Story:
The fire blazed, piercing the darkness of the cloud-covered night. Babs Seed sat around a campfire, eyes scanning through all of the fillies and colts that had signed up to camp like she did.
"Tonight's turn for Spooky Tales around the campfire is…Babs!" The camp counselor announced, crossing Babs’ name from the ever-shortening list of ponies who hadn't had a turn to share. Finally!
"Listen up!" She announced, "I've listened to all of your nambie pambie baby stories. I'm going to show all of yous a real spine tinglin' tale!" She took a breath."On a night very much like tonight, fillies like ourselves were out, gettin' ready for Nightmare Night—"
Pipsqueak bounced around in his new costume. This year, he decided to go as Princess Luna. He loved the blue tulle in his mane, and the horn and wings his mom made. He felt like a princess, and so, knocked regally at the door. Cheerilee opened the door with a smile, "Hey there Pip. You ready to collect some candy?"
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Pip asked.
"Oh. Not at all. I know how busy parents can get, and they asked me months ago!" She closed her door, putting a bowl out with a note: take one. "Plus, you aren't the only student who needed a chaperone!"
As if on cue, Twist and Silver Spoon came from opposite sides. "Thanks shoo much for taking me, Miss Cheerilee!" Twist beamed.
"This is dumb. I am WAY too old for Nightmare Night!" Silver Spoon huffed.
"Nopony is too old for things they enjoy!" Cheerilee smiled, looking at Twist's candy cane costume, and then Silver Spoon, costumeless. "Looks like we're making a stop before candy collecting!"
On their way to get a costume, the group passed by a field of pumpkins. Twist giggles, "That one grew weird. It looks like a pony head!"
"Who said it isn’t?" Cheerilee laughed darkly, wiggling her hooves. "Legend says that once every blue moon, the headless horse runs around looking for his head, and he'll take ANY he finds. The ones he tries to take…well, you can see what happens!"
Twist and Pip scream! Silver Spoon rolls her eyes, "Please. It's just an old pony's tale!"
"Maybe, but so was Nightmare Moon once!" Cheerilee reminded.
Once at Rarity's boutique, Silver Spoon looked through the costumes, "Do I HAVE to?"
"Yes!" Cheerilee nodded.
Silver Spoon groaned. She looked through the costumes, finally grabbing a witch. The others waited for her to change, and Cheerilee used a marker to write their names on their Nightmare Night candy bags.
The three fillies followed their teacher around, gathering candy. With the unplanned stop, the moon was high in the sky before they poured a share out for Nightmare Moon. Cheerilee looked around, noting no other ponies around. "We must have taken longer than I thought. Everypony else is home.”
"Can WE go-" Silver Spoon stopped. A loud, piercing neigh reverberated around the statue.
Twist and Pipsqueak immediately ran behind Cheerilee. Silver Spoon froze to the spot. Trotting out of the Everfree Forest was the Headless Horse!
"Th-th-that's a REALLY detailed costume." Cheerilee chattered.
The horse came closer to the group. "I do-don-don't think th-that ish a costume." Twist shook her head.
The headless pony whinnied, up on two hooves before galloping towards them. Silver Spoon shook her head, pushing the group over just before the group got ran into. "RUN!" She screamed.
The teacher and three fillies ran with all their might, the headless horse closing in on them. Silver grabbed Pip. Cheerilee grabbed Twist. They galloped left. They galloped right! They twisted and turned, but no matter how fast they ran, the headless horse was right behind them!-
"WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO?!" the fearful shout catches Babs’ attention. She looks around, noting the terrified faces around her. Should she make this be the truly terrifying tale she wanted, or should she give an ending that can help the fillies sleep at night?
[CHOICE]
How do you think the story should end?
> it's a campfire tale! It needs to have a scary ending! (Villain)
> Give an ending that will help the fillies sleep at night. (Hero)
[ENDING A: VILLAIN]
Babs takes a deep breath. She promised a spine-tingling tale, and that's what they were going to get.
"They decided to get help!" Babs started again—
"Twilight will know what to do!" Cheerilee nodded.
"But, Ms. Cheerilee. Twilight's castle is nearly across town at this point!" Pip pointed. The whinnying resounded louder as they sprinted off once more.
"We'll make it, Pip. You'll see!" Cheerilee gave him a quick pat. They couldn't stop. Silver Spoon and Cheerilee were tiring out before they were even halfway to the castle.
"Wait!" Twist stopped. "Listen!"
Everypony stopped. The town was silent.
"No clopping hooves." Pip gasped.
"No whinnying." Cheerilee panted.
"Maybe he got tired…and galloped off?" Silver Spoon hoped, her legs pulsing from exertion.
"We're not hanging around to find out." Cheerilee huffed, "Let's get you three back home safe!"
Everypony nodded. The still air made their fur stand on end as they made their way back towards their homes. But there, among a new pile of pumpkins, all with pony-like features, the headless horse waited. The moment he saw them, the headless horse galloped towards them, but they were worn down. The headless horse caught up with them!-
Babs stops once again as screams fill the night air. She breaths, "The next day, no creature could find where any of the ponies had gone. All they could find was miles and miles of strange looking pumpkins!"
At that moment, a sharp howl of wind whipped around the fillies, sounding exactly like a whinnying horse. The wind stopped as soon as it started, but everypony in the camp blinked wide eyes of horror at the sound.
"Welp, goodnight!" Babs waved, racing off to her tent. Nopony slept that night, thoughts of the headless horse being close to them filling them with dread.
(+1 page for Villains)
[ENDING B: HERO]
Babs took a breath. These ponies weren't ready for a truly terrifying tale, and she had her fun of scaring them this long.
"They had to think of a plan, and fast!" She started again—
"What do we DO?!" Pipsqueak trembled.
"If I remember my stories right, the headless horse won't stop until he finds his head!" Silver Spoon thought aloud, earning shocked looks from the others, "Okay. I love Nightmare Night! I was just sad that Diamond Tiara wouldn't come with us. She said we were too old!"
Cheerilee smiled at her honesty. "All right. If a head is what he wants. A head is what he gets! Twist, do you think you can find that strange pumpkin again?"
"No schwet, Mrs. Cheerilee!" Twist nodded.
They turned, going back towards Rarity's boutique. The headless horse, always behind them, and slowly gaining ground.
They found the patch with pony headed pumpkin with no time to stop. She grabbed the pumpkin, throwing it to Pip along with her marker, "Make the best face you can!" She prompted. Pip worked as they ran.
Cheerilee looked around, dashing through her home to grab a knife while Twist locked the door. She quickly carved the top, hearing a whinny, and seeing the headless horse at the kitchen window. She threw the pumpkin to Silver Spoon, "Take all the seeds and stuff out!" She said. The headless horse knocked into the house.
Silver nodded, quickly spooning out the guts with a shiver.
"Twist, find a candle in the drawer of the living room closest to the chair!" Cheerilee ordered.
Twist rushed, grabbing the candle. Another hit. The window cracked. Cheerilee lit the candle. "I hope this works!"
Another thud. The window shattered. At the same moment, Cheerilee threw the pumpkin head, landing on the neck of the headless horse. The now headed horse stopped, feeling the pumpkin head he had been given. He turned, and trotted back into the forest, never to be seen again!-
The fillies all cheer. "Wow! That was great, Babs!"
"Yeah! That was my favorite story so far!" Another grinned.
Everypony went to bed happily, and the story passed from pony to pony, becoming a new tradition.
(+1 page for Heroes)