The palomino waitress, Peanut Brittle, called, “Um, Boss!! They are back! They are roosting on all the stronger branches of our hedges and up on the roof, too!”
Caramel Treat called back from the kitchen of her restaurant, Caramel Treat’s Sweets, “I know, Peanut! They are a little early, that’s all! I set out some meat for them in the back dining area!
“Don’t worry about the vultures! They are behaving, just like Roe promised that they would! He says that the bats will be right on time!”
Peanut Brittle looked up at the big vultures roosting all around the outdoor dining plaza of Caramel Treat’s Sweets. They were looking right back at her, except for the ones that were staring at the customers. And licking their beaks in anticipation!
The customers were clearly enjoying the bizarre show! Caramel Treat’s Sweets was known all over Equestria and the many lands beyond for being a place for superb food and for their unique Nightmare Night Celebrations! Those presently dining were happily accepting the big black carrion birds as a part of this year’s celebration.
After all, Peanut had already dyed her fur green and was wearing her traditional witch costume as she took orders. Several goats disguised as small “Demons of the Underworld” lounged about, holding tridents or other instruments.
She glanced up at the big black birds and muttered to herself, “Only one more full day and it will be Nightmare Night!
“Caramel sure is keeping it close to her chest about who her secret Guest of Honor is!”
Caramel, whose extremely sharp werewolf’s senses allowed her to hear the comment, replied, “That is because I have pulled off one of the best ones yet! I don’t want anypony trying to pull her away from our celebration! I have special decorations ordered from Bleater’s Hallow, too. Those should arrive later today in a closed van.”
Shrugging, Peanut went back to taking orders.
Shortly she was joined by Fangrin, Caramel’s mate, in his pony form. He was gray all over. His mane and tail were the same gray but darker.
He confided, “Caramel has not told me, either. I do have a guess. I saw the drawings for the dining area decorations. More like a stage set, really. There will be a dark throne at the center of it all.”
Almost instantly, Romaine, roving reporter for the Ponyville Prancer, and usually having light green fur with a darker green mane and tail, was there. As part of the Caramel Treat’s Sweets Nightmare Night staff, she was glamored to resemble a somewhat skeletal dark colored thestral.
She pointed out, “I have been with Caramel’s Nightmare Night celebrations since the beginning. May I quote you about the dark throne? You know that I will not reveal anything without clearing it with Caramel first.”
Fangrin nodded thoughtfully. “You may quote me on that but you must keep this whole thing secret until Caramel releases it, OK?”
“I promise it,” Romaine replied. “Will there be a Dark Court to go with the Dark Throne?”
Fangrin snickered a bit as he said, “Yes, there will be!”
Further exchange was stopped by the arrival of a large delivery van pulled by six goats. Their leader, a plain tan color, unhitched and trotted over to Fangrin.
“Pardon, Sir. We have the decorations and set for the restaurant’s Nightmare Night. What shall we do with it?”
Caramel was out from the kitchen at once! She was in her pony form too. She conferred with the goat’s leader and one of the pulling crew. They were going over the set diagram.
“The tables will be reset like so. Keep the throne shrouded until our guest arrives. We need to work around our dining guests. Got it?”
The goat leader nodded, “Got it!” Turning to his crew, he called, “Put the van’s loading ramp down! We are starting the set up now! Don’t do anything to disturb the diners. We just have to work around them.”
Van doors were opened and a stout ramp secured. The industrious goats began to unload many pieces and fabric curtains. As the set began to take shape, it was clear that it was looking very like a large, dark, bare stonework, castle room.
Last, the goats wrestled out a large object shrouded in black cloth. They set it up with care on a stage-like dais at the back of the room. In front of the dais, they set up Caramel’s traditional cracked cauldron, supported on chains from a stout tripod.
The vultures had waited on the roof until all was ready. They swooped about and found perches on ledges and rods provided for their use. The dark birds stared out to the various games and tables, suggestively licking their beaks!
All was in readiness for the big day and night tomorrow! The van was now stored behind Caramel’s restaurant.
It was late, almost closing time when Caramel’s secret guest of honor arrived.
The call came from above! “Make way! Royal Guard landing!”
A flight of six Royal Armored Pegassi in the livery of Princess Luna landed in the street in front of Caramel Treat’s! They were in an open Vee formation, with the open side facing the now decorated restaurant! Princess Luna landed lightly in the center of their formation and paced forward, into Caramel’s shop! Her Guard followed, breaking formation to enter through the tables across the front of the outdoor dining area and reforming as soon as they were clear of them.
It was a most impressive display of marching skill. Luna turned to them and smiled. “My good Guards, you are now released to recreation as you see fit. You have served me well on the night flight to this place.
