Sins of Harmony
Volume 3: Crisis to Ashes
Chapter 7: Neo-Nightmare Night
Sunset,
Early Evening
October 31st, 1007 ANM
Ponyville, lakeside
Looking out at the lake, Razak sucked up his pride as he saw Kynok rubbing the camo paint over his black scales.
"You ready?"
They were both hidden in the reeds, about to take their roles in a Nightmare Night 'prank'. Namely, the creature in the swamp scare Razak had proposed. But, in a practicality twist, Faral had suggested marrying the idea to Kynok and hers, mostly hers, old serial killer fake tale.
Rubbing mud on his last exposed purple scales, Razak commented: "I didn't think this would be the first thing I do, after you took a runner on us."
Pausing, Kynok was quiet for a bit, before muttering: "Yeah, about that, I'm sorry. But, I get it if-."
"No problem."
"...That's it? No grudge, no yelling?" Kynok asked.
Smiling a little, Razak turned to Kynok, lightly grabbing him by the shoulders. Swiftly, he headbutted Kynok:
"ARGH!"
Then hurled him out into the water.
"WHOA!"
Kynok was thrown out into the lake, a tremendous splash rising as he landed. Thankfully, the mud coloured paint clung to his scales well enough to not wash off as quickly. Rising out of the neck high water, swimming depth for a pony, Kynok rubbed his head as he growled.
"What the hell!?"
Razak waded in, commenting: "Now we're even. I forgave you long ago, mostly. That was what you deserved."
"Fine. Let's get going. Its sunset."
Submerging, the now brown dragon and Wyvern swam under the water, heading for separate areas in the small lake.
The sun set in the distance, and soon enough, Luna raised the moon, unseen, from Twilight's castle.
2 hours later
Evening
Ponyville, town square
Decorative mist flooded the town centre, where the opening ceremony of Nightmare Night began as usual.
Zecora, decked out in her, as some called it, 'spooking attire', had ushered the fillies and colts away, but called out loud as a final like:
"But do not assume, little fillies and colts."
"Some frights will be small, others something more."
"Horrors will arise for all, children or adults."
"The Nightmare's new tricks, terrifying to the core."
The smoke swirled a little, and the Zebra disappeared off.
Looking around, this being their final year before they moved into older filly years by culture, Sweetie Belle wondered:
"What did Zecora mean, new tricks?"
"I'm sure she's exaggerating. I guess Luna wanted to mix things up a bt this year. I'm ready for them, whatever they are!" Scootaloo declared.
The CMC's suddenly noticed a group of older colts and fillies gathering around an adult Unicorn, who looked a little unnerved.
"Wha' happened?" Applebloom asked.
They approached, and the crowds heard what he was saying:
"They just disappeared, as soon as the sun went down. I called out, but they just looked right at the forest and walked in. I went after the, but they walked on. But they were heading right for a huge dark, thing! I barely got away!"
The deep voiced Unicorn, with a dark grey flank and black mane, was in a bit of a panic.
"Whoa, it must've taken them." An older colt's voice called out.
Off to the side, Applebloom saw their teacher, Cheerliee, accompanied by a familiar face:
"Ohmen!"
They ran over to the pair, as Cheerilee was nudged subtly by Ohmen:
"Play along."
"You heard? Something took some ponies out in the forest!" Sweetie Belle cried out, a little fearful now.
Thinking for a moment, Cheerliee quickly suggested: "Get Pipsqueak, he has good ties to Princess Luna, ask if its her doing or not."
30 minutes later
Ponyville, market square, Nightmare Fair
The town was in a slightly tense atmosphere, but the party antics went on. It was assumed the teens had simply wandered off into the woods, as not much time had passed. Every year there was those that ventured into the forest as a joke.
As was natural, Princess Luna took part in some activities at the fair. She had more free time this year than normal, as others were thoroughly spooking the town. Perhaps a little too well.
Beside her, Pipsqueak, one colt she's taken a liking too, had asked the pertinent question, whether these things were her doing.
Her stern face accompanied her reply:
"I am not doing these things, but its been said that spirits, or ghosts, can come out and frolic in the living world tonight. Good, or bad."
"Bad, spirits.." Pipsqueak whispered.
Around them, the gaming activities had quietened as Luna admitted these things weren't her doing.
"It must be the spirit of Hookhoof!"
A random shout had gone up, the pony that called it unknown.
Within the crowds, Diamond Tiara looked at Silver Spoon, wondering as the Crusaders were within earshot:
"Hookhoof?"
Princess Luna trotted off, feigning worry as the knew the seeds had been planted.
