Slendershy

by the ghost

Rating: teen
Tags: Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Crossover, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Other
Length: 22162

Some experts think that Slender Mane is a type of sentient tree. Some of her friends thought Fluttershy was a tree. They both right. But what does this mean for Fluttershy?

Some experts think that Slender Mane is a type of sentient tree.
Some of Fluttershy's friends thought Fluttershy was a tree.
They are both half right.

Fluttershy's nineteenth birthday sets into motion a chain of events that makes her question who she really is. Meanwhile Slender Mane slowly closes in on her.

(based off of Tribe Twelve)

Published 2013-01-07 22:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-08-13 02:57:30 UTC

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Around midday Fluttershy was sowing herself some new garments. She really didn't need any, but it helped her keep her mind off what happened last night. She just didn't want to think about it right now.

Fluttershy dozed off mid-stitch, she couldn't help it she hadn't slept at all last night..

She began to dream...

***

Fluttershy had a nightmare.

A group of sea turtles had hatched from tiny eggs. They were adorable. They Crept along the white sand towards the water.

Suddenly a seagull swooped down and picked up one of the sea turtles. crushing it in it's jaws.

Poor turtle. Why does life have to be so cruel. Thought Fluttershy. Suddenly a whole flock of birds were attacking the turtles.

Fluttershy was horrified. She tried to run towards the turtles, to protect them from the birds. Only she tripped over her fins. Fluttershy looked down to see that she had become one of the turtles.

Now the birds were after her.

She rushed clumsily towards the safety of the sea. The other turtles would sabotage the other ones in an attempt to buy themselves time, but in they end they all were snatched up left and right until Fluttershy was the only one remaining one on the beach.

She stopped to look at the water. It was a dark blue and looked cold. Fluttershy felt that there were worse things waiting for in there then on land.

A white octopus in a business suit beckoned her to join it in the water.

She didn't want to go in.

"what are you waiting for little seed." Said a voice. "nothing in there can harm you, but fear itself."

"Who are you?" Said Fluttershy looking around for the source of the voice. It felt like someone was pushing words into her head. The words felt friendly and oddly calming.

"i'm around" the words flashed across her eyes. "why don't you join your sisters in the ocean? i'm sure it's much safer there."

"I-I'm scared." Replied Fluttershy.

"as you should be."

"I'm not going to go in you know." Said Fluttershy. "No matter how many times you tell me to."

"that is your decision fluttershy not mine." Said the voice. "all i know is that the gulls our coming. and you better be ready because they will devour you. you can't hide on land forever. you don't belong there"

"My friends will protect me." Said Fluttershy defiantly.

"then they will devour your friends." Said the voice.

"Then i'll protect them." said fluttershy.

"then you will devour them. my advice to you is to run. run and never look back at your old life in ponyville. nor if your really care about them your friends." The mysterious writer inside her head began to fade away.

"Wait! Who are you? Why don't you capitalize your words?" Asked Fluttershy.

"it's not fair to the rest of the letters." He explained. "why should some letters be capitalized and others not? its infuriating! its not fair! its just dumb!" The voice seemed to be getting angry for some reason. Fluttershy could tell he was passionate about this.

"But what's your name?" Asked Fluttershy.

The voice thought about it for a while.

"my name is thefeared." He wrote into Fluttershy's brain. "and if i were you fluttershy, i would be very careful. the gulls are coming."

Suddenly a seagull swooped down and picked up Fluttershy crushing her undeveloped shell and waking her up from the dream.

***

Fluttershy woke up from her dream breathing heavly. She was clinging to the slender doll. Realizing this she threw the slender doll across the room. Angel Bunny who had also been sleeping woke up form the sound of the doll hitting the floor. Fluttershy forgot all about her nightmare and when over and gave Angel a big hug. Much to his embarrassment.

"Oh Angel I thought I would never see you again. I'm so glad you came back." Many of her other animals had also begun to return. This made Fluttershy very happy.

***

Meanwhile at Sweet Apple Aces. A black van, not something that was exactly common in Ponyville, rolled up to the barn. On the side of the van were the initials G.U.L.L. several armed ponies got out of the back of the van and walked up to the front door. They were dressed head to hoof in black suits and ties, as well as black sunglasses. Two colts marched up to the barn and rang the door bell.

"I'm comin, be there in a second." Said Applejack. She opened the front door. The smile that was on her face disappeared. "Oh it's you guys. Is there anything I can help y'all with?"

"Applejack we would like to ask you a few questions." Said one of the colts...

Author's Note

This is a subchapter.

All the members of the Collective do something wrong with their grammar for thefeared it's that he/she doesn't capitalize anything. To learn more about the Collective go to this wiki page. http://tribetwelve.wikia.com/wiki/The_Collective

My writers block is finally broken.

Chapter 2: Apples to Apples

Applejack and the stallions dressed in black sat down at a coffee table inside of the barn. there was tension between them. Applejack knew that she couldn't trust them.

“Applejack do you know who we are?” Said the taller one of the stallions. His black suit’s label read G.U.L.L.

“You’re members of G.U.L.L.” said Applejack. “I can read you know.”

“Of course. As you know we are an organization that is dedicated to tracking down serial killers. It doesn’t happen much in Equestria, but when it does, we exist to track the killers down.”

“Yep. Told me that story before.” As the element of honesty Applejack usually had a good sense about who was fibbing and who was being honest.

She could tell that these ponies were fibbing.

“Recently, we had a break in you’re parents case.” said the smaller one.

This got Applejacks attention.

“What!” Yelled Applejack. “What did you find out? Did you find Mr. Tall?”

“That’s classified. But if must know, we believe that we can stop other murders from happening, but only if you corporate with us.”

“What do you need to know?” Asked Applejack suspiciously.

“We have a few questions actually. Have you had any severe headaches recently?”

“No, not since last harvest season.”

“Any coughing or sneezing?”

“No.”

“Any trouble sleeping?”

“Nothing out of the usual.”

“Seen anypony in masks?”

“No”

“This one is important, do you know if it was anyponies nineteenth birthday recently?”

Applejack felt her stomach twist up.

“Why do you want to know?” She asked.

“We have reason to be believe that the killer is targeting people of her age.” Said the taller one.

This had to be a lie. But what if it was true? Fluttershy could be in danger. But she wasn’t the only one.

“There were two ponies in Ponyville who had birthdays yesterday. One of them name was Oatmeal. She had her birthday last week.”

“And the other one?” Asked the shorter pony.

“The other one’s name is Fluttershy, I was at her party yesterday.”

The G.U.L.L.s raised an eyebrow at this.

“Did anything…unusual happen to her at her party?

“She fainted. At around 4:44.”

The G.U.L.L. agents gave each other a look.

“But please don’t go scaring her; she’s a real sweet heart y’hear? If you hurt one little hair on her head I swear I will hunt ya down”

“We assure you, you don’t have anything to worry about. We just have a couple of questions for her is all. Thank you for your time Applejack we’ll be leaving now.”

The two Stallions stood up and began to walk out the door.

“Wait! Do you Pinkie promise not so hurt Fluttershy?” asked Applejack.

The two stallions looked at her awkwardly.

“Errrr…cross my heart and hope to fly, errr stick a cupcake in my eye." They said awkwardly doing the motions.

“Aright then. See ya round then.” Said Applejack relieved.

The stallions walked out the door. Leaving Fluttershy alone with her thoughts.

It had been awhile since Applejack thought about the events leading up to her parent’s death.

To be honest she didn’t like to, but today she couldn’t help it.

***

The Apple Harvest: a time of year where everypony in the Apple family was out working the fields. Even Applejacks older brother, Big Macintosh, and her four months pregnant mother, Pear Butter, was out to working the fields.

But not Applejack. Her parents said she was too young to help, so they sent her off to play.

So little filly Applejack went out to play in the west fields all by herself. She kicked a ball back and forth between the trees imaging playing for one of the big league teams like the Manehattan Dragons. She shoots…

Applejack kicked the ball too high into one of the trees. Where she couldn’t reach it. She tried jumping for it, she tried bucking it down, but matter what she tried she couldn’t reach the high branch. She could ask her parents, but they were busy with the apple harvest. Sighing, she sulked off towards home.

And that’s when she saw him.

A pony that she had never seen before, sulking in between the trees. He looked out of place in the sunlight of the day. He wore a black suit and a black tie and was very, very tall. Surely he could reach the ball.

So Applejack, the little filly she was, walked right up to the massive stallion and tugged on his sleeve. The sleeve was hot to the touch like stove. “Excuse me sir, but do you think you could help me reach my ball?”

The faceless stallion looked down at Applejack, as if confused by the question. The towering figure tilted his faceless head to the right.

“You know ball, ball!” Said Applejack, pointing to the sphere in the tree.

Curious, the figure walked over the tree. When he reached the tree in question he pointed to the ball.

“That’s it!” Said filly Applejack.

The tall pony stood on his hind legs and seemed to stretch as he reached a hoof (or was it a claw?) to pick up the ball. Once he had it in his claw/hoof he looked at Applejack as if wondering what to do next with it.

“Throw it here!” Said Applejack.

The tall pony looked at the ball and then looked at the filly. It threw the ball with a gentle toss.

Applejack caught the ball. “Thank you Mr. Tall.” She went off to play with the ball. The tall pony watched her for a few seconds and then began to stalk away.

Applejack saw him leaving. Something about the way he was walking told her that he was sad. He seemed so lonely.

Just like she was.

She didn’t want anyone to be alone like that.

“Hey Mr. Tall!” Applejack yelled. “Catch.”

Applejack threw the ball at the tall stallion. The ball stopped inches from the back of his head, as if by magic, and then it repelled back towards Applejack who caught it. The stallion turned to face Applejack.

“See this here is how you play a game called catch. Wanna play?”

The tall stallion made no attempt to walk away again. So she assumed that he did.

“Alright here comes another one.”

The two of them played together all afternoon, until the sun started to set. They had such a great time that it seemed as though no time at all had passed. That’s when Applejack heard the dinner bell.

“Oh, that’s my Momma calling me to eat. I better get going. Will you be here again tomorrow Mr. Tall?”

The tall stallion studied Applejack for a second before nodding his head yes.

“Great! See ya then!” She took off towards the barn.

At dinner Applejack was having Apples (of course what else would they have?). At some point in the conversation Applejack brought up her new friend, Mr. Tall. Applejack’s parents looked at each other nervously.

“Where did you say you saw this stallion?” Asked Applejack's mother sounding worried. Applejack didn’t notice.

“In the west field. He said he was going to be there tomorrow.” Said Applejack happily.

“Well I for one would love to meet this…Mr. Tall.” said Applejack’s father.

The next day Applejack took her father to meet Mr. Tall. At first she couldn’t find the meeting spot, but when she did he found him waiting underneath the same tree, as if He hadn’t moved from that spot.

“There he is papa!” said Applejack pointing to him.

Applejack’s father looked where Applejack pointed, at first he looked confused by what he saw, but then he smiled.

“Oh I see now. Go play with Mr. Tall kiddo. Papa’s gotta get back to apple bucking see ya latter kid.”

He began to walk away. “Crazy kids and their wild imagination.” He whispered under his breath.

Today Applejack tried to teach Mr. Tall how to play a few new games.

“This one is called hide and seek. You hide and I try to find you.” She said. The tall stallion tilted her head in confusion.

“I cover my eyes count to ten. And you go hide. I try to find you. Ready? 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…….10! Ready or not here I come!” Applejack opened her eyes to see Mr. Tall standing there looking very confused.

“No no no Mr. Tall, you’re not doing it right! You’re supposed to hide!”

Head tilt.

“How bout you try seeking? Close your eyes and…no that won’t work. Uh, look the other way.”

Mr. Tall refuses to corporate with Applejacks attempts to make him face the other direction no matter how much she pleaded with him.

Finally she gives up “Ok just…stand their I will hid ok?”

Applejack went to find a hiding spot. She hid behind one of the apple trees. It was a pretty bad hiding spot, but hey she wanted to go easy on him.

She wondered how long she would be hiding. As it turned out it wasn’t long. Within fourteen seconds Mr. Tall found her.

“Wow your really good at this. Lets try a harder hiding spot.”

The two of them continued to play hid and seek. However no matter how well Applejack hid herself within no time Mr. Tall always found her.

After a while Applejack decided it was Mr. Tall’s turn to hide again. After all he should understand how the game works by now.

Applejack counted to ten.

“1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…….10! Ready or not here I come!” This time Mr. Tall was gone from sight. Applejack smiled happily knowing that he finally understood the game.

Unfortunately he was a little too good at the game. Applejack searched for the rest of the day for Mr. Tall. But he was nowhere to be found.

As the sun was setting Applejack thought he had lost her friend for good…

Which is why she was so exited when she found him in the spot she saw him in the day before.

Every day for three weeks during apple harvest season Applejack went to visit Mr. Tall. Sometimes they would play games, sometimes they would just talk. Of course Mr. Tall never talked so it was mostly Applejack talking, and pretending that he talked back.

She told him all about her brother and parents and how her parents never had time for her.

“I hate them so much. They never have time to hang out and play games.” She said to the silent stallion one day. “They're too busy working with their apples to play with me. And worse my mom says I have a sister on the way. Can you believe that?”

Mr. Tall had no comment.

One day she decided to teach him how to play tag. As it turned out he was really good at that game too. He never ran the whole time, yet he seemed to sneak up on her when she least expected it.

