Fluttershy nervously walked along the dirt road to Rainbow Dash's house. She looked at the leaves on the trees around her, almost like a beautiful painting of orange, red, and yellow. The crisp fall air nipped at her coat, which combined well with the warm sunlight.
Okay, don't be nervous, Fluttershy. Rainbow is your friend, she'll totally help you. You just have to go up and ask her for advice.
Soon, she arrived under the huge, elegant cloud mansion that was Rainbow's house. She flew up slowly and landed softly on the clouds right outside Rainbow's door. She timidly lifted a hoof and rung the doorbell.
Ding Dong
"Rainbow Dash?"
Her friend's brash voice responded from inside the house.
"Fluttershy, is that you? Hang on, I'm coming!"
A few seconds later, the front door opened and Rainbow's smiling face appeared. "Hey, Shy! What's up?"
"Hi, Rainbow. Well, I want to ask you something. That is, if you don't mind." Fluttershy looked behind Rainbow and saw a lump of clothes and craft supplies on the table. "Were you busy with something?"
"Oh no, Shy, it's cool. Come on in!" The prismatic pegasus stepped aside and let her timid friend walk in. She noticed that Rainbow's wings were dyed red, but didn't say anything. The living room was decorated head-to-toe with Nightmare Night decorations. The spooky holiday was today, and everything looked ready. Fake spider-webs hung from the walls and ceiling, skulls and plastic spiders covered everything, and a jack-o-lantern was on a nearby table.
"Oh, I love your decorations, Rainbow," Fluttershy said, giving a meek smile.
"Thanks! I'm really getting into the spirit this year!" The cyan pegasus excitedly flew over to the table and picked up the pile of clothes that was next to the jack-o-lantern. "Look at my costume! I worked super hard on it."
She slipped on a red body-suit that was similar to her Shadowbolt costume from last year, but the underbelly was golden and it didn't have a mask. Her wings were the same color as her suit, and matched it perfectly. She grabbed a red hat from the table that had sharp, red spines coming out of the top and put it over her mane.
"So, can you guess what I am?"
Fluttershy looked her over and was about to say that she didn't know, before a memory popped up in her head. "Oh, you're dressing up like the dragon we saw a year ago!"
"Right! Except, I'm gonna be way tougher than him." Rainbow lifted her head, bared her teeth, and pretended to roar. "ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!"
Fluttershy yelped and hid behind her mane. Once the dressed up pegasus knew she was scaring her friend, she stopped. "Oh, sorry."
"Oh, i-it's okay, Rainbow. T-that's a nice costume, by the way." Getting her head out of her mane, Fluttershy cleared her throat. "Ahem. Well, anyway, I came by because I was wondering if you could help me with something. I want to, um, learn how to scare ponies," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Uh, what do you want to do?" Rainbow asked with a confused frown.
"I want to learn how to scare ponies," she said, a bit louder.
"Can't quite hear you there, Shy."
Fluttershy took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and whispered out, "I wanna learn how to scare ponies for Nightmare Night."
She opened one eye carefully after a few seconds of silence and saw Rainbow looking very surprised. Her surprised expression quickly grew into an excited one.
"Wow! You mean, you're not gonna hide away in your house this year? You want to not only dress up, but to prank people?!"
"Oh, um, yes. If that's alright." The butter pegasus nervously looked off to the side. "Well, you see, after I learned everypony liked Princess Luna scaring them, I decided that maybe I should learn how to do it too. You're the best prankster around, so, I thought I could come to you. But, if you don't want to help-"
"Of course I want to help!"
Rainbow's enthusiastic answer made the timid pony shrink back in fear.
"Sorry, Shy. But this is awesome! We should get started right away!" The brash pegasus's face gleamed with happiness knowing that her friend wanted to join her in some fun. "Now, because Nightmare Night's today, I can't give you a lot of lessons. But, I can teach you enough to pull an amazing prank for the group of trick-or-treaters that come around at night. Want to get started?"
