FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Much like the previous night, I awoke in my dream inside Fluttershy's cottage. And like before, I dressed myself and snuck out of the house without being detected. I knew that the life I was supposed to be living in that dream was a complete and utter lie and did not want to be reminded of it. Besides, there were two friends I was expecting. I promptly made a beeline south, knowing where they would likely search for me.

The air felt somewhat cool as it was just at the start of the sunrise. Felt rather refreshing to be out and about in such crisp morning weather, although I still made certain to stay away from Sweet Apple Acres.

Being in slightly better spirits than before, I tossed some fish food to the fish that swam in the pond once I had arrived. Just like in the real world, they even jumped from the water to snatch up what they could before the food could hit the water. I suspect that they do so like a game. I could be wrong, but who knows how fish think?

I suspect my friends knew exactly where to find me since it did not take long for me to start hearing the sound of hooves drawing near from behind me. And when I turned to look, there they were. Nightmare Moon and Luna stood before me. The Princess of the Night smiiled as she spoke, "I suspected this is where we would find you."

A familiar warmth filled me as I beheld two dear friends I knew I could count on. "So... Where are we going this time?"

"That is entirely up to you, my friend. After all, we are merely here to insure you dream peacefully." Nightmare Moon replied while she drew near.

"Oh, right... Um... Let me think on that for a moment." I said while propping my arm up on my knee while holding my chin. Luna and Nightmare Moon soon took a seat beside me and alternated in tossing fish food to the fish that swam nearby.

I certainly did not want to remain in Ponyville. There was nothing for me in that mirage of a town. I tried to think. Anywhere else that I would want to be. But after a minute, a thought came to me. "Hey... Is it possible we could visit someone else's dream this time?"

Nightmare Moon was quick to respond with a smile. "Have you forgotten yesterday? If we could bring somepony into your dream, we could easily enter the dream of another, if you so desired."

"Cool! Well... I was thinking... Do you think we can check on Pinkie Pie?" I replied after a moment of thought.

This prompted a rather worrisome frown from Luna. "Are you certain? From what I understand, she is one of the..."

I spoke softly while trying to think back to the final hours of the evening before I fell asleep. "They made a bit of a breakthrough... I don't feel wary of Pinkie Pie anymore... I actually really miss her."

"Well, after what you've been going through lately, I would advise against it..." Nightmare Moon muttered while gazing at me with a concerned stare. However, she soon managed to crack a more sympathetic smile. "However... If you truly are that certain about her, we could always give it a chance. Should you wake up, we can merely try again once you fall back to sleep."

"Thanks... So, how do we get there?" I asked while we all started to stand up together.

Luna took several steps away from us while her horn was coated in her billowing blue magic aura. "Well, I need to find her dreaming mind first. I must admit that I've always been curious as to what the bearer of the Element of Laughter dreams about."

Nightmare Moon and I waited in silence while the Princess of the Night closed her eyes. "Hmm... No, that is the dream of one named Braeburn... That is little Silver Spoon... There she is!"

At those words, some sort of oval-shaped rift opened before her. While I could not see much past it aside from a kaleidoscope of ccolors constantly shifting like oils on water, I was sure Luna knew what she was doing. Nightmare Moon then nudged me forward. "After you, my friend."

"All right then..." I said quietly while I stepped forward. I then jumped through the portal and found myself standing on solid ground. The air smelled amazingly sweet... I then heard the sound of my friends' hooves landing just behind me while I surveyed my surroundings. I was both unsurprised, yet also amazed. "This is every diabetic's nightmare... Just what I'd expect, Pinkie."

The landscape was... How do I describe it? The road we were on seemed to be made of chocolate-coated sugar wafers, candy canes the size of lamp posts lining the road, trees that grew gumballs instead of leaves, ponds of liquid chocolate... There is just far too much to go over. The entire world was every little kid's dream. A world that was entirely edible and made exclusively out of things one would find in a candy store. It was an optical and olfactory overload. So many colors and so many smells... And I am getting a craving for something sweet just remembering it.

"Well... I have seen quite a few dreams... But this is...quite possibly the tastiest I have ever stepped into." Luna said while taking several steps past me.

"I concur!" Nightmare Moon added while she used her levitation magic to yank one of the chocolate bricks out of the road and chomped down on it. Her bite revealed the golden sugar wafers that lied within. "Mmmm... Delicious! All the flavor without the calories. I should visit dreams like this more often!"

"Hey, are you sure that's a good idea? Do you know who or what might've stepped on that?" I asked while finding the concept of eating the street to be rather unsettling. A lot of people tend to walk along such roads and you never know where those feet have been.

However, Luna merely gawked at my caution. "Take a look around you, James. If you stepped in something while in this world, it's liable that whatever it was is edible!"

We were soon laughing at this absurd yet amazing dreamscape. However, not even five minutes after we had arrived, Nightmare Moon soon pointed at me with a perplexed expression on her face. "Uh... James? Don't look now, but..."

"Huh? What? Something the... Uh... Hello?" I said while turning to look behind myself. When I did, I found myself staring into a big blue eye that seemed to be wedged into the end of aa telescope. There did not seem to be a lens there. It seemed that the eye was taking its place. After a moment of awkwardly staring at the eye, I gently pulled it down to peer over it. Instead of someone being just behind it, I found that the telescope was... Well, it was probably long enough to reach across Ponyville. It extended far over the colorful and tasty landscape to what seemed to be a hill coated in either powdered sugar or marshmallow fluff. Or maybe coconut, though I hoped it was not. Whoever was peering at me was quite a distance away. I then lifted the telescope back to its previous height and turned to face the two sisters of the moon. "Uh... One of the locals, I guess?"

However, I suddenly saw the telescope rapidly retract into the horizon and out of sight. I assumed that whoever had been staring at me had decided that it had stared long enough. But before I could look away... Well... There seemed to be an explosion of pink smoke on the top of the hill while...a pink streak bordered by two lighter pink streaks rapidly rose into the air while leaving a trail of shimmering sparkles in its wake. While I could not possibly make out what was at the tip of the ever lengthening pink trail, it seemed to be gradually curving towards us. I heard Luna ask, "Um... What do you suppose that is?"

Before long, the thing even started to descend. And it was then that I heard a familiar high-pitched girl's voice shrieking out to us while growing steadily louder, "THEEERRRREEEE YOOOOOUUUUU ARRRRREEEE!!!!"

This kind of greeting was far more extreme than anything I was used to, so I began to back away and even turn to run. "Pinkiiiiiieee... Not so fast... I said... Get away from me!"

Next thing I know, there is a crash right behind me as a flurry of fireworks explodes all over. The shockwave of the crash knocked me right off my feet and sent me flipping through the air until I fell into something soft, bouncy, and even a bit sticky. It turned out that a taffy bush had broken my fall with me being stuck upside-down on it. But while I was starting to regain my bearings, I saw a familiar pink earth pony mare rocketing towards me with an ecstatic grin on her face.

"Wait a minute!" I shouted while extending my arms to keep her away. But that did not stop her. The crazy mare plunged right into me, wrapping her arms around me while the bush under us gave under her weight and speed before catapulting us both off like a trampoline. We ended up doing several back flips through the air before she landed on her hind hooves. And I was still upside-down with my face pressed against her belly.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here! We've got so much to catch up on... Uh... Hey, James? When did your head and legs swap places?" I heard the mare ask while hugging me tightly around my waist.

I spoke dryly to show I was not entirely amused with her antics. "I didn't. I'm down here."

"Oops!" She yelped before letting me go and causing me to flop onto my back. Gently landing on my head might have been more unpleasant if I did not have a bunch of chocolate-coated wafers under me. And right after that, she was looking at me with her head upside-down. "You OK?"

That face... It was only thenn while I got a good look at her that I realized who I was speaking to. And what I was and was not feeling while I did so. I reached up to her face with one hand and asked, "Pinkie Pie...?"

Pinkie seemed to understand what I was experiencing and gently curled her hoof over my wrist while my hand cupped her face. "Yeah... It's me. Can you see me? Can you hear me? You're not in pain, are you?"

My vision began to become blurred as I felt my eyes quiver. Before the tears could flow, I reached out and threw my arms around Pinkie Pie's neck. There were no words. I had felt her and smelled her the previous evening. And now I was seeing and hearing her for the first time in days without feeling any mind-numbing agony. I could still smell that sweet scent in her mane while it brushed against my nose. I soon felt Pinkie Pie embrace me as well before hearing her voice sounding as if she was trying to not cry. "It's OK... Everything's OK now... I'm here... You're here... We're all here..."

I knew it was all a dream. That once I woke up, I would likely be right back to where I was before. But for the time being, I felt no wariness towards Pinkie Pie. The memories that faded from my immediate memory the previous evening were still rather difficult to recall off of the top of my head. Everything was...back to normal.

"I trust that all is well over there?" I heard a familiar voice call out from nearby. It was then that Pinkie and I came back to our senses and glanced to our right. Hanging upside-down from what seemed to be a willow crossbred with licorice twists was Luna. One of the stretchy hanging branches had become wrapped firmly around one of her hind hooves and just had her hanging there with her arms crossed over her chest. She clearly was not amused.

