Equestrian Legends: The Slender Stallionby AveryChaptersChapter 1: The TaleChapter 2: Preparing for the SearchChapter 3: The First EncounterChapter 4: Pages of InsanityChapter 5: Friend or Monster?Chapter 6: Stuck Between Good, Evil,and InsanityChapter 1: The TaleThe following events have never happened, this is just a story. Twas the night before Nightmare Night, where most ponies are getting ready for scares and jitters. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were heading to school for an after school Nightmare party. They were already wearing their Nightmare Night costumes, Applebloom was a pirate, Scootaloo was a zombie, and Sweetie Belle was a princess thanks to Rarity. "Come on girls! We're goin' to miss the party!" Applebloom said behind her as she galloped to the school. "What's the big rush Applebloom? We're already early." Scootaloo says galloping behind her. "Cause! Miss Cheerile has a new scary story to tell for us! And I want to be there for the whole thing!" "Hey! Can you wait up?! I can't run in this!" Sweetie Belle yells far behind them. After a couple minutes of galloping, they reach the school. Outside the school stood Cheerile and a cloaked stranger, they were talking to one another. "Howdy miss Cheerile! ....Who's this?" Applebloom said once she reached the school doors. "Oh, hello Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle! I was just talking with this kind gentlecolt, he actually wants to tell everypony about a legend of a Slender Stallion." Cheerile says. "So, what's your name anyways?" Scootaloo says questionably. ".....That is none of your importance....." said the stranger, his voice seemed hollow and without a spirit. "Ok...." Sccotaloo says while scooting back. "Well lets go inside, seems that the others are coming." Cheerile says looking away from the school. They all went inside, including the stranger. After a few minutes of waiting, everyone from Cheerile's class entered the school and sat down talking. Cheerile hushed the students and drew their attention to the stranger, you can't see his face even if you're up close. The stranger then began to speak "......I will tell you of a legend of a Slender Stallion, be warned by what I tell you......it may just save your life....." ".....There lives a Stallion that dresses in darkest suit and tie, he.....is very very tall and has tentacles coming from his back....but other than his height and tentacles that make this stallion different.....is his blank face. No eyes, no nose, no mouth, his entire face is blank and white. He follows.....unsuspecting victims, as he blends within the trees of the Everfree......he slowly drives ponies insane with just his appearance......and when you think he's there, he's not, and when you see him, he will see you......He follows others even outside the forest, slowly but surly pulling them back into the forest.....and kills them leaving nothing but their corpse sprawled across the ground.....and a symbol that he was there.....He lives deep within the Everfree and only comes out on the darkest of nights..... So if you should see this figure in the Everfree.....just pray.....that you.....will live.....and escape...." The stranger then collapses onto the floor, his cloak seemed to hit the floor with nothing underneath. Cheerile grabs the cloak to find that there was nothing under it, as if the stranger disappeared. The others were shivering from the tale, all expect for Applebloom and Scootaloo. "Come on...I've heard scarier before!" Scootaloo says. "Y-Yeah? Well what about him just vanishing like t-that?" Sweetie Belle says. "He might've been a unicorn and disappeared without his cloak to scare us" The others started to calm down and laugh a little, suddenly Applebloom sprang up "I got an Idea! Come on Cutie Mark Crusaders! Let's go to the clubhouse!" she then dashed out of the school Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle did the same and followed her. When they got to the clubhouse Applebloom was already making a plan. "Applebloom! What was that all about?" Applebloom hung up a poster and said "Cause we're going to catch that Slender guy! We can be 'Slender Catchers'!" Scootaloo then said "Alright! Let's do it tomorrow when it gets dark!" "Now wait a minute! What if the legend is true? What if he comes for us?! What if h-" Sweetie Belle tried to say but was hushed up by Scootaloo. "You worry too much Sweetie Belle! We need to just look for him, If we don't find him big whoop. We can just try again!" Applebloom says with a cheery voice "Yeah! Come on! let's think of a way to trap him. Remember he has those tentacle things on his back.." Scootaloo says "And he's REALLY tall! Don't forget that!" Sweetie Belle says "OH, OH I know! How about we-" As the Cutie Mark Crusaders discuss their plan, in the Everfree not far from where they were, the Slender Stallion watches from a crack in a tree. He then disappears into the forest, leaving nothing behind. After everything was explained Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle went back home. When Applebloom got home Applejack was waiting for her at the front gate. "Applebloom! Where were you?" Applejack says with a mad tone. "I was with the others planning on tomorrows crusade!" "Well it's time to get to bed. You don't want to miss tomorrow now do ya?" "No..." Applebloom went inside Sweet Apple Acres and inside the house, then she went upstairs to her bedroom. She looked out the window and saw a tall figure standing at the gate, she rubbed her eyes and looked again. The figure wasn't there anymore. "Boy....I must be more tired than I thought!" She then climbed into bed and fell asleep. In her dreams, she had tried to picture herself and the others capturing the Slender Stallion and getting their Cutiemarks. But to every dream there is a nightmare, and this dream turned into one terrible nightmare. Applebloom was alone without her friends, the Slender Stallion was right infront of her. It opened it's seemingly invisible mouth and chomped down on Applebloom which caused her to wake up with a scream. She looked around and sighed with relief as it was just a nightmare and fell back to sleep. Chapter 2: Preparing for the SearchApplebloom wakes up the next day after another perplexing nightmare. Panting, she gets out of bed and shakes it off and looks out the window. Big Macintosh is already out working on the apple trees. Applebloom goes downstairs and gets breakfast. After a few moments Applebloom's breakfast was gone and she got up and started to dash outside. "Hold up missy" Applejack says Applebloom turns around and looks at her. "Have ya been wearing that all night?" she mentions the costume "Yeah, so what?" "Well it needs to be washed before you go to Nightmare Night tonight, so give it here." Applebloom sighs and takes off her costume and hands it over to applejack. "Alrighty then, have fun until you come back for your costume" Applejack says with a smile Applebloom then dashed out of the house and trotted to Ponyville to find Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Applebloom stops on the opposite side of a dark alley, she sees the figure she saw last night. She blinks and the figure was gone, leaving nothing but a black puff of smoke behind. Applebloom started to get worried and continued to find her friends. After a little while of searching, Applebloom found her friends near the fountain in Ponyville Park. "Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! You won't believe what I saw last night and just a little while ago!" Applebloom says while going to them. "Applebloom! I saw something too!" both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said "Ok, you go first Scootaloo." Applebloom says. "Alright, well when I got home last night and gone to my room, I saw a figure outside just standing there. I looked at it for a bit, but my eyes got tired and I rubbed them and quickly looked back and saw that the figure was gone! Like it vanished into thin air!" "Really? I saw that too!" Both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle says. "Wow..." Scootaloo simply says. "Did y'all have scary dreams last night?" Applebloom asks "Yeah, I was dreaming that we caught that Slender guy and got our cutie marks! But something changed and I was all alone, and the Slender guy was infront of me with his tentacles around me, crushing my bones. I suddenly felt everything break and I suddenly woke up." Scootaloo says but gets quiet near the end "I had the same dream! Only that Slender guy had his hoof on my head and kept smashing his hoof on my head, on a big blow I woke up..." Sweetie Belle says "He ate me in my dream!" Applebloom says. There was a moment of silence after that "So what do we need to get so we can catch that guy?" Scootaloo asks breaking the silence. "We need some rope, a strong large cage, chains and lock to lock up the cage, and something to defend ourselves like a metal bat or somethin'" Applebloom says after thinking about last night. "Why metal bats and stuff?" Sweetie Belle asks "Cause, it's more stronger than wood and does more damage! ....I think" Applebloom answers "Well we won't know unless we go get the stuff!" Scootaloo says while galloping to a nearby hardware store "Hey! Wait for us!" Sweetie Belle says while following her Applebloom followed them to the hardware store and asked for any metal plates and rods, but sadly they didn't have them. They have ran out yesterday. Applebloom and the others walked out of the hardware store. "Well, now what? The shops will close early since it's Nightmare Night tonight..." Applebloom says sadly. "Well we can go find those metal bats near the school yard, I know that they'll have them over there!" Sweetie Belle says. "Yeah but what about the other stuff we need? We can't build the cage, but I think we can get the rope and chains! We just need to ask ponies that have them." Scootaloo says trying to cheer up the group "Alright! Scootaloo, you go get the metal bats while Sweetie Belle and I go get the other stuff!" "Roger that!" Scootaloo says and was off in a dash. "Come on Sweetie Belle! Let's go ask Applejack about the rope!" Applebloom says while galloping away "Hey! Wait for me!" Sweetie Belle says trying to catch up. