Faust, lady of and sole archivist within the tower which held the Grand Archives sat before a fire. She sat within her study in the tower, resting upon cushions as she reads a worn leather bound book. She idly turns the pages, before settling upon one in particular. Upon this page is a creature surrounded by fire, eyes like yellow orange flame, head like a pumpkin, body made of twisting gnarled vines, a dragging robe of autumn leaves, and a wicked long scythe. "Samhain," she whispered quietly. There was an ominous almost foreboding way in which she spoke the name. As if the mere mention would call that creature forth once more.
"The Harbinger of Summers End," Faust continued. The ancient mare read the legend for a time, and then closed her eyes as memories of the creature came to the forefront of her mind. The Harbinger of Summers End, Shadow of Winter, Lord of the Harvest, this particular creature bore a great many monickers. But only one mattered. Samhain. She had only met this particular creature once in her very long life, and that had been more than enough for her. "But I suppose this story isn't exactly my own to tell," Faust quietly admitted to herself.
She turned the page and soon settled herself in for a read. This would likely take up some time after all. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria," she began with a smile. "There was a little town known as Ponyville. This sleepy little town was founded by the Apple family and their friends the Rich family. For many years it prospered thanks to a crop known as Zap-apples that came but once a year. But truth be told, there was a third party involved in the settlement of this quiet little town. A creature that few, if any, truly know," she read aloud and turned the page in the book.
"Samhain," she whispered. An ominous wind blew through the tower and gave Faust a moment of pause. With that she fluffed her wings and buckled down for a long night. "The second year of their settlement, their crops refused to grow. They believed it to be the influence of the nearby Everfree Forest. They worried that they couldn't afford to stay. That they would be forced to leave alongside their special crop, the Zap-Apple. Till one night, while wondering alone, a little mare found a spirit at roam," Faust continued while looking to the page, then turned to the next.
"Outside the forest stood a tall spindly figure, it's head like a carved pumpkin, eyes glowing like flame," she continued to read aloud. "The mare was frightened for but a moment, before she approached. The creature offered her no malice, merely looked down upon her. 'Pardon kind sir, tell me your name,' the little mare pleaded. The tall spindly creature looked down at her then spread it's spindly arms wide. 'Listen my little pony, for I shall speak this only once,' he warned, 'I am Samhain, harbinger of summer's end, shadow of winter, lord of the harvest!' he declared with great pride," Faust continued and turned the page once more.
"The little mare was taken aback by it's claim, but wasn't so sure of it's sincerity. 'You are master of the harvest? Then would you give us a bountiful harvest?' she questioned. Samhain stared and then knelt down to glare into the mare's eyes. 'Why should I help your kind?' the spirit demanded, 'your bounty brings to me nothing.' The little mare thought fast and then she spoke her mind. 'We would offer you a share of our bounty, so that you might share in our joy,' she replied. 'I need not your bounty, nor your joy, I am Samhain and I need for nothing,' the winter spirit insisted," Faust continued to read aloud and turned the page.
"'If not for our bounty or our joy, would you help us for something else?' she asked. The spirit was silent a moment as he considered her words. Finally he grinned and looked her in the eye. 'Once every year, as the summer dies, as the night grows ever cold, I wish for you to bring me one thing,' he replied. 'What?' the little mare questioned. 'The knowledge that Samhain is remembered and not forgotten,' the spirit replied. 'Samhain is forgotten by many,' he admitted, 'the farmers no longer pay heed, no longer know my stories, no longer know of my night,' he continued."
"'so I would ask you to remember, you and your kin, to know my name, that is my price,' he stated. The mare was frightened but nodded, said that she would remember him always. Samhain kept his bargain, the next harvest was the most bountiful they had ever had. The Apples would know the name, Samhain, and know to pay him tribute for many years. But time has a way of making you forget the promises of old. The Apples died, one by one, till only one remembered the tale, the one who had made the deal and who still remembered him," Faust continued and turned the page.
"Granny Smith was her name, an apple of apples who knew more than she let on. Each year on Nightmare Night she didn't celebrate with the other ponies. Instead she wandered alone to an old stone and paid tribute to the spirit of the harvest, one that had helped her family in their time in need. In doing so she proved she remembered Samhain, and that was all the spirit truly needed. The knowledge that he was remembered, as all immortal things wish to be," Faust continued and then smirked. "But then one faithful Nightmare Night, poor old Granny Smith fell ill... and didn't make her trip..."
Twilight 'Nocturne' Sparkle sighed as she approached Sweet Apple Acres. It was Nightmare Night, or would be at sunset, yet she wasn't going to enjoy the festivities tonight. She had offered to help Applejack with anything she needed after her Granny took ill. 'I wonder what she caught exactly,' the alicorn wondered to herself. She also wondered if Applejack had so readily accepted her offer for help because she was worried. 'Granny Smith is getting on in years, she won't last forever,' she admitted to herself. Not to be insensitive but that was simply how things were. The mare soon found herself at Sweet Apple Acres and idly looked around.