"Oops! Did I send you two flying?! Hang on, I'll get you down!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before she rushed over to the tree and completely forgetting about me for the moment. I too was finding myself cheering up at the rather humorous sight of Luna being stuck in a tree. But how was Pinkie Pie going to get her down?

It did not take long for Pinkie to show us what she had in mind. Once she was right by the trunk, I started hearing... Oh boy...

"Whoa, what are you doing under there?!" Luna called out while the tree shook. Due to the willow's low-hanging branches, Pinkie Pie was mostly obscured from our sight. But for what I could see... She seemed to be rapidly chomping away at the base of the tree like the world's most ravenously famished beaver.

I was left speechless with this most bizarre scene that was developing before me. What could I have said? Pinkie Pie was munching her way through the tree as if she were a chainsaw. Sure enough, the tree started to lurch to the side Luna was hanging from. "Oh no... No no no... Oh, forget it!" At those words, Luna vanished in a flash of light and suddenly appeared right next to me while back on her feet. I suppose she did not like the idea of a tree falling on her, even one made of licorice, and just teleported herself back to solid ground.

Of course, Pinkie Pie either did not notice Luna's absence from the tree or simply did not care. Very soon, the tree toppled and hit the ground with not a crash, but a flurry of thuds as the many strings of licorice hit the ground. Pinkie then hopped out from behind it and called out to us with a smile. "Plennty of licorice for everypony!"

"Um... Yes, we can see that... Wait a moment... Where is Nightmare Moon?" Luna retorted before glancing around. She did not get thrown very far at all when Pinkie had that crash landing, so where did the Princess of Dreams wind up?

I happened to glance to the other side of the road we were on and caught sight of a truly...bizarre creature coming our way. It was a walking quadruped mound of molten milk chocolate. I saw that it had an eye exposed. And judging by that beautiful yet unnatural teal eye with a narrow iris, it was Nightmare Moon. She then spoke out, "So... What'd I miss?"

"Uh... Wow. Where'd you end up after that blast?" I asked while I hurried over to her side. She was just reeking of a delicious sweet aroma.

Nightmare Moon extended her chocolaty wing and pointed the tip towards a pond of molten chocolate at the bottom of a shallow slope on the other side of the road. I suspect she may have struggled to climb out of it judging by how lethargic she was acting. Too tired to be angry or upset. "Right down there... Now, how do you recommend I get all of this off me?"

"Ooh, I know!" Pinkie Pie yelped while she hopped over to us. When she was about twenty paces away, she suddenly stopped and opened her mouth wide before her tongue suddenly extended and got stuck to Nightmare Moon's neck.

"Uh... What are you planning on... Wait... Wait, no! Nooooo!!!!" Nightmare Moon yelled as she was suddenly pulled right into Pinkie Pie's waiting maw. Despite being significantly larger than Pinkie Pie herself, it seemed like Nightmare Moon had somehow shrunken down enough to fit inside by the time she had been devoured. I was unsure whether to find this bizarre occurrence to be scary or laughably silly, but considering that it was Pinkie Pie doing it, I felt I had little to worry about.

Luna looked on from behind Pinkie Pie with a rather flummoxed expression. Pinkie seemed to be chewing and licking whatever was inside her mouth with her cheeks bulging. Finally, that nutty mare swallowed hard and... Out from behind her, a large egg the size of her head seemed to emerge from...somewhere. It was white, but was coated in large pink spots. Luna, who clearly saw everything, had a rather unnerved expression on her face while her eyes displayed a type of horror that I had never seen in them before. I decided to call out and asked, "Uh... Do I wanna know what just happened there?!"

"You doon't! You really don't!" Luna shouted while nervously backing away from Pinkie Pie's posterior. I know Pinkie is a person who rarely makes sense, but this was a new level of absurdity. Did I want to know where that egg came from? Probably not.

Pinkie Pie then turned to the egg and tapped on it a bit. "Oh, Nightmare Mooooon! You can come out now!"

The egg started to wobble and crack before Nightmare Moon burst from it with a grunt before falling flat on the ground while looking rather exhausted. But at the very least, she was completely spotless. "How did you even fit me into that thing?! And... Well, at least that got all the chocolate off. Do you handle your own dry-cleaning?"

"Do we truly want to know anything about how this world works when her mind is what's creating it?!" Luna said fairly loudly while seeming rather terrified about discussing the topic. "There's a reason why I seldom dive into this particular mare's dreams, you know!"

Nightmare Moon promptly brought a hoof to her face while she shook her head. "Of course... While dreams do tend to get surreal, hers go the extra mile more often than not... I had forgotten entirely."

Pinkie Pie then merely hopped over to the Princess of Dreams. "Why'd you ever wanna leave?! Just look at this place! It's everything your sweet tooth could ever want!"

The two princesses took a moment to survey their surroundings. Luna then spoke, "Hmm... I suppose you have a point. This world, while certainly surreal, does seem rather tame compared to the few other dreams I've seen from you."

"What do you mean?! My dreams are perfectly normal! There's never anything weird in them! Well... They're normal for me, at least." Pinkie Pie exclaimed while sounding just slightly annoyed by that claim.

However, Nightmare Moon then glared at my friend and asked, "Is that so? Then would you kindly explain the dream where I found myself in a saccharine little village exclusively of mares with empty dead eyes?"

That caused Pinkie to shriek in terror and jump back. "Eek, you saw that?! Oh, no no no no no! Forget you ever saw that dream! Some things must never be known to Equestria or anypony else!"

I rolled my eyes at that. Pinkie Pie had not changed at all. Not that I was complaining. After all that had happened recently, it did my heart good to know Pinkie Pie was still herself. I then stepped forward and asked, "So... What is there to do here? This place called Candy Land or something?"

Pinkie Pie then looked up at me and smiled, apparently happy to have been reminded of where we were. "It sure is! Right now, we're in Licorice Grove. I can show you around, if you want..." However, her expression then darkened while she glanced back at the two royal sisters and then back at me. She then turned to Luna and Nightmare Moon before asking, "Um... Your highnesses? I know you've been sticking with James every night for a while, but... Would it be OK if it could just be me and him for tonight?"

This request prompted quitte a shocked look from both of the two princesses as they soon glanced at each other. Pinkie Pie then explained further, "It's just... I haven't been able to get anywhere near James since...you know... I wanna make up for lost time. That's OK, isn't it?"

After a moment longer, Luna simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled warmly. "Well, I don't see why not. But that's entirely up to him, isn't it?"

I looked down at Pinkie Pie while she looked back up at me. She was smiling rather pathetically, possibly in an attempt to goad me into agreeing. Although I must say that it was largely unnecessary. I greatly missed the Pinkie Pie I so fondly remembered and certainly wanted to make up for lost time with her. I looked at the two princesses before me and nodded. "Actually... That sounds like a good idea. Is that OK with you two?"

Nightmare Moon then smiled slightly and nodded as well. "It is our duty during these troubled times to insure that you sleep and dream peacefully. If what you wish is to spend your time in this dream with Pinkie Pie, we will not stop you."

Pinkie Pie smiled brightly, though not as brightly as she usually does when a conversation goes her way. But she quickly hid that slight showing of insecurity and jumped forward before her arms extended somehow and wrapped them around the necks of the two sisters several times before pulling them close for a grateful hug. "Oh, thank you! You won't regret this!"

"Uh... How are you doing this?" Nightmare Moon asked while giving Pinkie's arm a funny gaze, clearly unnerved by the bizarre sight.

However, Luna merely smirked while trying to not laugh. "You know that Pinkie Pie is somehow less affected by the laws of reality, sister. Combine that with the laws of the dream realm and you have an entity who makes no sense at all." The two royal sisters both laughed together while I snickered lightly under my breath as well.

Once Pinkie Pie released the two princesses from her stretchy grip, the two of them then spread their wings and took to the air before hovering above us. Luna then called out, "Well then... The two of you be sure to enjoy yourselves! Although, if I may ask... Do you have any recommendations on where we should explore first?"

Pinkie Pie then pointedd to... I think it was the east? "I definitely recommend checking out Rocky Candy Mountain! You can't miss it!"

"Rock candy, you say? Well, I can hardly wait! Let's be off, Luna." Nightmare Moon replied before she and her sister soared away and out of sight towards a large hill in the far distance.

However, while Pinkie Pie waved goodbye, she suddenly gasped. "Oops! Forgot to tell them about the chickens!"

"What about the chickens?" I asked with mild concern, knowing nothing about this strange and delicious world.

Pinkie Pie then turned to me and giggled with that delirious grin I had come to know her for. "Oh, nothing much. Just forgot to mention that the chickens there lay soft-boiled eggs."

Once that little conversation was over, I followed Pinkie Pie wherever she led me down the road. She must have been in a good mood since she was constantly hopping instead of walking. It really did feel like I was finally in the presence of the Pinkie Pie I know and adore.

"So... What is there to do in this place? Just eat the world?" I asked while surveying my surroundings. While I do have a sweet tooth, it is not particularly ravenous and I could not see myself getting the same level of enjoyment out of this world that Pinkie Pie does.

