The Circus. A travelling company of performers, gathered for the entertainment of the ponies inhabiting the towns they visit. Some are great, some are okay, some are bad, some simply caused the worst of days for a circus to go to town.

The Top Hat circus was visiting Ponyville, as organized by former circus magician Top Hat, now the manager of his own circus. He had everything, large tents, acrobats, trapeze acts, balloons, musicians, tightropes, and clowns. Lots and lots of clowns.

None of the residents were really afraid of clowns at the time, but they knew there were coulrophobes for sure. From their understanding, it was because clowns were always smiling or laughing, sometimes even sad and crying. And they hid their faces in their make-up, and so trust was an issue.

In Ponyville, however, there weren't that many circuses that visited. And the ones that did, were successful, and there was no reports of deaths or accidents related to clowns. Nopony had a reason to be afraid of them, and so accepted them.

This circus was pretty big. A lot of ponies went outside to see what was there to enjoy. There were some who didn't attend however.

Twilight Sparkle, for example, was too busy studying to attend. Rarity Belle was occupied with her dress-making. Applejack was more interested in her apple-bucking. And Fluttershy never was fond of crowds. Ditzy Doo was busy, but the flying acts were making it increasingly difficult to deliver the mail.

Pinkie Pie attended, everypony knows she can never pass down a good old-fashioned party. And Rainbow Dash wasn't busy, and saw no harming in going too. A lot of foals wouldn't pass up the opportunity to experience entertainment at this amount.

The Top Hat circus was one of the most successful, celebrated and trusted travelling companies.

It's gone now.

There was a young 5 year-old colt, who came here, accompanied by his Mommy and Daddy. His name was Cobalt Royale. His parents were rather rich, but modest too, and publicity shy, so they decided to live in Ponyville. Cobalt also has a big sister, who isn't into circuses. Nonetheless, Cobalt loved her very much, as much as his Mommy and Daddy.

Cobalt got to go on the Ferris Wheel, be entertained by a clown on a unicycle, watch a trapeze act, and see a puppet show. This was going to be the best day of his life.

They were on their way to see the new magician. Cobalt had his head in the clouds. He was trotting forward, looking at the attractions surrounding him. Halfway through, he looked to his parents.... or at least where they should be. The only thing surrounding him now were other, unfamiliar ponies.

He called out for his Mommy and Daddy... but his cries were never heard over the chatter, the mirth, and the circus music. He was panicking now, on the verge of tears.

"Hi there."

Cobalt looked behind him, startled. It was a clown, wearing a baggy costume adorned with multiple colours and textures with three orange fuzzy balls appearing at the front area, in a vertical fashion. His mane was a frizzy red balding around his white painted face, with red lips curled downwards a bit, black eyebrows of paint, and his muzzle was completely red. His tail was like his mane, red and all over the place. Wrapped around his hoof was a string that carried multiple balloons.

It seems a member of staff noticed him crying out for help.

"Uh... hello, mister..." Cobalt replied.

"You're lookin' pretty lost. What's wrong?" The clown asked.

"I can't find my Mommy and Daddy."

"Ooh, I see how that's a problem. Where were you all headed?"

"To see the magician..."

"That's not too far away from here! Come with me, I'll show ya!" The clown offered.

"My daddy told me not to go with strangers..."

"Oh, very wise of your father, kid, very wise indeed! My name is Pennywise the Dancin' Clown! What's yours?"

"Cobalt...."

"Nice to meet ya, Cobalt. Now we know each other! Gee, right?" He said, comically.

"I guess so..."

"Now, let's go find your parents, shall we? Here... have a balloon... it floats!" Pennywise said, as he extended his balloon-bearing hoof."

"Okay, then..." Cobalt agreed. Pennywise began walking. He looked back to Cobalt, who hadn't begun following him yet.

"Come on, Cobalt, don't be shy!" He called. Cobalt thought of the things that made him happy, and went with the clown that he assumed had come to help him.

-----

There was a clown elsewhere, who was great with balloon figures. But only a few ponies ever visited him. Despite his make-up being designed to look happy, he just wasn't. Things had happened in his life, and he was feeling rather bitter for it. He either frightened or bored the foals who ever visited him in the towns visited by the circus. They only knew him by his clown name, Happy Days.

Happy looked around the place, glumly. There were a lot of ponies having fun. He wished he had the enthusiasm for it. He sighed, not concentrating on his troubles. Then, he saw a clown with a bunch of balloons escorting a little kid somewhere. He then realized something about that clown...

I don't remember seeing a clown like that...

He knows a lot about the other clowns, and he didn't recognize that one... whenever he gets a bad feeling, he knows he should do something about it. He galloped over to Top Hat.

"Mr. Top Hat!" He said.

"Ah, hello, Happy Days. Anything eventful on your end yet?" Top Hat asked.

"There's a clown escorting a kid to a tent... and he's not one of our clowns."

Top Hat widened his eyes.

"Anything special about this clown?" He asked apprehensively.

"He had a red wig, he was bald, and he was carrying balloons with him." Happy replied.

"Please lead the way, we should hurry."

Happy ran to where he last saw the unfamiliar clown, with Top Hat following. They looked around frantically.

"Look!" Top Hat cried, pointing to the sky. Happy looked. There was a yellow balloon with a smiley face on it floating above a large tent. They immediately ran inside the tent, and were horrified by what they found.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsOSXkOPX_U

If you look in the newspapers today, you'll see the incident of the unfamiliar cannibal clown, Pennywise The Dancin' Clown. How he had convinced a boy to go with him, and end up having being chewed and eaten like a Manticore victim, correction... even worse. Happy Days will be remembered as the Sad Clown who tried to help an innocent foal. The disaster caused the circus to close out of the shame and fear.

But what ponies will wonder was: Who was this Pennywise? Some figured he was a mental patient obsessed with clowns, and wanted to use this obsession to fit into the background of the circus and satiate his hunger with an unpleasant food choice. Others believe he was a clown who wanted to take his revenge on other ponies. Most of it is all wrong.

Pennywise The Dancin' Clown is not a clown, but fear Itself. It was true that It entered a circus so It could do what It needed nearly undetected. In another universe, it was thought to have died. It crossed over to Ponyville to preserve itself. Its appearance there will open up many investigations of Its purpose and existence, and how it can devour a foal as if It were not anything remotely close to the pony form.

It welcomes them to try. Because all the ponies know, and probably will ever know... was that this was definitely the worst of days for a circus to come to town.