The trees looked ominously bare already. The few trees with leaves had turned burnt orange, yellow, and brown. The cacophony of colors rather beautiful if she were honest. She turned away from the trees and looked to the Apple Farmhouse with a sigh. She saw Applejack running in and out of her home. It was clear that she was running herself ragged once more. 'That mare really needs to learn to ask us for help,' the purple pony decided. Though she admitted that she at least accepted help when she needed it now.
"Applejack," Twilight called to her friend. However the mare was ignoring her as she rushed passed her to grab a basket of apples. Twilight allowed a frown to cross her lips, then noticed Apple Bloom. The filly had a strange look on her face, half confused and half unsure. Twilight decided it would be easier to deal with Apple Bloom than Applejack at the moment. "Apple Bloom," she stated. The filly blinked then looked to the older pony and smiled.
"Oh Twilight, what brings y'all round?" the filly questioned.
"I offered to help around here yesterday," Twilight replied. She then looked to the frantic Applejack with a sigh. "Though it looks like your sister forgot I was coming," she muttered sourly. Apple Bloom idly nodded her head then scrunched up her muzzle.
"Twilight y'all know all kinds of stories right?" the filly questioned. Twilight blinked for a moment and then nodded her head.
"Well I have read quite the extensive list of fictitious and non-fictitious materials over the years," she replied proudly. Apple Bloom blinked owlishly for a moment and Twilight sighed. "Make Believe and real stories..." she explained. Apple Bloom made an oh with her mouth and nodded her head. She could understand that better. She then bit her lip and looked towards the farmhouse.
"Um, y'all ever heard of somethin' called Samhain?" she questioned unsurely. Twilight arched a brow and tapped her chin with a thoughtful expression. 'Samhain? Strange name, has a distinct Coltic twinge to it. So it would likely be some form of Coltic word, Samhain, Samhain, Samhain,' she thought then blinked. 'I've... I've never heard that word before,' she admitted to herself. That wasn't a first, but it was quite strange. She'd studied a lot of obscure facts over her tenure in Ponyville after all.
"Is it just a word or a name?" Twilight questioned quickly.
"Name for something," Apple Bloom replied. Twilight nodded and racked her brain for any mention of a Samhain. 'Coltic myth most likely and most probably a spirit of some kind, Samhain. Err, I'm still not getting anything,' the lavender mare noted with a frown. She then looked to the filly with a curious gaze.
"Where did you hear the name exactly?" she questioned.
"Granny Smith told me ta get AJ to go visit 'Samhain' 'fore sunset," the filly replied.
"Where exactly?" Twilight questioned.
"Y'all know that real creepy pumpkin patch out by Whitetail Woods?" Apple Bloom questioned. Twilight nodded her head. Calling the pumpkin patch creepy was putting it mildly. It made for a decent place to get Pumpkins for Nightmare Night, but the rest of the year it was just creepy. Twilight had even done a few experiments and found that it was giving off a strange energy she'd never encountered before. 'I think I just found out why,' the mare admitted to herself.
"So a Coltic Spirit named Samhain that resides in a pumpkin patch," Twilight murmured quietly. She rubbed her chin and considered her options. Option 1: She could alert Applejack to what her Granny wanted her to do. Option 2: She could go research this 'Samhain' a bit more and decide if it was even necessary. Option 3: She could go and see what this 'Samhain' thing was herself. Option 4: she could ignore this as one of Granny's strange episodes, though that was probably a bad idea.
To be honest she was leaning more towards Option 3, she was kind of curious.
"Hmm... what is Applejack doing right now?" Twilight questioned.
"She's getting stuff for Granny, Mac's in town talking to the doctors," Apple Bloom replied.
"I see... so AJ doesn't have any spare time?" the purple pony questioned. She was fairly certain Applejack didn't need to be doing all this, her Granny was probably sleeping right now.
"Not sure, she keeps getting wet rags and such when Granny wakes up real hot or gets her water when she gets thirsty," Apple Bloom replied. Twilight nodded her head and tapped her hoof in four precise beats. She then clopped it on the ground and nodded her head.
"Alright, I'll talk to AJ about it and if she's fine with it I'll go see about this... Samhain... thing for her," Twilight offered. Apple Bloom looked dubious for a moment but bit her lip and shifted on her hooves.
"Alright, jus' come get AJ if ya' need any help. Granny seemed real worried 'bout this Samhain thing," the filly admitted. Twilight arched a brow but nodded her head all the same. She then frowned while Apple Bloom sped off, likely to find her friends in the Cutie-Mark-Crusaders. With a shake of her head Twilight looked for Applejack and teleported in front of her friend. She then caught her in a magical bubble and gave her a flat look.
"AJ slow down," she stated flatly. Her frantic friend merely blinked and then tried to get out of the bubble.
