This is a dream, Shudderbones thought, glancing about the dark swirling nothingness. There was no doubt about it. But Shudderbones had never had a dream quite like this one.
There was something lurking in the darkness. Shudderbones didn't like it. He wished he could use magic, to light up those dark shadows. Shudderbones was suddenly struck by something that he usually only felt near torches and pitchforks and flying stones.
He was afraid of the lurking darkness. He reached out to it, in a brave attempt to face his fears.
The darkness laughed, a booming echoing cackle. Shudderbones froze, paralyzed.
"Why hello, Shudderbones," a voice boomed, emanating from the darkness, "I don't believe we have met."
Shudderbones tried to let out a snappy retort, but he couldn't speak.
"Now, now, necromancer. We can't have you throwing a hissy fit, now can we?"
Shudderbones could only snarl.
"I figured you would feel that way. But before we get too involved in your little temper tantrum, allow me to present myself."
The being stepped before him, and Shudderbones felt his jaw drop.
It was himself.
Or rather, something that looked like himself...
Except different.
His eyes glowed green instead of purple. His pupils and irises turned red. Purple wisps of smoke reputed from the edges of the demon-Shudderbones' eyes.
He wore a cloak, not the tattered hood Shudderbones loved, but a long billowing cape that held a darkness that sent chills into Shudderbones soul. The ankh on his flank had been replaced by a luminous white stallion's skull. The midnight black doppelganger (and not the ghostly kind) smiled wickedly at the paralyzed necromancer.
"I am what we may call... Nightmare Shudderbones. I am the corruption inside you. Yes, you have a pure soul, never having committed a wrong, but corruption lives in you. In fear. You fear an untimely end. You desperately want your happily ever after. Correct?"
Afraid, Shudderbones realized the Nightmare Force before him was right. He nodded, hesitant.
"Well, you're a necromancer. You're supposed to be the villain. The bad guy, if you will. But you keep shimmying away from your destiny by frolicking with that pitiful excuse for a mare. Really, Shudderbones? An EARTH PONY? Least you could do is try to swoo that purple Princess."
Now angered, Shudderbones fought against whatever magic kept him silent.
"Now, with my help, we can change what could be your demise. We can... become one. We shall rule over Equestria. Take over the surrounding kingdoms. Rule the world!"
With a flash of purple light, Shudderbones freed himself. Glaring daggers at the Nightmare Shudderbones, he hissed:
"Go to Tartarus!"
Cackling, the apparition vanished, leaving Shudderbones alone in the dark.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Shudderbones woke with a start, feeling cold on his forehead. He didn't have to open his eyes to know that Applejack was standing over him, wiping the sweat from his brow. She noticed he had awoken.
"It's night. I heard ya thrashin' about, yellin' in your sleep. Ya had a fever something awful." She whispered. Shudderbones opened his eyes, the lamp-like glow from them illuminating the room. He gazed up at the orange mare. Her mane was down and her hat was missing. She must have been asleep when she heard him having his nightmare.
"Sorry if I woke you up. Just a bad dream."
"Don't worry about it. Are ya alright? Wanna talk about it?"
"I... no. No, it's okay. It's just a dream. I'm already forgetting it as we speak." He lied. He felt bad lying to her, the Element of Honesty, but he didn't want her to worry about him.
"Well... alright. If ya say so." She got up and started to trot out, taking the rag with her.
"Applejack?" She trotted back.
"Yeah?"
Swiftly, he brushed his lips against her cheek. He smiled warmly.
"Thanks."
"Thanks? For what? I was jus' helpin' a friend."
"For everything. The repairs, the hope, everything."
He suddenly felt warm in his chest. A feeling he had never truly felt before. The burning fire leapt about in his chest. He turned his eyes till they met with hers. He wanted to tell her, right then and there, that he was in love with her. But he couldn't, not yet. So instead, he just smiled. She smiled back, unaware of the battles taking place in his mind and heart.
