After a couple rainy weeks, the time has finally arrived. In the gymnasium, everyone is setting up the dioramas and party decorations. You lift up a gigantic cutout of Iron Man, wiping your brow as a few sophomores finished propping it. A fellow freshman approaches you.
“So where does the Iron Man cut out go?” You ask, pointing at the decoration.
“Over by Pom Poms.” He answers. That only gets you to look around, seeing said objects scattered over the ground.
“But there’s Pom Poms everywhere.”
“Yo!” A freshman girl with blue and yellow hair comes to view. “Poms Poms right here!”
“That’s what I was to him about,” you point at the boy in front of you “There are pom poms over there too.”
“That’s for Sparkler.” Pom Pom points at the boy next to her.
“There’s sparklers everywhere!” You exclaim with stretched arms.
“I’m not everywhere,” - the boy points to himself - “I’m right here.”
“Wait, wait,” - You pinch your temples. “If you’re Pom Pom, and you’re Sparkler,” - You spin around, arms stretched - “than what’s all this?”
“Sparkling poms poms!” The two answered; the boy named Sparkler looks around.
“Isn’t there going to be a disco ball here?”
“Disco Ball?” Pom Pom points ahead of her. “He’s right there!”
You look behind you, finding a man whose body shape is just like a disco ball. You face palm yourself; so many names involving objects. Your ears pick up the PA system buzzing, getting everyone to be silent.
“Well, well, well, congratulations, everyone.” It’s a voice you know all too well; recently, Luna hasn’t appeared in school and so Discord takes her place. You know one thing for certain: when she comes back, Lulu’s gonna burst her head when she sees what he’s done to her office. “Though I expected a little chaos without Lulu’s guidance, it’ll have to do. Go home now, get your costumes on; I’m predicting a cloudy evening with a chance of chaos!”
As Discord becomes truly hysterical, you look at your classmates with the same worried look they have. His laughter becomes a forced cough, calming himself.
“See you tonight!”
The rain started to let up while you rode home. Your first high school dance, and a costume one at that. True, it was Student Council Vice President Pipsqueaks idea, and you didn’t regret it one bit. Your costume is a black shirt with a brown jacket, black boots, and above all a red mask over your head. The character you're portraying had a white mask underneath the helmet, but when you put it on, you couldn’t see even one inch.
The helmet a perfect fit, you take it off and sit in the living room chair. Earlier in the week, Cosgrove did offer to give you a lift should it start raining before the dance. You look out the window, finding another tempest pouring down. Your mother is working late again, but you’ve told her that you’ll be out as well. With so many good things going on, how could you not remember the look on face, how proud she is for you. A loud honking noise gets your attention again, finding the green-blue CRV in front of you.
Putting on the hood kept the rain from drenching your hair, though your lips and eyes felt frosty. Entering the car gave you relief, if not for the large figures sitting at the front. On the passenger’s side, a youthful face revealed himself to you. Dapplewood wore a red tunic with black sleeves and green gauntlets and shin guards, over his shoulders is a yellow cape with a tattered up hoodie. Whether he painted it green or another copy, his visor had white lenses, yet you can tell he can see very well.
“How can you see through that?” You ask, getting tapping Dapplewood's lenses.
“It’s a light coat.” You look at the driver; Cosgrove wore clothing that reminds you of an Asgardian god… Until he turns his head. His face is more equine, and his eyes predatory. The way his mask moves with his expressions had you puzzled.
“Where’d you get the money for that?” You pinch his cheeks, getting him to wince before getting the backhand. You hold the door handle as he gets the car in drive. Despite the rain and construction workers, it’s a smooth ride, though you squint when you and your carpooling buddies pass the high school. “Uh, Cosgrove, you're off by, well, a lot.”
“Big Mac needs to use the truck,” - You see him looking at you through the rearview mirror - “don’t ask me, he has his reasons.”
As you three go to Sweet Apple Acres, the rain lets up, giving the fields a spectacular yellow glow. This time Cosgrove parks next to the house. Looking out the window, Big Mac stood by the front door. The ambient silence is making you uneasy, so you decide to speak up.
“Nice… Sunshine, isn’t it?” Your effort is in vain for Mac kept his stoic face as he approaches Cosgrove.
“I want a word with you.” He asks. Cosgrove looks at you and Dapplewood.
“Wait on the porch, okay.” You see your older classmate walk with the even older man around the house.
What should've taken a few minutes felt like hours while you sit on the wet bench; to your confusion, Dapplewood laid perfectly flat on the porch rail. You then hear a loud whinny. Two of the horses kicked a rubber ball; the thicker animal kicks the ball so hard, it topples the speckled horse. While looking at the goofy animals, you decide to pass up the time.
“Has your brother ridden a horse?” You see Dapplewood stretch his right arm, giving you a thumbs up. You raise a brow. “You're not much of a talker, are you?”
