The Nightmare Before Hearth's Warming Eve

So my friends you've come again,

To see this land where logic ends,

Come on in and have a seat,

And pray the lord your soul to keep.

Haha, just kidding, I only jest,

We treat our guests with utmost respect,

Just ask dear Twilight Sparkle who once paid a visit,

She'll say her time here was simply exquisite.

So take in the sights, give yourself a treat,

For it may be the last time your eyes will ever meet,

A land where the winds blow oh-so cold,

A land where our purpose never grows old.

Unfortunately that wasn't always what I thought,

For all of our struggles could have been made for naught,

By one who's heart was once filled with what was right,

By one who once basked in a thousand tiny lights.

I asked you before if you wondered how holidays begin,

Though to answer that would be a mortal sin.

However, there is one thing to your ear that I may lend,

I can certainly tell you how holidays can end.

☼☼☼

Necropolis.

A city for the dead, and all those who loved them. Streets were filled with skeletal ponies, lycan ponies, vampiric ponies, and more, and flowing with an inch of blood happily lapped up by the latter. It was a city built for one thing and one thing only: looking really, really spooky. And from both the outside and the inside, it did its job well. Buildings were gothic in archetype, and unlike the 'real' world's, they almost had a morphed look to them, like they had been melted slightly. And within them, unlike the city's counterpart of Canterlot, shops didn't sell candy or bottles of wine, but things for ghoulish ponies and ghoulish ponies alone: dark magic spell books, rotten foods like Eyes of Newt, spices such as ground spider, scale of Felhound, you name it, and of course: broomsticks.

No ghoul was without a broomstick for easy travel.

However, lately, the city had also become one more thing thanks to the Princess who ruled over it with an insane hoof. Inside the great palace of this land, Nightmare Moon, her chupacabra assistant, and her most faithful guard: Moonwalker, head banged without a care in the entire dead world within the former’s throne room.

For you see, the only thing the Nightmare Realm had been without for so many years, and what would certainly complete its 'evil' presence, had now pierced its veil: Heavy Metal Music. And they were using it to celebrate a most peculiar season for their kind. One not many others would... as they rocked out in front of a cob-web encrusted fireplace, with fleshy, breathing, tooth-filled stockings hanging from it, and a strange, blue fire within it...

"MY YULETIDE SOCK IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN YOURS!"

"MY YULETIDE SOCK CAN WALK RIGHT THROUGH THE DOOR!"

"WITH THE FEELING SO PURE!"

"IT'S GOT YOU SCREAMING BACK FOR MORE!"

"Fool! In denial!

We're but the harbingers of horror every,

Nightmare's Eve Nightmare's Eve Nightmare's Eve!

Fool! In denial!

We'll never even up the score except on,

Nightmare's Eve Nightmare's Eve Nightmare's Eve!

We'll never regulate what we can't regulate!

The only thing that we shall be is here for us to make!

"BUT CAN'T YOU SEE THAT HE'LL LOVE MY SOCK?! SHAMONEIGH!"

"BUT DO YOU THINK THAT HE’LL LOVE MY SOCK?!"

"I DARE SAY HE WILL LOVE ALL OUR SOCKS!"

"THOUGH MY YULETIDE SOCK IS MUCH MORE WICKED THAN YOURS!"

"MY YULETIDE SOCK CAN WALK RIGHT THROUGH THE DOOR!"

"WITH THE FEELING SO PURE!"

"*IT'S GOT YOU SCREAMING BACK FOR MORE!.!.!.!.!*

BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-"

"ACK!" Nightmare Moon suddenly coughed, interrupting the creepy laughing. "Ah crap! Totally wrecked that..."

She then frowned, before playing a sorrowful chord on her magical guitar of doom.

"Na, it's alright. At least we got to the end of the song this time," the chupacabra smiled.

"Truly a horrible cover! YEEHHAHHHH!" Moonwalker sang.

Nightmare Moon giggled at that, clapping her hooves in glee as she hovered above the ground. "I hope Yuletide's watching us sometimes, though! So maybe he'll let us know if we're doing something wrong... I mean... we've never done the Hearth's Warming Eve thing before, ya know? I hope we're doing it right!"

