” she let out a short laugh, “We won't be so lucky when that time comes.”

“Are you injured?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

“Nah,” Rainbow Dash shrugged and picked herself up. “Even if I am, I bet it would just be a small cut or something.”

“If you are injured, you should tell me,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah, of course I will,” Rainbow Dash laughed. “If I get hurt, that is.”

“This isn't a laughing matter! Injuries could cause infections! And when you do have infections, you could get sick!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

Rainbow Dash shrugged at her, “Okay then, I'll tell you when I got any injuries.”

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief, “You'd better.”

Rainbow Dash looked around, just to make sure whatever monster or creature was after them weren't near them, you know? Even though it went to the opposite direction, it could've turned and change its direction whenever. So, she's just taking precautions.

“Looks like that thing's gone,” Rainbow Dash muttered to herself. She turned to Fluttershy and extended her hands, “Well, since we've got nothing else to do here,” she pointed to the collapsed hut before continuing her sentence, “Why don't we leave this place and continue our search somewhere else?”

Fluttershy looked at the hut. It was true, they didn't have anything else to do here. Fluttershy turned back to Rainbow and nodded her head.

“I wonder what's down there,” Rainbow Dash said as she walked to who-knows-where.

Fluttershy gulped. “I don't even want to know,” she whispered.

“That thing looked awfully mad when we ran away,” Rainbow Dash said, “Wonder if it was guarding anything down there? Or was it just mad at us for not answering its question?”

“Let's... Change the subject,” Fluttershy said silently.

“Okay, but you're choosing the topic. I don't have anything on my mind right now,” Rainbow Dash shrugged.

Fluttershy took a while to think about what to say. After a minute or two, she finally thought of something. “You remember the book we've found in that hut?” Fluttershy started.

“Yeah. Don't understand a thing written in that,” Rainbow Dash said.

Fluttershy opened her mouth, “Ah...” She closed it soon after. She had nothing else to say, and had no idea what to talk about the book. The book was unreadable to them, so what is there to talk about?

Wherever they were going, there was no chitter chattering. They didn't know what to talk about or what to say to each other.

☽ ♕ ☾

“These kids are interesting, don't you think?”

A kid, looked like he was around the age of twelve sat in the corner of the room with his hands crossed as he let out a sigh. He had purple hair and emerald green eyes. He glanced over at a figure who was standing in the shadows. “I have no idea what you're talking about,” he said.

The figure standing in the shadows did not walk out from the darkness. It's voice was distorted, you couldn't even tell if it was a male or female talking, and it echoed through the room, even if the room was big and filled with furnitures. Heck, it even echoed in the forest.

“Have some fun, kid,” whoever or whatever was in the shadows said. “You're young, you've got all the time in the world! While...” It chuckled. “I, on the other hand, have all of eternity.”

“All in the time in the world and all of eternity are both practically the same,” the boy said as he played with the stool he was sitting on, rocking back and forth, making creaking noises as he did. “Aren't you going to leave them alone?”

“Why would I? I'm waiting for one of them to make a deal with me.”

“But one of them already did.”

“Yes... But sadly, she has no memory of it.”

The boy stood up and put on his jacket.

“Where are you going?”

“To town,” the boy answered as he zipped his jacket up.

“You mean that small town those girls live in?” It questioned.

The boy said nothing and just nodded his head.

It laughed and waved at the boy, “I hope you enjoy your time there.”

“Maybe I will,” the boy said, heading to the door.

“Farewell... Spike.”

☽ ♕ ☾

My apologies, I will have to end it early for today. I've got a party to attend to. A reunion party, to be more precise. Some friends from college came back for a visit, and a few friends from here decided for themselves, “Hey, why don't we throw a reunion party?” And I was invited.

I don't really wanna attend their party, and I could. But I miss some of them. They're good friends of mine, so might as well take some time off and meet up with them, am I right?

Well, move along now. Yes, we'll continue the story another time. I'll give you a ring when I'm free. You can take your time, don't have to rush over here like you did today. If you do that, then the next time I'll have to tell the story outdoors. You stink of sweat.

Well then, farewell for now!

Author's Note

☪ I hate myself. My vocabulary's too small... I need to learn more words! I'm not satisfied with this chapter at all. Nope. Not a bit. The words I used to describe what's happening just doesn't feel right. It just feels plain and... Just... Ergh.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Welcome.”

Hello and welcome. I've never thought you would actually come over, you know? Even if I did, I would've expected some delay, probably a day or so for you to actually come here. But some say the earlier, the better, so I suppose they're right... In a way. Anyway, come right in, make yourself at home.

