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// Nighty-Nightmare Night! 
// Story: One Bolt, Many Questions 
// by Boltsinger 
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Moons passed in their typical way. Life in Ponyville had entered a new kind of norm for Boltsinger. He found that Twilight was much more open to having somepony to lean against while reading. But when she was in the midst of research, there was no tearing her away. Finally, the fall months had come, and everypony’s favorite night of the year was fast approaching. Boltsinger had a plan, but he needed some help from some very… interesting sources to pull it off.
Nightmare Night was a week away, and Boltsinger was preparing his case while he went to the abode of the one he needed to persuade. He had the candy, he had his costume ordered, and he had his act down. But in order to get it perfect, he needed an element that he had only experienced in one place.
Finally approaching the door, he knocked three times in succession, slapping his muzzle with his wings to psyche himself out. The handle of the door turned slowly, cracking just enough for a yellow coat and a soft blue eye to appear.
“Boltsinger?” A soft voice began. “What do you need? Is it about Nightmare Night? If it is, I don’t want any part of it!”
“Relax, Fluttershy, it’s not that big of a deal.” He told her, placing a wing on the door, but not pushing so as to not set her off. “It’s about Nightmare Night, yes. But it’s not you that I need.”
“It’s… not?” Fluttershy asked, opening the door to reveal a stockpile of various food items and books, several animals hard at work.. “What is it that you need?”
“The one that I need is…” He paused, wondering if he was making the right decision. “Angel.”
From behind Fluttershy’s head, a familiar pair of bunny ears rose up. Angel poked his head up, taking a look at the smiling stallion. He turned around, ploppping back down on Fluttershy’s back, crossing his forelegs in front of him.
“Angel? What do you need him for?” Fluttershy wondered. “What do you have planned for Nightmare Night?”
“Just something festive for everypony. Ponyville has done a lot for me, so I wanted to give something back to Ponyville.” He explained. “I’m getting some ponies together for various elements, and Rarity is making me a costume. But in order to get just the right amount of suspense, I need someone who can whoosh by behind everypony and make the hair on their neck stand on end.”
“Oh! Well, Angel is pretty good at that kind of thing.” the mare confirmed, turning so that Angel was in view. “What do you say, little bunny? You want to help Boltsinger with his project?”
“I promise I’ll make it worth your while.” Boltsinger said, leaning towards the bunny. Angel’s eyes opened as he lifted an ear to the stallion. He leaned in and began whispering in Angel’s ear, the tiny rabbit’s face perked up as more and more details went into his ear, and his face went from nonchalant, to excited, to downright sinister as he rubbed his paws together.





Three days later, Rarity came into the castle, floating a large bag on a hanger alongside her. She made her way to Boltsinger’s room as the sounds of diabolical laughter echoed through the halls with a deep, villainous voice. A shiver went down the Unicorn’s spine as she made her way towards the source of the sound.
In the hallway, Starlight trotted over to her fellow Unicorn, eyeing the bag. “Whatcha got there?” She queried.
“Oh, it’s an order for Bolt.” Rarity informed her. “He’s got some grand plan for Nightmare Night, and he ordered a special costume! I don’t know what all it entails, but I do very much look forward to seeing what he’s got in store.” The laughter sounded again, making Starlight jump slightly as they walked.
“Can I have a look?” Starlight continued, inching closer to the bag.
Rarity swiftly pulled it away. “You’ll have to wait until Nightmare Night, just like everypony else, darling.” She hovered it high above her head, letting it dance with her every step. “But I assure you, it’s magnificently terrifying, if I do say so myself!”
“Can you at least tell me what he’s doing?” the pink Unicorn pleaded, leaning in close as the laughter came once more.
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you. I simply cannot betray my Beautician’s Guarantee of absolute confidentiality!” Rarity said proudly. “Besides, everypony will find out on Nightmare Night. We’re planning on paying it a visit after the corn maze.” She stopped at the door that marked her destination, giving it a firm, yet delicate knock. “Oh, Boltsinger, your order is here!”
