Fear the Four

That night, it was clear that I won't be able to go to the concert but I didn't care. What mattered to me more was a certain alicorn mare. And I could feel her presence looking down at my peaceful, wounded form. I stirred a little and sat up. A black hoof was gently placed on my chest and gently pushed me back down on the bed. "Rest" Nightmare Moon said softly. I closed my eyes and did what she told me to do. I could feel her hoof stroke my chest. I grasped her hoof and held it a little tight. Nightmare Moon smiled and placed her other forehoof on top of my hand and stroke it lovingly. "Good night Cale" she whispered.

"Good night" I said tiredly. She used her magic to turn off my lights and teleported out if my room. Yep, I'd rather share a moment with Nightmare Moon to stay in 3-4 hour concert any day... Night of the week.

Back in the dark castle, the hooded and cloaked man that tailed us bowed before the shadowy man on the throne. "So let me get this straight" he said. "You caused three distractions, am I right?"

"Yes, my lord" the hooded said.

"You caused a building to catch on fire, you made a shadow thief run off with a small bundle of bits, and you stabbed one of the humans in the leg."

"That's right sir."

"Now see... This is what I don't understand..." His calm demeanor suddenly vanished. "WHY DIDN'T YOU GET INTO THEIR HEADS?!" The hooded and cloaked man staggered back. The shadow man stood up and approached him. "I ORDERED YOU TO GET INTO THEIR HEADS, GET NTO THEIR LIVES, FIND OUT IF THEY LOVE ANYPONY!" He was so mad then when he was yelling, the hooded and cloaked man could see sharp teeth and a triangular snake-like tongue along with with his yellow cat-like eyes. "AND I EVEN TOLD YOU TO FIND OUT THEIR WORST FEAR!" The hooded and cloaked man decided to stand up for himself.

"With all due respect sir..." The shadowy man clicked his fingers and three large spikes burst from the ground and impaled the hooded and cloaked man. Blood gushed out and spilled all over the floor. The hooded and cloaked man gasped and choked.

"I hate those four words" the shadow man said. He walked back over to his throne and stared at his impaled (and now dead) servant for a few seconds. He tapped the floor with his walking stick rhythmically and waited for a few seconds. Rising from the floor was his shadow.

"What can I do for you, Pitch Black, King of the Nightmares?" It asked.

"You know well that I'm bound to stay in this hellhole and can't leave at all, right?"

"Yes sire" the shadow said. "But I can."

"Indeed. Which is why I ask you to run the simplest task that my pathetic excuse of a servant couldn't do."

"Tail the four humans, get into their minds, find out their weaknesses, and even find out their fears?" It asked.

"You're catching on" Pitch Black said.

"It shall be done." The shadow slipped into the floor, and slithered across it swiftly and quickly. Pitch Black closed his eyes and smiled villainously at his own plan.

Canterlot

Chase was sprawled on an armchair with the pamphlet of the concert he came back from. He was snoring very lightly and occasionally hummed some musical notes from the song Octavia played. Pitch Black's shadow phased up from the carpet and approached the back of the chair. He wrapped his hands around from the back and placed them over either side of the young man's head. Chase began to moan and stir.

Castle Nightmare

"Don't worry Chase" Pitch Black said. "This is only a harmless nightmare. One you won't be able to wake from while it happens." He closed his eyes and focused. "So you like courting women. Using words to charm them and turn them down when they ask for sex. But what's this? Princess Twilight Sparkle? Oh... You love her and she loves you back. How touching. Oh, and you plan to propose? That's sweet. But what I really want to know us what creature scares you... Ah, there it is. There's the thing that frightens you." He chuckled evilly.

Canterlot

Pitch Black's shadow released its hold on Chase and slithered away, leaving the young man to jolt up from his sleep, panting. "Just a nightmare" he said quietly to himself. "Thank God." He was able to back to sleep and dream of something else.

Jack was sprawled shirtless on his bed, mouth slinging slightly open. Pitch Black's shadow clung into the ceiling, staring down at him. It stretched out its hand and lowered it near Jack's face. The second the hand touched his forehead, Jack winced.

Castle Nightmare

"Your past is boring, Jack. Pulling off a Robin Hood, steal from the cocky assholes to give to the ones who truly need them. No love interest, but you are the adoptive son of the rulers of the Crystal Empire. Very nice. Now... Lets see what scares... Aha! There it is! The creature you're scared of. Not bad, not bad. I know you're not the only one scared of this thing. Thanks for letting me see it."

Canterlot

The shadow quickly slipped away as Jack bolted upright with a gasp. He grasped his heart while taking steady breaths. "Fuck" he panted.

Remy was lying on his bed, sleeping like the rest. The shadow emerged from the dark corners of his room and approached him. He then placed its hand on his forehead. Remy cringed and let out a groan.

Castle Nightmare

"Handy with the guns I see" Pitch Black said. "Now I don't care about your... Oh! There it is! The being that scares you to your core. Hmm... I love it when these things scares people. But I won't complain if there are people who like them."

Canterlot

The shadow slipped away, but Remy didn't bolt upright. Instead, he remained lying on his bed, shuddering.

My leg was feeling much better after hours of rest and not moving it. I stirred on the bed and continued to sleep. Pitch Black's shadow phased out of the velvet carpet and turned to its humanoid shape and form. It stared at my sleeping body for several seconds. It then placed hand on my forehead and focused. I begun stirring and moaning.

Castle Nightmare

Pitch opened his eyes and smiled. "Ahh, Cale... I see you're a skilled assassin. You have a tragic past. A shame you had to save your family board a train away from where you currently lived. And what's this? The train crashed one hour it left the station? How unfortunate. Ah, Nightmare Moon seems to have a liking for you. How... Fucking boring. Now lets see what entity truly scares you." He grinned fiendishly. "Oh... This is going to be very interesting. Very interesting indeed."

The shadow unexpectedly appeared before him, but he didn't get startled. "My lord, with these four stalking these humans..."

"Relax, my dear shadow. There is a way to beat them, but they won't like it."

"Ah, they have to work together, but they can't because they're too scared?"

"Better. They'll have to go face-to-face with their own worse fear alone... In the dark."

"When can we summon them?"

"Midnight tomorrow."