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle Galloped to Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack was getting ready for work. "Applejack! We need your rope!" Applebloom says with a cheery voice Applejack looks over "Now what do y'all need my rope for?" "Cause we're going to try and catch something tonight!" Applebloom says "What are ya going to catch?" Applejack says with suspicion "Just uh, some animal." Sweetie Belle says "'Some animal'? I don't like the sound of that, what if it breaks the rope?" "Don't worry sis! It's not something that could probably break your rope that easily." "Just be sure you bring it back in one piece, I need that for tomorrow" Applejack says with a smug "THANKS APPLEJACK!" Applebloom yells in joy "It's near the old shed out back" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle raced off behind the farm to where an old beaten up shed stands. The shed looks a hundred years old with some of the boards broken off, the roof missing some of it's tiles, the door was hanging off a hinge, all the windows were broken to a point, and the wood was tinted a grayish brown. Inside the shed was filled with cobwebs and small spiders, no one would dare enter the shed without getting bitten. "Geez Applebloom, don't you ever fix things?" Sweetie Belle says with a semi sarcastic voice. "Hey, this thing was here before I was born! Besides, it was like this even back then. Lets just get the rope and get out of here..." Applebloom says Applebloom and Sweetie Belle walk towards the shed and look around for the rope. "There it is!" Applebloom says pointing at the rope under a window and a board that fell on top of it. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle walk to the rope and Applebloom picks it up. They both look at each other and then to the window. "We really need to fix this place, it'll help wi-" Applebloom began to say before she noticed that there was a white, blank face staring back at her. The blank face showed no signs of any expression, not even any wrinkles of age or creases around the mouth. It then slowly moved it's head to Applebloom to Sweetie Belle, and vanished into thin air as if it wasn't even there. It left behind nothing but a crudely drawn symbol of a circle and an X crossing over it on the wall behind it. "W-W-Was that..." Sweetie belle tried to say "I-I don't know! Lets just get out of here and try to get back to Scootaloo!" Applebloom says hastily Applebloom and Sweetie Belle then galloped away from the shed and back into Ponyville. Before long Applebloom and Sweetie Belle bumped into Twilight who was walking with Scootaloo. After getting up Applebloom looked at Twilight. "Oh hey Twilight!" Applebloom says trying to be as cheery as possible "Hey there girls, what's this I hear about you chasing after a 'Slender Stallion'?" Twilight says with a stern voice "Uh, I don't know. Where'd you hear that?" Sweetie Belle says nervously "Oh a little pony with metal bats told me about it when she bumped into me" Twilight says looking over to Scootaloo who was putting a hoof behind her head. "Scootaloo!" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both say "It's very dangerous to chase something so illogical and seemingly deadly, I don't want you to go on that chase so I want you to come to my place when it gets dark ok?" Twilight says "Awwww....ok...." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle say "Now give me Applejack's rope, I'm going to go take it back to her." Applebloom sadly gives Twilight the rope. Twilight then walked to Sweet Apple Acres. "Come on Scootaloo! Why'd you have to go and tell Twilight about that?!" Sweetie Belle says loudly "Hey easy girls, the hunt's still on. I didn't take all the metal bats, there's still three left over. And I thought if you didn't find a rope, I'd thought that this jump rope would work just as well!" Scootaloo says while bringing out a jump rope. "But what about Twilight? Wouldn't she come looking for us once she notices we're not there?" Applebloom asks "If she can get out of the library..." Scootaloo says while bringing out some chains and many locks "Found them in the school dumpster, we'll use some so that she won't get out and we'll still have some left over for that slender guy!" "Awesome! Way to go Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle says in joy "Alright girls, once the sun starts to set, lets meet at the Everfree forest to catch us some Slender Stallion!" Applebloom says in joy as well All three jump up and hoofbumped each other, laughing the day away. Chapter 3: The First EncounterThe sun was just about to set over the horizon, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle finished with putting the locks on on Twilight's windows and doors. With one last lock, Scootaloo pulled on the chain to make sure it's fastened and then they ran off to the Everfree. Back at Sweet Apple Acres, things weren't going so smoothly for Applebloom. "I want you to stay with Twilight tonight, she told me about what you were going to do. And I don't like it one bit! I'm going to walk you over to Twilight's so that you get there and that you STAY with her." Applejack says with a not so pleased tone "Oh come on Applejack! We're just going to see if we can catch'em tonight! If we don't we will stop!" Applebloom says pleading "No, you're going straight to Twilight's. I'm going to find the others and make sure they get to her as well." "Oh Come On!" Applejack pulled Applebloom across the farm to the front gate and towards Twilight's house. Applebloom tried to get away from Applejack but to no avail. Tracks of Applebloom's hooves were left in the dirt as she tried to escape. Sooner or later they arrived at Twilight's to find that it was all locked up. "What in the hay?" Applejack exclaims Just then a flash of lavender and white suddenly showed and there stood Twilight with an angered look, she quickly turned around to her door. "Now who would go and lock up everything outside?!" Twilight says in anger "You mean you didn't do this yourself?" Applejack asks "No, of course not! Why would I go and just lock up the whole house like that?" Twilight says turning to Applejack "I don't know. Maybe you were leaving or something and wanted to make sure nopony got into your house?" Slightly putting Applebloom down "What?! And suddenly leave all my friends? No way! I'm just trying to figure out who could've don-....oh no. Come on Applejack, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle must be in the Everfree by now!" Twilight says in fright. "W-What?! Well lets hurry then!" Applejack says turning and galloping to the Everfree Twilight and Applebloom followed Applejack close behind. After going through multiple ponies just to try and get to the Everfree they arrive there, the Everfree was in a more dark like state then what it used to be on Nightmare Night. Twilight, Applejack, and Applebloom wasted no time in going in and tracking down Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "I don't see any prints! Where could have they gone?!" Twilight says "I'm not sure! I'm still looking!" Applejack says "Scootaloo?! Sweetie Belle?! Where are ya?!" Applebloom yells. Quickly Twilight puts a hoof over Appleblooms mouth, there were different roars coming from all around. One roar was so demonic that it made them shiver. "Applebloom, you need to be quiet in here. It's very dangerous to be here on Nightmare Night, it's when most of the creatures are violent." Twilight explains Applebloom nods her head slightly and searches the ground for any hoof prints. On closer examination the ground looks as if the dirt has been pushed aside many times. "The ground here looks like it was tampered with! Lets check over here!" Twilight says Applejack and Applebloom followed Twilight through the Everfree, the trees seem to drip a black ooze as they walk by. A minute passes and they come across Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle being held by the Slender Stallion with his long black tentacles. The tentacles are being wrapped around Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, their expressions on their faces show that they were in great pain. "W-What in tarnation?!" Applejack says in surprise Applebloom looks at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, then at the Slender stallion and his blank face. The Slender Stallion was about five times taller than her and was very thin, some of his ribs were showing through his chest. His cutiemark was that of a circle with an X over it, like the one found in the old shed. He had a long, slick black tail. Applebloom looks around to see the chains and some locks were scattered along the trees and that the metal bats were sticking up from the ground, as if hammered into place. Applebloom goes to one of the metal bats and pulls it out, but is not successful. She pulls with all her might but it's not enough. Twilight and Applejack was trying to get Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle down, but the Slender Stallion kept moving out of their reach crushing them more and more. