Twilight was walking with her friends and Princess Celestia down a hallway leading to the door that once held the Elements of Harmony.
"So explain to us again why we are here," Twilight asked.
"Well, I've been working on a new project that will be fun for you all and it's finally finished," Princess Celestia said, using her horn to open the door, "Ladies, get ready to by awestruck."
When the door opened, the mane six was mesmerized what they saw. There were six chairs with helmets in a circle and connected to a main computer in the center.
"Wow," Pinkie exclaimed, "this is the most super duper amazingly great thing in the whole entire thing of things... what is it?"
"I call it, the Animus," Celestia explained, "it puts your mind in a virtual reality area and has you play a game that I have created. I only made one so far but it is sure to please you. Want to give it a try?"
"Boy do ah," Applejack said.
'Sure, sounds awesome," Rainbow added.
"Positively exciting," Rarity replied.
"I could be here all day," Pinkie exclaimed.
"Yay," Fluttershy whispered.
"Sounds good," Twilight added, "but what's the game."
"I call it, Slendermane," Celestia declared.
"Slendermane," the mane six exclaimed.
"You mean the same Slendermane who takes little foals from the Everfree Forest," Applejack asked nervously, "just like the stories Granny Smith would tell me?"
"Yep."
"I'm suddenly having second thoughts," Rainbow said.
"Are you scared Rainbow Dash," Rarity teased.
"Of course not! You know what, I'm so not scared that I'll play the game right now," Rainbow said then flew into a chair and put the helmet on.
"Yay for not being scared," Pinkie exclaimed in her chipper tone and putting on a helmet.
"Ah, what the hay," Applejack said, putting on a helmet as well.
"These seats are pretty comfortable," Rarity added, taking a seat and putting on her helmet.
"I don't know if I can do it," Fluttershy peeped.
"Come on, Fluttershy, it's not real, it can't hurt you, right Celestia," Twilight asked.
"Of course not," Celestia assured, taking a seat at the computer at the center and putting a headset on as Twilight and Fluttershy got in position, "Can everypony hear me?"
"Yes," they all replied.
"Ok, once your in the game, you won't be able to hear me or feel anything from the real world. All you'll be able to hear is each other and the game noise. If you die, virtually I mean, then you'll come back into the real world. I'll be able to see what you see on six cameras on my computer. If you feel like this game is too intense, you may ask to get out and I'll pull you out immediately. Good Luck."
"Hey, why not make this interesting," Rainbow said while Celestia warmed up the game.
"What are ya proposing'," Applejack said.
"We each put up five bits, and whoever still in the game when it ends, wins it all."
"Thirty bits? I'm up for that," Twilight said.
"We all agree," Rainbow asked.
"Yep," the rest replied.
"Ok ladies, the game is ready," Celestia declared, "It will begin in Three... Two... One!"
The mane six watched in awe as whiteness came upon each of them and they appeared one by one at the entrance of Princess's old castle.
"It looks like we're in the Everfree Forest," Twilight said.
"Thanks Captin Obvious, I thought we were in a land of Sunshine," Rainbow smirked.
"Something's different though. Everything looks kind of fuzzy, like we're looking through a camera. It also looks like we can only search the castle becasus there's a gate around the entire area."
"Look everypony, in the sky," Pinkie exclaimed.
Everypony looked up as words we're slowly moving like a credit screen.
"Let's see, it says 'collect the eight pages before HE get you. You have a few minutes before HIS hunt begins or if you collect the first page. HE is dressed in darkest suit and tie, so by the end, YOU MOST CERTAINLY WILL DIE!!!'... well that's not freaky at all," Twilight said nervously.
"Eight pages huh," Pinkie said, "We should split up..."
"No way are we splitting up," the rest exclaimed.
"Alright alright, well, where should we start looking," Pinkie asked.
"Uh, the only place we can look, the castle," Rainbow said.
"Oh that's right, silly me."