“I know that you have deep and honest concerns about my safety. I am as well guarded here as I could be. This event is being watched over by two Werewolves, Grumpter Goat, and the Litch King himself.
“If I may be so bold as to recommend it, the food here at Caramel Treat’s is some of the finest to be found in the whole kingdom. And whatever you get will be paid by Royal Largess. The Lovely Witch pony here, is waiting to take your orders.”
Caramel and Fangrin came out and managed good courtly bows, in spite of being in their wolf forms. They chorused, “Welcome to Caramel Treat’s Nightmare, oh, Ruler of the Dream.”
The three disappeared into the restaurant proper.
Watching them go, one of the Guard spoke to Captain Lightning, “It still makes me nervous when the Princess just takes off like that with commoners.”
The Captain, relaxing at a table and examining the menu, replied, “It used to bother me too, Baron. The worst risks that she has ever faced mostly came from the nobility. Most of those were Counts or Dukes. When she is among the Rom or supernatural beings, I really worry less. They are VERY careful to protect both Princesses.”
“I understand that, Captain. I am worried about all of the common ponies that she will be around with this Nightmare Night thing.”
The Captain turned to Peanut and requested, “The Clover Steak with Sea Grass Puffs, please. The Honeyed Cider sounds perfect to go with it. Thank you.”
Returning his attention to the Baron, he pointed out, “Among those watching her, this visit is the Litch King. A being who can not be dodged or avoided. One who can stop any attack by simply saying Drop Dead! And make it stick!”
Sitting to the table, the worried Baron said, “I see. Sort of like last Nightmare Night, when we went to that realm of monsters that Princess Luna said was on the edge of Nightmare. She controls more than is apparent.”
“Precisely. I understand that the security arrangements for this event make Palace Security look like foals playing with rag dollies.”
The Baron looked about the place and commented, “Perhaps, but I see no sign of it.” He paused thoughtfully for a few moments before adding, “It could be that it is so good that we do not see it.”
Back in the kitchen, Luna was delightedly cooking up the dinner orders as they came in. “This is so much fun, Caramel! This short order cooking is so different from banquet or snack cooking! Let’s see, this scramble will be fast, so I start it last …”
The two big Everfree Ridgeback Wolves watched tolerantly while Princess Luna took over their kitchen. Caramel confided to Fangrin, “This was her price. Uninterrupted cooking except when she is being part of our Nightmare Night Staff.”
Romaine quietly entered the kitchen and politely asked, “Your Highness, is it OK for me to get pictures of you cooking? They will be part of my annual Caramel Treat’s Nightmare Night story for the Ponyville Prancer. I already got pictures of your arrival with the Guard.”
Princess Luna looked up from her cooking to exclaim, “Romaine! I haven’t seen you since we made that book deal to clobber the so-called Celestian Church! Of course you can! That is a blanket permission for the whole event!”
Caramel grinned, “You have the scoop, Romaine! You know where the Magic Net mirror is! Call it in and send your pictures! We managed to keep this visit secret even from Luna’s Protocol Ponies!”
With a final few pictures, Romaine nearly flew to the Magic Net mirror to call in her story and pictures!
The next morning, just after staff breakfast, the vultures all took to the air, forming a swirling cone of birds of ill omen, centered on Caramel Treat’s!
Looking out through spy holes in the set, the staff saw a long line already formed! Out front, a news pony was hawking the Ponyville Prancer’s morning edition!
“Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Princess Luna has come to Caramel Treat’s Nightmare Night Celebration!”
Caramel turned to Princess Luna and suggested, “Let’s not keep them waiting, your Highness!”
Taking that as a cue, two of the goats pulled the cover off the object on the dais, revealing The NIGHTMARE THRONE. Luna actually drew a breath of surprise.
“That is a very good copy of my Nightmare Throne in the Fortress of Nightmare!”
One of the goats smiled at her. “We had to work from our folklore! I am glad that we got it done so well!”
The glamored goats, appearing to be twisted creatures of Nightmare, stepped forward on the set and began to beat the start of a Processional on deeply resonant kettle drums. The doors of the set opened impressively. Caramel and Fangrin stepped out and went each to one side of the doors. In full view of every pony waiting, they transformed into their monster sized Wolf forms.
Luna’s Guard stepped out by twos, glamored as thestrals. They formed up before the throne and split to two ranks, one flanking each side of the throne.
Trumpets blew a fanfare while the deep drums kept their part of the processional going. Princess Luna stepped forth, glamored to a Nightmare Alicorn. She was all jet black, fur, mane and tail, her eyes glowing red coals, stark yellowed fangs in her jaws and small curls of flame were arising from her nostrils!