30 minutes later
Ponyville, pond bridge park
"Yeah, right, old Hookclaw. Who is this Hookclaw anyhow?" A teen Earth Pony colt, keen on arcade games, Button Mash, walked over the bridge.
"I heard he was once a blacksmith in Ponyville, long before anyone else was around. But, I wonder why he's not mentioned much?" Another teen colt, with an afro like brown Mane, Blade runner, walked with him.
As they walked over the bridge, in the dark pond waters below, something made a loud splash and ripples.
"What the?"
Rushing over, Button Mash looked over the edge, barely able to see into the water.
Out of the water, a dark coloured shape floated to the surface, two eyes blankly staring back.
"Mash, we should-"
Blade Runner was cut short, as a dripping form climbed over the other side of the bridge, gurgling as its clawed hands snatched him and Button Mash before leaping off into the water, like a demented dolphin.
Their panicked screams, and the thrashing splashes in the pond, drew attention. Then, the pond was silent, the water stilling at an seemingly unnatural fast rate.
Ponyville outskirts, lake cavern.
Where the river flowed through Ponyville, further upstream it had a small cave inlet, where a dried up river in the past had formed a cave in a small hill.
Swimming quickly, Razak threw Button Mash and Blade Runner onto the shoreline, the two colts coughing as they came to.
"What happen-AHHH!"
Backing up, they saw the brown coated dragon raise his hands in defense:
"Uh, Happy Nightmare Night?"
Staring at the dragon blankly, they were shocked as a brown Wyvern surfaced nearby, jabbing to the cave:
"Party's in there. I'm off to get more ponies in on it."
With a splash, the wyvern disappeared underwater, his nostrils above the water like a crocodile's.
As Razak left, Button Mash and Blade Runner heard a voice from the cave, as a blue Alicorn stepped out:
"I figured something different might be appropriate this year. One big scare, then the celebrations. Now come on, more will come."
Led inside the cave, they saw the other two, 2 fillies, who had been 'taken' in the Everfree forest.
"Hey, you made it!"
Elsewhere, the minions for hire kept up their work.
Ponyville, Fare's Cafe
"Are you sure they'll be fine?"
"Absolutely. A little scared maybe." Ohmen reassured Cheerliee.
The cafe was owned by the Fares, the wife the head chef, and the husband, Savoir Fare, the waiter. It was one of the places that stayed open for adults during the Nightmare Night.
Cheerilee was glad Ohmen had come, but she couldn't help be be worried this Nightmare Night idea Princes Luna had may go overboard.
"And what about this, Hookclaw myth?"
"All made up. But, we placed some fake gravestones around, and that Unicorn, Lucius. He's going around as different ponies and spreading the story. Some old blacksmith that was secretly practising his tools on innocent ponies."
Worried less now, Cheerilee perked up as Ohmen asked: "So, how have things been here? I'm sorry I can't come more."
"Oh its fine, its a long distance relationship. Besides, things have been quiet, students coming and going as they get older. But, small town like this doesn't really see much of interest."
Meanwhile
Ponyville, shop alley
"ARGHH!"
A cloud of black shadow suddenly flew down the alley, and focused on a single colt hiding in a corner.
The teen colt trembled, until he felt a cold presence in his mind.
Come..
As if in a dream, he actually began to walk forwards. The black cloud then snatched up the colt, engulfing him as it flew off.
Perched on the roof, the King Cobra telepath mentally contacted Razak in the pond, as Lucius spirited away another Colt.
Got another one for the Princess.
We're doing alright Caarim. Kynok's got 4 so far, its actually drawing attention from the adults.
Midnight
Ponyville, pond bridge park
The Ponyville clock tower, unusually, actually rang its bell during the night. This again, didn't happen on Nightmare Night, and rumours spread of a ghost in the tower.
But the main focus of spooky activity was the pond, where the bridge had been abandoned due to 8 young to teen aged colts and fillies disappearing. There were thoughts it was a ghost.
Until someone had seen it was a creature, muddy and dark, but coming out of the pond to snatch walkers on the bridge.
So, a decision was made.
"Stupid prank, send me in, yeah, right."
Spike muttered as he waded into the water, looking left and right as he was now waist deep in the water.
A small gathering of ponies lay at the water's edge, those more paranoid, or those who thought this was all an elaborate hoax. And those who were privy to the details.
Word spread that Hookclaw's ghost had come, to drag fillies and colts off the bridge where he committed suicide to avoid capture. He supposedly was taking them somewhere unknown, for the worst.
