>Day Everfree Shenanigans in Equestria
>Be Anonymous the Day Walker
>You awake at half past six and shuffle under your sheets
>Pressed against you is the sleeping form of Rosewood
>Her red mane lays to one side as a smile parts her sleeping mouth
>A small sting from your shoulder helps you recall the antics of the previous night
>Carefully, you slip from her hooves and out your bedroom door for your morning routine
>After the traditional triple S, you lazily dress
>Head to toe, you feel like a new man as you smile into the mirror
>Your eye catches a sudden shining spot from your otherwise perfect face
>A small tear rests around your neck and you instantly scream in horror
"My face!"
>Within seconds, a sound of stampeding hooves barrels towards the bathroom and the door flies open
>"Anon! What happened?!"
>Rosewood stands in the doorway with a messy mane and bewildered eyes
"My face has been compromised! We need to fix it right now!"
>Rosewood looks up to you with no less confusion
>"Y-your face?"
"My face!"
>You point sternly to the rip on your neck and your face tenses
>"Anon... That's just a hole in your mask."
>You look at the pony that you -thought- loved you and frown as hard as you can
"My face is torn and that's how you treat me?"
>Tears well in your eyes and your lip stutters for the moment
>"No, no! I'm sorry, alright? Yes, I see the hole, but we can fix that."
>You sober up instantly as your very real condition is realized
"But, I don't know how to sew! Do you?"
>"Um, not really. I bet somep0ny in town would know! But, it's kind of early for everyp0ny else..."
>You scoff and hold your hand to your neck
"Damn nocturnal habits."
>"Well, I may know of somep0ny who could fix it..."
>Rosewood stops for the moment and holds her tongue between her teeth
"Go on..."
>"But, she's kind of different."
"All ponies are different and I swear you guys are evolving before my eyes. Almost feel like I should start catching them all."
>You smirk for the moment, but Rosewood looks through you
>"Well, OK, but you have to be really careful and do -exactly- what I tell you, alright?"
"Yes, alright, whatever! Let's just get a move on!"
>Rosewood pushes you from the bathroom
>"I need a shower first. You got -it- in my mane and on my ears last night."
"I told you to relax and accept it."
>Rosewood grunts at you quickly as the door slams shut
>Ages pass into the abyss as you await the return of your sharp-tongued friend
>The door opens swiftly and steam billows out as Rosewood springs forth
>"Refreshing! OK, are you ready, Anon?"
>The two of you leave with great haste from your small tree home and you grab the lantern from your doorway
>"Why are you taking that thing?"
"I cannot see in the dark like you."
>"OK, but just until we get there. You're going to have to turn it off."
"But, I..."
>"... You said you'd do -exactly- what I told you."
"Fine, fine."
>You huff and make your way to the ground floor with Rosewood in tow
>The trek is interesting in the early morning as you take a route previously unheard of
>The canopy of Hollow Shades holds back light rather well, but it still manages to be muggy
"So... Who are we meeting way out here?"
>"A friend, kind of. Well, more like an acquaintance, really. We worked together on a garden project that Princess Luna order a few years back."
"And she lives so far from town because...?"
>"She's kind of a recluse."
>The forest up ahead grows thicker and brambles line the trees with eerie effects
>Despite the strangest feeling of fear in your gut, you press on
>Rosewood's small frame allows her to easily slip around the narrow passages, but you find yourself slowed as you ease your way in
"This is, ugh... This is a terrible place to live."
>Rosewood's tone is quite serious as she speaks
>"Not too much further now."
>Within a few minutes, you emerge from the undergrowth into a nice clearing
>A lot of flowers are planted about and you can tell that someone is keeping them alive
>"Turn off the torch."
>You do as instructed and the area grows dim at once
>In the darkness, you rest your hand on Rosewood as you have in the past
>She makes a great seeing-eye pony
>"Just keep your voice down and be nice."
>You speak in a hush manner
"I am always nice!"
>Though you cannot see her face, you are certain you feel Rosewood's eyes roll at you
>Rosewood begins to move and you follow her with your left hand on her withers
"So, who is this pony?"
