The night of Nightmare Night had arrived. Fluttershy had prepared herself with a beetle costume. Complete with a hat with antenna, and a shell costume that covered her entire rear body, save for holes that she had her legs and wings through. The shell itself was a warm array of red and yellow spray-painted colors with a glossy sheen that still shone against the moonlight wilderness. Now that she was ready, she was on her way to the Nightmare Night party that Pinkie was throwing at Sugarcube Corner to enact her plan.
The pegasus mare looked at the orb she had been given while she walked along the path from her cottage towards Ponyville. “Oh my...I wonder exactly what this will do. I’m both nervous and excited--or nervcited as Pinkie used to say.”
Moments later, she felt a small weight leap onto her back. It was the white rabbit Angel Jr., and he wore a blue and white stunt jacket alongside a blue and red helmet--with conveniently placed ear-holes for good measure. He made some concerned chittering noises to his pegasus caretaker.
“Oh don’t worry, Angel Junior. I’ve fallen for too many Nightmare Night pranks over the years to not realize when something is too suspicious,” she turned to face him, and gave him a gentle nuzzle, “But I’m happy to see that you’re so concerned for me. Your father used to care for me in the same way all the time. Oh and thank you for the costume idea by the way. This beetle is sure to beetle the best!”
The rabbit let out small giggles of joy but stopped, and shook his head when his deceased father was mentioned. His face scrunched up into a frown, and he communicated with more noises, and pantomimed movements that included choking himself, pretending to tear his fur out, and pretending to cry in his paws.
“...Yes, I have to admit. Angel was pretty ridiculous at times when he couldn’t get his way. But he was helpful,” she trailed off as she gave it some thought. “...on occasion. He was a good father to you, wasn’t he?”
The rabbit simply wiggled his nose, and offered no definite answer. Despite this, Fluttershy could instantly understand what he meant.
Her eyes lowered out of shame. “Oh my...I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll make sure that I do my best to keep watch over you. I just wish that I would’ve noticed sooner. But I respect your point of view on him. If you didn’t enjoy being around him while he was alive, you don’t have to pretend he was a good bunny even though he’s dead.”
No harm done, apparently. Angel Jr. simply sighed, and slumped against Fluttershy’s neck as she walked.
“Well, yes,” she replied, “I have been very busy lately. What with watching over Discord and...well, no, that...that’s been pretty much my entire life outside of my job as a vet. But he’s learning how to keep his powers in check.”
“Hm-hmmm….” Angel Jr. gave a dismissive squeak in response.
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow, and shook her head. “Oh no. He wouldn’t dare pull any Nightmare Night pranks. He knows that he’d be punished very harshly for such actions on Luna’s Night. Anyway, we’re off to Sugarcube Corner! Hee-hee! Ooh, I can’t wait…”
Even through her excitement, Angel Jr. couldn’t help but feel concerned for his caretaker. Especially given the strange orb she had accepted. Wasn’t it enough to already dress as a beetle? Why did she have to do all of this?
It was time for the Nightmare Night party in Sugarcube Corner. Fluttershy was greeted at the door by Pumpkin Cake who had on a traditional witch’s outfit.
“Happy Nightmare Night, Ms. Fluttershy! And you too lil’ rabbit, bro!” she squealed with joy as she pet the rabbit with her hoof.
Angel Jr. responded amicably with nuzzles. Her hoof smelled rather sweet from all the baking she had done.
“Thanks, Pumpkin Cake,” Fluttershy replied as she glanced around the sweets shop. It had been changed somewhat and some displays had been rearranged in order to accommodate the new dance floor that had been added. There were lots of pumpkin and bat-based decorations that hung from the walls to give the store a bit more flair for the holiday as well. “Wow. Pinkie’s Party is going well, isn’t it?”
“For sure!” Pumpkin Cake chirped while she stood on her hind legs. Then she realized something, and put her hooves down on the floor. “Oh--but I can’t talk. I’m the designated greeter. But you be sure to have fun, okay?”
“Oh, alright. Where’s your brother?”