The reading room is just right from here. Take a seat, any one of them would do just fine.

Well then, I've heard that you wanted to hear a story? Kids nowadays, they would always come to me for stories whenever they had nothing to do with their lives... Don't get me wrong, I enjoy telling them stories! Huh? What kind of story would I tell? Hah, it's for me to know and for you to find out.

☽ ♕ ☾

It was another beautiful day in town. The sky's blue, just like always. The birds are chirping, the animals are searching for food, everything is just like it has always been. The town was built near a forest, so some kids would go in there and play hide and seek and return before dark.

Now, there was a special girl living in this town. Her name was Pinkie Pie. Her hair was extremely poofy and pink, it never listens to her, so she gave up combing it since she was a child. She brings joy wherever she goes, and she knew every single one who lives in town, from their faces, names and even their personality and taste.

It was around June at that time... Don't exactly remember the day, but even if I do, I probably won't tell you.

“You're telling me you've made friends with the forest animals?” Pinkie asked, walking into the forest alongside with her childhood friend, Fluttershy.

Fluttershy always loved animals, and true to her name, she's quite shy around people. She lived near the forest entrance, and would always tend to the animals in need. Though, nobody knows about her secret of making friends with the animals in the forest, until now.

Fluttershy hung her head low, causing her pale pink colored hair to block one side of her face as she nodded her head. “Uh-huh...” She said, so silent and so soft that Pinkie couldn't even hear her.

“Care to introduce them to me?” Pinkie asked, looking back at her friend as they continued walking deeper into the forest.

“I don't know if that's such a good idea...” Fluttershy said, loud enough for only Pinkie and herself to hear. “I mean, the animals are quite cautious around new people...”

“That's fine with me,” Pinkie said.

The both of them had reached a clearing in the middle of the forest, where they could clearly see the sky without any trees blocking their view.

“I'll be friends with them, no matter how long it'll take,” Pinkie said, looking extremely determined. She turned to Fluttershy, “They're around here somewhere, aren't they?” She asked.

Fluttershy looked to the forest and back at Pinkie, “They are,” she answered. “But they don't look like they trust you yet...”

Pinkie sat on the green grass and picked the flowers that were growing on the ground. She took her time, and slowly, she made a flower crown. She placed the flower crown aside and continued making more, but she made the second one too big, so it became a flower necklace instead.

Fluttershy sat beside her as she watched Pinkie make the flower jewelries. “I didn't know you're able to make these,” she said.

Pinkie shrugged, “My sisters and I used to make these all the time whenever we visited our grandparents. Nothing all that special.” She placed the flower crown on Fluttershy's head and smiled at her.

Fluttershy positioned the flower crown so that it won't slip or fall off her head when she moves around. “Can you teach me how to make one?” She asked.

“Sure!” Pinkie said.

The both of them made many flower crowns for fun, and the animals slowly approached them. They were still quite cautious around Pinkie though. Pinkie noticed that the animals were there and begun making small little crowns for them using the grass and flowers.

“It's getting quite late,” Fluttershy said as she looked up at the sky. It was indeed getting late, the sun was no longer in the middle. “I think we should head back home. Our parents would be worried about us if we stayed any longer than we have.”

Pinkie nodded at her, and the both of them walked back to the town. Fluttershy didn't have to walk much after reaching town, for her house was near the forest. Pinkie waved at Fluttershy before heading back home.

Pinkie lived together with her relatives who runs a bakery in town. She entered the bakery, “I'm back,” she said as she shut the door behind her back.

“Welcome back, sweetheart,” said Auntie Cake. “How was your day?”

“Great! I met up with Fluttershy, and the both of us went to the forest,” Pinkie said, not telling the part where she met with the forest animals. People say that they're quite dangerous.

“I see, that's good to hear,” Auntie Cake said. She placed a plate of homemade spaghetti on the counter and looked at Pinkie, “I bet you're hungry by now.”

Pinkie sniffed the air and ran to the counter where the spaghetti was left, “It smells great!” She exclaimed.

“It's all for you,” Auntie Cake said with a smile before heading into the kitchen to help her husband with the baking.

Pinkie grabbed the plate of spaghetti and head to the table and begun chowing down like a hungry pig who had never eaten in years. After finishing, she helped with the dishes and went to her room upstairs. She fell onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, wondering what will tomorrow bring her.

She immediately sat up and looked at her calendar. Tomorrow was Monday, which means it was a school day. Pinkie doesn't really hate going to school, but she finds it boring, and there isn't much to do. Her grades were fine, and her school record til' now was okay, and she hadn't been to detention for anything.