The six walked in the castle which seemed darker than they remembered, hallways went off in all directions and they couldn't see the end to each one.
"W-well, w-we should probably gi-give up now," Fluttershy said shaking, "We pr-probably won't even find the..."
"There's the first page," Pinkie exclaimed, pointing between the two flags over Celestia and Luna's old throne.
They all ran up to the first page and read, "Don't look or it takes you."
"Well that was easy," Pinkie declared, grabbing the page, but when she did, they heard a moan echo throughout the Castle.
"Wh-What was that," Rainbow stuttered
"The wind," Twilight said unsurely.
"I didn't feel a breeze," Rarity nervously replied.
"Wait," Applejack said, "ah remember Grant Smith telling me he can appear anywhere."
The six stiffened up, eyes widen and heart pounding madly, as they heard hoofsteps above them. They all slowly looked up and swallowed as the steps died down into silence.
"He's lookin' for us," Applejack whispered.
All of a sudden, there vision flickered even fuzzier than it was early as a low moan came from behind them.
Still eyes widen and stiff, they slowly turned around to see a tall white pony figure in a suit and red tie with no face standing at the entrance of the castle.
They all screamed and ran for the nearest hallway... except for Rarity.
"Come on Rarity," they all called.
"I can't move," Rarity said, still looking at the Slendermane as it slowly walked towards Rarity.
"What," they others exclaimed , then Twilight yelled in realization, "The note! Rarity, look away!"
"I-I can't!"
As the Slendermane got closer and closer to Rarity, everyponies vision started to get even more static by the second until they couldn't see anything at all except static. Then, it stopped, and Rarity and Slendermane were gone.
"Rarity," the rest slowly asked, hoping that she was just hiding...
###
Rarity screamed as she jumped out of the chair in reality. She was breathing heavily as she saw Celestia and Luna at the computer.
"So your the first one to go, huh," Celestia chuckled as Rarity's breathing slowed and she calmed down, "It looks like you were wrong sis, you owe me twenty bits."
"Horseapples, I was sure Fluttershy would have backed out first... Oh well, it's not over yet. We still got five more to go, which gives me plenty of time to run your bit vault dry!"
"Wanna join us Rarity? We're betting on who's next to go down?"
Rarity, still traumatized by what happened, just looked at Celestia. She finally shook her head and smiled, "Sure. Great game by the way, wish I could have played more."
"Thanks, and all you had to do was look away from the Slendermane."
"Yeah," Rarity blushed, "I kind of panicked."
"Ah, no worries," Luna smirked, "you should have seen Celestia when we did a test run. She nearly had a heart attack! "
Celestia laughed nervously, "well, I already grabbed seven pages and didn't expect Prony to be behind the suit of armor."
"Prony," Rarity questioned, while taking a seat.
"Yeah, don't you know the ancient legends? Prony was a foal Slendermane took into the forest but grew attached to. He gave her powers so Prony and him can hunt ponies forever together in a sort of father-daughter relationship."
"Aww, I knew Slendermane had a soft side," Rarity smiled.
"Yeah, but anyways, Prony starts chasing you after you collect the fourth or fifth page. It's randomized."
"So you said we're betting? How's does that work?"
"One of us picks who's going down next while saying how much they bet on it. For example, Luna picked Fluttershy was going to back out for twenty bits. I took her up on it and she lost since you died first. Oh, and you can say you don't take somepony on their bet, but when you do,,you have to pick a different pony for higher stakes. I was going to go, but you can go ahead and take my turn."
"Alright, I pick... Twilight for... ten bits."
"I'll take you up on that," Celestia said.
"Same here," Luna added.
"Alright then, let's see how this plays out," Celestia declared as they watched the computer screens cameras.
(To Be Continued...)
[Hey readers! You can play too! Just post in the comments on who might go down next and see if your the lucky winner! Your votes will affect the next pony to die (virtually I mean)!!!]