The Melody of Melancholy

A few hours passed, the words and the ghostly figure still playing on her thoughts. What in Equestria had such a power? And why exactly was it so willing to give her everything? Her thoughts were cut short by a sharp rap on her front door. Rarity made her way downstairs to greet whoever had come to visit. She slowly opened the door and gave a smile. Standing at the door was the postal service pony, his cap askew and what looked like a party invitation in his hooves. He handed it over, waiting politely while she read the invitation.

The handwriting was incredibly messy and had ink blotches all around. It was clearly written on bakery stationery, the numerous cupcakes, muffins and other pastries adorning the paper confirming her suspicions.

"Hi! If you've received this invitation, you're invited to the biggest, most stupendous, earliest Nightmare Night party ever! As one of Pinkie's many friends you'll surely have a ball, at a ball! Ha! Dress code is obviously spooky, costumes are absolutely necessary. Party begins at the spookiest time of six o'clock at night. Be there or you might get scared. Your party planning pal, Pinkie.

P.S. Don't be late

P.P.S. Unless you want to be fashionably late."

Rarity looked up from the invite, chuckling. The postal pony smiled awkwardly, wondering if he should be chuckling too. Rarity rummaged through the purse on the nearby coffee table and pulled out a small bag of bits. She handed it to the post pony, curtsying politely. "Thank you very much for delivering this at such a late hour."

"I appreciate the tip, you were actually my last stop for the evening. Enjoy your party!" He tipped his hat and headed on home.

Rarity shut the door behind her, wondering which of her many costumes to wear. Even though there were only a few more hours to prepare, one of Pinkie's esteemed parties wasn't something you wanted to miss. If it was anything like last time, Rarity knew for sure it would be a blast. Despite some concern over the words she was told earlier, she figured a party couldn't do any harm. Not like one belts into song midway through.

Her bedroom felt cold and eerily silent, the sewing machine still holding its last stitch. The nearby dustbin was full of the feathers that had littered the floor. Lifeless and unmoving though they were, Rarity couldn't help but shudder. She put on one of her favorite records and took a deep breath. The words calming her nerves, Rarity yanked open her closet door and looked at the many outfits hanging within. From ghosts, zombies and wereponies to vamponies, skeletons and every other manner of monster, she had so many different costumes to wear. Sifting through box after box, it didn't seem like she could find anything new.

A single costume fell off its hook and collapsed onto the floor, Rarity wandered over to pick it up. It looked unworn and new, it even had silver embroidery on what seemed to be its cape. She lifted the outfit into the air with her magic, admiring the delicate craftsmanship. There was only one problem. Rarity, for the life of her, couldn't remember making it. Almost like somepony else had made it without her even knowing. Shrugging, she tried to work out what monster it was meant to be.

It almost stumped her if it wasn't for the mask sitting beneath it. She picked it up and gently rapped it with her hoof. "An actual porcelain mask? I didn't think ponies still made these. It must be worth an absolute fortune!"

Rarity carefully put on the entire costume, making sure not to rip the clearly delicate stitching. The mask fit snugly over her cheek but left the rest of her face uncovered. "Oooh, Phantom of the Opera, a wonderful story, and an even more wonderful costume to go with it." She did a little twirl, the cape scraping against the floor. "Absolutely gorgeous..."

By the time she'd finished her makeup and making sure she wore her best perfume, it was already quarter to six. Despite only having half a face showing, the uncovered portion was caked in white with mascara drawn veins all around her neck. Rarity truly looked the part. She considered asking some nearby stallions for a carriage but instead settled for walking. Before turning to leave, she grabbed a large gift-wrapped box from under her bed. She carefully tucked it up inside the outfits coat pocket. Seemed as good a time as any to give Pinkie her gift.

Pinkie Pie pulled open the door before Rarity herself had even got close. The short trek from the boutique to Twilight's castle didn't exactly give her time to see her coming, but this was Pinkie after all. Unusual was her second middle name. "Hey Rarity! Nice to see you on time!"

"I overslept Pinkie, that's all. I'm not suddenly becoming some lazy mare who appears only when it suits her," Rarity huffed, clearly annoyed.

Pinkie grinned and pulled her inside. She turned back to her. "Relax, you're at a party now!"

Sure enough the main hall was full of ponies, most of them were from Ponyville, save Discord lurking in the back and Shining Armor having an animated conversation with his sister. Fluttershy fluttered over to them from where she was sitting. Her costume was that of a timberwolf, sticks and leaves poking out from the linen sack that served as the body. A pair of plastic, pointy teeth protruded from her lips.

"Awwwoooo! I'm a hungry little wolf!" Fluttershy held her hooves over her head and growled. "Well, am I scary enough?"

Rarity pretended to be startled, making a terrified face and stuttering slightly, "F-fluttershy? I thought you were a real timberwolf!"

"Oh I hope I didn't scare you too much..."

Pinkie wrapped a hoof around her neck, "Don't worry, Rarity's a big girl, she can look after herself!"

