Author's Note
Consider this my belated Halloween/ Nightmare Night Special. As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!
Out Of The Shadows
"Happy Nightmare Night!" Fillies and colts shouted as they knocked on wooden doors. A pony would then open said door, dressed in some silly or scary costume, passing out various candy and sweets into outstretched bags, each belonging to their own costumed filly. Nightmare Night was, at one point, a night of scares and freights. Now it was a time to dress as your favorite pony, get together with friends, roam the streets of Ponyville and usually get candy in the process. There was always the occasional scare, but it was now mostly a lighthearted mood. The laughs and smiles around him put a gentle, though slightly lonely smile on Nocturnal Silhouette's face just by the radiance of proximity. He walked down the main street- which was really just another dirt path- at Pinkie Pie's side. In truth, he didn't really know Pinkie that well, but she insisted that she walked with him until he found somepony he knew. Silo knew almost every pony in town, but only as acquaintances. Few ponies ever stuck around long enough for him to call a friend.
Taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the town was enough to make anypony feel at home. At this hour, things would usually be quieting down, but tonight would be a night of parties and celebrations- none of which Silo would be invited to. He admired the wood-and-plaster houses around him, all decorated for the holiday. The thatch rooves had wires running between them, upon which were draped banners and other various ornaments. The light odor of smoke from a distant fireplace wafted through the air, intermingling with that of homemade baked goods and bountiful potluck buffets, catering to the dozens of festivities occurring around town. The full moon had taken on a brightness almost as brilliant as the daily sun. No offense to Princess Celestia, but her sister was doubtlessly better with the moon.
Pinkie perked up upon seeing an orange earth pony with a blond mane walking up ahead. If Silo remembered correctly, her name was Applejack.
"That's my friend over there. You wanna tag along with her?" Pinkie asked.
"No, but you can go on ahead, if you want. I'm fine on my own." Silo replied.
"Are you sure? I can stay." Pinkie returned.
"It's fine. Go, be with your friend."
Pinkie bowed her head in disappointment and submission, then sped up to join the orange mare.
"Nightmare Night! What a freight! Give us something sweet to bite!"
Alone again, Silo wandered the town, enjoying the night in a way that only he could. He'd always had a fascination with the nighttime, ever since he was a colt. Something about the contrast of the day and the night, the sun and the moon, and the bright stars in the dark sky could leave him captivated for hours. He'd occasionally been known to stay up all night stargazing, and then sleep through the day. His Cutie Mark was even a group of stars, though he never quite understood why one star stood away from the rest, closer to his midsection.
The stars felt brighter than normal on this beautiful night. The temperature was almost perfectly mild, if slightly on the chilly side. Most of the lights in the town had been left unlit, with the moon and accompanying stars providing all the illumination necessary, as well as a gorgeous blue-white ambiance. Even the usual shadows and silhouettes of the night seemed less ominous than they typically would.
Silo could have admired the night for hours, had something not caught his eye. He had reached the edge of town, with the Everfree Forest not far in the distance. That was where he saw a sole pegasus, descending into the dense trees and vanishing from sight. Most ponies would have rubbed their eyes and called it an illusion, but Silo knew better. His vision was beyond perfect, giving him an uncanny ability to see in near-pitch-black lighting conditions. He always referred to it as his 'night vision.' With vision like his, there was no way his eyes were playing tricks on him. He had definitely seen a pony fly into those woods. Ignoring the instinctual urge to flee from his fears, Silo instead let his curiosity take control, and began trotting his way past the edge of town, through the small clearing, and to the brink of the juxtaposing tree line.
When he reached the trees, he kept going, granted he was now moving at a notably slower pace. He was cautious, but not paranoid. Thorough, but not obsessive. Anxious, yet somehow, not afraid. In a forest that was rumored to be evil, haunted, or cursed, the only real emotion he was able to glean from the woods was that of a depressed loneliness. He meandered for a full hour, but found nothing. Only too late did it occur to him that he might get lost...
Wide eyes darting left and right, Silo scanned for a way back, but to no avail. His usually impeccable sense of direction had miscarried him. He started to feel a panic, but not from being lost. His main concern was that he, a natural-born pathfinder, had managed to loose his bearing- a feat of incredibly difficult for a colt such as himself. How could he allow something like this to happen?
Knowing that loosing his cool would inevitably make things worse, Silo took a deep breath, and weighed his options. He could either aimlessly wander the woods, or wait until dawn, to see if the day might be able to shed light on a way out. Knowing that the latter was the best (and probably only) option, Silo found a patch of soft leaves, and laid himself down on the makeshift bed. Though he was most certainly a night-owl, sleep always came quickly but naturally.
Silo awoke with a start when he discovered a mare looming over him, mostly a silhouette against the bright moonlight. The sun wasn't even close to bearing it's rays, and Silo doubted he had slept for more than an hour. In the dark, he was able to make out that this mare was a pegasus, though something didn't quite fit right with her image. Her wings almost seemed like that of a... no, they couldn't be.
"Hello?" He quietly stated.
