A Nightmare Night to Remember

AN: The story finally begins to live up to its one and only story tag near the end of this chapter, Pinkie promise. It might read a little awkwardly as I'm still getting used to storywriting again.

The next day dawned bright and cheerful, but by the time I had rushed down to the kitchen, thick clouds had already begun to clout the sky.

I didn't give the weather too much thought, just scrambled to get a slice of wheat bread and some soup out. I burned both in my haste; the toast crumbled into fine ash when I poked at it, and the soup seemed to be bubbling mysteriously. Didn't bother me; I tipped the toast-crumbs into the soup and shoved a spoon through the murky concoction.

Breakfast was a quick and quiet affair. Rarity had apparently pulled an all-nighter, and I could still hear her fretting over something trivial in the sewing room.

I kind of wished she wouldn't keep the door shut all the time when she was working; I liked seeing her designing dresses. I mean, it's always neat to see ponies doing what they're best at. But I don't think she trusted me in that room with her at the same time anymore, not after that one incident that involved a shaved Opalescence, 20 sheets of diamond-studded gold silk strangely absent (only to reappear draped all over Twilight's precious library), and all the equipment stuck to the ceiling. Don't even get me into that.

So anyway, I had miraculously finished eating breakfast - chiseling away at the soup after the mixture had somehow hardened - and after tossing the ruined soup bowl into the sink, I snuck over to Rarity's workroom, hoping to catch a sneak peek at whatever she was working on.

I was barely at the door when it swung inward, and a blur of white streaked out, its claws catching onto my fur in its mad dash to freedom. "Opal—?" I could barely breathe as the feline latched onto my throat. "Hey! Get off—" A shriek emitting from the sewing room cut me off. "Rarity—?"

My sister had emerged from the room, breathless as well, her deep blue eyes alight with enthusiasm. As she hopped about, she giggled almost obscenely, her hooves tip-tapping on the solid wood paneling of the floor like a half-crazed schoolfilly.

"Oh, Sweetie, darling, do come in here! I have a surpri-ise for you," she said in a sing-song voice. I raised my eyebrows at that. Really? She wanted me in her beloved workroom?

"Look, look, look!" she squealed in delight. "I designed some gorgeous costumes for you - oh! And your two best friends as well! Isn't it just marvelous? You three will look so, so, SO cute tonight."

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but that whole "best friends" phrase she threw at me caught me by surprise. I felt that cold trickle run along my back; you know the one, where you can literally feel the danger drawing close around you like a noose. My throat tightened a little, and it was hard to force the words of thanks through. I kept getting the chilling thought that perhaps Rarity knew of my discovery of her photo album. I definitely saw a glint of something in those azure eyes of hers.

"O-oh they look, uh, great. Really." And they did. Mine was a blossom-orange and fuchsia ensemble, adorned with little rosebuds and leafy green weavings. It looked spectacular, as did Apple Bloom's (in colors of lily-white) and Scootaloo's (pale blue).

My somewhat flat response must have been unconvincing though, as Rarity's smile seemed to falter. Her eyebrows pushed together as she surveyed me. "You haven't been touching my things when I was busy sewing, were you?" she asked without warning. She set her hooves together and studied me.

"I… no… how did you—?"

"You left the basement door open," she deadpanned. "Oh, forget it, darling, as long as you didn't look through my belongings. I'm afraid you might, well, find certain… Nevermind. You don't want to be late for school. Oh! And do remember to bring the costumes with you! I'm sure your friends will simply adore them. They're simply so very fashionable looking, wouldn't you say, dear?"

She seemed back to her old self again as she neatly folded the garments, levitating them into a saddle bag and thrusting the lot at me. I placed the bag on my back, and scuttled out. As I was leaving the boutique, she watched me from one of the windows that decorated the sides of the shop. Of course, I couldn't confirm this given that they were tinted, but I had that eerie chill run through my spine again. I kept imagining my sister, her voluminous purple mane shadowing her face as she gazed out the window, hiding herself from me, from the world. Like she couldn't let anyone see the true her. It was just a figment of my imagination running wild, a little Nightmare Night paranoia, but I sure could see it happening. A disturbing thought to be sure.

