Chapters Two years ago, footage of the Candymare was broadcast to Equestria. At the time of broadcast, it was the only known footage of the creature in existence.
Recently however, more footage emerged of the creature in action. It is this footage that you are about to see. Much like the earlier footage, it was badly damaged during the recovery process.
The government of Canterlot has uncensored the footage for reasons of transparency.
WARNING: SOME VIEWERS MAY FIND THIS FOOTAGE DISTURBING
The film opens with the camera moving forward along a pathway. A voice from behind the operator is barely audible.
"Hey Blaze, is your camera on!?"
"Yah it is! Alright let me introduce myself to the footage."
The camera swings around, to reveal the operator, a unicorn.
He then addresses the camera directly.
"hey everypony, the name's Blaze Camper, and we are going on a trip to the south part of the Everfree Forest.
The camera moves again, to show two other individuals. A grey and yellow stallion can be seen standing there.
"This is Swift Blade," the grey stallion says.
"And Jackpot." The yellow stalion looks directly at the camera.
The camera then moves to show the operator's face.
He points out a campsite.
The camera is pointed at a cabin nearby.
"Now we have to go in the cabin in case everything goes wrong."
The camera moves back to show his face. "This is where we are going from now on. Swift has some weapons Just in case a bear, or a Timberwolf comes barging in."
"We have our own cameras to keep track of what is happening."
The two stallions poke their heads behind him and show their own cameras. They walk into the building.
A creature can briefly be seen hiding in the foliage, before the film sticks.
The footage cuts to the three of them sitting around the campfire, where Jackpot is preparing marshmallows.
Swift Metal can be seen setting up the sleeping bags for each tent. Blaze Camper is preparing food.
"OK, they're almost ready."
Jackpot speaks to Blaze. "I got the marshmallows."
Blaze replies to him. "That's good. And I've got some graham crackers and some chocolate, just in case if you want to make smores. Is that good for you guys?"
"Smores!?"
Jackpot bounces happily. "I think it's a fantastic idea! They're just delicious!"
Swift Metal speaks. "I'll have some! I do find them pretty good."
"Well, the creature is so dangerous, I hope he didn't want SMORE flesh."
Blaze starts giggling at the joke he just heard from Jack's playfull excitement.
Swift looks unamused. "Verry funny Jack."
"Sorry, I just couldn't resist."
Blaze speaks up from out of shot.
Alright guys I'm finally done, will you help me set up the desk?
"Sure."
The film suddenly stops.
The next 30 minutes were damaged beyond repair, and as a result are missing.
When the camera starts up again, a tendril made of liquorice picks a knife up and puts it down elsewhere.
One of them spots this.
"What is that kitchen knife doing here? I'd better put it in the cabin after I'm done"
The knife is put down on the table, after which Swift goes back to the campfire.
The footage jams, and then suddenly distorts, before correcting itself.
The camera shows the operator, lying asleep.
A roar, discribed to be a thousand screams, echoes in the distance, waking him up.
The camera is pickd up and moved to the edge of the tent.
"Did... did you hear that?"
The camera pans left, then right.
"What the buck? What the Tartarus was That?"
The camera moved onto the tents, as the operator taps them.
"Swift... Swift, there's somepony in the camp..."
There is no response.
"Swift, wake up."
The camera operator grabs a shotgun and some ammo, heading out to find where the sound is coming from.
The operator's breathing is heavy, as he readies the shotgun.
"Who goes there? Show yourself!"
The camera moves left and right whilst moving forward.
The rustle of leaves and snapped twigs can be heard behind. The camera wheels around to show Jackpot.
" Celestia Jack, don't scare me like that."
"What are you doing up so late? I just saw you grab a shotgun after you were trying to wake Swift up."
Two minutes elapse.
"There's something out there. I just heard a scream outside."
"Was that a bear you just heard?"
The scream can be heard again.
Jackpot has a look of fear on his face.
"Oh shit. I'll be right back."
Jackpot disappears into the distance.
"No wait, Jack. Where are you going?! Jack! Damn it!"
He sighed. "I guess I'm on my own until he comes back."
5 minutes elapse, when something can be heard moving. The camera jerks around wildly.
Garbled laughter can heard.
"Who... who's laughing!? It's not funny!
"I'm back!" Jackpot shouts from behind, carrying bear traps.
"This is for when we catcht it. We'd better place it somewhere. Got any ideas?"
The camera swings behind them, then forward again.
