//------------------------------// // Nightmare // Story: Screwball // by Psyga315 //------------------------------// When I awoke, Caramel was already to go to the fashion designer. He was pacing quite a bit, then saw me. “Oh, Screwball, you’re awake. Good. Come now, we don’t have a moment to lose.” Caramel said, trotting to the exit of his house. “Why the rush, Caramel?” I asked him, getting up to follow him. “I have to do this first thing in the morning so that it’s out of the way.” Caramel said. We were out of the house before I knew it. ---- I didn’t need to follow him for long, as he stopped at the nearest building. A pretty large one at that. “Alrighty then... Let’s do this.” Caramel said. He then went to the door and knocked. The door opened, and I saw the owner of the store... Someone I’ve seen before. A white unicorn with blue eyes. “You again?” I said at the same time the unicorn said it. “You two know each other?” Caramel asked, his eyebrow rising up. “...Yes. I met her at a garden party in Canterlot.” The unicorn said. “Rarity, was it?” I asked her. “Why, yes... It is... Now then, what brings you here?” She asked Caramel. “Well, I was wondering if I can pick up that costume I placed an order on.” He said. “Ah, yes. Come right in.” Rarity said. Caramel walked in. I was about to follow him too when I saw something hiding behind a tree. I decided to go and check it out. I soon got around the tree and saw a pony. He was big, much like the red pony from the other day, but he was gray. All of him was gray. Like me. He soon looked at me. I could tell from his little gasp and the way his eyes shrunk that I scared him. He then ran off. He was slow compared to Caramel, so I could easily catch up with him, but before I chased him, the door opened again. I decided to run back. “Again, dreadfully sorry that I can’t make a costume for your friend, but I need a break after making all those other costumes for Nightmare Night.” Rarity said. “I understand. I’ll see if I can find an old costume for her to wear.” Caramel said. I interjected. “Well... I don’t exactly think I should partake in this... Nightmare Night. I just moved here and really, I should find my place here as opposed to socializing. Isn’t that right, Caramel?” I said, poking Caramel’s sides with my hoof. “Y... Yeah... Yeah that’s right... Well, thanks for your time.” Caramel said. He then walked away. I followed him. ---- As we entered his house, Caramel spoke up. “Look, Screwball, I know how much you want to find your purpose and all, but trust me on this. Knowing ponies will give you purpose and...” Caramel said. I again interrupted. “You said that already, but you never gave an explanation as to why.” I said to him. Caramel stopped in his tracks. “... Alright then. I... I didn’t exactly have the best life. It was pretty rough. My luck always got me hurt in some way or another, and everypony just looked at me as a total klutz. One day, during an event known as Winter Wrap-Up, I was assigned to the Plant Team. The feeling of working together with other ponies made me feel... happy. While I sucked at the job, I took great joy in interacting with the others. That’s when I decided of what I will do for Ponyville. I would be its sort of... assistant. I help out anypony that needs some help and try to do what they ask as best as I can. That’s why Doctor Whooves put you in my care. He thought I would be able to help out in this situation.” Caramel said. “... I see...” I said. I didn’t know what else to say. I then remembered what was happening tonight. “So, are you helping out anyone during Nightmare Night?” I asked him. “Nah, I didn’t get anyone asking me to assist them in anything for tonight. I guess I’ll stay here hand out some candy to the kids. What about you?” Caramel asked. “... I think I’ll stay out of this for now. I’ll spend this time trying to find something to do with my life. Plus... There’s somepony I need to find.” I said. “Who do you mean?” Caramel asked again. “... There’s another pony like me. Discolored. I want to find him and see what his story is. Maybe it can help me with my soul-searching.” I said. “Well... Hopefully you’ll have time to interact with the others and socialize a bit.” Caramel said. He then took his costume and went to his room. I decided to lay down on the floor and have a little nap. ---- I must have slept for a while, since by the time I woke up, it was nighttime. Caramel was already in his costume. I noticed that around Caramel’s neck was red fur. He was wearing a brownish suit that covered his whole body. On his tail was a scorpion tail and on his back were two wings. I had no idea what he was. Was he trying to be a lion but Rarity ran out of materials for the tail and had to make it a scorpion