Nightmare Night.
The time of year to dress up as something other than yourself to avoid detection, and the eventual ingestion, of Nightmare Moon. Well, not really. Its fun to dress up and get free candy. The time of year for enjoying games and to do a little dancing is once again upon the town of Ponyville. The towns citizens never grow to old for the festivities provided and you'll see just about everypony decked out in some alter ego of they're formal selves. Fillies and colts of all ages show up from door to door with one objective in mind.
Treats. Not any kind of treats though. Good treats. So dental floss, other hygienic 'goods', and the ones who supply them are avoided at all cost.
All is quiet in a certain portion of Ponyville. A blue colored unicorn dressed as a tooth doctor stands directly behind her door, waiting for the eventual arrival of the masses. Under her dentist mask thingy hides an excited smile as she knows that soon, very soon, she will swarmed by the children eager to brush away the grime collected over all the candy that invaded they're tiny mouths. Candy was good and all but she knew the terrible things it could do to teeth. Clearly everpony else knew as well.
Yes. They will come. And she will wait.
Another thing that came with Nightmare Night was the pranks pulled on the unsuspecting. Which aren't a lot. Nowadays, everypony is pulling pranks on each other. Like seriously, EVERYPONY. Once one ends, another one completely different begins. All thanks the main character of this particular story and the forefath- err.... foremother of the pranking playoffs, Rainbow Dash. We'll get to her momentarily but first the explanation of why pie pieces are currently resting on the faces of half the pony populace. You know what? No. That'll have to wait until next chapter. Back to the Dash. Ironically, she will not be participating in any prank whatsoever. Not because she's lazy or uninterested. Nope. She's just watching out for the deranged psychopath known as Princess Luna.
Why?
In due time you will find out. Like next chapter.
Anyway, our rainbow colored friend was busy chilling in (yes in, not on) a small cloud above Ponyville, reading what appeared to be *gasp* a book? Not to worry noble Rainbow Dash fanatics. This was a book for the occasion of Nightmare Night. A book titled "The Anthology of Haunted Homes of Equestria" had her eyes almost literally glued to each page she read. Not a single passage of information was overlooked or missed. Meaning her mind was occupied with images of spooky house's and the history they are so infamous for. Along with the tenants they are said to house. Now when history of almost anything is mentioned to Rainbow, she immediately begins to think about other things. Like how cool she is and how she can pick up cider jugs with her hoofs. So unless the history isn't cool or entertaining in anyway, to her at least, then its just another history lesson to be ignored.
Now when just about anypony reads something that is of great interest, that info can remain in one's mind for quite some time. Like when a colt reads a pirate book he may have an incredible urge to do some plundering. Or when a filly learns of tale of Paul Bunyan. Time to chop down some tall tree's in the name of logging. Even a grown mare like Rainbow Dash can fall victim to the powers of a good book. Though not as impressionable, her haunted book hauntedness gives her imagination the chance to run wild with the possibility of finding such places.
In her hometown to boot.
She had found this book by chance. By chance I mean crashing into the library and having 40 books fall atop her head. She had to help clean that up. She did a good book out of it though. And a lecture but she ignored that and read BOOKS.
Anywho, Rainbow was currently reading her beloved book inside her protective cloud when an unmistakably loud, yet excited, voice assaulted her poor pony ears.
"WHERE IS RAINBOW DASH? I AWAIT THE FIERCE COMPETITION SHE OFFERS IN THE PRANK PLAYOFFS!"
Not only was that loud, but it was 'canterlot voice' loud. The sheer force the voice produced was enough to send the hidden mare, and her cloud, flying away from Ponyville. If Luna was there, which she was, then Rainbow Dash would have to contend with her. She smiled. Despite the fact she was being sent to Celestia knows where (because thank Josh Luna didn't) she was safe to read her precious book, even if she currently was tumbling up and down a steep hill.
Wait, what?
Her cloud was now gone, destroyed by the abuse her body had put on it while being flung through constant tree's, and she now found herself (her face really) getting acquainted with the grass of the sloped hill. While rolling, tumbling rather, down the unforgiving terrain of fun, she had her beautiful knowledge holder tucked in her hoofs safely. The elements (not of harmony you phoolz (Ok, I'll stop I promise)) could do what they want to her but until she got to chapter about the phantom pigeons of Baltimare, the book would live on with its current pony shield.
When she had come to a stop at the bottom all was relatively quiet. Save for the ominous owl hoots, a distant growl here and there, and some eye's in the shadows gazing at her it was kind of peacefu-
"Holy cheezus, I'm in the everfree forest." She had said this calmly but her voice had a nervous edge to it. She wasn't afraid of the forest. No, that'd be silly. The forest can't hurt you. The creatures could though. Those... she was weary of. Not afraid. She would rather spend the rest of the night with a cranky manticore than face the competitive Luna. She was afraid of that.
Right now she only wondered if her book was safe and where she was at. She looked down at her now closed book thing.
Not a scratch on it. Check.