As I hurried off to the schoolhouse, I noticed that a dark fog seemed to permeate the air, though the holes in the cloudy skies allowed weak sunlight to poke through. Seeing that I was alone in the cobblestoned streets, I stepped into a small patch of sunlight just around my size with all the dramatic flair of a flamboyant Canterlot pony, my head held high, hooves sweeping before me.

"When you're chained to this range
And you wait for something strange
Life's adrift in endless sea
Perfect chaos, harmony
All you need's a bit o' change."

My imaginary audience was silent in awe, their souls filled with the passions of my melody only to empty of all thought as my voice trickled away. Then came the heart-stopping, thunderous approval, a thousand hooves stomping their praise.

"Wow, that was pretty good!"

My eyes shot open, and I twisted around in surprise.

Before me, just a few hoofsteps away, was a wiry little colt with a beige coat and neatly trimmed brown mane. His right hoof supported a jet-black camera. His face was stretched wide in a grin.

"F-Featherweight?" I asked in confusion, a strain of annoyance in my tone. I was also a little confused by his presence. I hadn't noticed him around earlier. In fact, I could swear the street was empty of ponies up until now.

"Oh, hi, Sweetie Belle. That was… that was some really good singing!"

I was getting a little creeped out at that point. I peered up and down the street we were on, and just as I had predicted, it was bare. No convenient bushes or anything to have concealed him, and all the houses were mere specks from where I was standing. Unless he flew from up above, which begged the question: how in Equestria could his shrimpy, little wings support his ungainly body?

"Yeah, um, thanks," I muttered. I shifted my saddle bag of clothing into a more comfortable position, which, of course, sparked his curiosity and sent him spiraling into a line of questioning concerning the aforementioned bag.

"Just some costumes for Nightmare Night. No, you can't peek at them now. You'll see them when we wear them tonight. Yes, they were done up by my sister Rarity. No, she won't make you one as well. Yes, these are for me and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo." I was rattling off answers to his constant barrage of questions at that point, even though I really wasn't in the mood for this spontaneous interview.

His enthusiasm was fizzling out now, but just when I thought I had provided answers to all his demands, my mentioning Scoots' name incited a new storm of inquiry.

"Oh, Scootaloo?" he said eagerly. "How is she, by the way? She well? Did she like the tulips I sent her?"

Right, I should probably mention his silly little crush on Scoots. It was ridiculous actually. It was bad enough having to go through the motions of "questing for our cutie marks" when two of us already had discovered our talents, but then we were shadowed by this unshakable colt. He stuck to us like candy on a sultry summer day whenever we did anything at all. Interestingly enough, he began to tag along shortly after that royal wedding catastrophe. Maybe he figured we were like celebrities or something for surviving that experience. I dunno.

"She's fine," I sighed, kicking at a few tendrils of tall grass that happened to get in my way. "She—oh, look. We're here."

As the door to the brick-red schoolhouse swung open, I ever-so-gently shoved him in, ignoring his indignant cries, and bounded off. He shot me a seething look, but I was beyond caring. I was eager to show off the costumes Rarity had sewn for us to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. I mean, I don't want to brag or anything, but my sister was really the best seamstress in all of Equestria, no lie. I just knew my friends were going to love the costumes. How could they not?

The two fillies were lying beneath one of the tall trees that resided at the fringe of the schoolyard, surrounded by piles of bright, scarlet leaves. As I approached, they glanced up, spirited smiles painting their faces.

"Hey girls! Look what Rarity made for us!" I brandished the items of clothing at them, holding the costumes out at hoof's length for them to admire. I closed my eyes with a satisfied grin, awaiting their exclamations of flattery.

When my hopeful ears were met with silence, I cracked one eye open. Their faces were mirror images of shock, their jaws slack, and their demeanor suggested they were about to collapse into unconsciousness. No doubt they were hit with the magnitude and grandeur the garments had inspired.

"Uh, ah really like the, uh… They're very…" Apple Bloom turned pleading eyes at Scootaloo, but the orange pegasus said nothing in response. "Um, ah think they're jus'… The colors are… An' the overall thing is, um… They… they're jus' simply—"

"—Awful!"

And then the pegasus fainted.

The school day went by in a flash. Cheerilee probably knew we were too hyper with sugar and candy and thoughts of dressing up to go parading around the town at dark, so she allowed us time to work on costumes and stuff.