“He can't talk.” You turn your head right and drop your jaw. Apple Bloom wore a beige shirt with blue markings at the ends of the sleeves, a pink violet gown with similar blue markings and a brown apron hanging from her belt, and a golden brown scarf around her neck. She still wore her pink bow in her hair, which she dyed from the natural apple red to a pumpkin orange. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Indeed, you just stared at Apple Bloom so long that it took a good pinch from Dapplewood to get back to reality. He points in the direction Big Mac and Cosgrove walked. You get up, raising a pointer finger.
“I'll go get him.” -You jump out the porch post haste, your mind screaming - “(Cosgrove, you lucky son of a bitch!)”
“Eeyup.” Is the next word you hear when you find the two older men still talking. Big Mac spots you before Cosgrove turns around.
“Yes?” The yellow and violet man asked, his face looking puzzled. You get your mind to calm itself before taking a bow.
“Cosgrove, we're ready to go.”
You see him wave at Big Mac before joining you, Apple Bloom, and Dapplewood to the CRV. In no time at all, they reach the school, where Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Chelsey, Zipper, Diver, and Tex, each dressed in a fashion that reminded you of other superhero or video game characters. Like the three you rode with, they also alternate in differing thematic moods; Sweetie Belle for instance dressed like a princess, while Scootaloo dressed like an armored soldier.
“What happened to the truck?” Chelsey asks while crossing her arms.
“Big Mac has plans.” Apple Bloom walks forward, tapping Chelsey on the arm a few times as she did. “He has plans.”
When you and your posse enter the gym, the first person you see is Discord dressed in green and gold with massive horns of differing species and a large scepter. Beside him is Screwball, wearing a dress made of meat.
“Not so chaotic for fashion.” He chuckles, tapping his staff on Scootaloo’s head.
“Don’t push it, D.” She retorts, batting the staff.
You enter the gymnasium, now illuminated with spotlights, misted with fog, and crowded with students of all ages. As the next song begins, you watch everyone starting their dance moves despite the limited space. Cosgrove, Dapplewood, Chelsey, Zipper, Diver, and Tex made due with dancing you swore you saw on an Irish movie. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle swung their arms around, swirling their lower bodies. Apple Bloom took some motives from your dance class while adding a little country flare. You decide to make the best of it, and start tapping your toes. In rhythm to the beat of the music and everyone clapping, you tap faster. The beat intensifying, you start getting cocky, and cockiness only gets you so far before slipping and falling hard on the wood floor.
In the dark, you hear the beat stop and the murmur of your schoolmates. You open your eyes, seeing your eight friends along with a few others that you’ve come across as Snips, Snails, Rumble, Dinky, and Indigo Blue looking at you.
“Nice, Anon.” Tex chuckles “Maybe you can show us a break dance.”
You are lifted up, rubbing your injured noggin as you go to the sidelines. The music starts again, and so do the students continuing to dance. Your fast breathing slowed your beating heart, but that doesn’t help with your dancing producing heat. You walk to the exit, grabbing a bottle of apple cider for the road. While you open the door, you fill your tired lungs with cool air while your sweaty skin dries up. You take off your helmet, letting out a sigh as your head cools down. You attempt to pry the cap with your teeth but only went so far as cutting your gums. And having trimmed your nails, you couldn’t get a good grip.
Letting out a huff, you stand up when you see a most unusual sight: a woman standing in the moonlight of an otherwise dark soccer field. You know the typical rules: don’t talk to strangers late at night. But the color scheme is awfully familiar, so you decide to investigate. Coming closer, the details become clear as her usual violet button shirt and pants illuminated in the moonlight. You accidentally step on a branch, standing stiff while she turned swiftly.
“Who goes there?!” She exclaims, her eyes looking furious. You merely shirk while she calms down. “It’s you.”
“You know, the party’s inside.” You mutter, pointing at the school.
“I” - She turns around, crossing her arms - “have little need to go.”
While respectable, that made you rub a chin. “Like how you were gone for the past week.”
“I am tired.” You couldn’t blame her; as you walk around her you find that her bags have bags.
“Last I saw you, I imagined you to be a night person.”
“Used to…” Luna looked the other way. “Until I took this stupid position.”
“Luna,” - You reach for her hand - “What happened to Celestia?”
“I… don’t know… I woke up one night… Just like this one… and there was darkness…” - She covers her hands, starting to sniffle - “Oh, God… I hurt her... My own sister.”
You notice her skin becoming dark, and your skin having a shade of blue. You look up, seeing the moon becoming dark as well.
“Luna, I think we need to-” You yelp at the sight of her; her skin is now near pitch black, her hair flowing like a puff of clouds, and her clothes replaced with armor including a helmet covering her neck and nose bridge. Three things that weirded you out are her ears appearing larger, a horn jutting from her forehead, and wings twice her height. But the eyes, those sapphire, predatory eyes you remember all too well.
“I don’t need your help, boy.” She clutches your throat and draws you to her. “I don’t need Celestia; I don’t even need the daylight. For tonight, I will make the night last forever!”
She swings you around, releasing you from her violent grip. The benches fast approaching, you scream while covering your head. Your body collides with the combination of wood and metal; you swore you could feel your spine snap on the next thud. You remain conscious for a few seconds, vision blurring while the last thing you hear is laughter.
