The Nightmare Stigma

by Impossible Numbers

The Nightmare Stigma, Part I

Lightning crashed and thunder roared about the cumulonimbus cliff. It ricocheted off the lip of the plateau poking through the anvil-shaped cloud. It lit up the glinting heights of the glacial castle, the fang-like towers, the arch windows like skull sockets.

From one of the windows, the square-jawed pegasus narrowed his sunken eyes as he gazed upon the scene. His dark collar was as large as the wingspan of a giant fruit bat, and even flapped lazily from time to time in the wind. Grey was his fur, pale as death, and smelling faintly of lavender.

He took a whiff of his cape. “Ah,” he murmured. “Lacy’s Laundrette has outdone itself again.”

Empty corridors echoed with his steps as he strode onwards. Portraits, many of them almost exactly like him, hung grim and gaunt every few yards. A flagstone sank slightly under one of his hooves. The great oak doors creaked back as he neared, revealing the cavern of the dining room, the chandelier as vast and covered with candles as a dragon’s birthday cake, the table long enough to bridge a chasm.

There was only one chair. He threw back the tails of his coat with each wing and eased himself onto his throne.

Beneath his large chin, the newspaper stared up at him. “The Sunday Grim Tidings” stood out in copperplate font.

His dining hall howled with silence, punctuated by the sounds of page-turning.

The Count chuckled, and raised the newspaper to be level with his dark eyes. “Ah… now that is more like it.”

On the page was: “Royal Moonlit Meadow Show Makes A Full Comeback!”

“That makes both of us…” When he smiled, fangs glinted in the candlelight. Sharp, pointed, very un-pony-like fangs.

His dentist had outdone himself again.

---

Pages rustled while Daisy licked her hoof and turned to the gossip column. Occasionally, the seat shook and she grunted, stopping herself from falling off.

On her right, the window reflected the inside of the carriage. A small cranefly stood on a corner of the glass, vibrating occasionally.

She glanced at the mare sat next to her, and sighed. “Did you really have to bring that kind of stuff? You’re having enough nightmares as it is, and I’m not buying any more sleeping pills.”

Lily lowered her book. “I’ll have you know,” she said tremulously, “that this is full to the brim with important facts the common pony needs to know.” And with that, she returned to reading 100 Different Ways The World Could End, (and What To Do About Each One).

“I’m not asking for much,” said Daisy. “This is a perfectly harmless, perfectly boring flower show. With any luck, the worst that’ll happen is we lose by an embarrassingly wide margin. And I’m not saying that’s not catastrophic, but it is quite enough catastrophe to be going on with, you understand?”

Lily snapped the book shut. “‘Harmless’? ‘Boring’? I’ve heard stories about how ‘harmless’ and ‘boring’ it used to be, when there were monsters all over the place. Great big freaky things with teeth. I’m not taking any chances.”

“That was over a thousand years ago. Things have changed. Didn’t you read the paper? Princess Luna herself guarantees it’ll be more in line with modern sensibilities.”

“Maybe so, but I’m still not throwing the silver stake out of my luggage.”

On the seat before them, Roseluck stopped reading her own book and twisted in her seat to face them. “You’re fussing over nothing. Fuss over the kind of rare plants you’re going to see instead. Oh, just think of the rare plants! Silver bells, witching hour witch hazel, moonflowers the size of juniper bushes…” She patted the saddlebag on the seat next to her. “Trust me, girls. This is going to be a good event to remember.”

“Oh, really?” Lily leaned forwards. “Then why do you have that lucky iron horseshoe and all that garlic in your lugga –”

“It-was-a-gift-from-Doc!” Roseluck turned back to her book.

After a while, she checked on their staring faces again.

“Well, it was,” she squeaked. “That’s all. Nothing-more-to-it-than-that! It’s not like I’m scared of the night. Because-I’m-not!”

Daisy rolled her eyes. No wonder I never go out of town with them. They’re always a bit skittish, and that’s every day. They’re downright jumpy around big events, especially after sundown. It’s like they’re getting butterflies in their stomachs with butterflies in their stomachs.

