The Fluttering

Darkness, that was all Pinkie could grasp in the shapeless world she stood within. A loud dripping echoed through the empty recesses of her unconscious mind. Her tail violently began to twitch, as if the very hair became a living being. Pinkie Pie shouted loudly into the vast emptiness,

"H-hello? Is anyone there?" Nothing but the echoed words that escaped her lips were heard in the blackness.

"Anyone there, there, there....?" The echoes trailed off into the distance, each faint word reverberating in tune with the silent voices that only now began to whisper.

"Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Stick a needle in her eye!"

"Pinkie Pie, Pinkie Pie, better watchout before you die!"

"Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, Her skull better get bashed!*"

"Oh no, please don't hurt my friends! I'll do anything you want!" Pinkie's words began to stutter as tears started to form. "J-just l-leave them a-a-alone!"

"OoooOoooh! Pinkie Pie is afraid of a little ghost? My, my I can't believe we share the same mind. Their only visions Pinkie, better not let them win!"

"W-who said th-that?"

"Aww you hurt my feelings! Don't you remember your old pal, Pinkamena?" A bright burst of light sprang forth in front of Pinkie's eyes, blinding her momentarily. As the brightness faded a dark pink pony stood before her. The pony was a complete doppelganger of Pinkie, minus the scowl and straight mane that shrouded her face.

"D-did you s-sing that s-song?"

"Who me? Oh no, it was the sinister spirits that want to possess your unhinged mind! Lucky for you, I frightened them off..."

"Should I g-giggle at the gh-ghostie?"

"Laughter won't protect you from these beasties! Be wary of the one who hides behind a curtain. Her inner madness will spring forth most certain. Be wary of the images you perceive, lest you face eternal death. Wake up now, they return onc-"

Poof! The pony vanished in a cloud of red blood, replaced by two identical twin fillies.

"Come play with us Pinkie! Love us forever!"

A brief glimpse of a gore filled room with two dead girls lying in the hideous muck invaded her thoughts. The scene vanished in a single instant but even then the image would remain embedded in her mind.

Both pegasus were awoken by a bloodcurdling scream that pierced their own dreams. They turned around to see Pinkie Pie huddled in the corner, the wall behind her smeared with two single words written in what appeared to be blood;

Redrum Ydoolb

"What the hay does that mean?" Asked a very concerned Rainbow Dash, who stood shaking the pink pony awake.

"Arggghhh!!!"

"Pinkie it's just Dash, relax! It was only a dream, images can't hurt you!"

"R-rainbow?"

"Yes?"

"I really like your mane!" A thin smile appeared on Pinkie's face as she stared at the huge bush of bed-hair that stood atop Rainbow's head.

"Hey! You try waking up with great hair when your friend decides to scare the bejeezus out of you!"

"Sorry Dashie, but seriously come on... That hair is hil-hair-ous! Haha!" A loud snort burst forth from the pink pony, making her two friends stare at Pinkie in disbelief.

"But you just... Arrgh! I will never understand you Pinkie!"

"Umm you guys ready for some breakfast? I-if that's ok... I'm just starving!"

"Heh, yeh! Think we should just... Try something non-heartattack inducing!"

"So like bacon?"

"Eww Pinkie, you know we don't eat meat! Seriously what's with your sudden interest in meat?"

Breakfast was uneventful (To the relief of Rainbow Dash), well except for the whole feeding a toothless alligator bit. But alas a fresh batch of pancakes was a great way to improve a rather stressful morning. Pinkie Pie let out a loud groan, "Aww man! Now that Zecora's away we gotta do the dishes... I know! I'll use Gummy as a reptilian scourer!"

Fluttershy wandered into the dining hall and sat herself before a rather shabby typewriter, her ideas lay upon the table in a very messy pile of papers. She breathed deep and let forth a huge whoosh of air.

"Today I write, no problems and certainly no interruptions... Oh I hope they don't think I'm being rude! Oh well..."

Her hoofs began to tap lightly on the keys, her mind lost within the realm of imagination. For awhile everything seemed perfect and serene. But then the voices began to start, bearing with it the feeling of another presence. Fluttershy shivered with an icy chill, the  firmly locked windows could not generate such a specific air.

"Fluttershy.... Fluttershy...."

