Chapters Author's Note
Added color to quotes to keep track of who's saying what. Let me know if it bothers you or helps.
Party Guest
"Come on girls. We're getting closer."
"We're coming Pinkie. Calm down."
"Pinkie seems very excited to meet him," Fluttershy breathed.
"Of course she is. Don't you remember when I arrived in Ponyville? She threw a party for me within hours," Twilight Sparkle replied.
"She obviously worked really hard to put together this soiree. I just hope it wasn't for nothing," Rarity commented.
"Now don't be like that. Pinkie Pie's parties are more fun than dancin' at a hootenanny," AppleJack remarked.
"I just hope he loves this party. Pinkie told me she worked without sleeping for four days straight."
Soon, the six mares arrived at a stone houses with a chestnut wood door. Of the two visible windows overlooking the dirt road, one had broken glass. The other, however, had a silhouette looking directly at them. Pinkie Pie noticed the stranger watching them and eagerly waved. Once the silhouette realized it was seen, it vanished from view.
"He's here. I'm so excited to meet him. We'll be best friends before the end of the month," Pinkie said, gleefully. They all trotted up to the front door. Pinkie knocked three times, yet no pony answered. "Hello! We know you're in there! Come on, open up!" Still no answer.
"Maybe he's afraid of us. I mean, we don't know him, and we didn't tell him we were coming," Fluttershy declared.
"That's exactly why we're here. He doesn't know us yet, but after today he will."
After Pinkie's statement, the door slowly creaked open. In the doorway stood a unicorn. His coat was midnight blue, while his mane was garnet red. He watched them all with his tawny brown eyes, unblinking and stone-faced.
"Who are you and why are you here?" the unicorn said. His tone was toxic. Yet, something about him was off.
"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie. And these are my friends," Pinkie said giddily. "And we're here to throw you a party. I don't really know when your birthday is, so I made you a birthday cake to make up for it."
"I'm going to tell you this since you know nothing about me. I don't do birthday parties. I never asked my parents to prepare one when I was a colt. I moved here to avoid ponies, and soon I'll move again. So how about you go home and forget I was ever here?" the unicorn said sternly.
"Bu-bu-but, we came all this way, and I made so much food for this party! Everypony is waiting back home expecting you!" Pinkie exclaimed. "The party is in the center of Ponyville, in one hour. Don't you want to be f-friends with me?" Pinkie started tearing up. She put her head down, tears running down her cheeks. At that moment the unicorn's eyes became unfocused. A few seconds later, he refocused his eyes on Pinkie. For whatever reason, his demeanor had changed.
He picked her head up with one hoof. His horn glowed peridot green, giving Pinkie an enclosed letter.
"Then I'll see you there, Pinkie." he said calmly. His tone lost its toxicity, now he seemed slightly more happy. He leaned closer to Pinkie and whispered so only she could hear. After straightening out, he bid them all a fare well. And with that, the unicorn closed the door.
All six mares stood there, questioning what just happened. Pinkie was the first to recover.
"Come on. We got to go. The party is starting soon," she said, having regained he enthusiasm. The others followed Pinkie back home, still astonished at his brisk mood change.
"What just happened?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I haven't the slightest idea. He seemed unenthusiastic about this festivity at first. And now he's saying he'll meet us there. I have never seen such a drastic change in manners," Rarity said.
"I think he might be a few apples short of a bushel. I ain't never seen anypony make up their mind that fast 'fore," AppleJack commented.
"He changed his mind right after Pinkie started crying. Do you think it has something to do with that?" asked Twilight.
"I don't know, but something is still odd about him," Rainbow Dash said, uncertainly.
"Even though he adopted a happier attitude, I still found it odd," Fluttershy agreed.
Only Pinkie didn't think much of it. "So what if he didn't want to join the party at first? He does now. That's all that matters. When he sees the party, he's going to realize how much he means to us," she said in a confident tone. The other mares still weren't convinced, but they said nothing more. All six of them trotted towards home, unaware of the unicorn watching them leave. Pinkie remembered what he told her. I'm sorry. My judgement has been foggy lately. Don't cry. I'll be there. I promise. he had said in a soothing voice. She knew what her friends meant when they said his change in behavior was outlandish. That didn't matter though. What did matter was that he was coming to the party.
Upon arrival, Pinkie announced the newcomer would be in Ponyville shortly. They all hid in their designated spots, waiting for the new arrival. Pinkie was the most excited of them all, she had a feeling he would say "yes". Nopony ever turns down a Pinkie Pie party. A few minutes passed before a silhouette appeared in the distance, getting closer quickly. Soon, the unicorn Pinkie met earlier stood in the center of town. Everypony, jumping from their hiding places, shouted "surprise".
