Chapter One: The Beginning
Pinkie was walking through the park when she spotted Fluttershy looking a tad bit too sad. Pinkie bounced over to Fluttershy.
“Hey Flutters!” she said in her usual high-pitched tone.
“Hey pinkie…” Fluttershy sighed as she looked away from the pink earth pony.
Pinkie, confused by this, jumped In front of her.
“What’s up?” Pinkie asked Fluttershy.
She simply responded with “N-Nothing, pinkie.”.
Pinkie was worried and asked “Why so Shy, flutters?”.
“There’s nothing wrong pinkie...” Fluttershy responded
“Are you SURE?” Pinkie said as she looked Fluttershy in the eye and smiled.
“Umm, ok there is s-something that’s wrong. We should go to my Cottage.”
The two ponies trotted over to Fluttershy’s cottage and Pinkie took a seat on the couch.
“So,” Pinkie started “What’s wrong?” She asked as soon as she made herself comfortable.
Fluttershy began to talk to her about what had happened the previous night.”Rainbow Dash had been flying over the everfree forest, showing off as usual, when multiple ponies said they saw ‘Black Tentacles’ come and grab her, taking her into the forest. Twilight had come to Zecora’s the next day only to find…”.
Fluttershy had started to cry and her eyes were shut closed with small tears running out.
”What Flutter? What did she find?! Pinkie said with her eyes wide in disbelief.
Fluttershy, unable to control her emotions, burst into a Flood of Tears and Sobs “SHE FOUND HER LYING DEAD IN THE BUSHES!” Fluttershy screamed at the top her lungs as her eyes continued to flow more and more tears.
Pinkies eyes started to weep salty, bitter tears as she grabbed fluttershy and held her tight.
“She-She’s GONE?” Pinkie Stuttered as she held Fluttershy, her mind a flurry of emotions.
Just then, a knock sounded from the door, and Twilight's voice came from outside.
"Fluttershy? Are you in there?" she called out with a desperate tone.
Fluttershy sniffled and said "Yes *SNIFF* I'm here, and the door is unlocked".
A few seconds later the door swung open and Twilight walked in.
"Pinkie, why are you..." Twilight stopped herself from continuing, seeing Pinkie's tears was a good enough answer.
"So, you found out. I'm so sorry i didn't tell you sooner. I should-" Twilight started, but was cut off by the sound of Fluttershy running to the upstairs room, crying and sobbing all the way up.
Twilight looked guilty, like she was the one who had killed Dashie. Pinkie was sad before, but her emotions shifted and she felt herself heating up. "Who would do this?".
She asked under her breath. A long silence occurred, making both the ponies feel awkward.
Twilight broke the silence "Listen, whoever did this, they vanished. We've been searching for days now, and there's nothing. The only clue was a mark on her body. It was an X, with a circle around it.".
Pinkie was confused. Why a bordered X? Who could that be? Not anything they had encountered before. Then, a crash from upstairs sounded, and Fluttershy screamed "HELP!" Twilight ran upstairs, as fast as her hooves could carry her, but it was too late.
The monster had fled, and Fluttershy was on the ground, her body shredded and mangled, her wings broken. Her pink butterfly cutie mark had been cut by what looked like claws of some kind. Blood seeped from the wound, dripping into a small puddle beside her. Pinkie crept up the stairs and saw her body. Instantly, her head felt light headed and she fell. Her mind became a static haze, The last thing she saw was a blank faced creature, staring at her, but with no eyes. Or mouth. Or face of any kind. Pinkie hit the the stairs and was knocked out.
Pinkie groaned as her consciousness returned. She was lying down on a hospital bed, with nopony to be seen. She sat up and gazed at her surroundings. Nothing but a heart monitor, a waiting chair, a wooden door, a small end table and a small bundle of flowers. Resting on the flowers was a note, obviously from Rarity, with all sorts of fancy handwriting. It read:
"I hope you get better soon, Pinkie. If anything is the matter, Twilight and Applejack are always close."
-Rarity.
Pinkie stood up from the bed and wandered outside-(use a different word other than "stood up"because it sound weird standing up in bed to leave sed bed use somthing like "rolled out of bed still weak from the injures")- . Nopony was outside, which made Pinkie uncomfortable. She kept following the signs until she saw "Waiting room, to the left." Pinkie knew this was where her friends would most likely be there. She trotted down the halls.
"What even happened?" Applejack asked Twilight as they both seated themselves in the waiting room.
She had been so curious as to why Fluttershy was so beat up, and she demanded to know what had happened. Twilight cleared her throat and filled the orange pony in on her entire point of view. Applejack's eyes had widened.
"So, you're saying that there's something... out there?" Applejack nervously asked. Twilight nodded, adding to the tension between the two ponies.
Just then, Pinkie stumbled into the room, still wearing her hospital garb. She felt a flurry of emotions as she ran towards the purple unicorn. She hugged her, but it wasn't a happy embrace. Pinkie started to cry, holding Twilight closer and tighter. Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder and tried to calm her down, but to no avail. Pinkie stepped away and said in a cracking, sad voice.
"I saw something. Something... horrible." her face was filled with fear as she re-imaged the creature in her head. She shuddered at the thought.
"I know, and i think I've figured out what it is and why its after us." Twilight said as her face got serious.
She gestured for Applejack to stand and for the both of them to follow her. They trotted down the road, but everything felt different to Pinkie. It was cold, and leaves were scattered across the street. This was definitely not late summer. Also, nopony smiled or waved when they saw her, instead looking at her with a pity in their faces. They finally reached Twilight's house, stepping inside from the cold autumn breeze. Twilight sat down on a chair and began to explain.
"This creature isn't something that should be here, rather it should be in its own respective dimension. But somehow, somepony brought it to Equestria. I think its hunting us for our power. After all, we are the Elements of Harmony. So-"
"That don't explain how its so deadly. It knocked out Pinkie for two months without even being in the room, and it nearly put Fluttershy to sleep forever when it was! How do we fight that?" Applejack interrupted her. Twilight, obviously angered by the sudden interruption, gave her a dirty look and continued.
"Like i was getting at, it cannot be attacked in direct combat. Instead we need to trap it somehow. Anypony got ideas?" Twilight stopped abruptly.
Suddenly, a low voice streaked through the room, making Pinkie quickly shift her gaze to the door.
"I do."
It came from a stranger at the door, in a cloak and hat. The pony undid the pin on his cloak, throwing it to the side, then grabbed his hat and tossed it onto the same spot.
"Pardon my intrusion, but i could overhear your... endeavors. I think i can help." He said, brushing his mane to the side.
Twilight looked at him suspiciously.
"And just who exactly are you?" She asked, her voice having a hint of suspicion.
The Pegasus chuckled, and then his low voice rippled through the air.
"My name is Blaze Kindling, and i am your only hope at defeating the monster. Or should call him buy his real name, SlenderMane. Everything that has happened is just the beginning. I can, and will, explain everything. But first, i need you to come with me."