Prologue: Revival and Arrival
Out in the Everfree Forest, a statue - overgrown by years of plant life - began to darken, the stone slowly beginning to turn black as evil energy began seeping from the dormant object.
Celestia, in the middle of her day court and listening to this stuck-up noble ranting about how the non-noble mares from the last Grand Galloping Gala should be made to pay reparations for the damages and emotional stress they'd caused, suddenly stiffened, her eyes widening ever-so-slightly.
"I'm sorry, Blueblood, but I'm afraid this matter will have to be settled another time." The solar monarch said, cutting off the royal unicorn.
"But auntie-"
"Blueblood, I have sensed an old... acquaintance of mine rising once again." She said, fixing her nephew with a gentle, but firm, look. "As such, I must make preparations for his return."
Blueblood pouted, knowing there was no way he'd be able to turn his aunt's attention to the more important matter at hoof - making those commoner mares pay for what they'd done! - but quietly turned and left as Celestia lit her horn and summoned a piece of parchment and a quill, and began writing a letter.
The statue turned completely black, the construct transforming into what could only be described as complete darkness taking the form of a tall earth pony. Seconds later, a pony skull began forming over the creature's head, two golden eyes staring out into its surroundings.
The creature let out a dark chuckle, and began to walk.
The Element bearers stared down the Everfree Forest, standing just outside the foreboding woods; despite the forest being an inanimate thing, they couldn't help but get the feeling that it was staring back at them.
"What're we supposed ta do 'ere again, Twi?" Applejack asked, glancing at her alicorn friend.
"Princess Celestia said to wait here for her, and that's all she said." Twilight responded, glancing back at her friend.
"She didn't say anything about why we had to be here?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"No, but she said it was urgent and that she'd arrive as soon as-"
Twilight was cut off as a piercing scream of terror rang out, coming from the darkened woods in front of them. All six ponies jumped, Fluttershy freezing in horror as Pinkie's mane actually deflated a bit and Rarity whimpered a little in fright. Rainbow Dash tried putting on a brave face, as did Applejack, while Twilight stared analytically into the trees, trying not to shake.
Seconds later, what appeared to be a dark-grey earth pony filly came streaking out of the woods, her expression one of terror. She got a hopeful look in her eye as she spotted the bearers, but something shot out of the woods and wrapped around her hind legs, tripping her up and causing her to shriek before being dragged back into the darkness of the trees, despite the bearers rushing to help.
Another scream rang out, followed by a wet crunch and the scream abruptly cutting off. Fluttershy was not practically catatonic in fright, Pinkie's mane had completely deflated, Rarity and Applejack both looked extremely pale, Rainbow Dash looked terrified, and Twilight was unable to hide her trembling.
They all jumped as a raspy voice spoke up.
"Well, well, what have we here?" It chuckled, a pair of golden eyes appearing in the shade of the Forest. "More visitors?"
Everypony there took a step back as the creature chuckled again. "Oh, sorry, where are my manners..."
What looked like a pony made of condensed black smoke wearing a bleached-white pony skull stepped into view, two golden eyes shining behind the skull's eyesockets.
"My name is Deimos." The creature said, giving them a mocking bow. "To what do I owe the pleasure? Surely you weren't here for that poor little filly, were you?"
"W-what are you?" Twilight whispered, her legs trembling, as were everypony else's. Deimos cocked its head to the side, and they all got the impression it was smiling under that skull.
"I am-"
It was cut off by a bright flash of light, signaling Celestia's arrival. Deimos blinked as Celestia planted herself between the bearers and the creature of darkness.
"That is enough, Deimos." She scolded. "You've had your fun, now drop this facade."
To the surprise of the bearers, Deimos's body flickered before changing - now, in place of the terrifying monster from before, was an average-looking pony with a jet-black coat and a crimson mane and tail - the one detail that remained the same were his eyes, which were still a shade of bright gold. The only other discerning mark was what appeared to be a picture of a pony skull in place of his Cutie Mark.
Deimos laughed. "Come on, Celestia - I'm fear itself! How could I not scare some ponies after just being freed from imprisonment?" His gaze turned to the terrified bearers. "By the way, just in case you were wondering: that filly you saw wasn't real."
"W-what?" Twilight blinked.
"She wasn't real." Deimos repeated, a grin spreading across his muzzle. "As the embodiment of fear, I can create hallucinations and such to terrify ponies. What you saw was just an illusion." He laughed, sounding completely normal.
"Why you-!" Rainbow Dash growled, preparing to clobber this guy, but was quickly restrained by her friends as Celestia shook her head.
"Like I said a thousand years ago, Deimos - if you keep scaring ponies like that, they're going to demand you be sealed away."
"Oh come on, you know I can't resist!" Deimos chuckled again, still sounding normal. "I feed off of fear the same way Changelings feed off of love, which means I get my kicks and get to eat at the same time!"
Celestia sighed, and turned to the bearers. "Girls... I'd like you to meet Deimos, Equestria's embodiment of fear and a personal friend of mine."
"Yo." Deimos waved a hoof at them all with a crooked smile.
