Cutie Mark Crusaders: Legend Hunters

Chapters

The Assignment
Sweetie's Blunder
Suiting Up
On the Rails
Welcome to Hollow Shades
Crow Quill
The Castle and the Mare
The Plan
Castle Crashers
Into the Dark
Scootaloo
The Hollow Shades Vampony
The White Tail Witch
The Story Behind the Story
Confronting Crow Quill
Epilogue
Sweetie Belle

The Assignment

It was a particularly chilly autumn morning in Ponyville. The sky was overcast with light grey clouds, orange leaves fluttered from steadily bearing trees onto the ground, and ponies were seen sporting padded hats and jackets as they opened up their shops and went around the square and marketplace on their rounds. Many may have been convinced winter was already coming, had it not been for the fact that Nightmare Night was just around the corner.

The upcoming holiday hadn’t gone unnoticed, however. Everypony in town was in high spirits, with houses and shops becoming covered in decorations and posters hung up around town for the annual Nightmare Night town party. Arguably the most excited for the holiday were the foals in town, finding the fun of the games and the frights of Zecora’s ghost stories really exciting.

Among the excited foals were Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Fillies, best friends, and Cutie Mark Crusaders. Not to mention the only ponies in Ponyville to sport matching cutie marks. And while they were excited for Nightmare Night, it wasn’t the town party they were buzzing about to each other on the way to their last day of school before their autumn break.

“How awesome was it of Rainbow Dash to let us go with her?” The orange Pegasus chirped, her little orange wings fluttering with excitement. “Apparently the Hollow Shades Horrrorfest is the best Nightmare Night party in Equestria!”

The white Unicorn, Sweetie Belle, let out a quiet, tired yawn. “We know, Scootaloo. You’ve been telling us every day for the past week.”

“Well it is really excitin’,” added the yellow Earth Pony, Apple Bloom. “Ah’m mostly surprised Applejack’s lettin’ me go. I was expectin’ her to make me stay and help with the corn maze.”

Scootaloo snorted into her hoof. “Maybe she finally realised going to a week-long Nightmare Night party is more exciting than a bunch of corn?”

Apple Bloom shot her friend a look, but she didn’t say anything back. Mainly because she was right; going to a party organised by a town with arguably the most Nightmare Night spirit in Equestria was much more fun than doing the corn maze again.

She turned her gaze to Sweetie Belle. “Y’all think Rarity’s done with our costumes yet?”

The Unicorn nodded, grinning ear to ear. “Yup! She said we can come by after school to try them on, in case she needs to alter anything.”

“Have ya seen them yet?” asked Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle shook her head, then raised her chin up. “What fun is Nightmare Night without the surprises, darling?” she said, in an exaggerated impression of her sister’s voice, and other foals nearing the Ponyville Schoolhouse turned to give confused looks at the Crusaders as they howled with laughter.

Miss Cheerilee ushered her students into the Schoolhouse and they all got to their seats, talking excitedly to each other about what costumes they’d be wearing for Nightmare Night, or what they were looking forward to most in the town party. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were boasting about the princess dresses they had ordered especially for the night. Despite no longer being the class bullies and being much nicer than they used to be, they still had a bit of a haughty attitude.
The Crusaders almost felt disappointed, since they would be out at Hollow Shades for Nightmare Night so they wouldn’t get to see these special costumes of theirs.

“Alright everypony, settle down,” Cheerilee called over the muttering, and smiled once the foals had quietened down. “I know you’re all excited to get your autumn break started, but we still have one more day of school first. Before we start though, I have an assignment for you all to do for the week you’re off.”
She rolled her eyes at the resulting groans.
“But it’th Nightmare Night!” complained Twist.
“Surely our work can wait until we return?” Pipsqueak suggested.
“I’d be fine with no work at all,” snarked Diamond Tiara. Silver Spoon nodded agreement.
“Now now, you all will have a week before Nightmare Night even starts,” Cheerilee pointed out, her tone suggesting she had rehearsed this a hundred times in her head. “Plus, it’ll be a fun one. I want you all to make a report on scary legends of Equestria.”
That seemed to get everypony’s attention, and Cheerilee had to fight the triumphant smirk trying to grow on her muzzle. She even allowed them a chance to resume their excited murmuring amongst themselves.

“Wow, something interesting to do for school?” Scootaloo muttered to her fellow Crusaders. “What put Miss Cheerilee in a good mood?”
“Maybe it’s because she gets a week off work too?” suggested Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom shrugged. “Either way, sounds mighty fun!”

“Now then,” Cheerilee went on over the foals, who quietened down to listen, “all of you can join up in groups or work on your own. You can research whichever legend you like, but make sure to show a lot of research. Quality over quantity.”
While the class were asking each other who would like to team up, the teacher went behind her desk and, with a bit of effort, lifted a stack of hardback books onto the tabletop with a thump.
“If you’re all grouped up,” she continued, “one of your group come up here and collect a book. They’re filled with scary folk legends that should help you decide what to make your report about!”

The Crusaders exchanged excited glances, already looking forward to this assignment. Getting to write about spooky stuff on the week before Nightmare Night? They were sure they could get it done, even if they were going to Hollow Shades for the week.

Sweetie's Blunder

Sweetie Belle volunteered to collect a book for her group, which consisted of Scootaloo and Apple Bloom of course. She and Diamond Tiara exchanged friendly grins as they passed, the pink Earth Pony bringing a book under her front leg to her group, which was made up of Silver Spoon, naturally, and to many ponies’ surprise, Pipsqueak. The Crusaders were happy to see just how much nicer the two ex-bullies had become, considering the small colt was one of Diamond’s favourite targets.

Sweetie Belle’s tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as her horn glowed a light green, and the same colour enveloped one of the books in a translucent hue matching her horn’s colour. Her Unicorn magic had been growing stronger since Princess Twilight had helped her practice with it, and she was happy to take any and all opportunities to show it off.
The book lifted up off the table and followed after Sweetie Belle as she trotted back to her friends, who had pushed their desks closer together. She set it down on her own desk and sat, the Crusaders getting together to look at the book. The cover was a dark navy blue, with Scariest Legends of Equestria written on it in bright yellow.

“So we just gotta choose which legend to write up about?” asked Scootaloo, earning a nod from her teammates. She flipped the book open with her magic and the three of them looked at the index, Sweetie Belle running her hoof down the list of titles. “Let’s see, there’s the Headless Horse, the Pony of Shadows, Nightmare Moon…”
“Nightmare Moon’s too obvious,” Scootaloo commented. “And besides, Princess Luna’s nice now. Wouldn’t really feel right, y’know?” The Crusaders nodded in agreement, and kept going through the index.
“How about we each find one we like and pool ‘em together?” suggested Apple Bloom.
“Hey, yeah!” Scootaloo chirped, her small wings fluttering excitedly. “Putting three together will totally make us stand out! Dibs on the Headless Horse!”
Apple Bloom smirked at the Pegasus. “Even after the whole ‘ stayin’ awake all night on the campin’ trip’ thing?”
Scootaloo raised her chin, frowning. “H-hey, I’m facing my fears here! What better way to show I’m not scared anymore by talking about it?” She asked, her voice shaking ever so slightly.
“Well Ah’m gonna do the Pony of Shadows,” Apple Bloom decided, then looked at Sweetie Belle, who had gone quiet. “What about you, Sweetie Belle?”
The Unicorn filly’s eyes were narrowed in concentration as she glared at the index intently. “I dunno yet, I can’t decide…”
“Well, while yer doin’ that,” the Earth Pony went on, “y’all mind if we get a look at that book? We should take down some notes.”
“Oh, sure,” Sweetie Belle smiled and pushed the book toward Apple Bloom. “I still need to think of which one mine should be.”

Apple Bloom grinned and flipped the book to the page containing the Pony of Shadows. She flipped open a notebook and took out a pencil to start taking down notes from the pages.
“Wow, this is all we have to do?” asked Scootaloo, who was leaning over to watch the Earth Pony. “This’ll be fun and easy!”
“Well we shtill gotta write up on ‘em,” Apple Bloom reminded her, still having the pencil between her teeth. “We jush’ gotta pretty ‘em up a bit.”
“Oh, well I can do that,” the Pegasus declared. “If we work on our own parts and put them together, we’ll have more than enough! And it’ll take less time so we can enjoy more of the Horror Shades Horrorfest!”
“Eckshactly!” Apple Bloom agreed with a nod, and went back to her notes.

Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle had sat back in her seat, crossing her hooves and furrowing her brow in concentration. She had memorised the names of the scary folk legends, but she couldn’t think of one that had caught her attention enough to put her full effort into it.
Then again, Miss Cheerilee did basically say that the book was just to help pick a legend. She could always pick a different one… if she knew any. The story of Mistmane came to mind, after her sister had told her about it on their annual camping trip. She shuddered a little at the memory of the fly-ders.
She shook her head. Mistmane was a great legend, but not a scary one. She could maybe put a scary twist to it, like really play up the horror of Sable Spirit taking all the beauty from her empire, or make Mistmane sound like she got hideous after sacrificing her beauty.
But on the other hoof, that might be cheating. Mistmane isn’t considered a scary legend.
So she kept on thinking over which legend to write about. She borrowed the book from her friends to write down some notes, if anything to make herself look busy. Her heart just wasn’t into the Windigos, and she already knew that cockatrices exist, and how to defeat them so they weren’t that scary.

“Okay, ponies,” Cheerilee called over the murmurs, putting the brakes on Sweetie Belle’s train of thought. “Time to start clearing away and preparing for your autumn break! If you’re still having trouble, you can keep the books with you until you return after Nightmare Night.”
Sweetie Belle sighed and used her magic to slip the book into her saddlebag. She was definitely going to need it, figuring--or more accurately, hoping--that the Hollow Shades Horrorfest would give her some much needed inspiration.

As she put her things away, she overheard chatter amongst her classmates, but wasn’t really listening closely.
“So which legend are you doing?” asked Diamond Tiara. It was strange to Sweetie Belle how genuine the question sounded; she was so used to the rich filly being so snooty.
“We’re gonna do the Headless Horse,” said Rumble, who was teamed up with Kettle Corn and Skedaddle.
Sweetie Belle heard Diamond Tiara breathe in to respond, but was cut off by Pipsqueak once again. “Cor! We’re gonna be doing the Pony of Shadows!” No doubt he was earning another glare for that one.
Once she’d realised what the two classmates had said, she heard groans from her fellow Crusaders and looked up at them.
“Aww horseapples,” sighed Apple Bloom, “Ah was gonna do the Pony of Shadows!”
“And the Headless Horse was my thing!” Scootaloo added in a whisper. “We can’t make ours stand out if it’s gonna be the same as everypony else’s!”

