All Ends With Beginnings

It was Nightmare Night.

Anon’s been living with you for a month now. Nightmares don’t let up. He’s been better attitude wise though.

He still has his bouts of depression. He still has his problems. But being around friends has been able to help him. You’ve been dreading Nightmare Night because of the horror theme, and you didn’t want Anon to endure all of the creepy and spooky things that usually goes on tonight.

That’s why it surprised you when you found out he didn’t mind such things. There was a similar holiday back in his world called ‘Halloween’ themed around horror. They had trick or treating as well, and dressed up, and had parties with scary decorations.

When he grew out of dressing up and trick or treating he said he’d watch an old horror movie, which apparently, their technology with movies are also beyond what Equestria has.

You supposed all of this would be okay then. You decided to dress up as Edgar Allen Pone for this Night Mare Night. One of your favorites. His stories were more dark than they were scary, but he was an amazing writer. Speaking of writing, you couldn’t get your mind off of what happened almost a month ago with trying to find Anon’s source of consciousness. It was in his journal, and the aura surrounding it seemed corrupted, almost unnatural. You didn’t write to Luna about it. You didn’t know how too.

How do you describe what you saw that night? Anon seems so normal, as normal Anon can be at least. You always knew he was hiding something, but this something seemed to be deeper than just this bad place he went to or a very bad incident that happened to him.

You found yourself deep in thought as to what either one of those could have been. Was the bad place a very bad fight? Was he in a bad part of what ever city he was in? Was he lost in the woods in his world? What wild animals did they have there?

Was he held hostage? What about this horrible occurrence? Was it the bad place itself? Or something else? The death of a family member? He was open about his mother and father. It couldn’t be that could it?

There was still something he wasn’t telling you. It irked you. You had a job, you had a friend to help! You had to know. You HAD to.

But tonight wasn’t the night for that, unless something extreme happens. You wouldn’t cast memory spell on him. You weren’t that low, and you knew you were already hoofing the line when it came to looking for his conscious without asking. This had to come from him lest dire circumstances call for such a thing.

You took one of Spike’s fake mustaches and placed it on your upper lip. Rarity helped with the dying of your mane, much to her chagrin, and even supplied the tie and blazer needed.

You looked at your self in the mirror. The past few sleepless nights of reading Pone’s stories gave you some natural bags under your eyes.

“Heh. Looks like I’m ready to write “The Manticore’s Paw” or something.”

Now all get up in your costume, you walked down stares to find Spike and Anon getting a candy bowl ready for the little fillies that would stop by for some tasty treats. Spike was the first to notice.

”Oh! You’re ready Twilight! Ready to go to Pinkie’s Nightmare Night party?”

“Of course! Just set the bowl out on the front porch and we’ll be on our way.”

Spike was in a cute little Griffon costume, Anon didn’t bother with dressing up.

“Are you sure you don’t want to be in a costume Anonymous? Everypony else will dressed up for the occasion.”

”Ha. I’m fine. I’m already a spooky, meat eating, alien from another world. I’ll fit right in.” His cynical sense of humor was hard to get used to, but you’re past over thinking it by this point.

“Alright Mr. Spooky monkey, we should get going now. We don’t want to be late.”

Spike hopped onto your back and Anon placed the bowl out on the front step of the library. With that all three of your were off to Sugar Cube Corner. Walking through the front door you took a minute to appreciate Pinkie’s decorating skills.

There were dead leaves scattered randomly over the floor, the lights were dimmed, and there were ghosts and bats hung up on the wall. There were cupcakes with frosting spiders on them and barrels filled with water and apples. Really nice decorations and assortment of games all around the bakery.

With some classic Pinkie touches. Black and orange balloons for example.

Speaking of Pinkie Pie. ”OH! Everyone! Spike, Twilight, and Anon are here!”

The party mare, dressed as a chicken...again, got the attention of all the other ponies in the place so they could welcome you. Well all accept Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack who were competing to see who could bob for the most apples. Who were in lion and zombie costumes respectfully.