"You came! I knew you would. My friends doubted you would, but I told them nopony could pass up a Pinkie Pie party," Pinkie said frantically. She hopped up and down in joy, while the unicorn looked on in amusement.
"Is she always like this?" he quietly asked Rainbow Dash.
"Usually. Sometimes she's happier than normal, if that's even possible," she responded.
After Pinkie Pie calmed down, she introduced the unicorn to her friends. The more they talked, the more they learned about each other. He told them he attends Vanner High. They learned he was busy studying for a pre-calculus test when they arrived at his house earlier. They learned he was originally from Coltifornia, and that his parents had them move to Canterlot before he finished grade one. Technically he is supposed to be a grade lower, but he proved he could be in the grade he's in now: grade eleven.
They all ate the prepared food and drank the cider, except their guest who drank water. He seemed genuinely happy, different than when they first met him. The party continued until ten at night. The unicorn said he had to go home, for he had History of Equestria homework to finish. He thanked Pinkie for the party, bid them all farewell, and started off back home, alone.
Pinkie realized this would be the perfect opportunity to get to know him better, just the two of them. "Wait up," she called to him. He looked to face her and smiled. He waited for her to catch up, and the two of them set on their journey to his house.
"Awesome party, huh? I barely slept for four days straight. I wanted everything to be perfect."
"Sounds like you went through a lot of trouble just to impress me. Nopony has ever done that before," he said, a sense of gratitude in his voice. "Never thought I'd enjoy meeting new ponies."
"Sometimes a party makes meeting ponies worth it."
"I guess you're right."
At last they arrived at his residence. Stopping at the front door, Pinkie decided to say "good bye" to him.
"Well, I guess I should start heading home now," she told him, stifling a yawn. "Good bye."
Just before she stepped down, a hoof grabbed her shoulder. She knew it was the pony she just met. She turned to face him, and saw him holding the door open with his horn.
"How about you stay here with me tonight? After all, you need to recover from your restless party planning." he offered.
Pinkie Pie was astonished. Here was a pony she met today, and he was offering her a place to stay. She didn't want to refuse, that would be rude. Plus, the moon was already raised and she was extremely tired. "Thanks. I'll find a way to repay you." she yawned.
Entering through the chestnut door, Pinkie stepped into the foyer. While the steps outside were cobblestone, the floor was made from hazel wood. The walls were an amber orange with a dandelion yellow trim. Entering the living room, Pinkie saw a tawny colored couch. The stairs themselves were another type of wood: redwood.
Going up the stairs, she saw three doors: two that over look the road, and the other that seemingly had no windows. All three doors had a sign labeling what room they are. One door was labeled "Master bedroom", another "Practice room", and the last "Guest bedroom". All doors were made from holly.
Pinkie opened the guest bedroom. The walls were the color of watermelons, with a window overlooking hills. The bed was already made, as if it was expecting her.
"Amazing right?" The unicorn's voice startled her. Pinkie turned quickly.
"Oh yes," Pinkie said. "Never thought your house would look like this. I mean, the one window is broken, so I just figured you barely bothered with maintenance," she said sheepishly.
"Just because I don't enjoy interacting with ponies does not mean I keep my place like a pigsty. For your information, that window is broken due to the fact that I practiced a spell. That did not go well. Anyway, I suggest you get some rest. Good night."
"Good night." He left the room, shutting the door behind him. Pinkie clambered into the bed. Silver silk sheets, violet velvet blankets, and a scarlet satin pillow. Wow, he clearly thought this set-up through. Rarity would go wild if she saw this. Pinkie thought. After Pinkie was comfortable, she couldn't help but notice how sleepy she was. Was it the four days of no sleep? Maybe it was the how cozy the bed is. Or it could be both. Sleepily, she slowly drifted into the realm of dreams. Yeah, it was definitely both.
Author's Note
Yeah. So this was supposed to be as long as the other chapters. I got a little carried away with descriptions.
Nevertheless, I'm surprised how long this entire story is at this point. If only I wrote essays this long.
Pinkie Pie woke half past six. She felt refreshed. The sun shone through the window. After getting up, she walked down the stairs. Pinkie felt she should make breakfast for her friend. Also learn his name. She entered the kitchen, expecting him to already be down there. He wasn't, however. Just like the rest of the house, the kitchen was uniquely designed. Marble counter top, tile floor, sapphire blue wallpaper, and a cedar door, leading outside.
She found all the ingredients to make pancakes. Odd. she thought, He doesn't seem like the type of pony to be baking. Within five minutes, Pinkie had cooked up a stack of pancakes. At that moment the unicorn walked in, looking exhausted.
"You look tired. Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Pinkie questioned.
"I tried. Sometimes I have restless nights. I'm lucky to get at least three hours of sleep," he replied.
"Well, I made pancakes. Just my way of thanking you for letting me sleep here."
