The Phantom Pony of Everfree

by LightningSword


Doubt, No Doubt

“I was right, Applejack! I was right all along! Nocturne really is just sad and lonely! He just pretends to be mean to hide it from other ponies! I went to Zecora, and she told me so! Ooh, I know I can show him kindness now! I know it!”
 
Applejack frowned at her Pegasus friend's uncharacteristic zeal as the two stood in the fields of Sweet Apple Acres.  “You're a glutton for punishment, aren't you, Fluttershy?” she said dryly when she finished explaining.
 
“Applejack, please, trust me,” Fluttershy replied, “I know he's a good pony, now. All I need is to figure out what happened to him, and why he went to live in the Everfree Forest, and I know I can make him feel better. I know it!”
 
“Fluttershy, this is startin’ to get way outta hoof, and I think you know it. Didn’t that little mail scare teach ya anythin’? The Phantom Pony ain’t to be—”
 
“Nocturne, please,” Fluttershy corrected.  She’d found herself slipping out of that habit since Rainbow Dash was attacked, and since her last letter to him, she’d consciously resumed it.
 
“It don’t even matter!” Applejack retorted, exasperated.  “The point is, he ain’t to be trusted! What he did years ago don’t compare to what he’s done in the last few days! Even if somepony in town knew what happened to him, they’d prob’ly agree that he don’t deserve much in the way of kindness after everythin’ he’s done!”
 
Fluttershy merely frowned.  “Discord deserved kindness,” she mumbled coldly.
 
Applejack glared back, bemused.  “That’s there’s debatable.”
 
“Look, Applejack,” Fluttershy continued, her tone strengthening, “I know something bad happened to Nocturne that made him run away, and I know somepony in town knows about it. And I’ll find out, even if Nocturne hurts me like he did Rainbow Dash. I’m sorry, but as close as I’ve come to finding out the truth, I can’t let anypony stop me now.”
 
There was a long pause in which the two mares stared at each other.  Fluttershy’s gaze was steely, yet soft; the resolution couldn’t hide her desperation.  Applejack’s eyes were weary and downcast as her concern bore into her yellow friend.
 
“You know I’m only tryin’ to help you,” Applejack finally spoke, her voice low and gentle.  “You know that, don’t you?”
 
“I know,” she replied, almost whispering.  “But I can do it. I know I can.”
 
Applejack sighed and closed her eyes.  Her worry was palpable, overwhelming, and Fluttershy felt it, even in the mood she was in.  She lowered her head slightly, but did not break eye contact, even after Applejack closed hers.
 
“Is that why y'all came here, Fluttershy?”
 
A tiny voice next to Applejack sounded off, and the two mares turned to see Apple Bloom approach from the direction of the homestead.
 
“Apple Bloom,” Applejack said in a deprecating tone, “haven’t we talked before about eavesdroppin’?”
 
“Uhhh . . .” Apple Bloom began, grinning.  “Sorry, big sis, but I couldn’t help overhearin’, and I remembered Fluttershy talking about a friend o’ hers that wanted to be alone all the time. Is that the same pony, Fluttershy?”
 
Fluttershy grinned back as she replied, “Yes, Apple Bloom. That’s him.”  Applejack only looked at the Pegasus with a concerned gaze.
 
“An’ you think Granny Smith might know ‘bout it, so ya came to talk to her, huh? She knows everythin' about Ponyville's history, after all!”
 
“That's right! I knew your Granny Smith would be the best pony to talk to about Ponyville's past. If anypony knows about what happened to Nocturne, she does!”
 
“I was thinkin’ the same thing!” Apple Bloom chirped.  Immediately, Fluttershy’s brow wrinkled, and Applejack’s eyes narrowed.  “Uhh . . . never mind!” the filly added sheepishly.  “Just wait right here, Fluttershy, and I'll go get her for ya!”  And with that, she raced back to the house as fast as her tiny legs could carry her, her red bow bouncing in the breeze.
 
