Nightmare Night, What a Fright
Author's Note
Part of Georg's One-Shot-Tober writing, pulled out into a short of its own. I wasn't sure if this should be part of the pre-The Traveling Tutor and the Librarian world, or put into the Substitute Librarian as a chapter on its own, but it actually fits in both, so feel free to establish your own headcannon.
Enjoy, and make sure to give all the children plenty of candy. After all, you never know if any of them are REAL monsters.
Nightmare Night, What a Fright
Nightmare Night, Windigo Fright
“Nightmare Night, what a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!”
Age was a terrible divider, but somepony had to stand by the curb and be a Respectable Adult while the children carried out their missions of pillage and plunder. The mismatched herd that he had found himself in charge of was far more diverse than any of the years before, with a yak and two griffon fledgelings mixed into the bunch, as well as several candy-crunchers done up so well he could not even guess about what was under the outfit.
That was the best thing about Green Grass watching instead of participating this evening. He had ample time to see all of the decorations, plus the innovative costumes that brilliant little ponies had dreamed up, or purchased, or had certain older members of their families create, or in one particular case, had made herself, with an additional copy for her big brother.
“OoooOOooOOoo?”
There was a Windigo standing to his side, which was a little startling since Green Grass had been fairly certain that section of roadway was Windigo-free a few seconds ago. The fact that it was a Windigo did not bother him, because his own Windigo costume was one of several out in the darkened streets tonight. Besides, the Windigo was only slightly over knee-high, making him just barely old enough to go asking for treats without his parents. Or at least the voice sounded like a small colt under the costume. It was difficult to tell with the tattered white sheets billowing over his back and the low susurrus of frost noises. Unicorn enchantments were so fascinating, and when combined with pegasus magic made amazing costumes that just seemed to get better every year.
“Hello, little one. I didn’t see you around during the games earlier. Did you just get here? Are your parents around?” he asked, looking up and down the street for a concerned parent or two.
“OooOOoo,” replied the little colt, who did not look concerned at all about being parentless at the moment, but more than a little curious, mostly in the direction of the happy herd of similar youngsters collecting candy at the nearby house.
“Well, until they show up, you can stay with our group. Don’t want you running off by yourself and getting gobbled up by Nightmare Moon.”
“OooOOoo?” He had not meant to frighten the little colt, but from the trembling and the abrupt looking around, Green Grass had put his hoof right into his mouth with his last quip. Thankfully, he had reinforcements who arrived with a happy bounce along with her associated herd of tiny tots.
“Hey, big bro!” Frost billowed right up to him, looking almost as if she were gliding with the frilly bits of her Windigo costume whipping about in an unfelt breeze. As one of the top students in Celestia’s school, Frost was a continuing source of pride for her bigger brother, with an unending supply of clever gadgets and unicorn enchantment presents for him to marvel over and enjoy.
It was slightly unfair to compare his own little sister’s costume to an unknown colt he had just met, but the kid had done his up right. It was cold, with tiny wisps of fog drifting out around his hooves and a masking spell around the eyes that made them look like two glowing blue lights in the drifting of frost-wrapped cloth. It probably wasn’t as good as the realistic alligator costume one of the earth pony colts had made, or the Crystal Princess filly who glittered as she bounded along on real pegasus wings, but the quality indicated an extremely wealthy family or a talent like Frost, who was destined for a rising career in Princess Celestia’s school.
After getting her smaller herd of costumed monsters as organized as they were going to get for the next house, Frost bent down to get a better look at the small colt’s costume with a cheerful, “Hey, Greenie. Are you collecting more Windigo for our candy crusade? Who are you, little one?”
“Ooo,” responded the colt, seeming a little set back at the other small costumed ponies who flowed around them like energetic fireflies.
“Ooo’s parents are around here somewhere,” volunteered Green Grass. “I said he could collect candy with your unindicted co-conspirators until they show up.”
“OooOOo,” verified Ooo.
There were enough spare candy bags to free one up for Ooo’s use, and the next several houses left all of the happy herd with a comfortable haul, even the little colt, who seemed to elicit extra contributions due to his tiny size and extraordinary costume. The gleeful chatter of the children made Green Grass pleased that he had ditched class for this, although there was one thing he still had not managed to accomplish.
“Still no NuttyOatyOat bars, sis?”
“No, Marshter,” lisped Frost with a suddenly acquired limp. “Your faithful servant seeks chocolate to feed the monster. Don’t think I forgot all the times you ‘helped’ me sort my candy after a good Nightmare Night.”
“I traded,” said Green Grass with a toss of his head so his Windigo costume ‘face’ could sit on top of his hornless head. “You like popcorn balls. I like NuttyOatyOat bars. It would be a shame to leave either of them as a sacrifice to Nightmare Moon.”