Before Sweetie Belle could console her teammates, Diamond Tiara and Rumble’s teams were looking expectantly at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
“What about yours?” Silver Spoon asked with a genuine smile.
The trio looked at each other, one silently pleading to the other to give a good answer. They couldn’t go with their own choices after hearing they were already taken, and Sweetie Belle hadn’t even chosen her own yet.
The Unicorn filly hastily went through the list of legends she had memorised, and plucked out the last two names from the bottom.
“The Hollow Shades Vampony!” She declared, with a punctuating thump of her hoof on the table. “And the White Tail Witch!” She added without thinking.
“Ooooh,” both teams murmured, looking at each other with intrigue.
“Good luck with that one,” Kettle Corn spoke up. “We checked the book front to back. Nothing on those two.”

And while Skedaddle praised his friend’s improvised haiku, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo glared at Sweetie Belle, whose heart skipped a beat once she realised what she’d said. All she could do was give her teammates an awkward, apologetic smile.
“Oops…”

Suiting Up

When school was let out for the day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders walked out of the Schoolhouse together and walked down the street toward Carousel Boutique. Once their classmates were out of earshot, Scootaloo asked what the three of them had on their minds.
“Sweetie Belle, what were you thinking?!”
The Unicorn could only sigh and look down at her hooves, feeling her friends looking at her from both sides. “I wasn’t. I chose the first names that came to my head.”
“Y’all couldn’t have said Nightmare Moon or somethin’ instead?” added Apple Bloom. “At least there’s info in the book on her!”

Indeed, when the Crusaders went through their copy of Scariest Legends of Equestria, there was next to no information regarding the Hollow Shades Vampony or the White Tail Witch, aside from they were a vampire pony and a witch that came from Hollow Shades and the White Tail Woods respectively.

“Look, I’m sorry I kinda screwed up,” said Sweetie Belle, “but c’mon, we’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We’ve faced far worse than some school report.”
“Well yeah, that’s true,” Scootaloo admitted. “And hey, we’re already going to Hollow Shades for the Horrorfest. We’re bound to find some info on the Vampony in the place the legend comes from.”
“Exactly!” The Unicorn squeaked, her smile returning, but quickly fading away again as she realised something. “But what about the White Tail Witch?”
“Well, Rainbow Dash said the Horrorfest is the biggest Nightmare Night party in Equestria,” Apple Bloom pointed out. “Somepony there’s bound’a know a thing or two about the two of ‘em.”
“Good point,” Scootaloo agreed, and a confident smirk crossed her muzzle. “Speaking of Nightmare Night, what’re we taking so long for? We got costumes to pick up!”
The Crusaders, feeling reinvigorated, started racing down the street toward Carousel Boutique.

It didn’t take long until the round carousel-like building in the town square, and the bell above the door tinkled as the three fillies burst in together.
“RARITY! WE’RE HERE FOR OUR COSTUMES!” they bellowed, startling the ponies inside the clothing shop. One of those ponies being a snow-white unicorn with a stylishly curled purple mane and tail, and a measuring tape wrapped around her shoulders. A pair of red, thick-rimmed glasses balanced on her nose.
“Goodness, girls,” she gasped, a hoof on her chest. “I know you’re excited, but please try not to shout the roof off!”
“Sorry, sis,” Sweetie Belle said, much quieter this time. The three of them all wore sheepish grins.
Rarity smiled warmly and swivelled around. “Oh it’s quite alright,” she said over her shoulder. “In fact, you should be excited. I’ve just put the finishing touches on your costumes!”
“Really?!” The girls squeaked, Scootaloo hovering a few inches off the ground with her wings buzzing.
“Mm-hm,” said Rarity, “let me just go and--”

Before she could finish, the door flapped open and a cyan-coated Pegasus mare skidded to a halt behind the Crusaders. She shook her head, flipping her wild, striking rainbow-coloured mane into place. The customers inside the Boutique looked more aggravated than surprised by all these bombacious arrivals, but the fillies were more pleased to see who it was, especially Scootaloo who was just staring with pride.
“Heya, Rarity!” The Pegasus began, an expectant grin on her muzzle. “Got my costume ready yet?”
The snowy Unicorn tutted and rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Rainbow Dash, it’s called knocking. I’m surprised that door is still on its hinges with the lot of you bursting it open. But yes, I have yours ready too.” She added with a friendly smile.
“Sweet!” chirped Rainbow Dash, pumping her hoof. “C’mon, lemme see what ya got!”
Rarity turned her head back around and went to the back.

Rainbow Dash looked down at the Crusaders and took the opportunity to get them excited for their trip.
“So squirts,” she began, smirking and gently ruffling Scootaloo’s mane, “how hyped are you right now?”
“We are so hyped!” cheered Scootaloo, punching the air with a hoof. “This is gonna be the best week ever!”
“Y’all have no idea how much convincin’ it took Applejack to lemme go too,” Apple Bloom added with a sigh, rolling her eyes. “Ah had to tell her Ah’d be okay up and down fer weeks!”
“Rarity was fine with me going,” Sweetie Belle muttered, though not sounding too enthused about that fact. “A bit too fine. I have a feeling she’s going to wrestle us into some really gaudy costumes just so she can show off her fashion line. I don’t really wanna be constantly stopped by somepony asking who did the glitter on my princess dress or whatever frilly thing I’m probably gonna get.”
“Well, Rarity kinda knows what she’s doing when it comes to clothes,” Rainbow Dash assured her with a grin. “So frilly or not, it’s gonna be awesome!”
Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but smile. “Well, true.”

“They’re heeeere~!” sang Rarity, who emerged from the back with four differently coloured bundles of clothing wrapped in light blue magic. “Make sure you try them on and let me know what you think, I want to have the adjustments finished before you leave tomorrow night!”
While Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash looked positively giddy as they unfolded their costumes, Sweetie Belle just looked curious as she took hers in her magical grip. Instead of being sparkly and pink or something like she expected, it was all black, and a bit heavy as well.
She set the pile of fabric down and lifted it piece by piece, revealing a pointed hat and a cloak. Beneath that was what seemed to be a leather strap used to carry books, with a copy of Advanced Witchcraft locked inside.
“You made mine a witch?” she asked her sister, sounding rather surprised.
“Well I’ve noticed your magic has been getting much better,” Rarity explained with a smile, “and you all wanted a surprise for your costumes, so I thought, why not a witch?”
“Wow, thanks!” squeaked Sweetie, and wasted no time trying on the costume. The cloak looked old and worn, but it felt incredibly comfortable and not too warm either. The hat’s point was crooked on the tip for extra effect, and the rim was a perfect fit on her head, even including a little hole for her horn. The leather strap fit perfectly over her shoulder, the book resting comfortably on her side.
The filly trotted up to the mirror and got a good look at herself from different angles. She looked like a bonafide witch! Her coat and mane really stuck out from beneath the dark dreary costume too.
“Wow, this looks great!” cheered the filly, and then turned to look at her sister. “Though, where’d you find this book?” She nodded to the Advanced Witchcraft tome at her side.
“Oh, that?” Rarity blinked, and waved a hoof dismissively. “I figured you’d need something nice and ‘witch-like’ for your costume, so I asked Twilight if she had any books on the subject. She said she had three dozen of them, and… she kindly offered that one to me.” She added hesitantly, which Sweetie Belle saw right through. “Alright, I grabbed the first book I saw before she could lecture me on all of them. I was in a hurry, you see!”
A giggle rose from the filly. “Well, thanks! I’ll take care of it.”
“I know you will, darling,” the older Unicorn smiled, then added with a sternness to her voice, “but do be careful. I know how dangerous strange magic books are, so I wouldn’t recommend trying anything in it.”
“I won’t!” The filly promised, though her eyes drifted to glance at the book in the leather strap. Her magic was growing stronger, but even she knew she wasn’t strong enough to attempt anything like advanced witchcraft. Though, she was sure having a skim through it out of curiosity couldn’t hurt.

“Wow, Sweetie Belle!” cried Apple Bloom, who rushed over alongside Scootaloo. “Y’all look really cool!”
The Earth Pony filly was wearing some brown overalls and a red straw hat, with what looked like straw attached to it that was styled exactly like her mane, which Sweetie Belle assumed was tucked into the hat. The Pegasus filly beside her was suited up in a set of Pegasus Legion armour from the old legends, which looked like it was made from real metal. Either Scootaloo was stronger than she looked, or that was some special lightweight stuff. The helmet had a purple mohawk sticking out the top. It even had a little shield on the side, with her cutie mark on it.
“You guys too!” The Unicorn filly squeaked, and the three of them buzzed excitedly as they admired each other’s costumes. “Is that real metal?”
“Sure feels like it,” said Scootaloo, giving her costume’s chest a pat with her hoof, letting out a soft metallic clank.
“Y’all look like a real witch too,” Apple Bloom chirped. “Maybe the White Tail Witch’ll teach ya a few things?” She snickered, giving her friend a gentle nudge.
Sweetie Belle kept the smile forced on her face, as she was hoping not to have to think of her schoolwork so soon. “Hehe, yeah.”

“Hey, check me out!” Rainbow Dash called out, and the Crusaders turned around. Scootaloo let out a loud gasp of glee when she saw the older Pegasus was set up in a similar suit of armour to her own. The gleaming silver armour shone majestically under the shop lights, and a mohawk of rainbow mane stuck out from the helmet.
“Woooaaaahhh!” Scootaloo gazed at her in wonder, like she were a hero straight out of a comic book. “You look so awesome!”
“I know, right?” Rainbow smirked and struck a pose, puffing out her chest. “Anyone trying to scare me’ll be too awestruck by my sheer awesomeness to even think of anything but how awesome I am! Oh, and thanks Rarity.” She added meekly, losing her pose and grinning awkwardly at the Unicorn whose eyebrow was raised expectantly.
Rarity then smiled proudly. “Think nothing of it, darling. I’m just happy you all love your costumes. Now, do they all feel comfortable enough? Any tightness or chafing?” The pegasus and fillies confirmed their costumes all felt nice and comfortable. “Wonderful! Keep them with you for your trip if you’d like, but for Celestia’s sake, don’t damage or stain them! I only have so much fabric after so many costume orders this week alone!”
“Alright, alright,” Rainbow Dash muttered, and slowly pulled the costume off herself. “We’ll keep ‘em safe till tomorrow night. Won’t we, girls?”
“Uh-huh!” The Crusaders nodded, slowly and carefully undressing.

Rarity smiled and took each costume into their own bubble of shimmering, light blue magic so she could telekinetically fold them into four neat piles.
“Wonderful,” she chirped, and set each pile into a fancy paper bag and floated each one to its corresponding owner. “I’d keep them safe till you get to Hollow Shades if I were you. But since it’s you, at least keep them clean on the train.”
Rainbow Dash cocked an eyebrow. “How do you know we’re gonna put them on on the train?”
“Darling, how long have we known each other?”
“Eh, fair point,” the Pegasus shrugged. “But we’re not gonna do that, are we?” She looked at the Crusaders, sneaking a sly wink at them. The fillies caught on and giggled, trying to look as innocent as possible.
Rarity, despite her clear scepticism, decided to give the girls the benefit of the doubt. “Well, alright then.”