"No worries, cus ya know what they say about Yuletide, right?" Moonwalker grinned, before taking a deep breath and singing:

"Every move you make,

Every vow you break,

Every smile you fake,

Every claim you stake,

He is watching you!"

"So... he's like a creepy stalker who comes down your chimney every year? THAT'S SO WICKED!" Nightmare Moon beamed, bouncing about her throne room for a brief moment.  "He's sort of like Slendermare, minus the chimney thing! Er, and maybe the awesome tendrils too." She then put on a wide smile. "But you know, I have to admit, though I like a lot of this stuff my student's been pushing from the other side, I NEVER thought that Hearth's Warming Eve would be so horrible!"

"Truly ghastly, amiga!" her chupabacra assistant beamed, slowly setting down his drumsticks and walking away from the set he was previously playing on. "And I'm sure every other ghoul will love it if we do!"

"Darn straight, you stereotypical blood sucker!" Nightmare Moon said, still giggling. "By the night, this is going to be so wretched! I wonder what we're going to get from him?"

"Mmmm... well... I wonder if they can manufacture gourmet blood stew in the Twinkling Lands?” the chupacabra said, quirking his head. “Dunno where he'd get a batch of Siren Blood to make it, though..."

"I just hope he can get me a new black, snazzy suit... preferably one with Bloodstones covering it! YEEEEEHAHHH!" Moonwalker chirped.

"Well I totally hope he can get me one of those new Firebolt broomsticks I asked for-" Nightmare Moon chimed in, the chupacabra quickly giving her a glare. "Er uh... sorry Bloodfang... it's just I sort of... crashed the Nimbus-2000 you gave me…."

"Oi, you really need to stop flying drunk," Bloodfang grumbled, folding his thin, scaly arms. "One day you're going to end up crashing against something as stubborn as you are!" He then closed his eyes, before muttering, "Loco diosa de la luna..."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Nightmare Moon sighed, before prancing over towards the stockings. She then gestured inside them, where a series of teeth were strung in a circular pattern downward. "But hey, do you think Yuletide's gonna like the toothies inside these things?! Yeah, I know shock horror is kind of a cliche, but when the stockings snap at him, I bet he'll totally love the scare! Unless he really is always watching us..."

"I dunno, Princess," Bloodfang said, scratching his head. "You think Yuletide will appreciate this kind of broma?"

Nightmare Moon paused, squinting in thought for a second. "Well... as long as he knows we didn't mean anything by it. This is the first time Yuletide is coming to the Nightmare Realm, after all! We should show him what we're all about! Maybe he'll like it, who knows?"

"Are you sure he's still coming though?" Moonwalker said, raising an eyebrow. "The last time we heard from him was a little after Nightmare Night, after all. Every time we try to call him he doesn't pick up..."

"He's probably just too busy prepping for his holiday!" Nightmare Moon chirped, shrugging. "If he's really going to start delivering here, I bet he has his work cut out for him! I kind of feel bad for bugging him, now that you mention it..."

"Could we give him a call though, just to... you know... see?" Bloodfang said with a hint of anticipation, smiling hopefully.

However, before Nightmare Moon could open her mouth to say anything, a voice interrupted her from the throne room's entrance:

"Hail to the night, Princess!" a random guard called, bowing heavily and simpering slightly. "Er, you have an incoming call-"

Nightmare Moon smiled broadly. "Hey! Maybe it'll be them!"

"-from the Thank Luna holiday realm."

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened, as both Moonwalker and Bloodfang threw the guard a baffled expression as well. "Wah? Princess Luna's holiday?"

"Wait... isn't that the one that Señora Luz Celestia set up for her sister a year or so back?" Bloodfang said. "You know, to make up for the whole banishment thing?" He gave a dark chuckle. "Man... Celestia must have had some serious guilt issues. Though I can't blame her, I suppose, for either thing. I guess the other side doesn't really appreciate the night like we do, no?"

"Yes and yes," Nightmare Moon said, lifting an eyebrow. "And that's totally weird! They NEVER call us." She then simpered slightly, sweat-dropping. "Ehehe... for obvious reasons."

"Hey, it's almost New Year's, maybe it's time for a fresh, horrible start?" the random guard said, shrugging.

"Yeah... maybe," Nightmare Moon said, before smiling brightly. "Ah well, let's go see what's up!"

