Nightmare Night had come again. The CMCR had all travelled to Ponyville for the festivities. Caboose had offered to chaperone their antics, as Shine, Celestia, Blueblood, and Dusty were busy with royal matters, and Daring opted to stay home for trick-or-treaters with Michael.
The parents were a bit hesitant at first, but Caboose promised that his brother Grimoire would be there, as well as Zecora.
Miracle was wearing a phoenix costume, Hurricane had donned a combination explorer/Royal Guard armor (emulating both her parents), Pureblood was dressed like a dragon, and Vito wore a sea serpent costume.
"So this is Ponyville?" Vito looked around. "How quaint."
"It's a pretty nice place." Pureblood agreed. "Doesn't have all the hustle and bustle of Canterlot."
"The crystal castle kinda throws off the small town vibe, though." Hurricane declared.
"Yeah, not to mention it's a bit hard on the eyes." Caboose agreed. His outfit was surely something odd. He was wearing some sort of blue armored suit, covering his entire body, and he had a peculiar helmet with yellow-tinted visor.
"Again, Uncle Caboose, who are you supposed to be?" Vito asked.
"A space marine." Caboose answered, "My cousins Church and Tucker gave it to me when I visited them in Blood Gulch… before I accidentally shot Church with a cannon."
"Well, I think it fits you well, dad." Hurricane smiled.
"Thanks, sweetie." Caboose nodded. "It's as if the guy who made me was inspired by this costume."
"Hey, Caboose!"
The five were approached by Grimoire and Zecora. Zecora was donning her traditional Nightmare Night outfit, while Grimm…was just wearing his normal mafia tuxedo.
"Hiya, Grim!" Caboose greeted, "How ya know it was me?"
"Let's be serious, 'Boose, you're the only pony I know who would go as a 'space marine' in Equestria." Grimoire smiled.
"Hush now, Grim." Zecora declared. "I think it's a perfect costume for him."
"Thanks, new sis." Caboose smiled.
"Grandpa!" Vito and Pureblood hugged Grimoire.
"Hi, boys." Grimoire smiled. "Having fun?"
"You bet!" Vito nodded.
"Hi, grandma." Pureblood said to Zecora.
"And hi to you, grandson true." Zecora smiled.
"Happy Nightmare Night, uncle Grim!" Hurricane declared.
"You too, Hurri." Grimoire chuckled.
"Nice to see you again, sir." Miracle nodded, having met Grimoire once or twice over the years.
"I'm sure it is, little lady." Grimoire smiled.
"So, you didn't dress up this year, Grim?" Caboose asked.
"Of course I did, Caboose… I'm the mafia don of a very successful crime family." Grimm declared with fervor.
"But Uncle Grim, aren't you already a maf-" Hurricane began before getting her mouth covered by Caboose.
"That'll do, sweetie, that'll do." Caboose chuckled nervously.
"Funny, I'd have thought everypony knew by now." Vito shrugged.
"Me too." Pureblood agreed.
"First rule of the business, boys: 'Don't ask, don't tell'." Grimoire declared.
"Enough talk, guys." Miracle smiled. "Time to get us some candy!"
"Just don't stray too far, kids!" Caboose called.
"We won't, dad!" Hurricane yelled back.
The Crusaders made their to the nearest house, and knocked on the door. When it opened, they sang "Nightmare Night, what a fright, give us something sweet to bite!"
"Oh, aren't you adorable?" The grey, wonky-eyed Pegasus mare cooed. "I have something sweet for you!"
The mare gave each of them a miniature muffin.
"Enjoy!" She beamed.
"I was expecting candy, but this'll do." Vito shrugged. "Now, onto the next house."
It turned out to be quite a lucrative evening; Their candy bags were soon overflowing.
"Wow, what a turnout." Vito smirked. "For being a middle-of-nowhere kind of place, they really don't skimp on the treats."
"And everypony's so friendly." Pureblood added.
"And they know good costumes when they see them." Hurricane declared. "Nopony can take their eyes off mine!"