"D-don't be scared, its just y-your mind p-playing tr-tricks, I'm alone! I'm alone! I'm alone!" Fluttershy repeated this phrase multiple times, trying desperately to ignore the whispering voice.

Slowly she turned back to her writing and gasped at the two words that stared blankly at her from the crisp white page.

Bloody Murder...

"I-is that what P-pinkie wrote? Oh my, maybe this place is haunted..."

From afar she heard the sound of the elevator opening and wondered briefly on her friends whereabouts. The sound of rushing liquid reached the yellow pegasus followed by the feeling of water washing over her hooves. Fluttershy looked down and saw that she was standing in a puddle of fresh blood. She screamed loudly as the liquid dyed her fur a dark red tinge. She began to retreat slowly backwards as the sight seemingly vanished.

"W-was that just a d-dream? B-but it felt so r-real! Maybe I just need a good rest..."

At the other end of the hotel Rainbow Dash began her daily duties, each animal had to be bathed and groomed every Wednesday. Pinkie Pie bounced along behind her, a rather scared looking alligator clinging to her hair.

"What's wrong with Gummy? He looks like he saw a ghost!"

"Oh I dunno, just this morning I noticed him shaking ever so slightly. He's only done it once before, when I discovered him alone in a small lake."

"Yeh I've never seen him so on edge... Hope the little guys ok."

"So do I, mind if we tag along?"

"Sure Pinkie!"

Quietly they wandered through the corridors, the calls of the animals muffled by the thick walls. Eventually they arrived at their destination, a large door with a massive paw symbol stood awaiting the pair. Rainbow dash pulled out the matching key and rotated the lock into place *click*

The door swung open with a loud creak revealing a rather bemused panther staring intently at these strangers. The large cat kept a close eye on the rather strange pink pony who continued to bounce in the spacious room. A small alligator sat perched on her head, his blank expression showing no sign of fear at the large and rather menacing panther.

"Hi Sara, I'm rainbow Dash and this is my good pal Pinkie. We're gonna give you a bath, please don't try to eat me!"

Rainbow Dash crept forward slightly, her eyes fixed on the panther's meaty paw. Gently she clipped a long chain to the big cats neck and gave a light tug. She strained with increasing effort as the panther simply refused to budge.

"Ugggh! Pinkie, little help please?"

"Okie Dokie Lokie!"

Pinkie crept behind the large bed and pulled a large ball of yarn from the depths of her hair.

"Here kitty kitty, Pinkies gotta surprise for you!" She threw the ball at the panther who pounced violently towards it and began a very loud purring growl. Rainbow Dash felt the chain go slack and dragged the now preoccupied cat towards the bathroom.

"Pinkie, your randomness is very handy sometimes!"

"I know! Hey don't you think Fluttershy would love to wash a panther? Ooh, ooh, ooh, I'll go get her...back in a jiff!"

Rainbow watched as the pink pony took off like a brightly colored bullet. A small trail of dust fading in the gray light.

Pinkie zoomed through the house, narrowly avoiding the hazardously placed corpse. Wait what? She continued on, oblivious to the strange images surrounding her. She saw a flash of yellow and screeched to a halt, sending Fluttershy barreling into the wall in fright.

"Arggghhh! Oh, it's just you Pinkie... Why the hell would you do that?!" Shouted the yellow pegasus, causing Pinkie to cry ever so softly.

"F-fluttershy, it was just an accident... I d-didn't mean it..."

"What a blubber baby! Oh, my I don't know why I just said that... Are you ok Pinkie?" Fluttershy extended a hoof and gave Pinkie a gentle hug.

"Yep I'm fine-a-roni! Oh, Me and Dashie are about to give a panther a bath!"

"Sounds like fu-"

Her voice was cutout as the sounds of very angry critters echoed from the hallway. A small swarm of spiders erupted from the room beside them. Tiny red gems stared up at the duo with a raging fury. Another door opened to the right, revealing a large tentacled monster with a single eye. Pinkie drew a large wooden sword out of thin air and began thrusting it towards the oncoming beasts.

"Stay back beasties, this sword can slice anything into nice fillets!"

The Cycloptapus (as Pinkie would later call it) grabbed the sword and snapped it in two. Pinkie gave a loud shout and pulled Fluttershy back toward the kitchen. As they retreated several more doors were thrown open, spilling their denizens out into the hotel. Fluttershy tried her stare technique but the animals just shrugged it off.

