//------------------------------// // 70 Beware The Bogeyman // Story: Moonie shorts [Filly Nightmare Moon] // by Eighth //------------------------------// As you walk down the hallway, you hear a crash and scatter of noise. You step inside with a sigh and rub your strained eyes. "What are you doing this time?" Moonie hangs from the ceiling by a rope firmly snagged around a hoof. The blood is already rushing to her head, making a clear rose-tinted show against her usual midnight coat. "This is all according to plan," she lies, her tone daring you to challenge her. "Right. Right, your highness. Let's get you down for now." After a hesitant pause, she speaks, "Satisfactory service, as always. Servant." "You know I'm your adoptive father, right?" You distantly reply as you try to recall what exactly was on those papers the princess had you sign so many years ago, "And the mayor." "You make my food, clean my housing arrangements, and escort me to and from school. How is that not a servant? The mayor thing is just you as a figurehead," the braggart jests. "I don't clean your room," you reply as you look over the mess that Moonie inhabits, "Though you will be. Today." "You clean the rest of the house." "Yes. Because I own it." "And clean it to appease your queen. You may bow." "Careful. I might start charging board," you remark with a wry smile. "But I don't earn any--oh... You wouldn't," glares Moonie. "Confident of that? As the mayor, I believe I could find you many jobs." A puffy cheeked pout and stamping hoofs play out for a while as she does her usual bratty protest. And internally, you find yourself wondering how ponies were subjugated by the filly. Perhaps it was the size difference, or maybe they just didn't know how to handle her. Or both. You can just picture the scene now. A full-grown Moonie throws a tantrum, acts out by refusing to move the Moon and the ponies of Equestria gave her a golden throne so she'd stop. "You used to call me your queen," Mumbles Moonie under her breath so you can't hear. "Now... What is all this? Looks like you're trying to catch a bear." "I might be. I dunno how big he is... Or she." "What?" "Well, I've only heard sounds. How can I discern gender from that?" "What are you talking about?" "The bogeyman or bogeywoman that lives in the closet? Haven't I told you?" "First I'm hearing about it." "Oh... Could have sworn--Oh well. There's a bogeyperson in there." Your first instinct would be to try and tell her that there is no such thing but seeing as you never got a grasp on what is and isn't real in a magical world of ponies. "Are they real? Like really real? They were myth where I'm from." Moonie shrugs, "I've never met one, but I believe so. Want to find out?" You nod. "Okay. See, at night I only hear noises. Rattling, groaning, and heavy breathing. I've tried opening the door, but it just gives under the bed with a gush of wind and when I look under the bed, it'll be back in the closet. And then it's just running in circles until I pass out on the floor." "Right. So traps?" "How else do you catch a monster?" She answers in a matter-of-fact kind of way, "Are you in or out?" The two of you have set up a makeshift fort of sheets and rope with a small window, which reminds you of a hunting blind. You've also got a few snacks taken out of their packets and placed on a pillow so there is no noise as you rummage for the salty crisps. You chew very slowly on one as you wait in the dark. Beside you, a once bouncy Moonie has begun to slowly doze off, her head bopping up and down in her attempts to fend off sleep. As you don't really believe in a bogeyman, you leave her be. If she falls asleep then you can just tuck her in and head to bed yourself. "I'm awake," stammers Moonie in a daze. "Somehow, I don't think your bogeyman is coming," you reply. "Do you think we should bait him with something?" "Ow! Me bloomin' toe," screeches a third voice. For a moment you look toward the hallway before you realise that Trixie isn't here tonight, she doesn't have toes, and the voice came from the closet. The door bursts open and out hops a little man in a hood clutching is green clawed foot before the rope snare latches around his other foot and hoists him into the air. He gives another gruntled yep of pain as his head slams onto the ground before his ascent. "WE GOT HIM," Moonie cheers. Looking at the upside-down creature, you'd say he looks like a goblin. His large green ears poke out of holes in the side of his hood, a large hooked and warted nose looms from the dark miasma that masks his face, and long bony fingers are thrusted in the air as he surrenders. "Don't hurt me," the critters pleads. "Anon! Look," Moonie excitedly beams, ignoring the creature's gravelly squeak of a voice, "He came out the closet." "I did not," it defensively states, arms crossed over its chest. "You did too. How else would my trap have gotten you?" "Oh! Ya mean in thatta way. Well, then, yer. How else do ya expect me to hide away in ther' what with all that stuff jus' crammed in?" "He made me clean my room," Moonie gestures up to you. "For shame sir. Do you ever think of other beings wellbein'?" "What?" "Anon, Anon!" Interjects Moonie as she tugs on a pant leg. You crouch down to her level so she can whisper. "Can we keep him?" "What?! No." "Why not?" She whines with her famous bratty stamp. "You can't even water the garden when I ask you to." "That's because it's not mine." "I can hear you two, ya know?" The bogeyman flatly comments, "And I ain't no pet." "What are you then?" You ask as you examine the creature once again. For some strange reason, it seems like there is a black fog billowing around its face and yet, you can feel two beady piercing eyes from beyond it staring back at you. In all the oddness of this creature "A bogeyman, obviously." "And why... Why were you in the closet?" "Under the bed is a little too cramped." There's a brief pause as his deadpan reply catches you off guard, "Okay... but why?" "Why? You might as well ask why is the sky black? Where do stars come from?" "I make them." "You make stars?" the Bogeyman asks, his eyes widen and you find yourself creeped out at somehow being sure of that information. "Well, did before I was usurped." "Usurped? So you were like... a king or something?" "Queen," Moonie corrects it, bluntly. "Oh, wow. It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness." "Right. That's enough of that," you state flatly as your brain begins to overload. You grab the bogeyman and shove it back into the closet, tuck Moonie into bed before retreating into the safety of your bed. You awake in the morning, your mind still whirring as it struggles to come to grips. Muffled laughter comes from Moonie's room, so curious, you open her door. There you see the bogeyman, sitting down at Moonie's tea party table that she painted black with "blood" red splotches. The two look up at you. "What are you doing?" You wearily ask. "Enlisting," the two chorus back. "Right," you resign, your mind just ignoring reality for a while, "If I catch you in this house again, I'll start charging rent. Including backpay." The two of them poke their tongues as you close the door.