Say Hello, Town

We get back to the town at the point most ponies are still setting up market stalls. Still quiet as of now, but getting louder every second. I smile towards Splendor, “Well, Splendy, this is Ponyville! My impromptu protectorate ever since I saved them.”

He looks around town, scratching his chin, “Quite a rustic feel around here, like a conglomeration of a Midevil German town and a Renaissance British hamlet. Very refreshing feel from the cold cities I’m used to.”

I smile internally, and start to show him around, “There’s the train station over there, makes me sick just looking at it.”

He nods, “I feel you, brother. Technology; helpful, but not healthy for us.”

I nod along with his words as I continue on, “There’s the schoolhouse, freshly painted as well! The reason for... I dont like to talk about.”

Splendor looks over at me with curiosity, “What could have happened to give the entire school a paint job?”

I shudder, “Remember how me and Slender shared a body? Well, the children’s fear was so great he was able to take control for a few seconds. He went crazy with marking the school.”

He shakes his head, “I should have a word with him.”

I hold up a hand, “No, there’s no need. He’s changed now, wouldn’t do that anymore.”

He nods afterwards, “Okay, if you don’t want me to, I-“ He cuts off suddenly as the school bell goes off.

I’m about to ask him what stopped him, then I feel it. A dark energy, a familiar one from the forest. Appearing, right there in the middle of the playground. I swivel my head over to see what’s there.

I can’t see anything, but I can see the foals gathering around the spot. Advanced perception alteration, a very clever tactic. I don’t know why children see so much others can’t, they just can. No perception alteration can hide from children, but it can hide from me. I say out towards Splendor, “Do you see anything?”

He shakes his head, “No, just the foals gathering around the dark point. I feel like something is there, I know something is there, I just can’t see it.”

I can feel the energy shift a bit, as if startled, pointing in our direction. All the foals look over towards us, probably wondering whatever entity their gathered around is startled by. I feel the energy shift again, and disappear. Probably teleported away.

The foals all sigh, and Apple Bloom walks over to me, “Hey there Mister Slenderman, who’s this with you?”

I nod towards Splendor, “This is my brother, Splendorman.”

He smiles, and kneels down to be on her level, “You wanna see a magic trick?”

She nods, “Sure!”

Splendor points out his cane, with the metal ball at the end, and turns it into flowers, “Tada, Magic!”

Bloom smiles, “I can do that too!” She sprouts flowers all around her.

Splendor looks at it in amazement, “Hey now, no need to make this a competition. Say, why don’t we play a game?”

She and Splendor walk back into the playground as she asks, “What game?”

I trail behind them, and hear Splendor say, “Hide and seek tag.”

She tilts her head, “Hide and seek, mixed with tag?”

He nods, “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of that before!”

She shakes her head, “Nope, never heard of that.”

He gasps almost as if in pain, “Well, I’ll be. Next your going to tell me your class doesn’t know how to play Four Square!”

She shakes her head again, “Can’t say I’ve heard of that.”

Splendor recoils as if struck, “If you don’t know Four Square, then it is apparent the educational system has failed. Gather around everypony, it’s time you learned about the wonders of Four Square!”

The other foals go to gather around him. My orange Proxie decides to walk over to me instead. Scootaloo stops right in front of me, “Did you see that creep when we first came out?”

I shake my head, “Perception alternation was too strong for me or Splendor to see it.”

Scootaloo looks around, as if saying something controversial, “For some reason, everyone else in the class seems to instantly trust and become friends with him. They wouldn’t like it if they hear it, but I feel that ul- ul- bad intientions behind him. Something about him, and how they trust him just screams untrustworthy and evil to me.” She sighs, “Maybe I’m just making to many assumptions and there’s nothin wrong about him.”

I kneel down to be right in front of her, and start to whisper, “I know you’re correct. The perception alteration, the dark energy, him going away when he saw us, all of it tells me that somethings wrong here. What did he look like?”

She opens her mouth, then closes it, and rubs her hair sheepishly, “Well... I wasn’t exactly paying much attention. I can say he looks bad! But... that’s about all.”

I nod, and pat her head, “Don’t worry, just make sure you notice next time. Take notes or something, the sooner I can identify what he is, the better.”

She nods, and does a salute, “You can count on me, Slendy!”

I smile internally, “Good, I planed to.”

I stand back up, and look over at Splendor. He is right in his comfort zone, Laughing and dancing all the while teaching the children to play games. I walk over to see him teach one group, “Their are many rules. Number one; have fun, two, the ball must bounce in your Square before being hit, three, if there is any disagreements then you vote on it.”

I smile inside as I watch him teaching. One foal looks back at him, “So, you go into D, then into C, then B, then A? Why can D not be the server?”

Splendor holds up a finger, “I’ll explain it in a way you should understand, considering your mark is a card. A would be Ace, B would be King, C would be Queen, and D would be Jack, simple as that.”

The foal nods in understanding.

I feel someone tap on my leg, and look down to see Sweetie Belle there, “Yes?”

She smiles, “When you go meet my sister, take a camera. When my sister sees his suit, well, take pictures.”

I nod, “Will do.”

*Ring!*

The bell goes off, and the children go back inside. I’m about to walk over to Splendor, but a grey pegasus lands in front of me, “Are you Slenderman?”

I nod, “Yes, that would be me.”

She passes me a letter, “Mail.”

I take it, “Thank you.” And she flies off.

I unravel the note as Splendor comes over, “What does it say?”

I read it, “Somepony has been reporting ridiculous crimes for the past week, such as waking up with a kidney gone. Says I can look into the pony’s mental health if I want to.” I look over at him, “I don’t think that sounds so ridiculous.”

He nods, “So what shall we do?”

I nod, “We postpone the rest of the tour for later. We have a pony to ask questions and protect.”