She looked around her surroundings. At the bottom of a hook shaped hill with nothing but tall grass around her and more tree's. She felt pretty safe where she was. As long as she was away from the tree's. Thats where the eyes were. She looked up and saw the beautiful night sky call out to her. "Fly me" it said, and fly she would. If she got lost all she needed to do was fly above the canopy and find her way home from there. Piece of cake. Delicious, haunted cake. Peering down she scoffed "Shoot, what page was I on?" She turned from the forest and opened her book.
She started flipping pages, with her hooves somehow, when a strong gust of wind blew viscously from within the brush behind her. Shielding the piece as if it were her own child, she turned, eye's squinted from the sheer force of mother nature's angry breathe. As soon as she turned the wind had died down, only slightly and she was met with nothing. Nothing but thick tree brush.... and a light.
It was faint but the light was there all the same. Her eye's widened, mouthing the word 'cool'. Why was this light 'cool'? The moon was a light. A pretty cool one. It, however, was behind her slightly obscured by the large cliff/hill. This light shown deeper into the everfree and it had an alluring feel to it. We all get these types of feels every once and a while, and Dash was getting a powerful one right now. Like a moth attracted to a moth incinerating flame she began to flutter towards the luminescence, the spooky eye's having all but disappeared. She past through much of the forest untouched, as if a path was made in place just for her. The light was getting much brighter, despite it still being very dim, and she nearly dropped her book. The death grip she had on it was near murderous. The absolute killer hold she had on it should have been a crime.
As she drew closer to her destination, the less plant life she began to notice. Tree's were becoming less frequent and the tall grass was getting more trim. It was weird that she was so calm about all this. Normally any other pony, unarmed especially, would probably have been a nervous wreck by now. Poor Fluttershy wouldn't have made it past Luna's power voice. Applejack would probably have had made an excuse by now as to not go any farther than the cliff. Rarity would side with Applejack, to not get dirty above all else. She did pass by a few tree branches here and there. She could have sworn a branch was holding her in place as to not go any further. Twilight might have been the only one of her friends to go. Not saying her other friends weren't good ones. Twilight's curiosity just matched hers is all. Spike might have gone, but thats only because Twilight was going. Unless Rarity went then he would probably stay back at the library and-
She just hit wall. Cobblestone by the bumpy texture. She looked up in mild annoyance and her pupils shrank significantly.
"Whoa.." Was all she could say.
There in front of her in the middle of a seemingly dead clearing amid decrepit plants lay a massive mansion with an even larger yard. It looked to be twice as large as the library back at Ponyville. It was clearly abandoned and also looked quite old. Much older than all of her friends combined even.
But not Granny Smith. Now she was old.
What really caught her eye about the mansion was the single light that shone from the top window that seemed to brighten the entire yard and apparently beyond. In an instant her heart started pumping. Not from her find, no. Slowly but surely she noticed something move. Something appeared before the window. A figure. As she stood staring at the figure it was clear that it stood directly back at her. The creaking of a door tore her eyes away above the house and down towards the entrance. Sure enough the door was slowing being pulled open. She felt and heard no wind, but she did hear the maddening creak of an old door open up. It was so unbearably loud and she backed away, wincing slightly.
It suddenly felt a lot darker than she had liked. It didn't help that the moon was nowhere in sight and the mysterious light she had come to be rather fond of went. To make matters worse it had become silent. Too quiet. She was in the everfree forest, it never got quiet in the everfree forest. No crickets, no hoots from an owl, not even her own frightened breathe. It was then that she noticed something to he absolute horror.
The door was wide open. Only darkness was visible within the doorway and it terrified her to no end. Once again her eyes grew wide but her pupils shrank. This was fear. Is this what Fluttershy felt all the time?! This sucked! She kicked a full grown dragon in the friggin face but now? Now she was sure this house could end her. Whatever confidence she had about anything died when she laid eyes on that door.
tap tap tap tap
The light sound of what appeared to be hoofs could be heard as an echo within the large mansion.
And then the door promptly slammed shut.
As soon as the door was closed the forest erupted and everything nearby fled to safety. When that door closed her mouth opened in a silent scream and only one word was present in Rainbow Dash's mind.
"NOPE."
Her wings were already 10 steps ahead of her and before she knew it she was quarter of mile away from the stuff of nightmares. Her face was frozen in an expression of severe terror. Refusing to look back, the thought of something evil following her, she only sped up her already tear jerking speed. Ponyville was in view and she had one destination in mind.
The library.
In front of the house with an ominous ambience stood a figure. It walked across the large yard to where the ''visitor' had stood.
In its place? A book. Titled 'The Anthology of Haunted Homes of Equestria'
Author's Note
This was not as good as I wanted it to be but alas, tis all I can do for now. Been busy as of late. Sorry if I put too much detail into this prologue bee tee double you. VERY WORDY IMMA SORRY
This is my first story EVER. If its bad tell me asap. If its good? Huzzah!
I know there's a lack of dialogue in this tiny chapter/prologue but I promise you there will be lots in the next. I should update by this week or next and expect a much longer chap. Lets saaay 8,000 words? The whole story should be 20,000 words long give or take. If I'm doing something right then tell me. If I'm doing something wrong? TELL. ME.
I have 4 other stories that need my attention and 5 more in pre development. Imma busy story dad. So bear with me.
