//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Nightmare Night // Story: Changeling Fate // by Nightmare Rift //------------------------------// Night Crystal’s POV: I wake up after about three hours of sleep, and continue working on my Sombra costume. I also have to make sure that I have time to go help Mayor Mare decorate the town hall building. I make the final piece of my costume: a horn cover that glows a bright purple like Sombra’s magic when I use my own. I have a red cape and a replica of his silver crown, both to the best of my memory. I step back to admire my work, walk over to the mirror on my bedroom wall, then lift my work onto me. Just to make sure that the size is correct for everything. I take it off now that I know it fits, and place it back on its stand until tonight. I walk back over to the mirror, and transform into myself. I look at my reflection and, just for a second, I can see somepony else as my reflection, one that I could see myself becoming if I was to take over the rule of Celestia and Luna. Although, I guess that wouldn’t be that bad, since they really weren’t the nicest to other creatures. They were only nice to earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns. Changelings, Kirins, and Hippogriffs aren’t given the same treatment. I come out of my own thoughts and head off to town square to help Mayor Mare set up. I arrive at the town hall to see that Twilight was also called to help Mayor Mare and they are almost done. I ask Mayor Mare if there was anything else that she wanted me to help with. She says, “I think we are good, although, if you could help Pinkie distribute the candy orders, that would be wonderful!” “I’ll go right away then.” I turn away and head towards Sugarcube Corner to go help Pinkie. I arrive to see her handing out the last order to Roseluck and the rest of the ponies of the flower shop. I decide to not even go up to Pinkie to ask if any other pony needs help. Instead, I walk home. I arrive at my house to see Rainbow Dash standing outside my door staring at my house. “How did you do that?” Rainbow Dash asks, still staring. “Magic,” I say while trying to keep a straight face. “No kidding, but how?” “Illusion spell, not very difficult. I’m pretty sure both Luna and Twilight can do it as well, so nothing super special.” “It’s so cool. I can’t wait to see it in the dark. What are you being for Nightmare Night?” “It’s a surprise, you?” “Fine, don’t tell me. It better be a really good surprise. I am being a Shadowbolt again. It’s easy and I'm not really trying this year. See you tonight.” “See you tonight,” I say as she flies off to go to her house. I jaunt inside my house, grab all of the candy that I will pass out, and put it right next to the door for easy access later tonight. I pass the last few hours of daylight by either taking a nap or by trimming off my plants to store some for later use. As night finally falls I put on my costume and prepare to pass out candy as ponies come knocking on my door. About ten minutes after I get my costume on I hear the first knock of the night. I answer the door and it is the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I give them their candy, two pieces of Changeling candy and one piece of normal candy. They thank me and run off back towards town to continue trick-or-treating. I continue this pattern throughout the night. Once I run out of candy around midnight, I go join the festivities in town. I arrive to see Princess Luna’s chariot pulling in and I float my replica crown that I was carrying to my head. Which was making my horn cover work, turning my magic light purple like Sombra’s. Whoosh! “We missed,” says Luna plainly. “Of course you missed. I made sure you missed by diverting your shot away from me. Now the real question is why were you shooting at me?” “Thy had Sombra’s color of magic and were dressed like him, and that was all we could see since thee was coming from shadows. What else was we supposed to think?” “Um, for starters, it is Nightmare Night. Secondly, that means everypony dresses up. Some like villains, others like heroes,” I say, gesturing to Rarity’s very well made Celestia costume. “We suppose, we guess it has been a long time since we have been to such an event in a long time. Will thee forgive us?” “Of course Luna. How could I not? You are, after all, a very good friend.” She nods her head in thanks and she wanders off to see all of the festivities. The Apple family has a haunted maze and I decide to stay away for fear of being startled and then possibly changing on accident. I instead decide to sit by a building and watch everypony take part in the games that have been set up in the main part of town. Rainbow Dash finds me a little while later and grins when she sees my costume. Fluttershy always stays at home, Applejack is helping run the haunted maze, Rarity and Pinkie already saw me when I was talking to Luna. So, Twilight was the only one left who hadn’t seen me. Just as I decide to go off and find her, she appears around the corner dressed as Clover the Clever. She sees me hidden in the shadow of the building, I light my horn intending to float a cupcake made by Pinkie to me from the table nearby. I watch Twilight’s face drop in fear and she launches a bolt of magic straight for my head, just like Luna did. She must get her fear of Sombra from all of the books she read, or she has been hanging out with Luna too much. I sidestep to avoid the bolt, and just as I go to look back at Twilight, she pops up next to me with a magically procured sword at my throat. I laugh a deep guttural laugh, eerily sounding like Sombra, and I start to fear for my sanity and life. Twilight presses the sword deeper into my throat, still without drawing blood. “Twilight it is me. Sheesh, you’re as bad as Luna. It’s just that Luna didn’t immediately press a blade to my throat after she missed me with a bolt of magic.” “Sorry, I guess I know why you are dressed up like Sombra for this night. You miss him terribly. I’m sorry, any way I can make it up to you?” she says with a pleading look in her eyes. “For starters, you can remove your sword from my throat. Then, you can let me go home in peace.” “Oh right, sorry,” she says making the sword vanish. “I guess I got carried away. I will leave you be now,” Twilight continues as she starts walking away. “Hey Twilight, your costume is good. Clover the Clever had a personality just like you according to the books I have read. Have a good rest of your night.” “Thank you Night Crystal. You have a good night too.” I will Twilight, I reply under my breath, but unfortunately it may mean planning Celestia’s, Luna’s, Cadence’s, and Twilight’s demise. I originally planned to do just that, but instead went to bed and slept through the entire next day.