"Consarn it Twilight let me out a' this thing! I got a mess of chores ta' do without Granny to help!" the apple mare stated. Twilight merely frowned and then pointed a hoof at her.
"Look AJ, I said I was going to help you today and I meant it," the lavender mare stated firmly. Applejack frowned for a moment before she nodded with a sigh. "Good, now Apple Bloom said Granny wanted you to visit something called Samhain at the Pumpkin Patch at Whitetail Wood before sunset," the purple pony explained. "Any idea who or what that might be?" she questioned. She was genuinely curious too, she liked reading about old myths and legends after all.
"Samhain, samhain," Applejack considered then shook her head. "Nope, sorry Twilight but it's not ringing any bells right now," the apple mare admitted. Twilight let out a sigh and rubbed her face tiredly. She glanced at the sun and then frowned deeply. 'Great, so even AJ doesn't know anything about this Samhain thing,' she thought to herself.
"Right, so would you mind terribly if I go visit this thing for you?" the purple pony questioned. Applejack merely smiled at her friend.
"To be honest Twi, that would be a great help, I really don't want to leave Granny by her lonesome till Mac gets back and there ain't no telling when he'll be done getting Granny's medicine. If you could check on this 'Samhain' thing it'd be a right load off of mah back," the apple mare replied. Twilight merely nodded her head and released the other mare from her bubble. Applejack looked around for a moment then tilted her stetson in Twilight's direction. "Now if'n y'all will excuse me I got to get back to work!" the apple mare cried and was off in a flash. Twilight shook her head and then trotted off from the farm with a frown.
'Alright, help AJ by visiting an old Pumpkin Patch for Granny Smith, easy enough,' Twilight mused to herself. 'Now lets see about that pumpkin patch,' the lavender alicorn thought to herself. With that in mind she lit her horn and flashed out of sight. She soon reappeared just outside of Whitetail Woods. She trotted around the small forest until she found the pumpkin patch Apple Bloom had meant.
'Again, this place is seriously creepy,' Twilight noted with a shiver. Shaking her head and steeling her nerves she marched forward. An owl suddenly hooted nearby and caused her to yelp. She turned to the owl and glared at it heatedly. The owl ignored her and flew off unperturbed. 'Calm down Twilight,' she ordered herself firmly, 'it was just an owl,' she reminded herself. The little mare trotted into the pumpkin patch, she looked around with curious eyes. 'Maybe a little enhanced eyesight would help,' she mused to herself.
She closed her eyes a moment later and used the spell for mage-sight. Once that was done she opened her now red eyes to look around the pumpkin patch. The 'creepy' feeling continued and even grew as she looked around. The shadows all around her seemed to twist and turn, all springing forth from an old tree-stump with a white pumpkin in front of it. Wedged into the old tree-stump was an ancient scythe. Twilight felt a shiver shoot down her spine as she approached the stump. She looked around for any signs of a spirit, but aside from the stump and the scythe she didn't see much of anything.
'If I were a spirit, where would I hide?' she wondered to herself. She approached the scythe and looked it over, then at the white pumpkin, neither of which seemed too odd save the energy they were saturated in. 'Wait, the scythe has an engraving,' she noted. She looked closer at the scythe and arched a brow. "Samhain," she whispered. There was a sudden breeze and a chill rolled down Twilight's spine. She looked to and fro for the source of the breeze, then turned back to the scythe. 'Was this what Granny wanted AJ to visit?' she wondered to herself.
"Um... Samhain sir? Or is it madam?" she questioned. She then brought a hoof to her face and muttered about asking a spirit about it's gender. There was silence as neither scythe nor pumpkin moved. "Err, Granny Smith is sick and thus unable to visit," the lavender alicorn reported to the pumpkin patch. 'I feel absolutely ridiculous right now,' she admitted to herself. "Anyways, since I'm here could I maybe ask you a few questions? I was really curious about what kind of spirit you are when Apple Bloom mentioned you. I'm also curious if you're really Coltic or not," the lavender alicorn continued. Much like before there was no answer from anything.
"Um... is any pony home?" she questioned. She let out a huff and brought a hoof to her face. 'I wonder if Apple Bloom was just messing with me? It is Nightmare Night after all,' the mare considered. With a roll of her eyes she looked around one last time. "Well if you don't want to talk or more likely simply don't exist, then I've got to be going. If I do I might just be able to come up with a descent costume for Nightmare Night," the little lavender alicorn reported. With that she trotted in the direction of Ponyville...
As she did a shadow rose up in the lonely pumpkin patch, fiery eyes glaring as she left...
Twilight idly worked on her costume. She frowned as she held her mane to one side and then let out a breath. 'I can't believe I'm reduced to doing this for a costume,' she thought with a shake of her head. She had literally no time to come up with an original costume. She also hadn't wanted to be Starswirl the Bearded again. As such she had decided to scrape the bottom of her barrel of ideas. She was currently dressed as her 'future self' Nocturne.