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were now screaming in pain. Applebloom kept on trying to get the metal bat out. Applejack soon comes over and helps, the bat came out with dirt flying. With the bat in her mouth, Applebloom swung it at the Slender Stallion and hit his head. The Slender Stallion steps back and drops Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, they land on the ground hard causing them to yell in pain. Twilight went over to them and put up and shield around them, Applejack and Applebloom went in the shield just as it was closing. They all look at the Slender Stallion, waving his tentacles around in the air and swaying his head from the bat. He didn't even blink or open up his mouth, his whole blank face stayed as it was. He shook off the dizziness and stared at the others in the shield, he then slowly started to walk around it, poking it with his tentacles and hoof. He then stops and brings a hoof up to the top and smashes his hoof against it. The pressure was so much that it almost broke the shield, but Twilight kept it up and charged her horn for another spell. The Slender Stallion smashed on the shield again and again, until it finally broke. The magic fizzed and shattered, but at that moment Twilight casts a Teleportaion spell causing her, the cutiemark crusaders, and Applejack to disappear from the forest. The Slender Stallion stood there, staring at the one spot where they disappeared. There was a flash of light outside Twilight's and there was Applejack, Twilight, and the cutiemark crusaders laying on the ground. Everyone but Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stood up. Twilight made her magic go to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, making them hover. "I'm going to take them to the hospital." Twilight says breathlessly Twilight leaves, Applejack turns to Applebloom with a frightened yet angered look. "See? This is what happens when you go off trying to find stuff you shouldn't!" Applebloom remains silent, looking the way Twilight went. Fear could clearly be seen in her eyes. "You're going to stay on the farm from now on. You can't leave without either me or Big Macintosh going with ya." Applebloom just nods and puts her head down with her eyes closed. She then starts walking to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack follows her, looking this way and that for any sign of the Slender Stallion. Once they arrive at the farm, Applebloom automatically goes to her room and into bed. She then falls asleep with the sound of fillies and colts laughing outside. She once again has a Slender nightmare, this one more frightening than the last. The sight of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo being crushed infront of her and she couldn't do anything about it. Soon the pressure around them got so intense that she heard bones being broken and blood dripping from them. The Slender Stallion just stares at Applebloom, seemingly enjoying her fight. After a while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stopped moving and the Slender Stallion dropped them to the ground, their eyes were mix of life and death, their bodies crumpled up like a towel being ringed out, and their blood just pouring out of their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Then the Slender Stallion stomps on their heads causing a large amount of blood to splat everywhere. Applebloom wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. Applejack was there within a few seconds, Applebloom was found in a corner sobbing terribly. Applejack calms her down and gets her back into bed and quietly leaves. Applebloom lays there, eyes wide open, not sleeping even a wink. She knew that the Slender Stallion was watching, always watching. Chapter 4: Pages of InsanityIt has been three days and Applebloom has yet to come out of her room other than to eat, help on the farm, or see her friends in the hospital. There were the same symbols found on the hospital wall, the farm house, and some of the trees on the farm. This made Applebloom sick, and unwilling to talk. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had most of their bones broken and/or cracked, they would need to stay in the hospital for months and months. Applebloom tried her best to stay positive, but the nightmares she has everynight makes her depressed and unwilling to do anything. "Come on Applebloom... you need to come out of there" Applejack says through Applebloom's locked door "No....I'm not going out there...." Applebloom says with a hollow tone "Come on now, you've been like this ever since we got back from....uh....you know. Why are you acting like this?" "He haunts me....he won't leave me alone....in my dreams....out on the farm....his face always there....watching...." Applejack mutters to herself and walks from Applebloom's room. Inside Applebloom's room, she sits by her bedside watching the door as if waiting for something. Her bow on her head was now laying on the floor untied with red hairs beside it, as if ripped out. After a few moments of silence the door unlocked itself and slowly opened. Applebloom held onto her bedspread. There in the door stood Applejack looking down to Applebloom. "Come on sis, you need to help buck the apples today." Applebloom slowly got up, looking to the window. It was midday, there was a few ponies walking past the gates outside. She then walked to Applejack and followed her outside. On the way downstairs, Applebloom noticed a note pasted on the wall. The writing was so crude and faded that she could barely make it out. he is going easy on you. "Come on Applebloom!" Applejack calls Shaking her head she goes downstairs to Applejack waiting outside. Applebloom grabbed a large bucket and dragged it to a nearby tree. She then went back and grabbed another one to take to another tree. On the way back she noticed another note like the one from before, only the words had many lines sticking out from it's border. Always watching, No eyes. When she turned Big Macintosh stood there looking at the note, he then tore it off and took it somewhere. Applebloom continued to work and help carry bags of apples back to the farmhouse. While working, Applebloom saw more and more notes on the trees and some being placed on the farm wall. NO NO NO NO NO a drawing of the Slender Stallion stood in the middle around the NO's. Can't run A drawing of Slender Stallion standing within a dozen trees the rest were like warnings or someone's desire to scare. The day was nearly done when she brought the twentieth bucket of apples in when she saw another note, this one was bigger than the others and was stained Tick Tock says Mr.clock, bam bam bam says the glock. hurry run to the boat, if he gets you: Drip drop goes your throat. The stain was coming from the red letters, Applebloom put her hoof on the letters and took it off the wall. she brought her hoof back up to see that it was red with the same lettering from the note. ".....blood...." Applebloom silently says She turns to leave the farm she is greeted with the Slender Stallion looking at her from across the large room, in front of the only door outside. She backed up against the wall, her hoof stepped on the note making a crunching sound. The Slender Stallion just looked at her, slowly shaking his head. Then without any sound he just turned around, and left. Applebloom walked outside after a few minutes of waiting and went to the house. Inside was Applejack and Big Macintosh discussing over the notes they found, Applebloom put her ear to the door once she heard them talking. "I don't know Bic Mac, these things seem really old. Who do you think drew them?" Applejack says "No clue." Big Macintosh says "And being shown to Applebloom like that is just horrible, do you think the others could be seeing the same notes?" "Maybe" Applebloom soon walked away from the door and started to head to the hospital. Once there she looked at the wall, no longer was there any symbol. She went inside and was warmly greeted by one of the nurses. "Why hello there Applebloom. Did you come to see your friends?" Applebloom nods "Y-Yeah...." "Alright then, follow me." the nurse said while walking down the halls "Your friends have been doing very well, healing at a normal rate. They haven't talked very much though and I wouldn't blame them, the poor dears." When they arrived at the room where Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was staying, a slim shadow crossed the door window. The nurse opened the door to be surprised by what she saw. There was lines and lines of papers stuck to the wall each of them repeating the same words: He will watch you till the end of your little life. He won't be sorry again No eyes Always watching Don't go into the woods Drip Drop Run you dumb animal Applebloom fainted when she saw all the notes. The nurse ran in the other direction to get some help, nearly scared to death. While no one was looking, the hooded figure entered the room, removing the notes and replacing it with one large poster. Run Run around every corner and bend, it doesn't matter, he always gets you in the end. The figure then disappeared, hood and all, leaving Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom helplessly asleep. Chapter 5: Friend or Monster?Applebloom recovers from her image horror and realizes that she's still in the hospital room with her friends. One of the nurses put her on a spare bed in the room, making sure that she didn't suffer from anything damaging. She sits up, looks around and sees that there was no more lines of notes on the wall, she sighed in relief and lays her head back on the pillow. She thought of what the notes had said: "Don't go into the woods" "He will watch you for the rest of your little life"? What did they all mean? Was someone trying to scare her into submission? Either way, she stopped thinking about it for a little and closed her eyes to relax a little. There was dead silence, other than the breathing of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, it was eerie. After what seemed to be a few minutes there was sounds of footsteps coming from the hall. A shadow looms over the window as there was a clicking sound and the door opened. There stood one of the nurses, nurse Red Heart to be exact. "Applebloom? You awake deary?" Red Heart says as she slowly walks to the bed Applebloom opens up her eyes and sits up, nearly scaring Red Heart "Goodness, you do know how to respond to that. How are you doing? Feeling any better?" Red Heart says putting a hoof to Applebloom's head "I guess...at least I don't have to see those awful notes anymore..." Applebloom says softly "I know, nurse Green Plate told me about it. She's a new nurse just getting used to this hospital. She never expected anything like that to happen, and honestly, neither did any of us." "Did Applejack come over?" "She did actually. She said that you weren't home and wasn't supposed to be out without anyone with you. I told her about what happened and she said that you should stay here for the night. Speaking of which, a letter was dropped at the front desk with it mailed to a 'Young one with bow in her hair'. I'm guessing it's for you, since you do wear a bow." Applebloom patted the place wear her bow was supposed to be and to her surprise it was there. "Applejack must've put it back on..." Applebloom says softly Red Heart put the letter on the side table, the writing on the front was styled as if from Canterlot. "We have no idea who put it there, but take a look at it. Who knows, it might just be something worth while." Red Heart then left the room with the door cracked open, just a slimmer. Scootaloo