"I'm not sure that's the reason, Hurri..." Miracle pointed out.
"Hey, kids!" Caboose called. "Come on! Grim and Zecora need to take you to the statue!"
"Coming, dad!" Hurricane yelled.
Grimoire and Zecora led the Crusaders and a group of other trick-or-treaters to the statue of Nightmare Moon.
"Hmm, seems like the perfect night for Nightmare Moon to gallivant and strike fear into the hearts of many... I sure hope all you kids have a good enough offering for her statue when we get there..." Grimoire said spookily.
The assembled foals muttered nervously.
"Oh my... this Nightmare Moon lady sounds very scary..." Hurricane trembled.
"No kiddin'... I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it." Pureblood agreed.
"Oh, please, Pure, we all know Nightmare Moon isn't real." Vito snorted.
"Vito..." Miracle said sternly.
"Come on, Miracle." Vito smirked. "We all know that Nightmare Moon is actually Auntie Luna. That gimmick of hers has gotten old."
"Hey, just because we know who she is doesn't make it any less scary." Pureblood pointed out. "Luna is real good with scaring ponies."
"Not me." Vito boasted. "I don't see why we're even giving our candy to her. What would she do with them?"
"Maybe she gives them to the less fortunate?" Miracle suggested.
"Look, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to give my candy away because 'Nightmare Moon' tells me to." Vito declared. "I'm not afraid of her..."
Grimoire suddenly appeared in front of him.
"I wouldn't recommend that, grandson... it is never a good idea to stiff the goddess of nightmares." He announced.
"Come on, grandpa, even you should know that Nightmare Moon is Luna." Vito rolled his eyes. "I think everypony here knows that."
"I didn't." Hurricane shrugged.
"Trust me, Vito, you do not want to anger Nightmare Moon." Grimoire warned.
"Really?" Vito snorted. "I don't think Auntie Luna is going to care whether or not I give her my candy."
"Maybe not Luna... but her minions will..." Grimoire smirked.
"What?" Vito asked.
"Come again?" Pureblood gulped.
"Minions?" Miracle whispered.
"Whatcha talking about, uncle Grim?" Hurricane asked.
"Dear, will you kindly take the rest of the kids to the statue, while I see to it that these four get there shortly?" Grimoire asked Zecora.
"Of course, my dear." Zecora nodded. "To the statue, I will steer."
"You too, Caboose." Grimm pointed to Caboose.
"Okay!" Caboose nodded happily, as he trotted off after the group as Zecora led the other kids away, leaving the five of them in the forest.
Grimoire simply sat down on a nearby stump, and cleared his throat.
"You see, children, I have heard many stories in my lifetime... stories that send shivers down the bravest spines, baffles the most brilliant minds, and quite honestly, makes most ponies wet themselves." He declared. "'Story of the Blanks', 'Cupcakes', 'Sweet Apple Massacre', 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent', 'Resident Evil'... these are only a hoof-full of stories I heard that disturbed many, yours truly included. But none of them compares to a legend that my father told me and my brothers, that is not only true, but is easily the most horrifying tale I had ever heard told... 'Legione di Incubo'..."
The four kids frowned in confusion.
"Come again?" Vito asked.
"Oh, right..." Grimoire chuckled softly. "Or in Equestrian's tongue, 'The Legion of Nightmare'."
"Legion of Nightmare?" Hurricane shivered.
"Should I stop, Hurricane?" Grimoire asked worriedly, "Wouldn't want to give you nightmares."
"No, I'm fine." Hurricane insisted.
"Tell us more, grandpa!" Pureblood urged.
"Gladly." Grimoire smiled. "You see, in Equestria, you kids were only told of Nightmare Moon, and how she tried to cast Equestria into endless night and spread fear throughout the lands, right?"
"That's what my mother told me." Miracle confirmed, as the others nodded in agreement.
