//------------------------------// // SQUEAK’S NIGHTMARE NIGHT // Story: TALES FOR NIGHTMARE NIGHT! A collection to read AFTER the lights are out! // by De Writer //------------------------------// It was a lovely night for flying!  Weather this good was so perfect that Squeak didn’t even need to use his eyes.  The echoes of his chirps, silent to pony ears, were all the guide that he needed.  That left Squeak’s eyes free to appreciate the beauty of this Nightmare Night. While admiring the nearly full moon, shining on the tops of the few thin clouds, his leathery wings made a constant chorus of rustling thumps in the cool night air! The thestral spotted his destination!  He dropped in a showy spiral dive toward Caramel Treat’s Sweets!  It was simply YEARS since he helped her to set up and do her first Nightmare Night celebration! He landed solidly in the midst of the Nightmare Night revelers in Caramel’s Outdoors dining area, where her celebration was in full swing! He was confronted by a huge Everfree Ridgeback wolf who was NOT Caramel Treat!  Startled, he took a step back, half raising his big bat-like wings! One of the glamor disguised Underworld demons put a very well made trident between them and exclaimed, “Squeak!  We didn’t know that you were coming!  Don’t you recognize me?  I am Graymak!” The big wolf paused.  Turning to Graymak he said, “This is Squeak?  The thestral that helped Caramel so much for her first Nightmare Night?” Squeak bobbed his head as he agreed, “I am he.  I hoped to see my friend Caramel again.” Squeak jumped as Caramel slipped up behind him, totally undetected!  She wrapped him in a big hug and ordered, “Where have you been?  You must tell me everything!” Squeak returned her hug and offered, “I have been assisting Princess Luna. I used to be one of the Guards of the Nightmare Throne.  When she found out that I am still alive, she has had me accompany her on her annual rounds of Horspital Foal wings, visiting those foals who cannot be out on Nightmare Night from sickness or injury.  We finished up with the Ponyville General Horspital Foal wing about an hour ago and she let me come here.” Caramel paused for a second and shook her shaggy head.  “I thought for a second there that you said that you lived through the Second Nightmare War!” Squeak nodded.  “I did.  Both of them, actually.” Caramel stepped back and looked her friend up and down.  “Over 2000 years old?  Nonsense!  You don’t look a night over 1000!” More seriously, she inquired, “Why didn’t you ever mention how old you are before this?” Squeak grinned as he replied, “Nopony asked!” Caramel grinned, “At your advanced age, you must be hungry!” Turning to Graymak, she said, “You are needed in the kitchen yesterday! Besides Fangrin, you are the only help I have that can cook meats!” The glamor disguised goat saluted her with his trident and retorted, “I am on my way, Night Wolf! Peanut Brittle, Caramel’s palomino waitress, in her “traditional” witch costume asked, “One trout or two, Squeak?  I seem to recall you liking them.” Squeak perked up at once!  “Two, please!  I have not eaten since we started our rounds of Horspitals!  That much flying was hungry making work!” Peanut made a bee line for the kitchen.  Caramel asked, “Fangrin Dear, can you take the front, here, while Squeak has a dinner and he and I talk?  We have a lot of catching up to do.” Fangrin’s big shaggy head nodded.  “Do it, Caramel.  I will watch for malefactors!” Caramel and Squeak were deep in conversation about the many things that he had been doing for the last few years.  Graymak brought out Squeak’s trout on a platter. He told them, “We need Squeak out front as soon as he finishes eating, if he is going to stay, that is.  Romaine has her portrait camera all set up and ponies are asking for their portraits taken with him! They want you, too, Caramel!” As they were taking their places flanking a little pegasus for a Nightmare Night portrait to be remembered, Caramel asked, “Do all thestrals live as long as you have, Squeak?” “Thank the Twins, no.  Most of my kind are old by a hundred and twenty. Some live to a hundred and fifty.  I am the only one that I know of who has lived for a couple of thousand years.” The little pegasus put a hoof around each of them, pulling both monsters close in a friendly hug for her portrait.  She asked, “Why is living a long time a bad thing, mister Thestral?” Squeak crouched his dark, bat-winged form down to her level and asked gently, “Dear, do you know of anypony that you cared about who has died?” The little pegasus snuffled and her eyes teared up.  “I miss my Mama.” Squeak nodded sagely.  “Now, dear, imagine that you live long enough so that EVERYPONY that you know will die.  Sure, you will keep meeting and loving new ponies, but you will know that THEY will die, too. “Either you get so callous that death means nothing to you or you will treasure each one all the more.  That last is the way that I have chosen.  It has greater pains but greater rewards too. “Now, pardon me, but I have another portrait to pose for.” The young pegasus held Squeak back for a second with a fierce hug.  “Now I understand, Mister Thestral.  I am sorry for your losses.  I am glad that you have Princess Luna to help you through them.  If you ever need me, Cloud Flipper will be here for you too.” He gently returned her hug and replied, “Cloud Flipper, it is an honor to meet you.  You have made this Nightmare Night the best one in my memory.”