>"Her name is Peppermint."
"What does she look like?"
>"You will know her when you see her."
>You get some ominous feeling in your stomach as Rosewood provides another cryptic answer
>You enter the center of the sanctuary and are assaulted by a hundred different fragrances
>After a minute or two of gawking, Rosewood slides against your leg
>"OK, you wait here and I will go see if she is at home."
>You do not resist as Rosewood leaves you side and disappears into the advancing gloom
>Standing in the dark is always a little unnerving for you
>A tune plays in your mind to keep it from speculating as the sweet smell of fresh flowers dances about
>You wipe a bit of sweat from your brow, unsure if it was from the exercise or fear
>Before you realize, a soft, warm something slide beside you and you are instantly relieved
>You sigh with relief as you speak quickly
"Thank goodness you came back. Was she home?"
>There is no reply, but the curious feeling of a soft tongue on your hang
"Rosy, now is not the appropriate time for this."
>A voice not known to you suddenly replies
>"Hmm, who's Rosy?"
>Fear clenches to your chest as you quickly fire up your lantern
>Licking your free hand is a pony with insect-like wings, a furry tuft about her neck, and two eyes that refract and sparkle like a million shards of glass
>Upon seeing you in the bright light, the pony lets go a shriek and you follow suit
>You bolt off in Rosewood's direction as the strange pony takes flight after you
>The lantern bounces widely as you run through the thick darkness
>You turn your head to see the face of your assailant gaining on you
>In no time, the feel of something fairly heavy collides with your back and you fall to the ground
>The wet feeling of a pony's tongue runs along the top of your hand and the back of your exposed neck
>You always had a feeling you would die like this
>Well, actually, you imagined it would be a work-related industrial lathe accident
>A voice suddenly rings out into the darkness as you are assaulted
>"Hey! Take it easy with Anon, Peppermint!"
>Your ears instantly catch on and your courage bolsters
>You shove the fuzzy pony from you and sit up
>Raising your lantern, you get another look at your attacker
>Her eyes seem to follow you with some unexplained fascination as you stare back at her in anger
>Rosewood calls to you again
>"Anon! Turn off the light!"
"No chance! She attacked me, scared me out of wits!"
>"It's the light!"
>Thinking clearly for the moment, you snap the lantern off and let the cool darkness engulf you
>In the dim lighting, you see Peppermint shake her head vigorously and snap to attention
>"Whoa, trippy, haha!"
>Her voice comes out in a very mellow tone
>"I was like, just coming back from picking some honeysuckles and then, like, I was digging this smell from that thing over there. Right? So, like, then there was this tubular light and my mind was just blown, heh-a."
>A hoof points at you
>Rosewood smirks and cups her face in her hoof
>"Hey, Peppermint, it's me, Rosewood."
>"Haha, far-out! What brings you to like, my neck of the woods. Heh-a, neck..."
>Rosy points to you and begins to speak in a brisk way
>"This is my friend, Anonymous, and I'm sorry to bother you, but we were coming over to ask for your expertise on sewing."
>"Whoa, what a coinkydink! I was gonna come over today to like, get your help on making that awesome fertilizer."
>You stand to your feet and move closer to Rosewood
>"Well, that does sound like a fair trade. I'll mix up some of my secret formula and you could fix Anon's mask."
>"Totally, I'm like, all for small business fair trade and junk, heh-a."
>You watch Peppermint trot inside and notice her strange, moth-like features again
>Rosewood smiles to you and nuzzles your leg
>"I think that went well. I was afraid you two would not get along. I mean, she's different and all."
>You stare at Rosewood with a strained sort of look
>The thought of bat ponies use to be a tough pill to swallow, but moth ponies were just absurd
"No, she's fine, you know? It's just... Well, she's kind of..."
>"I know what you are thinking, Anon, and believe me when I say that it's been pretty hard for somep0ny like her in town."
"Well, it is not like it is strange or anything..."
>"I am glad you can see past the fact that Peppermint is a hippie."
>Your face twist into unnatural shapes as you pierce the darkness with your gaze
"That's it, right..."
>Today was a spooky day