The Craving

Once upon a new moon’s phasing, rested Twilight, once stargazing

Staring at the heavens and stifling a snore

From her star maps, head now covering, at once she heard a rustling

As of some ghostly breeze most puzzling, awakening Twilight once more

"T'is just Rainbow," she muttered, "pranking me as she has before-

Only this and nothing more"

This thought eased her dread here, for this was the night of Nightmares,

A night pranksters eagerly awaited every year for gags and tricks galore

Nopony had guessed her costume - a simple reference one would presume

But when she told ponies they had assumed - assumed, then, she would be a bore -

For even her friends and neighbours had deemed basic history a chore-

Frustration, then, and little more.

But what unseen and uncertain rustling of those leaves then pertain

This tree - library now graced her with exasperation rarely felt before;

So that now, stifling the grumble and sour mood, she stood repeating

`This better not be Rainbow pulling pranks or whatever she has in store -

Some late prank by Rainbow, whatever she has in store; -

If it is, I'll show her what for,'

Alighting, then, her horn now blazing, disrupted from her night’s star gazing

“Girls”, she cried, “or Rainbow, knock it off now, it’s not funny anymore;

You’ve interrupted my stargazing, when you’ve made these sounds, hair-raising

That I’m scarce I’m sure I heard you, or if I’m imagining all this once more-”

An eerie breeze but nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long she stood there pondering, fearing,

Doubting, wearily aware that no pony would believe her fears were naught but flawed.

And the silence was unbroken, questions of her sanity unspoken,

And the only silence that was broken was the whisper of the wind

The wind it whispered, and the leaves bristled, leaving Twilight much chagrined

Perhaps the work of one Discord?

Back into the treehouse turning, the nausea in her stomach churning,

Soon again she heard a rustling somewhat louder than before.

“Surely,” she said, “surely this is just a joke at my expense;

Let me see then, what their game is, and this puzzling prank explore -

Let my heart be still a moment and my head guide me as before; -

T’is a prank and nothing more!”

Now she casts an ardent spell to ascertain that all is well

And with hammering heart detecting that a creature stalks the floor

Not a movement does she make, let alone a double take

Lest her change in demeanor alert her foe it has been caught

Lest it knowing it’s been caught ends in a fight which must be fought

She cast that spell and nothing more.

Then of course there was a thumping, from things in the night that go bumping

And Twilight darn near bolted across the room to flee out the door

“Though my fears are surely rational.” she whispered, “I’m a hero international-”

There is nothing I can’t handle once I find what I’m looking for!

Surely I can handle this once I know what I’m looking for.”

Now our Twilight was at war.

So she circled the center of the library and considered attempting bribery

Perhaps to strike a bargain, or draw it out into the open floor;

For she could not help but wondering if perhaps it was just some foals blundering

Attempting late night candy plundering like foals often have before-

Or perhaps it was just Pinkie plundering as she often had before,

Or just a prank, and nothing more.

But the princess in the library did not yet find that bribery was advisory

Because the outcome was still binary, was it a threat, now, yes or no?

And so Twilight thought to mutter to the darkness that was utter

without so much as a stutter “Now just where did you go?

If this is all just a big joke, well, then your face you’d better show!”

All she saw was nothing though.

Then there was a banging and a cacophony most haranguing

Which left Twilight stock still standing at the unexpected roar

Although she sensed no movement that was hardly an improvement

When she was left with only sound to which this mystery explore

A sound from in the darkness of her kitchenette explore

Darkness there and nothing more

But the curiosity beguiling the once-unicorn gave her cause for smiling

as she smelt a waft of pastries freshly baked from the noise’s source

And she breathed a sigh of relief now that she was reaffirmed in her safe belief

That it was merely Pinkie Pie playing pranks on her, of course

That it was merely Pinkie pranking her poor pony heart with innocent discourse

Something, maybe, with chocolate sauce?.

There good Twilight was relieved but wondered why she need be deceived

By her good friend antics on this night which Nightmares bore

This and more she pondered as to the kitchenette she wandered

and by lamplight struck perceiving just what Pinkie had in store

What on this, the night of Nightmares, did fair Pinkie have in store.

Cupcakes crammed into her craw?

But as unappealing as that prospect might be feeling

It sure beat the thoughts that sent her reeling if she were keeping score

and so into the kitchen did our hero then envision

perhaps she might partake a smidgen of the treats Pinkie had in store

on a night of tricks and treats and nightmares, if that’s what lay in store

Or maybe she was wrong once more

Turning then, there stood the baker, surely Pinkie Pie, not a faker

But Twilight stared at the limp mane, flat and gray and heavy with rancor

“Pinkie” she asked, “By jove, you scared me, with this prank of high intensity

Be still my beating heart and know that you are safe once more.

It’s just silly Pinkie Pie pulling pranks with cupcakes on us once more.”

Pinkie turned and Twilight swore.

“Pinkie!” she cried, “Those aren’t cupcakes!” Shouted Twilight on the uptake

“Where is Rainbow Dash and why have you emptied my knife drawer?!”

Smiling now, but it was mirthless, Twilight felt it might be ruthless

A gleaming in her eye and Twilight studied all the gore

The red smatters on her apron and the chunks upon her floor

Pinkie surveyed the empty drawer.

“Pinkie!” she cried, “Please don’t do this, tell me please, that I am remiss

In my friendship studies and that you’re still the friend I do adore

But I can’t help but to notice that your smile has grown quite grotesque

And a tuft pile of blue feathers punctuate red stains upon my floor

Piles of feathers much like Rainbow’s lie red-stained upon my floor

Tell me please I do implore!”

“Rainbow Dash helped me bake my greatest batch of treats to date”

Pinkie Pie’s cheery statement brought Twilight’s shudders to the fore

“Grab a bite with me, dear Twilight, it should cheer you up this dark night

I heard nopony got your costume this year, and it made you frown which I abhor

I hate it when my friends frown and your sadness I abhor

So have some treats and smile once more”

“It’s just a costume?” Twilight uttered as some darker things she muttered

partaking of slice of cake, red velvet at its core

“I’m sorry about the mess, see, but it was a frown face emergency

And Rainbow’s costume made her moult like crazy on your floor

She spilled a lot of batter, too, once she heard what this was for”

And those stains were lifted... nevermore. Next Chapter: The Tell Tale Tart Estimated time remaining: 9 Minutes