"No problem." He took two pancakes from the stack and started eating. Pinkie took three. Out of the ten pancakes she made, Pinkie had six. He didn't eat a whole lot at the party, so Pinkie had a feeling he wouldn't eat two stacks of pancakes. Pinkie couldn't help but notice that his cutie mark was, for lack of a better word, odd. It was a circular face, split down the middle. One side showed joy, the other sorrow. Both sides, however, had the mouth covered up. Where the mouth should be, there was a curved red line. It made the whole image look as if it was smiling.
"My eyes are up here."
Pinkie jumped out of her seat. She felt embarrassed. He caught her looking at his flank. "Sorry. I-I was just... admiring your cutie mark," she explained.
"Judging by how long you were staring, I doubt it was my cutie mark you were looking at."
Pinkie's face felt hot. "N-N-No. I was looking at your cutie mark. That's it. I wasn't looking at your flank."
"Sure you weren't. And I wasn't watching you stare for ten minutes," he said, sarcastically.
Pinkie was flustered. Has she actually been staring that long? Sure enough, when she looked at the clock in the living room, it was a quarter past seven. "I didn't mean to stare that long. I was just focused on the details."
He chuckled. "I'm only messing with you. That clock is ten minutes ahead. You've actually been staring for a minute or two."
Pinkie started calming down. Her heart finally slowing down enough to where she could relax. "You got me good," she chuckled nervously. "I was super worried."
"Why? You into me?"
Pinkie started heating up, her heart beating slightly faster. She opened her mouth to talk, but he interrupted.
"I'm kidding. Has anypony ever told you you're cute when your nervous. Your this joyous, energetic pony. And yet, you can still get embarrassed."
"You think anypony would think we're dating?" Pinkie asked.
"Why would they? I, officially, met you yesterday. It isn't like we were waiting for everpony to look away, and then date in private."
"Yeah. Only ponies we don't know would think that," she said, affirmatively.
"You breaking the fourth wall right now?"
"The what?"
"Never mind," he said, dismissively.
"Yes I am," she whispered, to no place in particular.
"Who are you talking to?" he asked, with great concern.
"Oh, sorry. It's just that I'm used to cameras."
"What cameras?"
"Just an inside joke between me and...friends," She winked.
"This is a random conversation."
"So? That's what I'm all about. Believe me, I've done crazier things."
"Moving on. What about my cutie mark seems interesting to you?" he quizzed her.
"All of it. Why is it split in half? Why is one side happy, and the other sad? Why is the mouth covered up and replaced with a red line, making it look happy?"
"I'll answer that later."
The conversation done, Pinkie got up and told him she had to go home now. They both said goodbye to each other. Walking out the door, Pinkie wondered what her friends would think about their conversation. Then again, the part about staring at his flank would seem...suspicious.
Arriving back in Ponyville, Pinkie was greeted by her friends. They embraced her in a hug, lasting for what seemed like hours. Though, it only lasted for a minute.
"Where were you? Mr and Mrs Cake were wondering where you went. They expected you to be back after the party," Rainbow Dash asked.
"We told them that, after the party, you walked with the stranger back to his house. We were worried you got lost when it got too dark," Fluttershy told her.
"Girls, come down. He let me stay the night at his house. Nothing to be worried about," Pinkie explained.
"That's it? He let you stay at his house for the night?" Twilight questioned.
"Well why wouldn't he? Pinkie Pie put together a banquet for him. So, he returned the favor. A true gentlestallion."
"Rarity's right. Pinkie did one nice thing for 'im, so he felt he had to repay her kindness. Ain't nothing more," AppleJack said.
"Yeah. He invited me into his house, and let me sleep there. His house is not what you would expect," Pinkie told them. Speaking directly to Rarity, Pinkie said, "You should see it. It looks like he worked on it for weeks." After they were all done discussing the pony, Pinkie started heading to Sugar Cube Corner. She had a feeling the Cakes would need her to bake some more goodies. After all, there was still twenty orders left.
After entering, she looked down the list of orders. She chose three of the hardest to work on. She figured the Cakes shouldn't have to deal with the stress of preparing major orders. Within two hours, Pinkie had finished both orders. She had all afternoon to do as she pleased. She decided she would find out what her friends are up to.
Rarity was busy preparing her new fashion line for an upcoming fashion show. Fluttershy had taken Angel to the vet for his vaccines. Twilight was reading Legends of Equestria: Heroes, Heroines, and Villains , for the umpteenth time. While AppleJack had to make deliveries to Appleloosa. She found Rainbow Dash hanging out in one of Sweet Apple Acres' apple trees.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash!" she called, in a singsong voice.
"Hey, Pinkie. Finished the orders I assume? Awesome! Now we get to chill together," Rainbow said.
"That sounds like fun!"