On the Rails

The next day, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their big sisters (‘sorta big sister’ in Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash’s case) met up at the Ponyville Train Station at sundown. There was a soft chill in the air, but the lack of clouds allowed the purple sky and setting sun to be visible to anypony still out at sundown.
To say Rarity was displeased to see that Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were dressed in their costumes on the train platform would be a bit of an understatement. She was fixing the other older pony with a rather annoyed glare.
“What?” The armoured Pegasus said with a big smirk plastered on her muzzle. “I said we wouldn’t get dressed on the train, you never said we couldn’t get dressed before we get on the train!”
“Ugh, honestly,” Rarity tutted. “What if you got them stained or ripped some seams on the way?”
Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “Uh, Rarity… armour doesn’t have seams.”
Rarity scrunched up her muzzle as she closely inspected Rainbow’s chest plate. “You know what I mean! At least Sweetie Belle had the sense to--Sweetie Belle!” She looked to see her little sister was wearing her black cloak and book strap.
“What?” The filly asked as she put the pointed hat on her head. “Everypony else is wearing theirs!””
“Nothing’s damaged,” the rainbow-maned pony groaned. “I’m not that careless.”
“I know you’re not,” sighed the Unicorn. “I’m sorry, I just worked so hard on these and I hate the thought of something happening to them. I want you all to look your best for the Horrorfest.”
“Rarity, you gotta chillax,” Rainbow Dash said softly, giving her friend a gentle nudge with a hoof. “You really think I’d get such an awesome costume dirty on purpose? You really outdid yourself this time.”
“Yeah!” The Crusaders chimed in. “Thanks again, Rarity!”
Rarity’s white cheeks turned pink with blush at the compliment. “Oh, well, it was all my pleasure. Be sure to tell anypony who made them if they ask~”

After not too long, the familiar chugging of an engine sounded, and the Friendship Express pulled up to the station, its coaches stopping at the platform for passengers to board and disembark. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were anxious to get on board for Hollow Shades, but Applejack and Rarity had pulled Rainbow Dash aside to exchange words. The fillies couldn’t make out what was being said, but it sounded urgent.
“Y’all are absolutely sure ya got this, Sugarcube?” asked Applejack, her ears lowered in worry. “Ah mean, Ah trust y’all with my life an’ Apple Bloom’s, but y’know, Hollow Shades is a pretty far ways away from here.”
“Yes, and there’s the dark forest that surrounds the town,” Rarity added, looking rather nervous herself. “And you know how adventurous those three are. Oh, did I pack enough for her? I know she usually deals with one suitcase, but maybe I have time to run home and pack a few more sweaters?”
“Maybe Ah should go with ya,” the orange Earth Pony suggested, and turned to begin a trot toward town. “Lemme just run home and pack up my--”
Rainbow Dash swooped over and cut her friend off. “Hey, hey! Both of you need to chill out. My parents used to take me to the Horrorfest every year, I know the place like the back of my hoof. And I made sure to get us booked into the inn there. Trust me, I got this.”
Applejack sighed and tipped her cowpony hat, giving her friend a somewhat forced smile. “Well, alright. Just don’t let ‘em wander off anywhere dangerous.”
“And make sure they’re not too cold,” added Rarity, earning a roll of the eyes from Dash.
“And if Apple Bloom starts actin’ all antsy, all ya gotta do is-”
“First of all, we can hear ya,” Apple Bloom called over, the older mares being met with nonplussed looks from the Crusaders. “And second of all, get a move on, Rainbow Dash! The train’s gonna leave soon!”

Applejack and Rarity exchanged awkward chuckles, while Rainbow Dash snickered into her hoof. A cyan ear flicked as the train’s whistle blew softly into the evening air, signalling it was ready to leave in a few minutes.
“Alright, we gotta roll,” she insisted, and hovered over to usher the Crusaders into the coach. “I’ll have ‘em back in one piece in a week!”
“One breathin’ piece,” warned Applejack, with a soft but stern glare.
“One thoroughly unfrightened breathing piece,” added Rarity.
“Alright already, sheesh!” The Pegasus rolled her eyes and disappeared into the couch. In a few seconds, hers and the fillies’ heads popped out of the windows, waving at the two mares who waved back.

“Look after each other!” Rarity called.
“We will!” squeaked Sweetie Belle.
“Y’all make sure ya eat properly!” advised Applejack.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes with a smile. “Ah’ll bring ya back a candy apple or somethin’!”
“And don’t go wandering into any strange places!” Rarity went on.
“Or go talkin’ to any strange ponies!” added Applejack.
“Or letting anypony touch your costumes if their hooves are dirty!”
“Or takin’ any strange-lookin’ or smellin’ candy!”
“Or--”
Much to the fillies’ collective relief, the second tweet of the train whistle and the sudden forward jerk of the coach cut off the mares’ overbearing (and quite frankly embarrassing) displays of big-sisterness, and everypony waved goodbye for the week.

Once the train had pulled out of the station, and soon out of Ponyville, Rainbow Dash and the Cutie Mark Crusaders settled down on their seats and began buzzing over the Horrorfest.
Though, Sweetie Belle was quiet. She was curiously looking around the coach for other passengers, since she noticed that few ponies boarded on the platform. A curious sight, since she figured a lot of ponies would want to go to Equestria’s biggest Nightmare Night celebration. Though, on the other hoof, maybe they were waiting till it was closer to the very night before travelling over for the real experience or something? Or maybe they were in other coaches and she hadn’t been paying attention?
Whatever passengers were there seemed to have the same idea as the four of them. They were beginning to take costumes out of suitcases and bags and pulling them on, muttering to whoever they were with while wearing excited grins. It made her grin a little too, happy to see the spirit was still alive even out of Ponyville. All her own suitcase had were some glittery scarves and stylish sweaters hoofmade by her sister, as well as the Scariest Legends of Equestria book, a notebook and a pencil.
Then her attention turned to the book in her leather strap at her side. The witchcraft tome that apparently belonged to Princess Twilight Sparkle. She knew she probably shouldn’t try any spells or tricks in it, but it was an honest-to-Celestia book of witchcraft. There was no harm in at least taking a peek, was there?

A shimmer of mint-green magic surrounded the strap as the Unicorn filly undid it with her magic, then she pulled the book into her lap. Despite being a copy, it seemed plenty old, with a faded star dominating the purple hardback cover. Just the cover alone was awakening curiosity and wonder from inside the young magic enthusiast.
“Uhh, Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom suddenly spoke up to her, snapping her out of her train of thought. “Ya sure you should be readin’ that book? Ah thought it was just fer the costume?”
“It is,” Sweetie Belle insisted, “but nothing wrong with just reading it, is there?”
“Well you’re the biggest authority on magic of the four of us,” Rainbow Dash admitted, “but still, yeah, I wouldn’t try anything outta that.”
“I’m not gonna,” promised the filly, and it was the truth. All she wanted to do was see what it was all about.

Wasting no more time, she flipped the book open and flicked through the pages, a few interesting diagrams and titles catching her eye. Magic Circles, strange plant ingredients, potions, the whole deal was here. She recognised a few of the names of plants and herbs from Apple Bloom brewing potions with Zecora, the Zebra living in the Everfree Forest. For a moment she wondered if her friend would ever go back to it, given how busy the three were helping foals find their cutie marks.
She stopped at the page describing Familiars, magical creatures that acted as companions to witches, and smirked at the thought of Rarity’s cat, Opalescence, being her sister’s familiar. She definitely could be a wicked enough cat sometimes.

Suddenly the coach jerked upward a bit, causing Sweetie Belle to jolt out of her concentration and the book to flop onto the aisle.
“Shoot!” yelped Apple Bloom, leaned forward as an apple fritter balanced precariously in her hooves. “Nearly dropped my fritter!”
“Heh, sorry everypony,” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Forgot there was a little bump in the tracks there. Haven’t taken the train to Hollow Shades in years and all. You all alright?
”Uh-huh,” said Scootaloo as she adjusted her helmet.
“Just dropped my book,” Sweetie Belle muttered, and her horn began to glow as she attempted to lift the tome off the aisle.

The book indeed lifted off the ground, but not in a mint-green bubble of magic, but instead a violet aura enveloped it. She and the others watched as the book floated up into the air and landed gently on the seat beside her.
She hadn’t even noticed that another Unicorn was standing in the aisle next to their seats. She was covered in a black cloak, but her muzzle had a soft smile across it.
“I believe this is yours, young witch,” she said, having an almost sing-song tone in her voice.
Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but return an awkward grin. “Thanks. I was really sucked into it so I didn’t see the jump coming.”
The mare’s head tilted ever so slightly, her smile unwavering. “Just a filly and already interested in the arcane. That’s always good to see~”
“Oh, my magic’s not that good yet,” the filly admitted quietly, “I was just curious and wanted to have a look.”
“It always starts with curiosity, my dear,” the stranger said ominously, then added with a cheerful tone, “So, are you all going to the festival?”
“We totally are,” Rainbow Dash chirped, tipping her helmet upward a bit. “I’ve been before, but it’s the girls’ first time. I wanted to show them how awesome it is!”
“Well, I know you will all enjoy it,” said the mare, casually checking her hoof. “But if you’d all like to have a real scare, I’d recommend visiting the castle once you’ve settled in~”
“The castle?” asked Scootaloo, leaning toward the mare, eyes wide with wonder. Apple Bloom had also leaned in, cramming her apple fritter in her mouth.
“Oh yes, deep within the forest,” she said ominously. “It’s difficult to miss, especially in the day, but I’d recommend going at night. I’m sure such a brave Pegasus Legionnaire like yourself would be more than brave enough~”
“Hah, nothing scares me!” The orange filly boasted, her two best friends exchanging knowing glances.

“A castle in Hollow Shades?” Apple Bloom asked, tapping her hoof as something came to her. Something that Sweetie Belle had also been wondering. “Is there a vampire livin’ there?”
The cloaked mare walked on a few more paces, before turning to look over her shoulder. “Take a walk there one evening, young scarecrow, and you might just find out~”

A purple shimmer of magic coated the coach door as it slid open, and the mare continued her walk into the next car, not stopping or looking back.

