It was early in the morning as Pinkie hopped out of her bakery--happy and bouncing as always. She had decided to take a trip to the Everfree Forest to collect some of the different types of fruits that grew there and, with Zecora’s help, to make sure they weren't poisonous. She had always gone to her for new things to try in the sweets she made. As she started to trot down the street towards Fluttershy’s house, she noticed Apple Jack walking the opposite way with two baskets full of apples draped over her back. “Hey! Hey AJ! Over here! Its Pinkie!”, she yelled. As Apple Jack started to turn around, the pink pony had already got to her--staring AJ straight in the eyes with a huge smile on her face. “EEEEK!!” AJ screamed as she saw the Earth pony and jumped. She landed three feet away--spilling apples everywhere as she landed on her flank with a loud thud. “Gosh darn it Pinkie, ya’ll scared the hay outa me!” “Heh, sorry about that!” Pinkie said bouncing up to AJ to help her up. As the two scattered around picking up the apples that had fallen out of the baskets, Apple Jack looked up and asked, “Hey Pinkie, what are ya’ll doin’ up this early anyway?” “I was just about to ask the same thing, silly! But any way, I was about to go to Zecoras and see if she has any fruit to give me so I can make some new recipes! Last time I went there she gave me these...” Apple Jack had stopped listening and went back to picking up apples. She looked up to see her still rambling, “OH! And she had given me this weird type of fruit that made you really hor...ah’m mighty sorry Pinkie, but ah gotta drop these here apples off at Twi’s, she said somthin’ about using them in one of her spells and what not..” Pinkies smile had only widened. “Oh, okay AJ! I’ll see you later!” And with that, AJ trotted off with her apples toward the Ponyville Library. Pinkie, smiling widely at anypony that was awake at the time, had started to bounce her way toward Fluttershys house. As Pinkie got to the house, she saw Fluttershy in her garden and gave her a wave before turning and heading off into the Everfree Forest. Looking around at everything with a humorous smile, she skipped all the way to Zecora’s house. When she took a right, Zecoras tree house came into view; Pinkie let out a giggle as she reached the door. A few seconds after she knocked, a familiar face popped out. When Zecora saw the pink pony, a pleased smile spread across her muzzle. “Ah. I am glad to see that you are well, Pinkie Pie.” “Hey Zecora! Do you have the fruits ready? Or will we have to go out into the scary dark forest?” Pinkie asked as she bounced up and down on the spot. “Today--I am afraid--we will have to venture out into the forest, for I have your fruits not.” Zecora said. “Oh, that's ok! I’m always up for a good adventure!”. They stopped every once in a while to look at something or if Zecora needed a herb that they had come across. Pinkie started to pace herself, she had stopped bouncing and had simply started to walk in a slow trot. She noticed a small clearing in the woods that didn’t match the rest of the forest, “You go on, I’ll catch up. I just want to see something.” “Beware, Pinkie Pie, there are mysterious things in this forest. If you are not careful, you could find yourself in a nightmare in which you can not escape!” Zecora said without looking back. Pinkie bounced into the clearing to see the oddest looking tree; It was about half as big as the ones around around it and looked like somepony had tried to burn it. “Ooooh, scary tree!”, the hyper pony muttered as she bounced over to it. As soon as she got to the tree, she raised a hoof and tapped it...giving off a low sounding echo that drifted through the forest. She sat back on her flank and studied it. Her eyes slowly drifted up to the top to see what looked like hundreds of yellow-looking berries. Pinkie instantly shot up and grabbed one of them. “OHH! I wonder how these would taste in cupcakes!” She whispered to herself. Zecora had now filled up the saddle bags. Calling Pinkies name ever so often, she made her way back. “Were could that pony gone to?” She said to herself as she reached a familiar clearing. Poking her head into it, she saw Pinkie trotting off to the left of her--saddle bags full to the brim. Zecora looked up and at the tree to see half of its berries gone. She gasped and took off toward the pink pony. Pinkie felt something smash into her tail. She looked back to see Zecora sitting on her flank rubbing her head with a hoof. “Oh, hey Zecora! Whatcha doin? Oh I almost for...” “PINKIE! Those berries are not something to eat!” Zecora interrupted. “Hmm...I’ll get Twilight to look at them! Oh, and is there anyway to get that berry juice off?” Pinkie stated. She raised her front legs to Zecora, “I’m not sure how I got it all over my legs. I just need to get it off before I go so it doesn’t stain my coat.” Zecora shook her head and stared at Pinkie with utter terror! “P-pinkie Wha-what ha...” “OH! I just remembered! I have to go! Its Scootaloo’s birthday tomorrow and I still haven’t planed her party!” Pinkie turned and, as she did, she thought she