Apocalypse.

An old word, meaning 'revelation', or 'unveiling' or some other equal. To some, it is the beginning of unmatched knowledge. To others, it is the beginning of the end.

We had our own apocalypse. It started small, only a single of our kind knew. But soon, she spread her findings. However, no one believed her, thinking it her old antics and silly ways, paid it no attention.

They forgot, in time, the warnings. She stopped her 'silly predictions' and 'child-like games' and just went about her life as though nothing had ever changed.

But she still knew. She knew of their watchful eyes, their strange appearances, and she even knew when they were watching.

And so she waited. Patiently waited for someone who would believe her, a friend she could trust like no other. Many were possible candidates; many whose loyalty, honesty, or kindness were unmatched, and of whom she could ask much.

But they all had their flaws that broke the chances of such a thing as her asking them coming to pass.

All of them but one.

One of her best friends had shown her a unique sense of intelligence. An amazing ability of forethought, and an even greater need to learn, and to study, and to know.

Because of this, our story now has begun.

~~~~~~~~~~

Pinkie slipped from her dreams into a dreary, half-conscious state of numbness. Common in the mornings, she required a few moments to wake up and prepare herself for the day. Tossing off the covers, and stretching her legs had felt amazing as it always did. A few satisfying cracks and pops sounding from her efforts, she walked over to Gummy and gently nuzzled him awake.

A loving caress and a quiet giggle, she left him to his devices, letting him return to relish in the sweet embrace of his dreams.

Whatever they are, Pinkie thought with another giggle. She made her way to a standing mirror, and gazed sleepily into her reflection. After a yawn, she said to herself, "I hope you guys are ready..." She yawned again.

She shook her head, straight mane flying back and forth as she did so. She offered her reflection a laugh, and began brushing her mane with a brush that rested on a nearby table. After a few minutes, she stopped and shook her head again, her mane and tail returning to their trademark cotton-candy style.

After giving the mirror a big smile, she bounced down to the main room of Sugarcube Corner. She finished her morning chores after a while, cleaning and preparing the store for the customers of the day. Mrs. Cake walked out into the store proper, and greeted Pinkie. "Hello dearie, thanks for helping us! But today's your day off! I hope you spend it well!"

Pinkie gasped, "You're right! I totally forgot! Oh, what am I going to do today!?" She zipped out of Sugarcube Corner faster than Mrs. Cake could blink.

Mrs. Cake only chuckled at Pinkie's antics, and waved at her as she bounced away.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Pinkie bounced her way through the town, smile beaming at everypony she met along the way. As her trek lead her to her destination, she greeted each and every pony she passed, by name.

She soon came upon her place of interest, however, and knocked lightly on the door. Out of character, she looked a bit less energetic than she had as she hopped through Ponyville.

Twilight answered the door. "Ugh! This is a Public Library! You don't have... to.." Twilight trailed off, sensing something was off with her friend. "What's wrong, Pinkie?" she asked, concerned.

"Nothing really, Twilight! I just have a few things to talk to you about!" Pinkie exclaimed in return.

Twilight froze at her tone. "Ah, uhm... you wouldn't happen to be talking about-" She began, but Pinkie cut her off.

"No, silly! I don't mind your hobby." Pinkie grinned cheekily. Twilight was mortified.

"W-what?! You know that I-" Pinkie cut her off again.

"Yes, but there's something more important!" Pinkie's grin fell from her face. "I've been hiding a secret from everyone. I've been waiting for the right somepony to tell... and I think I've found that somepony."

Twilight blushed a deep red. "I-I... I don't know what to say..." Pinkie cut her off again.

"No, you silly filly! Even though that would make for great fanservice, it's more important than that." Pinkie dragged Twilight upstairs before she could figure out what was going on. "It's something that would create mass hysteria if it were to become common knowledge!"

Twilight paused. "How did we get here so fast... and... you actually know what hysteria means?"

Pinkie sighed. "Pay attention, Twilight! Listen carefully. We. Are. Being. Watched." Twilight gave the room a nervous glance. "No, not there... or, at least, not right now."

The purple pony turned to her friend. "I don't see it, Pinkie. What do you mean we're being watched?"

The pink party pony placed her hoof upon her chin. "How to explain it..." She bounced into the air. "Aha! I got it!" She fell back to the floor and landed on her back hooves. "They're all watching us through various ways." She took a few steps while she was still upright. "They walk like this, on two legs..." She fell back onto her front hooves, all four now touching the floor. "They have some sharp teeth, a bit like Spike..." She mimed carnivorous biting, complete with growls. "And most of all, they're smart." Pinkie poked Twilight's head with her hoof. "Like you, Twilight."

Twilight sighed in response. "I don't see them, so... how do you know they're actually there?"

"That's easy! I experienced an apocalypse!"

Twilight sighed again. "One pony can't experience an apocalypse, Pinkie. Unless... you mean you learned something?" Pinkie nodded.

"Yup!"

Twilight put on a thoughtful expression. "Okay, Pinkie. What did you learn?"

Pinkie's grin returned. "Okay, Twilight! It's simple! These things are watching most of us throughout our lives. Every pony you meet has something watching them as they go about their day. Even the Princesses have their followers! But we have the most, Twilight. Me, you, and our friends! Rainbow Dash has a large following, even Spike has a few watching him most of the time."

Twilight shook her head. "As much as we're friends and as much as I trust you, Pinkie, I can't accept this without proof."

Pinkie stared into the air over Twilight's head. After a moment, she nodded to herself. "Okay, thanks!" She looked to a confused Twilight. "They told me to tell you that... uhm, well..." She leaned forward and whispered into Twilight's ear.

And Twilight's face burned red. "How did you know!?" She jumped back, startled at her knowledge. "I didn't tell that to anypony!"

Pinkie grinned. "Do you believe me? Or do you want more? How about the time when you were a filly, and you didn't-" Twilight tackled Pinkie and stuffed her hoof into the party pony's mouth.

"No! Not that one! I believe you!" Twilight was frantic, her friend knew about her secret! "Just don't tell anyone!"

Pinkie performed a muffled Pinkie Promise around Twilight's hoof. Twilight removed the offending limb from her friend's mouth, and Pinkie spoke again. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone! However..." She glanced around the room suspiciously, "I think I should finish explaining what they are."

Pinkie spent more than an hour explaining the world that the 'humans' (or so Pinkie called them) inhabited. After that explanation, the description being much too detailed to be fabricated, she started to legitimately believe Pinkie. "I... Pinkie... How..?" Her view of the world was wounded. And then Pinkie called in the big guns.

She explained, in excruciating detail, what exactly their world was. A cartoon and more, created for the sole entertainment of the 'humans' and their children.

Twilight took it surprisingly well, considering her predicament. With the grace of a boulder, she fainted, falling to the ground with a large thud.

Pinkie sighed. "I should have known this would happen..." She was silent for a moment, her ears perked. "Ooh, good idea!" Pinkie carefully picked up Twilight, and slid her onto her back. She walked over to the bed and slid her off on to it, flipped the comforter over her and even fluffed her pillow.

Pinkie went and laid down on the other bed in the room, stared at the ceiling, and muttered to herself. "And now, we wait..." Another moment of silence, and she burst into giggles. "Ooh, I've got one! What do you get when you put together..." She spent the while telling jokes to the air and laughing to puns only she could hear, waiting patiently for Twilight to come to.