//------------------------------// // Fall Frontiers Feel Fantastic // Story: Live, Die, Repeat // by Hidden_Night //------------------------------// I’ve settled in. Today is the day that marks my first whole week within Ponyville! I should catch you guys up. For starters, I’m living with Twilight. That was three days ago. At first, I slept on the couch. Then I got a little on the room Twilight lent me. It was initially a room she used for storage, but after some organizing and sacrifices to the basement, I got myself a small space I could call home. With the new room comes a chance for furniture. So I used the money Luna gave me to buy some stuff. A comfy bed, a poster of this group called ‘The Wonderbolts’—I know nothing about them. I just think they look cool—and a quill. I didn't buy a sofa, despite how comfy they are. I am starting to think Sofa and Quill venturing into Beds wasn't such a bad idea. I've got myself chores. I can't be a freeloader forever. I do basic cleaning, occasionally organizing books, helping Twilight’s research in the basement, and some grocery shopping. It isn't much, but at least I keep myself clean now. A source of running water is quite the luxury I haven't been able to experience for some time. Also, it might be good to keep a diary, just in case I die too early. Writing my thoughts is a therapeutic way of coping with the inevitable. Plus, leaving a memory of my life is better than nothing. Thanks, book. Also, accounting for my earlier experiences, this place is nice. I want to explore more of it, but rest is needed for now. I also don't know what day it is. Setting down my Quill, I close my diary, sliding the book underneath my bed—no nightstand for now. I'll just hope Spike doesn't open it too early. Leaving my room, I found myself in the central library circle. To satiate my curiosity on the day. I walk over to the Calendar by the stairs, reading up on it. Let’s see, there are about 45 days in a month, two months separated into the four seasons for a total of 8 months and 360 days. Interestingly, they use the 24-hour time systems and still refer to the days as Monday through Sunday. However, it seems the months aren’t as lucky, just being named Mono, Bi, Tri, etc. These are odd conventions for calendars, but when two people control the sun and moon, they can decide how the calendar is. Though a certain day caught my eye, Nightmare Night. It's next week. “Morning Anonymous.” I heard a tired Twilight walk down the stairs, so I looked up. Her hair was messy, and she was brushing it on her way down. “Mornin.” I gave her a small wave, horses can wave somehow. “Coffee?” She made her way to the kitchen, I decided to follow behind “Say less.” “How?” Her horn lit up, grasping the coffee maker’s bowl, whilst also getting two mugs from the cabinet. The mastery on her telekinesis is amazing, I would kill to have half the skill of her. “Throw hot coffee on my face obviously.” That got a giggle out of her. “That sounds like it’ll hurt.” “Yeah, but I’ll get me awake regardless.” She giggles again, I’m killing it! My confidence has shot up! With the coffee being poured out, with creamers and sugar cubes being set out I drank mine black. Who needs all that stuff? The coffee here tastes better without it! “On another note. What is Nightmare Night?” “Oh, right, you probably never celebrated it back home.” Oh god, she pulled out a book, this is going to be a long one. I’ve seen her explain things like this once, to her friend Rainbow who was checking out the latest Daring Do book. I haven’t met Rainbow past the whole interrogation thing, but she seems like the type of girl who would know a thing or two about fun. “Nightmare Night is a celebration of fall. Named after the same night Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon. It was coined by sir Haunted House, who decided to theme a new holiday to give honor to Nightmare Moon. It comes in a few parts, first is Trick-or-Treat! Go door to door with costumes to get candy, but they share the candy with Nightmare Moon so she may not haunt their dreams. Next is the Fall Festival, with games, music, and stalls. The last part is to get the weather ready for fall, that mainly falls on the weather team!” Woah, she can really just keep going, but even still it’s Halloween. A holiday that has been ingrained in my mind for so many years. So if Nightmare Night is coming, then… “I’m going to need a costume, but what to be…I need ideas. Twilight, who are you going to be?” “Oh. You’ll know when you see him.” “Him?” “Yes! He’s Sta-“ She stopped herself. “Oh I see what you’re doing there, sneaky colt.” “I was trying something?” “Don’t play dumb.” She giggles, for the third time this time. If I didn’t know any better then I think she likes my very odd sense of humor, or lack thereof. Women are weird. “Aaanyway. Costume ideas…” I’m trying to shoot an idea into my head, but I’m shooting blanks. Also this gun doesn’t even shoot blanks, so it’s broken! Get me a new gun, er brain, whatever. “That is a good question. For your first Nightmare Night. I’d say get something simple! There’s a Specter Hollow Eve store in Ponyville.” Specter Hollow Eve? Sounds oddly similar to another store. I wonder if it also appears from basically nowhere then vanishes into the night. If it’s corny costumes I shall wear then corny costumes I shall get! “Huh, well I’ll go check out that store…right now!” I stand up. “Wait! We can’t skip breakfast! It’s on our schedule! I already planned this out ahead of time?” “What?” “I think we should slowly introduce you into Nightmare Night without it being totally overwhelming. So you can get into the spirit of the night. So, I got our schedule here.” A roll of parchment encased in her magic was drawn somewhere—I really need to ask about that pulling stuff from out of view—unfurling the parchment the roll rolled past me and into the main chamber of the library. “Okay. So I separated the day from fun things, which are in red, and not fun things which are in black.” Looking my eyes over the parchment, something was