Our Inner Ponies 2: A Race Against Time

!CUPCAKE REFERENCE; JUST SO YOU KNOW :)!

So, long story short, after Zaria and I had a way-too-long chat with a quarter of the mane six, we all spent the rest of the time we had basically chatting some more and "touring" Ponyville. And by touring, I just meant we all took a long and boring nature walk. Of course Fluttershy had a blast, pointing out different birds and plants along the way. You're probably wondering if Zaria and I ever got a chance to talk. Well, is Pinkie Pie my favorite pony? Me and my BFFL were now separated a few feet from the group, whispering quietly to one another.

"Has the princess sent a letter yet?" Zaria questioned me softly.

"No," I answered. "I feel bad for her. She has to think of who's causing this, why they're doing it, what we can do to stop it, and she has to keep it a secret from all the other ponies."

"Geez, can you say 'hard as hell'?" Zaria said. "I feel extremely bad for her. I wish we could help, too."

"Hey, who said we couldn't?" I asked. "I mean, there's no reason we can't help. Oh! I almost forgot something!"

"What?" So, I told Zaria about what happened much, much earlier, and what happened at Sweet Apple Acres. I had to cover her mouth to keep from drawing attention with her loud laughter when I mentioned my strange body movements.

"So you see?" I hissed when I was done. "All of those could be clues to who's doing all this! You believe me, don't you?"

"Of course," Zaria answered, putting her arm around my pink shoulder. "Do you think your, uh, let's say little abilities, will occur again?" I shrugged. Hopefully not, I thought as I stood up.

"Where're ya goin'?" My friend wondered.

"I'm gonna go stretch my legs," I replied. "If the group starts leaving, tell them Pinkie went for a little walk, okay? Or if they wanna look for me, that's fine, too."

I gave Zaria one last hug and disbanded from everyone. Now that I was alone, the nature did look kinda pretty. There were hummingbirds, roses and daises, and best of all: warm sunlight! If I had a hammock, some Kool-Aid, and a good book, this would be paradise! I began bouncing for, what, the third time, when I heard a twig snap. I froze literally mid-bounce and quickly plopped back on the grass. I looked around slowly, a terrified feeling washing over me. My heart started beating faster and my stomach dropped.

"H-hello?" I whispered, swallowing the urge to scream. "Who's there?" Silence. Deadly silence. And you know what? Enough was enough!

"Okay, listen Mr. Tough and Scary!" I screamed, turning around in circles. "This is like the third time you've gotten to me! And I'm really sick of it! So if you think you're so frightening, come out at me! Or, if you're a wimp, give me a sign that you're so 'scary'."

There was a rustling in the bushes. I expected it to be a complete cliche; I thought a bunny was going to jump out and get me all scared for nothing, only to make me turn around and realize my biggest nightmare was just beginning. Oh no. This dude meant serious business. I didn't know if he was doing this, but my head started aching, my hooves went numb, and my tail was spinning in the air slowly. But that wasn't the freaky part. Out of the corner of my eye, a black-violet ghostly shape whizzed past me. I started running out of fear, hoping I could find the others quickly.

I suddenly tripped face-first into the ground. I couldn't find the energy to stand back up and keep running. Instead, I got a good look of this ghostly figure. It was dull, yet sparkly. The center was all violet, but the aura around it was all black. The blackness turned to a crimson red, and I watched as it faded into my face. I felt like I couldn't breathe as I felt the air rush down inside me. All at once, I found the energy to stand back up, and in a matter of milliseconds, I had found the girls.

"Oh, there she is!" Fluttershy exclaimed, pointing a hoof at me.

"Oh thank Celestia!" Twilight breathed, running over to me. She used her magic to pull me into a death grip, otherwise known as a hug. "Where were you, Pinkie? Why'd you wander off like that?" I opened my mouth to say something, but then it closed. This had been my third or fourth experience today, and neither was good. I had no choice but to spill everything.

