//------------------------------// // Breaking In // Story: Lucky Breaks: Nightmare Night // by Emeral Bookwise //------------------------------// The night wore on much the same, with more games as well as other assorted activities, and with each in turn, Twilight found her apprehensions waning away until her own enthusiasm was nearly a match for Clover's. Hours later, the two mares retreated off the beaten path to reap the spoils of the evening, huddling together under their dragon costume like a makeshift tent. "Mmm… these chocolate doubloons are the tastiest," Clover said chiperly, "You really sure you don't want one, Tenbs?" "Maybe I would have, if somepony hadn't dumped the whole chest full into a jar of pickle juice," and although she affected an exasperated tone, Twilight's smile betrayed that any annoyance was in jest… mostly. "But the pickles are the best part, really gives the chocolate that extra zest." "I think I'll just take your word on that and stick with this bag of candy corn you haven't tainted yet." "You sure you don't want any nacho cheese to go with that." Twilight made an exaggerated gagging motion with her tongue out in protest before simply shaking her head with a sigh, "Sometimes I think you just make up these horrible combinations solely for the purpose of squicking everypony else out." "You'll never know if you don't try," Clover teased, neither denying nor admitting anything. The two shared a chuckle. "Thanks for talking me into this," Twilight finally admitted, "I know it's breaking the rules—" "Bending," Clover amended. Twilight didn't even miss a beat trying to argue the point any further, "—but it's been fun all the same. Maybe we could do something like this again next year, with actual permission preferably." "Aww… but sneaking around when we aren't supposed to is half the fun!" "Anyway, we should probably be heading back to the library." "Huh… what're are you talkin' 'bout, tonight ain't over yet?" "It's hours after midnight," Twilight said with a forced yawn, "And some of us actually have work to do in the morning." "But hours after midnight is when the real fun of Nightmare Night starts," Clover pleaded before adding matter of factly, "Everypony knows that." "Oh…" Twilight paused, not entirely sure she wanted to know, but, "And just what exactly did you have in mind?" "Pranks, of course!" The darkened streets of Ponyville had grown eerily quiet as most ponies had begun turning in for the night, the perfect stage for a pair of costumed mischief makers to sneak their way through the silence. Well, one mischief maker and one reluctant tag-along. "This is a bad idea," Twilight said with renewed apprehension. “Oh, come on, Tenbs, that's the third time you've made that same complaint." "And it's still no less true, and of all the ponies we could possibly prank, this must be the worst possible idea." The costumed pair stood outside the gated fence of the Official Residence of Ponyville's Official Representative of the Nightcourt, a.k.a. Dame Trixie Lulamoon, Knight of Harmony, bearer of the Element of Magic, and the self-proclaimed Great & Powerful… not to mention Twilight's parole officer. "No, this is the BEST possible idea," Clover said rubbing her fore-hooves together, her normally carefree grin tilting maniacally, "It's time we finally show that stuck up primaredonna what's for." "For the last time," Twilight declared, her tone shifting from nervous to lecturous in exasperation, "I'm not trying to prove I'm better than Trixie anymore." "I know, I know," Clover said, twirling one hoof around in bored repetition, "But this is just gonna be a prank, harmless fun." "I'm not so sure…" Twilight replied, chewing her lip nervously. "Come on, Tenbs, grudge or no grudge, can you really honestly say there's no small part of you that still wants to get even the teensiest payback for what she put you through." Twilight knew she should protest, and yet she didn't. Much as she hated to admit it, maybe Clover had a point. For all that Twilight had tried to put old and incredibly misguided grudges behind herself, maybe there was still a small part of her she was keeping locked up in the dark corners of her mind that wanted to go through with this. "No more running, No more hiding, not even from yourself?" Clover had beaten her to the punch, twisting Twilight's own reform mantra against her. "I… Clover, no." Twilight retorted halfheartedly, "That's not what that's supposed to mean." "Maybe not, but you want it to, don't you?" "I…" Twilight hesitated, hanging her head in shame, before at length raising it with a conspiratorial grin and taking her own turn to steal Clovers words, "Well, I suppose if everypony deserves to break a few rules on Nightmare Night, I guess that can include my own." "Now that's the spirit!" It was all in good humor after all, just harmless pranks. From a certain point of view one could even argue they were upholding tradition. A few rolls of toilet paper draped through the tree branches, a few smashed eggs smeared across the