Nightmare Boutique

Nightmare Boutique
By John Keith Bone

“Good morning, Sebastian. Happy birthday.” Alice mumbled into my ear.
I rolled over, half yawning and attempting to wipe the sleep from my still closed eyes. She was right. It was my birthday… December first… In truth, I had only gotten three hours of sleep. In fact, I was surprised I was able to even lie still at all for any length of time given all that’s occurred over the last month or so.
My existence in Ponyville since September of 2335 started out as a pleasant change of scenery brought on by my retirement as the Ravensdale’s prize butler, and I came very optimistic; ready to begin again and finally make some real friends. Friends that wouldn’t have to witness the things I was capable of. Friends that didn’t have to see the stigma beneath my bandage. Friends that wouldn’t have to see me for what I was: a monster. This foolish optimism was short-lived however on account of what the equines about the town had come to call the “Sugar Cube Corner Incident”. Still, in light of the gruesome events that resulted in my burning down of the delightful little bakery, they hail me as a hero for bringing an end to one of Equestria’s most feared killers. Hero or not, I couldn’t sleep.
What if she comes back again? What if something else happens? What if I have to become the man I was back in Terra…? Is everypony alright? Where are they?
Thoughts like these plagued me in the night, driving me from home to prowl about the city, occasionally “stopping in” on my friends. I simply had to see that they were okay. That the ones I loved were still safe. I guess some things never change…
Never change… It was strange… My friends, even Apple Jack and Rarity, who lost family in the chaotic crossfire of that night didn’t seem too affected… Apple Jack recovered remarkably quickly, in fact. The guards let it slip that Apple Bloom had been killed again, I supposed, but the farm mare simply had a small chat with me about it. She only asked how she looked before I pulled the trigger. I really only told her that she wasn’t the little filly I had come to love… Rarity, however shut herself in her boutique for about a week… I was worried at the time, but she emerged with a striking smile afterwards. It was almost as though she didn’t care about the death of her only sibling.

“I always knew there was something off about her,” she had said…
Still, Alice was right above me, no doubt smiling the smile that brought elation to my heart and a smile to my normally stoic face. I slid my eye open and made a grab for my glasses off the nightstand to my right.

“Good morning, Mistre- Alice.” I hazily corrected myself.
The dark-furred dormouse gave a bemused chuckle at this.

“Guess you haven’t gotten used to not being a butler yet, huh?”
I sat up, allowing the sheet to slide off my bare upper body as I adjusted my glasses to accommodate the bandage that hid my left eye. Even though I had just awoken, my senses were already razor-sharp and I managed to catch the glimmer of satisfaction that danced in Alice’s eyes.

“Guess not.”
My mistress’ forefinger found her lower lip in a pensive expression that soon lit up.

“It’s your birthday. We should go out to breakfast!” she declared.
After throwing my legs over the side of my bed and baring my almost-nude form, I began to comb my fingers through my mussed up hair, attempting to unknot the mess. Alice seemed practically to drool at this, but I decided her staring at me was uncomfortable. Quickly making my way to my wardrobe and throwing the doors open, I began rifling through my casual ware.

“Got somewhere in mind?” I asked, selecting a plain black t-shirt and a pair of my old rave pants. Red trim on midnight black denim.

“How about the new Sugar Cube Corner?”
I paused at this, actually considering.
Did I really want to attend the grand opening of an exact replica of a place I burned down only a month ago? A place where nightmares came to life, murder was business, and cannibalism was the trade… The place that cast a dark, bloody shadow over an otherwise perfect town… The place that had deprived me of sleep and caused horrific nightmares to haunt what little sleep I got…

“Sure. It may look like the old place, but it’s not.” I reasoned aloud.
A small squeal of joy and a clapping of hands sounded from Alice’s general direction. It was settled.

Twenty minutes later, we were making our way down the cobblestone streets of the town I’d come to call home. Many a joyful pony were making their ways about to get to their respective jobs and, even with the clock not yet striking ten, the streets were bustling. I loved that about this town. It may have been small, but it felt like living back in Terra. It had that big-city feel…

“Good morning, Sebastian.” A duo of mares I’d never met before called to me. My gaze locked upon them, an adjustment to my bandage accompanying it. Lyra and Bon-Bon. Two of Ponyville’s most respected and well-known business ponies. Lovers as well, it appeared.

“Good morning, Ms. Lyra. Ms. Bon-Bon.” I greeted and waved to them. Miss Bon-Bon’s face glittered with a soft blush in the early December morning light. I smiled at this and continued up the way, my arm hooked with Alice’s.

“So cute, that bunny.” Lyra commented.
A quick turn to them prompted a quick hush to sweep over the pair.

“The new Sugar Cube Corner opens this morning, does it not?” I asked with a slight smile.
Bon-Bon’s mind began reeling at my voice for some reason… I wasn’t really interested in her personal thoughts, so I readjusted my bandage and withdrew from her mind.

“Yes. Yes it is. Why do you ask? You aren’t attending, are you? Not after what happened last time…” Lyra responded with a worried expression.

“It only looks like the old place. This one is new. I’ll be fine.”
Bon-Bon nodded and smiled at me.

“That’s good. I hear the Cakes are giving a speech to commemorate the new beginning.” She said.

“Is that so?” Alice asked, a certain gossip-esque edge in her voice. She enjoyed being in on things of this nature. I never wanted to know why, though…

“Yes,” the purple-maned mare continued. “Mister Carrot Cake is supposed to deliver it at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in about ten minutes!” She turned to her turquoise companion, tugging on her arm. “We should get going if we’re going to make it!”
Alice tugged my arm as well. “Yeah, let’s go!” she prompted.