“Ooh, this is so exciting!” Fluttershy said, her voice trembling slightly.  “Once I know what happened to Nocturne, I’ll finally be able to help him! He’ll stop trying to be mean, and he might even want to come back to Ponyville and live with us like a normal pony—”
 
“Fluttershy, if I wasn't your friend, I'd swear y'all had gone plum daffy,” Applejack stepped in.  “You do know that Rainbow Dash is laid up 'cause of that varmint, don't ya?”
 
“He wasn’t trying to hurt her,” Fluttershy explained, “he was just protecting himself. Rainbow Dash confronted him, and she was way too loud and mean, so Nocturne fought back. I'm not saying it wasn't his fault. What he did was terrible, and I intend to tell him so. But I know he would've acted differently if Rainbow hadn't been so mean.”
 
“I can't believe I'm hearin' this. I just can’t believe you’re takin’ that monster’s side over your own friend! You wanna sit there and tell me that after everythin' that's happened, after he scared you, hurt Rainbow, and threatened to hurt you too, you still think that fella is decent? You really believe that?”
 
“Yes.”
 
Fluttershy’s steady gaze took Applejack by surprise, as did the firm, unshakeable tone she had used for that single word.  Ordinarily, Applejack would have felt frustration creep up on her; stubbornness was hard to deal with, and Fluttershy was hardly ever like this.  But that look in her eyes and tone in her voice was clear—she was putting her hoof down and keeping it down.
 
Applejack nodded.  “Okay. I understand. This means more to you than I thought. A lot more. I still think it's best not to fool around with the Phant—uh, Nocturne . . . but if ya really think he's okay, I won't say anythin' more on it.”
 
Fluttershy felt her heart swell as she replied, “Don't worry, Applejack. I promise, if I can't help Nocturne, or at least prove he's a good pony, then I'll walk away from the whole thing. I know there's some good in him deep down, but if I can't help him, then it's not worth worrying my friends like this.”
 
Applejack approached Fluttershy and put a hoof on her shoulder.  “You should be worried about yourself, sugarcube. We all are.”
 
“Well, now, what's all this about a 'rock burn'?”
 
Fluttershy and Applejack turned to see Granny Smith slowly trotting up to them, led by an excited Apple Bloom.  “Oh, hello, Granny Smith,” Fluttershy greeted her with a smile, “I was hoping I could talk to you about something. And it's actually 'Nocturne', not 'rock burn'.”
 
Granny Smith looked confused for a second, then returned the smile.  “Oh, of course, dearie. Why, I thought a 'rock burn' sounded silly, anyways. Now, then, why don’t ya tell me about this Nocturne, and I'll see if I can remember 'im for ya?”
 
Fluttershy nodded and began, “Well, you see, Nocturne is the Pegasus living in Everfree Forest and scaring ponies who come near him. Everypony says he's a monster, so they call him ‘the Phantom Pony’. I think he wants us to believe he really is a monster, but I know he has a good side. I’ve seen it. I think he's just angry and lonely. Do you think you can remember anything about him, maybe from his foalhood?”
 
“Hmm . . . .”  Granny Smith paused, putting a wrinkled hoof to her chin in thought.  “Well, I might recall a young'n, not much older than Apple Bloom here, wearin' a hat. Big white fedory-type thang, I reckon. Kinda cute, even with them big ol' bat wengs. Bit of a troublemaker, though. Fact, if’n I recall, I caught ‘im stealin’ from the orchards once. Gave ‘im a good whuppin’ for it, too . . . .”
 
Applejack’s eyes widened slightly, and Apple Bloom shuffled in place awkwardly before sitting down.  Applejack then turned to Fluttershy and muttered, “See? A no-good thief, even then.”
 