Welcome to Hollow Shades

It was well past nightfall when the Friendship Express finally arrived at the station in Hollow Shades. The passengers, nearly all of them dressed up in their Nightmare Night costumes, gathered their belongings when the train softly jerked to a stop and exited onto the platform, then into the town proper.
The town resembled Ponyville quite a bit, with its stone and thatch roof buildings, but it was like a darker version. Literally, with the dense, foreboding forest that hugged the small town rather tight.
The town was certainly in the Nightmare Night spirit, with decorations and stalls set up on what seemed like every street. Bat-shaped streamers hung between posts with jack-o-lanterns acting as streetlights on top. Games and attractions, like horseshoe tosses and shooting galleries, were set up all around, which they all wanted to try as soon as possible. An eery but upbeat number was being played on fiddles, guitars and drums nearby, which the fillies soon found themselves bobbing their heads to.
Stalls were set up on the sides up and down each street, selling snacks and accessories that both seemed expertly crafted. The costumes worn by the locals seemed to carry on the trend, looking well crafted with good fabrics and plastics. Sweetie Belle even dared to think for a moment that whoever was behind them had costume skills on par with her sister’s!
But that’s not to say hers and the others’ costumes went unnoticed. The local ponies turned heads toward them and muttered to themselves with admiring tones, and some even outright approached them to say how good they looked. Of course they felt compelled to plug Rarity’s work, as per their promise, but it was definitely nice to hear the praise.

As eager as the girls were to take a look around, they didn’t particularly want to haul their suitcases around town, so their first stop was the inn Rainbow Dash had supposedly made reservations for them to stay at. Scootaloo believed it right away, and while Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom didn’t think she was lying, they were still a little sceptical. The Pegasus was quite compulsive, and there was a reason she didn’t bear the Element of Honesty.
Inside the inn, the atmosphere was much calmer and quieter, but still carried the Nightmare Night spirit. The rustic interior was softly lit with candles on each wooden table, where patrons were enjoying drinks from tankards. A band of costumed ponies in the corner were playing a soft but uplifting tune over the quiet chatter. This town really liked its music.
While Rainbow Dash talked to the mare behind the desk, who seemed rather pleased to see an Element of Harmony in her inn, the Crusaders took a little look around. Even with the candles providing a warm glow, the inside seemed rather dark. Possibly to set the appropriate ambience, they figured, though they were surprised nopony had tripped on anything they couldn’t see on the floor.

“Wow,” Apple Bloom muttered, “it ain’t even Nightmare Night yet and this town’s actin’ like it’s Nightmare Night every day!”
“Yeah, Rainbow Dash wasn’t kidding,” agreed Sweetie Belle. “No doubt somepony around here’s gonna know something about the Vampony.”
Scootaloo puffed out her chest, candlelight flickering in her armour plating. “I told ya Rainbow Dash was gonna have an awesome trip planned for us! This is gonna be the best Nightmare Night ever!”
Sweetie Belle glanced over her shoulder at Rainbow Dash, who was coolly leaned against the bar chatting away to the rather excited inn owner, then back to her friends. “I hope this didn’t cost her too much though. I mean, train tickets, inn rooms, not to mention all the attractions…”
“Hey, of course she’s cool with it,” said Scootaloo, giving her friend a little nudge. “She wouldn’t let us come along if she wasn’t. Besides, we all got some of our own bits to spend!”
Apple Bloom nodded agreement. “Somethin’ like this is probably just spare bits fer a Wonderbolt anyway.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Sweetie Belle muttered.

“Alrighty you three,” said Rainbow Dash, causing the fillies to turn and direct her attention to her. “All set, let’s go drop our stuff off.”
Their concerns about the Pegasus’s responsibility subsiding, the fillies grabbed onto their bags and followed Rainbow Dash and the inn owner through the tavern area, giving awkward grins to the older ponies cooing at how cute they looked in their costumes. Thankfully they just had to drag their things up a small flight of stairs before stopping at a pair of rooms right at the top.
“Just holler if you need anything else,” the inn owner said, practically beaming at Rainbow Dash. “It’s such an honour to have a Wonderbolt staying with us. And an Element of Harmony at that! Oh, and the bathroom’s the first door on the right.” She added quickly.
Rainbow and the fillies exchanged amused glances before they thanked her and let her be on her way back downstairs.
“Celebrity discount, am I right?” Rainbow snickered, before holding out a key in her wingtips. “Here ya go, don’t go losing this, huh?”
As Sweetie Belle took the key into her magical grip, she noticed another key was tucked beneath the mare’s wing. “What’s that one for?”
Rainbow blinked confusedly. “My room, what else?”
The Crusaders looked at each other with surprise, and a hint of delight in their voices as they asked, “We’re getting our own room?”
“I figured you three can take care of yourselves without a big sister lookin’ over your shoulder,” the Pegasus said with a shrug. “Besides, I’m only next door if ya need me.”
“Wow, thanks!” They chirped, then Sweetie Belle let out a little yawn, followed by Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo trying to fight hers off.
Even Rainbow Dash let out a long yawn of her own. “Yeah, all that preppin’ and travellin’s got me bushed. How ‘bout we chillax tonight, and tomorrow we can check out the town?”
The fillies all agreed with that idea, and bid Rainbow Dash goodnight as they went into their own room.

The bedroom was quite spacious, with three comfy-looking single beds against the cream-coloured wall. Little paintings, which Sweetie Belle was nearly certain she had seen before during some of her trips to Canterlot with her sister, hung on the wall in nice little wooden frames. The floor was covered wall-to-wall in short, soft carpeting. Assorted flowers hung in a few sconces on the walls.
Apple Bloom set her bag on one of the beds, smiling as she looked around the room. “This is pretty nice, huh?”
Scootaloo nodded, claiming the middle bed. “Yeah! A little frilly for me, but as long as the beds are comfy.”
“I hope so,” yawned Sweetie Belle, rubbing her eye. “Rarity had me rushing around for the right clothes to pack, and I had to do so much convincing to let me only take one case. I’m exhausted!”

Sweetie Belle just happened to take the bed next to the window, but it had gotten so dark that she could barely see a thing apart from the silhouettes of trees surrounding the village rustling gently in the night breeze.
Though, one thing in the distance wasn’t moving. She leaned closer, her snout against the glass, and she could see… something. It had a few points going upward, like towers, and it had a bit of a distinct shape.

Like a castle.

Crow Quill

The night passed by peacefully despite the festivities in the night, with the Crusaders’ comfortable sleep only interrupted by the frantic knocking on the door of an excited Rainbow Dash in the morning. Given how the three shared her enthusiasm, they practically leaped out of their beds and prepared themselves for the day. They all decided to save their Nightmare Night costumes for nightfall, for the proper experience.
While Sweetie Belle waited for her friends to finish in the bathroom, she took another look out the window while she brushed her mane. Now that it was daylight, she could see the surrounding forest clearly. The orange leaves brushed against each other, one or two occasionally fluttering by the glass. She smiled as she remembered the Running of the Leaves race that was won by Twilight Sparkle of all ponies, before she became an Alicorn.

The amusing memory was put on hold when she spotted the pointed shape in the distance the night before. Now that it was daylight, she was definitely sure that was a castle. The one the hooded mare on the train told them about, maybe?
Her eyes lit up as a thought came to her. Maybe that was where the fabled Hollow Shades Vampony lived? It made sense, since vampires did tend to live in castles, according to everything she’d heard about them. And the legend had to come from somewhere in Hollow Shades, why not have it be there?
She recalled how the mare said to travel there at night, but there was no harm going to take a look during the daytime, was there? If anything, to get an idea of the trail to get there. It didn’t seem to be too far, maybe a fifteen minute walk, she estimated.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo wouldn’t be hard to convince to come along, but the real problem was getting Rainbow Dash to let them. Though, since it was during the day, it shouldn’t be dangerous. Besides, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had dealt with much worse things than a walk through a forest.

After breakfast, the group headed outside into the town, and were almost surprised at how different Hollow Shades looked compared to the night before. The dark, grey buildings and the dense forest surrounding the town made the place seem like it came out of a spooky campfire story.
Ponies were out of costume but stalls, albeit closed, were still set up around town as the proper shops opened up for business during the daylight hours.
The crisp morning air filled their lungs as the four walked toward the town square, to get a look at what the town had to offer. They could see a cafe nearby, a bakery, some shops and even a boutique.
The middle of town was circular, with a large fountain smack dab in the middle. On top of it was a life-sized stone statue of Princess Luna, standing majestically with her chin forward, her wings out and a hoof raised up while streams of water spouted around her. Looking into the small pool showed the rippling shimmers of bits flipped inside by the locals, likely for good luck. Behind the fountain was a large stage, presumably where the music was coming from the night before.

“Not a bad place, huh?” asked Rainbow Dash, leaning casually against the fountain.
“Yeah!” Scootaloo chirped, her wings buzzing. “Reminds me of Ponyville!”
Apple Bloom nodded agreement. “Only a lil’ spookier.”
“More like a lot spookier,” Sweetie Belle added. “It’s like somepony sucked the colour out… in a good way though.”
“I told ya there was awesome Nightmare Night spirit here!” boasted Dash with a smirk.

The four’s attention was grabbed by a stallion trotting up to him. A brown Earth Pony who looked to be a little older than Dash, wearing a dark suit jacket and carrying himself with an air of importance. His cutie mark was a piece of parchment with a black quill writing on it.

“So I heard right,” he began, “we do have a Wonderbolt visiting our town! And an Element of Harmony as well!”
Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest. “Darn right!”
Scootaloo hopped up, waving a hoof. “And the Cutie Mark Crusaders too!”
“Ah yes, I’ve heard about you three as well,” the stallion chuckled at the three smiling fillies. “My name is Crow Quill, I’m the Mayor of Hollow Shades. It’s a pleasure to have you all!”
“Happy to be here,” the Pegasus smirked back. “Just gonna check out the town for a bit before the Horrorfest starts back up again.”
“Well you’ll have till sundown, in that case,” said Crow Quill with a smile. “Please, feel free to wander around, and I’ll be around if you have any questions.”

Sweetie Belle blinked and glanced aside in thought for a moment, before raising her hoof to get the Mayor’s attention. “I have a question--do you know anything about the castle outside town?”
Crow Quill looked down at the filly, who could swear his cheery smile had faltered slightly at the question. “The castle? Why do you ask?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just curious,” Scootaloo added. “See, we’re doing this project for school and--”
“Oh I wouldn’t bother with that place,” the Mayor quickly interjected, raising a hoof dismissively. “It’s pretty much abandoned, and besides the doors are locked. No need to go near it.”
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak, but the stallion continued before she could get a syllable out.. “If you’re truly curious about our town’s history, we do have a library near the square!”
Rainbow Dash and the Crusaders looked at each other, sharing a mutual scepticism.
“Anyway, like I said I’ll be around,” the Mayor said, turning around and trotting down the street. “Enjoy your stay!”

The four ponies looked at each other and, when Crow Quill disappeared around a corner, looked in the direction of the castle, standing ominously in the distance above the trees, and trotted toward the path leading out of town.