"Well... There's plenty to eat! And you don't have to worry about it all going to your gut since it's all a dream!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed before hopping off of the path and pulling a giant drinking straw out of nowhere and dunking it into another chocolate pond. She then closed her lips over the end and started sucking the whole thing up.

I was unsure whether or not to feel impressed or disgusted by the sight of Pinkie Pie gorging herself on liquid chocolate. She did not even pause to take a breath. It was one big inhale. After roughly a minute, she finally stopped and breathed a long sigh of satisfaction. "Yummmmmy! Huh? Ooh! Swedish fish!"

"Huh? What kinda fish?" I asked while I drew closer. When I reached the edge of the surprisingly emptied pond, I saw several dozen small multicolored gummy fish flopping around in the basin. Although they seemed to be alive... Best not think about it too hard. "Hey, those are some of my favorite candies!"

"I got it!" Pinkie said with a smile before pulling a straw basket out of nowhere and setting it by the edge. I stepped back while she jumped down into the emptied pond. A second later, a flurry of candy fish started getting flung into the air before landing right in the basket. "One fishy, two fishy, three fishy, four! A dozen would be nice, but you can always have more!"

A miinute later, Pinkie Pie hopped out of the pond and stood by the basket of gummy fish. It had been filled to near bursting. "All yours, James!"

"Many thanks, Pinkie. And... Man, that's a lot of fish." I said with a smile while noticing the faint scent of wine gum wafting from the pile of candy fish flopping around in the basket.

Before long, we were heading on down the chocolate wafer brick path while I constantly snacked on the candy fish in the basket that was hanging from my hand. Good stuff and I could not get enough. However, we soon came to a shallow hillside that brought to mind rock gardens. Only the gravel that usually covers them was replaced with jelly beans. The strange thing is each patch was divided by small graham crackers with two rows of identical colors being right next to each other. Each color was divided in half. Pinkie Pie seemed rather excited by the sight of them and hurried over. "Ooh, I was wanting to try these! Loopy jelly beans!"

"What makes them loopy exactly?" I asked while drawing near. I had reduced my fish supply to around half, but decided to stop since I was certain I would be snacking on beans soon instead.

Pinkie giggled excitedly at me and hopped to turn around. "These are loopy because they can be one of two flavors! Take a look."

It turned out that each divided row of matching jelly beans had a sign standing at the front. The text on it revealed their flavors, but did not say which side is which and the fact that the words were listed vertically did not help. "OK... Uh... Either tooty fruity or stinky sock... What?"

I heard my friend snickering madly behind me. "Go on! Read the rest!"

I soon found that these jelly beans are the kinds you would buy for your friends to prank them or to eat on a dare. "Popcorn or rotten egg...peach or vomit...juicy pear or mucous...lime or lawn clippings...blueberry or toothpaste...chocolate pudding or dog food...coconut or baby wipes... You really expect me to eat these?"

"I sure do! Because..." Pinkie said before pointing her hoof at my face. "I dare YOU to take this challenge with me!"

Considering that theree did not seem to be a whole lot to do in this tasty world aside from devouring the landscape and ecosystem, I decided to partake in this silly little game. "All right then. Ladies first."

"Oki doki loki! Let's see... Let's try...this one!" She said before going to the rows of yellowish green jelly beans. The flavor would either be pear or mucous. She then snatched up a bean from the right side and started munching it.

I waited with some anticipation, wondering if she would be tasting something that you would frequently taste while having a case of bronchitis. But she soon smiled and said, "Mmm, that's a pear! Kinda wish it was a bit crunchier though."

Assuming that the two rows divided up the flavors, it would be pointless to try the other side. So I headed over to the rows of blue jelly beans. "My turn. OK, blueberry or toothpaste..."

I decided to test if the tastier jelly beans were always on the right side and chose from the right. My hopes were dashed as I soon noticed the taste of fluoride in my mouth. Not a bad taste though, seeing as how toothpaste is supposed to go in your mouth. "That's toothpaste, but it's actually not bad. Pretty good."

"Ooh, a win-win flavor combo, huh?! Awesome! I'll try...lime or lawn clippings!" Pinkie exclaimed before hurrying over to the rows of green jelly beans. She chose one from the left side and soon looked like she was tasting something quite tasty.

"Got lime this time?" I asked while moving over to the white beans coated in multicolored specks.

To my surprise, Pinkie Pie did not give me the response I was expecting. "Nope! Lawn clippings! And it's pretty good!"

Seeing as how these flavors are either yummy or disgusting, I could see that lawn clippings would not taste good to anyone who is not an herbivore. "Well, of course it tastes good to you! I see you ponies eating grass all the time on your sandwiches!" That quip got a good laugh from Pinkie while I chose from the right side of the jelly beans before me. "OK... Dirty socks or tooty fruity..."

I started munching on the bean, but soon started to feel like I was smelling something odd. Only I was not smelling with my nose, but my tongue. "What's that... Am I smelling... Oh, good god... I got socks!"

To be fair, smelly socks do not smell that bad and might even smell a little good depending on who you ask, so I was not all that grossed out by the taste. Still would have preferred tooty fruity though. Once Pinkie Pie was done laughing at my reaction, she trotted over to the row of white jelly beans before choosing one from the left side. "Let's see... Coconut or baby wipes this time."

She soon started chewing, but then she started grimacing while shaking her head. I tried to hold in my laughter, but she soon said, "Wow... Ugh... So that's why Pumpkin Cake stopped chewing on those things when I was changing her diaper..."

I could not help laughing hard at the expression on her face. She soon coughed up the mangled remains of the bean and groaned in displeasure. Well, I suppose the thrill of not knowing what you will get is part of the fun. Although Pinkie Pie certainly would not agree. Once she was done gagging, she started rubbing a layer of chocolate dirt on her tongue to remove the taste. Anyway, it was my turn again.

"Let's see... Chocolate pudding or dog food." I muttered while standing before the rows of brown jelly beans. I chose the left side and started munching on one. "Hm... Huh... Dry dog food. Not bad, actually."

"Huh? Really? It's OK?" Pinkie asked while watching me.

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Yeah, it's not bad at all. I used to eat the stuff my grandfather kept around for his hunting hounds a long time ago. You'd be surprised."

This seemed to give Pinkie Pie an idea. "Well... I could see if Applejack could spare you some of Winona's food! She eats the dry kind too."

"Hey, just because I liked that stuff as a youngster doesn't mean I wanna snack on it now! My tastes have become a bit more refined since then! Anyway, it's your move." I replied with a slight smirk, finding that question to be rather silly.

"Oki doki loki! Let's see... I wanna try...popcorn or rotten egg!" Pinkie Pie said while she went to the rows of white jelly beans. I almost cringed at the thought of her tasting a rotten egg. The stuff smells bad enough by itself, so I could only imagine the taste of it.

Fortunately for Pinkie, it seemed she got the right one when she chose the left side. "Mmm! Now it just needs a little butter!"

"Guess it's my turn then. And it's... Oh no..." There was only one row of jelly beans left to try. They were an orange color associated with peaches. "Peach or vomit... What a way to end it."

"Hold on, James! How about we both do it? It'll be funnier that way!" Pinkie asked while she hopped over to me. I guess it would add to the thrill knowing one of us would get stuck with the wrong one and would come down to a flip of a coin.

"If you say so. Well... I guess...right for me." I said while feeling rather nervous. I took a bean in hand while Pinkie Pie took one from the other side. We then stepped away from the rows of loopy jelly beans. "Well...bon appetit, I guess."

Together, we popped our beans into our mouths and started chewing. Now, while peach has never been one of my favorite fruits or flavors, I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor I was tasting. "Mmm... That's good... Wait a minute..."

It was then that I realized what getting the right flavor meant for me. It meant... I rapidly backed away before Pinkie suddenly gagged and... All over the ground in front of me, she heaved great torrents of brown fluid that formed a great puddle. "What the... Pinkie! That's all the chocolate you drank from that pond!" To be fair, it actually smelled pretty good!

My friend panted and wheezed while more chocolate oozed from her open mouth. "Wow... So...that's what vomit tastes like... Funny that the stuff I just puked up tastes better than the jelly bean did!" However, she then eyed the puddle of chocolate before her and suddenly pulled out two giant drinking straws. "It still looks good! Want some?"

I could not help laughing at the absurdity of the question while still feeling rather appalled and threw up my hands. "What?! No, absolutely not! I don't care how it looks or smells! I'm not eating anything that's already been festering in someone's stomach!"

"Oh well. Your loss!" That nutjob of a mare said before sticking one straw into the puddle before sucking hard on the other end.

I cringed at the sight of my friend consuming the puddle of vomit in front of her. I do not care if it was nothing but chocolate, vomit is still vomit! "Ewwww!!! Pinkie, that's just wrong! Stop it!"

It did not take long for Pinkie Pie to finish ingesting the chocolate she had already eaten once. "Wow! Even better going down the second... Wait... That's... Uh oh..."