“Good… Good!” He opened the door long enough to fly out, grab the bag, and retreat into his room. “It’s perfect…” He declared, bursting into another fit of villainous laughter. The door opened again, Boltsinger standing in the doorway looking perfectly normal. “Sorry… Just getting into the part.” He told her, handing her several bits and a few pieces of amethyst. “Some gratuity, and a bit more for our... “ he leaned in next to Rarity’s ear, hiding his muzzle with a hoof. “... side project!”
Rarity laughed as she placed the items into her purse. “And don’t you worry about that project. Things are going along swimmingly, you’ll see.” She turned to leave. “Well, I will see you on Nightmare Night! Lots of orders to fill!”
As Rarity trotted off, Starlight leaned her head to the side to try and sneak a peek into Boltsinger’s room. The outfit bag hung in the closet, the lone item in an otherwise empty space. On the desk, there were several plans and scripts, and a little bunny-sized cape laid out. “You look like you’re preparing something big. Mind if I join in?”
“This time, I would have to say no. I want you and everypony else to experience what I have in store first hoof.” He slowly closed his door, an evil smile on his muzzle as he did so. “Trust me… You’re going to love it!” The door latched shut, Boltsinger’s villainous laugh echoing through the halls once more.





The night had arrived. Fillies and colts were running happily around Ponyville, all dressed up in fun costumes while being escorted by responsible adult ponies. The Apple Family’s corn maze was going in full swing, and there were decorations and games all over the place, ranging from spider-tossing to pumpkin catapults to bobbing for apples. Spike exited the castle, wearing a black mask, red cape, and blue gloves and boots with a belt around his waist. He held a bucket shaped like a jack-o-lantern, and looked excitedly at the town.
“It’s Nightmare Night! Finally!” He looked back into the castle. “Twilight! Come on! We’re missing out!”
“All right, Hum Drum, just give me a little bit more time!” She called from inside. After a few moments, she emerged, wearing a maroon suit and mask that bore white boots with another maroon stripe, coming up to an image of the star on her Cutie Mark. There was a silver piece at the base of her neck below a slightly flared-out collar that extended back behind her wings that matched a similar decoration that covered her horn, each decorated with a small magenta jewel with yellow goggles situated over her eyes. Her tail was the same as it always was, but her mane was flared and pulled back in a heroic fashion, appearing longer than it truly was. She stepped out of the castle and struck a heroic pose while looking at Spike. “Well? What do you think?”
Spike looked at Twilight with a sense of wonder. “That’s the costume you’ve been so excited about? You’re the Masked Matterhorn!”
“Yup!” Twilight confirmed, walking towards the town. “I wanted to change things up, this year! I bet nopony ever thought I would go out like this!”
The two made their way into town, Spike going up to every door with the foals, getting a fair share of candy that he sifted through greedily as he walked with the Princess. After some time with the various games, they headed to Sweet Apple Acres, where the corn maze was filled with screams of fear and delight. Applejack laughed as more foals came running out of the exit. She wore a red suit with black trim and a black mask. The v-neck in her suit had a green shirt underneath, and the trim on her hooves had golden apples on them. She wore a belt that held a lasso and two golden star-patterned horse shoes, with her mane and tail wrapped in green fabric. Spike and Twilight looked at their friend, who raised a hoof with a smile.
“So what do y’all think? Did I do it justice?” She asked. “I had a lotta help from Rarity on this, to be honest.”
“Are you… Mistress Mare-volous?” Twilight wondered, looking a little dumbfounded. “I thought we were the only ones doing this kind of costume!”
Applejack chuckled to herself and looked towards the corn maze. “Y’all here to do the corn maze with everypony? Rarity and Starlight are already inside. I think Pinkie’s still makin’ the rounds in town.”
“What about Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked.
“Can’t rightly say.” the work horse admitted. “She said she had some business over at the Castle of the Two Sisters tonight. We were all gonna head over there once everypony got outta the maze. Care to join us?”
“It’s already on my list!” Twilight answered, heading into the corn maze with Spike and Applejack following close behind.