Seeing only black and hearing virtually nothing, you can only assume that you joined the beach shack in the sky. But how are you dead if you can even think? Slowly but surely the gears in your head begin to churn. At first muffled, your ears pick up yelling, screaming, and even a loud roar. A roar? Thinking that shot your eyes wide open. The formerly dark soccer field illuminated in flames; somehow you were a good distance away.
“Cosgrove? Apple- Agh!” You look at your poorly bandaged leg. You look everywhere else on your body, finding your costume tattered and some small cuts on your belly. Not enough to kill you, but by God do you not want to know how.
“You have interfered with me for the last time, children!”
Bearing as much pain, you lean forward. Aside from the marine blue streams of light, you couldn’t really make out the shapes “dancing” in the flames. You saw the three winged figures again swooping in and out like what you see in air shows. On the ground, you see the silhouettes of your older friends, along with five that appeared… animalistic. One such aberrant form is surrounded by some blue glow and flung towards you, scraping the grass before stopping a few feet from you.
This being’s skin tone is awfully familiar too, as is his tattered clothes, but the elongated feet, snout, and horned dome had you doubt it’s him. He starts to rise, spitting blood on the green grass. You two look at the flames again just to see a burst of energy that scattered the silhouettes away, parted the flames, leaving the demonized Luna standing before you. Her near black body is laced with bruises and cuts, her left wing frayed and broken. She approaches, looking at the person, animal… thing in front of you. He manages with to stagger to his feet; well, toes actually, letting out a hiss through his bloody teeth. Seeing her horn glow, you curl up, ready for the end truly.
Then you hear a crunching sound, followed by a scream. Parting your fingers, you see that a creature of yellow and purple clamped his jaws on Luna’s shoulder. He spins her around, revealing the rest of his massive body, including the quilled tail you saw a month ago. Luna blasts his shoulder, free from his grip. The beast roars before slapping his tail at her side, keeping her down with a downward slap.
The silhouettes you saw before jump from the flames. You can easily recognize Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Rumble, Dinky, and Indigo Blue, albeit with horns, wings, and large ears. Five others, like the one that fell before you and the one that attacked Luna, have a more bestial form. One was the six-winged reptile you saw on television; the other four you at best recognize as a three-meter tall goose with one-meter claws, a crocodile with hog tusks, a horned snapping turtle and a horned werewolf with blue hair. They restrain the larger being by her wings, hands, and feet.
“Now, Tex!” Scootaloo shouts.
You look ahead, finding the larger man tossing a small container of sorts. It unlatches, beginning to glow. Before you get the chance to shield your eyes, the dome-headed boy grabs you by the collar and drags you faster than a strong wind. You are tossed to another part of the wall, yelping in pain as your feel your back scrape the wall. You look to your left just in time to see the tip of a tail turn at the corner. Hearing a scream, your head turns right just when a flash of light shines. A while after it stops, you see that the flames are beginning to die down.
Then you see a large shadow covering the grass, looking up to see the large yellow animal with violet stripes walking around the corner. He turns his head to you, followed by his body and tail. Your body a wreck, you just stared into his glowing yellow eyes as he let out a long, low growl like an elephant. He closes his eyes, somehow getting his body to glow a yellow aura. A process that looked painful, you wince as you see his tail recede, his limbs and upper body become smaller and less heavily built, and his head become more human. Though appearing human, this… werebeast state made it clear of the question you should have asked one month ago. You look to your right, seeing the gigantic goose approach him.
“She has a steady pulse.” She looks at your bemused face. “What will you do now?”
“I’ll take Anon home.” He looks at the beast next to him. “You're in charge until I return.”
Skeptical, you nonetheless take his hand and walk with him. You look to your right, hearing the crowds of children your age and older murmuring to each other at the sight of a tremendous battle. You look to your left, finding the group of human/anthropes surrounding Luna, somehow cured of her “contamination.” You and Cosgrove enter the car, keeping your silence while you are taken from the burning school yard. How can it be possible for such creatures to exist?
“Anon, we’re here.”
In your deep thought, you didn’t realize Cosgrove parked the car at your house. You exit the car, limping up the stairs to find your mother’s car already parked. You look to the person who drove you home, blinking once to show his bestial eyes, blinking again to show his regular eyes. You turn around, hearing him leave your property as you open the door. You enter the house, feeling the warm tranquility of your home.
“Oh, dear! What happened to your leg?”
“I” - Turning to your mother, you found the TV show she is watching to strike a memory. While you were knocked out, the more nitty gritty fight between the anthropes and Luna is what caused the fire and damaged much of the benches. A worm's eye view showed Scootaloo, Rumble, and the flying reptile stamp Luna from the air. - “tripped on an ice cube.”
“Well…” Your mother smacks her lips, turning to the TV. “I’m glad you had fun, it’s boring at my work.”
“(But at least it’s safe.)” You think to yourself as you walk upstairs and to your room. Your mother left the light for you, a godsend after the rough night. You flip the switch up and down, expecting something to pop out. That out of the way, you take off your clothes, crawling underneath your covers, and closing your eyes.