They made their way over to the lake. They brought their individual chairs to relax. Pinkie was happy. More than usual. She met a new pony, threw a party he enjoyed, and she gets to relax with one of her best friends. Pretty soon, he'd tell her his name. She knew it. He has to. Otherwise this would've been all for nothing.
Author's Note
Incorporated a classic "Pinkie Pie 4th Wall Break". I got lost myself. In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea. Oh well.
Pinkie hopped up and down in enthusiasm. She had convinced her friends to return to the unicorn's house. They had their doubts, yet they also had hopes. Perhaps today he would explain why he acted strange during their first encounter. Learning his name would help too, they didn't want to keep referring to him as "the unicorn" or "he".
They trotted up to the door. Pinkie knocked three times, to no answer. She knocked another three times. Still, no answer.
"That's odd. I thought for sure he'd be home right now," Pinkie said, puzzled.
Fluttershy responded, "Maybe he fell asleep studying. He said before that we interrupted him."
"Fluttershy has a point. Maybe we could come back later."
"He has to be here. I sent him a letter two days ago saying that we would be coming!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"You sent him a letter two days ago? You convinced us to come yesterday!"
"Yeah, so?"
"Now isn't the time to argue. Pinkie, if he is in there, then he might be busy. I'll use my magic to scan for any heartbeats." Twilight lowered her horn and aimed it at the house. She moved from left to right, up and down. "There's no signs he's here. I've scanned the whole house," Twilight told them.
"He has to be here. He sent me a letter replying that he, and I quote, 'I have no plans this afternoon. You and your friends are welcome to stop by.' See? He is home," Pinkie countered.
"All right. I'll try something else. Hopefully he hasn't defended against simple mapping spells," Twilight answered, aiming her horn at the house once more. This time, though, she lowered it lower than the other time. "There's something underground. It seems like he built a hiding place."
"Now why would he build something like that? If he didn't want us to find 'im, he could'a played possum. I reckon something's amiss. We should see why he's more cagey than a pigpen."
"Isn't that an invasion of privacy? We should wait until he allows us in," Fluttershy suggested.
The others were already inside, not having heard Fluttershy's last comment. Hesitantly, Fluttershy trotted into the foyer. Just as Pinkie Pie told them, his house was not what they expected. All were in awe, forgetting why they were in there in the first place.
"I had the same reaction. We can see the rest anytime, but we should look for a way down."
They searched and searched, but couldn't find the path downwards. Only Twilight was looking at, or rather studying, the walls. She seemed weirdly intrigued by the way they were. One wall caught her attention. It had what seemed to be a family portrait hanging on it. One of them being the pony they were trying to find. The other five were unknown to them.
"Who are these other ponies, Pinkie?" Twilight asked.
"He never told me. The only thing he would say about them was, 'They are not here, therefore, they are not important.' It was really weird, but I didn't ask any more questions," Pinkie elucidated.
The picture seemed to have been placed in erratically. One corner was folded inward, revealing some writing. Twilight levitated the portrait to the ground, and started removing it from its frame.
Fluttershy whimpered, "I don't think we're allowed to do that, Twilight. Maybe you should put it back."
Rainbow Dash rebutted, "Fluttershy, stop being scared of the unknown. It could help us find him." Fluttershy whispered something about how it might not help them, but remained silent and didn't stop Twilight. After being removed from the frame, the writing became more clear. At the same time it was mysterious, it was also unnerving. It read:
"I once was one, now I'm three
All six mares stood still, in shock, each confused about the message. Soon, they recovered from the wonderment. Twilight started pacing back in forth, trying to figure out the riddle. Rarity, AppleJack, and Fluttershy in deep discussion about how he has described his family. Rainbow Dash went over to Pinkie, who seemed to be in deep concentration.
"Pinkie? Do you have any idea what it means?" Rainbow questioned.
"Not really. He never said anything about this riddle. I want to talk to him, but it says speaking the Third's name would mean bad dreams," Pinkie stated. Just then, Pinkie figured out the Third's name. ... the Sleeper's bane ... She couldn't tell her friends. Not aloud here anyway. "Now that I think about it, he did say he had trouble falling asleep. And the riddle does mention the First being 'awake at the time of his name.' I could try it," she said.
"Really, darling? You solved the conundrum already? Well, out with it then. If we plan on saving your friend, we need an answer," Rarity said.
"There's just one problem. The part about finding a way to him. We should do that first, then I'll say his name," Pinkie suggested. Shortly after, Twilight discovered a passage way hidden under the stairs. A ladder led downwards, to the underground hideout and, hopefully, their friend. It had no room to allow pegasi to fly downward, and enchantments prevented unicorns from using teleportation to reach the bottom, so all six mares had to climb down one-by-one. Pinkie Pie was the last down, telling the others she had to calm down from excitement. In actuality, she was nervous. Should any of her friends even breathe the Third's name, dreams wouldn't be all sunshine and lollipops anymore. Taking a deep breath, Pinkie glanced once more at the writing. "I hope your down there. I hope his name hasn't been mentioned, for all our sake's," she said to herself before descending the ladder.