The Castle and the Mare

The dirt path leading out of town was lined with bare trees and peppered with orange leaves that crunched beneath the hooves of the four ponies. The wind was gentle but a little chilly, and the sky was a clear blue.
“Whaddya think that was about?” asked Scootaloo, looking to the others. “He really seemed like he didn’t want us anywhere near the castle.”
“Maybe there’s something there he doesn’t want us to see?” Sweetie Belle suggested.
“Maybe there’s somethin’ dangerous livin’ there?” added Apple Bloom. “Like a manticore or somethin’?”
“Whatever it is,” Rainbow Dash answered with a smirk, “he didn’t do a good job making us wanna stay away. There’s something in that castle, and we’re gonna find it, right?”
“Right!” The Crusaders cheered, pumping their hooves in the air.

A few more minutes of walking brought the group to sloped incline, and craning their necks up showed them the large castle looming at the top of the hill. Thankfully it wasn’t a steep climb, especially not for Rainbow Dash who just floated up with the Crusaders. Near the top, the dirt path turned into a flight of old stone stairs, and the pike-like steeples of the castle towers stood tall and foreboding before them.
Finishing the climb, they were brought up to the castle’s front at last. With the ancient grey stone laced with moss and vines, a few bare, dead trees, and a quick fly-around by Rainbow Dash reporting grimy windows, the old architecture truly did seem abandoned. It was like the Canterlot Castle had been twisted by dark magic into some kind of gothic nightmare.

“Sheesh, now I’m really glad Rarity didn’t come,” Sweetie Belle commented, brushing her hoof on some of the weeds by the mossy stone path. “She would lose her mind if she saw all this!”
“I know right?” Rainbow Dash snorted into her hoof at the mental image of Rarity wearing overalls and dragging her beauty gear as well as some carpenting equipment to give the place a makeover.
Apple Bloom trotted up to the huge double doors, the wood coated in moss and mold and the brass knockers rusted. “Y’all think it’s open?”
“Only one way to find out,” answered Scootaloo, who trotted up with her and pushed her front hooves against one of the doors. She grunted as she pushed herself against it, and even with the stronger farm filly’s help, the doors didn’t budge. “Oof, sturdy…”
“That’s puttin’ it lightly,” Apple Bloom muttered, wiping sweat off her brow. “Maybe there’s another way…?”
Sweetie Belle followed them up. “Are you sure we should be going in? I mean, it’s probably locked for a reason…”
Rainbow Dash hovered over and brushed at some of the weeds growing on the ground around the doors. “Maybe somepony left a key under the mat?”

A soft crunch of dirt on hoof behind the ponies got their attention, and they turned to see a newcomer had approached from the stairs. A young Unicorn mare with a purple coat and a black and purple mane and tail. Her amber eyes laid on the group after a few moments of staring at the castle.
“Oh, I wasn’t expecting other ponies up here so early,” she began, in a high-class Trottingham accent. “Good morning all the same~”
“Yo,” Rainbow Dash greeted, hovering over to her. The Crusaders approached from behind, returning the greeting also. “You tryin’ to get in too? Hope ya get better luck than we did.”
“Oh no,” the mare giggled sweetly. “I’m just here to take a look at the outside. Isn’t it beautiful?” She smiled and looked past them at the castle.
“Not exactly the word my sister would use,” Sweetie Belle commented. “With all the moss and dirt, she’d probably try to have the place condemned!”
“Yes, it does look a little in need of some care right now. I suppose it doesn’t help that it’s closed right now.”
Apple Bloom tilted her head. “Whaddya mean ‘right now’?”
The mare waved a hoof. “Oh, nothing. Just an aside~”

The four ponies exchanged dubious glances to one another before looking back at the mare.
“Who are you anyway?” Rainbow Dash finally asked what was on everypony’s minds.
“Oh, I’m just visiting for the festival, like I’m sure you all are,” answered the mare. “I come up here every year to get some time to myself. Nopony usually comes up here during the day, so it’s nice and quiet~”
The ponies looked at each other, seeming to get the point, and started to head toward the stairs down.
“We should head back to town anyway,” Scootaloo said as she passed, “we still haven’t really looked around.”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom added, “sorry for botherin’ ya.”
“Oh, no trouble at all,” the mare giggled, her smile aimed at the fillies. “I was just surprised to not be alone this time of the day. But don’t let me keep you, please enjoy yourselves~”
“You know it,” Rainbow Dash smirked as she swooped overhead. “You too. Laters!”

The Crusaders bid goodbye to the mare as they followed the Pegasus toward the stairs. But Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but linger a little, turning her head at the mare, who was sat in front of the large wooden doors.

Something about her seemed off...

The Plan

When the group returned to Hollow Shades, they decided to spend time by exploring the town like they said they would. Looking around, they found plenty of shops selling Nightmare Night-inspired things, like costumes and decorations. None of them thought the costumes were as good as Rarity’s, though these ones weren’t bad. The local bakery was selling things like ‘fruit bat cakes’ and ‘monster key slime pies’, which they all thought was pretty cool. Or awesome, in Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo’s case.
After a while they had stopped at a cafe, sitting outside with each having a serving of The Scarecrow’s Remains--a straw sandwich with slices of pumpkin, which surprisingly tasted better than they all expected upon seeing it as the cafe’s special.

As they sat there, they noticed Crow Quill walking around and talking to one of the Horrorfest organisers. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes while he had his back turned to them.
“I don’t like that stallion,” she murmured to the fillies. “Why’s he not want us anywhere near the castle? It’s not like we can even get in.”
“Maybe he don’t want us breakin’ somethin’?” Apple Bloom suggested. “Might have some valuable old stuff he wants to keep safe?”
“Maybe he’s got something hidden in there?” added Scootaloo. “Like some kind of monster! Like Frankenstallion! We should get the key off him!”
“I don’t think that place has a key,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “I didn’t see any locks on the doors. And speaking of monsters, maybe it’s not to keep us out… but to keep something in?”
The three ponies looked at her, considering that option.
“You mean like… the Hollow Shades Vampony?” muttered Scootaloo, shivering a little.

Rainbow Dash loudly slurped from her glass of Changeling Blood (lime juice) to get the fillies’ attention.
“Well we’re not gonna find out by sittin’ here talking under our breaths,” she pointed out. “We gotta head back over there! We’ll wait for the Horrorfest to start up tonight, then sneak back out while everypony’s distracted! Nopony’s gonna notice we’re gone with so much happening.”
“That’s an awesome idea!” cheered Scootaloo without missing a beat. “We can spend all the time till then preparing! Y’know, in case there is a vampony…” she added quietly.
“There’s bound to be a book on them in the library,” suggested Sweetie Belle. “We’ll study up on them there.”
“And we got plenty’a bits to spend on the gear we need!” Apple Bloom chimed in.
“Right!” The Pegasus mare nodded with a smirk. “Sounds like we got a plan! Let’s study up on vamponies and grab whatever we need!”
The four mares put their hooves together on the table and broke with a soft cheer, only getting to the attention of the other ponies of the cafe.

In the back of her mind, Sweetie Belle wasn’t sure about an adult letting fillies go somewhere so potentially dangerous. But on the other hoof, if it were anypony else, they’d never get to the bottom of why Crow Quill wanted them to go there. And she had to admit, the rush was quite exciting too. Besides, the Crusaders had taken on a Cockatrice with an adult’s help, so what could a creature that probably didn’t exist do to them?

Castle Crashers

When the sun set and the sky turned from a bright blue to a dark purple, Hollow Shades began to reawaken. The stage lit up with costumed ponies performing more creepy but upbeat ambience, and ponies dressed in silly or scary costumes emerged to open stalls and walk around to take part in the events.
And now that Rainbow Dash and the Cutie Mark Crusaders had prepared, they had decided to take action. Since it was sunset, there was still enough daylight to make the forest walk to the castle. Sweetie Belle had researched vamponies in the library, and everypony had come equipped with bulbs of garlic, and Apple Bloom helped to equip some wooden stakes. They tucked them away into their Nightmare Night costumes, invisible to the naked eye. They also got some cheap headlamps in case it got too dark.
The group stopped in front of the path leading toward the castle, and looked to one another.

“Everypony ready to do this?” asked Rainbow Dash. The Crusaders confirmed with a nod, Scootaloo’s a little hesitant. “Alright, let’s go get us a--”
“Ah, Rainbow Dash!” a stallion’s voice called over the chatter. “There you are!”
A collective groan sounded over the group as they recognised the voice, and they turned to see a stallion trotting over in a suit with a jack-o-lantern head. The head came off to reveal Crow Quill underneath.
“Lucky I ran into you,” he began. “We’ll be holding some competitions tonight and, I know this is short notice, but I was wondering if you could help by being on the judge’s panel?”
The armoured Pegasus ruffled her wings nervously. “Um, I dunno, I mean I kinda gotta--”
“Oh it will take no time at all,” Crow Quill promised. “A few minutes at best! And then we’ll move on to the next event. I’m sure your little friends will be fine exploring on their own for a bit! And I’m sure you all remember what I said about the castle… don’t you?” He added with a hint of threat in his voice, making the fillies nod uneasily.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes darted nervously between the Mayor and the Crusaders. She couldn’t just abandon the mission, but if she did, he would know something was going on. She would have to choose carefully.

She leaned down to the fillies. “Okay, I trust you guys. You get a head start and see what you can do, I’ll catch up when I can. If something bad happens, get out of there.”
The Crusaders nodded, keeping quiet so to not raise suspicion.
Rainbow Dash stood up straight and trotted over to Crow Quill. “So, what’s this about a contest?”

With the two ponies’ backs to them, the Crusaders too the chance to sprint onto the dirt path, heading toward the castle before it got dark.

By the time the Crusaders had returned to the castle’s double doors, it was almost pitch black. They got out their headlamps and flipped them on, looking up at the double doors. The moon was out and full, but the soft illumination wasn’t enough to show any stray rocks and twigs that might trip them up.
“You girls sure about this?” muttered Scootaloo. “I mean, it’s pretty dark… maybe we should wait till tomorrow evening and get a head start?”
“C’mon Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom spoke up. “We already came this far, ain’t much point in backin’ out now. Besides, we got these light thingies fer when it gets dark, right?”
“Well, yeah,” Scootaloo nodded. “I dunno, just… what if there is something in there?”
“In an abandoned castle?” asked Sweetie Belle. “C’mon, if there’s something in there, we can handle it. I mean, remember everything we’ve gone through together, even without an adult around!”
“Yeah, true,” Scootaloo agreed, and gave a nod with a more assured grin. “Alright, I’m ready.”
“Me too!” Sweetie Belle replied.
“Me three!” added Apple Bloom.

The three threw their hooves up into the air and cheered, “Cutie Mark Crusaders, Vampony Hunters! Yeah!”

Then the three stared at each other for a few silent moments, then giggled.
“Good times,” Scootaloo snorted.

The fillies trotted up to the doors, Apple Bloom pushing experimentally at one of them. To their surprise and confusion, the door had much more give this time, and slowly pushed open with a loud creak.
They looked at each other once more, and took a deep breath before walking inside the castle, not noticing the soft glow of candlelight coming from one of the high windows.