When he caught her, he would pick her up with one of his tentacles by her back leg. He would lift her in the air as she laughed and screamed.

Then he would release her and she would run again. It was so much fun! Applejack was having so much fun that she didn’t hear her mother calling her to dinner. She didn’t even notice the sun go down. The two continued to play tag in the dark. It was about midnight before Applejack remembered that she had to go to dinner.

“Oops stayed to long got to go! See you tomorrow.” She waved goodbye to Mr. tall and ran back to her barn where her mother was waiting for her. Her belly was swollen from being four months pregnant.

“Where have you been young lady! We’ve been worried sick!”

“I was out playing with Mr. Tall.” Said Applejack.

“You were out with your imaginary friend for forty hours?” yelled her mom hysterically.

Had it really been forty hours it felt like it had only been a day, not two days.

“He’s not imaginary he’s real.” She said.

“You didn’t even come when we called you!”

“But I wasn’t even gone a day…”

“Liar!”

“But mom!”

But Applejack’s arguments fell on deaf ears. And as a result she was grounded.

“But he was real I’m not lying.”

You are going to stay in your room young lady. Said her father. “Until you learn to tell the truth.”

“But I can’t be grounded he’s expecting me to come see him today you can’t just…”

Her parents shut the door to her room.

“…Do this.”

“Applejack was brooding mad at her parents. Stuck up in her room for two days. Her mother would slip her food underneath the door, but Applejack refused to eat it (Most of it) She was so angry.

It rained the next day. She wondered whether or not Mr. Tall was waiting for her in the rain. He was going to be sad when she didn’t show up. She hated her parents so much right now. How dare they keep her locked up in here?

She felt her anger growing inside of her.

She wished they would just die!

Mr. Tall felt this and too and did what he felt necessary.

There was a crash downstairs as the window broke.

“WHAT THE…HELP! HELP! ITS GOT ME, ITS GOT ME!” screamed her mother from down stairs.

“Honey, what's wrong!” yelled her father running down the stairs with the shotgun.

“Mom!” yelled Applejack following her dad down the stairs...

In the kitchen stood Mr. Tall, by a broken window just standing there like nothing was happening.

“WHAT IN CELESTIA’S NAME IS THAT THING!” said her dad pointing the gun at Mr. Tall.

Mr. Tall took a step forward and Papa fired his gun.

The rest was a blur after that. She didn’t remember much.

Just the blood.

And screaming.

And the ripping noise.

And the sound of a baby crying.

When the G.U.L.L.s arrived Applejack was being embraced by her dead parents. Their bloody corpses were wrapped tight around her. She was crying. Her mother’s stomach had been ripped open. Her father was impaled with apple tree branches.

But in Applejack’s blood caked arms was a baby. She was yellow with red hair. G.U.L.L.s geneticist confirmed that it was the child of the late Honeycrisp, Applejack’s Mother. Applejack named her Applebloom.

Honeycrisp had only been four months pregnant with Applebloom, she should have been just a fetus, unable to survive outside the womb.

Instead she was about a year old. Alive, but in serous condition. Luckily G.U.L.L. had a team of medics on the scene to take care of them. Both Applebloom and Applejack were rushed to the hospital.

The doctor found that they had been infected with Stigma Radiation, which according to the doctor was common with encounters with “The Creature”.

The doctors were able to remove the radiation from Applejack easily; she hadn’t been infected as badly. Applebloom’s case was severe, however. For a while it looked like she wasn’t going to make it.

She remembered talking to one of the G.U.L.L. members.

“Please identify the creature that attacked you.” Said the lady agent showing her the pictures again. She identified the tall pony out of the array of different monsters.

“So it’s “Slender Mane” huh? I’m not surprised. This organization was created to deal with creatures like him you know. We can’t do much more then track him right now, but soon we will have our chance.”

Applejack shrugged.

“It’s quite a common your case. The creature is very good at making the victim feel confortable around it. It’s like a form Stockholm Syndrome. Then when it feels like they are defenseless it will attack. You’re lucky you’re alive.”

“My parents weren’t so lucky. Mumbled Applejack.” The mare frowned.

“Lets change the subject.” She said. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, what about my sister? How’s she doing?”

“She will live...” Applejack’s ears poked up at the good news. “…However she had a nasty case of stigma radiation. We don’t know much about it I’m afraid. All we know is that “the creature” gives it off. Whether it does this on purpose or not is unknown, but it can cause coughing, confusion, memory loss, and other symptoms.

“Your completely clean now, but your sister. Well she has some permanent damage.”

“Damage like what?”

“Her cutie mark cells were damaged beyond repair. I’m sorry your sister will never be able to get a Cutie Mark.”

“Nothing you can do?”

“Nothing, I’m sorry. You will be dropped off into the care of your Grandmother and older brother in the morning. Applebloom will stay a little while longer till she recovers, then she will be returned to your care.”

The next day she was returned to her home and Applebloom soon after. Applejack like her parents before her became a hard worker. Running the farm like her parents used too.

***

“Hey sis! I’m going to hang out with the crusaders.” Said Applebloom waking Applejack out of her daydream. “I’ll be back by dinner time.”

“Ok, don’t talk to any strangers.” Said Applejack.

“I know, I know. See ya latter” and she was out the door.

Applejack stood there fore a second before tears began to come down her face. She had never told Applebloom that she wouldn’t get her cutie mark. She didn’t have the heart too.

Mr. tall put a hand on her shoulder in symphony

***

Oatmeal was running limping towards the Everfree Forest with her dying breaths. She was a brown mare with cinnamon colored mane. But right now it was soaked black with black blood. Her blood.

She was riddled with bullets from an automatic weapon. Any normal pony would be dead, but she wasn’t. Instead black blood leaked from her broken body. She felt that if she could only reach the Everfree forest she would be safe.

One of the G.U.L.L. Jeeps rolled by, this one with a mounted turret. Oatmeal tried to get out of the way, but she was too late. The turret riddled her with bullets, this time reaching the center of her body. White tree sap sprayed everywhere and Oatmeal could no longer bear the pain. She dropped to the floor were she twitched in pain. The chase was over.

However although her eyes where gone, her new senses allowed her to know what was going on. The jeep came to a stop right behind her. Two G.U.L.L. stallions exited the vehicle. One of them carrying a gasoline tank, the other a machine gun and a lighter.

“Almost feel bad for it.” Said the one holding the gas tank. He started to pour gasoline onto oatmeal’s broken body. It stung, a lot.

“Don’t, we’re making Equestria a safer place.”

“Where’s the next one?”

Oatmeal tried to crawl away but she didn’t get very far.

“The farm pony said that there was a pegasus pony named Fluttershy on the edge of town that had just celebrated her nineteenth birthday.”

“Could be a coincidence.”

“She also fainted at 4:44 on the dot.”

“Looks like we got another on huh?”

“Well at least she didn’t have time to develop.”

“Yeah. Finish this job and we can head out.”

The pony dropped the match onto oatmeal casing her whole world to go up in flames.

“So lets go meet this “Fluttershy” shall we?” Said the one with the machine gun. They hopped back into the Jeep and starting towards Fluttershy’s house where Fluttershy was sewing herself a new outfit oblivious to the danger that was heading her way…

Author's Note

Thefeared will answer any questions you may have in the comment section as well as theloved

Chapter 3: The Pony in the Closet

Sewing dresses always helped Fluttershy calm down and relax. She wasn’t as good as Rarity by any means, but she was pretty good if she said so herself.

She had always been able to sew despite the fact that no one ever taught her how. Rainbow Dash said that she had a "freaky knowledge of sewing" This should have stuck her as strange, but she didn’t care. It was so relaxing. And she did her best thinking while sowing too.

She thought of everything that had happened the night before. The tall stallion, the freaky doll, messages from The Feared, The Misplaced and The Loved. It didn’t make much sense to Fluttershy, but for some reason they were all calling her to do the same thing.

Go into the Everfree forest.

Fluttershy shook her head. The prospect of doing that was far too terrifying. Besides that’s where the faceless pony was. And all sorts of other bad things. And the way she made it sound.

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to pay attention to her sowing.

When she looked down and saw what she had created and immediately threw it against the wall and backed away from it.

She had sown herself a black business suit.

Exactly like the one that the stallion was wearing.

She hadn’t meant to sow it just…happened. Then something even stranger happened. She had the urge to put it on.

She shook off the instinct and decided that she would be taking a break from sewing. She was hungry, so lunch sounded good right about now.

She walked into the kitchen pulled out her favorite breakfast cereal, Honey Oats, mmm

She poured the milk onto the cereal, stuck her spoon in and took a bite

her face contorted as if she had just swallowed a pair of uncooked eggs.

And immediately spit it out. Disgusting!

“That’s weird.” She choked, “Did the expiration end or something?”

She checked the expiration date on both the milk and the cereal. Both of which indicated that they had at least two weeks left before they went bad.

“Huh, well lets try something else.” So she pulled out a bowl of yogurt poured it into the bowl and took a spoon full of it.

She spat that out too. Gross!

She opened her cabinet; she pulled out all her breakfast stuff. But no matter what food she chose it was disgusting. It turned to ash in her mouth.

Her animals didn’t seem to mind it though, they were happily munching on the food Fluttershy was throwing away.

Meanwhile Fluttershy was very confused.

What was going on? Why did all of her food taste like ash? It had tasted fine yesterday, but today it all tastes awful.

There was one food left to try. Lettuce. She was going to use it in Angel Bunnies salad, but this was an emergency.

She opened the fridge and looked into the veggie shelf.

There was no lettuce, but instead a letter. Slightly disappointed she opened the letter.

sorry to bother you little seed, but you’re growing up now; you’re going to have to eat big girl foods. besides eating lettuce is like cannibalism to you. if i were you, i would try new things. have fun.

-thefeared

p.s.

try the meat.

After reading the last line Fluttershy turned blue in the face. She seemed to be having trouble processing this.

“M-m-me eat meat?” Stammered Fluttershy. Her brain seemed die.

Her stomach growled.

She looked over at her chicken coop. Watching the chickens running around pecking at the ground. Not a care in the world.

…

“You know what Angel? I think I’m going to wait on lunch today. Or tomorrow. Or this week.” She let out a nervous laugh as she Walked away from the kitchen.

Her stomach let out a nervous rumble.

So instead of feeding herself Fluttershy decided to feed all her pets. After that she turned her attention to her the suit coat she made.

She didn’t want to wear it. She didn’t even want it in her house. So she decided to destroy it.

Meanwhile, unknown to Fluttershy, a G.U.L.L.’S sniper scope was zooming in on her head through the window.

Suddenly there was a soft tapping sound from Fluttershy’s closet.

She slowly turned to look at it.

Thats when the banging started.

She hid behind her table hiding from whatever was in the closet, which hid her from the sniper sight.

The banging continued for about minute. Fluttershy, stared at the door waiting for it to swing open.

Instead, whoever was inside started to cry.

Fluttershy listened to the pony's tears.

"Sompony please help me." said a soft voice thick with tears

Fluttershy’s fear was overpowered by her kindness. She's much too kind for her own good.

“Hello?” She croaked. “Are you ok?”

The sobbing stopped. “No I’m not.” The voice sounded familiar but Fluttershy couldn’t place it.

“…I-I don’t know,” she shuddered, “I can’t remember, I can’t remember how I got in here, I can’t remember anything! Please get me out of here.” The voice started to cry again.

Fluttershy recognized the voice now, but…It couldn’t be.

“Can you tell me what you look like?”

“No.”

“In the closet there is a mirror.” Said Fluttershy. “Tell me what color is you’re hair?”

“Pink.” She said “Why?”

A shiver ran down Fluttershy’s back

“I might know you.” Whispered Fluttershy. “What color is your coat?”

“I…I think it’s yellow.” Said the voice.

Sweat poured down Fluttershy’s brow.

“Yellow huh?” This was impossible. There was no way this was real.

“Are the questions done yet? Can you let me out?”

“One more question then I’ll know for sure. What does your face look like?”

The voice was quite for a second.

“I…don’t...think I have a face. Are ponies supposed to have faces? Oh god what am I? Get me out of here! Get me out! Get me out! Get me out! OH GOD HE’S HERE! OH GOD OPEN THE DOOR!”

The banging started again more frantic then ever.

“Don’t worry I’m coming!” Said Fluttershy. She threw her suit over her shoulder and rushed to unlock the closet door.

She threw it open.

And nopony was there.

Meanwhile the sniper had relocked onto her. He aimed strait for her heart. He was top shot at the academy he almost never missed.

He pulled the trigger of the rifle and sent and one of his fifty caliber explosive round through Fluttershy’s window and directly towards Fluttershy’s heart. Glass flew everywhere.

She had no time to get out of the way.

***

Fog swirled around sugar cube corner. It was so think that it was almost like smoke. Two figures stood out in it. One on two feet the

“Do you feel that?”

“…Yeah…”

“Did somepony break a Pinkie Promise?”

“Yes...you know what you have too do right?”

“Yes.”

The figure walked slowly away into the fog, It dragged a large rusty knife that scraped the pavement of Ponyville creating a sound lake that of steel sliding against steel. A air raid siren blasted, a warning for those waiting to be punished….

Author's Note

we have a special guest today. observer has decided to answer questions. so ask some good ones. and don't joke about the space bar.
-thefeared
(thefeared will still assist)

6d 69 73 70 6c 61 63 65 64

It was a peaceful night at Sweet Apple Ace’s. All the Apples had long gone to bed had long gone to bed. Applejack slept peacefully in her own bed. Although her blanket had fallen onto the floor. Everyone even Granny Smith had gone to sleep.