"Oh, you're up." She responded, seeming slightly startled, herself.
"Wh- what're you doing? Who are you?" Silo tried his best to remain calm.
"Well, you were sleeping right under my tree, and I was kinda hoping to be alone tonight."
"S- so you were just watching me sleep?"
"I was going to wake you up, but you just seemed so blissful. I don't know how you're able to sleep comfortably like that."
"Sleeping In the woods really isn't that bad. It's the ponies watching you sleep that make it creepy."
"No, I mean: how do you sleep laying down like that? I have to be hanging from something to be remotely comfortable." Suddenly her wing design made a whole lot more sense. Silo's eyes widened with the realization of who this mare was. She was no pegasus, she was a Thestral! One of the very creatures he had been taught to fear growing up! Yet somehow, he knew she wasn't there to harm him. Her cool demeanor, mixed with her gentle expression and light voice, were able to put him at ease.
"Judging by your eyes, I'm guessing you've never met a pony like me up close before, have you?" Silo could do nothing more than shake his head in his state of speechlessness.
"And now you're going to run off screaming, aren't you?"
"I t- thought about it." He nervously admitted upon regaining his voice, trying his hardest to return her kindness.
"Really? Most ponies would be gone by now, crying for help or squealing like fillies. What makes you so special?" The thestral questioned.
"You just don't seem quite as bad as I was raised to believe you'd be. I guess I'm more curious than anything."
"Curiosity can be dangerous. Aren't you afraid of me?"
"I'm afraid of the unknown. If you were to, say... introduce yourself, you wouldn't be unknown anymore." Silo led.
"Alright, my name is Darkstar, but you can leave it at Dark. Your turn. What's your name?" She sat down across from Silo, finally accepting that this stranger wouldn't run off like any other would.
"Nocturnal Silhouette, but most ponies call me Silo."
"Silo... Like the thing they have at farms?"
"Yes ma'am." He shakily faked a country accent. Darkstar did her best to suppress a laugh, but it wasn't enough. Something in her gentle laughter ebbed his fears away, replacing them with a desire to know who this mare was. If he didn't know any better, he might've even thought he had a crush on her. When she spoke again, the concern couldn't have felt more real.
"So, why aren't you back in town, celebrating the holiday?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Ha! Are you kidding me? There's no way I'm going into town. They'd just chase me right back out again, anyways. You never answered my question." She tried again.
"What's the point? Nopony invited me to any parties, and I'm a little too old to go door-to-door like I used to. I guess I'm just some outcast." Silo admitted self-depreciatingly.
"Really? You're going to talk to me about being an outcast? Let me show you something." She stood, outstretching her hoof to help Silo to his feet. Even though he had begun to comprehend that Darkstar meant no harm, he was still nervously hesitant to accept her help. Once they were both on their hooves, Darkstar took the lead, trotting off in the direction that Silo presumed Ponyville was.
"What did you want to show me?" Silo called, jogging to catch up.
"Just wait." She instructed. Doing as he was told, Silo simply tagged along, walking in silence through the uncharacteristically bright forest. Eventually, the trees looming around the pair gave way to a clearing, with houses not much farther, still alight with the hearty laughter of ponies enjoying the warm parties and accompanying beverages. It was likely that anypony old enough was at least slightly intoxicated with locally brewed hard cider or higher-end, imported drinks. Approaching the town, Darkstar issued a new set of directions.
"Just watch everypony's reaction when they see me. Then maybe you'll begin to understand true rejection from society." Still doing what he was told, Silo loosely followed Darkstar as she stepped onto the worn dirt path and into Ponyville. While most ponies usually kick up a small bit of loose dust while they walked, Darkstar's light-hoofedness allowed her to trot without disturbing the dirt, or even making a sound upon each hooffall. Without trying, Darkstar was essentially a ninja- and though he didn't want to admit it, a rather stunning one in the ambient candlelight.
Darkstar made her way through the thinning crowd, receiving only a few strange looks from the more observant ponies. Unless they looked very close, it was easy for them to dismiss her as just another costumed pegasus. The trio of ponies who actually suspected something simply shrugged it off when she continued on her way. Ponies continued to leave the streets, either going home or joining a late party. As Darkstar emerged from the other end of the almost nonexistent crowd, Silo caught up in time to notice her pleasantly surprised smile.
"I guess I never tried coming into town on Nightmare Night like this! They didn't chase me off for once!" She happily chimed. "I should take advantage of this! Oh, I know: let's crash a party!" She let her excitement take over.
"I don't think that's the best idea..." Silo advised.
"Aww, come on! Think about it! Two outcasts having a good time; making a name for themselves. Why didn't I do this sooner?!"
"I don't know, maybe we should try something more... subtle for now."
"Please?! This is the first chance I've had at doing something fun... well, ever! Pretty please?!" Silo hesitated, thinking it over.
"Oh, what the hay? Why not? I even know the perfect party."
"Where?"
"Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie will practically die from happiness if she finds out I decided to show up. She's always tried to get me to be less introverted."
"Wait, I don't want to kill anypony!"