yawned from her bed. Applebloom looked over and saw the she turned over in her sleep. Applebloom then looked back at the letter, almost afraid to open it. She then grabbed it, opened it, and started to read. This is what it said: Dear little one with bow, I must apologize for my behavior on that one night, a sudden blood-lust always seizes me on that night. I didn't mean for any harm, but anyone that enters the forest on that night always seem to want to capture me. Thankfully, I do have some control and don't kill anyone...just harm them. I am very sorry that I hurt your friends, and to repay you, I want to give you something that will make your friend's recovery swift. I need you to meet me at the entrance to the Everfree at night, and don't worry, I won't attack you. I only attack those who enter on that faithful night. And since you can't leave without someone going with you, I also sent a letter to the lavender unicorn who was there with you. Hopefully, she will take you so that we can help your friends. I hope to see you at night. With love, Slendy Applebloom stared at the letter and reread it, it was saying that the SLENDER STALLION has something to help her friends. Applebloom stared at the letter and put it on the side table. She then looked at her friends, thinking about what it said. Meanwhile, at the Library, Twilight just got through reading the letter she got and just threw it in the trash. "Who does that Slender thing think he's fooling? There's no way that I'm bringing Applebloom to the Everfree again. Even if he does have something for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, what if that blood-lust of his pops up again? There's just no way that I'm bringing Applebloom to him again." Twilight says pacing around "Well what if he's right and he does want to help? What if he's just a poor soul that's been cursed?" Spike says while putting books away "Spike, we've talked about this before, there's no such thing as curses. And even if they are, I don't think there is any curse to turn somepony into that monstrosity. He's just a mindless killer for anypony that walks into the Everfree!" "If he's so mindless, then how come you got a letter from him saying that he was sorry?" Twilight stopped and looked at Spike with a glare "Because he wants us to walk into his trap, once we're there he'll kill us for sure!" "But you have magic! Why don't you just teleport away like you did last time?" "No Spike! I'm not even putting Applebloom near that creature ever again!" "But-" "No buts Spike! I'm not falling for his silly trick!" She turns her back on Spike which made him sigh Just then there was a knock at the door, Spike put down his books and ran over to the door. He opened the door to find Applebloom standing there. "Applebloom! what'cha doing here?" Spike says "Is Twilight here?" Twilight came into view and said "Yes, I'm here. What do you need?" Applebloom took a deep breath and said "I want to go see Slendy tonight" Twilight just closed her eyes and shook her head "No Applebloom, it's probably just a trick an- wait, why'd you tell me?" "Slendy sent me a letter telling me what happened and told me that you got a letter too. I'm guessing that he's not really a bad guy, since he told me that he also gave you a letter and that he's really sorry for hurting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle." Twilight blinked and went over to the trash can and took out the letter. She then reread it. "But, this seems like a trap. He wouldn't just calmly hand out invitations to the Everfree." "But Twilight, I'm guessing that he's changed since that night, cause yesterday I saw him while workin'. He had me cornered in the barn, blocking the only door out and you know what he did? He just stood there, slowly shaking his head and then left." Twilight stood there as she listened to Applebloom, she then looked to her side for a bit. After a minute of silence, Twilight looked back at Applebloom. "Fine, we'll go. But you need to stay near me at all times in case something does happen alright?" "Alright Twilight! So tonight, we find out if he's a monster or a friend." Applebloom says with a determined tone. Chapter 6: Stuck Between Good, Evil,and InsanityNight has made it's way through the sky, the moon shined bright like on Nightmare Night. Twilight and Applebloom walked through Ponyville and towards the Everfree forest, most of the ponies have either gone home to bed or walking in the park. "Twilight, do you think that he might go on that "Blood-lust' or whatever it's called tonight?" Applebloom asks "I'm not sure Applebloom, he may or may not but I still don't like the idea that we're doing this." Twilight answers "Oh...okay" On the way to the Everfree forest, Twilight stumbled upon note after note of the similar hoofwriting of the Slender Stallion, the writing slowly becomes more unstable every two notes. The Vibe of tonight...I'm not liking it My head...it hurts not now, I need to repay for what I did I don't know....SHOULD I give it to them? Dear oh dear....my eye sight is red now....hurry please The bottle....I know I had it somewhere.... This way.... The last note was found near Fluttershy's gate "These notes, are from the Slender guy, but it seems that he was looking for something in Ponyville." Twilight says looking at the notes. "I wonder what it was" Applebloom says peeking over Twilight's shoulder "Anyways, we're here...let's go" Twilight says walking to the entrance to the Everfree forest Applebloom followed close behind. The Everfree seemed to have the same feeling of that on Nightmare Night, which made Twilight worry. At the entrance lay a bottle filled with clear liquid and a envelope. Twilight took them both and opened the envelope, it only read this: Stay away, from me, please.... I don't want to kill you too.... As Twilight finished reading it she heard Applebloom say "Blood..." She looks over to see that Applebloom was in fright and looking to the Everfree forest. She looked to the entrance, nothing was there, she looked at the ground, two trails of blood trailed along the path almost barely visible. Twilight slowly walks to the entrance with Applebloom following. The trails go in different directions, one straight and the other to the right. Twilight took the straight trail and followed it through the Everfree forest. The light from the moon didn't help much at all, Twlight used a light spell to guide her way. The sounds from the forest were eerie, because there wasn't any sound, no chirps, no roars, nothing. After a twenty minutes of following the trail, what stopped at its end was horrifying. There lay Scootaloo, her eyes clouded, not breathing, her chest sliced, and blood spelling out "WHY?" on a nearby tree. There was a moment of silence, then Twilight started crying her eyes out. Applebloom looked at Scootaloo, then to the letters. "...no...please no.....don't tell me..." Applebloom said quietly Twilight got up and pushed Applebloom back towards the entrance. Once there. Applebloom took off following the other trail. "Please...no..." It wasn't long before Applebloom saw Sweetie Belle impaled through a tree branch from her neck, and "WHY?" put on the tree nearby. Applebloom started crying more than Twilight did. Twilight came from behind Applebloom and held onto her, trying to comfort her. And then, the Slender Stallion slowly comes out from the tree Sweetie Belle is at. In one swift movement, his tentacles pieced through Twilight and Applebloom. They both gasped as the tentacles went through their bodies and through their organs, blood trickled down the black tentacles as they tried to free themselves. After a few minutes, they stopped moving. They were then thrown down to the ground like a rag doll. The Slender Stallion looked at his doings and just stared. The moon dimmed its light and the creatures started to be active once again, the Slender Stallion suddenly looked up and then back down to Twilight and Applebloom. He then backed up to a tree, putting a hoof to his "mouth". He looked down and slowly gathered the bodies that were killed with his hooves. After gathering, he then buries them and puts a momento down. The momento says: Here lies four unlucky victims that almost surpassed the curse of the Slender Stallion The Slender Stallion then leaves after placing a single flower for each grave. He goes through the Everfree passing more graves with flowers. He arrives at a cave and enters, on the cave wall beside it was writing. Read this before entering, and heed it's warning Below it was papers, this is what they said: My name was sir Grand Blade, and I was one of the knights that served under the rule of our fair Princess Celestia for 37 years. Many of the knights called me "no face" since I always wear a helmet, if they said it now...they would be shocked by what they saw. One day, an old unicorn came to palace. Her name was Skull Cauldron, and she was a witch. I didn't know it at the time, and she offered me a gift for being such a loyal knight. It was a simple treat, a cupcake. I ate it without letting a crumb fall to the floor. Later that night, I felt strange, like I was changing. My face felt as if it was fire and my body felt like it was being torn apart. After it was over, I ended up being a tall, white figure with no face. My Cutie Mark changed from a shield and sword, to a X crossing over a circle. Everypony ran away from me, and Princess Celestia sent me to the Everfree forest. Every Nightmare Night and on nights it feels like it, I have a sudden Blood-lust and go out into the Everfree Forest to search for anything to kill. I can't control myself when it happens, I don't kill randomly for fun, I protect. I've kept myself hidden away from everything in this cave ever since that night 200 years ago. That witch put a curse on me and now, I roam around known as the "Slender Stallion" and now I'm immortal. If you enter, I'll welcome you. If you enter on Nightmare Night, I'll kill you. Oh god....Why must I be messed with by some damn fucking witch...I'm sorry, I truly am. Inside the cave, tally marks were scribbled against the wall. The Slender Stallion was near a wall with his head against it and his hoof on it. He then proceeded to bang his head against it very strongly, causing his head to break open. He kept doing it, breaking his head more and more. After that, he then proceeds to walk to a corner and sit. Black tears come from his "eyes" and leave a message on the ground with his blood I'm Sorry
