Chapter I
Sometimes at pagan shrines they vowed
offerings to idols, swore oaths
that the killer of souls might come to their aid
and save the people. That was their way,
their heathenish hope; deep in their hearts
they remembered Hell.
—"Beowulf"
"How about the Headless Horse?"
Sweetie Belle's suggestion sounded halfhearted, even as she said it. She did not even move to add it to the list that lay before her—a list of words like "Nuckalavee," "Kelpie," and "Shihuanaba," each of which had been struck out.
"Nah," said Apple Bloom, who sat across from Sweetie Belle on the opposite side of a stack of books. "Somepony does the Headless Horse every year. That's like bringin' a volcano to the science fair."
At the table's end, Scootaloo looked up from a thick, dark grey cloth-bound volume propped against the edge. "How about... Krastos the Glue Maker?" Her eyes narrowed and a little smile spread across her snout as she spoke.
The three made no effort to lower their voices, for though the cardinal rule of silence was posted in block letters at the castle library's doors, it was a Saturday morning, and nopony else was present. Besides, they knew Princess Twilight personally, and the worst she would do was shush them.
The others turned toward Scootaloo, each raising an eyebrow.
"Glue Maker?" Apple Bloom raised one brow. "That doesn't sound very scary."
"Wait," Sweetie Belle said, "let me guess. You can sell your hoof clippings to real glue makers, but Krastos..."
"...Right! He collects 'em early!" Scootaloo thumped the book on the table and swiveled it around to let the others see the open pages.
Sweetie Belle, never one to turn down a vocal performance, read aloud: "'Myths of Krastos appeared in Equestria during the Classical Era, possibly after an origin in zebra folklore. He is preceded by a foul stench and is first drawn to lone ponies who wander too far from others to be helped..."
Scootaloo's grin widened. Apple Bloom looked up and away, in the manner of one turning an idea over.
"Despite the name, there is no part of the pony he does not use, except the tail and horn, which he keeps as trophies. '"
"Gotta admit that's pretty scary," Apple Bloom said. "But it doesn't say what he looks like."
"That's okay!" Scootaloo grinned and rubbed her forehooves together. "We'll design him ourselves. Any ideas?"
"For starters, somethin' scarier than those costumes we made for that talent show," Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo regarded her coolly.
"I have an idea!" Sweetie said. "My folks took me to the Canterlot Museum once. And there were pictures of these old cave paintings of weird creatures. Kinda like apes, but thinner and standing up straighter."
"Now we're talking." Scootaloo's grin returned. "I bet most ponies never heard of anything like that!"
"Well, those things must've been pretty important to whatever ponies drew them, because they were the only things drawn in that cave."
"All right!" From a saddlebag beneath her chair, Scootaloo produced a broad sheet of construction paper and a few coloured pencils. With these, she began to sketch the outline of a lean, upright figure. "If nopony has any objection, Krastos will be two-legged and really tall. Sweetie Belle can stand behind the stage curtain and use some magic to make the arms move. Apple Bloom is strongest, so she can form the legs. I'm lightest, so I'll stand on her back..."
"Hold it, hold it." Apple Bloom shook her head and waved her forelegs apart.
"Aw, you can do it, Bloom," Scootaloo said. "You've carried way heavier things than me."
"That ain't it. It's just... I dunno, Scoot. I never heard o' no 'Krastos' before."
"C'mon, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo made a hoof-bumping gesture at the air. "Didn't you always want to enter the Monster of the Year contest?"
"It's just..." Apple Bloom leaned on one elbow and stared glumly at the tabletop. "The contest ain't as big as it used to be. Last time we had a chance to enter, Golden Oak was still standin'. But we went crusadin' instead. I know that was important, but even if we win now, not as many ponies are gonna see it."
"Well... all the more reason! You don't wanna regret missing your last chance, do you?"
"I guess not, but..."
"Wait!" With this interjection, Sweetie Belle reared up and planted both forehooves on the table. "I've got it! I know how we can give everypony the scariest Nightmare Night in history!"
The others turned to her, brows raised in surprise.
"The scariest ever?" Scootaloo said. "How?"
"Well, a couple months ago, the whole town convinced Rainbow Dash they were all zombies..."
Two nods in response.
"So, what if we did that in reverse? What if..." She leaned forward and her voice fell to a conspiratorial whisper. "...we convinced everypony that Krastos the Glue Maker is real?"
