//------------------------------// // 1. That's What Nightmare Night Is All About, Trixie Lulamoon // Story: Are You Afraid of the Dark? // by trixiesshow //------------------------------// The light blue unicorn was staring out her window. Autumn had released her artistic presence and the trees fully expressed it. The sun was setting and added its own hue of orange to the vibrant colors below. The littlest bit coming through the window seemed to make her normally pure white hair a tad more similar to a particular carrot farmer. Autumn had the leaves turning one color, while the afternoon light decided to up the ante. This beauty escaped Trixie though as her attention fell to the ponies in the street below. Nightmare Night was less than a week away now and everypony was getting ready. One tiny unicorn’s parent was teaching him how to use his magic to carve his first pumpkin while a little filly next door was hanging cob webs on her window. Trixie's gaze had been fixated on three little fillies who were going all out on decorations on their house. They’d hung up little black triangles, (she supposed these were bats) a sheet on a string, (a ghost?) and a green burlap sack, (no clue). She was disgusted. Every year, Trixie felt the showmare in her slowly suffocate at the sight of plastic vampire teeth and tomato sauce attempting, crying out, for ponies to believe it was blood. Such a waste of potential, those things aren't scary. Ponies are wanting to be scared but haven’t the slightest idea how. But Trixie knew how and wanted to share it. She had tried to convince Mayor Scrolls to allow her to put together a haunted house full of Trixie’s own personal illusions. But the mayor had turned her down on the silly grounds of nopony wanting what Trixie was offering. What a fool, it had taken Trixie hours to get that illusion of a corpse she showed to the mayor to look and smell just right. “The mayor must just be holding something against me” she thought to herself. “Admiring the window he put in today, boss?” Trixie heard her unicorn assistant call from behind her. She'd lost herself in thought, plus if she acted distracted he was slightly less inclined to ask her to do her job. “It's amazing how Windowpane still does such an amazing job, even after this many times. Then again, I think you might be putting his kids through college. Gives him a reason to keep a sharp eye on his work” Well it looked like he was going to keep talking so she might as well humor him. “No, I was watching everypony set up for Nightmare Night.” She answered to a truly disinterested Pokey sitting at his desk, although he did seem somewhat surprised at her answer. “Why? You've seen a few gourds wasted on decoration and bedsheets with holes in them, you've seen it all, haven't you?” “Yes, I have! And that's exactly the problem!” Trixie shouted as she flourished her cape. “It’s supposed to be a night to terrify and astound! To truly horrify ponies with what hides in the shadows out there, and in here!” Trixie said as she got face to face with Pokey and tapped a hoof to her head. “I know what's in there horrifies me.” Pokey said without a flinch at her quick rush although he did let a laugh slightly slip. He never did miss an opportunity to rib her and, although she'd never admit it, it was a small price to pay for somepony who basically did all her work for her. “Hardy Har, Pokey. You know what I mean!” Trixie said with an eye roll that almost took them right out of her head as she regained a more comfortable composure while striding back to her desk. “Yeah I do, but that's the fun of Nightmare Night, Trixie. It is hokey and corny, and that's the point. It's enjoyable because it's relatable, but it's not too real. Ponies have enough to dread in their everyday life, it's nice to get away from that.” Pokey wisely observed and shared this all with Trixie. She had zoned out quite a bit before this. Probably around the time he’d said a horn pun. Also the reasoning didn't really interest her, so she continued as though he never responded. “So the others and I are going to go have a camping trip in the Everfree! We're going to tell scary stories and I'm going to scare them all to death using my haunted house illusions. It's going to be great! You're free to join us if you want.” She wasn't sure, but it seemed as though Pokey actually did perk up for a fraction of a second. Regardless his response was a no. “My name is on the list to patrol the neighborhood looking for teenagers up to no good. You know how they get around Nightmare Night and tonight is one of my nights.” He explained as he trotted over to the cabinet to perform the daily update on the Rainbow Dash files. Trixie admired how Pokey always seemed to selflessly help the town. A feeling she felt, but perhaps not as strongly as he did. “Awfully generous of you, Pokey. Except even the element of generosity is coming with me, so maybe you're exerting too much effort.” Pokey chuckled as he pulled out the files he was looking for. After putting his back into it, he managed to levitate some of the stack onto his desk. “Maybe so, but the element of honesty is working the same block as me, so we're even.” “WHAT?!” Trixie let out an ear piercing screech and charged Pokey yet again though with less panache than last time. This news came as a complete shock to her obviously. Pokey slowly leaned to the left and looked past Trixie at the window. “Oh good, I was afraid you shattered it with that yell.” As his eyes came into focus much closer to his face, he met Trixie's fiery gaze. Nothing new here. So he let his eyes fall to page seventy-eight of section eight of the Rainbow Dash chronicles as he continued. “I thought you knew, she's been on the sign-up sheet since they issued it. She does it every year. She scares some of the delinquents so it’s nice to have her around. Cheerilee’s also helping.” “Cheerilee too? Are my friends determined to ruin my night?” Trixie yelled as she trumped over to her liquor cabinet. “How incredibly selfish, am I right?” Pokey sarcasm however was lost on Trixie. “I know! Now I'm left with only four ponies in my party! But I guess it probably does help keep the vandalism down.” Trixie hated to admit it, but they were doing more good staying here than drinking in the Everfree. But she had to keep her attitude, less Pokey get the idea she’s caving to civil responsibilities “We'll just have to make do without them.” she carried on triumphantly as she loaded her bourbon into her saddlebag. “Do all four of you really need a bottle of Bourbon each tonight?” He shot from over her shoulder. She turned around with a confused look on her face, “What do you mean? These are for me.” “Of course, I should've known.” She turned around as he finished just in time to miss his eye roll that would've given her a run for her money. She grabbed the rest of her supplies and loaded them into her bag as she asked one more time, “Are you sure you don't want to join us? I'm going to give everypony nightmares for days with what I have planned.” “I'm not missing out, working with you has given me all the nightmares I need for a lifetime, Trixie.” Pokey said dryly as his gaze dropped back to section forty-seven. Trixie gave her typical pout as she trotted out the door. From the corner of her eye, she was certain she saw a smile on the edge of his mouth as she turned back to shut the door though.