Chapter 1: The TaleThe following events have never happened, this is just a story. Twas the night before Nightmare Night, where most ponies are getting ready for scares and jitters. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were heading to school for an after school Nightmare party. They were already wearing their Nightmare Night costumes, Applebloom was a pirate, Scootaloo was a zombie, and Sweetie Belle was a princess thanks to Rarity. "Come on girls! We're goin' to miss the party!" Applebloom said behind her as she galloped to the school. "What's the big rush Applebloom? We're already early." Scootaloo says galloping behind her. "Cause! Miss Cheerile has a new scary story to tell for us! And I want to be there for the whole thing!" "Hey! Can you wait up?! I can't run in this!" Sweetie Belle yells far behind them. After a couple minutes of galloping, they reach the school. Outside the school stood Cheerile and a cloaked stranger, they were talking to one another. "Howdy miss Cheerile! ....Who's this?" Applebloom said once she reached the school doors. "Oh, hello Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle! I was just talking with this kind gentlecolt, he actually wants to tell everypony about a legend of a Slender Stallion." Cheerile says. "So, what's your name anyways?" Scootaloo says questionably. ".....That is none of your importance....." said the stranger, his voice seemed hollow and without a spirit. "Ok...." Sccotaloo says while scooting back. "Well lets go inside, seems that the others are coming." Cheerile says looking away from the school. They all went inside, including the stranger. After a few minutes of waiting, everyone from Cheerile's class entered the school and sat down talking. Cheerile hushed the students and drew their attention to the stranger, you can't see his face even if you're up close. The stranger then began to speak "......I will tell you of a legend of a Slender Stallion, be warned by what I tell you......it may just save your life....." ".....There lives a Stallion that dresses in darkest suit and tie, he.....is very very tall and has tentacles coming from his back....but other than his height and tentacles that make this stallion different.....is his blank face. No eyes, no nose, no mouth, his entire face is blank and white. He follows.....unsuspecting victims, as he blends within the trees of the Everfree......he slowly drives ponies insane with just his appearance......and when you think he's there, he's not, and when you see him, he will see you......He follows others even outside the forest, slowly but surly pulling them back into the forest.....and kills them leaving nothing but their corpse sprawled across the ground.....and a symbol that he was there.....He lives deep within the Everfree and only comes out on the darkest of nights..... So if you should see this figure in the Everfree.....just pray.....that you.....will live.....and escape...." The stranger then collapses onto the floor, his cloak seemed to hit the floor with nothing underneath. Cheerile grabs the cloak to find that there was nothing under it, as if the stranger disappeared. The others were shivering from the tale, all expect for Applebloom and Scootaloo. "Come on...I've heard scarier before!" Scootaloo says. "Y-Yeah? Well what about him just vanishing like t-that?" Sweetie Belle says. "He might've been a unicorn and disappeared without his cloak to scare us" The others started to calm down and laugh a little, suddenly Applebloom sprang up "I got an Idea! Come on Cutie Mark Crusaders! Let's go to the clubhouse!" she then dashed out of the school Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle did the same and followed her. When they got to the clubhouse Applebloom was already making a plan. "Applebloom! What was that all about?" Applebloom hung up a poster and said "Cause we're going to catch that Slender guy! We can be 'Slender Catchers'!" Scootaloo then said "Alright! Let's do it tomorrow when it gets dark!" "Now wait a minute! What if the legend is true? What if he comes for us?! What if h-" Sweetie Belle tried to say but was hushed up by Scootaloo. "You worry too much Sweetie Belle! We need to just look for him, If we don't find him big whoop. We can just try again!" Applebloom says with a cheery voice "Yeah! Come on! let's think of a way to trap him. Remember he has those tentacle things on his back.." Scootaloo says "And he's REALLY tall! Don't forget that!" Sweetie Belle says "OH, OH I know! How about we-" As the Cutie Mark Crusaders discuss their plan, in the Everfree not far from where they were, the Slender Stallion watches from a crack in a tree. He then disappears into the forest, leaving nothing behind. After everything was explained Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle went back home. When Applebloom got home Applejack was waiting for her at the front gate. "Applebloom! Where were you?" Applejack says with a mad tone. "I was with the others planning on tomorrows crusade!" "Well it's time to get to bed. You don't want to miss tomorrow now do ya?" "No..." Applebloom went inside Sweet Apple Acres and inside the house, then she went upstairs to her bedroom. She looked out the window and saw a tall figure standing at the gate, she rubbed her eyes and looked again. The figure wasn't there anymore. "Boy....I must be more tired than I thought!" She then climbed into bed and fell asleep. In her dreams, she had tried to picture herself and the others capturing the Slender Stallion and getting their Cutiemarks. But to every dream there is a nightmare, and this dream turned into one terrible nightmare. Applebloom was alone without her friends, the Slender Stallion was right infront of her. It opened it's seemingly invisible mouth and chomped down on Applebloom which caused her to wake up with a scream. She looked around and sighed with relief as it was just a nightmare and fell back to sleep.
Chapter 2: Preparing for the SearchApplebloom wakes up the next day after another perplexing nightmare. Panting, she gets out of bed and shakes it off and looks out the window. Big Macintosh is already out working on the apple trees. Applebloom goes downstairs and gets breakfast. After a few moments Applebloom's breakfast was gone and she got up and started to dash outside. "Hold up missy" Applejack says Applebloom turns around and looks at her. "Have ya been wearing that all night?" she mentions the costume "Yeah, so what?" "Well it needs to be washed before you go to Nightmare Night tonight, so give it here." Applebloom sighs and takes off her costume and hands it over to applejack. "Alrighty then, have fun until you come back for your costume" Applejack says with a smile Applebloom then dashed out of the house and trotted to Ponyville to find Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. Applebloom stops on the opposite side of a dark alley, she sees the figure she saw last night. She blinks and the figure was gone, leaving nothing but a black puff of smoke behind. Applebloom started to get worried and continued to find her friends. After a little while of searching, Applebloom found her friends near the fountain in Ponyville Park. "Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! You won't believe what I saw last night and just a little while ago!" Applebloom says while going to them. "Applebloom! I saw something too!" both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said "Ok, you go first Scootaloo." Applebloom says. "Alright, well when I got home last night and gone to my room, I saw a figure outside just standing there. I looked at it for a bit, but my eyes got tired and I rubbed them and quickly looked back and saw that the figure was gone! Like it vanished into thin air!" "Really? I saw that too!" Both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle says. "Wow..." Scootaloo simply says. "Did y'all have scary dreams last night?" Applebloom asks "Yeah, I was dreaming that we caught that Slender guy and got our cutie marks! But something changed and I was all alone, and the Slender guy was infront of me with his tentacles around me, crushing my bones. I suddenly felt everything break and I suddenly woke up." Scootaloo says but gets quiet near the end "I had the same dream! Only that Slender guy had his hoof on my head and kept smashing his hoof on my head, on a big blow I woke up..." Sweetie Belle says "He ate me in my dream!" Applebloom says. There was a moment of silence after that "So what do we need to get so we can catch that guy?" Scootaloo asks breaking the silence. "We need some rope, a strong large cage, chains and lock to lock up the cage, and something to defend ourselves like a metal bat or somethin'" Applebloom says after thinking about last night. "Why metal bats and stuff?" Sweetie Belle asks "Cause, it's more stronger than wood and does more damage! ....I think" Applebloom answers "Well we won't know unless we go get the stuff!" Scootaloo says while galloping to a nearby hardware store "Hey! Wait for us!" Sweetie Belle says while following her Applebloom followed them to the hardware store and asked for any metal plates and rods, but sadly they didn't have them. They have ran out yesterday. Applebloom and the others walked out of the hardware store. "Well, now what? The shops will close early since it's Nightmare Night tonight..." Applebloom says sadly. "Well we can go find those metal bats near the school yard, I know that they'll have them over there!" Sweetie Belle says. "Yeah but what about the other stuff we need? We can't build the cage, but I think we can get the rope and chains! We just need to ask ponies that have them." Scootaloo says trying to cheer up the group "Alright! Scootaloo, you go get the metal bats while Sweetie Belle and I go get the other stuff!" "Roger that!" Scootaloo says and was off in a dash. "Come on Sweetie Belle! Let's go ask Applejack about the rope!" Applebloom says while galloping away "Hey! Wait for me!" Sweetie Belle says trying to catch up. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle Galloped to Sweet Apple Acres where Applejack was getting ready for work. "Applejack! We need your rope!" Applebloom says with a cheery voice Applejack looks over "Now what do y'all need my rope for?" "Cause we're going to try and catch something tonight!" Applebloom says "What are ya going to catch?" Applejack says with suspicion "Just uh, some animal." Sweetie Belle says "'Some animal'? I don't like the sound of that, what if it breaks the rope?" "Don't worry sis! It's not something that could probably break your rope that easily." "Just be sure you bring it back in one piece, I need that for tomorrow" Applejack says with a smug "THANKS APPLEJACK!" Applebloom yells in joy "It's near the old shed out back" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle raced off behind the farm to where an old beaten up shed stands. The shed looks a hundred years old with some of the boards broken off, the roof missing some of it's tiles, the door was hanging off a hinge, all the windows were broken to a point, and the wood was tinted a grayish brown. Inside the shed was filled with cobwebs and small spiders, no one would dare enter the shed without getting bitten. "Geez Applebloom, don't you ever fix things?" Sweetie Belle says with a semi sarcastic voice. "Hey, this thing was here before I was born! Besides, it was like this even back then. Lets just get the rope and get out of here..." Applebloom says Applebloom and Sweetie Belle walk towards the shed and look around for the rope. "There it is!" Applebloom says pointing at the rope under a window and a board that fell on top of it. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle walk to the rope and Applebloom picks it up. They both look at each other and then to the window. "We really need to fix this place, it'll help wi-" Applebloom began to say before she noticed that there was a white, blank face staring back at her. The blank face showed no signs of any expression, not even any wrinkles of age or creases around the mouth. It then slowly moved it's head to Applebloom to Sweetie Belle, and vanished into thin air as if it wasn't even there. It left behind nothing but a crudely drawn symbol of a circle and an X crossing over it on the wall behind it. "W-W-Was that..." Sweetie belle tried to say "I-I don't know! Lets just get out of here and try to get back to Scootaloo!" Applebloom says hastily Applebloom and Sweetie Belle then galloped away from the shed and back into Ponyville. Before long Applebloom and Sweetie Belle bumped into Twilight who was walking with Scootaloo. After getting up Applebloom looked at Twilight. "Oh hey Twilight!" Applebloom says trying to be as cheery as possible "Hey there girls, what's this I hear about you chasing after a 'Slender Stallion'?" Twilight says with a stern voice "Uh, I don't know. Where'd you hear that?" Sweetie Belle says nervously "Oh a little pony with metal bats told me about it when she bumped into me" Twilight says looking over to Scootaloo who was putting a hoof behind her head. "Scootaloo!" Applebloom and Sweetie Belle both say "It's very dangerous to chase something so illogical and seemingly deadly, I don't want you to go on that chase so I want you to come to my place when it gets dark ok?" Twilight says "Awwww....ok...." Applebloom and Sweetie Belle say "Now give me Applejack's rope, I'm going to go take it back to her." Applebloom sadly gives Twilight the rope. Twilight then walked to Sweet Apple Acres. "Come on Scootaloo! Why'd you have to go and tell Twilight about that?!" Sweetie Belle says loudly "Hey easy girls, the hunt's still on. I didn't take all the metal bats, there's still three left over. And I thought if you didn't find a rope, I'd thought that this jump rope would work just as well!" Scootaloo says while bringing out a jump rope. "But what about Twilight? Wouldn't she come looking for us once she notices we're not there?" Applebloom asks "If she can get out of the library..." Scootaloo says while bringing out some chains and many locks "Found them in the school dumpster, we'll use some so that she won't get out and we'll still have some left over for that slender guy!" "Awesome! Way to go Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle says in joy "Alright girls, once the sun starts to set, lets meet at the Everfree forest to catch us some Slender Stallion!" Applebloom says in joy as well All three jump up and hoofbumped each other, laughing the day away.
Chapter 3: The First EncounterThe sun was just about to set over the horizon, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle finished with putting the locks on on Twilight's windows and doors. With one last lock, Scootaloo pulled on the chain to make sure it's fastened and then they ran off to the Everfree. Back at Sweet Apple Acres, things weren't going so smoothly for Applebloom. "I want you to stay with Twilight tonight, she told me about what you were going to do. And I don't like it one bit! I'm going to walk you over to Twilight's so that you get there and that you STAY with her." Applejack says with a not so pleased tone "Oh come on Applejack! We're just going to see if we can catch'em tonight! If we don't we will stop!" Applebloom says pleading "No, you're going straight to Twilight's. I'm going to find the others and make sure they get to her as well." "Oh Come On!" Applejack pulled Applebloom across the farm to the front gate and towards Twilight's house. Applebloom tried to get away from Applejack but to no avail. Tracks of Applebloom's hooves were left in the dirt as she tried to escape. Sooner or later they arrived at Twilight's to find that it was all locked up. "What in the hay?" Applejack exclaims Just then a flash of lavender and white suddenly showed and there stood Twilight with an angered look, she quickly turned around to her door. "Now who would go and lock up everything outside?!" Twilight says in anger "You mean you didn't do this yourself?" Applejack asks "No, of course not! Why would I go and just lock up the whole house like that?" Twilight says turning to Applejack "I don't know. Maybe you were leaving or something and wanted to make sure nopony got into your house?" Slightly putting Applebloom down "What?! And suddenly leave all my friends? No way! I'm just trying to figure out who could've don-....oh no. Come on Applejack, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle must be in the Everfree by now!" Twilight says in fright. "W-What?! Well lets hurry then!" Applejack says turning and galloping to the Everfree Twilight and Applebloom followed Applejack close behind. After going through multiple ponies just to try and get to the Everfree they arrive there, the Everfree was in a more dark like state then what it used to be on Nightmare Night. Twilight, Applejack, and Applebloom wasted no time in going in and tracking down Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "I don't see any prints! Where could have they gone?!" Twilight says "I'm not sure! I'm still looking!" Applejack says "Scootaloo?! Sweetie Belle?! Where are ya?!" Applebloom yells. Quickly Twilight puts a hoof over Appleblooms mouth, there were different roars coming from all around. One roar was so demonic that it made them shiver. "Applebloom, you need to be quiet in here. It's very dangerous to be here on Nightmare Night, it's when most of the creatures are violent." Twilight explains Applebloom nods her head slightly and searches the ground for any hoof prints. On closer examination the ground looks as if the dirt has been pushed aside many times. "The ground here looks like it was tampered with! Lets check over here!" Twilight says Applejack and Applebloom followed Twilight through the Everfree, the trees seem to drip a black ooze as they walk by. A minute passes and they come across Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle being held by the Slender Stallion with his long black tentacles. The tentacles are being wrapped around Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, their expressions on their faces show that they were in great pain. "W-What in tarnation?!" Applejack says in surprise Applebloom looks at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, then at the Slender stallion and his blank face. The Slender Stallion was about five times taller than her and was very thin, some of his ribs were showing through his chest. His cutiemark was that of a circle with an X over it, like the one found in the old shed. He had a long, slick black tail. Applebloom looks around to see the chains and some locks were scattered along the trees and that the metal bats were sticking up from the ground, as if hammered into place. Applebloom goes to one of the metal bats and pulls it out, but is not successful. She pulls with all her might but it's not enough. Twilight and Applejack was trying to get Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle down, but the Slender Stallion kept moving out of their reach crushing them more and more. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were now screaming in pain. Applebloom kept on trying to get the metal bat out. Applejack soon comes over and helps, the bat came out with dirt flying. With the bat in her mouth, Applebloom swung it at the Slender Stallion and hit his head. The Slender Stallion steps back and drops Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, they land on the ground hard causing them to yell in pain. Twilight went over to them and put up and shield around them, Applejack and Applebloom went in the shield just as it was closing. They all look at the Slender Stallion, waving his tentacles around in the air and swaying his head from the bat. He didn't even blink or open up his mouth, his whole blank face stayed as it was. He shook off the dizziness and stared at the others in the shield, he then slowly started to walk around it, poking it with his tentacles and hoof. He then stops and brings a hoof up to the top and smashes his hoof against it. The pressure was so much that it almost broke the shield, but Twilight kept it up and charged her horn for another spell. The Slender Stallion smashed on the shield again and again, until it finally broke. The magic fizzed and shattered, but at that moment Twilight casts a Teleportaion spell causing her, the cutiemark crusaders, and Applejack to disappear from the forest. The Slender Stallion stood there, staring at the one spot where they disappeared. There was a flash of light outside Twilight's and there was Applejack, Twilight, and the cutiemark crusaders laying on the ground. Everyone but Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stood up. Twilight made her magic go to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, making them hover. "I'm going to take them to the hospital." Twilight says breathlessly Twilight leaves, Applejack turns to Applebloom with a frightened yet angered look. "See? This is what happens when you go off trying to find stuff you shouldn't!" Applebloom remains silent, looking the way Twilight went. Fear could clearly be seen in her eyes. "You're going to stay on the farm from now on. You can't leave without either me or Big Macintosh going with ya." Applebloom just nods and puts her head down with her eyes closed. She then starts walking to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack follows her, looking this way and that for any sign of the Slender Stallion. Once they arrive at the farm, Applebloom automatically goes to her room and into bed. She then falls asleep with the sound of fillies and colts laughing outside. She once again has a Slender nightmare, this one more frightening than the last. The sight of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo being crushed infront of her and she couldn't do anything about it. Soon the pressure around them got so intense that she heard bones being broken and blood dripping from them. The Slender Stallion just stares at Applebloom, seemingly enjoying her fight. After a while Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stopped moving and the Slender Stallion dropped them to the ground, their eyes were mix of life and death, their bodies crumpled up like a towel being ringed out, and their blood just pouring out of their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Then the Slender Stallion stomps on their heads causing a large amount of blood to splat everywhere. Applebloom wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. Applejack was there within a few seconds, Applebloom was found in a corner sobbing terribly. Applejack calms her down and gets her back into bed and quietly leaves. Applebloom lays there, eyes wide open, not sleeping even a wink. She knew that the Slender Stallion was watching, always watching.
Chapter 4: Pages of InsanityIt has been three days and Applebloom has yet to come out of her room other than to eat, help on the farm, or see her friends in the hospital. There were the same symbols found on the hospital wall, the farm house, and some of the trees on the farm. This made Applebloom sick, and unwilling to talk. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had most of their bones broken and/or cracked, they would need to stay in the hospital for months and months. Applebloom tried her best to stay positive, but the nightmares she has everynight makes her depressed and unwilling to do anything. "Come on Applebloom... you need to come out of there" Applejack says through Applebloom's locked door "No....I'm not going out there...." Applebloom says with a hollow tone "Come on now, you've been like this ever since we got back from....uh....you know. Why are you acting like this?" "He haunts me....he won't leave me alone....in my dreams....out on the farm....his face always there....watching...." Applejack mutters to herself and walks from Applebloom's room. Inside Applebloom's room, she sits by her bedside watching the door as if waiting for something. Her bow on her head was now laying on the floor untied with red hairs beside it, as if ripped out. After a few moments of silence the door unlocked itself and slowly opened. Applebloom held onto her bedspread. There in the door stood Applejack looking down to Applebloom. "Come on sis, you need to help buck the apples today." Applebloom slowly got up, looking to the window. It was midday, there was a few ponies walking past the gates outside. She then walked to Applejack and followed her outside. On the way downstairs, Applebloom noticed a note pasted on the wall. The writing was so crude and faded that she could barely make it out. he is going easy on you. "Come on Applebloom!" Applejack calls Shaking her head she goes downstairs to Applejack waiting outside. Applebloom grabbed a large bucket and dragged it to a nearby tree. She then went back and grabbed another one to take to another tree. On the way back she noticed another note like the one from before, only the words had many lines sticking out from it's border. Always watching, No eyes. When she turned Big Macintosh stood there looking at the note, he then tore it off and took it somewhere. Applebloom continued to work and help carry bags of apples back to the farmhouse. While working, Applebloom saw more and more notes on the trees and some being placed on the farm wall. NO NO NO NO NO a drawing of the Slender Stallion stood in the middle around the NO's. Can't run A drawing of Slender Stallion standing within a dozen trees the rest were like warnings or someone's desire to scare. The day was nearly done when she brought the twentieth bucket of apples in when she saw another note, this one was bigger than the others and was stained Tick Tock says Mr.clock, bam bam bam says the glock. hurry run to the boat, if he gets you: Drip drop goes your throat. The stain was coming from the red letters, Applebloom put her hoof on the letters and took it off the wall. she brought her hoof back up to see that it was red with the same lettering from the note. ".....blood...." Applebloom silently says She turns to leave the farm she is greeted with the Slender Stallion looking at her from across the large room, in front of the only door outside. She backed up against the wall, her hoof stepped on the note making a crunching sound. The Slender Stallion just looked at her, slowly shaking his head. Then without any sound he just turned around, and left. Applebloom walked outside after a few minutes of waiting and went to the house. Inside was Applejack and Big Macintosh discussing over the notes they found, Applebloom put her ear to the door once she heard them talking. "I don't know Bic Mac, these things seem really old. Who do you think drew them?" Applejack says "No clue." Big Macintosh says "And being shown to Applebloom like that is just horrible, do you think the others could be seeing the same notes?" "Maybe" Applebloom soon walked away from the door and started to head to the hospital. Once there she looked at the wall, no longer was there any symbol. She went inside and was warmly greeted by one of the nurses. "Why hello there Applebloom. Did you come to see your friends?" Applebloom nods "Y-Yeah...." "Alright then, follow me." the nurse said while walking down the halls "Your friends have been doing very well, healing at a normal rate. They haven't talked very much though and I wouldn't blame them, the poor dears." When they arrived at the room where Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was staying, a slim shadow crossed the door window. The nurse opened the door to be surprised by what she saw. There was lines and lines of papers stuck to the wall each of them repeating the same words: He will watch you till the end of your little life. He won't be sorry again No eyes Always watching Don't go into the woods Drip Drop Run you dumb animal Applebloom fainted when she saw all the notes. The nurse ran in the other direction to get some help, nearly scared to death. While no one was looking, the hooded figure entered the room, removing the notes and replacing it with one large poster. Run Run around every corner and bend, it doesn't matter, he always gets you in the end. The figure then disappeared, hood and all, leaving Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom helplessly asleep.
Chapter 5: Friend or Monster?Applebloom recovers from her image horror and realizes that she's still in the hospital room with her friends. One of the nurses put her on a spare bed in the room, making sure that she didn't suffer from anything damaging. She sits up, looks around and sees that there was no more lines of notes on the wall, she sighed in relief and lays her head back on the pillow. She thought of what the notes had said: "Don't go into the woods" "He will watch you for the rest of your little life"? What did they all mean? Was someone trying to scare her into submission? Either way, she stopped thinking about it for a little and closed her eyes to relax a little. There was dead silence, other than the breathing of Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, it was eerie. After what seemed to be a few minutes there was sounds of footsteps coming from the hall. A shadow looms over the window as there was a clicking sound and the door opened. There stood one of the nurses, nurse Red Heart to be exact. "Applebloom? You awake deary?" Red Heart says as she slowly walks to the bed Applebloom opens up her eyes and sits up, nearly scaring Red Heart "Goodness, you do know how to respond to that. How are you doing? Feeling any better?" Red Heart says putting a hoof to Applebloom's head "I guess...at least I don't have to see those awful notes anymore..." Applebloom says softly "I know, nurse Green Plate told me about it. She's a new nurse just getting used to this hospital. She never expected anything like that to happen, and honestly, neither did any of us." "Did Applejack come over?" "She did actually. She said that you weren't home and wasn't supposed to be out without anyone with you. I told her about what happened and she said that you should stay here for the night. Speaking of which, a letter was dropped at the front desk with it mailed to a 'Young one with bow in her hair'. I'm guessing it's for you, since you do wear a bow." Applebloom patted the place wear her bow was supposed to be and to her surprise it was there. "Applejack must've put it back on..." Applebloom says softly Red Heart put the letter on the side table, the writing on the front was styled as if from Canterlot. "We have no idea who put it there, but take a look at it. Who knows, it might just be something worth while." Red Heart then left the room with the door cracked open, just a slimmer. Scootaloo yawned from her bed. Applebloom looked over and saw the she turned over in her sleep. Applebloom then looked back at the letter, almost afraid to open