"Whaddya mean 'uh oh'? What is it this time?!" I practically yelled just seconds before Pinkie Pie suddenly heaved again, puking the contents of her stomach up a second time. That second time must have taken a lot out of her since she dropped to her knees while coughing hard. After a moment of incredibly awkward silence while staring at the puddle, I asked, "The bean was in that puddle?"

"Uh huh..." Pinkie wheezed before clumsily climbing to her feet. Feeling rather sorry for my friend experiencing such a powerful bout of vomiting, I handed her a cluster of my gummy fish. She gratefully took them into her mouth and started chewing. "Mmmm.... Much better. Thanks."

Not much later, we found ourselves taking a walk through a forest that... Well, the trees were slender and looked like candy sticks. I was still munching on the basketful of gummy fish I had while Pinkie Pie was just hopping along. However, she soon came to a stop. "Ooh! Look!"

Just up ahead, something hopped out of a taffy bush. It seemed to be a small rabbit, but it was entirely a dark brown. "A chocolate bunny?"

"It sure is! And it's mine!" Pinkie shouted before she charged at the rabbit and leaped at it with jaws open wide. Fortunately, the rabbit had the presence of mind to not let itself end up in someone's mouth and ran away just before Pinkie Pie could faceplant right into the ground where the rabbit had been standing. I got a good laugh out of that, but that did not stop Pinkie. Once she had shaken her head to clear her vision and get the cocoa powder off her face, she dashed after that bunny like a hungry fox. "Wait! Come back! Let me taste you!"

I bowed my head while snickering under my breath. It was so good to have the real Pinkie Pie back. I then decided to stay where I was so she could easily find her way back to me. The candy stick forest was surprisingly dense. However, I soon heard the sound of hooves coming up from behind me. I suppose the rabbit had led her around in a loop to wind up behind me. I then turned around and asked, "Did that wascally wabbit outsmart you, Pinkie?"

Next thing I know, something smacks my basket out of my hand and spills my gummy fish all over the ground. "Ha ha. Very funny. You get a good laugh out of that?"

That voice was Pinkie Pie's, but it was so mean and spiteful. Even so, I was annoyed that she would do that to my snack and turned to face her after looking at where my snack had been scattered. "Hey, what's your deal? Was that really ne... Wait..."

Something was wrong. The Pinkie Pie before me was looking rather angry. And her coat and mane... It was...grayish. Dull. And familiar... The same way she looked when... "You're not Pinkie Pie..."

"Of course I'm Pinkie Pie! Guess Fluttershy must've done more than give you a headache back then." She cruelly said while bringing up unpleasant memories. But... Wait. How did she know Fluttershy kicked me in the head? She was not there to actually witness that... Was she?

Fortunately, she did not have that much time to yell at me. A familiar voice then called out from behind me, "Hey!"

The two of us then turned and saw the real Pinkie Pie trotting towards us while looking rather aggressive herself. At least I am sure that was the real Pinkie Pie. Her colors were bright and vibrant shades of pink. She then marched right up to the grayish version of herself and looked her dead in the eye. "You leave my friend alone! He's been through a lot of awful stuff lately and doesn't need some meanie jerk yelling at him!"

However, the grayish Pinkie Pie did not seem very fazed by the real Pinkie Pie getting right up in her face. "Oh, buzz off, you phony. He knows who the real Pinkie Pie is. He knows it."

"Yeah, you bet he knows. The real Pinkie Pie is one of his bestest friends in all of Equestria. ME!" Pinkie replied rather angrily while getting even closer to her grayish copy.

However, the rather mean version of Pinkie Pie was not going to back down easily. "No, I'm Pinkie Pie."

But then Pinkie Pie got right up in her face while holding her hoof to her chest and yelled, "I'M Pinkie Pie!"

"I'm Pinkie Pie!" The grayish Pinkie yelled back. They just started parroting the same line over and over while mimicking each other's poses. It was becoming so absurd that I was even finding it more laughable than stressful. I even took the opportunity to round up my dropped fish and placed them back in the basket while the two mares argued loudly.

Finally, the two of them just glared at each other while growling. It is rare to see Pinkie Pie angry, but she was clearly getting quite frustrated. Finally, she seemed to smirk and took a few steps back. "I'll prove that I'm Pinkie Pie."

She then brought her hoof to her jaw and pulled it away. However, I then noticed something missing. Her mouth was gone! It looked as if her coat had just grown over it! And resting atop her upturned hoof was...a disembodied smirk that soon turned into a moving mouth. "First, I'll do this!"

She then tossed her mouth into the air before sliding her eyes off of her face in the same manner and began to prance around while juggling them with her mouth like some eyeless and mouthless circus performer. While bizarre behavior from Pinkie Pie is pretty much routine, I have never seen her try something as impossible as that before. Even her grayish copy seemed a bit uneasy while watching this potentially haunting performance.

A moment later, Pinkie Pie somehow put her eyes and mouth back on her face. "Next, I'll do this!" Her torso then suddenly extended to my left and through the forest while her lower torso stood where it was. It was as if she jumped, but her lower body decided to stay behind. Once her upper body was out of sight, I then heard her voice speak to my right. "Hello!"

Pinkie Pie's upper body was extending from over the horizon. She had just tapped her mean gray copy on the shoulder, mildly startling her before suddenly retracting back over the horizon and back to her lower body in front of us in a matter of seconds. Just...try to not think too hard about that.

"And now, I'll do this!" Pinkie Pie said before she suddenly jumped up and...completely disappeared.

---

And then the mean Pinkie Pie suddenly vomited up a pile of gumballs! And then she grew giant moose antlers! And finally, her hooves turned into heavy bricks!

Pinkie, what the hell are you doing writing with this?! Get that pen away from my journal! Write your own! And why can I see and hear you just fine without getting hurt?

But James, this is funny! It'll make the readers laugh!

Pinkie Pie. Whose journal is this?

Oh...fine. I'll stop. But can I please write one more thing?

All right, but make it short.

All right! To all the readers out there, don't worry too much! No matter how bad things get, everything will turn out just fine!

And then the mean Pinkie Pie turned into a

OUT!!!

EEK! OK, bye!

---

I have no idea how to describe what happened next. The grayish Pinkie Pie suddenly choked and gagged before vomiting violently. Only...the contents of her stomach seemed to be nothing but completely dry multicolored gumballs. Once a pile of them had formed between us, she yelped as a pair of large moose antlers suddenly sprouted from the sides of her head. Her hooves then suddenly extended and... I swear they looked like red bricks. And they seemed to be just about as heavy too. "What's happening to me?!"

Right after that, Pinkie Pie seemed to drop back down from nowhere. I instantly asked, "What the hell did you just do?!"

Her response was brief and precise. "I just messed around with the script! And now I'll do this!"

Pinkie then placed her left hoof on her right and began to...rotate it. It sounded like she was winding up a music box or something. The pink coat over her wrist became increasingly twisted like a spring. Even her mean-spirited clone seemed baffled by this. After roughly a minute, Pinkie Pie stopped. It looked like a tightly coiled spring was tucked inside her wrist.

"And finally..." She said quietly while reaching back with her hoof. "I'll do this!"

A second later, she thrust her hoof forward only for the 'spring' in her wrist to launch her hoof forward at great speed, turning it quite literally into a spring-loaded punch. It hooked upward at the last second, slamming hard into the grayish Pinkie Pie's jaw and sending her hurtling skyward and over the horizon while letting out a long yell.

"And that's how you know I'm Pinkie Pie!" My friend said triumphantly while she trotted over to me while her uncoiled wrist returned to normal.

However, I could only snicker and shake my head while remembering her words. "Messed with the script... You're awesome, you know that?"

Once my friend was right next to me though, she frowned right away. "Hey... I wasn't gone too long, was I? She didn't do anything really mean, right?"

I shook my head while dusting off the powdered cocoa from some of my fish. "Fortunately, no. All she had the chance to do was knock my fish out of my hand. It's OK now though."

Pinkie Pie breathed a huge sigh of relief. "That's good... But just what was she doing here?! I haven't seen her in my dreams so far..."

"No idea... Should we just keep moving?" I asked in the hopes of just moving on and forgetting about that little disturbance.

"Uh... Sure! Say, you wanna go skiing?" Pinkie asked in return while seeming noticeably more excited than a moment ago.

"Skiing? I don't know how." I replied while imagining myself having trouble right away once I was on the slopes.

"Oh... What about snowboarding?" She then asked while still looking rather hopeful.

"While I would probably be better on a board than skis, I still don't know how to actually do that." I replied while still liking the idea of snowboarding.

Pinkie Pie then paused momentarily while holding a hoof to her chin. "Hmmm... Well... What about just sledding?"

"Sledding? Wow, I haven't done that in ages. Sounds fun! But... Where exactly did you plan on taking us?" I asked in return with a smile. Although it was funny that she mentioned skinning. It was far too warm out to possibly ski anywhere.

My answer seemed to perk my friend up quite a bit as she suddenly trotted on ahead. "It's right this way!"

