> The Hunt for the Slender Pony
>  by GVirusInfectee
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Cycle Begins Anew
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Hunt for the Slender Pony by GVirusInfectee

“Steampunk,” Luna was saying to the young mare. “Where are you moving to?” The two had become good friends over the past year, and Luna was saddened to see the Earth pony leaving Canterlot.
“I’m just moving down to Ponyville,” replied the gray-eyed mare, setting down her tools with a grunt. “We can still visit each other, right, Your Majesty?”
“Of course,” exclaimed Luna, hugging her friend. “And don’t worry; I know a few ponies in Ponyville. You will fit in fine.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” smiled Steampunk, her shoulder-mounted chain gun clicking and whirring.
“Steampunk,” called her brother, Samuel Colt. “The train is leaving. We need to go now.” Luna hugged her friend one last time, and a tear slid down her face as Steampunk boarded the car with her brother. She waved goodbye until the train was out of sight.

Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were walking home from the Everfree Forest, the former presently complaining.
“Great, I’m cold and muddy, it’s dark, and we still aren’t out of this stupid forest! Why did we come here again?”
Diamond Tiara sighed; she long since grown accustomed to her friend’s complaining. “We were supposed to try to collect a plant for Miss Cheerilee’s assignment, and you wanted to find a rare one, so we came here.” She shook her head in disgust at their situation. “Maybe if you weren’t always trying to outshine those three blank-flanks, we’d be-“
“Shh!” Silver Spoon cut her off, her ears perking. “D-did you hear that?”
“It was probably a squirrel or something. Now let’s go! I could be drinking some hot chocolate right now.” As Diamond Tiara turned around, her breath hitched in her throat. “S-S-Silver…?” she stuttered, quivering in fear. “W-who is that…?”
Silver Spoon followed her friend’s gaze questioningly. Through the trees some distance away, she could see a tall figure standing. Upon looking a bit harder, she could make out that its body was pitch black, but that its head was almost a radiant white by contrast; its body proportions were also exaggerated: its arms and legs were log and spindly, its torso looking shortened by comparison. For some reason she couldn’t quite put her finger on, the figure inspired her with a sense of dread.
“I don’t know,” the silvery filly responded at last, putting on a display of confidence that she only barely felt. “But whoever it is, they sure are weird if they like to hang out here at night.” She turned to her friend, offering a nervous smile. “We should really get moving now. Our daddies will worry.” Diamond offered a weak smile of agreement. With that, the two of them set off, picking up the path they had deviated from to find the plant that was now in a pot nestled in Silver Spoon’s backpack. On reflex, Diamond Tiara turned her head to peek at the mysterious figure again, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw it had moved further into the forest. The two friends moved on, feeling as safe as the encroaching darkness would allow.

“So, Celestia sent us on a secret assignment, huh?” Samuel was watching the countryside fly past the private train car’s window. The sun had just about set, now a thin ribbon of orange signifying the sun’s losing battle against nighttime. Across from him, Steam punk sorted through the files on the table between them.
“Five hundred years of disappearances and murders, Samuel,” Steampunk muttered, staring at the proverbial cheat-sheet that had been bundle at the top of the large stack of folders. “Most of them foals. But the odd thing is, all the cases have something in common.” Samuel’s head snapped to her.
“Impossible,” he breathed. “How can five hundred years of cases share similarities?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, but all the adults that were found were impaled on trees, with most of their organs ripped out and put back in place. There is not a single instance of children ever being found.”
“Brutal.”
“There’s more,” added Steampunk, blowing an errant lock of ash blonde hair from her face. “All the files share one final, unwavering consistency.”
“And that is…?” ventured Samuel, motioning for her to continue. Steampunk’s face was grave as she spoke.
“All of the cases, every single one, reports the victim growing paranoid about a tall, slender being dressed in a black suit and with no face. There are even drawings to back it up. Samuel, we’re dealing with-“
“-the Slender Pony,” finished Samuel. They both knew the legends of the faceless being. Every country had its own version of it, and his and his sister’s homeland had been no different. The Slender Pony happened to be the Equestrian variant of the being, and the proliferation of the internet allowed the legend to be found rather easily, even if you weren’t looking for it, as had been the case with Steampunk.
“This is serious, Samuel,” said Steampunk, returning he gaze to the sheaf of folders in front of her. “If the legends are indeed true, then we’re looking at this thing having claimed hundreds of victims, at least. We need to figure out just what is going on. We have to prevent more victims, but we can’t rush in half-cocked. We can’t afford to be wrong about this.”
“I know,” sighed Samuel, gazing out at the window again. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
The train hurdled steadily onward towards Ponyville.