Spike had been urged to 'take care' of this thing. Even though by most regards it was something in the pond, not a ghost.
Still, over the bridge a few daring colts were passing, calling out jokingly:
"Go on, take the dragon yah stupid ghost!"
"Aww, the thing's scared of a wittle dragon!"
Further back, Rarity shook her head, remarking as Sweetie Belle stood beside her:
"I knew he'd get filthy."
"Huh?"
"Nothing Sweetie."
Twilight gave an awkward smile, as her other friends around her noticed the condition the town was in:
"Everyone's on edge, but its making them enjoy the festival events more."
"Yeah, the party areas are even more partying, and the spooky areas are really spooky." Pinkie said excitedly. She was the only one in costume, and bounced towards the bridge in her excitement.
"Wait, where are you going Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash said skectically.
"I'm gonna see the ghost silly!"
"But you know its-nevermind." Folding her hooves, Rainbow thought Pinkie either had forgotten, or was playing along.
As Pinkie bounced onto the bridge, Apple Bloom asked her sister nervously:
"Will Pinkie be alright?"
"Its only taking fillies and colts, even teens. Not adults."
All of a sudden, a ripple appeared on the other side of the pond, and a few raised voices came from the colts, now on the other side of the bridge.
"I saw it!"
Spinning in the pond, Spike feigned fear:
"C'mon Razak, I know you're here. Make it convincing."
A light ripple appeared to Spike's side, and a whisper:
"Guess again, Kurze."
Water exploded as a mud coloured Wyvern grappled Spike underwater, the twisting pair resembling a crocodile killing its prey.
"Spike!"
Pinkie yelled loudly, as she rushed to the edge of the bridge.
Jumping off into the water, Pinkie paddled as soon as she was afloat, her chicken suit somewhat floating her on the water more easily.
Swimming where the ripples were, some faint shouts came from the pond shores from other adults and younglings, but she said:
"Hey, its go-ulP!"
She was ripped underwater, a faint brown mass splashing as she was dragged upstream quickly.
As soon as Pinkie vanished underwater, a mist descended over the pond, and a familiar, echoing voice carried on a cold wind:
"Your children will return, but will they be the same? What fun has been wrought tonight, shall next year happen again! HAHAHAHA!"
A silhouette of a dark Alicorn flew out of the mist layer over the pond, as flashes of blue light and smoke popped fillies and colts back into the town square, where the festivities had stalled amidst the 'scares' and disappearances.
All the colts and fillies had appeared, candy they'd been kidnapped with in hoof, but strangely, there was a good third of all their candy missing.
Excitedly bouncing about, Pinkie got up first, as the colts and fillies came to, realising the elaborate hoax that had been played on all of them. Those who had to wait for this would explain they'd been thrown a private bash in a small cavern by Princess Luna herself, in exchange for her unseen minions taking them.
Groaning, Spike wondered as the others began to relax around him:
"What, why was he taking me?"
Ponyville river
Having waded ashore, Kynok grumbled:
"Damn Princess. I only had him for a minutes, a damn minute, then she zaps him out of my grip."
"Speak for yourself. That chicken dressed mare was in my hands for 10 seconds before she was zapped out."
Drenched on the shoreline, Razak tapped some water out of his earhole, remarking:
"What are we getting in exchange for this again?"
"Nothing, we're the fallguys if this new type of scaring goes wrong by public reactions."
"Shit."
October 31st/November 1st, 1007 ANM
Shortly past midnight
Ponyville outskirts, forest alcove
Nightmare Moon statue
After the evening and night's earlier scares, the usual tradition of giving the Nightmare Moon statue all their candy.
When they went, they found their candy they'd all had taken during their teleportation, a third of all their entire hauls, save for those with lesser candy hauls.
One daring colt had tried to take back some candy, until a harsh voice erupted with a wall of shadows around them:
"LEAVE THE TRIBUTE TO THE NIGHT, OR YOU'RE SOULS SHALL SUFFICE!"
That got the colts and fillies running, as Princess Luna dropped the dark magic clouds, as she smiled to herself at another year's work.
Forming alongside her, Lucius asked her oddly as Caarim came nearby too, along with Razak and Kynok. The Wyvern and Dragon had only managed to wipe off half the brown paint so far sadly.
"This is what they consider normal each year?" Lucius wondered.
"Yes."
"Well then, our stuff shouldn't get such a bad rap now." Kynok said, trying hard to get some of the paint off his wing.
Out of the woods, a few hoofsteps followed, as Twilight, and a familiar older colt followed, Pipsqueak.