Fluttershy gave a small smile. "Oh, I'd love to-"
"GREAT!" Rainbow Dash flew up into the air and lifted her friend up with her. "First things first, costumes!" Saying that, she quickly flew her surprised friend over to her room.
~~~~~~~~
Inside Rainbow Dash's bedroom was a surprisingly huge closet. When you passed through the doorway to the closet, you're immediately greeted by racks and racks of clothes inside a room as large as Fluttershy's living room. The only thing unusual about the clothes hanging from the many metal clothes racks throughout the room was that they were all Nightmare Night costumes.
Frankenstallion suits, mummy cloth wrappings, torn shirts meant to be worn by zombies, Grim Reaper cloaks, and much, much more filled the closet; and filled Fluttershy with awe and fear.
"This is my Nightmare Night collection!" announced Rainbow, gesturing to the room with an outstretched hoof. "I am super into this holiday. Scaring is right up my sleeve when I wear a costume."
She cracked a coy grin. "I totally bet I can find something in here to turn little, timid Fluttershy into a growling, scary monster."
The said timid pegasus gulped nervously. "Um, Rainbow, a-are you sure that trick-or-treaters are okay with getting so scared? Whenever I got scared on Nightmare Night, I absolutely hated it."
Fluttershy frowned as the memories of countless Nightmare Nights raced through her head, where she was the little filly always getting scared and pranked. These were what led her to hide in her house in the first place.
Rainbow Dash sensed what she was feeling and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Don't worry. These guys are always down with a good prank. Now, we'll have enough time to get you into a creepy costume and plan out a super spooky prank if we start right now. So, let's get to it!"
Encouraged by her friend's words, Fluttershy nodded and gave a smile. "Okay. So, I have to be something super scary and terrifying?"
"Yes! Now, what do you think is really, really terrifying? What can spook you out of your skin?"
The butter pegasus frowned in thought. "Hmm...." She perked up her head and grinned. "Oh! I got it! I'll be a badger!"
Seeing the confused expression on Rainbow's face, she frowned. "What? They're super ferocious when defending themselves."
The prismatic pegasus face-hooved with a groan.
"Ugh, this might take a while."
~~~~~~~~
"Um, I don't think this will work either, Rainbow."
Fluttershy was standing in front of a mirror in Rainbow's closet, fully dressed in a vampony costume. A black cloak lined with red silk lay over her body, and realistic fangs poked out of her mouth. The cloak she was wearing fastened onto her neck with an intricate gold clasp embedded with a red jewel. Rainbow Dash had even stashed some special make-up away to make Fluttershy's face paler and put white highlights into her mane.
She looked more like a real vampony than herself in a costume.
Rainbow frowned and groaned, again, in exasperation. "Come on, Shy! That's the fifth costume we've tried today and we have only seven hours left till the trick-or-treaters come!"
Next to the annoyed pegasus lay a mummy outfit, a demon outfit, a werepony outfit, and a sabertooth tiger suit. They all got the same answer from Fluttershy.
"I'm sorry, Dash, but I don't think this will work. I don't think I'll be able to act scary in a vampony outfit."
"Well, what can you act scary in?" asked Dash. "We need to choose something! If you can't do it, I'll have to choose for you."
Fluttershy thought about what she said. "You know what, Rainbow? How about you do choose for me and tell me what to do? I don't know anything about scaring ponies, so I'll do everything you say."
Rainbow Dash considered this and nodded. "Yeah, all right. It will save us some time." An evil smile suddenly came across her face as an idea formed in her head.
"In fact, I might have an idea for you already."
10 Minutes Later...
"Now open them!"
Fluttershy nervously opened her eyes to see her reflection. Her eyes widened in shock and awe at the gore-y costume Rainbow had put on her when she looked in the mirror. The brash pegasus insisted that Fluttershy wouldn't see it until it was on her, to make it a surprise. She gasped at every little detail of the make-up and clothes on her and nervously took a few steps back.
"Oh, Rainbow.... i-it's so.... g-gruesome....."
The timid mare examined her costume some more, and then tilted her head in confusion.
"... but, it's... nice.. at the same time. I..."
A small smile worked its way onto her lips.