At that, Nightmare Moon galloped to the door, her assistant and Moonwalker in tow.

"This should be interesting, yes?" Bloodfang said to Moonwalker.

"Mmmm, for once I'm going to be serious: I'm not sure," Moonwalker said slowly. "This just seems off."

☼☼☼

Nightmare Moon's communication room may have been a bland, thirty by thirty hoof space, but it was also her link to every other holiday realm there was. For in the center of it sat a crystal ball sitting atop a pedestal, one she could use to talk with any holiday leader she wished to. And within it, at least this particular instance, was the head of a strange, filly form of Princess Luna, one with a paper hat upon her head, and a very worried look upon her face.

"Uh... hi," Nightmare Moon said, putting on the best warm smile she could, and taking a step forward. "Are you... Princess Woona?"

The tiny filly gave a quick, nervous nod.

"No need to be afraid, I'm not my counterpart. I won't bite," Nightmare Moon said softly, before smirking slightly. "That's Bloodfang's job."

"And I only feed on goats," Bloodfang quickly stated, quelling a look of extreme unnerve that had popped up on the filly's face.

Nightmare took a step forward, a quizzical look upon her, as Woona, in turn, took a step backwards into the starry, twinkling background beyond her.

"Wow..." Nightmare uttered breathlessly, her eyes sparkling at the sight.

Woona put on a curious glance.

Nightmare grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, it's just... I haven't seen the essence of a young holiday in many years,” she continued, a somewhat awe-struck look on her face. “It's..." She raised an eyebrow, turning towards Moonwalker. "What's the word the other side uses?"

"Beautiful?" Moonwalker said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I don't know why, but it's that," Nightmare Moon smiled, before turning back towards Princess Woona. "But uh... is there... anything we can help you with?"

Princess Woona paused for a second, clearly quivering slightly.

“P-Princess Woona?” Nightmare Moon repeated. “Don’t worry… whatever it is, we’d be happy to lend a hoof!”

"I don't think she can talk," Bloodfang whispered.

Princess Woona shook her head, before slowly holding up a small piece of paper into view, a few sentences on it that were obviously scribbled in a hurry.

"Maybe not in words," Moonwalker smiled.

"What's it say?" the random guard asked. "I can't see it..."

"Hang on," Nightmare Moon said, slowly taking a step closer and squinting, before reading: "Help us, Nightmare Moon…”

She paused at that, squinting further.

"Is that it?" the chupacabra asked, perking an eyebrow.

"Wait, hang on... there's more," Nightmare Moon continued. She then cleared her throat and leaned closer, before saying:

“You're our only... hope?" Her eyes immediately widened. "H-Help? You want help?"

Woona nodded rapidly, before quickly glancing about in a paranoid manner.

"I uh... I'm not sure we can," Nightmare Moon gulped, a sorrowful expression suddenly coming upon her. "The dragon who charges our portals... he's sleeping right-"

At that, tears began to flow from Woona's eyes, an all but pleading look coming upon the young filly’s face.

"O-Oh my," Nightmare Moon said, shivering slightly, before swallowing hard. "Well... we’ll try... but can you give us a little information, dear? What's going on over there?"

Woona gave a shaky nod, her tiny horn beginning to glow as she began etching something on the same piece of paper.

"She's clearly in shock," Moonwalker whispered. "The poor thing's gone through something horrible... and not in the good way."

"Y-Yeah," Nightmare Moon nodded, sighing heavily. "And I don't think she wanted to turn to me for help... she was forced to."

Nightmare Moon then glanced back upon the crystal ball... only to notice there were more things now than just stars behind Princess Woona. White, glowing silhouettes for eyes were beginning to sprout up, piercing the veil of darkness...

Everywhere.

"Woah!" Nightmare Moon cried. "Princess Woona! Look behind you!"

At that, Woona gave a mute yelp, before quirking her head towards them as fast as a sparrow's and letting out a silent scream.

"Oh crap! She's in trouble! We've gotta help her somehow!" Moonwalker shouted, panic filling his voice.

"How?! Do you have any portals lying around we can use?!" Bloodfang exclaimed.

Suddenly, a black figure tackled Woona out of view, Nightmare Moon and her group gasping at the sight.

