Fluttershy locked her door, pulled the shades across her windows, and turned on all the lights in the house so she wouldn’t have to be in the dark.
She did this every Nightmare Night.
She knew she was just being a silly scared filly when doing this but…she just could never stand Nightmare Night. Ever since “it” happened…she just couldn't bear the thought of ponies trying to scare her or coming to her for candy in scary costumes. She really wondered why they even had this stupid holiday anymore. Princess Luna had been back for so long now. Couldn’t they just create a different holiday, one that was less scary?
She just did this to feel safe and since it normally worked, she kept with it. It was more of a tradition for her and after a while, she just embraced it and did her own thing. Sure, she got lonely on these nights but it was better than what the other ponies were doing…it just gave her the chills.
She sat comfortably on the couch and snuggled her blanket around her body. She sipped her hot cider and listened to all her little animal friends sleep by the fire and in their little homes. Some were outside and sleeping there. She felt peaceful.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door and she shrieked. She looked down to see some cider spilled on her rug. She clicked her tongue.
“Oh dear…”
“Fluttershy?”
“Uhh…Fluttershy isn’t home at the moment…please go away…if you don’t mind…”
“Oh come on Fluttershy…you can’t keep doing this every year…”
“I can so Rainbowdash and you cannot make me go out there,” Fluttershy responded.
“You have been doing this ever since we were like five years old, just come on and have fun with me and the girls,” Rainbowdash said in an irritated tone.
“It was six years old. Anyway, no…I said no and that mean no. Please…I just don’t want to be out there right now with all those scary costumes and such. You’re my best friend so you understand, don’t you?” Fluttershy asked.
“Whatever Flutters, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Rainbowdash said, not wanting to leave Fluttershy but also not wanting to abandon her other friends who were waiting for her. Plus, all the pranks she could be pulling were calling her name!
“Alright, bye Rainbow. Have a nice time.” Fluttershy was satisfied with her level of assertiveness. She then snuggled back into her warm and soothing soft blankets. She set her cider cup down on the small table next to her and shut her eyes.
She wasn’t tired but she was relaxed. She then started feeling kind of alone. She sort of wished Rainbowdash would have stayed with her or something. She started wishing she could spend this holiday, though she hated it, with somepony she cared about. No matter what holiday, even if it is the scariest one of the year, ponies want the company to make them feel good and share a story and laugh with.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. She was expecting this that time since she knew it was bound to happen a few times for sure. She was of course still quite annoyed with it. She yelled in her petite voice.
“I am not giving out candy so please leave. Sorry my little fillies,” she yelled in the most polite way she possibly could.
There was another knock and then…silence?
She tilted her head at that. That was peculiar.
“Sorry but please go away. I don’t mean to be rude but…I don’t do the Nightmare Night stuff,” Fluttershy called out again.
Suddenly all the lights went out and Fluttershy squeaked and jumped in the fetal position on her floor when a clasp of lightening shot from her ceiling behind her.
She was shaking and shivering on the floor, whimpering as she hid under her hooves. Suddenly, she heard…laughter?
“Oh that was priceless my dear, we really should make this a yearly thing! Think of all the pranks we can pull on ponies! Oh…just too good!” A familiar voice said.
Fluttershy looked up at the prankster. She figured as much; Discord.
“Discord, why in the wide world of Equestria would you do something like that? You know I scare easily and…I hate Nightmare Night for a lot of reasons, pranks being one of the big ones,” Fluttershy explained in an irritated tone.
“Sorry my dear…wait…did you just say you hate…Nightmare Night? Why?” Discord asked with curiosity lighting his eyes up.
“Oh…just something that happened a few years ago and…well…I hate things that are startling or scary…I just can’t take it,” Fluttershy explained in a hushed and embarrassed tone of voice.
“Oh my dear…I had no idea that this would get to you so much. It was all in good fun, I swear. I’ll just save the good ones for ponies I don’t like. You on the other hoof…well…I wouldn’t want to cause you distress,” Discord stated sweetly to his favorite mare.
“Thank you Discord, now why aren’t you having fun with the other ponies out there? You’re accepted now. You know you can go have fun and participate in those activities as long as you don’t use your powers too strongly,” Fluttershy stated.
“Meh, I would rather be spending time with you my dear,” Discord said.
“Aww, well thank you Discord. Are you sure? I am just relaxing by my fire and enjoying some hot cider. Would you like some?”
Discord sat down on one side of the couch, making sure there was room for her. He snapped and made a hot cider cup appear in his claw.
Fluttershy smiled and sat down next to him. She pulled the cover over her petite little body and snuggled up. She took a breath in, and out.
“It’s so peaceful tonight, isn't it Discord?” Fluttershy asked.
“Oh um…yeah…it’s nice,” Discord said, starting to wonder what was so nice about sitting here doing nothing.
He then snuck a glance at Fluttershy. Now he knew why he was okay with spending this time doing nothing. He would give up all his powers just to hold his dearest angel in his arms and spend eternity with her.
“I just feel so nice when there is no noise and distractions. I just don’t like craziness and...”
“Chaos?” Discord asked sadly.
“Oh no…not like that. You are the good kind Discord. It’s the bad and obnoxious chaos and craziness that I do not like,” Fluttershy said with anger rising in her voice.
Discord decided he should try and comfort her.
“Umm…would you like to talk about why you don’t like Nightmare Night so much?” Discord asked rather politely.
“Well…I don’t know…it is kind of sad and…embarrassing…” Fluttershy said, a blush rising in her yellow and sweet cheeks.
Discord looked at her and smiled. He put a claw under her chin and tilted her head so that her eyes were locked with his.