Darkness surround them all. The only single source of light was from a candle. Fluttershy had to be comforted by both Rainbow Dash and AppleJack. Who could blame her? Darkness and isolation from other ponies. Not even their friend was in sight. Magic was limited down here, preventing all complex spells Twilight had learned through her years of study. Both her and Rarity used their horns to brighten up the room a little more. They saw more darkness and nothing else.
"This is insane! There is nothing down here. Not even that pony we're trying to find," Rainbow remarked.
"I thought ya said 'e was down 'ere, Pinkie Pie," AppleJack said.
"He has to be! He said he would be home. He can't be anywhere else. Maybe we should call him?"
"We can totally do that," Rainbow said sarcastically. "Hey, you over there?! I would call your name, but I don't know what it is! Great idea, Pinkie. Call for a pony who's name we do not know."
"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot," Pinkie said, a tad timidly. Just as Pinkie was about to call for him, another voice answered.
"That won't be necessary," it said in a hushed voice. "He is asleep upstairs. Now you're down here with me."
"I already scanned for any signs of life. I didn't detect anything," Twilight stated.
"You can't scan for something that is hidden. He put enchantments on this house to prevent him from being detected," the voice told them, its tone consisting of toxicity. It changed its tone to that of pleading. "He trapped me down here, you know. He won't let me roam free. Would you kindly help?"
"I don't know. Why wouldn't he tell us about you?" Rainbow said.
"He doesn't trust me. I tried to help him with a project of his, but I made one little mistake. Now he won't let me out. All you have to do is a simple spell. One that disables the protection spells sealing me in here."
"What's the spell?"
"It's more of a phrase. 'A vessel to give, a body to restore. All this, and much more. I choose power over despair. I obey you, Nightmare,'" it recited. "Just repeat what I said, and I'm free."
Pinkie registered the name he had said. Worry gripped her heart, clouded her judgement. Before Twilight could start repeating the phrase, Pinkie put a hoof to her mouth. "Don't listen to him! Do not do that. It would be bad if you did."
"What's wrong with it? He just wants to be free," Rainbow objected.
"Don't you remember the phrase on the portrait? 'the Third, thinks dreams a childish game. Unwanted, the Sleeper's bane ... Choose the Third, and your sleeps shall be bleak.' He's the Third! The one who will make dreams a living-" she cut-off. She had almost said his name. Pinkie finished her sentence, "We can't trust him. We should just go back upstairs."
"What's the matter? Don't you want a friend? I could be your friend. Or... would you prefer him? Is he your coltfriend?" the voice mocked.
Pinkie Pie blushed profusely. Even though she was pink in color, her blush was much darker than her coat. She couldn't form any words. She knew her friends would start having suspicions. Suspicions about why she spent almost two months at his house, after spending one night at it when the party ended. Pinkie stuttered, "H-H-He's not my c-c-coltfriend. Why-Why-Why would you think that? It isn't like I enjoy spending long amounts of time with him. I mean I do, but-" she was cut-off by the looks on her friends faces.
Each showed the reaction Pinkie Pie expected: shock. She was planning on telling them, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was growing more hot by the second. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Trying to shift the attention back to the voice, she replied, "At least I can go where I please! You can't leave without us saying your name! No wonder he locked you down here."
"You're right about one thing. I do need somepony to say my name to officially leave. All I've been doing is visiting your coltfriend at night, and taking control of his mind and body. Then you came along, and you ruined my chance to leave as I pleased. Now he's obsessed with protecting you," he said in annoyed tone.
Pinkie Pie's heart beat slightly faster. The First never told her about that. Never told her anything more than how he used spells to defend from any intruders. Now the Third was telling her the First was protecting her? Had he been there, Pinkie would have surely hugged him. Maud protected Pinkie from external forces, but the First protected her from...the Third. Pinkie thought he just liked having her for company. Now, however, she seems he wanted her there, to make sure she was all right.
"Really? I thought he was just being nice. I can't believe he's obsessed with me of all ponies," she said merrily.
"Darling, you sound ever so happy. Hearing him be that concerned for you makes you more jovial than usual. You always told us about him, but, judging by your reaction, it would seem you want to think of him as more than a friend."
Suddenly, the darkness started swirling in one place. There was more light, for the darkness had clouded all of the candles. On the wall in front of them there was an image. An earth pony, raven black coat with a mulberry colored mane. He had the same cutie mark as the unicorn.
