The Shadow Horse

by Lotus Moon

Rating: everyone
Tags: Random, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Human, Anon, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1030

Anon meets Ombretta

Anon's first Nightmare Night was shared with an unusual and unexpected stranger.

Written for the One Thousand Word contest by Bicyclette

Published 2022-05-23 15:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-05-23 15:50:01 UTC

Shadow Walker

Author's Note

Yes. Another bat pony story. But this time it's one of my OC. Given more context in this story if anyone is interested

Shadow Walker

The sound of laughter filled the streets of Ponyville as its residents had begun their annual celebrations on this night of nights. And what night would that be? Well, it's Nightmare Night! A time for costumes and candy and games...well there is more to it from what was explained to Anon. But to him, it was like Halloween on Earth since truly nothing was out of the ordinary. Kids running around from door to door for candy, adults playing games and chatting, a hay bale maze, and just general fun. Anon leaned against a tree, sipping on his third mug of apple cider as he watched the festivities. The brightness of the full moon made the night more luminous than normal and seemed to give the atmosphere a more magical feel. "I wonder if the bat ponies celebrate on this night too. Seems up their alley."

"Most ponies do, though I like this night for different reasons." An unknown female voice said.

The voice made Anon jump but he couldn't pinpoint where it came from. It was a strangely ethereal voice. Not a whisper but also not a normal volume. And had an almost melodic quality to it. Anon looked around until he noticed a being where there wasn't one before. The being was obsidian yet also seemed like it had no form and it also looked like the shadows bent around its shape. Squinting, he could make out the distinct features of a head and hooves along with a short bob mane. But from the torso down, it looked like nothing existed. The being turned its head and looked at Anon, a pair of white orbs where the eyes would be stared back at him. The being seemed to shift and its hind legs and tail formed as if they'd always been there.

"Apologies for the start. I normally do not make my presence known, but you piqued my interest." The being, a mare from her voice, said while stretching her limbs. Before his eyes, the shadows that formed the mare seemed to solidify into a full corporeal body. The white orbs fluttered a bit till a hint of grey irises could be seen. She then walked into the moonlight tentatively and took a deep inhale; upon exhaling, a pair of bat wings sprung from her back. Standing about as tall as Princess Luna with just as much of a regal air. Anon was certainly stunned by what he saw. A pony materialized out of nothing and yet was the most stunning creature he'd ever seen. Though he half thought he could have been drunk so she could be a hallucination.

"Did you...have you been...listening to me?" He asked.

"I have. Though not just to you. To everything." The mare gave him a side glance. "And no, you aren't hallucination me. I did come out of the shadows next to you. I'm completely comprised of shadow."

"How is that possible?"

"My good sir, most times, even I do not know. I simply am." She shrugged, lightly flaring her wings before mumbling, "Second simplest answer is of being a plot convenience to the writer who still hasn't figured out my origin story yet."

"Huh?"

"Nothing." She sighed and nodded her head, beckoning him as she began to walk. "Anyway, you wondered about the bat ponies enjoying Nightmare Night?" Anon nodded as he followed her. "Well to answer your query, they do. They celebrate this night as the night their Moon Princess returned. By now I'm sure you've heard of the terrifying rise, fall, and return of Nightmare Moon? Before that, Princess Luna assumed no one appreciated her nightly work and felt deathly underappreciated. Once she returned, a small envoy of bat ponies came to her and told her otherwise." The mare went on to explain how Princess Luna began visiting the bat ponies when able to as well as how she came to view them as her children just as Celestia had for her day ponies.

"Then are you one too? One of Luna's children?"

"Heavens no. Even with these wings, I am not. I simply take on whatever form suits me for what I am doing. As a shadow pony, I am a child to no one..except perhaps my host. But she doesn't usually need me around. So I watch what goes on in Equestria." The mare shrugged.

The two spent the night walking and talking as the festivities continued around him, being greeted by several ponies along the way, which eventually confirmed other ponies could see the mysterious mare as well. Anon regaled her with stories of his original home, while she did the same as she spoke about things she had seen. Including some scandalous things about the Princesses. As the night's festivities were beginning to come to an end, the mare walked with Anon to his home. The mare looked up at the sky, seeing the moon was nearly completing its cycle. No doubt by now, Princess Luna was beginning her nightly rounds as colts and fillies were tucked into dreamland, having exhausted themselves with the night of fun. Most adults, with younger ones, would be asleep now as well. "Well, good sir, I suppose it is time I bid you good night."

"Must you? The night still seems young." Anon shrugged.

"You say that, yet you have yawned several times on the walk here." She quirked a nonexistent eyebrow.

"Touche" Anon shrugged, "Well may I have your name?"

"Oh. I never did give it did I?" The mare faced him and slowly walked backward. "I am Ombretta. We shall meet again, human." With that, she disappeared into the nearby shadows, leaving Anon outside his home and watching her disappear.

He soon entered his home and plopped on the couch as he recalled the night's events as a wave of sleep slowly blanketed him. "Ombretta...interesting mare." Before sleep could fully take over, Anon shot up with a random thought. "Wait..does this mean she's seen me naked?"