"It's an expression. It means she'll be super thrilled to see me there."
"Oh, okay! Let's go!" She started jogging off in the wrong direction.
"Umm, Darkstar. It's this way." Silo used his hoof to gesture in the other direction.
"Right, I knew that!"
"Did you?"
"No." She bowed her head in a humorously and intentionally fake expression of guilt. They trotted toward the center of town side-by-side, leading most onlookers to question if they were in a relationship, and they might not have been wrong.
Standing outside of Sugarcube Corner with the door closed, the music was still audible. The multicolored disco lights were painting the windows with ever-changing neons. This was by far one of the least formal parties Pinkie had hosted, and it was intended to be that way. Silo knocked on the door, surprised when he actually got an answer. He doubted Pinkie would be able to hear somepony speaking in her ear with the volume of the music, let alone hear a knock on the door.
"Silo! You came! Ooh, and you brought a plus-one. I didn't know you had a marefriend!" Neither did I. Silo opened his mouth to say, but thought twice about it. Could Darkstar ever really be his marefriend? They hardly knew each other, yet he still felt drawn to her. She was just so entirely captivating.
"Just take it easy, please. This is her first time coming to a party like this." Silo cautioned.
"Of course! Come on in!" She exclaimed, motioning inside while pulling the door fully ajar.
Stepping into the building, Darkstar looked to Silo once Pinkie was out of earshot.
"You didn't correct her when she called us a couple." She stated.
"Should I have?" Silo smiled innocently.
"No, I'm just surprised... that doesn't bother you?"
"What?"
"Well, being with me, I guess. I'm just not used to ponies being nice to me, let alone considering a relationship."
...
"Look, we can talk about this later. Right now, you've got your first party to enjoy."
"We've got our first party." She glanced towards the center of the room. "Care to celebrate it with me on the dance floor?" She held out a hoof, which Silo wordlessly took with his own, grinning sheepishly.
The DJ watched the couple make their way onto the vibrantly illuminated through her purple shades. Just as they were about to start, she flashed them a mischievous smirk, and pressed a button with her hoof. The vicious blasting of electronics faded out, replaced by the timid down-tempo of a slower song, picked specifically for this occasion: a slow dance.
"Hey--!" Silo started, but cut himself off when Dark laid her head on his shoulder. He blushed heavily, but didn't shy away. After a thoughtful hesitation, Silo let his own head relax, resting it on Dark's. It slowly became easier to envision himself with her. It would be somewhat difficult, but he could make it work if Dark was willing. Though, judging from the way she was leaning on him, he had a felling he knew what her answer would be.
More and more ponies took notice of the adorable duo in the center of the floor, giving them a sizeable berth to work with. As the song drew to a close, and Dark and Silo pulled apart, the roof filled with an applause of hooves on ground. The pair blushed, but Silo took a bow. Darkstar followed up with a show-stopping curtsey. Unfortunately, it wasn't show-stopping in a good way. As she dipped for her curtsey, she spread her wings, not thinking. The crowd let out a collective gasp, and the music died. While most of the thestral look can be easily feigned, the wings are another matter, and everypony knew it. Spreading her wings unintentionally gave Darkstar away, and now she stood frozen among a crowd who knew her secret.
"Y-you're a th-thestral?" A pony stammered. Dark could do nothing more than look between the ponies of the audience, fearing the worst.
"She's the kindest pony you'll ever meet." Silo stood up for her.
"Why should we listen to you?! You're probably under some evil spell of hers!" Another pony called.
"Yeah! You brought her here!"
"They don't belong here!"
"Wait--!" Pinkie raised a hoof, but nopony let her finish. Silo's eyes met hers, and he gingerly shook his head.
"Get those monsters outta' here before they hurt somepony!"
Not wanting to stick around any longer, Silo Grabbed a still-frozen Darkstar by her hoof and rushed out the door. Afraid to turn around, Silo kept running. He let go of Dark, who silently kept pace, and they fled. Only after Ponyville was long behind them did the pair stop.
"I'm so stupid! How could I have thought that would work?!" Dark broke the silence.
"Hey-" Silo tried.
"And now I dragged you into this! This is all my fault!" She cried
"Come on-"
"I can't believe this. Just when I thought-"
"Stop it!" Silo brutally interrupted. "Listen, that sucked, but you can't let it get to you. You're not what they think you are, but nopony will ever know that if you just run away and feel sorry for yourself every time something like this happens."
"Then what do you suggest."
"Well, there's always the Lunar Guard."
"But what would you do? You couldn't come with me."
"We could probably force them to make an exception."
"You'd leave this life behind, just for me?"
"I've come this far. Besides, there's not much left for me here."
Silo opened his mouth to continue, but Dark stopped him in the most meaningful way she could think of. Before he even knew what was happening, her muzzle had met his, effectively silencing him. After what could have been hours, she pulled back slightly, but they were still face to face.
"I don't know what I'll do yet, but as long as I can do I with you, I don't care."
"I take it we're officially a couple now?" He wisecracked.
"What do you think?"
"I think I love you, and that's all that matters."
"I love you too."