//------------------------------// // Night Five // Story: Five Nights in Canterlot // by Purple Smart //------------------------------// It's still staring at me. It's not even doing anything. It's just sitting there, mocking me with it's motionless face, taunting my every move. I can't pull down the mask, or else my secret is out. But I have to wind up the gearbox. I need to keep Chrysalis asleep. I need to... Oh, what's the point. That gearbox stopped at least a half hour ago. All that's left is complete silence as that thing slowly takes away my last few bits of sanity with its dark, staring eyes. Seriously, I'd rather deal with the fluffy pony than this, this thing is just creepy. What's wrong with it? Well, everything, actually. His head is horse-like, though much different from the other ponies' head styles. That's about the only horse part he actually has. He has a deer antler on the right, a blue goat horn on the left, one long fang, a snake tongue, a goat beard, the right arm of a lion, the left claw of an eagle, the right leg of a lizard, and the left leg of a goat, a bat's right wing, a Pegasus' left wing, and a dragon-like snake's tail. I don't even know what to call this thing. Also, it's completely made of stone, filled with so many cracks. I can see some sort of black ooze coming out of it, it makes me queasy just trying to figure out what it is. It also bothers me how I did not see it come in. And now it's just sitting there, facing me. There is no reason that this thing should be here. Kind of like me... It's so dark. Do I hear... evil laughing? It's coming from everywhere. I'm h- having trouble breathing. I... I can't- The creature is moving. The beast of chaos opened its seemingly lifeless jaws, each teeth glistening with sharpness. Then it leaped at me. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA- "-AAAAAAAAAAHHHhhhhhhhhh- WHAT, WHat, wait... huh?" Jeremy bolted awake. He panted for breath, sweating. It was- just a dream? Was I dreaming this whole thing up the entire time? Jeremy took a quick glance around the room, confirming that, although the attack was certainly a dream, the rest of it was not. He was still in the Archives, defending himself from a war with changelings and ponies. And a very fluffy pony sticking her tongue out at him. "Please go away, Fluffy Pony." said Jeremy. "Pbbt." Came the response. "Please?" "Pbbt, pff pbb pfft." "I'll... give you... a toy?" "... pfft." Jeremy shrugged, and gave her one of the two flash flares he had left. The Fluffy Pony took it, looked it over, and stuffed it into her fur. The flash flare slowly sank into the mass of fluff. After a while, Jeremy heard a quiet *pop!* and saw a slight glow quickly appear and fade away in the spot where the flare used to be. "*Gasp!*" The Fluffy Pony clapped her hooves and smiled the most adorable smile Jeremy had ever seen. Then she turned around a few times like a dog lying down, then went to a corner, and fell asleep. Jeremy sighed, it wasn't exactly what he planned, but it would have to do. Just to be safe, he left his helmet above his head so he could quickly slip it on if the Fluffy Pony woke up. He quickly decided to check the cameras. Okay, that was... interesting. Darn it, why did I give her the flare? Now I only have one left! And my teleporter is still not fully charged! How many days have I even been here? Come on, it's got to be only a few hours left. I'll just check the cameras for now. Nothing serious, most of the fighting is on the opposite side of this castle. There are a few stray fights nearby, but it's just small ones, nothing looks out of the ordinary, except for- Wait, why do I feel like I'm forgetting something? The gear box slowed to a halt, and there was complete silence in the cellar. Crap. The music box stopped. Thought Jeremy. It would seem logical that complete silence in a room would be unnoticed in a noisy fight between many. However, one tends to not notice the subtle "white noise" until that noise disappears. The sudden lack of a persistent noise is often often the most disruptive, since it takes a moment's hesitation to try to find the original source of the noise. In conclusion, every changeling, guard, and alicorn immediately ceased fighting when there was the sudden silence. However, only Luna knew what actually happened. "Oh no," she said, "That would mean that there'll be-" Before she finished speaking, the most obnoxious music-box like sound began playing. At first, every pony and changeling just stood shocked at the sudden change in atmosphere. But then a voice cried out. "WHERE IS THAT INFURIATING SONG COMING FROM! TURN IT OFF!" Boomed a deep feminine voice from the Cellar. "-a counterspell." Luna finished. "Quick! To the Cellar! That's where our glorious queen is!" shouted the Mangle in unison. They dashed off, quickly followed by the rest of the storm. "Don't let her escape! Move, move, move!" shouted the Captain. The guards quickly ran off, Celestia and Candance close behind. Luna, however, first made a quick stop at the Archives. "How could thou?!" Luna shouted at Jeremy, exasperated. "Thou had to keep her asleep. Does thy know what thou hast done!?" "I... b-but---" Jeremy stuttered. Luna just shook her head. "That's enough, thou will be dealt with later." And she quickly went to join the rest in the cellar. ...crap. I completely screwed up. And the teleporter isn't recharged yet. I guess I should look at the camera in the cellar. At least I'll know what this Chrysalis looks like.