Knowing that Pinkie Pie probably really knew her way around better than I did, I followed after her at a brisk pace. Before long, we emerged from the forest to find a rather unexpected sight. A ski lift stood before us that led up to a nearby mountain. Surprisingly, it was covered in white snow. Or was it? "Hey, Pinkie? Just to check... That mountain isn't really covered in snow, is it?"

"Nope! It's all powdered sugar!" Pinkie Pie said with a giggle before trotting over to what I assumed was the ticket booth. It was made entirely out of gingerbread, icing, and peppermint candies. She then held up two gumballs and said, "Two, please!"

It seemed that the ticket provider was a gingerbread man. Even though his face made of flat gingerbread, icing, and red candy bits did not change at all to speak, his short stubby arm bent forward and grabbed the gumballs. I could not help snickering under my breath, "My god, this world really is just like any candy land you could see in any little kid's film of your choice."

Pinkie Pie then trotted over to me with a smile on her face. "We're all set! Let's grab a seat and be on our way."

The benches that hung overhead were being suspended on thick wires that seemed to be made of sturdy licorice strips while the benches themselves were made of sugar wafers. I was actually rather hesitant to sit on one out of fear of it not being able to withstand our combined weight. Either way, I got myself close to the ground and sat down on the next one that came by while Pinkie Pie did the same. Next thing I knew, we were being carried lazily through the air towards the summit of the sugarcoated mountain before us.

The view on the way up was astounding. Nothing but an edible landscape as far as you could see. Although I noticed that Pinkie Pie was being abnormally quiet. If she was riding a ski lift over a landscape of candies and chocolate, I would expect her having a hard time staying quiet. She would likely be pointing at everything and anything that looked colorful and tasty. Not that I minded her being quiet. It felt good to just enjoy the lull in the excitement before arriving at the summit for the excitement of going back down the mountain.

After a few moments of silence, I felt the bench lurch slightly before feeling Pinkie Pie sidle up right next to me. I glanced to my left and saw her looking at me with an uncharacteristically somber frown. "Something wrong?"

She sighed for a second before gently leaning against me. "I just really missed you... And I felt so scared when I saw her there with you..."

I tenderly wrapped my arm around her with my hand resting upon her shoulder. "I missed you bad too... Almost forgot what it's like to hear you laugh."

Pinkie giggled just slightly at my words before nuzzling her head against my chest. "It felt...so nice to finally see and touch you again... Even if I couldn't say anything or let you see me..."

I thought back to the moment when I felt her near me when Twilight Sparkle temporarily took away my sight and hearing. I could not see her, nor could I hear her peppy voice. But I could feel her. And I could smell her. That faint scent of Sugarcube Corner's kitchen was still being carried in her mane as I inhaled through my nostrils, even among the scents of so many other sweet delicacies being carried on the wind. And now, I could see and hear her once more.

My arms wrapped around my dear friend and held her even closer to me while I sighed and bowed my head to rest it upon her mane. "I'm glad you haven't changed..."

For a good while, the two of us just sat there in each other's company while awaiting our arrival at the mountain's summit. It was just...a moment of reconnecting with someone I feared was gone forever. Eventually, we did arrive at the white top of the mountain and hopped off the ski lift. There seemed to be another gingerbread booth along with various types of skiing gear propped up against its walls.

Pinkie Pie wasted no time in perking up and hurrying over to the skiing equipment. A moment later, she wobbled over to me while carrying a large flat sled before plopping it down right at the edge of the slope that went down the side of the mountain. Only I noticed some odd design choices. It actually seemed to have a steering wheel of sorts, although it was more rectangular than round, and the forward half of the runners were separate from the back. They seemed designed to turn so the sled could move in more than a straight line. I was especially surprised to see that the sled was just my size. With the curved domed cover over the base of the wheel's rod and a low seat on it, it brought to mind a type a bobsled. True to the world we were in, it seemed to be made of graham crackers, hard candy, and solid chocolate. "Wow... Never seen a sled you could actually pilot. Looks like fun."

"And it's all yours!" Pinkie replied while she ran back over to the booth and staggered back over to me with a pair of skis under her hooves and some ski poles being clutched in her ankle joints. She was also wearing a set of big goggles over her eyes that had a very reflective lens. For once, it was not made of anything edible. "All ready?"

I must confess that I felt rather nervous about this whole thing while I looked down the slope. Sports have never been my thing, and while a bit of excitement is always good, I needed a bit of a push to actually get going. Something Pinkie Pie was all too willing to give.

"OK, I'll be coming along in a minute! Enjoy the ride!" I heard Pinkie say the instant I turned away. I felt the sled lurch forward as she gave me a push and the downward incline caused the sled to begin to speed up.

"Uh... OK, let's do this!" I said as a new rush hit me while my speed increased. Pretty soon, I was hurtling down the mountainside with the sweet smell of sugar all around me.

I found very quickly that I could indeed change the trajectory of the sled with turns of the wheel in my hands, though I dare not make a quick turn lest I tumble sideways. And sure enough, I heard Pinkie Pie cheering as she went airborne from a jump before landing beside me with her ski poles in her grasp. She looked my way with her eyes obstructed by her goggles. "Having fun?!"

"Yup!" I replied while trying to stay focused on the path ahead of me. I would occasionally have to weave around the odd candy tree, but the path was largely open. However, after only a couple of minutes, I was dealt an unexpected interruption. Right ahead of me, the ground suddenly popped open like a bunker hatch.

"What the...?!" I yelped while I helplessly slid right down the new path before the place went dark when the hatch closed right behind me. I heard Pinkie Pie call out, but there was not enough time for either of us to react.

I was sliding down a narrow tunnel that was lightly illuminated by what seemed to be some multicolored luminescent rock candy crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling while the air smelled strongly of cocoa powder. Perhaps it was due to their crystalline appearance, but I was given the impression that I was now on some sort of mine cart attraction. I whooped and yelled in excitement as I hit several turns and steep drops. It may not have been what Pinkie Pie had in mind, but I was having a blast.

The ride went on for a couple of minutes, which is actually quite long for amusement park standards. Finally, I felt the sled get launched into the air, sending me flying right out of my seat. I heard the sled crash somewhere below me, but I landed on something that felt pretty soft before I was catapulted into the air again while slowly turning in the air. I finally fell rather lightly on something that recoiled under my weight to minimize the impact. Once I felt myself come to a stop while upside-down, I let out a laugh. "Woo hoo hoo! What a ride!"

One thing I noticed right away was that I was strangely unable to move. Was I pinned to something? I was stuck upside-down and could not pull myself to the ground. I felt something pinning my wrists and ankles to whatever surface I was on. Worse, the chamber I was in was pitch black. There was not a single source of light anywhere.

"Uh... Pinkie Pie? Hello?" I called out, realizing that I was stuck. This surely must have been something that she planned. She was probably already nearby or on her way to me. However, I did not wait long before I heard and saw a match being lit.

"That you, Pinkie?" I asked while watching that tiny flame moving through the air. It was almost unbearably quiet and a strange tension was building. Soon, I saw another larger flame appear as the match seemed to ignite a candle. And standing within the glow of the flame was a familiar face. "Pinkie?"

Due to the orange glow of the flame, I could not make out the tone of the mare's coat. However, she was casting me a noticeable scowl. She then seemed to light a few more candles that were concealed in the darkness that cast a larger glow over the immediate area. They were all set upon a single table. And among the glow on the table seemed to be some...rather unsettling tools.

"So, you enjoyed that little detour?" Pinkie Pie said to me while she came to the side of the table that held the various tools. I was unsure whether or not to feel wary or annoyed by my restraints. But I could clearly see that the mare before me was the same imposter as before, only she somehow had managed to remove her antlers while her hooves were back to normal.

"Uh... Yeah, actually. What do you want?" I retorted while seeing the face I really did not want to see.

For whatever reason, her rather bitter expression turned into a cruel smirk. "You really wanna know?"

Out of nowhere, something moved from my left and clamped over the left side of my face. Some sort of facial brace? I felt my eye suddenly open exceptionally wide and soon found that I could not even blink. While I grunted from the discomfort, I saw the false Pinkie Pie reach for the table and pick up a pair of clasps in her ankle joint. She then sneered at me and hissed, "I want some toppings for my cupcakes."

"Toppings? What kinda..." I began to reply before freezing as she began to slowly approach me. The two tips of the clasps were constantly pointing at my face. Or rather...my eye. "Wait... No, you're not... You're not seriously going to..."

I began to fidget and squirm, struggling against my restraints while Pinkie Pie drew closer. Almost as if she was relishing my fear. "That's right. I want something soft and squishy to go with my Nightmare Night themed cupcakes. And those little peepers are perfect for it."

"Why're you doing this?! What do you have against me?!" I practically yelled as I dreaded the thought of what she was about to do to me. But no matter how much I struggled, I could not escape.

"Why?" She asked with her smirk turning into another scowl. "Because I hate you. I always hated..."

There was a loud crack as her head twitched while that angry expression became a more dazed one. She then collapsed in front of me while I noticed the broken end of a candy cane roll by her. It must have been at least as thick as my leg. And standing right behind her with the rest of that candy cane clutched in her arms was the real Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie...?" I said softly while my anxiety began to subside. Her expression seemed rather grim and focused while she held the broken stick of peppermint candy in her arms. I was especially impressed that she had clubbed her doppelganger over the head just to get her away from me. But when her eyes met mine, her face rapidly dissolved into one of immense relief.