"Listen, if you're all my friends, you'll help me," I began shakily, "and you won't doubt me." And again, I told them what happened, where I was, all that good stuff. Er, bad stuff. Good bad stuff. And, as you guessed, they didn't look like they believed me (except Zaria, and by the looks of it, Spike).

"Pinkie, I thought we talked about this earlier," Rarity reminded me, giving me a look.

"I know, I know," I sighed. "But this time it was really freaky! This huge cloud popped out of nowhere, and it faded into my face and—"

"MAYA!" Dash interrupted rudely, her voice echoing throughout the forest. "Please! Enough with the exaggerations already!" My eyes widened. If she called me Maya on purpose, then things were just getting started. Screw the Pinkie Promise! I wasn't afraid to get my way now!

"Okay, ya know what Dashie?" I growled. "All this time you've been doubting me over and over again when I needed help. Heck, Rarity and Spike sound like they're believing me! But this has got to stop!" No, please don't! A voice warned me. I ignored it. Whether it was Pinkie's thoughts or not, I kept going.

"I thought a friend was supposed to be understanding and trustworthy!" I went on, my hair feeling like it was falling out. But it wasn't. Both my mane and tail were slowly deflating from its puffiness to a straw-straight darkish pink. "But HA! Noooo! I was W-R-O-N-G! And I would expect it from a stubborn friend like you! UGH, I just wanna...!"

I gritted my teeth and my breathing got shallow as I glared fiercely at the freaked out Pegasus. Something cracked in my brain as my mane and tail popped into a straight form. Then I did the unthinkable: I attacked her. Yes, I jumped on Rainbow and starting rolling around in the grass, pulling her wings, scratching her face, and biting her hooves. Of course Spike was clapping, and the others were shocked and tried to pull us off each other. Fortunately, I didn't strangle the poor Pegasus to death and was pulled off by Twilight's magic.

"Pinkie, what has gotten into you?" She cried, holding me in place. I glared at her, trying to break free of the magical force.

"Let me go!" I demanded in a strangled voice. "Let me go now!"

"Not if you're going to attack Rainbow Dash again!" Rarity said, standing in front of the coughing Pegasus.

"I've never seen you like this before Pinkie," Fluttershy chimed in, staring at me wide-eyed. "Maybe you should see a doctor...That is, if you want to."

"Yeah, you've never gone this crazy," Zaria added, keeping her distance.

"Déjà vu all over again," Spike muttered, shaking his head in confusion. I wish he hadn't said that. I know I went psycho two years ago as Twilight, but I didn't want to be...Pinkamena! And that got me even madder! I made a Pinkie Promise that there'd be no drama, no stress, and no arguments, and...Rainbow went and broke it!

"RAINBOW, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" I screeched, fidgeting like a person that had waaay too much coffee. "YOU PINKIE PROMISE BREAKER!"

"W-what?" The Pegasus sputtered between coughs. "What...are you talking about? I didn't...break a promise!" Why was she coughing? I didn't choke her! That much, anyway.

"Ugh, let me go!" I commanded Twilight, my energy draining. "Let me go right...now!" It felt like I was dissolving into air trapped in this sparkly force field. When the feeling of drowsiness washed over me, Twilight released me from her trap and lowered me to the ground.

"Thank you," I mumbled breathlessly, rubbing my aching head. I slowly ran my hoof under my straight mane. Different flashbacks of the episode Party of One flooded into my eyes. Pinkie had gone crazy, talking to inanimate objects, but she hadn't gone this crazy! As Spike had said: Déjà vu! I slowly got to my feet and looked back at my motionless straight tail. I let out a small sigh. Oh don't worry; I wasn't going to break down again like I had two years ago.

"Rarity, Spike, AJ," I began. "And Rainbow Dash," I added with a groan, "come on. We have to accomplish something important, remember?"

"No way!" Zaria objected. "I'm not goin' with Cupcake Girl!"

"Shut...up!" I grouched through gritted teeth. "Not another word out of you. Now lets go." Without another word, I stomped off with Rarity, Rainbow, Zaria, and Spike trailing behind me slowly.