"Well, here's a twist... you see, before Nightmare went and become one with Princess Luna, she wanted to try and plant her roots all over the world, for she would be too busy with Equestria to spread night and fear everywhere else... so, in the form of a dark blue mist, Nightmare scoured the world, looking for souls black as hers to join her in shrouding the world in complete darkness... in the end... she found seven..." Grimoire narrated.
"Seven?" Vito asked.
"Seven?" Hurricane also asked, fear in her voice.
"Seven." Grimoire nodded. Seven ponies, each one of them more demented than the last. The first Nightmare found was at the bottom of a lake known as 'Crystal Lake', a pony whose disfigured face is hidden to the world by a hockey mask, who seeks vengeance upon anypony who happened upon his lake... Jason Voorhooves was his name. The second was a pony, burned alive beyond recognition, once doomed to stalk ponies in their dreams with clawed hooves, Elm Street being his domain... Freddy Kanter. The third, from the heart of Buxas, a cannibal who wears a mask, made of the skins of the ponies he killed, who knows his way around a chainsaw... Jed Saddler... or Leathermuzzle..."
"...Those three sound like monsters from very bad horror movies." Vito said derisively.
"Do not interrupt, Vito." Grimoire admonished his grandson. "The fourth pony came from a small town named Silent Haystacks, having been born from a stallion's need for penance, donning a big red pyramid for a head...earning his namesake as Pyramid Head. The fifth was found on an island of Shadow Mareses, a psychotic pony gifted with telekinetic abilities and the ability to disregard the fourth wall, being one known as Screwball Mantis. And the sixth... well, came from an unlikely place, as this pony... wasn't a pony... but rather an animatronic bear of a pretty cruddy pizzeria."
"Then why-" Pureblood started.
"He's a suit possessed by the vengeful spirit of a murdered child." Grimoire stated, silencing Pureblood. "Fetlock Fazbear was his name..."
"And the last?" Miracle asked.
"Well, Miracle... once Nightmare had gathered six of the minions in one place, she was approached by a spirit... a spirit more malevolent than the first six combined... a spirit whose name forever be known as... Slendermane." Grimoire stated.
The four, even Vito, were beginning to look perturbed.
"Now Slendermane was a complete mystery." Grimoire continued. "Nopony knew who he was, where he came from, or how he came to be... but it is said that he hunts the woods of the world, lurking around for beings who would dare take the notes he had posted on trees to call forth his fellow spirits. It isn't said what he did to those poor ponies... but one can say for sure... he is a pale white pony, wearing a black suit and tie... and he had no face. Needless to say, Nightmare found her seventh champion of darkness and leader of the 'Legione di Incubo'."
"What became of them after Nightmare Moon disappeared?" Miracle asked.
"Well, after Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon, her seven followers were left to their own devices, spreading terror and darkness throughout the land, as Nightmare had intended. To this day, if anypony were to defy Nightmare Moon her tribute, the seven would gather and hunt down those foolish enough and..."
Miracle, Pureblood, and Hurricane were terrified, while Vito gave a scoff.
"Oh, please." He smirked. "Laid it on a little too thick with that last one, grandpa."
"Oh, would you look at the time?" Grimoire checked his watch. "We'd better get off to that statue before it gets late."
They soon arrived at the statue. One by one, the kids produced some offerings... except for Vito.
"I'm not giving any of my candy away." He declared, holding his bag protectively. "Because there is no Nightmare Moon, or Legion of the Nightmare, for that matter."
"But V..." Pureblood urged.
"There's nothing to worry about." Vito declared. "Trust me."
"Well, we'll be playing it safe." Miracle dumped some candy.
"You kids head back to Ponyville." Grimoire instructed. "We'll be right behind you."
"You heard the stallion." Caboose smiled. "Come on, kids."
As they headed back, Vito was still proclaiming his disbelief.
"The whole thing's just crazy, if you ask me." He snorted. "Legion of Nightmare... There's no such thing!"
"Don't be so sure." Caboose chided him. "I thought there was no such thing as sock monkeys, but I was wrong!" His expression darkened. "Dead wrong."