Pinkie Pie silently dropped her makeshift club and hurried over to me. I felt whatever was on my face slide away, my eye blinking instantly afterward while my wrists were released before I also felt my ankles become free. I did all I could to ease my descent to the floor before I noticed Pinkie Pie quickly strap her unpleasant copy to the table I had been pinned to. Probably to insure she would not come after us again.

I sat on the floor while watching Pinkie shackle my incapacitated captor to where I had been a moment before. And soon, she turned to me and embraced me tightly before I could eve properly react. "Are you OK...? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

I felt myself relax in her grasp while I too held my friend in my arms. I was most fortunate that she found me as quickly as she did. "No... I'm glad you showed up when you did. Said something about using my peepers for cupcake toppings..."

Just hearing that made her cringe. She then whispered, "Let's get outta here... I don't wanna look at this stuff. Bad memories..."

"All right..." I said briefly before I stood up and began to follow her out of the chamber. But while we passed by the table that held the candles, I got a good look at the other tools. They seemed to consist of garden shears, a large knife, a hacksaw, a hammer, and...a motorized circular saw? "Pinkie... Why do you remember seeing stuff like this?"

By that point, Pinkie Pie's gait became unsteady while she walked. "It was a nightmare I had once... I wish I couldn't remember it... Some stupid sergeant guy covered in sprinkles brainwashed me into... I don't wanna say it..."

Pinkie Pie then suddenly sat down and buried her face in her hooves. She was crying. "That wasn't me... I'd never do that to Rainbow Dash... Stupid donuts and sprinkles before bed... Stupid sergeant with sprinkles... Stupid, stupid, stupid..."

What in the world did she dream that those tools reminded her of? Was the room we were in about to become a type of torture chamber if she had not intervened? Even so, it is rare to see Pinkie Pie cry over anything. She was clearly hurt. I kneeled behind her and wrapped my arms around her while whispering into her ear. "I know that wasn't you... Anyone who seriously thinks you could ever become like that is an astounding idiot who deserves to get pelted with every tomato in Ponyville."

Among her quiet sobs, I could hear a soft giggle in Pinkie Pie's voice. She soon lowered her hooves from her eyes and looked back at me while sniffling loudly. "Yeah... Then he'd be the sergeant of tomatoes instead... Thanks, James..."

Not wanting to stay in that creepy dungeon any longer, the two of us hurried down a narrow corridor and soon found ourselves at the base of the mountain we had just been sliding down. It seemed that wherever we had just been was a natural cave. I then asked, "So... Where to next?"

After Pinkie Pie dried her tears, she seemed to reach past me before pulling something behind me... I swear, it almost felt like she had just pulled a new backdrop behind me. And strangely... I do not know how she did it, but being in a dream world likely helped, I found myself standing on a wafer dock beside a... Well, I actually am not too sure what it was made out of, but a gondola was floating in a slowly flowing river of liquid chocolate. It seemed to be lined with giant gummy bears that were meant to be used as pillows. "Um... A boat ride?"

Pinkie then trotted up beside me and said, "I was thinking we could just spend a little time relaxing after everything."

Before I could answer, I felt a slight quiver in me. I recognized it right away. "Well, seeing as how I'll probably be waking up soon... Sure thing."

I then stepped into the boat and just lied down on the soft tasty cushions while Pinkie Pie hopped in before pushing the gondola away from the dock and just set us adrift. With the dream nearing its end, we had no destination. Just to spend our final minutes together before we would have to awaken. To make the ride even more comfortable, the stern had a canopy made of colorful paper.

For a moment, I just lied there while taking shelter under the canopy to keep the sun out of my eyes. However, I soon felt Pinkie Pie lying upon me while nestling her head against my chest. She did not say a word. I merely responded by draping my arm over her side. After what felt like several minutes, I heard Pinkie Pie speak up. "James...?"

When I tilted my head forward to look down at her, I saw that her eye was looking right at me. "May I come see you again today?"

As much as I wanted to see my friend in person and not just in a dream, I knew better than to just let her stroll into my hospital room without any precautions. "You might want to check with Twilight first. But if she thinks you can, then sure."

Pinkie Pie smiled in a rather sad way before closing her eyes and holding onto me. "I can't wait to be able to talk to you again... I still need to say I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? For... Oh... You can tell me here, right?" I replied while realizing what it was she was feeling guilty for. I had all but forgotten about it.

"No... I wanna say it to you for real... I didn't do all that in a dream, so I shouldn't say it to you here. I'll wait..." She said somberly while sounding noticeably less peppy than before.

I said nothing in objection. The two of us just floated on down the river in silence. Eventually, as I felt that odd sensation again, I felt the boat lurch forward a bit. When I looked towards the bow, I saw the reason for it. A pair of familiar alicorns had landed upon the deck.

"I trust you two had a good time?" Luna asked while peering into the canopy that shielded us from the sun.

Pinkie Pie lifted her head in surprise before nodding with a faint smile. "Uh huh... It was fun... Um... Do you think you can bring him by tomorrow night too?"

Nightmare Moon then asked, "Hmm... Well, that's up to him now, isn't it?"

I did not think long to come up with a reply. "I think I'd like that. Same time tomorrow?"

Pinkie did not offer a verbal reply. She merely held me in a tight embrace. However, it was then that my vision began to blur. Before my vision faded, I heard Luna speak out to me. "Take care, my friend. We will see you again tonight."

I felt a familiar cushion below me as my senses returned. A familiar beeping sound reached my ears. And then... The memories. As my eyes adjusted while I began to understand that I was once again back in the real world, the memories began to creep forward into the forefront of my mind. The pain... It sapped my will and drive. However, I was quick to notice some that had been present before had gone silent. The memories involving Pinkie Pie from that day did not flash through my mind once.

With the pain having been somewhat dulled, I did not feel quite as drained or lethargic as before. I even felt a bit of my appetite return when one of the nurses brought by some food for breakfast. Granted, hospital food is seldom very appetizing, but the memory of eating plenty of sweets left me in the mood for healthier eating.

I had barely finished eating breakfast when I heard a knock at the door. The nurse had opened the blinds that cover the window to the right of the door, so I soon saw Twilight Sparkle peek through it. I waved at her and soon saw her enter through the door. She greeted me promptly with a slightly happier smile than she had normally been seen with lately. "Good morning, James. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, actually. Pinkie Pie picked an interesting world for us to spend time in." I replied with a small smile of my own spreading across my lips. The memories were still there, constantly harassing my mind. But at least they were not quite as loud as before and there was less to see.

Twilight seemed to notice my minimal discomfort while she came to my bedside and asked, "You do seem a bit more at ease today. And funny you mention that. When I stopped by Sugarcube Corner while I was heading over here, Pinkie Pie said that you visited her in her dreams with Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon."

She then started to muse over her thoughts, apparently finding the thought fascinating. "It must be amazing to visit the dreams of others while still being able to completely remember it. Lucid dreaming is always so fun. Maybe I could visit your dreams sometime..." It was then that Twilight suddenly froze and glanced at me over her shoulder, having turned away from me while lost in thought. "Uh... Sorry. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Anyway... I should mention that she's right outside the door."

"She's here? Pinkie Pie wants to visit?" I asked while feeling a twinge of excitement fill my heart. I know Pinkie Pie is still the same person I have known since I first arrived in Ponyville. I can always trust her. "Could you bring her in, please?"

Twilight was clearly in favor of that suggestion since she smiled brightly. "Sure! Just a moment though. I need to make sure you're ready."

"Ready?" I asked in slight puzzlement while Twilight used her magic to pull open the bottom drawer of the nightstand that was just to my left and used the levitation spell to lift from it a makeshift blindfold that I remembered using yesterday. "Wait... Why do we need this again?"

My question seemed to surprise my friend while she had the thing floating between us. "You forgot? You must've been having a very good dream with her... You can't be allowed to see or hear them. Remember?"

"Why not... Oh..." I muttered in reply. I could still remember the surge of mental anguish I felt when I peeked past the blindfold to look at Pinkie Pie yesterday. The way the memories flared up to the point of inducing physical pain. I felt a powerful sense of disappointment fill me while I glanced at the door. "I was hoping to be able to talk to her today..."

Twilight let out a long sigh. "I know... She said you talked quite a bit in the dream. But until the doctors find the cure for whatever is wrong with you, you'll just have to settle for this. All right?"

Seeing that I had no other option, I reached for the blindfold and made sure it was secured around my head before lying back down. "All right... Bring her in."

"OK. Just a moment." I heard Twilight reply while I saw nothing but black. It felt so...restrictive. I did not want to just touch her and smell her. I wanted to be able to look at her. To see that optimistic smile. To hear that peppy and cheerful voice. I then heard Twilight speak from across the room, "He's ready. Just remember though. Not a sound."