Pinkie pulled several knives from the countertop and hurled them towards the vicious creatures stampeding towards them. Most of her throws missed, except one that pinned a large beetle to a wall.

Both ponies embraced each other and cried silently beneath the sink. The kitchen door burst open, a large red eye stared directly at their hiding place. They held their breath as the creatures poured into the rather small kitchen and began to search. Fluttershy opened her eyes ever so slightly and sighed loudly when she saw the empty room, pristine and untouched.

"Where did they go?"

"Maybe they disappearededed, like those scary filly's in my dream!"

"I th-think this hotel is h-haunted!"

"Yeh it is, Zecora told me!"

Fluttershy gave Pinkie a grave look, her face turning cream in fear. "Oh my, I hope Dash is ok! I don't wanna see her h-hurt."

The duo burst from the kitchen and ran swiftly up both flights of stairs. As they reached the 3rd floor, the sounds of laughter trickled out from the large en suite. Pinkie and Fluttershy exchanged looks,

"How did she not notice the mob of creatures?"

Pinkie Pie shrugged and gave the pegasus a large smile. "Rainbow Dash!"

The muffled sounds of hoofs on tile could be heard through the walls. The bedroom door opened slowly, Rainbow Dash stuck her head out and called across the hallway.

"About time you two showed up! This cat is giving me all kinds of hell... I'm absolutely drenched in soap suds here... Even my wings are matted and dripping torrents!"

"You didn't hear the sounds of angry beasts?"

"No... Why?"

"Oh nevermind Dash, probably just our imaginations..."

"Well are you gonna stand there or you gonna h- What the hay! You fillies shouldn't be here! Wait wha- Th-they vanished!"

"You ok Dashie?"

"Ummm yeh, guess this isolation messes with your head..."

Rainbow Dash wandered back into the room, her heart pounding hard against her chest. She began to breathe softly and calmed her shaken nerves. Her friends followed behind her, wide eyes fixed on the cyan pegasus. Rainbow gave them a reassuring smile and gestured towards the bathroom door,

"Prepare to get wet, that Sara really loves to pounce on bubbles... Yeh, cute as a little cat... Not so much with a big cat. I think waterfall is a better description..."

Pinkie burst through the door. Giggles began to overrun the pink pony, her body lay upon the ground shaking with laughter. Fluttershy tentatively trotted forward, her eyes surveying the war zone.

Water dripped from the ceiling, the light fixture cast strange shadows through the two inch puddle of water within. Lying in the bath was a very happy looking panther, her coat shiny from the soap suds that still covered a tenth of her hindquarters. The water was only at it's lowest, the majority of it lapping against Fluttershy's hooves. Two feet of water surrounded the room, a small magic field keeping it away from the adjoining bedroom.

"Guess they have this problem a lot..."

"Yeh I think so."

Fluttershy tried to begin rinsing the panther's back but she kept trying to swat at the small rubber duck floating in the pool of water. Fluttershy sighed as her mane slowly became drenched in water, her bright pink mane plastered to her face. Pinkie jumped into the bathroom, laughing as Gummy belly-flopped into the water. The alligator grinned with sinister intent, his toothless jaw's clamping shut on the panthers tail.

"Oh no..."

Kersplash! Sara jumped high into the air, sending the rest of the water flooding out of the bathtub. Both ponies were knocked off their hooves as the wall of water rushed towards them. From the bedroom came the sound of raucous laughter, Rainbow Dash was literally rolling on the floor in a fit of pure laughter. She stopped laughing long enough to pull Fluttershy from the flooded bathroom. Pinkie Pie let out a large stream of bubbles, the water pouring slowly from her nose. She grabbed Gummy in her teeth and glared at the guilty looking alligator.

"Gummy! What did I tell you about scaring others in bathtubs? Guess somepony misses out on a juicy fish..."

Gummy's eyes pierced the pink ponies heart, he gave Pinkie the most adorable look ever seen on an alligator.

"Awwww, how can you stay angry at that?"

"Umm one thing guys, how do we get her down?" Asked Rainbow Dash, her hoof pointing to the roof.

Three pairs of eyes drifted upwards, there clinging to the ceiling in fright was Sara the panther. The large cat refused to come down, so they decided to leave the cat to her own devices. Maybe one day they'll fix the collapsed roof on the second floor...