“There is no reason to be embarrassed when telling me anything. I love hearing it my dear,” Discord said in a hushed voice. Fluttershy was about to look away but she felt like she couldn’t look away from his eyes. They were so handsome looking and dreamy. She sighed and nodded.
You would think he was hypnotizing her but he was doing nothing of the sort.
“Well a few years ago…I was trick or treating with Rainbowdash and some other fillies that weren’t as mean to me as others were. My friends finally came to the ground for Nightmare Night and since I had moved to Pony Ville, I was excited to spend time with my friends.
"When my parents told me that I would be moving to Pony Ville since flight school and flying were not the best things for me. I was excited…however I started missing Rainbowdash and some of the other nicer fillies. There weren’t many, but still a few was better than nothing. In other words...I was a bit lonely. I loved being with my animals but everypony seeks company from other ponies at some point. It surprised me but I knew that was the way it was. That was the reason I was so excited for Nightmare Night.
"You see, I had always loved that holiday before that one year. The fun of dressing up as anypony you wanted to be and getting candy from nice ponies who wanted to put a smile on one another’s faces. It was nice. I ignored the scary stuff and only saw the fun and nice stuff. Just…that one year…everything changed for me.
"My parents walked me half way to the middle of town as usual, but my friends met up with me at that point. My mother and father didn't want to leave me however, I insisted that they do since they had been wanting to spend time with one another and I reassured them that…I would be…alright…” Fluttershy started to tear up and she buried her face into her hooves.
Discord wrapped his arms around Fluttershy, making his cup disappear. He snapped and everything was cleaned up and the blanket was now shared on both of them and ten times softer and warmer. He wanted to make her as comfortable as he could.
“You don’t have to go on if you don’t want to my dear, it’s fine if it hurts too much but if you need to, I am always here for you to cry to and you can always lay your beautiful face on my shoulder. I am always going to be here for you.” She looked up at him as he spoke these kind and comforting words. “I love you.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened and Discord blushed as he realized what he had said. Fluttershy then wiped her tears away and laid a hoof on his shoulder.
“I love you too Discord,” Fluttershy said with now tears of joy streaming down her already wetted cheeks.
They then wrapped their arms around one another in a warm and sweet embrace. Discord wouldn't have given this up for anything. He focused on every trait; her sweetness and kindness, her beauty, her long flowing mane, her warmth that surrounded him as she hugged his body. Nothing could be better than this.
Fluttershy then pulled away from him and put her lips on his, deepening the kiss with every motion. He closed his eyes and focused on that feeling now. He now knew that nothing was better than this.
She pulled away and snuggled up to him. She whispered in a hushed tone once more,
“I love you Discord. Can I keep telling you what happened? As long as you’re with me…I won’t feel bad about crying or being sad….as long as it doesn’t bother you. Oh it doesn’t bother you, does it?” She asked.
Discord looked lovingly at his lovely little Fluttershy.
“I love hearing you speak, no matter what you’re saying. You are perfect in all ways to me. Nopony compares to you my sweet,” Discord said.
Fluttershy smiled and began to tell more of her tale, as her head rested on his chest.
“When I left to go with my friends…my parents left back home and I went out trick or treating. Everything was going wonderfully and we had gotten so much candy.” Fluttershy sniffled a little as she spoke. She went on. “However Rainbowdash went away for a bit to go bob for apples and the rest of us went to one last house for the night and then…some colts…they…they started picking on me and then they threw food at me and…were just awful…” Fluttershy whimpered into his chest again and tried to stay strong but broke a little with every word.
“Shhhh, it will be alright my dear. Shhhh,” Discord shushed her soothingly. He petted her mane snapped his claw, making tissues appear. He held it up to her muzzle. She blew her nose and wiped away more tears. She just closed her eyes and started speaking again. Discord did not stop her.
“After they left, laughing at me as they went, I cried and started home. Rainbowdash came back from bobbing apples and saw my state and tried to ask me what was wrong but I was too sad to talk to anypony at that moment. I just ran home as fast as I could and when I got there…my…m-my parents were…gone…not there I mean, and when I asked our neighbors where they were…they said that they were in the hospital from a lightening streak that came from the Everfree forest. Somehow it came all the way to the boarder and they were taking a walk…ear that boarder. It struck both of them down and some ponies found them and took them to the hospital.
I rushed there myself, my neighbor following me, making sure I would be okay. I was only a filly after all.
When I got there…my father had already flat lined…a-and…my mother was in a horrific state…she…she…she was s-so close to death and then…she passed away as I came to her. I laid my hoof on her heart and she felt cold. I laid my head on her and every other inch of her was hot…except her chest; her heart. It was cold with death. I then went to my father and it was the same with him. I just sat there and cried. I switched sides and finally the doctors told me that I would have to go so they could figure out where I would go since I was an orphan…I had no desire to leave but I had to.
The pony orphanage took me in until my Aunt Tulip Chaser and came to pick me up. She was the one who cared for me until I was grown enough to live on my own. Needless to say…I never went trick or treating or participated in Nightmare Night again.”
Discord listened and absorbed every word. He listened attentively and now that she was done, he himself was almost in tears himself for his lovely Fluttershy.
She seemed to be fine though. It was hard for her at first but now, she had just felt good to get it all out. She was also glad that Discord had listened to her and comforted her.
She then snuggled into his chest once more and closed her eyes, falling into a deep slumber, happy that she spent this Nightmare night in somepony’s company.
Discord felt the same way. He always liked Nightmare Night for the pranks but now…it was because it would always remind him of this night.
