The dark legends of Equestria

Chapter 1: The plan

The day was bright, all of Ponyville awoke to the bells of the cathedral, the bakers were baking, the pegasus raced and everypony was getting ready for Nightmare night, the decorations were getting ready for their function, the costumes for the fillies and colts were getting their final adjustements and Rarity was even more busy than usual.

In the streets, a group of fillies walked down the paths to their respective homes, but something was different about them, usually, in this time of the year, you could see the Cutie Mark Crusaders running to Rarity's to get their costumes as early as possible, and then, they would start getting ready for the anual tour of the city, collecting lots of candies and sweets, but this year was different, the Crusaders weren't that happy, their reactions to this year's Nightmare Night were just average reactions.

At the end of the same path, a young dragon was a little bit down too, his upcoming Nightmare night was already being planned by Twilight, but he didn't seem all that interested, he didn't know why, but it seemed like things weren't the same anymore, his younger self would get so excited about this time of year, that it probably would start collecting candy before the night.

They walked until the group of fillies met with the dragon, things were a little bit awkward at first, but everything seemed to disolve when Apple Bloom spoke:

"Huh, hello Spike" Said Apple Bloom awkwardly.

"Hello girls" Said Spike, looking up at the three fillies.

"Hello Spike" Replied Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

"How is it? your day I mean" Said Spike, not really interested in their day, but things were going to be awkward again if no one said anything again.

"Well, is fine, I guess" Said Sweetie, looking at the ground.

"It doesn't seem like it, what happened?" Said Spike, curious about the unicorn's reaction.

"Is nothing Spike, really, well, and yours?" Said Scootaloo, wanting to change the subject.

"Not so great, Twilight is planning my Nightmare Night already" Said Spike, rolling his eyes.

The crusaders opened their eyed widely, was Spike really not interested in a Nightmare night plan?

"Wait, Spike, are you excited for this year's Nightmare night?" Asked Apple Bloom with one eyebrow raised.

"Well, when I was younger, I couldn't wait for nightmare night, all the costumes, all the spoopy decorations, the spirit was really present in our souls, but lately, I don't know why, but I'm not exciteed about the night anymore" When the final word left Spike's mouth, the crusaders let out a long sigh of relief, it seems they aren't the only ones who aren't attracted by the holiday anymore. When Spike sw their sigh, he was confused, why were they doing it? are they tired? something is not right here.

"Wow, thank goodness someone understands us at last" Said Scootaloo, making Spike even more confused than he already was.

"Yes, finally, at least Spike knows how does it feel" Sweetie Belle said, the other crusaders nodded in agreement.

"Girls, what are you saying?" Spike said, if they are so relieved, at least they had to say what was it about, right?

"Spike, we have been talking about our past Nightmare nights, and we concluded that we don't feel the same anymore, everything seems so normal now" Apple Bloom said, talking for the other two crusaders.

"Wow, I thought I was the only one that wasn't really excited about the night anymore, thank Celestia I found you girls, now, why aren't you interested in the festivity anymore?" Said Spike, by this time, he wanted to hear all about it, now he wanted to hear their reasons, you know, to see if they are similar to his.

"Well, when we were even more young, we found Nightmare night a very good holiday, it had everything we wanted: Awesome decorations, spooky costumes, candy... But as time went on, we noticed that the decorations were getting lame, the costumes were getting ridiculous and the candy... Well, I can't say anything bad about it, but still" Said Scootaloo, getting a nod from the other crusaders and Spike when the part about the candy popped up.

"Hey! those are my reasons too! I also feel that the costumes are getting sillier, and the decorations are getting cringy instead of cooler" Said Spike, getting a smile from the crusaders.

"I know, right? and the stories, wow, the stories were the best in their time, but now, they are just silly fake stories" Said Sweetie Belle, wanting to make the point clear.

"Hey! now don't you talk those things about the stories, they are still the best of the best!" Said Apple Bloom, getting an amused look from her companions.

"Well, they are OK, but they could be better" Said Spike , Scootaloo turned her head towards him.

"And you think you could tell a better story than all the modern ones?" Said Scootaloo.

"Why, of course! and you?" Replied Spike.

"Yes, of course, and if you are so confident, tell it right now" Said Scootaloo, sitting in the middle of the road.

"I can't tell it here Scoots, Twilight is waiting for me, and I think your families are waiting for you too" The crusaders thought about it for a moment, before realizing it was true.

"But, if not now, when? Questioned Sweetie.

"Yes, when? Nightmare night is tomorrow" Said Apple Bloom.

The four of them thought about it for a moment, they thought about a plan to tell stories without their families in, because they're probably just going to say that those stories aren't suited for them, suddenly, Spike knew the answer;

"I know what we can do! What if each one of us sneaks out of our homes in the night and do some sort of a campfire in some place?"

The crusaders thought about it before asking:

"Maybe that would be a good idea, but where?"

Spike thought once again, but he knew the answer in less time than before.

"What about the outside of the Everfree Forest? that way, nopony will know what we are doing"

Apple Bloom shook her head before asking: "What? are you crazy? the Everfree Forest? what about the creatures inside it?"

"That's why we are going to camp around the forest, not inside it, you silly filly" Said Spike with a giggle.

"Oh, yeah, that could work too" Said Apple Bloom blushing.

The plan was done, everyone sneaked out of their homes, and begun searching for the other three, when they reunited, they made sure that the forest was as far away as possible, but the town was near as well, so they found the point between the forest and the town and they installed their tents.

Each one had brought their own tent and some food, but no one brought something to make fire, so, they began searching wood sticks and some stones and small rocks. They made fire like their book had thought them, just to make sure the fire didn't spread.

Everything was settled, the fire, the marshmallows, the tents, everything except something they forgot, but they instantly remembered when Scootaloo spoke:

"Well, who is going first?"