//------------------------------// // Never Ending Nightmare (10) // Story: Song of the Moon // by BlackWing //------------------------------// Never Ending Nightmare I awoke the morning of Nightmare Night to find Winona glaring at me. The dog wasn't barking like the previous night, having been scolded by her owners, but was still wary of me, and keeping an eye on me. By the weariness, she must have been awake all night. I was awake before any of the Apple family, as the sun was still down. I got dressed in some more loosely fitting clothes, suitable for labour, as I did not want to ruin my performance outfit, since I would be wearing it later that night. "Perhaps I can give them a little something." I stood inside my room, gazing east. The sky had just barely started to brighten as I began to play a song. The rays of the rising sun shining through the windows, they were met with my music and a rooster's crow. The pony family began to rouse themselves, and from downstairs, I could hear the sounds of breakfast being made. I didn't bother to turn, instead simply greeting the sun. The song ended, and after I put my violin away I turned around to see the orange mare's smiling face. "Well I'll be Lark, ya said you normally got up early, and you weren't kiddin. You were up early enough to give us all a song. Thank ya kindly fer that." Her smile was warm and comforting. "It was nothing my dear." "Hows about we get some breakfast?" The morning went well, Applebloom unable to contain her glee at having been woken by song, Granny Smith simply smiling that old woman smile, and Big Macintosh with his usual 'Eeeyup'. Buttermilk pancakes with apple jam. Delicious. Despite my refusal of more, the apple family saw fit to force more food than I could handle into my gullet. I was absolutely stuffed and barely able to move afterwards. I always knew that farm folk ate heartily, and these ponies were no exception. They all had a round of laughter at my swelled stomach-induced misery, saying that I would get used to it. Was this what it meant to have a family? It has been so long, I had forgotten the joy of simply having others who cared for you. 'It won't last.' 'I know, twenty two days before the next full moon, twenty before I leave. Perhaps I could return and visit them again one day?' 'Not if they discover your secret.' 'They won't.' "Lark? You there?" Applejack interrupted my thoughts. "Ah, yes, sorry, I was, lost in thought." "Ya do that an awful lot. What's troublin ya?" She asked. "Nothing you need concern yourself with. Just the past, I was thinking of my family." "Ya must miss em somethin awful, losin em like that, is just terrible." To the farm pony, family was everything. She couldn't image what it would be like to lose any of them, although she knew her Granny wasn't too far off, she didn't like to think about it. Then again, Granny was still the picture of health, despite her age. "They'd want me to be happy, and not to dwell on the past. They're gone, and there's naught I can do about it, they'd want me to move on. I think I can start over in Equestria." Night had fallen, a crescent moon hanging in the sky. My costume consisted of my performance outfit, and a jack o lantern, except that it was the bottom that had been cut out instead of the top, that it might fit over my head. My eyes looked out through the mouth of the pumpkin, and something called a flashlight, a kind of magic candle that burned without flame, affixed inside to give the whole thing a sinister glow. All in all, it was somewhat frightening, although not nearly so much as the legend. My impressive stature would be far more imposing than the pumpkin. By my request, Twilight had sent a letter to her mentor, vaguely informing her that I would be seeking her sister out at some point during the night. Now that I had my costume, I took my instrument as well and set out into the town. Applejack was disguised as a scarecrow, the same costume as last year, while Big Mac was a zombie, and Applebloom, a skeleton. Granny smith opted to stay in, not wanting to lose any sleep. Applebloom met with her two friends who I offered to watch for them, as they seemed to enjoy my company. I saw from the clouds above, a chariot pulled by pegasi with bat wings, a dark blue pony with both horns and wings sitting within. The clouds began to swirl, and lightning cracked as she descended. "HELLO FAITHFUL SUBJECTS! IT IS I, PRINCESS LUNA! I HEREBY DECLARE THAT NIGHTMARE NIGHT HAS BEGUN!" She boomed in a voice that could topple a house if used up close. A testament to her power. The crowd cheered. I was very far from it, and she was facing the opposite direction, but I still felt woozy. At least it wasn't high pitched, else I would have blacked out. Crouching behind Sugarcube Corner with the three fillies, I whispered. "Are you all ready? Just like we planned?" Rather than speak, they just nodded, barely containing their excitement. I drew my violin, stepping out from behind the building, playing a very eerie song that fit the festivities. The crusaders followed me in a pied piper fashion, while the town looked on in wonder and excitement. The princess was aghast. I could not tell what her thoughts were, but I assume them to be along the lines of Applejack's when she first met me. She was fairly large compared to the other ponies, with the exception of Big Mac, but I still towered over her. She was not afraid however, simply surprised, and soon joined in the dance in the festival square, along with several other ponies. I spun around several times, allowing a cape that had been a last minute addition to the outfit which Rarity insisted upon, to flow in the breeze. The princess of the night did so as well, all the while facing me. She seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. 