Her mane and tail had been lengthened and were also black with a red and pink streak, her coat violet, her Star-burst cutie-mark was red with blackened stars, the feathers of her wings darkened gradually to black at the tips, her eyes were red thanks to Mage-sight, she had put on black eyeliner, and she had fashioned magical constructs in the guise of the armor that Nocturne wore. All and all she was now a perfect copy of her 'potential' future self.
'I just wish I could go out as something more inspired,' she admitted to herself.
"Jeez Twilight, are you supposed to be an evil version of yourself?" Spike questioned as he walked by. Twilight shot the dragon a look and her rolled his eyes. "So what was so important at AJ's that kept you out all day?" Spike questioned curiously.
"Nothing really, AJ was too busy with Granny Smith for me to talk to her or even offer to help her take care of Granny Smith. I talked to Apple Bloom and got sent to the old Pumpkin Patch out by Whitetail Woods. She said Granny told her that there was something called Samhain out there," Twilight explained.
"Was there?" the purple dragon questioned.
"Honestly, aside from an old scythe I saw no sign of anything called Samhain," Twilight admitted. She then looked at her assistant and took notice that he wasn't in a costume. "So you trick or treating tonight?" Twilight asked the baby dragon. Spike shrugged and wandered over to a door that Twilight and Faust had set up in the Tree-Castle-Library... thing... It lead to Faust's tower, allowing the friends Faust had made in ponyville to visit the ancient alicorn if they wanted.
"Nah, I'm heading to talk to the other Spike and Sylph again," the baby dragon replied. Twilight arched a brow as Spike walked through the door. It didn't seem like Spike to skip on candy, but then again he was trying to catch up on decades without knowing anything about his species. 'I just hope the other Spike isn't rubbing off on him,' she thought to herself with a frown. She then turned and trotted out of the castle and into Ponyville proper. She noted all the games that were being played by every pony. 'I wonder if I should play one of the games or just wait for Luna at Fluttershy's cottage,' she considered for a moment.
However she heard a sudden tolling of bells in the distance. 'What?' she wondered with a small bit of surprise. The bells tolled several times before they finally fell silent. The little purple pony suppressed the odd shiver that crawled up her spine as it passed. 'The clock tower bells shouldn't be going off yet,' she noted to herself. She found herself making her way to the clock tower. But as she did she also noticed something else. Nearby Big Macintosh was running the apple-bobbing stand yet something was amiss with it.
'The apples have somehow... have somehow rotted? That doesn't seem possible,' she admitted to herself with a shiver. Other stands had similar problem, food seeming to have spoiled within mere moments of the tolling bells. The ponies were quickly growing concerned over what was going on. Ponies were already a very skittish species, this sudden rot was more than enough for several to begin panicking.
"Yo Twilight! We've got serious problems!" Rainbow Dash reported, while dressed like Commander Hurricane.
"I've noticed," Twilight replied. She looked around with a worried frown and wondered what had happened.
"Yeah... why are you an evil version of yourself?" Rainbow questioned. Twilight's ear twitched and she gave her prismatic friend a flat look. "Err never mind, anyway it's totally crazy! All the food and crops around town just suddenly spoiled," the prismatic pony stated. Twilight merely nodded and then looked around.
"Rainbow, please keep calm and go see about calming down every pony else. Get the others to help you if it gets really bad. I need to head back to the library and try to figure out what happened here," the princess stated. Rainbow saluted and shot off into the distance. Twilight vanished in a sudden flash and reappeared in her library. She quickly rushed to her books and started looking for anything on this unusual phenomena. 'Tolling bells, sudden rot, tolling bells, sudden rot,' she chanted internally. However as she looked she could find one or the other, but nothing on both happening.
'This is very strange,' she admitted to herself. With that in mind the purple princess pony went to a book on obscure legends. She looked up the... wait... "Samhain," she whispered in surprise. She'd forgotten to look up what she could on the spirit earlier, having wanted to prepare for Nightmare Night instead. "Lord of the Harvest, Harbinger of Summer's End, Shadow of Winter, a spirit of the night and king of spirits," Twilight read with a shiver. "The sound of tolling bells signals this ancient spirits power," she noted with a sense of dread welling within her chest. Just as she started to consider the worst her door opened with a bang.
"Twilight!" Applejack cried frantically. The purple princess pony quickly turned to face her friend. She widened her eyes upon seeing her normally calm friend panting and shivering.
"AJ what's wrong?" she questioned. The orange mare held up a hoof as she worked to catch her breath, then let out a sigh.
"First of all... why the hay are you dressed up like an evil version of yer'self?" the apple pony questioned. Twilight muttered under her breath and let out a sudden snort. Why did every pony think she was an evil version of herself?
"I'm not... it's a potential future version of myself I met once," Twilight stated flatly. Applejack blinked and looked at her friend strangely for a moment. She then shook her head when she remembered why she came into town in the first place.