An hour later, Twilight, Applejack and Spike could be heard screaming from inside the maze, the three running out and laughing like little fillies. They came to a stop at the gate to the farm, where Rarity and Starlight waited. Starlight was wearing a simple black dress and a distinctly pointy hat, looking around at the passing foals and occasionally letting out a high-pitched cackle. Rarity wore a deep purple suit with a dramatically flared out collar that featured blue diamonds all over. Her mane was curled up close to her head, it and her tail adorned with dazzling pink jewels much like the one present in her golden necklace. On her forelegs, just above her hooves, there were bracelets similar to the jewel on her necklace, and she wore a purple mask that flared out on the sides, while not impeding her vision.
Spike looked on at Rarity, hearts showing in his eyes. “You’re… you’re… Radiance!” He cupped his claws together by his head, swooning at the sight.
“You, too, Rarity?” Twilight queried, tilting her head. “What’s next, Pinkie is gonna run by as Fili-second?”
As if on cue, a pink and white streak zipped by. A skidding sound came from the distance, and Pinkie ran up to the others, wearing a full-body white mask-less suit that featured magenta arrows, one coming together from two arrows pointing down her neck, and another pointing forward from her flank on either side of her. There was trim on her legs that each led to a white balloon design. Her mane and tail, while maintaining their usual poofiness, were blown back in a stylized lightning bolt pattern. She had an obscenely large bag full of candy balanced precariously on her back.
Rarity blushed a bit as Twilight’s prediction instantaneously came true. “Well, I must admit, making Applejack’s costume was fun, and it brought back some nostalgic memories! So, I just had to make costumes for everyone. Although I see you beat me to it, Twilight.” Twilight gave an embarrassed nod as Rarity continued. “I even made an outfit for Fluttershy, but she’s not going to be joining us tonight. Oh well! Outfits for another time!”
“Hey, girls! You ready for some Nightmare Night fun?!” the hyperactive pony trotted in place, looking like she was ready to zoom off again.
“You know it!” Starlight replied. “We’re going to the Castle of the Two Sisters. Boltsinger has something pretty huge planned there, and I want to finally find out what that is!”
“He’s been really focused on it all week. I’ve even seen Angel running around the castle, not to mention all the other ponies he seems to have roped in.” Twilight went on. “I haven’t seen the castle so busy since last Hearths Warming!”
“Well, then, it should be one heck of a show!” Applejack said as the group began to make their way, Pinkie Pie and Spike stopping nearly everywhere on the way for more candy.





The ponies and their dragon companion made their way through the forest, coming up on the ruined castle. A number of storm clouds were gathered around it, each letting off bolts of lightning in sequence.
As they made their way to the entrance, Bon Bon, who wore a simple masquerade costume, sat at a desk, passing out tickets to ponies as they came up in a line that reached all the way back to the bridge. The line grew shorter every couple of minutes, as laughing ponies came out of various exits, each taking bits of candy with them from bowls placed just outside. Before too long, they found themselves looking inside, seeing a pitch-black hallway where a foyer once was.
“What happened here?” Twilight asked, cautiously stepping in with her friends in tow.
“Welcome, my little ponies, to my lair!” A deep voice sounded from above. “I hope you have come prepared, else you face the wrath of my mistress, the great Nightmare Moon!!!” Lightning struck from around the castle, the rumbling thunder shaking the ground around them. “I’ve much business to attend to, so you will have to entertain yourselves with my… friends… before I can see you personally! Now… enjoy your stay…” A familiar diabolical laugh sounded, reverberating across the halls and walls as the blackness fell away.
Twilight and company found themselves in what looked like a laboratory, a pony scientist with a tan coat, scruffy brown mane and tail and an hourglass Cutie Mark wore a long, gray trenchcoat, frantically working on some project in the room. In the center, there was an operating table with a sheet covering an extremely large body. Poking out from under the sheet was a beefy foreleg ending in a yellow hoof.