windows. What Nightmare Night could be complete without these iconic… decorations. "Alright, I admit it, this is kinda fun," Twilight conceded. When no answer was immediately forthcoming, however, she quickly grew concerned, "Clover…?" Though shroud in moonlit shadow, Twilight managed to spot the other mare by the door of the Residence… the very much open door. Clover smiled back with a wicked gleam in her eyes and whispered, "Nightmare night, what a fright, give us somethin' sweet to bite; 'cause if you don't…" she trailed off, silently invoking the remainder of the oft unspoken second verse of the holiday refrain that promised retribution against those who failed to offer up the appropriate tribute. Twilight strained to keep her voice under a hushed whisper, "Are you Sunstroked; get away from there!" "It's alright, Tenbs, it was unlocked." "What difference is that supposed to make… don't you dare tell me you're thinking of going in there?" "Not alone I'm not." "Oh, no…" Twilight said, her apprehensions now teetering on the edge of full blown panic, "This is where I have to draw the line." "But just think of the pranks," Clover begged like an entitled foal. "Pranks are one thing, but this is breaking and entering, if we get caught…?" "Caught by who, Trixie? If that happens we'll just apologize. She's a hero, and that means she has to forgive us… no matter what, because friendship and harmony and all that other jazz, right?" "I think you're pushing our luck." "Hey, Lucky is my middle name," and as if that was a battle cry, Clover pranced her way through the door. "Stars protect me, I must be sunstroked too," Twilight cursed to herself as against all better judgment she followed. Catching up to her friend, she added, "You do remember your nickname isn't supposed to be for the good kind of luck?" "Details… now keep quiet." Cautiously the two mares snuck their way up the stairs and down the hall. Peaking through the bedroom door they spied their victim softly snoring. "This is perfect," Clover whispered. "It's not too late to turn around," although Twilight was long past sure if there was any real disent behind the pretense of her protest. Whatever certainty Twilight lacked, however, Clover more than made up for in her own self-assuredness, "I've gotten us this far, no sense tucking tail now." Reluctance at the madness of this endeavor gave way as Twilight found herself all too easily falling back on old habits. Before her reform, she had broken into some of the most secure archives across all Equestria in search of arcane secrets. Not a second thought needed to be spared while Clover pushed upon the bedroom door, Twilight casting a silencing spell over the hinges as a matter of reflex. The two paused their advance as Trixie rolled over, muttering in her sleep, "And for my first act as dutchess… I name ice cream with tabasco sauce… the official dessert of Ponyville." "Huh…" Twilight mused, "Seems like you and Trixie might have tastes in common?" "No way, everpony knows ice cream goes best with relish, or maybe mustard in a pinch," Clover replied indignantly before pulling a marker out of her bag, "Hey, Tenbs, while I get to doodling, fetch a bowl of water from the bathroom sink, would'ya?" "Why?" "Just trust me… oh, and make sure it's warm." By the time Twilight returned she wasn't sure if she should gasp or laugh, but either way she had to struggle to keep quiet. Clover had drawn a curly mustache over Trixie's snout and a monocle around one eye. "I know, right," Clover replied, suppressing her own fit of giggles, "Just a shame we can't be here to see the look on miss snooty-patootie's face when she wakes up in the morning." "I don't get it; are we supposed to leave the water by her bed so she can clean up?" "You've never been to a slumber party, have you? Just levitate that bowl onto the bed while I lift up her hoof." Twilight still didn't understand, although she made a mental note to study up on slumber parties later. In the meantime she followed Clover's instructions without further question, setting the bowl in place as Clover gently lowered Trixies hoof into it. … With their mischief complete, the two mares snuck back out of the Residence and slipped back into their shared dragon costume, Clover even telling Twilight to take the front end this time. They were about to disappear into the night, until a stern shadowy figure shouted from above. "Stop right there, you criminal scum!" Staring up at the roof, Twilight felt her greatest fears realized, a guard pony, and not just any guard pony. That dark armor over an ash grey coat was the unmistakable hallmark of none other than one of Princess Luna's elite Nightguards. "Cheese it!" Clover shouted from behind and shoving Twilight into a gallop. The two ponies tore down the streets, around a corner and through an alley, knocking over a stack of empty boxes as they scrambled, but all the while the bat-winged guard pursued undeterred from above. "There's no way we can outrun them like this," Twilight panted. "What about a spell?" Twilight