Not even a mouse was moving in the entire house.

So peaceful. So quiet.

So quiet that when the window opened up slowly, it echoed through out the house.

A figure crawled through the window. A pony with scars that ran up and down his muscular chest. As if he had been impaled some time in the past.

He crept up slowly towards the sleeping Applejack. The floorboards creaking as he walked. Applejack was sleeping too heavily to hear them

Step by step he walked over to Applejacks bed.

At last he arrived at the head of the bed.

He pulled out a noose designed to strangle ponies. She held it above Applejack's head.

He longed to put it around her and pull on it. Squeezing the life from Applejack. His eyes were filled with rage. His teeth were clenched. He was trembling. He was breathing softly.

Then Applejack said something in her sleep that made him freeze. And almost choke up.

“You’re finally home…...I thought I would never see you again…I thought you were mad at me....I love you.” She rolled over in her sleep.

The figure stood over her for a few moments longer. Then he put his noose away. Perhaps not tonight. Perhaps tomorrow night. He told himself.

He picked up the blanket and tucked her in tight. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“Not tonight. My little apple fritter. Not tonight.” He said with affection.

He walked over to the window, just as he had done for the last four hundred and thirty two nights, he climbed out the window, shutting it behind him, leaving no trace that anypony had been there.

Applejack slumbered on peacefully. Unaware of her midnight visitor.

And all was quiet at Sweet Apple Ace’s

***

In the G.U.L.L.'s truck there was a stallion. He was tall, strongly built. However he was tied up in chains. Each one of his legs were chained to one side of the truck and he wore a re-enforced strait jacket. He had been blindfolded and beaten but he had no broken bones. He was just bruised, but not broken.

Still he knew this was the end for him. He had no friends to save him. No family that loved him. He had relied on nopony, but himself and he failed.

Outside of the truck he could hear the sound of a large knife being dragged across the ground.

Chapter 4: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

Fluttershy was dazed. But unharmed. Why?

Just moments before a bullet had flown through her window and hit her square in the chest. Why wasn’t she dead?

She looked down and saw that, to her surprise, she was wearing her business suit. It had stopped the bullets completely. Fluttershy didn’t have time to process this she heard the sound of somepony reloading his gun. She ducked underneath the table as the bullet flew over her head. The incineration round caught her curtain on fire.

“Damn!” Said a voice.

“What?” Said another voice.

“She has the suit.”

“What? Already? But it’s only the second day!”

“Whatever it only protects her body anyway, lets just knock the door down and fill her head with lead. I don’t like the look of this fog.”

“Don’t be a pansy, it’s just a little fog. Now lets finish this job so we can move onto the next one.

There was the sound of two ponies reloading their guns.

Fluttershy was bleeding a little bit from the glass that had shattered earlier, but she didn’t care about that right now. She had to hide.

She ran into her closet and hid underneath all the cloths that were on the floor.

Suddenly there was a sound that didn’t belong to the ponies that were shooting at her.

The sound of an air raid siren.

The stallions stopped and listened to the noise.

“What in the name of Celestia is that?” Asked one of them.

“I don’t know. Doesn't matter just finish the mission.”

“Oh god what is that thing?”

"SHOOT IT!"

There were the sounds of two machine guns being fired.

“It’s not working!”

“No really? i didn't notice! get to the house!”

There was a rattling of Fluttershy’s front door.

“Hey let us in!” Yelled one of them

“Idiot! She’s not going just going to let i- AHAAHAHHAHHHAHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHHAHHA MY LEG THE BASTARD CUT MY!- SHIT! IT HURTS MOMMY! IT HURTS, NO MORE NO MORE MOMMY NO MORE! PLEASE NO MORE! MOMMY…” And then his voice was silenced.

Fluttershy remained quiet underneath the cloths pile.

“Shit, shit, shit. Said the remaining voice. Fluttershy heard a gun shot as he shot open the door’s lock. Fluttery heard the sound of him trying to brace the door with his body. Then there was the sound of metal going through flesh followed by a series of choking noises.

And then silence.

There was the sound of something big and metal being dragged across the ground. the sound of a door opening. the dragging sound was getting closer to Fluttershy. She heard the sound of it opening the closet door.

She hope it couldn't hear her heart beat. Shhh quiet my heart. Quiet. or he'll hear us.

The thing must not have heard her heart, because Fluttershy heard it turn around and went back into the fog filled night.

Then, suddenly she couldn’t hear it, nor the siren anymore.

She waited under the cloths for about an hour making sure everything was over. She calmly tried to figure things out:

Ok so she was looking through my closet when somepony tried to shoot me through the window. She had no idea why someone would want her assassinated.

She had been saved by a black business suit. One that she had made herself out of normal silk using no magic and an ordinary sowing machine.

Something had come and killed the ponies trying to kill her. Could it be the tall pony?

Something didn’t add up here.

Anyway she had been hiding for long enough. She slowly stuck her head out of the cloths a sock clung to her head, but she ignored it. She walked up to the closet door and opened it. Reveling the horror that was her living room.

Bullet holes riddled the walls of her room letting in rays sunlight at peculiar angles. Here was a short pony in a black suit and sunglasses impaled on her door. It was as if he had been trying to brace himself against the door and ,what ever had been after him, had thrust a spear through the door killing him in the process.

Fluttershy carefully walked up to her door the pony jostling slightly as she opened it. She looked at the carnage of what used to be the other pony as she dry heaved the contents of her stomach. Luckily she hadn’t eaten anything yet today.

After she finished with that she made her way over to her camera trap and picked up the footage. The camara was designed to take pictures everytime something moved in front of it. She brought it back to her house and took a look at it.

Most of the pictures were of animals. Sweet, adorable, animals. However there were some that were not.

In one heavily distorted picture there was the image of the too familiar tall faceless stallion in a back suit. It was from when he left earlier. She shuddered at the thought. No it couldn't be him. This wasn't his style.

She skipped a few pictures and eventfully got to one with the ponies in the black suits arriving. One tall one short one and one tall one.

And then there was this photo:

Fluttershy’s heart sank when she saw the image.

The creature stood upright.

Had a pyramid for a head.

And looked just like Pinkie Pie.

No doubt about it even though the color was different it defiantly had a Pinkie’s tail and cutie mark.

“No way…” Said Fluttershy as she took a seat out of shock.

It couldn’t be Pinkie could it? No she couldn’t lift that spear let alone drive it through a thick door and through a pony. besides her cutie mark was a different color.

So what the heck was it?

Fluttershy decided it wasn’t important, after all, it didn’t matter what it was. It saved her life. So she should be thankful.

However Fluttershy felt bad for the ponies that it killed. It looked like they suffered...a lot.

Who were they, and how did they even get here?

Whoever they were it was time for Fluttershy to start taking action. Sitting around her would do her no good.

Fluttershy decided to go look for clues. It was better then looking at the dead bodies anyways.

Fluttershy walked outside. She could see a black van across her bridge She stepped carefully over the scattered pieces of the G.U.L.L. agent’s body, and walked over to van. It was labeled G.U.L.L. so she assumed that was what the agents were called.

She opened up the back of the van. The sides of the van were covered with ammunition, but that’s not what caught her attention.

Wrapped in thick chains that connected to the sides of the van, was a dark blue stallion with slightly lighter blue hair. He had bruises all along his body which were hard to see because of his bluish color and was gaged and blindfolded.

There was a note pinned to his head, which read:

Class: Euclid

All modern weapons have proved ineffective against the subject. We are unable to kill it with our current equipment. Transporting to lab for termination. Do not unchain until we have reached the destination. Not even for bathroom breaks. Subject is dangerous and possesses. Monster Category: 3

When Fluttershy saw this poor defenseless pony chained up in back of the van only one thought ran through her head.

She was going to save this pony. No matter what the costs.

72 65 6c 61 78 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6f 6e 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 6d 79 20 64 6f 6d 61 69 6e 2e

Applebloom was in the Cutie Mark Crusaders tree house. Scootaloo was goin on about her new plan to get their cutie marks. (Which involved a cannon) sweetie belle was listening intensely while sucking on a lollipop.

Applebloom however wasn’t feeling so good. Her vision was beginning to blur and she had a terrible headache.

“…and then we’ll land in the lake safe and sound. What do you think?” Finished Scootaloo.

“I think it’s a good idea." squeaked Sweetie Belle. “What do you think Applebloom?”

Her headache was terrible now. She could hardly think strait. The pain was spreading down her neck and into the rest of her body.

“Applebloom are you feeling ok?’

“What? Oh of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” She put on her best “I’m fine smile.” But the rest of Cutie Mark Crusaders didn’t believe her.

“You don’t look so good. Maybe you should take a nap or something?”

“For the last time girls I’m…” suddenly her world exploded in a red color as she lost conscience.

Her last sight was the sight of somepony very tall entering the club house.

***

When she came to her senses, the first feeling that Applebloom had was a feeling of dread. She had never felt such fear in her life. Not even that time she had met Mr. Tall that one time. It was over powering. Something was very wrong.

She struggled to move, but her body was tied down by invisible bonds. Or were they tentacles? She had no idea. But what ever it was she had to get away.

A figure approached her, she struggled harder to get free. The pony gave off an aura of fear. It spoke to her in her head.

“relax little one this is my domain. nopony can hurt you here. you are safe. please don’t struggle.”

The seemingly peaceful voice struck a nerve deep inside of Applebloom’s head releasing a wave of fear.

“i said you are safe.”

Applebloom continues to panic.

The voice sighed and began to hum a lullaby.

The song was eerie, but for some reason it seemed to calm Applebloom down. So much in fact that she wasn’t scared at all anymore. It was as if all the fear in her body had been sucked out of her body. She felt a little bit sleepy now.

“are you feeling better now applebloom?”

She nodded her head in response. She turned her head to take a look around the place. She was under a lone luscious green tree. There were wild flowers and grass growing around her. Not a cloud to be seen. It was too perfect.

Yet Applebloom couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

All the grass was cut to the same length. the flowers seemed to be individually cultivated and the tree. What was it about the tree that unnerved her? The fact it stood by itself in the middle of a field? That might be it.

“do you like it? this world?” said the strange voice. “I made it myself.”

“How?” Applebloom asked.

The voice ignored her.

"applebloom i’m about to do something that you might find a little bit scary but you have to promise not to panic. or i might mess it up."

“What are you going to do?” Asked Applebloom.

“there’s not much time I’ll explain while i’m doing it.”

“Ok I won’t panic.” Said Applebloom. She meant it too.

“that’s a good girl. now hold still.” From the corner of her eye she saw the pony pull out a bone saw. And then she proceeded to saw off Appleblooms hoof at her joint.

But the strangest part was that Applebloom didn’t seem to care. On some level she was aware of the pain of having her hoof sawed off but it didn’t seem to register with the fear parts of her brain. It was as if she was at cold gates house having her teeth cleaned. Fear seemed to be completely removed from her body.

“Excuse me. Why are you sawing off my leg?” asked Applebloom as if it were an afterthought.

“oh, i’m looking for tumors.” said the voice.

“Tumors?”

“ponies that are exposed to sigma radiation tend to develop tumors later in life. don't worry though cancer is pretty easy to fix if you know what to do.”

“Oh ok.” Said Applebloom as a piece of her leg fell off onto the floor. The pony put down the bone saw, and picked up a hammer instead. The pony then lifted the hammer and smashed Applebloom’s dismembered hoof. Applebloom could hear the sounds of the bones crunching.

“ok one part down now straiten the rest of you leg, it has to come off.” Said the voice.

So Applebloom straitened what remained of her leg and allowed the strange pony to saw her leg off. She thought it was rather strange how she didn’t have any reaction to having her legs cut off. She decided to ask a question.

“What’s you’re name?” She asked the voice

“my name is thefeared.” TheFeared managed to get another leg off her. She smashed that one too.

“Why do they call you the fear?” Asked Applebloom.

“it’s my special talent. i have the cutie mark for it. i can make ponies fear me or take the fear away. although it returns if they look directly at me.”

Ah so that explains why Applebloom wasn’t shaking with fear.

TheFeared placed a hoof on Appleblooms head.

“there’s a few tumors right here.” said TheFeared. “They have to be removed."

Suddenly he jammed an ice pick into Appleblooms scull and began to pry it open. Applebloom heard a loud cracking sound as the top of her scull was removed. TheFeared reached down and pulled out her brain.

Applebloom didn’t know much anatomy but she knew enough to know that she should be dead if her brain was removed. Yet she wasn’t. It was really gross to see her own brain.

Thefeared held Applebloom's fragile brain in her hoofs.

“you want to touch it?” TheFeared asked, “it’s a once and a life time opportunity.”

Applebloom hesitated, after all touching her own brain seemed a little strange. But she would never get the chance to again.

Appleboom reached out and poked the brain. It was surprisingly warm.

“Ew, it’s squishy.” said Applebloom laughing. This was just so funny for some reason.

“ok enough fun.” said TheFeared. She divided Applebloom’s brain into two hemispheres. The left and the right. She then pulled out a pen and wrote something on it. Then after finished righting she crushed Applebloom’s brain underneath her hoofs.

“Don’t I need that?” Applebloom said as if she was concerned.