off, “…but they’re all red.” I told her. “I know!” She began to dance in place, not much of a dance more of her stomping her hooves on the floor. Is she…stimming? That’s adorable! Also terrifying, she’s going to enjoy teaching me way too much. According to my story I’m an immigrant leaving a war torn country, which Twilight pinpointed as the County of Longsword in Griffonia. I just accepted that’s where I’m from, if only she could scan my soul and see where I’m truly from, I’ve yet to meet someone who can cross dimensions. I digress, point is, she took it upon herself to teach me Equestrian customs, holidays, and other such goodies, plus they’re good Friendship lessons to Celestia up with the weekly upkeep of her letters going through. Never knew that was a rule until now, but it makes sense to me a teacher has to know how her student is progressing. Twilight nudged me towards the table. “After breakfast, It’s good to start going down the list one by one.” “I see that. So how many things are we going to do.” “Oh you know…buying costumes, history of nightmare moon, books about Nightmare Night, the first Nightmare Night, the biggest Nightmare Night Celebration-“ She just kept listing off what was on her list. Honestly, I’m quite excited which is odd, considering back home I hated history, but in the other worlds learning about their history and wars was so much more enjoyable. Perhaps it’s because they’re different and unique, while still being as petty as others. Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two. “Okay! So let’s get started!” “Wait what?” Suddenly a hoof grasped my chest and I was pulled out the front door of the Library. This is going to be a long day. [Activity 1: Costume Shopping] I walked out of the dressing room with a green tuxedo, with a big green forehead, bolts are attached to my neck by some mean. “Hmmm. I thought it would be perfect because you’re green but you’re too green now.” Twilight has been sitting on that chair, studying me with each costume I wear. It was charming the first time, I felt like I was doing a private show, but now it feels like I’m modeling for a very strict fashion show host: “How about we try the centurion armor? It’s made for pegasi but if we just…” “Right…” Also, learned that the guys in this world are the ones with the sexy outfits. Good thing Twilight didn’t pick any of those out. [Activity 6: Trick-or-Treating!] “Trick or Treat! Smell my feet! Give me something good to eat!” I’ve been practicing outside of Twilight’s tree house for a couple minutes now. I know the chant I’m just messing with her for fun. “Anonymous, no! That’s the wrong chant again, also what are feet and why would I want to smell them?” “No idea…someone is into it…” I muttered. “Pardon?” “No.” Don’t Twilight. You don’t know the forces you’re playing with. “Oh. It’s Trick-or-Treat! Nightmare’s Eve! Give me something good to eat!” “Yeah yeah. I got it this time, honest.” “Good! Cause after this we got reading to do!” “Oh yeah, the readings. That’s going to be something?” [Activity 13: Nightmare Night and Death!] “A surprising statistic shows that no pony has passed away on Nightmare Night. There’s plenty of theories to why this happens, it could be that Nightmare Moon is merciful with the candy she is offered, or that all the candy is healthy for our bodies to contain. As a Mare of Science myself, I believe that the magic contained within the sweets and the over abundance has caused an unintended life extending effect. Not unlike Earth Ponies living longer than the other tribes due to having magic inside their bodies at all times.” Wow. Lore. My butt is sitting down at a desk she pulled up. No idea where she was keeping this. However, this stool is very wobbly, it’s fun! However I must keep my focus! Don’t get distracted by the very funny stool! This stool can drop a beat, but it can’t drop my focus! “Any questions?” Aw, shit. What do I say? I can’t say no like that last time. I need to show her I’m paying attention. “Why?” “Yes Anonymous, everyone wants to know the why no pony hasn’t died during Nightmare I assure you, no harm will come your way during that time!” A stagnant wind blows through my body. I don’t like that sentence Twilight. You’re going to jinx me! [Final Activity: Nightmare Night Review] “In short, you now know everything about Nightmare Night! Congratulations!” I have no idea where we got this cap and gown for this faux graduation, but I’m not complaining I walked up on ‘stage’ which was just desk she was teaching me from the entire time. “I have a few words, if I may be so bold.” “The floor is yours.” She stepped away from the desk to give me space. “Ladies and Gentlecolts, I’d like to thank you all for teaching me the ins and outs of Nightmare Night. I may not have known much before, but I can now see how much of an integral holiday to remember Luna, Nightmare Moon, and the sacrifices Celestia made to make sure she never forgot her sister. Celestia knows I may never forgive myself if I sealed my Sister on the moon. Still, I can recognize the culture of other places, no matter how different it is from my own, I can still accept and appreciate what it does for every pony. Thank you.” “YEAH WOOOO!” What the fuck? PINK HORSE? “Pinkie? How did you get in here?” Twilight is flabbergasted, fair enough. She did just write down my speech and sent it to Celestia. “What? You think I’d miss a graduation ceremony! That gives me an excuse to party!” Where did she get the cannon! “Pinkie wait!” With a tug on the strings, a cake shot at me and knocked me down. Chocolate and…strawberry! Aw hell yeah thanks Pink Horse! “No problemo Nonny!” What? “What?” This is weird. She is just like this, I’m not absorbing any chaos magic from Pinkie. Unless she is actually full of…never mind it’s unlikely. Odd mind reading aside today was a good day. Pinkie gave me a party, even if it was pretty small—Also cake—and Twilight got that letter sent to Celestia. I pulled that speech out my ass, but it’s the best way for me to continue on. Another entry for the diary in my actual book.