Deimos trotted along the town streets, looking for all intents and purposes like an average pony... though those around him couldn't help but wonder why they felt a shiver run up their spine whenever he was near; those who saw his pony-skull Cutie Mark had the same reaction.
Arriving at Sugarcube Corner, he walked inside. Pinkie Pie was manning the counter and gave him a wide smile and am enthusiastic wave, seemingly having forgotten about his terrifying introduction just yesterday.
"Hey there, D!" She said, calling him by her nickname for him. Deimos didn't really mind - actually, he kinda liked it.
"Heya." He said, smiling at her. "So, I've been hearing a few things about you being one of the best pranksters around, is that correct?"
"Well, I usually prank with Rainbow Dash... but between us, I'm usually the one who comes up with the ideas!" She leaned in and whispered the last part conspiratorially, glancing around the empty bakery. Deimos chuckled.
"Well, would you be willing to help me out with a few pranks, then? Nightmare Night is coming up, after all... interested?"
Pinkie's smile grew wider.
Twilight rolled out of bed with a grumble, barely even taking notice of the few inches of blood filling the room. She casually waded through it until she reached the door, at which point it disappeared.
Behind said door was Deimos, wearing a disappointed expression. "Come on, not even a little scared?" He prodded.
"Not in the slightest, Deimos." Twilight replied, giving him a deadpan look.
"Why not?" Deimos whined, sounding a bit like a young foal.
"Because you've been giving me wake-up scares for the past week, and helping Pinkie jumpscare the town." She replied flatly, moving past him as she headed downstairs.
"So, what you're saying is... you're used to it?" He asked.
"Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying." Twilight replied as Spike yawned and placed a slice of bread in front of her... which quickly turned to a swarm of bugs and scuttled off. Twilight sighed. "Again? Really?"
Deimos pouted. "Fine then, guess I'll have to kick it up a notch."
"Or, you could stop altogether. Just a thought." She said back, grabbing a new slice of bread and taking a bite out of it.
"I feed off fear the same way a changeling feeds off of love, I have to scare people or I'll starve!" Deimos protested.
"Then go scare the monsters in the Everfree Forest or something." Twilight replied, taking another bite.
Deimos sighed sadly and teleported away.
Deimos wandered through trees and shrubs, looking for something to scare. He'd decided to try out Twilight's theory of scaring the residents of the Everfree Forest, mostly to see if they could actually feed him with their fear.
As it turns out, they could sense him coming from miles away and would run off before he could get close enough to feed off them.
Deimos sighed in irritation as he once again found another empty clearing - though a sudden flash of green in the shadows across from him caught his eye.
To his confusion, an exact copy of himself walked out into the light... scratch that, make that several copies, he mentally added as half a dozen more 'Deimos'-s walked into the clearing.
Turning, he found another half-dozen clones behind him, blocking his escape as the first ones moved forward. Deimos glanced at them, grinning ferally.
"You think I'm trapped in this clearing with you, right?" He asked, the clones stopping in confusion. "Well, you're wrong."
An inky blackness suddenly surged forth from the shadows of the trees, forming a large dome around the clearing and trapping everything inside it. The clones glanced around in confusion and, to Deimos's delight, fright. Their fear tasted... delightful.
"You're all trapped in here with me." His grin grew wider as his body rippled and transformed.
By the time Deimos returned to Ponyville, he was fully satisfied - he now had enough fear from those Changelings stored up to last him a few weeks!
Back in the Everfree, however, those thirteen Changelings slowly began to change...
Twilight woke up and stretched, yawning as she did so. She blinked the sleep from her eyes as she slid out of bed... only to feel her hooves make a squishy sound as she touched the floor. Confused, she looked down... and found herself standing in the ripped-open ribcage of a pony.
Shrieking in disgust and horror, Twilight threw herself back onto the bed, leaving red streaks across the sheets as she stared at the corpse, starting to hyperventilate.
A thump from beside the bed caused her head to snap towards the sound, seeing another body having slumped out of a dresser she'd recently gotten. She shrieked in fear again, curling up on herself as she lay in a fetal position and closed her eyes, just in case her bedroom held any more unwelcome surprises.
"Okay Twilight, what do you want for break- TWILIGHT!?" Spike's voice asked before rising into a shout of terror. "A-are you alright?!"
Twilight raised her head to ask Spike if everything looked okay... only to blink in confusion. Spike was standing where the body had been just a minute ago, but there was nothing there. The unicorn spun around and looked at the dresser - completely clean and body-free.
Her head snapped around again as she heard a chuckle. Standing in the doorway was a familiar black stallion, the sight of which brought back the memories of yesterday's events.
Twilight glared at Deimos as he smiled. "Something wrong?" He asked, an innocent grin on his face.
"What did you do to Twilight?!" Spike demanded, rounding on Deimos. The embodiment of fear chuckled again.
"Just gave her a wake-up scare, nothing to worry about." He said, waving his hoof nonchalantly. "Besides, I got some breakfast of my own out of it." He added with yet another chuckle before turning to head downstairs.
Grumbling, Twilight got out of bed again and stomped over to the bathroom to wash up.