"Well, goodnight, Shudderbones. Unless ya wanna wander, I know your quite the night owl."
"Yeah, I might take a walk. Goodnight, Applejack. Sweet dreams."
And with that, she went back upstairs and into her bedroom.
Shudderbones scowled and punched himself in the jaw.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Don't worry, Mrs. Cake. I'm sure you just have an angry kobold, is all."
"A kobold? What in Equestria is a that?"
"Oh they're household spirits. Quite useful, if you're nice to them. They'll clean up for you and protect the house. But if they're unhappy... well..."
Shudderbones gestured towards the havoc played out before them, broken glass scattered about the floor. Cakes splattered against the walls and ceiling of Sugar Cube Corner.
"Oh dear!" Mrs. Cake exclaimed, hugging the baby foals close to her in fear, "I never knew we even had a kobold, much less how we could make it mad."
"Of course, regular ponies can't speak to kobolds. But I am no regular pony. You're in luck."
Shudderbones cleared his throat and began to chant in an ancient language, his eyes glowing brightly, his horn crackling with purple and green energy. Suddenly a blue specter materialized. It looked like a really old stallion, wearing rags and snuffling loudly.
"Whaddayawant, necro-whatsit. I'm busy." It croaked.
"Sure you are. What has this innocent family done to offend you, house spirit?"
"Ya'know what? You're a nosy one. But I'll tell ya. Kobolds require food. You should know, yer the necro-whatsit here."
"Why not just take food then? Most kobolds do, just enough to get them by, nothing dramatic."
"Yeah well, I'm no regular kobold, amiright, necro-whatsit?" It sniggered.
"Yeah, yeah whatever. So what do you want?"
"I want my food given to me. Good and proper. A little bowl of milk an' maybe a few stale cakes. I like 'em crunchy."
Mrs. Cake piped up.
"Well, sweetie, why didn'tcha ya say so?"
"Kobolds can't talk to normal ponies withoutta necromancer, miss."
"But you could have written us a message! A letter or something! We'd happily leave out our leftovers for you!"
The kobold scratched it's hairy chin with a wrinkly hoof.
"Huh. Didn't thinka that."
Plans were made for the Cakes and Pinkie Pie to leave out a plate of food and a bowl of milk for the kobold before they turned in for bed. It vanished with a cackle and immediately, objects began to fly through the air, plates magically repairing themselves and cakes returning unsplattered to their stands and boxes. Kobold magic never ceased to surprise Shudderbones. They were like reverse poltergeist, making order out of chaos instead of chaos out of order.
As he collected his pay and left, he heard somepony let out a loud noise.
"Pssssst!!!"
He looked about, confused.
"Psssssssssstt!" Hissed a nearby shrub. Shudderbones looked behind it. It was Pinkie Pie.
"Hey Shuddery Wuddery Bonesy Wonesy! I'm Pinkie Pie, you saw me a long time ago and then I met you for the first time when you died and came back to life, you really have to tell me how you did that it was so cool, but anyways I herd (Get it? Herd? Because we're ponies?) that you're taking Applejack to the Grand Galloping Gala, and I wanna say you two look reeeeeeaaaaaally cute together, but the person reading this probably disagrees and already hates this story because they don't like you but anyways I'm getting off track and I want you to promise that you'll make Applejack happy, because she's my unofficial official cousin and if you make her sad or angry, I'll get very angry, and you don't wanna see me angry."
Shudderbones understood none of that. He simply gazed at the hidden pink mare with a blank look.
"Just Pinkie Promise to take care of her at the Gala!"
"Pinkie Promise?"
"Pinkie Promise!
Cross my heart,
hope to fly,
stick a cupcake in my eye!" To punctuate, she shoved her hoof into her open eye. It looked painful.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes!"
"Will you leave me alone if I do?"
"Ye - maybe."
"Fine."
He took a breath and recited:
"I Pinkie Promise to take care of Applejack at the Gala. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." He shoved his hoof over his eye in same manner she had with hers.
Ouch.