Fluttershy squeezed her head from Pinkie's grasp with a slight pop. "At least she doesn't throw a last minute party right after a busy picnic..."

Rarity covered her mouth as she snickered, having thought the very same when she read the invitation. Leaving the two of them to crack jokes at each other, Rarity headed over to the map table that was currently being used as a snack and drink table instead. Applejack was leaning against it, sipping on a large cup of cider. She was wearing a very simple but classic costume, the mummy. The one Nightmare Night outfit that requires absolutely no planning. She looked over at Rarity and nodded towards her fancy costume.

"How'd ya make that so quick, sugarcube? We only got the invites barely two hours ago! Then again, I wouldn't be surprised ta find ya have a dozen spares just for this reason." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Just like me and my spare hats."

"To tell you the truth, I didn't make it. Apparently someone left it hanging in my closet. Can you believe that?" Rarity held up the mask she was wearing. "And this is real porcelain, expensive to make these days."

Applejack gently took it from her hooves and turned it over. She pointed to two initials carved into it. "Ah don't know anypony by the initials, M.S. Must be some secret admirer of yours." She handed the mask back to Rarity and returned to sipping her drink.

Rarity carefully put it back over her face. "Well if it is, he better be charming. No lady wants their secret admirer to be some sort of creep." The cape snagged the side of the table and tripped her over, her face smacking loudly against the hard crystal floor.

Applejack helped her to her hooves. "You alright, sugarcube? That looked mighty painful."

Rarity could taste copper on her lips, wiping away a few specks of blood. "A split lip and a bruised ego, nothing major. Guess I am a little clumsy tonight."

"And 'ere I was about to ask if ya'd like some punch, on second thought maybe you should pass. Have some of Granny's cider instead." Applejack poured her a cup. "It'll at least wash away the taste of blood."

Rarity thanked her and took a long sip. The sweet taste of apples trickled down her throat. Sure enough it tasted as good as it always did, farm picked and juicier then anywhere else. Applejack chuckled, watching her expression change from pained to joy. That was usually how ponies reacted to the Apple family recipe.

The cider quickly emptied as Applejack and Rarity stood talking about their jobs and the weird autumn weather. Pinkie Pie hopped up onto a makeshift stage on the opposite corner of the hall, pulling a microphone out of seemingly nowhere. She nodded towards Twilight who proceeded to turn off all the lights. In the gloomy darkness a bright green image appeared where Pinkie had been standing. Apparently her costume was a glow-in-the-dark skeleton. Satisfied by the audiences reaction, a spotlight appeared on her face.

"Hi everypony! Thanks so much for coming to my early Nightmare Night party! Truth is, my family and I are going on holiday shortly so sadly the real Nightmare Night will be Pinkie-free. But that's ok, because tonight is going to be so much fun! There's gonna be games, cake, karaoke and apparently a stand-up routine by none other then Discord. Don't forget to have a spooktacular time!" Pinkie clapped her hooves together and the lights came back on with an eerie orange light.

Everypony gave her a round of applause and returned to their mingling. The discussion between Rarity and Applejack was cut short by a teleporting Discord who popped into existence between them. "Hello girls! How's my best-est couple doing?"

"Discord... we are not a couple. Nor will we ever be, so stop thinking otherwise. Besides, don't you have a new group of friends to pester?" Rarity gestured to Starlight and Trixie bobbing for apples over by the kitchen.

Discord looked over at them and stuck out his tongue. "Apple-bobbing is so last century. I should know, I watched them invent it. I also heard a rumor you met with an odd shopkeeper fellow and just had to ask for myself. I know of a few... unusual shops tucked away in good ole Canterlot."

Applejack raised an eyebrow, "What kinda shops exactly? All Rarity bought was some fancy-schmancy locket."

"A locket, you say?" Discord glanced at the jewel hanging from Rarity's neck, nodding slowly. "Very interesting..." Before either of them could ask what he meant by that, Discord had already teleported over to Twilight and began pestering her.

Applejack rolled her eyes and sighed. "Sometimes ah wonder why we ever let him out of that statue. Ah wouldn't worry about anything he says anyway, he's just tryin' to spook ya."

'Well he's doing a good job...' Rarity thought to herself. She asked Applejack if she could be excused and looked for the bathroom. After making sure nopony else was currently using it, she carefully removed the locket and put it in the sink. She poured some water over it and polished the jewel as much as she could. After scrubbing for several minutes, a large black glob of goo plopped into the sink. Rarity poked it with one of her hooves. It shivered slightly like it was cold.

A knock on the door made her look up. "I-I'm almost done here, hold on a second!" When she looked back the goo was gone. All that was left was the locket, dripping wet and looking completely normal. Rarity clipped it back around her neck and trotted out of the bathroom. A cross-legged Pinkie was bouncing beside the door, eager to go in.