it. She then grabbed it, opened it, and started to read. This is what it said: Dear little one with bow, I must apologize for my behavior on that one night, a sudden blood-lust always seizes me on that night. I didn't mean for any harm, but anyone that enters the forest on that night always seem to want to capture me. Thankfully, I do have some control and don't kill anyone...just harm them. I am very sorry that I hurt your friends, and to repay you, I want to give you something that will make your friend's recovery swift. I need you to meet me at the entrance to the Everfree at night, and don't worry, I won't attack you. I only attack those who enter on that faithful night. And since you can't leave without someone going with you, I also sent a letter to the lavender unicorn who was there with you. Hopefully, she will take you so that we can help your friends. I hope to see you at night. With love, Slendy Applebloom stared at the letter and reread it, it was saying that the SLENDER STALLION has something to help her friends. Applebloom stared at the letter and put it on the side table. She then looked at her friends, thinking about what it said. Meanwhile, at the Library, Twilight just got through reading the letter she got and just threw it in the trash. "Who does that Slender thing think he's fooling? There's no way that I'm bringing Applebloom to the Everfree again. Even if he does have something for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, what if that blood-lust of his pops up again? There's just no way that I'm bringing Applebloom to him again." Twilight says pacing around "Well what if he's right and he does want to help? What if he's just a poor soul that's been cursed?" Spike says while putting books away "Spike, we've talked about this before, there's no such thing as curses. And even if they are, I don't think there is any curse to turn somepony into that monstrosity. He's just a mindless killer for anypony that walks into the Everfree!" "If he's so mindless, then how come you got a letter from him saying that he was sorry?" Twilight stopped and looked at Spike with a glare "Because he wants us to walk into his trap, once we're there he'll kill us for sure!" "But you have magic! Why don't you just teleport away like you did last time?" "No Spike! I'm not even putting Applebloom near that creature ever again!" "But-" "No buts Spike! I'm not falling for his silly trick!" She turns her back on Spike which made him sigh Just then there was a knock at the door, Spike put down his books and ran over to the door. He opened the door to find Applebloom standing there. "Applebloom! what'cha doing here?" Spike says "Is Twilight here?" Twilight came into view and said "Yes, I'm here. What do you need?" Applebloom took a deep breath and said "I want to go see Slendy tonight" Twilight just closed her eyes and shook her head "No Applebloom, it's probably just a trick an- wait, why'd you tell me?" "Slendy sent me a letter telling me what happened and told me that you got a letter too. I'm guessing that he's not really a bad guy, since he told me that he also gave you a letter and that he's really sorry for hurting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle." Twilight blinked and went over to the trash can and took out the letter. She then reread it. "But, this seems like a trap. He wouldn't just calmly hand out invitations to the Everfree." "But Twilight, I'm guessing that he's changed since that night, cause yesterday I saw him while workin'. He had me cornered in the barn, blocking the only door out and you know what he did? He just stood there, slowly shaking his head and then left." Twilight stood there as she listened to Applebloom, she then looked to her side for a bit. After a minute of silence, Twilight looked back at Applebloom. "Fine, we'll go. But you need to stay near me at all times in case something does happen alright?" "Alright Twilight! So tonight, we find out if he's a monster or a friend." Applebloom says with a determined tone.
Chapter 6: Stuck Between Good, Evil,and InsanityNight has made it's way through the sky, the moon shined bright like on Nightmare Night. Twilight and Applebloom walked through Ponyville and towards the Everfree forest, most of the ponies have either gone home to bed or walking in the park. "Twilight, do you think that he might go on that "Blood-lust' or whatever it's called tonight?" Applebloom asks "I'm not sure Applebloom, he may or may not but I still don't like the idea that we're doing this." Twilight answers "Oh...okay" On the way to the Everfree forest, Twilight stumbled upon note after note of the similar hoofwriting of the Slender Stallion, the writing slowly becomes more unstable every two notes. The Vibe of tonight...I'm not liking it My head...it hurts not now, I need to repay for what I did I don't know....SHOULD I give it to them? Dear oh dear....my eye sight is red now....hurry please The bottle....I know I had it somewhere.... This way.... The last note was found near Fluttershy's gate "These notes, are from the Slender guy, but it seems that he was looking for something in Ponyville." Twilight says looking at the notes. "I wonder what it was" Applebloom says peeking over Twilight's shoulder "Anyways, we're here...let's go" Twilight says walking to the entrance to the Everfree forest Applebloom followed close behind. The Everfree seemed to have the same feeling of that on Nightmare Night, which made Twilight worry. At the entrance lay a bottle filled with clear liquid and a envelope. Twilight took them both and opened the envelope, it only read this: Stay away, from me, please.... I don't want to kill you too.... As Twilight finished reading it she heard Applebloom say "Blood..." She looks over to see that Applebloom was in fright and looking to the Everfree forest. She looked to the entrance, nothing was there, she looked at the ground, two trails of blood trailed along the path almost barely visible. Twilight slowly walks to the entrance with Applebloom following. The trails go in different directions, one straight and the other to the right. Twilight took the straight trail and followed it through the Everfree forest. The light from the moon didn't help much at all, Twlight used a light spell to guide her way. The sounds from the forest were eerie, because there wasn't any sound, no chirps, no roars, nothing. After a twenty minutes of following the trail, what stopped at its end was horrifying. There lay Scootaloo, her eyes clouded, not breathing, her chest sliced, and blood spelling out "WHY?" on a nearby tree. There was a moment of silence, then Twilight started crying her eyes out. Applebloom looked at Scootaloo, then to the letters. "...no...please no.....don't tell me..." Applebloom said quietly Twilight got up and pushed Applebloom back towards the entrance. Once there. Applebloom took off following the other trail. "Please...no..." It wasn't long before Applebloom saw Sweetie Belle impaled through a tree branch from her neck, and "WHY?" put on the tree nearby. Applebloom started crying more than Twilight did. Twilight came from behind Applebloom and held onto her, trying to comfort her. And then, the Slender Stallion slowly comes out from the tree Sweetie Belle is at. In one swift movement, his tentacles pieced through Twilight and Applebloom. They both gasped as the tentacles went through their bodies and through their organs, blood trickled down the black tentacles as they tried to free themselves. After a few minutes, they stopped moving. They were then thrown down to the ground like a rag doll. The Slender Stallion looked at his doings and just stared. The moon dimmed its light and the creatures started to be active once again, the Slender Stallion suddenly looked up and then back down to Twilight and Applebloom. He then backed up to a tree, putting a hoof to his "mouth". He looked down and slowly gathered the bodies that were killed with his hooves. After gathering, he then buries them and puts a momento down. The momento says: Here lies four unlucky victims that almost surpassed the curse of the Slender Stallion The Slender Stallion then leaves after placing a single flower for each grave. He goes through the Everfree passing more graves with flowers. He arrives at a cave and enters, on the cave wall beside it was writing. Read this before entering, and heed it's warning Below it was papers, this is what they said: My name was sir Grand Blade, and I was one of the knights that served under the rule of our fair Princess Celestia for 37 years. Many of the knights called me "no face" since I always wear a helmet, if they said it now...they would be shocked by what they saw. One day, an old unicorn came to palace. Her name was Skull Cauldron, and she was a witch. I didn't know it at the time, and she offered me a gift for being such a loyal knight. It was a simple treat, a cupcake. I ate it without letting a crumb fall to the floor. Later that night, I felt strange, like I was changing. My face felt as if it was fire and my body felt like it was being torn apart. After it was over, I ended up being a tall, white figure with no face. My Cutie Mark changed from a shield and sword, to a X crossing over a circle. Everypony ran away from me, and Princess Celestia sent me to the Everfree forest. Every Nightmare Night and on nights it feels like it, I have a sudden Blood-lust and go out into the Everfree Forest to search for anything to kill. I can't control myself when it happens, I don't kill randomly for fun, I protect. I've kept myself hidden away from everything in this cave ever since that night 200 years ago. That witch put a curse on me and now, I roam around known as the "Slender Stallion" and now I'm immortal. If you enter, I'll welcome you. If you enter on Nightmare Night, I'll kill you. Oh god....Why must I be messed with by some damn fucking witch...I'm sorry, I truly am. Inside the cave, tally marks were scribbled against the wall. The Slender Stallion was near a wall with his head against it and his hoof on it. He then proceeded to bang his head against it very strongly, causing his head to break open. He kept doing it, breaking his head more and more. After that, he then proceeds to walk to a corner and sit. Black tears come from his "eyes" and leave a message on the ground with his blood I'm Sorry
