The Phantom Pony of Everfree

by LightningSword

Surprise Customer

Buildings and structures were not like trees and shrubs. It was a lot more difficult to hide here, especially in broad daylight, with ponies walking around outside. Every step had to be carefully planned and executed. All possible focus had to be kept on not making a single sound. One slightly wrong placement of a hoof meant detection, and that would only lead to disaster.

But three days ago, he made a promise to himself. It had taken him this long, and no more time would be wasted. Risking his secrecy, his fortitude, perhaps even his life, would be well worth it if this worked. If he could do what needed to be done.

If he could find her.

---

As Fluttershy finished relaying the story of her latest encounter with Nocturne to Twilight Sparkle and Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres, both the Alicorn and the Earth pony stood in awe. Fluttershy herself had felt broken since that day, and needed the comfort of friends—something she hoped she could give to Nocturne, but failed.

The looks on their faces weren’t helping matters much.

“That’s amazing, Fluttershy . . .” Twilight said, almost wispily, “. . . I-I mean, I’ve seen you talk back to dragons, but this . . . this is something different . . . .”

“I didn’t have much doubt,” Applejack added, “but even so, hoo-whee! That musta been somethin’ to watch!”

Fluttershy sighed and hung her head. Their words were about as effective.

“I just don't understand, girls,” she mumbled. “The more I get to know Nocturne, the more unusual he gets. The closer I get, the more he pushes me away. And I know he wants something different. I could hear it in his voice. I could see it in his face . . . well, what I could see of his face, anyway . . . .”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Fluttershy,” Twilight spoke up. “You tried your best, but Nocturne is just too difficult, I guess. At this point, I think it's best to just let him be. At least for now.”

“But I don’t want him to be alone,” Fluttershy replied. “After all of this, I . . . I’d feel like I’m abandoning him . . . .”

“He just needs time, Fluttershy,” Twilight said softly. “If he really wants your help, he’ll come to you. If not, well . . . it’s up to him. It’s his choice, now.”

Fluttershy sighed, almost in defeat. As painful as it was, even Fluttershy had to admit it now, even if weeks of planning and effort seemed to amount to nothing

“I guess you're right . . . .”

“Don't you fret none, sugarcube,” Applejack added as she loaded two full bushels into a wagon. “I don't blame ya for feelin' down, but Twilight’s right. It’s all up to him, now. Course, after all that’s happened, I still don’t trust ‘im to make the right choice. I still say that Nocturne's bad news.”

“I . . .” Fluttershy replied, “I don’t believe that. I can’t believe that . . . .”

“Well, not everypony can show the pony they really are,” Applejack said matter-of-factly. “And not everypony is a good judge o’ character. Heck, I don’t know ‘im, so I can’t really say, neither. All I know for sure is, that Nocturne just better remember not to upset my friends ever again. My Granny Smith always taught us to be civil to your neighbor, but so far, I can’t see much ‘civil’ in that low-down, cowardly, son-of-a-one-eyed—”

“Excuse me?”

The voice, gentle and calm as Fluttershy’s, was unrecognizable, and all three mares turned toward the speaker. They saw a tall, slender Pegasus stallion with a shiny, greyish-silver coat walk up to them on the dirt path to the farm. His coarse, black, spiked mane bore midnight blue stripes, atop of which stood a pristine white fedora. His eyes, rich crimson with vertical slits for pupils, continuously glanced at Fluttershy. If it weren’t for those eyes, he would have looked like a normal, everyday stallion.

That, and two other things Fluttershy noticed right away. The first: he wore a smudged, but very familiar wool blanket over his back, and his wings—despite how tightly they were folded to his sides—still protruded enough to be noticeable underneath.

The second: the blanket didn’t cover his cutie mark, which was instantly recognizable—a black crescent moon with an eighth note hanging inside from the top.

Try as she might to speak, Fluttershy’s awe rendered her mute.

Is that who I think it is . . . ?

“Well, howdy, partner,” Applejack spoke up first. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres. I’m Applejack. What can I do ya for?”

The stallion glanced at Fluttershy again, but stared at the ground as he replied. “I . . . I wanted some apples . . . I’m . . . running out of food . . . .”

Before he could speak any further, Twilight took a step towards the stallion, and the latter took a step back, glancing at Fluttershy again. “You look a little familiar,” the Alicorn said, eyeing the stallion carefully. “You’re not new to Ponyville, are you?”