I spent the hours in the corner, avoiding my friends. I was busy scribbling something nasty about the other two. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see them knee-deep in strips of cloth, tearing at something with the help of Featherweight. Oh yeah, that was the other reason I ditched them. I was just getting sick to the stomach at seeing that colt trying his best to impress and assist Scootaloo, and let me tell you, he sure did look idiotic doing so. Scoots didn't mind so much, which I thought was absolutely appalling. Simply considering that maybe she even liked him back made me want to puke my lunch out.

So anyway, after school let out, I didn't stick around too long, just gathered my papers up and left. I wish I could say that I intended to avoid them all night, but I had already promised to go trick-or-treating with them, and Pinkie Pie says to never break a promise. Pinkie's crazy and psychotic and all - those were Rarity's words - but I figured she'd use her Pinkie sense to find out and do something awful to me if I disobeyed.

And thus, the setting of the sun found me shivering in the chill just outside of the barn of Sweet Apple Acres. As I waited there with Scootaloo beside me, I could hear Apple Bloom yell that she just needed a few more moments before she was ready.

"You know, Scoots, you didn't have to go and faint like that," I told the pegasus crossly. "And you certainly didn't have to rip up the costume Rarity made for you into a billion little pieces. What're you supposed to be, anyway? A trampled, undead chicken?"

My remarks were met with a steely glare. "No, I'm a zombie flower." Oh, right, how silly of me. I suppose science had now confirmed that flowers could indeed bleed whatever that red substance it was that she'd smeared all over herself. "And that chicken thing is getting old now. So cut it out."

By that time, Apple Bloom had already emerged from her house, so I was unable to come up with anything to say back. I did find it insulting how much she detested the gorgeous flower costume my sister had designed though, and I was prepared to show it.

"Ah'm all ready to go now!" the canary yellow earth pony announced brightly. I raised an eyebrow at her costume, which was awfully similar to Scootaloo's, except that it featured a towering wig that resembled something out of Frankenhoof.

"Cool, now let's go meet up with Featherweight! He said he'd be waiting over by the—"

"Not him too!" I groaned. As the other two turned hostile glares at me, I proceeded to collapse in the same fashion Scootaloo had in reaction to the costumes.

How lucky that the one patch of dirt I landed on just happened to be all nice and muddy.

"Nightmare night!
What a fright!
Give us something sweet to bite!"

Our bags were overflowing with candy, just in time for when Princess Luna was scheduled to arrive in Ponyville. It was kind of a tradition at this point. Ever since her well-received return a few years back, she made it a point to visit each of the cities and towns in Equestria.

All four of us - me and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and, yes, even Featherweight - were trotting up the path that led to the town square, when all of a sudden, the little tagalong stopped in his tracks.

"Wait, hold up a moment." He ducked his head, his face in shadow, and he was shuffling his hooves. I guess he figured Scootaloo had a thing for shy guys or something. "Um, I gotta go and give something to Zecora."

"Now? In the Everfree Forest? In the middle of the night!?" Scootaloo had stopped as well. The concern in her lavender eyes was evident as he nodded in response.

I let out an exasperated sigh, staring pointedly at the crowd beginning to gather at the town hall. The domed town building glinted in the moonlight, and the lights strung all around glimmered invitingly. I heard there was a small feast and punch being served inside as well. I was really looking forward to gorging myself with food and getting warm and relaxed, especially since I was exhausted from my attempts at magically cleansing myself of dirt and muck.

"We're not going to get a good view when Princess Luna finally arrives," I warned her, but she ignored me.

"C'mon. We'll go with you, and help you deliver that thing as fast as we can."

"Yeah, ah'm sure we'll make it back in time ter see the Princess."

"Oh, no, it's alright. You don't all have to go. Scootaloo and I'll do fine."

Apple Bloom considered that for a while, but I threw him a glare. He just wanted to spend time alone with her; I knew it. And so I did something I knew was incredibly moronic. "No, no, it's no trouble. We can all go together." I didn't even care how redundant that was.

Featherweight snuck a sidelong glance at me, and he seemed to be pushing his weight onto the ground with far more force than necessary, like his mind was chewing on something real hard, but he remained silent.

"Whatever y'all want is just fine an' dandy with me," Apple Bloom shrugged finally. And it was decided. We turned around and solemnly entered the forest.