"Oh by the night! Shoot shoot shoot!" Nightmare Moon cried, before composing herself with a deep breath, stepping close to the crystal ball, and growling, "Hey you! Yeah you! Assholes! Who the heck are you and what do you want with-"

And suddenly, cutting her off came a conjunction of voices that sent a chill even up the Night Princess' spine: creepy, drone-like... and emotionless.

"We are Harmony…” they said, their voices devoid of menace… though somehow, that just made them all the more horrifying. “Lower your defenses and prepare your holiday to be overtaken. All calendars will adapt to service us. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Nightmare's eyes widened. "N-No! This can't be! We... we had a treaty with you!" she cried. "You said you wouldn't try to interfere with Nightmare Night personally!"

"What's going on, Nightmare?! Who are these guys?!" Bloodfang gasped.

"They're..." Nightmare Moon said, shutting her eyes with a shiver, before whispering, "Jolly."

"The treaty is irrelevant now. Hearth's Warming Eve is the greatest holiday there is. No other holiday brings such harmony to the real world. That is why it should be celebrated ten days per cycle, and decorated, advertised, and prepared for the rest of it."

"Where's Yuletide?!" Nightmare Moon growled. "Let me talk with him! He'd never sanction anything like this-"

"Yuletide is irrelevant. You are irrelevant. Your holiday brings nothing but fright and turmoil to the real world. Anything that is not harmonious will be purged."

"Hey! That's bullcrap! Everypony loves a good scare!" Nightmare Moon argued, her eyes narrowing as she slammed a hoof into the floor. "In fact, you could say that fright brings people together! Ever been to a good scary movie before? When you curl up next to Darkson- I mean your date during a REALLY scary part... er not that I ever got scared during Aliens... nope," she coughed. "But yeah, know what I'm talking about?"

The beings remained silent.

"Mmmm, guess not..."

"You will no longer be beings of fear. You will be beings of servitude. Your world will be tasked with manufacturing and bringing toys to all the good little girls and boys during your former holiday's time of year. This simulacrum transmission is now complete. Prepare yourselves for our imminent arrival. Good tidings to you, and Merry Yuletime."

The crystal ball blipped off.

The room stood in stunned silence for a brief moment, none knowing what to say about the odd hostile takeover, before Nightmare Moon broke it with an angry:

"Ugh! What the heck?! This is nuts!" she roared, pacing angrily about the communications room. "And that's saying something coming from me!"

"Has Yuletide been snorting powdered candy canes or something?" Bloodfang said.

"I dunno..." Nightmare Moon sighed, shaking an incredulous head. "But we gotsta do something! I want troops stationed at every last point where incursion portals could be-" Her then eyes narrowed in resolve. "Actually, you know what? Screw it! I'm calling an emergency meeting of every important figure in the Nightmare Realm! And Darksong!”

"I'll go send the word out, Night Mistress!" the random guard saluted before he quickly galloped out of the room.

Nightmare Moon then let loose a deep sigh, slowly sitting down.

"Hoooo boy, and here I was about to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve, and then they go and launch this huge invasion thing..." she grumbled. "First Blackblood does his whole big douchey soul-stealing thing, and now this? It's like one big crap storm after another. Or snow storm this time... hah..." She then grinned slightly. "Wait, instead of a crap storm, last time it was a Black storm! Haha! Get it?"

There were a few chirps of crickets.

"Shame I left my drumset is in the throne room, eh hombre?" Bloodfang muttered to Moonwalker, who nodded his head slightly.

At that, the look of mirth slowly faded from Nightmare's face

"Ugh... what am I doing?" she groaned, sorrowfully glancing downward. "Woona was just kidnapped right before my eyes..."

"You're trying to make jokes to lighten the situation... to avoid the reality of it," Moonwalker said insightfully. "It's what anyone with a sense of humor would do."

"Yeah, and that's the problem," Nightmare grunted. "Out of everyghoul in the Nightmare Realm it's me who knows what kind of crazy crap Yuletide can throw at us if he wants to... and there's only one big honking cannon we can shoot back at him that'll really do some damage..." Her eyes then narrowed in resolve. "Though only if my faithful student and her friends are ready for this task. It's time she learned why I sent her to Terrorsville..."

To the shock of the room, her eyes actually began to water.

"I-I just wish I didn't have to..."