Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle clung to each other, trembling in fear as Scootaloo finished her story. She held a flashlight under her chin, casting unnatural shadows across her face as she leaned closer to the other two with every word. When she finished, she paused for just a moment, then looked into the darkness past the two terrified fillies.
"Is that..." She squinted as though trying to tell just what it was she was seeing.
"GUMMY!"
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle shrieked and ran past Scootaloo as fast as they could to escape the tiny toothed terror, which of course wasn't there. Scootaloo laughed in triumph and whipped her head around excitedly to check for a cutie mark. She didn't see one, but she did see Pinkie Pie walking toward her.
"What are you girls up to?" Pinkie Pie didn't seem to notice that two of them were clinging to her forelegs as she walked.
"Not getting our cutie marks in scary storytelling apparently," Scootaloo said dejectedly.
"Scary stories? I know a good one! Wanna hear it? Huh? Huh? Do ya?"
Pinkie Pie's enthusiasm was irresistible. Even Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle agreed to the idea of a story from her. After all, how scary could such a cheerful pony be? Random, yes, but not scary.
Scootaloo handed Pinkie the flashlight and settled down with the other Crusaders to listen to the story. Pinkie replaced her usual smile with an oddly serious expression.
"Have you girls seen Rainbow Dash recently?"
Scootaloo looked at the other girls, their confused expressions mirroring her own.
"No," she said slowly. "Why?"
Pinkie's smile returned in an instant.
"No reason!"
Random, Scootaloo thought.
"Now, the story I'm going to tell you is one I found on the internet. It's-"
"The inter-what now?" Apple Bloom said, interrupting.
"Never mind!"
So random, Scootaloo thought.
Pinkie's serious face returned as she spoke again.
"This story is called Cupcakes..."