was aghast, "You can't seriously expect us to get away with assaulting a Nightgaurd?" "Of course not, but you can teleport, right?" "I could," Twilight replied between gasping breaths, "But that's… a tricky spell. There can't be… that many ponies in Ponyville… who can cast it. They'd know it… was me for sure." "Not if I stay behind to take the fall. With any luck they might not have noticed there's two of us in this costume." It was a long shot, but even if Clover was right, could Twilight really just leave her best friend behind? "Come on, Tenbs!" Clover begged in exasperation, "It's my fault your even out here tonight in the first place." Twilight's legs were pumping and her heart was racing even faster, there wasn't any time to think, let alone debate… there was only time for action! *POP* The lone pony in the dragon costume skidded to a halt as the Nightgaurd landed in front, fangs bared, stomping one hoof down atop an errantly rolling bangle. "What's with the fancy lightshow, think you can get away by blinding me?" "No…" Twilight declared boldly as she discarded the costume, "I made a promise to myself that I was through running and hiding!" Clover landed in an unexpected heap, tripping over her own legs as she found herself no longer on the streets of Ponyville, but instead inside the old shack at the edge of town she'd moved into. She blinked dizzly for only a few moments before realization settled in. "No… Tenbs, how could you?" Clover never let her smile falter, not even once since she was a small foal. Given the perpetual state of bad luck throughout most of her life, it was the one shield she held onto at all costs to stave off the despair she knew would consume her if she ever let it go… but what was she supposed to do now? "Not again." She knew her friend had only been trying to protect her, just like Twilight had when telling Clover to forget about her before running away after their first adventure together. However, Clover had other friends by her side back then, the same band of cohorts Twilight had brought together, friends who could help lift her head back up and tell her to keep smiling no matter what… but tonight she was all alone. Fortune had favored her once, and by some impossible coincidence she'd eventually found herself here in this town, the same town where Twilight ended up as well… but like a fool, Clover had wasted her one stroke of good luck. Why couldn't Twilight have just let her pay for that mistake. Clover's record was clean, and so she could have probably gotten off with a slap on the knee. For violating parole, however, surely the guards would take Twilight away, lock her up and throw away the key this time. "I won't let it end this way!" Settling her resolve, Clover marched to the front door, intent on going back into town and confessing her part in tonight's events. Maybe she couldn't get Twilight off the hook, but with any luck they could at least share a prison cell together. *POP* Clover turned about suddenly in disbelief. "Tenbs?!" Twilight brushed a hoof through the back of her mane, not even really sure where to start explaining things. Wiping the tears of joy from her eyes, Clover's attention drifted to the side, to the other pony that Twilight had teleported with her, the Nightguard, only now without her helmet on… "Hey, aren't you… the town weather captain?" Spitting out a pair of false vampire teeth, Rainbow Dash grinned. Although her coat was painted grey, her namesake mane remained unmistakable, "The one and only!" … Several minutes later the trio were sipping piping hot mugs of butterscotch cocoa around Clover's kitchen table… well, more like half the remains an old oversized barrel that Clover used as a table. Rainbow Dash had discarded her costume armor and even rinsed most of the paint out of her coat, leaving behind only a few errant splotches. "Gotta say, you two impressed me, especially you, Twilight. For an egghead you've got a lot of guts, standing up all alone for your friend like that." "So you really aren't going turn us in then?" asked Twilight. "Heck no! It'd go against my Nightmare Night honor to betray a pair of fellow pranksters." "Fellow?" Clover interjected. "Yeah…" Rainbow Dash admitted guiltily, "I might have only caught you in the act because I was lurking around Trixie's roof planning to prank her myself." "Really, what's your grudge against Trixie?" "No grudge, I just think that arrogant blowhard needs to be brought down a peg or two every now and again. Can't let her get away with strutting around and showing off all the time… that's my job!" Twilight wasn't sure if that admittance of ego made Rainbow Dash extraordinarily self-aware or just a shameless hypocrite. Under the circumstances, however, she supposed it didn't matter and she should just be grateful either way. "Oh, but I do have one condition for keeping all of this a secret." Twilight raised an eyebrow, "And what exactly might that be?" Rainbow Dash grinned conspiratorially, "Next year the three of us all go pranking together."