"All yours, Pinkie!" She held the door open as the pink pony rushed past and into the single stall. Rarity let it shut behind her and returned to the party, where apparently the karaoke had started. Up on stage, Twilight was screaming the lyrics to some rock song which had to have been chosen by Rainbow Dash. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash was standing at the opposite end, singing the chorus.

Unfortunately for her, Twilight couldn't sing fast enough to catch up to the beat. Rainbow however was having no such problem. It went on far longer then such a song should, repeating the same few words again and again. Pinkie Pie came out of the bathroom and bounced up beside Rarity. "Hey you! How you liking the party so far?"

Rarity jumped up, turning to Pinkie with an embarrassed smile. "Darling, you scared the stuffing out of me. I was away with the fairies. Yes, yes, it's a wonderful party, as per usual." The gift-wrapped box Rarity had been carrying for awhile now, fell out onto the ground. It was flattened and awkwardly bent, probably from her earlier fall.

Pinkie picked it up and shook it but nothing rattled. Rarity nodded towards it. "That's for you, might've forgotten to give it to you earlier."

"It's a little squished, it wouldn't be broken would it?" Pinkie wondered, hoping for Rarity's sake it wasn't.

She shook her head and laughed, "Only if you hate eating a very flat cake."

Pinkie looked at her as if to say, who could ever hate cake. She opened up the box and bit into one of the pieces. A large dollop of cream, jam and sprinkles plopped onto the floor.

"It's also got a lot of filling..."

Pinkie licked it up off the floor much to Rarity's disgust and gobbled the rest down. When it came to dessert, Pinkie was like a four-legged piranha, devouring it all in a matter of minutes if not seconds. Pinkie let out a loud burp and licked her lips.

Rarity shook her head, annoyed at her manners. "At least I know you liked it."

"Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't YOU sing some karaoke, Rarity? I bet you've got an amazing singing voice!" Pinkie clapped her hooves together with excitement, hoping she'd say yes.

Rarity thought back to the figures words and started to tell her she wasn't interested but her words tumbled out into a yes, "I'd... love to, Pinkie! You don't even need to find me a song, I've already got one!"

Rarity felt the words escape her lips, yet she couldn't believe she was saying them. As if somepony else was guiding her words. She tried to keep herself from walking up onto the stage but her legs continued on, completely out of her control. It wasn't until the microphone was in her hooves and a hundred pairs of eyes were staring up at her, that she regained any control. By then it was already too late and the words to a song she'd never heard echoed through the hall.

"Fool you once, fool you twice, fool you three
times and your, heart is mine. Voice like an
angel, mane of silk, deep blue eyes pulling you
inside. Been generous, far too long, finally here to
take what's mine."

"I'm the beauty in your nightmares, the mare
of your dreams, to be with me is your one
true need. No need to fight, no need to scream
I'm just so sweet like strawberries and
cream."

"Fool you once, fool you twice, fool you three
times and your, heart is mine. Gaze like ice,
scent of a rose, words so soft whispering to
you. I'm in control, now you'll do as I say.
Trapped for so long, now I'm free to sing.
Generosity is a hell of a thing."

"Can you feel it, in your ears? Can you taste it,
on your lips? Can you smell it, so divine?
That's my seductive powers at work, poisoning
your mind, filling up your soul. Just a single
look, a single smile, we all want love and I
give it for free. "

"So feel my kiss, so cold and wet. Don't be going
anywhere darling, my plans just begun. One,
two, three, falling under my spell. Soon
Ponyville, will pay my dues, I've given my time,
now you better be kind."

Rarity felt her own voice returning as the song came to its end, wordless laughter echoed through her mind, each one like a needle through her brain. The locket was glowing a sickly purple, as were the eyes of everypony around her. They all seemed utterly enthralled by her, clapping their hooves in perfect harmony with each other. The only ones seemingly unaffected were the DJ currently bopping her head to some beat and Discord, with an uneasy look on his face. He looked around the room then up at Rarity, he gave her a pout and vanished.

Rarity was left stunned, unsure exactly what was happening. After several minutes the crowd returned back to being seemingly normal, waiting for her to start singing, completely unaware of the fact she had already sung. With a scared look on her face, Rarity threw the microphone away and ran out of the castle. Certain nopony was chasing after her she headed on home. The locket around her neck felt tight and slightly warm, as if it was excited.

Twilight burst through the door a little too late, calling out for the distraught Rarity. "Rarity! Come back! Tell us what happened!"

She burst through the front door of the Boutique, startling her sister who had just returned from Crusading. Sweetie Belle called up with a note of concern in her voice. Rarity ignored her, slamming the bedroom door behind her. She threw the costume onto the floor, looking at it like it was some evil creature.

What's with all the fuss? Now that we've sung together, all your dreams are about to become quite real. And that's only the beginning, believe me...

Rarity tried to tell the voice to go away but she suddenly felt all her energy evaporate. In a cold sweat she collapsed, completely unconscious. The only thing in her thoughts was a mysterious figure laughing from behind the cover of fog. That was the last thing she saw before the nightmares came.