Silver Spoon was sprinting along the path as fast as her legs would carry her, her panicked sobs ringing out between pants of fatigue. Diamond Tiara was gone, spirited away somewhere by the horrible Whatever-It-Is. It had appeared again, a mere ten feet from the pair as they passed a tree. They had immediately taken off at a dead run, but somehow, the pink filly had lagged behind. Silver Spoon had turned her head to urge her friend onward, when she saw the figure poised behind her, this time with numerous waving tentacles appearing to sprout from its back. Silver Spoon shrieked at her dearest friend to move faster, damn it, they were almost out. She blinked, and the thing was gone; it had taken Diamond Tiara with it.
Now Silver Spoon could see the exit to the forest twenty feet in front of her, then ten, then five, and suddenly, the figure was right beside her, materializing from the shadows as if from thin air. Her throat too hoarse to scream, she hurdled out of the forest, running towards the only building in sight, a small cottage with a light on in the window. She threw herself against the door, beating on it hard enough to make it shudder in its frame. She heard a frightened squeak, as well as the protesting squeaks and chatters of countless animals. A soft, cautious voice spoke once Diamond had worn herself out enough to stop pounding.
“W-w-who’s there…?” called the voice from just beyond the door. Too tired and frightened to adopt her usual haughtiness, she immediately started blubbering, not even pausing between words. Midway into her breakdown, the door creaked open a sliver. Seeing this as her chance at safety, the silvery filly bolted inside, dashing past the startled yellow pegasus mare.
“Close the door, its right there!” screamed the filly, prompting the mare to jump and slam the door shut, securely locking it. Silver Spoon said nothing, only huddling in the corner of the room, hugging her knees to her chest and shivering violently. After a few seconds, she realized she was safe, and began to laugh, tears of happiness streaming down her face.
“Uhm, excuse me…” ventured the mare, who was obviously shy and thus very scared of the strange little filly who had barged into her home and screamed about something following her. “M-my name is F-Fluttershy. M-may I ask who you are…?”
“My name is Silver Spoon,” the filly replied at last. “I was out in the Everfree Forest trying to find the right plant for a presentation at school with my friend, Diamond Tiara. We…“ She stopped speaking suddenly, remembering the unknown fate of her only real friend. She buried he face into her knees and started sobbing  once more, her small frame shuddering with each raking breath.
“Oh, my,” responded Fluttershy, rushing to the filly’s side and taking her into her arms. “It’s okay, shhhh… You can stay here tonight, we’ll get you home tomorrow morning. Hey now, it’s okay…” Silver Spoon continued her hysterical fit until she passed out. Fluttershy then lifted her up and laid her on the couch, covering her up before uneasily heading upstairs to her own bed.

“One thing I don’t get,” said Steampunk, her brow furrowed in concentration. “It’s been nearly twenty years since the last disappearance.”
“So?” replied Samuel, turning to face his sister. “That’s good, right?”
“Well, normally, yes,” muttered the mare. “But there’s usually a cooldown of five to ten years. Which means-“
“That we’re way overdue,” sighed Samuel. “How fitting that darkness has just fallen in Equestria.”
“And if we don’t hurry up and solve this, a far darker shadow is going to fall once again. We need to hurry.” Steampunk’s ears perked as the train came to a stop, the conductor announcing their arrival in Ponyville. The two recompiled the files into their attaché case, stepping out onto the station platform. The baggage handler brought them their clothing and essential items, reminding them that their personal effects would arrive in two days’ time, and would be delivered directly to their house. The two nodded, setting off into town.
“Well,” said Steampunk, adjusting her bomber jacket against the wind. “We’ll get to it tomorrow and try to finish this before it starts.” Samuel agreed with a yawn, and the pair continued to their new house, prepared to settle in for the night.
They were unaware that the horror had already begun, the cycle swinging into motion as they walked.
And still, the Wheel of Fortune turns ever onward…