The darkness formed the exact image in front of them, but with one difference: it was an actual pony. He opened his eyes, revealing them to be blood red. His eyes examined the mares staring back at him. "What's wrong girls? You look like you've never seen a Nightmare before. I guess I'll just have to show you how bad a dream I am," he said. Soon, the darkness took over again. All mares felt groggy, as if they had gone a week without sleep. One-by-one, they fell asleep. Pinkie was standing strong, fighting the urge to sleep. Slowly, she started getting weaker. Finally laying down, she looked once more at the Third.
"Soon, you all shall know what a nightmare really is. He can't save you now."
A realm of silence, cold, and isolation. The ground was not connected to anything. It was basically an island floating in the middle of nowhere. The only sounds heard were to incoherent to comprehend. All the sounds seemed garbled to the point of sounding like an otherworldly creature. In the middle of all this, on the island, were six mares. Slowly, all regained consciousness, unaware of where they were.
"Where the hay are we?!" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I haven't the slightest idea. Although, this place could use a bit of pampering up. I wish I had my fashion supplies right now, I could help this place look fabulous."
"Who cares how it looks? We gotta get back home, and stop 'im. Whoever he is," AppleJack said.
"He seemed charming, but then Pinkie saw through his disguise. Now he sent us here...wherever we are," Twilight recapped.
"I don't like it here. It's too dark and scary. He became mean and now we're not in a house," Fluttershy whimpered.
"Come on girls. We have to get back home. We need to make sure he's okay," Pinkie, seeing the confusion on her friends faces, realized she hadn't exactly told them who he was. Clarifying, she said, "The First, not...the Third."
"Pinkie, we know you love making new friends, but it kinda seems like you love your new friend," Rainbow Dash informed her.
Once more, Pinkie started blushing. "Now isn't the time to talk about this. Besides, I was going to tell you...eventually. Then I decided to wait to tell you. After all, you probably would have made a big deal about it," Pinkie said.
"Rainbow Dash is right. You could've told us you fancied him. We would understand," Rarity reassured her.
"Now is not the time to dwell on Pinkie and her crush. We still need to get out of here!" Twilight reminded them.
"I agree," said a familiar voice, "We wouldn't want to get lost in this place." The six mares looked in the direction they heard the voice. Standing on another island was the Third.
"You! Where are we? What did you do with the other?"
"What an ignorant little pegasus. You think yourself the best flier in Equestria. However, unbeknownst to your friends, deep down you are just trying to gain the approval of others, for you dislike the mare you see in the mirror everyday."
Rainbow Dash felt boiling rage deep within her. No way he could see inside a pony's thoughts. This had to be a trick. Nevertheless, he hadn't answered her questions, so she went flying towards him. In the blink of an eye, he vanished. More islands had appeared by now, and he was on the farthest one.
"What's wrong? Never seen an earth pony vanish before?" He may have been far away, but his voice sounded as if he was close. "Good luck getting out. There is no way out." With that, he vanished again. Rainbow Dash flew back to her friends, all of whom were as baffled as she was.
"How the hay did he do that?" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.
"I have no idea. He don't have the powers of a unicorn. He's just a normal earth pony," AppleJack said, puzzled.
"That's because you're in here," another voice said. This voice sounded different. Not mean nor friendly. It had the tone of a crazy pony. All six mares turned to face the voice. They saw neither a unicorn nor an earth pony, but a pegasus.
A violet and orange mane, candy red coat, and a face shielded by a cotton white mask. The mask itself was also unique. It had a joyous expression, cherry red lips, sapphire blue cheeks, and caramel brown eyes looked through the holes. As with the other two, his cutie mark was a face of split expressions. His appearance made him seem insane, yet also trustworthy.
"What? Are you mares scared of me? Of course, we haven't met. You've met the others, that I know, but you've yet to know who I am," he said, crazily.
"Who are you? And don't play games! We had enough games with the Third," Rainbow Dash warned him.
"No games? That's the point! The point of the writing. You had to play a little game, to find out all our names. The others allow me to remain here. I enjoy it here. The rules of life are nothing more than a means of being boring. It's more fun to have no rules. One could choose to fall upwards if they desired, or maybe they wish for water to sing while it dances. This place has no limits."
"This pegasus is insane," Rainbow whispered to the others. They all nodded in agreement. In their eyes, this pegasus was another problem to worry about.
"What are you whispering over there? Wait! Don't tell me! I want to guess. Is it how the Third trapped you here? No, no...the First sent you here to get me? Princess Celestia needing my expertise? Or maybe... I got it! It was Daryl, the lonely leopard from Utah! He was always a barrel of fun."
"'Daryl'? 'Utah'? I think ya might be a few slices short of a pie. We need to get home, and we don't need nopony saying stuff that don't make a lick of sense," AppleJack said fiercely.
"Needing to get home you say? Well in that case, I'd be delighted to inform you... there is no way home. Well... no easy way. You have to convince all three of us to set you free."