“If it helps,” she ventured, “I know a really good eatery in Canterlot.”

“Doughnut Joe’s?” Roseluck stiffened and grinned round at her. “Ooh, yes! Finest jam-filled doughnuts you’ve ever crammed into your mouth, and hot cocoa like liquid dreams!”

“Oh, so you’ve been before, then?” Finally, a normal conversation.

“Have I ever! Ah, the number of times Doc and I got into a cheery argument over plant biology there with old Joe… That guy grows interesting carnivorous pitcher plants, you know.”

Lily shuddered and gritted her teeth. “Heliamphora?”

“Ew! No! I meant Nepenthes.”

Lily shuddered and gritted her teeth. “Those Heliamphora things give me the creeps, looking like ugly green acid buckets. Just thinking of the way they gape at you… Ewwww!”

“That’s just prejudice. Not like Nepenthes. There was one in the Royal Canterlot Greenhouses once, and when a little fly landed in it…” Roseluck’s full body gave a spasm.

Daisy glowered out the window. The distant silhouette of Canterlot couldn’t come fast enough.

---

The Count sniffed the night air.

Below him, the train rolled to a stop with a complete hiss. Above him, the station’s gigantic clock ticked another minute away. Around him, the shadows were cool and shielded him from the moonlit sky.

Ponies disembarked from the train. His sunken eyes narrowed, picking out one shape after another.

The urge burned within his mind. Drool pooled inside his mouth. He forced himself to shake it down, and then focused on the last ponies to come out of the nearest carriage.

Aha, he thought. My kind of pony…

The three were talking amongst themselves. One of them looked a little excited compared with the other two, wide-eyed and gesticulating madly on her hind legs from time to time.

Perfect. I like a little enthusiasm.

Cape fluttering behind him, he slipped his wings out and slipped around the station rooftop.

---

“Did you just see something up there?” squeaked Lily, pointing upwards.

“Oh, not this again,” moaned Daisy. “Come on, I want to get to the hotel on time. My eyes just won’t stay open, and I need a pillow.” Nevertheless, she couldn’t help glancing up to the rooftop. Furiously, she forced herself to look down at the marble floor of the station instead.

“Are you sure you don’t want to see them setting up first?” Roseluck said, showing the station attendant the three tickets to check.

“I vote hotel room,” said Lily, as they passed through the barrier to Canterlot’s main boulevard.

“That’s only because you’ve worked yourself up into a tizzy.”

“Don’t question the democratic process! Just respect its results.” Lily yelped at nothing. “Oh no, oh no, oh no. I felt something brushing up against my face!”

Daisy overtook her, and a slight gust of wind caressed her face. “Fancy that. So do I. Anyway, the hotel should be east from the station, away from Canterlot Castle, which is…” she checked the tower silhouettes and pointed… “that one.”

“Ah,” said Roseluck happily. “The cheaper outer zone. Economical and not far from the station.”

And a long way from the show. I know you know. I can see through your act. “Uh yeah. That’s right.”

The two of them walked for a straight minute before it occurred to Daisy they were one short. Both of them stopped. Both of them turned around. Both of them walked back.

“Any monster sightings?” said Lily from the steps. She was dancing on the spot. “I thought I heard a noise…”

I wish she didn’t do this. It’s going to be hard enough getting to sleep tonight as-is. “Lily, will you relax? It’s Canterlot. We’re right next to the Princesses’ castle. No one’s going to try anything this close to the Princesses.”

“Oh yeah? Then why is your face turning pale?”

“Bad circulation,” she lied at once. “I have hypotension from eating too many snacks.”

“But hypotension doesn’t –” Roseluck began.

“I think you should ask the Doc for a second opinion on that when we get back,” said Daisy, who knew Roseluck could barely remember her own house keys in the mornings. “Now let’s go get some shut-eye.”

Frantically, Lily looked around the plaza. “Um… there is something else…”

“Yes?” said Roseluck, with far more sympathy than Daisy was prepared to give. “What is it?”

Still dancing on the spot, Lily said, “Which way’s the little filly’s room?”