"Sock monkeys are one thing, uncle Caboose, but Slendermane? Jason Voorhooves? Fetlock Fazbear? That's just stupid." Vito insisted.
Soon, they came across a tree with a note on it…
"Huh? A note on a tree in the middle of a forest? That's weird." Caboose mused.
"Let me see." Vito approached the note.
"Wait, don't, Vito!" Hurricane jumped on Vito.
"Gah, Hurri, what's with you?!" Vito pushed her off.
"Don't you remember what Uncle Grimm said about Slendermane? He goes after ponies who takes his notes off the trees!" Hurricane reminded him.
"For Pete's sake, Hurri, grandpa only made that up to scare us. Besides, it's just a piece of paper, nothing for 'Slendermane' to cry about." Vito snorted.
"Think about what you're doing, Vito…" Pureblood warned.
Vito just scoffed as he ripped the note off the tree with his magic and looked at it.
"Don't look… or it takes you." Vito read, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know, and I don't care… let's get out of here!" Hurricane whimpers.
"Yeah, this place is starting to give me the willies." Miracle shuddered.
Just then, there was sounds of twigs snapping, echoing all around them.
"What was that?" Hurricane quivered.
"Maybe it's the Legion of Nightmare." Vito joked.
"Not funny, V!" Pureblood said through chattering teeth.
"Hello?" Miracle called.
Suddenly, eerie music began to play as what sounded like demented laughter were heard, along with the sound of steel scraping against the ground.
Even Caboose was getting frightened.
"Okay, show yourself!" Caboose nervously declared, "If this is some sort of prank to scare us…it's sorta working!"
Then, as if coming out of nowhere, a figure approached… a pony wearing a hockey mask and a tattered, waterlogged coat. Levitating aside him was a machete with dried blood.
"Oh my gosh… it's him… Jason Voorhooves." Hurricane quivered more.
More demented laughter echoed, as coming from the side came a stallion with burned skin, a red-and-green striped sweater and a fedora, and claws on one hoof, being dragged along a tree.
"Freddy Kanter…" Pureblood gaped.
A guttural growl ensued, as coming from another direction was a rather big pony wearing a messed up suit, and a mask that looked like it was made out of numerous ponies' faces. But that scary feature lacked in comparison to the big chainsaw it was lugging.
"No... it's Leathermuzzle." Miracle whispered.
The sound of steel dragging along the ground grew louder as coming aside Jason was a pony, wearing some sort of a dirtied butcher's smock, with a big red pyramid for a head, dragging a big rusty knife along the ground.
"Holy… it's big 3-D Triangle Head!" Caboose jumped in horror.
The pony slung it's knife overhead, slamming it in front of him.
"Alright, Pyramid Head." Caboose rolled his eyes.
The kids had no time to question how Caboose interpreted that, as materializing between Jason and Freddy was a pony wearing a jumpsuit and a face-concealing gas mask, somehow floating in mid-air.
"No way, it's Screwball Mantis!" Pureblood stammered.
"This can't be right… these guys can't be…" Vito tried to reason, but then a dark chuckle echoed.
The five finally glanced over between Leathermuzzle and Pyramid Head, as a robot-like bear with a bowler hat and a bowtie showed up, being the one who was laughing.
"No… Fetlock Fazbear…" Vito gasped in horrification, "If that thing is here, then…"
A strong gust of wind blew through them, sending shivers down their spines, when the CMCR and Caboose sensed something behind them. They looked behind and their jaws dropped…
As standing behind him was a stallion in a black suit with a blank face…
"No way..." Vito gasped.
"So, holdin' out on us, huh?" Freddy Kanter sneered. "Naughty boy..."
"You're not real..." Vito stuttered. "You can't be real!"
"Th-they look pretty real to m-me." Pureblood stuttered.
"You know what we're here for." Freddy snarled. "Give up the candy!"
"Or else I'll make you have to switch to the second control pad port!" Screwball Mantis added.
"Huh, that sounds like something I'd say." Caboose noted.