“I . . . uh, I . . . .” The stallion struggled to reply, still keeping his head down and eyes on the ground when they weren’t quickly glancing at Fluttershy. When his eyes hit her, they looked pleading, desperate in a way, as if he were calling for help.

Now, it was clear to Fluttershy, and she no longer doubted who this stallion was.

“Nocturne?”

The stallion looked at Fluttershy again, this time with a look of horror that stayed on her for much longer. No words were spoken in the short time it took for Twilight and Applejack to comprehend Fluttershy’s word.

“Fluttershy . . .” Twilight finally spoke shakily, “did you . . . say what I think you said?”

“Nocturne?” Applejack asked, her tone instantly soured. “This is Nocturne?!”

Nocturne’s desperate red eyes still searched Fluttershy for help. “I . . . I . . . .”

“All right, you, listen up!” Applejack proceeded, taking a defensive stance in front of Twilight and Fluttershy. “Y’all better not be lookin’ for trouble, ‘cause if ya are, you done came to the wrong place! I ain’t lookin’ to scrap, but if you're the kinda pony they say you are, y’all best keep it to yourself, or so help me, I'll—”

Before Applejack’s tirade could end, Nocturne backed up, took his own defensive stance, and shed his blanket as his massive wings rose up on either side of him, projecting a frightening display. His eyes began to glow brightly, and he snorted and growled as Applejack approached him. Once again, even out of the shadows, the Phantom Pony threatened to wreak havoc.

Until his burning eyes glanced at Fluttershy once again—and the look of dread on her face.

“NO!” Nocturne bellowed and sat in the grass. He pulled his wings back in, shut his eyes tightly, and pressed his forehooves against his face. His breathing was quick, yet heavy and labored, and slowed down over time as he hunched over in the grass. The effort he showed seemed to cause him to shake slightly, in movements and in voice.

“No . . . no . . . .”

“All right, everypony just calm down,” Twilight stepped in, standing between Applejack and Nocturne. “Nocturne’s clearly not here to fight, and we don’t want to fight, so let’s all just stay calm and figure this out.” Twilight then slowly turned toward Nocturne with a gaze of trepidation. “Umm . . . sorry about that. We just . . . we didn’t recognize you without your . . . uhhh . . . shadows.” She then gave him a painfully sheepish grin. Nocturne said nothing.

As the tension eased, something suddenly occurred to Fluttershy: this may have been the first time Nocturne had been outside the forest in his life, for all she knew. Her eyes and mouth slowly began to widen at his presence on full display, and for a moment she couldn't understand how he could ever have been so scary. Without the full, scary wingspan, glowing eyes, or shadows obscuring him, he looked just like everypony else.

“She’s right,” Nocturne replied quietly, without looking up. “I . . . I don’t want to hurt anypony. I’ve . . . done that enough . . . .”

Fluttershy gave a small gasp and held a hoof to her mouth. Is he . . . does he really feel . . . guilty?

“Well then, what's your business here?” Applejack asked, her voice level, but still skeptical. “You never leave the forest. Why’re ya here? Why now?”

“I told you,” Nocturne answered in the same subdued voice, “I need food. I just wanted some apples. I’ll . . . I’ll even work for them if I have to . . . .” He once again threw a desperate glance at Fluttershy before continuing to stare at the grass.

There was a long, silent pause as the three mares glanced at once another, then at Nocturne, then at each other again. Nocturne stayed where he sat, not looking at anything but the grass, save for the occasional short glance at Fluttershy. The latter felt each begging glance like an arrow to the heart, and she at last realized that her shocked stupor was only hurting the confused stallion.

Fluttershy carefully began to approach Nocturne. As he glanced up at her again, he flinched slightly at her approach, and as she stood before him, he squeezed his eyes shut when she raised her hoof slowly to him. When it touched his shoulder, Fluttershy felt Nocturne’s rigid body melt under her touch.

“It’s all right. Don’t be scared.”

Nocturne looked up at her words, and held his gaze much longer than before. Fluttershy looked back into his deep crimson eyes, and for the first time—the first real time—Fluttershy saw a different, more approachable side of the Phantom Pony of Everfree.

She no longer saw the Phantom. At last, she saw nothing but the pony.

Applejack and Twilight stared even longer at Nocturne, now that Fluttershy stood before him to calm him. They both seemed to take a moment to consider this, and after a few seconds, Applejack simply grabbed one of her filled bushels and dragged it to him.

“Here,” she said with soft curtness, “compliments of the Apple family.”