The unicorn mare pointed a hoof to the back of the store where the cream-colored pegasus stallion was managing the sales of treats at the register while dressed as a pirate. “Over there. Ohmygosh, ohmygosh...lots of customers coming. I gotta go!” Pumpkin Cake responded with a panicked expression.
Fluttershy giggled, and trotted over to one of the tables where goodies had been set out for the party pony patrons. Some candy, punch, samples of the Nightmare Night treats that were available for purchase. The works.
“Ooh...quite the spread we have here,” the yellow pegasus mumbled to herself.
A familiar rapsy, tomboyish voice shouted from behind her. “Alright! Ya made it!”
“Hm?” Fluttershy turned around as she bit into a pumpkin muffin.
Rainbow Dash was in a Flash Magnus costume with a proud grin on her face. She flew over to greet her fellow pegasus friend, and put a hoof around her neck. “Aw, yeah! I didn’t think you’d actually come!”
Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed down to unimpressed slits. “Really?” she replied after she swallowed a bit of the muffin, and took another bite. “Do I come across as that afraid, to you?”
“Uh, yeah?” Dash tilted her head to one side, “For the last few years we had to more or less force you to come out on Nightmare Night! Even after all this time, and all the enemies we’ve faced, the fact that we had to like, make you come was still pretty shocking.”
By now, she had finished her muffin. Her response was delayed, but she started it off with a slightly annoyed roll of her eyes. “Uh-huh,” she snarked in return, “really shocking. It’s not like the possibility of me simply being busy on those nights is a thing. Nope, not at all.”
Dash simply laughed it off. “Hah! You always pull that card on Nightmare Night with those adorable downcast eyes and the ‘Oh no. I’m just so busy’ trick,” she mimicked her friend’s timid demeanor. “But it’s good to see you out and about...is my point, hehe…” she rubbed the back of her neck with a nervous smile. At that point, she had realized she went too far.
Fluttershy paused, and stared at the rainbow-colored pegasus with an unamused, stoic face complete with a raise of her eyebrow.
“Hehe…” Dash started to sweat a tad.
All the sudden, the yellow pony let out a giggle, and nudged her friend. “Heeheehee! Oh, Dashie. You know that I can’t stay mad at you. I’m just happy you showed up with me. And that Flash Magnus costume is stellar. The armor is almost an exact recreation of his,” she leaned forward and gave the right side of the armor a curious tap with her hoof. It resulted in a hollow, artificial tap sound. “Oh wow...I can’t believe that that’s plastic!”
The blue mare stretched her wings proudly. “I know, right? Magnus was the coolest. Wish he could actually be here, but I guess I’ll fill in for being the legendary flyer around here.”
Fluttershy giggled into her hoof. “Oh Rainbow. Even after all these years, you haven’t changed a bit.”
“Yeah,” the pegasus put on a smirk as she flexed her wings a bit more. “I know. I’m still awesome. And fearless, and the best flyer in Equestria, and--”
A voice from behind interrupted her speech.“Boo.”
“GAAAH!” Rainbow Dash let out a screech, and a whinny before she fell on her back, frozen in fear.
Applejack faded into view and stepped away from the wall she had been leaning against. “Aw, sorry, partner. Didn’t see ya there,” she said with a chuckle. She had on a white bodysuit and nothing more.
Fluttershy wasn’t scared. In fact, she was very intrigued. “Oooh...Applejack, what’s that you’re wearing?”
“What? This? Just a little somethin’-somethin’ Rarity cooked up fer me. This year, Ah’m The Invisible Mare,” she remarked proudly as she prodded the scared-stiff Rainbow Dash with her hoof.
Fluttershy clapped her hooves. “Amazing! I loved that book. But I never would’ve guessed that you read them, Applejack.”
“Heh. There’s a lot ya’ll don’t know about meh,” she put a hoof against her chest.
“Hello! I’m still down here! Can somepony pick me up?!” Rainbow Dash shouted.
Right outside…
“That’s right...now is the perfect time to activate the orb. Let me just…” the hooded unicorn’s horn flashed to activate a spell.
It was time.