saw somepony walk around one of the trees. “Pinkie! You must come with me! Your life is in danger!” “What are you talking about? And, hey, I think someponies following us! If I find out who it is I’ll hug them so hard they will wish they were on the Moon!! But right now I have to go!” Pinkie said as she trotted off toward the path that lead to Fluttershy’s house. Zecora just sat there staring straight ahead--too afraid to move. Behind her, Slendermane stood and watched his next victim disappear into the forest. Pinkie finally reached the path. She had started bouncing when she thought she saw somepony walk behind a clump of trees. Without hesitation, she jumped behind the trees but nopony was there. “Nopony plays hide and seek better than me!” She said as she whipped around to see somepony yet again walk behind two trees. She ran full speed around the two trees and slammed into something, knocking her off her hooves so that she fell onto her flank. “Ow, wha?” She looked up and nothing was there. “Hmph, your good! But not as good as me!” Pinkie said as she got up, “Ooh when I find you I’ll hug the hay outa you!” Pinkie said amused. She started to back up when she bumped into something. Pinkie turned and saw nothing again. “Oh, you’re going to be a challenge! But I can’t play anymore, I need to get cleaned up!” She said bemused. Fluttershy’s house came into view a few minuets later and Pinkie let out a sigh of relief, glad to be out of the Everfree. She got back to Ponyville around noon (still having the feeling of being watched) and headed toward Sugarcube Corner. Every now and then, she would see something out of the corner of her eye. As she rounded the corner, Pinkie slammed into Fluttershy. “Hey Fluttershy! Whats wrong? You look sick!” It was true, Fluttershy looked very pale and seemed to cringe when she saw the pink pony. “Oh-I-um..oh no-I ju...” She stopped and looked up, growing even more pale. Fluttershy let out a scream--not one of her small squeaks, oh, no; this was a scream of pure terror! The yellow pony rocketed back around the corner still screaming. I wonder what that was all about, Pinkie thought as she continued. Well, it is Fluttershy--she’s scared of everything! She gave a little giggle at the thought and continued, still aware of the feeling of being watched. By the time she had reached Sugercube Corner, it was starting to get dark. “Phew! Today's been one creeeepy day!” She said in a whisper as she pushed opened the door. “Hmm, I wonder were the Cakes are..” The pink pony said rather loud. Pinkie walked into her bakery and instantly knew that something was off...it was quiet. Too quiet. She knew the feeling all too well. It was the feeling of when someponies trying to sneak up on you. Or, when MULTIPLE ponies try to sneak up on you. A surprise party! But wait...it isn’t my birthday! She thought to herself. She flicked on the light. The whole room was covered in blood. Ponies bodies were everywhere. “Wah-What the buck is everypony doing?! The Cakes are going to be sooo mad!!” She said as she ran to the “body” of Twilight. “Come on Twi! Get your flank up! The Cakes got so mad at me the last time I did something like this!” “Alright...alright! Fine! Come on, everypony. She’s right. The Cakes did get pretty mad last time we tried to prank Pinkie like this.” The Purple pony said as she rose to her hooves. “Darn it Twi! I thought I said not to ever do this here again! I like pranks just as much as the next pony but covering my entire bakery in fake blood and acting like you’re all dead is just plain wrong and overboard!” As she ranted, the blood covered bodies of the ponies slowly got up--grumbling under there breath. “Ugh! Look...we need need to clean this up! Well, better yet...YOU do! I need to get cleaned up. I’m still not feeling very well. Just have this cleaned up by the time I come back down here and I won’t prank you back!” The pink-maned pony said happily but with of a mischievous tone edging her voice. Refreshed, she came out of her room upstairs but still feeling a bit sick. Pinkie (who had previously been rather annoyed at her friends prank) was now as happy as she could be. “I hope you have cleaned the mess up! Because, if you haven’t, you’ll get the pranking of your lif...” “SURPRISE!!!” Yelled everypony in the room. She jumped for joy at the surprise party, all worries gone and the feeling of being tired ebbed away. “OHH! A surprise party! Oh, thank you, Twi--thank you!” “Actually Pinkie, it was Apple Jacks idea.” “Ah’m mighty sorry bout’ that prank, Pinkie. It was mah idea. Ah should have thought it through before ah went and did that...it was wrong of me, ah’m very sorry.” “Oh, it’s okay, AJ! I forgive you but I do have one question: Why did you even prank me? I thought you didn’t like pranks!” “Oh Pinkie, it was all in good fun--yah know? Even ah have to act a bit mischievous som’ times. Y’all know what ah’m talkin’ about.” AJ said and poked Twi in the side. The party was over. The only one that didn’t show up was Fluttershy. Pinkie was drunk (but still could function almost perfectly). Everypony had left except Dash and