"Right well look, there's real trouble at the farm! The tree's just started turning black, all the stored apples and cider suddenly turned rancid! I honestly ain't never seen nothing like it before!" the mare explained. Twilight had to restrain herself from growling at the double negative her friend used.
"AJ calm down, I..." Twilight started only for her friend to continue.
"Oh and that isn't even the worst of it, the rancid food is bad, but the trees are dead! Not like with winter, but straight up dead! They look like they came right out of Faust's black forest!" the orange pony frantically explained. Twilight frowned at that tidbit as she'd only seen the Black Forest once. The trees had been frightening for they lacked any Spectra, instead being twisted and malformed into a monstrous shadow of their former glory. 'He is the Lord of the Harvest, so could Samhain done this?' the purple pony considered. It seemed like the only thing that would make sense considering the signs.
"Alright AJ, I'll have a look with you," the purple pony offered. Applejack merely nodded her head and shifted in place nervously. Twilight then used her magic to teleport them to Sweet Apple Acres so she could see what was going... "What the buck?" she demanded. The entire farm was barren and dead, the trees had somehow turned black and brittle which didn't make sense since she saw them earlier in the day. "How... this can't be right!" she insisted as she walked around the farm. 'If it is Samhain, he's a lot more powerful than I ever considered,' Twilight worriedly admitted to herself.
"See! Evil magic! I don't know who would want to mess with my farm but whoever it is is gonna have to answer to me!" the orange apple mare insisted. Twilight barely paid her any mind as she used Mage-Sight to examine the ambient magic in the air. The only problem was that there wasn't any. 'The trees are turning black due to a lack of Spectra, Spectra gives ponies their magical abilities and is transferred to all things when we use our magic. It's the primary reason that everything is so bright and colorful,' Twilight noted to herself.
"I don't think you'd be able to do much AJ," Twilight stated. She also poked a tree and widened her eyes as it fell over with the barest of taps. 'Wow, this is Spectra-Depletion on an incredible scale,' she noted to herself. If she wasn't so worried about what was going on she might actually be impressed. I mean how often did a pony find something capable of completely removing magic from everything around it? If Samhain truly had this kind of power his many tittles and names were more than well deserved.
"Why not?" Applejack asked.
"The thing that did this depleted all the spectra out of the trees," Twilight explained.
"Meaning?" Applejack asked with a frown.
"Meaning it could likely do the same to ponies," Twilight admitted. That caused Applejack to stop and look around with wide eyes.
"So... like that Breakdown fella," she considered with a grimace. Twilight shook her head.
"Worse, full loss of Spectra," she reported. She also noticed something in the distance that... wait... wasn't that the Pumpkin Patch that was glowing? 'Confirmation that it's Samhain doing all this,' she noted to herself.
"So we're looking at something really really dangerous then," Applejack mused to herself. Twilight nodded her head as a grimace crossed her lips. 'Unfortunately that might be the case, and I think I made him angry,' she admitted to herself. It wasn't like there was much else she could think that would be able to cause this kind of damage. An angry spirit was tops on that list and as a harvest / winter spirit it wouldn't have much trouble sapping spectra out of the surrounding areas food and crops.
"Um... AJ, has Granny Smith ever mentioned a 'Samhain' to you before today?" Twilight gently asked her friend. The orange apple mare frowned and then nodded her head slowly.
"Not to my knowledge, might've done so when I was little but I don' reckon she has recently," the apple mare replied.
"Great... well I feel slightly better about this then," she admitted aloud.
"Bout what?" Applejack questioned with a glare. Twilight chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her neck.
"Well... I might've accidentally upset a spirit your Granny wanted you to visit," she admitted.
"What!?"
"I'm sorry! But you remember how your Granny wanted you to visit something called Samhain and I volunteered to go, I might've upset it somehow so it's taking it's anger out on the farm and," the purple pony began to explain. However Applejack quickly silenced her with a hoof and let out a breath.
"Nope, no time Twi, lets just find this thing and put things right," the apple mare stated. Twilight slowly nodded her head and the two of them were off. They quickly galloped to Whitetail Woods and spotted the old pumpkin patch. Twilight suppressed a shiver when she noticed how all of the Pumpkins had been carved into Jack-o-Lanterns. 'But no pony did this,' she realized upon seeing the ghostly flames inside of the pumpkins. "Well... this is definitely the right place," Applejack murmured. Twilight nodded her head and the two friends carefully made their way through the pumpkin patch.
The two friends soon found themselves before the stump with the scythe and white pumpkin. Twilight took a breath and stepped forward. "Samhain," she stated aloud. All of a sudden everything went quiet all around them. Twilight and Applejack looked to one another and then back to the scythe. "Samhain, I ask you please speak," she stated as firmly as she could. For a moment nothing happened. Applejack looked from Twilight to the scythe then took a step back as something twisted and rose out of the ground.