“yes, but it was rotten. so I’ll fix it later. She inspected Applebloom’s body. "you still have a lot of tumors. so i think I’ll tell you a story while i work."

“What kind of story?”

“one of my favorites it’s called, the giving tree.” As thefeared read the story as she cut open Applebloom's stomach.

“That was a sad story. But at least the tree has happy in the end” Said Applebloom.

“The moral is that you should never be too kind.” Said TheFeared “Ponies will walk all over you. take advantage of your kindness.”

“Then why are you helping me?”

“because i hate when people are not treated equally. even letters in the alphabet. nothing annoys me more then when people capitalize some letters but not the others. it drives me nuts! That’s why in this work I keep everything nice and even. I cut down all the weeds but don’t pick them.”

“I don’t think that’s why I, just think you’re secretly nice.”

TheFeared was quiet for a second. And then said.

“i’ve removed the tumors and reconstructed your body. Its time for you to return. lets hope they don’t come back. goodbye applebloom. its been fun meeting you again.”

It was then that Applebloom got a look at her face. All the fear that had been storing up inside her burst through an invisible damns and Applebloom started screaming.

With that Applebloom woke up at CMC tree house with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo leaning over her asking if she was ok. She couldn’t hear them over the sound of her screaming.

Chapter 5: Blue Eyes

Fluttershy looked at the blue pony wrapped in chains. Trying to figure out the best way to free him. The chains looked pretty thick. She would need something sharp…

Fluttershy went out to her shed. She had all sorts of tools used for cutting branches that had overgrown. Although truth be told she didn’t tend to do that very often. She felt bad for the trees.

She returned with a chain saw. It felt awkward in her grip like some wild beast that if she made one wrong move, it would take her head off. She started up the chain saw the revving shook her to her core and hurt her ears. She turned off the chainsaw and put some earplugs in. He then turned the chain saw on again and applied it to the chains. She worked on them for a half hour. But it was no good. The chains were so strong that the chainsaw broke its jagged teeth on the chains.

“Huh that’s not going to work.” Said Fluttershy to the chained up pony. “Don’t worry though, I’ll figure this out, don’t you worry. The chains must be magic that’s all.”

The colt said nothing. Of course he didn’t was still gagged.

“Oh right! I should have took this off before.” Fluttershy went up to the colt and removed the gag from his mouth.

“Sorry about that. There now you can talk.” Said Fluttershy.

At first the pony didn’t say anything. His mouth was cracked and dried as if he was thirsty. But before she could go and grab him a glass of water he whimpered. The word

“Blinnddffollld.” The blue Colt whispered.

“You want me to take the blindfold off first?” Said Fluttershy.

The colt nodded slowly.

All right then one second. Fluttershy used the knife that Pinkie Pie had given her to cut the blindfold.

He wore glasses, his toxic blue eyes cut through Fluttershy. Their gaze sent a shiver of fear up her spine and froze her in place.

It was a stare just like Fluttershy’s.

““You…you…will…leave…me…here.” Said the colt. His gaze bit into Fluttershy like a a gator with knifes for teeth. Her every instinct told her to turn and run away.

However Fluttershy wouldn’t be so easily deterred.

She stood her ground and looked the stallion strait in the eyes releasing her own stare.

“No you listen to me. You are going to let me help you. Even if you don’t want me to.” She said putting force behind every word.

The two ponies locked gazes with each other neither of them blinked neither of them even moved. Each of them trying to stare the other one down.

Fluttershy felt a bead of sweat pour down her mane. Her eyes started to itch and burn as she stared into the stallions eyes. No she couldn’t give up. She would help this stallion even if he didn’t want her help.

The stallion turned his head away. Fluttershy had won the battle of wills.

He let out a sigh of defeat.

Releaved she went and patted him on the head.

“Don’t worry you can trust me.” said Fluttershy

The stallion just looked annoyed.

Fluttershy brought him a glass of water.

She tried to force him to drink it.

He refused.

She used the stare again.

He drank the water faster then angle bunny ate carrots.

“Why…” he said after downing the glass.

“Why what?” asked Fluttershy.

“Why are you helping me?”

“You don’t need a reason to help sompony, you just do it.”

“Don’t you lie, what’s the reason? Nopony would ever be nice to sompony like me. Especially one of your kind.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Yes you are, you know the rules.”

“What rules?”

“Y-you really don’t know? Didn’t your collective member tell you?”

“Who is the collective?”

“Dear Celestia, you really don’t know do you?”

“Know what?” Asked Fluttershy curiously. “Do you know what’s going on? Do you know who that tall pony is?”

The blue stallion was silent.

“Well do you?”

…

“Do you?”

…

Fluttershy sighed, the blue stallion would say no more. At least for now. Not that she blamed him. He was still tied up. If she was tied up she would’nt want to talk either. So perhaps if she freed him he would trust her more.

But how? She tried all her tools. What was left to try?

She looked around her house for anything she hadn’t tried yet. She could try Pinkie’s knife, but she didn’t want to damage it.

“Think Fluttershy think…who do you know that knows about magical chain?”

That’s when she thought of Twilight.

“Of course Twilight would know how to break an magical chain. She might even know more about that tall pony too.”

Her mind was set she was going to Twilight’s house. But what if the G.U.L.L.s come back? She would being leaving her new friend in the van for them to capture her again.

She looked at the van…

She looked at the dead gull agent and saw the keys in his pocket.

Back to the van.

Back to the keys

Back to the van.

Back to the keys.

…

How hard could driving be?

Chapter 6: Playing Games

Princess Twilight was filling out paper work in her palace when she heard the growl of a creature. It was like nothing she had ever heard before. She put down her quill stretched her wings and walked over to her window just in time to see a black van coming flying over the hill. It was heading right for her!

“Get out of the way!” shouted Fluttershy completely who had completely lost control of van.

Twilight tried to jump out of the way. But her wing caught hold of one of the bookshelves.

As if it was in slow motion Fluttershy cringed as she attempted to step on the brake.

As she accelerated through the wall.

As she ran over Twilights struggling body.

Fluttershy crashed into a book shelf totaling the car.

Fluttershy immediately jumped out of the van and went to check on Twilight.

“TWILIGHT ARE YOU OK…Oh no…Oh no…this is all my fault.”

Fluttershy began to cry over Twilight's corpse tears steaming down her face.

…

…

…

There was a sense of dread that enveloped the air as somepony put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder trying to comfort her.

“well this hardly seems fair…” said thefeared.

.raefeht dias ”…riaf smees yldrah siht llew“

.reh gnitrofmoc redluohs s’yhsrettulF no fooh a tup ynopemos sa ria eht ni daerd fo esnes a saw erehT

…

…

…

.ecaf reh nwod gnimaets sraet esproc sthgiliwT revo yrc ot nageb yhsrettulF

”tluaf ym lla si siht…on hO…on hO…KO UOY ERA THGILIWT“

.thgiliwT no kcehc ot tnew dna nav eht fo tuo depmuj yletaidemmi yhsrettulF

.rac eht gnilatot flehs koob a otni dehsarc yhsrettulF

.ydob gnilggurts sthgiliwT revo nar ehs sA

.llaw eht hguorht detarelecca ehs sA

.ekarb eht no pets ot detpmetta ehs sa degnirc yhsrettulF noitom wols ni saw ti fi sA

.sevlehskoob eht fo eno fo dloh thguac gniw reh tuB .yaw eht fo tuo pmuj ot deirt thgiliwT

.nav fo lortnoc tsol yletelpmoc dah ohw yletelpmoc yhsrettulF detuohs ”!yaw eht fo tuo teG“

!REH ROF THGIR GNIDAEH SAW TI .llih eht revo gniylf gnimoc nav kcalb a ees ot emit ni tsuj wodniw reh ot revo deklaw dna sgniw reh dehcterts lliuq reh nwod tup ehS .erofeb draeh reve dah ehs gnihton ekil saw tI .erutaerc a fo lworg eht draeh ehs nehw ecalap reh ni krow repap tuo gnillif saw thgiliwT ssecnirP

Twilight the unicorn was in her library finishing up organizing her books. she put the last book away onto the shelf. Done at last. She let out a sigh.

Suddenly there was a growl of some sort of terrible beast. Twilight looked outside her window too see Fluttershy driving a black van strait towards her.

“Get out of the way!” shouted Fluttershy, who had completely lost control of van.

Twilight didn’t have much time to react. She jumped to the side as the van ran through her wall and into the bookshelf she just finished organizing.

Fluttershy, who was wearing a business suit for some reason, got out of the car unharmed “TWILIGHT! ARE YOU OK! are you hurt anywhere?”

Twilight let the dust clear, and let out a cough to clear her throat, before responding.

“I’m fine, but I wish i could say the same for my books.” Said Twilight looking at the remains of her book.

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright it’s a quick fix if I use magic. Fluttershy why were you driving a car?” Asked Twilight.

“Well, there’s somepony inside the car that needs your help.” Said Fluttershy.

“Really who? Is she ok?” Said Twilght.

“Let me check.”

Fluttershy opened the back of the van revealing the blue pony.

“Oh good he’s ok.”

“Who’s ok?”

“The pony wrapped in chains.” Said Fluttershy.

Twilight looked into the crashed car. She saw chains. But she didn’t see any pony. Just the chains.

“I don’t see anypony in here Fluttershy.”

“You…can’t?” She said confused

“No.”

Fluttershy looked into the van again. She could still see the pony, but something told her that Twilight wouldn’t be able too. That was strange, but at this point she didn't think anything would surprise her anymore. she better not press the matter or else Twilight would think she was going insane.

“You know what. Never mind. Forget I said anything, it doesn’t matter really.” Twilight gave her a confused look as if she was going crazy.

“The real problem is these chains. I cant seem to break them. I was hoping that you would know how.”

Twilight went to inspect the chains. After about a minute of examining the chains Twilight said.

"These are Imperial Enchanted Chains or IECs for short. They are nearly impossible to break with brute force. They’re normally used for restraining dragons. The only one way to break them and that’s with a special type of acid. Where did you get this? It’s very expensive."

“Oh I found it in the van.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at this.

“Ok where did you get the van?”

“It’s a long story I don’t want to get into it. Can you break them?”

Twilight gave Fluttershy a suspicious look.

“Please?”

“Well, yes I can. But It’ll take a while. I recommend reading reading this book. She said levitating a book up for Fluttershy.

Fluttershy, not really wanting to read right now, thought of something more important she could look.

“Can I use your computer.”

“Sure”

Fluttershy walked over to Twilight's computer and turned it on. Fluttershy always marveled at how the computer managed to run with out the use of magic.

She went to Google.com and searched “slender mane”

After digging through a lot of garbage web sites she finally found a site that looked reliable she clicked it:

Slender Mane also known der großepony, or as slender pony, is a mythical creature often depicted as a tall, thin figure wearing a black suit and a blank face. According to the legend, he can stretch or shorten his arms at will and has tentacle-like appendages protruding from his back. Depending on the interpretations of the myth, the creature can cause memory loss, insomnia, paranoia, coughing fits (nicknamed “slendersickness”), photograph/video distortions and can teleport at will. The urban legend has inspired-

BLEEP

Fluttershy was startled by the sudden sound of receiving a Skype message.

She was going to just ignore, it until she saw the message in the top right hand corner of her eyes.

"Hello Fluttershy. " it was from a user called The Scholar.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She opened up Skype and typed in.

"Who are you and how do you know I’m at twilights?"

She got an instant response as if she had an answer ready.

"Watch your grammar. "

Fluttershy looked through her last sentence for a grammar error.

She corrected her grammar

"Who are you and how do you know I’m at Twilight’s house?"

She got another instant response.

"I am the scholar. "

Fluttershy waited for more of a more…there was none.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I am the scholar. I am a friend. Would you like to play a game? "

"I’m not in the mood." Typed Fluttershy

"If you win, I will tell you everything. "

Fluttershy thought it over, this seemed kind of sketchy, but she was being promised answers.

"All right I’ll play. "

"Very well, lets play chess."

Fluttershy smiled. She was pretty good at chess. She used to be able to beat all her friends, at least until Twilight came to town. That unicorn was a genus.

The scholar sent Fluttershy a link to a chess board. However the pieces were labeled weirdly.

The pieces on Fluttershy's side where black and were labeled after all of her friends. With the exception of the pawns, Forest Dancer and The Fear. Fluttershy herself was the queen piece which is weird because if she had designed it she would have made Celestia the queen or something.

She was surprised at that. The fear wasn't a real pony. It had only been part of her dream that one time right?

"Are you ready?" messaged the Scholar

"White goes first" Typed Fluttershy.

The scholar made his first move.

That's a typical first move, thought Fluttershy, controlling the center one of the most basic strategies. She better contest it. She moved her pawn up.

The Scholar didn't waste any time and decided to move her knight, labeled The Love.

The Loved? That seemed kind of familiar. Wasn't that name on the letter she got before? Her thoughts were distracting her she needed to focus. Lets see if she could free up the queen(the feared) and the bishop

This is the Philidor Defence. It is a solid opening, but a passive one.

The scholar counters by moving her pawn up to threaten Fluttershy's pawn.

Fluttershy decided to risk losing the pawn and to go onto the attack with her bishop, labeled Twilight.

"That's a mistake." Typed the Scholar. She took the pawn.

A cold shiver went up Fluttershy's spine tickling her wings. It felt like she had just seen someone murdered right before her eyes. She shook off the feeling. And took the pony labeled, The Loved.

The cold feeling returned more powerful then it had been before.