"Oh, really?" Screwball challenged, as he then waved his hooves. "You seem to like making movie and game references, don't you?"
"Gah! How did you know that?!" Caboose jumped.
"Uh, duh, silly…" Fetlock Fazbear said in a kiddy voice, fitting of a mascot. "He's Screwball Buckin' Mantis."
Leathermuzzle let out another growl.
"Uh-oh, we better speed this along, Leathermuzzle said he left a poor filly hanging on a meathook back in Buxas." Freddy noted. "And he prefers his meals livin'"
The Pyramid Head made a few head gestures.
"Aw, sick, Pyramid! We don't need to know about the mannequins!" Fetlock groaned.
Jason stomped his hooves.
"Quite right, Jason, we're getting' off topic here." Screwball agreed, as he then turned to Vito. "Now give us the candy, boy, or things are goin' to get messy."
"Vito, you heard the creepy flying pony, the candy!" Caboose gestured.
"N-never!" Vito clutched his bag.
"Vito, give them the candy!" Hurricane yelled.
"No way!" Vito shook his head.
"Eh, your funeral." Freddy shrugged.
"Man, I really hoped I didn't have to do this." Fetlock sighed. "At least stuffing you into a robotic suit will be easier than it was stuffing poor Schmidt. Lot less messy too."
The Legion advanced on them; Jason waved his machete, while Leathermuzzle readied his chainsaw, as well as Pyramid Head with his giant knife. Freddie waved his claw fingers and Fetlock simply cracked his fists… as well as his jaws.
The quartet and Caboose turned to run, but they were blocked by Slendermane, looking at them with a literal blank expression.
"Come on, Mr. Slendermane, we gave Nightmare Moon the candy, at least let us go!" Hurricane pleaded.
"Hey!" Vito growled.
Slendermane remained expressionless, as he then turned to the note on the ground, and then to Vito.
"Oh, the note?" Vito enquired nervously, "It… it fell off. You know, because of the wind." He chuckled nervously.
Unfortunately, Slendermane seemed to have not taken kindly to the excuse, as shadowy tendrils began to materialize from his shadows…
"Oh, just give them the candy, V!" Pureblood pleaded.
"Yeah, what's more important: Your candy, or your life?" Miracle urged.
"Can I think about it?" Vito asked.
"No!" The others yelled, as the Legion grew closer.
"Somepony needs to work on his priorities..." Fetlock Fazbear taunted. "And fast!"
"Yeah, even the kids I stalked in their dreams were smarter… and they were hormonal teenagers." Freddy joked.
"Okay, fine!" Vito emptied the bag of most of its contents. "Take it! Just leave us alone!"
"Time to make like a tree, and get outta here!" Caboose declared.
With that done, Caboose and the Crusaders turned tail and galloped back to Ponyville, rushing past Slendermane (who oddly stepped aside), trying to ignore the laughter of the demonic legion. As they reached the town square, they found that Princess Luna herself had arrived.
"Children. Caboose. What are you do-" Luna was about to enquire.
"I'm sorry, aunt Luna!" Vito threw himself at her hooves. "I'll never be stingy with my candy again! Just promise to call off your Legion!"
"My... what?" Luna asked.
"The Legion of Nightmare!" Pureblood yelped. "We just saw them in the forest!"
"You must be mistaken." Luna frowned. "I did a lot of bad things as Nightmare Moon, but forming a 'Legion' wasn't one of them."
"Really?" Hurricane gasped.
"Then who were they?" Miracle asked.
"And we cut to..." Caboose declared.
Meanwhile, back in the forest…
Zecora was traveling through the woods, when she was suddenly surrounded by the Legion...all but one.
"SKREEEE!" Fetlock screamed, jumping in front of the zebra... only for Zecora to punch him.
"Oww!" Fetlock whined, pulling off his head to reveal Vinny underneath, "What was that for?"
"You thought you could give me a fright?" Zecora growled. "I do not fear monsters, on this, or any other night!"