“OoOoo?’ asked Ooo, who stared up at him with unblinking cold blue eyes.
“Oh, this must be your first Nightmare Night.” Green Grass crouched down so he could better talk to the small colt. “Every year, Nightmare Moon is freed from her prison on the moon, and she visits all of the towns of Equestria, looking for little colts and fillies to gobble up.”
“Ooo!” declared the little colt, and his glowing blue eyes got very large.
“That is why we have Nightmare Night,” declared Green Grass with a happy if possibly overdone smile for his youthful audience. “Every child in town dresses up in a costume so Nightmare Moon can’t recognize them, and then we go door to door, collecting candy so we can distract her. If we collect enough candy for her to gobble up, she will go away until next year, and we get to gobble up the candy for the next few weeks.”
“OOooooOOooOooo!” said Ooo, which needed little translation since he promptly put his nose into the bag of candy and started looking for what he was going to eat first. Green Grass chuckled and put a hoof on the young colt’s back, but only for a moment because the spell-infused costume was so cold.
“Not just yet,” he cautioned. “First, we need to collect a whole lot of candy, so we can be sure Nightmare Moon is satisfied with her portion. I was going to take all the children along Diplomat’s Row and then back here to the park for Nightmare Moon’s appearance. If you want to get your parents, you can come along with us.”
The little colt was obviously discouraged by the qualification of ‘parents’ in the candy-collecting goal, so Green Grass waved over the local Nightmare Night organizer for this particular park. Across the city, there must have been a hundred volunteers in her position, dressed in fake spiders and mummy bandages in order to call the little candy-crunchers together, introduce the volunteer who would be playing Nightmare Moon, and collect the pile of ‘donated’ candy afterward. It only took a few moments to inform her that little Ooo’s parents should be looking for him around the park somewhere, and they’d be right back with lots of candy.
All of the children cheered whenever candy was mentioned, so he worked it into the excuse several times before heading to Embassy Row with his band of happy monsters. In his experience, diplomats seemed to regard candy as an effective tool to influence ponies, and Luna’s return had caused a general sense of international unease. After all, Celestia’s sister had gone from a mythical monster who lived in the moon to an all-too-real alicorn who walked the halls of the palace at nights, which turned the night’s celebration from an odd pony event to Serious Diplomacy that made many older diplomats go rummaging through other pony traditions, just in case there were any other unacknowledged royal relatives lurking in the margins of foal’s stories.
Tonight, uncomfortable diplomats made for generous bags of candy, and the diplomats seemed to be digging deeper into the bit pouch than usual for the good candy. But no NuttyOatyOat bars in Frost’s bag, to Green Grass’ disappointment.
“Hey!” Frost snatched the treat bag away from him as they walked toward the park. “No grazing. You get your nose into the feedbag and we’ll never keep the children together for the offering to Nightmare Moon.”
“Ooo,” added the little colt by their side, who had the handle of a nearly full bag in his mouth after their productive trip through Embassy Row. The comment was probably supposed to be in support of Frost, but Green Grass could see small smears of chocolate around the colt’s face and nose from early snacking, and he concealed a smile while heading to the statue of Nightmare Moon with the rest of the children. Ahem. With the other children, as an adult in charge instead of a fellow candy-collector.
It was an oddly big brother moment, since he was already a big brother to Frost, but he had never really been a big brother to a little brother before. It gave him a warm spot in his chest that kept the chill of the evening at bay while the unicorn volunteer playing Nightmare Moon ran through her spiel about descending to Equestria to hunt the children and how she could only be distracted by sufficient candy being offered to her. There was always a great deal of screaming and running around involved with the grand finale, and since he was a designated adult this time, he got to watch the whole thing instead of participating.
Admittedly, as a college student, he was a little old to collect candy on Nightmare Night. But NuttyOatyOat bars, so foo on that.
“Ooo?” The little colt in the Windigo costume remained standing right beside Green Grass’ side, which was where he had been before the volunteer in the Nightmare Moon costume had begun chasing shrieking children all around the park. Since most of the fun was in getting chased around the park, and Green Grass was probably a little old to run around in front of the young costumed mare, and was a little afraid that she might catch him, he had decided to just casually stand fairly close to the sacrificial pile of candy after making his donation. And if perhaps a loose NuttyOatyOat bar were to happen to fall off the pile and into his slender bag of ‘adult supervisor’ candy that some houses gave just out of sympathy…
“What’s wrong?” Green Grass had to kneel on the frost-tinged grass to look the little colt in his glowing blue costume eyes, but Ooo looked worried, and since it was his first Nightmare Night, a little big-brother-ish explanation should help. “Are you afraid of Nightmare Moon?”
Ooo nodded rapidly, and cringed back a little when the young costumed volunteer ran past again, calling out to the screaming children in front of her until she vanished into the darkness. “Candy! So much candy! Nightmare Moon can’t gobble you up with this much candy to eat!”