I sighed in disappointment. Sound was exactly what I wanted to hear. What I did hear though was the sound of hooves trotting over to me at a rather energetic pace. But when they came to a stop beside me, I felt nothing. So I tried to speak out to her while turning my head to my left. "Pinkie Pie?"

It was then that I felt contact. A hoof rested on my shoulder. And when I set my hand upon it, I felt something gently brush against my cheek. The muzzle of a mare. I reached out, trying to find her. Another hoof touched my hand and gently guided it through the blackness until I felt my palm cupping the curve of a mare's jaw. I rubbed it back and forth, realizing that I was caressing Pinkie's face. Her hoof draped over my wrist, almost as if she was holding my arm in place. I could only imagine her face. I soon pulled my hand away and grasped the hoof that had been holding me. I held it near my nose and lightly sniffed her wrist. It smelled sweet. Toasted sugar, to be precise. "You smell like you've been baking muffins."

At those words, I felt Pinkie Pie quiver. I heard no sounds of her voice, but I heard what sounded like a muffled rumble in her throat. A suppressed laugh? Regardless, Twilight then spoke up. "Funny you mention that. She brought one with her. Should I go ahead and give it to him, Pinkie?"

I was hoping to hear Pinkie's voice, but I heard nothing. I suspect she only nodded in response, although I am very certain she was desperate to engage in a conversation with me. I heard the telltale sound of Twilight's magical energy being channeled a few seconds later. "Just let me get the paper off for you."

I heard the sound of something light being discarded in the nearby wastebasket. I held out my hand, wondering if there really was a muffin there, and soon felt the familiar feel of soft cake in my grasp. "There you go."

I brought the cake to my lips, feeling delicately for the wide top of the muffin. It smelled so good. I could even detect the scent of the blueberries in it. I took a small bite at first, feeling the crunch of the toasted sugar on top. That first bite... It had been far too long since I last enjoyed any of Sugarcube Corner's products. "Man, that's good... Thank you, Pinkie."

The presence of someone I feared I had lost... The delicious home cooking... It helped counter the mental anguish that was sapping my will. I felt...almost happy. Once I finished that muffin, I felt someone grab onto me before nuzzling her face against my chest. My hand tenderly caressed her head, feeling a rather frizzy cluster of hair. It was definitely Pinkie Pie. But while I held her head in my hand, I heard the door open once again before a rather boisterous voice spoke. "Huh? Oh, hey there, Pinkie!"

Rainbow Dash. I was surprised that she was there that early, but I was still happy to hear her voice. Pinkie Pie responded in kind by suddenly leaving me while the sound of her hooves trotted over towards the door. She was likely going directly to Rainbow Dash to provide a hug, or to whisper a reply into her ear. I then heard her rush back over to me and hold me in her arms for a gentle cuddle.

"How're you doing, James? You're looking a bit better today." I heard Rainbow Dash ask from across the room somewhere. It was then that Pinkie Pie left me again and headed over to Rainbow Dash. "A muffin? I guess it's good that he's eating... Hey, you're not gonna keep going back and forth just to say something to me, right?"

That actually got a little chuckle out of me and Twilight, although I am sure Pinkie Pie was trying hard to suppress the sound of her voice then. Although...it also made me feel a bit sad too. I did not want Pinkie Pie to silence herself. I wanted to hear her laugh. Even giggle while saying nonsensical stuff that makes no sense to anyone but herself.

For the next several minutes, Rainbow Dash and Twilight engaged in conversation with me while anything Pinkie Pie said to them was so quiet that I did not hear her. I wanted to remove my blindfold and at least look at Rainbow and Twilight, but they kept insisting that I keep it on due to Pinkie Pie's presence. Eventually, I heard Twilight walk up beside me and ask, "Say... James? Do you think you're ready for the rest of your friends to visit?"

My other friends... The memories of those three mares continued to flash through my mind. It hurt... But my memories of Pinkie Pie had fallen silent. If they came to me while I had been rendered blind and deaf to them... Would the pain subside? I was wary of the three of them, but the return of the real Pinkie Pie to me had filled me with a new surge of hope. I nodded and said, "Yeah... I think I'm ready to see them."

"OK. I'll be right back. Just keep the blindfold on, just to be safe." Twilight replied before I heard her trotting away from me. "Rainbow? Pinkie? Would you like to go round up the rest of our friends?"

"You bet! Come on, Pinkie! You know what he needs." Rainbow Dash replied while she and likely Pinkie Pie headed out the door too. Seconds later, the room fell almost completely silent. I peeked out from under my blindfold just to be sure and found that the room had become deserted. But it was then I noticed that apparently Pinkie Pie had turned her phonograph on before she left. A melody of soft classical music was beginning to fill the room. With nopony to talk to and not being in the mood to write much of anything down for a journal at the time, I closed my eyes and tried to drift off to sleep for a nap.

Not much later, I was awakened from my stupor by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Having been using my blindfold as a makeshift eye mask to keep out the light, I was initially startled to find that all I could see was black before realizing that something was wrapped around my head. I then heard the door creak open before I heard Twilight Sparkle's voice. "Hey there, James. Are you awake?"

"Uh... I am now. What's up?" I asked in return while turning my head to face her direction. I was all but certain that she was not alone.

I heard her step into the room, but also heard another set of hooves lightly clopping against the floor before the door closed. Twilight then said, "There's somepony here who misses you. May she come closer?"

The memories in my head flared up at her words. Who could it be? The greedy unicorn who disowned me for a boulder? The earth pony who revealed that she had always hated me? Or the malicious pegasus who tried to coerce me into spilling my own blood? But even with the doubt in my mind tempting me to keep my guard up, I could not forget how I feared to have lost Pinkie Pie forever only for her true self to return to me and destroy my doubts of her. Maybe... Just maybe one of the three mares I thought I had lost was truly right there in front of me. With a long sigh, I turned my face to the ceiling. "Sure... She can come closer."

"All right. But just remember. Don't remove his blindfold. And don't make a sound. OK?" Twilight then said towards our guest. Whoever it was did not say a word. I then felt a new tension fill the room as someone began to draw near. And soon, the sound of hooves came to a stop right beside me. I was almost quivering in anxiety. But then, the feel of a hoof resting gently upon my hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoEMaWrQBQM

"Who's there...?" I asked quietly, noticing the tenderness in the mare's touch. I reached out and began to drag my fingers along her wrist. I soon felt it. Something hard and metallic with numerous small nubs embedded into it. A bracelet. I then felt something upon my cheek. A kiss. I felt the bed lurch slightly as someone climbed onto my bed and practically fell upon me while holding me in a tender embrace. She shuddered, a brief voiceless gasp reaching my ears. Warm tears touched my chest. My hand slid up her shoulder to her mane, carefully styled into elegant curls. And the smell... She smelled faintly and sweetly of expensive perfumes... I knew who this mare was. "Rarity...?"

It was then that I felt something upon my lips. Then something reaching past my lips. Warm... Wet... I felt her. I smelled her. And now I was tasting her. That sweet...wonderful kiss... The scarring memories of my best friend casting me aside for a boulder rapidly faded from my immediate memory as wonderful memories of my time with her began to resurface. I wrapped my arms around her, my own eyes overflowing with tears as I too partook in that delightful kiss she was giving me. I held her in my arms, my fingers gently digging into her back. She was back... And I was all too happy to finally hold her in my arms again.

The kiss ended too soon, Rarity pulling away while she wheezed in front of me, half gasping and half sobbing. She then rested her head against my chest while I cradled her in my arms. The quivering in her body... Soft weeping. She was there... That beautiful and wonderful mare still existed and was right in front of me. Although I soon heard Twilight ask, "Are you two OK?"

I was the first to speak, my hand wiping my tears away from my cheeks while I tried to not choke on them. "Yeah... I think so..."

It was then that I felt a hoof tenderly caress my cheek. An indiscernible voice let out a tender hiss of sorts, as if trying to gently calm a crying child. I could not tell who it was. It could have been either of the two mares before me. But I knew it was Rarity. I could feel the tender adoration and love in her voice I had come to know from her. She was not speaking, but it was close enough.

For the next several minutes, Rarity did not budge from that spot. She constantly stayed in my grasp while my fingers slowly caressed her silky soft coat. All I could hear aside from the steady beeping of my heart monitor was the phonograph playing soft music that I am sure Rarity was really enjoying. I did not hear Twilight say a word, but I knew she was nearby. I could hear the sound of paper being moved, possibly from a book she had brought along to help pass the time while I was preoccupied.

Not much later, there was another knock at the door. I heard Twilight speak up, "Is that Rainbow Dash?"

I felt Rarity lift her head from me and hop down from the bed, but not before giving me another soft kiss on the lips. Possibly a way of saying 'I am still here for you' or something similar to that. I then heard the door open and the sound of two sets of hooves walking in. Twilight seemed to know who it was, but withheld one of their names probably as a means to surprise me. "Hey there, girls. Did you tell her everything on your way back, Pinkie Pie?"

I was left wondering who it was Pinkie Pie had gone to retrieve. Did she go after Fluttershy, or did she stop by Sweet Apple Acres instead for Applejack? Regardless, I then heard Twilight speak up once more. "I know it's tempting, but you need to not make a single sound. He can't be allowed to hear your voice or to see you. All right?"