"We should split up; you put some bear traps at the abandoned cabin, I'll hunt that creature down myself. You put some surveillance cameras all over the place."
Jackpot nods his head in the agreement.
The camara operator starts walking in the woods away from Jackpot. 40 minutes elapse, until a tower comes into view.
The camera moves inside the tower, and remains there for a few minutes.
The organism known as the Candymare suddenly comes into view.
The creature catches, and kills a deer. It then proceeds to devour its body, swallowing the deer whole.
"Holy shit! It's eating the deer whole! And it's in my way!"
He picks up a brick and walks on.
There is a cut. The camera is on top of the tower, and the operator throws the brick.
The Candymare goes to investigate the source of the sound.
The camera slides down a ladder, only for it to turn around. The Candymare is extremely close to the camera, so much so its breath is smudging the lense
The creature starts giggling in a childish manner. The audio is distorted, but has been confirmed to be the same voice from the earlier footage, debunking theories that there is more than one Candymare,
The candeymare breaks the window glass.
AUDIO DISTORTED; CANNOT TRANSLATE
The camera beigns to move backward. The operator starts to knock over objects to slow the creature down.
AUDIO DISTORTED; CANNOT TRANSLATE
The next sequence is hard to make out, as it jams constantly.
The Candymare's teeth begin to spin in the manner of a chainsaw. A shotgun blast can be heard which blows its muzzle off, the lens becoming covered in a mixture of liquid chocolate and gore.
The camera moves backward, but the operator encounters a locked door. The camera swings around to show the Candymare still pursuing, it's mouth fully healed.
"Come on, come on!"
Laughter can be heard in the background.
The door slides open, but the camera goes flying. A mixture of roars and a scream can be heard as the Candymare captures the operator.
Then the battery runs out.
The perspective switches to an abandoned bunker.
The camera operator sets up the camera to face in front of him, revealing him to be Jackpot from earlier.
He finally spoke. "Ok, here it goes. Hello every pony my name is jackpot, i'm a friend of Blaze Camper and Swift Blade. And you may be wondering why am I in an abandoned bunker? Well Blaze and I just heard something in the camp, maybe a timber wolf or a bear, I don't know. And I'll use the surveillance cameras all over the bunker to find out!
These cameras have night vision fitted, so that we can see what's going on in these rooms. So without any further a due I'll go set up a surveillance cameras in each room, hiding them in someplace where the creature cannot see it."
The footage cuts to each surveillance cameras in each room. Eight displays can be seen at once; Jackpot is visible on CAM 4.
"This display shows all the linked cameras. Slightly more importantly, I now know what that creature is.
I'll go set bear traps in each rooms and hallway so I can catch it. I'ts probably a bear, So I'll set up some meat.
I'd better get back to the laptop, I'll see you later."
10 minutes later, CAM 1 spots a pony shaped creature outside through the window, which then disappears.
The footage cuts to Jackpot, who looks to be in a state of panic.
"OK, looks like I was wrong. That thing isn't a Timberwolf, or a bear. It's some sort of...pony, made partially of Candy!"
CAM 7 activates, showing the Candymare trying to recover a piece of meat. The bear trap activates, trapping (and successfully removing) some of her mane).
However, the Candymare succeeds in retrieving the meat, and consumes it. Then she runs off.
The footage cuts to the camera operator walking towards the closed bear trap outside, and points at the closed bear trap.
"I.. I'm serious I never see that thing do that before. Did that thing go through the bear trap, and pull the meat out? I mean what the Tartarus?"
The film cuts to the camera now laying on a table. 5 minutes elapse, then suddenly a brief thump can be heard. The stallion looked up with a jolt, as footsteps can be heard from the ceiling.
"Ooooh buck!" The camera operator grabs the camera and runs to the next room, hiding behind the cupboard doors inside.
The footage cuts to the surveillance cameras inside the bunker. CAM 5 catches the Candymare through the hallways, and the creature is again visible on CAM 4.
The creature rifles through some drawers, but wanders away after a few moments.
Jackpot is briefly visible in CAM 4. Then he runs back to the laptop.
The next section of footage shows Jackpot speaking to the camera.
"By Celestia, I have no idea what that creature is. How can we fight it?"
He sobs with his hooves on his face, for 2 minutes.
"SOMEPONY COME GET US!! The location is-"
A scratching sound echoes through the bunker, stopping just as suddenly.
He grabs the camera and finds the source of the sound.
The film cuts to the camera operator running towards the room which was the source of the sound. A chalkboard with random letters can be seen on the wall.