Unofficially, that was the end of the ‘Last Chasing’ as Green Grass liked to think of it, with all of the laughing children headed off to their parents for a trip home and a close examination of their night’s haul. The Nightmare Moon statue would be removed sometime before dawn—along with the candy pile—and all that would remain in the light of day would be a few loose candy wrappers. Next year, perhaps Ooo would be experienced enough to run around screaming with the rest of the children, but he was missing an obvious lesson, and since Green Grass was planning on a career in education, there was no time like the present to educate the young mischief-makers of tomorrow.
“Do you really know why all the children in town really dress up in costumes and collect candy tonight?” he asked.
Ooo looked puzzled, then shook his bag of candy to hear it rustle.
“Besides the candy,” continued Green Grass. “And it’s really an unfair question, since you’re so young, so I’ll go ahead and answer it for you. It’s fear.”
“Ooo?” asked the colt in a fashion that indicated a complete lack of understanding regarding this strange adult concept.
“We overcome fear with the help of our friends. That’s the lesson we learn from Nightmare Moon. After all, you were afraid when you first met all of the children, right?”
It was slow, but Ooo eventually nodded.
“And you were afraid to go up to the first house with the other children, right?”
This time, the nod was much faster.
“Just like you were afraid to approach the statue of Nightmare Moon over there to make your candy offering,” said Green Grass with a wave at the pile of candy in front of the statue in question. “But your friends went with you, and showed you what to do, so you weren’t afraid any more.”
“Ooo!” said Ooo, only with the sound of understanding this time.
“Your new friends gave you courage to overcome fear,” explained Green Grass. “Friendship is an amazing power, greater than even Nightmare Moon. The lesson is a lot like the Hearth’s Warming play, when the power of friendship among the three races of ponies protected them from the Windigo. Friendship brings us together to support each other, like you and the other children you collected candy with. All of Equestria is stronger when we work together. And friendship isn’t just for ponies. While we were collecting candy, you saw all the other races of Equestria participating. Some are our friends already, and others are becoming friends as we learn to work together. Friendship is for every creature, and the more friends we have, the less we have to fear.”
“Friendship!” hissed a low voice above Green Grass, and a shimmering shadow descended from the sky, framed in stars and glimmering magic.
From the most astonishing Nightmare Moon costume, this was obviously one of the volunteer pegasi who had the task of shooing away any last children and parents so the cleanup crew could start working, but the way she was throwing herself into her part made it fairly obvious she was also one of the university drama students. Her narrowed teal eyes flashed with simulated rage, and the glittering cascade of star-strewn mane made the whole ensemble flow together so well that for a moment, Green Grass had to consider if it was really Princess Luna. But then again, the Princess of the Night was supposedly experiencing the festivities in Ponyville, so the unknown mare’s amazing costume and acting was being wasted on one unappreciative adult and one terrified little colt.
Ooo’s costume was painfully frigid when Green Grass moved closer to him in support. The parents should probably be told to warm him up when this was all over, but for now, he had more important child-supporting to do.
“Flee, Nightmare Moon,” said Green Grass loudly and with as much stage projection as he could manage. “Your time in our world is up for this year. Take your tribute of candy and return to your prison in the sky. You will find no terrified little ponies to gobble up here tonight, only fierce creatures who have joined the ponies in friendship, to protect them from malevolent spirits such as yourself.”
“What?!” The actress reared back and spread her wings, sending a gust of frigid air across the grass that made Green Grass glad of his thick—although difficult to brush at times—natural green coat under his Windigo costume. “Bow before me, worms! I am Nightmare Moon! Being driven from that weakling, Princess Luna, was only a minor setback. Bring her forth so that I can subjugate her to my will once again!”
“Nay!” Green Grass felt an urge to leap on a nearby picnic table and strike a heroic pose, but he decided that face-planting the leap would probably not contribute to his dramatic performance for the little colt. “Princess Luna has cast you aside, foul spirit. She is spending her night in the company of her friends in Ponyville. Begone, pathetic parasite. You have no power here, Nightmare Moon. Begone or feel the power of our own friendship. Isn’t that right, my friend?”
“Ooo?” said Ooo before looking up at Green Grass and gaining some steel to his spine in the process. “OooOoo!” he declared with his taller friend. “OooOOOo OOoo OOOoooOOooo OOOoo OO!!”
The actress was considerably set back by the burst of aggression from the little colt and floated back a few steps with her eyes open wide. “W-windigo? What matter of deception is this?”
“No deception, Nightmare Moon,” declared Green Grass, who was really getting into the play-acting. “The world has changed greatly since you twisted the will of the youngest princess with your honeyed words and promises of power and adoration. The time of your divisive darkness and evil envy has passed. Now is the era of unity, with friendship between all creatures, in Day or Night!”