Into the Dark

Inside the main hall, the Crusaders were expecting the air to be old and musty, and to practically breathe in dust. But strangely it was rather clean, and their lamps made out that the carpeting and nearby furniture had been recently dusted. Sweetie Belle could even make out the faint smell of perfume.
Scootaloo jumped when her lamps caused something in her headlamp, and the girls turned to see a suit of pony armour. It was polished, the light shining brilliantly off its shell. It wasn’t as nice looking as Scootaloo’s, but it was still impressive how well kept it was.

“This is weird,” Sweetie Belle muttered. “The outside is so old and dirty, but the inside looks so… clean. It’s like somepony lives here or something.”
“Yeah, the heck’s goin’ on here?” asked Apple Bloom. “Does Crow Quill not want us in his secret summer home or somethin’?”
“Maybe all the dirt outside’s supposed to put you off?” suggested Scootaloo.

The girls walked in more, looking around at the red walls, some lined with paintings and portraits. They weren’t exactly creepy, just of mountains and of well-dressed ponies in suits and dresses.
Then a loud creak sounded from behind, and then a heavy clunk. The girls turned around saw the doors behind them had closed.
“W-what in the hay…?” Apple Bloom gasped.
Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Probably just the wind picking up…”
A loud creak sounded from above their heads, causing them to freeze and look up at the ceiling. Chills ran up their spines.
“M-maybe it’s just a cleaner…?” Sweetie Belle whimpered.
“I-I dunno,” Scootaloo whispered. “I mean, this place looks pretty old…”

The fillies grouped together as they crept toward the middle of the hall. Their lamps caught two hallways, each leading down opposite directions, and a flight of stairs before them, across from the doors.
Scootaloo gulped. “D-do ya think we should split up…?”
“Are you crazy?” hissed Sweetie Belle. “Do you know what happens when groups split up in creepy places?!”
“No! Because I don’t read creepy stories!”
“Landsakes girls, calm down!” yelped Apple Bloom. “We ain’t gonna get anywhere if we lose our heads!”
The two fillies nodded and took a deep breath, trying to keep their wits about them.
“L-let’s head up the stairs,” Sweetie Belle suggested. “Maybe we’ll find some candles in a bedroom or something.”

The Crusaders literally stuck together as they slowly approached the staircase. The three kept count together as they took simultaneous steps upward, so to not trip up in the awkward light from the headlamps. They all kept looking around at the smallest creak and the smallest whistle of wind, almost expecting somepony, or something, to jump out at them from the darkness.
“Easy girls,” Apple Bloom whispered, “almost there…”
Slowly, they made it to the landing at the top, and they both took a seat on the surprisingly soft carpet to catch their breaths, and lower their heart rates.
“I think that went well,” panted Scootaloo, managing a smile.
“Y-yeah,” Apple Bloom murmured, “thank Celestia we got these light thingies, huh?”

The fillies’ froze in terror as the beams on their lights flickered, and weakened in power, before quickly shutting off.
“O-o-oh horseapples,” the Earth Pony filly whimpered, “why’d Ah open mah big mouth?!”
Scootaloo grunted as she frantically fiddled with the light on her forehead. “What kinda lousy batteries do these things have?!”
“D-don’t panic,” gasped Sweetie Belle, trying her best to follow her own logic. “Th-these things can recharge. We just have to turn the dial on the top.”
“Ohhh,” Scootaloo muttered, and a soft clicking sounded as she turned the dial in her hoof, “so that’s what that’s for.”
“The mare at the store told us about that,” the Unicorn filly sighed, winding up her own lamp.
“W-well maybe I can’t keep as calm as you. Wait… where are you? I can’t see!”

The fillies held out their hooves in the darkness, blindly trying to get an idea of where each other was.
A soft clunk sounded, and Scootaloo yelped. “Something touched me!”
“Sorry, that was me!” cried Apple Bloom.
“D-did somepony touch my tail?” whimpered Sweetie Belle.
“That was me,” muttered Scootaloo.
“Hey Sweetie Belle, are y’all standin’ on somethin’?” asked Apple Bloom. “Y’all are taller. And when’d ya get a tie?”
“I-I’m not wearing one,” the Unicorn muttered.
If the fillies could see anything, they could see the yellow fade from the Earth Pony’s coat. “Th-then what’m Ah…?”

Light emerged in the hall, but it wasn’t the clear glow of a headlamp. Instead, the amber flicker of a candle had lit up from out of nowhere, and the fillies could see the half-shadowed face of a pale, ghostly creature standing between them.

“Good evening,” it murmured.

The ominous quiet of the main hall was broken by a trio of terrified shrieks, and the fillies sprinted away from the almost monstrous figure, galloping blindly into the darkness.

Scootaloo

Scootaloo’s scream lowered into panicked gasping for air as she sprinted blindly down a hallway, not taking the time to think logically. She didn’t want to know what that thing was back there, all she wanted was to be as far away from it as possible.
She wanted to reach for her headlamp button, but she didn’t want to stop for anything. She ran across the narrow hallway, not daring to look back in case that monster was giving chase. She just kept running, hoping her friends were behind her.

The hallway lit up in front of her as candles in sconces, and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, lit up on their own to reveal the reds and golds on the walls and carpet. She raced past paintings, suits of pony armour and porcelain busts of royal-looking pony heads in her race against the creature.
The same question raced in her head as she ran and ran for her short life--Why did I agree to do this?

Just as she was thinking there would be no end to the twisty-turny hallway, at the end was a door, that looked more lavish at the others but Scootaloo didn’t have time to register the details. She just prayed to Celestia and Luna--and Twilight for good measure--that it was unlocked.
And it seemed her prayers were answered, as the handle turned and the door opened with a miraculous click. “C’mon, get in quickly!”
Once she was sure all the ponies were inside, she shut the door and put the bold on to lock it. She wasn’t sure if that would stop the creature, but anything was better than nothing.
She slumped against the varnished wood and slid to the carpeted floor, panting and wheezing as her heart raced in a mixture of exhaustion and terror. When she felt she was ready to think again, she looked around the room.

Candelabras and chandeliers were lit up, showing that the room. A calm fire was crackling in a fireplace at the other side, surrounded by comfy looking chairs, a sofa facing its back to them, and what looked like a shag carpet. A queen-size, four-poster bed was on a small podium in the corner, with a bookcase next to it. This definitely seemed like the most lavish room.
She walked forward toward the fireplace, finding herself feeling comforted by the glow. “Looks like some kinda bedroom…”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom muttered, her own breath heavy and strained from the run. “A-Ah think we’re safe here… but Ah don’t think we’re alone.”
“How do you figure?”
“Well, somepony lit all these candles, and the fireplace.”
“Y-yeah, but at least we know it’s somepony, not something… hey, wait a minute.”
The filly looked around the fireplace area, but only saw Apple Bloom next to her.

“Where’s Sweetie Belle?”
Apple Bloom turned to look over her shoulder, and yelped softly. “B-better yet… who’s that?!”

Scootaloo’s head turned right around, and her breathing froze as she saw a mossy green pony with a curly black mane laid across the sofa facing the fireplace. A Batpony mare wearing a fluffy robe.
“Vell vell,” she purred in a Roamanian accent, and rose from her luxurious position, “vhat have ve here, hm? Looks like a pair of adorable little fillies. Oh, I could just eat the two of you up… though I have more of a thirst than hunger~”

The two fillies cowered between the fireplace and the Batpony, who smirked as she loomed over them. Her two razor-sharp fangs glistened in the flickering light.

The Hollow Shades Vampony

The vampony loomed over the two cowering fillies, who could only stare up at her as they had no other place to go. They had read about the powers vamponies had, of enhanced strength, teleportation and the like.
“D-don’t hurt us…” they whimpered, holding onto each other.

Their cowering ceased when they heard giddy giggling, and they looked up to see the vampony was knelt down to their eye level, her red eyes giving off more… excitement.
“Oooh, look how scared you are!” She squeaked in delight. “I have still got it, no~?”
The fillies looked at each other, nothing short of confused. “H-huh…?”
“You both look so terrified,” the mare said with a grin that suddenly made her fangs look not so scary, “I am so happy I can still scare ponies! And just in time for Nightmare Night too~”

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes, starting to calm down. What was all this about? Vamponies were meant to be scary monsters, but this was more like a playful mare. She could even speak!
Unless… “Don’t listen, Scootaloo! It’s gotta be a trick!” She grabbed the bulb of garlic from out of her costume and waved it in the vampony’s face. “Stay back, don’t make me use this!”
The mare turned her nose up and raised her head up from the garlic. “Ugh, garlic.”
“Yeah, we got garlic!” the Earth Pony smirked, suddenly feeling powerful. “Y’all feelin’ yerself gettin’ weak yet?”
“Oh no,” the mare shook her head and gently pushed the garlic away with a hoof. “I’m just allergic to the stuff, my throat swells up when I swallow it.”
Suddenly Apple Bloom felt the power drain from her. “W-well, we got wooden stakes!”
“Keep them to yourselves then, if you please,” she requested, “I’d rather not make a mess of my bedroom.”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You’re not acting like you’re going to hurt us…”
“I don’t like hurting ponies,” the mare explained, turning to walk back toward the couch, “it is rather messy and strenuous. Plus, hurting a pair of foals would just make me feel awful.”
The fillies just watched as the mare laid on her side on the couch again, noticing the book and the glass of red stuff on the little table to her side.
“B-but,” Apple Bloom muttered, pointing to the glass, “ain’t that…?”
“Oh, of course it is,” she giggled, and a red aura surrounded the glass as it floated toward her mouth for her to drink from it. “I have plenty in storage, all collected without harming a soul. I used to have such willing donors too.”

The vampony daintily wiped her mouth with a hoofkerchief before smiling. “Oh, where are my manners? I am Countess Kandyl von Akeldama, but you may call me ‘Countess’ or ‘My lady’, or just ‘Kandyl’ if you must. Welcome to my home~”
The fillies, still wary, introduced themselves in return. Scootaloo gulped as she raised a hoof. “Um, do you know you have a creepy, pale monster thing in your castle…?”
Kandyl tilted her head. “Creepy, pale--...oh! Of course,” she rolled her eyes with a knowing smile, then called to the air, “Night Chill!”

A flash of magic popped up before the fillies, and before them stood a pale-coated pony with their back to them. They crept up to the side and saw it was a Unicorn stallion with a rather neatly trimmed mane, and looked rather similar to the monster they saw in the main hallway, now that they thought about it.
“Yes, milady?” the stallion asked, sounding eerily familiar to that monster as well.
“Have you been frightening our guests again?” asked the vampony teasingly.
The stallion turned to look down at the fillies, and suddenly he didn’t look nearly as terrifying. “It was not my intention. I merely wished to greet our unexpected guests. I am Night Chill, head butler and chief of staff of the castle.” He greeted the fillies with a bow of his head and crossing a leg along his chest.
Despite his deep, chilling voice, the fillies didn’t feel that intimidated by Night Chill. In fact, Apple Bloom was getting images of her brother in her head. They both returned the greeting.

