//------------------------------// // Vector by Knight of Lycaeus (humor) // Story: Tainted Love: A Twysalis Prompt Tag Collab // by Foals Errand //------------------------------// by Knight of Lycaeus "Come around and listen close, a tale I have here to tell. I heard it first from a friend of mine who learned it from a quiet town so small, that to find was quite hard. He tells me of the town's dark curse, the Ponies of beauty beyond compare that roam the looming forest. These strange Ponies haunting its residents, stealing breath and life with their dark and mysterious charms. They speak to travellers to heed the warnings. Never shall one set hoof in the forest, remain true to the path. They bade them to leave this place and to return nevermore lest they too be entranced by Ponies of beauty beyond compare. They tell of those with foolish hearts that leave in search of the cursed beauty. To catch a fleeting glimpse of it. To know of beauty beyond compare. One such stallion, hale of body, dull of mind believed his fortunes were fair. So set out he did to find the Ponies whose beauty were beyond compare. By the forest on a lonely road he walked when he spied upon a mare of dusky blue so beautiful unlike any he seen before. To her crying by the road's side he bade his greetings, inquiring of her distress. She spoke so soft, so hard to hear. Lost she said, her way home was lost and no hope she had of finding it before the sun had set. The stallion, good and true offered his aid. She led him within the forest to seek the lost way home. He began to search, deeper and deeper within the forest still. His search went far from the path he had walked. By chance he spied another mare of emerald green, beautiful as the first. Around he saw stallions handsome and strong, mares beautiful and fair. He knew now they were the Ponies of beauty beyond compare. The stallion grinned for his good fortune. Entranced he noticed not that the others fade to nothing, only two mares remained. Noticed not that their forms were changed. Dusky blue with wings of bat and emerald green upon a serpent's coil. With eyes ablaze like fire and fangs sharp to pierce. He noticed not as they began to feast upon his flesh. His mind fogged by their dangerous beauty. All the town could find was a lone skull by the forest's road. Thus ends the tale, the tale of cursed beauties that haunt a town so small, that to find was quite hard." By the side of the dense forest that loomed around, the weaver of tales finished the narration. The audience before the speaker looked on in fear, "Is it true?" one asked. A nod. "It's not true." shouted another. A rustle was heard. From the forest so thick came a mare of dusky blue, her companion of emerald green. Mares with features beautiful and fair. Out came the Ponies of beauty beyond compare. Stepped out of the forest they did. Forms slowly changed, with eyes ablaze like fire and fangs sharp to pierce. Dusky blue with wings of bat and emerald green upon a serpent's coil. At the sight the gathered broke for home, screaming all the while. The Dragon storyteller turned to smile at his friends. At the grinning Changeling and Alicorn with whom he shared a laugh tonight. Tonight, tales of horror live and roam, tonight on the night of monsters and fear. Tonight was Nightmare Night.