Earthling or Equestrian?

by Tjtbomb

#17- Nightmare Night

Rainbow Dash POV

A few weeks later.

I was so PUMPED! Nightmare Night was right around the corner, and this is Toby's first one ever! I sped through the clouds, rainbow stretching behind me, as I rushed to tell him about it. I slammed into his front porch and hammered his door with my fists. A loud yell of surprise and a couch suddenly flying through a window greeted me. Grumbling and footsteps came to the door. Toby opened it with a slightly peeved grin. I tended to do this a lot.

"You really gotta stop doing that. That's the third couch I've destroyed."

He paused, noticing my bouncing and ecstatic expression.

"What's got you so excited?"

"NIGHTMARE NIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!"

He fixed his now windswept hair and gave me a puzzled look. I explained as I pushed him back into the house.

"It's the best holiday ever! You get to make cool costumes, eat candy, and best of all, Scare people for fun!"

He chuckled as he cleaned up the broken glass and popped out the broken window frame to replace it.

"Sounds accurate, considering you scare me on a daily basis. When is it?"

"3 days from now! We have some time to make costumes!"

He gave a little sly grin over his shoulder.

"We'll go ahead and start on yours, I need to think."

I frowned. I wanted to make his costume with him. He saw my expression.

"Hey, I said I'll help with yours."

I smiled and agreed.

"Rarity's probably got all the stuff we need right?"

"Yeah!"

He blurred and suddenly had on his Tophat, scarf, a gray shirt, and some 'blue jeans', as he called them.

"Let's go!"

We ran out the door and raced off to Rarity's Boutique.

(Timeskip to Nightmare Night)

Rainbow Dash POV

"TOOOOBYYYYY!!! Where are you!"

He said he'd meet me at the festival, so where's he at?

Toby helped me make a practically perfect Wonderbolts uniform for the festival. But all the time we worked on mine, I never once saw his costume. His hat and scarf disappeared at one point so i'd think they're probably part of it.

"Hey Rainbow Dash!"

I turned to see Twilight and Spike coming toward me. Twilight was in yet another boring history costume. Spike dressed up as a dog this year, which was kinda cute.

"Hey guys! Have you seen Toby around? He said he'd meet me at the festival. Hope he didn't bail."

"Rainbow, you know he wouldn't lie. He was really looking forward to tonight."

I sighed, "Yeah, you're right. But where could he be?"

Zecora suddenly appeared in her usual place with a flash of green magic. Twilight urged me over.

"Come on, she's kicking off the festival!"

Zecora said her lines and we all whispered gleefully as she told her warnings of Nightmare Moon again. Then, something new. An arrow suddenly fell at Zecora's feet with a sealed letter attached.

"What's this?" She said.

I could tell she was expecting it, so it was still staged, but it caught my interest. She lifted the letter and read the writing on the outside of the letter.

"A Nightmare Night Tale? To be told just before midnight it says."

She turned back to the audience.

"Well, it seems we have something new this year. I will see you here before midnight."

With that, we went our separate ways. I was so excited now. I was now sure that Toby was in on this new fright.

Twilight was just as ecstatic as I was.

"What do you think it could be Rainbow Dash?"

"It's Toby, I'm sure of it. He's probably trying to get back at me for scaring him so much."

"Oooh~ better watch your tail then!"

I wasn't that concerned..... But I still looked behind me. Not scared, really.

(Timeskip)

Everypony gradually made their way back to the square before midnight. I had the best time scaring people with Princess Luna. I invited her along as well to see the new fright. We had just met up with the Girls again when Zecora appeared.

"Hello again all. The night has been long, frightful, and delightful. And now, we have a mystery to read."

She opened the sealed letter and read it aloud.

"'A Warning of Metallic Doom.' ..... A echo of another world sees this night, to spread its cold, unfeeling Fright. When the face reaches the time of Twelve, and fade the echo of the bells, a whir of gears, a flash of white, is what you should fear, this Nightmare Night. The Clockman Comes, Tonight."

She pauses and unfolds the letter further.

"For all the ponies not in bed, a Clockwork hand shall see you bled. So scurry home, Ponies of the night. Or I may visit and show you my might. -'CM' "

She pauses, seemingly reading further, before placing down the letter as she leans down to the foals.

"Hurry home little ones, or you may never see the sun."

The young ponies, already on edge from the night's spooks and frights, ran home, laughing and screaming along the way.

"I get it," I say, getting the girls attention, "It scares away the youngest away so we can have our grownup scares."

Twilight looked slightly nervous. The others weren't doing such a good job at looking brave. Actually, it looked like we were the only ones left in the square.

"Y-yeah. Grownup scares."

The Clock hit midnight as the bell began to ring. We turned and stared as the chimes slowly faded.

"W-what now?"

"We wait for 'The Clockman' to come and scare us. I have to admit, Toby did a good job setting this up. I've got goosebumps."

I turned toward the mostly deserted town, a smile on my face.

"This should be fun."

I would very quickly regret those words.