“Wait,” Scootaloo muttered, then looked at Kandyl, “there were three of us… where’s Sweetie Belle?”
“Oh, chances are my friend has found her already,” Kandyl giggled.
The fillies looked at each other, before Apple Bloom asked the obvious. “Who’s yer friend?”
The smile she gave the fillies made them feel uneasy.

“You might know her as The White Tail Witch~”

The White Tail Witch

Sweetie Belle’s breathing quickened as the cloaked mare slowly approached. She was caught between her and the cauldron, and there were no open windows or doors to escape to.
She swallowed and stepped forward, her horn glowing a soft green. “S-stay back, I know more magic than you think!”
“I should hope so, little witch,” giggled the hooded mare. “Why don’t you show me~?”

Sweetie Belle took the bait, and fired a blast of magic toward the mare in self-defence. The hooded mare easily deflected it with a shield spell, making the filly gasp in terror.
“Hm, rather powerful already,” the mare commented. “Almost as much as I was at your age.”
“I-I’m not here to talk,” Sweetie Belle whimpered, feeling tears well up again as she felt more and more hopeless, “just let me charge up and… and…”
“Well being so spooked isn’t going to help you concentrate, is it?” the mare giggled, then put a hoof to her hood. “Maybe this will help you relax.”

The hood came off, and Sweetie’s eyes widened at the sight before her. The Unicorn had a purple coat, and a black mane, her amber eyes capable of piercing through darkness.
Sweetie Belle recognised her right away. “W-wait… y-you’re the mare from this morning!”
“Indeed I am,” she giggled, her accent suddenly changing into the same Trottingham accent from earlier in the day. “The mare on the train, the mare from this morning, the White Tail Witch… but you can call me Nimue Metz. Or Nimue for short~”
“T-the what?!” the filly gasped. “Y-you’re the…?!”
“The one from the stories,” Nimue smiled. “Or rather, the lack thereof. I’ve seen that book of yours before, it’s truly disappointing how nopony just comes up to ask me about who I am. Just because I know a bit of dark magic doesn’t make me that scary, does it~?”

The mare trotted past the bewildered filly, to the other side of the cauldron. The filly heard the dipping of water, and saw a little mug of green liquid float down before her.
“Have a drink to steady your nerves,” the said. “Don’t worry, it’s lime juice~”
Sweetie sniffed at, then took a sip at the liquid. It did indeed have a lime tang to it. She took a bigger drink of the stuff, then backed up to look at Nimue.
“If you’re from the White Tail Woods, why are you in Hollow Shades?” she asked.
“Oh, that’s simple,” answered Nimue with a smile, “the Hollow Shades Vampony and I are friends~”
“Friends?” repeated Sweetie Belle, then blinked as she realised, “The Vampony is real?!”
“As real as you and I,” the Witch said with a proud smirk. “I always visit on the Nightmare Night season, mostly to keep her company.”

The Witch’s horn glowed a dark purple, and a purple and black swirl appeared before Sweetie Belle. In the centre was the image of some kind of room, with a mare with bat wings laying across a couch, a stoic-looking Unicorn stallion beside her, and in front of her was…

“Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle!” the filly squeaked in relief. “Thank Celestia they’re okay!”
“Of course they’re okay,” Nimue giggled, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Kandyl would never harm a foal~”
Sweetie Belle looked up at the Witch, eyebrows furrowed. “Kandyl? That’s her name?”
“You didn’t think her real name was ‘Hollow Shades Vampony’ did you?” snickered Nimue.
Sweetie Belle felt a warmth in her cheeks as she looked away. “Um, thank you for the drink… but I wanna go meet my friends so--”
“Ah, say no more,” the Witch smiled and the swirl-framed image faded away into nothingness in the air. “We should all get together before we explain the full story anyway~”

The mare got next to Sweetie Belle, and in a magical flash, the filly quickly found herself standing in front of her two best friends. The trio squealed in relief and delight before embracing each other, squeaking how happy they were that they were all okay.

“Ahem,” Nimue spoke up, getting the three’s attention. They turned to see Kandyl still laying on the couch, Nimue sitting at her hind hooves on the floor, and Night Chill at the other side, standing dutifully. “Perhaps now is time to explain everything, Kandyl~”
“Perhaps so,” the Vampony agreed, then looked up at Night Chill. “But first, Night Chill, please fetch our guests a drink. I’m sure we have some apple juice in the kitchen.”

The Story Behind the Story

Once the fillies were given a glass of apple juice each, they were sat in an empty couch, prepared to listen. Kandyl was still laid across her own sofa, Night Chill dutifully at her side, while Nimue walked into the space in front of the fire. Her horn glowed, and another, larger purple-and-black swirl appeared in the air. The centre showed the image of a Unicorn filly and a filly with bat wings.
Nimue explained how she and Kandyl were foalhood friends, and kept each other company when their families were shunned and feared by ‘normal ponies’ for being what they were. They had dark magic powers and knowledge, and their families had made a reputation for being… not as civil as the current generation the fillies were currently looking at in the room.
The images in the swirl changed as the story went on. In the last few centuries, the two fillies had managed to make more of a good reputation for themselves, becoming less feared and more of local legends. Anypony fortunate enough to run into them were treated well.
But Nimue had more luck with being well respected, as Kandyl explained as she elected to take over the story. A vampony didn’t have as much luck, but Kandyl was slowly but surely mending relations with the ponies of Hollow Shades. With a small, harmless, occasional donation of ‘life essence’, as she called it in an attempt to not spook the fillies, from the locals, she would keep them protected from any danger. It was a good agreement she had kept up for decades upon decades.
Until Crow Quill came into power. For some reason, as soon as he became Mayor, he began fear mongering amongst the locals that Kandyl would turn on them and turn everypony in town, adult and foal alike, into a vampony like her.
Kandyl kept insisting that wasn’t true, but Quill was a charismatic leader and got his way, so she had to shut herself away from the town and even fight off the occasional hunter. So Nimue began staying over for the Nightmare Night season, as her castle staff had that time off but Night Chill insisted on staying to tend to her needs.

The Crusaders soon began to feel silly for fearing the two mares. They were technically classed as monsters, but they were just as much ponies as the three of them were. In fact, looking amongst themselves, they could tell they were all thinking the same thing--they wanted to help them with Crow Quill. They never had a good feeling about him anyway.

Nimue gave the fillies a warm smile. “Now then, any questions~?”
“Ah got one,” Apple Bloom said, raising a hoof. “If y’all, well, ‘feed’ from ponies, don’t that make them turn into vamponies too?”
Kandyl burst into an amused giggle. “Pay the stories no mind, my dear. It doesn’t work that way, but I won’t bore you with the details~”
Apple Bloom nodded, satisfied with the answer. Scootaloo was next to raise a hoof.
“What about Night Chill?” the Pegasus asked, looking toward the butler who had been so quiet and still she forgot he was there for a while. “You never even mentioned him. What’s his story?”
Night Chill, after a permitting nod from Kandyl, bowed his head. “There is not much to tell,” he said softly. “I have been a loyal servant and guardian to the Von Akeldama clan for centuries.”
Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Centuries?! How old are--I mean, how do you--?”
“I prefer to keep my secrets,” the butler said simply, raising his head again.
Scootaloo looked to Kandyl for an answer, but she shook her head with a smile. “Even I’m not sure myself. All I know is he is the most helpful stallion I know, and the sweetest thing~”
The stallion glanced away, the ghost of a smile appearing on his muzzle. “You flatter me, milady.”

Finally, it was Sweetie Belle’s turn. “We have an assignment to do for school; we need to talk about local legends and I, kinda accidentally, blurted out that we were gonna write about… well, the Hollow Shades Vampony and the White Tail Witch, actually.”
Nimue snorted into her hoof. “And here you are, speaking to the very ponies. My good fortune still works after all this time~”
“Quite so,” Kandyl nodded with a smile. “So what, you wish to interview us?”
“Sorta,” the Unicorn filly shrugged. “But, I have an offer for you. What if, if we help you sort out this mess with Crow Quill, you let us find out more about you two?”

The two mares looked at each other, considering the offer. Kandyl looked back at the fillies. “You can do that, can you?”
“Sure we can!” boasted Scootaloo, hopping onto her hooves on the sofa. “We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”
“Is that so?” Nimue smiled knowingly. “I have heard about you three. You’re quite talented in helping ponies discover the purpose of their cutie marks, if I’m correct~”
“That’s us!” Apple Bloom chirped, raising her chin with pride.
“Well, we have no issues with ours~” the Witch giggled.

The Crusaders took this moment to look at the ponies’ cutie marks. Kandyl’s was a red rose with the two thorny leaves shaped like bat wings; Nimue’s was a ghostly blue star with a jack-o-lantern face on it; and Night Chill’s was a black cloud with a black and purple magic coiled around it.

“Well, this sounds like a good plan to me,” said Kandyl, a smirk crossing her muzzle. “Help us with this little problem, and we’ll tell you all we know. Fail, and well, I may just have to have a snack~”
The fillies felt a fearful chill, before Apple Bloom pointed out, “But y’all don’t hurt fillies, right…?”
“I’m only joking,” she giggled, then looked at Nimue. “But she, on the other hoof…”
Nimue stepped forward, smirking darkly. “I may just turn you all into little toads and use your mucus for potions~”
The fillies squeaked, shivering until the witch and vampony burst into fits of laughter.
“I’ve still got it~” Nimue chirped.

The Crusaders sighed and just gave the mares grumpy looks for a moment, before nodding agreement. Sweetie Belle hopped off the couch and approached Kandyl holding out a hoof. “We have a deal?”
Kandyl smirked and pressed her larger hoof against it. “We do indeed~”

“Pardon my interruption,” Night Chill suddenly spoke up with his horn glowing, making the fillies jump. His stony silence was practically masterful. “But we seem to have another--”
He was cut off by the sound of the bedroom door being loudly thrown open.
“--guest.”

The Crusaders looked and saw a rainbow-maned Pegasus clad in shiny Legion armour standing in the doorway, her chest heaving as she panted for air.
“Rainbow Dash!” they chirped happily.
“Girls, there you are!” she cried, gasping as she swooped over. “You won’t believe how boring those competitions are! Who in Tartarus plays bingo on Nightmare Night?! And who are you two?” She glared at Nimue and Kandyl. “Are you keepin’ them prisoner? Cuz I swear, if you harmed a single hair on their manes I’m gonna--”
She froze and turned to look at the fillies.
“--...why do you have apple juice?”