”Darlings! How nice to see all of you here finally. You three are a little late.” Rarity walked up to hug you. She didn’t dress up too much herself, just a gothic gown.

“Heh. Yea, sorry about that. I was just getting ready.”

”Well you look better than I thought you would! Well minus the mustache.”

“Edgar Allen Pone did have one! No use dressing up as the author if I’m not going to be accurate.”

”Well I suppose you’re right. Well, we all hope you enjoy the night, Pinkie Pie out did her self with the treats this year.”

The party itself ended up being so much fun. Spike orbited Rarity most of the night. You were very entertained by Rainbow and AJ competing over all of the games, and even Fluttershy showed up, which was a surprise. She said she showed up for Anonymous, having the same worries you had that the night would trigger something or scare him.

Though, despite his insistence on the opposite being true, Fluttershy spent most of her time around Anon. Though he ended up being the one comforting her. Poor pegasus was shivering in Anons hoodie after Pinkie tried to give her a cupcake with a gumball decorated to look like an eye stuck in the top.

The fun was cut short by the voice of Mayor Mare outside gathering everypony who could here out to the town square.

“Oh! It must almost be time for the little fillies and colts to go visit and offer candy to the Nightmare Moon statue.”

”The what? You guys have a statue of Nightmare Moon?”

Anon took his attention away from calming Fluttershy down and looked at you with an eyebrow raised.

“Yep! It’s on the edge of town, every Nightmare Night the mayor will get all of the children together and offer their candy to the statue.”

”And why would they do that?”

“Oh, it’s just a little fun. There’s a legend that if the foals didn’t offer their candy to Nightmare Moon she’d come and eat them.”

”Uhhh, and Luna is okay with that still being a thing?”

“Oh she doesn’t mind anymore. A few years ago she tried to come here and change Nightmare Night into more of a feast. Didn’t go over too well. She actually ended up embracing the idea instead.”

”Oh! Well, if she’s okay with that I guess. It’s a little weird to continue to have a holiday where you celebrate the fear of your now reformed princess.”

“Culture is often weird. It’s not like we can just change the holiday after a thousand years anyway. In fact! You should go with the group Anon. Princess Luna likes to make appearances at the statue!”

”Huh. Yea I’ll go. Luna mentioned visiting a while back. I just have to calm down Flutters first.”

Fluttershy nuzzled her self deeper into Anon’s hoodie.

”Oh. P-please don’t bring me. Whenever Luna makes her appearance it’s always so scary.”

Anon wrapped his arms around the quivering mare and cooed. ”Aw don’t worry Fluttershy, I can walk you back home before I go if you’d like?”

Fluttershy nodded her head vigorously.

”Alright. Well, I guess I’ll be walking her back to her cottage. I’ll see you later tonight Twilight?”

“Mhm! Oh! Anon, before I forget, just come back to the library, the girls are going to be staying over to tell scary stories!”

Anon made his way to the door, trying his best not to trip over himself as he cradled Fluttershy. ”Yea, sounds great. I’ll make sure not to take to long. See you guys later.”

You all waved goodbye to the two as Anonymous left through the door.

”Hey Twilight! I gots ya a question!” Pinkie Pie flew...yes, flew, flapping her costumes chicken wings, over to you.

“Yea? What is it?”

”You got any seeds for me?”

Oh Pinkie.

~~

You tried your best to keep it in. You did, you really did. And then he said it. He said those words you were never expecting.

Then the flood gates opened. You couldn’t hold back the feelings in your chest. Not after those words.

”Yea, and then Rainbow Dash told her if she ever came back to Ponyville she’d use the rake on her next.”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh goodness Anonymous, I suppose I should be mad at her for committing assault but...HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

It had been a while since you’ve laughed that hard. This night had all around been a very pleasing one. Giving the little foals a show by scaring them into giving you candy was always fun. And you knew they were never really afraid of you.