She looked at her fishbowl and let out a sigh. “Oh Gummy, don't you wish if something exciting happened? I mean, everything's boring here, except for the weekends. I also feel like I've checked out every inch of the forest!” Yes, she was talking to a guppy. No, nobody is going to judge her. Nobody.

She laid down on her bed and continued staring at the ceiling, like she always does every night. Except, it's not really night yet. “There isn't much for me to do now,” she said with a frown.

At night, she twisted and turned as she was sleeping. She dreamt of nothing, it was always like this whenever she's feeling bored the day before. Nothing special, nothing new, just the usual everyday routine Pinkie goes through every single week.

“Pinkie, it's time to get up!” Called Uncle Cake from behind the door. He was knocking on the door for quite a while now.

Pinkie groaned as she dragged herself out of bed, “I'm awake,” she told her uncle.

“It's almost seven, you better get ready for school! There's breakfast on the table for you downstairs,” Uncle Cake said before leaving.

Pinkie looked at her clock and walked to her closet. She picked out her usual clothes, most of her clothes are quite ordinary anyway, but she had about seven same designs for each week. She changed and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

After that, she headed downstairs and met up with her uncle and auntie on the dining table, where breakfast was served. “Bacon and eggs,” Pinkie told herself as she stared down at her plate. The eggs acted as the eyes, while the bacon acted as the mouth, making a smiley face.

Pinkie ate her breakfast and left for school. She walked to school, like she does everyday. It was just a fifteen minutes walk anyway.

The town was quite small, so there was only one school. Children of all ages attend to school, and the class varies by age.

“Hello Pinkie,” said Fluttershy, who had appeared behind her. “You're early today.”

“Oh, you know how my uncle is, punctuality is key, that's what he would say,” Pinkie laughed after saying that. “You're quite early yourself.”

“My house is far from school, and my parents couldn't afford paying for the transportation. Of course I would come early,” Fluttershy said. “Oh, have you heard that there would be a new student in class?”

“How can you be so sure that the new student would be in our class?” Pinkie asked.

“She looked around our age, so I just thought she may be put in our class,” Fluttershy answered, shrugging at her friend. “Though, I may be wrong.”

The both of them chatted their whole way to class, and were greeted by a few of their other friends. “Yo, what took you guys so long?” Rainbow Dash ran towards them and patted both of them on their shoulders. She stood out the most in class, for she had rainbow colored hair, just as her name says. She acts like a true tomboy and love sports. Top one runner in class.

“Rarity and Applejack had been wondering where you've been. Thought the both of you got into an accident or something,” Rainbow Dash laughed.

“When did I ever thought that?!” Rarity asked. She had curly purple hair, and gorgeous blue eyes. You can even say she looked like a princess! Though, I'll leave that to your imagination. “Don't over exaggerate things, Rainbow Dash.”

Applejack laughed beside her, “She's just playing with ya, can't blame her.” No matter wherever this country kid go, you can never see her without her trusty hat.

Pinkie and Fluttershy both took their seats. “So, what took ya so long to arrive? Normally, ya'll be here earlier than any of us,” Applejack asked.

“I kinda slept in, you can say... Or maybe I just took my time walking to school,” Pinkie answered.

The school bell rang, and everybody rushed to their seats before the teacher came in. “Good morning students,” the teacher said. “I hope all of you had a great weekend,” she said, like she does at every Monday. She turned to the blackboard and begun writing out somebody's name.

‘Twilight Sparkle’ was the name.

A girl walked into the classroom, she had a dark purplish-bluish hair with pink and purple highlights. She even wore a thick looking glasses. From the looks of it, she looked like a total nerd.

“Everybody, please welcome Twilight Sparkle,” the teacher said.

Most of the students in class either waved their hand at her, smiled at her or said a simple, “Hello.”

“Is there anything you would like to tell the class about yourself?” The teacher asked, looking at the new girl.

“Uhm... My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I like books. It's a pleasure to meet you all,” Twilight said.

The teacher searched the classroom for a free seat, and she pointed to the one in the middle of the room, “You may sit beside Pinkie Pie,” she said.

Pinkie stood up, in case Twilight didn't know who the teacher was talking about. “Hello, my name is Pinkie Pie!” She exclaimed cheerfully, happy to meet with the new girl in class.

Twilight nodded her head and took her seat beside Pinkie. Pinkie leaned closer to Twilight, “You like books? What kind?” She asked as softly as she could.

“Novels... Mostly mystery and detective stuff,” Twilight replied.

“Oooooh! Mysterious,” Pinkie said, leaning back to her seat.