Seconds later, I heard the approaching sound of hooves. I felt myself tense up. Was it Fluttershy? Was I about to be attacked while blinded? Whoever was approaching me stopped at my bedside. And like before, I felt someone set their hoof upon my hand ever so gently. It was through that touch that much of my tension faded. As with Pinkie Pie and Rarity, all I had to identify my visitor with was sensory memory. I felt along her hoof. Her coat was soft, but not very silky. With the exception of the heart monitor and the phonograph, the room had fallen silent as everyone else likely watched.

Who was it? I gently slid my hand around to her back and tried to pull her closer. She responded in kind by pulling her upper body up to the bed. It was then that I noticed a faint smell. Grime and possibly sweat mixed in with the smell of...apples baking with a touch of cinnamon. And when I slipped my hand up higher, I felt it stop before I could reach the top of her head. Something was resting upon it. Round and wide... A hat. And there is only one mare I know who wears such a hat in Ponyville. "You're...AJ?"

At those words, I felt myself suddenly held in an iron grip of an embrace. Such raw power in those arms... Truly the strength Applejack has come to be known for. As I too held her in my arms, the memories... Those lies... They had to be lies. They began to fall silent. I felt more relaxed than I had felt in days. She was still there... Dear dependable Applejack was still with me. Only the most painful of the memories remained. And when those memories became the only ones that simply would not leave me alone, I heard the door open once more. And with it, the voice of Rainbow Dash was heard. "Huh? Hey, girls! I guess the gang's all here, huh?"

I felt Applejack turn her head to look in Rainbow's direction upon hearing her voice. And I knew who was likely with her. Twilight then asked, "Yeah... We're finally all here. You know what's going on, right?"

Rainbow Dash then replied, "Yeah, I told her. No touching the blindfold and no using her voice."

"Right. James, are you ready?" Twilight then asked while Applejack pushed herself off my bed.

This time, I felt a new type of tension. The memories involving my other three friends were extremely unpleasant, but I could still remember what Fluttershy did to me. She did not only betray me. She inflicted physical harm on me. It was not only my mind that remembered, but my body as well. I feared being struck again. But with the promise of those memories fading once we had reconnected, I could not bring myself to turn her away. And so I decided to just remain silent.

Rainbow Dash spoke up softly while probably giving Fluttershy a gentle nudge. "Go on. He's waiting for you." Immediately after that, I heard a very slow tempo of hooves tapping against the floor. Her approach was agonizingly slow and it was not good for my nerves.

It probably took half a minute before I detected her presence right next to me. There was not a single sound coming from any of my friends. I was afraid. Someone who physically attacked was standing right next to me. I was expecting either a sudden burst of pain, or someone gently resting their hoof on my wrist. What I got instead was not what I expected at all. She fell upon my chest, her body shaking in muffled sobs. Instinctively, I reached out and gently caressed her head . Her mane... So long and silky smooth. And that aroma in it. I recognized it as it is one I use myself at times. The scent of a flowery scented shampoo and conditioner. There was no doubt in my mind of who it could be. "Fluttershy..."

This time, I was unsure of what to feel. The memories... They were fading like the others. I knew that the mare weeping upon my chest was not the demon who kicked me in the head with her hind hoof. But my body had not forgotten. I could still remember the point where I was struck. The pain that filled me. And it was a pain and injury I did not want to suffer again.

Finally, Fluttershy crawled entirely up to the bed and lied upon me. I was forced to sit up as her wings held me in a pseudo hug while she held me in her arms. Despite my instincts telling me to be cautious, I lowered my guard and gently wrapped my arms around her. I then quietly asked, "Honey... Is that you?"

Her tears... They just would not stop flowing. She was soaking my chest with them. Finally, I felt something upon my lips again. Not the same deep passion that Rarity showed, but... A soft tender kiss that I recognized right away. I felt my own tears flow once more as I realized that the mare I loved was finally in my arms once more. "I missed you, baby..."

I heard what sounded like hooves clapping against each other nearby. A type of applause from my friends? But as we held onto each other, I felt Fluttershy pull herself closer and pressed her entire underside against me. It was then that I remembered. According to Rainbow Dash, somewhere in her belly... My child is growing. But...I could not bring myself to ask. It was too soon to inquire about that. At that time, all I wanted was to bask in the relief that came with the return of those four wonderful mares.

Finally, I heard Twilight speak up. "It's great to see all of us back together like this... How're you feeling, James?"

I took a moment to think things over. The memories... For the first time in days, my mind was not filled with sounds and images that made me cringe on the inside. It was quiet... Peaceful. I felt at ease. Relaxed. And so I said while managing to crack a small smile, "I feel...good."

The day went by like a blur. All six of them were in the room at almost all times. And the entire time, I did not see a thing. Although Fluttershy was constantly by my side. The only voices I heard were the voices of Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle. I even got a bit of a laugh out of Rainbow frequently forgetting that four out of the six of them could not speak in my company. Although... In hindsight, it was actually rather sad. I just wish I had more to mention.

Just as visiting hours were on the verge of ending, we got an unexpected visit from one of the hospital's surgeons. Judging by the voice, it was the same doctor who had been assigned to me since the start. "Oh? Good evening, ladies. I... Huh? Excuse me, but why is James wearing a blindfold?"

Of course. This entire little experiment that Twilight and Pinkie Pie came up with had been done without the knowledge of the hospital's staff. I heard Twilight nervously speak up. "Oh, that...? Um... Well... It was to...help him relax. You've noticed that he's been extremely stressed lately, right?"

"I was wondering what was causing his deterioration to slow. Whatever it is you've been doing, it's been working wonders." The doctor replied with a rather satisfied tone of voice.

"Huh? Wait, you mean that?! He's getting better?!" I heard Rainbow Dash call out in shock. I was actually very surprised to not hear anyone else speak up. They must have been trying very hard to remain silent for my sake.

The doctor then explained, "Well, I wouldn't say he's improving. But at the very least, he is not getting worse. Shortly before noon, his physical deterioration seemed to...stop. Or if not stop, then it has at least slowed to a snail's pace. We can find no explanation around it, but we will continue to perform tests and scans to try to diagnose what has caused such entropy in his body in the hopes that we may be able to get his body back up to how it was prior to his hospitalization."

"That's... That's great! Please let us know when you find it!" Twilight exclaimed while sounding more excited than usual.

"I will. However, visiting hours are just about over, so I would appreciate it if you all gather up your things and be on your way soon. Your friend will be right here tomorrow. He's not going anywhere." The doctor said before I heard him speak to me. "I hope your friends haven't been a problem, James."

"It's fine, doc. I'm... Well, I'm really glad that they've been here for me today." I replied with a bit of a yawn. Even though I was no longer in discomfort, I was still feeling surprisingly fatigued.

Minutes later, my friends began to say their goodbyes in silence. I received tender embraces from Applejack and Pinkie Pie, but instead felt a tender kiss on my cheek from Rarity and Fluttershy. Only once they were gone did Twilight remove my blindfold. "So... Feeling better, James?"

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust from exposure to light due to seeing nothing but black all day. With that porcelain lamp turned on beside me, it was still rather bright in that corner of the room, even with the sun having almost completely set outside for the day. "Yeah... A lot better. Still pretty drained, but... At least I've got a clear head now... This blindfold turned out to be a good idea."

"Well, you better thank Pinkie Pie next time you see her. She's the one who gave me the idea to try that." Twilight said with a broad grin. She was clearly in a good mood.

Rainbow Dash then hovered over to me and gave me a tight hug. "Just hang in there, big guy. Things are gonna be getting better. At least you're not in the danger zone anymore."

"Thanks, girls... I don't know what I'd ever do without you." I replied quietly while holding each of them in a tender embrace. I was almost tempted to cry. I could not believe how much they had been doing for me in my time of need.

Twilight then proceeded to gather up her saddlebags before she and Rainbow Dash made their way to the door. "Well, we should be going before the staff shoos us away. Sweet dreams, James. We'll see you in the morning." I said my goodbyes and then they were gone. And this time, I was not alone with only angry voices filling my head.

And so, here I am writing out this journal while feeling fully relaxed for the first time in days. The memories, while not gone, are no longer constantly repeating themselves in my head against my will. Maybe... Just maybe, things will finally get back to the way they were. I just want to go home...

Wait... That vase full of azaleas... The polish is still black. I almost forgot about it since I had been blindfolded all day. And... While I would not normally be potentially bothered by it... I see...words scratched into its shiny black finish. Jagged text, all in capital letters, repeating the same two words over and over.

HOW LONG?

How long of what? Why am I seeing this? Did Twilight notice this change? No, she would have said something if there was something unusual about the vase's appearance. But now, I simply do not care. I am in a fairly good mood and I am not going to let some creepy hallucination get under my skin. Besides, I have a couple of friends waiting for me to fall asleep so I can join them. I think I just might take a few days off from making these journals just to relax and enjoy a clear mind for once.

As for now, it is time for bed. May my dreams be just as sweet as last night.