tail? This strange mishmash reminded me of the draconequus I saw back in Canterlot. “Oh, you’re awake. Good. Nightmare Night starts in a few minutes. You might wanna get a head start on that soul searching thing before the kids flood the streets.” Caramel said. “Thanks... What are you supposed to be?” I asked him. “A manticore. Don’t you know what a manticore is?” He asked me. I shook my head. “Okay then. When you get the chance, head to the library and read up on it. You could also talk to the librarian about it. I heard she took on a real live one.” He said. “Er... Thanks again. I gotta head.” I said as I ran out of his house. ---- He was right. By the time I was in the town square, tons of kids were roaming the place. I tried to find the discoloured pony, but to no avail. I then remembered where I last saw him: Rarity’s house. I galloped to the house to see if he was there. He wasn’t. I looked behind the tree to see if he was there too, but he wasn’t. I sat in defeat, wondering where he could be. Then I heard the snap of a twig. I looked up and saw the big pony. He looked at me with that same shocked look he gave me earlier and ran off. I got up and ran after him. Just as I was about to catch up with him, he made a sharp turn towards a gap between two houses. I didn’t notice until I was past the gap. I turned around, headed back to the gap, and pursued the pony. I cut past the crowd of costumed foals. It was easy to notice the stallion when he’s the only one besides me not in a costume. I chased him past dozens of houses. Soon, I saw less and less houses. The last house I happened to see when I chased him barely looked like a house, but rather a large bush on top of a small hill. Then we headed into a forest. ---- By the time we entered the forest, I noticed that the pony was slowing down. I slowing down too out of fatigue. We soon stopped by a statue, both of us out of breath. “Okay... I... Just... want... to know you!” I said to him. “... What is there to know? I’m nopony.” He said. He tried to walk, but he collapsed. “Why... Why are you like me? Why are you gray?” I asked him. “... I just am. I’ve been gray all my life.” He said. He didn’t bother to get up. Just laid there. “No. There has to be something! I wasn’t gray... but... then I was!” I told him. He simply rolled over and looked at me. “Ah. So you are.” He said. I could have sworn he smiled, but it was hard to tell. “But... how are you so gray? Did... Did you see a flash of light at some point?” I asked him, recalling the last memories before I became gray. I think I hit a nerve, since his emotion changed from a stoic face to a more solemn one. “... I did... On the day... she ditched me.” He said. “Who ditched you?” I asked him. “The white unicorn...” He said. “White unicorn? You mean that pony at the boutique?” I asked him. “Yes. She used to care for me... but then... that purple unicorn came and did something to her... I don’t know what... but the next thing she did was push me out of her shop and telling her friends to never speak of me again!” He said. “... So when did you see the flash?” I asked him. His story was a little hard for me to digest, and I only cared for the light. “When she pushed me out of the shop, I rolled down. I didn’t know how long I rolled, but when I stopped, he came.” He said. I rolled my eyes. “Who came?” I asked him. “The creature that made the entire world... odd. He looked at me and with a snap of his fingers, I became like her... a pony.” He said. Those words made me spring up. “Woah, woah, woah. You’re saying you weren’t a pony?” I asked him. “No... I was a... a rock. A plain. Dumb. Rock.” He said, he then moved and I saw something on his flank. A cutie mark. It was exactly what he said. A large boulder. But... the unicorn thought I was a diamond... You know how it feels to have someone tell you you’re more beautiful than you actually are? It feels good. I figured, if I was a pony now, she’d love me again. I thanked him... but... soon... that flash. I didn’t know what happened, but when I woke up, I was disorientated. And discoloured. Like what she used to be.” He said. “Wait... She? You mean that white unicorn? She was discoloured too?” I asked him. “Yes. In fact, some of her friends were discoloured as well... save for that unicorn. I never saw her discoloured... Ever. But as soon as she came to the boutique and did whatever she did... she was the purple-maned pony you saw this morning.” He said. “So... You don’t know anything about this flash, is that what you’re saying?” I asked him. “Yes. It was just a flash. That was it.” He said. He then looked at the statue. I also looked at the statue as well. It was a larger pony, bigger than the discoloured pony next to me, but thinner. The pony had armor