"... I love it!"
Rainbow gave a toothy grin and hoof-pumped the air. "Yes! We've got a costume! Now we just have to work on scaring techniques! Let's go!"
~~~~~~~~
"No, no, no! You're doing it all wrong!"
Fluttershy, now out of her costume, sadly flattened her ears over her head. She was out in Rainbow's front yard, and practicing 'scaring techniques' with the brash pegasus. So far, it had not been going well.
"W-what do you mean? I'm trying to be scary....."
"Well, you're not trying hard enough!" Rainbow complained, frowning. "I mean, you're supposed to snarl evilly, not purr like a kitten!"
"B-but I'm really trying!" The timid pegasus took a deep breath in through her nose, concencentrated, opened her mouth and...
"rrrrrrraaaaaaarrrrrr..."
Even though she was baring her teeth and giving a menacing glare, the yellow mare was acting anything but scary. Her snarl came out soft and sweet, like the mewl from a kitten, or the growl of a puppy. Mainly, it was just outright adorable.
But Rainbow Dash wasn't looking for adorable.
"Ugh! Just watch me, Shy." The prismatic pegasus looked around and grabbed a nearby pinecone. She set it down in front of her, making it her 'audience'.
"First, you act intimidating. Give the pony a good menacing stare and scowl." Dash narrowed her eyes and stared at the pinecone hatefully, scowling almost in disgust. "Next, channel all your emotion to your lungs and voice. Feel the natural predator in you go to your vocal chords so-"
"Um, Dashie?" Fluttershy piped up. "I don't mean to bother you, but.... we're herbivores, not predators."
"Well, forget that for a sec," replied Rainbow, not breaking her gaze from the pinecone, "you gotta use your imagination. Then, release all your emotion, all your intimidation through the snarl. Really try to scare!" After saying this, she bared her teeth and snarled, growling like a wolf in front of its prey. Years of practice let her performance be truly terrifying.
Even though she wasn't in front of Rainbow Dash while she did this, Fluttershy shrank back in fear from her friend.
Rainbow finished her display of snarling and flew back over to Fluttershy. "Now you try."
The butter pegasus shook her head furiously. "No, no, no, Rainbow. I can't do that."
"Oh, come on! Why not?"
"W-well, I j-just don't want to scare anypony so much it'll be mean. I don't want them to hate me." Fluttershy's eyes started to slightly fill up with tears.
Rainbow sighed for about the tenth time that day and put a hoof around her friend's shoulders. "'Shy, you're not gonna be mean. These kids want to be scared. Scaring them will make them really happy." An idea slowly formed in her head. "You know, Fluttershy, I think I might know a way to make you able to scare really well."
She sniffed in reply and wiped the tears from her eyes. "W-what's that?"
Rainbow took her hoof away from her shoulders and walked in front of her. "You're going to try and scare me now. To do it, think of those punks that scared you when you were a filly, to be mean."
She reluctantly closed her eyes. Memories of the young colts at flight camp came into the timid mare's head. In every one of them they were scaring her, teasing her, making her feel small. Fluttershy shuddered when she remembered them, wanting the memories to just go away.
Seeing this, Dash spoke up. "Now, try to think I'm one of those colts. Do your best to imagine me as one of them."
Fluttershy was a little confused by her friend's request, but opened her eyes and did as she was asked to. Her mind turned Rainbow's coat brown, her mane a creamier brown, and turned her cutie mark into an image of a dumbbell. She had gone from looking like Rainbow Dash to looking like the leader of the gang of bullies that terrorized her when she was just a young filly.
Her knees grew shaky and she started trembling at, sort of, seeing one of her worst enemies. She hid her head behind her pink mane, wishing the brown bully away.
"No, don't hide, Fluttershy! Look at me and try to intimidate me, make me feel small!"
Rainbow's familiar voice broke through Fluttershy's scared thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she poked her head out of her mane and faced the altered Rainbow Dash once more. Trying her hardest not to shrink back again, she controlled her wobbling limbs, and stood strong and tall.