"Real?" Now Scootaloo was whispering as well.
"Yeah. You know how fast rumors travel in Ponyville. We just put something in the Free Press, talk Krastos up a bit at recess..."
"Yeah! But, uh..." Scootaloo's enthusiastic expression switched to one of concern. "Is that going too far, you think?"
"Well, we're not hurting anypony's reputation this time," Sweetie Belle said. "And you're supposed to play tricks like this on Nightmare Night. It should be okay as long as we tell everypony the truth right after the contest."
"Hey, can I see that?" Apple Bloom pulled the book close and examined the inside cover. "'Encyclopedia Infernus, published 1683, Celestial Era.' This thing is older than Granny. Interestin'—it says 'Property of Golden Oak Library.' Must've been checked out when Tirek blew it up."
"Okay..." Scootaloo turned the pencil back upon the paper. "Since Apple Bloom and I will have to hide in the costume, we'll give Krastos a long coat that reaches to the ground—made of the hides of his victims, we'll say. Sweetie Belle, think Rarity will let you borrow some brown naugahyde?"
"Sure, but the hard part will be keeping it a secret why I need it." Sweetie Belle put one hoof to her chin in thought. "Maybe give him a broad-brimmed hat, too. And his head can be an old nylon stocking with some stuffing in it, so it looks like his face is covered by shadow."
"Perfect!" Scootaloo began to sketch an outline. "Apple Bloom, any ideas?"
"Well..." Apple Bloom shifted her forehooves a bit. "I guess I can scrounge some old farm tools for him to wave around."
"Great! Get a sickle and some shears." Scootaloo drew these at the ends of the figure's arms. At last she held the paper up for the others to see.
Sweetie Belle let out an impressed whistle.
"We'll get a point for originality, I reckon." There was now an impressed undertone to Apple Bloom's voice.
Scotaloo began to roll the paper up. "Cutie Mark Crusaders, we've got just under six weeks 'til Nightmare Night, and there's lots to do. Let's get going!"
The three hurried to leave and, in their excitement, forgot to return their books.
* * *
Not five minutes later, the castle's chatelaine strode into the library and happened to pass by the same table. As Princess Twilight was of a particular mind, she paused to retrieve the abandoned books.
Before she could close the one that still lay open, her gaze fell upon the open page, and she paused, frowning and skimming her eyes over the first few paragraphs. She turned it over and read the title, once, twice, to be sure there was no mistake. At last she shrugged and placed the book on the nearest truck. "Must have remembered wrong," she said to herself.
It was not until some time later, when it no longer mattered, that Twilight fully remembered she had read the name Krastos once before, in her old copy of Predictions & Prophecies.
Stats
Page generated in 0.022 seconds
Total duration
1,144 users online
1,703,645 hits today, 1,822,946 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Oh my stars! I'm sorry, but if this isn't a comedy, I'm going to be so disappointed.
Hmm... let's see where this goes...
It has arrived!
I'm in.
Sweetie Belle, you always did have the worst ideas.
This should be good
That's a more modern-language version of Beowulf than I've ever seen before.
Engage attentive stare.
7668362
I can promise it's not badly written, but for the record, I won't be bothered if it gets under your skin in a bad way and you need to quit.
7668379
It's the new Seamus Heaney translation--basically, Beowulf for lazy people.
Well now. I've been anticipating this. Definitely looking forward to seeing what you make of it.
Also, ponies selling hoof clippings to glue makers is pretty ingenious.
I am so pumped for this
7668478
Alas, it was not my idea. It was a fan theory to explain how ponies were able to make certain types of glue--for furniture and such--in which hooves were still a necessary ingredient. I read it years ago, but heck if I can remember where (TVTropes, maybe).
Good start.
Finished chapter 1. I love in-universe lore.
Also,
Ouch.
I can't begin to tell you how much I've been looking forward to this story!
Cue the actual Krastos complaining that they got his appearance wrong... Right before making glue out of them.
It lives! Woohoo!
Finally getting around to it. Don't disappoint me, HV!
I know I am commenting after you have updated several times already and that I should just read everything you have before saying anything, but I am already imagining this Krastos figure is going to come alive somehow. I just know it.
You hyped this up pretty nicely. And that last paragraph? Oooh, I'm excited!
After reading the story description, all I could think was “wow, they just… keep saying the name to summon this thing, don’t they?”