“Yes… YES!!! I’ve done it!!!” The scientist cried out, turning towards the table. “Derpy! Raise the platform!!!”
From above, a gray Pegasus with an off-yellow mane and tail, a bubbly Cutie Mark, and yellow eyes that pointed in separate directions flew into the room wearing a black cloak. She landed next to a lever, dragging her back left hoof behind her as she walked. “You got it, Doc!” She wrapped her forelegs around the lever, strenuously pushing it as the platform raised into the air from a mechanism below.
Lightning heated the air around the table, sending a bit of a jolt through several lightning rods situated at the corners of the rising platform. The doctor laughed as he looked on upon his work. “YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEESSS!” He screamed. “LLLIIIIIIIIIIFE!!! GIVE MY CREATION… LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!!!” The lightning ceased, and the platform lowered back to the floor, the doctor upon it breathing heavily. He looked eagerly at the hulking mass under the sheet, seeing no response. He heaved a heavy sigh and turned around. “Blast it all! Another failure!” He slowly walked off, kicking various instruments as he made his way.
Derpy walked next to the doctor, patting him on the shoulder with a foreleg. “Sorry, Doc. We’ll get it next time!” The doctor sighed and kept going, leaving the room.
Twilight looked curiously at the operating table, seeing the hoof that poked out twitching slightly. The ponies stepped forward to investigate the body under the sheet, finding it blown away by a sudden burst of wind. Laying on the table was a hulking Pegasus pony whose body was covered in stitches. It wore a pair of pants over its hind legs, and its upper body had a jacket on that was clearly too small by multiple sizes. It was strapped down with what looked like metal bars.
“Ooh! What’s this?” Pinkie asked, pressing a button on a nearby panel. The bars fell from above the Pegasus, its eyes shooting open.
“YEAH!!!’ It yelled, the sound throwing away any question as to the identity of the pony. “I’M, LIKE, TOTALLY A MONSTER!!!” He jumped off the table and pounded the ground with his forelegs, shaking it even more. The visiting ponies let out a scream, running away as the Pegasus lumbered towards them. He knocked over a number of devices as he chased them, looking fierce, yet amused beyond reason. After several seconds of running, a pillar of flame formed between the ‘monster’ and the ponies, causing him to stop in his tracks. “AAHHH!!! FIRE!” He turned and ran back to his table. The walls from before came up, funneling them into a nearby hallway.
“I see you enjoyed your visit with Doctor Frankenstag!” The voice from before said, a whoosh coming from behind the group. Twilight and Starlight looked back, seeing nothing. Shivers crawled up their spines as another whoosh came, directing their attention forward. They looked around, seeing no sign of anypony else. Continuing on, the whooshing came by once more, a bouncy impact hitting Rarity’s back, then moving from pony to pony as they let out yells of their own as a tiny black bundle landed in front of them. It turned, revealing a familiar little bunny in a pitch-black cape, raising a foreleg and striking a villainous pose.
Twilight tilted her head at the sight. “Angel?” She wondered, knowing that the bunny had been at the castle all week. The bunny flashed a smile, revealing a set of fangs that made the group jump.
“Fear not, my little ponies. My delightful pet, Bunnicula, shall be your guide, that you won’t get lost.” The voice continued. “There are too many terrors here for any number of ponies to comprehend here in my lair.” Angel led them down a corridor, and into a large room with a single chair inside. “Should you find things you were not meant to, you may end up like this sad pony here…” Angel rushed over to the chair, where a pair of stallions dragged a crazed mare into the room. The mare screamed nonsensically, rambling on about things until she was strapped in, a metal hat-like apparatus descending onto her head. The mare pleaded with her captors to no avail, as one of them pulled a lever next to the chair. The lights of the room flickered wildly, electric shocks surging around the chair as the mare convulsed, letting out an unnatural scream. The lights eventually returned to normal, and the mare in the chair fell limp, foam dribbling out of her mouth. “It had to be done… But if you’re good little ponies, you’ll have nothing to worry about! Now, lead on, Bunnicula. There is much more to attend to…”
Angel gave a sinister nod, moving to the next corridor. Thunder rolled from outside, leading to the sound of a pipe organ playing ominous music. After walking for a while, Angel scampered off, leaving the ponies to their own devices in an empty room. It was decorated with dark balloons and streamers, looking like the most evil party anypony had ever seen, with a large box in the center of the room that had two doors on the side.