But it went away as soon as Fluttershy heard Twilight coming to talk to her.

"Hey Fluttershy, I came up to ask if you had seen my sodium hydroxide? I know I left it in a jar somewhere up..." Twilight suddenly stopped talking mid sentence.

"Twilight is something wrong?" asked Fluttershy slightly worried.

She had no expression on her face, her eyes blurred over and she started to sway.

"Twilight?"

Twilight fell forward face first into the library floor.

"Twilight!"

Fluttershy flew over and checked her pulse.

She was dead.

Over Skype, the scholar sent Fluttershy another message.

Happyness takes Twilight Sparkle. Your move.

89

9 0,15 0 6,19,9,5,14,4. So it's ok for me to kill you.

19+1,6*2,10/2,7*2,2^2,10/2,9.5*2,=3/0
-The Scholar

A=0
B=2
C=3
D=4
E=5
F=6
G=7
H=8
I=9
J=10
K=11
L=12
O=16
O=13
N=14
M=15
P=17
Q=18
R=19
S=20
T=21
U=22
V=23
W=24
X=25
Y=26
Z=27

Chapter: 7 Check mate

Chapter: 7 Check mate

Fluttershy stared back from the chess board to Twilights body which lay limp on the library floor. A balloon floated above her.

"Y-You killed her you monster!" Shouted Fluttershy at the screen "You're a monster!"
"You're the one who sacrificed her piece, its not my fault." typed the Scholar. "You made a bad move, now its your turn again."

Fluttershy was numb, she knew that one of her best friends had just died, but she couldn't even process it. It was too quick and unexpected, this couldn't have happened, but Fluttershy knew that in an hour she would be crying her eyes out. "Twilight i'm so so sorry, I'll never make this up to you."

Another message showed up on the screen. "Are you going to finish the game or not?"

Fluttershy weakly walked over to the key board and typed "GO TO HEL, I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID GAME" in big bold letters.
"Its spelled HELL you dolt" The Scholar typed back. "learn to spell."

"ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS JUST DIED AND YOUR WORRIED ABOUT SPELLING?" typed Fluttershy.

"Its 'You're', and are you going to make a move or not?" typed the Scholar calmly.

Fluttershy was in disbelief, there had to be some way to save her friend there just had to.

"Please... don't do this bring Twilight back."

"What makes you think I can?"

"I don't know"

There was silence in the library, no one moved, Twilight's lungs were perfectly still and Fluttershy's might as well be.

"Why don't you do it?" typed the Scholar. This took Fluttershy by surprise

"What" typed Fluttershy

"You're a seed right? Doesn't that mean you need to start building your own collective?"

"What are you even talking about?"

"Do you see that balloon flying above your friend?"

Fluttershy looked over at Twilight's body. Sure enough there was a balloon. It was purple, about the same size as a large beach ball, with Twilight's cutie mark on it, just floating there right above her head. Something about it didn't seem quite right.

"What is it?" asked Fluttershy.

"Its Twilight's soul."

"But what"

"Here's what you do. If you eat it you'll bring your friend back to life indefinitely. Her life force becomes intertwined with yours. However there's a catch. If you die or your memory is tampered with in some way, Twilight will not only die, but her soul will be destroyed forever. No reincarnation, no afterlife, nothing. Understand?"

Fluttershy's mind was spinning. What should do? Can she even trust the Scholar? Did she have the right to take Twilight's soul or should she just let one of her best friends die? So many questions screamed in her mind.

"You don't have much time, her soul will start to float away if you don't hurry. The clock is ticking little seed. Clock. Is. Ticking."

Fluttershy made up her mind. She'd do it.

She went over and grabbed the balloon. She held it carefully in her hooves. Its was spongey and light. She couldn't believe that in her hooves she held Twilights fragile soul. She paused a moment and began to swallow the balloon shaped soul. It tasted odd, kinda like grape juice mixed with alcohol. She started to choke a little, but in the end she managed to swallow it.

She breathed deeply for several moments gaining her breath back.

"Well that wasn't so.." Suddenly a stomach cramp like nothing she had ever felt before ripped through her stomach. Fluttershy wanted to vomit to take out her insides and rub them all over the walls.

As Fluttershy collapsed on the floor from the pain she could hear laughter coming from that walls that surrounded her. And then she blacked out.

***

Fluttershy saw young twilight playing with her brother in the park.

Hanging out with Cadence

Twilight going to school for the first time

Twilight learning to levitate objects

Twilight studying under Celestia

Twilight having her first crush

Twilight losing her first crush

Twilights toys

Twilight teaching Spike to talk

Twilight meeting her friends and her time in Ponyville

Twilight becoming an alicorn

Twilight dying.

Filly twilight sitting alone in the dark

Fluttershy saw all these things and suddenly a deep dark instinct kicked in. Some uncontrollable urge took over her body and she was watching as an observer not in control of her actions.

She walked over to the young Twilight who was sitting in the dark playing with her dolls next to a bathtub. Filly Twilight saw her coming up to her and waved her hoof. Her face was a smile so happy to see her.

So happy

So innocent

Fluttershy slowly approached her.

"Hi Fluttershy," Filly Twilight said beaming at her. "Want to help me build a book fort?"

She didn't have a chance

Fluttershy grabbed her by the throat with a tendril choking her. Filly Twilight tried to fight back, but it was no use. "Flutters, please, I don't like this game can we do something else please Flutters I don't like this I... don't."

Fluttershy didn't let her finish her sentence. Instead she took her head and banged it against the ground causing her to bleed silver unicorn blood.

"I... thought... Friends... I don't... why..." murmured Twilight softly. "I don't want to die."

Fluttershy felt a ping somewhere deep inside herself, but it was far too weak to have an impact on her. Not in this state at least.

She pushed the young Twilight's head into the bathtub which was filled with pale yellow acid and her head began steaming in reaction to it. She struggled at first, but as time went on there were less and less bubbles coming up from the bath. Her skin was starting to rot away. Finally, after what seemed like forever, there was a popping sound. Twilight was completely gone bones and all, dissolved into the acid bath.

Thats when she heard Twilight say softly "Fluttershy are you ok?
.... . .-. / ... --- ..- .-.. / .. ... / --. --- -. . / ... .... . / .-- .- ... / -... . - - . .-. / --- ..-. ..-. / -.. . .- -../
***

Fluttershy opened her eyes to see Twilight leaning over her looking concerned.

"Twilight?" said Fluttershy, staring at the purple unicorn looking down at her.

"Thank goodness you're alright. For a minute there I thought you were dead, I found you lying on the floor of the library unconscious."

"Yeah... I'm fine." Fluttershy said softly trying to block out the memory of her murdering a tiny Twilight. "Are you feeling ok Twilight?"

"Me? Of course I feel fine. Why wouldn't I be?

"No reason" Said Fluttershy sighing of relief. The Scholar hadn't been lying after all.

"Now about those chains, I enchanted these wire cutters so they could cut through diamond. You should have no problem cutting them now."

"Thanks Twilight."

Flutttershy looked around the room over to the computer. It had gone dark.

"Couldn't find anything about a tall faceless pony in the books though, and the only book that might have had something was burned a little so reading it was impossible."

"Its ok, it was worth a shot. I'll see you later Twilight"

"Leaving so soon?"

"Yeah I'll see you later Twilight, feeling sick." Though not really from an illness.

"Well get better soon."
Fluttershy left the library bringing the pony in chains on her back. They walked in silence back towards Fluttershy's cottage.

Thats when the pony in chains spoke up.

"Shame you never finished that chess match."

"I didn't really need that information that badly. Besides, its not worth all those ponies' lives."

"I've never seen a seed that cared for other ponies. Most of the time they are cynical bastards who shut out the rest of the world." said the pony in Chains.

Now was Fluttershy's chance to figure out whats going on. This pony in chains might be able to tell her whats going on. She didn't need to win the chess game after all.

"What exactly is a seed?" asked Fluttershy.

"Well..." He said slowly "Let me tell you what I know..."

.... . / -.-. .... . ... ... / --. .- -- . / -. . ...- . .-. / . -. -.. ...

54 68 65 20 47 6f 64 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 74 6f 77 6e 20 6f 66 20 73 69 6c 65 6e 74 20 68 69 6c 6c

"Hi there! Just sit there a second. I'll tell you all about how Equestria was made.

There once was a place named Silent Hill. This is where I'm from. No, its not in Equestria. It was very "unique" to say the least. The Native Americans were the first to learn of this. Going to Silent Hill and coming out again was a test of purity or a punishment. Those who had sinned against humanity would be exiled to that place where their own sins's would take form and destroy them.

However, for those who's sins were lesser, the place would take away all of their anxiety. It would be pulled out of them and the town would absorb it.

Thats why when the westerners arrived it became such tourist attraction. Peoples stress seemed to vanish as soon as they got near the Town.

However there was a cult in the town of Silent Hill, their only goal was to bring about the second coming of their evil god. The god wasn't real, however their twisted visions of a god echoed through the town and started to manifest as devils and angels. At one point their wicked rituals gave birth to a god filled with hate.

~~eM~~. The god was full of the dark intent of the evil church. A hero slayed the evil god.

"¿lɹᴉƃ ǝlʇʇᴉl ɐ uǝǝs noʎ ǝʌɐɥ"

"¿ʎɹɐW uǝǝs noʎ ǝʌɐH"

"¿pɐp ʎɯ uǝǝs noʎ ǝʌɐH"

It didn't die, though, it continued and one day it came back. The false god slithered through the shadows, every once in a while killing a innocent person, it knew nothing but hate. The same hate that brought it into existence.

That god is me.

I was a monster. When people saw me they would scream and either run away or try to kill me. I knew nothing but hate, fear, sadness, and anger. I walked the land devouring souls and destroying humanity in any way I could.

That's when I was confused, when I met those girls.

They were sisters, the two of them. They lived in Brookhaven Hospital. Ages six and seven. Their genetics were bad, their lives shortened. I crept in the older sisters room at night with the intent to cut her throat while she slept.

I tip toed down the hallway, quite as the wind on a winter night, and stood above her bed.

She awoke and smiled at me. "Hello angel are you here to take me to heaven?"

I was confused, I had never seen a smile before in my life. All I knew was screams and tears, not this... Joy.

"What's the matter miss angel?" She laughed. the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. I panicked and ran away.

"Wait miss angel! Come back!"
***

In the days that followed I indeed did come back, every night in fact, every time she saw me she would smile and would talk to me or show me one of her beautiful pantings. All sorts of drawings of ponies, unicorns, and pegasi.

My favorite one was a picture of a rainbow she saw outside her window one time.

"I'd never felt joy like that before!" she said "It felt so good I just wanted to keep smiling forever!"

She also told me about her and her sister.

"We were born with a very rare disease" she said "We live a half life, our internal organs grow faster than the rest of our bodies. The doctor said we didn't have long to live, but I think that if we try hard enough we'll beat the odds. Don't you think so miss angel?

But it wasn't to be. A week later her sister died. Oddly she didn't cry.

"My sister loved the moon." she said. "Sometimes she disappears for a while, but she's always there... invisible but still there."

The next day I saw the girl die. She went with a smile on her face. So peaceful so nice. It was horrible, absolutely horrible. I couldn't allow it!

I saw her soul like a ballon floating away. I reached out and grabbed it and hung tight. Then I ran to her sisters room too and grabbed her soul balloon too. I took them with me to the otherworld. I refused to let this be the end. It wasn't fair. There were millions of kids dying all the time unfairly and unjustly.

In the other world, which was, for me at least, filled with rocks, I sculpted them new bodies. I based their bodies off of the older siblings pictures. Baby alicorns these two were, the older with a white body and hair like the light and the younger with a darker body and hair like the night. I stood back and admired my work. the too sat there and looked around at the desolate landscape.

"Don't worry." I said to them "I'll make it better, I'll make it a full other world you'll see, it'll be beautiful just like your drawings.

Another thought occurred to me. Why stop at two? I could make a whole world filled with ponies, unicorns and pegasi. I focused my powers pulled all the souls of the dead and dying to my call they swarmed towards me like millions of balloons in the sky. I took them and molded them into ponies each and every one of them. It was a massive drain on my powers sure but what good were powers if you didn't do something with them huh? People deserve a second chance at life and I will give it too them.

I will make a new world, a better world.

And that is how I got my cutie mark.

-- -.-- / -. .- -- . / .. ... / .--. .. -. -.- .. . / .--. .. .

o∩ʇʞɯ8ɯzʞʌo=ʌ¿ɥɔʇɐʍ/ɯoɔ˙ǝqnʇnoʎ˙ʍʍʍ//:dʇʇɥ=ǝqnʇnoʎ

Sunflower Seed

As Fluttershy and the the pony walked, the blue eyed pony clanked softly dragging the chains behind. Since Fluttershy had nowhere else to go she walked towards her house. She had to clean up the damage that had happened when... that thing... attacked those G.U.L.L. agents, whomever they were. Quite frankly, Fluttershy could hardly believe that had happened, but odder still was the fact that she was starting to feel like these things were becoming part of her everyday life. She'd saved Equestria before but she'd never had anything like this happen to her.

The pony with the blue eyes began to speak, his voice seemed tired, like he had just been through some terrible war.

"My name is Sunflower Seed," began the pony in chains, "I used to work in a sunflower field in Sunny Town. I know you can't see it, but that's what my special talent is, growing sunflowers."