'This is good, my first encounter with the royalty of this land, and I've engaged in Halloween themed ballroom dancing. It should not take much to steal her away from the party for a few moments.' The song ended, and the ponies, anfet a round of applause, all went about their business, Twilight, dressed with fake spiders and cobwebs in her mane, approached. "Princess Luna, this is Lark, the one who I told you about in the letter?" She began the introduction. "Ah yes, Lark, Twilight, I cannot help but notice you overlooked the fact that his head is a gourd." She smirked, followed by laughter from the lot of us. "Princess Luna, an honour to meet you your majesty." I bowed. "I am Lark Wolfe, musician extraordinaire, and tonight, the pumpkin king also." She giggled then became somewhat stern. "Well your highness, there was something you wished to speak with me about?" She gave a playful bow as well. "Ah, yes, but that is a matter for privacy. Shall we meet say, at the top of the hill?" She nodded, and we both walked away, leaving Twilight and the town as we stood upon a hill on the outskirts. "I will speak with you in a moment, but first, I must make the moon proper for such an event." Her horn began to glow. "What do you mean, proper?" Suddenly, I felt a feeling I feared. I watched as the moon changed, shifting in the sky, moving from crescent to full in a matter of moments. I was helpless to prevent it's light from falling on my eyes, a sense of absolute dread filling me straight to the bone. "There, it is only fitting for there to be a full moon on Nightmare Night. Now, what was of such importance that you had to draw me away from my own holiday for? Twilight mentioned it was important. Lark? Lark are you alright?" She said not with spite, but question. "Oh, hey Lark! I hope I'm not intruding on anything. I notice you left the party after the performance and I was wondering.... um, hey, wait, are you okay?" Lyra. Lyra had followed me out of town. "RUN!" I cried in a voice far deeper than my usual one as I fell to the ground, my precious violin smashing into little pieces as it took the brunt of my fall. At that moment, I didn't care, I just wanted them all to get away safely. "Ha, very funny Lark, you're not gonna scare me. I know it's Nightmare Night and all, but I haven't been afraid of the dark for a long time." Lyra scoffed. "And I am the princess of the night, what makes you think you can scare me with the dark." "Fools.... I said RUN!" My voice turning to a growl. I winced in pain as my bones began to shift, but they could not see the change as the cloak had fallen atop me, and the pumpkin hid my face. "I have had quite enough of this, you call me away from my party saying it was a matter of importance, only for a poorly thought out Nightmare Night prank?" She was interrupted as my clothes ripped off of me, the jack o lantern shattering as it was no longer large enough to hold my wolven head. They gasped as they beheld my fully transformed self, with Lyra shaking in horror. I looked around and only felt one thing.... hunger. I dove at Luna, snapping my jaws at her, but she skillfully dodged and took to the air, her horn glowing, readying a spell, only to have to cancel it and dodge as a very large rock flew towards her, thrown by me. Seeing my attempts at reaching the alicorn fruitless, I turned to the only other prey present. Lyra. She shook with fear, frozen in the spot by terror. "L..Lark, this isn't funny! Cut it out!" She finally had the nerve to say, holding out a hoof to try and keep me away. My jaws clamped down on it, causing a small amount of blood to come from the wound. I shook her around like a dog shakes a toy, before letting her go, causing her to go sailing ten feet through the air. I raced towards her, and just as I was upon her, I heard her shout, "Please!" I stopped in my tracks. As I looked at her, I saw my sister's face once more. 'No. Not again.' 'Hungry.' 'No.' "Kill!' 'NO!' 'Do it. Taste her flesh. Crush her bones!' 'I WILL NOT!' I backed away, clutching my head as I began to pound it on the earth, desperately trying to shake off my urges. Lyra lay there in pain, while Luna looked quizzically. 'I have to get away from here. Where? The forest! But it's through the town! I can't! I have to! If I can just control myself.' I ran as fast as I could, my costume left behind, while Luna began to tend to the injured unicorn. As I ran through the village, the screams of the ponies echoed through the air, yelling about a real monster, no it's not a prank, look for yourself. It eventually all began to blend together as I ignored it, trying not to focus on anything. "Lark?" I heard Twilight's voice. 'No, keep running!' I had gotten through town and into the woods, where I proceeded to rip several trees from the ground, smashing them violently together. Scraping rocks, and throwing one into a lion-bat-scorpion thing. It roared in rage, which was overcome by my own. Seeing itself outmatched, it began to run. I was faster. I caught it, sinking my teeth into it's arm. It brought it's tail forth, stinging me in the shoulder. It's bright green venom dripping from the barb. As if I care. I'm a werewolf, immune to poison and disease. I rip it's tail from it's body, then proceed to beat it to death with it, all the while the yellowish ichor dripping from the detached limb. I roared in victory, only for an even louder sound to make me put my ears against my head. ENOUGH! Luna was behind me, this time facing me, using the full force of her voice. "IT HAS BEEN TWO THOUSAND YEARS SINCE I HAVE LAST SEEN A WEREWOLF, AND THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN AS BRUTISH AS YOURSELF!" I growled at her, only to have my will shattered by her oppressive voice. "HEEL!" The point blank, directed shout knocked me on my back, the sound reverberating through my skull, making me pass out. I awoke slowly, and upon sitting up, I found that I was in a dungeon of sorts. Touching the bars, my hands began to burn. 