Little Pipsqueak was always a voice of reason among them. You were given a happy surprise when you saw Anonymous standing behind the crowd of foals. So much so you almost broke character.

”Yea. Rainbow Dash seems to get herself into trouble a lot. She is always coming from a good place though I think.”

“Is that so?”

”Of course. Though, the road to Hell is paved in good intentions.”

“The road to Hell?”

”Oh. Hell would be the closest version to Tartarus I think. Anyone who has committed sin or evil would be sent to Hell after they died.”

“I see. And there is a road that leads there?”

”Metaphorically yes. It’s a cautionary saying. Even if you are coming from a good place, that doesn’t mean everything you do is right or will come out the way you want it to.”

“Ah! A rather morbid way to say such a thing, but I think I understand.”

”Yea, Humans have some morbid ways of putting things into perspective. But it’s a form of art all in its own way.”

“How poetic.” You respond.

”Exactly.”

You and Anon walked a long a trail in White Tailed Woods, enjoying the scenery in the late hours of the night. A dim yet calming light being given off by your stars and moon. Fireflies danced around the both of you, a calm breeze gave life to the otherwise quite path.

The leafless tress allowed there to be very little in the way of the light coming from the sky. The night was so calm and peaceful that those not paying attention wouldn’t know tonight was supposed to be one of celebrating horror.

A heavy gust of fall wind blew from the side of the forest you were closest to, interrupting the otherwise temperate and relaxing breeze. The cold bit at you and you moved closer into Anonymous, bumping his arm.

”Woah. You okay Luna?”

You blushed. “O-of course. It just got a little colder out here.”

”Oh, yea. It is fall, one of the reasons us Humans where clothing.” Anon shuddered.

”Wish I had clothing more suited for the upcoming colder months though. Even my hoodie isn’t going to be enough for the winter weather.”

That’s a good idea for a present. ”Suppose we’ll just have to toughen it out for tonight though.”

“Yes, of course.” You say.

No. You could keep each other warm, with body heat. Just relaxing in a clearing leaning against each other, staying warm in Anon’s…

Ugh.

Those thoughts again. It started as an off hoof thought. Nothing you thought was serious. He was an amazing friend! Though the more time you spent with him the more those kinds of thoughts entered your mind.

Friends could keep each other warm! A warm hug of friendship...looking at the sky together...listening to Anon’s heartbea-

Stop! You’re making yourself blush. You couldn’t stop them from coming. He was from another race, another world. And he was mortal, he’d be gone like the rest of them.

Plus you two have an amazing friendship already. Why ruin that with awkward thoughts.

”Hey, what’s that?” You stopped and looked to see where Anon was pointing.

In one of the large clearings, there was a guitar leaning against a tree stump.

“It appears a pony has left their guitar out here.” You respond, looking into the clearing.

”Well, let’s go see if it has a marking or something saying who it belongs too.”

The two of you walk up to the musical instrument and Anonymous picks it up. On the body of the guitar, right under neath the bridge, are three large red apples.

”Hey. This is Applejack’s guitar!”

“Why would her guitar be all the way out here?”

”Maybe she just wanted to play out here and left it for some reason.” Anon sits down onto the tree stump and places the guitar on his lap.

”Hm.” He strums each string, one by one on the guitar. ”It’s still tuned...”

He looks up to you and then smiles.

”It’s been a few weeks, want to hear a song.”

“That would be most enjoyable.”

”Alright. Hmmm. What’s a good song I remember? Ah!”

Anon’s fingers danced across the strings of the guitar, playing a sweet if somber melody. Suitable though. Sweet yet somber describe Anonymous perfectly. You sat down and gazed at Anonymous as he worked the strings.

Each chord and strum coming together in an amazing harmony. Seeing him play his instrument, his figure cast against the dark woods, illuminated only by the dim light of the moon, stars, and occasional winter firefly, such a view would be perfect as a painting.

Such a painting would be one you’d stare at for hours. Being here and seeing the real thing though? Much better.

~~~~