“Now, now, honey,” Granny Smith deprecated, “I reckon he was just tryin’ to feed himself. Li’l Nocturne never meant no harm. Truth is, he was a lonely young'n. No friends or fam’ly, nopony to love 'im.”  Another pause, complete with chin-stroking, and Granny Smith recounted as best she could, “Coulda been the wengs, or them red eyes, I reckon, but it coulda been that mean streak. Nopony can play nice with other ponies if they’re a’feared o’ ya, after all. Then one day, just up and ran away.”
 
“Do you remember why he left, Granny?” Apple Bloom asked as she looked up at her grandmother expectantly.
 
Granny Smith pondered in another pause, but couldn't seem to reply in the affirmative.  “Sorry, dearie,” she finally answered, “all I can recall is an accident some years ago. Outdoor stage went up in flames. Thank Celestia nopony was hurt. Hmm . . . that’s all I got, I s’pose. Must be them small details.”
 
“But, Granny Smith, that don't make any sense,” Applejack argued, shaking her head.  “You remember everythin’ about Ponyville's history. One little old incident should be easy to remember for you.”
 
“Ahh, but that there's the trouble, hon,” Granny Smith replied, “whatever sent li’l Nocturne away was somethin' nopony really remembers. Prolly 'cause, if'n it was as bad’s a stage on fire, nopony wants to remember.”
 
“So, it was really bad for everypony, and not just Nocturne?” Fluttershy asked.
 
“I reckon so, darlin',” Granny Smith replied.  “All ponyfolk got diff'rent ways of forgettin'. Fact, you may just be right. Li’l Nocturne ain't no monster. Just got a diff'rent way of forgettin' thangs, is all.”
 
Fluttershy nodded, feeling her suspicions confirmed.  Even with the lack of real insight, she was surer than ever.
 
“He really is just in pain. Terrible pain . . . .”
 


 
For seven days after he’d first scared that little yellow annoyance out of his home, Nocturne had paced the woods, grumbling to himself and trying to solve the frustrating puzzle inside his mind.  Emotions coursed through him that he'd never felt before (at least to his spotty memory).  Just the existence of that Pegasus set off vicious inner conflict that tore him apart, and Nocturne seethed at the mere thought of her.  Aside from seeing her fleetingly inside Zecora’s hut, she'd returned to bother him on at least three more occasions.  He’d had a long sigh after realizing he hadn't had to put up with her at all yesterday.
 
Not because he hated her, but because he didn't know whether he should.
 
One part of him screamed: I’ll make her pay for making me feel this way!
 
Another side of him said: I should be ashamed of myself . . . .
 
Why can’t she just leave me alone?!

Why wasn’t she there yesterday . . . ?

I hate her!

No . . . I’m grateful . . . .

Next time I see her, she’s doomed!

No . . . she deserves better . . . .

I hope I never see her again!

Do I . . . do I want to, though?

The classic angel-and-demon argument eroded his sanity for days.  The answers to his questions swarmed around his mind like flies that never landed, pestering and taunting him without fear of capture or death.  He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this way.
 
I can't remember feeling anything like this. At all . . . .
 
Nocturne suddenly stopped pacing; he went still and held his breath.  Voices.  At the edge of the woods. More intruders.
 
He swiftly made his way to the edge of the Everfree Forest, once again aided by his excellent night vision and intimate knowledge of the woods.  Five days ago, that Fluttershy mare had brought him a basket.  Three days ago, her impudent rainbow-colored friend had stormed in, raising Tartarus and practically begging for a beatdown.  Two days ago, the local mail mare had foolishly come to his forest with another of Fluttershy's insipid letters.
 
I’ve been careless lately, he thought in frustration.  I was a fool to think nopony would be along to torment me today just because they didn’t show up yesterday.  Nocturne leaped closer toward the intruders threatening his isolation.  I’m at my wit's end! This madness had to stop!
 
From the sound of the voices as they got closer, Nocturne knew it couldn’t be Fluttershy. They sounded too young.  Fillies, most likely.
 
Yes.  Three ignorant, oblivious young fillies . . . .