"J ibwf zpvs gsjfoe, dpnf hfu ijn. If jt jo uif upxfs boe Uif dpncp jtqmbz."
He puts the camera on the desk, and walks to the chalk board away from the camera.
"w... why is it all gibberish? Wait."
He examines it, and thinks for a moment.
"that's not gibberish, it's a message!"
He looks at the camera with widened eyes.
Then the footage cuts to the laptop.
"Yah yah, the.. the alphabet code um.... the translation is..."
The laptop decodes the text, and the camera operator reads out the result.
"I have your friend, come get him. He is in the tower and the combo is...
It's play.
It's play!
The tower combination is play!!!"
The footage cuts to the camera operator running out the door, running through the woods. The candymare's roar can be heard, from right behind him.
The Candymare's voice is briefly audible. "Your gonna be iiiiit!"
The camera swings around, showing the Candymare approaching from behind.
"Oooohhh crap! crap! crap! crap! crap! crap! crap! crap! crap!"
Then he jumps up the tree, and climbs to the top, looking at the abandoned tower, with a broken window at the top of the tower.
"Don't worry Blaze, Jackpot's coming."
The camera shakes. It glances down to show the Candymare cutting at the tree with its foreleg, know sharp like an axe.
The camera operator jumps onto another tree before it starts to fall.
"TIMBERRRR!" a voice can be heard saying, believed to be that of the Candymare.
This process repeats for a few minutes, until the operator picks up a large rock.
"Get away you monster!"
The rock flies through the air, hitting the creature in the head, knocking her out.
The footage cuts to the camera operator running towards the back door of the tower, and unlocking the door.
"Yes! I'm in, I'm in! Don't worry Blaze, I'm coming!"
The display shows another pony, a unicorn, wrapped up in liquorice, not similar to a Changeling hive.
Jackpot cuts the bonds free with a knife.
"Blaze! Thank Celestia! You're okay!"
He hugged Blaze Camper, and Blaze returns the favour.
"I'm glad you came back." Blaze is briefly heard speaking, his voice distorted.
"Please, what happened in there? Did that thing get you?"
"Yes it did... all it did was cough this black smoke at me. I don't feel to good, but hopefully we can get out of here.
The childish laughing can be heard from the back door.
"How did she get here!? I knocked her out!"
" I don't know Jackpot, but I don't feel so good."
Blaze vomits and starts bleeding, the camera hitting the floor as it does so.
Jackpot drops the camera laying on it's side.
The sequence is impossible to describe, as the footage distorts badly and jams constantly. What little of the footage was recovered is eerily similar to that in the first tapes recovered.
The camera eventually corrects, showing us the subject.
The Candymare can clearly be seen, as well as another creature that wouldn't look out of place in an H.P. Hoofcraft novel.
The camera starts moving backwards.
The camera rushes toward the cliff edge, and it suddenly hits the ground, facing whatever is pursuing. The sound of an object falling can be heard behind it.
Then the footage cuts to black.
The perspective switches to the cabin.
The camera operator is now Swift Blade. He looks depressed.
"I don't know where Blaze and Jackpot are. But they have to be either lost or dead!" The sound of sobbing is audible.
"WARE ARE THEY!?"
15 minutes later, he picks up the camera.
The film cuts to the the deck of the cabin. A flashlight moves from left to right.
"Blaze! Jackpot! Where are you!?" he shouts.
A shadow moves toward him. The audio is garbled.
The flashlight illuminates the subject, a badly wounded Jackpot.
"Jackpot? Your still alive!?" The sound of the door open then the slamming of the door shutting can be heard.
"Dude what happened!? Where's blaze!?"
"Get in the cabin!" a voice shouts. "get in the cabin!"
Both ponies run inside the cabin, the door slamming shut again.
The operator picks up the camera and point it at Jackpot locking the door.
"Dude what the Tartarus, what happened to you!?"
"Th...that candy creature from earlier she... She changed him!"
"What do you mean she changed him!?"
"She infected him with this black... Smoke.. I don't know what that was, he's not the same anymore! He and that candy thing were after me and chased me!"
"What do you mean he's not the same!? How did you get away!?"
Sobbing can be heard. "i don't know I...I fell from a cliff into the water. I blacked out, woke up, and I just heard you outside! I was running away from-"
AUDIO DISTORTED; CANNOT TRANSLATE
The operator points the camera outside where the bushes are moving.
"Just put the camera away we don't need it right now! We have to go to Canterlot and contact Celestia about this, and figure out what the Tartarus is going on."