Vines grew and wrapped and twisted into a spindly figure, the white pumpkin atop it and carved into a wicked grin, leaves from all over swirled and wrapped over the figure forming a long cloak of autumn colors, while it's spindly vine like limbs grasped the wicked long scythe. The creature fell to one knee a moment later and looked at the two, a yellow-orange flame forming within its pumpkin head to bathe the two in its luminous glow. Unfortunately that did little to comfort them, as the tall spindly creature seemed to top out at at least ten feet tall.
"Well... I certainly didn't expect it to look like this," Twilight admitted. She had to fight not to gape at the sheer size of the creature. 'Spirit King... right that makes sense that he'd be extremely impressive,' she admitted to herself. Faust was the tallest Alicorn and potentially the most dangerous so it kind of made sense in that way too. Applejack felt no such compulsion to hide her shock and instead she openly stared at the spirit.
"I am Samhain," a wintery voice stated. Twilight and Applejack took a step back as the creature leaned forward and glared at them. "Lord of the Harvest, Shadow of Winter, Harbinger of Summer's End," he stated. He then reached out a hand and pointed a spindly gnarled limb towards Applejack. "You are of the Apple family, you have broken our deal," he stated sternly. The apple mare seemed confused and looked at the creature strangely.
"What do ya' mean? What deal?" the apple mare questioned.
"Proof that it is broken," the creature responded darkly.
"Um, excuse me," Twilight began. Samhain turned to look at her and his pumpkin grin seemed... less frightening somehow.
"Ah, the one who visited me, hello," Samhain offered with a slight bow of his head.
"Wha... wait, you aren't angry at me?"
"No, why would you think that?" he questioned curiously.
"All the food in town started to rot and Sweet Apple Acres is withering that's why!" she replied.
"It withers for the broken deal, not for your visit," Samhain replied.
"But... you didn't speak to me!" Twilight stated.
"Aye, would you expect a Spirit of the Night to traipse about in broad daylight? It was far too bright, my power is greatest in the dark," the spirit replied. Twilight blinked and considered that for a moment. It made a painful amount of sense if she were honest with herself. It also explained why Granny had said sunset specifically. Sunset was likely when he first came out into the open.
"Then... what deal did AJ break?" Twilight questioned. The creature turned and glared at the apple mare, causing her to take a step back at the intensity with which he did so.
"Many years ago when the Apple family settled here, a mare made a deal with me to secure good crops. In exchange for a visit from someone from her family each year before sunset, I would grant them a bountiful harvest each year. This year you came came before sunset, true, but you are not one of the apple mares, so the deal was broken," Samhain explained.
"B-but I had to take care of Granny! She was sick and I didn't..." Applejack tried to say.
"I care not for your worries or whims! The deal was made and accepted, your family did not keep their word, so I will end the harvests once and for all," Samhain hissed. Twilight widened her eyes for a moment as a thought occurred to her.
"Wait a second, I'm an honorary Apple!" she stated. That got the attention of the spirit and he stared at her intently. "Several years ago I along with several other friends were made honorary apples for helping in a time of need," Twilight began, "as such I am part of the Apple Family and since that is the case the deal between you and the apples was kept," the purple pony stated quickly. 'Please work, please work, please work, please work,' she desperately chanted in her head. Samhain stared at her for a moment, leaned close, and then looked to Applejack.
"Does she speak truth, little apple mare?" the spirit questioned. Applejack rapidly nodded her head in response. "How do I know that you speak true?" he questioned.
"She's the element of Honesty," Twilight quickly blurted out. She then placed her hooves over her mouth only for Samhain to have another 'friendly' smile cross his pumpkin face.
"Ah the elements, you were Magic then," he stated more than questioned. Twilight silently nodded her head in response. "I see, then you are indeed family of a sort, an Apple who is an Element. The two are interchangeable, one cannot be an element without seeing the other elements as family," Samhain noted with a nod of his head. Twilight and Applejack both nodded their heads in agreement. Considering all the stuff they'd done they could certainly see one another as family.
"So... you'll fix the farm?" Applejack pleaded quietly. Samhain looked at the little apple mare for a moment then nodded his head.
"Samhain is a spirit of his word," the spirit stated, "family of an apple has visited me this year before sunset, Samhain's name is remembered, so the apples will know another bountiful harvest come summer." Applejack let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding and shot her friend a look.
"Twi, next time Granny says she wants me to do something, remind me of this," the apple mare ordered. Twilight was more than willing to agree with her. 'I am never letting my curiosity get the better of me again... even if it kind of saved everything, if I hadn't come and AJ didn't stop worrying about Granny, things could've ended badly,' she thought to herself. 'Still, if it's apple business, it should be AJ who deals with it, it's less confusing that way,' she inwardly decided.
"So mister Samhain, what you gonna do now?" Applejack questioned.
"I will return and rest till next year," he replied.
"So you just sleep here all year long?" Twilight questioned. She also took a look around and noted how barren and lonely the place was.