Honestly speaking, Pinkie had been like this for as long as anybody could remember. If you ever asked the students who had transferred to this school after Pinkie, they could tell you that Pinkie is by far, the weirdest and oddest person they've ever met. Even I agree with them.

Now then, class proceeded just like it should. Since Twilight had just first started her new school life here, she had to share text books with Pinkie.

The bell rang, and the teacher stopped writing on the board. She turned to the class, and clapped her hands once. “Break time!” She said before all the students ran out of the class happily.

“So, what are you having for break?” Pinkie asked.

Twilight took out her lunchbox, she had two. One for break, and the other for lunch. She opened the first one, “Just a simple peanut butter sandwich,” she answered.

“Cool! I'm having chocolate chip muffins!” Pinkie exclaimed as she shoved her lunchbox in front of Twilight's face. “Want some? I promise you that it'll taste good!”

Pinkie followed Twilight out to the cafeteria. Twilight was silent, and Pinkie found her hard to approach. But she still wanted to make friends with the new girl. “Do you got any hobby other than reading?” Pinkie asked as she munched down on her muffin.

“Writing,” Twilight answered. “Does that count?”

“Oh sure!” Pinkie said with her mouth full. She swallowed before speaking again though. “Never seen you around here before, you just moved here?” She asked.

“Yup,” answered Twilight. “My parents got a promotion, so they had to work here for a few years probably.”

“I see. Any siblings?” Pinkie questioned.

“One,” was all Twilight said. No extra information.

Pinkie was out of ideas on what to ask. For all she knew, this conversation isn't going anywhere. “Hey, wanna go to the forest with me after school?” Pinkie asked, a huge smile was plastered across her face.

“Isn't the forest dangerous?” Twilight looked concerned and worried. “I've heard that there are many wild animals living there.”

Pinkie laughed, “Wild animals, yes. But they won't harm you if you don't harm them.”

Twilight was hesitant about the idea of going into the forest. “Okay... But I have to be home before seven,” she said.

☽ ♕ ☾

“I don't think this is a good idea,” Twilight said, following wherever Pinkie was leading her. Twilight looked around her surroundings, she couldn't even see the sky. It was still afternoon, around four, according to her watch. She heard rustling of bushes from time to time, which made her even more cautious and worried. She would tell herself, “Just some small animals, nothing to worry about,” to keep herself calm... It's not working as she thought it would.

“Don't worry about it. I know the forest like I know the back of my head!” Pinkie exclaimed proudly. “Is that how you say it? I feel like I've said it wrong...”

They've been walking in the forest for about an hour now, and Twilight's having some second thoughts about this. From all the novels she had read, most people who goes deep into the forest didn't end all that well.

“You know, to tell the truth, I haven't been this deep in the forest before,” Pinkie said, a smile was across her face.

“What?!” Twilight shouted. “You dragged me into this place when you've never been this deep into the forest yourself?!”

Pinkie turned to look at her friend and shrugged. “Calm down,” she said. “As far as I know, there's nothing in the forest that would harm us. The animals here are all friendly, I can guarantee you that.”

Twilight was scared and angry at the same time. How should she feel about this? She let out a sigh and looked straight at Pinkie, “If you say so, then I'm trusting you.”

Pinkie smiled at her and continued walking deep into the forest, “Then, follow me, I guess!” She said.

Twilight let out another sigh under her breath, “Why did I let her drag me into this?”

☽ ♕ ☾

Would you look at the time, it's already quite late, don't you agree? I do have another guest coming over in a while. Oh, no. That guest is not here for a story... Instead, we're going to meet and sit and chat about some things. It's my business.

Well, you would have to leave now. We'll continue from where we left off tomorrow, okay? Questions, huh... Well, I do suppose I could answer them, but only at my own time when I feel like it. Don't you worry, I promise I'll answer everything you want to know after this story is over.

...my name? A curious one, aren't you? I do suppose I could tell you... But it's for you to find out. By the end of the story, if you're still unable to find out who I am, I'll reveal myself to you. Deal?

Author's Note

☪ Honestly speaking, I feel like I got this story all planned out. It all started as a dream, but then when I woke up, I found my dream fairly interesting. I wanted the dream to continue, but it ended in a cliffhanger. So, I begun writing this. The ending and all isn't planned out yet, and I'm not entirely sure where the story is heading. I'm just writing it as ideas and so on pops to my head.

Forgive me if there are any grammar mistakes of any kind, I have to say that I'm not the best of writers, but I'm doing my best to improve. If there are any mistakes, please do point it out to me, and I'll correct it once I find the time.