Fluttershy had been to Sunny Town before. That's where she got the sunflower seeds that she, on a occasion, fed to her animals.

"Hey I've been there before" said Fluttershy "Maybe we've seen each other but just never talked."

Sunflower gave her a weak smile. "I doubt it, I tended to work behind the scenes in the back fields, I don't like talking to ponies most of the time, I guess I was kinda shy. Sometimes I'd talk to the scarecrows though, although they don't really make good company"

"I know the feeling" said Fluttershy "when I first moved to Ponyville, I barely talked to anypony. I just kinda hid inside my shack."

Sunflower nodded "That's what most seeds do they tend to stay away from other ponies, us seeds either hate other ponies or the ponies hate us seeds. Its just something about being a seed that makes you want to avoid other ponies as much as possible or else they may figure out what you are. You're the first one I've seen that actually seems to have made some friends. What broke you out of your bubble?"

"Well there is this pony named Pinkie Pie." said Fluttershy "As soon as I moved in she threw me a great big party, and introduced me to everpony in town. After that she didn't leave me alone. At first that bothered me, I just wanted to get back into my little shell, but soon we became best friends and she introduced me to her friends."

Sunflower was quiet for a second before saying.

"I don't think i'd like this Pinkie Pie, she seems kinda... like a spaz." Said Sunflower

"Sometimes she is, but if you knew her, you would be her friend, too."

"Huh..."

The two walked in silence a little longer. The only sounds were Fluttershy's hoof steps and the sound of chains rattling. It was almost calming after an otherwise hectic day.

It was then Fluttershy realized that she wouldn't normally be able to carry a full grown stallion on her back, never mind one wrapped in chains.

"You know, its funny, I'm normally quite weak I don't know how I'm able to carry you." Fluttershy said.

"Its one of the first steps towards being a sapling. Happens to a lot of seeds." said Sunflower like it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"People keep talking about seeds, saplings and tree's but I have no idea what they are talking about." said Fluttershy. "And its really starting to pis- I mean its kinda annoying" she said catching herself

"Didn't he tell you when he came to see you on your 19th birthday?" said Sunflower.

"You mean the tall pony?" Fluttershy recoiled at the memory "The one with no face? I saw him, but he didn't say anything."

"Huh, that's odd." said Sunflower Seeds. " At least one of the Great Keepers collective was supposed to talk to the seeds when they start to grow. They're supposed to warn them whats about to happen."

"Well, I'd hate to say they've done a crummy job, but I didn't get any warnings, I just got terror instead." said fluttershy.

"Hmmm, how should I explain..." said Sunflower going into some thought.

It occurred to Fluttershy that she might not be able to trust Sunflower Seed, but right now he was the only pony that seemed to have any idea of what was going on. Whats more, she felt like he had gone through something similar if not identical to what she had gone through. She had no choice but to trust him. However she would take everything he's saying with a grain of salt.

"Well, there are four levels of seeds; seeds, sprouts, saplings and trees. As it was explained to me. us seeds are the offspring of a "World Eater" although I've never met dear old mom myself." Explained Sunflower. "Every thousand years the World Eater bears a fruit. Inside this fruit are one thousand seeds..."

Futtershy's eye's widened at this "A-a thousand! That many?"

"Not anymore, you see most of them die before they even reach sapling-hood."

"W-what happens to them?" asked Fluttershy nervously.

"What do you think? You've been a seed for about two days and how many times have you almost been killed?" Fluttershy thought it over.

"At least three times."

"You see? The seeds have lots of enemies, G.U.L.L. other seeds and even the universe's antibodies."

"Why? Are we that bad?"

"Right now there is only one sapling that many ponies call Slender Mane, and he has caused countless deaths within Equestria alone. Could you imagine a thousand of them? It'd be the end of pony kind. G.U.L.L.'s goal is to eliminate the seeds before they reach adolescence for that exact reason.

Slender aren't natural in this universe. We are pathogens, the universe knows this and as a result antibodies are constantly hunting us down and killing us.

"Antibodies?" Fluttershy said, "What are those?"

"Well, I've never seen one but I've heard them and I can sense them. Have you ever heard the sound of air raid siren at night?"

"Yes..."

"When you hear that and the fog starts rolling in, you've got to book it. One time I heard a seed screaming from inside the fog bank. He screamed and screamed but the anti-body had no mercy. Found him the next day impaled on a wooden pike.

"That's awful." Fluttershy said. "How could the universe be so cruel? Its not our fault we were born this way. "

"That's the way it is." said Sunflower. "That's why we must go to the Everfree, we'll be safer there. All seeds can sense it. We need to get to that forest and never turn back."

"No I can't go there, there's all sorts of monsters there."

There was a short pause and then the stallion spoke

"Monsters like us?" Sunflower said coldly.

"We aren't monsters." said Fluttershy.

"You're the only one who thinks so." said Sunflower. "The only way to survive is to head into the heart of the Everfree Forest. You'll realize it soon enough. Say goodbye to your friends and when you are ready come meet me in the forest. If you don't want to that's fine but you'll be putting your friends into danger."

Fluttershy looked towards the ground. She thought of all the fun times she had with her friends her in Ponyville, so many memories to go through, this was the only place she had called home, Cloudsdale was nice but she never really considered it her home. Ponyville is the only place she really felt like she belonged.

Yet at the same time she felt it. Deep in her soul she felt it calling to her like a moth to a flame. She had no choice but to go, It was safer for her and for her friends.

That didn't make it any less scary though.

The two of them arrived at the edge of the Everfree Forest at Fluttershy's cottage. They stood there a few mins staring into the darkness that was the Everfree Forest. Before Flutershy said "Alright, let me just pack some stuff and then we'll go."

Sunflower nodded his head in approval.

"Bring your suit too it might save your life."

Fluttershy walked towards her house. Outside her animal friends were out playing. She could name all of them. Each of them were the closest thing she had to a family. Seeing them brought a smile to her face.

"Hello my animals friends Fluttershy" said with a smile.

All the animals stopped and stared at Fluttershy as if they were unsure what to do. They took a step back from Fluttershy whenever she tried to get close.

"Oh my angles there's nothing to be afraid of" Fluttershy said trying to reassure them, "I won't hurt you I promise."

The animals began to scatter.

"WAIT, don't go! Please, you are like my family!"

Bears cats dogs chickens a a whole slew of other animals fled the scene. The only one that stayed was Angels Bunny who looked at Fluttershy with sad eyes.

"No... please don't go." Fluttershy said softly her voice echoing off the walls of her empty cottage.

Angel Bunny hesitated looked deep into Fluttershy's eyes and without a word took off over the fence and out of Fluttershy's life forever.

Fluttershy just stood there completely stunned, her animals, no, her family had abandoned her. She was utterly alone.

She walked into her cottage.

She lost it.

She grabbed one of her chairs and began to smash all the windows in her house. She didn't stop there, she was so full of rage that she began to rip everything in her hut apart. Vases, cabinets whatever she could get her hoofs on she destroyed in her fit of rage. Why did it have to be her! Why did she have to become one of those damn things! She had no idea what was going to happen, she could be dead in the next hour or the next day. Why couldn't she be a normal pony living in ponyville?! why why why why!

At last she got to her photo cabinet and was about to smash that too when she saw this picture on her wall.

Her friends... She would be leaving behind her friends. They wouldn't even know what happened to her. Would they come looking for her? Would they give up after a while? Would she ever see them again?

Fluttershy's anger broke down into sobs. She was crying over her former life, her animal family, and most of all her friends. It just wasn't fair.

Thats when someone put a hoof on her shoulder.

Startled Fluttershy twirled around only to see Twilight sitting there with a hand on her shoulder with a concerned look.

"T-Twilight?" Said Fluttershy both surprised and glad to see her friend again.

"Good guess, but no." said the The Scholar.

25071165 34672040 33467440 33667145

The brown mare named Ginger Bread with huffed and puffed as she was chased through the forest.

Oh Celestria I don't want to die, please don't let me die!

Her lungs burned but she didn't care she need to put her distance between her and that... that thing!

Then there was a spot of light ahead of her that made hope well up inside of her like a balloon.

A clearing!

She hopped into the sun filled clearing and looked around to see if that monster pony had followed her. not seeing any sign of it she collapsed onto the grain field.

Worst. Birthday. Ever. Gosh turning 19 in Equestria was supposed to signify adulthood, not an abduction by strange and alien squid monsters things

After catching her breath Ginger Bread looked around the clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a small barn with a hay silo. What she thought was a clearing was actually a small farm with a tiny shack of a house in the center of it. To most ponies it would look like a grotesque tiny stone shack but to her it seemed like her salvation. She ran inside and slammed the door shut gasping for air.

Though the outside of the shack had seemed grizzled and bare the inside was quite cozy. There was a velvet spread rug by the entrance that read "Welcome to Home!". There sitting down in the rocking chair was an old mare rocking in her chair who looked up to see Ginger Bread barge into her house. Instead of being surprised however she just looked up with mild concerned.

"My child are you alright? You seem frightened." said the old mare.

"Your darn right! I'm being chased!"

"Let me put on some tea. Take a seat."

"But!"

"Take a seat."

Heat thumping Ginger Bread took a seat. Her eyes darted back and forth from the door to the window looking for any sudden movements. She wouldn't let them get the best of her oh no. first she'd set up cameras around the house. Yes that makes sense. The couldn't teleport while on camera. Then she would draw the operator symbol and then...

Suddenly there was a pounding at the door as a black mass slammed itself against the door. The old oak door held firm however and didn't seem to buckle.

"Oh Celestia! They're here! I'm too young to die." cried Ginger Bread.

However the old Mare didn't seem to hear her yell. Nor did she seem aware of the banging at the door.

"Tea is ready." She asked in a calm and collected voice. "It may help collect yourself and calm your nerves." The old pony began to pour the tea, vibrations of the banging on the door periodically

"TEA? are you insane!" screamed Ginger Bread. "We are about to die! This weird tentacle pony is knocking on our door and you can't do anything but offer me tea!"

The tea began to overflow the side of the teacup.

"Your mind is like this tea cup." The old lady continued "It's overflowing with a delicious substance. But if you continue to pour more and more into it, the more the tea goes everywhere and someone needs to come clean it up."

The old pony bent down and began to lick the tea off the dusty and old floor.

Ginger Bread wouldn't listen and was instead screaming nonsense.

"They are in my head! Oh God they are in my head!!! I can hear their thoughts! What horrible creatures? What did I ever do to them? It hurts oh it hurts!"

"Calm down please" The old mare said spilling more and more tea onto the ground.

Ginger Bread began to froth at the mouth singing curses in an old horrid language that should have been destroyed long ago.

Tendrils began to sprout from Ginger Bread's back, but it was too late, the black mass outside had broken the door down and was enveloping Ginger Bread before she had the chance to fight back. Her tiny tendrils struck out at the black mass's stronger and more experienced tentacles, each of her's plucked out as the black mass enveloped her. You could see the back of Ginger Bread's hind legs disappear down the horrible gullet of the black mass.

The Old Mare didn't react to any of this, and instead shook her head sadly and took a sip of her tea.

The black mass looked around the cabin looking for another victim, seeing nothing however she simply shook her head.

"Another seed down, twelve more to go."

With that the black mass took off into the night, leaving the old mare surrounded by her spilt tea and black blood.

She went back to knitting. Her name is Steel Heart. The black mass's name is Golden Eyes.

49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 74 72 79

do you ever feel like you are being watched

Chapter 1: Happy Birthday Fluttershy

Fluttershy was hiding.

She was hiding from the most terrifying thing known to ponykind.

Nopony can outrun it.

Nopony can hide;

From a Pinkie Pie party on their birthday.

It all started about a week ago.

Fluttershy had gone into the town market to pick up a few ingredients for Angel Bunny’s newest and most delectable dessert. The streets were packed to the brim with ponies shopping; the air was rich with the smell of all sorts of baked goods being sold, but Fluttershy wasn’t there for her own satisfaction. She was here for her darling bunny Angel.

“Let’s see here. What do I have so far?” She looked at the small checklist that she pulled from her saddlebag.

~~1. 3 Carrots~~

~~2. 2 Heads of cabbage~~

~~3. 2 Tomatoes~~

~~4. 1 Bottle of whipped cream~~

1 Cherry

“According to this all I have left to find is the cherry. Oh, I just know Angel’s going to be so happy,” said Fluttershy. She couldn’t wait to make this salad for Angel Bunny. He had been asking for it ever since that incident with Iron Will; it would make him so happy, and nothing made her happier than when her animal friends were happy.

Fluttershy walked up to the cherry vendor, the pony being there being a blonde-maned pink mare, a cherry gracing her flank.

“Um, excuse me, I was wondering if you had any cherries left today.”

“As a matter of fact I do, but it’s my last one so it’s gonna cost you,” the vendor replied.

“How much?”

“Fifty bits.”

“F-fifty bits?” stammered Fluttershy.

“Fifty bits take it or leave it.” The vendor closed her eyes and turned around. Something was odd about the yellow pegasus.

“Oh. Well, I’m afraid I’ll have leave it. I only have 30 bits left.” said Fluttershy.

Fluttershy turned to leave.

“Wait,” said the Cherry vender bringing Fluttershy to a stop. “Aren’t you that famous supermodel Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy blushed.

“Yes, but that was a long time ago. I don’t model anymore.” Fluttershy preferred not to remember the days when she used to be a supermodel for photo finish. Even just thinking about it gave her anxiety.