"Great! Now we just need to find the First. Oh, and the Third."
"I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Finding anypony through this place is more difficult than making a frog tap dance. Oh wait. That is possible. Here at least. Anyway, you're on your own. Good luck."
"Wait. We still don't know where we are."
"Wrong! Actually, you do. Sort of. This is a place where dreams go to die. Where the line between normal and unstable collide. Laws of nature don't mean anything here, yet they made this place at the same time. We are in... the Dream Realm, sort of. This part of the realm was made when the First got his cutie mark. The First, the Third, and I basically live here. It changes depending on who is within it at the moment. It can also combine the ways of any two. Me and the Third made a place of fear, just to drive anypony who visits insane. Haven't had a visitor since the Third era. It's that time when the First met you six, mostly the pink one. Right now you are all asleep, and the First has to set you free."
"I thought you said all three of you had to allow us to leave?"
"Did I now? I guess I forgot. When you live in a place like this, your mind can get a little foggy."
"How is he supposed to know we're in here?"
"Oh he knows. You just need to be where he is. He is in a place where he feels safe," he told them. "You know where that is don't you?" he said addressing Pinkie.
"I do?" she asked, confused. Then, she remembered something he told her, when they were alone. You always asked me if you could go in my room. My response would constantly be 'no'. I gave you no reason, so now I will. I won't let you in there because sometimes I just want to be alone, when I feel safe. Now, I enjoy your company. Come on. I want to show you. Pinkie knew what his room was like. She concentrated on what it had looked like, to the best of her ability. The area around them started changing. A door appeared before them. A door labeled "Master bedroom". Pinkie knocked on the door. In a loud whisper, the door asked them a question: "What is more fragile than glass?"
Pinkie walked up towards the door to give it the answer. The answer the First told her when they entered.
"Welcome home."
The door opened slowly, swinging inward. All six mares entered the room with caution. All, except Pinkie Pie, were amazed at how it looked. Sage green sheets, violet velvet blankets, and canary yellow cotton pillows. The smell of lavender filled their nostrils. There were four pots in the room, each containing a different flower: Aloe Vera, Lavender, Jasmine, and English ivy. He explained the reason for these plants. They were the solution to his problem: restless nights.
The walls were sky blue with a rose red trim. The window overlooked outside, towards the trail the six mares had traveled. Underneath it was a desk, made from a chestnut tree. Upon the desk laid papers, textbooks, and a pencil. At the desk was a unicorn, focused on finishing an essay on the Reign of King Sombra.
"Hello?" Pinkie asked, unsure if this was him or an illusion. The unicorn was startled, not knowing six mares had entered. He turned, and smiled when he saw who it was. A sudden expression of realization overtook him. He looked worried, for only he and the other two could access this place at will.
"What are you doing here? You can't be. You shouldn't be," he said in a panicky tone.
"Nice to see you too," Pinkie said jokingly.
"And to answer your question, somepony sent us here. Goes by the name of 'the Third'. Ring a bell?" Rainbow Dash scorned.
"He sent you here? I'll speak with him later. You didn't say his name did you?"
"No, we didn't. Came close to saying it, but we stopped just in the nick of time."
"How in Equestria could we possibly say his name?"
"You don't know it?"
"Apparently only Pinkie figured it out. We still don't know why we can't say it."
"You can't say it, for he would be able to enter your dreams. Turning them into living nightmares. Only the three of us can say it, because we are already one in mind."
"That's grand and all, but who was that pegasus? He seemed rather... off. As if he was in his own little world."
"The Second. He's no threat. Anyway, I'm just glad you're all okay."
As he finished his sentence, Pinkie ran up to him, giving him a hug. "I thought we lost you. I thought I'd never see you again." By now Pinkie started crying. Never before had she felt joy and sorrow at the same time. She felt two hooves wrap around her, returning the hug.
Whispering so only Pinkie could hear him, the First said, "Pinkie, it's okay. I'll never leave you."
"Pinkie Promise?"
"I Pinkie Promise."
"How sweet." The two stopped hugging. Both recognized the voice as the Third.
"What do you want now, Nightmare?"
"To see how my favorite mares are doing," Nightmare replied sarcastically. "You know what I want: my freedom. Being trapped within your subconscious is boring. Same with being locked in that bunker of yours."
"You'd ruin the dreams of many ponies. You can't leave. I won't allow it."
"We won't allow it."
"You two are a problem. A problem I intend to solve. Just a simple slip up is all it takes." With those final words, Nightmare left as he had before. Both the First and the Mane Six were watching where he last was: the ceiling.
"I don't mean to interrupt the reunion, but we still need to get out of here."
"Right. Everypony stand together. You'll wake up where you fell asleep." To Pinkie he said, "Don't worry. I'll meet you there. Trust me." He aimed his horn down upon them, and sent them to the waking world.