"Great," said Rainbow, smiling, "now try to make me scared. Give me... The Stare." The brash pegasus's voice weakened a bit as she said this, knowing how strong the famous Stare was.
Fluttershy hesitated, not wanting to have to put a friend through the powerful gaze. But she focused on seeing Rainbow as her enemy, and willed herself to close her eyes, and open them once more.
Once she opened them, the calm, teal-blue orbs inside her eyes widened and radiated with, not hatred, but a pure force of authority. The piercing gaze dug straight through Rainbow's body, and right into her soul. It made Rainbow Dash feel helpless and weak, something that she had never felt in a long, long, time. She shrank back, almost imitating Fluttershy as she folded her ears back and stepped away a few paces.
'Seeing' her enemy shrink back, Fluttershy filled up with a sense of power and slight maliciousness. Wanting to feel this even more, she maxed her Stare power by 50%, bared her teeth, and growled. It was way different than before, and grew into a deep-throated roar with each passing second. Soon, she was roaring at her friend like a wolf at a mouse.
"GGGRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!"
After it was over, Fluttershy triumphantly looked at her prey and saw how frightened the pony in front of her was. Even though she was seeing her enemy, she still felt shocked that she was the pony who caused her to be like that. She shook her head clear, looked and saw Rainbow Dash.
The daredevil simply stood there, looking far less daring then she usually was. Her eyes were wide in shock and fear, and her limbs were trembling like twigs in a storm. Being released from the force of The Stare let her fall back on the ground, half-way to unconsciousness.
Fluttershy let out an 'eep!' and ran over to her friend, who was sprawled out on the grass, flat on her back.
"R-rainbow Dash? Rainbow Dash!"
After tapping her a few times on her cheek, the rainbow maned pegasus mumbled something quietly; too quietly for Fluttershy to hear.
"W-what was that, Rainbow?"
".... I-I th-think we m-might be making progress."
~~~~~~~~
Eight 'O Clock-At Fluttershy's Cottage....
"Don't worry, you're gonna do great, Fluttershy."
Rainbow Dash had been giving her timid friend a small pep talk, hiding at the top of a tree near her friend's cottage. The moon was out and shining, and the night sky was clear, letting the silver glow fall on everything on the ground below; including Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, now dressed in their costumes.
"O-okay. Angel, are you ready?"
The stubborn bunny had been putting on the final touches of his make-up on near Fluttershy. He gave a thumbs-up, staring in awe at his owner's costume.
"Great! Hey, I think I see the trick-or-treaters in the distance!"
Angel replied with a coy grin and three stomps of his foot, which Fluttershy knew meant,
"It's show time."
Down the Road...
While the two tricksters were setting up their prank, the group of fillies and colts that were famous for trick-or-treating every Nightmare Night were walking away from Ponyville towards Fluttershy's cottage, each of them carrying their sacks of sugary sweets. They decided to talk to pass the time as they walked along the moonlit dirt road.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders decided that they would all be book characters for Nightmare Night. Apple Bloom decided to dress up as Dr. Frankenstallion, and put on a white lab coat with a red stethoscope hanging from her neck. To complete the 'mad scientist' look, she styled her mane to friz out in all directions; almost like Twilight during the dreaded 'Smarty Pants' incident.
Sweetie Belle decided to be Harry Trotter, and she was dressed in an elegant homemade Griffondor robe, sewed to the last detail by her sister, Rarity. She carried a wand in her pocket that she got from a nearby tree, and on her forehead was a scar made from lipstick that she 'borrowed' from her sister.
Scootaloo dressed up as Sherlock Hooves, and wore a small black trenchcoat and leather gloves on her hooves.
The other members of the group included: Pipsqueak, a Modern Major General; Dinky, a police officer; and Featherweight, who was Marty McFoal from the movie Ahead to the Past.
"Hey, Scootaloo," said Dinky, "you told us that you're dressed up as Sherlock Hooves, but I thought he wore a 'Sherlock hat'."
"It's called a 'deerstalker'," she replied, flatly, "and the Sherlock Hooves I'm dressed up as isn't the old one! It's the new one from the brand new Sherlock Hooves book series that just came out. It's modern and totally awesome."