AJ (Dash had fallen asleep on a table, and AJ had fallen asleep on the couch). She cleaned up the mess that the party had left for her. Pinkie made her way to bed when she started to hear a strange ringing in her ears and had the feeling of being watched again. Pinkie Pie decided to ignore it. As soon as she got there, she flopped onto it and instantly fell asleep--more tired than she thought she was. She awoke in the middle of the night. The ringing was louder than ever now. Pinkie looked over the side of her bed and saw a large looming shadow draped over her--blocking the eerie moonlight. Anxious with fear, the pink pony turned slowly. She gasped at what she saw. Staring at her, barley moving, was Slendermane. Fear, shock, anger, and wonder filled her for an instant but was replaced with pure happiness. “Ooohh, who are you? And why do you have no face?! And why are you so tall? And why are you wearing a suit?” Almost expecting an answer, she kept bombarding him with questions. Slendermane stood there watching the pony hop up and down on the bed. “You seem sad. Was Twi the one that messed up your face? Or why your so... slender?” She asked while looking down at his legs. Indeed, slender was the right word! “Well anyway, what’s your name? Do you want me to bring a smile to that fro...umm. Well, you don’t have a mouth now do you?” Slendermane gave no answer, just stared like always. “Oh I know! I’ll bring some joy to those eyes of...” She trailed off, ”Well, buck! I’ll bring happiness to you anyway! What’s your name again?” Pinkie shook her head. Hehe, silly me. He has no face! How could he answer! “Well, I guess I’ll just call you...hmm...What should I call you? OH I KNOW! I’ll call you Mr. Slendy! Yeah! That seems fitting. Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie! Nice to meet you!” She reached out, grabbed Slendermanes hoof, and shook it madly. As soon as she touched his hoof, horrific images raced through her mind. Some were of her friends and some of her family. Pinkies smile decreased in intensity a bit and she slowed down on shaking his hoof. She pushed the images out of her mind. Her smile came back full force and she let go of his hoof. “Were you the one that made me see those scary pictures? How did you do that? You couldn’t have used magic! You have no horn! Well, you still seem sad...I know what I can do! I’ll glomp you! It always cheers me up!” She said. She started to bounce again--getting higher and higher with each one. As soon as she thought she was high enough, she reached out and hit Slendermane straight in the nose rather hard. “Oops. I guess your taller than I thought!” She jumped off the bed and ran into the next room. He was just about to start after her when she returned with a large wooden stool. She put it down beside Slendermane; got on it; and, like she said, glomped him! Pinkie got off of it just in time before he dove and crashed into the stool, sending it flying into the wall behind. “Oh, I remember saying to Zecora that I would hug the hay out of the pony that was following me! I guess I found out who it was! Well, prepare yourself for the hug of your life!” She said as she jumped out of the way before he crashed into her bed. “Oh, your just itching for a hug aren't you!” Slendermane slowly turned to face Pinkie. He dove yet again but, before he could stop himself, Pinkie got up on her hind legs, stretched out her arms, and locked him in a massive hug. He tried everything to get away but every time he would push with his front hooves, she would hug tighter causing him to flail his front legs in desperation. If Slendermane had a mouth, he would be gasping for breath. Pinkie finally let go of him. Slendermane frantically skidded backwards. He was breathing as fast as he could out of his nose trying to catch his breath. “Awww, do you feel better now? Well I hope so because I put the rest of my energy in it! Now I want to go back to sleep so if you could please go?” She motioned toward the door. “I hope I see you again, your a funny pony!” When she saw that Slendermane wasn’t going to move any time soon, Pinkie walked behind him and started to push him toward the door. To his surprise, she was somehow stronger than he was (he, still watching her every move)! When she finally got him to the door, he had had enough. He whipped around, ready to attack again when he was suddenly yanked by his tail and dragged outside. “Now, I said I would like to go back to bed. So no more hugs for you Mr. Slendy!” Pinkie shut the door and headed back upstairs. When Pinkie got halfway up, she saw Slendermane at the top. “Oh, come on Mr. Slendy! I want to go back to bed! Tomorrow I’ll give you another h...” Pinkie was interrupted by Slendermane rocketing down the stairs at her. “Wah!” She screamed and pressed her body against the side of the wall. Slendermane tumbled down the stairs in a jumble and flew out the door--breaking it off its hinges. Pinkie was too tired to go down and try and fix it. I’ll get Twi to fix it in the morning. It’ll give me a chance to ask her why she didn’t try and fix his face. She sighed and went back to bed.