After escaping the underground hideout, they reentered the house. They trotted over to begin climbing the stairs. Once at the top, Pinkie approached the door marked "Master bedroom", and repeated the answer to the door. The door opened once more, and Pinkie was greeted with the face of a familiar unicorn. This time, it was him who started the hugging.
"Thank Celestia you're safe. I was worried about you."
"I missed you too." Pinkie didn't feel embarrassed this time. She didn't care if anypony thought the two of them were dating. She cared about him, and he was safe. That's all that mattered.
"Pinkie Pie. Me and the others bin thinkin'. We're gonna go home now, give ya two some privacy."
The other five mares left. Now it was just Pinkie and him. Alone once more, as they had been for a week. Pinkie's heart started beating fast. It wasn't due to embarrassment though. It was because both of them were together. She had nothing to worry about anymore. She couldn't just tell him her feelings though. What if he doesn't feel the same way? she thought.
As if he read her mind, he locked lips with her. Pinkie's eyes closed, lost in her fading thoughts. I guess I know his answer. They held the embrace for what seemed like hours. They pulled away, looking into each other's eyes.
"How long have you loved me?"
"Since I caught you staring at my flank," he teased.
"I was looking at your cutie mark," she protested. She knew he was playing with her. Once more they locked lips. Pinkie had never expected them to be more than friends. She didn't mind, though. After parting, he let her stay the night in his place yet again. He even let her sleep with him in his bed.
It was eleven o'clock. Both Pinkie and her new coltfriend lay in bed awake. I wonder when Nightmare will return. She couldn't know, nor did she want to think about it. Another thought came into her mind. We never told the others his name. I guess we'll tell them tomorrow.
"Pinkie, what're you thinking about?" he asked her.
"We never told the girls your name. I was thinking we could do that tomorrow."
"Of course. Just hope Nightmare and Madness don't get in the way."
"Those two never called you by your name, just 'the First'. Why?"
"I've no idea. For Madness, it may be because his mind is in shambles. For Nightmare, I think it's because I'm the only one he will ever fear."
Pinkie nuzzled up to him. He put one hoof around her midsection. They were not going to stop until Nightmare was defeated. Pinkie wondered where their journey was going. Just you what Nightmare. We will stop you. Pinkie looked at the clock on the wall, moonlight making it readable. It was 12 o'clock now. Awake at the time he is named . She hoped that no matter what happened, he would be who he is: Midnight.
Author's Note
(audioLink = Thank you )
There's no knowing where we're going.
Author's Note
This story is going to be bad. I won't deny it. Have fun reading, or don't.
Party Planning
It was a normal day in Ponyville. The golden sun glowed against the cloudless blue sky. Ponies entered Sugar Cube Corner, and left with boxes of cakes, pastries, and other baked goods. The Cakes had orders from Baltimare, Fillydelphia, Los Pegasus, even the Crystal Empire. Mr and Mrs Cake had trouble not only with the order, but as well as with the twins. Even with Pinkie's help they were still overwhelmed.
Pinkie Pie was busy preparing the batter of a birthday cake. She had already made other various desserts: a lemon meringue pie, a baker's dozen of sugar cookies, carrot cake, pumpkin gingerbread, seven batches of fudge brownies, and a five platters of various cupcakes. As she set the batter into the oven, a rainbow-maned cyan pegasus entered the kitchen.
"Hey Pinkie," said the pegasus, "What are you doing? Who's birthday is it?"
"Hi Dashie. I've just been preparing a party for somepony," Pinkie replied.
"Oh really? Who?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Well. I actually don't know his name. However, I know he'll love it. Everypony loves my parties," Pinkie said gleefully. Pinkie Pie held parties for everypony she encountered. She made friends as fast as Rainbow Dash cleared the sky. Surely this pony would want to be her friend.
"If you don't know his name, then how do you plan on throwing him a party? Do you even know where he lives?"
"I do know where he lives. He lives just outside of Canterlot. I bumped into him while I was delivering cupcakes to another client. After introducing myself, he walked away without saying a word. Right then and there I knew a party would make him my friend," Pinkie stated, positively.
"Right, so when is this party? You're obviously making a birthday cake, and that implies you know when his birthday is."
"Actually, I don't know when his birthday is. I just know he'll tell me when we become friends," Pinkie said, undoubtedly. "Also, the party is tomorrow in the center of Ponyville at six o'clock PM."
"Whatever you say. See you there." And with a last wave good bye, Rainbow Dash walked out the door, spread her wings, and took off into the sky.
Pinkie retrieved the cake from the oven, adding icing, and returned to finishing the party planning. Writing invitations, writing Welcome Friend on a banner, and inflating balloons. She knew the pony would love the party. She knew he would become her friend. Despite not know when that would be.