Confronting Crow Quill

After giving Rainbow Dash a quick synopsis of the events that occurred in the castle, the Crusaders clued her in on the plan they and the two legend ponies had organised. Once all was set straight, the six of them travelled back to Hollow Shades.
The locals in the town square were treated to a flash of purple magic as Nimue and the Crusaders appeared, then a flash of ghostly white as Night Chill came next. A spiral of black smoke appeared between them, quickly spinning around as Kandyl stepped out into view, her red eyes glowing amongst the streetlights. The musicians came to a clumsy halt as everypony turned to give the newcomers their attention.
Those not native to the town were impressed and even applauded the entrances, thinking it was part of a show. The local ponies were more fearful, recognising the sharp fangs, bat wings and red eyes of the Vampony.
“Good evening,” she began, smiling as she raised a hoof, causing some ponies to flinch and yelp. “Despite vhat you may believe, nopony is here to harm you. Ve simply vish to join in the festivities! It has been a while since I last celebrated Nightmare Night in town, and so I--”

“How dare you?!” Crow Quill’s voice roared amongst the crowd, and ponies parted to allow the Mayor passage. He threw the pumpkin head off, revealing a face contorted into a glare of pure rage that made the Crusaders back up in fear.
Kandyl, however, kept her composure, not moving a muscle. “How dare I?”
“You know the agreement!” the Earth Pony snarled. “You keep your evil away from my town! Your spell over the former townsponies will not work on me!”
“Vhat spell? The curse of being a decent pony?” the Vampony snarked.
“Yeah!” Apple Bloom barked, finding her Earth Pony courage as she stepped forward. “When’s the last time y’all heard of Kandyl harmin’ another pony? Even before Crow Quill showed up?”
“You keep out of this,” growled the Mayor. “I knew you had something to do with this. I told you to keep away from this freak, and here you are leading her right to us! Why are today’s foals so stupid that they can’t even follow a simple order?!”

But the locals had begun muttering amongst themselves, starting to question what was happening in front of them.
“My grandpa disappeared a while back,” a mare in a seapony costume pointed out, “Crow Quill said it was the Vampony’s doing.”
The Mayor jabbed at the air toward the mare. “See? See?!”
Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow. “Did Crow Quill prove it?”
The seapony blinked slowly. “Well, no… come to think of it, my grandpa was discussing visiting the castle to see about making friends with the Vampony at the time.”
“I don’t want threats to my town’s normalcy, what is the big deal?” Crow Quill sighed. “So what if I had the old fossil sent away to keep him quiet? He’s alive, presumably, and not a slave of this monster!” He stomped toward Kandyl, but was halted when Night Chill stepped between them, glaring daggers.

“Now that you mention it,” a stallion in some tacky skeleton makeup spoke up, “don’t you usually see signs of a vampire attack? Nopony’s vanished or been turned… well, they’ve disappeared after talking about going up to the castle.
“Shut up!” Crow Quill snapped at the stallion, making him flinch. “Dressing up as freaks and making complete donkeys of yourselves I can tolerate, but having some unnatural, non-normal monsters running around in my town, I will not stand!”
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “Why do you hate Kandyl so much?”
“Because she’s a monster!” Crow Quill nearly yelled, his ‘calm, compassionate leader’ facade breaking down more and more. “I bet she doesn’t even know how many ponies she has taken from us!”
“Zero, actually,” the Vampony spoke up calmly. The Crusaders were almost in awe of how well she was taking all this. “Because i have not taken anypony to be my slave or vhatever silly theory you have. I only vant to be a respectable member of the town.”
“If you want to do us a favour, you can leave,” the Mayor snarled quietly. “Or better yet, do us all a favour and burn into ashes when dawn comes!”
“Another myth,” Kandyl tutted.

“C’mon everypony,” Apple Bloom called as she stepped forward. “Y’all seein’ this? Crow Quill’s claims just plum don’t make sense! If Kandyl really wanted to make servants out of ya, she would’a done it by now!”
“We spoke to her,” Sweetie Belle chimed in, “and she’s actually really nice. Everypony knew that before Crow Quill showed up!”
Scootaloo jumped to her friends’ side. “Why would that change now? She’s not vengeful or anything!”

But some of the locals and partygoers were starting to get involved now. Angry muttering began to surface, and Crow Quill took a breath as a slimy smirk crossed his muzzle. The Crusaders began to feel nervous and backed up again.
“See? Even everypony here is convinced you--AGH!” he was cut off by somepony yanking him back by the tail from behind. He turned to see the seapony mare behind him, furrowing her eyebrows.
“Leave her alone!” she demanded.
A stallion approached next. “Yeah, why are you being so nasty all of a sudden?”
And other ponies began shouting at the Mayor, making him more and more nervous.

“What’s your problem?!”
“If Kandyl didn’t like you, she would have gotten rid of you long ago!”
“She’s not hurting anypony, you could tell if she was!”

The Crusaders, Nimue and Kandyl all smirked at each other, satisfied to see Crow Quill’s true colours emerging.
The Witch stepped forward. “It seems we do have a monster in our midst, Mr Quill~”

“I-I don’t have to take this!” The Mayor snarled and rushed out of the crowed, and backed up toward the town hall. “I’ll write a letter to Princess Celestia! Yes, I’ll have the lot of you dealt with! See how cocky you are when you have the Royal Sisters breathing down your necks!”
Rainbow Dash swooped over the crowd, a dung-eating smirk on her face. “As an Element of Harmony, I kinda have direct ties to the Royal Sisters,” she pointed out. “Not to mention I’m in the Princess of Friendship’s royal court. Who do ya think Celestia’s gonna listen to? But hey, you’re welcome to try!”

Crow Quill spluttered, having no comeback at last. All he could think to do was let out an aggravated roar before rushing back into the town hall.

“Don’t worry about him,” the Element of Loyalty called to the locals. “We got a week-long party to have!”
“Exactly,” Kandyl smirked and stepped forward. “I believe I heard music on my way in, please don’t let me keep you.”
The musicians shrugged and counted themselves back into the tune they had been playing before. And not long after, the ponies were back into party mode.

“Thank you very much, you three,” Kandyl smiled down at the Crusaders. “If not for you, I probably vould be still moping in my castle.”
“Even I couldn’t get her to do it,” Nimue added, and gave Sweetie Belle’s witch hat a playful flick. “You must have some magic of your own~”

The Crusaders grinned at each other and bumped hooves, rather pleased with themselves. Another problem put to bed. Or the coffin, maybe?

“Now then, before ve help you,” the Vampony smiled and looked around. “Please show me around this new ‘Horrorfest’. Where is the apple bobbing I have heard about. I need to learn what bobbing is~!” She practically pranced off, leaving an eye-rolling Night Chill to trot after her.

Epilogue

The Cutie Mark Crusaders practically rushed toward the Schoolhouse, feeling incredibly energised after having such a fun week in Hollow Shades. The Horrorfest had become a success, especially with Kandyl and Nimue’s inclusions. The Vampony had opened her castle as a very successful haunted house attraction, complete with spooky lights and ponies volunteering to act as spooky ghosts and creatures inside. The Witch had taken to performing magical tricks for the foals, and even did a bit of fortune telling after revealing she dabbled in reading tarot cards.

Best of all, they all had their project ready to go. And they were looking like the most excited in the Schoolhouse to deliver it, as the other groups of classmates were either looking nervous or hastily finishing their papers or notes. If they weren’t looking nauseous from candy overload.
They sat down together, grinning to one another. They were sure they were going to pass, even if they didn’t have a single line of notes written down. The only group that looked as ready as they did was Diamond Tiara’s, who were also sitting quietly and to attention.

Soon the bell rang, and Ms Cheerilee called for everypony to settle down.
“Alright, I hope you all had a fun Nightmare Night,” she began, “and I figure we may as well get out projects out of the way and have an easy settling-in day before getting on with work tomorrow, hm?”
Foals around the room either looked relieved at the sound of an easy day, or nervous as they cobbled together the last of their notes.
“Now then, which group would like to go first?”
The Crusaders’ hooves shot into the air, outspeeding Diamond Tiara’s hoof which made her a little annoyed at not getting the honours. Other classmates were relieved as they got time to prepare themselves.
“Surprise surprise,” Cheerilee chuckled as the trio approached the front. Sweetie Belle put the copy of Scariest Legends of Equestria on the teacher’s desk, making her rather curious. “Don’t you have any notes, girls?”
“We don’t need any,” the Unicorn filly boasted, then the three stepped aside.

A black spiral of smoke emerged before the board, and Kandyl stepped forward. A purple flash of magic and sparkles appeared next to her, with Nimue next to it. The fillies watched in awe at the display, while the two mares smirked.
“Everypony,” Sweetie Belle began, “the Cutie Mark Crusaders present to you, Countess Kandyl von Akeldama, and Nimue Metz.”
“But you may know us as the Hollow Shades Vampony, and the White Tail Witch,” continued Kandyl, with a flick of her bat wings.
“We bid you all a good morning,” added Nimue. “We were told you’d like to learn a little bit about us~”

Sweetie Belle

Sweetie Belle was close to tears as she raced away from the creature in the hallway, and could only hope her friends were following behind her as she sprinted down the hallway that lit up in front of her. Normally she would be wandering slowly and admiring the fancy decorations, but that wasn’t her priority.
Though one thing she did notice was a door to her left, slightly ajar. The inside was completely black, but she didn’t care. She was happy to see darkness now--at least she could hide in it from that monster.

She ducked inside and shut the door, trying to keep herself from panting too hard or sobbing too loudly in fear. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard no other noise outside.
She slowly felt at her forehead, but could only feel her horn. A quiet groan escaped her at the thought of her dropping her headlamp out in the hall. She had bought it so she could get a proper light ahead of her, but now it was gone.

“D-do you girls have your lamps?” she asked, and she felt cold when she got no response. “A-Apple Bloom? Scootaloo…?”

A soft whimper escaped her. She had been separated.

With a sigh, she lit up her horn, which gave the surrounding area a soft, lime-green glow around her. She couldn’t see ahead of her, but any light was better than nothing. She gingerly felt ahead with one hoof as she stumbled forward. If she was on her own, she figured she may as well make the best of it and find some way to track her friends down.
She jumped softly when she felt something cold and ceramic, and she saw her slightly distorted reflection on something when she looked ahead. She backed away, and yelped as the room suddenly lit up.

She was in some kind of bedroom, with a four-poster double-bed in the corner, a desk in another corner, and other things a bedroom needed.
Though, she was sure a bedroom didn’t need a large black cauldron. It reminded her of Zecora’s, and thought in the back of her head hoped that the zebra herself was here. A familiar face would be great right now.

When she turned around, she saw a cloaked pony at the closed door. A familiar looking pony in a black cloak. She yelped and leaned back against the cauldron as the mare approached.
“Looks like you found my study, now what do you suppose I should do with you~?” she giggled in a familiar voice. So familiar that it made Sweetie Belle remember being told to visit the castle during the night. She shivered as she put it together.

It was the mare from the train.