“Ooh! A party!” Pinkie cried, rushing over and looking at all the decorations in detail. “What’s so scary about this?”
“I can’t say.” Rarity stated. “It looks very… festive, if you ask me.”
Starlight rolled her eyes. “There’s probably some big surprise waiting in the box here.” She opened one of the doors on the box, poking her head in. “What?” She said, looking around to find nothing. “That’s strange…” She pulled her head out of the box, closing the door and taking a peek inside the other door. Still nothing. “Okay, this is just weird!” She turned to Twilight. “How about we open both doors at once?”
Twilight gave a nod and took a position next to one of the doors. The two mares looked at each other, each magically grasping one of the doors. “All right, on three…” They faced the doors, determined expressions present on their faces. “One…" Pinkie bounced up behind the two, looking over their shoulders with a curious smile. "Two…” Beads of sweat dripped down Spike’s face as he watched. “THREE!” The two opened their doors, seeing the same pitch-black nothing inside.
The mares turned away from the box, looking to investigate the room more. “Well, that was a let-down.” She said, hanging her head. “I guess they can’t all be--” She was cut short by a loud popping noise. The group looked at the source of the noise, seeing the box in the middle of the room fall to pieces with dark red confetti flying out along with several Earth Ponies in tattered clown costumes that featured serrated teeth in a creepy grin, outfits of several faded colors adorning their bodies and obscuring any possibility as to their identities. Starlight let out a shrill scream at the sight, running for dear life. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Spike followed suit, the creepy clowns getting on either side of the group until they were corralled into a nearby hallway, the door slamming shut behind them. Starlight hyperventilated, looking back at the door, then at the group. “Okay… That was pretty scary!”
“I’ll say.” Spike added. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you shriek like that!” He fell to the floor laughing as Angel appeared again, beckoning them along.
“Did you enjoy your little 'party'?” The voice teased. “I’m nearly ready for you, but you have to get to me, first!” With another laugh, Angel scampered down the hall, leading them down a winding corridor. At every twist and turn, what looked like ghosts would show up and let out a moan, flashes of lightning everywhere as thunder rolled in. From the walls, fanged ponies as pale as the snow would pop out, hissing in the face of some part of the group. They jumped, picking up the pace as they followed the bunny. Different spooks and scares lashing out and matching their pace as they went from a walk to a trot to a canter, all the way to a full gallop, the voice’s laughter sounding all the while and getting louder with each step.
The group ran, their breathing growing more panicked with each step, until a flash of lightning appeared in front of them. The group looked up, seeing a pitch-black storm cloud overhead, a rainbow streak flying around and slamming into it with each discharge.
“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight questioned, recognizing the streak.
The streak plowed through the storm cloud, breaking it apart with a massive discharge and rising to the sky above with her best diabolical laugh, performing a spin and making a full U-turn, crashing into the ground in front of them, her classic Shadowbolts costume on full display.
“Are you prepared?” She asked, rearing up and flapping her wings. “We’re ready to see you, now!” She let out a cackle and flew to the far end of the chamber, where a dark mist seeped into the room. The visiting ponies looked bewildered at what appeared before them as the mist rose and took shape. It formed into the visage of a large, pitch-black Alicorn with blade-like wings and a familiar starry mane and tail. It wore silver armor, and had a viciously fanged mouth. The image glared at the visitors, eyes white and vacant as it hissed and swooped down at them.
Twilight let out a yell and ignited her horn, a protective bubble appearing around herself and her friends as the image of Nightmare Moon flew into them. When the mist cleared, a black figure flew in from above, orange lightning patterns all over his body and bat-like wings. His mane and tail spread erratically out everywhere, and his eyes were as blank and white as those of the image that had previously been conjured up.