"Aye, it is what I have always done," Samhain replied.
"So you've never wanted to go explore a little?" Applejack questioned.
"Pony you fear me merely for my visage," Samhain stated flatly, "would others not fear me for it as well?"
"Well, you got me there," Applejack admitted. However Twilight had an idea of her own.
"Actually I might know some pony who would love to meet you," the purple pony admitted, then grinned, "a few of them actually," she amended. Samhain tilted his head to one side and regarded Twilight curiously.
"Truly, of whom do you speak of?" he questioned. Twilight smiled and looked from Samhain to the direction of Ponyville.
"Wait one second," she stated and vanished in a flash of light. Samhain looked from her spot to Applejack who grinned nervously.
"Um, I know who she's gettin', so just wait it out partner," she offered calmly. Samhain merely sat down and placed his scythe on his lap. He then looked to the stars and started to examine the area around him.
"Things change very little around here," he noted aloud. Applejack scratched at her head and couldn't help but agree with the ancient spirit. Ponyville really hadn't changed much since she was a filly, the loss of the library and Twilight's castle being the only real changes she could think of. Aside from new ponies of course, but that wasn't much.
"Um, yeah, it's been 'bout the same since I was a filly," Applejack replied nervously. She wasn't sure how she should act around the ancient spirit. It had apparently helped the Apple Family for a century or more, it should be respected. But she couldn't help but find the enormous scythe a bit unnerving... "So why the scythe?" Applejack questioned.
"I am Lord of the Harvest," Samhain stated flatly. Applejack made to argue, but that did make an amount of sense.
"Okay, then why the cloak of leaves?" she questioned. It was a right pretty get up if she were honest, all those reds, oranges, yellows, and browns blended beautifully, but they were also a bit jarring.
"I am Harbinger of Summer's End, what else would I wear?" he questioned. Applejack blinked and shrugged. She couldn't actually think of anything else that would fit. He was essentially an autumn spirit or maybe a winter one, so the cloak itself made sense. Though wearing a cloak of leaves still seemed a bit strange, he was a spirit though so she'd forgive him for that.
"Right... then the Pumpkin head?" she questioned.
"I... do not actually know," Samhain admitted.
"So what do y'all do as a Spirit?" Applejack questioned curiously. Samhain looked up for a moment and then grinned widely.
"I am Samhain, I am a spirit who brings your family their bounty every year," the ancient spirit replied. However he then looked down as a memory prickled his immortal mind. "But once I was a more celebrated spirit, I even once had a great festival in my honor, one where the spirits of the dead could walk once more to visit their loved ones," the spirit replied. Applejack shivered but wondered what had happened to his festival.
"So what happened to the festival?" she questioned.
"Time happened," Samhain admitted. "As time wore on, fewer and fewer ponies remembered me and my festival, till eventually I was all but forgotten," he admitted. "I wandered the land like a specter for many years, till finally I found this land and met the little pony, Green Apple Smith," he replied. He then looked to the clouds in the sky and let out a sigh. "On that night the deal was struck, so that Samhain would never be forgotten again..." he admitted. Applejack looked to Samhain and patted his arm with her hoof. He looked to her, then turned at a sudden crack.
"I'm back!" Twilight declared as she reappeared. "The food and Sweet Apple Acres are all back to normal AJ," she reported. Applejack let out a breath in relief. Beside of Twilight was Princess Luna, who openly grinned when she saw Samhain.
"Twilight thou never mentioned we would be meeting the great Samhain!" Luna exclaimed.
"You... you actually know him?" Twilight questioned. She couldn't help but feel a bit irritated about that too, since it meant she could have asked Luna about Samhain if she wanted.
"Of course! How could we not know the Great Samhain? Tis his very festival our Nightmare Night emulates, Samhain Eve," the mare replied happily. She then started circling the winter spirit with a giddy expression. "We admit that as a filly we always found Samhain Eve our favorite festival," the princess stated with a fond nod. Memories of the festival were a bit scattered, like her memories of Faust had been, but she could easily recall it had been fun.
"You recall my festival?" Samhain asked as he followed the mare with his eyes.
"Aye! Twas a wonderful night and day, the great night of Samhain Eve," the princess replied. "Twas revered as the night when the dead would walk the earth once more, as well as the night of Summers End. Many traditions from Samhain eve are even a part of Nightmare Night, though admittedly it is quite dissimilar despite those similarities," the ancient mare admitted with a frown.
"Well Princess Luna, Samhain wakes up every year on this day and we thought he could do with a friend of his own for once," Twilight admitted. Luna looked to the enormous spirit and smiled widely.
"We would be honored to befriend thee, great Samhain," the princess stated with a slight bow. Samhain looked down at her and then gave a bow at the waist.
"As would I, be honored to be your friend dear Princess of the night," he replied. Luna grinned happily and nearly bounced next to the enormous spirit.