The film cuts to the two ponies in a car,driving out of the forest when suddenly, the roar can be heard from the forest echoing into the car.
"Oh celestia! Was that the candymare you saw earlier!?"
"That must be her. It sounds like a death whistle from the ancient times, we'd better to get out of here!"
30 minutes elapse before the Candymare can be seen in the mirror behind the car chasing them.
"Oh crap! Swift go faster! We have to escape!" Just before they accelerate, the Candymare jumps on top of the car. The sound of hoofsteps can be heard on top of it.
The winged creature, goes on in front of the car, lifting it up with its tentacles.
"Blaze, stop! Your life is more worth it then that!"
The Candymare makes a dent on top of the car of what seems a jawbreaker mace. Giggling can be heard.
"Peekaboo!"
"Did the candy creature just talk!?"
"Well, now we know!"
A gunshot can be heard as the car was dropped down to the road.
The creature at the front flies off.
The stallion with the shotgun knocked at the car door. "You! Get out of the car! We need to talk!"
"Why should we!? We don't know you!"
"No, but I know who that thing is, and I know what that plague is. Just come with me, I know a friend of mine that can help you."
"Why should we trust you?"
"You don't need to, I'm just trying to keep you safe."
The operator takes a deep breath and gets out of the car along with Jackpot.
"Follow me, i know of a place! Come on!"
The camera moves into the wood.
The middle-aged stallion knocks on a door.
"Zecora, I have the two survivors with me! They need our help!"
"Come inside my friend, their lives must not end."
The room is filled with potions and strange objects and totems
"That's Zecora."
"OK, who the Tartarus are you?"
"And why did you save us from that thing?"
The stallion takes off the head, showing his identity.
"I'm Lemon Smith, brother of Lime Valve. That creature that was hunting you down is my sister in law, Beignet Sweets. She's an urban legend known as the Candymare. If you fail to leave candy to her as tribute in the Everfree Forest, she'll devour you. Over time, this became the story of Nightmare Moon, hence Nightmare Night."
"Why are you telling us this?"
"She suffered from the exact same infection that claimed the life of your friend. It's called the Equinox Plague."
"The Equinox Plague? I thought that was wiped out!"
"It can be cured. Zecora?"
"The knowledge i have is not a dud, the cure you seek is alicorn blood."
"That stuff is expensive to get!"
"Then we need to tell celestia about the plague."
"but how are we going to do that!?"they're still out there trying to find us!"
"This point it seems is hard to put, but I do know of a shortcut."
The camera is now moving through a forest
"So, she's saying that this portal goes to Canterlot?"
"Yes, but I don't know if we can open the portal in time-look behind you!"
The Candymare is suddenly on screen, looking extremely angry.
"Crap, we'd better hurry!"
zecora raises a hoof, produces a green potion, and opens a portal.
The camera moves, now in Jackpot's hoof.
"Jackpot, you will show Celestia the evidence; if I die, tell Celestia what happened."
These two cards contain the evidence that you and your friend need."
"The portal can only be used by one, you have to go alone."
"But but I can't be alone now, I can't!"
"It's alright kid, we'll be there for you when we are gone."
The camera begins to back up, as the Candymare appears and kills Swift.
AUDIO DISTORTED; CANNOT TRANSLATE
the operator runs towards the portal, and jumps in.
AUDIO DISTORTED; CANNOT TRANSLATE
The camera is now in the Palace of the Two Sisters.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! WHYYYYYY! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO GOOOOOOO!"
"Sir, calm down."
The film cuts off.
Epilogue (audio recording)
Jackpot was isolated when he arrived at the Castle. We took the opportunity to interrogate him.
This is the audio we recorded.
"Recording now. Jackpot? Would you like to start from the beginning?"
"Before I begin, I wanted to let you know that the footage you saw is actually real.
My friends and I made a camp in the Everfree Forest, until Blaze heard a bizzare noise."
"Did you and blaze found where it came from?"
"Yeah, it was a monstrosity from nightmare, like something from a legend. It was horrible!"
"What did this creature look like?"
"She can distort her frame into any shape, and use any part as a weapon. Her body...it's-it's made of-made out of BUCKING CANDEY!!!!! She was a normal mare once!"
"It killed my friends, and I can never get away from that thing. It's always in my bucking head!"
"Get a hold of yourself!"
"SHE'S HERE! SHE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!!!!!!"
"What in the name of deimos?"
(Explosion; audio cuts out).