"Well, some ponies are a little scared, namely older ones, but the town seems to have largely taken these new things well." Twilight said, as she had brought Pipsqueak along too.
"Yeah, some of the parents are a little worried, but I think its cus' this stuff was new. Your stuff is older, they expect it." Pipsqueak said, excitedly looking at those that had helped Princess Luna.
"Good, that was the idea. Shake them out of apathy, scare them to make the excitement better afterwards. As long as no one was hurt." Luna said. She always liked Pipsqueak's feedback, given he was one of the first younger ponies to approach her without fear years back.
"Hey, they were real scary. But, I didn't see you." Pipsqueak said, looking specifically at Caarim. The cobra shirked back a little, his hood raised:
"That was the idea."
"Yeah, they didn't see you, so you won't get the blame." Kynok muttered. Twilight noticed Razak and Kynok still with brown paint on them, suggesting:
"You'd better get some help removing that, in case some more powerful ponies can't take a joke."
The dragon and wyvern looked at each other, as Lucius suggested slyly:
"Maybe bubble bath, or a fire hose."
"Maybe Rarity could help, she wants to help clean Spike after you dragged him in." Twilight reasoned.
"Uh, no. I'd rather have the hose." Kynok muttered. Razak shook his head, saying:
"I'm not sure what that means, she wants to bathe him."
A slight blush appeared across Luna's face, as she realised what it could mean.
4 AM
November 1st, 1007 ANM
Friendship castle
Nightmare Night had come and passed with good success, but some ended up a little dirty.
The fillies and colts had been magically cleaned by Luna in a flash when they either waited in the cave party, or in Pinkie's case, when she teleported them to the town square at the end of the hoax.
In Spike's case however, their varying magic resistance made them not completely clean. Kynok and Razak hadn't been cleaned at all, and as such, all 3 of them smelt like a lake, or mud, or had paint on them.
Bathroom
The royal bathroom was extravagant, more than Twilight and Spike honestly needed. With Spike, Razak and Kynok needing bathing however, it sufficed.
"Ow, watch the spines."
Razak growled as Rarity magically scrubbed his back scales:
"Honestly, why can't you be as cooperative as your brother?"
"Because he's not like a little piece of putty in your hooves."
Kynok muttered. He was engulfed in hot soapy water and bubbles, the 3 of them sharing the nearly pool sized bathwater. Through the bubbles, it was a little murky from the mud and paint coming off.
Over to the side, Spike was already clean, climbing out of the bath to dry off his scales.
Nearby, Fluttershy had offered to help, as she got another nail file to get at Kynok's claws.
"Don't try it."
Kynok growled, as he exteneded his claws in her hoof slightly. Fluttershy stared back, firmly stating:
"You need to keep them shorter, so they don't hurt anypony so easily."
"Uh, that's the idea. Now, put the nail file down, now."
Still clutching the nail, file Fluttershy stared hard into Kynok's eyes, not budging:
"You, need, your, nails, done."
"Try it, see what happens, nag."
Not irked by the insult, Fluttershy didn't react as Kynok had climbed out of the bath, staring her down also.
Nearby, Razak cautiously climbed out of the bath, as he asked: "Is this going to end well?"
"I don't know. With her stare, usually its okay. But him, who knows?" Rarity guessed.
Spike quickly shuffled out with her.
The Wyvern was dried off before the staredown resolved itself, the only way it could.
But Fluttershy was the one who attacked first.
Sunrise
November 1st, 1007 ANM
Friendship castle
Sat in her throne, Fluttershy was very tired, but she was successful. Sort of.
Her flank and front were covered in scratch marks, as the other 5 looked at her in surprise:
"What happened?"
"He, I only got his wing claws. His feet were too much for me."
"How long were ya'll staring at him for?"
"A few hours, I think."
In another part of the castle, an echoing yell sounded:
"YOU BITCH!"
"I got his feet claws in the end. I snuck into his room when he was asleep." Fluttershy said, her voice stern.
"How did you manage him for so long?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Twilight vaguely recalled Fluttershy's rough treatment of a bear, which in the end was to soothe its neck by popping it in the right ways. She didn't think she'd dare try such tactics against Kynok.
Cleanup duty from Nightmare Night takes a turn, when Fluttershy's need to maintain a 'creature's' health takes hold. But like with Discord, some aren't as vulnerable to her stare.
I figured that Kindness would conflict nicely with what Kynok most represents, its opposite, cruelty, or just meanness for the sake of it.
Anyway, the next few chapters will progress the overall story/character building.
Review/critique as one would.