'Silver, at least they were prepared' My belongings, being the tattered remains of my clothing, my shattered violin, a sight which made me weep, and my bundle were on the ground of the cell in front of me. I searched through it for my coin purse, finding the crystalline honey silver denari I kept with me. I moved it between my fingers, debating on eating it. I had done it again. I had a second chance in this world, and I had ruined it. I could never be seen anywhere, again. It was over. "He's woken up." A pony wearing golden armor was at my door, Princess Luna behind him, followed by one who I had not seen. Shimmering white, horn and wings as well, this must be Celestia. I backed into the corner of the room, clutching the coin in my hand. "Well well Lark Wolfe, quite a fitting name. By day, as harmless as the bird with a song as beautiful, and by night, a monster. Tell me, why did you attack my sister?" Celestia demanded. I just wanted to curl up and die. I went into a ball and began crying. "Tears will do you no good here, answer my question." She scolded. "Because I am a god damned werewolf! I don't have control of myself in that state! How was I to know she would make the moon full? It was a crescent the night before!" I replied sobbing. "You seemed to have some manner of control, else you would have slain poor Lyra." Luna reprimanded. "Lyra.... LYRA! Heavens! Is she alright? Please tell me she's alright!" I grabbed the bars, only to back away from them screaming as I was painfully remeinded that they were made of silver. "Lyra has a broken hoof and a very nasty bite, but she will survive without amputation." Celestia informed me. This calmed me a bit. "A bite..... She must be fed wolfsbane before the next full moon, or she will share in my fate....." "The potion is already being administered. Now tell me, why did you not seek our assistance immediately, or warn Ponyville of your presence?" "I did seek you out. I was told that by foot it would take a week to reach Canterlot, and since Princess Luna was coming to Ponyville in three days time, I was advised by Twilight Sparkle to wait there. I had time! The moon was not meant to be full for another twenty two days!" "And you presume to tell me what I should do with my moon?" Luna scoffed. I turned my back to her, showing my crescent tattoo. "When I am slave to it, yes." I replied spitefully. They both gasped at the sight. "You, you marked yourself?" They asked. "In my world, when you own something, you place your brand upon it. This is mine. For the past five years, I have lived through HELL trying to find a cure! I was bitten on the first night of the full moon, which lasts three nights. Wolfsbane is rather rare, and so I could not find any before the next night. On that night, I..... I......" "Speak." "I slew my sister! Unbeknownst to me, she had followed in my footsteps, a mere day behind! When she arrived, I changed, I killed her, and I ate her." I had broken into shivers. They looked at me shocked, unsure of what they should do. "I could not eat the heart of the wolf that bit me, for it was turned to ash the instant it's tooth drew my blood. I returned to my family to inform them, and for helping me on my way, they were burned at the stake as heretics! My entire family is DEAD and I am to blame! For the past five years, I lived with one sole purpose, to find a cure, and end this nightmare. I found the witch who was responsible for the curse laid upon my bite ancestor and slew her, only to find that it was her evil spirit master who had caused it! I no longer had a way to free myself! In an act of spite she sent me here, and I awoke in the Everfree." "That, is horrible." Luna said, looking sorrowful. "I have been running from those who would seek to 'cure' me, as their method was death in flames. I have hidden from the people, so as not to cause them harm. I have slain a vampire while a wolf, and a witch while not. This world is a happy one, free of strife. I thought I could start over. I came to you on Nightmare Night to ask for aid in finding a cure. Even if it could not be found, then I would simply hide in the woods for three nights each month. How could I have known that the moon was slave to your whim, and with it, I am as well?" "You still did not explain why you did not warn the townsfolk." Celestia scowled. "I hoped to keep it a secret. Perhaps even cure it before any came to know. If they knew I was a monster, that I became a bloodthirsty brute, they would never have accepted me. They welcomed me with open arms. I have been alone for so long....... How could I tell them? How could I drive them all away?" "And so, you instead risked their lives." She practically spat the words. "No longer." "What?" As she questioned me, I put the coin in my mouth and swallowed. "What did you just do?" She demanded to know. "I can never go back, now that they know what I am. I have no future, and I refuse to cause any more harm. Wish me luck in the next life, I certainly didn't have any in this one." "I thought the guards checked him for anything dangerous?" Luna scowled at the guard. "A silver coin covered in honey can hardly be considered a weapon. At least, to a non lycan, but to a werewolf, it is a painless death." 'Two minutes till I am a pile of ash.' "Why did you just do that?" "My sister, her name was Lyra. She spoke and acted the same as that pony. I've attacked both of them. I, I can never forgive myself." "No, I will not allow this!" Luna opened the cage with her magic and pointed her horn at my stomach. I struggled to move, until she shouted. "HOLD STILL!" And then I blacked out once more.