Nightmares and Dragonscapes

by Crosis

Planning the Show

Author's Note:

Well, I'm back. I promised myself I'd start writing again by November, so what better way to start than with a Halloween oneshot that just popped into my head? It's a short prologue, but considering the time for a new story to appear, I figured I'd better get this part posted and hope it shows up before Halloween's over. I'll work on the rest in the meantime, and the remainder of the story should be up tonight or tomorrow.

Hope everyone enjoys, and that I haven't gotten too rusty!

Prologue: Planning the Show

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Nightmare Night was fast approaching, and ponies throughout Equestria were rushing to finish their preparations, costumes and plans. All but one. And unfortunately, this particular mare had the most important task of all.

The mare, of course, was Princess Luna, and Nightmare Night had always been her very favorite of holidays. A festivity where ponies of all ages ran amok throughout the night, making merry and cavorting beneath the light of her moon. It filled her with joy to see such happiness. Even during the long centuries of banishment, when her mind was consumed by hatred, she had always strove to keep the moon larger and the stars brighter for that one single night

Upon her return, she had promised herself to take a more active role in the holiday. There had been some… complications at first. But soon she grew accustomed to her role of bringing fun and fright. What she had not counted on, however, was just how popular her antics would become.

Crumpling another sheet of paper, Luna leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. This was a truly fine mess she had gotten herself into. After her last three Nightmare Night appearances had been a raging success, she found herself receiving countless requests and invitations to appear in other towns throughout the land. Apparently her skills at theatrical terror were in much higher demand than she realized. Sadly, even an alicorn princess cannot be everywhere at once, and Luna knew that she would likely be forced to turn down all but one of the requests, or simply try to visit as many communities as time allowed.

Neither choice was ideal. The thought of declining tore at her heart, thanks to all the handwritten letters by eager foals begging her to appear. And even if she tried to go from town to town, that would mean cutting each performance down to a pitiful amount of time. The last thing she wished to do was leave her subjects unsatisfied.
Tapping her fingers loudly against the table, she rested her chin on one hand and tried to think. Minutes ticked by, and her frustrations grew. If only there was a way to just bring everypony together…

Luna bolted upright, the answer coming to her in a flash of brilliance. That was it! She could put on some kind of grand event here in Canterlot, and invite all the foals of Equestria to attend!

But what kind of event? It would have to last the entire night, to account for the many ponies who would have farther to travel. Perhaps some kind ‘haunted house’ like she had seen in Ponyville the past year. No, not a house. Something larger, and spookier! Something like… the forest, perhaps. Yes… strange and twisted shapes in the darkness. Dead trees reaching up to a full moon. The many sounds of animals moving through the underbrush. And at the end… an encounter with some terrifying abomination. Something like… like… well, she’d figure that out later.

Giddy with excitement, she leapt from her chair and ran out into the hall. Sandals clacking against the floor and dress billowing out behind her, she raced through the castle, flinging open every door and scaring the wits out of servants and guards until she found Celestia at last.
“Tia! Tia we hath had the most glorious of ideas,” she exclaimed, grabbing her bemused sister by the shoulders and all but jumping in glee.
The elder princess merely chuckled at her sister’s antics. “Calm down, Luna! You’re going to faint unless you stop and take a breath.” She gently pried Luna’s hands away from her arms and stepped back, allowing her to pant for air. Once she was satisfied that Luna’s face was no longer bluer than usual, she guided her over to a couch.
“Now then, what is this idea that has you behaving in such a manner,” she asked. Trying not to speak in a jumbled rush, Luna outlined her plan.
“And then we shall be leading a tour through ‘The most haunted wilds in all of Equestria.” She was leaning over Celestia now, her hands curled into claws as she spoke in the most ominous voice she could manage.

“We shall take the children down from the city and into the forest. We shall explain that it is home to tortured phantoms and spirits of all kinds, and that they must stay close lest they be lost forever when the sun rises. We will lead them through the many twists and turns, whilst all manner of frights befall them! Our royal guards and servants can use their costumes and magic to masquerade as these phantasms, assailing us from all directions as we prowl through their domain. And then! When we come to the end of our journey, where the final monstrous creature awaits. We shall beseech the children to somehow appease the creature, upon which we shall make our escape back to Canterlot!”

If the devious grin on Celestia’s face was any indication, her plan was a very good one.

The royal sisters spent all day working on Luna’s plan. Nightly accommodations, scheduling transportation, decorating, assigning roles. The only downside, of course, was the fact that paying for all those trains to ferry her guests from each outlying city would use up her royal allowance for the next seven or eight months. Well, that and the fact that she STILL hadn’t come up with a good main attraction for her ‘Forest of Fear.”

Luna paced back and forth, almost tugging at her mane in frustration. “It must be something memorable, a vision of ferocity and wickedness that will set the children panicking in their fright,” she ranted.

Celestia nodded. The older alicorn chewed on her lip, trying to consider their options. “The larger it is, the better,” she mused.

“Towering over them! Over the trees themselves,” Luna agreed.

“It also has to be harmless as well. We can’t be putting the children in danger, obviously.”

Luna nodded. “But what kind of large and terrible beast is not also dangerous? Hydras are too unpredicatable, manticores are not nearly large enough, and thou outlawed Ursa taming almost seven hundred years ago! What else could there be?”

Celestia didn’t answer. Instead, she was snatching up a scroll and pen, eyes twinkling. “Don’t worry about that little detail, sister,” she called. “Leave it all to me."

"But Celestia, who art thou writing to?"

"Oh, just a mare we both know. One who happens to be in possession of the perfect little reptile to assist you."

Luna watched her scribble out a quick note, then send it away in a flash of magical light. "Of course," Celestia said innocently. "He won't be so little when showtime rolls around!"

Realization dawned on her, and Luna grinned in return. "Dost thou think she will agree?"

"Well, I might have thought up a rather coincidental excuse that will not only bring them both up to Canterlot, but also keep her busy while he joins in the fun."

The guards outside shuddered as a chorus of giggles came from inside the room. They knew what that sound meant, and could only hope that whatever the scheming rulers had in mind, they wouldn't have to be part of it.

Comments

[DARKPHANTOM13]

Oh this is going to be fun.

[Fido]

By god, you're alive! Huzzah! Instant track.

Welcome back.

[Meta Knight]

[spike the mustache]

Hm, thid sounds good, I'll keep an eye on it

[DarkDMan]

Interesting!
Go on!

[Swashbucklist]

I love how you set up and executed everything to get these character arranged the way they will be, even if the plot really strains itself to do so. Inviting her whole freakin' country to migrate to one place is actually an incredibly cumbersome idea on Luna's part. It would've been more expedient (though less personal) to make a flyby over each city and settlement, casting a spell down on them all to make harmless ghosts, ghouls, boogeymares, and other illusions spring up and pretend to chase the inhabitants around. Stilted though it is, I like the direction.

[Eonflare]

Hmmm? You're actually still here? I thought you'd left or something, with how long your other stories haven't received updates. Oh well, good to see you're still here.

[EverfreeSparkle]

Oh my yes! Please tell me you still have plans for Alduin Unbound, if not then cancel it and put us out of our misery!