"Hang on," interrupted Featherweight, looking quite confused. "Why is it called a deerstalker anyway? Why would we want to stalk deer?"
".... I have no idea."
"Hey, Pipsqueak, what exactly is a Modern Major General?" asked Dinky.
"Oh, I'm actually a character from the play Pirates of Ponyzance," he replied, with a smile. "I absolutely love Gilbuck and Sullimare's operettas, and that one's my favorite!"
".... Gilbuck and who?"
"Well, I don't know 'bout you guys, but I can't wait to get to Fluttershy's place!" said Apple Bloom enthusiastically.
"I can't wait either," piped up Pipsqueak. "It'll be my very first visit on my second Nightmare Night!"
"Look guys! We're almost here!" squeaked Sweetie Belle.
She was correct, for the group had just reached the clearing where Fluttershy's cottage was. But for some reason, the windows were dark, and the whole place was devoid of any animals or ponies. Not even the noises of a cricket or the calls of an owl could be heard. The moonlit darkness and lack of life made the group of trick-or-treaters slightly unnerved.
"Um, maybe no one's home?" suggested Featherweight.
Suddenly, a red and white blur limped/hopped out from behind the cottage and started limp/hopping it's way over to the foals. When it was close enough, the children saw that it was Angel, covered in a sticky, dark, red liquid. Every step it took made a new grimace appear on his face.
Sweetie was the only one able to get out of her state of shock enough to speak. "A-a- ANGEL?! What the heck happened to you?!"
The weak, terrified bunny made frantic motions with one paw towards the cottage and the direction the children came from with another. It's message was clear:
Get out while you still can! It's coming!
Suddenly, the blood-soaked bunny's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fell face-forward onto the ground.
Dinky nervously reached out a hoof and poked the not-moving rabbit. "I-is he-?"
"Ooohhhh, kiiiiiiiddsss......"
A maliciously cold, soft voice floated through the air, sending chills down the kids spines. They began shaking in their horseshoes as a figure emerged from behind the cottage.
Slowly heading towards the group was Fluttershy, but what she looked like struck fear into every foal.
She wore a red and black checkered T-Shirt that was ripped and stained with the red liquid Angel had all over him. She had light red streaks in her mane and tail, and under one part of it, some of her brain came out through a hole in her skull. Her entire coat was a shade darker, in some spots brown, to signal decay. In some parts of her legs, flesh was missing, and worms poked out of her mane and tail. Her normally calm, blue eyes were crimson red, and the weird red liquid stained her everywhere. On her face lay a creepy, toothy grin, and she looked ready to jump up and pounce on somepony.
All the trick-or-treaters lay rooted to the ground in fear, shaking furiously and their mouths gaping.
Fluttershy suddenly looked like herself again when she backed away and softly said, "Oh, um, if you don't mind, can I, um..."
Then, the creepy grin returned and she spoke much louder, with a fierceness that nopony else had heard from the timid mare before.
"Eat your brains?!"
Suddenly, flashes of light and thunder came from behind the demented Fluttershy as she tilted her head back and maniacally laughed with cold insanity.
"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Then, all the foals that were watching this terrifying performance gave a scream of terror and ran as fast as they could away from the cottage. All six kids ran as fast as their legs could carry them, screaming all the way away from the twisted Element of Kindness.
Once they were all out of earshot, Fluttershy's creepy, twisted look vanished from her face and replaced itself with a look of utter joy. She started to laugh as the 'dead' Angel got up from the floor and dusted himself off. Soon, he joined in on the laughter as well.
"Hahahahaha! Oh, R-r-Rainbow Dash! The-they were really scared! I did it! I scared them!"
After a few seconds of silence, Fluttershy turned to the tree her friend was hiding in. Its leafy branches were bare of any pegasi.
"Rainbow Dash?"
Meanwhile...
Flying above the group of scared trick-or-treaters, Rainbow Dash beat her wings furiously in her terrified trance.
"Hey guys! Wait up!"