“My daughter is a big fan of your work. Can I get a picture?”

“Well…I don’t like getting my picture taken. It bothers me for some reason.” said Fluttershy.

“Please, with a cherry thrown in?” said the Vender offering Fluttershy the last cherry.

Fluttershy reluctantly agreed, she would do anything for that cherry. The vender produced a camera.

“Alright say cheese.”

Fluttershy looked wide-eyed into the camera. Then there was a flash of light that made her flinch.

“Perfect!” said the Vender. Instantly the photo developed and the Vender took a look at it.

“Huh, that’s funny.” said the Vender.

“What is?” asked Fluttershy confused.

“The picture came out all distorted. Take a look:”

The picture was all pixelated and her face was blurred out making it look as though she had no face.

“That is weird want to try again?” Asked Fluttershy.

So they did, but every time they took a picture of Fluttershy the picture would come out distorted in some way or else the picture wouldn’t develop. They tried adjusting the shutter, and it seemed to work when she took pictures of anything else.

Except for Fluttershy. All the flashes were starting to give Fluttershy a headache.

"Stupid thing is broken. Sorry about that Fluttershy. How about you just autograph one of these posters instead?"

So Fluttershy put her hoof print on the poster the vender thanked her for the free cherry. And began to walk home when all of a sudden. Pinkie Pie.

“HEY FLUTTERSHY WACHA DOIN?” she said coming out of seemingly nowhere scaring Fluttershy half to death. When she recovered she answered the question.

“I’m getting some ingredients for Angel’s salad. How about you?”

“Oh I’m getting party supplies for your birthday party in a week.” said Pinkie Pie letting the words sink slip out. "Oops weren't supposed to tell you about that."

“A-a-a birthday party?” said Fluttershy disturbed. The idea of all of a sudden being the center of attention of a room full of ponies was absolutely terrifying to Fluttershy. For the last ten years Pinkie Pie had thrown her a surprise party on her birthday and every year she was startled out of her mind. “But-t-t-t”

“I’ll see you in a week.” Pinkie said trotting off back to Sugar Cube Corner.

***

Today

Today was the day of the party and Fluttershy was determined not to have a party. She had taken the necessary steps to make her home pinkie pie proof.

Fluttershy had personally sealed every crack in her walls

She had spent a good amount of money making her windows “bullet proof” (whatever a bullet was)

She had set up a camera trap that took pictures if anypony was to so much

takes a step onto her property she would have a picture of it.

She locked her closet door

Her house was completely Pinkie proof. Her plan was to wait out her birthday in the safety and the comfort of her home.

There was a problem with her plan though. She had to go and feed the chickens eventually. she couldn't do that as long as she was hiding in her cottage.

Fluttershy looked to over at the chickens. The poor dears must be starving.

Fluttershy looked to her camera monitors. Checking to make sure Pinkie was nowhere in sight. She took a deep breath, unlatched all the locks on her door, and ran outside her house to the chicken coop. She threw open through open the doors to the coop began to feed the chickens.

“Hey Fluttershy whacha doing?” said Pinkie Pie. Popping out of the chicken coop.

Fluttershy let out a sigh.

“Fine Pinkie throw your party, I don’t care anymore.”

“A party?” Pinkie Pie giggled “Oh I would never do that to you Fluttershy. I know you hate being the center of attention. And you hate getting startled too. Have a nice and relaxing birthday Fluttershy." pinkie pie pranced away humming to herself as she went.

Fluttershy let herself breath for a second. Crisis averted. Though Fluttershy couldn’t help but feel a little bit sad. Pinkie had thrown her a surprise party every year since they first met. It was depressing to see the tradition end.

Fluttershy walked back past her camera trap and through the front door of her cottage…

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY FLUTTERSHY!" Yelled all of Fluttershy’s friends. All of them jumping out from all over Fluttershy’s house.

Fluttershy fell over onto her back in surprise.

“Oh my…you girls startled me.” said Fluttershy, “Pinkie I thought you said you weren’t going to throw me a party this year?”

“Well I’m not Applejack and I didn’t make any Pinkie promise soooo I’m allowed to lie.” said Pinkie with a smile. “Don’t worry though I only invited your friends and animal friends this time. She said as she gestured to her five friends and her animal friends which included harry the bear, Angel bunny, and the rest her animal friends.

“Well I guess that’s ok.” said Fluttershy.

“Alrighty then lets party!” said Pinkie Pie turning the music up.

Despite being the center of attention, Fluttershy had a fun time. Hanging out and being with her friends, even if the attention was sometimes focused on her it wasn’t that bad. They played all her favorite games. Like pin the tail on the pony(Twilight won), truth or dare. (Applejack won) and the quiet game (which Fluttershy won regaining her title as the quiet game champion)

And then, much to Fluttershy’s embarrassment, Pinkie Pie got hold of some of Fluttershy’s old pictures from when she was a filly.

The picture was of Fluttershy looking around nervously. She was abnormally tall and lanky for a filly which made her like a baby deer.

“Awwww look at you were so cute!” said Pinkie Pie.

“Oh yea I remember when you looked like that.” said Rainbow Dash. That was a long time ago. You were a twig Fluttershy.”

“Yeah she does seem a little slender, how old were you when this picture was taken?” Asked Rarity.

“Um…Six? I think”

“Six! You look like you’re twelve in the picture!”

“I grew early.”

“You sure did I don’t think I’ve seen any pony that tall that young.” said Rarity, “It must have been hard finding dresses with that body size.”

“Yeah, they didn’t make them that length for fillies so sometimes I wore colt suits.

“Really?”

“Yes, that is, until I figured out how to sew my own dresses.”

“Oh that’s how you know so much about sewing.”

“Oh my gosh! It’s almost 4:44 PM! The exact time Fluttershy was born.” Pinkie said looking at the clock. “You have to blow out the candles at the exact right time.” Pinkie brought out a cake that read Happy Birthday Fluttershy lit with 19 candles for every year Fluttershy has been alive.

“Make a wish Fluttershy!” said her friends.

Fluttershy thought about it. She had everything she could ever need right here. Her animals, her friends what more could she want? She looked out her window. A oak tree was standing out there, high and proud. Animals critters had made their home in its branches. She bet it never had to worry about being shy. It never had to talk and yet it had so many friends.

“10 seconds! 8…7…6…”

If there was one thing Fluttershy wanted to be…

5…4…3…2…

It was a tree, but that was something she could never be.

1…0

Fluttershy made a wish and blew out the candles…

And went into a coma.

***

Begin.
Hello little seed
It’s nice to see you again
It’s been 19 years already
Have you been having fun?
I have
Watched you
Grow
From the sky down.
Is your body ready
To change?
No?
Well
To bad
It’s time to go meet your siblings
My Keeper will be there to collect you.
Do you know him?
No?
You should.
He’s watched you grow down.
He will be by to check up on you.
Be alone. My Keeper is shy.
Happy birthday little seed.

~The Misplaced

Fluttershy was looking in the mirror at a younger version of herself. She smiled and the filly Fluttershy smiled back.

And then she started to grow.

Like a sapling. She grew and grew and through and through.

Until she was as tall as Fluttershy. She was not smiling anymore. She wore a sad expression on her face.

But she didn’t stop growing. No no no.

Two times the hight of a stallion than three times. She was a head higher then Celestia herself. Even the frown was gone from her face.

Everything was gone from her face.

She was faceless.

And then she screamed

***

“Perhaps the party was too much for her this time?” said a voice.

Fluttershy began to open her eyes. For some reason her face was covered with something sticky.

“Look she’s awake.”

“Thank Celestia. I thought we were going to have to call a doctor.” said Rarity. “Are you ok?”

“What happened?” asked Fluttershy.

“Well we’re not sure, you were fine, you blew out your candles and then… you faceplanted into the cake.”

Ah that’s what the sticky stuff was Fluttershy wiped the frosting off her face.

“Oh this is all my fault. I knew that you didn’t want a party. But I threw one anyways. Sorry Fluttershy.” said Pinkie Pie “I’ll pack this all up and get out of your hair.” Pinkie Pie began to pack up the party equipment.

Fluttershy remembered how the voice in her dream told her to be alone. Right now. The thought of being alone freighted the shy pony. She felt like if they left now. She would never see them again.

“Wait!” Shouted Fluttershy not wanting them to leave. “We haven’t even had cake or presents yet and those are the best part of a party right Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie inflated with excitement.

“Of course, opening presents is the fun part of a birthday party, now everypony dig in.”

The cake was delicious (despite having a Fluttershy shaped indent in it) and it was time to open presents.

Rarity’s gift was new outfits for all of Fluttershy’s animal friends. (As if they wore cloths)

Twilight got Fluttershy a book An Egg Heads Guide to Pets. (as if she didn’t already know most of it.)

Applejack got a new country hat. (Probably won’t wear it, but it didn’t look to bad on her.)

Rainbow Dash got Fluttershy a copy of her new book “The Adventures of Technicolor Wonderbolt.” (seemed kinda like an autobiography to Fluttershy.)

Even though most of these gifts were useless to Fluttershy she was still thankful. After all it was the thought that counted the most. However when Fluttershy got to Pinkie’s gift she wasn’t sure what the thought was.

Pinkie Pie was had this peculiar knack of getting everypony a perfect gift, even if they didn’t know they needed yet. Like last year she bought Fluttershy a ladder and a few days latter she used it to get her animals out of the tree when they all got spooked one day.

Wrapped in a zebra colored wrapping paper was the biggest knife Fluttershy had ever seen. She expected some crazy fun thing, not a weapon. It was the size of her fore leg and sharp enough to cut through bone.

.

“Ummm…wow this is a sharp knife.” said Fluttershy admiring her reflection in the metal.

“Do you like it? I call it my lesser knife. I use it to cut cakes and other stuff. I wanted to get you my great knife but Mr. Pyramid is borrowing it.”

“What am I supposed to do this with this?” said Fluttershy letting the words slip out of her mouth.

“Oh I don’t know cut butter, make wood carvings, defend yourself.”

“D-defend myself?” said Fluttershy nervously. “From what?” Pinkie Pie gave her a rare serous look.

“From fear itself.” Pinkie said ominously. Then Pinkie went back to her normal happy self. “Anyhoo happy Birthday Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie gave Fluttershy a hug and went to hang out with the others.

"Well that’s it for the presents lets go party!” said Pinkie Pie.

And so the six ponies partied into to the night. They had lots of fun and made many memories of the night. However as the end of the party drew near Fluttershy grew increasingly nervous, taking frequent glances out of her window at the edge of the Everfree Forest.

The clock read 9:00

Finally it was time for everypony to go.

"It’s been fun Fluttershy, but its time to head out." said Applejack.

“A-are you sure? Wouldn’t you like to stay one more dance?”

“I would love to sugar cube. But you know what they say; early to bed early to rise.” said Applejack as she walked out into the night.

"I would darling but I have an order of dresses I have to finish by tomorrow I’m behind as it is. So sorry." Rarity walked out into the night.

“I have homework I have to get done. Sorry Fluttershy.” said Twilight. Twilight walked into the night.

“I’ll stay.” said Rainbow Dash picking up on Fluttershy’s nervousness.

“You can’t though, you have cloud duty at three o’clock AM tomorrow.” said Fluttershy who had overheard her friend complaining about it earlier.

“Oh yeah that’s right.” said Rainbow Dash as she walked out the door leaving only Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie left in the house.

“Pinkie Pie how about you? I bet you would love and stay and party some more.” said Fluttershy.

Pinkie Pie looked conflicted. It was as if she wanted to stay with Fluttershy, but something made her hesitant.

“I want to, I really, really do. But…HE is coming.”

“HE?”

“Yeah…”

“Who is he?”

Pinkie Pie looked like she was in pain.

“I can’t say any more, the more you think about him the worse it becomes. Try not to think about him ok?”

“Ok but-“

“If he does come try laughing.” suggested Pinkie Pie.

“D-does that stop him?” Asked Fluttershy.

“No, but it will make you feel better.” Suddenly she changed tones “Bye Fluttershy.”

Pinkie Pie bounced away from

“La la la la…” She prancing away singing as if she had already forgotten the conversation they had just had. The darkness seemed to swallow her pink mass.

This left Fluttershy alone in her house besides her animals, She immediately felt isolation set in. Fluttershy almost never felt alone in her own house, after all who could be alone when she had all of her animal friends to take care of?

But tonight some of her animal friends seemed to be acting strangely. Every time she tried to get near one of them they would slowly move into another room. Every single one of them was afraid to get near her for some reason. Fluttershy found it very, unsettling it was as if she had some sort or contagious disease and just by getting too close to her they could catch it. The only one that didn’t hide when Fluttershy entered the room was Angel Bunny, who stood by her side, giving her a strange look every once in awhile. His head cocked to the side as if confused by something.

Fluttershy shrugged it off and decided to take a look out her window at Everfree forest side. Nopony out there. No why would there be anypony out there? Fluttershy sighed and sat down to read a book.

The clock read: 10:20

Fluttershy’s reading was interrupted by a familiar yet unsettling sound. The sound of all of Fluttershy’s animals moving out of the house.

Like rats from a sinking ship.

Hundreds of animals birds, rats, mice, chipmunks, snakes, everything she could think of.

The only pet that stayed was Angel Bunny who as looking at Fluttershy and then the door more and more frequently.

Fluttershy checked her security cameras for a sign of what was spooking her friends.