She paced forward faced the crowd and blew out flare of fire. The Nightmare then ascended to the Throne of Nightmare.
She called, “Prepare the Cauldron of Fate!”
The Cauldron was brought forth by a skeletal Alicorn, a witch pony and a Goat skull with fangs, glowing eyes and a candle burning between its horns. The goat’s body was invisible but clearly supporting his leg of the cauldron’s tripod.
They set it up some meters in front of the throne. The witch touched it with her wand and mist began to arise and boil over the lip and some out through a prominent crack in the side of it.
The big black gryphon, her flight feathers outlined in stark red and her eyebrows picked out in it too, admitted the foals and their escorts in groups of five. Each “trial” game was set up for five to do at once.
She whispered to one foal who was looking worried, “The Nightmare does not expect you to be perfect. If you try at each game, that is enough.”
Soon the area was an orderly madhouse of foals trying their luck at the games before “Advancing” to the Cauldron of Fate! There, they chanted “Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give me something sweet to bite!”
Plunging eager hooves into the famous Foal Bowl cauldron, they brought out treats for their loot bags!
Besides taking photos of the unfolding event, Romaine had a sign up.
Your picture with the Nightmare!
Only ONE Silver, rolled in a tube
Only TWO Silver, framed!
All proceeds go to the Widows and Orphans Fund to feed and house the needy. All donations will be matched from Royal Largess.
In spite of the fairly steep price, there were many lined up to get their pictures made! As he brought out a new stack of frames, one of the glamored goats commented, “It is good thing that when we heard about the photo thing, we brought our frame shop along in the van with the set! You are keeping us hopping!”
It was approaching noon when a goat, glamored as a creature of the underworld, began pushing a cart down the line waiting to get in. He had small cheap snacks and an order book. For those who wanted more than the snacks, he took orders and gave out numbers.
Soon a second cart came down the line, delivering the ordered meals. And more snacks, of course!
Princess Luna was having a ball, hamming it up for the many photos of her and foals! A favorite pose was her possessively gripping a costumed foal and making a threatening blast of flame. Since the flame was a carefully designed glamor, it was totally harmless but delighted the foals!
As evening came on, big cressets on either side of the throne lit up with flaring flames of blue, yellow and green! Again, like her flaming breath, it was carefully designed glamors, totally harmless but a lot of fun!
Among the new evening glamors that Grumpy was managing for Caramel and Fangrin was causing the whole set and cast to glow in a spectral and ghastly pale blue.
Oohs and aahs of appreciation for the effect arose from the line. The bats made their scheduled appearance, fluttering all about the set! The glow and the cressets were drawing in tasty moths and the little guys were having a field day!
The well fed vultures were happily perched where they could look menacing and enjoying the whole show!
A pegasus in full Royal Court attire fluttered down, landing self importantly in the midst of the set! Without preamble, he demanded, “YOUR HIGHNESS!! It was most difficult to find you! Your presence is REQUIRED in Canterlot, immediately! You must stop this foolishness with these commoners at once and come with me!”
He was moving to block the next foal in line for a picture as he spoke.
Princess Luna’s pale midnight magic, shot through with stars, reached out and slapped him from his feet! It gently picked up the filly in her Princess Celestia costume and brought her to the dais.
Ignoring the outcries of the outraged Count, she asked softly, “How would you like your picture to be made?”
The filly thought for only a second. “I’d like one of those vultures perching on my right wing and a couple of the bats on my left! Want to be sort of rearing like Celestia facing down the Nightmare! Can we do that?”
For answer, a smiling Nightmare brought a vulture from its perch and herded a pair of bats to the filly’s wings. She helped them all to be rearing and looking menacing towards her. She reared in her own turn and held them all posed with her magic while Romaine got the picture!
While waiting to have it framed, the filly pointed to the fallen count and asked, “Isn’t he awfully important?”
Luna gave her a hug as she replied, “He certainly seems to think so. The answer is that he is wrong. You, your dad and mom, and all of the other so called common folk of Equestria are who is really important.
“All of his wealth and position rests on the work of all of you. You are all the foundation upon which the house of the nobility rests. Without the foundation, the house would collapse.
“It works the other way too, dear. A foundation with no building is but useless stones. Together, they form a whole building. But never forget this. It rests on the solid foundation that is all of you.
“That is why I am here. I honor the solid foundation of all of Equestria.”
Admiring her framed picture, the filly replied, “Wow! I got a real treasure, this Nightmare Night! And it wasn’t just this picture! Thank You, Your Highness!”