“Welcome to my domain, my little ponies!” He called out, his voice more powerful than ever. “Have you prepared your hearts to surrender to my great mistress?” He flew down, hovering in front of them. “For if you do not offer up tribute, your lives are forfeit!” He rose to the center of the room, the image of Nightmare Moon appearing beneath him, giant-sized and opening its mouth.
Spike and Pinkie looked at each other, then at their stashes of candy. Twilight, Applejack, Starlight, and Rarity all gave the pair a knowing look. Pinkie panicked. “NO! Not that! Anything but that…” the party pony cried, clutching her sack.
“Pinkie…” The others simultaneously started, the implications obvious.
“But… but…” Pinkie pleaded. The glares intensified as she hugged the bag tighter. “Awwwwww…. FINE!” She took the bag and dumped half of its contents at the feet of the image of Nightmare Moon. The open mouth of the vision chomped down on the candy, its eyes wincing as it all disappeared.
“That… was… NOT ENOUGH!!!” the black-clad Pegasus yelled, yellow discharges of electricity building around it as Rainbow Dash flew up alongside him. The two cackled and charged at the ponies below, the illusion following them with its wings spread wide. Twilight and the others let out one more scream as they turned to run, heading for the nearest exit. Lightning bolts struck the ground behind them with unnatural precision as they made their way, guiding them to a corridor of pitch black. They kept running until a light shone in the distance, taking them outside, where they found large barrels of candy on either side of the entrance, a sign next to each of them. They breathed heavily as Twilight walked up to one.
“Take as much as you left… Happy Nightmare Night!” She read, looking back at Pinkie.
“Really?” Pinkie asked, staring longingly at the candy. Twilight gave a nod. “WOO-HOO!!!” She cried, diving at the nearest barrel and jumping out with a full sack. As the rest of the group burst into laughter.
“Well, that sure was a hoot!” Applejack declared as they made their way back to the bridge.
“Well, it’s definitely got the right venue, but I believe the attractions could have been a bit more convincing.” Rarity suggested. “But, considering the talent, it was a marvelous show!”
“Now, now, it was his first time organizing something like this.” Twilight explained. “He didn’t even accept my help setting it up! He was too excited and… prone to maniacal laughter!” She giggled, looking back.
“Are you sure you’re not just saying that because of your ‘special relationship’?” Starlight teased.
Twilight laughed, picking up the pace. “I’m sure. Now, come on! There’s plenty more Nightmare Night where that came from!”





As the night wound down, Twilight, Spike, and Starlight returned home. Spike and Starlight retreated to their beds, Spike having a massive stomach ache from all of the candy, while Twilight looked back at the town. She looked up at the sky over the Everfree Forest, waiting for somepony to finally make his return. In true Boltsinger fashion, he soon fluttered to a landing in front of the Princess, his eyes back to normal and his wings drooping to the ground upon his landing.
"So how was your first 'haunted castle' performance?" Twilight asked, walking inside with him.
"Wings... tired... no more flying today, okay?" He replied, panting. "It was really fun, though. But clearly it was more than enough for the Power Ponies to handle."
"Well, all we had to do was make Pinkie live her worst nightmare!" Twilight joked. "It was nothing. But how did you get that illusion to do all of those things?" Boltsinger gave Twilight a deadpan look. "Zecora?"
"Zecora." He confirmed. "I couldn't do that kind of stuff by myself if I had a thousand years worth of study!"
"So, I've gotta know... What exactly are you?" the Princess inquired. "You don't look too different from your normal self."
"Well, Rainbow and I were pretty much two different versions of the same thing." he elaborated with a smirk. "Shadow-Bolts!" His smirk turned into a wide grin. "Get it?"
Twilight rolled her eyes, smiling at her favorite stallion. "Well, it's been a long night. I'm going to bed." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and went into a trot, swishing her tail against his muzzle as she went. "Happy Nightmare Night!"
Boltsinger stopped walking, waving a foreleg gingerly while his rump hit the floor. "Happy Nightmare Night..."