on, and not only did it have a horn, but wings as well. It was odd. The pony sighed. “Well... there’s nothing left for me now.” He said, walking away. Suddenly, I remembered something Caramel said. “I help out anypony that needs some help and try to do what they ask as best as I can.” I put my hoof forward and raised my voice at the gray pony. “Hey! I...” I hesitated. I didn’t exactly care for this pony, but there was a drive in me that makes me want to help him. “I want to help you get back with Rarity... That white unicorn.” I said. “Rarity... that... is a beautiful name.” He said. He turned around and looked at me. “If you can do that, I will thank you humbly.” He said. “You’re welcome... Now... what’s your name?” I asked him. “I... have none. But... I wish for you to call me what she called me... Tom.” He said. “Okay then... Tom...” I said. An odd name for a pony, given ponies like Caramel and Octavia. “Let’s head to the boutique. I hope she wouldn’t mind if we talked to her about that misunderstanding.” I said. I then headed to the path out of the forest, with Tom following me. ---- It was a while before we reached the boutique. When we arrived, I knocked on the door. Tom’s legs began to shake as the door opened up. “Oh... It’s you again.” Rarity said. “Hey... I’m just here to show you someone.” I said. I then pulled Tom to my side. “Uh... Hi...” He said. Rarity gave him a similar look she gave me when we first met. “Do... Do I know you?” She asked. “Uh... Yes. You have... but not like this...” Tom said. He then turned around and showed her the Cutie Mark. Once she saw it, her face changed. Her pupils shrunk. Her lip quivered. “T... Tom? But... But... How? How is this possible!?” She said. She then looked at me. I saw her pupils expand. It seems that she realized something. She backed away and slammed the door hard. Tom looked away. “... I was right. She doesn’t love me anymore.” Tom said. He then walked away. “Hey! Wait! Tom! Where are you going?” I asked him. “Somewhere... far. I don’t belong here... Neither should you. We’re... imperfect.” He said. I sank to the ground and replayed his words. I then heard a door opening nearby. I then saw Caramel, who went to me. “Screwball, are you alright?” He asked me. I slowly got up and shook my head. “... Come inside. I think you need some rest.” He said to me as we walked back to his house. ---- We went into his house I slumped to the floor. “Tell me what happened. I saw something at Rarity’s house.” He said. “Remember that discoloured pony I told you about? I met up with him... and he had a similar story.” I said. “... I don’t remember you telling this story. What happened to you?” Caramel asked. “I... I was hovering... then I saw a flash of light. That was it. Then I became... this.” I said. “Hm... So, go on. What happened?” Caramel asked. “I... I wanted to pair him back up with Rarity. They used to be an item before she dumped him... I wanted to help... like you said... but... it didn’t work out. He... he told me that we were imperfect.” I said. Caramel then put his hoof on my face. “No. You’re not imperfect. You haven’t found that purpose you’re looking for. I’m glad that you tried to help out. In fact, if you don’t mind, perhaps you can hand out some candy to the ponies for a while.” He said. I nodded, having nothing else to do. It wasn’t long before the door opened. I saw a couple of foals, in their costumes, as they sang some sort of iconic song for this holiday. I gave some candy to each of them. “Hey, how come you’re not wearing a costume?” Somepony asked. I looked up. The pony that asked that question was dressed like a pirate. “Well... I just arrived here a week ago and I didn’t have time to make a costume...” I said. Suddenly the pirate pony was shoved out of the way by a larger pony, about my size, dressed like a chicken. “Just give me some candy!” She said. I could have sworn I’d seen that pink coated pony before, but my memory was a bit fuzzy. As I gave her some candy, she looked at me oddly, raising an eyebrow. “Heh.” “What’s so funny?” I asked. “No, nothing. Just... I remembered being gray once. It was fun. Come along kids, there’s much more candy to get.” She said. I tried to get her attention, but she was gone. “... She... Did she just say she was gray?” I muttered. I then turned around and headed to the bedroom. “Caramel, I’m having an early night. You take care of the rest of the candy.” I said to him. The turn of events were puzzling to me. The sudden appearance of Tom, Rarity’s sudden change of emotion, and most important, that pony once saying she was gray. I wanted to know more about her. When I entered the room and began to sleep, only one thing existed in my mind: I must find out what is going on first thing in the morning.