There was nothing. Nothing at all.

The Clock read: 11:03

Angel was now visibly shaking. As if she were scared for her life. However he refused to leave Fluttershy.

The clock read: 11:07

Angel Bunny collapsed on the floor as if she was being stabbed by unseen needles. Fluttershy couldn’t stand to see him in pain so Fluttershy made Angel leave the house.

Now Fluttershy was completely alone.

The clock read: 12:00

After making sure every door was locked and the windows were secure, Fluttershy found that she didn’t feel like sleeping. She decided to take a look at an old photo album.

First she looked through the most modern photos. They were mostly of her and her best friends. Her gala pictures, pictures of the royal wedding, that kind of stuff. Then there were pictures of her when she was just a filly.

Her meeting her friends in ponyville. Her and Applejack going Apple bucking. (Applejack did most of the bucking). There was also a few pictures of her and Rainbow Dash from flight camp, oh and there was the picture of her and Pinkie pie. Although pinkie seemed to be focused distracted by something else. Fluttershy tried to see what she was looking at, but every time she tried her eyes would glaze over.

The album ended there. No that couldn’t be right. There where no foal pictures. How strange were they in a different album? No that wasn’t right either…this was her only photo album.

Then two things hit her like a ton of bricks

Her parents were nowhere to be seen in them.

She couldn’t remember her parents at all.

This is something she shouldn’t have been just noticing now. Why wasn’t this worrying her earlier! It made no sense! why was she just worrying about it now!

Fluttershy took another nervous look out her window at the everyfree forest.

Still nothing but trees were there.

The clock read: 1:30

There’s a colt in the photos.

After staring at them long enough he was there.

IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.

He’s was in the background of almost all the photos and she never even noticed, and its not like he was hard to miss. An unnaturally tall pony in a business suit. His face is always too distorted to make out, but from the looks of it he had none.

But that wasn’t all, in one of the pictures, the one of her and Pinkie when they were just fillies, Fluttershy was covered in blood. Pony carcasses hung from the ceiling and Fluttershy was covered in blood. In this picture the suited pony was upright standing on his hind legs. His forelegs stretched to unrealistic proportions that aren’t seen in nature. branching off like tree branches.

Pinkie’s eyes were locked right on it, but Fluttershy seemed to be oblivious, just smiling away at the camera.

Fluttershy shut the book and peaked her head out the window in the direction of the Everyfree Forest.

The colt was there.

It had been there the whole time.

The clock read: 1:34

Fluttershy flew up the stairs, ran down the hallway into her bedroom, closed the bedroom door, shut her curtains and curled up in a corner facing her window.

“There’s no reason to be scared” She told herself. “I locked all the doors and windows and just in case.” She gripped her new knife tighter.

What the hay is that thing? Why is it following me? Why can’t I remember my parents? These questions seemed irrelevant as a overpowering sense of fear held on to her heart.

She sat there for a half hour not moving never taking her eyes off the window.

The clock read 2:00

A shadow of a tall thin pony crossed Fluttershy’s curtain. A second story window. Too far off the ground for any pony to be head height with. Fluttershy got the feeling that it was looking at her through the curtains. The grip on Fluttershy’s heart tightened. The shadow stayed put for about ten minutes. The only thing separating Fluttershy from the tall pony was a thin sheet of bullet proof glass and a blue curtain. Fluttershy prayed the shadowy figure didn’t know she was here. That he would at any second just walk away and never come back.

The clock read: 2:24

WHY IS IT JUST STANDING THERE! If it wants me it should come get me if not it should go away. Why is it just…standing there! Thought Fluttershy.

That’s then the pony began to move. It raised a claw like appendage toward Fluttershy’s window. Closer and closer until finally Fluttershy heard it make contact with the glass.

Tap tap tap

The colt began to tap on the glass. And then it stopped. And then it started again. And then it stopped and then it started and then it stopped and then started again.

tap tap tap

It was as if it were inviting Fluttershy to come outside.

This continued for about a half hour all the while Fluttershy stared in the corner eyes locked on the window.

She took a peak at the clock: 2:44.

The Pony tapped on the window one last time before stopping. The pony's shadow moved away from the window.

Fluttershy was still for a few minutes listening for any sign of the pony. After hearing none. She worked enough courage to walk over to the window and open the curtains to see if had gone. She would open then on the count of three. One…two…three…

Fluttershy threw open the curtains to find that there was nopony out there. She looked to the left. Only her chicken coop. To the right only the Everfree forest.

Fluttershy let out a sigh of relief. The nightmare was gone.

Knock, knock, knock

Fluttershy’s viens froze.

Knock, knock, knock

The monster was at the front door.

The knocking at the door stop for a moment. As if it was waiting for Fluttershy to come answer it. Too hell with that! She wasn’t about to walk out into the claws of that…thing.

The thing knocked twice more on the front door. And then was silent for about I minute.

She heard a noise. The sound of a pony walking, except it wasn’t outside the house.

It was inside. Inside the locked house.

The sound of the demon’s hoof steps on Fluttershy’s wood floor echoed through the house like the sound of hallow bones on stone.

The creature made its way slowly and deliberately towards Fluttershy’s room. It walked up the stairs, the wood rejecting its very existence with moaning as it climbed up to the second floor.

Fluttershy was shaking out of control. Too paralyzed to move. Fluttershy could see the shadow of the creature from underneath the door. The unlocked door. All the monster had to do was twist the knob and walk in and would have her. It paused by the door. For about a half hour it stood there as if waiting for something. It began to very softy to tap on the unlocked door. God damn tapping never stopped. Mocking Fluttershy with her helplessness.

Tap tap tap

For what seemed like hours the demon taped on the door as if it expected Fluttershy to come let it inside. Fluttershy sat unmoving pressed against the wall just wishing it would go away. What had she done to deserve this? What did the monster want from her.

Then the tapping stopped for about five seconds.

And then there was a
BANGBANG BANGBANG
which caused Fluttershy to jump in surprise. Then there was another BANG on the door so loud that shook Fluttershy’s floorboards and then again and again and again the demon BANGED violently against the door. The door it’s self bucked with each bang.

Fluttershy couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted it to end. She didn’t care if she had to kill herself she couldn’t take this anxiety. She had to do something so she built up her breath and yelled as loud as she could.

“WHAT! DO! YOU! WANT!” Screamed Fluttershy

The banging stopped.

“IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME YOU SHOULD JUST BUCKING KILL ME AND GET IT OVER WITH! NONE OF THIS FREAKING ME OUT AND TAPPING AND SNEAKING! IF YOU WANT ME COME GET ME! THE DOOR IS UNLOCKED! SO COME IN AND KILL ME! KILL ME OR LEAVE ME ALONE!”

There was silence from the other side of the door. Then very slowly the shadow of the demon slowly moved away from the door. She heard it walk very slowly down the stairs, through the living room and then she heard it no more.

She walked to her window and looked out at the every free forest. The creature walked up to the second story window and stared at Fluttershy. It was ghostly white, eyeless and mouthless yet it was staring at her.

Fluttershy stared right back. Her face inches away from his. Fluttershy thought that it was impossible to be more frightened then she had been. But she was wrong. She was looking into the face of fear it's self.

My stare is stronger then your's little seed. said a cold voice in her head.

The colt gave her a mouthless smile as if amused by her and then walked away. Past the chicken coop into the darkness of the Everfree forest where it was impossible to distinguish him from the trees around him.

Fluttershy continued to stare off into the darkness for a minute before she unfroze. That was one of the most freighting things that had ever happened to her. She looked at the clock on her desk. It read 4:45. It was nearly morning already. There was no point in sleeping yet. Fluttershy carefully decided to looked down stairs. She carefully crept down the stairs. Listening for any sound indicating danger.

And then she saw it.

A doll. A abnormally tall and slender pony doll. It was in exact likeness to the pony that she has seen out of her window except for the fact it had buttons for eyes and it wasn't wearing a business suit. Fluttershy moved up to it. There was a note underneath it. In big scratchy letters it read.

Happy birThdAy little seED. i hope you enjoy your present. we will be back soon to pick you up.

-The Loved

Fluttershy read the message. She had no idea what to make of it.
All she could to was stare out into the empty everfree forest and wait for daylight.

*****

In the deepest part of the Everfree forest under an ancient tree, a slender pony and a freak were talking. Not out loud but in their heads.

“Where is she. I thought you went to get her?” said the Freak

"Not ready yet." said the slender pony brushing it off

“Not ready yet? but it was her 19th birthday right? She should be sprouted by now.” said The Freak.

"Not ready." Repeated the slender pony.

“But if she stays there the hunters will be on her tail faster then bugs on an apple.”

Silence

"You know you can’t leave her there. She’s going to start changing. She will start to hunt. She could hurt even kill her friends."

"Not ready." the slender pony repeated

The Freak sighed .

“Tisk, tisk your kind doesn’t care much for your family do you. Your just going to let her suffer?”

The slender pony tilted its head. Oak trees don’t take care of their saplings. Saplings suffocate each other to get to the light. There is only room for so many saplings...

“I see. So you’re going to let the stronger ones live and let the rest kill each other? But if that’s the case why not bring her here? Let her fight it out with the rest of the saplings.”

The two were silent for a second.

"Not ready yet."

The freak sighed in frustration.

“Whatever there your siblings do whatever you want.”

The two sat in silence underneath the ancient tree.

Author's Note

This chapter took me a long time to write.
More to come.

d2Ugc3RpbGwgd2Fsaw==

begin
applejack may not remember, but we do.

we are themisplaced

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaO0BEfROcw]

One minute Honeycrisp was cooking in the kitchen, making apple fritters. Applejacks favorite. She was thinking that she had perhaps been a little bit harsh on Applejack. She couldn't be mad at her for long. Tomorrow she would end her being grounded. thats when a tentacle shot out of the window and grabbed hold of her. She screamed.

Honeycrisp was pulled out of the window by and thrown onto the ground. She was dazed and she heard gunshots and screaming.

“Why Mr. Tall why would you do this!”

Her husband flew out the window and landed next to her...dead. His body pierced with tree branches.

The monster came after her next. Tentacles impaled her legs and then chest.

She was powerless to resist him.

Meanwhile Applejack was screaming.

“STOP STOP STOP STOP! MR. TALL NO!”

But he didn’t stop he thrashed Honeycrisp around like a rag doll. Bones snapping as she was.

Then he stopped as if listening to something. A tiny heart beat.

He lifted Honeycrip’s pregnant belly up to ear trying to locate the noise. Locating it he plunged his hoof into her stomach and pulled out the undeveloped fetus.

It was much to young to survive outside the womb. it was also injured from all the thrashing

“No…” Said Honeycrisp weakly as she stopped breathing.

Mr. Tall held the bloody fetus in the air wondering what to do with it.

Y-you monster that was going to be my sister... how could you…she started crying…she’s going to die. Just like my parents she's…

Applejack broke into uncontrolled sobbing.

Now Slender Mane doesn’t understand ponies or any other organic life very well, however in this one second he had a moment of clarity.

Applejack was no longer having fun.

She was sad that this creature was dying.

He didn’t want her to be sad.

Slender Mane bent down and picked up some of Honeycrisp’s spattered insides. To Slender Mane it seemed like spare parts. She took out the fetuses broken organs and replaced some of them with Honeycrisp's working organs.

“That won’t work you dummy she’s too young.” Said Applejack though tears.

Slender Mane took note of this.

He took off his suit coat, leaving him in just a dress shirt, and placed it over the fetus for about ten seconds.

When he removed the coat, the fetus was gone and in its place was a one year old filly.

Slender Mane placed her in Applejacks arms.

He patted her on the head, picked up her parents and dragged them away to the Everfree Forest.

G.U.L.L. arrived shortly after.

and that’s when we were born.

-themisplaced

dGhpbiBpY2U=

first, we thought that ZmVhcg0K so very, very sweet.
a new friend to have and it seemed like such a treat.

But then, we found the truth; she's just a bully fRom the TreEs.
She went from ZmVhcg0K, yeAh, to a bully and a beasT.

bad seed. bad seed. wHat you gonna do?
got sLendy on your tail. gotta hide, you gotta bail.
bad sEed. bad seed. If we’re after you, gotta run.
you gotta flee. gotta hurry, don't you See?
bad Seed. bad seed. your’re just a bad, bad seed.

hidin' from YOUR friends, you know it isn't right.
but the collEctive dark evaders, we aren't lookin' for a Fight.

oh you’ll just die soon and then we’ll have some peace again
but FOR now, we're sTaying out of her way tIll then.

everywhere you turn, we’re juSt a step ahead.

bad seed. bad seed. what yoU gonna do?
got a Slender on your tail. gotta hidE, you gotta baiL.
bad sEed. bad Seed. if we’re after you, gotta run.
you gotta flee. gotta hurry,don't you See?
bad seed. bad seed. we’re just a bad, bad seed.

bad seed. bad seed. what you gonna do?
got slendy on our tail. gotta hide,we gotta bail.
bad seed. bad seed. if your after you, gotta run.
We gotta flee. gotta hurry, don't you see?

why so mean? why so crude?
why so angry? why so rude?
can't you be nice? can't we be friends?
Isn't it sad? Is this is how your life all ends?
baD sEed. bAd seeD. your just a baD,bad-
bad sEed. bAD seed. your just a baD,bad-
bad sEed. bAd seeD.
-TheLoved

...

did you miss me?

we ARE cOming soon
-The Collective

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