Now I'm not one to get terrified easily or anything, whatever you may be thinking. Okay, alright, maybe I am a little jittery about situations like this, but not in the way Fluttershy is, tripping over every shadow that so much moves slightly. You could hardly blame me though. Here we were, four frightened foals - fine, just one frightened filly - on the chilliest, darkest night of fall, entering the most foreboding and menacing forest in all of Equestria.

There were these scraggly trees spilling over with blood-red leaves and winding, gnarled branches that reached out like they were going to snatch us up. Worse, there were rotten holes etched deep within as if some monstrosity had ripped off the fleshy wood to expose oozing sap and rancid decay. And every so often, luminous green eyes would flicker in the darkness these cavernous shelters had to offer. These were creatures living in the bones of the deceased and who wouldn't hesitate to nip at our heels and lacerate us into shreds. It was disgusting.

As we pushed further into the Everfree, I started getting those same chills from before crawling up my spine. I could sense this presence trailing us, keeping to the shadows, watching, its predatory gaze tracking our every movement.

It was little things that betrayed it. A faint shuffling that I couldn't pretend was the wind, sharp leaves crackling somewhere close, flashes of a brilliant blue-green in the still darkness, and this drumming, a low beat that echoed through the woods.

We stuck close together, and each step we took narrowed the gap between us until I could literally feel the shaking of their bodies pressing against me. They were scared as well, and in some strange way, it comforted me to know that we shared this terror. I knew I wasn't alone.

Our shivering hooves brought us farther and deeper into the tangle of wild trees and grappling undergrowth. Featherweight had led us off the main path for what seemed like eons ago, and I began to question his sense of direction. Did he even know where he was taking us? Did it matter anymore?

I could feel the endless trees closing in, asphyxiating and choking my every sense. Shawls of twisted vines obscuring every shadow and light, the putrid stink of the fog clogging my throat, the wild copse wrenching at my heels, a suffocating claustrophobia that threatened to push me over the edge of panic. Each hoofstep I took felt forced and uncontrolled, like some baneful bewitchment.

I wanted out now; I couldn't take the stares of the forest, the things that shifted in the night, the beings that waited with the patience of immortals. I wanted escape, I wanted to leave, and I wanted to let that wretched colt know that now.

My trembling voice fractured the restless quiet.

"Featherweight, j-just where in the fiery depths of Tartarus are you t-taking us!?"

He froze; they all did, as did our shadow. I swear the entire forest emptied of all possible sound just to stop and listen in. His gaze flickered from left to right, and he wouldn't say anything.

His behavior began to infuriate me. I was fed up with his attitude, and I wasn't afraid to show it. I got right into his face and jabbed a hoof at his chest.

"You clearly have no idea where we are. Obviously this isn't the way to Zecora's, so I'm asking why! Why have you taken us here?"

And like a taut rope whose final thread has snapped, he shoved back, an unexpected rage that lashed out at me. It was like my words had shattered his perfectly crafted shell of kindness and humility that he had worn only as a guise.

"Don't think I don't know, Sweetie Belle! You've always hated me, treated me only with suspicion and hostility, when all I gave was my hoof in friendship!"

And all of a sudden, I was slipping, the ground beneath me quivering and shaking. A deep gash had ripped open in the earth just behind me, and everything around it collapsed, taking with it the roots and the tall weeds and the jagged rocks and… me, yanking me along with it.

"What is it? Are you jealous? Because you know you're not worthy enough to deserve anyone's love, much less mine? I've seen how you treat your friends, and I know what they really think of you!"

His voice had dropped low and menacing, and I could swear his eyes began to steam with an ethereal, blue light. He was looming up from above, watching me with a mixture of frustration and satisfaction as I attempted to grasp at any stalks of grass I could, frantically conjuring up a spell to levitate myself over the open earth beneath.

The darkness had swallowed up my friends. I couldn't see them anymore, and I think I heard somepony cry out, and I didn't know if it was me, or if I even had the oxygen left to muster any sort of strenuous activity. But I wanted to scream, and I couldn't: couldn't force even a peep out, couldn't find anything to support my weight, couldn't hold on…

And then, the inevitable: my magic gave out, and I let myself plummet into the gaping jaws of the shadows below.