"Oh, you're no fun, Zecora." Pyramid Head suddenly spoke, as the pyramid was lifted off his head, revealing Slot, as he rubbed his neck. "Man, that pyramid is a killer on the neck."
"At least you didn't have to concentrate 24-7 to stay floating." Screwball deadpanned, as he dropped to the ground, and pulled off the gas mask to reveal himself as Lars.
"I must say, Salt, you pulled Leathermuzzle off to the T." Jason complimented, peeling off his hockey mask to show a smiling Murray beneath.
"Thanks." Salt nodded, slinging the chainsaw on his back and lifting his mask. "But the 'leaving a poor filly on a meat-hook' bit was killer, Sonny."
"You supplied, I delivered." Freddie Kanter chuckled, rubbing the scars off to show Sonny's face.
Zecora shook her head with a smile as suddenly, she came face to face with Slendermane.
"Oh, and whom might you be, mister faceless pony?" Zecora asked with a knowing smile.
Slendermane then gave what seemed to be a muted chuckle, as it then pulled it's blank face back, revealing Grimm.
"Haha, surprise, Zecora, love." Grimm laughed.
"And just what is this?" Zecora asked. "Some manner of diss?"
"Just thought we'd have a little Nightmare Night fun." Murray smiled. "And added a little more candy to the offering."
"Nice costumes, huh?" Salt chuckled. "Real convincing."
"A little too convincing, in my case." Vinny nursed his bruised muzzle.
"'Or else I'll make you have to switch to the second control pad port'?" Sonny asked Lars. "What was that about?"
"Just something I heard Caboose say once." Lars shrugged, "Figured it would perfect the illusion that is Screwball Mantis."
"Who says Nightmare Night is just for kids?" Slot smirked. "Speaking of which, did you see the looks on their faces?"
"Yeah, and when Grimm saw that note, I swear poor little V wet himself." Vinny chortled.
"Too bad we couldn't have brought Caboose in on it." Salt sighed.
"He probably would have messed it up, somehow." Slot said sceptically. "Y'know, given the whole prank away."
"You may have a point there." Lars agreed. "Remember that prank we played on the Bitalian prime minister back in the day?"
"Don't remind me." Sonny shuddered. "Caboose really messed up that time. Good thing the trauma made the minister forget the whole thing, or we'd've gotten life for that one."
"Well, I think that's enough fun for tonight, boys." Grimoire declared. "Let's head back."
The brothers complied. Meanwhile, Grimoire sidled up to Zecora.
"Ever spent a night with a demon before?" He grinned. "I hear that Slendermane has a likin' for zebra mares…"
"I cannot say so." Zecora purred, nuzzling against him. "Lead the way, my handsome beau."
While Grimm and Zecora headed home to Zecora's hut, the other brothers were still celebrating their prank as they head back to town…
Vinny sniffed his suit and grimaced. "Eeh, this suit really does smell like a 'reanimated carcass'."
"Well, that Phone Guy was selling it cheap." Lars reasoned.
"Yeah, but I still think we should had gotten that fox robot instead. He looked and sounded way scarier." Slot shrugged.
"Naw, Vinny would had never fitted in Foxy." Salt snarked.
"Oh, up yours, Salt." Vinny pouted, "At least I-"
Suddenly a rustling sound caught their attention.
"What was that?" Murray gasped.
"P-probably just the wind." Slot gulped.
There was the sound of a twig snapping.
"The wind can't do that." Lars trembled.
"Grim?" Sonny called.
A shadowy, winged figure suddenly flew past them, its leathery wings flapping hard.
"What was that?!" Salt yelped, holding his chainsaw up in defense.
"I don't know." Vinny quivered. "And I'm not sure I want to."
"Let's get out of this creepy forest." Murray suggested.
A vicious hiss echoed.
"And step on it!" Sonny yelled in horror.
The brothers rushed out in fear, all the while being watched by the shadowy figure perched on a tree branch, its golden eyes glinting in the moonlight.