Fluttershy, Twilight, and even Nocturne saw the insistent, impatient look on Applejack’s face as she offered the bushel.

“What?” Nocturne replied. “I . . . couldn't . . . please, I don’t want to take them for nothing—”

“I insist,” Applejack interrupted, a bit urgently. “Like I said, complimentary. We hope you like 'em.”

Nocturne glanced between the bushel and Applejack's ever-tensing face, looking confused for a moment. Finally, he seemed to get the picture, and sighed, lowering his head. The look in Applejack’s eyes seemed less about doing a favor and more about getting Nocturne to leave.

“Okay . . . I understand,” he muttered. He slipped into the bushel's strap and lifted it up, carrying it with him. “I still feel bad for just taking them,” he said just before turning to leave, “but . . . thank you.” When Applejack didn't answer, the stallion seemed to realize he’d worn out his welcome, and turned to throw his blanket back over his back. Before walking away, he looked back in Fluttershy’s direction one last time, gave a weak smile, and said nothing. He glanced at the grass again several times, though, as if debating with himself whether he should speak. Finally, his smile faded, and he turned and continued walking on a sharp curve aiming at the side of the farmhouse.

Seeing him go seemed to snap Fluttershy back to the moment. She needed answers. Now.

“Nocturne, wait!” Fluttershy called out as he turned the corner, the red wall obscuring him. She raced after him on his path and rounded the corner after him. “Nocturne wait, please, I—”

He was gone.

Twilight and Applejack followed Fluttershy, and stopped where she stopped, dumbstruck at Nocturne’s disappearance. Another long, terrible pause passed by, and nopony spoke for a long while. Oh, I wish I’d said something, Fluttershy thought, sighing. I don’t know what, but . . . something . . . .

“How . . .” Twilight was the first to speak, “. . . how did he . . . do that? Where’d he go?”

Fluttershy could do nothing but shrug and shake her head. Finally, her faculties were returning, and critical thought began to work overtime to compensate. He came here . . . outside the woods . . . nowhere near my house . . . he wouldn’t come all the way out here just to beg for food . . . after yesterday . . . it doesn’t make sense . . . unless . . . .

Realization struck Fluttershy, and her eyes widened. A faintly warm sensation tinged her cheeks as well.

“Well, how do ya like that?” Applejack spoke at last. “I guess I ain't all that great a judge of ponies, neither.” She sighed roughly and turned to her Pegasus friend. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I don’t know what got into me. I was just tryin’ to look out for ya. I didn’t mean to . . . .”

“It’s okay, Applejack,” Fluttershy said immediately. “I understand. But he might not. I think it’s best if you explained that to him.”

“Will he let me, though?” the Earth pony replied. “I mean, would he even come back after that?”

“I still can’t really believe that was him,” Twilight added, just as bewildered as Applejack. “The pony that scared you and made you cry? The one that beat up Rainbow Dash and almost did the same to an innocent mail-mare? The one who beat a full-grown Lamia to a pulp? Fluttershy, are you sure that was actually Nocturne? The Nocturne?”

Fluttershy's smile widened, and for the first time in weeks, she felt hopeful, almost proud in a strange way. After all this time of easing Nocturne out of his shell, he seemed to take just one day to discard the “Phantom Pony” persona.

Just to come and see her.

Fluttershy looked over to her friends, grinned, and answered them both at the same time:

“Yes.”

Author's Note:

Next chapter may very well be the last. Thank you all for supporting me. I couldn't have gotten this far without you.

Comments

[EchoWing]

If this is indeed the penultimate chapter, then it's a good one.

[ConfettiColored]

memecrunch.com/meme/5O9NQ/joker-approves/image.gif?w=400&c=1
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Do you realize what you just did? You made something so amazing that the Goddamn Batman approves it. Brohoof!

[The A I]

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee* you made me squee...

[TheOneAJ]

Last?! 0.o

[LightningSword]

7537604 Yeah, we're getting close to the end.

[Blade Star]

Really good chapter. The emotional side of this chapter felt completely believable. I look forward to seeing how it all ends.

[Alicon Glactistar]

7537631 Sequel?

[LightningSword]

7539207 More than that. I have a whole Nocturne-verse planned out. He has more stories out now ("Fluttershy's Bad Patient", "It's Cold Outside"), but there will be more later.

[Alicon Glactistar]

7540186 Yesssssssss

[The Villain in Glasses]

7540186

It seems Nocturne finally decided to come out of the closet woods!