“Ooo!” declared Ooo.
The actress playing Nightmare Moon crouched down and hissed, “I will not be denied! I will have my revenge!”
“Take your candy and flee to your prison on the moon,” demanded Green Grass. “Let it comfort you for the next year until you return again as a powerless spirit, fit only for entertaining the youth.”
The actress hissed again, but her heart was not in her performance anymore. She darted down to the pile of candy and grabbed several pieces before rising up into the sky, higher and higher until she winked out of sight against the risen moon. It was an amazing display of unicorn magic, better than anything Green Grass had ever seen, and he could not help but grin beneath his Windigo mask as he watched the moon shimmer high above with one sharp flash of light.
His grin froze in place as a number of disconnected facts dropped into place. The shimmering shape of Nightmare Moon. The way she had been translucent. The air of command around the shade. His sudden need for a few drinks at the nearest bar.
That… wasn’t a unicorn. Or a pegasus.
“Ooo!" declared Ooo, just as proud as he could be without bursting out of his costume.
“That’s… right,” managed Green Grass. “She’s afraid of our friendship.” He took as deep a breath as he was able and considered just how to phrase ‘running away’ as the next logical step. “Why don’t we go find your parents,” he said instead, “so you can tell them all about tonight, and show them the candy you collected.”
The little colt gave off a delighted squeal and dashed away, only to return in a few moments to encourage Green Grass to a faster gallop. He really didn’t need the additional speed, because all he could think of was Nightmare Moon returning to find the arrogant poser who had insulted her. Somehow, he didn’t think she would bring him a NuttyOatyOat bar as a reward for his foolhardy bravery.
The houses passed in a blur, since Ooo was making great time for his diminutive size and Green Grass had considerable incentive. It took only a few minutes until the two of them made one last turn into one of the tiny parks that decorated Canterlot, and Green Grass slowed down to a halt when Ooo launched up into the air and flew around a couple who just had to be his parents.
Because they were Windigo too.
Oh. That explains so much.
The two Windigo floating above the park glared down at him with cold blue eyes, which normally would have frozen Green Grass cold with terror, but the ecstatic young Windigo happily circling them like an enthusiastic puppy broke the tension like a boulder into a frozen puddle. Ooo could not stop his happy chatter, muted only slightly by the handle of the bag in his mouth, and kept his parents from devoting their full cold fury to intimidating a young teacher who was already intimidated quite enough.
He could not translate the happy Windigo noises that Ooo was making, but they were probably some version of “Look at the nifty friend I made tonight!” followed hopefully by “Please don’t eat him.”
“You have a very special young colt there,” said Green Grass out of reflex. “He made quite a number of friends tonight, and learned all about pony traditions.”
Two pairs of glowing blue eyes narrowed, and the temperature in the tiny park dropped sharply.
“Friendship is a powerful uniting force,” continued Green Grass while his nerves were still functional. “Your son has learned that lesson, and all of us are better for it. I’m proud to have escorted him through the city this evening, and I thank you for the opportunity.”
For one long frozen moment, Green Grass thought he was going to be turned into an ice cube, but apparently the balance between a happy son and freezing an annoying pony fell in his favor, and the two parents turned with a gust of frigid air and began to rise up into the sky.
“Ooo!” The tiny Windigo plummeted down with the candy bag flapping in his jaws, and stopped directly in front of Green Grass to root through his candy supply. In a few moments he found what he was looking for and transferred it to the other bag which had fallen out of Green Grass’ mouth. With one last happy cry, Ooo darted back up into the sky to rejoin his parents as they vanished into the clouds, leaving Green Grass to stand in the frost-stiffened grass and stare.
It took some time.
Tonight had been… different, but somehow exactly what he had wanted out of the experience. He had met a young colt, both taught and learned a precious life lesson, and gained something that he never would be able to put on a resume. Figuratively spitting in the face of a mythical spirit of nightmare was just the cherry-flavored frosting on top of a NuttyOatyOat bar.
Which reminded him about Ooo’s actions.
In his bag, sitting right on top of the chewy taffy and dried fruit was a beautiful NuttyOatyOat bar with a faint cover of frost. A careful poke added the fact that it was frozen solid, and since he did not know how cold it was, Green Grass left it in his bag when he picked it up. It would defrost in time.
Time…
After making an extensive study of the park and its surroundings so he would be able to find them again, Green Grass began his long walk back to the university fraternity house while thinking. It was plain to see the young Windigo had enjoyed himself so much this evening that next year he would probably return, and it would be in Equestria’s best interests if the young child had an experienced guide to candy collection.
And if they happened to meet Nightmare Moon’s defeated shade again… he would worry about it then.
After all, he had a new friend to help.
* * ❄ * *