“Oh, it’s back in the station. Just go up the steps and turn right. We’ll wait –”

Daisy watched the flash of pink fade away, which was around the point the turbulence stopped trying to throw her curls all over her face.

“– here… Wow,” murmured Roseluck. “I’ve never seen her look so nervous.”

This time, Daisy swore she heard the slight thunk as of someone hitting metal. When she looked up, however, there was nothing but station rooftop and the never-ending shadows.

---

The Count crawled through the narrow chute, knees and hocks bumping slightly against the steel sides. Not that the darkness bothered him; minute currents in the air dashed over his sensitive face, coursed through his twitching nose…

Yes… that scent… that sweaty floral scent…

Turning the corner, he faced glowing slits, which resolved as he stared at them to a metal grille. His spine slithered, inching him forwards.

I know that scent…

Within him, the urge became a burning flame.

The room beyond was white as opal. Mirrors lined the far wall above the wash basins with their gilded edges. Cubicles suggested themselves beneath his protruding lower muzzle.

Someone flushed, and one of the cubicle doors bounced open. A pink pony blundered out of it, then stood in the centre of the aisle and froze. Her ears twitched.

The Count grinned. Gently, he eased his cramped wings forwards and fiddled with the screws of the grille.

Yes… carefully… carefully, now…

Below, the mare relaxed and hurried over to the mirrors, checking her blonde locks by tugging at them until they were in front of her face. Humming nervously, she patted her snout, smoothed down her flanks, washed her hooves, tugged at her locks, wiped her hooves on the towels, wiped her locks with the towels, tugged at her locks, patted her snout, smoothed down her flanks, pulled at her locks, washed her hooves, wiped her hooves on the towels, and then paced up and down the aisle whimpering.

The Count almost groaned at the fiddly bit. One screw remained stuck. He tried again.

Still humming, the mare went back to the mirror. She smoothed down her flanks, washed her hooves, wiped her hooves on the towels –

The screw tightened. He realized he’d just screwed it back in again.

“Oh, to heck with this,” he hissed.

One kick, and the grille clattered on the tiles. The mare spun round. He braced his wings against the sides and thrust himself forwards. The mare backed into the basins, wet hooves slipping slightly on the tiles.

The Count landed on all fours. Behind her wide eyes, his reflected grin stretched. Sharpened teeth glinted.

She barely had time to scream. He lunged for her neck. She reared up and his cape smothered them both –

---

“Well. I’m done,” droned Lily.

Lily shuffled down the station steps and strode on. The other two glanced at each other, and then hurried after her.

“You were gone a while,” said Roseluck, catching up.

“Yes,” droned Lily, staring forwards.

“We thought something might have happened to you,” said Daisy, catching up on her other side.

“It was an uneventful visit,” droned Lily, resolutely not looking at them. “I am perfectly fine. Let us continue.”

“Er…” Daisy glanced across at Roseluck, who shrugged. “We thought we heard screaming.”

“What did you explain it away as?” droned Lily, still staring ahead.

“I thought it was the train pulling out,” said Roseluck.

“Then it was just the train pulling out. How far until we reach the hotel?”

Daisy coughed. Perhaps the mare was just tired, but… “Actually, the hotel’s the other way.”

“Very good,” droned Lily, turning so swiftly that the other two didn’t think to stop for a few seconds. “I am tired and worn out and I need a healthy night’s sleep. Let us look forward to the show in comfort.”

Smiling as politely as she dared, Daisy slowed down behind her and waited for Roseluck to do the same. She leaned across to her friend’s ear.

“Is she acting a little… strange to you?” she whispered. “Like she believes she’s been brainwashed, to be exact?”

“A bit. But she said she was tired,” Roseluck replied. “Maybe it’s just that? And what do you mean ‘believes’?”

“Yeah well, keep an eye on her tomorrow, OK? And… probably tonight, too. In fact, make sure she doesn’t read that darned book again. I’m not indulging those delusions of hers, and I’ll just bet one of those hundred is ‘Society Gets Brainwashed Into Violent Insanity’.”

“Oh,” said Roseluck. “I see.”

Lily strode on, staring at the looming shadow of the hotel. They walked a few yards behind her after that.

---