"Then come my new friend! The night is still young and there are a great many treats that need to be collected! As an old hand at such things I would have thy help!" the princess declared. Samhain's grin seemed to widen as he reached down and picked up Luna in the crook of his arm. The lunar mare grinned up at the spirit and pointed a hoof towards Ponyville. "Onwards to Ponyville!" she declared. Samhain chuckled and began a steady march towards the sleepy little town. He raised his scythe and the sound of tolling bells rung out once more. He spun his scythe over his head and swung it only once.
There was a sudden shift in the air and balls of light known as Will-o-wisps began to pour forth into the little town. Samhain raised his scythe once more, the Will-o-Wisps gathered around him. He then swung his scythe down and the Will-o-Wisps shot out into the distance. They surged forward into Ponyville and then into other towns beyond. Luna laughed happily as the souls danced and twirled in the air around them. Samhain grinned down at her and then marched onward once more into the little town.
Twilight and Applejack watched them leave, then looked to one another.
"Well, least he's happy," Applejack stated nervously.
"Yeah... so is Luna," Twilight replied unsurely.
"So Twi, you ever think it was Luna's weird taste in friends that Ponies were always so scared of her," Applejack questioned casually. Tree-Mane, The Headless Horse, War-Helm, Void-Walker, and even Mort were all friends with her. How she could have such odd friends and not think she would be considered scary was beyond the apple mare.
"More often than you'd expect," the purple pony replied. She respected Celestia's student, but she was aware Luna had odd tastes in friends. True, she respected that she didn't judge by appearance, but Tree-Mane was a noted murderer several times over. The Headless Horse had decapitated Ponies. Mort well, nuff said there. Samhain was probably going to be the absolute least 'monstrous' of all her friends. She then shook her head and headed back to Ponyville with Applejack in tow. "C'mon AJ, lets make sure they don't get into too much trouble," she ordered. Applejack nodded her head in agreement and they were off to find the two.
Given everything that had happened thus far at least it promised to be an unforgettable Nightmare Night...
The story was finished and so Faust closed the book. She placed a hoof over it's cover and then smiled softly. "Oh Luna, you always did have such strange friends," the mare mused to herself and then looked back. "As for you, you really do have to admit that it's a way to be remembered," she told a familiar figure.
"I suppose," he replied.
"Better than just one mare coming to visit once a year for a hundred years," she added.
"True," he agreed.
"Besides, staying here means you have friends," she reminded. The figure's expression remained unchanged. It stepped back into the shadows, burning flames causing it's pumpkin grin and eyes to glow. Faust glanced to Tree-Mane and then back to the figure. "So you don't like Tree-Mane?" she questioned with a smirk. The figure and Tree-Mane regarded one another for a moment then both shrugged.
"He is... a fine friend, for one like me," the creature admitted. "As is Mort, despite your insistence that he not be allowed inside your home," he added. Faust snorted and turned her nose away in response.
"To be honest, I'm not so fond of Mort," Faust grumbled. The pumpkin like grin grew wide, it seemed to widen beyond any possible length on his pumpkin like head. "Besides, the Headless Horse seems to like hanging around you as well," she reminded. The said 'headless horse' was resting beside of Tree-Mane. The real Headless-Horse was garbed in black armor and a long cape, its head was entirely gone, with a carved pumpkin resting where one should be.
"I suppose so... which means I have good friends,"he admitted.
"Luna also likes you," Faust added in thought. The creature regarded the ancient alicorn for a moment, and then nodded his head.
"Yes, your daughter does seem to like me," he admitted. Faust shot the spirit a look, one which only caused its glowing grin to grow wider still. Rolling her eyes, Faust looked away from the creature and regarded the book where the story had been.
"So what will you do now?" she questioned curiously. The Shadow of Winter thought for a moment, and then nodded his head.
"I shall still bring the Apples a bountiful harvest. They have earned that much for the gift of my new friends," he stated. Faust smiled slightly and then nodded her head.
"Thanks for that, but what will you do aside from that?" she questioned. The creature with the pumpkin grin was silent for only a moment before he nodded his head.
"I have decided to stay here, with my friends, and visit Mort and Luna on occasion, when their duties allow it... most likely one night a year," Samhain replied. "If miss Faust would allow an old spirit to put down his roots in her home," the Lord of the Harvest bade. The ancient alicorn rolled her eyes and nodded her head. Samhain gave a sudden bow and was gone in a flurry of leaves, along with the Headless Horse and Tree-Mane. With a shake of her head, Faust picked up her book and left her reading room.
"There is a time when we go out to play, though I sorely wish it would come everyday. A night of wonder and magic galore, a night that I have come to truly adore. Its on this night when spirits will roam, that I shall wander from home to home. Only now on the eve of fear and fright, in the darkness of Nightmare Night..." Samhain's voice whispered on a chilling wind. Faust allowed a slim smirk to cross her lips, and then continued on her way...
TBC...